LIVE with LIZ: My Preface to a Story of Change.

You are about to meet an amazing gal named Cassie.

This is Cassie the Fabulous and her 2 girls

I met Cassie at church one of the first weeks that I moved to Lawton. She was sitting behind me and after looking over my shoulder and scoping out my visitor info, she boldly exclaimed that we were neighbors, introduced herself, and we quickly exchanged numbers. Some time passed with no follow through on the well meaning promise, "Of COURSE I'll call you!!" But God's plans were bigger than our mediocre efforts to pursue friendship, and He kept putting us in each other's paths. We started running into each other EVERYWHERE. Not that it was pulling teeth to call this fabulous girl, but I can catch a hint when God wants me to pursue a relationship, so I called Cassie up and I am SOOOO glad I did because let me tell you that this girl is a GREAT person to know and an even better friend to have.

I took care of her two little girls Charlotte (4) and Lucy (1) for 3 months while she finished up school. This was a huge blessing for us both and through it, our families have become super close and I consider Cassie now to be a great friend. She has a personality that lights up a room. She is a real and honest person and she will make you "pee in your pants" laugh.

That's a picture of my girls Lily and Catie on the left with Cassie's girls Charlotte and Lucy on the right. They were helping me build their own garden. 

She is eager to do well in life and to be a good mother and a good wife. I'd say she's doing a pretty darn good job, but there's just ONE area of her life that is holding her back from truly thriving and that is her HEALTH.

Cassie and the fam. Love em!

Cassie expressed to me from the very beginning of our friendship that she needed help. She was concerned about her weight, her health, and her lack of energy. Again we made one of those well-meaning promises to each other. "Liz, you GOTTA train me one day and help me get my sexy back."..."Oh, girl. You know I will one day!!!" 

We can say a lot of well meaning things and wish for brighter futures, but if we don't take action steps toward achieving those dreams, they will remain empty ambitions that leave us perpetually frustrated with ourselves. 

So, of course...God once again urged me to make a personal commitment to help Cassie and I seized the opportunity the first moment that I could. However, you can't seize an opportunity that involves someone else unless they have the same willing spirit. And what I am planning to do with Cassie is a complete overhaul. 

I have a tendency to think BIG and be pushy in a CARPE DIEM kinda way, so a long time ago I began praying that Cassie would really continue to ask me for help over time and that the desire in her heart would be as strong as it was in mine. If I'm going to help someone, I am in it BIG time. There is NO half way with me. I wanted her to put the same amount of effort back into it. This is why I did not jump into anything big with her at the first suggestion of getting my help. But, over time through getting to know each other and building up trust, I felt that it was time  to propose a bigger offer than even she was asking.  

You see, Liz (yes me), is not about just ONE thing. I'm not just about getting fit or having good nutrition or cooking or gardening or JUICING even. I am about whatever it takes to really LIVE and to live WELL! Investing passion and hard work into anything or anyone without the ultimate end being real and lasting change through and through seems empty to me. It is worth all of my time, effort, and expertise to go full on with a person's life because I feel that after personal experience and education, I have the skill to offer practical tools that ANYONE can utilize in their own lives. Sometimes though, people just need someone else to be committed and devoted to helping them step by step. Life is busy and it's hard to make big changes on your own. Without practical habits, we are only a series of motivated moments that usually don't endure.

So, after a recent meeting with Cassie and her husband, which involved a VERY intense session of tough love/let's face reality because you're dying a slow death kinda business talk, they agreed to let me guide them though a lifestyle change program. I laid out a detailed outline of the next 12 weeks with them and everything that I expected and would be implementing. With the full support of an amazing and devoted husband, Cassie agreed to take on this challenge!!! This program is centered on her with the intent of her being able to implement it and pass it on to her family. 

I call the program ...

Live with Liz. 

Here's why...Living is not passive. It is ACTIVE and to LIVE WELL is my ultimate call to action for whoever chooses to work with me and that is exactly what I will be teaching Cassie to do. 

But what's even MORE exciting is that Cassie is going to let us follow her in this journey. You will start with us from the beginning and watch her experiences and her changes unfold before you. You see, Cassie wants to impact people too. She wants her life to be meaningful and purposeful, so she is willing to open up for the sake of teaching and compelling others to take action in their own lives. She is a beautiful person and we are all very fortunate to get to know her better. 

Throughout Cassie's 12 week program, she and I both will be sharing regular updates on her progress and her experiences. I will give you some snapshots of the the program I am having her follow and the changes that they are bringing about in her along the way. Basically, she and I are both going very RAW with all of you during this process. 

It's going to be amazing. Cassie is fully committed and SO far she has been an amazing client. We've spent the last week in intense training and education to prepare for what starts TOMORROW!!!!  She is set and ready to go!! She and her husband have done everything to a big fat T so far. They are ALL IN and loving the experience so far. It's a beautiful thing!

We'll begin the journey with a personal testimony from Cassie herself. We will see where she is physically and emotionally right now. We'll see what her goals are and what her heart is. You'll get more pics too! This testimony will be up tomorrow!!! It'll be a great start to the week.

Thanks so much for visiting and I hope you will enjoy taking this journey with us!!!

Cassie and I at her Graduation Dinner.