Depression and Dieting

Let’s talk about food, baby!!  Face it, our life revolves around food. We are constantly thinking about when we can eat next, what we want to eat, what we are craving, where to go for dinner… Even social gathers revolve around food. Who is going to bring what dish, which sports bar to watch the game at or who has the best Tailgating food. Food is everywhere. 

 

Whether we like it or not, food dictates our health and wellbeing. What nutritional choices we make on a regular basis directly relate to many factors in our health. It goes without saying that a diet comprised of McDonalds and Domino Pizza is going to yield less desirable results than one of plenty of protein and vegetables. We all know that eating healthy is the right decision, but it’s definitely not an easy one. In a world filled with nutritional-empty “foods” it can be challenging to pick up an apple rather than the donut next to it. 

My depression this summer sent me spiraling from one end of the food pyramid to the other in record time. For six months I had played by the rules. Strict eating, sticking to a very healthy, protein filled diet. I ate every few hours (even when I didn’t want to) and saw the unimaginable benefits from proper nutrition. What I wasn’t prepared for was the consequences I was about to meet when I dropped my nutrition cold turkey. 

At first everything I ate made me sick. I would have a stomach ache or severe cramps within minutes of finishing my meal or “snack”. My body didn’t know how to handle the fat and grease and made me feel awful. I immediately noticed my energy levels drop and fatigue set in. By the end of the first week of this reckless behavior I noticed bloating, but nothing alarming enough to make me pump the breaks. My depression worsened as I continued to skip the gym, stopped talking to friends and ate everything in sight. By the end of the third week I took notice of the Me I had become…  Suddenly my clothes were no longer fitting. 

 

It only took me three weeks to undo what took me six months to accomplish. This is due to my sudden inactivity and largely due to my poor nutrition. I was sick…  I’ve been in shape for the past 2.5 years, I never thought having to lose weight (other than cutting for a show) was something that would plague me ever again. But here I was, faced with the fact that I once again needed to lose weight. 
Now I am not saying by any means that I am overweight, but knowing that competing is still at the TOP of my goal list, I knew I had to get back to work. Over the summer my depression lead to (an estimated) 20lb weight gain. It may have been easy to put on, but I knew I was going to have to work to get it back off. 

So September 1st was day one back on a “Flexable Competition Diet”. My goal is to get back into the shape I was at my last check in by the end of the year. This gives me 16 weeks to slowly cut and regain control of my health and physique. Twelve to sixteen weeks is the normal cut period for competition prep so I figured this would give me plenty of time to drop the weight slowly and in a HEALTHY manner and prepare my body for full Prep come January. 

Being two weeks into my Flexable diet I feel fantastic!  I’ve regained so much energy it’s unreal. I no longer nap during the day, I get out of bed easily in the morning, I have energy to just be active again!  It is completely incredible how much what you eat affects you. As though feeling better wasn’t good enough, I’ve noticed a major difference in my body as well. The bloating has greatly reduced and my clothes are fitting again (hallelujah). Even though I still have a lot of work to do I can already see and feel the difference and benefits of properly feeding my body. If I’ve been able to regain this type of control in only two weeks, the rest of this journey should prove rewarding!

 
Yes I’m upset that I allowed myself to regress so much. Yes I’m upset I threw so much hard work away. Yes I’m upset that I still have so much work to do. BUT I am more than willing to put in the dedication because the feeling of being healthy far outweighs the feeling of being out of shape, unhappy or depressed. 

My point to this story?  What we eat plays a much larger role in our lives than we realize. I allowed my depression to become my excuse to eat poorly. Making these nutritional decisions didn’t make me feel better or help my depression, it only made it WORSE!  I was feeding my depression rather than working toward correcting it. 

Now when I aimlessly walk into my kitchen looking for something to eat I ask myself: Are you hungry enough to eat an apple?  If not, you’re not hungry!!  I am focused and ready to right my wrongs and get back on track. Don’t allow your setbacks to keep you from reaching your goals. Be stronger than your excuses and prove to yourself you CAN do it. 

Back on My Feet

I have tried to write this Blog at least four times, but it just never seemed to be exactly what I wanted or needed it to be.  I never liked the way it came together or I felt that it was too long and boring.  Today I am here to tell you that I am finally back on my feet and attacking my goals full throttle.  So the question remains… What happened?  Why did I suddenly disappear for so long?

Well… To make a long story short – I hit a horrible depression that only seemed to escalate as time passed.  I was in heavy Contest Prep for an upcoming Bikini Competition.  I was sticking to my diet, hitting the gym every day without fail and watching my body change daily.  My progress was right on track and I couldn’t have been happier with everything.  Then life hit…  My wife started back to school full time as well as still remaining full time at her job (which means the girls and I never get a chance to see her).  As if the stress of having her gone all the time wasn’t enough, my Coach dropped me 12 weeks out from my Competition.  Due to my wife’s new schedule, our family schedule became very tight and unbending.  Attempting to readjust my training schedule with my Coach just wasn’t an option to him and he dropped me as a Client.  Well… Bye Bye competition.  Goodbye to six months of blood, sweat, tears and a shit ton of money…  Hello depression!!

 

It hit me hard.  I was already struggling with Tara never being home. Our girls weren’t handling her absence well either.  Temper tantrums struck for the first time ever and I was just stressed to the max.  Then I got the bombshell from my Coach that he felt I wasn’t ‘dedicated’ to this sport because I couldn’t take the time to train with him as often as I had been.  At this moment I figured “WHAT’S THE POINT?!” and just threw everything away.  I stopped watching what I ate and pretty much stopped training cold turkey and even cut my friends out of my life =(  Yup, it was bad.

However, I am happy to report that today I am back on track and climbing out of my canyon I dug for myself.  It has taken me a long time to get here.  My Coach dropped me in June, just a few days after my birthday, and I’ve been struggling to find my ground ever since.  This past week I restarted my “Competition Diet” and getting to the gym much more frequently to train.  I am not on a ‘Contest Prep’ and I am not sticking to a STRICT diet, I am simply getting back into the habit of healthy nutrition and working to get this weight off I gained during my depression.  Yes, you heard that right.  I GAINED WEIGHT!  I refused to get on the scale but my best estimate would be somewhere around 20lbs (barf!).  All those months of hard work completely thrown away.  Today I am starting from square one.  I am not happy about this, but hey… I’m human!  We all take a step or two backwards at some point.  What is important is that we recognize it and take the actions to move forward again.

Beginning of Prep/Last Check In

 

So here we are, the beginning of September and I am so ready to be ‘me’ again.  It feels good to be eating healthy and training everyday again.  Right now my goal is to be back to my physique of my last check in with my Coach (before our falling out) by the end of the year.  I set this goal because I feel it is realistic and does not put a lot of stress on my shoulders of dropping the weight too quickly.  I want to be healthy and be able to retain muscle.  At the start of the New Year I plan to start prepping for a show!  And yes.  I have sought out a NEW COACH for the upcoming Competition Year, but more on that later =)

I am excited as I think forward to the things I want to accomplish.  I am determined to make my goals a reality and getting on the stage it still at the TOP of my list.  With my newly regained focus I plan on putting extra time and effort into my Blog, my YouTube Channel, and my Instagram Account.  I want to be able to share my journey and experience with you.  It is too easy to see others at the peak of their game, you never get to see or understand the struggle behind what it took to get to that point.  I want to be real, transparent with my Followers and show you what it took for ME to get back on track and ready to compete.  I’m not even saying that my Followers need to be Competitors, this is just a story or a real person/mom/wife, with a life full of chaos, and how I juggle it all to stay healthy and fit.

Thank you to everyone for the continued support!  I have so much planned for you and look forward to what is coming.  >>Be sure to stay tuned for all things Fitness and Mommy related!!<<  My little girls start their first year of PreSchool next week ='( That will definitely be Blog worthy!  Oh, and how I FINALLY WON the potty training battle!

 

Have a beautiful Sunday and I will be back to you soon!!!

Cooking with Cauliflower

For many of us it is a struggle to consume the proper amount of vegitables that is suggested for a day.  When it comes to our children and our spouses, it becomes espically more challenging.  So… What are we to do to help keep our family on track??  Trick them, of course!!!  I am a HUGE fan of cooking with Cauliflower.  Over the last year and a half I have collected some beyond tasty recipes created from this simple white flowered food.  The best part?  You would never even know these meals were created from Cauliflower.  Watch with pride as your family licks their plate clean after dinner and asks for seconds.  I think it’s time to get cooking; who is ready for some recipes?

Cauliflower ‘Fried Rice’

Okay, I have to admit that Chinese food is (well, was) one of my favorite take outs.  There is just something about the taste of it that is addictive, am I right?  So once the healthy nutrition took over, my days of Fried Rice and Chicken were over.  Or were they???  After some surfing around I discovered this A M A Z I N G dish that is created from Cauliflower.  No lie, after my first attempt I was addicted.  This is a frequent dish in my home and never lasts long.  Believe me, this recipe will not let you down.

1 head steamed Cauliflower
1 Cup Mixed Veggies…
3 Eggs (or egg whites)
1 diced chicken breast
1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
1.5 tbsp low sodium Soy Sauce

To steam Cauliflower, place in microwave safe bowl (easier if cut down to florets). Put in enough water to cover bottom of bowl and cover w plastic wrap with small vent. Microwave for about 5 min and drain.

Rice cauliflower by putting in food processor and pulsing only 3-4 times. Should look like rice. Over pulsing will lead to a mashed potato consistency.

Sauté veggies and chicken over medium heat in sesame oil for about 5 min.

Whisk tgh egg whites and soy sauce then add to veggies/chicken. Scramble.

Lastly, add your rices cauliflower to the mixture. Combine well and cook additional 5 minutes covered; stirring occasionally.  –>  ENJOY!

Follow this link for a complete video on this recipe!  https://youtu.be/zkoHWpJePko

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Loaded Mashed ‘Potatoes’

Come on.  I know that you love potatoes, escpically ones that are loaded with cheese and bacon.  Am I right?!  Don’t fool yourself, you know you love it!  I’m here to tell you that you no longer have to feel guilty about stuffing your face with these creamy dinner sidekicks.  This is actually a new recipe to my healthy eating arsenal and quickly climbed it’s way to the top of my favorites list.  Let me just tell you that this is a dish you MUST make.  Like today.  No, seriously.  When you finish reading this go and buy the ingredients and make it tonight, you won’t be sorry!  This dish was SIMPLE to whip up and tasts exactly like the real deal.  Yet another tastebud satisfying meal that you will never know is made from cauliflower.  Sorry, potatoes, you lose this one….

1 Head Cauliflower
2 tbsp Parm Cheese…
2 tbsp Plain Greek Yogurt
1/4 Cup grated Cheese
Crumbled Turkey Bacon

Steam cauliflower, allow to cool some and place in food processor along with the Parm Cheese, Greek Yogurt and a pinch of Salt/Pepper, Garlic Powder and Parsley. Pulse until well blended and whipped to the consistency of mashed potatoes.

Place in greased casserole dish (I prefer Coconut Oil) and top with Crumbled Bacon and cheese.

Bake at 350* for 15 minutes. If you want to crisp your cheese a bit, broil for a couple minutes after baked. –> ENJOY!!!

Yup, I did it again.  Follow this link for a video on this recipe (and my first reaction!)   https://youtu.be/r3NhmjwkIqY

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Cauliflower ‘Tater Tots’

Ah, the Tater Tot.  A simple, crispy potatoe that we all enjoyed as kids.  We never get too old to eat Tater Tots, but as we learn about Healthy Nutrition we may begin to second guess our food choices for our families.  My remedy?  You guessed it!  Tater Tots created from Cauliflower!  YES!  A total crowd pleaser!  My Avocado Turkey Burgers with a side of Cauliflower Tots is sure to make anyone happy.  So, let’s get cooking!

-1 Steam Bag Cauliflower

-2 Eggs

-3 Tsp Parsley 

-1 Tsp Italian Seasoning

-1 Clove Garlic, Minced

-1/2 Cup Panko

-1/2 Cup Shredded Chedder

-Salt/Pepper to Taste

 

*Steam Cauliflower, drain and allow to cool.  Place in food processor and Rice (blend to a rice like consistency).  Press in tea towel or Sturdy Paper Towel to remove access water from Cauliflower.  Combine Eggs, Parsley, Italian Seasoning, Garlic, Panko, Cheese and Salt/Pepper.  Spoon 1 Tbsp at a time into hands and roll into Oval shape.  Place on lightly greased baking pan and Bake at 400* for 16-20 minutes, turning half way through cooking.  Cook until golden brown. –> ENJOY!

  

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Cauliflower Pizza

Pizza, that greasy, cheezy, fat filled food we all crave.  What is it about pizza that makes us go crazy??  Just everything about pizza is amazing – The crunch of the crust, the gooey-ness of the cheese, the ability to create the perfect combination of toppings… It is the home run of foods, and one of the foods I often find myself craving while carefully watching my nutrition.  That is when this recipe came into my life!

 

1 head Cauliflower

1 egg 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese

1 tsp Oregano

2 tsp Parsley

(may also add dry flavoring such as Powder Ranch or Italian)

Process Cauliflower to Rice Like texture and place in a medium bowl. Combine with egg, oregano, parsley (and other spices that you desire). Press evenly onto a greased (Coconut Oil) baking sheet. Be careful to not spread too thin or it will fall apart; if it’s too thick, it may become doughy in the middle. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes. You may turn over once if desired.

Remove crust and dress with favorite toppings! A couple of my favorites are low calorie ranch dressing, veggies and mixed cheeses. And my absolute favorite is BBQ sauce, diced chicken breast, crumbled turkey bacon and cheese. O M G <– YUM!!!

Place back into oven until cheese is melted. Allow to cool, cut and ENJOY!!!!

  
This will become a favorite in your home!!! Word of caution: I’ve made this dish several times and I often find that the crust stays together better if I press the cauliflower once I rice it (placing in cheese cloth or thin dish towel and pressing out water). This removes all the excess water making it easier for the ingredients to bind together for a “holdable” crust.

 

 

 

Thank you so much for cooking with me again today!  There are SO many great ways to get cauliflower into your daily nutrition, and you will never realize how good these dishes are for you! Let me know which recipe was your favorite!  Share your experience and photos with me;  I love getting your feedback!  Cook on, my friends, and stay healthy!!

The Stereotype Surrounding Fit Women

Lets face it…  The world that we live in today is driven my judgement, opinions and stereotypes. It is impossible to be part of society without facing crude comments that make us think less of ourselves. People are rude and have no problem brining other people down. So, how does this relate to fitness?  Honestly, this is a world that opens not just a jar, but an entire pantry of judgemental opinions and comments. Deciding to take on a life of healthy eating and workouts almost puts us on the fast-track to judgement, even more so for us women. 

We make the decision to get fit, lose weight, eat healthy or workout because we want to feel better about ourselves, right?  This is a decision we make for solely for ourselves. Yes, it’s selfish, but it’s okay to want something for yourself once in a while – especially when it’s good health. 



Living in society today we have become comfortable with being overweight and unhealthy. When did this become okay?!  If you look back, even 10 years, obesity was not as rampid as it is today. Our would have grown to rely on ease and immediate satisfaction.  No one wants or “has the time” to cook meals these days so frozen meals and take out are the go to for nutrition. Reality television and surfing the Internet has taken center stage in our free time rather than getting our butts off the couch and being active. When did this all become normal?!?!

I was that person. After my girls I relied on easy meals and was never active. Soon I realized how horrible I felt, hated how nothing fit, never had energy and couldn’t bare looking at my reflection. I was the person that fell into this state of being “okay” with being lazy. No more. Something HAD to change. 

As most of you know by now I live a life that is full of health and nutrition. Has it been an easy transition?  No way!  Like most others I started by dieting. The first week or so went well, but I soon got bored and gave up leaving me nowhere. There is nothing easy about this, but what makes it hard is this adapted idea of laziness being acceptable. After finally getting mad enough at myself to the point of tears I knew I HAD to change. I refused to continue to live this unhealthy lifestyle. There is more to life than processed food and TV marathons. It was time to step up to the plate and be an example to my children. 

Two years later I’m in the best shape of my life, but do you want to know the crazy part??  I’ve never been more judged about my appearance. When I started gaining weight no one said a word. I knew the weight was coming but no one would ever mention it to me. At my heaviest I was ashamed of myself and hated being seen by others, but my weight was never mentioned. Once I started losing the weight it become the only topic people could talk about. One would think comments about losing weight would be flattering, but they soon become insulting and disrespectful. 



“You’ve lost so much weight” “You’re way too skinny”  “You should eat a sandwich”  “You don’t need to workout so much, you’re so small”  “Don’t you think you’ve lost enough weight”  “You get any smaller and you will Disappear”

These are things I hear OFTEN from friends, family, co workers, and strangers. How many of these people truly KNOW what I have done to achieve this body and what I do on a daily basis to maintain it?  I would seem that most people believe in two body types: Fat or Skinny. I’ve been labeled with the “skinny” term. Believe me, this word has become just as hurtful as being called “fat”. 

I am healthy. Plain and simple. I am not aiming for some magic number on the scale or that size 0 Jean, I want to be comfortable in my own skin and I’ve done that through fitness. There is a difference between “skinny” and “fit” and this is where I believe the negative stereotype comes into play. When others hear about eating healthy and working out they usually assume this is to achieve dramatic weight loss, not to create a toned physique. Those who are “skinny” are just that – Small with little no do muscle tone or defination. Girls who are “fit” are small (lean is the term I prefer) but yield a tight and firm physique with muscle defination. 



Victoria’ Secret Model vs Fitness Pro



This is a lifestyle we work hard to achieve. There is nothing easy about eating right and working out, but the desire to be HEALTHY outweighs the desire to be lazy. Of course I’d rather binge watch Criminal Minds while taking down a pint of Ice Cream, but will it make me feel better about myself?

Fit women fall into this unhealthy stereotype that can draw so much negativity. I believe a lot of it comes from jealousy. Most people do not have the dedication or will power to live a healthy lifestyle and seeing a woman motivated enough to do it is intimidating. Especially if that woman is married, has children and works. Time is not an excuse. 

Getting healthy and FIT has been the hardest thing I have ever done and next to my children, the most rewarding. Having others judge me by what I eat or how often I go to the gym is insulting. I’ve encountered some of the most nasty comments you could ever imagine. I used to allow it to bother me, but over the years (and the constant comments) I’ve become numb to the negativity. With my recent decision to compete in a Physique Competition I have people ask “Why” because they don’t understand why I would want to be eating so strictly and pushing so hard in the gym. My answer?  Because I WANT to. I love being fit and I love watching my body change from this soft figured woman into a toned fit mom. 



And to put your mind at ease, I eat allllll day!  Starving myself is hardly the case as I prepare for this show. 6-8 meals a day is my life. No one who plays an immediate role in my life can tell you that I don’t eat. Honestly, there are days I get sick of eating. The only way to fuel the body is to feel it right, so I EAT!  

So, to end my rant….  Don’t be so quick to judge those who love health and fitness. Just because a woman has made the decision to eat chicken and vegetables does not mean she’s looking to weight 80 pounds. Just because a woman turns down a donut in the break room on Friday mornings does not mean she’s “on a diet”. Choosing an apple over a bag of Cheetos does not mean we are against snacking. Why can’t it be as simple as wanting to eat REAL food, have energy and just feel better??  No secret formula behind it…

And I swear the next person who tells me to eat a cheeseburger will get the response: Maybe you should try eating a salad.  Or the next person to call me “too skinny” I will tell them they are “Too Fat” -Too hash?  Perhaps, but it’s just as painful as being called fat. Learn to leave judgement and stereotypes behind. All they do is hurt. Sometimes silence is golden…



Les MISERABLE

There is no hiding the fact that having the flu is inconvenient, miserable and just plan obnoxious, but getting slapped with it as a mom makes the experience so much worse. Why do I say that? Because now our bodies ache, sounds make us cringe, light makes the headaches worse, smells make our nausea worse and all we want to do is sleep BUT -> We are MOMS. Our life is full of sounds and lights because every toy ever created lights up and plays some type of repetitive tune that makes us want to throw toys against the wall on a normal day, today it just sends you over the edge making you want to ground your kid for even taking it out of the toy box. Sadly, there is no such thing as a “Sick Day” for us Stay at Home Parents. We get to pull double duty: care for ourselves and tend to the (more hyper than ever) children.

Last Friday my day started like most others. My girls woke and this Mama got busy making breakfast. Morning cartoons and snuggles soon commenced; a perfect Friday morning. Kayla and Zoe get to playing as I prep my meals for the day and prepare lunch for the girls. Next it’s off to nap time (haha, who am I kidding. They never nap) so I could get in my workout. I’m a week away from completing my Insanity MAX:30 program and had to train Shoulders. Started my workout feeling great. My energy was on point and I just felt focused. Soon I noticed my endurance tanking and I just lost the desire to complete my workout. This is SO unlike me, but I just chalked it up to an ‘off’ day. As the day progressed I noticed I was getting really tired and developed a headache. Honestly, I thought my body was just starting to react to my strict training and diet. By the time my Love came home from work I had a full blown migraine. I felt like death. Knowing I had to teach PiYo in the morning I made the decision to head to bed early so I could sleep off the headache and allow my body to catch up on rest. I was confident I would wake feeling myself.

Unfortunately I slept horrible. Was up about every hour and a half and by the time my alarm went off I felt even worse than I had when I went to bed. My headache was so terrible I felt dizzy, movement made it worse, and now I was crazy nauseous. Great, this PiYo class is going to be a blast. Now, my Saturday morning class has a usual crowd of about 6, but by some fate NO ONE showed this morning! I was so thankful I wouldn’t have to be hitting ‘down dog’ for the next hour. I have no idea why no one showed for class but today it came as a great relief. Before I knew it I was back in sweats and cuddled in a miserable mess on my couch and kissed my Spouse goodbye as they left for work. It didn’t take long before I started paying thanks to the Porcelain Gods. At this point I was convinced I was actually sick. Oh, goodie…

Here is where you can insert the “Worlds Worst Mom” title to my resume. I absolutely hate being sick as a mom (okay, just sick in general). When I’m sick I just become fatigued, lethargic, grumpy and short tempered. Things that normally would never both me are now driving me crazy. Just the SOUND of my girls digging through their Lego box was pressing my buttons. All I wanted to do was sleep so I couldn’t feel how miserable I was and my girls just wanted me to play. I found myself yelling at them for pointless things and soon felt like a terrible mother. This isn’t like me. Ugh, great way to make myself feel even worse.

My appetite was now completely gone and I couldn’t keep anything down. At this point I was starting to panic hoping I wasn’t going to ruin my progress for my show so I called my Coach with the bad news. Luckily he wasn’t too concerned since we still have 10 weeks until the show, he was mostly worried about a large drop in weight and dehydration. Crackers and fluids are my new diet.

This is where I give my girls credit, they realized that Mommy was sick and came prepared to make me better. My girls love Doc McStuffins and have every doctor tool they have made. Kayla comes to the couch with her doctor bag in hand and gives me a compete check up, healing hugs, kisses and cuddles included. How did I get so lucky to have such kind hearted little girls? Love them so much.

The next two days continued in the same fashion. Headaches, dizzy/lightheaded, fatigue, aches, no appetite, nausea/vomiting. Yup, officially felt like death and have missed training for 3 days on top of completely ditching my nutrition plan. Come Monday morning I’m beginning to feel better. Still pretty weak but the best I’ve felt since Thursday. I decided to brave a gym trip and train. It was a weak workout, but better than nothing. It didn’t take much to completely exhaust me. It just felt great lifting again and getting back to a normal routine. Tuesday I trained with my Coach. Another light training day. I was still very fatigued from being depleted for so long. Luckily I didn’t lose any weight, so my Coach was excited. At least something had gone right LOL.

Wednesday I finally began to feel human again. My desire to eat was slowly coming back and I wanted to do things other than sleep. Trust me, I really earned the “Mom of the Year” award over the last few days. I swear no one understands what is SAHM’s handle on a daily basis let alone doing it while we are sick. I think we should earn our Super Hero capes during these times just because everyone made it out in one piece!

Wednesday I received a phone call from my Sister in Law. She said she had the next day off and offered to watch the girls so I could have some ‘me’ time. Ah, just what I needed!! Finally a chance to be out solo, no kiddios to hustle in and out of the car at every stop. It was a very relaxing afternoon. Got a long overdue hair cut, bought a new pair of jeans (which was a small victory for me because I’m down to a size 4 – YAY!), cruised the mall, grabbed some coffee and even got paychecks. A day this Mama needed.

I am now back to a fully functioning human and mother. This stomach flu really knocked me down hard and took me out of the game longer than I was anticipating. Sick plus awesome mom don’t mix. We all made it through and luckily my girls never got sick. If there is anything worse than being sick, it’s my girls being sick.

A week later my nutrition is back on track, I’m back to training and the sound of Legos are no more annoying than any other day. Life is back to normal. No time to slow down now, two months from my show. Carb cycling diet starts tomorrow and training harder than ever. Well… Of course there is always time to slow down for some cuddles from my sweet little Princesses.

Let’s Clean Things Up

Clean Eating.  A topic I constantly get asked about.  In order to make the information more accessible on this topic I have created and dedicated an entire page on this website specifically to Nutrition.

Curious to learn more about Clean Eating or the Paleo Diet??  Head over to the Nutrition Tab and take a look at Clean Eating & the Paleo Diet!  Last year I took a hard look at my own nutrition and realized I needed to make some serious changes, that is where my research began.  >>What IS Clean Eating??<<  I am now a year into Clean Eating and LOVE what it has done for my life and my family!!  Can Clean Eating be YOUR answer or key to health, fitness and success??  Only one way to find out!