Lately I have had some of my friends ask me about my secret to loosing all my pregnancy weight. So how did I do it? How did I loose all 35lbs of my pregnancy weight? Well first let me give you a little background of myself before I got pregnant.
Three years ago I moved to Florida to pursue my career. I was unhealthy, I drank, I ate whatever I want, partied till the light of day, and was in the worse shape of my life. Moving to Florida gave me a wake up call, and I decided to pursue a healthier lifestyle. I gave up drinking, eating out, and even entered myself in a bodybuilding competition. I was probably the fittest I had ever been in my life.
Like most mom’s I want the best for my child, especially when it comes to what I am feeding him. I’m a big advocate in making baby food, not only because of the health benefits with less preservatives, but also because you save tons of money by doing so. An individual container of baby food cost at least $1.50. If you feed your baby 3 times a day for a whole month it would cost you roughly $126. But making your own baby food would save you at least $100 a month. Below I will show you how I make baby food in bulk for the week, using the products below. Consult your pediatrician to make sure your child is ready for whole foods. We started when Jayden was 4 months after getting the ok from our doctor.
Ingredients:
I am a big fan of frozen veggies and fruits. They have a great selection of ready to steam veggies from peas, to broccoli, to mix blends that make great baby food. I like to blend veggies and fruit together for taste. Apples and bananas are easy fruits to blend and works well with veggies. It’s honestly personal preference and what your baby likes. Usually for every bag of veggies I mix two apples.
Directions:
1. Set out bag of veggies and let it thaw out.
2. Once thawed out blend veggies and fruit separately (I use a Nutribullet for all my blending needs)
3. Combine in large tupperware
The smaller tupperware is how I measure out how much to prepare for each meal. I fill 75mml of blended baby food and warm up in microwave or bottle warmer. I mix the food with a scoop of formula and two spoonful of rice cereal for a thicker consistency. The rice cereal is optional, but I like it because it is filling . One bag of veggies usually last him a week.
So for all you Mom’s who want to save money, save time, and give your baby the best, try it out, and let me know what you think! And if you love this simple and easy tip share it with a friend!
This month I partnered up with DesignR to promote a positive self image and encourage a happy healthy lifestyle with clothing made for the active style conscious woman on the go. Their motto “Embrace the Turtle”, and “Be comfortable in your own shell,” really speaks to the idea that getting fit is not a race. Everyone’s journey is different, and fitness looks different on everyone. It is not a quick fix. It doesn’t happen over night. It is a every day choice to be healthy and happy and loving yourself every step of the way. Fitness is a way of life.
There are so many benefits to making fitness a priority in your life, not only physically, but mentally and spiritually as well. As a wife and mother, here are my top 5 reasons why I make fitness a part of my life:
1. It lowers my stress levels. As Ell Woods put it, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands.” I know my husband can appreciate this lol.
2. It is something I do for myself. After a long busy day of working and taking care of my family, it’s nice to take 30 minutes for myself to workout. It gives me time to myself where I can wind down and do something to improve myself.
3. It pushes me mentally to be stronger. There are many times where my body wants to give up, but my mental strength has pushed my body where I never thought it could.
4. It strengthens my faith. When all else fails and I feel like giving up, my faith has been the number one factor to keep me going. Believing in something greater than myself has helped me in my fitness journey.
5. And last but not least it gives me confidence in myself. All the factors above contribute to added confidence in my life. I can look in the mirror and know I can make a difference. I have all the right tools God gave me to improve myself daily.
A healthy lifestyle is a happy lifestyle. And fitness has helped me become a better person, a better wife, and a better mother.
Don’t forget to check out the details of my outfit below, and make sure to stop by DesignR and checkout all their cute and comfy active wear!
My Goof ball hubby photo bombing my photo shoot, and Yes we are coordinating lol!
This past weekend we went to zoo for the first time with our little one. Unfortunately we got rained out before we got to see the new gorilla exhibit. I love my outfit I wore to the zoo. I bought this straw hat to keep the sun from my face. It’s a perfect summer hat for all your summer activities. It coordinates with everything. My top is a fun floral sheer, off the shoulder, crop top paired with my favorite BKE Mollie shorts, and gladiator sandals from my previous
have these shorts in 3 other different colors because they are a great alternative to denim shorts. My bag is my newest purchase. I love it because its nautical stripes are perfect for the summer, and it’s also big enough to double as a diaper bag for our trip. My husband decided to make a guest appearance in this blog. He is such a goofball. Check out his amazing hybrid shorts. Even though we had to run in the rain and were all soaked and wet, by the time we got home his shorts we already dry! How awesome is that land/water technology! Perfect for golfing or going to the beach! His and her outfit details are below.
I know some of you are wondering how I lost the baby weight so fast, and honestly I can credit a majority of it to my “Mom Diet.” So what is the “Mom Diet”? I know I’ve mentioned it a couple times in my previous post so I wanted to explain it you. I never knew about it until I became a mom. It’s an exclusive diet only mothers would know about, and only mothers can relate to.
I remember the first week I was home with my baby I was exclusively breast feeding. It was one of the hardest and yet most rewarding thing I had ever done. But it was also one of the factors that contributed to my “mom diet”. They say when you breast feed you will loose your post baby weight faster. I did’t realize why until now. I remember every 3 hours breast feeding my baby with no breaks in between. I felt like a cow at a certain point because it was literally all I did for days. I rarely got any sleep, and nor did I have time to eat. I was too tired and too stressed to even think about eating. All I could think about was my baby eating and being happy. My nutrition was no longer a priority in my life.
I decided being a stay at home mom was not giving me the life balance I wanted. I needed to make myself a priority as well so I decided to go back to work part time where I could continue to pursue my passions yet be able to be there for Jayden. I was really thankful to work for a company that allowed me to make my schedule and prioritize my family first.
After I started supplementing with formula and started to work part time my diet improved. I ate better at work, where I had a designated break time to enjoy my meals with no interruption. It was one of the perks of going to work. But at home the only consistent thing I was eating was my protein shake and protein peanut butter cups, still not enough nutrients or calories to keep and build my muscle. I had lost all 35lbs of my baby weight in less than 4 months. With the “Mom diet” I was loosing weight the unhealthy way. It wasn’t fat I was loosing but muscles.
Currently right now, I am no longer breast feeding. I still have days where I am so exhausted from staying up all night with the baby that I forget to eat all day. I never thought I would ever have a problem with eating, but it has become more of an after thought than a daily routine some days. My mindset has changed when it comes to eating. I have to remind myself daily my nutrition is important. It is hard for me when all I can think about is my baby, but I know in the long run I have to prioritize my health for me to be the best mom I can be. My friend recommended me to check out a website talking about in a healthy way. After having a read, I realized just how important it was for me to get my diet and nutrition back on track before I end up making myself ill!
The “Mom Diet” is not as glamorous as it may seem, and I would not condone it for any mother. Ask for help, take time for yourself, and know you are enough. Don’t feel guilty for wanting to make your health a priority. Don’t feel guilty if you take ten minutes to eat while your baby entertains himself. Yes he might cry for a bit because he just wants to be held, but he will understand eventually. Don’t feel bad if you can’t juggle it all by yourself. It takes a village to raise a child. Being a mom is a selfless job, and we would give more than an arm and a leg just to make our children happy. But if we don’t put or health first, we will end up just giving bones. We are more than just a mom, we are someone’s daughter, wife, sister, friend, coworker, ect. If we want to be the best mother we can be then we have to make ourselves a priority. Our health matters for our children’s sake. I know this is a common sentiment as well, I have a friend who regularly goes to the gym and she says it really helps her keep fit enough to keep up with her children.
<3 Dawn
P.S. Capturing my little man and his little attitude. He did not want mommy to put him down at all this day.
This weekend for my first Mother’s Day my husband took us out to the city for the day. We went to this cozy hole in the wall restaurant called Roost in Montrose to try their famous fried cauliflower and donut holes. It was amazing and I highly recommend anyone who wants to try something new. I loved their unpretentious feel and diverse menu inspired by local availability of farm fresh ingredients. After dinner my husband and I went to a local park downtown to take family pictures. I can’t believe my little man is trying to walk already. Love some of the candid pictures my hubby took of us. I know I will cherish these memories forever.
Below is a more detailed look of my outfit. Can you believe my dress and heels are less than $15! It’s a steal for a momma on a budget. I posted links below where you can purchase the items.
Hey guys I wanted to share my first ever “Mommy and Me” workout video with ya’ll. This is a fun little video we did outside showing a couple of exercises you can do with with your baby. Jayden loves working out with me. He is at the stage where he is curious about everything and wants to be a part of everything mommy does. Not only is it a great bonding activity with the baby, but it actually helps him sleep through the night. Try it out and let me know what ya’ll think!
3 sets, 1 minute each exercise followed with 1 minute jumping jacks and 1 minute burpees.
This weekend we embarked on our first family vacation to see the Opening Day of the Texas Rangers. Not only was it Jayden’s first baseball game but it was his Uncle Jeff’s first Opening Day as the Manager of the Texas Rangers. Jayden finally got to meet some of his family near and far who came to support Jeff Banister on his big day. It was a wonderful family reunion, and our little man did great on his first vacation. I couldn’t help but snap shot all of Jayden’s cute baseball outfits he wore to the game, gifted to him by his wonderful family. He enjoyed every moment of it, getting smothered with kisses and spoiled with love. He even walked away with a souvenir Lego action figure of his Uncle from his Honey Do. How cool is that? I know he will appreciate it when he gets older. Baseball runs in his blood and there was no better way to get introduced to the game than getting to share such a proud moment with family.
Spring training has begun and guess who’s ready for baseball season to start? Our little man who is not so little anymore. He has gained 5 lbs since birth and is now 22 1/4 inches long. I love his little crochet baseball outfit his Aunt Hayley got him for his shoot. His daddy is very proud to know his son is following in his footsteps.
At two months Jayden loves to baby talk and blow bubbles. One of my favorite thing he does is give open mouth kisses. He loves to give his mommy kisses! He is more vocally expressive with his wants and need and has become more independent now that his eyesight has developed. It has made it easier for me and my husband to do things around the house with him in his rocker or in his baby carrier without getting fussy. He still hasn’t slept through the night but is occasionally sleeping 4 to 5 hour stretches at night. This past month has been easier for us as parents now that we are more knowledgable and comfortable of what we are doing. Since he has gotten his shots I am excited to finally take him out. My husband and I were a little bit paranoid with all this news of non vaccinated kids and the flu going around we wouldn’t even take him to the grocery store. We still worry and freak out about the little things but we are lucky to have tons of help from our family. We are very thankful and blessed to have such a wonderful little boy, and we can’t wait to see what the next month holds.
My little stud muffin.
Can’t get enough of those chubby cheeks.
Always such a happy baby.
<3 Dawn
P.S. Can you believe how much he has changed in a month? Check out his one month photos here.
Maternity Fashion Tips: Saving Money by Turning Everyday Fashion into Maternity Fashion
One thing I’ve learned working in the fashion retail industry while being pregnant is how to be fashion savvy without having to sacrifice comfort or money on maternity clothes that you will only wear a couple of months. Here are six everyday fashion must haves every woman needs to have in their closet that will help them get through their pregnancy without investing in maternity wear.
1. Thanksgiving Jeans – Invest in jeans a size too big that you can grow into, whether you want to be comfortable having a real baby or a food baby. When I found out I was pregnant I bought a pair of light and dark low rise Daytrip skinny from Buckle, and a pair of Flying Monkey Boyfriend Jeans. They were less than $60 and I wore them through my whole pregnancy and are still some of my favorite comfy jeans to lounge around or run errands in post pregnancy. Another great tip to grow in your jeans through your pregnancy is using the hair tie jeans trick to hold them up.
2.Casual Pants – versatile, fun, comfy, and fashionable. There are so many styles out there you can dress it up or dress it down for whatever occasion. In the picture below I was a little daring at 17 weeks showing off my bump in a crop top and aztec printed pants from the Buckle.
3.Flowy tops – Invest in tops that are longer and non form fitting. Not only can you grow in these tops, but they are great to pair up with skinny jeans or leggings as well, which brings us to our next must have.
4. Leggings – Every girl has leggings, and now they come in all different prints and patterns you can really have fun with them. Casual or dressy they will become your best friend in your last trimester. Below are black leggings I bought at Victoria Secret to wear to the gym before I was pregnant. They actually looked really cute dressed up with my flowy BKE Red top and Just Fab boots.
5.Dresses – They are the best when showing off that baby bump. They were also great in hiding my swollen cankles during my last few weeks of my pregnancy when the only shoes my big swollen feet could fit in were slippers and flip flops.
6. Extra Long tank tops – Last but not least extra long tank tops. They are the best layering piece under all those shirts that maybe too little but you are still determined to wear so you can show off your bump. By my third trimester I refused to buy any new clothes. I had only a couple weeks left and I was going to make my tops fit, hence my awesome fashion statement below. Like I said there’s nothing extra long tank tops can’t help. 😉
So remember ladies, save your money, and invest in fashion pieces that you can wear before, during, and after your pregnancy. With these 6 key pieces in your wardrobe, you may never have to spend a dime on maternity clothes.
Woot! Woot! What a milestone! Our little man is one month and we survived as parents. I can’t believe how much he has grown! Packed on almost 3 lbs since his birthday. This boy loves to eat, fart, and make funny faces. He is advanced in his motor skills, kicking, grabbing, and holding his head up. It was a crazy whirlwind of a month with many challenges, but in the end we couldn’t be more thankful for our healthy growing boy.
One of the challenges I had as a breast feeding mother was keeping up with his appetite during his growth spurts. By his second week we were supplementing with formula in addition to my breast milk. The restless nights, 24/7 eating periods were both physically and emotionally exhausting for me. I don’t think I could have kept it together without all the help from our family, both of our mothers, and my wonderful husband. He saw me at my worse, barely surviving on two hours of sleep, no shower in days, walking around in stained spit up and breast milk leaked clothes, but always managed to make my days better when he came home. Just watching him be such a good father to our son made me fall in love with him over and over again.
Here are some pictures we took of him for his first month. I used my new photo editing software Adobe Photoshop my husband got me, and for the first time using it I was pretty impressed at how user friendly it was. I definitely have much to learn as a beginner photographer, but I am pleased with the results. Can’t wait to watch this little man grow!
C
