Connect the Dots Ginger | Becky Allen: June 2016

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Cream Cheese Stuffed Strawberries

One of my favorite little treats to make for my family are these awesome and totally yummy stuffed strawberries! But because there is cream cheese in it, I can only eat them occasionally. Since I follow the 80/20 clean eating rule. So any patriotic holiday I treat my whole family with these yummy popper size desserts where 1 is just not enough! Recipe below!

Cream Cheese Stuffed Strawberries
Ingredients:

1 package fresh strawberries
8 oz block of cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
blueberries

Directions: 

1. Remove the stems from the strawberries, and using a melon baller or 1/4 tsp, scoop out a hole from the top of each strawberry, you can also splice down the sides to make it split open like a star. Cut a small part of the bottom of the strawberry to create a flat surface for the strawberries to stand on.

2. Mix together the cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract until light and fluffy.

3. Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a piping bag, I like using a star tip, and pipe the filling into each of the prepped strawberries. top each cream cheese with a blueberry. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes-1 hour for the cream cheese to set if taking to an outdoor event.

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 today! 

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Bump Update: 28 Weeks

This week has been so hard. I have technically been a single mom for the past two and a half weeks. Just me and the kids and little to none outside communication besides Facebook and blogging. Matt has been out of town for work and military. I had a huge stress breakdown at church, in public, on Sunday. That was no fun! but I was thankful for the break I got sending the kids to nursery or class. Plus my heightened emotions and hormones didn't help much. I kept telling the other moms: "WHAT WERE WE THINKING! ADDING ANOTHER ONE?" My biggest fear came to pass at church. I was outnumbered with kids that weren't behaving and it was hard. The hardest thing I have been thinking about this whole pregnancy is the fact that we are going to be outnumbered. How do we do that? Anyways, it was nice to remember that I have friends here wanting to help me. 
YAY! For the 3rd trimester. I want to say the last trimester but it isn't. Since there is a 4th trimester too, after baby comes. But the last trimester before Elyse arrives! Normally for me these last 12 weeks go by a little slower. But we have some fun things coming up in our family that we are looking forward to! Mason's birthday, family vacation, school starting. Hoping that those things help make the time go by more quickly. (the past couple of weeks has really dragged by!) 
Total Weight Gain: 15.5 pounds total weighing in at 253.0 pounds. 

Symptoms: HEARTBURN! Lack of sleeping well. Still have to take 1 nap to make it through the day And round ligament pain from my pulled ligament I injured during my last pregnancy. Feeling HOT all the time! Oh and FEELING HUGE already! 
Baby’s Size: Cauliflower (~16 inches inches, 2.5 pounds)
Maternity Clothes: Yes, bottoms need to wear maternity or stretchy pants. Tops I wear maternity now and my bigger t-shirts. Wearing my new Fabletics sports bra in these pictures and LOVE THEM and the fun colors! A ton more coverage and super comfy!
Stretch Marks: I already have a ton that I got when I gained weight years ago. So nothing new. I am using Honest Company belly balm right now though to help my belly stretch so I do not get any new ones.
Gender: GIRL!!! 
Sleep: HORRIBLE! I have heartburn like crazy at night, so I am sleeping propped up. That is no fun and not very comfy for me. I have been tossing and turning trying to get comfy too, and I have restless leg syndromeI have been falling asleep to my hypnobirthing. And I am sleeping like a rock when I do that. Plus she is starting to move at night more and it wakes me up, or when I flip over it wakes her and she kicks me to tell me to go back to sleep. She is a feisty one! 
Miss Anything: Sleeping comfortably flat on my belly or back! Sleeping through the night. 
Cravings: Nope. I did enjoy a ton of Rainer cherries the other day, those were AMAZING! 
Aversions: Nope. But sweets taste too sweet for me, so I can only handle a little at a time.
Excited About: 3rd Trimester! TODAY is day 1 of 3rd trimester. YAY! I'm super excited for my hubs to get back home. 3 weeks without him is hard! This momma needs some me time which I am getting on Saturday, thankfully! Oh, and I have an ultrasound this coming Tuesday! It should be my last one. The doc who does my ultrasounds said "since you are close to the magic number you get an extra ultrasound at 28 weeks!" Ugh, just another reminder that I am turning 35 this year. Doesn't seem possible but I am! (did you know I was almost 35?) 
Workouts: AWFUL this week! I only got in 3 days this past week. I had planned on doing my regular Workouts which included: 21 Day Fix yoga & pilates Beachbody On Demand Active Maternity and Diary Of A Fit Mommy's Fit For Two 2nd Trimester workouts in daily. We have done most of the walks this week though. With Matt being gone I need to get the boy's energy out so they go to bed when I need them to! 
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!

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Loving Your Pregnant Body

One of the hardest things to really be happy about during a pregnancy is the ever changing and growing body. It is against our natural way of thinking as a woman's that "IT IS OK TO GAIN WEIGHT!" Especially for a plus size lady who has spent a majority of my life keeping the scale going in one direction. DOWN. And going up can be so hard to mentally deal with. The body changes so fast, and in the one area that most women are insecure about our bellies!

This was the first time in my first pregnancy that I actually saw myself as a beautiful pregnant momma to be. And this was taken at 30 weeks. Before that I saw myself as FAT and only getting FATTER! I couldn't really accept mentally what I was going through and the number on the scale only made it more difficult for me. I gained a total of 55 pounds that pregnancy.

There are going to be times in your pregnancy that you will look at your body and say, "do I look pregnant or fat?" YOU ARE PREGNANT! It doesn't matter what your starting weight is, what your ending weight it. You are pregnant and beautiful and creating a life. Too many times I hear, "I don't have a pregnant belly." "I wish I had a typical pregnant belly like so and so." The great thing about pregnancy is that EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. All of our bodies are different. We are different shapes and sizes and our uterus grown differently too. My sweet sister in law, had the biggest belly I have ever seen on a woman of such a small stature. She gained 55-70 pounds with all of her pregnancies. It didn't matter what she ate she gained it and she was ALL BELLY!  I love her, and she looked miserable while pregnant, and she was! By the way she had 5 babies. Her belly was bigger than mine is at the end because of how she carried. And she started in the 125-130 range. That is why being pregnant is so amazing. We all carry differently and that is ok! 
How do you learn love your Pregnant Body? 

1) NO MORE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS
No more saying, "I don't look pregnant, I look fat!" Sweetie you are pregnant! Do I have a perfect little belly shape? Do I have fat that you can see? What about my stretch marks? Yep got those too. But for the first time in my life, I finally love what I see. I see me, strong, empowered, and making a baby! You flaunt that belly when and how you want. You wanna wear a bikini to the beach, wear it! I personally start wearing form fitting shirts around 12 weeks (since that is about the time we announce) And yeah, I have extra stuff on my belly but hey, I don't care. I am pregnant. FLAUNT YOUR BELLIES! 

2) ACCEPT THAT YOUR BODY IS GOING TO BE CHANGING
I will say, that these are some of the scariest images I have ever posted of myself before, ON SOCIAL MEDIA no less. I have never bared my belly like this before (out of fear in the past). But I am proud of my body and what I am creating. I know that I don't have the perfect body. I know that a lot of people will find these pictures repulsive but you know what. I AM WORKING SO HARD TO BE HEALTHY, and it can be done for a plus size woman to be healthy while pregnant. And the fact that I am trying to stay healthy for me and the baby only makes it that much more amazing to me.  Be you! Be true to yourself! And once you do that and recognize the beauty in yourself you will shine like the sun in the sky! 

3) YOU CAN LOSE THE WEIGHT AGAIN! 
Everyone always says it, you gained it you can lose it, but know that IT IS HARD WORK! I still hadn't lost all the weight from my last miscarriage when I got pregnant. I was down 20 pounds, yes, but I still had more I wanted to lose. It took a lot of hard work in controlling my eating by following a specific plan that made sense to me, the 21 Day Fix Program along with Shakeology. Want to know more about the 21 Day Fix? CLICK HERE! Plus adding in the right kind of daily exercise using the same program. I have NEVER lost the weight through breastfeeding alone and I exclusively breastfeed for 6 months. No supplementing with formula, and no pumping. All food for my babies came straight from my boobs. I am envious of women who do because it never happened for me. So know that you might not be able to lose the weight through breastfeeding. That it might take hard work and dedication to lose the weight, but IT CAN BE DONE! 

4) ENJOY THE PROCESS
It is so exciting being pregnant, and the fact that this could be the last time I am pregnant is not lost on me. We don't know if we are going to have any more kids. We don't know if we can even have any more kids since I have a 50/50 chance anyways. So I am soaking up this experience. I am in no rush to have this baby, most because I remember what life is like with a newborn, but I also want to cherish this moment for as long as possible. I dreamed of being pregnant for years and years, and each time I have accepted that it could be my last chance. Take your weekly pictures. Read up on all the things happening to you each week, again, even if it is your third pregnancy. Just enjoy it! When they say, having a baby is a miracle, it really is. Again, I have been pregnant 6 times in the last 6 years, and this is my third pregnancy that has lasted this long. It is a miracle! 

5) BE YOU! 
Don't forget who you are in this whole process. It is easy to forget that you still like to be pampered or go on dates, or wear cute clothing. Go out and get some tops or a dress that reflect who you are so you aren't lost in the process. Your body is changing, doesn't mean that you have to hide who you are because your body is growing in the belly! BE YOU! LOVE YOU! Enjoy the process and know that in just a few short months, your beautiful baby will be in your arms and in your life forever! Congrats momma! 

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!

Monday, June 27, 2016

You Are What You Eat

Not going to lie, this weekend was ROUGH on me! Single mom for 2 weeks right now with Matt doing his military duty and we still have one more week left. I literally had a breakdown, in public yesterday, with all the stress I was feeling because my kids were not acting as well behaved as other kids were and I was outnumbered and hormonal. It was embarrassing and humbling at the same time because people came to my rescue. And I needed that!

On another spectrum of my last two weeks...My eating has been CRAP. I do pretty well with breakfast, ok with lunch and by dinner I just have no energy or will to do anything special to make anything healthy. I just want something fast, easy and takes little to no effort to make. Honestly, we have eaten out more in the last 2 weeks that I probably have in the last 2 years. BAD!!! And I am feeling it!

Eating crap, makes you feel like CRAP! It just isn't worth it. Now I kind of understand why Matt says the food I make is better than a restaurant and enjoys it more, because it often tastes better. I made pancakes for him recently and he said they were better than what we get at restaurants.

But why do we choose to eat out instead of making homemade foods? Ease and convenience. But eating out, you have no idea what they are putting in their foods. Really putting in their foods. But when you are at home you can control how much salt goes in, seasoning, oil, cream. You name it. Anything you can buy in a jar or a frozen box you can make at home. Thankfully we have google now to search amazing homemade recipes. All it takes is a little time to plan out your meals for the week, then if you can pre-make some of the food to make it easier on you.

Having some chicken in a recipe this week? You can pre-make it, store it in the fridge and then just add the seasoning to it as you are making the rest of the meal. It really is easy, and saves you time at night. And I have already done that this week. I am feeling on top of things right now and will not let this week take me down!
This week I am so looking forward to: Healthy Hawaiian Haystacks! With brown rice, extra veggies and extra pineapple! Pre-making the chicken so I don't have to worry about that step and we just heat up on the stove and assemble! Easy, and good for you!

So...what meal are you looking forward to making this week? Comment below!

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!

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Eat Right And Exercise

This is all it takes to take control of your life back! I have done so many different diets in my life. I tried Jenny Craig, paleo, Atkins food products, and different high protein no carbs style diets, Even forked out the bucks to do HCG, Slimfast, and even when I was a kid I just avoided eating completely. Yeah, I lost weight but I never truly learned to take care of my body of feed it what it really needed. I always gained the weight back plus extra weight and it made me feel worse about myself.
See this picture of me? This is when I was doing 2 hours of cardio a day on the elliptical and was following the slimfast plan. Eating maybe 1200 calories, and burning 1500 a day. I was starving my body. Yeah, I was down to 200 pounds and was "skinny" but I felt sluggish, tired and just not right. I barely ate anything. Two slimfast shakes a day and a "healthy" dinner of chicken and veggies maybe rice. I really don't remember what I ate but I barely ate anything! That was it! 
This picture, I actually learned how to eat for my body. Losing weight and feeling great. Not at 200 pounds but I was getting there and I know exactly what to do to get there, healthy this time! 

To change your life. You have to change your lifestyle. Dieting is not a healthy lifestyle. You have to learn to eat the right foods, not deprive your body of what it needs. We need carbs, we need fats we need veggies and fruits for our bodies to function properly.

I have finally learned how to eat for my body and how much to eat and I am satisfied. I am losing weight and I am truly learning to take care of me. Inside and out. If you are looking to change your lifestyle to one that you are in control of and not letting some "diet" dictate for you. LET'S CHAT! Next exclusive group begins July 5! and I want you in there if you are ready to learn to eat the foods you love and want to eat and that your family will enjoy.

But you have to let me know! If you want to know what has helped me lose 20 lbs in just 5 months, stay fit and healthy during my pregnancy and only gain 15 pounds so far at 27 weeks or you don't know where to start? EMAIL ME! Let's chat! Or check out and even order if you are ready, the 21 Day Fix here. My go to workout program that no only teaches you how to eat for your body made simple, a 30 day supply of your daily dose of superfoods nutrition that cuts cravings, and you also get 7 different 30 minute workouts that actually WORK! You can finally lose the weight by being smarter not working harder! Plus you get me as your motivator, supporter, cheerleader, and friend and get access to my free group and my EXCLUSIVE group! Let's do this together and you will succeed!

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!

Friday, June 24, 2016

All Weight Loss Journeys Start Somewhere

Have you been following me for awhile on my weight loss/health and fitness journey? Wanna know where it all started? I have been in an up and down cycle of learning this whole how to lose weight and take care of my body thing for years now! It all started back in 2009. And each time I "tried" to lose weight I learned something new about myself. Just because you have tried in the past doesn't mean you can give up. That it will never work. IT WILL WORK! You just have to keep trying, keep believing and keep doing. Never give up on what you want because it will all be worth it in the end. Even and ESPECIALLY if you have to keep started from scratch each time. You walk away stronger, more empowered, and more determined to kick butt the next go around.

Check out my video on my journey so far! If I can do this, I KNOW you can!
I know you can do this. You just have to start! If you are ready to start let's get you started! Next exclusive group begins JULY 5! I WANT YOU IN THE GROUP If you are ready to begin the next step in your journey to a healthier and fit lifestyle.

You get access to: 
~my exclusive tools that have help me lose weight prior to getting pregnant and actually control my weight gain while I have been pregnant
~have daily support and motivation
~one on one accountability
~Daily dose of superfood nutrition that cuts those pesky cravings for sweets and treats
~Easy to follow nutrition plan to finally eat and feel satisfied and still lose weight!
~30 minute workouts that are perfect for any level

I WANT YOU AND I AM READY TO HELP YOU! EMAIL ME OR FILL OUT THIS CONTACT REQUEST TO LET ME KNOW YOU ARE READY! The first step to change is letting me know you are ready!

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!

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Kids Countdown Jars

Mason has 3 really exciting things happening in the next few months. He is turning 5, he starts his first day of kindergarten and of course the arrival of his baby sister Elyse! Mason has a hard time understanding the concept of time at this point, which is normal for kids his age. Think about it, when you were younger, summer break was soooooo long! As you got older, summer break felt shorter and shorter and shorter! How Mason confuses it is when I say this week, he thinks I am meaning today. Or maybe he just isn't very patient. Anyways, my mom came up with the brilliant idea to make Countdown jars to these important dates coming up.


Every day Mason will get a chocolate from each jar until the jar runs out! He is so super excited. Not only did it teach him lots of counting to a) count how many days it was until each important date, but b) I made him count each and every m&m that went in the jar. By the end counting up to 90 seemed easier! He loves the idea and so far he loves to point out which jar has the least amount M&M's and the most M&M. And it is just a few candies everyday. Use whatever candy or treats your kids will love and they too will look forward to counting down every single day.
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!

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Bump Update: 27 Weeks

 YAY! For the last week in the 2nd trimester. That just means that I am just 3 months closer to meeting our little miss sassypants. But it also means that I am leaving the goldilocks trimester and entering the "I'M SO HUGE AND UNCOMFORTABLE" trimester. So maybe not as much yay but still it is exciting to see these weeks fly by.

New for this week, HEARTBURN! It started 6 nights ago. And the last 2 days in particular it has been after every single meal! I think this is the earliest I have had this bad of heartburn. With both Mason and Collin I don't remember it being this bad until about 4 weeks before I had them. All I'm gonna say, this girl better come out with a full head of RED hair if she is going to make me BURN this bad!

Sassypants. Did you pick up on that little nickname I have been giving her? Yep. She is a sassafras. Ask her to move for daddy, and she goes super still. Collin leans against my belly to just sit and relax, she starts kicking the crap out of him to get him to move. Oh and she likes to bounce her big old noggin on my bladder during most of the day since she is head down. I can feel her hands up by her face so that means I am getting some kicks up by my ribs now. I woke from my nap with her foot literally jetting under my rib area. As the uterus gets bigger and up under my rib cage (it isn't quite there yet) I am pretty sure she is going to try and play my ribs like a xylophone! All things aside. I am so thankful for this pregnancy and for her joining our family. I am just trying to write all these feelings down so that I can let her know what she put me through! ;)

Total Weight Gain: 15 pounds total weighing in at 252.4 pounds. It seems when I have a really good week and barely gain, the next week seems to make up for it and I jump up to what I should have been.

Symptoms: HEARTBURN! Lack of sleeping well. Still have to take 1 nap to make it through the day And round ligament pain from my pulled ligament I injured during my last pregnancy. Oh and FEELING HUGE! 
Baby’s Size: Cucumber (~15 inches inches, 2.2 pounds) WOW! Baby grew a lot! No wonder I feel so huge this week! 
Maternity Clothes: Yes, bottoms need to wear maternity or stretchy pants. Tops I wear maternity now and my bigger t-shirts. I am really on the hunt for good pregnancy exercise pants to wear, as I don't have any and I just stretch into my old ones. Oh and a good nursing sports bra. Yeah, I'm on the hunt! Wearing my new Fabletics sports bra in these pictures and LOVE THEM and the fun colors! A ton more coverage and super comfy!
Stretch Marks: I already have a ton that I got when I gained weight years ago. So nothing new. I am using Honest Company belly balm right now though to help my belly stretch so I do not get any new ones.
Gender: GIRL!!! 
Sleep: HORRIBLE! I have heartburn like crazy at night, so I am sleeping propped up. That is no fun and not very comfy for me. I have been tossing and turning trying to get comfy too, and I have restless leg syndrome. I am just kicking like crazy while I sleep. Plus she is starting to move at night more and it wakes me up, or when I flip over it wakes her and she kicks me to tell me to go back to sleep. She is a feisty one! I have been falling asleep to my hypnobirthing. And I am sleeping like a rock when I do that.
Miss Anything: Sleeping comfortably flat on my belly or back! Sleeping through the night. 
Cravings: Nothing at this point. Just trying to eat healthy and smaller meals to help combat the heartburn.
Aversions: nothing yet
Excited About: 3rd Trimester! NEXT WEEK! We are getting so close to the final stretch! 
Workouts: Got in almost all my workouts 6 days a this past week, which is awesome! Workouts included: 21 Day Fix yoga & pilates Beachbody On Demand Active Maternity and Diary Of A Fit Mommy's Fit For Two 2nd Trimester workouts in daily. Plus my weekly walk with the local woman's 4 miler training program! 
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!

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Yoga Pregnancy Modifications

How many of you have a yoga routine that you love, but you are pregnant and can't do it exactly? Honestly there are days that I can not do one more sun salutation because I am so sore just from doing that but it got me thinking. How do I modify this routine so that I can do it while pregnant? I tell you every week in my weekly bump updates that I do the 21 Day Fix yoga and Pilates workouts might as well share with you the modifications I do so that I can still do the workout that I love! 

HERE ARE MY PREGNANCY MODIFICATIONS AND RULES TO FOLLOW: 

NO BELLY MOVES AT ALL! 
Any time there is a flat on the belly move: Chaturanga, superman, cobra, bow pose, or anything similar, I just don't do them. Instead I do cat cow. The first 10 minutes of my yoga is actually a very fast vinyasa sequence, at least for this pregnant momma. And often I am slower than they are in the workout. But I am still following along doing my modified yoga sequence using cat cow in place of dropping into the chaturanga-upward-dog-downward dog. Instead when they start going into chaturanga, I just drop to all 4's and do cat cow a couple of times until it is time to do my flat back-rounded back-flat back-swan dive movement. I getting in a lot of cat cow moves in just the first 10 minutes alone.  I think this is why little miss is already head down.
NO TWISTING MOVES!
I do maybe a 1-2 degree twist because it actually helps unclog the plumbing as it were for a pregnant momma (learned that in my prenatal yoga class) but you have to be very careful. Over twisting is actually bad. Just avoid it. 
NO FLAT BACK EXERCISES BEYOND 12 WEEKS! 
It used to be past 20 weeks but the rules have changed and we are now being encouraged not to do flat back exercises. Shavasana is normally done as a corpse pose. Laying flat on your back with your arms and legs extended out, and totally relaxed. This can be modified by laying on your left side with your right leg bent over a straight left leg. Similar to how you should be sleeping.
DO NOT OVER STRETCH YOUR MUSCLES! 
Because of a prior pulled round ligament during my 2nd pregnancy I am very aware at how far I can and can not perform each move. The thing is, I feel great and want to go deep and low in my warrior pose and triangle pose but I CAN'T. My round ligament starts screaming like a banshee at me. Thanks to the hormone relaxin you are actually more flexible while pregnant. But, you are also more prone to getting injured. You have to work into your flexibility other wise you will have what I have a major pain in my BELLY! Most moves I do are literally half of what I know I can do. Funny thing, I am still getting the stretch because I can feel it. And your body is working so much harder because it is having to accommodate the extra weight in the front. So you are actually more because of the added stability control you have to do! SCORE! So make sure you are careful when doing balance moves too. Because your center of balance is totally off and you might have to do a modification lower than you are used to just to hold the pose without falling out of it! 

GO SLOW AND LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!  
Do not go the same speed as they do on the workout, unless you are following a prenatal routine. You should slow down and really listen to your body. This is not about keeping up, but about lengthening and strengthening your muscles. Using your breathing to help you learn to breath deeper. And to also build strong muscles to get you through labor. If your workout is just too fast, then slow down or find another yoga routine. For this reason, yoga can actaully be a really powerful tool in your birthing belt because you learn to breath deeply through the discomfort of some of the moves. Literally practicing for the big Delivery Day when you will HAVE TO breath deeply to get through each contraction! 
Hope you found this helpful! Just remember these rules. And if you are looking for a specific yoga routine to do, there are tons of free ones on Youtube, or if you are interested in getting hooked up with 21 Day Fix and learning how to eat for your body and only have to exercise 30 minutes a day. CLICK HERE to order your own copy of 21 Day Fix

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!

Monday, June 20, 2016

Love Yourself First

Being confident is a LEARNED TRAIT! It is not given. It is not just had. It is something that must be learned, trained, believed and continually worked up. When I was growing up I always looked at the cool kids, and wished I had their air of confidence that they had. I was just a girl in the band. Someone who was considered "low on the totem poll" per popular movies. And that is how I felt about myself. Someone lacking. Less than. Not as important and always striving to be like someone else.

It wasn't until I was older that I realized that all of the girls I admired that have confidence exuding out of them, have all had their own insecurities. We all struggle with something in our life. And it is so easy to forget that at times. Watching the Bachelorette last night really struck on that. You look at Jojo and how beautiful she is. She seems so confident and strong and then she actually talks about all the crap she dealt with, with her last boyfriend and how many insecurities even she had, and she is GORGEOUS! We all have something. 
Check out this picture above. No one besides the ladies who attended this amazing trip to Miami last April, has seen this full picture of me. There is a back story to this. I actually packed spanx to wear under my dress. To make me look better. Suck in parts that needed to be sucked in and such and bringing out a better hour glass shape. Because I knew going into this trip I was going to be the "biggest" girl there. And honestly there was a part of me, a very small part for a short amount of time, that didn't want to ruin the picture for the other 17 ladies. How sad is that? I even put the spanx on and almost wore them that day, but they were so uncomfortable and I would have hated it. Would it have sucked me in and given me more of a defined shape? Sure. But at what expense? Altering myself because I felt bad about how I looked even though I was 16 weeks pregnant. Nope. Not cool. Even I, who has worked so hard to love myself and gain the confidence in myself that I have never had, even has times in my life that I struggle with my own image. But after hating how I felt in the spanx. And talking with a couple of the gals I took it off and I have not looked back yet. I see me. Beautiful, strong, empowered, healthy, carrying a life inside of me, and proud of who I am. And yes very white legs but hey, I am a redhead! 

You can start today, learning to love your body! As it is right now. You can spend the 30 minutes on your to help enhance your beautiful body so that you feel more comfortable in it. I love who I am and how I look, but I also am working very hard to be healthy every single day. Making smarter choices to eat right and to exercise 30 minutes a day. Reading positive uplifting materials that help you see yourself in a better and different light. The way people around you see you. I highly recommend You Are A Badass as a starting point. I have said it before but seriously it really is that amazing! 


This is why I do what I do. This is why I LOVE COACHING and being a mentor, supporter and motivator. I was that girl a few years ago. I didn't believe that I needed time for myself. Didn't believe that I deserved time for myself. And now I make sure I get my time because if I don't, I am a cranky mom and no one wants a cranky mom! This week, make you a priority! Just do it. 30 minutes a day, sweating, working on your strength, pushing yourself more than you thought you could. KICK BUTT! YOU ARE WORTH IT!
I invite you to join me in my next exclusive group which is beginning JULY 5! I WANT YOU IN THE GROUP If you are ready to begin the next step in your journey to a healthier and fit lifestyle.

You get access to: 
~my exclusive tools that have help me lose weight prior to getting pregnant and actually control my weight gain while I have been pregnant
~have daily support and motivation
~one on one accountability
~Daily dose of superfood nutrition that cuts those pesky cravings for sweets and treats
~Easy to follow nutrition plan to finally eat and feel satisfied and still lose weight!
~30 minute workouts that are perfect for any level

I WANT YOU AND I AM READY TO HELP YOU! EMAIL ME OR FILL OUT THIS APPLICATION TO LET ME KNOW YOU ARE READY! The first step to change is letting me know you are want to!

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!

Saturday, June 18, 2016

Beginning Walking or Running Tips

I was up early before the sun this morning with my Shakeology in hand to help volunteer at our local Woman's 4 Miler Training Program! It is a program that helps women of all levels train for our 4 miler race in just 11 weeks! Have you been looking into getting into a new walking or running routine? Check out these 5 tips to help you get started the right way, to avoid frustration, pain and injury! 

THINGS TO KNOW WHEN STARTING A NEW WALKING OR RUNNING ROUTINE: 

1) START OUT SMALL! 

Do not plan on running 3 miles on your very first day. Not only is it not safe, but you are setting yourself up for injury and frustration. You will be sore the next day and not want to run/walk the next few days while you recovery from your run. If you haven't walked/ran in a long time (months) Start with half a mile or whatever feels comfortable! 

2) START OUT SLOW! 

Start small in speed. It is totally ok to walk too! Do not expect to be running at a 6 minute mile when you are untrained. YOU WILL GET INJURED! Start with a warm up walking, then do your half a mile or mile at a faster speed and don't forget to cool down taking things back to a slower speed. YOU NEED TO WARM UP AND COOL DOWN YOUR BODY! A 6 minute mile and a 15 minute mile is still 1 mile. The fact that you are doing anything is awesome! Just get up and do it! 


3) START OUT EARLY IN THE DAY!

It is the summer time and things get hot fast. As hard as it is to wake up early, WAKE UP EARLY! The earlier the better to avoid the heat. General rule of thumb if the heat index (Feels like Temp) is 100+ best to go earlier in the day. Your body will heat up to 15 degrees while running and you do not want to get over heated. 

4) HYDRATE! 

Don't forget to drink a large glass of water before, during and after you run. You need to stay hydrated while you exercising. Make sure you take water with you so that you don't get dehydrated. 

5) HAVE FUN! 

Find a group of friends to walk/run with and it will be so much more fun! You will want to do it. Come back. And Keep doing it. Bring music, but only use 1 ear bud when walking on the street or sidewalks for safety to you hear cars coming your way. 

BONUS TIP: STRETCH

Even if you only did half a mile, or not as much as you had planned. TAKE TIME TO STRETCH OUT YOUR BODY! So that you don't get extra sore the next day. It just takes a little time after your run to stretch your body! It is so worth it and the best thing you can do to keep your muscles and body healthy after exercising! 


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!
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