I seriously can't believe it's already October! Last Monday we took the boys to pick out their Halloween costumes and it just doesn't seem like it should be that time of year! **Oliver has decided to be a trash truck/driver & Charlie is going to be Mickey Roadster Racer**

ANYWAY, so I'm really excited to share with you all Sworkit's October 30 Day Workout Challenge, which starts today, October 2nd and ends on Halloween!

Not only is this just a challenge that I am encouraging you to take on, I'm also encouraging you to head on over to Facebook and reach out to me on my page and ask to join our fun 30 Day Challenge Group page! This is a place where everyone taking on this challenge can share, safely and secretly, their struggles and successes all month long. On top of that, the person who is the most involved and engaged will win one year of Sworkit Premium for FREE!

I am so looking forward to seeing all of the participants rally behind one another, myself included, and lift each other up on our bad days and cheer us on on our good. October also happens to be National Bullying Prevention Month so we are going to take this opportunity to dedicate each workout in honor of the #nationalbullyingpreventionmonth ... All around this entire challenge is about creating a community full of positivity and acceptance of each other and ourselves on our journey to living the best lives that we can.

Here is a break down of the challenge, whether you complete one minute, ten minutes or more of each workout, it doesn't matter! Every workout counts & matters!

So what are you waiting for?! Head on over to FACEBOOK now and get yourself involved in this workout challenge... Let's do this together!!

Nothing says Monday like a new Sworkit workout in the Spring into Summer Series!

I'm having so much fun creating and completing these workouts! It's so  nice to be able to squeeze in a quick 20 minute workout in the middle of a hectic day. Seriously, this app has just been a life saver, bottom line. We are all busy but there's no more excuses as to why you aren't getting in those workouts, make some time in the comfort of your own home and get at it!

This workout is very upper body and core intense. I wanted a workout that would give my legs and knees a little break, as I am running and training at the moment. I also wanted a workout that wouldn't be too loud so I could complete it once the boys were all asleep!

I have to say, out of all the workouts I've created, this one is one of the more intense for me. I did 20 minutes with a 30 second break every 5 exercises and I was exhausted afterwards!

To top it off I took the leap and created a Spotify account and listened to the "Throwback Jams - Sworkit Workout Playlist" while doing this workout. This kept me super motivated and took my mind off of the intensity of the workout while I sang some of my favorite songs! :)

I also got an email that I could get 3 months of premium Spotify for 99c so I am totally going to jump on that and have way more control of what I listen to while I'm working out! I am thinking that once you sign up for a free account they will send you that email? I hope so because it's such a great deal and I want you all to be able to have that opportunity as well!

So, what are you waiting for?!

Go grab the WORKOUT and the SPOTIFY App and get your Summer body started!

Be sure to share your progress, thoughts, before and after pics using the hashtags...

#nogymnoexcuse #SworknScribbleSummerSpring

Make sure you are following Sworkit on all social media (IG, FB, TW)

Cheers!

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Okay guys so it's been a while, life has been insane, which I'm sure you all can relate!

So today I'm starting something that I am SO excited about. I have put together an AWESOME Sworkit KIDS workout series and I'm going to be sharing the workouts over the next few weeks! These workouts are geared towards your kiddos but are the perfect opportunity to workout WITH your little ones! Oliver and Charlie, while aren't perfect at hitting all the exercises, they try so hard and we have so much fun doing it together!

I don't know about you but for me, setting a healthy example for my kids is something I think about all of the time. I love them watching me workout, or when we go to the gym that they know I'm working out. I love having them see me make healthy and good choices when it comes to the food that I eat and the liquids that I drink. I know that by them watching they are picking up on my habits and want to emulate them!

For example, every time my yoga mat comes out, Charlie immediately goes for it and starts "stretching" or jumping. Oliver also loves to workout with me and even if I'm doing my own Sworkit workout, he always tries to join! Squats are his fave ;)

A couple weeks back I was able to take this first workout and test it out with the kids in my son, Oliver's, class at school! This is a group of 12 kids all ages 3.5 and under. I had so much fun, they were so cute and so engaged. They listened and did the moves to the best of their abilities and I have to say, they kicked butt! I shared with their parents information about the app and hope that they use the app and have fun with their kiddos!!

After the workout I shared a healthy snack with the kids to show that after we workout we have to refuel our bodies in a healthy way! The teachers said the kids LOVED the snack and devoured it!

So without further ado HERE IS THE FIRST WORKOUT of the series. 

First, download the APP and then follow the link HERE and get started.

Make sure you are following Sworkit on all social media (IG, FB, TW) and share pics of your littles doing these workouts using the hashtags

#nogymnoexcuse #kidswhosworkit

Stay tuned for more kid friendly workouts & so much more!

XOXO

Melissa

Hey, everyone! So I missed posting last week, but I have a good reason. My husband and I, along with some of our friends, took a much needed vacation to Mexico! I'll be sharing pictures later this week in a few different posts!

So with that said I wasn't able to share with you all the second week of this challenge in a blog post, however I did share it on Facebook and Instagram!

If you missed the second week's workout, don't fear, I'll share all of the workouts in this series at the end of this post!

Let's begin this week with a bang, and by bang I mean a hard core leg workout that will leave you wobbling. And along with this intense workout I'm going to share with you all my FAVORITE family recipe for what to do with your leftover Thanksgiving feast! Seriously, you'll need all of these workouts in this series to keep up with all of this deliciousness!

The boys decided to join in on the leg workout today as well... They love those squats!

I shared this recipe a few years back, however it hasn't gotten old and I feel it's necessary to re-share it with you all today!

Here is what you will need:

Left over turkey

Potatoes

{make the portion of potatoes to turkey even}

Your favorite turkey gravy

{You will need a good amount of gravy, I would say whatever you think you will need, get a little more than that}

An onion

Celery

{I used three small stalks}

What to do:

Peel and cube potatoes

Place potatoes in a pan with water on the stove, heat up until they are JUST about done

{And by done I mean, soft... You don't want them mooshy but you don't want them really hard}

Shred up the leftover turkey

Dice up the onion and celery

Once you are done set the turkey, onion and celery aside

While the potatoes continue to soften make your gravy

{Since I used the packet I just followed their directions}

Now for the fun part...

Once the potatoes are done strain out the water

Proceed to place all ingredients {potatoes, turkey, onion, celery} into an oven safe dish

I did layers, turkey, celery, onion, potatoes, more turkey, celery, onions, potatoes etc.

Now pour the gravy over the whole thing

Make sure to take it slow so that it seeps all the way down to the bottom

Place this in the oven for about twenty-twenty five minutes, really this part is up to you, since all of these ingredients are already cooked and edible it is just based on how done you want it.

And voila you have Turkey Hash!

I like to serve it over a bed of left over stuffing that I warm up in the microwave! Don't cook the stuffing in the dish, it'll just not turn out right!

Now that you have this recipe to get you through the days after Thanksgiving make sure that you check out ALL OF THE WORKOUTS in this series...

Week One!

Week Two!
Week Three!

Each week focuses on a different part of the body, making these three work GREAT in unison. My recommendation would be to do each workout for 12 minutes (one right after the other) 2 or 3 times a week, along with other types of cardio and you will not have to feel one bit of guilt this holiday season! I definitely intend on keeping up with these workouts myself, as much as possible that is! :)

Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday and I'm looking forward to hanging out with my family and enjoying a delicious meal and their company! Because right after Thanksgiving is over we go straight into Christmas mode around here, and this year we are doing Elf on the Shelf for the first time so if you have any Elf suggestions please send them my way!

Happy Monday, everyone!!! I hope you have enjoyed this workout challenge series as much as I have!!

This weekend seriously flew by, almost like it never even happened!

We didn't do too entirely much, we have a jam packed weekend coming up so it was fitting to have one to just prepare!

We did get to meet up with some friends for dinner on Friday evening which was very much over-due and much enjoyed!

Today I am realizing just how little time I am going to have the next five weeks before we go on vacation and with that little time to spare I need to sneak it as many small, but effective workouts as possible. Not much unlike those of you who are now nearing the middle of your Fall semester, time is a precious commodity and what you do with your off time is all that matters.

With just five minutes of your time here and there, along with Sworkit and THIS workout, you can get yourself into butt kicking shape! This workout is intense and really all you need is a few five minute sessions when you can fit them in (Also, if you have more time please feel free to workout as long as you have!!)

I'm looking forward to this weekend so much and it's already Monday!

We get to visit my baby sister at College, go to a Fall Festival at my old grade school and on Sunday I am running my first half marathon in four years!

You will be sure to find me using the pee-wee out of this workout this week to sneak in some strength training on top of the cardio I'll be doing to gear up!!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday and enjoyed their weekend!! Let me know your thoughts about the workout in the comments below!

ALSO MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT THIS PAST #FITNESSFRIDAY AND MAKE SURE YOU ENTER THE GIVEAWAY - ALL FOUND HERE!

All you have to do is DOWNLOAD THE APP and then CLICK THE WORKOUT HERE and add it to your list of custom workouts!

Be sure to share pictures and updates tagging myself as well as Sworkit on all social media (IG, FB, TW), along with the the hashtags #nogymnoexcuse and #dormroomworkouts

Cheers!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday, and also had a great weekend {I know we did!}

On Saturday we took our boys to an event that was hosted by a local high school called "Things That Go!" Now if you know my oldest son, Oliver, then you know that he is OBSESSED with trucks and cars and basically anything in that category. Well we were able to take him to actually see these construction vehicles and so much more! He made it about a half hour before all the honking started to get to him and he wanted to go home, but for those thirty minutes he was enjoying himself quite immensely.

Before I knew it Monday was (is) here and it's time to get back to it. Which means it's time to start buckling down for the week. For me, that means school with Oliver and finding time to get in a quick workout! This weeks workout is absolutely a favorite of mine and I've been using it since I created it and now I'm SO excited that I get to share it with you all!

If you need a quick booty kicking workout HERE you have it, you can thank me or yell at me later, whichever you choose ;)

All you have to do is DOWNLOAD THE APP and then CLICK THE WORKOUT HERE and add it to your list of custom workouts!

Be sure to share pictures and updates tagging myself as well as Sworkit on all social media (IG, FB, TW), along with the the hashtags #nogymnoexcuse and #dormroomworkouts

ALSO, make sure you use the hashtag #WHEREISWORKIT for your chance to win a year of premium for free!!!

Cheers!

Happy Friday, everyone!! I hope everyone is having a wonderful morning!

Today I want to share with you something that I have been working on for a little while now.

As you know, I am Sworkit's Lead Ambassador (I talked about that back in this post).

Sworkit has started a campaign all about sharing with everyone where you are using Sworkit, using the hashtag #WHEREISWORKIT.

I immediately went into brainstorming mode and knew that I wanted to not only participate but to help share the message and inspire everyone else to share their images and videos from all over!

The above image I took the other evening after I finished forty minutes of using Sworkit while both boys played in the bath tub, like it says, sometimes you have to make time! Which is exactly what I do most evenings, I whip out my yoga mat and phone and get in my workout after the boys bathe and are playing in the tub!

Not only is it convenient and super easy given the nature of this incredible app, it also entertains the boys and they laugh at me and even have started cheering me on! Oliver loves counting down with the App and then clapping, saying "GO MOMMY!"

While most of the time I workout in my home, when I can get a few moments free of any other obligations, I do have the rare opportunity to use my app outside of the house at locations all around my incredible city!

Recently, there have been many places in St. Louis that have been rated number one as far as attractions go in the US and even the world. I take such pride that these places are right in my own back yard, not only that, many of them are available to the public for free!

Today I am going to share with you all the beauty that is Forest Park, which has been voted the number one city park in the United States. My entire life I have been going to Forest Park, which is the home to places like the St. Louis Zoo, the Art Museum, the History Museum, the Muny and countless other gorgeous places such as the Butterfly House, the World's Fair Pavilion and so much more. Every single one of these places is free to get in and enjoy to absolutely anyone! In a world where everything has a price, it's so nice to be able to enjoy these places with our family without having to pay an incredibly high entrance fee!

Here is a little video I put together this past weekend of me using my Sworkit app all around Forest Park. I hope you enjoy!

Be sure to tag any and all of your Sworkit photos and videos with the hashtag #WHEREISWORKIT and you'll also be entered into a contest to win a YEAR PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP from Sworkit!!

Cheers!

Please Follow Along

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Better late than never! I apologize for such a late post, but alas, here it is! Today's installment of What to Wear Wednesday is all about what to wear on your evenings out during a tropical vacation!

1. Eiger - Shimmer Pink Nailpolish : Number one, picking the perfect nail polish for vacation is a must and after a lot of consideration I feel like this shade is just beyond perfect for a little Mexico getaway, am I right?!

2. Steppin' Out Hat in Pink : I am obsessed with hats and this one would be the perfect touch for a night out in a nice simple Summer dress. Giving the outfit a little extra accessory, but nothing too big or crazy!

3. Polished Promise Heel in Ecru : Keeping it simple, that's what these heels are all about. Not only are they minimal in the amount of shoe there actually is, the color is perfect to walk around giving an illusion of wearing no shoes at all, what else could be perfect for a beach vacation night out?!

4. Super Duper Strength Crazy Tort : Personally, I can't wait to get my hands on a pair of these sunglasses. They would be the perfect accessory to any evening outfit, or any outfit at all really, on vacation or at home!

5. Elise Embroidered Clutch : Probably my favorite item on this list, the embroidery detail with the pops of color just scream vacation!

6. Floral Lace Slip Dress : Keeping it simple, a slip dress would be perfect and airy to spend the evening sipping drinks out by the pool, on your balcony or anywhere on a tropical vacation!

7. Bella Floral Dress : Same as above, nothing better than simplicity and airy for the beach in the evening!

Stay tuned for next weeks installment!!!

I don't know about you, but today I am needing a little yoga in my life.

Just to get a jump start to the week and start it off feeling refreshed and ready to tackle whatever it is that this week has in store for me.

... Apparently Charlie is going to have a stressful week as well and needs to jump on the yoga train with Mommy!

This week's workout is geared strictly to a yoga sequence that can get you in the mood to take on this week without any hesitations!

All you have to do is DOWNLOAD THE APP and then CLICK THE WORKOUT HERE and add it to your list of custom workouts!

Be sure to share pictures and updates tagging myself as well as Sworkit on all social media (IG, FB, TW), along with the the hashtags #nogymnoexcuse and #dormroomworkouts

Cheers!

In just a couple short months we are headed off to Mexico for a little trip (without the kiddos that is!)

While I am a little nervous to leave the boys I'm also super excited to just get away!

In preparation I have been putting together wish-lists of items that I want for each leg of the journey! I have decided to do a little series on Wednesday's (What to Wear Wednesday) of these specific items in hopes of keeping things organized for myself as well as inspiring those of you heading on your own vacations plan your packing list!

1. Bayside STL Heart Hat - I don't know about you but I can't imagine doing my hair the morning of any trip. Especially since our flight leaves around 6 am! This hat is not only a necessity but also super cute and I can represent my city at the same time!

2. Camp Director Tote in Mint - I'm obsessed with this tote bag! I want it so bad, it seems perfect to travel with! I'm always looking for a sleek, cute and functional bag to bring along on a trip and this one fits every single one of my wants!

3. Army Green Cargo Pants - Comfort, comfort, comfort. That's the only word I care about when traveling and these pants seem like they fit that bill while being cute and flattering as well! I can definitely say that I want these to be a staple in my travel wardrobe!

4. Airport Greeting Cardigan in Oatmeal - Again with the comfort, this cardigan can be worn closed or open, which is great because we are traveling in November and if anyone knows anything about St. Louis, it's either going to be colder than all get out or hot as heck, okay maybe not that hot but still. To top it off we are traveling to Mexico so having a versatile cardigan to wear in the weather change is a must have!

5. Reggie Sneaker - Another aspect of comfort while traveling is foot wear and for me it's sneakers all the way! They're perfect for any weather and let's face it, they're cute at the same time!

That does it for today's outfit inspiration! I hope you all enjoyed it and come back next Wednesday for the next installment of What to Wear Wednesday!!

On Monday I shared with everyone some words that keep me motivated on a daily basis.

Along with that I shared my journey on Instagram and Facebook, along with some before and after pictures that I have taken throughout the past year.

All I can say is WOW!

I was blown away by the amount of love that post received.

I just couldn't believe it and I just wanted to thank everyone for being so caring and encouraging!

My entire journey started about a year ago after I was given the "okay!" to start working out after Charlie was born. I immediately went into "get my body back" mode, however that didn't last long. The holidays came up and I fell backwards a bit, not too far back, but enough to discourage me. About six months ago I buckled down and got to work and way back on track. I've been through some crazy ups and downs along the way but with the support of my husband, the rest of my family and all of my friends (& now all of you awesome people here in blog land) I can proudly say that I am in the best shape of my entire life. I've lost all my weight and then some, however the scale hasn't been something I've been too concerned with lately, it's more about how I feel on the inside that's making this whole thing so much more meaningful to me!

So with that said I was wanting to share with everyone, today, kind of a break down of what I eat on a daily basis. Along with regular exercise and running, this is how I got myself back into shape!

***This isn't exact because, well, life happens and there are days where eating a completely healthy diet isn't exactly the easiest thing.***

Breakfast : 99% of the time I have a Green Kale Smoothie.

I look forward to this breakfast every single day and I even have to make a little extra for my son to have some, other wise he wants to drink all of mine. It's just a really easy way to get in some extra vegetables, which is what I have the hardest time incorporating into my diet.

Lunch : Usually I have a spinach salad of some sort.

Here I also have been trying to add in some vegetables as well, like corn and tomatoes mostly. Meat wise I usually go with ham or chicken, basically whatever we have in the fridge from the deli that week. For a dressing I go really simple and usually use red wine vinegar or lemon juice with a splash of olive or avocado oil. Instead of croutons I've been substituting my home made granola, which helps give it that crunch but it's coming from a bit healthier place!

... Of course there are days where I eat a wrap of some sort or left overs from dinner the night before. Either way I try to keep it as healthy as possible!

Dinner : Head on over to my Pinterest Page and on my Food board you will find the majority of what we have eaten here recently for dinner!

Now, this is where it gets tricky. For breakfast and lunch it's easy to make something for me and then something different for the boys. We tend to eat at different times and the meals are much more "on the go" in my opinion so I don't ever have to worry.

Dinner on the other hand is different. We like to eat as a family, at least I like it when we do! So cooking for two little boys, myself and my husband sometimes poses issues. I'm not making two to three different meals for dinner each night so I do my best to take recipes and substitute healthy alternatives in a way that won't mess with the taste or flavor of the dish. Now there are times where I just go with it, I eat healthy all day long and workout daily so splurging here and there on dinner doesn't really bother me anymore.

Also we have one to two nights a week we do leftovers so on those days I will be able to be a bit pickier about what I eat without it effecting everyone else. Plus it's Summer so we BBQ once a week which is awesome for me in the healthy eating department. It's easy for me to create a burger without a bun or grill up some chicken!

Snacks : It's inevitable that snacking happens throughout the day, what you choose to snack on matters.

I try to have a melon (usually watermelon) of some sort cut up in the fridge in containers ready to be eaten. This makes it super easy to just grab a container of the melon and go. I am a huge fan of the easiest route possible so taking the time to cut the melon one evening and having snacks for the week just makes good sense. I also like to pick up a banana from time to time and if I want it to be more substantial I'll add some peanut butter with that and it makes a more filling snack, along those lines I do the same with apples as well.

I've been slacking on the veggie department, like I said, here lately. However when I was in full on weight loss mode I would prep bags of carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and grape tomatoes to eat throughout the week as well!

Another one of my favorite go-to snacks right now is a parfait with plain greek yogurt! I start with a couple spoonfuls of PLAIN Greek Yogurt, top it with some all natural honey. Add diced up strawberries and blueberries (or whatever berry you enjoy and have on hand!) then finish it off with some of my home made granola and voila, you have a great, healthy and tasty snack! (Make sure you stick with plain Greek Yogurt and don't get flavored, I've found I much more enjoy adding the natural honey for a sweetener!)

Cheers!

Happy Monday, all! This past weekend was both incredibly busy and fun all at the same time! I honestly can't remember a weekend where we went at that pace. Needless to say I need me some Sworkit workouts this week to help bounce back!

Today's workout is all Squat centered! I don't know about you but I love doing squat workouts, yeah I'm probably the only crazy one out there but I'm okay with that.

Anyway, my motivation is looking towards November. We are heading to Mexico for a few nights to relax and recharge, kid free mind you! I feel as though this workout title is perfect to help get myself motivated to look awesome while sipping on drinks and laying out on the beach here in a few short months! The countdown is officially on to our days and nights spent here...

Cheers!

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