Ready for December?

I don’t think I am!  Everyone is talking about being done with their holiday shopping and I have ONE gift purchased.  Just the one.  I’ll get there!

But, December means a new month, and different challenges.  Lots of food-heavy events, lots of clothes to wear and lots of wanting to look good, right?  So here’s the rundown of what I have going on fitness wise in December!

* Still time to get in on the Black Friday deals!  That and the November PiYo and PiYo Kickstart deals are closing soon.  This PiYo Kickstart pack is just such a smart deal.  It comes with the 3-Day Refresh that I loved to kickstart your results.

* 7 -day Clean Eating group starting Monday, 12/1.  Trying to lose that Turkey Day weight!

* December Push Up Group!

* Insanity Max :30 Releases 12/2!  This is a new 30-minute, in-home workout program from Shaun T (of INSANITY and Focus T25). You need to be ready to MAX OUT. It’s not about “getting through” all 30 minutes, it’s about going as hard as possible, for as long as possible, until becoming “MAXED OUT” (i.e. until taking the first rest and/or breaking proper form). No equipment needed… just push to the MAX for INSANE results in just 60 days. Go here to sign up for release info.  I’ll have a group starting 12/15 for just those doing this program and we’ll all get through it, and the holidays, together.

* A coach preview group starting 12/8.  Find out what it’s all about with no commitment!

So, lots of fun in December!  If you want to be in on any of these groups, email me or comment.  I’m really looking forward to keeping myself and everyone else on track during this crazed time!

Happy Thanksgiving

Dance like this turkey…

because…

 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Body Beast Wrap Up!

This weekend, I finished up the Body Beast program!  How did it go?  In 12 weeks, I lost 3.7 lbs and 6.25″.

I don’t feel like the pictures do it justice! I’m back in many of my skinnier pre-pregnancy clothes, at a weight that I hadn’t seen in years (and that was after a cleanse) and feel like me. I look in the mirror, and I’m not surprised at what my body looks like. I’m saying “hey, that looks good” instead of “ugh, where did that come from”.

At my daughter’s birthday party, I was wearing clothes from the bin I had put away pretty much right when I knew I was pregnant.  The skinny clothes bin!  I pulled it out hoping for the best with nothing to wear and no time to clothes shop and ended up with an extra laundry load of clothes (now I need to make room in my closet for them!).

Beyond that, I feel strong, amazing and ready for more. I love lifting weights and was completely impressed by what I was able to accomplish in my living room. The pre-baby gym rat in me would be truly surprised!

Now, the pressure is on to keep up the results during the holidays.  I have to admit, I’ve been indulging a little the past 2 days with all these leftover sweets from the party!  I need to get them gone (and not by eating them all!).  But I have a group that I’m starting a week of focused clean eating with next week that should be a big help on accountability and motivation!  Comment or email me and we can get you in too!

On that note, I’m sending out an email in a bit to go over some Thanksgiving strategies and recipes.  If you’re not on my list and want on, sign up!  Also, tomorrow starts the Black Friday deals!  Get on the list and you can get in on the event for updates.

What are you making for Thanksgiving?

Two!

My little girl turned two yesterday!  I didn’t take enough pictures at all, so some pictures plus words will have to do to describe her party.

We did a rainbow theme…partially because it was easy (last year was rainbow polka dots) and also because she loves colors and I love that.  After many hours of pinteresting, it came together pretty well!

Some pre-party playing in her amazing tutu!

 

Here’s the tent set up.  Simple, with lots of balloons for color with a white base.  I had streamers, but the tent made it a bit more work than I was planning, so I scrapped that.  I think it was better without them!

Here are the appetizers…rainbow fruits and vegetable platters (raspberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, green grapes, blueberries and red grapes for fruits; tomatoes, carrots, yellow peppers, snap peas, blue corn chips and terra chips on the vegetable one).  Plus rainbow goldfish, cheese and crackers, and some dips.  A few were added after this!  Check out the vases (beer mugs that we had from our wedding) with colored water!  Loved them.

We didn’t do anything rainbow for dinner other than a colorful quinoa dish, and I have zero pictures from that.  It doesn’t matter though, because all you want to hear about is the dessert, right?

Cake – next to Shakeology of course!

inside!

My mom got this amazing cake – a rainbow inside and out!  So good too.  Then there was an assortment of rainbow goodies I made – Fruity Pebbles treats (like Rice Krispies treats, just subbed Fruity Pebbles), marshmallows dipped in white chocolate and rainbow sugar sprinkles, Ring Pops and M&Ms.  Plus some family brought desserts as well.  To say we have an amazing amount of leftovers would be an understatement!

Here are two shots from toward the end of the party.  She really warmed up to the overwhelming party and had a good time.  It is so wonderful to have a huge amount of family and close friends who love this girl, but having them all in one place is a little freaky for her!  I think we all had a great time!

I made funfetti cookies for a favor and had some colorful treats for the kids to take.  And forgot to tell a bunch of people to take them!  I never said I was a great party planner/thrower.  I just do my best!

I know what you want to hear though…did I eat all that?  Yup!  Hey, it’s my birthday too (for serious!  We share.) and I wanted to taste everything.  The marshmallows and M&Ms were my main focus.  I was back on the Body Beast plan this morning.  I have a week left and can’t wait to share my results!  I have a little to share on that as well, but I’ll save it for tomorrow.

If you have any questions on what we did, let me know!  Happy to share.

 

 

 

Candy Bar Shakeology

Have you used coconut butter before?  I keep it on hand because it is delicious and cool.   It melts when warm and is a solid when cooled.  Do you remember that magic shell stuff for ice cream?  This gives the same effect, but is a lot better for you!

I made this recipe the other day.  Wow.  It was delicious!  Now, I drink Shakeology because I love it…energy, no crash, keeps me full, makes me feel healthy.  So, yes, my recipes use it!  If you drink something else, feel free to try it out in this!  I find that when I blend Shakeology with ice it has this amazing sharpness that I adore, so that may not come through.  But this recipe is so good, that I do not want lack of my favorite meal replacement to prevent you from trying it!

 

So, it’s simple…ice, water, Shakeology, almond butter and MELTED coconut butter…definitely melt it first so that it has a chance of being dispersed in the shake!  And I add it last so it doesn’t harden too much before mixing.

Have you tried coconut butter?

How to Eat?

Growing up. I didn’t have the best food role model.  I don’t judge my mom at all for it, because I think most women of the late 70s/early 80s who wanted to lose weight ate similarly…cut calories to really little, all diet foods, nibble instead of actually eating a meal.  It was just what was thought to be the way.  (And there are a few benefits…I never really had full fat foods like ice cream, so I never got used to them.  I prefer ice milk/frozen yogurt and can’t even take whole milk in my coffee.)  And it was always a topic of conversation…I feel fat, I need to lose weight, I can’t eat that.

So, how do I want my daughter to see me eating?  What impression do I want her to have?  This is a constant struggle, and I’m sure she’ll look back and think I messed it all up.  But what it comes down to are that I have some options…

1. Go food crazy.  Eat entirely healthy all the time so she knows that this is what you should eat and other food is bad for you.
2. Go for middle of the road…healthy base with enjoying good food some of the time and not making a big deal about that.
3. Go easy.  Just eat and try for a good mix of super healthy with some day-to-day indulgences.

I’m trying for 2…I feel like 3 is a slippery slope and 1 makes everyone crazy.  I think more than this is how we talk about food and our health/bodies.  I refuse to say fat.  I may say that I ate poorly and don’t feel great, adding that it’s a reminder of why we try to stick to foods that make us feel good.  I also refuse to avoid all unhealthy foods.  But I can set the example that these are not everyday choices without even saying that.  Being a good example is definitely a big part of my motivation and one of the things I keep in mind as a reason to continue on my healthy path.  Because it can be difficult!  I would love to eat all of the Halloween candy that’s still talking to me.  But is it worth setting that example?  I remind myself that it isn’t daily.

But, with our birthday coming up, will I eat dessert that day?  Yes!  I will have cake because though life’s too short to be unhealthy, it’s also too short to not enjoy cake with my daughter.  We will also do things to celebrate that don’t involve food!

In the end, it’s all about balance, right?  I know this post may strike a chord with some, and I’d love to hear other opinions!

Feeling hot hot hot

You can tell I’m feeling better from the title, but that was not the case yesterday!  I don’t get full out sick often.  I get sinus headaches, which I can power through mostly as long as I get enough sleep, and I have allergies which annoy me.  But I don’t often get need to stay in bed sick.

Yesterday, I was.  And I had to work for a few reasons, one of which that my adorable child was sick on Friday and I called in.  I don’t know if I got this from her, but the symptoms weren’t too similar.  Let’s stick to mine because hers may be worse.  It started as a sore throat on Sunday night, which kept me up.  When the alarm went off at 4am on Monday morning,I reset it.  I was exhausted and coughing.  I worked from home with a blanket around me and a lot of tea.  I finally took my temperature at about 5 (why?  because I’m weird.  The thermometer was on my desk when I got to it) and look at that!  100.3.  No wonder I felt so horrible!  My husband will tell you that this might be the first time I have had a fever since we’ve met.  I just don’t get fevers!

So it was to bed nice and early last night (7:30!  Baby to bed at 7, dishwasher loaded, teeth brushed and mommy to bed!) and I slept until 3 without waking.   I feel a lot better this morning and I hope for a mostly normal day with extra tea.

 

Healthy mommy, sick baby on Friday

Healthy baby, sick mommy on Monday

So, I was basically not functioning more than necessary yesterday, which meant missing my first Body Beast workout to start week 10 of the program.  I’m hoping to get through it today and skip the next rest day.  I also didn’t follow the Beast phase eating yesterday, but didn’t eat much anyway.  I couldn’t stomach much more than Shakeology and Puffins.  If I can get back to normal today (which seems like it should work), I’ll call it a sick win!

How are you feeling?