New Signs and 30 Day Challenge Update

Today I have some new signs to share with you all and an update on my 30 day challenge. I have been furiously working on signs this week to get ready for a market tomorrow. If you are local  stop by Andrada High school on Houghton from 10-2 tomorrow for lots of vendors I believe there will be more than 50 and  of course to see our booth and check out our goods in person!


My living room has basically looked like a big sign factory for the last two weeks. Aside from that I have also worked on a few custom orders one I will be sharing today. This sign I made for a gal that I have gone to church with for several years. She and her husband are foster parents and she wanted this quote to reflect their experience as foster parents. This lady is so incredibly talented on many different levels and I was thrilled when she asked me to make this for her. I also go to take a little peek in her home as I dropped if off. I am still dying over how beautiful it is! I love going into someone else home walking away inspired to keep working on my own! Here it is.

 

I also have a few other signs that are quotes that my dear mother has requested. She will randomly send me a quote or saying and I have yet to dislike a single one! I wish I had more time and wood to make them all into actual signs!! So I can't take a lot of credit for picking out these sayings and phrases except for the fact that I was directly inspired by my beautiful mother! I have two more signs I will share later on that are also direct request from her but the paint is still drying! But here a few new ones and some old designs with new color options.

30 Day Fitness Challenge: The first few days I did great diet wise I stuck completely to the diet plan and didn't eat any carbs.As my groceries dwindle down its a lot easier to be tempted! I think the next time I go grocery shopping I will have a lot better idea of what to get to ease that temptation and to stay on track. It also does not help that my husband had been unknowingly sabotaging me! He is not on the same diet as I am due to the fact that his goals are to bulk up and gain more muscle. He keeps feeling bad for me and guilty that he is "allowed" to eat things I am not and thinks that by offering me some of my greatest temptations it will make me feel better! Like calling me and asking if I want Taco Bell on his way home from work!! Lets just say that hasn't been very helpful! But I have managed to evade his guilty offerings!  Last night however we broke out the Halloween candy for the kids and after an hour of it sitting on the table I caved... Not my proudest moment but whatever. I also have missed 2 work out days. The reasons why are not important and I am working on making it more of a priority. I worked out twice yesterday to make up for it and am on track to do that again today.

Enough about what I did wrong and more about what I have done right! I have still worked out in the last week more that I have in 4 years. That is definitely and accomplishment. I have never eaten this strict or healthy this long EVER sad but true. I can honestly say I had no clue what healthy eating was until now.  My water consumption has also vastly improved. I weighed myself today and I am still exactly where I was when I began. I am not super discouraged by this because I know at this point these last pounds really are going to be the hardest to shed and physically I am already noticing differences in my core and my overall strength. I can do much more each time I exercise and that is more satisfying than numbers. I sometimes forget to give myself credit for the 48 lbs I have already lost since last August! It just shows me that I am really going to have to stay dedicated to make this change happen and to not get caught up in the numbers. Its so easy to do that but this process is really more about being healthy and fit and less about meeting a specific trifecta of numbers. Something I struggle with but am starting to understand more and more. That is pretty much where I am at this point. I will probably update next week and hopefully be doing better with my goals and sticking to the "plan" that is it for now

Be sure to drop by Andrada High school from 10-2 tomorrow to check out our booth and snag a few signs!

-Haley

A New Challenge-Haley

Before I start this post let me be the first to say that I don't intend at all for this blog to turn into any kind of fitness blog what so ever! the beauty in our blogs "name" is that we can post about ANYTHING!! This post has been a long time coming I just didn't know it until now. I hope to just use this as a tool to keep me honest and open and to create a greater sense of personal accountability as I start this process.

Weight Exercise and Body Image.

I was always very active as a child and teenager and in good shape. I played countless hours of volleyball, ran track, swam, danced, took Pilates, lifted weights etc. I enjoyed being active and my body benefited from the activities I took part in. I never had to struggle with weight gain or any of that jazz. I missed out on the stretch marks many young woman get during puberty and I wore the same jean size from middle school up until I had my first kid. My figure held up through a year away from home at college, living on Spaghettios and chicken nuggets. But that unfortunately was short lived.

 When I got married I was in the best shape of my life. I had taken a semester of dance right before My husband I were married and was currently taking Pilates at the local college just days before I walked down the isle. A lot changed when I was married. I dropped out of college and worked both a full time and part time job. I didn't have time for school much less exercise. After I dropped out of school and quit taking Pilates and dance, I gained some weight probably about 5 pounds, not enough to kick me out of my skinny jeans, but enough for me to feel the difference when I tried to get them on.

Wedding Day (can I have those arms back?!!)

 

Wedding Day Oct 2009

 

9 Months after my husband and I were married I became pregnant. Not only was this a shock but I was in complete disbelief when we found out it was twins. From the very beginning of my pregnancy things did not go well. At just 9 weeks my doctor insisted I go on medical leave from work and be on "moderate bed rest". I was not allowed to workout or do anything that would stress my pelvis or uterus what so ever. Things in my pregnancy got more "entertaining" as the time went on and I eventually ended up in the hospital on complete bed rest and was only allowed to get up to use the restroom.

at 32 weeks I started showing signs of toxemia and started retaining water and swelling like a balloon. I am not sure exactly; but I ended up gaining about 80lbs by the time I delivered my boys at just 34 weeks.

Due to all the complications and problems I had during my pregnancy I really just had to let any ideas of "body image" or "prevention" go to rest. I surrendered to the fact that I was not in control and what was happening to my body was not anything I would be able to change and that the body I once had could might as well be buried in the ground.


I swelled so bad the last few weeks of my pregnancy that I have stretch marks all down my legs clear to my calves, underneath my arms, back, and abdomen. Pretty much my fingers, toes and face were the only things spared. It was brutal. One minuet I was rocking my sexy size zero Zelda Jeans from Express and the next minuet I was so swollen I was resorting to hello kitty slippers as shoes and stopped wearing jeans all together.

at my baby shower the day before my boys were born

 

 34.4 weeks with twins

I vividly remember sitting in the shower the day after my sons were born still in the hospital and looking at myself for the first time. I cried... It was hard to take in and even harder to even begin to think about how I would "fix" what had been done. The reality was that I babies who needed me
more than anything and I didn't have a lot of time to sit around and throw myself a pity party.

about 6 weeks post partum with the twins

I retained a large portion of my "baby weight" the first few months after my boys were born. But as soon as I hit that four month mark the weight began to just melt off. I lost all but 10 lbs. of my pre pregnancy weight and did nothing but eat healthy to get there. Just as soon as I had shed the weight I got pregnant with my daughter. Only 10 months after the my boys were born.

just a few weeks before I got Pregnant the 2nd time 9monts PP.

34 weeks pregnant with Scarlett (basically my largest point I only gained a few pounds after this picture was taken)

 

I gained another 50lbs during this go around and otherwise had a very healthy "normal" pregnancy. I went through the same process after she was born as well. The first few months the weight stuck like glue and then 4 months hit and I just started dropping pounds every week. I hit a standstill this time 15 lbs. from my "original" pre pregnancy weight and teeter in-between 12-18 lbs. from that point.

2 months PP  

I am finally to the point where I am DONE! Done shying way from the mirror, done seeing myself in pictures and thinking oh my gosh I didn't realize I looked that bad! Done making excuses and ready to make a change.
 

8 months PP with Scarlett

 

 

Many things have lead me up to this point and I am not only done but more importantly READY to make the changes necessary for me to not just be fit but be healthy physically and spiritually. Friday will be my first day of the 30 day Paleo Challenge. you can read more about that HERE. My ultimate goal is not to just do this 30 day challenge but to make an entire life style change. I can't even tell you how many corn dogs or pieces of Halloween candy I have eaten this week. It is utterly disgusting. I am ready to feel good and look good! I don't think I have the courage to post any of my before bare belly photos but we will see how I feel as I kick the current "me" to the curb. REDY SET GO!

MY GOALS:

-lose the rest of my baby weight
-eat clean
-drink a CRAP TON of WATER!
-Stop making Excueses
-be in the best shape of my life physically and spiritually

I think its important to not only make these physical changes but spiritual ones as well. I have seen a few ladies start this same process and their relationships have greatly suffered in the process. Thankfully my husband will be embarking on this challenge with me which I think will make all the difference.

So that is it for now I will check back as I see fit but wont be making daily posts or food journals or any think like that. Nor will I be taking daily selfies at the gym or wearing string bikinis! That is not me nor will it ever be ! If I have a moment of delusion and do any of the above some one please slap me! HARD!!


UPDATE: I wrote this earlier this week and I have to admit there were a few times I thought ehh.. I'll just wait. Fortunately a bigger part of me was motivated to start this process and get the ball rolling. My husband and I took a trip to Costco and stocked up on all the ingredients we would need for the next two weeks and by the time I woke up this morning it wasn't even a question if was going to start making this change.

I worked out for the first time today in over a year.. and I felt like a wanted to puke! Thank you Jillian Michaels for kicking my butt! I followed all the instructions for day one of the Paleo Diet Challenge but substituted a few of my snacks for other fruits all of which were listed on the Paleo Diet Food list I 

This weight would get me back to my pre pregnancy weight. 5 more would put me back in my wedding dress. I am hoping that in a few months I will be able to slip that beauty back on just for fun!

That is it for now. If this is not your thing and you are just here for craftiness no worries there will be plenty more of that and you can just skip right on past this post!

-Haley