The 5 Stages of Grief

I like puzzles.  I suppose that one of the things that make me nerdy :-)  Brandon has learned over the last month that I will sit down and literally spend hours putting together lego sets and puzzles without the kids.  :-)  I can actually feel my brain getting exercised.  It's awesome.  And yes, these are {C}'s puzzles and NOT mine.

I thought I found a new puzzle to work out yesterday...not sure it's one I can figure out, though.  If you've read my past posts, you might remember that at my yearly check-up last March my cholesterol came back pretty high.  So, since I've started drinking Shakeology daily and being more conscious of what I eat, I was expecting my cholesterol numbers to look much better at my last check-up, which happened Friday.

They called me with my results yesterday.  My bad cholesterol is way high, but my good cholesterol is right where it should be.  Their solution: "We want to start you on a diet and exercise regimen."  My response: "Um, I'm ALREADY ON ONE."  The nurse didn't believe me when I told her I exercise intensively 6 days a week.  Or that I don't eat at Chuck-A-Rama every weekend.  Ok, maybe the Chuck-A-Rama part didn't specifically come up, but I said that I only occasionally eat fried foods and stuff with creamy sauces.  Yes, I eat them, but NOT REGULARLY.  She countered: "Well, cut back on the fried food.  Come back in 4-6 months so we can monitor it."  And that was it.

DENIAL AND ANGER: My initial reaction to that call was: "What the $%^#@#%$%$%!!!!! I've lost almost 30 POUNDS!!!! I have a superfood meal replacement shake EVERY DAY!!! How can my cholesterol be the same as a 50 year old, morbidly obese man!?"  

BARGAINING:  For a little bit there, I thought--"Maybe I just need to be better with my eating.  Maybe if for the next 4-6 months I don't indulge in the high cholesterol food, it will go down.  Maybe I can fix this if I'm super good."

DEPRESSION:  The bargaining phase didn't last long, because I knew that I wouldn't be able to pull that off.  I'm still building my self-discipline and will power.  No way I can make it that long without ANY indulgences.  How depressing.  I thought that what I've accomplished the last 5 months would have done something; and it did NOTHING.  At least cholesterol-wise.  Luckily for me, though, Brandon came home, and when I told him he just laughed :-)  And that put it in perspective.  I haven't had a hard life, really.  At all.  And this high cholesterol hasn't bothered me so far.  If I hadn't gone to the doctor, I wouldn't even have suspected it.

ACCEPTANCE:  So, after talking with Brandon, we decided that it might not be something I can control.  Maybe it's genetic--even though I wasn't aware of it.  So, I called my previous doctor today and had them pull my results from last March to compare.  The nurse was very patient with me and sensitive to my concerns.  Turns out my results are pretty much the same as last time.  No change.  Cero.  I told her everything I was doing, and she agreed with Brandon and I that maybe it was just genetic, but to keep going back in to monitor it.  I may eventually need medication to keep it in check, but somehow that conversation made me feel better.  It made me feel better that maybe it wasn't my fault.  Maybe this was a new card I got dealt in life, and I would just have to find a way to work with it.  

CONCLUSION:  Yeah, this isn't ideal.  But I'm on a good path doing what I can do to keep myself healthy.  And I'm so thankful that I have doctors and nurses to help me work through problems that I can't fix on my own :-)  It's all about perspective, and now that I've taken a day to think about it, I'm able to put it in the right place.  Still driven, and still in control of the things I can change.

Happy New Year! Here are the T25 Results!

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Hey Friends!  I took a little vacation for Christmas and New Years...I hope you don't mind.  Did lots of fun stuff, like sleep in, play with friends and family, eat good food and enjoy the spirit of the season.  I hope you all did stuff like that too :-)

I got a new toy for my birthday last month, and for Christmas I got some sticky vinyl to use in it, so I made some stuff for our home.

But the big news is that I had a couple of KILLER catch-up days, and completed my goal of finishing T25 before the New Year.  Done :-)

Are you ready for the pictures?

And here's the "total transformation journey", whatever you want to call it.

To be perfectly honest, by the end of T25 I had stayed pretty much the same since 21 Day Fix.  Maybe lost a little tone, but my measurements were all about the same.  And since I really did eat whatever I wanted over Christmas Break, I'm definitely counting this as a win.

But now that's over, and I've started Insanity Max 30, WHICH I am loving.  No joke.  I'm done being injured and doing modifiers (except for my wrist, but I'm making it work harder) and it is kicking my butt.  AND I LIKE IT.

4 days into it and I'm already making progress. :-D

So.  What are your New Years Resolutions?

T25 Month One Results...ish.

You know, I thought that since {C} is almost three, it wouldn't be a problem to go ahead and start wrapping presents to put under the tree.  She did so well last year!  But I'm coming to terms with the fact that my angelic baby is many times more mischievous and devilish than her older sister.  Because why would my children be the same?  It's not like being mine and Brandon's children would guarantee they have similar DNA at all.  Testimony:  God has a sense of humor.  There's just no getting around it.

And you know, Brandon just thought it was the funniest thing in the world when I sent him this picture.  I oscillated between discipline and just letting it go for a good 10 minutes.  In the end I just reiterated that she's not supposed to touch anything on or around the tree.  On the flip side, this was the cutest thing I've seen in a while.

They woke up this morning and, holding hands, made up words to the Who Christmas song from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."  But now they've done this all day and I'm a little bit over it. :-D

Do do do...so I finished my first month of T25, amidst bronchitis, a sinus infection, birthday indulgences, and Thanksgiving gorging.  Yes, I realize I just gave myself a bunch of excuses, but I think, considering that they're all true, that these results are pretty good.  :-)

But now that Thanksgiving and birthdays are past, and we're all recovering from the plague, I've started Month 2 with renewed vigor.  And Beta Core Cardio, unmodified, KICKED MY BUTT.  I haven't exerted myself that much in at least 3 weeks, closer to 4, and it was very rewarding at the end of it.  I was actually stinky and sweaty.  WOOT.  *That means I did work*

December will be a much different month for me than November.  I will make it so.

Happy Thanksgiving Week!

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!  If you think about it, Thanksgiving is really the pinnacle of Fall. Everything else is just kinda downhill.  You know what I'm talking about, don't pretend you don't.  Yes, Christmas is very exciting, and the anticipation and build-up for that day is palpable and exciting, but Christmas has always been anti-climactic (?) for me, probably because there's a certain expectation of gifts.  Maybe I need to grow up and get over it :-)

So, back to Thanksgiving.  I've always had a sizable family representation here in Utah, but now the majority has shifted, or maybe evened out between my maternal family and paternal family.  This year we'll be gathering with my dad's side of the family, where there will also be lots of little kids present for my girlies to play with, just like on my mom's side.  But what's exciting about this is that they're "newer" friends.  Works for me, just as long as I get to enjoy PIE.  Speaking of which...

...this is what I did today.  I'm in charge of contributing rolls tomorrow.  Yeah, I needed to make sure they were "done."  That's why there's a roll by the pies with a bite taken out of it.... :-)  I also volunteered to bring some pie, because I like to bake.  Also, I can count on somebody else to bring the pumpkin, pecan, and some fruit kind of pie.  But nobody else makes buttermilk pie.  And this stuff is GOOD.  Pair it with a good vanilla ice cream, say...Blue Bell, and you're making magic.  *drool*

Moving on.  Remember how I've been complaining about having a nasty cough clenching its fist around my lungs and suffocating me?  Yeah, turns out that the girls had bronchitis and I had a sinus infection to boot.  Soooooo after three weeks of that we're finally medicated and on the mend.  But first we had to go down to St. George for the weekend to infect our favorite family/friends--who apparently already had it last week.  But we all had lots of fun nonetheless.  And now you get to look at our memories :-)

This was taken at The Fractured Prune.  Have you heard of it?  Their donuts are AMAZING.  Miss {C} ate more than her fair share, and she's not normally one for getting her hands all sticky.

Naturally we did some shopping, and I always feel like it's a win when I remember to buy things for Brandon too :-)

And this picture just made me laugh.  She sat there for at least 10 minutes. just cleaning her feet with a wipe while we were driving home.  Weirdo.

Well, now that I'm on a few decongestants, ibuprofen, and antibiotics, I decided to hit the workouts a little harder.  And by that I mean still taking it easy on the cardio, so my respiratory system doesn't fail, and adding more weight training, because I enjoy it.

Bad news:  Because we were taking a vacation, and my birthday was yesterday, and tomorrow is Thanksgiving, I've been letting my vigilant eating habits slide....I'm basically back to where I was before I did 21 Day Fix.  But it's not too bad.  I thought I still looked decent for my birthday dinner with Brandon and the girls.

Guess who's 27?  THIS girl!

And you know, it wouldn't be a REAL birthday if we didn't indulge in cake, right?  We hit Sweet Tooth Fairy and picked up an Oreo Cream cupcake, an Apple Pie, Sweet Potato Pie, and Pumpkin Pie cupcake as well.  You know, 'tis the season :-)  They were pretty good, but my favorite is still the Strawberry Shortcake.  MMMMMMM.

Resolution:  I will be enjoying tomorrow and the rest of the weekend guilt-free.  Monday I start my week-long clean eating group, and I am gonna get back in the saddle.  And I know all of you are gonna fill your plates to overflowing, because that's the way to show gratitude, right?  Waste not and such ;-)  So, if you're feeling yucky come Monday, hit me up on Facebook, and I'll plug you into my group.  There is also a prize...so...yeah :-)

PERSPIRATION!!!!

Did you ever watch Matilda?  I love that movie.  And I can just hear Ms. Trunchbull explaining to Miss Honey how physics applies to throwing the shot-put; naturally ending the lecture by screaming "PERSPIRATION!!!!!"

I didn't perspire much during my workout today.  But I took Friday-Monday off from working out, trying to get over this STUPID cough and cold.  And I got WORSE.  DUMB.  So, I figured I might as well do something so I don't lose all the muscle I've been working to build.  Solution:

I did Total Body Circuit today extra modified.  Like everything was slow-mo. I thought about taking a video of it to prove the point, but that would have been super boring to watch.  So...you're welcome.  And here are my numbers for the 25 minutes of working out, plus the 3 minutes of cool down, which actually made me cough the most.

Done.  (That's me doing the cool finger slapping thing that Brandon can do, but I can't, in my head)

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!