Not a Single Mom...

Ok, I am a Single Mom.

But not by the terms that you probably just read that.

Rising Woman~ Lisa Simchison

This Rising Woman is just so inspiring to me! I have never met Lisa in person, but together we used to be part of the Sweaty Betties with Danny-J. Seems so long ago! Lisa, I have absolutely loved watching you blossom over the past few years. You are such a bright light and I am honored to share your story here... xoxo

Who are you and what do you do for a living? 
I am Lisa Simchison - I'm a 30-something mom, wife (married to my high school sweetheart!), a yoga teacher, a hypnotist, a nature lover, a seeker, a writer and so many other things! I spend my time helping women re-learn how to love themselves - exactly as they are. I use yoga, meditation, journalling and hypnosis to guide my clients back to themselves and to a place where they can finally stop living in the shadows, watching life from the sidelines and start living and LOVING their lives again!!

Tell me about your family, if applicable. 
I have the most amazing little family! I married my highschool sweetheart almost 15 years ago and we have spent that time learning and growing together. He is the most supportive partner and manages to make me laugh every single day! We have two incredible daughters - Emma is almost 13 and Maddy is almost 11 - they are the best thing that has ever happened to both myself and my husband! Emma is strong and determined and questions everything - she is the kind of badass that I hope to be one day! Maddy is kind and sweet with a compassionate heart - she is someone you just want to be around!

What is your story? 
I have battled self hatred and disordered body image for all of my adult life - I lived on the yo-yo diet roller-coaster - trying every single diet known to man. About 5 years ago I found myself over exercised, under-fed and miserable and exhausted...I couldn't do it anymore. I heard my daughter, Emma tell my husband "Mom doesn't eat ice cream" when he asked to see if I wanted to join them for an outing to the ice cream store...that was it for me. I was devastated. I knew that I was hurting myself with my disordered eating and exercising but I thought I was hiding it from my family...I wasn't. That is when I made the commitment to love and accept myself! It wasn't easy though, I struggled for years with those old habits and thought patterns. I had to remind myself daily that I was worthy of my own love - exactly as I was. During that time I found out that I had given myself adrenal fatigue from over exercising and under eating. That caused me to gain weight - the very thing I had worked so hard to avoid - and I gained a lot of weight about 45lbs in two years. That was the biggest lesson I had in self acceptance and self love - there was nothing I could to stop the weight gain - and essentially, I had caused it myself. I spent the next two years flip floping from self hate to self love - but I kept doing the work (yoga, meditation, hypnosis and journalling) and the days of self hate became fewer and farther between until more days than not, I truly loved myself. After two years of doing the work and learning and trying and growing, I started to implement these lessons in my yoga teaching and in the last two years my focus has shifted to coaching other women to self love.

What have you overcome to get where you are today? 

I have overcome a lifetime of negative beliefs that were planted in me. I have overcome negative body image and self hatred. I have overcome a deeply rooted belief that I was unlovable - and that no matter what I do I am not good enough. Overcoming those things and being where I am now - where I seriously love every single inch of my body and every aspect of myself - even the imperfect things and shadows - has been the biggest struggle and the biggest success of my entire life.

What has been your greatest struggle in life? 

My greatest struggle in my life has been self love and acceptance - it was so ingrained in me to hate myself and to want to change (how could anyone love me if I wasn't thin?). I spent two decades at war with my body and I have spent hundreds and hundreds dollars trying to "fix" my body. It has been my hero's journey for me to overcome this struggle and get to the place where I can wear a bikini on the beach and jump in the water with my kids and to help other women get to that place too!

Did you ever feel like giving up? When you felt like giving up, what did you do? 

I felt like giving up every day - it is so hard to go against everything you know. All I "knew" was that I was supposed to be thin - and it didn't matter what it took - I believed that I would never love myself unless I was thin. On the days when I felt like giving up and going back to my old ways of restrictive dieting, I would look at my girls - they were the motivation I needed to keep going. I didn't want them to see me living a half life and always worried about my weight - I knew that if they saw me doing that then they would most likely fall into that trap too. Ont he hard days when I wanted to quit and loving myself was too much work I would get on my yoga mat or go outside - those things helped me get back into my body - to really FEEL it - instead of thinking with my brain, I could feel with my heart and with my body. That always helped me stop the negative thought trains, in fact, it still does.

What are some of the tools and resources you have used to work through and overcome those struggles? (books, counselors, workshops, programs, coaches, etc.) 

I have used many tools over the course of the last few years but the ones that stand out are the following: Hypnosis, The Desire Map book by Danielle Laporte, The Handel Method, Blocked 2 Blissed with Bexlife, The Art of Attention by Elena Brower, The White Hot Truth by Danielle Laporte, Awaken your Abundance with Tani Morgan, and a huge variety of meditations and yoga classes.

What are your gifts and how did you discover them? 

I am a teacher. I have always known this, but it wasn't until I found yoga that I truly discovered my voice. As soon as I started teaching yoga I found a part of myself that I didn't know existed - I was confident, calm, and at ease in front of the class. I have spent the last 10 years teaching yoga and learning as much as I can about yoga and wellness and now I use my skills as a yoga teacher to coach women 1:1 and in small groups. I am also wildly creative - I love to sing, paint, write, take photos and crochet - I was this way as a child but somewhere along the way I lost the nerve to be creative. In the last two years I have rediscovered the love I have for all things creative and in the process I have found that I am actually pretty good at most things creative!

Who in life do you rely on when you're struggling? Who keeps you uplifted and on your path? 

I rely on my husband - he is my anchor. I am a wonderer and I spend a lot of time with my head in the clouds - and he helps keep me grounded. I also rely on a very small handful of incredible friends - the ones who will pick up the phone in the middle of the night when I call. I also rely on my faith that the universe is supporting me in every moment of my life - I believe that everything happens for a reason and that there is a bigger plan for me.

Tell us about your tribe and the importance of having one. 

I have an incredible tribe of women in my life. Some of them I have never even actually met in real life but they are so important to me! I surround myself with women who I aspire to be like - women who are strong, loving and luminous - they shine their light no matter what! Women who say how they feel and live life like they give a damn! Having these women in my life helps me be the best version of myself - I know that I can count on them to call me out on my BS but also lift me up when I am down - they offer support, guidance, love and friendship and I can't imagine my life without them!

What do you want other women to know who are feeling lost, and/or experiencing their own tragedy and/or struggles? 

I would tell them - YOU ARE LOVED. You are unconditionally and completely loved exactly as you are.

What is some advice you would give to women who are healing or rising in some way? 

Keep going and tell your story - share it with others, write it down, get it out of you and into the world where it can be released and healed and also where it can inspire other women. The more we open and share our stories the more we give other people permission to do the same.

~ You can find Lisa at: www.lisasimchison.com

~ Lisa is the creator of The Rebellious Love Project, which you can find here: http://bit.ly/2DUKhOS

Lisa, keep doing your thing, beauty! And thank you for being part of The Rising Woman Project! 

xoxoxo

Rising Woman~ Kellee Wip

It is such an honor to share all of these women with you...

Our next Rising Woman is Kellee Whip. Although I believe I have only met Kellee in person once, she's one of those women I have seen transform and blossom over social media over the past several years. She has courageously shared some of her personal journeys in a way that truly inspires me as well as I'm sure many others. Read on...    

Who are you and what do you do for a living?

Hi! My name is Kellee.  Who am I? Such an easy question, yet so difficult isn’t it! I’ve spent a lot of time over the years trying to answer that question. It’s easy to say things like I’m a mom, I’m a wife. I’m a business owner. But that isn’t who I am. Those are part huge parts of my life, but what I’ve realized most lately is that those things aren’t me.  I’m joyful, curious, courageous and determined. I am kind and try to be thoughtful. I am silly and love to make someone laugh. I am open and grateful. I’m messy and sometimes lazy.  I’m active and focused. AND clearly I’m not just one thing. I am committed to helping others and I am committed to growing personally. I am ever changing.

Tell me about your family.

I’m blessed to be the mom of two beautiful children Madelyn 7 and Brayden 10. My husband and I have lived in California for 15 years.

What is your story?

Ever hit a crossroad in your life and realized the world no longer wants to knock on your door, it is kicking the door in? I have! The knocks on the door didn’t wake me up; it took a lot more for me to realize things needed change. I’ve been through this twice now. The first time was six years ago; I was confronted with the clear fact my career needed to change. My kids were young, my daughter had just turned one and my son was that crazy 3-year-old boy.  He had already been kicked out of a preschool. My daughter fought bottle-feeding for the entire first year giving me a year of sleepless nights. And then I was told I was no longer the top performer at my office but my job was in jeopardy. I was working 60+ hour weeks. My kids were a mess and I was worried about answering emails, attending meetings and ensuring my I’s were dotted and my T’s were crossed. Driving to work I would cry knowing this wasn’t how it should be. Driving home knowing I was missing another milestone. I couldn’t keep up this rat race. I couldn’t neglect the biggest job I was ever given to be a mom. I needed to make a change. Partnering with Moms Making Six Figures allowed me the ability to provide financially security my family needed but on my terms and on my time. Now I get to help other women come home to their families.

What have you overcome to get where you are today?

I’ve learned that life happens for us. Every experience, every challenge, every opportunity gives us a gift and we get to chose how we handle those gifts. Fear is in my mind, we all have it, but we chose how long we let it control us. Those who are successful have fear, they just don’t let it fester and build. My challenges aren’t harder, or more complex than anyone else’s. They are just mine. They are there for me to grow. They are there to push me to my next level.

What has been your greatest struggle in life?

Learning PATIENCE! Learning that I can’t control everything. Learning to allow life to guide me. I like to take the “bull by the horns” so to speak. So learning that sometimes the best things in life happen on life’s terms, not mine.

Did you ever feel like giving up? When you felt like giving up, what did you do?

Building a business especially one that requires me to work with others can be challenging. I can’t control everything, so YES, I have had moments where I questioned if I was really cut out for the job. Making a decision to do something requires more than just the thought and a goal. I’ve learned to really know WHY I am going after it. Having clarity on why I was building my business helps me when I feel that frustration. I sit back and remind myself that I can go get another job but than I lose the freedom and financial security I know are so important to my family. Clarity is huge. I’ve also found that having a “Tribe” a group of people I can count on to call me out when I’m just complaining, support me when I need lifting and laugh with me when I just need to release it. Find your tribe and keep them close!

What are some of the tools and resources you have used to work through and overcome those struggles? (books, counselors, workshops, programs, coaches, etc.)

OH BOY! This list is could be ridiculously long! Luckily I have some amazing mentors with Moms Making Six Figures. In addition, some of my favorites:

Books:

The Power of Habit – Charles Duhigg

Leaders Eat Last – Simon Sinek

Start with Why – Simon Sinek

The War of Art – Steven Pressfield

The Champion Mind – Jim Afremow

Love Warrior – Glennon Melton

Workshops:

Tony Robbins – Unleashing the Power Within

Ken Blanchard – Situational Leadership

University of San Diego – Masters in Executive Leadership

Coaches:

Laura Burkey Coaching

Abraham Hicks

Tony Robbins

What are your gifts and how did you discover them?

I think we find our gifts when we stop worrying about all the stuff we stink at! My gifts…finding the positive in every situation, laughing, finding ways to relate to almost everyone, singing (oh wait, never mind that isn’t a gift)!

Who in life do you rely on when you're struggling? Who keeps you uplifted and on your path?

I am blessed to have an amazing tribe. Friends and family that all play unique roles in my life. Not one person is my go-to. Everyone has different experiences and backgrounds that provide me insight, perspective and guidance.

Tell us about your tribe and the importance of having one.

YES YES YES! Tribes are key. I found it a funny word at first, tribe. But having a group of people for me primarily women but I do have a few guys that I count on too are absolutely critical. We have all heard the phrase it takes a village. Well, the new village looks different. We don’t all live next to each other but the power of a group of people is essential in life. My tribe is comprised of mostly women my age but many older and some younger. Many of us spend a lot of time together, but not everyone in my tribe are friends. It isn’t a clique it’s MY support network. It’s MY circle of trust. I found them over time. Some have come and gone, but most have stayed true. I’ve learned that if they need to leave the tribe, it’s ok. Our time was valuable for the time we had.

What do you want other women to know who are feeling lost, and/or experiencing their own tragedy and/or struggles?

You are right where you are supposed to be. If you are sad, lost, hurting, confused. Don’t beat yourself up. Take in that emotion fully and allow yourself to grow through all of it. Yet recognize when you have experienced that emotion and when it’s time to move on. If you feel stuck, the best thing you can do is MOVE! I mean literally, move your body. Physical exercise, change of scenery is the best thing we can do to get our mental mind set on track. If you don’t have a tribe, realize that the tribe starts with you. Get out and meet someone new, ask for help. Trust that your life is going to change. Where you are right now won’t last.  Last but not least, have courage. 20 seconds of insane courage can go a REALLY long way. Just trust your gut and go all in. Avoid the half in and half out just go for it.

What is some advice you would give to women who are healing?

You are beautiful. Right now, you may not feel it. You may not believe it. You may question EVERYTHING. And guess what, that’s ok! You’re learning in that process. You are growing. Healing is painful. But you are NOT alone. As much as our problems and past can feel so unique and haunting, there are so many others who have walked in similar shoes. Allow this beautiful world to help you heal. Seek out the resources and love that is available to you. Time isn’t the only thing that heals. It’s allowing the world to give you the love you need.

Anything else you'd like to add?

Be you! This world has enough other people in this world. Only thing you should ever compare is effort. XOXO

To learn more about Kellee's business, be sure to visit her website:

www.momsmakingsixfigures.com

Thank you, Kellee, for being part of this project and for sharing that there is always another way if we are just willing to go for it!

xoxoxo

Get excited!! Bonding Beauties details are here :)))

Things are really moving along and the day is approaching fast! Zoe & I have been having so much fun creating everything and we can't wait to share this day with you.

I wanted to share our tentative itinerary so that you know what you have to look forward to! We promise that you will leave this day bursting with LOVE :)

******************************

Bonding Beauties Mother~Daughter Workshop

I'm so excited to share my latest creation with you...

Personalized Cooking Session

When people embark on a new journey to health, learning how to prepare and cook food in a new way can be one of the biggest challenges. Women express to me time and time again how helpful it is when I come to their home and show them how it's done and that it doesn't have to be complicated. 

***Special offer for the month of July ONLY...
Check this out -- I am offering this to you as a gift! Anyone who signs up for my 12-week program before July 31st, pays for the first month, and books their first appointment with me will receive their FREE personalized cooking session ($249 value)!

Personalized Cooking Session
1 evening, approx. 2 hours, in your home!
In-home cooking session customized to your dietary and lifestyle needs. We show you the importance and ease of incorporating healthy cooking into your lifestyle ~ and have fun doing it! :)

*Can also be purchased a la cart for $249! Contact me to book!

Contact me for questions or to sign up!

Happy Thanksgiving!! A Turkey Story :)

Our 12 year old son, Andy brought home this turkey story from school last week and I just had to share it with you all. May it bring you a little Thanksgiving chuckle, or a gobble!! ;)

Thank you for your continued love & support!! Happiness, love and light to you and yours this Thanksgiving! ~Mimi~

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  

Andy’s Turkey Story

(From the point of view of a turkey)

It all started when I was strolling around the boring, deserted turkey coop on a cold evening. All of the sudden, I though I heard something behind me. It was terrible, it sounded like a dog scratching its insides out. I started questioning myself, “Could it be the human?” and, “Is it that time of year again?” 

When all the turkeys started scrambling like crazy and I knew why… 

We could smell it.. 

Thanksgiving. 

It reminded me of my Uncle Jimmy. He was the chosen one last year. I shouted, “Everyone stop scurrying! This has to happen every year and I’ll tell you one thing is that we can’t stop it and being like this isn’t gonna help!” 

Its dark outside now so I’m sure it will be a quick and easy death for whoever is the chosen one this year. I thought to myself again, “What if I’m the chosen one?” Then like the others, I started scurrying around like a freak for a minute then I stopped myself and right then, the coop opened and a human-like figure was standing right there. I heard at least 3 knife slashes and a horrifying scream after each one.

The next day we counted 3 less turkeys… It was a hard morning for all of us losing our family and friends. I decided to take action. Tonight when the human comes to feed us, I’ll sneak out and into their house, and then I’ll chase all the humans and peck them until they cant move. Then I’ll grab the same knife our 3 friends were killed with and see how the humans like it…

Cauliflower crusted pizza - first attempt - scored!!

Ok, so maybe it wasn't perfect, but it was pretty dang close.. because well, come on, THE KIDS LIKED IT!! And especially for Eddie, that's saying A LOT. His absolute FAVORITE food is pizza and he has really missed it since going Paleo. I'm so happy to find some pizza that he can eat again - happy kids, happy mom!! :)

It's funny because my cooking almost always comes out the best when it's not planned or measured. So, I'll give you my best shot at sharing what I did tonight. If you try it, please let me know how it works out for you!

I'd also like to add, that our *official* Paleo Cooking at Home program is over. Tomorrow Eddie has an appointment with our family osteopath and we will be discussing diet further with her. There are definitely some things we'll be keeping around, such as some meats.. and then of course we'll still indulge in our occasional "treats."

All in all, I have been extremely pleased with where our Paleo venture has taken us. I think all of us have benefited from it in some way or another. It has taken me back into the kitchen and I am going to be sharing lots more of my ventures in food with you again. It is something I have truly missed over the past year and where my passion truly lies.

So, here's that crazy crust I threw together! :)

Cauliflower Crusted Pizza

1 small head of cauliflower, blended in a food processor or Vitamix.

1/4 C whole flax seeds

1/4 C coconut flour
(you can use your own choices of flours: flax, almond, coconut, etc.)

1/8 C or less nutritional yeast

3 eggs

3 oz. tomato paste (optional)

2-3 tbsp. coconut oil

Salt & pepper

Mix all ingredients together. It will have a thick, pasty texture.

Coat cooking sheet with plenty of coconut oil and spread the mixture thinly and evenly on pan.

Cook the crust by itself at 400* for about 20 minutes, until it begins to brown.

Take out and top with homemade pizza sauce and your favorite toppings. I was working with limited options tonight because I need to go shopping. I used a cheese blend because it was all I had, but I prefer shredding my own mozzarella. 

Bake again at 400* for about 10-15 minutes. 

Because this isn't your typical pizza dough, you might not be able to pick it up with your hands to eat it. It just depends on your toppings, your cooking sheet and how your oven cooks it. Either way, you should be able to serve easily with a spatula and ENJOY!! :)

PGP Update!!

Holy guacamole, where did this week go?? 

Hope you all had a happy 4th yesterday!! 

Aside from some major treats on the holiday, the family is staying Paleo-strong this week. I came right home from our overnight outing with the family and got right to cooking. On the menu tonight - turkey chili with kale.. Yummo!! 

Camille's recipes within her "Paleo Cooking at Home" program are absolutely incredible. I've definitely been learning a lot in the meat department and while I can't say the kids have liked all of it, there are surely some things we will continue to implement long after the 2-3 weeks of this program. Not only that, but I know that I'll be able to take so much of it and make it my own, which is what I truly LOVE.. learning and expanding ways to keep my family as healthy as possible!

AND the coolest thing so far, which I'm sure is a combination of diet and some new memory techniques that I've been using with Eddie lately, is when he said to me a couple of days ago, "Mom, I've been remembering a lot more lately." Music to my ears!!

Stay tuned as I prepare to get back on track with our PCAH program after this weekend... 

PGP: Family meeting, part 2 - Mom

Eddie did incredibly well at his MRI yesterday. I was so afraid that we would have to reschedule because our first attempt was without sedation and Eddie hates needles. I attribute how well he did to having daddy in the room with him (only one of us could go in). Either way, I'm super proud.

Today the kids & I took a risk and hit the mall for lunch. I think we did OK, but there were just way too many temptations and we won't be doing that again.

We came home and got right into the kitchen making pumpkin muffins. Yummy-yummy!!

>>Making pumpkin muffins :)

Here is the 2nd part of our family meeting, with me. Now that the kids are all saddled up, we've just been having tons of fun cooking together. They're such little troopers!!

>>Family Meeting, part 2 with Mom

To see the awesome program we're following to take our family's eating habits to next level, go here:

PGP: Family meeting, part 1 - Dad

In case you didn't take the time to read my first "Pachecos Go Paleo (PGP)" post, today you will get an insight into one of the main reasons we've chosen to give Paleo a try. 

Our 8 year old son has recently been diagnosed with Complex Partial Epilepsy. We will be sharing some pieces of that journey with you, but mostly our journey as we transition our family (particularly, our children) into a healthier diet. 

It is our belief that the first place of healing begins in the kitchen and we know that this transition has to include the whole family. This will only work through communicating, sharing, supporting, strengthening and loving each other every step of the way. 

>>Dad talks to the family about Paleo and talks to Eddie about seizures.<< 

Today is a big day here as Eddie is schedule for his MRI. He had his first MRI when he was a year old and everything checked out normal, so we are hopeful that today will be the same. 

Please send your prayers, positive energies, juju, vibes, and most of all LOVE our way. 

Much love and thanks for your support!! 
xoxo

To see the Paleo program we're following, click here:

Pachecos Go Paleo!!

I'm SO excited to share with you all this brand new Paleo journey that I'm taking my family on for the next 2 weeks!! I will be posting blogs, videos and pictures on FB and IG through all of my social media feeds and I would love for you to follow along. Bare with me, as this first post will be the longest as I tell you a little bit of our story as well as WHY we've decided to give this path a try.

If you know me, you know that I generally don't believe in "diets" or the idea that "one-size-fits-all" when it comes to what we should be eating. Every body has its own requirements and it's our job to figure out what foods provide us with the energy and vitality that are needed to live our fullest, healthiest life possible.

You may or may not know that I've been mostly vegetarian for the past 13 years. Sometimes I'm very strict about it, sometimes I'm not. I typically just go with how I feel because I deeply believe that our bodies will unfailingly tell us what we need through our levels of energy, how we're feeling, what we're craving, etc.

Sadly though, over the past 6+ months I lost my passion for being in the kitchen. Life got super busy and cooking (something that I truly love to do) became more of a chore than something that I enjoyed. I also got tired of making the same old things that never pleased the whole family (3 adults and 3 kids). So, I began to settle for less on what I was feeding everyone. I'd make separate meals which usually meant something healthier for the adults and something mediocre for the kids. Lately, it really started to get to me. My #1 commitment in life is to give my family the best in everything that I can, so how was I going to get over this major funk in the kitchen?

And then I no longer had a choice. I wasn't sure if I was going to share this next part of our story publicly or not, but one thing I know is that by sharing the REAL stuff in life then others can benefit in their own struggles. It is my hope that in sharing this part of our family's journey that you will gain something for your own life journey.

Last week we found out that our 8 year old son, Eddie, has Complex Partial Epilepsy. You may have followed some of his story over the past 8 years. His issues have been pretty minor and very manageable. However, more recently we began noticing something a little more concerning - periods of complete absence, loss of memory and/or knowledge of his current setting. (We'll keep this part of the story short for now.) And so the tests began (physicals, EEG, MRI, etc.) and our suspicions were confirmed.

Once the devastation settled, reality set in. Something had to change. I knew deep in my being that the kid who would eat pizza at every single meal if he could, had to change his diet. And that meant this mama was going to have to have a solid plan. Whatever the plan was going to be, it needed to include the entire family.

[Parts of our family meeting will be posted on Youtube.]

After conducting much of my own homework as well as already having some intuition telling me that Eddie needed to be eating more meat, I reluctantly decided it was time to start bringing more meat into the house. After a few very DRY and not-so-yummy attempts (I've never been one to cook meat), the first person I could think to help me on this path was my amazingly talented and passion-about-food friend, Camille from Recipe RX and Paleo Living.

It couldn't have been more perfect that she was literally JUST launching her own program to help people transition into a healthier lifestyle, called Paleo Cooking at Home: Fast, Easy & Cheap. I quickly jumped on her affiliate program last week, went shopping on Sunday and began our cooking journey on Monday (yesterday). No time to waste!

>>>>>Meet Camille here!!<<<<<

And now the journey begins.

Sunday we completely overhauled the kitchen... out with the crap, in with the real food!!

OUT with the enriched breads, pastas & processed carbs~

IN with the fresh produce, healthy fats and yes, the meat!!

Our first dinner was last night (Almond Coconut Crusted Chicken - holy heavens!!) and EVERYONE (yes, I said everyone) LOVED it!! So far, we have made last night's dinner, today's breakfast (plantain crepes) and lunch (tuna salad wraps), and all of them have been a hit!!

Words cannot express how exciting it has been in just 24 hours to make meals that the whole family loves! I'm seriously ecstatic!! I'm already thrilled to be back in the kitchen and I feel like this is exactly what our entire family needed to get on track.

Be sure to follow our 2-week "Pachecos Go Paleo" journey on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and now Youtube!!

Benefits of rebound exercise ~ AKA: jumping on the trampoline!

We have had the MOST fun with one Christmas gift that we bought our kids this year - a 15 foot trampoline! My friend sent this to me and I thought it was so fascinating that I had to share. I knew that jumping on the trampoline was a GREAT cardio workout, but I had no idea about all of these other benefits. SO FUN!! :)

The Benefits of Rebound Exercise: 33 Ways the Body Responds

By Dr. Morton Walker and Albert E. Carter

The study of the human body is fairly interesting. The moment it becomes no less than amazing is when we understand what happens as the body is placed under the demands of movement and resistance we call exercise. Today we examine, specifically, how Rebound Exercise benefits our bodies. Studies described and documented in the book The Ultimate Exercise for the New Millennium, proves regular rebounding can reduce your body fat, firm your arms, benefit the shape of your legs, hips and abdomen, improve your balance, stimulate your lymphatic system, protect your joints, strengthen your muscles and bones without the trauma of hitting a hard surface, provide an aerobic effect for your cardiopulmonary systems, revitalize your body when it's tired, and generally put you in a state of mental and physical wellness! In fact, we are just warming up!

There are at least 33 fascinating ways the body benefits from Rebound Exercise, detailed below:

1. Rebounding provides an increased G-force (gravitational load), which benefits the body by strengthening the musculoskeletal systems.

2. Rebounding protects the joints from the chronic fatigue and impact delivered by exercising on hard surfaces.

3. Rebounding helps manage body composition and improves muscle-to-fat ratio. Rebound Exercise benefits you by giving you more control over these.

4. Rebounding benefits lymphatic circulation by stimulating the millions of one-way valves in the lymphatic system. This benefits the body's immune capacity for fighting current disease, destroying cancer cells, eliminating antigens and preventing future illness.

5. Rebounding circulates more oxygen to the tissues.

6. Rebounding establishes a better equilibrium between the oxygen required by the tissues and the oxygen made available.

7. Rebounding increases capacity for respiration.

8. Rebounding tends to reduce the height to which the arterial pressures rise during exertion.

9. Rebounding lessens the time during which blood pressure remains abnormal after severe activity.

10. Rebounding assists in the rehabilitation of existing heart problems. Rebound Exercise also benefits recovery from heart procedures, providing gentle, low impact circulation. (Case: Cardiac Rehabilitation Using A ReboundAIR)

11. Rebounding increases the functional activity of the red bone marrow in the production of red blood cells.

12. Rebounding gradually improves resting metabolic rate so that more calories are burned for hours after exercise. Related, Rebound Exercise benefits the post-exercise "Glycogen Replenishment" process.

13. Rebounding causes core muscles and large muscle groups to contract, resulting in the rhythmic compression of the veins and arteries, which more effectively moves fluids, both blood and lymphatic, through the body and back to the heart, lowering peripheral blood pressure and lightening the heart's load.

14. Rebounding decreases the volume of blood pooling in the veins of the cardiovascular system preventing chronic edema.

15. Rebounding encourages collateral circulation by increasing the capillary count in the muscles and decreasing the distance between the capillaries and the target cells.

Happy Mother's Day~

My message for you this Mother's Day is of gratitude. I'm sure that many, if not most of you are Moms and to you I say, THANK YOU! Thank you for being here to support me on my quest to be a better, healthier person and Mom; and thank you for striving to be the best, healthiest Mom that you can be for your children. 

As mothers, isn't this what lies at the root of our aim to be healthy and the best that we can be? How can we provide for our children without our own health? And when we chose to have children in the first place, didn't it become our responsibility to set ourselves up as role models for our children? Isn't it our job to show them the right and healthy way to live, so that they can enjoy and thrive in their childhood and then carry on their dreams and goals as they grow into adults? 

I don't take my job as a Mom lightly and I don't think you do either. This is among the many reasons for ~Heavenly Healthy~. Whether you know it or not, and whether I know you personally or not, your presence in this community has been an amazing source of strength and growth for me in my number one job in life - to be the best Mommy that I can be.

And what would this Mother's Day be without a deep and special thank you to the main Mom in my life!? Thank you, Mom, for all that you do for me (and everyone else). It's hard to find the words to express how thankful I am for our relationship, and our friendship. I enjoy and appreciate our times together in the office - working, chatting and laughing, our coffee talks, our field trips with the kids, and so much more. You have such a load on your shoulders, but you still always make everyone feel important. You are amazing and I thank you for all that you do and all that you are to me, and everyone around you. 

I LOVE YOU!!! 

Happy Mother's Day to all of the other beautiful Mom's in my life~ My Grandmas, all of my beautiful aunts, cousins and friends. You are all amazing and I love you like crazy! :)

Thank you ALL and Happy Mother's Day~

With love from your Heavenly Healthy family :)

Hollywood Half Heaven!

Wow! I can't believe we did it. I mean, I KNEW Angel would do it, but I really thought I was out of the half marathon game. I imagined sitting on the sidelines cheering on my daughter as she crossed the finish line. With an injured foot half way through my training and a whole month off of the schedule, I really wasn't imagining still being able to make it out there. And then about 2 weeks before the big day, the thought popped into my head, "maybe I still can?!" I had some things on my side... I had just done a mud run with my family and I wasn't a bit sore afterward. I recently cranked up my weight training with the Hubs and two of our friends and I was feeling stronger than I have in a long time. Maybe even stronger than ever!


Could that be the strength I needed to make it through 13.1 miles? Maybe...


Or was it something else that would fuel my fire? Was it the fact that I started something a couple of months ago with my daughter that really meant so much to me? It meant taking on something physically bigger than I ever had. It meant challenging mental and physical limits that I had never touched. It meant strengthening and solidifying new and higher standards that I have set for myself. It meant teaching my daughter a lesson in completion that she might not get now, but she surely will some day. It meant an amazing bonding experience with her before she graduates high school and starts college!

Turns out it was ALL of the above and so much more. Thinking back and looking at pictures, that experience was incredibly priceless. It fills my heart beyond measure. The energy of all of the people around us; the incredible stories that you hear/see from people who are out there for their first (like us) or their 50th time; people that have lost hundreds of pounds and transformed their health; people of all ages, shapes, colors, sizes and personalities.

If they can do it and If *I* can do it - 

then YOU can do it and ANYONE can do it. 

And EVERYONE should do it. 

At least ONCE. 

Big, special thanks and so much love to my daughter for allowing me to drag her through this experience. Thank you, Angel, for sticking with me as long as you did even though I know you could have blown me out of the water from the get-go! ;) 

It wouldn't have been the same without you, my dear! 

I love you so much!! 

And thank you to the crew that put on the Inaugural Hollywood Half Marathon. I know you guys put a lot of hard work into that and had a lot of flack to put up with to the very end.

For me, top to bottom, it was an amazing experience!! :)