This weekend, we made a little trip to Dallas.  It was a lot of fun, but it also meant a little bit of a struggle to stick to the plan.  Luckily, the hotel we stayed at had a nice workout room and healthy options for breakfast. I did a day of cardio and a day of strength training so that I didn't get off schedule. 
While in Dallas, we did some shopping.  At the Galleria, I went to the Lululemon store for the first time.  Super cute stuff, but the only that fit was this headband.
Here's hoping that that won't be the case much longer!
Continue reading
Today, my workout plan called for cardio.

With the boys, I did a 7 minute workout from the Amazon Echo.
The Echo, which is basically like Siri for your house, talks you through a number of exercies over a 7 minute period, telling you when you to start and stop.

After dinner, my husband went to do some strength training at the gym, and I decided to get in a little more exercise.  After a search on YouTube, I found this.  It was tough but not impossible.  I'll be doing it again the next time I'm home on a night that calls for cardio.


Continue reading
At my office, we have a company that brings in lunch every day, and sometimes we have food trucks that park outside the building.  Since I'm trying to stick to a plan, I wanted to make sure I had no excuses that would lead to me eating unhealthy meals.  On Sunday, I cooked some chicken breasts and mashed sweet potatoes, and added in some roasted kale for the beginning of the week.  In the middle of the week, I will replace the kale with roasted Brussells sprouts.  I ate the same thing last week and surprised myself by sticking to it, so I figured I'd stick with what worked for this week.  I doubled it too, so my hubby has meal prepped lunches as well!



Continue reading
Continue reading
This is the workout plan I've been following since January 1.  I've completed Week 1 and have started Week 2.  I like that it's simple and that it includes mobility stretches.  








Continue reading
I've been throwing around the idea of this blog for over a year.  I kept meaning to start it, but then I never made it past the first day!

My biggest obstacle is the fact that I have a wicked Pepsi addiction.  Like, close to 1000 calorie intake from Pepsi every day. SO BAD FOR ME.

Throughout the month of December, I went back and forth in my mind about giving up Pepsi.  When I drank it, it didn't make me feel very good.  My stomach was often upset and bloated, and I just didn't feel better after I drank it, but I kept drinking it anyway because it was a habit.  I kept this all to myself, and I didn't even bring it up with my husband until the last few days of December, when I turned to him and put my thoughts out there.  "I've decided to stop drinking Pepsi."  To which, he probably internally rolled his eyes, because I've said this multiple times in our 15 years together.  But of course, he was encouraging and told me that he would support me.



I've replaced the caffeine with green tea.  But not just any green tea. This loose-leaf green tea, Harney & Sons Bangkok, with coconut and lemon-grass from a local tea shop is a great way to start my day.  Since it's January, the hot tea first thing warms my entire body.  I love that the tea tastes so good by itself and doesn't require me to add anything to it.

I'm pairing this non-Pepsiness with healthy meal planning and a new membership at a gym.  About 6 months ago, our younger two children started going to a parkour gym.  They've made fantastic progress in strength and mobility, but I wasted a lot of time sitting there watching them four days a week instead of doing something to improve myself.  Next door to the parkour gym is a regular gym, so we joined!  While boy 2 and 3 are in parkour, my husband, our oldest son, and I are at the gym, doing a combination of cardio and strength-training. We're about a week in, and it's going well so far!

I know I have to make my health a priority.  I'm excited with the progress I've made so far in 2016, and I'm hopeful that I can stick with it.


Continue reading
Here's us. Well, us, circa May 2001, the night before we got married. Me overweight at 19 years old with a hideous dye job that I did myself, with my 22 year old sweetheart of a hubby.  Since then, our family has grown with the addition of three busy boys and three dogs.  Those boys are now school age, two in middle school, one in elementary, which means lots of homework and activities to keep up with, as well as PTA and church commitments.  

Here's us now.  Me, I'm over 30 pounds heavier than I was on our wedding day.  Hubs has also gained weight, thanks to how much we love to cook!  

A few years ago, my sweetheart and I went through a healthy lifestyles program at a local hospital.  We both figured out how to change our diet and started exercising.  Hubby jumped in with both feet and started running.  He ran a number of half marathons and full marathons.  

At the same time, I also started working out consistently, and was making pretty good progress.  


However, life got in the way.  My husband got overwhelmed at work and stopped running.  I started grad school, which, with my family and my full time job, caused me to fall way, way off the wagon, and now I'm right back where I started.  

Earlier in May 2015, I graduated with my MBA.  Now, I have no more excuses.  I've armed myself with a FitBit and a little home gym.  With some meal planning and time set aside every day to do some cardio and strength-training for me, my husband, and the boys who also need some physical activity, as well as keeping myself accountable using this blog, I hope to make some steady progress to living a healthier life, not only for me, but for our whole family!  

Continue reading