Called it!

Yup, Ina Garten the chicken was the 1st one to lay an egg.  I so called it! And only 1 day after putting the nesting boxes in! 

Way to go Ina! And thank you so much. Thinking Ree Drummond will follow suit anytime now, she's been in and out of the basket all day. 

What's next....

I've been asked by a few folks since my "One Year" post about what's next since I finished the 21 Day Fix at the end of last week.  Well, I considered taking a little break-- the last week of the 21 Day Fix was pretty tough with doubles, on top of the fact that the 21 day fix had absolutely NO rest days.  But I didn't feel comfortable breaking for more than a couple days... and I like for my new programs to begin on a Monday... SO, this past Monday, the day after finishing the 21 Day Fix, I rolled right into Turbo Fire!  I'm on Day 5 of Week 1!

Why Turbo Fire?  Well, if you've been following my posts for a while, you know that I did a portion of Turbo Fire last year, and you know that I used the Turbo Fire routines a lot while I was training for my half marathon that I completed in May.  What you may not know though, is that last year when I set out to do Turbo Fire... I didn't actually complete it.  I can't make excuses for why I didn't finish, other than I know that at some point around week 6, I rolled my ankle, and then we rolled into the holiday season (Thanksgiving and Christmas)  and I really struggled to get the work outs in.  

I hate that I didn't finish!  I don't like to set out to do something and then not complete it.  (Although I will say that it is definitely a lesson learned for the upcoming Holiday season!) 

So hopefully in about 85 days, I'll have a wonderful results post for you guys again and I'll be sending off my photos to Beach Body for a 3rd t-shirt!  I've already got my P90x shirt, sent off for my 21 Day Fix shirt the other day, and soon enough I'll have a Turbo Fire tank top that I earned!  

I'm excited!  I love the Turbo Fire program, the routines are super fun.  I'm continuing to use my 21 Day Fix containers to help me with my clean eating and healthy portion sizes, and who knows, I might run a few more races this year too!  

A Chicken Update...

The girls have grown a TON since my last chicken post... you know, that post where I showed off our chicken coop that took WAY longer to build than we ever anticipated, and I bragged about how we had "plenty of time" to do the nesting boxes still.  Well, although I'm sure I had the best of intentions to get the nesting boxes done right away, I actually just got them done this week and just put them in the coop today.

Let the record show though, that we have yet to receive an egg, so I am still technically early on the nesting boxes.  Though, lets be real, the girls are 18 weeks old, so we could get an egg any day now!

....And judging off of recent personality and interactions with them, I've got my money on either Ina Garten or Ree Drummond to lay first.  (Though at the end of the day, if I don't witness the first egg, I won't really know who laid it.)

Here's what the nesting boxes look like-- I made a platform using old fencing pieces found in our backyard and a couple of scrap 2x4 pieces left from building the run.  Painted the platform blue.  (The same shade of blue as the coop, Behr "Sea Rover")  And then I purchased large bushel baskets from Hobby Lobby and secured them to the platform with a staple gun.

And speaking of Ina Garten the chicken, she's our high lady on the totem pole.  Basically in the chicken world there is a hierarchy which is known as the "pecking order", sort of like how in the dog world, there's always an alpha dog.  Well Ina is at the top of the pecking order in our flock.  Which I find hilarious and it makes me want to share with you all of these hilarious Ina Garten memes, but I'll just share 1. 

Ok 2 memes.... well, 2 images which are technically 3 memes...

I might be the only one laughing... who knows.  I think it's funny!  But here's Ina the chicken. 

She's a pretty girl!  For the longest time because she was a little bossy, I thought that she might turn out to be a rooster, but so far we haven't had any crowing from any of the birds!  They were bought as sexed female chicks, but we were prepared for an error.  

The rest of the ladies are growing up too-- they love to go outside and range in the yard under supervision... because, well, I'm a helicopter Mom.  Even to my feathered babies.  And in case you're curious who the lowest in the pecking order is, it's Carla Hall the chicken.  She's my Barred Rock, and when they eat at the feeder, she eats the food dropped onto the floor under the feeder while the others have their necks in the feeder.

Paula Deen and Ina Garten

Ree Drummond

Ree and Ina... What's up chicken butt?

We've been making it through Summer so far with shade in the run, frequent cold water changes, and frozen fruit.  Frozen watermelon and frozen strawberry tops are their favorites so far.  I'll probably install a small box fan in the shed before the Summer's end because they just aren't big fans of this heat.  Poor girls.  I'm not either.  But before we know it, Fall will be here!  In fact... Hobby Lobby already has Christmas decorations out!!  

Hope you all are fairing in this hot weather!  I think we need to find a human watering hole soon. 

One Year!

June 20th marked the 1 year anniversary since I started P90x with this no excuses post.  For those who may not know my fitness background, I was very active as a youngster-- not only playing community sports (community softball and basketball), but I was also on Middle and High School teams for softball and swimming.  Once I graduated and went to college, I picked up running.  In 2008 I was really bit by the running bug and signed up for A LOT of local races, 5k's, a 5 miler, and my very first half marathon.  Of course in January of 2009, Daniel and I were married, and shortly after we were pregnant with Leeland.

Up to my first pregnancy, all I was doing was running 3-4 times a week, not even always that consistent.  When I found out I was pregnant, I never felt comfortable running while pregnant.  Sure I know lots of people who work out while they're pregnant (and even run), but I just didn't know what to do, and I didn't feel like I had been consistent enough before baby to think that I could do it with baby without harming him.  I was incredibly nervous!  .... So I stopped.  We had a dog at the time that I'd take for walks, but that's about it.

After Leeland was born, I tried to get back into running.  It was TOUGH!!  I don't think I could even run a 1/2 mile without getting winded and stopping when I first got going 6 weeks post partum.  (I did manage to make it through the women's only 5k that year amazingly enough, but I wasn't anywhere near quick!)

Fast forward another year of very frustrating and very inconsistent running and I found myself pregnant with baby #2, our little Hayden.  Again, I had been SO inconsistent that I struggled with the thought of continuing to work out while pregnant.  I remember saying all the time, "I'm pregnant and have a toddler, keeping up with Leeland is my exercise."  .... And I didn't just say it, I believed it!  I truly believed somehow that supervising and following Leeland around was my exercise.  After Hayden was born, I hated my body, was incredibly self conscious about not bouncing back as quickly as I had with Leeland and I was determined to get back into working out.  The problem was, I didn't know how.  I now had 2 kids to keep up with, Daniel was working a lot (and odd hours),  I felt SO out of shape and was scared to begin, not to mention, Hayden was nowhere near sleeping through the night, and I was very frequently nursing him..... How do I make that work!?!

..... Well, it started with more inconsistent running, and then when I finally got to the point of "I need more, this isn't working", I picked up P90x.  I had fantastic results from P90x, and jumped right into Turbo Fire after.  I can't deny that I struggled through Turbo Fire-- I had injuries and the holiday season was very difficult, but once I got past that, I jumped right into half marathon training, and then completed the "21 day fix."  It's been a whirlwind-- a big lifestyle change and I've seen my body change a lot both mentally and physically.

Without further ado, here are photos and stats-- These are NEVER before publicly shared photos.  Wearing the exact same shorts and exact same sports bra a year later.

June 20, 2013

Weight: 188.6 pounds

Chest: 39 inches

Biceps: 13 inches

Thighs: 26 1/4 inches

Waist: 38 1/4 inches

Hips: 44 1/2 inches

June 20, 2014

Chest- 34 1/2 inches

Biceps- 12 1/4 inches

Waist- 29 3/4 inches

Hips- 39 inches

Thighs- 24 3/4 inches

Weight- 157 pounds

Total weight loss of 31 pounds and a loss of over 20 inches on my body!

Some things I've learned in the past year along my journey--

1.  Give yourself grace!  When you think about being healthy as truly a lifestyle change.... It's your life!  It's not a crash diet that you need to be strict to for a month.  It's life.  And in real life, occasionally things come up and you miss a day or two of working out, or you eat something that you wished you hadn't.  It happens.  Give yourself grace!  Don't dwell on it, learn from it and pick yourself up the next day.

2.  Don't focus on the scale!  I hear all too often from fellow Mommy's about how they aren't yet to their "pre-baby" or "goal weight."  It's all about the number on the scale to SO many... and I used to be one of them.  But let me tell you a secret-- 5 pounds of muscle and 5 pounds of fat weigh the same thing, 5 pounds.   However they look VERY different! Take photos and take measurements and take mental notes of how your clothes fit.  I only lost 8.6 pounds when I did P90x, but that 8.6 pounds equated to almost 10 inches off of my body!  So... please, don't focus on the scale!  The number on the scale doesn't tell you how much more slim you've gotten, how you're down a pant size, or how many more miles you can run than you have before, or how you had to buy new weights twice because you were lifting so much more.  

3.  It takes time.  Diet pills and starvation do NOT work!  They call that yo-yo dieting.  To get to where you want to be, it takes time!  Build up that motivation and determination and start today!  It took me a year to get here, and I STILL have work to do.... it does NOT happen overnight.  I am at one year and counting... because this journey isn't over yet!  Set smaller/short term  and realisitic goals for yourself, if you say, "my goal is to have the perfect body in 30 days," or "lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks," you'll only frustrate yourself. But if your goal is simply complete a 90 day challenge, you will feel invigorated and excited when you do and can roll into the next one. 

4.  Have FUN!  You aren't going to like every single workout, and sometimes we just have to do some things that we don't like for the end result, but incorporate some things in there that you DO like!  Exercise doesn't have to be a chore, and the end results and energy, and confidence, and happiness is so worth it!

Disclaimer:  All opinions are my own.  I am NOT being compensated by Beach Body, I do not work for Beach Body and I do not coach for Beach Body.  I have received absolutely NO compensation for my high praise of their programs.  And all of the programs I have tried, we have paid full price for on our own accord. (Except P90x which we borrowed.)  They work and I enjoy them, that is all. 

21 Day Fix Week 3 (AND RESULTS!)

Before you all scroll down and rush to the results, can I just say that I LOVE THIS PROGRAM!!  This is my 3rd beach body program, and though I have thoroughly enjoyed the others that I have tried, the food component of 21 Day Fix CANNOT be beat!  Don't get me wrong, the others come with elaborate meal plans, recipe ideas and nutrition information, but the 21 Day Fix teaches the basic fundamentals of clean eating and portion control.  And at the end of the day, that's what a healthy diet (and weight loss) is all about!  I have learned so much and built good healthy habits over the last 3 weeks that I definitely plan to continue!

Doubles week!!  Yep, two-a-day workouts all this week, one done in the AM and one done in the PM.  Week 3 includes the optional doubles week as part of the 21 Day Fix plan to give you that last little boost at the homestretch.  Getting that 2nd work out in was pretty tough with this past week being a leader at our church's Vacation Bible School every single night.... but I did my best.  Here's a breakdown of my days before I share my results, this 21 Days really flew by!

DAY 1: Total Body Cardio Fix and Pilates Fix
It's amazing to me how far I've come from the first week-- my body truly amazes me.  The work outs get easier and easier. (Not easy, but easier.)

Food went a little something like this, steel cut oats with flax, sliced banana and flax for breakfast, lunch was leftover grilled chicken, brussel sprouts and quinoa and then I had dinner on the run, I made a mixed green salad with veggies, 2 hard boiled eggs and balsamic vinaigrette.

DAY 2: Upper Fix and Cardio Fix

It was hard getting into my work out late last night after vacation bible school, so I scrambled this morning to get my upper fix in first thing and then was able to do my cardio fix before heading to VBS. Checking the workouts off-- it's so surreal that I'm almost done and this is the last week!

Tried something NEW for breakfast this morning.  ((gasp!)) Baked Peanut Butter Oats and Berries by Jean Reed and it was delicious!  Of course, I'm of the school of thought that literally anything with peanut butter is amazing.  Lunch was a clean out the fridge of leftovers sort of thing, I had a couple of bun-less turkey burgers, zucchini and squash stir fry and some brussel sprouts.  And then for dinner I had 1 piece of homemade whole wheat cheese pizza and a side salad.  

^my morning oats baked in a coffee mug. Jean makes hers in a mason jar and they are just as scrumptious as they are cute. 

DAY 3: Lower Fix and 10 Minute Fix for Abs
I knew that I had conquered my leg workout and did it right when I went to shave my leg in the shower, lifted it up and it trembled like a leaf.  As much as I am determined to conquer doubles week as laid out in the plan... I will be so happy when doubles are over!  Doubles are so tough! (But if it were easy, everyone would be doing it, right?)

Breakfast was my steel cut oats with banana, Lunch was grilled chicken with a side of zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms mixed together and then for dinner I had a side salad with a stuffed pepper.  The stuffed pepper had ground turkey, black beans, quinoa and cheese in it. 

DAY 4: Pilates Fix and Total Body Cardio Fix

Not a whole lot to say workout wise, this is a repeat from Monday but flip-flopped. Pilates is tough, but it's growing on me!

Eating wise, banana oatmeal for breakfast, a leftover stuffed pepper for lunch, and a mixed green salad with cucumber, tomato, mushrooms and hard boiled egg for dinner. 

DAY 5: Cardio Fix and Upper Fix

Got my sweat on this morning doing cardio fix! Wowsers! And then sadly we got home incredibly late and ridiculously exhausted from vacation bible school, so I had my first missed workout tonight.  It does make me feel a little bit better that it was my second workout of the day and not the first. I'm going to attempt to make it up over the weekend. 

Food wise was pretty much the same as yesterday.  There's only so much cooking and prep work you can do when you're spending half the day out of the house with small children and you're working out twice a day.  It's been exhausting! Banana oatmeal for breakfast, stuffed pepper for lunch, and a mixed green salad with veggies and grilled chicken for dinner. 

DAY 6: Dirty 30 and Pilates Fix
Rearranged the work out schedule just a tiny bit in an effort to make up for last night.  This morning I did Upper Fix and this evening I did Pilates Fix.

Eating goes a little something like this... this morning my breakfast was my protein shake because I had just finished my work out, along with a banana.  Lunch was a cauliflower crust pizza with turkey bacon on top, and dinner went a little something like this..... Cheeseburger and sweet potato fries! Say what!? Ya'll it was date night!  I don't think I need to pull out my soap box and preach about treats and moderation, but treats are totally fine once in a while and date nights are incredibly rare for us.

DAY 7: Yoga Fix
... My schedule was a bit derailed trying to make up the miss from the other day, and then after much of the day got away from me and I had a killer headache tonight, I had to modify a little.  So tonight I did "Dirty 30" and "10 Minute Abs."

Food wise, I was right back on track after our little treat last night.  Woke up and made the 21 Day Fix approved pancakes from the recipe I shared in Week 2, for lunch I had 1 slice of cheese pizza and for dinner I had 2 scrambled eggs, turkey bacon and a piece of ezekial bread toasted with a smear of Earth Balance coconut peanut butter. 

And now that the 21 days are over... here's a breakdown of my weight loss with photos from JUST the past 21 days!  Though you can see my one year transformation in this post here.

Before:

Chest- 34 1/2 inches

Biceps- 12 1/4 inches

Waist- 32 inches

Hips- 41 inches

Thighs- 25 3/4 inches

Weight- 165.5 pounds

After:

Chest- 34 1/2 inches

Biceps- 12 1/4 inches

Waist- 29 3/4 inches

Hips- 39 inches

Thighs- 24 3/4 inches

Weight- 157 pounds

That's a total loss of 8.5 pounds!  Down 2 inches in my hips, down 2 1/4 inches on my waist and down 1 inch on my thighs!!  I'm ecstatic, I honestly can't remember the last time my weight was in the 150's!!