Don't forget

It's like forgetting your keys, purse or wallet when you're headed to run errands...sort of!

If you want & need it bad enough, you will do what it takes to get it, won't you?

Same goes with your health and fitness!

If you "leave it at home", things will never get done, results won't happen, you will not improve.

BUT if you treat it like forgetting your keys- can't get things done without it? your results will surprise you! It's where the amazing happens...the life-changing moments are on their way :-) 

MAKE THAT CHOICE TODAY

Don't leave home without a PLAN each day. 

What will you eat for breakfast? 

One smart decision here will result in healthier choices throughout your day, trust me I've experimented with this one all too often :-(

What about lunch?

Will you raid the vending machine as your hunger kicks in at 1pm? 

OR will you PLAN? 

Pack a lunch with fresh fruits, veggies and protein.

Get moving? PLAN your workout while you're eating your lunch. 

Will it be a 25min jog through the neighborhood or a walk in your work clothes at lunch? The beauty is that it can change each day!

I PLANNED my workout last night, while on vacation! It CAN be done folks!

So it was the elliptical & some free weights and then my husband went for a 3 mile run...all before the boys woke up! Yep, our campgrounds have a workout room but if they didn't, I'd improvise to get it done...wouldn't you?! YES!

And it doesn't stop there. Make that decision each day to PLAN healthy meals . Because while at the beach, I knew we'd be hungry but the only options were chicken tenders & French fries :-( uh oh! BUT we are planned, so no worries.

Make it work :-) every, single day!!! 

And on a side note: we are having a great vacation! Hope you're enjoying your day too!! 

BUSY but productive!

I don't think I've ever gone an entire week without writing...

Things have been pretty busy around here with the start of summer, hosting a baby shower for my friend tomorrow and we are headed out of town on Sunday!  

Plus, we've had some medical issues with my oldest son that we've been at doctor appointments trying to figure out...so please send a little prayer up for my boy if ya can :)

Although I've been busy, I've still been meal prepping, working out HARD and finding cool things to share with all of you, so here we go!

**WINNER OF THE REEBOK SPARTAN RACE GIVEAWAY**

sorry for the delay on this announcement...

Hiker Mom- Rachelle

@Livin the Sweat Life 

You have 24 hours to contact me and thanks to all who entered! 

If you're a member of a gym and want to challenge yourself this summer, 

you may want to give Les Mills BodyPump a try!

a little added motivation to get ya to try something new,

When you spend as much time in front of the camera as a reality TV star, you want to ensure you look your best from every angle. Several reality TV stars rely on LES MILLS programming to get camera ready. From Bachelorette beauties Ashley Hebert and Real Housewife Tamra Barney, these women have turned to the transformative quality of BODYPUMP™ to sculpt and strengthen their bodies and ensure that, when it comes to a little friendly competition, they’ve got the power of PUMP in their corner.

One of the world's fastest ways to get in shape, BODYPUMP™ uses a proven formula, THE REP EFFECT™, to challenge all of your major muscle groups while you squat, press, lift and curl. THE REP EFFECT™ is a breakthrough in resistance workout training. It focuses on low weight loads and high repetition movements to burn fat, build strength and quickly produce lean body muscle conditioning.

And now for some BURRITO fun I'd like to share...

 Move It Momma burrito bowl

 99% lean ground turkey-browned

Add kidney beans, peas, string beans-I used fresh that I had previously steamed, and whatever other veggies  you'd like!  I added 1/2 cup brown rice to the bottom of each bowl and then topped mine with spring mix greens! Mix up and enjoy!  The kids thought this was so fun and ate it all up!  You can add salsa, plain Greek yogurt or avocado for added flavor and a great topping to make the bowl look pretty!  ENJOY! This really took about 10 minutes to prepare, so don't ever say healthy eating takes too much time OR money...a healthy, cheap and easy meal right here!!!

Move It Momma PB breakfast burrito

 *my boys request this breakfast often!

whole wheat tortilla of any kind, I use Ole brand

2 tbs natural PB

1/4 banana, sliced 

1/4 c flaxseed Bran cereal-I used Nature's Path Organic

Layer the burrito as pictured.  I also crumble the cereal so it's smaller pieces.  Wrap it up and serve with a Chobani Champions tube! 

Two healthy burrito recipes for on the go that are FAMILY-FRIENDLY!  Healthy eating can be easy, it can be cheap and delicious too!  If you are taking the time to feed yourself nutritious foods, don't we think it's important to do the same for our children?  We MUST take the time and effort to prepare healthy meals for our families and to teach our children the importance of healthy living!  It's never too early or too late.  They want to know and want to learn what fuels their body.  They need to learn that soft drinks aren't a food group and that the rice krispie treats at their school check out line aren't part of a balanced lunch every day!  Our children know math and science but do they know about the heart muscle and how we must take care of it to grow strong and healthy?  Probably not as much as they should.  Take each moment to teach your children as you're washing veggies, preparing meals...show them what's the "good for you" foods and what are the "special occasion" foods! They will surprise you and when they learn the why and how on healthy living, they just might be open to trying new things, to putting down the TV remote and going outside!  

It's worth a try...at any age!  Adults too :)

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Don't make healthy eating a chore.  Make it part of daily life.  Once you figure out what works for your family, it just makes sense...you'll feel like it's the only way and it'll come second nature!  Then your family will feel better, have more energy and they'll be asking for more of your healthy creations!  Trust me!  But shhh, you don't have to tell them you learned it from the Move It Momma!

SO proud of this guy!  Had his first golf camp this week.  By day 2, you'd think he had been golfing for years!  So cute to watch!  Although it was hot here in Texas, he pushed himself and learned a lot.  The last day they were able to get in a foursome and play a tournament and my little man placed second in his age group, so I was VERY proud!

My little golfer!  

I don't think it'll ever get old watching him carrying those clubs like a big man!

 a little picture of us waiting for the tournament to begin!  

Yea we had been running around acting goofy, so we're already sweaty!!!  

I love these boys more than life.  We've had a rough week with my oldest and the doctors appointments, ya know it really puts into perspective how precious and beautiful life really is.  We must cherish each and every moment...make it count.  Show our families how much we love them, treat our bodies right by fueling them with the RIGHT foods and exercising to feel good so we have the energy to ENJOY LIFE and the little moments that count most!

If you don't think you're living life to the fullest, what are you waiting for?

The other day while visiting with family, my husband and I were talking about signing up for a half marathon together since we haven't done it since 2012 and BAM! we signed up right there in our Aunt's living room!  October 27th HERE WE COME!!!!  Why not?  

We must live and enjoy life and every moment we are given.  Don't waste time on this Earth feeling tired, achy, worthless and meaningless...get out there and LIVE!  Experience all that this beautiful world has to offer TODAY!  Tomorrow will come too late, so start now.  Do something you've always wanted to do but something has held you back.  Break that cycle and just get out there and do it.  You'll surprise yourself, I promise!!  

And lastly, thanks to CHOBANI for our wonderful surprise package yesterday!  The boys thought it was Christmas in June when they opened the box!  Their favorite yogurts and LOTS of them!!!!  In every flavor! We had two, happy boys in this house last night!!!  

We can't go to the grocery store without picking up a box of these.  They like all of the flavors but Blueberry might be their favorite!  These are great frozen as a healthy treat in replacement of ice cream on those hot, summer days!  Sometimes I open one and squeeze it into their smoothie mixture for some different flavors!  

Quick recipe TIP:

Last week I mixed a Jammin' Strawberry Chobani tube with almond milk and a 1/2 frozen banana Blend and enjoy!  My boys thought it was the best dessert EVER!  

Keep guessing when it comes to feeding your kids healthy foods...you'll be surprised what you can come up with that they'll end up loving!  

enough.

Yesterday was a great day at the boardwalk, celebrating the end of the school year-my boy will be in 1st grade next year :( and while it was a GREAT time and the kids had a BLAST, 
all I could do was think about how self-conscious I felt the entire day.

Why is that?

Why will I pick myself apart every, single time I'm around a group of women?  

Big or small, tall or short...I tear myself down in comparison.  
I literally made myself sick about it last night.  
For one reason, I wore a tank top.  
Wearing a tank top for a former fat girl is like gong somewhere naked!  Seriously.  
But when it's 99 degrees in Texas, tank tops are about the only option :( 
But it's more than that. 

Good news:

Today I am telling myself to get over it!  

To be proud of who I am and to be comfortable and confident in my own skin.  Easier said than done, I know but I have set a goal to TRY.

Part of the life-long journey is to push ourselves and set new goals right? 

Losing the weight is the easy part...honestly, it is.  It's the working on the self-esteem and lack of confidence that's a work in progress for me...a constant battle.  To finally shed that fat/big girl image I stared at for so long. 

I am sick and tired of feeling so self-conscious!  
I must accept that I'm 5'10" and a large frame.  
When I am home alone I feel confident, it's when I get in large groups of smaller, shorter women...I usually tower over them :( that's a huge complex for me.  
I have come a long way.  
I am healthy.
I work hard every day to be my healthiest self through exercise and healthy eating! 

What is there to be so worried about?  

Am I worried that someone will see a stretch mark or a jiggly part of my tummy?

WHO CARES.  

Today I will set a goal to work on my insecurities and try to embrace my body...such a hard task but I will sure try.  There is never a goal that's too far out of reach for me and I know that.  I will TRY my hardest and that's the best I can do.  

My best is good enough today and every day!  And yours is too!

  

Do you have insecurities?  

Lack self-confidence?  

If so, set a goal to work on embracing yourself...loving yourself for who you are.  
It's often difficult for women since the media portrays the perfect woman as well...an image few of us can attain.  
But oh how freeing it would feel to love yourself for YOU!  
You must believe in yourself to conquer weight loss and fitness goals, but we must also believe in ourselves to know that we're worth it, we are good enough and we are beautiful enough!  
I will never be "petite" or 5'2" and 100lbs...it's just not in my future...ever!  
And I must accept that.  

Often times we don't give ourselves the credit we deserve.   I'm so guilty of this. 
We are worth the fight.  
It's not okay to accept our less-than-best.  
I don't like to see quitters.  Those that gripe about their body, their fitness level or lack-there-of, their health and they don't get up and do something about it! 

Lets stand up together!  Get moving.  Embrace ourselves!  

Be the healthy role model that our children, our families and WE deserve!

  
For me, I have set a goal to be positive.  To see the beauty in myself.  
I will not focus on my larger shoulders and jiggly tummy, but I WILL focus on the good stuff!

I have set a goal to run the Houston half marathon in October and beat my time by 30 minutes!  YES, 30 minutes and I know it's within reach and possible...because ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!  

What will you focus on today?    

What are some goals you'll set for yourself this summer?

Lets do it together!

**I will announce the SPARTAN winner tomorrow, so stay tuned!**

Prepared success!

A go-to lately!? Chicken with Greek yogurt! I drain can of chicken breast, add spoonful plain Chobani Greek, and sliced purple grapes! Serve on mixed greens! Doesn't even need dressing! 

Also,

Baked Tilapia, sauteed squash and green beans, steamed brown rice

 Easy, delicious and prepared in less than 20 minutes!  I steamed the brown rice, sauteed the veggies in extra virgin olive oil, prepared the fish with a little lemon pepper seasoning and popped in the oven at 400 for 20 minutes until flakes with fork!  It was SUPER easy and very satisfying!  See, healthy eating can be easy AND delicious!  
The whole family enjoyed it too, remember no special arrangements in this house...ya get what ya get!  

And today to celebrate the first official day of summer, my boys rode their bikes while I ran 3 miles at a 9:50 pace.  Nothing super fast but it kept us all moving and sweating in this heat!  Luckily some of the humidity went away for a few days, which made the workout MUCH more enjoyable :) whew!  

But as you can see, still SWEATY!  Gotta get used to it, it's only the first week of JUNE!

Will you sweat today?  

Another great recipe that was VERY kid-friendly?

Cheesy Garlic Cauliflower "breadsticks"

*breadsticks without the bread"

Here's a pic of them all sliced up & served with my turkey meatloaf-found on my recipe page at the top! And sautéed veggies-not pictured, they were still cooking when I snapped the pic!

For the sticks,

Steam head of cauliflower and then "rice" it with fork! I steamed with lid on medium heat for about 20minutes, until tender so it 

Did not require food processor! 

Mix 1 cup cauliflower-rice, 1 egg, 1 clove garlic-chopped, 1tsp dried oregano, 1/4c Parmesan cheese and 1/4 c low fat mozz. 

Spread on baking sheet and form into rectangle shape, bake at 425 for 15minutes or until browned. Top with a 2 -3cloves chopped garlic, 1/4 c cheese mixture of your choice and a little melted butter or margarine, just enough to slightly coat the cauliflower. Pop back in oven for 5 minutes, until cheese is melted!

Slice, serve & enjoy! I PROMISE my boys devoured these and never asked what it was! Just said, Yum breadsticks were yummy! :-)

National Running Day

What a great day!!!

In honor of this day celebrating one of my favorite workouts- 

wake up tomorrow and RUN! It doesn't have to be far or fast...JUST RUN! You might surprise yourself!!! 

Running is a beautiful sport to which I owe so much respect. The elite runners that inspire, those that wake up and push out 15 miles like its a stroll in the park, those that were never "runners" in their former life but somehow find a respect and LOVE of the runners "high"-that would be me! 

Running for me means To push ourselves further, faster and harder through each mile. To find our inner strength, that fight and determination that's buried deep within each of us! That feeling when you see another runner and you wanna rush home, change clothes and go push out some miles!!  its definitely a feeling like no other!!! 

Why do YOU love running? 

If you aren't a runner, will you give it a try tomorrow?! PUSH YOURSELF! 

 Celebrate a love for running tomorrow and every day! And to help celebrate our love for running, the Rock N Roll Marathon Series is offering a one-day discount on their race entries!!! Woohoo!!! Check out their website for details regarding fun runs taking place tomorrow in honor of National Running Day too, in 30 cities across the US! And rocknroll.competitor.com is offering a TOMORROW-ONLY $20 discount on all entries to the Rock N Roll race series!!! Fun! 

 Details can be found at rocknroll.competitor.com 

Disclosure:I received this information in hopes that I'd share with my readers. No compensation was received. 

EASY?

I must make up my mind each day to workout, eat right and keep my family healthy.  

It's not easy.  Yes I stay at home with my boys so I'm not juggling a full-time job as well BUT I know plenty of women that do.  They never say it's easy but they do say it's worth it.  And I agree.  There are days where I feel like giving up and taking the EASY route by grabbing junk food, bags of chips or other "easy" foods but then I think do I want EASY or do I want HEALTHY?  

And don't get me wrong, healthy can be easy too, 

you just have to think about how and what to prepare? 

So I'll share a few supermarket secrets that help us stay on track each week!

Being PREPARED is the key to success.  

Whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle, get healthy or get your family eating healthier foods, being PREPARED makes things SO much easier....I promise!

When you look in my fridge or pantry you will ALWAYS find veggies, fruit, protein and frozen fruits & protein powder for smoothies.  

I keep things simple.  

I'm not a gourmet chef and I lack some kitchen skills but I can sure make some fabulous baked chicken and cauliflower mashed potatoes.  I can make a killer fruit salad.  I brown lean ground turkey in a skillet once a week and it'll make 2-3 different meals-quesadillas for the kids, a protein topper for our salads, add tomatoes and plain Greek yogurt and we've got spaghetti sauce for our spaghetti squash in minutes! 

My essentials each week from the grocery store:

natural almonds

almond milk

fresh fruits- grapes, apples, oranges, bananas, strawberries. 

frozen blueberries, tropical blend and pineapple for smoothies

brown rice

sweet potatoes

fresh veggies-zucchini, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, spaghetti squash, artichoke

frozen edamame for snacking

canned chick peas for hummus

avocados

lemons! for my water

boneless skinless chicken breasts

99% lean ground turkey

high fiber/high protein cereal

plain Greek yogurt that I add to almost every meal...make chicken salad and sub yogurt for mayo, use as a sour cream replacement on low carb burritos, use in smoothies, as breakfast topped with frozen fruits and a little high fiber cereal for the crunch!

eggs...LOTS of eggs!

Ezekiel anything!  usually cinnamon raisin bread and english muffins-a great addition to your daily eggs...I'll usually serve them on a slice of either of these Ezekiel options!

Neufchael cheese that I add to my cauliflower mash for that creamy texture.  The boys love this on their morning whole wheat bagel/toast and we add to many things for added flavor without all of the fat! 

Today was HOT here in Texas but my little man and I managed to get in over 3 miles on the golf course...love that our course is closed on Mondays so it changes up the scenery!

Is working out EASY?  
Heck no.  But isn't that what makes it SO great?  
Fighting through the pain and sweat to find your strength through an intense workout is what gives ya that AWESOME feeling that I lacked for so many years.  
And I wouldn't trade that feeling for anything in the world.  It's amazing!

So do me a favor and ask yourself...

will you push through wanting things to be EASY and push HARD today?  

It's always easier for some of us and for some of us it takes twice the work and that's okay.  

When we stop comparing and feeling sorry for ourselves, that's when the AMAZING transformation begins.  And this works for any health and fitness goal you may have!

For me, I make up my mind each day to know that putting in the work is worth it!  

It's a FAR better feeling than how I used to be.  The EASY route gets us nowhere but depressed and feeling tired all of the time.  Right?  RIGHT!  

So go for it.  Be amazing today and every day!

seeing THAT girl

TODAY 
I am strong.
I work to be the best woman, wife, mother and daughter that I can be. 
I work hard to see results.
I push myself beyond my limits.
I set, reach and exceed fitness and health goals that I set for myself.
and NO I'm not bragging but I do find it difficult to see THIS girl sometimes...THIS woman I am TODAY but EVERY day I try to focus on how far I've come. 
The little moments and achievements sometimes count the most on our journey...

As I am preparing my healthy foods, beginning my workout or run, I often remember THIS girl:

::

Look at me, I was trapped.  

:sometimes this old me comes creeping in and distorts the STRONG me that I have become.

I was LAZY.  I never worked out, ate very few foods that were actually GOOD for me.

I often think, how could I have let myself get so out of control?  And then I stop and think...

WOW, maybe others feel this same way that I once did? 

Maybe some feel stuck and not sure how to BEGIN their journey?  

How can I help each of them?  

How will I show them that it's all worth it...it's such a better life around the corner, if they could only see...

I sat down with a friend of mine that's looking to lose weight and get healthy.  She works out HARD but can't get her foods quite on track.  She's beautiful and you can see how badly she wants to CHANGE.  As we were talking, I found it so difficult to SHOW her the answers...you'd think I would know the "secret" right?  I kept trying to explain my "ah ha" moment...the moment where things clicked for me and I would never look back but I couldn't put it into words.  

This was crazy to me, since I love to talk...I would talk to a wall if it would listen!  Ha!  

But I wanted to cry for her because she kept describing my same issues with food, the struggles, the binging followed by the guilt.  

It all sounded TOO familiar but why couldn't I give her the solution? 

Our stories, our lives so similar.  

I felt like she was describing my former self so many times during our conversation but WHY couldn't I help her?  

I listened to her.  I gave her tools, recipes, things to do when she feels like munching or binging.  I told her stories of how I used to be and she'd shake her head YES, that she's been there too.  I wanted to give her a magic pill and all of a sudden it would all make sense.  I couldn't sleep that night.  I felt like I had let her down.  I told her to call, email, text...anything she needed, I'd be there for SUPPORT, GUIDANCE, HELP...anything!  

Have you ever found yourself at a loss for words when trying to help someone?  

As I look back on our conversation, there's SO much more that could have been said.  Ugh, I hate that...

a reminder

Sometimes it takes a look back to see how far you've come...and I met a family yesterday that helped me remember when my journey began...I don't even know this girl anymore but I sure remember the sadness, weakness and emptiness. 

Me: fall 2001 size:18

Me: may 2013 size 6

Although I lost most of my weight back in 2002, I had allowed 30lbs to creep back on, over time. I don't dwell on it, just look at it as a learning experience. For me, diet and exercise must be at 99% in order for me to feel & look my best! 

    We had a busy day yesterday, full of family parties and I must say that I was absolutely inspired & amazed by a family that I met yesterday! 

    They introduced themselves and started off by saying they had read my weight loss story, that they were inspired and wanted to talk more. So we all sat down and talked for a long time, sharing stories, recipes and more! 

     It was a really cool moment for me. Almost like a moment where I realized, WOW my words, struggles, obstacles and triumphs that I share on here REALLY do impact other lives!! 

    They probably don't know it, but they were pretty inspiring to me too. Such a beautiful family and they ALL put their health as a priority! There's nothing more beautiful than that! I loved sharing words with a family that truly wanted to know our lifestyle...they weren't judging or saying, "oh that's crazy...how can you do that...etc" they listened, they actually LISTENED! I hope they're reading so they know it meant SO much to me! 

    My dream job would be where I could speak to families that WANTED to listen, wanted help and I could somehow make a difference for them. Make their road to healthy living a bit easier by sharing my experience and knowledge so they gave me a glimpse of that :-) 

    Too often I find families judge our lifestyle from the start. I'm not even sure why because I NEVER push our lifestyle on anyone...I wouldn't dare. But to know that through those moments, out pops a family, a person that I have touched...I have helped them feel strong and worth it! 

     The thing is, we are ALL worth it but it must be when each of us is ready! If we're not ready & committed...the change will not last. When you feel strong and push yourself beyond your limits, it makes you feel good...SO good! And that good feeling will trickle down to your loved ones. Before you know it, you have this amazing group of supportive people that are in it TOGETHER!! You have someone to lean on, to guide you, help you when you're feeling weak and remind you of your strength! 

    Make today AMAZING! Set goals and fight for what you want! Keep in mind that BALANCE must be found! You have to find your balance which may, and probably will be different than mine and that's okay. 

Since we attended party after party yesterday, with not many healthy options I decided since I stayed on track I wanted a little sweet treat! Thanks to my blogger friend, BackAtSquareZero she posted this "cookie dough" recipe at the perfect time! 

Since it was already late, I made just a few spoonfuls but SO good! 

1/2c plain Greek yogurt

1tbs pb2 

Handful chocolate chips

Mix and ENJOY!!

I mean, as she explains, it doesn't taste like "cookie dough" but it definitely makes you feel like you're having a sweet treat:-)

And to begin this beautiful Memorial Day, my friend and I ran 6.21 miles!!! 

     Will you sweat today? I was a mess

Remember all of our military men & women today...and every day! Their strength, determination and love for our country should be celebrated. Especially for those who died for the beautiful USA! 

Have a beautiful and safe Memorial Day!!