Sorry for the Hiatus!!!

I cannot believe it has been so long since I posted! My job has taken over my life right now. Being a mommy of two young boys, working full time, commuting several hours a day doesn't leave much time to blog. In fact, it doesn't leave much time for anything :(

My workouts sort of took a hiatus over Thanksgiving. I posted about going to the chiropractor, but my back has still been bothering me so I took a little rest. Instead of doing PiYo every day, I just did walking and running after my boys while I worked with my chiropractor to get my back feeling better. Thankfully I am not feeling so much better and I am back to my workouts.

Since I took a little time off, I decided to start back at the beginning of the PiYo calendar and I got my sister on board too. I bought her a PiYo Challenge Pack for an early birthday gift. My sister is super motivating to me because since January she has lost 65lbs just doing Weight Watchers and going to the gym. Now we are doing PiYo together! We're in a Challenge Group, but we are also each other's buddy to keep ourselves accountable. No holiday weight gain for us!!!! I am so excited and motivated to get in the best shape of my life in 2015! Who wants to join?

PiYo 30 Day Results!

So let me begin by saying I LOVE PiYo! I love Chalene Johnson because she radiates positivity and energy. I am really enjoying the different workouts and I feel like I am building up my stamina and getting stronger. I can do more pushups and go further down when doing push ups. I can last longer in down dog and can lift my leg higher. I also can balance better.

The workout schedule is working out Monday-Thursday, rest day Friday, and then working out on Saturday and Sunday. I am pretty sure there is not one entire week I have been able to do every workout, mainly because I allow my life to get in the way instead of having the workouts scheduled for when I can definitely get them done. I also have fought back pain during these 30 days. Even though I have fallen off the wagon a few days, I have gotten back on and done my workout the next day. I haven't been great about my nutrition either which is 80% of weight loss. I'm making small changes, but I am a work in progress and have a ways to go. It has been so helpful to be part of Challenge Group to help keep me on track! My coach is AMAZING and checks in with me. I love having the camaraderie of other people who are working out. I know I'm not the only one that has had life interrupt plans, but we have all been supported and motivated to get moving again.

So here are my first 30 days results (of less than perfection):

Down 5 lbs and a total of 14 inches! :)
Chest: -1.5in
R. Arm: -2in
L. Arm: -2in
Waist: -1.5in
Hips: -3in
R. Thigh: -2in
L. Thigh: -2in

I plan on continuing on my journey over the holidays! I'm not waiting until the New Years this year to make a resolution. I'm not planning on gaining weight over the holidays. I'm going to be the best me I can be!!! Who wants to join me on this journey? If you are at all interested in PiYo and Shakeology, Beachbody has an AMAZING deal in November. Let me know if you want more info :)

Chiropractic Success!

Is there anything you have ever waited on so long that when you finally did it you don't remember why you waited so long to take action? Yeah that is me right now!

OMG my back feels better then it has in years! I have to go back twice a week for several weeks but it is totally worth it :) Seriously,  why did I wait so long? Hopefully I'm never going back to that crazy pain. I'm so excited I can now do some of the PiYo moves that were hurting me. I'm trying to take it slow but it's hard when you feel so much better :)

Chiropractor!

Today I made an appointment with a chiropractor! I am beyond excited that on Friday I hopefully may have some relief from severe pain I have had in my tailbone area for 3 years.

I'm almost certain the pain is from Cameron's birth! I decided to get an epidural after the doctor broke my water and my contractions were coming every minute or two. The first epidural went in fine but they had me lie myself back down and it pulled.  I told them that but they said it was just the tape and didn't sit me back up. The epidural didn't work so I labored naturally with extreme back labor and pushed for almost 3 hours. When it was pretty clear the little guy was in the wrong position they decided to do a c section. Went the new anesthesiologist went to put in the spinal she realized my epidural came out. The doctor got the epidural in on the first time,  it was just the way I lied down on my back I pulled it out. Anyway this doctor was AWEFUL! She stuck me 6 yes SIX times to get the spinal in. The sixth time was going to be her last attempt. Luckily it worked but she made me so numb, I couldn't move my legs for over 10 hours.  Needless to say, since then my back has hurt to the point that sitting in chairs and on couches hurt and even doing some of the PiYo exercises hurt.

I've been afraid to find someone randomly but I finally decided I needed to so I could get the most out of my exercise!  I searched and found a lady right down the road who actually went to Virginia Tech first before chiropractic school....Go HOKIES! I like her already ;)

I'll let you know how it goes!

In a Funk!

Do you ever feel like you are in a funk? I hate that feeling because I get discouraged and then don't focus as much on my exercise and my eating. Last week I was in such a funk. I felt like I was coming down with something so I let that be an excuse for missing a couple of workouts and not eating the best I could. I still got my Shakeo in every day, but I wish I had done better. Over the weekend I was able to catch up on some much needed sleep and I felt so much better after that.

I'm back mostly on track this week, but I realize I need to change my routine. Normally I workout in the evening, but there are always other things that come up that push my workout later and later. The boys need food or a bath or a story so if I don't get my workout in right when I get home, my workout sometimes doesn't happen until 10 or 11 which is easy to put off then because I'm tired. I really need to start going to bed early so I can get up early and workout before the boys wake-up. Hopefully a new routine will help me avoid the late night workouts and easy excuses!

On the bright side, I am LOVING PiYo! Seriously, the time flies by. My favorite two workouts are "Sweat" and "Core". Both are more than 30 minutes, but I never feel like I have spent that much time working out. There are still some things I take slower and many things I modify, but even in 3 short weeks I am noticing how much more I can do. If you have to go into child's pose to rest your wrists you can. Chalene Johnson is awesome and such a great motivator. I'm telling you if I can do this workout, anyone can!

           This photo was taken after a "Sweat" day!

If you are at all interested in trying PiYo let me know! PiYo Challenge Packs are on sale this month for a great price and there is also a new PiYo 3 Day Refresh Challenge Pack that is an amazing price. Why not start your routine before the holidays? I'm hoping to have lost 15 pounds by Christmas. Does anyone want to join me on this journey?

3 Years Old!

OI haven't blogged in several days because I was getting my house ready for a birthday party for my new 3 year old. I'm not sure about you, but I always feel there is never enough hours in the day to get things done. Leading up to the party, I got very little sleep. I had to cram in my workout and cleaning into the already busy night routine of putting to bed two sweet little boys.

Working full time, commuting 2-3 hours a day, and being a mommy and wife is exhausting. Add on trying to cook a somewhat healthy meal and you sometimes have a recipe for disaster. Some of my coworkers will say to me, "I'm busy but I guess I can't complain because I'm not as busy as you" and I think that is so wrong. We all are busy with life! Just because I have different responsibilities doesn't make yours any less. Let's learn to balance our lives together :)

My goal right now is to get my workouts in and make healthier meal choices. My first change was to begin Shakeology! I decided to try the Vegan Chocolate. I was a little afraid I wouldn't like it but it is DELICIOUS :) Chocolate, peanut butter, banana...nom nom nom! I normally do it in the morning when I'm rushing around to get my boys to daycare but of course this morning I was rushing so much I forgot. I guess it will have to be my dessert tonight.

I'm telling you, Shakeology is the best meal of the day! It's so healthy and I know I'm getting at least one super healthy meal in. The rest is a work in progress and that is ok! 

PiYo

"Mommy, this is hard you know" are the words that came out of my almost 3 year old's little mouth on the first day I did PiYo (of course he got his little nap mat out and wanted to exercise with Mommy). And he is right, it is hard! It's hard because I am so out of shape. Even with the modifiers, I'm still finding myself not being able to do everything, which is quite frankly EMBARRASSING.
So why am I writing that? Because if it is hard for me, I know it has to be hard for others. I honestly had to contact my coach for encouragement! I needed someone on my team saying "you're doing great" "keeping going" "it will get easier"!

That is what I LOVE LOVE LOVE about Beachbody! I have a coach for FREE that I can lean on when I need support. She is there to encourage me, to lift me up, to give me tips, and to help me quash my self doubt. I need that! I need the support and accountability. As a counselor by profession, I realize how much more we can accomplish when we have someone in our corner. To know there is someone there to reach out to if/when I need help has already been a lifesaver. My husband and my family are an amazing support, but it's nice to have someone else as well.

Clearly I am just starting my journey to fitness and health, but I know with support and encouragement we can all reach our goals! Would you like to join me on this journey? I'm here to support YOU!

The Beginning.....my story

Today is the beginning of the rest of my life! I have decided enough is enough and it is time to make a change. Throughout my life I have gone from fad diets to purchasing crazy pieces of exercise equipment and everything in between. The one problem with every thing I have tried is I lose motivation. Well I'm here to say NO MORE! I am 30 and it is time to make a change!!! You are going to help keep me accountable ;)

I've been spiraling down for some time. I have always been overweight/obese for as long as I can remember. In high school it's no fun being the fat kid, but I had great friends and I didn't let it get me down. In college, I put on a little bit of weight but it wasn't too bad. My roommate and I did the South Beach diet for awhile and I lost 20lbs. I was able to stick with it for as long as I did, because I had an accountability partner. After I graduated from college, I got engaged and moved in with my fiancee in the city. Well that's when things went from bad to worse. I worked full time, started a part time master's degree, and let the stress eat me alive. We rarely cooked dinner at home and I almost never exercised. I bought an elliptical and it turned into a hanger :( I probably put on 50 lbs through our first 3 years of living together. Then I maintained and didn't lose. To be honest, I wasn't really motivated. My husband loved me for me and I had no health problems that would motivate me. Sure my doctor always said something, but it didn't really phase me.

After 2 years of marriage we bought a house. We moved to Southern Maryland where we could afford a single family home. But with the affordability of the home also comes the commute. My husband and I would commute together which was a nice time for us to be able to connect and talk about everything going on, but it meant we were gone from our house about 11 hours or more a day. We got a puppy because my husband had always wanted a Corgi, but with that came the rambunctiousness of well a puppy. So we hired a dog walker, and when he was still too much for us to handle we adopted another doggy from the shelter. Of course next logical step is kids. So we started trying. After 3 months of nothing, I finally decided to start Weight Watchers. I figured if I wasn't getting pregnant then it was time to lose some of this weight I had put on through the years. I lost 15 lbs and bam I got that positive pregnancy test. Well, you are not allowed to do Weight Watchers when pregnant so I had to stop. And of course I took it to heart you can eat anything you want so I did. I put on about 25lbs with my first son, but I lost it right after he was born. I was doing ok for awhile then the weight started to creep back on. I decided to try Weight Watchers again, but this time I wasn't as motivated. It was hard to get to meetings when I had a baby at home, dogs, and I was commuting 2+ hours a day. So eventually I gave up. When we decided to start trying again, I knew I had to be better with eating. So we started eating more vegetables and fruits and cooking more lean meats at home. Through my second pregnancy I did not gain any weight! I couldn't believe it. A week after giving birth to my second son, I weighed 20 lbs less then I did when I got pregnant with him. CRAZY!

Well of course, I haven't been eating as healthy as I should, I definitely haven't been exercising, and I am lacking sleep. I know the sleep thing may not be able to change much as I have a 6 month old, but the other two certainly can use some improvement. I've been self loathing for awhile and I knew I needed to make a change so I started looking for something to help motivate me. Luckily I saw one of my old high school classmate's, Nikki Johnson, posting about the difference Beachbody has made in her life. So I decided to hear her out and now here I stand on my journey as to fitness, health, and becoming a better me.