Deployment, Marriage, and Dumpster....OH MY!

Since the Screech has been gone, I've gone through a plethora of emotions! HA...plethora is my fancy word for the day! 

Let's see...

• I played the "I'm going to be a badass" and handle this deployment like a BOSS---->All the women who independent...throw your hands up at me!!

• I ate everything but the kitchen sink after I realized I can't be the badass military wife!

• Had a mental break down when I couldn't operate the stupid weedeater and my grass grew to be about 2 feet high! 

• Lots of crying...and I'm not a pretty crier!

• I vegged out watching all of House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, and Parenthood...while eating Cherry Garcia ice cream! 

• Freaked out again when Dumpster ate some chicken wing bones...so I ate my own chicken wings!

• Hit the "OH CRAP...When did I get so squishy" weight on the scale and decide what's one more week of cheat meals!

• Started making myself happy with endorphins...AKA PIYO! 

• I felt EMPOWERED once I took back CONTROL of life!

• I stepped outside of my comfort zone and met new people...and actually had  blast doing it! <<<--------NOT MY STYLE since I'm such an introvert!

• Started waking up and deciding to be positive, being thankful for the small things and really enjoying my life.

THEN...HE sent me this picture this morning of him and "Dumpster" AKA the cardboard cutout version! 

And the tears have filled my eyes all day...not because I miss him, because I REALLY do MISS HIM, but today was the first time I thought about his roller coaster of emotions and how I, at least, have Dumpster to keep me company.

After work, he goes home to a "house" and doesn't get that "115 pound, tail wagging, let me drool all over you because I never thought you were coming home, and I'm about to pee all over you" FEELING when he walks in the door! I know he misses me deeply because he tells me everyday, but I know he misses his buddy just as much...because Dumpster likes lounging around in the garage and doesn't complain about the dishes not being done..haha!

Screech is overseas, sacrificing being away from ME and DUMPSTER, so that he can provide US the life we hope to have once he returns. With all that...he still finds a way to SMILE, be happy and thankful for this journey!

If a grown man can hold his FAKE DOG and still smile that big, I can put my big girl panties on and make everyday AWESOME!

Meal Prep Sunday

When I think of Sunday Funday, I think BRUNCH and MIMOSAS, followed by a lazy afternoon of NETFLIX, SWEATS and NO BRA!

But this Sunday...I decided to enjoy my mimosa (still with no bra) while prepping my meals for the week! 

 

In all honesty, I get on my "Meal Prepping" kicks and then fall off the wagon the next weekend. It's a vicious cycle...one week I'm meal prepping like a BOSS and the next weekend, I let the mimosas get the best of me!

BUT, NOT THIS SUNDAY...(or the next Sunday either)

I've been doing PIYO for over a month now and I'm seeing AWESOME changes in my body. I'm way more flexible. I can actually do a backbend again...hell, I even did it on a PADDLEBOARD! Thanks you PIYO for my CORE STRENGTH! However, I still got that SWISH I'm ready to get rid of around the mid-section! 

So in less that 2 hours...and my meals are made for the week! Here's the break down of what I did on my SUNDAY FUNDAY!

MY SUNDAY FUNDAY BREAKDOWN

1. Wake up, enjoy a cup of Joe, and drink my ohhh so yummy SHAKEOLOGY!

2. Walk Dumpster and start talking to myself so I can figure out what sounds yummy!

3. While enjoying my 2nd cup of coffee, I make my grocery list (listed below)

4. PUT ON BRA and go to the grocery store!

5. Start the official 2 HOUR MEAL PREP COUNTDOWN!

GROCERY LIST

• Veggies (Zucchini, Squash, Broccoli, Carrots, Peppers, Onions, Salad Mix, Cucumbers, Mushrooms)
• Fruits (Grapes, Pineapple, Apples)
• Chicken Breasts
• Hummus (Publix Chili Lime is my favorite)
• Eggs
• Avocados (or Guacamole)
• Quinoa or Brown Rice
• Cottage Cheese
• Whole Wheat Wraps
• Frozen Fruit (for my Shakeology breakfast)
• Marinade (depends on my mood what I like)

MEAL PREPPING

1. I start off by marinating my chicken right off the bat (usually for an hour).
2. Using my rice cooker, I go ahead and cook my rice/quinoa. This usually takes about an hour, but with the rice cooker, I don't have to worry about it or stir it or freak out when it over boils and makes a complete mess on the stove!
3. Boil my eggs to use as a snack or a little extra protein for my salads. 
4. Chop up my veggies for snacks (carrots, cucumbers, and red peppers)
5. Fill my pre-portioned containers with hummus so I don't eat the whole container (I use hummus for my snacks...easy on-the-go meal).
6. Chop up veggies for my salads and portion out my salad mix using the 21 Day Fix containers so I don't go overboard with my proportions. 
7. Chop up veggies for meals. This week I'm having stir-fry for the first 2 days so I went ahead and cut up those veggies to save time on dinner.
8. Grill up my chicken and try to devour all the food I just prepped!

      

TYPICAL DAY OF MEALS

• Breakfast--Shakeology with frozen fruit
• Snack #1--Cottage Cheese with Pineapple or Boiled Eggs
• Lunch--Salad with Grilled Chicken and Veggies
• Snack #2--Raw veggies with hummus
• Dinner--Stir Fry Veggies with Grilled Chicken and Quinoa (If time isn't an issue, I will whip up something that I didn't prep on Sunday) 

Want to see more recipes or meal prep ideas? Comment below and I can make that happen! 

 

Switch Up...A little T25 action!

Hey there!

Not sure if you remember me, but I'm Haley (Hi, Haley ----> My way of saying Welcome Back to myself!)

My "art teacher diva" alter ego took over while I was getting back into the groove of teaching, but NO WORRIES....

Fit, happy, and healthy Haley is making a COME BACK! 

I was making every kind of excuse and working here and there. I changed my attitude, and NOW, I'm back to drinking my Shakeology everday, eating better, and getting my workouts in! 

I'm keeping myself ACCOUNTABLE with a little tracker I made. I love making to-do lists and feeling EMPOWERED when I draw a little squiggly line through one of my tasks! Did I mention, I'm a teacher? We love to make lists! 

It definitely feels FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC to get back in the groove, but I won't lie, those first few workouts were...DRUM ROLL....a little difficult! 

Instead of dwelling on the fact that I didn't do a few particular workouts from PIYO, I decided to make it interesting and switch up my workouts this week! Due to my crazy schedule, I was running low on time...soooooo Focus T25 to the rescue! 

NO EXCUSES OVER HERE....it's ONLY 25 minutes! Quick and fast paced CARDIO workout! 

T25 is seriously an awesome workout...I mean, really, who gets results in just 25 minutes?!? 

Awhile back, I did T25 for a month and saw awesome changes in my body! If time is your excuse, let it be NO MORE! Ohhh...and did I tell you my secret?!? The T25 CHALLENGE PACK is on sale for a few more days!

STOP MAKING EXCUSES and GET YOURS TODAY!

Find me on FACEBOOK and message me for more details!  

My results in just 30 days!

  

Month 1 of PIYO!

I'm officially HALFWAY through PIYO and I feel FANTASTIC! When I started PIYO, I made a promise to myself that I would FINISH this program, for ME and for my FOLLOWERS! I've started so many programs and quit so many programs!

BUT...PIYO is different for me! I'm throwing my excuses out the window and FINISHING THIS PROGRAM! And besides the fact that I'm OBSESSED with Chalene Johnson's newest workout, I look forward to doing it everyday! 

People are constantly asking me:

• What kind of workout is it?
• How long are the workouts? 
• Are they actually hard?
• Do you actually get a good workout? 
• I can't imagine Pilates and Yoga being enough? 
• Can you get good results??

So here are my HONEST answers:

• PIYO is an UPBEAT blend of pilates and yoga! Personally, I haven't ever been a fan of pilates because I have a super weak core. I have enjoyed YOGA, but HATE that it's so slow! I have a dancer/cheerleader background...I need something to get me pumped! LOVE LOVE LOVE this "hip hop" piyo move that's incorporated a lot of the workouts!

• Each workout is roughly 30-45 minutes with a warm-up and cool-down.
• Trying PLANKING (like you are about to do a push-up) for 1 minute and then while STAYING IN A PLANK, bring your right knee to your right elbow and then switch to your left side and alternate for 1 minute. Looks like that below...THEN TELL ME IF YOU THINK IT'S A HARD WORK (and that's only 2 minutes)

• I will be honest...if you are already actively working out, the first week or two will seem easy to you! It's designed to focus on your alignment and form FIRST! But the workouts get harder and harder! I don't think I've sweat as much as I have with any other workout! And I've done P90X and T25! 

• PIYO is definitely enough for the beginner! However, if you are more active, you might feel the need to add more cardio! On days that I feel I need more, I add a little T25 in there or walk my dog, Dumpster a little further!

 

DUMPSTER love DOWNWARD DOG! HAHAHA!

• As you already know, I'm HALFWAY through the 60 day program! There were days that I skipped workouts, but made up for them by doubling up on the workouts. I can honestly say that I have done every workout! I started PIYO the same day I started the 3 DAY REFRESH and have been eating clean 75% of the time. I still had those cheat meals, but overall, I've been doing pretty good with my diet. I lost almost 5 pounds from the refresh and have kept those off the whole month while doing PIYO. While I haven't lost any extra weight from doing PIYO, I have totally noticed the difference in my HALFWAY PHOTOS...

 

The VEGETABLE NOODLE Maker Thing-a-ma-bob!

Ok, it's official! I'm obsessed with whatever you want to call this little device!

I call it vegetable noodle THING-A-MA-BOB!!! But it's actual name is...

Gefu Spirelli® Spiral Slicer

I got it at Bed, Bath, and Beyond for $29.95! Use your 20% coupon or $5 off and WAH-LAH, you have a vegetable noodle THING-A-MA-BOB for your healthy kitchen!

So far, I've only "Spiralized" zucchini, squash, and carrots! And I have a recipe I'm trying tomorrow using cucumbers! It has worked great since the veggies I've tried have been cone/circular shaped! It has two sides...one side makes your veggies more like spaghetti noodles! The other side makes your veggies like linguine noodles (think flat noodles)!

The first night I made ZUCGHETTI!! My version of zucchini and squash spaghetti! Super easy to make....and a LOT FASTER than regular spaghetti! 

ZUCGHETTI RECIPE: Serves 1

• 1 Zucchini
• 1 Squash
• Onions and Mushrooms - chopped*OPTIONAL]
• 1 Clove of Garlic - minced
• Olive Oil
• Spaghetti Sauce (whatever flavor you always get)
• Ground Chicken (Ground Beef or Turkey would work too)*OPTIONAL

1. Brown the ground chicken...drain any excess grease. 
2. While meat is cooking, chop mushrooms, onions, and garlic.
3. Use the THING-A-MA-BOB to make your zucchini and squash noodles!!
4. Add spaghetti sauce to your meat and heat through.
5. In a saute pan, add your olive oil, mushrooms, onions, garlic, and "noodles" and cook long enough to soften veggies, but where they still have a little crunch. (Anywhere between 5-8 minutes).
6. PLOP your "noodles" on a plate and top it off with the sauce! 

PAD THAI RECIPE: Serves 1

• 1 Zucchini
• 1 Squash
• Veggies of your choice (I added mushrooms and onions, because I add them to EVERYTHING)
• 1 Clove of Garlic - minced
• Olive Oil
• Cooked Chicken Breast - chopped (I grilled up some chicken yesterday to last me throughout the week....makes for a SUPER EASY dinner)
• Annie's Pad Thai Sauce (I didn't measure but probably around 2 Tbsp.)
• Crushed Peanuts
• Chopped Cilantro

1. Make your "noodles" and chop up the veggies and garlic! 
2. Add olive oil to the pan and saute garlic first - about 1-2 minutes.
3. Add mushrooms, onions, and noodles to the pan - cook about 5-7 minutes.
4. While veggies are cooking, crushed peanuts and chop cilantro.
5. Add pad thai sauce and chopped chicken to pan - cook until heated through.
6. Find a FANCY BOWL and toss that awesome PAD THAI you just made in it!
7. Top it with the crushed peanuts and chopped cilantro!
8. TRY NOT TO DEVOUR IT IN 3 BITES! 

Seriously...I can't get enough of this little contraption! And if you're wondering...does it actually taste like noodles?!?! In my honest opinion...IT TASTES BETTER!!! I bet your kids or husband wouldn't even know!!! ;)

I'm trying a cucumber salad recipe tomorrow! I will keep you updated how that goes! Until then...get your vegetable noodle THING-A-MA-BOB, spiralize your veggies, and have fun in the kitchen! 

**DISCLAIMER** I am just starting my journey with God and by no means are where I want to be with Him, but felt that I needed to write this post today. I ask that you please be mindful of where am I at in my struggle and do not post negative comments!

I've recently made a decision to become closer to God and build my relationship with Him. I've been reading "The Purpose Driven Life" and watching the LIVE service every Sunday at Bridgepoint Church (still building my courage to actually go to the REAL service). I'm making baby steps, but they are STEPS towards my relationship with Him. 

It's funny how God works in our lives and he knew exactly what kind of message I have been needing to hear. About 4 weeks ago, I started attending the live service online with the "CHANGE" series. Bridgepoint Church usually does 4-6 week series where they discuss certain topics/issues that we face today. I usually make excuses and say I will start watching when the new series starts so I can start at the beginning. But I came in late with the CHANGE series and it was like God knew that THIS SERMON was exactly the one I needed to start with! The whole CHANGE series made me come face to face with SEVERAL things I've been struggling with and there are a few things I'm still fearful to change. When the pastor asked to write the things we needed to change, I STRUGGLED with coming face to face with my faults. BUT, I realized that God is with me and is meeting me on my level and going to change one thing at a time! 

I sat up all night tossing and turning with the message He delivered to me yesterday and whether or not I should share this! Because I'm so new in my journey with Him, I felt like I couldn't really write about my relationship with Him so far and how he is working within me to CHANGE. I am looking forward to the changes, but at the same time those changes are scaring the living daylights out of me!

Like me, some of you are also struggling to change! I previously wrote, I'm without my husband and I've used that as an excuse to slip back into my unhealthy eating habits and drinking wine everyday. I kept telling myself that it's okay for me to do that because I'm alone, feeling sad, and feeling an empty void! But I was trying fill a void that couldn't be filled with fast food and alcohol. I'm trying to make those small changes and put my TRUST in God, but the struggle is a real struggle daily! We all struggle and we all slip back into our old ways...and I've done it too! But we have to take a step and make the decision to change our old habits and put trust in Him!

So whether you are trying to break that cigarette addiction, your wino mindset, your unhealthy eating binges, or if you are trying to start a new healthy habit...you have to start somewhere and make a CHANGE! 

Whether you are the spiritual/religious type or not, there are going to be days where you will want to slip back and you will struggle to say NO to those bad habits, but remember there was something missing from your life and made you want to change...ALWAYS remember why you wanted to change and keep that mindset in the FOREFRONT of your head!!! Heck...write it on a bunch of POST-ITS and stick them up on your bathroom mirror or on your coffee maker! 

We are all human! We all struggle to change and having people who are in the same boat as you, helps with the struggle! If you are wanting to change something, but don't know where to start, please reach out to me or someone! It just takes the first step of admitting you need to change...the change will happen if you let it!  

Here is the first CHANGE sermon I watched that helped me with my struggle! I think it could help you too!

My Struggles...and how I REFRESHED!

WARNING: Long post ahead....but my 3 DAY REFRESH RESULTS are in the post!!! ***PLEASE NO NEGATIVE COMMENTS****
 
Most of you know that I'm a MILITARY wife and have gone several days, weeks, months, and even a year without my husband!!! There are days that are perfectly normal and then there are days where I am a HOT mess...BUT, most days, I'm a completely INDEPENDENT, FUNCTIONING woman!!

However, my husband is my ROCK, my MOTIVATOR, and my WORKOUT PARTNER. And when my husband first leaves, there is one thing that always slips and becomes MALFUNCTIONAL (is that even a word?)...

And that is MY WEIGHT!!!

The 1st year we were married, we only saw each other 52 days...and guess what....my weight SKYROCKETED to over 150 pounds (I think 156 to be exact)!!! I took action, started P90X, and got to a weight where I was confident again (but still not confident enough to post my results on here).

FAST FORWARD to 5 years later....I am now without my husband for another year while he serves our country overseas! And guess what happened...I got back to 150.1 POUNDS! After seeing that number for the SECOND time in my life, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't EVER see that number again!!

So now that I've ranted about my back story...I decided to take action again and jump start my journey back to a healthier and happier HALEY!!!
Soooo.... I STARTED the 3 DAY REFRESH from Beachbody.

I lost 4.8 POUNDS in 3 DAYS!!! Not much on the scale, but my BEFORE and AFTER pictures are proof that the scale is not the only indicator of change!! This program was short and simple, and it gave me the MOTIVATION and CONFIDENCE (and confidence to finally post on here) to get back on track with my health!!

AND FINALLY (now that I made you read that whole story)...here are my results!!! 

***NOTE: I still have a ways to go on my journey before I get back to my HAPPY WEIGHT, but you HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE!!!