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Wednesday, August 5, 2020

My Thoughts on Peloton After Riding it 100 Times



In December I kept getting sick and just couldn't shake some sort of virus/sinus infection, but after visiting the doctor twice, my blood pressure ended up being the main topic of conversation and left me feeling a little shook. I knew I was overly stressed, overweight and needed to take control of my health so I ended up ordering a Peloton.  I had never seen one in person and had only taken a handful of spin classes my entire life. It was a bit of a risk, but I felt it was riskier to continue down this path with my stress level and blood pressure.  

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I can be annoying and post my selfies after a ride - I promise my intention is never to show off this piece of equipment but rather hold myself accountable and also connect with the Peloton Community...and oh what a community it is!  Welcome to the world of virtual high fives, milestone rides, pelo-pups, badges and pelothons shoutout to #breakthroughcrew!

I get asked A LOT if I think a Peloton Bike is worth the money so I figured I would answer that here along with a few more questions I've been asked multiple times.  Thank you to those on Instagram who submitted questions!!!  Before we get to the Q&A, I know there are a lot of people out there who are new riders or are waiting to receive their bike so I wanted to include my list of favorites to check out.

**If you are just here for a discount code, scroll to the bottom of the post! 


RIDES TO BOOKMARK



All-Time Favorite Ride :: Kendall's Billie Eilish Ride

This 30 minute ride is my all-time favorite for so many reasons.  #1 is my love of Billie Eilish obviously, but I also love Kendall's style.  She pushes you and shares little nuggets about life and about Billie but doesn't talk too much.  I try and take this ride once a month and each time I try to beat myself. It's so encouraging to see how much I've improved in the last 7 months. If you love Billie Eilish, there is also a Peloton BE Yoga class you can search! 

"The only reason you are buried is so you can have a breakthrough" Kendall Toole during Billie ride

Other favorites to bookmark:

Lizzo Ride (30 min with Robyn Arzon)
Arcade Fire Ride (30 min Y2K Rock Ride Emma Lovewell)
Pink Ride (30 min with Christine D'Ercole)
Backstreet Boys Ride (30 min with Cody Rigsby)
Coldplay Ride (30 min with Emma Lovewell)
Women of Rock Ride 2020 (30 min Emma Lovewell)
Florence and the Machine/Sia Ride: 10/17/2018 (30 minute Pop Ride with Emma Lovewell)
Weezer Ride (30 min with Denis Morton)

The best way to find rides you will love is to use the search bar and type in your favorite band/artist and go from there! 

INSTRUCTOR BREAKDOWN


Try them all a few times because this really is a personal preference and sometimes you can't tell if you really like someone's vibe with just one class.  They are all amazing but each one brings their own personality and flair.  What might motivate me, might not work for you.  I also switch up instructors depending on my mood and what I'm looking for!  I haven't taken every instructor, but provided notes of those I have:

  • Emma Lovewell - one of my favorites as you can see from my favorite rides!  Emma has amazing playlists and does weekly rock rides, pop rides.  Check out her Listening Parties too where she features new music.  
  • Denis Morton - probably my 2nd favorite!  I jokingly call him my Bike Boyfriend because he is very easy on the eyes...long hair or short!  I love his coaching style.  He's straight forward in his approach and doesn't talk too much.  I love the way he explains proper form and has GREAT rock playlists!
  • Jess King - Jess is so positive and one of the best encouragers!  You just feel better after her rides.  They aren't easy...try one of her Tabata or HIIT rides...whoa!  Luckily she always has the best music to get you through it.  
  • Cody Rigsby - PURE FUN!  Try not to smile when you take his rides.  If you do, you have no soul. You will dance and laugh your way through Cody's rides.  One of his most famous lines is "If Britney can get through 2007, you can get through this hill" 
  • Ally Love - The very first ride I did was with Ally!  It was an awesome class for brand new riders. Ally's music is sometimes not my cup of tea, but if you are looking for an uplifting class, Ally is your girl! 
  • Robyn Arzon - This one is like therapy on a bike!  She is so inspiring, real and raw!  
  • Kendall Toole - Another favorite!  She adds inspiring nuggets throughout the ride without being cheesy.  She does many types of rides: rock, classic rock, hip hop. I love her arm intervals too.
  • Ben Alldis - cute with a British accent...need I say more? 
  • Tunde Oyeneyin - I started riding with Tunde because her playlists speak to my soul!  She will have the most random artists mixed together and it just works.  
  • Christine D'Ercole - I love Christine's themed rides since she does a lot of alternative music (Pink and Imagine Dragons rides are great)
  • Hannah Corbin - Hannah does a lot of classic rock and country rides.  I really like her low impact rides too! 
  • Jennifer Jacobs - No longer a Peloton instructor, but you can find her classes On Demand. I found her by searching "System of a Down" - she has a lot of hard rock lists - these usually push me the most.  Really like her style! 
  • Steven Little - Another former instructor that you can find On Demand.  I've only done a few of his rides, but I love his style.  He pushes you and doesn't let you do anything but your best.  Check out his Beastie Boys ride...search "Sabotage" to find it. Do his rides when you want to WORK.  


PELOTON Q&A


Is it really worth the money? 

This is totally subjective of course, but my short answer is YES!!!  This bike is more of a community than anything else and it has been the bright spot during all the craziness of 2020.  I use it almost every day.

To put the cost in perspective, the year before I purchased the bike I was paying $45/week at my gym for unlimited classes...however I was only getting there about twice a week.  $45 per week for a year is $2,340. The bike will run between $2,245 - $2494 depending on which package you choose. There are financing options available too.  


Give me all the cost details! 

Breakdown of cost can be found here.  You can use my code for $100 off of your accessories: WM6S97  

I purchased the Works Package since I didn't have cycling shoes, weights and knew I needed a mat for my hardwood floors!  I would buy this package again as I use it all!  The shoes are great, I use the weights often (I purchased the 2 lb weights) and the mat looks great! 


You will also pay a monthly Peloton App fee for all of the classes.  If you aren't ready for a Bike or Tread, you can purchase the monthly membership and you will have access to all classes: strength, yoga, running, outdoor, core, meditation, etc.  This is a great way to preview Peloton before taking the plunge!  They are currently offering 30 days for free


What are your tips for starting out?  

My biggest tip for getting started is to HAVE FUN!  Don't be too competitive at first or worry with the Leaderboard.  Give yourself time to experiment with the bike, find instructors you love, get used to riding.  Basically give yourself grace.  There are lots of beginner rides you can start with and even an entire Beginner Program to help you learn the basics and know the proper form.  

After that, just start by finding music you love!  Set tiny goals and expect it to be hard.  I remember the first few times I started a ride, I thought, well I hate this.  It was new, it was hard.  My stamina was nonexistent and my butt was sore, ha!  I promise it gets better.  You don't need to come out of the gates riding every single day or stressing out about being last on the leaderboard. All of that comes with time and practice just like anything else.  

P.S. Your butt will be sore for the first few weeks.  I did not purchase a new seat or padded shorts although you certainly can.  I sat on a sweat towel when it hurt the most, but it really does get better! 


Is there anything you wish you would have known or done differently when you first got started?  

Not really - I guess I could say that I wish I would have challenged myself to ride more in the beginning, but that was during the early stages of COVID when I was glued to the news and my phone just trying to survive and grab info...and extra toilet paper.  I'll just say you do you boo!  Go at your own pace - push through the hard but also give yourself grace.  Does that even make sense???  

One thing that I've done over the last few months is make more Peloton friends.  I even created a group of Peloton riders in my neighborhood.  This helps to hold you accountable and just makes riding more fun on the days you don't really want to show up! 


Should I buy the accessories or do I really just need the bike? 



Totally depends on what you already have in your arsenal! You need cycling shoes that clip in to the bike.  They do not have to be Peloton to work, but I didn't have any so it made sense to get them with the bike.  Many classes have an arms component to them so you will want LIGHT weights for this - 1, 2 or 3 pounds.  Weights are hard to come by right now with everyone setting up home gyms so it might make sense for you to grab them with the bike also!   Aesthetically I like that the weights are black and fit perfectly with the bike. Finally, think about where you will put the bike.  Do you need a mat underneath it?  Many people have mentioned that they couldn't live without theirs because they sweat so much during the rides, it's nice to have an easy to clean surface underneath! 


How do you choose your classes each day? 

I have no rhyme or reason!  I don't plan out my rides in advance unless there is a celebration ride with a friend on the calendar - it's fun to ride together on someone's birthday or when they are celebrating a milestone like 100 rides.  Otherwise I choose based on my mood that day, how much time I have for a class and what my previous rides have looked like that week.  

I try to mix in high intensity rides with low impact rides each week.  Add in some strength, core or arms at some point.  And honestly some days I just sit on the bike, type in a band I'm feeling and give that class a shot.  Favorites during COVID have been on the heavier side: Rage Against the Machine, Linkin Park and System of a Down...you know total softies!  Other days I let the bike tell me what to do...as soon as you log in there are so many personalized suggestions based on your riding history.  



Am I crazy to purchase if I've never even done a spin class? 

NOPE!  I had done less than 5 spin classes in my twenties and hadn't done anything like a SoulCycle type class ever!  I didn't so much as touch a Peloton when I ordered one.  I was going on faith that it would live up to the hype.  


How do you stay motivated to get on the bike?  



The first few months of having the bike I was pretty sporadic with my riding.  I would get on the bike twice a week at most.  It was better than nothing, but I needed to do more.  I broke my toe in April and did not ride the bike once that month while it healed.  It was kismet that at the end of April my friend Amanda texted me and said she was thinking about starting an accountability group to "Move Everyday in May". I took that challenge a step further and challenged myself to not just move but do some type of Peloton class everyday in May.  I grabbed my chalkboard calendar to also hold me accountable and I turned the question from "should I workout today" to "what type of class will I do today" 

Now in August, I'm still using the chalkboard method and although I might take a rest day once a week, it's been so helpful to keep me active and not fall into another slump. 


I do better with in-person group classes.  Do you think I would even like this?

I felt the exact same way!  I thrived in group classes because I didn't want to slack in front of others, ha!  I've tried so many things that I truly LOVED: Orange Theory, F45, Define, Pure Barre to name a few.  I've also tried (and failed) at most at home workouts like Beach Body.  Not because they are bad, but because I just did not push myself when I was standing there in my living room attempting a class.  

This combines the two with one little word: LEADERBOARD!  

In live classes, the instructor can actually see your name and progress and may even give you a shoutout.  You can see where you stand with all of the other riders.  Don't worry...when I started I was always toward the end and now I'm usually only in the middle.  If you aren't feeling it that day and just want to ride, you can hide that Leaderboard and not pay any attention to it.  The best is when you ride with your friends.  It pushes you to work harder and it definitely feels more like a group class.  

With the recorded, On Demand rides you still get to see your spot on the board, race yourself if you've already completed that particular ride and still ride with your people or riders who happens to be doing the ride at the same time you are!  It's super interactive either way! 


Did you purchase anything non-Peloton that helped your rides?  Padded shorts, fan, etc.

Your first few rides you will be convinced that you need a new seat, some type of cushion or padded biking shorts.  I asked all of my friends and they assured me that this pain would pass. They were right and in just a couple of weeks the pain in my rear was completely gone.  I did sit on a sweat towel those first few rides to make it more comfortable without having to spend $$ on extra items.  Peloton purists also tell you NO padded seats.  

There are also two camps in the Peloton Family: fan or no fan.  I'm currently in the no fan crew simply because I haven't taken the time to research them.  I don't love sweating and you will sweat so you may want one.  I've seen little clip on fans that sit on your bike perfectly and I've also seen neck fans that some riders swear by. 

You may want headphones.  I will warn you that many classes have explicit language both from the music and the instructors so if kiddos will be within earshot, you probably want some.  I already had my huge wireless Beats so I started off with those.  Great sound, but for some of the sweatier classes, they make me extra hot.  AirPods work great too.  

You will also want some sweat towels, disinfecting wipes and a water bottle or two!  The bike comes with two cup holders. I usually keep a water bottle in one and my phone in the other.  

Not a necessity, but I was recently gifted this gorgeous bike shelf (thanks mom) by Cedar & Honey Studios!  I needed a spot that my boys wouldn't mess with for my headphones, towels, etc.  Most people use the hooks for their shoes, but I like the bike below the weights for that.  




What room in your house is your bike in and how did you choose where to put it?  



As much as I would love to have a killer view and floor to ceiling window to face my Peloton out toward like in the commercials, my bike is currently stationed in our toy room! Some days my view is of a quiet and clean room while other days I'm staring at pile of LEGOS I just couldn't get to.  

We don't have a designated home gym space.  My main factor in choosing a room was one where I wouldn't be competing with people and worried about time of day.  I know myself and knew I would be using it often after everyone else was asleep so I wanted a space that wouldn't wake anyone up. We have a weird room off our kitchen that is currently stuffed with toys so I just made it work!  Bonus that it already had a ceiling fan too! 


Have you lost any weight since you've had the Peloton?



I have a love/hate relationship with this question, but I'd be asking the same thing so I wanted to address it!  I'm a firm believer that weight loss happens in the kitchen, not the gym.  Sure working out helps, but if your diet isn't great, you can't ride the pounds off.  Since I've had the bike, I have lost weight...gained it back...lost some...gained it back.  I'm an emotional, stress eater and well 2020 has been...emotional and stressful!  Even with the ups and downs, I haven't gained anything from my pre-bike weight which was also my pre-COVID weight so I'm considering that a win!  But don't hold my late night OREO binging against the Peloton. 

What I can confidently tell you is that I'm HEALTHIER because of the bike - both mentally and physically.  My blood pressure was the driving force in purchasing the bike and it has improved (along with cutting back on sodium).  I have even gone on a few RUNS which I haven't done in over four years and I have seen so much improvement in my stamina.  

CELEBRATING 100 RIDES


It's a big deal in the Peloton Community to complete a milestone ride...especially that first big milestone of 100!  You can do a live ride and try to get an instructor shout-out, have your friends ride with you and you will get lots of virtual high-fives from strangers!  Peloton also welcomes you into the Century Club with a gifted t-shirt after you hit this accomplishment.  I would not have normally made such a big deal for hitting 100 rides, but hello COVID, quarantine and being home A LOT, I figured any reason to celebrate is a good excuse for me! 

My amazing accountability partner Amanda rode with me.  We did a fun 45 minute ride with Tunde and even though I didn't get a shout-out I got lots of high-fives and we even had a celebrity rider with us: Common!  She did say Kelsey a few times so we could just consider that close enough. 



The boys helped me decorate the room and my amazingly talented friend Carly made these INSANE cookies for me!  How cute and perfect are they???  If you are local in the Houston/Fort Bend/Katy area, be sure and check out Crumbs by Carly.


My advice to a new rider is to set small goals and focus on them one by one.  You'll earn badges along the way too!  First goal: 10 rides.  Then 25, then 50 and so on!   

DISCOUNT CODE & LET'S RIDE TOGETHER


If you end up purchasing a Peloton, grab the discount code below for $100 off!!!

Code:  WM6S97

This will give you $100 off of your accessories including a bundle package like I did.  Full disclosure, when you use this code it gives me $100 credit toward the Peloton apparel shop.  

Also, be sure and follow me so we can ride together!  My username is super original: @chelseapurifoy 

I hope to ride with you soon! 

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

My Recent Amazon Purchases

Quarantine has me utilizing delivery services more than ever: Amazon Prime, Grove, Instacart and Door Dash are among my favorites.  I'm excited to be back blogging after YEARS away and share my favorite Amazon quarantine purchases that are tested and have been given my stamp of approval.  

Warning: very random list ahead!!!

This post does contain affiliate links, but all products were purchased with my own money.



Jumpsuit :: Hello comfy!  Feels like pajamas, but cute enough to wear all day and out of the house (wishful thinking)!  I love that it has adjustable straps and the material is cool and washes well.  TTS - I purchased a large and am a true size 12 and 5'4''. I love this piece so much that I've already ordered it in another print!


Foot Cream :: I haven't had a professional pedicure since December or January - oh the horror!  This stuff is INCREDIBLE!  It's way more than just a lotion or cream.  Think foot peel but not quite as intense and with long-term results.  I use it a few times a week before bed.  I have a full at home pedicure post coming soon as I have mastered this process the past few months and may not ever go back to paying for one!


Sheets :: Yes, the infamous sheet set that every influencer under the sun has shared.  I've had these in my cart forever, but when our older sheets finally bit the dust I went ahead and gave them a shot and I'm telling you, they did NOT disappoint! I purchased the King size in white and we love them!  Comfy and cool.


Coffee :: There are a few things that we just can't run out of in this house - toilet paper, Topo Chico and coffee! Since quarantine I've been ordering it via Amazon and it's so much easier and guarantees we never run out.  Our favorite of this brand is the medium house blend.



Tea :: Coffee definitely trumps tea in our house, but tea is a close second.  I love to drink hot tea in the afternoons or before bed to curve my snacking habit. I used to have an expensive habit of grabbing my afternoon tea at Starbucks on my way home from work last year, but now I keep this one at home and it's delicious!



Coloring Book :: I love to color at night while watching a really heavy show like The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills or Below Deck! This one is so pretty and has the best inspirational quotes.


Paleo Pro Protein Powder :: This is hands down my favorite protein powder. I've been using it way before quarantine, but sometimes it can be hard to find so now I just get it on Amazon to make things easy! I love the Ancient Cacao in protein smoothies and chocolate banana pancakes.  The Aztec Vanilla protein is really good too - I use that one in my favorite snack to have on hand for the afternoons: Lemon Coconut Protein Balls.




Kids Foot Measure :: This is SOOOO random, but I needed to measure the boys fast-growing feet for summer shoes and this thing was perfect!  I don't anticipate taking them into stores anytime soon so I'm very happy to have this on hand.


Resistance Bands ::  We don't have a fancy home gym...just a tiny space we carved out of the playroom (part of the workout is avoiding stepping on tiny LEGO pieces), but we have a few items that help me get strength workouts done. Some small weights, a jumprope, yoga mat and sweat towels. I added a set of Resistance Bands recently and I'm so happy with these.



Bathtub Caddy :: I've always wanted a bathtub caddy to hold my book and wine glass, but it always seemed excessive and indulgent...until you find yourself stuck in your house for months!  Suddenly that bathtub caddy seems like a mental health necessity, ha!  My favorite candle pictured above smells so amazing without even having to light it!


Just to clarify when I say quarantine, we aren't actually in a strict quarantine right now, but with cases sky high in Texas we are staying at home as much as possible.  

Monday, January 1, 2018

New Year, New Goals, New Start, New Happy



As you may have noticed I walked away from my blog in 2017.  Priorities changed and this space was the easiest thing to let go.  My last post was February 2017 oddly enough about my Whole 30 journey last January.  Funny because Whole 30 is exactly why I even dusted this 'ole blog off.  Since I wasn't planning on writing on this space anymore I let the domain expire and someone snatched it up, why I have a new domain today.

But ever since I got it back online a few weeks ago simply so my new Whole 30 group could reference my past posts, I started feeling a tug to write again.  Then just today I was encouraged to start at it so here I am!

Trust me, this does not mean I'll be blogging full-time or even regularly, but I love to share my life...the good, the bad, the online shopping worthy!  Still same 'ole Chelsea living my imperfect life one hot mess at a time!

A few life updates from 2017...

February I finished Whole 30 and hit a HUGE Milestone in my Rodan + Fields business: becoming a Level V Leader!

March was full of celebrations for Jason's Birthday and the best girls weekend for Shannon's upcoming wedding!  We finished the month in Dallas where I got to celebrate my Level V achievement with a special dinner and training with my fellow consultants and top leaders from the company!

April was my one year anniversary with Rodan + Fields and I treated all of my customers to a little Treat Yo Self tee.  I also jumped on the Orange Theory bandwagon some of my favorite girls!  Easter fun of course and the boys started teaming up and making my life crazy...never a dull moment! The month ended with the most special trip to Magnolia with my mom and her bestie...we got to stay at The Magnolia Bed & Breakfast...OMG!  It was a dream.

May is always cray with Jack's birthday, Cinco de Mayo, my birthday, Mother's Day, Anniversary and more!  Hydration Serum launched and literally changed my skin's life.  Sounds a little much, but it's true.

In June Colin had his annual kidney check and everything looked this same!  We will take it.  More Orange Theory, lots of pool time including swimming lessons for the boys and a trip to the Houston Zoo to the Bug Exhibit...Jack was VERY into bugs!

We started July in Matagorda which was Colin's first trip to the beach


Sorry for the that long trip down memory lane from the past year.  Sometimes it's fun to go back and reflect.  But as fun as that is to look at the past, I'm thrilled to think about the future.  I just love fresh starts and a new year...

New planner, new goals, reflection, new starts, new possibilities and hopefully a new happy! Hope you'll come along for the ride!

Friday, February 17, 2017

I Think I Want to Try Whole 30...Now What?

I've had quite a few people tell me they are curious about Whole 30, but not sure where to start or what it would really look like so I wanted to share what I did to get started and wrap my brain around giving up so many of my {poor} diet staples for 30 days!

Research

So you may know the basics of Whole 30, but you might want to know a little more about the why.  I recommend purchasing the official Whole 30 Book (Amazon and Target both have).  It discusses everything from the science behind the program to prep to recipes and even how to properly cook foods that you may not have experience with!

You can also purchase the Whole 30 Cookbook, but I honestly did not use this one as much. I used the Whole 30 Book mentioned above plus Pinterest and the Whole 30 Recipes Instagram account for most of my meal ideas! 

If you want to dig a little deeper, I recommend checking out It Starts with Food.  I haven't read this yet, but plan to before/during my next round!

There are also some AMAZING Bloggers out there who have graciously shared all of their tips and tricks.  I'm linking some of my favorites below!

Life in the Green House
Meg O. On the Go


Support Groups

Join some support groups on Facebook or seek out some accountability partners in your life to do this with you.  I joined several groups on Facebook, but my friend Jennifer and I were official accountability partners so even on the days I wanted to quit, I didn't because I did not want to leave her hanging or let her down...it's the people pleaser in me!

You can join my little group "Treat Yo Self with Whole 30" that is starting March 1 and I also recommend the following:

Keep Calm & Whole30 On
Whole 30 First Timers Support Group 

It's also helpful to start following the official Whole 30 pages on Instagram like @whole30 and @whole30recipes
 

Clean Out

This one can be hard if you also have to think about other family members that you share a pantry with, but it's a good exercise to do anyway to clean out expired items and really look at labels on things you use often to check and see if it's W30 compliant.  I went through my refrigerator and pantry and cleaned out everything that I knew no one else would eat. 

If you live alone I would recommend being brutal and getting rid of the stuff that is not compliant and will be calling your name as you get into days 10 and 11 - the hardest days! 


What to Buy and Where to Find It

Most items that you will be eating can be found at any supermarket.  I'm in Texas and love HEB!  I was able to purchase 90% of the items I ate here, but there are a few things I had to search for.  And remember when shopping during Whole 30 to stick to the exterior of the store {meat, produce, eggs}...skip the interior of the store!

Also, plan on those first few grocery store trips of W30 to take almost twice as long!  You will be stopping and reading every single label! 


Whole Foods
Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos
Bone Broth
Tessamae's Dressings
Applegate Chicken & Apple Sausage
Applegate turkey deli meat
I love to be lazy and buy the pre-cut Sweet Potato cubes, bell pepper &  Zoodles


Trader Joes
Chomps Snacks Sticks
RX bars
Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
Avocado Oil
Ghee (I've learned that I do not care for ghee, but you can purchase here if you want to try)
Frozen Organic Riced Cauliflower
Frozen Vegtable Blends (I love the fajita peppers)
Sunflower Seed Butter

Amazon
Barney Almond Butter
Primal Palate Meat & Potato Seasoning
Nutpods Dairy Free Creamer 
Primal Kitchen Greek Vinaigrette
  




Hope this helps!  Comment below if you have any questions or tips to offer me and my next round!  

Saturday, February 11, 2017

Whole 30, Round 1 Recap

Happy Sunday!  Today is Day 31 of my Whole 30 plan which technically means I'm "finished."  People keep telling me "it's almost over...yay"  but really it's only getting started.  Sure I could jump off the plan, but then the bad habits would slowly creep back in and eventually the weight and I still have lots of lbs to lose!

I lost a total of 12 pounds in 30 days, but I have about 20 more pounds to go!  

But before I tell you what I'm going to do now that these 30 days are done, I'll share with you what the last 30 days have been like!

The Whole 30 mood chart really is spot on!  The first two weeks are the worst.  I was hungry, shaky at times, CRANKY, moody and tired.  I never got that actual sick feeling, aka the carb flu, but I definitely wasn't feeling my best.  I think what got me through was knowing that it was normal and there was an end in sight.  I also did not work out during these adjustment period.  I actually didn't work out much during these last 30 days.  I really made my focus on food prep and staying on plan 100%.  


So what is my plan moving forward?  

I actually plan on sticking to the W30 basics 90% of the time, but I will allow myself an indulgence every now and then like a glass of wine or a dessert.  If I ever do add these prohibited items into my diet I will be sure to watch my body closely to see what affect, if any, those items do to be now that I'm detoxed from them!

It's interesting that I thought dairy would be one of the hardest items to quit.  I love cheese, queso, milk in my lattes, and butter, but now non of those things even sound good!  The sight of cheese grosses me out and I got a whiff a butter the other day and almost gagged.  I'm sure I'll eventually add them back occassioanly, but for now I'm perfectly content without them. 

Friday, January 20, 2017

What I Ate :: Whole 30, Days 1-7

I guess it only took giving up sugar, dairy, grains, beans and alcohol to get this girl back to blogging!

I've missed this space, but hopefully you haven't missed me as I still continue to overshare my life on Facebook, Instagram and occasionally SnapChat {theperfectcatch}.

In case you did miss it, I started Whole 30 exactly one week ago today on January 13!  Most people started Whole 30 on January 1, but I needed some extra time to get my act together and what I have learned so far about W30 is that you must prep in order to be successful.  Prior to starting my W30 journey I did a 3-day juice cleanse and lost 5 pounds! 

I will talk more about why I finally joined this program and my thoughts so far another day, but the biggest question I get asked is what I actually eat so I've decided to track every meal and share it with you to hopefully show you that it might not be as hard as you think it is and that even a busy, working mom who has a major sugar, bread addiction and no skill in the kitchen can do it and not die!

You can also find my Whole 30 Pinterest Board here...it's a work in progress but constantly growing!

DAY ONE :: Friday, 1/13

B -2 hard boiled eggs, avocado with pico & lime

L - Ground Turkey with red peppers with Cold Thai Salad & Sunshine Dressing (recipes in W30 Guide Book)

This cold Thai salad is awesome!  Has cucumber, zucchini noodles, carrots, cilantro and cashews
Snack - Cherry Pie Larabar (I was super hungry)

D - Chipotle copycat beef barbocoa from the slow cooker stuffed in bell peppers with lettuce on top



DAY TWO :: Saturday, 1/14

B - 2 hard-boiled eggs, one banana with a few strawberries and W30 compliant Almond Butter


L - Repeat lunch from Day 1 (recipe made enough for two days)

Snack - Cherry Pie Larabar

D - Used the leftover Barbocoa beef to make "Burrito Bowls" with Meat, lettuce & avocado

 
Late night - Herbal tea


DAY THREE :: Sunday, 1/15

B - Repeat breakfast from Day 2

L - Ground Turkey with Power Slaw and roasted sweet potatoes



D - Chicken & Apple Sausage with veggies (this recipe will need to be modified to be W30 compliant so no rice, quinoa or cheese like she mentions).  I made plenty to eat on for lunch that week!

Loved this Applegate Chicken Sausage from Whole Foods - W30 compliant!

 Late night - Herbal tea


DAY FOUR :: Monday, 1/16

B -Repeat breakfast from Day 2 (I get stuck on things)

L - (Leftover) Chicken Sausage with veggies

D -Grilled chicken breast and skewer veggies with a few grilled pear slices

Late night - Herbal tea & banana with coconut flakes (I was bad...but still compliant)


DAY FIVE :: Tuesday, 1/17

B - Repeat breakfast

L - (Leftover) Chicken Sausage with veggies

Snack: Chomps Jerky (W30 approved)

D -Taco meat with homemade W30 compliant taco seasoning and Mexican Cauliflower Rice (made extra for lunch next day

If you are dying to actually make a taco use these Jicama tortillas!

Late night:  Herbal tea & banana with almond butter


DAY SIX :: Wednesday, 1/18

B - Banana with almond butter

L - Taco salad with sliced avocado and Cauliflower Rice

I just used a squeeze of lime for salad dressing and it was delish!
 
Snack: Chomps Jerky (W30 approved)

D - "Drip Beef" from slow cooker with roasted red potatoes and leftover grilled skewer veggies
Late night: Herbal tea *I pushed through and kicked the late night food habit



DAY SEVEN :: Thursday, 1/19

B - Egg and Avocado Salad


L - Spinach Salad from La Madeline (No chicken, dressing, mushrooms or bacon) with leftover Beef from the night before.  Used Tessamae's Balsamic Dressing since it's W30 compliant! 

*No snack!  Trying to kick this habit too...part of the program is to stick to 3 solid meals rather than snacks which should only be used when necessary.  

D - Turkey Power Slaw

Late night - Herbal tea



Luckily I love black coffee so I drink that in the morning, plain ice water or lemon water throughout the day and I have been drinking lots of herbal tea at night instead of my normal "eat all the things" late-night snacking habit!  

My tip of the week is to just stock up on items each week that can be quick go-to meals in case you get busy or don't have time to prep.  Have a plan, even if it's just a loose one.  I did not choose what meals I would make each night, but I did have a list of things I could make so that when it came time to fix dinner after a long day, I didn't have to search for recipes or not have something I needed!   Going to the grocery store on Sunday really helped and then I did some prep a few nights this week after the kiddos were asleep.  Not terrible! 

My goal for the next seven days is NO FOOD after 8pm.  Just herbal tea!  And to try not to snack during the day.  Of course eat when I'm hungry, but avoid the temptation for snacking. 

Week One Complete!  Anyone else doing Whole 30?  Would love to hear your favorite meals and tips for survival.  I'm still a week away from the "feel good" zone. 

Hope you have a happy & healthy weekend! 

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

All About My Baby's Helmet

I know I've been quiet on the blog front lately, but my latest post is something that I'm really proud to share and excited for you to read.  I hope you'll jump over to Houston Moms Blog today and check it out.  It was a hard decision for Jason and I to make to decide to move forward with a helmet for Colin, but once we decided to do it, I knew that I wanted to fully embrace the experience and share it with others - the good, the bad, the ugly.  We were lucky enough to have several close friends who had gone through the same experience before us to lead the way, but I can imagine how scary of a path it may be if you don't know anyone.


Hope you are having a great week! 
 

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