Survivor

With the American Thanksgiving holiday coming up this week, practically everyone and their grandmothers are out preparing for the festivities, planning menus, coordinating guests around the table, and offering thanks.

While I may be in Austria away from the hustle and bustle of the frantic turkey shopping, stressful meal preparations, and the countdown for Black Friday (no, really, I am SO grateful to be missing out on that one), I am still taking the time to be grateful and thank God for the tremendous blessings we have received this year.

And they have been tremendous and plentiful indeed.

I had an opportunity to ponder a little over this in the wee hours of the morning while I was up giving my 9-month old a bottle around 2AM...and, in the process, discovered somethings I am "grateful" for that I never once thought I would learn to "appreciate." And, yes, I use quotations on those because, in a way, I may never be truly grateful for them. But, at this moment, in this part of my life, I understand them, now.


I am grateful that I am a survivor.

I am a post traumatic stress disorder survivor and have had to survive the terrible, debilitating effects of this disorder for the last 14 years of my life.

I survived a violent sexual assault 7 years ago.

I survived a near-fatal muscle disease that left me bedridden for many long months, shattering my Olympic dreams and competitive swimming career.

I survived my battle with postpartum and prenatal depression, lost self-esteem and confidence.

And I am grateful for all of these things. Why?

Because I have PTSD, I can understand and encourage others who must learn to live with it as well. I can help them see that it IS possible to live with it. Will it be difficult? Always. But there is help and hope.

Because I survived a sexual assault, I am alive today to tell others that have endured such an unspeakable nightmare that they are not alone. They may feel lost, defeated, worthless and abandoned today. But I can promise them that the sun will shine through the clouds again.

Because my own ambitious dreams were broken, I have been given an opportunity to rebuild them into something far greater, something worth so much more. If that hadn't happened, I may never have had my eyes open to even see this chance, to experience the joys and fulfillment of being a Beachbody Coach!

Because I have gone through the darkness of postpartum depression, I can do my part encouraging others through the fog and shadows to the light on the other side.

We are never, ever alone. That is why I am grateful. (And especially for my wonderful supportive, loving husband who sees me through all of the craziness.)
God truly does work in the most mysterious ways.

Simple Goals

Flagging enthusiasm.

Let's admit it, we've all gone that "New Year's Resolution" route, promising ourselves up and down that THIS will be the year we really stick with our resolutions and finally reach those goals. And, year after year, the same thing happens: we go all out for the first few days, but then we get discouraged by the lack of (apparent) progress, the aching of our tired muscles gives us just one more excuse to not go for that run, push play on that workout program, or make that drive to the gym, and in a matter of days, weeks or perhaps a month or two, we're right back where we started.

Here's the trick, though:

DON'T focus on that great, big, weight-loss goal, those pre-pregnancy jeans, that scary deadline. (Not if you find yourself easily discouraged, that is - for some people, those are the best tools. ;)

Instead, put your attention on the smaller things, those little changes, subtle transitions, and tiny improvements you typically just blow over.

My last five weeks have been spent working out hard doing the Beta Phase of T25. But I was letting myself feel disappointed with what seemed to be little or no forward progress. After working out so hard five days a week, pushing myself through burpees, weight lifting, intensive cardio sessions, and the like, I was expecting to see some really major results.

I took my measurements today and, I'll be honest: I was disappointed. I had some predetermined idea in my head of where I "should" have been, and reality just didn't line up. My waist and arms measured the same as they had five weeks ago, my hips had only lost 1/2 inch...

And then I stopped myself. "Hold on a second," I thought. I just worked my way through the first day of the Gamma Phase (an optional, all-out, four week round with T25). There is NO way I could have managed this workout as well five or ten weeks ago! My waist may not be "smaller," but you can SEE muscle there, now! (No small feat for a mom of two-under-2 who were born just under 11 months between each other!) My arms aren't more slender but oh! my goodness, do I have impressive biceps, now. My shoulders are strong, now, and I feel incredible. Not only that, but I managed at 50 complex burpees (burpees coupled with spider lunges, jack push-ups, walking planks, pike-ups, etc.), something I could only have dreamed about at the beginning of this program.

So, when that New Year's Day rolls around in a few weeks, don't let yourself get discouraged so easily. Focus on those simple goals! If one week you can do 5 push-ups at one time, try and build up the strength to manage 7 at the end of the next week. Instead of focusing on a number on that scale, put your focus towards the fit of your favourite shirt, your little black dress, or some other motivator.

It'll make a world of difference, I promise.

Powerhouse Production

The possibility of getting more done in a shorter time frame is certainly an appealing one. But is it even really doable?

As a wife of a full-time graduate student, a mother of two very little ones, as well as a Beachbody Coach and business owner, I've had to make a number of adjustments and changes in my own life in order to improve my productivity. There is a finite number of hours in my day (thank goodness), and I have a lot to try and accomplish in a relatively short time frame.

I've been doing a lot of research, put in a number of trial-and-error efforts, reviewed various articles and blogs and have pooled a few ways to help improve your productivity. Especially with the holidays around the corner, why don't you try taking a few of these for a test drive and see how you do?

1. Prioritize in terms of "Dread."
Seriously. Schedule the thing(s) you dislike the most as the first thing(s) you tackle in your day. Get them over and done with as soon as possible and you'll feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of your shoulders. You'll get that awesome sense of accomplishment right at the very beginning of your day, too!

2. Techno Your To-Do List.

Stop trying to remember everything! Who doesn't have an iPad or smartphone these days? Top suggestion? Download an app like Wunderlist and keep your tasks in order!

3. Utilise "Automatic Systems."

Automatic bill pay, Shakeology auto-shipments, Amazon's "Subscribe and Save,"...take advantage of these options! It will take such a load of stress off of your mind if you sit down one morning/afternoon/evening/whatever to really map out your credit card payments, cash transfers between accounts, contact lens orders, renewable medication prescriptions, health and nutrition shipments, and any other little thing that fits into that area.

4. Rock-Solid Bedtime.

Sleep is one of the most important factors in being productive. Intellectually, physically, and emotionally we need that "beauty sleep" to ensure we are functioning at peak performance. And, consequently, your renewed energy and focus will translate into a higher level of productivity!

5. Don't Skip Breakfast!

If I could shout this one, I would. You've been fasting for hours! Your body is completely depleted in its energy resources. Give it a boost! I've never been a big "breakfast person," myself, so I am just so grateful for my daily Shakeology - it's simple, nutritious and gives me a big energy boost. Win!

6. Plan. Purchase. Prepare.

If you're managing a weekly budget list, take the time to create a meal plan for the week. Then, do as much prep ahead of time as you can. Cook your meals in large batches so you can pack the rest away and freeze it for a future date, reheat or incorporate it into other meals.

7. Exercise!

This one might seem obvious to some, but for others it may seem completely counterproductive. But, it's true! If you get regular, consistent exercise, your body will be more energised and you won't struggle with fatigue that will make you less inclined to get up, move and be productive! Personally, I always feel more focused and goal-oriented after my T25 workout for the day. And, if you're just not quite sure how to get into that sort of routine, ask me! :D

Happy HEALTHY Holidays?

This past week was spent at my sister-in-law's house with her husband and my sweet nieces in Augsburg, Germany while my husband was on break from his school. It was a fantastic week filled with a trip to the zoo, an adventure at the park with the little ones, walks in the historic downtown, and lots and lots of relaxing. And not much in the way of working out or extra healthy eating. But, hey, it was vacation for goodness' sake! But that week just raced by! And brought to mind the revelation that it's November. NOVEMBER. Already? They say that time passes by quickly when you have kids...but this is ridiculous!

So, who out there is bracing themselves for the crazy, chaotic, albeit fun festivities of the holiday season? Halloween has passed us by already, along with all of the grim ghouls, creepy goblins, and lovely fairy princesses and (judging from my Facebook newsfeed) Elsas...and mountains of Halloween sweets.

Thanksgiving will be here in just a few weeks, too (can you say "Pumpkin Pie?")...and then the steady stream of Christmas parties, ugly sweaters and all...right up into the New Year when we guilt-trip over the last few months, lament over the state of our health and wow to make a fresh start for 2015. Which most of us will maintain for a few weeks, or maybe even a couple of months...and then abandon it.

So, I'm going to share an idea with you.

Why don't you get a head start on all of that?

Take the 21 Day Fix, for example: if you sign up for the Challenge Pack, join my November 10th Accountability Group and commit to three short and simple weeks, you could be down 5, 10..15 pounds by Thanksgiving Day (and ditch that ugly Christmas sweater, too!)

Think about it. And then do it. What is there to lose?

Is It Worth It?

It's a fresh week. Life with these two littles is, well. crazy! And, I'll shamefacedly admit I've (obviously) let my blogging slide during these wild days.

BUT, I haven't let my business, workouts and journey slide! Some days and weeks are better than others, of course, but every single day is an opportunity for progress and improvement.

*****

Someone asked me in a message the other day if all of the working out, the clean eating, making the effort to manage my own business as a Team Beachbody Coach even with Two-Under-2 was REALLY worth it. Wasn't I putting too much emphasis on myself? Didn't I think it was shockingly selfish and unbalanced? Shouldn't I just accept the way I "was now" and place every ounce of energy and attention into the lives of my babies and husband?

 I admit I just sat and blinked at that message for a while. A long while. And swallowed down my initial reaction to send a message with as big and loud of a virtual shout as I could (think ALL capital letters.)

Let me share a little something with you:

If I hadn't made the decision to invest in my own health and well-being, if I hadn't pushed that "Purchase" button on my PiYo Challenge Pack (through the nail biting and anxiety about the "expense"), if I hadn't made the decision to sign up as a Team Beachbody Coach,...my life would undoubtedly be in a very different place today.

I would still be drowning in that frighteningly black sea of postpartum depression. I would still be staring at my prepregnancy clothes, lamenting my entrance into the world of "Frumpy Mama-ness" and struggling under the heavy burden of low...no, make that NO self-esteem. I would be fatigued by the mere thought of taking my children to the park to play a game of tag, pushing my little girl on the swing or carrying her up the steep hill to the top of the slide (her absolute favourite)...and, consequently, even more depressed. I would have been unable to help when my husband's student loans were extremely delayed and we found ourselves wondering how to get by until they came in...months later. I certainly wouldn't have the strength to support my dearest husband to the very best of my abilities, to be an example of strength, dignity and confidence for my small children, or to be employing my education and experiences to help others to live healthier, happier lives and achieve financial freedom.

Instead, I was able to keep good, healthy food on the table, provide diapers and clothing for my babies, and peace of mind for my husband and myself. I freed myself from the overwhelming clutches of postpartum depression and self-pity, have been building up my depleted self-esteem, have more time and energy to spend with my little Irish Twins, and can be all the more present for my husband in our Austrian adventure. And I am helping a number of other struggling and overwhelmed people find time and energy for themselves so they can better their health and lives for the sake of their families. It's all for them. Everything I do.

And it has been the biggest blessing for all of us.

Don't hesitate. Push send on that message, drop me an email,...I promise I don't bite. ;)

Focus!

 

Yesterday was our first day of the Focus T25 program. I'm not going to lie: it was intense. 25 minutes (plus a three minute cool down) without breaks is a committment, but the time honestly flew by! I couldn't believe it when I happened to glance at the countdown clock during the workout and noted that 18 minutes had already gone by. That's the perfect kind of workout, in my opinion. (Sidenote: thank goodness for those modified moves; they allowed me to slow the pace just enough when I needed it, but kept me right on track with the workout.)

Now to perfect our efforts at waking up early to workout. Yesterday was great! Today...not so much. But I know we're going to find those 25 minutes somewhere and get it done!! :D

September's Promotion

Every month, Beachbody has a special Challenge Pack promotion (which is how we purchased PiYo.) It's one of the best ways to kickstart a workout program/lifestyle change I can think of! It's awesome!

This month the challenge pack is the "21 Day Fix" (click the link to check out the promo video). For someone who doesn't have a lot of free time and struggles with meal prep and planning, this is just brilliant. If you're wondering where to start your journey, this just might be the best place to start!

No calorie counting, no long workouts, just hard, fast results.

 

Who knows, this might be the next program on my list (after we start T25 on Monday, yay!!!)

PiYo Results!

We did it!! And here are my final "Before & After Photos."

Yes, I'm seriously proud of myself for these! It's amazing what 20-45 minutes a day, 6 days a week, for 8 weeks along with a daily meal of Shakeology can accomplish! I feel fit, healthy, energised (thanks most especially to Shakeology for that one), incredibly flexible...and just plain GOOD! My self-confidence is improving daily, and I'm eager to keep this workout going!

Now it's on to the Focus T25 Challenge on September 1st (which you can still get in on if you order NOW!) - a totally different pace and approach but one I'm SO excited to start! Especially for only 25 minutes a day, too!

The T25 Challenge Pack will remain on sale until the end of this month, so don't miss out on the last time the program will be on sale this year! PiYo is, of course, still available as well. :)

The Home Stretch

This is it! The final week of our 8-week PiYo program! Honestly, I'll be sad when this workout is over...I'm already planning on how I'll be incorporating it into everyday life, it's been that great!

I can't wait to document the 60 day progress report, either - whether there's been a dramatic physical change this second month or not, whether my weight and measurements are radically different doesn't matter to me, though: I just feel good. And that's what is the most important.

Papa L and I have already settled on our next challenge, too! If you haven't heard about this one, you should definitely check out this link. Who can't find a way to squeeze a 25 minute workout in to their day? PiYo has been really manageable with 20-45 minute routines, but this definitely sounds appealing to our 5AM morning wake-up routine.

As parents of a 17-month old daughter and a 6-month old son, we just don't have the luxury of going to the gym, spending an hour or two on state-of-the-art equipment and investing in huge amounts of protein and energy shakes.

25 minutes, though? I'm sold. ...and it's on sale for the rest of August. Win-win!

Who's up for joining us for this one? Message me and I'll fill you in the with the particulars!

And be sure to check back in a week for the 60-Day Progress Report!

Days 41 - 44: I Didn't See THAT Coming...

I'll admit it. When it comes to "health foods," energy drinks, nutritional supplements and protein shakes, I'm the world's biggest skeptic. Given my skepticism, you might find it surprising that I am more than a little knowledgeable about them, too.

Lärabar? Unimpressed. Fruitition? Tried it. Bear Naked? Takes too long to eat before you need to hit the diving board/track/climbing wall. Clif? "Packaged cardboard" was the general consensus on the swim team. And, of course, I've had more than my share of Luna and PowerBars, too.

If I didn't like them, why did I keep eating them, you ask? All I have to say to that is: You would have, too, if you spent at least five hours a day training in a swimming pool, running, rock-climbing and kick-boxing (among many other activities)...all while working part time at a successful, busy law firm and studying medical sciences at more than twice the number of full-time units.

Basically, I was crazy. And (even though he's currently in class at the castle, I can practically feel Papa L's breath on my neck while he's reading this over my shoulder so:), I guess I probably still am. ;)

*****

As I've mentioned in a previous post, "Turning My Mess into a Message," I suddenly had to retire from the competitive swimming world shortly before the 2008 Olympic Games due to a life-threatening muscle disease. I won't bore you all with the miniscule details of that time in my life; just suffice it to say that I was forced to give up practically any and all sports activity and exercise for almost four years. While I didn't miss the protein shakes and supplement drinks, I desperately missed living that super active lifestyle. But I encouraged myself and tried to keep optimistic by thinking about that day when I'd be able to get back to doing those activities I loved.

*****

Four years rolled by. Crazy, exciting, life-changing years filled with a long recovery, exhilarating travels, new ventures and friendships, and lots of studying. Then came the day when I found myself actually planning how to reincorporate working out into my life. Carefully, oh! so carefully, of course, but to go from being told I would likely not survive when I first became sick to reaching a point four years later where I could actually begin to revive my athletic lifestyle...I was thrilled!

I tentatively started training again at my apartment complex gym, eagerly looked forward to coming home at the end of the day's work so I could grab my iPod and hit the treadmill, weights and any other piece of equipment that seemed exciting that day. Physically strenuous activity is the best source of stress relief for me, so after being deprived of that for over four years, I suddenly found myself feeling revived, relaxed and more refreshed than I had in a long time!

*****

How does that old rhyme go? "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage?" Well, that certainly was our experience! The thrill of being able to work out again quickly gave way to the joys of love and marriage, and then the overwhelming but precious responsibility of parenthood.

But, along with that also came preeclampsia...and terrible postpartum depression...and then prenatal depression...followed by even more debilitating postpartum depression...

I felt trapped.

And then, as I shared in the previously mentioned post, I signed up as a Beachbody Coach, committed to a sixty day "Challenge Pack" with Papa L (PiYo!) as well as started drinking Shakeology. For this confirmed supplement skeptic, that was saying something! But, I determined I got the biggest savings by ordering the challenge pack and figured I'd better know what I was talking about when it came to the Beachbody programs...and, besides, it certainly simplified breakfast for this anti-morning person!

Papa L and I began our PiYo Challenge on July 1st. Right from Day 1, I absolutely loved the PiYo workouts. It has been so exhilarating and gratifying to get back into a regular workout routine, especially one that has given such rapid, wonderful results! But, let's be realistic: who's honestly that surprised that working out consistently for six days a week for the past six weeks has produced results? No one? Really? ;)

Here's what HAS been surprising: Shakeology. I started having a scoop a day of Shakeology for breakfast from July 1st but, being the true skeptic, I didn't put any particular effort in to documenting my results or experiences with it other than to note that it actually didn't taste like chalk...in fact, I kind of liked it! But, for the most part, I was content with the "Easy Breakfast" aspect. After a few days, I commented to Papa L that I thought I had a bit more energy than usual, but I mostly attributed that to the workouts. Endorphins, anyone? And I imagined my chocolate cravings were a bit less than before...but other than that, I wasn't blown away.

The first days turned into the first weeks of the program; Papa L and I were really getting into this whole new routine and I was ecstatic to be back into doing things I have always been so passionate about. My energy seemed good, even my postpartum depression seemed to be fading away into the background. Things just seemed to be going so wonderfully.

One evening in particular comes to mind: the babies were asleep for the night, and I was sitting on the edge of the bed catching up with Papa L about the day, how his work and my business were going when all of a sudden he started smiling and said, "Don't you see it?? Don't you see what's happening?" I kept looking around the room trying to figure out what the heck he was talking about and he just started laughing and said again, "Don't you see it??" "See what?" "This! You! I haven't heard you talk like this for two years!! My Veronica is coming back!!"

Yeah, that one goes right up there in the running for "Best Comment Ever."

The first month passed and everything was just rosy and gorgeous...until the bag ran out on August 2nd. The first couple of days weren't remarkably different, though, other than the fact that I had to actually make breakfast for myself again. Not too thrilling. But by August 5th, I suddenly developed an appreciation for that old saying,

"You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."

It felt like it came out of nowhere...like I had been slammed in a head-on collision. I was exhausted...like "first trimester" exhaustion levels (and, no, I'm not.) My cravings for junkfood were back; in fact, I hadn't even realised how completely they had disappeared until then! And, worst of all, my postpartum depression had me in a vice-like grip again.

I was shocked. The transition back to better physical health had been so obvious, exciting and rewarding that I had completely missed the deeper physiological and emotional healing I was experiencing. It had all been easy, so seamless, so gentle and gradual!

I'll be honest: the last few days haven't been easy. BUT, Papa L and I have stuck with the workouts...and every time I finish the day's routine, I am so grateful that I did it. The benefits are too obvious to not stick with it!

But you can be sure Papa L and I put in an order for a new month's supply of Shakeology that day: one for myself and one for Papa L!

Here's something to consider: maybe you know you could manage your diet a little better but haven't found a convenient way to do it; maybe you're like me and spend your days with little ones who seem to demand every spare minute, leaving you reliant on "quick fixes" to get your energy throughout the day; maybe you've given up on trying to lose those "last few pounds" and have just accepted your cravings are a part of your everyday life now.

But what if...? What if you didn't have to worry about that clean eating plan as much? What if you were able to boost your energy (and hydration!) one breakfast (or lunch, or dinner) at a time? What if you suddenly found a way to lose those stubborn pounds once and for all?

What if you're like me and you suddenly find yourself feeling like yourself again?

Would it be worth looking into? For those reasons? Or for SO many other reasons I could share on here...but can't because I'm typing one-handed with a baby bouncing on my knee. ;)

If it is, get in touch! Send me a message. Post a comment. Contact me on Facebook. Put a note in my Instagram inbox...whatever, however, just do it! :D It's a meal a day for a month. And a money back guarantee to make it even easier!

What is there to lose?

Days 31 - 40: Recommitment

Yes, I know, I've been shockingly absent, lately! But I have an excuse!! In my books, family will always take priority over work so, when Papa L's sister and her family came to visit for a few days, I readily gave up my pen (OK, laptop/iPad) so we ould spend time with them.

A trip to explore Laxenburg (the 2nd summer palace of the Hapsburgs)...

...a day at the Schonbrunn Tiergarten...

and an evening at a local Heuriget (a traditional Austrian wine-tavern)...

...I'm back! And, even better: I haven't missed a single workout.

Here's to recommitting for the remaining sixteen days of the PiYo program and giving it our best!!!

Have a great weekend, everyone!!

Day 30: Half Way Check In

 Before Papa L and I began on this journey, I recorded "before" photos of myself as well as documented my measurements. Not exactly a proud moment in my life. Yes, through hard work and perseverance, I was significantly less than the 210 pounds I weighed the day my daughter was born but I was still well over my ideal weight for my build, my self-esteem was non-existent, I was struggling to breathe under the overpowering pressure of postpartum depression...all told, I was in a miserable, dark place.

Today, July 30th: It's just thirty days later and yet I have experienced such a dramatic change I've half convinced myself that it simply must have been longer. My thoughts are no longer constantly dark and clouded; My self-esteem is coming back in great, rushing waves of excitement and confidence. And, to make it all even better: I love my job as a Beachbody Coach. The joy and satisfaction I experience knowing I am helping others along their journey to being happier, healthier and even financially independent is, well, incredible!

I wake up and start the day feeling excited, passionate about my plans and goals, thrilled to kick off the (very early) morning with the day's PiYo workout, knowing I'll come away from it feeling strengthened, rejuvenated and wonderfully energised (even if I'm shockingly sweaty and panting as if I had just completed a marathon.) My body is stronger and more flexible than it has been in, quite literally, years.

For the first time in years, I can finally say I am beginning to feel like my "old self." That same "old self" I gave up hoping for a very long time ago. That "old self" who actually happily gets out of bed at 5AM in order to workout before Little Bear and Baby Tiger brighten the morning...that says it all, doesn't it? (Especially as anyone who knows me is aware of how very much I am not a "morning person.")

Proof? You ask for evidence, you say? Very well. While posting photographs of one's postpartum self is a decidedly humbling experience, yet I am so very, very proud of myself. Four weeks of PiYo workouts for six days a week, Shakeology every single day...and these are my 30 Day Results. :)

I don't own a scale. For two reasons, really:
1) There was just no way I was going to sacrifice vital, precious packing space for a scale when we were moving overseas.
2) Personally, I'd rather go by how I feel, how my clothes fit, my energy level and those sorts of "natural" indicators rather than a number on the scale to tell you how I'm progressing.

Basically, that's just a roundabout way of explaining why I can't tell you how much weight I have lost. What I can tell you is that, as of this morning, I have lost nine inches off of my body. 9!

What does that mean? The day Papa L and I began this program, I pulled out the tape measure from my PiYo box and dutifully recorded the measurements of my chest, waist, hips, left and right thighs and left and right arms. And, today, that tape measure revealed that I've lost 2 1/2" from my waist, an inch from my hips, half an inch from my arms...all of these seemingly small numbers add up rapidly...and putting those two photos side by side means I can really see it, now, too!

Having such a "tangible" method of observing progress has been invaluable. The day-to-day changes, as we all know, occur on such a minimal level that it is hard to truly have an idea of how we are actually improving. But that tape measure, these photographs, the fact that I put on AND buttoned a pair of pants I haven't been able look at (let alone put on) without straining the seams since I was newly pregnant with Carmen...well, that's something that can't be denied. Thirty days! And there are still four more weeks ahead of me!! I can't wait to see (and share!) the results on that final day.

And do you know what the very best part is? Anyone and everyone could do this! Anyone and everyone could achieve these results! Anyone and everyone could decide to do this, commit to the eight weeks, and succeed! And you should! Whether it's because you want to be a strong, healthy example for your children, a mother struggling with postpartum depression and waning self-confidence as I was, a runner looking for a cross-training tool, or finally realising you're unhealthy, overweight and need help...you can and you should do this. 

Hard work pays off, people. A 20, 30 or 45 minute PiYo workout six days a week...a scoop of Shakeology a day...it all adds up, and quickly!

If you're interested, get in touch ASAP to take advantage of the promotional discount in the Challenge Pack I've been using! July 31st is your last day before it goes back to the full price! Or, if PiYo just isn't your thing, let's explore your other options and find something that does fit you. You'll appreciate it in a month, I promise. ;)

Day 29: Summer Salads

Who else is coping with high humidity? Elevated summer temperatures? That summery "I'm so busy relaxing I just don't want to work on a big meal" feeling?

Count me in!

So, today's post is simple: if you're anything like me, you're a huge fan of salads. Light, easy but flavourful. There's no reason it has to seem like "rabbit food," as one of my brothers used to call it.

Here's my contribution to your palate: seven summer salads I came across while catching up on the Beachbody blog. My mouth is watering...how's yours?

Sliced Peach and Heirloom Tomato Salad

If you’ve never tried ripe summer peaches and tomatoes together, you’re in for a treat! These two ingredients make a perfect sweet and savory pair. In this recipe, they get extra zing from feta cheese and fresh mint.

Spinach and Berry Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

Sweet blueberries and strawberries make this salad burst with summer flavor, while orange bell pepper and almonds give it a satisfying crunch. A tangy homemade vinaigrette makes it taste gourmet!

Greek Salad

This version of a Greek Salad has everything to love about this classic dish—refreshing tomato and cucumber, crunchy bell pepper, olives, and feta.

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Have your croutons and eat them too with this lighter version of Caesar salad that’s high in protein but low in calories. Pair it with this creamy lemon Caesar dressing and use leftover cooked chicken to make this meal in minutes.

Arugula Salad with Peaches and Mozzarella

This recipe is a fantastic way to eat the sweet, juicy peaches that are filling the farmers markets right now. Slice them and toss with some peppery arugula, fresh mozzarella, and a drizzling of good balsamic vinegar.

Blackberry Spinach Salad

Blackberries have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all fruits, and their seeds are packed with fiber.  We’re used to seeing them in oatmeal and baked goods, but did you ever think to add them to a salad?

Spinach and Avocado Salad

We love sweet and tart dried cranberries paired with creamy avocado in this delicious salad. Poppy seeds give it extra texture and peppery flavor.

Try them out and let me know what your favourite is!!

Days 25, 26, 27 and 28: Fresh!

I love Mondays. I really do! I know I'm the odd one out for this, but as mentioned in a previous post, it's become one of my favourite days of the week - after a (hopefully) relaxing weekend, I love to kick everything off with a brand new, fresh start on Monday morning. It's like January 1st every week!

Take this morning, for example. Papa L and I have been forming plans for a while now for how to best arrange our schedules for the upcoming academic year as well as forming a routine for my Beachbody work hours. We've talked about it a fair amount, but this morning we actually implemented it. And it feels great!

It's 9:15 as I'm writing, Spanish guitar playing quietly in the background, a cup of chai tea on the table, and already we have gotten in our morning prayers, the day's workout, enjoyed breakfast (chocolate Shakeology for me - perfect solution for someone who is NOT a morning person), Little Bear and I took a walk out in a mild summer drizzle to the local diary farm and bought three litres of fresh milk (literally straight from the cow to our bottles while we watched), I've got a loaf of homemade wheat bread baking, cleaned up the kitchen, tackled the emails and messages I've had to catch up on from the weekend, and now (miracle of miracles!) both babies are napping.

Talk about feeling on top of the world, today!! That being said, I still have a list as long as my arm of things to try and accomplish today, but I figure, with a headstart like this, it's going to feel like a successful day regardless of what may happen. For now, my next task is to continue preparing for the upcoming PiYo Challenge Group I have beginning on August 11th.

(I still have a teeny bit of space left, so sign up quickly!)

How is your Monday going? Feeling on top of it or are you already anticipating needing a serious pick-me-up? Have you ever considered scheduling things a bit differently? Maybe mapping out a method to the Monday Madness might help you start off on the right foot!

Regardless, here's wishing you a happy Monday!

Day 24: When Things Don't Go To Plan

It's been one of those days, today. You know, the ones where nothing seems to line up quite how you had thought they would, your schedule falls apart as soon as you wake up, and everything just feels "off."

In today's case, it's because I've been sick. Super-duper-all-kinds-of-awesome-fun-ness, especially with a Little Bear and a Baby Tiger. Fortunately, Papa L called in and told his work he'd be taking the day off so he could help wrangle the littles while I got to have a great big nap (oh, such luxury!) and now I'm feeling, if not 100%, close to the 90% mark.

Another reason I'm grateful for the workout, today - there are always modifications if you need them! And, trust me, I need them today! :D

Day 23: Instant Gratification

We live in a world filled with promises of instant results and vows to change your life, your future, and your very existence in a matter of moments.

Like this L'Oreal advertisement for RevitaLift, for example: "A new lifted look in 1 hour."

Even my beloved In-n-Out Burger appeals to that market of instant gratification by it's name alone!

 

Hey, I'm right up there with the crowds of people who wish there was a magic pill they could just take and their baby weight/beer belly/whathaveyou would just melt away.

But, we all know it: in reality, it takes hard work, commitment and dedication to achieve real results, real change, real improvement. Bad habits take time to break, new ones need to be formed and it doesn't happen overnight.

That's why, when Papa L and I made the decision to tackle this 60-Day PiYo Challenge, we knew we were ultimately committing to something bigger. This isn't simply sixty days spent working out and trying to eat (at least fairly) cleanly to see how much better we look or feel by the end of it, ooh and ahh over our "fast" results and then cruise right back into our old routines. We've tackled something on a much bigger scale: taking steps to ensure our own health and well-being, those of our friends and family and, most importantly, our own little ones.

I'd like to challenge you to make the same decision. Whether it's sixty days of PiYo, pushing yourself to your limits with Insanity (trust me, I've done it, I know how crazy that one is..), promising to do your best and succeed at P90X, choosing a week and cutting soda from your diet, whatever it is: decide to do it to the best of your abilities, commit to follow through with it (even it you know you'll need motivation and support to maintain that commitment - that's what I'm here for!), and you will succeed.

Days 19, 20, 21 and 22: Thank God for Weekends!

OK, four-day fail. ;) Hey, we're all allowed to slip up, right? And besides, the whole point is that we're trying. So, I missed blogging for four days. Life catches up sometimes, especially as a mama with a Little Bear and a Baby Tiger!

So, here's what I decided this last weekend: no weekend blogging for me! Being a work-at-home-mom is such an exciting endeavour for me, I'm thrilled with this opportunity to improve my family's life, help others achieve their health and fitness goals (and, more often than not, improve their suffering self-esteem in the process!), but it also makes it easy to slip into a pattern of kids-house-work-kids-house-work-kids-house-work, etc. allllll day. By the time midnight rolls around, I'm exhausted and know that I'm waking up again in, oh, five hours. So, I'm making sure I'm taking Sundays completely off (except for drinking my Shakeology, of course), and limiting myself to only two hours of work on Saturday and three hours during the work week (yup, I could easily do more hours with this job, too - it's never boring, that's for sure!)

*****

Papa L and I had a little workout malfunction the other day: the screen on Papa L's touchscreen laptop cracked and, for a while, the bottom left corning was flickering and fluttering so we weren't able to get our workout in for that day.

But, like I mentioned above, slip-ups happen! And, especially when it's a technical one that's completely out of our control, it's all good. We just picked up and rolled with it the next day (Strength Intervals - Oh. My. Word!) as if nothing had happened.

Except amazing things ARE happening! I officially fit a pair of shorts I haven't been able to even look at without straining the seams in over two years!

Three weeks in, I can't wait to see what happens in the future!!

Day 18: Life with Littles

Recently, someone was asking me about how Papa L and I can possibly manage to work out six days a week, especially with such an animated Little Bear and a cuddly but needy Baby Tiger. The answer is really quite simple, though: we make time.

These days during the summer when Papa L isn't busy attending classes means our mornings are fairly relaxed and slow-paced...well, as "slow-paced" as life ever is with a sixteen-month-old and a five-month-old. Papa L works during these summer days, so I spent most of my time with Little Bear and Baby Tiger, walking to the local market, purchasing fresh milk and produce from the neighbouring farms, splashing in the wading pool on the balcony, and colouring...lots of colouring. (I didn't think I liked crayons as a little girl, and I know I don't like them as an adult, but Little Bear does and that's all that matters.)

By the time dinner time rolls around and Papa L comes home, we both welcome the opportunity to just sit and enjoy a meal. OK, maybe it's more like inhale our food as rapidly as possible while (vainly) attempting to keep anything and everything from being launched from Little Bear's tray, all while one of us bounces Baby Tiger vigorously on a knee. The word "circus" does tend to come to mind.

Our two little ones get a bath every evening as part of their bedtime routine (and, consequently, we usually do, too) then bottles are passed out and Papa L and I sing our evening song while we snuggle our babies, then prayers are said and the little ones are quietly tucked into their beds. We tiptoe out and usually collapse on top of the bed or at the kitchen table.

At that particular moment, working out seems to be just about the last things in our minds. But, after a couple of moments to recoup ourselves, out comes the laptop, day clothes are exchanged for workout items and off we go.

And, you know what, it's become one of my favourite parts of the day. I LOVE working out with Papa L! Doing something together with your loved one is always special, isn't it? And, given that I've always been a fitness enthusiast, it's even more exciting for me to share that enthusiasm with my husband.

Sure, there are other things we could do as soon as the babies are in bed. Finally taking that shower I've needed for...oh, let's not go there; or relaxing and enjoying a cup of coffee on the balcony; or just sitting and reading a book...the options are almost limitless! But the fact is, we choose to workout and follow this 60-day program.

That being said, I think I need to clarify: when it comes to my babies and their needs...yup, they will always come first before my workout. I'll do just about anything I reasonably can to get my workout done, but not at the expense of my littles. I want and need to be a good example to them in ALL areas of life, not just health and fitness.

Day 17: Following Up

I've overwhelmed by the response I've received after yesterday's post! There was a beautiful outpouring of love and support, message after message, email after email of encouragement, understanding and support.

That and the fact that, judging from my page stats today, over 600 people took a look at that post yesterday alone makes me feel wonderful: not because it sounds "popular" or anything remotely along those lines but because I have a little hope that perhaps even just one of those 600+ people needed to see that blog. Maybe that person needed that realisation that they aren't the only ones in this sort of struggle.

Regardless, I just want to say a quick thank you! You all have been and continue to be amazing.

With that being said...time to get back to reality! ;) It's Day 17 of our PiYo challenge! Yesterday, Papa L and I gasped our way through one of the toughest workouts yet (for me, anyway!) so I'm curious...hesitant...and just the least bit sore for today's routine.

Bring it on, Chalene! :D

Day 16: Turning My "Mess" into a "Message"

I was listening to a conversation from my work yesterday (every Monday morning, Beachbody holds a "National Wake Up Call" where you can listen in, learn tools of the trade, hear other people's stories, catch up on the latest company news...you get the drift.) and the coach they were interviewing this week said something that really caught me.

"Turn your 'mess' into a 'message.'"

I think it's kind of genius, myself.

But, here's the hard part. How do I got about doing that? Won't talking about my "mess" mean putting the difficult parts of my life right out there? Doesn't that mean I'd have to share some of the darker times in my life for others to see?

Umm, well, yes. I guess that's kind of the point, though, isn't it? None of us are perfect. Not even close to it. And who knows, someone someday might hear my story and realise there is hope out there.

So, here goes nothing:

*****

Growing up, I was always very slender and athletic. If there was a tree to be climbed, I was generally climbing it; I preferred to run rather than walk anywhere; I rode my bike for hours, cruised on my skateboard, roller bladed all over the neighbourhood...you name it! And then came my college years where I suddenly found myself a competitive swimmer! I broke state records, trained for hours a day, cross trained rigorously and loved every second of it!

I became known around campus as one of those "crazy swimmers" that always had wet hair in class, with shoulders so broad that sleeves struggled and strained to cap them (I usually just gave up and wore a tank top), my "perfume" of choice was chlorine, I had shockingly bad tan lines, and spent post-workout classes trying to drink down vile protein shakes or cardboard power bars.

...and then came the Olympics talk.

My coach (a former Olympian himself) felt so confident in my abilities, we started seriously discussing training even harder for a six month period to qualify for the 2008 Olympic preliminaries. And then, just when I had really made the decision to go for it, I got sick.

OK, "sick" is the understatement of the century. I was fighting for my life. I lost over ten pounds of muscle in a few days, and continued to lose it at an alarming rate; I was in horrific, unimaginable pain, my muscles were literally bursting and desintigrating on a cellular level, my kidneys were failing...every single type of muscle in my body (skeletal, smooth and cardiac) was falling apart. I was told by a number of specialists that, at the rate my body was failing, I would only have a few weeks.Thankfully, that rate of degeneration slowed because...well, here I am, today!

I was stuck in bed for months. Some days I was so weak and incapacitated that I couldn't even crawl down the hallway to the bathroom without my mother's help. And no one, none of the specialists from some of the best hospitals in California could find an explanation. One thing I did know for certain, though: my swimming future was over.

Life throws us curve-balls all the time, doesn't it? But, that old saying is true: when one door closes, another opens. Fast-forward a few (crazy!) years again and I found myself married to a wonderful man and expecting our first child! It was quite a powerful moment the day that I realised if I hadn't developed my muscle disease, my life would have been very, very different...

We were so thrilled to be expecting our first daughter. We eagerly picked out a beautiful name, dutifully read "What To Expect When You're Expecting," chose out her "Coming Home Outfit," blissfully thought about what she would look like...and then came the headaches. Hideous, nausea-inducing migraines that left me reeling and feeling spent as soon as the aura glowed in my vision. The swelling was close behind. I suddenly found my feet swelling so dramatically that shoes were almost an impossibility, my fingers so swollen I spent twenty minutes to try and work my wedding ring off so I could wear it on a chain around my neck...even my nose swelled up! I was beyond miserable. I was in constant pain, aching from the terrible swelling, constantly fatigued, and there was no relief.

Then we had an terrifying early labour scare and I was put on bed rest. No improvement to my life there. Now I was bored AND miserable. And the swelling didn't stop. I made weekly trips to my obstetrician's office...then multiple times a week as they watched my migraines, monitored my swelling and documented my elevating blood pressure: preeclampsia, they said.

That's right about when I hit my first low point. Standing on the scale in the office (which is already had enough, right?) two days before a schedule induction, I received a comment from the medical assistant: "210 pounds. Oh my gosh! You've gotten HUGE! That's borderline obese for someone your height! What the heck happened to you?!" and then she oh! so thoughtfully brought me a stack of Weight Watchers magazines while I was having a non-stress test accompanied by a magnanimous "Here, you'll want these for after you have your baby."

I felt hopeless.

I struggled to fight back a wave of sobs and tears as I lay on the bed during the test, sinking into deeper and deeper unhappiness.

Thankfully, I went into labour only a few short hours later and had my daughter early the following morning, so I never had to see her again. :)

Very few photos exist of me in those first postpartum days. I hid from the camera, cringing at pictures of myself, my self-esteem crumbling quickly and disappearing away. Who was this woman, I wondered, whenever I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Who was this woman? No one I knew, I thought. The Veronica I knew was strong, confident; she could run five miles easily, rock-climbing was an exhilarating past-time, making friends was effortless...this person, this stranger was a mess.

I disappeared far into that dark hole of postpartum depression, gasping and struggling for air; I was miserable. No, I was more than miserable. I was lost. I thought there was just no way I could recover, no way I would ever rediscover my "former self." I wondered how anyone could ever have more than one child when they were so desperately unhappy. And then, in the midst of all of this, we made the decision to move overseas so my husband could attend graduate school here in Austria. We sold off most of our belongings, packed up and saved a few of the favourites, moved out of our first apartment and bounced around between family members' homes while we prepared to leave.

And then some time around midnight between June 30th and July 1st, while staying at my brother-in-law's home, three and a half months after Little Bear was born, I felt suddenly nauseous, my sense of smell became alarmingly acute and the home pregnancy test came up positive while I was taking it.

"This cannot be happening." I was such a disaster of emotions: angry, depressed, confused, in denial... Postpartum depression slid seamlessly into prenatal depression while I continued to struggle with my lack of self-esteem.

In mid-August, six weeks after we discovered I was pregnant, Papa L left for Europe on his own. My brother was getting married at the end of October and we couldn't afford for us to travel back and forth between the two countries so we determined that it was best for Papa L to go ahead of Little Bear and I, settle into the school year and our new home and wait for us to join him at the end of October so that I could celebrate my brother's wedding with the rest of my family. Those were ten long, difficult weeks spent in constant conflict and unhappiness with myself, my depression, my struggle to embrace this new little life inside of me, counting down the days until Papa L, Little Bear and I were together again....dark days I am grateful are behind me.

Finally the day came when Baby Tiger joined us: on Valentine's Day, no less. Poor boy. Just shy of eleven months after Little Bear was born. I became hopeful that, perhaps this time around my hormones would finally balance themselves and I could avoid plunging deeper into that dreaded postpartum depression. But, there it was, rearing its ugly head in no time. Even worse and more ugly than before. Somehow, thought, I had actually managed to lose weight during my pregnancy, so that gave me a ray of hope.

I was determined to heal: physically, emotionally, psychologically...So, ten days after Little Bear was born, I started working out. Simple, low-impact routines that helped ease me back into a bit of fitness, boosting my moods with a bit of an endorphin rush...and slowly the weight started to come off.

*****

And here I am, today: a little over two years later, 60- pounds lighter through hard work, determination, consistency, regular workouts (thank goodness for programs with 30 minute routines!), a scoop of Shakeology a day (take that stubborn weight-loss-preventing hormones!!)..and now feeling better than I have in a long time, slowly feeling my self-confidence and self-esteem increasing, thanks in large part to this business I now work for. Change is possible. It's always possible. Sometimes you just need a little extra help, support and motivation along the way. Reach out. And please, if you know of anyone you think could possibly benefit from reading this, share it!

With that being said, the Award for Most Helpful and Supportive Person goes, of course, to my amazing husband. You're my rock, Papa L. I don't know where I would be without you.

Day 15: Reaching Out

After posting the photo in my post yesterday, both here and on Facebook...oh, my goodness: my email inbox (both at VLendman@beachbodycoach.com and on Facebook) exploded!! Some of you wrote to offer encouragement and help boost Papa L and I as we go on our journey which I am so grateful for, some expressed curiosity and interest, but what thrilled me more was that a large number of people reached out for help.

People I hadn't interacted with much over the years (other than the occasional Facebook "like" or birthday wish) started writing to me, explaining weight challenges, unattained fitness ambitions, and low self-confidence, eagerly looking for something or someone that could help. I just happened to be the right sign at the right moment in the right place, yesterday.

Please, don't stop! If you or anyone you know has been looking for a sign of encouragement, something that pushes you to finally take that step towards feeling better or improving your life, whether it's physically, emotionally or psychologically: DO IT! Reach out. Share. It might be a step (or ten) out of your comfort zone to reach out like that, but, trust me: I have been in the exact same boat, too. (More on that in tomorrow's blog post.)



I suppose a picture really can be worth a thousand words.

Day 14: Results

It's been fourteen days already since Papa and I started the PiYo program. Yup, still loving it. In fact, I thought I'd share this with you all, today:

Progress, people!! I can already see it! Before we started this, I certainly couldn't touch my toes, let alone place my palms on the floor! This is so exciting! :D There's a saying: it takes four weeks for you to see changes in your body, eight weeks for your friends and family and twelve weeks for the rest of the world." Day 14 here, and these are some obvious results!! One day at a time, one day at a time. :)

One of the things we did before we began the 60-day program was take measurements and photos of ourselves. ...not pretty. But, after today, I'm actually looking forward to comparing measurements and photos because I know there will be change. Hard work pays off, y'all!

Have you ever tried taking before/after photos of yourself? Or compared measurements? It's a different kind of accountability, isn't it? Kind of like reverse motivation or something...you don't want to be that person from the "before" photos anymore, so now it's on to a new happier, healthier you!

Days 10, 11, 12 and 13: Readjusting

Crazy days! Here we are, back home in Austria! To say we have recovered from jet lag, readjusted to a new routine and picked back up into the Austrian way of life all while having successfully unpacked, washed the laundry and eaten three square meals a day would be, well...anything but accurate.

But I am proud to say that, for the most part, we managed to stick to our PiYo commitment, even squeezing in our Day 10 PiYo workout less than an hour before we left for the airport! Yes, after over twenty hours spent navigating airports, customs, skinny airplane corridors and wrangling two babies, I'll be the first to admit that my efforts for the Day 11 workout were anything but one-hundred percent but it got done! I definitely breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that July 12th was a rest day on the calendar, but here we are on the 13th and I can't wait to tackle today's routine!

Managing healthy eating while traveling isn't exactly easy...you take what you can get as far as airline food goes (although I will always recommend Lufthansa's service, extensive beverage selection and actually decent cuisine any day!), often coming away significantly dehydrated as well as hungry and exhausted...but you do your best, right?

I'm so glad I successfully packed the remainder of our Shakeology bag, too - yes, I know the name sounds presumptuous and cheesy but I'm honestly convinced it helped me with an energy boost the next morning as well as simplified the morning breakfast routine: all I needed to do was sleepily mix a scoop of powder with water into my mason jar, shake the heck out of it, and sip away. Hydration AND breakfast, all in one!

I'm savouring the relative peace and quiet of a Sunday afternoon, here,...both Kleiner Baer and Baby Tiger are (miraculously!) asleep at the same time, Papa is relaxing and I'm catching up on work. Now to finish up emails, read some messages and fit in our PiYo routine for the day!!

Enjoy your Sunday, everyone!

Day 9: Finding Time

We leave California tomorrow morning to begin our long trek back home to Austria...which means I am up to my eyeballs in suitcases, shoes and piles of clothes. And it also means negotiating a workout into the hectic, crowded schedule. No easy task today.

How do you go about fitting a workout in to a busy schedule? Do you workout first thing in the morning? Or squeeze one in before you call it a day? What about going for a walk during lunch break? Can you commute to work on foot or by bike?

Part of the key is pinpointing what type of workout, sport or activity you love, isn't it? One person's running is someone else's tabata; tabata might be your worst enemy but you could spend ages doing yoga. Maybe you haven't found your "soul mate" workout yet, either. But that doesn't mean it isn't out there!

Send me a message and let's see if we can find something that fits for you, your lifestyle and your personality!

Day 8: Staying Hydrated

As we sweated our way through our workout today (ah, so appropriately titled "Sweat"), I couldn't help but think about water...a cold glass of refreshing water, ice cubes clinking against the smooth, clear sides of the glass...heaven.

Who here thinks they drink enough water to stay sufficiently hydrated every day? Because I'm pretty sure...no, ok, I know that I usually don't. That whole "eight 8-ounce glasses a day" thing seems like so,...well, much! And, personally, I think drinking water is boring. Yes, boring. Unless, like I've said above, I'm tired, sweaty and parched. :)

But, as we all well know, water is essential to our health and body maintenance. So, how do you try to stay hydrated throughout your day without feeling bored or waterlogged?

To begin, use this Water Intake Calculator to determine what you should actually be drinking each day. The "eight 8-ounce glasses" concept is a good one to start out with because it ensures you'll be getting fairly hydrated but the chances are you actually need MORE water than that. So, use the calculator and get a number!

Then, try implementing one, some or all of these tips and see how you feel after a week:

1. Drink a full glass of water as soon as you wake up and just before you go to bed. Drink the glass of water in the morning, refill it right away so it's ready for you in the evening and repeat that procedure before you slip under the covers. Keep the glass on your night stand or put a post-it note on your pillow to help remind you if you need to.

2. Eat foods that have a high water content - watermelon, celery, cucumbers, lettuce...good water and good for you.

3. Try and drink a full glass of water with all of your meals and snacks. If you're going the weight loss route, studies also show that drinking a glass (or two!) of water before a meal will increase weight loss since you are less likely to overeat.

4. Drink a bottle of water while working out! You lose a lot of water by sweating as you're running, swimming, playing soccer, walking or doing any kind of physical activity, so keep that bottle close by and make it a goal to drink the entire thing during the course of your workout.

5. Stash bottles or glasses around the house. If you're like me, one of my biggest challenges in staying hydrated is simply remembering to drink it! I get so caught up in my everyday life that remembering to drink that glass of water just slips out of my mind. So, to try and combat my own forgetfulness, I place glasses or bottles in parts of the house I frequent routinely: right in the middle of the kitchen table, by the sink, where I keep my keys, on the work desk...you get the picture.

6. Invest in some funky bottles and cups. Who says little kids are the only ones who have fun, vibrant water bottles or sippy cups? Add a little hydration and some colour to your life by carrying a fun bottle or cup around with you.

7. Two words: water infuser. You add a little zing to your water as well as benefit from some healthy nutrients! And there are SO many options for what to put into your infuser, too: cucumbers, mint, raspberries, strawberries, lemons and limes...

8. Make a water drinking schedule, if you need to! Stick post-its around the house, in your car, at your work desk or label a water bottle to help you remember.

Do you have any other tried-and-true methods you use to keep yourself hydrated? I'd love to hear them!!

Day 7: Beating the Monday Blues

It's Monday, that most dreaded day of the week for so many of us. For my part, however, I have been blessed because, for the last five years, Monday has actually become one of my favourite days of the week! I love the idea of a fresh, clean start every single Monday! It's like a regular New Year's Day just waiting for resolutions! So what if you fell off  the healthy eating band wagon over the weekend? It's Monday, just start over!

Here are some ideas you might consider implementing to help give the first day of the workweek a little more "oomph." Who knows? These just might help spark some creative ideas of your own!

Hate your long commute along drab highways and crowded freeways? Why don't you pick a new song from iTunes to listen to? Download something on Sunday evening and save it for your morning drive! You could do anything from picking a song from the Top 100, download the free song of the week (awesome exposure to new artists and unfamiliar genres!) or even have a friend choose one for you.

Splurge on that extra fancy "coffee," treat yourself to that hot cinnamon bun at the bakery, grab lunch at the popular food truck near the office...whatever you'd like, just give yourself a little something to look forward to that you only get on Mondays.

Take smaller breaks throughout the day. Mondays can feel overwhelming because of the volume of work that might have piled up on your desk, Office Outlook, or voicemail inbox over the weekend. Designate several intervals throughout the day to pause, collect yourself, take a breath, and then dive back in.

Start of the morning with a workout! It's worth it to wake up an extra half-hour or even an hour early to hit the gym, do a home workout, or just go for a walk to the local coffee shop (where you can get that Monday coffee treat or baked goods) - you'll appreciate the endorphin rush AND the physical benefits, trust me. Papa L and I certainly did after our awesome PiYo workout for the day!

Smile! Working in customer service was a great "incentive" for me to stay cheerful and smile throughout my Monday mornings, and before I knew it, the contagious effect of those smiles was reflecting all around me as people came in and out of the studio I managed and I just kept smiling all day because of it!

Probably the most important of all, though: take time to determine why you suffer from those Monday Blues. Getting to the root of the problem is a sure-fire way of improving the situation!

Day 6: Appreciating Weekends

I love weekends. Especially gorgeous, bright summer ones, filled with warm sunshine, fragrant blooms and those big, puffy white clouds. Who doesn't, right?

These are the last few days Papa L, Little Bear, Baby Tiger and I have here in Southern California before piling ourselves, our suitcases and a behemoth of a double stroller onto a Lufthansa flight back to Austria, so I'm trying to take every opportunity to appreciate all of it. The retro blue glider and vibrant yellow patio umbrella on the sun-soaked patio certainly contribute to that goal, as well as the local gym's sparkling lap pool. :)

But, perhaps one of my favourite parts about weekends and Sunday in particular is the simplicity of the day. At least for my family, Sunday is a day filled with a whole lot of, well, nothing. "Nothing" meaning no strict schedule to speak of, simple meals, a lot of reading and down-time and just generally relaxing and enjoying company.

And, now, the beginning of a new week's PiYo routine.

Papa L and I already completed our scheduled workout for the day; call me crazy but Papa L and I can already feel an increase in our flexibility and balance! For most of my life, flexibility hasn't been a particularly big issue...until I experienced having two pregnancies in less than twenty months. Talk about a lack of flexibility! Attempting to touch my knees was a challenge, let alone even imagining touching my toes! And Papa L...well, he's 6'5, so there's a substantial distance to be covered before his hands reach his toes, as you can imagine. But it's SO exciting to be experiencing results so rapidly! I can't wait to see where this next week takes us...other than back to Austria, of course. ;)



How are you spending your Sunday?

Day 5: Rest Days in the "Real World" and Online

Rest day. Thank goodness.

After the crazy (but crazy good!) workout yesterday, followed up by a festive 4th of July barbecue, Papa L and I are ready for our weekly break. Yay for days off (and, yes, that includes blogging.)

:D Now go do something fabulous and creative. ;)

Day 4: Happy 4th of July!

Oh. My. Gosh. Who knew a low-impact fusion of yoga, pilates and cardio could be such a workout?! Papa L and I literally lay on the floor and gasped after this session. The workout for the day is titled "Sweat," and...yeah, that's accurate.

I continue to be surprised by this workout program, and it's only Day 4! What really amazes me is that I haven't been living a sedentary lifestyle in the least: I swam daily during the first half of my second pregnancy, walked regularly during the second half (ah, life in Europe), and began working out again five or six days a week only ten days after he was born) but this PiYo workout is crazy!

And the best part? We managed to fit it in even though today is a big holiday!

We're hosting a big 4th of July barbecue and party today, complete with tri-tip, a variety of salads and side, and (naturally) a big pile of Whoopie Pies from my mom's famous recipe. There's a saying in my family, "It ain't the 4th of July unless there are Whoopie Pies!" and now even Papa L has adopted the phrase. They're that good. No doubt they will contribute to the good memories today will hold for us before we fly back home to Europe on Thursday.

Happy 4th of July, ya'll!

Day 3: Are You Accountable?

It's New Year's Day and you're compiling an impressive list of those infamous New Year's Resolutions. Everything from "floss twice a day" to "stop swearing like a pirate" to "lose ten pounds/work out four days a week" is on that list, right? And how many of you tackle that list like it's vital for your very survival...for two or possibly even three weeks. Right about then, though, the enthusiasm starts to wane, life catches up again, and you quickly settle back into your previous way of life.

How many of you take accountability into consideration when you're thinking about your resolutions? Statistically, having someone to hold you accountable improves your rate of success by 95%! I'll take that over a failed list of resolutions any day!

*****

Today marks the third day of the PiYo Challenge Papa L and I are doing. Three days is only a meager 5% of our sixty day commitment but progress is progress! One of the comments Papa L contributed after we concluded our workout this morning was, "I just like working out with you. I think that's my favourite part," and I heartily agreed.

I was once what you would have labeled a fitness junkie or a gym rat: I was a competitive swimmer for my local city college. I ran at least three miles a day. The rock-climbing gym employees recognised my car whenever I pulled up. I attended a nightly kick-boxing class. All told, I spent a minimum of six hours a day swimming or doing some form of cross-training. And I loved it. But, when I really sit and think about it, I'm more than a little sure that one of my favourite things about all of those hours spent working out was that I was doing it with friends. I never wanted to miss a training session, ditch a run or skip out on an afternoon swimming laps because that meant missing a conversation with a friend, ditching a buddy or skipping out on my teammates.

Accountability. Do you need it? Is that the last piece in your motivation puzzle that you're missing? It could be the thing that makes all the difference. And that's what I'm here for. I set up what I call "Challenge Groups" of four or five people and, together, we keep each other on track. Anything and everything from cutting out soda, staying hydrated, or joining me in a workout challenge. Anyone interested?