Consequences and Eye-Openers

Being away from my home, and normal routine for two and a half weeks never felt so difficult.  This was the first big trip I did solo with my little monkey who is 22 months...almost 23.  We did a whirl-wind trip: driving to Spokane, flying to Chicago, driving to Normal, driving to Cleveland, then down to Columbus, and back up to Cleveland, driving back to Chicago, flying to Spokane and finally driving back home.  I have never been too great at eating well on vacations, but on this trip my healthful eating went right out the window.  I haven't gotten on a scale, but I'm guessing I gained about 7 lbs, because I still fit into my pants, but my belt buckle is on the next notch over (since I wrote this I weighed in at 129.6 which was a 6lb gain).  It's the first time in a while I felt like I was emotionally eating.  Not all of it was emotional, some was just because the junk was staring me right in the face and I wanted to eat it.  The emotional eating came because I had about 2 hours of ME TIME in total over the entire trip.  That, paired with lack of sleep (shared a bed with my guy and did not get a full night's sleep the entire trip) and little to no exercise, and you get the vicious cycle.  I haven't looked forward to coming home from a trip this much in a long time.  Excited to get my little man back on a routine, and get us eating properly again.

I am more motivated than ever to really change my eating habits.  I have started the weening process with Kai, and know that my calorie intake will need to be a little lower than it has been to keep my weight where it is.  I do really well counting calories, but what I don't do well is staying away from junk.  I am ready to get my little family eating well!  I am going to try to eat as clean as possible, and up my vegetable intake substantially.  I just signed up for Endless Harvest and get my first produce box today!  I'm just trying it out to see if it's the kind of thing that will work for us.  Looking forward to getting a delivery of fresh organic fruits and veggies right to my front door!

My little guy LOVES green smoothies!  SMOOTHIE STASH!

On top of getting my eating under control, I have to get in shape and ready for a dance project that I will be a part of at the end of September.  This means more cardio, daily stretching and lots of studio time.  Starting Monday I'll be in the studio 2hours, 3 times per week.  And to add to that I am looking into starting some Jillian Michaels workouts to keep me going here at home.  

Here's to a productive August and September!!

Summer Challenge!

So I'll be honest...I didn't do too great with the June challenge.  I have excuses up the ying yang...but really it boils down to me being lazy.

My new challenge has come about for 2 reasons: 1) I am involved in a dance project that will be showing at the end of September, and need to work on my flexibility. 2) I need something quick and with no equipment because I am traveling quite a lot this summer.

So, without further ado, this summer (both July AND August) is a YOGA CHALLENGE!  This challenge is also great because you can do it anywhere!  Do it outside in the beautiful weather, or in the comfort of your living room on a rainy day.

This challenge consists of a morning and night-time routine.

 Here is our evening routine:

 Each sequence consists of  8 moves.  Hold each pose for 30 seconds and repeat sequence twice through so as to stretch both sides evenly (If you prefer you can do both sides of each pose one after the other...there are 3 poses in the morning and 2 at night which do not favour a side so repeat those poses twice).  Each week you can extend your pose time by 5 seconds as you gain more flexibility.

I hope this challenges you in more ways than one.  It's time to centre yourself and really become aware of your body as well as improving your flexibility an posture.

I loved my Bikram Yoga when I had it readily available to me in Chicago...

Have an amazing summer!

It's that time again!

Alright!  I have SIMPLY LOVED our SIMPLY MOVE CHALLENGE!  This month has done wonders for me :)  Looking forward to taking some progress pics and measurements on Saturday!

Saturday starts off the month of June, and that means it's time for a new challenge!

Here's what I've come up with:

We will start off with this awesome 30-day AB Challenge that I've seen floating around the web for months now...
In addition to that, every we have a 5-day challenge to complete :)  It's June, so it's time to get our bodies bathing suit ready!
Lastly, since I LOVED May's challenge so much, we will be continuing 'simply move' every Saturday of the month :)

Here's what our challenge schedule will look like:

1: simply move 31/abs challenge
2: abs challenge
3: abs challenge/The DailyHiit Beginner Challenge! Day 1
4: DailyHiit Day 2
5: abs challenge/DailyHiit Day 3
6: abs challenge/DailyHiit Day 4
7: abs challenge/DailyHiit Day 5
8: simply move 32
9: abs challenge
10: abs challenge/Bikini Blaster Series from blogilates! Bikini Blaster 1
11: abs challenge/ Bikini Blaster 2
12: Bikini Blaster 3
13: abs challenge/Bikini Blaster 4
14: abs challenge/Bikini Blaster 5
15: abs challenge/simply move 33
16: REST
17: abs challenge/ TBA Day 1
18: abs challenge/ TBA Day 2
19: abs challenge/ TBA Day 3
20: TBA Day 4
21: abs challenge/ TBA Day 5
22: abs challenge/simply move 34
23: abs challenge
24: TBA Day 1
25: abs challenge/ TBA Day 2
26: abs challenge/ TBA Day 3
27: abs challenge/ TBA Day 4
28: TBA Day 5
29: abs challenge/simply move 35
30: abs challenge
   
Looks like it's going to be a fun month!  As you can see, there happens to only be one FULL rest day...but we can do this y'all!  I'll update this post with the challenges for week 3&4...just wanted you all to see the general set up of the month :)

Hope you all join me!
xoxo

GET READY!

It's almost time for the MAY CHALLENGE!  

After the past few challenges I have decided that I need something to keep my body moving and inspired.  I found that I was getting bored doing the same moves all the time, so this challenge will keep you on your toes!

I am super stoked to announce that we will be doing a "simply move" challenge!  As I mentioned in my previous post, my good friend Sarah has been a huge inspiration for me.  A little over a year ago she filmed her first workout to help out a friend who thought there was no way they could do a BodyRock workout (now Hiit).  I was one of the lucky people Sarah emailed the video to, because she knew that I was wanting to get fit too.  I will admit I would get motivated for about a week, and work out every day, and then I'd lose my way.  But through all of that, I still followed the progress of my friend, and watched as she transformed!  She started her own website  called lovesimply, and it is filled with all sorts of goodies for the mind, body and soul!  Just recently she decided to keep her workout titles simple, and thus I decided May would be the "simply move" challenge!  

So starting on Wednesday we will be following Sarah's online workouts.  All of the workout links are posted below!  I am a big fan of having one rest day a week, so I've decided to double up workouts on Saturdays, and take a rest on Sundays.  This way we get all of the 31 simply moves done by the end of the month!  If you'd rather, you may also opt to skip the rest day and keep every day at a single workout :)  My advice would be to watch the video the night before so you are prepped for the following day.  I also encourage you to read the little blurb about the workout before you watch it. Her workouts are straight forward and can be modified to suit whatever level you are at.  I love that they are "real time" workouts so you can follow a long and don't have to worry about timing or counting :)  I will be posting each video (as well as comments/notes/advice) the night before on my facebook page as well, so you don't always have to refer back to this post. 

The workouts range from 10-15 minutes...so NO EXCUSES!  You can find time in your day for that!

Happy May!

May 1: Simply Move 1
May 2: Simply Move 2
May 3: Simply Move 3
May 4: Simply Move 4 & 5
May 5: REST
May 6: Simply Move 6
May 7: Simply Move 7
May 8: Simply Move 8
May 9: Simply Move 9
May 10: Simply Move 10
May 11: Simply Move 11 & 12
May 12: REST
May 13: Simply Move 13
May 14: Simply Move 14
May 15: Simply Move 15
May 16: Simply Move 16
May 17: Simply Move 17
May 18: Simply Move 18 & 19
May 19: REST
May 20: Simply Move 20
May 21: Simply Move 21
May 22: Simply Move 22
May 23: Simply Move 23
May 24: Simply Move 24
May 25: Simply Move 25 & 26
May 26: REST
May 27: Simply Move 27
May 28: Simply Move 28
May 29: Simply Move 29
May 30: Simply Move 30
May 31: Simply Move 31

Inspiration and Motivation

I have been super inspired and motivated lately by all my awesome friends!  My good friend Sarah D. has been a big part of it!  If you haven't checked her out, you totally should!  She has lost 60lbs over the past 2 years, and is the reason I discovered the 12 minute workout!  She introduced me to BodyRock and I was immediately intrigued.  I sort of wavered in and out of motivation to work out, but still followed my friend as she transformed.  In December, I saw a Squat Challenge posted on this page and thought I'd give it a whirl!  I LOVED having a monthly challenge, especially when I knew other people were doing it at the same time!  So, in January I continued and have now been starting to create my own monthly challenges.  I have already seen a huge change in musculature since December, and am looking forward to a much firmer body over the next year or so.  

On the left is a picture of me before I started doing much exercise wise, but after I reached my goal weight (from watching what I ate).  Now I want to stay the same pound wise, but turn that fat into muscle!

On the right is a picture I took just last week, and my arms are already looking more toned!  Excited to see where I can go!  I will post monthly pics in the above swim suit so you can track my progress with me!  As most of us know, accountability really does help!  Hope you guys can work right along side me!  Let's have some fun yeah?!

WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T BE AT YOUR BEST SHAPE EVER POST-BABY?!

May 2010 Pre-Baby.....October 2012 Post-Baby

Sometimes It's Hard

I am going to apologize in advance if this post is a downer.  If anyone thinks that things are happy-go-lucky 100% of the time, well they must be living in an alternate reality.

For a while now, I've been in a funk.  There are probably numerous factors that have contributed to this feeling, but lately I've had a hard time functioning normally.  I go to work, go through the motions, don't seem particularly down once I'm out and about, but I have a really hard time leaving the house.  I'm lathargic and just feel like sleeping all day.  2013 has been pretty yucky so far.  I haven't eaten so much crap in a long while, and i'm sure that hasn't helped the sittuation.  Thankfully, I am head over heels in love with my adorable 16-month old son.  He is what gets me through the day.

I am a single mom.  I chose to be this.  I struggle daily with feeling I'm not good enough, because I'm not the mom I thought I would be.  I have realized that I had expectations of the way I would live my life with my baby, but didn't think to take into account that not every baby has the same temperment or personality to do things the way you want.  Life revolves around your little one, especially if you do not have an easy-going child.  I wanted to be the mom that took her baby everywhere and did things similarly to before I became a mama.  I was well aware that things would change, and that I couldn't do everything that I did as a single woman, but I was not prepared fora baby that was go go go!  Kai was never one for sitting quietly and playing.  Even from a very young age, he liked to be moving around, and would get bored and want to move on to something new quite frequently.  This makes every-day-life very hectic and tiring.  Going out for a meal is usually challenging, unless it's just me and/or my parents, when there are no expectations of how things should go.  I was being pretty good about getting out for hikes and walks, but I always had to time it right with naps, etc. and sometimes I'm just too tired to even figure it out.

I'm in a weird sittuation.  All of my friends are either co-parents, married, or single.  I have no single parent friends, and that has become difficult.  This is another thing that I had no idea I would have to navigate my way through.  Going to events where no one has kids, or everyone has kids, but also have partners.  It's just kind of sad and depressing.  I have said no to a lot of invites over the past year and a half, and because of it, feel that I don't tend to get invited to many things anymore (rightly so), and I don't know how to change that.

I am struggling hard core with balancing working 2 jobs, spending time with Kai, and having any sort of social life.  It's hard not to feel guilty asking my parents (or anyone) to babysit after being away from Kai 3 days a week already, just so I can go hang out with some friends.

Up until about a month ago, I was co-sleeping, and loved it for the most part.  Then I finally became tired enough that I needed my own space.  Malakai had been waking more frequently at night, and the negatives had begun to out-weigh the positives of keeping him in bed with me.  I can say that I now get a decent night's sleep, but find myself more tired than ever, which was one of the first clues that something was seriously wrong.

I really dislike that I am writing this...because the more I think about things in a negative way, the more I think "I shouldn't be thinking this way!  I am so blessed and lucky to have all that I do!  My problems are barely a grain of sand compared to what other people are going through," and that my friends just magnifies the sadness.. Ugh.  Call it the Mama blues, or the pre-30's blues, or whatever you want, but lately I just can't seem to find happiness anywhere except my son's smile.  I just want to make sure that my son is happy, and that he has a happy mama!