Why Not Start Today?

Not a lot of people know this about me. For the first few years after I got married every single time I went to the grocery store I would buy a doughnut or a candy bar. I would hurry and eat it on the way home so that Matt wouldn't know about it. As the months went by and I started gaining weight it didn't really bother me because I assumed I would get pregnant soon and that once I started breastfeeding I would lose all my gained weight. HA! It only took 9 years to get pregnant and have my 1st kid! Well that one doughnut or candy bar turned into 2 and then I was doing a candy bar and a doughnut or 2. IT GOT SO BAD! 

It took a few years, and Matt finding the "evidence" and that is when I realized that I had a very unhealthy relationship with foods. I have probably come across lately that I have it all together. And have never struggled with food. But I have. I have cravings just like you. I love food. Good food. I love sweets because it helps me feel happy and sometimes it brings back great memories of something from years ago. It is what I choose to do with those cravings that makes me different from back then to now!

But what I have learned is that I am stronger than those cravings. And those sweets only give me like 5 minutes of pleasure and add that to the way I would beat myself up afterwards it just isn't worth it. And the amazing food out there. Yeah, I still have it, sometimes, NOT everyday. I allow myself to indulge. But I also feed myself great tasting whole foods. And just because I eat healthy doesn't mean it tastes bad. It is actually pretty delicious! 

If you have ever felt like this or feel like you need a little helping hand in getting your nutrition and exercise back on track? Let me know! Send me an email message! I will get back to you and we can talk about your goals or set them if you want! I'm starting my next health and fitness private support group on the 3rd of August and I would love to have you join me and the others in the group! Let's do this together!

-One on one support from me to help you set and reach your goals.
-Daily motivation.
-Work with a program that is just right for you to fit your lifestyle.
-Provide you with recipes and a meal guide
-Daily dose of nutrition.
-Plus you will be with other people just like you in our PRIVATE accountability group where you can ask questions and get real answers.

Our Motto for August is: Simply Be-YOU-tiful It is never too late to take care of you! You are worth it!

(You must be willing to make a small investment in your health and wellness.)

Interested? Fill out this form!

Friday's Five May Collection

I haven't done one of these in awhile! Here are my 5 things I am totally loving these days:

1. 21 Day Fix. Seriously loving this because I can modify the workout to work for me. If I need to be a wimp then I can wimp out. But if I wanna push it then I can totally push it for as long as I can, and then wimp out and go down to a lighter weight. But honestly I am getting stronger. I was convinced that Collin had lost weight because he just wasn't feeling as heavy to me. Well the little chunk is now over 20 lbs and low and behold I was just getting stronger. Go figure! Ready to get your hands on 21 Day Fix Finally? ORDER HERE for the workout combined with Shakeology! BEST DEAL THOUGH is to get the Beachbody on Demand Annual All Access Challenge Pack where you get access to every workout program ever created for 1 year, 1st month supply of Shakeology and the entire Nutrition Fix Program (those fun little containers to help you eat right!)

2. Pandora: Love turning on my pandora station and just listening to it. Sometimes during the day I will turn on the kids songs for the kids and watch Collin "dance" to it. But he loves music. Mason just tells me to turn it down. There always has to be a critic.

3. Pinterest: I am loving snooping and pinning on Pinterest lately. I have been looking for clean eating recipes, or different workouts, and lots and lots of motivational quotes to help get me through the day.

4. You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero: (sorry mom didn't mean to swear but that is the name of the book). Seriously this book has hit point on point in what I need to be hearing right now. No more wallowing in my sadness. Time to get out there and make something of myself. Help others. And just enjoy life for the roller coaster ride that it is. There are lots and lots of ups and downs and corkscrews in our life and we just need to know how to ride them. Cower in fear or with hands up! Which would you prefer?

5. Lost: I have started to re-watch Lost again. I am use this as my decompression for when I am having a bad day, because my dad is NEVER as bad as theirs gets to I have something to be thankful for.

Short and sweet. What are you loving these days? Comment below! I wanna hear from you!

Summer Movies

I am so excited for a couple of movies coming out this summer! Are you? I don't go to the theaters that much so when I go it is for something I REALLY want to see! Here are my top picks:

Perfect Pitch 2! Already I have a girls night out planned for this one with my amazing friend J!

Jurassic World: I am going to drag Matt to this. I totally want to see it in the theater to see him squirm! And I saw the original Jurassic Park in the theater so this is totally nostalgic! 

Minions: Thinking about taking Mason to this but after last time he was in a theater...still debating! 

Fantastic 4: I think Matt might be dragging me to this one! 

What movies are you wanting to see this summer??? Comment below! 

Water Kefir

Have you ever heard of kefir? I am sure you have. There is a brand at the grocery store that is a dairy product. Have you ever tried it?

Did you know that you can make your own kefir at home? Yep. There is milk kefir, like the Lifeaway brand, and water kefir. I have tried both and don't really like the milk kefir. It is tolerable but the water was so much better! Water kefir tastes like a carbonated drink. And you can flavor it to whatever you want. So it is a healthy naturally carbonated drink that actually tastes good.

What is water kefir? Water kefir is fermented water. You use grains (not really grains but that is what they are referred to as) which are a live bacteria that you add to sugar water and let it ferment for 24-48 hours. The bacteria feed off of the sugar and replace it with natural fructose. The drink becomes sweet but not like normal sugar. You strain the grains before you drink it up and you can use them again in your next batch of kefir water. It is really quite cool! My friend has a jar of kefir fermenting, one in the fridge ready to drink and a new one just started. So she has some every single day.

So why would kefir be good for your body? You know that Activia commercial where they say that Activia will help with bloating, and irregularity. Well, the yogurt has live bacterias in it and they help keep your insides moving. Our bodies naturally have bacteria in our gut for this purpose, but sometimes we need a little extra push. So now instead of spending $4 for a pack of Activia or Lifeaway Kefir you can make your own. A packet of water kefir grains is $17 and they are reusable! (they can die so you do have to take care of them. Think of them as a new pet in a way!) You can get the grains here!

You also need a strainer and some mason jars, and coffee filters and a rubber band to keep the bugs out since it is sugar water, while it is fermenting. So start up isn't that bad and you won't have to buy Activia or other kefir like products again.

Check out this video on how easy it is to make and use. But this is one thing I am, and have been for a while, seriously thinking about starting.

QOTD: Would you ever make your own kefir water? 

4 Weeks

Guess who is 4 weeks old???? Yep, Collin! I can't believe 4 weeks ago this little guy joined the world. It has flown by and it is kind of crazy but I feel like I have know him longer than just 4 tiny little weeks (+ 9months). It is almost like he has always been part of our family. I have heard other people say that and thought they were crazy but I get it now. He just fits into our life so easily. Mason loves him, I love him and Matt loves him (when he is not crying in his arms!)

~His really pissed off face!~

~Brotherly love!~

How are things going? Pretty well! Collin is growing, getting chunkier and loves to eat and sleep. He doesn't cry. In all honesty he really doesn't. He cries mostly when someone else is holding him (i.e. Matt), when he is hungry and when he is getting his diaper changed. He sleeps like ALL. THE. TIME! Most of my pictures of him are of him sleeping, plus he is so cute when he is sleeping!

How has life changed? Not really too much. Now that I have survived 1 week with all family back home, and Matt back at work full time I have pretty much stuck with the same schedule we had before Collin (B.C., haha!) Mason was so well trained in his schedule that Collin just fits into it. Mason climbs into be with us in the morning while I nurse Collin and rest a little longer. Then Collin rests in his swing while Mace and I eat breakfast as usual. Then we go to the basement for playtime, go outback or now to the park or just together time. Then "Mommy quiet time" for Mason at 12:30ish. Collin eats then naps for a couple hours then Daddy comes home. It really has been an easy transition. And at this very moment, the dishes are done and the kitchen is clean and my main floor in my house is CLEAN! (Feeling accomplished!)

~Family TV time on Father's Day~

What about exercise for the momma (that's me!)? Well, I am not cleared to exercise yet. Haven't had my postpartum appointment yet. I did run about 100 ft last week to my car in the parking lot and things just felt funny and off in my belly. My body is not ready for it. My legs loved it though it was my belly that didn't. I wasn't planning on running quite yet anyhow but I would like to start doing some other exercises before I start running, like squats and other strength training exercises to get that back first.

Anything else??? Well, I am addicted to sugar. So my goal is to start trying to cut out how much sugar we have in the house. When family was here we had a constant array of sweets and treats in the house. Not to mention the cookies I made for Matt last week, and the cupcakes we got for Fathers's Day yesterday. Yep, lots of sweets. I have been getting headaches and I think it is from just too much sugar and not enough protein. So that is something I will be working on.

~I'm a Pink Lady with the Women's 4 Miler Training Program. Training season kicked off Sat 6/14~

Pinterest

I'm on Pinterest now! It is a pretty interesting site that I am learning how to navigate. It is kind of fun and as a friend already warned me, very addictive! Anyhew, PLEASE check it out and don't forget to FOLLOW ME! And be sure to check out my Twitter and Facebook page too. I am jumping on this social media band wagon! Click on the following buttons or scroll down my sidebar and you will find their actual placement on my page!

5 Things I'm Looking Forward To After Baby

I have had ideas of grandeur for the things I am longing for when I am no longer pregnant. There are really some things you can't do, or do very well while pregnant and these things are what I am really missing or looking forward to.

1. Sleeping on my belly. I miss it so much. I HATE sleeping on my side because it kills my hips and I have to flip from one side to the other. I can't really sleep on my back either because the weight of the baby is so heavy it actually hurts a little and I have to sleep like that propped up so much that it just isn't comfy. I often find myself woken up by Baby because I have rolled too much onto my belly from the side. He kicks the crap out of me till I wake up and move. Needless to say, I am very excited for the day when I can sleep with one pillow on my belly.

2. Running. I really am missing running. My legs ache for it most days which is surprising to me. Who would have thought, I would miss running. If you had told me that a year ago I would have laughed at you and said, "yeah right!" But I really do. So much so that I actually ran 1/2 a mile the other day during my walk. It felt really great. My legs got that nice warm burn in them and I just felt great. It was only a 1/2 mile though and I have a long way to go to build my endurance back up but I know I can and I will.

3. Kicking These Crazy Cravings! I have had cravings galore this pregnancy. I have been able to not indulge too much up until recently. My sweet tooth has gone nuts! I am trying to hard not to eat junk food that is around the house, but I have been, however, I AM NOT EATING THE WHOLE BAG in one sitting. I know that sounds weird and gross, but when you are a hormonal pregnant lady and you want some leftover Easter candy and there is a bag in the freezer, a bag can disappear very quickly. (think about thin mint cookies and how quickly they disappear when eating them).  I have been holding back though with is a miracle for me.

4. Getting my energy back. I have been so exhausted most of this pregnancy. A lot of that was self induced exhaustion. I am making a baby and on top of that I trained for a 1/2 marathon. Plus had to take care of my 2 year old and the hubs, and keep the house clean and take care of the dog. I had a lot going on. Now I have the end of the pregnancy exhaustion. It just knocks me down. But I also have the drive to nest. So last night super exhausted. Had Matt and Mace clean the basement, and I vacuumed the whole thing. Then proceeded to clean my bedroom, after already cleaning and organizing the closet, oh then picked up in the bathroom. I have the drive that I have to do every job all the way and not just a little bit. Hence why I am hiring Molly Maids to come clean my house before baby because I don't have the energy to be neurotic about cleaning.

5. Getting back to my pre-pre pregnancy weight. Yes pre-pre pregnancy weight. The weight I was before Mason. I might have only gained 14 lbs this pregnancy so far, but I started 30 lbs heavier than when I got pregnant with Mason. It has bothered me. It has driven me to eat smarter this pregnancy because I refused to end this pregnancy 30 lbs higher that what I had Mason at which would have made me cry if I did. So I am glad that I have only gained 14 lbs so far, and will likely end this pregnancy just under or at what I had Mason but I still want to get to back to what I was with Mason, then work on getting under that weight at that point. I have a long way to go, but I know that I can. It will make running so much easier on my body and the running will help me get back to the body I want. At least I have the tools in my pocket now on how to do that which I am so thankful for!

There you have it. 5 things I am excited for post baby! Have you ever made a list like this at the end of your pregnancy? What is on your list?

Happy Easter!

I just wanted to send a little bit of love out there today and wish you all a happy Easter! I love holidays because it is an excuse for me to over cook and have fun and do my most favorite thing, family time! I miss not having my extended family near where we live but it allows Matt and me to build our own traditions.

Tonight will be a fun filled dinner of Chicken Scampi, recipe from Karrie at her Blog, Happy Money Saver (who has amazing freezer recipes and lots of other great stuff, check her out!).

And for dessert, well I will let the pictures speak for themselves! Made from scratch Chocolate cupcakes filled with homemade caramel sauce, topped with buttercream frosting, toasted coconut, peanut M&M's, and a licorice handle. I will let you soak that in for a bit...

I had a little bit of fun this morning in the kitchen with an almost 3 year old running everywhere throwing his new bouncy balls everywhere that were in his easter basket. My house might look like a mess right now, with candy wrappers and his fuzzy balls all over the floor but my desserts look like a million bucks!

Happy Easter!

To Pink or Not To Pink

Women's 4 Miler Training Program

C-ville, VA- June 14-7am

How soon is too soon? I'm already starting to think about things postpartum. You all know that I am a little OCD and I like to be really, really organized and such. Just starting to think about things coming up in the next few months. And I knew that February and March were going to fly by because HELLO! IT IS ALMOST APRIL! Scary!

Anyhew. So how soon is too soon to get back to it after baby? I don't know. I didn't have this running hobby of mine when I had Mason. I wasn't able to go to the gym or exercise outside of the house regularly. But in June is the 4 miler training program again. I really want to be a volunteer this year. Last year I was encouraged to sign up by a couple of friends, so I did. But I'm thinking about making it official and really doing it. But I will be no less than about 2 weeks postpartum if we have the baby at the absolute latest we can have him (May 28). And what can I really do when I know I won't be running? And he will be with me on the Saturdays that I am there to help out.

Am I allowed to walk a mile or two post baby that soon after? Will I want to?

I have encouraged a few friends to make the commitment and to sign up and participate in the program and I would love to be a Pink Lady to help encourage them along their summer journey.

But this is what I am on the fence about right now. Should I sign up and go to help out as often as I can? Make the commitment now and just do it? What do you think? HELP!

My First Feature!

I was featured on Fit Approach for being a new Sweat Pink Ambassador! I am so excited to share my story with so many women! Check out the site to read other incredible stories and meet amazing women, just click below!

Fit Approach Sweat Pink Ambassador- My Aha Moment

Gift Giving Guide for the Fledgling Runner

It's that time of year again for people to be asking you, "What do you want for Christmas?" Well, every year I have some idea, this year I really didn't. So what better way to figure out what I would like/actually need for running than to actually sit down and figure it out. Being a new runner I don't have a ton of running clothing. I have generally worked out in a gym so I could wear tank tops year round and shorts but now that I am running outside in this frigid weather, I AM SO NOT DRESSED FOR SUCESS right now! The mornings that I have run I have been freezing and even after running for a bit I am still cold or too hot and sweaty in my current jacket that I am running in because it is not for running. So here goes a list of some items with varying prices from low to VERY high! (But an investment in your new sport.)

1. When we were at the turkey trot we were FREEZING! My toes and hands were the worst.  We were talking with a lady decked out in awesome running apparel and she pointed out her gloves that were flip tips so that you could have your fingers free of material but then flip the top up to keep them nice and toasty. AND they are at TARGET! Check out these Champion flip tip gloves - $16.99

2. As I said earlier, I have the wrong jacket for running. I have an Old Navy Fleece jacket that is tight fitting but does not wick the sweat away. I get hot and stuffy very early on which makes me need to take it off and then I am FREEZING for the remainder of my run. I have been eyeing these Under Armour infrared jackets for awhile and they have the thummy holes! -$124.99

3. Recently somebody, Matt, borrowed my headphones and somebody, ahem, Matt, LOST THEM! ARGH! So now I have no running headphones. GRRR! So I am in the market for some new ones. Another blogger I follow, Healthy Heddleston, posted these on her site and I have been eyeing them for a couple of days now, debating. They look great and they won't come popping out of ears when running because they hook around the back of the ear. So here is a great idea for headphones! Koss Fitclips - $19.99

4. In staying warm I don't want to wear a beanie or a hat. But my ears need to stay warm. These looked cute and for the price, can't beat that! Turtle fur headbands - $10.50

5. When I first joined the Women's 4 Miler training program, I asked my friend Janet what will I need when running in the cold. The first thing she said is that she likes to wear arm sleeves. When she gets hot she just rolls them down and she is good. So this site has super cute fun patterns for sleeves to choose from! Running Skirts Arm Sleeves - $39.00

6. So the running tops I have are tank tops and 1 short sleeve shirt. I use the short sleeve shirt for running outside now, under my fleece jacket. NOT GOOD! but my shirt I have is a running tech shirt so that helps to wick the sweat off my skin but the jacket makes it stuffy. I need some long-sleeved tops. Target has some great priced ones but these Under Armour cozy necks long sleeved shirts look so nice and comfy! But they are pricy, maybe just 1 for the super cold mornings. - $49.99

7. Again I have shorts and 1 pair of capri pants. So I am in the market for a few more pairs of running pants. I don't think I could pull off tights or feel comfortable wearing super tight pants. Just not my thing. And I know the compression pants would be great for my legs, just not great looking, yet. But these Nike capris look pretty nice and it would be something I would try out since my current shorts and capris are all Nike I am used to their style and fit. Nike Epic Running Capris - $75

So here are some ideas. I am sure that I could come up with more but these are what I have for now! Happy hunting and if you have any other ideas on the goods for a fledgling runner leave a comment below!

QOTD: What are your must haves for cold weather running?

Good Eats: Chicken Noodle Soup

(source)

I am in need of some comfort soup when I'm not feeling well and well, I am not feeling all too well today. Mace was a little sick on Sunday. Matt was sick for the last 2 days with some tummy issue and now I have it along with a killer headache and stuffed nose. Not feeling the love to get these sickness germs! I was hoping I could avoid it but looks like I can't. AND this is NOT the week I want to be sick on. It is concert week for me, late night rehearsals Wednesday-Friday and concert Saturday and Sunday. AND my studio Christmas recital on Saturday afternoon. NOT A GOOD WEEK TO GET SICK!

Well after some digging around on the internet I found a chicken noodle soup that actually looks really good, and it doesn't take 13 hours to make like Ina Garten recipe does. (Who has that much time to make soup when they feel like crap!)

Another food network chef I like is the Pioneer Women. I watch her when she is on at the gym and her recipes seem easy to follow and usually don't require too much to it. Her chicken noodle recipe is not brothy, it is thick and has chunks of chicken, carrots, and celery. And thickened up at the end like a rue. And she does use the bones to simmer in the broth for a little bit so you still get that "homemade broth" taste that Ina likes to do but without the time! So here it is. I am going to try it out, probably not today, since that involves leaving the house and such when I don't feel well, but I'm putting it on here for later!

Homemade Chicken and Noodles- Ree Drummond- The Pioneer Women

Prep Time:

 10 Minutes

 

Cook Time:

 1 Hour

 

Difficulty:

 Easy

 

Servings:

 6

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 whole Cut Up Fryer Chicken
• 2 whole Carrots, Diced
• 2 stalks Celery, Diced
• 1/2 whole Medium Onion, Diced (optional)
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon White Pepper (more To Taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Thyme
• 2 teaspoons Parsley Flakes
• 16 ounces, weight Frozen "homemade" Egg Noodles
• 3 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour

Preparation Instructions

Cover chicken in 4 quarts water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove chicken from pot with a slotted spoon. With two forks, remove as much meat from the bones as you can, slightly shredding meat in the process. Return bones to broth and simmer on low, covered, for 45 minutes.

Remove bones from broth with a slotted spoon, making sure to get any small bones that might have detached.

Add the carrots and celery (and onions, if using) to the pot, followed by the herbs and spices. Stir to combine and simmer for ten minutes to meld flavors.

Increase heat and add frozen egg noodles and chicken. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

Mix flour and a little water. Stir until smooth. Pour into soup, stir to combine, and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until broth thickens a bit. Test and adjust seasonings as needed.

Water and Toys!

Loving the water today. It was so relaxing and just so, perfect. I have been having low back pain, so glad that tomorrow I see the chiropractor and my massage therapist. It just did a body good today! Side affect to exercise, I am exhausted afterwards. So thankful for Mommy quiet time in the house so that I can get some much needed sleep/rest.

On another note: Mason's Nabi tablet, a tablet designed for kids, decided to die on us the other day. It hadn't worked right for a few days prior to Monday. This tablet has been part of his mommy quiet time. I put him in his room and let him play his tablet or sleep. He gets to choose. He usually plays for 30-45 min then sleeps for 2.5 hours. I am truly blessed!

We called the company and told them what was going on it with and they are sending us a BRAND NEW ONE! I can not wait till we get that tablet back because the little guy has taken over my cell phone wanting to play his puzzles and games! We use that thing so often.  He loves it! I will play pandora's toddler music station and he can continue playing his games while getting to hear nursery rhymes, and I get to learn the words to those nursery rhymes. As he gets bigger we can do chore charts with points associated and it has learning sections to help him grow and learn, like math and science. That tablet is seriously an amazing thing to have!

QOTD: Do you let your kids play on your computer, phone or tablet?

Good Morning

I finally figured out, early this morning 4am early, that I have indeed created a habit. Mason woke up crying at 2:30am. He just cried for a few minutes but it woke me up and put me on mommy mode. (The shocking, adrenaline rush mommy mode.) I could not for the life of me fall back asleep. By 4am my legs started to burn. They wanted to do something. They missed doing something. Well yesterday was the first Tuesday in 11 weeks that I didn't run. Yep. I made a habit of it. And I think my legs were yelling at me because I didn't go running. (Mace still has a little cold so no gym again). So instead of fighting it. I told Matt I was going on a run and be back in a half an hour.

It did not clear my head of all the things I was thinking about. I don't know how many stray spiderwebs I ran into. Had a beetle on me when I got home and was pouring sweat because it was so humid. It did help add more burn to my legs, a good burn, thanks in part to the nasty 900 ft hill right outside my front door. Made me realize that I really do enjoy running. I listened to my body. Did what it wanted and when I got back after a nice shower I was ready to go back to bed. I slept from 5-8 like a log! Out of it! Way to go me on exercising before the world woke up because I am done for the day and I did it all before 5am! Time to go buy some reflective clothing because I do not have any. Best to be safe than sorry and there were a couple of cars out.

QOTD: Do you have any night/early morning running tips or suggestions.

Just Finished

When I am not running or exercising at the gym, chasing my son, teaching, practicing, cooking or cleaning my house my fav relaxing thing to do is READ! I love reading. Just upgraded a few months ago from my Kindle 2 to Kindle paperwhite and I love it. I can read in bed at night without having to have the light on, which my hubby loves.

I love Jane Austen. I have loved her books for years. I read them only once in awhile because I love the movie adaptations of her books. My fav Austen book is Pride and Prejudice. I watch the movie about ever 6 months. For fun. Because I love it. The BBC Version. Its 6 hours long.

I finished reading Austenland by Shannon Hale last night. Figured that I would see the move eventually so might as well read the book. Austenland was an ok book. Predictable. The idea of role playing and dressing up in Regency attire for 3 weeks sounds fun. But a fake set up romance not so much. I am looking forward to the movie because Jennifer Coolidge as Miss Charming totally fits! She is going to be hilariously annoying! Fast read if you are interested I would give it a 3 star on Goodreads. Enjoy!

QOTD: What are you currently reading?