Photo journal (21 day fix day 17)

4 months/1 week, 3 days of keeping track. 

Day 17 of the 21 day fix!! 

(these meals include 4 red, 4 green, 3 purple, 3 yellow, 1 blue, 1 orange & 4 teaspoons)

Odd order of eating his morning but here it is. :)

1. Coffeeeeee (O woke up super early & cleaned the house! can't even be mad, lol)

2. Cottage cheese (yep, for breakfast!)

3. Post workout: Chocolate & pineapple shakeology

4. English muffin, peanut butter, cinnamon & mandarin oranges 

5. Beans/tomatoes/red pepper & rice 

6. Carrots, peanut butter & a peach 

7. My tv snack/use up my containers salad (seriously, my favorite salad! lol) - romaine, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, feta & green olives 

Day 17 = lower fix (and, my 6 year old hung in again! he actually forced me to do it when we did & requested we get up early tomorrow before the babies to get it done! :-O)

#fitfamily #fitmom #twinmom #breastfeeding #homeschoolmom #vegetarian #muscles #legday #momofboys #photojournal #foodporn #mysaladbarelyhasveggies

Size medium!

Soooooooo, this happened today. :) 

I'm wearing a size MEDIUM shirt (the pants are still too big, leave me alone! lol)!!!!!! I was squishing into a size XL when I started this journey! :):):):)

#fitwife #fitmom #bathroomselfie#smallerclothes #twinmom#homeschoolmom #youcandoit!#commitment #breastfeeding #babysteps#selfie #tagsstillonmyshirt #lol #dohashtagsworkonblogs?

Photo journal (21 day fix day 16)

4 months/1 week, 2 days of keeping track. 

Day 16 of the 21 day fix!! 

(these meals include 4 red, 4 green, 3 purple, 3 yellow, 1 blue, 1 orange & 4 teaspoons)

1. Spinach egg scramble, English muffin, peanut butter, cinnamon & coffee 

2. Chocolate & raspberry. Helloooooo delicious!! The seeds weren't even an issue. 

3. Veggie burger, squash (I tried but I do not like! Ick, needs salt! Rob said it needed salt & brown sugar, lol) & mandarin oranges 

4. Pizza! Tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, olives & cheese on an ezekial sprouted tortilla 

5. Cottage cheese & a peach 

Day 16 = Upper Fix!! And my 6 year old joined in. Loved his muscle flexing all afternoon afterward. :)

#fitfamily #fitwife #twinmom #fitmom #homeschoolmom #breastfeeding #wheresmysalt #momofboys #biblebread #homemade #foodporn

Photo journal (21 day fix day 15)

4 months/1 week, 1 day of keeping track. 

Day 15 of the 21 day fix!! 

(these meals include 4 red, 4 green, 3 purple, 3 yellow, 1 blue, 1 orange & 4 teaspoons)

1. Coffee, water, mandarin oranges, english muffin with peanut butter & cinnamon (I feel like I should have made a face out of this!)

2. Chocolate shakeology & pineapple 

3. Cottage cheese 

4. Roast, broccoli, potato, green beans & roasted cauliflower (this is what happens when I run unexpected errands = 3 greens in one meal! lol) 

5. Olives 

6. Hummus with pita 

7. Carrots with peanut butter 

8. Peach 

Day 15 = total body cardio fix. My muscle feels better & I successfully did the surrenders! Modified without weights & it helped. :)

#vegetarian #foodporn #vitamix #fitwife #fitmom #twinmom #homeschoolmom #breastfeeding #imisssalt #injuryhealed #ilovehummus #killedsurrenders! #muscle #foodart

Oh & Rob started the 21 day fix today, too!! Prepping for 2 was way more work but I'm thrilled he's giving it a shot! :) #spousehealth #marriagesupport #husbandonboard  #fithusband 

Moving madness.

We're gearing up for our 6th move in 4 years (including 2 temp apartments) with our 3 children. 

The house in NY is getting ready to close in a week -- fingers & toes crossed it goes through as planned! It had one showing, was on the market for a week & sold! Too easy to be true, right!? lol 

The house we're buying in PA has to pass FHA inspection & we won't close till mid June. As we sit in our 3rd floor temp apartment, that seems like FOREVER away!!! A neighbor asked us to run around less the other day because his mom lives below us. I felt horrible & we're doing what we can. But, we have 3 little boys! 3 homeschooled boys so we're here a lot, too. 

We'll be returning to our old house for the final move soon & this is what we'll look like (minus the dog & add a kid, lol). :)

Pure insanity!!!!! Thankfully we're getting really good at this moving thing. We have MUCH less stuff than we did the first time & we've gotten better relocation packages each time (this is the 3rd actual relo). 

First time = self move. Never do this. Ever! lol 

Second time = us pack, movers haul. Still sucked! Exhausting, especially with littles running around & husband gone ahead of us to start work. 

Third time = movers pack & haul. Now THIS is what I'm talkin' about!! If you had asked me 5 moves ago though!? I would not have been cool with strangers touching our stuff. Now? I'm SO excited not to have to pack another box! lol 

I'll keep you updated on how reality of it goes though. We're trying to sell excess belongings from our new state which is tricky because everyone will have to meet us in the old state during the 3 days we're moving out. Sounds complicated! 

Photo journaling & motivation Monday

I started photo tracking 4 months 1 week & 1 day ago. When I started, I was doing Weight Watchers Simple Start (great program!) & lots of people were curious about it. So, I snapped pictures of meals, put them into a collage & posted them on my personal fb page nightly. I was amazed how much it helped me! Knowing I'd have to own whatever crap I ate, definitely deterred me a lot of the time. 

But then I worried I was overwhelming my friends & family and becoming 'that' fb friend, lol I switched to a public fb page which just disappears from newsfeeds & I'm basically talking to myself. It sucks! I'm not feeling the same encouragement or motivation doing it. But, I'm not going to stop. Maybe I'll post them here too. Someone will read this someday, right??? lol Until then, I'll carry on. 

I've switched from WW to the 21 day fix so my photos are my only source of 'tracking' right now. Scary concept for this tried & true WW lover! 

Moving excitement!

Everyone, stop what you're doing & do this dance with me. Right now!!  

I just realized that in the house we're buying -- not only will each boy have his own room. BUT, I will have a dedicated fitness room! 

No more hauling my mat & weights wherever I might be able to fit that day. My own area!!!!!! SO exciting! 

I'll have space for the treadmill, a TV, my weights, my DVDs. Omg, I can't stand the excitement! 

Now, stay positive that everything continues smoothly to closing. Inspection tomorrow morning! :)

My 21 day fix experience.

Day 1 -- I realized quickly that my portions were WAY out of control! The containers & category breakdown are super helpful for getting a healthy variety of foods! 

The workout was very different from T25!! I liked the breaks & that she showed the workout first before jumping into it. Also, I LOVE that the modifier is a real girl. Someone I can watch modify & totally relate to!  :) 

Day 2 - I didn't feel like the workout yesterday was intense at all but I'm feeling it this morning. Yay for good soreness!

Planning my days meals already feels easier. I admit, I was super overwhelmed before starting & trying to get a handle on the containers/foods. The colors & corresponding food is still confusing but I'll get it. :) 

Day 3 - I'm down to 2 cups of coffee a day with 2 tablespoons of milk. The 5 day clean eating challenge helped me kick the 'liquid sugar' (I was using A LOT!) but I still filled it with milk! I'm shocked I don't hate the taste, lol I am almost out of the stuff we brought from New York though so hopefully I can find a new brand that is as good or better!  :)

The lower fix workout -- holy cow! I LOVE a workout that I know I'll feel later. :)

Must shop. Running out of green container foods! Pre-21 day fix, I would have stretched what's in the kitchen for another few days. Yep, DAYS without veggies! Oh my. 

Day 4 - I had to have Rob stop on his way home for veggies (the boys have been sick this week). He doesn't shop often so it was a big deal for him to go in & find everything! That's love & support right there. :) 

It hurts to walk, sit, stand, change diapers (2 sick babies in diapers!).... ow. This shocks me because I just finished 14 weeks of T25!! But makes me extremely happy because I know I'm working different muscles. 

I weighed myself this morning (usual weigh in day) & I'm down 2.2 pounds! I've been fighting with the scale for a while so this makes me very happy. 17.4 pounds in 16 weeks. Let's do this thing! :)

Day 5 - my first weekend day. This is when I normally indulge.... but, not this weekend! I stuck with my plans & feel great for not eating any cake with the boys (no special occasion, just grabbed a piece for them to share with lunch from Whole Foods). Yay!! 

I admit, I am not loving no rest day for the workout portion though. I'm hoping yoga tomorrow is relaxing & like a rest day. :)

Day 6 - I used to track exclusively in writing (well, when I first started, it was the only option, lol) but had since went to the convenience of the app. For this experience, I went back to writing & I love it! Messy & lots of scratched out plans but, it did the job! Here's one full week completely on the 21 day fix. :)

Rob snapped some pictures of me today doing yoga. I posted these on FB & IG (and now here)!! Oh my, lol 

Day 7 - Easter!! I didn't even think to plan around this holiday. I just knew I was spiraling on my eating, T25 was ending & I needed to fully commit myself if I wanted to see real progress! :) Overall, it was easy to stay on track & make healthy choices today. Yay! Happy Easter!! :) 

Day 8 - I can finally look at a food & know which container it goes to! I'm glad it only took a week. :) 

I experienced my first injury today. A surrender took me down! Thankfully I was able to finish. A little peppermint oil & some Motrin fixed me up. :)  

Day 9 - oops, spices are 'free' (except salt). Guess which spice I use the most often? Eek! I will be cutting back immediately! 

Also, I DRANK BLACK COFFEE today!!!!! This is unbelievable. I've always said 'I hate coffee, I just like what it does for me'. And, I do like the sweetness from my additives. lol So, this was a really big deal! 

Did the upper fix workout today - I love this one! My thigh is feeling better this morning (dr bronner peppermint Castile soap rubbed on it works miracles! ;), too. So relieved! :)

I'm feeling much more confident in what I should be consuming daily now. Much better idea what a real serving of veggies should be. Ya know, the important parts of nutrition & healthy eating! So thankful I took a chance & did this program! It's been very educational. 

Day 10 - I've had double shakeology yesterday & today. Sweet tooth!? Need more protein? Not sure why but I'm glad I have it when I need it! :)

Day 11 - my leg is feeling better! 

I'm down another 1.7 pounds! :):):)

Day 12 - nope, my leg is not feeling better. Lunges are painful! Modifying slightly so I don't get seriously hurt.  

Day 13 - TMI but I started my period last night. THAT explains the double shakeology!!! I'm SO thankful that I had no clue I even had PMS aside from the questionable amount of shake-O I was drinking. I normally only have one after my workout because I use a red container for it but I couldn't get enough the last few days!  

We went out to eat again today. Made a plan, ordered & ate what I was 'allowed'!! YES!! Ok, I *did* hesitate but I took a bite of fried avocado. I knew it would be delicious & I was afraid I wouldn't be able to stop eating it. I was right about it being delicious!!!! But, wrong about my willpower. I stayed strong & only had one small taste of it. Yay! :) We WILL be going back there though, lol 

Day 14 - I bought new clothes today!!!! I had to admit mine are all getting too big. #happyproblems :)

Rob agreed to do the 21 day fix with me! He starts tomorrow. No more complaining about his weight because he'll be doing something about it with me. Yay! :) 

Prep for 2 people (1 being packed up to go) is a lot of work! I need to shop better. I keep running out of fruit & veggies! Stocking up tomorrow! :)

Day 15 - Rob started today! He didn't eat nearly all of his containers but major improvement from his usual days. We need to take some before pictures of him so he can see the progress for himself! :) 

I've decided to continue into round 2 after day 21. I'm having great results, I have more weight to lose, I love the variety in the workouts & someone in the private challenge group on fb pointed out that it can be hard to get back on track once you go off & allow yourself to slack. That's so me! So, full steam ahead (I'll post this after the end of my first 21 days)!! Mother's Day weekend in Michigan should be interesting. 

Day 16 - my 6 year old joined me for upper fix today! ALL of it!! That was so cool he asked to join in. :) 

Day 17 - my 6 year old joined me for lower fix today! ALL of it again! lol And the babies joined in for a little, too! 

Day 18 - oh my, the 6 year old is such a pusher. A workout pusher..... he's demanding we do our workout RIGHT NOW! How do I say no?? :) 

Rob weighed himself tonight (4 days in for him) & he's down NINE POUNDS!! That's way more eating than he normally does & that's it, I haven't convinced him that working out is as amazing as it is ..... yet! ;) 

Day 19 - I fell into some cake!

 I started off licking it from a lid 'just to taste' & ended up finishing off what the boys didn't eat. I felt like this after! 

Ohhhhhh, my rock gut! BUT, there was a positive to the experience! Normally, I would be concerned about the calories (or points, former WW) I consumed. Today though!? I only cared about how awful it made me feel physically! Lesson learned. :) 

Day 20 - got Dirty 30 done early today so we could spend the day with friends. We went to the science center where I carried one baby or the other on my back, running up & down the ramp. It feels great to be active without thinking about earning activity points or anything of the sort, just enjoying the moment. :) 

At bedtime, O asked if we had worked out yet (we had early & he joined me!), I told him yes & he DEMANDED we workout again! Turns out, he wants to be active when he's tired because he crashed a few minutes later. Great problem to have! :) 

I had a piece of fried avocado at dinner. I feel comfortable allowing myself a small variance now. Before, I would have eaten the whole plate & called it a serving so sampling is a major improvement! Plus I packed our lunch which I wouldn't have done before either. Yay 21 day fix! 

Day 21 - I DID IT!!!!!! I lost 6 pounds in 21 days (VERY healthy rate of loss, so happy with those results), learned a ton about nutrition & proper eating! And, I love the variations in the workouts still! Round 2 of 21 day fix begins tomorrow. :)

#crazyeyes #lol 

My review & experience of T25

Ok, I did my final T25 workout yesterday. The stretch workout. I LOVE that one!!  :) 

Now that I've fully completed the program, I wanted to share my opinion & experience with it. 

First off, I started from zero activity. I had lost some weight last year, regained it all & stopped working out entirely. So, Tania was my best friend for ALL of Alpha! My goal was to get through it & that's what I did! 

I had obstacles during the 14 weeks (I added Gamma when I was halfway through Beta). We have 3 boys, we homeschool, & we don't live near any family. So, I had to figure out how to get my workout done every single day with minimal help & little people working alongside me some days. :)

Then, my father in law suddenly passed away at the start of Beta requiring a week long trip back home (to Michigan from New York) & then we moved out of state (from New York to Pennsylvania) when I started Gamma. 

But, you know what? I finished! I don't feel like I had the results I could have but I'm so proud that I didn't give up! What would I have changed?? I would have followed the suggested eating plan! I stuck with Weight Watchers because I know it, it was something I was comfortable with & because I didn't fully trust the beach body methods. I surely do now! 

I also would have started Beta with a heavier weight! I packed in a hurry when my father in law passed away so I only brought the band that comes with the program. I'm sure some love the band! But, it wasn't for me. Then when we returned home, I used the weights I had on hand -- 3 pounders. I used those for another week before running out to buy 6 pounders -- those were perfect for me! But, I lost 2 weeks of the 5 to lower weights. Now I know though & I suggest the slightly higher weight to anyone that asks.  :) 

I'm SO glad I took the chance & spent the money to buy T25! My husband thought I was out of my mind when I told him what it cost & that I wanted to buy it. He supported me but was certain it'd be a $140 paper weight. I was quite happy to prove him (and me!) wrong though! I nailed that program & when it was nearly done, I was planning what I'd do next! There was no way I was just stopping & I wanted to try something new. Now, I'm starting the 21 day fix! I didn't get my nutrition under control like I should have during T25 but I will now! :):):)

This was taken in December 2013. Yes, I was eating! I wasn't frequently in front of the camera so it's the best I could find. 

Here's me the last day of T25 with a load of groceries for the 21 day fix, lol I'll get better pictures soon!  :) 

I DID IT!

Guess what! Guess what! I  FINISHED T25 today!!!!!!! 14 weeks! 5 of Alpha, 5 of Beta & 4 of Gamma. And the best part??? I feel like this is only the beginning for me. I have never ever ever ever felt like this about fitness! To say T25 changed my life would be an understatement! 

15 weeks ago when I confessed that I regained all the weight I lost & I was starting fresh, I never expected to be at this point today. 

And I know that saying 'if I can do it, anyone can!' is so cliche but ITS TRUE!!!! I hated working out, I was 'too busy' & figured I'd just do it all with diet like every other time. Now? I'm so excited to go pick up the 21 day fix that's waiting for me in the front office so I can start reading up on my next experience! 

I'm going to work on dates this weekend for the upcoming challenges so I can help others feel this feeling. It's unreal. 

#endthetrend #beachbody #fitnessfreak #excitement #ididit #t25 #nomorefatmom #readslikeasalespitchbutitstrueexcitement #accomplishment

I'm a coach!

The 5 day clean eating challenge was a game changer for me. I had been thinking about becoming a coach before it but the commitment just seemed impossible. My husband is just starting a new job (long hours), we have 3 young children, we've moved a LOT in the last 4 years, we homeschool, we live in a temp apartment while we house hunt in a new state. There was NO WAY!! 

But, I felt drawn to it after doing the clean eating challenge. I've been screaming my love for Shaun T & T25 from the rooftops since starting the program so that didn't change, lol Something about getting my nutrition in check really flipped the switch. 

So, I reached out to my coach & she set me up! I'm NOT a salesperson at all. This is actually the first work anything I've even considered in the SIX YEARS I've been a stay at home mom! So, here I am -- IM A BEACH BODY COACH (this is the first time I've publicly said that, lol).   Trying to get rolling, completely overwhelmed by all of the social media available (I'm a Facebook gal, lol) & just continuing to work on my health goals. I'm just hoping to inspire others & light the same fire that's been lit for me. :) 

My ah-ha moment.

UI've always been a huge fan of Weight Watchers. When I restarted my get healthy journey, they were my go-to program. But, combined with the T25 workout -- I was not happy with the scale! It wasn't reflecting my hard work! I decided to forget about the scale (and measurements because those were jacked up, too), focus on the fit of my clothes & my progress photos. 

Then, at week 13 (14 of recommitting - I started T25 a week later to get my nutrition on track), I decided to take a beach body 5 day clean eating challenge. I ate pretty well before I started because of the WW simple start/simply filling programs. But, I could FEEL the difference after just 5 days of 'clean' eating. I allowed myself some indulgences on the weekend after the challenge (sweets, chips, etc) & decided to stick with the 5 days of clean eating again! It makes me feel SO much better! 

I remember reading that some people stick with Weight Watchers or any other program while doing T25 because it's what they're familiar with. But, they recommend following their nutrition guideline. I rolled my eyes, certain Beach Body was just trying to sell me something else & carried on my way. Whelp, I'm now a believer! They were only selling me real results! There was nothing to buy in the nutrition guide! Now I know better .... only 14 weeks in, lol It's a good thing this is just the beginning of my journey. :) 

Tricks, workout, beachbody

I totally just did this trickery. 

And now, I won't have to figure out when I'll squeeze it in later. Yeah baby!  :)

My beginning.

In December of 2013, I shared with my friends & family that I was struggling with my weight -- I had to buy new jeans to visit family for an extended trip (I only had 1 pair that fit!)! Traumatizing.
But, that kicked me in the rear & got me back on track! Being pregnant with twins & on bed rest for 3+ months had taken it's toll on me. I refused to just give up though & accept being fat because I'm a Mom. I would much rather be an example of health & fitness for our boys! And anyone else that cares to be inspired with me.
So, the journey began..... I rejoined Weight Watchers (it had worked well for me after our first baby & a few times before -- quitting smoking, new marriage weight, etc) & I ordered the beach body program T25. Working out has always been something I've wanted to do but never really stuck with anything. I thought, 25 minutes a day? Even with this crazy life of ours, I could do that! The workouts were NO JOKE for those 25 minutes but I've gotten stronger & stronger. So amazed! And, I've actually stuck with it!
It's been 3 1/2 months since my journey started & I've been sharing a daily collage of food pictures on my private fb page. A friend mentioned she was going to start blogging her garden pictures (which I LOVE seeing) so she didn't clutter up her page. It registered that more than half of my friends & family have probably hidden me from their newsfeeds because they don't care about my food/fitness/health improvements, lol So, I decided to bring it here. I'm no pro, I'm not perfect, just struggling along like everyone else doing the best I can. :)