Too Busy Having Fun...

Sorry that I've been slacking on blogging this week! My husband had a convention he needed to attend in Las Vegas for work and he doesn't like going out there without me so I happily tagged along. I packed my running clothes with the best intentions of running while I was here but instead I've spent the last 24 hrs eating yummy food, walking around shopping by myself, watching Walking Dead in our hotel room, gambling a bit, and overall having a darn good time. Hopefully I'll have something more interesting to post in the next couple days. Oh well, I'll do my running tomorrow. 

I haven't taken a single picture this whole trip but here is a photo of us from the last time we were in Vegas. :)

Happy Tuesday!

-Bre 

A Tip For Beginner Runners

For some reason I've been having a hard time thinking of things to blog about lately.  I think that part of the reason is because I don't really feel like I've made any new changes lately, and partly because I've been busy and distracted with life.  I'm not sure how full time bloggers come up with things to write about everyday, my life just isn't that interesting!  I mean how many times can I possibly write about coconut oil before I scare everyone away?

Last week we started the Couch to 5K.  Now I realize I'm kinda cheating since I already completed this program a couple years ago, but running is one of those "use it or lose it" kinda things…. and since I haven't been running I've completely lost it.  The one thing that quickly came back were my sore knees.

I run on a treadmill in my living room, nothing about it makes for a good photo. :)

*Side note* About 10+ years ago I had an illness called Graves Disease.  Part of my treatment was some pretty high dosages of Prednisone (a steroid) for about a year.  Side effect of those steroid treatments were some pretty messed up knees, along with a slew of other things… don't even get me started on my disdain for steroids now!

Anyways, one of the most valuable things I learned last time I did the Couch to 5K was the importance of stretching before and after running, especially if you have bad knees like I do.  But not just any stretching, dynamic stretching.  Dynamic stretching is just like regular stretching except you do it while you're moving.  This is the video I followed on dynamic stretching.  I do each exercise for about 30 seconds and it has seriously diminished (and often eliminates) any pain I might get in my knees.  Without the dynamic stretching I tend to feel it in my knees after about 1 minute of jogging.  Everyone is different, and you may need to stretch more or less than I do, but keep on testing it out until you find what works for you.

I am a complete beginner and I'm just passing on info that has worked for me.  From what I've read it's best to do dynamic stretches before running and static stretches after.  Static stretch are when you've cooled down, usually sitting in one position and holding each stretch to help pull and lengthen the muscle.  Static stretches are pretty much the normal stretches that most people are familiar with.

I hope this helps!  Don't skip stretching, it doesn't take much time and your muscles like the prep. :)

Anyone have any suggestions for stuff to blog about… Help! Please!

-Bre

I Get It Now

It's become very clear over the last few months how people turn into health nuts.  First you make a few little changes, then you start feeling better and want to make more changes, then BAM before you know it you're a full blown crazy health nut.  I still consider myself so far from health nut status it's not even funny (especially considering I've had dessert twice this week and it's only Tuesday, oops!), but I definitely have a much better idea on how that sneaks up on you.  

So as much as I dislike the idea of being a health nut I'm realizing that it's not as far off as it once seemed… But really who am I kidding, I have the self discipline of a 2 year old, I'll never be a health nut. 

I should also mention that I actually find these posters amusing and even somewhat motivational now, which I'm sure says something about how nutty I'm becoming.

The Best Banana Bread. Seriously.

My girls asked if we could make banana bread last week and I was happy to do so.  As much as I'm consciously avoiding sugar and lots of breads I knew that making any other recipe bedsides this one wasn't even an option.  I've made the same recipe with my girls for year and it's their favorite and mine.  I love knowing that they'll grow up with fond memories of recipes we've made their whole life, both health and more indulgent.  

Not all banana breads are equal, if it's too cake-y or dry then I'd rather not even eat it.  This banana bread is perfectly moist, dense, and downright delicious.  Now I know this isn't a healthy banana bread recipe, especially since it has sugar in it, but it is definitely the best banana bread recipe I've ever tried.  I made it with Cup 4 Cup Gluten Free Flour so that it wouldn't hurt my youngest tummy.  I shouldn't go further without mentioning how much I love this flour.  This is by far the best gluten free flour I've tried, which explains the hefty price tag.  Anyway back to the banana bread… If you're looking for the best banana bread then make this, if you're looking for the healthiest banana bread then you may want to keep looking!  Even though this isn't the healthiest recipe out there it sure does make for a nice treat.  

Banana Bread

5 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ripe mashed bananas
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray bottom of a 9 inch round pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2.  Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
3.  Add granulated Sugar and brown sugar; Beat until well blended.
4.  Add egg, egg whites and vanilla; blend.
5.  Mix in the mashed bananas, and beat the mixture on high speed for 30 seconds.
6.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder.
7.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with the cream, ending with the flour mixture.
8.  Pour batter evenly into prepared 9 inch round pan (or loaf pan).
9.  Bake until golden brown, and toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (About one hour).

Helpful Hints Part 2

A couple weeks ago Kristin posted her helpful hints, and since I enjoyed reading the things that are helpful to her I thought I'd share some of mine.

• Get a large cup to take everywhere.  We all know how great it is to drink water, and lots of it!  I've found that a good cup goes a long way.  I prefer the metal cups from Starbucks.  I keep filling it up during the day, take it with me when I'm running errands, and when I want my water cold it does a really good job of keeping it cold for quite a while.  Drinking lots of water is easy for me now but when I was first getting in the habit it took some work, anything that helps get it down is a bonus! 

• Always keep a couple go-to healthy meals on hand.  I know that if we don't have something at home to eat it's so much easier for us to get off track.  I make sure we keep a few basics around for those times we're in a hurry or scrounging to make a meal.  Frozen chicken and veggies along with a couple cans of canned chicken are things we find handy when we need a quick and easy meal.

• Try something new at the grocery store.  I often try and pick up one or two things at the grocery store to help with finding new healthy things we can eat.  Grab a new granola, or a different type of yogurt, maybe you'll find something new that you love.  I tried coconut sugar a little while back and I'm totally hooked now! 

• Paper to-go cups!!  I might sound crazy here but putting my dandy blend (or coffee for you normal people) in a paper to-go cup and bringing it with me to church or while I go grocery shopping has done wonders in keeping me away form all those coffee shops out there.  I still get the fun of having my little cup with me without the added sugar and caffeine that I try and avoid. 

• Keep a chocolate bar in the fridge.  I find that if I keep a chocolate bar in the fridge and have a little square or 2 when I'm having a craving it has done wonders with keeping me from fully caving.  My favorite is this Chocolove Almond with Sea Salt in Dark Chocolate (you can find them at most grocery stores).  It's rich enough to fill the urge for something sweet without needing to feel guilty for overdoing it... It didn't on the other hand keep me from sharing a cookies and cream shake with my friend today.

I would love to hear your helpful hints… what keeps you on track?  Any tips for us?  It's always nice to hear what has helped others along the way.

-Bre

GP's Old Bay Ranch Recipe

I realize I'm posting another Gwyneth Paltrow recipe but that is for one very good reason… it's the only healthy cookbook I own.  Actually I take that back, I just bought Agains All Grain but I haven't actually cooked anything from it yet.  Back to GP's Old Bay Ranch Dressing, this isn't a traditional flavored ranch, to me it's more garlic-y and works best as a dip.  I had been wanting to try this recipe since I first got her cookbook last year but could never get my hands on Old Bay seasoning.  Well apparently I had been looking in the wrong section because at my grocery store they keep it near the seafood section and not in the spice section.  Go figure?  About a month ago I was at a friend's house for our monthly homeschooling meeting and she made this for the group, it was love at first bite!  Thick and creamy with tons of garlic, what more could you ask for!  

Gwyneth Paltrow's Old Bay Ranch Dressing

adapted from It's All Good

1/2 cup Vegenaise (I used Greek yogurt instead)

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 garlic clove, finely minced (I used 2)

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives (I didn't have any!)

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir together.

Keeps well in a jar in the fridge for up to a week.

This is where I'd add the photo I took earlier with the veggies I had to go along with it but when I took my photo to the Apple store earlier this evening they reset my phone and the image was lost.  No biggie, you get the idea.  Give it a try, it's really tasty and perfect for dipping veggies. 

-Brianne

Homemade Deodorant

I'll be the first to admit that making homemade deodorant seemed a bit crazy.  I know we've all heard about the accusations that it can be harmful to our bodies (good info about that here!) but I think I'm like most people that put that in the category of "that wouldn't happen to me".  I've also always assumed that people who made homemade deodorant were more willing to smell bad for the sake of good health, and I'd rather smell good so obviously this wasn't the route for me.  But then the more I thought about it the more I realized I'm exactly the right person to give this a try… I don't want to smell bad, not even a little, I've tried natural deodorants in the past and none have ever cut it, and I really don't want to get Alzheimer's or breast cancer so I figured I'd give it a go.  Oh yeah, I also seem to get stinky fairly easily so this would actually need to work really well (that was even embarrassing to type).  

I should also mention that a big reason why I started searching for natural deodorants was because I was just noticing that my daughter was getting to the point where she needs deodorant on occasion.  The thought of giving her something that is so closely linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer's made me cringe.  So like most things, when I'm not good at doing something for myself you can guarantee that I'll be more willing to do it for my children.

Last week I tried a recipe that a friend of mine, Shannon (Kristin's sister), posted on Facebook.  It seemed like a good place to start!  You can find most things at your local market (except the beeswax) but I went ahead and ordered a few of the items online out of convenience.  Once I had everything I gave it a go!  It was really easy to make and took less than 5 minutes, plus extra time to sit in the fridge and get firm.

Homemade Deodorant

1 Tbsp beeswax (I used pellets)
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp arrowroot
2 Tbsp baking soda
4 drops of vitamin E oil
10 drops of Joy essential oil (optional)
Deodorant container- you can buy empty ones or just clean out an old one that you have laying around

Put coconut oil and and beeswax in pan on low heat to melt.  Add arrowroot and baking soda.  Mix together and take off heat.  Add vitamin e oil and your essential oils.  Don't add the essential oils while you're heating the other ingredients because the heat can ruin the properties of them.  Pour melted liquid into deodorant deodorant. Put it in the fridge to cool for 30 minutes. 

Does it actually work?  Well I've been using it for a week and I don't have any complaints!  Just to give you an idea of how well it's working I did a little experiment this week.  I showered Monday and applied the deodorant, Tuesday I didn't shower and I didn't apply more deodorant, I worked out later that day and even after my work out I didn't smell.  Pretty crazy!  I was even surprised with how well it worked.  

If you buy a pound of beeswax pellets like I did you'll have enough beeswax to make deodorant for the next 10 years.  I recommend sharing them with a friend or finding other useful ways of using it- Thank you Pinterest!

Jillian Michaels, Traveling, and Weighing Myself

I don't know what has been going on, but if you can't tell by our (or maybe it's just mine) semi-deppressing blog posts over the last week or so I think we've been in a bit of a funk.  I've come to realize what part of the problem has been…

1.  I hate doing the Jillian Michaels video.  There I said it.  I dreaded every day of doing it, and not because it was challanging but becasue her way of training buuuuuugs me.  When it comes down to it not all personality mesh, and the way she tries to coach you through the exercise just wasn't my favorite.  I tried to hang in there and stick with it because Kristin and I committed to it but last week we decided to move on *enter happy dance*.  Nothing against JM personally, she's been wildly successful with her training technique and I know many people who are really motivated by those videos, unfortunately I'm not one of them.  We're back with HasFit and doing their 90 day warrior and I'm much happier.

This is what my workout looks like most days.  It's rarely uninterrupted, and often done in the process of answering school questions, but it gets done!

2.  Too much fun.  I mean can you really have too much fun?  When it comes to trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle the answer (for me) is yes!  We've had back to back weekend trips, Joshua Tree last weekend, and our favorite book sale trip in Arizona this weekend.  Now don't get me wrong I'm not complaining about it one bit, I love to travel and am thankful for the opportunity to have these adventures, but it is harder to maintain as healthy of habits when traveling.  I did things to help like packing lunch for the car trip, getting green smoothies at a juice bar when we could, and bringing healthy snacks… but I also made sure I fully enjoyed myself which meant we ordered dessert at dinner, I had bread more often than at home, and zero exercise!  After all is said and done I was perfectly fine with how I ate over the weekend, I made a conscious efforts not to overdue it, but still enjoyed all the fun that comes with being on vacation.

First thing I asked my husband for when we got back to Orange County was to stop at Mothers to get green juice, it was the only thing that sounded good after a weekend of yummy food.  My body was craving something healthy!

3.  Now for the thing I think has been the number one contributor to putting me in a funk… weighing myself.  Sounds crazy, right?  I mean I used to weigh myself nearly every single day when I would work out in the past.  But now because my focus has been on nutrition and healthy habits as soon as I think too much about loosing weigh or being a certain size I get really discouraged.  Sheesh, I hate to even admit that but it's true.  After a little pity party I snap out of it and get focused again.  I mean change is happening, my body feels way better, my anxiety is a fraction of what it was, and I am losing weight, I'm just doing it the good ol' old fashioned way which takes a bit longer… slowly but surely.

What helps you get out of a funk?  I think it's just part of the challenge of making new changes.  As for now, I'm really happy to be on the other end of it now. :)

Trying Not To Get Sick(er)

Tonight is one of those night I just don't feel up to blogging.  I can tell I'm fighting getting sick and I'm so tired because of it!  I'm a mom, and like most moms, I'm pretty much always tired... but now even more so.  So instead of trying to come up with something new to share I thought I'd let you all in on how I'm trying to fight this bug.  First off I always like taking lots of vitamin C when I'm fighting sickness, I also like to take it when I'm traveling so that I don't get sick while we're trying to have fun!

Now for my new addition to my home readies… a couple weeks ago my box of young living essential oils came in… never in a million years did I ever think I'd be using essential oils.  I've heard such great things from friends that use them but I'm still new at it and trying to figure out how everything works.  Last week I had a headache, put a little peppermint eo on my thumb, and held it to the roof of my mouth for a couple minutes and it was gone.  Seriously!  So crazy!  To help with fighting sickness I've been diffusing Thieves EO in the air (a mixture of cloves, lemon, eucalyptus, cinnamon, and rosemary) and I just started applying it to our feet too.  Apparently Thieves is said to "help interrupt the life cycle of bacteria and also interferes with the ability of viruses to replicate".  Sounds good to me!  I'll keep you all posted.  I'm definitely a skeptic so we'll see if they can win me over.  So far I've been so surprised by how well they've worked. 

I hope everyone is getting through this flu and cold season.  What do you do to fight getting sick?

 

Some Favorites

There are many things I eat because they're good for me but I don't necessarily enjoy.  Today I thought I'd share 3 additions to our eating/cooking that have stuck around and now I downright love them.  First up is Dandy Blend.  I know, I know, we've mentioned this about a dozen times now but that's for a good reason.  When you give up caffeine, sodas, and a good amount of sugar finding something that is good to drink becomes increasingly exciting.  Enter Dandy Blend…

I drink it daily and look forward to it.  I can drink it black (which wasn't even an option with coffee), but if I'd prefer to spice it up that day I'll add a little coconut sugar and cream.  I spoke with the company and they said they offer free samples for anyone who is interested! Send them an email and try it out, maybe you'll enjoy it as much as we have.  

Next up is coconut oil.  I don't even know where to start with this one since it can be used for almost anything!  I now have 2 jars of coconut oil in my house, one for cooking and one for skin care (and other non-food uses).  It's great for cooking, skin issues, diaper rash cream, mental alertness…  It's one of those foods that sounds too good to be true.  Here is a nice little list of 101 uses for coconut oil, try some of them out for yourself and see how you like it!  I know I've been impressed with the results from using it. 

And last but not least is quinoa pasta (pronounced kinwa).  One of the hardest things I've noticed with all of these dietary changes is the lack of a hearty, satisfying meal.  Every once in a while I really want pasta, but these days when I eat pasta I feel like I ate a ton of bricks, and may even feel bad for the rest of the day.  Quinoa pasta has been the perfect substitute.  I enjoy the I cook with it about 2 or 3 times a month and love it every time.  Make sure you cook it in plenty of water and whatever you do don't overcook it since it will turn into mush. 

I hope that some of these items help you make healthier choices too.  Any suggestions you have for other good and healthy alternatives would be wonderful!  I'm always looking for new things to try. 

-Bre

Workout Woes & Popcorn!

I'm working my way through week 2 of Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 dvd and hating every moment of it.  Okay, okay "hate" is a strong word lets just say I detest it… strongly.  I told Kristin that working out is like having to go to the dentist everyday, I know I should do it but I dread it and I know it's going to hurt.  Something about this week of the video is particularly hard, so hard in fact that I haven't done my planks challenge in several days because my legs are sore.  Even though I'm not enjoying the work outs much this week I'm sticking with it and hopefully I'll enjoy weeks 3's work outs a bit more.  On a more positive note I have noticed improvements in my muscles and feel much stronger.  Below is a photo of my work out set up, computer goes on my bed, 3 and 5 pound weights, and my workout mat.  I really love that about these workouts, no crazy equipment or need to go to a gym it's always right there waiting for me. Easy peasy!

I still put most of my efforts on our eating habits and the quality of the foods we're eating.  I've noticed that we've talked a lot about exercising over the last few weeks but I never want the focus to be taken off of what we consider to be far more important.  It's amazing how much my desire to eat out has diminished over the last couple months.  My body and tummy are so much happier eating at home and I'm enjoying knowing exactly what we're eating.  Even my daughters are on board with all of these changes.  The other day my 8 year old came to me and said "Mom, where's the coconut oil I want to use it to brush my teeth".  Part of me was so proud of her and the other part of me cringed because that was so granola of her to say. Ha!

My girls really wanted popcorn this week and since we no longer buy microwave popcorn I just made it for them on the stove.  It was super easy and really quick to make.  Oh yeah, it also tasted really, really good.  I can't remember who posted this recipe on Instagram, but whoever it was I sure am glad they did!

3 Tablespoons organic coconut oil (get a coconut oil that says it's good for medium heat)
1/2 cup organic popcorn kernels
2 Tablespoons melted butter (my favorite by far is Kerrygold Irish Butter)
Salt

Over medium heat melt coconut oil in large pot along with popcorn kernels and a couple good pinches of salt. Put a lid on your pot and shake it back and forth until it stops popping. Pour the melded butter over the popcorn and enjoy!

Chicken Fajitas

I've been noticing how many food related posts are popping up on here, but considering how much cooking I'm doing these days it only seems natural that there would be a whole lot of food talk going on. I made chicken fajitas this week to go with the crock pot black beans I had left over. I really loved this meal. It was easy, really flavorful, and so delicious. I usually don't make fajitas at home, not for any particular reason, it's just not something I think of making. That won't be the case anymore. I quickly googled a recipe while I was at the grocery store and came across this Basic Chicken Fajitas Recipe on CHOW.

We had it on warmed corn tortillas with a little guac, cheese, and salsa. Seriously yummy. All 4 of us were raving about them.

The recipe link is above but here is a quick reference if you need it.

Basic Chicken Fajitas by CHOW

1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Juice of 1 medium lime
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2 inch strips
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 medium bell pepper (any color), cored and sliced into 1/2-inch strips
1 medium onion, halved and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
8 (6-inch) tortillas (corn or flour)
Guacamole, salsa, and cheese, for serving (optional)

Place the cilantro, garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, lime juice, and 2 tablespoons of the oil in a  large zip lock bag and mix to combine. Add the chicken and toss to coat with the marinade. Set the chicken aside for at least 10 minutes, or in the refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Heat a grill pan to medium. Once hot, add the chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and cook undisturbed until browned on the bottom. Flip, season the second side with salt and pepper, and cook undisturbed until browned on the bottom and cooked through. 

Place the vegetables on the grill pan in a single layer. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and slightly charred, about 10 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a serving dish. 

Give them a try, I think you'll really enjoy them!

I Hit A Wall

Well it happened and I knew it was coming. Today is day 18 of our plank challenge which means I was supposed to hold it for 2 1/2 minutes. Well at 2 minutes and 27 seconds I literally melted into my exercise mat. I have been waiting for that moment, that moment where you can't do a darn thing to hold yourself up another second, and tonight was that night for me. No more funny little planking videos because now all the grunting and screams makes it sound like I'm in labor, it's not pretty people (I'll try and work up the courage to post it)!! But guess what?? I'm still so stinkin' excited that I was able to hold it that long. 18 days ago I couldn't even fathom the idea of holding a plank for 2 1/2 minutes. Big high fives all around!

This week I came to the realization that I'm not going to be able to keep up with he pace of the 30 day challenge and my workouts. The new workout video I'm doing is kicking my booty so I'm thinking I'll start spreading out the planks to every other day to give my body a bit more rest. As much as I'd like to be a crazy, hardcore, work out woman I just can't. I really want to stick with this but I'm getting fatigued and burnt out which means I'm pushing myself a bit much. I'm going to switch to doing the planks every other day and see if that helps. It's all about balance, right?

This morning I made a yummy smoothie for breakfast. First let me clarify that when I say "yummy" I mean "healthy yummy", not "peanut butter milkshake yummy". I think healthy people often forget what yummy food really tastes like so they get overly excited about anything that is good for you and doesn't taste like dirt and earth. Anyways back to my healthy kale and almond butter smoothie that also happen to be pretty tasty too.

Adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook It's All Good

1 cup packed kale (ribs removed)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 Tablespoon almond butter
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
1 Tablespoon soaked raw almonds (I didn't soak mine and it turned out fine)
1 date with pit removed

Blend all ingredients together until very smooth. I then stuck mine in the freezer for 15 minutes to make sure it was really cold. Drink up!

Our First Planking Video TOGETHER!

Once I started excising a bit I realized that I would need a bit more workout equipment. Up till now I've had an exercise mat and a set of 5 pound weights. I've been trying to be resourceful (and cheap) and use my 5 pound weights for everything, but I was doing some punches and hurt my muscle, so I decided it was time to get my own little set of weights. After doing Jillian Michaels first video I noticed she had a set of 3 weights in a nifty little storage tray. After a quick google search I came across this set at Walmart for only $35, weights can be quite pricy so this seemed like a really fair deal. The set comes with 3 lb, 5 lb, and 8 lb weights. I don't have goals of getting buff or extra muscular so I shouldn't need anything over 8 lbs, I really like the idea of lean muscles but we'll see how things go as time goes on!

Yay!! I finally figured out how to get longer videos on here, that only took me a week. So here you have it our 1.5 minute plank in all its glory. There are countless things that are totally embarrassing about this video but we also had so much fun doing this together. I'd also like to say a big "thank you" to One Republic for this perfect planking song… good beat, fast melody, and catchy enough to keep you distracted while you sing along. 

We move up to 2 minutes on Sunday, I'm so curious to see how this goes. How is everyone else doing on your planks?

-Brianne 

Little Milestones

I hope this post isn't repeating too much of what Kristin said yesterday, but I couldn't let our little milestone pass without mentioning something as well. This morning not only did I complete my final HasFit 30 day challenge workout but I also held a plank for 1 1/2 minutes, which in plank-time is equivalent to a small eternity. When we started our 30 day challenge I would collapse doing a plank for 15 seconds so I'm pretty much in shock every time I reach the daily goal. I'm not sure how this will go over the next couple of weeks, or even if I'll be able to keep up with the challenge but I'll sure try my hardest. Our videos are getting too long to post so here is the last 50 (embarrassing) seconds of my planks today, all my grunting and sounds at the end really shows how dang hard it was.

Now for a recap of my experience with the HasFit 30 day challenge. In all honestly, I didn't have crazy miracle results or anything like that, just good bits of improvement in all areas. Plus it was only 30 days and this kinda stuff takes time, so on Friday I'll start on my next goal. Here are a few things I have noticed over the last month.

1. I'm stronger now. I can tell things are firming up a bit, and I can now flex my stomach which means I actually have stomach muscles that I didn't realize still existed after having 2 children. Overall I can tell my muscles are getting stronger which is what I was hoping for.

2. Lunges aren't as bad as I thought they were. The first week or 2 of the challenge I was in some serious pain. Every time I had to go to the bathroom or get in and out of bed it made me want to cry, just the thought of having to bend my legs was brutal. That wore off as I got stronger and my body got more used to them and now I don't mind them nearly as much.

3. Working out 5 days a weeks mean that I don't often look very nice or put together. I either look like I just worked out or I look like I'm waiting to work out. Sorry everyone who has had to spend time with me over the last month but who wants to blow-dry their hair or have nice makeup when they know their going to be covered in sweat later that day… Maybe it's not as bad as I'm making it sound but on many days it felt that way. 

And now the question on everyones mind… did this help with loosing weight? I understand the curiosity, especially those of us who would really like to lose weight. Plus in the past the only reason I would ever work out was to lose weight. I didn't really care how strong I was or why it was an important part of being healthy. But now my main goal isn't to lose weight but rather to get stronger. I know the weight thing will work itself out over time but in the end I've lost around 6-7 pounds, but I'd still give most of the credit to what I'm eating (and not eating). Muscles don't matter so much when your body isn't running properly, you know?

It's really exciting hearing so many people joining in and suffering through planks with us. It has definitely given me that extra bit of motivation to keep it up, so thank you for that!

-Bre

Hiking Counts As My Workout, Right?

Today we decided we had enough of the 80 degree winter we've been having and headed up to the mountains…. (almost) 2 short hours later and we were surrounded by trees, beautiful mountains, clear skies, and crisp fresh air. I know that driving 2 hours for an afternoon in the mountains sounds crazy but it was the exact thing we all needed. We hiked around, climbed over rocks to get to a waterfall, and we even found tiny patches of ice for the girls to pretend ice skating on (because in California frozen water on the ground it downright exciting). It was pretty great and I needed the reminder that 50 degree days do exist places. 

Once we got home I reluctantly did my planks for the day, I'm up to 1 minute. Let me tell you, planks are really stepped up a notch when you've been hiking all day, that was a tough one! You can read about our planks challenge here, we're on day 10 but I'd love for you all to join in, we're just getting to the hard stuff now! Anyways, after the planks I tried to convince myself that I didn't need to do my workout because we were so active today. Under normal circumstance I totally think hiking is an excellent workout, but since I'm trying to finish off our 30 day challenge strong I sucked it up and did the 15 minute exercise. Little did I know that there would be about 3 more minutes of planks thrown in there, ouch!! That was pretty crazy and I got my buns kicked for sure. But in the end I was really happy that I did it, not because the workout was necessary today, but because I committed to doing this and I want to stick with it.

I can't believe it's already been over a month since we started, that's pretty exciting! We have another Q&A planed for this week so keep an eye out. 

-Brianne

Farmers Market

You know the saying "when it rains, it pours", well this week has been pouring on me. Without getting into too much personal detail (since it's nothing to do with me specifically), lets just say that I've been more then a little distracted. I haven't entered the grocery store all week which means we're scrounging for meals around here and having to eat out more then we've had to in the last month. It's just one of those weeks where all of that comes second because there are far more important things to take care of.

Today I took the morning to enjoy a few hours with my girls. We hit up the farmers market and bookstore, it was a nice distraction and just what we needed. I go to many different farmers markets in the Orange County area, depending on the day I can go is what decides where I end up going. If you're local you can check out this list for all of the different markets. If you don't live in Orange County I'm sure you can google your county and find local farmers markets too. If I had to pick just one favorite I'd say it's the Laguna Beach market on Saturday mornings. It's close to shops and cafes that you can grab a bite to eat at, and they have good venders. There is a guy that sells grass fed beef, and the olive oil people sell a really yummy unfiltered olive oil that I love to use in salad dressing recipes. Sometime soon I'd like to do a more detailed post on shopping at the farmers market, what I buy and don't buy, stuff like that.

This is what we ended up going home with along with a bottle of balsamic vinager that didn't make it into the photo. We mostly picked up some basics, along with a couple dips from the hummus guy and a bag of lemons to make lemon aid… it's supposed to be in the 80's for the next week so lemon aid seems just right.

Speaking of the hummus guy, he had me try this dip. It's a delicious combination of feta cheese, sun dried tomatoes and pesto, and it's amazing. I'm going to make grilled chicken and squash tacos on corn tortillas and use to spread on the inside of the tortillas. I'll probably try making this from scratch next time, but it's nice to have it already done and ready to go this week!

We went home and sat around the table and chatted while enjoying our new treats. It was exactly what I needed, and exactly what they needed. 

This is always a good reminder, I hope you enjoy the rest of your week!

Lamentations 3:22-23

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; 

his mercies never come to an end;

23 they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

Balance

I've noticed over the last (almost) month that finding balance is challenging when it comes to eating well and exercising. As soon as I hoped on the healthy eating bandwagon I really went for it, cleaned out my fridge, gave up caffeine (along with many other things), read up on endless subjects to help gain as much knowledge as possible, and went full force into my new lifestyle changes. And things have been great, really great actually. My anxiety that I've had since April has disappeared, my tummy feels great (unless I have something I know I shouldn't be eating), I have far more energy, I'm getting stronger (thank you HasFit!), I'm even noticing improvements in my skin...

tomatoes, burrata, basil, balsamic, olive oil, and homemade pickles on the side

So what's the problem you ask? Well, my biggest  challenge is finding balance. Being this gung-ho about everything can be kinda exhausting, but at the same time I get concerned that if I'm not as focused on it then I may backslide. If you can't tell I'm an all or nothing kinda gal. I think I will find balance over time, and like with anything, I know that the longer I do something the easier it will get. But in the meantime I have purposely been making myself splurge, just a little something here and there. I'm basically teaching myself how to not be all or nothing. And it's hard. I'd really like this to stick and it seems like the best way for that to happen is if I'm not so uptight about it… haha me NOT uptight, now that's funny! On the other hand maybe I need to be all or nothing. We'll see, I'm all about trial and error until I find the right fit.

In other news, we're coming up on our last week of our 30 day HasFit challenge and I'm starting to search for what to do next. I'd be really interested to hear if anyone has any suggestions… they can't involve going to the gym since that isn't really an option for me at this point. I've considered doing P90X3 (30 minute version since I don't always have an hour for working out), there is also a 90 day challenge on HasFit that doesn't seem as intense but it's free and free is reeeeally nice. And since the 30 day challenge doesn't seem to be torture enough, we also decided to do a 30 day plank challenge. I video myself doing it every night and send it to my sister and Kristin… besides the accountability it also gives them a good laugh I'm sure. Please join in with us, I need to know others are suffering along with me. I should also mention that I'm pretty sure the chances of me getting to 5 minutes is slim to none, right now holding it for 30 seconds its downright painful! We'll see how it goes, I'll be doing back flips if I can hold it for 5 minutes… oh wait, I don't know how to do back flips, is there a 30 day challenge for that?

Here you go, this is me doing day 3 for 30 seconds… I realized a little ways in that I was holding my hands the wrong way but there was no way I was starting over. I use oven mitts under my elbows since even with my mat this exercise still hurts my elbows for some reason, am I the only one? (This is my first time ever posting a video, I hope it works!!)

Thank you to everyone who has been so encouraging and even joined in along with us! It's nice not doing this alone.

-Bre

Crazy Cravings

It amazes me how some days I can think about iced tea, coffee, or a slew of other things endlessly. Even after weeks of being caffeine free I will still crave it and bad. I don't think I'm craving the caffeine as much as the experience of grabbing a cup on the way to church, or getting an icy cold coffee drink before heading to our weekly homeschool group. Some days are better then others. One day I will think about it nonstop, the next day it won't even cross my mind. I guess my body has been in such a habit of having it that it's going to take quite some time to get used to my new normal. The biggest thing I have been trying to do is not giving in when I'm craving it. Instead I just tell myself that I'll have it the next day if it still sounds good… of course I usually have a bit more willpower the following day and won't have such a stung urge.

I like how much self control I'm being taught through this, but the reality is that it can be hard. I have some bad habits that I'm trying to break and some are easier to to shake then others. I haven't been in a drive thru in weeks, that was an easy one to give up since we would go mainly for convince. But other things like Starbucks stops and desserts I tend to miss a lot more… Speaking of desserts, I never really considered myself a big sweets person, but let me tell you something, as soon as I took took the option of having them off the table my desire for them was kicked up a notch! Talk about the forbidden fruit syndrome!

I really like the idea of saving my splurging for when it really counts, like the dinner I had last week with some good friends at Pizzeria Mozza… mmmm worth every single bite!

Oh great, now I want pizza, and fried cauliflower, oh and some butterscotch bunion.  Goodnight.

-Bre

Coconut Oil Hair and Face Mask

Have you ever noticed how as soon as you start making little changes with how you're eating or working out it tends to lead to bigger changes? For instance just a few weeks ago I started by cutting caffeine, adding a few supplements, and then before I knew it I was buying kombucha and slathering coconut oil all over my face and hair. The jury is still out about the kombucha but I can say the coconut oil is downright amazing.

I have skin that is pretty sensitive. Every face wash I've used at a drug store has made me either really dry, cracking, and flaky or too oily. I finally broke down and bought some decent face wash and lotion at Sephora about 6 months ago, it had great reviews and ended up costing me about $60. It didn't make me oily and my skin didn't dry out, but it also didn't do anything to improve the look or feel of my skin (and for $60 it better be doing something good!). I decided to try coconut oil on my face and hair since I kept hearing such great things about it, and I already had everything at home so it didn't involve any added expenses. 

First up my hair. I put a few heaping spoonfuls of organic coconut oil into a small bowl. Then I filled a small pot with about 1 inch of water and brought it to a light simmer.

When the water was warm I put the bowl into the pot (make sure the water isn't hight enough to go inside the small bowl). The water doesn't need to be very hot at all, coconut oil melts at a very low temperature so be careful not to overheat it.

After less then a minute it was completely melted and ready to be used. The oil should NOT be hot, double check to make sure it's not too warm before putting it on your head.

Once it was melted I started putting it on my hair, working form the ends all the way up. I ended up leaving it on for over an hour. When it was time to wash it off I shampooed my hair twice, added conditioner (though you may not need it). I quickly dried my hair and I was really surprised with how soft it made my hair, even my ends that are damaged from bleaching were so much softer and smoother. Another bonus, my crazy thick hair wasn't frizzy at all.

I used the leftover coconut oil to make a face mask. I mixed it with an equal amount of organic raw honey. You'll only need about 2 tablespoons total to cover your whole face and neck.

Keep stirring until it's mixed together nicely. Once it's all mixed together put it all over your face like you would with face wash. Then let it sit for about 5-10 minutes...

After about 5 minutes it was already melting and sliding off my face. You'll know it's time to wash it off as soon as it gets to the point where it looks like someone sneezed all over your face (which you'll see below, along with my hair looking all greasy from the coconut oil on it)

Yep. It looks really disgusting but it actually worked great. It's very moisturizing without being greasy. You can make this mixture and leave it in a container, it will last for months and months. If you need something with a bit more exfoliation you can mix in some baking soda. This is all I've used over the last week and I haven't even needed to add lotion. 

I would love to hear if anyone else has some favorite natural skin/hair care tips? 

-Brianne