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“Nobody objects to a woman being a good writer or sculptor or geneticist if at the same time she manages to be a good wife, good mother, good looking, good tempered, well groomed and unaggressive” -Leslie McIntyre

five for friday & loud girlie parts

Now that it’s Friday and I’m home from work and the girls are out of school and I don’t have to be anywhere again until Monday I’m calm, relaxed and ready to enjoy myself.

We’re currently under a Winter Weather Advisory, but I don’t really know what/if anything that means because nothing is going on. I guess we’ll wait and see. All I know is that it’s FU*KING cold out there right now!

Jason will be home shortly and the weekend will REALLY begin so without further ado…

Five For Friday:

–> I made it through another round of level 2 of the 30 Day Shred. Jillian ain’t playin around man!! I had the most embarrassing thing happen to me while working out this morning (loud girlie parts) so I had to kick Jason out of the living room. :oops:

–> Day 2 of only drinking one cup of coffee went pretty well!

–> I had the best oats E.V.E.R. for breakfast. In the bowl today was:

  • 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1/4 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/2 c water
  • sprinkle of cinnamon
  • 1/2 c crushed pineapple
  • 1 scoop crunchy peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp dark chocolate chips
  • ping of shredded coconut

–>I had tomato basil soup and a toasted veggie sandwich for lunch. It was lovely and comforting on such a cold winter day. :)

–> Tonight we’re taking the girls to see a show at the Touhill Performing Arts Center so I gots ta go.

Enjoy your evening!!

Today I’m thankful for:

…weekends

…family fun night

…cinnamon gum

…twitter friends

…comfort foods

~ Maria

isn’t she lovely

Good evening my RFM peeps!

It has been an odd few days. I have been blasted. I made a few decisions. I read some really great articles. Some amazing bloggers put out great posts (one was even a guest post for me!) and they pushed me to take a second look at a few things that I’ve been doing.

  • Counting Calories – do you remember when I told you about a pair of my favorite jeans that were getting to be a bit snug? Well… they’re still a bit snug. :( I’ve been doing really well with my fitness routine so it’s now time to reevaluate my nutrition regimen. I’m planning to count calories religiously for one week just to get an idea of what I’m really taking in on a daily basis. According to this website I should be eating right around 1600 calories per day for slow/steady weight loss.

  • Fitness Routine – I’ve been getting up every morning and pounded out the 30 Day Shred DVD at 5:30. I’ve been sneaking in a few extra minutes of cardio or yoga during the opening advertisements and stretching for a few extra minutes at the end as well. Apparently I’m not the only one who has grown to love working out in the mornings…

  • Once a Day – I have been a two to (insert large number here) cups of coffee a day girl for many years. Ever since Linsey was born in 2001 I have been enjoying cup after cup of the creamy hot stuff. Coffee in and of itself isn’t bad for. A little caffeine isn’t bad for you. But… when you’re drinking three, four and sometimes five cups of coffee with sweetener and creamer the calories pile up. This morning I made a decision to stick with one cup of coffee after my morning workout.

  • More H2O – To avoid even more empty calories and artificial things that aren’t good for me I’ve decided to stick to water and water alone throughout the rest of the day. Drinking water throughout the day helps to keep you satiated and also helps flush out toxins. So water it is…all day long.

  • She’s a Horrible Woman – I bashed Paula. I called her a horrible woman. I said that her actions have been terrible. I said that profiting from her disease makes me sick. Not everyone agreed with me and that’s ok. That’s the beauty of this country and the idea behind facebook (for me anyway). I enjoy conversation. I enjoy debates on serious topics (and even NON serious topics) but what I don’t like is when people involved in the debate take things below the belt or get personal or take the conversation to something completely unrelated to the topic.

  • You Don’t Know Me – Obviously people who don’t live with me can’t know everything about me. Hell! Even the people who live with me don’t know EVERYTHING about me. That’s an impossible task. However, I really don’t like it when people assume things about me without having all the facts. My “spiritual health” was called into question during the Paula Deen rant. I was told that I should spend more time on my “spiritual health” because that’s what will stay with me rather than my “physical health” because I’m going to die regardless. I realized a few things yesterday; 1) not going to church every Sunday = poor spiritual health, 2) I’m obsessed with fitness and nutrition, 3) I get too passionate about the things I find important, 4) I’m able to NOT get passionate when having a debate, 5) Jason needs to run EVERY facebook comment by me before hitting send. (editor’s note:  comments 1-5 were my poor attempts at sarcasm.)
  • Money Makes The World Go Round – I didn’t just realize this, but it was definitely made clearer to me yesterday. People will do and say whatever their told to do and say for the right price. Paula Deen’s “buttah is bettah babay” lifestyle and her pack and a half a day smoking habit along with her genetic make up turned her into another American cliche. Overweight, out of shape and determined to save herself by popping pills instead of changing bad habits was just the catalyst Paula needed to get into bed with Noro Nordisk. Not only has she been pedaling her high fat, loaded with butter, bacon cheeseburger between two doughnuts for years on the Food Network, but for the last three she’s been doing it KNOWING she had a serious disease brought on by diet and lifestyle. Instead of coming out and saying that she is sick and she wants her fans to join her in lightening the way they eat to make a change in their health, she opted to become a paid spokes person for Big Pharma, pop their wonder drug and pretend like she had nothing to do with what has become of her. I read two things today that really put it all into perspective, 1) “I am not mad at her business decisions—but I promise you from this moment forward people, myself included, will always question her integrity.2) “Now that she sells cookbooks, food, AND diabetes meds, the next logical step for Paula Deen is to team with over-sized casket manufacturers.” And that is all I have to say about PD.

(photo source)

What do you think about Paula Deen? Do you count calories? How many do you aim for in a day? Are you good at debating or do you get too passionate? Facebook or Twitter??

I’m off to put my girls to bed and cuddle with my hubby. :)

…Today I’m thankful for people who love me

…Today I’m thankful for my self confidence

…Today I’m thankful for learning to love moring workouts

…Today I’m thankful for nice people

…Today I’m thankful for sugar free chocolate vita tops

~ Maria

yum yucky and shakeology

I’m having some major iPhone technical problems tonight.

  • It won’t charge past 4%
  • It won’t let me enter my passcode
  • It rings and makes notification sounds, but won’t let me do anything
  • Most of all – I can’t get my pictures for the day :(

I was saving this guest post for the weekend, but my good friend Josie is gonna swoop in and save my you-know-what tonight!!

Let me introduce you to the lovely and talented Yum Yucky

I’ve been reading Josie’s blog for quite some time now. I love hearing about her “greedy” kids and the “health-hater” husband. Her blog posts make me laugh and teach me stuff ALL. AT.ONCE. :)

I’ve been reading a lot about a little something called shakeology on Josie’s blog and finally begged/pleaded/bribed with free baby sitting asked her to do a guest post for me telling all of you about shakeology.

I’m really trying to convince Jason to try the 30 day supply and am hoping that Josie can help me in that area.

So…I’m gonna shut up and let Josie take the floor while I try to figure out what the EFF is wrong with my “smart” phone.

Things and Stuff You Need To Know About Shakeology

“Shakeology? What is THAT? I don’t need it. My weight loss is (sorta) on track, because I eat oats and Greek yogurt and side salads ‘n stuff.”

That’s what I thought to myself after a friend urged me to get on the Shakeology bandwagon. And let’s not forget about my abundance of skepticism. There’s a gagzillion different health shakes on the market. Aren’t 99% of them a piece of crap? I didn’t want to be one of “those people” who resorted to weird shakes containing scary ingredients to aid in my fitness goals.

Yet I kept listening to my friend — in a doubtful kind of way. And since I’m the kind of person who does her own due diligence and research before diving into something, part of my Shakeology scrutiny included watching the 6-minute video, Where Do Shakeology Ingredients Come From? And I was blown away. This video sealed the deal for me:

Shakeology contains whole food ingredients delivering amino acids, essential fatty acids, vitamin & minerals, antioxidants, prebiotics, whey protein (15-17 grams), fiber, phytonutrients and other fancy stuff. It also contains some key ingredients you won’t find in any natural growing source in the United States. Beachbody (the makers of Shakeology) travel to the Peruvian Amazon to snag these ingredients:

  • Maca Root: It’s hailed as a natural source for increased energy and stamina. The root also helps correct sexual dysfunction, reduce symptoms of hormonal dysfunction and imbalance (including menopause), aid memory, improve skin appearance and accelerate healing while also containing anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.
  • Camu Camu: Also known as Myrciaria Dubia, it contains the highest levels of vitamin C than any known plant in the world. Camu Camu supports healthy immune function and helps maintain serotonin levels to improve mood while boasting potent antioxidant properties to combat premature aging and cancers.
  • Sacha Inchi: It contains a high level of omega-3 fatty acids to improve cholesterol levels, and the amino acid tryptophan, which serves to improve the symptoms of depression and overall mental health. Sacha Inchi also reduces symptoms of high blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis.

Take a look at the nutrition label for Chocolate Shakeology. It’ll serenade your eyeballs and when you read it. Shakeology is also gluten-free, caffeine-free, contains zero artificial crap, and is totally okay for vegetarians to slurp on. But enough about all that scientific stuff.

WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS ACTUALLY MEAN FOR YOU?

There’s a plethora of testimonials on Shakeology’s nutritionals helping people lose weight, control their cravings and gain more energy. I’ve even heard of Shakeology users who were able to reduce or totally eliminate their need for diabetes and thyroid medications (but talk to your doctor about that, of course). I’ve been a faithful Shakeology user since November 2010. I drink the shake 4-5 times per week and continue to enjoy these results (and there’s a really good chance you will, too):

  • Controlled Cravings: This was one of my first benefits as a Shakeology user. More specifically, my need for a mid-morning snack was eliminated and my voracious lunchtime hunger pangs went away. I eat lunch when I’m good and ready; not because I’m absolutely starving by noon and “must eat now or I’m gonna die!”.
  • More Energy: I go hardcore on my morning workouts. Before Shakeology and despite a healthy breakfast, I still lacked energy while constantly feeding my food trap (which meant extra calories) to ensure my body the fuel it needed. But with Shakeology, those ingredients I told you about absolutely sustain me throughout the day without annoying dips in energy or resorting to a calorie overload in a plea for energy.
  • Better Digestion: Let’s see. How can I put this politely? My colon is very happy. There’s no bloated, backed up feeling. Things just move along nicely and help keep the scale where it should be because I’m not weighed down by a colon that won’t “go”.
  • Weight Loss, baby! All of the above translates into effective weight loss. I’ve also done the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse twice now, losing 7 pounds the first time and 4 pounds on the second go-round. If you haven’t heard of Shakeology or have been kinda slow to commit to eat least giving it a try, don’t wait anymore. Just go for it.

I’m a mom of 4 child-spawns who is maintaining a nearly 40-pound weight loss. I’m a Beachbody coach and faithful user of Shakeology. If you have questions, I’m happy to chat. My Inbox is always open. Or just reach out to your girl, RealFitMama. She’s on the Shakeology bandwagon, too. Booyah!

Thank you Josie!!

I’m curling up with the girls to watch American Idol and pray that I can fix my phone without having to spend any money.

Wish me luck…

we are smokin hot now…

We had a great weekend visiting family and friends! It was great to be able to see family that we don’t see very often, hang out around the table and just enjoy each others company and conversation.

We also got some very important things accomplished while we were in Springfield. Hair!!

I had some massive gray action going and was in desperate need of a hair cut. Both problems were taken care of by the lovely and talented Heather (also one of my very best friends).

    

Linsey also got to take advantage of Heather’s wicked hair styling skills. She has been begging me to let her get colored streaks in her hair and this weekend was the weekend it actually happened. I think she really loves her funky new do!

    

After we were both beautiful again it was time for the kids to hang with the grandparents and the grown ups to go out for the evening. Heather, Kyle, Jason and I went out to dinner and then to hang out at a local bar.

It was hard to say goodbye to everyone, but the real world beckoned and we had to come home. :(

This morning, after a very long night of hail, thunder, lightening, tornado sirens and kids in and out of our bed I woke up dragging ass. I really wanted to skip my workout, but knew I would feel even worse throughout the day if I did. So I got my ass up and pushed through level 2 of the 30 Day Shred.

Breakfast was a twist on my protein pancakes. I swapped frozen dark cherries for the banana and used4 tablespoons of liquid egg whites instead of wasting the real eggs. They didn’t look too pretty, but they tasted SO GOOD!!

    

Topped with some peanut butter and paired with a mug of coffee. DELISH!

The deli was depressingly slow today and I was a snack monster! I think the lack of sleep just had me feeling very hungry all day long. I had a granola bar for my first snack (no picture) and then a small cup of minestrone a little while later (also no picture) and tons of water.

When it really was time for lunch I wasn’t super hungry, but made a good sized salad anyway. In the mix:

  • spring mix
  • red onions
  • tomatoes
  • cucumbers
  • banana peppers
  • honey mustard dressing
  • a morningstar farms chik’n patty

My sweet tooth reared it’s ugly head and I downed a chocolate chip cookie before I knew what had happened!! :oops:

I got home from work with plenty of time to spare so I snuck in a yoga session to help ease a bit of the stress and tension from lack of sleep.

Dinner time was a hodge podge for everyone. Jason and Regan wanted cereal. Linsey wanted pasta and broccoli and I wanted something that I could cook while I cleaned the kitchen and got everything ready for tomorrow. So I whipped up a very bastardized version of huevos rancheros.

In the mix was:

  • black beans
  • hummus
  • garlic
  • roasted broccoli
  • two pan fried eggs

Regan and I are cuddled up in my bed waiting for Jason and Linsey to get home. I’ve still got laundry going and the temperature is dropping rapidly. I’m ready to curl up under the covers and read some books with my girl.

See what I mean??

I have tons of things I really want to talk about, but tonight I’m going to zip my lips and snuggle with Regan. She’s dying for some solo Mommy time!

…I’m thankful for snuggly girls

…I’m thankful for good books

…I’m thankful for great friends

…I’m thankful for my family

…I’m thankful for early bedtimes

~ Maria

protein and pancakes and running

Hey guys!!

I hope that you’re having a great Saturday and I hope that all my friends back home (we’re in Springfield for the weekend) go and enjoy the Ice Carnival this weekend. :) I’ll be here, enjoying some time with friends and family that we don’t get to see very often.

Actually, in about two hours I’ll be off getting my jacked up do repaired. It’s in desperate need!

This morning Regan decided that I needed to be up watching Winnie the Pooh with her at 5:30. Surprisingly it wasn’t hard to wake up because I would normally be up. The only trouble was my body wanted to be working out (who am I??) but everyone else was asleep. So I spent some time playing on twitter and facebook until about 7:00.

Once everyone was up and moving around I made the girls some breakfast (toast and scrambled eggs) then convinced Jason to join me in the fitness room of his parents apartment complex. I totally forgot to bring my 30 Day Shred DVD (epic fail!) but figured one day isn’t going to kill me. Besides, hanging out with Jason while we both did our own thing on the treadmill was much nicer anyway.

I happen to be one of those odd ducks that actually LOVES running on a treadmill. I love the fact that I can set my pace, my incline and just go. I can also be running with other people who may be faster or slower than me and we all stay together. Watching any one of Andy Cohen’s shows is always a plus!!

(photo source)

I got in a really lovely run!! It was slow, but steady and at a fairly high incline. I walked for five minutes at a two percent incline, then bumped it up to a five percent incline and jogged for 40 minutes and dropped it back down to a two percent incline for a five minute cool down.

WAHOO!!

When we got back to the house I pulled out the overnight oats I had stuck in the refrigerator for us. In the bowl was:

  • 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1 small banana sliced
  • 1 scoop of nutella

And slammed my second cup of coffee!!

        

Thursday morning we woke up to the first snow fall of the year (and winter!).

While we only got about an inch or so, combined with plummeting temperatures (27 degrees down to 19 degrees in about three hours) and untreated roadways, the morning commute was a MASSIVE pain in the ass with drive times doubling and tripling for many residents of the St Louis area. I heard stories of people being stuck in the same spot on the highway for 2 to 3 hours! :shock:

The cold weather makes me want thick socks, an entire day in my pajamas and pancakes. Well… one out of three was the best I could do! So after my workout I got some protein pancake batter ready to be cooked after I took my shower.

I tweeted and facebooked (is that a word?) how yummy they were and got many people asking me how I made them so I figured I would give away my little “secret” which probably is no secret at all, but it was something I stumbled onto and fell in love with.

Chocolate Banana Protein Pancakes:

  • 4 large egg whites
  • 1/3 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder
  • 1 frozen banana chopped

Mix all the ingredients into a bowl and then let sit for 30 minutes or so (or long enough to take a shower and get dressed).

Scoop out with a ladle onto a preheated, nonstick skillet. Cook just like you would regular pancakes.

Finally – top with maple syrup, almond butter or your favorite fruit preserve. This mixture makes 3-4 good sized pancakes, but I could only finish three of them. I topped mine with a smear of almond butter and a drizzle of maple syrup. YUM!

I’m off to take a shower so I don’t smell like massive B.O. while I’m getting my hair done later today.

I’m excited because Jason and I get to hang out tonight with two of our very best friends who have recently reunited (like we always hoped they would) after years of bad relationships AND my sister in law, Theresa, is going to baby sit the girls!! It’s a win/win situation because she loves the girls and the girls WORSHIP her.

HAPPY SATURDAY…

…I’m thankful for never ending supplies of coffee

…I’m thankful for having a best friend be a professional hair stylist

…I’m thankful for in laws with a fitness center

…I’m thankful for a sister in law who loves her nieces (and will baby sit!)

…I’m thankful for a mother who will dog sit while we’re out of town

~ Maria