Week 1 Becoming Extraordinary Review

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Monday Mommy Transformation

-What was your life like before you started your journey to better health? 
Before I started my journey I was a very athletic person, so I just played sports and being fit just came without thought. I could eat whatever I wanted and it never really crossed my mind if it was good for my body or not.

-What motivated you to make a change? I first started to make my change around my junior year of college, I was 21 years old.  I was not playing sports in college so I had really put on some pounds and I could see on the scale and in pictures but also in the fit of my clothes and my mood. At that point I just started eating healthier things and making it a point to get the campus gym in between classes each day during the week and I was successful for a while until I got married and moved to Florida.  My husband and I would cook all the time and I didn't add a ton of weight back, but it was definitely noticeable and then I got pregnant and I was one of those people who had that thought "oh I am pregnant so this is a free pass to eat whatever I wanted and just to sit around and relax". (Never time around, I will have a totally different outlook!!) So then I had my son and when he was about 3 months old I still had a lot of weight on my body. With the pregnancy I gained about 50 pounds and at that 3 months mark I had only lost about 20 of it, so that is when I made the decision then to make a change not only for myself but for my son and husband. At that point I was extremely out of shape so I started walking with my son in the jogging stroller everyday and I would slowly increase the amount of time I was jogging and I would do some light lifting at home with hand weights. After that I decided I needed more so I joined a gym with one of my friends that offered childcare while I worked out, this gave me more time and more options when it came to working out. I also really concentrated on my food and picking healthier options.

-How do you involve your family in your journey?  Now that my son is two and is really active, I take him to the park at least twice a week and run the 1.75 loop around the park with him a couple times with the promise that he gets to play on the playground after and he loves it and I get a great workout in.  When it comes to my husband I just had to explain to him what my goals were and how he could support me because when it comes to him he is one of those people that have a really high metabolism and he can eat whatever he wants and do whatever and still remain skinny. He has been very supportive with helping me cook healthier meals and watching my son so I can go to the gym. And as our son gets older we are trying to incorportate more active activities into our lives as a gamily.

-What is your biggest accomplishment so far? My biggest accomplishment so far is not eating any fried foods for a year and a half.  I made this resolution for myself and have stuck to it. Also, I am 4 sizes smaller than I was in highschool/pre-baby!  I also ran my first 5K when my son was about 7 months old and have been running them ever since.

-Who inspires you? My son is my biggest inspiration. When I am fit and active, I feel happier and healthier and it all rubs off on him because he deserves to have the healthiest and happiest mommy.  Also, all of my friends who have decided to live an active and healthy life. I love to read about their journeys, what they are doing and to take from their experiences things that I can incorporate into my own life.

-When your in a slump what do you do to shake it?  I plan. I sit down and plan out my meals and workouts. It makes me feel more in control of everything and it helps me focus. Then once I accomplish everything on that first day, I check it off and have that feeling of "I can do this!"

-What future goals do you have for yourself? Have a couple more babies and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle before, during and after pregnancy. I am at a weight that I am happy with right now, so I really would like to just get more toned!

-How did you do it? At first just running with my son and doing at home workout videos and light lifting. Now I continue to run with my son but I also go to the gym and cross-train on different cardio machines and weight light 3 times a week. Food wise I tracked all of my food at first to see the types of nutrients that I was consuming and how many calories I was consuming. Now I just make healthier choicess and really examine everything before I eat it since I have more knowledge on more foods.

-What is one of your favorite recipes? Turkey stuffed peppers, Turkey chili, Teriyaki pineapple chicken sandwhiches, Chicken & veggie kabobs on the grill and ANY crockpot recipe that I can tweak to be clean and yummy!!

Monday Mommy Transformation

Krisse from Airman Getting Strong is next up to offer inspiration! 

-What was your life like before you started your journey to better health?

I would always just take diet pills to lose weight and I never lifted weights. I was scared of them. Instead I would just b-line to the ellipticals and call it a day.

-What motivated you to make a change?

Pregnancy for sure. Right before I became pregnancy I was thinking that I need to step up my fitness level. But then I was so incredibly sick my first timester that I was barely able to leave the house for a walk. Then my second trimester came around and I got moving and started eating healthier! I started walking every night (still not lifting for some reason). Once I had my baby girl, I made a vow to become healthy and strong for her and myself. 

-How do you involve your family in your journey?

My baby girl is only 7 months old so she can't workout with me... yet. She loves flying baby, so I try to hold her above my head for as long as I can to get that extra burn in for the day. My husband compromises fat and flavor at dinner time. :) But I do my best to change up the meals often and boost the flavor while still remaining healthy.

-What is your biggest accomplishment so far?

Push ups!!! I'm in the Air Force, and part of our physical assessments are push ups. I've always been horrible at them but after I had the baby I couldn't even do one... but 6 months after baby I went for my test and was able to do 37 in one minute!!! One month later I can do 40 now. 

-When your in a slump what do you do to shake it?

That is where I am at now. I lost the 30 pounds I gained during pregnacy plus I lost another 5 but I've been stuck for 6 weeks now. I'm not seeing the muscle that I want. So, I went back to basics. I just started following Jamie Eason's LiveFit Program.

-What future goals do you have for yourself?

I want muscle, muscle, and more muscle. I wouldn't care if I didn't lose another pound, just as long as I had some visible muscle. My triceps bother me the most so that is my main goal for now.

-How did you do it?

3 weeks after giving birth I went straight to the gym. I went to my go to cardio, Mr. elliptical, but this time I would set goals like to burn 800 calories in 45 minutes. I also started lifting and I fell in love. But my work had a different agenda. They wanted us to workout together during work hours. I kept up 2 a days for probably a month. But a guy I work with introduced me to beast workouts. This is not something you can find on the internet, these are just workouts that we created on our own. We would do them outside at work. We used sand bags and chains as weights, a sledge hammer, truck tire, and pretty much anything heavy that we could move around. We realized that we incorported Crossfit into our workouts without even knowing. We also took it to the road and would run... a lot. We would also sprint suicides in between sets. It got me to a 13 minute 1.5 mile (Air Force assessment also). Then we went to our gym on base and took the intro to Crossfit class and fell in love! We do that at least once a week.  

-What is one of your favorite recipes?

My comfort food is my favorite recipe! I sprinkle a raw tuna steak with seseme seeds and sear it on all sides with a cast iron skillet. I steam a little bit of jasmine rice and I make a dipping sauce made from rice vinegar, Mirin (sweet rice seasoning), and low sodium soy sauce. I also steam zuchini and squash to complete my perfect meal. 

Krisse can be found on Facebook HERE. Check her out and like her page!

Monday Mommy Transformation

This week Im featuring Jessica's journey! Ive been following her on facebook for quite a while so when I heard she was a Sweat Pink Ambassador I jumped at the chance to share her story! Enjoy!!

What was your life like before you started your journey to better health? 

Before I started my journey to health & fitness I was depressed. I had no self esteem, self worth or confidence in myself. I didn't know anything about being healthy or how to eat clean. I always thought "eat less, weigh less" and I tried ever diet pill, extreme diet etc you can think of! I would lose weight a lot of the time but gain it right back & usually double.

What motivated you to make a change? Well, I started my journey in September 2010 for the first time at the weight of 181 ...and I admit back then it was for the wrong reasons..I just wanted to get skinny then. I didn't even consider fit. By December 2010 I was down 29 lbs but in January 2011 found out I was pregnant with twins. While pregnant I changed my whole outlook. I researched fitness & healthy eating..I was very motivated to get it right this time. After I had my twins August 19th, 2011 I walked out of the hospital at 183. I was motivated bigger than life!! I had 6 weeks of C-section recovery time and it was HARD to keep myself recovering! Haha. Having my daughters changed everything for me. I wanted to get healthy for them..I wanted to set an example for them. I never wanted to be too out of shape to keep up with them! So..this time..I did it for the right reasons..my daughters!

How do you involve your family in your journey? I have a jogging stroller & on the weekends I will take the girls out on a run with me. Or my husband, me & the kids will take long walks on this gorgeous trail we have where we live. Also, I love doing races so my family is always on the sidelines cheering me on :) 

What is your biggest accomplishment so far? This one if tough for me because everything I have accomplished so far is far beyond my wildest expectations!! But, I used to hate running so knowing I found a passion in that..is a great accomplishment in my eyes. 

Who inspires you? My daughters mostly! And other moms who set aside excuses & make it happen!

When your in a slump what do you do to shake it? Remind myself where I started. I never want to be that unhealthy person again so giving up is not an option!

-What future goals do you have for yourself? I have SO many! I love strength training so really challenging myself in the weight room is one. Also, I  have been training for a marathon that I will take on in 2013. In a few years when my daughters are older I really want to train & compete in a bikini competition..my reason for waiting on that is my daughters. They are only babies once & I do not want to miss one minute of them growing up!! But, I WILL do it someday!! For now, my goals are just to keep up in the gym 5 days a week, get my long runs in on Sundays and be healthy, happy, eat clean & train mean!

How did you do it? No excuses!!! I don't always have the time to workout or eat clean, I mean my whole journey has been while my daughters were infants...but it's important to me so I do it!! I get up at 4 am before my husband or the babies are up and I get my butt in the gym. I prep my food daily and journal everything. I don't let myself have excuses because when I do that's when things crumble!

What is one of your favorite recipes? Jamie Eason's turkey muffins...I'm obsessed :)

Click HERE to check her out on Facebook!
Instagram: jessicansmith12 

This Week in Workouts

Week 2 of working out since the baby! The weather has been crazy lately! It is the rainy season but it also feels pretty hot and dry most of the time. Thankfully we get rain every time we workout so its a nice cool down. Ive decided to take this past week as my last walk week and start to try and jog some this next week. I need to build my endurance if Im ever going to train for a 1/2!
Im still also waiting on my stroller piece to use with Baby Js carseat.


Monday: 5 mile
Tuesday: 5.6 mile
Wednesday: off
Thursday: 4.02 miles
Friday: 4.3 miles

Hopefully next week Ill have my piece and can start running!!

Pile on the Miles 2012

For the past 3 years Monica from Run, Eat, Repeat has hosted Pile on the Miles. Runners from all over have taken part in this challenge every year and this year Ill be joining them! This is just another step  towards completing my first half marathon and marking off an item on my bucket list! This isnt about who's running more or who is faster, its more about challenging yourself to go farther than you have in previous months! So from Nov.1 to Dec.1 Ill be aiming for my goal and hopefully passing my 60 miles that I've set for myself. Heres more info on what its all about!

eage on the spreadsheet below

Who: Everyone is invited to join

What: Online challenge to walk or run more during turkey month.

When: November 1 – December 1. Winners announced Dec 2nd.

Where: Sign up and Update your weekly mil

Why: To challenge yourself and encourage others to move more. This isn’t about weight loss or distance – it’s about doing a little extra this month.

Click HERE to sign up and read more about POTM 2012

I {heart} BOOBS + Giveaway!

October is breast cancer awareness month but we need to be aware year round!

Growing up my mother made it clear that as I was getting older it was important to do your self breast exam once a month when I was in the shower...at times she even hung up a waterproof card with a boob on it with instructions! 

I never really took it seriously until I was married with kids. I have had lumps found and checked with (thankfully) nothing found...I guess I have lumpy breasts! Regardless I will continue to check and be checked! 
You can say "feel you boobs", "check your chest" and "get a mammy" (mammogram) all you want but if you aren't actually doing these things you are doing yourself and your family a disservice. 

About 1 in 8 U.S. women (just under 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. Source

What I'm doing (and YOU CAN DO) to reduce the risk of breast cancer:

• I choose to #livepink  everyday and check myself!
• I choose to breastfeed to help prevent breast cancer.
• I choose to stay active to reduce my risk.
• I choose to be alcohol free to help my chances at being cancer free!

Early prevention is key!

Source

Check out my THINK PINK GIVEAWAY!

Safe Postpartum Running

Now that I am back to working out (almost 2 weeks in!) Ive been thinking about what I want to accomplish in the next year. I have my 6 month and 1 year goals but the one I am most wanting to start preparing for is a 1/2 marathon. I have done countless 5ks and love them but Im ready to challenge myself! I want to properly train for it and feel like I did everything I could in order to do my best.
I've been looking at some training programs but haven't found one that I'm going to go with.

I prefer to run with a jogger. This gets you and baby out and adds resistance-especially going up hills!
Here are some tips for safely running after pregnancy and with a jogger!

• Recovery: After giving birth its important to be cleared for exercise by your doctor. 
• Age of infant: If you are not using a car seat attachment your baby should be at least 6 months old when running with a jogger. 
• Pack accordingly: Bring items for the baby just incase you have to change or feed. Depending on the weather- bring extra water, blankets, sunscreen, snacks. If its raining bring a cover. 
• Safety: Baby should be securely strapped in seat. Stay clear of busy roads (especially when wearing headphones) and unsafe areas.
• Ease into it: Whether you ran while pregnant or are just starting out, taking your time to build you endurance back up will take time. Don't expect to run 5 miles the first day! Find a plan and have patience! 
• Sole Sisters: Most cities have running groups like that you can join or find some friends to jog with around your neighborhood. Having support and accountability is the key to success! 

Some great running sites:

• Beginners
• Couch to 5k program
• 5k, 10k, Marathon
• Stroller Strides

Challenge

I've decided that it would be fun to take part in a clean eating / Paleo challenge. I've been eating clean for the last year now and I love that I'm actually one of those people that can say its a lifestyle. It just comes naturally and I don't really put much thought into it anymore!

Going Paleo...that's a whole new world for me. I would need to eliminate my grains: brown rice and oats ( I eat both daily), Dairy: yogurt(I don't eat often) and cottage cheese. I'm still looking into it and learning the spa and fonts but I think to just try it would be good. I love doing this so I can speak to an experience and have my own opinion and understanding. It starts Monday so hopefully by then I'll have everything in order!

In the group of girls doing this challenge I will be checking in daily with workouts, eating and how things are going. Along with being held accountable It'll be nice to see what everyone else is up to and how they are doing! I look forward to swapping recipes and tips! 
Here are some helpful sites to get more information.  

*What is the Paleo Diet?
*What is Clean Eating?
*Breastfeeding and Paleo

Source

Monday Mommy Transformation

What was your life like before you started your journey to better health?  

Well... I have been over weight my whole life, pretty much beginning when puberty struck. I was always "big boned" But my weight really ballooned when I got married. I really never realized how miserable I was...even at the beginning when we were "happy". 

I was obese, my highest weight being 236lbs..not pregnant!  I went up and down many times, never getting lower than 190lbs.  Well, long story short, after a decade of being in a difficult marriage, struggling with infertility, financial problems, etc (everyone has their struggles, mine are no worse) I separated from my husband in July 2009. That was a rude awakening for me. I struggled badly with my new life as a single mother.  

How do you involve your family in your journey?  

Well, I enlist family support to give me time to run while training for a half marathon.  I couldn't do it without my "village".  My kids are a part of  the everyday..they go to weight watchers meetings with me, help me prepare healthy meals and snacks, etc.  Their current favorite thing: roasted veggies!

What is your biggest accomplishment so far?  

    In general:  Being  a good,healthy example/role model for my two children (ages 5 and 9) is by far my biggest accomplishment.  I am showing them how to take care of themselves by taking care of myself.  They are happier because I am happier!

   Health related:  I reached my goal weight this fall and am maintaining under my goal.  I weigh less than I did in jr high now at 147lbs.  I exercise regularly and I am training for a half marathon (completing this will be a huge accomplishment.  I can't wait!).

Who inspires you? 

 I have a friend (Hi Tracey!) who I met along my way in this weight loss/health journey.  She is around my age.  She suffered a stroke recently and since has taken charge of her health and has lost over 100 lbs so far.  I would post online about my runs..and she would post about her walks from one end her driveway to the other.  I know if she could run, she would put me to shame daily.  She gives maximum effort all the time despite her health challenges.  She is kicking butt!

What future goals do you have for yourself?

Fitness related...My very short term goal is to run my first half marathon on Oct 21.  After that, continue to maintain my weight loss and my running for my second half on my 39th birthday in February.  

Simply put, how did you do it? 

 Weight watchers, couch to 5k running program were the two main things.  I have gone past the 5k distance now, but if it were not for that program I would not be able to run more than 60 seconds at a time!  Those two programs have changed my life!

What is one of your favorite recipes?

Slowcooker lentil polenta stew

1.5 cups brown lentils (rinsed and picked over)

2 onions sliced

1 large green pepper, diced

4 garlic cloves, sliced

1 can plum tomatoes with juice

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1.5 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 cup quick cooking Polenta

Layer lentils, onions, green programs garlic in slow cooker. Halve tomatoes and add to cooker with juice. Sprinkle with oregano, pepper flakes, and salt. Pour in broth and vinegar. Cover and cook on low for seven hours or until lentils are tender. Serve over Polenta (I stirred it in!)

Serves 6. Per serving... 300 calories, 1 gram fat, 57 gram carb, 15 gram fiber, 16 gram protein

Click HERE to check her out of Facebook!

This Week in Workouts

Now that I am close to being cleared at my 6 week check up I wanted to start sharing This Week in Workouts with everyone! I had my son on September 16 and took 4 weeks to relax, re-coop and spend everyday with my husband loving on our babies!

Morning Routine!

I knew starting after being out of it for a month would be a lot so I needed to start slow and work my way up. The old me would have taken off running. Here is a look at what went on in my week!
Its not much but it'll do until Im cleared...1 week left!

Monday: 2.5 mile walk
Tuesday: 2.5 mile walk
Wednesday: 3.1 mile walk
Thursday: 3.4 mile walk
Friday-Sunday: bowling and family time!

Hopefully this next week we'll go farther. I think the only thing that puts a damper on things is the heat! I worry about the baby more than anything.
Hopefully this next week we'll get some clouds and a break from the heat!

LINKING UP:
Me Plus My Trainer

Little Girl in the Big World

Staying active

Even while you are pregnant its important to stay active! This is the best time to do it for your body and baby and continuing exercise throughout pregnancy reduces the risk of obesity, gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.

Please check with your doctor when starting any activity during pregnancy. 

If you are a beginner to working out, especially while pregnant, start slow and stick to your level of fitness. You don’t want to over do it and hurt you or your baby. 

STRETCH!

Stretching throughout pregnancy has helped me stay ache free. I try to stretch at least once a day and it doesnt take long at all! I feel that due to my constant stretching I can still touch my toes and do most yoga poses with ease at 40 weeks! I don’t think my belly is on the small size either so Im grateful for my flexibility!

I usually stretch once Im at the gym in the morning both before and after I work out. During the day if Im sitting I try to sit butterfly style and once Im in bed I stretch my back out a bit! After a long day, stretching helps ease my body and I sleep so much better! 

WARM UP!

No mater what you plan on doing for exercise I highly recommend warming up and cooling down at an easy pace. I walked on the treadmill/elliptical for about a mile before I start any weight training to warm up my body and get my heart rate up without over doing it!

CLASSES!

Just about any class that is offered in the gym can be taken while pregnant. With any class, inform the instructor that you are pregnant and most will give you alternate moves or easier ways of performing during the class. 

*Spinning, take it at your own pace. If you are not used to the intensity then stay within your limits or take the speed down. 

*Yoga/pilates be mindful of moves done on your back or stomach.

*Water aerobics: consult your doctor later in your pregnancy

Warning signs

If you have any of the following symptoms while you're exercising, stop immediately and contact your doctor if they don't quickly resolve:

• dizziness or feeling faint
• headache
• chest pain
• bleeding
• contractions 
• fluid leaking 
• decreased fetal movement
• rapid heartbeat while at rest

Always perform your workouts with good form and know your limits!

Here are a few workouts I enjoyed!

Waterbaby work out!

Baby stretches

Baby Bumps and Barbells 

3 weeks Post baby

Not the prettiest but I GOTTA KEEP IT REAL..3 weeks postpartum...there are about 2crispies and some corned beef giving me a foodbaby lol

1 Week Postpartum

Not the best photo but 1 week postpartum. My husband and I are both glad "I'm back!" Well sort of lol I can't wait to get back in the gym or at least start running!

I cant wait to have an "After" photo to go with this!