Excellence rather than Perfection.

It is so important to remember that in any area of life we are never going to achieve perfection.

I am NEVER going to be a perfect mom.
I am NEVER going to be perfect at working out.
I am NEVER going to eat perfectly all the time.
I am NEVER going to be a perfect wife.
I am NEVER going to be perfect at my job.

I see so many people striving for perfection and then beat themselves up because they have failed. Well, you will always fail when your goal is perfection.

It is okay to not be perfect or not do something perfectly.

What is the purpose in an unattainable goal? Why wear yourself out in a never-ending search striving for something that is impossible? You are only setting yourself up for failure, heartbreak, and self defeat.

Our goal should be progress, excellence, achievement. Our goal should be self love and personal development. Our goal should be anything but perfect.

I am also not saying that we should not strive for excellence, be lazy, or throw out goals all together. FAR FROM THAT.

We need goal. We need something to strive for. These things can fuel us, keep us on track, and make us the best versions of ourselves we can be.

We NEED more of these things and less of worrying about having the perfect body, being the stepford wife, and the A+ mom everyone dreams of.

How will you be committed to excellence instead of perfection today?

When will YOU start throwing away the idea that perfection is attainable?

Is it time?

What kinds of changes do you need to make in your life today?

Do you have something that you are working toward?

For me, we have a vacation coming up - and a lot of my energy lately is going into THAT. And I know that I would not be able to meet my goals if it wasn't for my challengers in my support groups. We keep each other accountable AND encouraged. We post when we are struggling AND when we have victories. I AM going to accomplish my goals - and I will do so because of my groups.

I have FIVE SPOTS LEFT for my upcoming online fitness support group officially starting on MAY 5TH. If you have any goals before Summer arrives that you need help with - let me know! You do not have to work at it alone! Some of the best people I know now, have been from people I have met in these groups! We build lasting friendships because we are working toward the same things!

Let me know if you are interested in filling one of the last few spots!

Bring on Round 2!

So instead of starting a Second round of 21 Day Fix - I am going to do Round 2 of Focus T25!

I had such great results with it when I first started and I am ready for that again.

I loved everything about that program. It is funny, because at first, my husband and I did the first video "Alpha Cardio" when we first got it - and WOW. We were so sweaty and exhausted at the end of it!!

I took a moment after that first time and so many thoughts came into my mind:

You can't do this.
That was just the first one, imagine how hard the other 11 are.
You should give up.
It is going to take you forever to reach your goals.

Why do we do that to ourselves? Negative self-talk can bring you down FAST and HARD.
But I am SO glad I had the support of my challenge group, because I stuck with it and I completed Alpha and Beta. AND I lost 25 pounds doing so. I loved the energy in the videos, I loved how Shaun T makes you feel like he's in the room pushing you harder if you stop or want to give up. But most of all - I loved that it WORKED.

So because of that I am facing on ROUND 2. I am so excited! I know that I will have a great outcome and I will start to feel stronger every day again.

So who's with me?!

My husband, son, and I are going to California in THIRTY-TWO days and I will be READY! The program is 90 days - and I will finish them again - but I know that even the first 30 are going to be life changing.

I have a support group coming up at the end of this month and I would LOVE for you to be a part of it. We motivate, encourage and help one another through the excited and difficult times of creating healthier lifestyles for ourselves. PLUS the T25 challenge pack is on SALE right now. Contact me if you are interested in joining this group and want to start T25 with me. Let's do this.

Are you ready?

Ten Foods to Boost Your Immune System (with recipes!)

As sickness circles and circles around my house over and over again - I think to myself that I need to do something about this today!

Even though I am regularly washing hands and wiping down doorknobs, we can't seem to fight every sickness that comes our way. SO I thought to myself

"What better way to get better - than putting the BEST kinds of foods in our bodies?!"

So, lucky you.

I found a great list that I wanted to share with you that I know I will put into effect in my house when the "sickness season" flows through again. On top of drinking shakeology, I believe these ten things will be great for helping you (and your little ones) boost your immune systems and fight off those bugs!

PLUS - since I love cooking - I figured I would throw in an added bonus of actually giving you RECIPES for EACH food! Because what good is the list when I know I am not going to walk around eating raw garlic... unless you're into that sort of thing.

BUT for those of you who aren't - here is my list of TEN IMMUNE BOOSTING FOODS (+recipes):

1. OATMEAL: is always a perfect, healthy, easy breakfast but it’s also full of beta-glucan, which has antimicrobial and antioxidant capabilities that are as strong as those found in Echinacea. Eat your oatmeal (or whip up some of my favorite overnight oats) and you will notice wounds healing faster and antibiotics working better.

Oatmeal Recipes

2. TEA: I could go on and on and on about tea. It is the BEST. Especially because it fights viruses and soothes sore throats - but also according to Prevention.com, a Harvard study shows that people who drank 5 cups of black tea for 2 weeks had more of the immune boosting protein interferon in their blood than those who didn’t.

Tea Recipes

3. BRUSSELS SPROUTS: YUM!! These help nourish the thymus gland, which controls much of your immune system function. Eat two servings a day of these beta-carotene rich sprouts for optimal health.

Brussels Sprouts Recipes

4. STRAWBERRIES: are the perfect sweet treat and come packed with vitamin C—a common cold remedy most people turn to when they start feeling sick. Vitamin C battles viruses before you even get sick, it also breaks down stress hormones. 

Strawberry Recipes

5.MUSHROOMS: are my go-to veggies for SO many meals. What is ALSO great is they promote white blood cell production, which helps your body fight off an infection. According to the director of the Institute of Herbal Medicine, people have been using mushrooms as immune boosters for centuries.

Mushroom Recipes

6.CHOCOLATE: Just when you think chocolate couldn't get any better (yeah right). It does. DARK chocolate is one of the best sources of zinc, which will decrease your risk of infection and promote the growth of white blood cells. 

Dark Chocolate Recipes

7. CARROTS: and other yummy orange veggies are members of the beta carotene-rich family. Beta carotene increases the number of infection-fighting cells and it’s a powerful antioxidant that helps eliminates free radicals, according to Ask Dr. Sears. Studies have shown that beta-carotene can also lower the risk of heart disease.

Carrot Recipes

8. CHICKEN SOUP: comes to mind for practically everyone who gets sick. AND there is a reason for it. It helps to reduce inflammation and thin mucus the same way cough medicines do, according to a study from the University of Nebraska. The amino acid cysteine, which is found in chicken broth, is similar to a chemical in an antibiotic that fights bronchitis.

Chicken Soup Recipes

9. YOGURT: is another go-to breakfast meal or snack and it is a natural probiotic, which means it replaces all the good bacteria in your system. According to a recent study, those who fueled their body with probiotics had 33 percent less sick days than those who didn’t

Yogurt Recipes

10. GARLIC: is so good when added to many meals. Plus it contains an ingredient called allicin, which fights infection and bacteria according to Baseline of Health. AND as gross as it sounds (to me) eating these cloves raw has shown to decrease the chances of catching a cold. But if that doesn't appeal:

Garlic Recipes

Which of these TEN are your favorite?? Or what others would you add to the list? What do you SWEAR by when you and your family gets sick?

Garlic It Up. (Immune Booster #10)

GARLIC!
Garlic is so good when added to many meals BUT have you ever had it be the MAIN ingredient? Plus it contains an ingredient called allicin, which fights infection and bacteria according to Baseline of Health. AND as gross as it sounds (to me) eating these cloves raw has shown to decrease the chances of catching a cold.

I am a sucker for soup when I am sick - so here is yet another SOUP recipe! Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 tablespoon coconut oil or EVOO
30 garlic cloves, peeled
6-8 cups chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
nutmeg, as needed
4-5 egg yolks
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
6-8 slices country bread, toasted

Directions:
Melt the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and shake over gentle heat so the garlic cooks without browning. It should just melt in the oil; letting it brown is fatal as the flavor turns bitter.
Add the chicken stock and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grate a tiny bit of nutmeg in, if desired. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, and then force through a sieve or food mill to purée the garlic.
Reheat the soup. Beat the egg yolks and stir in the olive oil. Stir some of the hot soup into the egg yolk mixture to temper them, and then stir it very gently into the soup and heat until warmed through. Do not under any circumstances let the soup come to a boil, or the yolks will curdle. Serve in large soup plates, ladling the soup over pieces of crisp toast, one to a plate.

Simple Yogurts (Immune Booster #9)

Yogurt is another go-to breakfast meal or snack and it is a natural probiotic, which means it replaces all the good bacteria in your system. According to a recent study, those who fueled their body with probiotics had 33 percent less sick days than those who didn’t!

Since Yogurt is good plain Here are some simple recipes:

YOGURT, FRUIT & ALMOND PARFAITS

Ingredients
4 ALMOND COOKIE OR MACAROONS, COARSELY CHOPPED (1/2 CUP)
2 CUPS OIKOS® GREEK 0% PLAIN OR VANILLA YOGURT
1 CUP DICED FRESH FRUIT (BERRIES, PEACHES, APRICOTS,)
2 TBSP. SLICED ALMONDS, TOASTED
2 TSP. HONEY

Directions
PLACE 2 TABLESPOON OF CRUSHED COOKIE IN THE BASE OF TWO SUNDAE OR PARFAIT STYLE GLASSES.
LAYER WITH: 1/2 CUP YOGURT, 1/2 CUP FRUIT AND 1 TBSP MORE OF THE COOKIES.
TOP WITH 1/2 CUP YOGURT, REMAINING COOKIES, TOASTED ALMONDS AND A DRIZZLE OF HONEY.

OR here is a yummy sauce recipe you can use with yogurt too:

CREAMY AVOCADO YOGURT DRESSING

Ingredients

1 RIPE HAAS AVOCADO, PITTED AND MASHED

1 CUP OIKOS® GREEK % PLAIN

1 TBSP. LIME OR LEMON JUICE

2 TBSP. MINCED CILANTRO

1/2 TSP. GROUND CUMIN

SALT AND HOT PEPPER SAUCE TO TASTE

Directions

IN A BOWL COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS AND MIX UNTIL BLENDED.

USE AS A DIP, SANDWICH SPREAD OR CONDIMENT FOR GRILLED MEATS OR VEGETABLES.

both from oikos.com

Perfect Oatmeal (Immune Booster #1)

Oatmeal is always a perfect, healthy, easy breakfast but it’s also full of beta-glucan, which has antimicrobial and antioxidant capabilities that are as strong as those found in Echinacea. Eat your oatmeal (or whip up some of my favorite overnight oats) and you will notice wounds healing faster and antibiotics working better.

Other amazing things about oatmeal are: 

Lower Cholesterol Levels

Reduce Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Prevent Heart Failure

Stabilize Blood Sugar

Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk

Protect against Breast Cancer

On top of all of those things, they are delicious!

Plus they are perfect for adding to bread, cookies, muffins, pancakes, cereal, stuffing, and much more!
Also, to make oatmeal even more yummy by itself - try adding a little vanilla, fruit, nuts, or almond milk to your bowl!

One of my favorite oatmeal recipes is:

Baked Berry Oatmeal

Simple and easy to reheat!

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted and chopped*

1/3 cup natural cane sugar or maple syrup (optional)

1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Scant 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

2 cups milk

1 large egg

1.5 tablespoons unsalted butter (or coconut oil), melted and cooled slightly

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 ripe bananas, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups huckleberries, blueberries, or mixed berries*

*Blueberries are my favorite but feel free to use any berries or nuts that you most enjoy! :)

Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the top third of the oven. Spray inside of an 8-inch square baking dish.

In a bowl, mix together the oats, half the walnuts, the sugar, if using, the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, if using, the milk, egg, butter, and the vanilla.

Arrange the bananas in a single layer in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle two-thirds of the berries over the top. Cover the fruit with the oat mixture. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the oats. Gently give the baking dish a couple thwacks on the countertop to make sure the milk moves through the oats. Scatter the remaining berries and remaining walnuts across the top.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is nicely golden and the oat mixture has set. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Sprinkle with a bit more sugar or drizzle with maple syrup if you want it a bit sweeter.

Accountability Check!

Accountability check!

It's always a point of mine to be real. Especially now - and especially with this. It can be really hard to stick to this new lifestyle! It is SO easy to fall behind, miss a few days, and lose track.
Want to know why?

BECAUSE NO ONE IS PERFECT.

All of those fitness models aren't perfect, your heroes and the people you look up to aren't perfect - and I'm sure not either!
and guess what!? YOU won't be either.

I was doing a great job with my first two weeks for 21 DAY Fix. I was on top of things - and then comes the challenges. Life.

Of course, my son and I get the stomach flu for a few days and then I simply fall back into the habit of not wanting to work out. Luckily, I have been doing decent with my nutrition since we got sick so I haven't gained any weight.

And you know what I am going to do next??

I am not going to sit around and mope.
I am not going to beat myself up about it.
I am not going to wish I wouldn't have gotten sick.
I am not going to dwell on this.

I AM going to move forward.
I AM going to finish my last 10 days.
I AM going to evaluate and set new goals.
I AM going to accomplish what I want to.

It is OK to fall behind, get sick, and just not feel like working out or eating right. But what isn't ok is to let it effect you or pull you down. IT HAPPENED. Move on and keep pushing forward.

A busy week - Day 8,9,10,11

These last few days have been great - and I am making a lot of progress..
I have been eating clean and sticking to my workouts - at least once a day. Hubby has still been doing his Upper Fix every day. I missed it yesterday but luckily I was able to get in Dirty 30 and 10 minute abs twice.

Here are this weeks stats. The scale went up, but the inches are going down.
-8 inches so far! NICE!

So funny how I was just talking about how the scale doesn't define progress. I can already see a difference in the progress pictures - and like I said especially the fact that I have already lost a total of 8 inches so far.

So for today's workouts: Upper Fix and Pilates (my fav!)

Clean eating has been spot on today. I was even able to make a yummy homemade pizza - with lots of peppers, mushrooms, and spinach - on whole wheat pizza crust. YUM.

Halfway done. Love it - and feeling great.

Everything you got - Day 5

Day Five is now in the books.

I was SO spot on with my water today - which was good because i didn't quite squeeze all my containers in today. And the water really helped fuel me for my workouts. I did upper fix and cardio fix for today. AND I did them one right after the other. Yikes.
I may not do it that way again. HA!

I usually take my time and do upper in the morning and then when J is down for one of his naps, I will do the other one. Wellllll, I let the day fly by and when J got to his second nap I decided to go for it - because I knew I would not do them - especially not the second one - if I didn't do both NOW.
Then I just got a huge burst of energy. And I was able to push hard through both - but man was I beat at the end of the second one.

Here is a little something I found that I LOVE about 21 Day Fix. Autumn says it in almost every video and it really pushes me - EVERY TIME.

GIVE EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT....

AND THEN JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE.

YES! Isn't this how every aspect in life should be. We always have "a little more" that we can give - especially when we are pushing for something that we want to accomplish. In everything I do - I never try to do something and only do it halfway. I always try to give it EVERYTHING I've got. It doesn't matter where I am or what I am doing. And this is something that I want. I want to be healthy and be able to BE an EXAMPLE for him not just a spokeswoman.

So in this, and in everything, I will give it everything I've got. AND just a little bit more.

All Around Me - Day 4

Everyone around me is getting sick - and I can feel my body trying to fight it off - HARD.

It makes me even more thankful for shakeology and healthy eating.
Today I had a pretty spot on day of clean eating. Oatmeal for breakfast with strawberries, a whole wheat chicken sandwich with walnuts and cranberries for lunch, my strawberry shakeology, and a brown rice and steak bowl.

I have also been drinking a ton of water. Which is another thing that I feel is helping me stay healthy when the rest of my family is sick.

Todays workouts were Pilates Fix and Upper Fix.
I LOVE pilates days.
It refreshes my muscles and gives me the perfect amount of stretch and challenge for the middle of the week.

Water is so important to keep your body strong and healthy so, today, make sure you get the amount you need!

My Amazing "job"

I just got off the phone with my amazing coach  and every time I do, it makes me more and more excited about this business.

How often are you encouraged by your work?
Does it make you feel like you are fulfilling a purpose?
How often are you told how you can improve in a loving and genuine way?
Do you have a team behind you cheering you on 100% of time?
Does your work inspire you to change your own life?
Does it make you happy?
How often can you say you LOVE your job?

I can say ALL of these things - and more. I LOVE my team. They inspire me to succeed. And I have made some amazing friends!
I LOVE that I can get paid for helping other people make changes in their health and happiness.
And I LOVE how hard my OWN team works to make a difference in other's lives too. It gives me so much joy and happiness! :)

If you are interested in learning about this at all - contact me and we can chat right away :) I am adding a few more people to my team this month and I would love to chat with you!

Keep Moving - Day 3

The third day of 21 Day Fix went quite the same as the day before. I had the same eating schedule as well, because I was so happy with how the day went yesterday.

For workouts, I did lower and upper fix.

.

.

.

.

Those were the basics of my day. My little one is getting sick again (along with getting two new teeth) - so things are a little crazy at home. I wasn't feeling the best today either. But guess what?!

Exercise is amazing.

I was tired from waking up at 5am this morning, busy dealing with the baby, and feeling a little under the weather myself. BUT it is amazing what a little 30 minute workout can do for you. Even though it made me a little more tired and my muscles a little more sore (who am I kidding- A LOT more) - I felt great. My body feels refreshed, energized, and STRONG.

I am making progress. Especially because the old me would have said "screw it" and moped on the couch all day instead of choosing to eat healthy and pushing myself to exercise. In a challenge earlier in the week - I wrote three affirmations for myself that I read daily - to combat my excuses I would have made before my life change.

I have the strength to say "yes" to working out and "no" to unhealthy foods.

I love myself and will have POSITIVE self-talk daily.

I WILL NOT GIVE UP.

I Am ALL in: Day 2

Today is Day 2 of the 21 Day Fix.

AMAZING. (the description of how I am feeling, how easy the eating plan is, and description of the workouts.

Have you ever just felt SO pumped after a workout!? That is how I feel after every one. Today was Upper Fix (like always) and then I did the 10 minute ab workout 3 times.

Another thing that is great about 21DF is that i never feel starved. 

Meal 1: Eggs, veggies, fruit, toast

Meal 2: veggies, hummus, hard boiled eggs

Meal 3: turkey burger with cabbage "bun" and jalepenos and mushrooms

Meal 4: toast with natural PB

Meal 5: Shakeology with fruit

On top of that I already lost weight!
I wouldn't normallt weigh myself daily, but I wanted to take a starting pic of the scale (figuring it would be the same as the day before)
But it wasn't.
Yesterday I weighed in at 185.
Today...

A pound is a pound. And after on one day - I am down 1.4 pounds. 

YAY

I am feeling on fire - and nothing is going to stop me from meeting my goals.

Love PiYo!

Here is an extra little post for you all today...

I am just so excited for the new program that Beachbody is coming out with soon. I have always loved PiYo and this one looks amazing!

The best part is that it will give great results - even though it will be low-impact on your body.

So those of you with bad knees, joints, and other body issues - this will be perfect. 

It is a flexibility program that will change your body! Keep a look out for it - and watch this video!

To do that AND to get on an email list to know more about it -

Click Here!

Another New Start - Day One

No one is perfect. I started 21 Day Fix 3 weeks ago - and I have screwed up a lot since then, but this last week I actually did pretty great. After coming off of an amazingly successful weekend, my husband and I decided to have a little challenge just for ourselves for the next 21 Days.

I want to have AMAZING results with 21 Day Fix - so I decided to give myself a little redo before I start the Ultimate Reset.

Today is Day 1.
And so far - so good. But it is Just day one.
However, I will celebrate nonetheless.

So for this challenge. I am going to be doing 21 Day Fix workouts daily, eating 100% clean, and focusing on positive self-talk the whole three weeks. By 100% clean - I mean that I will not be having any cheat meals and all my food will be REAL food - prepped and cooked in clean ways.

I will be focusing on doing the normal daily workouts on the 21DF calendar BUT I will be adding Upper Fix EVERY SINGLE DAY. This is something that my hubby and I want to put our big focus on for the next 21 days. He wants bigger arms and I want lean/strong arms. SO - this will be our focus. For instance, today is normally Total Body Cardio Fix - I will do that AND Upper Fix as well.

I am so excited to see the changes that will happen in the next three weeks. I am even planning on posting accountability pics on this website (food pics, recipes, scale progress - and weekly stats)

Are you ready for a new start for yourself?

Support Groups

After 2 rounds of T25!

Changing my HEALTH.

The picture on the left is where I was a few weeks ago - and I am still working hard this month. Isn't it amazing being able to notice progress. I have never been one to be "I need to get my bikini body ready for summer". Maybe because I have never had an "ideal" bikini body - HAHA - but now I have that motivation but for a different reason. I have always loved myself and my body. It has taken encouragement and strength over the years but I loved it.

After I had my baby - it became more about health and less about "looking hot". I could care less about what I look like in a bikini but I DO care about being healthy and not letting my body get in the way of enjoying things with my son and husband.

Stronger

Progress is progress.

This is something that I tell myself a lot and something that I think everyone needs to tell themselves. 

I am specifically referring to fitness and weight loss but this could be applicable in any area of life. We like to call these "non-scale" victories. At first, I used to struggle a lot with the scale. Stepping on that dreaded thing (daily) to find that the numbers have not moved or have even gone UP after a day (or week, or month) of a lot of work. 

How frustrating is that?! 

But I have learned:

1. Not to step on the scale every day
2. Muscle weighs more than fat AND
3. That the scale doesn't define progress

ANY "non-scale victories" mean progress. Any inches lost means progress. Weight loss is progress too - but progress isn't simply defined by it.

I have lost a lot of weight and inches since I started my journey, but I have also changed my eating habits, cut out certain foods, I am able to do normal push-ups (not many - but anything is better than 0), I can push through a full workout with no breaks, I work out on days I don't want to or don't feel like it, I use heavier weights than when I first started, AND most importantly I have not given up. 

These little victories are what push me through and allow me to keep going when I feel like quitting. Progress IS progress and do not let anyone tell you otherwise - especially not the scale. AND even more - especially not YOU.