4th of July

As always, another holiday weekend at the bay did not disappoint. While I have time in the summer off, most of my family does not get to enjoy that luxury. But, this weekend, we did. The whole gang was there by Thursday evening, and we enjoyed 3+ days of sweet summer together. 

One of the highlights for me was definitely getting to spend some time working on a project with Matt. My parents had brought an old gate from their old house down to the bay a long time ago with the intention to use it in some way. But, almost two years later, and it was out by the trash, waiting to be picked up. I moved it from the trash and into their garage a few weeks ago, only to find that it was back by the trash. Thankfully, it still had not been picked up, so this was the weekend something had to be done, or it would be a goner. 

When the rest of the family went on an afternoon fishing trip, we stayed behind and got to work. In true 4th of July fashion, an American Flag. 

I had painted the entire fence white the day before, so that we had a blank canvas. First thing we did was use measuring tape to decide how thick the stripes should be. I wanted the stripes to be as authentic-looking as possible, since I knew the stars would be... less than authentic-looking. Once we decided on a thickness, we began placing painters' tape in place of where the white stripes would be. 

Above is a picture of what the flag looked like after it had been completely taped. Then, I started spray painting the red stripes. Once I was about three-fourths of the way finished, Matt sweetly asked if he could finish the red stripes. I had gotten so in my zone that I had forgotten that he was there to help. :) So, he finished up the red stripes.

Once we removed all of the tape (see above), we re-taped/covered what we needed to be covered in order to paint the blue section.

I wish I had taken a picture of this next step, but I got too excited and forgot. But, I took an Exacto knife and cut out a star shape in a piece of cardboard. Then, we used that as a stencil, and sprayed white paint into the stencil to create stars in various spots of the blue section. And then after letting it dry....

It makes me so happy to DIY with my sweet hubby. He is very creative and enjoys a good project, too. 

So, what else did we do this past weekend? Well, we hung out in the canal- floating, kayaking, paddle-boarding, AND Avery got a new life-jacket. Yes, she can swim, and actually maybe a little TOO much. Since my parents' house is on the canal, there is always a chance she could go in purposefully or accidentally and no one is right there to pull her out. Therefore, the life-vest. It calms my nerves, and she looks adorable in it! 

Don't you just want to hug her?

My mom always overdoes herself on food. She made this red (and blue) velvet cake. It was delicious! And look how pretty it was!

              

     

This is one of the reasons I am currently hosting a 5-Day Clean Eating Challenge group right now. I have over 20 people who have committed to eating clean this week, and today is just Day 1. Just look at all of those bright colors?

Don't worry if you missed this 5-Day Clean-Eating Challenge. I'll be doing it again in August. But if you are really interested in getting healthy and making a positive change for you and your family, 21-Day Fix is where it's at! Commit to 21 days with me!

Fitness + Nutrition + Accountability = Success.

We can do it together! Comment below or send me a message if you are interested in knowing more!

I just finished my first round of 21-Day Fix and drinking Shakeology and am LOVING how I feel. Today, I am still doing it, but I'm looking for people who want to join me in this journey!

I will leave you with one last picture from the weekend with my family.

I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July, as well! 

Happy Monday!

Quinoa Chicken Parmesan

I am always on the hunt for new recipes. I ran across one that seemed very simple and that I already had all of the ingredients for, Quinoa Chicken Parmesan, so we tried it a couple of nights ago. It may sound a little strange, but the recipe is so easy and this dinner was really good! I found the recipe here.

Quinoa Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup marinara sauce (I used Prego)

Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Cook quinoa according to package, and then stir in Italian seasoning.
- Take each chicken breast and cover completely with flour, dip into the eggs, then cover completely with quinoa, making sure the entire chicken breast is coated.
- Repeat with each chicken breast and place each onto the baking sheet.
- Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove chicken and top with cheeses and marinara.
- Then bake for another few minutes until cheese has melted.

Let me know if you get a chance to try it! I'd love to know how you liked it!

For the past couple of months, I have been working through a combination of BeachBody programs, P90X and 21-Day Fix. I am on Day 15 of 21-Day Fix, and I still think it is awesome! I am a big proponent of planning out your meals and staying away from last minute (usually unhealthy) decisions about what to eat. I have also loved having the little containers to help me with portions. But most of all, I have LOVED the workouts. Even Matt has gotten into them, and always says, "Okay, so which one are we doing today?" Yes, WE! It is fun being able to work out at home, but it makes it even more fun that he wants to do it with me!

Here we are sweating it out during Pilates Fix (which he found out is not just "light stretching"). 

Here is what I did the last two weeks:

Day 38: Upper Fix

Day 39: Lower Fix

Day 40: Pilates Fix

Day 41: Cardio Fix

Day 42: Dirty 30

Day 43: Yoga Fix

Day 44: Total Body Cardio Fix & Pilates Fix

Day 45: Upper Fix & Cardio Fix

Day 46: Lower Fix & 10 Min Abs

Day 47: Pilates Fix & Total Body Cardio Fix

Day 48: Rest

Day 49: Dirty 30

Day 50: Yoga Fix

Day 51: Total Body Cardio Fix

Friday was not intended to be a rest day, but we were both exhausted. I had been doing double day workouts for a few days, so my body just needed to rest. So, we propped up our feet and relaxed for the night... all three of us :)

Hope you have a happy Monday and a great rest of the week!

21-Day Fix | P90X Days 27-37

I have found quite a bit of inspiration from this quote. Making a change requires a change. As you may know, I have been working through P90X for a little over a month now. When I first started, I used it as an excuse to eat what I wanted, or what was easy. Silly me. What I realized was that in order to see change, I need to make a change. 

I had been waiting for 21-Day Fix to come in the mail, and when it finally did, I could not wait to start! I am still going to continue working through P90X, but throwing some other workouts in the mix or even doubling up on some days. If you have a full-time job outside of your house, you may think I'm crazy to say that. But, I'm a teacher with summers [mostly] off. Do you remember your summers as a kid? How many times did you say "I'm bored" in the summertime. I don't want to be bored. Instead, I want to create and fuel good habits. Enter 21-Day Fix. No counting, no guessing, just an easy-to-follow portion control (with fun color-coded containers) and one [30 minute] work out a day. 

Look at my yummy breakfast and lunch and convince me that your mouth isn't watering...

Portion-ing

Breakfast is served!

Portion-ing

Lunch is served!

P90X Update

Here is what I did on Days 27-37:

Day 27: Kenpo X

Day 28: Ab Ripper X

Day 29: Core Synergistics

Day 30: Stretch X

Day 31: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps

Day 32: Run 2 miles outside

Day 33: Rest

Day 34: Ab Ripper X

Day 35: Back and Biceps, Run 3 miles outside

Day 36: Chest and Back, Ab Ripper X

Day 37: Total Body Cardio Fix (21-Day Fix Work Out)

I have found that there are a few keys to making new habits. The first one is MAKE GOALS-big and small, short term and long term, daily and weekly. If you don't make goals, how do you define success? The second one is PLANNING. Plan your day, plan your meals, plan your workouts, plan your to-do lists. Make a plan. The third one is MOTIVATION. What is it that motivates you? This may be a person, this may be a thing, this may be a job, this may be a vacation, and this might be something very personal, but whatever it is, find it, and use it to your advantage.

What habits are you making?

P90X on SALE | Days 18-26

Holy moly--exciting news!! (No, I'm not pregnant.) If you have been reading my blog lately, you know I have been working through P90X, a fitness program that is 90 days long that you can do from home. Well....

P90X is on sale BIG right now 50% off the regular price! Want in?? 

Click here for P90X Classic 

Click here for P90X2

Click here for lots of other goodies!

If you are even slightly interested, research the program! I am on Day 26 today, and I have absolutely loved it. There is a booklet that comes with the program, and I have done my best to follow the exercise plan that is laid out there--when to do which work-out. Yesterday, I did Core Synergistics for the first time, and I had a blast! 

I don't know about you, but push-ups are not easy for me. When I first started the program on Day 1, I could hardly do push-ups from my knees. Yesterday, I was no longer on my knees and found myself being able to dip down significantly further than on Day 1 from my knees!

Another thing I enjoy is coordinating my different outfits with my tennis shoes, yoga mat, and dumb bells :) 

Here is what I did this week:

Day 18: Rest

Day 19: Shoulders and Arms

Day 20: Legs and Back

Day 21: Ab Ripper X

Day 22: Kenpo X

Day 23: Yoga X

Day 24: Ab Ripper X, Kenpo X (did this day with my 8th grade athletes.. so fun!!)

Day 25: Core Synergistics (my fave so far!)

Day 26: Rest

Summer Countdown is at ONE DAY! 

Happy Hump Day, y'all!

P90X Days 8-17 | Memorial Day

Before I talk about this past weekend, let's talk P90X. Today I completed Day 17 of P90X, and I am proud to say that I am still as motivated and committed as I was on Day 1.

Here is what I did on Days 8-17:

Day 8: Kenpo X, Ab Ripper X

Day 9: Chest and Back

Day 10: Plyometrics

Day 11: Shoulders and Arms, Ab Ripper X

Day 12: Yoga X

Day 13: Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X

Day 14: Rest

Day 15: Kenpo X

Day 16: Chest and Back

Day 17: Plyometrics

There are a few things I have already learned about myself throughout this process, even after only two and a half weeks:

• One thing that I have realized from this challenge to myself is that I have not been drinking enough water. I had to make that adjustment immediately. Every day, but especially when you are exercising regularly, water is an essential part of your diet. 
• Another thing that I have learned is that you would rather have "quality over quantity" in your work-outs. Upper body strength was not something I ever worked on heavily. Even in high school, as a softball pitcher, your strength comes from your legs. It has to, or you will throw out your arm. Needless to say, upper body strength/arm strength is something that I lack. The Chest and Back work-out is a variation of different push-up routines and pull-up routines. This work-out kicks my butt, but I love it. And through this work-out, I have come to realize that it is much more important to execute each exercise correctly (quality) than to rush through repetitions without focusing on form (quantity). 

Now on to Memorial Day Weekend...

Y'all. Three day weekend. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. We headed to Galveston as soon as we could on Friday after work. A mini-vacation was exactly what we needed. Although, it was a little bit of a tease, since it seemed like summer, but it is not summer yet.

It is also very easy to forget why we have this holiday. I am forever grateful for all of the men and women who have served/are serving our country. They deserve way more than one day of remembrance. Thank you!

Like I said above, we went to Galveston for the weekend with my family. It was a wonderful and relaxing long weekend full of beaching, boating, sunning, eating, and laughing.

Saturday, we went out on the boat and fished and then spent the day at the beach. We took it pretty easy. Then on Sunday we blew up the big float for lounging in the canal (pictured above). And then we took the boat out to go tubing (pictured below). Look at hubs, such a stud.

[Let's get something straight real quick--I do not take risks. I do not like water that I cannot see through. I cannot see through Galveston water.]

Okay- so we took the boat out tubing. As you can see, I was pressured/forced onto the tube with the one other person in the family that is just as petrified of risks as I am, my Mom. I guess we know who I take after. This is us right before our ride (on which we told my dad that he was not allowed to let us fall off). I think I may have even threatened that if he knocked me off, I would be crying when I got back into the boat.


    

        















As much as I would NOT like to admit, we survived and were fine. We faced our fears, and we were not knocked into the water (where who-knows-what lives).

That evening, we introduced the family to Kuub. It is a great yard game that does not require much skill, because no one is really wonderful at it (or everyone is), but nonetheless, it is fun.

After a big dinner, we had fully intended on teaching my sister how to play 42 (dominoes), but being a competitive family, she and my brother started building towers with the dominoes, and here is what happened...

I have a video on my phone of this tower tumbling to the floor right after this picture was taken, but we won't post that. 

This morning, the fun-filled weekend came to a close. We cleaned up and packed up and headed home. My favorite part about the trip home is that Avery acts like a dog for about the first 15 minutes of the car ride with her head out the window with wind in her hair, and then crashes, crawls up into the front seat, and acts like a little baby. I love it. 

Although I was able to fit P90X into our vacation, I still ate like I was on vacation. My dad assured me it was allowed. However, I went to the grocery store today for this week's meals, and there will be some healthy eating over at the Bormann house this week. For you, that means there will be some healthy recipes coming your way! 

Or at least healthier! Be on the look out for this one coming soon. This was dinner tonight! Hubs loved it, and so did I!

How was your Memorial Day Weekend?

Are you getting your body beach-ready?

Let's do it together!

My Thoughts on Yoga

Yesterday was my first experience with P90X Yoga X. Yoga is a very underestimated exercise. Before yesterday, I was guilty of falling into the category of people who believe yoga is a form of light stretching... a "rest day" if you will. I am no longer in that group of people, and it is not light stretching. It is a test of endurance. Not the half marathon kind where you can't feel your toes anymore because you've been running for the amount of time it takes to drive to Austin from Houston, but the strength kind where you are stretching muscles you didn't even know you had, much less have ever used.

Overall, I came to the conclusion that yoga is not an easy workout, but it is one that is very beneficial. I felt like I was back in my gymnastics days, and I even called Matt in the room to spot me while trying a head-stand. It wasn't pretty, but I tried. And I will keep trying. Isn't that what challenging yourself is all about?

I will leave you with Avery's version of "downward dog"...

...trying to convince me I was doing it wrong.

What are your thoughts about yoga?

P90X | Days 1-7

I am We are all busy. We don't have children yet (don't tell Avery), and I still feel like I have very little time for me. If you are like me, exercising can take a back seat oftentimes.

Why? 

• Because waking up at 4:30 AM is not fun. If you are one that can wake up that early and still make it to work and home with a smile on your face, then keep it up! That is awesome. But, I don't think that's me. Now, in the summer, I will enjoy myself a morning workout, but that may start at 7:00 AM, and I will enjoy that extra couple of hours of sleep. 
• Because you have a laundry list of things to do that are prioritized ahead of you-time. (that reminds me... I should do laundry)
• Because going to the gym takes effort and planning before you even get there. Then, you get there, and maybe you don't even know where to begin. So, you do 30 minutes of cardio (treadmill, elliptical, bike) and then try out a couple of other machines and call it a day. Did you sweat? Maybe. 
• Because of all of the other excuses you or I could come up with. But that is exactly what they are... excuses. 

If this does not describe you, then skip this post. This is just me. I need to be honest so that I can be held accountable. I want to make a change. I loved starting off the year with a Five-Week Family Fitness Challenge. It feels good to do something good for your body. Then, at the end of January, my mom and I ran the Houston Half Marathon. Once again, I challenged myself. 

Let's throw the excuses out the window and challenge ourselves. I have decided that's what I am going to do. The gym and I have a complicated relationship, so I am going to try something else. P90X. I am motivated, and I am committed. Now, I just need to be held accountable to keep it up for 90 days. I am 8 days in and feel great. The best part? I can work out in my living room! And... absolutely NO machines!! It's me, a yoga mat, a band and/or dumbbells, and sometimes Ave (who usually just stares at me).

Here is what I did the first week: 

Day 1: Chest and Back

Day 2: Plyometrics

Day 3: Shoulders and Arms

Day 4: Ab Ripper X

Day 5: Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X

Day 6: T25 Lower Focus (another Beach Body series... at school with some other teachers)

Day 7: Rest

Whenever you want to skip out on exercising, remember that you are not alone. But, also remember that we are called by God to care for our bodies.

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:29-31

What is your favorite workout regime?

Have you challenged yourself with anything new lately?

Fitness Challenge || Closing Ceremonies

I know you have all been waiting for this moment for a little more than five weeks now. Well, it's finally here, and I am going to give you all of the answers you are looking for...

Did the challenge end?

Yes! Thank goodness! (just kidding) The challenge was only five weeks long, and I say "only," but it did not seem like a short amount of time. In fact, it was the perfect amount of time. So many people say that they dislike New Year's resolutions, but this was not a resolution. It was a challenge that offered guidelines to kick-starting the year off right. Setting weekly goals rather than year-long, ongoing goals, definitely the way to go.

How was it?
Saying that you want to "be healthier in 2014" is hard to do if you don't have a plan. So, we made a plan, and it was great! I cannot speak for all participants, but I do know that for me, it was the perfect start to 2014. I am a very competitive person--always have been and probably always will be. (Bless my sweet husband's heart.) My competitive nature kicked in, and I was determined to finish the challenge and do it well.

Was it worth it?
100% yes! I think I could speak for any human--that accomplishing something like this, you would never regret. I felt great throughout the entirety of the challenge, probably because I was eating clean and getting at least 7 hours of sleep (both requirements of the challenge.)

Best Part?
Hands down, the absolute best part of the challenge was getting back into the daily habit of being in the Word. It had become so easy for me to let this small (but huge) part of my day slip past me, because I was _________. <--Insert any excuse here. To name a few: exhausted, coaching, lazy, cooking, cleaning, busy, etc. The best part was having no excuses. Yes, it was a requirement, but very soon became the best part of my day again.

Also, I ran the half marathon during the challenge. It felt great, and I loved getting to do it with my mom.

Worst Part?
I don't know that there was a "worst part" for me. The hardest part was having the chance to work out every day. But, that was only because of my teaching/coaching/tutoring schedule, but I made it work! Because there were a total of 37 possible points, and a maximum of 33 per week, there was a little wiggle-room for missing points.

Was there a winner?
Drum roll please... yes! There was a three-way tie. Now, let me just start by saying that we were all winners, and I don't mean that in the cheesy way that it sounds, but come on, we challenged ourselves to being the best we could be in all areas of our lives for five weeks. If you complete that, my thought is, you win--no matter how many points you end up with. However, yes, there were three of us that ended the challenge with the full 180 points. And yes, I did say "us!" I was one of the three. My mom and brother also ended with full points.

Overall, the whole thing was a success. I would and absolutely will do it again. Maybe just not too soon :)

My dad hosted "Closing Ceremonies" for all participants, and he took all of us to Brennan's of Houston and had made a reservation for us to sit back in the kitchen. It was one of the coolest things I have ever gotten to do, and the cooks were all so nice and excited. We were served six courses of delicious cuisine! For the last course, dessert, they brought out nine desserts for us to pass around the table. It was the perfect ending to our challenge.

Fitness Challenge || Weeks 3 & 4 Review

Even though I did not post a Week 3 Review, hopefully you saw what did happen in Week 3 here!

This has all been a really great experience and one that I would definitely recommend to anyone who is wanting to start a healthier lifestyle. It teaches you how to be more conscious about what you are putting into your body. Regardless of your weight loss, you feel better, your clothes fit better, and you hopefully will have a slew of new and healthier recipes that will hopefully take the place of some of your old ones.

With only one week left in our Family Fitness Challenge, there are still three of us that have full points,  with everyone else very close behind. I think it is safe to say that we have all won something with this challenge, even if it is feeling great about the changes that are made and will continue to be made.

Today is another "Snow" Day here in Texas. It is a whopping 32 degrees outside, and not snowing or sleeting or anything as of now. With all these days off of work, I have found more time to search for new recipes, and now that we are no longer cleansing, it is easier to find good ones that are still healthy. Here is one that I found, but then adapted a little for us last night. The best thing… lots of leftovers!

Turkey and Quinoa Enchilada Bake

Ingredients
-1 cup cooked qunioa
-1 package extra lean ground turkey
-1 green pepper, chopped
-1 onion, chopped (I like to use
  pre-chopped frozen onions because
  one of my least favorite things is
  chopping an onion)
-3 garlic cloves, minced
-2 (15oz) cans black beans, rinsed    
  and drained
-1 (16oz) salsa (I used black bean and
  corn)
-1 (15oz) can enchilada sauce
-1 (14.5oz) mexican stewed tomatoes
-1 teaspoon onion powder
-1 teaspoon garlic powder (or more)
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-8 corn tortillas (I used blue corn/flax
  seed tortillas, Artisan brand)
-2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
-1 avocado, diced or sliced

Preparation
-Cook quinoa according to package instructions. While quinoa is cooking, spray large saucepan with cooking spray. Cook turkey, green pepper, and onion over medium heat until turkey is browned. Add garlic, and cook for another minute. Depending on the meat you use, you may need to drain any grease. (If using extra lean turkey, you should not have this problem.) Then, stir in the black beans, salsa, enchilada sauce, stewed tomatoes, onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes. When qunioa is cooked, stir into the simmering meat sauce.
-Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9in. x 13in. baking dish with cooking spray. Pour about a third of the meat sauce into the baking dish and spread over the bottom. Top with half of your tortillas. Spread another third (half of the  remaining) of the meat sauce over the tortillas, and spread. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Top with remaining tortillas and then remaining meat sauce.
-Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese. Put back in the oven for about 10 more minutes or until you see the cheese bubbling on top. Serve topped with avocado (or sour cream if that is what you choose).

God is Good || Half Marathon

God bless MLK Day! This weekend was incredible and extremely full, and having today off just makes it all so much better. The women in our Sunday School class went on a retreat this weekend. It was such a wonderful time of sweet fellowship and time to "retreat". We had some great sessions and activities. One of the things we did while there was choose a word for the year that we wanted to focus on. After much prayer and thought about this time in my life, I came to the word, TRUST. Merriam-Webster defines the verb trust as "believing that someone or something is reliable, good, honest, effective; to place confidence in, to depend on or rely on, to have faith in". I want to focus on trusting God and his perfect plan for us which he has already laid out before us. I want to be able to give up control and let God do his work. Philippians 4:1-20 is my prayer. Yesterday, verses 6&7 were my prayer.

Have you ever accomplished something that you know full-well you did not accomplish with your own strength? I have--yesterday. About eight months ago, I signed up for the Aramco Houston Half Marathon, and I began training in July. I then stopped training in August--when school started. I was disappointed in myself, but I soon got over it because I knew I had already taken on too much. That said, I had come to the conclusion about mid-October that the 2014 half marathon would not happen for me, and to be honest, I was at peace with that. Fast forward two and a half months… some of you have read about our family fitness challenge, and that's where things began changing for me. It has been almost three weeks since the challenge began, and since the beginning, I have been running almost every day to get my daily work out. In order to receive a point for a work-out in the challenge if you are just going to run, it must be 3 miles, and that's what I did… almost every day. The farthest I ran was 3.5, and I'm pretty sure it was on accident. On January 9th, I sent my mom a text, "Would you maybe still want to run the half?" I was not with her when she received the text, but I can bet money she almost fell out of her chair, but I was 100% serious. Where did this confidence come from? The Lord. There is absolutely no other explanation. Fast forward again ten days…

Here we are (my mom and I) before embarking on this 13.1 mile run! The weather could not have been a bigger blessing! When we started, it was right at about 50 degrees. We both started in long sleeves (with plans to shed them at mile 3). I also started with ear-warmers, because my ears are very sensitive. Just waking up and getting downtown was an accomplishment. As odd as that sounds, it was for us. We were out there, doing it. With each step we took, we surprised ourselves. We hit mile 3 feeling really good, and then all of a sudden, we were at mile 6 feeling just as good.

My sweet dad and amazing husband were at each of the mile markers above cheering us on and encouraging us to keep going. Matt had a blast taking selfies at each of these mile markers, as well. He was such an encouragement. I told him it was even better than running with him, because I would look forward to seeing him at each of these places. My uncle picked us up at mile 3, and the three of us ran the entire way through mile 9. I was completely overwhelmed and blown away at that fact. But once leaving mile 9, I was hurting pretty bad--feeling the "not-training pain" in my legs and shins--so my uncle went on ahead of us.

That is where Philippians 4:6-7 came in. My prayer-warrior of a mom, truly an inspiration, started reciting these verses. It seemed like those last four miles all kind of blurred together. We could not believe we were at mile 12. And then at about 12.5, my uncle randomly appeared from behind us (after he had seen a friend and stopped), and the three of us got to finish together! We did it!! Praise the Lord! Although I would never recommend not training to anyone, I will say with confidence that with God's strength, there are so many things that we can accomplish. We truly can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.

To make it even sweeter, I got to trade in my old kicks (that have now been through two half marathons) for some much-needed and much cuter new ones! A gift from my parents for running yesterday. 

I wear a Fit-bit for those of you who know what one is. If not, it tracks my steps, mileage, sleep, calories (in and out), activity, etc. It connects wirelessly with an app on my phone, and before going to sleep last night, here are my results from the day… 

How crazy!

What can you accomplish with God's strength? 

Fitness Challenge || Week 2 Review

Two down, and three to go! …weeks, that is. It feels like this challenge has been going on forever, but it has only been 14 days. Oh well, I am feeling really great. I haven't been able to tell if that is a direct reflection of what I am putting into my body or if I am subconsciously feeling great because I know that everything I am putting into my body is super healthy. I may have just confused myself. Regardless, I haven't felt like I have been cleansing, which is the best way to cleanse. Amiright??

At this point in our challenge, we are able to add certain foods back into our diet. We are able to add small amounts of cheese and bread and other foods in moderation, but we actually have only had a little shredded cheese on one meal--Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers last night. I came to the realization that while I will eat bell peppers, I am definitely not in love with them. I was, however, in love with all the fixings inside of them. See the recipe here.

I also wanted to share two of my favorite recipes- one being my go-to green smoothie and the other, my favorite dinner recipe from this week.

Green Smoothie
-1 sliced banana (frozen)
-1/3 cup sliced strawberries (frozen)
-1/4 cup blueberries (frozen)
(I pre-package fresh fruit at the beginning of the week in freezer baggies.
That way, all I have to do is grab one from the freezer, and it is ready to go!)
-1 cup unsweetened almond milk
-1/4 cup vanilla greek yogurt
-1 tablespoon almond butter
(especially if I am drinking this as a meal- it helps me stay full)
-2 cups spinach leaves
(or however much it takes to fill the blender)

Asian Lettuce Wraps

1 cup quinoa (cook according to package--about 4 cups)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 (1.25 lb) package extra lean ground turkey

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1 bag broccoli slaw

1/2 can drained and chopped water chestnuts

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce (the healthiest you can find)

1 package edamame (cooked according to package)

lettuce leaves for serving

Cooking Instructions

Pour olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened. Add ground turkey, salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Cook until turkey is browned and cooked through. Once it is cooked, add broccoli slaw, water chestnuts and teriyaki sauce. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes. Add in cooked quinoa and edamame, and continue cooking for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low until ready to serve. Serve on lettuce leaves. (I had not added the quinoa when I first served my meal, but I quickly realized it would be even better mixed in with the other ingredients. Therefore, I did.)

Honestly, the hardest part of this week was being back at work. After full days of being on my feet teaching and then coaching and then after all the other extracurricular activities, and after cooking some "elaborate dinner", it is hard to be motivated to work out or run. Thankfully, hubs helps me out in that area. I never want to go run in the dark by myself, so he takes on the role of my protector/he makes me run faster. He's wonderful. Also, my dinners are really not elaborate.

I hope this update finds you in the middle of your own fitness challenge. I hope you are doing well and feeling great. I hope you are finding what motivates you. For now, I hope this motivates you…

"Be STRONG and COURAGEOUS. 

Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you;

He will never leave you or forsake you."

Deuteronomy 31:6

Fitness Challenge || Week 1 Review

Made it through the first week of our Family's Fitness Challenge! If you missed my original post about the rules of our Family's Fitness Challenge, you can see it here. If you do know the rules, here is an update on Week 1. If you are looking for meal ideas or snack ideas while trying to eat healthy, keep on reading, because I am going to share some of my favorites!

Breakfast
Matt does not usually eat breakfast, but I am one of those people who cannot function without it. Some ideas include:

-Egg whites or Whole egg to Egg white ratio of 1:2 (for women)

-Fruit

-Extra lean turkey bacon (or sausage)

-Fruit or green smoothie

-Oatmeal topped with berries (and agave nectar)

Snacks
Because each of your meals is supposed to be between 200-300 calories, you are allowed snacks between meals. A few of my go-to snacks include:

-Almonds (or other nut)

-Apples (or bananas) with a tablespoon of almond butter

-Green smoothies

-Any fruit or veggie as a snack is also great!

Lunch
I sometimes just treat lunch as another snack, so some of the above items are things I have been eating for lunch. When I have more time, or now that I am back to work, the plan is:

-Lots of leftovers

-Salad with protein (i.e. grilled chicken) and any fruits/veggies I have on hand

Dinner
Dinner has been our favorite so far. It has been fun experimenting with recipes that fit into our eating plan, yet are still super delicious. Here are some recipes I have found that we have really loved:

- Turkey Meatloaf Muffins and steamed veggies (top left)

- Chicken Thai Stir Fry (middle)

- Slow-Cooker Chicken, homemade sweet potato fries (not pictured)

- Chicken Fajita Bowl, and instead of tortillas, just mix with brown rice and black beans (bottom right)

- "Spaghetti" Squash w/ extra lean ground turkey & all natural tomato sauce w/out cheese (bottom middle)

Favorite Recipes This Week

All of the above recipes really were very delicious! My favorite (and it was not easy to choose at all) was probably the chicken fajita bowl. I really did not feel like I was on a diet at all when eating it. I was being weird at the grocery store and bought the already thinned chicken breasts (because they're cheaper), but I shouldn't have. The recipe will make a lot, and it makes great leftovers, so I wished I had used more chicken in the beginning to make the dish last a couple more days. Matt's favorite was the spaghetti squash. He was a little hesitant at first, but afterwards, admitted to it being his favorite meal so far on the challenge.

All of this to say, so far, so good. Not that I would say this is easy by any means, however, it is very nice to have other people keeping me accountable, especially the one I live with. After all, misery loves company, right? Just kidding, it really is not miserable… yet. 

Back to School on Monday

One of my goals for Week 1 of the Family Fitness Challenge was to run Avery at least three times as part of my daily work outs. Two times down, and she loved every minute of it (as did I).

We love days off!

Family Fitness Challenge

2014. A new year full of new possibilities. To begin this new year on the right foot, my dad has come up with a 5 week Family Fitness Challenge. Each week, you get points for various things that we have decided "healthy/successful" people might/should do. Here's how it works:

• You must set three goals on or before Day 1 of the current week. If all three goals are completed by the end of the week (and signed off on by a witness or spouse), then three points are awarded. There is no partial credit. (For example, achieving one of the three goals does not give you one point.)
• Each day, there are four things you can do to receive one point for each: 
• Eat healthy. There are parameters for this one that are outlined in our Challenge Manuals. (Yes, we have those and yes, they are bound. Thanks to our Dad "Challenge Coordinator.") 
• Work Out. A "work out" constitutes as 50 minutes of exercise that includes 20 minutes of cardio. Because we are a family of runners, a 3 mile run outside also constitutes as a "work out."
• Getting at least 7 hours of sleep. This is pretty self-explanatory. This is what we decided a healthy/successful person should be getting every night.
• At least 15 minutes of personal Bible Study or time in prayer. This does not include a small group or prayer at meals. This is a quiet time set aside for God and you.
• A random act of kindness at some point throughout the week will earn you three points. (Even if you do more than one, only one act will count toward your points.)
• Attending Sunday church will also earn you three points.

This challenge is not necessarily "results-based," however I believe each of us will see results at the end of the 5 weeks. There are a maximum of 37 available points each week, but you can only max out at 33, so if you only want to work out 4 days a week, but you do everything else, you still can achieve maximum points for the week. Or, if you are not able to get 7 hours of sleep each night, you have a little wiggle-room there. Reading one book throughout the challenge also gives you 15 points that are added in at the end of the challenge for a total possible points of 180. The contest is simple, really--the one with the most points at the end of the 5 weeks is the winner. In the event of a tie, Dad the "Challenge Coordinator" will decide the winner based upon the quality of personal goals and the random acts of kindness. So, who's ready to begin?

On top of (and to help with) the Family Fitness Challenge, a few of us have decided to start another healthy-eating challenge with various supplements and meal plans. It is a comprehensive supplement and nutrition program. We will be eating about 5 times a day, with each meal falling between 200-300 calories.

What are we cutting out?

Fried foods, processed foods, white flour, white breads, dairy, mushrooms, sugar, candy, syrups, honey, creamy sauces, high-calorie salad dressings, sodas, alcohol, deli meats, and mayonnaise

So what in the world can you eat?

Protein (eggs, chicken, turkey, fish)
Fruits (berries, apples, kiwi, mango, etc.)
Veggies (spinach, romaine, kale, asparagus, sweet potatoes, broccoli, edamame, celery, etc.)
Healthy fats (avocado, nut butter, nuts or seeds)

2014 is going to be a great year. 

Did you make any resolutions?

Good luck and happy 2014!

One Year in One Post

DISCLAIMER: I want to start off by apologizing for the length of this post.

This weekend signifies our One Year Anniversary as Mr. & Mrs. (the paper anniversary), so I guess we will be getting each other Hallmark cards... and plane tickets! We are going to Sonoma! That will end up on a later post since it will be after school is out for me. For now, we are just going to sit back, relax, and reminisce on our last year together as husband and wife. On April 28th of 2012, we were married at the same altar my own parents said "I do" thirty years ago. It was the most amazing day of my life, and I love getting to relive it with pictures from that day that make me feel like we are getting married all over again. (Thanks to the one and only Kelly Hornberger Photography) I don't really want to get all gushy on the world wide web--I can save that for the Hallmark card. So, instead, here goes some highlights from our first year as "The Bormanns" in pictures...

APRIL 28th: Starting from the beginning, our wedding. I got to dance the night away with my handsome groom, and we were sent off by all of our family and close friends! Thank you again to all of our incredible vendors!

APRIL 29th-May 5: We traveled to Kauai, Hawaii for our honeymoon! We enjoyed every minute of it and called ourselves "The Honeymooners." The first picture was before we took a tour of the Kauai island from a helicopter (with no doors) and the second picture is from the Smith's Family Luau. We cannot wait to go back one day.

May-July: My parents bought a bayhouse, and we all spent many many days over the summer down at the bay. Matt caught the very first fish out of everyone--hopefully, there will continue to be many more catches! 

July-September: Our sweet girl, Avery, went to training camp a puppy and came back a wonderfully trained dog. Even though she was gone for a long time, it was well worth it, and she had a blast. We called it "Summer Camp".

 

October 5th-7th: We went to Palm Springs, California with my parents and grandparents to play golf and enjoy resort-life. This was our first married vacation after the honeymoon. Let's just say that we looked better than we played. :)

October-November: Many, many Texas A&M University tailgates and Corps of Cadets march-ins. Gig'em! 

November 21st-24th: We spent our first Thanksgiving in Dallas with Matt's amazing family. We started the morning off by running in the Turkey Trot in Downtown Dallas, and then his grandmother hosted all of us at her house Thanksgiving Day.

December 15th: I graduated from Texas A&M University! (finally) I walked across the stage, received my diploma, and then we celebrated. Along with Matt's and my immediate families (including my wonderful parents), both sets of my grandparents were there (man, how I love getting to say that.) It was such a special day.

December (Christmas): Our first Christmas together as a family. We spent part of our Christmas break in Gruene, Texas with Matt's family. We participated in the "Annual Bormann Bowling Party," but unfortunately did not come home with the trophy this year. We came back home for Christmas dinner with my family.

December 31st: I planned my first wedding. What? Yes. Well, kind of. My cousin got married on New Years Eve, and she and my aunt had planned most of it, and then I came in and helped with the "week-of" planning and bossed people around the "day-of" :) Okay, not really "bossed" but you get the idea. It was so fun--something I hope to get into more a little later in life.. or now. We'll see.

  

January 8th: Start my first day of my career as a middle school teacher. I teach the most hilarious and quirky little 7th graders. The subject I teach is science, but I hope and pray every day that they are learning more than just science from me. 

January 13th: After 6 months of training, the Mr. completed his very first marathon! We ran in the Chevron Houston Marathon (Mr.) and the Aramco Houston Half Marathon (Mrs.) This was definitely a huge accomplishment. I am still so proud of him for running 26.2 miles! Awesome!

February-March: The Mr. and I both joined Houston Rodeo committees back in October--the Mr. on the Calf Scramble committee, and I joined the Mutton Bustin' committee. We had a blast working our shifts in the 2013 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. We also met some new friends this year in our Newlyweds or Close class at church and got to take them to the rodeo for the first time. 

March (Easter): We went to the bay for the first part of our Easter break with my grandparents and parents. Easter morning, we were back home and got to go to the early service at church and then had a delicious Easter lunch with family at home. He is risen indeed! 

 April 12th: Another Aggie in the family got his Aggie Ring! We spent the day in College Station, Texas to celebrate with Matt's brother, Sam, who got his Aggie Ring!

April 19th: We celebrated the 60th Wedding Anniversary of my grandparents. What an incredible example they have set for the rest of us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus in every part of our marriage.

And here we are. One year later. A pretty awesome accomplishment. It's not 60 (yet), but we are on our way. Thank you to my husband for being my better half and best friend. I have loved going through life together this past year, and I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for us. I know it will be great things. I love you!