Summer bodies are made in the winter

Suck it up buttercup!

Thank goodness for baggy sweaters and leggings for those days when wearing your pjs to work just isn’t acceptable.  Rumor has it moms don’t get ‘sick days’ and since I just so happen to be a mom, who just so happens to have three very energetic (and exceedingly flamboyant) children, I have to pull on my big girl panties and buck up.  It’s bound to happen to us eventually… body aches, upset stomach, fever chills, painful cough, the left nostril doing all the work while the right is completely checked out for the day;  all I want to do is crawl back under my comforter and knock myself out for the day with a shot of NyQuil while Luke Bryan rubs my back……. Wake up Gina, there are lunches to make, notes to sign, and oh yeah…. There’s that job thing I’m supposed to do. 

 

So enough whining.  I promised to share some of my meal ideas with ya’ll each day so here’s what I’ve got.  Last night I tried a new kind of rice with my veggies.  It wasn’t ‘instant’ rice, but it was certainly worth the extra time.   I mixed some stir fry veggies (sautéed in EVOO) into it and sprinkled with red pepper.  I’m all about the spice.

 

Most of the time I make a separate dinner for my kids.  I want low-calorie, super high fiber meals for myself and that’s not always practical for their nutritional needs.  They require a different diet than I do, and the three of them have massive appetites at the end of a busy day.   It may sound like a lot of work, but really it isn’t.  Most things can be prepped on Sunday afternoons.   And I love, love, love my crockpot!  I put in a lean roast in with some potatoes before I left for work that morning (a whole whopping 5 minutes prep time!), served it up with some green beans and a little bit of gravy.  Success. 

 

I’m still going to hit the gym today despite the fact that I feel like a slug.  My expectations aren’t high, but I do think walking the treadmill at an incline for 30 minutes is better than sitting here feeling sorry for myself.   All you single mommas out there.. a great big kudos to you.  Being a parent is the toughest job in the world, but doing it completely alone on days when you feel absolutely miserable,  establishes a new level of strength.  I’m off to load up on orange juice and H2O.  Have a great day!

Monday Funday

Happy Monday folks!  I secretly love this day of the week.  Maybe not as much as I cherish Fridays, but it comes in at a close second.  I have to admit that my self-discipline seems to slack off during the weekends so I’m always enthusiastic to get back into routine.  It’s kind of like a mini new year’s each and every week!  This past Saturday we were so fortunate to be blessed with some gorgeous sunny, warm weather right smack dab in the middle of winter so I took full advantage of it.  I went on a two hour hike at the Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Trail in Tulsa, OK.  If you ever get the chance, you should definitely check it out.  Lots of beautiful scenery, furry four-legged friends and you get an immense booty workout throughout the whole thing!   

 

After the hike we were famished so we hit up a little Mexican restaurant. Delicious queso and yummy margaritas!  Probably not the best way to nourish the body after exercise if rendered by most healthy living enthusiasts but hey, I’m human. Sometimes my obsession with Mexican food just doesn’t get enough attention =)  When Sunday rolled around the weather quickly took a turn for more ‘normal’ January conditions so when it came time to go for a run, it was back to layers, gloves, and a thermal mask.  I tried a new route this week for my long jog.  This course started out with three miles of back to back hills.  By beginning this way, I did warm up a lot faster but I could certainly feel it in my hips towards the end of the run.  I was able to push myself 1.19 mi further than I’ve ever ran before (a total of 11.19 miles yesterday).  The wind was brutal and a lot of times I really felt like I was running in place because of it, but after it was all said and done I felt outstanding!  It took a about 20 minutes of stretching afterwards to get my legs loosened back up.  Don’t forget stretching is essential no matter what the distance. It will prevent you from feeling sore and keep your muscles from tightening up.   My favorite thing to do is take a scarf, lay on my back and pull my leg (one at a time, keeping the leg straight) up with the scarf just to the point where it hurts.  Then over to the right, then left and then repeat with the other leg.   The yoga pose downward dog is also an excellent stretch for all of your leg muscles after a jog.  If you still have the energy, throw in some crunches afterwards while your body is still in calorie-burning mode. 

 

And so here it is Monday again, and we’re back in the full swing of healthy living.  I started the day of with my favorite smoothie and for snack I enjoyed a cheese stick and an apple.    I’m so excited that some of my coworkers have agreed to start going to the gym with me during the week!  We broke away from the office today around lunchtime and spent 30 minutes on the elliptical – I tried to focus less on my speed and more on the incline – but man, does that work wonders for our day!  I will say though, midday workouts can burn up quite an appetite.  I brought a big salad today with an extra egg, the protein boost after the workout will help me from getting so hungry this afternoon.  This week I’m going to share some of my favorite meal ideas because I know by now salads can start to sound a little blah…… Have a good day!

 

This salad consists of:

Green leaf spinach

Sliced tomato

Sliced avacodo

Chopped green pepper

Chopped cucumber

Fresh green peas

2 hard boiled eggs

Light red kidney beans

Shredded cheese

And light dressing

Yummmmmmm!

Finding my prime

Someone asked me recently if I considered myself in my “prime.”  Interesting question, however not easy to answer.  Looking backwards I think it’s safe to say that I look and feel better than I ever have.  One thing I have always lacked is self-confidence.   The image I had of myself growing up and into my twenties was horrendous.  I didn’t think I was capable of doing anything commendable or worthy of anyone’s time.  This perspective led to a lot of bad decisions, but one thing is for sure I learned from those experiences.  I’ve worked so hard on healing from the years of narcissistic relationships and moving as far away from my past as possible, that when I was asked this question, it literally stopped me dead in my tracks.  I realized I had been so focused on fixing and adjusting and pushing myself that I had neglected to pause and reflect on how far I’d come.  That one, simple-conversation-starter-question set my mind off on a whirlwind.  So yes, as I stand in front of the mirror today I am proud of what I see because I have become resilient.  I can post selfies all day and like what I see =) All joking aside, I still have lots of room for growing.  I don’t want to settle on this as being my best.  There’s still so much more time and so many more goals to reach.  One important thing to remember: don’t let anyone squelch your fire.  More than once I’ve been guilty of falling in love with someone who held me back from reaching my full potential.  I’d stiffled my goals and dreams for the sake of companionship.  The people you hold close to you need to be encouraging.   I believe people come into your life to help you shift into a new and more authentic version of yourself.  The most challenging people will present you with the best lessons, even if those lessons are only to see what you don’twant in your life.  There are also those who wonderously enter your life one day in such a harmonious coincidence and they will direct you to the fulfillment of your dreams.  I’m leaving my soap box now =) Just had to jot out this literary reflection.

Tummy Time

Working on my core is crucial. Here are my favorites that I try to do once a day in this order:

75 crunches

15 leg lifts (legs together)

30 bicycles

30 Glute bridge's

15 leg lifts

10 v-ups

I've done this routine for a month now, adding 5 to each rep as they get easier. My abs feel amazing! My posture is better and my back doesn't hurt anymore. Give it a try 😉

Great snacking options

Make the miles count

I’ve been a ‘jogger’ for fourteen years now but it wasn’t until recently that I could actually say that I exerted myself.  Well, unless you count the year 2005 when I jogged up until the very day my middle child was born.  I’m guilty of being a little tenacious at times but that might have taken it to the max.  I’d buckle my first born into her stroller and run my big ol’ pregnant belly all over town. I was determined to not gain a single extra pound with baby #2, but I will say it ended up working to my benefit in several ways, including labor which only took about three hours from start to finish.  But back to my point…. Most of the time my jogging was at a nice, steady pace and even though my average distance was around 3 miles each time, it was taking me an hour to do it.  Granted that was better than sitting on the couch for an hour shoving Doritos in my face, but all it did was cause me to just be an overweight runner.  My body adjusted to the work load and didn’t really burn any extra calories.  I could carry on a regular conversation while jogging and I never really saw any changes in myself.  It wasn’t until the last year that I realized what I had been doing wrong so I set my mind to becoming a faster runner.    The best thing I found was to alternate.  One distance run, one short run, one distance run…. And so on.  On my short runs I would focus on running a half mile as fast as I could.  Not gonna lie, this was excruciating.  It made me want to throw up and not to mention the first few times killed my legs.  Every two weeks I would add a lap around the track until I got myself to a mile and a half.  I’ve lingered at this distance and focus more on getting faster.  This works different muscles than when you’re jogging long distances and I promise you will feel it.  On my long runs I would find a steady pace that was just to the point where conversation was too difficult, and if it started to feel like I wasn’t going to make it much farther, I would slow down just a hair until I caught my breath and then pick the pace back up again.  The intervals are actually really good for calorie burning =) I started this training exactly a year ago and in the past 12 months I’ve lost 34 lbs.  Also, I was able to run my first 10k (in the time it used to take me to run 4!) and have now built up my miles to where I will be able to do a half marathon this year!  So if you feel like you’ve been doing the same miles for a little too long, maybe this will help?  I would also encourage finding a running buddy.  Not only does it help the miles go by faster, but you can encourage each other on those days where you just don’t feel like getting out.    Happy running!

 

It's only a matter of time

We all have the same amount of time.  No one has any more hours in a day than the next.  Of course, that doesn’t mean that one person’s to-do list is equal to the next. My point is the excuse “I don’t have time” should be reevaluated.  Whether you’re a college student, first time parent or juggling older kids involved in every activity under the sun, we are all busy.   Sometimes it just feels too impossible to squeeze in time for working out.  Trust me, I get it.  However, think about those small indulgences you do make time for.  Say for instance, that tv show you schedule your life around so you don’t miss an episode?  Or how much time do you really spend on Facebook?  Where is all of that time you’re investing taking you?  Save the excuses.  It’s not about having time, but making time.  Since it’s just me and my three hooligans I find it challenging to find time to work on me.  Sure it would be much easier to just give up on the idea of being fit, it’s a battle I fight internally on a regular basis.  However, since I do push myself to exercise I find myself becoming a better parent.  I have more energy, more patience, more stamina.  I’m able to tackle more in a day than if I wasn’t making better choices with my diet and workout routine.  I could tell them how to become productive until I’m blue in the face, but it’s my actions that speak louder and by showing them that I make it a priority I’m setting the example for them.  The impression I want to leave in their minds ismy choice to create.  When I’m out and about talking to people and I tell them I have three kids the look I see on their faces is comical.  It’s almost like society perceives being a single parenting as an impairment.  But the truth is it doesn’t matter who you are or your marital status, we’re all faced with the same things every day: problems and opportunities.  The only thing that sets us apart is how we chose to handle them.  In my case, I have to figure out what to do with kids when I want to go for a jog.  On my long runs it’s better to leave them with family or friends for an hour or so, but if that’s not an option, there’s always the track.  In warmer weather they have a blast playing kickball or running around, but when it’s cold it gets a little more challenging.  I’m not a fan of using our tablets as babysitters and just sitting in the car gets a little boring for them so I print out worksheets (enough to keep them occupied for a while) and make it a competition to see who can finish their stack first.  If that’s not an option there’s always reading books =)   And if those options aren’t feasible, I have a perfectly good lunch hour to take advantage of.   If you can, try to do some jumping jacks or squats in the bathroom each time you go.  Squeeze that cardio in every chance you get.  It will make a difference.  My house isn’t perfectly clean, my laundry isn’t always caught up, my car is ridiculous at times, but you know what?  I feel better than I have in years!  Twenty years down the road it’s not going to matter if I kept a perfect house.  What’s important is that I’m healthy and my family is happy. Make your time count for something positive.  Stop wasting precious minutes on meaningless tv dramas and social networks that literally suck your life away. If you just can’t cut it all out, get up and move while you’re watching it.  The more you get your heart rate up the happier you’re going to feel

I **LOVE** this stuff!

About twice a month for the past year I have been drinking this stuff and I’d swear by it.  I just get a gallon jug of drinking water from the grocery store and put these ingredients into it and let it sit in the fridge overnight.   I try my best to drink the whole gallon the next day but sometimes it takes longer.  The taste might take a little getting used to if you aren’t a fan of mint, but it will make a difference in the way you feel.  I absolutely love this stuff!

Start your day off right

Here’s my secret to a great breakfast…

 

1 banana

1 Activia yogurt

Heaping handful of fresh green spinach

5 baby carrot sticks

OR

1 cutie orange

1 cup of frozen berries (I prefer blueberries because of the high level of antioxidants, but any frozen berries will do)

3 generous shakes of cinnamon

1 cup of Açai juice (you could use any juice really, just watch the sugar content)

 

Put all of this in a blender and now you have breakfast on the go.  I know it sounds a little weird putting spinach or carrots in a fruit smoothie, but they don’t have any flavor.  The fruit and cinnamon supersede the taste of the drink so it’s a GREAT way to pack in the extra fiber.   Just my own personal opinion, I wouldn’t put things like milk or peanut butter into smoothies unless you’re sure they’re not packed with sugar or useless fillers, afterall, you want an immune boosting blast, not a milk shake =)

Motivation

You either have it or you don’t.  There’s no grey area.  So how do you balance those days where you feel like a rock star and accomplish entire lists of projects into the days where putting on a bra just seems like too much? This has been my biggest challenge lately.  Maybe it’s the weather?  Being cooped up indoors has never benefitted me.   Obviously sleep and eating healthy play a huge part in my momentum, so I’m trying to make those a priority every single day.  But what about those nights when your son is up every hour because he doesn’t feel well and his ear hurts?  Or your day was just so jammed packed with meetings, errands and sports that you’re up until midnight doing laundry?  Or those loathsome office food days?  Let’s face it, obstruction is there every day so how do you hang on to that New Year’s resolution when the weight of ‘real life’ is pulling you down?  I think this is where we have to focus on conditioning our most complex muscle, our brain.  Just like all of our other muscles, it has to be pushed to be stronger.  It has to train, it has to be conditioned to the point where it’s capable of doing things that weren’t always possible.  You can’t just wake up on January 1^st and expect a miracle.  Just like a first time runner can’t lace up their running shoes and take off and do a marathon.  It takes practice.  I’m where I’m at today because I’ve been training my brain for years, but yet I still struggle.  You can’t be too hard on yourself.  You can’t just throw in the towel because you devoured an entire box of Velveeta shells and cheese by yourself (true story).  Accept that you slipped and start fresh tomorrow.  Break it down and focus on one day at a time.  I’ve never really been a fan of a scheduled ‘cheat days’ because I’d rather allow myself to practice will power on a daily basis and just take the temptations as they come, but to each their own.  I know it sounds ludicrous, but you can actually train yourself to like carrot sticks =)  And I’m not talking about smothering them in Ranch dressing.  It’s going to take effort to change your way of thinking but I’m living, breathing proof that it’s possible.  Baby steps.  Just like finding the motivation to get out and exercise when it’s 28* outside.  Sure I love to run but I don’t always feel like sacrificing the feeling in my fingers and nose just to do it.  However, you don’t have to have fancy high-priced running clothes, you can still layer up and get out there for 10 minutes.  That is better than nothing.  And I promise you will feel better!  Sometimes when I’m really dragging I will just push myself to aim for 5 minutes of exercise.  Sure, that’s not a goal that’s going to burn a lot of calories, but it will boost up how you feel and help build your willpower.  And getting going is the hard part.  Once you start, it’s going to be less difficult to stop.  But if you do, just be happy with yourself for doing those 5 minutes.  By the time warm weather comes back around you will have already trained yourself to get past that first step, and you’ll be able to use the sunshine as motivation to go even further!

Think Green

The most important thing I've learned is if you want to see results, you have to make some excruciating changes. I love food, especially anything that involves potatoes and can be smothered with gravy! I had to learn to love green vegetables; peas, broccoli, soy beans, spinach... I promise, if I can learn to love them, so can you. But if you really want to add in those cancer-fighting nutrients is highly suggest this as a MUST.  The health benefits from taking this supplement are incredible. It's cheap and you can't really ever over-do it. I love this stuff!

"Start a blog" they said....

So the seed was planted in my mind when a good friend suggested I start a blog, and now with a little encouragement we'll see if it cultivates.  Why did I chose the title 'Unconventional Momma' you ask? Well besides the fact that I lack the gift of creativity, it's the perfect description of me.  Pushing my mid-thirties, raising three children on my own and determined to share with you the journey (the good, the bad and the ugly) of  getting my body back to something I don't avoid looking at as I pass by mirrors.   Maybe my exposure can be helpful to someone? Who knows.... Maybe this will be an excellent outlet for me to ramble on about healthy foods and new ab routines that will prevent me from annoying the tar out of my coworkers. Either way, I have a lot to say and I'm thrilled to share it with you!  Bring it on 2015 =)