Team Beachbody TOP COACH TRACI MORROW Shows You How To Earn a Presidential Fitness Award!

This nation is in a bad place, as it pertains to obesity. The President of the United States wants to send YOU a Presidential Fitness Award for agreeing to take back YOUR OWN Health, and the health of your family by ordering a Team Beachbody Workout Program or Shakeology on monthly Home Direct!

Do YOUR part to END THE TREND...TOGETHER with our President - Beachbody certainly is!

JOIN ME - I can be your FREE COACH :)

Team Beachbody TOP COACH TRACI MORROW Shares a Video ReCap from 2011 Coaches Summit

Team Beachbody TOP COACH TRACI MORROW Featured in P90X2

Pre Orders Taken in August - don't have a Coach? I'd love to be yours!

Team Beachbody TOP COACH TRACI MORROW Shares Post Summit Thoughts About Coming Back HOME :)

Wow. What a weekend. (felt more like 2 weeks; so much was packed into those four days!)

I'm not going to get into all the fun business announcements because I posted them on facebook and twitter (if you dont already - follow me please at the links up top TRACIMORROW.com) as soon as I heard them, as did many of the coaches at the Summit. I'm going to talk about crossing the threshold back into the real world of home, a family I'd left for four days, and balancing what I learned at Summit with home life.

My most important relationship on this earth is with my husband KC. Yesterday was Father's Day and I'd made certain my kids made his day special before I left for the hotel. He is NOT big on surprises (I learned that when he turned 40 and I threw him a surprise party - he was surprised alright, but I later learned that he was NOT thrilled. :) Good thing he has a good poker face ;o)) so I had a family meeting with the kids before I left and told them to write up what they were planning for Fathers Day on Saturday night before they went to bed. ie:

1. We're taking you and Grandpa out to breakfast
2. We'll leave the kitchen clean after our midnight raid :)
3. We're going to be doing the Starbucks run FOR YOU this morning!
4. When Mom comes home, we're all taking you to dinner

They did it, he was honored, and it was a good day. <3 As for me, while I drove home I was pondering, what if KC went away somewhere for days with tons of people who he knew and loved, who I didnt know, would I feel secretly jealous or wonder if he ever wanted anyone else but me? KC is my lovable introverted husband, and has the blessing/curse of having a wife who loves being around people - lots of them. He is wonderful to encourage me to BE ME. While Summit was happening, I got to hug and speak with literally hundreds of folks that I love on various levels of relationship. Men and women. I might feel a little insecure if I were him, truth be told. Maybe a lot. I like hearing that after 20+ years of marriage, I'm still his #1 choice even today. :) I put myself in his shoes knowing that over the weekend, a divide has temporarily occurred. I've experienced something powerful while he was home having a nice, quiet weekend at home with our kids. My number one goal as I walk back through that door: close the gap. I want him to know as I walk through that door that I am most at home WITH HIM, and HIM ALONE. :) <3 I love all those Beachbody family members that I have come to love deeply, but the BALANCE of my life comes from the day to day running of a family with this man that has my full heart. We had a private conversation that will remain private, but I said all I needed to say while hugging him and looking him eye to eye so he knows that without a doubt my life goal is to FINISH WELL. That means old and wrinkley, side by side WITH HIM. :) <3

I share this because I know there are A LOT of Beachbody Coaches who came to Summit alone. And you too cross a threshold back into life with a spouse who didnt experience what you experienced. Close that gap. While Summit is meant to inspire you to build your business with faith in the integrity and message of the company, OUR GOAL is to keep our relationships in tact with those we made promises to "for better or for worse till death do us part". And to do so with passion and integrity and INTENTION...and a smile! :)

I didnt tell him excitedly everything that happened. There will be a time for that. It was Fathers Day and he asked sincerely if I was too tired to go out to dinner. I was DOG tired, but NEVER too tired to celebrate a day that honors him as the DAD of this crazy ginormous family! We went, we had a nice time with NO talk of Beachbody and it was great. HOME. Then we had frozen yogurt (Joseph yelled from the back of the suburban "hey dad - can you get us Blizz?" "I mean,.....can we take you to Blizz for Fathers Day?" :) lol

Long story short: the BALANCE of life is taking all the different experiences and keeping whats REALLY important in its proper place. Dont let powerful experiences confuse you or distract you from the people who you love, but didnt experience it as well. Live it. They'll get it THROUGH you. :) Take control of your emotional response to Summit and dont let it distance you from the people in your life that YOU CHOSE. :) The rewards will be endless and your regrets will be far fewer.

PROTECT YOUR RELATIONSHIPS.
PROTECT YOUR FAMILY.
PROTECT & PRESERVE what you REALLY WANT IN LIFE.

Finish well. Far too many leaders dont, and society suffers when the leaders dont lead well. To the end.

In this with you!
TRACI :)

Have You Joined In a Local Fit Club? Top Coach TRACI MORROW Shares the Link To Hers!

Team Beachbody Top Coach TRACI MORROW talks about Spiritual Growth & Balance :)

Slow Starting Thursday

Today DID NOT start out how I thought it would. I woke up at 5:30am, did my bible study (I'm in Hebrews), made my bed, and headed out to the garage/gym to get my workout in. As I walked through the kitchen to get to the garage in the dark of morning, I stopped in my tracks.

Teenagers had struck.

The kitchen and living room looked like the troops had stormed in, did as much damage as they could, and rushed out just as fast as they'd come. Sink overflowing with dirty dishes, dishwasher full of clean dishes, stove top slopped with cheese, the rice cooker out, and full of quinoa that had big scoops out of it and the rest burnt to the bottom of the cooker, cups of water, empty and partially empty bowls, water bottles, used napkins, leftover dinner containers emptied and sitting out. You get the idea. There was NO WAY I was heading to the garage to workout only to start my day with a filthy kitchen.

So as I went to work in that mess I mumbled to myself, grumbled out loud to no one in particular, and wondered how in the world they could NOT get that the kitchen shouldnt be slaughtered like that and left to greet me in the morning. It was a good thing it was early and they wouldnt get out to the kitchen for a bit cuz I was fit to be tied.

By the time I wiped the counters clean and started the emptied-then-refilled dishwasher, the first of the teens came out. I had some words to say, but by then my tone was MUCH calmer than it would have been about 40 minutes earlier, and I got my point across in no uncertain terms. I got hugs and apologies and they got my message loud and clear.

So that was my morning. I mopped the kitchen and cleaned the entry bathroom and am so thankful for fit club tonight so I can get my workout in after all. But my point is that sometimes the morning starts out slapping you down - whether its a disastrous kitchen, or a botched deadline at work, or a mountain of paperwork, or bad news, or _________ (you fill in the blank), and its up to us to roll with it and not let it throw off the whole day.

Today is still not over yet, but its not been bad after all. I've had a GREAT conversation with my Success Partner and dear friend Doug Fitzgerald, followed by another good call with fellow Beachbody Coach and friend Perry Tinsley, and my sweet assistant Brittany brought me my favorite coffee. :)

And my kitchen was clean. :) At least for the 6 hours the kids were at school. :)

Paul Study :)

Hey Friends! :)

Update: I've heard from some of you that ordered your Paul (**Thank you Lori J for reminding me that its NOT Daniel, but Paul that I've signed us all up to study! LOL) Beth Moore Bible Study book and it's already arrived at your door...uh?!? Whats up with that - I posted the idea AFTER I'd ordered mine and its still not here?!?! What in the wide world of sports is going on? BooHoo!

So wait for me - my book should be here any day - I will be embarking on this 90 day study very soon and want to do this TOGETHER. :)

Waiting patiently for my Bible Study to arrive......was that the door bell?? ;)

Team Beachbody Top Coach 2008

When I started this business I knew NOTHING about it. :) That just goes to show you that you can DO and LEARN at the same time, and be successful. All it takes is a desire, an interest, and a love for helping people. Servant leadership.

For Women, Aged 35-50

This may be TMI for you guys, so feel free to either pass this link on to your wife or sister, and I’ll see you on the next one. ;)

My mom gave my older sister a book when she turned 40, 10 years ago. Last year, as I approached my 40th birthday I reminded her of the book.



"I’d love a copy of that book you gave to Sister, Mom”, (we’re very unique with our nicknames for one another aren’t we? ;) ) “my body’s doing some weird stuff and I think I may be in the beginning stage of perimenopause.”
“Oh TRACI, you’re young and in such great shape – you’re already having symptoms?”, my mom asked, trying to remember the name of the book. “Terri (my sister) and I were at least 45 before we started in.”

But you know your own body. You KNOW when things are different. I was barely 40 years old and suddenly everything I knew to be pattern, routine and normalcy with my body suddenly were all over the map. My “28-days-to-the-hour” cycle now was anything but predictable. I noticed a layer of fat forming over my abs and backside that had NEVER been there, even though my eating was the same. I was VERY tired, though I was faithfully taking my supps, eating clean, and drinking my Shakeology healthy meal replacement shake and exercising 4-6 times a week. I was more emotional, was experiencing insomnia, and waking up drenched in sweat. Sound familiar? Well, if so, this book will help you navigate this new path in your health journey informed and educated as you decide what you’ll do to manage and monitor your hormone levels.

I don’t have all the answers, but I do know that I have spoken with my gynecologist about the changes. She ran quite a few tests to make sure it is the natural process of perimenopause and not something more serious or dangerous. (I had a mammogram, blood work, and a uterine scrape (in addition to my regular pap exam) to test for uterine cancer. Everything came back normal after a brief scare. whew!) Together, she and I are charting the best plan of action for me, but I’m also researching additional ways to help with mood swings and night sweats. This is a day and age of knowledge on the web and I want to encourage all of you reading this to not just take a medication just because your doctor tells you to, but to search for what is THE BEST plan for YOU. I’m researching and finding out what works for me, and I encourage you to do the same. Times are changing and so is the way people approach aging and change. “Taking your health back” doesn’t just mean getting fit again but also researching whats out there now. Reading a book like this is a GREAT help.

We’re in this TOGETHER. :) I’ll keep sharing with you as I learn, and I hope you’ll do the same with others.

Closing out with page 11 from the book, where there is a check list of symptoms for you to see if you may be in perimenopause. Every woman won’t have every symptom obviously, but see if any of these match up for you:

Irregular Periods
PMS symptoms – bloating, cramps, breast tenderness
hot flashes and night sweats
insomnia and fatigue
heart palpitations
mood swings and irritability
migraine headaches
memory problems
fuzzy thinking or inability to concentrate
dry, itchy, irritated skin
dry or thinning hair
brittle nails
weight gain, especially around the middle
pain with intercourse
loss of interest in sex
joint pain
irritable bowel syndrome

If this lines up with what you’re going through, please purchase the book and make an appt with your gynecologist. We’ll get through this…TOGETHER. :)

Getting Healthy, but staying Relevant :)

Here's what concerns me about leaders in health and wellness coming out in what can be perceived as elitest mentality as it pertains to food. A large percentage of our country spends their time in a fast food line, and "controversies" over Agave r Nectar vs Truvia vs HGCS doesnt even make sense to them. Its a foreign language!

If we want to help people reverse the trends of obesity and make healthy life changes, we need to remember that in order to make a lifestyle shift and reclaim your health, its mostly about BABY STEPS: getting rid of soda, moving their bodies 30 minutes a day 6 days a week, and eating foods that have far less ingredients that they dont know how to pronounce. THAT inspired ME to change because it was doable. Step one. Eat fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains and healthy fats. (tony horton quote) Step two. workout consistently. Step three. get accountable to someone.

My whole purpose is to help people GET HEALTHY; not get so caught up in fear of what to eat and what not to eat that we can become paralyzed with the lack of really pure, clean choices.
Balance. I'm a fan of it. :)

...like slipping into a comfy pair of old slippers....

Its been too long since I've blogged. Life gets busy, and sometimes you just have to let some things go and concentrate on the things that REALLY matter. For me, that was our family scheduling with all the sporting events, and spending time on the phone with members of my Beachbody Coaching team. (www.beachbodycoach.com/TRACIMORROW2)

So lots of things have been happening around here obviously. How could there NOT be a lot going on with 8 people living in this house!? ;o) But as far as my fitness goes, I have been in that place where its just about the self discipline of getting it done. Not really loving it, not training for anything, but understanding that I'm improving the quality of my life in the short and long term each time I work out. Good thing I had a set routine of WHEN I workout, or I might have slipped into that all too common pattern of "taking a break" that I see in the people I coach. (trust me - I was tempted some days because well, life is busy and I always have SOMETHING else I could be doing. Dont we all? Its the never ending internal struggle.)

For anyone who knows me, you know that I love to run. It clears my head, its therapeutic, and it keeps me a SANE, and NICE, and BALANCED wife and mom. :) But that too had lost its charm. In 2008-09 I ran 4 half marathons and in the first half of 2009 I trained and ran in the LA Marathon. Afterwards, I ran a couple times and then just gave myself a pass to NOT RUN for a few months. I was burnt out, and I didnt want to turn something I loved into just another chore. Running has been Holy Ground for me on many, many occasions; while I run I "do business" with God. :) Intimate prayer, where I talk to Him, and He in turn speaks to me.

When my head feels so packed with information and my never ending "to do list", going for a 4-6 miler helps me gain clarity and focus. I cant explain it well, but I never want to lose the beauty of a run and what it does for me mentally, physically, and spiritually. I carefully pick songs that move or inspire me, and when I put on my iPOD and map my run, its not just exercise, its self discipline set to my own personal sound track. :) I know. I may sound like a nutjob, but I sure hope we get to run on those streets of gold in heaven, in slipper-fit eternal running shoes. ;) (I just hope my legs are a little longer - is that asking too much? ;o))

Anyway, two weeks ago (before I got sick) I woke up and knew it was time. I laced up my shoes, dug out my iPOD arm band, and hit the road after I delivered the kids to their four different schools. And it felt SO GOOD. :) All morning I was anticipating it, and as I closed the front door behind me and adjusted my headphones, I could already tell it was going to be a good run. :) My point being that sometimes its okay to lay down the things you get tired of in your fitness and for lack of a better expression: 'put in your time' to maintain your good health & fitness. It only makes picking it back up again all the sweeter; like slipping into a comfy pair of old slippers. You remember WHY you loved it in the first place, and you appreciate it with a fresh perspective as those endorphins kick in as your reward.

God and I had an EXCELLENT time together that day, and I felt my head clear like I havent felt since I stopped running those few months before. And while I felt the effects of not having run for that long, I know that will come right back with consistency and time. I'm just happy to be back.

Once I'd finished my cool down walk and stretch, I opened up that front door a different woman than the one who had closed it on her way out, with a smile that only God saw. That run was like coming home to who I am.
And it always feels good to come home. :)

Excelling at What You Do ~by Rick Warren

This was my daily devotional today and I thought it so good it was worth sharing.

Rick Warren is the pastor of the megachurch Saddleback Church, and New York Times bestselling author. He was asked by President Barack Obama to give the invocation at the presidential inauguration earlier this year.

When looking to improve and excel, it only makes sense that you look to people who are excelling in their particular area of expertise and learn what THEY did. Here, Pastor Warren shares some sound, biblical principles regarding excellence.

Have an EXCELLENT day!
TRACI :)

August 12, 2009

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people” (Colossians 3:23 TEV).

During the 2008 Summer Olympics, Michael Phelps gave us an extraordinary display of the pursuit of excellence. But the truth is every athlete in the Olympics pursues excellence as peak performers in their categories of competition.The Bible identifies five characteristics of people who excel at what they do.

1. People who excel work with enthusiasm. Regardless of whether the job is big or small, give it your best. Great performers give their best effort, no matter the size of the audience: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people” (Colossians 3:23 TEV).

2. People who excel sharpen their skills. They never stop developing, growing, learning, and improving: “If your ax is dull and you don’t sharpen it, you have to work harder to use it. It is smarter to plan ahead” (Ecclesiastes 10:10 TEV). It takes more than desire to excel, it takes skill! Remember, you’re never wasting time when you’re sharpening your “ax.”

3. People who excel keep their word. They are reliable. They can be counted on to do what they say they’ll do. So they excel because people of integrity are rare in our society: “Everyone talks about how loyal and faithful he is, but just try to find someone who really is!” (Proverbs 20:6 TEV).

4. People who excel maintain a positive attitude. Even under pressure, or change, or unrealistic demands, they don’t allow themselves to become negative: “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life . . .” (Philippians 2:14–16 NIV). And remember: “If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes” (Ecclesiastes 10:4 NLT).

5. People who excel do more than is expected. This is a secret that every successful person has discovered. You’ll never excel by only doing what is required. Jesus said, “If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously” (Matthew 5:40–42 MSG).

The Broadway lyricist Oscar Hammerstein once told the story of seeing the top of the Statue of Liberty from a helicopter. He was impressed because of the incredible detail the artist had sculpted on an area that no one was expected to see. In fact, the Statue of Liberty was completed with no idea that man would someday be able to fly over the statue!

When you’re tempted to cut corners, thinking, “No one will ever know,” remember God is looking down and sees everything you do. Give him your best this week!

INSANITY - week 4 - Shoes, Toes, Legs, & Sweat

Okay, so I've not been as good as I thought I'd be about sharing my journey here. Oopsie. Man, summer is full when you run a home business and have 6 kids! ;o)

So playing INSANITY catch up:


Week 1: I thought it was a blast, but was concerned that the muscle groups (predominantly legs) weren't getting enough of a rest to really heal. On day four I was feeling an injury from overuse starting to come on in my quads (vastus lateralis to be exact). It was on both quads, and I really babied it while I continued to do the workouts. I realized about day two how critically important GOOD SHOES are for these workouts. On the second workout I started out with some cool looking shoes that are clearly NOT for this type of cross training. I paused in the warmup to change my shoes. My running shoes arent good either for this. They dont provide enough support around the toes/metatarsals for moves like Suicide Drills. I recommend supportive, but not clunky cross trainers.

Week 2: The vastus lateralis apparently was just awakening as the pre-injury no longer even hints at taking a break. I'm encouraged. I'm loving the workouts, and am feeling stronger and stronger. Im starting to dig deeper, squat lower, and move faster without having to pause to catch my breath, punch my leg, and jump back in. I'm starting to miss my P90X weight workouts, not gonna lie. (not to mention that Horton guy :))


Week 3: Fit Test #2! Man, my numbers are through the roof! I was feeling stronger, but there is nothing like taking a test to determine your growth! I cannot believe how in two short weeks I went from feeling like the test was beating the tar out of me, to feeling like a worthy match for this bad boy. :)


**Got a chance to speak with Shaun T(hompson) and felt like I really got to know him as a person. I am happy to report that he is every bit the good guy I assumed he was from the little interaction I've had with him personally before these calls, not to mention how he reads from the tv. He has an incredible story, and I was THANKFUL he graciously carved out time to spend with our team on our National Team Genesis Call. :) Team Gen now Hearts Shaun T! :)


Week 4: Broken Toe: DOH! On Saturday night - the night before my weekly day off I hit my pinky toe so badly I'm cringing as I type it to remember it. I was barefoot in the backyard with an armload and walked too closely to a deck chair! OW!!!!! I separated that little toe so far out my skin split. <<>>


I immediately iced it and elevated it to reduce swelling, and thanks to my friend Anne Dovel I put on a shoe first thing the next morning to hold in the swelling. This worked, and though it did swell in a funky shoe pattern (I should have taken a picture) it didnt swell nearly as badly as if I'd left it uncontained. By Monday it was a bit black and blue, still swollen, but I was able to tape it and get my Pure Cardio workout in.


Now, I'm not an idiot (well, about this anyway ;o)) and would not have done the workout if I felt pain. But I just adjusted my moves so I predominantly moved off my big toe and hardly felt it but a few times. :) YAY!


So far my experience with INSANITY is a love fest! :) I can visibly see the difference in my legs, and as I said before, my stamina is THROUGH THE ROOF! :)

Oh! I almost forgot to write about the joy of finding that I DO SWEAT! For those who know me, you know I dont really sweat. I get a little "glowey" ;o) but even in my marathon I didnt do much more than glow. And I'm working hard - dont get me wrong, its just a genetic thing. But with INSANITY - I am literally dripping wet after the first half of the workout. The first time I felt sweat running down my forehead I thought it was my bangs falling out of the clip. Then it ran into my eye. ??!?!? I excitedly but sarcastically said to KC, "What is this salty discharge??!" So for me it must be keeping my heart rate high consistently that does the trick, but its a nice feeling to finish your workout and be dripping wet. It just FEELS like you really brought it. :) I love that.

Little nervous for the next phase, but just taking one day at a time for now. Its all I have to really work with, anyway. :)

Be blessed today!
TRACI :)

Living a Healthy Lifestyle

Magazines everywhere call us to live a healthy lifestyle. News articles and programs tell us how obese we are as a country (over 200,000 adults in the US are overweight or obese), and the health and wellness industry claim over $80 billion in revenue in the US alone. And yet....clearly its not providing lasting results and long term lifestyle changes because the obesity rates continue to climb despite the money we're spending to combat it.

I read an article on MSNBC.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25464987) that talks about New York law requiring restaurants to show their customers the nutritional facts of everything on their menus. While for some, the response to this is "FINALLY!!! It's about time!"; to most, its shocking and rattling the patterns of guiltless (and up to this point, uninformed!) eating. When in the world did we ever get to the place where we eat whatever, and however much we want without ever wondering if we SHOULD be eating it all? There is a definite shift happening, and if you read the above article, you'll see that many arent all that happy to be in the midst of the shift.

What Beachbody calls a Revolution is just that; but on such a deeper level than many think. Dictionary.com defines revolution as "a sudden, complete or marked change in something". The Beachbody Revolution is a COMPLETE change alright! People all over our country (and even beyond our borders) are learning how to change how they eat and view food, change from being inactive & complacent to living more active engaged, but also, and perhaps more importantly, change from living isolated from person to person contact (twitter, facebook, texting, emailing) to the accountability that comes from reconnecting socially & personally to another person; their Beachbody Coach and the Beachbody Community. Longterm change requires people linking together and saying unilaterally: "We're instigating change, and we're in this TOGETHER!" And as pastor and author Rick Warren states in his New York Times Best Seller "Purpose Driven Life" "We're better TOGETHER!!"

You see, making life changes and new choices is ENTIRELY possible by attaching meaning and accountability when you DECIDE>COMMIT>SUCCEED (Beachbody's catch phrase), and tie it tightly together with the strings of accountability. And there are hundreds of thousands of customers (and coaches) who are determined to do just that: SUCCEED...TOGETHER.

Are YOU reading this and your internal bells are going off? Do you feel energized and hopeful that your time has come? Have you had a diagnosis or pre-diagnosis of diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure? Has your doctor told you that you need to lose weight? Did you go to put on your clothes this morning and find they are just too snug?

WONT YOU JOIN OUR REVOLUTION? Together we're better, and

we are waiting for YOU!!

Email me if you'd like to join my Team Beachbody Revolution Team. :)

I've got a team of coaches waiting to link arms to help you in your PERSONAL REVOLUTION! :)

Wanting all God's best for you!!

TRACI +7 :)

ABSoluteFitness@roadrunner.com

Interested in Coaching? You're welcome to join my Beachbody Coaching Opportunity Webinar!

The longer I coach people and see them get the results they *HOPE* they'll get when they first purchased their infomercial in- home workout program, the more jazzed I get for other people to join with me and do the very same thing! Every week I host a webinar for people interested in the coaching opportunity - and I'd love to have you join my team of incredible people who are getting fit and healthy, and making a living doing so!

As a coach we get 25% discounts off of all Beachbody Programs and Products, and typically get to try the new stuff out a week or so before its released to everyone else! What could be better than getting a discount on something you're already using anyway?! :) I have friends who coach because the discount helps them "support their habit". :) What a great "habit", right?!

If you're a coach on my team already, please use this tool that I offer my team, but also make up your own and grow it on your own! Its not hard to do, and I'm happy to have you sit in with me till you get the hang of it,so you can feel confident enough to do it on your own! Duplication through relationship. :)

If you're looking for a home based business, and one that you can be PROUD OF....give it a shot!

Lets get this country (and soon, world!) HEALTHY and Fit! :)

Contact me if you're interested and I'll add you to my list of invitees! :)

ABSoluteFitness@roadrunner.com

BRING IT!

TRACI :)