A little goes a long way...

It's been too long since my last post - I'm going to try to be better about this...

June has been a buckle down week for the Nelsons! Jimmy and I were asked to go on QVC to help promote P90X with Tony Horton. We were STOKED! So we had about a month's notice and my goal was to feel confident enough in a sports bra to justify spending $42 to get a nice one from Lululemon! Some might think it's silly - or I'm sure I'll get the - whatever, you look great in whatever you wear - comments. But it's my @$$ (and abs and the rest of me) out there for all the world to see - and since I was literally going to be a product of the product, I wanted to do them proud!!

I was also studying and training to get my Turbo Kick certification. This means that I'll be able to teach Turbo here in the city - and once I get my Group Certification, I'll be able to teach in gyms!

Jimmy was buckling down to do a photo shoot with our dear friend, Stephen Mosher. He wanted to see how lean he could get and really want to see those abs pop! So he started working with his trainer, Ray, and our chiropracter, Dr. Piken, to start leaning out. The photo shoot was scheduled for the Thursday before our QVC appearance.

So I started adding in morning cardio and afternoon either yoga or lifting. Also started adding in weighted ab routines. Nothing crazy, just raising the intensity. And also sticking to a semi-regular diet - eating every 2 -3 hours and eating very clean.

Jimmy's plan was a mixture of at least two workouts a day (a third weighted ab workout if he was up to it in the evening) and then rotating carb and no carb days.

The month was full of ups and downs - the alarm always seemed to go off way too early, we were both exhausted by the time we saw each other at night, and our moods were all over the map! But we were seeing great progress and were determined to meet our goals!

The day of Jimmy's photo shoot was a bit hectic - he also booked a print gig that same day that ran WAY longer than he thought - but he finally made it to Stephen's and the digital pics that I've seen so far are amazing!! I can't wait to see the real pics!

Then came the big weekend!!! I went to my Turbo Kick certification and had a BLAST!!! I worked my butt off for 8 hours, I was dripping with sweat and have my fingers crossed for the coveted GOLD level certification! From there, we hopped on the train to Philly for QVC.

We arrived at our hotel in Philly at 10pm - had to be downstairs by midnight to head to the QVC studio for our 2am spot. So that gave me one hour to sleep before getting a shower and trying to look somewhat awake! My body was wiped - and I had only just begun. Of course, my mind was racing and I just laid in the bed for an hour. The shower was nice and helped with the soreness that had already begun to set in. I joked with Jimmy that it's a good thing we didn't fly to Philly - the bags under my eyes would have exceeded the weight limit!!!!!!!!

So we got ready and went to the lobby to meet the others - Jenny, Kit, Katie, Doug...and Tony Horton!!! I was excited and nervous. This is someone who has been part of my life for the past 5 years - almost every day - and yet he's a stranger. So we finally meet - and I give him a hug - and I tell him that he smells good.....WHAT!?!?! sigh...stupid filter...never works when you need it to!! So we get to the studio and go thru some blocking on set and have a game plan. The first show went really well and the producers seemed happy - we sold over $100,000 in one hour! Not too shabby!!!

Get back to the hotel room and it was after 4am. We crashed. I woke up at 8:30am and my whole body was screaming at me!!! I laid in bed for a while - working out the knots in my hips and trying to stretch out my shoulders. Tony wanted to workout at the gym next to the hotel and i thought, maybe I'll just go run on the treadmill while they workout. But then when I put on my workout clothes, my attitude changed and I started thinking - man, I am so blessed. I have the opportunity to workout out with one of the top trainers in the nation...FOR FREE!!! So my adrenaline kicked in by the time we hit the lobby. Off we went to the gym...it was going to be chest and back - Lord give me strength! First move...wide grip pullups! EEK! I have been seeing Dr. Piken because I did something to my rhomboid and I haven't done a back workout in probably a week and a half. Luckily, everyone was super supportive - and we all spotted each other. Then we did some pushups on a stability ball - then chinups - more pushups - then what seemed like a bazillion dips. I struggled with these. But Tony was great - he grabbed my ankled and spotted me. And it was no big deal - there was no pressure to try to show off or anything. I did what I could and was proud of that. We also did lawnmowers, heavy pants and some killer pushups with our feet on a Bosu ball and each hand on a medicine ball - CRAZY!!!! It was kinda cool - because the local gym rats would sit there and watch what the guys were doing - and after we'd go to do something else, you'd see them try it!! I kinda felt like we were his little posse!!! It was an amazing hour!!! An hour that I'm STILL sore from...3 days later!!!

After a quick shower, we headed back to the QVC studio for spot #2 - this one was our best one I think. We let Jimmy lead it and we all did what he did. It took your mind off of what to do next - and Jimmy did great! Dinner after spot # 2 was so fun! It was this great tapas restaurant with lots of yummy options! We were also celebrating Tony's 51st bday a few days early - so they brought out some gluten free chocolate lava cakes for all of us to share - DIVINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spot #3 was the best as far as sales went - pulled in over $400,000 in that last hour alone!!! That's a lot of people wanting to get fit!!! Total was over $900,000. A-mazing!

Got back to the hotel and we started talking to this woman - turns out it's Joel Osteen's Mom - and the whole Osteen family was staying at our hotel!!! They were in town for a wedding. So we got to meet Joel and his family. Some of the warmest and sweetest people I've ever met!

Finally got in bed right at midnight. Car pickup was for 4:50am. Ouch... So I was up at 4 to shower and get ready for work - I'd be going straight to the office from Penn Station. Monday was a LONNGGGGG day. I would say that I was running on fumes, but I was wayyy beyond that!!! 12 hours of workouts in 2 days - I was one pooped Cajun!!!! All I kept thinking during the QVC spots was "Dr. Piken will fix me on Monday...Dr. Piken will fix me on Monday" And fix me he did!!!! I'm still sore now, but I am much better. I gave myself one hell of a beating this weekend! And it was all so worth it!

Then - last night I went over to Stephen Mosher's for a little photo shoot. I'd been wanting to sit for him for FOREVER - and the stars magically aligned and we made it happen!!! First half of the shoot was for his project black, white & bare. I chose black. I was a little self conscious at first, but Stephen was great and it was more like coffee talk than pose and say cheese! The second half of the shoot was just fun stuff for me. I took pics in some workout wear to promote our Beachbody stuff - and also to be able to pub my Turbo Kick classes. Then I just did a fun one in Tshirt and jeans. He is truly and artist. He sent me a couple of digitals (he usually only shoots in film, but he has a little pocket digital camera that he'll take a couple of pics with) - wow...he created muscles and poses that I never thought possible. I can't wait to see the film...have to wait til next week for those!

So my month of buckle down has produced some incredible results. I am Turbo Kick Certified, I got to meet, work and workout with Tony Horton and I have a gorgeous set of pictures to document my progress.

Life is good!!

Jimmy and I are leaving tonight to go visit the Cohens and the rest of the Dusty Bottoms in Jacksonville. It will be nice to exhale and relax with friends!

July's goals are starting to shape up...learn Turbo rounds to start teaching by August (if not sooner), tackle INSANITY when it comes out on the 13th, and continue my healthy eating and morning cardio!