Goals for 2019

GOALS GOALS GOALS! That is what today's post is all about! To be honest, I didn't even want to make any New Year's resolutions because I never really seem to stick to them! But, I am a BIG fan of setting goals and making to do lists to help reach them! And sometimes when we write out our goals (no matter how big or small) and then make a list of what needs to be done to reach them, they don't seem so unattainable anymore.

So, here are my top goals for 2019 broken out into categories...

. . H E A L T H  G O A L S . . 

Optimal health has become my main priority in 2019. This encompasses not only physical health, but emotional and mental as well. I am a firm believer if you do not take care of yourself first, you will fail at caring for others around you. I really want to focus on creating healthy habits that start from the inside. Eating better, sleeping better, drinking more water, fitting in exercise... these are all tasks that I can easily fit into my day, it's just making them a priority.

So here are the actions I plan to take to make these goals achievable!

1. Drink more water: I'm really trying to be better about this! I have my yeti tumbler that I will be filling up at least 5 times a day!

2. Workout at least 3x per week: We recently joined our local community rec center and I plan to take full advantage of their equipment, group fitness classes and child care! They also have a great indoor pool with a shallow area where we can take the boys! Taking the boys swimming on a Saturday morning is definitely counted as a workout!

3. Eat cleaner: I noticed last year when I was eating 'cleaner' that I not only lost a lot of bloat, but I also felt better physically. I have tried a few different diets and through trial and error, I have realized that some dairy, gluten and high amounts of sugar have a negative effect on my body. High amounts of these ingredients lead to stomach issues, feeling sluggish and leave me feeling hungry. I am going to do my best to cut out these ingredients in my diet as much as possible.

4. Watch my daily macros: I learned about macros from my friend Abby last year and it really opened my eyes to the way I was fueling (or not fueling) my body everyday. By tracking my macros I am able to see how much fat, carbs and protein I am consuming. When I first started tracking my macros, I realized that I was eating way too many fats and carbs and I wasn't eating enough lean protein through out the day to give me energy. So, by tweaking my diet and adding more lean proteins and cutting back on fat, I became so much more energized throughout the day!

5. Track my calories in the MyFitnessPal app: I started using this app after I had Camden 4 years ago to help me track my daily calories to lose the baby weight. Fast forward to this past year and I started using it again to not only track calories, but it also tracks my macros for me. You can set a goal as to how much weight you want to lose and it will give you an estimation of how many calories you should be eating everyday, You can also adjust you daily macro goals so this app does that for me as well!

. . B L O G  G O A L S . . 

So many blog goals this year! I really want to start building this little blog of mine! I've been doing this as a part time hobby for over 5 years now and I'm ready to really put in the time and effort to make it successful! What is a 'successful' blog? Well, I'm sure it's different for every blogger, but for me it means to turn it into a profitable business. I want to pitch to and work with more brands that I love, I want to share more with my readers, I want to push myself out of my comfort zone!

So, in order to be more productive in the new year, I really need to buckle down on my time management and planning ahead with the blog content.

1. Post 2x per week: I'm not off to a great start here yet! I average about 1 blog post per week, so hoping that my new schedule will help me complete at least 2 blog posts per week.

2. Plan content/photos one week in advance. This is the hardest part of blogging and posting on social media for me. Trying to get enough content to post everyday on IG is tough! I don't have an instagram husband (he's just so busy with work during the week) and I am not really ready to pay a photographer to take my photos. SO, you may be seeing a lot more mirror selfies! But, I do plan on scheduling a photo session at least once a month to have professional photos ready to post.

3. Pitch to 1 new brand per month: Pitching to brands is something that is so foreign and scary to me. I've always just let brands come to me. I've collaborated with some awesome companies and have received some great products, but I want to do more in the upcoming year. I know that having sponsored posts and collaborations with companies and brands is the true way to make this blog a business, but I will only collaborate with brands and companies I truly love!

4. Increase my instagram followers to 10k: This will be a big milestone! Since I share my daily outfit inspiration, beauty products, lifestyle items and basically everything over on my instagram feed and stories, it would be so much easier for your all to shop if I had the swipe up feature! In order to have the swipe up feature in instagram stories, you have to have over 10k followers. So that is my goal!

5. Communicate more with my followers and readers! I really want to create a community atmosphere with my blog and social media accounts! Sometimes it feels like I'm talking to myself lol! But, I love hearing your feedback in comments, DMs and even a simple 'like' of my photos! I'd love to get to know you all more, so please feel free to reach out to me anytime!

. . H O M E  G O A L S . . 

SO. MANY. HOME. GOALS. I have so many projects in my head that I want to complete in our house this year, but I'm really trying to be realistic. Bill and I are all about getting finances in order first before completing any big house projects. Our house was not very aesthetically pleasing when we first moved in almost 2 years ago. We basically painted the entire house and completed a major project that was a little tricky.

So, here's my house goal list for the year:

1. Have our kitchen cabinets painted white and change out hardware: This is something I knew I wanted to do as soon as we moved in. However, we kept going back and forth if we wanted to wait to just do a complete kitchen reno because I don't really love our counter tops and backsplash, but I can live with them. And I think if our cabinets were painted, they might look a little better. So, instead of waiting another 5 years or so to do a complete reno, we decided we can just have our cabinets (professionally) painted white and change out the hardware for a quick update. I think that will totally change the feel of our house and make it feel so much more light and bright! 

2. Redecorate the dining room: I want to paint our dining room, change out our light fixture, and add a new rug. Possibly get new chairs for our table as well.

3. Update and decorate the downstairs half bath: The little half bath on our first floor needs some help. I want to paint and change out the mirror and possibly the sink. Also, adding some decor pieces. 

4. Update Bennett's room into a 'big boy' room: This will be the year we give Bennett a proper bedroom! His room has 3 grey walls and one red accent wall that I've been meaning to paint since we moved in and it hasn't happened! This will be the year we transition Bennett from his crib to a big boy bed, so I will decorate his rooms and we will get him a new bed. 

5. Organize the playroom! This one is something I need to do desperately! Not a huge project, but just really organizing and purging toys and craft supplies. 

6. Purging and Organizing everything! I really want to start organizing every room in our house! Starting with our pantry and kitchen and moving to a different room every month!

Day Designer Planner 2019

. . P E R S O N A L  G O A L S . . 

Lots of personal goals as well. Time management is going to be my main priority this year! Having 2 little ones that aren't really in school yet (they go to daycare 3 days a week while I work and my parents help out some during the week as well!) makes being a working mama tough! I want to be home with them, but I also want to work and have something for myself! Time blocking my day our will help keep me on task while the kiddos are out of the house. 

1. Work on time management. I have created a color coded spreadsheet with my daily to do list in excel. This is something I reference daily to make sure I am on task. I also write my to do list in my daily planner! I LOVE this planner and have been using it for years now because it makes my life so much easier! Every day has its own page and is broken down by time slots and there's also a daily to do list I can jot down. 

2. Be more present when I'm with my family/the boys: This is really something I need to work on! Being in this blogging/social media world makes you feel like you have to be 'on' all the time and have your phone attached to your eyeballs. This is SO bad! I have decided that when I'm home with the boys, that I have to give them my full attention and put my phone DOWN! Starting with the week days, I plan on putting my phone away from the hours of 5pm - 8pm (or bedtime). Then on the weekends really trying to put my phone away while we are having family time. I'm also thinking about doing 'social media free Sundays' I've heard of others doing this and it sounds perfect!

3. Take time for myself: I want to make sure I'm scheduling some me time throughout the week. Wether that's to get my nails done, solo shopping trip, or a girls' night out! 

4. Read more. Trying to read one book per month! Recommendations welcome!

5. Give back to the community. This is one that I'm hoping to brainstorm about with my family. I really want to do some sort of volunteer work this year and get our family involved. 

I have so many more goals in my head, but I also don't want to overwhelm myself! I think setting realistic goals with action items helps to make them more achievable. 

I want to personally thank you all that follow my blog and social media! With out you all, this little blog of mine would not be possible!

So tell me... What are your goals for 2019?

Fitting in Fitness

Let me just start by saying that I am no fitness guru... Far from it actually! I am horrible at trying to 'diet', I am never motivated to go to the gym, I love my comfort food, cheese and a glass of wine at night. I have no business talking about 'fitness' on this blog. However, I want to start changing my habits and sometimes the best way to stay motivated is to hold yourself accountable! By sharing this on the blog and making it 'public' I feel more accountable for my actions!

(top | sports bra | high waisted leggings | nikes | fitness tracker | sun glasses)

If I'm being honest, I probably have about 10 solid pounds to lose. It's not like I'm over weight or anything. I'm still a size 4/6, but I just haven't felt confident in my skin or what I'm wearing for a while now. I actually weighed less 3 months after giving birth to Bennett than I do now (thanks to breastfeeding and not having time to eat!). Fast forward a year and a half and I'm still holding on to what I affectionately refer to as my 'baby weight'. But, for me this new lifestyle is more than just a focus on weight loss. I want to feel healthy and look healthy! I want to have more energy during the day. And it would be nice if I could see some sort of ab definition in place of that flabby lose skin in my mid section. Being pregnant twice in 2 years really did a number on my core! So, a lot of my workouts are focused around building those core muscles again. And, I'm not on any sort of true 'diet', per say. I'm all about balance. If I completely restrict myself from some sort of food group, I will eventually crash and the effects are worse than before I started the diet.

My friend, Abby (from Mom With Muscles blog) taught me all about tracking my macros (grams of fat, carbs and protein I'm consuming per day) and keeping track of everything I eat in my MyFitnessPal app. This has helped me realize how I've gained weight and how I can lose and/or maintain my weight. Once I started tracking my macros, I realized that I'm really good at hitting my fats and carbs, but was horrible at hitting my protein goals for the day. So, I started adding more protein to my diet and I notice that I'm more full and satisfied throughout the day which helps me to stay under my daily calorie limit. 

Here are a few sample meals that I have been eating recently:

Breakfast (macros: carbs=18, fat=13, protein=16) 

2 hard boiled eggs OR scrambled egg whites with 1 whole egg mixed in, top with TJ's everything but the bagel seasoning (game changer!), with one piece of ezekiel bread (it's just flourless bread, you can find this at Trader Joe's or in the freezer section at your grocery store) toasted with ghee and also topped with TJ's seasoning OR roasted potatoes. (I also always start my day with a cup off coffee with sugar free creamer!)

Mid morning 'snack' (or second breakfast!)

Berry/Banana protein smoothie (macros: carbs=34, fat=9, protein=35)

half of a banana
handful of mixed frozen berries (I like raspberries, strawberries and blueberries)
handful of fresh spinach (or any greens you have on hand)
1 scoop of your favorite chocolate protein powder (I'm currently using this chocolate whey protein powder, but I think I may switch to a plant based protein powder like this one when it's gone)
1 cup of almond milk (I use unsweetened)
optional: a tbsp of peanut butter or almond butter
optional: 2 tbsps each of chia seeds and ground flaxseed (so many great health benefits from these. I found them both at Trader Joe's!)

Lunch (macros: carbs=19, fat=18, protein=24)

Some sort of salad with protein. I've been loving Trader Joe's kale and broccoli slaw (I will not use the whole packet of dressing and I omit the dried cranberries to save some carbs and fat) with some sliced left over rotisserie chicken (we usually get one every week from the grocery store!).

Or left overs from dinner

Mid afternoon snack (macros for Quest bar: carbs=4, fat=9, protein=21): I'm loving these RX bars or quest bars are great with high protein and lower carbs. And I'll usually have a cup of coffee with sugar free creamer for a pick me up!

Sample dinners (turkey taco salad macros: carbs=21, fat=12, protein=32) I try to make healthy meals with a protein and veggies. If there is a 'starch' component, I may swap out for something else like instead of rice I'll have more veggies or quinoa or I'll have a spaghetti squash instead of noodles, etc. 

• turkey taco salad: ground turkey, taco seasoning, lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, salsa, taco sauce, non fat greek yogurt. (I love taco Tuesdays! I'll serve with taco shells or tortillas for the boys, and I'll have a salad to save carbs and fat)
• roasted chicken, steamed carrots, parmesan potatoes: grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, steam some carrots and make some sort of potatoes (I love the garlic parmesan potatoes from Trader Joe's!). I love having this meal on Sundays after our family grocery trip!
• 10 min honey garlic shrimp with quinoa and stir fry veggies (onion, broccoli, peppers, etc) so quick and easy to make! 

Late night snack: I love these Oikos triple zero greek yogurts (they have 15 grams of protein! and no fat!) macros: carbs=13, fat=0, protein=15)

Total Macros for the day: carbs=106, fat=62 (this is a little high if I'm aiming for weight loss! goal is 55), protein=143!!! (Goal protein is around 128grams!)

Here's where the math geek in me comes into play... I always make sure to stay under 1400 calories for the day. If it is a cardio day, I may go up to 1500. My goal is to have a deficit of 500 calories per day (If it's a work day I will typically burn 1800 calories in a day, if I'm with the boys all day or it's a cardio day it may be more like 2000!). If I can keep up with this, that means I would lose one pound per week. (3,500 calories = 1 pound, so if I burn an extra 500 calories a day, that would be 3,500 per week). I love this fitness tracker that I wear everyday to track my steps and extra calories burned!

Of courses, I will allow myself a cheat day (or 2) on the weekends! If we are ordering pizza on a Friday night (which is pretty standard), I will definitely have a slice or 2! And you better believe I allow myself to have a few (ok, maybe more than a few) glasses of wine a week! I try to just eat as well as I can during the week. And, if I'm really trying to lose weight, I may omit the wine during the week. Again, it's all about balance!

Workouts

As far as my exercising goes, I just try my best to fit it in when I can. As I mentioned, I'm really trying to focus on strength training especially around my core. So, I typically will go to the gym twice a week for a longer cardio session (about 30-45 mins) with some ab work. Then, I'll try to do 2-3 at home workouts that consist of core strength training, yoga/stretching or leg work for 25 mins. That's it! When I go to the gym, it's typically in the morning right after I drop off the kids at school or while Bill is dropping them off around 8:30 - 9:15ish. Then, I come home and start my work day and may shower later in the day. Working form home gives me this flexibility, but if you work at an office, you may have to bring your shower supplies to the gym to get ready before work. 

Workout Routine:

Monday - gym: running for 25/30 mins around track, ab/core workout (15 mins)

Tuesday - core and leg workout (maybe tone it up 10 min abs, leg work out, etc total 25 mins)

Wednesday - break

Thursday - gym: 'butts and guts' class (55 min class focusing on core and glut strength training) OR running for 25/30 mins and 15 mins of ab workout.

Friday - either core/arm workout OR yoga OR running outside if it's nice out (25 mins)

Sat/Sun - off, family activity! Chasing toddlers is a workout!!

There you have it! It's not rocket science... I don't pay money for fancy shakes or workout apps... I just do what I know will work for me!!

I hope this helps you in your quest to become fit and healthy!

Please feel free to comment with any questions you may have or let me know what you are doing to stay fit!

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Because I'm running a half marathon on Sunday...

That's right, folks... It's happening. I can't stop it. I can't turn back now. I just have to do it (like nike). I signed up for this half marathon at the beginning of the year in hopes that it would give me the motivation to keep working out and to lose the 'baby weight.' 

Well, I still have a few extra lbs hangin' around, but overall I feel a lot better than I did 10, 6, even 3 months ago. I know that only focusing on cardio while working out does not equal losing weight. In fact, I feel as though I've gained or sustained my weight the past few months just because I've been so hungry after running. My body knows it needs calories to burn off and I'm constantly craving carbs! 

The good thing about training for a half marathon? 

1 | It helps to increase my endurance. Having and taking care of a baby is no joke. Especially when they are mobile and constantly on the move. Carrying around a 20+ pound baby all day will definitely wear you out! I've noticed that I'm huffing and puffing a lot less now that I've been running consistently.

2 | It allows me to enjoy the outdoors. I typically run outside around our neighborhood or on a jogging path. I love running in the spring, summer and early months of fall when the weather is nice. This is how I've been able to maintain my 'joggers' tan as I like to call it.

3 | It allows me to have ME time. I can listen to my jams be at one with my thoughts in peace for at least 45 mins! The time I spend running, I make sure that someone is able to watch Cam. I typically go running on work days (3 days x week) in the morning right after I drop off Cam. I make sure to get in a good run before I start my day. This way I'm not rushing to get done or feel guilty about the time I'm spending away from him. I also try to get a run in on the weekends when Bill is able to watch him for a few hours.

I think it's easy for mothers to make excuses for why they don't workout or don't have the time. There's always time, it's more about how you stack your priorities. I came across this post that was shared by Natalie and Annie (on fb) and it struck a cord with me. Definitely a good read and something all moms should contemplate. 

All that said, am I the most fit and healthy person in the world? Not even close!! When it comes to dieting... That is where I truly struggle! I'm such a comfort food junkie! 

And now I will leave you with a little collage of items that are on heavy rotation when I run (and on days when I'm home with Cam). I will let you in on a little secret... They are all from Old Navy except my shoes! I refuse to spend more than $30 per item on clothes that I will sweat in. I just. can't. do it! Everyone raves about Lululemon workout clothes and I'm over here all 'I love my ON workout gear!'

1 | Burn out tanks : these are super soft and I love the elastic racer back detail. I size up in these so they are very flowy and comfortable.

2 | The go-dry pullover : I wear this thing all the time. It is supposed to be a little chilly this weekend, so I may bring it with me to the race to wear over my running tank. It is super lightweight and comfortable. AND it's on crazy sale right now for only $10!!

3 | High support racerback sprots bras : I need a little extra support in this department and these bras are the best that I've tried. They have a little extra lining in the front and the racer back helps with the support also. 

4 | High rise compression pants and crop pants : Trust me on the high rise thing. I have experience running in mid rise/normal pants and they always seem to slip down after long distances. The high rise helps to keep them in place. I will most likely wear these this weekend since it will be cold!

5 | Nike Free 5.0 running shoes : These shoes are amazing. They are so lightweight and comfortable I feel like I'm running barefoot, but with the right amount of cushion and some arch support. I'm so glad I invested in these shoes before this race!

PS - kudos to me for blogging everyday this week! In case you missed it:

weekending and a save v. splurge | our family photos | the perfect tunic | halloween decor 

Please say a little prayer for me on Sunday morning!! :)

Have a great weekend!

Fitness Update

via

As promised, I have a little fitness update for you.

I do have some good news on the #losethebabyweight2015 front. I am down 4 pounds from my last post, which means I have 11 pounds to go to hit my goal weight! This means I have been averaging about a pound a week and I hope I can keep up this pace.

I've started to go back to my gym and have slowly gotten back into running and weight lifting. I try to get to the gym at least twice a week with a goal of 3 times per week this month. The days I can't make it to the gym, I try to fit in a YouTube Tone It Up work out when I can. 

This one being my current favorite:

I've been focusing on toning my arms and legs since my middle section is still a little tender from my c section. I tried to do some sit ups the other day and it felt like there were 50 lb weights on my stomach. I am trying to ease my way into the core toning work outs, although that is the main area I would like to tone the most. 

As far as the dieting is going, I don't have any strict regimen. Just trying to focus on eating healthy and stay under 1500 calories a day. I am still pumping/breastfeeding so I am burning about 500 calories a day just doing that (according to this website). I try to make sure I have some type of protein, veggie/fruit and light carb for each meal. I try to keep my snacking to a minimum around 100 calories.

I have also just started using the app MyFitnessPal (find me at LindsayRumple) and have a few friends that use it as well. It's great because I can keep track of all my daily calories and work outs to make sure I am staying on track with my weight loss goals.

One area I would like to work on is planning my meals in advance. This is something I struggle with constantly. I typically get in a rut of eating the same things everyday and I eventually get bored and eat bad food. I think meal prep and planning at the beginning of the week needs to start happening.

I have started a pin board with healthy recipes and work outs to try. Here are a few healthy recipes I'd like to try:

Honey Glazed Salmon

BBQ Chicken Salad

Spicy Cashew Chicken

Keilbasa and Cabbage Skillet

What are some of your favorite healthy recipes?

That's all I have for this fitness update!
I'll plan on posting another update early next month to see if I've made more progress.