MOM SERIES: The NEW YOU!

Whether you work, stay at home, are single or married, being a mom to young children and babies is hard work.  When I hear older, more seasoned moms tell me it's worth it, all I can think about is how I will NOT miss the tantrums, the blowouts, the lack of sleep, the endless games of chase when I need to be somewhere five minutes ago, the crayon on the walls (why on earth are not all crayons washable?!), interrupted bathroom visits, the food on the floor, the food in the car, the food in my/their hair, the food protests on a meal I found on Pinterest while sifting through endless pins of recipes I will never try in this lifetime, or the next. Unless of course I hired a personal chef (Is that a thing?).  Ah yes, I will miss this one day for sure (insert sarcastic tone here).

I like to think of every phase much like that newborn phase. The one where they were up half the night, I lost all sanity, longed for three straight hours of sleep and then one day, all of a sudden, my baby smiles at me and all those sleepless nights become worth it in an instant (or maybe it took a FEW smiles). Like how all those months of pure torture on my body and/or mind and heart became totally worth it in the first moment I laid eyes on my precious new bundle of joy! That's when I look back and say, yes, I will miss this. Or the moment my babies all of a sudden bonds with their siblings and the craziness of juggling too many kids becomes worth it as their friendships begin to grow.

There are plenty of frustrating moments during the day. Those moments when I am struggling to keep it together, or wonder how other moms with more kids than me seem to do this 'mom thing' better than me. I need to always remember how only I see this aspect of my life. Only I see my children the way they are when only I am around. Only I have what it takes to make it all better for them, and only I can control the thoughts in my mind and the words out of my mouth. This is just a phase. A phase that will end just like any other. When that day comes, no one knows, but one thing is for certain, it WILL come.

So what should we tell ourselves so we can start enjoying this part of our lives? How can we get through our first few years as a mom without feeling like the women we've been our whole lives isn't lost forever? This is the new you. This is the new ME. The better me, the smarter me. The old me, she's in there somewhere, but she's more now, she's a mom. No matter how busy I try and make myself to get through the hardest things about being a mom to young children, the fact remains,  I AM A MOM!  And if we have trouble loving it, it's time to take a deep look at WHY. Then work hard on the things we DO love about it! Instead of wasting time and energy trying to change the things we can't... or controlling things that aren't meant to be controlled.

If you already love being a mom, share your feelings on motherhood to other young moms. We look to each other for strength!

So if I could talk to my younger self I would say:  Embrace the NEW YOU, make it OK to look back upon the old you as one part of yourself.  You will change again.  I promise. And when that day comes, you will look back at this season of your life as the moment that taught you what matters most.  It's not about the books that tell us to let our kids cry it out, or the parenting books that teach us how to deal with our child's endless tantrums... it is about YOU.  If you want to get it right, accept that the only way to do that is to get it WRONG so that you can LEARN how to get it RIGHT!  You follow me?

So take a long look in the mirror tonight. WHO do you see??  Don't recognize her?? Well then, it is time to get to know her, because she is here to stay, and the only way to move forward from here, is to learn to love her!  Got it!?

So for the next 30 days do yourself a favor, look into your eyes and repeat DAILY "I love and accept myself UNCONDITIONALLY as I am RIGHT NOW."  30 days.  That is all.  And that means 30 days of not just checking your new hip disfiguration or new belly pooch, but looking into your own EYES, and accepting yourself! Your WHOLE self! The NEW YOU!

MOM SERIES - Accepting Your Child's Different Needs

Some children you just need to snuggle more. Some need more hand holding, some need more physical affection.  Some will be just fine being sleep trained, being taught the routine, and some will have anxiety over being forced into a routine.  Of course structure is important, but sometimes creativity is required. 

In deciding what approach to take in parenting each individual child, remember that... they are INDIVIDUALS.  If you don’t call attention to the differences, but instead try to parent each child to their own needs, they will not notice as much that another child may be parented differently.  It will be ever so slight, and the only REAL thing a child notices is when their needs are unmet.  

So when you have that one child that breaks the mold, the one you have to lay with until they fall asleep, take those quiet moments as a gift from God. He put that child in your life, in that moment, for a reason. Take the moments to snuggle, meditate, pray, or just sleep!  

If your child is reaching to you for more love and attention, remind yourself, that eventually you will lay with that child for the last time.  And if you are alive for 40 years of that child’s lifetime, is laying with them nearly every night for 2 or 3 years REALLY the end of the world?

Mark's 10 Minute AMRAP - As Many Reps As Possible

AMRAP - As Many Reps As Possible Courtesy of Mark at http://blackjackwannabe.tumblr.com/ The point of this workout is to complete as many rounds as possible within the time limit. In this case, each round will consist of 4 exercises, and they should be completed as many times as possible within 10 minutes. TIME: 10 minutes Exercises: Pushups x5 Mountain Climbers x5/leg Knee Hugger Sit-ups x5 Squat Jumps  x5 Start the timer, and complete the exercises. Once you complete all 4 exercises, that is 1 round. Repeat the exercises (in the same order) to complete additional rounds. The point is to complete as many rounds as possible within the time limit - in this case, 10 minutes.  NOTES:  Take breathers, but not breaks. A breather is a short pause to catch your breathe before hitting it again. A break is a long pause in which you stop to take drinks, relax a bit, walk around, etc, etc,. Again, the point is to give it your ALL for 10 minutes, so no breaks.  If you can’t complete an exercise as demonstrated, try a modified version of it. EXAMPLE: “Cheater” pushups (I hate this term BTW) instead of regular pushups, Beginner mountain climbers, Situps as opposed to knee huggers, and squats as opposed to squat jumps.  No Matter your level, AMRAP’s can still wear you out because you’re giving it all your effort in such a short amount of time. So good luck, and have fun with it!

EAT MORE PLANTS AND IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH

We have ALL heard that we need to eat more FRESH and CLEAN foods… but why does that sound like we need to walk around with a bag of carrots and celery and deal with a grumbling stomach all day, only to sabotage all efforts by eating a HEAVY dinner because we just can’t stand the hunger anymore!?!?  Thus, making us feel like failures and that ‘eating more veggies just isn’t for me.’ Continuing the cycle of bad health and feelings of failing because we can’t make ourselves choke this stuff down!! 

It doesn’t have to be this way!!  Below are lists of tips and ideas to help you create a fresher, cleaner diet.  You don’t need to give up the foods you love, just eat more of the food you NEED in order to live a full and vibrant life!

    1) Keep It Colorful - Dress your salads according to colors, make it vibrant! Red, Green, Orange, Yellow, White, Purple, Blue, Brown (nuts and seeds), etc.

    2) Drink Green Smoothies - Go to www.simplegreensmoothies.com or www.greensmoothiegirl.com to learn more about how to make it nutritious and delicious!

    3) Make a List of veggies from every color group that you like or are willing to try.  A great website to help with this is www.colorsofhealth.com.

    4) Be Prepared - Before you put your produce away from the store, prepare it as you'll need it for recipes or snacking.

    5) Eat First - Instead of eating cake, cookies, candy, or treats, reach for fruit. Never eat treats on an empty stomach.

    6) DRINK PLENTY OF WATER - Half your weight in ounces as a base for a sedentary lifestyle. So the more active you are, the more you drink. Flavored or sugary drinks have no place in your regular diet. Let them be treats you only have on occasion.

    7) Eat More Veggies Than Fruit - And eat more produce, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes than you do animal protein. Get your healthy fats from plant sources, before animal sources.

    8) Measure It Out - One serving is about a cup. Eat 3-7 CUPS of veggies per day (depending on caloric needs), and 2-6 cups of fruit.

    9) Carb It Up EARLY - Consume most starchy carbohydrates (limit to 1/2 - 1 1/2 cup daily) in the morning and lunch, that way by dinner your consuming MORE veggies and fruit with your protein.

    10) Make a Meal Plan!! Plan out your menu weekly or monthly. Giving yourself 1-2 left over nights weekly depending on how much is typically left over from your meals.

    11) Baby Steps - Don’t change your entire menu at once. Start small. Add a salad to your dinners, try quinoa in place of rice, decrease your protein to one serving, increase your veggies to two. Try one new recipe at a time. Learn what flavors/spices you like best and add them to new recipes to make them yours!

    12) Don’t Throw it Out - Produce is tricky to keep fresh, so only but produce for a few days to a week at a time. The fridge slows it's ripening process down, apples and bananas ripen produce faster. Know which fruits bruise easily, and if food starts ripening faster than you can eat it, chop or peel it and throw it in a freezer bag in the freezer to use in a smoothie or over cereal.

    13) LEARN MORE - Finally, watch Forks Over Knives, Hungry For Change, Food Matters, Engine 2 Diet Rescue, or any film that promotes more fresh foods and educate yourself on WHY you're eating better. OR read Eat to Live, In Defense of Food, or something that helps you better connect with eating fresh foods. Just like you had to become a professional at your occupation, you need to learn how to FEED your body!

    14) SEARCH For Ideas  - Pinterest, Google, Facebook, Instagram, blogs and so much more are FULL of ideas and tips to help you eat healthier.

Some of my favorite sites are:

www.yummly.com
www.greensmoothiegirl.com
www.simplegreensmoothies.com
www.ohsheglows.com
www.plantbasedonabudget.com
www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com
www.forksoverknives.com
www.engine2diet.com
www.colorsofhealth.com

And so many more!



After MANY years of searching, these are the simplest food lists I can find!  Although, I eat mostly plant based, I wanted to include ALL of the options, as everyone eats SO differently! These are great lists to reference when you go grocery shopping for more fresh and CLEAN foods!  These are in order of MOST nutritious (that doesn’t mean to avoid the stuff at the bottom, as it is ALL nutritious!). *Courtesy Beachbody, LLC; the 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme.

VEGETABLES (Serving size = 1 cup)

• Kale, cooked or raw
• Watercress, cooked or raw
• Collard greens, cooked or raw
• Spinach, cooked or raw
• Brussels sprouts, chopped or 5 medium
• Broccoli, chopped
• Asparagus, 10 large spears
• Beets, 2 medium
• Tomatoes, chopped, cherry, or 2 medium
• Tomatillos, chopped or 3 medium
• Pumpkin (regular or West Indian), chopped
• Squash (summer), sliced
• Chayote squash, chopped
• Winter squash (all varieties), cubed
• String beans
• Peppers, sweet, sliced
• Poblano chiles, chopped
• Banana peppers, 3 medium
• Carrots, sliced or10 medium baby
• Cauliflower, chopped
• Artichokes, ½ large
• Eggplant, ½ medium
• Okra
• Cactus (nopales), sliced
• Jicama, sliced
• Snow peas
• Cabbage, chopped
• Cucumbers
• Celery
• Lettuce (NOT iceberg)
• Mushrooms 
• Radishes
• Onions, chopped
• Sprouts


FRUIT (Serving size = 1 Cup)

• Raspberries
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Strawberries
• Pomegranate, 1 small
• Guava, 2 medium
• Starfruit, 2 medium
• Passion fruit, 3 fruits
• Watermelon, chopped
• Cantaloupe, chopped
• Orange, divided into sections or 1 medium
• Bitter orange, 1 medium
• Tangerine, 2 small
• Apple, sliced or 1 small
• Apricots, 4 small
• Grapefruit, divided into sections or ½ large
• Cherries
• Grapes
• Kiwifruit, 2 medium
• Mango, sliced
• Peach, sliced or 1 large
• Nectarine, sliced or 1 large
• Pear, sliced or 1 large
• Pineapple, diced
• Banana, ½ large
• Green banana, ½ large
• Dwarf red banana, 1 ½ small
• Breadfruit, 1/8 small
• Papaya, chopped
• Figs, 2 small
• Honeydew melon, chopped
• Salsa, pico de gallo
• Tomato sauce, plainor marinara

PROTEIN (Serving Size = 3/4 Cup)

• Sardines (fresh or canned in water), 7 medium
• Boneless, skinless chicken or turkey breast, cooked, chopped
• Duck breast, cooked, chopped
• Squab, cooked, chopped
• Goat, cooked, chopped
• Lean ground chicken or turkey (≥ 93% lean), cooked
• Fish, fresh water (catfish, tilapia, trout), cooked, flaked
• Fish, cold water, wild-caught (cod, salmon, halibut, tuna, mahi mahi), cooked, flaked
• Game: buffalo (bison, ostrich, venison, rabbit), cooked, chopped
• Game: lean ground (≥ 95%lean), cooked, chopped
• Eggs, 2 large or egg whites, 8 large
• Greek yogurt, plain, 1%
• Yogurt, plain, 2%
• Shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster), cooked
• Clams, canned, drained
• Octopus, cooked, chopped
• Squid, cooked, chopped
• Red meat, extra-lean, cooked, chopped
• Lean ground red meat (≥ 95% lean), cooked
• Shakeology®, 1 scoop
• Tempeh
• Tofu, firm
• Pork  tenderloin,  chopped, cooked  
• Tuna, canned light in water, drained
• Turkey slices,*fat-free, 6 slices
• Ham slices,*fat-free, 6 slices
• Ricotta cheese, light
• Cottage cheese, 2%
• Protein powder (whey, hemp, rice, pea), 1½ scoops (approx. 42 g depending on variety)
• Veggie burger, 1 medium patty
• Turkey bacon,* reduced-fat, 4 slices

Starchy Carbohydrates (Serving Size =1/2 Cup)

• Sweet potato, chopped
• Yams (regular, white, tropical [batata]), chopped
• Plantains, sliced or ½ medium
• Quinoa, cooked
• Beans (kidney, black, garbanzo, white, lima, fava, pink, pigeon [gandules], etc.), cooked, drained 
• Lentils, cooked, drained
• Edamame, shelled
• Cassava (yuca), 2 ounces
• Peas
• Refried beans, nonfat
• Brown rice, cooked
• Wild rice, cooked
• Potato, mashed or ½ medium 
• Corn on the cob, 1 ear
• Amaranth, cooked
• Millet, cooked
• Buckwheat, cooked
• Barley, cooked
• Bulgur, cooked
• Oatmeal, steel-cut, cooked
• Oatmeal, rolled, cooked
• Hominy, cooked
• Pasta, whole-grain, cooked
• Couscous, whole wheat, cooked
• Crackers, whole-grain, 8 small crackers
• Cereal, whole-grain, low sugar
• Bread, whole-grain, 1 slice
• Pita bread, whole wheat, 1 small (4-inch)
• Waffles, whole-grain, 1 waffle
• Pancakes, whole-grain, 1 small (4-inch)
• English muffin, whole-grain, ½ muffin
• Bagel, whole-grain, ½ small (3-inch)
• Tortilla, whole wheat, 1 small (6-inch)
• Tortilla, corn, 2 small (6-inch)

HEALTH FATS (Serving Size = 1/3 Cup)

• Avocado, mashed or ¼ medium
• 12 almonds, whole, raw
• 8 cashews, whole, raw
• 14 peanuts, whole, raw
• 20 pistachios, whole, raw
• 10 pecan halves, raw
• 8 walnut halves, raw
• Hummus
• Coconut milk, canned
• Feta cheese, crumbled
• Goat cheese, crumbled  
• Mozzarella (low-moisture),shredded 
• Cheddar, shredded
• Provolone, shredded
• Monterey jack, shredded
• Parmesan, shredded
• Cotija cheese, crumbled
• Oaxaca cheese, crumbled
• Queso fresco, crumbled

SEEDS AND DRESSINGS (Serving Size = 2 Tablespoons)

• Pumpkin seeds, raw
• Sunflower seeds, raw
• Sesame seeds, raw
• Flaxseed, ground
• Olives, 10 medium
• Peanuts
• Coconut, unsweetened, shredded
• 21 Day Fix® DRESSINGS

Oil and Nut Butters (Serving Size = 1 teaspoon)

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Extra-virgin coconut oil
• Flaxseed oil
• Walnut oil
• Pumpkin seed oil
• Nut butters (peanut, almond, cashew, etc.)
• Seed butters (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame [tahini])



FREE FOODS

• THE WATER BAR (for infused water use berries, citrus, herbs, etc. infuse overnight before drinking)
• Lemon and lime juice
• Vinegars
• Mustard
• Herbs such as parsley, cilantro (fresh and dry)
• Spices (except salt)
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Green onion
• Chile varieties (jalapenos, serrano, ancho, cascabel, pasilla, guajillo, habanero, etc.)
• Hot sauce (Tabasco or Mexican only)
• Flavor extracts (pure vanilla, peppermint, almond, etc.)
• Achiote paste


If you need more tips and ideas, email me at ashley@healthyandfitforlife.org. OR find me on FB at www.fb.com/healthynfitforlife.  This journey is hard to do on your own!  I needed help getting started for sure!

5 Tips to Get Through the Holidays WITHOUT Gaining Weight!

It's about that time again!! The time of year we both love and hate. The, seemingly, inevitable pounds are about to pile on. Leaving us with both anxiety and dread over how much work we will face after the holidays. Does this really have to be the trend?? Do we all really need to follow the statistic of gaining an average of 10-15 pounds during this time of year? And do we need to deprive ourselves of all yummy goodness that makes up holiday traditional gatherings?! NO! 

We've made it through 4 holiday seasons without gaining unnecessary weight through the holidays (I say unnecessary because I was pregnant through three of those and never gained more than 25-30 pounds during my pregnancies).  Here are some habits I've picked up along the way that have helped us not get sucked in to the holiday pounds! 

1) Make a plan 

When treats come around, allow yourself the indulgence, but make a plan to only have 1-2 treat days per week. and eat REAL food FIRST! Never eat the treat if you are hungry, or it is meal time. Create a simple, easy to follow meal plan, don’t try too many new holiday recipes, keep it to 2 or 3.  Staying as close to your norm as possible will prevent unnecessary snacking.

2) Stay Hydrated

We tend to get REALLY busy during the holiday season (costume shopping, present shopping, volunteering, parties, festivals, etc), we also drink less water!  Keep a water bottle in your car, in your purse, wherever you can, and refill it often! Before you bite into that treat, drink 10-12 ounces of water!

3) Pack HEALTHY Goodie Bags for Your Friends and Neighbors

Everyone has their signature treat, so have that in your goodie bag, but then instead of accumulating the Costco-sized cookies and treats, dress the rest of your bag with clementines, snack size apples, or even a homemade hot cocoa mix without all the extra unhealthy stuff added in by the packaging companies.

4) Exercise 

Keep up your routine!  If you have to scale it back, try interval training through the holidays to create the longest after burn effect.  You can take your workouts down to 30 minutes if you stick to Tabata-style, Interval Training or HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts. 

5) Get RID of the Junk! 

We get so many gifted treats through the holidays, so get rid of it as soon as you have had your indulgence!  Take it to the office, throw it out, take it to a party to add to their buffet table! No one will know it was a ‘regift!' 

BONUS TIP: STAY POSITIVE

If you find yourself more depressed this time of year, engage in positive activities to keep you engaged in the present! Studies show that when we are depressed we are more likely to make our bodies unhealthy by indulging in unhealthy activities, i.e. Sugar consumption, malnourishment, laziness, negative self-talk, gossiping, etc... So do yourself a favor, pick up a good book, snuggle more with your loved ones, set up a game night with friends, watch a comedy or two, just DECIDE to be happy! And not just on your favorite HoliDAY, the whole season long!

Baby Number FIVE

Yep. You read that right!  We just had our FIFTH child!  I am still processing this new information.  Unlike with my other 4 children, this pregnancy was a breeze!  I finally learned what the NORMAL aches and pains of pregnancy were, and I gotta tell ya, I am super happy that I experienced them this time around!  I worked SO HARD to manage my chronic back condition throughout this entire pregnancy, and it actually worked!  I was able to keep up (for the most part) with my other 4 kids, my workouts, somewhat healthy eating, and still be a wife to my sweet husband :)

Let's rewind.  Before I found out I was pregnant, I spent a long while figuring out how to conquer my back pain and stay on top of it, and I got there.  During the first trimester, my workouts were VERY hit and miss, if I was too nauseous, they just didn't happen. I averaged 2-3 workouts a week for that first three months.  So you bet I jumped right in to 4-6 times a week as soon as I could stomach it!  I didn't do this to be crazy obsessed, I did it to keep my back from hurting. And it worked!

Fast Forward.  Toward the end of pregnancy, it became a tad more difficult to stay on top of things, but I managed to make it to the end!

Labor time.  Did I tell you I was in labor for THREE DAYS!!??  You read that right! 3 days.  Day number one: Contractions 5 minutes apart, a few intense ones sporadically placed with in every hour. I could still walk, move, breathe, and eat! So I didn't panic.  Day 2: Contraction still 5 minutes apart. Baby was even lower. Bathroom trips were frequent and a struggle (TMI?).  Took it easy, but I could still do what I needed to do without too much trouble.  Day 3: Contractions were sporadic at best, but I felt like I was about to split in half down the middle.  I was in a ton of discomfort, and had the worst cramping ever.

Climbing into day 4: 1:40 AM. I thought I wet the bed.  Cleaned up, went back to bed. 2 AM...  How could I possibly have wet the bed again?  That was a lot of water.... So I tell the hubs that I am pretty sure my water just broke, showered off, let the midwife know. Fluids were clear.  So we decided to try and get some sleep and then in the morning we would try and get my contractions closer than their current 10 min apart.  4:30 ish:  Time to get in the tub. Contractions were intense, 5 min apart, and I needed the hubs with me.  It was so quiet in my house!  Called the midwife. She RUSHED over.  (previous deliveries went SUPER fast once contractions were intense and my water was broken).  Baby wasn't completely ready, I was at a 6.

About an hour later, I felt like the baby should be coming out, but I couldn't get in the right position to help her down the rest of the way while in the tub.  Turns out there was a bit of an anterior lip holding her back.  Hubs and I were in the zone, so I just kept my eyes closed and imagined her coming into the world.  I could 'SEE' what I needed to do.  So it was time to get out of the tub and I needed to lay FLAT on my back.  I could literally 'see' with my mind's eye how I needed to help her up over my tail bone and under the anterior lip. Hubs is my main helper, he delivered the baby, with my help of course ;)  Or is that vice versa?  Haha! The midwife talked him through it, but she didn't need to do that much talking, Hubs had a pretty good idea since he practically delivered the last one! 

In about 3 pushes, she was OUT at 7:17 AM!  I got hold that sweet 6 pound 10 ounce baby girl right away! She is perfect!  The moment we saw her we were in LOVE!  And her siblings woke up almost right after that, but they didn't come in until everything was cleaned up and we could enjoy showing them their sweet baby sister.  It was wonderful to be at home and be a family right away!  I loved snuggling all my babies in those moments following a birth.  You are on this huge high from giving birth and the entire world just stops for a moment :)

Our new little baby is doing amazing things for our family, we are totally all about this little girl!

Why am I sharing this on my health blog?  Because I FULLY believe that my healthy lifestyle was what allowed me to fully help this little girl into the world!  There were several moments during the last hour of labor that if I hadn't kept up my stamina, I wouldn't have been able to hold the positions I needed to to get her where she needed to be to enter this world.  I know being healthy is what kept us from harm.  There were several things that happened during her delivery that confirmed to BOTH my husband and I that my increased flexibility, strength from my workouts, and stamina from being active my entire pregnancy were what aided me in getting our sweet little girl here safely.  I was so connected with God in these moments, HE was showing me what I needed to do, and I had successfully prepared for this moment.

This is what being healthy is about!  It takes work, it takes consistency,  it takes perseverance through the hard times life throws at you.  Don't let anything hold you back, and never let your bad days win!  You want to be prepared for whatever life has in store for you!  So hold your head a little higher on the days you decide to be better. it will be worth every struggle and every setback.  You will come out of this a stronger person!  So... Get up!  Let's do this thing!  

5 Activities for Young Children To Do While YOU Workout!

I have been working out at home since I had children, and it hasn't always been easy... nor is it always a breeze even at this point!  We have been through many stages of toddlerhood with varying personalities to add to the mix. I have had to rearrange my workout areas to make it easier to get my workouts in and still allow my kids to be around me... otherwise it means I have to get up before the rest of the world in order to get my workout done....  which I still do sometimes when I need that 'ME' time, but typically, working out is just another activity I get done during the day like cooking and cleaning.  Still hard things to do with littles, but here are some things that have worked for US!  And it took TIME to get in the habit of these things just like anything else!  Kids test boundaries, they test wits, and they have to get into a groove just like I do!! 

1) Getting Them Their Own 1 lb Dumbbells and Yoga Mat. 

My kids are just smaller versions of me, and they LOVE independence.  When they were really small, they HAD to be wherever I was, so the toy room was always off or a part of the living room, That is where my workouts also happened.  I got my oldest her own set of weights so she could participate, and she was by her toys so she could move on to bigger and better things when she was bored.  Also giving them their own yoga mat to workout on made it so that they weren't crowding on my space! It still happens from time to time, but, hey, it just makes it a more advanced workout for me!

2) This Is Their Play Doh Time

If you have hard floors or a towel and a station you can set up some kinetic activities, this is the PERFECT thing for almost school aged children! Mine are all really close in age, but when my two younger ones were taking naps, I would reserve that time for activities that only my two older ones could do while the younger two were napping.  I imagine not many moms are in my particular shoes, so they aren't juggling 4 kids under the age of 6, but this worked for us!   We didn't just to Play Doh either, it was just a craft time with age appropriate crafts and/or coloring activities.

3) This is their QUIET Time

If I reserve a slot of time during my kids' quiet/nap time, AND they have been playing pretty well all day. I DO let them watch shows from time to time.  That means I have to be OK with the fact that I can't use that TV time another time during the day (only because we seriously limit it due to attitude issues and extra sass that comes with lots of TV time in our house).  We also established that during quiet time, if you come interrupt me too many times, it is off to bed for you!  Phrases like, 'well, the fact that you keep coming to me for help with everything tells me you are too tired to do it yourself, so you need a nap,' has helped a TON!  We also remind them that if they are being too noisy, they are 'too tired' to remember it is quiet time so they will have to lay down if they stay loud.  Quiet time is a DAILY activity in our house!  12:30-2:30/3 seems like a long time, but they need it just as much as I do and the dinner time crankiness is hardly ever an issue!

4) This Is The Time They Learn Independence

I don't always have my kids doing some structured activity. The rule while mommy works out is either, you figure out how to do it yourself, or you have to wait until mommy has a long enough break or is done with her workout before she can help you.  Because the toys are close enough to where I workout, my kids will often play together while I workout, BUT it almost ALWAYS comes with interruptions if it is during their more active periods of the day.  If they are fed, rested, and have their basic needs met, they can either workout with me or play with their toys. Too many interruptions or too much whining means lost TV or other privileges they may have earned.  It took time for them to get it, and I have also learned a balance with this as well, like keeping the workout to 30 minutes, but my consistency in exercising almost daily has paid off!  They are used to it being a part of my day, they are more patient in figuring out how to do things they feel like they 'can't' do, and we are all better off for it! 

5) Play OUTSIDE

If your young children are a little older, and you have a decent back yard, send them OUT!  Kids need to run and play! You can even find PLENTY of workouts you can do outside as well as inside!  Yoga Mats are washable, and pushups are much nicer on grass than hard floors or concrete.  We LOVE to spend time outside, and if I know my workout routine pretty well, it is much more rejuvenating to workout outside.



Get creative, make it fun, have the kids try to army crawl under you while you hold a plank, have them run under your legs when you do your straddle stretch but they lose points if they touch your legs.  Kids can do basic moves very easily and love to be involved.  So if you don't have any other time that works, and you want to get a good sweat going, make them a part of it, it will get them ready for school, and it will help them burn off some energy!  Kids need to be ACTIVE for at LEAST 15 minutes of EVERY hour they are awake!  Not just standing, but PLAYING!  So kill two birds with one stone, and at first it will seem super stressful, but over the course of a few weeks you will notice that everyone is falling into a groove and you will figure out what works best for you and your kids!

If you follow a workout routine off the internet or a DVD, play it quietly and turn on some dance music so your kids can feel the beat and dance around with you.

Keep in mind that it is OK to encourage your children to occupy themselves for a few minutes every day.  Even if you work outside the home, having unstructured time to fill their time while you are all home as a family is GOOD! Even in most day care situations, they do follow more order and structure than if they were just home with you. 


These are things that have helped us a TON! Also, ANY workout is better than NO workout, so if it is a matter of being interrupted and getting part of a workout done vs no workout, which would you choose?  Not everyone has the luxury of a gym membership with childcare, and not everyone can make it to the gym regularly enough to get amazing results!  These are just a few ways you can still accomplish your workouts at home even with kids running around!

It takes time, it takes effort, but with CONSISTENCY it PAYS OFF!  Good luck! If you need more tips and ideas, please contact me!  I have been doing this for the past 6 years and have had 4 almost 5 kids.  IF there is ONE thing I know, it is how to workout with littles on the move! 

*For more tips and ideas, or to message me or follow me on FB go here: www.fb.com/healthynfitforlife

** To participate in my upcoming Fitness, Nutrition and Self-Esteem Support group, apply here: http://tinyurl.com/plrfgp9

If You Budget Your Life Like You Budget Your Money, You WILL Succeed!

I made a YouTube Video about this subject, but I want to expound here on a particular thought.

First, let's talk about budgeting your money.

Over the past several years we have meticulously been paying off all our debts, and, FINALLY, we are virtually DEBT FREE. Like seriously. All we have left is our house.  We have been frugal, but not without what we needed, we have been creative, we have been blessed with better jobs, and even a better house.  We even bought a couple new high ticket items here and there.  All the while, we were tackling away, penny by penny, at our debt.

We set a BUDGET, we determined exactly how much was non-negotiable to spend on our debt (on top of our monthly payments), and committed to it.  And we didn't make excuses to cut into it, except for once when we went to minimum payments for a period of time to move across country.  Even then, we had a set time for this.  And as soon as we could, we made up the difference.

Many people think you have to 'get lucky' to accomplish such a goal.  We weren't lucky, we were just aware, and we made a CONSCIOUS decision to prioritize this goal above all others.  Awareness is KEY. It doesn't just happen, we didn't win the lottery, we just made smart choices, and hoped for the best!

Ok, Ok...  What does that have to do what Success??  

None of us is blessed with enough time in the day to get EVERYTHING done, just like the average person doesn't have enough money to just go and buy everything they WANT. We have to make CHOICES, day in and day out, to do what is most important.  If we don't DECIDE to do what is most important, we will end up just doing whatever we do and hope that we get everything done.  9.9 times out of 10 we go to bed tired and guilty of missing those few KEY things we NEEDED (or felt like we needed) to get done that day!  This is a vicious cycle.  We go to bed exhausted, guilty, feeling down, and then we wake up discouraged and less motivated and confident.

So, if you are an average person, with not a ton of resources at your fingertips, how do you get ahead of this?

BUDGET!

Write down EVERYTHING you have going on in your life.

Write down or STAR the MOST important things.

Then put those in order from most important to least important.

How many of these are daily activities? Weekly? Monthly?

Start a list, even if you hate them!  Prioritize the most important goals, prioritize your daily goals, weekly, monthly, yearly.  Create the awareness of them.  Write it where you can see it.  Keep it in a small notebook or paper in your wallet or purse.  If you are saving for something important, put your debit card in an envelope labeled with that name. Every time you pull it out to buy something you are reminded of what your goal is, and you can then make a better decision on whether or not you need the thing you are trying to buy in that moment, or if you can do without.

If you are trying to get fit and healthy, how can you MAKE that happen?  Do you really need to sign up for that bake sale?  Do you really need to host that tupperware party?  Do you really need to spend all that time unwinding at night watching TV for hours?

Write down your goals and MAKE THEM HAPPEN!

Just like you would put your most important bills first, so you make sure they get paid before you run out of money. Even if you are living pay check to pay check, you figure out a way to buy food and pay rent and electricity!  It happens because we MAKE IT HAPPEN!  It happens because we NEED it to happen.

So if you are SERIOUS about changing your life. If you are SERIOUS about SUCCEEDING and accomplishing those goals of yours.

ACT LIKE IT!

We ALL have to make sacrifices in one way or another.  So make them count! Take that step you need to in order to take charge of your life!  Being busy, broke and run down doesn't earn you a medal, but being financially, physically and emotionally FREE pays off in DIVIDENDS!

So what's it going to be?



NOTE: Some EXCELLENT books to read (or listen to):

EAT THAT FROG - Brian Tracy
FIRST THINGS FIRST - Stephen R. Covey
THE COMPOUND EFFECT - Darren Hardy
TOTAL MONEY MAKEOVER - Dave Ramsey
RICHEST MAN IN BABYLON - George S. Clason
5 LESSONS A MILLIONAIRE TAUGHT ME ABOUT LIFE AND WEALTH - Richard Paul Evans
THINK AND GROW RICH - Napoleon Hill
AS A MAN THINKETH - James Allen