Slacking!! I need motivation again!

The last time I worked out was Friday.  Which is not that bad.  I wanted to take off Saturday because that is my off day.  But then Sunday rolled around and Carlos had the day off and it was raining outside.  I just did not have the drive and ambition to change my clothes and get up and do something.  It also did not help that I started a migraine about 2:00 and it did not want to go away.  My wonderful husband was sweet enough to let me nap.  I fell asleep after cleaning up a delicious dinner I made.  Took a good 2 hour nap.  By the time I woke up it was time to put the babies to bed.  I felt so bad I slept through 2 hours of playtime.  But obviously my body needed it.

I am doing a change too in my diet.  It turns out I have been starving myself.  Not on purpose but I have been starving my body.  I was burning all the calories I was eating in a day and was wondering why I had stopped losing weight and started losing energy.  I had a text conversation with my brother.  He is a big health nut and workout guru.  He told me since it is hard for me to eat all those calories in a day to help balance my diet I need to start having more then just a cheat snack once a week.  He told me to start working in a cheat day.  A whole day of no exercise and eating more calories.  Not going too crazy.  He had given me some good ideas of healthy calories to eat.  And slowly add a meal each sunday.  Sunday is the day I chose for my food cheat day.  I started yesterday with my dinner.  I made a delicious bake ziti and garlic bread for dinner.  I had made myself a kids size portion too and did not go back for seconds.  It seems to have helped.  I woke up this morning after my cheat dinner day and weighed myself.  I did not lose any weight but I also did not gain any weight.

So my new goal is to eat from 1400-1800 calories and then I can continue my workouts burning 400-600 calories.  I want to have at least 1000 calories left at the end of the day for fuel for my body so it does not go into reserve mode.  Wish me luck!  I find it hard to eat.  I barely have time.  If I am not running after a twin or helping a child wipe their butt or brush hair.  I am cleaning something or trying to keep with my goal of exercising at least one hour a day monday to friday and at least 30 minutes of Yoga on sunday.  Between all of that I am homeschooling my 4 year old and my the time I sit to eat my food is either cold or I don't have an appetite anymore.

To help with my motivation and energy I recently started taking vitamins to help with my metabolism.  It is definitely helping in the digestion area (sorry TMI).  But I really needed that.  Because I am not good at eating enough of the proteins and vitamins I take these metabolism vitamins and squish them up and add them to my shakes 2 times a day.  I have been doing it for about 4 days now and I am hoping it kick starts my new workout system and eating system and help me reach my goal faster.

Today no matter how I am feeling I will be working out.  I will start by changing right now into my workout clothes and just wear them for the rest of the day so I will have no excuses later.  I will already be dressed and ready for action.  I need to pick myself up and get back on track!  I have been doing great and nothing is gonna stop me from reaching my goal of 140 pounds by October 31st!!!  I intend to lose all this weight before the holidays and before all the holiday food.  I don't want to add to the problem and make it that much difficult!  So now is the time!  It is crunch time!  Literally, I have to do crunches.  My twin tummy is not a pretty picture!  Why is it when I am pregnant all my pregnant weight goes to my hips, thighs and butt.  Why can't I be like those other skinny pregnant ladies who gain in their belly and just look so cute pregnant.  Be i get wider and larger all over!  Ick!

Sorry about that back to reality!  I am done with the pregnant boat!  I had my last 2 June 19, 2011.  It is time for me to get in shape and get healthy and enjoy my children!  Enjoy my life!  And enjoy my husband!!  It's time to stop feeling self conscience about the way I look and go out into the world with my head held high and be proud for looking great!!  I don't want to look great for having 6 kids.  I want to look great!!!!  Thank you my readers!  Now get off your rump and motivate!!!

keeping fit when you have your monthly visitor

Not sure if you ladies are all like me.  It seems when I get my monthly visitor I lose all ambition and all self control.  I have no drive to workout or to even stick to my meal plans.  I crave chocolate and I am cramping so bad now since the twins. All I want to do is lay on the couch or my bed in my sweats and t-shirt and do nothing.  During this week I wind up gaining weight back that is not welcomed to come back and after my 5-7 days of rest I need to play catch up and lose what I had gained back.  It drives me crazy. I have been like this since I started exercising and eating right since the babies were 6 months old.  I am tired of it.  So I decided to do some research and see if there are some exercises that is recommended while I have my visitor for a week.
I learned something new when a woman is on her period and continues to exercise she increases her risk of injuring her ACL.  Who knew?  With proper training and strength training on the knees you can reduce those chances drastically.  One exercise recommended is jump rope.  That ought to be a site to see.  I don't think I have jump roped since Jr. high or elementary school days.  Not to mention a whole lot more jiggle to the jump too. The site mentions the QUALITY of the movements and work out your are doing. Not the QUANTITY!
Check out this website that I found out this information on and educate yourself so you can too keep up with your success and goals even though your visitor decides to hang out uninvited.
http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/exercise-and-your-menstrual-cycle-what-your-period-means-your-workout-schedu

Now that I am at least aware of what I need to do to keep up with all my progress, now I have no excuse for back tracking and falling back into old habits. At least I hope not!  I will be buying a jump rope this weekend.  I am already taking out a #1 excuse most woman with children use. That I am tired from work or from being home with the kids all day. Now I am ridding of another excuse from most woman. The dreaded PERIOD!!  Thanks for listening!  Now get off your butt and get fit! 😝

A very productive day!

Today was great!  I started a blog! Yahoo!!

 My 4 year old (Louis) and I did some preschool work.  It was great we learned about the letter B and the number 2.  I am so blessed and lucky that I have the opportunity to teach my son and watch the excitement in his eyes as he learns and remembers things that I had showed him.  Not all mom's get to witness this milestone.  I used to be a preschool teacher a few years back.  I would get so much joy to watch these children grow and learn and just change right before my eyes.  Now as I teach Louis I get to experience all that again but it is even more special now because it is my child. :)

My children had a great day at school.  As soon as they get off the bus it was snacks and then HOMEWORK!  FUN FUN!  How fair is it that I already graduated and did my time with school and homework and now through parenthood us as parents get to experience the joys of homework, studying and projects all over again!  We were able to get all the homework done with no screaming or crying (from me or the kids).  Then it was dinner and off to football.  Thankfully my saint of a husband was able to pick up Anthony from school today.

Amongst all the normal craziness of a typical day in my house (busted bleeding lips, unexpected amount of poop diapers and runny noses) I was able to squeeze in some time to get some laundry started (not finished) and I am so proud of myself I swept and mopped the floors!  I still managed to have some energy too after all this and did a great strength and core exercise for 40 minutes.  So proud. Every ounce of my body was screaming at me the whole time saying "Just take the night off, it was a crazy day,  you mopped the floors that counts as your workout".  But I kept going.  I am not listening to those voices of excuses in my head any longer.  It is because of those voices that I am the weight I am.  Another great excuse is "Your body is the way it is because you have all those beautiful babies, Hey you just had twins".  These excuses are just that "Excuses".  I will no longer settle.  I want a healthy body not only for me but for my family.  I want to be around for years to come to embarrass my children and nag my husband.  Today I also stepped on the scale.  I am down 4 pounds and 1 inch in the waist line since starting my 90 day challenge 16 days ago.  11 more pounds to go to my goal!  We can do it girls!  We can stop settling and giving in or giving up and strive for something better.  You deserve it.  And that is all!  Thank you for reading!

Introducing me!

Hi blog world.  This is my first official post.  Not sure how this goes but I am certain I will eventually get the hang of it!
 Hi!  I am Amanda.  I am a stay at home mom of 6 kids.  My oldest Anthony is 11 and will be 12 this December.  He started his first year of middle school.  This was a very emotional school year for me because my baby is officially no longer a baby.  He's a good kid so I only expect great things from him!  Next is my daughter Ally.  She is 9 years old and will be 10 this November and just started the 4th grade.  She is the heart of the family.  She is a minnie mommy in training and makes sure everyone is following rules and that they are happy ( my 11 year old is not a fan of her little mommy personality).  Next is my Nicholas.  He is 7 years old and just started 2nd grade.  At the age of 3 he was diagnosed with aspergers syndrome.  A form of autism.  I am proud to say that he is considered high functioning autistic and is doing great in school.  He is now included in the regular classrooms rather then in the special education classes.  He has come such a long way and is now communicating and socializing!  I am so proud of him and of what he has accomplished.  Next is my Louis.  He is 4 years old and I (brave soul that I am) have decided to take on homeschooling him for preschool.  Our family just recently moved to a new state and I was not happy with what programs were offered in the neighborhood.  We have already have had 2 lessons and he is doing great!  I am having so much fun watching him learn and have fun doing it too.  And last but not least are my twins. Yup TWINS!  My crazy husband and I figured it would be fun to try and have one more baby.  Let's go for #5!!!  Only God had us fooled and decided that I would be the family member on my side to carry the fraternal twin gene.  But that's ok.  I trust God and know he would not have blessed me to be one of a few who get the joy of having twins.  And I am so glad HE did.  Our family is now complete.  Sicilia and Christian just turned 1 on June 19th and are accomplished walkers and house destroyers!  Last but not least the man in my life.  The reason why I am blessed with my 6 wonderful babies.  Is my husband Carlos.  He is amazing.  Works hard so I can stay home with my babies and not have to leave them everyday.  I have gotten to see all their first walks, and rolls and words and so much more.  All because he has sacrificed his time to work hard and provide for us.  We met at 18, pregnant at 19, our first child at 20, married at 20 and bought our first house at 20 years old.  Here we are married 11 years later and 5 kids more.  You can say we have been busy!

The reason why I wanted to start blogging has to do with my husband.  He tells me that I need to share my life and what I do with the world or to whomever actually reads this.  He is too sweet.  He says I am an inspiration to so many moms and young girls.  I not seeing that.  I just think I do what needs to be done for my family to make sure that they grow up grounded and well rounded people.

I just started a new goal for not only me but for my family.  Since having my twins I had an extra 45 pounds that decided to stick around.  I have started eating right and exercising and taking some shakes that have helped me "Get My Skinny On".  I have already lost 30 pounds and I have 15 pounds left to go!  I figured by me posting my goals and accomplishments of getting in shape and healthy for my family that I hope to inspire someone out there in blog country.  If I (mom of 6 kids) can make time to take care of her health and find ways to exercise then there should be no excuses for others.  Did I mention I have a son in football (practices 3 times a week), then we have religion classes every Wednesday, my 9 year old wants to do dance and plus football games start and that is every Saturday.  So I say again.  If I can do it!  You can do it!!  I promise future blog posts will be shorter.  Thanks for taking time out of your day to read!! <3



P.S. The picture posted is a picture of my before and my current after.  That weight loss was from changing my diet with no exercise.  I just started taking these shakes in place of 2 meals and started eating a healthy dinner and healthy snacks.  I am excited about my new goal of a weight loss of 15 pounds and strengthen my core and tighten my body back up.  And for those moms who have had twins know that is not a easy task.