my #StartFreshii Juice. Cleanse. Energize. experience!

the results from my 1 day #StartFreshii juice cleanse are in: i survived, woo hoo!  in all honesty, it wasn't that bad.  i'm definitely saying that cause it was only 1 day though, haaaa. when those hunger pangs kicked in i was totally transported back in time to my 1st bikini competition prep. good times, lol! mix that in with a couple "come on, Leah..just a few more hours. you can do this. focus." moments and that was my day in a nutshell.  i explained on Periscope (are you following me yet? have you checked out the app? leave your ID below so i can look you up!) that i'm breastfeeding and can't afford to go longer than one day to keep from putting a big dent in my milk production (gotta keep those calories up!).  plus, i'm a group fitness instructor and although light exercise (yoga, walking, stretching)  is ok when detoxing, strenuous activity is not recommended.  bummer.  anyway, i've gotten the 'do you juice? do you detox?' questions over the years and can finally say, 'Yes! i've done one!' however, i have always turned them down in the past because:

• fearful of feeling way too hungry (and crappy) to deal
• i prefer eating calories over drinking them
• cannot be sustained long-term
• prohibited strenuous exercise (booooo.)
• generally low in protein

what i do believe they are great for:

• complete system reset
• rid body of toxins and excess waste
• improved complexion, hair & skin (clean eating cleared my skin up completely by the way...no more Proactive!)
• promotes/jump starts healthy lifestyle changes
• increased mental clarity, energy, stamina
• a healthier, nourished colon

when the #StartFreshii Challenge was presented to me, i finally decided to take the plunge! i love Freshii cause they offer a variety of healthy, nutritious, fast-food items for people on the go. i just wish they had a drive through! the decor is fun, bright, and contemporary, and kid friendly items make this the perfect healthy family eatery.

again i did the 1 day, but if you decide to give this a whirl yourself, you've got 3 or 5 day options too.  pick the one that best suits your lifestyle and schedule for best results.

i ordered some oatmeal for the boy's breakfast.

adorable presentation! and i am thrilled they both love oats so much.

  my eyes!! i was LOVING all that beautiful, healthy color! the smoothies were labeled and to be consumed in a certain order every 2.5-3 hrs;  the detoxifying Metaboost salad was to be eaten at the end of my day.

1. Green Energy - apple, cucumber, kale, lemon, carrot, romaine, spinach (my fave!)
2. Carrot Zinger - carrot, apple, ginger
3. Mighty Detox - pineapple, cucumber, celery, apple, ginger
4. Red Power - beet, carrot, lemon, ginger (2nd fave!)
5. Metaboost Salad - field greens, spinach, kale, carrots, mango, edamame, almonds, goat cheese, balsamic vinaigrette

staying busy between meals was going to be key in getting me through this! we explored the city a little before running errands.

one of the calming fountains at a small, contemporary park just down the street.

the sun was out but thankfully there was still a nice breeze at 10am! so Chiso got to run around and play a bit as i finished up juice #1.  i sipped all of them suuuuuuuper slow.

Q: what is THE very first thing that pops into your mind when you read that question? comment below.

A: before i die...i want to live out and fulfill His purpose for my life. that's #1. i will remember and cherish these days forever!!! so grateful to be able to do what i love with the people i love.

after that, errand time.  running around in the Texas heat and jumping in and out of the car with kids is a workout in itself. whew.

i said all that to say that at 2pm, i cracked.

lol! keeping it real! i'm used to eating over 2k cals a day so i was really going through it at that point.

i just hope there was nobody sitting in their car watching me tear this salad UP. wasn't it pretty though?

 after that, i felt like i could actually finish this thing strong.

3rd juice done with one left to go as we finally headed home.  you're supposed to drink 8-10 glasses of water in between 'meals' when doing a cleanse as well. i did my best.

by 6pm? DONE. finished a lil early, haha.  the Freshii cleanse pamphlet did suggest that if hunger overtakes you, increase your water intake, drink a herbal tea, or reach for raw or lightly cooked fruits and vegetables.  that said, i had grape tomatoes and half a cucumber before finally getting in bed around 10pm.  the next morning i felt lighter, and my mid section's skin was noticeably tighter.  that's what cutting out refined sugars does for me though, immediately. my tummy and waist are the first to respond when i tweak my nutrition.

takeaways:

• this was a mental battle more than anything! once i woke up the next morning with no pressure to stick to the cleanse, i wanted to keep going. go figure.
• not having to chew overall made it feel like i had not eaten a thing = hoogry
• great for resetting/restarting your system.  i am now motivated to keep my refined sugar intake low and my raw fruit/veggies intake high. this is when i feel and look my best.
• not great as a lifestyle (possibly once a week at best) or for fat loss.  the diet is already low in protein and calories and the body goes into starvation mode after a while which conflicts with the fat burning process.
• unless you have your own juicer at home and get a great, cheap deal on produce, juicing can get rather expensive.
• we CAN do anything we put our minds to

fyi! many times the media choses to focus on the short-terms results produced by these cleanses.  know that your results won't last if you don't make it a point to move more and maintain and healthy, low-no processed diet.

i highly recommend you accept the #StartFreshii juice cleanse challenge! all 4 juices are delish and refreshing but my fave was definitly #1. tell me about your cleanse/detox experience below.

le

Dego's mini 1st birthday party + Applegate Grilling Kit -- who wants one!?

you know that symbol when you see it.

it means you are in the vicinity of some healthy, organic, and all natural goodness!

thanks to Applegate we enjoyed these healthy hot dogs for Dego's first birthday lunch.  i had zero faith Chiso (the 4 yr old picky eater)  would even take a bite of anything in that box but boy did he surprise us!

my lil' helper was so excited to unpack the goodies.

what's in there? only the best of the best components needed to build a BOMB, healthy hot dog:

• Sir Kensington's all natural yellow mustard & classic ketchup
• 
• Applegate all natural, grass-fed, uncured beef hot dogs
• 
• Vermont Bread Company Potato Hot Dog Buns
• 
• napkins
• meat thermometer
• cooler
• 'you grill girl' apron
• 
• oven mit
• the cutest Apple gate buttons <3

it rained cats & dogs outside that afternoon so my grill pan was perfect.

yeah.... i don't think i'll ever be boiling our hot dogs in water ever again.  soooo much more flava this way.

stats per dog: 70 cals, 6g fat, 6g protein, 330mg sodium

ingredients: beef, water, and less than 2% of sea salt, paprika, dehydrated onion, spices (black pepper, coriander, mace, nutmeg), nutmeg oil, and celery powder. all recognizable stuff, right!

do you toast your buns? YOU GOTTA TOAST YOUR BUNS. spending just a little extra time on the minor details really makes an ordinary meal extraordinary!  i added a little Earth Balance Buttery Spread before toasting.

per Chiso's request, we had an indoor picnic in the middle of the living room floor.

i walked out to the front porch to snag some thunderstorm lighting before we started though.

 

2% colby jack cheese, green onions, mustard, ketchup went on top of my dog!

so, Chiso ate 2 dogs all by himself! it's like pulling teeth to get him to taste ANYTHING new... so this was big.

next, CAKE!  on the way home from the gym that morning i stopped by Whole Foods Market to pick up a mini cake for Dego and ended up with two! did Dego like it? check out our birthday song video below and see ;)

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happy 1st birthday, big boy! this day was Dego's actual birthday, but we had another small, family party that following saturday. so, who wants their very own Applegate grilling kit while the summer is in full swing!?

COMMENT & SHARE this post below and enter the drawing by answering the following question:

Q: WHERE is/was your dream family vacation?

i'll be picking a random winner this friday, July 10th. go!

le

Spaghetti Squash Chaos

my big bro met me at the gym for a workout yesterday! i missed my early gym date (again) and definitely needed to go get it in. i did one of my 6 Pack USA leg day routines and ended it with a burnout lunge-a-thon via the smith machine.

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25 lb plates on each side + 100 reps on each leg = #DONE

afterwards, i went to pick up my kiddos and this little guy was super soaked!  this was the perfect #MomIsHere moment cause i was right on time for diaper duty! have you heard about this contest going on RIGHT NOW via @Sproutchannel!?   moms, go check it out and snap some pics of you and your little one(s) for the chance to win free stuff!  it's that simple.

for the next 30 days, tag your Instagram usies #MomIsHere and #NoFilter30 to be eligible! so much LOVE flowing through those hashtags <3

on to our dinna later that evening! it's funny how when we get home everybody starts lookin' at me like, 'sooooo.... food?'

watch dis:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-DlTPUEFb8&w=560&h=315]

how i seasoned my lean ground meat:

• 1 lb lean ground chicken or turkey 
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1/2 chopped yellow onion
• 2 tbsp liquid aminos
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning  
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil 

Spaghetti Squash Chaos

the stuff:

• 1 large roasted/baked spaghetti squash (30-45 min on 400 deg)
• 1 lb lean ground chicken or turkey breast, cooked & seasoned (see above)
• 2 cups packed, fresh spinach
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup shredded cheese of choice
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 1-2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• hand full of turkey pepperoni slices (approx. 12)

do this:

1. preheat oven to 350 deg, baking pan with foil and coat it with no stick cooking spray
2. split spaghetti squash in half, remove seeds/guts
3. scoop out the flesh of the squash (be gentle!) and add it to your skillet along with your ground meat, tomatoes, spinach, pepper, & olive oil
4. mix all together until combined
5. place empty shells on baking sheet and distribute mixture evenly back into shells
6. top spaghetti half #1 with 1/2 cup shredded cheese; do the same for #2 with the remaining cheese
7. distribute the pepperoni slices evenly on top of the cheese
8. bake for approx 10-15 min or just until the cheese melts and/or browns
9. take out of the oven and sprinkle with the fresh, chopped basil (didn't have any so i used parsley)

will you make this and tag me on Insta? it would make my LIFE!!!! it always does. i'd love to start doing features again as i appreciate when you guys make my recipes so, so much. 

this was Sonny's (Hubs) serving; he likes it HOT and eats Sriracha on everythang of course,

and here's my brother's plate. chipped plates make the world go round.  man i could eat avocado on top of just about anything!!!

if you haven't subscribed to my YouTube channel yet, do so and show me some #vlogger love then!  i really hope you all enjoy this healthy, wholesome meal as much as we did. mmmk, bye.

Q: spaghetti squash is pretty bland by itself...how do you spice yours up normally? #punintended 

le

sattaday

in addition to solids 2 or 3 times a day, Dego is still requesting the breast 3 times (or more) a day as well.  so yep, breastfeeding is still in full swing over here.  my trainer reminded me that nursing is just like mini workout sessions, which is such an awesome analogy.  breastfeeding has become so routine i have to stop and wonder WHY i'm so hungry in between meals sometimes!  eating more food to keep up with his demands and to keep my supply strong has never been a problem though; i certainly don't mind, haha!  s/n: i should make Chiso park his bike in the garage from now on, wow. sometimes you don't see things in the background until after you take (and post) a pic. whoops. anyway,  i trained a 6 Pack USA client of ours after heading out that day, then hit my gym for some HIIT.

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i've done these two moves separately before, but never together. i'm definitely incorporating this one into my TCX (Total Conditioning Extreme) class!

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sooooo, my brother was supposed to hop back on a plane headed to Afghanistan this past saturday (to finish up the last of his contract) but he chose not to. WOO friggin' HOO. it is finished!

we had a small family lunch the day before he was supposed to leave with Sonny's younger brother and wife (who is having her first mini me! it's a girl!)!  i admire his decision to stay and i'm elated he will be around to watch his 2nd nephew take his first steps.

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we had a birthday party to attend saturday evening!  no surprise there!  they have become our new normal.  i sat in the back seat a lot with my first-born for obvious reasons, but i admit, i have bouts of second child syndrome with Dego every now and then.  hadn't been back there in a while, so it was fun hanging out with him on the way to see The Rat.

even did a mini vlog:

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we made eeeeet!

pizza, cake, games, tokens, tickets, kids running around screaming, playing, crying... you know the drill!  Happy 3rd Birthday, Bria!  Sonny went to high school with Bria's father, Mike, and coincidentally, i went to elementary and middle school with his wife, Tashone,  on the opposite side of town. small world. 

City Centre Gap was having a fantabulous 40% off sale this weekend, so i found this cute grey dress on the final sale rack! i know it's too big but i couldn't pass up the 20 buck price.  my IG friend Alisa suggested i belt it. i agree. i suck at accessorizing.  i have been asked about my sandles a lot too- they are like 3 or 4 years old and from Urban Outfitters.  one of my fave pairs!  can't wear them without a fresh pedi though. Dego's fit is from Baby Gap; there's a camera icon on the front that says 'smile' underneath it. 4 bucks! #HammyMcHamster

Chiso doesn't eat the crusts of his pizza slices (did this child really come from me?!) so i took care of them for him lol.  other than that, no pizza and cake for this girl.  i was speaking to a 6 Pack USA client of ours recently about celebrating the small, daily victories during our ongoing fitness journeys.  she said she went to a get together recently that had WINGS (her fave), cake, and all kinds of good ol' party food, but she stuck to her guns and did not deviate from her meal plan.  she said she didn't even drink the water there lol!!!! BRAVO, Reshema! i get it though. i've been there. i usually eat way more than i plan to in social settings cause usually there is such an abundance of food.  but whenever i pass (cause we always have a choice, right?) or at least exercise some moderation instead of going crazy, i walk outta there feeling like a BOSS. a disciplined boss. and my tummy always appreciates it later. no bloating, no sugar cravings.  we stopped by Whole Foods on the way home and i hit up the hot bar for my dinner. lean grilled herbed chicken, roasted bell peppers, artichokes, and lima beans agreed waaaaay more with my tummy than that pizza and cake would have. take it one day at a time, y'all, and those small victories DO count! may they propel you to keep going and making healthier choices.

le

servin' it up

tomorrow is fridaaaaay!  man.  the spring semester Small Groups at Parkway Fellowship started up last week!  i am so happy to have a found a group specifically for expecting moms and moms with young kiddos. what a blessing it has been so far.  serving makes me incredibly happy, so i jumped at the chance and volunteered to bring snacks for our very first meeting.  here's what we munched on:

yall know real fruit snacks are pretty much always on my menu!  strawberries, nectarines, blueberries, pineapple, and cantaloupe, all fresh and on sale from my Sprouts Farmers Market.

roll up your sleeves and cut your own fruit!  that pre-cut convenience fee is ridiculous.  use those savings and buy more food. lol.

i skewered some of them just cause.

next, breakfast quesadillas!  i asked Sonny what i should make and he said breakfast tacos.  sooooooo, i tweaked his suggestion and did quesadillas, naturally. lol.  these got rave reviews from the moms!  the combo of fluffy, whole eggs, savory turkey bacon, fresh spinach, portabella mushrooms, and melty monterey jack cheese... i mean that just makes your mouth water, right?! the tortillas were fresh made from HEB.

i used whole eggs and cracked a bunch of them into a large mixing bowl the night before.  i diced half a yellow onion and threw that into the egg batter along with some cracked black pepper and liquid aminos.  the next morning, all i had to do was scramble and cook them all up of course!  i made an assembly line for each ingredient, added a little of each to the tortilla, folded it in half, and toasted it on both side using my griddle.  a little Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread  was put on the outsides of the tortilla before toasting. gave  them a lovely color, crunch, and of course that buttery flavor!

moving right along to these BOMB mini Banana Pecan Chocolate Muffins! the kiddos enjoyed these too and i'm glad because they are naturally sweetened and a great 'grab & go' option.  they work any time of day- breakfast, snack, or dessert.  you can also use walnuts instead of pecans.

i forgot to buy some greek yogurt while at the store but i had plenty of unsweetened applesauce at home. so i used that instead and they were still as moist and tasty as ever.

 it's refreshing to meet, connect, and discuss all things motherhood with other moms....or not!  we have already discussed such a wide range of topics and i look forward to more.  we all have our stories but one thing is constant; we are all women wanting to grow in our relationships with Christ and raise our little blessings up His way. 

speaking of motherhood, i wanted to share one of the best motherhood articles i've read in a good while. i completely identified with the author.

"One day….I will sleep peacefully through the night, never a worry of a sick child or a crying baby. It will be but a memory. These years of being needed are exhausting, yet fleeting. I have to stop dreaming of "one day" when things will be easier. Because the truth is, it may get easier, but it will never be better than today. Today, when I am covered in toddler snot and spit-up. Today, when I savor those chubby little arms around my neck. Today is perfect. "One day" I will get pedicures and showers alone. "One day" I will get myself back. But, today I give myself away, and I am tired and dirty and loved SO much, and I gotta go. Somebody needs me."

 that gave me chills.  especially since that paragraph described the day we were having at the time. LOL. at some point every single day, Chiso gets down on the floor to play with his cars, action figures, do flips, and other things little boys do... so Dego and i got down there with him to play.  seeing the world through their eyes is indeed humbling and Megan's article reminded me yet again to just slow down and soak in as much of these guys as i can.

my answered prayers. my miracles.

can you relate to her excerpt?

would you join or lead a small group yourself?

le