2014 Reflection

I have so many mixed emotions about this year. It has definitely been one of the hardest and one of the best too!  The reason its been the hardest because my husband was training for a new job out of town for half of it.  I had to do everything on my own the cooking, cleaning, shopping, packing up everyday for my son to go to the babysitters, and basically everything else too!  It was very trying and hard and exhausting.  It would have been the perfect time to waive my white flag and lay down but for some reason I used it to motivate me.  It was the best too because I am so proud of him for accomplishing a life long dream. I was able to really bond even more with our son.  I found my niche in life and found a second job I really love and was able to pay it forward to help so many people! 

 What are my secrets? 

How did I thrive this year instead of curling up in a ball?

Some things I did to get through this year:

1. I pushed play -  I didn't let my fitness slack. I got up early at 5am 3-4 days a week and worked out. I finished 3 different at home programs. The 21 Day Fix, PiYo, and Chalene Extreme. I love them all for different reasons but I truly believe its what got my body back after baby. I don't have time to go to the gym all the time and these are all workouts that I can do at home.  Having ME time everyday gave me energy and confidence to get through everything else.  

2.  Got enough sleep -  I am not someone who can function on 4-5 hours. I need a solid 7-8 so no matter what was going on, every night I got in bed by 10 tried to be asleep by 10:30.  I truly can't function on less. When I had less, I ate like crap, was miserable, and couldn't  possibly get through everything the next day when I am dragging.  

3. I ate right -  I am by no means perfect. I love a fried chicken wing and buffalo chicken dip as much as the next girl. I enjoyed and had a taste or 2 when I wanted it.  However, 80% of the time I was on track.  I had my Shakeology for breakfast each day. I pack my lunch for work and plan out my meals each week.  I try to eat clean most of the time, less processed, more real food. 





4.  Work from a To Do List -  I've tried a few different ones this year. I bought apps, I have a planner, I use my notes in my phone, I write it on scraps of paper.  I truly can't say I have figured out the very best way YET but I do know that writing it down helps me to stay on track. I am forgetful and this always helps me.  





5. Explore what makes you passionate -  I started a new job. I became a Beachbody Coach.  While this was probably the worst time to start a new job, I found that it really motivated me to want to do better. I have my masters degree in counseling psychology and have been a group exercise instructor for a few years now so I have been able to combine the two into a virtual health and fitness coach.  Ive been able to pay off credit cards, go on vacation, and start to have some financial freedom! If you want more out of life and love health and fitness and want to pay it forward - join my team!  



6.  Keep positive people in your life -  Do your part to maintain stable, positive relationships, instead of sweating the small stuff and creating drama. Who wants to waste a day being irritated with something or someone? When you cast negativity onto the world, you will always feel bad inside.

If you aim to maintain balance around you, it will help you maintain balance within.  I have a solid group of friends, an amazing sister, and a great supportive family.

7.  Pay it forward -  I have finally found a happy balance in my life. I have workouts that I love, simple nutrition, and am able to help others. Giving is much better than receiving. 

8.  Be happy with what you have - I still struggle with this.  I want that outfit, the new furniture, decorations, dvds, computer etc. I am working, trying and striving to be happy with what I have and see the positive.  And when my hubby was away it sure made me appreciate all he does while he is here. Be thankful for what others do for you as well!!   Living with a grateful heart is much better than always chasing something else.  

I truly hope that 2015 is your best year yet!  I hope that my tips will help you to lead a balanced and fulfilling life!  

xoxo

Coach Kerri Bauer 

Check out a really cool article the #1 Sales Person in TastefullySimple Wrote about Me and Direct Sales Tips!

I have an announcement!!!  I LOVE OTHER DIRECT SALES PEOPLE!!

Did you know that Direct Sales People LOVE THEIR JOBS?!?! 

It's because WE ARE IN CHARGE OF OUR OWN INCOME!

The better I work, the more money I make, and it goes right into my own pocket. I'm not collecting from Paul to pay Simon.. or however that saying goes!

Most people who are in direct sales, love their jobs, they love what they sell, they are passionate about it and want to help others to feel the same.  

What is my favorite part about Beachbody-

The primary benefit of going into the direct selling business is that it allows you to be your own boss. As an independent consultant, you can create your own destiny and set your own goals based on your own desires!    Unlike starting a business from scratch, however, many direct selling organizations come with name recognition. Like Beachbody -  they pay millions of dollars a year in advertising - thats FREE advertising to you!  It can go a long ways in opening doors for you!   You don't have to spend time building a brand, so you just sell what people already know. If anyone has ever heard or tried P90X or Insanity then they already know the product, the seed is planted. You just need to help them see the benefit!

A super amazing, inspiring woman, Kim Denne, the #1 Sales Person for an awesome company Tastefully Simple.  If you haven't heard of it, Tastefully Simple is an American home tasting company featuring easy-to-prepare foods and gifts, which require two items or less to prepare. Products are offered through independent consultants at home tasting parties across the United States.   I can attest that it is super yummy and easy to prepare.  Check out www.KimDenne.Com. for more info.

So, the whole reason for my blog post is that Kim  wrote about the importance of Thinking Small in November and shopping through local businesses and Direct Sellers to have a greater impact in your own community.  She chose ME to highlight on her blog.  Thanks so much Kim - I'm honored! 


Here is a piece of the article here -It can definitely be a juggling act to run your own home based business, but Kerri has found that working her business has had lots of positive impact on her and her family.

I asked what she thought the biggest impact was to them so far, and she replied:

I think the biggest thing for me was starting to drink Shakeology. While this is normally confused as a protein shake, while it has protein in it, it also has over 70 superfoods.  Its all natural which was important for me.  I know for me, since I’ve started drinking it, I have had so much more energy, my skin has cleared up, and I don’t have those sweet cravings like I used to.  It has changed my life for the better and I’m happy to share this with anyone that will listen!

 .

This company is just incredibly. Monthly prizes from workout clothes, motivational books, workout equipment, nutrition guides, workout programs, amazing discounts too. I won a ticket to Nashville for our Coaches Summit and will earn a free all inclusive trip for 2 to Cancun by the end of the year!  The prizes are great but I have been able to pay off credit cards, take a trip to see my sister in law, and buy a thing or 2 for myself all for just helping others.It truly doesn’t get better than this!

  

As with any business, the income a Direct Salesperson earns in any company will vary from person to person. Kerri abides by the rule of being passionate and honest with her customers, and she finds that because of that the sales follow.

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 Please hop on over and READ THE WHOLE article  HERE.   She has some great tips for your own direct sales business too.   

My favorite thing about being a Beachbody coach, this is that what I'm doing actually helps people. They get in shape, feel great, and can once and for all do something that sticks to feel better about themselves.  If you want to earn more money, working from home. I encourage you to check out what being a coach is all about.  Email me at kerrikbauer@gmail.com for more information! 

Depression and the Most Underused Medicine

While there is no "magic cure" for depression or a certain food that will put you instantly in a better mood, a healthy diet can certainly help easy symptoms of clinical depression.

"The choice you make at the plate absolutely influences how you're going to feel," says Kathie Swift, MS, RD, LDN, co-director of the Food as Medicine program of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, DC. "Food is a very powerful modifier when it comes to depression and the brain."

I think most people know that exercise can help combat depression, but I wanted to look a little closer into why your nutrition can play such a large role. As a school counselor, I have been very surprised in the past few years by the amount of children that are medicated daily. I'm not saying that it isn't needed at times but, in my opinion, I think children are heavily over medicated.  I know that, I battled a little bit of depression after the birth of my son, not as far as post-partum, but just some feelings of being "down" and not totally myself.  

I realized from talking with friends, it is fairly common for most first time moms to have some depression as they adjust to their "new lives."  Since I have started drinking Shakeology, I have not only physically felt better, but mentally too.  I have been consistently working out so the only difference is drinking Shakeology.  I have been reading about natural foods that can boost your mood and no big shocker here, almost all of them are found in Shakeology.  I wanted to dig deepers and see if there is a correlation between positive moods and healthy nutirition.  

Vitamins
 A diet high in essential nutrients can repair the body, and support growth and wellness.  We all need vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins, and a little healthy fat.  Shakeology is full of Vitamin A, C, D, E, K1, B1, B2, B6, B12. In particular, Vitamin C has been shown to lower blood pressure and lower levels of cortisol after a stressful event.  Many affects of depression can be linked to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.  

Free radicals are damaging molecules that our bodies produce during normal daily functions.  Antioxidants found in Shakeology such at Vitamins C and E combat the effects of these free radicals.  Antioxidants have been proven to combat the destructive power of the free radicals.  There hasn't been a way to completely stop the free radicals especially from our brain which is especially at risk.  We can reduce their destruction path my eating a healthy diet full of antioxidants.

Healthy Carbs
Scientists have proven that the connection between carbohydrates and mood is from the brain chemical, seratonin.  When having carbs you want to eat  complex carbohydrates such as whole grains.  A complex carbohydrate,  causes your brain to produce serotonin, a feel-good chemical. Not only does serotonin have antioxidant properties, it also creates a soothing feeling that helps overcome stress. 

In comparison
Take a quick look at the ingredients in any other protein shake and you’ll see a LONG list of unnatural chemicals.  Things like Acesulfame, Potassium Sorbate, Red-40, Yellow 5, Propylene Glycol, and many more.  Sure, these supplements have a lot of protein and other nutrients, but do you really want to eat chemicals, when there’s a natural alternative that gives the same results.  

"The choice you make at the plate absolutely influences how you're going to feel," says Kathie Swift, MS, RD, LDN, co-director of the Food as Medicine program of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, DC. "Food is a very powerful modifier when it comes to depression and the brain,"  says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN, a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

To get the most sustained energy, Taub-Dix recommends combining a complex carbohydrate with protein, another important nutritional depression fighter

If you look at the ingredients of Shakeology, you will see that its all natural. There are no fake additives.  Shakeology packs up to 18 grams of protein and vital complex carbs in every serving. Plus it delivers whole-food nutrition from some of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet that are stocked with essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals and more than 20 different antioxidants, enzymes and phytonutrients. Together this synergistic blend provides healthy calories (=energy) around. A few individual ingredients in Shakeology that can help boost energy include:

• Chia meal (seed): Supports energy endurance with omega-3 and -6 fats, protein, fiber, and essential trace minerals. It helps support high-energy endurance.

• Maca Powder (root): Known for its ability to help increase stamina and energy levels.

• Holy Basil Powder (leaf): May act as a powerful promoter of energy and athletic performance.

• Kamut Grass: Promotes high energy with protein, vitamins, and complex carbohydrates.

Along with your diet foods, many things can reduce depression such as Positive thinking, Physical activity, and having a realistic outlook on life. Beating depression can be a lengthy long process but nothing is impossible.  So, take such type of foods which create mood-boosting brain chemical and follow the instructions of your health care provider to beat depression. 

I think as a society we are conditioned to want a "magic fix" and a "magic pill" might just do that for you... BUT.... even with prescription medicine doctors request 6 weeks before you decide if its working.  If you are battling depression and want to see if you can help ease feelings of depression WITHOUT medicine, then please contact me at kerrikbauer@gmail.com.  

I want to invite you to a 30 day trial that can help you with your feelings of sadness,  worthlessness, irritability,  and lack of luster for life.  This is ALL NATURAL, no chemicals, real foods, and healthy nutrition. This can be the thing that helps you once and for all, try it for 30 days and if it doesn't work you can have your money back 100% guaranteed.  

There are tons of Wufoo features to help make your forms awesome.

Email me today kerrikbauer@gmail.com

Sources: http://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/eating-beat-stress-and-depression?page=2

https://faq.teambeachbody.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4714/~/shakeology---ingredients-that-produce-energy

http://b4tea.blogspot.com/2011/12/kill-depression-with-anti-depression.html

My story!

Hello!  I am a new mommy of a 10 month old baby boy, Beau and currently my hubby is away for work for 5 months so I'm feeling like a single mom right now. I work full time a a high school counselor.  Most recently I decided to become a beachbody coach.  Why you may ask...??   I have loved fitness since high school, taking group classes at the local YMCA and eventually becoming a Spinning instructor and a group exercise instructor.  I love teaching and following a heathy diet although,It took me a long time to figure out what clean eating is all about.  Leading up to my wedding I spent 1 1/2 hours a day sweating in the gym to out work my bad diet!  I got down to 118 for the wedding but couldn't stay there- you can't out work a bad diet !  Anyways, after I had Beau I was really struggling with the gym and it seemed to take longer to get to and from the gym then it actually did to workout ! I had to make sure he was fed, happy, rested, clean diaper, and time that all out and get myself ready then pack him and all his stuff up in the car plus my iPod gym clothes, shoes, headphones, water etc and drive us 15 mins to the gym - get him all situated in the day care and finally get to workout and time it to be done before he needed fed, changed etc again!!! I finally said enough! There has to be something easier than going through all this 5-6 days a week!  I still teach at the gym 2 days a week because I love it so much!! However---- the other days of the week you will find me right in my living room doing a 30 minute workout to piyo, insanity, 21 day fix or whatever I'm in the mood for!! I took notes, listened and read a lot about clean eating. I'm much happier and since I'm mixing it up I'm in better shape too!!

I'd love to help you mix up your routine and break up that plateau ! Message me and we can chat 😄😄