Connect the Dots Ginger | Becky Allen: December 2016

Friday, December 30, 2016

How To Get A Baby On A Schedule

I will be the first to admit that I AM NOT A PERFECT MOM! I have ginger snaps quite often, thanks to my red headed short fuse. But I will say, that my kids are on a schedule. #2 and #3 seemed to fall into their brother's schedule. They love their schedules. They BEG to go to mommy quiet time every day and we know the signs when they are ready/beyond ready for bed. That is why, my kids are on a schedule! #1 when he was a baby, did not have a schedule until he was about 9 months old, when I realized that I needed some quiet time. Before that we were just flying by the seat of our pants trying to make everything work but once I got him on a regular schedule and routine our lives got much more calm and less crazy!

A typical school day in our house now looks like this:
Everyone up around 6:30am.
Breakfast by 6:40am
Get #1 ready for school at 7:00am
Bus by 7:15am
Back to the house for my breakfast and morning activities
Mommy quiet time by 11:30am
Get #1 from bus stop and wake baby from mommy quiet time 2:45pm
7pm reading time
7:30 get ready for bed
 all kids go to bed by 8pm

Even on the weekends #1 follows the same schedule. If you ever ask me to do play dates, they will always happen in the mornings. I desperately try not to schedule anything during the hours of 11am-3pm. If my kids don't have their naps/time away from me/me away from them. We ALL will but heads!

So how did I get even my newborn on this schedule? 

Consistency! Consistency is the Key to setting a schedule. In the beginning even when others were taking care of the boys I still tried to keep her on the same schedule. Making sure we were trying to sleep by 11am for the afternoon nap. She would always have a nap before then, but I made sure she was awake then back to sleep by 11am. Then making sure she was up by 3pm everyday. I have to have her on a schedule since I teach private music lessons out of my home 3 days a week. And she needs to be up and fed and happy for when I pass her off to my hubs while I teach.

Tips To Set A Baby's Schedule: 

  • Make sure you are consistent everyday with your schedule. They will pick up on it. Make it a priority in your household and for everyone to be on the same page
  • Know it takes a few weeks for the baby to pick up on the regular routine. It does not happen overnight
  • Be forgiving. Sometimes during growth spurts or other times, the schedule just won't happen. Or you have an appointment during the "no appointment time". Be flexible and forgiving.
  • Pick 2 times in the day that you HAVE to be consistent with. Mommy quiet time and bed time are our, must have, every day. The other times in the day are more flexible. But I have to have my mommy quiet time to get my workout in, lunch and work done. And night time. Well, if we don't get the kids in bed by 8pm it is bewitching hour and man, my kids can get pretty crazy!
  • Talk to your baby and explain what you are trying to accomplish. Yes they are just a baby but telling them and trying to help them understand gets you used to explaining the rules to your kids. Even as they get older, you are going to have to explain it for the 1,000th time. 

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!

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Healthy Lunch in 10 Minutes or Less


Did you run out of time to precook your chicken or rice before the start of the week? Check out my easy go to items that help me stay on top of my nutrition even when I do prepare ahead of time.

Oh and are you following me on Youtube? I have been adding in more videos every week! Go Subscribe!


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!

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Clean Eating TIPS For Beginners

You have heard me talk about it so many times. I eat clean healthy balanced meals. But what does it really mean?

What Is Clean Eating?
  1. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, both raw and cooked.
  2. Eat unprocessed lean meats that have not had anything added. This includes fresh chicken and fish and even lean, humanely raised beef and game.
  3. Enjoying whole grains instead of the processed or refined.
  4. Eating smaller, more frequent meals about every 2 1/2 – 3 hours.
Some people even take it to another level of eating clean like: avoiding flour, sugar, dairy or other food groups. Anyone can start to eat clean by just focusing on the basic guidelines listed above. There is no right or wrong way to eat clean—just the right way for you to feel good and get your desired results.
How to Start Eating Clean
Not everyone can afford to dump the majority of food in their kitchen and start from scratch. DON'T! Start your clean-eating adventure the easy way!

When you make your shopping list each week, select one or two items to switch with clean items. For example, if you need bread this week, make it a point to find “clean” bread (100% whole grain, no added sugar and identifiable ingredients such as whole wheat flour, salt and yeast). If you ran out of white rice, pick up a package of brown rice this week. It doesn’t have to be difficult to make the transition to clean foods—it does not happen overnight!  With this slow and steady approach, you don’t have to spend hours at the store reading labels either. Start small: You are also more likely to stick with it if you don’t shock yourself with a sudden change. This is not a quick fix this is for a lifestyle change. A NEW way of eating. And it can take some time to learn the ins and outs! 

Clean Eating for Beginners
  • Start slow and within your budget. Don’t worry about drastic changes you don't have to eat “perfect.”
  • You don't have to eat only organic food. Live within your budget and decide which foods you want to eat organic and stick with it. For me, I choose to eat organic meats when I can. And mostly organic fruit.  
  • Teach yourself to properly read labels. Focus on the ingredient list not necessarily on the nutrition list. Select foods with fewer ingredients—and ingredients that you recognize as real food.
  • Understand that you will make mistakes. The important thing is not giving up. 
  • Don’t stress over minor things. Keep the bigger concepts in mind and always work to improve. It’s about choosing the healthiest choice—not depriving yourself.
  • If you do have something that doesn’t mean your definition of “clean,” don’t throw in the towel. Make your next meal clean. That’s the difference between a diet and a lifestyle change. 
  • Live the rule of 80/20. It's ok to have some indulgences every now and then. 20% of the time is a good rule of thumb. This lifestyle change isn't sustainable if you don't allow yourself to have some chocolate, or a candy bar every now and again. But the key is in moderation. only 20% of the time. 
WANT TO GET EVEN MORE TIPS ON CLEAN EATING? CLICK HERE TO GET MY FREE CLEAN EATING GUIDE

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!

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Beachbody On Demand All Access Annual Pass

Last week, our CEO announced that Beachbody is launching the MOST amazing challenge for its customers and coaches!   This is seriously unreal and I HAD to share it with you because I know that this is going to be a major game changer for everyone!  Introducing….

The All-Access Beachbody on Demand Challenge Pack

I am SO excited for this! The past year I have been actually using Beachbody on Demand more than I did my actual DVD's of my workouts. WHY? Because it was so easy to do my workouts anywhere in my house. Mainly locked in my room so that I had privacy and no interruption from my kids when I really needed that quiet time and didn't want to clean up a huge disaster of toys just to get my workout in. Now I moved my workouts to my foyer area, again to avoid the toys in the basement and for the stability of the solid hard wood floors. And for us, we have pretty much gone to streaming EVERYTHING. It is just easier! I really do feel that this ability with an all access pass to EVERY WORKOUT is a huge game changer for me. I can literally do any workout I want, including all the deluxe workouts! 


What is Beachbody on Demand? 

Beachbody on Demand is a streaming app that you can access from your phone, computer, tablet, Firestick TV, Apple TV, Roku, etc!  There are thousands of dollars’ worth of programs on there, from yoga to strength training and HIIT workouts to country line dancing, literally there is an option for everyone!  Basically it is like Netflix, but for your health and fitness.  With a subscription to this app, you receive access to most of these workouts PLUS the meal plans and calendars that go along with it.  There are also “premium workouts” that you can upgrade and get access to as well.  But with the new All Access Pass, there are no upgrade fees!  CLICK HERE TO WATCH OUR SIZZLE REEL! Plus More details about that below!

What makes this so different from the other challenge packs?
With Challenge packs  you receive ONE fitness program, 30 day supply of nutrient dense super foods daily smoothies, 30 day access to Beachbody on Demand, and access to my monthly challenge…With the ALL ACCESS PASS you will receive ALL of the fitness programs, 365 day access to Beachbody on Demand, 30 day supply of nutrient dense super foods daily smoothie, color coded container system and access to EVERY challenge I host for the year!  Let me list it all out for you!
  • 1 Year All Access Pass to Beachbody on Demand – You will receive FULL access to every single program that Beachbody has ever come out with including ALL premium programs for no additional charge, PLUS all of the 2017 new releases!  ($6000 worth of fitness programs and eating guides)
  • 30 Day Supply of Shakeology – These smoothies will be the PERFECT on the go meal that will keep you feeling energized, curb cravings, and fill you up with 70 superfoods that you normally wouldn’t even get in a week! ($130 value). Curious about what ingredients are in Shakeology and the Nutritional Info? CLICK HERE to view the ingredients for EVERY SHAKEOLOGY FLAVOR

  • Portion Fix Container System – Color coded, portion control containers plus an eating guide and shaker cup.  These have been life changing for me!  You can follow this system at home, at restaurants, really from anywhere!  It is so easy to follow!   ($40 value)

  • 1 Year All Access Pass to my Monthly Challenges – You will be a part of ALL of my monthly challenges so that you can stay plugged in and supported throughout the entire year. Get access to my tools and tips to help you stay accountable, motivated and supported by other challengers so that you truly reach your goals! 

  • Lifetime Access to ME – I will be here for you every step of the way to support you and hold you accountable to your goals! 
What I love about this whole thing is that you are not just committing to a quick fix, you are committing to a healthier year and a healthier life for yourself!  And you can jump from workout to workout at your leisure. You don't have to spend any more money to get a new workout program. Because it is included in your annual pass. THIS IS AMAZING! 
So what's it gonna cost me? 
  • This Year Long, All-Access Challenge Pack is only a one-time payment of $199  PRICE HAS BEEN REDUCED FOR A 20% Discount for a limited time only! (I KNOW!) 
  • If you already have Beachbody on Demand, you can cancel your membership and repurchase this challenge pack if you chose to do so or you can upgrade to the year long, all access pass for $99.
  • If you purchased a challenge pack between 12/1 and 12/26, you can upgrade to this challenge pack offer for $69 on December 27th!
  • If you choose to enroll as a coach, your business starter fee is waived when you order this challenge pack as well!
This challenge pack option is available starting TODAY! December 27th!  If you are interested in getting started you can CLICK HERE!  If you need to upgrade your current subscription or have questions EMAIL me, or send me a message over at FACEBOOK



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.

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays this season! Thank you all so much for your support and following along with my journey! I hope to be able to inspire you more over the next year!

Friday, December 23, 2016

Plus Size Fitness: Ab Toning Exercises

I carry a lot of extra weight in my midsection. While I was pregnant I didn't do ANY crunches or heavy abdominal exercises. Since I am plus size I was at risk during my pregnancy to develop diastasis recti or a separation of my abdominal wall. Which you can read more about HERE. But now that Elyse is here. It is time to whittle my middle.

Being a plus size lady, some core exercises can be difficult due to the excess amount of fat in the midsection. Making some exercises more uncomfortable. WE can still do them, but listen to your body. Don't over crunch in on yourself. I find sometimes I want to do a fuller crunch, but I physically can't. So I end up pulling on my head more straining my neck. Watch out for that. Doing the movement as best you can is what you want to do to train your core to make it stronger. As you eat a healthy diet, your body will naturally start to lose the excess fat in the middle thus making these exercises even easier!

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!

Russian Twists:
In a sitting position, lean back slightly and place your hands behind your ears. Then twist left elbow to opposite knee without crunch down. Then switch to right elbow to left knee and back and forth. Stay leaning back with your core tightened and engaged.
 Side Plank Twists:
Get into a modified kneeling side plank. Place your had behind your ear and elbow up to the sky. Then twist down to bring the elbows together as much as possible.
Plank Jacks:
High plank position. Start with legs together, then jump them out to wide position then back in and out. Tighten your core as much as possible to help stabilize your body.
 Basic Crunch:
Hands lightly behind the ears and lift with your chest not your head.

Supermans:
Down on your belly. Lift your arms and legs together slightly without straining your lower back and hold for 2 seconds. Then drop down softly. Then back up and so forth. The trick is to not go too high. If you feel a pinch in your low back, you are too high!

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!

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

January EXCLUSIVE Support Group

READY TO KICK in the new year and CRUSH your goals? Join my 30 day EXCLUSIVE support, motivation and accountability group. 

I am doing something I have never EVER done before! I am opening up my EXCLUSIVE SUPPORT AND ACCOUNTABILITY group to ANYONE who wants to dust off an old Beachbody workout, (or if you want to get a new one too that works!) and wants that support and accountability to help you stay on track with your new year resolution! Shakeology will not be required to be in the group.

Here's the thing guys. I want ALL of you to succeed so hear this...you can get access to Beachbody On Demand FREE for 30 days and have your pick to any of the included workout programs in there. That means, Any workout for FREE for 30 days, and getting access to my exclusive group with daily accountability, motivation, support, whatever you need from me to reach your goals, and my tools. FREE!

***If you are planning on getting 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, Core De Force, or Country Heat at the current sales price with Shakeology, you need to do so by the END OF THE MONTH. It will no longer be at the special price that it is now in 2017 (workout combined with Shakeology). There is a whole new DIGITAL ANNUAL ACCESS Beachbody On Demand CHALLENGE PACK where you get Shakeology, the color coded container system and an entire year of Beachbody on demand with access to every program ever made plus any new ones released in the next year, beginning 12/27. Email me to get on the list so that I can send you the link when it is available.***
IF YOU WANT IN THE GROUP COMMENT BELOW, EMAIL ME OR SEND ME A MESSAGE!

(one rule: must not already be working with another Beachbody coach to be in 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!

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Beachbody On Demand 3 Week Yoga Retreat


I am so proud of myself for completing another program through Beachbody, and only 2 months out from having Elyse. I finished up the Beachbody On Demand Exclusive 3 Week Yoga Retreat program a couple of weeks ago. The only time I have ever really done yoga, besides PiYo since it is a fusion of yoga and pilates, was my prenatal yoga classes. And to be honest, I was always so scared to attend a Live yoga class because well, I used to think I don't have the typical yoga body. I am not as bendy as the people who typically attend yoga, and well, it scares me to death to do it because what if I fall over, what if I can't hold a pose like everyone else. What if I just can't do it because of my size and I don't want to feel like the biggest outsider.

Well. The size issue, just needs to stop first of all because it does not matter what size you are. We can do yoga if you want to, and I proved that doing my 3 day yoga retreat. These are all self hating ideas and they don't do any good. Never make your size a reason why you can't do something unless. If there is a will there is a way. 

Granted I am not as bendy as people who have been doing yoga, but that is just the thing. I haven't been doing yoga. Like ever! The 3 day Yoga Retreat was released with the concept that it is a beginners yoga course to teach proper alignment, poses and work your way up from there. WHICH IT DID! I actually learned a new hand position regard planks and downward dog making it much easier on my wrists. So that has been very helpful! Plus it was at a slower pace, allowed for them to go over each move in detail but still allow me to fell like I was getting a workout. My body was sore, and I was shaking and sweating in the moves.

By the end of the 3 weeks my body felt more bendy, I could actually pull the straps of our Ergo baby carrier tighter without help, so I had more noticeable flexibility in my body. I felt more confident in the poses and by the end of the 3 weeks I wasn't as shaky with some of the moves. I did modify the plank moves and anything that put a lot of strain on my core to help it go back together (helping to prevent/repair diastasis recti) since I did just have a baby and I will continue to modify my planks for the next couple of months to build my core back up but I really did enjoy this program and feel like I can do and join most any yoga class. I have confidence in yoga that I didn't have before. And to me that is what this program is all about!

READY to start doing yoga, plus have access to 100's of workouts FREE for 30 days? CLICK HERE to sign up for Beachbody On Demand (it's like Amazon Prime's membership, you get tons of stuff included with your membership plus options to upgrade!) Want to learn more about the 3 Day Yoga retreat ? Send me an EMAIL!

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!

Monday, December 19, 2016

BEST Fitness Apparel For Expecting Moms

Hey fit moms! You want to know about my favorite pregnant workout tops? I love my For Two Fitness tops. I start wearing them at 14 weeks to show off to the world that I was TRAINING FOR TWO (or as early as you want) and my tops GREW with me to even wear them at 40 weeks! No riding up, no binding, still comfy and soft from 16 weeks until 40 weeks! Honestly they were the only top I really wanted to wear at the end of my pregnancy because they were so long and covered my belly up pretty well! 

Guess what? I have a special offer coming to you from For Two Fitness! For being my reader you can use the special Promo code FITBECKY to save 30% STOREWIDE at For Two Fitness and also get FREE priority shipping on orders over $75. Valid through January 15, 2017. Just enter FITBECKY in the discount code box during checkout. They have super cute tops for your growing belly and even a tank for after your little one has arrived! And they have more than just tops, shorts, capris you name it they got you covered!

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!

Friday, December 16, 2016

The One Exercise EVERY Woman Should Do Daily


It might be hard to hear this, but ladies, squatting is the BEST for us! And honestly we can rock the squat because we have great leg muscles! Think about how many times we bend down to pick up the clothes off the floor that our husbands just throw off and leave. Think about the toys we pick up. Or picking up our kids. Getting out of a chair, car, going to the bathroom. If I had a penny for every squat I have to do a day I would have a whole lot of spending money right now!

Just because we do a "squat" to pick something up everyday doesn't mean we are doing it right. Often times I catch myself and remind myself to, keep my knees from crossing in front of the toes. Take time out of your day to do some squats with the right form and technique to help your body be able to do it all the more easier and to help avoid injury down the line.

Squatting is such a great leg builder though. A proper squat with good range of motion is great for your quads, hamstrings and glutes (drop it till it's hot!). Do it right and it's also good for your knees, hip and posture. Train it to get some serious leg muscles going on that look fabulous on anyone! Who doesn't want that muscle line visible on the side of your thigh?!?

Here are a couple of ways to help you build up your endurance for squatting
Body Weight Squats
Easier and the first step to building up your squats. No weights, all you do is just squat. Keeping your hands in front of your heart or out front for balance. Keep the weight in your heels. For a beginner start out slow with smaller reps up to 12. As you get stronger increase the number you do up to 30.

Dumbbell or Kettle bell Squat
Once you get up to doing 30 body weight squats 3 times a day you can comfortably start using some weights to help provide yourself with more resistance. Again start with light weights and a smaller number of reps in the beginning and build from there. And as you get stronger you will increase the pounds of weights to use and your number of reps per set! You can change up your squats by pulsing them slightly at the lowest point of the squat. Or holding the squat for solid 10 seconds. You wanna feel that burn in your legs. This will do that for you! This is helping to build up your muscle!

Barbell Squats
The cream of the crop right here. If you want to get some serious tone on your legs, you can max out your weights using a barbell. But, you have to have proper form and technique to be able to perform this as it you can get injured very easily. Build up to this. Have someone spot you at the gym for safety. But seriously nothing makes you feel more like a badass than squatting a barbell with some serious weight on it!

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!

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Race-Cation Tips: Destination- Las Vegas

Inspired by Vegas.com
Planning a vacation around your race is quickly gaining popularity. And really, why not run in a destination race every once in a while? They are FUN! It is a huge change of scenery, especially if you have been running the same course, for the same race, for awhile. Plus...MOTIVATION! You better believe that you are going to bust your butt to train for the race because you can't just go on the vacation and not do the race, when that was the whole point to the vacation in the first place. This was a huge motivation for me when I trained for my Disney Princess Half Marathon. We were doing a huge trip with the race and I HAD to do the race. That was the whole reason I convinced my hubs to go to Disney World in the first place! 

So... let's do a little virtual racing prep right now. 
Photo by: Odyssey Stock

Now that the weather is cooling off, a bunch of races in the hot southwest are taking place over the next couple of months. One destination that I would love to run in...VEGAS BABY! Flat courses, sights, and tons to do in the city! But you gotta play it safe to make sure that you perform your best for the race and still have a trip of the lifetime. And not everything that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. You should come back with TONS of fun memories! Check out my tips on how to have the best time while on your destination race and becoming a winner at the end of your race and maybe even in the casinos! 

1) Pick a race you really, really, REALLY want to do. 
Having the motivation of an amazingly killer race is going to drive you to do your training even on the days that you would rather sit in front of the fire in your house and avoid the dropping temps outside. There are trail races, like the Trails of Glory marathon and half dessert dash, (go to the site and look at the amazing landscape), Lake Mead Marathon, And the HUGE Rock 'n Roll Marathon Series that runs on the strip! 
Photo by: Curtis Kim

2) Stay hydrated! 
Traveling to the southwest, it is a DRY HEAT or in the winter it is just DRY. You need to make sure you are on point with your water intake, before (especially if flying) during and after your race. Try to track or have a friend/family member track how much water you are taking in. The last thing you want to have to do is go to the emergency room for dehydration. Also don't over indulge on alcoholic beverages before the race. While you are hitting up the slots, drinks will be brought to you, and time can easily get away from you when you keep winning, but the longer you stay the more you could drink, which will make you more dehydrated. Opt for water instead to stay hydrated.

3) Enjoy the strip, but not before your race. 
Running takes a beating on your feet. Save the sightseeing for after your race (and recovery from the race) Try not to walk around too much a couple of days before your race to save your feet and your energy. I know a lot of people will, but don't be like them. Be smart. Take care of your body and it will take care of you during your race and you will be able to enjoy your race more. After the race, WALK EVERYWHERE! Check out these great Vegas deals to reward yourself for a race well done and enjoy all the fun things Vegas has to offer!  Not only will it help your legs loosen up faster but it will help you from gaining weight if you indulge with the buffets while you are there, which you should, at least once, because they are AMAZING!

4) Try not to go too overboard with the buffets, before the race. 
The last thing you want is to have "tummy troubles" during your race. Save the buffets for after the race. "What about carb loading?" Yes, we all do it the night before a race, but stick with foods that your body is already used to. Don't go all crazy trying new foods, or sauces on the food that you do decide to eat. If you see something you want to try, come back to the buffet after your race and try it out. Stick with what you are used to up until after the race is completed.

5) DO NOT wear brand new shoes for the race. 
Often times at the expo before the race, there are usually some awesome shoes being shown. If you get a pair, GREAT, enjoy them, but not race morning. I know plenty of people that have actually run a race in BRAND NEW shoes. I have seen them wearing these new shoes at the race. And I have seen the bleeding blisters and broken toe nails at the end of the race too. It isn't worth it. The whole point of training for the race is to get accustomed to how physical running is, and that includes what your feet go through and getting them and the shoes used to what you are going to put them through. Change up one little thing (or big thing in this case) the morning of the race and you could be walking away with plenty of blisters or missing nails. Save the new shoes to wear around the strip AFTER the race. Perfect time to break them in actually.
Photo by: Aila Images

6) Enjoy the pool before and after your race. 
Plan it in your race-cation schedule that following the race, or the day after the race, that it is a mandatory pool day. It is a great way to just let your body relax and take a breather from the training. And following your race, your body will thank you so much for taking some of the pressure off of it. Great thing about Vegas, there are pools in most of the hotels there. Enjoy the hot tub and pool to help you recover. But don't forget the sunblock (during your race too!). The sun is very strong in the dessert and you can burn or in my case FRY very quickly. Apply sun screen often when relaxing in the pool. Take it from this fair skinned, Arizona born and raised ginger here, I know a bit about frying in the sun in just 20 minutes! How do you think I got all my freckles? I enjoyed the pool and the outdoors!

I hope these tips help you plan and prepare for your upcoming race-cation, anywhere you do decide to do one. Good luck on your upcoming race and see you at the finish line! To see some amazing pictures of runners just like you taking on Sin City or if you are running in Vegas, check out and use #RunVegas on Twitter and Instagram

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!

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Chocolate Candy Cane Shakeology Recipe


I love anything peppermint in December. Keep me out of Trader Joe's because the temptation is too great with all the yummy peppermint Joe Joe's, ice cream and pretzel slims. But here is a healthy yummy even chocolaty healthy recipe I can enjoy any day of the week and get my peppermint fix on!

Want Shakeology for yourself and see how amazing it is? CLICK HERE to order your own supply! 30 day money back guarantee! Plus get me as your coach!

Chocolate Candy Cane Shakeology

1 Cup unsweetened almond milk
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1/4 tsp pure peppermint extract
1 - 1 1/4 cup ice depending how thick you want the shake
crushed candy cane for decoration

Directions: 
Pour almond milk, Shakeology, extract and ice in blender.
Blend until smooth
Top with crushed candy cane
Enjoy!

Check out some more yummy holiday flavors for Chocolate shakeology!

To view the entire Shakeology recipe collection calendars, CLICK HERE!

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!

Monday, December 12, 2016

Becoming A Stay At Home Mom

I have been a stay at home working mom ever since Mason was born. We have been very blessed to be able to do so. On top of blogging and coaching as a career I also teach private music lessons 3 days a week. So I am able to help contribute to our family finances but the decision and actual making it happen took some time and a lot of thought.

When we were first married both Matt and I agreed that when we do have kids that it would be best for me to be a stay at home mom. And to be honest, I HATE working for other people. I loved working with my co-workers but I hated going to work. But since it took us 8 years to get pregnant I had a few different kinds of jobs from working in a call center, dispatcher with the police and teller at a bank.

When we moved to Virginia I started looking for a new job, even back at the bank but... I hated having to push product to people who didn't want or even need that product just to satisfy a qualification that the bank required for me to actually keep my job. That is when when I started my teaching business and it was such a blessing. I made all the decisions on my work schedule, how many students, tuition fees how I would run my business and I didn't have to pass it by any one for approval. That choice was so scary because I kept thinking, "what if it didn't work out." Well, then I would find another job. but I wanted to try it out and see what happened. And it went well. I was THE piano teacher in our small town and had a HUGE studio! But once Mason was born, and Matt was deployed, it was time to scale down and let me be the stay at home mom I wanted to be. And that took some sacrifices.

How to make the transition to becoming a stay at home mom:

1. Set Aside Some Savings: Aim to save at least $1,000 in you savings as an emergency fund. Sadly emergencies happen and it is a good idea to have some set aside for that rainy day when all 4 tires go out on your car or some other major expense comes up.

2. Make A Budget: When we went from two incomes to one, we had to make adjustments. No more eating out at nice restaurants. No more shopping just because. We had to stick to our grocery list no matter what! Everything had to be planned and budgeted! Make a spreadsheet or write all of your bills down to help you keep track. KNOW HOW MUCH IS IN YOUR ACCOUNT AT ALL TIMES. Track what goes into your account and what comes out and you will be golden! And discuss it with your partner so that you are both on the same page. Communication is KEY! 

3. Pay off debt and try to stay out of debt: Yes, paying off debt with only one income is HARD! It is a constant reality that we personally have, but you have to be smart about how you spend. And when you stick with your budget and cut out the extras, eating out, excess spending, you actually will have more to be able to apply to your debt. But it is easy to get caught in the cycle of paying off and then having debt again. 

4. Save before you buy: When you pay off your debt start putting that money into savings and not spending. Save for a vacation, (Hello Disney!) save for something nice or somethign that is really needed but save before you buy! It is easy to think, "I'm out of debt, I can go spend my money!" But again that will get your right back into debt again! I also made this 52 Week Saving Challenge, it is different than the other one out there as it changes the amount per month you save so you aren't putting away $50+ a week in December which would never happen because of Christmas.

When we moved to Charlottesville I started teaching again, but on a much smaller schedule. Matt was able to be home from work while I taught so we still didn't have to get a babysitter or daycare. We did take a cut in my income coming in since I went from almost 30 students a week to a max of 10. It was a big change and we needed to learn how to save money where we could so that we could stay as close to our goals of staying out of debt. As we are always trying to get out of debt it seems! But through hard work and diligence you can get out of debt and save money! 


Here are ways to help save money: 

Groceries: MAKE A LIST and stick to it! I shop at Trader Joe's and we actually saved $50 a week just by shopping their products, plus I didn't have the temptations of Junk Food like at a grocery store, but regardless of where you shop. MAKE A LIST AND STICK TO IT! Because once you start to deviate you will spend more money than expected. 

Cars: Pay off your car payment as soon as possible! Make it a goal to pay off your car loan as soon as possible. EARLY if you can. We have always paid off our cars within 2 years of getting them regardless of how much we owed. Because it was a pain to make a car payment every month! Pay an extra $50 a month on your car to help you pay it off early. Make it a non-negotiable goal. Change your mind set to thinking that your car payment is $50 more than what it really is. And once that car payment is taken care of you can apply that amount (including the extra $50) to another bill or into savings if you are already out of debt!

Satellite TV/Cable: When we went from two incomes to one, we cut our cable off and just used Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime which was roughly $24.00 per month. This saved us around $100 per month! We still only use these products and haven't needed cable in 5 years! 


Phones: Use a land line. We have Ooma as our phone service which can be as low as $4 a month after you purchase the equipment. I actually cut having a cell phone for a couple of years to help us save money. Matt needed his for military reasons but I didn't need one since I was staying home most of the day. Now with coaching, I needed a cell phone to be able to communicate with customers easier when out and about, so a year ago I got a phone again, but I am using a secondary service, not Verizon or Sprint, with a lower monthly fee of only $30 a month. Service isn't always perfect but it does what I need it to when I need it.

Electricity: We always seem to have a decent electricity/gas bill compared to our neighbors. Why? We unplug things when not in use. And we keep our house warmer in the summer at about 74 this year and cooler in the winter, our house is currently at 68. Yes it won't be as comfortable as you want but by making these changes it does save you money!  

Family: Breastfeed costs NOTHING! Since you are staying at home you don't have to get a pump if you don't want/need one. I don't own one. Never bought one. Also if you want to save more, try cloth diapering. It is a cost on the front end buying all the diapers and finding ones that work best for you and your family, but after that it doesn't cost you much of anything! I personally don't do cloth diapers. Nope, it's not for me. I use the subscribe and save option through Amazon to get my diapers and actually do save money on diapers a month. Plus they are delivered straight to my door! When my kids start solids I make them myself. I also make homemade meals as often as possible since we try not to eat out as much. Eating out with a family of 5 can get very expensive very quickly! Plus being a stay at home mom we don't have to pay for daycare so that helps with expenses there too! We arrange our schedules so that Matt is here when I teach or takes care of the kids when I have to run errands.

In the end ENJOY But Be Smart: When you do reach your goals, make sure you enjoy your success. Go on that vacation you have been saving for. Enjoy yourself but keep a budget and stay on track so that you don't get right back into debt again!



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