Portland Fit Club

Sep 22, 2010

Chaos Reigns

I am pretty well healed from my c-section (not yet approved for exercise other than walking yet) and trying to get a routine figured out for our new kindergartner, our new half day preschooler, our 22 mth old who is ready to be potty trained and the newborn who still doesn't have any sort of routine herself.  Oh yeah and the house, the piles of laundry and dishes we go through daily, our workouts, our business, oh and might as well throw our sanity in there as well! 

Some days are definitely better than others.  We are lucky to have some pretty well behaved kids, but even well behaved children have their off days.  I strive to get a little bit of one on one time in with each of my kids, even if it is just reading a story or chatting about their day at school while cooking dinner. In order to accomplish one on one time I often have to push something else to the next day.  I need to get things figured out because I still haven't really done much for working out....and really need to figure out how I am going to fit a P90X/TurboFire hybrid into our routine, along with my husbands workout.  He works nights, so there is also the sleep factor that we have to work around : )  I will be returning to work, part-time, November 16th and will need to work that into my routine without losing all of the other stuff.  Ugh!  I have a lot of work ahead of me!

How exactly am I going to accomplish all of this without losing my sanity?

That is a good question!  It is a work in progress and I plan on sharing anything that works for us here.  I know I am not the only mom with a ton on her ever shrinking plate!

To do lists are great...if you can find them!

I have everything I need to do daily on a dry erase board, in addition to my extra "to do" items (for example, removing all out of season clothing from the kiddos dressers and tagging Rory's old clothing for a yard sale) to help keep me on track.  I used to keep lists and lists of things scattered around the house, but then I would lose them to a creative mind with a marker or crayon.  The dry erase board will hopefully help me get these things up where I can see them and can't lose or forget them.

I think this is a step in the right direction....hopefully there will be more steps to follow!

Sep 20, 2010

Sweaty Pleasure - we meet again!

At the bottom of my "naptime" list of things to do was get in my workout (haha...get your mind out of the gutter!).  I dutifully checked off all the items on my list and got to the last.....Turbo Jam 20 minute workout.  The kids are still asleep and so it is a perfect opportunity to get this item checked off.  I have tried this workout several times over the past few weeks and each time been very anxious about putting in too much effort and harming the healing process of my c-section.  All the same fighting off my desire to jump right back on the wagon and forget that I had a major surgery.  My apprehension has been growing lately because I really want to start P90X when I get the a-ok to resume normal activities at my 6 week check-up on the 30th, but I am getting a nagging feeling that P90X really should not be considered a "normal" activity.  Would I recommend to anyone else that they should start P90X so soon after a c-section????  HELL NO!  So why, you ask, am I determined to do just that?  I dunno....I blame my parents.  One (or both) of them gave me a stubborn gene and it is near impossible to ignore the urges that stem from it!  I will revisit this issue when the time comes.....

Anyway..back to today's workout.  I started off just as timidly, as I have in the past, and slowly added a little bit more energy and bounce paying careful attention to any strange twinges or sensations as I went along.  Before I knew it the workout was over and I was going full intensity!  I felt awesome!  No discomfort...just the awesome feeling of being hot, sweaty & full of energy after a great workout.  Today was a success & it isn't even half over yet : )  Can't wait till tomorrows workout!

Sep 3, 2010

Shakeology 3 Day Cleanse - Results!

The Shakeology Cleanse was developed after I got pregnant, so I have been itching for the past 7 or 8 mths to try it.  Now that Ashyn is here and I am feeling pretty good, I decided to do the cleanse as a way to kick off my fitness regime since I am not yet comfortable doing any of my fitness programs this soon after a c-section.  I made it through the 3 Day Cleanse and was very  happy with my results!

The Cleanse:

When you wake: Green Tea (no dairy or sweeteners...plain!)
Breakfast:  Shakeology (can have fruit in it, water & ice)
Snack:  1 piece of fruit
Lunch:  Shakeology (only water & ice)
Snack: Shakeology (only water & ice)
Dinner:  Salad with 6oz of white meat or fish (greens plus 3 servings of vegetables, low or no fat dressing)

Drink between 2 and 4 liters of water each day.  Absolutely no dairy during the cleanse! This is done for 3 days.  Don't forget to measure your waist & weigh in before you begin!

My results:

7am on 1st day     183 lbs starting weight    37 5/8 inches
7am on 2nd day    178 lbs                          35 1/2 inches
6am on 3rd day     175 lbs                          35 inches
7am on 4th day     173.2 lbs ending weight  34 inches


I measured & weighed in early morning the first day of the cleanse and made sure to try and weigh in and measure around the same time each day to stay consistant.  My ending weight & measurement was taken in the morning following my last day of the cleanse. 

Of Note:

I did just have a baby 2 weeks ago, so part of my weight loss could be natural loss that occurs after having a child.  I also hadn't been eating very well the last two months leading up to the cleanse, so I had a lot of cleansing to do : )  I followed the regimen to to the letter.  No nibbles of anything etc...... I wanted to get good results so I didn't cheat myself out of them.  My pre-pregnancy weight was 158 and I weighed 199 when I went in for Ashyn's delivery.  I have NEVER been able to get within 15 pounds of my pre preggo weight in just 2 weeks after delivery : )

You can learn more about Shakeology by clicking here.  To buy a monthly supply it costs about $4 a shake.  However, you can sign up as a coach (we call it a preferred customer if you don't want to run your own business) and save 25% on your purchases.  If you would like details on how that works, let me know.  I also can sell enough for just the cleanse for $45 plus the cost of shipping....contact me for this option as well.

Aug 31, 2010

Reflections

As I sit here with little Ashyn, I am thinking about how different each of my pregnancies have been.  Each time I have improved a little on my eating & staying active throughout the pregnancy.  This last time I worked out fairly regularly until I was about 7 1/2 months along before I lost my motivation.  I know that, for me, as soon as my workouts stop I succumb to poor eating as well.  This results in low energy levels and high cravings for foods that help keep my energy levels low, in addition to packing on the pounds.  Towards the end of my pregnancy I was so tired all the time and the reason was that my eating was very poor.  However, I was able to meet my goal of keeping my weight under 200lbs (thanks to the first 7 1/2 months!).  I successfully kept 11 of the pounds I had gained with the other three at bay.  I am not yet able to pick up a rigorous workout routine and am focusing on walking as much as possible and staying on my feet during the day.  Once I am sure my c-section is completely healed & ready for action I will start a new program and work on tuning up this old body of mine!  The things I CAN and AM doing right NOW are the following:  Sleep - 8 hours each night....if I don't get it I nap and I HATE napping, but I know sleep is vital for my body to repair itself properly.
Water - 6 bottles a day (approx 168oz) 
Snacking - cut it back to 2 snacks & 3 meals rather than eating every time I get an urge (side effect of poor eating at end of pregnancy)
Shakeology Cleanse - today is day one the Three Day Cleanse....this should make my transition to clean eating so much easier
Exercise - walking, stairs, laundry dishes, chasing the kiddos etc... working up to Turbo Jam

All in all it is a slow start and frustrating for me, but important that I do what is best for my body.  After all this body has produced 4 wonderful little personalities and I wouldn't trade that for anything!

Aug 30, 2010

Welcome Ashyn Rayne!

I haven't been here in a while and am going to try to change that!  I figure the most appropriate place to start is with the birth of our fourth (and last) child.  Our little munchkin, Ashyn Rayne Good, was born via c-section on August 19th at 8:35am.  She weighed in at 7lbs and 10oz and was 20 inches long.  She fell in rank as the second smallest in terms of weight & height of our four kids. 

We left the hospital on the 20th and have been busy getting settled with our new addition.  Now, 11 days later, Ashyn has settled in and proven to be a very easy baby.  We only get up, at most, twice each night and she is rarely fussy.  The other three kiddos have adjusted well and are very fond of their little sister.  Tabby being very motherly and helping out with Rory & Ember in addition to helping me out with Ashyn.  All in all, things are settling quite nicely around here.

We are very lucky to have such great kids!

May 17, 2010

Fitness Room Showdown

A little background:

I am in Chicago, Illinois, right now for a FAS 109 training for work.  The hotel is extremely cushy & nice, food is super expensive, and there is a fairly nice fitness room in the hotel.  I am here by myself, as my co-workers each had a different area of expertise they wanted to focus in on.

At about 6:30 last night I decided to go check out the fitness room.  I threw on my sweats, a tank, and my Shakeology shirt to wear to and from the fitness room.  I chose my treadmill, and fiddled with the controls trying to figure out the programs etc.  Finally I got settled and watched Se7en Deadly Sins as I did a brisk walk/jog.  I figured a half an hour was a good length of time.  Even with a t.v. to watch, I find the treadmill to be incredibly boring, but the living room in my hotel room isn't set up in a manner condusive to doing my Turbo Jam that I brought along just in case.  I was in my last 2 minutes of cool down when these two incredibly fit guys walk into the room.  GRRRR there goes my pride ballooning up twice the size of the city! In my head, I saw them thinking "oh look at that poor, fat preggo chick, coming in for a light walk on the treadmill", and in my head I replied "poor, fat preggo chick...my ass!  I could keep up with the two of you any day that I am not pregnant and wouldn't be far behind right now...preggo or not!"  So after that transfer of words (all in my head of course), I kicked it back up to high speed and did interval sprints for the next half an hour.  I felt sweaty, gross & accomplished when I finished and as I walked out of the fitness room, I mentally shot them  a "so there!".

May 5, 2010

Tony Horton Leads us in Squats

Tired & hot after an amazing Turbo Fire workout


                                           aerial view of the super workout - about 1500 of us in there!




Tony Horton leads us in Squats
























Summit Day 3

Wow Coaches Summit went by way too fast.  I am going to miss all of my friends & team members.  I am very excited to know that next years event is going to be 4 days long instead of 3!!!  An extra day of fitness, like minded people, and ideas for getting the world healthier.  The last day was spent learning how important it is to add personal development to our daily activities.  I can see that...if I don't like myself, then why should you like me?  HA!   There were various other announcements and then closing.  My upline Star Diamond paid for all of her team to get lunch together!  That was awesome.  Barbie is definitely an inspiration to me.  I am so glad I went.

After the long flight to Boston and then 2 hour drive home, I crashed for a quick nap.  Then I was happy to get to spend time with my kiddos that I missed very much while I was gone.  I am refreshed and ready with my training & tools to really grow my business!

May 2, 2010

Coach Summit Day 2

Day two of Summit brought another intense Turbo Fire workout with Chalene Johnson in a much less crowded room!  I am really really excited for Turbo Fire to make its big debut at the end of June.  That is going to be one amazing workout.  After the great workout, there was a Shakeology breakfast (yum), and a ton of information of the great things to come for coaches in 2010.  Most importantly, more bonuses and more ways to earn money as a coach.  Beachbody's goal is to reach 1 million coaches.  We currently have about 23,000.  After lunch there were breakout training sessions, and then this evening an amazing party!  The two Million Dollar Body contestants were announced and received $25,000 checks and awards were given out for coaches achievements.  After that everyone got their groove on : )  I got my picture taken with Chalene Johnson WOOT!  More training tomorrow and then it is back home to reality!

May 1, 2010

Coach Summit Day 1

So today is the first day of coach summit and it was awesome!  Our flight got in 25 minutes early, registration went smoothly & our hotel is very nice!  I got to meet up with my coach, Rochelle, and other coaches on our team!  It was nice to meet them in person.  This evening we did the super workout where each trainer that is on site led us in a segment.  I managed to keep up through the whole hour and a half long workout.  This includes doing warm-up with Debbie Siebers, Turbo Fire with Chalene, Insanity with Shaun T, Plyo with Tony, and I tried my hand at Brazil Butt Lift, but mostly just moved around a lot because I couldn't figure out the moves (couldn't see his feet on the stage with all the heads in front of me).  I managed push ups, intense cardio and lots of squats.  I think I am going to be a hurting unit come tomorrow night!

Apr 24, 2010

Baby Girl

So according to the sonographer, baby number four with be our third girl~!  Good in the sense that we have totes upon totes of girls clothing, especially since I went overboard with my first and bought way more than she would ever wear, but I do feel a bit sorry for my 1 boy.  I guess he and dad will have to stick close! This pretty much requires us to add a second level (and second bathroom) to our house.  Maybe even 2  more bathrooms.  I am excited, despite feeling a bit sad for Rory.  I really always felt like I would do better with girls, and my little man and husband are more than enough boy for me : )

Now for the picking of names.  I like unusual names, but ones that aren't way out there.  My children are as follows:  Tabitha Rose, Rory Daegan, Ember Madison    We have a much easier time coming up with girls names, however since we have already used two girls names that we both agree on, I think this time around will be harder.

If anyone has any ideas, feel free to share : )  We could use all the help we can get!

Apr 22, 2010

It's finally over!

Tax day has come and gone and I survived!  "Busy Season" as we accountants like to call it, gets harder and harder for me each year.  I miss so much time with the kids and when I am able to be home with them, the stress of work lingers or my mind keeps wandering to something I need to do when I go back.  Now, though, another hectic deadline has come and gone, and I will be readjusting to my part time schedule in a week : ).

I am happy to have some family time ahead of me.  There are also a ton of things around the house that I want to get done before the baby comes, so having more time at home will be perfect!  During the past two weeks, we were able to extend the old nursery out into a larger room for my two girls to move into.  We worked hard and were pretty much exhausted by the time we were done.  It still needs some finishing touches (moulding around the ceiling & floor and the window needs to be framed in), but for the most part it is done!  We got the girls new bed (thank you Beachbody) set up and they love it.  I am impressed with the quality.  It is one sturdy bed set and has tons of storage!  It was well worth the money I paid for it.


The picture above doesn't do the bed justice, and my camera got dust in it at some point during the renovations.  I am very pleased with it though.  Once the room is completely finished I will post more pics.  If your looking for a good solid bed with lot's of storage, check out
They have many different variations of the bed we got for the girls.

Mar 26, 2010

Bombed the Clean Eating

Ok so I have to be honest here.  I lasted only a week on the clean eating.  There are a lot of things I could blame it on.

1.  Having to work 12 hour days and being fed by my firm.  The dinners that they provide are great....it saves us money and saves us time, but....while they aren't terrible for us, they also are not good for us either.

2.  Being pregnant and craving foods until I finally break down and eat them.

3.  Being stressed and losing my good mind frame because of the stress.

I can think of so many more.  It basically came down to a handful of factors.....I didn't take the time to prepare enough snacks/meals to bring to work with me and got hungry halfway through the day.  Since the vending machine price is only 25 cents this time of year, I wound up frequenting it when I got hungry.  I didn't take the time to balance out my proteins, carbs, fat etc. with the point of view that I am pregnant and have different nutritional needs at this time.  I found myself feeling weak, shaky and having no energy because I didn't have the right balance in the foods I brought with me.  My lack of creativity with Michi's ladder and being a vegetarian also caused some issues.  I am sure I was not getting enough protein.

I have learned a lot from the experience and can't wait to try again.  I have learned that I can only do so much, and even super moms need to stop and take care of number one once in a while.  Once I get through the time that I told my boss I would give him (full time through April 15), I am going to try again and this time I am going to do it right with my full attention!

Mar 16, 2010

Aspiring to be Fat???!!!

When most of the world is in search of the perfect body, where perfect body means something along the lines of slim, toned, athletic, muscular etc.  There are a very few whose ideal body image is fat and fatter.  How you can disregard the importance of your own life and the future of your children when you die at an unnaturally young age is beyond me.


http://www.aolnews.com/health/article/600-pound-woman-eating-her-way-to-dubious-distinction/19399734

Mar 15, 2010

Clean Eating Challenge Starts Today!

So, a group of coaches, coachees & friends of mine are doing a 20 day clean eating challenge.  Today was day one and I did a pretty good job.  Came up a bit weak feeling this evening, so I know I need to increase my protein intake during the day.  Ready for tomorrow though!

PART I of III:


RULES OF ENGAGEMENT:

1. You PRESS PLAY Five or Six Times a week, depending on your program. If you miss a workout, you're out of the challenge.

If you are not doing a beachbody workout, you should aim to do 3 resistance days and 2-3 cardio days.

2. You EAT CLEAN six times a week. YOU GET ONE CHEAT MEAL PER WEEK, NOTTTT a CHEAT DAY.

3. No additional cheat snacks. ONE CHEAT MEAL PER WEEK. PERIOD.

NO ALCOHOL DURING CHALLENGE PERIOD. YUP!

6. You have until Tuesday morning to take your measurements AND pictures. You don't have to post them, but you do have to take them. A lot of times you won't lose pounds, but your body will change. Don't miss that event!

THE PRIZE: A NEW FIT YOU!

Are you ready?


PART II of III:

EATING CLEAN DEFINED:

RULE 1: You eat 4 to 6 small meals per day, ideally breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, and dinner. That means that you are eating every 2 to 3 hours.

Your body needs to be fueled. Eating only breakfast, lunch, and dinner is not okay.

RULE 2: You eat at least 1250 calories (unless you are less than 5 feet tall). I am putting this down because this challenge is about eating clean and being healthy, not about starving yourself.

A few people have asked me if I eat very low calories. For the record, I eat about 1800 to 2000 calories per day these days!

RULE 3: This is more like a guideline than a rule. You follow something close to a 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat diet. For those of you doing carb manipulation or following a special plan for diabetics, that's fine, too. Again, I just don't want folks to think they are eating clean if they eat 4 bowls of cereal per day. Your meals have to be balanced.

If you need a meal plan, email me or ask your coach. If you are BB Club Member, you can print one out. It's up to you to substitute foods from Michi's Ladder.

RULE 4: This is the real challenge part: YOU EAT ONLY FROM THE TOP 2 TIERS of MICHI'S LADDER 6 DAYS A WEEK. That means that you cannot have bagels for breakfast nor frozen yogurt for a snack. Top 2 tiers. Period.

I see that bagels are now in the top two tiers. I would stay away from them, but if they are in the top two tiers you can have it.

To See Michi's Ladder, sign on to your teambeachbody account. Go to EAT SMART Tab and you'll find it there.

If you don't have a free teambeachbody account, go to www.beachbodycoach.com/momof3 and sign up for one now!  There are a lot of free tools available!

Mar 6, 2010

The Throes of Tax Season

I am back....finally.  This tax season, my three kiddos, and pregnancy has me wiped out!  I have been working some long hours, spending little time with the kids, and not getting enough sleep (according to my weary eyes and low energy levels each day).  I love being a CPA and doing tax work.  I especially enjoy doing large corporations & state tax work, however, I hate the hours and stress that come with the deadline driven profession.  This is partly why I chose to become a Team Beachbody coach.  I want to be able to stay part time and still have enough money to raise my (soon to be) four kids and *gulp* be able to help put them all through college should they choose to do so.  The main reason I became a coach is because I love the products & it motivates me to continue to try to be in the best shape of my life and therefore lead by example for my children.  I also like to think that I am helping the world become a healthier place...one person at a time.

I have one more week left until the first of two spring deadlines is over.  The March 15th deadline encompasses the business entities of corporate form, and the April 15th deadline encompasses the pass-through entity & Individual returns.  Since my run isn't heavy in the area of 1040's, once I make it safely through to March 15th it should be smooth sailing at only 50 hour workweeks til April 15th.  My typical weeks leading up to March 15th run around 60 to 65 hours a week.  Not fun!

I just have to take it one day at a time and one week at a time.  On the plus side, once I hit March 15th, there will only be 2 weeks left till we find out the gender of the baby!

Feb 20, 2010

Roller Fun!

Call me crazy, but I decided to get my almost 5 year old a pair of rollerblades......solely for the purpose of getting myself a pair too!  I remember how much I loved my blades when I was a kid and I miss it.  I am sure my OBGYN would not be happy at all to hear that I plan on going rollerblading here soon, but what she doesn't know won't hurt her :)

I took my daughter out on her blades this afternoon and she managed to stay on her feet! I was very impressed with just that fact.  She doesn't quite understand how to turn her feet slightly to push off, but I am sure that will come with time.  My husband has guilt tripped me into buying a pair for our just barely three year old.  I am afraid that he will hurt himself, being a munchkin of a three year old as it is, but he was so sad to find out that he didnt' have a box with blades in them in the mail.  So I have ordered him a pair as well and plan to blame his dad for any accidents that befall him.  Just kidding.  He is actually pretty physically capable, so he might even be better at it than our oldest.  Plus we have helmets, knee, elbow & wrist guards for both of them.  I couldn't find anything made specificially for the tailbone.....that might be a problem!~

Feb 13, 2010

12 Weeks

So today puts me at 12 weeks along.  It also puts me 6 lbs heavier and able to stay up 1 or 2 hours later than the first part of my pregnancy.  All in all, I am quite pleased with where I am at this point.  With my first three children, I gained between 12 and 14 pounds by 12 weeks, so I am doing much better this time around.  I am well on my way to meeting my goal of keeping my weight gain under my usual 50ish pounds. 

The next 8 weeks will be difficult because my company starts bringing in catered food for dinners during the week until April 15th.  The meals are delicious but sooo bad for you.  In addition, for the next 8 weeks I will be strapped to my chair staring at tax returns for 12 hours a day.  My only exercise will be walking up the 5 flights of stairs to my floor, walking to the printer or to get lunch.  So being sedentary & feed fattening food will set me back a bit.  Once April 15th rolls around, this mom will go back to her part time 3 day 30 hour schedule and will be able to get outside & stretch her legs again.  I will also have more time to keep up with my workouts.  At this point in my pregnancy I am going to just stick to the Turbo Jam workouts.

Here's to a gradual weight gain during the next 27 weeks of my pregnancy!

Feb 12, 2010

Child Obesity Risks

I found this article to be saddening.  As a parent it is my responsibility to make sure my child has the right foods to choose from and a balanced diet.  A child doesn't even realize they are missing things like cake, candy & sugary drinks if they are not offered.  My children get a little bit of candy for Halloween, Easter & Valentines Day, and cake on special occasions, but we don't stock that type of stuff in our cupboards because none of us need it.  Our children need to be taught the value of taking good care of our bodies and that some foods are only ok "once in a while".


http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100211/ZNYT04/2113005/1082?Title=Child-Obesity-Risks-Death-at-Early-Age-Study-Finds

Feb 6, 2010

New Do!

I think this pregnancy has taken the term "pregnancy craving" to an all time extreme.  Not only did I go through a bad spell of craving awful foods (which has thankfully ended), but I also have been dwelling on the idea of perming my hair for the past month.  Well yesterday my body must have made an extra shot of hormone, because I decided to leave work in the middle of the day to get my hair permed.  It is ok, my hair isn't going to hold it well (my hair is as straight as it gets, naturally), but hey I got my fix right?  I hope my body is done with all these fixes because my hair was a $100 fix after tip & gel :(.  All that money on my hair...I don't even like to pay to have it trimmed.  I wonder if I could use the pregnancy craving excuse to get a new car.....now theres a thought!

Feb 5, 2010

Safe Harbor

I promise this post is not about tax safe harbor :)  I had a checkup with my OBGYN on Thursday, and got to see the baby & a good strong heartbeat.  So we have shared our news with our friends and family, since our risk of miscarriage has dropped significantly.  It is a relief to be able to address those looks that say "are you pregnant again, or just getting fat?"  with a reassuring "no, I AM pregnant and therefore getting fat".  I hate keeping secrets anyway, so it is nice that I no longer have to watch what I say.

I think that I may have avoided getting excited over the pregnancy due to fear of miscarriage.  Now I need to relax and get excited because the alternative (thinking about having 4 kids 5 and under in my ever shrinking home) just might cause a stress induced miscarriage!  I can't wait to add the second floor to our home.  We are hoping to do so in 3 years or so.  We definately need the space!

So 11 weeks and counting.  In 2 more weeks I will officially be out of the first trimester and will update on weight gain & add new photos.

Feb 1, 2010

Trying to tip the scales just a tad less

The cravings just keep coming and coming and they are for foods that I would never ever eat.  I just never even have any desire to eat them.  Tonight I ate chicken nuggets (yeah the real ones) & french fries.  At least they were baked rather than fried, but I am sure they were full of calories, preservatives & fat.  I can't just clean all this stuff out of the cupboards because those are the few things my husband likes to have.  He already eats entirely different than he would if it were just him.  He doesn't mind eating healthy, but he also likes his junk too.

I had more energy this evening, so I did Burn It Off and the cardio portion of Kickin' Core.  I burned 826 calories tonight, WOOT!  I am sure that barely covered the nuggets I ate, but it helped minimize the damage.  I am going to double check my intake today to make sure I didn't go below 2,000 cals after my workout.  If I did I will have an apple or some raw veggies to make up for it.  Gotta keep the baby's wellbeing in mind!

Homemade Ranch Dressing

I found this recipe online as I was browsing for healthier versions of the foods I take to work with me.  I love my raw veggies & salad with Ranch dressing, but Ranch dressing is terrible for you.  I plan on giving this dressing a shot next week (unfortunately we did our shopping trip this morning before I found the recipe).  I will post back with an update after I make it!

This will last about three days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Makes 1 cup. Serving size: 2 tbsp


Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt or
1/3 cup plain Greek-style nonfat yogurt
1/3 cup lowfat buttermilk
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tbs finely chopped fresh chives
salt to taste

Steps:

If using regular yogurt, place it in a strainer lined with a paper towel and set the strainer over a bowl. Let the yogurt drain and thicken for 20 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together the strained or Greek-style yogurt with the remaining ingredients.

Recipe Courtesy of:

http://www.healthcastle.com/healthy_salad_dressing.shtml

Jan 31, 2010

Why stop at 1?

Since I got pregnant I have had the worst cravings for one particular food that I won't look twice at as we pass in the store, let alone ever allow on my grocery list.  What is this food you ask?  Oodles of Noodles (Top Ramen).  Specifically, the beef flavor.  I know, I know...what the heck is a health nut vegetarian doing craving those sodium, calorie & fat laden little packets of noodles?  I blame my parents...(not really).  I lived off of Oodles of Noodles when I was a kid, absolutely loved them~!  Of course, then my metabolism was much more on par and I didn't suffer from hypothyroidism.  Now, just looking at a packet makes me gain 3 pounds.

So I caved in and had hubby pick up some for me.  I had a couple of them that night and this morning still craved them.  So at lunch I ate two more, then I decided I might want one more.  So I had it.  Once that third pack hit bottom, I was ill!  I felt awful all day and still feel queasy when I think of them.  I think my overindulgance might have cured me of my awful cravings.  I only need to buy 6 mths more of time before my self control becomes my own and not the whim of the excess hormones running through my body.

Now that I am craving free I am going to go to the store to fill up on healthy, good for me, raw veggies & fruit and try to get myself back on the right track!

Jan 30, 2010

Out performed by my 4.5 year old!

We just finished lunch, and, as I was cleaning the kitchen, I hear the T.V. come on and my 4.5 year old say "mom....mom.....I can't hear the T.V."  I walk into the living room with the following words on the tip of my tongue:  "Tabby, do you really think you need to watch T.V. right now....why don't we find an activity to do together"

Just before the words actually fell off my tongue I realize she had cleared the toys out of the middle of the living room floor, had her water cup poised on the stand for her water break, and was getting ready to work out with Tony & the Kids.  The worst part of this is that she has done this for the past 3 or 4 days.  She used to only think about her workout after she saw me doing my video.  But she has been keeping up with her workouts even though I haven't been keeping up with mine!  I can not believe my four and a half year old is giving me a run for my money :)  I am extremely happy and proud that she is doing this on her own. I would never ever EVER force my children to do a workout video, they get plenty of exercise in their daily play.......Tabby has always enjoyed it so her aunt & uncle bought her Tony & the Kids for Christmas.  She was sooo excited to have her very own workout dvd.

I highly recommend the workout video if you want to have a fun way to incorporate activity in your child's day.  It is not a structured workout so to speak....Tony is very silly and fun in the workouts.  For example they pretend to surf in one of the exercises.  They get down on their stomachs really fast and move their arms and legs like they are swimming, then they get up and pretend like they are trying to get their balance etc.  They also pretend to be frogs and scootch down then jump up, they hop on one foot then the other pretending that the ground is really hot etc..  It is a lot of fun and doesn't seem like a workout at all.  Tabby gets right into it.  Plus it is very inexpensive.  I have included the link below.

www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/MDTHKIDDVDS1?referringRepID=28560

So anyway....looks like I might have to do my workout today.  I can't have my kids out fitnessing me :)

Jan 29, 2010

Is it ever going to end??

I will be ten weeks tomorrow!  Instead of regaining my energy and feeling like I am in some state of general wellbeing, I think I am feeling worse and worse!  All of my pregnancies were different and this one is no exception.  I feel queasy almost all day long except for immediately after I eat, and first thing when I wake up in the morning.  I haven't been sick, but I just have that awful feeling in my stomach...kind of like if I read too much in the car.  I have only 3 more weeks till I pass the first trimester I really hope that I start feeling better soon.  I haven't been doing my workouts.  I got one day in total this week and didn't have enough energy the other days.  I hope to pick back up once I am feeling better.  I may be down, but I am not out.  I have an appt with my OBGYN on Thursday and hope to see the baby or at least hear a heartbeat.  If all looks good at that appointment I think I will tell work and share our news with the rest of my family & friends. 

I got a call, tonight, from my neighbor accross the street that I haven't spoken with in months and found out that she is pregnant too!  She is due in July a month before me.  That is really great news because her son and my son are the same age, and now our two new babies will be the same age too!  Ready made playmates :)

Jan 22, 2010

Patience and Perseverence!

So I am at the exact date that I should have finished the month of Burn Circuit.  Somehow I landed here a whole week behind.  I lost a day here and a day there and then 3 days this week.  Two of them I didn't workout when I was supposed to and then tonight I did Burn Intervals instead of Push Circuit 3 because I felt I needed the cardio after two days of being lazy :).  The first trimester always kicks my butt in terms of energy levels.  I think that is why I always gain so much weight in the first trimester.  I am always tired and don't want to do more than sit down or sleep.  I still am pretty proud of what I have accomplished so far though!  I WILL finish week four by Friday.  Then I will post my photos & measurements upon completion of the Burn phase.  I am showing a lot more now.  I have had a couple of co-workers as a friend of mine if she had heard anything about me being pregnant again.  Fortunately she knows I am pregnant and that I want to keep it quiet a bit longer so she said she hadn't heard anything :)  Gotta love good friends!  I will be 9 weeks tomorrow, so I hope to stay on track with my workouts the next 3 weeks.  Once I hit the 2nd trimester I will have to modify my ab routines so I am not lying flat on my back. I am not sure how I am going to do that :)  I will figure something out!

Jan 19, 2010

Fit Minded

My middle child, my son, is a high energy low focus type child.  In order to get the best results with him, you have to turn him to face you and make sure he is really listening.  I swear that kid can turn it on and off like that.  I will say "Rory, go get your clothes and get dressed for the day" and he won't respond, he doesn't miss a beat in his play and is face doesn't even register that he heard my voice, but I can also then say to his sister "Tabby, thank you for getting dressed so quickly, would you like to help me make cookies" and all of a sudden his hearing aid is turned on.  We have been working on finding activities that teach him to focus, while still are in the realm of play.  One of his newest favorites is what I like to call "the lego project".  I will make some sort of simple 1 dimensional shape out of legos and then provide him with the exact same number of legos in the same shape and color and he will try to create the same shape I did.  A simple game, but he loves it as long as I am careful not to get to "creative" with my shapes.  We were able to find a game that runs along similiar lines....it has shapes and flashcards showing different pictures created by the shapes.  Rory loves the truck ones and does a really good job putting them together.  I love the Learning Store.  Such great toys!

Another thing I have noticed and tried to jump on when the opportunity arises, is that when his sister is practicing writing her letters, he watches intently and tries to mimic her.  He wants so much to be like his sister at times.  He actually does a pretty good job with writing some of his letters (for being almost 3), thanks to Tabby's love of letters & recently, writing.  He is a pretty smart guy, but channeling his energy into useful outlets can be challenging.

Jan 18, 2010

Letting Go

I finally decided it was time to get comfortable with a sitter.  It only took me 4 and a half years to finally make that decision..... No that's not true.  I had decided about a year and a half ago, but haven't actually followed through until now.  We tried a daycare center when I first started my job out of college, and a month into it they called me at work and said my daughter, who was just a year old at that time, had fallen out of a high chair and passed out.  When I asked how she fell out of the high chair they responded "she was standing up in it and didn't listen when we told her to sit down".  That was it for the center.  We then found a nice lady who had an in home daycare that we really liked, but she didn't have room for our son when he was born.  At that point my husband and I just began alternating shifts so that one of us was always home with the kids.  I loved this situation and tend to feel that no one can take care of our kiddos quite like us.  Although the preschool we send our oldest to 3 half-days a week does a pretty amazing job too!

My husband is full time and I am going back to full time to help out the firm during tax season.  So I asked around and finally settled on a friend's neice.  She is only 13, but would only be watching the kids for 5 hours so my husband can get some sleep before he goes in to work at night on Thursdays.  She is a very nice, responsible girl and I think she is a good choice.  We can grow together.  Once she gets older and the kids and I get more comfortable with her, my husband and I just might get to have a night to ourselves here and there.  I am a little nervous, but remind myself that my husband will be in the house and can help out should the need arise.  I hope everything works out!

Jan 16, 2010

My Little Marker Eater

I know they say on the box of Crayola Markers that Crayola products are non-toxic, but I can't help but wonder if it applies in my situation.  I have a marker monster.  Every time one of the other two (usually my son) leaves a marker laying around without the cap on it, my one year old grabs it and runs.  I see her come around the corner with green, blue, purple, orange, and the scariest of all red just oozing out of her mouth as she chews on the tip of the marker she bit off.  I frantically dig the marker tip out and stick a cloth in her mouth to try and soak up whatever hasn't been soaked up by her tongue (I don't think she swallows any of it...just lets drool & marker run down her chin).  As hard as I try to be diligent with keeping track of what the older two are doing/dragging out, it is difficult to monitor every single activity every day.  I am more concerned with the beads and other choking hazards....ya know the ones that say "WARNING risk of choking and death" on the package!  So I pass on making the markers something that I have to go get every time they want to use them.  By the time Ember is old enough to treat the markers right (i.e. not eating them) number four will be ready to take her place :(

Jan 15, 2010

It's All Good

So I had my sonogram on Thursday and everything looks great!  The baby is measuring a couple of days behind, but my doctor thinks I ovulated late since I also didn't get a positive test until the day after I had missed my period.  The heartrate was 145 and everything else looked good....according to the sonographer.  She did mention that I have a really tilted uterus which I thought was strange considering I have had 3 kids to date and not once has there ever been any mention of a tilted uterus then.  I am going to have to do some research on that tonight.  I also started week three of ChaLEAN yesterday!  Woot, I even made it all the way through Burn It Off the day before without stopping more than once to catch my breath!  My fitness level must be improving even though I am not pushing myself nearly as hard as I would if I weren't pregnant. 

Jan 11, 2010

That's my Protein...Hands off!

I love my family dearly....I really do, but do I really need to share my whey protein shake with my kids after my workout????  This has become a recurring habit of theirs.  They hover in the kitchen just waiting for me to pull out the Silk and my jug of protein powder.  Today I gave in and made a shake for them to share with half the powder to the same amount of Silk.  I need to ask their doctor if this is ok on a semi regular basis before I let them make it a habit.  As much as I complain, I really don't mind sharing since the kids don't eat a whole lot of meat and I want to be sure they are getting enough protein.  I think they are getting plenty as we make a conscious effort to put protein on their plates often, but with the way they each eat (sometimes they like something the next day they don't) and there being three of them, it is tough to keep tally all day long in addition to everything else we need to remember.   LOL and we are having four....why???  Ah well, I suppose we wouldn't have had the challenge placed upon us if we couldn't handle it, right? 

I also realize that I should just be thankful that they look up to me and want spend time with me and to be like me, because someday they just might change their minds!

Jan 10, 2010

7 weeks yesterday

So I am now at seven weeks and so far so good.  In the past week (Sat to Sat), I only managed to get in 3 workouts.  Partly due to morning sickness occurring at night when I usually workout, and then lack of coordination in the kids schedules.  So starting from today I am going to shoot for 4 of the 7 days.  In about 20 minutes I will put the youngest down for a nap and do Burn Intervals and Ab Burner and then probably will have to do Tony & the Kids with Tabby & Rory.  Tabby will also probably try to do Ab Burner with me, LOL.

Two days ago I was standing holding Ember and Tabby comes up and pokes my tummy and says "mom you have a big belly"  I couldn't believe it.  Yes my belly is already showing a bit, but for her to notice and comment on it blows my mind!  We haven't yet told her that we are having a new baby.  We will tell them if everything looks ok on Thursday. 

I am getting anxious for the appointment on Thursday.  Hoping all is well!

Jan 8, 2010

Game Plan Event

Heading to Boston MA to the Game Plan Event taking place tomorrow!  I am really excited to see all my fellow coaches and do some Shakeology sampling.  I tend to do the same thing over and over with my Shakeology, so it will be fun to get some new ideas.  A day full of training, good friends & Shakeology.  What could be better than that?  If you are interested in coaching, attending a free Game Plan Event would be a great way to get to know some of the coaches, see what we do and all of the support available to us.  If your ever interested, let me know and I will hook you up!

Jan 3, 2010

Pregnancy Goals

This pregnancy will be my sixth total. Pregnancy number three and four ended in very early miscarriages, then we had number five, Ember, my little angel. To say the least, I am terrified of having another miscarriage, but am just taking it one day at a time and staying positive.


I gained a total 50 pounds with each of my three kids. This pregnancy I am hoping to break out of that old rut. I am currently 5'7.5 inches and 159lbs. My goal is to stay at 159 until I get through the first trimester, and then allow for approximately a pound a week, for a total of 28lbs the entire pregnancy. If I can accomplish this goal, I will be amazed! I always gain the most weight in the first trimester, so if I am able to maintain my current weight until I am out of the first trimester, the rest should be easy....right???

I had already planned on starting ChaLEAN after Christmas, so I have stuck with that plan. I started ChaLEAN last Sunday, and wrapped up the first week tonight. I will complete the 90 day program as planned and then evaluate where I am and how I am feeling after that. I will make whatever modifications that are needed to feel comfortable and protect my body & the baby during the program. Here is my before picture (5 weeks 6 days pregnant and on day 6 of ChaLEAN).  It always amazes me, how quickly my tummy pokes out this early in pregnancy.





Jan 2, 2010

Oh Boy.....or Girl!

Two weeks ago we found out that we are pregnant with our 4th child.  The news was very surprising to us both, and a little bit hard for me to take at first.  I also just found out a month ago that I was being promoted at work.  My new position will require a lot more responsibility and it will be a constant struggle to get all my work done without working more than my 30 hours a week I am getting paid for.  I don't want to go back to full time because I will go back to never seeing my kids again, but I also don't want to be at the office more than I am getting paid for. 

After having the past 2 weeks to get organized and pull together a plan for balancing my home and work life, I am getting excited about the new bundle that will hopefully be delivered sometime in August.  I am thinking it is a girl (I haven't been wrong with any of my kids), so we will see in another 14 weeks!

Shakeology Promotions