OUR BODIES CAN DO SO MUCH!

Welp, here you have me in all my pregnancy glory!  This is how I do it when I am pregnant.  Obviously working out and eating a healthy diet did not make my to do list.  In fact, with both of my pregnancies I put a freeze on my gym pass for one year.  I kicked my feet up and ate whatever sounded good to me.  With my first baby I weighed 208 on delivery day and with the 2nd I weighed 212.  I never really counted pregnancies as "transformations" since of course our belly is supposed to get bigger and we are supposed to gain weight.  Ok, maybe not gain 65+ pounds but what can I say?!  Doritos tasted AMAZING, hahaha and I think baby #2 liked them because he weighed just shy of 10lbs when he was born.  

So, then I got looking through these beautiful (wink, wink) pregnancy pictures and thought, WHAT IF I had just had my babies and never went back to the gym?  WHAT IF I never tried to get my body back?!  You can see from the pictures everything on me got bigger-legs, love handles, butt, face, arms,.....so if I just never tried after my kids and lost that pregnant belly, I would still have all the extra right?  And knowing my body and how it responds to food and working out it is definitely something I have to work at.  I am not blessed with a natural ability to stay lean.  I have to fight it every day with every choice I make.  So I guess I am saying that I will count this as a "transformation" since both times I was able to fight my way back and lose 65-70 pounds.  It takes hard work, patience, and consistency.  Each picture of me above in swim suits is after each baby.  The black swim suit is after baby #1 and the red swim suit is 3 years after baby #2 which that picture is this past summer of 2013. 

 Our bodies can do so much if you just tell it to!

5 Workouts and Meal Plan 11/11-11/16

Alright you guys.  Here is your entire week, Monday thru Friday already planned out and ready to go.  All you got to do is grab your phone or print it off and go.  There are no excuses now, you are prepared and will not fail!  The all new 5-day workout plan can be purchased for $5.00.  That is $1.00 per workout.  You will have new exercises and moves to challenge yourself with.  The week looks something like this and I have shared an exercise from each workout:

Monday-Quads (Plie Squats)

Tuesday- Chest/Triceps/Abs (Incline DB Fly)

Wednesday-Back/Biceps (Bent over Barbell Row)

Thursday-Shoulders/Abs (Side Plank)

Friday-Hamstrings/Glutes (Dumbbell Side Lunges)

 Legs get two days of coverage to hit all those major muscles of the lower body.  You will hit your quads, inner and outer thighs, hamstrings, and the booty.  Each workout has specific reps and sets listed.  You will also find supersets and my favorite thing to incorporate in your weight session, Active Rest!  HIIT cardio or Steady State cardio and the duration for each is suggested following each workout depending on what muscle group you trained for the day.  If you are uncertain of an exercise, google is a great for providing pictures/descriptions.  I also suggest www.bodybuilding.com for another source to explain and show you certain exercises.

A new 1890-ish calorie one day meal plan that consists of 6 meals that you would repeat for seven days (one includes a post workout shake) and the calorie, protein, carb, and fat breakdown of each meal.  I like to space the meals by 2-3 hours throughout the day to help promote a healthy metabolism and keeps you burning fat.  This one day meal plan allows you to buy what you need for the entire week and use what you buy.  This way food usually doesn't go to waste and end up in the trash.  The meal plan I provide is simply a suggestion or to give you an idea.  It is nothing fancy.  If you know me at all, I am NOT a cook.  When I come across a recipe that starts calling for all these fancy spices, ingredients, cooking methods etc., I lose interest real fast.  I like SIMPLE!  I season most things with Mrs. Dash (salt free) and thats about as fancy as it gets.  So that being said, if gourmet and fancy is your cooking style, this meal plan is not for you.  I am throwing this meal plan in with the 5-day workout for $2.  Instead of one trip this week for fast food, replace that money spent for a weeks worth of workouts and a healthy meal plan for $7.00. 

So for $5.00 you can have 5 workouts and for $2.00 a meal plan that covers six meals you can use for a week!  The BUY NOW button is linked directly to PayPal (you do not have to have a PayPal account to purchase) and the 5-day workout and meal plan will be available for immediate download and/or it will also be emailed to you.  This way you can print it off from your computer or pull it up right on your phone.

5 Workouts and Meal Plan

buy
Meal Plan Only
buy
5 Workouts Only
buy

SWEET POTATO PROTEIN PANCAKES

I love Saturdays because that gives me a little more extra time in kitchen and rush to get kids fed and off to school.  I pulled up and oldie but a goodie from my Instagram feed (@haleya_fit_happens) and made these DELICIOUS Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes.  If you love sweet potatoes you will LOVE these.  

Take a small/medium size sweet potato and wrap in saran wrap and microwave for 6 mins.  Peel skin and cut into cubes.

In a blender:

-add sweet potato last for chunky or throw in right away for smooth

-1/4 cup oats

-4 egg whites

-1 tsp cinnamon

-1 packet stevia/truvia or the like

-1/2 tsp baking powder

-1/2 scoop of protein powder (you decide that flavor)

Spray pan and cook on low heat like regular pancakes

Top them off with whatever you would like!

ENJOY!!!

Squats and Deadlifts- a girl's best friend!

SQUATS and DEADLIFTS are a few of the best exercises you can do for your body!  Every woman should be doing these in their weight training sessions.  Yes, it does require you to put down the pink or colorful dumbbells and get under a Barbell or grab ahold of the big black ones in the mens section, but seriously ladies, these exercises will make you stronger and sculpt your body faster!  These truly shape your lower half in many areas...especially the Butt!  Squats and Deadlifts require so many other muscles in your body to perform them when done correctly and the calorie burn at the end of a set is comparable to a 30 min run on a treadmill.  Just do it!

SQUATS and DEADLIFTS- a girl's best friend!

Inspire Me Monday!

But not for you!!  I have some super simple easy tips on how to start your Monday out right and stay motivated all week long.  Follow these steps and you won't be looking at your week after Tuesday saying, "WTF?!?"
I know a lot of us say, "Monday, it's on! I'm starting on Monday! Back on the clean eating wagon starting Monday (I am first to admit, I do this ALL THE TIME).  Then Monday comes and something goes wrong or we snack on something we know we shouldn't and for some reason that flips a switch and you are back in that excuse making slacker wagon saying, "tomorrow, or I'll start Monday....." NOT THIS WEEK!!  This week can be different if we really fight hard and make it a successful week.
#1- Plan your workouts for the entire week!  Monday thru Saturday.  Sit down and write on paper or make a new note in your phone with what you are going to do for exercise everyday.  By planning your workout I don't mean just writing out: Monday-Triceps, biceps, abs.  Tuesday-cardio. Wednesday-shoulders, legs etc.  What are you going to do for triceps and biceps on Monday?  What exercises? How many sets/reps?  Doing this makes your workouts more effective and you won't waste time. This is one of my most important tips of advice I can give for results, consistency, and creating a habit. 
#2- Dedicate a time for each workout.  I prefer morning workouts.  I am usually back home before anyone in my house is awake too.  It doesn't require making babysitting arrangements, daycare, or waiting for the hubby to get off work.  I don't feel rushed and I don't have to worry about something possibly interfering with a 6:00AM workout.  Nothing is better than knowing that by 7:30AM I am all done with my workout for the entire day.  Early morning workouts give me more energy, leaves no room for an excuse to pop up to cause me to miss my workout, and BEST OF ALL it leaves me in a GREAT mood!  If you save your workouts for later in the day or evenings just for the extra sleep, try working out first thing in the AM for one week and see how it goes, I promise you will LOVE it!
#3- Plan your meals and snacks in advance.  This is such a pain I know, but if you just do it you have already won half the battle!  Plan for 3 meals and snacks in between.  Always include a healthy bedtime snack and this meal doesn't matter if you have it literally 10 minutes before you close your eyes.  Prepping this way keeps your metabolism burning all day and you won't be caught hungry and reaching for whatever is in front of you.  One helpful food trick I have found for myself is that when I prepare a meal I make double.  This way you have tomorrow's breakfast/lunch/or dinner ready to go.  Or if you have the time to prep on Sunday nights for a half the week then that is great too!  Never leave the house without a snack.  Keep an apple, mixed nuts/almonds, protein bar in your purse always! Most importantly, always have water with you, ALWAYS!
#4- Lay your clothes out the night before.  Including your socks and shoes.  This helps me a lot since 5:30AM is pretty early to be searching for matching shoes or clothes out of my workout drawer that can work together and not look like I picked my clothes out in the dark.  
#5- Get yourself a workout buddy or a group that will hold you accountable.  Knowing that someone is counting on you to show up really forces your butt out of bed!  If you don't have a workout buddy that is actually there with you when you workout, you can find someone to report to and they can report to you.  Tell each other how your workout went and hold each other accountable for getting in that workout for the day.  Friends don't let friends miss workouts ;)

FINALLY- Never Give Up!!!  
Even if you screw up, don't jump in that excuse wagon!  Just pick yourself up next meal, snack, workout or whatever it may be!  Tell yourself you do not need another Monday to start.  Do not let your week turn into,
"WTF"    

5 Workouts and Meal Plan 11/3-11/9

Here you have it.  Your entire week, Monday thru Friday already planned out and ready to go.  All you got to do is grab your phone or print it off and go.  The all new 5-day workout plan can be purchased for $5.00.  That is $1.00 per workout.  You will have new exercises and moves to challenge yourself with.  The week looks something like this and I have shared an exercise from each workout:

Monday-Quads (Narrow Stance Squats)

Tuesday- Chest/Triceps/Abs (Overhead Tricep Extension)

Wednesday-Back/Biceps (Close Grip Barbell Curl)

Thursday-Shoulders/Abs (Car Drivers...a weight plate that you hold out in front of you like a steering wheel and turn, turn, turn, turn,.....you will feel the burn)

Friday-Hamstrings/Glutes (Squat Jumps holding exercise ball or weight)

 Legs get two days of coverage to hit all those major muscles of the lower body.  You will hit your quads, inner and outer thighs, hamstrings, and the booty.  Each workout has specific reps and sets listed.  You will also find supersets and my favorite thing to incorporate in your weight session, Active Rest!  HIIT cardio (and I have listed my favorite HIIT routine in the workout) or Steady State cardio and the duration for each is suggested following each workout depending on what muscle group you trained for the day.  If you are uncertain of an exercise, google is a great for providing pictures/descriptions.  I also suggest www.bodybuilding.com for another source to explain and show you certain exercises.

A new 1,640-ish calorie one day meal plan that consists of 6 meals that you would repeat for seven days (one includes a post workout shake) and the calorie, protein, carb, and fat breakdown of each meal.  I like to space the meals by 2-3 hours throughout the day to help promote a healthy metabolism and keeps you burning fat.  This one day meal plan allows you to buy what you need for the entire week and use what you buy.  This way food usually doesn't go to waste and end up in the trash.  The meal plan I provide is simply a suggestion or to give you an idea.  It is nothing fancy.  If you know me at all, I am NOT a cook.  When I come across a recipe that starts calling for all these fancy spices, ingredients, cooking methods etc., I lose interest real fast.  I like SIMPLE!  I season most things with Mrs. Dash (salt free) and thats about as fancy as it gets.  So that being said, if gourmet and fancy is your cooking style, this meal plan is not for you.  I am throwing this meal plan in with the 5-day workout for $2.  Instead of one trip this week for fast food, replace that money spent for a weeks worth of workouts and a healthy meal plan for $7.00. 

So for $5.00 you can have 5 workouts and for $2.00 a meal plan that covers six meals you can use for a week!  The BUY NOW button is linked directly to PayPal (you do not have to have a PayPal account to purchase) and the 5-day workout and meal plan will be available for immediate download and/or it will also be emailed to you.  This way you can print it off from your computer or pull it up right on your phone.

5 Workouts and Meal Plan

buy

Meal Plan Only

buy
5 Workouts Only
buy

Hello November!

I sure welcomed November this morning!  I combined my last two workouts together but only had enough umph to do the arc trainer for 1 round.  I recommend that workout on a non leg day.....YIKES! The leg day workout alone is cardio in itself.  If you push through all the sets with 1 minute of rest like it says you will be getting your cardio done for the day all while sculpting those muscles.  

I wore my Polar FT4 watch for my workout this morning and when I wear that thing it means I going to get after it.  I love this watch!  It is awesome for monitoring your heart rate which you can set up to see if you are staying in or out of the zone.  At the end of your workout it will also show you your max and minimum heart rate level.  Also it records calories burned.  This morning my workout was around 50 mins and my total burn was around 630 calories (I forgot to turn it off while I sat around for 10 mins).  It's easy to use and stores your workouts so you can go back and compare.  I got mine off Amazon for around $60-$70.

This workout gave me much needed motivation to push through this month and all the festivities that are headed our way!