When I first created my 8-Week BLISS Body Makeover Program, I was going to put it up for sale as a DVD for $99. With over 60 hours put into creating, writing and filming this program, I figured I would be able to sell it no problem.

Instead, I’m giving it away for FREE included in my fitness & lifestyle book – One Rep at a Time.

Why would you do that, many of you have asked? You’re shooting yourself in the foot, given that you have other programs you’re trying to sell.

It all depends on your intention. I learned that it’s not about the sale per se, for me, anyway. First and foremost, it’s about building a solid, trustworthy business with those who support me. It’s about doing what I love, and what I love is teaching women the beauty, art and strength of weight training, and to show how it can indeed change  lives. 

There’s no hitch. Heck, I don’t even ask for an email when you sign into the program…it’s there just for you to access, when and how often you like..for the length of the printed book. The password is in the book, and you get everything you need…workout videos, workout cards, clean eating recipes, and tools to implement to build emotional and spiritual health and wellness for life! 

It’s my gift to you, and to women everywhere. I promise you, you will not find any program like this anywhere, for free and with no hitches. 

2012 is the year of paying it forward, and this year promises to be a good year, so I want to start my karma right and do my part. Please enjoy my gift to YOU!

karen

One Rep at a Time is available for $26.95 in local bookstores -Tanners Books (Sidney), Russell Books, Munro Books and Bolen Books (Victoria) and on Amazon.com / Amazon.ca.  $1 from the sale of every book goes to the Tristan Graham Foundation to help abused and abandoned animals. So you too are paying it forward!

Yesterday I was chatting with a fellow trainer as we flipped through a fitness magazine. We were discussing one woman’s amazingly chiseled body as she demonstrated her at-home program that she teaches others.

“I don’t think she built that body by just doing her at-home program, she looks like she does weights,” my fellow trainer said.

Bang on. That’s the rub, really. See, all those shapely gals in the magazines that have tight legs and glutes didn’t build them with hip thrusts…these ladies train with heavy weights to build the body, then take it to the photo shoot. Nothing wrong with that. Problem is, many women think they’ll look like that by doing that exercise.

Now I’m not picking on at-home programs…they have their place, for sure, my issue is with how they’re sold. The woman in the picture (right) is a top-ranked figure athlete, and look at those hamstrings - amazing! - but do you honestly think she built those with hip thrusts? Nope, she’s a squatter and leg presser, to be sure!

Unfortunately many women skim through the mags, see those bodies and think they can get that body by doing that exercise or program.

It just ain’t so.  

It’s not that the mags are lying, per se. It’s just that they’re not telling the whole truth. It’s kind of like 20-year olds promoting anti-wrinkle creams….it’s how the game’s played. And it’s the same in fitness.

Love the at-home programs, bootcamp stuff, bodyweight exercises and plyometrics…they’ll do your body good. But just keep this in mind when you’re flipping through magazines, looking for programs to sculpt your body and lose the weight….these models train for hours a week using basic body building moves to get those bodies.

And that ab routine with that woman with amazingly sharp abs? Remember….you cannot spot reduce. Those abs are from clean eating and carb depleting, to be sure. It doesn’t mean we stop training abs (NEVER!), but we call a spade a spade, is all.

My dad always said, consider the source….she’s a fitness competitor…she’s does the hard work, walks the walk, eats exceptionally well every single day. She’s learned the art form of training and the science of clean eating.

So yes, you too can build that body…you just have to put 2 and 2 together, in your own mind, when you glance through your fitness mags. In fact, you can google some of these women in action…watch them training. That’s what we’re going to do in week 9 of my Advanced 12-Week Challenge, so my ladies get to see these gals in action, if they haven’t already…very inspiring!

Karen
PS I hope to see some of you at my book signing tomorrow in Victoria!

My Merry Xmas video from…where else…the gym! Hubby and I thought we’d go do a few squats before our turkey dinner tomorrow….gotta keep those treats off the thighs and butt somehow!

Many thanks for everyone’s support over the year, and let’s look forward to a happy, healthy and prosperous 2012! See you on the other side!

Karen and family!

I have a love / hate relationship with Starbucks.

I love their coffee. I’m an Americano freak, I have two a day, no cream, just straight up. Problem is, there’s that lovely pastry case sitting right there, at the check-out counter, filled with cookies, bars, cakes, and my all-time favourite…chocolate brownies.

I love chocolately-cake-like things….they’re sooo soothing, rich and creamy. But I learned a long time ago that they don’t love me. In fact, I might was well just forgo the eating part and just rub them directly on my butt! Cause that’s where they end up eventually anyway.

About 2 years ago I decided to get off the weight-gain weight-loss rollercoaster for life. In my sport of choice (body building / figure) most competitors do the old yo-yo thing…they get lean for contest, and the rest of the time they’re bigger than usual, usually with 20-40 extra pounds on them.

I just got tired of it. I wanted to feel and look good all year long. So I decided to get off the roller-coaster for good. But I knew all too well that any lifestyle change requires a shift inside.

So I made ‘the shift’: I decided that every time I was confronted with a lovely display of cookies and cakes, and yes, even brownies, I would see it as an opportunity to grow stronger in my conviction and to re-confirm my commitment, my new lifestyle, to myself.

And it worked. Now, when I buy an Americano, I breeze on past the pastry display without fanfare. I know how much hard work it takes to stay light and lean, and I’m not about to ruin it with a 450-calorie whollop of sugar and transfats. In fact, I silently thank that little brownie sitting there, all soft and gooey on that shelf, for helping me to get stronger within myself, and to remind me that I’m in control. It’s not about denial. I’ve moved past that. It’s about reclaiming my power. It’s a lifelong process, but it definately gets easier with time.

Will I ever eat a brownie again? You bet! But it’ll be a planned event, a once in awhile thing, and I’ll be in control of it, and I’ll eat that little brownie with all the respect in the world!

And I’ll wash it down with a black Americano, of course! Yum!

Karen

PS My 10-Week Challenge is filling up fast! ON SALE - $40 off the regular price. Starts  January 9th (we even build in cheat days)! And for those ladies wanting to take it to the top, check out my 12-Week Challenge… Train, eat and live the life! Not sure which one is right for you? Check it out HERE!

I’m often asked what the best kind of exercise is to stay fit, healthy, lean and happy. My answer is the same – determine what your goals are and create a lifestyle program based on that.

It’s simple really. For some people, exercise is a recreational thing, golf, hiking, biking, and that’s what makes you happiest, then do that 3-5 times a week. It’s likely less about ‘looks’ and more about having daily interractive and fun activities to do. Cool!

For others, it might be a certain philosophy…perhaps pilates or yoga would suit you? You may love that full-out burn when you train, and you love a personal challenge…so perhaps Crossfit or Bootcamp would suit you.

Do you like the look of a Zumba dancer, a boxer, a ballernia? Is it a lifestyle you want to emulate (very important point if you want to stick with it.)

For me, since day one, I always enjoyed the art of shaping my body. I wanted to see it change year after year, and I wanted broader shoulders and a smaller butt (My goal in life!). I wanted it to stay strong and tight well into my fifties and beyond, so weight training was my exercise of choice.

At the end of the day, determine your deepest desires, and find someone who practices that practice. If you like ultimate shape and tone, or you like the look of the fitness gals in Oxygen magazine, then do weight training. If you prefer a softer approach, then try bootcamp or plyometrics or bodyweight exercise programs.

Find someone who you want to look like in body, and emulate in health and spriti, and ask them what they do for exercise (and how they eat). Then follow in their footsteps and stick with it, 3-5 days a week. Then do the work. (For me, it was women like Rachel McLish and Cory Everson who I watched transform their health and bodies for over 20 years, and they’re still going - Rachel’s now 53 years young (right)).

The world is your oyster…..
Karen

Last week, I graduated 15 lovely women from my 10-Week Best Shape of Your Life Challenge….

Sarah Watts, from Cranbrook, joined the Challenge after hearing about it from her sister-in-law, a Challenger Graduate herself.    

“I love lifting weights. This Challenge has been exactly what I needed. Not only do I fit into my ‘skinny’ pants, but my confidence is going way up again too! Plus, I love the muscle tone I am developing and I’m looking forward to continuing the process!”

Misti Miller from Florida found out about the Challenge through Facebook, and brought her tenacity and passion to the process, with great results. 

“I have LOVED every part of the challenge.  I am proud that I have completed it and stuck it out!  One thing that you helped me on during this challenge is realize that this is only the beginning, and 10 weeks is NOT enough time.  I will continue working on and having a love affair with me!  I LOVE how I feel, I am STRONG! I am a warrior!  I AM ME!”

My next 10-Week Best Shape of Your Life Challenge starts January 9th, and it’s on SALE NOW. Only 20 seats! And I’ve added on an Advanced 12-Week Best Shape of Your Life Challenge too…for the serious woman wanting serious results. 

They say 2012 is the year of all years. So get on the path today…and join us!

Because it’s all about YOU!
Karen

PS Why not Give the GIFT OF HEALTH this Christmas and purchase a Xmas Gift Certificate for a family or friend to take part in a Challenge or my Healthy Living Program.

How? It’s easy…I’ll send them a Healthy Gift Certificate at Xmas (see sample below) or you can print it off and pop it under the Xmas tree for them, and voila…they’re on the road to a healthy, fit, shapely 2012!

Best Shape Challenge XMAS GIFT Certificate SAMPLE.

Healthy LIving Program XMAS GIFT Certificate SAMPLE

Email me with any questions. Until then, stay well! (PS Remember, only 20 seats in each Challenge!)
Karen

Last night, I attended the Fit Life Fitness Competition in Victoria, with guest speaker / clean-eating guru Tosca Reno. Her and her hubby, Robert Kennedy, had just flown in from Toronto to support the show. I was excited to finally meet my mentor…and I don’t mean Tosca.

Don’t get me wrong. I love Tosca like everyone else. She has done so much to help educate us all about the necessity of clean eating, and she’s a great ambassador for women wanting to get lean, shapely and healthy, and she herself epitomizes health, grace and beauty. But I was after her husband…in an honest kind of way!

See, when I first started lifting in my home-made gym 30 years ago, It was Robert’s pictures that graced my gym wall – pics of Arnold, Franco, Rachel and Carla. (He was the physique photographer at that time).

And when I got deeper into training, I leafed thru issues of MuscleMag Magazine, the industry’s first mag on hard-core training, still in publication today (He is also the creator and publisher of Oxygen Magazine). Robert was the first-ever to tell women to lift heavy and lift hard, in order to lose weight, tighten, tone and to create sexy, shapely bodies.

It was a special night for another reason too - the show was being held at the Royal Theatre, where I did my first-ever competition 20 years ago – the Gold’s Classic - which I won. Unknown to me, my now-husband was sitting in the crowd with his then-wife, cheering on that girl from Whistler in the tiny black bathing suit (me). Ten years later, we would meet and marry.

We talked about his work, and we laughed about the fact that my husband still has dozens of MuscleMag magazines from thirty years ago sitting in our basement that he won’t get rid of (I’ve tried, believe me!).

As we turned to leave, I asked for one more picture of us. As we hugged, he reached over, squeezed my waist and said, ‘Not bad….about 17 percent?’

Bang on, Robert. You always were the best!

Karen

Copies of Karen’s popular BREATHE Newsletter for Women can be found by clicking on the link:

http://www.mccoyfitness.ca/blog/members-zone/videos/

Tons of training tips, success stories, recipes, lifestyle tips and more! Enjoy!

http://www.mccoyfitness.ca/blog/members-zone/videos/

Enjoy. And stay strong!

Karen

In Japan, they have a practice called hara hachi bu. Basically, it teaches one to eat only until you’re 80 percent full. This helps them to live longer and stay in better health.

Other cultures practice similar things: the Aryuvedic tradition in India advises eating until you are 75 percent full. The Chinese specify 70 percent full. The prophet Muhammad described a full belly as one that had 1/3 food, 1/3 liquid and 1/3 air. In Germany, they say: “You need to tie off the sack before it gets completely full.”

I learned this practice about 20 years ago and I’ve been practicing it ever since. In our household, we often eat our biggest meal in the late afternoon. Our smaller dinner is done by 6:30 (there are a few exceptions, of course) and we forgo the late-night snacking. If we have a craving, it’s butterless popcorn – the mini bag - split between us.

Problem is, most people can’t (or don’t want to) grasp this concept. They think it’s living in denail, without pleasure. Really? To me, living with a bloated belly and excess weight is not how I want to go through life. Not anymore, anyway. 

I always say, if you want to be fit and lean and stay that way, then you have to think like a fit and lean person. It’s not about denial or going without. People ‘like us’ just think differently. We want to feel good. We want to be well. We see food as both a pleasure and a gateway to an amazingly healthy and vibrant life.  

Try hara hachi bu, if only for a few days. Not only will you feel great, pretty soon you’ll learn what many of us have already learned, that the true path to health and wellness must first come from within.

Change your thinking, change your life!

karen

PS A Reminder that my next Lift n Lose class starts November 7th, and sign up has begun for my monthly Keep it Up Class starts November 1st! Limited class size! For more info, please CLICK HERE!

When I take on clients, I know that the toughest part of my job is not necessarily teachings them how to lift, what kinds of exercises to do, or even how to eat well. The toughest part is helping them to see how their inner beliefs may be limiting their best efforts.

Us trainers repeat our mantras about the importance of ’commitment’, lerning how to ‘prioritize’, and staying ‘on schedule’, but these things can conjure up more feelings of pressure and guilt.

Let’s dig a little deeper.

The successful client is the one that sees her training and clean eating from another perspective: an empowering one that says it’s good – no, necessary – to train and eat well.

I made this shift awhile ago…yes, I had always been interested in good health but it was also about looking good. But when my son was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy years ago, I was struck with the undeniable truth that he would soon lose all function with time. 

Despite my fit body and clean lifestyle, I was overwhelmed with fear, sadness and guilt – guilt at being able to strengthen my body while I watched my son’s muscles slowly deteriorate. How dare I be so selfish? I didn’t train for a full five years.

Then, one night while he lay sleeping, I sat beside him, stroking his tiny chest, and I made him a vow – to do whatever I could to support him in his journey.

And that’s when it shifted for me: I had to stay healthy for him, in order to help him through his years of declining strength. My being able to train was a gift to him, to all of us. I got rid of the guilt and replaced it with something greater: if good health was my gift, then I could use it to help him.

Today I teach women everywhere that training is the greatest act of self-love you can practice. Park your guilt at the door, nix the excuses, file your doubt away and go in and ‘love yourself into health’ with every lift.

To love yourself means being healthy, whole and all you can be. And that means committing to keeping your body strong and capable.

Do it for them. But mostly, do it for you. And know that you deserve it.

karen