Fido Fitness: Pets Need Exercise Too!

Sometimes while we are in our own health and fitness journey we forget about a very near and dear part of our family. I'm not talking about the kids but our 4 legged kids too! Our pets! This post is inspired by puppyspot.com Fido Fitness campaign to help you get fit with your four legged friends!

I grew up with yellow labs, and when Matt and I were first married we added Archer to the family. Fun facts: Archer was half pug half beagle. Making him a Puggle. We got him prior to his breed becoming a popular "designer breed". He was born on our wedding day was named after Jonathan Archer in Enterprise (our favorite show that we watched together). Sadly, beloved 4 legged kid, Archer passed away a year and a half ago at 13 and a half years old. After his exciting puppy days most of the time we found him just chillin' on our couch passed out, or trying to hide from the kids. We did our best to exercise with him because he became overweight around 8 years old as his metabolism started to slow down and he didn't want to go on walks as much. Plus, if you dog was anything like Archer, they LOVE human food! Archer always found ways to get extra food, from the kids throwing it on the ground to getting extra treats. But we had to do some serious exercise with him to help him maintain his weight as he got older.

Of course walks were recommended as the "exercise of choice" by our vet, but there are so many other exercises that dogs can do and that are fun, not just for them but for the whole family! Most dogs need between 30 minutes and 2 hours of active exercise a day depending on the size, breed and overall health. Like a Chihuahua will not need as much active exercise as labrador retrievers, which is a hunting breed. They want to run! If you are unsure how much exercise your dog needs, contact your vet just to be on the safe side, but start with a walk and see how your dog does. Remember, tongue out, ears back and wagging tail are all good signs that your dog is enjoying their walk. If they start to drag behind you panting excessively or are stopping frequently (besides peeing on every mailbox!) you might want to start with less time on the walk and then build up the more you go. Just like with your own journey. You can't expect your dog to go from 0 activity to walking 2+ miles right away. They need to adapt to it too!

Exercise Activities for the whole family! 

Active Fetch
Throw the ball for your pet and have your kids chase your dog! It helps the dog go faster and your kids will enjoy the running too. And don't just stand there waiting for the ball to come back, do some pushups, squats or lunges. You can have your kids join you and see how many squats or lunges it takes for your dog to bring it back to you guys!

Doga!
There is actually some yoga classes with and for dogs. You can just do a search for Doga Classes Near Me to look into any local classes. Or, just let your dog chill with you while you do some yoga!

Interval Running: 
One thing we did with Archer was have him do some running with his walking. You can do interval training with them. Run from one mail box to the next, then walk for 2, then run for one and so forth. Not only is it good training for your dog, but you too, and it could help to discourage them from marking their territory on EVERY SINGLE MAIL BOX! It gets them active and engaged in the walk! Again, if you are doing interval training, you will not need to go on as long of a walk as they will tire out more quickly from the increased activity. But the more they do it the more used to it they will get. Start small, and work your way up.

Swimming:
Have your dog take a dip in the pool too. It's best to visit a lake or find a puppy friendly pool, unless you have one yourself. Not only does it take pressure off of their joints but it is a great cardio workout for them too.

Too hot or cold outside for your pet to walk safely?

The pads on dogs feet are pretty hardy, but...Black asphalt in the summer can burn their feed, and they can get cold paws too. Make sure to always have your pets safety in mind while helping them be healthy. Either invest in booties, or shoes for them to help them or find other ways to exercise them indoors.

Indoor Walking:
Have a treadmill? You can encourage them to take a walk on the treadmill. They might just like it. What we did in our house is play hide and seek. I would hide and Archer would seek me, and sometimes it would time him some time, and he would be running all over the house trying to find me. Just whistle to let them know you are still in an area where they can find you.

Chase:
Also you can play chase in the house. Chase your dog, or have them chase you. Gets you running and them too.

Shadow:
Have a dog that likes to follow you? Walk or run up and down the stairs multiple times in a row. Archer would follow me everywhere I would go, especially when I was pregnant. I would walk up and down the stairs and he would do it right along with me, huffing and puffing the whole way.

In the end, make exercise fun for not only you but your dogs too. Be excited about walks and they will be. Plus they love having that bonding time with their human friends. I would give anything to be able to have Archer sitting at my feet and giving him big hugs right now, but he is watching over us now. Love those dogs for as long as you can, and help them feel and look their best too by living a healthy and active life with them!

Oh...and want to check out some cute Pet Inspired workout clothing? Check out Barks & Burpees for some of the cutest mom dog apparel ever!

Check out some of the awesome info you can get over at puppyspot.com. Be sure to check them out for more info on your dogs breed to help you better understand what they need to be their best!

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!

21 Day Fix Approved Apple Cinnamon Protein Pancakes

I am always looking for new recipes, and we love to do pancakes for breakfast on Saturday mornings. A tradition that I got from my Grandpa Ben. I'm super excited for these HEALTHY and 21 Day Fix Approved Apple Cinnamon Protein Pancakes by Beachbody! YAY! for eating normal foods and not having to give up anything to reach my goals!

Apple Cinnamon Protein Pancakes

(source)

Portion Fix Containers: 
½ Purple
½ Red
½ Yellow

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!

What Is Your Scale Telling You?

I am addicted to my scale. Yep...I fight with myself every morning NOT to get on my scale. I used to be that person that would weight themselves daily, and if I didn't like the number, I would step off, then get back on, maybe lean a little bit to make the number go down, just a little bit. Even weigh myself multiple times a day to see if there was a change (like right after a workout) Then if that scale number wasn't where I was hoping it would be...I would get PISSED at myself and think...What can I do better?

Any of this sound familiar?

I have finally dropped back to weighing myself weekly to check my progress, but even then, I I have a goal to only do it once a month because honestly...What is that scale telling you? Does that number define how you feel on the inside? Does that number tell you how amazing you are? Does that number define how many people you could inspire that day through your actions and words? Does that number tell you how amazing you are?

It tells you how strong gravity is pulling your mass down to the earth. THAT'S IT! And it can fluctuate so much depending on how much water you are retaining, if you are on your period, how much you ate the day before, if you have had a bowel movement or not. It's time to break up with your scale.

If you are a habitual weigher, I challenge you to not step on that scale daily. Cut back to once a week. Make a slow steady change. Then try to cut back to once every other week...Then once a month. Heck if you can do it, ditch the scale all together because again, it doesn't tell you the whole picture of what your journey is doing for you. You can see more progress in body from the way that you feel or in monthly progress pictures.

Don't ever let anything judge you. Live your life the way you want to and not how media or society thinks it should be. Rock your life. Rock how you feel!

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!

Plus Size Fitness: Core Strengthening Workout

Who wants stronger abs??? Who wants stronger abs without doing any crunches?!? Check out these exercises that will work your entire core! 

Complete 3 sets of 8-15 reps per side with a 30-45 seconds rest between each exercise.

Want more PLUS SIZE FITNESS EXERCISES? Check out this Total Body Strengthening Workout! 

PIN FOR LATER

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!

October's Clean Week Group

Are you ready to get started again but not sure where to start, or what will work best for you? Or do you find it difficult to get in and stay in a healthy routine? Do you have goals but not sure how to get started? Wanting to change but not sure you want to make a long term commitment?

I challenge you to 1 week...

1 week of clean eating

1 week of workouts at your own pace

1 week of superfoods to kick cravings

Is your health worth the investment of 1 week...YES!! You and your health are worth it!!

Give me 1 week to see how easy it can be to implement clean eating and fitness into your daily routine.

I'm opening up a special group running week long challenges. 1st week long challenge begins MONDAY OCTOBER 16! Order today so that you are in the FIRST week's group for a special giveaway! WANT TO JOIN ME? ORDER THE BRAND NEW CLEAN WEEK program! It's here to help you commit to your first week and ROCK IT! With 7 samples of Shakeology, nutrition guide to help get your eating on track and daily exercise that are specifically designed to help you see results in just 1 week! Yep, just 1 week! Plus you get ME as your coach to help you through it all and a whole group of others just like you to support you too! AVAILABLE in US, Canada NOW and UK (starting Oct 19!) 

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!

Working Out After Surgery or Extended Break

I'm back in my old schedule after my appendectomy 6 weeks ago. Not being able to workout, like really workout, has been hard for me. I honestly didn't think it would take that long, but I could feel my insides pulling when I was trying to do some exercises and it didn't feel comfortable. So why push things. I took a long recovery and now I am feeling great and ready. But 6 weeks without working out was hard mentally. I need my daily exercise to get through the day. It's my personal therapy session and helps me be a better mom. I'm not going to lie, I started to get the blues a bit during recovery and that was hard to get over. But...now that I am 2 days strong into my workout routine, mentally, I'm feeling so much better. Body wise, I AM SORE AF!

Are you just getting back into exercise after an extended break? Here are some things to remember:

How often do I need to work out? 
Anything is better than nothing but a good rule of thumb is 3 days a week. Basically every other day. Then try to remain active the other days, by going on a walk, doing yoga or stretching. I'm personally following the 21 Day Fix program right now, which is a 7 day a week program for 3 weeks. Each workout during the week is different, and rotates between total body strength training (there's 2 of these in the week), cardio, upper body, lower body, yoga, pilates.

How long should my workouts be? 
There are a ton of 20-30 minute workouts out there like 21 Day Fix or 22 Minute Hardcore. They are great because they are easy to fit into your schedule because they are 30 minutes or less. But remember workouts that are short, tend to be more intense. Because in order for your body to benefit from short workouts you have to push yourself. 40-45 minute workouts are a good amount of time for lesser intensity workouts. Honestly, I have been taking breaks when I need them and my 30 minute workout on Monday ended up taking 45 minutes. But, as I get stronger and better, I won't need as many breaks. Listen to your body!

What's the best time of day to workout? 
That is your choice. What time of the day is easiest for you and that you can do on a regular, consistent basis. Are you a morning person, afternoon or late night exerciser. First rule of thumb, is to find the time in your schedule. Sit down with your schedule for you and your entire family and block out 30-45 minutes every day. Preferably at the same time each day so that it is easy to remember and can be developed into a habit.

What to eat before you exercise
Depends on what type of workout and really how you feel. For years, I didn't eat anything before I exercised. Especially for running. It made me sick to my stomach to run with food in my stomach. But, it is a good idea to give your body some fuel to use while you exercise. A banana is a good snack to eat before a workout plus it helps to reduce cramping with the potassium in it. If you are going to really hit it hard, a healthy snack of carb and protein is PERFECT! Like a whole wheat english muffin with some peanut butter in it. But you do have to count that towards your containers a day if you are following the nutrition fix program! And I personally enjoy my "no excuses juice"15 minutes before my workout. It's a pre-workout drink that helps to give me energy without caffeine or the jitters and helps my endurance while I am exercising!

How much weight should I use during my exercises? 
When you are getting back into exercise, you have to start over again. Which means, get back slowly into your exercise. For me, I go back to 0 weights, then work my way up. But the great thing, I'm not down for long. Muscle memory is an amazing thing! Listen to your body and add weights when you are feeling up to it and go slow. Don't add too much too quickly otherwise you can injure yourself.

Feeling sore after your first workout? WORKOUT MORE! 
This is my thinking. Your body needs movement to help loosen up those sore muscles you worked the other day. If you are feeling sore. MOVE. As much as it hurts, and I get it, but MOVE THOSE MUSCLES. Within 5 minutes you will not be feeling sore and after your workout you will feel amazing. But also remember, don't push yourself so hard during your workout that you injure yourself. Day 1 of your exercise do 50% max effort to allow your body to adjust. Then the next week increase your effort and go from there. Your body needs time to adapt, and it will adapt very quickly!

What to eat after your workout
Remember to get a good snack in after your workout. Your body has worked hard. Aim for protein rich foods to help your body heal and recover faster. Personally, I like to use Shakeology as my after workout snack. Plus with it being a chocolate shake, yeah, it feels like I'm cheating just a little. I'm a little rebel!

Are you ready to get started again but not sure where to start, or what will work best for you? Or do you find it difficult to get in and stay in a healthy routine? Do you have goals but not sure how to get started? Wanting to change but not sure you want to make a long term commitment?

I challenge you to 1 week...

1 week of clean eating

1 week of workouts at your own pace

1 week of superfoods to kick cravings

Is your health worth the investment of 1 week...YES!! You and your health are worth it!!

Give me 1 week to see how easy it can be to implement clean eating and fitness into your daily routine.

I'm opening up a special group running week long challenges. 1st week long challenge begins MONDAY OCTOBER 16! Order today so that you are in the FIRST week's group for a special giveaway! WANT TO JOIN ME? ORDER THE BRAND NEW CLEAN WEEK program! It's here to help you commit to your first week and ROCK IT! With 7 samples of Shakeology, nutrition guide to help get your eating on track and daily exercise that are specifically designed to help you see results in just 1 week! Yep, just 1 week! Plus you get ME as your coach to help you through it all! AVAILABLE in US, Canada and UK (starting Oct 19!) 

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!

Learn To Be Obsessed Challenge - Phase 1 Starting

Phase 1, or block 1 of my newly created challenge, Learn To Be Obsessed Challenge began YESTERDAY! It's a challenge that I specifically created to not only get me through the new year and NOT gain weight, but to also build my base fitness level to be ready to take on the next newest workout program to be released by Beachbody, 80 Day Obsession.

After having an emergency Appendectomy, and recovery for 6 weeks, I didn't stay true to my nutrition and wasn't able to workout so I fell back in my progress I gained over the past year. It is important for me to stick with my goals and work hard to get to where I want to be.

We are beginning with 21 Day Fix, a program that I have had great success on. I lost 20 pounds a couple of years ago by doing multiple rounds of 21 Day Fix and I am excited for the results I know I am going to get! 

Not sure where to start in your weight loss journey? Join me in my current challenge to help you start with the right program that will fit your busy lifestyle, get great nutrition every day and learn the right amount of food you should be eating daily. Plus 1:1 support from ME! It all start with you getting your year membership to unlimited streaming access over 600 workouts for variety to keep you motivated and your first month supply of my favorite, cravings crushing drink! CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO ORDER and I will reach out to you within 24 hours!

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!

She's A Wild 1 Cake Smash

Poor Elyse was sick this weekend and we actually had to cancel her party on Saturday afternoon, because her fever was getting higher and she couldn't keep anything down. But thankfully by later Sunday she was feeling so much better and was even excited to eat her cake! So...we let her go to town. The theme for her party was She's a wild one, wildflower. So my decorations were flowers, teal and bright pink.

Boho Wildflower High Chair Banner by Pretty Little Clippie's Etsy Store

Bodysuit by Mama BiJou Etsy Store

Tutu and headband by Cutie Pie Goodies (it is the same tutu and headband we used in her newborn pictures!)

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!