Help me not get evicted!!

Hello, my name is Allyson Lockwood. I am a 24 year old server at Applebee's. My boyfriend and I have lived together since October 2012, and have 2 dogs and 2 cats. My boyfriend had a really great job working for an older friend who owned his own business. Since the man my boyfriend, Chris, worked for was a friend, he was paid weekly "under the table" so there was no official payroll. Chris and his mother were also the only employees since the business was relatively small. Well about 3 weeks ago, his employer passed away suddenly outside of his home. He was older and was very sick, but we all thought he had a little more time, so it was a huge shock that he died just one hour after working with Chris and his mom. In the matter of seconds, we went from having two incomes to one, and my income alone isn't enough to support us. The total irony of our situation, is that the very next day, Chris was going to be paid for the week he had just worked (which was going to be enough to cover our rent), AND he and his mother were going to be written into Rick's (the employer who passed) will. Rick became very close with my boyfriend and his mother, and wanted them taken care of in the event of his death. It is just so ironic that they were all talking about writing a will the very next day, and the same day Rick passed away. We have since filed for unemployment, but because my boyfriend was able to get a job working for his brother a few days later, is no longer eligible to receive benefits. We have been selling random things on craigslist, just trying to make any extra money we can. I have been picking up extra shifts at work as often as I can, and Chris will be working overtime (12 hour shifts in a ZERO a/c warehouse in Arizona) just to make as much as we can. Unfortunately, since Chris didn't get paid before Rick passed away, we were unable to pay our rent in our apartment of almost 2 years. Our account has been turned over to the attorney's and the eviction process has started (that is what the pictures below show). Today is July 17, and we have court on July 22. If by July 22nd, we don't have $2,644.14 to give them, they will evict us from our home. We currently have $130 to our names, and we have to top up our M-Power box in the next couple days so we don't lose power. Just knowing that I have no options, is terrifying. I have never been one to ask people for help, but the idea of losing my home and potentially making renting anywhere else in the future practically impossible, is so scary. I am trying to be as positive as possible, but with no visible light nearing, I feel helpless unless I get a miracle. If you can help, I would greatly appreciate it. we are looking to raise $3000 in order to cover all the costs to the court and landlord, and to have a small cushion for next months rent. I truly believe in miracles, and I am hoping to receive one. God bless and thank you!!

Vision Boards

Dream it, envision it, see it, do it! Vision boards have helped so many people reach their goals and dreams. By seeing your dreams, it makes them more real, and in my opinion, easier to attain. The help turn "dreams" into "realities". These are my realities 12 months from now. I'm going all in to make these things happen!! P.S. I used picmonkey.com to create my board. LOVE that site for all things photo editing!

Review: Vegan Chocolate Shakeology

Oh ma gosh, this stuff is SO GOOD. Let me start off by saying I absolutely love regular Shakeology, but this stuff is just as good, if not better. It is a little creamier than original chocolate, but tastes about the same, to me anyways. I mixed mine in a blender, with 5-6 ice cubes and about 10 ounces of vanilla almond milk. I personally like to use vanilla almond milk in my shakes, because I feel it makes them taste a little more like dessert. This shake is so great for so many reasons, and I would be here all day if I told you ALL the things I love about it. Haha. But to keep it short, I LOVE how much energy it gives me, I LOVE that ALL the ingredients are NATURAL.. not a single ingredient is ARTIFICIAL, and boy is that hard to find in a delicious meal replacement shake. I love that I don't have to take a multi- vitamin, because there is my daily needed amount in the shake, PLUS I love that it has 70+ whole food ingredients in it. And did I mention it has been recommended by doctors and was clinically approved to help you lower bad cholesterol and blood sugar? HOLY AMAZINGNESS IN A GLASS BATMAN! If you haven't tried this stuff already, or are curious to learn more, click here to give it a try. I promise you'll love it!! :)

Summer Squat-A-Thon (So you look good in a thong)

Okay so do you want a better looking booty? Who doesn't, right?! I am one of those girls who has some junk in the trunk, but lately I feel like it's getting a little saggy and out of control. Hahaha. I want to do something simple, yet challenging, so I am doing the 30 day squat challenge. Basically every day, for 30 days, I will gradually be adding more and more squats until (hopefully) I end with a tight, firmer, and more lifted booty. I'm doing this challenge because I don't have any excuse as to why I can't. I don't need equipment, a program, or a gym to do a squat. I can do them while I'm watching t.v., so this challenge is perfect for people who find themselves making excuses as to why they can't workout, because this challenge ELIMINATES them. If you have to do 50 squats in a day, you can do 10 at a time, just as long as you get them done! I'm so pumped to get started on Monday, and I hope to be joined by as many others as possible! :)

Before your next soda, watch this video!

I have heard a lot of rumors that Coca-Cola could do a lot of cleaning things like rust removal or dissolving oil. I was skeptical and decided to do my own experiment. I have a metal bowl for my dog's drinking water that tends to get patches of rust. I have cleaned it many times with soap and water, and scrubbed, but the rust would never go away. And since it is my dog's water bowl, I didn't want to use any chemicals. So today I bought a can of Coke, and poured it on the rust and let it soak for about 5 minutes. I scrubbed a little bit, and was able to remove about 75% of the rust stain. Cool! But so gross to think about it being ingested. I REALLY don't want to be putting something in my body that can eat thru rust and oil, and who knows what else! So I urge you to watch this and think about this the next time you want to drink a soda, but especially a Coke.

Sunday Reflection Day! This past week I, A. Learned a hard lesson about sunscreen (just check out the pictures. haha) and B. realized how in love I am with the company I work for (Beachbody). Even tho I have not yet started making some crazy good income, I am more motivated than EVER to change lives and be successful. I am SO passionate about what this company does and how many lives we impact. We are not a quick fix, but a lifestyle. We are more than just coaches and customers, we are friends and FAMILY. I have learned that I really am happy with what I do, money or not. Yes, I need money to live, but the joy I get when someone tells me I've inspired them or motivated them, Is worth SO MUCH more than any paycheck ever could be. I am a Beachbody coach, and I LOVE what I do. I want to impact so many people and I know I can with this AMAZING opportunity! :)

 

Yes, this sunburn hurts. This is what happens in beautiful San Diego weather. It's so nice out (by the ocean) that you don't even realize you're burning. Lesson learned.

Why Shakeology?!?!

One of the biggest obstacles I face when helping people develop healthier lifestyles and habits is the food they eat and even more… the WAY THEY THINK about food.

Many of us believe that in order to achieve our “fitness goals”, we simply have to reduce our calories. This is simply untrue.

Let me repeat myself – IT’S NOT ABOUT REDUCING CALORIES!

Achieving your goals SOLEY depends on your ability to fuel your body appropriately. To live a healthy life, and to FEEL healthy, you must be giving your body what it NEEDS!

So, the question becomes, how do I fuel my body right?

Each person will have individual needs. That would be way too long of a post. Please message me though if you would like one on one help, and I would be happy to set you up for success!

Many others will join me when I say, no matter what nutrition plan you choose to follow, they  ALL …. Yes all of them…. NEED to include Shakeology.

Here is the WHY!

WHAT IS SHAKEOLOGY?

I am not going to list ALL of the ingredients and incredible superfoods here. If you’d like to read that PLEASE do… but go here (there is a PDF on the bottom of the page with the details) myshakeology.com/AllysonLockwood

Another coach has said, “Shakeology is the ‘kitchen sink approach’ to nutrition. Or better yet, it’s the Swiss Army Knife of nutrition!  It has over 70 superfood ingredients in it that your body will use to repair, change, and improve itself.”

Shakeology is a powder. It is FOOD. It is a complete nutrition, unlike juicing or many other “protein shakes.” This is SO MUCH MORE than a protein shake! Highly trained professionals searched HIGH and LOW for the BEST, HIGHTEST QUALITY foods from AROUND the WORLD (literally) and made them into a shake. The ground that they grow in is NOT treated with chemicals and pesicides. It is not made in some factory, but rather in a LAB in the US. There is NOTHING artificial in it.. NOTHING. That is why there aren’t a bazillion flavors. Beachbody will not make a Vanilla, or Peanut Butter or whatever flavor you crave… just to make it! They will not make those flavors unless it can be achieved naturally and in line with all that Shakeology stands for. Watch this VIDEO to see where the ingredients come from.

They are much higher quality than what you or I can get in the stores.  It comes in five flavors – Chocolate, Tropical, Strawberry, Vanilla and Greenberry. The tropical formula is VEGAN, and there is a Chocolate VEGAN (along with the regular chocolate) too. It has only 140 calories for the base mix and 16-17g of protein per serving.

Oprah herself had a 10 page article on the superfoods in Shakeology (see the May 2011 issue of O Magazine).

WHY DO I DRINK IT?

 Disease process after disease process WILL ROB you of your life, joy, and comfort if you continue to put junk in your body. It just will. And then, you will have little to no choice but to then take a daily medication to combat these ailments.

For me, I’d much rather get my nutrients from whole foods. I would much rather pay Beachbody and drink a delicious Shakeology meal daily for the rest of my life than pay CVS & my doctor for my medicine to then cause a slew of other issues in my body.

TIME magazine (and others) have put out report after report explaining the real change in the nutritional makeup of our foods.  The nutritional value of the food today is declining.  So, the apple you can eat today has  1/3 of the nutritional value your grandparents had at the same age. Why? There are many reasons.  But in summary – agriculture is definitely a business.  Faster production growth times, more product, etc… equals more profit. So they find ways to grow them faster and grow them more often, no matter what it costs or how it changes our foods. We’re not letting nature take its course.

Another reason – convenience. I am not a morning person if my morning starts before 9 am. There is no way I’m cooking a healthy breakfast that early! So with this, I put the recipe into a blender along with my favorite recipe items and blend it up! That’s it. Takes  3 minutes to prepare and drink while I’m on the road. Saves precious time at 9am! And truly, I LOVE the way it tastes! I look forward to it. There is no longer any reason to skip breakfast.

Things I wasn’t told before I started drinking Shakeology:

It actually CURBS my appetite/sweet tooth. True story.

It aids in digestion and regularity.

It helped clear up my skin (facial acne).

It helps with MOOD.

I sincerely do not get hungry for snacking until it’s time for my second meal! 9am-12pm… no cravings!

It got rid of my CHRONIC BLOAT! (within the first week of drinking it)

IS IT WORTH IT? WHAT’S IT DO?

There are WAY too many benefits to list them all here. I do not want to summarize and belittle this amazing product.  See Shakeology’s website for this detail.

Another advocate once described it well….”Picture a scoop of Shakeology taken daily as a hundred million little nutritional handymen making repairs on your ‘house’ each and every day. They fix the broken stuff, repair and mend the little things, clear the clutter, make sure the systems are running at peak condition and are constantly doing home improvement projects to make your “house” the best it can be!”

To name just a few things that Shakeology is going to give you:

•More energy

•Lower cholesterol (the bad stuff)

•Regulate your blood sugar

•Improve your skin, nails, hair, eyes

•Help/eliminate cravings

•Improve regularity

•And for those vain people (me included) – LOSE WEIGHT!

BUT I CAN’T AFFORD IT? 

For the few who truly can’t afford it, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that things are tough for you.  You should definitely contact me for coaching, and join my team. For 99.99% of the rest of you, that’s simply not true!

We all know how much a Starbuck’s Latte costs. This meal is incredible and equals spending $4/day on the healthiest meal you could EVER have (for this cost). You can’t buy McDonald’s Happy Meals for $4 anymore, and let’s not even try to compare the nutritional value in the two!!

So if you say it isn’t in your budget, I would challenge you to re-examine your priorities. I don’t mean to be intrusive or judgmental, but this is your HEALTH, the example you set for your children, and the way you choose to treat the ONE body you get in this life. Maybe downgrade that ridiculous HBO bill, or the CRAZY amount of money you spend eating out each month… just a suggestion! I’m SO glad I made some adjustments in my family’s budget, and we will never go back!

Quick Fix!?!?

Your body didn’t gain weight overnight, or begin feeling sluggish overnight. No, this isn’t a miracle. It won’t change the scale or your cholesterol overnight. But, I bet you will feel the serious results in 5 days of consistent consumption of Shakeology! 5 days!!

RECIPES! RECIPES! RECIPES!

Personally, I do not care for the taste when mixed with water. But I would still drink it every day if that’s the only way I could make it. I prefer Vanilla Almond Milk & a blender and it is honestly to die for. But, there are a TON of recipes! People have come up with such incredible HEALTHY recipes for Shakeology. Different ingredients added to the mixture can transform a great shake into a WONDERFUL treat!

There are over 120 of them! And more are coming as people like you and me get creative and send them in!

REAL STORIES – REAL PEOPLE

There is no better way to show you the value of Shakeology than to have people share their stories. These are excerpts from people on Shakeology. These are real people with real results and stories. They are 100% true.

Cheryl’s Story – Just got some of the best news I have ever heard (and at a perfect time, when I’ve been feeling very discouraged). My mother-in-law has been drinking Shakeology every day for several months, she has been struggling to lose weight and honestly hasn’t been working out & hasn’t been eating well other than the Shakeology. She is 78 yrs old and I continually try to help her. For the first time since she was in her 20′s, her blood work all came back normal!!! Last year she was borderline diabetic and this year her blood sugar levels were normal!!! The only change in her life was SHAKEOLOGY! Wow I am so excited for her! –

Joyce’s Story – My cholesterol was 261 & mydoctor was going to prescribe cholesterol meds at my next visit. Istarted drinking Shakeology – and in 2 months, my total cholesterol dropped 83 points and my bad cholesterol (LDLs) dropped 77 points – yes – in 2 months!!! ALL my blood levels went into normal ranges in 2 months AND I lost 20 pounds. My doctor said – just keep doing what you’re doing! =)–

Rafeal’s Story – My mom expressed to me the compliments she was receiving ever since she started on Shakeology. To start things off, let’s start with my mom’s medical condition prior to Shakeology. My mom is Diabetic and anemic. She was placed on Thyroid medication to help her lose weight. Her insulin was prescribed to help control her sugar levels. My mom is medically disabled and has had to use wheel chairs and a cane to assist in getting around. She also has to sleep with a sleep apnea machine to help her breathe at night.

After hearing and seeing what Shakeology has done to me, my mom decided to give it a try. After having to spend hundreds of dollars on shakes and Ensure from her doctor’s office, she figured why not do Shakeology.

So, 2 months have gone by and my mom opened her third bag. She went to the local grocery store (Publix) where like always, the cashiers are so friendly and always remember their customers. My mom walks in and the cashier yells, “OMG SYLVIA, You’ve lost so much weight and you’re walking WITHOUT A CANE!! What are you doing?”

That excitement brought my mom to say SHAKEOLOGY! My son got me on it and it’s helped me so much, she said. My mom got the lady’s email and called me about the news. Next, my mom went to her doctor’s office. All the nurses, techs, and receptionist were shocked, too. She went the other day after having a physical done. Her doctor walked in with a confused look on her face. Looking at the chart then at my mom, the doctor couldn’t understand the rapid change. First thing out the doctor’s mouth was, “Sylvia, what are you doing different?” my mom said “Shakeology why?” The doctor replied, “Well, don’t ever stop it!”

The doctor then explained to my mom that she no longer needed her insulin, her levels were normal. Next the doctor lowered her triglyceride medication. Next the doctor was happy to tell her that she was now no longer anemic. Within 2 months, my mom lost 32 pounds, that’s an average of 16 pounds a month. Mind you, my mother is disabled so she CANNOT EXERCISE. This has all taken place simply by drinking Shakeology. Also with the weight loss, my mom hasn’t needed to use her cane to walk or sleep apnea machine when sleeping.

Barb’s Story – Barb has been dealing with RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. BEFORE Shakeology:

•Used to ride a chair lift up/down stairs in her home.

•Hurt to walk

•Cookies for breakfast

•No energy

—> ENTER —> 7 WEEKS OF DRINKING SHAKEOLOGY

•Walks up and down stairs –

•HAS **NOT** USED THE CHAIR LIFT IN 7 WEEKS AT ALL!!!!

•Has more energy!

•Cravings for junk food – GONE

•Lost 9 pounds & 14.5 inches

•Gone down 1 size in her clothes

•Started the Shakeology 30 minute & 50 minute workouts – did them for 3 weeks

•Moved on to Beachbody’s Slim in 6 workout

Showed Shakeology to her medical doctor and Rheumatologist – both doctors approved. Her Rheumatologist is interested in ordering Shakeology and helping her patients with it – after seeing her success. WOW!!!!!!

Tracy’s Story – CHRONIC LYME DISEASE ~ FIBROMYALGIA ~ SPINAL MENINGITIS. NO MORE PAIN thanks to Shakeology.

I think I’m still in shock that I’ve had no pain for over one month now. Especially for having suffered for so many years. My only regret was waiting. HUGE thank you to you(Tom) for introducing me to this and helping me live my life again. I hope I can help to change the lives of others suffering from the same disease!

Kimberly And Her 14 yr Old Daughter’s Story – WEIGHT LOSS and PKD – POLYTHEISTIC KIDNEY DISEASE—>NO LONGER AT RISK!!!

I started the Shakeology about 6 weeks ago and within the first three weeks lost a total of 18 lbs. I have so much more energy and as you’ve seen last night I am now able to fit into clothes I couldn’t just a couple of months ago. I have higher self-esteem and it shows. I decided to start my 14 yr old daughter on Shakeology who has a lot of medical problems – one of which is failure to thrive and polytheistic kidney disease(PKD). My daughter was going to the doctor about 6 times a month due to her kidney stones and the doctor needing to keep an eye on them. I am happy to report that she is no longer considered at risk for the failure to thrive and is healthier than ever after 6 weeks on the program. But the most spectacular thing is she is now seeing the doctor only a few times a month and has had no sign of stones in two weeks. That is amazing. For the first time in years she is feeling like a kid and able to do the things a kid should be able to do without the pain and frustration of constant issues. Thanks for the information on the Shakeology. It has been a blessing in so many ways.

James’s Story – I was out of shape, overweight, and bordering on high blood pressure. I felt sluggish, had difficulty walking up a flight of stairs at work, and was starting to get arthritis in my knees. I weighed 265 pounds when I started using Shakeology as a daily noon meal replacement. I began doing the Shakeology 30 workout video every day too. I set a goal to get down to 225 pounds by my birthday on 7/26/2010. To my amazement, after 45 days on the program, I’ve lost 30 pounds and have gone from a 44 waist paints with a large belly hanging over to a 38 waist. And I can look straight down and see my toes, which I haven’t been able to do for at least 20 years!

Brook’s Story – In 2008, I was diagnosed with severe ulcerative colitis. Since then I’ve been on a huge amount of meds, from steroids to herbal remedies. Simply going to a movie with friends had become a huge challenge. The VERY first day on Shakeology, I couldn’t believe how much energy I had! I’d been an energy-drink junkie for years, and this tasty shake gave me higher quality, longer lasting energy than any of those sugary, bubbly drinks. After only a week, the shocking results started: the colitis flare-up I was experiencing was nearly gone! I can’t begin to tell people how amazing this stuff is. I’m losing weight, getting in shape, and I’ve been off my harmful medications for almost three months. I believe Shakeology gave my body the nutrients it needed to fight the colitis.

ORDERING

Simple.

1.Choose your flavor

2.Choose box or bag (you get more with the bag)

3.Choose Autoship.  This is important! This gets you SUPER DISCOUNTED S&H! This is how you save $$$ on Shakeology.

ORDER HERE:   www.myshakeology.com/AllysonLockwood

Pay it Forward!!

XOXO,

Allyson

Seriously? What IS half this stuff?

Silicon Dioxide? Acesulfame? Micellar Casein? Seriously, WHAT IS THIS CRAP? haha. This is the label off of my protein powder that I bought not too long ago, thinking it was a great post work-out drink. WRONG. I literally can't pronounce 90% of this ingredient list, much less know what it is and where I can buy it. I just feel like this is the kind of stuff we shouldn't be putting in our bodies. I want to eat as clean as possible, and this super delicious protein powder does not fit with that. Yes, I said it was delicious.. but so are cupcakes and pizza. Don't mean it's good for ya!! ;)
Do me a favor... take a look at the back of your PROTEIN shake. Look for any of these three.... and if you see them.... put it in your trash can 

1. Soy lecithin: Comes from sludge left after crude soy oil goes through a “degumming” process. It is a waste product containing solvents and pesticides and has a consistency ranging from a gummy fluid to a plastic solid.

2. Soy Protein Isolate: Contains chemicals that are associated with the development of Alzheimer’s and cancer. Also contains phytoestrogens which have been shown to cause rapid growth of breast cancer cells.

3. Mono-diglycerides: Basically another name for hydrogenated oil.

NO THANK YOU! 
Feel free to SHARE this!

Join my July 1st Challenge Group!!

Anyone else have those pictures they KEEP going back to where they were fit and looked amazing and wonder why you ever let yourself find excuses and fall off the wagon? THESE are THOSE pics for ME... they were post completing P90X (you know you’ve seen the infomercials, haha) and I was at around 115 pounds after losing almost 30 pounds with the program. I remember feeling SO confident in my body, and so PROUD of accomplishing what I had set out to do- but somewhere along the way I fell back into my old ways and added back on the 30 pounds I had lost. 

Well- it’s a new day and I want NEW (and current) pictures of myself that I can once again be proud of. So I am RE-COMMITTING and hosting a 30 day online accountability group on Facebook with other ladies doing the same! There are a limited amount of spots, so if you are in my same shoes and are ready to take your life back, click this link to request to join me and I will send you all the details! Hurry tho.. last day to join is June 23rd. We start July 1st. Don't miss out!!! 
Join the Challenge!

Shakeology is my favorite meal of the day!

I seriously can't get enough of this stuff.. it is THAT good. Plus, it's supe totes healthy. Chocolate REALLY CAN be GOOD for you!! Who doesn't love that? Plus, if your like me when your on your period, you MUST have chocolate, and now I can have my cake AND eat it too! Which I did today (well not cake, but some chocolate Shakeology). haha.