Inspirations....

Ten Things To Do When You Feel Like Crap

Ten Things To Do When You Feel Like Crap:
1. Have a really hot, long shower. Cry if you need to. Sit on the ground. Feel sorry for yourself. Let the steam soak into your skin. Let the hot water wash your face clean. But the moment you turn off that water, you are done feeling sorry for yourself. Make a decision to move on from that sadness.
2. Clean. I know, cleaning is boring and annoying - but how about that feeling you get when you are finished? The clean small of the vacuum? That feeling of accomplishment? Who knows, you might even find money along the way. Totally worth it. It’s like starting with a clean slate.
3. Call a friend you haven’t spoken to for a while. If your first choice doesn’t pick up, choose someone else. Ask them all about how their lives are going and tell them about yours. Not only will it take your mind off whatever crappy thing you have been plagued by, but you will laugh with them! Laughing triggers endorphins and endorphins make you happy!
4. Go for a run or a walk. This get’s your endorphins and dopamine going crazy. You will get more energy and more happiness just because the chemicals in your body are running around!
5. Stop and take it all in. Walking in the night? Stop and look at the stars. Breathe in the cold air. Feel alive.
6. Stop whining. Ever heard the saying “love life and life will love you back”? Or, the idea of the power of attraction? It’s true! If you sit around saying “why me, waaaaa waaaa” then bad things will happen to you. You’re already defeated. If you start saying, “I will be happy, I will accomplish my ambitions, I will find love, I do look amazing, I am a great friend” etc., then not only will you start to believe them but you will be amazed at what amazing things start to happen.
7. Drink tea. This always works. Not a tea fan? Try hot water with a slice of lemon and some agave syrup.
8. Make a conscious decision to stop holding certain grudges. We all have people we have held grudges on in the past. Let them go. If you feel like you owe this person an apology, don’t be too proud. Send them a sincere facebook apology. Sincerity is in the intent, so even if it’s a 2 sentence apology - as long as you mean it it’s worth it.
9. Cook some really nice, warm food. Stimulate your taste buds with anything as simple as two minute noodles or as lavish as a three course garlic bread, pasta bake, chocolate mousse triple combo.
10. Write down a list of goals to achieve for the week. As simple as “buy insect repellent” or as large as “jog for 25 minutes non stop” and tick them off when they’re done. You will feel very accomplished and that alone will help pep up your mood!

Little Bits of Laughter

Journey

Well here it is....The Pregnancy Rant!

Hello Friends and Follower,

I wanted to recap with everyone and let my followers know how I have been feeling lately. So here it goes... As everyone knows I am almost to my third trimester of pregnancy and let me tell you its the greatest feeling in the world to be carrying a beautiful child but I can't help at times to feel just so "massive". My life lately has changed both good and bad, as we all know my weight issues haven't completely vanished. I knew it may be a hard transition from working out and eating right every day for a year and half to starting to gain weight and give in to the cravings. No book or other person's story can really tell you about how you will feel about yourself while pregnant, I am finding myself doing bad self talk again and I hate it!! I am seeing myself as if I am as big as whale and thinking that my husband and friends and family must think  I look terrible when in reality they haven't really said anything except positive things. IT'S JUST ME!!! Sometimes I wish the little low self esteem voice would just STFU! 


I have these worries that I will become an overweight mom and its very scary to me. I am trying not to lose hope and the drive that  I once had just a few months ago prior to getting pregnant. I know once Isabella arrives it will be hard to go to the gym but my husband always reassures me that since we have the Wii Fit I can at least try to do some when she is sleeping in the comfort of my own home. My obgyn- Dr. Newman says Isabella and I are very healthy despite my history of hypertension- which my blood pressure is still elevated but we are trying to manage as much as possible. In four weeks I will go for my glucose test = which is basically the test to see if we are diabetic. I have been gaining about 2 pounds per week starting at my second trimester and so far a total of 15-16 pounds have been gained, they are actually telling me I am under weight! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT??? I sure can't! LOL - I hate when strangers just stare at my belly because they are trying to determine if I am FAT or Pregnant...Some days I feel like screaming - YES I AM PREGNANT PEOPLE!!! Or most recently I have been called " huge" on at least three occasions, people don't realize that words can really affect a person! Everyone says to ignore them but in reality its not easy to just simply ignore it. I try my best and my normal response is well she is a growing healthy baby!

I just want to thank my family for being supportive and most importantly my husband Eddie- he is just so great to me and that is something  I am very thankful for! I don't want my followers thinking I hate pregnancy because that is not  that case at all I just can get in my weight ruts and its sucks- I know we all have our days but its important to have a good support system to reassure us that we are not alone on the journey.


Here are some recent photos of the baby bump!!!

Thanks for listening to the pregnant rant!!!!

LOVE ALL MY FOLLOWERS!!!

Ashley M.

Lovelies!

found this picture and thought how precious is this!

End Bullying! Speak Up!

The Health Benefits of Yoga

The Health Benefits of Yoga

The potential health benefits of yoga are numerous and may include:

• Stress reduction. With its quiet, precise movements, yoga draws your focus away from your busy, chaotic day and toward calm as you move your body through poses that require balance and concentration. Increased fitness. As you learn and refine new poses, you may enjoy improved balance, flexibility, range of motion and strength. And this means you’re less likely to injure yourself in other physical endeavors or in your daily activities.
• Management of chronic health conditions. Yoga might help with a variety of health conditions, such as cancer, depression, pain, anxiety and insomnia, by helping with sleep problems, fatigue and mood. Yoga also can help reduce heart rate and blood pressure.
• Weight loss. If you’re overweight or have binge-eating disorder, yoga may help you make the healthy lifestyle changes necessary to gain control of your eating and drop those extra pounds.

While you shouldn’t expect yoga to cure you or offer 100 percent relief, it can help some health conditions when combined with standard treatment. And if you already enjoy good health, yoga can be an enjoyable supplement to your regular fitness routine.
Full article:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/yoga/CM00004

Eating Slow

HOW TO EAT SLOWLY

1. Sit at a table Sitting at a table to eat tells your brain you are having a meal. If you eat while running errands or standing at the counter you can quickly lose track of how much you’ve eaten. Even if you eat a lot while standing, you may still feel like you haven’t had a meal and want to eat more later.
2. Serve small portions A clean plate is an incredibly powerful cue that a meal is finished. For this reason, large portion sizes often lead to overeating simply because of our tendency to eat what is in front of us. Serve yourself smaller portions as a reminder to take your time and savor each bite. Use small plates so your brain doesn’t perceive the portions as skimpy.
3. Remove distractions If you are reading or watching TV, you are not paying attention to the food you put into your mouth. I know you are busy and want to multitask, but resist the urge for 15 minutes and eat a real meal. I admit I’m bad at this one, but I always eat less if I go offline while I eat.
4. Chew You might think that you chew your food, but there’s a good chance you are swallowing a lot of it whole. Take smaller bites and chew your food thoroughly. Notice the texture of what you are eating and appreciate what it adds to your meal. This is something I need to remind myself of directly before I eat, so I keep this on my to-do list.
5. Drink Another way you can force yourself to slow down is to consciously sip your drink throughout your meal. This requires you to put your fork down, chew and swallow before eating more. It also adds liquid to your stomach and can help you feel more full. Water is a perfect choice, but even sipping wine can slow down your meal.
6. Put down your fork The classic recommendation to put down your fork (or sandwich) between bites has stuck around for one simple reason: it works. When we are not eating mindfully our hands go into shoveling mode, where your fork is primed with another bite almost instantly after popping the last one in your mouth. Putting your fork down forces you to relax a bit and focus on chewing what you already have.
7. Have a conversation You only have one mouth, and if you are using it to talk it’s really difficult to shove food into it. Eat with friends, have a great conversation and use this as an opportunity to slow down your meal.

Super Easy Skinny Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Super Easy Skinny Vegan Blueberry Muffins (Only 180calories a muffin :O - tell starbucks to stick theirs!)
(yields 12 muffins)

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup rice milk (or soy)
• 3 tablespoons applesauce
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line a 12 inch muffin pan with liners. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix flours, sugars, baking powder and salt with a whisk. Add milk 1/2 cup at a time and mix with a wooden spoon. Mix in lemon zest, vanilla and applesauce and stir until fully combined. Gently fold in blueberries.
3. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling about 3/4 full. Bake muffins for 22 – 25 minutes until fully baked. Let cool and enjoy!

Tips To Help Curb Compulsive Eating

Tips To Help Curb Compulsive Eating
First, a definition: Compulsive overeaters do not attempt to compensate for their bingeing with purging behaviors such as vomiting, fasting, diet pills or laxatives. Compulsive overeating usually leads to weight gain and obesity, but not everyone who is obese is also a compulsive overeater. A person who appears to be of normal or average weight can also be affected by these behaviors.

• Avoid temptation. You’re much more likely to overeat if you have junk food, desserts and unhealthy snacks in the house. Remove the temptation by moving these foods to the back of your fridge and cabinets, so they are not the first foods you see.
• Stop dieting. Strict dieting usually involves hunger and deprivation. This may trigger food cravings and the urge to overeat. Instead of restricting foods, focus on eating in moderation. Find nutritious foods that you enjoy and avoid labeling foods as “good” or “bad.” Try to eat more small meals throughout the day.
• Exercise. Not only will exercise help you lose weight and improve your health, but it also helps depression and reduces stress. Exercise is a natural way to boost your mood and can help put a stop to emotional eating.
• Reduce stress. Learn how to cope with stress in other ways that don’t involve food. Compulsive overeating has little to do with hunger. Individuals will often eat when they are not hungry or use food to fill an emotional need. Impulse eaters may take that extra bite because “it is there” and they often deprive themselves of food.
• Don’t try to change your relationship with food overnight. Set small goals and give yourself some positive feedback. If you tell yourself, “I need to add more fruits and vegetables to my diet,” it will be more positive than saying, “I need to stop eating candy.”
• Be kind to yourself and don’t expect to be perfect. Learn from your experiences and experiment with what works best for you. If you are suffering with compulsive overeating and feel it’s getting out of control, you should really seek professional help to stop the unhealthy, weight-gaining, self destructive behavior.

- Staci Leavitt Kobren, R.D.

Baby Isabella's Website!

http://uw.thebump.com/view/9037546509467187/29104620

Feel free to sign our guest book!

22 Weeks Today!!!!

How far along? 22 weeks….

Baby Size: It’s the size of a papaya

Total weight gain: 10 pounds

Maternity clothes? Yes, pants- shorts-skirts but dresses and some tops I am still in pre pregnancy.

Stretch marks? No thank goodness!

Sleep: Sleeping is getting a little tougher between the leg cramps and back aches but I am managing J

Best moment this week: Memorial Day Weekend

Miss Anything? Still The Gym and My size 12 pants!

Movement: Kicking and moving all around J like a little butterfly!

Food cravings: Guacamole and Ice Cream

Anything making you queasy or sick: Toothpaste STILL!

Gender: BABY GIRL!!!!

Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: Heartburn! L

Belly Button in or out? In J!

Wedding rings on or off? On

Mood: Happy and Excited

Looking forward to: My next 3D Ultrasound!

21 Weeks

21 weeks

22 weeks

21 Week Ultrasound

6-8 Week Runner Guide

Stop the Self Sabotage!

1.) Change your vocabulary. What is the first negative thought that comes to your mind? It may be something along the lines of, “I can’t do this; I’m a failure!” Repeat your thought loud and clear for the entire world to hear. Come to terms with your negativity. Bottling up these intense feelings that you have towards yourself is unhealthy, whether it has to deal with doubt, lack of respect, and so forth. Write this thought on a piece of paper, crumple it up, and toss it into the garbage. This thought can’t destroy you any longer! Like the old saying goes, out with the old and in with the new! Start saying the exact opposite; “I can do this; I will reach my goal!” Repeat this thought over and over again, ultimately locking it up inside of your head. When you need a moment of self-affirmation, you now hold the key to release the positivity.

2.) Surround yourself with positive people. Let’s face it. Nobody wants to face the world alone and sometimes, you do need help. It doesn’t make you weak. It doesn’t make you a failure. And, it certainly doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything for yourself. A lot of us are scared to ask for help for the fear of hurting one’s self-pride. Reaching out for help can range from needing a favor, wanting a question answered, or simply asking for an ear to listen. Surround yourself with uplifting people who will listen to you when you’re feeling out of sorts. It really does help to be able to release those inner demons to the surface. If you’re offered advice, nobody said that you have to follow through. Just put it under a list of possible solutions to solve whatever problem you’re being faced with. Independence is important, but it’s human nature to crave support, so surround yourself with the most positive people you know.

3.) Grab a pen, some paper, and make a list. Write down your positive attributes, greatest abilities, and biggest accomplishments. Next, identify areas in your life that you feel need to be changed or improved. Once you’re fully aware of your strengths and weaknesses, you can come up with possible solutions to the latter of the two. Instead of dwelling on what you believe needs fixed, do something about it and stop making excuses to rationalize your behavior. Prime example: “I failed this exam, so I’m obviously a loser. I’m going to give up now.” What should really be rolling through your mind is: “This too shall pass, and I will try harder next time. This is no time to give up because I’m much stronger than this.” A little belief in one’s self goes a long way. Trust me. If you can’t even believe in yourself, then who can you believe in? You’re tougher than you realize. Just come to terms with the underlying problem and do differently than what has failed in the past.

4.) Bring your “little voice” to the surface and really listen. The past is the past, and often times, the little voice inside of our heads is merely a result of our past conditioning. It’s a bundle of experiences, could’ves, would’ves, should’ves, regrets, wishes, etc. Don’t let the past control your future. You hold the power to change your current situation for the better. Your inner voice is only a wall, and that wall doesn’t have to be permanently erect. Bring your inner voice to the surface, actively listen, and dismantle any unnecessary feats that may pose a threat to your success. Be the change that you wish to see in the world, even if it’s your world. Your world is no less important than anyone else’s, so don’t allow it to be. “Once the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.” Sure the caterpillar was probably unhappy, but now it’s free to fly away and embrace the life that it was always destined to have. It’s time to release your cocoon and spread your wings!

Mexican Poblano Stuffed Peppers

Mexican Poblano Stuffed Peppers

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup cooked red beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup cooked long-grain brown rice
• 1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 2 tbsp onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 tsp ground chile powder
• 1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 4 large poblano peppers (or 4 large sweet green bell peppers), seeded and cut in half
• 8 tbsp shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
• 4 tbsp low-fat sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, mix beans, rice, corn, tomato, zucchini, onion, garlic, chile powder, cilantro, oil, salt and black pepper. (Stuffing mixture can be prepared 1 day in advance and stored in a container in refrigerator, tightly covered with plastic wrap.)
2. Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray. Mound 1/2 cup stuffing mixture into each poblano pepper half and place in roasting pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with Mexican cheese and bake for another 10 minutes.
3. To serve, top each stuffed pepper half with 1/2 tbsp sour cream. Serve immediately.

Clean Eating Magazine

Healthy Mozz Sticks Recipe :)

Healthy Mozzarella Sticks!
What you need

• 12 sticks of string cheese in your choice of cheese, go for the low sodium kind if you want to be extra healthy
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp of flour
• 5 tbsp of bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp of parmesan cheese
• A dollop of olive oil, or cooking spray

Preparation

• Cut the cheese sticks in half, making 24 slices, then freeze the slices in the freezer until completely frozen
• Beat the egg in a small bowl. Use a separate bowl to combine the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese
• To bread the cheese sticks: First dip the frozen cheese stick into the flower, then into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture
• Once all of the 24 sticks are coated, place them on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil coated with a few drops of olive oil or sprayed with cooking spray (this will keep cleanup to a minimum, and keep the sticks from sticking!)
• Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 4 minutes, or until crisp. They need to be watched closely so they don’t melt completely!

REASONS TO STOP MAKING COMPARISONS

REASONS TO STOP MAKING COMPARISONS
1. External things aren’t an accurate measure of self-worth.
Because we can most easily compare the things that we can objectively measure, we live in a world that is great at measuring and comparing externals. Somewhere along the way, we decided that we could determine who is living a more valuable life by comparing our clothes, cars, body size, weight income, beauty and occupation. The reality however is that external things do not define your self worth. The person you are inside—your character, your attitude, your goals and dreams, your morals and values, the way in which you treat others—these are truly self-defining. The external things don’t have the power to discount who you are as a person.
2. You always compare our worst with their best.
Comparing your life with others is always a losing proposition because there will always be people who “appear” to be better off than you and seemingly live the perfect life. We always compare the worst of what we know about ourselves to the best assumptions that we make about others. The truth is that other people’s lives are never as perfect as your mind make them out to be. Everyone struggles. Everyone feels insecure. No one’s live is easy. People tend to put their best face on in public. Know that what you see is not usually the whole picture.
3. There is no end to the comparison game.
There are an infinite number of categories upon which you can compare yourself, and an almost infinite number of people to compare yourself to. Once you start down that road, you will never, ever find an end.
4. Life isn’t a competition.
How you measure up against others holds absolutely no importance in your life. Other people’s strengths, talents, and successes don’t discount your own. They don’t define who you are as a person. Your goal in life isn’t to be better than everyone else. The goal is to be the best you that you can possibly be.
4. Comparison puts your focus on the wrong person.
You can control one life – yours. When you consistently compare yourself to others, you’re wasting precious energy and time by focusing on other peoples’ lives rather than your own.
5. Comparison robs you of joy.
Comparing yourself to others will always cause you to regret what you aren’t, rather than allow you to enjoy and celebrate who you are. It will always steal the joy and happiness that is within your reach. It keeps you from recognizing and appreciating all the wonderful things that make you, you. And ultimately, comparing prevents you from fully living your life. It causes you to envy and fixate on other people’s lives rather than experiencing and engaging in your own.
Making comparisons doesn’t make us feel any better. It makes us feel inadequate and worthless, and in many ways, it keeps us stuck. While the temptation to compare may never be completely eliminated, there are definitely some practical steps that you can take to challenge the comparison thoughts.
1. Recognize the inherent problems in comparing yourself to others.
You are a unique human being with an individual set of strengths, struggles, talents, insight, and characteristics. You can’t make comparisons, because as a unique person, you have a unique life. You can’t possibly expect your life to look like anyone else’s because there is no one else exactly like you.
2. Celebrate who you are.
Instead of focusing on all the things that other people have, start focusing on all the things make you special. You have so many wonderful things that make you who you are. These things that make you different are the things that make you beautiful. Don’t forget them.
3. Challenge the voice telling you that you aren’t good enough.
Your tendency to make comparisons isn’t a result of inadequacy. It stems from your insecurity and the belief that you aren’t good enough. When you can challenge these thoughts and counter them with truths. When you accept yourself for the person you are, and recognize all that you have to offer, the need to make comparisons will fade, because you’ll realize that other people’s lives and successes don’t have to take away from or discount all the things that make you wonderful.
4. Remember that nobody is perfect.
We live in a society that strives for perfection. The reality however, is that perfection is unrealistic and unobtainable. Everyone has flaws and imperfections. Everyone has made mistakes and messed up. No one’s life is perfect. You are no exception to that. Know that happiness doesn’t come from having the perfect life. It comes from looking past the imperfections and struggles and holding onto the good things. The sooner you stop striving for perfection, the sooner you can start enjoying your life.
5. Try something different.
Chances are that you’ve been comparing yourself to others for a long time. You know how awful it feels, and you know that it hasn’t really gotten you anywhere. So why not try something new? You have absolutely nothing to lose. So instead of shaming yourself for being different, try celebrating what makes you unique. Instead of beating yourself up for making a mistake, try accepting and loving yourself for who you are without conditions. Instead of striving for perfection, try to be the best you that you can be. Instead of making comparisons, try to remind yourself of all the things that make you special.

Fat Acceptance...

"Fat acceptance doesn’t simply advocate in favor of fatness. Fat acceptance is also about rejecting a culture that encourages us to rage and lash out at our bodies, even to hate them, for looking a certain way. It’s about setting our own boundaries and knowing ourselves, and making smart decisions about how we live and treat ourselves, and ferociously defending the privacy of those choices. It’s about promoting the idea that anything you do with your body should come from a place of self-care and self-love, not from guilt and judgment and punishment. It’s about demanding that all bodies, no matter their appearance or age or ability, be treated with basic human respect and dignity. That’s the world I’d like to build. For all of us."

Quotes...

Maternity- Gender Reveal Photoshoot

All photos taken by Mallory Parks Photography