My Motivation

Got some new shades
What do you think?  I think I like! hee hee
It was in the 70's here yesterday.
I don't think I've ever lived any where where it was 70 degrees in December.
I'm really liking livin in NC!

Last night I made homemade playdough for the first time ever.
I was a little skeptical of how it was going to turn out.
I had to make it for my son's school.
It actually turned out really good.
It's the edible kind.  Here's the recipe incase anyone interested.


Edible Play-dough

Mix in a medium size pot
2 cups Flour
1 cups Salt
4tbs cream of tarter
2 cups water
3tsp food coloring
2tbs. oil
Cook on medium heat.  Stir for about 3-5 min.  A ball will for in the middle of the pot.  Remove ball onto a floured surface and knead it till it's the consistency you want.  I had to add a little extra flour to it.  Let cool completely and store in a air tight container.


I finally got into the gym yesterday.
It was way less of a struggle then I figured it would be.
I think I'm stuck.
I feel myself just going through the motions.
I need to change it up, a routine that will really burn the calories.
I feel like I may have been focusing on building a lot of muscle which is good but I think I need to burn more fat while I'm building muscle.
I've been doing a lot of internet searching and there's just sooooo much info and so many opinions.
Maybe I need to find a trainer once that will push me in the right direction.
Until I can find something solid I'll just keep doing what I'm doin and hopefully keep dropping pounds.
I was actually going to get on the scale this morning but completely forgot.
Guess you'll just have to wait till tomorrow to see the damage from Thanksgiving.
My clothes all still fit so that's a positive.
Maybe it won't be as bad as I'm fearing it will be:) HA!

If anyone has any advice I have open ears!
I love tips but no tricks:)

I hope everyone is getting back into their routines.
Get back in that gym!
Here's my motivation for Tuesday.
Love these little monsters!

Monday drag.

Well as you can tell my Tuesday stats didn't happen.
I do have them I just didn't get them posted before I left on Tuesday.
It was a crazy rush to get to the gym, finish packing my family, and get out the door.
Then I planned on blogging from my families house but that didn't happen either.
The internet was sketchy and I was on vacation I tried to unplug for a bit.
I will get that all posted tomorrow that is if I can find it.
It was so good to be home yesterday and sleeping in my own bed after our 7.5hr trip with the little ones.
Does anyone want to come unpack for me?
I have no desire:)
Trying to back into the routine today isn't going so smoothly but will push through.

On our trip my daughter discovered ketchup.
She was just sucking it off her french fries.
Tomatoes are one of her favorite foods so we thought she might like ketchup.
We were right!

My Thanksgiving was fabulous!
It was everything I wanted it to be after being in Germany for the last 3 years.
Did you know Germany doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving.
You'd be surprised how many people doesn't realize that.
It always takes people a second after I say my husband has to work on Thanksgiving to realize Germans have no reason to celebrate:
So I ate way to much and I know I'm going to pay for it.
My self control, yeah that  pretty much went out the window.
I feel like I've ate for the last 3 days. Wowzers!
But hey ya know what it's was Thanksgiving and I'm not beating myself up over it.
Today I'm getting this booty back in the gym.

I didn't workout at all why I was gone either.  FML.
I was at the gym on Tuesday morning before we left doing a tricep pull down with my right tri and I had a sharp pain shoot up through my shoulder to my neck.  I have barely been able to move since.  I've been popping ibuprofen like candy.  I hope it feels better today.  I'm at least going to get my leg workout in and some HITT!  Wednesday I'll jump back on the scale but I'm giving myself some buffer days:)  I want to drop at least 5-7lbs before we leave for Christmas.  I'm determined and I think this little Thanksgiving break was exactly what I needed.  Whoop Whoop.

I did manage to get some black friday shopping in. Whoop Whoop!
It was actually pretty awesome and not stressful at all.
Yes, I'm talking about shopping on the busiest Thursday and Friday of the year.
I went to wal-mart on Thursday to get some dvd players for the car for the ride home.
We picked those up and two TV's and were out of wal-mart in 1/2 an hour.
Didn't even have to wait in line to pay.
Friday morning at 7 me and my hubby went shopping to get home some work clothes.
We basically got half off on everything we bought.  It was great!
Then after we got home I decided to brave a trip to target.
This was about 10am.
I parked right up front and waited in no lines and everything I still wanted was still there.
Can you say awesome cause I can!!!!!

Hope you all jump back in after the break!
Make the most out of the weeks in-between now and Christmas.
You will thank yourself for it once Christmas rolls around.

Peace,
Shelby

Holiday Home Workout

Happy Monday!
Hope y'all had a grrrrrrreat weekend!
I sure did.
We celebrated my son's birthday on Saturday.
I made him a minion cake that turned out pretty awesome.

Who knew I was such a suzy homemaker? LOL
Yesterday we did a little Christmas shopping and bought a Christmas tree!  Whoop Whoop!
We left ours in Germany because it was a piece, so I had to buy a new one this year.
We got a small, skinny little thing that will do for now and that I can use as a second tree in the future.
After the holiday season is over, I plan on buying a humongously awesome tree on sale:)

Ok now to the workout stuff.

We're heading out for Thanksgiving so I need to have a workout plan in place.  I don't want to undo all the work I've done.
There is so much info out there on different at-home workouts.

I found a resistence band in our hall closet that I plan to put to use.
Not sure where it came from or how it got there but I was really happy to find it.
It will help with the workout routine while I'm on the road yo.

So here's what I have come up with.
When I read this, it sounds crazy but I think it will be a good plan.
I wanted to test it out this weekend but for some reason I didn't get to it.
So hopefully this afternoon or tomorrow I'll get the test run in and report back.
I'm really wondering how the rest periods will be.
Push through arrrrrgh!!!!!!!

5 min warm up(5 rounds)
-30 sec. jumping
-30 sec. standing toe taps on stairs

4 rounds
-stair jumps to top both feet (skip 1 or 2 steps your preference)
-resistance band squats with shoulder press 10-15
-wide stride sprint up stairs
-20sec rest

5 stair sprints

4 rounds
-elastic band good mornings 10-15
-criss cross rows 10-15
-100 toe taps in push up position on second stair (tap 10 first step alternating, tap 10 second step alternating)
30 sec. rest

5 sprints

4 rounds
-resistance band curls 10-15
-resistance band overhead tricep extention 10-15
-40 toe taps each foot, knee twists each leg in push up position on step.
30 sec. rest

5 stair sprints skipping one step

4 rounds
-Abs (wrap resistance band around door knob, hold band with resistance at waist and arms out; then twist away from door knob) 10-15 each side
-push ups 10-15
-3 sprints
30sec. rest

4 rounds
-resistance band donkey kicks on hands and knees 10-15
-side steps 10-15
-40 toe taps each foot, knee twits each leg in push up position on step.
30 sec. rest

5 sprints

Looks awesome, but we'll see.
Remember this week is results week.
I'll get pics and measurements done for Tuesday so stay tuned.
The last 4 weeks have been amazing.
I look and feel so much better and I got a ton of compliments at my son's party.
I gave myself a much-deserved pat on the back.

Shelby

Zucchini Lasagna

I found this awesome recipe for Zucchini lasagna that I couldn't wait to share!

I was VERY VERY skeptical at first.
Who on gods green earth eats a vegtables in place of a noodle?
And makes it for the first time on their husbands birthday?

Well, I guess I'm gonna.

Luckily it turned out amazing.

My husband loved it and so did my son!  

Win Win!  

I love my pasta so if I didn't think this was worth it I wouldn't share it with y'all. 

I give this one 5 big fat stars!

Here's original recpie I started with from Brokeandbougie's website. Thanks!!!  
I didn't follow it exact,  I made some modifications to fit me but for the most part it's the same.
I stink at pics so bare with me, food pics just aren't my thing.

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground turkey 
• 8 ounces reduced fat cottage cheese 
• 2-3 medium zucchinis mandolin
• 2 cups no-sugar added tomato sauce 
• 1/2 large white onion diced 
• 3/4 cup natural low sodium chicken broth 
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese 
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
Cook turkey with chicken broth, Italian seasoning, onion and garlic till browned. 
Make sure most of the chicken broth is absorbed 
Grease a 9x13 baking dish  
Lay out the zucchini and make a solid layer in the pan. 
Top with one cup tomato sauce. 
Now make a layer with all turkey. 
Top the turkey with the cottage cheese, spreading it out as evenly as possible. 
Add rest of tomato sauce over turkey, cottage cheese mix.
Top with the rest of the zucchini making another solid layer.
Finally top with cheese.
Sprinkle with crushed red pepper and salt
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for an hour.


Take out of oven and devour!  

Enjoy,
Shelby

Progress Pics!

Can't believe Thanksgiving is next week already.

I am overly excited for it.  

This is our first Thanksgiving in 3 years that's in America. 

I can't wait to just lounge around all day with the Fam!   

We're heading to GA for it so it will be like a mini vacation. 

And I'm getting my hair done to. I can't wait!  

It's gonna be epic.  Lol!

Since I'm heading out of town I won't have a gym to get ripped in. 

Well maybe first I'll check and see if any of the Fam has any guest passes I can use at there gym. 

Oooooh That would be nice. 

But I need to come up with a routine I can do myself at home.  

There's so many tips and tricks out there it makes my head spin just thinking about it. 

But I'll do some research and post my Turkey Vacation workout on Monday incase anyone is interested. 

Now to the good part. PICS!!!!!!

Here's my progress pics since I started this whole thing.

Definitely good changes!  

Big changes!   

I can't wait to do my final 4 week measurements and pics on Tuesday. 

I've worked so hard. 

Now just have to make that final push. 

Happy Thursday!!!!!

Peace,

Shelby

Weigh in Wednesday

Well another week down and the number on the scale finally moved again:)

Finally under 155!  Yay!!!!

I don't remember the last time I've been under 155. 

I worked hard for that number!   

First goal hit, now on to 150!  

I'm dreaming of the day I'm in the 140's.  

It used to seem impossible but not any more!

I will have to say the hardest part of this whole thing is making sure I eat healthy. 

For the most part everything has been clean the last 3 weeks. 

I've maybe had two dinners per week that are not. 

If we get home late or a weekend night we might order out and  it might not be clean. 

Or pop a pizza in the oven. 

What can I say I'm a sucker for pizza:)

But at least I eat it in moderation now.  

I have cut out almost all sugars. 

I don't crave sweets anymore or feel the need to binge eat in the afternoon while my daughter is napping. 

If I feel like I need a little extra I have a cup of tea with honey and that usual does the trick. 

I'm no expert but I really think you need to find what works for you.  

What I do isn't gonna work for everyone else. 

The pounds are coming off slow and usually that would be to my detriment but this time I'm focused, I see new muscles everyday(results), and I'm ready for a change.  

I'll post some transformation pics tomorrow to compare.  

Have a great Wednesday,

Shelby

HITT

Brrrrrrrr it's cold here today. We busted out the winter coats

I want to say Thanks to my hubby for his awesome post yesterday. 

He's such a good writer and and loves me so much!
I'm lucky to have him in my life!

Ok back to it. 

I hit the gym this weekend pretty good this weekend.
Saturday I had a cardio day and ripped out 3 1/2 miles.
I turned the virtual runner on on the treadmill and it was fun.
I ran through the Swiss alps and through the Swiss city, Bern.
It was like I was back in Europe all over again.
It made running on the treadmill go so fast and the incline went up and down as you moved through the mountains which made for a great burn.
Sunday was arm/shoulder day(one of my favs)
Yesterday was Legs.
5 rounds of squats and I feel it today.
But it's such a good feeling!

I also did a HITT workout in the evening.
Ran a mile to warm up then did each of these sets twice for 5 min each total 20 min
20 secs on 40 secs off on a 5 incline 9.5 speed
30 secs on 30 secs off  on a 2 incline 9.5 speed.
Kicked my butt.
My butt literally hurt afterwards:)
Try it and see what you think.  

I'm really trying to blast some calories so I can start seeing all these muscles I'm working hard to get:)

On a different note we had a birthday we celebrated this weekend.
My son turned 5.
I can't believe I have a year old.
We did a small celebration on his birthday and we're having a big party this weekend.

We also got family pictures taken.
This will be the first family pics where I'm not preggers or just had a baby.
I'm so excited to see how they turned out.
It was super chilly but our photographer Rosa from Rosa Ashdown Photography did a great job with them.
This week I'm busy getting ready for the party. 

I'm attempting to make a piñata.  

I'm afraid one swipe at it will bust it wide open. 

Hopefully we will get through a couple kids before that.  

And I have a cake to make.  

We're doing a minion theme. It's so cute!

Stay tuned for my weigh in tomorrow.  

I'm pretty sure the scaled moved just not sure how much.  

And less then a week till the finale results of my 4 week challenge.  Hola!!!!!!!

Peace, 

Shelby