Last Week!!

Weekly Update:  This week I am up .8 for a total of 82.8 pounds.  And I am HAPPY. I have noticed so many changes in my body this week it's not even funny, I am proud of my nutrition and fitness choices this week and I FEEL good.  Not sure why I gained, but I also don't care. I am finishing my very last week of Hammer & Chisel- my newest workout program.  There have been few fitness programs I've loved enough to do again, but this one takes the cake. I am going to finish up this weekend (and share photos next week), and head right back into it.  I love how strong it makes me feel.

Getting up is not easy every morning - but the thing is, within minutes I'm FULL of energy. The best part of loving this particular set of workouts, I actually DO get excited to do them, once my brain wakes up a little. 

Here is a 'teaser - my 6 week progress photos.   I was a little extra puffy in the top one from some post Thanksgiving bloat - but it's safe to say I have changed a lot in a very little period of time.  And I FEEL great. 

Speaking of change.   this is a fun view of how I've changed over the last 17 months - it still amazes me how far I have come by focusing on SMALL things and forgetting about the 'big' things.

One thing that really hit me this week - I went to go in the snow with my now 2 year old.    I put on snow pants, they fit, and I was able to PLAY.  My very first winter with him, the only things that fit were very stretchy skirts and dresses. I ran around outside in boots and a maternity skirt.  I was freezing.  Not even my coats fit.  I am so proud of how far I've come.

Not only am I physically able to move better, but I FEEL better these days. I'm happier, I'm spunkier, I have more fun.   

Here's a fun shot from the week - I had a friend and her family over for the day on Saturday - the dads cooked, the toddlers played and the mom's worked out!  

Food news!! Here is my FAVORITE new recipe. I make it constantly.  Butternut squash pizza crust - it's insanely easy, and extremely 'decadent'.  

A quick snack - veggie burger on bib lettuce, tea and a Shakeology PB cup.

Speaking of Shakeology - my NEW FAVORITE is the newest flavor, Cafe Latte.  I literally could drink it all day long.

Some more fun food - I've been back on an egg kick - here is homemade sauce with an egg and avocado - so good!

As you can see, I am loving my veggie burgers on bib lettuce.  This was a Mexican themed lunch with fresh salsa, avocado and toasted pita chips.

And this - this was good but also dangerous.  Very yummy brownies using coconut oil, cocoa powder, chick peas and a few other clean ingredients.  They were so good - however I definitely ate one too many of them.

Here is a double batch of sauce from the weekend - I froze all the tiny ones for easy grabbing!

And perhaps my FAVORITE of the week, butternut squash mac and cheese! I added brocolli to it and instead of putting the cheese IN it, put it on top this week. It had the same amount, but a much cheesier feel to it!

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/

Find me on YouTube!  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjzh-8_DCDzaC77CKbIAmMg 

If you'd like to work with me as your coach, create a free account:  http://www.beachbodycoach.com/chapmaki

Mommy & Me Website: http://www.fitandbalancedmom.com/

Contact: fitandbalancedmom@gmail.com

My WHY

Weekly Update:  This week, I continued to move forward with my current nutrition and fitness plan, with 2 weeks to go, I'm already plotting doing it again, I love it that much!    This week I am down 2.4lbs for a NEW total of 83.6 pounds!!  Regardless of my weight, I have to say I am just FEELING great recently, and that's a feeling no number can give or take away from me.

I got this awesome sign from a friend earlier in the week - I put it right in front of my TV where I do my workouts at 5:30am.   Mornings aren't always easy, food choices are sometimes challenging - but when I hone in on my WHY, it makes it all a little easier.

I am really excited to share this photo transformation college.   The first photo  is one of the few I have of myself from that summer, and really I have NON in a bathing suit - this one was sent to me by a friend who had it on her phone (had I known, I would have probably 'forced' her to delete it, glad I didn't because it's one of the few I have).    The second photo I remember being my first really "I'm PROUD" photo - I had my mom take this. I was so PROUD to be this size, having shed about 50 pounds already.   The third photo, still just as proud - feeling more and more like me each day - down another 20 (70 total), and then the last photo, pride isn't even a factor - I'm just RELAXED.  I'm just 'me'.   The third one is my current state.

I talked a little about my WHY earlier.  This guy, on so many levels is my biggest WHY.  I started because I wanted to be able to play with him with out fear of getting stuck on the ground.   Then I continued because I wanted to show him how to LIVE life, I didn't want to hide behind cameras or say no to activities that I loved because my size got in the way.   As he gets older, it has transformed into a WHY about showing him how to be healthy.  As a kid, I didn't know what healthy was, I knew I was overweight, and I knew it was 'bad' but I had no idea why.    And honestly, I hate the word 'bad' - I like to focus on how we FEEL and we FEEL better when we are healthy.  End of story.

This photo was taken the same day as the one above with the swim suit comparisons.    I love this photo, because after the fact I noticed something I am extremely proud of and thought I'd never have.   My arms!    I have always struggled with my arms, never really changing their shape or size.  This photo, I wasn't even thinking as we snapped it, but after the FIRST thing I saw was the definition in my arms!  I worked for that definition, that strength. I am proud of it.

The top photo was probably about 60 pounds down already - I remember posting this to my private group, admitting how much I struggled with my 'arm hang' and how it was something that always bothered me.  I shared that no matter what, I was proud of where I was.  Truthfully, I never thought this 'hang' would change.   Now I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I am insanely proud of how much I have been able to change my arms - it's not just the 20 pounds that has changed them, it's the definition from all the hard work I've been putting in.

I said my son was my WHY.  Showing him how to live a healthy lifestyle is a big part of my WHY.   I started teaching "Mommy & Me" classes as a way to help other moms fit in some time for their health but still be with their little ones.  But as my son grows older, it's becoming so clear to me that my real purpose with these classes is to show him, and other kids, that fitness can be FUN.   As a kid, I always thought fitness was a 'punishment' for being 'overweight' - it never occurred to me that it could make me feel good or be fun.  

I want my son to see the fun in it.

I went from a mom who was barely awake, and scraping by on little energy, happy as a mom, but miserable as a person - to a mom who can bring my son with me to work - and show him just how much I value my health.

Food news!  This is the third or fourth week of me making this butternut squash curry - I can't get enough of it! And it's so easy.

One of the most exciting things this week is that the newest flavor of Shakeology came out!   Cafe Latte!!   I wasn't sure if I'd like it, but truthfully I LOVE it.  It tastes just like coffee ice cream.

Getting these green boxes made me literally jump and down with excitement this week.

Banana news!   I know I have shared this before, but I love my bananas! I love love love them when they are spotty like this.

My newest treat is a banana (or half a banana) each with 1/8 a teaspoon of PB on it.  So good!!

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/

If you'd like to work with me as your coach, create a free account:  http://www.beachbodycoach.com/chapmaki

Mommy & Me Website: http://www.fitandbalancedmom.com/

Contact: fitandbalancedmom@gmail.com

Compliments, Compliments!

Weekly Update: This week I am up 0.2lbs for a total of 81.2lbs.  I continue to notice significant changes in my body with this most recent program and my commitment to my nutrition, I can't get over how quickly my body is changing!

I went to an event this Friday and it felt AWESOME! I never really have a need to dress up these days, but I do have some great clothes that didn't fit for years - to my surprise the one outfit I really wanted to fit (but wasn't sure if it would fit), not only fit, but fit like a glove!   It made me feel so special all night long!

That being said I wanted to share a 'real photo' comparison.  I have so many conversations with people who criticize parts of their bodies, assuming things about other people - the thing is we ALL have these social 'flaws' we just hide them.  Now, I'm not saying I look perfect in the first photo, but I'm pretty proud of where I am.  What I wanted to show here is that you see one thing on the left, but if I were to just move my swimsuit down a little, you'd see something totally different.

It's all about perspective.

Here is another photo from the coaching event on Friday night.   This is just a small subset of my amazing team - I am so grateful for each and every one of them!

Another 'closet' story - as I was rifling through my closet, I saw this dress. I wore this at my rehearsal dinner the day before I got married. I wore it only that one time.   I loved it but it was honestly even tight the day I wore it and then I gained weight after my honeymooon and it never fit again.

Putting it on this week, it's still snug, but it zipped to the top and I KNOW it will fit, it's just a matter of time.

So this photo - another 'reality photo' - I have an on going group of amazing women (and a few men!) who have committed to morning workouts - whatever the workout is, we post photos of ourselves first thing either right before we work out (like this photo), during, or just after.  It's motivation to know that others are getting up and doing the same thing in their homes!  Sometimes I throw out fun challenges like Pig Tail Monday - we all had to post pig tail photos!

A really prideful moment for me happened post workout this same day.    Something that has always been a sticking point for me was crossing my legs. Since I can remember, I have always struggled being 'able' to cross my legs.  Now I know it's not great for your hips, and nerves, but it still has always been this thing in the back of my head.    Genes play a part, as does weight.  What I'm excited about is that somehow over the last year this 'happened' - the ability for me to cross my legs again.

Food news!!

Here is my little guy sneaking some sips of my Shakeology - I pretend to be upset, but honestly I'm so happy he loves something so healthy!

Speaking of healthy - we got a "Nesspresso" for Christmas, and I have been playing around with healthy alternatives to my beloved Starbucks lattes - I think I found a winner! An espresso pod, almond milk, honey, and cocoa powder!

Another favorite in the house are my shakeology and coconut butter cups - they are really easy and fast to make and hit the spot when all I want is a piece of chocolate (half a red and 2-4 teaspoons on the fix for both depending on how you make them and if you add PB).

I decided to crack open my Fix cook book this week too and make some cupcakes with my little guy.  They came out SO good!!  Next time I'll probably add some extra spices, but they were insanely easy, very tasty and had very few ingredients!

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/

If you'd like to work with me as your coach, create a free account:  http://www.beachbodycoach.com/chapmaki

Mommy & Me Website: http://www.fitandbalancedmom.com/

Contact: fitandbalancedmom@gmail.com

Happy 2016!!

Weekly Update:  This week I am down 2.6lbs for a NEW total of 81.4lbs!!  I started 2016 with quite the stomach bug, but it won't hold me down! I listened to my body, adjusted my workouts and rest days and took it a little easier on myself so I could fully recover.

I wanted to start with this 'real' post today - so here's the thing.  These photos were taken THREE DAYS apart. Seriously.  The one on the bottom I actually weighed a little less.  The difference?  My positioning.  I wanted to share because often we 'see' photos of people or people in certain outfits and assume things - we get down on ourselves.  The top photo, I don't look perfect, but I look much more solid than the bottom photo - but both are me, I am just sitting in the bottom one.

I am super proud of my strength, my tone and my definition - but I found it very important to show you, just because you 'see' one perspective, doesn't mean someone doesn't have rolls!

This week was off the norm - first of all we went to my parent's house in NH, I found out my dad has had a full set of weights up to 40 pounds laying in their garage for like 10 years!  So first of all I'm cracking up that I drove around CT bargaining and grabbing weights of all sizes from various tag sales to get the set I have at home, but that's OK because it was great! I was able to do my Hammer and Chisel workout at their house and had everything I needed!

Speaking of Hammer and Chisel, I'm super pumped about my month one results!! I stuck to the nutrition all but 3 days so far, and even those three days wasn't totally terrible (Christmas, New Years, a football game I went to).  I see the biggest change in my legs which is sooo worth all the squats and lunges! 

This week wasn't all fun and games though, we had some sickness (stomach bug) floating around the house for the week - starting with our 2 year old.  The plus side is we got in TONS of snuggles! He's so active, snuggles are usually hard to come by.

I wanted to take some time today to highlight a friend of mine, and someone I have been coaching the last 11 months.  Pamela is a true inspiration.  She had every reason in the world not to start, but she decided to anyway.   In 11 months she has regained her life - and the ability to hike again, something she used to love to do but was becoming harder and harder.    She has lost over 50 pounds and is unstoppable!  

Here's another great transformation photo - I'm really excited about this one.  My arms are something I REALLY struggle with - I've gotten better about accepting them, but I still have my days when it comes to the reality that they won't ever be super firm.  The top photo is one I took this summer, the bottom one I took this weekend after my first month of Hammer & Chisel - I see biceps!!

It wouldn't be a good blog post without a sweaty selfie!! Workouts were a little slower due to being sick, but I gave it what I could when I could!

Food news...I seriously can not get enough of this amazing butternut squash pizza crust.   

I said one of the days I was 'off' was at a football game - we got tickets to go with my parents to a game at Giant's Stadium - and they were ones that came with an all you can eat buffet for the entire game - talk about challenging!  Not many vegetarian protein options (well really, none.). I knew this was going to be a challenge so I packed my Shakeology for the drive up and some snacks, then I loaded up on veggies as soon as I got there. 

I knew the one thing I really really wanted was going to be a soft pretzel.  I made sure I didn't over stuff myself so that I could really ENJOY the soft pretzels!  And the best part is my mom and husband were willing to let me eat the centers of theirs so I actually had a full pretzel but in the form of the 'center' which is my FAVORITE part!

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/

If you'd like to work with me as your coach, create a free account:  http://www.beachbodycoach.com/chapmaki

Mommy & Me Website: http://www.fitandbalancedmom.com/

Contact: fitandbalancedmom@gmail.com