It's time to Spring Into Shape

Sign up here in the comments with your facebook name and I will invite you to our private group.

Here is all you need to get started...

Measurement Point Page
Spring Into Shape Total Point page
Make a copy in your google drive, then you can add the points directly into the sheets.

We would love to have you join us and post weekly here or on our facebook page. You must post your points weekly to be eligible for one of the three prizes.

Top overall points 

Most weight loss and inches 

Most exercise points 

"Let us encourage one another to good works!"

Looking forward to springing it with you!

Dani

Week 7 - Rippin' and Sprinin'

I am not a fan of Jillian Michael's and I don't promote her lifestyle, but her workouts have made a difference in my physique in the past. This is why her Ripped in 30 video came to my mind this past week.

Some how a pact was made with my hubby over the weekend, and now I am pressing play on this dvd for 30 days!  "Ripped in 30 is comprised of four 24-minute workouts based on Jillian's best-selling body shredding 3-2-1 interval system: 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of abs."   These workouts are intense! Want to join me?

The upside is, I have been active and have been working out already. The dvd's just make me get more intense and consistent. Do you remember a dvd or workout that changed you? Are you willing to go there again to get the change you desire? We need to encourage each other to "JUST PRESS PLAY"!

I am still cutting out white sugar (except for a couple free days, I allowed myself) white flour and the extra carbs. Pasta is so hard for me to cut out totally and I occasionally still take a fist full.
Our HEP has to keep getting cleaner and better in order to make changes in our physique.

This is the end of week 7, so please weigh in and measure! There should be more change happening. If not, we should be seeing what is working and what is not. Share with with us, brain storm with us, and lets keep springing to the end!

Be encouraged!

~Dani Joy

Yikes I forgot Week 3!

Well, I didn't quite forget to measure, but with last week being our spring break, I let the measuring slide. We need to measure this week, though. Tomorrow, Friday, is our day to measure for week four and post your point results.

Holy Jim Trail in Corona, CA

The workouts didn't stop though during my spring break. We struggled through a long run on the beach, enjoyed a lovely 3 mile hike in the mountains, and worked out at the gym a bit. I know it's tough to workout and eat healthy on a vacation, but hopefully we all kept our goals in mind.

As we finish out our first month on our Spring in-2 Shape challenge, what are some changes you have experienced? How are you feeling? Share with us how your HEP is affecting you. What exercise accomplishments have you seen?

I am starting to reap the benefits of the added exercise. Not only is my fit bit hitting the 12,000 step mark, I set, more often, I am also seeing more of an increase in calorie burn. I am able to run longer and  am getting a little faster. It's a slow climb back, but I feel it coming.

I am reaching out to you for motivation too.

Let's encourage one another to good works. (hard workouts and good HEP!) :)

Springing with ya,

~Dani

The Tough Get Going! WK2

Yeah, it's getting tough to keep going with the newly started plans. I  planned to exercise 5 days a week, running on Tuesday and Thursday, gym on Monday and Wednesday and possible bike ride or run on the weekend.

My HEP is NO whites! No white sugar (right now no added sugars) No white flour (focusing on sprouted grains in small portions) No white salt.

All has been going very well, but I took a free day yesterday. It's not even the weekend yet. We just finished entering our third quarter grades, and I wanted to celebrate a little! However, it was just an excuse that I can not use again! I chose to do 30 minutes of yoga instead of run. This is totally acceptable, but I  just know I need to run tonight now.

What are your plans? What struggles are you feeling? Let's share here or by email to encourage one another. We all need the encouragement.

We had a speaker today who hit the nail on the head. I want to share the main points here, because I feel it is so essential for any one's journey.

Week 1 S2S 2018

Happy spring! How have you started out? What is your HEP ( Healthy Eating Plan)? Are you planning your exercise? What have you been doing so far? These are the kinds of things that motivate me.

When I read what others are doing, I get inspired and try harder. It is so important that we share our victories. The verse that came to my mind was Hebrews 10: 24

“Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.”

You may share as a comment here or email me privately. Your spread sheet is to keep track of your measurements as well as your points. ( be sure to measure. It is worth it) 

There is a mistake on the spread sheet. It is 10 pts for 1 pound lost not 5.

Place your exercise points on the spread sheet in tally marks every consecutive 30 minutes = 2pts. NO HALF points here. This is to push us a little bit more. (me included)

We measure again on Friday and write our first points on the chart. There won’t be a lot of loss of inches or weight but, we can be clocking that exercise. 😊 Please comment your points on Friday's post. 

Springing with ya,

Dani Joy

PS I will share my HEP and my exercise plan in Friday's post. Meanwhile check out this blog post where I shared during a previous challenge. MY HEP

Gearing up!

Literally, biking and changing gears today for my fitness journey was a nice change up to my running and gym schedule. The view of the ocean and Catalina Island was amazing as we peddled 9.5 miles along Huntington beach.  There is nothing like the fresh ocean air and exercise!

Springing In-2-Shape Challenge will be under way starting this Monday, so we all should be gearing up! Getting measuring done sometime this weekend or Monday morning, and planning your HEP (Healthy Eating Plan) and exercise. I know it can be "painful", but we all have to start somewhere.

Time to be REAL!

What does being real have to do with fitness and health?

 It has been a theme at our school, Brethren Christian High, this year. "Be real with yourself, others and God."  How can we apply this to our health? Should we? 

Hmmm... maybe we don't want to go there...

In life we are so concerned with images, but it's not the image or the outside I am referring to. It's the opening up to others about our daily struggle to be healthy and fit. (aka disciplined) It is a bear! Our whole being tells us we aren't as healthy as we should be, while there's a lie in our heads saying "Oh, its not that bad, or you'll never look like that!"

It is time for me to be real.

Don't say the "D" word!

Well, anyone who knows me knows I love to talk about being healthy, active and fit! They also know I hate the "D" word... DIET!!! I refuse to say I am on a diet. I believe strongly that we should be eating healthy for life and on a healthy fitness journey for life. It needs to be more than a fad. It needs to stick. 

I found Advocare! Or Advocare found me. 

It is not a diet! It is not a fad! 

It is real! It is something that can kickoff your weight loss or fitness journey, and help you stay on that path for life! These products not only helped me flatten my tummy, they also helped eliminate my frequent migraines while I took them.

Are you in need of a push?

Well, it's a little more than a month to summer! If you're anything like me, you may need a push to get exercising and eating healthy again, Or maybe you've been at it and just need that push to go harder and stronger. That next level.

Back in 2009, I joined a blogging friend for her Getting Fine in '09 fitness challenge. This was a huge boost for me. We blogged weekly about our progress and the winner got a $10 gift card! It wasn't much, but it made all the difference in the world to me.  I lost 11 pounds in that time... I think it was 10 weeks. It was my first big weight loss since I had had my 3 babies. I was on a roll and didn't want to break the streak. You can see my journey HERE.

There is nothing like accountability and encouragement from those who are on the same journey! We are in this together, this fitness journey for life. Something that I believe with all my heart is that we were created by a loving, holy, all powerful God who wants to equip us to care for our bodies. (2 Corinthians 6:19-20) He wants to give us all we need so that we can be our best for His glory!

Then let's get to this SWEAT'n OFF the FAT business!

Crunch It!

 IT! 

Going into week 4 of our Christmas crunch challenge, we may be tempted to throw in the towel. I am here to encourage you to pick up that towel and get ready to wipe the sweat off your forhead. 

We have 4 more weeks until Christmas and that is plenty of time to keep crunching and getting fit. Along with our point system, which should encourage you to get moving and exercising for at least 20 minutes a day, I have found some great tips. 

Christmas Crunch Challenge 7

It's that time of the year, when we all start gearing up for Christmas. If you're anything like me, it has sneaked up on you so fast. I realized that in the past I would have already been a couple weeks into our Christmas Crunch Challenge.


Yes, a fitness challenge before Christmas is just what we need. The tendency we all have during this season is to get cozy and eat carbs! Trust me, I have been falling into this too. That is why I am in desperate need of a challenge to rev me up!

I wasn't going to invite everyone to join in because of it being so last minute, but hey, I can't keep it to myself. Being in shape and feeling good about who God made us is so important. Why should we sit around listening to the lies that tell us we can´t change? All it takes is one day at a time.

My journey started over 9 years ago, and it was just a prayer. Then one day at a time, I changed my eating habits and started exercising. Often times, it was only baby steps, but once I started, I didn't want to go back to how I was before. You can check out my transformation, here.

Now, what about the Christmas Crunch Challenge?

IN PAIN?!?!

Maybe some of you can relate to constant pain. I truly couldn't until this past year when my lower back started to constantly hurt from a combination of being out of whack and walking crooked from a heel issue. I just thought I was going to have to live with this pain the rest of my life.

We hadn't been able to find a chiropractor yet in our area, and I just didn't want to spend the money to go. So, I just kept dealing with the uncomfortable pain, walking slightly crooked, struggling to turn over in bed, hurting when I ran (if I could run). It was discouraging to say the least. 

You may have read that I did the Advocare 24 day Challenge back in February. Yes, I keep talking about it. I truly love it! It made me feel great and I can't wait to do the cleanse again. 

Well, one of the products in this challenge is OmegaPlex, an all natural and superior source of Omega 3 fatty acids. It is one of the products that Advocare sells that helps overall core function.

An added bonus, is that I no longer have lower back pain! 

This product along with the 24 Day Challenge has increased my stamina and has helped my strength in training and running. I just ran 5k last week for the first time in almost a year! I have been working up to it and was so excited to be able to run this distance with no pain! 

It's so important to me to share this with you, today. I want to help you eliminate your pain. I believe this product can help you. It just might be what you need, but how can you go wrong? It's all natural! It's good for you! 

   

Give it a try today. CLICK HERE 

I am so thankful to the ones who shared Advocare with our family! God is using it as a tool in our lives to stay fit and healthy. 

~ Dani Joy

Who's a Better Tennis Player?

Who would you think is better at tennis, Joseph or me?

Well, to be honest, he just beat me last night 6-3 but... there was a time when I was beating him. 

Yes! but... it didn't have as much to do with talent and skill as it did with my energy level. I started the Advocare 24 day challenge and with it came an amazing energy and mental focus drink called SPARK! 

Spark????

 Have you heard of it? 

I hadn't. I was up for a much needed boost. My energy had dropped so much that every evening I was falling asleep as soon as we finished dinner. I couldn't keep up working at school, let alone play a full set of tennis. 

Back in February, when I started taking Spark, within two days I was feeling the affects. Joseph and I went out to play tennis and I beat him 6-1! I couldn't believe it!  I was actually placing the tennis ball instead of just trying to stay alive. 

Fast forward two months and now Joseph has been taking Spark, too. It's been so much fun seeing us get better and challenging each other. He started running down the tennis ball, serving and placing it so much better.

Now it's war!

No, not really but boy am I competitive! :)

You're probably thinking what is this stuff? Well, how many of you drink coffee, or some kind of energy enhancer? Then think all natural, non adictive, good for you and better priced and that's Spark!

Here is the break down of the Spark.

We don't buy soda, and very rarely a specialty coffee, so Spark was a easy buy for us. As you can see it's so much better for you and even relatively cheaper. 

It's so worth it! 

Are you ready to get Sparked! 

Is this you?

• Someone who has trouble waking up or feels "energy slumps" throughout the day?
• Someone who can't work up enough energy to live life the way you want?

AdvoCare Spark® is a unique multi-nutrient system that was developed as a nutritional 

source of energy and enhanced mental focus.

It's a sugar-free with more than 21 vitamins, minerals and nutrients that work synergistically

 to provide a healthy, balanced and effective source of energy that won't 

overburden or over stimulate your body.

This amazing product serves as an all-in-one solution that gives you a quick 

boost of energy that lasts for hours!

• Sharpens mental focus!
• Just 45 calories per serving!
• Offered in pouches and canisters!
• Fast acting and long-lasting energy!
• Available in Watermelon, Mango Strawberry, Pink Lemonade, 

Mandarin Orange, Fruit Punch, Grape and Cherry!

CLICK HERE to order!

And stay tuned to see who wins our next tennis match!

~ Dani Joy

See the Difference!

 There are four main products that have given our boys the power they need for their workouts. Ike and Drew (my two older sons) have been taking Advocare Spark, Catalyst, Muscle Gain, and Post Workout Protein for a little over 2 months. They are seeing and feeling the difference.  

They do double workouts each week and need the extra sustenance. For Football, they were told they needed to gain 20 lbs each. It has been hard to find anything that works for them. They have been burning off everything we put into them. Until Advocare. They both have gained muscle and at least 10 lbs so far in just a short 2 1/2 months. 

Ike age 16

February - April 2015

Drew age 15
February - April 2015

So, we will continue to use Advocare! Especially now that they are heading into their Spring football practices. 

It is also a business opportunity for our family and we would love for you to take the time to look at our website. There is something there for all your health needs.
www.advocare.com/150172715 and our Facebook page

 Danielle and Joseph Contreras

 

Not Just Another Challenge

This year I turn 40. I never thought it would be a milestone, really. It is just a number. After all, you are only as old as you feel right? Well, little by little, I have started to feel heavier, slower, more sluggish and not able to lose the weight I had gained after my double varicose vein surgery this past year.

Of course, exercise and healthy eating are so vital. I have been on this journey since 2009. I even have some before and after pictures, but I hit a plateau and couldn't get my body to budge. 

This is when I was introduced to this amazing Challenge. The Advocare 24 Day Challenge!

 

 I kid you not, I felt the difference right away! 

The 24 Day Challenge starts out with a 10 day cleanse. Now, I have done cleanses before. Some have even hurt, they have been so strong, but this one being a herbal cleanse, did its work gently. Within the first three days, I felt lighter and had more energy. I even beat my hubby in tennis! 

Let me explain a little more about how it works. 

Proper absorption of nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals is essential to maintaining a healthy body. However, periodic lifestyle changes may generate the need for a "fresh start" - that's where the Cleanse Phase comes in. On Days 1-10 of the 24-Day Challenge, you will take three products.

These products, in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise, help to rid your body of waste and prepare your body to better absorb nutrients. This isn't the kind of cleanse where you drastically reduce calories or consume only liquids - this is the beginning of a healthier lifestyle!

After completing the Cleanse Phase, it’s time to move into days 11-24: The Max Phase. The Max Phase is about fueling your body in order to achieve maximum results. During this phase you will take three products that work together to provide you with sustained energy, appetite control, core nutrition and overall wellness.  Upon completion of the 24-Day Challenge, these products can continue to be taken every day as part of a healthy lifestyle.

This was the best challenge I have done yet. Of course, I coupled it with exercise and healthy eating. This is a must. And the amazing phone app that you get for free when you start, was a great tool to keep me motivated. I am still toning up and losing! 

Here are my results. I lost 5lbs and over 5 inches in the 24 days!

 

Day 1                                     Day 24

 

Click HERE or on the picture to learn more!

We will start a challenge together for our annual Spring in2 Shape fitness challenge. 

A New Stage in my Fitness Journey

Yep, this was me in 2007 and 2009. It took me a year and a half to get 40 lbs off! Following a healthy eating plan (what I call my HEP) and exercising intensly 5-6 days a week. This was just the beginning of My journey. 

   

After duel vericose vein surgery in December 2014, and a major move from Spain to the good ol' USA, I have 15-20 lbs to get back off! 

As we start the New Year's 30 Day Challenge, I wanted to post my plan of action. 

1. Increasing my exercise to 5-6 days a week and intensify by doing a exercise videos or run and do my park routine 30 -60 minutes a day. 

2.  MY HEP will be low carb, high protien, natural foods. 

MY Foods to Avoid from AuthorityNutrition.com

I will avoid these 7 foods, in order of importance:

• Sugar: Soft drinks, fruit juices, agave, candy, ice cream and many others.
• Gluten Grains: Wheat, spelt, barley and rye. Includes breads and pastas.
• Trans Fats: “Hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils.
• High Omega-6 Seed- and Vegetable Oils: Cottonseed-, soybean-, sunflower-, grapeseed-, corn-, safflower and canola oils.
• Artificial Sweeteners: Aspartame, Saccharin, Sucralose, Cyclamates and Acesulfame Potassium. Use Stevia instead.
• “Diet” and “Low-Fat” Products: Many dairy products, cereals, crackers, etc.
• Highly Processed Foods: If it looks like it was made in a factory, don’t eat it.

Low Carb Food List – Foods to Eat

I will base my diet on these real, unprocessed, low-carb foods.

• Meat: Beef, lamb, pork, chicken and others. Grass-fed is best.
• Fish: Salmon, trout, haddock and many others. Wild-caught fish is best.
• Eggs: Omega-3 enriched or pastured eggs are best.
• Vegetables: Spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and many others.
• Fruits: Apples, oranges, pears, blueberries, strawberries.
• Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.
• High-Fat Dairy: Cheese, butter, heavy cream, yogurt.
• Fats and Oils: Coconut oil, butter, lard, olive oil and cod fish liver oil.

3. I will take Plexus Slim, Boost, and Block along with the Bio Cleanse. These products are amazing tools to help jump start weight loss as well as help with maintenance. Check out HERE how you can start yours today. 

Novemeber 2014 working out with my 14 yr old, Drew!

This is a life long journey. With God's strength, I will persevere. 

What is your plan? 

♡ Dani Joy

Prizes and Points System

Hi Ladies, 

I am ready to share with you the New Year's 30 day Challenge!

 I believe that you can change in 30 days. I have done it, losing 20 inches in 30 days back when I first started. Plus, I believe, all things are possible, in God's strength.

I have a lot of motivation this year. I am turning 40! I believe we can meet our goals together. It is so important to surround yourself with encouragement and motivation. 

Now you're on board! Let's talk more motivation. 

Our point system:

Point System -  Print it out the spread sheet here

30 min. of exercise = 1 point  (max. 2 pts for 60 min.) 

2 liters/quarts of water or 1/2 your body weight in oz. = 1 point
HEP = 2 point (Healthy Eating Plan) 

Posting = 1 point ( 3 posts max. per week/min. of 1 post a week to be eligable for prizes)
1 pound lost = 1 point (.5 kilo 1 point) 

1 inch lost = 1 point (2cm = 1point)

1st prize for one overall winner in points. - Plexus product of choice! 

2nd prize for overall weight and inches lost.- $10 gift card

Learn how to measure HERE. Measurments are so necessary, because you lose inches before you lose pounds.

Exercise!!! - Yes, it very important in my opinion. We get 1 point for every 30 minutes of exercise. (5-10 minutes stretching counts as part of your 60 min. time.) You may split up your time in intervals of 10 minutes, no less. 

This includes any exercise which raises your heart rate. Intense walking and intense house cleaning are included. I recommend increments of 15 minutes with 5 minutes of stretching at the end. Remember, you may do more activity than an hour, but we only get points for the first 60 minutes of exercise. Let's make them count. 

The reason for the maximum limit is so that we are doing more intense workouts. I recomend a mixture of weight training and cardio workouts. Mike Chang´s six pack short cuts and Jillian Michael´s videos (all on You Tube) are excellent for this. You may do walking videos like those by Leslie Sansone, pilates or yoga, but they must be continual, without a lot of resting. The key is purposeful exercise to burn calories and tone our muscles. Toned muscles burn fat and increase metabolism! 

HEP - Healthy Eating Plan - if followed = 2 pt You should post what your HEP will be for accountability in your first post on our FB group or a link to your own blog.  If you keep to your HEP each day, it is 2 points! If you blow it, you just don´t count the points for the day. 

*** One Free day is allowed and counts as your HEP points and for 1 exercise point ( not water nor posts).*** 

Posts/ Participation -  This is my favorite part of the challenge. I love all the interaction and encouragement! Most importantly, we uplift one another to be the best we can be. I believe that we were made by a Creator who wants us to serve Him with all that we have. When we post inspiration and what we are learning, we are helping each other to reach our goals!

Posts and Journaling

 You may choose one of 4 ways:

1- E-mail your journal to me, danijoy2psain@gmail.com
2- post on our private FB page 
3 -blog on your own blog linking to Faith Fitness and Fun blog. (must let me know)
4- blog directly on our  Faith Fitness and Fun blog. (must be invited)

Your introduction post for the first week should include-  Info about yourself, a picture, goals, definitely your HEP, and maybe measurements if you want to share. This is totally up to you how much you feel comfortable sharing. 

 Post/ Journaling Ideas - 

-Some post their measurments as a first journal post. 

- Post about your exercise for the last couple of days.

-Post about your food choices.

You are allowed two tips a week. They may fall under diet tips, fitness tips, humor about fitness and diet, and inspirational tips. The lables are in the label section in the blog editor if you are blogging. 

**You are only allowed 3 posts a week for points but, you may post more. They just do not count for points.**

**We must CHECK IN with point totals at least once a week to qualify for the prizes, unless you have let me know ahead of time. **

I am sure there will be questsions. Please don't hesitate to ask. These challenges have helped me greatly through the years. If you stick with it and create a HEP you can live with everyday, you can truly get in shape in a month. I am at it with you! 

Don't forget to start with prayer, praying over how God would have you get control over your eating and exercising. Realize that God is our greatest strength and He wants us to be our best for His glory. 

- Dani Joy

New Years is Coming Fast!

Announcing our next challenge! Is this just what you need to get motivated or what?

It's not a diet, it's a journey! 

Sign up by commenting here or on our FB page.

Choose your HEP (healthy eating plan)

Print off your point spread sheet, HERE

Measure,

and get moving! ;)

I will be posting about the points and prizes soon, but this is in no way to stress you out. I use the points to keep us on track and to motivate us. It also helps us to see how much we really need to keep moving. If points aren't your thing, just use our group as a source of accountability. We post on our private facebook group or here on this blog. 

I am totally against diets, as you will read in my testimony. It is a fitness journey for life. If it weren't for this I know I would be totally unhealthy and undisciplined today. I still have a ways to go to get to my peak. I have a goal in mind, I have prayed and now I must do my part. 

Do you have weight to lose or just want to get in better shape? This challenge is for you? We focus on healthy eating, exercise and uplifting encouragement. 

Even the Proverbs 31 woman exercised. 

"She girds herself with strength,

and strengthens her arms."

Proverbs 31:17

She was some well balanced woman!
I pray to be like her in order to serve Jesus better.

~Dani Joy