Boot Camp Challenge

Hi my friends, I hope you are having a most awesome day! You who watch me on a regular basis know one of my number one initiatives is to get everyone moving. And, by everyone, I mean 77% of the US population. This is the number the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported of inactive adults – or people who did not exercise on a regular basis. This both saddened me and made me mad. So, I’ve decided I am going to move that needle, and the next time that report comes out, it will be 76%, then 75% and so on. And, while I am a crusader and outlier fo-sho, I LOVE when other peeps have the same vision, same determination and some big coglioni’s (that’s Italian like our guest this week J) to make a difference. And, one of these peeps is Bryan Daddio. Daddio is the creator of a platform called TurboTrack.Me. This platform allows trainers like me to provide YOU workouts anywhere, anytime and on your phone. I was so excited when Daddio shared what he was creating. I was stoked he was seeing around the cu

Hi my friends, I hope you are having a most awesome day! A few weeks back I had a lunch date with a friend. You know him as a television personality on Fox 2 News in the morning. You may recognize him as the host of the television show, The Thread. He may be the pastor of your church. But to me, he is a friend whom I love dearly. Peeps, meet Tim Ezell. Tim and I met over ten years ago at the news station. I was a guest on his show sharing fitness and wellness with his audience. Before and after our segments every Monday, we would have a quick chat, share how things were going and ask about our families. A few months into meeting Tim, our chat turned spiritual.  This was surprising because I usually don’t share my spirituality with many people.  I mean, it‘s one of my most favorite topics but I usually keep it within my family and close friends.   Tim and I jumped right in, and it became part our chats. They would be quick, but they would be deep, full of wisdom and a comfort to each of us as we were going thr

Hi my friends, I hope you are having a most awesome day! In this episode I am going to share with you how to create a workout that is PERFECT for you! Here’s the deal – moving can actually save your life. Moving can prevent disease. Moving is the best preventive medicine, EVER. Moving creates endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. And happy people just don’t kill their husbands. (That is actually a quote from Elle Woods from Legally Blonde, and she spoke truth!) And while we know this, most of us (77%) do NOT move. Most of us do not move out of fear.  We don’t want to look ridiculous. We don’t know HOW to move. For some of us, it hurts. So today, I broke down how to create a workout that works best for you. I explain the following: - How to train your heart. There are four different methods, just pick one. - How many times a week you need to train your muscles. - How to gain strength or muscular endurance and the difference between the two. - How to stay motivated to move when don’t want to. - How to train a

Hi my friends, I hope you are having a most awesome day! So I did a thing last week, and I want to share it with you. I posted a pic of me on Facebook. And, I had a bit of anxiety posting this pic. Why? Cuz I felt naked! Posting a bikini pic of my 53 year old self takes a bit of courage. That's a lie. It takes A LOT of courage. But, I want to be truthful. And the truth is, I try and move every day. I try to eat a fruit and veggie every day. I drink wine. I love desserts. And, this is my body. And I love her, dimples, ripples and all. You see, it's about a lifestyle. It's about balance. It's about life choices. It's about making small changes that become big changes. This isn't about looking a certain way for an event or a season. It's about feeling good and loving YOU all the events and all the seasons. Then, I did a Facebook LIVE and we talked about all the things! And, I also answered your fitness and nutrition questions and your questions, btw, were amazeballs!  Here is what we chatted about: - How do you

Hi my friends, I hope you are having a most awesome day! Firstly, happy Mothers MONTH to all my mamas out there.  I decided we need a month, not just a day, so, we get the whole month! Secondly, this podcast is dedicated to YOU.  I asked Jenn, one of our BCC trainers and mother of two littles to join me this episode to share with you tips and strategies to put YOU first.  I know that sounds like an oxymoron, put you before kids, spouse, job, parents, but it is the truth. If you don’t fill you up, how are you going to fill others up?  You CAN’T! Thirdly, I’ve been mommin’ for almost 30 years and I am going to tell you this job is hard AF. Doesn’t matter if you have a spouse, doin’ it alone, steppin’, adoptin’, whatever.  Hardest thing we will ever do. So, grab your coffee, wine or champs, close your door, run a hot bath and push play on this podcast. You will hear the following: The number one emotion you must NEVER feel as mom. And, I am serious, cuz it’s stupid! One strategy to put you first, and it only ta

Hi my friends, I hope you are having a most awesome day! So last week, I sat down and had the best chat with Jillian Tedesco, founder and owner of Fit-Flavors, St. Louis, MO. This amazing store, actually there are now three, provides delicious prepared meals AND they provide the ingredients and macro nutrients so we know EXACTLY what we are eating. And I think you are gonna LOVE this “real talk” between two entrepreneur/founders who are also moms and wives. We started with Jillian’s origin story which is SO good! At one point in the story she shared she started this business in her home with nine (that is not a typo), NINE refrigerators in her living room and a piece of plywood on two horses. We then took a turn and talked about how she is balancing it all. She has two children and a husband and three stores.  She gives the most awesome tips and one of my faves about balancing and “leveling up”. We also talked about the following personal stuff: What she did to combat anxiety and depression, and why she stil

Hi my friends, I hope you are having a most awesome day! So many of you have asked me over the years the following questions: How do I get my husband to exercise without sounding like nag? How do I get my kids to eat healthy when all they want is mac and cheese? How to I steer my kids away from thinking they are fat? How do I serve healthy meals my family will like and still include junk food? So today we have some real talk about how to make your household healthy. But before we dive in, I need you to know it may take a long time. You will need to be patient if you are changing your households’ lifestyle. And, lastly, don’t give up. This is a marathon, NOT a sprint. I start off talking about your spouse. When asking your partner to join you on a wellness journey, whether it’s eating more veggies or starting an exercise program you have to remember it’s an individual journey. While you can be an encourager (which I talk about) and an educator, your person still has to make their own decision and find their ow

Hi my friends, I hope you are having a most awesome day! Seriously, I just had the most refreshing, raw and ronderful (yup, I made that up) conversation with Lori Mork, Coach, Speaker and author of the book, Kiss My Curvy Assets. And I can’t wait for you to listen to our conversation! There are so many reasons I love her and her new book. Firstly, she exposes some hard truths about the fitness and body building competition world (she was in it). Secondly, she talks the real about perimenopause and menopause and how we can move through it with grace and patience with our bodies. Thirdly, she shares how NOT dieting can actually change your body and so much more! And, we take a deep dive into the following: - The ONE question you need to ask yourself to find happiness with your body. - Why the scale does NOT determine your self-worth. - The number one thing you have to do to lose weight (and it has nothing to do with your food). - How to eat a donut and still feel healthy (ok, actually I talk about this one!) -

I had the most FUN sitting down and chatting with one of the Spice Girls! No, I did not fly across the pond and interview Scary, Sporty, Baby, Ginger or Posh (although that would be SO fun!), her name is Carol, and she is the owner of the Olde Town Spice Shoppe in St. Charles, MO. I totally went into this podcast to learn and share with you the healing principles of spices, and how they can help us on our wellness journey but what I learned was so.much.more! Carol shares with us spices are so much more than an addition to our meals. They are so much more than healing properties. They are so much more than extra flavors in our drinks. They are an important part of our family! When we begin this podcast, you will hear my shock, our emotion (we both get a teary), then my paradigm shift as she explains the gift of spices. I know that sounds a bit dramatic, but take a listen and you will understand. And then she answers my burning questions: - What spices can help with diabetes and high cholesterol? - Can spices r

Hi my friends, I hope you are having a most awesome day! I cannot WAIT for you to take a listen to my latest podcast! In it, I interview one of my campers (and brand new Air Force recruit!), Jillian Nurczyk, who shares her failures and successes in her journey to lose 30 pounds. What I loved most about our interview was her honesty, her transparency, and her vulnerability. And, when she tells her story, I realized it is all of OUR story. Everything she experienced is what we ALL experience when trying to make change.  No one gets through change without it just sucking really hard! And, I loved she shared all her tips that led her to success. Here is what we talk about: - What she did to push past her plateau to hit her goal weight. - How she avoided sabotaging herself after eating a bad meal or a skipping workout. - The biggest help to go from drinking soda all day to drinking water (and my hubby did it also). - How she cut fast food out of her diet. If you have any time, I would love, love, love you to take

I have been struggling lately with what I see on social media regarding fitness and wellness. And while I truly believe social media and fitness go together like peanut butter and jelly, I also feel there is so much YUCK out there, so many lies, so much pseudoscience! And, it bothers me because even the most educated fall for it! And, you know why?  Cuz it’s sexy. Cuz we want it to be true. Cuz we want a quick fix. And, I totally get it.  This June I will have been doing this fitness gig for 35 years (yep, I literally just realized that during this podcast) and I still haven’t found a quick, easy fix for ANYTHING! So, today I dive into how to find the truth of fitness on social media. I have a few tips for you that will hopefully make your fitness and wellness journey successful. If you have time, take a listen to this weeks’ podcast as I share the following: - The first thing you need to do if you do not feel good about yourself. - Why Kim K and JLo really bummed me out. - What credentials to look for when l

Hi my friends, I hope you are having a most awesome day! I just had the BEST chat with Abby Langer, a Toronto-based registered dietitian, and it was freakin awesome! Firstly, Abby is so FUNNY! Several times during the podcast I belly laughed.  And, she cusses, which that makes me laugh too! Secondly, she calls out the bulls**t.  Like straight up in her blogs, on her social media, in the national news organization and on our podcast. She has no problem calling out the charlatans and dares us to look at the truth. #truthteller Thirdly, she is a mythbuster. She talks all the lasted crazes (yep, we talk about the celery juice craze), fad diets and bogus claims and not only tells us why they are wrong but shares the science to confirm it. Here are a few of the myths we chat about: - You must take multivitamins (nope, waste of money) - Detoxing your liver is a must (again, nope, your liver detoxes itself) - Why thin is NOT healthy (it is actually a big, fat lie) We also talk about how doctors are not always the bes

I want to introduce you to my friend, amazing momma, stylin designer and legit CEO BOSS WOMAN of JBloom Design, Jennifer Bonacorsi! Jenn and I met over a year ago when she brought Boot Camp Challenge® to JBloom. I went to help launch the program and was in a bit of shock and awe when I saw her show up in a boot! Yep, she had just had surgery on her foot but was so excited to do the program, she decided to do it in her boot and take the options. I immediately knew she was my kind of peoples. What I didn’t know at the time was how like-minded we were in other areas of our lives. For instance, we are both mamas; she to four beautiful girls and me, well, you know my fam. We both created companies and encountered so many obstacles we became warriors AND wonder women. We both work with AND like our husband (although we both demand “alone” time). And, we both rely on our faith during the trials of tribulations of not only the business life but also real life. And, we both enjoy running although we are NOT runners. A

Hi friends, I hope you are having a most awesome day! I want to introduce you to my friend, Kayla Burton, BCC trainer and licensed therapist. Kayla and I met over ten years ago when she started in my Boot Camp Challenge® as a camper. During her first nine years, working out was not a problem for her. She loved it. She loved the workouts, the training, and even the running. But the nutrition was a different story. She struggled with understanding and accepting how her body responded to food, nutrition, and dieting.  So, this year, Kalya decided to make a change.  And, she realized, it was a mental change that had to happen. What Kayla teaches others about mental health, she started applying to herself. She learned how to set boundaries. She learned being SELFISH is really SELF CARE. And she learned what she loves to do most, to move her body, is actually a great prescription when struggling with depression.  We started our chat with the physical health (and how she lost 43lbs!) and quickly moved into the menta

Happy Thanksgiving! I am so excited to enjoy my family, my food and my festivities this week.  I LOVE this time of year. And, during this holiday season, I always spend a bit more time reflecting on what I am most thankful for and for what I feel the most gratitude. And, when I think of these, my family always comes first.   So, guess what I did? I invited them on this week’s podcast! Tony (my hubs), Elijah, Ben (my sons) and I sat down and had some great kitchen table talk and they shared what it was like growing up in a home where fitness and wellness are a value. And, moms, do I have a surprise for you. You know how you question EVERYTHING you do when raising your kids? Are we raising good human beings?  Will our children understand why we do what we do? Do they even care? If I workout and eat right, will they? Guess what?!  They gave us the answers! And, some of them made me laugh hard! I found out they are still mad at me for not buying pop tarts on the regular. They traded their carrots from their lunch

Lately, you have been super psyched about NUTRITION, NUTRITION and NUTRITION.  Which of course, I love! And, you have been asking a TON of questions about Intermittent Fasting (IF) and the Keto Diet. These two diets have been quite popular of late and you have requested some intel.  As a matter of fact, I have received so many questions, I decided to make it our podcast topic, woot! So, as per protocol, grab your coffee or your wine (unless you are driving!) and get ready for some school! In the next thirty minutes, I dive into the history of these two diets, why they were created and how they work for you.  I also drop the following truth bombs: - What two diseases Intermittent Fasting COULD prevent or minimize (and it’s freakin exciting!) - What you CAN’T eat when you are doing Intermittent Fasting. - Which diet can help you lose a TON of fat. - The one missing food on the Keto diet that may make it UNHEALTHY for you. - Why pooping is so important.  Cuz you know you I like talking about poop! And, I know I

I am going to tackle a topic you have inquired about TONS.  You send me questions on this topic daily.  You talk about it on your social media often. You commiserate about it frequently.   It is your DIET. And by diet, I am not referring to a quick program, a fad weight loss scheme or a starvation situation.  I am referring to your daily intake of food.  What you consume to keep yourself alive.  That is how I define diet. And here is an actual definition – DIET (n) – the kinds of food a person, animal or community habitually eats. And, what you fuss about on the daily is how to stay on track.  How to pick fruits and veggies instead of mac and cheese.  How to drink water instead of soda.  How to choose nutrition dense foods instead of junk foods.  Well, you don’t actually say “nutrition dense” those are my words.  You say “healthy for me” foods. :) So, this podcast is dedicated to you and your DIET.  I give you FOUR tips that will not only help you to stay on track with your eating, but will also help you feel

Hi friend, I hope you are having a most awesome day. I know I am always preaching to move your body, eat your veggies and drink water. But, there is something else I don’t talk about much but it is just as important if not MORE – SAFETY when exercising. The news has been filled of late of tragedy striking young women as they run in their neighborhoods.  And, they were doing it “right”; jogging in the daylight, running in the “good” neighborhoods. I started thinking about my own safety.  Sometimes, I run outside by myself (not often, but I have done it). What would I do if someone approached me with the intent to harm? I don’t carry a weapon. I don’t carry pepper spray (which, after this podcast, I am ordering some!) and I do not know any karate moves. So, I decided to reach out to someone with over thirty years of experience with safety and protection. Friends, please allow me to introduce you to Police Chief Steve Lewis.  He is the police chief with the Ellisville Police Department in St. Louis, MO.  Not onl

Hi friend, I hope you are having a most awesome day. Today I want to share a special story with you. My guest on this podcast is AJ Miller. She is a Boot Camp Challenge® (BCC) trainer and BCC Master Trainer. She is also the daughter of a Vietnam veteran who passed last year. What AJ did not know was her father had left behind a journal, a memoir.  After trying several times to read the memoir, and failing, she decided to return to Vietnam and retrace her father’s footsteps. Her purpose is to unveil her fathers’ story and share his memoirs right where they happened.  She has only been able to make it through one entry so far but it was a big one. In it he talked about flying his chopper, thoughts of suicide, how he felt he never really came home and what his job was in the US Army during the war – he was a Scout. And, according to him, a killer. It was the last line that caused AJ to freeze.  Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. She’ll explain in the podcast what happened next, and let’s just say

Hi friend, how is your week running down? Mine?  So good. We launched camps this week and I freakin LOVE launch week.  I love seeing all the vets coming back to camp. I love seeing the new peeps with a little bit of hesitation on their faces walk through the door.  It takes major courage, bravery and overcoming fear to actually sign up and show up for any fitness program, especially one called Boot Camp Challenge®! This past weekend, I took a bunch of campers paddling boarding.  We had such an amazing time.  And, when all the campers took to the water, I looked out and saw all these strong, beautiful women and became emotional. And, I thought - what did they have to tell themselves this morning to find enough courage to try something new, something a bit scary. Many of them told me they were going to bail due to anxiety but showed up cuz they told me they were coming.  Some shared they were going to cancel because they were so scared but because they had promised a friend, they showed up. This got me really d