motivation | The Sweaty Betties

Always in Beta Lifestyle with New Balance

September 17, 2015 By The Sweaty Betties 1 Comment

Consideration was provided by New Balance

I’ve always been inspired by women with stories of challenge and triumph. One of my first and favorite books I ever read was called, “Don’t You Dare Give Up,” a book about a gymnast who was paralyzed doing the sport she loved, but out of her tragedy she reinvented herself, and continued to inspire and work in other ways. I am a student of personal development. I am constantly looking to improve my lifestyle in so many ways, and always looking for something that can make just that 1% change. I am “always in beta.”

“Always in Beta. Beta is a state of relentless improvement. Where there is no finish line to what’s possible. We dream. We wake up. And improve upon yesterday.”

I am teaming up with New Balance to promote women who also live the “Always in Beta” Lifestyle. The new Fall Catalog is packed with awesome new gear, but also lots of women’s stories that will inspire you, push you, and motivate you!

If you download the Blippar App, you can Blipp the page to see awesome content, videos and get to know the NB Women and their stories in a really cool way! I was obsessed with this new collection, especially the colors and feel of the NB Ice Collection! The contrast of the blues and bright yellows makes me feel unstoppable!!

The Capris have an awesome, wide and flattering waistband and feel amazing on my skin.

Let’s talk bras. Let’s get real here, sports bras are my best friend, but I don’t always like how they can smash everything and make me look like I wasted $4000 on a boob job (hahaha) The “Tenderly Obsessive” bra is seriously genius. I need one for every day of the week.

First, it’s cute and matches my hot shorts. (Bonus) There is a soft, shaped, cup on each side, with a nice bit of padding for smoothness (but not those awful removable pads that bunch up and you can never fit back in!!) It’s comfortable, stylish and gives great support and lift. #winner Speaking of shorts. I’ve never been a shorts kind of girl. Mostly because I was too worried about things being squeezed and creating more bulges and bumps than necessary. The Premium Performance Hot Shorts are so flattering, with the wide waistband, great coverage, and they stay put when running or stretching.

Last, it’s fall, and I LOVE the weather and cozy, soft sweaters, jackets and windbreakers. New Balance nailed it with the Heat En Route Jacket; it’s gorgeous, comfy, has the fun thumbholes that I love and feels so soft!

I’m so excited for fall hiking, long walks, trail running and pumpkin lattes and of course, Always Living in Beta. What are you excited for this fall and what pushes you to always live the Beta Lifestyle? WE THE WOMEN of New Balance have created this collection of fitness apparel and footwear inspired by our shared LOVE OF SPORT, drive to discover what’s next, and passion for WHAT’S POSSIBLE. Welcome to NB WOMEN where every tight fits right, every layer works hard, and every shoes lets you moved with perfect freedom. Take a look and find WHAT YOU LOVE. www.newbalance.com

Filed Under: Blogs, Product Reviews Tagged With: always in Beta, Crossfit, danny j, Danny Johnson, fall catalog, fitness, goals, health, hiking, motivation, new balance, personal training, reviews, running, sponsored, sweaty betties, the sweaty betties, training, workout

GymDoll Giveaway

June 16, 2014 By The Sweaty Betties 1 Comment

WHAT?!?!? It’s in PINK????!! (I need)

OK Ladies… we all know that motivation is hard to come by.
Like Zig Ziglar says:

This is why I LOVE the GymDoll apparel.

I don’t know about you, but whenever I have a new outfit, workout shoes or gadget, I’m FIRED UP again!!
I especially love fun tanks with quotes because you KNOW someone is going to look at you, and read it out loud, then you’re gonna go:

“Yup. That’s right.. I’m a Bad @$$!!”

So, I have this lovely Black & Yellow “Suck it up” tank.. but I want to give away a few as well…

so this may be your lucky day!!

Do me a favor and go to the GYMDOLL FACEBOOK PAGE… first “LIKE” them.. and then post on their wall that they’re awesome or that Danny-J or The Sweaty Betties sent ya! Then make sure to comment on MY Picture, that you did it!
That’s it!!

I will pick a winner on FRIDAY and announce it on INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK

Let’s go girls!! SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP!!

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured, Product Reviews Tagged With: Crossfit, danny j, fitness, goals, inspiration, motivation, sweaty betties, the sweaty betties, weightloss

Why I joined an MLM

January 13, 2014 By The Sweaty Betties 2 Comments

The one thing I said I’d NEVER do.
Not “one of those“.

I recall, growing up, my aunt and uncle having my parents go to presentations for different businesses they wanted to get involved in.

I remember my parents snide remarks in the car on the way home, how those never work for “people like us”.

(they never did join any of them or even try, even though I do remember being impressed by many of the presentations)

When I was 18 I was approached by an Herbalife Distributor.

For the first time I was very intrigued and interested.

When I mentioned it to my family they warned me that it was “one of those things your Uncle’s did”.
That was enough for me to understand, that I wasn’t supposed to get involved.

As I have become more and more successful with my personal training business and my online presence, I started to get approached pretty regularly by distributors or brand partners for various companies: Visalus, Beach Body, Vemma, Monavie, Isagenix, Juice Plus, just to name some of the most popular ones. There are dozens more.

I admittedly thought that I was “too good” for that, and I even felt offended that people would see my fans and just want to make money off of me and not provide them with a real service or something of value!

Long story short, I was approached last March by a company that seemed to really offer something I was looking for.

It was a product that contained the herbs and formulas that I used to heal my metabolic damage from extreme dieting. A protein powder that I actually thought had some real substance and was different!

I was very excited about it and I started to see why Network Marketing was such a great model; I was able to see how I could build an excited and supportive team that helped others and also created an income for people.

Wow! This was cool!!
I had just paid off all my student-loan debt, was riding on the high of being DEBT FREE and now I had a vehicle to share with others to do the same thing as me…. but…..

that business, ultimately was in the pre-launch stages and didn’t really take off.
I had put my WORD and my FAITH in the company and product on the line and it failed.

I had joined.
I had failed.

I was struggling with wondering if I made a mistake and if I should just give up on the idea of this business for good.

“That was a sign Danny-J! See? You shouldn’t get involved in those kinds of things. They don’t work for people like us”

I started listening to a few of my mentors, like Dani Johnson, Guy Kawasaki, and other financial experts.
I was fighting with the thought that I should try again, but remembering that I already failed. I was worried about what people would think of me and especially the people on my team that may have felt that I dragged them into a failing company. I was pretty torn.

I had many companies wanting me to join them, and while a fitness product (shakes, bars, vitamins) seem like the obvious choice, none of them just “felt right” to me. Besides, I don’t even use shakes that often these days and I’ve already posted a ton of blogs on what I think about protein shakes.

Along came Nerium.

OK Actually, Nerium had been there all along.

My beautiful sister-in-law started it over a year ago, but I stubbornly refused to even look at the product, which I was SURE was a gimmick.
But… in my search… I started talking to her more.

I saw her pictures.

I saw her results.

I went to her events and the company impressed the hell out of me!
So much so, that my husband and I decided to become Bigs with Big Brothers Big Sisters when Nerium partnered with them as a sponsor.

Me and my “Little” Kelly

I did my research, I used the product.
I LOVED it.
It’s natural.
It makes me look better, which makes me feel better.
It is aligned with how I love to help people with their bodies.
The company’s motto is to “LOOK BETTER and LIVE BETTER”
and also to create a RIPPLE that affects everyone.

AND.. my sister was successful!!
“People like us CAN do this!! She has 5 kids!! If she can be successful with 5 kids, then I can be successful with just me to handle!”

I LOVED it.
I joined.

The thing I said I’d NEVER do.

So today I’m excited to announce that Nerium International; not only has been tweeted by Jenny McCarthy, was shown on CBS, The View and on The Doctors last week… but now is on newsstands in the Beautiful You magazine at your Barnes & Nobles and Books-A-Million Bookstores!

Here is ME at Barnes & Nobles with the latest magazine! Yay! Congratulations Nerium!!

If you’re interested in the product or becoming a brand partner, please email me at [email protected] or click here.

They ALWAYS give a 30-Day Money Back guarantee, because we want you to LOVE our product.

What is something you always said you’d NEVER do and you ended up doing it?

earned an ipad my first month

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured, Product Reviews Tagged With: #livehappy, be amazing, dani johnson, danny j, Danny Johnson, live happy, MLM, motivation, multi-level marketing, nerium, network marketing, skin care, toning, training, weightloss, workout

Back-to-School September Challenge

September 20, 2013 By The Sweaty Betties 12 Comments

Remember back in the day (maybe 4th grade-ish) the Presidential Fitness Tests? (or similar fitness testing?)

Well… its Back-to-School Time —time to do it again! Lets establish a baseline!

Here’s the Challenge:

Only 3 tests:

1. Walk/jog/run 1 mile for time: You can do this on a track or treadmill. Just do your best!
2. Sit-ups for 1 minute: Lock your feet down (or have a partner hold them) then cross your arms over your chest and go!! (elbows must touch your knees to count)
3. Push-ups to Failure: Do as many push-ups as you can (with good form) you may do them on your knees. As soon as you “come down” thats it!

The main goal is to TRY! Do your best! Then for the next 4 weeks, lets work on that fitness level and we’ll test again! Can’t wait to see the results!! READY… SET… GO!!

RULES:

1. RECORD YOUR SCORES THIS WEEK

2. POST YOUR SCORES IN THE COMMENTS

3. Work your ass off for a month— (incorporate the exercises during the week!)

—— Mondays: Do 3 sets of 30 sit-ups at the end of your workout

——-Wednesdays: Walk/Jog 1.5 miles as warm-up for cardio

——-Fridays: Do 3 sets of 15-25 push-ups

4. Record Scores Again October 26-30th

5. POST YOUR PROGRESS!!

Filed Under: Blogs, Challenges, Featured, Training Tagged With: abs, cardio, challenges, Crossfit, danny j, healthy, Kettlebells, motivation, Push-ups, run, Sit-Ups, training, WOD, workout

Sexy Summer Shoulders

May 24, 2013 By The Sweaty Betties 5 Comments

This is a great shoulder sculpting routine that combines weights and resistance with a little bit of metabolic calorie burning-

Start with 3 types of Raises (3-5lb. Dumbbells suggested)

10 Front Raises

10 Lateral Raises (Thumbs up)

10 Lateral Raises (Thumbs down)

Then….

8 Front Raises

8 Lateral Raises (Thumbs up)

8 Lateral Raises (Thumbs down)

Then repeat for 6, 6, 6, 4, 4, 4, 2, 2, 2

Sumo Squat to Upright Row— 20 times

LAST

10 Push-ups

10 Shoulder Taps

8 Push-ups

8 Shoulder Taps

6, 6, 6, 4, 4, 4, 2, 2, 2

and done!

Filed Under: Featured, Training Tagged With: expert personal trainer, fitness, fitness expert, goals, healthy, metabolism, motivation, Push-ups, sweaty betties, the sweaty betties, toning, training, workout

The Witch is Dead– SB Workout #22

April 25, 2013 By The Sweaty Betties 2 Comments

Filed Under: Challenges, Featured, Training Tagged With: challenges, Crossfit, danny j, expert personal trainer, fitness, fitness expert, healthy, Kettlebells, metabolic, metabolism, motivation, nutrition, Push-ups, Sit-Ups, sweaty betties, the sweaty betties, toning, training, weightloss, WOD, workout

Me Day

April 18, 2013 By The Sweaty Betties 5 Comments

“Me Day”

I’ve had discussions about this “self-made holiday” on Facebook, I’ve mentioned this in the newsletters and I recently spoke about it on a radio show, but I realized I never composed a blog about it!

See, at the end of December 2012, I started to think about “resolutions” and all of those things we tend to do at the end of the year…. memories from the past year and hopes for the New Year… and I’ll be honest, I was not happy with what was going on. I had been dealing with metabolic damage and adrenal fatigue for the better part of two years, and I had started to make some GREAT headway, and then, POW I lost it!

How did I lose it?

STRESS.

I started staying up late again, I started taking on more projects than I could handle, I started putting myself last and others first… you know the deal.

I realized that the THINGS I was doing to feel better, ie. taking care of me, getting to bed early, meditating, relaxing, eating regular meals, taking my supplements, etc.

I had completely stopped….and I was feeling terrible.

In fact, I told my husband, I just want to rent a car and go stay in a hotel ALONE for a few days. (ok maybe a week!)

He was obviously hurt… but that’s how I felt!

I felt as if I was being pulled in a million directions and I needed an escape… NOW!!

So that is where the “Me Day” idea came from.

I decided that for 2013 ONE DAY out of every month, was a day for ME.
RULES INCLUDE:

no phone
no computer
no alarm clock
I can do whatever makes ME feel good– massage, reading, napping, eating
no “shoulds” or “have tos”
no work

and so, I took out my phone and blocked out the last Sunday of every month for my year long experiment.

Well, January, something came up, the Dani Johnson First Steps to Success seminar was on “MY WEEKEND” so, I just rescheduled for the next weekend! I took my Sunday (it was Super Bowl Sunday) and got myself a massage, read a book and took a nap. I can’t say that I didn’t get on the computer or ditch the phone.. but it was a start.

So my February day came and my husband knew it was my day, but he needed me for a few things, and I have to say it was kind of ruined. He apologized and it was no biggie… who knew this would be so hard?!! I thought, “maybe this will be better on a week day!”

March came and went, I traveled to 3 states in 3 weeks and there was no time for me, again and here we are, mid April. I have a day scheduled THIS weekend. Hubby’s out of town and I’m disappearing!! For the rest of the year, I moved my “Me Day” to a Friday. Its easier when hubby is at work to BE ALONE.
The moral is: be flexible, be adaptable, but put it in the books.

I’m not perfect. I don’t have children, however, I have a very busy life because I give a lot and a lot of people depend on me. I understand how hard it is to have a day for you. BUT its still SO important. I urge EVERYONE..

I CHALLENGE YOU—-> DO IT NOW.

Schedule your “Me Days” for the REST of 2013 (there’s still 8 months left!!)

Then CLICK TO TWEET IT: I’m taking a day just for me!! #meday #becauseImworthit @SweatyBetties

even if its a “Me Half-Day” — take 4 hours for YOU. I promise you will be less bitter about the things you “have to do”.
Don’t tell me that you can’t, that you don’t have time, or can’t find a sitter…

Don’t be a b!tch.

Lets just DO THIS…. and then come back and tell me what you plan on doing. Here are some ideas:

sit at the park
read a book
have coffee with a friend
sleep in… late
watch a movie marathon in your pajamas
get a massage
get a mani/pedi
hang out at Whole Foods
Sun bathe
sit in a car alone for 4 hours (I’ve totally done this)
go on a hike (but please tell someone where you’re going)
take a bath
take a yoga class
eat a healthy meal
do an “at-home” spa day- paint your nails, do a face mask, etc.

Filed Under: Blogs, Challenges, Featured, Motivation, Real Talk Tagged With: challenges, danny j, day off, easy recipe, expert personal trainer, facial, goals, healthy, hormones, massage, me day, mother, motivation, no work, real talk, relaxation, rest, self-care, sleep in, stress, sweaty betties, the sweaty betties, time for yourself, truth, yoga

Full Body Blaster – SB Workout #19

February 10, 2013 By The Sweaty Betties 4 Comments

This is what my husband and I always call “our” 20 minute workout.
We made this one up a few years back, and whenever we want to do a quick, intense workout, or just something different for cardio, we fall back on this routine.
We both haven’t worked out doing this kind of thing in awhile and we haven’t worked out with EACH OTHER in… well..

MONTHS. If not, over a year. So, we decided to do “our” workout, but instead of doing AMRAP (as many rounds as possible)
we decided to just do 3 rounds, however long that would take, with as many breaks as we needed.
WHOA! I don’t remember it being so hard! I guess it really has been a long time!!

I’m not sure how long it took us to complete 3 rounds, but the rests were minimal. Basically didn’t rest until the end of each time through. My buns are killing me already, my quads and calves are feeling it… well.. just about everything is.
Here’s the routine and the weights I used are listed below:

PIN THIS!!

– For Kettlebells- I used 25 lbs. Husband used 35 lbs

-Push-ups, I ended up dropping to my knees and did about 20 each time, Hubby did 20-35

-Mountain Climbers– count right & left as ONE

– Body Rows– I eeked out 15 each time on a TRX

-Step- ups I did on a 20′ Plyo Box Hubby used a 24″ box— no weight

–Push-Press I used 20 lb dumbbells and a 40 lb Barbell (a lady stole my DB’s halfway through) Hubby used 35 lb DB’s

– Jump Lunges 12 on each leg. The goal was to do all 24 in a row… never happened.. ha! two sets of 12 for me!!
Tell me how you do!

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured, Motivation, Training Tagged With: danny j, expert personal trainer, expert trainer, fitness, fitness expert, fitness routine, goals, inspiration, Kettlebells, metabolic, metabolism, motivation, sweaty betties, the sweaty betties, toning, training, WOD, workout

Forgiveness and letting go

February 6, 2013 By The Sweaty Betties 11 Comments

Two weekends ago, I went to a 2-Day seminar by Dani Johnson. For those of you who don’t know her, don’t worry, I didn’t either. In fact, had she not had the same name as me, I’d probably not know her either.
Ironically, while googling myself (you never know what’s out there) I found her and wow! She had wayyyyy more Facebook Fans than me! (like 100,000 more!) Who is this woman?!

I was intrigued and found out about her story, she grew up in an unstable home, was pregnant at 17, homeless and suicidal. She turned everything around and became a millionaire, a radio talk show host, a business owner of 15 business and HUGE philanthropist and was on the season premiere of “Secret Millionaire” last season!!

I could definitely relate to her earlier life story, in fact, a little too much. As I learned more about her, the more I wanted to know. It turned out, she was going to be in Dallas in January, so I decided, last minute, to go.

The workshop was called “First Steps to Success” and you could say it was a bit of a financial seminar, but much more than that. It was about how to have success in all areas of life: relationships, finances, business, etc.

One of the exercises we had to do was to learn to FORGIVE.
We were told to close our eyes and think of that ONE PERSON that we haven’t forgiven, and to picture walking up to them and telling them we forgive them and we release them.

For me, there were two people…. but wait… there were THREE.
The one person that I found hardest to forgive, was ME.

I realized this again today (it’s a sign) when one of the lovely ladies at sweatybettiesfitness.com posted her mantra for today which was: I forgive myself of any and all past mistakes

How often we end up STUCK. Stuck in our relationships. Stuck in our friendships. Stuck in our finances. Stuck in our own crap! because we can’t let go of our own mistakes?!

I sit here thinking, “I’m not stuck” but who am I fooling?
There are days (still) where I beat myself up for ALL kinds of things!! Here are a few– familiar to anyone?

I should have saved all that money when I was waitressing and making tons of cash, then I’d be rich now!
I should have stopped competing earlier and my body wouldn’t be a mess
I shouldn’t have eaten that whole (fill in the blank) I would be 5 lbs lighter by now!
I shouldn’t have invested and then changed my investments out of fear
I shouldn’t have been such a bad wife during Christmas, I’m such a brat. My husband deserves better.
I should have been smarter about things so I wouldn’t have gotten taken advantage of.

See where this goes? I mean, dang! Just reading it makes me realize how detrimental it is!!
How can I make MORE money, if I’m still thinking about all the money I wished I had saved and that I lost in the economic downturn? Thats not going to bring me more financial stability!
How can I work on getting my body healthier, if I’m always thinking about how I wished I never dieted hard in the first place and then beat myself up for overeating later?! That’s not going to help me make healthy choices!

How can I be a good wife and friend when I’m telling myself people deserve better?! That’s inconsistent!

How can I make better decisions about partnerships and business relationships, if I keep thinking that I will just get taken advantage of? I can’t!
Wow. Is it ironic, that it was easier for me to forgive the people that abused me or took advantage of me? Yet, I won’t let myself off the hook?
What might you still be beating yourself up over? What is it time to let go of and forgive?
Leave it in the comments.. or maybe just tell me that its all me. haha.

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured, Real Talk Tagged With: danny j, expert personal trainer, goals, inspiration, motivation, sweaty betties, the sweaty betties, truth

Wham Bam Thank you Mam-20 Minute Workout

January 22, 2013 By The Sweaty Betties 3 Comments

Hey y’all I’ve been having a little bit of problems with my videos lately, but I want to get some workouts to ya right away!!

Here is a fun one, you can do something like this with almost any different exercise, just one minute of each then a minute rest and start again. Use it as a full-body quick workout or a fun routine for cardio instead of boring treadmill jogging!

Make sure you PIN this one and follow my boards on Pinterest

and sign-up for the newsletter below so you don’t miss these or the other fun stuff I don’t always talk about here!

Filed Under: Challenges, Featured, Motivation, Training Tagged With: abs, cardio, challenges, danny j, expert personal trainer, fitness, goals, healthy, inspiration, metabolic, metabolism, motivation, sweaty betties, the sweaty betties, training, weightloss, WOD, workout