Week Three and FINAL RESULTS of the Ultimate Reset

Down 9 pounds. Down from a Size 6 to a Size 4

Wow. 21 days of total CLEAN eating and I'm down nine pounds. I had eight pairs of size 4 pants buried in my closet that all fit now. What an incredible feeling to slip those on. But most importantly I really feel great and that is what I was going for!

There was ONE night during the final week where I had so much energy surging through me that I could not sleep. It was almost like a drank a pot of coffee. I could not settle myself down. Other than that, even a week after completing the 21 Days, I am still sleeping incredibly well. I lost an additional .5 pounds during the 4th week and that is with me adding in foods like grains, legumes, some chocolate and meat. I'm ecstatic.

Read about Week One Here
Read about Week Two Here 

I tried drinking coffee and my body rejected that. My heart went crazy and I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest once again. I was quickly reminded how that felt and I do not want to go back to that. No thanks. So I haven't been able to get myself to drink it. I continue to use a lot of the recipes from the 21-day Ultimate Reset in our weekly meal plan and that is helping a lot. I find myself craving the healthier foods over junk. Probably because I know how I feel when I eat well and fuel my body with foods straight from Mother's Earth vs. foods that have been manipulated or processed by science and man.

I did try a little Culvers after the zoo this past weekend and it did not sit well with me once bit. Not my proudest moment. My heart raced, I felt super sluggish and tired. I even took a nap, which I rarely do and spent the rest of the day feeling thirsty, groggy and swollen - I was retaining water terribly.

Would I do this again? In a heartbeat!! I was overwhelmed that first week but I realize that's how I had been feeling about EVERYTHING in life and I had gotten to a point where I was desperately seeking something that would help take that pressure and anxiety away that I had been feeling for months. Nothing seemed to be working anymore. This did the trick! Plus, it helped me get my love of meal planning and prepping back. I was getting burned out on trying to figure out what to make week after week. I also added in daily words of affirmations, massages, chiropractic adjustments, meditation, lots of walking and all that water and good food and it's amazing what that did for me - what this program did for me!!

I was hoping my Optic Neuritis would magically get better, but my eye is the same. My guess is if I continue to treat my body right, maybe my chances are better for a quicker recovery. Fingers crossed.

I've been sharing a lot of the recipes I tried during the 21 Day Ultimate Reset over at my Like Page. Be sure to like my page for more recipes or comment, like and share any of the posts.

DAY 21 ENTRIES: 

HOW WOULD YOU RATE OR DESCRIBE YOUR OVERALL HEALTH?

I'd give myself a 9.5. I do miss the fitness part but all that walking and stretching was pretty great!

DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS?

No.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU HAVE A BOWEL MOVEMENT?

Daily.

ARE YOU AWARE OF THE HABITS and PATTERNS YOU HAVE FORMED AROUND EATING?

Yes. I found myself wanting a bite of my kids foods more than just once or twice. Or I wanted a cracker or 10 a lot. I also tend to want to eat really fast during meals because someone always needs something. I tried to slow down and remind myself I deserve to have a nice meal too and that I won't die if I don't eat something the minute I start to feel hungry. That was a big thing for me. I have this idea in my head that I will pass out if I don't eat when I'm hungry. Not true.  

ARE YOU ABLE TO HAVE A COMPLETE AND SATISFYING ELIMINATION?

YES.

ARE YOUR BOWEL OFTEN CONSTIPATED? HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON?

NO.

DO YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS?

NO.

HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR OVERALL ENERGY LEVELS?

10. I am back to brain dumping everything I'd like to do, then writing them out in a level of importance and getting a handful of stuff done. Rather than having that brain fog and freezing and doing nothing at all, which would create more anxiety. 

DO YOU RELY ON STIMULANTS, SUCH AS CAFFEINE OR SUGARS TO GET YOUR THROUGH YOUR DAY?

NO! YAY! 

DO YOU SLEEP WELL?

AMAZINGLY

DO YOU WAKE FEELING RESTED?

If I get over 6 hours and 45 minutes of good sleep, yes. Anything less and the answer is NO.

HOW IS YOUR COMPLEXION?

CLEAR!!

HOW OFTEN DO YOU HAVE HEADACHES?

The day I had a few sips of coffee, my headache came back, otherwise I don't!

DOES YOUR BREATHING FEEL SHALLOW OR CONSTRICTED?

No. I feel really good!

DO YOU FEEL MENTALLY CLEAR AND ALERT?

YES!

If you're looking for that change and are ready to commit, I'd love to work with you! Take a moment to fill out this form so I can get to know you and your goals better!

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WEEK TWO: DOWN ANOTHER 1.5 POUNDS

Ultimate Reset WEEK TWO

Image a weight being lifted off your chest and being able to sleep rock solid at night. Yeah. That’s what’s going on with me. This whole ultimate reset has done WONDERS for me. Not only do I feel more Zen and at peace with everything, the heavy pressure and anxiety has lifted, and my tight pants from two weeks ago are now LOOSE (total bonus!). I truly feel amazing from the inside out.

Best of all, my confidence has grown. I feel like I have broken out of this shell I’ve been wrapping myself in. It’s hard to explain because it’s not like I’m a super shy person—I enjoy  building relationships and being real with others—but I do swallow my emotions. I honestly didn’t think I was so caged up inside. I honestly think it boils down to control. I like to be in control of things and there were so many things happening this past year that I had no control over and that freaked me out. So I kept internalizing and would get distracted, so there was nowhere for those “emotions”/”feelings” to go.

This Reset has helped me appreciate who I am as a person, has shown me what I’m capable of and has made me see that holding things in is actual a disservice to my body and those around me. I simply need to be me, enjoy life and fuel up my tank with positivity and gratitude as much as I can FIRST before I start giving.

I've been waking up early and I start off by drinking 20 ounces of water and taking supplements at the same time each day and on an empty stomach. There are 6 different kinds of supplements. These supplements consist of ingredients like Pink Himalayan salt, aloe vera, curcumin, milk thistle, and probiotics to name a few. Nothing strange or that I haven’t heard of and all straight from Mother Earth—like all the foods in this program. I still can’t believe I haven’t sneaked a cracker or piece of chocolate or sip of beer this entire time. I am so much stronger than I ever gave myself credit for.

Meal prepping for everyone has been tough though. I'm not going to lie. I have had to stop myself from grabbing a cracker or finishing food off my kid’s plates….or licking a spoon. That part has been tough. Karl brought home pizza and cookies on Saturday night. That was challenging. The whole house smelled incredible but I also reminded myself, if I wanted that cookie SOOO bad, I could have it after the 21 days. And then I was fine.

After I drink my mineralized distilled water upon waking in the morning, I prop my feet up, lie on my back and breathe. I breathe in for 5 seconds, hold for 5, exhale for 5 seconds and then pause for 5 seconds. I do this for 5 minutes. Then I do light yoga stretching. This gets my energy flowing. I get ready in the bathroom and read daily affirmations that I taped to the mirror. This helps remind me WHY I’m doing this and WHAT is important in my life and that I AM enough to everyone around me. It helps me stay focused and grounded.

On my way in to work and on my way home, I have been listing to Outperform the Norm, which has been such a good read for me. The author (from Minnesota) hits home on ALL areas of health. From nutrition to fitness to mindset and applying all of this into your daily life. If you're not feeling your best, how can you DO your best? 

I have been following the guide to a T! This is crazy to me since I never used to miss a day eating dark chocolate and I usually go a bit crazy on the weekends with naughty foods. I try to follow the 80/20 rule when it comes to eating, but we had a couple stressful months and I was eating more 60/40 and my body was screaming at me.

Entering the second week (called the Release phase), we eliminated meat, eggs and dairy. I’m not going to lie. I was scared. In the guide we have our meals planned out for us – we just need to get to the store, prep the food and enjoy! All the recipes are in the back. I share them on my Like Page (follow me there!). 

I have tried so many new types of foods and have prepared food in different ways, which helps me because I was getting burned out with meal planning for the entire family before I started. This has just helped put that extra bounce in my step and I appreciate food SO much more and realize how lucky we are that we GET all the options we do. What we put in our bodies really determine a lot!

During the final week we focus on plant based nutrition. So we eliminate grains and legumes. It’s simply fruits and vegetables. Will I be able to do it?

I’m entering the third week 6.5 pounds lighter and feeling so great! I can’t wait to see what’s in store that third week.

What would be the hardest food for you to eliminate from your diet right now if you had to? 

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Week One on the Ultimate Reset

Five Pounds...GONE!

One week down of the Ultimate Reset and I have lost 5 pounds. Say what? I can’t even believe it. But at the same time I can ...with the amount of healthy foods I have been consuming.

My goal starting this detox wasn’t to lose a bunch of weight, though I’ll be OK with a few pounds gone. I have a stack of pants in my closet that just don’t want to fit right.

Truthfully, the main reason I did this was to FEEL good on the inside. Karl reminded me several times that I already eat healthy and my insides are fine, did I really have to do this detox? 

Starting Weight: 157
Day 7 Weight: 152

My answer: YES.

In the pictures you can’t tell much of a difference. Or at least I can’t tell. However, the scale doesn't define us. But I can see why people would give up if they CAN'T SEE a difference in themselves when they put so much work and time into making a change. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Healthy changes take days upon days of hard work and dedication. And let me tell you, one week in and I feel amazing. I’m going with that!

I had been feeling so much brain fog, I was jumpy at times and anxious a lot, full of worry and I’d wake at night almost in a panic with all the thoughts racing through my brain. I would toss and turn and dwell on things I didn’t need to be worrying about but I could not release them. I’d work out, but I still felt tired though I had energy. I’m not sure that makes sense but it was a different sort of exhaustion. More like a “burned out” feeling. I felt stuck. Almost frozen because there was so much going on that I didn’t even know where to begin. And it kept coming. But by doing nothing, I created a huge amount of pressure on my chest. And I constantly had to remind myself to breathe.

Starting Weight: 157
Day 7 Weight: 152

With the Ultimate Reset, you get a sweet booklet that has everything in it. Grocery lists, your meal plan for the week and recipes. It’s THE best guide EVER. You head off to the health food stores and fill up your cart with a ton of great organic healthy eats. You learn about WHY you are doing this and what it will do for you, what you can expect and why these foods are the chosen ones. There are three phases. Week One - Reclaim. Week Two - Release. Week Three - Restore. 

What I like best is in the booklet, there is a section on “This is Me Now”. It’s a place to journal the day you start and on day 21.

DAY ONE ENTRIES: 

HOW WOULD YOU RATE OR DESCRIBE YOUR OVERALL HEALTH?

I’d give myself an 8. I get up early to workout. I pretty much follow the 80/20 rule when it comes to nutrition, but I don’t get the greatest sleep and stress seems to be a constant thing in my life right now. And I let it eat at me. Why? 

DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS?

No. I'm pretty good!

HOW OFTEN DO YOU HAVE A BOWEL MOVEMENT?

Daily.

ARE YOU AWARE OF THE HABITS and PATTERNS YOU HAVE FORMED AROUND EATING?

Eating has been stressful for me. Kids are usual screaming or crying and I find myself dreading it. I love preparing the food for everyone but when it gets flung across the room and Nathan screams his brains out and Jackson cries and tells me it’s “yucky”, that causes stress. It's not a fun time. So I find myself forcing food down my throat at a crazy fast speed. 

ARE YOU ABLE TO HAVE A COMPLETE AND SATISFYING ELIMINATION?

YES.

ARE YOUR BOWEL OFTEN CONSTIPATED? HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON?

NO.

DO YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS?

NO.

HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR OVERALL ENERGY LEVELS?

8. I have a LOT of energy, but I think I’m hovering around the “burnt” out energy levels now. I never shut off. I keep going and I want to find the part of me that can relax.

DO YOU RELY ON STIMULANTS, SUCH AS CAFFEINE OR SUGARS TO GET YOUR THROUGH YOUR DAY?

YES. I will have coffee in the morning on my drive in. Do I ever finish my coffee? No. Is it usually hot? No. Do I spill it? Yes. 

DO YOU SLEEP WELL?

I can fall asleep in a second. But I wake up often. I toss and turn. I worry. I feel anxious. I have lots of thoughts going on in my head. Ideas. Stories. Memories. Crazy dreams.

DO YOU WAKE FEELING RESTED?

If I get over 6 hours and 45 minutes of good sleep, yes. Anything less and the answer is NO.

HOW IS YOUR COMPLEXION?

I have this strange rash on my right cheek. And hard zits like I used to get my freshman year in college.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU HAVE HEADACHES?

Not too often.

DOES YOUR BREATHING FEEL SHALLOW OR CONSTRICTED?

All the time.

DO YOU FEEL MENTALLY CLEAR AND ALERT?

No. This makes me feel panicky because I honestly can’t focus for a second.

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO DO THIS ULTIMATE RESET AT THIS TIME?

My focus is so wonky right now. I am way too anxious. I have never done a detox for the fear of starving myself. I need a change. I want to feel awesome. I want to prove to myself I can do this. I want to see if this will help my optic neuritis. If this will help my stress levels. Just want to be the best mom and wife.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO GAIN FROM THE ULTIMATE RESET?

I want to feel like me again. Not sweat the small stuff.  I want to feel refreshed, healthy from the inside out, determined to take on the day and laugh throughout the day. ENJOY every day. Feel rested and calm but still have that fire in my belly to knock the socks off my dreams.  Not feel like I need to take on other’s problems and just simply focus on how grateful I am for this life I have been blessed with. Be more mindful and simply just love! I want to express my emotions better too. When something is on my mind, I just want to get it out rather than holding it in. I have this thing of keeping in any sadness/frustration I feel. Like when my grandparents died, I felt like life just kept going and I had to be done feeling sad. 

WHAT HABITS DO YOU FEEL ARE CAUSING YOUR CURRENT DECLINE?

Not asking for help enough. Putting on my oxygen mask last, not first. Not taking enough time for me to breathe. Not saying affirmations enough. Complicating everything rather than simplifying. Spreading myself too thin. Need to be better at communicating how I’m feeling with others rather than holding it in until I'm ready to blow. 

THE FOOD

The food has been incredible!! I thought it'd be tasteless. I'd be starving. My whole life would revolve around what I was eating and when. It hasn't been that way. I'm not going to lie and say there isn't prep work involved. I had to do that in pockets of time on the weekends but just like anything, you start to get the hang of it. You just need to give it a TRY! I will post more food in the recap of WEEK TWO! 

THE CRAZIEST PART FOR ME

Drinking distilled water. I never really knew that was the most purest form of water. I have cooked and baked with and only drank distilled water! Nuts, huh? But perhaps this is why my skin is so great right now? 

THE MOST CHALLENGING PART

The fruit for breakfast. I LOVE fruit but I feel like I need protein. I'm super hungry right after breakfast until lunch time. I'm trusting the process though. After all, it's only 21 Days and I probably will be adding more protein back into my breakfast and another protein filled snack before lunch once this is done. For now, I can get my mind right and breathe through it. And I drink a LOT of water!! Distilled water, that is.

HOW I FEEL AFTER ONE WEEK
AMAZING!!! I haven't slept this hard and good in years. I feel incredibly rested. My rash on my face has cleared up. I have little anxiety. The brain fog is gone. I had a couple rough days with detox headaches but for the most part I feel STRONG. Love feeling like this! I wake up and drink 12 ounces of water right away and I sit and breathe for 5 minutes. I do words of affirmations and I stretch. Doing this has been so great for me!

I'm SO glad I'm giving this Reset a try. I can't wait to see my results after Week 2!! I'm super grateful that I am a Beachbody coach so I hold myself accountable to my own health and fitness and I get to try out all these amazing programs and products AND get the amazing discount too!! Just knowing that we get to EAT normal foods and not have to do all this crazy wonky stuff you see how there (wraps, pills, patches, double shakes for days), makes me feel proud. If I wasn't a coach, I probably would have kept going like I was and would have forgotten how good it feels to be healthy from the inside out!!

Have you done a detox before? Were you happy with the results? If you're interested in learning more about the Ultimate Reset or Coaching, please click here.  

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Body After Baby #2, Maternity Leave Health and Fitnesss Challenge

Who wants to join in the fun?

For those of you who know me, you know that I'm a bit of a health and fitness nut. I love it. Instead of minoring in advertising or marketing like most people with a speech communications degree, I minored in health. I received a lot of furrowed brows for that decision, but I knew that is where my heart was. Best choice ever because those classes NEVER felt like classes or homework or extra stress to me. I loved them.

Post baby body - Entering Week 2

Granted, I'm now a Marketing and Communications Manager for a company that distributes compressed air systems and pneumatic components (say what?) but I get to be a health coach on the side and have fallen madly in love.

With that said, I just had our second son (who I'm also madly in love with and enjoying every cuddle and snuggle and yes, even those LATE night cries just because I *think* this is our last). Don't read into that too much. We're only on week 2 here! Still on my adrenaline high.

During my pregnancy I stayed VERY active. I ate VERY clean. And had the best labor ever. If I could have that labor and delivery every time, I'm sure I'd have those 5 kids our pastor talked about during our wedding sermon.

I have learned the kinder I am to my body, the kinder it is to me. And so I plan to continue this way of life.

I know bad things can happen to even the healthiest of people. But most illnesses are 85% preventable just by taking care of ourselves. This is so important to me because my family's heart history and history of strokes. I want to be around for a very long time and FEEL my best always.

Sometimes the cost of gym memberships or health programs can be a little pricey upfront, but in the end, we end up seeing the doctor less, we take less prescriptions, we spend more time ENJOYING life. There is no price tag to be put on good health.

I want to help others like you to TAKE CARE of YOURSELF by encouraging and motivating and inspiring you to work out, eat better and be more grateful for even the smallest things in your life. Being grateful helps eliminate the toxicity and stress in our lives and helps us focus on the GOOD.

Starting November 3 I will be holding a CLOSED Health and Fitness accountability group on Facebook for all of you looking to GET HEALTHY and FIT with me! I'm going to need YOU and YOUR support and much as you will need mine!

The purpose of showing you my photos isn't to throw my body in your face.  I know that EVERY single person has their own story and nobody's body type is the same. It's to say...hey, I had a baby. My body isn't perfect. But I took care of it and had a really great pregnancy. Now, I want to continue having this new-found energy and get myself to a place where I can feel (and look) great in my clothes, where I can be THE BEST mom and simply feel AWESOME.

My goal was to only gain 35 pounds with my second pregnancy. I gained 45 pounds. I'm OK with this BECAUSE I felt really great once I hit second trimester. My energy levels were through the roof. I was able to work all the way up until our son came. I was able to move us into a new home. I was able to sleep great. I was able to do PiYo up until week 38. I rode a bike until week 36. I did stair climber all the way until two days before I delivered. Like I said, be kind to your body and it'll be kind back to you. LISTEN to what it's telling you.

Before Pregnancy
I started at 145 pounds
5'10"

Once I found out I was pregnant
143 pounds (didn't feel the best)
5'10"

Right before I gave birth 
190 pounds
5'10"

The week after I had Nathan
168 pounds
5'10"

168 pounds (you like that mouth guard? I know you're peeking at all the stuff on our counter top!)

The week of the November 3 Challenge Group (TBD!)
______ Pounds
5'10"
______ Right Arm
______ Left Arm
______ Right Thigh
______ Left Thigh
______ Waist
______ Hips
______ Chest

My #1 GOAL by the end of January 2015
FEEL MY BEST.

I'm a busy mom. Just because I had a baby, my world is not going to slow down or stop. I know a few of you are thinking...REST, WOMAN!!! Trust, me. I am doing the best I can, especially during all those nursing sessions. I stare and stare and stare at Nathan. How on earth are these adorable little boys mine???

But let's talk reality. Just because I had a baby doesn't mean I get to nap all day. I still have to feed my family. I still have to do laundry. I still have to clean our house and play trains and trucks and scoop up all the leaves with a front end loader and drop each leaf in a dump truck one by one. I still have to manage nursing while wiping my 2.5 year old's butt. I have to remain calm during a full on tantrum. I have to pay bills. I have to manage my time VERY wisely. This is a life of a mom. Instead of crawling through every hour and thinking about how badly I need my bed or just going through the motions and making poor choices, I want to be energized, alert and ENJOY every one of them.

And I feel this way when I get enough sleep (work-in-progress right now!), drink enough water, get a 30-minute workout in, eat really healthy (every 2-3 hours), get my healthy dose of vitamins (superfood), meal prep and know that I'm doing my best and giving the best of me to my family. They deserve this! I DESERVE THIS.

MY "NUMBER" GOAL:
Numbers don't reflect EVERYTHING. But I do want to drop the last 20 pounds by the end of my January challenge group. That gives me THREE whole months. A healthy weight loss should be about 1-2 pounds a week (where it won't come back). I don't necessarily want to focus TOO much on weight but more on inches and how I'm feeling. I'm nursing right now and the last thing I want is to mess with my milk production. Consuming lots of oats and avocados and water over here! The minute it goes down, is the minute I figure out what's going on in my diet and life.

If you notice my pictures, I need to TONE up in some areas. So if I can slip into my work pants (and some shirts) by the time I go back to working full-time, I will be one happy mama! But I also know it took my body 9/10 months to create sweet Nathan, so if it takes that long to bounce back, so be it. I'm listening to what my body is telling me. Again, I want to FEEL my best. Numbers don't always reflect that!

MY WORKOUT PLAN:
November

• A 30-minute walk 5-days a week until I know my body is ready for more. Or 25 minutes on the elliptical (depending on weather). My doctor gave me the OK to work out like I normally would after week 2 since I've been so active throughout. It's NEEDED for my mental health.
• Introduce PiYo again and follow the workout plan that came with my challenge pack. PiYo is a mixture of pilates, yoga and sculpt with a TON of sweating. Think squats and lunges and push ups, sit ups, tricep dips, BURPEES etc. No jumping. (It's pretty much awesome)
• I put my gym membership on freeze because I can't take my baby in with me until he's 3 months old. So I'm not about to pay the monthly fee. All it took was a note from the doctor and they totally freeze the invoices. 
• Check in every day to my closed challenge group and let them know what I'm doing and find out what others are doing! Keep things FRESH and FUN.

December

• PiYo and Les Mills Pump (this is a light weight lifting program done 3x a week in the comfort of my own home!)
• Elliptical 
• Check in every day to my closed challenge group and let them know what I'm doing and find out what others are doing! Keep things FRESH and FUN!

January

• Will pick another Beachbody workout program (probably T25 since Karl is doing that now and wants to see how coordinated I am) and it's a quick 25 minutes and can be done in our house! 
• Check in every day to my closed challenge group and let them know what I'm doing and find out what others are doing! Keep things FRESH and FUN!

NUTRITION
I don't know about you but I get the best results when I pair nutrition with fitness.

• I plan to run a 5-day Clean Eating Group every month. We try to eat clean for the most part so this isn't extra work for me. 
• I plan to meal plan every Sunday so I'm ready for the week and can only make healthy smart choices (I will be encouraging all my challengers to meal prep for the week as well!) I've noticed it's MUCH harder to eat healthier while at home than work. I pack what I need when I'm at work. At home, snacks are much more available. I have to meal prep, so this isn't extra work for me either. If I want us eating right throughout the week, meal prep is THE ONLY WAY.

So now that I've put my body out there, as well as my goals, you get to hold me accountable. Zoiks. I know you'll be watching and wondering how I'm doing. I'm READY though!!!

What about YOU though? Why don't you join me?? I can promise it'll be a TON of fun and you'll be THRILLED with the results. It's time to feel YOUR BEST, don't you think? NO MORE EXCUSES!!!! November 3 is GO TIME!!!

Let's DO THIS!!!!!!

Contact me in my Facebook comments or PM me or via email or like my Health Coach page on Facebook!

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My Health Journey at 179 pounds

What is YOUR Health Story? 

I just wanted to share a little bit of my health journey with you all. Trying to keep it short (yeah right) at the same time because I know we all have two seconds in our day to devote to reading blog posts!

First thing to keep in mind as you are reading this is I AM TALL. I’m 5’10” so I have always been able to hide weight well. But once I hit a certain point, I get PUFFY (see pic on left).

I know I’m lucky to be tall when it comes to weight and smacking the heck out of a volleyball and pulling down items off the top shelf at the grocery store. But that isn’t the point of this blog post.

The fact is the photo on the left shows me at 179 pounds. THE BIGGEST I have EVER weighed in my life (UNTIL I had babies). No, I wasn’t obese or totally unhealthy (I was still quite active) but I felt like junk. I know I don’t ever want to feel that way ever again. And I haven’t.

The photo on the right is of me at 179 pounds, 34-weeks pregnant and VERY healthy.

What happened???

Let me share with you what I felt every day at the weight in the first photo. I remember it VERY well. How? Well, I journaled about it EVERY night because it bothered me THAT much. Makes me sad because all that time was WASTED feeling bad about myself. And there I was writing about it and coming up with excuses when I could have been DOING SOMETHING about it. Life shouldn’t be that way one bit!!!

At age 24/25 and 179 pounds I felt:

• UNCOMFORTABLE EVERY SINGLE SECOND OF THE DAY (jeans never felt right. Buttons kept digging into my stomach.) I felt my thighs growing like Slimer in Ghostbusters every time I yanked on a pair of jeans. I refused to go up a size. Instead, I worried about how tight my jeans must have looked all day long and picked myself apart internally.
• My legs and feet were always swollen. Even made a trip to the ER because my heart was skipping beats and I felt like passing out in the mornings. My family has quite the heart history but that didn’t even register with me...yet.
• I was TIRED. All the time. I am not one to take naps (ever), but I did around this time, and a lot. Shhh. Don’t tell Karl. He doesn’t know that person.
• My skin was gross so I thought laying in the sun would fry all my zits. STUPID. 
• My hair was falling out.
• I worked out a ton. I worked out to make up for the numerous beers and pizza I drank and ate over the weekends. I didn’t want to have to worry about the calories. Figured the more I worked out, the more I could eat.
• I ran three half marathons at my highest weight. Except I kept GAINING. See why in the bullet point above.
• I’d eat ONLY fat-free, sugar-free, low-fat EVERYTHING during the week thinking I could eat MORE of these foods. NEVER EVER was satisfied. So I’d get frustrated.
• Weekends came and I’d go out and drink (hoping MAYBE that night I’d find Mr. Right) and then I’d come home ALONE and bake a whole pan of brownies and eat most of them. Poor me.
• Don’t worry, I’d run 8 miles the next day.
• Blood pressure was in the 120s with a high BMI and higher cholesterol.
• I was playing volleyball five nights a week. But I couldn’t even JUMP! I was such a slug.
• I’d mindlessly snack all day long, but on sugary treats. Then I’d get tired. Thought maybe more caffeinated beverages would do the trick. See the cycle here?
• I was self-conscious about myself so I held back on everything. I doubted myself too much. I was a turtle hiding in my shell.
• I was bummed out. Lonely. Unhappy. Though I still loved life and all the people in it, I felt STUCK and LOST and like I was missing out. 

Then one night during a volleyball game, I sprained my ankle pretty bad and was FORCED to rest. I could NOT work out one bit. I was FREAKING out. But I was FORCED to take a look at myself and change my ways. 

What was I doing?? Where was I going? Did I want to feel this way forever? It was time for a CHANGE. It was time for Christie to SHINE.

I didn’t work out for one whole week and lost three pounds. Without trying. I wasn’t hungry because I wasn’t working out, therefore I was eating less. Things started clicking for me. Wait a second here, it really is about the calories in, isn’t it… Hmmm.

Second photo is of me at 34-weeks pregnant! And ALSO 179 pounds. Yes, I know I’m headed for the “high-end” of the average pregnancy weight gain, but that is OK. Why? I know I’m HEALTHY. And I feel awesome.  I’m going off that. This is how I feel now (35-years-old at 179 pounds):

• Crazy amounts of energy. Sometimes my husband suggests I SHOULD take a nap so I take it easy.
• When I do get tired, I drink water. Tons of it. Works like a charm.
• CONFIDENT and comfortable in my skin, clothes and body. Ready to let my light shine!
• HAPPY
• Skin is great! Just getting older. 
• Hair is great (and growing at an insane speed. Thanks to those prenatal vitamins)!
• I workout 3-5 times a week and only 20-35 minutes. LOVE PiYo right now! I need quick solutions and popping in a DVD is IT for me!
• I eat CLEAN foods but also allow myself to eat ANYTHING I’m craving but in small portions. Haven’t made a pan of brownies and devoured the whole plate yet! Whew. I have made brownies but now incorporate healthy ingredients. I LOVE THIS!
• I eat full-fat everything. I don’t buy low-fat, sugar free anything. 
• Guess what? When I’m not pregnant, I STILL drink beer and wine. I LOVE IT. But, I savor it. Karl and I like to try craft beers and pick out the hints of flavors in each sip. I don’t need more than one or two beers. I love sipping a glass of wine. When I get the urge to chug anything, that’s when I know something isn’t right and I need to take a step back. What’s REALLY going on? What am I trying to run from?
• I’m able to remember how I feel when I eat TOO much of a bad thing. Kind of like a hangover. It’s VERY easy to forget, but sometimes a really bad one stays with you. So is it worth it to eat a bunch of junk? NO. Why? Because I need all the energy I can get with a toddler and baby on the way. I need to be on my A-game ALL THE TIME. And I know that energy comes from fueling my body with the BEST of the BEST.
• Hear me out though… we DO have pizza most every Friday. I don’t need more than 2-3 pieces. I add TONS of veggies. We either make our own or scope out the pizzerias that aren’t big chains and that we know use a lot of the good stuff.
• I have dark chocolate in the house. I have ice cream in the house. We eat burgers and brats and all those yummy summer foods. I am human. I just add good stuff along with it. Like I said, nothing is off limits and that makes me NOT crave it. If that makes sense?
• Blood pressure is 102/50, BMI around 18 and fab cholesterol levels! I now take my family’s heart history very seriously. It’s up to me to PREVENT my heart from getting weak. To prevent trips to the doctors. To put my health FIRST if I want to be around for a LONG LONG time. 

Why am I sharing this?

Because I have been there. I have been in that darker place where you feel stuck and frustrated and annoyed with yourself and mad at everything. It’s SO easy to point blame at someone else. But this is about YOU. YOUR BODY. YOUR LIFE. It's time to take a look at YOU. 

I also get it. You know you need to do something but you’re just not sure what. Or you’re not sure HOW to change? How you’re going to get there? You might even think you’re too far gone, that there’s no turning around because it’ll take FOREVER to get results.

NOT TRUE.

I want to HELP you get out of your FUNK. I want you to be the BEST YOU!!!! You are so deserving to live the best, healthiest, happiest life EVER!!!!!!

We are blessed with ONE body and ONE life here. This is it, folks. Why disrespect it? Why disrespect YOU? Why not treat your body like royalty for once? I promise your body will be NICE back to you!! It’ll take you places you’ve never been.

We might not totally like the body we’ve been given. Heck, I was born with several things I’d like to change, but guess what? I can’t and I’m OK with that. We are SO FORTUNATE and LUCKY to be here right now.

We can fuel our bodies with good and try to be the person we were created and meant to be! I don’t know about you, but that makes SO much sense to me when I feel my best!!! I feel unstoppable. Doors start opening. Opportunities start banging at the door. Your heart feels fuller. Happier. Life is just so much better!

So what do you say? Ready to get healthy??? Let’s do this!

MESSAGE ME!!! Let’s unleash the beast best in you!

Xoxoxoxoxo

Christie

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Is a Gym Membership Worth It?

OK. I can’t even believe I’m asking this question. But I have to. Do I really need my gym membership?

I’ve now been a mom for a year and in a year’s time a LOT in my life has changed. One of those big changes? I barely EVER get to the gym.

Why?

1.       I’m dying to see Jackson as soon as work is over. By the time I see him, it’s 4:30. We get home around 5. And he starts getting ready for bed at 7 p.m. I can’t imagine even less time with him than the little two hours I do get during the week. Ugh.

2.       The weekends haven’t totally allowed me to go to the gym whenever I want just yet. Karl was working most weekends or family was up or we had stuff going on. And now Karl’s going on call. Boo.

Excuses? Perhaps.

For one, there is a childcare provided. But I never use it because I feel incredibly guilty passing Jackson off AGAIN to another person, which I’ve already done all week long. Also, in the three years I’ve been a member, I have yet to use the gorgeous pool. So why am I paying nearly $60 a month? I don’t know. I can’t even get the 12 workouts in a month so my insurance will pay half.

However, when I DO get a chance to go to the gym, it feels like I’ve stepped away to some resort. Yes, it feels THAT good to me. The steam room. The stair climber. All the weights. All there.  In one place. All shiny. The smell of sweat. Ahh. And feeling that way is worth it to me…

I think.

Here’s the deal. I no longer have a trainer. He moved away on me and I can’t afford one now anyway. I only have a membership that allows me to workout at ONE location, so it’s hard to go after work since it’s slightly out of the way. I haven’t been to a class since almost a year before I got pregnant. I never use the showers, though I tell myself I will every time.

On the flip side, we have some light weights at home and I could purchase a couple kettle balls. We have an elliptical in our basement. I have a bosu ball and an exercise ball. The weather is getting nicer (I can work out outside). I’ve been ripping out pages of workouts in my magazines. It seems like a no brainer. I could save almost $700 a YEAR. Helllloooooooo.  

Our downstairs is SUPER crammed though. It doesn’t feel the same. And will I make time?? I force myself to work out when I get in the car and drive to the gym. For some reason, I feel like I’ll choose the couch over walking downstairs to hop on the elliptical. I told myself months ago I would get up at 5:00 every morning and run outside, but it’s been raining pretty much every morning or else I’m STILL trying to catch up on the sleep I lost this past year. I keep choosing sleep!

It’s just since college, I’ve never NOT had a gym membership… It feels weird. It feels like I’m allowing myself to stop taking care of myself or something. I’m not holding myself accountable anymore. Weird, I know.

What would you do? Gym membership or no?

Just remember, once winter comes it gets DARK and cold here making most outdoor activities tough.

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Body BACK After Baby - 7.5 Months

Body After Baby – Hitting My Pre-Pregnancy Weight at 7.5 Months

Height – 5’10
Weight – 153

I did it! Look at those muscles!

 

Well, I did it! I have no idea how because I’m not working out any more than usual (I swear), but I am really watching what I eat and I don’t drink alcohol like I did back in the day. AND there isn’t a whole lot of time to eat when I’m watching Jackson. I rarely sit. I don’t catch a lot of TV anymore. I don’t read like I used to. Both Jackson and I are moving a lot. He has me on my toes!

And just like that I jumped on the scale and I weigh less than where I was before I found out I was pregnant with Jackson. YAY!

All my clothes fit – even the super small pants I couldn’t even get over my thighs two months after Jackson was born. Holy wow. I can’t believe it.

My goal from here on out is to maintain and keep up the healthy lifestyle. I feel GOOD and I want to keep it that way. I’m trying to get one to two really good workouts in a week (there are fewer walking trips just because it’s cold and snowy now), one lifting session (this helps tone me up because I notice I’m softer in areas than I was before even if I now weigh less) and I’m focused on eating really healthy. Like I’ve said before, I know what foods are going to make me feel sluggish and tired (carbs and sugar), so I avoid and fuel my body with as healthy as I can get.

What has been helping me is making Jackson’s food. I’m constantly researching what healthy foods I can introduce him to and what the main vitamin is in each serving so he gets a variety of nutrients and stays healthy and builds up a great immune system. For example I pureed his parsnips the other night. They ended up looking like mashed potatoes and tasted way better. Karl even liked. I will be introducing that to our own weekly meals. It’s kind of fun to experiment with all these different fruits and vegetables.

Here’s to a HEALTHY, HAPPY 2013!!!

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Weekly Workouts and Weight - Week 8

Week of November 18

The madness continues...

Getting outside as much as we can!

 

Weight: 156
Height: 5’10

Could not believe the scale. Say what??? I’m only TWO pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight. WOW!!! The week before was such a bad week mentally and physically. The only thing I can think is I’ve been really watching what I put in my mouth. I have been eating smaller portions because there isn’t a whole lot of time to eat and I rarely EVER sit down now. Jackson is keeping me on my toes if I ever set him down.

The other thing is I can’t afford to feel run down or tired and I have learned sugar or heavy carbs makes me feel that way. Sure, a treat tastes good but 40 minutes later and I want a nap. I can’t feel that way. EVER. So it’s not worth it. For example, I have a bag of Jolly Ranchers at my desk (for emergences). Usually around 3, I want something sweet. I ask myself… are two or three Jolly Ranchers really what I need/want or will a tart apple do the trick? The apple wins. AND I am not ravishing by dinner time. Sometimes I don’t get to eat dinner until 8, so I need something that will fill me up. Jolly Ranchers don’t do the trick.

Sunday: None. Was still at cabin and no running/walking allowed because I might get hit by stray bullet. Got home too late to work out since I had to get us all unpacked, laundry going and dinner cooking. Feeling rather anxious. Missing my heart pumping workout. Head feels fuzzy. So much on my brain. Need clarity.

Monday: Nothing. Slept HORRIBLE the night before…maybe 2 or 3 solid hours in a row. Was a walking zombie all day. I did park very far away from the grocery store so I had to walk more and then walked across the street to grab lunch. That was my exercise. Took a LOT of deep breaths!

Tuesday: Quick 20 minute walk over lunch. The weather is AMAZING for November. Close to 60 degrees. We have a 5-hour car ride ahead of us so I wanted to get something in. Visiting my parents for the Thanksgiving holiday. VERY excited to do some walking/running around Roscoe because it’s hilly where they live. Just hoping we can fit that in!

Wednesday: Holy TIRED. We left for Roscoe at 7 p.m. and arrived at 12:30 in the morning. We didn't get to bed until 2 a.m. And then... oh man...Jackson was up at 5:00 a.m. I AM TIRED. Like walking zombie tired. I DO NOT LIKE FEELING LIKE THIS. Karl and I went for a 40 minute walk up and down all the  hills. The weather is wonderful so we tried to enjoy as much as possible. Just wish I could get SLEEP.

Thursday: Still SO TIRED. Jackson slept until 3, but not enough sleep for me. At home he'll get up sometimes at 3, eat quick and fall back asleep until 7, but he was up again at 5 a.m. after I fed him. I NEED SLEEP. It's Thanksgiving and my grandparents are coming over. Trying to be upbeat...so hard being peppy being so tired. My mom and I take a 40 minute walk up and down hills with Jackson. The fresh air feels GREAT but I try to take a couple naps. Not happening. Brain won't shut off. And Jackson will not nap.

Friday: Me here. DYING. SO TIRED. Jackson was up from 2 a.m. on. Every half hour. Pretty sure he's teething. Not napping at all. Life is hard. I want to cry. I just want to sleep. Grandparents are still here. Feel like we're keeping them up with Jackson's screams. I don't change him during the night like normal because that means going to a different room, that means he'll scream and wake everyone up. But he soaks through his diaper and his pjs and his bed...and our bed. Oopsy. At least we fit in a nice walk. Ahhh. 20 minutes of fresh air. Brother returns from Everest Base Camp. He is too exhausted to talk. Truthfully, I'm too tired to even listen to anyone. I just want SLEEP. I try to nap. No go. Again...brain won't shut off.

Saturday: Yep. Still no good sleep. Is it time to go home yet? I just want my own bed. Our routine. Jackson is NOT napping. If he is, it's for 20 minutes and he wakes up crabby. I am exhausted. No rest at all. Constant go-go-go. Teething like crazy. Seems to be in pain. Dreading the car ride back because I'm scared. Will Jackson be able to make it? Karl and I take a nice long 40 minute walk with Jackson... Of course he naps now. Feels good but I AM SO TIRED. Jackson is up quite a bit. I feel sluggish. I don't feel good about myself. I'm wearing the same outfit for three days. Ugh. Everyone is SICK! Coughing and sneezing and sore throats. YUCK! My nose keeps running. So much for all those fruits I ate before we left just to avoid Karl's sickness. I NEED SLEEP. I NEED A GOOD WORKOUT. MOMMA IS STRESSED.

 

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Weekly Workouts and Weight - Week 7

Week of November 11

late posting... life has gotten crazy.

Weight: 158.5
Height: 5’10

Me and my little man hanging out
 

 

This week was horrible for working out. Terrible. This whole week was an all-around stressful, no-fun kind of week with very little time and sleep. YUCK. In short: When it rains, it pours.

Sunday – Was hoping to get to the gym. Nope. All I had time for was to get to the grocery store. Does that count as walking? I shop really fast. My list is made out the way the store is laid out. I have to be quick. Was hoping for a walk outside but the weather wasn’t the best. So nope. Was hoping for the elliptical. Nope. Tried not to be so hard on myself…

Monday – Nada. No time.

Tuesday – 25 minute walk over lunch! Any chance to get fresh air.

Wednesday – Had the day off to watch Jackson! I LOVE when I get days like these. I wish I could do this every week. We spent 45 minutes running and walking. As soon as Jackson would fuss, I would start running and he would stop. I think he was pushing me. Felt so great!!

Thursday – 15 minute walk over lunch and a phone call to my mom. I love when we get to talk.

Friday – 15 minute walk over lunch. SUPER stressful day. Had to work a full day and then race home and pack everything up. Plus feed Jackson. We didn’t get to the cabin until after 9. Then Jackson was up after being asleep in his car seat. Put him down to sleep and he woke up a few times throughout the night. Mom was TIRED. Dad woke up with a bad cold. Jackson woke up with green boogies.

Saturday – At the cabin. No working out because stray bullets (hunting opener). I tried to run up and down my in-law’s hills a couple of times because it was SO NICE OUT. Totally bumming I couldn’t enjoy the weather a little more, but me and the little man say outside and soaked up the rays and fresh air. Jackson had lots of green snotL

Lesson learned… I think I’m going to have to retire going to the cabin during hunting season.

1. I don’t hunt nor do I have a desire to.

2. I do not like being trapped inside all day. I’m too active. Sitting outside is nice (we got lucky with this year’s weather), but I need more than just sitting outside...

3. I have so much to do at home, it’s best I just stay back and get that all done. Working 40 hours a week kills all my time to get things done around the house. I need my weekends, otherwise I feel internally unorganized and my whole week is just as messy as my house feels.

4. I really like my sleep. And I get very little at the cabin with Jackson in the room with us. Then when Monday rolls around...I’m dying! I need to be focused at work, and it’s SO hard when I’m SO tired.

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Weekly Workouts and Weight - Week 6

Week of November 4

Weight - 158

Height -  5’ 10”

On a family walk on Saturday (was 72 degrees out in November!!!)

 

Yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss! I made it to the 150s!!! I am just four pounds away from my pre-baby weight!!!!!!!! There is still a stack of pants in my closet that I can’t comfortably fit into so I’m working on toning up.  Thanks to my last training session, I think I might have shocked my body and muscles to work extra hard! Just wait until the Halloween candy catches up to me.

Sunday – 35 minute lift and Life Time and a 5 minute steam! Ahhhh. Then a twenty minute walk with Jackson. We bundled up tight. Love getting fresh air with him. Now it’s going to be too dark when I get home to do much of anything outside with him. Boooo.

Monday - None

Tuesday – None. Had to give up my gym time. Jackson had his 6 month appointment and that meant dad had to work late.

Wednesday – Elliptical 25 minutes

Thursday – 20 minute walk outside over lunch break. In the 50s in November! Awesome. Sun is shining.

Friday - None

Saturday – 45 minute walk (and a run toward the end) with Jackson (warm but cloudy and rainy) and then sun cleared so we went on a 25 minute walk with dad! Able to see the sunset! Also cooked a lot of healthy foods for Jackson: chicken, mangos, papaya, butternut squash, bananas, asparagus, plums. Next up green beans, peas and more avocados and sweet potatoes. We are flying through the food now that he eats three times a day.

Another fun walk during the week!

 

Spent a portion of my weekend cooking up healthy foods for Jackson. My fave...baked plums. YUM!!!

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Weekly Weights and Workouts - Week 5

Week of October 28

Height 5'10"
Weight 160 (still hanging on to the 160s...)

Me on a walk over my lunch break. The fresh air helps!!!

Dreaded lots of chocolate and candy Halloween week. The kick off to the holidays... Oh boy, oh boy. My trick: We don't buy bags of chocolate until the very last minute or if we do (I had Karl grab a few bags on Saturday), I put them out of sight.

Sunday - One hour training session with my personal trainer Josh. Now he's off to train in Chicago. Sad. He kicked my butt and I have a new workout to follow for the next six weeks. I AM SORE.

Monday - Kind of a recovery day. I stayed home with Jackson today and fit in a quick walk outside. It was maybe 15 minutes long. When I get more time in my day, I have to utilize even if I feel like I'm a huge sore knot!!!

Tuesday - I am still sore. 20 minute walk over my lunch break and a 35 minute lift at Life Time.

Wednesday - Happy Halloween! 15 minute walk over my lunch break.

Thursday - None

Friday - None

Saturday - Nice long 45 minute walk with Jackson. We bundled up! Cold out there. Afterwards we headed to a free beer tasting at our favorite liquor store - Marketplace Liquor. Hey, beer has good grains in it! Dad was away hunting, so mom and Jackson had fun!!!

An awesome beer tasting (don't worry...only had a few sips). All in moderation!

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