Juicing

How many vegetables and fruits are you eating a day?  Plant-based foods should be 40% of your daily diet.  I wasn't even close to getting the recommended daily amount.  Some days I wasn't eating any!  So to ensure that I am fueling my body with the good stuff, I started juicing about a week ago.
Research has proven juicing has many benefits and there are healing powers. It allows highly concentrated vitamins, minerals and enzymes to rapidly enter the bloodstream absorbing all the nutritional benefits. It can also reduce chances of the three leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer and strokes.

This food pyramid was illustrated in the documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. 

As a beginner to this juicing world, I relied heavily on Pinterest and YouTube to figure out how and what to juice. After three attempts, I found a recipe that my husband and I really liked. But you can add or subtract any ingredient and still get a tasty drink.

2 handfuls of spinach or kale

2 apples

1 pear

2 carrots

1 pineapple spear

1 cutie orange

and a wedge of lemon

I love the fact that I am rebooting my system and experimenting with different recipes. I feel really good about getting the right nutrients in my body.  After a week, I don't know if I have more energy, but my skin does have a healthy glow. I think over time I will definitely feel more energized. Do you juice? What recipes do you like?

     

Eating my frog!

I am learning a lot about myself this first week of the new year as I stay committed to my resolutions. I am realizing that timing is everything and sets the tone for my day.

If I don't workout first thing in the morning, my day gets off on the wrong foot. It becomes my resistance and I become irritable until I get it off my to-do list.  My focus is not in the moment at hand, nor is it fully on my kids. I can't fully enjoy the little moments that make being a SAHM priceless.  Instead, I am easily overwhelmed by constantly thinking about what I still need to do, feeling unappreciated and nothing seems to go as planned. 

So my lesson learned is "eat that frog" first; coined by author Brian Tracy.  It applies to your most important task(s) that you hold dear to your heart. Get it out of the way so you can get on with your day! My frog is getting my workout done in the mornings and off my to-do list. 

It is not fun waking up from a peaceful slumber to pushing your body to its limits and getting your heartbeat pumping a mile a minute. But the alternative; to chance my day and daily routines of being disrupted, my mood being compromised, and my focus only partially there, I choose the first. I own the day and I'm going to make it a great one! 

Stay driven!

Fitness funds

We know exercise has its benefits: gives you more energy, controls weight, combats health conditions and diseases, improves your mood, promotes better sleep, and the list goes on and on!  

Maybe that isn't incentive enough for you; let's add one more benefit to that list.  Get out a piggy bank and start dropping money into your "Get into shape and spoil yourself" fund!  Pay yourself every day you work out.  

I love this idea in so many ways!  With 365 days in a year, that's money in your pocket that your hard work, sweat and tears earned!  Every day that I work out, I'm going to pay myself.  My first treat to myself is going to be a new pair of workout sneakers.      

2016 Resolutions!

Happy New Year!

I am guilty!  Every year, I jot down a handful of resolutions and then stray away from them.  The ironic thing is, each year, they tend to be the same resolutions as the year before!  So this year, I am publishing my resolutions so that I am held accountable for them!  With this being said, I am going to be more thoughtful and selective as to what I want to commit to this year!  Hope it works.  We'll find out the end of this year.

1. Get organized, declutter.  My theme song this year is "Let It Go" 

As I look around my house, I wonder how did I ever let it get this bad!  There isn't a room in the house that doesn't need attention, and some rooms are out of control (e.i., office, closet, garage, basement, my seven-year-old's bedroom).   I wish I had that instinctive gene of being organized. Sometimes I even question whether I have hoarding tendencies.  Jokingly my husband might say that I do, but I don't.  

I am done with all the clutter of junk everywhere and I want it out of my house.  I know that it will bring me peace of mind, help me function better in all areas of my life, and I'll feel better about yourself.

2.  Make my health a top priority by working out 5 days a week and eating fairly clean.

I am leading by example.  I know there are eyes watching me.  My three musketeers, for one, are right there with me when I pick up my weights and press play.  I want to be here for them for the long haul, and see/do everything I can with them for as long as I can.  It's going to require me to stay strong and healthy.  I am also going to curb my drinking of alcoholic beverages.  This is a little sad for me, but I know that it effects my mood and my body in a negative way.  I am detoxing and replacing with superfoods from my Shakeology.  I'm excited to get my energy and glow back.  









































3.  Follow through to see projects through to the end.  

I have a handful of books that I started reading, but haven't finished.  I plant herbs and plants and by the middle of summer, don't take care of them.  Another example is organizing my photos to create albums and scrapbook; I have tons of photos and do nothing with them.  

4.  I am going to continue to grow as an entrepreneur, fitness coach and blogger.

I am going learn, plan, grow, and implement.  I want to strengthen my skills and have more confidence in the industries.  I am going to face my fears and put myself out there so that maybe I can inspire someone else to go after their dreams.  I want to develop strong friendships and really connect with like-minded people.        

Since I am documenting my resolutions, I'd better not got too carried away here.  I think this is a great start for my 2016 and I am going to work hard to see these resolutions through.

Determined to make the New Year epic!

Plans are in the works this week as I dream big for 2016 for my family and me!  I am making this last week of this year the most important week of next year!

What are my values? Family, time, health and efficiency.

What are my goals?  Spend quality time with my family and travel to see extended family. Continue to grow and learn to become a successful entrepreneur. Keep my home organized and decluttered. 

How am I going to achieve my goals? Share my journey, leading by example and commit to living a healthy, balanced lifestyle to inspire and help others to do the same. 

My first project is to launch my Facebook  like page to document my health and nutrition journey, share tips and resources along the way. 

https://www.facebook.com/MyMindBodySeoul/

I will continue to work on my blog and am committed to publishing a blog post a couple times a week.

Let's make 2016 epic!

Merry Christmas 2015

This month has been emotionally hard on me.   We gained a couple of angels, battled sickness and even had an overnight stay at the hospital.  So I have been really looking forward to getting over being merry and bright.  

Even with the extra stresses, my family had an awesome Christmas day.  We truly enjoyed our time with each other and were content exploring the new presents that were exchanged with love.  My little family is everything to me.

I have to brag, my Santa took very good care of me!  My favorite gift is my iRobot, Roombu!  It's the closest I'll get to getting a maid.  So I am thrilled!

The most memorable moment this Christmas was definitely one that I want to remember forever.  My 3 musketeers made out like bandits.  My oldest got just what he wanted from his grandma and grandpa, a drone.  He took it outside with his dad, and they were gone for a while.  My husband ran into the house, changed out of his pj bottoms, and grabbed the truck keys.  The drone had flown into a nearby cow pasture, and they had to find it.  It started raining pretty hard.  I noticed my son coming back to the house and greeted him at the front door.  He was drenched; he was crying and his heart was broken because he had lost his new toy.  It was such a sweet, innocent moment.  Thankfully the story has a happy ending.  My husband continued looking for the drone in the rain until he found it, and was able to mend my baby's heart.

 

Happy Thanksgiving with Family

From our family to yours we hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  My parents and aunt visited from Florida to celebrate with us.

We had a feast and enjoyed our family!

Jambalaya

I was looking for a dish to take with us for deer camp and wanted a one pot dish.I may have out done myself!  I just found my new favorite comfort food recipe!  Who wouldn't like chicken, shrimp and sausage in one dish?  Jambalaya has always been one of my favorite dishes.  Now I have the perfect recipe.  And it is so easy!

Let me know what you think!  Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Jambalaya

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 green pepper diced
• 1/2 red/orange/yellow pepper diced
• 1 onion diced
• 3 stalks of celery sliced
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 lbs chicken, cut 1inch pieces
• 1/2 lbs sausage, cut in 1/2 inch slices
• 1 lbs peeled and deveined shrimp (I take tails off)
• 1 can dice tomatoes
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups uncookd white rice
• 1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme

Cooking Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat.  Stri in the chicken until no longer pink, set aside.  Cook the sausage, then set aside.  Cook shrimp, then set aside.   
2. Add the onions, bell peppers and celery; season with salt Cajun seasoning.  Cook and stir until the they are soft, 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the rice and dice tomatotes and chicken broth, bay leaves and thyme.  Add all the meats back in and bring to a boil, and then simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Remove pot from heat and let it sit for 5 minutes.  Discard bay leaves, serve and enjoy!

Speedway in Lights 5k 2015

It was a cool crisp evening with tons of people all around ringing in the festive season with a stroll around the Bristol speedway grounds.  

I ventured out with my three musketeers, was that wise?  
To give them an evening of lights and some rigorous exercise.  

It was a fun evening had by all.  And to top it all off, the proceeds go for a good cause!

Happy Holidays and hope your season is bright!  

Speedway In Lights

Every year Bristol Motors Speedway decorates their race tracks with lights and spectacular holiday scenes to raise money for the Bristol Speedway Children's Charities.  They open the event up with a 5k for participants to run or walk around to take in the sights by foot.  They then welcome vehicles to drive through the tracks throughout the holiday season.  They run midway rides and an ice skating rink for visitors to enjoy.  

It's a great evening of fun, and I highly recommend it if you're in the Bristol area between Thanksgiving and New Years!

8th Annual Race for Ian

What is hemophilia? It's a blood disorder which a person's blood does not clot properly due to a missing clotting component. Treatment alone cost about 100k a year! 

A Race for Ian is an event hosted by a family affected by the blood disease. All the proceeds raised during this annual event goes to finding a cure for Hemophilia.

I first met the family three years ago while looking for daycare for my son. The mother is the owner of Little Bo Peeps and runs an excellent program that prepares the children for future academic success. The family is the sweetest with hearts of gold. Their son, Ian, battles with the danger blood disorder. 

This was my first time running this annual event and I came in with the time of 38:25. I plan to run this event each year to support this family's cause and will improve my run each year. 

Project: THANKFUL

I am really excited about starting the next Challenge Group!  I am teaming up with some amazing Coaches to tie Fitness and the Thanksgiving Spirit! 

Last year they donated 27 meals to those in need during the Thanksgiving holidays!  For every inch lost, a meal was donated on behalf of the challengers!  That's awesome!  I hope this year is just as successful!   

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It's not too late to take advantage of October's promotional Challenge pack offers of 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, and Body Beast!  They are world class fitness programs that you can do in the comfort of your home!  No commute, saves time, and you will love your results! 
 
I love being a Coach and being a part of this culture where I can help people improve their health and wellness.  But, to be able to incorporate helping those in need really ignites my passion to do my best in this venture and share my journey!  I am thrilled to be a part of something bigger than myself!
Click here to join this Challenge Group.

 

A hunting we will go

For me, there is no better feeling than being one with nature and in the elements.  Sitting in a tree and being truly unplugged, listening to the leaves actually falling from the trees and the wind travelling through the woods, it gives me the calmness and peace like no place on earth.

Growing up in Florida, I didn't know anything about deer hunting!  I thought deers were cute and the most famous one I knew was Bambi.  That's about the extent of it.  Nationally, about 5% of the population hunt, and roughly the same percentage actively oppose hunting.  The rest of the population is predominantly neutral.

Once I moved up to Minnesota to be with My Paul Bunyan, I quickly learned about this ever so popular sport that is pretty much its own holiday season.  As a newcomer, I was shocked but the openness and acceptance of it all throughout the whole midwestern region!  And quickly,  I too was swept in by the "buck fever".  

Halloween Costumes

When it comes to holidays and holiday decor, I have a hard time parting with my money and really getting festive with it! I don't know if it's because it's temporary or maybe I'm too broke, or that I lack vision to come up with good ideas!  Whatever the case may be, I know I want to celebrate and acknowledge the holidays so that my three musketeers can get excited about them. Without breaking the bank.

Here are my twins and this year's costume choices.  As you can tell by the photo, they are super thrilled about this idea!

Happy Fall and Chili Season

There's a chill is the air with the changing of the seasons.  Hurricane Joaquin has dumped a lot of rain and is causing some flooding along the east coast.

The season of change at my house is no exception.  The twins have graduated out of their cribs to twin beds!  They were so excited when we were setting up the beds and rearranging their room. But when it came to bedtime, it was a different story and they weren't so sure.  They cried for comfort in their strange new setting and their new beds.  They managed to fall asleep after an hour of getting up and coming out of their room three times.

The next day, we woke up to them in the living room watching TV.  They have learned how to operate the remote at a tender age of not even two.  I think they are loving their new found freedom. Naptime, on the other hand, is a whole other story and is something that we will have to work diligently on to establish a new routine.

Chilly weather and weekends are perfect for crockpot meals!  Add football, and we've got our agenda for the weekend.  My husband grabbed our favorite red chili recipe and loaded up the crockpot!  You would think that it would last a few days, but not so much in this house.  It will be gone by the end of the weekend.

I am really excited to share this delicious chili recipe as my first clean eating entry to my blog!  It comes from our dear friend Tracy who use to be our neighbor in MN.  She is a hospice nurse and is a wonderful person inside and out.  Thank you for sharing this recipe with us, Tracy!

Enjoy and bon appetite!

Chili

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp accent
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp celery salt
• 15 oz red chili beans
• 2 cups celery chopped
• 1 cup onions chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 quart (4 cups) cooked tomatoes
• 3 cups water
• 2 Tbsp chili powder

Cooking Directions

1. Brown ground beef and drain. Then add all the ingredients into your crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours.
2. Optional: Top you bowl of chili with sharp cheddar cheese and diced onions.

Fitness Challenge Group

I just finished another round of 21 Day Fix.  The results are visible and I am happy with what I'm seeing in the mirror.  I am in my mid 30's and I feel great!  I can pick up my twin toddlers, one in each arm and play with them all day long!  That was one of my goals!  Whoo hoo!!

Progress is progress, no matter how small

Working out and having the self-discipline to do it daily is a challenge in itself.  Statistics have shown that people fail when they try to work out on their own.  That is where a challenge group comes in.  

What is a fitness challenge group?  It is led by coaches who share tips and resources to members in a closed fitness accountability group.  Challengers work out to their program of choice and practice clean eating, most drink Shakeology, and encourage one another to step-up every day for 21 days.  It's 21 days of intentional focus, to better your health, to replace bad habits with good ones, and giving your best effort to get results that will keep you going there after, and closer to your fitness goals.  

Each month Beachbody offers a monthly promotion, with a discounted Challenge Pack.  September's promo is PiYo: a low impact, strength training program to sculpt your body, with celebrity trainer Chalene Johnson.  It combines pilates and yoga.  Prepare to sweat and see awesome results! 

   

      

My next 21 day fitness challenge group starts October 5th.  Click challenge group to reserve your spot.

My gift

Celebrate what is right in the world! Take a look at your situation from another perspective. 

This little man is truly my gift. I struggle with confidence: in being a mom, a wife, providing and supporting my family, in my relationships with my friends, and as an entrepreneur.

But no matter how much I beat myself up for not being "good enough", or how much I hold myself back because of fear; this beautiful little boy is my proof that I must be doing something right. 

We celebrated his 7th birthday on the 22nd! I love you B, always and forever. Happy birthday love! Dream Big, Aim High, You can do anything you set your mind to!

P.S. The cake is made with broccoli and asparagus 😏
 

Clean eating

I'm the first to admit that I'm not the best at this clean eating business.  I LOVE food and I really don't want to think too hard about it.  If it's delicious, I want to eat it.  Also, I'm not a nutrition expert by any means; I've never counted calories (pretty sure, I would have failed miserably); and meal prep is not my specialty either (hoping to get better at it though). 

Probably not what you want to hear from a Beachbody Coach.  However, everything I've learned regarding food and nutrition, I have stumbled upon during my fitness journey.  I want to fuel my body with the proper nutrition for energy, and to reduce the risk of chronic diseases.  So now I am mindful of what I eat, and what I feed to my three little musketeers.  With that out in the open, I want share some of what I've learned thus far.

I never thought any of quick fix pills or fad diets were safe, effective or fun!  However, a calorie in, is not a calorie out.  A serving of almonds is going to process and fuel your body as oppose to a serving of soda, which is going to make your organs work harder to process the sugars. 

I am a firm believer that you have to work for what you want.  The 21 Day Fix fitness program incorporates a nutrition plan that is in my opinion the best, bar none.  Autumn Calabrese has made eating health easier with her color coded portion control containers and approved grocery list of items.   There is nothing processed and everything is natural.  Makes sense and sounds delicious; it is! 

I haven't given up everything that's bad for me, but I have made huge improvements on my eating habits.  I introduce health substitutes to my family, and sometimes they work, some times not so much.  There is a 'cheat week' between my challenge groups ;)  But I think that starting good habits, replacing bad habits, and moderation on things that I haven't given up yet is a good balance for me.

My goal for my September Challenge group is to track my containers better.  Instead of eating too much or the wrong things, I tend to sell myself short and not eat enough.  I am also testing new recipes from FIXATE, the new cookbook by Autumn, which has 101 clean eating recipes!  Wish me luck!    

Fate brought us together..

There is no other explanation of how a Minnesota native meets a Floridian beach bum by chance and they fall in love.

We lived our individual lives in different states when we received our orders to report for Active duty to the US Army for Operation Iraqi Freedom III from our Inactive Ready Reserves (IRR) status.  It was a difficult year for both of us in so many ways, but it brought us together.

My 'Paul Bunyan' and I have come such a long ways in the 10 years we've been together.  We have so much to be thankful for!  We started our journey in a country with bare minimums, and have created a life together filled with love, a family with three amazing boys, and have grown so much personally and professionally.  Nothing compares to the support he gives me.  He believes in me more than I believe in myself and encourages me to catch my dreams.

Our story is FAR from over and we have so much more in store for us!  I am excited to see the next chapters of our lives together.  In the meantime, I want to savory ever moment!

What is love?..  It's supporting one another no matter what, because their happiness is what you wish for them more than anything else.

He isn't perfect, but he's perfect for me. June 21, 2008.

My Values

My Fitness Journey

I don't have a huge compelling transformational story, but after carrying and birthing twins, I didn't know what my body and midsection were suppose to look like.  I just didn't like what I saw in the mirror. I would jiggle my unattractive loose belly around and wanted to do something about it.  My sweet friend who has 4 children shared her transformation story through Facebook.  She invited me to join her Beachbody Coaching team.  I jumped on board and started my fitness journey with 21 Day Fix and I got awesome results!  

6 months pregnant with twins and stretched out! 

What I love about this fitness journey is that it's not a diet, it's not a fad, it's a lifestyle change.  It incorporates working out, eating portion size, clean meals, and offers support and accountability to keep you on track.  

I started in March 2015 and each round was in 21-day increments.

I've tried different Beachbody fitness programs and I really enjoyed all of them. I've done 21 Day Fix, Insanity, Body Beast, and Cize. I love my fitness library! I know, I'm a weirdo, fitness nerd.  Each has offered something different and mixes up my routine a little bit.

Since beginning my fitness journey in March 2015, I lost 13 pounds, my arms and legs have definition, and my stomach isn't hanging over my pants. I'm making healthy food choices to fuel my body. I have more energy to chase my twin toddlers and six year old.

I have participated in two 5K races and have 4 more races in the books in the next few of months. It's a new love affair of mine.  I'm not good at it, but I love doing them, especially with friends!

I have met some inspirational ladies during this venture.  They motive me to be better in every facet of my life.  I am so glad that this opportunity crossed my path and I know that my future has so much more in store for me.  

If you would like to get started on your fitness journey, click on the link to fill out a quick questionnaire and I will contact you to get started.  Start your fitness journey