Monthly Archives: March 2012

I hope everyone had a splendid weekend and was able to celebrate one of the most enthusiastic holidays of the year. I definitely bounced around with my friends and family and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Not only did we have a bunch of fun this weekend, but I started the challenge groups for our Summer Shakedowns. I was so tickled with the outcome/response, that I have got to share their enthusiasm… just in case it helps out a person or two reading this.

Enjoying my Jeep with everything off!

My boyfriend and I on date night.

With my lovely friends at a tent party! Go Cathedral Irish!

With my beloved bro and sis, and bro’s friend, out in Broad Ripple

Now what these challengers signed up for was 30-90 days (their decision on commitment time) of exercising 6x a week and drinking shakeology 1x a day. They are in small groups of 6-7 and are required to check in and be involved through an online forum. They all are introducing themselves and telling their story of why they’re there and what all they can bring to the table. I couldn’t be more pumped for them. They are all examples of people sick and tired of waiting around, pushing it off until “tomorrow”, or feeling sorry for themselves as if theres nothing they can do about it.

We are all dealt with a different deck of cards, all shuffled in more ways than one, but we surely have the ability to look at our strengths and weaknesses- and then work on them. These people have such interesting backgrounds and I know that their varying strengths will help eachother out with their similarly varying weaknesses. I was not only amped to hear them talking to eachother without my facilitation, but requesting that the challenge go in fact longer than 30 days. GREAT. They also want to work out together. GREAT. We have a run planned Friday morning already! They also want to trade DVD programs when completed. GREAT. They are prime examples of people who were once hesitant at reaching out to others or even putting themselves first, but yet here they are. Their energy is fantastic. I am so excited for their results and have the utmost confidence in them, no doubt.

This week was an incredibly inspiring one for me, realizing that people are indeed powerful when they realize the strength of accountability and support. If its not one of my challenge groups or a community you can engage with actively with similar goals, I highly encourage you to find one. Sometimes it takes a step towards something bigger than yourself to realize just how surrounded you are with people who ARE rooting for you. The world can only be so against you and your goals when you’ve got a bunch of hard core side kicks ready to take it on with you. Make your own luck! Its contagious.

Maria “Like the Lettuce” Romaine, xoxoxo

Posted by Maria in Tips and Typos

Ive been fortunate to have my brother and sister home from college for their spring break. Two of my closest friends, truly. I try not to think about how much I miss them when they’re away, growing, having the times of their lives, burying their heads in books, oh a fraction of the time..however when they are home for breaks and visits, I cherish those moments. To the point of obnoxiousness. I seriously stalk them.

Here they are when vacationing down the shore in Jersey!

The other weekend I went out with my brother and father, and we had a very deep discussion about religion and beliefs and what our purpose is in life. My brother is a smart man, and hes in that stage of “about to graduate- what am I doing here and what should I be doing?”. I remember that feeling and being terrified. I dont know that hes scared, but I sure was. As someone who’s approaching her 4 year post graduation mark, Ive just now realized the tippy top potential of the gifts I have. It really has just begun, however whats different from where I was then to where I am now, is that Im passionate and convicted on sharing my gifts with others. I would definitely call myself shy, or bashful, never wanting to come off cocky or a know it all, but after realizing Im only helping people by sharing and only hurting people by not- a new confidence kicked in. Regardless, we’re evolving creatures and consistently revealing our place in life every step of the way. That never stops.

He’s a stud. Ladies eat your heart out!

What this conversation made me realize is that my brother and myself have gone through hard training for sports, relentless commitment to get back from injuries, beatings from coaches and bullies on teams, sitting on benches we had no idea how to get off of even though we wanted to play. All that glory and guts stuff athletes endure. We did it for years because we loved it. Now when we hang up the cleats for whatever reason we feel a little lost. We still crave that intense workout feeling and realize that a new measure of success is looking good. Let our body do the talking of our hard work. This is great, and I do love it- its a natural high, working hard, eating right, accomplishing results. However we were talking about our disgust for its sole purpose being vanity driven. Looking tight, vain? Big muscles, vain? Missing out on food we love so we don’t hold water weight, vain? Weighing ourselves in every week, vain? My brother made me think… and on that night out I told him how yes its the cherry on top. But the bulk of whats delicious here is my passion to help others. What do you know, my brother and I share this passion and need it in life. Call us people pleasers, or call us people possessing the need to contribute. Yeah I like that better.

Here we are, and I have to admit, hes a tad faster than me on foot.

I thought and shared with how it started out as an accomplishment for myself- weight loss and commitment to health. But I LOVE teaching because of the feed back and energy I get from you all. If I wasn’t helping people get a great workout I wouldnt love it the way I do. I LOVE creating challenges and sharing products that work. If they didnt work I wouldnt be working with the beach body company that I do. I LOVE having consultations with clients, getting to know them, and helping them feel not only normal but empowered to do something about it. Looking good is a cherry on top and my brother is right, vanity only exists for the fraction we let it, and then quickly realize that this is NOT the purpose. We ask ourselves WHY in the same mirror we checked ourselves out in. I dont know exactly how he feels after that tiny talk we had at a bar in broad ripple. However I clearly thought long and hard about this, and re-realized that my ability to effectively PUSH others is what has led me into the passion and conviction I now hold. Those necessary components to do this for the rest of my life. Low and behold, I feel like Im sincerely contributing.

PUSHING

Take this with other people’s experiences as well. Ive talked with other clients and friends, and you can tell a difference between the people who have a fire behind them and those that have not experienced it yet. You might hear that everyone who is super fit has a “before”. A lot of these before’s include people having death scares and wanting to be better for their children, or being so miserable and depressed they couldnt recognize themselves, or being in situations that were not healthy for them period, so removing themselves from it was the best “diet” they ever went on. If this sounds like a pep talk, it is. Even for myself. To come back to your “why” is whats going to keep you motivated and get you there. The cherries on top of lost weight, thinner faces, sculpted arms, etc is reinforcement in the mirror… but the bulk of why we do what we do is whats going to give you the depth behind that growing confidence, the confidence needed to accomplish your goals.

Find your why and take those first steps, even if at first you find yourself wingin’ it. Your clarity will surface after the trials and errors along the way-its bound to. The learning curve is ever lasting, so go on…GET YOU SOME!

Maria “Like the Lettuce” Romaine, xoxoxo

Posted by Maria in Tips and Typos

Summer Shakedown Details 

I couldn’t be more excited to offer this challenge to you all. Whether you wish you had more time for group exercise, are in an exercise rut, want the results of an effective program but feel lost along your journey, want to take this time to change your lifestyle with the warm weather coming up, or indeed to have a vacation planned and need some tools to help, this could be your perfect opportunity… I’m looking for a few good men AND women to rock out 30 days with a health and exercise challenge! For 30 days, I am committing to giving YOU as much time and attention as you need to stay motivated, stay inspired, stay focused, and stay accountable.

Requirements:

1) Commit to an exercise program of your own whether that be marathon training, triathlon training, or within your own gym’s group exercise scedule OR purchase a tried and true effective intense workout program from my website (P90X, Les Mills Pump, Turbo Fire, Insanity, Chalene Extreme, Brazil Booty Lift, etc)
2) Get Shakeology from my website
3) Commit to working out 6 days a week – come to any class I teach and that counts for your workout that day…other days, you do your program at home
4) Commit to drinking Shakeology 1X a day
5) Commit to interacting, supporting and motivating each other in our private Facebook accountability group
6) Deadline to enroll March 15th

If you are already on Shakeology Auto Ship, then you will purchase a program or email me your workout program you already have in place. If you already have your workout program, you will purchase Shakeology. To clarify, you purchase the component of the challenge that you do not have.

This is an EPIC way to shake down the summer! Email me today at maria.romaine@gmail.com or facebook me to claim your spot and let’s do this!

Posted by Maria in Tips and Typos