The REAL Reasons Women Shouldn't Lift Weights

Hey there - just Lindsay today! As a fitness professional and a woman, I felt it was my duty to share this with you guys. In no particular order, here's the REAL reasons women shouldn't lift weights:

#1 You'll gain confidence. Like makeup-free pics all over your Instagram confident. CAN YOU IMAGINE?!

#2 You'll get stronger. 5 flights of stairs is suddenly easy. Lugging your toddler plus the 10 bags it takes to just go to the grocery store is no problem for your strong arms. WHATEVER WILL YOU DO?!

#3 You'll lose body fat. You know, the stuff actually related to chronic health conditions, your body's proportions, etc. But that doesn't matter because the scale won't go down as much.

#4 You'll look better in your clothes. Less frump, more tight. What will you do with all your Spanx?!

#5 You'll have a faster metabolism, which means you can eat more food. THE HORROR!

There you have it - you definitely shouldn't lift weights as a woman unless you want to be more confident, stronger, have less body fat, and a higher metabolism. Just the thought of those things makes me shiver.

In Health,

Lindsay

P.S. - kinda hope y'all get the sarcasm, but because one never knows, here's the disclaimer: THIS IS HEAVILY LACED WITH SARCASM. I *LOVE* lifting for all those reasons and more. GO LIFT WEIGHTS!

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6 Months!

Talk about the fastest 6 months of our lives....

We have gone from this:

4 Days Old

.....to this:

6 months

Ever since he was just a plus sign on a very early pregnancy test, Baby E has been our greatest blessing. Seeing the changes in him every day is mind-blowing! It seems with every passing day, he's gotten bigger, more active, developed more personality, etc. etc.!!

Baby E continues to be what we call a "ham and cheese sammich" :) This boy is constantly cheezin' and hammin' it up!! He is rarely without a smile and he has the greatest belly laugh! He's great at sitting up unassisted, rolling all over the place, crawling backwards and in circles (still working on forwards!) and does some killer planks and downward dogs too. He "talks", blows raspberries, and coos constantly. We supplement his bottle feeds with purees once or twice a day now, and he likes everything so far (apple, strawberries, bananas, pears, carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans) except for peas. He continues to sleep fairly well....between 3 and 5 months, he got in a habit where he was getting up at least once in an 8-hour stretch, but in the last couple weeks, he seems to have transitioned back to typically making it 8p to 4a, dreamfeed/change at 4a, then going back down for about 2 more hours. He powernaps during the day (15-30 minutes, two or three times) and still has unbridled rage for the carseat :( Baby E loves bathtime, books, and picking any and everything up within his reach (and it usually goes straight into the mouth).

We have a pretty decent flow/schedule and keep things very regimented Monday through Friday (it's what works best for the three of us). Weekends are spent trying to soak up every second we can together...there are no words for how hard it is to leave your child at daycare 50 hours a week. S.U.C.K.S.

We had a scary time right after Christmas when Baby E had two seizures but we're hopeful that they were febrile and never happen again. He was "off" (not himself, diarrhea, etc.) for 2 weeks afterward, but then came back around. It was terrifying but both Timothy and myself kept cool heads throughout the whole thing *proud of us*

Speaking of us - we've settled into parenthood quite nicely! We jokingly refer to ourselves as "rookies" and sometimes we make new-parent mistakes, BUT....Baby E doesn't seem to mind (or loves us anyways). We've gone out for a few hours a couple times just the two of us, which is good and healthy, despite the fact we end up talking about the baby and how much we miss him the entire time :) Most of the time, if we want to do something, we take him with us! He does great in the Ergo, although lately he's big and strong enough to just sit in a stroller or cart! Haven't been comfortable enough to leave him overnight yet, but we'll get there.

Since we are health/fitness coaches and this is technically a healthy living blog, I suppose I should give a "Body After Baby" update! :) I've tried to be intentional about giving my body the time it needs to "bounce back" from pregnancy. I know certain parts of me have permanently changed at the bone-structure level (i.e., HIPS!) but I lost the 30 pounds I gained during pregnancy within the first couple weeks, and my focus since then has been rebuilding lost muscle! I continue to be so so SO proud of my body (and mind!) for giving birth naturally....definitely more incentive to treat it right and take good care of it. :) I workout 6-7 days a week....but could certainly be more strict on my nutrition.






In summary, Baby E is just as perfect as he was on Day 1, if not more so! The love for your child is something that cannot be appropriately described or matched, ever. Being his parents is a complete honor and privilege and we strive to do the best we can by him, for him, always!

In Health,

Lindsay and Timothy
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FitBit Flex Review

Notice: FitBit did not send me a free Flex to review and I am not getting paid for this review; however, should FitBit or any company want to send me any products for free in exchange for my opinions, I would gladly accept :)

My dear husband and business partner, Tim, gave me a FitBit Flex for my birthday. I had been eye-balling FitBit for some time, but didn't want to wait for the Force (which is still 1-2 weeks back-ordered at the time of this post), so the Flex seemed perfect!

Here's how FitBit describes the Flex: "This slim, stylish device is with you all the time. During the day, it tracks steps, distance, and calories burned. At night, it tracks your sleep quality and wakes you silently in the morning. Just check out the lights to see how you stack up against your personal goal. It’s the motivation you need to get out and be more active."

The reason I wanted it was to have a better check on my general activity level throughout the day (and I was admittedly curious about seeing the sleep quality thing too). I workout 6-7 days a week, BUT I spend 5 of those days practically chained to a desk between 7:30am and 5pm. Yeah...it sucks.

So I've had the FitBit Flex for a week now....here are my thoughts:

1. Simple as pie to set-up. Took all of 5 seconds on the computer (we're Mac users, so no problems there) and I downloaded the free app onto my phone as well.

2. It's slimmer than a watch and thus very easy to wear. It's suggested to wear it on your non-dominant hand, so you can't really wear a watch when you wear the FitBit (unless you wanted to be a hipster and double-up!) but that didn't bother me....that's what cellphones are for! :)

Source

3. It holds charge like a champ! I let it charge on a Sunday afternoon, and after wearing 24/7 for 5 days, it still has half the battery life left!

4. The website says it's sweat and water resistant (not proof!), so I do take it off when I shower, but that's it....and so far, so good!

5. It certainly does what I got it for, track activity and sleep! I still use my heart-rate monitor during my workouts, since that's the only true way to know exactly how much I burned, but this has been great to see my activity during all other parts of the day! I didn't realize how hard it is to get 10,000 steps, even though I consider myself an active person! DAMN DESK JOB!

And the sleep tracker is interesting too....I love to see the difference in nights when the baby sleeps through the night:

Looks like I barely moved

 ...And when he doesn't sleep through the night:

Yeah, 2am munchies! :)

All in all, in my opinion, the FitBit Flex is certainly worth the money. If you want a device to help ensure you are more intentional about your activity, this is perfect. I check the app on my phone throughout the day, see how many steps I'm at....if I'm low, I know it's time to sneak away and get some walking in! If it's buzzed 4-5 times in a little rhythm...I know I've hit the 10,000 mark and I do a little happy dance :) 

Questions? Comment below or contact us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube...we're everywhere!

In Health,

Lindsay

Find What You Love...No, Seriously. Find it. Then Do It.

When people reach out to us for fitness coaching or advice, they are often surprised that we actually have a lot of questions for them first....

That's because when you are trying to make a permanent lifestyle change in fitness, you have to find something you love.

It's like when you decide to marry someone.....you've tried others in the past and for whatever reason(s), it didn't work, but then you met "The One" and you learned about each other, things clicked, and BAM, you're ready for a life together.

Same concepts apply to making a lifetime commit to health and fitness. For something to theoretically last forever, you have to really love it!!

Dabble around....try the gym, try at home workouts, try group fitness classes, try CrossFit. Even though we are a "fitness duo", we are pretty different in our fitness love lives: he is 99% CrossFit and 1% running/biking, while Lindsay is 99% home workout programs and 1% miscellaneous (usually CrossFit).

Moral of the story is this: when you dabble around and try some or all of the different options related to fitness, chances are, you'll find things you really enjoy and you'll find things that you probably won't ever do again :) That's the point....find what you love, then do it.

In Health,

Tim and Lindsay
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P.S. - Lindsay needs this shirt for Christmas:

Simmer Down!

 

Seriously. Everybody just needs to simmer down!!

People almost have a coronary if they see us eat unhealthy foods. Like we are suppose to be some kind of alien life forms who only consumes boiled chicken and broccoli out of Tupperware containers. 

 

While we use our blog and our presence on social media to promote a healthy lifestyle....our MAIN GOAL is to show people the way to integrating a balanced approach to nutrition and fitness into their lifestyle. Fast food once in a while won't kill you. Cookies or chips once in a while won't derail any weightloss goal you might have. SIMMA DOWN!

Granted....if you are just starting to consider dipping your toe into diet and exercise, it might be a real struggle for you to be able to maintain balance. We were certainly way more strict when we first began our journey. B.U.T. - if you truly want something to last, to be maintainable with ease....you have to find the balance.

In Health,

Tim and Lindsay
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Working Out So You Can Pig Out (?)

We certainly do it....try to make sure we get a good workout in beforehand if we know we'll be having a meal that is out of the ordinary/not exactly healthy.

Our mindset for doing so is this: One, we try to get a good workout in every day, pending cheat meal or no cheat meal. And two, it couldn't hurt to burn some serious calories and deplete your glycogen levels beforehand! Overall, that's a pretty well-supported thought process (here and here, just as examples). But, it can lead to dangerous territory....

Nice try.

That dangerous territory is where every workout becomes solely for the purpose of following it up with a bad diet....you know, working out so you can pig out.

The gist is this: working out before a cheat meal is probably a GOOD idea; HOWEVER, most of your week's meals should be food that is going to fuel your workouts (lean proteins, complex carbs, veggies).

Trust we are guilty of the too many cheat meals too....but when you lead an overall fit lifestyle and have done so for a couple years, your body is a little more forgiving (shouldn't be an excuse to pig out, though...note to selves). So also keep that in mind: if you're in the beginning of your journey, you're going to need to be really strategic about your cheat meals.

Eating is a science and it's easy to get overwhelmed with it. The best thing to do is keep is simple and keep it moving!

In Health,

Tim and Lindsay
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Finding (and Keeping) *That* Mindset

It happens to EVERYONE....us included.

You're going along, kicking ass and taking names at your healthy lifestyle. Eating well. Working out. Total awesomeness.

Then....you get off track. Sometimes, it's because something major happens. Sometimes, it's a slow fall. Either way, your eating becomes less and less clean. You skip one workout, then another, and another. Next thing you know, you're feeling sluggish and frustrated asking yourself "WHAT THE HELL?!?!"

What does it take to keep *that* mindset? The mindset that has you eating clean and exercising effortlessly - just second nature.

We don't think there is an easy, one-size-fits-all answer to that question....but, here are our top 3 tips that can have a huge impact:

#1 - "Just Keep Swimming!" It sounds so basic, but honestly, the more you do it, the more you'll continue to do it. Keep at it, day after day, and eventually  you don't even have to think about it.

#2 - Surround Yourself with the Right People! Whether they are "real life" people or just following/interacting with people through social media, make sure you are getting a large dose of positive, motivated, energetic people who are living this healthy lifestyle.

#3 - Learn to Forgive Yourself, Quickly! When you have a bad day, or even when you start to see the signs that you're falling off the wagon, say to yourself "Okay, I've made a poor choice that isn't going to help me reach my goals, and that's okay." Shaming yourself will only lead to more poor choices which will only get you further off your path. Pick yourself up quickly and get back on track!

In Health,

Tim and Lindsay
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Where Time and Energy Are....

Wow - our blog post about our birth story was written when Baby E was just a few weeks old! Sorry for being MIA -  he is now 10 weeks old and has SO MUCH PERSONALITY! He loves to smile, stand up, and is a total chatterbox! He started sleeping in his crib at 6 weeks and began sleeping through the night (most nights, lol) shortly there after. He started daycare at 8.5 weeks and contracted his first cold shortly there after :) He eats 4-5 oz every 2 hours (and is just like his mom and gets HANGRY) and weighs 14 pounds (big boy!!). He still is not a fan of the car seat and refuses to sleep on his back. He is spending more time in the Bumbo seat, which we affectionately call "The Poop Chair" because a dirty diaper is sure to follow after 5 minutes or less in the Bumbo, lol! Of course, like all babies, he has his fussy moments, but honest to God, he's a really really good, happy baby!! We are blessed!

He is so strong!!

Working out :)

This is when he discovered his tongue

Loves to smile :)

 Lindsay resumed working out right at 4 weeks postpartum. All the pregnancy weight (30 pounds) was lost, but body shape and texture (?) had definitely changed and were going to require some work :) She started a Body After Baby/Hot Mom 90-day Challenge at 5 weeks postpartum. This is a Fit with Farrar sponsored challenge where 30-some other moms committed to working out and eating healthfully with her, and one frequent comment from the other moms was "Where on Earth do you find the time and the energy?!?!"




So here's the big secret. Lindsay has found the secret location where both time and energy are hidden from busy, stressed out moms.....



 YOUR MIND.



Yep, it's all in your head. While we never want to undermine how difficult it is to be a mom, energy is a decision. If you tell yourself you have energy, your body will react accordingly. If all you do is think about how tired and exhausted you are, your body also acts accordingly. And with time....time is also a decision. Nobody, mom or not, HAS the time to workout...you have to MAKE the time. Everyone has at least 10-15 minutes a day. Don't think you do? Talk to us about your schedule - I guarantee you we'll find you 10-15 minutes.

Here's the schedule we've been able to develop. DISCLAIMER: Sh*t Happens. Some days do not work like this, but most do. And yeah, milestones (like teething) are probably going to throw a wrench into this, but while we are flexible, we are also committed. This is our lifestyle - we choose it, we will make it work!

4am - Mom and Dad wake; if Baby isn't already awake, we wake for a change and feeding

4:30am - Baby goes back down in crib

5am - Mom works out at home while Dad heads to work for a workout before his day begins

6:30am - Mom wakes up Baby (if not already awake) for another change and feeding, then load up in the car!

7:15am - Mom drops Baby off at daycare and heads to work

7:30am - 5pm - Mom and Dad at work (boooo) and Baby at daycare (double booooo).

5:10pm - Mom picks up Baby from daycare and Dad is on his way home.

5:45pm - 7:30pm - playtime and dinner with Baby!! Also pack all the prepped meals and snacks for the next day.

7:30pm - nighttime ritual begins: bath, bottle, & rocking chair. Baby is usually asleep in crib by 8pm. We watch TV/chat in bed for an hour and then go to sleep ourselves. Then we wake up at 4am and do it all over again....

This schedule is what works for us; it might not work for you and your specific situation, but that's not the point. The point is that if you want to lead a healthy lifestyle, you have to make the time. It seems like a chore in the beginning, but eventually, it just becomes a part of your everyday life. If you need some help figuring out how to make things work for you, just email us (fitwithfarrar at gmail) or message us on Facebook!

In Health,

Tim and Lindsay

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Pick Up Heavy Stuff, Put It Back Down, Repeat

It's hard to believe, but even in the age of Crossfit obsession and with ALL the research and knowledge out there on the benefits and overall necessity of weightlifting, women STILL avoid lifting, especially lifting heavy.

Based on what we hear, see, and read, it seems like there are a couple of factors at play here. One is that women, more so than men, are obsessed with burning calories. It's all about how high I can get the "Calories Burned" number on the treadmill or elliptical. What they don't realize is that while cardio can give you a high calorie burn, when you build muscle, you burn 24/7 instead of just during your workout. Also, people who do chronic cardio (what we fondly call cardio whores) end up not just burning calories, but burning already limited muscle mass as well. Bad News Bears.

More "reasoning" we get from women is that they don't want to lift too often or too heavy because they don't want to bulk up, they just want the lean, toned look. We debunk your reasoning here with simple genetics. Men have lots of testosterone, thus when they lift heavy things, they get big, beautiful muscles. Women, however, have very little testosterone, thus when they lift heavy things, their figures get leaner, and tighter. Trust that the only way you'll "bulk up" or get huge from weightlifting is from eating too much simultaneously....or taking hormones. Plus, your purse probably weighs at least 10 pounds, and that toddler you're toting around is a good 25 - so please, stop with the 2 to 5 pound weights.

Look - you like to run? No problem. Love Zumba or TurboFire? Fantastic. We aren't saying don't do these things. What we are saying is that cardio should not be your only means of working out, ladies. You have got to weight-train. It keeps your body fat percentage in check, supports a healthy metabolism, helps you fight injury and illness, helps support good bone density, and damn it, you just look better with muscle!!

Still not convinced?? Here's how being intentional with weightlifting and building muscle changed Lindsay's physique:

Too much cardio

After 1 year of regular, heavy lifting

After 2 years of weightlifting!

As always, we'd love to hear from you! Feel free to leave your feedback in the comments below, on our Facebook page, tweet us, or message us on YouTube!

In Health,

Timothy and Lindsay

More Time!!

We hear it daily, in a variety of settings, referring to a variety of things, but it all has to do with not having enough time.

Limited/no time is the #1 excuse folks use when trying to explain their lack of commitment to their health and  fitness. Truth is, we all have the same 24 hours in a day and you don't find the time, you MAKE the time for things that are important to you. That being said, if you want to make your health and fitness important to you, here are some things that you might find helpful to maximize the use of your precious time!

1. Use the days you have more "unscheduled time" to make it easier on all the other days!!

• We are specifically referring to meal and workout prep here! Prepping your meals or your meal staples (veggies, fruits, meats) in one day makes it that much easier on all the other days. If you aren't following a specific program, also map out all your workouts. This prep work takes out the guessing and makes it less likely you'll deviate from the plan!

2.  Make your workouts count....get the most bang for your buck!

• Be smart when it comes to your workout choices - choose programs and/or individual workouts that will give you the greatest outcome in the least amount of time. Some of our favorites are Insanity, TurboFire, Crossfit, and ZWOWs. 

3. If you must have variety in your foods, map out your meals a week in advance and grocery shop accordingly!

•  Once the shopping is done, see tip #1 :-)

 
To be completely open and honest, the tips only really work when YOU have DECIDED that this is going to be a priority for you. Once you've had the mindset change, it all falls into place fairly easily...then you get into a routine, and that routine becomes habit, and before you know it, this is just how you live!!

In Health,

Timothy and Lindsay
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Fitness & Pregnancy: From a PREGNANT point of view this time :)

You may recall - based on readers' requests, we did a Fit Pregnancy post a few months ago (you can find that post here). That one was based on the research we had done, gathering information from several knowledgeable and reputable sources, BUT - it had no personal experience to go along with it.

Well now that we got a few months of personal experience under our belt, we figured we'd give y'all an updated version :)

Original post: "During the first trimester, staying active is important. It will help alleviate some of the negative side-effects of pregnancy hormones you might be experiencing (nausea, fatigue, etc.). But no one says you have to keep up with your 6-day-a-week workouts seshs.....if you need to bump it down a notch, DO SO! You're growing a baby, for goodness sake! :)"


Now: Um yeah, first trimester did not go as gloriously as that sounds above! Lindsay really (unnecessarily) freaked about exercising because her heart rate gets so high (doesn't take much for her to get in the 180's+) and she was so scared she'd lose the baby. This cut down on the first trimester workouts A LOT. And the need for 10-12 hours of sleep, plus naps, didn't leave much time in the day for workouts, either.


Original post: "Once you get into the second and third trimesters, you might have slowed down (especially if you were super active girl before getting pregnant), but don't stop completely! Remaining active isn't just good for you, it's good for that little critter in your belly too! Avoid high-risk/contact exercise, working out in extreme temperatures, and also avoid exercises that have you on your back (like Pilates), because when lying on your back, your expanding uterus presses against your spinal cord, which in turn limits blood flow."

Now: Once she made it to the second trimester, and had a few doctor's visits under her belt, she felt more comfortable working out regularly. One set of pregnancy DVDs was tried, but Lindsay has veered back to TurboFire, just doing the "low impact modifications". Energy seems to be coming back, which makes working out 4-5 times a week pretty darn doable!

Maintaining fitness is important, and Lindsay hopes to continue strong throughout the rest of the 2nd trimester and into her 3rd. The fear and fatigue that plagued the first trimester are diminishing, so here's hoping!

Today's Lesson: Things don't always go as you have planned!

A little pic - does/did this happen to anyone else while pregnant? Working out (guessing it's all the blood flowing) makes the belly swell like CRAZY?!

In Health,

Lindsay and Timothy

Tough Love or Bullying?

A lot of you have probably already seen this video or heard this story by now:

We sincerely appreciate Jennifer Livingston utilizing this event in her life as a means to promote anti-bullying. She could've ignored it or just dealt with it privately, but she chose to bring it to the fore-front for a greater cause: to fight bullies, and for that, she deserves a round of applause!

But all of this got our wheels turning, so we wanted to bring it up with you guys. What is considered tough love and what is considered bullying? How fine is that line? We are in no way trying to say that Ms. Livingston's situation wasn't bullying, rather, we got to thinking about our own behavior and whether or not we could be interpreted as bullies!

If you know us personally (or just follow us here or on Facebook and Twitter), you know that we are very assertive people. We don't like to hem-and-haw with folks and we certainly do not beat around the bush. When it comes to our health and fitness coaching, we (and others) often refer to it is "tough love". We typically do not hesitate to call people out when they're making excuses. We like to promote big doses of reality checks, both for ourselves and for others. We don't like to sugar coat (pun!) things. Is that bullying?

Clearly, we hope it is not interpreted that way. Living a balanced, healthy lifestyle has been the greatest gift for the two of us, and yes - we promote it incessantly but it is only because we want as many people as we can reach to feel the same way! We are as supportive and encouraging as we can be to our clients/customers - but if they are starting up the bull-sh*t factory, we will call them out on it.

What are your thoughts on tough love versus bullying?

In Health,

Timothy and Lindsay

Fear: Use it or Get Abused by it....

We posted a question on our Facebook page (and Twitter too) the other day: "Do you have a dream or goal that's so big it kinda scares you?" We got a pretty big response - seems like there are a lot of you out there that have this big thing, likely something you haven't shared with many people because it is so big....something that you have in the back of your head...and when you think about it, you get flushed with fear.

Fear is a powerful thing - we liken it a lot to adrenaline in that it can definitely be used FOR you instead of against you. That's how we choose to look at fear....all you have to do is harness it properly and RIDE ON!

How do you do that? Take that big dream and break it down into smaller, manageable goals and objectives. Then figure out your targets that will help you accomplish those goals/objectives. There you go - you've taken that fear and now you're letting it drive you into actually putting in the work towards realizing that dream.

Here's an example:
Big, scary dream = compete in a fitness/figure competition
Goals/Objectives = reach x% body fat, lose x pounds, have great stage presence
Targets = train 6 days a week with personal trainer, track food daily, take posing class

Don't think this outlook only applies to health and fitness goals (WRONG!) Apply this way of thinking to all aspects of your life and the results will astonish you. Seriously.

Let's chat: Have you recently overcome a fear or used fear to your advantage? Tell us about it in the comments!

 In Health,

Timothy and Lindsay

Coaching Opportunity

If you're reading this blog - it's probably because you have some level of interest in health and fitness and how it all fits into a "regular person's" busy lifestyle!!

Please take a little less than 5 minutes to watch the video at the end of this post to find out how we turned our journey going from this:

December 2007

To this:

Nearly 100 lbs GONE! Photo Credit: Laura Gordon Photography

....into an income for us!

Hope to hear from you soon!!

In Health,

Lindsay and Timothy
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Priorities, Baby!

We don't think it is a huge secret at this point - but for those who may not know....yes, we travel an hour to and an hour back to grocery shop at a certain store, once a week, always. It's really not a big deal to us....we are constantly bee-bopping all over creation anyways....but it never fails to surprise people when they first hear it. Weird, but okay.

On our most recent trek, we ran into some cohorts of Timothy's. Chit-chatting commenced: they perused our shopping cart, asked why we were here annnndddd when we explained we make this trip every week, the jokes about "must be nice to have all that money" started up.

Outside, we looked like this:

Inside, we looked like this:

 

  

We were discussing this afterward and found what we think to be the best way to explain it. We will try our best to utilize this explanation/disclaimer, in whole or parts, in all future encounters:

"WOW, thank you for insinuating that a couple in their mid-twenties with no history of monetary inheritance must be rich because they shop at Whole Foods. It certainly can't be because we work hard and budget accordingly, no, definitely not that. We are just Richy McRicherson"

Okay - maaayybbbee skip that part, unless we are just overwhelmed with sarcasm that day.
 

Maybe it should go more like this:

"Yep - high quality food is really important to us and we can't get that at our local stores. We find that you spend your money, time, and effort on things that you deem priorities. For us, our health is the #1 priority, so we delegate a lot of our time, money, and effort into preserving and improving our health."

Now - in our perfect world, the person(s) would follow up with something like "Jeez, you're right. I want to do this too. How can you help me?"

YES! YES! We can help. Easy challenge: For the next month, track your expenses. Keep note of when you go out to the bar for drinks, grab some fast food, get some snacks from the vending machine, order pizza, etc. We bet that you would be shocked if you add all that up! If you really want to make the change without seeing a huge change in your budget, put all or most of those funds toward grocery shopping. Crap out, goodness in, no change in your funds. 

We really mean no harm, and we are sorry if you find this post preachy. We are not perfect, but we do try to keep our priorities at the forefront of our minds 98.978346% of the time and just want people to know that they too can do the same, if they really want to. 

Social Media Roundup: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube

In Health,

Lindsay and Timothy

Nutrition 101: Part 4 - Fat!

Welcome all to the fourth and final installment of our Nutrition 101 series! If you've missed any of the pieces so far, please take a moment to review:

Part I - What and How Much
Part II - Protein
Part III - Carbs

Now that you're all up to speed - let's jump right in!

Fats - they are absolutely essential for normal body function, for ALL bodies (big, small, tall, short, ALL!) They are a major source of energy, help your body in absorbing vitamins, and are vital for proper growth, development and keeping you healthy. Fats also provide taste to foods and help you feel fuller longer.

Life would be all peanut butter and chocolate if that's where it stopped, right? Well, life isn't and nothing is ever that easy :-) There are different kinds of fats and not all of them are created equal!

Trans Fat - can be both naturally occurring (small amounts in the fatty parts of meat and dairy) and artificial (foods that contain partially hydrogenated oil). A lot of people just say avoid all trans fat, when in reality, it isn't the small amounts in meat/dairy that get ya - it's the artificial trans fat in processed food products (read: Twinkie). As with virtually everything, avoid and limit processed foods!

Saturated Fat - a lot of conflicting information out there on this little bugger. Saturated fat is often found in high-fat cheeses, high-fat cuts of meat, whole-fat milk and cream, butter, and ice cream. The whole "saturated fat causes heart disease" stands on really shaky ground from a data perspective, but the overall takeaway is: we're not saying gorge yourself on butter, bacon, and cheese, but there is no reason why these things can't be a part of a healthy diet!

Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated Fat  - most of your fat should come from these sources! Nuts, vegetable oils, and fish fall into these two categories. Great sources of Omega-6 and Omega-3!

Cholesterol - fatty substance that's found in animal-based foods (meats, poultry, egg yolks, and whole milks). Not only do you get cholesterol from the foods you eat, but your body also makes cholesterol to use in normal body functions. Here is where HDL ("good" cholesterol) and LDL ("bad" cholesterol) come into play.

The amount of fat one should have in their diet varies based on a person's current state, their goals, any dietary guidelines they follow (Paleo/Caveman diet, for example, is high fat), etc.

Most important takeaway is this: Make the majority of your fat come from these: fish, avocados, eggs, olive/canola/coconut oils, and nuts/nut butters.

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In Health,

Timothy and Lindsay

Lindsay's Beachbody Journey (So Far!)

Hello hello! I hope that our American friends had a wonderful fourth of July holiday.

This time of year, particularly July, makes me feel happy and my heart is full! I always reflect on the time, now two years ago, when my life changed!

It was May 2010 and I was overwhelmed with life - I was working full-time in a really challenging job, I was in graduate school full-time, and I was interning as a therapist part-time. I had an hour commute in and an hour commute out, so Monday through Friday, I was working or on the road 15+ hours each day - and boy was my body showing it! I was tired, irritable, constantly anxious. In my 2nd year, my graduate program *thankfully* focused a lot on self-care...basically that as future therapists, we needed to make extra certain we made time for taking care of ourselves, so that we could better help other people. I took that to heart and realized I needed to find something to do FOR ME!

I researched and researched - I knew I wanted to do a fitness program, and it had to be something I could do at home, because with 15+ hour workdays, I wasn't going to throw going to the gym into that crazy mix. I ended up buying ChaLEAN Extreme. Chalene Johnson seemed fun, nice and cute...someone who would motivate me! 

How could this NOT motivate you?!

I received the program and ended up working out at 3:45 am (yes, you read that correctly) every morning. There was an adjustment period, for sure, but when my body started thanking me with more energy and less irritability, EVEN THOUGH I was still working 15+ hour days, I was HOOKED!

I didn't know when I bought ChaLEAN Extreme that I could have a coach (for free!) to help motivate me. My first coach was a dud and never reached out to me, but this wonderful woman named Bridget did and I switched to her immediately! She mentioned Shakeology to me, sent me some samples - and BAM! I was in Results City, USA!! With working out and drinking the shakes, I had lost 10 pounds, 13 inches, and 4 jean sizes!! Better than that - I was feeling good about myself!! I was more efficient at work, my school work and internship didn't bog me down as much....life was wonderful!

I was sharing my experience with all my friends and family - and taking a lot of selfies :)

And apparently wearing a lot of red!

It didn't take long for me to start getting questions about what I was doing - and I gladly told them! Bridget, my Beachbody coach, kindly relayed to me that if I became a coach, not only could I get discounts on the products, but I could make some extra income by doing what I was already doing - sharing my results with other people and helping them jumpstart their journey.

At first - I was skeptical....really skeptical. I wasn't sure this was right for me - I wasn't a salesperson, I didn't want to have to "sell" anybody on anything, that just sounded icky! Plus - I was already working full time, in grad school full-time, and interning...could I handle another thing added to my plate?!? So again, I did my research, listened to some people's stories, and realized you aren't selling - this isn't like Avon, Thirty-One, etc. You are sharing how you changed your life, and if people want to change theirs too, they can join you. That's all! And you put however much time and effort into it as you see fit. 

So in July 2010, I became a Beachbody coach! Initially, I just wanted to make enough to cover my monthly Shakeology order, and anything else was just a bonus. I did that until I finished my Master's and life slowed down a bit, then I realized I could really devote more time to this and try to help more and more people! I focused less on the money and more on the people, and ironically, my little side-income GREW from that change in focus! I continued to do Beachbody programs....after ChaLEAN Extreme, I did TurboFire, then Insanity, P90X, Les Mills Pump, etc. etc.!

Yep, looking back on all this always makes me smile! Being a Beachbody coach has introduced me to so many GOOD people....they are all positive, motivated, passionate people and I love to surround myself with all the good vibes they put off! 

Super Saturday Event!

P90 "X" me :)

Oh yeah! WORKOUT TIME!

 

One of my coaches, Danielle!

The additional income has been and continues to be a blessing, but what I love the most about it, and why I will continue to be a Beachbody coach is because 1. They are the best: I am a product of the product and I think they make some of the best programs ever, 2. I love seeing other people succeed. I love to motivate people, help keep them accountable, and I love to celebrate their successes with them, and 3. IT HOLDS ME ACCOUNTABLE!!! If you want motivation to stay on top of your health/fitness game - become a coach! Nothing will help hold you accountable like putting yourself out there as a health/fitness coach!! :-)

Thanks for taking the time to read this as I reflect on my journey. I have come so far and I am committed to helping people make the changes they want to make!

Talk to y'all soon!

In Health,

Lindsay

Got Questions?

We'd like to open up this space to anyone and everyone who wants to ask us a question. Fitness, nutrition, lifestyle...whatever - post a comment below, feel free to do it anonymously, and we will answer all the questions in another post!

Looking forward to seeing what you guys are curious about! Have at it! 

In Health,

Timothy and Lindsay

Beachbody Challenge Pack!

Hi guys and gals - it's Lindsay! Most of you know, my fitness transformation/journey began with and continues to revolve around at-home workout programs. Although I have done and will likely continue to do a variety of programs, 99% of them come from Beachbody. I also am a die-hard Shakeology fan and thoroughly enjoy my shake every day :) Using their programs and shakes has done this body good:

When I talk with people and based on their individual goals, needs, personality, etc. and try to recommend a workout, if it is a Beachbody program, I'm often hit with the money excuses. WELL - no more (at least until July 31, 2012!!)

Beachbody is now offering 30-Day Trial Challenge Packs for only $14.95 until July 31st, 2012! You can choose either P90X, TurboFire, or Brazil Butt Lift AND choose your flavor of Shakeology, PLUS get a club membership to Team Beachbody....all for less than $15!! If you decide you don't want to continue, just send everything back within the first 30 days. If you are seeing results and rocking it and want to continue on, then you will be billed the full amount of the Challenge Pack after 30 days.

I'd love to speak to you one-on-one about this, to answer your specific questions and guide you to the right program for you, so please message below or send me an email: fitwithfarrar@gmail.com. If you know what you want/need and want to order right now, here you go:

1. Go to: http://www.beachbodycoach.com/lindsayfarrar

2. Click on "Shop" (a new window will open)

3. Click on the "Trial Offers" button on the left-hand side

4. Choose a Challenge Pack

5. Check out and get ready to rock out!! :)

IMPORTANT: I am not a sales person. I have not, nor will I ever try to hound anyone into investing in a Beachbody program or Shakeology. I am a thoroughly satisfied, repeat customer of Beachbody - I love what their products do for me and simply enjoy sharing that with other people. And for $15 to try it for 30 days, you have no excuse not to at least try :)

In Health,

Lindsay

Nutrition 101: Part 3 - Carbohydrates

RARW - Evil pancake!

On one hand, we kinda-sorta get the whole “evil carbs” thing….but on the other, more logically-sound hand, we think it is bonkers.

In case you were wondering, carbohydrates are one of the main types of nutrients and one of the most important sources of energy for our body. When we eat carbs, our digestive system changes them into glucose (sugar) which our body then uses for energy for our cells, tissues, and organs.

Yeah Science!

Carbs are either simple or complex, based on their chemical structure. Simple carbs are those sugars found naturally in foods such as fruits, vegetables, milk, etc. They also include sugars added during food processing and refining (refined = BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD!) Complex carbs include whole grain breads, starchy vegetables, etc., and are often a great source of fiber (GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD!)

Best time to eat carbs: early in the day! This way,  your body has all day long to utilize the energy from the gluclose, and it doesn’t just sit in your body unused (aka stored as fat).

Amount of carbs: We really feel this is individualistic. For example, Timothy doesn’t require a lot of carbs and can still maintain appropriate levels of energy and performance. Lindsay, on the other hand, can be noticeably sluggish without appropriate amounts of complex carbs. Take the time to play with this a little bit....be aware of your body, note how you feel when you up or lower carb intake, and find what works for you!

To K.I.S.S. it: limit/avoid the refined simple carbs (pretty much anything that comes in a box) and enjoy (in moderation) complex carbs, trying to consume mostly earlier in your day!


Please go "like" our Facebook Page for more tips, motivation, etc. HERE
Workout reviews/workout snippets on YouTube HERE
And as always, feel free to leave a message below or email us at fitwithfarrar@gmail.com

In Health, 


Timothy and Lindsay