Monkey See Monkey Do

Hi guys!
  Today I wanted to share with you the deep-seated reason of why I want to live a healthy lifestyle, no matter how challenging it might be (particularly in the kitchen!).

As a child, I loved being active. Growing up, I was involved in Tae Kwon Do, swimming, basketball, and dancing... not that I was exactly good at them. Ha.

But I loved being active. I really enjoyed weight lifting in high school as well.
I spend 1-2 hours in the morning working out and 2-3 hours of the night dancing.
There are times when I felt guilty for spending time away from my family.

But it's like what they say, a happy mom = a happy home = a happy family.
This momma needs her workouts and dance sessions :)

But the other day, I was reminded why I keep going, even if I do feel guilty at times.

When I work out, the kids are at home with me- either playing, napping, doing whatever it is my two little munchkins do.

I don't force them to exercise (at least not yet :P) but when they see me working out, they join me!
Well.. most of the time they do. Other times, they sit on the couch and cheer me on :)

But I absolutely love it when they join me, even if the living room space isn't large enough for the three of us to see the TV at the same time.

We jump, we sweat, we lift weights, we log our progress- they make my workouts fun and they are my workout partners! :)

With child obesity as an issue in the U.S., I really don't want my kids to be a part of that statistic.
In a CPR class that I had to take several months ago, my instructor said that, "back in the days", the depth compressions for an infant/child was 1-1.5" and adults are 2". Nowadays, it is 2" for children as well because of child obesity.

To live a healthy lifestyle is more than just about taking care of my body. It's so that my family can be healthy too. This is the reason, for the sake of my children's health, is why I pop in my workout DVD's or lift weights, or occasionally go to the gym. So they can see what I am doing to be healthy and follow along as they get older.

Cooling down in a lunge V-Sit with rowing

Melody and Jade tracking

 Excuse Melody's oversized pajamas haha :P


What about you guys? Other than the health benefits of eating healthy and exercising, are there any other reasons why you guys maintain or want a healthy lifestyle?
Share in the comments below! :)

April Ab Challenge Results!

Hi Everyone!
  I tried to post this before it was way too far along in May! (7 days isn't too far, is it?)

But I wanted to do a quick post before my day starts and won't get to share my before/after pics!
I see slight differences but it's nothing dramatic.
I did end up skipping some of the days because I didn't feel like doing them or I was just too busy.

But I didn't quit altogether and kept doing what I can to keep up.
Also, as hard as I have tried to eat clean at most and healthy at the very least, I failed miserably.
I'm sure, had I kept my eating under control, my results would have been better.

But here it is!
First picture was taken in the beginning of April.
The next one was taken in mid-April.
The last one was taken yesterday because I kept forgetting to take my pictures.. sorry!

 

 

My next challenge is a challenge I gave to myself- and you can most definitely join me in on this too, but I don't have  tangible workout system for you to use.

But seeing that I have a few workout DVDs from BeachBody, I figured I should at least complete the whole 90-120 days (instead of doing it for a couple weeks and calling it good).
I am on week 3 of Chalean extreme and week 2 of Turbo Fire.
We'll see how long I last :P
But I am tracking my progress, made a little calendar for me so I can see what workouts I'm doing ahead of time, and doing my best to eat keep my eating healthy.

Let's do this!
Huzzah for health!

P.S. If you have before/after pics, feel free to share!
Or you can share it with words- how great you feel, how slim your tummy got, etc.- pics aren't necessary and I would never use them for any reason at all!

How did you feel about it? Was it easy? Hard? Did you stay on track or miss some days like I did? Share your experience! :)

What Motherhood Has Taught Me

There are things that being a mom has taught me. Things that I wouldn't have learned otherwise, I feel.
These are 5 things out of many I have learned.

1. Enjoy the moment
    My head is always in the future. Whatever I am doing in the present is for the future. I hardly just "live" in the moment. My downtime is watching things on Netflix while daydreaming about the future or falling asleep.

But whether I am out dancing or staying in with my little girls, it's important to take a breath and enjoy what I am doing.

If you aren't enjoying the present, then how could you possibly enjoy the future? It's the journey, the process, the things you love doing, the people you love that makes it all worth it and I have to constantly remind myself of this.

So, enjoy the moment.

2. Smile and laugh
    Whether things are tough or going great, I have learned to always smile. Fake it til' you make it!
Even when I am upset, sometimes, I find myself laughing- perhaps because the situation is so ludicrous, but whatever the case, it makes me feel better.

Not only does it make me feel better, but I want to be able to show my kids that, even when things are tough, it doesn't have to mean your attitude has to be synonymous to the situation.

3. Plan ahead!
I'm going to have to thank my 8th grade AVID teacher for this. I forgot her name or what AVID even stands for anymore, but I learned how to be organized and manage my time wisely in that class. She wasn't joking when she said we would be able to use this stuff in college or as an adult.

But I love planning and organizing my life. Everything has a set schedule and I get through my things to do list 90% of the time. I set aside time for working out, dancing, cooking, errands, "educational" time with the kids, working, even naps! (No joke)

It helps me sleep at night, knowing exactly what I'm going to do tomorrow and I wake up looking forward to the things I need to get done... is that weird? haha

I never really used it outside of school. But now as a mom, it's something I do once a week.

4. Dream big, Go hard
Growing up, I think I was one of those people that were scared to set goals because I didn't want to be disappointed when I didn't achieve them. But here I am, dreaming big and doing what I can to make it happen.
I have a few set backs (something I plan on sharing with you all once I get the problems fixed), but I really know what I want for myself and for my kids (hopefully for the better).
It's a little tough sometimes- Working hard means sacrificing time with friends, putting money into a savings account instead of spending it, or even missing out on family get togethers on occasions.

But that's what it takes to train hard, work hard, study hard all the while being a mom and a wife.
In the end, real friends and family will be there when I reach my goals.. and keep pursuing goals.

5. Give
I always remind myself that my life isn't all that tough.
I have a body I can dance with, I have kids and a husband to share my heart with, I have my faith in Christ, I have a place to call home... you get the idea.
When I say give, I don't mean just in a monetary sense, but a piece of yourself, whether it's knowledge, philosophy, time, patience, wisdom.

I love sharing what I know about fitness. I'm at a novice level, but there are people who are unsure and have questions and I love sharing with them the knowledge that I know. I'm even considering taking it to the next level and become a personal trainer..but one thing at a time! I need to get my master's degree first :P

I learned that giving is more rewarding than simply taking. Sharing what you know about the world, sharing your happiness, sharing a piece of knowledge your are passionate about, is much more valuable than taking. Yes, be a student, because you can't not stop learning and continue your growth, but share as you carry on your journey- it's more memorable that way :)

These are the things I live to on a daily basis. These are the things that being a mom has taught me- what Jade and Melody has taught me<3

Grocery Shopping Do's and Don'ts

So, I feel like many of my friends would already know what I'm about to post.
But I have been in the dark about eating healthy for such a long time, I thought it would be nice to share what I have learned just in case ;)

My whole entire life, I have always eaten unhealthy food.
My mom cooked healthy food, of course, pertaining to our Korean culture: Rice and multiple side dishes ranging from various vegetables prepared differently, different sources of protein and sometimes soup.

Out of all my options, what did I eat? Rice and whatever meat I liked. Sometimes, I only ate my bowl of rice because I didn't like anything she made (I know, I was so ungrateful >.<)

I was very picky and never liked vegetables... I still don't.
I ate junkie snacks like Hot Cheetos and Pringles all the time, too.

In Middle School all the way through high school, it was pizza for lunch all day, everyday, 2-3 slices or the occasional fast food run when I got my car.
Yuck.

So, when I had kids, my world was filled with questions:
How do I protect them? When can I enroll them in extracurricular activities? How many diapers am I supposed to change a day?

WHAT DO I FEED THEM?!

Over the last few years, I have learned a few tricks.
Here are the 5 tips I use every time I go grocery shopping.

1. Avoid advertisements that read: LOW FAT! Reduced SUGAR! 100% NATURAL!
Chances are, there are other "hidden" processed ingredients to make up for it or to sell the product.
And yes, even the 100% Natural advertisements are probably not so natural.
Not healthy.
To see if it's natural, check the ingredient label, which leads me to number two.

2. Ingredients to look out for:
I'm not a nutritionist and nor am I a die hard eat clean guru.
But through my journey of eating healthy, I have learned to avoid certain foods that contain these ingredients:

High Fructose Corn Syrup (any type of added fructose, actually)
Maltodextrin
Dextrose
Dextrin
Enriched bleached flour
Aspartame
Sucrose
artificial flavoring/sweeteners
a note that says "used as preservative"
dyes for food coloring

I tried to think up as many as I can ^^"
When I looked at the food in my pantry and fridge, I was shocked to see so many of these ingredients in the food I eat daily.
Needless to say, I tried to finish whatever was in my fridge so I can buy cleaner versions of them (because we don't waste food here! Haha).
Definitely a little more expensive, but my body...our bodies, deserve the best!

3. An ingredient list tidbit:
   a. When looking at the list of ingredients, if it is filled with words you're not sure of, stay clear!
I mean, referring to my number two, what is maltodextrin? What in the world is aspartame?
Yeah... No thanks (for the record, in simple terms, they are man made form of sugar and your body doesn't need that much sugar.. that's why sweets are at the top of the pyramid!)
   b. When an ingredient list is long, avoid it. It is probably filled with unnecessary, processed things.
A general rule of thumb I use is, if it has more than 5 ingredients, don't use it.
BUT, there are healthy, packaged foods out there that have more than five.

I was looking up a recipe, and the author posted a picture of the ingredients label of a pasta sauce she was using. It was fairly long, perhaps 10 were listed, but they were all words and foods I knew.
It contained things like... I don't know.. pureed tomatoes, pureed garlic, salt, pepper...you get the idea.
All real ingredients.

4. Shop on the OUTSIDE edge of the grocery store
You have your produce, meat, dairy, and grains like bread (sometimes) on the edges of the store.
Have you ever walked inside a grocery store and have the vegetables and fruits in the center of the store?
I haven't...

But whatever the case, the realest, cleanest foods are on the outside.
Packaged, processed foods are on the inside on shelves.

5. When buying grain/pasta, opt for whole grain:
I personally do not think there is anything "bad" about white grains/wheat/pasta/whatever.. haha

My opinion on white grains is that it isn't bad but it's hardly nutritional. Whole wheat on the other hand, is nutritional.
Now, I don't know if the number of calories are the same between white and brown rice/wheat/grain, but let's say a cup of each is both 50 calories. Wouldn't you eat the same amount of calories with more nutritional value than the one without? I sure would. But I love my white rice, I don't eat rice that often, but when I do, you can bet it's white.

Eating clean was a difficult transition for me.
When I was doing my research, I was bombarded with information and I didn't know what to do with all of it.

I like to keep things simple and I took bit and pieces of information that I believed I can do and have written it down.

As I have started this journey, I have learned to remember which brands of snacks, meats like bacon, pasta, etc, I liked and which to avoid, and some, I'm still exploring and learning.

I hope this was helpful!
Remember to take it one step at a time and be patient!
Exercising is important but fueling and nourishing your body with good, healthy food is even more important!

As always, thanks for reading!! Keep warm! Here in CO, there's snow!
   Yeon :)

P.S. How is everyone doing on the ab and thigh challenges!! I have definitely missed a few days, I'm human too and mess up! But it's ok! I just gotta keep going! :)

Benefits of Challenges!

 

 

Hey guys! 
    I am about 10-15 pounds away from my goal weight now.
I often think about what is going to happen when I reach my goal weight.
Do I stop? Do I keep up the same regimen? Do I push harder?
What happens?

Most people go on an up-and-down trend.
They reach their goal weight and think, "Hey! I'm here! 20 pounds gone! I'm free!"
And they will live life as they have before: lack of exercise and healthy eating.

They will gain some weight back and before they know it, they are making the necessary changes to restart their journey. Sounds cumbersome. Why even bother in the first place?

What can you do to prevent your relapse?

Set personal challenges!

Whether it's running a marathon, doing a monthly challenge, weight loss challenge, entering a bikini competition, whatever it might be, refocus your goals!

There are few options to prevent a relapse but my focus for this post is setting challenges for yourself.

And it doesn't have to be for people who have reached their goals, anyone can set a goal, whether it is for fun or to trump a plateau.

It can be set as long term or short term. I know some people who have started training for a marathon a year ago and others who are starting to train now. People have different regimens and different goals, and they are also at different stages.

The benefits?
You won't relapse, you'll be improving yourself, and most importantly, you will remain healthy!
It is also rewarding and fun! :)

Just for fun, here is an April Ab Challenge! This was found on a facebook page I am involved with: No Excuse Moms
(keep in mind though, you can't spot reduce! ^.~)


(Save picture as on you computer for a bigger, readable calendar)

This is a 30 day thigh challenge calendar that I found :)
Another area I would like to work on.


Happy challenges guys! Remember, being healthy is a lifestyle! ;)
Keep at it!

How to be a Super Mom

Among our daily lives, there are Super Moms everywhere. You just don't see them because we dress like ordinary people. There are some Super Moms in training out there, and I thought it'd be nice to give a little advice.

Here are 5 tips:

1. Don't sleep.
    There are only so many hours in a day (24 to be exact). You have to spend time with your kids, keep up with the laundry (washing, drying, folding, putting it away), cook breakfast, lunch, dinner, do the dishes, put them away, and clean your home (including but not limited to vacuuming, dusting, picking up toys, scrubbing the toilet and bathtubs and cleaning the windows).
  If your kiddos are younger, you gotta feed them every few hours and change their diapers often and if they are older, there's the whole aspect of helping them with their homework, possibly giving them a workbook for them to do, being their chauffer taking them to the park, swimming lessons, play dates, and the sorts.

If you are sleeping, you can't possibly do all that. So, no sleeping.

2. Pick a super power.
    Some moms opt for multiple arms. They are cooking while they are folding the laundry. Or they are picking up toys while helping their kiddos with homework. Some of them do all four at the same time. Way to make good use of your extra arms!
   Other moms choose the power be at two (or more) different places at once. They are at the grocery store shopping, at the bank making a deposit, at school dropping their little ones off at school, and some manage to get their hair done as well and have enough time to come home to prepare an after school snack and dinner.
   You can definitely pick more than one super power, but remember, with great power, comes great responsibility. Having too many powers at once can and will drain your energy!

3. Be the family file cabinet
    I don't mean be a push over and take crap from people. But as a Super Mom, people will start dumping to do lists and stories all day and night.
   Your kids will cry, babble, giggle or if they are older, they will ask questions you don't know the answer to, tell endless stories about what happened at school, and will constantly beg you for something you possibly cannot retrieve.
  Your husband will ask questions he already knows the answers to, he will vent his anger and sadness or tell funny stories about what happened at work. You will have to listen, and let it all pile up and you will have to remember. Why?
Because you are Super Mom and you keep track of everything: Birthdays, errands, anniversaries, important meetings, conferences, appointments, things-to-do-lists, things your kids will need (like school supplies, things your husband will need (like more socks or ties), phone calls you will have to make.. the list is endless.

You might be thinking, "But isn't that what calendars and memo notebooks are for?"
 Yes, it is. But here is the catch. Only Super Moms can see it. You can hang it on the fridge or the living room wall. Your husband and your kids will not see it. They will come to you.

So, please use this special gadget to help you.

4. Speaking of gadgets...
There are a few special gadgets you should always have in hand.

- Magic kisses. Thankfully, once you become a Super Mom, the supply is endless. Simply kiss your child when they are sad, and it'll make them feel better. It will heal all physical and emotional wounds.

- A second pair of eyes. This comes with a little training. But before you know it, you will be able to know where your child is, even if you're not looking at him directly.

- The Look. This too, comes with practice. But it will come in handy when your little one is being strayed from the good side. Simply, give her the Look, and she will back away from the dark side and rejoin you.

- The Magic Bag. This, you must carry with you everywhere you go! It's like Batman's utility belt but we as Super Moms have much more responsibilities and hence, need a bag to carry all our gadgets with.
This may or may not include: Bandages, Neosporin, wipes, diapers, milk, snacks, water, small toys, extra clothes, blankets, jackets, hand sanitizer, and many other things (or less).

5. I saved the most important for last: Love and Faith
Super Moms don't sleep. We are beckoned at every call by our husbands, kids, parents, siblings, bosses, co-workers, and friends. Our minds are filled with past memories (good and bad) and the future, yet we are surviving and living in the present. At the end of the day, what gets us through all trials and tribulations is love.

Sometimes, you will be weary. You will want to run and hide. But you don't. And it's because you are surrounded by love and exude love.

Faith in knowing that God is there, that you are not alone, will keep you in touch with Love and you can get through almost anything.

Cheers to us and soon-to-be Super Moms!

Switch It Up!

Ever since I've started waking up early, I've attempted to work out every morning.
Sometimes, it didn't happen.
When it did happen, I always opted for cardio.
Well, I have workout ADD. I always have to switch it up or I get bored so fast, I'm jumping off the healthy band wagon and never getting back on again for a month or two.

This past week, I lifted weights in the morning.
For now, I absolutely LOVE it. I haven't lifted weights in awhile- it's a love/hate thing.
I love how I feel during and after, I love muscles, I love the challenge. But I hate the counting...
I know, it's such a frivolous reason to hate.

There I am, breathing hard, huffin' and puffin', and all I'm thinking is, "Onnneee..... Twoooo......."
It's mindless...and boring....

It doesn't matter if I'm listening to some pumped up music or in silence or whatever, I hate counting.

Anyway, enough with the hate, because I'm loving it at the moment.

I've also decided to do some HIIT or tabata work outs during my cardio days.... if it happens at all..

I'm always doing one or the other- I'm either really good with keeping up with my weight training or I'm really good with staying on track with cardio.
For some reason, I am never able to do both.

But I'm going to try my hardest this week to switch up and keep them both consistent.

That means knowing what my options are since I can't seem to do the same things for more than 3-4 weeks.

Cardio:
toprocks
footwork
jump rope
HIIT
tabata
workout dvvds (Turbo Fire)

Weight Training:
Dumbbells
calisthenics

Hm... seems like my weight training options are a little short. I should look more into weight training options. I do have some resistant bands, but so far, all the workouts I've seen or tried haven't been appealing to me so they are just sitting in a box.

When I get bored of my regimen I always try and find a way to mix it up or spark my motivation again.

- I spend time on my pinterest looking up fun and interesting workouts
- I look up amazing dancers on youtube because the strength (among many other things like flexibility and balance) always puts me in awe and inspires/motivates me to keep going
- Heck, I look up workouts on youtube
- I look through my little notebook of previous HIIT workouts and see if I want to re-do any of them and improve my score (drawback: I don't always track my reps because... you guessed it! I hate counting!)
- If you are a member at a gym, try a group class! When I was a 24 hour fitness member, that's all I ever did and it was A LOT of fun! Plus, they have many different classes at different times so it was awesome! I miss it.... :(
- going back to the basics: This is a new one for me, I tried it yesterday just for fun and to see how I feel about it. I did the most basic, most simplest exercises in a HIIT format, maybe you'd like to try-
    Three exercises:
      1.  knee push ups (yep, that basic)
      2. crunches
      3. reverse crunches
12 rounds. 30 sec work, 10 sec rest. A total of 4 rounds. You don't have to do what I did, you can put your own favorite exercises in place of mine.
I was dripping in sweat and I loved it! I will be trying this again, with different exercises of course (or the same).

What do you like to do to stay on track with your workouts? Do you get bored as easily as I do? Or are you pretty good about doing what you gotta do? :)
Share some of your favorite workout regimens!

Zombie Apocalypse! Ahhh!!

   Since Friday is devoted to me, myself, and I, I was wondering all week what I was going to write about.
  I am a very quiet person but my mind is on a buzz all day, everyday. It's hardly ever quiet.
I decided that the first thing I think/daydream/opinionate will be my first topic.
I have definitely went through various scenarios of what could be, what will be, what should be, what if's, and many other "what's" before I consciously realized I was thinking about what I would do if a zombie apocalypse happened.

I remember awhile back, maybe a year or two ago, I asked my dad what he would do.
"Burn them!"
I laughed at his response because it was so quick and he gave his whole reason why:
1. Shooting, especially at a distance, doesn't seem to slow them down for whatever reason.
2. According to movies, your best bet is to decapitate them, but decapitating them requires you to be near them, increasing the probability of you getting infected...unless you can get a head shot every time...and from the rules of the movie Zombieland, you gotta double tap it and that seems unlikely...well..I know for a fact it would be impossible for me. Ha..
3. Therefore, burning them, is your safest, sure fire bet to get rid of them....

Unless they're somehow anti-flammable.. can you imagine burning zombies chasing after you? Yikes..

Anyway...
As morbid as this post may be, it's what I caught myself thinking about, so, here it is.
First of all, I'm pretty sure I won't survive...but I'll be damned if I get eaten up by zombies.

My rules to surviving a zombie apocalypse:
1. STAY PUT. I don't understand why people in movies venture out. They get out their doors, get noticed and then get eaten up... end of story
2. Contact family/friends ONLY if possible. If for whatever reason, my phone dies and the electricity is out and there's no way of contacting anyone, I'm staying still...and hidden...and hope for the best
     - If my phone works, I will contact my family and friends in hopes that their phone is on silent or vibrate so they aren't found. I would hate to think I led them to their deaths by getting them noticed....much like texting and driving.. please don't do that.. anyway...
      - If friends and family are ok, great! We will not rendezvous unless necessary and it is "safe" to do so
                - what I mean by necessary: run out of food, evac site is determined
3. Carry small, light, quiet weapons. My husband and I do not own guns but I'll take the next best thing- kitchen knives, swiss army knife, some form of aerosol and a lighter.
    -Why lightweight weapons? Because I'd much rather be mobile and be able to hide
    - Why quiet? I'm sure you know why- Guns go off and all off a sudden your surrounded by zombies because you drew attention to yourself. Unless you've got a silencer, I'm not going anywhere near you...unless you want to sacrifice yourself or something...

4. As you all know, I have two toddlers. I think during the first few days of knowing that zombies are out in the world, I am going to train them.
    a. Lesson 1: Be and STAY quiet
    b. Lesson 2: These are tough times, eat slow and eat in timed intervals
    c. Lesson 3: Be stealthy- walk, run, whatever, as quietly as possible
    d. Lesson 4: Listen to mommy :)

5. Cover all cuts and scrapes so as not to get infected. Actually, find some way to cover all openings on your body: mouth, eyes, ears, etc. 
 
I remember watching a movie and a bird was infected. A drop of blood fell into this guy's eyes and well....it wasn't a happy ending..

Basically, my theory of surviving the zombie apocalypse is to go unnoticed.
The setback is that it probably means I won't get any help from the outside world either like helicopters or something since they are unlikely to see me. I'm such a chicken.

I would probably die of starvation :(
But, I will not be painfully torn apart by zombies and become one of them.. which is what I'm deathly afraid of. I want my limbs intact and my organs kept inside when I die... O_O

If I had all the resources in the world and I had time to prep for it...
I'd probably build a "home" underground filled with supplies of weaponry, food, and health kits. It would be surrounded with various security such as electrified fence and flame throwers and...perhaps a moat...zombies can't swim, can they? Oh and a big "HELP!" sign would probably be a good idea...

This is definitely not the same thing I was thinking about as before, but like I said, I think about a LOT of things, and I did my best to adhere to it...
And this concludes my survival guide.
Also, check out http://www.zombielandrules.com/
You bet I'm following those rules.

What would you do if a zombie virus broke out? Are you prepared for it? Or do you simply believe it's not going to happen at all?

Thanks for reading guys!
Hopefully, next week, I'll catch myself thinking about something a little less creepy.. ^_^"

The Oops and the Hurrah!

I'm sure as parents, we all have those moments where we go, "Oops!"
Whether it's something minor as forgetting his or her pacifier or maybe it's something bigger like dropping your by kiddo on accident...hopefully the latter. But we've ALL had those moments.

And then we've had those moments where we are totally bad-ass, whether it's a little win or a big win, we've had'em and we do a little celebratory dance...er..at least I do.. o^_^o

Well here is my oops! And my big hurrah!

The Oops:
   My kids have been playing this game with me for awhile: When they hear me unlocking the door, they quickly run to my bedroom and hide under the covers. Needless to say, I play along.
I don't like doing the same thing over and over again.
Some days, I come home and act panicked, "Oh no! Where is Jade and Melody!" I act distressed and look around for them under the bed and in the closet and eventually make my way to the bed.

Other days, I tip toe in and throw the covers off and roar, "I've got you!" and have a little tickle fest.

And sometimes, I come in, yawn out loud and say, "Oh! I am SOOO tired! I think I'm gonna take a nap!" And just lay on top of my kids until they wiggle and laugh their way out from under me.
But ONE time.... I played their little game too. For some reason, the lights weren't on except for the dining room which is very dim.
My dishwasher was set out with all the racks out as well.
"Perfect!" I thought.
I sat right down beside the dishwasher so that, looking straight ahead into the kitchen, you wouldn't be able to see me.
(Righttttt there...)












After a few minutes have gone by, I heard the kids talking to each other...
"Hey, where's Mom?"
"Mom? Where are you?"
"Where is she..."

I started make strange sounds and tap on the floor and cabinets to give them cues to where I might be.
They've glanced into the kitchen a few times but never spotted me.

Getting a cramp in my leg, I decided it's time for me to finish the game.
I gave really obvious clues like slamming the cabinets shut or stomping on the kitchen floor.

My 4 year old came running to the kitchen, only to see that, again, nobody was there.
As she was turning around, I jumped and yelled, "RAAAWWRRR!"

Poor thing jumped 10 feet in the air and started sobbing.

I was laughing hysterically because I'm not exaggerating, she jumped so high and the look on her face... priceless!
But I did feel bad... really, really bad >.<

I never hid again since then and I always go to the bedroom now doing any of my other variations to the game. 0:)

My Hurrah:
  There came a time, when my husband's and my schedule was just too crazy. By the time I had to leave for school, he wouldn't be home on time and the kids would have been alone. If I had waited for him, I would have missed my class.
So, I had to bring my kids with me.
We went bed early the night before and woke up at 5:00 AM. It definitely didn't have to be that early but I am very slow in the morning...VERY SLOW..

And with getting two kids ready, I wanted to take my time and have a mellow morning. I also didn't want my kids to wake up to a frantic, crazy mother so early in the morning. We were going to have a very long day and I wanted them to feel as pleasant as possible.
So, I got them ready, got myself ready, prepared my backpack, prepared my kids' backpacks and we ate breakfast.

In short, the day that should have been very crazy, hectic, and stressful, was a win for me.
I had planned everything out:
- having colors and paper out when they got bored in my class
- multiple snacks, ready and on hand
- lunch prepped and ready to eat
- planning bathroom breaks for my then three year old Jade, carefully mapping out my next class and the nearest bathroom
- brought a few silent toys for them to play with quietly
- extra water for them to sip on

They did a lot of walking and were very big girls for me that day.
I wasn't late to a single class.

If my kids had been throwing tantrums or been disruptive in any way, I would have left immediately, but I never had to do so.

I definitely felt like a super mom that day and it's one of my favorite hurrah moments.
Makes me proud to have my kids because well, they're awesome.

I go to school up in Boulder and commute from Denver.
My kids were KNOCKED OUT on our way home and I knocked out once I got home :P

Some pictures from that day :)

What are some of your winning moments as a parent? What was your "oops" moment?
If you're not a parent, what moments are you looking forward to or what are you apprehensive about? Feel free to share! :D

We definitely learn as we go and sometimes, we learn from our mistakes and other times, we learn from our positive experience.

To Parenting! :)

My Favorite Exercises!

Hi everyone!
  With all my posts about working out in the morning and being an enthusiast for bodyweight exercises (but I do have dumbbells and lift weights at home!), I thought I'd share ten of my favorite exercises!

1. Push ups
   I loved doing these in high school and I loved challenging myself with the 1-minute tests. After having my kids though, they became VERY difficult to do. I struggled with even doing one push up on my knees!
  But that's the great thing about push ups, there are many variations to make it suitable for anyone. 
 I couldn't do them on my knees, so I started on the wall, then progressed to my knees, and then finally went for that one push up. I can now do 20-25 in a row. Nowhere near what I was able to do in high school (50+ in a minute- yes, all the way down, all the way up with correct form) but I'm proud of how far I've come.
   Along with the "standard" push up, you can do wide armed push ups, diamond push ups, tricep push ups, and "shoulder" push ups just to name a few and work out different parts of your body!
Awesome, isn't it?

2. Squats
   Gotta love'em. It can be strictly squatting or you can do squat jumps or squat jacks to add a bit of cardio or to work slightly different muscles. Now, I'm no expert, but I find that doing squat jacks make my inner thighs sore the very next day- which I LOVE because it is one of my "problem spots".

3. Burpees!
   Sometimes I call it the hybrid- it's like a mix of push-ups, squats and a jack (jumping jack) so why not? I love it for the challenge, definitely gets my heart rate up, and I find it fun. I find it interesting how I can do 20+ push ups and a bunch of squats but burpees just absolutely KILL me! It's a good way for me to get out of my comfort zone and push my body hard.

4. Leg lifts (and variation)
  I made up that name, I have no idea what it is called and I have heard different names for it...Fire hydrants..donkey kicks..leg lifts..you get the idea. These exercises target the glutes and the hammies. For me, I definitely feel my inner thighs burn on the stationary leg while my butt on the active leg burns. Hurts so good! I like how there are a few different ways to do it to switch it up and of course, work different parts of your legs. You can keep your leg straight to the back or to the side, have it a 90 degree angle and lift up, or keep your leg out to the side and kick.

5. Side Bends
  Again, no idea what it is called...in fact, I made the name up just now because that's pretty much what you're doing, you're bending to the side. You want to keep your hips stationary and your bending from your waist, crunching your ribcage to your hip bone. I like to do this exercises with a 3 or 5 pound dumbbell for the extra resistance but you can definitely do this exercises with no equipment at all. Love how sore my obliques are the next day! Feel the burn!!

6. Shoulder taps (and variations?)
   I learned this exercise from a friend of mine and I'm not sure what it is called either. But basically, you are tapping your shoulders, alternating, and lifting and lowering your arms, resisting with your own force, there are some shoulder shruggings involved, some pulling, slicing.. and a few more exercises...I think it would be easier to demonstrate so MAYBE I'll post a video up? I'm pretty camera shy so we'll see about that...needless to say, this exercise set is an awesome arms/shoulder work out.

7. High Knees
  I hate it and love it. I find it very hard to do! Especially when after a mere 30 seconds, my legs start to feel heavy but I'm doing the best I can to keep my knees up as high as I can. I hate the misery I put myself through doing it but I love how I feel after I complete it..haha

8. Dive Bombers
   I think the only reason why I like this exercise is because it feels new and refreshing other than the fact that it's fun. In my head, I always go, "aaaannddd...woop!" when I "go under". I find it hard to describe the exercise in words..so I will send you to the link I learned it from. I learned it from Zuzana when she was the first bodyrock.tv host (and if you guys love her as much as I do, she has moved onto Zuzka Light- but I like her older workouts more..I'm not sure why...)
Dive Bomber- BodyRock workout

9. Wall Sits
  Oh how I loathe it! But I love timing myself. To this day, I struggle to go for a minute, probably because I don't do it on a consistent basis, but when I do add it to my workout regiment, I aim high...maybe a little too high..haha But it's easy and the timed challenge is what makes it fun, at least for me it does!

10. Planks
  I like doing this exercise while listening to my music, headphones on. I have a timer running and I try to go beyond 1:00 minute. Rest for 15 seconds and repeat. Sometimes  I make it past 60 seconds, sometimes I struggle to last 30 seconds. But whatever the case..it's my "chill" go to workout when I don't feel like working out. Once I start and get my blood flowing, I end up working out full throttle. If not, which is rare, at least I had a good core workout.

So there it is! My favorite bodyweight exercises! Which also gives you no reason to dip out on a workout session! Gym Schwim! You can work out at home! For Free! :)

I may or may not post a workout video of me going through these exercises... ;)
What are your favorite exercises? Are you a gym rat or do you like to workout at home with your own bodyweight? Or maybe you have your own gym equipment you like to use at home! If so, what is your favorite equipment? :)

The Fast-Forwarded Moment

There are days when I feel excited about my kids growing and learning. But then it's also a heart- heavy moment.

It's mostly a joyful moment, but after the moment passes, whether it's seconds, days, or weeks, it becomes nostalgic.

I remember when Jade first started preschool. I made such a big deal about it (I mean, it WAS big deal..it was PRESCHOOL!). I got her all dressed up, did her hair, took pictures going to the CAR, getting out of the car, walking to the school doors..like oh man, I feel as if I overreacted but I definitely do not feel embarrassed or regretful that I took one too many pictures.

Now here it comes... Melody will be starting preschool in the Fall (at least that is the plan, arrangements still need to be made) and Jade will be in KINDERGARTEN. She'll be gone for a full eight hours.
Then the next year, both my kids will be away at school for eight hours, learning their ABC's and 123's.
Where has the time gone?
I've looked forward to that moment- EIGHT HOURS..I can get so many things done! Errands, schoolwork, working, training, working out, napping..like oh my goodness, talk about paradise!

But then it means the kids will soon hit middle school...then high school...then college..then marriage..then a family of their own..
I know I'm fastforwarding waaayyy ahead of time but when people say kids grow up fast, they're not lying.

It feels like yesterday when I was hoping Jade would start crawling soon but now she's a little daredevil, running up and down hills, racing down the stairs, jumping off playgrounds, and playing tag.

It feels like yesterday when I was hoping Melody would start talking soon but now she's so sassy! When a three year old acts bossy, it's cute...sometimes.. :P

I am now living in the moment I wished to fast forward to- only to find that I want things to slow down. But now that they're older, can they be three and fours year old for a couple more years?

It's totally okay to want to fast forward- we, as parents, look forward to their growth and development! Otherwise, what would parenting be?

What were some of the moments you were looking forward to with your kid(s), only to have time pass you by?
:)

Mini Goal Update

Hey all!
   So when January began, my short-term resolution was to wake up between 6-7. I've been waking up at 7:00-7:30. In fact, I woke up today at around 7:30 without an alarm with every intention to sleep in. I'll take that as a compromised success, ha :P
  So now that I have somewhat achieved my resolution, I would like to add onto it..
early morning work outs! I don't know why....but I LOVE working out in the morning, indoors or outdoors.
  I think it's just convenient..
   - Kids are still sleeping
   - If I go for a run, the air is crisp and fresh
   -If I stay indoors, it's peaceful and my workout goes uninterrupted
   -I also scream and cry and talk to myself so I have no one to witness that early in the morning :P
      (Seriously though, if you ever have me in a group class..I'm the girl going "Ah! It burns! My legs! Whhoooo!")

Now, the only downside in working out in the morning is that it's COLD! I DESPISE THE COLD.
Trust me, the days I woke up around 7-7:30 earlier in my resolution, I tried to work out, kind of a kill two birds with one stone attempt.

Did. Not. Work.
I was just laying there, drinking water, bundled up beneath my blankets, checking my to-do list, figuring out what to eat, facebooking...oii.
It was terrible.

But it's time to move on up to the next challenge!
I always preach about making a plan to make sure your goal is achieved..
Well, here is my plan to workout in the morning..
  1. Either lay out ally my clothes beforehand or sleep in them
  2. Sleep with extra clothes on. Whether it's wearing a hoody or sleeping with socks- whatever it takes to wake up warm so I'm not whimpering under the blanket, not ready to brace the cold.
  3. Take some time to listen to a bit of music. I always find myself amped up when I listen to some hype music.

And there it is..
My next goal. I feel apprehensive about this. I feel like it's going to take a lot of effort..but then again I thought the same way when I planned to wake up between 6 and 7 in the morning and here I am doing it 20 days later.

I also wanted to share with whoever is out there reading my blog that bodyrock.tv is doing a 30 day challenge! DO IT!
It's free, you can do it anywhere, and you don't have to use equipment. They DO use equipments, but I believe they give you alternatives or ideas you can do to improvise an equipment from your basic home furniture.
 I tend to look at the workout listed, fast-forward through the video to see what some of the exercises look like, jot it down, and get it ready for the next day. I make my own alternatives since I don't have any of the equipment they use or can't make an alternative/DIY equipment.
I am one day behind (intentionally) and it's never too late to jump in and give it a go! You can start wherever you want, whether it's at Day 1 or Day 6.

Another side note, my blog posts have been all about fitness so far. I didn't intend that to happen- I also want to blog about my kids so I have some form of memories of them (along with videos and pictures- Gotta find every way possible to make note of my children! lol)
and I also want to blog about my random shenanigans, if any, to see my personal growth years later.

So I suppose Sunday could be my "fitness" day, Wednesday will be for my kids, and on Friday, I'll post my thoughts, opinions, happenings, etc if there is anything I find worth noting. :)

And as always, thanks for reading my blog!
Feel free to share/comment! :)

Personal Reflection: Take Out vs Cooking

Hello Everyone!
   Today, I thought I would share my thoughts, opinions, and experience with ordering fast food or take out versus some good ol' home cooked meals.
  
   Here is the honest truth. I CANNOT cook. Okay, maybe I can, but it isn't always yummy, and after 4-5 years of exploring in the kitchen on a not so consistent basis, my menu is still pretty small.
   And most of it is very simple.
   It goes from peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to burritos to pot roast and not so many things in between.
   I also see many of my facebook friends posting pictures of their kitchen ventures, looking pretty amazing and tasty and it looks so elaborate. They seem to like cooking.... I really don't understand how they do it..or why.
  I find it boring, challenging, and exhausting. Even with all my efforts, I just cannot seem to enjoy my food- I would think after working so hard to prepare something, I would enjoy it, but nope, even if it tastes pretty good, I just can't enjoy it.

 I easily prefer eating fast food or ordering take out; it's easy, convenient, yummy but definitely not cost effective and I don't always go for the healthiest option. I also over indulge on these meals.
With it being mess free, which is equivalent to being stress-free, I am literally associating endorphins with take out. You release endorphins, or what I like to call "happy hormones" when you eat. But I feel like it's more than just that when I eat out, but I'm not quite sure what.
 
This is probably why I hate cooking so much and why I do not enjoy what I conjure up in the kitchen.
   Maybe I'm lazy, maybe I'm not cooking it right, I really don't know, but I just have this negative feeling towards cooking.
  I always tell my husband that as soon as we get our own house, I'm hiring a chef. I think he thinks that I'm joking, but I'm dead serious.
  One thing I do know is this: when I cook my own food, I am able to eat in appropriate proportions and I cook healthy foods, and THAT makes me feel good. But compared to eating out, it's not even close to the euphoric feeling I get.
   I hate how broke I get or how I eat so much to the point I feel uncomfortable, but its not enough for me to stop eating out.

  I feel like this is something I need to meditate on- switch my mindset and associate more positive feelings with my own cooking and more negative feelings with take out.
  I also know that it takes practice. I must have made a dozen different ways to cook chicken until I found the one way that I liked...literally just one recipe.
   I am also working towards batch cooking and freezing as much home cooked meals as I can- Quick and easy in the long run- maybe I'll learn to enjoy my own food.
 I also learned that it takes some good investments. I am much better at keeping up with my exercises and over the years, I have bought some equipments without a second thought.
  I've learned that it's the same with cooking. For the first few years in our apartment, we had the basics: frying pans and pots..and of course a rice cooker because I'm Asian :P.
That's all I had to cook with excluding the oven and microwave. It wasn't until two or three years ago when we bought a small grill and it wasn't until just a couple months ago that I bought a slow cooker (that I absolutely love).
 Since then, my horizons have definitely broadened but I still have a long ways to go.
 Patience and self-control is the key at this point. I just gotta take it one step at a time, like everything else.

What about you? Are you a pro chef or are you an amateur like me? Does cooking come easier for you or does exercising easily take priority? Share your thoughts! :)
You can also share your favorite recipe :)

Mini Goal, Long Term Goal, Measurements

Hi guys!

  This post is long overdue! I got caught up with the holidays, running errands, and my New Year's Eve "spring cleaning"..which isn't even done. (And all the toys I put away in a box for donation have been taken out by my kids so I have to start over.. -_-")

  Anyway, enough with the delay!
   To start, my mini goal is to get 8-9 hours of sleep. My plan is to get to bed by 10 o'clock and wake up at 7. I, eventually want to wake up six in the morning. So far, I have failed miserably. But I'm starting to get there. I was getting to bed around two or three in the morning when I first started, but now it's closer to midnight.
  My other mini goal is to drink water first thing in the morning, and I've been doing that fairly well. I'd like to add drinking tea somewhere into my morning routine but I always forget to get the water boiling.

 Now for my long term goal. I want to build muscle overall, get lean, and have some sort of visible abs whether it's just really toned or it's like "BAM! In your face, I have a 6 pack!" kind of abs.
here's what I mean...


toned

www.athlonelite.com  

 Abs

medicaltechnologyavenue.blogspot.com 

 BAM! In your face abs!

www.dailyhiit.com 

 

I prefer either of the first two and it's going to be one of heck of a journey for me to get even a toned midsection.

 

Now for my measurements and before pic.

   I want to point out that I have gotten "fatter" the last three weeks or so. And I'm glad, that's what I needed.

   Everyone always talks about calories when it comes to weight loss or building muscle mass and how you need to make a conscious effort of how much of it you consume and expend.

   I never counted calories, until about a month ago and out of curiosity, wanted to know what my calorie deficit was. I consumed about 1200 calories or less per day- this is exclusively consumption. I dance almost every night, work out in the mornings, and have physically active jobs (dancing, standing, walking, jumping, etc.)
   I don't exactly know how much calories I burn in a day...but if I am consuming 1200 OR LESS in a day...and then am using those calories up with my daily activities, what fuel, then, is my body surviving off of?

I have, by accident, put my body in starvation mode.
These aren't the exact numbers (I rounded it) but here it is..
Maintenance: 2000 calories needed (to maintain current body weight)
Fat Loss: 1500
Extreme Fat Loss: 1200

(I used freedieting.com and self.com calorie counter, they are not consistent with each other but I'll take it. If you guys know any other, more reliable sources, feel free to let me know!)

I haven't quite looked up how long it takes for a body to recover after being put through starvation mode, but I will continually make a conscious effort to eat as much as I can. I don't necessarily count calories, but I'm starting to think I should... xD
 I'd rather overeat at the moment though- I know how active I am and I know I need those calories to get out of starvation mode!

Finally, here are my current measurements, taken today, 12:30 PM, in inches
Left Arm: 12
Right arm: 12
Waist: 29
Hips: 38.5
Left Thigh: 21.5
Right Thigh: 22.5
Weight in pounds: 124



Front and Side view~

There it is folks! Current mini goal, what my long term goal is, and my before measurements.
Keep it safe, take it slow easy, and commit!
We can do it!

(Disclaimer: I am by no means a personal trainer, doctor, or anything of the sort. Please consult your doctor before starting a fitness regimen. It is not my responsibility for any injuries or sickness that occur. I am simply sharing my goals, my fitness journey, and what I learn through my own personal research, which may or may not be reliable)