Coach Julie
Hi! My name is Julie Butts and I’m a BIG fan of Beachbody. I’m originally from Indiana but Hampton Roads Virginia has been my home since 1993 courtesy of the U.S. Air Force. I have over 20 years of sales and management experience, including eight years in the military as an officer. I’m now coaching in addition to my full time employment as a Business Development Manager for a local storage company.
I was introduced to Beachbody with the P90X program. I was looking for something that would motivate me and help keep me consistent with nutrition and exercise. I was tired of having large legs and hips that didn’t match my smaller upper body. I was also freaked out when I started seeing rolls on my waist line. Sound familiar ladies?
This program helped me regain focus and commitment in keeping fit. You see, I was active in sports during high school and stayed physically active while serving eight years in the US Air Force. Somewhere along the line though, I gained weight and wasn’t consistent in my exercise and eating routines.
I knew how to work out. I’d been going to the gym for nearly twenty years. I have some awesome home gym equipment. I’ve learned a lot during this time about nutrition. What went wrong?
For me, it boils down to one word and one word alone – consistency. When I played sports, I had to show up for practice and games. I had goals to meet, and I met them when I was challenged. In the military, being fit was part of my job. I’m not even going to talk about the brutal get fit program you go through when you first go in.
Then, I went through several years of trying to work out at home and trying to work out at the gym. I’d do well for a few weeks and then, I’d stop going because I didn’t feel good or I had to work late…
When I saw our P90X commercial, I knew this program was for me. It was challenging and would give me a plan to follow. I knew I could stick with it for 90 days.
At about 60 days, I felt like I was getting stronger and had more energy. I was so excited to be able to do a side plank and curl more weight than I ever had in my life. Suddenly, I realized that I was still motivated enough to push play six times a week. I was challenged to perform at my best. I was determined to remain consistent to these grueling workouts.
I realized that the missing piece in my history was that I didn’t have a personal trainer in my living room anytime that fit in my busy schedule. I could also connect with other people doing the same program which gave me an avenue to share my successes, ask for help, or just vent.
I lost FOUR inches on my waist and TWO inches on my hips with P90X. I lost 10 pounds and gained muscle mass. I decided that my experience with the P90X Extreme Training System was the beginning, not the end of my fitness journey.
Now, I’m a coach because I want to stay focused and to help others do the same. I want to help you define and reach your fitness goals. And, if you decide you want to be a coach and build your own fitness business, I’ll be there for you too.
Update: Nov 2009
P90X really was the beginning and not the end of my fitness jouryney. I now write reviews on Beachbody workouts to share my experiences and give other women and men the encouragement and support they need to lose weight, build muscle and live healthy lives. I’ve gone through the Slim in 6 program as well as Turbo Jam and am currently working out with Chalene Johnson in Chalene Extreme.
I’ve now lost a total of FIVE inches off my waistline. I’ve dropped from a size 14 to a 10. I shed almost 25 pounds. My new fitness goals include taking off another 10-15 pounds and gaining muscle definition. I finally found a program that motivates me and keeps me consistent.
They say you can’t keep something of value unless you give it away. I hope you’ll share in my excitement and join me in WOWY and the forums. My Beachbody screen name is simply juliebutts. You can also catch up with me at Facebook (Julie Butts), at Twitter (justgetmefit) or email me at juliebutts@beachbodycoach.com.
My P90X Results
See My Current Progress
Julie Butts
Independent Beachbody Coach
Fitness Enthusiast
Dog Lover
P.S. If you decide to sign up as a Coach, I’ve got exciting news! As a member of our team, you’ll receive a FREE E-Book to help you set up a website like this one if you desire. Plus, you’ll get a 25% discount on all Beachbody products and be able to earn money from eight different sources.
POSTS ON GOALS & COMMITMENT
When Desire Becomes Commitment
Beachbody says it in three words. Decide. Commit. Succeed. I often substitute the word decide with the word desire. I think this is because I’ve decided many things in my life, but I haven’t followed through. I think about how desire turns to commitment and ultimately success.
I’ve been thinking about different events in my life this week and what happened when desire turned into commitment. Like many 18 year olds leaving home for college, I felt stranded without the family car that had taken me through my high school days. I decided that I would get my own car. Not a big deal, right?
I was working three part-time jobs and getting the hang of my full-time “job” as a freshman. My aunt had a Datson 210B that she wanted to sell for $2500. Perfect! What a steal! Without much research beyond my emotion, I applied for a used car loan and bought the car. Yippeee! (By the way, when would I have time to drive a car?)
The car stayed parked on the street for a few months after I bought it. I continued to make my car and insurance payments, but I didn’t drive the car. There was nothing wrong with the car mechanically. I could’ve found time in my schedule if I really wanted to drive it, but there it was…parked.
Why wasn’t I driving my new slightly used car? Well, it was a stick shift! I had no idea how to drive it and neither did any of my 18 year old friends! I had the desire for a car because I wanted to drive it, but I didn’t have enough desire initially for it to turn into commitment to learn how to drive it.
Then came the magical day when the sun was shining on a beautiful weekend. I was stranded in my college town and wanted to visit my boyfriend who lived an hour away. I looked at that car. I got over my fear of shifting and got behind the wheel. I learned how to drive a manual transmission that day because my desire was strong enought to turn into a commitment that flourished into success.
My workout programs weren’t much different. I’d have the desire to be healthy and fit. I’d want to have muscle definition and maintain a healthy body weight. I’d sign up for gym memberships, buy all sorts of home gym equipment, and even try to get out an walk on the local trails. I just couldn’t seem to stay consistent with anything that I tried.
I was flipping through the channels one night and saw what I thought was an amazing, challenging workout program. It was the Beachbody superstar, Tony Horton, working out with something called P90X. I thought about this program for a couple of weeks and watched the infomercials every time I saw them in the t.v. guide. I did some research on the computer. I didn’t know if I’d be wasting my money on something else. Afterall, that brand new ellipitical still smelled like the packing materials it came in.
I decided to order the program with the understanding that it had a money back guarantee. What I found was something that finally helped me push from desire to commitment. Tony Horton challenged me to new levels. I had a 90 day program. I had a trainer who would tell me to do my best and forget the rest. He would tell me to push hard and that I could do anything for 30 seconds.
I finished the P90X extreme training system with a much smaller waist and stronger muscles. I felt more fit than ever and set new fitness goals. I wanted to drop another 15 pounds, so I could see the muscle I worked so hard for in my P90X workouts. I had a new desire. I turned to Debbie Siebers.
I’ve been doing the Debbie Siebers Slim in 6 workout program for a week now. I’ve made it through the first two phases (Start It Up and Ramp It Up) and am now pushing myself in phase three, Burn It Up. Everytime I want to quit, my desire turns to commitment. I try to do one more rep. I rest for a moment and jump back in. You see, for desire to turn to commitment, you’ve got to take action. Otherwise, your car will just stay parked on the street while you pay the price of inactivity.
Beachbody workouts keep me motivated. As my fitness goals changed from building muscle to burning fat, I moved to another program. I look forward to tracking my progress and chatting with other club members about their progress. I’m a new me. I’m commited and getting results!
POSTS ON NUTRITION
7 Tips for Beachbody’s 2 Day Fast
Yes. I tried the Beachbody 2 Day Fast to kick start my Slim in 6 six week weight loss program. I didn’t have expectations for losing a lot of weight in two days because I know what my body burns on it’s own without exercising. I did the fast because it was a way to get me thinking about weight loss and getting my body ready for a lower caloric intake following my 90 day P90X program.
Take a look at the Beachbody Step-By-Step Nutrition Guide that comes with your Slim in 6 program. On about the third page, you’ll see a chart to help you figure out how many calories your body needs based on your gender, current weight, and activity level. Then, subtract the 300 calories you’ll be getting from your shakes during the fast. Take the resulting number and compare it to The Daily Deficit chart on the same page. This will give you an estimate of what you could lose as a result of the fast.
A 160 pound sedentary woman uses about 2000 calories per day. The fast will create a deficit of 1700 calories which is about a half a pound per day. A 290 pound sedentary male, however, requires about 3500 calories per day and will lose about one pound per day on the fast due to a caloric deficit of 3200 calories. The moral of this story is you must have realistic expectations. This is the beginning of your weight loss program. You’re turning the key in the ignition. Next, you’ll have to take it out of park and press the excellerator. Here’s my top seven tips for Beachbody’s 2 day fast…
1. You’re only taking in about 300 calories all day, so make sure you listen to your body. If you’re feeling light headed, sick or have a nagging headache…drink a small amount of juice or chocolate soy milk. Both of these beverages will help get carbs in you quickly but still allow you to control calories and cravings. Ever notice what they give you after you’ve given blood? OJ! It’s better to have a few calories this way than to completely throw out your plan and stuff yourself with the first thing you can get your hands on.
2. Stay busy so you’re distracted. During my first day, I was driving back to Virginia which is an 11 hour trip from Indiana. The second day was a little harder for me because I went back to work and was used to taking my lunch. It would’ve been nice to have another day where I could just get busy doing something like working in the yard and forget all about eating.
3. Rest. Again, listen to your body. Get enough sleep and sit down when your body tells you to do so. You’re body is reaching into your fat stores to support basic life functions. It’s important not to exert too much energy during this period. It’s not a good time to break a sweat.
4. Mix well. I prefer any shake made with either vanilla or chocolate soy milk because I think it has a richer, creamier flavor. If I can’t have soy milk, I go for skim milk or juice. My least favorite liquid for shakes is water. Unfortunately, that’s what you use for the fasting formula. Duh! It doesn’t have any calories. Now why didn’t I think of that? Seriously, the formula is not bad. Just make sure you mix it well. Use a blender or hand mixer if you have one. I like to mix on high maybe 20 seconds and then, mix on low for another 15-20 seconds.
5. Take a multivitamin like ActiVit to ensure your body still gets the nutrients it needs during this extreme cutback in eating.
6. Drink plenty of water. Hydration is important everyday. It helps rid your body of toxins – the waste your body naturally creates. It also carries nutrients to every tissue, organ, muscle, and cell of your body. Your body is 70-80% water and cannot function efficiently without an ample supply coming into the body.
7. Don’t get discouraged. The 2 day fast is primarily designed to clean out your digestive track and give you a fresh start for the beginning of your workout program (i.e. Slim in 6). It should be viewed as a primer for you weight loss program, not the weight loss program. Remember that your body must use up more than 3500 calories than it takes in just to burn one pound of fat.
