The Big 5-0

Weekly Update:  I did it!! This week wasn't perfect (I ate three cupcakes on Super Bowl Sunday), but the key for me was getting back on track, keeping up with my workouts and not letting those three cupcakes define me.  I was down 2.6lbs this week for a total of 51.8lbs - well past my 50lb goal for February.  I am so proud and excited :)

If you enjoy my blog, I'd love to have you in my private (women only) Facebook Group dedicated to health, fitness and nutrition: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FitandHealthyPrivateGroup/ 

I found this quote earlier in the week and I love it.  It's so true.  We all have a 'tipping point' that gets us started in new journeys. Whether it be job related, relationship related, fitness or weight related, we have a tipping point that motivates us to make a change.  That being said, motivation will only take us so far.   We need to form those habits that will keep us going and successful in the long term.   For those of you who have been reading my blog, you know that my motivation came from not being able to waterski this summer (a sport I've enjoyed for over 20 years) due to my body physically getting in my own way.  That was my tipping point to make a change.  On a whim, and with a LOT of deliberation, I purchased a program called the 21 Day Fix.  That program has changed my life and really created some great habits.  I can't say that my days are always perfect, but the first 21 days of the program I committed at 100% and those 21 days really did create some lasting habits.  

I encourage you, once you hit your tipping point to work on creating habits.  The first week or two, I really wasn't in the habit.  It was hard, and there were days I didn't want to do it - but I had made a commitment to myself to stay engaged for at least 21 Days.  In those 21 Days, my whole life changed and I can't imagine where I'd be had I not committed to at least trying to form a few new habits.

This week, I watched as my 17 month old son deliberately went up and down the stairs, up and down. up and down. up and down.  He was not afraid of failure, but instead did it over and over and over until he figured it out.  He took one step at a time.  If he looked down the staircase with the intent of taking the WHOLE thing in his first attempt, what would have happened?  He probably would have fallen, gotten hurt, and gotten discouraged.   But instead, with deep motivation he tried slowly and taking each step as it's own hurdle.   

My journey has been so similar to this.  In looking at my 100 pound weight loss, I have and continue to break it down into small steps.   I enjoy the journey and I don't always do all the steps perfectly, but the more I practice and the more I try the better at it I get.

Here is my workout selfie of the week, my son wouldn't nap and I had dinner plans so my two time choices for workouts were wiped out - instead I decided to take the workout to his bedroom. It was actually pretty fun!  Except that he insisted on sitting on my back for every single set of push ups. I love my mini DVD player - it may be tiny, but it sure is effective!

These two photos were taken one year apart on Super Bowl Sunday.   It's hard to completely tell the transformation as I'm wearing my son (and he's a lot bigger in the second photo), but I have to say the 5K walk was a LOT easier this year.

Last week I talked about my new beginning.  Well this week marked the first 'full' week as a full time mommy and fitness professional.   Between teaching my Mommy & Me Pilates classes and my Coaching Business (see links below for more information or comment with questions), I was finally able to leave my corporate job of 10 years.  It's a weird and scary feeling but also extremely empowering.  

Here we are on our way to work together. How cool is that? My son gets to come to work with me!  

More about me or to order any products:  http://www.beachbodycoach.com/chapmaki

Business Website: http://www.fitandbalancedmom.com/

Contact: FitandBalancedMom@gmail.com   

New Beginnings

Weekly Update:  I am happy go say I was down .2lbs this week for a new rural of 49.2lbs.  I'm starting to notice a 'pattern' that has been with me since I started this journey.   Whenever I get close to a big goal, I manage to self sabotage and do something (or many mini things to throw me off course).   Last week I got very close to my 50lb goal.  Within a pound, and pretty much from the second I set the goal of "50" by the next week I could feel a pang in my stomach of self sabotage.   While it wasn't intentional, a part of me knew it was there the second I set the goal.    The good news is, I've learned to love and learn from the ups and downs, and next time I get close to a goal, I'm going to work on some new coping mechanisms to reach that goal without getting in my own way.

If you enjoy my blog, I'd love to have you in my private (women only) Facebook Group dedicated to health, fitness and nutrition: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FitandHealthyPrivateGroup/ 

This week was definitely a weird one in my personal life as well. In hindsight, I think it may have caused some of my 'self sabotage'.  It officially marked the last day in my 'Corporate Employment' life.  Have you ever been so excited about a change and thought about it for months (or even years), but then when the moment comes to change, you panic?  Well that was me this week.   

Here is my cubicle, 10 years worth of history either thrown out or repurposed.  While I'm beyond excited to be pursuing my career in fitness, I'm also petrified at the same time.  I keep telling myself that anxiety in the pit of my stomach is what's going to lead me to big things, so here's to new beginnings!

Regardless of the work and stress around my questionable eating habits this week, I still managed to have one of those weeks where you start to really look in the mirror and love what you see.  This photo below was taken for one of my online accountability groups - it was 'proof' that I had finished my workout (I forgot to take one right away, so this is me  on my way back up to my desk - taking 8 flights of stairs!).

This quote really speaks to me, having been overweight the majority of my youth (until about age 20), when I first lost weight (60lbs in college), I would yo-yo up and down and was never really happy with myself. I always had '5 more pounds' or 'needed to firm my arms' and never really appreciated my body and what it could do and how it had transformed.   This past journey to drop the 100+ lbs that I had put on during and after my pregnancy has taught me so much more about my body and really loving it.   I look back at photos when I was 130lbs and convinced I should be 117lbs (because that's what the BMI chart said), and I wish I could talk to the girl in the photo and help her realize how beautiful and strong she really was.  

I'm not sure if it's the magnitude of weight I gained this time, or the fact that my perspective has changed now that I'm a mother, but I really cherish every single pound I lose and every fitness victory I have.   I'm still very close to my prior 'highest weight' but I love myself so much more than I did when I was at my lowest weight, funny how that happens when you let yourself change your perspective.

Despite my food challenges, I had a fun fitness victory this week.   I finished Month 1 of my Insanity Max 30 program.   The workouts have been nothing short of intense, but also so much fun.  It feels so good to have accomplished 30 straight days of no excuses.   I'm excited for the next 30!

Here are my actual Day 1 and Day 30 results.  I didn't think I'd see a change, but I actually notice some small changes!

Another moment here of feeling super proud and beautiful - me and my little guy after a visit to the Boston Museum of Science.  I can't believe how fortunate I am to get to spend every day with him from now on!

In food news, here are some of the fun things that have come up this week!   This recipe a friend posted that she uses as a 21 Day Fix Recipe.  It looks amazing!  Although, with myself I don't think I can have anything (even if it's a healthier option) in the house that tastes like cookie dough.  Watch out!

This is a splotchy photo because I took a photo of my computer screen, but it's a fun view of what a 'day in the life of the 21 Day Fix' looks like. I put together a sample plan for what a day's worth of food for someone 170-195lbs would look like.  You'd be amazed at how much food it is!

Here's an example of one of the yummy fix recipes a friend came up with. It's an apple, with 2 tsp of melted peanut butter and one 'orange' container of coconut.   Delish!

And then of course there are my favorite Brussels Sprouts - I can't get enough of these things.

This one is also a great recipe, and super easy. It's very 21 Day Fix friendly and barely takes any time to prep.   It's a bag of frozen veggies (corn/pea/carrot mix is what I use) with a cup of dry quinoa that has been cooked, salt, olive oil and pepper.   Mix up and serve warm or cold (I like cold).  So easy, and everyone loves it!

More about me or to order any products:  http://www.beachbodycoach.com/chapmaki

Business Website: http://www.fitandbalancedmom.com/

Contact: FitandBalancedMom@gmail.com

Your Body is Your Home

Weekly Update:

I have to say, I felt good about this week but had no idea just how well I did!  I'm really noticing changes in my body and loving the noticeable progress.  This week I'm down 1.8lbs for a total of 49lbs!  I feel really good about my 50lb goal by the end of the month :)

If you enjoy my blog, I'd love to have you in my private (women only) Facebook Group dedicated to health, fitness and nutrition: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FitandHealthyPrivateGroup/ 

I saw this photo posted this week and I couldn't help but remember a quote that I heard in a Weight Watchers meeting in college "Your body is the only home you'll always have to live in so treat it well" (I don't remember the exact way it was worded, but that was the intent).  That really stuck with me at the time.   It seem so obvious, but so many of us forget this in our daily actions.   

Sticking with that theme, I've been working really hard to improve my mind & body through community, fitness and proper eating.    My Mommy & Me Fitness business, Fit and Balanced Mom, LLC  I strive to create a community for moms to connect with one anther, form bonds and fit in fitness when it may seem impossible.  Here are two photos from our Hartford launch this past week.   We had a great turnout, and at the end of class one mom mentioned that it "felt like [she] had the morning off".  What a great compliment, we all had our kiddos with us yet it was a relaxing break to the busy mommy day!

In addition to my Mommy & Me Pilates classes, I am sticking to my 30 minute workouts 5 days a week.  I've been taking a daily selfie with my "max out" times every day to keep me motivated and accountable. 

Weekends have always been my 'prep' days for the week.  I am a big fan of cooking large batches of food, portioning them out in advance and packaging them up for the week.  That way there are no excuses and no 'starving' decisions being made.  Here are some quinoa and veggie stuffed peppers I made this Saturday.   As a vegetarian, I love dishes like this because it was easy to make half with the veggie/quinoa mixture and put some turkey in with the other half - an easy way to make enough for the whole family!

My husband also is constantly finding delicious recipes like this one.   We altered it a little to lighten it up, we halved the sweet potatoes and filled in with butternut squash.  It was really good, and even our 16 month old son couldn't get enough of it!

We also were fortunate enough to have a 'date' night for the first time since I can't remember when.  In the past we've rushed to get in dinner before my son is in bed (which means 4:30pm date night and also missing our son all dinner long), this time we decided to put him to bed around 6:30pm then head out to dinner.  It was nice and relaxing and much needed! It's amazing how you forget what it feels like to go out kid free.  I stuck to my food plan as best as possible, this is a vegan polenta lasagna and it was amazing. I ate about 1/4 of it then brought the rest home.

One interesting thing to note about this, out of curiosity (I knew I was going out so I planned it), I weighed myself the morning of, the morning after and the morning after that to demonstrate why daily weigh-ins aren't effective.    The morning of I was 187.5lbs, the morning following this sodium filled meal I was 189.7lbs, and the day following that I was down to 186.7lbs.   My point here, if you weigh daily it's really hard to get a handle on how you are progressing because one meal can throw you off for a day.  I am a firm believer of one weigh in (maximum) a week, taken at the same day and time for consistency. 

I wanted to close this post with a photo of my WHY.  Every day I think of this little guy. I want to be there in his life for years to come, and I want to be a good role model for him with my health as well as my ambition.  Making the decision last week to resign from my corporate job and focus on my health and wellness career solidifies my dedication to this WHY.   I want my son to see me following my dreams and helping others on a daily basis.

More about me or to order any products:  http://www.beachbodycoach.com/chapmaki

Business Website: http://www.fitandbalancedmom.com/

Contact: FitandBalancedMom@gmail.com

Exciting News: Becoming what I was meant to be

Weekly Update:

At my weekly weigh in I am down another 0.8lbs for a new total of 47.2lbs.  My goal is to get to 50 by February 1st.  I'm really excited because I not only maintained my 3 Day Cleanse loss, but also lost additional weight.  This week I feel phenomena as I followed the 21 Day Fix food plan very closely while doing my Insanity Max 30 workouts consistently.   It's such a great feeling to be 'back on track'.  I really contribute my focus to the 3 Day Cleanse (I loved it so much I plan to do it monthly!).  That being said, I wasn't terrible over the holidays, however I didn't lose weight either. I went up and down a few pounds here and there averaging about the same weight over the month of December.   

I also have another really exciting update!   Monday morning, after significant consideration and conversations with my husband, we decided that I could leave my corporate job of 10 years and pursue my Pilates and Health Coaching business.  This enables me to follow my passion, and do something I know I'm really good at as well as spend more time with my son (being a "mom" is something I've wanted to do since well before I ever became a mother!).  It will surely be a roller coaster, but I'm very excited that I finally decided to take the plunge and follow my dreams.

If you enjoy my blog, I'd love to have you in my private (women only) Facebook Group dedicated to health, fitness and nutrition: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FitandHealthyPrivateGroup/ 

We officially 'decided' on Friday, and this is a photo of the flowers my husband brought home as a 'congratulations on your new job' gift from him and our son.   I can count the times on one hand that my husband has gotten me flowers (he's not a flowers guy), so I knew something 'big' was up when he came home with two dozen!

In workout news...this week marked the third of my new 60 workout program, "Insanity Max: 30" by Shaun T.  I am so excited that I'm finally at the point in my fitness journey that I can handle a workout with the word "Insanity" in it.    And I can keep up too!!  The point of the workout is to "max out" and record what time you hit when you have to stop and take a break, or start to slow down and modify.  All the workouts are 30 minutes which is nice (I can fit them in during my son's nap time or just after he is in bed).  

I'm excited because I realized today I have already been doing it 16 days and it barely feels like that!   It's a 60 day program, and I can already notice changes in my body and endurance.  I can't wait to see the total impact over the program when I finish at the end of February.

Out of curiosity, I went back and found a 'fitness selfie' from the summer when I started my very first program (T25 - 25 minute workouts, I followed the modifier 95% of the time when I first started).     It's exciting that I can see noticeable changes in my face over just a few month's time.  When I started this journey, I knew I was determined but I had no idea where the journey would take me and I'm grateful every single day.

One of my favorite things to do is make homemade sauce.   It's super easy, and a lot better for you than the canned and jarred sauces.  No added sugars or sodium and you can make of it what you want! I raided the fridge and found tomatoes, spinach, onion, red pepper, garlic, jalapenos and Italian Seasoning.   Delish!

Here is the finished product after about an hour of simmering.

I then made cauliflower pizza which is awesome for pizza without all the carbs - it's full of protein and veggies and extremely filling!  I topped mine with spinach, peppers, onions, ricotta, Italian seasoning, homemade sauce and a dash of mozzarella.

In addition to the pizza, I was really good about planning for work this week.  It's amazing how being on track and prepared can really make you feel great about your day and much less overwhelmed!

Friday, I was supposed to Launch my Mommy & Me Pilates classes in Hartford and we woke up to find out that a random white out flash blizzard was hitting Hartford.   We ultimately decided to postpone until this week to avoid having mommies and babies on the road.    

Benji and I decided to make the best of the day and went for a quick sledding trip!  He loves his sled, to the point where he shrieked once he was all bundled up and saw me take it out.  Unfortunately it was about 15 degrees out so the sledding was limited to about 3 minutes.

Here's the little guy all bundled up and ready for the COLD weather we got this week!

Pilates class on Tuesday night's continues to be a blast and we are rapidly expanding our group of moms!

This week was full of fitness between my Pilates class, my Insanity Max 30 workouts and an amazing event called "Super Sunday" that I attended.   It's a quarterly Beachbody event with speakers sharing their weight loss and health successes as well as business success from doing something they love.  The workshop finishes with an hour long Combat workout.  This is a photo of my friend Katie and I doing the workout with intensity!    I've attended this workshop twice now and it has solidified my desire to help others achieve their fitness goals.  As a coach, I am able to share my experiences (from challenges, to successes) and motivate others to succeed as well.  From looking to lose weight, to just looking to regain health or elevate fitness levels, I love working with people to help motivate them to set clear goals to become stronger and healthier with each day that passes.

If you are interested in coaching (free!) please contact me!  The links below include my contact information as well as website to order some of the products I talk about in my blog.   

More about me or to order any products:  http://www.beachbodycoach.com/chapmaki

Business Website: http://www.fitandbalancedmom.com/

Contact: FitandBalancedMom@gmail.com

21 Days: 100% Commitment

Weekly Update:  This week I am down -4.4lbs for a total of 46.4lbs.  I completed a 3 Day Shakeology cleanse, and I have to say I feel absolutely amazing.  I have so much energy, and I've been sleeping so well!   And for the first time in 7 months I'm actually feeling like I am seeing some noticeable changes.  Since I started Max 30 Last week, it may be a combination of Max 30 and the Cleanse, but I feel ready to CONQUER 2015!

Here are my original photos at 236.6lbs and then ones taken today.  I share these to inspire others who are looking at the big picture - take a step back and look ONE day at a time and learn to love yourself along heh journey.

These represent 7/11/14 - 1/8/15.

If you enjoy my blog, I'd love to have you in my private (women only) Facebook Group dedicated to health, fitness and nutrition: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FitandHealthyPrivateGroup/ 

With the New Year, so many people make 'resolutions' which often get forgotten after a few weeks.   What I've learned over the past 6 months is that accountability is a huge piece of the success equation.  I love this quote and it's so important to write those goals down, and ideally to tell others about them.    Please don't hesitate to write your goals in the comments of this blog - it really does help to get them down on paper.  

I posted my long and short term goals in the last blog post, but wanted to post some even shorter term goals in this post.  While my eating hasn't been terrible the past few weeks of the holidays, it's been a little bit of a roller coaster with some good days and some really off track days.  I've essentially kept  my weight consistent which I consider to be a success, but I missed my "January 1st" goal of being a total of 50lbs down.

I am hitting the reset button as of this Monday, doing the 3 Day Cleanse (feel free to ask me the details!) and committing 100% to the 21 Day Fix starting Thursday.  The Fix has been the program that has kept me losing weight consistently since July.   In July, I followed the full 21 Day Program and lost 11.5lbs and it taught me so much about balanced and 'clean' eating.  Since July, I've followed the program 75-80% of the time, and I work out at least 20 minutes 6 days a week.   Not hitting my 50lb goal was a reminder that I maybe have been slacking a little more the past few weeks and I decided I will dedicate myself to the plan (see photos below of some of my prepped food!) and get that jump start in my weight loss.  

I love this photo, as it's all about finding that balance in your life.  I feel like I'm finally discovering what I need to do to remain balanced in my health, fitness, personal and work lives.

For me, part of that balance has come with sharing my story.  As you read my blogs, and see the photos that I've posted, you will see that I've really put myself out there.  If my story can help just one person then it was all worth it. Everyone has a different story, and in embracing my story over these past few months, I've been able to gain traction with my physical and emotional health.

As promised, here are those photos - this is some of my meal prep for my 3 Day Cleanse as well as my three day difference.  In the 3 days I lost 3.3lbs but more importantly notice huge changes in my body as well as how I feel.  This is Monday morning vs Thursday!

One thing I love about this cleanse is that I get to eat red peppers and red pepper hummus as my mid-afternoon snack! Something I never think to do usually, but it's tasty and refreshing.

For me, planning is key.  So you see here I have three 'sets' of everything which will get me through the three full days.  This is just some of the food I had, don't get worried!

Here is another thing I made for my cleanse - a cucumber dill salad.  I seriously love this salad so much that I plan to make it for my next social event.

The dressing is super tasty too - herbs, lemon, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar.

For later in the week I prepped some Fix-friendly burritos complete with tofu (since I don't eat chicken), multi color peppers, onions, fajita seasoning and a dash of cheese.  I wrapped them in Joseph's wraps - my absolute favorite wraps as they are low calorie, high fiber and don't fall apart when you roll them up!

I also took some time to raid my fridge for ingredients to make a veggie, pasta, ricotta bake.  I love that on the Fix ricotta counts as a protein.  I've learned that I struggle a lot with protein and healthy fats, so the Fix has given me creative ways to get those in.  Here are all the ingredients I used - eggplant, tomato, onion, green pepper, EVOO, shells, mozzarella, ricotta & Italian herbs.

Below is a collage of the prep steps.  I cut up all the veggies, cooked the pasta - then sauteed the veggies in the olive oil and mixed everything together. Before putting in a pan and topping with the two cheeses.  Needless to say, this dish was absolutely amazing. 

What I love about the Fix is that it's really simple eating, and it inspires me to cook which is something I love and it energizes me to have all these good options ready to go in the fridge. When I cook, I will portion everything out so all I have to do is literally just grab and go - being hungry with 'no options' is never an excuse!

More about me or to order any products:  http://www.beachbodycoach.com/chapmaki

Business Website: http://www.fitandbalancedmom.com/

Contact: fitandbalancedmom@gmail.com