Long time no blog!

I can't believe I have not blogged since August! I guess the end of summer and beginning of the school year caught up with me. Then before you know it is December. How does that happen?? How does life pass so fast??? We quick catch up. T transitioned well this school. You never know how long he will be super anxious about school starting. But he did great and he has a great teacher that gets how bad his anxiety can be on any given day. He is also doing great in school this year. He is also where he needs to be with his reading and he is working hard on getting his writing where it needs to be. Bonus he LOVES math......even the word problem! C has turned 2! She is busy learning new things ever day and she is totally into destroying anything she can get her little hands on. Two is such a fun age they learn at a rapid rate. Plus the cuteness helps with the forgiving the destructive behavior. I like to think of that behavior as her need to learn how everything works so she must ripe it apart. She loves music and dancing. I can't wait to sign her up for dance class! Dad is doing well! He loves watching the kids grow and loves it even more when they give me a run for my money! I am working on getting back on the wagon. I had a back strain put a halt to working out for a bit and then I got lazy with meal planning. But I have learned my lesson I can't eat junk and miss a day drinking Shakeology. I go right back to tummy problems and they are not FUN! Thanks for stopping by!

3 Day Refresh

Here goes nothing.....I am staring Beachbody's 3 Day Refresh TODAY! I am excited and nervous all at the same time. I am excited because my body needs this reboot after my husband and I's kid free weekend in Philly. Lots of good food and drinks I don't normally partake in were had and my belly is not happy. I am nervous because its not a lot of protein and I need my protein. I hate the hungry feeling and I am type 2 diabetic. But I have plan! I am going to add in an extra fruit and veggie serving. If I need more I will add another veggie. Here is a picture of my grocery store haul yesterday to prepare.

I will post about day 1 tomorrow! I keep telling myself its only 3 days....I can do it!!!

Why I do this......

I thought I would do a little post about why I am so determined to get fit and healthy. The main reason is because I want to be an example to my children and see my children have children. See 11 years ago on January 16 I lost my mom. She died of congestive heart failure. That was the main factor and the secondary factor was pancreatic cancer. She also was in renal failure and had 2 toes and part of her foot amputated as the results of non healing wound from her out of control diabetes. She was only 54! I was 22 and had no mom and she died pretty much in my 19 year old brothers arms. I have decided I don't want that to be me and my children. I miss her so much still 11 years later. She was not physically there see me get married or the birth of my children. I like to think she is was there with me those days and may other days. I like to think of her as our guardian angel. that she is always looking down at us and protecting us. So I have decided I need to put me first when it comes to getting healthy. So we are eating cleaner and training meaner! I want my kids to see my and my husband be the better example. I also want to show others with crazy busy lived you can fit time in to be healthier so I joined Beachbody so I could coach others! Thanks for stopping by and reading my ramblings today!

Interruptions

Interruptions have been the story of my life the past few weeks. Between Ty being home from school, Matt being off work and dad obsessing about the world cup. Its been rough and yesterday was the worst day for them. I could not give 100% to my workout yesterday because there were so many interruptions from my one of my kids and my dad. When I start a workout I try to settle them first so I can have 30 mins to focus of the workout. Well to that didn't happen yesterday and I felt my motivation dwindle with every new demand and me having to hit pause. But I keep moving forward through the workout and finished. But am still haven't been able to shake that workout off. I am still frustrated and want a do over. I know I can take it back and I should be proud that I finished. Today is a new day and I will 100% to my workout today!

It is not all about what the scale says.......

So I had my quarterly appointment with my nurse practitioner recently to go over my blood work. I get my blood drawn like clock work every three months to see where my number are for my Type 2 diabetes and they also keep track of my cholesterol because those weren't looking great. I seriously thought I was going to get bad news and that my A1C was up, my cholesterol was up etc. I actually thought about skipping this quarter so I could try harder over the next few months. Instead I got a great report bad cholesterol down by 5 and triglycerides down by 10. That means I am back in normal range for those! Plus my fasting blood sugar down by 10, and A1C was the same. I am still considered pre diabetic but it's better then being diabetic like I have been since November 2009. I was floored. I really was speechless and those that know me I like to talk..... a LOT. It was my AH HA moment the scale doesn't mean squat. I am getting healthier I have proof in my blood work and when I measure myself. I know one day the scale will go down but that is no longer important to me. This proves that all the extra money I spend to eat clean is working and becoming a Beachbody coach and follow the path of becoming fit is working and no matter how much it costs for whole foods, shakeology, new beachbody fitness programs I buy is all priceless to me as long as my numbers keep going down.

Derailment

Meaning of derailment noun 1. the act or process of derailing . Your probably like why is she talking about derailment. Well I its because I allow things that are thrown onto or that blow on my tracks to derail my journey of becoming healthier and finding me while being sandwiched between taking care of my dad, caring for my young family and being a wife to my husband. I need to break the habit of allowing these events in my life to derail my progress of getting healthy and finding me. I need to move me up to a higher position on my to do/ to take care of list. The ER doctor said it best the other night to me when I sitting in the ER with my dad waiting to hear what was going with him. I was over tired and hacking from my allergies. He told me I have to remember to take of me because I have a lot to take care of myself too. It hit me that maybe I can't wait all night on test results and then go home and function enough to take care of 17 month old while my husband goes to work. So at 3am I was like ok I need to go and he is good hands with the doc and nurse that were part of the team taking care of him. They had his history and what brought us and if they needed anything else they could call. Walking way a huge step for me. It was hard because I wouldn't have the control of knowing what's going on at the moment it happens. It was freeing to do it because I learned to let go some of the structure and control I feel I have to have in taking care of all the people that depend on me in my life. I can't split myself in 2 and being in both places where I was needed be. While walking away was a big step forward I took a few tiny steps backwards. I let the madness and craziness of what was going on derail my good clean eating habits and my exercise program. So I promised myself today that I will not let that happen again! Today is a new day and forward is the only way to go! Positive is the way I have to be so I can keep moving forward! Thanks for reading my rambling and I am off to sweat my tail off with my T25 work out and plank challenge today!

Post 21 day fix

I finished up the 21 Day Fix 6 pounds down! Which is huge for me I lose weight slowly and to lose 6 pounds in 21 days has me very happy! I really liked the program and I look forward to doing it again soon. I even think my husband will like the work outs. I know he enjoyed the food I prepared during the program. I did not get a picture when I finished. I do have some pictures to post for my before pictures for the next challenge I started yesterday. I really don't see a difference in the pictures from the pictures I took for the 21 Day Fix but I see a big difference in the pictures I posted from December. I am going to work on putting together a collage later of those pictures. I will post that as soon as I get them and a post together. As for the challenge that started yesterday it is T25. This will be round 2 for me and so far I am nailing the work outs because I am must stronger and faster! YAY! Thanks for stopping by for my quick update!

Time for a pep talk

Ok so I was getting down on myself because I feel like it is taking me forever to get results for all the work I have been putting into getting healthier since the beginning of January. So time for a pep talk. Since January 6th: I have lost 7 pounds and over 10 inches all around. I have consistently worked out 5-6 days a week. We are eating out way less and mostly clean. I know I am not going to lose all I need to lose in the matter of days or weeks. It is going to take months maybe a year or more to get down where I want to be.....where I have to be so I can be healthy and around for my family. So here is to finish this week strong with the 21 Day Fix and getting ready for Focus T25 Challenge group starting on April 21st! I know I can reach my goals! Slow and steady wins the race! Thanks for stopping by for my little pep talk to myself!

21 Day Fix

After I finishedFocus T25 I was like what am I going to do next?!?!? I am totally addicted to working out each day and keeping our eating cleaning. My answer come to me in the form of the new Beachbody program the 21 Day Fix. This program peaked my interest a food plan that is measured out in containers that are provided and 7 day work out plan. Sounds good to me. I was like I am in! I had to wait to get my order which was fine because a challenge group was forming with some of the ladies I meet since starting this weight loss journey and joined Beachbody. I started Monday and it has been awesome! I had not weighted myself in almost 6 weeks because I gave up on the scale but I got one to see where I was at and what my starting weight was so I would have it to compare to my day 21 weight. I got on the today for the first time since Monday and I am down 3 pounds and about 2 inches already! Hoping I keep close to this pace for the next 17 days! Here are my before pictures!

Check back in 3 weeks to see the results! Thanks for reading!

Clean Eating

Very excited to start a 21 day clean eating challenge today! it is much needed after the weekend of birthday parties we went attended and with summer coming up I am looking forward to starting this clean eating habit and having fresh fruit and veggies! I am also working hard on planning our meals and sticking to the meal! I found this cool site to help with the planning! Once I figure it out and make sure I like I will post a link!! Want to win a copy of Hip Hop Abs???? Then head on over to Planks and Playdates follow the link to the entry form! Thanks for stopping by!

60 days later.......

Wow I can hardly believe it has been 60 days since I started with Beach Body and T25 . I feel like the past 60 days have flown by thanks to the challenge group I was part of through my coach and friend Leigh. I loved it so much I became a coach as well! Over the course of the 60 days I have come to realize it is not all about the scale. There is so much more to look at like how my clothes are fitting, how my waist went DOWN 5 inches!!!! 5 inches!!! I can't tell you if I lost weight, gained muscle weight or stayed the same because like I said I gave up on the scale. I am very happy with what the measuring tape is telling and it my new BFF! I have also realized over the 60 days how important food is to making these changes. We are eating cleaner and healthier then ever! So here is a collage of day 1(pink shirt), day 30 (grey shirt) and day 60 (black shirt).

Now that my 60 day are up with T25 I am planning on Hip Hop Abs until my order comes for Les Mills Pump arrives! I used to attend Les Mills Body Pump at the gym at least once a week before I got pregnant with C. I am excited to have the program at home so I can actually get back to that workout! I also think that Pump will be a great workout for my husband to do at home since he is having trouble getting the gym. He is lucky if he makes it once a week and that is usually the he works out with a trainer. Looking forward to more changes to come to my body and to our eating! Thanks for stopping in!

Stuck in the middle

I feel like I constantly stuck in the middle and I can't get anything done or finish something I start in the morning and at bedtime. Then I realize I am stuck in the middle. I am sandwiched between the kids and my dad. I want to stand up a yell I will handle your demand in the reverse order of which you were conceived. Then I think what about me? What have I done for myself this morning (other then potty and get a vat of coffee)? Why does everyone else always come first I am dead last? Done get me wrong this was my choice to live in the middle and I wouldn't change it for the world. I love seeing my kids interact with my dad and I LOVE seeing the joy in his eyes when he is with the kids but some days are just too much. It takes a lot to push me to this point I am at today. The point of frustrated, tired and grumpy because yes this is how I wanted to live. I wanted kids to know their granddad and I knew it would take a lot of hard work and long days. But it has been over a year since I had a break. We have not had a vacation away from my dad and/or kids in over a year. I am up everyday feeding, dressing, cleaning up after and then 2-3 nights a week I leave the house and go to work outside the home for a few hours. Then home to clean up the nights mess and start the bedtime process with dad and some nights Ty. My husband is great helping me when I need it but he is pulled in just as many directions as I am. I know he would love a break for the chaos. Without his love and support I would be lost. So I will remember to I can only help one person at a time and yes sometimes I need to be that person. I will count to 3 ok may be 10 when I feel like it is getting to be too much and I will continue to take time out to meal plan and workout. It is a small way of putting me first for minute but I am still holding out hope to one day get a massage a facial or at least night away for the circus I am seem to the ring master of. So my new mantra is you will be helped in the reverse order you were conceived. Thanks for reading my vent about being stuck in the middle!

One month later

Wow where did the month of January go?!?!?! Well it has been one month since I started my new year new healthier me journey. It has been going well I have kept up with the work outs and by the end of week 5 of Alpha round of T25 I was even doing most of the exercises without modifying! I am down 4 inches off my waist and hips, down 1/2 inch in my arms, down an inch in the chest and up a half inch in my legs but I can see muscle definition on my legs! I am only down 3 pounds and that had me all worked up but then I look at my inches lost and that what has been keeping me motivated! So I have decided for the next month I am not weighing myself. I am hiding the scale and just looking at the measuring tape! One thing I have to work on this next month is food. I have to clean up our eating and go back to a more paleo diet. I have to learn ways to work past my craving and not give into them! Ok back to meal planning for the week and helping T finish his class Valentines. But before I go here is my split pic from the start date and one month.

Thanks for stopping by!

Weight loss journey

So here I am again it a new 2014 and one of goals for this year is to loss some weight and eat better......like every year! But I will say between 2012 and 2013 I worked hard on cleaning up out eating and found we can do well eating a 80/20 paleo diet. Paleo diet is the caveman diet no grains and no dairy. We are not 100% paleo and there are days we are not paleo at all due to events going on in our lives at that given time. I have maintained most of the weight I lost while pregnant with CC. I have only gained about 10lbs back of the 30lb lost and I am still at 40lbs over all since 2012. I did have a bloat gain over the holidays and most of that is gone! I have also been medication free for the past 3 months for my Type 2 diabetes. I am hope to stay that way! So this year I want to focus on exercise. I have decided to give BeachBody T25 a try. I am doing along with a challenge group for 60days. I am hoping that being part of a group will help stay motivated and make this a lifestyle change! Here is the before pictures:

Okay time to get started and put day one on the books!