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!

Getting Back to Basics

This Thanksgiving I was able to attend service at my home church in Fruitvale, and hear an amazing message.  He brought to light everything that I have known, but needed to hear one more time I guess.  Did you know that we (the world) produce enough food to feed everyone on earth, and clothing to put on every single person's back?  We just have a distribution problem.  What an interesting way to look at it.  How do we solve this distribution problem?  I have no clue, but I for one would like to take small steps in my own life to live as simply as I can, so I can hopefully do my part.  

I am making the commitment to no longer buy new clothing, toys, furniture etc.  I am going to give only hand made, used or recycled gifts, and hope that maybe I can inspire others to do the same.  Each gift I give will include a tag that tells the receiver a little bit about the gift and why I choose to give hand made or recycled things.  There are more than enough items in used stores and online to meet my needs (as well as yours).  It might even make me re-think buying things such as toothpaste and deodorant...why not make them myself? 

Sometimes I forget that I am living a rich life.  I don't realize that my life isn't among the average in the world.  In North America we are privileged.  I don't know that I like that word.  Privileged.  Lucky.  I like that better.  

The other day my friend posted on facebook:  

"Me: Oh man. All of my friends on Pinterest are getting married right now.  

Ben (her boyfriend): First world problems."

  

What small thing can you change in your day-to-day life?

Big One Year Old!

So my little man turned ONE last Sunday, and let me say that his party was a huge success!  

Malakai sure is blessed!  

He got all sorts of clothes, toys and books, amazing hand-crafted gifts and even some cold hard cash that will be put away in his very own bank account!  So many dear friends were able to come celebrate with us, and the park was the perfect venue!  The weather couldn't have been better!  We had healthful treats of fruits and veggies, rice crackers, corn chips, hummus and home made spinach dip.  

I made Kai one-year-old friendly cupcakes that were DELICIOUS if I do say so myself!  Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana...YUM!  Grain-Free, Dairy-Free and the only sugar to be found was in the dark chocolate!

My amazing boss from The Alpine Grind donated some amazing Oso Negro coffee and everyone loved it!  It was so awesome to see all the babies, toddlers and kids crawling, running, and tumbling around the park.  Thanks so much to everyone who came to help celebrate his big day!

Boobless

Well, Kai has officially weaned at night. I was sort of hoping for a grand finale of sleeping through the night, even though I knew that was pretty unrealistic. Even though Malakai went the whole night without breast feeding last night he was still up a few times. Hopefully he will learn over the next few days that it is a lot easier to just sleep...

This concludes my 7 days of sleep posts. Stay tuned for updates on how he's doing. Next post will be a birthday post for my big one year old boy! I can't help but remember how I was feeling at this very moment last year!