Ultimate Reset Results!!

I am so excited to share more in depth about my experience with the Ultimate Reset! I know a lot of you have been following my journey the last 3 weeks, so first let me share what led me to begin the Ultimate Reset!

It's no secret that I have struggled with my nutrition and have gained a lot of weight. And I am a Beachbody Coach, for crying out loud, so I should have it all together, right? Wrong. I am human. I struggle. Last year was extremely stressful for me, and I ate my way through it. And then, I didn't know when to stop. I realized my unhealthy obsession with food. But once I gained so much, I felt helpless, which I know so many people do. I felt defeated, like I couldn't start one more time, like I wouldn't follow through. But something needed to happen. I felt so defeated, that I just kept eating. Now mind you, I LOVE working out, and I don't mind working out 6 days a week. But the saying, "you can't out-exercise a bad diet" is true. I worked out like crazy, but I also kept eating way too much and the wrong foods to boot. I struggle big time with my eating habits.

My husband kept mentioning that he thought the Ultimate Reset would be a good idea. I knew a little bit about it, but not that much. I knew it was something that Beachbody had, that people got great results, and just a few tidbits about it. I have had gallstones, gallstone "attack" symptoms, little nodules under my skin, and stuff that Tad thought the Ultimate Reset could possibly help. As well as clean out my body of all the crap I have put in it.

So, I finally decided that I wanted to do it. It seemed scary. I didn't know what all it entailed. But am I ever so glad I made that decision. I just needed something to kick my butt in gear and show me that I do have self-discipline, I can do hard things, and I can follow through with something that seems so daunting. The financial investment was a huge motivator. There is no reason to spend the money and then not follow through. The bracelet they give you was a great motivator for a visual person who likes to see their visual commitment. And plus, the fact that this program cleans out the toxins, removes food groups for a time, and resets your body to healthy functioning is great motivation to not cheat. There's no reason to do it if you are going to undo the work that is being done by the healthy eating and supplements!!

So, here's a short explanation of what the Ultimate Reset is, and then I'll share my results!!

The Ultimate Reset isn't just a cleanse, or a detox. It is those things, but it is a longer program than most, because they want an easier, more gradual cleansing of your system. There are 3 phases: Reclaim, Release, and Restore. There are supplements on a schedule for each phase, and during each phase, you are eliminating more food groups. They want your body to work on easy digestion and restoring your cells, so some of the harsher food groups as well as strenuous working out are eliminated for this time. They give you a recipe guide with a specific meal plan for each day, and there are shopping lists for each phase available online. It did take a lot of work in the kitchen each day, but that is part of the process. Being part of the making of your own food, and even doing conscious eating, deep breathing, and being more conscious of your sleeping and drinking!! It is about more than just weight loss, or detoxing, it is an all-encompassing spiritual journey where you are encouraged to take time to walk outside, get into nature, do yoga, and practice deep breathing.

So, here are my results!!

-Clearer skin
-More energy (not that I was never tired, but there were afternoons that I would usually be sluggish, where I would be surprised at my energy level!)
-Weight loss
-Looser jeans, actually out of my 2 main pairs of jeans!!
-13 POUNDS GONE!!
-9 INCHES GONE!!

Just so you know, I am mortified to show you these pics, and I have never shared anything like this before. But I figure, if you do all the work to come read my blog, and are scrolled down to this point, you might as well really see the difference in my before/after pic. OMG!!!

I am so proud of my results!! If I can do this, anyone can. And it just proves to me that I had that hard-driven self-discipline inside me all along. I just wasn't tapping into it! And this is just the beginning of my journey and my Before/After pics!! Follow my journey, and see where this springboard will take me!!

And if you want to check out what the Ultimate Reset is, check out myultimatereset.com/steph4given!

And if you are interested in starting your own health/fitness journey, please let me know!! I am an online Fitness Coach, and it is my mission to help people find a program that will work for them, and to Coach them through to see real results!!

My next Challenge group will be starting Monday, November 30! It will be a 21 day Boot Camp to get results before Christmas!! I still have spots available!!

Week 5 Results and a Motivational Talk

Well, sorry I'm a few days late but I think I will start blogging about my results on Saturdays instead of Mondays! I had a goal to have a perfect week, and though that didn't happen completely, I did much better and can really see that eating healthy and using my containers for my nutrition has become a habit for me! That's the awesome part! I'm not fighting against myself as much because I know that eating healthy and using my portion containers is what I will be doing each day. I do still struggle against myself, though, and find that the evenings and weekends can be especially hard. There are also lots of holidays, special events, holidays, etc. but I once heard that if you count up all of those events it's like over 120 days out of the year! In other words, we will not continue to move much closer to our goals if we let ourselves slip every time there is some kind of special event. In other words, we have to have self-control!

And it can be hard to have self-control in situations where we had previously let ourselves eat whatever we wanted to, in whatever portion sizes we wanted. To go into those situations with renewed focus, set on our goals for ourselves, and not listening to the well-meaning friends and co-workers who are not living out our journey towards our goals, and politely say "no, thank you."

No one can make you reach your dreams. No one can even set your dreams for you. No. You set the bar high. You write them down. You put in the blood, sweat, and tears. And then you get to glory in your results. That's what being a Coach is all about. Helping people to see their potential, to envision what their lives could be like if they set their mind to reach their goals. And that's the beauty of our Challenge groups as well. I am committed to you getting healthy and reaching your goals. You are in a group with others who are doing the same thing. And together you motivate and encourage each other to keep pushing play and saying "no" to the things that pull you away from your goals and "yes" to the things that push you towards them. And when you feel weak and vulnerable, you have that Challenge group to encourage you, give you the words you need, and to keep pushing forward!! Well, those are my tips for the week! And without further ado, here are my current results:

5 pounds lost

Slow and steady wins the race. I am still in this. Still fighting. Still pushing play. I have moved into the Beta round with T25 and am really enjoying the new set of workouts. Yesterday was double day and I got Core Cardio and Upper Focus done. Felt so good!

So if you're in the place in your life where you're ready to make a change, then do it. Set the bar high. Reach out to others who will help you reach your goals. No one can stop you but you. And I am here to help. I am here to Coach you, cheer you on, answer any questions you may have, and to be your encouragement everyday. That's what I do! And I would love to help you reach your goals!! Envision yourself reaching them, and that's a great place to start!

And as always, I am here to help. If you want to get started on your health and fitness journey, I'd love to be there for you! Fill out this form to get started, and I will get in contact with you!
https://steph4given.wufoo.com/forms/z1vf6znx03uidy5/

First Week Results

Okay, so I completed my first week on my weight loss plan! To recap, I am doing the nutrition plan from the 21 Day Fix, and T25 for my workout plan for the next 10 weeks. I am also drinking Shakeology daily, which is a superfood meal replacement shake, and I usually have it in the afternoon so I can have extra energy to get through the sleepy afternoon time! I have about 50, yes 50 pounds to lose. I have lost weight before, but then lost focus and gained weight back. I am motivated this time and determined to lose this weight by the summer! Glad you are taking the time to follow me on this journey, and hopefully you will join me!
I will admit that I wasn't perfect this week. Shocking! But coming from a holiday season that was full of sugar and sweets, overindulging, baking, and no boundaries, last week was a huge success for me. I didn't even have any sugar until Thursday night when we had my mother-in-law's birthday party. I had some serious sugar withdrawal headaches this week, ya'll! But the nice thing with the Fix plan is that they allow for 3 treats a week, plus 3 treat drinks a week. They know that it just might not be doable to expect perfection and no "cheating" on a clean eating plan. So, it works!
The main day that was a struggle was Sunday. I am so used to just "taking off" on the weekends, and it's hard to continue that focus into the weekend, especially because there are usually special events. So that's really where I need to reign it in to continue seeing the best results.
So, without further ado, here are my first week results:

2 pounds lost!!

I know, I know, it isn't the Biggest Loser. It's not 5 or 10 pounds. But around 1-2 pounds a week is a healthy amount to lose each week, and I'm happy for a loss!!
Stay tuned for weekly updates and results, and as always, please contact me if you are interested in one of my Fitness Challenge groups that are run on Facebook! I would love to Coach you through your journey!
Also, I have a new page on Facebook called Steph's Healthy Journey and I would love for you to "Like" my page and click "Get Notifications" under that so that you see me in your news feed!

Have a great and healthy week!

Keep Going!!!

Early Riser Mom?

Awhile back, I wrote about the Maximize Your Mornings Challenge over at Inspired to Action. It was basically a Challenge that I read about that challenged moms to get up before their kids in the morning to spend precious, quiet time with God, get some kind of workout in, and start to plan their day. There was some awesome accountability on Twitter, opportunities to study the same things in the morning, and just that mom camaraderie of being intentional together to make our health and relationship with God a priority. Over the years, I have gone back and forth between getting up early and sleeping in. But I must say, when I get up early, I have a head-start on my day, and when I sleep in, the day seems to run me.
With all my responsibilities these days, I really need to get up before my kids, spend quiet time with God (the key word being quiet), get my workout in, and know what I need to get done that day. It seems so simple, and yet the concept is so profound. I want this to be a new habit this year. To consistently get up early. Not just now and then. Not just 2-3 times per week. But that my norm would be to set that alarm for 5:20 or earlier, and be disciplined enough to get going. On the Maximize Your Mornings Challenge, they even encourage moms to not hit the snooze button. To be disciplined enough to just get out of bed when the alarm goes off. Is it possible?
I think being a stay-at-home mom affords me the opportunity for many freedoms in how to run my day. I am in charge. I am in charge of so many things. I am in charge of the house, finances, homeschooling my children, our CC community, my Beachbody business, the menu for the day (so essentially, the health of my family!), and so many more little things. It gets busy. I think when things get busy and overwhelming, the tendency can be to get lazy. To sleep in. To stay up late to "relax" but then struggle to get up in the morning. And these bad habits may be contributing to my "depression" and "anxiety" that have plagued me this last semester. I put quotes around these words to sort of label my feelings but not necessarily diagnose a super serious version of these things.
So, as a New Year's Resolution of sorts, I want to commit to getting up early. And in doing that, to put my relationship with God and my health as 2 of my first priorities in my day. I get up, spend time with God (usually doing my Bible Study that is over the book of Galatians) and then do my workout for the day. I seem to be more motivated to get up when I know I am not working out right away. I get to drink my coffee and pre-workout formula, and just relax in God's Word in the quiet of my house! That kind of motivates me to get up!!
The key to making this a reality is to plan the night before. If I don't lay out my pre-workout formula, coffee, Bible Study, workout clothes, tennis shoes, workout dvds, and water bottle the night before, then chances are I'm not going to get up at 5:20 and dig around for those things.
I have to plan. I have to plan to succeed. And THAT is what I plan to do.

How do you start your mornings?

New Year, New Me! New You?

I, for one, am so glad to have the holiday season over! I do love the holiday season, and everything that goes with it. But I'm also glad when it's done and ready to declutter my house of Christmas decorations, get back to our regular routines, and not have so much going on and things that need to be done in preparation for Christmas!
Our Christmas season was filled with lots of fun things, memories made, and time with those we love. We only have a few days before we go back to school, CC, Bible Study, and the regular swing of things. I'm savoring these last few days of vacation!
One thing I want to get in gear for is the classic weight loss plan that follows the holiday season! Yes, we all do it, and we all come up with plans, resolutions, join gyms, try it for a week, and then give up for the rest of the year. But what if there was a way to get all you need in a package that made sense, was easy to follow, and was proven to work??
I'm talking about the full Beachbody package. I'm a Beachbody Coach and we have amazing plans that work for people. Busy moms, hard-working people, people who need to lose weight, maintain weight, or need to start slowly for a large amount of weight to lose.
The way it works, is that we have all kinds of workout programs to choose from. P90X, Insanity, T25, PiYo, Insanity Max 30, and the list goes on!!!
But one of our most popular programs is called the 21 Day Fix, and it is on sale this month!!!!!!!! The 21 Day Fix Challenge Pack is on sale for the month of January and this is how it works:

Workout program: Comes with workouts for every day of the week, plus some extra workouts, all 30 minutes each.
(always a modifier with every workout)
Shakeology: Our superfood meal-replacement shake that tastes awesome, curbs cravings, and is proven to aid with weight loss (Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Greenberry, and Vegan flavors)
Fix Container system: Portion containers that teach you how to measure out your food daily, eat clean, and not count calories. It's genius!!
Challenge group: Daily accountability in a group of other people who are also going through their program, daily posts, and encouragement!
Me as your Coach: I am committed to following you through your program and being your cheerleader as you work hard, get results, and have questions along the way

So if you, like me, are ready to make a change is 2015, then let's chat!! Fill out my form, and I will get in contact with you so we can figure out which program is best for you, how you can capitalize on your time this year, and how you can feel better by making better choices that will change your life!!

Link to fill out my form: https://steph4given.wufoo.com/forms/z1vf6znx03uidy5/

I will be starting my next Challenge group on Monday, January 19. This is the day that can change it all for you. Time to start getting rid of all the holiday junk in your house! Change is around the corner!! I'm here for YOU!! Are you ready?

Almost Summer!

 

I can't believe we are almost done with another school year!! Phew! That was a busy one!! I, for one, am so glad that some activities are ending for the summer, so we can rest a little more and not be out every night of the week! There have been lots of changes lately!!

The kids are doing well, finishing up the school year, and growing so much!! Madelynn is finishing up her second grade year, and just finished up her second year of Classical Conversations!! She has been having fun playing outside, enjoys watching Judah and Ruth and helping with them, and has learned so much this year! She is my big helper! She has even started making some of her own food, including scrambled eggs with peppers and sausage, by herself! Tad has been teaching her how to skateboard, and they have been going on long bike rides together. She is getting so big!

Judah is doing preschool this year, and he has done really well. He enjoys sitting at the table and having his own school to do alongside Maddy! He is left-handed, and has learned how to write pretty well this year! He did a few sessions of swim lessons and loved it, especially when Tad got in the water with him on the last day of swim lessons!! He would be beaming the whole time!! Tad has also been teaching him how to skateboard, and he loves that! He is a joy!

Ruth is getting so big! She is now speaking in sentences, and can definitely get her opinions across! She is tiny but loud! She is my sweet cuddler and likes to encourage and make people happy! This week she told me, "I like your ponytail" and "you did good on your workout." She makes my day!!

Within the last few months, I have become a new Team Beachbody Coach. It is so fun to help people on their journey towards health and fitness, as I am on my own journey as well! I just finished up my T25 workouts, and started the 21 Day Fix, which is a workout program that comes with different sized containers, and it tells you how many you can eat of each a day (the different food groups) and also comes with workout DVDs. You get to eat so much food, are not starving, and the weight easily falls off. People have had such great success with it! It was on backorder for a month because it was so popular, but it is now back in stock! Let me know if you want more details, or details about a Fitness Challenge group!

About a week after I signed on as a Coach, I was asked to be the Director of the Classical Conversations in our area! So a lot is going on right now! I am so thrilled for the opportunity, and excited to embark on a new area of work with CC! I have enjoyed tutoring the past 2 years with CC, and this will be a fun endeavor as well, and an awesome ministry opportunity!

We have been busy at our church as well. Tad and I both sing on the worship team, Tad leads the worship team, and we enjoy doing other things there as well. We have been blessed with a vibrant congregation and a Pastor that preaches the Word diligently! What a blessing!
So, as we get ready for summer, and look forward to a family wedding/vacation this summer, we are feeling blessed. Tad is still enjoying his job as a mailman, and has lost a ton of weight running around the neighborhoods delivering mail! He loves being outside, so it is the perfect job for him! Hopefully we can see many of our Ohio friends and family this summer, and enjoy some time off of school! Happy (almost) Summer!

Fitness Motivation for Summer!!

Hey, guys. Sorry I haven't been blogging much lately!! I have been so busy with all kinds of new things going on!! One of them is that recently I became a Team Beachbody Coach. This means that not only can you get awesome Beachbody products from me, like Insanity, P90X, TurboFire, Combat, and T25, but I can also coach you along as you use the products to get the best results!! And my favorite Challenge pack is on sale this month!!

Last summer I started doing Combat, and did the whole 60 days, and saw incredible definition that I have never seen on my body before!! I was losing weight, feeling strong, and looked forward to my workouts!! I still go back to those workouts because they are so fun and effective!!
Some other coaches and I are starting a Challenge group starting on March 24 and it lasts 60 days. It basically is a private Facebook group where you get support, accountability, motivation, and can post your goals and successes!!

I am participating in this Challenge group as well and planning on seeing amazing results just in time for summer!! There are other Challenge packs on sale as well, like Les Mills Pump (which Tad just ordered and is super excited about!) and Ultimate Reset!! Plus a myriad of other workout programs not on sale but they are awesome, including the 21-day fix that was so popular last month they sold out!!

So really, you are getting a great deal to get a Challenge Pack and start this 60 Day package because it is a COMPLETE package. It includes everything to help you get on track and get into the best shape of your life for summer!

Come on, let's do this together!!!!!

New Workout Routine

Well, the holidays killed my weight loss plan. I know it's so hard for everyone to be disciplined during all those holiday parties and functions, with all those devilish goodies, cookies, and fatty meals. They are lovely, but they are deadly, too. I think I learned some valuable lessons from it all. Like, if you binge all holiday season, you will waste so much of the time you spent burning that fat off, and you will have to start over, and that is depressing. And, treating yourself to holiday food is okay, in moderation, but once you let yourself go and just binge everyday all day, making up for all those months you "couldn't have that stuff," it is a recipe for disaster. And also, when the new year finally rolls around, and you have the will-power to get your booty in gear, you will feel depressed looking at the "old you" in the mirror, the you that started out many months ago and lost weight.
So, here we are. I guess I didn't think I would erase so much of my hard work, but I learned that eating that junk will do harm very quickly. It also sent my gallbladder into "crazy mode" and started giving me attacks with too much fatty foods. I really wish I would have had the sense to at least be disciplined until those holiday functions, and then given myself some extra liberty to enjoy those foods, instead of just "taking the holiday season off." That was a bad idea. It wasn't my intention originally, but I just got so busy that I even stopped working out for a few weeks, trying to get caught up on all the Christmas duties.
I am excited that I have the discipline to lose this weight though. It has been tough, to try to break away from that "binging mode" that is so easy for me. I hate to admit that I am a binger, but I like to keep it real. I am an eater. And I don't know when to stop. It seems like I am either doing really good, or really bad. Before the Christmas break, I was in the habit of working out everyday during the kid's nap time. But then that changed because Ruth started waking up about an hour into her nap and I was afraid I was waking her up. And if I try to workout early in the morning, it wakes up the kids as well. Then I started to workout in the morning while the kids were awake, and that can be very distracting because they need me so many times during it, or are crawling around my legs while I am trying to do it!! So I started going to the Y a little before 6 in the morning, and one of my friends wanted to join me for accountability! So we go about 3-4 times a week. I cannot even tell you how great it is to get that workout done early, and without interruptions!!
I am slowly getting my groove back with logging all my food on My Fitness Pal, and trying to stay within my range. That is the hardest for me. I am in the habit of working out again. The Y in the morning, or I do a workout dvd the other days in the morning. But the biggest challenge for me is staying on track with my nutrition. The hardest thing for me is the events with food. It is so hard for me to say no. And when I'm feeling stressed, anxious, angry, overwhelmed, etc. I feel like I "deserve" those horrible snacks. Which is actually doing a disservice to myself.
I am so glad that I have my weight loss group on Facebook, because without those amazing ladies, I would be lost. I wouldn't have as much motivation to keep going. But with their daily motivational posts, encouragement, and just the friendships I have formed on there over the last 9 months, it inspires me to keep going. To start over. To keep making good choices, and not beat myself up for past failures. And it helps that they are believers and that the encouragement is also towards the things of God!! Such a blessing!!
So, what are your New Year weight loss goals? Are you maintaining, trying to lose that pesky holiday weight, or starting fresh, trying to lose weight for the first time? What are some helpful tips you could share that would help someone who is in the daily fight to be healthy and workout?
If you qualify for any of these, keep going!!! And feel free to post on here your successes, setbacks, advice, or encouragement!! And for pete's sake, read Made to Crave!!

Turkey Trot

On Thanksgiving day, Tad and I ran a 5k in our town called the Turkey Trot. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to plan to run a race on the day that I do tons of cooking, but I decided I really wanted to, and that it would be good to get a workout in on the day where I would stuff myself with food! The weather was forecasted to be very cold that morning, but I was still in. It was kind of weird, because the night before, I was in cooking mode, up late finishing my pecan pie and pumpkin cinnamon rolls. Then I was up early making crockpot stuffing and getting other things together. Then I had to switch gears and get in my race clothes and get ready to go.
I haven't been running very much, because Tad is gone so much and it is just easier to get my workout in at home during the day. So the Monday night before the race (the race was on Thursday), I went to the Y and ran a 5k on the treadmill, just to practice and run since I hadn't in awhile. I did a 5k in about 35 minutes, and I wasn't happy with that time. It's hard to gauge it on a treadmill, and how fast/slow to start running. I always get nervous and don't want to start too fast because I don't want to burn out and have to stop. I was happy to get through it without stopping though. So my goal for the 5k was just to finish without stopping (which is always my goal for a 5k; I have run them enough to know I can do this) and to run it in under 35 minutes. I think my first 5k that I remember I ran in 36 minutes, the next one was 34 minutes, and I don't remember my time for my next one.
It was freezing cold the morning of the race. We wore layers, and didn't want to shed them until right before the race. Tad's brother spent the night so that he could watch the kids for us; it was too cold to have them out. So it was a nice, fun time to get out together! I have always run better in the cold, so it felt good, but I was struggling mentally. Tad and I talk about how running is so mental, as well as physical. You really have to push yourself through, and talk to yourself while running, because your body tries to tell you it's tired, or to walk. Tad was having the same struggle, though we weren't running together. He is much faster!
I have realized that I have to evaluate if I feel like stopping because my legs are tired, because it's hard to breath (always a struggle when I workout or run, maybe exercise induced asthma?), or just because I am feeling lazy and want to walk. But even if I can pinpoint which one it is, I still have to push through it, and keep running.
When I hit the halfway mark, I looked at my watch and was at about 15:30, and thought "oh my gosh, if I keep this same pace I could finish in 30 minutes? What???" But it actually made me feel tired thinking about that, but I kept pushing through and trying to keep a good pace. It felt good to pass people, and to keep going even though I felt like walking. To keep talking to myself and get myself through, knowing that I was getting closer to the finish line. Tad finished in about 20 minutes, which is really good for him. He was hoping to get close to one of his first place times from a long time ago, which was 19:45 or something like that. He got really close, and finished 9th overall, out of over 200 people. So proud of him!
When Tad and I run the same race, he comes back to find me and to help me finish the race. He just kind of paces me at the end, when I'm tired, and to remind me how close the finish line is! I look forward to this towards the end of the race! I finished in 31:07, and I was completely floored to set a new personal best!! I know this isn't a super fast time, but for me, it was my fastest, and I was so pleased with it! Especially since I hadn't really trained for the race, per say, though I workout 6 times a week so maybe that helped with the stamina to keep up a faster pace. I was so happy with my time!! And glad I had decided to do the race on such a busy day!! So we finished, went home, and packed up all our Thanksgiving food and went over to Tad's parents house to finish cooking and to spend our Thanksgiving day. It was a good day, and that race pretty much made my day!! I am so glad we could do it together!

 

Recent Weight Loss

Tad and I after finishing a 4th of July 5k

I have struggled with my weight for years, but especially since having Madelynn 7 years ago. For years, I lived in a state of disappointment with myself for keeping that weight on, and I was quick to complain about how I felt about how I looked, but slow to do anything about it. How much time and energy I wasted just complaining about it when I could have just done something about it! But it is and always has been a battle of the mind. It is always harder to choose those healthy options and to sacrifice than to just reach for the bag of chips and go to town. But I needed something to change.
The huge (God-send) thing I needed to start my change was an online support group through Facebook. I reached out to a friend who had a Facebook page about being healthy and fit. She is a Beachbody consultant and I didn't have the money to get one of their programs but she decided to start a free accountability group as long as we committed to logging our food through My Fitness Pal, working out (15 minute minimum) 5 times a week, and we held each other accountable through our Facebook page and commented on at least one post for that day. Well, let me just tell you that that accountability was just what I needed! I was hesitant and scared that I had just committed to those things, but the results were so worth it. Since April, I have been working out 6 days a week, logging my food (not as regularly, but that is the goal), part of my accountability group, and to date have lost about 15 pounds. I still have about 15 pounds to go, and the process is slow because my eating hasn't always been the best, but it is progress. And it feels so good to accomplish that.
The feel after a workout. Carving out that time to do something good for your body. The amazing toning I am starting to see all over my body that is paying off visibly! Having to find new, smaller clothes that I haven't fit into for years, and putting away the big clothes. Something I didn't think would happen. The support of our group; and this group of ladies has become like family. They are believers in a big God and we encourage each other and it has become about way more than even our weight loss. We have become a group that can share anything that is going on in our lives and we can have instant prayer warriors at our fingertips! It is truly of God!

This past summer, I also had a chance to read "Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food" by Lysa Terkeurst. I had never heard of her before, but apparently she has written other great books and has a radio ministry. Her book was really good! I had never read a book about food before, especially one having to do with God. It really made me think, and I had the privilege of finishing it on our family vacation and passing it on to my aunt! I love passing on books that I have read and love to other people! Here are some quotes from the book:

"It is good for God's people to be put in a place of slight desperation. Only then can we be empty enough and open enough to discover the holiness we were made for."

"When we are stuffed...we don't recognize the deeper spiritual battle going on."

"Satan wants to keep us distracted by chasing one temporary filling after another. God wants us to step back and let the emptying process have its way until we start desiring a holier approach to life."

"The gap between our frail discipline and God's available strength is bridged with nothing but a simple choice on our part to pursue this holiness."

"Moment by moment we have the choice to live in our own strength and risk failure or to reach across the gap and grab hold of God's unwavering strength."

"When we're defeated and stuck in issues of the flesh, it's really hard to fully and passionately follow hard after God."

"I can make the choice to identify my shortcomings and, instead of using them against myself, hand them over to Jesus and let Him chisel my rough places. The grace-filled way Jesus chisels is so vastly different than the way I beat on myself. My beatings are full of exaggerated lies that defeat. His chiseling is full of truth that sets me free."

Sorry there were so many! They are just all so good, and I didn't want to leave any out!!

I am not saying that it isn't a battle. Or it isn't hard. I have to choose daily which path I will take - one of discipline or one of mindlessly eating without tracking calories or caring how much I eat. And if I was more disciplined, it would have been more than 15 pounds by now. But without my accountability group, I think I would have given up several times by now. But they keep me going. They remind me to keep going, that we can be disciplined. That it is worth the fight. That we can see results, and make better choices, and focus on Wellness instead of Dieting. It is a lifestyle choice that needs to continue, not a few months of agony to lose the weight and then go back to how I used to eat. And I love to eat! And bake! And pig out! And I still eat bad or binge or have bad moments, but I hope to have more good moments than bad, and to know when to stop.
So it is a constant battle. But having people behind you is a huge encouragement, and I am still in the fight!! Maybe in the future I will share a blog post about what kinds of workouts I do and how I got great results! Here's to a healthier holiday season!!

The Ultra-Marathon Adventure

Ruthie living it up and being fed breakfast in the big hotel chair!!

 Well, we had quite the adventurous trip to Arizona for Tad's first ultra marathon, which was a 50 mile trail race in the mountains! He was going to go by himself since he was running it with some good friends from college, but then we decided to make it into a family vacation! And it was a crazy one at that! In the last 2 months, we have been on 4 trips! They all happened kind of randomly, but each one was fun in its own way! So, the kids have really learned to be more flexible and sleep in different places. Which is a far cry from Maddy when she was little who could hardly sleep anywhere but her own crib!!

The kids having fun in their hotel bed!

 This trip in particular was a little hard for the kids, because we were in the car everyday, almost all day for about 5 days. I thought the day of the race we would watch Tad start, and then go back to the hotel or hang out in town. But our plans quickly changed when I realized we didn't have the official race map with checkpoints written out. We had friends who had the map and we could follow them to the next spots. We were 45 minutes away from the hotel and I didn't want to get lost and not be able to find Tad on the mountain when we returned! So the kids spent that day mostly in the car as we raced around trying to see Tad at different checkpoints!!

 We took 2 days to drive to Arizona, staying the first night in the infamous Roswell, New Mexico. Alien town!! It was pretty comical. Tad said he didn't want to tell Maddy anything about it because he wanted everyone to be able to sleep that night! But they got a kick out of the aliens that were around!!

 Fast forward to the race. We left the hotel about 4:30 am. The kids were not happy to be up that early, especially Ruth. I felt horrible! We ended up running a little late, and Tad had to book it to the starting line to get his things there by 5:30. The race started at 6 and the parking was about a quarter mile from the starting line, so I hoisted Ruth on my back into the hiking backpack and started down the trail in the dark. The beginning to an absolutely crazy day I will never forget! The crazy ultra-racers started with their headlamps since it was still dark!

 Mind you, this race was in the mountains! Not just an average marathon, or ultra marathon! Hiking! Elevation! Craziness!

 Our dear friends from college were there, Ian and Ruthie. Ian ran the race with Tad and Ruthie and Ian's brother hung out with us for a little bit. It was so good to see them!

 It was freezing in the morning, but it quickly warmed up to crazy warm temperatures for the day!!

 Tad at mile 7. Feelin' good!!

 Coming down the path to the first checkpoint where we could see them!

 Still feeling really good! So good to see them together!

 The narrow mountain drive to the next checkpoint where we could see them! Beautiful views! The next checkpoint is mile 25. We waited awhile there to see them! 

 And it started to get hot! We went from our winter apparel to rolling up our pants and taking off our coats, and I got sunburned really bad!!

 But the kids had fun playing in the dirt!! At least that! Had a little lunch on the side of the road!

 Finally, we went for a walk hoping to see Tad on the trail! Judah, at this point, and it was not a long walk, said "I just can't do this!" Poor guy!

 Ian had to drop out at mile 22 because of his knee and Ruthie and Eric had to go rescue him by car. Tad had to keep going by himself but he was still feeling good at this point! We saw him at the checkpoint, he ate and drank, and changed his shoes, and he was off! And this is where the story starts to get interesting.

We saw him 4 miles later at mile 29. Since Ian and Ruthie had other friends running the race, they drove ahead and watched them. So me and the 3 kids were on our own. I asked some workers at mile 29 how to get to the next checkpoint, since we had no map or directions. He gave me some sketchy directions and said it was mile 33. I said, "I don't think we are suppose to go to mile 33." He said, "I'm not gonna tell you you can't go." So, I thought to myself, "Tad would be really happy if he saw us at an extra checkpoint. We could encourage him. And I already have the directions."

So we started off. But once we made a turn and ended up on a super narrow mountain road, I started getting nervous. The roads ended up being pretty rough, and there was no way I could turn around. We finally got to mile 33, and waited for awhile to see Tad.

 One of the workers gave the kids a book to read. It was pretty warm. I was getting worried about Tad, as he was alone and it was almost time for the checkpoint to close. We hiked up the hill a little and waited for him. Finally, we saw him. He was close to the cutoff point for the checkpoint, so he needed to get through fast. He ate some and was on his way. We got directions to the next checkpoint, mile 40. 7 miles that way. That sounded easy enough. Oh my word. The 7 miles weren't marked well. And the mountain terrain was not meant for my Pacifica. It was treacherous. Judah and Ruth fell asleep. And I'm surprised they didn't get whiplash. I made a couple of wrong turns. I didn't think the car was gonna make it through these rough roads that had deep spots, high ridges, super narrow paths with a cliff on the other side. I was lost. I had no service on my phone. I was responsible for 3 small children by myself. And I was scared to death. I was shaking while driving. I couldn't just stop the car and get out. There was no one around. There were a few people at the checkpoint a few miles away. A motorbike passed me and did a double take. That was before I realized how dangerous the path was. The second motorbike I saw I tried to flag down, and he didn't stop. I was about in tears and I was telling Maddy she had to pray.
We finally made it back to the familiar checkpoint we had been at and just kept backtracking until we were off the mountain.
By this point I just wanted to go somewhere familiar and to find the people I knew. I tried to remember what the camp was called that we had started at that morning. I remembered, "Kentucky Camp" and started seeing signs for it. Phew! Time for the next adventure. There were flashing lights at the entrance. When I stopped, the policeman told me that there had been an accident (of course, right at the entrance to the camp) and that the camp was closed. No one could go in or out. I told him my husband was doing a race and that it was on that mountain. He said I could go hang out in the town up ahead. So we hung out at a gas station where I called my parents and tried to figure out what to do. I passed by the accident several times and they finally opened up the camp. There had been some motorcyle road rage and a truck had creamed someone on a motorcycle. We passed by the mangled motorcycle, the body wrapped up and a pool of blood, and the cop car. I just wanted to know Tad was okay.
We finally hiked down to the camp, we hadn't had dinner. The car was a disaster from things flying all over the place while we were driving through the treacherous mountain. This mommy was spent.
We got down to the camp, and by God's grace, they were serving dinner, frying up hamburgers individually on the back grill, and there were picnic tables to sit at. For free. And our friends were there. What a relief. They said that all the racers had passed mile 46 and it was getting dark. I got the kids their dinner as we all waited for the racers to finish. At one point, as we were waiting, Tad walked up behind us, not where the racers were finishing.
His knee had given out. He couldn't make it past mile 40. He tore his ACL and knew that he couldn't safely finish. He waited over an hour to get a ride back. He was okay. He was exhausted. He was worried about us. But we were all safe and sound and back together. And ready for our beds!! We drove back to the hotel and told stories of the day. And we were thankful that we were all safe!!!

 So, that was kind of the long version. But I am documenting that adventure so I can go back and read about it in the future!! I hope to never have such an "adventure" again!! I am so proud that Tad completed 40 miles! He was bummed that he couldn't finish, but it was 14 more miles than he had ever done! And he is a winner in my heart!!!!!

Sleepy, Grumpy Mommy

 
I think when you become a parent you truly begin to realize the value of sleep. Oh, in college you get a taste of the sleepless nights. But you can always make up for it the next night, or that weekend, and it doesn't go on for weeks and months at a time. When I had Maddy (my first), I lost sleep for sure. But it wasn't too bad. The rule is "when they are sleeping, you should be sleeping." But that rule really only applies when you have one child, right? You can't just take a nap on the couch when you have other ones awake and playing. And the more kids you have, the more chances you have of being woken up at night.
Maddy is a pretty good sleeper now. She used to have night terrors until she was about 3 or 4, but now she is old enough that she doesn't get them and she doesn't really wake up at night. She just wakes up super early in the morning. And she has always been an early riser. But ever since she was about 3 or 4, she could come out of her room at 6 or 7 and turn on the tv and color. So that helped me get a little more sleep once I knew I could trust her to come out at a certain time.
Judah has always been a really good sleeper. He takes long naps and for the most part, has slept in. But lately he has been getting up early in the morning, and sometimes getting up at night since he is in a toddler bed and he can. We recently took away his pacifier, so that helps that he isn't waking me up to find it in his bed, which he did frequently.
Ruth is a pretty good sleeper. She has her different streaks, and they depend on teething, sickness, or if she is well and happy, she sleeps pretty good and wakes up one to two times at night to nurse, and takes one to two naps during the day, depending on when she wakes up. She actually sleeps until around 9 most days, so that is a nice time for me to have in the morning before she gets up.

I was having a hard time when Ruth was teething and sick and waking up in the middle of the night and staying up for awhile, sometimes 2 plus hours at a time. During that time, Judah would wake up and need put back to sleep. And then Judah or Ruth would wake up around 6 in the morning. I was so tired, that when Maddy and Judah were up that early, and Ruth was still sleeping, I would get them breakfast and put them in front of the TV with their little table and try to sleep on the couch. I was desperate for sleep. And grumpy. And didn't feel like starting my day that early. I didn't have enough energy to get everything done that I needed to. I felt like a failure as a mom because I have so much on my plate but I did not have the energy to accomplish stuff, especially stuff in the morning before school. I would just lay on the couch until 8 or 830 since Ruth was still sleeping, and it felt disgusting! Depression was starting to set in, and I couldn't handle my emotions or anything around me.
I do feel like I'm starting to come out of it. The kids have been sleeping better at night; I just have to plan on them getting up at or around 6. Which means I need to go to bed earlier. I am not good at this, but I have been so exhausted that it has been more motivating to go to bed earlier. I feel a little bit fresher, a little bit more alive, and a little bit more like I can handle my emotions. This is the start of a new week, and a new plan. I am cutting out sugar, wheat (as much as I can), sugary drinks, eating after 7, and will begin working out 6 days this week. I plan on being up in the morning with the kids and not sleeping on the couch. I don't want to go to bed late, and I need to get more done this week, including drinking more water, taking vitamins, eating healthier and getting out of my pajamas every morning and into normal clothes! I just had a big "binge" weekend of eating at different events, and I'm ready to shed those pounds, and choose things to help me feel better all around. I'm hoping that the extra water, healthy food, exercise, sleep, and good choices will help me feel better.
So, here's to a new week. Being a stay at home mom and a homeschooling mom at that, isn't always easy. There are good days and bad days. Days where you get a lot done and feel like you accomplished much. And then there are days when it seems like you are just trying to survive and make it to the end of the day with kids who are fed, dressed, and happy. It's all part of the process, and God is there with us through both kinds of days. Here's to a better week!

This Time of Year

Well, we have officially been on our CC break for almost 3 weeks! It has been such a nice break and a back-to-normal of homeschooling and taking care of the house and kids! Well, in addition to all the holiday hustle and bustle that is now upon us! We are a little late in our decorating this year; we have been so busy, and honestly, it is a little hard to get in the Christmas spirit when it is 75 degrees outside and we can wear shorts and short sleeved shirts to go outside! But, nonetheless, it is great playing weather for the kids!

Judah doing crafts at our church Holiday decorating party!

Judah is about to turn 3 years old on Christmas Eve! I can't believe how fast time flies! He is such a joy to our family, and I can't believe how fast he is growing up! He is my snuggler and sweet, calm one and is just a delight! We are going to have a small birthday party for him, his first friend birthday party, themed around his puppy pillow pet which he adores. I can't wait to see the look on his face when he sees his cake that will look like his pillow pet! Of course made by his very talented Aunt Lydia!!

First Thanksgiving!

My sister, Briana and I

The Thanksgiving spread

Tad and his sibs on Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving was good! It was fun to have my sister, Briana, and her family come visit from Colorado! They spent Thanksgiving with us at Tad's parents house, and we got to do some other fun stuff with them while they were here!
We have a few more weeks of school and then a 2 week Christmas break, which will be nice! I'm sure it will all go by so fast! And Ruth is about to have her first Christmas! She is getting so big! Well, not really big, persay! She is only 15 pounds at 9 months! She is only in the 3rd percentile for her weight! Both of my other kids had teeth by now and were crawling. But Ruth is taking her sweet time! She is pulling halfway up, and is so close to crawling. She does some kind of scoot thing while she is sitting up which helps her get around some.
Maddy has been sick a lot lately. I'm gonna do some research as to how to boost her immune system because I don't think it's normal how much she has been sick. She has had 3 rounds of the stomach flu (all of which didn't last very long at all), and now she just came down with a nasty cold with a fever, sore throat, and incessant coughing. I'm not sure what's going on with her, but I'm planning on pumping her full of vitamins and healthy food to try to build up her immune system. Any suggestions please leave in the comment section below!
Maddy is also about to have her first ballet recital! Last week, they performed in a nursing home, and I really look forward to seeing their full routine in their Christmas performance! She will actually be done with her ballet, tap, and jazz class after her recital. It wasn't her favorite class and she is actually anxious to get back to swim lessons! So I will savor this recital! I will try to post pictures if I can!
I have really been trying to lose weight during this eating season. Eating is my biggest downfall, and I haven't done so well in that department. But I have really stepped up my workouts, and have tried to vary them so that I can confuse the muscle groups and keep them guessing! A lot of times, I get stuck in a routine of doing the same workouts, and I really want to work different areas and also not get bored!

Tad, carving the turkey on Thanksgiving!

Tad has been working with his clients at work, and also doing some odd jobs for his parents and our pastor. He is running a 50 mile trail race with some good friends from Moody in the spring in Arizona, so he is training some for that right now. He has gotten in really good shape over the last few months!

 

So that's our most recent update! Sorry I haven't been too regular on this here blog! Sometimes I feel more inspired to write and other times I feel like I don't know what to share! So this post was kind of jumbled! But that's where we are at! If you are still reading this long-winded post, Happy Holidays to you and your family!!