With my current job I have had been traveling a lot. Each trip consists of about 2 weeks away from home and with zero access to make my own food. I focus a lot on making the right choices when I eat out but eating out 14 days straight puts a strain on your body, regardless of what you pick. Plus, if it is the ONLY time I will ever be in a location - you can bet I am going to try the local cuisine! I do love food :) 

After getting home from my last trip I knew I needed to do something to reset myself. If nothing else, it was for the mentality I had towards nutrition at this point. Usually I could jump right back into prepped, nutritious meals but I still was struggling 3 days later. Enter the 3 Day Refresh. 

This program is meant to healthfully reset your body and rid the toxins that we all build up from eating process foods and an uneven diet. I LOVE food but figured that anyone can do something for 3 days, right? And if nothing else, it will stop my cravings for pizza every night?!? :) 

With the Refresh You Get:

• Shakeology
• a fiber drink
• a protein packed vanilla refresh

I have looked at cleanses before (back when I wanted ANY type of fix that I considered to be fast and easy!) This is one of the only ones that I have seen that makes sense- you get to eat on it and honestly, you won't spend the entire time in the bathroom! #keepinitreal

Each Day You Eat:

• Wide array of fresh fruits
• Vegetables 
• Healthy fats
• and drink a ton of water!

My Grocery Trip! This also is part of my meal prep for the rest of the week :)

As a creature of habit, I kept it pretty simple throughout my days. I stuck to the same meals so that prep time was minimal and packing up my food for work took little to no effort. However, if you are person that needs variety when eating - there are tons of different options to keep your palate interesting!

Day 1 Lunch: Veggie, Healthy Fat, Fruit + Vanilla Refresh Shake! 

My Results:

Lost: 3.5 pounds of unwanted travel weight :) 

Gained: The reminder that balanced nutrition increases my alertness, helps me sleep deeper, puts me in a better mood, and so much more. I can tell my face thinned out and food belly bloat really dropped down. Overall - I call it a success!

Before                             After

Before                             After

Tips to Get Started:

Build your grocery list and write out your meals before you go to the store. Having that all written will make it much easier when you are prepping everything. Use the book that comes with your kit - it is a lifesaver!

Have water ready to go! If nothing else, I probably did not drink enough water during my 3 days. You should be drinking it consistently and there were times that I got caught up in work or the kids and realized an hour or so had gone by with zero hydration - #hydrationfail

Schedule your meal times. You are going to be eating specific foods at targeted times. If you have a busy life (work with meetings, minimal breaks, kids schedule to work around) this can get tough. I recommend putting a timer on your phone to remind you when to eat. Don't rely on your hunger for this one. Day 1 - I was running around with the family and completely missed a snack. I paid for this with a headache that night. There is an abundance of food. I never felt hungry when I followed the plan right. 

If you drink coffee - taper down a day or two before. Realize you will get a headache from that and be prepared. Hot tea is your BEST friend during this. I did drink a lot of this during my "tea breaks" because I love the act of holding and sipping something warm #yupisaidit

Celebrate yourself! This may sound silly, but if you are like me (and love food!) on your meal plan/calendar - mark off every meal that you successfully eat. That check list is something that you are accomplishing. Be proud of yourself! As you see the check marks increase it makes it easier to get through!

Interested in trying the refresh yourself? You can get it by clicking the below link or sending me a personal message at thelockrins at gmail dot com. I would recommend this program for anyone who wants to jumpstart their nutrition, who is looking to go "all in" on their health and fitness and needs a boost to get going, or someone who knows that bloat is building up and wants a healthy way to get rid of all those toxins.  I am happy to answer any questions you may have! 

Yes! I want to REFRESH myself!

Wondering if a program is right for you and not sure? Fill out the form below and I will get back to you shortly! 

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Top 5 Mistakes When Starting a Diet... And How to Avoid Them!!

5 Common Mistakes People Make When Starting a Diet

1.  Calling it a Diet!!  This is it setting yourself up for failure! A diet is something that we do short term and is based on quick and fast results. While that is GREAT in the moment it is fleeting and puts you right back where you starting, if not worse. When you are ready to make a change in your life health - it should be able your lifestyle.

2.  Jumping in headfirst, without making a plan. I LOVE when I meet someone who wants to take charge in their life and is ready to start immediately. However, one of the best things that you can do with that passion and drive is to funnel it towards your plan. Here are 3 simple questions you can ask yourself to set up for the most success as you being your fitness journey.

1. Why do I want to make a change?
2. What am I going to do differently (today, next week, this month) than I have been doing?
3. What do I need to be successful?

If you can answer those three things easily - you are on the right track!

3. Me? Starting something new? I have no idea what you are talking about! Is that you? Do you keep it a secret when you start a new plan? This was me all day long - it wasn't until I opened up and started sharing with people my journey, even if it is a simple “Hey, guess what? I tried a new salad today and it was pretty good! I thought you might like it!” Those moments bring other people into your story and that creates accountability. Share with others so that they can celebrate with you! 

4. Not Cutting Yourself ANY Slack: Its week 3 and you have been 100% on point with your plan. You are rocking it out like crazy and feeling fabulous because of it. Over the weekend you are celebrating your best friends birthday party and without thinking (because you are having SO much fun!!) you eat a piece of cake..

womp. womp.

A failure? NO! We need to go easier on ourselves. Celebrations will happen and these moments are meant to be lived. It goes back to the term “diet” - life isn’t black and white - let’s cut ourselves some slack and brush it off! 

5. Setting a Goal! This one is SO important! A lot of times we think of just the big picture: “I want to lose 15 pounds” but there is so much more. When do you want to lost the weight by? What will you do when you do lose the weight (because you will this time!). You can have more than one: breaking them down to steps so that you reward yourself throughout is a great motivation tool! Once you have them clearly defined, put them up somewhere you can see them: the fridge, bathroom mirror, your closet door. Remind yourself where you want to be every single day and you are starting yourself off right!

These five “common mistakes” happen a lot but with a little planning and focus you can switch from a diet mentality to a healthy lifestyle change that will grow with you.

Want more help on how to get where you want to be? Fill out the form below and I will contact you within 48 hours to put together a personalized plan for your journey! 

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Monday Musings

This past week has been jam packed (just the way I like it)! Sometimes I wish I could be the type of person who can just sit and relax but as time goes on I realize that after a short regroup - quiet time will only give me anxiety! 


See that girl right there? She is 19 months old... going on 21. Baby swing? No thank you - she will DO IT HERSELF. Climb a mountain, up the stairs, pick up every piece of food with her OWN fork: you name, she rules it all. Kelly Clarkson had nothing on this Miss Independent. She terrifies me as a mother but I get so excited think about her growing up and what she will accomplish. 

I hit a rough patch in adolescence and early adulthood for self esteem. My dream is to create a life that shows McKinley how beautiful STRONG is so that she does not experience the same. 

19 Months 

We took the kids to a local amusement park and it.was.EPIC. I have not been there in over 15 years and was pleasantly surprised. Jim is a total roller coaster junkie but after Wyatt's pregnancy any type of ride immediately makes me queasy. Luckily he has found a new buddy because Wyatt wants to ride everything - plus since he is an extremely tall 4 year old, they let him on all of them. Added bonus: everyone in line freaks out when we tell them he is only 4 years old going on the rides. #parentsoftheyear

About to get on a ride

Did someone say date night? What? Those still happen? Thankfully, we live close to family and our kids went to stay with grandparents for a night this weekend. I even pulled out the ole' curling wand (only 2 burns this time!!) and we hit the town! By that I mean: went to dinner, caught a movie, took a walk, and ended up at Barnes and Noble before walking home. Wild ones, right?

It felt so great to spend some alone time with this man I am lucky enough to call my husband. I leave for another work trip this week so this time was even more special. There are times that he may infuriate me (he is the most stubborn & logical person alive) but no one can make me laugh like he does. It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day mess of the kids, house, and everything that NEEDS to be done: a couple hours of just being Jimmy and Amy is exactly what I needed. 

Date Night

Hope you had a great week too - anything fun happen in your neck of the woods??

21 Day Fix Extreme - Starting it off Right!

Ever decide that you just need to go all in? 

I have loved pushing my body over the past 8 months. I have said it a few times before but I really would have LAUGHED at you if you told me a year ago that this is where I would be. 

I was overweight, unhappy, and annoyed with myself. I didn't look it on the outside but so many years of weight gain and weight loss and the never ending cycle were just taking their toll on me. 

Fast forward to now and I am ready to challenge myself again. I want to see what I can handle. I want to do more things and prove to myself that there is no limit I cannot reach.

So... I am going to do the 21 Day Fix Extreme. I have been putting it off because:
1. I like the regular 21DF. It works just fine!
2. I get to drink on that one :) 
3. I am scared. 

That changes today. 

1. There are two big vacations coming up that I want to see where I can push my body to beforehand. I have NEVER been on a vacation and felt confident in a swimsuit. Ever. I would love to have this be the year I change all that. 
2. I have watched my kids learn from my actions. They get excited to see me workout and look forward to it. I want to stay excited for my workouts because it keeps them excited. 
3. I would (secretly) love to do one of the crazy-mud-extreme runs that my husband does.. but want to be in tip top shape first!

So here we go. I have come a long way. Here is my game plan for the next 21 Days:

Food:
I will keep it simple. Lots of chicken breast, ground turkey, broccoli, green beans, salads, and eggs. Fruits would be apple or banana. I typically drink my Shakeology (chocolate!) in the AM but may switch that to dinner if cravings are bad. 

Workouts:
My goal is to move back to morning workouts because I just felt better when I got up and started the morning pushing myself. I do love getting the kids involved so it might end up being a combination. Each workout is only 30 minutes long so it will be easy to adjust based on the day.

Motivation:
I am doing the program with a group of amazing women in my challenge group and we are cheering each other on. I need the support and know that the community is what will make or break me in my times of weakness. If you are thinking of trying the 21 Day Fix or the Extreme and want to join a group (or even if you just have a question) drop me a line in the form below... I would love to have you join one of my groups or just chat! :) 

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How to Pack for Your Workouts when Traveling... and Actually Do Them!

It can happen. That is the first step. Packing for a business or family trip is stressful enough. Throw in the extra thought of "work out clothes" and it would be easy to give yourself a break from your schedule. 

WRONG - you have worked so hard - and you do not need much! 

1. Assess your trip- Where are you staying? Will you be able to run outside, use the hotel gym, or need to bring your own DVDs? How much time will you have to work out?

2. Check the weather - the goal is to bring as little as possible for working out so that you have more room for all your necessities.

3. Pack all of your favorite outfits! When you are away from your typical routine it turns to a mental game to get your rear in gear and decide to start moving. Having loved outfit that makes you feel great about yourself is that extra kick in the pants to get you going!! 

Two full outfits, sneakers plus my pre-workout take up barely any space!

5. Start stacking! I travel for work a lot. My tried and true method for packing (and not forgetting anything) is to stack everything on the bed before you put anything in a suitcase. Take a deep breath before you begin to put it in your luggage (or maybe pour a glass of wine!). 

I am not pictured, mainly because I am busy pretending like my bag is already packed and someone else will finish this...

What works for me:

• I always bring my laptop so I can workout in the hotel room. This means that if nothing else, I can pop in a quick 30 minute workout and get sweaty before starting the day!
• When I am headed out for just an overnight trip - no need for sneakers! At home, I do not use them (I am always paranoid the jumping will wake up my kids) so it is no big deal to work out barefoot in the hotel room. 
• A sports bra and gym shorts will get you by if nothing else! Oh the benefits!!! 

What do you pack when you head out of town? I do bring more when I know I have enough time to get outdoors and enjoy a new city - I would love to hear what you suggest also! 

3 Ingredient Gluten Free "Stir Fry"

When I walk into the kitchen I feel a sense of dread. Please tell me I am not the only one? I believe there is some sort of biological piece of me missing that is supposed to love putting together entire dinners and 4 course meals of my family but... it is just not there. 

I do love baking delicious desserts - hello: the reason I am here now! HA!

However, I am lucky enough to have a husband that does 80% of the cooking and he is damn good at it. Unfortunately the other 20% of the time I have yet to reach the status in life that would warrant me cavorting around with a personal chef so I must fend for myself.

• In and out. 
• 10 ingredients or less
• Prep time of 30 minutes - nothing more!
• Can I pronounce everything in the recipe? No - you are out!

These are the rules I follow when I am looking for something new to cook. Sometimes though, I will just go rogue and open up the fridge and to see what my options are. Enter in: 3 Ingredient Gluten Free Stir Fry. 

Now, liberties are taken on this.. but the ease portion totally wins!

Ingredients:

Bag of Gluten Free Meatballs (or you can make your own - you badass you)
Bag of Steamable Vegetables (no shame in your game)
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (because, obviously!)

Mix them all together and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Yum! So simple and ready to eat in under 5 minutes. Enjoy :) 

Monday Musings: 

This past week has been insane. I had a packed week at work (conference style!) and Jim brewed every single day. Basically - each day was a 12-14 hour work day for these kids but we still managed to find some fun in the mix :) 

I am starting to see McKinley's personality come through a little more and y'all - she is a force to be reckoned with! I know everyone says that each child will be different and that could not be more true for our two. McKinley's stubborn streak baffles Jim and I daily - although I have to respect the girl's eating style: Back off biotch, if you want to keep your handz... 

Anyone else getting that message? Just me? Oh, okay... just checking.

Before the week started I got to head out for a little "Amy-time" and get some new black pants. I know, nothing exciting right? Normally I would be annoyed to have to shop for clothes instead of something fun but this time it is because all my pants are just too big. 

That's right - even my pre-pregnancy pants have gotten too big at this point! I am still in shock really but it feels so good to see the results from hard work and consistency. Don't get me wrong.. I take days off and have my cheat meals but I chose real foods and to dedicate 30 minutes a day to working out and it is paying off. (insert self high five!)

Finally - on Saturday we had a pretty packed family day. Jimmy was adamant about us getting out of the house early and enjoying the beautiful weather so we packed up and headed to the local farmers market at the beach. 

Then this happened y'all. I am not going to lie - it was hilarious and I am so glad we did it. Wyatt LOVED it (he is named after Wyatt Earp after all!) and I burst out laughing every time I look at it.