My Next Steps.

So for those of you that follow me on Instagram you probably saw that I was "gifting" myself the 21 Day Sugar Detox for my birthday.
I've been hemming and hawing about this for the past few days.
It really bothers me that I have to buy a $28+ book in order to eat better.
I KNOW HOW TO EAT BETTER.
I just am looking for every excuse in the book including convincing myself that I DONT KNOW what I'm doing to continue to eat crap.
UGH I am so frusterated with myself.
But I'm not ready to totally give up on myself yet.
I'm giving myself another chance.
I'm going to do my own form of sugar detox.
Before I go any further I wanted to give you guys an update on my anxiety.
I saw the doctor and I told him everything. I told how I feel when I'm trying to go to bed, I told him I was worried about getting on medication. I told him I physically and mentally feel better when I eat better and he sat there and listened to it all, then he said
meds.
Not just any meds, but Klonopin. If you've never heard of it, it's a sedative. I immediatly told him I wasn't sure and I didn't really feel comfortable taking a sedative and his answer was
just take them.
So I tried and this was me.

How the hell am I supposed to work a busy job and take care of my kids while I'm literally melting.
I decided they were not from me.
Then I decided to listen to what I was sitting in that room telling a doctor.
When I eat better I feel better.
Duh.

So starting on Monday (because you can only start diets on Mondays) my neice and I are cleaning up our acts. We are cutting out processed foods, cutting WAY back on sugars and carbs and making healthy choices. Simple as that.

So for the first week this is my meal plan.

Breakfast- Smoothie usually almond milk , banana, pb, and protein powder.
Snack- Home made energy bites (recipe on Monday!) or hard boiled eggs
Lunch- Greek Chicken Pita Pockets, or Turkey Veggie Chili
Snack- Almonds and an apple or hummus and Green peppers
Dinner- Salad with tuna, turkey burgers, or steak and veggies.

For drinks I am sticking to water with a little lemon and coffee. I have to figure out something with my creamer. Either cut way back or cut it out all together. We shall see.

As far as working out. I'm still going strong! I'm running my first 10k race tomorrow and I'm pretty excited about it. I think there is going to be a lot of people I know at this race and that is such a change from all of my races last year where I was the only one!


Alright thats all for now. Come back Monday for my Energy bites recipe and a little catch up with the #TracktheTank!

Screw this.

So last Wednesday while I was catching up on my Big Brother blogs

-side note Team Nicole 

I heard a sound coming from my daughters room which was a sound parents nightmares are made of.

I heard the garbled gasps for air which can only mean one thing

One of my kids is choking 

I run into my daughters room to find my son laying on his back grabbing at his mouth. I sat him up and slapped his back. 

Honestly I'm not sure this was the best thing to do but it was y instinct. 

When I slapped his back a nut came flying out. 

Not the good kind like a peanut or macadamiam nut (my favorite) but a nut as in nuts and bolts. 

I grabbed it and looked back at my son who was still visably havig a hard time swallowing something. 

Then he just swallowed it and looked up at me and said "hi mommy". 

I looked around trying to figure out what foreign object that no doubt was going to land us on a future episode of Untold Stories of the ER and I saw it.

The new knobs we had put on my daughters dresser, one was missing, and so was the screw. 

My first thought was Holy fucking shit my kid just ate a screw 

My second was Oh my god he's going to die.

Apparently I had these thoughts out loud because Mabel expressed her concern that chip should eat dinner before he dies. 

I called my husband, called the emergency room, called my husband, called the pediatrician and 40 min later we were looking at an X-ray of said screw in Chips stomach.

We were told it would pass and to pretend like his diapers were play dough to make sure it made its way out. 

Fast foward to today.

Seven days later. 

Approximately 28 poopy diapers (yes he poops a lot) and no screw.

So today we head back for another X-ray and see what happens from here. 

Then I get to come home and run hill sprints in between my search expeditions. 

If anyone wants to cast their vote for Mother of the Year, I'm running. 

No food

Holy smokes. 

I feel like I have not been able to get my head on straight for the past few weeks. 

I'm sorry I haven't been keeping up with the blog. It's taking me a lot longer to get into the new swing of everything.

On top of everything our main grocery store is in strike so my once a week grocery shopping trip turned into me buying shrimp, pork chops, and milk. 

Not exactly things I can do anything with. 

The entire produce section was done 

Same with the chicken.

I can't even imagine what it looks like now. 

This week we drove 35 min to go to another grocery store.

I'm not sure it was worth it. Hopefully Market Basket better get their shit together!!! 

Ain't nobody got time for that.

In other news I someone how managed to agree to a 5k this past weekend a 10k this weekend and a half marathon the weekend after that. 

I am really doubting all of those. I ran the 5k this past weekend and it was so hard. It was on a hiking trail that was so muddy and hilly and had a ton of roots. 

I ran it with a good friend but I can't say I enjoyed the course. 

I have a week to decide about the next one!! 

I am going to make a real effort to blog every day this week!! Hopefully I can focus on some small changes that I hve been making with working so much and talk about my workouts!! 

Interview with a 4 year old

Good Morning Mabel. How did you sleep?
I was sleeping like this (lays down on floor) and then I felt pee so then I slept like this (gets up and lays down the other way). 

Are you excited to start Pre-K?
Today?
No not Today
Tomorrow?
No not
The day after tomorrow?
No in a couple months.
Well then why are we talking about it?

Okay valid, soooo do you think mommy is good at working out?
Yeah...

What do you think mommy's favorite food is?
Ummm salad probably, because you eat that when we have pizza and I love pizza

What is mommy's job?
Gets that money.

What do I spend that money on?
Special things for me?

What do you think about all the illegal children in the deportation centers?
I don't know any of them.. Do I? Am I one?
No you aren't one?
Okay I bet they like Fruit Loops.

Who is the President of the United States?
Mabamba.
Close.
Loamba
Closer.
Ellen.
Haha sure.

What is the first thing mommy does when she wakes up?

Brushes her teeth with coffee

How much does mommy love you? 

To the moon and back, which is more than chippy. 

Catching up!

Sorry I've been a little MIA!
I started my new job and I'm just trying to get into the new swing and figure things out.
By the way I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new job.
Not only am I busy all day but I love the people I work with, its a close drive and I get a lunch break!
That's right a LUNCH BREAK!
The first day I finished my lunch in 10 min and had no idea what to do with the other 50 min. I mean the possiblities were endless. I could workout, run, go shopping, read a book, knit a sweater, do laundry.
Instead I got a candy bar and an energy drink.
Yeah not the best choices. Oh well.
Along with having a new schedule and routine, comes figuring out again how to balance everything.
Thankfully all the people I work with are interested in living healthy and active lives as well so I know I have support and I won't get funny looks anymore if I bring a quinia zuchinni salad for lunch.
Instead I will probably have to share the recipe!!

You can get it here!

Tuesdays I work a long day like 12-13 hours... nurses I love you. You are amazing. My first long shift almost killed me. I need to figure out how to eat and hydrate on these long shifts in a healthy way, so I'm not raveneous or sick when I get home.


Any tips are greatly appreciated!

In other news, #Trackthetank is making it's way around the US!! If you haven't had a chance yet to check out Erin's post you can read all about it here, and now the tank is currently residing with Ang.

I also wanted to make sure that Alma from Can I borrow that? got a shout out because I forgot to put her in the initial list and she's repping the West coast and getting our Cali vibes into the shirt!!

Don't forget you can also follow the tank journey on IG using #trackthetank

Fit as a Mother Guest Post!

Today I have a special guest post for you guys. One of the things I love about growing up in a small town is "re-meeting" people. Someone you only knew in passing in high school can become your best friend as an adult. So today I'm letting Mrs. Emily take over the blog, and I'll let her explain the crazy way we know/knew each other!

Hey Camo & Lipstick readers! I'm Emily, and I blog over at Fit as a Mother... where I share how I stay fit and healthy (and sane!) while balancing a full-time office job, 2 energetic little girls, and all the other things that come along with being a grownup. 

Big thanks to Candra for letting me guest post! Candra and I met several years ago, and recently connected on Facebook in one of those "life is funny" kind of ways. What I mean is that we were never really "friends" per se; just acquaintances through her friendship with my then-boyfriend, now-husband's younger brother. I never imagined at the time that we'd connect on Facebook years later and have several things in common (kids, blogging, running). Life is funny like that.

***************

I was never athletic in high school. I was working at my part-time job in a pharmacy, drinking Pepsi and eating Hostess cupcakes while many of my friends were at dance class, field hockey practice, and whatnot. Somehow I managed to stay thin. Until I went to college... I made it through my freshman year without gaining the infamous freshman 15, but by the time I finished my sophomore year, I had easily gained 20 pounds.

Flash forward to my 23rd birthday. As I was chowing down on cheese-laden Mexican food in a restaurant with about 135 pounds on my 5-foot frame, I decided enough was enough. Right then and there, I declared to my boyfriend (who is now my husband) that I was tired of feeling sluggish and tired of being unhealthy. I resolved to make a change. It was that night that my fitness journey began.

I began taking spin classes and circuit training at the local gym at 5 am about 4-5 times per week before work. I turned into a gym rat practically overnight! Right around the same time, we moved into our first apartment and I began educating myself on healthy cooking. Through a combination of consistent workouts and cleaner eating, I dropped nearly 30 pounds in a matter of 3 months. By that point, I was hooked. Hooked on looking and feel fit and energetic.

Since that time, I've gotten married, move around a lot, had 2 babies and much more. With kiddos in the mix now, time has become a precious commodity! I've had to adapt my routine and divorce myself from the gym (gasp!). Shortly after my first daughter was born, I began buying inexpensive exercise DVD's on Amazon and eBay. I have built up quite a collection! No more wasting precious minutes driving to the gym! I just pop in a DVD, grab my hand weights and squeeze in a workout in the living room or the basement whenever I have time.

(31 weeks pregnant, in my exercise clothes)

I also took up running, which has been life changing! It has not only changed me physically, but mentally as well. Running is such a stress reliever and a great way to decompress. It's also an easy way to get some quiet time! I have now run 4 half marathons in the past 4 years, and am currently training for 5 and 6.

Sometimes I feel guilty about spending time exercising or going running, but I've come to learn that exercising makes me healthy and happy, and a happy wife and mommy is a much better wife and mommy. I don't just do it for me - I do it for my family to set a positive example and to spare them from a nervous breakdown!

If I can offer any advice to other busy women and moms on fitting in fitness it's this:

1) Make exercise a priority. Schedule it in and make it as much a part of your day as taking a shower.

2) Be flexible. Life is always going to get in the way from time to time. Roll with the punches and don't let it knock you completely off the wagon.

3) Mix it up. Variety is the spice of life, right? For $5-10 apiece, you can buy lots of different exercise DVDs to help keep things fresh and fun.

4) Get the family involved! Exercising has become a family affair for us. My husband and I often workout together in the living room, and even the kids get in on the action, running in place and doing jumping jacks.

Thanks again to Candra for letting me share my fitness journey! Stop by my blog and say hi. :)

#TracktheTank

Ahhhhhh!!! I am so so so excited to share this with all of you.
Tia from Hands on Pants Off and I decided that we wanted to do some sort of collaboration and Tia came up with this crazy idea.
Since I love crazy I agreed and then it blew up.
Have you ever seen the movie Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? Well this is kind of like that without all the crushes and weird hair.

Tia and I purchased a shirt from Ruffles With Love and had it sent to me. I got it and signed it, and today off it goes to another blogger. Tia will be the 25th blogger to get the shirt. TWENTY FIVE. When she gets the shirt we will have a big giveaway and one lucky reader will win the shirt ( as well as all the goodies the bloggers decide to put in the package!!)

When the bloggers get the shirt they sign it and post it on Instagram using the hashtag #TracktheTank so everyone can follow the shirt and see all the places it ends up. They will also be writing a post on their blog about what or who inspires them. Tia and I will link back to the individual posts on the days they write them so make sure you follow us so you can follow them!!


Here is a list of the bloggers who joined in the fun!

Candra, Erin, Angela, Kristin, Jasmine, Valerie, Amy, Amy, Brittney, Lindsay, Aubrey Leigh, April, Crystal, Brandi, Rikki, Erin, Darci, Tracie, Erin, Bridget, Bailey, Nicole, Kati, Christine, Tia

Alright so now on the point where I talk about who motivates me.

The biggest motivation in my life is my kids. Mostly because I want them to grow up knowing that Mcdonald's isn't real food. Real food takes work. You plant it, you grow it, you harvest it, and it fuels you. I want them to know that running around outside with your bare feet in the grass is the best form of medicine. I want them to remember the times we went fishing or the trips to the beach, not the afternoons spent watching tv.
I want my daughter to see me outside doing push ups and pull ups and them coming inside to do my makeup so she knows that strong is beautiful, not skinny.
I want my son to respect women and encourage them, not treat them as less.

I also motivate myself, because I am able.
I have two legs and they are in working order. I have the ability to wake up every morning and start my day with exercise. I have the choice to eat healthy and (attempt) to grow my own food.
Too many people that are exactly the same as me don't utilize that ability. Even more people are truly unable to do those things and would give ANYTHING to run, or lift weights, or eat what they want.
Take advantage of your ability while you still have it.

Let's see where the tank is headed to...... Maine!!!