Dreams Don't Work Unless You Do!

Good Morning followers, newbies, and all my lovely friends! :)

I wanted to share with you today something that means a lot to me because honestly for my entire life, I have never really had anyone pushing me to get to where I am today but that didn't stop me from working towards my goals and dreams. The quote of the day today is going to be "Dreams don't work unless you do!"

This quote really puts everything into perspective.. because it very self-explanatory. You see, you will accomplish nothing until you are willing to work on accomplishing something! How many times have you dreamt about being debt free, losing 10 pounds, owning your own business, landing that dream job, or owning your own home? In order to accomplish these things, you must come up with a plan, stick with it, and eventually things will fall into place! I have worked extremely hard for the last 13 years to accomplish everything I have.

I was fourteen years old beginning my first job. It was a summer program where I would have to "work" about 6 hours Monday through Friday. I mean what kind of 14 year old wants to spend their summers working? THIS GIRL!! I came from a family that did not have a lot of money, I wasn't able to go shopping at the mall or do the fun things all my other friends were doing BUT I wanted to do those things, so I had to work for it. This mindset put me on a path I knew would take me far. I feel that if I would not have started working at such a young age, I may not be where I am today. I was focused, determined, and wanted things I didn't have at the time.

Fast forward to June of 2005, I was graduating high school... I was always told that I was to go to college, but no one in my family did so I was falling into a path where nope, I don't want to go. I didn't want to spend four years in college, it just wasn't what I was looking to do. However, something came over me and I decided to start my college career at a technical school, Bradford School in Pittsburgh. I moved away with a close friend from high school and we started our adventure as college students just 2 weeks after graduating High School!! We were eager to begin this journey. I have to say I am very thankful that I changed my mind and went to college because I became even more focused and determined. I worked about a year and a half after graduating with my Associate's degree then decided I wanted to go back to college for my Bachelor's Degree.. in January 2010, I was officially a full time student again at Robert Morris University!

Why am I telling you all of this... because these are just some of the steps I had to take to get to where I am today... Fast forward to September 2014... I am a college graduate, I landed my first official "salaried position" two weeks BEFORE I was graduating college. It was so awesome to not have to stress about if and when I would find a job because the economy wasn't doing so well during this time. I busted my behind to get to this point in my life.. I would work multiple jobs while in college just to ensure I was able to pay my bills.. Most people would have probably given up at this point. Sacrifices needed to be made... I knew it would suck at first but the outcome would be so much more rewarding than feeling that sense of regret for the rest of my life.

Facts:
I bought my first brand new car. I pay for everything I have. I worked my butt off. I paid for my own wedding, no help from family or friends. I would work multiple jobs. I have my own apartment. I put myself through college, every penny of the way. I cried a lot because of stress. I have paid off 75% of my credit card debt within the last 4 months. I am looking to purchase my first home. I NEVER GAVE UP. I am excited to see what my future holds for me.

My life may have thrown me many curveballs.. sometimes I thought how am I ever going to overcome this, but deep down... you will find that strength. It may take a lot longer sometimes but you have to focus on getting back up rather than staying knocked down. Rise above it all and you will come out on top. Because remember, Dreams Don't Work Unless YOU DO!

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If you are looking for a way to help you reach your dreams and goals, looking for someone to help keep you accountable, email me at tbbcoachsteph87@gmail.com or fill out the contact form below! I would love to chat with you about an amazing opportunity!

Leave your excuse at the door.

Hi All! I know it's been a long time, but I've been really putting in some thought of how I wanted to design my blog to be more appealing to my awesome subscribers! I thought by sharing my personal experiences and explaining my view on things would be a great approach. I want to help more people succeed in life, and realize that they may not be the only one going through a type of situation. This blog may provide them with something to turn to, to reassure them they are not in this alone! 

I want to start off by sharing a quote daily.. kind of like the "Quote of the Day!" I will share stories, and personal life experiences on how I have overcome these and how it has gotten me to where I am today. I hope these stories will inspire you to step out of your comfort zone, or speak up and shine through to realize you are in charge of your own happiness.

Here is today's "Quote of the Day!" This one is related to my health and fitness journey! It seriously puts everything into perspective and I find it to be so very true!

Before January 2013, when I officially took full charge on my health and fitness journey, I could probably say I used at least three to four of these excuses every single day... seriously, they get SO OLD! How many times have you asked a friend to go workout with you and you heard these excuses... OVER IT, RIGHT? Well the thing is, when you stop making excuses, YOU START SEEING RESULTS! Every excuse under the sun, I've probably used it.

My biggest excuse EVER that stuck with me for a long period of time, it's in my genes! This was my biggest setback, when I wasn't seeing results, I constantly told myself -- it's because I was meant to look like this, I wasn't meant to be thin/fit. How many people have used this excuse? Here's the thing though... when I put my mind and determination to the test, 20 months later... I am 32 pounds lighter and have shed 20+ inches overall! I am not meant to "look like I did"... I just wasn't putting forth my all. I was eating out all the time, I was a cardio bunny, I didn't like lifting weights because I didn't want to get "big and bulky".. my oh my oh my!

November 12, 2012 - I got engaged. This CHANGED everything. I went to the gym occasionally but never actually got my nutrition in line nor was I following through with my workouts. It wasn't until January 1, 2013 where I put forth my all and knew that 2013 was my year to bring "my sexy back". HAHA! January 1, 2013 I was off from my full time day job, but had to work at a part time job. I went to the gym before my afternoon shift and got in some cardio then off to work I went. I incorporated cardio and very little weight training to my routine for about four months. I was down 16 pounds!!! SWEET! FINALLY SOME PROGRESS.

So I got my exercise in line, but after my birthday - April 17th, I noticed I was not seeing any difference. I tried adding in some body pump while still doing some cardio, but I realized nothing was helping me! Here's the thing, I was still eating out, and doing what I use to do -- and still working out like a wild woman. I plateaued... for EIGHT AND A HALF MONTHS!!!!! 8 1/2 months teetering back and forth in a five pound range was seriously the most frustrating thing in this journey so far... I just couldn't figure out what I needed to adjust.

Here is the thing, they say to see results it's 80% nutrition and 20% exercise.... DING DING DING!!!! NUTRITION!!! This is why I wasn't seeing any inches fall off, I wasn't seeing any changes in the way my clothes fit or anything. I was stuck. January 2014, I was introduced to the wonderful world of Beachbody and Shakeology (the healthiest meal of the day/nutritional shake)! Ever hear of Insanity or P90X? Yep, these are beachbody workout programs... they have proven to give you AMAZING results. Well, I ventured out into the world and tried something new... I was a little nervous because these are at home workouts, and I was definitely a gym rate. But honestly, these at home workouts changed my life! I was able to get in a great 25-30 minute workout from the comfort of my own home! When I started drinking Shakeology and doing T25 (a slightly modified version of Insanity, IMO) I was able to drop 10 pounds and another 6 inches! HOLY MOLY are you serious?! I hadn't seen these types of results in 8 1/2 months going to the gym 5-6 days a week! CRAZINESS. I continued my journey with the beachbody programs and to this day I don't think I could ever turn back. I am forever grateful for beachbody changing my life.

So overall, excuses -- LEAVE THEM AT THE DOOR. Once you are willing to give up your "I'm too tired" or "I had a bad day" excuse... you might actually just start seeing those results!!

If you are interested in learning more about the beachbody workout programs or Shakeology, please fill out the contact form at the bottom of the blog. I would love to chat with you about our upcoming Fall Fitness Frenzy Accountability group beginning September 22nd!! There are a limited number of spaces, so don't wait to join! :)


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Motivation. Inspiration. Confidence. The TEAM behind it all.

Team (noun): a group of players forming one side in a competitive game or sport.

Team (verb): come together as a team to achieve a common goal.

A team is consisted of people from different backgrounds, despite their ignorance of each other's lives, coming together on one side... essentially to achieve a common goal. Although in a sport, the team may not always see eye to eye and fail to motivate each other. One member may feel they are better than the other individuals, and only look out for themselves. Hypothetically speaking, this is where the team breaks apart and may not achieve that common goal due to the competitiveness amongst each other for the spotlight.

Team Call!

Which brings me to my sole purpose of this post. I am a member of a health and fitness team. We essentially "Team" (verb) up together to achieve a common goal, like stated above. This team is a a group of people where we are not searching for that spotlight, nor are we trying to steal the "thunder" from anyone. There is no scout at tonight's big game, nor is there a trophy at stake. We are a team searching for the simplicity of bettering our lives. We are a team that enjoys sharing our success with one another. We are a team that motivates, supports, and encourages every other member to do the very best we can every single day. When some days we are feeling completely defeated, we turn to this "team" for advice. This team is my accountability group... my reason behind not giving up. I feel that if I just gave up, I would disappoint them. They are the most selfless, caring, and amazing group of people I get to share this passion of mine with.

Team Fearless and Fit was founded by Mrs. Amie DeSanzo. She strives to be the best she can, pushes herself to a new limit every single day, and stresses living everyday FEARLESS. This team consists of many people from all different backgrounds, but we all have one goal in common... Help people achieve their goals and enjoy a healthy fulfilling life. We are Beachbody Coaches!

Becoming a coach has helped me step completely out of my comfort zone on many different levels. I have began to "develop" myself. In other words, I have been reading books, listening to speeches I found on You Tube and even began attending trainings to help better my knowledge in this health and fitness field and continue to push myself to a new challenge every single day. I have adopted a "Better Everyday" lifestyle. I know that everything I am doing today, is getting me one step closer to my goals.

I am so beyond grateful for my team, and I just want to give them a huge shout out for taking me under their wings and being so patient with me as I take on this journey. You all are the most inspiring, intelligent, and beautiful (inside and out) women I know! Thank you all for supporting and motivating me to be the best person I could ever be. Without you, I'm not sure I would even be typing this post right now! xoxo <3

Quote to live by: Coming together is a beginning, Keeping together is progress. Working together is success! <3

-Henry Ford

Interested in joining our team or learning more about it:

Fill out the contact form below!

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My Dream Board - Goal #2

To continue with my dream board goals, my goal is to become credit card debt free. While I still may have a lot of student loans to pay off, I am determined to get all of the credit card debt gone before the end of the year so I am able to pay larger amounts on my student loans!

During my college years I was working multiple jobs which needed to be very flexible with my schedule for my classes, so I would sometimes work seven days a week. Since I was pretty much making minimum wage at these jobs, it only went so far. I was paying for rent, utilities, car insurance, car payments, food, etc. This amount of money only goes so far... I was desperate so I unfortunately opened up a few credit cards to help pay for books and other supplies, but had gotten in really far over my head. 

After many years of racking up the credit card debt, I was completely sick to my stomach and felt like I was falling into a dark hole I would never get out of. I never had someone preaching to me about the importance of credit cards, and how difficult they would be to pay them all off. I would only pay the minimum balance, and when you look at your statement, and you see the part where it says if you pay just the minimum balance it will take you X amount of years to pay them off, yea I never realized how bad it actually was. And to think how much money I was wasting I felt hopeless.

Finally, I was able to land my first big girls job, which allowed me to have a bit more flexibility with my money and really start focusing on getting my finances in order so I will one day be able to afford a brand new car (which I have bought already), be able to buy a brand new house (which I plan on doing rather soon) and live life comfortably without restrictions.

I set a very strict budget for myself. Although, it may have meant sacrificing certain things like new clothes, new shoes, a new purse, and going out to eat all the time; I knew that I was getting myself back on the right track. Since mid-June of 2014, I have since paid off 4 credit cards. I only have three more to go and I could not be more ecstatic. Yes, you may think this is a lot, and yes it really is, but I know I have made mistakes in my past that I am cleaning up to ensure I am able to live a happier, stress free life where I don't have to constantly worry about being burdened with financial freak outs!!

I will have another post coming up within the week going over ways I have set my budget and how it helped me pay off four credit cards in just two and a half months. Make sure you stop back! :)

Quote to live by: Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

-Michael Jordan

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The $40 that changed my life.

I remember a day back in late November, I was notified on Instagram about an opportunity to become a Health and Fitness Coach... but I knew NOTHING about what that meant. I began talking to Amie DeSanzo (a 1 Star Diamond Beachbody Coach) and she gave me some information about "coaching" and also the challenge groups she ran. I said no at first because I enjoyed working out in a gym, I was not using the products and I was in the middle of planning a wedding so I just couldn't afford to "waste" the money on the workout program and Shakeology.

Fast forward to January, after really thinking about this for a good two months, and following Amie on Facebook and Instagram, I really thought what she was doing was amazing. She got to work from home, spend a lot of time with her children, work when she wanted and worked out, and stayed extremely active/dedicated to her workouts and meal plans during her third pregnancy. I was TOTALLY ENVIOUS. I always told her "I hope I look like you on my third pregnancy" and she would always comment back, "You Can!" This gave me hope!!

January 28th, the day my life was changed. I agreed to sign up as a Beachbody Coach after researching it more and tossing the idea around with my husband (fiance then). He said I would be wasting my money, but I went ahead with my gut feeling and spent the $39.95, signed up to become a coach and got my New Coach Welcome Kit. I was now able to start helping others reach their health and fitness goals! HOW AWESOME IS THAT! While I was still completely mind boggled about exactly what I was suppose to do, I was excited to get started!

While I was planning a wedding, and the stress of the uncertainty at my day job, I just couldn't handle anything else on my plate, so my Beachbody Business took the back burner since I could just pick up and work it whenever I wanted. I will be honest, I thought about quitting, just giving up because I wasn't seeing any commitment from people and I was just too busy. What really made me change my direction was when all the coaches who were out in Las Vegas for Summit and I got to see all the amazing photos, everyone's excitement and high energy. I then realized, this was my calling. I knew that I wanted to do something big with this company! PEOPLE WERE CROSSING THE STAGE AS MILLIONAIRES, YES MILLIONAIRES helping people live happier, healthier lives!! So after that, I knew I had to start doing one of our vital behaviors, I started investing in myself. I began reading personal development books. The first book I read was Twelve Pillars, then moved on to the Compound Effect by Darren Hardy and now reading The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson, as well as listening to our team calls, national wake up calls, and taking advice from the top coaches in our industry! MY MIND WAS EXPLODING. I was so excited, was ready to take on the world!!

I knew I was put on this earth to do great things, I knew I wanted to help inspire people and see other people reach their greatest potential. I knew that I wanted to do the things that scared me and succeed. I just knew that this was the best opportunity that could have ever crossed my path. I went in full force, inviting people, talking about how my progress and eventually people were reaching out to me asking for help! I was completely overwhelmed by how many people were actually following my story. Helping others and seeing them become successful makes my heart so incredibly happy!

The thing I love most about this company is the endless possibilities. There is no limit on how many people you can help, there are no limits on how much money you can make, no limits on ANYTHING. And yes, you invest just $40 and I promise you, this opportunity with change your life! I have become much more positive over the last seven and a half months, I have reached my goal weight, and I have created friendships that I know will last a lifetime! What is even more amazing is I know that this is just the beginning to something completely amazing!! All because I took $40 to invest in a happier, healthier lifestyle. What are you doing to make your life worth living?

Quote to Live By:

"If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a month, get married. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help someone else!"

To learn more about this amazing opportunity, email me at pghfitnessgirl@gmail.com
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My Dream Board - Goal #1

How many of you have a dream board? A board that shows all the goals you want to accomplish. You can have goals you want to achieve within the next week, month, or even year! Do your goals include making more money, getting a new job, maybe graduating college, getting in better shape, or start eating healthier? Whatever it is you should write it down on a piece of paper, or if you are a visual kind of person, create a poster and cut out pictures of your goals you want to achieve and hang it somewhere you are able to see it everyday! This will not only give you a constant reminder of what you want to accomplish but it may just help hold you accountable to it as well!

I want to share with you some of my goals, so stick around to hear them all!!

My first goal is to buy my first home. I have been dreaming of this day for forever (well more like since I graduated college). Growing up my parents never owned a house, we have always rented... and as you may read from a previous post is we were constantly moving and we never really had a place to call "home".

I want to be able to purchase my first home, raise a family and start making many life long memories. While we are currently unsure of the area, we know round about what kind of home we are looking for. It's funny having this conversation with my husband because he wants a duplex. He wants an "investment" property for our first home, and I am totally against it. I want to be able to enjoy my home without worrying about someone stomping up and down the stairs, playing the music super loud, and people coming in and out all hours of the evening. I am looking forward to the day we are able to call ourselves "HOMEOWNERS!"

Anyways, this is my first goal I am sharing with you all. What are the types of goals you are looking to reach? Share below! :)

"Don't dream your life, live your dream!"

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Where do you want to be in 5-10years?

As I am sitting here at my day job today, randomly thinking about previous interviews I landed while trying to get that "dream job", about all the people who interviewed me, they all seemed to ask the same questions, but one in particular stood out to me..

"Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years...?"

My response may blow you away because you think to yourself, why in the world would you tell people that in an interview, but it's the truth, where do I see myself in five to ten years... My response: "I would like to own my own business".. 

The response really makes me think I may not have been the best interviewee because I was obviously saying - "Hey, in 5 to 10 years, sorry I don't want this to be my life long job, so I probably won't be around but hey you should hire me anyways." What I do remember is my old manager, from a job I had about two years ago, saying that my answers to the questions he asked were great. He also mentioned, "I don't want to hear, well I see myself sitting here doing the same thing forever, so it was great to hear you have some sort of direction in your life. I feel you'll make a great asset here in this department!"

My business is something people shake their heads at, give you dirty looks when you tell them what you do, and often times say "are you serious"? Yes as a matter of fact, I am serious... I am a health and fitness coach, I help motivate and inspire people to reach their health and fitness goals. To live a happier, healthier lifestyle, and dream as big as you could possibly imagine. We help people in every area of their lives, such as, finances, health, living with a positive mindset, time management, and the list goes on. The best part about this part-time job is I can set my own hours, I work when I want, and I don't have a boss breathing down my neck to tell me I missed a deadline in this business. While I do have a full-time office job, I am working my beach body business to the best of my ability. I am doing what I am so incredibly passionate about! I am helping others see the greatest potential I see in them.

While my business may not be the biggest and best it can be at this very moment, I know the things I do every single day are getting me one step closer to it being something completely amazing! I have learned a lot over the last few years, and the possibilities of what it can become are endless! I have never really let anyone alter my choices in life, while I have made some dumb decisions, I have always managed to get myself back on track. And of all the qualities that I have, I think this is the best one.

The things I have learned over the last couple years, which I never realized I was doing it until this past weekend is having a sense of "Tunnel Vision." Focusing on my goals, what I need to do to reach them, and blocking out people's opinions. I feel that if I would have stayed in the small town where I went to high school, I never would have been as successful as I am today.

What are your dreams? Are the things you do everyday getting to where you hope to be? If you are unhappy with the way your life is panning out, do something to change it. Only you are in control of your happiness. 

If you would like to know more about the amazing opportunity I have been blessed with, please feel free to comment below. I would love to share this amazing experience with you. It has changed my life for the better!

I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot. Together, we can do great things.

-Mother Teresa

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