3 workouts a week.
5 Shakeology's a week with picture proof.
Sounds like easy enough goals, right?

In my experience when most people start a new workout program they go all in... for about 2 weeks. Seriously, they workout every single day. They eat no sugar, no gluten, no dairy, blah, blah, blah. While that is great, it often is not maintainable long term. So, I encourage people to be realistic about their game plan.

The first snag is the workout. It is better to workout 3 times a week for 3 months than it is to workout 14 days and then stop for 3 months. Right? I'm sure some of you reading this have been there. It happens to all of us.

Another snag most people run into is not fueling their body right. They crash diet or quit everything or drop to a ridiculously low amount of calories. That's not healthy either. Shakeology feeds your body 70 foods/superfoods that have a higher nutrient balance than anything we can find here in the States. Why is that awesome? Well, when our bodies have nutrient dense foods, they are able to stop craving the wrong foods, have higher energy, and seriously help the gut.

The other main snag is accountability. You already read about how many people fall off after 2 weeks. I'll give some of us credit and say that we make it 3 weeks. Why did we fail? Either discipline, accountability, or a simple reward could have saved it for us.
-Discipline is showing up even when you don't want to. Use the 5 minute rule. Push play for 5 minutes and if you still want to quit, you can, but most likely since you already started you will keep going. Getting started is often the hardest part.
-Accountability is where your friends and coach, aka me, come in. We get to help you on the rough days. We get to cheer you on when you did an extra pushup or dropped a pant size. Knowing you have support can mean the difference between skipping a workout or sticking to the plan.
-Rewards can keep you focused when everything else fails. I often set a reward like a new workout top for a 30 day program or a new pair of fancy yoga pants for a 90 day program. It keeps my chin up and keeps me moving.

So, that's why I'm pumped about the Beachbody Health Bet. You have realistic goals for workouts, nutrient focus for food, and the reward is money. So far, the pool is $1.5 million. For any person who logs those 3 workouts (doesn't have to be Beachbody) and 5 Shakeology's with pics for the 4 weeks between September 5th and October 2nd, you win money.

If you already have Shakeology and I'm your coach and you want to try this version of accountability and reward, send me a message or email. nataliedonnereskew@gmail.com

If you have been thinking about when to get started, now is the time. I've got you. Send me an email and we will get you signed up. Our most popular challenge packs are all on sale this month, so estimate around $147 after tax.

If you already have a Beachbody coach and it's not me, send them a message. I'm sure they will be happy to get you set up!

We are in the middle of prep week right now, so you have 4-5 more days before we start. Let's do this!

I'm going to be really real... Sometimes being a mom is just not enough for me. I have a brain that needs to be used in ways other than speaking toddler. God blessed me with talents and skills that need another outlet. He placed in my heart a yearning for community, hard work, and love. He calls me to serve more people than just my family. Don't get me wrong, my priorities are straight. I serve God first and foremost. I serve my husband second and then my child(ren). After that, I've found that God really wants me to love on people. So much so, that he's taken my need to be the best mom I can be and turned it into a way for me to be healthy, to lead others to Him, and to encourage others to do the same. In trusting His plan for my life, He asked me to take a very uncomfortable leap 3 years ago. He brought me to a "job" that required me to find my purpose and it took a while; it really did.

I am a Beachbody coach because God has called me to serve here. Usually this is the point where people stop reading. I know I would have 7 years ago. I thought network marketing was a scam, for 4 years, so I get it, but please keep reading. I learned that BB is the real deal and cares more about people than it does money. But this isn't about BB; this is about how God has changed my heart and shown me my purpose.

My purpose is to lead others to Him and prepare them to be ready when He calls them to follow. If everything is ultimately for His glory, then I want to be willing and obedient to follow Him wherever He's called me.

Being called to serve in this arena means I focus on my health, because as my coach, Michelle Myers, so aptly asked, "Wouldn't it be tragic if God called us to do something, but we were not in the physical condition to accomplish it?" If you've heard my story before, I suffer from anxiety and depression. Through consistent physical activity, I've been able to remain off of medication for over a decade. Fitness is more than just the physical aspects; some days, it's my sanity. But let's not forget about how being strong and healthy benefits my life as a mom. Chasing a toddler is exhausting. Standing up off the floor with a screeching child is no easy feat. Being able to toss her in the air, swing her around until she's squealing with joy... those are some of my most precious moments, and I would NEVER trade those just so I didn't have to workout. You feel me? :)

It also has required me to set aside my own insecurities and fears and boldly seek fellowship, friendship, and community with others. As a mom, it's easy to get caught up in all of the needs of others and forget about my needs. It can also feel extremely lonely and isolating. I need to replenish, fill up my love tank so to speak. Stepping out of my comfort zone to make new friends, join a bible study, go on a play date, talk to that mom I always see at the park, those things have enriched my life immensely. God has blessed me with friendships and testimonies that I would not have had otherwise. Being a coach prompted me to do these things and that reason alone makes this journey worth it.

Each day, I spend time with God and commit to read/listen to something that makes me better. My life has changed. God draws me closer. I find fulfillment. I struggle less with loneliness. I am secure in the knowledge that what I'm doing matters for eternity, not today. I've learned leadership skills, forgiveness, how to say yes to the right things, gratitude, and so many more things over the years. We should never stop learning and if it wasn't for this vital behavior of coaching, I most likely would not be where I am today.

So, hear me out... God has called you to be free in Him. He calls you perfect and loved and chosen. He wants to use you to lead others to Him. Your area of influence may be small, but it doesn't change how valuable you are to it. You may feel like God is calling you to be a little bold. He may be calling you to serve others by helping them lead well-rounded, healthy lives. He may want you to be so passionate about Him that you can't help share His word. He may be asking you to take better care of this body he blessed you with. If any of what I've said resonates with you, I ask that you pray about it. Maybe joining my team could be a blessing to you and your family. Maybe God wants to use you in this community of like-minded women. Maybe you need this as much as I did and just don't realize it yet. Pray about it. Send me a message and ask me questions. Pray about it some more. But please, don't let your fears stop you from following Him like they did me for 4 years. Let's stop listening to that voice that tells us to be small and quiet. Let's be bold and live with and on purpose.

I would love to hear how God is calling you to be bold. Send me an email or message, nataliedonnereskew@gmail.com

If you are like me, trying to feed your toddler is an all day task. Making sure she actually eats the food is number one. Number two is finding healthy, balanced meal ideas that don't take FOREVER to prepare. I am not an expert, but I am a believer in sharing what works for me. I truly hope that these simple ideas help you have some new ideas for your tots. We also are on a budget, so sometimes our variety is lacking, but that's something I am actively working on and will share my progress with y'all. I hope you get an understanding of how I structure her meals and it helps. :) Please comment with your top tips so that we can all help each other. This mama thing is tough, but together we are better.

Some general guidelines and tips for each meal:
-A protein source ideally cooked in healthy fats like olive oil or coconut oil.
-1-2 veggies or fruit either steamed or roasted in healthy oils. (Babies need those healthy fats like whoa.)
-Complex carbohydrate
-Water on the side. Skip the juice because it tends to curb these little eater's appetites.
-If your little doesn't like a food right away, leave it on the tray, walk away (still visible obviously, just not paying so much attention), and let them figure it out. Often times, when I'm not hovering Calista will eat whatever she was fussing about moments before.
-Don't be scared to try a new food 5-10 times.

MEAL ONE:

My husband usually knocks this one out, which makes me super happy. Here are some fool proof daddy options.

​1. Protein: Whole-milk yogurt mixed with a little natural applesauce, cinnamon, and baby oatmeal.
Carb: above oatmeal.
Fruit/veggie: entire banana or apple.

2. Protein: Scrambled egg(s) in coconut oil.
Carb: My favorite gluten free, high healthy fat pancake recipe. baby-pancake-success.html
Fruit/veggie: Berries

3. Protein: Egg muffin with spinach and tomatoes.
Carb: Paleo sweet potato biscuits from The Paleo Kitchen.
Fruit/veggie: Veggies in muffin, also a banana.

MEAL TWO:

This is probably the meal that varies the most. It's also the hardest one to spend time on so often I'm throwing together random leftovers or it is time for her shake.

Most of you know that we drink Shakeology in our house. Calista and I drink the vegan formula that simply has 70 foods in it. Examples of ingredients are flax seeds, chia seeds, pomegranate, spinach, prebiotics, probiotics (yes, they are different), green tea, pea protein, to name a few. Basically this means that we do not need to take multivitamins in our house and if the fridge is empty, she still gets all of her goodies, other than breastmilk that is. :)

1. Shakeology: 1/2 scoop vegan chocolate with unsweetened almond milk, frozen chopped spinach (babies need iron), half a banana and flax.

2. Protein: Baked chicken thigh.
Carb: I'll keep it real here... Puffs
Fruit/veggie: Roasted broccoli AND grapes.

3. Protein: Cottage cheese which is still hit or miss, mostly miss.
Carb: Leftover biscuits or pancakes
Fruit/veggie: Sweet peas AND roasted carrots.

MEAL THREE aka dinner:

1. Protein: Slices of cheddar
Carb: roasted sweet potatoes or sweet potato fries (Trader Joe's has good ones)
Fruit/veggie: sautéed zucchini chopped into quarters cooked in oil. *Note: zoodles will end up on the wall 😂

2. Protein: Beef meatballs
Carb: Sometimes for dinner I double up on veggies and skip traditional carbs.
Veggies: more roasted carrots. It's a phase I guess. Also, berries or grapes.

​

"The heart of meekness is simply harnessing the Lord's power under His control." Hayley Morgan from the book Wild and Free.

I want to share a little bit about how God is teaching me about surrendering my need to control my life. Back when we started trying to get pregnant with Calista, I didn't spend that much time with Him. I randomly prayed, sometimes read the YouVersion Bible app, and sort of walked like a Jesus follower... Key words: randomly, sometimes, sort of. We tried ovulation test strips, we tracked, we counted, we struggled. There were tears, silences, fights, and hurts. It only took us 11 months to get pregnant and I know for some that is a very SHORT amount of time. God's plan for us was to have a child, but first He wanted to draw us closer.

​ He used this journey of becoming pregnant to change our hearts. He removed us from our surroundings in Los Angeles and moved us back to the south where we had to form new relationships that honored Him. He led me to my first ever bible study at Johnson Ferry Baptist and have been going now for 2 years. He pruned us. He took away, so that He could give us more. I fought tooth and nail. I wanted to control this journey. I just knew if we could do all the right things our life would be perfect. I was so wrong. Only in surrendering to Him does my life make sense. Only in His hands will my life be perfect. He is strong. He is powerful. His ways are perfect and true. I will never be all of that alone, but with Him I can be. So I'm going to go on and be "meek" and surrender my control and my life to the one who knows and loves me best. I will forever be grateful to my Father who knew just what I needed and for blessing us with this little lady.