April Monthly Resolutions

Whoa! March flew by in a flash and I can't believe it's already April. It's been a busy month and I'm afraid that I don't see us slowing down any for April. We've got Emmett's birthday, Easter, and our anniversary. So basically our weekends are already booked and the month hasn't even started. 
Anyways... I guess I'll get to it. Did I achieve my March goals?

Goal 1: No soda
Going great so far. I only had one incident where I cheated but I didn't have much of a choice. I took Emmett to see Beauty and the Beast and if I go to the movies, I have to have popcorn. And I can't have popcorn without anything to drink and the movie options are soda, so I did partake. Other than that, I've stuck to it and I'm keeping it up through Lent. Promise. 

Goal 2: Get in the gym for 35 to 45 minutes at least 3 times per week. 
I've done okay. I didn't make it to the gym 3x per week but I did work out most weeks at least three times. Some at the gym or at home or around the neighborhood. 

Goal 3: Get my guest room completed.
It's still a work in progress (insert sad face). I've got the layout I want and picked the paint but I haven't gotten it painted yet. We've got family coming in town and I didn't want it to be a disaster for them so I'm holding off until next month. 

April Goals

The Goal: 
This month I only have one goal. One big, huge, important goal- Eating Clean for 40 days. I've got to jump start my body for the summer and this is the way I do it. I prefer to start on a Monday, so tomorrow kicks everything off. I'll be following the Clean Simple Eats program I discussed in this post. I'll also be working out at least four times a week. I really like Body Bikini Guide, so I'm going to follow the principles on which this method is based. I'll be doing two LISS workouts and two resistance workouts a week starting off and hopefully add HIIT to the regimen in a few weeks.
I'm going to the beach with my family the second week of May and this should end just before I head there. Hopefully I'll have my body much closer to beach ready. 

We had a beautiful weekend here with perfect weather. I'm so happy that spring has finally sprung. Here are a couple a photos from the weekend I wanted to share. 

Emmett at bat at his first t-ball game this season.

Me and the wild man heading home after a friend's birthday party. 

Our neighbors threw there annual Easter egg hunt. Waiting for the hunt to start.

After the hunt. Lots of sugar was consumed today. 

Clean Eating for Life

Last year I was three months postpartum and, like most women after having a baby, I was not happy with my body. I knew I wanted to get serious, so I started doing the 12 week Bikini Body Guide. It was a great workout program but I knew that if I really wanted to be serious about changing by body I had to also change my eating. I had always tried to be aware of what I was eating but I didn't understand the mechanics behind what I ate. I'd watch calories but not much else so my diet consisted of a lot of carbs (Special K bars, baked chips, cereal, etc.) which is NOT healthy. I'd have limited calories but I never got good results. I had no muscle tone and never really lost weight.

Buffalo Chicken on Sweet Corn Tostado- so good!

I had to figure why. That's when I discovered macros through a friend and the Clean Simple Eats recipe guide. If you want to gain muscle, which burns fat, you have feed your body the right fuel. You need protein to build muscle and new cells, carbohydrates to give you energy and protect your muscles, and fat to store energy to allow your body proper growth, development, and function. These are the building blocks that make up a macrobiotic diet. You should take in a healthy balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats for every meal. This proper balance helps your body to function at peak performance. With the Clean Simple Eats meal plan they give you the recipes for every meal with all the macros already calculated. Simply put, it is awesome. I know that by following their guide I am getting a balanced, healthy meal that is satisfying and delicious. There are meal plans for every season with recipes featuring fruits and veggies in season for that time of year. The meal plans are 40-day guide with recipes for every meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) along with snack recipes. The macronutrients are balanced at carbohydrates 40%, and a 30/30 split for fats and protein. The work is all done. Drink lots of water, no soda, and no alcohol. Plus you get one cheat meal per week.

Turkey Penne Marinara- the kids love this one

When I started last year my goal was to build muscle and lose 10 pounds within 40 days. I ended up losing 13 pounds, along with building muscle. I wish I knew how much fat I lost especially since I know I put on muscle and still lost 13 pounds. Like I said before, I worked out but the meal plan, I believe, is what took my weigh loss to the next level. Everyone took notice and commented on the change which is always so rewarding. But all good things must come to an end... and I was weak and let myself fall back into some bad habits in the fall. I gain 5 pounds back and lost some muscle tone because I stopped going to gym as religiously as I had been😞

Aloha Chicken Kebobs

That being said, 2 weeks ago I started back with the new winter meal plan, so for the next 40 days I'm cooking these mouthwatering meals and hitting the gym.

Rotisserie Chicken Tacos- tacos are always a hit

If you feel like you've hit a plateau in your weight loss, I encourage you to give these meal plans a try along with weekly exercise. Also, every season when a new meal plan comes out they have a discount and you can get the plan for only $35! You also get entered into the CSE 40-day Challenge where you take your before and after pics, and the top 3 people change the most win cash prizes. The meal plans also include Crossfit style workout suggestions. Plus there is a Facebook page where you can ask questions, get encouragement, and share your thoughts throughout the challenge. I started last year with the spring plan and have bought every plan since and have yet to be disappointed.

Sweet Potato Pie- my husband and 1 year old loved this one

I plan on sharing my results when the 40 days are up. I want to maintain this clean eating plan and turn this way of eating and working out, into a lifestyle. As you can tell, I am passionate able these delicious meals and just had to share it with you. Give it a try, commit yourself to the plan, put in the work, and, I promise, you will not be disappointed.

Breakfast Smoothie

• 1 cup cashew milk
• 1 cup frozen fruit (I used mixed berries for this one)
• 8 to 10 ice cubes
• 1 tbsp almond butter
• 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp stevia in the raw

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Aww... Honey, Honey

You know how certain things remind you of a particular moment and memories from your past. Honey holds a special memory in mine.
Growing up my grandfather had a small farm where he and my grandma grew vegetables for themselves, friends, and family. In turn, he also had bees to pollenate the garden. He had several hives and at the end of each summer he'd harvest the honey they produced and it was delicious! We'd have quart jars of honey fresh from the hives which we'd slather on toast or stir into hot tea. My grandparents has passed but I remember times in the garden and at their home so fondly. I still love my hot tea with honey and while I was on the subject, also share some of my favorite honey products.

1. Laura Mercier Creme Brûlée Honey Bath -Drizzle a little into your bath to give it a sweet scent and leaves your skin fresh and supple.
2. Savannah Bee Beeswax Hand Cream- A rich, thick hand cream you won't leave home without. Perfect for winter when my hands are consistently dry.
3. Deep Steep Fresh Honey Hand Wash- I love the way my hands smell after using this hand soap. Just like fresh honey; pleasant but not overwhelming. You'll keep wondering what that lovely smell is until you realize it's you. 
4. Nature Nate's Organic Honey- A delicious raw honey that is very versatile, great for cooking, and in hot tea. This is a wonderful honey to buy in bulk. When substituting honey for sugar, this is my go-to. 
5. Savannah Bee Winter White- This whipped honey is my all time FAVORITE. I have a jar that is mine and rarely share. It's wonderful on butter toast or by the spoonful. 
6. Manuka Doctor Apinourish Rejuvenating Face Mask- A nourishing face mask made with bee venom and honey to leave your skin feeling firm and rejuvenated. 

Honey is better for you as a sweeter than sugar. Although it has more calories than sugar, we tend to use less of it than sugar. It has a lower glycemic index, which means it's absorbed slower into the bloodstream and a more gradual and healthier digestive process. Which mean is has less of a sugar rush on my 4 year old who loves sweets. Since sugar is heated and manufactured it loses any nutritional value and is considered empty calories. Whereas raw honey retains nutrients and enzymes along with having certain antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. I recommend choosing raw honey over processed if you have the option since it retains more enzymes, antioxidants, and flavor. 

I feel like honey is old-fashioned but with healthy and clean eating being all the rage, it is definitely making a comeback. I hope you'll give it a try if you haven't in a while. Enjoy!

Making Resolutions

Happy 2017! I hope that you are all having a great start to this new year. 

My typical New Year’s resolutions are for self-improvement (eat better, workout more, save more, spend more quality time with the family), and I have great intentions but my drive usually fizzles out after a few months. I hope that by setting monthly goals I will keep myself continuously motivated since I will be focusing on one or two manageable goals at a time rather than too many which would can be overwhelming. 

They say it takes 21 days to form a new habit, so rather than set lofty yearly goals that burn bright but fizzle out before spring gets here; I’ve decided I’m going to set attainable monthly goals. If they (whoever “they” are) are right, then as long as I stick to the goal I set for each month, I should be on my way to creating healthy habits.

January Goals:

**Get Moving**

Last year I had baby weight to lose and did the 12 week Bikini Body Guide. I had great results with the program and it really changed my mindset on how I should be working out. It taught me the importance of resistance and weight training along with cardio. As life would have it, I slacked off and let the chaos of life and excuses replace my workouts. Starting now I am back at it. 

Using elements I learned from BBG, I plan on doing at least 2 resistance workouts, 2 LISS (low intensity sustained state), and 1 stretching/rehab per week. No excuses, I have to do this every week. Hopefully by February it will be ingrained in me again. Working out makes me feel accomplished, strong, energized and motivated. Who doesn't what to feel that way? I sure know I do. 

Here is some workout gear I’ve been lusting over. One or two new things is sure keep me motivated, right? 😊

Yoga Commuter Mat

Cross Back Sports Bra

Kettlebell

Max Out Tank- the built in tank is awesome!!

Moisture Wicking Leggings

Nike Training Shoe- perfect for resistance workouts

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**Get Pretty**

Now that I’m in my thirties I’ve started to notice those signs of aging we all dread. They are inevitable but surely we can slow them down. I figure it’s worth a shot to try. I bought Pierce a face scrubber for Christmas that I’m going to test out. (I don’t know if your husband’s are into face products but Pierce loves a good face scrubber, peel, mask, etc., and I’m happy to ablige because then I can try them too.) 

Conner True Glow Sonic Skincare Scrubber

I’ve taken my before picture and, in 30 and 60 days, I’ll take after pictures, and we shall see if there is any validity to the claims that scrubbers help reduce lines. I sure hope so! Stay tuned. 

Thanks for reading and helping me stay motivated. 

What are your New Year’s Resolutions? I’d love to hear them.