Connect the Dots Ginger | Becky Allen

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!



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 9, 2016

Plus Size Fitness: Best Yoga Poses To Help With Digestion

In November as my first exercise post baby, I decided to ease back in with some basic beginner yoga. And being plus size I have always been so scared to do yoga. I don't fit the typical mold of a yoga person. I have curves, I have excess fat that doesn't let me get as deep into a pose as I want to be. But IT CAN STILL BE DONE NO MATTER YOUR SHAPE OR SIZE! I did the 3 Week Yoga Retreat only available on Beachbody On Demand. One thing I noticed is how much better my body felt and how things were a lot more "regular". I wasn't as bloated, and my tummy was just moving better. Great side effect I didn't anticipate but totally happened! And with Christmas coming up, we could all use some happy tummies before, during and after the big family and holiday get-togethers we have!

Check out these yoga posts to help with Digestion:

Bridge pose:

Seated twist or spinal twist:


Cat: 


Cow: 


Child's pose: 


Downward Dog


Forward Bend: 



Chair pose:


Triangle pose: 


Knees hugged into chest:

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 8, 2016

2016 Gift Guide For Your Fitness Loving Friend

Need some inspiration on what to get for your fitness loving friend this year? Check out my guide to help you out! 

INSPIRATIONAL WORKOUT TOPS:
Inspirational and motivational workout shirts are all the rage now! I LOVE THEM! And they are fun! Check out Teespring. They always have some good campaigns going on. I actually just got this one pictured!

CUTE SPORTS BRAS: 
I am a sucker for super cute back sports bras! Oh goodness I love them. Of course they have to be supportive too for the activity I am doing. I love my Dash Seamless Bra sports bra by Fabletics but they don't sell that kind anymore. They have a Dash Seamless Bra 2 version. Victoria's Secret is coming out with some super cute designs too!

WORKOUT APPAREL SUBSCRIPTION: 
Fabletics is my go to subscription. Most outfits are $60 for the whole 3 piece outfit. Not too bad.

AT HOME WORKOUT EQUIPMENT:
Working out at home is my go to now, especially with 3 kids. I can't afford to put them in the gym daycare for me to workout in. So now it is time to start building up my home gym. Check out these T Grip bars


FUN WORKOUT SOCKS:
White socks are just plain boring. Spice up your outfit with fun socks! Check out all the fun colors from Bombas

WATER BOTTLES:
Don't just have a water bottle, get a SMART water bottle. Check out this Thermos Water Bottle not only tracks your water, but the temperature, tracks your intake daily with graphs, with a battery life of up to 12 days! Crazy huh!

GIFT FOR RUNNERS:
Have a friend who loves running? These Flip Belts make carrying gels, snacks, keys and other stuff easier than a hip pack!


ACTIVITY TRACKER:
This Garmin Vivofit not only tracks your steps, but reminds you to get up and move, plus tracks your calories, distance and time of day.

PERSONALIZED YOGA MAT:
Yoga mats can be used for more than just yoga. I tend to use mine to help protract my knees on my hard wood floors. Also to protect my back side when doing core workouts too. Check out these monogramed yoga mats by My Custom Yoga Mat

Be sure to pin this for later to be able to find 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!

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Bump Update: 2 Months Postpartum

It's easy to look at these pictures and think..."she's just had a baby and is breastfeeding. Of course she is going to lose weight!" 

NOPE! NOT FOR ME! While losing weight because of breastfeeding may be true for some people it is NOT for me. I actually tend to gain weight. Because I like many people LOVE FOOD! And breastfeeding makes me more hungry. I tended to reach for quick snacks and lots of treats or just over eat and whatever weight I lost just after having a baby I would gain back almost to my delivery weight. It sucked! This being my 3rd kid I knew what my body was going to do. I knew that after the first month I had to really get my eating under control or else risk gaining weight. Actually I did gain weight in the 4 weeks after having Elyse. It was about 3 pounds but I still gained. 

What makes this time different than my other two postpartum recoveries is that yes I am eating "more" but I am eating the right kinds of foods and in the correct portions for a nursing mom. Do I still want to eat sweets, treats and other stuff. Sometimes but I don't crave it like I used to. It doesn't interest me anymore because I would rather fill my body with the foods that are good for me and Elyse giving her the best quality milk possible! 

Bottom line: it takes hard work and dedication to lose weight regardless what you are going through. There are no cheats or easier times to lose weight. You have to decide, commit and then just do it. And it really is possible for anyone to lose weight and feel better. Don't let the new year be your reason why you are waiting to lose weight. Start today so you are already in "losing weight mode" before everyone else. Because won't it will feel amazing to make "lose weight" not your #1 resolution in the new year?


Exercise: For the past 3 weeks I have been doing the 3 week yoga retreat. A basic introductory yoga program only available on Beachbody On Demand. It has really been great and allowed me to mentally get back into planning my workouts, adding in some core strength and seeing what works for me and my kids on workout times. 

Recovery: Recovery has going ok. I am still healing. I know this because if I do too much too fast, or even just tightening my core and holding it for so long, will make me start to bleed again. So yes...red heads to take longer to heal! 9 weeks, and I still bleed. It sucks but it is what it is.

Weight: Pre-pregnancy weight:237.7. Weight morning of birth: 264.8. Current weight December 1: 247.7. This past month I really focused hard on my nutrition. And it paid off. I was actually at 244.8 the day before Thanksgiving. But with the holiday and the weekend following, my system got all out of whack and a little confused. But I did lose weight and I DID lose inches as you can tell from my pictures. This is what it means to have a healthy lifestyle. Eat clean and enjoy the holiday then go back to eating clean! 

Next Months Goals: Monday, December 5 I start 21 DAY FIXperfect timing to go along with my exclusive support group, Health Up Your Holiday! I am still aiming to lose at least 1 pound a week making my total weight loss from November 1-January 1 8 pounds. (interested in joining the group? Send me an email or 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! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

Monday, December 5, 2016

35 Years: My Journey To Now

Today is the day that I am now just 5 years away from the dreaded 4-0. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! It seems so weird, so say I am 35. Yet here I am, 35 as of today. I actually remember thinking that 35 was SO OLD. I wanted to take a look back at how far I have come in these past few years in my journey, because even though I am growing older by just 1 year, I feel like I have gained so much about myself in just the past year about my fitness, health and overall life experiences!
2008 cruise just before I saw my doc and got the news that I was 240 pounds.

My whole fitness journey started in 2009. Yeah, before that point I had join the gym. Stopped going. Started exercising but stopped. It wasn't until 2009 when after we got back from a family trip that I went for a check up at my doctors and I weighed 240 pounds. That was the heaviest I had ever been and it was a huge wake up call for me. I scared the sh&t out of me honestly. I never wanted to be over weight. I saw what that was like for my sweet grandma as she aged and how difficult it was for her. I never wanted that for myself. For a few months I tried on my own to lose weight, and I did but I didn't know what the heck I was doing. 
Same weight yet, I look totally different. This is what exercising and becoming FIT does. Changes how your body is and carries it's weight. This is what being FIT is like!
I finally talked my hubs into letting me get a personal trainer with the understanding that if I stopped going that I would lose the membership. Well, I went. He kicked my butt. Called me out on my eating crap since I wasn't losing weight and pushed me more than I ever thought. After months of not losing weight I did a little experiment on myself. To prove to my trainer that it didn't matter what I ate, I wasn't going to lose weight. So I went on a controlled calorie intake diet by Slim Fast and followed it to a T. I continued to do 2 hours of cardio a day at the gym. I calculated that I was burning anywhere from 800-1000 calories just from cardio alone. I pushed myself so much and I was only eating 1200 calories. Needless to say, I dropped 20 pounds in just 2 months, but I was barely eating and busting my butt in the gym.

After a short time I started to re-introduce foods back into my diet, and I got pregnant with Mason. So I had to eat. Those 20 pounds I lost so quickly, I gained back with him within just a couple months of being pregnant, then gained another 35 pounds on top of that ending my pregnancy at 255. After 10 months of nursing and actually gaining weight not losing, I got the help from a nutritionist. And again I lost 40 pounds but it was healthy this time. I felt amazing. I didn't really have to exercise. The weight just fell off of me. And I got pregnant again. Then miscarried twice. I lost sight of my eating and my weight weight up again. Then after I started running, I got pregnant with Collin. I continued to run, but didn't really eat well with him. I trained and ran my half marathon when I was 29 weeks pregnant with him. And just 2 months after he was born I joined Beachbody to become a coach. 
Becoming a coach was really one of the best choices I ever made. It not only got me talking to more women, so I wasn't as lonely anymore, but I finally started to work on me. I started to really put to heart what my trainer had said so long ago. That nutrition was really the key and exercise helped to define you. Over the past 2 years. I have still had my ups and downs. After another tragic miscarriage last year that almost took my life. I got back into coaching after just taking a little break. But I had a new passion and desire to truly help people and not just reach my goals I had once set for myself. Now I am truly helping women every day. We are working together to find that balance. To make a healthy lifestyle their norm and to get out of the dieting yo-yo for good and it feels amazing. Yeah, I might still be 247 pounds but I honestly feel more healthy now than when I lost those first 40 pounds. I respect my body now. I love my body and who I am. I finally see the beauty in myself inside and out. This is what it is all about. This is why I do my blog. To help inspire. To help motivate. To help you want to add in healthy eating and exercise because it will help you feel better. Move better. Be a better mom. Have more patience with your children and to just over all take care of you on more than one level. You are worth it. We both are. Thank you so much for sticking with me this past year and for following along in my journey. It has truly been an amazing adventure. 

This coming year I have huge goals I want to accomplish and I can't wait to share them with you in an upcoming post! Be sure to check back often so you can get the motivation and support you need. If you are ready to take that next step and truly work on you but you need a little help along the way. Send me an EMAIL. Send me a message on FACEBOOK. Let's chat. Let's get you loving yourself and working on yourself to be the best you!
xoxo,

Becky

Friday, December 2, 2016

Homemade Burrito Bowls


We LOVE Chipotle's but HATE the price! Make your own takeout for half the price! Check out my recipe for Homemade Burrito Bowls that even Collin enjoys! ( I really want to say kids there but Mason, well he is so darn picky of an eater that yeah, he only tried the rice and a little bit of the chicken and that was still a fight! Anyone else have a pickey eater?)

Homemade Burrito Bowls

Ingredients:


4 chicken tenders, defrosted
Louisiana Cajan Blackened Seasoning (Walmart)
1 Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked brown rice (I precook my rice on Sunday so I just have to scoop and reheat!)
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Handful of spinach, roughly chopped

Directions: 

Heat grill pan on stovetop. 
Sprinkle chicken with seasoning on both sides and rub onto meat. 
Cook chicken until juices turn clear, about 6 minutes per side.
Heat the black beans on stove or in a microwave safe bowl
Re-heat 1 cup cooked brown rice in the microwave and season with the fajita seasoning

You can also add more veggies like sautéd bell peppers and onions. Or top with 1 tsp of guacamole. 

To plate: 
Brown rice on the bottom, spoon black beans on top of rice. Add chicken. Sprinkle with a little shredded cheddar and top with spinach.

And because I follow the container system with the 21 Day Fix here are the serving sizes I use. 1.5 greens of spinach, 1 yellow of rice, 1/2 yellow of black beans, 1 red of chicken, 1/2 blue cheese. ENJOY! 

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 1, 2016

Elyse Cheyenne: 2 Months


Elyse is 2 months. and boy howdy did this past month FLY BY! It is kind of bittersweet how fast this month went. As we are talking about if we are going to have any more kids. And if she is our last one...well, it's really sad and hard to think about! Anyhew, back to Elyse. Baby girl is getting into a sleep pattern. She is very particular about her sleeping time. She is a little beauty so it is doing her quite well in that department. (Be sure to view all the way to the bottom to see her outtakes!)

Her Stats: 
Weight: 10 pounds 1.2 ounces
Height: 22 1/4 inches tall


A Day in the life of Elyse:

  • 7:30pm - she starts to get cranky. Elyse wants to be asleep around this time but that is when the boys are getting ready to go to bed, so she waits until the boys are in their room and she gets to feed. 
  • 8:30- out cold. Generally she falls asleep on my chest but then I move her to her bassinet which she is sleeping in and napping in all the time now! It is so nice! 
  • 1am give or take an hour for midnight feed. 
  • 5am for morning feed.
  • 7am- forced up to take brother to the bus stop
  • 9am- another nap after big morning feed
  • 11:30am- MY favorite time of day...11:30. Mommy quiet time. Both her and Collin go down at the same time and it is AMAZING! This is new for us for about a week now where I don't have to be in the same room as her when she is napping. So I have been getting work done for coaching, making my lunch and EXERCISING! 
  • 2:50pm- Forced up again at to pick up brother from the bus stop again. 
  • 4pm- another nap after another feed.

 IT is so nice having a good schedule. She is feeding well before every nap time too!

I'm still exclusively nursing. No pumping. No bottles. So I am attached to her all the time it seems. Can't go long without seeing her or being around her and that is ok. I don't mind at all. She is all smiles now too. She loves to smile at us now! She thinks it is the funniest when I buzz my lips at her. That always gets a great grin!

So a little behind these monthly pictures of her. The way I got her to stop crying and look at me...I had to say "Pretty girl!" And mean it. She loves being told how pretty and beautiful she is. It even worked for Matt. He didn't believe me when I said that she loves it but when he did it and she just looked at him, softened her gaze at him he was impressed! She is a pretty girl! So blessed to be her momma!



Also beginning on MONDAY, December 5 I will be starting my Health Up The Holidays group. Join me as this is my first month back doing a strength training workout since I had her and really since I was about 32 weeks pregnant. I will be brand new basically. So if you want to be in a group that is for beginners and support for that. THIS IS THE GROUP TO JOIN! Let's get our healthy on before the holidays and already be rocking our goals out before January 1! Want to start right in with 21 Day Fix, which I personally think is the BEST beginning workout program out there...CLICK HERE to get your own copy and a month supply of Shakeology to help cut your cravings and to help you get even better results. When you order you will be added to my private Facebook group to get access to the tools you need plus support and daily accountability from me. Plus I will send you an email with your welcome guide to help you stay on track!

OUTTAKES: 



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!
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