This is me

I have been debating for months putting up progress pics and debating if I should put this one up or not.  This is one of the hardest things for me to post. This picture of me was taken the week my second baby turned 6 months old.  Its not photoshopped in anyway.  I didn't do it to show off or make people feel bad but for me this is a huge step forward.  Being raw and putting myself out there takes a lot of GUTS!  I have been working so hard to get to where I am at and I wanted to prove to people, especially those mommies out there, that you CAN look your best if not better after having kids.  I am tired of hearing "Well I have had kids and my body will never be the same"  Its a lame copout honestly because I know so many moms who look better after having kids.  Its a mentality you don't have to settle for!  Sure, your hips might spread and never go back down, like mine.  You might be torn from your chest to your knees, like me.  You might have a kangaroo pouch as I call it, like me.  Hence why my pants are pulled up to hid my sagging skin. You might be like me and never be in a bikini again but who CARES!!!!!!!  I am over it really, I know that I can't fix my skin or my hundreds of stretch marks so I just own it.  Like I am owning this picture of me, it doesn't get more real than this!  I am trying to prove a point that no one is perfect and I am right up there with soooo many of you.  But its time to feel confident with what you have until you achieve your goals!  Fake it till you make it lol.  But seriously, I am shaking getting ready to post this picture because I sure as heck don't look like I do crossfit or workout 3 hours a day but living a healthy life can get you things you might not have ever thought you could have.  I have never been so lean in my life, even when I weighed the same in high school, my body is so different!  So prove to yourself that you can do it because you are worth it!!  I really hope this just helps inspire one person, thats what this whole blog is about!!  =)

Food food food....

Why does food have to be my enemy?  I HATE it but LOVE it and I gotta have it.  Doesn't this truly just suck? haha literally, finding the balance between what we should eat, when to eat, what we can eat, it the balance question of life.  I have been doing lots of research recently on food being medicine.  It really only makes sense, because like I have said before, real food is living just like us.  So lets heal our bodies the right way!!  I could be on a dozen meds right now with all the doctors diagnoses they have given me over the years, but slowly I have eliminated almost every one.  Meds just mask the true issue and usually just give you more problems which leads to more meds.  Just take the right route straight to the source and get rid of it forever!  Sounds good to me but many of you probably are saying well its just not that easy.  Of course it wont be easy, but its a heck of a lot easier than living an unhealthy miserable life!  So check this out, this lady at the gym was talking to me about some health issues she has.  First thing that comes to mind is a hormone imbalance.  Immediately I start telling her more symptoms she is probably showing and sure enough she had them.  If you really want to find out what is wrong, do your research!  There are tons of different supplements, herbs, oils, and natural remedies to cure many issues we all face today.  They usually are looked at as weird or underground voodoo magic but really most of them have been around for thousands of years but are over looked by what we think is an easy route to the cabinet.  Food can be our alley but it is also has us figured out.  Food cravings have been shown to release the chemical called dopamine which we know is the "happy" drug.  I was watching the show the doctors a couple months ago and they were saying food cravings are a serious thing.  If we don't act on them we could end up binging which is way worse.  They said instead of trying to avoid them, give in but if it isn't healthy don't go crazy.  When we see food it can trigger old memories we have had that have made us happy in that moment.  Like me, growing up we always ate pizza friday nights, so when I see it I usually get all excited and remember those family nights together.  Just embrace it but don't let it control you!  Watch when you eat.  Many many studies have shown that eating at the wrong time of day can not only cause weight gain but it can double it!  Anything I have ever heard says to not eat after 7 pm.  Personally, I think it depends on when you go to bed.  I try not to eat a couple hours before so its not just sitting in my gut.  If I know I am going to be up late there is no way I can just not eat for hours!  Thats just me though, it wakes me up at 3am if I haven't eaten and I am starving, no bueno.  I have heard of people losing crazy amounts of weight just by changing the way they eat at certain times of the day.  NEVER ever skip breakfast.  It makes your metabolism slow way down and it goes into fat storing mode.  The Ayurvedic diet, which I have blogged about before, says your metabolism is the highest during noon hours so thats when you should consume most of your calories.  Makes sense, thats usually when I get the hungriest.  But, if you are a late night eater, which I tend to be, just snack wisely.  Thats usually when I bust out my gallon size bag of veggies or dark chocolate so I feel like I am treating myself without packing on the pounds like I would eating chips.  I could go on and on about what food can do for our bodies or what it isn't doing.  Bottom line is, you are what you eat.  Obviously you won't literally turn into broccoli, like I thought I would as a kid, but the longer the shelf life the shorter yours will be.  3 out of 4 Americans are obese.  It is a choice to change and not be part of that statistic!  Good health is priceless so arm yourself with it and there is nothing you won't be able to do =)

FINALLY DID IT!!!!!

Look at what the scale showed me today!!  Finally hit my pre pregnancy weight and a little under.  I am not telling you to brag but to show that you CAN hit your goals and anything is possible when you eat right and exercise!  I gained 45 pounds with Gage and 45 with Talon and I started at 140 with Gage and 111 with Talon so for having a 10 pound and 9 pound baby I am pretty proud of myself for weighing 110 again!!  Push yourself and don't let anything get in the way of what you really want most!  Remember too, its not always about what you see on the scale.  120 pounds of fat and a 120 of muscle looks a lot different!  Keep a measuring tape close so the weeks you don't see the weight coming off it might just be the inches instead!  =)

Cut the crap, bury the fat. Emotional healing inside and out!

It's time to dig deep and find the root to the madness!  Everyone has a reason why they hold their extra weight.  Most of the time it is because of something long ago that triggered some cell in your brain to start holding on... on to weight you never wanted but that is hard to lose.  We all have a reason but most of us don't know why, where, or when it started.  If you never find that little trauma you will never be able to make a full change and better yet, maintain it for life!  Everything in life worth having is hard to find, hard to get, and hard to maintain.  For example, I searched and searched for the love of my life.  When I  finally found him I knew it wasn't going to be easy.  I was in such a horrible, low, dark place in my life I knew I had to change in order to get him and KEEP him for life.  Since I did that 180 change I find myself wondering why?  Why did he choose me over everyone else, especially when I was so broken.  But, because he could also see my potential he knew it would be worth the fight!  This event in my life changed me forever.  Joe and I will always have to maintain our strong relationship but it wasn't easy, and at times it might be easy, but there is always that force pulling the opposite direction and you have to find your weaknesses before it does!  You need to find your own strength to overcome ANYTHING negative, ugly, or broken that will try to tear you down.  Being healthy is most definitely an emotional, spiritual and physical battle daily.  You have to be strong in all areas to constantly succeed and continue day in and day out.  Once one starts slipping something else will.  So with me, I had to sit down and really evaluate what was broken in each of my areas.  I am not trying to preach here and say I am perfect at any of them but I am learning how to balance and keep the 3 strong.  The 3 referring to emotional, spiritual and physical aspects of life.  Start with one, dig deep, and FIX IT.  Only you can do this, only you know what will push you.  Keep moving forward to mend and heal one area at a time to where it is balanced for your life.  But I am telling you from personal experience and talking with so many others who struggle with being fit for life, all areas have to be working together so you feel your best.  I have always been a very confident person, but that doesn't mean I have always "loved" myself or felt like I deserved certain things in life.  I still look at myself in the mirror, as most women do, and ask myself if it will ever be good enough?  Will I ever be thin enough?  Gorgeous enough?  But for who... I truly have found that once I eliminated the X factor of what everyone else might feel about me, I could move forward with how only I felt about myself.  Make sense?  I truly only care about how I look and feel for me.  Obviously my husband and those I love play into it but at the end of the day its all me and what I want.  Find that confidence in yourself.  Tell yourself you ARE worth it, you CAN do it, you will be that person you want to be.  Because without the self love, you can't truly love yourself let alone others!  Being fit and healthy doesn't mean we all have to look like models.  It means we have to look in the mirror and see ourselves as one.  Even with the stretch marks, even with the moles or scars or gray hair.  There can always be that day you love the beautiful reflection you see.  Start healing yourself now and find your broken links in the chain of life.  Nothing can stop you but yourself.  As I tell my sisters when I want to get super pumped up.... OORAH!!!!!!  Do it, you can I know it =)

Calorie and food comparison with BLUNT honesty!

This is a huge deal I tell you what!  Sooooo many people have it all wrong when it comes to justifying what they eat.  For example, I was talking to a loved one of mine who proceeded to tell me why eating a twinkie like cake was good for them.  "It has eggs, flour, whey, low fat and carbs.." etc.  I was blown away by the seriousness of this person.  So I pulled the package out and said, "Ok, now lets really look at all these ingredients.  Yes there is flour but its bleached processed flour.  There are artificial colors, flavors, high fructose corn syrup, saturated fat oils, shortening, and all these other ingredients hardly anyone knows what they are!  Now please tell me how this is good for you..."  I still can't wrap my head around peoples rationalization for PROCESSED ARTIFICIAL foods.  Around 75 percent of americans are obese.  Nearly 20 percent of children are obese which has doubled since the previous year.  Diabetes is rapidly growing and heart disease.  It KILLS me to hear all these facts and statistics on our blessed country killing itself with food.  We all love food, who doesn't.  It is time we all start educating ourselves on how our body should be getting taking care of.  There is a huge misperception I think of the health food world.  We all know that eating right is what we should be doing, yet those that live this life style are so heavily scrutinized?  Why?  Its because so many are afraid to dive in and dedicate themselves for life so they mock it.  Just like anything else.  But its time to start living what you know to be right!  Educate yourself with as much knowledge as you can for yourself and your family.  I believe it is one of the most important tools you can pass on to your kids.

  KNOW what you are eating.  Read the labels and ingredients.  Just because it is in the health food section doesn't mean its good for you!  Recognize the difference between processed and whole food.  Here are some simple little things that companies are making a killing off of.  Make sure your food is WHOLE grain.  Whole grain is better for you then multi grain because it is not processed.  Unless of course it specifically says whole grain of the multi grains in it.  Zero calorie drinks and food are packed with crap to keep it tasting good like aspartame, artificial colors and flavors.  Real sugar and butter are better for you then fake sugar or butter.  Just because it might have that stamp "Just good for you" or "heart healthy" doesn't mean it is!  There might be a few things in it that are but most are packed with preservatives and artificial crap once again.

  Like I have said before, if you are calling this a "diet" then you are not ready to lose the weight and keep it off for life.  Make the commitment to eat like this forever so you stay healthy and live longer so you can be around and do things with your family!  Like I said, everything in moderation.  I still give my son candy because if I don't when gets older he will hoard it and have issues with it because he never had it.  It is a treat or to keep him quiet lol but I buy him organic suckers and fruit ropes.  I still give him gummies or mm's but not very often.  Just give and take and find a healthy balance for you and your family.  Make MOST of the foods you eat each day the crazy healthy ones and once a week you get a bad day so you don't feel like you are depriving yourself of old foods you love, portions are everything!  Small people eat small amounts throughout the day.  It is the quality of the calorie!  A 100 calories of veggie soup is obviously way better for you on many levels then a 100 cals of oreos.

Keep exercising daily and find fun ways to do it, involve your family and most of all your kids!   Rarely do you see obese children without obese parents... lead by example and they will follow!  You don't have to look like an olympian to be healthy!  Push yourself hard and the work will show.  GOOD LUCK!!!!!

Clean out your Liver!!!

I have been doing so much research recently on the Liver.  I watched a mini seminar from a doctor about losing weight and if your liver isn't cleaned out you won't lose weight like you want and you hold weight around your mid section.  Interesting huh?  Well, I just went to the Chiro a few days ago and needed some major therapy on my body, after getting acupuncture I was told my liver is full of crap because my feet were yellow.  Anyways, so now I am on this road to cleaning out my liver.  I just found this awesome article for a healthy liver detox.  I have talked about my liver detox tea from Traditional Medicinals and I highly recommend it, I am starting to drink it religiously again.  But, I am going to post basically the whole thing because it is amazing and everyone needs to detox, especially with how many toxins and chemicals are in our body.  Cleanse your liver with me and I promise your skin will love you, your organs will love you and you will see so many benefits.  Here it is!

"Do you Need to Detox?

Unfortunately, we live in a fairly toxic world, and even those of us who are committed to living clean and eating healthy are very likely to ingest, inhale, absorb or produce our own fair share of disruptive substances - substances that our body would be better off without and may need help in unloading. All of the following may be signs of a body in toxic distress (keep in mind that they may also be symptoms of other serious health and medical conditions, some of which could require professional care; when in doubt, or in the case of chronic conditions, consult your doctor or health professional).

- Acne, blemishes, hives
- Discoloration in whites of eyes or red, swollen, teary eyes
- Hormonal imbalances, PMS
- Heat in the upper body, such as warm face or hot eyes
- Difficulty perspiring
- Bad breath or offensive body odor
- Gas, bloating, belching and nausea
- Constipation or loose stools
- Colitis or diverticulitis
- Hemorrhoids or varicose veins
- Bruises or wounds that don't heal
- Multiple food allergies, sensitivities to fragrances, odors and fumes
- Weight gain, even when controlling food intake
- Feelings of tiredness or sleeplessness after eating
- Frequent coughs, stuffy or runny nose

Your liver is your largest internal organ, and it’s responsible for an astonishing variety of life-sustaining and health-promoting tasks – including those that make healthy weight loss and weight management possible. Integral to countless metabolic processes, the liver supports the digestive system, controls blood sugar and regulates fat storage. It stores and mobilizes energy, and produces more proteins than any other organ in the body. It also regulates your blood flow and, if you’re a woman, keeps your menstrual cycles running smoothly.

One of your liver’s most important functions, though – and the one most crucial to your weight loss – is chemically breaking down everything that enters your body, from the healthiest bite of organic food to the poisonous pesticides that linger on your salad; from the purest filtered water to a glass of wine or a cup of coffee; from your daily vitamin and mineral supplements to your doctor-prescribed blood-pressure medication.

It’s your liver’s job to distinguish between the nutrients you need to absorb and the dangerous or unnecessary substances that must be filtered out of your bloodstream. But when the liver is clogged and overwhelmed with toxins, it can’t do a very effective job of processing nutrients and fats. So if you’re concerned with managing your weight, remember this important point: The more toxic your body becomes, the more difficulty you’ll have losing weight and keeping it off.

Diet Difficulty

Ironically, many of the low-carb diets that people adopt to lose excess weight only make matters worse. By encouraging us to eat a lot of meat (much of which is laden with toxins), and discouraging us from eating enough fiber-rich, water-dense fruits and vegetables, such diets can slow elimination. By loading us up with so many proteins that our stomachs can’t produce enough acid to digest them all, such diets can inhibit proper digestion, overloading our liver and intestines with a stream of nasty, internally produced poisons such as indican, ammonia, cadaverine and histide.

Fortunately, the liver, in its infinite wisdom, produces bile, a crucial substance for detoxifying our bodies. Bile lubricates our intestines and works with fiber to prevent constipation. Bile is also where the liver dumps all the drugs, heavy metals, xenoestrogens, excess sex hormones from the Pill and hormone replacement therapy, medications, pesticides, industrial chemicals, and other toxins, so they can eventually be eliminated from the body.

One of bile’s other main duties is to help our bodies break down the fats we need and to assimilate fat-soluble vitamins. Without bile, we couldn’t convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, nor could we use calcium. But when our bile becomes overly congested with the toxins it’s trying to filter out, it simply can’t function properly. It becomes thick, viscous and highly inefficient in breaking down fats. The result: You are more likely to gain weight and to have greater difficulty losing it.

Cleansing the liver helps it produce better, more efficient bile. That helps your body flush toxins and break down fat more effectively. It also makes more energy-giving nutrients available to your body and reduces strain on your digestive and immune systems. Your elimination improves, and your colon is relieved of unnecessary burdens. The net effect: You look and feel better, and it becomes far easier for you to achieve and maintain your ideal weight.

The Fast Track: A Three-Stage Process

Ready to give your liver a healthy boost – and give your entire system a thorough spring-cleaning? I developed a Fast Track Detox program for just that purpose. It is a proven, highly effective detox and weight-loss system that offers a simple, safe and effective way to drop excess pounds, to clear out toxic gunk and to improve your health and vitality.

Described in detail in my book, The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet (Morgan Road Books, 2005), this program is, in reality, less a diet than a multipart program for healthy living. It has been carefully tested in a clinical setting.

Although the fasting part of the detox plan is just a single day (making it very safe), the complete process calls for both a seven-day preparation and a three-day follow-up phase designed to properly prepare your system for the liver-cleansing juice fast and then help extend and compound your healthy results.

This three-part detox process can dramatically improve the state of your liver and colon and help clear tissue throughout your body – all while eliminating bloating, improving your energy and assisting you in dropping unwanted weight. It can also help you appreciate the advantages of improved nutrition and encourage you to adjust your normal diet for the better.

Best of all, unlike water fasting and long-term juice fasting, this program is safe and gentle enough for you to employ any time you are feeling loaded down, sluggish and needing more vitality. I personally do Fast Track Detox fasts three or four times a year, usually around the fall and spring equinoxes, and whenever I feel myself to be on overload – physically, mentally or spiritually.

The Fast Track Detox program is simple to work into your normal life. Here’s how: You spend a full week on the Seven-Day Prequel, eating the Liver-Loving Foods that your body’s major detox organ so desperately needs. You’ll also load up on Colon-Caring Foods to help your colon purge the toxins and waste from your body. Next, you’ll spend one day following a special juice fast designed to flush impurities and stored wastes from your system. Then, after the fast is over, you’ll seal in the results with a Three-Day Sequel that includes additional liver and colon support along with special natural-food sources of probiotics – fermented foods that support the friendly bacteria your system needs to synthesize vitamins and promote immune function.

Many people experience significant and immediate weight loss on this program, but the net benefits for energy and long-term health are every bit as dramatic. So, whether you are looking to slim down or just lighten your toxic load, give the Fast Track Detox a try. You’ll be amazed at what your liver can accomplish with just a little help.

Seven-Day Prequel

Before you begin the One-Day Detox, it’s essential that you prepare your body by strengthening your liver and colon for the work ahead. If you don’t do this, you might end up more bloated, constipated and “toxic” than you were before. You may also inadvertently put the brakes on desired weight loss.

Fasting releases toxins that were previously lodged in your fat cells and shuttles them into your bloodstream for filtration and transport through your body’s elimination channels. But without prior liver and colon support to help these toxins clear your system, the poisons may simply get relocated within the body, settling into any number of sensitive organs and making you feel tired, anxious, headachy and more fatigued than when you started. So if you want to avoid feeling unnecessarily lousy, and if you want to maximize weight loss, follow this simple, six-step program for seven days before you embark on the one-day, liver-flushing juice fast:

1. Each day, for seven days, choose at least one serving from each group of the following Liver-Loving Foods:

• Crucifers, such as cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, broccoli sprouts

• Green leafy vegetables and herbs, like parsley, kale, watercress, chard, cilantro, beet greens, escarole, dandelion greens and mustard greens

• Citrus, like oranges, lemons and limes (avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice, which contain a compound called naringen that can interfere with the liver-cleansing process)

• Sulfur-rich foods, like garlic, onions, eggs and daikon radish

• Liver healers, such as artichoke, asparagus, beets, celery, dandelion-root tea, whey and nutritional yeast flakes

2. Each day, choose at least two of the following Colon-Caring foods: powdered psyllium husks, milled or ground flaxseeds, carrots, apple, pear or berries.

3. Each day, drink half your body weight in ounces of filtered or purified water.

4. Each day, make sure you have at least two servings (the size of the palm of your hand) of protein in the form of lean beef, lamb, skinless chicken, turkey or fish, or, if you’re a vegan or vegetarian, at least 2 tablespoons a day of a high-quality blue-green algae or a spirulina source (available in natural-foods and health stores).

5. Each day, make sure you have 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil in the form of olive oil, flaxseed oil or a “woman’s oil” (a flaxseed oil-black-currant oil blend).

(For specific serving sizes and more detailed guidance on choosing Liver-Loving Foods, see The Fast Track Detox Diet.)

6. Avoid the following “detox detractors”:

• Excess dietary fats, especially trans fats

• Any form of sugar, including honey and maple syrup

• Artificial sweeteners

• Refined carbohydrates, including white rice and products made from white flour

• Gluten, found in wheat, rye, barley and all their related products, such as packaged cereals, macaroni and cheese, pizza dough, pasta, tortillas, pancake/waffle mixes and cookies, as well as in many “low-carb” products, vegetable proteins, some soy sauces and distilled vinegars

• Soy protein isolates, found in many protein energy bars and processed soy foods

• Alcohol, over-the-counter drugs and caffeine

One-Day Detox Juice Fast

The One-Day Juice Fast portion of the Fast Track Detox is designed to flush impurities from your liver and other cellular tissues while supporting your general health and energy.

While I do not advocate water fasts, or even long-term juice fasts, decades of professional clinical experience and research have convinced me that healthy, short-term juice fasting – the kind supported by adequate nutritional preparation for the liver and sufficient fiber for the colon – is probably the best-kept secret around for good health, long-term weight loss and an overall feeling of well-being.

By reducing the amount of work your digestive system has to do, you free up a great deal of energy for healing and regeneration. And while you will be limiting your caloric intake for one day, it is not an extended enough period to suppress your metabolism or set off a starvation response. In fact, every ingredient of the One-Day Detox Diet has been specially chosen to stave off hunger; balance your blood sugar; rev up your metabolism; and keep you feeling fit, energized and trim throughout your fasting day.

Here’s the basic protocol you should follow for your One-Day Juice Detox, and some idea of what you might experience during the detox process (keep in mind that the effects and results will vary from person to person).

Before you conduct your one-day fast, make sure you have completed the Seven-Day Prequel. Then, follow this four-step program:

Step I. Prepare the Miracle Juice (for complete recipe and preparation instructions, see The Fast Track Detox Diet):

• Cranberry Water – unsweetened cranberry juice or unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate diluted with filtered water (be sure to use 100 percent pure, unsweetened cranberry juice that has no sugar, corn syrup or other juices added)

• Cinnamon

• Ground ginger

• Nutmeg

• Freshly squeezed orange juice

• Freshly squeezed lemon juice

• Stevia (a sweet-tasting herb that is widely available at natural-food stores) to taste

Directions:
1. Bring Cranberry Water to a light boil; reduce the heat to low.

2. Place cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg into a tea ball; add to the Cranberry Water. (For a tangier juice, add the spices directly to the liquid.)

3. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes; cool to room temperature.

4. Stir in the orange and lemon juices. Add stevia at this time, if desired.

Step II. Alternate drinking 1 cup (8 ounces) of filtered water and 1 cup (8 ounces) of Miracle Juice during the day. Drink at least 72 ounces of filtered water throughout the day, in addition to the Miracle Juice. Make sure you drink at least a cup of liquid – either the Miracle Juice or water – every hour. Begin the protocol when you wake up in the morning. You don’t have to begin at a specific time, but be sure to have all eight glasses of Miracle Juice in addition to the 72 ounces of water by day’s end.

Step III. Upon rising and at the end of the day, take one serving of a colon-caring supplement, chosen from among the following:

• Powdered psyllium husks (1 to 2 teaspoons mixed in 8 ounces of water or Miracle Juice)

• Ground or milled flaxseeds (2 to 3 tablespoons mixed in 10 to 12 ounces of water or 8 ounces Miracle Juice)

Step IV. Engage in only light exercise – either a 20-minute walk or 10 minutes on a rebounder or elliptical machine.

The Three-Day sequel

Following your One-Day Detox, it’s essential that you follow this sequel program for three days straight. Otherwise, your reentry into normal eating may leave you feeling bloated, constipated and more toxic than before.

Fasting without follow-up support means that toxins released into your bloodstream during the fast may remain in your system, making you feel tired, anxious, headachy and fatigued. Skipping the Three-Day Sequel also sets you up to regain lost weight. So support your body’s natural detox process and seal in the results of your One-Day Juice Fast by following these simple steps:

1. Each day, choose at least one of the following probiotic food sources to restore “friendly bacteria”:

• Sauerkraut (1/2 cup). You can either make your own or buy an organic, raw variety. Most store-bought sauerkraut is processed with heat, which kills the naturally occurring enzymes and microflora, so check the label carefully.

• Yogurt. Nonfat, low-fat or whole-milk yogurt are all fine, but look for plain yogurt whose label reads “live, active cultures.”

2. Before each meal, take one or more tablets of hydrochloric acid in a formula that contains at least 500 to 540 milligrams of betaine hydrochloride with at least 100 to 150 milligrams of pepsin, and at least 50 milligrams of ox bile extract (such formulas are widely available at most health and nutrition stores and at many natural groceries).

3. Follow steps 1 through 6 of the Seven-Day Prequel."

By Ann Louise Gittleman / May 2005

Credit goes to experience life.com  

Just because you are thin doesn't mean you're healthy

When I was growing up I totally thought this because I was in a healthy weight for my height so I thought that I was a healthy person... little did I know!  Like I have said before, my whole life has been riddled with health problems from head to toe, literally.  It was finally after I had kidney stones removed from each kidney and was 30 pounds over weight I decided I had had enough.   I wanted to go off all my medications, lose weight, and heal myself.  Guess what?  I did just that.  No more meds for me!  I was such a skeptical person when I had heard of people going off meds and healing themselves but nothing has changed my life more then simply just changing how I eat.  I weigh right now what I weighed in high school but I am sooo much more healthier it is unbelievable.  Some people are blessed with crazy high metabolisms and can eat "whatever they want" and not gain weight.  Well, it doesn't mean they are healthy!  I know many people who rarely eat fresh whole food but are so thin.  It makes such a HUGE difference putting good food into your body and being healthy overall.  Our bodies are made up of living cells so why not eat living food?  Doesn't it only make sense?  I also know many people who workout 3-5 times a week and still need to lose weight or have maintained for years because they aren't eating right.  Exercise and diet alone can eliminate or cure so many diseases and the research is just piling up about it.  Of course I still take some prescriptions if I am dying or absolutely have to but there are so many healthy good alternatives before you have to resort to this.  The average american is prescribed 12 medications a year... that is insane!!  The saddest part is most people get one prescription for something and then it gives them some sort of side effect so then they start taking a med for that and it keeps going on and on so people are taking tons of drugs daily that they might not even need.  I do research and try all sorts of things before I go to the doctor and I haven't been to a hospital for a health issue in almost 3 years since I have started this journey, and trust me, I went a lot.  I keep finding amazing new ways to heal my body and my families before going this route and we all have been so much happier and healthier doing this, it truly is amazing!  I am thankful for my pediatrician where I live because she really has a good balance between modern medicine and alternative.  She has me try healthier things before resorting to the meds and I am so grateful for that.  She even told me that a lot of kids are being over medicated for things that they don't even need!  Just find what works for you in balancing a healthy diet with exercise with healthier healing choices and it really can change your life.  It has changed mine and it keeps getting even better with the more I allow myself to try!  So people might think I am a crazy health nut and eat only organic food but that is not the case and you don't have to be that way to be healthy.  Just try it, if you have a health issue you want to get rid of, look up ways to get rid of it naturally.  What do you have to lose?  You can save a ton of money too by not going to the doc as much and buying meds each month.  If you don't know where to start at all talk to me about it and I am sure I can help you!!!  Good luck!!!

Interval training!! My workout routine

Your workout routine should never be the same if you want to lose weight fast.  If you have the same routine each time your body starts getting used to it and this is when most people "plateau".  I do different things all the time but some things still stay consistent because I love the machines.  The elliptical is my favorite thing ever and that is what I mainly worked out on to lose all my weight.  I started working out on it again last week, combining just that with catalyst, I lost 2 pounds and quite a few inches!  But when you use that machine you have to use it right.  Your head should not be bobbing up and down.  Keep your hips moving and only your lower body should be moving unless you are on one with arms that move.  I do it for 30 mins constantly changing my intervals.  Every 5 minutes I change it never going down from an incline of 5 and same with the resistance.  I will go up to 7 incline with 7 resistance or whatever I can handle and then go back down and I keep alternating the whole time.  Its killer!!  I keep my strides at least 160-170 or more each time which is crucial,  go as fast as you can the whole time,  I burn so many calories in that 30 mins and go a few miles.  I also follow the body for life program with weight lifting which I posted last month.  Every other day is either upper or lower body and one day a week is full body which I usually do with a resistance band with a pilates workout.  I love to speed walk up and down different inclines around the park for at least 30 mins or a workout from the toneitup website or dailyhitt which I posted before as well.  So pretty much to break it down now since you know how to use the elliptical and always do interval training.  This changes so I don't ever plateau but this is pretty much it.

Sunday- Off

Monday- 30 mins of cardio (elliptical) w/ upper body weights

Tuesday- 30 min cardio (speed walking) w/ full body workout (toneitup, dailyhitt, or pilates)

Wednesday- 30 min cardio (elliptical) w/ lower body weights

Thursday- 2 workouts from one of the websites or one with pilates

Friday- 30 min cardio (elliptical) w/ upper body weights

Saturday- 30 min cardio (elliptical or freestrider) w/ lower body weights

Obviously if the machines aren't open I switch and do the bike for 15 minutes on an interval training setting then a freestrider.  As long as you get a solid 30 min hard workout in your good =)  

Remember- within 30 mins RIGHT after you workout you need your protein.  Thats usually when I drink my EAS protein shake or eat a can of tuna with only a teaspoon of olive oil, red wine vinegar and ms. dash.  Lots of protein!  

I have lots of random stuff in my house but I have a resistance band I use for different at home workouts and an exercise ball, dumbbells, strap on leg weights... these things I use all the time to max out my burn.  

My secret fat burning weapon...

I NEVER workout without taking this product.  It is truly amazing and I am so glad I found this.  I don't sell Advocare products so I have nothing to gain by telling you how much I love it besides the fact that it does exactly what it says it does.  It gives you so much energy during exercise and makes you sweat!  I love it to death and it is worth its weight in gold.  Drew Brees last year endorsed Advocare products because they really work.  I also have taken a few other supplements from them but I love the herbal cleanse as well.  I have one I am going to do here soon.  Without this I know I wouldn't have hit my goals when I did and felt as good doing them.  This stuff rocks and I wish everyone knew about it!!

SWEAT!!!

Went to the gym today and noticed maybe 5 out of 15 people really working out... If you aren't sweating its going to be soo hard to lose weight.  If your workout is easy and you look forward to it than your not doing it right!!  I was sweating so bad today and working so hard that I couldn't wait for my intervals to change.  Now THATS how you work out.  If you have ever watch Biggest Loser those trainers know how to get the job done.  Working out and losing weight shouldn't be a social event or something that comes easy.  Its ok to start off slow at first with walking or biking slow but after a couple weeks max you have to start pushing yourself!!  Unless you have some crazy health problem, obviously talk to your doctor first to see what your true limits are.  Don't sell yourself short!  I have injuries from being in a bad car accident where I totaled my car and chronic pain from having kids but I don't let any of these things stop me, but I definitely know my limits.  PLEASE learn how to use the equipment right... if you don't know what a machine is or if you are using it right ask someone at the gym to show you, you might feel dumb asking but its better to ask than to hurt your body or looking dumb on the machine because you don't know what you are doing!!  My biggest success in the gym is the Elliptical, that thing rocks my world and that with weight training is the only thing I really did to lose all that weight.  BUT I did interval training on it... I never once got off the machine without a bright red face or my legs about to collapse beneath me.  That is a true workout and your body needs to sweat to lose weight!  Remember, protein within the first 30 mins AFTER you workout.  Its crucial.  And make sure you have high quality protein, not the walmart brand.  Do your research on what works best for you.  It should never be easy but it will be totally worth it!!!

How I lost 30 pounds!! 65 total after having Gage =)

                                                  Me at 185+ while pregnant with Gage....

                                                          Me 2 years later under 110!!!!


I know... Its hard for me to look at these pictures too.  Granted, Gage weighed 10 pounds of that pregnant weight but when I got home from the hospital I had only lost his weight.  I couldn't believe I weighed that much and I will never be back there again.  After having Gage I lost all my baby weight in 6 weeks which got me back to 140.  I had never been that heavy either but gained it after I got married.  So at the beginning of 2011 I started my major lifestyle change to get under 110, and I did it.  I have sent many people what I ate but I will be more specific and break it down for you pretty much exactly what I ate to lose the weight.  I did this all by myself with all the resources I had gathered over the years to achieve this.  You CAN do it by yourself if you really want it.  But you have to be willing to put in the blood sweat and tears for it... no joke.  There is never a healthy easy way to lose weight.

Here is what I ate to get down to this weight!!  You have to follow it exactly ; ) You can pick one of the options to eat if there are a few listed (besides snacks) but make sure you are only eating 1200 calories to lose the weight than later jump up to 1500 to maintain.

Breakfast
One egg and egg yolk
1/3 c. Rolled Oats with cinnamon (optional- natural sweetener)
1 c. Multigrain cheerios with half c. unsweetened almond milk

Green Tea

Snacks
Low sodium V8 with either a babybel cheese or light string cheese
Any raw veggies and fruit just add them to your calories (LOTS of green veggies!)
(I use yogurt based dip instead of ranch to dip them in)
1/4 c. raw nuts
EAS advantage protein shake (within 30 mins after working out)
Green smoothie (see my old post)
88% dark chocolate, one square

Lunch
1/2 can progresso low sodium soups
Salad with mixed greens and whole dressings
Chicken and quinoa w/ olive oil and Mrs. Dash (recipe below)

Liver Detox Tea or other organic tea

Dinner
4 oz. Salmon with lemon juice and lemon pepper with 1/2c. peas
Tuna dip (recipe below) with a serving of sun dried tomato basil wheat thins or organic crackers


Thats it =)  Might not seem like a lot but 1200 calories is not a lot of food!  I eat the snacks when I am hungry in between meals.  I eat about 6-8 times a day 100-200 cals at a time to keep my metabolism up.
Drink at least 2 liters of ICE cold water a day with lemon juice.

Chicken and Quinoa
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Mrs Dash and pepper
3 oz. chicken

Grill chicken till brown with oil and dash then add 3 tbsp cooked quinoa till golden brown

Tuna Dip
 1 Can Albacore white tuna
 5-6 shakes of red wine vinegar
 1 tbsp. lemon juice
 1 tsp. olive oil (optional)
 1 tsp. light mayo and relish


Good luck!!!  If you have any questions just ask PLEASE!  I am always here and love to help.  Later I will post my workouts and supplements I took and still take.

Ditch the coffee, pop, and energy drinks for TEA!

Tea is truly an incredible thing.  I didn't understand all the amazing benefits of it until a couple years years.  I have my sister Mackenzi to thank for starting my obsession with tea.  I found a Chantal brand tea kettle and wanted it just because it had my name on it but they are kind of expensive, but she said I would regret not buying it, which she was totally right.  Because I invested in it I started doing research on herbal teas and what I could get out of them... holy cow was I opened up to a new world of health!  Tea has been around for thousands of years and it is used for so many different purposes.  Here is what one person had to say about it which many others would agree.  "Studies have found that some teas may help with cancer, heart disease, and diabetes; encourage weight loss; lower cholesterol; and bring about mental alertness. Tea also appears to have antimicrobial qualities.

“There doesn’t seem to be a downside to tea,” says American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Katherine Tallmadge, MA, RD, LD. “I think it’s a great alternative to coffee drinking. First, tea has less caffeine. It’s pretty well established that the compounds in tea – their flavonoids – are good for the heart and may reduce cancer.”

How amazing is this?  Your doctor might tell you to drink wine because of the flavonoids, or coffee instead of energy drinks.  But you can replace all those harsh chemicals for your body and get all the same benefits from different teas.  I drink 2 cups a day.  An herbal green tea which curbs my appetite and increases energy and my metabolism, and I might drink a liver detox tea, chamomile before bed, or jasmine.  These are just to name a few.  I have a whole cupboard full of different herbal teas.  My favorite brand is traditional medicinals tea.  A lot of them are organic and you can get them at the health food store or even walmart.  

I have had so many people tell me that they "can't" do tea either for the flavor or because their body doesn't like it... well let me tell you something, the only reason your body might not do well with it at first is because it is detoxing it!  Of course your body might freak out if you drink crap like pop or alcohol all the time and switch to something that will cleanse it.  Why do you think it is so hard for people to get off drugs?  Withdrawls in the body can be horrible.  You have to give your body time to detox and cleanse.  Try to give it a real chance, 10 days for that matter and if your body still is struggling than at least you can say you tried.  But you have to give it the benefit of the doubt!  Some of them like the liver detox tea says to do it for I believe a month.  But I promise if you stick to it you will be a healthier person, your skin will be more radiant, and some of your digestive and skin problems can be cleared up.  =)

Simple healthy changes!

   A couple years ago when I started on my health journey Joe agreed to start changing some of the foods we eat in the house.  Leading a healthy lifestyle is so much easier if your family is also on board with you.  Somethings they won't even notice but it will help keep them healthy for life.  Joe and I decided to never buy dairy milk again.  Many new studies over the years have shown the negative side effects of cows milks on our bodies.  Same thing goes with soy, it is a better option but our bodies digust nut milk better so we have been drinking Alomond Milk for the last 2 years and love it!  It has twice the amount of calcium as dairy milk and it doesn't hurt my stomach.  Gage loves the Vanilla Almond Milk =)  I also never buy bleached flour.  You can find all purpose flour that is unbleached, just check the labels!  I use a lot of whole wheat flour but there are so many options like buckwheat flour, oat flour, teff flour, if you want to try something new.  You will never find vegetable oil in my house either.  I cook with olive oil all the time and it is such a better source of the good fats you need.  In order to lose weight you need to have good fats!!  Look for the mono and poly unsaturated fats in foods.  If something will taste horrible with oilive oil then I use Canola oil.  Another thing we decided on was to never buy beef again.  I cook with only lean turkey meat, chicken, or fish.  Switching out the beef for turkey is such a good change, in most foods you can't tell and Joe even likes it better now because there is hardly any fat from the meat in our food. 
   Carrie Underwood lost a lot of weight a few years ago and one of the things she said she did was when she was reading the labels on food if there was an ingredient she didn't know (most of the time they are added dangerous chemicals) then she didn't eat it.  I thought this was a good example of how much crap is in our food.  The more there is in something the worse it probably is for you!  Many of you reading this are probably wondering how you will get your kids to like foods that are "good for them".  Well for starters, if they have never been introduced to then they won't want it, for instance Gage has never had a hamburger or mac n cheese.  He has seen it and I have asked him if he would want it but because he eats well and we dont eat like that he doesn't care for it!  Start them young on good habits so they will not want the junk later.  I believe though that if you completely keep things away from children then they tend to hoard that food later and have issues because they never had it growing up.  Moderation in all things, just make the things they might want treats or only on special occasions so they understand its not a daily thing. If you need ideas on foods to make or creative ways to put stuff in food, follow me on pinterest.  I don't have a lot of recipes on there yet but I have pinned some awesome sites that are full of them.  If something temps you that you know you can't avoid if its in the home then don't buy it!  I love cheese crackers so I know I just can't buy them because even I am human and struggle with temptations =)  So in review making these simple switcheroos will help you stay healthy,

1. Olive oil instead of vegetable
2. Turkey (lean meats) instead of beef
3. Whole grain flour instead of white and bleached flour
4. Almond Milk instead of dairy
5. Stay away from unknown chemicals and food coloring in foods

You will be surprised what you need to throw out and change when you follow these simple guidelines! 

EAT the rainbow

I strive everyday to eat at least one color a day of either a fruit or veggie.  Like my first post one here smoothies is one of the easiest ways to pack in veggies and fruit.  No vitamin in the world can be absorbed as well as in living foods and your body thanks you for eating them.  There are so many pros to eating these fruits and veggies you see in this picture I could write books about it.  One of my new favorite quotes a saw the other day helps remind me why I eat the way I do.  "What you eat in private you wear in public."  Just a good reminder that our bodies are a true reflection of how we take care of them.  After all they are temples right?  So lets make more of an effort to treat them like one!  P.S. greens are the best thing you can eat so I hope all of you have them in your fridge!!

Body for life!!!

Thanks to my mom for introducing me to this amazing program.  I love the EAS products that goes along with this program, I drink their protein shakes everyday.  This book taught me how to lift RIGHT and when to lift, how to eat, what to eat, it truly will transform how you workout at the gym.  Every time I go to the gym I see 7 out of 10 people that are using equipment wrong or not lifting correctly.  I had a physical therapist teach me how to use the elliptical properly and this book taught me how to lift free weights.  Just google body for life in the images and it will pull up peoples before and afters... can you say amazing!  When I am done having kids I plan on getting down to a ridiculous body fat percentage but you have to have some fat on your body to get pregnant so that will be a fun thing for me to do and I look forward to it!  I have recommended this book to so many people.  If you don't want to buy it I am sure the library has it =)  I just did the upper body routine out of this book today!!!

Stay motivated!!!

My husband knows me all to well to buy me one of these =)  Now I am super pumped to keep accurate track of my calories burnt each day etc.  One of the things that helped me with getting motivated, as many of you have asked me what keeps me motivated, is simple things like this.  I went out and bought new workout clothes which is a big deal for me.  I rarely buy things for myself because I hate spending the money so when I do spend it I take it seriously.  Now I make sure I use them so it wasn't a waste of money!  I have a white board on my fridge with the foods that I can eat each day and as I eat them I check them off.  Since 1200 calories is not a lot of food it adds up a lot quicker than you think so for me it is easier to have already added them up and pick and choose each day and substitute different meals to stay within my cal count.  Some people buy a small pair of jeans they want to fit into as one of their treats for hitting their goals.  The biggest motivation for me is my family and guilt.  Now being a mother  I am very careful the foods I buy and what is in them to feed my kids.  I am a nutrition guide addict like every should be.  Read the labels!!!  There is so much crap in food, like food coloring and high fructose corn syrup which is in so many foods people think are "good for them."  I put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure my family stays healthy because I am the one buying them the food they eat!  Good nutrition habits start in the home.  So it is up to me to make the best decisions for them.  Did you know 70 percent of parents with obese children think their kids are a normal weight?  Overtime we truly become desensitized to the dangers around us that come from early childhood obesity. Failure is not an option and I would feel so guilty if I knew I wasn't giving my family the proper nutrition they need each day.  My family is my greatest success and I plan on keeping it that way!  Find what your biggest fear is in your fitness progress and make that your strength.  That is what will keep you going!!

Ayurvedic Skin Type!

   My aunt is a talented Esthetician who has taught me a lot about skin.  I learned from her that teenagers with acne can help their skin just by changing what they eat.  Ever since then I have dived into skincare as an important part of health.  What you eat shows through your skin, hair, and nails and to me this makes perfect sense.  I recently learned about the Ayurvedic Skin Type where people in India have been following this for thousands of years.  They believe that what you eat can heal and help the skin, basically treating it from the inside out.  I took the test and have found out what type of foods I need to eat, what to avoid, and supplements to take to reduce skin aging and to help it heal.  It is amazing!!  They say what you should be eating you tend to avoid which is interesting.  I have never liked Coconut  which is one of the things I need.  Coconut oil has many benefits including improving the skin, fighting viruses and bacterias, killing Candida in the body which is yeast, etc.  I have been adding this to my smoothie everyday and I feel amazing.  Not to mention rubbing it on my skin this dry winter which is helping it to heal.  Here is the link to take the Ayurvedic test to find your Dosha so you can start taking better care of your skin.
http://www.doctoroz.com/quiz/ayurvedic-skin-type-find-your-dosha

    They also talk about a leaf called Neem they use to help cure all sorts of different skin diseases such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne.  I bought the Neem Tub Tea and have loved it, I also have a Neem bath salt with Eucalyptus oil in it I am excited to try.  You can get that stuff here http://www.justneem.com/. Taking care of your body really does show!!!

My 2 bite rule!!

I LOVE food!  Like most people who can honestly just take one bite of something they really really want?  No one, and if you can you're amazing ; ) Thats why I gave myself the 2 bite rule instead.  It is ok to eat things in moderation especially if you are craving them.  Studies have shown that if you are craving something it is better to have a little bit of it then nothing so you don't binge.  When you have cravings it sends messages to your brain which spikes adrenaline.  Thats why food is such an emotional thing for us because it triggers our good senses!  So if you want some cheesecake, have 2 bites, or your favorite snack that might be high in calories.  You will feel so much better knowing you got to try what you really wanted rather then completely avoid it.

If you are a chocoholic like me, stick to dark dark chocolate.  It is good for your heart and doesn't have milk like milk chocolate.  The brand of chocolate I absolutely love is called endangered species.  Love it!!http://chocolatebar.com/

Don't talk to me about excuses

My life has been riddled with all sorts of trials, but who's hasn't.  Seriously though, mine have always been on a high level of difficult and pain.  My biggest struggle I think is my health.  One of the reasons why I have become slightly obsessed with health of my overall well being.  I am writing this today because I struggle daily with hearing peoples excuses about life when most often times what I am hearing I have personally experienced worse.  I have never been able to see someone become happy until they change their attitude!  Anything is going to seem very hard until we start looking at the glass half full, which it is ; )  When it comes to overcoming mental obstacles I find myself leaning on my darkest moments to push me through those immense strains of life.  Until you can find your way of "venting", your body will hold on to weight and emotional toxins.  Some of you wonder, "Well what has she really gone through that she understands me?"  You would be very surprised unless you know me well.  But just a little insight, after having a 10 pound baby it literally ripped all my skin from my chest to my knees and all my muscles in my torso.  I have seen almost 20 different doctors for all of the damage it has caused, and having another big baby did some more.  I don't want you to think I am complaining because I am not at all!  I just want you to know we all have hidden trials and things we have to mentally overcome daily and it is always a fight.  But all the problems I have run into have brought me to find many healthy newer ways of healing myself and my body and bringing me to meet some amazing people.  One of the things I have come to love is acupuncture, my TENS unit, herbs, and crazy weird vitamins and foods I have never heard of.  I am like a library of random health knowledge and because I have explored many avenues of learning I have helped many people.  So when it comes to excuses about not working out, not having time, not having strength, well I have legitimate excuses daily but it never stops me.  I love more then anything to set hard goals and hit them. It is such an overwhelming feeling to do something for yourself you know was so hard to achieve.  I have had many people say to me "Oh I can't because I don't have enough money for the gym" or "I can't work out because of such and such a health problem" please never say these things to me because I have yet to hear a good enough excuse.  Start replacing the CANTS with I WILL do this because I have a health problem and I want to feel better... make sense?  This is a 90 percent mental game and until you can figure out how to fight your demons, they will always win.  They won with me many times but finally I found my breaking point.  You don't need a gym membership to lose weight!!  Here are a couple websites I love that have videos of amazing challenging workouts you can do at home.  www.dailyhiit.com and www.toneitup.com.  Lots of pics with girls in bikinis and workout clothes so don't be alarmed ; ) Exercise bands are cheap and give you great resistance as well as a medicine ball.  No matter your physical situation you can always find a way to keep moving!!!  Even on the couch, but push yourself, your body will be sore but thank you later.  If you have some physical limitation you can't see yourself working around then talk to me, I will help you find a creative way to get your body moving.  Never say never, can't or I won't.  Stop limiting yourself and your strong will power to move forward.  You CAN do it!!!  If I can, you can!  There is nothing more attractive than a confident person!

Portions, Portions, PORTIONS!

Portion control plays a major role in weight management.  It helps to eliminate bloating and increases your metabolism through out the day because you eat more frequent smaller meals.  For those of you who don't know this about me I can destroy food.  I have always been able to eat a ridiculous amount of food in one sitting for my size.  Am I bragging?  No, but growing up always hanging out with guys I thought it was cool I could eat just as much if not more then them.  Now I see why I had so many stomach problems as I got older.  As I have started eating 6-8 smaller meals through out the day I feel so much better and have a lot more energy.  Because I like to eat food, well who doesn't, I HAVE to be eating all the time.  I just changed the size of what I ate.  Something that I did was not allow myself to eat on a dinner plate.  Just put them away, there is no reason why you should be filling an entire dinner plate of food and eating it in one sitting.  To stay small you have to eat small!!!  It is fulfilling to eat everything off your plate but it is such a mental game we all play that we have to clear our plates.  So just make them small and that way you still clear it with out having the guilt of consuming too much.  America has this crazy mentality that we have to eat footlong sandwiches and full pound burgers but that is insane.  Your stomach can't handle food in large quantities.  Why do you think so much of our nation has gastrointestinal problems?  Irritable bowel syndrome?  Bloating and gas?  Ulcers?  Diverticulitis?  All of which I have been diagnosed with at some point in my life and none of which I struggle with now.  Why?  Because almost all of these can be cured with diet!!!  90 percent of our nation doesn't get enough fiber in their diet because they eat so much processed grains with no green vegetables.  I can't stress enough how much your diet can affect your body.  Your body is made up of living tissue so why do you think it is so important to eat living food?  A good rule of thumb, the longer the shelf life the shorter yours will be.  Eat what your body can break down and that is food that breaks down fast like fresh fruits and veggies with lots of water.  Portion out your plate to have more greens then protein and more protein then carbs.  I love to eat 4 oz. of Salmon with lots of greens and sometimes no carbs at all with lots of fluid.  I feel so good after eating like that and I know my body thanks me for it.  So hide your dinner plates and remember that small amounts of food frequently will help you lose weight and keep it off for life.

I'm no Jillian Michaels, but...

Ok friends here it goes.  It's time to be real and honest and I finally have a minute from taking care of two amazing boys to write this.  Since this is the start of my blog I am going to warn you that I am a very blunt, honest, hardcore person when it comes to setting goals and challenging myself and others ; ) Sure I may not have 10 percent body fat or have ever been a personal trainer.  I don't refer to myself as an expert just because I lost weight and kept it off but what I did obviously worked and it is a realistic way to stay healthy for life and feel good about yourself.  Now, I will say things through out this blog that will be honest and true but that you might not like to hear but that needs to be said.  So many people suffer from lack of knowledge about nutrition and health and in turn it affects their whole family which trickles down to their kids.  Some people are in denial about their weight and think they are healthy because the eat vegetables even though they fry them in oil.  My main goal with this blog is to help change your mentality about food and fueling your body how it is meant to take in energy.  I have gathered a plethora of information over the years from my wonderful mother who has always been so knowledgable about health, nutrition, and fitness as well as many friends I have met while on my own journey a few years ago to get down to a weight I have never been at as an adult.  ANYTHING is possible but you have to be ready to do it.  It is all fine and dandy to start a "new goal" especially one about losing weight, but not being realistic or calling it a diet.  Please never use the word "diet" again.  It has to be a lifestyle change or you will revert right back to your old ways.  I did it for a long time until it finally clicked that I have to eat like this the rest of my life and I feel amazing doing it.  As I get more used to this who blogging deal I will try and post tips, recipes, work outs, links, whatever you want to hear that has changed my life and my little families forever.  I LOVE how I feel and how much I have learned that will always help keep my boys healthy for life too.  Nothing is ever just about you but you are the only one that can change how you look and feel about yourself.  If you are 100 percent dedicated and ready to change your life and be more confident, I promise the things I say on here if you truly apply them and stick to them will transform how you view food and working out.  You can't help or love others until you do the same for yourself!!!

P.S.  I just want you to know, personally, that if you ever have any questions no matter how dumb or ridiculous they may seem, just send me a message and ask because I love helping people so much and I want everyone to be as happy as me!

Oh, and obviously I can't end this without starting you off with a few tips to get you started =)

1.  Drink at least 2 liters of water a day.  Adding lemon juice will help detox your body and adding ice will help rev up your metabolism.
2.  Throw out all your white bleached flour products from your house and never buy them again.  Whole grains from here on out.
3.  Good fats.  Stay far far away from saturated fats and look for the poly, mono unsaturated fats such as coconut oil, olive oil, and raw nuts.  Salmon is a great fish for omegas and is heart healthy too.

And here we GO!!!  =)

Smoothie!!!

I don't know what I am doing on here but I guess I will figure it out!!!  My nutrition post for the day is a yummy smoothie recipe that even your kids will love.

Green Smoothie
1 c. Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 1/2 c. fresh pineapple
1 banana (preferably frozen)
Huge handful of spinach
Optional- 1 tbsp. organic coconut oil

Totally awesome!  I sometimes substitute the pineapple for another 1 cup of frozen or fresh fruit.  Put whatever you want in it such as flax seeds, kale instead of spinach, raw cacao, one container of greek yogurt, etc.