A New Year anybody?

So the past few days I've just been thinking about the New Year, and goals that I'm going to make.  Here are a few of them:
1. Compliment my children more. As parents, we always want our children to feel loved, worthy, and important. I just want to continue to get better at this. I want to give more high-five's to them.  I mean, who doesn't love a good hard "high-five?" "You tried peas for the first time...high-five! You didn't use your "pee-pee" as a helicopter in the bathroom and actually peed in the toilet for once, high-five! You didn't eat your boogers, high-five! You didn't body slam your sister while trying to fart on her head because she stole the iPad from you, high-flipping-five!" You get the picture.
2.  Accept more compliments when people give them to you. Why can't we just say "Hey thanks" when someone gives you a compliment? Why do we feel like we have to justify it? Instead it goes something like this after someone complements you....."oh yeah...ok, well, umm, yeah I got it on a sale on top of a sale and then I had an extra coupon, that's how I could afford it....it fits me kinda funny but... and uh, the color doesn't compliment my skin tone, but it's ok... I guess." Sound familiar?
3. Put my phone down and play with my children more often.  I found myself getting mad at Max for tugging on my shirt and asking if I'd help him with his playdoh.....all while i was on my phone.  Cuz, you know, that's way more important than playing with your kids. Sigh. I've been guilty, but this year will be better!
4. Write more blogs! Cuz people.....I love to do it, so why shouldn't I make more time to do it?  Duh!
5. Stop putting myself down. "You aren't doing a good enough job with the kids, you aren't keeping the house clean enough," and a million other things negative things.
6. Play more guitar! It's sad when I know something that helps with stress and anxiety, but I don't make time to do it. I might even write a new song or two:)
7. Get in the best shape of my life....feed my body with good nutrition,  exercise more, and get a 6 pack. Yeah!  Ok, so that last one might not be realistic. Let's be honest people, I've had 3 c-sections and I don't think my stomach will ever be the same. I think it could be great....just probably not the same as it was.  So maybe i'll shoot for just a strong core :)
7. Stop thinking everyone is judging you! Stop worrying about what other people think! Let it go people!
Ok, so do you ever feel like this photo below? Like people are mentally circling all your "trouble spots" and focusing on all the negative? Let it go people, and just worry about bettering yourself. And yes, this photo is real, and was taken by my son, unbeknownst to me, while I was exercising. Apparently he thought I had a few "trouble" spots! ps. I seriously get the giggles every time I look at this picture! I mean, come on people...that is some funny sh%!

So with my last two goals I have, I've just been thinking a lot and trying to motivate myself for the coming New Year.  As a part of my motivation, I was looking online at some nutrition and fitness  pictures/quotes/advice. I found quite a lot.  Some great, some not so great. I wanted to share a few with you! Here's the first one...

Patience is always hard for me, especially when I'm starting something new workout wise. Which then brings me to my next one...

In my case, its actually 4  months from now because I'm doing a 4 month challenge, (message me if you're interested!) There will come a time when you FINALLY realize all the hard work is paying off. Those the times you praise yourself for being PATIENT......those are the times you stand in front of the mirror and do a fan-freakin-tastic "happy" dance. I've done it before, and even though it looks more like I'm having a seizure than doing a dance, I'll continue to do it because it's you rewarding and accepting all your hard work! Wheeeeee! Happy dances for everyone!!

This one's a no-brainer, but we all forget sometimes!  Come on and show us those pearly whites more often! It's your best accessory, duh! Smile's for all!

This one really bugged me. I'm sure we've all had a good laugh about something said like this, but let's get real. How about us women stop shaming and degrading and being jealous of other women? Why do we do this? Why do we wish ill will on other people just so we feel better? Its dumb. So let's stop. I want us women to band together and help each other reach our goals. Girl power! (I know, cheesy, but I literally just said it out loud and did a fist pump....so I had to write it.)

This one made me laugh.  Kind of. And irritated me...but yet I was there once. Just look at some of the bullet points.....While getting healthy and transforming your body is physical, there's so much more to it. Why are us female's so flipping obsessed about the freakin thigh gap? I was there once. A few (5) years ago I was probably about 20 pounds lighter than I am now. I "dieted" and killed myself with cardio after cardio. I liked how I looked....I had the thigh gap.....the "light as a feather" feeling....the cute picture.  However, I didn't really feel healthy.  I felt weak and frail. 

How about us women all rise up and proclaim that "Strong is the new skinny," and "Strong is the new sexy!" I've never felt more empowered as a women then when I started seeing my arms become defined and my ab's (barely) showing. I love feeling strong! Not the body builder huge muscle strong (or you might like that, and that's ok!) but the lean muscle hard and toned body strong. The feeling of being able to do real push-ups and a kick-ass ab workout? Now that makes me feel good.  That makes me feel sexy. 

There's not much to say about this one except...."DRINK YOUR EFFING WATER PEOPLE!" Keep a water bottle with you at all times, install a drinking fountain in your house...whatever you gotta do to stay hydrated.

Who wants more pictures? (raising my hand....I do!)  I don't know why I get a kick out of all these things, but I just do!

This one made me laugh. Now,  obviously don't kill yourself so hard in the gym that you pass out, but I think you all are smarter than that. 

I used to be so self conscience when I was at the gym because...I'm just gonna be really transparent  here....I sweat like a man.  I really do.  No joke, seriously. Like, a big burly mountain man chopping trees and uprooting them with their bare hands. Do you get the picture? 

Once I saw this girl at the gym who was sweating, dare I say, more than me? She looked good...she looked fit and healthy and was just going for it. I could tell she was giving 100% to her workout.  So I thought, if she can sweat that much and not make every single person in the gym stare with their mouths gaping open with a disgusted look on their face...then I can too dammit! This next picture just goes with the whole sweating theme....

Right? I love it. And one more....then I promise I'll stop talking about sweat.

Giggle.

One more cute one...

How funny is that? But so true. I need to be better at eating the "good" fats!

So I'll leave you with this....

Life is short all you lovely people, and we only have 1 body.  So let's treat it like the temple it is and feed it all kinds of gold and silver! (I seriously just made that up on a whim...and I'm pretty sure it doesn't make sense....but I'm going with it)

As part of my New Year's resolution, I'm forcing me to challenge myself...mind body and soul! For the next 4 months I will be anti-social and a hermit...don't bug me,  I will not answer!

Ok, just kidding.  But I'm seriously gonna kick some booty and put the best foods in my body!  Who's with me?

Man it's been a while....the "weight" is over!

It's been a looooong time since I've sat my butt down and written a blog.  I figured it was time.  Lucky you.  And it's a good one too.  Well, they're all good....right? (This is when you nod your head at the screen,  fist pump in the air, all while simultaneously yelling "whoop whoop!") Ok, I'm getting all your good vibes people, and I thank you.
So this blog just happens to be about a sensitive subject for most women.  Weight, body image, yada yada yada.  I'll try and make it as interesting and entertaining as possible, plus little extra's here and there.
So for some reason, after I had my third and final kid, Max, my metabolism completely stopped.  Ok, I don't know if a metabolism can actually stop, but I'm trying to be dramatic here, so go with it. The first two, bounced back pretty quick.  The last one, not so much.  About a year ago I reached my breaking point. I was turning into something I always said I wouldn't....the dreaded "frumpy old mom." I needed to start taking care of myself better.  Despite thinking I was doing everything I needed to do to take care of myself, I now know I wasn't.  I was still dealing with the post partum depression I experienced after I had Max....I was tired all the time, and nothing I did would change my energy level. My clothes were too tight, my self esteem too low, and I was wondering what to do next. I needed an overhaul, a full service makeover.
Insert my lovely sister-in-law Ericka

Doesn't she look fun? Well let me tell you, she is. She's spunky and fiesty, beautiful, honest (which I love because she tells it like it is) and driven. To be completely honest, I was super intimidated when I met her for the first time because she's this confident, gorgeous gal that knows what she wants, and a natural born leader. I started noticing a difference in her, not just that she had lost some weight, but that she was practically glowing. She was exuding happiness and positivity.  I wanted more of that in my life. After asking her what she was doing, she introduced me to some super awesome products from a Superfood Nutritional Cleansing System that she's absolutely bonkers about. She totally lit up when she was talking about the products and what they've done for her.  Her attitude was contagious and I wanted it.
I was introduced to the fabulous Emily Vavra, who was the one that introduced Ericka to the crazy good products. Let me tell you people, these two ladies are something else. They both simply ooze positivity and strength....happiness, health and leadership. I wanted more of that in my life as well.
Now I'm not trying to sell anything here people, I just feel really really compelled to tell my story...for what it's worth. Take it or leave it :)
 For the past year I've been using some of these fan-freakin-tastic products in the same nutritional cleansing system Ericka has been using. Let me just tell you a little about my journey.
I started noticing not only that I was losing weight, but that my skin was softer and smoother....my mental health better and I was seeing life with more clarity.
I feel so good, mentally and physically. My energy is crazy good, and I'm feeling back to my normal self...but better. Now, I feel like these products aren't just about losing weight.  I feel like it's life changing in so many more ways. When you feel energetic, confident, sexy and motivated; it's a good feeling. A feeling that everybody deserves. All of this instills genuine confidence and changes the way you see life. I love these products so well I could seriously yell from a mountain top, like in a Riccola commercial (without the fog horn thingy, or whatever it is). I just feel like I want everyone to know that life is short and why wouldn't we all just try to be the best version of ourselves that we can be?
Now comes the dreaded pictures. I've lost about 15 pounds and gained so much more. The format of the pictures is kinda wonky, but it'll do. All the ones on the left side are "before" and on the right is "after." (After posting this and looking at it on my phone, the pictures all just show up on top of each other, just one column....hope you can tell which ones are before and after!)

 And this last picture sums up everything. I'm content, happy, confident, healthy, and exactly where I want to be.

The new year is all about starting over....setting the "reset" button. Starting in January there's a 16 week body challenge that I can't wait to start.  Even though its a 16 week challenge, I know anyone giving it a shot will be forever changed and will have created a new lifestyle for themselves.  As I've already said, it has significantly changed mine!  If anyone else out there wants to do it with me (I still need accountability!) Let me know!