December 1

Happy December! Wow, can't believe it is already December! The amazing weather we have been having is really playing tricks on my mind. 70 degree weather at the end of November is a serious treat in New England. I started the month of December with a 4:30am alarm clock, a chest and shoulder workout, followed by a 6:30 am Yoga class at my favorite yoga studio, The Yoga Tree. I've been trying to go at least one time per week but am thinking of aiming for twice a week during the holidays to keep my stress at a minimum! After Yoga I stopped at Wicked Big Cafe to get myself caffeinated up for the day with a 2 year old and an almost 1 year old! Those two really make me smile and laugh everyday but they sure are exhausting and I always need one or two coffees to get me through the whole day! haha
We spent the day baking, playing, and delivering our letters to Santa at the The Macy's Santa Mailbox. Its a really awesome program they have. At every Macy's across the country, there is a letterbox to collect letters for Santa. You just bring in a stamped letter to Santa Clause and Macy's will count every letter they receive and donate $1 for each letter to the Make a Wish Foundation! Pretty cool! 
Tonight I finally did something I have been wanting to. I registered for the Cathy Savage Camp! It is January 27th, 28th, and 29th. I've been putting off registering for a while because I was nervous, and kept making up excuses as to why I couldn't go. When Adam told me he would take the days off from work I knew I had to just sign up! I am so excited to meet some other Savage girls, see the studio, meet Cathy, my coach Jules and Lori Harder! I am so glad I finally did it! I know I am going to get so much out of it! 
Whelp, its 8:30 and after waking up at 4:30 I'm about ready to hit the sack! Off to lunge on the couch for a bit and catch up on some tv and enjoy my gorgeous Christmas Tree! 
Goodnight friends! 

xox

Getting back into blogging!

I seem to have lost my blogging mojo but am really hoping to have found it again! I would love to document this amazing journey I am on and have something to look back at! So lets see, competition prep is going wonderfully! I'm feeling strong, satisfied, and still continuing to lose weight! My coach Jules said everything is working like a well oiled machine at this point and she hasn't needed to make any changes to the diet yet including my very generous TWO cheat meals! I know I am still a ways out from my show...(april) but so far things are going smooth! When I started with CSF I weighed 158 pounds which was pretty good for me! Today when I stepped on the scale I was 142.2. I can't remember a time in my life I have been this low and can't believe I could possibly be in the 130's within a couple of weeks. However, one of Cathy's biggest pet peeve is the scale, so I am trying by best to only weigh in once a week at most! My shoulders and back are starting to really develop, my legs have been a bit harder for me to see changes in so we have added an extra leg day into my workouts. My biggest motivation is people at my gym have started to ask me if I was training for a competition. Just knowing that they could see the changes in my body was very encouraging. It's nice to see those same familiar faces at 5am everyday and know that you have become a regular part of the morning gym crowd since they recognize me now! 

Thanksgiving this year started early...6:30 am with the Feaster Five. A 5k and 5 mile race in Andover Massachusetts. I chose to run the 5 miles race with my sister and a couple of her friends! This was there first 5 mile race and they did amazing! This race was such a fun way to start Thanksgiving and so family orientated. Every runner.....all 10,000 plus...received an apple pie for finishing! They also had tons of water, fruit, and carby snack at the finish! It was a great race.Heres a video at the start line! After the run I rushed home...after sitting in traffic for over an hour to get out of the parking lot. Then we headed over to my grandfathers for meal #1. Olivia had so much fun playing with her second cousins, and getting a hayride behind Grandpas four wheeler. After dessert we headed over for Thanksgiving number two with Adams side of the family. Just as delicious the second time around! I made sure to load up my plate with turkey and tons of veggies. Just a taste of stuffing and mashed potatoes and one dessert at each location! It was perfect. For the first time ever I left feeling satisfied and not sick. 

I am so incredibly grateful for my beautiful daughter who shows me how to look at this world in a whole new way, my amazing husband who shares in my goals, dreams, and outlook on life. I would be lost without his guidance and support. My parents who taught me what family is all about and my sister who is more like a best friend. I am also grateful for each and everyone of my friends, near and far, who I know will support me through anything. Feeling very blessed and thankful this year during the holidays!  

Sick, 10 hours of sleep, and getting right back into it!

Thursday night I woke up in the middle of the night with some serious stomach issues. I'll leave it at that. Anyways it had me up all night so I knew my 4:30am alarm clock for Fridays workout needed to be shut off! Friday was a rough day. I stuck to my diet for the most part but knew I had to make today a rest day as far as my workouts went. I went to bed at 7pm last night.....woke up at 6:30am as good as new!! Yay! I was so happy to only miss the one gym day. I gathered my things had a little dry cereal and half a banana and off I went! Right back on track! Today I had also planned a cheat meal with Adam and Olivia so I was so excited to be hungry and feeling better. We headed to Jimmy K's for breakfast before Adam had to head to work! I got the m&m stuffed pancakes, Olivia got the Mickey Mouse pancakes, and Adam got the Irish Breakfast! Yum, yum, yum! My pancake totally satisfied my serious chocolate and carb craving I was having. 
This morning I stepped on the scale and was pleasantly surprised with the number I saw! 146.8! I'm not sure if it was because of my sickness yesterday or all my hard work...but I'm going to go with the later! I can't remember the last time I have weighed under 149! 
After breakfast Adam headed to work and Olivia and I headed up North to the Kancamagus for a little hike. We met my parents, my sister, nephew, and brother in law. It was gorgeous! The sudden downpour of rain cut our hike short but it was great seeing all the fall colors and getting outside for a bit! 
Tomorrow I have a 5k Charity run in Swampscott, MA Miles for Kyle. I'm hoping its cool and sunny with no sudden rain showers!! 
I'm off to get Miss Olivia bathed and ready for bed then we have a date on the couch with "It's a Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" movie with her then "Bad Bosses for the adults! I am also cooking up some Tuna steaks and asparagus for dinner tonight. Saturday nights are really hoppin around here! 

Run Baby Run!

On the schedule today was 40 minutes of cardio! A Quick easy workout was on the agenda. I decided the night before I would use today to get a run in, since I really miss all the running I had gotten used to during my training for the half marathon. The weather called for rain all day, so I knew I either was going to be running in the rain or had to get up before it started. I set the alarm for 6 am.....woke up to pitch black, rolled back over since it of course wouldn't be safe to run in the dark, and went back to bed. Then my 2 year old alarm clock named Olivia woke me up at 7:15, but when she crawled into bed with us I decided again to roll over and go back to bed. It was perfect sleeping in, cuddle weather. Finally at 8 Olivia had enough and forced me to get up. When I looked out the window I saw it still hadn't started to rain so I laced up my sneakers and off I went for my run! It was perfect....my legs were a little stiff from the workout I had the day before but they quickly loosened up and my run felt effortless and calming. The weather was absolutely perfect for a run, cold and cloudy! 
When I got home I made a quick run to Starbucks for my coffee before Adam headed out to get his workout in. There's something about drinking coffee and eating oatmeal and eggs in a quiet place before the craziness of my day starts that makes me feel like I can handle anything. Adam always lets me have my breakfast in peace by entertaining Liv and I am so grateful for that! 
It rained today, all day, and I had two kids stuck inside. I spent most the day wrapped in a snuggie since it was so cold. The kids spent a lot of the day having a dance party in Olivia's room, coloring,painting, and a little bit of TV time. It's hard work entertaining kids stuck inside all day!

It's 9pm and Im sipping on some green tea to curb the sweet cravings I am having. I will in bed very shortly for a 4:30 alarm clock that is set for tomorrow! Chest, shoulder and tri is on the workout plan for tomorrow! 
Goodnight xox

Officially the worst blogger ever!!

OK, its been over a month since I last posted on the blog. Its probably a good thing not many people follow this and its mostly for myself to hold myself accountable! Let's see.....what has been going on in the last month? I completed my first half marathon in 1:56! Results can be found here! There I am, number 512!! I was really happy with my results and the whole race overall. I woke up to rain, wind, and cold and got a bit discouraged. My husband Adam told me some encouraging words....part of it being "do you know how badass it is to run 13 miles in the rain?" haha so with that I ran my heart out and felt amazing the entire time! I ran an 8:58 pace which I don't think I have ever run on any of my practice runs. It must have been the excitement and adrenaline. I crossed the finish line smiling and am so happy I signed up for this! 

Last 1/4 mile from the finish line! 

The weather in New England has quickly turned into fall. Its cool, crisp, and perfect! My favorite time of year! I even seem to be liking the cold rainy days as it gives me a reason to stop, take a breath, and just enjoy hanging out with my 2 year old instead of dragging her on 100 errands everyday! 
Now as you already know I have signed up with Cathy Savage Fitness to train for my first figure competition in April. Its been about 2 months on the program and I love it! I love waking up in the morning for my workouts, I love Sunday check-ins with my coach Jules, and I love my meal planning. I am so excited to be on this journey and see my body changing on a weekly basis. Its a fun and motivating experience!
I am hoping over the next 6 months or so to blog more regularly so I can have this experience written down to look back on. 
My meals are pretty boring since they have to be pretty plain but every now and then you may get a picture of one of my cheat meals! 
Breakfast today was 1/2 Eziekel English muffin with banana slices on top and an egg white omelet with peppers, onions, low fat cottage cheese and salsa. Basically my breakfast every single day! Good thing I really enjoy it! 
Tonight i am hoping to go to Yoga! I am really looking forward to it, the last time I went Caroline my favorite instructor told me that my back was very tight. It's the first time she's ever told me that and I think it has something to do with the lack of yoga and added lifting! Theres nothing like finishing a long day with a candlelight flow. 
Happy Tuesday everyone! 

Bikram Yoga

Morning! 

I started my morning off with an omelet loaded with veggies, some watermelon and a  piece of Eziekel Cinnamon Raisin bread. Then I made my way to the gym for a shoulders and back workout. I knocked out my workout in a little over an hour. I was meeting my friend Bridget for coffee at Wicked Big Cafe in downtown Haverhill. I had some time to spare so I took my cardio outside for a 30 minute run in pouring rain. There is no better feeling than having your entire workout done before 7 am. If you don't workout in the morning I highly recommend it, and I promise you I was never a morning person before! 

It was so nice to catch up with my friend Bridget over coffee and the the Wicked Big Cafe had a great cozy atmosphere for a rainy morning. 

My Labor day weekend was relaxing and perfect! Even though Adam had to work the entire thing we made do with his mornings off.  I spent lots of time in Newburyport, outside, and at Farmers Markets. Monday I went to an 8 am Bikram Yoga class and met my friend Brooke there. She is training for her first figure competition in October and looks incredible!!! She is one of my biggest inspirations! Such a strong person inside and out! I hadn't been to a Bikram Yoga class in weeks and my body was craving it. I'm actually not a huge Bikram fan during the class, but always feel so amazing afterwards. Towards the end of class the instructor pointed out it was my birthday (3 days prior) and the entire class sang Happy Birthday to me! It was a nice (embarrassing) surprise! 

My parents had a cookout on Sunday for Labor Day. It was nice seeing everyone and spending some time together as a family. Too bad poor Adam had to work! Mom made the perfect meal for me, grilled chicken, roasted veggies, and salad! It was perfect. Thanks Mom! Since they had the cookout Sunday, Monday night I decided to make some "clean" turkey meatballs for dinner. I had mine over a salad and Adam had his smothered in tomato sauce. 

Well since its rainy and chilly here Olivia and I plan on spending the day doing some cleaning, organizing, and lounging!! 

New month, Birthday, and one week down of Cathy Savage Fitness!

Happy September!! Wow, so much to post about! It's September and to me its officially fall! My favorite season full of amazing scents, crisp weather, sweaters and boots! I am more than done with summer and ready to enjoy the cooler temperatures. Right now I have my cinnamon sugar candle burning and my whole house smells amazing! I made a trip to tjmaxx today after my friend Brooke posted about all the new fall candle scents. I scored two Yankee Candles for 7.99 each, and a new adorable sign to place over the doorway! Two thumbs up for some great finds today! 

Yesterday was my birthday...the big 26. I am actually not enjoying the fact that I am no longer in my "early" twenties but at the same time am also proud of where I am in my life at the age of 26. Its funny, as a little girl I imagined getting married, owning a own, and having children. It was just what I thought you were supposed to do. Well, when I by chance met the love of my life at 17, I never realized how lucky I really was. I mean I never had to date, and look for that special someone, things kind of fell right into place for me. Don't get me wrong, we had hard times and have been through so much together. A long distance relationship, a deployment,  a wedding, buying a home, and the birth of our daughter. We stuck by each others sides and the way I pictured my life as a young girl is pretty much all happening. 
My birthday was spent at York Zoo with miss olivia, my parents, my sister, and nephew Jacob. Poor Adam had to work all day but a Saturday morning(the day after my birthday) date breakfast was planned! The zoo was so much fun and everyone had a great time! We stopped for lunch a little restaurant called Guac n Roll. If you are ever in York ME I highly suggest trying it out! It was fresh, friendly, clean, and a great atmosphere! We were able to sit outside and get some of the ocean breeze during lunch, and since we had the kiddies with us it was perfect! I ordered the Cooooool salad with grilled chicken. Perfectly diet friendly and so yummy! After York I headed home to get ready for my night out with the girls! We headed downtown to the Tap Brew Pub in Haverhill to sit out on the deck since it was a beautiful....(a bit chilly) night! I ordered the strawberry spinach salad and a glass of wine. We went out for scorpion bowls later but I only had a couple sips since I haven't drank in forever! I am allowed two cheat meals a week, so I decided to try to keep my meal as clean as I could and order a drink. I knew I was going to breakfast with Adam in the morning for my second cheat. Dinner was full of laughs, and fun relaxing time to unwind child free! 
This morning Olivia woke me and Adam up at 7 so we could get to breakfast nice and early(sense any sarcasm??)Thanks for letting Mommy sleep in for her birthday Olivia! We went to our favorite place in the whole world....Newburyport, MA! We tried Stellas for breakfast which was a cute quaint little breakfast place. It wasn't quite what I was expecting and we probably wont rush back, but it was really good! I ordered a chocolate chip and banana pancake! I have been craving this all week and my craving was completely satisfied with their one huge pancake that I shared with Olivia and even let Adam try a bite! 26 is off to a great start! 
I have also completed my first week on my new plan with Cathy Savage Fitness! I feel fantastic, sore, but fantastic. The clean eating is very rewarding and I feel my energy level has gone way up. I'm excited to take my progress pictures and weight tomorrow. I'm hoping to blog a lot more in September! I'm off to enjoy some time on the couch now that Adam is finally home from work!
Goodnight all! Enjoy your Saturday!