Accountability time...

First of all, I have a full plate as is. I'm a full time mom and wife, keep a VERY OCD CLEAN house, going to school online full time, doing some major crafts and finally in the clear to get back into fitness. I want to be able to succeed in everything I do and I want to be able to stay on top of priorities. 

So this is me, stating that I will now hold myself accountable for logging my triumphs and successes and goals beat, on this blog every Monday. Monday's will blog will be me checking in about my past week on my journey. Logging my states, sharing my ups and my downs.

Today I get to start my my new life, okay not really but when haven't been able to workout like you're used to for 8/9 months and you finally get the okay. It feels like a new life. Plus guys, I'm PAIN FUCKING FREE! Its been a long  8/9 months of non-stop pain. I feel like a new fucking woman. 

If you know me personally or follow me on any of my social media outlets you already know this but I used to be a Beachbody coach. I am no longer and if you want to know why click here. I've lost 85 lbs from August 2014-November 2015 using their workouts and I was one of their $500 daily winners for my accomplishment. I'm a firm believe in their workouts. 

Anyways, today I am challenging myself to become what I want to be and starting one of their newest programs. I am so excited to be back on this journey. For the next two weeks I'll be easing my way back into regular workouts by doing the "Little Obsessed" Program. After that I will be starting the full "80 Day Obsession" program.

I was on such a plateau for a while and then actual gain 15 lbs since I've been injured. I will be adding in 30 minutes of incline walking 5 days a week as well and slowly working on increasing my speed. I hope to be back to running by my birthday, September 6th, but the dr said he can't make me any promises on the running. 

As for eating, that's a whole other situation. For the past 2.5 weeks I've been following the80 Day Obsessed meal plan but just as I figured my body wouldn't react well towards it. Having Hashimoto's often means I can't follow the "normal" meal plans. My dr is having me try intermittent fasting along with the 5:2 meal plan. 

Intermittent fasting means I'll only eat solids from 12pm-8pm Monday, Wednesday,Friday-Sunday.  The 5:2 meal plan means, five days a week I'll eat normal during my meal window, and Tuesdays and Thursday I'll only consume 500 calories via protein shakes only.

I know to some this seems extreme. But I have to heal my gut and because I have Hashimoto's I can't eat like normal people. I wish I could but I just can't. I'll also be going low carb/keto. I'll be drink my Unicorn Moonshine aka Ketones, 2-3 times a day and only consuming carbs with my first meal.

I am VERY hopefully this will change me, and this will finally help me reach my ultimate goal. 

I am so excited to start working out normal again, I can’t even express through this blog! 

I hope whatever you do in life, you can be as excited about it as I am, and if you are not, then you need to find out what excites you, and GO FOR IT! 

Believe in yourself, or else no one else will!

You can do this! I can do this! We can do this!!!!

Patch+Pill+Shake=Weight Loss...Yep just another SCAM...

Okay so the time has came that I talk about the lovely new product by Le-Vel. 

I keep seeing this bullsh*t all over my FB & IG and I just roll my eyes every single time.Y'all must have all gotten together and drank the Le-Vel kool-aid and are now all sales person. 

One girl on my IG went out of her way to send me a link...

{Hold up...pause, I feel like its important to first say I NEVER ask this chick about Le-Vel or anything about weight loss. Shit I don't even follow her, she just thought I would "totally be interested" in it. Okay now back to what I was saying} 

... So she sent me to this terrifying thread where I watched people with no flipping clue about nutrition or performance babble on and on about this "amazing" product that only pros in-the-know use. 

There were claims of how ...

"we don't get enough vitamins in our modern depleted soil," 

"disease can't survive in an alkaline body," 

and the old trope of "flushing" and "detoxing."  

On top of all that usual garbage, it is an obvious sales scheme to prey on the weak who haven't been properly educated on how to lose weight, or those who are just too lazy to even try or those who want quick/easy fixes.

So how does it (allegedly) work? 

Well, what you're supposed to do is take two capsules of Thrive for Women or Men on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning. 20-40 minutes after that, you are supposed to drink a Thrive Lifestyle Mix Shake and stick a Thrive DFT Patch on your skin, then go about your day. That's it! 

...Wait, what the fuck is a "DFT" patch? 

DFT stands for Derma (skin) Fusion (blend into) Technology (sticker). So it soaks into your skin through a sticker like a neon-colored quit-smoking patch or a birth control patch. 

I'm sure it looks real cool, tho. 

So what is all this mumbo-jumbo that I'm suppose to be swallowing and absorbing into my blood steam all day? Let's check...

B Vitamins, primarily. Let me break the "proprietary blend" down for you:

Guarana: stimulant, contains caffeine. Evidence does not support it does anything, other than contain caffeine. It can be used safely, but it's possibly unsafe if used in high doses and mixed with a lot of other stimulants.

Green Tea: Contains polyphenols, which may or may not be beneficial, another bit of caffeine. 

Glucosamine: Derived from shellfish (allergy alert!) Very little evidence to support it improving joint flexibility. There is some evidence it may provide relief from knee pain, specifically, in certain doses, when taken consistently for at least eight weeks. If that's your oddly specific issue.

White Willow: Anti-inflammatory. In layman's terms, it's aspirin. 

Glutamine: Amino acid that promotes muscle recovery. Evidence isn't what I'd call slam-dunk. And, besides, you need GRAMS of this stuff, not a sprinkle in a capsule. I cannot imagine this dose (whatever it could be) to be effective at all. 

Green Coffee Bean: Another stimulant. Caffeine. 

PEA: Phenylethylamine. A neurotransmitter that stimulates feelings of happiness and positivity, commonly found in chocolate. But it's metabolized too fast by the body to do anything. Useless in this form. 

Kelp: A blood thinner. Not to mention it can be unsafe. Too much iodine can whack out your thyroid, a lot of it contains arsenic because they're pulling it form contaminated waters to meet misguided consumer demand, and it's high potassium content can damage your kidneys.

Irvingia Extract: No evidence to support it's "fat burner" claims.  None.

BCAAs: Branched-chain amino acids, another recovery supplement for muscle repair and energy. The evidence is slightly better than the outright bullsh*t, but unless you are training really hard in the gym, you get these from your diet with no need for more.

Theobromine: A milder caffeine-like alkaloid found in chocolate. 

Ginger: My guess is to calm your stomach from having to digest all this garbage on an empty stomach. 

Synephrine: Another stimulant, because we clearly don't have enough already. On the "watched" substance list by the NCAA.

Aspartic Acid: Not sure if it's d-aspartic acid, considered a testosterone booster or Aspartic Acid which is some Aruvedic bullsh*t. (What's Aruvedic? Mystical/naturo/homeopathy of Indian origin.) 

L-Serine: Amino acid that helps your body perform the chain reaction to create serotonin and relieve stress and anxiety. I'm sure there is a bs claim as to why it is here and zero evidence to support it, especially in this dose and for what.

L-Arganine: Another amino acid used for nitric oxide boosting (it widens your blood vessels to improve blood flow), also stimulates growth hormone and insulin production. Mixed evidence as to whether it improves athletic performance or not. 

Grape Seed: Antioxidant bs.

CoQ10: Antioxidant bs.

White Tea: More antioxidant bs.

So far, we have stimulants for "ENERGY" and "FOCUS", blood thinners/anti-inflammatories to make your aches and pains go away.

A bunch of WOO WOO herbs that do nothing and amino acids that might do something but not at such a small dose. 

A cup of coffee and an aspirin might be cheaper, 

but whatever.

Let's "drink the kool-aid" and move on to the Lifestyle Mix Shake.

I see a weak vitamin profile. But, with pills, shakes and patches, you wouldn't want to overdo it. Let's look at the "Proprietary Blend": 

Garcinia Fruit Extract: Do you remember that time Dr. Oz was dragged before congress for being a lying, scamming, piece of shit con-artist, hawking weight-loss supplements that didn't work? Yeah, Garcinia Cambogia was that weight-loss supplement. 

Oat Fiber: To make you feel full, appetite suppressant. 

Black Tea: Surprise! More caffeine! 

Lactobacilius Acidophilus: Probiotic. 

Bromelian: Another anti-inflammatory.

Rice Bran: No evidence to support claims of enhancing athletic performance, supporting the immune system or being an antioxidant. But it has a lot of fiber, which might help you feel full. 

Amylase 5000, Cellulase 1000, Lipase 1000, Papain 6000, Protease 1000, Protease 5000: Enzymes used to help digestion, break down fat, usually used only when people are really sick with pancreatic cancer or things like that. Can cause nausea, cramps and diarrhea. 

Cardamom, Ginger, Cinnamon: Spices. They don't make you healthier, cure cancer or fight your diseases. 

Protein Blend: 15 grams of protein is weak. Not only that, but it is mostly cheap soy protein. With so many excellent proteins on the market, this is C-List shit. 

In conclusion, we have FIBER and ENZYMES that make you un-hungry and more stims!

Now, who wants to put on the patch?

ForsLean: Forskolin. Only one study has shown this supplement to increase lean body mass, and that one is from Sabsina, the same herbal supplement company that makes this stuff. Coincidence? 

Green Coffee Bean: Holy shit, how much caffeine have we taken so far?

Garcinia Cambogia: More Dr. Oz snake oil. (see above)

CoQ10: a coenzyme for boosting energy in muscles, little to no solid evidence that the supplement form works, but high doses cause insomnia. 

White Willow Bark: More Aspirin. Since all this other recovery shit doesn't work, we need to feel like we're not sore.

Cosmoperine: Piperdine. Black pepper, supposedly helps enhance absorption. Interestingly, I can only find one study from a Doctor in India that supports this claim. My guess is if I dug deeper, he probably works for Sabsina.  

What can we take away from all of this?

Stimulants, Appetite Suppressants, and Aspirn/Anti-Inflammatories.

Energetic?

Pain Free?

Not Hungry?

DUH!

You're basically drinking a few cups of coffee, taking some aspirin, and drinking a lump of fiber all for $100-300 a month. All the rest is nonsense.

Look, supplements are a totally unregulated industry. Questionable studies, conclusion jumping and over-hyping efficacy are standard practices in the quest to create the next big miracle. $$$$$! 

At best, you may get a decent product that doesn't do much for you.

At worst, you could get hurt. 

Makes you re-think having who-knows-what seeping into your skin all day. 

(Or at least I hope it does.) 

Do you want to know the BIGGEST SECRET in the industry?

Fitness model bodies are unattainable without years of hard work, micromanaging your diet, and having special enhancements. Whether they be surgical, hormonal or simply good ol'photoshop.

I personally lost 85 lbs by working out at home, and filling my body with SUPERFOODS/Clean foods. No supplements. No magic. No wraps. No patches.

There is no wrap, no pill, no magic ANYTHING to make it easy. Be the best you, first. Don't try to be some magazine body type. 

Later on, if you decide you want to get serious about your training, or be an athlete, there are supplements that do help promote lean body mass, aid recovery, and boost short-term energy. 

But, until then, a shot of Beachbodys all natural Energize, perhaps a a daily dose of Superfood Shakeology for variety is all you really need. 

The only thing you don't get is the way cool stickers and the placebo effect that the $100-$300 buys. But then again, you still have your $100-$300. 

Don't fall victim to this stuff, guys. Just don't.

And if you need help to start your journey or continue on your journey you can always email me direct. I'm always here to help. {MandyIrizarry@gmail.com}

Its F**king Life Changing...

SO what exactly do you do?

Simply put, I'm an online health and fitness coach, so that means I chat with people about their health and fitness goals, set them up with all the tools they need to CRUSH them, and keep them accountable while mentoring them along the way. I have built a fitness brand for myself through social media and continue to grow my audience with the intention of reaching more people who need my help and share with them what I have to offer. The mission of this business is to share the tools we are confident will aid in decreasing the obesity epidemic in the US and Canada.

How do you get paid?

I get paid in lives changed. We measure our success by the number of people we help each month. Every person that we get set up with a program and help see the duration of that program through is where my paycheck comes from. It's fulfilling in more ways than just money in my bank; although that is helpful too. 

To be frank: we receive a commission from each life we help change. If we continue to help individuals along on their journey we get a residual income each month. Lastly, when we get to the point where we need help with the influx of clients, we grow a team of leaders we train to help change lives too. 

Why did you decide to start this coaching thing?

Oh so many reasons! Coaching honestly kept me accountable on my own health and fitness journey. I'm achieving my dream body and doing the programs we offer. I was always into fitness and the gym but these programs took it to an entirely new level. So, of course, you don’t have to be perfectly fit to become a coach.

Secondly, coaching aligned all my passions. I love caring for, helping and motivating others, and I love fitness and nutrition. You don't have to have a degree to do what I do, it's helpful, but I started this because I knew all the tools would be provided to me, all the training would be at my disposal, and there's no way I could fail with the support of my team. 

Thirdly, A HUGE reason I started was because I could be home and available to our kids. My husband is an active duty military firefighter, he works LONG hours, and is gone often. We wanted our kids to have at least one parent who was always there for them.

So you do this full time now?

Yes, I am a full time health and fitness coach, working from home, making my own hours and bossing myself around. Some coaches work their businesses along with another full time job, some are stay at home moms who work full time around their kids schedules, some have no kids and have built their businesses up so they can work from home making their own hours.

The vital priorities of a coach could take as little as 30 minutes to an hour each day, so if you’re intentional about your time you can still be successful. Many of the most successful coaches worked a full time job while building their business and have kids. They were eventually able to quit their other job, so my point being you don’t have to have an abundance of free time to do what I do.

I am currently working 4-6 hour days when it feels like two.. because I love my job. I get my top priorities (the essentials) done in the first hour and everything else is extra work I put in to move my business along at a faster pace. I never would have imagined I’d find a job I’m excited to wake up and dedicate my entire day to. I never imagined something like this would create this drive in me.

What potential does this business have?

This business has as much potential as you are willing to give it. By this I mean, of the 450,000 coaches in the US & Canada today, it doesn’t work for everyone. WHY? Because many of these people aren’t patient, are not consistent, and are unwilling. Being patient means that you don’t expect to get rich quick. It means that you know it’s not always going to be easy but you keep the fire burning inside you to push through it. Being consistent means showing up every single day and being a motivator to your followers. I can’t disappear from my social media for days and expect my business to move forward. Consistently doing the vital priorities is bound to bring success. Unwilling, means they are not willing to put themselves out there on social media, they are not willing to invite and share about the opportunity their business has to offer, and they are not willing to make this a priority over other things in life.

The financial potential stems from being patient, consistent, and motivated. I see the potential this business has for my future. There are coaches that are my age and younger, have been running the business for 1.5-3 years and are making as much as $2,000-12,000+ PER WEEK, because they show up every day, because they are consistent, patient, and they are CHANGING LIVES. Coaches are bringing their husbands home from work by the age of 35, building their customized dream homes, traveling the world, growing a family. The potential I see in this business is providing more than a full time income so I can support my family, build a savings, travel, build an orphanage, provide for underserved communities, and so much more.

Did you have to invest in this business?

The investments into businesses whether it’s a small business or a franchise, is often millions of dollars that take years to earn back. I invested $140 into this business that I made back within 3 days… $140 provided me with a full fitness program including workouts, a nutrition guide, portion control containers, a nutrition shake, and new coach training. How many business investors can say they got products from the deal?

We invest in the programs because in order to be confident in sharing that these products are effective, we need to utilize them ourselves. Personally, I wasn’t great at sharing the products until after I was transformed by them. We are proof the products work, and therefore invest ONLY $140-200 into a program to start as a coach.

Is there a monthly fee? 

When you think of business owners and all that it entails, do you think about revenue, crunching the numbers and statistics, volume, shipping and handling? Do you think about taking inventory, customer service, hiring employees and renting a space? Well, in this business all of that and all the other business logistics I know nothing about is taken care of for me, for $15 per month. I never have to handle a customers products, get their address & ship it. I never have to worry about tracking the volume my team is generating or commissions.

Secondly, going along with being proof of the product, I have Shakeology on an automatic monthly shipment which is about $99 and is entirely paid for with my commissions. Many people may say Shakeology is expensive, I find the ones who perceive it this way, don’t realize what Shakeology actually is. I’ll save that explanation for another blog.

I drink Shakeology monthly for 3 reasons: The immense improvements I’ve seen in my health since I’ve begun drinking it, it’s the most delicious and healthiest thing in my meal plan, and it keeps me active as a coach. Being active as a coach means that I qualify for business building incentives and rewards such as free products, bonuses ($), paid vacations, exclusive trainings and more. 

What is your favorite part about coaching?

There are three TOP things I love most about coaching. The fact that I get to meet new people, get to know them well, and help them achieve their fitness goals, all from the comfort of my own home is amazing in more ways than one. I have met people that I would never have come across in my daily life. I am friends with people across the country whom I have never met in person.

I get messages regularly telling me how much I inspire, motivate and have helped change their life. The most rewarding aspect of this job are those messages that bring me to tears from being so proud of an individual I’ve never even met. Messages like “The dress fits!” Or “I did it! I lost 20 pounds!” “You inspired me and changed my life!” This is part of the job, how amazing is that?

My third favorite part of coaching is the community of Fitbosses that I have been so welcomed into. The support, friendships, and drive I have developed from this community is unlike anything I have ever known. Upon joining this TEAM, I found that there are women out there that are ambitious, driven, goal-oriented, passionate, and have everything it takes to be a #Girlboss. This community is the most caring, trusting, supportive and unexplainable thing I have ever been apart of.

Free Health and Fitness Apps You Should Get...

Who doesn't love free stuff?!

These are 11 of my most favorite FREE Health & Nutrition Apps that I wanted to share with ya'll.

1. Fooducate: Nutrition information, calorie tracker, energy tracker, 

and nutrition label scanner.

2. Daily Water: Tracks your water consumption. 

3. Fitmetrics: Tracks your activity throughout the day.

4. Fitness Buddy: Tracker and workouts.

5. My Plate: Calorie tracker, Nutrition and recipes.

6. Nike Training Club: Workouts for every skill that focus on yoga, pilates, and running.

7. Charity Miles: Tracks your distance with phone's GPS 

and donated 10-25 cents to charity of your choice.

8. Speedo Fit: Tracks distance and duration of swims, provides technique and challenges.

9. Couch-to-5k: Beginners runner regimen that trains for a 5k in 2 months. 

10. Runkeeper: Track your runs, walks and bike rides.

11. My fitness Pal: Food diary and calorie counter with energy expenditure calculations.

On the verge of giving up and losing motivation...

“Pain is temporary, but quitting lasts forever.” – Lance Armstrong

I’ve heard many of you recently saying you’re on the verge of giving up and losing motivation. We are in this crazy world together; just know you’re not alone and you have sooo many people supporting you to live your best life.  

I struggled with the same thing; then I made the decision to make a change.

All of us face challenges and fears. We all get knocked down. What distinguishes us from those who give up in life is the ability to overcome and achieve even greater things in times of stress and pressure.

In 2014 I jumped back into the fitness world and working on my goals to lose a shit ton of weight.  That year was a turning point in my life.  After a turbulent time in my 20's, I had let myself down and given up on too many things before. I was determined to overcome my past and the fears that I held on. I was ready to start new.  I needed a challenge that I could overcome so that I had the strength and knowledge that I could do anything I put my mind to.

As I began my healing process by rustling through self-help books and renewing my faith, I sought out what made me happiest as a kid. I wanted that invincible feeling again.

In search of that feeling, my journey began. Working out and training day after day became my therapy.  It was my time of solitude and reflection. No matter how much I didn’t want to start or finish, I'd tie up my laces and push through the last few minutes ... I was determined. I knew that when I got through it, I would feel a million times better.

I have had thoughts about stopping quite often and calling it quits. But then I remind myself that “I’m not a quitter, I’m not a quitter, not anymore”…I talked myself through it and calmed my mind.

Those moments that I feel like quitting and walking away from the fitness world, I stop and looked around at all the women that I have helped. I've met women with so many different stories; they were changing their lives because their doctor said if they didn’t lose weight they would die, women who were cancer survivors, women who just need physical fitness as therapy, best friends challenging each other and elite athletes. We all came from different backgrounds, but we all had one thing in common…. we were all here because being active made us feel alive and so much better.

After I finish a grueling workout, sometimes the tears fall. They aren't tears of sadness or pain, but happiness.  I set out to accomplish something and didn’t give up.  

Since 2014 my life has taken a huge turn.  Not only have I fallen in love with something that saved me from my past, but also I realized…. I was invincible again…. an unstoppable kid.

Fitness saved my life, as it’s saved so many others like you.  If you put your mind and heart in into something, you can overcome and push through any challenge.

Keep moving, living and smiling.  Anything is possible…if you move forward without hesitation or doubt, nothing can stop you.

Spark by Advocare...What they are hiding...

“Spark” is advertised as a low-cal energy drink that is sugar free and doesn't give you jitters.

Just the words “sugar free” and “low-calorie” raised a red flag in my mind.  So, I started digging.

The products list on the advocare website lists the “key” ingredients, but it is by no means a full list, which made me think they had something to hide.

It turns out they have a lot to hide.  That is, if they want to continue advertising this garbage as healthy!

I finally did find it.  In a small tab under the “key ingredients” is “all ingredients”.  You click the tiny button to the left and it will reveal the actual, comprehensive list, revealing the top offenders: “natural and artificial flavors, sucralose.”

Click HERE and click the + by the ingredients to see for yourself.

Wah..wah…there they are are: the nasty little ingredients that they don’t really want you to know are in there.  The ones you have to dig to find.

Just because something is a “natural” flavor doesn’t mean that it is good for you, and artificial flavors cause a host of issues and illnesses:  including headaches, ADD, hyperactivity, tumors, neurological disorders….I could go on.

Sucralose is just the generic name for Splenda, a toxic artificial sweetener.  Take sugar (often derived from GMO sugar beets) process it with chlorine, and voila: sucralose.  It was actually originally created as an insecticide, but once chemists discovered that it was so sweet, they abandoned the insecticide idea and marketed this chemical as a healthy sugar alternative.

Seriously.  Why? Because the diet & weight loss industry is way 

more profitable than the pest-control industry.

“But sucralose is FDA approved!  It even says so on the Advocare website!” you might say.
Honestly, that means nothing!  The FDA has approved a host of horrible chemicals (including asparame!!) that are killing us.  They give the thumbs up to lots of other chemicals posing as food that other, healthier countries have long ago banned. Plus, the study that they did before approving sucralose included 23 humans for only 4 days…how irresponsible is that when passing off an insecticide as a food product?

***Sucralose has been downgraded from “safe” to “caution” because of it’s link to leukemia***

I’ll go further in-depth about the dangers of artificial sweeteners in a future post but for now, here are the most common side effects of this sweet chemical:

it reduces the good bacteria in your intestines (which causes a cascade of other problems) 

and raises the Ph in your body.  It also…wait for it…is linked to weight gain because of 

it’s propensity to cause carb cravings, stimulate appetite, and increase fat storage in the body.  

It is also linked to a laundry list of other symptoms like migraines, dizziness, kidney stones, 

seizures, rashes, stomach pain and diarrhea, anxiety and depression.

So, I am not even going to go into the rest of the questionable ingredients, or bother with researching how they derive the vitamins and minerals in their products.  I don’t see anywhere where they are “raw” or “live” or “food-sourced” or “organic” so they may just be synthetic or derived from GMO plants laden with pesticides.  Honestly, I don’t care, because the presence of artificial flavors and sucralose is enough to convince me that these products are not only unhealthy, but not designed with whole body long-term health in mind.

And, in my opinion, any company who would make finding all of the ingredients in their products difficult and who markets harmful chemicals as health products is lacking in either integrity or basic knowledge of long-term health.

If you need an energy boost in the morning Beachbody's Energize. Also consider why you are lacking in energy.  This is often because of a mineral or vitamin deficiency that can be healed through proper diet which Beachbody's Shakeology is a great help with.

It's better than suppressing the symptoms with a shit storm chemical drink.

Alright, I’m really not wanting to step on any toes.  I’m just looking out for ya!