Nailed It!!

:::Attention All Moms:::

Take 8 mins of your day and watch this!!! ❤️❤️❤️

Yes! Yes! Yes! Jada Pinkett Smith nailed it all on the head right here!!

"When you don't take care of yourself, your get out of balance and you really forget how to take care of others.....We have lost our way to be happy!"

I personally struggle with this ALL.THE.TIME. I constantly struggle with being the "perfect mom" and the "perfect wife". I struggle with feeling inadequate in all aspects of life.

But the truth is, if I don't work on myself FIRST, nothing else will fall into place! #duh


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FQK9Ufr4yrY

Top 5 Items to Start YOUR Journey

I'm not gonna mess around. I'm going straight to the list. These are the BASICS!! The bare minimum basics. This list is for anyone that hasn't yet started their health and fitness journey. It's for the people that feel overwhelmed with even starting. It's for the ladies that have no idea where to start.

Getting these basics will help you develop and lay the foundation to a great future. I went through lots of trial and error, I don't want YOU to have to do that too! Our money and time is valuable. Right moms?


#1 Okay, okay... let's be honest. No matter how much you workout, no matter how clean you eat, the *first* step is getting your mind in the right place. If you believe you can't do something, you won't do it. You can lose lots of weight but if you don't address the underlying issues, you know all that hard work is going down the drain when the going gets tough. That is why this item is on the top of my list. It was the second book I ever read and it is still my number 1 even after about 20 other books I have read since. I present you with a life changer..

(click the image to grab it from amazon)

#2 A good water bottle. There are TONS out there. Pick one that you love and maybe even spend a little more for it. I have found that I drink more water when my favorite water bottle is clean. That is why I cant stress enough how important a great water bottle is. Here are my 2 favorites with 2 different price ranges. :)

(click the image to grab it from amazon)

#3 No matter if you workout at the gym, hit the pavement, or get your sweat on at home, you will need some headphones. I've had several. I love my IPhones ear buds for in the car and for conference calls but that is about it. I've had a Bluetooth set from Costco but they always bounced around and eventually lost sound quality. These ones are the ones my friend gave me when I first started on my own journey. They are cheap and are always my go to when I go running. I am sure there are better and more expensive options, but these have my heart (for now, haha).

(click the image to grab it from amazon)

I just saw that they also have one with a microphone. These are definitely on MY list:

(click the image to grab it from amazon)

#4 SOMETHING to manage your portions. What you use completely depends on your personality. For me, I am a trained pastry chef. Everything you do when it comes to baking is measured. And the easiest way to measure in large scale is literally a scale. I can't cook unless I have a recipe, that's just MY personality. You may be completely different. So you feel better using measuring cups, then use those! I'm not going to force you into one way of thinking.

No matter what you choose, it is soooooo important to measure out your food. Our society has a skewed size of portion these days. I mean, dang, do you see how big our plates are at restaurants? They are these huge, oval, space saucers! I will promise you one thing. If you get your food under control, then you will be unstoppable!

The scale I use is about 10 years old so obviously it isn't made anymore. But here is the same brand and as close as I can find to mine.

(click the image to grab it from amazon)

If you are more of a cup measurer, I LOVE these. Seriously. THESE. These have helped my crazy OCD to go down a notch and still get the right portions! Game changer!

(click the image to grab it)

#5 Resistance Bands. I know, I know. You're thinking "seriously"? Yeah, I'm serious. If you are sedentary right now, do you think you are going to jump right into an intense fitness program? These are a great starting point and the moves that you can do with these are LIMITLESS. I bought these when I still was working as a 911 dispatcher and was able to do several exercises WHILE I was sitting in a chair! #duh. And let me tell you something. I am currently doing an intense workout program and guess what we use everyday? yup. Resistance bands! boom!

(click the image to grab it from amazon)

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase. Please understand that I have experience with all of these products, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.

Which is more important to YOU?!?!

 



Heeeeyyyy Fit (or wanna be fit) Friends...

 

 

I just wanted to share a little something that has been on my mind a lot recently. I think it's perfect timing considering the holiday and the New Years coming up FAST!

 

I learned about this cycle from a beautiful lady who made it for a church class several months ago. She did such a great job and when she taught it to us, I immediately knew I had to make a health and fitness version because it soooooooo applies.

 

Watch the video below to see how this cycle of choices applies to YOU!

 



 

 

 

Spicy Honey Chicken

 

I am always on the look out for clean, tasty recipes. I made this YEARS ago and when thumbing through my recipes, decided to try it again. OOOOOHhhhh, its sooooo good. I could eat this all day, every day. Yes, I realize the recipe calls for thighs. Not the best cut of chicken. But its so juicy and tender. I've made them with chicken tenders and they are also very tasty. Yes, it has a lot of honey in the recipe but divided into 8, it's less than 1 TBS of honey, right?

Spicy Honey Chicken

 Recipe and Picture  by Our Best Bites http://ourbestbites.com/2008/06/spicy-honey-chicken/

 

Ingredients:

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2lbs (Yes, Thighs!!)
      everyone is always asking me if they can use breasts for this. Sure you can, but I’m tellin’ ya right now it’s better with thighs.

 2 t olive oil

 

Rub

2 t granulated garlic
2 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t cumin
1/2 t chipotle chili powder

 

Glaze
1/2 C Honey
1T Cider Vinegar

Instructions:

 

Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.

Use kitchen shears (or a pair of clean scissors) to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Pat dry. Drizzle olive oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

 

While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it’s not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2T honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.

 

Drizzle the remaining glaze on top of the chicken before serving.

This ride right here changed my life ....

 

 

About a year and a half ago I made a decision that enough was enough. I can't pin point an exact moment of when I thought this but something clicked. My mindset changed.
What I DO know is that this ride right here helped change my life for the better. How?

Well, 2 years ago we went to Lagoon on Fathers Day and I was going to go on this ride with my little kiddos. There aren't straps on this ride, just a bar that comes down and clicks into place over your legs. But this time, it wouldn't close. The kind teenager tried nicely to make it fit but it wouldn't. I wasn't able to ride it with my kids! I smiled. I pretended it didn't affect me. But deep down I was mortified. How could I have allowed myself to get that way?!?!

So although EVERYTIME I look at this ride I still feel sad about that day, it reminds me of how far I have come. It reminds me of my potential. It reminds me of how the small changes I make now will make huge changes in my future.

(This pic is from this year. I can proudly say I fit this time. I even had lots of room to spare! )

Never Miss a Monday!

Monday's can be crazy busy since its back to the weekly grind. Or you could be recovering rom a crazy weekend. Either way, make it a goal to never miss a Monday's workout. It starts the entire week off on a good note. It creates a great domino effect for the rest of the week.

Don't believe me?? Try it! I dare you!

Schoooolll Out!!!

My daughter's last day of Kindergarten was yesterday! Where has the time gone?!?!?

 

 

Not only does summer mean no school, it means vacations and swimming and softball tournaments and playdates and running in sprinklers and overnighters and snacking allllll through the day and and and.....the list still goes on and on. It's just a different set of tasks. Still busy as ever. Do I dare say even more busy? And even less time for us moms?

 

 

I know it gets super tricky for me to stay on track of my fitness and health goals when I am running everywhere and when fast-food is just sooo darn easy.

 

 

To help ME conquer this right from the start, I am going to open up a group for all my mommas out there that WANT to start (or keep on) their fitness journey but are still a little nervous about their summer busy-ness. For all the peeps wondering how they are going to be able to tackle their goals while living out of their car!

 

It will be 6 days of healthy snacks for kiddos and moms that are always on the go, go, go. It won't be a structured eating plan. No one has time for that! (At least not right now when schedules are out of whack and we are just trying to figure out how everything is going to work)

 



 

---> 6 Days
---> several snack ideas provided every day
---> 1 healthy easy, make-ahead/crock pot/freezer dinner recipe provided every day
---> tips on healthy snacks while on vacation
---> tips on healthy snacks while on in the CAR
---> motivation and encouragement to keep a-movin'
---> ideas and tips to keep the kiddos entertained and engaged
---> and maybe I'll throw in some educational games (kiddos won't think they are educational tho)

Sound interesting? Sound like something you need help with? I know I do! I'll be honest, I'm a little scared how this summer is going to effect the progress I've been making. But I'm not going to allow myself excuses. I am STOPPING all excuses right now. I am going to aim high. For MYSELF. Fro MY KIDS!

Who is with me?!?!?! Let's start this summer off right!

Chicken Paremsan Meatloaf Muffins

Do of you despise grocery shopping like I do? I've done grocery shopping with the kids in the car carts. I've done it by bribing my kids with candy. I've done it after the kids go to bed. No matter how I do it, I HATE it. I hate seeing the register amount go up and up, then leaving feeling like I really didn't leave with much. Am I the only one that feels that way?

 

 

I have a tendency to think that if I don't go shopping, then I'm not spending money, so it's a win. In the long run, I know its not because we either:

1)run out of food that my family wants to eat so we go OUT to eat

2) run out of any kind of healthy food and result in eating junk

 

So it's really a losing battle. I just need to suck it up and go shopping.



 

 

 
Keeping in mind that I had an empty fridge, I took a mental note of what I did have (not much) and looked online for something I could make. The first search came up with Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf Muffins. I had ground chicken breast (check). It only took 20 mins in the oven (I'll take it because I was procrastinating).  I quickly jotted down the recipe and my baking/cooking buddy immediately asked "Mom, help you?" and up on the counter he went. He helped me measure the spices (great of hand/eye coordination and counting) and scooped the mini meatloaves into the muffin tin (yet another great hand/eye activity).

 

 

 
He loves stealing water from my water stash. It's really the only time he likes drinking water. While I refilled the water bottle, he snapped a few pics.

 

 
The finished product. Super simple and delicious. I will be making these again for sure!

Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf Muffins

Source: http://www.food.com

 

2 large eggs

1 ¹⁄₂ lbs ground chicken

6 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs {I used ground oatmeal}

³⁄₄ teaspoon dried basil (or 2 t chopped fresh basil)

³⁄₄ teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 t fresh thyme)

³⁄₄ teaspoon dried oregano (or 2 t chopped fresh oregano)

2 garlic cloves, minced

¹⁄₂ small onion, chopped small or grated

³⁄₄ teaspoon table salt

¹⁄₃ teaspoon black pepper

1 ¹⁄₂ ounces grated parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup)

³⁄₄ cup pasta sauce

3 ounces low fat shredded mozzarella cheese (3/4 cup) { I used freshly grated Parmesan}

 

Directions

1.    Preheat oven to 350°F Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.

2.    In a large bowl, beat together egg until combined. Add everything else except pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, and optional herbs. Mix gently to combine; do not over mix or compress the mixture too firmly.

3.    Divide evenly into 12 wells of muffin tin. Divide pasta sauce evenly over the top of each portion (about 1 tbsp). Bake 20 minutes.

4.    Top each portion with about 1 tbsp shredded cheese and return to oven until cheese is melted and bubbly, 3-5 minutes.

My FAVORITE Playdough

I have tried a lot of homemade playdoughs in my day. I am, after all, a preschool teacher :)

I always go to homemade playdough because it is CHEAP and I can whip it up at the last minute. #busymomprobs  What I hate about most homemade recipes is having to cook it. Ugh, I don't have time for that. And the pastry chef in me knows that cooking it will make a myriad of consistencies based on how long or little you cook it, blah, blah, blah. 

Once I tried this recipe, I never looked back. Everything gets tossed in a Kitchenaid mixer (or something similar) and forget about it. Maybe switch the laundry or something ;)

It is a great consistency and it lasts a loooong time. My little [er should I say big] boy has been playing with it for 2 weeks straight!


Mixer Playdough

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup salt
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 TBS vegetable oil
3/4 cup boiling water

Optional:
food coloring
kool-aid powder

Heat the water (I use the microwave). While that is heating, throw the dry ingredients in the mixer. Add the veg oil, then pour the hot water on top. Mix with a paddle attachment. I have let it go for up to 5 minutes before. It doesn't matter. Just mix until you think it looks good :)

Involve the kiddos: Let the lil ones help you measure out all the ingredients.

Bonus: The measuring cups, spoons, and Kitchenaid bowl and paddle go straight into the dishwasher, so cleanup in a breeze.



Give it a try and tell me what you think about it!

Attention: ALL BUSY MOMMAS

Hey Ladies!!! Yeah?

 

 

Are you overwhelmed with the length of your to do list? Are you constantly playing in your mind what you need to do next, making mental notes of what you need to get at the grocery store, oh yeah, I really need to clean those baseboards cuz they are getting NASTY.... on and on and on.

I feel like my brain is a complete mush some days and I just dream of the day I can actually get all the things done that I want to get done. So this is the month! This is the month to finally tackle some of the things you have wanted to accomplish, including your fitness and weight goals.

Many of you know my story. I was a mom who was tired and exhausted all the time. I felt like I didn't have time for me because I had too much to do. I was working full time, trying to start a preschool business, attempting to be a good wife. Eventually something changed within me and said that enough was enough and that it was time to make some personal changes.

 

I am scared of failure. I was TERRIFIED that I wouldn't be able to be the person I REALLY wanted to be.

 

Fast forward a little more than 1 year and here I am. I have lost 70 lbs and I am HAPPY. Happy with the progress I have made, happy I can keep up with my kiddos, happy that I learned to change my lifestyle (slowly but surely). I am in such a better place. And I want to pass everything I have learned to others that are in the same boat I was.

 

But even though I am soooooo incredibly happier in body and in my life, I still struggle with feeling inadequate as a mother and wife. So I am tackling that fear and feelings of "am i good enough?" this month. Please tag along as I discover a much simpler life.

 

Along with doing daily 30 minute workouts, we will be drinking my favorite indulgence (Shakeology). Plus I will be sharing some of my favorite old and new tips on how to simplify mommahood, simplify cleaning and organizing, and maybe even some tips about being a better wife.  This is all done in the comfort of your own home! I don't have time to go to the gym or go somewhere for weigh ins! Its all over a private FB group.

 

Click on the link below to fill out my application and we can see if you are a good fit for this group.

 

Fill Me Out!

 

It's going to be amazing!

 

 



 

 

 



Protein Waffles

Do you guys follow Chris and/or Heidi Powell from Extreme Weight Loss? I LOVE watching that show! It's so inspiring!

The other day, Heidi posted these Protein Pancakes and they immediately went into my recipes to try. I don't know about you but I don't like to drink my Shakeo for breakfast. Why? Because I love having a sit down, "normal" breakfast. I wanna use a fork!

 I FINALLY tried the recipe and love it! They are made with oat flour (ground up oatmeal) with eggs and cottage cheese for the protein. For me, its the perfect combo. They are not sweet but have a great consistency.

What I like is that it makes 2 servings. So I cook the entire batch and save some in a Ziploc baggie for the next morning. Sooo easy.'

I've tried making them in pancake form as well but didn't like them as much. I usually top mine with warmed up frozen berries or sliced banana. Adding a drizzle of honey is a winner too!

Here is the recipe from her blog ...   http://heidipowell.net/1182/protein-waffles/

Protein Waffles

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cottage cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup oatmeal, instant or regular
1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions:
Put oatmeal and baking powder in food processor or blender and process until powdered.
In a food processor, blend cottage cheese, eggs, water, vanilla, and olive oil until smooth.
Mix the dry and wet ingredients to form a batter.
As the mixture stands it will thicken, and it may be necessary to add more water (a tablespoon at a time), to a get smooth, not lumpy, consistency.
Cook in a waffle iron according to the iron’s specifications. My waffles take about 4 minutes each.

Nutritional Data: 313 Calories, 18g Protein, 29g Carbs, 4g Fiber, 2.5g Sugar, 13.4g Fat
You can also drizzle with honey or sugar free maple syrup. I top mine with 2 tbsp of coconut whipped cream, which adds an additional 60 cal, 5.2g fat, .8 carbs, and .8 protein

Shakeology

Some people have asked what drink I have in some of my pics. The answer is Shakeology!

I'll be completely honest. I haven't been drinking it for years or even months! If I am being brutally honest with you, I never felt I was worth it enough to spend the money on a drink. But let me tell you, I will never stop. I will never drink anything else, besides my water of course!

It has taken away my afternoon hunger that inevitably happened around 3 oclock every day. I have noticed an increase of energy. And the biggest thing for me? It's a no brainer! It is so easy that I mostly drink it when I'm in the car. There is no thinking, "What am I going to have for breakfast/lunch today?" It's a constant for me.

I'm not gonna lie. I was hesitant about what it might taste like. I have tried many different variations and they have ALL tasted good to me. I even gave my sister-in-law a taste today. Her eyes lit up and said "Wow, this really IS good." And I'm like "I know. I know what I'm talking about here", haha.

Here is my video from today:

Here is a better video about what is actually inside Shakeology:

And here is a video that is loooonnnng but I was glued to it because it went in depth about what our body needs and how Shakeology provides it:

Message me if you want more info or if you have questions....

Happy drinking!

The Journey Over the Past Year

Oh my goodness! Thanks for all the people that reached out to me and thanked for me opening up and telling my story. There is TONS I want to share but no one wants to listen for hours on end, haha.

But I wanted to add what I have been doing for the past year. Many people asked what I did to actually get the results. So this video breaks down what I have done up to this point.

At the end of the video, I tell everyone what my next plan is. If you have questions or want more info about it, shoot me an email/text/FB message. :)

Thanks everyone! You are amazing! Today is the day to make a change!

The Journey to the Journey

If you know me then you know I like to keep things private :) I'm not outgoing, I don't wear my emotions on my sleeves, and I am pretty good at putting on my "everything is okay" face.

 

 

So I've been going out on a limb to share my story. Maybe, just maybe, it might help someone else. Just like how my one co-worker changed my life forever, hopefully I can pay it forward.

 

 

I call this video "the journey to the journey", haha. I talk about what my life was like before I started making changes and how I got there. :)

 

 

Are you with me?

I'm not sure if you are in my same boat BUT I struggle with finding a balance between healthy vs family friendly. My kids are picky. My husband likes his usual meat and potatoes. I want something easy and more on the healthy side. I did a quick google search on "healthy pork chop recipes" and LUCKY ME, I found this one.

I would say it's a keeper. FOR. SURE. I liked it. My husband liked it. Win!

(picture is from here)

The recipe is found at "Eat Yourself Skinny" and you should definitely give it a try.

Herb Crusted Pork Chops

 

 

We had it with some brown rice. My son LOVES rice, I mean REALLY LOVES rice. This is the first time I have made brown rice for the rest of the family and they all ate it up. I don't have a handy dandy rice cooker so I usually bake my rice. Here is the oh so easy recipe I used:

Alton Brown's Baked Brown Rice

 Oh! I usually add some chicken bouillon to the water to add a little flavor.