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!

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!

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!

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!

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!