RALEIGH ROCKS PIYO!

Just look at all of these fun-lovin' PiYo people!! They really did a wonderful job at the PiYo Training on August 8th from 9-5 in Raleigh, NC!

It was a day FULL of poses, exercises, learning time and test taking! Each one passed the written test with flying colors! Each one also Passed the practical testing as well! AWESOME! What a group!!

So I thank them for coming out and working hard in the limited time we had. There is so much to cover and they really dug in and went for it!

A big THANK YOU goes out to SARAH HUFFMAN & the ALEXANDER YMCA in downtown Raleigh, NC for hosting this event! She had SO many of her peeps there and was so all about this training! I'm sure she's glad to have more PiYo Instructors there now to help out Cynthia!!

And THANK YOU to all 23 participants, including some from Greenville, Fayetteville, and even Virgina Beach, VA! And to those in the Raleigh area... be on the lookout for some PiYo classes coming to a club HOPEFULLY near YOU! YEA!

Great job everyone! See ya at Hip Hop Hustle on Oct 3rd at the Kerr YMCA in N. Raleigh!
~Amanda

Here are some more photos from the day:
Nice staff posing from these gals!

Up dog is fun via Stacey and Annette.

Ann practicing down dog.

3 more join in!

Tom is up to the challenge too!

Cheryl leads Amanda in Warrior I.

It's a pilates roll up for Melinda!

A nice plank for Michelle.

And Anita - still smiling! =)

Nice pics everyone! ~Amanda

Menu Mondays - SPINACH SALAD!

Yummier than you think! (Not actual photo... just to show some spinach!)

I love this salad! It's fresh and very tasty. I usually make it for bridal or baby showers and parties. It's one that you'll like to make any time of the year.

Ingredients
1 bag fresh spinich (baby spinich works really well)
1 head iceberg or romaine lettuce
1 pkg bacon (or faster: 1 sm bag pre-cooked bacon bits)
1/2 pkg jack or swiss cheese (regular or pre-grated)
optional: sliced mushrooms

Method
Wash and tear the spinich as needed. Wash and tear the lettuce. But both into a big serving bowl.
Cook bacon and crumble into bits. Add to the bowl once cooled. Grate the cheese to amount desired. Add to the bowl.

Dressing:
1/2c white or apple-cider vinegar (I prefer ac vin)
3/4c veg or canola oil
1 1/2 T onion (grated or onion powder will do, but just 1/2t if so)
1 1/2t salt
3/4t dry mustard

Combine all ingredients in a blender or shaker mixing well. Pour over salad and toss when ready to serve.

BODY BUGG - A New Gadget to Love!

This is Chalene Johnson. My boss from Powder Blue Productions, creator of Turbo Kick, Turbo Jam, ChaLEAN Extreme, PiYo, Hip Hop Hustle and All-Star Presenter Camp.

She is showing the new HOT fitness gadget: THE BODYBUGG

She has given it a RAVE review on her blog on June 28th - go check it out at: www.chalenejohnson.blogspot.com

Here's the link to check out the BodyBugg site:
www.24hourfitness.com/training/bodybugg/

To get one and get a discount, enter discount code bbgcj24 and earn an additional $15.00 off the price of your purchase! All lower case: bbgcj24

I'm all about a deal... and what's new out there so I'm passing it on to you! I haven't gotten one yet, but maybe you can. ENJOY!

Menu Mondays - PESTO!

I LOVE PESTO!
It's great on pasta, marinating fish and meat, topping grilled bread - just endless possibilities really!!

So my friend Ali gave me this awesome recipe the other day. She made some for me over a year ago when I had Brooke, but I finally remembered to get this recipe from her. It's so tasty!

BASIL PESTO
2c basil leaves, loosely packed
1/2c parmesean cheese
1/2c pine nuts
3 cloves garlic - minced
1/2t kosher salt
1/2t freshly ground pepper
1/2-1c extra virgin olive oil

Puree all ingredients (minus the olive oil) in a food processor. After blended well, pour 1/2c olive oil thru the feed tube (or adding a bit at a time if you don't have this feature) and mix for no more than 30 sec at a time. Add more as needed.

Refrigerate for 2mo or freeze up to 1 year!

I couldn't find the fresh basil at the store so I chose cilantro to use instead. It was really good! I used fettucini noodles and added chicken to it. It was very tasty too! I just looked online and found that with cilantro, it's good to use 1/2c almonds instead of pine nuts and with 1/4c red onion instead of garlic and maybe add 1/2t of serrano chile too. Hmmm...maybe next time!

Here's a link too that gives you ideas on how to use pesto for other things. ENJOY!
http://www.buitoni.com/Recipes/PestoPossibilities.aspx

PiYo Coming to RALEIGH - AUG 8th!

If you're a FUN person or a ZEN-type person and you like to have a CHALLENGE - then you should register for this awesome training!

It's PiYo™ = mind/body for hyper people!! OR keep it at a level that YOU or your classes will enjoy! This is an athletic fusion-style strength & flexibility mat class. It combines Pilates, yoga, dance, and strength in a flowing sequence designed for those who like to move with grace and power. Teach as FOCUS, FLOW or FUSION style!

Where: Alexander Family YMCA*
What: PiYo Training - PRO & INSTRUCTOR
When: Saturday, AUG 8th
9:00am-5:00pm (INSTRUCTOR)
9:00am-2:30pm (PRO)

$125 Host Club Rate* - PRO
$159 Host Club Rate* - INSTRUCTOR
$155 Early Bird Rate - PRO
$189 Early Bird Rate - INSTRUCTOR

PRO - no testing/no CEUs, but get music CD, DVD and excellent training!
INSTRUCTOR - get it all and able to teach it!

This training is limited in yoga mat spaces, so SAVE YOUR SPOT TODAY! https://www.turbokick.com/index.php?content=calendar&state=NC

Also included: PiYo Lesson 10 Workshop! 10:30am-12:30pm
If you are already trained in PiYo, come to the Workshop portion. Register with me or online.

30 Day Fitness Challenge - OVER!

To those that participated in my 30-Day Fitness Challenge...and even if you didn't... some thoughts:

TODAY WAS THE LAST DAY!
How did you do? Did you stick with it 'til the end? Did you totally forget about it?

Personally, I tried to carry on from my 90-Day Challenge and after the first week I was done! I think the 90-day one took it all out of me. So I don't even know my numbers right now but I think they aren't my best for sure.

I will do another I think - come September maybe. After the summer, when things get "normal" for most people in their day-to-day. So look for one then.

Weightloss and health are ALWAYS going to be factors in our lives and the way we want to live. So take a look at what you can do each day, to make yourself feel, look or really, truely get better! Whether it's working out, getting that overdue pedicure or massage, taking time to read a good book, relaxing by the pool (by yourself), or finding that sunrise to sit in front of while meditating. Do something for you!

Remember to: Enjoy your life. Live in the moment. Count your many blessings. Love who you are.
~A

A DAY TO REMEMBER

What a dancer Michael Jackson was... very, very good indeed.

At his best, no one could beat him.

So where were you when you heard the news?
I was just starting to teach my Turbo Kick class at Body Works and some ladies told me they heard on the radio that MJ died. I was like, "which MJ? the one that works for the radio station?" After some investigation... it was TRUE!

Like most people, I think I just didn't want to believe it. I grew up with the GREAT Michael Jackson...the Beat It, Thriller, etc times of his life, when I was just in Middle and High School. So I've seen every video and heard every song of his. I wasn't a diehard crazy fan, but a strong fan.

I feel bad for his crazy life. From no real childhood to where he couldn't go anywhere by himself. I don't think I could every understand that kind of life. How mad it must be...so nuts! Especially how crazed some of his fan base was for him. I bet he lived in fear most of the time. I never walked anything like being in his shoes, so I can only say that I'm sure he is in a much better place and just what he needed right now. I feel for his family... I just hope they come together and keep tight after this.

So it's weird for me to think that my daughters won't really get the whole Michael Jackson era. They are just 7, almost 4 and just about 15months old. When questioned about MJ - they might say - WHO? Bummer! So I did give them a small lesson about him today, just to leave something with them about this day.

And Farrah Fawcett - I think her story moved me more than Michael's actually. Her tragic story of fighting for her life for years with cancer. A true optimist and had a gorgeous outlook on life. She said in one piece from her story, that she would "miss hearing the sound of the rain". I found that to be tender-hearted and I loved thinking about how rain is soothing sometimes. Hmmm. She did make me think of what I would miss most too. And given the fact, knowing that she would probably pass away, what she loved.... her story just broke my heart about her son and her partner of years. Very moving for me. She seemed truely inspirational.

So I just wanted to share my thoughts and feelings about this sad day in history. May we all LOVE a lot more and dismiss those things that just don't matter.
~A

JACKSONVILLE TAKES ON TURBO KICK!

A great group of ladies were in Jacksonville on Saturday, June 6th ready to TURBO KICK! Time FLEW by soooooo...fast!

THEY ARE GOING TO ROCK TURBO KICK in Jacksonville, and wherever they teach!

To all TK attendees... thank you SO MUCH for coming out to learn Turbo Kick - Round 36 with me!! Isn't it so much FUN!!!???!!!??? Your classes are going to LOVE IT!

A HUGE THANK YOU to Farrah Thompson, the host club Group Fitness Coordinator, as well as MANY THANKS to Gold's Gym-Jacksonville for having me come out and present to all of these SWEET ladies! It was a joy and a BLAST to KICK IT and SHOP, wasn't it???

A special THANK YOU to Dana Wright for setting up this event. I believe that I can say that you will indeed be missed in Jacksonville with your move!

I hope to see you all at a future TURBO KICK WORKSHOP!

Much TK love,
~Amanda

PS - Sorry Dana, Sharon and Damelza... we missed taking our group photo with you! SHOOT! Next time! And if any of you have some photos you can send me, please do!

AMANDA'S 30-DAY FITNESS CHALLENGE

AMANDA'S 30-DAY FITNESS CHALLENGE
You pick your meal plan...
You pick your workouts...
You keep your measurements and weight...
REPORT on DAY 30 - JUNE 30th - to ME!!
(Getting fit just in time for the JULY 4th weekend!!)

NEVER too late to start - so JOIN IN NOW and see what you can do!

I also want you to LOGIN to my site - it's FREE!www.teambeachbody.com/turboamanda and WOWY with me. I'd like you to login your workouts on WOWY and be able to see me and everyone else on there when we workout! SUPER FUN! You just click on WORKOUT NOW. You can even WIN A DAILY PRIZE from Beachbody, just for doing a WOWY LIVE! SWEET! I'm up for that!

See ya at the gym or on Beachbody with WOWY!!!!
~Amanda

Independent Beachbody COACH & Distributor
www.TeamBeachBody.com/TurboAmanda
Going on a trip? Get some videos to take with you - or just have them for home use when you can't make it to the gym! I can help pick out the perfect one for you AND I'll be your online fitness Coach!
JOIN MY TEAM to start your own business in the fitness industry...and you don't even have to be fit to do it - and I get to help ya!!

90-DAY CHALLENGE RESULTS!

HELLO TEAM CHALLENGE!

The results are in!
Can you believe that 70+ people joined my list to start my "90-Day Fitness Challenge"??? Awesome!!! Now just about 30 people actually kept up with the measurements, and in the end, only 15 completed the challenge!!!

CONGRATS TO THOSE WHO STARTED ---
AND A HUGE CONGRATS TO THOSE THAT FINISHED!!

I love that you all were enthusiastic to get in shape by Memorial Weekend! I hope you each lost and didn't gain in these 3 months. It was long, but now we know how tough it is to really stick with a workout routine and diet plan - UNLESS WE REALLY WANT IT!

For our challenge, there were 3 categories in which to win:
1. Lost the most POUNDS
2. Lost the most INCHES
3. Lost the most % WEIGHT (like Biggest Loser)
Each winner will receive: a MUSIC CD, protein bar, and case of water!! To keep you moving onward with your fitness goals!!

So... the WINNERS of "AMANDA'S 90-DAY FITNESS CHALLENGE" are...
LBS: MINTORIA - losing 17.25 lbs!!!
INCHES: BETSY - losing 12.75 inches!!!
% WEIGHT: MINDY B. - losing 8.57%!!!

Here are the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th placers (didn't they do great?):
LBS: Mindy B. lost 14.4lbs, Kelli D. lost 9lbs, Monique L. lost 7lbs
INCH: Steph C. lost 12", Kellie D./Roberta both lost 11", Mindy B. lost 10.41"
%: Kellie D. lost 5.92, Betsy lost 4.22, Steph C. lost 4.14

NICE JOB EVERYONE!! This was super fun and I enjoyed your enthusiasm and spirit of the challenge!

Now I look forward to our next challenge which starts TOMORROW!!