Friday, January 6, 2017

3 Months Postpartum Update

Notice how I got rid of the "bump update" well, there isn't much of a bump left. I mean I still have a plus size mummy tummy, but it isn't officially a bump now that I have just passed out of the 4th trimester! So now it will just be my monthly progression pictures!

This past month I finally got back into strength training. I increased my weights from 0 pounds to 5 pounds, so getting stronger. I am just increasing nice and slowly at this point. I didn't actually really think I changed all that much but I have. You can see that I am leaning out which is AMAZING! I am still at 245 pounds but, come on. I think I look amazing considering I had a baby 3 months ago!

I set a goal November 1 to lose 8 pounds by January 1. Even though there were actually 9 weeks not 8 I thought that it was a good amount since there was Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's to work with. I ended up losing 6 pounds in the 2 months, but there have been some HUGE changes with my actual shape! So proud of my accomplishment. Who cares that I didn't reach my goal. I still made amazing progress!

Exercise: For the past 4 weeks I have been doing 21 Day Fix (it really does work!) using my Beachbody On Demand. It has been really nice getting back into workouts that make me really work for it. I even had days where I thought to myself, "WHY AM I DOING THIS AGAIN?" But when I finish my workout, I remember why. That awesome feeling of "I DID IT", gets me every time!

Recovery: Feel totally fine. EXCEPT, I have 0 core strength. I am actually taking it really easy on my core. Not doing full out core moves yet. Because I just don't want to risk hurting my core. I think this last pregnancy really did a number on my core and I just want to slowly strengthen it up. So. I am still doing core moves but they are very, very modified.

Weight: Pre-pregnancy weight:237.7. Weight morning of birth: 264.8. Current weight January 1: 245.5. This past month I added in strength training. I had a good solid 2 weeks of workouts. Not going to lie. 2 great weeks! The first week of them month, I started strong but it didn't continue. But I kicked myself in the butt and the second and 3rd week I rocked it. Then after Christmas the freaking plague hit our house, and even my second son ended up in the hospital. (still in the hospital as of today) So workouts this past week have not really happened.

Next Months Goals: I am still aiming to lose 1 pound a week since I am breastfeeding I think that that is a safe amount to lose without sacrificing my supply. In all honestly, the accountability from sharing my journey and in my groups is what is keeping me going everyday. I have a natural drive to exercise and eat right, but I have even more of a kick to just KICK BUTT and show everyone that it is possible to lose weight while breastfeeding. (interested in joining my private support groups? 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!

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Clean Eating Butternut & Apple Bake

Another holiday has come and gone. Goal for Christmas dinner was to be as healthy as possible, and I totally did that this year. We had herb crusted beef tenderloin and a healthy version of Green Bean Casserole, recipes from FIXATE cooking show available with a Beachbody on Demand Membership. Homemade rolls, traditional mashed potatoes. The last thing we had, I am so proud of! It was a Clean Eating Butternut and Apple Bake. And it turned out AMAZING! Even my husband and dad enjoyed it! It was almost like a dessert and we did not miss the sweet potato casserole with marshmallows at all! This was PERFECT! I wanted to share it with you! You don't have to wait for the holidays to enjoy this amazing side! Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Clean Eating Butternut and Apple Bake

Ingredients:

1 lb chopped/cubed, peeled butternut squash
2 large apples, peeled, cored and cubed
1 tbsp. coconut oil in liquid state (or olive oil)
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a 1 gallon-size ziplock bag or large container with a tight-fitting lid.

2. Shake well to coat everything in spices and maple syrup.

3. Pour out into a baking dish (I used an 8x8) and bake at 350 F for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes. * if you have a deeper baking dish this will take longer in the oven compared to a shallow dish.

4. Enjoy

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Elyse Cheyenne: 3 Months

Elyse is 3 months. We have passed out of the 4th trimester! She is such a great baby! I can't believe how amazing she is. She sleeps like a champ. She doesn't cry all that much, if she does cry she is either hungry or tired. Matt can get her to sleep while holding her. I can't. If I am holding her she wants to be eating! And the best part...her personality is starting to shine! I LOVE IT! (Be sure to view all the way to the bottom to see her outtakes!)

Her Stats:
Weight: 11 pounds 2 ounces

Christmas outfit #1

Christmas outfit #2

Christmas outfit #3

"HELP!"

Christmas outfit #4

Christmas Morning with all 3 in their Christmas Church outfits

Christmas morning before the boys came downstairs. she got to see everything first since it was her first Christmas.

OUTTAKE:
My little helper trying to get her to smile!

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Setting Goals and GETTING Results

It's the beginning of the year and the #1 thing people do is set their RESOLUTIONS! But what often happens is that in about 3 weeks...the resolution fades away. Setting goals and sticking to the work required to reach your goals is HARD WORK! And it takes constant dedication to your goals to stay on track. Here are some steps you can take to make sure you stick with your goals and GET RESULTS!

1) Set Real and obtainable goals:

Be realistic in your goals. Start with smaller goals that are obtainable rather than larger daunting goals. Like, lose 10 pounds by March. Instead of: lose 100 pounds by March. It isn't going to happen safely or without medical intervention. You have to be realistic with yourself or else you are just setting yourself up to fail. And no one wants to do that. Another great goal to think about is to slowly increase how many days you are exercising. If on average you exercised 2 days a week, like clock work, bump it up to 3-4 for a challenge. But automatically jumping to 7 days a week might be too much of a leap and can lead to getting burned out pretty quickly. Be realistic in your goals.

2) Make It Exciting:

When you start a new exercise routine, make it fun and exciting! Start a new workout program so that you have something new and different to do than what you have done before! Doing the same old boring stuff means you can get bored sooner and more likely to stop. Try a new workout that challenges you. The Beachbody On Demand All Access Pass is perfect for anyone that needs to change up their program frequently! Hammer and Chisel, 21 Day Fix Extreme, a Cycle class, hot yoga! There are so many things out there to up the anti in your workouts! And make it fun! Also make an end goal for what you are doing to. Like sign up for a specific race that looks awesome, or be able to do 10 military style pushups. Challenge yourself but make it fun and exciting.

3) Set A Time Limit

Give yourself a deadline on when you have to reach your goals by so that you are pushing yourself every single day. It gives you something to look forward to to make sure you stay on track and you can literally see what you have and haven't been doing to make sure you reach your goal.

4) Reward Yourself

Plan a fun reward for yourself for when you reach your goal. Don't make it food related but something you have wanted for a while. New workout clothing. New equipment for your home gym. Necklace. Anything that makes what you are doing all the more worth it!

5) Don't Give Up On Yourself

The only one that can stop you from doing what you need to do is yourself. Yes life happens, but you are the one who determines if you workout or eat healthy for the day. Don't let other people, circumstances or obstacles stop you from doing what you need to do every single day to get you one step closer to your goals! If you want to change you have to WORK FOR IT! Take ownership for what you want to accomplish and don't stop until you reach 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!

Sunday, January 1, 2017

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Hope everyone has a safe and healthy New YEAR!

Collin, my second son, is still in the hospital so we will be spending the 3rd day there today. But...I did get to have some fun with my oldest this morning! We got in a GREAT little pajama dance party!

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.

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!

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?

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, both raw and cooked.
Eat unprocessed lean meats that have not had anything added. This includes fresh chicken and fish and even lean, humanely raised beef and game.
Enjoying whole grains instead of the processed or refined.
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!

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!

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!

WELCOME! If you are new CLICK HERE!

Hi! I'm Becky, the FIT GINGER! Are you having a hard time losing weight after having kids? Or do you struggle trying to find time to exercise daily and be the best version of you? I used to be a Yo-Yo dieter who struggled to lose weight and keep it off. Who put her kids first and didn't make the time to work on myself. I was uncomfortable in my own skin because of my shape and size. But not any more! Check out my site for info, tips, motivation and to learn about the tools that I use plus more to help you get the results you really want. Be sure to subscribe above for more tips right in your inbox!