Tag Archives: Post pregnancy

Coconut Milk Ice Cream

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What can I say, I love ice cream! I do my best to avoid the aisle it’s on when grocery shopping but sometimes I’m just drawn to it! Yesterday I stumbled upon these by Nadamoo. They’re made with coconut milk instead of dairy! I don’t have a dairy allergy or anything, I just like coconut milk. So I figured it’d try it. 🥥

They are so good! Light and creamy with a hint of coconut milk flavor. I still love my dairy ice cream but I really like these as well! Plus the fact that they are made locally (Austin TX) and family owned made me like them even more.

There’s 140 cal, 9g fat, 20g carbs, and 10g of sugar per serving. 4 servings per container. It’s also certified organic and 100% plant based! So you know I let Ryder have a few bites 😉

Trying to cut down on dairy? Give these a try!

Core Exercises

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I love core workouts that aren’t just crunches! Push-up/plank exercises hit your arms/shoulders, core, stability, etc. These are two of my favorite plank exercise variations that I have worked into my shoulder and core days. They aren’t too difficult but they will definitely get your muscles burning! These two are perfect for the gym or at home if you’re lacking in equipment!

1️⃣ Shoulder taps

2️⃣ Plank up downs

I do 20 on each side (ex: 20 taps on left arm, 20 on right) x 4.

Brown Sugar Salmon

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Dinner last night was a brown sugar salmon. I’m not a huge fan of salmon but my husband is. So I try to make it at least once a week. Plus it’s good for me so I suck it up and eat it. This recipe is super easy and tastes great!

Ingredients:

✴️ 2 Salmon filets

✴️ 2 Potatoes

✴️ 8 oz green beans

✴️ 1/2 oz Dijon mustard

✴️ 1/2 oz light brown sugar

✴️ 1 oz milk

✴️ 1 Clove garlic

✴️ Salt

✴️ Pepper

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 400

Rinse green beans and chop off ends. Rinse off potatoes and chop into cubes. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. I’m a small bowl combine mustard and brown sugar. Rinse off salmon and pat dry. Mince garlic and set aside.

Place potatoes in a small pot and boil. Cook until tender, 14-18 minutes. While potatoes cook, place salmon on a nonstick pan and sear. 2-4 minutes on each side. Remove from burner and place on baking sheet. Brush salmon with brown sugar mixture. Roast in oven for 7-10 minutes.

Return pan used to cook salmon to medium heat. Add green beans, 1 tap olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook beans for 6-8 minutes.

Drain potatoes. Mash potatoes and mix in milk, sour cream and garlic.

Plate dish and enjoy! 🍴

Chicken Enchilada Bowl

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I’m a sucker for easy healthy recipes. Especially during the week when I’m tired and don’t have a lot of time to cook. I made this meal a few nights ago and it turned out fantastic! I call it a chicken enchilada bowl!

Ingredients:

✴️ 2 Boneless Skinless chicken beasts

✴️ 1 poblano pepper

✴️ 1 Zucchini

✴️ 1 Yellow squash

✴️ 1 Onion

✴️ 1 oz shredded cheddar

✴️ 1 oz sour cream

✴️ 6 oz enchilada sauce

✴️ 1 tsp chipotle seasoning

✴️ 1/2 ounce tortilla strips

Recipe:

Chop the veggies into bite sized pieces. Pat chicken dry and chop into cubes. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in nonstick pan over medium heat.Stir occasionally until lightly browned. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Return pan used to cook chicken to medium heat. Add in veggies and cook till soft. Add in chicken, enchilada sauce, and chipotle seasoning. Stir for 2-3 minutes.

Plate chicken mixture and top with cheese, tortilla strips, and sour cream. Enjoy!! 🍴

Note: This recipe is is under 500 calories per serving!

Back day workout

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Its back day! My back day workouts have changed as well as my other workouts (see previous posts). I love when I get to change them up. I get bored with the same thing after a while so for me change is good! Plus, I love the feel of soreness in your muscles when you change up a workout. It’s like your body gets a little shock, like what just happened!?! 😂

I typically do back and bi together but I only included a few back exercises in this video. I’ll post my bi’s on another day. 😉

These are a few exercises from my back workout for the next 6 weeks:

1️⃣ Reverse grip pull downs 4×10-12

2️⃣ Cable rope pull down 4×10-12

3️⃣ Single arm cable row 4×10-12

4️⃣ Standing cable row 4×10-12

Happy lifting! 💪🏻

Adult Time

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My husband and I never go out during the week but Monday was our two year wedding anniversary. My mother comes every Tuesday evening to spend time with Ryder for a few hours so we snuck out for a bit to grab a bite to eat and celebrate. It may have been a day late but we celebrated the night of with Ryder as a family, so this was like an extended celebration! 🎉

Everyone has always said “couple time is important.” I rolled my eyes and said yeah yeah I know. But I understand it more when we are out and it’s just us two. Our conversation is different. Not a full 180 but it doesn’t revolve around every minute of Ryder’s day. We discuss more adult related items.

Being a stay at home Mom I forget how much I need that adult conversation. I’ve gotten so used to talking to Ryder, who only responds with sounds or his hands. Or (don’t think I’m crazy) the dogs. Yes I talk to our dogs. Not full on conversations! I’m not completely nuts. But I say things to them every so often. 😳

It’s very strange going from a job where you talk to roughly 200+ people daily, to one where you talk to beings that can’t talk back! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t regret leaving my job to stay home. I’m surprisingly happier than ever. It’s just been a very big adjustment. One I feel like I’m finally getting used to and getting the hang of. It took a full year! Better late than never I guess. 😂

Remember the importance of couple/adult time OUT of the house. You need it for your own sanity!

Small Victories

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I’ve said it before, even small victories should be celebrated! It’s not a huge visible change but it’s one I’m proud of and worked hard for! There is exactly one month between these two pictures. The difference is 5lbs, more muscle and me loving wearing shorts again!

The picture on the left was taken Aug 10. I weighed in at 130lbs at the time. The picture on the right was taken today, Sept 15, and I weighed in at 125lbs. My goal wasn’t to lose a bunch of weight. It was to lean out a little. Build more muscle and lose a little fat. I think I successfully achieved that! My legs are a little more defined than they were a month ago. I am incredibly happy with my progress.

How did I do it? Consistent workouts, fueling and hydrating my body and a HUGE load of support from my husband. Days that I had no energy and was so exhausted my husband would send me a text telling me to get after it, telling me I can do it and remind me how great I always feel after I push through. Sometimes I just need a little kick in the butt and he knows that. It always worked! And he’s right, I always did feel amazing after, even on my most tired days.😉

My goal now is maintenance! I’ll continue to eat healthy while occasionally treating myself! Like tonight! I’ll be enjoying a pizza, or burger or whatever my little heart desires as my celebration!

Everyone has different goals. But make sure you are rewarding yourself and celebrating even the smallest milestones!

Celebrate your small victories! 🎉

Steam for soreness

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I woke up SO sore this morning! Since I changed up my workouts I swear I’m sore after every muscle group workout now! It’s one of those good sore feelings, like you know you pushed yourself just the right amount. It is however making me a little slow today. Bending over to pick up Ryder has been a struggle. I spent most of the morning on the floor with him so I wouldn’t have to do much lifting. 😂

Today will be a leg day so I can give my upper body a little rest to recover. Then I’ll hit up the Four Seasons steam room.

Did you know a steam room not only cleanses your skin but helps relax stiff muscles and joints, which aids in the recovery process! During a steam there is an increase in blood flow and circulation. This is due in part by heat causing the blood vessels in the skin to expand. Steam also helps boost your immune system and remove toxins from your body. What I wouldn’t give to have a steam room in my house! 😍

Body Dysmorphia

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I found this picture a few years ago and was shocked at how tiny I looked! My arms were so scrawny! I remember thinking back then I was “fat” and had weight to lose. I would spend almost two hours in the gym some days. I wish I could go back and slap my former self! 😳

When I was a teacher, I always started our mental health chapter by showing this picture and beginning the discussion of body dysmorphia. I would explain that sometimes you can’t see what others see, especially when it comes to your body.

Body dismorphia by definition is the obsessive idea that some aspect of one’s own body part or appearance is severely flawed and warrants exceptional measures to hide or fix their dysmorphic part.

This was a topic I actually spent two days on in both my health and leadership classes. Body dismorphia has become so prevalent, especially with the amount of social media channels now available.

Two days may seem like a long time to discuss a topic like body dismorphia but you’d be amazed at how into the topic they got! Kids will tell you the struggles of social media and how it affects their view of themselves. It’s brutal for kids now days. Its just my opinion, but I’m thankful I grew up in a time with no social media and cellphones that didn’t take pictures!

One of my favorite discussion questions to ask was “if we did away with social media (yes I know we never will but let’s just say hypothetically) would body dismorphia be less prevalent?”

We then followed up with a question like….. “do you think social media makes kids/teens now days tougher or weaker?” This question led to a full day of back and forth discussion (most of the time). In my leadership class we actually used it as a debate question when we did our debate section.

I was so incredibly impressed by the raw honesty of some of the kids in my classes. I was pretty quiet in HS and was always afraid to share my opinion for fear of ridicule. Obviously that’s changed now! 😂

I have my moments where I’m critical of myself, but I think I’m more logical now. Maybe that’s something that comes with age. But I look back at old pictures vs current and I feel like I know what “healthy” looks like now on my body. I also use social media as a tool! I love to read what new recipes people are trying or how other moms are getting through similar struggles. Yes social media has negative aspects and some people use it to vent and complain. But if you ignore all of that there are some really fantastic people out there in the world talking about so many great things. Find those people who encourage you and follow them! Remember, positivity breeds positivity! 💙

Workout after being sick

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Today I went to the gym to try to get my body moving. It’s been over 24 hours since my fever broke. I always press for people to avoid workout when sick or right after sick. However, light exercise right after being sick is ok, depending on the illness. I took to a spin bike and did light resistance. Just a little to get my legs moving and blood flowing. 💪🏻

Ever wonder why they say not to workout while sick or before your fever breaks? Here’s a brief explanation why……

Stress of workouts creates these microtears in our muscles. These microtears from the stress are a normal process of damage and repair. The body uses inflammation to signal and start to repair the damage caused by working out. Inflammation in the body is maintained by the immune system. When you workout while sick or before your body has fully recovered from being sick you are diverting the immune system away from fighting the infection. Instead it’s working to repair muscles. If you were almost over the illness, you can actually cause it to come back!

While working out is great for our health, in some instances it can be damaging. Listen to your body. If you don’t have much energy, or feel exhausted, the gym is obviously not a good idea. Wait until you are feeling a little more like yourself. Make sure you have an appetite, especially if you are like me and got that 24 hour flu bug! Make sure your body is ready to go back. When it is, ease into your workout to be safe. Better to start out slow than push yourself and do more damage! 😳

You only get one body in this lifetime! Take care of it! 💙