7 Ways to Stay Motivated

Summer is peeking around the corner, which means making time to workout can be put on the back burner. If you are like our family, you are just out and about more when the weather gets nicer... family cookouts, kids' activities, lazy pool days... you get it. So this morning I wanted to share some ideas on how to keep or get yourself into that healthy routine.

1. Try something new - Switch up your current workout routine. This keeps you from getting into a rut or becoming bored.
2. Head outdoors - Now that the weather is nicer, take advantage to get outside and walk, run, hike, etc. The change in scenery can motivate you in a whole new way.
3. Buy a new piece of clothing - I don't know about you, but if I have a new tank top or shorts, it makes me look forward to my workout. It doesn't have to be anything outrageously expensive. Heck, I even get excited over something as small as a new headband. ;) 
4. Turn on the tunes - Who doesn't get pumped up listening to music?! Get Pandora on your phone and purchase something new to get you through your workout.
5. Get a friend involved - Accountability makes all the difference in the world! Finding someone with similar goals keeps you going, especially on the days when you may not feel like working out. Having that friend calling or knocking on your door can be enough to get you up off the couch.
6. Get online - Online support groups can be so helpful. Post your sweaty after workout pic., share the food you eat... these are all things that we do in our online challenge groups. If you are looking for that kind of group, let me know and I can get you in our summer one.
7. Schedule it - The same as you schedule and don't cancel your dentist and doctor appointments, schedule your workouts and don't let anything else replace that time. Sometimes things will come up where you may have to shuffle things around or skip your workout, but if you have this schedule, you'll be less likely to skip your fitness.

Keep in mind, it's a process. Changes take time. Hang in there... these changes are totally worth it!

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday, peeps! I am super excited over here, because we get the hubs home for an extra long weekend with Monday being a holiday! Any fun plans for you? The gorgeous weather is supposed to continue here so we will be outdoors for the majority of the weekend. Our church is putting on a concert/auction and supper tonight at a nearby ranch, so we may start out our weekend there.

Wanted to share some favorites from recently.

1. Was out of body butter so picked up a new kind from Target the other day. If you want to instantly be taken away to the beach, this stuff is for you. ;) Smells so good, I am constantly putting it on.

2. We couldn't find my Blistex at the store the other day, so My Hunter grabbed me some Burt's Bee. I complained at first, but I have to say, this stuff is now on my favs. list!

3. Remember how My Hunter gave me an entire day out with one of my best friends over Mother's Day weekend? Well, we ended up going thrifting and I found some cute clothes for myself like this fun, bright tank {a little wrinkly, but cute none-the-less} and pants, both Old Navy. I have never shopped at a thrift store for myself, but now I am wondering why I don't do it more! Lots of fun finds that day.

4. This view! Seriously, how did I end up in such a gorgeous area?! We were driving out to our friend's Tuesday morning, and I decided to pull over and take a picture of the lake we drive by and go fishing at. 

And to use my new ESV Study Bible?! Eek! I have a hard time stopping my studies in the mornings now. I don't know why I didn't have a study Bible before???? I am digging into the doctrine right now, and this has been so helpful. 

5. How fun is my daughter's braid? It is official that I need to learn to french braid. With two girls it is silly that I don't know how already. The babysitter was over yesterday playing with the kids and she did this to their hair. Love it!

Have a fantastic Friday and long weekend everyone! If you have plans, comment below. I would love to hear what you are up to this weekend!

Linking up with some awesome ladies today, so be sure to stop over and say hi!

{Lauren}

{Jennie}

{Amanda}

{Darci}

My Costco Stop

Happy Thursday! Has this week flown by for all of you like it has for me?! I can't believe we are at the end of the week already!

Not much to post over here. Monday I mentioned how I was going out alone for the afternoon because of a doctor's appointment I had. While I didn't make it to Target, I did decide to stop at Costco because we needed a few things. Thought I would share what I picked up on this trip for those interested. :-)

I opened the bag of almonds after loading the vehicle up with all the groceries. I think I could have sat there forever eating these in complete silence, haha! Love my kids, love my life, but I am not going to lie when I say it is a treat to have a few hours alone!

This first group is some of what I picked up. You will see the granola I so often eat... daily? You should definitely try it! 

The kids like the bars as an afternoon treat, so I picked more up for them. 

I love, love, love getting fruit from Costco. Buying that in bulk is a must around here since we got through it so quickly, especially bananas with my little banana monster I have living here. ;) 

Have you ever tried the "Food Should Taste Good" multigrain chips? A great option if you like to snack on chips and salsa or throw them in your chili for that little crunch like we have been doing this week.

I am not into pickles, but the rest of the family likes them, so I make sure to keep these in stock.

Picked up some craisins this trip. I love adding these to my salads and the kids enjoy these as a treat too.

Chocolate chips are a must in our house! We add them to our Greek yogurt, which makes it like a little dessert for us. Totally satisfies my sweet tooth without me going overboard.

Love this fish. When I don't feel like cooking, it is nice to have this in the freezer. I have even baked it up to throw on my salad before, which was really yummy.

My all-time favorite veggie is green beans, so if you came over, you would definitely see these in our freezer. I either steam them up and add a little Mrs. Dash seasoning or I will put them on the stove top drizzled in some olive oil. Mmm!

And, probably no surprise here that I got a couple containers of this. ;)

There you have it. My little Costco stop. My sitter even stuck around and played with the kids while I unloaded and put away! Mini vacation day for me! Love those!

Questions for you:

• Where do you do most of your grocery shopping? 
• What are the staples at your house?

No Place Like Home

You may know by now that I workout right here from the comfort of my home. There really is no place like home, and here are a few reasons why I think so.

1. I have finally stopped making excuses! I invested money into my workout DVD program and with it sitting here in my living room where I see it each day, I am reminded to get moving. On days when I just don't feel like working out, I feel guilty knowing I have no excuses.
2. It's cheaper! The first program I bought was one I used for over a year. The gym I looked into over here costs $60/mo. Take that times a year and that costs $720! Whereas, I only paid $180 for my DVD program, which came complete with a 30-day supply of Shakeology and my own coach! I'm also saving by not spending gas to get to and from the gym. That all adds up on a day-to-day basis.
3. I  have been working out at home for two years now and have yet to get bored. Beachbody offers such a variety in programs, that whenever I get the itch to try something new, I can browse the selection to find something new and exciting. Gym classes are limited, but there is a growing demand in fitness DVDs. If you don't want to purchase a program right now, you could even find some free videos on YouTube.
4. I can workout in my pjs! I literally crawl out of bed in the mornings, throw on my sports bra, pop my DVD in and press play. So as long as you have a good bra and supportive shoes, the rest of your outfit does not matter. How awesome is that?! 
5. One-on-One Attention! I know, I know... Shaun T is not literally in my living room pushing me, but trust me when I say it feels like it! This guy motivates me to keep going. He shows the proper form and gives the best encouragement right when I want to give up. 
6. For a busy homeschooling mama, this is a way for me to make the most of my time. By doing home workouts, I am cutting out the commute time I would have if I chose to workout at the gym. We live 15 minutes outside of the city, so that is 30 minutes round trip right there, plus factor in getting the kids ready to go with.
7. I don't have to wait for the shower! As soon as my workout is over, I am free to jump right in my shower and then get dressed to move on with my day. No waiting on other gym members.

For me, working out at home is absolutely the best choice. However, I understand that this doesn't fit for everyone, so ultimately you have to make that choice.

Questions for you:

• Do you workout at home or at the gym?
• What is your favorite part about whichever you do?

Oh Mondays... How I Heart You!

If you don't know this about me already, you will soon learn that I *love* Mondays! I know, I know... may seem weird. The weekend is over and while I hate to see My Hunter head off to work, I love the fact that Mondays are a fresh start, a clean slate, a set of new goals I have for the week. :-)

So what are my top goals for the week? I want to stick to the meal plan I created. I am really been slacking on my good eating habits for the past few weeks, and I can see it is affecting me in all areas. I am tired, grumpy... I don't know how anyone in my house wants to be around me! Gotta get serious and start tracking again... printed off my tally sheets and am ready to do this.

My other big goal is to go through my youngest daughter's closet to swap out her clothes. Get the small ones out and put some summer ones in.

I think I almost cried on Saturday when I did that in my baby boy's room. Bye, bye 18 month clothes. :'(

I am excited about today too because the sitter is coming over to spend the afternoon with the kiddos. If you would have told me 10 years ago that someday I would consider going to a doctor's appointment a vacation, I would have laughed! BUT, now being a mom to three, it truly is, haha!

And, yes, I am hoping to sneak to Target before heading back home. ;)

Questions for you:

• Do you love Mondays?
• What is one thing you are looking forward to today?

Thanks to Katie for hosting the link-up today! Love the MIMM posts each week!

Workouts and Meals for the Week

Home from church and set the timer for 30 minutes to force myself to get this menu done. Having a time limit helps me. I really should do that more often. ;)

My meals are so repetitive and simple, but as My Hunter said, I am busy and need to keep it simple.

So here is my plan. Excited to get back on track.

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After yesterday's intense Insanity workout, I am excited to have a rest day today.

I am now off to meal prep... chili is going to be thrown together and in the crockpot so I can have it in the fridge all set for the week.

Tonight's supper is leftover from last night, Chicken BBQ Beer Sandwiches. You can find that recipe here.

Thanks Laura and Jill for the link-up!

Have a great Sunday, friends! :-)

Saturday Supper

Hi friends! How has your weekend been? Ours has been gorgeous and eventful with the warm temps and My Hunter getting his first black bear... one that the taxidermist said was about as big as they get here! Proud of him!

Today we are off to church and then I have a meeting with the women's ministry team after. I really need to get home after and get our meal plan done for the week. Remember I stated that I want to get back on track with that? Gotta do it!

Last night I tried out a new crockpot meal. Since I love simple crockpot meals so much, I wanted to share this one. Turns out it was super similar to the BBQ chicken recipe we already make from time to time, but this one had beer in it. We couldn't taste the beer in it at all, but maybe if we tried a different kind next time. I chose Corona because we had a bottle sitting in the fridge that was left over from when we had friends over at Easter.

Ingredients:  {Serves 8-10} 3lbs boneless skinless chicken breast 1 tbsp onion powder 1 tbsp paprika 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 8oz bottle of beer  1 bottle of your favorite  {16-18oz} BBQ sauce {We always use Sweet Baby Rays.} Sandwich fixings- buns, specialty cheeses, jalepenos 
Directions: 1. Place chicken breast in the bottom of the crockpot. 2. Mix in spices, beer, and BBQ sauce 3. Cook for 4-6 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low depending on your crockpot 4. Be sure to shred the meat as you go. 5. Serve warm on buns and with toppings of your choice!
Let me know if you end up trying this one out. I absolutely love recipes that are this easy and yummy and where I have all the ingredients on hand.
Happy Sunday!

Avoid Slipping from Goals

Sometimes it can just seems to happen out of nowhere. You are doing so well, and then all of a sudden you have totally fallen off track. I know. I have been there. I am there now. I have been so mad at myself this past week for making choices that I did not want to make or that were not part of my plan. It happens, I get that. But, I think it is important to have a plan in order to try and avoid these slip-ups if at all possible.

Let me give you some suggestions that I will be trying out today and the next week. I asked my challengers to help come up with some ideas, so I am including them in here too because they really had some good ones.

1. Leave the situation. {Go for a walk, play with your kids/grandkids}
2. Distract yourself by calling a friend.
3. Work on a favorite hobby.
4. Drink some water.
5. Chew gum
6. Sit by the campfire.
7. Read a book or magazine.
8. Tell yourself a slip-up doesn't have to be a major setback.

What about you? What do you do or what ideas do you have? Would definitely love to hear to add to my list.

5 Weight Loss Tips

How many of you watch "The Biggest Loser"? If you do, then you are familiar with trainer Bob Harper and understand that he knows his stuff when it comes to health and fitness. I was reading an article last night where he shared his top fitness tips. I wanted to share them with you all here.

1. Include protein in each of your meals. I wasn't surprised to see this as one of his tips. Protein is more satisfying than carbs or fats. It encourages fat burning while keeping you feeling full.
2. Load up on veggies. Love this tip because produce is low in calories and high in fiber. I remember reading somewhere that vegetables are ranked the number one food to eat for weight loss. I use to find it so hard to get my servings of vegetables in, but now I just make sure I add some to each meal... breakfast can be as simple as adding veggies to my eggs, a salad or a wrap for lunch, snack time can be sneaking in some carrots and hummus and then I include a side with supper. 
3. Don't drink your calories. Simply put, our body does not register liquids the same as solids.
4. No carbs after lunch. This is one I didn't know. I love my carbs so this would for sure be a hard one, but Bob says if you follow this, you will lose weight. I did look into it more and what I found makes total sense. Carbs are a form of sugar and sugar cues the pancreas to make more insulin. Insulin creates hunger hormones, which triggers appetite. The later in the day you  have sugar, the later you will get cravings, and I get that... late night cravings can make or break your diet! In fact, after researching this one, it makes sense that I have always found the night my hardest time to stay on track. Kind of curious to try this one out for a bit to see if I notice a change.
5. The 80/20 rule - Nobody is perfect, so this is probably my favorite rule that I read from his list. What this rule means is that you eat healthy 80% of the time and then allow for a cheat meal or snack occasionally, which is the 20%. It's obviously a good thing to aim to eat healthy... not buy unhealthy foods, cook at home when you can, make smart choices when eating out... but it is just not realistic to say that we can do that 100% of the time.

In the article, Bob also listed some of the exercises he felt were the best for women to do as they work to get ready for summer: planks, push-ups, squats and jumping lunges.

His number one suggestion for the overall body move that will get your heart pumping is burpees.

He just released a new book last month called, Skinny Meals. Definitely one I would love to check out sometime.

Questions for you:

• Which rule would be the easiest for you? Hardest?
• Do you watch "The Biggest Loser"?

WIAW #4

Hi friends! Another Wednesday, which means I am going to share what I ate yesterday. Thanks to Jenn for hosting this each week!

Yesterday started out like all other mornings here. I woke up, drank my E&E and worked out. After, I enjoyed a breakfast of Greek yogurt, berries and cinnamon. Love this simple combo.

Once breakfast was cleaned up, we packed up to head to our friends for the morning. We have Bible study at Jennifer's on Tuesday. I take my camo cup with me everywhere I go because I am constantly drinking water.

I also pre-made my Vanilla Shakeology {threw in some flaxseed this time too} and took that along to be sure I had something healthy for snack time there.

And, I'm glad I did, because we didn't intend on staying for lunch, but by the time study was over, we looked at the clock and Jenny graciously offered to feed my kids so they could get down for nap right when we got home. Mac-n-cheese is always a hit with kids, right?! We had some too. Not what I planned for lunch, but hey, not a big deal every now and again.

The kids went back outside to jump on the trampoline while we finished eating and chatting. 

At this point it was now 2 pm and I didn't know that I even wanted to take the baby home to put him down to nap. I was starting to think an early bedtime was going to be the best option. So Jenny made us espressos and we sat on the porch the rest of the afternoon chatting while the kids played. Talk about nice!

She even fed us snack. I had tomatoes while the kids enjoyed crackers and cheese.

Without me realizing it, Jenny snuck in later and started supper so we could now eat and then I could just get the kids ready for bed when I got home. She is too sweet. It was a simple meal, but I loved it! She made up some spanish rice and put some Kenya seasoning on it mixed with ground beef. My kids didn't like it, so I ended up eating three other small bowls too. {I just can't throw out their food ya know! ;) }

When we got home, they were pretty hungry since they didn't like supper. I let them have Greek yogurt, granola and chocolate chips. I had a bowl {or two!} as well. Hard to pass it up. Let me tell you by the time I sat down after they were in bed, I was FULL... like feeling like I was going to throw up full! I don't know what I was thinking having dessert when I ate such a big supper. 

So there you have it. My eats from yesterday. What about you? What was one thing you loved eating yesterday?

Banana Split Shakeology Recipe

I have to share this Chocolate Shakeology recipe with all my Shakeology drinkers out there! Seriously, this is dessert in a cup... a super healthy dessert! If you try it out, let me know if you love it as much as I do!

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What I *Would* Eat Wednesday {WIAW}

Ever since the women's conference has ended, I have not gotten back into a good routine over here, which means I have failed the past two weeks on planning out our weekly meals. I miss that and need to get back at that this weekend.

With today being the day I sometimes share what I ate and since I have been so all over the board, I thought I would share what I *want* to eat today instead.

Thanks for the link-up, Jenn!

I workout in the morning and follow that up with Shakeology. That will stay, because it is my favorite treat. :-)

For breakfast, I still want to get around to making overnight oats. I love oatmeal; I eat it quite often for breakfast, so I know I would love to have some all ready to go each morning. This is totally what I would choose for breakfast this morning.

{Source}

My mid-morning snack would totally be this peanut butter yogurt dip I have been wanting to try out. Are you surprised that I have included pb?! ;)

{Source}

Since I have a few avocados that need to be used up, I would definitely have this avocado chicken salad for my lunch. I love chicken salad, I love trying new recipes, and it has been far too long since I have had something like this.

{Source}

My afternoon snack would absolutely be this fun treat that I know the kids would get just as excited about as I would! It would be fun to assemble, and who doesn't love bananas, chocolate and peanut butter combined?! {Okay, I know there are some people out there that don't, but it's hard for me to believe, haha!}

{Source}

And since today is such a busy day for us, I would have definitely prepared a crockpot meal like this one ahead of time so that when we got home, we could just sit down and enjoy!

{Source}

So there you have it! This is what I *would* eat today if I had prepared a plan ahead of time. :-)

Questions:

• Do you plan your meals out for the week?
• What would you choose to eat today if you could have anything?

High-Protein Chocolate/Vanilla PB Bars

On Sunday, my 5-year-old daughter and I decided to try making the protein bar recipe that came in my 21 Day Fix book. We had to improvise a little, because I only had a little Chocolate Shakeology on hand and no peanuts on hand. I am known to just mix and match recipes with whatever I have in my cupboards. ;)

Super easy to make and they have been a great snack to have on hand during our week.

High-Protein Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Bars
{Makes 24 servings, 1 bar each}

Container Equivalents {per serving}: One Yellow Container

Ingredients:
4 Scoops Chocolate Shakeology {We used 2 scoops Chocolate & 2 scoops Vanilla.}
2 cups quick-cooking old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup chopped raw peanuts {We used almonds.}
1/2 cup golden raisins {We used raisins.}
1 cup unsweetened almond milk {We used vanilla flavored almond milk.}
1/2 cup all-natural creamy peanut butter

Directions:
1. Combine Shakeology, oats, peanuts and raisins in a large mixing bowl; mix well.
2. Add almond milk and peanut butter; mix well.
3. Press mixture into 8 x 8-inch baking pan; cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
4. Cut into 24 bars.