Why the Gym Didn't Work For Me

I don't know how many of you readers on the other side of the interwebs know this, I think I've mentioned it before, but aside from being a Beachbody coach, I work part-time at a gym daycare.  I've been doing that almost 2 years now, and it's a really great job for someone like me who has small kids (I can bring them with me) and wants a little extra spending money.  The shifts are only 3-4 hours, for me anyway, and it's been a great way for my girlies to learn social skills :-D Also, I get a free gym membership.  Score!

And let's be real, that was the #2 reason I wanted that job in the first place.  Cuz who doesn't want a FREE gym membership?  That's the dream right?  (The #1 reason was I wanted money and not have to pay for daycare or work graveyard shifts.)

BUT there was a downside to having the gym be my solution for health AND fitness.  The gym provides the equipment, and the personal trainers, and the gym rats that I HOPED I'd look like some day.  But, I didn't have anyone keeping track of my efforts and I wasn't paying for a personal trainer to call me everyday, so I would go home and eat whatever I wanted, because I EARNED IT!

And I did earn it.  I'd run ~3 miles on the treadmill, do 20 minutes of weight lifting, I'd go to the classes, and I'd burn between 600-700 calories for the hour.  Not that shabby.  But because I thought I COULDN'T eat through those burned calories, I GAINED 15 lbs over the course of a couple of months. Ew gross.

That's why I'm so happy my cousin invited me to her challenge group!  It provided the things I was missing.  Sure the workouts were great, but I could handle that on my own.  What I was missing was clean eating, which I could also do a week at a time, and ACCOUNTABILITY.  I found those things in that group, and it was FANTASTIC to be working out and working to eat healthier WITH OTHER PEOPLE.  We were a team, and we supported each other and were held accountable.  No, we didn't get kicked out if we screwed up and ate a couple cookies for no reason.  Everyone empathized and then said, "yeah, I understand.  But REMEMBER WHY you want to change." We all had our reasons why we wanted to change, and that was another way we all bonded.  We didn't have to know each others' reasons, but we knew we had each examined ourselves and thought deeply about why we wanted to lose weight/eat healthier/get stronger.  Those "whys" propelled us when the going got tough.  Now, I love going to the gym, but it didn't give me these things.

And I'm not saying that you can't find these resources on your own to ensure your success.  I'm just saying it's nice and convenient, and all bundled into one simple package :-)  And THAT was what I NEEDED to be successful.  What do YOU NEED?

Have a Happy Weekend!

So, I've decided I want to put a little bit of good karma out in the universe with this post, and share with you some things that have made me happy recently.

First of all, I found these on facebook the last couple of days.  And isn't it wonderful how a little chuckle about something silly can brighten your day?

Secondly, I stumbled across this blog post written by my childhood friend and next door neighbor.  It is beautiful and uplifting, and it made me feel a little bit special that I could remember some of the memories that she shared.  Thanks for writing this, Miranda :-)

Thirdly, Beachbody.  And I don't say this solely because of my "transformation" that I've kept you all apprised of.  I'm a little ashamed of it, but Beachbody has helped form me into a better person in several facets: intellectually, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  I say that I'm ashamed because I should have been the person that I am now before I encountered Beachbody because of my religious beliefs.  But that is in the past, and I'm progressing now, despite the reasons and motivations.  

You want to know what is amazing about Beachbody?  Yes, they have great workouts, and yes, they have an incredible product with Shakeology.  But what makes them OUTSTANDING as a company to work with is that they emphasize personal development.  I have been a coach barely over 2 months, and because I've been improving my mind daily, I have been happier, driven to succeed, hopeful, more patient and understanding, and a host of other things that I probably haven't noticed or acknowledged yet.

And it's pretty great that I can get all my fruits and veggies in one meal and have it taste like a thin mint.  Just sayin :-)

And this man.  He just makes the world perfect and wonderful.

Don't tell him I wrote this, because he would just say, "Oh, shut up."  But he is the most generous person I know.  He is understanding and compassionate.  He stands up for what he believes in without regard to who may disagree.  He is a wonderful father to our beautiful girls, and he treats all three of us like princesses.  He is a gentleman and my best friend.  I'm so happy I get to keep him forever.  And that's all I'll say cuz I'm getting all teary-eyed thinking about how wonderful he is.

Now these girls, they make me laugh EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.  They also make me want to pull my hair out every day, but when it's your kids, the cute things outweigh the trying things in value like 10:1.  Like today, {E} came up to {C} after {C's} nap and said, "{C}, wanna go to the chocolate factory and be a flawless girl?"  I love that she combined her Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Phineas and Ferb references,  Or when we went on an outing tonight, and {C} talked non-stop about her pretty, colored, plastic bracelets.  She was so excited about getting to wear them out.  She must have felt so pretty.

These are the things that have made me happy, along with my daily scripture study, which has helped me keep an eternal perspective, and helped me find the patience I need to nurture my children when they need to be nurtured and set an example for them when they need to be reminded of how to behave.

I hope this weekend brings time for you to spend with your loved ones doing things that make you happy.  Take time to soak in the moment and enjoy it for what it is.  I love ya!  Have a happy weekend!

ANNNNND We're Back!

Did ya miss me?  After finishing 21 Day Fix, I took a leave from my clean-eating for the weekend, and celebrated what I had accomplished by indulging in a hamburger, pizza, eggnog, candy and other deliciousness :-)  'Twas magnificent.

Now, I have started T25 and am back on the clean-eating wagon!  And I have a gift for you :-)  But first, you have to hear about the new program.  Bwahahaha!  Ok, I'm finished.

These are from my workout this morning: Ab Intervals.  That is quite the workout!  I had to stop and rest a couple times.  So far Alpha Speed 1.0 has been my favorite workout, because it has the cardio, heart rate building exercises throughout the 25 minutes, but it's also broken up with a stretch here and there.  My kinda workout :-)

(Sorry if the pictures make you dizzy or cross-eyed.  I've been playing with my photo enhancing apps, just for funsies.)

AND NOW.......the gift.

It's cooling off here in Utah, and that means SOUP WEATHER.  I'll tell you a secret, shhhh! *I'm not a very good cook.  Like, at all.*  The only thing that I can make decently is soup.  And I found this recipe for quick chicken noodle soup that is healthy and delicious and everything that you want on a cool, crisp fall night to warm your soul.  Salivating yet?

Here's the batch I made.  I didn't have egg noodles, so I used regular rotini pasta.  Also, I like to add a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles to give it a little kick :-)

Here you go!  Courtesy of preventionrd.com 

Let me know how you like it!

21 Day Fix Results...And NOW; to start T25!

Yes, I made you wait even a little bit longer than I usually do :-)  Here are the pics and the numbers:

These are my "after" pics from Insanity, which also doubled as my "before" pics for 21 Day Fix

These are my "after" pics for 21 Day Fix which I took this morning.  Measuring in at 6.4 lbs and 6.25" lost!  Woot woot!

AND THIS is my TOTAL BODY TRANSFORMATION!!!!! (said like an announcer at a monster truck rally. And yes, I have been to one of those. I have resided in "hick" nation...so, yeah. ;-)

Yes, you read that right.  26.8 lbs and 24" off!  In LESS than 3 months! C'mon now, the proof is in the pudding.  Who wants in on this action?  I have another challenge group starting up Nov 10th.  If you seriously, desperately want to make a lifestyle change, let me know.  I would LOVE to be your coach and cheerleader!  

If you want more details about how to join my challenge group, you can comment below, friend me on Facebook (Brooke Palmer), or email me at healthforthebusymom@gmail.com. (I am on Instagram and Twitter, but the previous 3 mediums are the best way to reach me.)

So, "now what?" you ask?  T25 baby!  Here's to toning up more, and not losing control during the holidays!  Keep me an honest woman y'all ;-)

I'll see ya in a few days!  I'm taking a vacay!

Day 21: Yoga Fix and NOT eating a bunch of junk food

"It came!  It finally came!" Name that movie (A).  Those are my feelings right now.  And it's not because I didn't enjoy it, because I really did.  But by the end of it, I'm just really impatient about getting my final results and moving on to something new and different. "New is always better." Name that show (B).  So, today is the last day of documenting 21 Day Fix, and TOMORROW I will post my official loss stats.  Super exciting!  K, pictures:

Triangle pose.  Suddenly I'm insecure about the length of my legs in proportion to the rest of my body. Hmmm.

Something pose I don't remember.  That old ballet muscle memory came in handy today.

Today was the start of Fall Break for {E}, and I didn't have work today, so we didn't need to go ANYWHERE today!  I about peed my pants I was so excited :-)  So, naturally, we all stayed in our pjs and watched Halloween movies and ate popcorn all day.  I had a bowl of plain popcorn, but then {C} insisted that she share her buttered and salted popcorn with me.  So I ate a bit of that too, more than I should have.

Also, this week has been the perfect storm (meaning I'm unprepared). We ran out of pretty much all of our kid-friendly-shut-up-and-eat meals.  You know the ones, chicken nuggets, peanut butter sandwiches, hot dogs, you know, that kinda stuff.  So, Brandon and I made an executive decision: Brandon will bring home dinner for the kids.  So, Brandon came home with a pepperoni pizza from Papa Murphys, AND...

...barbecue.  Jerk.  I grew up in Texas.  Barbecue is part of my pedigree.  I asked my Grandpa to cook a brisket for our wedding luncheon.  And he did.  We love barbecue in this household.  I did NOT resist.  BUT, I did restrain myself.  Portion control people: it saves lives.  The brisket was pretty good, the ribs and shredded pork weren't my favorite, but the smoked chicken wings were AMAZING.  Yum.  Also, I did eat the carrot and celery sticks.  Moving on.

Tomorrow I start T25.  Pretty pumped to get going on that :-)  I've even got it all written on my calendar.  There is something about checking off everything after it's done that I just love :-)

So, I'm just gonna leave you hanging a little longer, and pictures and everything will be up tomorrow!  See ya then!

(A) Toy Story

(B) How I Met Your Mother

Day 20: Dirty 30 AND Pilates Fix + Running

Tomorrow is the day folks! Tomorrow is the last day of all of this :-)  And when I say "all of this," I just mean of 21 Day Fix.  I will be starting T25 on Friday, and then my posting will happen every 2-3 days, so you won't be bothered by me QUITE as often ;-)

I figure you pretty much know how these workouts go and what my complaints about them are by now, so here's the picture journal:

Dirty 30 Plank Renegade Rows

Pilates Low Plank Hold ({C} assisted)

After Brandon got home, {E} wanted to go the gym daycare (because I didn't work today) and play with friends, so we headed to the gym and dropped the girls off.  Brandon went to the weights and I ran 3 miles.  And once again, that was fun :-)

Foodies: Meal 2--chicken breast and yams (meh)

And, of course, my Shakeology :-)

Day 2 of the 3 Day Quick Fix is over.  And the only thing that really motivated me to do it all over today was that I lost 1.4 lbs yesterday.  Yeah.  So, I'll go one more day, and on Friday, I'll have the big reveal!  I know you don't want to miss THAT, so stay tuned!  Tomorrow I've got Yoga Fix and...that's it :-)  Goodnight!

Day 19: Cardio Fix AND Upper Fix + The start of something...well, something.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!  I've almost made it to the end, and now I've hit the home stretch!  To celebrate, I started the 3 Day Quick Fix meal plan, to put a little "oomph" towards my final results :-)  (I'm smiling now, we'll see if I'm still alive in two more days.)

First, the workouts:

Cardio Fix oblique knee pulls

Upper Fix rows and lateral raises

And the post wouldn't be complete without a picture of me and at least one of my helpers :-)

Now for the strict meal plan:  

This is what I ate today, and what I'll eat the next two days.  The coconut oil is the only fat I'm allowed, and the only seasonings are spices, or lemon/lime juice. NO SALT.  I worked tonight, so I substituted a couple of my proteins with a protein shake and a protein bar.  It's almost 10 pm now, and I still need one more meal.  I haven't starved at all, its just kind of "blah" food for me.  I haven't steamed any of my veggies, like it says to, I've just eaten raw cucumbers and carrots so far. 

Another confession:  I did bake some chicken in the oven, seasoned with garlic powder and pepper, and I planned to have some of that after work.  But when I got home, Brandon had purchased a rotisserie chicken, so I cheated a little and had that instead :-)  (Shhh! Don't tell Autumn!)  There was definitely salt on the skin, and some yummy juices around there as well, but I mostly pulled my white meat from the inside and didn't get a lot of the skin.  I feel, for that reason, that it wasn't TOO BAD of a substitution.

And that is all for tonight :-)  I plan to have some more chicken for my last meal, with some spinach and a little lemon juice.  And I'll see you tomorrow for Dirty 30 AND Pilates Fix!

Day 18: Pilates Fix + 10 Minute Fix for Abs AND Total Body Cardio Fix

Today's post is a quick one, solely for accountability :-)  Lucky you!

Pilates Fix is done, I have pictures to prove it.

I like the 10 Minute Fix for Abs workout, maybe not the best idea to do it right after pilates, though.

I did both those workouts back to back after I finished my first shift at work.  Second shift of work ended at 8:00 pm, and I did Total Body Cardio Fix after I put the kiddos to bed.  No pictures from that workout, you'll just have to take my word that it took place.

Food consumption was alright, but only because I've been running around like a crazy person all day, and didn't really have time to sit down and eat a lot ;-/

Tomorrow is Cardio Fix and Upper Fix.  ALSO, I am starting the 3 Day Quick Fix, with my much stricter meal plan.  Wahoo :-)

And now, goodnight to you all, from me and {C}!

Day 17: Lower Fix and...Indoor Soccer :-)

Hola!  Yesterday was fantastic!  For the most part.  It started off wonderful with my workout, and then we had plans to meet with Brandon's family and do some going out and about.  First, the workout:

Once again, I did the exercises cautiously, so as not to aggravate my knee.  But I thought this picture turned out pretty good.  Sometimes I think I'm not going as low as the people in the video, but sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised at how well I actually do the exercises.  You should try it sometime.  If you think you aren't doing something the right way, take a picture or record yourself doing the "something" and actually SEE how you're doing.  It gives you an unbiased perspective.

Now for going out and about.  My husband recruits for one of the ski resorts here in the Salt Lake area, and we went up for their Oktoberfest celebration, and also to ride the tram up to the top of Hidden Peak.  It was a fun outing for the little ones and we got some good pictures :-)  This is officially the beginning of the holiday season, where every weekend, it feels, there is a family get-together "to-do" to attend.  (Brandon and I both have lots of family within a 30 mile radius, so it gets pretty busy for us.)

So, we thought we might try to take some family pictures while we were up here, like some fancy ones, but...they're doing construction at the top of the mountain, apparently they're putting a restaurant up there, and they had this awesome gravel pit that the kids were immediately drawn to.  EVERYONE got dirty, whether you played in the pit or not.  Also, it was chillier than we were expecting all the way up there, so Brandon was the only one still showing off his sweater by the time we got there :-)  But the view was gorgeous!

After we came down the mountain, we walked around Oktoberfest.  We don't drink, and also, we had kids with us, so we passed on all the ale options and found the Belgian waffle stand.  This is the "Ultimate" option, complete with nutella, vanilla ice cream, strawberries, and whipped cream.  The girls and I made short work of it, while being entertained by some German folk bands.  We had a lot of fun :-)

Later that day, we went down the valley for our weekly soccer game, which again, we lost.  But it's so much fun to just play :-)  I was scheduled to do 10 minute Ab Fix for my second workout yesterday, but once we got home, we had a damaged finger crisis to deal with (pics to come) and I just didn't buckle down to do it.  I'll tack it on to tomorrow's workouts...somehow.

We also did our weekly grocery shopping, and, like I said: it's the holiday season.  And I'm in trouble.

Moderation in all things, right?  I drank the top quarter of it last night, and I'm planning to have a little bit more tonight.  Baby steps.  For me, that's portion control.  I may not be able to say "no" all the time.  But when I can't say "no," I CAN say "when!"  :-)

Tomorrow: Pilates Fix + 10 minute Ab Fix AND Total Body Cardio Fix.  Also laundry and two shifts of work.  I'll get it all in.  Right?

Day 16: Upper Fix and Cardio Fix

Be proud of me!  I woke up early enough this morning to get my workout in before work...at 9:00.  But this rarely happens, so I'm happy about it :-)  Progress report: I felt stronger doing my modified push-ups today (win!) and maybe I'm being a little braggy, but I am DEFINITELY loving the definition in my arms!

That was workout #1.  Workout #2 happened approximately 6 hours later after work and lunch had been digested.

I still think these lateral squat thingies are the hardest part of Cardio Fix. And between my gun show up there and my squating here, I feel a little beasty :-/

And  now for food. Meh.  I'm hitting another "I need chocolate to cope with my craziness" phase :-/  There may be extenuating circumstances surrounding that, but those specific imperfections of mine don't need to be dug through right now :-)

I had a simple, light salad for lunch, and for our Friday night family activity, we went to the mall and stopped by Godiva.  This piece of heaven is a "hazelnut something or other truffle maybe of deliciousness."  Mmmm.  (right about now you should hear Homer Simpson drooling.)

Tomorrow: Lower Fix, 10 minute Ab Fix, and a soccer game :-)

Day 15: Total Body Cardio Fix...AND Pilates Fix

Ok, already I'm tired of the double workout schedule.  

It wouldn't be so bad if I could do the workouts one after the other, but this doing one in the morning and one in the evening business sucks.  That's two showers a day, at least.  If {C} decides to fully potty train, then it's probably more.  Also, by the end of the day, my motivation is 0. :-P  Yeah, yesterday was awesome with the running, but when the BYU game is on in the background, in overtime, and Brandon is yelling loud enough to wake the dead, or even {E}, I don't really want to go to the corner and do a workout in the periphery.  Just sayin.

BUT! Good news!  I did, in fact, fix my heart rate monitor.  Yay!  I had it all put together several times, and I couldn't get the start/stop button to work, (which is kind of an essential button), and after 20 minutes, Brandon remembered a piece we had taken off when we started the endeavor.  And now it is fixed!  

So cheers to fixing my watch and doing total body cardio this morning!  

I also ate food today...so...that was good, too.  I made an egg/egg white omelet with spinach and parmesan, topped with homemade salsa and grape tomatoes for lunch.  That was the high light of my day food-wise.  That and I snuck a few sips of Brandon's Dirty Pepsi.  *Shhh!  Don't tell!*  It was glorious. 

 And then I had an awful dip in my menu (catastrophe music blaring in the background, something symphonic).  I made my simple, awesome chicken enchiladas, quick and easy, and they turned out kinda yucky.  I don't know if the corn tortillas were just on the edge of decency, or maybe my shredded chicken was on its way out, but they just weren't up to par :-(

After sneaking some of Brandon's "STUPID BYU!!!! WHY ARE YOU LOSING???!!!!" treats, I decided I should do my pilates workout as scheduled.  I did manage to get Brandon to take a couple pictures before overtime started, so, that was a major accomplishment :-)  He must really love me.

After I finished the workout, it was FINALLY time for my Shakeology.  

Can I tell you a secret?  I have not particularly enjoyed this month's flavor.  Greenberry was great, I have tasted the chocolate and vegan chocolate, and I prefer the taste of the vegan chocolate.  But Brandon prefers fruit flavors to chocolate most days, and since I share my Shakeo with him, for the time being, I figured "Hey, maybe the vegan Tropical Strawberry will be better than the regular Strawberry flavor."  Not so.  At first it strongly reminded me of a pepto bismol mix with cough syrup.  Not pleasant.  I've developed a tolerance for it now, but I've still tried to find the right mix-ins so I might actually enjoy it.  Today, I found a winner.  Hallelujah!

May I present Tropical Strawberry, mixed with one small banana and ~4 Tbsp of Nesquik.  Also included: a few ice cubes and about 16 oz of very cold water. 

I would also like to point out, that had I a different personality, I could have tried it once, talked to customer service, and switched this bag for a different flavor with the greatest of ease, free of charge.  Or, once I finished it, I could have sent it back for a full refund.  Beachbody is a wonderful company.   100%  guaranteed.  

Having said that, the nutrition is way worth the struggle of drinking the "not my favorite" flavor I chose.  This stuff makes me feel amazing.  I am so much healthier, I can FEEL the difference.  You just have to try it for yourself, though, cuz this one is MINE.  

Shakeology schpill done.  Tomorrow: Upper Fix and Cardio Fix (I think.)  See ya tomorrow!