Vacation After-Math

I have been home for a week post-vacation. During my 3 weeks gone, we traveled to Washington D.C, came home for 3 days, then turned around and went to Williamsburg VA with a pit-stop in Raleigh NC.

The number one question that I received while I was gone was "How do you stay motivated to workout and eat right when on vacation?" I have to tell you...I always answered honestly, so please don't put me on a pedestal.

I ATE AND ENJOYED MY VACATION!!!!!!!!!!

Now, I DID promise myself that I'd workout somehow 3x while gone (ended up 2x plus tons of walking) and that I'd have a Shakeology for breakfast each am (I did.)

After that, I enjoyed myself. I didn't go crazy but I must have had pancakes almost daily, onion rings, chicken alfredo for dinner one night, pizza, bacon, grilled sandwiches, etc. I know...I know...GASP!

Here's the thing...this health and fitness "thing" for me is for life. Life happens. Life is for enjoyment. I'm going to enjoy true vacations that don't happen very often.

After 3 weeks, I came home and stepped on the dreaded scale. I wasn't surprised to see it up 7 lbs. I probably ate more salt in 3 weeks than I do in 3 months and didn't drink enough water.

I started the 3-Day Shakeology Cleanse as I had planned before I left. I'm pleased to say that I lost 5.6 lbs in 3 days, followed by .6 lbs the day after, for a total of 6.2 lbs. So on my vacation I gained .8 lbs. I can SO live with that!!!!!!!!!

I'm continuing my journey with health and fitness...back to eating clean and working. I have no doubt that pound will be gone this week.

The point to all of this is that you HAVE to have a plan for vacations...for during and after, but your plan needs to be doable for you AND allow you to enjoy it.

Seriously, people, life is too short to not enjoy vacations!

I'm STRONG. Are YOU?

Being a military wife is hard. No ifs, ands, or buts.

My husband has had "boots to the ground" for almost 3 weeks now. What does this mean? It means that he's getting ready for bed as I'm waking up. It means that I can't just call or text him when I need support or think of something funny that I want to share. It means that I have to wonder what he's up to. It means that I live by the calendar that we get to X off each day. It means that my partner is half-way around the world from me.

The toughest pill to swallow so far? That life goes on.

Last week, I, unexpectedly, found myself angry at the world...angry at everyone who doesn't have a loved one deployed. Rational? Of course not. It was how I felt however.

Here's the thing I want you to know about military spouses with deployed loved ones...

WE ARE STRONG

BUT

we have our moments...our moments where we are bitchy for no reason...our moments where we are consumed with our own situation and need you to simply understand and support us...our moments where you can't take our reactions personal.

Yes, life DOES go on for each of us, but it's OK to ask us how we are doing. It's ok to call us to check in. Deployment is NOT the elephant in the middle of the room...we are willing to talk about it. You just have to be prepared for our answers...which may very well be based in emotion at the moment. Many of us have become single parents overnight with the added worry about our partners in a combat zone.

So, yes, WE are strong. The question is are YOU? Are YOU strong enough to support us? Just some food for thought.

When it rains, it pours

Wow...haven't been here much lately. Life has been crazy. This past week has been crazier than my usual crazy.

My hubby has been gone from us for a total of 13 weeks this year for training. He came home this past week on a 4-day leave before finally deploying out of the country.

I had visions in my head of how the 4 days were supposed to go. In my vision, we would spend the 4 days relaxing out by the pool. My honey-do-list was very short and easy. We were going to have a mini-vacation at home...making memories.

Ummmm...yea...we made memories all right. Let me tell you how the 4 days actually went.

The afternoon before he flew in, my new iPad arrived. Awesome!!!! I couldn't wait to show him. The next morning, about 7am or so, my computer...my entire biz...DIED!!!! As in R.I.P. Hard drive gone. Go ahead...ask me the next logical question. Didn't I always back everything up?

No!!!!!! ***rolling eyes***

I don't have time to worry about it though...we head out to pick up hubby. YAY!!!!!

Picking him up at the airport WAS just as a I imagined. Seeing him walk down the corridor in his uniform towards us was an incredible feeling. I thought my child would bounce of the walls.

We get home in the early evening. Keith tries to fix my computer but can't. I get up early the next am and head to our computer guy. Yep, he confirms that the hard drive is VERY damaged, and he can't get any info off of it. If I want to get the info, I have to send it out to a special place...the kind of place where the FBI would send data to be extracted. HA!

Soooooo...new computer ordered. Fine.

Next, I ask Keith to put some boxes into our shed. Next thing I know, he's in our house on the couch and says "Something is biting me. Huh? It's fleas?"

WHAT? We DON'T have fleas.

He gets into the tub, strips off his clothes, fills up the tub. Not kidding...about 50 or so fleas were there!!!!!!! Apparently our shed is invested and he brought these little buggers into the house. UGH!

Yep...enjoying the vacation so far.

I jump into fix-it mode. My first thought is to vacuum right away and get the ones on the surface. Pull out the vacuum, plug it in, and...wait...why isn't it sucking up? NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I look down...fleas are on my feet. GROSS!

So, I run out of the house to get flea stuff at the vet (who closed early that day...I didn't make it) and buy a new vacuum cleaner. Oh yea, and an external hard drive too.

We spend the next day getting everything cleaned, set, ready. We DID spend quality time together...just not the vision in my head.

To top off everything, on Friday am...the day that Keith was leaving us...he gets a call from his unit. He was supposed to be back the DAY BEFORE!!!!!!! WHAT?!?!?!?!!?! Apparently the orders had changed, and he didn't know. Funny cuz his itinerary...which had his return flight on it...had to be given in advance to his supervisor. Oh well, not much we could do.

I have to be honest...my eating was LESS than stellar this past week. In fact, it was bad. I only worked out 3x too. I'm not gonna beat myself up about it though. I was incredibly stressed and did the best I could.

Today is a new day and I'm starting anew. I've learned to be forgiving of myself and not let slip-ups define who I am.

Keith is on a plane right now...headed somewhere...don't know where...don't know when we'll hear from him. I'm incredibly proud of him and all of the other men and women serving in the Armed Forces...keeping us all safe.

In the meantime, I will keep our home running...flea-free darn it!

Our Mickey D Experiment

My 8-year old, like many kids, LOVES McDonald's Happy Meals. As a mom, I don't but I do allow him to indulge from time to time.

After I got wind of an experiment to prove the amount of preservatives in a Happy Meal, I knew that my son would love to do it. Basically, you get a Happy Meal, open it up, and leave it. Then watch...and watch...and watch...for a period of months. Word has it that the hamburger and fries will look virtually the same. Now what kid wouldn't want to watch potentially rotting meat!

Here is our before picture. We will take a picture every month to document it.

Open Letter to My Husband

Keith,

Wow...we've been together for almost 21 years, married for 19. It's hard to believe. We have been through so much together over the course of our lives. We've shared extreme happiness, extreme pain, and everything else in between. I've been so blessed to have you by my side through it all.

As we get ready to start our next experience together, I want you to know how incredibly PROUD I am of you...of your sacrifice, your heart, your commitment, and your passion.

Don't worry about us at home. We'll be ok. Yea, we may have our moments...I'd be lying if I said otherwise, but we'll be ok. We WILL get through this and support you every step of the way.

We will be waiting with open arms for you to return to us.

Be safe. Stand PROUD. Know that we love you more than anything...ANYTHING.

I love you.

Your wife,
Rochelle

Half-hearted

Have you ever woke up one morning, intending to workout, but just not feeling like it?

That is EXACTLY how I feel today...right now. I'm in my last 2 weeks of my program, ChaLEAN Extreme, and my rest day is already calling my name. Being in the throws of PMS doesn't help either.

So what do I do? Do I stay here, lying in the bed, drinking my coffee? Or do I get my booty up and push play?

Hmmmm...decisions, decisions.

Here is how my mind works: I could stay here...actually, very easily go back to sleep. I could tell myself that I'll work out later...reverse psychology at it's finest...knowing that I really won't get the chance. OR I can get off my rear, get changed, and do something good for myself. Even if my workout is half-hearted, it is better than NO WORKOUT AT ALL!!!!!!!!

Reality...I don't feel like BRINGING IT every day. How can anyone feel like that EVERY day? If they say that they do, they are lying.

Ok...decision made. I'm going to Push Play!!!!!

Baby Steps Add Up

To all parents of children with ADHD and/or Sensory Integration Disorder,

HANG IN THERE!!!!!

It really is true that the baby steps add up. When living it daily, it is sometimes hard to see the positive progression.

Our son has been receiving occupational therapy twice a week for the past 6 months. To additionally help with his coordination and ability to focus, he is in karate and swimming.

Well, he hasn't had swimming for the past 2 months because of the weather. This past Saturday was his first time back in the pool.

I was astounded!

Right out of the gate, he was suddenly able to coordinate his arms strokes and breathing! He couldn't do that 2 months ago!!!!!! I am sooooo proud of him!!!!

So, stay strong, parents, and know that whatever therapy you are having your child receive WILL pay off over time.

Breaking Down Barriers

Today starts an intense 20-day challenge to eat super duper clean. For some reason, it freaks me out. Weird, I know. It's just if you tell me that I CAN'T have something...man, I want it.

The decision to be a part of this made me think about barriers that can prevent you (me) from doing what you want. All kinds of barriers in your life, not just health and fitness related.

Are you willing to take a good look at your life and be completely, utterly honest? Are you willing to sift through everything and remove the things, beliefs, people in your life that hinder you?

I recently did this...and in truth, it can be painful. I had to close some doors to move forward and continue to grow in a positive direction. I challenge you to take the same inventory. The long-term results can be extraordinary!

Kvetch this

I am FINALLY back ONLINE! I feel like a prisoner without it. Scary, huh? Well, so I've missed a few days of posting and am thinking what I write about. I've decided that I just want to end this week with a BANG and kvetch...because I can. :P

Hubby has been gone for 5 weeks now, and I swear, if it would go wrong, it has. Let's see...what have I dealt with? Hmmmmm...

1. Internet out TWICE. Blah.
2. Carpenter ants
3. Recall of my new car
4. Backed into a tree (don't ask on that one)
5. Injured dog
6. Really BAD pms
7.
8.
9.

7, 8, and 9 are just because I KNOW I'm missing stuff. ;-)

Hubby is gone one more week and then is home for 6-8 weeks before the long period apart begins. We will be cherishing these next few months together.

Anyways, next week is a new week. I'll be back to posting health and fitness thoughts, articles, and recipes.

Are YOU a Statistic?

Wanna know a sad statistic? 3 out 10 people have ALREADY broken their New Year's Resolutions!!!! Are YOU one of "those" people? Come on, are you? Be honest.

I am actually very proud of myself. 2009 brought intense stress that many people never have to endure. 2010 will do the same while I deal with the deployment of my husband.

Despite the stress, I have been able to build my business up to Diamond level in a year's time. I have been able persevere. Truly, the cool thing about having an online fitness business is that it continues to grow even when you can't devote tons of time to it. I am the perfect example of that.

I don't know what 2010 holds for you, but will you give the gift of health, fitness, and financial freedom to yourself and your family? I can show you how. Even as I write this, I can hear you say "Come on, this is too good to be true." People, I'm really not kidding. If you will just give yourself an hour to sit and go through my website, you will see what I am talking about. This isn't a gimmic. This isn't a get-rich-quick scheme. This is something that can change your life in amazing ways...if you let it.

Don't be a statistic. Let Beachbody empower you with better health: physically and financially!

Hats Off

Hats off to all single parents!

Honestly...these past 2 weeks have been so hard. Playing the role of mom, teacher, AND dad, plus having to run every aspect of the household alone is exhausting. I'm learning to get by on less sleep.

Here's a basic run down of my day:
Up at 5am to get caught up on all of the computer stuff.
Work out at 6am. Shower and dress at 7am.
Do chores until I wake my son at 8:30am.
Start school at 10am.
Depending on the day, we throw in occupational therapy, karate, swimming, Cub Scouts, field trips, and as of today 4-H club.
Finish up whatever chores are left for the day.
Eat dinner, hit the hot tub, play with the dogs outside.
Put the big dogs away for the night and let out the flying squirrel at 8pm. Play with him.
FINALLY get the boy into his room between 9 and 10pm.
THEN I finally hit the sack.

Where the heck is MY time?!??!!?! At this point, it no longer exists except first thing in the am. It's ok. I know I have to sacrifice, but wow, it's hard.

The flip side is that I'm having no problem burning the calories I need to burn or walking the steps that I need to walk. It's almost effortless, which is a tad scary.

Emotional Eating: Let's Just Flush It!

This picture represents my emotional eating. Yes, it is a real picture taken by my hubby and six-year old son last year in a desperate attempt to help me. I was OUT OF CONTROL! (and angry when I found the pix!)

I understand emotional eating first-hand. I grew up in a Jewish family where EVERYTHING revolved around food. I learned early on that I could eat when I was happy, excited, sad, angry, stressed, celebrating...well, you get the point. Oh yea, plus we ate at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

I carried that practice into my adult life.

As a result, I have gained and lost the same 20 lbs more times than I can remember.

I am on an on-going quest to discover the root of my emotional eating. Sometimes it has been emotionally painful. Sometimes it has been uncomfortable. Sometimes it has been exciting. Always it has been EMPOWERING!

Have I won this battle? Nope. I don't know that it is a battle to win. It is a battle that I can control, however, one day at a time. I have the tools through BeachBody and the best support system in place that a girl can ask for.

I'm flushing that toilet!

(This is a repost from April 2008. It is still so relevant for me that I wanted to share it again. The picture always makes me laugh.)

Make No Comparison

When someone wants to change their body weight and composition, one frequent mistake he/she makes is comparing other people's results to their own. This is HAZARDOUS!!! While it is fine to look at other's results for inspiration, remember that they have their own body type, plus they may have not achieved their results in an overall healthy manner. You never know.

You CAN get results...your own results. It just takes patience and time. I am a testament to it. I would have to admit to you that I didn't always eat clean...I didn't do doubles (I tried and couldn't hack it)...I had to takes days off due to illness...my family had situations that I had to attend to. LIFE happened!

My point is this...You must have BALANCE in your life! Without it, you may be fit, but at what cost? As Tony Horton says, "Do your best and forget the rest!"

It is my hope for you that you are on a journey that will last a lifetime. If it takes months or even a year for you to lose the weight and tone up, who cares?!?!?! Pay no attention when you hear what size someone wears. Who cares?!?!?!? Great for them, but it may not be great for your body type.

You are in this FOR YOU! Do not base your self-esteem or self-worth on someone else's accomplishments.

MAKE NO COMPARISON! LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST! GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR ENDEAVORS! FIND BALANCE!

The Journey Begins...

Today is a bittersweet day. My hubby begins his 12 month deployment. He won't be overseas for a few months, however, and WILL be able to come home in the next month or so (we hope) for a few weeks.

Anyways, you may have noticed that I've changed the theme of my blog. I will be keeping a patriotic theme until my husband is home safe and the deployment is behind us. I'm incredibly proud of him, and he's doing something he loves and believes in.

I'm trying VERY hard to find inner strength and be strong but don't be surprised if you occasionally find whiney posts here.

Thank you to ALL the military men and women AND their families for the sacrifices made to keep us all safe.

Year in Review

Top 10 (no particular order) LIFE-CHANGING events for us in 2009:

1. Brother had his last brain surgery and finished radiation! AMEN!
2. Beachbody business more than doubled!
3. Bought my first new car in 10 years.
4. Met my Australian nephew and kind-of, sort-of sister-in-law for the first time.
5. Son diagnosed with ADHD and SPD.
6. Realized, without a shadow of a doubt, that we ARE supposed to homeschool.
7. Found out that that hubby will be deployed overseas.
8. Added a flying squirrel to our zoo (trust me, it HAS been life-changing.)
9. Made decision to become Turbo Kick certified.
10. Fell more in love with my family.

I can't wait to see what 2010 has in store!!!!!

R Before I (research before ignorance)

Nope, I don't typically post on Sundays, but I am trying super hard to not blow a gasket at the ignorance of some people.

I'm appalled that anyone can hint that we, my husband and I, actually CAUSED our child's ADHD. WTH?!?!?! Our son was adopted at birth, and as a RN, I've done a tremendous amount of research regarding the genetic link of ADHD. ADHD actually has a high hereditability compared to other behavioral diagnoses.

People, do your research before you start to give your opinions...regardless that "some studies say TV and video games cause it." Actually, the studies say that TV and video games can aggravate symptoms, NOT cause it.

Just because my child can be difficult to manage at times and has a hard time containing his emotions does NOT mean we have parented poorly. To believe that is pure ignorance.

and now, I shall step down from my soapbox.

The Toughest Job

Wow...we attended our state's Yellow Ribbon program this past weekend. It's a day that is full of info for the families of deploying soldiers.

If your spouse will be deploying, rest assured, there is so much help out there for the families. I was astounded. Business after business want to support those of us on the homefront while our loved ones are deployed.

I often have the "superwoman" syndrome...the "I can do this myself" mindset. Not this time. I won't do that to myself or my family. I WILL be utilizing the resources available to us.

I'm not looking forward to this time away from my husband, but I will focus on the positive aspects of it as best as I can.

The ONLY Diet I Advocate: A Sensory Diet!

Today is the day that we have the all day, in-depth evaluation for my son to determine if he, in fact, does have ADHD. Regardless of the outcome, we are extremely happy that we've opened ourselves up to occupational therapy. As a family, we have learned a tremendous amount about the importance of a balanced sensory diet.

Our son has different issues with his visual, auditory, tactile, and proprioceptive senses. The therapists are teaching us different ways to help our child meet his needs. You would be amazed at the amount of "stuff" available out there...thank goodness for the information highway.

Here are some of the items that we are currently using:

B-Calm- This helps block out ambient noise. He's not super fond of wearing headphones, but it helps during desk work.


Hanging Seat: This swing helps our son focus and remain calm. I would have never thought that swinging would help someone's focus, but because the motion give him the sensations his body craves, it DOES help! We are using this at OT, but we are going to get it for our home too.


We are also getting him a trampoline and hoppity ball for at home use.

In addition, he is involved with karate and swimming. Both are helping him with his coordination.

Yes, each situation is different, but these are some things that have helped our child improve without having to introduce medication. As we discover new ways, I will be sure to post about it.

Our Feingold Experience

I've been getting lots of questions about the Feingold diet that we've started, so I thought I'd post our experience thus far. In truth, we are doing a modified version because the full-fledged diet doesn't fit for us.

Basically the premise is removing all preservatives, additives, and junk from your foods. For us, the program was well worth the money, even if we don't follow it to a T. By making specific brand choices, we've replaced MANY of our food items with healthier options. I'm pleased with that. I find myself not using processed foods.

It's been very eye-opening. Even some foods that you would think would be ok are only ok with specific brands. As I did my research, I was amazed at the additives many brands put into their foods. Yuck!

I've also returned to the way of our moms and grandmas for some things. For example, I'm making my own chocolate syrup for our son's hot chocolate. It's easy as pie, takes less than 5 min to make, lasts for a week, and has NO unnatural items in it. I feel GREAT about that.

It WAS (and still is) an adjustment for our son, who mourned the loss of his Chef Boyardee. It was (and still is) an adjustment for me as I hunted for the specific brands the first time in the store.

Will this plan "cure" his ADHD and/or sensory integration issues? I highly doubt it. Is this plan, however much healthier for the ENTIRE family. Absolutely!