Seeing the benefits of a natural life

So Before my trip I took this picture. It had been 2 months since Kelsie and I began our transition into a healthy lifestyle. I have lost 9 lbs in total and have 11 to go. I didn't do the best at following my new lifestyle while visiting my parents, especially when it comes to exercise. However, I am happy to report that while I may not have lost any weight I didn't gain any either. 

I am quite excited and proud of the effect a natural lifestyle has had on me. I have found not only am I more confident and have found that my body has begun to resemble it's old self but I have found that I am happier and have more energy. I am able to keep up with my very active husband and daughter. I am also a ton more positive. 

I truly believe that my new lifestyle has effected my relationships. I was so much happier and more positive during my visit with my family. The memories we made this last trip alone have made my new change totally worth it. I look forward to sharing my progress with all of you as well as a few posts for advise on traveling with a little one and how to help them be comfortable in a new place. :)

Postpartum Weight Loss Update: Kelsie Millet

Hey friends! So it has been awhile since I have actually updated you with how I'm doing. This week my little babe will be THREE months old..time goes way too fast! I took my picture this morning and wasn't feeling too confident until I compared it to where I started. You need to take pictures!! You will feel so much better when you can actually see how much better you are doing rather than taking someone else's word for it.

A recap for those of you who haven't followed along...I had a pretty traumatic labor and wasn't allowed to start exercising until 12 weeks postpartum (so almost just barely). So you wonder how I've been losing almost all my baby weight??? EATING HEALTHY and taking all natural supplements to help my metabolism.
Starting 1 month postpartum I decided that if I couldn't exercise I was going to make my best effort to eat what my body wanted. I went into Veo Clinic ( a herbal supplement company/chiropractic clinic) and was muscle tested to see what types of food my body didn't want and DID want.
I was given a diet plan which consisted of drinking lots and lots of water, unlimited veggies, one fruit a day, unlimited protein, and 1-2 servings of carbs a day. The only carbs my body "wanted" when I was muscle tested were "smart" tortillas ( I ate whole wheat tortillas with a high protein count) and sweet potatoes.
Also, I ate within 20-30 minutes of waking up to boost my metabolism and then throughout the day I ate every 2-3 hours. Most importantly every time I ate I ate a true protein with something else or alone.
Along with eating according to this diet plan I also took two different supplements. Lipozymes and Burn, which you can read more about Lipozymes HERE and Burn HERE. These products have been amazingly helpful and are safe to take while breastfeeding. After talking with the owner I was able to get a discount for any of you that would like to purchase these products. Use code KELSIE20 at checkout. Go HERE to purchase. Or if you would rather I can also get you a free sample, if you want to try the product out first. Please email me at kelsieandjess@gmail.com if you are interested and I can mail one out to you!

10 Weightloss tips for the Mom on the Go

1.) Eat foods you actually like:
When trying to change your eating habits they aren't going to stick unless you actually like what you are eating. Look for healthy versions of recipes you already love or just modify the ones you have to fit your new healthy lifestyle.

2.) Make exercise just a normal part of your day:
If you get into a routine where you do morning yoga, end your night with a walk or hit the gym once a day everyday then you will naturally make it happen. Most people gravitate to habit and like to have a routine, especially moms! We are striving for a natural life so lets make it our life! :)

3.) If you "mess up" all is not lost:
We all have temptation. "We went to a wedding and I absolutely love wedding cake." "We went to a movie and I really wanted that oh so buttery popcorn." It is OK! Just keep moving forward with good choices. One moment of weakness doesn't mean all is lost. It is better to falter once than give up the natural life all together.

4.) Include your family/ friends:
When I have others involved to help me stay on track I feel I have to be accountable to not only myself but to them. If I am cooking healthy for my family and they love it and everyone feels better and then I just stop one day, my family is losing the benefits of a natural life, not just myself. Walks with friends are a great way to get your exercise and it helps you feel like you are not alone in your healthy endeavors.

5.) Find a good regimen of vitamins:
Mine and Kelsie's life style changes have been supported by the wonderful supplements provided by Veo Clinic. They have three lines of products: Professional Botanicals, 365 Active, and Veo Natural. All of these products have worked wonders for us. And with Dr. Allen's help we have really been able to pin point what works best for our bodies.

6.) Detox:
I have found that the detox is a great way to jump start any healthy lifestyle. Flush out the bad and bring in the good. I use another Professional Botanicals product, Prep-Tonic Detox.

7.) Find a good meal replacement shake:
When you are a busy mom you don't always get to eat let alone eat healthy. I have found my mornings are the busiest. I am always running or making my baby breakfast and getting everyone ready for the day. I use yet another Veo Natural product, Pearl 2.0. I use this mixed with fruit and berries or other Veo Products like Jade or Momentum 2.0.

8.) Don't skip meals:
Even if you just have to make a quick meal replacement shake DO NOT SKIP MEALS! You want to keep your metabolism up and moving and if you skip meals your body goes into survival mode. Not expecting to eat again, your body then stores energy in fat cells. This makes you gain weight. Get your body used to frequent nutrients and your metabolism will go into hyper drive :)

9.)Don't gauge your success only by the scale:
I have found that sometimes I get discouraged when I think I have done great and I must have lost a ton then I get on the scale and haven't lost anything. I have found pictures are your best friend. Take weekly photos so you can actually see the results and have something to compare them too. Another helpful thing is your clothes. See how your clothes fit. For me fitting into a pair of jeans that have been tight forever is incredibly rewarding :)

10.) Realize you are a WOMAN:
Lets just get to the point. We ovulate. There I said it. We bloat, we have occasional craving and sometimes when we even are in great shape our pants won't fit around that time of the month. As far as cravings go, find healthier alternatives for the foods you love. They may not be ideal but just make sure they are better than that Twinkie you really want.

In the photo below (last weeks updated pic) I am slightly bloated. I felt discouraged until I made my list above. I am a woman and I have made great progress. I will keep truckin' along and work for my goal of a healthier happier me. :) -Jess

My Top Five Outdoor Hot Spots In and Around Ogden

If you have been following the blog you know that Kelsie and I are big fans of the outdoors. Beginning our journey to health couldn't have come at a better time- SUMMER! I have been so excited to get back out in nature and have fun while working out. I recently visited one of our favorite spots- Waterfall Canyon. I'll go into detail why these are my favorite places. Some are for the whole family but I threw some in that would be excellent for older children or would make a great outing for just the adults. *these are in no particular order by the way, they all have their own appeal in my opinion.
1. Waterfall Canyon:
This hike is definitely an attraction to one and all here in Ogden. You will meet people of all types on this gorgeous hike. It doesn't sound ideal, hiking with a bunch of strangers but it is honestly a lot of fun. People are incredibly courteous and always willing to lend a helping hand especially on the last stretch. My husband and I always to try to encourage first timers that seem to be struggling. We let them know it is well worth the effort. The reward at the top is a gorgeous 200 foot waterfall that comes right out the canyon. While challenging, with a few breaks this hike can be done with some of the smaller children. Just have patience and enjoy the climb. :)

2. Wheeler Canyon:
This canyon has such versatility. It has been a favorite for many things including biking, hiking and even family pictures. The canyon is just inside Ogden Valley. It is quite secluded and honestly if you didn't know it was there you would drive right past it. This is a another hike that would be great for small kids. You can make the hike as long as you want or as long as you want. If you take the entire trail you will pop out at Snow Basin Resort. My husband and his friends have biked this trail as well. This definitely raises the difficulty of the trail but that is one of the beautiful things about his trail. the versatility. My family and I have even taken our family pictures at the beginning of the trail head. Gorgeous at any time of year, this is definitely a destination close to home none should miss out on.

 

3. Snow Basin:
This is a biking trail for older kids and adults only. My husband and I took up mountain biking the first summer we were married and this became one of our favorite mountain biking trails. Now, my husband frequently bikes this trail with his close friends including Kelsie's husband Erick. I enjoy this trail personally because it is mostly shaded which keeps you somewhat cool during a ride on a hot summer day. The path is well maintained and offers amazing views along the way.

4. Trail heads from 20th down to Waterfall Canyon
The beauty of Ogden is that you have the convenience of the city with the freedom of the outdoors. Many homes are minutes away from the grocery store and just as close toe trials that make you feel like you are anywhere but in the city. Most trails in Ogden all intertwine and meet up in the same place. Bonneville Shore Line trail. The trail is huge but I have found that i enjoy most the trails that are easily accessible with my family including my baby girl. There are so many trial heads that you can keep from getting bored and try a new one until you find the trail the fits you best. In all, Ogden trails rock!

 


5. 12th Street Parkway
The most family friendly trail I have found has to be 12th Street Parkway. This trail is paved and runs through Ogden along the Ogden river. It is a perfect place for taking your little ones on  their first bike ride. There is also a great park located midway along the trail. This park is perfect for picnics or playing with the little ones on the jungle gym. finally towards the end of the trail is one of my favorite restaurants that is unique to Ogden; Slackwater Pizza.

These are just a few of the great places here in Ogden. All you have to do is look and you can find wonderful outdoor activities and places to escape. You just have to look. But if you are right here in Ogden then here is a head start for you in you outdoor experience.

Results after just 4 weeks!

Ok, I am somewhat embarrassed putting these pictures up because I DON'T do stuff like this. The only reason I am now is because I feel like it is important that you see that this really is working and you can get results too! (Don't mind all of my lovely stretch marks...you guys better love me for sharing these, ha.) The guidelines and rules that Jess and I have been sharing with you from Veo Clinic are great, and a healthy weigh to lose weight. The picture on the left is right before we started, this was 3 weeks after I had my baby boy. The picture on the right is after 4 weeks, losing 6 pounds. You can tell I lost weight in my chest, butt, and stomach. The crazy thing to me is how much better my body looks with just losing 6 pounds. I COMPLETELY recommend taking pictures before you start your journey. I hadn't felt like I had lost weight anywhere except for in my chest until looking at these pictures, and seeing it for myself.

Remember if you EVER have any questions about any of this stuff please feel free to ask them in the comments. Jess and I are more than happy to help you guys anyway we can!

My 5 Crucial Points to Losing Weight

Hey friends! So Jessica and I are on our 4th week of our new exercise and meal/plans. Things have been going great, hard, but GREAT. I have had more energy then normal and can tell that my body is changing. Through these past four weeks I have not always been perfect at following my plan to a tee...but that's life right? I have learned though that there are certain things I am doing that together I feel are crucial to losing weight. When I have missed one of the following points I realize is usually when my body begins to plateau or back track. So listen up :)

1. Drink lots of water!!! Water is amazing to your body. I am drinking at least 3 quarts of water a day. This sounds like a lot but it really isn't bad. I have a jug that holds 32 oz. so I know I just have to go through that three times throughout the day. Because I am not in love with drinking water and don't do it out of habit yet I find that making goals for myself is how I can get enough throughout the day. For example; I have to drink my first 32 oz. by noon, my second 32 oz. by four, and my third by the time I go to bed. Maybe I'm just weird..but this seems to have worked for me :)
*Plus, another tip I found works for me...always have a water bottle with you! Take one when you drive to the store, when you go on your walk, etc. You will naturally take sips on it throughout the day, which is actually better for you then chugging it all down at once.

2. Get lots of sleep. I think this is probably a given, everyone should know that sleep is important to restoring your bodies energy and a whole bunch of other goodness. You should be sleeping AT LEAST 8 hours a night. For me this pretty close to impossible since I have a newborn. But you do the best you can when it comes to this point.

3. Eat every 2-3 hours. This is where you feel like you are eating non-stop and that it feels like a chore just to eat. But honestly this is one thing I have found extremely important for me in losing weight. Your body needs to keep up its metabolism. You don't have to eat a meal every time you eat. You could just eat a yogurt, or a string cheese and apple.

4. Eat a protein every 2-3 hours. I know, I know eating every 2-3 hours is already hard enough. But it is really important that EVERY TIME YOU EAT, YOU HAVE A PROTEIN. I know this sounds absurd but a protein will keep you full longer and have more lasting energy then carbs or fats will. Now remember, it needs to be a food that does not just have protein in it, but is actually considered a protein. If you need to refer to THIS POST to learn what is considered to be a true protein, read away :)

5. Exercise. This is just as important as all the other tips. My exercise plan is to workout 4x a week for 40 minutes and 2x a week for 15 minutes should be devoted to strength training. Everyone may need a little variation of this plan based on your body. But overall this would be a good place to start. If you are interested in getting an exact workout plan to match your body call Dr. Millet at Veo Clinic and he can help you out; he has been an amazing help to me and Jess.

Zumba at Home Workout Video

Ok, I am not going to lie. I LOVE Zumba!! Before I was pregnant I would go to Zumba classes all the time. I really wanted to start doing it again to try and shed some of the baby weight, but honestly I do not have time right now to leave the baby at home and go to the gym. You breastfeeding mama's with newborns can probably relate...or is it just me that hates having to use my frozen breastmilk? Ha. Maybe it's just me...either way though I have found a solution for myself. One day on glorified pinterest I found this Zumba workout video that you can watch online and follow along with. I have seen some before but typically they were only a few minutes long. This one is a full hour!! And it is actually a fun one. I started doing this towards the end of my pregnancy actually, trying to get that baby out (which didn't work) and had a ton of fun doing it. Grant it I never was able to get all the way through it at that point, being 9 months pregnant. Anyways, wanted to share for all you other Zumba lovers out there! If anyone else knows of good at home Zumba videos or others that are free, please share in the comments :) Now go shake that booty.

Kardio Kim Johnson - 1 Hour Zumba Fitness - 2012 September from Don Johnson on Vimeo.