is that sweat? 3 weeks postpartum

why yes!  that IS sweat.  today...was a great day. not just cause it's friday either! it was great cause i started my day super-duper early this morning in the what?

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GYYYM!

i'm back baby!!!! i'm home. kinda. i miss the smell, the energy,  the whirring of the machines...  is that weird!?   the same smell that used to make my stomach turn when i was training for my bikini comp, go figure. and i definitely miss my gym buddies and instructor friends!  i said 'kinda' cause i only came to walk, which is still the only thing i've been doing until i'm cleared to hit those weights again.  that's next though! i haven't gotten up at the crack of dawn to workout since i took my hiatus from teaching my Lifetime classes at the end of May.  i had my headphones blasting and arms swinging as i power walked to the beat. before i knew it, my hour was up! pure, sweaty, bliss.

Odego is sleeping a lil' longer these days (prolly 3-4 hour stretches if that) so this morning i had a small window of opportunity that i ran and jumped straight through.  praying for more mornings like that! else it's back to my evening neighborhood walks or whenever i can get them in.

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i felt like i had the entire day ahead of me to get stuff DONE.  i've been losing track of what day it even is while trying to get a routine going with the kiddos, and today's workout made me energized, refreshed, focused, and most important, MOTIVATED!!! you see i even got this blog post up :D

i'm eating around 1900 cals a day currently, and this morning's balanced brekky consisted of scrambled egg whites with homemade guacamole (i only had a fresh lime instead of lemon and it worked just as well, yum), low fat turkey sausage, a nectarine, and some whole wheat toast with a tbsp of dark chocolate dreams peanut butter.  for your own customized meal plan, email me at leah.egwuatu@6packusa.com.

i marinated some chicken breasts in homemade honey mustard (equal parts dijon mustard and agave nectar and yes you can you honey) and a little sea salt and black pepper to taste.  i grilled them up on my grill pan and smoked up the 1st floor of the house real good.  all you need is a HOT grill pan sprayed with no stick cooking spray, cook the breasts for 8 minutes on each side (depending on size), then cover the meat with foil and let them rest for 5-10 minutes.  here are a few of my grilled chicken lunch/dinner plates from this week:

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,..paired with plantains pan-fried in coconut oil, a fresh spinach, tomato, pecan, jicama salad, Annie's  all natural Artichoke Parmesan dressing on the side (i could turn the entire bottle UP it's so good) and my prenatal vitamin...

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..paired with sautéed spinach and mushrooms, a summer corn, tomato, cilantro & mozzarella salad with honey mustard on the side..

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..a ginormous spinach salad topped with pecans, strawberries, blueberries, jicama, green onion, and feta cheese crumbles.. this was actually my first time ever buying jicama and it won't be my last!

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3 weeks postpartum now and my sweet tooth is still RAAAAGING, so i've been trying to stick to natural sugars as often as possible.  the cravings are SO strong though and all i want to do is eat chocolate and chips all day.  so i've been having fresh fruit with a little sugar-free cool whip and cinnamon for dessert most nights. super yummy and a better option than the Marble Slab i will go HAM on. also, the peeps over at Squarebars so graciously sent me some samples of their organic protein bars to try. omg. can you say right on time!? they are D-freakin-licious!!

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no refined sugars, no GMOs, soy-free, gluten-free,  low glycemic, vegan, and 12g of protein. i'm feelin'em, and their nutritional stats aren't too shabby!

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newborn life lol! have a fun friday evening!

le

it's hottt

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why? two words: THE SUN.

nothing drains me more these days and it's not like i'm out jogging in it either! just walking up to the store and/or driving around in my truck (even with the air cranked to the max) still makes me crazy tired more so than any of my gym workouts. which is why i'm glad this little guy will be outta here before the texas heat really shows out. God bless and be with you preggo mama's this summer (wherever you are)! i mean that sincerely. be safe, stay hydrated, and stay indoors.

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the weekend was rather warm too, so Chiso and i jumped at the chance to hit the pool with my sis, Michelle,  and her daughter, cousin Livvy.  time for swimming lessons for these two.  we did a family maternity shoot last month and i totally want to do a look in my bikini now! i enjoyed wearing it and sporting my bump.  most likely Sonny will have to be the camera man for that though, lol.

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something about the pool makes me want chips, hot dogs, burgers, and ICE CREAM! thanks, Sonic.

remember that summer stir fry i made? i finally got some shrimp from HEB and made it again.  this time i added red bell pepper and yellow squash too since they were on sale.  and yall know the more color in your meals, the better.

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i have still been eating the heck out of nectarines these past few days. i can't get enough of them! plus the longer they sit in the fridge the softer they become. so i must eat them while they are still crisp. all of them.

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was sad to finish the last of this stir fry today for lunch but it'll be back soon.

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Q: do i ever feel my bump is too small?

A: during my first pregnancy? yeah. this time around? nah. when people ask me (especially at the gym) how far along i am these days, 'almost 10 months' is the last thing they expect to hear.  their faces say it all, and 'you're so tiny!!!' is usually soon to follow.  then the women reflect back on their own journeys and express how ginormous they were compared to me before delivering, and the men usually tell me the same about their wives, sisters, friends, etc!! never, ever gets old.  i welcome the questions (yes, the same ones over and over ;) ) and LOVE to discuss my journey with anyone willing to listen!   i enjoy hearing all about other women's preggo stories by the same token as they are all unique.  anyway, that darn, 'every woman is different' statement refers to, well, everything, including bump size. the 'right' size doesn't exist. also: bump size is not an indicator of your baby's weight.  mom's height, weight, activity level, the way baby is positioned, how much fluid present, etc, etc, etc...... so.many.factors.  so don't compare bumps.  especially if you trust your OB and he/she assures you that you and baby are on track every check-up, just as mine has!  done deal ^^'.

Q: what's your biggest pregnancy pet peeve? vent below!

le

rainbowls

nectarines are on sale!!! so you know what that means.... Summer time is near.  i watch for that price drop every Spring and it's finally time.  they are my fave fruit but my love for them is conditional... i will only eat them when they are solid and crispy like apples.  after a certain point ( peach consistency ) i can't do it!

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Sprouts Farmers Market had a gigantic fruit sale (as always) so i got a few different kinds and made this bomb salad topped with fresh mint for us to snack on for the next few days.

20140604_200552_1there are strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, pineapple, and of course, nectarines up in there.

our television STAYS on the Sprout channel but i actually got to catch an ep of The Pioneer Woman this week.  she made this 10 min shrimp stir fry that looked so easy and so tasty i got up and went to make it immediately!  i used chicken instead of shrimp,

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fresh zucchini, grape tomatoes, grilled corn, fresh cilantro, garlic, and my last lemon. i didn't even measure yall, but here are the steps for what i did:

  1. cut chicken breasts into bite sized chunks
  2. saute extra virgin olive oil with about 2 tbsp butter on med-high heat in a very large wok or cast iron skillet.
  3. add in minced garlic and stir til translucent.
  4. add chicken chunks and cook just until done (i added lemon pepper seasoning to them).
  5. remove proteins from skillet; add chopped zucchini and let cook for 2 minutes. push them to the corner of your wok.
  6. add corn and cook 1 minute. push to corner of wok.
  7. add grape tomatoes last; cook for 1 minute.
  8. add chicken, fresh herbs , and squeeze your lemon into wok with veggies; combine.
  9. shut off heat and let sit for about 10 minutes or so before serving.

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will be making this again and again with different proteins no doubt. the more color on your plate, the BETTER! rainbowls rule.

read below, but do it in reverse :) have an awesome Friday nite.

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le