F is for Family

Family, home, travel, life

Fitness & Fun Fridays: How to Stick to a Fitness Plan

It’s almost February…FEBRUARY! The first month of 2016 has whizzed by in a blink. Now is the time to look at those resolutions and assess the situation. Are you still on track? Have you fallen off the bandwagon? How can you get re-motivated? If you have completely fallen off track and need to get back on the wagon, these are my tips for getting back into high gear.

 

1)    What are your obstacles? The hardest part of making a big life change is keeping up the motivation. January is the big month to “start new things”, it’s also the peak of cold and flu season and the kick off to new work projects, the weather is dreary and cold. If you think about it, it’s a huge recipe for nope-I-will-stay-lazy! You may have started out with a bang and already fizzled. Identify all the things in your way. The only way to solve for those issues is to acknowledge they exist.


2)    Bust out that new planner! It was so fun filling in those first few dates in January. The planner was all sparkly and new. If you were like me, you carried that thing with everyday those first few weeks. It’s now probably collecting dust in your office or the back of your car. Go find it! Mark on the calendar your fitness plan and your meal plan. Schedule your health like you do important appointments. This is just as important. Planners aren’t your thing? Put it on your work calendar. Write it in code with outlook reminders. Don’t let “time” get the best of you. A 30 minute workout, which is all that a program like, 21 Day Fix calls for daily is 2% of your day. Find a program that works for you. You spend more time checkingSocial Media trust me.

3)    Make it fun! Do you kind of dread going to gym or are you dripping with kiddos and can’t seem to find the “time”? Make it a game. Take your kids bikes out, take the dog out for a walk or start out solo and turn it into interval training. Use an app that times intervals or a playlist that you love and make a goal to jog for half a song, walk half a song or do lunges from one mailbox to the next. If you have kids, they will love it and they may be begging you to for a “workout walk”. Don’t underestimate the impact new inspiration can have on you! I’ve personally been stalkingJill Conyers health and fitness blog and love all her tips and recipes.

4)    Make it convenient. Hi pot, I’m kettle! This is me, writing myself advice. I love sleep. I hate cold. These are two amazing January excuses for me to hit the snooze button. And boy have I taken full advantage of this in the last two weeks. It’s a good thing I live in Florida or I may be in full on hibernation mode by this point. This is what is on my list of things to incorporate into my routine to get me motivated. Layout everything the night before. Get your water bottle together, clothes and even your gym bag set and ready to go. Take away as much excuse as you can. If you workout at home, like me, set up your weight, towel and everything so that all you have to do is get dressed and hit play. Shoot, go to bed in your workout gear…we won’t judge!


5)    Don’t give up and don’t judge yourself. So, you blew the last week. You didn’t work out; you ate 3 days worth of cheat meals, whatever it is, give yourself a break. Making a huge change is tough and taking a few steps back is part of the process. Don’t look at it as a failure or that you have to start from scratch. You just have worry about today, yesterday already happened. Get back into the swing and move forward.

I’m on round, I’ve lost count, with 21 Day Fix and I still have to keep working at staying on track. If I slack on workouts, I tighten up my diet. I can honestly say the program has taught me to maintain and I haven’t put on any weight even though I haven’t followed everything perfectly this past month. I have goals I’d still like to reach and I’m trying to keep in mind that this is a journey and a personal one. I’m “training” to feel better about myself, not to win an Olympic medal so, perfection isn’t needed but determination is.

 

If you want more info on joining my next 21 Day Fix accountability group, email me! I love adding new challengers to keep me motivated. If you have tips that keep you moving, let me know I love getting new fitness inspiration!

 

Fitness and Fun Friday

My life is not singular, it’s just not. I’m a Mom and a Wife and a business woman. I love to write and I love to be healthy. I also spend a lot of time thinking about what’s best for my kids to learn and grow. Over the years, I’ve kept my blog running while working full time and being a Mom/Wife. A few months ago I started selling Discovery Toys and I started a fitness journey that was inspired by a friend who was a BeachBody Coach. It worked and I was hooked. So now, I’m a BeachBody Coach as well!
I’ve had some people say I’m crazy or say “you do both?” and my response is heck yeah! They really aren’t that different. My time is limited and the reason that BeachBody, specifically 21 Day Fix has worked so well for me is because it’s only 30 minutes of exercise a day. It keeps me active and moving and I’m learning to make this a habit. I’m learning to make taking care of myself a habit. I’m teaching my kids that taking care of yourself is important.
Discovery Toys is about fun and play and learning. This is something that is missing in the early education space these days and for me, I spend a lot of time thinking about how to blend it into our very busy lives. It’s so easy to turn on the TV or hand over a device. Trust me, I do it…more often than I’d like! But I try to remember to not let that become my habit.
Fridays around here will be about Fitness or Fun because, well because it’s important for everyone. This will be a series that runs through the end of February that will off fitness tips for busy families, women, men, anyone and sometimes it will be about how to include more fun in the little bit of downtime you may have.
The first week in February, I will be giving away a Happy Planner. I received one recently in a Bloggers Get Social giveaway and I’ve fallen in love. So, I’m paying it forward! 
Since it’s January, let’s start with fitness! I’ll give you the run down on my fitness journey. I started my journey back in July of last year. I originally went to a gym for a bit, I tried killing it with hour long workouts 4-5 days a week and tracked everything I ate on My Fitness Pal. Results, nothing. So, I worked out with a personal trainer for a month, 3 days a week and went to the gym on my own 2 days a week and I lost a grand total of 1 pound! Can we say annoying?

I had already talk to Coach Lindsey who has guest blogged for me in the past and she shared her amazing results. I figured it was time to jump on board. 

I finally commited to the whole 21 Day Fix and Shakeology program and saw great results in round 1 by losing 7 pounds in 21 days! I felt great and went on to complete another round and lost 3 more pounds before I became a coach myself. 

What do I love about it? It’s easy to follow, cut and dry and it doesn’t take much time away from family. The workouts are only 30 minutes a day and sometimes I get them done with my kids cheering me on. It’s a win-win. 

But it’s so expensive! Ok, true, it’s on the pricier side but I needed to have some skin in the game to stay dedicated. Having that money on the line guaranteed I stuck with it for the full 21 days. And it gives me one less meal that I have to think about. I drink the shake and I know it’s “21 day approved”, I know it’s healthy, it has vitamins and it tastes good. 

What’s the catch? It’s not magic. You get out what you put into it. It’s a learning experience on how to eat clean and really learn to fuel your body. You have to do the workouts. It’s not a magic pill, it’s about creating a healthy habit. 

How do I start? Find a coach!!! Of course, I’m always up for grabs but seriously, find someone you trust and someone who inspires you. They are there to cheer you on to the finish line and help answer your questions. 

Over the next few weeks, I’ll give tips on incoorperating fitness into your life and how I overcome bumps in the road and hopefully it will help you reach your fitness goals for 2016! 


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Fitness Friday: Transformation

Happy Friday, y’all!  As promised, I plan to share my transformation pictures with you all.  I started off the 21 day fix as a size 10/12.  I completed two round of the fix with one week off in between where I ate clean but just larger quantity.  At the end of those 42 days, I lost 14 lens and over 16 inches.  I fit in a 6/8 for the first time since I was in high school!  This new way of life is not a diet.  It is not a quick fix.  It is a new way to look at food and appreciate your body.  Yes, I still have moments of weakness (cough cough Jimmy Buffett concert last weekend) but overall, I like a 90-10 lifestyle.  90% of the time I follow my plan and the other 10% I am human. 
Sharing these to Facebook was one of the hardest things I have done so far as a coach.  But ya know what?  I showed people how real I am….not just “Facebook pretty” as my husband and I joke (who would really put a bad picture of these selves on fb?!).  I was hoping I would inspire one, maybe two people!  And that is why I became a coach…to help people and inspire them to be what they are capable of being.  BEST. JOB. EVER. (besides being a mommy). So here you go, my February- March 2015 transformation.  
I also completed a three day refresh, otherwise known as a cleanse.  Except, wait for it…..YOU CAN EAT!  Well, kind of.  It has a very strict schedule of drinking water (a gallon a day), your shakeology, two other protein shakes, two fruit servings (at specified times and small amount), three veggie servings (same as fruit) and two healthy fats.  We also did a daily fiber sweep.  Not gonna lie, it was intense.  But it is there to help get your body back on track, cleanse your pallot and pamper your insides.  I honestly felt so refreshed after doing it and it has made me appreciate food even more than I did before.  During those three days, I lost 5.6 lbs and 4 inches.  Now it’s time to maintain!  Yay!!

Fitness Friday: Transformation

Happy Friday, y’all!  As promised, I plan to share my transformation pictures with you all.  I started off the 21 day fix as a size 10/12.  I completed two round of the fix with one week off in between where I ate clean but just larger quantity.  At the end of those 42 days, I lost 14 lens and over 16 inches.  I fit in a 6/8 for the first time since I was in high school!  This new way of life is not a diet.  It is not a quick fix.  It is a new way to look at food and appreciate your body.  Yes, I still have moments of weakness (cough cough Jimmy Buffett concert last weekend) but overall, I like a 90-10 lifestyle.  90% of the time I follow my plan and the other 10% I am human. 
Sharing these to Facebook was one of the hardest things I have done so far as a coach.  But ya know what?  I showed people how real I am….not just “Facebook pretty” as my husband and I joke (who would really put a bad picture of these selves on fb?!).  I was hoping I would inspire one, maybe two people!  And that is why I became a coach…to help people and inspire them to be what they are capable of being.  BEST. JOB. EVER. (besides being a mommy). So here you go, my February- March 2015 transformation.  
I also completed a three day refresh, otherwise known as a cleanse.  Except, wait for it…..YOU CAN EAT!  Well, kind of.  It has a very strict schedule of drinking water (a gallon a day), your shakeology, two other protein shakes, two fruit servings (at specified times and small amount), three veggie servings (same as fruit) and two healthy fats.  We also did a daily fiber sweep.  Not gonna lie, it was intense.  But it is there to help get your body back on track, cleanse your pallot and pamper your insides.  I honestly felt so refreshed after doing it and it has made me appreciate food even more than I did before.  During those three days, I lost 5.6 lbs and 4 inches.  Now it’s time to maintain!  Yay!!

Fitness Friday: Nutrition

Hi, welcome back to Fitness Friday with Coach Lindsey!  Today I want to share some eating tips, along with a new favorite recipe!  When I started my journey with the 21 day fix, I thought I knew what healthy foods were.  Stay away from fried foods, white carbs and sugar and I should be ok, right?  Well, that is true but portion control and consuming as much whole food as possible is more important that what to ignore. 

·         Try to consume at least 4 servings of veggies a day.  I add a handful of spinach to my shakeology everyday and chopped mushrooms and peppers to my eggs in the morning. 

·         Another important food group to consume is protein.  I aim to eat 4 servings of protein everyday!  As long as it is lean and low in sodium, it is a good source! 

·         For my fruits, I eat two cups a day and it varies between mixed berries and a half an apple (that I add my natural nut butter to). 

·         I enjoy my one small serving of healthy fat each day such as avocado or hummus as well as my two small servings of brown carbs/starches (brown rice, sweet potato, whole wheat pasta, edamame). 

If you can live 90/10 ration, you are in good shape!  90% of the time, eat whole, non-processed food and the other 10% of the time you can indulge (a tad) on sweets and treat, like a glass of red wine.  Below is one of my favorite new recipes I have made!

Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps

1 lb of lean ground turkey breast

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp pink Himalayan salt

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp oregano

½ small onion, chopped in small squares

2 bell peppers, chopped in small squares (I prefer red and yellow)

¾ cup water

4 oz can of low sodium tomato sauce

8 large romaine lettuce leaves, washed

*optional

1/3 cup of shredded cheese

0% greek yogurt as sour cream substitute

 

Directions:

Brown turkey in large skillet on medium heat (if it sticks, add a tsp of olive oil). In a bowl on the side, mix the dry seasonings together.  Be sure to chop your peppers and onion while this is cooking.  Once the turkey is no longer pink, add dry seasoning and mix well. Add the oinion, peppers, water and sauce at this point and stir.  Turn heat down to a simmer and cover with a lid for 20 minutes.  Wash and dry the lettuce leaves.  Once the meat mixture is finished, put one scoop in each leaf and top with shredded cheese, greek yogurt and hot sauce.  ENJOY!

 

Next Week:  Look forward to my transformation pics and news on my three day cleanse that is happening on Monday!

 

Fitness Friday: Nutrition

Hi, welcome back to Fitness Friday with Coach Lindsey!  Today I want to share some eating tips, along with a new favorite recipe!  When I started my journey with the 21 day fix, I thought I knew what healthy foods were.  Stay away from fried foods, white carbs and sugar and I should be ok, right?  Well, that is true but portion control and consuming as much whole food as possible is more important that what to ignore. 

·         Try to consume at least 4 servings of veggies a day.  I add a handful of spinach to my shakeology everyday and chopped mushrooms and peppers to my eggs in the morning. 

·         Another important food group to consume is protein.  I aim to eat 4 servings of protein everyday!  As long as it is lean and low in sodium, it is a good source! 

·         For my fruits, I eat two cups a day and it varies between mixed berries and a half an apple (that I add my natural nut butter to). 

·         I enjoy my one small serving of healthy fat each day such as avocado or hummus as well as my two small servings of brown carbs/starches (brown rice, sweet potato, whole wheat pasta, edamame). 

If you can live 90/10 ration, you are in good shape!  90% of the time, eat whole, non-processed food and the other 10% of the time you can indulge (a tad) on sweets and treat, like a glass of red wine.  Below is one of my favorite new recipes I have made!

Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps

1 lb of lean ground turkey breast

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp pink Himalayan salt

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp oregano

½ small onion, chopped in small squares

2 bell peppers, chopped in small squares (I prefer red and yellow)

¾ cup water

4 oz can of low sodium tomato sauce

8 large romaine lettuce leaves, washed

*optional

1/3 cup of shredded cheese

0% greek yogurt as sour cream substitute

 

Directions:

Brown turkey in large skillet on medium heat (if it sticks, add a tsp of olive oil). In a bowl on the side, mix the dry seasonings together.  Be sure to chop your peppers and onion while this is cooking.  Once the turkey is no longer pink, add dry seasoning and mix well. Add the oinion, peppers, water and sauce at this point and stir.  Turn heat down to a simmer and cover with a lid for 20 minutes.  Wash and dry the lettuce leaves.  Once the meat mixture is finished, put one scoop in each leaf and top with shredded cheese, greek yogurt and hot sauce.  ENJOY!

 

Next Week:  Look forward to my transformation pics and news on my three day cleanse that is happening on Monday!

 

Fitness Friday: Getting Started on Fitness

Hi, welcome to Fitness Friday with Lindsey!  Are you like the old Lindsey that went to the gym constantly and did cardio for an hour at a time?  And then you leave and indulge in a ton of food because “you just worked out”?  I had it allllll wrong!  I always assumed that cardio was the only thing I really needed because it would help me burn the calories I would later consume.  After completing the 21 day fix, I now realize that “Abs are made in the kitchen”.  You must consume healthy, non-processed food to give you the energy you need  to rock it in the gym.  You can’t just eat whatever you want and still lose weight because you go to the gym.

If you are looking to start a work out program, find one that incorporates strength training with weights as well as cardio days.  And please don’t forget about a day of yoga for active recovery.  Treat your body as a temple of worship and do not sell yourself short.  A few of my favorite at home exercises:

1 min of Burpees
15 second recovery
1 min of planks
15 second recovery
1 min of squats with knee lift (alternate)
15 seconds of recovery
1 min of tricep dips
15 seconds of recovery
1 min of frog crunches
15 seconds recovery
15 push-ups (yes that is me pictured below actually doing REAL push-ups!)

Another big thing that can help you on your journey to getting healthy is to set goals.  You need to make them realistic, write them down, put them where you can see them and then reward yourself once you reach them!  All of these steps are important!  And while you are at it, change how you talk to yourself.  A lot of people, mostly woman I know, say some awful things about themselves.  I challenge you to write down a positive affirmation on a post-it note and place it on your bathroom mirror.  Make it to where you see it everyday!  Hopefully you will start to believe it and in turn, your goals will seem more reachable!

Great quote! Original Pin https://www.pinterest.com/pin/285063851390280039/

Remember to reach out to me via email if you want more personalized help with achieving your fitness and nutritional goals: Lacarter1982@gmail.com.

Stay tuned: next week I will post my favorite clean recipes to cook in the kitchen

Fitness Friday: Getting Started on Fitness

Hi, welcome to Fitness Friday with Lindsey!  Are you like the old Lindsey that went to the gym constantly and did cardio for an hour at a time?  And then you leave and indulge in a ton of food because “you just worked out”?  I had it allllll wrong!  I always assumed that cardio was the only thing I really needed because it would help me burn the calories I would later consume.  After completing the 21 day fix, I now realize that “Abs are made in the kitchen”.  You must consume healthy, non-processed food to give you the energy you need  to rock it in the gym.  You can’t just eat whatever you want and still lose weight because you go to the gym.

If you are looking to start a work out program, find one that incorporates strength training with weights as well as cardio days.  And please don’t forget about a day of yoga for active recovery.  Treat your body as a temple of worship and do not sell yourself short.  A few of my favorite at home exercises:

1 min of Burpees
15 second recovery
1 min of planks
15 second recovery
1 min of squats with knee lift (alternate)
15 seconds of recovery
1 min of tricep dips
15 seconds of recovery
1 min of frog crunches
15 seconds recovery
15 push-ups (yes that is me pictured below actually doing REAL push-ups!)

Another big thing that can help you on your journey to getting healthy is to set goals.  You need to make them realistic, write them down, put them where you can see them and then reward yourself once you reach them!  All of these steps are important!  And while you are at it, change how you talk to yourself.  A lot of people, mostly woman I know, say some awful things about themselves.  I challenge you to write down a positive affirmation on a post-it note and place it on your bathroom mirror.  Make it to where you see it everyday!  Hopefully you will start to believe it and in turn, your goals will seem more reachable!

Great quote! Original Pin https://www.pinterest.com/pin/285063851390280039/

Remember to reach out to me via email if you want more personalized help with achieving your fitness and nutritional goals: Lacarter1982@gmail.com.

Stay tuned: next week I will post my favorite clean recipes to cook in the kitchen

Fitness Friday

I’m so excited to introduce you to a contributing writer that will be joining the blog for the next 90 days. I’ve been trying to get back into a fitness routine but keeping up motivation with work and kids and the constant battle of kids getting sick and then, getting me sick it’s hard to get momentum. I reached out to Lindsey who is going through her own transformation and asked her to share her story! I’m asking her to share her story and to also give us tips on how she stays motivate along the way. 



Hi, Coach Lindsey here!  I am beyond excited to share my journey with you all over the next 90 days on Fitness Friday!  In the recent months, I have lost 26 lbs and 16.75 inches, found a TON of energy and began anew life.  I think back to the old me and cannot believe it took this long to “figure it out”.
Back in high school, I was an elite athlete on the volleyball team.  I trained year round and was in fantastic shape.  I went to college to play volleyball and realized that I was burnt out from constant playing…so I QUIT.  It was the first time in my life that I made an irrational decision and didn’t care what the outcome would be.  From that moment on, I was somewhat overweight.  I will never forget coming home from college one weekend and my mom said, “Honey, you need to lose weight.”  She was right, I really did!  I started weight watchers and liked it because I could still eat unhealthy food sometimes but in moderation.  My weight yo-yo’ed and I just dealt with it by wearing flattering clothes and acting as confident as possible.  I met my sweet husband at the end of college and continued on my “lose ten lbs one month, gain ten the next month because I am in a relationship” diet.  
Fast forward 5 years later and here I am, married with two sweet children.  I had continued working out and attempting different plans over the years, including paleo which worked for a month but didn’t seem like a true fit for me.  It wasn’t until recently when I watched one of my close friends transform from a size 10 to a size 6 in two months…and was being HEALTHY the entire time.  No magic pill, no starvation.  Was it true?  Could there be a lifestyle change that would ACTUALLY work?  This is when I begged my husband and finally was gifted The 21 Day Fix for my birthday.  This lifestyle change is mostly clean eating, portion controlled containers, one nutrient dense meal replacement shake a day and only 30 minute workouts every day of the week.  And the icing on the cake?  You get placed in an online accountability group with other men and woman that are going through the SAME journey!  We shared laughs, struggles, recipes…it was seriously, life changing.  I have to admit, one of my favorite aspects about this plan is that I can still be ME and have a glass of wine on the weekends or a whole wheat waffle for breakfast.  I could go out to a nice restaurant and have a steak, salad and sweet potato and still be on task.  
I am starting round three of this FIX next week and couldn’t be more excited for what lies ahead.  If you need a push or shoulder to lean on, I am your girl!  We can take this journey together!  Email me at Lacarter1982@gmail.com for more information on my transformation and the 21 day fix.
Coming next week: exercise tips and how to reach your goals!

Coach Lindsey

Fitness Friday

I’m so excited to introduce you to a contributing writer that will be joining the blog for the next 90 days. I’ve been trying to get back into a fitness routine but keeping up motivation with work and kids and the constant battle of kids getting sick and then, getting me sick it’s hard to get momentum. I reached out to Lindsey who is going through her own transformation and asked her to share her story! I’m asking her to share her story and to also give us tips on how she stays motivate along the way. 



Hi, Coach Lindsey here!  I am beyond excited to share my journey with you all over the next 90 days on Fitness Friday!  In the recent months, I have lost 26 lbs and 16.75 inches, found a TON of energy and began anew life.  I think back to the old me and cannot believe it took this long to “figure it out”.
Back in high school, I was an elite athlete on the volleyball team.  I trained year round and was in fantastic shape.  I went to college to play volleyball and realized that I was burnt out from constant playing…so I QUIT.  It was the first time in my life that I made an irrational decision and didn’t care what the outcome would be.  From that moment on, I was somewhat overweight.  I will never forget coming home from college one weekend and my mom said, “Honey, you need to lose weight.”  She was right, I really did!  I started weight watchers and liked it because I could still eat unhealthy food sometimes but in moderation.  My weight yo-yo’ed and I just dealt with it by wearing flattering clothes and acting as confident as possible.  I met my sweet husband at the end of college and continued on my “lose ten lbs one month, gain ten the next month because I am in a relationship” diet.  
Fast forward 5 years later and here I am, married with two sweet children.  I had continued working out and attempting different plans over the years, including paleo which worked for a month but didn’t seem like a true fit for me.  It wasn’t until recently when I watched one of my close friends transform from a size 10 to a size 6 in two months…and was being HEALTHY the entire time.  No magic pill, no starvation.  Was it true?  Could there be a lifestyle change that would ACTUALLY work?  This is when I begged my husband and finally was gifted The 21 Day Fix for my birthday.  This lifestyle change is mostly clean eating, portion controlled containers, one nutrient dense meal replacement shake a day and only 30 minute workouts every day of the week.  And the icing on the cake?  You get placed in an online accountability group with other men and woman that are going through the SAME journey!  We shared laughs, struggles, recipes…it was seriously, life changing.  I have to admit, one of my favorite aspects about this plan is that I can still be ME and have a glass of wine on the weekends or a whole wheat waffle for breakfast.  I could go out to a nice restaurant and have a steak, salad and sweet potato and still be on task.  
I am starting round three of this FIX next week and couldn’t be more excited for what lies ahead.  If you need a push or shoulder to lean on, I am your girl!  We can take this journey together!  Email me at Lacarter1982@gmail.com for more information on my transformation and the 21 day fix.
Coming next week: exercise tips and how to reach your goals!

Coach Lindsey

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