Weekly Meal Plan & Goals

Morning y’all! Hope you guys had a wonderful weekend. We are stilll recovering from Emma’s first fever/flu. Thank goodness she is feeling better but things got scary on Friday night when her fever shot up to 103 and infant Tylenol didn’t kick in till 5am. But thank goodness her fever finally broke and we are just dealing with tons of congestion in her cute little nose. 

Unfortunately, my husband caught whatever Emma had, so he’s down for the count this morning. Which means he wasn’t able to start Hammer & Chisel with me! I’m super bummed because he wanted to do this program together, but he can just jump in once he’s feeling better! I did the first workout today and realized how much I miss lifting weights! Can’t wait to see my 60 day progress and share with you all! 

With these programs, you get a certain amount of portion control containers for each food group to make sure you are following a balanced meal plan all day long. My husband and I both fit in to the 1800 to 2100 calorie bracket since I am breastfeeding and need the extra calories and nutrients! Which means we both get a ton of food every day! Here’s our tentative meal plan for the week!  

Pre workout: energize, the ONLY pre workout I’ll drink because it is plant based and what could be better than that!? 

Post workout: recover, the cleanest protein drink I’ve found that tastes like chooclate milk, yum! 

Breakfast: shakeology w/spinach, eggs

Snack: pumpkin oat muffins, vegetables  

Lunch: ground turkey, rice, roasted veggies OR salad and leftovers if hubby leaves any ;) 

Snack: nuts, fruit, rx bar

Dinners:

• kufteh (basically ground beef and cracked wheat mashed together, a family favorite!) 
• healthy sesame chicken w/rice and veggies
• tilapia w/salad and potatoes
• and leftovers of course!  

Of course, this is all tentative because we never know what the week will bring. This used to give me so much anxiety because I’m a perfectionist BUT I am so happy I’ve learned to have more balance and make last minute changes fit into my healthy lifestyle! 

 If you have trouble making a meal plan that you find balances your nutrients and keeps you full throughout the day, contact me up above and let’s get you on a plan that works for you! I work with clients one-on-one or in a group coaching setting to figure out what will best meet your needs to help you stick to your goals. Meal planning and prepping have basically become a hobby of mine and something I am so passionate about sharing with my clients. So don’t hesitate to reach out if you need some extra support! 

5 Things I Learned from Gaining 13 pounds

As many of you know, 5 months ago exactly, our sweet baby Emma Nanor Verano was born. This girl has completely stolen our hearts and even though we had some risks during our pregnancy, she was born happy and healthy! I was also feeling pretty healthy, as I recovered quickly and lost my pregnancy weight in about 8 days after delivering. Unheard of, no? I was blessed.

But, in August, I went back to work after being on maternity leave for 15 weeks. Between August and the end of this month, I found myself 13 lbs heavier and a whole lot sadder.

As many of you know, it was rough for me to go back to work, even though I knew that I’d have to be a working mama (thank you, student loans). It was all part of the plan to go back to work, but I didn't realize how difficult this would be on my mommy-heart. I am slowly learning to trust God each and every day; that Emma is ok and that I am ok. And the more I focus on God and His goodness, the less anxiety I feel and the better I am able to handle our current situation with grace and joy.

But, back to the weight gain. We all know stress causes weight gain for many reasons. In all honestly, my stress just led me down the path of emotionally eating. We all emotionally eat, and sometimes, it’s totally ok! When hubby and I are celebrating, we get dessert even if we aren’t hungry. That’s emotional. When we are sad or are going through a tough time, sometimes we don’t eat, and that’s emotional too. I'm not bashing emotional eating because I believe there is a time and place for that. 

But for me, my weight gain happened pretty quickly and the more weight I gained, and the more I tried to “fix” myself, the worse things got. I started going out for lunch during the workday which I NEVER do (I’m a lunchbox gal). I started getting lax with meal planning and preparing our food in advance. And I started to eat not-so-nourishing foods in large quantities.

I could be disappointed in myself for the weight I have gained because let’s face it, it is embarrassing. I am a dietitian and a fitness coach, I am supposed to MOTIVATE and educate people to how nourish themselves and reach their optimal health. It's humbling to write this, because just because I have R.D. at the end of my name, doesn't mean I am the picture of health! I am human just like you all. But I believe in authenticity and being real, because it not only shows that I am a real person, but it is also healing and cathartic for me to share all this. These past 7 weeks have been the toughest of my life, but I've learned that being disappointed in myself would only make things worse. So, I finally took a different approach...

I decided to get curious, without judgment, about these past couple months and ask myself “what have I learned from gaining 13 lbs? What have I learned from how I cope with hard things? And how can I improve and grow from this experience?” Everything is a learning opportunity in life, and I firmly believe that God always wants to mold and shape us. He wants to make us stronger with what we go through.

After some reflection, here are the five main things I have learned about myself and why I gained the weight that I did:

1. I gain weight fairly quickly. My body loses weight fast, but it also GAINS weight fast. I know this and know that just a little bit of going off track can make me gain weight fast. A day here and here isn’t impactful, but 7 weeks? That’s definitely going to have an impact.

2. Rules and restrictions don’t work for me. When I noticed the weight creeping on, I tried to cut out carbs, then cut out meat, then cut out sugar, and with each restriction, I triggered myself to ONLY want the banned food even more. I learned that type of restriction just doesn't work for my brain and mindset.

3. Portion control and eating intuitively DOES work for me. When I am able to chose from a variety of foods and follow my portion controlled meal plan, this always sets me up for a balanced  and clear mindset towards food. I don't feel deprived, but rather, I know that I am nourishing my body with all the food groups in the correct portions. As a dietitian, I know we need all the food groups to show up on our plates in a balanced way, so this system is the best at teaching these healthy habits as far as I’m concerned! Plus the colorful containers I use make it SO much more fun to plan out my meals and stick to my fuel plan!

4. Feeling better physically helps me DEAL with the difficult situations that life brings. Feeling bloated, low energy, and having constant headaches did not set me up to deal with life’s curveballs, such as the week when Emma started waking up during the night again or when she started teething. Other personal events happened these past couple months as well, and my body and my brain weren’t in the right mindset to deal with them healthfully because I was not taking care of myself properly. Sometimes, we think that food will numb the pain and make things easier to handle, but it only makes things HARDER. I not only was worried about what was going on in life, but was also frustrated that I didn't feel my best physically or mentally. I didn't have my usual energy or clear head, which made certain situations harder to deal with.

5. Nourishing my body is better self care than hurting my body (duh, right?) I thought I was taking care of myself by letting myself enjoy the indulgences and extra sweets and treats, but really, taking care of myself by nourishing myself is the best form of self care! I am a better wife, mother, friend, daughter, co-worker, and wellness coach when I take care of my health. And I know my husband would attest to that!

And guess what? We are ALL better versions of ourselves when we take care of ourselves. When we make time to workout or prepare some healthy meals for the week. When we get enough sleep and make sure we spend time being quiet and doing restorative activity. When we choose happiness over sadness. When we call a friend to talk things out versus stuffing hard feelings down. All of these things make us better people. And with this new month and new season, I am going to be refocusing on my own self care because somewhere along the way, my self care got lost in the chaos that is life. And that happens to the best of us, and it's ok! It's normal, but it's also ok to start putting your health and care first again.

Will you join me? Have you had a rough season too? (please, tell me I’m not alone!) Do you want to link arms and start back from square one, taking care of ourselves, our bodies, our minds, and our spirits?

With this new season, I am opening up my Fall Fitness Challenge, a virtual bootcamp, which will be complete with daily workouts, a balanced meal plan that will FUEL you, and accountability and support from a positive community. We will not only be focusing on our physical health, but also on our mindsets and attitude towards self-care. And what a perfect time to get started on your self-care journey as we enter one of the BUSIEST seasons of the year!?

Our bootcamp kicks off October 9th, and I’d love to have you be a part of it! Fill out this application to join, and let’s end 2017 stronger and happier than ever before!

Weekend Recap: Disney edition!

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend...I know I sure did! I feel like I'm still coming down from a major high over the weekend...because over the weekend...Emma, my mom, and I all went to Disneyland! TWICE! 

It's always been a dream of mine to be a mommy and take my kiddos to Disneyland. I am a BIG Disney fan and the movies, songs, and theme park will always have a special place in my heart! So for my birthday, my amazing Mama bought us annual passes to Disneyland! I was thrilled, and after checking in with a few other mommas who all encouraged me that Emma was at a great age for Disneyland, we were so excited to finally take her!

We went Friday and Saturday for a few hours each day. They were seriously the best days EVER! The first day, we got there around 11 and headed to lunch because we were starving. We had those delicious burgers up top with some garlic fries at the Red Rose Tavern...so good!

Then we went on the small world ride, the Winnie the Pooh ride, and the tiki room! Emma loved it all! She was so engrossed with the music and the characters and was taking it all in! 

We also got Emma this adorable Minnie Mouse sweat set...ahhhhhh I'm going to have to watch my wallet because all of their baby clothes are so adorable!!! We came home Friday with such full hearts, that we impromptu decided to make another trip Saturday!

We got to Disneyland a little later Saturday, and since the park was pretty packed, we ate a quick lunch of chicken nuggets and fries. I am not a fan of chicken nuggets, but we just wanted to get lunch out of the way so we could at least go on a ride! Next time, we may pack lunches with us to save some time!

I also enjoyed some ice cream which didn't really feel good on the tummy later. Oh well, I tend to forget that I am sensitive to dairy, because ice cream is so delicious! But such is life. After lunch and ice cream, we went on the Snow White ride, shopped a little more, and headed home. Such a great day again!

On Sunday, my parents wanted to take me out to lunch for my birthday, so hubby, Emma, my mom, dad, and I all headed to Lucille's! I've been trying to eat more of a plant based diet but clearly, I haven't been too strict about it! Lucille's is definitely not a place to go if you want to eat more plant-based, but the food was still delicious! I am planing on getting back to my plant based ways this week (while practicing intuitive eating with my portion control containers!) but I definitely enjoyed this meal!

We spent the rest of the day at an outdoor shopping area, had a light dinner, then headed home. It was such a great birthday weekend spent with family, Disney characters, and with my sweet baby girl! I am so grateful for another year of life and what 29 will bring! God is so good and has blessed me year after year, and my heart is full entering into this new year, now as a mommy! Thank you all for your sweet birthday wishes! I felt very loved this year and appreciate all of you! :) 

Mommyland Joy

Emma is almost 20 weeks old! I can't believe how fast the time is going. Make it stop!! I already miss the weeks she used to sleep on my chest. But, I do love all the smiles and snuggles that she gives us now. I love that when she's crying and I hold her, she snuggles against my neck and stops. I love that when she sees my hubby and I in the morning, she's so excited her arms and legs can't take it! I love that she loves to sleep snuggled on our arms.

Motherhood has been an amazing journey so far and I know that it's only just begun! I think being a mom has been the most amazing and hardest thing that I've ever done. It's so hard to feel guilty for practically everything. And I know that only other moms get what I mean. 

Emma got her first cold from daycare. Emma is teething. Emma has a stuffy nose. Emma has gas. Emma is crying and we don't know why, and somehow, it feels like everything is my fault!  

Deep down I know it's not, but sometimes I need my mom or my husband to remind me of that. 

But the best parts for me are the days it's Emma and I at home. I am blessed to be home with her twice a week and I enjoy those days to the utmost. We snuggle, I feed her, I bathe her, we sing and read, and enjoy my sweet girl so much! And no; showers typically don't happen on these days. But who cares?? 

It's been hard on my mommy-heart to go back to work, but this morning I kept telling myself "this is the day that the Lord has made, I WILL rejoice and be glad in it." I'm making it through and I know Emma is being taken care of. 

I absolutely love being a mom. I dreamed about being a mom my entire life and I feel incredibly blessed that God fulfilled my dreams! We thank God each day for baby Emma! She brings us so much joy and we love watching her grow and discover new things. 

Mommyhood has been the most joyful time of my life. Thank you all for reading and following and enjoying baby Emma along with us!  

September Life Updates & Goals!

Is anyone else relieved that August is over? I don't know about you, but August was one of the hardest months of my life. We went on vacation at the beginning of the month, and just a few days after I was starting back up at work. Even though I am only working three days a week, those three days are filled with tears and so many emotions. I speak regularly about wanting to be positive about this experience and returning to work with being a new momma, but it has been SO hard to leave my sweet baby. I feel like a piece of my heart is left behind every time I leave.

So even though I wallowed and threw myself a lot of pity parties in August (and unfortunately, Oreos were involved), I want to still work towards being strong and brave throughout this experience. I know that everything happens in life for a reason, and I know God is trying to teach me patience and TRUST throughout this whole process.

My phone background is this quote, and it's been really helping me focus on being kind, fierce, and brave. Our thoughts impact our behaviors SO much. Having a fierce mind means being strong to whatever negative thoughts come my way. My favorite Bible verse always pops into my head when I remember how powerful our thoughts can be:

2 Corinthians 10:5

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Making my thoughts obedient to Christ is something I want to work on this month. I want to surrender all of the noise, fear, and anxiety to Him. I am starting a 30 day Miracle Morning challenge with my friend where we spend the morning time in prayer, in God's word, journaling, visualizing, and of course, working out! I am looking forward to really focusing on the positive and all God has done for me in the morning time and hoping that sets the tone for the rest of my day! Practicing Miracle Mornings is one goal I have for September (and comment below if you want to know more about this and do it with me too!)

Another goal I have for September is to continue on my plant based diet experiment. I am cutting out beef, chicken, pork, etc this month (still eating eggs and occasionally, fish!) and really focusing on getting as many whole, PLANT foods into my body as possible. I started this past Monday but have not been as plant-heavy; carbs have been the easy option this week. So I plan on meal prepping this weekend and making PLANT foods the easy option, aka prepping and planning my meals out so I stick to my goals and nourish myself fully!

I also want to be blogging more, but I need your help! Tell me, what do YOU want to see more of on the blog? Recipes? My weekly meal plan? Workout updates? Mom-life updates? Day in the life posts? Nutrition research and summaries? Comment below or email me (tveen.verano@gmail.com) and let me know what YOU want to see more of in this space.

Workout wise, I am finishing up two rounds of a strength and agility program I started back in July. I loved doing this program, but I am SO ready for a change! I am starting a week long program next week focused on heavy lifting, then doing my favorite, 8 week toning program for the rest of September and October! I am so excited for this program and saw amazing results back when I did in last year. If you'd like to join in and be my workout buddy, fill out this application and I will get back to you!

Lastly, I am now taking on new clients for my private nutrition counseling practice! September is almost like January, right? School is starting, it's back to routine and a fresh start...so why not jump into taking care of yourself and learning how to properly nourish and fuel yourself? If you want to lose weight, get your cholesterol or diabetes under control, GAIN weight, or just learn how to prepare healthy meals for your picky family, I can help! I focus on individualizing nutrition for each of my clients, so if you want some additional support and guidance as you embark on or continue on a healthy lifestyle, feel free to check out my services and book your first session with me! I plan on taking on only 5 new clients this month, so be sure to reach out so I can save you a spot and we can get you started!

So happy September and almost fall, everyone. I plan on buying a few cans of pumpkin after work, because it's never too soon to start baking up some healthy fall treats! Hope you all enjoy your weekend and stay tuned for my plant based diet meal plan for next week!

Friday Favorites!

Happy Friday everyone! I can't believe it's already Friday. The weeks are flying by, and I am getting closer and closer to returning to work. It's hard even thinking about it, because sweet miss Emma has completely stolen my heart. I don't even want to think about how it will be to leave her and go to work once August hits, so for now I am going to soak up each and every day with this bundle of joy and appreciate all the seconds that God has given me to pretend I am a stay at home mommy. 

And since it's Friday, I thought I'd write up a few of my favorite things lately! Friday is always a great day to reflect on the week and focus on the blessings, good times, and ways to make the next week even better!

1. Crispy Chickpea snacks from Trader Joe's! These little suckers only lasted a few days in our house. They are SO good and taste like the Corn Nuts I used to devour in my junior high days. I love ranch flavored anything, and the crispiness of these totally satisfy any chip craving, while being slightly healthier and nutritious! 

2. Praying for God's grace. My husband and I have tired to be a bit more intentional about our prayer life. Being new parents can take a toll on those spiritual disciplines we used to be better about. Prayer is so important and brings us so much peace, plus invites God into every aspect of our lives. Some of my favorite times this week were praying together over our family, our jobs, our baby, and our life goals and dreams!

3. Panera's strawberry poppyseed salad! I've been to Panera 3 times this week and each time I ordered this salad plus some kind of sandwich or soup! This salad is full of fruit, which I usually don't like but this summer, I am digging the fruit and salad combo. The dressing is super light and tasty too! 

4. My new Bebe au Lait nursing cover! This cover makes it so much easier to nurse in public (hence all my trips to Panera this week...mama's gotta get out of the house!) This cover is breathable so both Emma and I don't end up a sweaty mess trying to cover up, plus it's easy to put on and take off yourself so you don't need help! Makes for a happy mama and happy baby!

5. SHIFT SHOP! Beachbody's newest program got launched this week! I've already done some of the workouts and man oh man, I canNOT wait to officially start this program in a few weeks! Our team of coaches is kicking off a prep week starting Monday the 17th, then officially starting the program on the 24th! Which means I will be in the thick of the program during our 5 day Palm Desert family vacation! But who cares, I've made enough excuses in my lifetime to postpone getting healthy and fit, and I'm so over making excuses now! I'm going to do my best to follow the program while on vacation! 

This program is a 21-day strength and agility program, with a nourishing meal plan and a focus on shifting your mindset, confidence, and overall health! I am SO excited I cannot contain it! I have wanted something fresh and new to help me get back into my pre-Emma strength and shape. If you want to challenge yourself this summer, apply to be part of our test group! The deadline is Monday! Apply here!

And that's a wrap folks! Emma is taking an extra long nap this morning, so I may make a cup of coffee and get some reading done before she wakes up. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and enjoy this beautiful summer weather!

Nutrition can be Confusing

There is a buzz going around the internet about the documentary "What the Health." So yesterday, since my hubby and I were lazily recovering from my cousin's wedding on Saturday, and we decided to watch some of it during Emma's nap. I like keeping up to date with these types of things since I AM a dietitian, a food nerd, and like to make my own opinions based on my knowledge, research, and experience. 

And basically, what we felt about the documentary was confusion. Confusion about what to eat, what science is actually telling us about food, what really causes obesity/diabetes/heart disease, and basically what to have for dinner. 

Nutrition can be SO confusing, and if you don't have a firm grip on what works for YOU, it can be easy to be tossed around from one diet/lifestyle to another in order to find your saving grace in regards to your health, weight, and happiness. I've done this and am guilty of it. I have moments where I believe a paleo diet, a gluten free diet, a vegan diet, or some other strict way of eating will save me from my food issues, help me lose weight, and bring me happiness. And that is just not the case! 

"What the Health" is a documentary promoting a vegan lifestyle. It makes some statements that sugar is not inflammatory (false) and that fat is what is causing the obesity epidemic (false). Science shows time and time again that sugar IS inflammatory and that fats (the right kinds) are beneficial to our health.  But, many of the points that the documentary made were spot on, such as the importance of fruits and vegetables and plant based eating. 

So what are we left with? We have one end of the spectrum saying carbs are the devil and to avoid them at all costs, while eating more bacon, red meat, and eggs. And we have the other end saying animal protein is the devil and we must eat more carbs and less fat in order to be healthy. My viewpoint is to look at the common denominator for both of these philosophies: 

What all health philosophies agree on is the importance of PLANTS. Things that are grown from the earth. Things that aren't tampered with in a factory or a farm. As Michael Pollan so simply puts: "eat food, not too much, mostly plants."

This is my philophoshy as well. Instead of focusing on what we "shouldn't have" whether it is sugar, meat, eggs, or carbs, focus on what we SHOULD have more of: green leafy vegetables, carrots, bell peppers, potatoes, berries, apples, etc. Real, whole foods. Plants. They are pretty awesome for our health. 

The more we fill up on these nourishing foods, the less room we will have for the treats, whether your treat is a cheeseburger or a brownie. But, that doesn't mean you don't ever have the treat. You have the treat, and then move on back to your plants. Your plants is where the majority of your diet lies. Which is what being "plant-based" is all about. 

The documentary DID remind me of how awesome I felt eating a more plant-based diet. Being a nursing mama, lately my meals have been "what's easy to grab and eat" which makes for some healthy choices and some not so healthy choices. While I am still following my portion-control meal plan, some meals are not the healthiest. So I did appreciate that aspect of the documentary and plan on leaning more towards a plant based diet because of how awesome it made me feel mentally, physically, and emotionally. 

But, I didn't agree with the fact that the documentary made sugar out to be a friend and totally fine to consume. While I am a big fan of sugar and do consume it, I think it is important to be mindful of our sugar intake, and especially our processed sugar intake. From the research I've done and the science I've studies, sugar DOES contribute to diabetes and heart disease and IS inflammatory. So be aware of this when you are treating yourself, and treat in moderation. 

And this is even more of a reason I am so grateful for the meal plan that I follow. Being able to balance out all the food groups is key to vitality and good health. Having a balance of protein (whether plant based or animal based), vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats is important, and all in the correct portions. So my meal plan serves me in this respect. 

The bottom line is to not confuse yourself too much on what you shouldn't eat. Focus on how to nourish yourself and what you SHOULD eat more of, which is what my accountability groups focus on. Don't focus on deprivation, but more so on how you can fill your plate with as many good, wholesome, nutrient dense foods as possible.  

If you need some help learning how to eat this way, I don't blame you! It can be confusing, but my job as a dietitian and wellness coach is to guide you towards nourishing your body and your soul. If you'd like to apply for my next accountability group and start focusing on how to eat MORE of the nourishing stuff, click on the link below and apply! The deadline for my next group is July 16th, so apply fast to reserve your spot! 

Hope you all have a fabulous Monday!

The Truth about Breastfeeding Hunger

I have never known hunger until I started breastfeeding Emma 8 weeks ago. I thought running gave me an appetite back when I ran and trained for half marathons. I even thought, towards the end of my pregnancy, that I was getting hungrier and hungrier and it would be the hungriest I'd ever be. But that hunger is NOTHING compared to the hunger that I have felt the past 8 weeks. 

I eat more than my husband and still have room for seconds. I'm always up for a snack, and the worst is that I am always wanting more and more food. It's a crazy hunger, and I can easily say I am hungrier now than I was when I was pregnant. 

It's been SO hard to stick to healthy choices with raging hunger like this, as well as the stresses that come with being a new mommy. I am embarrassed sometimes about how much I can put down at one meal. I've been trying my best to fuel my body and stick to healthy options. Thank GOD for my portion control meal plan I follow because it helps me choose a variety of foods, not just carbs (which is what I would like...all the time). Using these portions helps me snack of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and other foods that I need to nourish myself, not just crackers, chips, and cookies. 

I've talked about my binge eating past a ton on this blog. I'm pretty open about my struggles. And let me tell you, this hunger that I feel, and then the fluffiness and bloat I feel after a big meal, have been HUGE triggers for me. I haven't binged, but I am battling some intense temptations. The guilt is there, even though I know my body needs the extra calories right now between working out and breastfeeding. I'm working out, plus breastfeeding burns about 500-600 calories per day. That's a heck of a lot of food. But, my body and my belly still feel bloated after meals, and that bloat reminds me of binges, and that guilt makes me want to binge. It's crazy how our brains get us into a vicious circle, isn't it? We feel guilty about something, and that guilt makes us want to do that "thing" even more. 

BUT, I don't want to binge and I am not going to binge. I am not living for myself. My body is not my own. My body is first and foremost, God's. It is to HIS glory that I care for it. My body is also my daughter's right now. My body is FEEDING another human being. How amazing is that? I've learned that if we view our bodies from a place of appreciation, it helps us care for them even more. No matter what size you are, your body is amazing! It was carefully created and functions to keep you alive. Our bodies are precious, and we should care for them! 

Which is why I'm going to keep chugging along with my meal plan. I'm going to make sure I am getting the right portions of vegetables, fruits, carbs, proteins, and healthy fats. I'm going to keep running my accountability groups for my clients, and also for myself. Accountability is everything right now, and I want to ensure that I am treating my body well and checking in with others to do the same. 

If you are having a hard time too, you should definitely join my accountability groups! We can keep each other focused and stay true to our goals. Whether you are breastfeeding, trying to lose weight, wanting to tone up, or want to clean up your eating habits, this group will fit your needs and help you get not track with your goals, workouts, and nutrition! I'd love to have you, the more the merrier in my opinion! Apply here for my next group and we can journey through this whole healthy-living thing together! 

Until then, I'm going to keep snacking on my veggies, fruits, peanut butter, shakeology energy balls, and the occasional pizza and burger. I'm going to appreciate my body for what it has done and what it is currently doing. I'm going to nourish my body and soul, and of course, baby Emma!

A Day in the Life!

Hello there! Sorry for the lack of posts lately...I promise I'll try to get into some kind of routine again with blogging! Writing really is a passion of mine and I miss this space so much!  

Emma is going to be 8 weeks on Saturday (what?!) and I can't believe how fast the time is flying by. Each day is different with this little lady, so I thought I'd share a recent day in the life with Emma and I! 

Usually, Emma wakes up between 4:30/5am for a feeding. Sometimes she sleeps through till 6am, but this particular day was a 4:30am day. I fed her, went back to sleep, fed her again at 6am, then decided to get started on my day!

I took Emma down to the living room and drank some coffee while having quiet time. Emma usually falls back asleep after her morning feedings, so it was time to workout for me! I also had my fudgy shakeology chocolate bites with my coffee because I woke up hungry. Sometimes the coffee is enough, but other days I need some quick energy and these bites do the trick! I ate them too fast to snap a pic though...sad day.

Workouts lately have been Shaun Week on BOD (obsessed!!) but next week I am going to start alternating 21 day fix extreme and Shaun Week workouts as I prepare for Beachbody's newest program, SHIFT SHOP!! It launches in July and I canNOT wait! Want to do it with me? Comment on this post below and I'll send you info! Or contact me above ;) 

Anyways, the days I don't have my shakeology bites, I have my shakeo as a smoothie! This is vegan vanilla with peanut butter and banana. Literally tasted like cake batter froyo! If you'd like to try these superfoods, let me know! 

I've been making eggs for my husband in the mornings, so I've been scrambling up some extra for me! Eggs are a great protein source and full of good fats, plus they are great for nursing mamas like me!

Once Emma woke up, I fed her again and decided to go on a morning walk! We live really close to a small shopping center with a CVS and grocery store, so it's always convenient if I need to pick up a few things! We bought gripe water today (still trying to calm down Emma's colic at night!), plus some shampoo and conditioner for me, and some cotton balls. Random things but CVS always pulls through! Emma was such a happy baby on the ride over, then got a little cranky about 2 minutes from home. Needless to say, I power walked for those last few minutes! ;) 

Mid-morning snack included a whole lot of veggies! I love munching on raw vegetables as a way to get my green containers in, and they fill me up due to all that fiber! I am catching on on Grey's Anatomy (season 13 is finally up!) so I watched an episode while cleaning up the living room and while Emma took a *very* short nap!

Lunch time rolled around and I had some grape leaves stuffed with rice, as well as a turkey lettuce wrap, with some strawberries for dessert! We are running low on groceries but I am determined to use up whatever we have until next week. I've made it into a game to see how little we can spend on groceries and still eat healthy foods, and I'm pretty stubborn when it comes to spending money on food when we have food at home! Staying home has helped a lot with this because I can get more creative with my meals! I'm loving it :) 

After lunch, I gave Emma a bath and let me tell you, she LOVES when I bathe her, but the minute I start washing her hair she goes NUTS. She completely lost it after washing her hair which made for a very long nursing session after (human pacifier over here!) But I don't mind, I seriously love snuggling with my girl! 

The afternoon consisted of some mini naps for Emma, blogging, and working on an article for laintel.com that I am writing! Snacks were nuts and an apple with some PB! My hunger is always raging in the afternoons so I make sure to fuel up with healthy fats! 

My parents came over in the afternoon and we went for a walk up to Starbucks with Emma! It's been such a hot week but this afternoon the weather was a bit cooler which made for a good walk! 

And then, mom brain took over and I forgot to snap a picture of my delicious dinner! A chicken kebab wrap with some hummus and veggies! So good and it hit the spot!  

The evening consisted of some fussiness and crying, but we tried the gripe water and it definitely lessened the severity of Emma's colicky symptoms! Hoping for easier nights to come!  

This is what a typical day looks like for me as a new mom, but every day is so different with Emma! Some days she takes naps all day, other days she's up and alert from morning till night. Either way, I am absolutely loving being home with my baby girl! 

Goal Setting as a New Mommy!

If you know me, you know how much I LOVE setting goals, dreaming big, and then crushing what I set out to do. I'd say I'm a pretty ambitious person and love challenging myself. But this can also work against me, because I set pretty high standards for myself and sometimes, if I don't meet them, I get disappointed, which doesn't really get me anywhere!

The key to healthy goal setting is to know your intention behind your goal. If you know WHY you are setting these goals, they are easier to accomplish and you know deep down that they are a journey, not necessarily a destination. Especially when it comes to health and fitness goals. Our bodies and our health are both constantly changing. It's an ongoing adventure to pursue health and vitality, so keeping these things in mind while goal setting is SO vital to a healthy outlook and accomplishing our goals! 

As a new mommy, I've got some major health and fitness goals. As many of you know, I had to take things easy during my pregnancy and couldn't push myself as much as I wanted. Now that I am (hopefully) getting cleared this week to workout, I am excited to gain my strength and energy back! And I'd be lying if I didn't have some appearance- goals too ;) I can't wait to get my muscle back and tone up my abs, legs, and arms again! 

But I also know that working out with a new baby will be challenging! Just last week, I was trying to do a low-impact upper body workout, and Emma wanted to nurse midway. So I paused the workout, nursed her, she went back to sleep, and I pressed play and finished the workout strong! I was proud of myself for rolling with the punches and still being able to finish the workout and take care of my baby at the same time! 

While I know it will be challenging, I also know that I am a better version of myself when I take care of myself. I am a better wife, mommy, daughter, friend, coach, dietitian, and every other role I have when I have filled up my cup and my soul. Only when I do this do I have enough fuel and energy to pour into others. I am more selfless when I am a little selfish in my self care. It's taken me a while to learn this, but trust me, you can't pour into others from an empty cup! Make sure you take care of yourself so that you can better serve those around you!

And with that said, on to some of my goals!

1.) Tone up! The after-baby body is no joke! I was blessed in that I was able to get down to my pre-pregnancy weight just 8 days after having Emma (thank you breastfeeding!), but my body is completely different! A little squishy in some areas and definitely lacking in muscle. My goal is to gain my strength and muscle back! 

2.) Pour into the ladies in my group, The Nourished-You Project! I am launching a brand new accountability group, focused on the fact that our health is an ongoing project and that nourishing ourselves, body and soul, is SO important. We are all following workout programs, drinking our superfoods, and encouraging each other along the way. I love being able to coach these women, but they also provide me with accountability as well! It's a win-win! If you want to join, it's not too late! Contact me here for more info! 

3.) Eat more plants! I am definitely not a vegan or vegetarian, but that doesn't mean that my diet can't be full of plants! The meal plan I am following counts colorful containers, not calories (thank goodness! Because calorie counting won't get you anywhere...trust me!), so I get a lot of vegetable containers and protein containers each day. I plan on using legumes and beans as some of my protein sources, as well as animal proteins, plus filling up on ALL the vegetables and fruits I can! Food can be so therapeutic, and filling up on plant foods can revitalize our health and energize us! Don't discount how powerful vegetables can be in your health! 

4.) Stick to my workout plan. This is the plan I came up with after chaining my mind a dozen times, but I really think that this will be the best plan for my post-baby journey!

• 21 day fix workouts: June 7-11
• SHAUN WEEK! (new program only coming to Beachbody on Demand, basically Netflix for workouts!): June 12-18
• 21 day fix extreme: June 19-July 9
• 21 day fix or Shaun Week: June 10-16
• SHIFT SHOP: Starting July 17th! Shift Shop is Beachbody's newest program, all about making mental shift as well as a physical shift (because the mind is crazy powerful). I am so excited to get my hands on it! I will be running a test group for this new program in July, so stay tuned for more info on that if you'd like to join! 

5.) Show myself some major grace! I am one that loves routine, and I know that with a new baby, some days my routine may change, my workout may get switched from morning to afternoon to evening, and I may just have to roll with the punches. I want to be committed to my health, but I also know some days will call for improvisation and grace! Treats will happen, tired workouts will happen, and sleepless nights will happen, but that doesn't mean I just give up and stop taking care of myself! This is an ongoing journey, so I want to keep that mindset as I go into this summer and rebuild my strength and routine again. 

And that's a wrap on my goals and intentions for this month! I'm nervous about how it will all unfold, but I know that each day will be a new adventure and that I will only get stronger with time. If you'd like to join me on this journey, I'd love to connect with you and begin working with you! The more support, the merrier! Contact me here and we can start chatting about your goals and which programs and plans would be best for you!