You are Perfectly You...Own it

Dear Past and Future self,

For as long as I can remember and at different points in my life I have heard, “you’re getting chubby”, “oh are you a gymnast, you're so muscly,” “oh don't worry you just had a baby”. My younger self  internalized it all and I never felt like the skinny one or the one who looked pretty in the dress. Fast forward to the start of my journey (about 2013 and post two boys) and then I started to hear some encouraging things like, “how awesome for you”, “what are you doing," “you're looking great, I can see the difference” and some not so encouraging, "are those marks going to go away," "wow being pregnant took its toll on you".  Fast forward to present day and I am honestly quite shocked. I have heard comments along the lines of, “Don't get too skinny," “You’re not loosing more weight are you?”, “You're really too muscly”. 

These sort of comments hurt, they made me consider things from laser surgery to a boob job, and made me not happy in my skin. Luckily on this journey I have learned a lot from meditation, surrounding my self with positivity, and working through my self esteem issues.  Usually, when people make these types of comments, they are reflecting their own insecurities, struggles, or general ignorance on a topic.

As a country we are genuinely confused about what a healthy lifestyle and body looks like. Our society is so bombarded with the “ideal top model” looking women. Then we hear that, “these aren't what real women look like”. Yet we know America as a country has a large obesity epidemic and that's scary. I believe there are misconceptions and myths about clean eating and what it means to workout and have an active lifestyle. And again we don't know what healthy even looks like anymore. 

All I know is my story, my experiences, and the research I have done to be an informed consumer of media and health. First, my journey has not been overnight. Nothing healthy or worthwhile comes overnight, it takes blood, sweat, and tears to reach goals and to change a lifestyle. My journey has been over two years and I am finally at a point where I am happy with my weight and proud of my “strong” body. Does my journey just stop here? NO, I am on a lifelong healthy journey. It’s not one of those goals you reach and throw in the towel saying, “Okay I made it let me sit back and enjoy it from here on out”. What I love about the 21 day fix and all the Beachbody products is that you make it work for your needs. You want to loose weight, maintain, or get toned…there is a track that is right for you. For me I am 5’7 and 128 pounds. I am within the healthy range for my weight and height. I have reached my target weight and I am working on continuing to tighten my lower tummy from having my amazing boys. So what does a fitness program look like when you reach your goals? Simple, you increase your calories in healthy ways and you tweak your workouts. I currently do a 30 minute workout 6 days a week (this has a variety of focus days and cardio). This is recommended and backed up by research to keep your body healthy (If you are interested in these resources please ask:)). 

In the end I want you to remember it doesn't matter where you are in your journey, haters are always going to hate for a variety of reasons. This is why you need to build up your confidence and work on surrounding yourself with positivity. Now I understand there are VERY real issues surrounding unhealthy weight in either direction and I am not talking about that in this post. I am talking about people on a healthy journey and I do not discredit these diseases and their prevalence in the U.S. Just remember, “You're beautiful, strong, bold, and intelligent right where you are”. If you are chasing goals and dreams, you push on, and whatever you do, don't let others insecurities and uniformed opinions cause you to give up. I love what I do and I love helping people in all stages of their journey because I have been to most of these stages myself.

Please contact me if you need help learning the right eating and fitness plan for you. I love my body and I am confident in my appearance. It has taken me a long time to get here and I hope you love yours or you're on that path! Love yourself like you're the only you there is (because you are ;)!

Thank you,

-D

Shakeology

Shakeology was a life saving fitness and wellness tool for me in my journey to lose my baby weight.  When I first started doing Insanity I didn't feel like I was the type of person that needed to drink a shake every day.  I really thought I could manage my eating habits and exercise and still reach my goals.  After 60 days of working out and eating pretty healthy I was still at a weight I was not happy with.  I had reached a plateau and nothing was working.  I decided to purchase a PIYO challenge pack and it came with a 30 day supply of Shakeology. I chose the chocolate because it gave me that quick fix of chocolate everyday to curb my cravings.  I later decided to become a beachbody coach to get the 25% discount on the products. I received my shakeology order and blended one scoop with ice, 3/4 cup almond milk, 1 banana, and 1 tbsp almond butter.  I got better at mixing the shakes as the days went on and now they taste amazing.  In my shipment was a calendar of 30 ways to mix Shakeology.  I am a creature of habit and found what worked for me but I know others that love to try new recipes and enjoyed all the recipe options. Shakeology helped me lose the last 10 lbs and now helps me maintain my weight.  I drink my shake for breakfast and have switched to vanilla as a change up and I really like it.  You can make it however you would like.  Here is a little background on Shakeology to help you make an informed decision on if it's right for you.

What is Shakeology?

Shakeology is a nutritional shake that provides a wide spectrum of healthy nutrients in a low-calorie formula.  Whether you use it as a meal replacement for weight loss or simply to ensure your body gets all the nutrients it needs for optimal health, Shakeology takes the guesswork out of nutrition.

What's in it?

Shakeology contains over 70 ultra high-quality ingredients conveniently located in one glass, to deliver nearly all the nutrients you need to maintain a healthy diet.  It's good for you, and good for everyone, because everyone's diet is deficient in some of the key nutrient groups packed into just one Shakeology serving.

• Protein from whey, which is highly absorbable, gives you 8 essential amino acids that help you build muscle, lose weight, support brain function, and keep your skin and bones healthy.
• Vitamins and minerals support optimum health.

• Antioxidants boost the immune system and help reduce free radical damage that can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, blood pressure, and stroke.

• Phytonutrients support immune function and have anit-inflammatory properties. 

• Prebiotics support digestive and immune health.

• Digestive enzymes help in the digestion of foods and increase the absorption rate of those foods for optimum health.

Why Shakeology?

I love Shakeology because I am a busy mom and it is a quick and convenient way to get complete nutrition.  It supplies me with the energy I need to help keep up with the kids and my hectic lifestyle.  It is also easier to make, tastier than 5 salads a day :), and it is an excellent way to eat healthy when eating a full meal is not possible.  If you don't like eating fruits and vegetables then this is a great way to get all the benefits of eating a full bowl of fruits and vegetables without having to actually eat them.  If you have high cholesterol then this will help you lower total and LDL as well. 

How do I use it?

It's very simple. 

Mix 1 scoop of Shakeology with 8 oz. of water.  If you like, add ice.  Or if you want something more filling and maybe even more satisfying, blend your Shakeology with ice and nonfat or almond milk.  Shakeology dissolves easily, but blending it will give it a thicker, creamier texture.  Honestly, when I make my shakeology I always add more than 8 ounces because I think it's too thick!  The more liquid you add the thinner it gets!! :) 

Interested?

If you are interested in trying Shakeology or you want more information feel free to message me, or get s sample below. 

Chocolate Shakeology $5.00 USD Vanilla Shakeology $5.00 USD

Thanks,

Deanna

Sobriety

Today I am sharing a very personal family story. Why? because I am passionate about it and I have made it a life's mission to help others and to be real. So here I am real and raw, sharing a story close to my heart, in the hopes that it inspires even just one person, gives hope, or just shows that its okay not to be perfect, and to need help from others. 

All I know is mine and my family's story I have the deepest respect, excitement, proudness, and happiness for mine and my husbands story. That's all I have to share and it comes from my genuine happiness, content, and from nowhere near judgment toward anyone else's lifestyle. 

We have always struggled with alcohol in our relationship of 12 years. Not either ones fault, especially in the beginning. I came from a family of a lot of alcoholics and brought baggage around the issue. For me drinking always brought negativity and bad outcomes. For him however, it was not in his household and he had little direct experience with the damage it could do. 

Now people that knew my husband when he drank, especially his good friends would describe the 'other guy' coming out. The loud, clumsy guy, who liked to play with boundaries. Well this problem grew and we took this particular issue to our AMAZING counselor. Little side note, I recommend counselors to every couple not necessarily in a time when you need help fixing or repairing but when things are great as well. It truly helps solidify a strong marriage (in my opinion). It was concluded that my husband was not an alcoholic but was not a healthy drinker. He knew this, I knew this, and the counselor knew this. So we made a decision together, because we are in it together forever, to stop drinking. 

I am still a little taken a back at how hard it was for me not to have my wine and Mom's night out drinks. I did not expect to learn so much about myself in this short period of time. Here are some things I have learned over the past 3.5 months of sobriety:

1) I feel less dehydrated

2) I have more energy

3) I am becoming more confident in social situations and not relying on alcohol

4) I have a closer connection to my husband

5) I never have to worry about any sort of accident with him and the boys

6) I have never found him more attractive

7) I have lost weight and gained muscle more easily

8) My skin looks better

9) I can go on trips and have fun without it

10) We have saved a TON of money!

11) I am less tired
12) I don't have to worry about what the boys are picking up and drinking.

Lastly, I truly do not want to come off judgmental, I just want to share my story and its outcome. I don't care if you drink, I am not judging you.I don't think it's bad (for most people), I don't think my way is right or better, and of course you can ask questions (I am a open book). 

Thanks,

-D

Homemade Sugar Free Lemonade

Here is a great recipe for making your own lemonade. This helps me if I am craving something sweet or really want a glass of juice. A glass of juice is great every once in a while. Make sure to get the fresh, not from concentrate brand. Another alternative is to make it yourself. This way there is no sugar, it's all natural ingredients, and you know exactly what your drinking!

This may be one of my boys favorite things to make for two reasons. First, they like to lick the lemons and make silly faces:)

Second, They love juicing the lemons!

Sugar Free Lemonade Recipe 

Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
• 5 cups water (I prefer sparkling water!) 
• about 4 droppers full of liquid stevia 
• a few fresh mint sprigs 

Instructions:

1. Juice lemons 
2. Pour lemon juice into a pitcher
3. Add the water and stevia and stir to combine
4. Stir in mint and muddle with a wooden spoon if you would like it to taste mildly minty
5. Serve over ice

Enjoy,

-D

My Favorite Overnight Oatmeal

So, this recipe is hands down my boys and hubby's favorite overnight oatmeal. I can literally make a triple batch and it is done for come morning time (Picture a wolf pack on the prowl :)). I love making this on school nights because in the morning I don't have to think, I can just grab it out of the fridge and pop it in the microwave. 

Apple Pie Overnight Oats

1/2 C. Old Fashioned Oats 
1/2 C. Milk 
1/2 C. plain yogurt 
1/2 Apple, red, diced 
1 tsp. vanilla extract 
1/2 tsp. cinnamon 
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
pinch ground cloves 
1 Tablespoon Chia Seeds (optional) 

Put everything in a mason jar or tupperwear. Mix it (my boys LOVE to shake it). Put a lid on it and pop it in the fridge overnight. In the morning I like to warm it up for 1-2 minutes (you don't have to), I just don't like the cold texture in the morning. 

Enjoy

-D

Mason Jar Salad

Hey Fit Friends! Sundays are meal prep days in the O'Hall house! When I really don't want to meal prep on Sundays I try to remember that if I, "Fail to plan, I plan to fail" and I have seen this proven over and over again throughout my life (especially by me!). When I fail to plan and prep I find that we eat out more, we over eat, we don't get all the food groups our bodies need to be optimal, and we go over budget. So I plan our breakfasts,  lunch, dinner, and snacks for the whole week.

Now I know this overwhelms a lot of people and it most certainly overwhelmed the heck out of me. I will post tips and tricks but if you feel like you need personalized attention, support, and accountability, send me an email for more information! Try to remember in the learning process that your week will be soon much easier, especially if you have crazy littles running around in the evenings!

So this week for lunches I have a giant Costco bag of salad and a huge thing of mushrooms. I fill each with salad and mushrooms and put the lid on. I use an open lid so that the veggies stay fresh longer (I got the mason jars and lids off of Etsy). I put these in the fridge for quick grabs to put in lunches. I put the homemade dressing for the week in a separate little container. This is not quit enough for all of us each day (I only have 6 mason jars) so I just cut up the rest of the mushrooms and put them in a zip lock bag (I don't seal it all the way to keep them fresh longer) to fill once I wash the used ones throughout the week! Hope this helps! Comment below with other fun salad ideas for your Mason jar.

* 21 Day Fix friends this would count as 1 green and 1 orange

Make it a great week,

-D

My Story

I am a 28 year old mom of two awesome and crazy boys, Logan is 4 and Lucas is 2. We currently live in Tucson, Arizona. My journey to a healthy life began about two years ago.  After I had my second little man, I was about 20 lbs over weight. I was just not feeling good about myself, I was soo tired, and very self consious. I tried running and eating better and lost a little weight but I got discouraged, gave up and wasn't eating very healthy. My sister told me about insanity, which I had seen previews for on TV. At that point I was desperate for anything and she let me borrow her copy. My husband Bryan and I started doing it together. We were instantly hooked.  After a week, I gave my sister back her copies and we bought our own Insanity pack. Now at this point I had no coach and support only from Bryan. I continued following the program for about a month when an old friend commented on a picture of me working out and asked if I had a coach. I told her no and she got me all set up with her! Since then I have been in at least one accountability group a month. I am still to this day shocked at what I learn or a result I see when I finish a challenge group. The motivation and support of others is truly inspiring! 

Clean eating become the norm in our house and I was introduced to Shakeology. Shakeology has been a lifesaver for me because I am so rushed getting myself put together and my kids out the door, so it lets me get all my nutrients in one meal replacement. I then began using PIYO after insanity and I LOVE IT! PIYO is my favorite workout because I love yoga and it incorporates cardio. I only do insanity for quick and intense workouts these days. I don't do the whole DVD’s anymore because they are soo intense but Bryan still loves them. I finished up my second round of the 21 day fix and if you want to check out those results, you can do so HERE! 

 I became a coach honestly because I was living this lifestyle now and I love everything about it! I get to be healthy, I am held accountable, but my number one thing is to show people that if I can do it, why cant they! I love what I do and supporting people on their journey has been truly rewarding. 

Please email me if you have any question or you want to learn what home fitness program is right for your lifestyle. I would love to help. 

Welcome to my story,

I just wanted to share our family photos this year (2015) ! You can learn a little more about who I am! 

-Deanna