If you have nothing nice to say don't say anything at all. Maybe that's why I've been so quiet. ;) I too like most women fall victim to a few crazy days every month. Maybe its TMI but its a part of life. I honestly use to think PMS was the biggest woman cop out in the world. Hormones don't change your moods? Really my chocolate craving, teary eyed, bloated, sleepy, migrained self in the last few years has eaten those thoughts. Everything was going smoothly and I should have known by my extreme need for a nap (I hardly ever ever am tired), my extreme cravings to want to go off food plan, and the scale not budging a single solitary ounce, that a storm was coming. I think my biggest downfall with my monthly friend is I just get grumpy because my stomach feels like its going to fall off and I tend to not work out at least for one or two days because I'm so uncomfortable. Working out for me puts me in a great positive mindset, so missing that coupled with being uncomfortable, tired, and bloated, and well I'm simply unpleasant. I will admit that I had a few "off days", and am now back on track ready for the gym and excited to challenge myself to step up my game to get back to focused positive Stephanie :) There are no excuses. We choose every decision we make, so I OWN it!

Hope everyone can push themselves to step a little outside their comfort zone this weekend and challenge themselves a little extra with their workouts. My progress for the week is down .8 - again nothing spectacular but considering the week I've had - I will take it! And I know I didn't do anything for a few days to truly deserve solid progress. Part of this process is being honest with yourself and admitting when you put the work in and when you didn't! Its not taking your challenge lightly or making excuses, but knowing when you need to adjust because you didn't do what you needed to. The way I look at is don't dwell... move forward... "A fresh mind keeps the body fresh. Take in the ideas of the day, drain off those of yesterday." And on that note off to the gym! And making some sweet potato fries this weekend! YUM! http://www.yourhealthyhedonista.com/2012/08/boiled-baked-sweet-potato-fries.html

"Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did."

During the summer is usually my "easier time of life" we're still busy but obv less busy than normal. This week felt like a "typical fall week". With doctors appointments, dance camps, workshops, school meetings, two full boot camps, clients, and not missing my own workouts and goals, it was a bit of a hectic week. Yesterday alone my day started with 5:30 am workout, drop offs, having 5 boys all day ages 7,5,5,5, and 19 months and ended around 9pm after teaching back to back boot camps. ALL things I have been blessed with and truly enjoy doing, but I was still beat to the bone! My day today started off busy but ended with some shopping and involved purchasing two new pairs of shoes... After an ultimate super mommy week I said to myself I am paid in love, there is no greater gift... Okay I am paid in love and shoes :)




Then I went on to watch my daughters awesome dance routines from her week at dance, taking another step for my program at school in the fall, AND a NAPPPPPP, a glorious, nice, uninterupted NAP -  which was like heaven and so needed. This week has been wonderful - full of all positive productive things - I'm just a little tired from the constant productivity - in other words - I desperately need a lazy day!! Hoping Sunday can make that happen!

Progress has been great, I feel harder/tighter this week and my workouts have def hit a better level leaving me super sore all week which may have added a bit to the fatigue, but I worked it out! The scale didn't move this week, and I would love to take the time to focus on writing and sharing about the importance of the scale not being the only deciding factor in progress because this is a great subject, but to be quite frank, I don't have it in me to go off on a subject, but its a message I like to drill quite often. I will touch a little on how weight looks differently with muscle, but I'm still quite tired, have a list of client emails I need to get to and looking forward to another busy day and friends wedding tomorrow, so this will be a short update of a blog.

I will say that this morning was quite a pleasant surprise in terms of my own progress in physique changes... I had planned for the wedding tomorrow to wear a formal dress already in my closet. A- because I have many, B- this is a group that I have never been to a wedding with and we attended like 3 or 4 wedding last year so I figured one would work, and C- I honestly was too exhausted to shop. To my surprise and delight... I tired on all of my dresses - some of which only fit in the summer when I tend to be leaner and they were TOO BIG! Either material ruffling up, big pockets on the side, or falling off up top! I was shocked. It is nice when your focus becomes just being healthy and staying in shape and you don't even realize you are hitting new goals in the process. I then tried on my testament of truth. That one piece of clothing we all have. It only fits when we are at a certain size and its usually very old. We keep just to see if we just fit into it. This particular item is a one piece skort outfit from express I bought it Freshmen year of high school!! I was a whopping 14 years old! Now my goal is not to have my 14 year old body... however I haven't really grown since then so essentially its a guide. Its a size 1/2 - which I'm not generally a "size person" because I really think every brand store is different and it doesn't matter. The fact is I've had it since high school so its my center of reason for small size on my frame. Put it on this morning in my midst of my own little fashion show and it fit!! FELT GREAT!! As exhausted as I may be, I know I've been able to keep my goals and fitness strong even with all of my craziness in life. To every Mom who thinks they cant, who thinks they're too busy, who thinks they'll wait until their kids get older, I'm telling you now.. DO IT NOW. We can give and give and give. We can work, we can clean, we can love unconditionally... but you DESERVE some of your own attention. It will give you more energy and positivity to work with, trust me your kids will thank you :) and SO will your man! And speaking of men, my husband hit a pretty big trying on marker of his own. As I mentioned we have a wedding tomorrow, and he has various suits for various weights in his closet. His favorite suit however he purchase back in 2003 when we went on our first cruise to Bermuda, its a nice pin stripped suit, crisp clean and so handsome. He's not been able to fit into it for quite sometime but has always kept it, hoping someday he would be able to.



Well he tried it on this morning and it fit!! He was very excited and I am proud of him sticking to his goal as well!! Healthy rounds all around :)

So quick little food idea. I love it, my clients love it, and its always great to have ideas. This one came courtesy of when I took Jenny Hendershots Phat Camp last year : http://www.getphatwithjen.com/
which was phenomenal by the way and I highly recommend it! I believe she is coming back to Boston in October! I love deviled eggs and this is kind of a spin on that. Boil your eggs, take the yolks out and spoon hummus back in to fill. Great high protein, clean snack!! I use roasted red pepper hummus DELISH!!



Hope everyone stays on track and has a wonderful weekend!!

BEYOND REASON

Some people simply refuse to accept limits or listen to conventional wisdom. Instead of merely existing in history, they have the daring and courage to change it. Their drive takes them beyond the ordinary, and their sense of purpose propels them far beyond the boundaries of reason. At Oakley, that spirit infuses everything we do. For Oakley athlete Lolo Jones it's putting 12 years of work into 12 seconds of hurdles. BEYOND REASON.

Some people cannot understand our fascination with athletes. And that's perfectly fine, I get if its not your thing, its not your thing. But APPLY this mentality to ANYTHING in life. You want to purchase a home and it takes you 12 years to save, and scrape and sacrifice to do so. You want your PHD, and you struggle and study, take school loan after school loan to get it. You want to own your own business, you build it from scratch. Year upon year of not paying yourself, up late nights, work your tail off and it succeeds. You want to start a family. You want to MAKE a difference. You want a better position at work. You want a better life. WHATEVER it is, you have to be willing to be relentless and WORK for it. People who do great things are not lucky, nor are they simply blessed. They have failed, and they have had tough ties just like anyone else. Many have wanted to quit, some HAVE quit. But that is where the fascination lies. There is something SPECIAL about their ability to dig down and accomplish. I know many will say well what about the single Mom who digs down? What about the woman with cancer who was able to dig down? What about the child raised from drug addicts that was able to dig down? And what about the teen Mom that was able to dig down? Those people inspire me too! Every point in your life YOU have power, ONLY you. Everyone pity's the weak, I don't want pity. Jealousy is earned! I don't want jealousy either. I just want like this video expresses that feeling FOR MYSELF - overcoming doubt and accomplishing what you need to accomplish and finding that JOY WITHIN.  I thrive off that!

I realize my message is fitness based BECAUSE that is what I do. However it applies EVERYWHERE in life and that is why I find it so inspiring. You would not believe the emotion and struggles I deal with in this industry working with clients. Its why I have such passion for what I do, and why I am good at what I do, because I truly care. I SEE first hand that something that seems so straight forward and simple - Workout 4 days a week and eat healthy - is not so simple. There's so much EMOTION attached to food and your body image. There's emotion attached to your genetics, and your body's make-up. There's vulnerability attached to your confidence, your goals. Fitness is so much more than just workout 4 days a week and eat healthy - IT IS NOT so simple. And I find when I'm challenging myself a little more, I too am reminded how MENTAL this is more than physical. How your mindset plays the MOST important ROLE.

So without further rambling because I'm having an extremly busy and inspired day, I will do my own personal log.

Sunday I had a cheat day - more so just a few off hours but it was due with progress. The one thing I do like about cheating is just not having to THINK about my food so much. But one thing I hate about cheating is after consistently eating clean for a period of time, greasy fatty food makes me soooooo sick to my stomach. Without giving TMI (too late its coming) - "cheat food" goes RIGHT through me. Its really putting a dark cloud on the whole cheating experience for me. Who wants to enjoy one hour of fun food to be sick and in the bathroom for the next 4 hours? YUCK no fun! And I also don't feel like my cheat meal is doing its purpose of re feeding me and filling me up if I'm dehydrated, drained, and sick following it. So I'm thinking I may have to replan my cheat meal planning. I may just have to up carbs for the day instead and stay away from excess fat or totally off plan foods. A "typical cleaner refeed" day instead. I'm ok with that, bagels make me just as happy :) And you know what never makes me sick? Wine. Wine never makes me sick ;)

Workouts have been great and cardio intervals have been challenging me like no other!! I've missed training like this!! Prepping food has made my life SO much easier! Again I haven't been as fun in the kitchen with variety but for simplicity and consistency its working!! In your spare time ;) try this interval program on the treadmill! Fun times! And for those who feel self conscious walking backwards on the treadmill to that I say... get over it. Step outside your comfort zone. Your tush will thank you!!  At first people may stare but when you are getting into better and better shape I guarantee you will then see "followers". Its so true. At first people ask WHY you do something? And then when you get results they ask HOW you do it?

**And one last honest somewhat funny note... whoever said beauty knows no pain has never worn the wrong cute underwear vs. the comfy underwear to the gym while doing this program!*** NOT FUN!

And today I'm off to a CUPCAKE workshop with the kids!!! Not once lick of frosting shall enter this mouth... not one lick of frosting shall enter this mouth... not one lick of frosting shall enter this mouth!

Sprinters abs!!

TWO BAD DAYS on the weekend can ERASE 5 good days of progress, REMEMBER THAT! If you are trying to maintain, then that balance may work for you. But if fat loss is your goal you will be caught like a hamster in a wheel, never progressing because the damage the weekend brings is erasing the hard work you put in over the week. Stay consistent and opt for a nice TREAT meal at the end of the week. A 3 hour span of freedom. A break mentally and physically from your goals. Its a reward for you to earn, a treat for you, and a turning point to get right back on track for the next week and new goals.

Yesterdays log: I decided I needed to get some sleep since I'd been waking at 5:00am all week so I did not opt for am cardio. I lounged in bed a little and just relaxed with the kids. Sometimes this is good, but sometimes it just makes it harder for me to get motivated. I ate breakfast later than normal and I played around on the internet. It was going to be a hot sunny day so I seriously was debating the gym. I planned to get it in early and pool it the rest of the day but I was being lazy. I was watching Olympics clips with the kids and after watching this one of Gabby Douglas I really wanted to go to the gym!!

Athletes have always been inspiring to me. Their determination, their work ethic, their heart... it just motivates me watching them! Who can watch such strength, confidence, beauty and poise from a CHILD and not be motivated?!?! So up and off I went with my day and it was a GREAT ONE!

Ironic while doing intervals on the treadmill guess who happened to be on the TV screen in front of me???

Ms. Ripped Ross with etched out abs running her heart out!! Coincidence? I think not! Total Olympic Motivation #2 of the day!

I hate running!! Not gonna lie, but I did my interval session like a good girl and I liked it! Ok I liked how I felt after completing it, but I did not LIKE IT ;)

If you wanna try it! Love training like this: focused and done and changing it up so often makes it go by faster.

This workout was given by http://www.mikedaviesfitness.com/ My old fitness trainer when I competed. Even though I'm not training for a show I'm just training for my own accomplishment I still like to PUSH myself!!

Instructions:  This program is done on the treadmill and contains three
different intervals involving walking, lunges on the treadmill, and
running.

WARM-UP:  EFX at a moderate pace for 10 minutes

INTERVAL :  Set the treadmill at a 2% incline at a speed of 3.6+ and walk
for two minutes.  Back the speed down to 2.0 or less and lunge on the
treadmill for one minute.  Immediately up the speed to 6.0+ and run for two
minutes.  At the conclusion of the run up the incline by 2 to 3% and
repeat the cycle adjusting the speeds for each section the same.

INTERVAL BREAKDOWN

INTERVAL         TIME
ADJUST INCLINE to 2%
Walk         0:00-2:00
Lunge         2:00-3:00
Run         3:00-5:00
ADJUST INCLINE to 5% - I chose at my level of conditioning to leave the incline at 5% but you could continue to increase with each cycle if you are ready.
Walk         5:00-7:00
Lunge         7:00-8:00
Run         8:00-10:00
ADJUST INCLINE to 5%
Walk        10:00-12:00
Lunge        12:00-13:00
Run        13:00-15:00
ADJUST INCLINE to 5%
Walk        15:00-17:00
Lunge        17:00-18:00
Run        18:00-20:00
ADJUST INCLINE to 5%
Walk        20:00-22:00
Lunge        22:00-23:00
Run         23:00-25:00
Cool down - Walk 3.6 for 10 minutes.

**Favorite meal of the day... 2 oz flank steak, 3oz chicken, roasted red pepper hummus on the chicken and 1 tbs tabouli on the steak and a boat load of asparagus and green beans sauteed... YUM!!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!! And can enjoy some of this beautiful hot summer sun!! Stay fit, healthy, happy, and real :)

**Progress tracking, I am down 1.8 lbs since Tuesday**

"Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one." (Ancient Chinese Proverb)

HAPPY THURSDAY!! One more day to the weekend always makes me happy :) Today was great! Started off with am cardio and ab work with a girlfriend, sweating it out while girl chatting always seems to make it so much easier. Time flies! All my food being prepped is I will admit a little boring with variety, but I just find myself not having to think AT ALL about what I'm going to eat or prepare or bring. Definitely puts some ease into eating cleaner. Took the kids to a fun educational workshop today. It was a Fossil dig! They got these cool little kits of "rocks" with 4 actual fossils inside. They had to dig, scrape and find the fossils and dust them off and identify them matching them to the cards and descriptions that came with the kit. It was very cute! They were little paleontologists for the day!! They loved it... Honestly I did too!

Right after our Fossil Dig I came out into the car and wolfed down my next meal preparing myself for the next treat for the kids of the day. A trip to Friendly's!! Now normally the Nines or somewhere with halfway decent healthy food, I could have manipulated my meal there at the restaurant to fit. But honestly something "healthy from Friendlys" did not sound appealing at all. Honestly Friendlys in and of itself does not really appeal to me much at all, but the kids are obsessed... so whats a Mom to do? So I ate in the car my packed meal, knowing I wouldnt eat there. Makes sense anyway, wrangling three kids in a restaurant - coloring, playing games, making ketchup bulls eyes, picking meals, cutting food, trips to the bathroom, I'm lucky if I get to focus on my food anyway, so it works good with me not eating. Less stress actually since I'm solely fixated on them. Less stress is relative - boys and indoor voices are a working progress.

I did however treat myself to a nice refreshing beverage to enjoy while I watched them pound quesadillas and ice cream. I will say a few weeks ago I did "indulge" and get a quesadilla at Friendlys with them and was sick so badly to my stomach for about 8 hours! It was miserable, too much grease and excess fat hurt my belly bad. So honestly there was no hard feelings about not eating. My "treat" today was my venti unsweetened iced green tea. I don't drink coffee, so this tea is just my little treat that I love. Its refreshing, it keeps my mouth "occupied" and green tea has many health benefits. 

Click here to read more:  http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa011400a.htm

The entire day (and my clients can vouch for this) :) I answer emails and texts regarding programs in between my madness. This evening I chatted with an online client who is doing great!! You guys seriously motivate me!! I know everyone's journey is different and to see you all fighting for it despite your struggles makes my heart happy and is SO rewarding I cant even begin to express! 

• This client is already down 9 lbs 
• lost 1.5 in her Bust 
• lost 2.5 in her waist
• Lost 1 in her Abdomen
• Lost 2 1/4in her Hips
• Lost 1 inch in each leg
• Lost 1.5 in her arm

I finished the day off with some much needed housework, laundry, and family time chilling outside... 

I LOVE SUMMER NIGHTS!!

August FIRST!!!

The first day of August is so very bitter /sweet. I love the first of the month just feels so FRESH and renewing - sweet. I do however dislike the first of the month because it means bill time - bitter. Add to today a trip to the dentist - who do I make the check out to? And a trip to Lowe's for a new washing machine because ours decided to die the night before we were going away (perfect timing). The good news I learned about Loews - they deliver for free and they haul away the old one for free - best news I heard all day! I also went to a fun/ice cream center with the kids as Bryce's reward for the dentist and I FORGOT my coupons!! Seriously I have like 9 coupons to this place and didn't bring one - another bitter. So today was a lack luster start of August. HOWEVER, I may be a little bitter as well because we just got back from a great trip away and back to reality no matter how sweet it is always leaves me a little sober when I'm drunk off vacation. Yes, I'm on summer vacation with the kids and I am beyond blessed to have the summer with them, but its just not the same as vacation vacation - ahhhhh so nice! Having my hubby home is the best!

Anywho AUGUST FIRST = GOALS. I'm going to set a blog one for myself that ties into fitness. As the month of August I have two boot camp sessions that are full!! Several online clients, and a handful of in home clients I stay on top of fitness correspondence anyway. One thing I do miss about competing is in the fitness world many would keep fitness journals of their fitness preps, myself included. It was a great outlet. A dear Diary if you will to share your journey. Your ups, your downs, your diet confessions, your workouts, your day etc. It was as I said, a great way to both interact, get encouragement, encourage, and stay accountable to your goals with like minded individuals. Because that can be time consuming interacting too much, my goal for the month of August is to "journal" if you will, here at my blog. Some days will be short and sweet, some days will be vents/check ins/confessions. If you want to follow along please subscribe to my blog as I see hundreds and hundreds of views but realize many are not subscribed, and I wont be posting links to facebook each entry as its only for those interested in following. Also if you are subscribed and following you can comment/ask questions etc.

So AUGUST FIRST - my check in. I have been living the healthy fit, eating mostly clean lifestyle now with balance for about two years. Balance of staying dedicated to the gym and my workouts, encouraging my clients by setting an example. And eating clean about 80% of the time and still indulging in treats here and there and during the summer winnnnneeeeeee. I've mentioned before your plan needs to align with your goals. Its cyclical for me depending on events/holidays and with the summer I have been equally as focused on fitness as I have been on wine because its my balance. I have extra time to work out and I have extra time to drink wine :) Therefore my physique goals have been simply feel good in a bikini, be healthy - nothing more, nothing less.

NOW - August first comes and I feel a smiggen of this pressure coming over me, and I'm trying my best to not let it get to me. We still have plenty of summer left but I have a LIST of things in my head that need to be done before August 27th (the night before the kids first day of school). I REFUSE to stress too much so I'm also using this fitness journal blog as an outlet to focus on my peace and not the million things I need to do.  In my head the thoughts are swimming... I have almost 25 clients this month to take care of. I'm not use to being so busy in the summer months - ZERO complaints because this is great! Business has been expanding but I'm making sure I have it under control. We have dance camp, school shopping, my own school orientation, educational/fun workshops, playdates,getting my schedule set for fall, a cast coming off, a wedding, a baby boy with a cut still trying to heal. And then at the end of the month we're celebrating my 30th birthday a couple weeks early with a fun night/day in Foxwoods. These are all great things!! Not a negative among them (well except my boo boo boy) I just feel that "pressure" a little of August first.

So my fitness goals - there's 80% clean and focused and then there 100% clean and focused for competing - I'm trying to find about 93% to be completely honest for the next few weeks. Just my own little personal goal, my own little challenge. I want to challenge myself NOW while I can before school starts and that will be my focus.So I've stepped up my dedication a bit in the gym and I've cleaned up the nutrition a bit too - after our trip to Ben and Jerry's of course. And suddenly I remember the DIFFERENCE between 80% and even 90 % never mind 100%. THERE IS A BIGGGGG DIFFERENCE. No more nibbles here and there, even less processed convenient things. HOLY COW it makes your metabolism CRAZY!! 45 minutes on a preset interval program on the stairs is NOTHING compared to a real old fashion change the levels by yourself challenging interval HIIT session... holy sweat buckets and OUCH - kicked my butt but felt SOOOO good!!! And serious question - WHO THE HELL can do level 20 on the stairs?!?! Seriously!! Unless you're 6 feet tall or an olympic athlete it seems damn near impossible! Oh wait let me add WITHOUT breaking out all of your teeth falling. The highest I've hit this week was 15 and I was running on the stairs and legit a little scared for my life! INTENSE! But it was the push and jump I needed.

So my goal for AUGUST - to lose one lb of body fat per week. I know doesn't sound aggressive at all. but one pound of PURE fat, not muscle not water. 4 lbs of fat over the month. At the stage I'm at that's all I want or am willing to fight for at the moment, while keeping some balance. I may not be able to tell by the scale, I may not be able to tell by getting my body fat tested but I will be able to tell by my abs. pics don't lie.

So here is my starting pic taken today - lets see what 4 weeks can do :)



I actually technically started on July 31st - because we got back home and I was ready to start but I'm really still to be 100% getting onto plan 100%. You know you are eating cleaner when weird things you would NEVER touch all of a sudden are SOOOOO appealing!! Today I was STARVING - and I eat SEVERAL times a day!! PLENTY OF FOOD - just need to crush my cravings and get use to this - I opened Bryce's chocolate pudding and licked the cover! WHY?! I dont know couldnt tell you. I havent eaten pudding since I was a kid, nor ever had a desire to but I'll tell you - it was DELICIOUS! That's all I had a lick  - I apparently enjoy torturing myself! Later that day Bryce didnt finish his SMORE poptart - damn kid - eats my rice cakes when he smore pop tarts and then has the NERVE not to finish it. I'd be lying if I didnt say I took off the top quarter of the poptart before throwing it away and it was soooooo good!! SMORE poptarts are the damn devil. And last little nibble of the day - I came upstairs to charge my phone and get ready for the gym and what did my husband leave out?!?! An open bag of sour cream and onion chips? So I popped a few before closing them up and putting them away. There - my nibble confessions for the day!! But my food is prepped, measured, and I did great the rest of the day and finished this evening off with a great workout. I feel my fire coming back. I just need to cut the nibble crap. I'm a fan of if I'm hungry I'll just eat more healthy food, not nibble on nonsense. A cheat is a cheat - scheduled allowed and guilt free - those little nibbles do nothing but mess with your head and willpower.

So here we go to August FIRST - MORE SUN, FUN, SUCCESS, and FOCUS!!