Welcome Back ME!

It has been waaayyyy, to long!!! I took a little break, from my blog. I did not know if I even wanted to continue it, but I missed writing and I have had 26,000 views on this blog. I can't give up now!

So quick update:
I have not really changed in measurements. I have started a higher protein, lower calorie bulk. I am trying to gain a little more muscle. I am still planning on competing in the Spring. It is my goal and I am going to work my hardest to get there! I feel stronger, but feel like I still have fat to loose and it is NOT easy! I am really trying to stick with my clean eating diet, but lets face it . . . I have not! CONFESSION TIME! My husband and I took us to Yellowstone over the weekend, and what do you do in Yellowstone? Drive around and eat.

So I am back, it is Monday and new week and I am ready to make my body feel good again! I am ready to kill it in the gym and the kitchen! I post almost everyday on Instagram, follow me! BARBIEMARISSA is my username :) Yes, I still want to look like a barbie, just with muscle!

So this week I am going to post a couple AMAZING recipes that I have come up with that are healthy and good! Ice Cream is one of them, who know you could have healthy ice cream?

Thanks for reading!!!
MARISSA


And even though, NONE of these pictures are fitness or health related, they are just a couple of the most beautiful places we saw on our adventure to Yellowstone National Park!

Beets

So I found a site about beets, and the healthy benefits. The WEBSITE HERE. I planted beets in my garden, and have a TON of them. While I was looking up recipes I found tons of information on how healthy they are. Even though they taste like dirt, they are so good for you!


Just a couple healthy benefits. 

• Beets give you ENERGY! 
• No Fat and low in Calories 
• Beets can help guard cancer ( Thats good enough for me to eat them! ) 
• Beets are High in Vitamins and Minerals: Iron, Magnesium, Fiber, and Folic Acid are just a couple!

I found a couple things in "google search" and I had to share. 

My son is VERY low in iron and his body does not absorb vitamins. The doctors can not tell us why and its not been easy to deal with. Yesterday I made a smoothy with beets and I gave a tiny bit to my son who I thought would waste it. He drank it all up and wanted more! You can taste the beets in this smoothy but they are not strong and think about all the health benefits. 

Beet Smoothy Recipe:

1 Scoop Vanilla Protein 

1/2 Cup Strawberries 

1 Banan 

1 Small Cooked Beet 

8 oz Almond Milk 

1 Cup Ice 

Blend all ingredients very well and enjoy! 

This smoothy is PINK! 

Look at my instagram for pictures of our beet smoothy and my pink son! 

Username: barbiemarissa 

http://instagram.com/barbiemarissa/

Another Saturday

Today, I was not able to go to the gym this morning, so it looks like a run tonight is going to be my exercise. I have not been great about training for the half marathon that is coming up in just 2 months!   ( I seriously don't like to run. ) But, I need to add more cardio into my schedule. I have got to lower my body fat.

Yesterday was a big day for me! If you follow my instagram you will see that I went to our public pool.  No this is not anything new, but what was new is that I wore a bikini to the public pool for the first time in 9 years!!!! I did not feel fat, I did not feel self conscious. I love my swim suit and I have worked hard for the body that I have. So, after trying on about 9 different swim suits I finally just decided that I don't care what others think, I am wearing the one that I like. We had a great day, and I am so glad that I got our of my comfort zone just a little!

Me and my Son just playing at the pool! 

Its been to long!

It has been 3 weeks since I posted last! WAY TO LONG! My husband and I went on a cruise. Then I was without internet for a week and finally I am back!

Our vacation was a blast! Even though I gained . . . 8 POUNDS! I honestly did not even know that was possible in a week. I cried. All my hard work was taken away in a week! But, its been 2 weeks since I came home and have lost all but 2 pounds of it. Which makes me feel way better. The first day I ate really healthy. I even got fruit for dessert. Then after the first day it all went down hill. I figure I am never going to eat like this again and I ate whatever I wanted, obviously I went a little over the top ;) I exercised 4 times on our 6 day cruise, the gym on the cruise only had a small section of weights and every time I went it was packed with guys lifting no more then 15-20 pound weights. I wanted to tell them to move over and let me really lift! But, I decided to be nice and just show them up, with heavier weights and that made me feel better!

Here are a couple pictures of our vacation. It was great to just have the time alone with my husband and forget about all our other worries. I can't wait to go again!

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So now, its time to get back to normal life. Its not been the easiest thing for me to get back to clean eating. I also had a couple days that I did not want to go workout. I know what I want, and that is not going to happen with being lazy and junk food. So I have quickly changed those habits. I am still struggling with food, but I am motivated and I can eat healthy if I chose too! 

End of the 6 week challenge!

Well Summer is here and so that means that my challenge to be fit by Summer is over! I really tried, not going lie, I had some hard days with my eating. But, I worked out 6 days a week, sometimes 2 times a day! I know that I did my best and I can't wait to see what changes I can make by the end of Summer!
I promised a picture so here it its. My 6 week challenge "Before and After"! Not a huge difference but enough that I dropped a pant size and 4 pounds. Also I think my legs gained some muscle for the first time ever ;) Thanks to my awesome sister for workout with me she is totally my motivation and she pushes me to do more then I thought I could! I love her for that! Thanks again SISTER!