The Beginner's Challenge

After being a coach for 3 1/2 years I have to say I wasn't a "beginner" anymore when it came to eating clean and exercising. Before getting pregnant I was the fittest I had ever been. I had clean eating down and I felt awesome. Then I spent the last 10 months being pregnant and lost a lot of muscle and quite honestly willpower to eat clean all of the time.

Now that I have been cleared for exercise again after being 6 weeks postpartum, I am feeling like a beginner once again. I am about 14 lbs away from what I was when I started and I swear all 14 lbs are resting in my back. For some reason all of my weight went there. Anyways, I am really excited and motivated to get started with my new transformation.

I am looking for some friends to join me in what I am calling the beginners challenge. This challenge group is for people who are at the BEGINNING of a transformation / weight loss journey. I want this group to be a safe space for those who are just learning. Sometimes I think the other challenge groups  that I run can be overwhelming for those who are just starting because often there are clients in the group who have already "been at it for awhile" and it makes them feel like they have so far to go. This group will not be that way. Because we will all be beginners, I think we are going to not only get some great results but also form some really special friendships.

During the challenge we will be following a meal plan and practicing clean eating all the while starting an exercise program and drinking Shakeology daily. Once you fill out the application below if you are interested, I will be in touch and we can work to find a program that best suites you and the goals you have for yourself.

Remember, your journey starts with you and a decision to not stay where you are anymore. Will it be easy? Nope, nothing worth having ever is but you will be so glad you started now and not six months from now.

Looking forward to getting to know you better and helping you along the journey. The challenge group will begin pre-season week on Monday July 10th.

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Postpartum Journey Week 5 Update

Postpartum Journey Update - Week 5

If your following the postpartum journey you may have wondered where last weeks "update" was. Here's the thing there wasn't one. We traveled home to visit family and by the time I got back home Monday night I was more worried with making a meal plan and shopping than I was with blogging. Last week was more of a survival week. Needless to say it was a good week. I find myself getting more and more adventurous with going place with her. I remember with my first I was afraid to GO ANYWHERE with him until 8 weeks. This time around I have enjoyed more outings and I swear it's helping to keep me sane. 

Enjoying my little love and admiring the body that helped to grow her. Instead of hiding the imperfections that postpartum brings along with it, I am trying my best to embrace it and see beauty in it. 

I did a video about this on Monday on my Facebook page which you can check out by clicking here but this past week I got brave and did ONE workout with my hubby. Why you ask? Because I am planning to use the new  Beachbody workout that is coming out called Shift Shop to be my postpartum bootcamp. They were having a one day screening of the workouts and I wanted to see what I was getting myself into. Boy did I ever discover how out of shape I am right now. It was humbling and both exciting to know I have my work cut out for me in the coming weeks. 

Post workout - sweaty but proud! 

All in all my nutrition was pretty good this past week. I made a blueberry coffee cake for my hubby on Friday that was way too tasty looking not to try so that set me back a little, but I have been pretty intentional with what I have been eating. This picture below is one of my many meals I had this past week. Some have asked me if I feel like I have enough food using the meal plans that I am. My answer is yes absolutely. If anything I am struggling to actually have the time to eat it all. I may find that once I add in daily exercise I might need more to keep up with my supply. I will adapt if needed, but for now all is well in the nursing department. She's an awesome breastfeeder and terrible at taking the bottle. This was so not the case with my son when he was little. She HATES the bottle and almost refuses to take it. I think I am going to have to try a few different types of bottles in the coming weeks. Otherwise mom is going to struggle getting to go anywhere alone in the coming months.

One of the many clean eating benefits I have been enjoying is easing back into my pre-pregnancy clothes. The tops all fit again. It's the bottoms that I am struggling with. I was a size zero ALL my life and even went back to that size after having my son. I stopped to try on clothes and see what size I am right now the other day. 4's were fitting nicely and I am planning to go back and do a little shopping because I can't keep wearing the same pair of shorts each day.

New respect for high waisted "mom" pants. They make my postpartum belly not look so postpartum. 

As for my little one, she is an awesome baby. Only cries when she is hungry or needs a diaper change. She is growing like crazy. Her newborn outfits are getting snug. She is starting to wear 3 month stuff. She adores being worn in my Solly wrap and I love the snuggles while having my hands free to multitask. 

This Thursday is my six week postpartum appointment. Anxious to go and be cleared foe exercise again. This clean eating has been fun but I am ready to take it up a notch in the coming weeks. Anxious for my transformation. 

Below you will find this weeks meal plan. As usual, it is gluten free (I have Hashimoto's disease and feel a million times better without gluten in my diet.) It is also pretty low carb. I use the portion control system and am still drinking Shakeology each day. Feel free to contact me if you have questions about my meal plans. 

Are you on your own postpartum journey and find yourself struggling? I would love to help. Each month I run accountably and support groups for women and would love to include you. Please fill out the application below and I will be in touch. 

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Postpartum Journey - Week 3 Update

Week 3 Wrap- Up 

How in the world can my baby already be three weeks old? I have no idea where the time is going. I will be quite honest, I have been lost in a fog of newborn life. I have been getting SO much less accomplished than usual and have simply been soaking her up. At first this was stressing me out. Each day I would make a to-do list and only accomplish like half of what was on it. Then I started to remind myself how much we wanted this baby. How hard we prayed and how short this period of time is. So I decided to change my perspective and just slow down. This is a season. I can do more later. For now I need to just soak her up. 

One of my many healthy meals I enjoyed last week. 

Still no workouts this week and still following my meal plan using the portion control containers along with drinking Shakeology daily. There were a few days that Shakeology really helped stop my chocolate cravings dead it their tracks. I was glad to be able to drink that instead of the brownie blizzard I was craving all week from Dairy Queen. I stopped using my prenatal vitamin now and am only drinking Shakeology in it's place. The baby seems to be fine with me drinking it. No stomach issues for her. I have even tried both the regular and vegan formulas to see if it made a difference for her. Often babies have trouble with dairy so some of my clients have to do vegan because of that, but it seems she's good either way. 

Some have asked me if my meal plan was enough to keep up my nursing supply. My answer is yes for sure. This is PLENTY of food. To be honest I have even been pumping a few times a day to start building my stash for the freezer.

Clean eating and shakeology are working well for me. Postpartum belly is starting to go away! 

As I mentioned last week I am not taking measurements or pulling out the scale right now. I need to be patient and kind to my body and my body image so I can't tell you how much I "dropped" but I can tell you I am liking what I see in the mirror when it comes it my waistline. Little by little the pregnancy look is going away. To the extent that I actually wore my bikini this week outside. Okay I didn't GO ANYWHERE in it and I won't, but I did manage to wear it and play with my little guy in his pool outside. I am going to need a new swimsuit though to wear in public. The tops that I have right now are WAY to small for this nursing momma. I am still not sure what kind I want to get. I sort of want to get a sexy but chic one piece. Some of them are great. It's not that I "can't" wear a bikini it's more so that I don't know if I want to this summer. Between nursing and that dark dark line I have going up my belly from pregnancy, I may just keep my stomach covered up this year. One pieces can look awesome too right? Besides I am starting to feel a little old for a bikini anyways lately. Stay tuned on that one.

GOAL - To be able to fit back into my wedding rings again soon. My hubby was less than amused when I asked if he could buy me a new one to wear for now. It was a firm no. Guess I have some work to do. At least it is now fitting half way down my finger. 

Here is what I will be eating this coming week. I have to admit my sugar monster is getting better the longer I am eating clean like I have been. The first week back to eating this way I was craving sugar like it was my J.O.B but that is starting to subside. I am finding myself crave heathy foods again. I have also been doing a pretty good job of sticking to my gluten free lifestyle. Towards the end of pregnancy I got away from it and my body was hurting because of it. This meal plan like all of my others is gluten free and as a result pretty low carb as well.

Most weeks I like to have this all typed up but I am learning that life with a newborn is all about survival. I should just be happy I have a meal plan right? ;) 

I am getting closer and closer to be able to exercise. Feeling so ready for some toned arms and legs again. Momma misses her workouts! 

In the event that you too are a postpartum mom and are looking for some support, please take a minute to fill out the application below. I will be in touch about including you in my bouncing back after baby challenge group.

Until next week friends! Thanks for following the journey! 

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