It's been five months since I have been #winning surviving the parent game of balancing two. People always say going from one to two kids is hard, but man it is even harder than I could have imagined. I was ready for having a newborn again (sleepless nights, postpartum healing, etc.) but the energy you have to have in order to keep up with your oldest child is unreal.

Ryan (our oldest who is three) is all.boy.and.then.some. He's the sweetest kid with the biggest mischievous streak. I call him (and his teachers) Dennis the Menace. He knows how to turn on the charm. He also doesn't care if you have a new baby...his mommy better have all the energy to keep up with him no matter what. Just had a baby? So what. Mommy, you didn't sleep? You asked for it!

Despite the warnings, there are a few things that I still had to learn on my own (especially being a #boymom). And now I am sharing with you. 

1. Despite all efforts, your oldest (depending on their age) will regress. We were almost 100% potty trained and then we took the giant leap back and have been on the struggle bus ever since.
2. Your SuperMom skills could win you a gold medal at the Olympics. No lie, you will learn to be in two places at once, shower in five seconds, sooth a baby while reading/turning pages of a book for your toddler with your foot and block all sense of smell so you won't know how awful you smell since you haven't showered in a week.
3. Recovery is even harder... Because you can't stop moving and lay on a couch. While one baby sleeps the toddler is ready to play American Ninja Warrior with you.
4. No, your kids won't nap at the same time. Or, at least mine won't.
5. Gourmet meals will consist of.... Ha! What gourmet meals? If I didn't have time to shower... then I certainly don't have time to play Rachel Ray.
6. Coffee is the new aphrodisiac. Lots and lots of coffee.
7. Baby weight is the devil. You put in the work and got it off the first time around. The second time it's laughing at you while eating a tub of Ben and Jerry's watching a traffic accident. It ain't going anywhere.

Just being real.

The treadmill lies!

I have been an avid fitness enthusiast for I don't know how long.  Back in the day, I used to teach Turbo Kick, I have done Crossfit, spin classes, DailyBurn, Les Mills On Demand, etc... you name it I have done it.  Now, I am successfully rotating Les Mills On Demand BodyPump, Pure Barre at home DVDs, and treadmill HIIT training.  But, through it all, I have never monitored my heart rate or calorie burn.  I have based everything out on how hard did I sweat.  Isn't that sad?  I mean, my treadmill at home has an estimated calorie tracker and I figured that couldn't be THAT far off.

Beets Blu contacted me recently to try out two of their new Bluetooth products that I could syn with my iPhone.  One was their Beets Blu Bluetooth Heart Rate Monitor and the other was their Bluethooth Key Finder.  I jumped at the chance so that I could see if there was ready an added benefit to the heart rate monitor.

Dessert Heaven

Hello, my name is Sherri and I am an addict.  I am addicted to grubbing out and satisfying my sweet (sometimes salty) tooth on the couch watching reality TV after I workout at night.  

Everything I read says that you should "go to bed hungry" or no snacks after dinner.  Yada, yada, yada.  But the people who made these "healthy rules" up have never met me.  They don't understand my dire need to satisfy my hungry belly after a workout, especially if that craving is for something sweet.  Hello, that time of the  month???  You don't stop a woman from having that indulgence during that time frame. 

Good news is that I have found a way to satisfy my craving in a healthier way.  Gone are the days of eating sugary ice cream or miniature Snickers bars.  I have found something better.

Meet my new best friends:

30-minutes or less | Quick but tough - Treadmill workouts

Now that I am working and fighting some really bad traffic in my commute, my time is even more precious to me in the evenings.  30-minute workouts are a must, nothing more.  And if I can find some workouts that are less than 30-minutes long, then I am one happy camper.  Several months past, I wrote a post on some of my favorite workouts (here), but it was time to update it.  I get way too bored and change my workouts up all the time.

I couldn't even walk up the stairs

Have you ever had such a good/intense workout that you were so sore for days later?  And when I say sore, I mean you couldn't even lift your legs to walk up stairs?

That just happened to me.

Yesterday, I was at work, and it was day two of an insane workout I did.  While walking up a flight of stairs, I stopped midway and could not go any further.  My butt hurt, my hammies hurt, my love handles hurt, heck... everything hurt.  I had to turn around, go back down the stairs and find an elevator.  Weak sauce.

So what workout did I do?  I recently heard that Les Mills started an On Demand program. On Demand lets you work out to any of Les Mills' programs through your computer or tablet for a low monthly fee in the comfort of your on home or on the go.  For $12.99 a month, I can do BODYPUMP, GRIT, BODYCOMBAT, etc. without joining a gym at an astronomical price.

So, I did just that.  On Saturday night, I signed up for Les Mills On Demand and did their GRIT program.  Who knew a 30-min HIIT workout, at home, would leave me stranded on a flight of stairs at work just two days later?

I am a huge BODYPUMP fan, but since I turned my home into my gym once I got pregnant, I have not been able to do BODYPUMP and I have missed it so much.  I was like a kid in a candy store when I found out I could finally do it at home!

And, the fact that I will be living at the beach in just four weeks, has me excited stressing.  I need to be in bikini mode 365 days a year!

I ordered some more weights and a barbell on Amazon really cheap this week, so once they get delivered BODYPUMP is on like Donkey Kong!

On and if you are interested in trying the On Demand program, you can sign up for a FREE 10-day trial.  I think you should!

Has anyone else tried Les Mills On Demand? Thoughts?

XOXO,
Sherri

Ambronite | The New Super Meal - I Gave it a Try

I have always been a big fan of quick and easy.  Quick and easy meals = check! Quick and easy makeup routines = check, check! Quick and easy workouts =  check x infinity!

When it comes to quick and easy snacks, I usually grab anything I can get my hands on that I can eat on-the-go.  I try to eat healthy and be mindful, but that isn't always the case.  I can admit that.  When work brings in cupcakes, how can you say no???!!

But, I still try to be sensible and eat very healthy.  As a family, we eat 90% organic foods and try to have an overall very, very well balanced diet.  

I was recently introduced to Ambronite, a company that offers an organic drinkable meal that is perfect on-the-go.  I jumped at the chance to try this organic option to use as a snack.

The drinkable "Super Meal" comes in small bags that are perfect to have at your home, office, in your bag, etc.  Each bag contains one full mean (500 cal) of all of your essential nutrients.  It is free of anything artificial and mixes really well with water, juices, and blended in a smoothie.  Just one meal contains 20 organic whole food ingredients with 32% of fats, 44% of carbohydrates, and 24% of protein.

Source: Ambronite.com

I decided to use only half of each packet at a time to make it more of a snack option for me.  That way, the calorie count was lower.  I don't drink a lot of juices, so I decided to try mine mixing with water, and then with almond milk.  I always have a snack during the mid afternoon, so this was a very easy option for me for my afternoon snack option at work.

10 Treadmill Thoughts

First, I want to give a shout out to Amanda @ RunningwithSpoons for the link up.

Its #thinkingoutloud Thursday!

I have a love/hate relationship with the treadmill.  I jump on, immediately ready to kick some butt, and then one minute in, I am silently cursing myself in my head.  That happen to you?  Not that I don't appreciate what the treadmill does for my bootay but, it ain't easy!

Here are my top ten thoughts that pop up in my head as soon as I am on the treadmill:

1.  "Dearest safety key, stop trying to hold my hand and jerk me to a stop!  Not cool...so not cool."

2.  As my son is standing at the edge and trying to throw his toy trucks at my feet.  "I wanted to run today, not jump hurdles son!  I am not training for the Olympics...I am not Lolo Jones!  Is he trying to kill me?"

Friday Favorites: 5/22

Thanks to Katie and Heather for the link-up!

I am on the road folks!  Day 2 and about 7 hours away from a sandy beach for a WEEK!  I have decided to truly take a vacation and cut myself off from the world and enjoy my family for the week.  While I will not be doing any posts for the week, I may post some pictures from the vacation every now and then.  Don't hold me to it though!

Since ending my 60-day DailyBurn program at the beginning of the month, I decided to switch things up and create my own program.  I am working out 5 days a week doing my Pure Barre DVD's, HIIT running on the treadmill, and choosing some full body at-home workouts that are my favorites.  Right now, I am working out about 5 days (sometimes 6) a week.

A couple weeks ago, I shared my favorite HIIT running workouts (here) so I thought it would be only fitting to post my favorite at-home full body workouts too!

Most of these workouts require zero equipment, but some require dumbbells, boxes for box jumps, or kettlebells.  I sub a dumbbell for kettlebells and when it requires a box jump, since I don't have a box, I do 2 tuck jumps in its place.   Here are some that are in regular rotation right now:

Source: Found on Pinterest

Source: CarrotsNCake.com

Source: Eatwatchrun.com

Source: Rippednfit.com

I love the Crossfit inspired workouts because they really get your heart rate up and they are quick and effective.  I am usually done in less than 30 minutes and I am dripping in sweat.  

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend and week next week.  I will see you when I get back from the beach June 1st!!!

XOXO,

Sherri

Thinking Out Loud | DailyBurn thoughts and what's next

First, I want to give a shout out to Amanda @ RunningwithSpoons for the link up.

Its #thinkingoutloud Thursday!

Over 60 days ago, I joined DailyBurn.  I had plateaued in my workout and wanted to try something new.  Plus, Bob Harper has a workout program through DailyBurn called Black Fire, so duh, I wanted to try it!  It was HIIT style, 60 days long, and no workout was over 30-min...score.  You all know how I love me some short workouts!  It is what I stand for, ha ha.  The shorter the better, the sweatier the better.

Well, now the 60 days are over and did I think Black Fire or DailyBurn was worth it?  You betcha!  Did I lose a lot of weight? Nah, but I didn't really have any to lose.  I am at my normal, pre-baby weight and I am back in all of my old clothes.  What I needed most, wasn't weight loss, but muscle gain.  I was still a little soft from having a baby and wanted to start building that again.  So, new question... Did I gain muscle?  You betcha!  I definitely could tell I leaned out and my butt got tighter and legs did too.  I also noticed my arms were definitely more toned and my husband noticed (you know how hard it is to get a husband to notice anything?).  The fit of my clothing was better and even a little more loose in the waist!

Black Fire was absolutely great.  The whole program kept your body guessing and you were drenched afterwards.  Best thing, yep, it was less than 30-min.  The program was set up for you to work five days a week, with two active recovery days.

So what's next for me?  Glad you asked.

Sweat Like a Pig, Look like a Fox

I have never been one to love working out.   I do it for a number of things:

1.  I genetically have to.  I can't eat ice cream without it going to my thighs immediately after consuming.
2.  I recently found out money does not grow on trees (really?? such a shame) so I don't want to have to buy more clothes that will fit.
3.  I do love the rush of endorphins when I exercise.  I have never felt more like superwoman until after a workout.
4.  I want to live a long and healthy life.

I also do not have TONS of time on my hands.  So how do I make my workouts happen?  I make them quick.  Most, if not all, of my workouts are 30 min. or less.  I also focus on HIIT workouts. In an article on DailyBurn.com, "HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, is a training technique in which you give all-out, one hundred percent effort through quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short, sometimes active, recovery periods.  This type of training gets and keeps your heart rate up and burns more fat in less time."  (View the full article here.)

I wanted to share a few of my favorite treadmill workouts that I have been doing lately.  Yes, I am still on my BlackFire program with DailyBurn, but it is about to wrap up in a few days and I am going to start increasing more running back into the mix.  I pulled out my favorites to showcase today.

I always rotate them so that I keep my body guessing and not to hit a plateau in my workouts.  These below are pretty fun and definitely have me winded and sweaty afterwards.  The best part is that they are over in 30, but man do they work!

**Disclosure: I am NOT a fitness expert/professional.  This is just my personal opinion based on my experiences.  Consult a fitness expert/personal trainer if you have detailed questions.

XOXO,

Sherri

Questions:
Do you have any treadmill workouts you enjoy?

What is your favorite workout?

Half-way through DailyBurn's Blackfire

Its been a few weeks since I gave my introductory post on my initial thoughts on DailyBurn and the Black Fire program that I started through DB.  Now that I am officially 1/2 done, lets chat about my thoughts now:

1.  Do I still like the program?  Yes I do!  Every single workout is different and that has really helped me get out of my plateau that I was on.  It has been nice to feel sore after a workout.  (I am the weirdo that actually likes feeling sore, makes me feel like I really did something).

2.  Do I like every workout I do?  Nope.  DailyBurn's Black Fire program is intense and it pushes you to get out of your comfort zone.  The style is a lot of HIIT training and reminds me of Crossfit (just without the weights). But, there are several workouts that are gymnastics inspired and they really throw me for a loop.  Give me burpees, thrusters, and box jumps any day of the week and I will knock them out (huffing and puffing along the way), but the handstand kick-ups and push ups to bridges get me. I found myself getting mad this week during one of the gymnastics workouts.   I felt silly and uncomfortable...it took everything I had to finish it.  But, I finished and was drenched in sweat.

If you read this article here: http://dailyburn.com/life/fitness/dailyburn-black-fire-bob-harper-fitness-program/, it really explains that all of those feels that I feel (the discomfort, etc.) is totally normal and the workouts were designed to be challenging.

3.  Have I lost weight? No.  But I wasn't looking to lose weight either.  I am at the pre-pregnancy weight I wanted to be at, but I didn't have much muscle and I wanted to really tone up what I had.  While I haven't lost weight, I have leaned out and gained muscle.  I am starting to see abs again.  I am pleased with that.  You can lose weight on this program though, there are examples of weight loss stories on their website.

4.  What's next when the 60-day Black Fire program is over?  The great thing about DailyBurn, is there are TONS of programs to choose from based on your fitness level and your goals.  I have been eyeing one or two other programs that I want to switch to afterwards.  I would like to find one where I work out 4 days a week or so, that way on the other days I can pick up my running again.  Black Fire is a 5 day per week workout schedule so I really only get to run if I still have energy after one of the scheduled workouts.

5.  What's your favorite thing about DailyBurn and Black Fire?  I love that I can stream DailyBurn anywhere and that it's so much cheaper than a gym membership. I can do whatever workout I want any time of the day.  What I love most about Black Fire, is that no workout exceeds 30 minutes.  It's quick and effective and then I am done to relax.

I will definitely let ya'll know my results once I have completed the 60-day Black Fire program in a few weeks.  

XOXO,

Sherri

Questions:

Have you tried DailyBurn?

What fitness program are you on?

Friday Favorites 4/3/15

Thanks to Katie and Heather for the link-up!


Happy Friday!  And boy am I glad to see it.  We are holding a conference at work for the first three days of next week, so it has been crazy busy all week at work.  It makes the days go by, but I am struggling/exhausted today.

Here are my #ffavorites (Friday Favorites) from this week.

1.  This video.  It seriously melts my heart when Ryan tries to talk.  He is really working hard at working on his words but is all time favorite thing to do right now is wave and say "bye bye."  He seriously tells everyone he comes across "bye bye" and when I pick him up from school, he immediately runs to the door and turns and waves "bye bye" to his class.

2.  Bitsy's Brainfood Smart Cookies.  One of the blogs that I read (Brittany @  A Healthy Slice of Life), recently did a review on Bitsy's Brainfood Smart Cookies.  I was interested in them, especially since it was a cookie for kids that had a mix of fruit and veggies in it and organic whole wheat flour.  Well, I was in Target this week and they had JUST set up a display for this new product.  I grabbed a bag of the Zucchini Gingerbread Carrot cookies, brought them home to Ryan, and THEY WERE A HIT.  He can't get enough, and I don't feel as bad giving him cookies.  Mom Win.

3. My weekend.  Russell had to fly home for a family wedding this weekend, so it will just be Ryan and I.  Although we have to spend Easter weekend without daddy, I am secretly loving the little "mommy and me" time Ryan and I will get to spend together.  Even though we get PLENTY during the week when Russell travels, it is different because there is not a lot of play time since I am at work and Ryan is at daycare during the week.  Since the weather is nice, I am planning a park date, Easter service at church, and lots of cuddles.   Can't wait.

4.  This article Olivia Wilde gave to Shape Magazine  (article here).  Olivia Wilde is gorgeous and I remember being so envious of her body after baby.  While I struggled to whip back in shape and it took me exactly a year, it looked quick and easy for her.  But after reading this article, I love that she let her struggles of bouncing back be known.  And my favorite part... when she said this:  "I believe in a world where mothers are not expected to shed any physical evidence of their child-bearing experience.  In that same world I believe there is space for exercise to be as much as a gift to your brain as it is to your body." ~ Olivia Wilde

That totally got me thinking...and she's right!  Exercise should be about feeling good and staying healthy, not about making you look like you never had a child. And I forgot that, I will admit it.  Motherhood is a beautiful gift us mommies have been given.  And while I may be back to my pre-pregger weight, I am softer, have wider hips, and a little kangaroo pooch...but that little kangaroo pooch carried a beautiful baby boy and that is his little stamp on me letting me know he was there.  Should I really be ashamed of that?  I don't think so.  

Have a great weekend!

XOXO, 

Sherri

Questions:

Any great Easter plans?

Any go-to toddler treats you give to your toddler?

Friday Favorites: 3/27/15 | My love of the Target dollar bin

Thanks to Katie and Heather for the link-up!

Happy Friday!!!

You have noooooo idea how glad I am to see Friday.  This week seemed to drag by.  Russell was out of town all week and Ryan was still getting over his ear infection and 15-mo shots, so he was extra sensitive/cranky.  Because he wasn't feeling himself, I did not get too much done around the house so that I could snuggle with my little man.

Even my workouts seemed extra tough since the week felt a little "off."  But that's all in the past because it's FRIDAY and the weekend is upon us!  Woohoo!!

Here are some my Friday Favorites (#ffavorites) of the week:

1.  The $1-$3 bin at the front of Target.  I work right next to Target so I find myself in there on my lunch breaks almost every day.  I also would love to find a person who goes into Target and doesn't spend less than $40 every visit.  I just can't help myself.  The most random things find themselves in my shopping cart and home with me.  On the days I am successful at talking myself out of buying the unnecessary, I feel like I have beat Goliath.

But back to the $1-$3 bin...  I found some AWESOME $3 sunglasses for myself.  I have bought designer shades in the past, but I cannot keep them in good condition for the life of me.  They are usually scratched within a few days or lost/broken because of a toddler.  Cheap glasses are the way to go people, and these shades made their way home to me this week.

$3??!! Yep!  And check this handsome little man out in the back just cheesing.

2.  Ryan when he just wakes up. This face below, is the face that greats me every morning and it is one of the best parts of my day.

3.  My sandwich this week!  Last week, I got a craving to make a delicious sandwich for lunch all week.  I bought all the ingredients I was craving and it did not disappoint.  Whole wheat bread, 1/2 avocado, onion, jalapeno, nitrate free turkey slices, spinach, and 1 slice of cheese.  

I don't take good food pictures.  But hey, I tried.

Thinking Out Loud | Can I wear pj's to work?

First, I want to give a shout out to Amanda @ RunningwithSpoons for the link up.

Its #thinkingoutloud Thursday!

1.  I woke up this morning pretty tired and secretly wishing it was Friday and that I could wear my pj's to work.  Which got me thinking, why can't work have "Spirit Weeks" like you have in high school and college JUST so that I can participate in Pajama Day?  Just sayin...

2.  Handstand kick ups are NOT for me.  So part of my Black Fire workout through DailyBurn has gymnastics strength in it.  Last nights scheduled work out was the gymnastics strength portion.  1st move to do.... the handstand kick up.  If you had recorded me, I seriously would have looked like a fish out of water flapping around.  It would have been the funniest thing you would have seen in a while, trust me.

3. Ryan only wakes up EARLY during the week right when I am in the middle of my morning routine.  I usually wake up earlier than Ryan so that I can get up and get completely put together before I get him.  Because if not, Ryan is pushing me out the way and meddling in my makeup drawer or pulling my jewelry out and making a mess. Well, it seems like every day this week, Ryan has decided to get up way earlier and throw my routine for a loop.  I hear him talking, and look on our monitor, and see him dancing in his crib and having a good ole time screaming "mama." I swear, that child has an internal clock set to wake up on "mama is in the middle of getting ready, get up now!"

4.  Apple cider vinegar can seriously be used for anything!  I have pretty sensitive skin and have hormonal breakouts semi frequently.  I love using toner on my face, but I always think it is pretty pricey for what I get.  And, over the last year I have been trying to use very gentle and more of the natural ingredients on my face.  I have actually had less breakouts going that route.  I read about the benefits of apple cider vinegar and using it as a toner.  It balances the pH level of your skin, clears excess oils, breaks up dead skin cells to keep pores open, lighten sun and age spots, and improve acne and acne scars.  All you have to do is use unfiltered ACV such as Braggs (which you can buy at Walmart, etc for very cheap, and you mix half and half).  Take a container and mix half filtered water and half ACV....and you have created a GREAT toner for your face to use.  Warning...the smell is strong at first, but you get used to it and it dies down on your face.

I used an glass lemonade bottle and washed it out to use.

XOXO,

Sherri

Questions:

Do you have a natural recipe you use for your skin care routine?

Does your child love to mess with your morning routine?

Any workout move you can't stand?

DailyBurn - Thoughts so far.

In a post of mine a few weeks ago (read here), I went into pretty good detail on getting my body back after baby.  The last few months of it, when I had reached my desired pre-baby weight, the number was where I wanted it but I was not as strong as before.  So to fix that, I decided to make it a goal of mine to build my strength back up.

I have always been one who did better in a competitive or goal-oriented environment when it came to working out.  I pushed myself harder and would not talk myself out of workout out even if I was tired.  But, when I became pregnant, I decided to fore go my gym membership and just workout at home since it would be hard to fit that in during the week.  Even though the local gyms have daycare around here, Ryan's schedule would not let me workout until after he sleeps, so daycare wasn't an option and Russell is out of town during the week... See the dilemma?

For the past year since Ryan was born, I was running on the treadmill and doing Pure Barre workout videos.  While that really helped me bounce back within a year, I felt like I hit a plateau and wanted to push myself again.  After reading about Beachbody programs and DailyBurn, I decided to go the DailyBurn route.  Heard about it?  No?  Then let me tell you.

With DailyBurn, you can:

1. Workout with any DailyBurn trainer, whenever you want
2.  Cost is $12.95/mo
3.  All you need is an Internet connection to stream it from your laptop, smart TV, phone, PlayStation, and more.
4. TONS of workouts to choose from based on your fitness level AND how much time you have.
5.  Nutrition recommendations at your fingertips

I joined three weeks ago, and after I answered a few fitness level questions, they recommended workouts and programs for me to do.  I decided to do Bob Harper's Black Fire program.  It is a 60-day program for the more advanced workout, and it has given me the drive/competitive edge back that I was missing in my workouts. All of Black Fire's workouts are less than 30 minutes and I am telling you, I am DRENCHED when I am done.  Black Fire has a ton of tabata workouts and HIIT training, so if you are used to this, I think you will feel right at home.  I love it because it pushes me to my limits of exhaustion. But I walk away after 30 minutes, with a workout completed and know that I worked hard for that sweat :)


What I feel right after my workout:

Me, right after a DailyBurn workout

What I feel during my workout:

What goes through my mind.  But don't get me wrong, I secretly LOVE it.

But the Black Fire program might not be for you, and that is a-okay because there are SO MANY more for you to choose from!  They even have prenatal yoga (why didn't I discover this a year ago?).

Most workouts require minimal equipment and I do it in our "multi-purpose" room above our garage.  Now I normally don't take "selfies" of myself (especially ones in minimal workout gear) but this pic below was taken right after a workout during week 1.  I was hot/sweaty but wanted to take a photo to show some before so that I can have one to compare after 60 days of the Black Fire program through DailyBurn.

See!  Ya don't need much!

Week 1.  Can't wait to see results after the 60-days.

So what am I going to do after my 1st DailyBurn program Black Fire is over?  Why, I am going to choose ANOTHER one to try!  I don't think I will be hitting a plateau again soon.  I will also give a thorough review after I complete the 60-day Black Fire program to showcase my success thus far.

I really recommend giving DailyBurn a try, and it is much cheaper than a gym membership.  Especially, since the most you will need in some workouts is a pair of dumbbells that you can pick up at Walmart.

**Oh and FYI, this post was not sponsored by DailyBurn.  Just my opinions, and I am not a health and fitness expert.

I would love to hear if you decide to give it a try. The first 30 days are FREE.  Let me know!


XOXO,
Sherri

Questions:

Do you have a workout you recommend?

Dessert for Breakfast? My love for Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

With Russell on the road traveling during the week, life is hectic!  Juggling getting myself and Ryan up and ready for daycare and work leaves me little time to make a wholesome breakfast for myself.  Lets be real, I am one who MUST GET 7-8 hours of sleep every single night to function semi-normally, so me getting up very early to make a great breakfast just ain't happening.

Daycare provides breakfast for Ryan, so that helps me a ton, but what about myself?  A couple months ago, I stumbled upon a recipe for overnight oats that has changed my life!  Overnight oats calls for making your breakfast the night before and letting it set in the refrigerator.  Now I know what you are thinking... cold oatmeal?  I am definitely a lover of a warm bowl of oatmeal so the idea of cold oatmeal was something for me to get used to.  BUT, when I stumbled across the recipe for Cookie Dough Overnight Oats from Sara @ Fresh Fit N Healthy, I decided to give it a go and it did not disappoint.  

The ingredients are simple, and you add protein powder to it as well, so this really does fill you up.  Best news of all is that it tastes soooo close to real cookie dough so it's like eating dessert for breakfast!  (The inner kid in me is jumping for joy.)  The recipe is actually enough to make 2 bowls of it and it keeps great in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, so you can just take 5 minutes of your evening to make 2 days worth of breakfast = SCORE!

I changed the recipe just slightly from the original in this post, but here you go:

_________________________________________________________________________________

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

by Sherri Schwartz

Prep Time: 5min

Cook Time: 3hr

6072227

Ingredients (2 servings)

• 1c. of oatmeal (I use the Quaker Oats Old Fashion Oatmeal)
• 1c. Almond milk (You can use any milk, but switching to almond milk lowers the fat and calorie content. I use Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk)
• 1tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1 banana mashed (I use my ninja food processor to make it nice and smooth, but a fork mashing would do just fine)
• 2 scoops of vanilla protein powder (I use True Athlete's Natural Whey Protein)
• a dash of salt

Instructions

After mashing your banana, combine all ingredients and split into 2 containers. Let it sit overnight before eating. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If you want to have some in the evening (because it tastes that yummy) just make sure it is in the fridge at least 3 hours before eating. Letting it sit thickens it up and enhances the flavor.

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Since my discovery of this recipe, I have literally had this for breakfast every day since I stumbled on it.  It takes 5 minutes to make the night before and its the perfect grab-n-go to eat at work at my desk.  (Or scarf down before you head out the door.)

Hope you enjoy!

XOXO, 

Sherri

Body after Baby — Accepting that I am NOT a Celebrity

Before my pregnancy, I was a fitness nut. I was a TURBOKICK certified instructor, did Crossfit, ate healthy, and worked out 5-6 days a week. I enjoyed living the healthy lifestyle and being a strong and fit woman. It was easy for me to find time after work to knock out 1 – 1 ½ hours at the gym.

When I became pregnant with Ryan, I vowed I would stay active during the pregnancy and not go over the recommended 20-30lb gain the doctors had stated. See I liked structure, I liked knowing there was a goal to not go over 30lbs… I would read blogs of women who looked fan-freakin-tastic pregnant and who were very active and not bloated. Oh the envy! Then I would read magazines and see how quickly celebrities or even bloggers “bounced back” after pregnancy. I thought that would be me. I read how breastfeeding knocks the weight right off and I was planning on breastfeeding so I thought I had a very easy road to losing the weight.

Boy was I wrong, and man did I have to WORK for it. See I maintained a very active lifestyle during my nine months, working out 3-4 days a week up until the last week or so that Ryan was born. But even with eating healthy and maintaining that lifestyle I ended up collecting a lot of fluid my last month of pregnancy, in fact, I gained 6lb of fluid my last week before I had Ryan. My total gain was around 40 lbs and although that is totally normal and fine, I had my mind set on the “recommended 20-30” and was very jealous of the women that didn’t look like a puffer fish.  

2 days before I delivered, just had a 6lb fluid gain that week.

Now the fun part… getting the weight off.

I had read that once you have the baby, you will still look pregnant when you leave the hospital…so that part did not freak me out. I did, indeed, look about 7-8 months pregnant still. I lost about 10 lbs immediately after having Ryan so I had 30 to lose. I still had it in my mind that breastfeeding would help knock that right off. I WAS WRONG.

2 days after delivery, still look 7-8 months pregnant.

I am here to tell you that whenever anyone says “breastfeeding is the best exercise, you will quickly lose the weight,” they are wrong. Sure maybe for them, but I wasn’t one of the “chosen” ones that really got that benefit. Now I don’t know if it was because I didn’t produce an over abundant supply of milk or not (I am not a scientist) but my body acted like it needed to hold on to that weight to produce my milk. As frustrating as that was, I refused to stop breastfeeding so that I could lose weight…that would have been selfish of me.

I started working out again around the six week mark, per my doctor’s permission. Boy was that rough. I had to teach myself to run again, all the while trying not to pee on myself as I was trying to build my muscles back up in that area again too. I started doing the couch-to-5K programs you see posted everywhere online and started doing Jillian Michaels' 30-day Shred to gain strength. I was working out at night while Ryan chilled in his bouncy seat right beside me and only in 30 minute increments. That was all the time I had. I was a full-time working mother and now that I had a baby, 30 was all I had. It worked, I was exhausted and got a great sweat in but was the weight coming off? Not as fast as I would like. See I was only losing about 1lb every 2 weeks or so. By the time Ryan was 6 months old I still had about 20lbs to lose.

I was frustrated. I wanted to immediately stop reading the blogs I was following and ban all magazines. It really did seem like everyone around me who had just had a baby had lost their weight within 3-4 months and looked fantastic. Oh, then you had the celebrities that were back strutting their stuff a month after having a baby… I wanted to curse them all. I couldn’t fit into my old clothes and really didn’t want to spend the money buying a new wardrobe… I guess you could say that was one part of my motivation. That, and feeling happy about my body.

Around that time, my milk supply was dropping and had to make the tough decision to stop breastfeeding and switch to formula. While I was sad at that, I was very proud that I stuck with it for as long as I did. About 3 weeks after I stopped nursing, my hormones regulated back to non-nursing/non-producing, and I started noticing 1-2lb loss per week. There you have it folks! Proof, my body needed that weight whether I liked it or not.

Heading into September, I was nine months post baby and still had about 10lb to go. I was still working out only 30-min/day 3-4 days a week but I knew based on that time limit, I needed to “up the ante.” I started pushing myself on the treadmill with more HIIT training and added Pure Barre workout DVDs in the mix (still only using a 30 minute window). I limited my starchy carbs, increased my protein, and still found time to have a snack or two in the mix, while still producing weight loss results.

By December, one year after baby, I was back to my pre-pregger weight. Did I have all the strength I had before? No.  Do I have a six pack? I wish. But, I could finally fit in my old clothes comfortably without having to buy a new wardrobe. Goal conquered!

I am now a true believer in “9 months on, 9 months (or more) off.” I totally regret being so number focused during my pregnancy and so worried about the weight. I now know that as long as you eat healthy and maintain as healthy of a lifestyle that is comfortable for you while you are pregnant, then that is all that matters. Also, to understand every woman/every body is different. If you are one of the lucky ones that has weight loss success while nursing, then I bow down to you. But, I wasn’t one of “those” and I am okay with that now. I just had to work a little harder at it and I am very proud of what I have done while balancing a job, home, husband, baby, and dog. I did all of this at home, without a gym membership, personal trainer, or surgery (for you celebrities out there).  I did this all in the comfort of my home with my baby looking at me like I had lost my mind as I jumped around the room.

It’s been almost 15 months now and I am down a few more lbs past my pre-preggo weight and I wasn’t trying to. I am happy where I am at, and just want to maintain my health and strength, all the while indulging in treats if I want to. I have also just discovered the website/fitness program the Daily Burn, and can’t wait to share a review of that with you soon. I just started last week and want to give it a week or so more before I give my opinion. But, it is kicking my butt. My new goal is to stop weighing myself and focus on maintaining my healthy lifestyle and loving my new body, momma curves and all.

XOXOX,
Sherri