Lose 7 pounds

Alrighty, it's time.

Six months after Little Man was born, I had lost 37 pounds. After another month, I had lost 42 pounds.

Then January was over...

 After which I was pregnant for 13 weeks...

 After which I unexpectedly was no longer pregnant...

After which I've spent 12 weeks getting emotionally and physically back to "normal", 

whatever that means for moms of toddlers and pastor's wives...

So now, it's time.

This is a simple challenge, but nearly every mom I know has something she wishes she could change about her body. I don't mean the genetic stuff, like, 

"Oh to have long legs or narrow hips"...

Like I've said before, I have arms like a 17 year old boy,

and I will never have long legs because I am 5"5' and particularly ordinarily built...

And I've accepted that, so I will not complain about the way I'm naturally built.

This not a challenge to see who can complain the most about her genetic code.

This is a challenge to face that one thing that IS within your power to change,

and to do something about it.

For me, I just want to lose 7 pounds.

Nothing huge, just to fit into that pair of jeans I liked so much and wore for the month when they fit...

Maybe you've always wished you were stronger.

Perhaps your goal is to have more definition in your waist.

Many moms I know just want to lose the baby weight from 3 years ago that no longer has

a legitimate excuse for hanging onto their waists...

Some are at their happy weights but just want to feel healthier, maybe have a reason to not eat bagels for breakfast every day...

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I am not trying to lose those 7 pounds this weekend.

This is a "girls' weekend", and I will enjoy all in moderation.

But come Tuesday, I'm serious.

I even have the meal plan written down.

Of course, I will have 2 Herbalife Formula 1 shakes a day.

I would be happy to put together a meal plan for you, too,

no matter your goal.

I coach people for a living, so feel free to ask any questions.

September is the month to face your challenge, and win.

 I'm excited -

anyone want to join me?

Feel free to email me at funfitnutrition@gmail.com,

and let's put together a program for you to meet your goal.

Join the movement of moms.

Follow me on Instagram @happyfitnessmama, share your "before" photos, and tag them

#movementofmoms so that we can be more motivated than ever to join your journey!

Oh - and if you like this post, then go ahead and click on of the icons below to share it!

Disclaimer - Research shows that those people having a Formula 1 meal replacement shake twice daily as part of a healthy eating and exercise plan can reasonably expect to lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week. And the average annual compensation provided by Herbalife to its distributors at the Supervisor position with a downline is approximately $5,800. I have chosen to consistently follow my Herbalife nutrition plan and work hard at running my business, which is the reason for my personal results.

They're just adorable

There are days when being a mom just makes me smile.

Sure, not the entire day is spent in giggles and grins, 

but oh my, it can be so happy.

This afternoon, while preparing some Thai curry chicken and veggies,

I heard Little Man behind me giggling, "Wheeeeee"...

Why the odd frog pose, you ask?

He was pushing himself backward, moving in circles around the kitchen floor.

All the while, he determinedly held onto his Herbalife shake,

taking occasional "shake breaks" to reenergize for another round of 

confused froggy crawling.

When he looked up at me, I was the recipient of the most affectionate smile I've ever seen.

Oh oh oh, I still can't put into words what that look did to my heart.

But I don't have to.

You're a mom, you know what I mean.

It didn't matter that he was waving and calling out "Bye bye", 

my heart was hearing, "Mommy, I love you more than the whole world. Every day you make me happy to be alive. You are the best. And that Thai curry chicken smells amazing, I promise to LOVE it!"

And in fact, he did eat a bite of the chicken.

Just one, but that was enough to keep me smiling.

Join the movement of moms.

Follow me on Instagram @happyfitnessmama, share photos of your happy moments, and tag them #movementofmoms so that we can have another reason to smile!
Oh - and if you like this post, then go ahead and click on of the icons below to share it!

Disclaimer - Research shows that those people having a Formula 1 meal replacement shake twice daily as part of a healthy eating and exercise plan can reasonably expect to lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week. And the average annual compensation provided by Herbalife to its distributors at the Supervisor position with a downline is approximately $5,800. I have chosen to consistently follow my Herbalife nutrition plan and work hard at running my business, which is the reason for my personal results.

In the cabinet

So if you have wondered how I decide what to post each evening, five evenings a week, here's my secret:

I write about whatever Little Man inspires with his antics throughout the day.

Take today, for example.

Not our easiest day.

One of those days that even my Herbalife Happy Tea can't reset.

Twelve grueling hours putting it right in my face that I find my sense of personal worth 

in how an 18 month old handles his emotions in public.

Absurd. Who would wrap up her entire identity in the self control of a toddler?!?!

You laugh. But I bet you do it too...

And I laugh, because even writing it down helps me remember that it's a choice I make every minute of these long days, which means that it's a choice that I can stop making.

What really made me chuckle, though, is that Little Man totally stole my idea for how to handle our evening.

This is how I caught him when I turned around while prepping 

a new seasoning recipe for tonight's dinner of freshly caught trout...

 He hid in the cabinet.

I promise that I didn't put him in there! And that terrified look on his face is because I caught him in the act, not because he's afraid of getting stuck in the cabinet. He actually loves being in the cabinet. 

He insisted on closing the door himself, hence the picture with that blur of white in the top right.

His fingers.

Don't worry, I helped him get out of the cabinet.

And I didn't go hide, either.

Hubs came home. We ate trout. We took a walk. Little Man got a bath, and squirmed and wriggled his way through a full body application of Elimite lotion (another long story...).

We sang. We prayed. We kissed him goodnight.

WE MADE IT!

Little Man is officially in bed. The door is closed. In 11 hours, we will start another day.

But for right now, I get to refocus. 

I get to remember that my emotions don't have to mimic the various levels of childishness being played out by my side in the ongoing drama of our day.

So, as you can see, I don't often lack ideas when wondering what to say to you each evening.

Little Man keeps me, shall we say, inspired.

Join the movement of moms.

Follow me on Instagram @happyfitnessmama, share photos of your inspirational little ones, and tag them #movementofmoms so that we can have another reason to smile!
Oh - and if you like this post, then go ahead and click on of the icons below to share it!

Disclaimer - Research shows that those people having a Formula 1 meal replacement shake twice daily as part of a healthy eating and exercise plan can reasonably expect to lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week. And the average annual compensation provided by Herbalife to its distributors at the Supervisor position with a downline is approximately $5,800. I have chosen to consistently follow my Herbalife nutrition plan and work hard at running my business, which is the reason for my personal results.

Love is a funny word

In the English language, a mom can "love" her children,

and a mom can "love" hot dogs.

Same word.

So, I can love my adorable Little Man, and today make the new discovery that I love SavMor for its amazing, kid friendly grocery carts... 

This guy was wheelin' all over the store, 

thinking he was in absolute control of our outing, 

while I happily strolled through the dairy section to grab our 

eggs, cheese, milk, etc.

Which I also happen to love...

I love the smile he gets when he is having a new adventure, and I love that the steering wheel on his "car" has no effect on the direction of said car.

I love that when he is waking up from a nap he cries out for "Mommy", and I love that when I put him down for a nap and he is resisting with that same cry, I can make the executive parental decision to not listen because he really does need to go to sleep, and will, if I stay strong and leave him be!

Basically, the English language has been crafted to allow us to express equal enthusiasm for things both profound and trivial, to have strong feelings for silly things, and to give a word many meanings based on our intonation.

Hence, I can unabashedly proclaim that I LOVE the red licorice from Trader Joe's (every healthy mom needs a few vices, right?), 

and yet you know that using "love" to describe my joy over biting into this red, fruity, waxy goodness does not minimize the impact of saying I love my Hubs.

That clear, here are some other things I love.

Camping

Black licorice

Beef jerky

Raspberry Herbalife tea concentrate

Circuit training

Getting a massage

Louisa May Alcott novels

Western movies

Herbalife Formula 1 Sport Chocolate 

Oh, and of course let's not forget those little things like my husband, our son, Jesus Christ my Savior, our  delightful family, seeing lives changed as a health coach, etc...

It's actually an interesting exercise in gratitude to consider what you love and why. And while my short list is of course mostly silly, it has prompted me to remember that I have been given an incredible gift:
the ability to take pleasure in the small things of life. 

Don't neglect that gift as you go to bed, or go about your day.

Revel in the pleasure of loving bubble gum or ear plugs or good deodorant.

And if you need something new to love, to spark that "delight" impulse,

send me an email (funfitnutrition@gmail.com) so you can get your own Formula 1 shake.
Just an idea...

Join the movement of moms.

Follow me on Instagram @happyfitnessmama, share the things you love, and tag them #movementofmoms so that we can have another reason to smile!
Oh - and if you like this post, then go ahead and click on of the icons below to share it!

Disclaimer - Research shows that those people having a Formula 1 meal replacement shake twice daily as part of a healthy eating and exercise plan can reasonably expect to lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week. And the average annual compensation provided by Herbalife to its distributors at the Supervisor position with a downline is approximately $5,800. I have chosen to consistently follow my Herbalife nutrition plan and work hard at running my business, which is the reason for my personal results.

Peaches and cream

Today did not start out as planned.

And it turned out to be much better than I had expected!

I slept in, an amazing gift made possible by my wonderful husband staying home a little longer today to watch Little Man and let me wake up "naturally",

 as opposed to the electronically prompted reveille which normally rouses me...

Since he was going to be home a little longer, I decided to take further advantage of his kindness and draw a hot bath, to be enjoyed with my Herbalife tea and devotional book for moms.

Oddly enough, I was reading in it yesterday about interruptions being a reminder from God to worship Him...

As I started the bath water, I remembered something that I needed in our bedroom.

Prompted by a call from Hubs, I returned to find Little Man seated, 

clothes and all, in the slowly filling bathtub.
Apparently, he has developed some expert, though unsafe, climbing skills.

I felt my heart fall apart, tempted to be completely overcome with fear and guilt.

We will now be closing the bathroom door at all times, and making sure Little Man has some clarity as to the fact that bathtubs are not for play unless a parent is present.

The wonderful Hubs had also very kindly started a load of laundry,

which meant that by 3 inches deep, my bath water started running cold.

Needless to say, a 3 inch deep bath, after the immediately prior scare with Little Man,

was not the blissful fifteen minutes of peace for which I had been hoping.

As I was blow drying my hair, Little Man came wandering into our bathroom holding my keys (the forbidden toy), face smeared with a mystery orange substance.

After a surprisingly peaceful transferring of the keys to Mommy's hand, I reached in for a sniff.

Peaches!

With a chuckle and a shake of the head, I cautiously approached the kitchen, unsure of how I would discover the beautiful flat of peaches purchased yesterday and foolishly placed on the table, within reach of the toddler...

Fortunately, only two had been attacked by the childish munchies.

And yes, if you look closely, that is what you think it is, nestled among the peaches. 

No, I don't know why Little Man had it, nor why he decided that it belonged with the fruit.

Anyhow...

You've heard the phrase, 

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade"?

How 'bout, "When your day starts with peaches.

make peaches and cream!"

Today became an absolutely beautiful day...

I was given a gift certificate for a massage, and today was the perfect day to cash in that chip.

Not only that, but the giver also babysat Little Man.... AND took us out to a lovely lunch to celebrate friendship. The massage was fantastic, to say the least. The lunch was scrumptious. The company was unparalleled. But above all, the moments to stop and consider the value of friendship were priceless.

Today, I needed help. I needed my husband to reassure me that God is caring for our child and that he trusts me as a mom. I needed my friend to provide an hour's relief so that I could clear my head and pray as someone rubbed away the physical tension. I needed conversation and perspective. 

I needed help, and it was provided. My first inclination is always to remove myself from assistance, to "go it alone". Which would have left today as a flat of half eaten peaches...

But I was given help. Peaches are cream is so much better!
Now maybe you don't have a network of people reaching out to help you on your tough days.
This story is not meant to celebrate the help given to me at the cost of discouraging you.
This is meant to be an invitation.
I would love to be part of your support team. Obviously, I can't be right there with you to pay for a massage or babysit. But I would love to hear your story. I would love to connect, encourage, and equip you with some "cream" to enhance the day's peaches... I mean it.
Tomorrow, Friday August 22, at 9 am Pacific time, I will be on a conference call line, and would love to connect if you have a few minutes. Just dial 559-726-1300, and use the access code 761373#.
You don't have to "go it alone".

Choose help.

Join the movement of moms.

Follow me on Instagram @happyfitnessmama, document your moments of help, and tag them #movementofmoms so that we can remember to help and be helped!
Oh - and if you like this post, then go ahead and click on of the icons below to share it!

Disclaimer - Research shows that those people having a Formula 1 meal replacement shake twice daily as part of a healthy eating and exercise plan can reasonably expect to lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week. And the average annual compensation provided by Herbalife to its distributors at the Supervisor position with a downline is approximately $5,800. I have chosen to consistently follow my Herbalife nutrition plan and work hard at running my business, which is the reason for my personal results.

Raising adults

We are not raising babies.

Nor is it our goal to create children, is it?

Moms are given the task of providing the world with people who are ready to take on its challenges, who will behave with compassion and decency, and never give up.

We have, in our homes, the adults of tomorrow.

The old show Little Rascals was filled with mothers who admonished their sons to eat their oatmeal so that they could grow up and be President.

Now I don't particularly care if my Little Man wants to become POTUS.

Totally up to him.

Although I do give him his Herbalife kid's shake so that he can get his nutrients and feel healthy.

But I am responsible to give him the tools to at least be a gentleman.

So when we are getting out of the car and need to get the groceries inside, I will encourage any interest he shows in helping me unload since daddy is at work and can't help right now...

And if at 18 months old he can get excited about being able to carry mustard and a loaf of bread, then maybe as a young man he will be carrying all of our groceries without being told.

We want him to be a man's man.

Now that might mean that he loves contact sports and hunting, or it might mean that he plays in an orchestra and likes cooking.

But as a man, he will take responsibility for himself in this world, show responsible and kind leadership to the family God may give him, and work with excellence no matter what his profession.

How will he learn all of that if, in my mind, my only job is to just get a toddler to obey.

When set in light of the adult responsibilities he will be given, then teaching him to submit to reasonable authority, control his emotions, and being kind to others are not just optional lessons of the day.

They are what every adult must know, so Little Man must learn them, too.

Generations

I remember the first time that I heard the phrase "dysfunctional family".

I was in highschool and a friend was saying that his family was making some important decisions 

about their business so that they could have more time together...

The word scared me.

But I knew that my family was "healthy", and didn't give it much more thought.

Perhaps you didn't have that comfort growing up. I still firmly believe you can choose to break the cycle.

As a mother, now, I have been considering the difference between the two labels.

My conclusion-

I think the most significant distinction between dysfunctional and healthy families can be stated in one word:

Repentance.

Repentance is the act of acknowledging wrong, putting off, and putting on.

One has to be willing to admit that she has done something selfish, hurtful, prideful, etc...

Basically, she has to take responsibility for her behavior.

Then there is the choice to stop saying those mean things, or demanding unrealistic achievements, etc.

Finally, she must start actually saying kind things,
working together to set goals that her child wants to pursue...

But it won't be perfect.

That cycle will be repeated over and over again.

Not every word spoken in my home was always kind, especially words coming from my own mouth.

My parents and I didn't always agree.

They aren't perfect people.

But healthy families don't need perfect people.

They need repentant people.

I think this may be one of the most comforting things that I can know.

What freedom to be released from the pressure we tend to create, the idea that

"I put my kid in therapy"

because I wasn't a perfect mother.

Please!

No one is perfect, and your little ones don't need you to be!

They need to have the process of dealing with imperfection modeled for them by you,

their imperfect mother.

That is why now, twenty-seven years later, I am still grateful to have my parents over to play with Little Man.

Because they weren't perfect. And they didn't expect me to be, either.

They still aren't, and don't...

But we each make a decision every day to seek forgiveness, put off, and put on.

And now a new generation gets to grow up in our imperfect, healthy family.

Join the movement of moms. 

Follow me on Instagram @happyfitnessmama, document your family moments, and tag them #movementofmoms so that we can connect healthily happenin' families!
Oh - and if you like this post, then go ahead and click on of the icons below to share it!

Disclaimer - Research shows that those people having a Formula 1 meal replacement shake twice daily as part of a healthy eating and exercise plan can reasonably expect to lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week. And the average annual compensation provided by Herbalife to its distributors at the Supervisor position with a downline is approximately $5,800. I have chosen to consistently follow my Herbalife nutrition plan and work hard at running my business, which is the reason for my personal results.

The Laundry Room

Sunday afternoon, it's normally naptime...

Today, Little Man was the only one at our house getting a nap.

Hubs was dutifully splitting wood, which he calls fun.

Please note, if I was from the city, I'd say "chopping" wood.
 But I'm from a small town in the mountains,

so I know it's called "splitting". 

Yesterday was incredibly productive, which gave me that "high" that typically accompanies hard work,

so today, after a Formula 1 shake and Herbalife tea, I decided to clean the laundry room.

It was, in fact, the dirtiest room in our house.

It was the room where extra things were thrown,

the floor never got swept,

the cleaning supplies are stored, 

and the door is always closed!

Oddly enough, this very dirty room is the center of all things "clean".

 Why would I clean our clothes in this room and never bother to mop the floor?

It doesn't make sense, so I cleaned it. I even scrubbed the floor. 

While I cleaned, I was inspired, which is why I write to you tonight.

Moms are like laundry rooms.

We do alot, serve many purposes, 

and typically have the job of making our families clean and presentable.

And we often don't take care of ourselves the way we do our families.

I know that it's important to serve Little Man his veggies, but I often choose to go without.

I read to him every day and limit screen time, but will choose TV over a book without thinking twice.

I take him to play outside, but use my own free time to stay indoors instead of building up my Vitamin D...

I'm letting myself become a dirty laundry room.

And eventually, if I don't stop and clean up, I will be too dirty to be able to keep others clean.

Now please don't think I'm being melodramatic.

I'm not promoting crazy regimens of self-denial,

nor guilt ridden decisions to "be a good mom" based on unrealistic expectations.

I'm just making an observation. 

Laundry rooms, left unattended, become a paradoxical space of clean and dirty.

It seems to me that moms who don't make decisions to take good care of ourselves will soon have to question whether we are really doing our best to take care of our families...

That's all, just an observation.
And perhaps a challenge: try cleaning your laundry room this week...

Join the movement of moms.

Follow me on Instagram @happyfitnessmama, document your clean (or getting there) laundry room, and tag it #movementofmoms so that we can have another reason to smile!
Oh - and if you like this post, then go ahead and click on of the icons below to share it!

Disclaimer - Research shows that those people having a Formula 1 meal replacement shake twice daily as part of a healthy eating and exercise plan can reasonably expect to lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week. And the average annual compensation provided by Herbalife to its distributors at the Supervisor position with a downline is approximately $5,800. I have chosen to consistently follow my Herbalife nutrition plan and work hard at running my business, which is the reason for my personal results.

Dinnertime

This week, Little Man had his first "big boy" dinner experience at the table with us.

No booster seat for him, he would have been insulted. 

He's trying to say, "Seat", but it comes out as something a little different...

You can imagine...

Anyway - 

While he did munch on a few bites of kale while I was cooking, his dinner was a simple, 

no fuss peanut butter and jelly.

We, however, enjoyed a vegetarian dinner from a recipe

 I have been tweaking for weeks to perfect for our tastes 

(thank you to The Science of Skinny for inspiration).

If you know my Hubs, then you know that "dinner" and "vegetarian" were never combined in his vocabulary for the first 32 years of his life.

In fact, when we were dating, I posed the question, "Do you like seafood?"

His response? 

"Seafood's great, sure, as long as it's not a substitute for meat!"

And now, I have his stamp of approval on a truly vegetarian meal.

So I figured that for today's post I would offer the recipe, in case any similarly carnivorous husbands have resisted the occasional meat free dinner.

And if they are terribly hesitant, then you can go right ahead and add a little bit of sausage. That's what we did the first 5 times I made it...

Simple:

• 1 large bunch kale, rinsed and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 1 can small white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 Herbalife multivitamin, without which are meals are never complete

Instructions:

• Combine the quinoa and 2 cups of broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 12 minutes or until all water is absorbed

Meanwhile

• Saute the red pepper flakes, garlic and salt in the coconut oil for about 1 minute on medium heat
• Add the kale, one handful at a time, and stir until the oil looks absorbed (is that the correct spelling, I'm never sure?!)
• Add 1 cup of vegetable broth, stir, and cover. Cook on medium heat for 10 min to allow kale to soften.
• Remove lid, add beans and allow them to heat. 
• Stir in the quinoa, mix thoroughly, and ...
• Enjoy!

We had whole wheat bread as our side, cornbread is also yummy. And I'm a huge fan of real butter...

Join the movement of moms, we want to be fit and still eat butter!

Follow me on Instagram @happyfitnessmama, document your own dinnertime moments, and tag them #movementofmoms so that we can find new recipes!
Oh - and if you like this post, then go ahead and click on of the icons below to share it!

Disclaimer - Research shows that those people having a Formula 1 meal replacement shake twice daily as part of a healthy eating and exercise plan can reasonably expect to lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week. And the average annual compensation provided by Herbalife to its distributors at the Supervisor position with a downline is approximately $5,800. I have chosen to consistently follow my Herbalife nutrition plan and work hard at running my business, which is the reason for my personal results.

It's just the grocery store...

It used to be my favorite activity...

Which makes me kinda weird, I know, but I loved the grocery store!

I think I loved the "shopping around" part the most.

Finding a perfect deal, going to three different stores because each one had it's own specials...

Taking time to read labels and get creative...

And oh, how I loved Trader Joe's when I lived in Southern California and could walk the quarter mile to the world's best grocery store!

Alas...

Now, I live tucked away in the mountains, a 35 minute drive from Trader Joe's, and I have a toddler.

Goodbye, amazing grocery shopping days.

Hello, blitz runs for milk and the easiest veggies.

At least we're getting veggies, right?

My theory is that I can make Little Man believe that whole grain, 100% natural Fig Newtons are really cookies until he starts going to school and finds out that there is such a magical food as Oreos, 

and that you can actually eat them at lunchtime...

Until then, whole grain and figs, kiddo.

Anyway, we usually make it halfway through shopping before I have to pull a snack out of the purse to distract him from the millions of items within reach which he is not in fact allowed to touch.

I never actually go to the store without my Herbalife tea to simply fortify me for what used to be one of life's simplest and yet most charming activities...

If I'm quick we make it to the produce section before he starts the pleas to get down...

And I don't think I've made it out of the store yet without getting him out of the cart in the checkout line

 so that he will stay quiet just those last urgent moments when money is changing hands 

and I need to try to concentrate...

Then comes his favorite part, the whole reason he thinks we go to the grocery store at all. 

Little Man pushes the cart back to the car. 

Mommy is just there to steer and provide power (sounds an awful lot like Mommy is pushing, right? I know, confusing... But rest assured, Little Man is pushing. Mommy is just an accessory...)

And then, the sigh of relief. We are in the car. Big smiles. Almost home. 

Only one store today,

but instead of getting nostalgic for my grocery shopping trips of yore, I will rejoice-

We made it all the way through one store today!

Join the movement of moms, where we are proud of the little things!

Follow me on Instagram @happyfitnessmama, document your own grocery victories, and tag them #movementofmoms so that we can have the courage to go back next week for more milk!

Disclaimer - Research shows that those people having a Formula 1 meal replacement shake twice daily as part of a healthy eating and exercise plan can reasonably expect to lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week. And the average annual compensation provided by Herbalife to its distributors at the Supervisor position with a downline is approximately $5,800. I have chosen to consistently follow my Herbalife nutrition plan and work hard at running my business, which is the reason for my personal results.

Action heals

You're a mom (right?), 

So you know that sometimes, we get the blues.

I'm not going to dwell on the multitude of triggers, but I am going to make a tough diagnosis.

Ultimately, we are self-centered creatures.

Our daily actions may suggest that we really live for others,

but bottom line, we are tempted to be "about me" as much as any other human on this planet.

Which is why having lots to do gets us "down".

But I don't want this to be a further "downer" for you by explaining how mommies are just as selfish as anyone else... Although I may have already done that. Sorry!

Really, I'm only commenting because today was one of those days. Actually, just one of those afternoons.

This morning was wonderful, productive even.

And then something happened and I felt overwhelmed, maybe insignificant, full of doubts.

For a few minutes, I made the selfish decision to give up and be ruled by those emotions.

I'm telling you, that is a slippery slope into a very dark hole.

Today, I caught the life rope and held on, even though it came in a strange form.

Work!

Now I'm not going to psychologize this and say that doing that work actually gave me power when I felt overwhelmed, gave me a sense of significance when I felt otherwise, or gave me answers for my doubts.

Those are probably accurate observations, but they are band-aids.

What was really going on?

I wanted everything to go my way, and as soon as one thing didn't, I started believing lies.

What saved me?

Truth!

I was made to be a wonderful helper to my husband, a faithful mommy to Little Man, and an encourager to others - and made to do all things with excellence to the glory of God.

Working was a choice to believe the truth.

As you can see from the photo, today's "work" did not entail a very tidy office...

Regardless of the messy space, choosing (by God's grace) to put my mind in the right place 

actually provided wonderful relief to my discouraged heart.

And believe me, when I was done, I thoroughly enjoyed sitting down for a blissfully quiet ten minutes while Little Man finished his nap and I took some well earned time to read

 a favorite magazine and drink my afternoon Formula 1 shake. 

A treat is so much better when it is being used to congratulate, not ignore the real problem. Don't you agree?

Join the movement of moms.

Follow me on Instagram @happyfitnessmama, document your moments work or reward, and tag them #movementofmoms so that we can be inspired!

Disclaimer - Research shows that those people having a Formula 1 meal replacement shake twice daily as part of a healthy eating and exercise plan can reasonably expect to lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week. And the average annual compensation provided by Herbalife to its distributors at the Supervisor position with a downline is approximately $5,800. I have chosen to consistently follow my Herbalife nutrition plan and work hard at running my business, which is the reason for my personal results.

A cliché

"Life's a marathon, not a sprint."

It's a quote we've all heard, and it can help put things in perspective, 

whether it's an overused cliché or not...

On tonight's amazing leadership training call (yup, Monday night again!),

we had the amazing opportunity to hear about a man who trained for what's called the Leadville 100.

This 104 mile mountain bike race is for those serious minded athletes who are willing to train for months, arrive a week early to acclimate to the high altitude (12,000 feet if I remember correctly!), 

be completely self-disciplined for the 12 hrs it will take to ride (more or less),

and who believe in their training enough to never quit, even when the race is toughest.

This man is 60 and one of my new heroes.

I admit that I hear about an experience like that and the crazy part of me gets excited, as in,
"Maybe some day I will get to be that intense" kind of excited.

I may never in fact do it, and if I do, it won't be for another 20 years because I can't imagine making the time to train when there are kiddos with Saturday soccer games and all manner of activities....

But don't you ever like to imagine doing something that intense and what the feeling of victory would be?

When I was a freshman in college, I got to experience my own version of athletic accomplishment when I ran a full marathon a week before the school year ended. 

Running in the Frederick Marathon was actually an incredibly random decision. I enjoyed running about 3 miles at a time, and then one day thought, "I should run in an actual event."

Apparently I missed the fact that a 5k would qualify as a real event, so I went straight for the marathon.

Looking back, I have only one regret.

I didn't give 100% commitment to the training. Sure, I did a long run every Saturday,

 and I logged some miles.

But I knew that I wasn't giving my whole self to the process,

 and I wish I could have experienced a marathon at my best...

Even so, it was amazing. I was in Maryland, and at the 7am start time I knew that my dad would be awake in California preparing for his Sunday sermon. I knew he would be praying for me.

My brother was waiting at mile marker 25 for me, one of the best sights of my life! 

He jumped up, started running with me, and gave me a new goal for the finish, a couple ahead of me to beat.

By mile 26, I had to sprint the last 2 tenths of a mile in order to finish in front of them, and because he believed in me, I did it. 

I got to call my parents right after finishing, just before they left for church.

One of the most emotional calls I ever made...

Still, there's this nagging question of how much more amazing it could have been had I been in peak shape... 

So one day I will probably commit again, this time with a more mature understanding of the journey, 

not just the goal in mind. 

And I will have Herbalife24, so I know I will have the best nutrition possible... 

But most of us are not really elite athletes, 

and at this stage in my life I'm proud of myself for doing a 20 minute workout.

So how do we as moms get encouraged by a 60 year old man competing in an impossible seeming race?

Well, isn't what we do every day seemingly impossible?

For starters, we grew a human being inside of us, 

and crazier still, got it out of us...

Then, every morning, we make the decision to be about other little people, instead of just ourselves.

And there is a finish line, so to speak, because one day those kiddos will leave. 

I want to know that when Little Man goes out to face the world on his own,

I won't be regretting my lack of commitment to the journey.

This is both training and the event, really.

As a mom, you kind of get thrown into it all at once. You can't exactly practice having a baby until it comes...

So I want to know that every day I'm making decisions to make this a good race.

Am I giving my soul, mind, and body good nutrition?

Am I checking my "splits" to make sure that I'm on track with the goals I set?

Am I encouraging other "runners" along the way, and accepting encouragement?
Am I a woman of my word, sticking with the commitments I've made?

You are each part of my race,
 and I hope that we can all in turn be a part of each other's marathons as moms...

Join the movement of moms.

Follow me on Instagram @happyfitnessmama, document your own "racing" moments, and tag them #movementofmoms so that we can remember we aren't alone in this race!

Disclaimer - Research shows that those people having a Formula 1 meal replacement shake twice daily as part of a healthy eating and exercise plan can reasonably expect to lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week. And the average annual compensation provided by Herbalife to its distributors at the Supervisor position with a downline is approximately $5,800. I have chosen to consistently follow my Herbalife nutrition plan and work hard at running my business, which is the reason for my personal results.

"Owning it"

I never quite understood what was meant by the expression, "Own it". 

To me, you were either in a situation, or you weren't.

Why would "owning" your circumstances make any difference?

And how would you do it, anyway?

They are your circumstances, not possessions.

But today, I think I get it.

Thank you, Quicken, for today's life lesson.

Here's the deal:

For many things in life, if you aren't satisfied, you change.

For example, you don't like being brunette? Go blonde...

Tired of being overweight? Use Herbalife and get active...

Missing that connection with your husband? Start listening, stop nagging, 

and choose to prefer him until you are at a place where you can 

communicate lovingly enough to have a conversation about it... 

Some things can change, and should.

But what about the circumstances which may not go away, at least for awhile?

What if you would like to eat wheat but you are gluten intolerant?

You wish you could run but have bad knees?

You are built like Audrey Hepburn, but think that Marilyn Monroe epitomizes beauty?

OWN IT! 

It's all about choosing to believe that your challenge is a good thing.

By the way, those are not all examples from my own life. I would love to be built like Audrey Hepburn... 

Or Marilyn Monroe, for that matter...

But I'm built like a slightly too tall gymnast

 (without the years of discipline to keep my body fat below 15%...)

So, I will stop complaining about it and just enjoy that I have biceps like a 17 year old boy...

Okay, but it wasn't flexing my arms today that gave me my revelation.

It was spending hours figuring out how to use Quicken.

Did you know that you can set it up to calculate all of your

 monthly bills, income, etc, and give you daily projected balances?!

I invested my entire afternoon into understanding our finances and making sure that, 

with our planned budget, that daily balance is always in the black.

And now, instead of feeling vague and slightly terrified about the question, "Well can we afford it?", 

I have an answer. 

Just tell me which day and I will tell you how much money will be in the bank.

I gave myself the tools to stop being confused by our budget.

Now, I own it.
Join the movement of moms.

Follow me on Instagram @happyfitnessmama, document your moments of change or situations you "own", and tag them #movementofmoms so that we can support your journey!

Disclaimer - Research shows that those people having a Formula 1 meal replacement shake twice daily as part of a healthy eating and exercise plan can reasonably expect to lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week. And the average annual compensation provided by Herbalife to its distributors at the Supervisor position with a downline is approximately $5,800. I have chosen to consistently follow my Herbalife nutrition plan and work hard at running my business, which is the reason for my personal results.

A team

I know, it might seem odd to start a M.O.M. blog post with a picture of men who are 6'5" at least, where size humongous shoes, and make more money annually than we will spend on groceries in our entire lives...

Nevertheless, they are the team who last won the NBA championships (right?!), 

and therefore deserve recognition from a group of moms wanting to 

become a real team.

As a movement of moms, there will be different levels of involvement 

where different ones of us feel comfortable.

Some of you may want to sit in the bleachers, even the front row seats, and cheer on the values and activities which drive this movement.

Others of you may want to play the game, i.e. discover what fuels our healthy active lifestyles and get some for yourselves.

Still others may find that they want to be involved in the coaching -

 actually being part of what produces this movement.

But we are all a team. I believe that. Right now there are 4 of us saying "Let's do this, let's create a movement based on community". Two of us are moms, two are not.

 And we are obviously energized and supported by Herbalife, a company active in over 90 countries in the world, with the most prestigious businessmen and doctors in the world providing our logistics.

But if I didn't have clients every month wanting to be committed to their own health, 

and if I didn't have fans reading this blog and offering their emotional support, 

then this wouldn't have the potential of being an actual movement.

It might qualify as a stroll... A jog, even.

But there would be no hope of an actual momentum-creating movement unless there were fans, players, and coaches.

So thank you for being a fan, at least, since you are reading this!

Do you want to play the game and get in on good nutrition?

Do you want to get healthy and help others do the same by coaching?

Either way, join our call tomorrow (Friday, August 8) at 4pm Pacific time to find out more.

We will be having a conference call to share our vision and hear your thoughts.

Just dial: 559-726-1300, and when asked for your access code, enter 761373#. 

I will be waiting...

Join the movement of moms, be part of our team!

Follow me on Instagram @happyfitnessmama, document your own healthy active decisions, and tag them #movementofmoms so that we can cheer you on!

Disclaimer - Research shows that those people having a Formula 1 meal replacement shake twice daily as part of a healthy eating and exercise plan can reasonably expect to lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week. And the average annual compensation provided by Herbalife to its distributors at the Supervisor position with a downline is approximately $5,800. I have chosen to consistently follow my Herbalife nutrition plan and work hard at running my business, which is the reason for my personal results.

An absent minded anecdote

I'm sure that none of you are absent minded.

I'm sure you never blame anyone else for your forgetfulness.

Okay, actually, I'm pretty sure that if you are a mom, you are constantly trying to remember where the sippy cup is, where your shoes are, and even possibly where the bowl of oatmeal from this morning is!

(Funny thing, just now, when I typed in "sippy", it got one of those squiggly red lines underneath it... Apparently, Google spell check is not up to date on life with a toddler... That, or I really don't know how to spell "sippy" cup! Hmmmm....)

Anyway, to celebrate the fact that we are moms, and therefore we are often both a few steps ahead of ourselves and a few steps behind, I have chosen to share a story which epitomizes my current state of fog.

Don't be fooled. You see coconut oil, you see Herbalife, you think, "This is about the health benefits of coconut oil added to my morning shake..."

Tricked you. Yes I do like coconut oil in my shake but it just happened to be sitting there on the counter next to my shake when I took the picture. I didn't plan that, and this is not about health benefits.

That healthy, harmless Costco sized vat of oil will provide 

my Hubs with teasing ammunition for months to come.

As you may know, coconut oil is liquid when the temperature gets somewhere around 75F, and is solid at cooler temperatures. I prefer it in its liquid state because I find it easier to manage.

So we always keep it in the cabinet right above the stove and blender. 

Except that, recently, for 3 mornings in a row, I discovered it in our fridge. Hard and definitely difficult to scoop into my shake.

Each morning, I reminded myself that I needed to explain to Hubs (who does kitchen clean-up every night... I know, awesome, right?!)... Anyway, I needed to explain to Hubs that it wasn't going to spoil our oil for it to stay warm in the cabinet, so please stop putting it in the fridge...

And for 3 mornings in a row, I made my shake, scrambled Little Man's egg, and put the coconut oil back in its place.

Finally, after the third morning, I recollected to mention it to Hubs.

"You know, Babe, that coconut oil really doesn't need to go in the fridge. It's fine in the cabinet."

"Yes, I know."

"Well then why do you keep putting it in the fridge every night?"

"I don't. I've been meaning to ask you the same thing, actually."

"Wait, you mean... I've been putting it BACK in the fridge every day?"

Yes, I had. Every day, while figuring out a clever way to ask Hubs to stop doing something so annoying, I was actually walking back to the fridge and putting the oil right back on the shelf.

And that's just one story.

I'm sure you have one, too.

We would love to hear about your mom moments, even the less than brilliant ones!

Join the movement of moms, where we have nothing to prove.

Follow me on Instagram @happyfitnessmama, document your own amusing moments, and tag them #movementofmoms so that we can be encouraged that we are not alone!

Disclaimer - Research shows that those people having a Formula 1 meal replacement shake twice daily as part of a healthy eating and exercise plan can reasonably expect to lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week. And the average annual compensation provided by Herbalife to its distributors at the Supervisor position with a downline is approximately $5,800. I have chosen to consistently follow my Herbalife nutrition plan and work hard at running my business, which is the reason for my personal results.

No snooze challenge

I love to sleep.

I love the research studies giving statistical significance to the benefits of sleep.
I love having my Herbalife tea when I have to be done sleeping.
I love hitting snooze...
I don't love losing a quality hour because I am hitting snooze every 5 minutes, 12 times in a row before Little Man finally does the trick of wailing me out of delirium and into the day...
Have you ever thought about that wasted time?
Honestly, if we need more sleep and can anticipate that it will be a "snooze" morning, then we should just set our alarms for later and not miss out on quality shut-eye.
I used to be a great morning person.
When I was working day shift as a nurse, I was getting up no later than 5 every workday, having my hot beverage and reading in bed, taking deliberate steps to start my day well... And I loved it.
I would even get up early on vacation just to enjoy that "secret" time when no one else is moving around yet.
Then a year of working nights and I completely lost my morning mojo.
I've let it stay that way.
Now there is nothing wrong with being a night person.
The problem for most moms who are night people is that we are awakened accidentally every day by our kiddos, and don't really take the initiative to start our day "on purpose".
I feel like that means I'm missing out on some wonderful benefit of the day,
some special sense of "I can do this"...
Maybe that's what "not snoozing" does - it proves to myself that I can start the day with a self-controlled decision, which gives me hope that I can also overcome the doughnut craving and choose a yummy shake, or make the choice to squeeze in 10 minutes of exercise instead of giving in to Little Man's whining...
Anyway, that's what it did for me this morning.
Yes, I gave up "snoozing".
I did set my alarm 30 minutes later than I normally would have.
I did still waste those first few minutes by scrolling Facebook (as if anything incredibly meaningful had happened by 6:30 in the morning!!), but I never claimed to be perfect.
And I did get to enjoy my Formula 1 shake and tea before Little Man woke up, which gave me a rewarding sense of achievement by only 7:08, when I normally have achieved nothing by that time...
I do have high hopes for how those precious 30-40 minutes will be used tomorrow morning, but am trying to be realistic. Just refusing to hit snooze for 2 mornings in a row will be discipline enough on it's own, I think.
So here's to day 1, taken just before the meaningless Facebook scrolling began this morning -

Who else is up for a "no snooze" challenge?

Join the movement of moms, just by waking up!

Follow me on Instagram @happyfitnessmama, document your own healthy no snooze victories, and tag them #movementofmoms so that we can be encouraged to wake up too!

Disclaimer - Research shows that those people having a Formula 1 meal replacement shake twice daily as part of a healthy eating and exercise plan can reasonably expect to lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week. And the average annual compensation provided by Herbalife to its distributors at the Supervisor position with a downline is approximately $5,800. I have chosen to consistently follow my Herbalife nutrition plan and work hard at running my business, which is the reason for my personal results.

Stinky Feet

Remember last Monday I noted that I get to participate in an amazing personal development, leadership training call each week?

Tonight was that night, and thank you Laura Holloway for our blog's inspiration.

But not the stinky feet part- that was provided by Little Man.

I figured that if you are like me, your brain is either filled to the brim with random height and weight percentiles from Little One's 3 month check up (years ago!), or it's simply disengaged by 8pm every evening.

So perhaps some personal development might stick better
 if linked with such a vivid and frequently noted aroma.

Truth be told, as I was listening to Laura, we were driving home from our regular walk at the park, and Little Man managed to get his sandals off. The odor quickly wafted to the front of the car, intertwining itself with my thoughts as I listened.

Hopefully, now, whenever I smell stinky feet it will trigger thoughts of
setting a personal standard of excellence.

That's the real point of the post, by the way.

Setting a personal standard of excellence.

Basically, decide what excellence needs to look like in your life, and then show up.

By the way, a standard is simply "an idea or thing used as a measure in comparative evaluations". (Thanks again, dictionary.com).

In other words, you write a simple statement defining daily excellence, and every day you compare the outcome to that statement.

Decide every morning that today will not get the better of you.

And when it does, despite your best intentions, find 15 minutes at the end of the day to choose excellence again.

Even if it means making a list of things you are grateful for so that you don't go to be complaining; cleaning a bathroom mirror so that it sparkles back at you when you wake up; sending an encouraging text to someone instead of dwelling on feelings of discouragement.

And of course, take your Formula 2 multivitamin before bed!

But don't let tomorrow already be defeated because you went to bed without getting your head right.

It's like stinky feet:

They get a bath at night (okay, to be honest, some nights they just get rubbed down with baby wipes...), but that means no stinky feet in the morning.

I knew there was a way to connect that image!

So, choose excellence in something tonight before going to bed.

Tonight, for me, it's my vitamin and this blog. It's discipline, really.

What's your standard?

Follow me on Instagram @happyfitnessmama, document your own healthy choices (or your kids' stinky feet!), and tag them #movementofmoms so that we can support each other's standards!

Disclaimer - Research shows that those people having a Formula 1 meal replacement shake twice daily as part of a healthy eating and exercise plan can reasonably expect to lose 1/2 to 1 lb a week. And the average annual compensation provided by Herbalife to its distributors at the Supervisor position with a downline is approximately $5,800. I have chosen to consistently follow my Herbalife nutrition plan and work hard at running my business, which is the reason for my personal results.