#MotivationalMom Monday

(Due to a trip to the ER with the little man last night we are a day late for #MotivationalMom Monday)

This week we are featuring Judy Dixon as our #MotivationalMom. Judy is a forty-six year old (although she looks, feels and acts like 30) mother of two teenage children – Gabi and Noah.

When you talk about a “busy” mom, Judy fits the bill to a T. Not only does she run her household, manage the schedules of two busy kids but she is also a Special Education Paraprofessional. In addition she works as a Pre-School Summer Camp Director, Parent/Child Playgroup Facilitator (Me and My Dad; Tots & Tales; Talking About Touching Personal Safety) and a Mighty Mites Coach! I’m tired just thinking of what her days look like!

One of the things Judy always finds a way to make time for is her health and fitness. She is an avid runner who has completed a handful of 5ks, a 5-miler, a couple of 10ks, a 10-miler, two half-marathons, and one full marathon (in October 2013, at 45!) She’ll tell you she’s either passionately running or passionately avoiding running! What runner isn’t like this? While she claims that she doesn’t love races she does admit that they keep her on track and focused on her fitness! One thing Judy does during her races is to make sure she doesn’t STOP RUNNING. No matter her pace she refuses to walk – except through water stations!

This past fall after completing her first marathon Judy started experiencing hip pain that she couldn’t shake. She tried everything from running and walking through it, stretching at home and through yoga, using the always hated foam roller and even tried resting it – all to no avail. She began to think perhaps her running days were over. But being the incredibly tenacious woman that she is, Judy joined a group of colleagues at work who were following the Couch to 5k plan. Part of that program involves regular weight training. Amazingly Judy discovered that by adding in gentle and slow strength training she was able to “fix” her problem. A lot of runners, especially newer ones, tend to ignore weight training, but it’s an important part of a good running routine. What could have ended Judy’s love for running ended up being something that ultimately will make her runs easier and longer!

In addition to running and now weight training, Judy is also a Yoga-lover and a cyclist. During the time when her hip was bothering her the most, she frequently rode her bike to work as a two-fer. She hoped it might heal her ache but it also kept her physically fit during her injury!

One of the things that Judy kept in her mind as she was working to fix her hip was “You might fall off the wagon now and then.  Just don’t let the horse run away with it!”  (You’ve always got to chase that wagon down and climb back on.) She knew that if she gave up that she’d never get back to the sport she loves the most. So she kept climbing back on the wagon and eventually she persevered.

When I asked Judy what personal achievements she’s most proud of she answered me openly and honestly. Her words were too personal for me to try to paraphrase:

What Personal Achievements are you most proud of and why?:   Wow!  Tough one.  I really hope this doesn’t come off like a cop out or as a judgment of others.  It is neither of those things.  I am really proud that I have been able to scale my work life back in order to live a balanced life in support of my family.  I am not a person who juggles too many things gracefully.  Perfection is my middle name in terms of achievement.  So when I was teaching full time in the inner city with a baby at home, I was constantly anxious, truly tortured, by the reality of not being able to be all things to all people at work AND at home.  I have been fortunate to find several positions over the years, from part-time to full-time, that have allowed me to feel professionally fulfilled and to be available to my family in a way that feels manageable.  But I do not carry a job title that is commensurate with my experience or my commitment. For a high achiever like me, it has been personally challenging for me to work at positions for which I may be technically over qualified.  (It was emotionally charged for me to even answer the occupation question of this interview!)  However, it is in my more subordinate service roles that I have learned the most about myself, about others and about the various organizations I have been affiliated with.  And my life has had a balance that would not have been possible for me otherwise.  I have been able to be a “yes” mom:  “Yes, I can pick you up.”  “Yes, we can run to the store to look for that.”  “Yes, I can help you with that homework.”   Of course, it must be acknowledged that I certainly have had to accept a lower income as a function of my lifestyle.  I am privileged to parent in a full partnership with a husband who provides more than his share of the household income load.  Together we are lucky to have what we need and some extras too, but there are certainly luxuries that families around us can enjoy that we have to decline.  Life is about choices, and I have to accept the drawbacks of mine. I do not judge those of you who balance full careers and life with children.  I am amazed by you, and a part of me always pokes, “Why can’t I do that?”  Accepting that that is not the healthiest scenario for me has been a huge undertaking, one that I continue to work on.

A “perfect” week in the Dixon household is one where Judy eats week, doesn’t binge on sugar and processed carbs, completes the weight training circuit at her gym twice, gets in three or four runs and completes a non-impact cardio workout. Then add in a few hours of fulfilling work with inspired colleagues and magical students who, in spite of significant special needs and obstacles, never fail to teach her about living a life that matters.  She would sprinkle in a few happy moments with her kids, teens that can occasionally offer a casual comment that sends her over the moon–“Thanks, Mom.  You do too much for me.”  “No way, Mom! Mrs. So-and-so canNOT be younger than you!”  “My brother plays soccer, and my mom is a runner.”  And of course she would cap it off with Saturday date night with her awesome husband of almost 23 years for cosmos and candlelight!  Dinner conversation would center on how much they have to be grateful for and what their next adventures might be.

With August coming to an end and Judy’s kids going back to school I asked her to think about her personal and fitness goals for the next year. Being the overachiever that she is her list is not a short one!

Just a few of the things she wants to accomplish are, living a balanced life, eat consistently well, work out consistently, learn new skills that enrich my work and personal life, maybe write a book, find a volunteer role, openly express joy, appreciation of others and gratitude daily. Her number one fitness goal is to run three half-marathons in three consecutive months–September, October, November.  With a plan to finish a half in under 2 hours.

Judy’s zest for life and the love she has for her family inspires me daily. She is a woman worth knowing, even just casually. I am so lucky to have her in my life in such a significant role. (I hope she knows how much I love her! J) If you are interested in getting to “know” Judy more you can check her out on Instagram at Judith_dixon or as she says:

“If you REALLY want to follow me, meet me at the town common next Sunday and jog really slow.”

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream!

Ice Cream – a much loved novelty especially in the summer. So much so that in 1984 Ronald Reagan signed a Presidential Proclamation making the third Sunday of every July National Ice Cream Day! A man after my own heart!

Unsurprisingly, according to a survey done by the International Ice Cream Association (what I wouldn’t give to work for them!), vanilla is the most popular flavor of ice cream here in the United States, taking over 14% of the votes tallied. Followed closely by chocolate and strawberry (also not surprising).

However, for me, there is nothing better than a bowl of coffee ice cream topped with chocolate syrup, whipped cream and jimmies. I can just picture the perfect moment, sitting on a park bench with the sun on my face, birds chirping and my coffee ice cream in hand. Ahhh… summertime in Boston…

WHOMP WHOMP!

Sadly, from now until November 16^th, there will be no ice cream in my diet! There is nothing competition prep friendly about a bowl of that delicious creamy goodness.

Or is there……???

Last night after I put Lucas to bed I decided that I wanted, nay needed an ice cream fix. We are finally settling into our new home and what better way to celebrate than with my favorite treat?

So I whipped out my handy-dandy KitchenAid Stand-Mixer and ice cream attachment and began brainstorming. Having made “real” ice cream before I knew I needed a creaming-agent and a flavor of some sort. The next thought was how can I make a prep-friendly version?

My Cappuccino Rush “Frappe” became my inspiration. Knowing how close to ice cream that little treat is, I figured I could take the same basic ingredients and mix it up just a little to make ice cream. I did a little online researching and came across a bunch of different recipes. A lot of them use Stevia or Agave as a sweetener and many of them were made using casein protein powder. I’m not a huge fan of “fake” sugar nor do I currently have casein in my house… I started thinking maybe it wasn’t going to happen.

Well, I wasn’t going to let that stop me. I wanted ice cream, and come hell or high water I was going to have some! And I was determined for it to be quick and easy! The result was incredible – and the best part it was only THREE ingredients!!!

Holy Moly how my taste buds danced! It was delicious, creamy and had the texture of soft-serve! I was in heaven! Even my skeptical husband said it was delicious and suggested next time I make a “larger batch” so we have extra!

There are two ways to make this recipe – in an ice cream maker or in the Ziploc Bag Method (borrowed from Chelle at Recipe For Fitness)

Coffee Peanut Butter Protein Ice Cream

Makes two – ½ cup servings

Ingredients:

• 1.5 scoop coffee flavored protein powder
• 1 cup fat-free milk (you can substitute almond or soy if you’d rather)
• 1 tbls natural peanut butter

Directions:

• In a small bowl, combine protein powder and milk.
• Whisk together until combined then add peanut butter. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and no clumps remain (about three minutes)
• Attach ice cream maker to your mixer and turn on.
• Let the mixer warm up about two minutes and then pour in the protein mix.
• Blend for 20 minutes or until desired consistency is achieved

*Ziploc Bag Method:

• After making the ice cream base:
• Fill a gallon-sized bag about ¾ way with ice cubes
• Add ½ cup table salt
• Pour ice cream mixture into a second, smaller bag
• Place that bag into the gallon-size bag on top of the ice cubes
• Seal and shake for about 5 minutes or until desire consistency is achieved

(bonus – you get a quick arm workout!)

Macros: 220 calories, 23g protein, 17g carb, 7.8g fat

(*note: macros do not include toppings and will change based on protein powder and milk source used)

Meal Planning got you Flustered?

Oh boy – this week I’ve been all over the place. Moving has really thrown a kink in my life! My pots and pans are in some random box waiting to be discovered again and my Tupperware collection has disappeared (gasp!). Needless to say meal prep in our house went by the wayside this week. I’ve been working with the very limited items I have left (yogurts, egg whites, brown rice) that can be made in my office. I’ve been making daily trips to the grocery store across the street to grab food for lunch, yet amazingly have been tracking fairly close to my macros. I truly hate not being fully settled and will be a very happy woman when all the unpacking is done and life can revert to normal!

That being said, clearly I know planning ahead is the ideal situation in theory but in practice it can be hard to master. I talk a lot about meal preparation and grab-and-go meals being a huge help in our house but there are times when even I can’t get to the store or set aside time to plan out a week’s worth of meals for my family.

That’s where Cooksmarts comes in! With meal plans that feed a family of four for a week, that are not only easy, but healthy and delicious you can’t go wrong! They are customizable to varying dietary needs so there is something for everyone! Best part – they create your grocery list. All you do is print and go! (each meal averages about $4 a serving!)

They say raising a family takes a village so why not add Cooksmarts to your village and take the hassle of dinner design out of your day?

Ten Reasons to Meal Plan with Cooksmarts:

 

• Get out of your dinner rut – I find that I tend to recycle the same meals over and over. With the help of Cooksmarts I’ve been able to try so many different types of cuisine that I wouldn’t have otherwise.
• Learn to cook like a pro – Using a combination of the recipes supplied and the tools on the website I have learned skills in the kitchen I didn’t know I needed. There are easier ways to cut an onion people!
• Turn mealtime chaos into order –
• Eat healthier – Cooksmarts meals are not only delicious but they are healthy. Each meal has the perfect balance of the nutrients yu need for a fulfilling meal.
• Save time – No more trying to come up with a different meal for each night, putting together a grocery list or stressing over ingredients!
• Reduce food waste – By sticking to the grocery list supplied for each meal your prep waste and leftovers are kept to a minimum.
• Make meal prep more fun – This is where your kids come in (if they’re old enough)! Give them a task from the list and let them run with it. If your grocery store has kid-carts have them “shop” for a few of the items on the list!
• Save money – Having a specified meal plan and shopping list in place allows you to buy just what you need
• Be part of an amazing community – The team at Cooksmarts is always on the hunt for new talent. And we have our team of Kitchen Heroes that are available to you to answer any questions you have!

10)   Grocery lists in one click – Is anything easier than that? Building a grocery list can take me up to thirty minutes depending on what I’m planning to make, so having it done for me is so much easier!

I hope you’ll take a few minutes and check out what Cooksmarts has to offer! Click here to get started today!

*please note as an affiliate of Cooksmarts I get a percentage of every meal plan purchased.

I am a Spartan – AROO!

This past Saturday I completed what I can honestly say was the most physically challenging thing I’ve ever done – outside of giving birth of course.

I ran my first Spartan Race! 

Friends of mine have been trying to get me to run one for years and I’ve always chickened out but this year I’m determined to try as many new fitness related things as I can so when a co-worker of mine approached me with the idea I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

We registered back in January and have counted the days ever since. We decided to name our team The Menacing Mavens and had grandiose ideas of tank tops and socks and uniforms. Well, like always, life got in the way and before we knew it we were a week out from the race. We ended up sporting the traditional Spartan Black & Red and the morning of the race we were feeling pretty badass!

According to the website the Boston sprint (which was actually located in Amesbury) was “just over three miles” and loaded with your traditional obstacles. Now by the nature of Spartan – srpints are technically supposed to be the easiest races. So Amesbury should have a walk in the park – sure a tough one but a “walk” no less in comparison to the others…. LIES!! Even some of the elite racers were saying this course should have been considered a super!

It ended up being 4.8 miles and had over 20 obstacles – from O.U.T to the spear throw, Herculean hoist, barbed wire crawl, inverted wall, tire pull and so many more, it was like a never ending series of torturous events! There were periods where it felt as though you were running forever (up and down extremely steep and muddy terrain through the woods) and other times you were hitting four obstacles back to back. Every time your feet dried enough to be comfortable again BAM they hit you with another mud pit. This momma had mud in places no one ever should!

Our team’s goal first and foremost was to FINISH. And we were determined to do so together. No one was getting left behind. This meant for us longer individual times than perhaps we would have had otherwise but to accomplish it together was that much more fun! Our secondary goal was to do as few burpees as possible. If you’ve never heard of a burpee get out from that rock your living under and look ’em up — they suck! For every obstacle you fail or opt out of you are punished with 30 burpees. Sound easy? Well depending on how far along you are in the race you’re likely to be physically drained so those 30 burpees really are a killer. Of the 20+ obstacles I only “failed” two – the uneven monkey bars and the rope climb. I attempted every single one without hesitation and was amazed at what my body and mind were actually capable of. That might sound corny but some of the obstacles are “fear” type obstacles – they don’t necessarily require any physical strength but they test your mental strength. The hardest one of those for me was the ladder climb up the height of two shipping containers and then a walk across a twenty or so foot spance between another set of containers that you then had to climb down! I was shaking the entire way – you see I am afraid of heights. And in true Spartan form, there are no safety nets, no harnesses and no railings – you’re on your own. (Hence the safety waiver we signed beforehand!) Luckily for me I had the most supportive team I could have asked for and they helped me across! With every obstacle we completed we cheered and high-fived at “No Burpees!”

One of the most surprising things to me about this race was the comraderie. Everyone on the course was there to help everyone else. If someone was struggling with an obstacle it wasn’t for long. I personally was assisted twice on the inverted wall and again on the rope climb by two complete strangers. They sacrificed their own race time to help me! Despite the difficulty of the course people were cheering and whooping through the whole thing. If you were walking and an energized team ran by, it gave you the motivation to pick up your pace.

I will say, one frustrating part of the day was the lines at some of the obstacles. There were quite a few bottlenecks where the trail thinned out and it definitely delayed our pace quite a bit. My guess is that between the bottlenecks and the lines we probably lost about 15-20 minutes. A little annoying if you were going for time, but for us it was a nice reprieve to catch our breath!

When all was said and done, we crossed the finish line in 2 hours 37 minutes – roughly 30 minute per mile. For a “normal” race of 5 miles I typically pace at about 12 minutes per mile, so tack on the obstacles and I’m damn proud of that pace!

The adrenaline rush I got from running the Spartan was unlike any other I’ve had – I am so excited to do another one, and in fact have pre-registered for the 2015 Spartan Sprint! I have found a new love in my fitness world!

Thank you to my amazing team – Shannon, Jacqui, Alli & Marc (and to our honaray teammate Lauryn) I couldn’t have done it without you guys!

Thank you to the Spartan family for being such an amazing group of racers and people. You made a day that was initially scary so much fun! I will definitely be back!

All the bumps, cuts and bruises were worth it. I wear them with a smile, knowing that I can know proudly say “I am a Spartan! AROO!!”

These sneakers have carried me through two triathlons, the Color Run, a 5k, a 4-miler and now the Spartan … It was time to retire!

We had a good run Nike! Enjoy your new home!

Sneaker donation pile. They get cleaned up and given to people in need! 

Our official time! Woohoo!

Spectator Map & Course Map

The Menacing Mavens

(and Marc!)

We Interrupt this Broadcast

I’ve clearly been MIA for the last few days. We had quite the weekend and I’m still trying to recover from it! Between Lucas’ 1 year molars starting to pop through (you know how that goes), my Spartan Race on Saturday (can’t wait to share that review with you all), the move on Sunday (holy moly we have a lot of stuff), unpacking and a little R&R yesterday I am completely and totally emotionally and physically spent!

Clearly we missed #MotivationalMom Monday yesterday but we’ll be back with Judy Dixon’s profile next week – stay tuned!

Additionally, I will be hosting not one but two giveaways on my blog in the upcoming weeks, one for my fitness sponsor Athletic Xtreme and the other for one of my newest favorite baby must-haves the Latchy-Catchy! Keep your eyes peeled for details on how to enter and win!

I hope you are all having a wonderful start to your week – thank you for being patient with me while I juggle all the changes we have going on!

 

#icebucketchallenge

For those of you that haven’t heard about the #icebucketchallenge that’s sweeping across social media click here to learn more: What Is the Icebucket Challenge?

Over the last week I’ve watched as my Facebook feed was flooded with videos of my friends and family being nominated for and accepting this challenge. And I waited… patiently for my turn to come around. Sure enough, on Wednesday I was nominated twice, by my sister and by a co-worker!

Even though I accepted the challenge itself I took a minute yesterday to go to online to Pete’s website and make a donation anyway. Please, even if you too accept the challenge I hope you’ll donate as well! Every little bit helps!

PS: this water was CCCOOOOLLLLLDDD!!!

 

 

I’ve Created a Monster

Picture this – it’s 4am, you’re snuggled up in bed after a long day. You are in a peaceful deep REM type sleep. All of a sudden you feel this sharp pinch, you jump which makes the pinch hurt even more, you muffle a gasp and then you rub your eyes and remember you’ve felt this pinch before. Every night for the last 11 months. It’s just your son attaching himself to your breast for an early morning snack. You lean down, kiss the top of his head and close your eyes. You know that when he’s done he’ll just roll over and go back to sleep – or at least that’s the hope. Some nights this happens once, others you’re a human pacifier. It’s whatever the boss wants. And that’s how it goes in our house. Ask my husband and he’ll tell you that we have a community sleeping in our bed, it’s the two of us, our miniature Australian Shepherd (don’t let the mini part fool you) and the prince. All tucked in nicely – a la Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – in our queen size bed. And while this makes for more sleepless nights than we’d like, it works just perfectly fine for us.

Some mornings I awake to find my husband has taken up residence on the couch and the dog in his place, other mornings Lucas’ feet are on my pillow and I’m half hanging off the side of the mattress. I’m sure if there was a video tape of our evenings we’d get a kick out of how much we move and rotate and change sides throughout the night just so we can squeeze in a few more minutes of peace.

Our co-sleeping journey started fairly early on, right around Lucas’ two month birthday. Up until that point he slept happily in his Rock n’ Play next to our bed. I was worried of letting him sleep with us for two reasons, one – my husband tosses and turns and two – Berklee takes up way more space than any miniature anything should! But over time it became easier to breastfeed him lying down. I was able to feed him while we were both technically still sleeping without turning on the light and so it started. One night turned into two and then three, before we knew it bedtime became a family event. And so it remains.

Many times I’ve thought about transitioning him back into his own space but the idea of not having his warm little body curled up next to mine or seeing his face when I first open my eyes in the morning makes me change my mind entirely. There are those out there (my family included) that have said allowing him to sleep with us isn’t doing us any favors. The longer it goes on the harder it will be to stop. On top of that how could we ever hope to have another baby? I mean, there couldn’t possibly be an intimacy going on if Lucas is in bed with us! Puh-lease people! There is plenty of time in a day for that!

The other day someone told me that the amount of time I spend with and thinking about my son is “unhealthy”… seriously that was the exact word they used. I was a bit taken aback by this statement. I’m a full-time working mother so in actuality I get very awake little time with him – during the week we’re lucky if we get four hours a day together. Sure, weekends are different but I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s “unhealthy.” Stay-at-home moms are with their children 24 hours a day… is that an unhealthy relationship? When I questioned what she meant she started throwing around “parenting terms” – Feberizing, Attachment Parenting, CIO. I sat and listened for half an hour about how I should let Lucas cry-it-out in his own crib, it’s for his own good after all, and that attachment parenting is old-fashioned. That parents that spend too much time with their children are creating offspring that will be wholly and completely dependent on their parents and unable to succeed in life on their own.

I’ll admit, the idea of CIO is a double-edged sword for me. We’ve tried it a few times, and while yes ultimately Lucas falls asleep, and I get a few extra minutes to get stuff done, all I can think of during those 7-10 minutes is him lying in his crib sobbing wondering why mommy and/or daddy isn’t coming to get him. Breaks my heart.

After my conversation with this women (who by the way isn’t even a mom!) I found myself questioning my parenting skills … Whhhaaattt? It’s amazing how easily we let certain people into our heads sometimes.

I decided to find out more about this Attachment Parenting thing. I’ve heard the term used by many a celebrity (ahem Kourtney Kardashian) and if someone was trying to tell me my relationship with my son was unhealthy I sure as hell wanted to be able to defend myself! I couldn’t POSSIBLY be Attachment Parenting could I?

Well my good friend Google disagrees with me… and by George wouldn’t you know, we’re guilty… 100% without a doubt, no gray area about it. We Attachment-Parent our child! And you know what? I bet, to an extent, a lot of you do too without even knowing it! The more I read the more confident I am in my choices. There is SO much information out there about it; I’m excited to read more.

For those of you that are naïve like me and stuck your nose up at it the basic foundation of Attachment Parenting can be described in what William Sears calls the “Seven B’s” of AP:

1. Birth bonding: The first few hours after birth are regarded as very important to promote attachment. – GUILTY – Did you have skin-to-skin time at the hospital and/or “family time” before you had visitors? 
2. Belief in the signal value of your baby’s cries: Parents are encouraged to learn to understand their baby’s cries and respond quickly and appropriately to them. – GUILTY! Do you know the difference between your child’s “I’m hungry” and “I’m tired” cry? How DARE you! 
3. Breastfeeding: This is regarded to have physical and psychological advantages to both mother and child. – GUILTY! With all the talk recently about how breastfeeding is becoming main stream again this couldn’t possibly be “bad” for your child’s development?
4. Babywearing: The term was first used by Dr. Sears and it means carrying the baby in a sling or other carrier, close to the body of the caregiver. – GUILTY! Maternity leave, stay-at-home moms, doing chores, going out… all made much easier with the use of a Bjorn, Ergo, sling, even your arms.
5. Bedding close to baby: Sleeping in the same room and preferably in the same bed as the baby is encouraged, as is frequent (breast)feeding at night. – GUILTY. Life is so much easier especially early on if baby is in the same room. Many doctors even recommend the co-sleeper or rock n play during the first eight weeks. 
6. Balance and boundaries: Appropriate responsiveness (knowing when to say yes and when to say no) is needed to keep a healthy family alive. – GUILTY. Baby locks, gates, bumpers etc – all forms of balance and boundaries. 
7. Beware of baby trainers: Instead of taking advice about how to ‘train’ the baby to make it cry less and sleep for longer stretches, parents are encouraged to listen to their own instinct and intuition. – GUILTY. Only YOU know what’s best for your child. What works for one doesn’t work for all. So if your gut is telling you your child needs you go with that feeling. Who really gives a shit what Dr. Feber says. YOU are the mother!
   
   Exhibit One – Birth Bonding

Exhibit Two – Babywearing

Exhibit Three – Bedding Close to/With Baby

At the end of the day, without even knowing it I created my little co-sleeping, breastfeeding, parent attached monster. And I love every single minute of it

Sure, there are times when I wish he could be soothed by someone else or I could have the emotional strength to let him cry it out, but babies don’t keep and I refuse to miss one minute that I don’t have to.

So to my “friend” I say this, unless I’m actually harming my child, or you become the all-knowing Mother Superior of Child Rearing, please keep your opinions to yourself.

Figure Prep – Week 1

One week down – 14 weeks to go! I survived my first week of prep! And I’ll be honest, I loved it! I had forgotten how much I love this sport. Sure, I’ve talked about my love for it, but it’s been so long since I truly felt it. I love the feeling of being in the gym, lifting with a goal in mind. As I completed each rep I just kept thinking of the rush I get when I step on stage. Of hearing my number called and seeing my family in the audience! I can not wait for those moments!

When I got the email from my coach last Sunday officially putting me in prep mode I sat down and thought for a long while what that means for me and for my family. For the next couple of weeks things won’t be too different from what they are now. I’ll have the same lifting and cardio schedule and I’ll continue to prep food on Sundays. But as the weeks tick by things will be adjusted, changed and moved around.

After I’d wrapped my head around it I had a long talk with my husband. I asked him if he was okay with me competing again. Ultimately it’s my decision, but the reality of it is you need a solid support system behind you in order to make it work. Especially when you have children. I am going to need someone there to watch Lucas when I’m training, and get him ready for bed if I’m not home. Brian is an amazing father but I know how hard it can be when he travels for work so I know that it’s going to be tough for him so of the nights I’m not there. This time around is definitely going to be a challenge from that sense. I’m going to have to really make sure that everything is prepped ahead of time so that I can spend as much time with my family as possible.

This week was a great start to my prep and I’m so excited to see where the next fourteen take me! I can already see changes in my upper body, specifically my back and arms. I still have work to do, would like to see my shoulders pop a little more and my hamstrings come in, but I’d say I’m well on my way!

Week 1 Stats

Starting Weight: 118.6lbs.

Ending Weight: 117.8lbs

Weight Change: 0.8lbs

Lifting Sessions: 4
Cardio Sessions: 4 (2 HIIT)
Fitness Challenge: Complete
Average Food Per Day: 1,875 calories, 136g protein, 195g carbs & 60g of fat
Supplements Used: AX Stacked BCAA, AX Ultrareps

Keep Your Head Up

Woke up this morning with a heavy mind. As I drove to work with my brain was going a thousand miles a minute this song came on the radio. I found myself actually listening to the lyrics for the first time (even though I’ve heard it a million times before) and I realized just how perfect the timing was for me to hear it again.

 

Remember, no matter what life throws at you “only rainbows come after rain” and “the sun will always come again”

#MotivationalMom Monday

This week’s #MotivationalMom is the incredible Amy Glass. I “met” Amy through Top Mommy Blogs and hers quickly became a daily read of mine. We have a lot in common but mainly our love for running and ice cream! I mean who doesn’t love a good ice cream?

Meet Amy

Amy is a stay-at-home mom to a very active three year old and is currently training for her 3^rd marathon which will take place on October 12, 2014!! She graduated from college in 2007 and while she said it took longer than she hoped, she was working full time and part time while attending classes. I know from personal experience that alone is a feat to be proud of!

When I asked Amy what fitness achievements she is most proud of, she told me: I’m most proud of finishing my first marathon that I finished in April of 2013. I never in my life dreamed that I would ever run a marathon. So for me to do it, and actually finish was a major accomplishment for me.

Amy is very family oriented and says that being the best mom and wife she can to her family while taking care of her own personal and emotional needs is one of her personal goals for the next year. She says that we often forget that moms need to take care of themselves and that we get too focused on everything and everyone else that we sacrifice our own needs! Every mom needs a little TLC once in a while. Did I mention she likes ice cream?

She jokes that a good week in her house is one with no meltdowns! (can’t we all relate to that one). But really she says a good week is one where her family is all healthy and she gets to spend time with her husband and child all while keeping her training in check. Talk about balance!

So here’s to you Mrs. Glass! Thank you for being such a wonderful role model and a great motivation to other moms out there!

And always remember, no matter how tough things may seem … as  you like to say:

Amy is also a Girls Gone Sporty and Sweat Pink ambassador. You can find her blog on Bloglovin, PicketFence, TopMommyBlogs and on Blogher!

If you want to follow Amy’s journey as she trains for her next marathon and get a glimps into the life of a busy stay-at-home mom please check out her social media links below!

Blog: Mrs Glass Running

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