The Fit Dish Link-Up: What my past has taught me

Why hello there! These Tuesday's sure do sneak up on me! 

I missed last week's link up due to a nasty little funk that I kicked to the curb, so I'm jumping right in this week!

I'm linking up with Jessica @ TheFitSwitch and Jill @ JillConyers. Yes, THE Jill Conyers! (She's the new co-host of The Fit Dish.)

So let's dive right in and #dishthefit! 

Today's optional topic: What has your past taught you about living today?

Great topic Jessica! This one's gonna take some brain power..

Your past doesn't define who you are today.
Well that kind of just jumped out of my head and shot right down my fingers.

Many of you know I struggled with my weight since I was about 15. Due to a very early pregnancy. But setting weight loss and physical health aside, being a teen mom did something to me mentally that has taken years to shake.

When I became pregnant with my son at the age of 15, my body was forced to change. And fast. Which I wasn't ready for, let alone the baby that would soon consume my life. My mind also took a beating. I had to deal with the rumors, the lies, the talking behind my back, and everything else that comes with being pregnant at 15. I hated what was happening to my body, but most of all, I hated myself for allowing it to happen.

As I look back, I have empathy on girls who become pregnant at such a young age because I know what most of them are searching for. And it has nothing to do with a baby. But everything to do with self worth and feeling needed. I wanted to be needed and wanted so badly, that I was willing to give up my teen years (and the rest of my life) in order to be with the guy who I thought wanted the same thing, just to feel wanted. Just to feel like I was important. Pretty sad huh?

Pinterest

As I look back now I realize I held on to that title of "teen mom" for so long that it hindered my success in life. I personally felt that I had failed as an individual and I couldn't ever be successful in life because that's just what happens to teen moms who have babies young and the dad leaves them.

But I was wrong...

Here I am, 27 years old, NO LONGER A TEEN, raising my two beautiful children, loving life and living for God, certified Dental Assistant, aspiring Health Coach and wife to an amazing man for almost nine years. Now you tell me, does that sound like unsuccessful-teen-mom-Fawn?

Woo! Talk about being free! 

So no, my past does not define who I am today. Yes, I was a teen mom. But that isn't a permanent label or stereotype. I'm not convinced.

Our past does not define us when it comes to anything in life. You are a clean slate every day. You can choose to be better than you were yesterday. Or even 11 years ago. Just because you were overweight years ago, doesn't mean you are now or ever will be again. Just because you were a drug addict, doesn't mean you hold that title now or ever will again.

Our past does not define who we are today. 

Join in on the conversation! Link up your own post or find your way around the other awesome blogs and get your fill on what everyone has learned from their past! 

Have an amazing Tuesday fitfam! 

Cruising Right Along + Pumpkin Pancakes

Hey there fitfam and friends! How's everything going? Life is pretty grand over here again! (It's ok if you're thinking, gee, this lady's a bit cuckoo..one day she's down, the next she's grand..I'm a female, what can I say?!)

Anywho...
I'm cruising right along (slowly) with my half marathon training! I'm up to 3.5 miles non stop and if you follow me on Instagram you probably saw this gem:

Talk about runners high! If 3.5 miles can make me this happy, I can't wait to see what 13.1 feels like! 

So this past week had some changes in my training schedule but it all ended up working out fine. I also agreed to use my free hour of personal training at the gym on Thursday. It was so fun trying new things and making a new friend at the gym! Unfortunately I couldn't sign up for weekly training sessions right now, but my husband said once he gets a job we can most likely do 6 weeks! I feel I could definitely benefit from having someone holding me accountable for my workouts and encouraging me to reach my goal. 

Getting my miles up gives me mixed feelings..mainly because of how many injuries I've had this year. I'm afraid to get so far, then get injured and be set back yet again. But, as long as I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do ie: eat healthy, strength train, foam roll and stretch, I think I'll make it to that half marathon starting line stronger than ever. 

Since I haven't done this in a while I'm going to go back to the good ole days and fill you in on some random happenings. 

Daniel had his 11th Birthday last Wednesday! How did that happen?? I sure do love this kid! 

Our newest additions to the fam. Daniel used some of his birthday money to buy two Zebra Finches. Very quiet at night..pretty much all that matters. 

I've been having issues with my stomach for the past couple months, so when I came across Kevita Probiotic Sparkling water I decided to give it a try. I bought two and drank them over the course of about four days. It seemed to really help my stomach pain. It also seemed to clean out my system...which is always a good thing. ;-) 

These will definitely be my go-to drink when my stomach starts acting up again. 

Here's a little recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes that I tweaked a little to make it a bit healthier. These were so delicious our kids even enjoyed them! 

1 1/4 c. Wheat Flour
1/4 c. Sugar (less would work too)
2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
Dash of Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp. salt
1 c. Milk
1/2 c. Pumpkin Puree
1 Egg, beaten
1 Tbsp. Oil

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk together milk, pumpkin puree, egg and oil. Pour over dry mixture and stir until moistened. Batter might be slightly lumpy. Heat griddle to medium heat, coat with butter, oil or spray. Cook each side of pancake for about 4 minutes. Flip once, let cook to desired doneness. (THAT'S NOT A WORD?!)
Enjoy them plain or top with whatever your heart desires!

So how's your weekend going? 
If you raced this weekend, how did it go?
Did it rain where you live? We finally got some rain and it was marvelous! The air feels so clean now.

Have a wonderful week everyone!!

In Order to Experience the Good

Well hello there! Long time eh? Let's just say I took a little break from the blogging world. Burnout happens with everything in life, but if you love it, you'll come back to it sometime. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

So how's everything going? Good? Not so great? 

The other day, after forcing myself to go to the gym, I treated myself to a smoothie at Jamba Juice then went to Barnes & Noble to look around. I came across a book that caused my thinking wheels to turn.
I knew I smelled something burning!

I briefly skimmed the back of the book before having an "aha" moment. --->In order to feel or experience the "good" in life, we MUST experience the "bad". Some of you may be nodding your head right about now.

In order to feel good, we must feel bad at some point. In order to have a good day, we must have a bad day every now and then. Is this sinking in? 

Lately I've been feeling, how do I say, down in the dumps. There have been certain smells in the air that have been triggering memories of my grandpa. A very close relative who is struggling with cancer is undergoing surgeries and treatments. Life just seems weird right now for me.

I have a lot to be thankful for but I can't help but allow the question "Why do bad things happen" loom around in my head. Then it hits me, like a ton of bricks!

We wouldn't even know what good feels like if that was the only thing we experienced! 

In order to have a good run, we must experience a bad run.
In order to have a good meal, we must taste a bad one.
In order to feel good, we must feel bad at some time or another.

Ya catch my drift?

So the next time life seems to be handing me lemons by the bucket full, I'll remember to let myself feel whatever it is that needs to be felt and think, This is part of life. I'll embrace the good times even more after this time has passed.

So tell me one of your aha moments you've had recently. 

Half Marathon Training Update

Hey there friends! How's life? 

I have officially started half marathon training! Woohoo! Finally. After a long (to me) break from running after dealing with heel and Achilles pain in BOTH feet, I'm back to racking up the miles! I'm taking a much slower approach at increasing my miles so that I can reduce the risk of injury as much as possible. (Because we all know I am pretty injury prone) 

Here's a look see at how the past 10 days have gone:

Day 1 (Oct. 6): 2 Miles

Day 2: Cross trainer at the gym-30 minutes, ab machine & arms

Day 3: 2.5 Miles

Day 4: Strength training (legs) & Core

Day 5: 3 Miles-Outside WITH headphones & music-It was awesome.

Day 6 & 7: Rest (Saturdays are difficult to get in workouts right now because my son has soccer games on those days. After the game we headed over to my moms for a Birthday BBQ. Sunday is always a rest day.)

Day 8 (My official b-day Oct. 13): My husband and I dropped off the kids at school and drove about 2 hours to pick up our quarter of a cow we ordered a couple weeks ago. We stopped in our old town and ate breakfast at our favorite breakfast restaurant. We made a day date out of it and had a great time!

We stopped at a little place off the road that had all kinds of yard art and statues. I thought I could get a little something for our yard but after seeing the price tags, we ended up just window shopping.

My wonderful husband got me a Chrome Book to do my blogging on! I also received
quite a few cards from my family with some money & gift cards. I really wanted that peacock,
but not for $250.

Day 9: Cross trainer at the gym-22 minutes

Day 10: 2.5 miles planned, felt depleted of energy so I stopped at 2.25. (Gotta be smart and stop before I end up with an exertion migraine.)

Overall I'm pretty happy with how the past week and a half has gone. I'm using my own training plan so hopefully it'll work. I made my own plan when I ran my first 5k and I placed 4th in my age group so I must've done something right! ;-)

My main goal for the half marathon is to finish, of course. But I'd really like to finish in around 2:10-2:20. My "comfortable" pace is around 9 minutes, so I think I'll be able to reach my goal no problem...hopefully.. I should wear a shirt that says, "If found on ground, please drag across the finish line." 

I'm super excited to finally be training for a half marathon! It has been a goal race at the back of my mind for about a year, but I had a few set backs so I'm sort of starting at the bottom again. But that's ok, because this time I'm enjoying the mile I'm in. I'm o.k with running 3 miles non-stop, knowing I used to run 5 miles almost daily. I don't want to dwell on what I could do months ago, I'm living for today; and that means:

Enjoying every step of every mile.

So tell me, how's your week going so far? Are you training for a race or working towards a goal? Fill me in! I'd love to hear about it! 

Have an amazing Thursday everyone!!

#Dishthefit My Top Healthy Living Tools

I'm jumping right in to #dishthefit with Jessica @ TheFitSwitch! Join us and link up your healthy living/fitness post! Let's get to it! 

Today's optional topic is: Top Healthy Living Tools

Let's face it, gadgets make life easier! 

I have tools/items that I use almost daily and I always find myself thinking: How in the world did I ever get by without these?!

First up: the foam roller!
I was a runner for well over a year before I even heard of a foam roller. (Foam rollers are for anyone, not just runners.) When I finally purchased one for myself, I'll be honest, I had no clue what I was doing! Fake it til you make it, right?! I followed some of the instructions on the slip that came with it, and it actually hurt at first! I wasn't so sure I liked it. But I'm so glad I stuck it out because rolling out those sore, tight muscles is much better than simply stretching them. I can walk a day sooner if I use the foam roller after a good workout or run, than if I just stretched...Or not stretched at all because I forgot to.. Yeah, that happens a little too often.

Trusty ole reusable water bottle!
If I keep a full reusable water bottle with me, I tend to drink a lot more aqua than if I depend on water fountains. I also save money by reusing my water bottle rather than buying a bottle of water every time I go out and about.

Instagram!
No I'm not joking. I follow so many amazing people that inspire me and motivate me to eat healthier and get up off my buttowski. I think it's a great tool to help encourage others to lead healthier lives.

Arm band & headphones!
I've used an arm band for my phone for some time now when I go on runs, but up until recently (I'm talking, two weeks ago) I never used headphones for music or podcasts. I LOVE having theme music playing in my head while I'm running! Come on, you know you get into those songs while you're getting your sweat on, thinking up all kinds of cool dance moves. ... Just me? ... I hope not. Last week I ran 3 glorious miles outside, with headphones in. It was a life changing event. I had to keep the volume low so I could hear cars approaching but still, I had music! I ran over 2 years without this luxury?? HOW?! Totally changed running forever for me.
Moving on.

Meal Planning!
Ok, so this is more of a healthy living tactic and not a tool but it's something that impacts my healthy eating habits. Or my not-so-healthy eating habits. I have a white board next to our fridge that I write out at least 5 dinners for the week. 6 would be grand, but hey, let's be realistic. I write down at least 5 meals that I KNOW I'll make during the week. I go to the grocery store, make sure we have everything for the week so no mid-week runs to the store for ingredients, and viola! Five healthy(ish) meals for me and the fam all week long! Weekends are more laid back for us and most of the time we'll mooch off my mother-in-law for Saturday or Sunday dinner. If I don't meal plan, we tend to have more "fend for yourself" nights, or "I'll just eat some cereal at 8pm" nights, or even worse, "let's just go grab something real quick." Not good. Meal planning keeps us on track and keeps our bank account somewhat happy.


So these are some of my favorite healthy living tools that keep me moving and grooving, yes, grooving. ;-)
What are some of your faves that you can't live without? Join in on the fun and find out what everyone else is dishing up today!

Pst, I hear Jessica @ TheFitSwitch has a thing for sharp knives! ...Pretty creepy if you ask me...
(ha! Totally kidding!)

Enjoy your Tuesday everyone! Make it awesome! 

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts Review + Discount & Contest

There are so many new healthy products sitting on the grocery store shelves these days. I'm the type of person that usually won't try something new unless there's a sample/trial size for a fraction of the price, or I'm offered to try it for free.

When Alyse at Fit Approach sent out an email asking bloggers to review Manitoba Harvest's Hemp Hearts, I jumped at the opportunity. I love trying new, healthy foods, but again, I don't like spending money on something I may not like.

If you've never heard of Hemp before, Manitoba Harvest explains it best here!

Upon receiving my pack of Hemp Hearts, I sampled them right away. I was thinking they'd have a weird, super food, healthy taste to them but they didn't. They taste very "nutty". They're soft, yet slightly crunchy and have such a nice flavor-I could eat these as a snack!

These beautiful little seeds pack some major benefits! -10 whole grams of protein and 10 grams of omega 3 & 6 per 30 gram serving. Hemp Hearts are lower in carbs than flax and chia seeds, they are raw, vegan friendly and non-GMO! Manitoba Harvest manufactures only hemp products in their facility!

The first thing I thought about sprinkling them on (other than straight into my mouth) was my oatmeal. I like to keep things simple, but I also love adding extra nutrients to my meals. Oatmeal, peanut butter, raisins, brown sugar and sprinkled with Hemp Hearts = Perfection in a bowl!

These tasty Hearts can be sprinkled on anything! I love how versatile these babies are! I added some to my salad instead of my "usual" slivered almonds, as well as on top of my favorite home made smoothie! I'll take all the added Omega's I can get!

I know once I run out of the package they sent me I'll be looking for some more! I'll also be more open to trying some of Manitoba's other products! 

This post just got a little better! Manitoba Harvest is offering 20% off their entire web store for my readers! Use the code: HHSweatPink14 at www.manitobaharvest.com Promo code expires November 30, 2014. 

You can also enter to win a 5lb bag of Hemp Hearts! Incorporate Hemp Hearts into a healthy recipe, share your photos on Twitter & Instagram and tag @manitobaharvest. Use #Hemphearts and #sweatpink in your post to be entered to win! Contest runs until November 30, 2014.

(I was not compensated for a positive review. All opinions are my own. I received one 2 oz. package of Hemp Hearts for review purposes only through my Ambassadorship with FitApproach) 

#Dishthefit Tuesday Link-Up #4

Hey there! How's it going? 

It's Tuesday again so you know what that means! It's time to dish some fit and link-up with Jessica @ TheFitSwitch and Nicole @ TheFitPepper! Let's get chattin' friends & fitfam! 

Today's topic: What is your weakest link with healthy living & how will you improve it this week? 


I can think of a couple things I could do a lot better with my diet & exercise routines, but one thing stands out above the rest. It's something I've done for a few years now and I'm not ok with it any more. I originally was going to talk about how my love for sweets is such a bad habit to kick. I mean, who doesn't get weak in the knee's when they see a giant slab of chocolate cake on the counter? Or feel taunted by the goodie bags on top of the fridge that your kids brought home from a birthday party? Just me?...I think not.

So instead of talking about my addiction to all things sugar, I thought I'd dig a little deeper and do a re-post.

Ah, the dreaded scale. We meet again. Today may be your last day in my bathroom, so enjoy it while it lasts. 

For years I have allowed the scale to rule my life. No joke. I've battled with my share of eating disorders within the past several years but nothing quite like obsessing over that dreaded number on the scale.
I allowed myself to be so controlled by whatever number popped up on that tiny screen. If I saw a number I liked, I felt great! I felt like I was "thin enough" to eat a little more that day if I wanted to. Now if the number was higher than I wanted it to be, I became depressed and would dwell on what I ate the previous days, what I should have done differently and I took drastic measures to get that number down. IE: eating a lot less, exercising more. Obviously this is NOT HEALTHY!

Here's how every morning would go:
Wake up. Drink 1 cup of coffee w/creamer. Catch up on blogs, social media, read the Bible and pray. Then about an hour after waking up I'd have to use the restroom. AFTER going to the bathroom, I would step on the scale w/out anything extra on. Not even my hair tie! This is quite embarrassing but I feel that it may help someone else who is struggling with the scale obsession. I no longer have such a strict "regimen" that I follow, but I do weigh myself, every day. And only at the beginning of the day. We all know we weigh more at the end of the day, so that would just be detrimental if I weighed myself at night! (Kidding)

Now that I've been going to the gym regularly and using heavier weights, I know my weight is going to go up. Muscle mass is more dense (heavier) than fat. Waking up this morning I weighed about 3lbs more than I did yesterday morning. I panicked a little, then kept reassuring myself it was muscle gain because of all the weight training I did this week. I still don't "like" the number but I'm doing much better mentally than I would've about a year ago.

So what am I going to do to fix this obsession over the scale? What do you do with something that has taken over your life in a negative way?

You get rid of it!

This is a huge step in the right direction. I know it may seem silly to some, but for me it's an issue of self worth and I don't want to be controlled by a number anymore!

The number on that scale does not define me as a person! It does not reflect my failure or success! 

So if you're someone who has battled with the power of the scale, please consider getting rid of the scale or at least putting it in a place where you can't see it every day. Out of sight, out of mind! It's time to get mentally healthy!

What are you waiting for? Dump that controlling, electronic square! And remember, YOU are far more valuable than a number on a scale! 

(Please understand that I think using the scale as a way to track progress during weight loss is a great tool for motivation. It becomes an unhealthy tool when it becomes an obsession and starts to take over your thoughts.)

So now that you've learned one of my dirty little secrets, go check out what the rest of the fit fam is dishing up on this wonderful Tuesday! 

Have an awesome day everyone! 

The Power of the Scale

Ah, the dreaded scale. We meet again. Today may be your last day in my bathroom, so enjoy it while it lasts. 

For years I have allowed the scale to rule my life. No joke. I've battled with my share of eating disorders within the past several years but nothing quite like obsessing over that dreaded number on the scale.
I allowed myself to be so controlled by whatever number popped up on that tiny screen. If I saw a number I liked, I felt great! I felt like I was "thin enough" to eat a little more that day if I wanted to. Now if the number was higher than I wanted it to be, I became depressed and would dwell on what I ate the previous days, what I should have done differently and I took drastic measures to get that number down. IE: eating a lot less, exercising more. Obviously this is NOT HEALTHY!

Here's how every morning would go:
Wake up. Drink 1 cup of coffee w/creamer. Catch up on blogs, social media, read the Bible and pray. Then about an hour after waking up I'd have to use the restroom. AFTER going to the bathroom, I would step on the scale w/out anything extra on. Not even my hair tie! This is quite embarrassing but I feel that it may help someone else who is struggling with the scale obsession. I no longer have such a strict "regimen" that I follow, but I do weigh myself, every day. And only at the beginning of the day. We all know we weigh more at the end of the day, so that would just be detrimental if I weighed myself at night! (Kidding)

Now that I've been going to the gym regularly and using heavier weights, I know my weight is going to go up. Muscle mass is more dense (heavier) than fat. Waking up this morning I weighed about 3lbs more than I did yesterday morning. I panicked a little, then kept reassuring myself it was muscle gain because of all the weight training I did this week. I still don't "like" the number but I'm doing much better mentally than I would've about a year ago.

So what am I going to do to fix this obsession over the scale? What do you do with something that has taken over your life in a negative way?

You get rid of it!

This is a huge step in the right direction. I know it may seem silly to some, but for me it's an issue of self worth and I don't want to be controlled by a number anymore!

The number on that scale does not define me as a person! It does not reflect my failure or success! 

So if you're someone who has battled with the power of the scale, please consider getting rid of the scale or at least putting it in a place where you can't see it every day. Out of sight, out of mind! It's time to get mentally healthy!

What are you waiting for? Dump that controlling, electronic square! And remember, YOU are far more valuable than a number on a scale! 

(Please understand that I think using the scale as a way to track progress during weight loss is a great tool for motivation. It becomes an unhealthy tool when it becomes an obsession and starts to take over your thoughts.)

October Goals

New Month, New Goals!

Hey there! How's it goin? So glad you stopped by!

Everyone seems to love this time of year and I'm no different. I LOVE me some Fall! Maybe it's the cooler weather and my migraines let up a little, or maybe it's the beautiful scenery of changing leaves, or MAYBE it's because my birthday is right around the corner!...It's always exciting to know that people are thinking of you on your "special" day and the fact that cake and gifts may be involved, makes it even better!

Career/School Goals: 
Getting older brings on a lot of thoughts and feelings. I'm getting closer to 30 and lately I've been feeling like I'm running out of time to start a career. I know that I don't want a career that is going to take up all of my time, but I do want to do something I could be proud of and feel like I'm benefiting from it, as well as others. Enter: Nutrition Consultant. This has been on my mind for weeks, if not months! I've done so much research and note taking I feel like my head may explode. I have a burning desire to teach people how to eat healthier and use food as nourishment and fuel instead of indulgences and treats. I have one minor setback...Tuition fee's and material costs are way higher than I thought they would be! We're talkin', thousands people. So, I need your help! Point me in some directions as to where I can apply for scholarships, grants and/or financial aid. Please :-) One option on the college's website was to use GoFundMe...I was tempted but I couldn't bring myself to ask for money like that. Especially when this is something I want to do. So the next few days I will be searching for ways I can pay my way through Nutrition Consulting school. My husband said no more student loans..I agree and I completely understand because I paid off my Dental Assisting student loan a couple years ago, never went back to work....so there's that.

Moving on..

Fitness Goals:
If you follow me on Instagram you may have noticed I had a great 1.25 mile run yesterday! I also ran 2 miles today! My heels, arches & Achilles are a tad sore, but nothing major. (Looks like I'm well on my way to train for that spring half marathon!) I will continue to use that tennis ball and ice as much as possible! I switched back to a neutral shoe after a few months of running in the Brooks Pureflow 2's. Little did I know that heel drop would do so much damage! Thankfully nothing severe or long term, but still set me back. I'm loving the gym life! I feel like I can get a total body workout in an hour or less and I really like the fact that this gym is brand new, so all new equipment! I've incorporated weights into my routine. I'm feeling more toned like I've been wanting and gaining strength that I'll need for those longer runs! I'm trying to make sure I balance my fitness life and my spiritual life. I don't ever want to get sucked into the vanity part of exercise, nor do I want to look like a fitness model. Just aiming to feel better in my own skin and see what I'm capable of doing.

First gym selfie! 

Personal Goals:

There are so many things I'd like to do more of, or improve on but looking back on this year, I've grown as an individual so much! I feel like all the ups and downs we've had this year have shaped me into a better person. I've learned what is really important in life after dealing with my grandpa's passing. (I've also learned there is no timeline for the grieving process.) A few of the things I'd like to work on are my piano playing skills, spending more time reading and studying the Bible, and learn to live in every moment I'm given. Good or bad. I want to be more than present in this life. Don't worry I won't repeat my last post about how I'd like to live! I'm in a place in my life where I can feel and see change happening. I can feel my mind, body and soul changing. And that's such a vital part of living. Change is good!

So much to do, so little time! 

What are some of your goals you've set for yourself for this month? Or the near future?
What has changed in your life lately?

Enjoy your Thursday everyone!!