Is Beachbody a Pyramid Scheme?

NO!! No, Beachbody is not a pyramid scheme.

First of all, pyramid schemes are illegal.

There are probably a couple of company's that you can name right now, that you think are a pyramid scheme and illegal, but really they arent.

Beachbody is actually called Network Marketing, or MLM (Multi Level Marketing).

A pyramid scheme is when you keep adding people to your "team" just to make money and your aren't receiving product in exchange.
With Beachbody there IS an exchange for the money you are giving them. You give them money and you will receive the Shakeology you ordered or the P90x DVD you ordered.

I make NO money from adding coaches to my team. I could add 50 coaches to my team and not make a dime. The only time I will make money off coaches signing up under me, is when I help those coaches succeed.

This is probably what you think about when you think of a pyramid scheme right?!

I am the CEO of my own business. I dont have people telling me when I need to work, and what I am doing wrong. I DECIDE.

Okay, so now  you might be thinking.. well then why do you sign people/coaches under you? Why is Beahcbody making it look like a pyramid scheme? Why cant Beachbody just have a place where all the coaches sign up and you dont have to sign up under someone.

Heres why: A LONGGGG time ago, the founders of Beachbody (Carl Daikeler and Jon Congdon) started the business but they didnt want to advertise the product, they wanted others to sell the product who had used it and had gotten REAL results. Daikeler and Congdon wanted the results to speak for themselves. Therefore, coaches came about. These "coaches" had used the products and had gotten real results from the product, they were sharing their weight loss journey with other people who then became interested and wanted to also try the product.

When you sign up to become a coach, it doesn't mean that the coach higher than you will make more money than you or tell you what to do. That coach above you is showing you everything that you should be doing and helping you get started with your own business, they act as a MENTOR to you, not boss.
As far as the coach above you makes more money than you, that is completely FALSE. You are your own boss, you decide how much work and effort you will put into this business. If you work harder than the coach above you and you are more consistent, you can make more money than your upline coach. There are many coaches in Beachbody who pass their upline coaches income because they are more dedicated to helping people reach results.

Not that this business is a race, but my point is that you are not told who much you can make, you dont have a boss down your throat all day watching your move and making sure you are helping (X) number of people. You decide.

Quick Chili Recipe

This recipe is healthy, quick, easy and not to mention SUPER CHEAP!!!!

I know I cant be the only out there who HATES to cook. It wouldnt be so bad if I didnt have to clean up after I cook. Ya know what I mean.

So... when I do cook, I make it quick, easy, and use the least amount of pots and pans as possible!

::Okay so heres what you need, 5 ingredients. THATS IT!!!::

- 1 package of turkey burger
- 1 can of tomato sauce
- 1 can of kidney beans
- 1 can of crushed/diced tomatoes
- 1 pack of chili seasoning

First get one large pot, put your turkey burger in the pot and start browning your turkey. 

(Ew raw meat grosses me out)

Next put in your chili seasoning. I like that it soaks into the meat and gives it a lot of flavor.

(Someday I would like to start making my own seasoning, but for now, I make sure to get the 30% less sodium)

Next I mix in my crushed/diced tomatoes and the kidney beans. 

(I personally like to add diced tomatoes instead of the crushed. I like thicker chili but my sister likes it more thin and soup like. And I like to add pinto beans and black beans)

Lastly, I add in the tomato sauce.

I like to let it cook for 15-20 minutes just so that all the ingredients mix together and the for the flavor!!

BUT

If you are impatient and cant let it cook for 20 minutes - crank up that heat and let it cook for 5 minutes and eat!!!

I like to add one more thing to my personal bowl and that is CRUSHED RED PEPPER, YUM!!!

The meal costs around $10 and feed over 4 people and there are still left overs for the next day!!
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Are You Ready To Change Your Life?

I cant believe that its been almost one year that I decided to turn my life around. 

In December 2013, I decided that I was sick of feeling bloated all the time, sick of not eating healthy, sick of not being active.

BUTTTTT, I had no self esteem when I started and no confidence. I had tons of workout programs at my house but I never completed any of them. So when I started T25, I already thought I was going to fail. I couldnt even make it through Brazil Butt Lift and that was only a 4 week program, how was I going to make it through an 8 week program.

So I dove into T25.
I made it through the first week.
I made it through 30 days.
I made it through 60 days.

I completed my first workout program!!

Completing that program changed everything about me.
I now had confidence.
I now believed in myself.
I now had a different outlook on life.



Haley and I just completed our first "7 Day Clean Eating Challenge Group" and it was so awesome! (P.S. Go check out Haleys Blog, its awesome)

We had women in our challenge that lost 5-10 pound in literally 7 days!! How awesome is that?

Haley and I are teaming up again on October 27, 2014. We are going to run a 21 day challenge group. The program is focused on clean eating and short 30 minute workouts. Ohh and I forgot to mention the fitness instructor is smoking hot, her abs are to die for.
We will be bringing you recipes, our personal grocery lists, support, accountability and lots of fun!!!

Think about your life a year from now, 6 months from now, or 2 months from now.
The time is going to pass whether you take action or not.

Where will you be in a year?

Do You Need Equipment For Beachbody Workout Programs?

I've been asked this question so many times when I am talking to someone about an at home workout program.

Beachbody has thought about certain things, far in advance to make working out at home simple and easy. Beachbody knows that not everyone has room in their house for full gym equipment and they also know that gym equipment is EXPENSIVE. They know that not everyone is going to go out and buy tons of gym equipment.

So when they think about creating a new workout program, they are making sure that it is a simple as possible, but also making sure that the program is effective.

With that being said...

Yes some programs do require you to have equipment whether it be weights, a pull-up bar, a yoga mat. Oh and guess what else Beachbody has done?! They also give you a second option, so if you dont have a pull-up bar, they show you how to do a move WITHOUT a pull-up bar and show you to use bands instead. Or if you dont a bench to sit on, you can use a stability ball.

How cool, right?!

Anyways...

So I am currently doing the workout program Body Beast. I have put off Body Beast and P90x for a long time because 1. I was scared I wouldnt be able to do it and didnt want to fail, and 2. I live in a dinky apartment with no space and I had no clue where I would put a bench when I wasnt using it to workout.

So I came up with tons of excuses and then one day realized I wanted to do Body Beast no matter what.
***Its about to get REAL***
Body Beast requires you to have weights AND a bench.
Weights=check
Bench=dont have

And I dont have extra cash to be dishing out on a bench right now... But what was I going to do? Keep coming up with more excuses why I couldnt do the program or suck it up and make due with what I had.
So I sucked it up.
So like I said earlier Beachbody gives you a second option. Instead of the bench I could use a stability ball. Again, I didnt know where I would put it when I wasnt using it.

Guess what?!
I havent used a bench or stability ball the whole time I have been doing Body Beast and I  have been doing Body Beast for 42 days now.

When Sagi (Body Beast Instructor) lays down on his bench, I lay down on the floor, when he sits on the edge of his bench, I sit on the edge of my recliner.

Am I saying don't go out and buy those things if you have the money, no. But I am saying that if you really want to see changes in your body, you will  decide that you want something and make it happen.


Find creative ways to make the program work for you! Your fitness journey should be fun!! Everyday when I improvise with a recliner, I giggle to myself because if people only knew what I looked like while I worked out.

Here are 2 more videos of me improvising!! Guys make it fun and enjoy your journey




P.S. Now you can all laugh at me because you know what I look like at home, trying to be all fancy with my bench, AKA recliner!!

How to make a little girls headband?

If you're anything like me you probably wonder, how much are those little girl headbands that look so cute on newborn babies in pictures?

But if your also like me, you will find a way to make them instead of paying for the headbands, paying for shipping and paying for tax for it to get sent to you. 

So that's what I did. 

If you read my earlier post from a couple days ago you know that I made a crown for a newborn photo shoot. But you didn't know that I also made a headband!! The ones from the stores all look the same and sometimes even cheap. So I found a simple and cheap way for you to make your own!

First go to Walmart and go in the baby section. There should be premade headbands (4 pack of headbands for $2.50). They look like this:

Rip off the flower and cut the headband. Lay the headband out flat and measure it to be 10-11 inches. 

 

Dab a tiny bit of hot glue to one of the cut ends and connect the headband again. 

Now that you have the headband back together, it's time to make the flower!

Go to Walmart and pick out the color silk/satin material that you want. Get it cut to 6 inches (fabric should be about $4). 

Decide how big you want the flower to be. Cut a square out and trim off the corners of the square 

Take a lighter to the edges of the material. 

**dont be nervous that the material will catch on fire. It melts the material but doesn't burn it*** 

The fire melts the material and makes a plastic edge around it.

Then to make the other petals for the flower, you cut a smaller piece of fabric, and smaller and smaller until you are happy with the amount of petals. 

Do the same thing to those petals (trim the corners and burn the edges). 

Once all your petals are burned, take the largest petal and attach it to a small piece of felt. I attached mine by stitching it with a needle and thread. Then attach the next largest peddle. Keep doing this until all petals are attached. 

Next hot glue a fancy button in the middle of the flower. 

The last step is the hot glue the flower onto the headband! 

When you are finished,

You should have a gorgeous headband that looks like this!!! 

 With all the materials I bought, the headband should cost around $10. And that $10 makes you 4 headbands. Pretty cheap and easy! :) 

New Born Photos

There is something about photos that tell a story to me and tell me so much. I love everything about photos.

At one point in my life I actually wanted to do photography because I am so in love with photos. I decided not to continue down that path because I really hate how tedious editing is!

One of the families that I nanny for just had a baby. And they asked me to come up to their house and take some photos of their newest addition to their family, I was completely honored!! BUT MOST OF ALL, quite nervous. I had thoughts like " I am no professional." "Why would they ask me?" "Im sure the pictures I take wont turn out, they are just wasting their time by asking me."

So like any normal girl in this world, I got on Pinterest and started researching new born photos to get ideas. And we all know that Pinterest is a LIFE SAVER!

So I got great ideas from Pinterest and here is one of the ideas that I decided to do, make a crown.



Go to Walmart and buy any kind of lace ribbon. Make sure that one side has points and the other side is flat.

Since the crown is for a new born, it of course needs to be small. Cut a piece of ribbon to 10.5 inches.

Next I bought a small bottle of "gold" spray paint and sprayed the front side of the crown. I waited for the crown to dry and spray painted the back side of the crown.

After both sides of the crown dried I sprayed stuff called "Stiffen Quick". This makes the crown stand without it being flimsy. I think it is pretty much glue and water.

I then got a Solo cup and put the crown around it so that it would be round when it hardened. After the crown hardened, I applied a small dab of glue to the crown to  hold it together.

I let the crown sit around the Solo cup over night, and the next day took this picture!!!

P.S. Everything can be found at Walmart!! Goodluck, Happy picture taking!!

How To Get Rid Of Dark Circles Under Your Eyes

I'm all about trying new beauty products. I don't know what it is about make up but I'm a complete sucker for new makeup and trying out new brands. I came across this brand from a makeup artist on Instagram who does Chalene Johnsons makeup. I saw picture of Chalene and she looked FLAWLESS but figured, Chalene is a celebrity, I'm sure she spent a ton of money on her makeup to have it look that great. I found out the makeup was called "It Cosmetics".

I tried to forget about the "It Cosmetics" makeup that Chalene used until my boyfriends sister went out and bought "It Cosmetics" makeup and told me that I needed to try this "It Cosmetics" makeup called "Bye Bye Undereye" from Ulta. I almost popped my pants when I found out the same makeup that celebrities wear was right at Ulta!! I was using a "Nars" concealer and a "Smashbox" concealer, both from Sephora and neither were doing the trick. When I first applied both the Nars and Smashbox concealer, my makeup looked great but as the day went on my makeup wore away! And for the dark cycles I have, I can't have my makeup wearing away-- I would look like a zombie! 

Zombie face in full effect! 

So I bought this: Bye Bye Undereye that looks like this. I wanted to try it out for myself.

Pretty much amazingness in a tube!!! 

It's actually pretty big and a little bit goes a long ways

The consistency is kinda sticky. So I apply the "Bye Bye Undereye" first and then apply the rest of my makeup and seal my makeup with a powder. After you apply the powder you undereyes aren't sticky anymore!

I also decided that if it worked for my dark circles, it must work for zits and blemishes-- sure enough it does!
I swear this stuff has a secret ingredient





I know I look gross in these photos, I was in a hurry this morning when I was doing my "makeup". When I actually do my make up completely, it looks way better. Here is what I look like when Im fully ready and dont look like a wet dog!