In a Constant State of WAIT

We are always in a constant state of waiting. Waiting to be that person we are on the verge of becoming. We have all done it,and if we are honest with ourselves, doing it now. Waiting to be in grade school, then high school, college, and to finally become an adult!! Or maybe you are waiting to be fit. No matter what you are waiting for, the thought is always the same:

"When I become______________, THAT is when life will begin!"

While we are doing all this waiting, our life is actually passing us by!

Are you waiting for your BIG moment so you can start living that life you have been waiting/dreaming of? We might have a few big moments here and there, but it is the tiny moments that matter. It it is the tiny moments that lead to the BIG moment. These tiny moments might seem mundane and ordinary, but they are just as special!

It is time that we stop waiting and start living NOW! Start taking in those tiny moments throughout your day. These little moments might be the picnic you take with your family on a Saturday afternoon, or a smile from a stranger you pass in the grocery store when you needed it most, or a long over due conversation with a friend you haven't seen in awhile. This is LIFE my friend in all its glory!!! Let's start living instead of waiting!!!

Yes… But does it really work???

Curious to whether you really CAN get in a good workout in the comfort of your own home?? The answer is DEFINITELY!!!

Yesterday I cranked out a little P90x3 CVX and check out that sweat and calorie burn. I went to the gym for years, but was never able to push myself like I do when I do these programs! The results are real!! Just 30 minutes a day...no driving myself to and from the gym....and no waiting for a machine.

Believe me, I was a skeptic too. I NEVER thought I had the discipline to stay on track working out from home. Put after I pushed play that first day...I knew I had finally struck gold!! I actually found something I looked forward to doing!

Are you working out but not seeing the results you want? Just starting out and not sure what to do? Or maybe you have got off track and need a little motivation to get back into the swing of things! If so I would love to talk! Together we can find a program that will work for meeting YOUR needs.

Interested?? Leave a comment below or send me an email at ambercoxfitness at gmail dot com

XOXO
Amber

Lemon Oil to the Rescue!!

My poor shoes can really start to stinking, because I wear them every day and sweat like a pig.

To make them smell pretty in between washes, I like to add a couple drops of lemon oil to a cotton ball. I put one in each shoe and the next day they smell lemon fresh!

My nose and my feet are now both happy!

I recently discovered how amazing essential oils are and love using them throughout the day! Do you use essential oils? If so what is your favorite thing to use them for?

XOXO
Amber

I failed my way to Success!

Let's be honest. My fitness journey has not been easy. I have made so many mistakes along the way but the one CONSTANT force that pushed me along was the challenge groups I joined.

These private groups put me in touch with some pretty amazing people that I consider close friends now. As a TEAM we pushed ourselves out or our comfort zones, leaned on each other for support, celebrating numerous success, and did not give up. Did we want to? Of course, but there is something about having other people counting on you that makes you think twice about skipping a workout, or eating an extra slice of pizza.

Are you ready to make a change but afraid of failing? I will be running a new challenge group that will start on July 28 and run for 30 days. We will focus on finding the best program for YOU and your goals and will teach you ways to clean up your diet! There will even be prizes awarded when the challenge is over!!

Together we will fail (because no one is perfect),but ultimately succeed!

Want more information?? Leave a comment below with your email address or shoot me a private message at ambercoxfitness at gmail dot com.

XOXO
Amber

What the heck have I been up to?

Hello! It has officially been almost a year since I last posted and I can NOT believe it! My how time flies when you are having fun! I thought I would pop on to give you a little update about what has been going in my world and I plan on posting here more frequently!! A year will NOT go by before I post again!

So how about a recap regarding the year we have been apart:

*I became a Beachbody Coach and it has been the BEST decision I have ever made!

*I have really cleaned up my diet and recently completed my first round of the Whole30 plan. I will be starting round 2 tomorrow.

*I have completed Les Mills Pump, Focus T25 (twice!), The 21 Day Fix, and am currently doing P90x3 all in the comfort of my own home! While doing these programs I found my confidence, a zest for life, my energy!! (I seriously thought it was gone for good), and lost 32 pounds in the process!

*The thing that I have cherished most over this past year are the friendships I have formed while helping others change their lives! I run monthly private challenge groups on Facebook which help others that were in a rut just like me,find time for working out and eating clean! I also started running a FREE Fit Club, where anyone can come and sweat it out together doing different Beachbody programs!

*We adopted a new kitty… Ms. Birdy Higgins and she is a handful but we love her to pieces

*We finally signed up and did the Color Run! It really is the happiest 5k on Earth! No arguments there!

* In my spare time you will find me knitting and watching Game of Thrones or Downton Abbey (our current obsessions).

So what is new in your world? I have missed blogging so much and have finally made the commitment to get back into the swing of things and start sharing a little bit of my world with you again here! I hope everyone had a safe and fun holiday weekend!

XOXO
Amber

A Healthy Food Swap

My super fit and beautiful friend Alex came up with the most brilliant idea....swap a healthy food box with each other! Of course I was on board. Check out her blog for a full review of all the goodies I sent her. Then check back here tomorrow to see what healthy treats I got and my thoughts on them!!!

I promise I have a list a mile long of blog posts to come! Life has been a little crazy lately in a good way!
XOXO
Amber

Road trip Granola Recipes

I recently checked out The Eat-Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook from our local libraryand that is where I stumbled across the recipes for what I like to now call Road Trip Granola. Below are the recipes for the bars and the loose granola! Enjoy!!

Maple Pecan Granola with Raisins

Wet Ingredients
2 egg whites
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 tbsp sucanat or other unrefined sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt

Dry Ingredients
2 cups oats (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oats)
1/4 cup pecan pieces
1/4 cup sliced raw almonds
1/4 cup raw unsalted sunflower seed kernels
1 tbsp flaxsee
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp raw unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 275.

In a large bowl, whisk together wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. Stir in dry ingredients until mixed well.

Spread mixture on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake until dry and golden brown, about 60-70 minutes, stirring once.

Remove from oven and stir in coconut flakes and raisins. Set aside to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks!

Honey Nut Granola Bars

Wet Ingredients
1/4 Cup Honey
1/4 Cup Sucanat or other unrefined sugar
2 tbsp natural peanut butter
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp pure vanilla
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt

Dry Ingredients
2 1/2 Cups oats
1/2 cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup shelled hemp seeds (so yummy!)

Preheat oven to 275. Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper allowing a little extra to hang out two of the sides. This will make it easier to lift the bars out of the ban.

In a large bowl, whisk together wet ingredients until combined. Stir in dry ingredients until mixed well. Scrape mixture into prepared baking pan and spread it out to the edges, pressing down firmly to compact the mixture. Bake on middle oven rack for about 1 hour, then remove. Holding onto the parchment paper, carefully lift partially cooked oat mixture out of a pan and place it on a cutting board. Using a large knife, cut oat mixture into 12 bars. Mixture should be firm enough to hold shop, but soft enough to cut.

Holding onto edges of parchment, transfer bars to a cookie sheet. Separate bars so heat can get in between each one, and place them back in oven to bake for another 30-45 minutes, until golden brown and firm. The bars will continue to harden and get crunchier as they cool! Store in air tight container once cooled!

These take awhile to bake but are well worth the wait! I just mixed mine up and then got to packing. In no time I was done packing and my granola was cooling and ready to eat!! Enjoy!

Staying Fit on the Road....Part 1 (Food Edition)

Before heading out to Colorado for 8 days, I made sure to plan out my workouts, healthy snacks, and even some meals. Since we booked a cabin that had a full kitchen this was pretty easy to do. I am not a big fan of eating out, especially for every meal on a long vacation. Having the option to cook for ourselves was just an added bonus to our little cabin in the mountains.

Here are some healthy snack ideas for your next road trip:
**nuts
**homemade granola bars
**quest bars
**stove popped popcorn (nothing beats stoved popped popcorn...although Angie's Popcorn comes pretty close)
**homemade salsa and chips
**hummus
**pre cut up veggies
**rice cakes and individual Justin's Peanut Butter packets

This granola was a lifesaver! We used the loose granola for cereal and took the granola bars with us on our hikes! I will post the recipes later this week. I will definitely be making more soon.

Our hiking essentials along with plenty of water!

Couldn't leave home without my Shakeology! I packed a tub full of kitchen essentials which included my Ninja blender, my French Press, and my electric Tea Kettle!

The few times we did eat out I made sure to choose wisely! Big organic salads, fresh fruit, or gluten free pizza with local organic ingredients:

Most nights we just grilled out back at the cabin! By planning ahead and picking healthy choices while eating out, I didn't feel bad about cutting loose and enjoying myself ... (here's the proof)

:
This little place in Glenwood Springs had wine, truffles, and ice cream! I was in heaven!

With just little planning and determination you don't have to completely wreck your diet/healthy lifestyle because you are on vacation. It isn't an excuse, it is a choice! I came back from vacation feeling great and missing our daily hikes.

What do you do to assure you don't get off track while on vacation?
XOXO
Amber

Back from the Mountains...

Sorry the absence on the blog this past week. We recently got back from a beautiful trip through Colorado and are trying to get back on track. I will be back soon with posts on healthy travel tips, eating clean on the go, and more recipes. In the meantime, enjoy some of the splendor we saw... I miss it all ready!

XOXO
Amber

Inspiration to make you MOVE!!!

I don't know about you, but sometimes I just need that extra push to get me going in the morning. So I though I would share some with you today:









And last, but not least...

Adam Levine doing yoga! If nothing else that will make you smile!

**all images found via google search**
Now get up and getting moving!
XOXO
Amber

Clean Vanilla Iced Latte Recipe

For years I was a Starbuck fanatic! Then I did some research into the ingredients they use and have cut way back. I still will get an occasional iced green tea (sugar free of course!), but no more frapp's or latte's for this girl. I love my morning coffee! I don't go a day without it, so I decided to try my hand at a clean version of Starbucks Vanilla Iced Latte.

Clean Vanilla Iced Latte Recipe


**I really didn't measure anything out, but have a venti sized travel cup from Starbucks so this is made according to that size of cup!**

Freshly Brewed Coffee
Ice
1/2 Cup Sugar Free Vanilla Almond Milk
Vanilla Steevia Drops

1. Pour vanilla almond milk into venti size mug.
2. Pour enough coffee in, still allowing room for ice.
3. 4-5 drops of vanilla steevia.
4. Add ice
5. Shake it like a polaroid picture!
6. Sit back and enjoy with out all the harsh chemicals and additives!

Next time I am going to freeze some leftover coffee in ice trays. That will keep the drink from getting watered down!

Enjoy!
XOXO
Amber

Forward from the Heart Guest Post: Pilates Love

What is Pilates and why should you do it?

Pilates is an exercise that balances the development of the body through core strength, flexibility, joint health and awareness to promote efficient movement. As a student of Pilates you will learn how to carry your body correctly in order to get through your day with more strength and less aches and pains. Pilates strengthens and tones muscles without added bulk to give students a longer, leaner look. If you are looking to lose inches while gaining strength and flexibility, Pilates is it!

Why I love Pilates

Doing Pilates regularly has helped me to stand and sit correctly, giving me the best posture of my life. My abs are defined enough that I feel comfortable in form-fitting clothing and even a bikini! I have never liked my thighs and always avoided wearing shorts, but since doing Pilates my legs have become trim enough that I wear even short running shorts! The classical Pilates work follows a specific order and progression that helps me to stay focused and reach my goals.



Why I love teaching Pilates

Teaching the classical Pilates work on the mat and equipment gives me the ability to train every one from physically fit athletes to those rehabbing injuries to people in their 90’s. While it is very fun and rewarding to see my strongest clients do the advanced work, it is just as rewarding to see a student that has never been able to sit with proper alignment finally do so because we have worked to strengthen their core.
It makes my day when a student tells me that they are walking taller, experiencing an absence of chronic pain, or sleeping better thanks to the work we do together. The Pilates work can change your life and I love that I can teach people the proper way to do the exercises.



**Sally blogs about Pilates and other forms of fitness, as well as nutrition, wellness, family and fun at Forward from the Heart. She is a fitness studio manager and, in addition to teaching Pilates, teaches Yoga, Cross Training, and Piloxing. I met Sally through Instagram and now we just need to actually meet up in person. Taking a Pilates class from her is in my near future. I can't wait!**

Thanks Sally for sharing your love for Pilates on the blog today!
XOXO
Amber

At Home Gym Essentials

I am blogging over at Greetings from Nolandia about how easy it is to set up a small workout area in your home. Go check it out!!

**Thanks Alexandra for letting me do a guest post on your blog!!**

Greeting from Nolandia Guest Post: Yoga Love

Y O G A// L I F E S T Y L E




I have been practicing yoga for the past five years, but did not dedicate myself to making it part of my LIFEstyle until the last 6 months or so.
I always found yoga intimidating; all the poses, their common names and their correct “yoga” names, the inversions, the flexibility… ahhh. Too much. Especially growing up an awkward chubby kid, who was terrible at sports… yoga definitely seemed like a mystical, scary thing.
Then in January, I decided on a major life overhaul. The more I looked back into yoga, the more it became…simple. Yoga is about patience and breath, and pushing yourself through challenging postures (or challenging moments in life)… and then accepting yourself when you are at your limit.
To me, that sounded wonderful.
So, for me yoga is a work out, but it’s also about stretching my muscles, finding calm in moments of chaos, taking myself to the limit…and being patient with my progress.
Let me leave you with some yoga phrases from my previous yoga instructors that have brought me peace but also pushed me to dare try just a little bit harder than I normally would.
“If you are irritated by every rub, how will you ever be polished?” – (that’s a Rumi quote, but I love hearing it in yoga class…I actually had it written on my yoga journal)
“In yoga, we begin where we are”- I love this because it always reminds me that we don’t have to have a certain expertise or skill level to benefit from practice.
“Everyone should be inverted at least once a day”- This saying strikes a chord with me. Sometimes we get so caught up with our perspective on our own lives… we just need to turn our worlds upside down and approach it all in a different way.
Yoga is much more than exercise; it is a path to a healthier, happier, calmer life.
Be well! xx (and wish me luck, because I am in the middle of yoga teacher training right now!)

**Alexandria is such an inspiration to me! She sets goals and goes after them with a full heart! I am so glad we have become fast friends over the past couple of months thanks to our love of a healthy lifestyle and Instagram. Be sure to stop by her blog and follow her and her hubby's adventures, healthy living, and exercise tips!**
XOXO,
Amber

Sprucing up the Manor

While Poot was busy cultivating our garden, I brought out some paint and decided to spruce things up a bit. Yard work can get expensive, so I wanted to use what we already had on add, but add some special touches to them. First up was our rusty flower pot stand!


I decided my bathroom trash can needed a makeover too. It is amazing what a little spray paint can do:


I love the green color of the stand with my pink flowers!


Next I thought it would be fun to paint some simple designs on old terra cotta pots we had laying around. Now I do not have the painting talent of my mom, AT ALL...but they didn't turn out too bad.



The garden is coming along and we have added some blueberry bushes. I love the idea of going out in my yard to grab fresh blueberries!!

Poot has been working so hard on the flower beds and adding rock pathways!

We just can't seem to get grass to grow in our small front yard, so Poot drew up a design to turn our yard into a cottage garden! I am thrilled!

I will make sure to keep updating our progress as we make headway!

XOXO
Amber

Les Mills Pump

Since March I have been going to the gym 4-5 days a week, along with one hot yoga class. Going to the gym for me means hitting the cardio circuit hard for an hour and then maybe doing some ab work. I am terrified of the weight area. Even the machines scare me! I can't really explain why, other than the fact that I am pretty clueless when it comes to lifting.

However, in order for me to tone up my trouble areas, I know that lifting is essential along with my cardio. Enter Les Mills Pump. I have heard many people talk about P90x and Insanity, but didn't think I was mentally or physically ready for those programs. After many discussions with my Beach Body Coach, Laura, we determined that Les Mills Pump would probably be the best thing to start with!



The program comes with several dvds, a 90 day workout program, a meal plan, barbell, and 5/10 lb weights. I am currently on the start of my 3rd week and loving it! There motto is low weights with a lot of reps. That I can handle but man do you feel the burn, and the best part is that the videos are between 20-55 mins. Plus I can do them at home, and take them with on vacations!

Take a peek here to see what it is all about:


I am tracking my progress and will make sure to post my results here after my 90 days! Here's to feeling confident for swimsuit season!!

Do you like to work out at home? Do you have any favorite videos? I have several that I have been working out to and will give my reviews here from time to time on the ones that I really love. I would love some suggestions on other videos/programs to try. Who knows... after I complete this I might just be ready for a little Insanity!!

XOXO
Amber

Fail to plan...Plan to Fail...

I am a planner.

Just ask Poot. I am always making lists of things that in his eyes are way too long (and if I am being honest they are). I have learned over that past year, with the help of Scott, that I don't have to try and do it all in one day. So now my lists are more for the week in general, instead of one day.

When we decided to change our eating habits and to start exercising again, I knew that if I didn't plan ahead I was going to fail. Life gets busy. Life can be messy at times, and the first thing to go is cooking a healthy meal or getting that workout in. This means that every weekend we plan out our meals for the week. Breakfast, lunches, and dinners. We rarely eat out anymore, so to keep us from wanting to run through a drive-thru to pick up dinner... we HAVE to plan. By knowing what we are cooking every night, I am able to get things ready ahead of time if needed. It also ensures I have all ingredients on hand.

We also always pack our lunches for work. It saves us money and keeps us on track! Lunches usually consist of leftovers from meals the night before, salads, or chicken, egg, or tuna salad.

There are days when I feel like I am taking everything but my kitchen sink to work and that we are keeping Ziplock and Rubbermaid in business, but it is worth it.

The same planning is a MUST when scheduling my workouts. I am the worst at coming home and finding something else to do. Isn't it funny how cleaning a toilet sounds better then going to the gym? Getting there is the hardest part, but once I am there I don't usually want to leave. Since I like making list, I utilize the good ol' fashion day planner. I picked up a couple of cute ones in the Target clearance section to help map out my weeks. I keep a separate one for fitness, and kind of use it as a journal too. I keep track of:
*what i did at the gym
*how many calories were burned
*monthly measurements
*weekly weigh ins
*and my WW points (when I was still counting them)


** The stickers indicate when I worked out. It makes me feel like I am back in grade school getting my gold sticker for the day**

With our upcoming road trip, I plan to continue on my workout schedule. I sat down over my lunch break and was able to map out my workout schedule for the entire month of June to hold myself accountable! I don't like canceling my workouts, so if something needs to be shifted or moved around for a unexpected event, I am able to do so.

Fail to plan, plan to fail! It really is true! All it takes is just an hour or so a week to get yourself mapped out and you are on the road to success!

How do you hold yourself accountable? Do you schedule your meals for the week and workouts? I would love to hear some different tips,etc.

XOXO
Amber

What's on my needle??

Thought I would pop in here occasionally to show you what I am knitting/crocheting in my free time. (Man do I wish I had more time for that!)I can't have idle hands for too long,and whether I am knitting or crocheting, it calms my body and my mind. That my friend, is why I am always carrying yarn with me. If there is ever a free moment, yarn is usually in my hands!

I recently finished a yoga mat bag:




This was my first crochet project I have worked on in awhile.It was quick, easy, and fun!

Currently on my knitting needles is the Honey Cowl:



I have had this project in mind for awhile and it is the perfect thing to work on while catching up on the dvr!

We are heading out on a road trip soon, so of course I had to plan my knitting project for that. I will be working on my first sweater! I am a little nervous about this, but am up for the challenge! (See I told you that challenges motivate me!) I did some online yarn research and called several local yarn stores, trying to find the right yarn, but no one in the area had the right amount or color I was looking for. I finally ended up ordering it from Jimmy Beans Wool.


All eight skeins are successfully wound and ready to head out on the road with me!


What crafting things are you currently working on??

XOXO
Amber