Let Go

On April Fool's Day I let go of a lot of baggage. My beautiful and talented friend Jessica kindly squeezed me into her busy schedule to help me out. She cut about a foot and a half of my hair and transformed me into a stylish mama!

When my little sister was diagnosed with cancer last Spring and then talked of shaving her head at some point I told her I'd do it with her. We had always had long braids together as kids and shared the same thick brown hair. I thought it would be a good bonding experience to do this together, and for her to not be alone in it. But when the time came in the Fall and she decided to go for it she told me not to, saying that I have such nice hair and she wants me to keep it. She is so sweet!

Well, if it wasn't going to be shaved something had to be done with it. It had become a cumbersome unmanageable mess that always ended up twisted tightly into a bun high on top of my head. Although I kind of liked the look, it wasn't cute and I don't think my husband was appreciating the Bun + Headband style at all.

Another default hairdo was the ponytail braid. This soon became a dangerous weapon that would whip me in the face while doing jumping jacks. It would get caught up in my jump rope, nearly tripping me. Once my workouts are in jeopardy something's got to change!

I kept saying I'd cut it after I lost another 10 pounds or so, but it was time to just go for it and embrace the change. It's about appreciating where I'm at in my life right now and not putting anything off for a special occasion or until I feel I'm more worthy. Other than my senior year of high school and a short time in college I've always had super long hair. I've played it safe and just kept it plain and simple.

To me short hair screams high maintenance. It requires more frequent cuts which takes time and money. It takes time and effort (if thick and frizzy like mine) to style it too. So it seems irresponsible for me, the girl who's always let her Step Mom trim it in the kitchen, to have short hair.

Another excuse to stay in my comfort zone was that my baby loves to play with my side braid and twiddle it around in his fingers. He gives the biggest giggles and explodes in laughter when I tickle his face with it, especially while he nurses. He swings the braid around while I hold him and he looks up at me with pure delight.

But refreshing change was much needed. The moment Jessica cut the braid off I felt instant relief- a load was lifted off my shoulders. My baby recognized me, thank goodness, and my husband is a fan. A few days later it seems my scalp and head have relaxed from not being pulled tightly almost 24/7. But best if all is the fresh feeling I've got now that I let go of some extra baggage.

Walk This Way

Our lives just got a lot more interesting; we're really in for it now! Not five minutes after my husband got home from work was Ari walking for us! Literally 'for' us and not really 'to' us- he was completely showing off and cracking himself up. He hopped up and took two solid steps. He was giddy with excitement and so were we. He proceeded to do this again with a giant water bottle in hand as well, which kind of freaked Dad out but I think it was helping him stay balanced. He did it for Sammy, the cat, then he scampered off down the dark hallway and did it some more.

He is most secure and able to walk best when he's gotten up on his own, unassisted. We've never been into holding his hands up to 'help' him walk. Both my hubby and I didn't naturally feel led to do so, and we didn't want him using 'walkers' or walking aids. He's always been so good at exploring on his own and we want to allow him to develop at his own pace, which seems to actually accelerate things. When we step back, he steps it up! This is true with pretty much everything for Ari.

This is a special night 'cause we aren't typically awake when Dad comes home from work. Ari must've been super excited for our family time and taken the opportunity to show off his new skill. We are so excited to have both been present!

He actually took his first steps yesterday though, supposedly. I really believe he's been practicing behind our backs for awhile, that stinker. His first steps were, where else, but at the gym! That's quite fitting for our family. He walked to Nick, one of the Childcare workers at The Belmont Athletic Club, just a few days after turning 11 months.

We hope and pray that we can continue to keep up with Ari! We pray he'll always have the confidence needed to move forward in life and that he'll step out in faith in all he does. We want him to know the safety and security of having us to fall back on whenever he needs or wants us. But mainly we want his confidence to come from knowing he is created with great purpose and loved and cared for by God.

The title of this post is a little something my dad has always said. His knees would give out while walking and, being the silly guy he is, he'd make fun of himself with this expression. It's always been a favorite of mine because it reminds me of him. Now with my baby son walking and exploring new territory I find myself only caring that he walk one way- toward love.

Here's a picture of Ari on the day he walked- Wednesday April 3rd, 2013.

Sneak Peak Into My Eats

What does a real-foods eating, chocolate craving, recovering life-long vegetarian eat to slim down, stay energized, and be well? There are no rules other than to consume ingredients that I deem ok/safe/healthy based on my own current food beliefs (which are always evolving as I learn more and try things out for myself). Although this isn't Paleo, vegan, GAPs, etc. I've limited the dairy, grains, and legumes and am only having sugar in the form of fruits and vegetables. Foods are mainly local, organic, and seasonal. Here's a list of my current go-to foods:


Helpers
I don't endorse any brands/products and prefer my supplements to just be extra nutrients and minerals not taken in pill form. This list of nutrients mainly gives me that extra boost, wards off sickness, helps me feel full (fats) and keeps sugar cravings in check
Prenatal Vitamin while nursing- I alternate between a few to mix it up
Fermented Foods/Probiotics: kimchi, sauerkraut, any vegetable I've fermented- so cheap and easy!
Apple Cider Vinegar- great for getting sugar cravings in check
Coconut Oil
Ghee
Raw Butter
Duck Fat for cooking when not using butter/ghee
Macca
Chia
Chlorella
Spirulina
Egg Yoke
Garlic
Ginger
Turmeric

Breakfasts
Fruit
Veggies
Eggs- I just found local farmers who don't feed their chickens corn!
Quinoa mixed w/ anything (I'm going to reintroduce quinoa into my diet starting today)
Homemade bone broth- so nourishing at 4:30am!
Leftovers
Whole Yogurt (typically goat)

Lunches
Shakes & Smoothies (no boxed 'milks' with carrageenan, otherwise anything goes)
Leftovers
Loaded Salads- veggies, meat, egg, beans, avocado, fermented veggies
Tuna Salads
Egg Salads

Dinners
Rice Pasta- occasionally
Brown Rice occasionally w/ toppings- kimchi, veg, meats
Quinoa w/ Avocado or other veggies/stir fries
Cauliflower 'Rice' w/ toppings
Spaghetti Squash w/ mix-ins as a pasta dish
Sweet Potato Hash w/ Egg
Roasted Whole Chicken
Organ Meats- mainly liver which I buy extra of for super cheap
Wild Salmon- FYI, Alaskan is always wild and Atlantic is farmed
Beans
Stews
Lots of Veg- roasted cauliflower, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, chard, spinach, squashes, kale
Polenta- might start using

Snacks/Random
Avocado- this should be in every single food category as we eat it anytime with anything
Bananas- not local but a big food staple in our house
Nut Butter (raw cashew & almond) w/ Celery 
Raw Nuts
Jicama
Oranges & Grapefruits from the in-laws and Mom's trees
Fresh Fruits
Sliced Veg
Dips- garbanzo, lentil, black bean, tzatziki and other concoctions we make in the blender
Roe
Olives
Seaweed

Treats
Kombucha
Cocoa

Substitutes for Vices
Switch out latte & pastry break for a walk to the beach break
Switch out snacking on sweets at work desk for sipping water with added fruit
Switch out snacking on chocolate at home for taking walks, cleaning, and reading

We do have more food than this in the house. My hubby's staples are flat bread for his spicy dips, sourdough bread, cereal, oats for his smoothies, granola, coffee, and dairy in the form of milk, cheese, and yogurt. He would also love to have the fridge loaded with hot dogs, sausage, bacon, "luncheon meat", beer, and every type of hot sauce and mustard known to man. He's got some crafty friends that make beers and hot sauces which are the ultimate gifts you could ever give him :)

The baby eats what I eat. He just turned 10 months and his current favorites are chicken, avocado, strawberries, egg yoke, carrot & cucumber sticks, and Daddy's fruit purees.

I hope you've enjoyed this sneak peak into my kitchen. Please share some of your favorite food staples with me!

Hott Mama's 12 Week Challenge

And so it begins. I've submitted myself to a weight loss challenge. I'm not a fan of weight loss challenges because I strongly encourage clients, friends, family, and even perfect strangers not to focus solely on weight and, instead, find additional indicators of health and vitality. But with that said I'm actually super uber duber excited for this challenge! It's a 12 week challenge with a bunch of Facebook strangers and one friend- the "Hott Mama's" group dispersed across the USA. We pay $10 via PayPal, submit our before photos, measurements, and goals/plan and then weigh-in weekly. At the end of the 12 weeks we each get three votes on our favorite transformation and one winner takes all!


Here are the two main reasons why I'm excited about the challenge
1) Encourage other moms and be encouraged by them, and maybe make a few friends along the way as we get to know each other via Facebook over the next 12 weeks. I've seen pictures of these moms in their underwear- the least we could do is 'friend' each other on Facebook now and strike up some conversation.
2) I'm using it to kick-start my new journey away from just 'Fitness Professional' and into 'Wellness Coach' since my passions lie not only in helping others workout but also in helping them create clear paths to overall better health and wellness. So I will use myself as an example. This isn't just a weight loss challenge but a chance for me to transform my life in many little ways that will add up to one big healthy overhaul.
3) When this is over, rocking a pair of bright pink workout capris I just bought for $9.99 at Marshall's as well as the super cute shorts worn in the before pictures which fit loosely a month into pregnancy and now are so tight.
4) Going to Lululemon with Nicole and picking out fun new clothes for our transformed bodies!

For now I'll share with you my goals and action plan. Check back in 12 weeks and you'll see me in a sports bra and booty shorts 'cause at the end of the challenge I'll share with you the before and after pictures, weights, and measurements!

Goals: Decrease body fat (maintain nursing), tone arms/abs/legs to feel good in bikini/shorts, improve shoulder acne + redness on back of arms
Plan: Eat real food + increase activity

It's really this simple. Clients are always encouraged to elaborate on their goals and action plans, being as specific as possible to account for 'life stuff' and not leave any room for interpretation (excuses) along the way. But I've chosen to keep my plan as simple as "eat real food and increase activity" because I believe those two things will address all my goals.

Please leave your comments, stories, and encouragement in the comments section. I'll share some progress reports along the way and post the before & afters after May 24th.


Stay tuned!

Amanda
PS- Regarding the attached picture: you can notice changes in your body well before 4 weeks! And please don't hang in there for 12 weeks just for the sake of  others noticing, do it for yourself first and foremost ;)

Does This Make Me Look Fat?

It's a common question. 'Do I look fat in this?' I was asked this almost daily by my mom growing up. I now hear it almost daily in the gym locker room. The few times I've asked it of my husband in the past I'm so bothered by the question.

We're either fat or we're not folks. And the label 'fat' is so relative anyway, so what's it matter?! There are tests that hint at whether or not you are fat, but those tests are typically based on norms and I've never been a fan of norms. It doesn't take 12 years of working in gyms to know the #1 reason people join the gym, even 'skinny' people, is to lose weight. When will people ever be satisfied with where they're at?

My challenge to you today is to get yourself to that point where you're happy with where you're at. Quit counting on clothes to camouflage whether you're fat or skinny. And should you choose not to take my challenge, then I challenge you to never ever utter the words 'Do I look fat?' again. I hope you choose the 1st challenge and do the work to get 'healthy' and to accept yourself just as you are, once and for all, because you are beautiful!

Staycation & Sunshiny Winter Ride

It's been too long since I've posted in the 'good ol' fashioned fun' category! My hubby and I each took a long weekend off work to go on a big trip with friends. Well, we last minute decided what this family really needs is a 'Staycation' to enjoy time together. I REALLY struggle with taking time off work even though I have the time, so it's a challenge to be home and not working. But, we're just part way into the weekend and we're having a blast.

Nani came over to watch the babe while Ryan and I saw a 3:30 movie. That's right, 3:30. Had we gone to the next showing at 7pm I would've fallen asleep in that stinky theatre and missed the sewage scene of Les Miserables. I thought we'd be the only dorks in there on a Friday afternoon but it was packed.

Now I had put on a cute summer dress and lip gloss since my mom encouraged us to go to dinner after the movie- fancy! So here we are 8 1/2 months into parenthood, it's only our 2nd time out sans baby, we're looking good, and I'm so ready to go home right after the show to see Baby Boy!!! We quickly pick up dinner to-go and get home to our little angel. He's having a blast learning baby sign language with Nani and could care less that we rushed home to be with him.

Now it's Saturday and we got to sleep in until 6am! Ryan and I got up all excited like it was Christmas morning. But this is even better- Opa is coming over to watch Baby Boy so we can go for a ride together! It's gorgeous out and I've not been on a good long bike ride since July 2011. We hit the road and enjoyed the sun beating down on us as we rode down PCH. We didn't go too far, but I'm more for quality over quantity. It was fun dodging traffic on PCH through Long Beach, Seal Beach, and Huntington Beach then having coffee together on Main Street before turning back. We arrived home to a happy boy and his grandpa- perfect :)

I'm so grateful for all this special time with Ryan. I can't remember the last time he was home on a Friday evening. Just to sit and watch TV with him before he passed out on the couch was magical and rare. And for us to both not work on a Saturday and get to enjoy the day as a family was priceless.

Cheers to the rest of our Staycation!

Sweet Potato Zinger Smoothie

These ingredients are meant to be juiced but I threw them in the blender and a few seconds later had quite the drink on my hands. And my eight month old son approves too- he got a hold of my straw, flung it around the room, and licked it off his fingers with a delightful grin on his face. So here it is:

1 sweet potato peeled
1 carrot
Hunk of ginger
Pineapple

Blend or juice and enjoy!