Tiny Dancer

For the last year, Mary Grace has been begging for ballet lessons.

Her grandparents gifted her her dreams!

She was so excited for the first day of class...

until we actually got there.

Then she wasn't so sure!

I can't tell from the look on her face if she was sizing up the competition, or just wishing everyone would just disappear.

They don't allow parents to stay during classes.

I think it was harder for me to leave her 

than it was for her to be left there!

She did great, though.

After class, she showed me all her new moves...like "tipee-toes!"

This is a new experience for me, too!

I'm used to dirty cleats, not petite ballet slippers.

21 Days ~ The Before and After

I DID IT!

I completed my  own copy cat version of the

21 Day Fix

and I'm here to give you all the low down, 

dirty deets about how I did.

First of all the before and after pics:

 I don't know if you can tell the difference, 

but I can definitely FEEL the difference!

I could absolutely kick myself for not taking measurements 

but I can tell that I am down several inches 

in my arms, thighs, and abdomen.  

I feel GREAT, have tons of energy, and am sleeping soundly though the night without the aid of melatonin...or wine!

I did my own cheat version of the 21 Day Fix (just scroll down a few posts to read about it!) and went to the gym every day M - F for at least an hour for cardio and weights.  I'm not going to actually divulge my weight, but I am down 9 lbs.

And I am very happy with that!

In these three weeks I have found that meal planning is the key.  Having pre planned, portioned meals/snacks on hand when I'm hungry or in a rush is the key to success.

I haven't been hungry on this plan either!

As a matter of fact, I find it difficult to get in all my veggie containers in a day.  I tend to plan my meals only two days in advance because I get bored eating the same thing over and over.  Some people make a whole week's worth of meals at a time, that's just not for me.

I love that I am eating whole foods and I know that that is the reason for feeling so good on the program.  One day while running errands, we had to stop for burgers.  I didn't feel guilty for cheating on the program, but my body felt sick for eating crap. 

 I haven't wanted it again since then 

and my sugar cravings have disappeared...

except for a piece of really good chocolate now and then!

My blood pressure has always been through the roof since having Mary Grace.  My diastolic, or bottom number, 

has always been over 100.  Always.

I have been getting dizzy this past week and couldn't figure out why, so I just randomly checked my BP.  

Check this out:

It's truly amazing that all of this happened in just three short weeks!

Today is officially the last of my 21 Days

but I'm starting another round tomorrow.

I will most likely keep repeating rounds of the 21 Day Fix until I reach my goal weight.

The program is simple, healthy, and perfect for a busy lifestyle.

I feel like I finally know how to eat healthy.

Plus, I gained a super cute gym partner to keep me motivated!

No make up, sweaty gym selfie!

#HOTTIES

My broken girl

Week before last, Mary Grace was goofing off in a rolling 

desk chair and fell out of it onto the hard tile floor.

She cried, I cried. 

She was in a lot of pain the next day so I took her to the pediatrician.  After a quick exam, he said she was fine.

After two more days in pain, 

we took her to the ER for an xray.

Broken clavicle.

Her second one in three short years.

This girl has broken more bones than all of her brothers combined!

And don't think for a minute that sling slowed her down.

It was off by the time we got in the car.

And though she be but little~

she is FIERCE!

                                                                            William Shakespeare

21 Day Fix On the Cheap

So if you read my previous post about my workout obsession, you can understand that exercise alone doesn't change your body. 

 Real change, real health starts in the kitchen!  

One weekend I was channel surfing and came across the 21 Day Fix infomercial.  It sounded easy enough, but the price nearly killed me!  I thought for sure there had to be an easy cheat...and there was.

The basis of the 21 Day Fix are color coded containers.  Each holds a certain portion of food and you can have so many of those portions based on your calorie range. It's all about portion control and eating the right combinations of fruits, veggies, and lean proteins.  It breaks down like this:

Green = veggies = 1 cup

Purple = fruit = 1 cup

Red = lean protein = 3/4 cup

Yellow = carbs = 1/2 cup

Blue = healthy fats = 1/3 cup

Orange = 2 Tbs. = dressings and seeds/nuts

You can figure out how many of each container you will eat for a day by figuring up your caloric need.  For me, I need to be between 1800-2000 calories a day so I get:

5 Green

3 Purple

5 Red

4 Yellow

1 Blue

1 Orange

Every couple of days, I portion out prepared meals into containers so that way I'm all set.  No guess work or frantically trying to find something to eat come meal time.  There are also workout DVDs included with the program.  Since I go to the gym daily, I feel like I'm covered there.  Then there's the water.  This programs has you drinking LOTS of water...my quota per day, 16 cups!  I've yet to drink that much, but I'm trying!

Now don't think you can just fill your carb container with ice cream and call it a day.  This program also gives you a food list for each container.  You learn to eat whole foods in their proper portions.  I'm on week two and it's really sinking in!  I'm already portioning out my food without the use of measuring cups.  I know how much, and of what, I should be eating and it's becoming automatic.  I'm also down 3 pounds after the first week.

Here's a sample of what I took to work this weekend:

Breakfast:  Greek yogurt with berries

Morning Snack:  Carrots with hummus

Lunch:  Shrimp salad with avocado

Afternoon snack:  Cucumbers and sweet bell peppers with dressing

For dinner that night, we had salmon and kale salad

and I saved the apple for my evening snack.

I have never felt hungry on this plan, as a matter of fact, I have trouble getting in all my containers for the day!  I'm actually craving whole, healthy foods instead of the processed crap.

There are tons of meal plans, tips and tricks, and just good old basics of how the program works on YouTube and Pinterest.  Just type in "21 Day Fix" into the search engine.  Or you can follow my 21 Day Fix board on Pinterest HERE.

I'll post an update at the end of my 21 days,

so check back!

Sweat is MAGIC!

A little over a month ago I had a routine check up with my doctor.  For me, check ups usually go down like this:

My weight would be inching upwards.

My lab results would be crappy.

She'd add another medication to the already lengthy list.

I'd feel like such a loser leaving the office that I'd drown my sorrows in Chick-fil-A or Mexican food.

This time was different.

By some miracle, I was down 10 lbs. from my previous visit.

My labs were pretty darn good.

I got off of one of my blood pressure medications.

And she praised me for the positive changes I had been making.

I felt like such a winner that I went out and treated myself to some new clothes instead of food.

It was a really good day.

Something inside me snapped.  For the first time in a really long time, I felt empowered and encouraged to make some more positive changes in regards to my health. 

 So I joined a gym.

Yes folks, I've become one of THOSE people.

You know the ones....

I hit that gym Monday - Friday for 1-2 hours at a time.  I also go back in the evenings for Zumba, Tabata, Pilates, or whatever class they are offering.

It's an addiction, really.

This is MY time to get healthy.  

It's MY time to crank up my music as loud as I can stand it and just zone out.  

It's MY life and I feel like I'm finally waking up and taking charge of it!

Sweat is magic, y'all.

It has made me so much stronger than I was a month ago, physically and mentally.

It has shown me how to deal with stress, anxiety, and depression.

It has shown me my body is capable of amazing things.

It has shown me how to love myself.

And best of all, when my husband says, 

"DAMN GIRL!  You look HAWT!"

Well...what more could I ever want?

Trust me, the best things in life make you sweaty!