Thursday, July 10, 2014

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!!!

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

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

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

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

Monday, July 7, 2014

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

Sunday, July 6, 2014

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

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

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

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

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!