Every Journey Begins With a Single Step....

The past few weeks have been nothing but chaos and stress for me... then again, when isn't it? I get myself in these situations when I try to help others and I feel like I get taken advantage of.  All this stress threw off my eating and I binged. Damn emotional eating. And I barely worked out. I am not gonna try to make excuses for why I didn't do better, I just have to learn how to handle stress in my life better. What I have been doing has been hurting me instead of helping me.  The crazy part is I can stop this particular cause of stress and hadn't done anything to stop. Mainly because every time I did, it seemed to only cause more problems. But I can't and won't do it anymore. 

With that problem behind me, I am back to focusing on ME! My mind, my body, my spirit, and my child. 

I had to work until 6pm yesterday and had a rough night Sunday. Bug didn't sleep very well, so neither did I. But as soon as we got home, I made her some dinner and I almost didn't work out. I was tired and honestly not in the mood. But then I had a realization. The only reason I am still so miserable and unhappy with the way I look is because there have been so many times I haven't been "in the mood" to work out. So instead of letting the old J'Wana make the decision to not work out, the NEW J'Wana stepped forward and took control!! I can't let my old mentality keep me from getting healthy, fit, and happy.

IT WAS TIME TO SWEAT!

Brazil Butt Lift's Bum Bum and Turbo Jam 20 Min and I was pouring sweat! The FAT was definitely crying a river last night! I love TJ because of the music and its fun to do. Chalene is so upbeat and motivating! I just love it! Dare I say, my soulmate workout<3

BBL on the other hand, KICKS MY BUM BUM!!! Don't get me wrong, it is an amazing workout! But there is definitely a Love/Hate relationship. My legs and booty are so sore! I am very happy I only had to give a 30 min massage today. Lol! 

I am gonna eat some lunch now and take a nap! Gonna get my sweat on later! 

What are you having for Lunch?

Turning Heads in 2013- Brazil Butt Lift Challenge!

Making Some Heads Turn in 2013-Brazil Butt Lift Challenge Group!!

WE ALL want a nice round booty, right?! Summer time will be here before we know it and 2013 is the year for us to get the body and booty we have always wanted! Whether you have too much junk in the trunk or you are as flat as a pancake, you can lift, shape and round out that behind so that you can be confident working that bikini on the beach! Brazil Butt Lift is the way! Give it 30 days and see how much your body will change!

You see this gorgeous lady below? She is Victoria's Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio... and guess how she keeps her booty looking like this? 

You Got It! Brazil Butt Lift!

You wanna know what I love about Brazil Butt Lift?? You can do this program in the privacy of your own home. I hated going to the gym because I felt like I looked like a hot mess. But really, there is no reason to throw your hopes, dreams, and goals out of the window just because you are afraid of the gym! 

 Look at these awesome results!

Want to join in this challenge to a beautiful bikini body and a booty that will turn heads?!

• Order your copy of Brazil Butt Lift here.
• Register on my site with me as your coach: http://bit.ly/11MQK4I. If you already have a Beachbody Coach, make sure you check with him or her about any challenges they may have.
• You must have a Facebook account. Makes it so much easier to check in! Add me as a friend- facebook.com/jwana.saunders. Once you message me that you want in, I will send you information to join the group. You can also email me at massagemama@beachbodycoach.com for info.
• We will keep each other accountable through secret group on Facebook.  No one can see that you are in the group or what you post, except for us in the group.  We will post daily check-ins about our workouts, how we’re doing with our eating, recipe ideas, questions, good days, bad days, any day, every day!  You must check in daily! There will also be some weekly challenges.
• I want to see some before and after pics!! So we will take one pic the first day of the challenge, so we have something to look back at and be proud of in 30 days.
• Along with working out, we are also going to work on making better, healthier food choices. We don't diet. Diets never work. Lol. Lets work on something we can maintain for the rest of our lives/
• Schedule a time for your workout everyday. When you schedule ahead, you know when you’re going to workout so there’s no last minute struggle to fit it in– that’s how workouts get missed.
• And last thing is  – HAVE FUN!  Brazil Butt Lift is a super fun workout, incorporating Brazilian dance, cardio, and sculpting moves, but is definitely not a joke when it comes to giving you results!

LETS RAISE OUR GLASSES AND OUR ASS-ETS TO THE NEW YEAR!!!WE WILL START ON FEBRUARY 11TH!! SEE YOU THERE!!

BRAZIL BUTT LIFT- HIGH AND TIGHT....AND IT BURNS! LOL

So, as you know from my last  post, I am restarting Brazil Butt Lift. The workout I have the most trouble with, I would have to say High and Tight and I have heard that is not everyone's favorite ;). Now don't get me wrong, High and Tight is a great routine. But my body doesn't like it. I am so out of shape that it is really hard for me to keep going during some of the exercises. But there is always Leandro in the background saying "Never settle for less...Give it all you've got...keep pushing... you can do this" and so on. So I keep trying. I know if I stay consistent and keep working hard, it will get easier.

With that being said, I am going to use High and Tight as a progress video if you will.

I want to track my progress with this round and see how I improve. I recorded myself doing some of the exercises. In a few weeks, I will compare them! I am excited to see how this goes!

So this first one is called On the Beach. You lay on your side. Elbow in line with your shoulder, your other arm/hand in front, supporting you. Legs straight or slightly bent. You lift both legs off of the floor, and then lift your top leg while squeezing your bum bum. After a set of those, you lift both legs again, but then you lift the top leg up and hold it. Lift your bottom leg to meet the top (tough stuff lol)... 

The next is the Clam Shell and Suspended Clam Shell. So with this one, you are still laying on your side but you can lay all the way down. Put your legs out in front of you and then bend your knees so that your feet and parallel with your spine. Keeping your heels together, open and close your legs, squeezing your butt. Keep your feet flexed. Then you have to do some small, controlled, quick movement (ouch) For the suspended clam shell, you are in the same position but you lift your feet up, and then do the same motions (I have no clue how to explain that one lol)

The Corkscrew.
So you are still lying on your side legs bent, you take your top leg and turn it so that is in front of you and the bottom of your foot is facing the ceiling. You just press straight up into the air while tightening your glutes (I wonder how many different ways I can refer to the butt in this post :) haha)

These last ones, I'm not sure what the name is but....I struggled lol
So pretty much, you get on all fours... well, on your knees and elbows. You hold your abs in, and with control, lift your bent leg up into the air. Then you have to do those lovely short ones. -_-
Next, you lift your bent leg up in the air and then take it across your other leg. Up, across, up, down.
Then you straighten out your leg and lift and squeeze and then take it back down...then those short movements again....
Then you make a V-shape with your leg. Up, across, up and down.
Lastly, you bring the same leg you are working out to the side and you are going to want to make an arc. A rainbow shape. All while keeping your glutes tight and your abs engaged.

These are the moves I am going to be looking back to in a few weeks to see how I improve!

What is your least favorite exercise to do???

BRAZIL BUTT LIFT!!! JUST THE BEGINNING!

Ok so as I have told you guys before, I have been the queen of being inconsistent. Starting a workout routine and never finishing it. And I am sick of starting over so I am simply not gonna stop this time. Its gonna be hard, of course. I am gonna have days when I would rather not work out, or would rather eat a whole tub of ice cream than to make a healthy food choices. There have been a lot of those days recently. Sometimes I swear the world is against me.

If I want to reach my goals, I have to push through all the obstacles, work hard and just do it! I have to make make healthy meals for me and my little girl. I will have to force myself to wake up at 4:30am or 5 am just to make sure I get my workout in... I say force because I am in no way a morning person, but I also know I will get used to it and start looking forward to starting my day with some sweat:) I have to give this my everything and that is exactly what I am going to do!!

I made a little video for you to get to know me a little better!

Excuse my looks today....Been doing housework all day! You know how that is...

How do you keep the negativity around you out of your way and push through your obstacles?

Quality Time with my Ari-Bug- The Cool kids on the Playground!

Well, today was a lot better for me. I got off work at noon. 

(Tuesday and Friday are my favorite days for this exact reason LOL)

So after I picked up my Ari-Bug from her aunties house, we walked towards our apartment and stopped at the playground. We were gonna go on Sunday but it was wayyy too wet from the rain so I promised we would go today.

She took off as soon as we got there.... 

First she hit the slides!!

Down the little slide...

AND THE BIG SLIDE!

Running to go for a little test-drive  

Stopping by the swings to say hi to Mommy

Having a BLAST on the swings!

And even slowed down long enough to take a picture with Mommy!

We definitely had a great time today playing and we will have another playday on Friday!! Its crazy how fun for kids playgrounds are, and even CRAZIER how much fun I actually had! Nothing wrong with being a kid at heart!

We were definitely the COOLEST KIDS ON THE PLAYGROUND! 

Oh wait, we were the only kids on the playground! LOL!

Off here to get some BBL in before bed!

What is your favorite outside activity to do with your kids?

Uhh...I ripped my pants! Time for some BRAZIL BUTT LIFT

So today started like any other day... I worked out early and went to work (I work at a Chiropractors Office) at 8 am. As I sat down in my chair, and because I apparently can't sit down like a normal person, I put my right leg (well ankle/foot) under my butt. BIG MISTAKE. As soon as I got all the way down in the chair,

 RIIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPPPP!!!! 

I RIPPED MY FREAKIN PANTS!!!

I was absolutely MORTIFIED! I joked around with my co-workers about it and laughed hard about it. But deep inside, it wasn't a joke. This was/is serious. I mean it wasn't anywhere that was super noticeable, unless someone was just hanging out between my legs LOL. I tried to hide it the best I could for the rest of the day. I went to do a massage and while I was just sitting on my stool massaging my clients neck and shoulders, I happened to try to roll to the right a little and it ripped more. UGH!

 When I got home, I couldn't get this off of my mind. I thought back to before I had my daughter, when I was smaller, and someone told me I had "elephant legs". It didn't bother me then. I was/am known for my ghetto booty, the junk in my trunk, so I always just felt like I had legs to match the butt..I felt like I had to have the foundation to hold it all. They were big, but not huge. But I have had a child and gained quite a bit of weight and with my scrub pants ripping at work, it all hit me at once.  I mean I have already started my weight loss journey and promised myself that this was it and I was going to get healthy and fit, but now, ITS ON!!

I know I am going to work harder for this than I ever have.

I am going to do AND complete Brazil Butt Lift. 

I've been doing it here and there, but now its really gonna get some attention from me!

My legs and butt were always something I wanted to improve on, what better way to do that than by a workout where those areas are the main focus, while still getting full body results!

So tonight here I am, with a before pic and I want you to hold me accountable. 

In about 2 weeks, Ill post a progress pic. In 2 more weeks, Ill post another. I will probably do it for 8 weeks, even though it is just a 4 week program. I want to keep changing my booty and body, and still be known for this badonk-a-donk of mine, but it be 1000 times better:)

BTW-It kills me to put this pic out for the world to see but you won't be seeing this for long!!

Have you ever ripped your pants in public?! If it's a funny story, I want to hear it LOL

If this has never happened to you, BOOOOOOOOOOOOO !! :P

First Workout of 2013!!

Well, I guess the Mayans and the movie "2012" were wrong! Here we are, New Years Day 2013!! I am so excited to start this New Year with a NEW ME!!! I am done with making excuses for myself and why I haven't lost this weight or reached any of my goals in life. I am claiming 2013 to be MY YEAR!! So I planned to start it off right. Didn't know I would be sick.

Even though I still feel terrible, I wasn't gonna let this day pass without getting a workout in.

I managed to get in Brazil Butt Lift-Cardio Axe and half of Bum Bum... before I started getting sick again. :( I hope whatever this is that I have is gone by tomorrow. I have to go back to work.. but not if I am still feeling like this.

Felt so good to sweat and I definitely feel the burn! I felt fat burning off of me.... I heard it whimpering. lol. 

Anyways, this post will be short and sweet. Not feeling so good again. Looking like it will be a liquid diet for me today. Gonna try some chicken broth from myself, and make some grilled chicken and sweet potato fries for little Miss Picky Eater! Sometimes I wonder how she became so picky. She used to eat just about everything. Now I am lucky if I can get her to eat what I cook. She wants noodles, macaroni and cheese, and cereal. That's about it. I guess that's toddlers for you! I think one of my next posts will be about 

kid friendly, healthy meals. 

Toodles!

-J