Baby Weight

How I am already six weeks into being a mom of two, I have no idea! Needless to say, it's flying! Before Nolan arrived, I thought a lot about the baby weight I had put on and what I was going to do about taking it off. With Kenley, I really struggled. I just did not take care of myself for the first year of her life. I was so focused on her and did not take the time or put in the effort to take care of myself - in the gym or in the kitchen. It took a toll, a big toll. Not only did I end up the heaviest I've ever been but I felt like crap. I had no energy, wasn't sleeping, my clothes didn't fit and my self esteem was damn near close to rock bottom. So needless to say, I want desperately to avoid all of that this time around. 

Because of the changes I made and effort I put in once I'd hit that turning point {right after Kenley's 1st Birthday} I weighed 10 pounds less when I got pregnant with Nolan than I did when I got pregnant with Kenley. With Kenley I gained a total of 34 pounds during my pregnancy and with Nolan I gained a total of 40. So even though I gained more weight this second time, I still weighed less at the end of this one than I did at the end of my first. 

I decided before I had Nolan, that I wanted to document my journey of getting back in shape and losing the baby weight. I think posting about it and setting goals will help me stay motivated but also I love so much the support that this blogging community offers. So many of you have been through this already and if even you aren't a mama so many of you have a passion for health and fitness and your ideas, wisdom, and support have been so great in the past and I hope will continue to be as I embark on losing the baby weight 2.0. And hey, maybe I will even help or inspire some other mamas along the way! 

Now that I have had my 6 week postpartum visit and have been cleared to workout, I am hoping to set up monthly progress reports/recaps {time willing} to share what I've been doing, what has been working or not working and where I am in the process. I also want to set a few goals each month that I can check in on with these posts as well! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be so excited to have permission to workout! 

So let's jump right in! 

My long term goal, is to get into a healthy routine and habit that is maintainable! I want to be an active and healthy family, I want to have energy to care for my kids and I want time to myself to take care of ME. I want to feel good inside and out for myself, my husband and my kids. I do have a number on the scale I would love to hit which was 6 pounds away before I got pregnant + the 40 pounds I gained with Nolan means I am setting my official weight loss goal at 46 pounds.

I'm setting a couple of goals to get myself started and then will check in again in a couple weeks when I hit that two month mark! 

JUMPSTART GOALS

□ Utilize my FitBit - Since about week 34 of my pregnancy my FitBit was off. Honestly, wearing it just depressed me. I was so very tired and steps just were not happening. Seeing how few steps I took did not motivate me, it just bummed me out. So I opted to just go without it at the end. Now that I have it charged back it up I need to use it to motivate me to get those steps in and drink enough water!

□ Set up fitness analysis at the gym - Our gym offers a complimentary analysis and workout with a trainer and I need to take advantage of this to get a plan of attack in place.

□ Log calories using MyFitnessPal - It's time to get diligent about counting calories. Because I am breastfeeding it will take a little trial and error to find a number that works to maintain my supply and gives me enough energy but still results in a loss each week.

□ Start C25K again - I am signed up to run my first post-baby 5k on July 17th, I'm a little nervous to start running again as I imagine I am wildly out of shape so starting with C25K which helped me to get into running in the first place seems like a smart way to get back into a groove.

Alright, there it is and here I go!

Wish me luck! 

Plans for a Healthy Pregnancy

As a mama-to-be, I have a responsibility to my little fetus to provide the safest and healthiest home as I possibly can for 9 months. While pregnancy seems like it would be a great excuse to be lazy and eat whatever I want, that's not the case. Now more than ever, I need to take care of myself because it's not just my body I'm nurturing, it's the body of my unborn baby as well. Of course, all pregnancies come with some energy limitations and cravings/aversions but these 9 months are far from a free-for-all. 

Over the past several years, my weight has been a bit of a struggle for me. I shared my whole weight loss/gain story in THIS POST awhile back and reading that back now, if I'm being honest, gives me some anxiety. Weight gain is absolutely part of the gig and is essential in growing a healthy baby and I am all on board for that. What makes me nervous is afterwards. With Kenley I gained just over the healthy recommendation of 25-35 pounds and gained 36 pounds but after she was born took terrible care of myself and kept off only 24 of those pounds {which I lost with no effort beyond breastfeeding} leaving me 12 pounds heavier than my pre-pregnancy weight for over a year after Kenley was born. But worse than the number on the scale, I wasn't healthy. I had no energy, felt like crap and had pretty bad self esteem. I worked my butt off for the following year to lose 20 pounds and get myself 8 pounds lighter than I was when I got pregnant the first time. I feel so much better and so much more confident and I never want to get back to that place where I was after Kenley was born.

Therefore, I have some plans and goals in place to help me take care of myself {and my baby} over these next 6 months in hopes of looking and feeling great throughout my pregnancy as well as making my postpartum bounce back easier than it was the last time. 

Utilize MyFitnessPal. Call me crazy, but I kind of like counting calories - it makes nutrition like a little game. Of course counting calories when you are pregnant is a little different than when you are trying to shed pounds but MFP is just as helpful. The first trimester you do not need any extra calories so maintaining your weight is your goal and you will naturally gain a few thanks to extra blood, fluids and that growing zygote. The second trimester you need an additional 300-350 calories and the third trimester another 100-150 on top of that. So I use MFP to calculate those first trimester calories by going into my goals and changing it to "maintain current weight", then it gives me the calories I need my first trimester, then the following trimesters I will go in and manually add those additional cals. I'm not nearly as diligent as adding every little thing as I am when I am trying to lose weight, but it is nice to keep track and see where I am each day. Plus, MFP has a nutrition section where you can track the nutrients {think protein, calcium, vitamin c, and iron which are all super important during pregnancy} you've had, which is super helpful when trying to maintain a well balanced diet. 

Walk/Run/Ride 400 miles. With Kenley I walked over 250 miles which was a doable challenge that kept me moving. This time, now that we have bikes that we love, and I am in much better shape I want to up that goal and push myself a little harder by hitting 400 active miles during this pregnancy.

Curb the caffeine. It's no secret I LOVE my coffee and an occasional mountain dew {I know, I know - such poison} but now is not the time for either. I will definitely keep one cup of coffee as a part of my morning routine because I might actually die if I don't, but that's it. No pop. And only decaf after my one cup in the am. I'm actually really hoping I can try and maintain this after baby is born too, for sure during breastfeeding but beyond as well.  

Take a quality prenatal. Unfortunately, not all vitamins are created equal and some contain some really icky ingredients {like high fructose corn syrup! yuck!} I looked at quite a few and found one I LOVE at a price point that is manageable. I've been taking the Rainbow Light Prenatal One which provides vitamins and minerals in a base of superfood extracts. It has plant-source enzymes, ginger juice and probiotics to make for easy digestion and absorption {it never makes me feel sick} and is 100% natural, vegetarian, vegan, and is free of animal ingredients. It also contains no gluten, soy, yeast, milk, eggs, nuts, fish or shellfish and is lactose-free. Basically, it's the bomb. 

Maintain regular chiro appointments. My number one biggest complaint during my pregnancy with Kenley was back pain, and it only got worse after she was born with nursing and lugging around all her stuff. I've been seeing a chiropractor that I love for almost two years now and plan to continue my appointments throughout this pregnancy.

Splurge on a couple prenatal massages. Rest and relaxation is just as important for mama's health and I think growing a human warrants a massage or two. Again, my back was an issue the first time around so hopefully having a couple massage appointments set up will help compliment the chiro appointments. 

Make workouts fun. I definitely want to take some prenatal yoga classes because I LOVE yoga. I also want to take advantage the free workouts that the Twin Cities Bump Club offers once a month. And I want to spend time with friends while being active - I'm thinking coffee and walking laps at Mall of America might be the trick!

Any ideas, motivation or tips you ladies can contribute would be much appreciated!!! 

OH! And I finally got my FitBit fixed after nearly two months of not having it! So add me as a friend and we can step battle! :) 

5 Steps for Effective Meal Planning

I grocery shop once a week, typically Wednesdays, and have found that meal planning is absolutely essential to eating healthy, losing weight and saving money at the store. When we fall off track with meal planning and once a week shopping we tend to go out to eat, get take out or quickly buy just enough for one meal and that's when the food bill really racks up -  not to mention when I make poor food decisions. I shared my tips for saving money while grocery shopping a while back, but today I thought I would share what I do to create a healthy meal plan. 

Step 1 :: Inventory. Each week I buy just what we will need for that week but it's inevitable that there is always stuff left over. Whether I change the meal I had planned and use different ingredients or one meal ends up covering us for two nights, whatever the reason, I always have extra ingredients. SO, before I sit down to make my meal plan I take a look at what I still have and come up with meal ideas using those ingredients. For example, let's say I have a pound of ground beef in the freezer, some extra baby spinach and a can of black beans - sounds like the makings for taco salads - all I have to buy is black olives and an avocado. 

Step 2 :: Cartwheel. I do all my grocery shopping at Target because I have a red card {5% off} and can use my Cartwheel. I look through the deals and "pin" anything that I know we like, need or  ould use. I then add these things to my shopping list {so I remember there's a deal} and use these sale items to build off of my meal ideas from the inventory.

Step 3 :: Pinterest. When in doubt, use Pinterest. I have a bunch of different food related boards and refer to them often when looking for meal ideas!

Step 4 :: Spreadsheet/Calendar. I love me a good spreadsheet! I have a meal planning template saved as a Word doc that I use to fill in my plans for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for myself, Jason and Kenley.

Step 5 :: List. After I've got my plan put together I go through meal-by-meal to make sure I have every ingredient I need to buy listed out. I'm also a super spaz and organize it based on the aisle I'm in so I can just shop aisle-by-aisle and cross off the list in order {proof you go to Target too much}. I then e-mail my list to myself so I have it on my phone. This really helps me to only buy what we need and not get sucked in to the black hole of Target, though, let's be honest, I always come home with something NOT on the list but it really does help me stay in control when shopping.

And there you have it! A simple and effective way to plan your meals from week to week. Yes simple! It seems like a lot but really it probably takes me 15 minutes to set up a meal plan and get my grocery list together.

What method(s) do you use to meal plan?

July Goals: Health

July! Say what?!

I can't believe how quickly this summer is already going! If you read my Happiness Project post from yesterday, then you know I am embarking on a little self improvement quest for the rest of the year starting with my health. I decided to tackle this one first because let's face it - how we feel impacts everything we do. Working out will give me more energy to tackle the upcoming month's goals. Eating healthy will help me look better and feel better which is never bad. AND giving up a couple non-healthy indulgences and meal planning will save money! Wins across the board! 

My resolutions this month were as follows: 

• Create a work out schedule
• Meal Plan
• Quit Pop
• Cut Back on Booze
• Drink More Water
• Limit Starbucks
• Limit Meals Out
• Get a Good Night's Sleep

I decided the best way to work towards these resolutions was to create a little game for myself because let's face it - like a small child or a dog I like to be rewarded for my efforts. I made a table of daily goals that will benefit my overall health and each goal is worth a point for a total of 7 points a day. At the end of July's 31 days, if I have earned myself 200 points, I am treating myself to a new swimsuit {no budget} for my upcoming trip to Las Vegas! It's a doable but lofty goal and I'm pretty excited. 

So here are my daily goals: 

1. Take a minimum of 10,000 steps {tracked by my handy FitBit}
2. Drink 85oz {or more} of water {also tracked by FitBit}
3. Exercise for at least 30 minutes
4. No booze {hold me}
5. No pop
6. No Starbucks {hold me tighter}
7. Enter all food/drinks into MyFitnessPal and come in under the calorie goal

And just to make things a little more interesting, alongside my girl Erin, I have entered my first ever DietBet...have you heard of this? You basically enter a challenge and bet money you'll achieve it. If you do - you win your money back. If you don't - your money gets split between everyone who did. If you achieve your goal and others don't - you WIN money! We entered a challenge to lose 4% of our weight in 4 weeks which times out perfectly for my month of health not to mention I want my $35 back and that is definitely motivating me to stay on track with those above goals! 

What are your goals this July?

Half Marathon FINISHER!

I ran a half marathon.

I ran a frickin half marathon and am still in disbelief that this past Sunday I ran 13.1 miles. Signing up for this half was a very, very big and lofty goal for me. It's definitely not something I ever imagined I would do - but I did it.

To say I was nervous going in to race day would be a HUGE understatement. My training didn't go as I had planned or hoped due to a knee injury, in fact training was so bad that the longest training run I had was my 6.17 mile run in New York City. I had a really hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I was going to have to go more than double that distance and was worried about how my knee would hold up.

When my alarm went off at 4:30am on Sunday morning I thought I was going to puke but as soon as my brother showed up, all nerves disappeared. My brother and I signed up together and he completed his first FULL MARATHON! When I saw my brother I realized what a big day it was for both of us and then I actually got kind of excited.

My stepdad dropped us off and we had about an hour to kill before Nate's race started. I really loved having that time with my bro before he set out to do 26.2 and am so glad I was able to be with him during that time. At 6:30am I sent him off to run his first marathon!

I had an hour before my race, so I used that time to fuel up, hydrate and stretch and then at 7:30am - I was off. My goal for this race was simply to finish but as I was running I realized that running this half marathon meant more to me than I realized. Setting this goal was so far out of my comfort zone and once I got out there I pushed myself harder than I have ever pushed before. I was able to run the first 8 miles without stopping at a 10:35 pace. Like I said, my longest training run was 6.17miles and I wasn't able to run that without stopping to walk, so to run 8 miles with no walking was a monster victory for me and I was pumped. Mile 8 required a quick bathroom break and then I was able to run the better part of mile 9 with just a little walking. It was then that my knee really started to act up so I alternated walking and running from miles 10-12 and then once I saw that mile 12 sign, I picked it back up. I could not believe I only had 1.1 miles left and immediately got emotional. Then, I see my best friend and her fiance walking up the street and when I saw them I almost lost it. They joined me for the last bit of my run and were cheering me on and making me laugh just enough to make that last mile fly by. And then I saw it...the finish line!

Crossing over that line and realizing I had just completed 13.1 miles was a feeling I'll never forget. It was such a feeling of pride, accomplishment and disbelief. I had done it, I had pushed myself, I had finished and I'd done more than I ever had before. I finished with an official time of 2:30:38 and am thrilled to tears about that!

The ONLY thing that really stunk is that Jason was out of town on a work trip. I was so bummed not to have my hubby at the finish line but the cheering squad that I did have did an amazing job of celebrating my finish!

Not long after I crossed the finish line, my baby brother completed his first marathon! Seeing him cross that line was SO special and I had a hard time comprehending that he had just done what I did but TWICE {and way faster - 8:44 minute pace}! I was so very proud of him, what a huge accomplishment!

Being able to share this with my little brother was really cool. He has been a HUGE motivator and support in helping me learn to not hate running and without him there is no way I EVER would have done this. I don't know if I have ever felt as proud as I did on Sunday morning.

Motivated Monday

Welp, it's Monday. It's the day of the week I am without a doubt the least motivated and should probably be the most motivated. I had high hopes for a productive weekend as we had limited plans set but sometimes, you just need to lay around and do nothing, especially when the whole family isn't feeling 100%.  So now it's Monday and I am feeling like I need to catch up on all the things that didn't get done over the weekend AND stay up on all my usual stuff. 

I am, however, feeling pretty good about my #4WeeksFit goals so far. One week in to me and Erin's challenge, and I'm feeling good! If I can just replicate this first week of March, I think I'll be able to accomplish all the goals I set. 

goal 1. Drink 70oz of water each day.  My water intake was all in the green last week, but I'm not going to lie - I struggled. I don't know why it's so dang hard for me to drink water! 

goal 2. Run every training run. Done! I'm aiming for 3 runs a week - on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Due to a hectic schedule on Friday and not feeling the best on Saturday I "ran" yesterday. However, I was just not feeling it. Could I have pushed myself? Yes. Should I have pushed myself? Yes. But sometimes you just need to walk instead of run and enjoy the beautiful spring weather. I'm giving myself a pat on the back for lacing up my shoes and going out - even if I only ran a mile of the 5.25. 

goal 3. Average 12k steps a day. Thanks to those three runs and a super busy week, I was able to hit this goal pretty easily!

goal 4. Blast past the plateau. I am about 1.5 pounds away from that dreaded plateau number. I think if I just stick to healthy foods and keep up my run I will be able to FINALLY break past it by the end of the month. 

How are your monthly goals coming?

I'm linking up with Kelsey from Random Randts for Motivated Monday!

all about oils {WILD ORANGE}

In general, I am not a big citrus person and am not a fan of oranges but somehow doTerra's Wild Orange essential oil is one I simply could not live without. I love how fresh and clean it smells, I love how it tastes in my water {or in my cocktail - vodka + soda water + wild orange = YUM) and I especialy love how mixing it with peppermint is an instant pick-me-up!

Here's a little low-down on Wild Orange for you!

Description: 

Cold pressed from the peel, Wild Orange is one of dōTERRA’s top selling essential oils due to its energizing aroma and multiple health benefits. High in monoterpenes, Wild Orange possesses stimulating and purifying qualities, making it ideal to enhance immunity when seasonal threats are high. As with many citrus peel oils, Wild Orange contains powerful antioxidants that help maintain overall health. It can be taken daily to cleanse the body or used on surfaces as a natural cleaner. Diffusing Wild Orange will energize and uplift the mind and body while purifying the air. Wild Orange enhances any essential oil blend with a fresh, sweet, refreshing aroma. 

Primary Benefits:
- Powerful cleanser and purifying agent
- Protects against seasonal and environmental threats
- High in antioxidants, which are essential to overall health
- Uplifting to the mind and body




How I use Wild Orange:
-To clean
-In the diffuser to freshen and cleanse the air
-Mixed with peppermint to wake me up
-In my water & cocktails

To buy your own Wild Orange Oil, simply go to http://mydoterra.com/mamaandmou

 And, of course, if you have any questions don't hesitate to email me!
mamaandmou@gmail.com

#4WeeksFit - My Goals

We're baaaaack! I am once again teaming up with my buddy Erin to challenge all of you to set some goals for the next 4 weeks! Goals to help you get healthier - whatever that means to you! Post your goals today {or tomorrow works too} and link up with us! We'll all reconvene on March 31st to link up and share the progress and results of our 4 weeks of kicking ass!

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<a href="http://www.lovefunandfootball.com/2015/02/4weeksfit-goals.html" title="Love, Fun & football"><img src="http://i57.tinypic.com/11jsp7d.jpg" alt="Love, Fun & football" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Here is what I am hoping to accomplish over the next 4 weeks. 

1. I am terrible at drinking water. I don't know why it is so hard for me, so I plan on tracking my water on my FitBit and reach 70oz every day this month. 

2. I've been finding all kinds of excuses to skip training runs. Yes, life happens and sometimes runs just are not part of the plan. However, readjusting the schedule and making these runs a priority is necessary this month. My half marathon is just under 3 months away and while that seems like a long time now, I know time is going to fly by. 

3. I've been averaging around 9k steps in a day which for me really is average. I need to step my game up *pun intended* and get moving more throughout the day. If I stick with my training runs like I intend to do, hitting a 12k average shouldn't be too tough. 

4. There is the stupid number on the scale that I just cannot pass. I think if I focus on eating the right foods and sticking to all those runs I should be able to FINALLY blast pass this dang number! 

I can't wait to read about all of your goals! 

AND, Don't forget to share your progress throughout the month by using the hashtag #4weeksfit!

An InLinkz Link-up

4 Weeks Fit is BACK!

Yes! Yes! Yes! Get excited because 4 WEEKS FIT is back! Whoop! Me and my pal, Erin from Love, Fun and Football are back to bring you the link-up you love to hate. 

Here's what you do...

1. Spend the weekend coming up with some health & fitness related goals you would like to achieve during the month of March!

2. Jot your goals down in a blog post and share with the world this coming Monday, March 2nd! Don't forget to use this button!

3. Come back here to Mama & Mou or visit Erin at Love, Fun and Football and link up your post! While you're there, check out the posts of other bloggers participating so that you can encourage and cheer for each other!

4. Dominate your goals. 

5. Link-up with us again at the end of the month, Tuesday, Mar. 31st to be exact and share your progress, success and struggles!

I'm thinking I'll definitely have some kind of FitBit step goal, maybe a water drinking goal and should probably throw in a half marathon training goal....what goals are coming to your mind right away?

 Enjoy your weekend and get excited to link up on Monday!

This is going to be great!

Love Your Lady Doctor

I've been seeing the same OBGYN since the first time I went to the OBGYN, which I think was when I was 14 or 15? It pretty much happened by default because I just went where my mom went and it worked out great that I loved my doctor. 

I didn't realize how lucky I was to have such an incredible doctor until I started hearing horror stories throughout the years. Each time any of my friends would tell me one of these stories I'd ask "Why don't you find a new doctor?" Going to the OBGYN is such a personal thing, I just can't imagine letting someone I don't like or trust dig around down there.

As Americans we have the right and privilege {insurance willing} to choose our care-providers and as women and moms it is our responsibility to advocate for our health and the health of our family. So why on earth would you settle for someone you don't feel good going to? I just can't believe my ears when a woman says she doesn't feel comfortable or is scared to call her doctor's office or to ask her doctor a question! 1. That's their job and 2. That's what you're paying them for, ESPECIALLY when you are pregnant and SUPER ESPECIALLY when you are a first time mom. 

My super awesome doctor got me through endometriosis, my pregnancy  and delivered Kenley. And I love her so much for it. 

While I know not everyone is going to have that longstanding relationship with their lady doctor, at the VERY least you should feel comfortable and supported and cared for when you leave the office. You should never leave your doctor's office with more questions than when you came or with any concerns. So go find yourself a lady doctor you love!

And that concludes my PSA for the day.

all about oils {PEPPERMINT}

Ah, Peppermint Oil. What can I even say? This is far and away my favorite oil - we fly through it at our house. With so many different uses and an incredible smell and taste, it's one that everybody should have for sure! 

Description: The peppermint plant is actually a hybrid of watermint and spearmint and was first described by Carl Linneaus in 1753. A high menthol content—like that found in the dōTERRA Peppermint essential oil—distinguishes the best quality Peppermint from other products. Frequently

used in toothpaste and chewing gum for oral health,
Peppermint also helps to alleviate stomach upset and promotes healthy respiratory function. Peppermint continues to be one of the best-selling favorites among dōTERRA essential oils.

Primary Benefits: 
-Promotes healthy respiratory function and clear breathing
-Alleviates stomach upset
-Frequently used in toothpaste and
chewing gum for oral health

How I use Peppermint:
- Mixed with Wild Orange as a little pick-me-up (especially in the morning)
- On my teeth to freshen my breath
- On my belly for stomach aches
- On my temples for headaches {aka hangovers}
- On my neck when it's sore
- In my lattes! Holy smokes is this delicious! Minty and yummy without all the nasty sugar and chemicals found in those syrups.
- In baking - peppermint brownies anyone?!?

To buy your own Peppermint Oil, simply go to http://mydoterra.com/mamaandmou

 And, of course, if you have any questions don't hesitate to email me!
mamaandmou@gmail.com

Gettin' Back on Track

It seems to be the consensus that the end of the year is kind of a slack time in terms of diet and exercise. There really is no excuse for not being healthy, but it sure is a lot harder during the holidays. I know I for one really let myself go the past couple of months. Birthdays, holidays and a week in Mexico have left me with some unwanted winter weight, and so, it is time to get back on track in a big way. 

Kicking off my half marathon training has me excited to workout more and improve my running while hopefully shedding some pounds but equally as important in preparing for the race is strength training and stretching which is why I am PUMPED about Class Pass coming to Minneapolis! Class Pass is a monthly membership to the best boutique studios in the area. Basically for a monthly fee you get unlimited access to a variety of different classes and a variety of different studios all over town. It's pretty stinkin' awesome! I did a Yoga Sculpt class with Carolyn yesterday and it kicked my booty in the best possible way. 

I am doing Zumba this morning and have another yoga class scheduled for Friday. It's such a fun way to experience different exercises and different studios. I don't know about you but I get bored doing the same thing over and over, so this is the perfect solution! 

For all my Minnesota friends looking to sign up, if you use this link, you can skip right over the waitlist and start using your Class Pass today!

 http://classpass.com/buynow?utm_source=tpblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=min&utm_content=3631

And to my out-of-state friends, check out the Class Pass locations to see if there is one in your hometown (Austin, Chicago, Denver, Columbus, Houston....you are all for sure on the list!)

While getting back in the gym has felt great, we all know there is two parts to this equation:
gym + kitchen = results
I am back to logging in to My Fitness Pal every day which helps me so much. Of course the ultimate goal is to not have to track calories but I also know this is what works for me, plus I actually think it's kind of fun. I actually enjoy entering my food, tracking what I'm eating and checking in on my nutrition. I am sure some day I will get to the point where it's annoying to track and hopefully at that point I will have met my goals, will be in the "maintain stage" and won't have to concern myself with counting. But until then, I am going to have fun experimenting with different meals and tracking them! Like this week, I made some pretty delicious and nutritious meals. A couple of my faves were the following:

Breakfast: 1 slice Little Big Bread (toasted) with 1/3 of an avocado (mashed), 1/2 cup baby spinach, 1 cage-free egg cooked over-easy in tsp of coconut oil & 1 tsp chia seeds served with half a banana. All organic. All fresh. All delicious. And a great way to start the day. Not pictured: a giant cup of coffee, obviously.

Lunch: 2 cups baby spinach, 1/4 cup garbanzo beans, 1/2 avocado, 4 black olives (sliced), 1 tbsp shredded parmesan & 2 tbsp Organic Ville Olive Oil & Balsamic salad dressing (my new favorite). All organic. All delicious. An awesome lunch. Plus, I split the beans & avocado with Kenley to create a healthy lunch for her as well. 

Dinner: 4oz Simply Balanced Shrimp tossed in 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper & cumin then grilled, 1 tbsp Annie's Organic Ketchup, 1 cup broccoli florets with 1 tbsp shredded parmesan & 1 cup baby spinach with 1 tbsp Annie's Organic Papaya & Poppyseed salad dressing. All organic. All delicious. And actually really filling and satisfying! 

It feels really, really good to be getting back to the lifestyle that helped me lose so much weight last year. I am anxious to see more results and finally hit my goals! 2015 is going to be the year and I can't wait!

Linking up with Kelsey for Motivated Monday!

Half Marathon Training Plan

Today is a big day - today I officially start training for my half marathon. Being that I am still very much a novice runner, I wanted to give myself plenty of time to work up to running 13.1 miles.
Will it EVER stop scaring me to say that? 

I had started the Couch to 10k program during the fall {the Couch to 5k program is what helped me to not completely hate running}, so I figured finishing up where I left off on that plan would be a good way to first build up my distance and kick off the training. I researched a lot of different plans and after talking to my running coach aka brother, landed on Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Training program. I'm committing myself to a minimum of 3 runs a week then adding one day of cross-training {most likely yoga or some kind of fitness class or weights at home}, one day will be intense stretching, a light walk and strength training and the other 2 days will be for much needed rest. With some extra planning, I was able to work in some fun runs {can runs be fun?} while on vacations I have planned AND Goldy's Run which Jason and I have done with my brother and sister-in-law the past two years. 

Obviously, I had to make my training plan cute because let's face it, if it's not cute, I'm not going to do it and therefore no matter how boring you thinking this is, just had to share it! 

If you need to find me in the next 20 weeks, this is what I'll be doing.....

{all about oils} LEMON

Today is all about lemon oil, which should make you all super excited because it's a good one - definitely a must-have in my opinion! Lemon oil is actually the very first essential oil that I tried and was the one that peaked my interest and made me want to try other oils. Even if you aren't interested in converting into a complete oil user, you should still have lemon. If nothing else, just for your water because it tastes so delicious.

Description:

The top-selling dōTERRA essential oil, Lemon has

multiple benefits and uses. Lemon is a powerful

cleansing agent that purifies the air, disinfects surfaces, and can be used as a non-toxic cleaner throughout the home. When added to water, Lemon provides a refreshing and healthy boost throughout the day. Lemon is frequently added to food to enhance the flavor of desserts and main dishes. Due to its high limonene content, Lemon is a powerful antioxidant that can help ward off free radicals. Taken internally, Lemon provides cleansing and digestive benefits, can soothe an irritated throat, and supports healthy respiratory function. When diffused, Lemon is very uplifting and energizing and has been shown to improve mood and cognitive ability.

Benefits:

-Cleanses and purifies the air and surfaces

-Naturally cleanses the body and aids in digestion

-Supports healthy respiratory function

-Promotes a positive mood and cognitive ability 

{more at: doterratools.com}

How I use LEMON:

-2 drops in my water every morning right when I wake up & throughout the day

-To clean my rings

-In my diffuser to cleanse the air & uplift mood

-In cooking {it's particularly good in my Lemon/Oregano grilled chicken breast}

-To clean counter tops

To buy your own Lemon Oil, simply go to http://mydoterra.com/mamaandmou

 And, of course, if you have any questions don't hesitate to email me!
mamaandmou@gmail.com