It's called......BALANCE!

Some days are good days and some days you eat a piece of pie, a cupcake, chips and a banana with more peanut butter than the actual banana😂 It's called balance people and sometimes I need those days!! With that being said, it is all about MODERATION! I could have had those foods yesterday but in moderation. Instead, I ate them as if they were going away forever and I paid for it the next morning when I woke up. Food really does make a huge difference in the way we feel, act and the energy we have to get through the day. After eating all this food, I seriously had a food hangover. It was a great reminder that a sweet treat is okay but it needs to be in moderation NOT crazy binging until you have a stomachache. Enjoy your foods, friends but don't let it get out of your control.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all you mamas out there, working hard to be the best parent that you can be! Here's to you and how hard you work every single day to make sure your kids get the best experience in life. Here's to loads of laundry, dirty dishes, the house being a mess, being able to juggle a million things at once, taking care of healthy and sick kiddos, cooking, keeping everyones schedule straight and managing to do it all with LOVE. That's what being a mom is all about after all. Showing your child how much love you have for them through the good and bad times. We may not always know how we do it but we do it with LOVE. It may be the hardest job we will ever have but we wouldn't trade it in for anything else in the world. Happy Mother's Day! Wear that title proudly. It's an honor. It's a blessing. It's who we are. Be proud to be a mama!

REMEMBER: You cannot be at your best unless you take care of yourself!!! Putting yourself first is NOT selfish, it's SELFLESS! You are a better mother, wife, partner, caregiver, friend, family member and overall person if you get plenty of rest, exercise, eat right and take time for yourself. So take care of yourself so you can be the best you for those around you.

Inside and Out

"You're already skinny". I hear this all time! "You can probably eat whatever you want and be fine" or "You are crazy for waking up that early to workout" Well I may be haha but being "skinny" doesn't mean HEALTHY. I wasn't ever looking to lose weight when I began my fitness journey....I was looking to find a healthier, happier ME and I found that through Beachbody. A program called The 21 Day Fix Extreme and Shakeology started it all for me, I learned what healthy really means. Now I am so in love with being the best version of myself and helping others do the same. We ALL have different body types to celebrate! Start to focus on embracing your body type and keeping your insides healthy. Your heart, health, happiness and the way you feel every day THAT is matters and THAT is why I workout and eat as clean as I can.

I AM Team Beachbody

I am striving to be a better me....mind, body and soul. I am working on my fitness. I am working to eat foods that are beneficial to my body. I am drinking an amazing shake that has given me more energy, helps my digestion, has improved my immune system, makes me stronger, has improved my skin, hair and nails and that tastes freakin' delicious. I am far from perfect. I have a weakness for ALL sweets. I love Target, coffee, pancakes and peanut butter. I am a work in progress. I am a wife, mother, sister, daughter and woman of faith. I am driven. I am positive. I work with an amazing team every day. 

I love helping others find their happiness in health and fitness. I want YOU to be comfortable in your own skin. I want you to be the best version of yourself NOT based on societies standards but YOUR happiness. 

I AM Team Beachbody!

The Struggle is REAL

‼️Biggest food struggle‼️Knowing the difference between hunger and boredom. 

I don't know about y'all but this is something I REALLY struggle with and continue to work on every day! 9 times out of 10, when I am mindlessly snacking it's usually out of boredom and I'm not even hungry. It's such a frustrating habit to break A friend told me to give it 15 minutes. If I still want the snack after 15 minutes, have it but it's most likely something I want out of boredom. After the 15 minutes I usually realize that and say no to the food. Try this tip if this is something you struggle with🏼 Good luck and happy, healthy eating!

Follow your Dreams

 Nothing is out of your reach! With hard work, prayer and consistency, you can do ANYTHING that you put your mind to. So get your mindset right, plan ahead, set goals and crush them.

Why Shakeology?!

This is NOT a "miracle shake", you won't immediately start dropping weight and it is not a quick fix!! 

What It is:

A meal replacement shake (more than a protein shake)

Whole food ingredients from all around the world 

Servings of fruits and veggies 

Vitamins

Helps curb cravings

Helps energy levels

Helps digestion 

Helps with weight loss

QUALITY product (fills the gaps) nothing like it out there

$4 a day (cheaper than Starbucks)

I am not trying to promote this magical shake that is the end all be all to weight loss. It will not completely change your life just by drinking it and that's it. This shake has the ability to work for your body in an incredible way BUT you have to put in the work as well! YOU have to put good foods in your body. YOU have to workout and stay active. YOU have to stay consistent. This shake is AMAZING but it's one meal. In order for it to work at its maximum potential, you have to put in the work. There is no "quick fix" to health and fitness. Self-discipline, hard work and consistency makes the healthiest YOU! Shakeology has been a positive addition to my life but in order for me to be at my best, I have to drink Shakeology, eat healthy and workout every dayYes, it takes ALL three, people!!!

I am BACK!

I am so very sorry I have been MIA for so long! I got out of the habit of posting and this new life called "parenthood" got the best of me. I know, I know, it's totally an excuse and I OWN that! But I am back and ready to throw some health, fitness and life tips your way as well as share about my experiences. I recently completed the Whole30 program (look for my post of the tips and tricks) and I am STILL working on my postpartum body. It is a serious struggle getting rid of the baby belly post baby. It's never been this hard for me to lose that area of my body but boy does motherhood change that! It has been a great ride and I am ready to keep plugging along.

Rowan is now 5 1/2 months old. He sleeps really well, is starting to sit up, he can roll over and he has one tooth. He is an extremely happy baby and I am beyond blessed to be his mother. I went back to work in December and that was a whole new experience to balance. Work, motherhood, marriage, health and fitness business and just the every day chores of life......woof! I feel like I am finally getting a balance on it all, I have gotten in a routine and we are starting to figure it out. Which I am sure it will change up soon and we will have to start all over :) Again, the joys of parenthood but ya gotta love it!

I will try to keep up with this blog because I love writing and sharing my story. Until next time!

 

Whole30 Tips and Tricks

1. Get the Whole30 Program book and It Starts with Food to read before you start.
2. Figure out your 'why'. Why do you want to do the program? For me, it's because of my Hypothyroidism and sugar addiction. I have always wondered if gluten and dairy effect my thyroid but I wasn't willing to give up those foods to see.....until now! AND I have a sugar addiction, seriously I freakin' love it (along with most humans) but I wanted to get it under control again.
3. Prep, prep and more prep!!! Always be prepared with meals and snacks just in case you need a back up
4. Get the tempting foods out of your house!
5. Follow the timeline on the Whole30 website. Better yet, just save the website in your phone because you will refer to it A LOT! Keep in mind that everyone's experience is different, the timeline is a life savor but you may experience things at different times.
6. 7. Follow Whole30 on social media.....Instagram has great resources.
7. Continue your daily exercise. Fitness is a part of our overall health. I completed Beachbody programs during the Whole30 and it definitely helped with my success.
8. Go in with a no BS attitude. You are NOT giving up and you are making it through the ENTIRE 30 days. No excuses, no giving up!
9. After you are done, look at the reintroduction to food process before you begin eating all those foods you haven't for 30 days. That way you can tell which foods really bother you AND you don't go overboard and get a stomachache.
10. Good luck! Although it was really hard at times, my experience was amazing! I feel great and although I'm still going to enjoy my sweets from time to time, I have it under control. I have also really enjoyed this paleo eating and plan to continue it.

If you are curious, give it a try! I won't lie, it is HARD but you will feel great

Quick Tip

BEST healthy ice cream alternative. Try it, there are all types of flavors and they are delicious!!!! Plus it has 6 grams of protein.

Trust the Process

Working out and eating clean can be such a hard habit to start and maintain. There are so many ups and downs, you hit plateaus along the way and it's easy to get frustrated and give up. My advice: trust the process! It takes time but it is so worth it! The work that you put in will pay off in the end. So keep pushing!!

Life Update

Hello all! Sorry I have been MIA with updates on the baby and what's been going on in life lately! It's been a crazy transition into motherhood but it's been a wonderful kind of crazy. :)

September 8th, 2016 at 6:04 pm we welcomed our baby boy Rowan Michael Johnson into the world. Weighing 8.15 and 20 3/4 inches long, he was a big boy! I was in labor for about 17 hours, he hadn't dropped into my cervix, his heart rate lowered every time I had a contraction, the cord was around his neck and I was only dilated at 6 so we decided to take him c-section. I would have loved to have a natural birth but my goal the entire pregnancy was, healthy baby, healthy mom and that's exactly what we got! I am beyond thankful for a healthy baby boy and wouldn't have wanted to do it any other way.

Adjusting to life as a mom has been interesting but such a blessing! You take for granted the little things you were able to do before baby like, take a shower, eat or go to the bathroom whenever you want haha but it's definitely worth the change. Rowan is such a wonderful baby, he has picked up breastfeeding like a champ, he is a great sleeper and his animal siblings just love him! Piper, one of our dogs has become very protective over Rowan which I love :).

I am on week 3 of my 12 week maternity leave and I don't even want to think about going back to work! It's definitely going to be a struggle :(. I am also on week 3 of 6 for not working out which has been so hard for me! I love working out but due to the c-section, I have to wait 6 weeks before I can. It has been hard but I am trying to eat clean to lose the baby weight. I love our new and growing family, life has been great and exhausting at times but I am so thankful to be where I am right now. Happy Tuesday!

🙌🏼

Quick Tip

TIP OF THE DAY:
Apple cider vinegar can bring so many different benefits to your every day life. It's great to drink every day, although it needs to be diluted and mixed with another drink (water, cranberry juice etc.). I plan to add this to my daily intake once I have the baby. Nic, my husband, drinks it every day and has noticed the benefits it can bring. His blood pressure has significantly lowered (although it wasn't an issue for him) and it has helped with his energy and digestion👌🏼 This list shows that it's not only for your body, physically but there are other areas in your life where it is beneficial.

Watermelon Pickin' Tip🍉

That feeling when you cut open a watermelon and find that it was a perfect pick👌🏼😄 I'm not great at picking them out but my hubby sure is, so delicious! I guess you are supposed to look for one that has a lot of "veins" and a yellow spot somewhere on the watermelon. Fresh watermelon for the week✔️

Invest in Yourself

Words of Encouragement

Life is too short to be serious all the time. Be silly, embrace the craziness that life brings us daily and always look on the bright side. There is a time to be serious but don't forget to enjoy the little things, be productive and share your happiness with others. Take time to grow, think about all the amazing things that life has to offer and don't forget to be thankful for all of those things that are or have been in your life. For me, health and fitness is a big part of my happiness but it's not everything. My family, friends, job, God and all the wonderful things in my life work together to keep me happy. I am thankful, blessed beyond measure and ready for any other adventures that come my way. Stay happy, friends!

Measuring Progress

There are so many ways to measure progress because we all have different body types, goals, habits and lifestyles. Your bigger, better and stronger may look different than mine. Some people want to maintain tone, some build muscle for a competition and others are looking to lose weight. Right now, I have gotten bigger for the baby, I am still strong from my daily workouts and I feel my best at almost 38 weeks pregnant because of my consistent workouts, every day throughout pregnancy. Remember, progress is progress and it looks different based on the individual. The focus is on you bettering yourself and your life, just keep pushing💪🏼😃

Water Tip

TIP OF THE DAY:

So I used to have a purse fetish but since I will be sporting around a diaper bag for quite some time, that purse fetish has turned into a water bottle fetish. I get made fun of because my collection has gotten quite large and I'm always getting new ones😂 BUT one rule that I always use when buying a water bottle is, the bigger the better. This particular one is 34oz, I don't have to fill it up as often, it's spill proof,  I can carry it with me everywhere (which I literally do, you rarely ever see me without my water😉) and it was only $4.99. My advice, buy a larger water bottle, it's more convenient and it even helps you drink more water. I usually go through 6-7 of these 34oz water bottles a day! I know, I am the water girl💧 It's a great habit to form so get to drinkin'!

Pregnancy Update

I am now 36 weeks pregnant and better than EVER! I still love being pregnant although I understand when women say, "trust me, as it gets closer you will be ready". I do love being pregnant but there will be perks to not having such a large belly ;). Right now, Baby J is breech so I will be getting a sonogram on Monday to determine what they can do. The doctors will either try to turn him or I will have a scheduled C-section at 39 weeks. Either way, I am good as long as Baby J and I are healthy, happy and arrive in God's planned time. I have learned through this pregnancy that I cannot control everything and the big picture is making sure our boy is healthy. God has a plan and I trust that plan fully and completely. Everything is going great, I still have some killer heart burn and standing for too long has become a struggle but life is good and my heart is full. Four weeks left until we meet our boy but it could be sooner than that! I have continued to consistently workout throughout this entire pregnancy which was a MAJOR goal of mine. This has been a HUGE factor into how I feel, how my body has reacted to the changes and my overall outlook on pregnancy. Fitness has played a huge role in my pregnancy which I highly recommend to any prego mamas out there. Stay active!