Welcome to the Core Living blog!  I am excited to share fitness & nutrition tips, wins & challenges from my clients and friends, as well as recipes & more.  I'm still working on format & backgrounds, so bear with me as I learn...:)

A little bit about me...


I have been married to John for 16 years, and we have three great kids - Peyton is 13, Trace is 11 and Hillary is 8. I grew up in the great state of Texas, and am proud to have grown up in agriculture on a ranch where my family still lives. I had a great example of fitness growing up with a dad who is a former high school and college athlete, and who still fits into the same size jeans he wore back then! He and my mom both continue to make positive choices their lives, and I attribute much of my desire for lifetime fitness to them and to their support.

I have always enjoyed working out and love a challenge.  It all started in college when I began running fairly regularly, but made the mistake of going to the extreme...I became too thin and didn't educate myself on overall nutrition. Over the next few years I began to read and learn about nutrition, food, exercise and how it all goes together.

After Peyton & Trace were born, I got back in shape with the help of tae-bo & kickboxing. After Hillary came along I discovered Chalene Johnson and ordered her Turbo Jam videos (yes, videos...now they are available on DVD!). Between Chalene and another smartly fit friend, I achieved a better understanding of how all aspects of exercise -- cardio, weight training, core, stretching -- must be included in an exercise plan to achieve what I now call lifestyle fitness.  Since Turbo Jam I embarked on the P90X journey, starting with P90X, then P90X Plus & most recently, P90X2!  Through those programs, along with Beachbody's Rev Abs & Insanity workouts, I learned more and more about how the body responds to all aspects of exercise.  I also enjoy cooking, and have worked to learn how to cook flavorful, healthy meals. Yes, it's a little bit of work, but after awhile it's just life...lifestyle fitness.

Two years ago I decided to take the plunge and get certified as a personal trainer.  I loved what lifestyle fitness was doing for my body and felt like it was time to help others work to achieve the same.  Now I LOVE helping teach people that lifestyle fitness is not just trying to work out a few days a week and eat right most of the time, and at the same time, it's not about depriving yourself of life's pleasures.  It's different for everyone, and I am so excited that through Core Living and the resources of being a Beachbody coach I can help others find the right road that fits their life. God gave us these amazing machines and it is our job to take care of them...we are only on this earth a short time so let's make the most of it with healthy bodies.

In case you aren't on my daily fit tip text message list, I've been sharing "Foods for a Flat Belly".

Today's flat belly food: Berries!
Most berries are loaded with…Fiber! The more fiber you eat the fewer calories you absorb from all the other stuff you put in your mouth. Fiber traps food particles and shuttles them out of your system before they're fully digested, so if you have a meal with a few Jen Niemann no-no's, adding fiber can help clean that out. Berries are also high in antioxidants, which not only help protect you from chronic diseases but may also allow u to get more results from your workouts. They tend to improve blood flow, which can help muscles contract more efficiently. Think strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, boysenberries, and gooseberries if you can find them!