Guilty by Holiday

This post will be short and sweet due to my lack of technology around my house these days. My phone decided to not charge anymore so I am currently using my husbands phone to post this. Yes, as you may have assumed I am beyond guilty of indulging during the holidays. Sweets are my weakness. I ate every single cookie or brownie that was placed in front of me. It wast like a whole plate but I definite could not resist the temptation of the chocolate! Despite my weakness for sweets, I did manage to workout everyday. I did get a chance to try on a pair of jeans I haven't wore in over a year and a half and they fit ! I am down two dress sizes but I know I MUST give up the sweets. I would happily show you all a picture but as I said low technology is preventing this. I will do my best to update you all. Until next time.. happy fitnessing!!

Honored with the Liebster Award

In honor of Christmas Eve and the gift of presents, I received a gift early this year from my good friend Kelcie Huffstickler. I'm sure most of you who read this blog have read her's also but just in case you haven't- check it out This Beautiful Inheritance (she blogs about life as a small town mommy and wife through the Christian lens- check it out!!).  I have been blessed to be friend with Kelcie for about 12 years now. I have to brag and say how blessed I am to have her in my life. She has been with me through some pretty hard times in my life. She brought that glimmer of light I needed in the darkness. I know God works through her daily! I love her!

I'm sure you're all wondering what I got for my gift!!....... I received  The Liebster Award. It is an award given by fellow bloggers to recognize the newest and coolest blogs. Needless to say, I was very honored to get this because my blog hadn't started yet. Now, there ARE some rules that go along with the award but if Kelcie doesn't mind.. I will bend them a tad-

After I received the award, I must do the following:

• The blog nominated must answer the 5 questions given by the person who nominated them.
• The blog nominated must tell 5 random facts about themselves.
• The blog nominated must then nominate 5 blogs (with less than 200 followers), and make sure to tell them you nominated them.
• Finally, you must ask the blogs you nominate to answer 5 questions of your own.

Here are the questions Kelcie asked the 5 bloggers:

1. Why do you blog? Why did you start and why do you continue?

Let's see... I blog because it gives me a place to put my thoughts and life out there in a way that can keep me accountable. I started because I wanted to lose this baby weight I gained when I was pregnant with my son Mason- who is almost 5 MONTHS OLD ALREADY!!!

2. What is your favorite post you've ever done? (provide a link!)

I don't have a favorite post yet but in case you missed my first post- check it out!

3. What's one thing we don't know about your family?

One thing no one knows about my family is sadly- we LOVE eating out! As a family( and I mean my husband,my kiddos and me) we don't go buy extravagant things or see a new movie every weekend. We indulge in eating out. I can't make it a week with a Juice It Up! or Starbucks coffee. Oh, how the world has modernized me! I'm slightly embarrassed to admit it but...hey it could be worse, right?!

4. What can readers look forward to on your blog? What's around the corner?
Readers can look forward to me expressing my happiness and frustrations through my journey to get fit. It will be a long hard road but at the end I hope readers will be encouraged ! I'd say just around the corner are new healthy recipes I'm looking forward to sharing with you all!

5. What's on your Christmas list??
Gosh!! My Christmas list is pretty simple. I would love a watch so I didn't have to carry my phone in my hand all the time. I would also love to go to Grinchmas at Universal Studios in Hollywood. Anyone who knows me, knows I love How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Here are 5 random facts about me:

• I like doing my own nails! It's cheaper and fun to take time for me every now and then!
• I'm double jointed and my husband makes fun of me for it but I think he secretly thinks its cool!
• I really couldn't tell you the last time I saw my natural hair color! Hey... I fully think God gifted people for a reason beyond me and if one is to give people a new look-I'm all for that! lol
• I have had surgery 7 times and I'm only 24!
• I wanted to be a dancer at one time but then quickly decided that my curves were just for looks..haha!

5 Blogs I am nominating(sort of!): I think I may have to bend the rules on this one! I am not familiar with many blogs these days because of my just recent move to the blog world but jere are some blogs I have just recently found and would like to encourage you to read :

1. My Freshly Brewed Life : A blog about a Woman of God. She has series of blogs based off different walks with God. (31 days of coffe talk with Jesus, etc. ) She also has healthy recipes and fun giveaways!
2. A Quiet Heart : I've only had time to over view this one but She is a mommy of two, a pastor's wife and she also home school her children which- yes I am thinking about doing someday- MAYBE!
3. Here's To A Healthier Me- I read her most recent post Excuses, Excuses, Excuses  and I was automatically inspired and this doesn't happen to me often! With that being said, she writes on her journey to getting healthy again and struggling with Crohn's disease.
4. Workout Mommy  She is a mommy of four boys and certified personal trainer. She is real about how much of a struggle it is to do anything but JUST KEEP THE KIDS ALIVE as a mom. She wants all to know that you can workout and be a mommy too! Because its worth it and I have to agree :)
5. Kayla K's Thrifty Ways  This blog is not about being healthy! Just letting you know now! lol. She currently teaches youth aged students and that kind of overlaps with my job. So, I'm interested. She is blogging on how to stay thrifty! Check it out for lots of good recipes,savings, and much more!
Here are my 5 questions to the other blogs if I were to ask them:

1. What is your favorite Christmas memory?
2. If you could travel to a foreign country or your favorite U.S. state, which would you choose and why?
3. How did you come up with your blog name?
4. Do you think your blog is unique?
5. If you met Oprah, what would you ask her?

Have a Merry Christmas everyone and be sure to spend it with the ones who mean the most to you. Remember who the season represents and that Jesus is the one true Savior!

What Get's Me Through.

There is sooo much I want to blog about since last Friday! Lives have been changed all around the country, even here in my corner of the world. My blog is suppose to be about my journey to get fit but I feel as though this is necessary to share.  Dec. 14th was the day 26 innocent lives were taken by a troubled young man and that many people in my school district that I work with were given notices of being laid off-To say that my heart was very heavy, was an understatement.

Through all of the gunshots and pink slips, one special lady{who recieved a pink slip herself) held it together. While people were comforting and patting her shoulder-Her response was "I know my God and I know he has a plan."  Oh! how we would all be better off if in those moments we could say that. Some days I fail miserably at doing this but some days it happens for me. This is what get's me through those moments. Seeing Jesus in disguise through my family and friends. They inspire me to do better and trust God more. I am so thankful for all of them.

I will finish up this post with a quick recap of my weekly food and fitness goals. If I am going to share my journey to getting fit, I think it is only fair for me to tell you my goals! My short term goal is to lose 30 lbs by May and eventually 50 lbs before the end of August. I realize it didn't take me just a few months to put it on so I am going to give myself roughly 9 months to get rid of my unfit self!

Each week I am aiming to lose about 1.5 to 2 lbs. I have a brilliant app on my Android phone that allots me a certain amount of calories based on how much I weigh It has a scanner on it so you can scan the package you're eating out of and it logs it for you!{What will they think of next!} All you have to do is enter the serving size. The handy app has an exercise log too! So, even though it logs it for you, you still have to actually get up and move.;) The app is called Lose It! https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fitnow.loseit&feature=search_result#?t=W10. {check it out here!} and the best part about it.... you guessed it... ITS FREE! 

For my workouts, I usually get about 20-40 minutes in of Just Dance 4. Although, it has been tougher the past two weeks to work out because I only get 1 hour to workout, get dressed for work and make lunch for my hubby! How do I do it!You Say! I know what has to be done if I want to fit in those certain pair of jeans that make me feel like a million bucks, and I get it done.

{so..no more of this!!}


If I can't fit in my dancing, I use another cool app on my phone called  Workout Trainer https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.skimble.workouts&hl=en {check it out here!] which allows you to pick what you want to do based off how much time you have,what body part you want to work and how hard you want to work.

I haven't weighed in this week to see if I have met my 1.5 to 2 lbs loss goal. Check back here next week to see if I have achieved those first 2 lbs gone!

For it is by GRACE..not Chocolate!(most days)

I know what you're all thinking.. she is CRAZY for starting this during the holidays, especially during Christmas!  My theory is, if I can eat healthy( mostly) during the holidays, then I can do it any ordinary day of the week EXCEPT during that grand week mother nature rears her ill timed head! ...TMI? Well, to all the women out there, we ALL know this week must include chocolate or someone probably will die!

( this is me with chocolate on those not so magical days!!)

Anyway, on to the chocolatey goodness of the post.... 

My goal is to share with you the highs and lows of this weight loss journey as a full time Christian, mother of 2, wife ,employee and most recent.. a blogger!  Even if I just have one reader, I know someone is helping keep me on track. I can't guarantee you will be impressed each time you read, but I will certainly try and make you laugh.

 I will admit, I have to pray a lot to resist that wonderful Kit Kat in the vending machine at work. (I know, I know.. its only chocolate but I promise I hear it singing to me some days.. "Give me a break, Give me a break, Break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar")I pray about everything. Although, I have to admit, my emotions get the better of me sometimes and I don't make the right choice . Thanks to my wonderful God whose grace is unending, I can be a work in progress. He understands my shortcomings and what is better than that?! 

 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing.It is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8

With that said, it is by GRACE that I will share my story with you. I will be sharing any super recipes that I just have to get out there to world that are healthy, sharing how and what kind of fitness I take part in and anything that is relevant to my weight loss endeavor. I am not taking a magic pill or reading any special books, I am going to use good 'ole fashun ( catch my country-ness there) sweat,hard work, and lots of determination.

So, if you feel connected to me by this blog in some way, follow me! Join me on my journey to a better, healthier version of myself.