This week was overall really successful:

I’m really loving the accountability that my simple logs are providing me and knowing that I’ve posted it on the blog really holds me true to my plans.  I really have a love/hate relationship with the strength training workouts because it is tough to get going, but once I’m half-way through the workout, I don’t want it to stop.  I love the feeling of accomplishment and strength that I feel at the end of these workouts as well.  They keep me focused and on the right track for the rest of the day.  I’ve been working out after breakfast most mornings unless our weekend plans get in the way so that way I get my workout done before the day gets too crazy and I can save pm naptimes for getting things done around the house.  I also do not really enjoy the abs portion of P90X nor can I accomplish it yet, so I’ve been subbing it out with my own abs workout 1x a week.

Here’s my plan for the upcoming week:

 

Hope you are all having an awesome weekend!

I’m 1.5 weeks into my new challenge and feeling stronger than ever.  I knew that I not only needed to make some changes to my workout / fitness routines, but also my daily diet.  Every year, I feel like I go into hibernation mode in the winter, I crave comfort food, carbs, and sweets.  My portion sizes usually get out of control and then when spring / summer comes, I find myself frustrated and looking to clean up my diet.  It is a vicious cycle for me personally and I’m hoping that I can finally end the cycle and permanently clean up my diet.  So here’s what I’ve been doing…

FitBit

Back in February, I purchased a FitBit.  This thing has changed my life seriously…  I am loving it and wear it everywhere, except for the shower!  I used to wear a heart rate monitor but I hated having to finagle with the chest strap and the watch.  I know that the heart rate monitor is probably way more accurate, but I love the convenience of just clipping the FitBit on and having it sync up online automatically, so it works for me.  I am ok if it is not AS accurate for those reasons alone.

MyFitnessPal

I started tracking my calories because I do think I have a few pounds to lose.  That being said, I will be more than content if I gain muscle and lose fat and the number on the scale doesn’t change; however, so far this has helped me get used to eating the correct portion sizes by being able to look and analyze at my daily log… it has also ensured that I eat well and am properly fueled each day!  I was tracking the calories on FitBit, but I was not too impressed with their database, so I switched over to MyFitnessPal (as recommended on the FitBit site), which also sync’s with FitBit so it was a win-win.

Eating in moderation

Prepping my meals ahead of time has been key.  I have to admit, I used to be a huge breakfast lover, but yet once Baby E came along, my mornings became a bit more rushed with trying to get out the door for work each morning.  Although I always prepped my lunches and our family dinners ahead of time on Sundays, I never did the same for breakfast until last week.  I started making a batch of overnight oats in small Ball jars or leftover containers on Sundays so that I could just grab a container, add some nuts, and go (aka shovel it into my mouth while getting out the door, but hey it still works!!!).  This has been a huge help for me personally, I feel much better when I eat breakfast and feel way more satisfied throughout the day.  Also, I haven’t cut out any foods, which I think is really important.  I still allow myself splurges when I’ve craving something sweet, but I try to make sure it fits within my calorie allotment for the day.

Well that’s it in a nutshell, nothing earth-shattering and nothing new, so hopefully I’ll stay focused & dedicated!  I’ll also be posting new recipes that I’ve been experimenting with throughout the challenge.  Enjoy!