#FitnessFriday – update time!

Happy Friday ya’ll!  I know, I know, when was the last time I posted an update on me and my fitness.  It’s really been a long while.  So, let’s update…

What I’ve been doing:

Paleo Challenge

For the last six weeks I’ve been doing a Paleo Challenge. It’s a weird Paleo/Whole 30 hybrid type challenge.  I’ve had a couple cheat days along the way – Mother’s Day, my birthday….days when I just needed an ice-cream (I did put fresh fruit on it though I promise!)

I lost six lbs!

My digestive system loves me – lactose isn’t my friend and gluten isn’t the best, but its not the worst.  My skin is also amazing.

If you are interested in doing something like this I’ll be posting some of my favorite recipes soon here.  They got me by.  I’m just really proud I did what I did.  It was so hard but it was an amazing learning experience. I hope to ease up a bit, moderation is the key, but try to live as closely as possible to the idea surrounding the challenge I participated in.

**Because I did this challenge I learned that I can’t have gluten.  I haven’t been confirmed as having celiacs.  but myself and my youngest son are now living gluten free**

P90X

One month of the program and I hurt my knee.  There wasn’t a moment where I remember injuring it, but it was just swollen one day.  I tried to be careful, got a brace…but it didn’t get better and I started lazing on the working out.  I didn’t want to lose momentum though.  One of my bff’s here as the 10 Minute Trainer Program.  So right now I’m borrowing that, and being really good about icing and heating my knee.  I mean, how do you rest your knee with three kids six and under?  *can I get an amen from momma’s out there*

10 Minute Trainer

my new favorite work out!  I can customize it to fit what I can do during the day.  This proved to be super helpful while the hubby was gone recently.  Some days I found I had more time, so I worked in all three 10 minute workouts, sometimes I only did two.  They were quick and easy and I still felt like I was getting a work out.  I might not have been building muscle mass but it was good stuff.

Zumba

Holy calorie burner batman!  It is so fun and I try to do this twice a week.

Creative Bio-Science 90 Day Challenge

I finished my first 30 Days of Creative Bio-Science’s 30 Day Diet.  This isn’t a diet pill.  It contains great herbal extracts like Raspberry Keytones, Lychee Fruit extract and African Mango.  It is designed to help curb your appetite and help increase your energy.  I noticed an immediate change in my appetite.  Combined with my diet and working out I lost the weight I already mentioned.  Now that I’m not as restrictive of a diet and my work-out plan will be changing I’m excited to see if it continues helping me like I think it did.
Check out Creative Bio-Science’s website for information on this and many other products they have.

**Disclaimer – I was provided a free 90 Day supply for Creative Bio-Science’s 30 Day Diet in exchange for my honest opinion and thoughts on the product.  My opinions are my own.  No other compensation was given.

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Thank goodness its Friday!!

The first week of the New Year is almost over and I’m getting this blogging year off to a good start. There’s also some other things I’m getting off to a good start. I’m working on review two different work-out apps, while also getting my fit on, which is already making me feel better. I am doing an arm workout app, that I got off of Apps Gone Free one day. It is a six-week program to better arms. It sells regularly for $2.99. You put in your stats and it customizes a six week program for you. My first workout I did yesterday was 8 minutes. It was a pretty good workout for the arms, nothing to shrug off that’s for sure. I also just started couch to 5k. I really don’t want to be a runner, or make running a thing. I’ve never been a runner, probably won’t be. I don’t imagine myself running a marathon. What I do see is myself running with the hubby every once in awhile, being a good example for my children and perhaps jump-starting my weight loss, post Phillip. For the running I am using is the C25K – 5K Trainer Free by Zen Labs. It is a Run for Pink app in partnership with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which makes me love it even more. And my last Fitness New Beginning is the restarting up of my P90X! They had the app on sale, which I think it might still be, for .99! If you’re interested in that check it out. You can get the full program on there for various prices, but there are also plenty of free things and workouts as well.

  I’m excited to keep you all updated on that, so make sure to check back in on Fridays!!! I’ll have picture updates too – gulp!

As if this post wasn’t already all over the place, how about some Mil-Spouse First Friday Fill-in. If you’re here for that check out my giveaway for Military Romance Novels (they’re fun!).  Now that this only comes once a month (*tear*) I can’t not squeeze it in!

  

1. What’s one thing in the past month you would have changed?
I really would have liked to have been sick less.  December was rough.  Every week at least two of us was sick – a new thing every week – virus, stomach flu, colds, severe colds.  It was gnarly!

2. What was your favorite thing that happened in December? 
Probably visiting the White House.  I wish the hubby had been there, but such is the life of a military wife.
 
3. What are you looking forward to in January?
The hubby is taking quite a bit of leave.  I think it is one of those necessary evils.  On the one had I hate eating it up, but this has been such a rough year for us, and frankly a rough 10 years of a unique situation and I’m just over it.

4. What did you do for New Year’s Eve?
I kicked it by myself.  I had my littles with me for a pretty good chunk of the evening, but come midnight I was toasting myself – and ryan secrest of course 😉
 
5. What are your hopes and wishes for 2013?
To recover as a family, and personally.  I sort of elluded to the roughness of life.  Pretty soon here I think I might put pen to paper so to speak (thoughts to blog) and talk about it.  I know I’m not the only one out there but its been rough.  I’m hoping 2013 is the year of fun, fancy free, historical landmark visiting, relaxed life!

If you’re a Mil-Spouse (wife, girlfriend, fiance etc link up!!)

  Make sure to check out some of my latest book reviews –

Still LoLo
You can read my review and also find a link to read the first chapter of the book

Secrets
This is the first book in The Glenbrooke Series

A Path Toward Love
A historical fiction, taking place in the early 1900s.  This also happened to be my first experience with an ebook.

It’s been a good week for me!  Here’s some lovely bloggy pals I’m linking up with today.  Stop by and say hello.  If you leave a comment or follow let me know!  I’ll be sure to return the favor!

A Mommy's Blog Design Friday Blog Hop SippyCupChroniclesFavoriteThingFriday

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Thank goodness its Friday!!

The first week of the New Year is almost over and I’m getting this blogging year off to a good start. There’s also some other things I’m getting off to a good start. I’m working on review two different work-out apps, while also getting my fit on, which is already making me feel better. I am doing an arm workout app, that I got off of Apps Gone Free one day. It is a six-week program to better arms. It sells regularly for $2.99. You put in your stats and it customizes a six week program for you. My first workout I did yesterday was 8 minutes. It was a pretty good workout for the arms, nothing to shrug off that’s for sure. I also just started couch to 5k. I really don’t want to be a runner, or make running a thing. I’ve never been a runner, probably won’t be. I don’t imagine myself running a marathon. What I do see is myself running with the hubby every once in awhile, being a good example for my children and perhaps jump-starting my weight loss, post Phillip. For the running I am using is the C25K – 5K Trainer Free by Zen Labs. It is a Run for Pink app in partnership with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which makes me love it even more. And my last Fitness New Beginning is the restarting up of my P90X! They had the app on sale, which I think it might still be, for .99! If you’re interested in that check it out. You can get the full program on there for various prices, but there are also plenty of free things and workouts as well.

  I’m excited to keep you all updated on that, so make sure to check back in on Fridays!!! I’ll have picture updates too – gulp!

As if this post wasn’t already all over the place, how about some Mil-Spouse First Friday Fill-in. If you’re here for that check out my giveaway for Military Romance Novels (they’re fun!).  Now that this only comes once a month (*tear*) I can’t not squeeze it in!

  

1. What’s one thing in the past month you would have changed?
I really would have liked to have been sick less.  December was rough.  Every week at least two of us was sick – a new thing every week – virus, stomach flu, colds, severe colds.  It was gnarly!

2. What was your favorite thing that happened in December? 
Probably visiting the White House.  I wish the hubby had been there, but such is the life of a military wife.
 
3. What are you looking forward to in January?
The hubby is taking quite a bit of leave.  I think it is one of those necessary evils.  On the one had I hate eating it up, but this has been such a rough year for us, and frankly a rough 10 years of a unique situation and I’m just over it.

4. What did you do for New Year’s Eve?
I kicked it by myself.  I had my littles with me for a pretty good chunk of the evening, but come midnight I was toasting myself – and ryan secrest of course 😉
 
5. What are your hopes and wishes for 2013?
To recover as a family, and personally.  I sort of elluded to the roughness of life.  Pretty soon here I think I might put pen to paper so to speak (thoughts to blog) and talk about it.  I know I’m not the only one out there but its been rough.  I’m hoping 2013 is the year of fun, fancy free, historical landmark visiting, relaxed life!

If you’re a Mil-Spouse (wife, girlfriend, fiance etc link up!!)

  Make sure to check out some of my latest book reviews –

Still LoLo
You can read my review and also find a link to read the first chapter of the book

Secrets
This is the first book in The Glenbrooke Series

A Path Toward Love
A historical fiction, taking place in the early 1900s.  This also happened to be my first experience with an ebook.

It’s been a good week for me!  Here’s some lovely bloggy pals I’m linking up with today.  Stop by and say hello.  If you leave a comment or follow let me know!  I’ll be sure to return the favor!

A Mommy's Blog Design Friday Blog Hop SippyCupChroniclesFavoriteThingFriday

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#Fitness Friday – My hero

Happy Friday Everyone!  The weekend is here, and let me tell you I couldn’t be more thrilled!  The hubby will actually be around this weekend *knock on wood*, and well…that is pretty much a miracle if I ever saw one.  We might have some big plans for this Veteran’s Day weekend! 

Before I get to the reason why I titled this post, “My Hero”, let me just fill you in on what’s been going on with my fitness journey.   Last week I had one of those amazing epiphanies.  You know the ones I’m talking about, where the light bulb goes off, you hear angels singing and such things.  Mine came in the admission that I’m not failing after all.  Of course, one could always do better.  I know that one of the things that I’m not good at is depriving myself, mostly depriving myself from the soda – specifically the Dr. Pepper.  Other than that I’m pretty proud of myself for my eating habits in general.  I don’t eat super clean – like organic and stuff, but I eat my fruit and vegetables, I don’t have dessert every night.  Escaping the check out line without picking up some candy is super easy for me.  There’s always room for improvement, as in anything.  What I do know is that I’ve always been not super skinny.  My sister is built like that but I’ve always sort of had womanly curves, an hour glass shape (which saves me in the weight proportions department).  At my skinniest as a teenager I was a size 9/10.  Although I wonder if even in this short ammount of time the sizes have changed, what would that be now?  And just so you’re not wondering why I’m wondering, I think about this topic often, after reading Hungry, by Crystal Renn (go get it now!!).  My mom, in the 70’s, was 5ft 7in, 112 lbs and a size 8 or something…it might have been a six..but you get what I’m saying.

Back to my epiphany – its been eight years since I got married.  I was really comfortable with my weight then.  I was bigger than I had been in high school but I felt really good about myself.  I was super tight and toned, but I wore a two piece on our honeymoon!!  So, the other day when I weight myself  *cringe* I looked at it and actually said to myself, wow..its’ not so bad.  It’s not scary.  I’m only about 10ish lbs away from where I was at my wedding and I’ve just about lost all the baby weight from the three pregnancies (which that was an up and down thing).  So the biggest I’ve been post baby – and babies – I’m now only a short little jaunt to wedding weight.  Anything past that is just extra amazing  Now that I am more educated, and have met so many wonderful fitness bloggers I think tightening up and toning after reaching that magic weight I have in my head is a real possibility.  Wow!

Now onto my hero!  My hero is one of my very first friends when I moved here, my neighbor.  She’s amazing.  She runs.  Anyone who runs is a freaking rock star in my book.  Because of her I might just have to consider the whole couch to 5k thing, just to shake things up and maybe run with her.  She just ran the Marine Corp Marathon.  Her first marathon, that she didn’t think she could finish…but I KNEW she could do it, and she did it.  Did I already mention she runs?  She has shirts, and medals and those little number things hanging on her wall.  She has the 12.1 and 26.2 stickers on the back of her car.  She’s amazing.  For her run she told me about these amazing socks, and since she doesn’t blog and I was super impressed, I thought I would share the amazingness with you.

This my friends is the Thorlo Experia.  I love Thorlos.  I’m married to a Boy Scout, a Camper, a Military Man…trust me…me and Thorlos totally know each other. 

Thorlos experia® socks are specially padded to ensure maximum comfort during all your favorite activities. Engineered to provide activity-specific protective padding, Thorlos experia® socks provide blister-free comfort and protection.  
They come in a merino wool/silk and the cool max that my friend used.

She ran a marathon with no blisters man.  I’m totally impressed.  So I will be purchasing these.  I may not be a runner but with my working out and the walking I’m doing all the time to take and pick up my son I have developed a blister or two.  Now, while I may not have actually used this product I’m pretty excited about it so I wanted to share…while also saying how amazing my friend and neighbor is.

Fitness Friday Routine –
walking
Fembody Appetite Control
Fembody Slim Select
Yogi Detox Tea

Hoping to start my P90X up again

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Favorite Things and Fitness Friday…..

Thank freaking goodness its Friday people…although now that I think about it, it really doesn’t matter to me at all because my Friday could be a Monday.  But to all you out there that are experiencing a Friday on this Friday, hip hip hooray!!  I’m participating in a new link up today that seems fun.  Favorite Things Friday is a fun link-up hosted by the super fun Jenny, over at Sippy Cup Chronicles.   I’ve been reading her blog for about a year now and she’s loads of fun!  If you don’t want to join the link up make sure to stop by and check out her blog.

SippyCupChroniclesFavoriteThingFriday

Here are my favorite things right now!
  my purple jeans from Target!  I can’t believe I did it, but I did.  I love it and I get compliments all the time.
 I love this freaking show.  I swear I want to be a southern bell, living in Atlanta and working at Sugerbakers.  This show just reminds me of my mom and my grandmother.
 My little month splurge.  Monthly nail polish thanks to Jule
p.  Last month I didn’t get anything because frankly the colors were absolutely atrocious in all the categories…but  my October Box was quite redeeming.  The purple is from my first box and this black is from this months.  I finally found a black nail polish I love.

 seeing my hubby and daughter together like this.  We were at my son’s Tae Kwon Do class and they were playing Ami’s first game of tic tac toe.  I just snuck a quick pic.  So adorable.
Now for Fitness Friday.  I’m really trying with this whole weight loss, healthy living thing.  I know I sound so flippant about it, but sometimes I just get tired.  Every time I get in a groove something comes up.  Maybe its just an excuse.  But, I will say that I’m super proud of myself because I feel like’s something is clicking.  I’ve recently met some absolutely amazing bloggers.  Military bloggers that someday I hope to meet in person.  Madeline from Food, Fitness and Family and Maria from Lift Love Life.  I stumbled across their blogs when I joined a group for military bloggers.  We all have little ones about the same age and their post partum weight loss journey is something to be extremely admired.  They are so encouraging to me now that I so wish that I had found their blogs earlier.  I can’t imagine what that inspiration would have done for me during the tough time after I had my son, had surgery and then moved across the US.  That was really when I struggled with my motivation.  It became “easy” for me to give up or get distracted.  I don’t know if they know how much they have meant to me in the last couple months, and the encouragement they’ve shown to me, but they do and they have.
So here’s what I’ve been doing this week!
I’ve continued with my 4 miles a day walking and pushing the double stroller with my fifty lbs of children on it, and one way being almost entirely up hill!  It’s getting easier for me now so I know that’s a good sign!!  I’ve also been continuing with my Fembody routine, which you can read about here.  I’ve also added a couple things to my routine which are purely experimental.  On Maria’s blog I learned about something called Intermittent Fasting (here’s one of her posts about it).  I’m trying to implement that into my life, as well as including a great detox tea (thanks Yogi).   I’m trying to focus on getting more sleep, and cook more and budget my time.  The more kids I have running around the more I’ve come to appreciate my lists and my paper planner.  My goal is to be FitFluential someday like some of these amazing blogging ladies I’ve come across lately.  In the evening, after the kids go to bed I’ve been doing another workout from my fitness app!  If you haven’t downloaded it you should!  It really is great and if I need something new, or something quick, it helps.  I’m able to get a great work out in no matter how much, or how little time I have.  Look for Workout Trainer by Skimble in your App Store!  There’s a free version or a paid version!
next week I hope to bring you my exact workout and some of my favorite workouts from the app!  My goal, after my mom leaves town, is to jump back on the P90X bandwagon!
Happy Friday Everyone!!!  How are you being FitFluential?

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