When I got pregnant with my first little guy, I thought I had it in the bag when it came to "healthy pregnancy." I already had good habits of exercising regularly, drank a superfood shake which acted as my prenatal vitamin, and was semi-good about clean eating.
BUT 47 pounds later, lots of swelling, an 8lb 11oz baby boy that took me four hours to push out (without medication mind you), and I wasn't so sure I had this clean eating thing in the bag.
This second pregnancy I look and feel much better. My midwife is always commenting about how great I'm looking, that baby is smaller (she feels my body would do better delivering a slightly smaller babe), and is comfortable with me going longer between my appointments, so long as things continue to go well.
So, what did I do different this time? Here are 5 things that came to mind!
I was in better shape BEFORE I got pregnant the second time. I was probably in the best shape of my life and the healthiest version of me I've ever been. If you are already pregnant, this one isn't going to help you, but keep it in mind if you plan to have more kiddos.
I learned the art of meal planning and prepping my food ahead of time. We all know how intense pregnancy cravings can be. When you're craving something unhealthy, it's hard to resists in the moment, but when you prep your meals and snacks ahead of time, food that is delicious and nutritious, satisfying cravings can be easy and quick AND healthy.
Exercise! I exercised throughout my whole pregnancy with Toby, BUT what I didn't do was follow a specific program/plan. I kind of did the whole, "Today I feel like a dance cardio workout, and ummm... 10 minutes is plenty!" This time I found out I was pregnant on week 5 of an intense 6-week program where I followed the meal plan and workouts to a T. That helped launch me into a successful healthy pregnancy. Since then I've completed a 12-week, 25 minutes a day cardio focused program, and just recently started a 12-week strength training program. I'm also walking about 30 minutes a day pushing Toby in the jogger.
Yoga. I was never a fan of yoga in the past, but last July I forced myself to only do yoga for 3 weeks to see what I could gain from it. Throughout this pregnancy, I've done some prenatal yoga workouts and also a lower back pain routine whenever my lower back hurts, and—take it from me—it works!
Hydration. With my first pregnancy I was pretty good at this, but I only drank water (nothing wrong with that, but there are no electrolytes to help replenish my body after my workouts). This time I've also been drinking an all natural hydration drink during my workouts that not only tastes yummy but is good for me and the baby.
All of these things I believe have helped me maintain a slower, lower, healthier weight gain, on top of keeping swelling to a minimum. Overall, I feel loads better!
Now if I could just convince my body to sleep through the night ;-)
Hope this was helpful! If you have had more than one pregnancy and found the later one to be healthier, I'd love for you to share what you think was different.
If you'd like to know more about the workout routines I've been doing, where I access my yoga, or more about that amazing hydration drink, feel free to drop your email below or contact me above <3
Do you ever find yourself settling for less because you think it's the best it's ever going to get—it could be your job, finances, living conditions, health/fitness, kids behavior, etc.?
That's where I found myself recently. I had worked hard at my personal health and fitness over the course of three years. Even though I was proud of what I had accomplished, I was still comparing myself to others: "She's doing the same program as me. How come her results are better?"
But it wasn't a question of who was getting better results. It had to do with commitment. If I was completely honest with myself I would realize that I wasn't pushing myself like I could have.
Was I following the eating plan 100%?
Was I pushing myself to the max in each workout by upping my repetitions, weights, and effort?
No?
Well, then why was I complaining?
Two weeks ago I decided to stop the comparison game. Instead of making excuses and complaining that I wasn't getting the same results, I decided to own my process and my results.
I went all in. I began meal prepping four days at a time to make it easier to stay on track. I picked a fitness program that is cardio agility based along with strength training and increased my weights from ten to fifteen pounds. When I wanted to stop before the clock hit zero I went even harder.
I still have a whole week left, but the five pounds I've lost along with several inches from those stubborn places like my waist is inspiring. I plan to charge through week three!
Here's a sneak peek of my results so far!
If you've found yourself settling in your health and fitness, making excuses, hitting a plateau, or just needing to up your game, then this program is for you.
It's only three weeks long, but it's delivering inspiring results, and that's hugely motivating. If you are looking to step up your fitness, get some quick results to keep you motivated, and/or get past a plateau, then let me know. I'll give you more details about what I'm doing and help you reach your fitness goals too!
That first four days of meal prep I did last week was SO NICE I jumped into round two on Thursday. Below is photographic proof of how much this mom rocked it!
So what made it so nice? Well, even though the prepping itself can easily take 2-3 hours, depending on what you make and how much, once you're prepped you're prepped. No more scrambling 30 minutes before meal times trying to figure out what to eat. It is WORTH it!!
So, here's what I made for the next 4 days. If you read my last post (How To Meal Prep When You Don't Meal Prep) you might recall that I doubled up two different menus, as in I eat the same thing on Thursday and Saturday and eat another option Friday and Monday.
Breakfast: 1/2 frozen banana, 1 cup frozen spinach, 1 cup water and Chocolate Shakeology.
Snack: 1/2 large apple with 2 teaspoons of peanut butter.
Lunch/Afternoon Snacks: 1 cup lettuce, 3/4 cup shredded Lime Cilantro Chicken, 1/2 cup black beans 1 tablespoon oil based dressing along with 2 hard boiled eggs.
Dinner: 1 lean hamburger patty served with lettuce and tomato (not pictured for freshness), choice of cheese, baked sweet potato fries (mine were Okinawan so they are purple), mixed veggies of zucchini and carrots.
Friday/Monday Meals
Breakfast: 1/2 frozen banana, 1 cup frozen spinach, 2 teaspoons of peanut butter, 1 cup water and Chocolate Shakeology. (I seriously love it that much! If you want to try it for yourself feel free to contact me through my email at the top of the blog.)
Snack: 2 eggs cooked your favorite way, can add veggies and make a scramble or omelet.
Lunch/Afternoon Snacks: 1 cup lettuce, 1/2 cup cut up strawberries and blueberries combined, 1/4 cup feta, 1 tablespoon oil based dressing along, chili lime baked potato chips, carrots.
Snack: 3/4 cup 2% plain yogurt with a few blueberries and strawberries.
Dinner: Shishkabobs made of chicken marinated in lime juice, zucchini, tomato and pineapple, baked diced potatoes with your choice of seasonings, steamed broccoli with 1/4 cup cheese.
If you're wondering, what is up with all the lime? Well, there is a good reason. A friend of mine has a lime tree and so she has more limes than she can spare. She gave me over a dozen, and so for this meal prep I Googled all things lime to use what I had been given but also add some different flavors to the prepared meals. It worked splendidly!
If you have any questions about my meal prepping game, the Shift Shop program, or any of the recipes or links above, feel free to comment below or contact me <3
I am not by nature a meal planner/prepper even though I encourage my clients to do so—yep, I went there!
Truth is, my biggest struggle is the food! I LOVE all things sugar and carbs and it takes me great discipline to stay on track with a healthy, clean eating plan that has little to none of those things in it.
So when I go "all in" and fully commit to a fitness program and eating plan it requires me to do things I don't normally do. In this case, it was meal prepping.
In order to make it a bit more fun, I snagged the Instant Pot on Amazon when it was on sale for Prime Day along with ordering some Bento Boxes to make my food look like the professionals.
With these items, it seemed as though I could conquer the WORLD, or at least the food prep world. Even though when I started out I was COMPLETELY unorganized. I hadn't nailed down exactly what I was going to eat each day, but I had purchased plenty of options to fit into the Shift Shop eating plan so it was just a matter of portioning things out.
So, with Google in hand, I put my new Instant Pot to work cooking sweet potatoes, eggs, and broccoli.
Sweet Potatoes - Will warn you that the 2 that were on the smaller size became MUSH, but the 2 true medium sized ones came out perfect!
Broccoli - pretty basic, but I didn't know how long to cook. Remember I JUST got my Instant Pot!
The only other recipe I used to make my meal was for sweet potato chips!
If you're dying to know what I made, here we go!
Keep in mind I am in the "A" plan for the Shift Shop, which for week 1 is 3 veggies, 2 fruits, 4 proteins, 2 carbs, 2 teaspoon, 1 healthy fat, and 1 seeds and dressing.
To make it easier I started with 4 days worth, but doubled up two different menus, as in I eat the same thing Monday and Wednesday and eat another option Tuesday and Thursday.
Monday/Wednesday Meals
Breakfast: 1/2 frozen banana, 1 cup frozen spinach, 1 cup water and Chocolate Shakeology.
Snack: 3/4 Cup 2% plain yogurt with a few blueberries and strawberries.
Lunch/Afternoon Snacks: 1 cup lettuce, 1/2 cup cut up strawberries and blueberries combined, 1/4 cup feta, 1 tablespoon oil based dressing along with 2 hard boiled eggs and 1/2 cup grapes, sweet potato chips from 1 medium potato.
Dinner: 1 serving of grilled chicken, 1 cup cooked broccoli, 1/2 large sweet potato with cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of butter.
(The other allotted teaspoon I account for extra virgin olive oil I used for cooking my chicken and sweet potato chips in.)
Tuesday/Thursday Meals
Breakfast: 1/2 frozen banana, 1 cup frozen spinach, 1 cup water and Chocolate Shakeology. (I seriously love it that much! If you want to try it for yourself feel free to contact me through my email at the top of the blog :-) )
Snack: 3/4 cup 2% plain yogurt with a few blueberries and strawberries. (Mostly the same because I want to use up the yogurt before it goes bad ;-) )
Lunch/Afternoon Snacks: 1 cup lettuce, 1/2 cup black beans, 1 serving grilled chicken, 1 tablespoon oil based dressing, 1/4 avocado (not pictured because I like it fresh), along with 1 cup of grapes.
Dinner: 1 serving of grilled steak, 1 cup sauteed zucchini, 1/2 large sweet potato with cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of butter.
(The other allotted teaspoon I accounted for on my steak before grilling and when I sauteed the zucchini.)
And there you have it! It's not too fancy, but all the meals are full of flavor and super yummy!
I also went ahead and made my husband these same meals (with his permission of course). In order to make it easy for us to grab food from the fridge, I used a dry erase marker and wrote on the top of each lid: name, meal, and day.
My plan is to do the next 3-4 days of prep on Thursday to round out the week. I may or may not pick two new meals for those days just to change things up. If I do new ones you better believe I'll share it with you!
So there you have it, my easy, simple, but delicious meal prep for Shift Shop. Having those cute containers to pull out of the fridge today really helped me stay on track 100% for day one.
If you have any questions about my meal prepping game, the Shift Shop program, or any of the recipes or links I shared above feel free to comment below or contact me <3
I always get excited when Beachbody announces a new fitness program, but this one I'm especially
excited for! It's called Shift Shop and was created by NASM certified trainer Chris Downing. He's put together a 3-week rapid rebuild program that will give you quick results and help you rebuild your body and reinvent your life.
One of the things that impressed and stood out to me about Chris is his ability to motivate and inspire you to leave it all on the floor. It doesn't matter if you are at the peak of your fitness journey and want to push a little harder or if you are just starting out, you can always reinvent and become a better version of yourself.
Not only is Chris inspiring, but you can tell he genuinely cares about you, your results, your journey, and your success. I got the awesome privilege to do two of his workouts when I went on the Beachbody Success Trip to Punta Cana in April. I fell in love with this program immediately! Here is a little video from one of the workouts there. Sorry for the poor quality, my phone got killed and I salvaged this from Facebook :-(
If you are familiar with Chalene Johnson and love how she is always so inspiring and uplifting, you are gonna love Chris. He's like her male clone ;-) He has the ability to make you believe in yourself and that you can do anything. It's that belief that will help you crush this program and get your results. So, what exactly is the Shift Shop Workout?
•It is a 3-week rapid rebuild program, which means instead of repeating the exact same workouts from week to week, you'll progress through a series of increasingly challenging routines. •It is for anyone who wants to ramp up their fitness to the next level FAST! •It starts with basic 25 minute workouts and increases to advanced 45 minute routines, all while honoring your nutrition for optimal results because we all know how important nutrition is. •It is a great program for all fitness levels. If you have a lot of weight to lose, shift shop will be your on-ramp to fitness. If you have spent time away from your regular routine, Chris will lead you through a fitness tune-up. •The workouts are 25-45 minutes a day, 6 days a week for 3 weeks. •There is a workout modifier in every workout, so anyone can do this. •It will be officially available on July 12, 2017, so make sure you get on my list to stay up to date on the latest release information.
I will be hosting a Shift Shop Virtual Fit Camp starting on July 24! If you want to get my personal mentoring, coaching, support, and be a part of our awesome fit fam and one of the first to try out this program please fill out my online form.
I've heard it said, "Couples who sweat together stay together." I'm not sure if that's totally true—and
honestly I can think of some other factors that may be more important to keep a marriage alive and thriving—BUT I did come up with 5 reasons you should consider working out with your spouse.
Here they are in no particular order
1. Help In The Kitchen
I can tell you from personal experience if you and your spouse aren't on the same eating plan it's tough to stay strong. I do best when I keep my pantry and fridge free of foods I'm not eating as they just become a huge temptation in moments of weakness. In order to do that though you need to have your spouse on board with your eating plan.
Since they say diet is 80% of your results having a partner to help you will greatly increase your results and ability to stick with it, plus it saves time preparing more than one meal. One way to get my hubby on board was to utilize the Fixate cookbook along with the recipes found on Beachbody On Demand. (Think Netflix for workouts). There are lots of yummy desert recipes that we have both enjoyed as a treat including cake with chocolate frosting, peanut butter chocolate balls and peanut butter bars.
2. Checking Your Form
Working out alone at home is great. I love that I don't have to pack up and get to the gym, figure out childcare or what I'm going to wear. One thing I have found difficult though is checking my form without the assistance of mirrored walls like many gyms have. When I learn a new move I have a hard time figuring out if I'm doing it right, which is important in order to protect your back and also maximize your results.
When Jake is around it's easy for me to be able to ask him if my back is straight, if I'm doing it the same way as in the video, and he let's me know when I start sagging towards the end of my plank. In return I can do the same for him.
3. Sticking With It
Do you ever have those days where you just don't feel like it? Where you convince yourself that you've "worked hard this week" and you "deserve a day of rest?" When no one is expecting you to workout at a certain time, meet them at the gym or see you in class it's easy to make excuses.
My first method of remedying that are the online accountability groups that I host, but having Jake to workout with me is an added push. If I'm not feeling up to it I know he'll encourage me to stick with my goals and do it. When he wants to stay in bed and skip out I can drag him to join me ;-) 4. The Next Generation
It's important to me to set a good example to my kiddos of what healthy habits are including working out, eating healthy food to fuel our bodies and making activity a fun part of our life. While doing this alone would probably be a good example, how much better is it for them to see mom AND dad doing this?
Being healthy and fit isn't just about looking good in a swimsuit in the summer or for special occasion, for me it's a lifestyle! Having a partner that also demonstrates this healthy lifestyle will make it the normal thing for kids instead of one option.
5. Together Is Better
Let's face it, life is busy! It's easy to get caught up in the busyness and not make time for your spouse. If one of you is already working out but the other isn't then that's time you have to spend apart. If you choose to workout together you gain more time together.
Working out together means opportunities to encourage and push one another, to remind each other of your goals, to support and help motivate one another on your journey together!
Do you workout with your partner? If not would you like to?
I am super excited to be able to announce a brand new at-home fitness program by Beachbody! The best part is that it's launching in just a couple weeks on October 31!
Core De Force is a 30 day total body transformation program that will help you get the body you've been wanting. One of the things I love about this program is that there is NO equipment. Just YOU! Core De Force is an MMA inspired program which includes 3 minute “rounds” where you will get boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai, knee-elbow combinations, body weight training and cardio spikes that will help you lose belly fat and get ripped.
If you can focus on hitting it hard for 3 minutes at a time before you know it the workout will be over.
I got a chance to check out a sneak peek of this workout at the beginning of the month and it's so much fun and yet leaves you dripping in sweat. While doing the workout I noticed that it really does focus on your entire core which will help you get your midsection defined, which always seems to be the trouble spot for us ladies especially after recently having a baby!
Keep reading to find out all the details of this program and how you can rock your goals this holiday season. I am going to be hosting a private test group for people who are ready to join me in this 30 day program and I can't wait to see the results we are going to get.
First off, what the heck is Core De Force?!?!
Core De Force is your 30 day program that can help you achieve a total body transformation. This workout was created by Joel Freeman and Jericho McMatthews. It is the ultimate mixed martial arts-inspired workout that is going to help you get rid of the belly fat, lean out, build muscle and shred your body from head to toe without any equipment.
I'll be honest that when I tried the sneak peek I was a bit worried. I have NO background in mixed martial arts, boxing or anything like that, so I was super thankful to find out that in every workout there is a “learn it & work it” section that breaks down the moves so that you can learn them before you do the workout. So, if you are new to the MMA style exercises like I was this will give you confidence to go right in and kick some butt.
Another bonus for those of us that struggle with keeping time or a beat is that Core De Force doesn't have a rhythm that you have to keep up! Like all of our workouts there are modifiers in every single workout so if you are a beginner or just new to this type of exercise you won't get left behind. If you are more advanced, have experience, or even as you get familiar with the program, you will be able to challenge yourself more to get the results you are looking for.
Another bonus is that there is no workout equipment! I've been doing a program lately that requires a bench press, bands and lots of weights which would be hard to drag all around New England for the month of November, so this program is perfect!
Who should consider doing Core De Force?!?!
EVERYONE of course ;-) Whether you are at a beginner, intermediate or advanced level in your fitness you can do this workout. It may not look pretty at the beginning, but it still burns calories and you will catch on before you know it. Follow the modifier if you need to and work your way up to the advanced moves.
Core De Force has an emphasis of working your core from every angle, which will help you whittle it down, tone it up and maximize your results in one of our biggest trouble spots.
How about an eating plan?
The nutrition plan is simple, filled with clean eating and measurable to make it easy to follow. Your results will either be empowered by your choice to follow this plan and fuel your body or hindered by your lack of commitment. I would challenge you to go all in and follow this plan in order to maximize your results.
For those of you who are familiar with the 21 Day Fix nutrition plan, this plan follows the portion fix too, but you will not receive another set of containers unless you want them! You will get a list of foods for each category, how much to eat of category and it's easy to track. I'll be helping you figure this out and offering tools to set you up for success in my Exclusive Test Group!
Core De Force Test Group Participant
Core De Force Test Group Participant
How long are these workouts anyway?
All the workouts in this program range from 30-45ish minutes in length and you workout 6 days a week with a stretch on the 7th. The workout program is only 30 days in length and comes with a calendar to follow for the best results for your effort.
There are 8 workouts included in the program:
MMA Speed: Upper body and core focused boxing influenced workout. (27 minutes)
MMA Shred: Muay Thai inspired elbow and kicks for total body shred. (37 minutes)
MMA Power: Uses explosive and defensive style movements in this fast paced cardio conditioning workout (47 minutes)
MMA Plyo: Core De Force is an MMA style home fitness program that will transform your entire body in 30 days. When you combine boxing, Muay Thai and plyometrics in one workout you get a huge calorie burn and RESULTS. (47 minutes)
Power Sculpt: Total body burner that uses explosive power and interval training to lean and sculpt. (37 minutes)
Dynamic Strength: Low on impact but high on intensity. (47 minutes)
Active Recovery: Recharge for the week ahead with this rest day that focuses on form and technique to help fight fatigue and sore muscles. (21 minutes)
Core De Force Relief: A quick 5 minutes stretch before bed session. (5 minutes)
Team Beachbody Exclusive MMA Mashup: All the best Core De Force moves in one workout. (26 minutes) (Only available when you order through a coach like me!)
Core Kinetics: A unique core workout inspired by Mixed Martial Arts movements.
5 minute Core on the Floor: The ultimate core finisher, 5 minute challenging plank movements that gets your abs on fire.
If you want to bump your order to the deluxe version you'll get these 3 additional workouts:
Agility Strength: combines fast footwork drills with body weight resistance to help improve coordination and blast major calories. (9 rounds- 37 minutes).
Agility Power: Grab your agility ladder and rip through multifunctional training that ignites every muscle and helps shred fat for serious definition (6 rounds-27 minutes).
MMA Kick Butt: This workout is meant to target your legs and butt with nonstop mix of powerful kicks and calorie burning conditioning spikes (9 rounds- 37 minutes).
Ok, so when can I get this workout?!?!
Core De Force will become available on October 31 to customers of Team Beachbody coaches. If you don't already have a coach you are working with than make sure to sign up with me so you can get a hold of this program right away and receive my help and support throughout the 30 days. Here is your link to create your Free Team Beachbody Account. Make sure to contact me via Facebook or email to be a part of my Exlusive Test Group!
What's this going to cost me?!?!
Core De Force can be purchased in several ways. The one that I always recommend first is the Core De Force Challenge Pack because it comes with everything you need to be successful with this program. You will receive the entire Core De Force workout program, calendar to follow, nutrition guide, program manual, 30 day supply of Shakeology in your choice of flavor(s), discounted price on the program and shipping AND it gives you access into my Exclusive Test Group where I will help you with the nutrition plan, share recipes, motivation, accountability, tips and support on a daily basis so that you complete this program instead of letting it collect dust on the shelf
The Challenge Pack is on SALE for $140 and is available starting October 31 through November 2016.
How will I get the best results?
I'm glad you asked! The most important part of this whole program is joining my group so you aren't going at it alone. I've had too many friends, and sometimes myself at times, fail to finish a program or stay on track because life happens. They don't have anyone checking in on them. They get discouraged or lose motivation. Don't let your good intentions go to waste because you don't set yourself up to succeed!
Join my test group via an app where you can log your workout and Shakeology each day - optimal accountability. You will be able to see the other participants post their own workouts and shakes along with questions, support and encouragement. There will be a daily pinned post with a word of encouragement, a tip, recipe or challenge that will help you keep on track. Don't attempt to go it alone and end up missing out on the results you could be getting. Let's do this together! Sound good? OK
Here's a few more details about the qualifications to join my group!
In my Test Group I am going to be requiring that each person commit to participating for the entire 30 days of the program starting on the 7th of November. You also must have ME as your assigned coach. AKA you cannot already be working with another coach or be a coach yourself.
On top of committing to the fitness program you will need to commit to drinking Shakeology in order to join my group. You will get the best results when you utilize this superfood shake to fuel your workouts and recovery!
You will be making a commitment to participate daily in the My Challenge Tracker App. I will have you log your workouts, your daily food activity and provide you with tools, tips and recipes to help you get to your goals.
You must be willing to give this your best! I can't promise it will be easy but I promise it will be worth it in the end when you see the results you can achieve in just 30 days!!
Truth is I'm probably just like you. An average new mom that is trying to balance having a baby to
take care of, a house to keep up, a job, and on top of that trying to get my pre-baby body back.
I thought it would be easier! Losing weight has never been easy though, so I'm not sure why I thought this would be any different... but I did.
Truth be told I ate a few too many Ben & Jerry's pints during my pregnancy and ended up gaining about 15 pounds more than I had planned to. Oops!
Yes, I worked out consistently, ate clean 75% of the time (that might be stretching it a bit) and drank Shakeology every single day, but that didn't guaranty a quick bounce back. What it did though was prepare me for 26 hours of labor including 4 hours of pushing my little guy out and feeling every bit of the pain. I don't think I would've been able to handle that if I hadn't kept up on my exercise as much as I did.
But here I am almost 4 months later and I still have inches to lose and about 10 pounds to go before I get to my pre-baby weight. Honestly, it can get discouraging. I hop on Pinterest and see these women who had their pre-baby body back within just a few weeks. Heck they look better 3 weeks postpartum than I did before I got pregnant.
As I took my week 3 measurements this morning it was hard to not be disappointed. I've done all the workouts. I've used heavier weights than I ever have before. I've eaten clean 80% of the time and I have not missed a day of my superfood shake. And yet the scale didn't budge in the last week. I lost inches in some places and gained in others.
I was discouraged.
So what should I do? Should I throw in the towel and decide this program isn't worth doing? (I'm doing Hammer and Chisel, by the way, if you've missed my daily Facebook live post at Dani Grant Maui). Do I go back to my days of eating poorly, as in not enough, in hopes of starving off the last 10 pounds?
Other moms told me this would be easy. Lots of them said if I breastfed it would fall off and I wouldn't even have to try. They looked at me and said it was all baby weight. They thought I was crazy for all the workouts I did.
But the reality is it hasn't fallen off—and yes I do exclusively breastfeed. I have had to work my butt off for every pound and inch lost. I'm not there, but by golly I won't quit! It may take longer than I had planned or wanted. It may be the hardest thing I've physically done. But I will not give up on myself!
In those moments when I want to quit I remind myself of a few things:
I am more than a number on the scale. The tape measurements don't define me.
I am stronger than I knew I was. If I can birth a Toby I can do pretty much anything! ;-)
I feel my best when I fuel my body and exercise it!
Everyone's body responds differently. Some take longer than others!
This is why I host monthly, and sometimes bimonthly, accountability groups. It's as much to support another woman as it is to keep myself going.
If you are like me and have found that this baby weight isn't falling off, or any other weight you may have gained due to health issues, poor eating habits or a sedentary life, let's join forces! Though the process may take longer for me than for you, or vice versa, I trust in this process. I know that if I never give up I will get to my destination!
I've gotten in the habit of utilizing google to find my healthy recipes, but then sometimes I can't remember which one I loved and so I thought if I share them in here I would have them for later!
This morning it's a drizzly day, as hurricane Madeline is making her way towards Hawaii. So, that means it's the perfect day for baking and I had a hankering for some banana oat muffins and here's what I found!
Healthier Banana Oat Muffins Ingredients:
1/2 cup melted coconut oil (if you life in HI it's always melted ;-) )
1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 and best if overripe!)
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (can use milk of choice)
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup old fashioned oats plus some extra to sprinkle on top
1 teaspoon granulated sugar for sprinkling on top
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 325 and prepare muffin tins (grease, cupcake liners or nothing if a non-stick pan).
In a large bowl, whisk together coconut oil and maple syrup or honey. Add eggs and beat well. Stir in mashed bananas and milk and then add baking soda, vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon.
Add the flour and oats to mixture and stir with a large spoon, just until combined.
Divide the batter evenly, filling each cup about two-thirds full - for me that was 15 cups. Sprinkle the tops of muffins with a few oats and some sugar. Bake from 23-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean.
Allow to cool on wire rack and then enjoy!
I paired my muffin with my Shakeology for a mid-morning snack - here is the recipe I used!
Optional:
1 scoop Focused Energy for a morning pick me up! Instructions:
Place all ingredients in blender, blend on high (or a setting for ice) until smooth. Enjoy!
Hope you enjoy one or both of these recipe! If you are interested in getting Shakeology to try my Cafe Mocha Shakeology please comment below or use the contact me button at the top of the page!
I could begin with an apology for being a FAILURE at blogging! I could tell you all about how "busy" I've been since moving to Maui. I could blame it on my prego brain and hormones.
But that all would be a LIE! Hahaha!
I'm really just bad about taking the time to blog. There you have it. The truth.
I've realized one of the reasons I'm so bad at keeping up with it, even though I have good intentions, is that I know I'm grammatically incorrect and in order to have a nicely written blog I must depend on my husband to edit them for me :-) Which he is super about, but it's one more thing on his plate.
Since I last posted we have been busy with working on our businesses, growing them and creating them into something that can financially support us here on Maui. We have gotten very involved with our new church family, including attending a small group, Bible studies, and serving on ministry teams for social media and kids church. I've also taken on some babysitting, which is a great chance for me to get out and earn some extra money at the same time.
I've gone back and forth with doing great with my eating and exercising. I attempted to do the 21 Day Fix program with minimal modifications, however in the final week I was unable to complete it due to needing to take it easy on my body. Thankfully I was also part of a Bump n' Booty group that had a daily booty workout challenge that helped me stay on top of things.
The workout on the right is similar to some of the moves we did. It's a great low impact workout for anyone, but especially all the mommies out there.
I'm putting this blog on my "to do list" because not only is it a great way for me to keep in contact with so many of you, but also a fun way for me to go back and see what life was like at this point :-)
Until next time, I promise not to let two months go bye!
A thought hit me today: if I didn't make another dollar doing my online health and fitness coaching I still wouldn't quit!
That may sound ridiculous. I mean, this is my full-time job, and I work hard to help support and encourage people in reaching their health and fitness goals. And granted, getting a paycheck each week definitely helps my little family financially, but Beachbody is so much more than just a job to me.
When I joined this company over a year ago I knew my sponsor coach and that was it. Over the next few months I felt like a few other coaches on our team became what I would consider "friends." Then in March I traveled to Florida for a team retreat where I got to meet many of these women in person, which was such a blessing to me.
Today, a little over a year later I have dozens of friends that I have made solely through this company. They are not just friends in the business, but they are like women who have a desire to empower, encourage and support each other. They have blessed me in more ways than I can count. When I get online and see their positive posts on facebook, their genuine desire to help support and empower women, I get excited about what I do all over again. It's not just about looking good in a bikini, but instead about walking alongside other women with the goal to lift them up.
So, if last week was the last paycheck I ever received, I still wouldn't quit. Being a part of this community is worth more than the pay that I might receive.
Can you say that about your job? Would you still show up each day to a job where you made no paycheck just because you loved what you did so much and the people you worked with were amazing? If not, maybe you should considering looking into a job opportunity that would give you that!
I'm expanding my team and looking for passionate women who want to empower and motivate others to reach their health, fitness and financial goals. If you think that could be you fill out this application to join my growing team.
I'll be honest, I was a little skeptical about what my results from Cize would be. I mean, it was super fun, but I didn't have to pick up any weights, I didn't do any push-ups or squats. I figured at best I would maintain, which wouldn't be a bad thing.
However, I just figured out my losses for the 28 days of Cize, and I'm down 5 pounds and 3 1/4 inches! Considering that I really did not stick to the meal plan this time—I just overall tried to eat healthy—the results were surprising, and that gets me excited!
Not only is this workout fun, but you really can get results from it. You burn so many calories having a blast trying to master the routines, that you don't have to be doing the typical "workout" moves.
I honestly am kicking myself now, because I know if I had of stuck with the eating plan I would have killed my results, but here's to next time, because you better believe I will repeat this fun workout!
My real goal for this program was to follow the schedule and stick with it. Usually I end up missing a day somewhere and either having to double up or switch my scheduled day off for the week. Well, for the first time ever I completed the program without any alterations to the schedule! How was I able to do it this time? Because it was fun and easy to get myself down to my basement dance floor each morning!
Interested in dancing your way to a healthier, fitter life? Just click on the Cize ad to the right, leave a comment or hit the "Contact Me" button at the top. I would love to help you get started dancing to your goals!
At one point or another I have looked like an ape or an elephant attempting to dance. I am NOT a
dancer. I don't have very good rhythm and I'm not the most coordinated person in the world. When it comes to dancing, I'm pretty stiff (blame it on being raised a "baptist"), but I pushed through week one and two of Cize, a new workout by Shaun T., and, wouldn't you know it, I'm starting to look and feel like someone who knows how to dance.
Once you have completed week three of Cize you will have learned all six dances. (That is if you choose the advanced version, which this non-dancing, uncoordinated ape/elephant/girl was able to do!) Looking back, what I thought was "hard" in week one is now a breeze. Week one truly was a foundation week. You learn basic choreography that Shaun T. builds on in the coming weeks.
After week one, the difficulty of the dance moves advances. Shaun T. takes the very basic movements you learned and adds more complicated sequences and speed. The dance titled "In The Pocket" was ANYTHING but in my pocket! lol! I honestly wasn't sure that I was going to have it nailed by the end of the week, but on the last day I finally felt like it came together for me.
Week three was slightly more intricate and advanced than week two, however, for the most part, I didn't find the dances that much harder to grasp. At this point I had become quite familiar with many of the moves, and following the rhythm was a bit easier. My favorite dance by far is the very last one, not that it's easy, but it's a lot of fun, and it's done to the song "Chandelier," which is a great song to dance to!
Now here I am in the final week where Shaun T. has you go back and do each dance one more time, and I am even more excited about sharing this program! Why? Because it truly is a fun workout! I haven't lifted weights, done squats or any other exercise, and yet I am losing inches and pounds and feel strong. My coordination has improved and I don't feel like a bumbling ape/elephant anymore. I know I'm still a little stiff and some of my moves are awkward, but I'm having fun!
This is such a great program for people who struggle with not enjoying exercise because Shaun T. keeps you so focussed on following along and learning the steps that you don't really feel like you are "working out."
It's also a great program to get your teen or child involved with. If you live in the northeast, like I do, winter is LONG, and we New Englanders tend to put on the pounds, but a program like this can get the whole family moving and having fun together. Maybe we will even have to have a specific accountability group for families that want to take on the Cize challenge together! (Just don't be jealous of my photos from the beach when, Lord willing, the hubs and I move to Maui in January!)
If you are interested in getting this program or have any specific questions, as always feel free to contact me through the link above, leave a comment or find me on Facebook!
I've completed the first week of Cize, the new dance program that came out in July. I thought I would
share my experience so far.
First off, I am a NON-dancer, as in, never took any dance classes, don't really have any good moves, and would quite possibly embarrass anyone that I was with if I danced in public. The thing I like about this program though is that Shaun T. breaks down the moves into tiny pieces, has you do them over and over again, and slowly strings those moves together. By the end of a 30-45 minute workout you can actually do a short dance.
I'll be honest, just because I am a coach, workout regularly, and host online health and fitness accountability groups, does not mean I LIKE to workout. I know it's good for me, and I like how I feel when I do a workout, so I make myself do it. Even if I don't really want to, I do it. The great thing about Cize is that doesn't feel like "working out." It's fun, the time flies by, and honestly if I had more time I would keep going because I want to nail the dance and feel like a dancer.
While I haven't picked up weights in over a week I end my routines drenched in sweat and exhausted. I've also ended the first week with some visible results—down 2.3 pounds and 3 inches overall!
So who is this program for? Those who don't like to exercise, of course! It's also great for those who do like to exercise but want to change things up for a while. It's great for dancers, non-dancers, young, old, and just about everyone else.
If you are interested in learning more about this program, my online groups, or becoming a coach like me, feel free to leave a comment or send me a message through the "contact me" link above!
I can't dance! I won't even pretend I can. But what I can do is follow a program called CIZE, memorize some moves, and make a fun video, all while burning lots of calories and having fun.
This video was made in Six Flags Discovery Kingdom for a contest that Beachbody was putting on. I was privileged with being chosen as one of the daily winners and getting a $1,000 cash prize!
Maybe you are a good dancer, or maybe you are like me. Either way, it doesn't matter. If you are looking for a workout program that is fun, lets you burn calories and can make you look like a half decent dancer, CIZE is your program! If you are interested in the details of this program that is now out, but only available through a coach like me, let me know. I would love to share all the details with you! Just use my contact button above or leave a comment and I'll get back to you.
Did you know there is more than one way to be a Beachbody Coach? It's not a cookie cutter, what-I-do-you-have-to-do business. I created this video to let you know about three of the possible types of coaches you can be.
If this sounds like something you are interested in or would like to know more about feel free to contact me through the link at the top of the page, or comment below!
I've been doing a lot of traveling this year, and it's fun! But... Well.. It's kind of hard on the wallet and
the waist line.
This past trip to California we decided to do a few things differently and I thought I would share with you what worked for us.
Typically when you go on vacation you eat out almost every meal, and snack, and dessert... This adds up both financially and physically. This time the hubby and I decided to implement a rule of only going out to eat a maximum of one time a day. We did this by doing a few things.
First we stayed at hotels that had a free breakfast. Most of them had eggs, whole wheat bread, breakfast sandwiches, yogurt and fruit. Each morning we would have a hearty, big breakfast.
Our second step involved investing in a soft cooler that we could pack in our suitcase. Upon arriving in California we made our way to the grocery store and stocked up on some healthy lunch foods, fruits, veggies, cheese and milk. We spent about $30 on all of the groceries and were able to use it for approximately 10 meals, which you could never do eating out that many times.
Usually during the day we were going to theme parks or making day trips and we would pack our little cooler up with lunch and snacks. Some nights we were tired and not too hungry so we decided to eat dinner this way too.
On top of that I made sure to drink Shakeology EVERY DAY! Sometimes I would drink it for dinner or just a snack in the evening to keep the sweet tooth at bay. It was filling, gave me the nutrients I needed and helped me feel great!
The best part of this was that after seven days of vacation I didn't gain any weight! This was not the case when we went to Oregon/Seattle for 10 days in May. I ate out three times a day and gained 10 pounds! Yikes! I learned from that mistake, and now take steps so that doesn't happen again.
It's not about failing, it's about what you do with what you learn when you fail!
You may have seen me post about upcoming Challenge Groups, and you may have NO IDEA what that is! I thought I would create this little video to share the what, how and why of Challenge Groups.
You can find out more by contacting me at the top of the page, leaving a comment or messaging me on facebook :-) I host monthly 21 day Challenge Groups, so now is always a good time to start talking about how this could work for you.
Remember a few weeks ago when I excitedly shared my new journey with the Whole30 program? Remember hearing anything about it since then? No? Well, that's because I FAILED!
I did great with the program for the first 11 days—getting through the headache stage, and then the tired stage. I was actually starting to feel great! Then it was Grandma's birthday and we decided to treat her to dinner. She chose Chinese, and my resolve with the Whole30 crumbled.
At dinner that fateful night I prayed to God that I wouldn't regret the decision of going from super clean eating to Chinese takeout. You may think that prayer was a joke, but it wasn't. I was fearful of the repercussions of this decision, and yet it was my decision to make. Thankfully I had no side effects from eating the Chinese food—actually now that I think about it I felt better after eating Chinese that day than I ever have before. Weird.
But that lack of repercussion kind of opened up a can of worms. I had to wonder why I was following this plan to "feel better" when I had cheated with the WORST meal one could cheat with and still felt great. Why should I keep up with this strict eating plan? So I didn't.
But you know what? That does NOT make me a failure! One thing I've been learning on this journey to health and fitness is that it's about bettering myself, not perfection.
Can I walk away from the Whole30 with new knowledge that I can appreciate and implement when I feel like? YES! Did I learn that I can say "No" to all forms of sugar, except what is naturally found in fruits and veggies? YES! That was a huge step for me. I am a sugar addict, and am realizing the truth of that statement more and more. But I don't have to allow that addiction to control me. Instead I have the power to choose.
Maybe you have failed at your diet, exercise plan, or while trying to break a bad habit, etc. Know this, YOU are not a failure, and YOU have a choice every time you fail to learn and grow through that failure into a better you.
I can hear my husband quoting Batman right now: "Why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up."
You had a fun day of shopping. The store had so many new styles and clothes to try on. Your arms
are full of cute skirts, dresses and tops.
Then you walk into the dressing room, and maybe it's the dirty floor, or the bad smell, or the dingy mirror, but nothing looks flattering on you. Your day of shopping quickly goes south.
You end up leaving the dressing room without purchasing anything. Not because nothing fit you, and not because you didn't like the things you tried on, but, honestly, you just didn't feel good. Your self-confidence isn't what you want it to be. You're not comfortable with your body, and so shopping for clothes just doesn't seem fun anymore.
Ever been there? I have.
I can't tell you how many times I've gone into the dressing room super excited to try on an outfit only to leave feeling awful and not buying anything. Yes, it may help my wallet, but it's no fun!
Yesterday I went to a local store and picked up 11 items to try on. I knew I wasn't going to buy them all, and I knew some wouldn't even fit me due to the how various brands handle their sizing. (Seriously, can't we get a consistent sizing system?)
For the first time in forever—insert Disney song ;-)—I felt good trying on clothes!
Is my body exactly where I want to be, no, but my body FELT good, and that made a world of difference. I have been eating healthy so I don't feel bloated or yucky. I feel proud of where I am. I like the progress I have made, and I will celebrate that. I have confidence in my own skin and in who I am as a person, not just what I look like.
Experiencing this made me want to work even harder to help more people go to the dressing room with confidence and actually ENJOY the experience. That's why I do what I do. Yes, it's my job. But it's my job by choice. No one is making me do this. I do it because I am passionate about it. I love helping people, and if I can transform how I feel about myself then I know you can too!
