New Month

when a new month starts to do you think it is the start of a new you?  many people think that monday is the day to start their new workout and eating plan.  some (like me) like to switch things up every month or so.  i tend to do a lot of things on the 1st of each month; pay rent, pay for the kids dojo, deep clean the house, redo the kids chore chart, look over the homeschooling agenda for the month and reevaluate my eating habits and/or my workout plan.  since i've started using W.O.W.Y. SuperGym i don't really change up my workouts but every 3months or so because they keep it SO interesting!  i'm now doing P90x and have been for almost a month.  i am starting to see changes in my body.  i'm starting to get my pecs back which is *sing-song* AWESOME!!!!

well, then, since my workouts are taken care of for me i guess it's time to double check my eating plans right?  that's what i did over the last week while hubby was home.  life is hectic right now (but wouldn't it be boring if it weren't) between my college courses, homeschooling the kids, sports for the kids and trying to find family/me/date time every day.  some days there just doesn't seem to be time to cook so we have been going out to eat a LOT.  even though we were i was choosing healthy options for us all.  for example: yesterday the kids and i went to Red Robin *yummmmm* and here is what we all ordered...........C (11.5) ordered a turkey burger w/cheese in a lettuce wrap and a side of broccoli; MK (9) ordered a grilled cheese on wheat w/side salad and blue cheese on the side; i had the tavern burger w/bacon, took off half the bun (gave it to BabyL lol), and only ate half the burger and less than half the fries.  we all had water to drink too.  that's all very good healthy options for dinning out :-)  and, no there was NO prompting from me with the kids meals that's just how we eat.  well in an effort to save money and to really get back on track i did some research and found a lot of healthy crock-pot, easy do the night before and quick meals for our menu.  some of my class work is early in the morning and if you miss breakfast it seems to throw the WHOLE day off ya know?  with my list in hand we headed off the island and went to Costco, Target and Trader Joe's with a mission!  i was bound and determined to find all the things on my list to make my life, our meals and days easier and healthier!  i accomplished it too and within budget!  i found beans, raw almonds, pistachios, tons of great veggies (even baby cucumbers that BabyL and i just adore), greek yogurts, bacon and OH SO MUCH MORE!!  i still need to go and grab a few things today to finish out the next few weeks but i'm really proud of myself for doing this.  since C is trying to do P90X with me (well the cardio and plyo stuff) and MK likes to do yoga i need to really make sure they are getting the food to fuel their growing bodies for sure.  BabyL is starting to eat more and more food now (he still nurses 3-5 times a day) and i was not happy when i realized all he wanted was breads, beans and cereal the last few weeks.  nutrition is MY thing and i want to make sure i pass along the right ideas to my children.  now to see if we stick to the menu hahahaha

do you make a menu or schedule out your meals each week?  have you found a website or app that makes it a bit easier for you?  do you feel as lost as i do when you don't have a menu for the week?  do you feel having it all planned out helps you succeed with your fitness and nutrition goals?  i would LOVE to hear what y'all have been doing!

hope y'all have a SPECTACULAR SUNDAY and (if you're a football fan) your team brings home a big win today too!!

Fun Friday

around our house we celebrate Fun Friday each week.  during the school year it's a little more exciting.  see, we homeschool so Fun Friday means that we will do our tests for the week and then it's fun time!!  we will play board games, watch movies, go on hikes or anything else the kid with the highest test score chooses.  it's a GREAT way to kick off the weekend and lead us into family day on saturday.  i like to challenge everyone of you to try something fun and new this awesome Fun Friday!  make it something that motivates you to get fit and/or eat healthy!

here are some ideas:

• go on a hike
• jump rope
• flash light tag
• find new cookbook to try out 
• go to the beach
• Zumba
• go on a nature walk
• swing
• play hopscotch 
• go to a museum and learn something new

the possibilities are endless!!  today the kids and i will be going on a bike ride (it's our new family obsession) and then the hubby and i will be going to a work function where we get to get all dressed up and go dancing after dinner!  fun times in our house today!!

have a FANTASTIC FRIDAY y'all!!

Thirsty Thursday

hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!  water, water, water!  i say this so often to people (including my own family) more often than i'd like.  water is so important to our bodies and keeping our over all health up.  i really believe that water is the most important food group :-)

last night i was reading through my Anatomy book and it was discussing the importance of water to our cells and it got me thinking.................how many people really don't understand how critical water is to their bodies?  so that's what we are going to talk about this morning!

did you know:

• your brain is composed of 95% water
• your blood is 82% water
• your lungs are nearly 90% water
• a 2% drop in body water can cause a (small) critical shrinkage of the brain

read that last fact again.................i'll give you a second.............that's right boys and girls  not drinking enough water can shrink your brain!!  WHAT?!?!?!  yes mild dehydration can cause fatigue and that cloudy mind you may sometimes get.  many people get an afternoon slump; where they feel run down, sleep and just not with it.  some grab an energy drink.  some go for a cup of coffee, and others (the smart ones) go for water.  when my kids complain of no energy in the afternoon i tell them to go drink a big glass of water and almost instantly they are their old self again!  why am i making such a big deal about this?  well, it's estimated that 75% of Americans have mild, chronic dehydration.

symptoms of chronic dehydration:

• fatigue
• constipation
• acid-alkaline imbalance
• excess weight/obesity
• high cholesterol
• digestive disorders
• urinary infection
• premature aging

and to think this can all be avoid by just drinking your water!  there are some common causes for water loss: caffeine (though there is now debate over this), alcohol, stress, hot weather, increased sodium intake, and increased physical activity.  now that i've given you all the scary things about not drinking enough water let's talk about water and the benefits it holds for you and your health :-)

  the good things about water:      

• aids in circulation
• reduces risk of disease; decrease the risk of colon cancer by 45%
• build muscle & increase tone; remember they are made mostly of water
• increases energy; basic science-water is the medium in which all energy reactions take place
• reduces fluid retention; crazy i know but he MORE water you drink the less you retain because the less your body receives it thinks there is a threat to survival and begins to horde it all (water retention)
• healthier body & mind; it's essential for nutrient absorption and can improvement in memory
• healthier joints; synovial fluid reduces friction between cartilage in joints and contains *gasp* water
• healthier skin; when properly hydrated your skin plumps up and you may notice less wrinkles
• healthier digestive system; helps metabolize food, healthy urinary tract, helps move waste
• weight loss; natural appetite suppressant, increases the body's ability to metabolize stored fat

so let me ask you this; are you drinking enough water?  why not?!?!?!  believe me when i say i drink my water (almost) all the time!  since i am still nursing and i work out i drink a LOT............around 4L and some days even more.  i walk around with my awesome pink water bottle (it matches my hair haha) and sip on it all day long.  if you aren't tracking your water yet why not start doing it today.  you may be surprised what may happen to your body and your mind if you are drinking enough water.  aim for 2-3L and you may find yourself with more energy, a smaller appetite and a smaller waistline in no time!  if you'd like you can go here and it's a pretty niffty calculator to help you figure out how much water you should drink too!  i suggest getting a water bottle that holds .75L or a full liter because then you only have to drink 2 or 3 "cups" vs. a whole bunch.  it's that mind over matter thing, ya know?

well, i hope y'all have a terrific thursday and stay hydrated!!

Bring It!!

if you ever worked out with me, talked to me about starting a challenge group, discussed getting fit with me or anything else that might be deemed "challenging" you've heard me say "well let's bring it" or "lets do this!"  i love a challenge and it was time for me to challenge myself with my fitness program.  i have done BrazilButtLift, TurboFire and a hybrid of those programs since November last year.  those programs have helped me go from 168 to 145 and loose over 15inches.  don't get me wrong, i am MORE than happy with my results.  i am smaller, tighter, fitter, and healthier than i have EVER been in my adult life (thank you Team BeachBody) but i knew it was time for a change.  so i jumped on the P90X bandwagon!

click this picture for more information!

i bought this program years ago for myself and my hubby.  he never finished it (but saw some great results) and i never started it.  as i pulled the discs out and stared at the intimidating black and grey label i said to myself "nothing to it! you can do it!" and that was THAT and i began my P90X adventure!  I am now coming up towards the end of week 2 and i LOVE it!  i am doing the lean program because i am interested in seeing just how lean i can get my body.  after 3 kids your body composition changes; your hips and rib cage tend to get larger and never seem to go back *booo* but i am pretty happy with the small results i have seen so far.  i will tell you one thing P90X ain't no joke!!

i know i'm in good shape but it made me feel like the total opposite!  you know you've had a kick butt workout when you CAN NOT hold your abs in when you walk around later that day lol  it's just another chapter in my fitness life :-)  if you have ever done P90X what did you think?  hard/challenging or not, it should come to no surprise that i have fallen head over heals for this program!!

here is my starting point as of last week:

Weight- 147lbs

Waist- 27.8

Hips- 38

Chest- 37.4

Bicep R/L- 11.8/11.5

Thigh R/L- 20.5/20.8

Body Fat- 18.4%

here is my goal at the end of P90X:

Weight- 140lbs

Waist- 25

Hips- 36 

Chest- 36

Bicep R/L- 10/10

Thigh R/L- 18/18

Body Fat- 17%

as you can see, i have some symmetry issues that i am hoping P90X will help me with.  i have no real goals because i am happy with where i am at body composition wise.  but i did put in goals over at W.O.W.Y. SuperGym (the same as i just posted here.  you can always follow and cheer me on at MyFitnessPal, W.O.W.Y. SuperGym, Twitter (oh and i have the awesome cool new profile so if nothing else go check that out!) and/or Facebook.