Connect the Dots Ginger | Becky Allen: August 2015

Monday, August 31, 2015

104 Days Into My Journey

Hey, hey everyone! I am so excited to be writing about this. 104 days. I AM 104 DAYS INTO MY JOURNEY! First of all, it doesn't seem like it has been that long because 104 is a big number! And secondly, it does seem like that long because I see how far I have come which is a GREAT thing to see.

I started May 18th. That is when I took my measurements, my photos and just really started to get my act together. I was kind of doing it the week before but came back with a vengeance on the 18th. So to me that is my day 1. Think about it guys, 21st of March, I was going through my miscarriage. Dealing with my inner demons. Battling depression, PTSD and just in a major funk. Decided I had enough with it and got my life back! And now I am 104 days from that time and I feel like a totally different person on the inside. I am making huge progress with my counseling. I am believing in myself. And I am loving life. (Although I do have those times where I wish things would be different but they aren't and I can't do anything about it.)

So 104 days. (Sorry I just like saying that!) How did I do it?

1) Clean eating using the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time I am eating clean whole foods. No processed boxed foods. Only fresh clean foods. And the other 20% of the time I allow myself to indulge in a nice dessert, ice cream, or a meal I typically wouldn't have during the week. (cream saucy stuff, or a nice burger and fries!)

2) I drink Shakeology everyday to help me curve my cravings and to know that I am getting all the vitamins and minerals that I need to stay healthy but it doesn't do all the work for me. I have to decide not to eat the crap foods. I have to stay committed to what I am doing.

3) I also added in 30 minutes of exercise everyday. Even Sundays, but that is yoga and doesn't feel like exercise. Just another meditation to me.

4) And on top of that I have added in at least 10 minutes of listening or reading motivational, confidence building, learning to love myself podcasts or books. Commonly known as Self Help. But you know what. We all need a little self help! And it is ok.

And in my mind it is too long because I didn't workout at all during July and only ate clean for 2 weeks of the month because of recovery. So July I don't even want to count but I am. Anyways, in those 104 days I have lost over 15 inches. And over 15 pounds. (again not doing anything in the month of July) What is pretty cool to think about though is where am I going to be in another 104 days???

I see myself where I am going to be, mentally and physically. It is amazing. I know that by Christmas I will be at my next goal weight of under 200 lbs. I know that by May 2016 I will be at my goal weight of 165. (unless I get pregnant than that number will be different but I will still be working out everyday and doing everything I can to be healthy!)

READY TO START YOUR NEXT JOURNEY? START THE NEXT PROGRAM THAT IS LIFE CHANGING! 80 DAY OBSESSION! CHECK OUT MORE INFO ABOUT THIS AMAZING AT HOME WORKOUT PROGRAM FROM BEACHBODY! 

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here to join my private online community where you get free advice, support and encouragement + a free gift with tips to help you get started with the right mindset for healthier nutrition choices!

Friday, August 28, 2015

30 Advanced Workout Challenge | September 30 day Full Body Workout

September is almost here! Check out this month long full body workout to get your body if great shape! Love this that it has rest days every 4 days! Are you going to do September's 30 day challenge? Comment below! 





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Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Preschool Lunch


Mason is starting pre-school in 2 weeks from today! YAY!!!! (I may be just a little bit excited for that fact!) He is one picky eater thought and I would much rather him take the option on the left more than the option on the right. I am a clean eater. My son, IS NOT!
He can eat gold fish till the cows come home. PB&J every meal. No more eggs for him, no more oatmeal. "EWWWW!" is what he says now to that. Pasta, yeah right. And if we tell him he can't have anything else, he would rather not eat at all. (like last night.) He will do hot dogs, without the buns but only if 5 Guys make it. (yeah, at a lost on that one!) No string cheese, no meat, no anything that resembles the color GREEN!

Last night we made these pocket sandwiches (just like in the picture which he said looked good by the way!) And he refused to eat it! He picked out the bread, meat and cheese for it all by himself. And wanted nothing to do with it. He wanted to eat more chips and grapes.

So moms! I got these recipe books from 100 Days of Real Food for help and inspiration. The food looks GREAT! Does anyone out there have any help for me. Tips and tricks. I want him to want to eat healthy foods, and a variety of foods too, not just the same thing over and over. (At least when I do it, is is something more substantial and healthy!) I am at a loss and I really need some help!

I did find this site by Keeley McGuire yesterday for 20 non sandwich lunches while searching. Cute ideas!

Monday, August 24, 2015

My Running Troubles

As you have probably noticed. I haven't blogged in awhile. I'm sorry that I left you all hanging. I have been deal with some hard stuff lately. And I finally decided it is time to get it off my chest and share with you what's been going on.

This blog was mainly started around me and my running and what running has done for me. It has since morphed into general health and wellbeing which is great but I have been so ashamed because I have been having such a personal emotional time dealing with my love of running lately.
I have major PTSD right now in regards to my miscarriage. I always thought PTSD was for people in the military or who have gone through other things in life. But never in regards to a miscarriage. But I do. And it is so freaky! I have nightmares of the day, I have flash backs. The scary thing for me  is I get panic attacks and get anxious when I think, talk or do some of the things that took place the day of my miscarriage. It is a real thing guys! I can't breath and I start to freak out. I look for a way to escape. I have been having panic attacks on my Saturday walks. I am usually talking with another lady and try to just let it be but 2 weeks ago I was looking for a way out. The "safety" car. By the time it came around I was better but it freaked me out that 5 months after my miscarriage this is still happening. I thought I would be better by now. But I am not. I am still working with my counselor and we are making progress but I am still working through it. Here is the thing though, I know that it was completely out of my hands and that I lost the baby but just things that took place are coming to light in what happened and how close I was to not being here. It is starting to catch up with me now. And I am coming up on my due date. So that isn't helping much either.

And it isn't just with running, I was cleaning up after having guests last week and I started getting all anxious and nervous because it was during cleaning up after guests that I started my miscarriage. I even get anxious at church and in other areas. I feel so embarrassed for feeling this way, and I find myself shamming myself. I should be better! It wasn't my fault But I am not. I am not always happy, and positive because I am human. I have been through very traumatic experience and it has made a huge dent in my life.

What is cool though is that I haven't given up on exercise or me. I still am doing my daily workouts, and I am clean eating. I am working on me mentally too to help me stay positive and see the good in all situations. And I don't have bad days anymore. I just have bad moments in my day which is so amazing! I just can't do running right now, and that is ok. I will get back into it. Will it sucks starting over AGAIN! You bet!!! But I have to work on me mentally first before I can put my heart and soul into something that I love, which is running.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Perfect Butt Challenge

There is no denying it, squats are GREAT for your BUTT! Check out this challenge to do 200 squats in just 4 weeks. The great part about the challenge is that you are working different parts of your butt so you are going to get that perfect little rounded butt! Can't wait to start my challenge! 

Need daily motivation and support keep coming back here and check me out on Facebook


Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Mountain Climbers For Beginners

Mountain Climbers are HARD! You better believe that they kick my butt every single time I do them, and I have been doing them regularly for the past few months.

Goal for beginners: GO SLOW! Don't worry about speed in the beginning. But correct form. Keeping your butt down as much as you can.

Also try to keep the weight in your heels so it takes pressure off your wrists.

And step your foot in like in the picture here instead of a more advanced version of bringing your knee to the chest and your toes stay off the ground. Focus on the basics and then you can make it more difficult when your body is ready.

Don't get frustrated if you do a few and are already thinking about stopping. Aim for a small number and then increase that number the next time. Start with 5 then 10, then 12. And so forth. Great goal would be to do mountain climbers for 1 whole minute!

Remember, you can do this! I promise you! It is only for just a short time that your body will fight you doing this but once you are done, you are done!

Monday, August 10, 2015

My 5 Biggest Weight Loss Secrets

I am coming up on 20 lbs lost since mid May. In 3 months I will have passed the big 20 pounds loss mark and almost 10% of my starting weight is GONE! THAT IS HUGE! And it is seriously just hitting me how huge that is! I have no idea why I didn't realize it earlier but I didn't!

So would you like to know my secrets??? And guess what, there is no pill, wrap or anything else I do. This is what I am doing to get my results!

1) Decide! The biggest factor to why I am finally losing weight is that I am determined to do this. I have decided that this is the time that I take back my life and I want to be as healthy as possible for the next time that I do get pregnant. And I will get healthy because this is my time. I decided that it was my time and I am DETERMINED! (Even my parents know that when I am determined, nothing will stop me!)

2) Clean eating! You can workout all you want and still get results. But if you combine clean eating with working out the weight will just fall off of you! I am living proof of that. It has happened now more than once in my life that when I start eating clean my body just sheds what it doesn't want which happens to be the excess fat on my body.

3) Exercise! You need to add exercise to your daily life. Even if it is just 30 minutes a day. Combining exercise with your clean eating allows you to build muscle which means you will overall burn more calories during the day because muscle is a CALORIE BURNER!

4) WATER! Drink lots of water! Our bodies need water to survive. It is 0 calories and you can drink as much of it a day as you want. And you can put fresh fruits in it to flavor it up naturally and it tastes so good! It also helps to flush our stuff from your system. Feeling bloated, drink more water! Stopped up, DRINK WATER! Stay hydrated and cut the sugary drinks. Those are not what our bodies NEED!

5) Stay determined! You have decided and you are eating clean, adding in some exercise and putting down the water, now what?!? You have to stay committed and give it everything you have. You have to really want it or else you are going to make excuses and just give up after a few days because you are going to miss your other foods. This isn't about missing foods or feeling like your are depriving yourself. It isn't about punishing yourself or dieting. This is about putting you first. This is about taking back your life. This is about you taking care of you. This is so much more than just the food. This is about you being here for your family. This is about you being able to play with your kids. Run after your kids. Getting up and down off the floor with your kids. This is about you being a good example for your kids. This is about bringing good eating habits into your house so that your kids learn it to and that they won't be one of the statistics of obese children in this country. Find your reason why you have to do this for you and you will be determined and you will stick with it.

My reason why I am doing this. I firmly believe that our baby girl sacrificed her time now to be with us. She saved my life because had the pregnancy continued there could have been other complications that could have done a heck of a lot more damage than what was already done. I also believe she did it so that we could both be healthy, together. If it continued and I made it out ok, she probably would not have been. I owe her  to get as healthy as possible now so that her sacrifice isn't wasted. And I firmly believe that I will get as healthy as possible now because I know I will. I believe in myself that I will.

All you have to do to believe in yourself is to start believing. You can do this. I know it is hard. I know that it might seem impossible but it isn't. You just have to decide, and stick with it and stay determined! You can do this.

Need daily motivation and one on one support? Let me know. We can do this together because you are stronger than you think! I know you can do this!

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here to join my private online community where you get free advice, support and encouragement + a free gift with tips to help you get started with the right mindset for healthier nutrition choices!

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Lose the Lower Belly Pooch

This has been my problem area for YEARS! Even before kids, and in high school I always was so concerned about this pooch. How do you get it to go away? Well, eating is one of the biggest factors. You want it gone, clean up your eating. But it also depends on what you have done. Had a baby, you might not be able to get it gone all the way, but you can reduce it. Check out these exercises to help shrink your midsection!
And, of course, be sure to like our FACEBOOK page and follow us on PINTEREST for motivation, clean eating tips, and healthy lifestyle resources.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Why Did I Become A Beachbody Coach


It is an important thing for me to learn my why. Without a why I would be floundering. Not know what exactly to do. Why am I making these changes in my life? Why am I sticking with my lifestyle change? Why did I become a Beachbody coach?

Today I wanted to share my story of WHY I BECAME A BEACHBODY COACH! I made a little video on why! Check it out! It has been the best decision I could have made. (Do me a favor! Like and subscribe to the video! Let me know you liked what I had to say! THANKS!)


A year ago when I became a coach, we were paying 2 mortgages because our renter stopped paying and she was out of the house. Our other house was up on the market to be sold and we were stressed because we weren't receiving ANY OFFERS at all! We had no extra money. I wasn't teaching in the summer. We seriously had no extra money to spend, but my healthy was that important to us. And it was something that I believed in. I did not let anything stand in my way of me taking my body back and getting back on the right track. I took the leap and I did it.

I am a busy mom of 2 boys. I have found time to work on me every single day. I have finally learned how to put me first! And I get to talk every single day with other women just like me! Being able to work one on one with women in all walks of life and see how much their lives are changing because they are getting motivation and support like they have  never had before is AMAZING and the best feeling in the world!

Know that you are worth taking huge risks in your life. You are worth all the hard work that you put into your life, choices and workouts! Believe in yourself! You can do this! Any questions about joining my team? Send me an email and let me know! I would love to work with you and change lives!

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

The Secret To Change

The other day Matt was surprised to find so much ice cream and ice cream sandwiches left in the freezer that we got after I had my surgery last month. A few months ago any ice cream would have been gone in a matter of days but we are going on over a month and they were just sitting there untouched!

I reminded Matt, that they just weren't good to me anymore and I didn't even want them. He looked at me a little shocked and I think he has finally accepted that I have changed how I eat and look at food. Yeah, I will still indulge a little bit every now and then, we did have dessert on our date last week, but this is what self control is all about. Know that you are capable of saying no to things that once were so addictive to you.
Believe that you can make a change and CHANGE WILL HAPPEN! Don't think about how it used to be or what you are missing. Start today by saying "I can do this." "I AM DOING THIS" And you WILL do this! It just starts with you wanting to change and being open to it!

Monday, August 3, 2015

Just A Little Bit Further

I just realized the other day that I am coming up on my first goal for this journey! I have no idea why it took me so long to realize that but I am. My first goal was to get down to where I was before I got pregnant with Collin. And I am only 10 lbs away from that. WHAT!?!

The cool thing is that I have already lost 15 lbs so right now, 10 more just seems like a cake walk. (without the cake of course!)

It is amazing how quickly that something will happen when you are consistent with it and it just becomes a habit! I was asked the other day about denying my kids sugar drinks and if they were missing out on something as part of their childhood. My kids prefer water over any other drink. Do they like sugary drinks? You bet! But it is only occasionally that they do have it. And that right there, my friends, is the key. OCCASIONALLY!

We have come to believe that "dieting" is restricting yourself on calorie intake and denying yourself certain types and kinds of foods! In a way I look at dieting as a form of punishment and I think that is why I personally would rebound so hard after a stint of dieting. Now that I have built up a habit of eating clean 80% of the time and allowing myself an indulgence 20% of the time I have learned a healthy natural lifestyle full of balance. And I know that I can enjoy that cake on our Anniversary, or birthdays and I won't feel guilty for it at all! I am going to enjoy every single bite, guilt free! And I deserve that in my life.

Don't restrict yourself. Live your life. But you have to learn the healthy way to do it! Need motivation to stick with your new lifestyle of eating clean and exercise? Let me know! My next challenge group starts TODAY and I would love to have you in there!

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here to join my private online community where you get free advice, support and encouragement + a free gift with tips to help you get started with the right mindset for healthier nutrition choices!
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