Beka Bentley Fitness

Meet Katie!

2009-02-04T17:21:00.000-08:00

Check this amazing girl out!

Meet Bronwyn

2009-02-04T17:19:00.000-08:00

Bronwyn accomplished this in 12 weeks!

Here are 101 tips to get you that body of your dreams:

2008-12-18T10:00:00.000-08:00

1. Hire an online personal trainer. I know a really great one :o)

2. Visualize that perfect body on yourself.

3. Write down what you want your body to look like.

4. Tell everybody you know what you are doing and what your goals
are. Tell them that you are accomplishing them, no matter what.

5. Write down every single morsel you put in your mouth.

6. Stay up 15 minutes later each night to prepare your meals for
the next day.

7. Put your cardio equipment in front of the T.V. and watch your
favorite show while you burn a couple hundred more calories.

8. When you go to the grocery store, buy only the food on your
meal plan.

9. Take cash only to the grocery store to prevent a candy bar
accidentally sneaking in the basket.

10. Learn a hobby that takes time and keeps your hands out of the
cookie jar. Crochet and knitting are good for this.

11. Keep carrot sticks, celery, and cucumber on hand at all times
for those stressful-need-crunchy-food emergencies.

12. Keep a bowlful of prepared sugar free, fat free jello in your
fridge at all times.

13. Use a nasty inlaw, a jealous coworker, whoever gets on your
nerves, as motivation to show off.

14. See if you can increase your pushups everyday.

15. When you do your cardio, try to burn at least 10 more calories
than you did the last time.

16. Don't be afraid of pushing yourself.

17. Don't be afraid of the brand new body you are going to have.

18. Love yourself enough to take care of YOU first!

19. Just smile. When everybody else is complaining about their new
diet, just smile.

20. When you are sticking to a meal plan, doing your workouts,
working hard and you start to feel bad...jump for joy because that
is when your body is changing the most.

21. PMS doesn't control you.

22. Don't be afraid of snow or rainy weather. Run through it
anyway. You may run faster and burn more calories to get out of
the weather.

23. Don't use your kids as an excuse.

24. Don't use your spouse as an excuse.

25. Don't use your job as an excuse.

26. Don't use ANYTHING as an excuse.

27. Stop looking for shortcuts. Slow and steady wins the race.

28. Forgive yourself when you mess up and move on. It's not the
end of the world.

29. Write in a journal all the feelings you have with the new body.
Not when you get the body. See it now.

30. Buy a good, expensive pair of running shoes. Don't go cheap
here.

31. Work out to improve joint pain. Don't not work out to avoid it.

32. Post on online forums about your journey. Don't hide yourself.

33. Tell a few jokes and laugh your butt off.

34. Be nice to yourself.

35. Play mind games with yourself to get you through one more
minute of cardio.

36. Food is not a reward.

37. Eat to live. Don't live to eat.

38. Reward yourself with nail polish, a new workout outfit, or a
trashy celebrity magazine for a great week of workouts and eating
clean.

39. Be honest with yourself.

40. Be honest with your trainer.

41. Utilize your trainer's (or support teams) services.

42. Compete with yourself.

43. Choose healthy. Skinny is a dirty word.

44. Repeat your affirmations when you wake up and when you go to
bed.

45. Model successful people.

46. Teach people what has helped you.

47. Express yourself on a blog, on a forum, or through your hobbies.

48. Write down 5 things that make you special.

49. Challenge the status quo. Are you 50 years old? You don't
have to look like it.

50. Don't give up. Ever.

51. Have a good cry and move on. Don't wallow in self pity.

52. Set out your workout clothes the night before.

53. Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier every day until you are up an
hour ealier than normal and work out!

54. Scour the internet for new recipes for your meal plan.

55. Post pictures of people you want to look like all over your
house and car.

56. A perfect body does not happiness make.

57. Believe in yourself.

58. Beat the odds. When everyone else gives up the 2nd week in
January, you keep going, Tiger.

59. Don't complicate your program. Just do it.

60. Get excited.

61. Quit letting sugar, salt, and alcohol steal your dreams.

62. Learn to listen to your body.

63. Read fitness magazines to get inspired.

64. Plan your new wardrobe.

65. When you are cooking dinner, do 10 jumping squats for a quick
few calories burned.

66. Have Faith in yourself.

67. Do this life and body change NOW. Someday will never come.

68. Aim to improve your life, not just your body.

69. Meditate.

70. Watch The Biggest Loser. Get season DVD's and do your cardio.

71. Make everything you do a way to burn a few extra calories.

72. Don't hang around negative people.

73. When you have a negative thought, immediately replace it with a
positive one.

74. Look at the big picture.

75. Arrange your big goals into smaller, more manageable goals.

76. Buy a bikini.

77. Plan a vacation where you can show off that new body.

78. Don't settle. Always reach.

79. Maintenance weight is a myth.

80. Find a park nearby and take pictures as you walk or hike.

81. Buy bikes for everyone in your family and go for Sunday rides
together.

82. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.

83. Your post workout meal can make you or break you. Choose what
you eat wisely.

84. Be open to trying new foods.

85. Don't take yourself so seriously.

86. You belong in the gym just as much as the meatheads do. They
don't own the place ya know.

87. Make a big deal over your victories. Brag on yourself!

88. When a chocolate craving hits, drink sugar free hot chocolate.

89. Don't depend on your workout partner to always be there. Be
there for yourself first.

90. Stay busy and don't let yourself get bored.

91. Look yourself in the eyes every morning and say "You're
beautiful"

92. Try an audiobook for your next cardio session.

93. Before going to sleep at night, pray for yourself and 10 people
that you love.

94. Set a time to do your workouts every day. Schedule it in your
day planner and don't let anything get in your way.

95. Don't you dare buy anymore fat clothes.

96. Keep a chart of your losses (or muscle gains) but don't dwell
on it.

97. Try different kinds of tea or coffee when you are feeling
hungry but it's not time to eat yet.

98. What other people think doesn't matter. This is your life.

99. You are significant and deserve to live the best life
imaginable.

100. Time will pass if you decide to change yourself or not.
Question is: how do you want to look? Fat or healthy?

101. Don't wait for someone to inspire you. You inpire THEM!

Meet Carla McDonald

2008-12-17T18:38:00.001-08:00

Carla McDonald
Started with Beka mid June, 08

At the beginning of this year, I found myself at a terribly unhealthy weight and an even unhealthier place emotionally and mentally. I had been trying this and that weight loss program and had taken off a few pounds from my all time high of 208 the previous year, but still had a long way to go.

I was fairly familiar with the gym, but I needed more help with a lifting and cardio plan than most programs like WW or Jenny Craig offer. I remembered BFL and having seen several friends have great success with it. I bought the book and started on February 19th.

My first Challenge was great and put in place several really healthy habits that I hope to hang on to for life. After that first Challenge, however, I wanted to kick it up a notch… and kick it up I DID. I hired Beka and haven’t looked back.

Having a structured diet with calories, fat grams, carbs and protein formulated for ME and MY workouts was key, I think. Everyone is different. It has been great to have someone either eyeball my pictures or see me in person (I live about 3 hours from Beka) and gear a program specifically to help me meet my personal goals.

When I started BFL in February, I was rapidly pushing out of a size 16. When I finished my first Challenge, I was comfortable in 12’s and some 10’s. Today, after 5 months with Beka, I’m wearing size 2 jeans. I can hardly believe it. Dreams come true if you make them.

Knowing that I am such a goal driven person, Beka thought it would be great for me to compete in a Figure comp just to see if I liked it and to provide that added incentive to bust it hard in the gym and eat clean with a purpose. I’m proud to say that I met that goal last weekend at the Kentucky Muscle Show. I had a blast and feel an amazing sense of accomplishment for having done well.

But I’m not stopping there.

My next goal is to wake up on my 1 year anniversary of this fantastic journey (in February) weighing in at a mean 138, which will be 70 pounds from where I started. At 5’10’’, that’s a very ambitious weight goal, but I know I can do it. And I’m excited to get back into the gym and work hard in order to see it happen.

Beka has been not only a great motivator and teacher for me, but a loyal friend as well. I probably would’ve gotten lazy and eaten away (literally) all my progress had I not found her and taken a chance on this crazy little spitfire of a woman from Lebanon, TN. I’m a different person inside and out for having done so! And if an unhappy 208 pound 42 year old can do it, anyone can!

If you think you can or can’t, you’re right!

Testimonies from Clients

2008-12-11T12:56:00.000-08:00

You have CHANGED me! Really. I mean, we've never even spoken on the phone, but I felt a connection with you as well as your belief in me and I am no longer the same person. I KNOW I can get my body wherever I want it to be, and for the first time in my life I have absolute confidence in that! Sure it's going a little slower than we thought it would at first. But I am learning so much on my journey and I can see it change week to week! I have an incredible sense of CONTROL over it and that is what I love! I hope you (well, and myself!) like the pics I send at the end of this week and I am bustin my ARSE to get to/below 135 now. BUT it has not even been 2 weeks of HCS and I SEE changes and my clothes don't lie!!

This is just a sincere thank you for the thought you've put into my program and for your endless support. You sure have a knack!

-Heather H.

Thanks for checking in. I know you have many other clients, but I love how make us feel like we are all important, which makes you stand out from all the other trainers :)

-Francina S.

THANK YOU - For taking me on as a Client. I feel better than I have in months.
You’re GREAT.

-Diana B.

5 POUNDS!! i lost 5 pounds in 3 days!!! that is CRAZY and MOTIVATING!!
Thanks!!

-Krista E.

Meet Francina

2008-12-11T12:40:00.000-08:00

Weight before: 155 lbs
Competition Weight: 119 lbs
Current Weight: 125 lbs

I have always had very low self-esteem. People look at me and tell me that they don’t believe me, but it is absolutely true. Growing up, I was felt like the odd girl out. I was ignored by my classmates and basically buried my nose in the books during my adolescence. I’ve always been involved with working out, but my eating habits were horrible. I packed on weight and seemed to be stuck at a certain weight and could not lose the weight no matter what. When I finally got my eating under control, I realized that I was one of those people that used food as coping mechanism. I really looked to food for comfort and without it, I was forced to face my true emotions.

Although I was never technically obese, I had a major “fat-girl” mentality where I thought and acted like I was much more overweight than I really was. I would cover up my body all the time. I always worked out at the gym in long pants and sweat shirts, even in the summer.

I finally took a long hard look at myself and realized that I control my destiny. Only I am responsible for my actions and the decisions I make. I control how I react to certain situations. Once I learned that lesson, I was ready to change. I found Beka who give me the tough love I needed to get on track and I have never looked back.

What got me started…

I wanted to get in shape for a trip to Aruba I was taking in August 2008 for my 31st birthday. I was very embarrassed about the pictures from my vacation the previous year, and did not want to feel uncomfortable and fat again. I just wanted to feel healthy and happy with my body and proud to flaunt my body in a bikini. I started training with Beka who gave me exactly the tough love I wanted needed. She created a customized diet and training plan for me. If my diet plan or workouts needed tweaking, Beka was on top of it so that I continued to lose weight, build muscle to achieve the body of my dreams. After the first 6 weeks of working with Beka, my body had transformed in a way that I had never seen before. She knew I had a goal of competing and asked me when I wanted to do my first show. At that point, I seriously considered competing in a figure show. I did my research and found a local show that was coming up in approximately 4 months. Beka believed in me and helped me to believe in myself. With dedication and the support of all the people around me, I did it. And I literally worked my butt off!

I competed in my first figure show on November 15, 2008 – the OCB Yorton Cup Nationals. It was a large and competitive show but I took home 2 trophies. That day was a dream come true. Beka has inspired me so much. Now, I need to dream bigger dreams!