9 Months: Postpartum Update

Exercise: This has been a month of, do whatever feels best! I did the Shaun Week that was released using Beachbody On Demand with the all access pass. Plus tried out some new to me workouts including Insanity Max:30! My goal was to exercise 4-5 days a week and on average I did 3-4. I am still trying to get my knee to feel better, so I have been modifying the workouts to fit me but I am still working, still sweating and still rocking! 

Weight: Pre-pregnancy weight:237.7. Weight morning of birth: 265. Current weight July 1: 248.1. Weight went up for 1 reason...NUTRITION! I have not been on track with my nutrition habits at all. I have been indulging too much. Plus when Elyse was going through her little growth spurt, I went through a little carb loading eating way more carbs than I usually do, which made my body bloat up like crazy. Combine that with the muggy summer here and I have swollen up as well. If I want to reach my goals, I have got to get my eating back on track!

July Goals: This month is the month of nutrition and getting my eating back on track. I know what to eat for my body, but you guys, the struggle is real. My mind wants other things and just like anyone else it is hard to stick with a meal plan. But Eat right most of the time and indulge just some of the time is key to a healthy lifestyle change! For my exercise I am aiming for 5 days a week of active exercise and using the weekends to do healthy activities with my family. Shift Shop, a brand new 21 day workout is coming out this month and I am excited to get my hands on that. I am probably going to be taking some of my workouts outside to try something new. I want you to know that it is possible to lose weight while breastfeeding. Looking for support and community on your journey, join my accountability groups! The accountability from sharing my journey and in my groups is what is keeping me going everyday. Interested in joining my private online support community? CLICK HERE TO JOIN: CONNECT THE DOTS TO YOUR HEALTH, FITNESS AND LIFE Private Online Community.

Are you ready to make that complete healthy lifestyle change but don't know where to start? I have created a 30 day workbook with daily action steps to help you make a complete healthy lifestyle change. 30 Days To A Healthy Lifestyle Change is available in my EXCLUSIVE private Facebook group as part of my Summer Slim Down To Success 60 Day Program as a TOOL to go along with your Beachbody On Demand All Access Pass workout programs and journey. If you are interested in joining us and are ready to order CLICK HERE and I will send you an email after you order with your materials and get you added to the group!

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

Salsa Chicken Recipe

One of our new favorite ways to enjoy chicken. Salsa Chicken! Great for meal prep because this chicken can be used for anything. Salad. Burrito Bowls. Chicken and rice. Chicken and broccoli. Anything that you want just a quick kick to. Plus it cooks up in just 25 minutes. Can't beat that! 

SALSA CHICKEN: 
5 chicken breasts
fajita seasoning
1/2 jar of salsa

Spread 5 chicken breasts on a cookie sheet. 
Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with fajita seasoning.
Pour salsa on each breast. 
Bake at 400 degree Fahrenheit for 25 minutes. 
Shred chicken and store in fridge. 
Take what you need! 

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Decadent Berry Trifle

Dessert? Did that ginger just say, dessert?!? Yep, I sure did! My philosophy is, eat clean most of the time and enjoy holidays and special days, GUILT FREE! But when I make something, I go all out. And the 4th of July is no exception. Plus my husband and kids all love this! Plus to get that beautiful red, white and blue look it gives me the perfect excuse to use fresh berries, and LOTS OF THEM! And since everyone asks me for my recipe, why not make a post about it. Check out my favorite and easy to put together Angel Food Cake Trifle!

Festive Berry Trifle

Ingredients:

1 full size, pre made, angel food cake (or make your own from scratch, but I just buy the already made version at my local grocery store)

3 pounds  of strawberries (3 small clamshell sizes or 2 large ones and keep half of one for later)

2 pints of blueberries

1 pint heavy whipping cream

2 tsp powder sugar

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tsp almond extract

Directions:

Prep: 

Slice the angel food cake into small bite size pieces, roughly 1 inch cubes.

Quarter 2 pounds of the strawberries and thinly slice 1 pound for decoration along the side of the bowl and the top.

Combine the quartered strawberries and blueberries in a separate bowl to evenly distribute the berries.

Make the cream: 

Using a mixer, whip the heavy whipping cream. When at soft peaks add the powder sugar. 

Once the whipping cream is at stiff peaks add the softened cream cheese and whip together. Slowly drizzle in the sweetened condensed milk. Then add the lemon juice and almond extract and whip to thicken up a little bit. About 3 minutes on medium speed.

Assembly: 

Spread 1/3 little bit of the cream on the bottom of your glass trifle bowl. 

Evenly top with 1/3 of the angel food cake. 

Evenly top the angel food cake with 1/3 of the berries, using slices around the edge to make it decorative. 

Repeat pattern of cream, cake, berries 2 more times or however you want to layer it. The picture above I swapped the final layer to be the cake, cream, and berries for decoration.

Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to harden the cream, serve and enjoy! 

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Elyse Cheyenne: 9 Months

STATS: 

14 pounds 15 ounces

26.5 inches tall

Elyse is moving all over the house now! Baby girl is so fast too! She loves that she can crawl after her brothers and is of course the center of their attention. She is such a happy smiley baby now. Her personality is coming out so much, but on the flip side, she knows how to project her screams to really tell you when she is mad. But she honestly doesn't cry that much. We are ver thankful for that. she is very patient with all of us. 

She still hasn't gained all too much weight since she started solids, and with crawling she is now bumped up to 3 solid food meals a day. We are doing baby led weaning so she eats a lot of what we eat. But her fave, greek yogurt with mixed berries. 

She still doesn't have any teeth yet. They look close to coming in but, only time will tell! 

Have fun with the picture overload! She is really starting to look more and more like my mini-me! 

Collin was the prop master for Elyse, but she was done with her sunglasses

 Less than 5 minutes later, she passes out!

 Baby girl loves her chocolate! 

She loves being with her brothers 

Her real life hero. 

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free info, tips, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

End Of The Month Assessment

It's the last day of the month, wow...already!?!? It's time to look back at your goals for the month. Are you at those goals you set on June 1 or not quite yet? I personally am not quite there yet...again! (nutrition...has been my downfall! More on that later.) But I know where I need to improve on that. Think about your goals you want to accomplish next month and come up with a plan on what you can do to reach those goals.

Think of this as your end of the month assessment. But the great thing is, new month, tomorrow, and a whole new fresh start! But here is the thing...if you don't change what you allow, everything will continue.

Take the time now to figure out what happened this month, where you rocked and where you can improve. Then come up with a plan on what you can do this next month so that you reach your goals. Meal planning. Exercise planning. Daily affirmations. Daily action steps to help you stay motivated and on track.

Make a list of your goals and what the heck you are going to do to reach them for the month. And check back to it often during the next 30 days to help drive you to keep going. To make better choices. The more you look at that list the more you will get determined to keep going! It about staying on track. It's about feeling better. It's about taking care of you in the end.

Ready to get unlimited access to workouts that help you reach your goals? With over 600 workouts, and a brand new program being released July 12, he time is now to get your membership! Send me a message and let's get you hooked up!

Or click the links below to order and I will contact you!

1 Year membership, 1st month supply of Shakeology and the color coded container system bundle (LAST MONTH ON 20% OFF SALE!)

Standalone 1 year membership

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, info tips and support in my FREE online community + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey!