5 Things- Getting Ready For a Tone It Up Challenge

This year marks my 4th Tone It Up Bikini Series, and my 3 year anniversary of being a Tone It Up Nutrition Plan member. 

It's so crazy to think how much has changed since that first challenge- with me, with the community, with the world, but what I love most has remained constant. Tone It Up challenges are about helping women take care of themselves!

I've learned a ton over the past 3 years about exercise and nutrition, and below are the 5 things I wish I would've known at the very beginning of my journey. I hope sharing this with you will be a catalyst in your success!!

take before pictures and measurements

Ok. I know this part is uncomfortable, but trust me, you’re going to want to see the progress you make. I personally think the order of priority goes like this: 

1. Photos. Take one facing the camera, one in profile, and one from behind. Stand somewhere that’s well lit, in a swimsuit or sports bra and shorts. Use the timer on your camera, or have a friend or family member take the shot. Remember- these photos signify the beginning of your journey. You may not love them, but give yourself a pat on the back for being brave enough to take steps towards being your best self.

2. Take your measurements. Measure your neck, bust, waist, hips, thighs, calves, and arms. Write your measurements down, and take them again in 4 weeks, and at the end of the challenge. I lost SERIOUS inches even when the scale wasn’t moving as quick as I wanted.

3. Weigh yourself. Or don’t... that’s up to you. BUT. I promise you’re gonna want to know where you started at the end of this challenge.

You don’t have to share your progress pics with anyone. I didn’t share mine for two years! But I took them every challenge to celebrate the progress I was making.

stock up on protein, and make a smoothie a daily habit

I use Tone It Up Organic Protien on a weekly basis in baked goods and smoothies. Having a healthy sweet treat during the week has been key to keeping my nutrition on track, and protein muffins are easy to transport, and easy to eat when you’re on the go!

I start each day with a smoothie for M1 or M2. It’s a great way to get a nutrient rich meal in, no matter how busy your schedule is. I have a smoothi for M2 during the week because I can do my job and drink it at the same time. I love to add 2 giant handfuls of spinach to my smoothies for an extra punch of vitamins and minerals! 

If I had to suggest on flavor to start with, it would 100% be vanilla.

don't worry about the perfect post

Please enjoy yourself while scrolling through my early posts.

It doesn’t matter if the lighting is perfect, or your plate is wiped down, all that matters is that you show up for yourself!! Whether you’re posting your meals, your workouts, or just life, don’t overthink your IG posts. If you’re brand new to the community, posting these things may be totally new to you- that’s ok!! My photos have definitely evolved over the past 3 years, and now, I really enjoy food styling- hence the food blog!! But that was literally YEARS in the making. Just have fun, and remember that your account is ultimately about being true to you!

give yourself a break if things dont go perfectly

Trust me when I say, you will have setbacks. Just remember- you can make the comeback bigger than the setback. It doesn’t matter how many times you fall, it only matters how many times you get up. You are going to have an off day. You will probably miss a workout. You may overindulge on a restaurant meal. This happens LITERALLY to everyone. Just remember that you can get right back on track with your next meal or your next workout. Don’t let one slip up ruin a whole day, or worse, your week! Learn from it, and do better the next time.

This group of women wants to see you succeed!

get to know the community

You will be hard pressed to find a group of women who are more supportive than #tiugirls. They will cheer for you, give you tough love, a shoulder to cry on, and a great dinner idea when you’re stumped. Get to know them through your local community, though IG, or through workouts on the Studio Tone It Up app! Having a community who supports you (especially through a lifestyle change) can help you achieve your goals faster, and will celebrate with you every step of the way.  

More than anything, just remember that you are in control of your happiness! Take a moment everyday to celebrate the fact that you are working towards creating the best version of Y-O-U. The challenge is yours, and yours alone.

xo, Terra

Proud to be a Tone It Up Girl

Coffee in my cup, time to Tone It Up!

I shared in my bio that since 2015 I’ve lost 40lbs, and maintained the weight loss. This is 100% because of what I've learned from Tone It Up, and it’s founders, Karena and Katrina. Tone It Up is so many things, but above all else, it’s a community full of women with one common goal: creating the best version of themselves.

I was at a very low point when I started my Tone It Up journey. I was at my highest weight ever (like rivaling 39 weeks pregnant), my marriage was running on empty, I was traveling all the time, and I was always exhausted. I felt like even though I was giving work/marriage/motherhood ALL of my efforts, somehow none of it was the best effort.

One night I was watching Bravo, and these 2 cute best friends who lived on the beach popped up on the screen. They were trainers with their own company, so naturally, I looked them up right away. I was dazzled by all of the before and after photos, the beautiful images of food, and by the overwhelmingly positive vibe of the website. 

The 6 week ‘Love Your Body’ challenge was featured on the Tone It Up homepage, and I signed up immediately. The challenges are F-R-E-E, by the way!!! At the time, my eating habits (or lack thereof) and attempts at exercise were yielding no results- I constantly felt discouraged. I couldn’t wait to find out how these darling TIU girls would fix my body so that I would love it. Turns out, I had it all wrong.

#tiumeetup with my Accountibility Partner Alexis! She visited me all the way from WI!  

For the next 6 weeks, I followed the free Tone It Up YouTube workouts, and I was hooked. I wasn't hooked because they were 'fixing' my body; I was  hooked by the positive message that came with every workout. Every time I turned on a video, I was flooded positive affirmations; how I was worth investing in; how my body was already strong, already beautiful; how proud they were of me for taking time for self-care; how I could achieve anything; how I could make it through any day if I could make it through a minute of planking!

I only lost a few pounds during that challenge, but I gained something that had literally been gone for I don’t know how long- the belief that I was worthy of taking care of. Tone It Up was helping me gain physical strength, but more than anything, it was helping me heal my soul.

The challenge ended in February, but I kept up with the workouts. I felt so happy when I exercised with Karena and Katrina. In April, the next challenge launched, and I was stoked. It was the Bikini Series- their biggest challenge of the year. The Bikini series is 8 weeks of workouts and meal plans to get you summer ready. Much like the Love Your Body challenge, the Bikini Series was about learning to embrace what you love about yourself vs 'fixing' what you don't. At this point, my husband saw how committed I was to the program, and for Mother’s Day, he and my son bought me the Nutrition Plan and premium workout videos. Hands down, it’s still the best gift I’ve ever received or requested. 

May 2015 and July 2017. My face in the before picture never ceases to amaze me. I really felt shocked and sad when I took this photo. I also felt really excited because I was ready to change.

The Nutrition Plan was the true unlock to my success. I couldn’t believe that by eating the right foods at the right times, I would end up eating MORE, and losing weight! It turns out that I wasn’t eating the wrong foods before, I was simply eating them at times when my body couldn’t optimize them. I also learned how to tweak family favorites into healthier options without sacrificing flavor. My passion for food was reignited because of Tone It Up.

During the Bikini Series, I lost 15 lbs. I was so much stronger physically. Mentally and emotionally, I felt more resilient than I had in years. I became more patient with my family, more energetic at work. I found that I was becoming a better human to be around, and I just felt happier than I had in a long time. I smiled more. I laughed more.

In the 2 years that followed that Bikini Series, I’ve completed 6 more challenges, including the 2017 ‘Look For Love’ challenge, for which I was a #tiutransformation Grand Prize Winner. I submitted my transformation story, which included a timeline of my TIU journey, stories about how I’ve incorporated Tone It Up into my life, and what would I love to share with other women about my journey.  I finally felt brave enough to be vulnerable and for the first time, I shared my before photos.

I felt like somewhere out there was a mom who probably felt the way I did in the beginning. I wanted her to know that she wasn’t alone- I wanted to cheer for her, and encourage her to take time for herself the way Tone It Up did for me. I also wanted to thank the Tone It Up team for changing my life!!

My fellow #lookforlove Grand Prize winners and myself on our way to California for our winner’s trip

What I love most about Tone It Up is that while the challenges come and go, this community keeps me going every day. Through TIU, I’ve met some of my very best friends. There is an incredible group of women who virtually connect every single day to check in with workouts and meals, share their goals, and cheer each other on! It’s not a competition. We’re all on our own paths and can share how we want to grow as individuals while being on this incredible #tiuteam. When one of us succeeds, we all succeed!! When one of us falls, we pick each other up. 

A new feature that seems to be causing a lot of controversies is the Studio Tone It Up app. For $12.99/mo, you get access to tons of amazing content, and a new and convenient platform to work out on. I work out at home 99% of the time, and for me, the Studio membership is a no-brainer. It's half the cost of a drop-in class at any studio, twice the cost of a good chocolate bar, sometimes I swear it's equal to the price of a large organic avocado. The bottom line is that I think it's an incredible value, and it's upped the ante on my AM workouts. My top 3 reasons for being obsessed:

1. The community. I literally get to work out with a group of women every morning! It's like we're our own little Jazzercise class from the comfort of our living rooms. I love the camaraderie, and hearing everyone's feedback on the classes, and sharing daily intentions.
2. The variety! Because I don't belong to a gym, I don't often get a chance to explore varied workout types. Could I explore onYouTube and find some options? Sure. But... TBH... I'm really good at getting sucked into the YouTube rabbit hole... specifically any videos of dance routines. 
3. The Trainers! OMG. These babes are #goals. I love that there's a trainer and a workout for any mood I'm in. I feel like my muscles are constantly learning and guessing with their varied styles. Plus, I could look at their pretty smiles and buff arms all day every day.

#studiotoneitup babes

I could go on and on about why I will forever be a #tiugirl, but I’ll leave you with this- I will be 80, and hopefully hosting #tiumeetups in a nursing home. We’ll do water aerobics, and drink wine on Wednesday’s, and do sunrise yoga with our beautiful wrinkly, strong bodies. I want women with this energy around me every day of my life. 

Memories to last a lifetime! This group of women is incredible.  

Leave a comment if you have any questions about TIU! I’d love to help in any way:)  

xo, #tiugirl Terra