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This post is part of the New Mom Monday series! A series about moms and their advice to new moms! Books and videos can only teach us so much, but there’s something special about hearing from real life moms. Honest, true, and always beautifully inspiring!!
♥ What’s your Name?

Dominique

♥ Tell us a little about yourself!

I’m 32, live in Florida but originallyfrom Ohio. I was diagnosed with PCOS at 15 and was told the likelihood of having my own children was slim to none.

♥ How many kids do you have? What are their names and ages?

I have 1 child, a daughter. Her name is Rozlynn but I call her jellybean, she is 9 months old.

♥ How do you find your “me time”?

“Me” time is hard to find. Especially now that I’m a SAHM. I find me time when she is napping or when my bf is home and watches her so I can be alone for a bit.

♥ What is the best baby related book you’ve ever read?

I was given What to expect when you’re expecting and both of Jenny Mccarthy’s books on her pregnancy. (Her books were more funny than informational)

♥ What’s the most useful baby product you have? Why do you love it?

I loved our bassinet, it had a mesh covering we could zip and take outside.  Kept her close and let her get fresh air and kept the bugs out. The baby Bjorn and the wrap I have for her have been life savers. The wrap/baby carrier helps me when she doesn’t want me to put her down but I need to get house work done. I could wear her for hours with the wrap and she’s completely content

♥ If you could say something to yourself when you first brought home your first baby, what would you say?

Congratulations,  take it slow and enjoy every moment.  Even the bad…they will only be this size once.

♥ How much planning did you do before your baby was born, and how do you think that it helped or didn’t help?

My original plan was to have a nest egg of money set aside for medical costs and doctor visits. To be “financially stable”….but that didn’t go as planned since she was a surprise. We had just been told 5 months prior that due to my PCOS I didn’t ovulate and we would have to try fertility treatments to conceive. …boy, did I prove that doctor wrong. We bought as much as we could on our own and were blessed to have 2 showers and received a ton of diapers and wipes. ..if I had it all to plan all over again I would try to have a larger diaper supply stocked.

♥ What do you believe are the top three pieces of advice a new mom or someone trying to conceive should know?

TTC – Stressing yourself will only make it worse, don’t focus on what you don’t have, focus on what you do and enjoy life. Don’t lose hope…miracles happen everyday

New mom – You will have bad days but remember you are doing your best and it’s OK to not get everything done. Your child will be this size once, enjoy it and them…you can clean, cook and do laundry later

♥ What is your best memory so far of being a mom?

Besides the first time I held her, I’d have to say the day she said her first word, “mama”…music to my ears.

♥ Give us the short form version of your birth story.

We were induced a week early. I was in labor for 2 days, when my water finally broke and it was time to push. After we started  the doctor realized her head was stuck and my blood sugar dropped to the 60’s so he decided we needed a c-section to try to ensure neither of us went into any medical emergencies. My boyfriend was with me through it all and she finally arrived , perfect and amazing.

♥ Lastly, for fun, define motherhood!

Motherhood, the scariest,  craziest, most fun, fulfilling, rewarding and thankless journey you will ever take.

If you would like to participate in New Mom Mondays please feel free to message me by using my contact form! I would love to not only feature you on my blog but learn from your answers, as I’m sure many readers would too! 
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This post is part of the New Mom Monday series! A series about moms and their advice to new moms! Books and videos can only teach us so much, but there’s something special about hearing from real life moms. Honest, true, and always beautifully inspiring!!
♥ What’s your Name?

Annie Foreman

♥ Tell us a little about yourself!

I am a wife, mom, Realtor, and lifestyle blogger. My blog is where I share about my life, fun activities, fashion, food, Fresno, entertainment, kids, and much more.  I was born and raised in Fresno, CA and have grown to love and truly appreciate The Central Valley.  I married my high school sweetheart, Kevin in 2009 and we welcomed our first baby girl is November of 2011 and our second baby girl in May 2014.

♥ How many kids do you have? What are their names and ages?

Emily Grace – age 3.5  Madison Anne- Age 15 months

♥ How do you find your “me time”?

Finding “me” time is very hard but I think the most important aspect of finding me time is having support from your family especially your husband.  My husband is WONDERFUL about giving me “time off” rather frequently.  Whether it’s dinner or happy hour with girlfriends and a night away to reboot.  I’ve learned that “me” time makes me a way better mom and wife.  As a type A mama I found it really hard to ask for help or not take on everything myself.  However, I learned (am still learning) that the breaks make me a better mom and wife.

♥ What is the best baby related book you’ve ever read?

Baby Wise.

♥ What’s the most useful baby product you have? Why do you love it?

Baby Brezza is a great tool for steaming and pureeing food.  I made all my own baby food so having something to streamline the process was great.

♥ If you could say something to yourself when you first brought home your first baby, what would you say?

Ask for help.  You don’t have to be supermom.

♥ How much planning did you do before your baby was born, and how do you think that it helped or didn’t help?
I read a few books during my first pregnancy but always just felt that I was meant to be a mom so I don’t think I did an overwhelming amount of research.  The books I did read did help especially Baby Wise because the schedule helped me so much.  Also doing research gives you confidence even if you don’t agree with the point of view.  You can learn different ideas then take what works for you.
♥ What do you believe are the top three pieces of advice a new mom or someone trying to conceive should know?

Trust in God, You will get through it (whatever IT is), Ask for help

♥ What is your best memory so far of being a mom?

There are thousands of wonderful memories in my past 3.5 years of being a mom.  It’s nearly impossible to narrow it down to one memory.  Seeing my husband hold our first daughter for the first time was priceless.  I never had a father present so to see the ultimate love when he held her was breathtaking and indescribable.

♥ Give us the short form version of your birth story.
My water broke in the early afternoon and our baby girl arrived not so many hours later at 10:14 pm.   When my water broke I wasn’t quite sure but after a few minutes of “leaking” I figured this must be “it.”  I called my husband to tell him, “I think it’s time.”  He rushed home and was anxious to get to the hospital but I wasn’t in any pain so I was in no hurry.  I told my husband to take a shower and get his things together.  I even made him stop at Whole Foods so I could pick something up on the way to the hospital.  Once we got there I still wasn’t have any contraction pain so they called  my OB/GYN.  He instructed them to give me Pitocin to initiate labor but once they checked me they were shocked to find that I was 4.5 cm dilated.  They called upstairs for someone to come get me.  By the time I arrived to the 6th floor the contraction pain had begun and was quite INTENSE.  I asked for an epidural and those next 30 minutes or so of waiting seemed pretty long.  As the anesthesiologist was numbing my back I heard him say, “Dad are you okay?” and dad responded, “yeah,” and then BOOM, dad hit the floor extremely hard.  Everyone ran to his side as I was having the worst contraction yet (my epidural was delayed needless to say).  I was so worried he was really injured but they took my husband outside while they finally gave me the epidural.  Luckily, a few minutes later he returned and was okay except for one huge bump and a headache.  They decided to check me right after the epidural and they were utterly shocked to find that I was totally effaced and dilated to a 10.  Labor went really fast, especially for my first baby.  At 7:55 I started pushing.  As quick as labor was, I pushed for almost 2.5 hours.  Towards the end my dr. gave me an episotomy and had to use the vacuum.  At 10:14 our bundle of joy was born.
My husband and I decided that only he and I would be in the room especially since this was out first baby and we didn’t know what to expect.  Looking back I am so glad we made this decision.  It’s a very special experience and the moment your baby is born is indescribable.  It was so wonderful that we got to share it together; with no other distractions.
♥ Lastly, for fun, define motherhood!

The greatest joy and hardest job in the world.  Motherhood is wiping bottoms, drying tears, cleaning up messes, losing sleep all with a giant smile on your face!

To hear more from Annie be sure to visit her blog The Real Housewife of Fresno and follow her on Instagram.

If you would like to participate in New Mom Mondays please feel free to message me by using my contact form! I would love to not only feature you on my blog but learn from your answers, as I’m sure many readers would too! 
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NEW MOM MONDAYS CHASING LITTLES
This post is part of the New Mom Monday series! A series about moms and their advice to new moms! Books and videos can only teach us so much, but there’s something special about hearing from real life moms. Honest, true, and always beautifully inspiring!!
♥ What’s your Name?

Heather Koontz

♥ Tell us a little about yourself!

I’m a full-time working mom with lots of hobbies and dreams. By day, I’m a digital marketer. When I’m not working, I run a personal blog where I share musings, adventures, and DIY tutorials. When I’m not doing that, you can find me in my craft room, drinking wine, or watching Dateline.

♥ How many kids do you have? What are their names and ages?

I have one 18-month-old little boy named Russell.

♥ How do you find your “me time”?

Full disclosure: I don’t think I even know what “me time” is anymore! But, I do try to take time at the end of every day (after working, cooking, cleaning, blogging, checking off my to-do-list, and maybe squeezing in a shower) to spend 30 minutes or so watching television with my husband. It’s our way to connect and relax, and I look forward to it every day! Outside of that, I like devote a portion of my time to self-improvement in the form of devotionals, reading other blogs, etc.

♥ What is the best baby related book you’ve ever read?

When I was pregnant, I was a big fan of the “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” classic.

♥ What’s the most useful baby product you have? Why do you love it?

Two words: gripe water. My son suffered from severe colic, and he was in pain for the first six months of his life. When we started using gripe water, we saw him get instant relief. It helped us survive the colicky months!

♥ If you could say something to yourself when you first brought home your first baby, what would you say?

It’s not as hard as you think! Yes, your baby cries all the time. Yes, washing around the umbilical cord area is intimidating. Yes, he is so small and fragile. But, trust yourself. You know what you’re doing, and you know best.

♥ How much planning did you do before your baby was born, and how do you think that it helped or didn’t help?

I’m nothing if not a planner. I have no less than five active planners and calendars at any given time, and I like to have everything scheduled and checked off. BUT. When it came to having a baby and bringing him home, none of those plans mattered. The perfect birth I planned went horribly against plan; my plans to work while my newborn slept did NOT happen; and the baby book I so thoughtfully planned to keep updated is pretty much empty right now.

♥ What do you believe are the top three pieces of advice a new mom or someone trying to conceive should know?

1) You can do this. There are times when it seems impossible, but girl, I promise you can do it. You became a mother for a reason, and you are the only person meant to be a mom to your baby. 2) It gets better. Colic? Crying? Sleep regression? Growth spurts? It all gets better. And believe it or not, you will look back and regret how quickly it went by. 3) Reach out. If you’re feeling sad, even a little bit, find someone you can talk to. Don’t remain silent if you’re suffering from any kind of emotional pain. PPD is real, and it’s dangerous. Reach out!

♥ What is your best memory so far of being a mom?

My son is a very sweet human being. He loves to hug and kiss and smile. The very first time he spontaneously hugged me is my best motherhood moment thus far. We were playing on his floor and when he looked up at me, and I could see his little eyes sparkling. His face softened, he started to smile, and he decided to stand up and wrap his little arms around my neck. It made me feel like maybe he realized – in that moment – who I am and how much I love him.

♥ Give us the short form version of your birth story.

My birth experience wasn’t what I expected. In fact, it was pretty much my nightmare. I’d been leaking amniotic fluid for a week before realizing it, so an emergency induction, threats of an emergency C-section, and blood pressure scares followed.

♥ Lastly, for fun, define motherhood!

Motherhood is sacrifice, anxiety, and lots of sighing. But, you’d never, ever want to give it back once you have it.

new mom mondays

To hear more from Heather be sure to visit her blog OakCityFolk and follow her on Facebook.

If you would like to participate in New Mom Mondays please feel free to message me by using my contact form! I would love to not only feature you on my blog but learn from your answers, as I’m sure many readers would too! 
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I finished it! The entire program is DONE. All 30 days of sweat and heart racing workouts. 30 days of strictly following my meal plan every day at every meal. It’s honestly been a rollercoaster. Some days I felt amazing, and others, I felt like giving up. My husband, shout out to him, did the ENTIRE program with me also! It’s been quite the journey, and we’ve both lost 😉 and gained so much!

This experience has been life changing. To know we can set a goal and commit to finishing it and then achieving that goal has shown us that we CAN do hard things, and that we are stronger together. All the girls in my private fitness group have also hit their 30 day goal and I am honestly SO SO proud of each and every one of them. This online community has been amazing for giving me motivation on days I didn’t have it. We had to send the group our sweaty selfies after each workout and that kept us all checking in on one another!

30 Days are done, and just in time too. We leave on our amazing cruise vacation February 10th and am so excited to rock those bathings suits proudly. There is still a long way to go still, I know fitness doesn’t end because a vacation comes around, so I commit now to starting and finishing the 21 Day Fix EXTREME. I WILL be doing the workouts on the cruise! Though, forgive me if I don’t follow the meal plan as closely while I’m away. Life is about balance you see, and some long island iced teas await me on the ocean. Let’s take a look at this last and tough week!

If you missed week one’s review, make sure you give that a read first! I go into more detail explaining what Core de Force is all about! Core De Force – Week One Review .  Core De Force – Week Two Review . Core De Force – Week Three Review. I have a goal this year to workout for 100 days in a row. And I’m now 30 days IN! I can’t believe I’ve stuck with it every day!  Core de Force is NOW my favourite program.

Here’s how week four looked like.

Stats:

Measurements are my favourite way of tracking progress. Though I do weigh myself. Simply because I have a scale and I don’t have anxiety about the number on the scale. Though if you do, stick to measuring!

Starting measurements 7 days of Core De Force 14 days of Core De Force 21 days of Core De Force 30 days of Core De Force
Neck 12.75″ 12.5″ 12.5″ 12.5″ 12.5″
Chest 35.5″ 35.5″ 35″ 34.5″ 34.5″
R. Arm 11.25″ 11″ 11″ 10.75″ 10.75″
L. Arm 11″ 10.5″ 10.5″ 10.75″ 10.5″
Waist 35.25″ 32″ 31″ 30.75″ 30″
Hips 41.5″ 41″ 40.5″ 40″ 40″
R. Thigh 20.75″ 20 20″ 19.75″ 20″
L. Thigh 21 20 20″ 20″ 20″
Total Inches 189″ 182″ 180.5″ 179.25″ 178.25″
Weight 150lbs 145lbs 144.5lbs 144.5lbs 142.5lbs

 

Total Inches LOST since day one: 10.75″ – Guys I’m just in shock. My body changed so drastically in just 30 days. I have no words but just to tell you to do it. Do it, follow all the steps, trust the program, trust the process and you will amaze yourself.

Total pounds LOST since day one: 7.5lbs I’m so happy to be back in the low 140s, I hadn’t been here in years. I honestly don’t foresee much more change in the weight department, My body is now ready to tone some muscle which is why I’m leaving the cardio behind with Core de Force and embarking on the extreme journey that is the 21 day fix extreme. Weights, resistance band. Here we come!

What I ate:

Week 4 we went pretty simple again along with a few favourite recipes from Fixate that keeps the portion fix in mind! I share my complete meal plan so that you can see every step of the journey. This is a meal plan with the Portion Fix Containers in use that come with this program! It’s super simple so my portions are easy to follow with these colour coded containers!

Monday:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini, cherry tomatoes and strawberries | Lunch: tomato Soup x2, tuna and quinoa x2 | Snack: strawberries | Dinner: avocado, salmon, cucumber salad, quinoa x2

Tuesday:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini, cherry tomatoes and strawberries | Lunch: zucchini salad x2, lentils, corn x2, dressing | Snack: asian pear | Dinner: salmon quinoa sushi (recipe from Fixate) x2, mixed veggies x2

Wednesay:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini,  cherry tomatoes and an orange | Lunch: salmon quinoa sushi, caesar salad x2, dressing | Snack: asian pear | Dinner: stir fry x2, tofu, avocado, rice noodles x2

Thursday:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini,  cherry tomatoes and an orange | Lunch: maple glazed brussels sprouts (recipe from Fixate), asparagus, tuna | Snack: asian pear | Dinner: greek salad x2, lentils, rice noodles x2

Friday:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini,  cherry tomatoes and an orange | Lunch: shrimp, mixed greens x2, quinoa x2 | Snack: asian pear | Dinner: cucumber dill salad, lentils, quinoa x2, brie cheese

Saturday:
Breakfast: pancakes x2, banana | Snack: shakeology | Lunch: zucchini noodle lasagna(recipe from Fixate), asparagus, garlic bread, avocado | Snack: dill cucumber salad, 1 hard boiled egg | Dinner: sweet potato mash x2, 2 hard boiled eggs, sautéed kale

Sunday:
Breakfast: eggs, arepas, fruit, | Snack: shakeology | Lunch: salmon quinoa sushi, mango salad | Snack: kale chips | Dinner: zucchini lasagna, gluten free toast

If you want to see some of the meals in action, here are some of my instagram shots, for more of these and to follow along in my journey make sure to follow my instagram account @coachmariangelica !

The workouts:

 

  • Monday – MMA Plyo (47 minutes) + Core Kinetics (16 minutes) – Haaard day. Plyo s intense and then those 16 minutes of core work feel like a break after all that cardio! Fat burning day!
  • Tuesday – MMA Power (47 minutes) + 5 Min. Core on the floor (5 minutes) – 12 rounds my friends, 12 rounds of MMA explosive moved. Fast paced cardio, but the rounds fly by. Get ready for some jump rolls! 5 Minutes of core is basically a 5 minute plank with variations.
  • Wednesday – MMA Plyo (47 minutes) + Core Kinetics (16 minutes) – Monday repeat, it’s like they know this is the hardest combo.
  • Thursday – Dynamic Strength (47 minutes) + 5 Min. Core on the floor (5 minutes) – Low on impact, but high on intensity. You can really feel yourself carving out your shape with all the twists! 5 Minutes of core is basically a 5 minute plank with variations, some side planks, plank steps, plank everything. Get ready to feel that core BURN.
  • Friday – MMA Speed (24 minutes) + Core Kinetics (16 minutes) – This is such a nice welcome. We haven’t done Speed since the first week, here’s your chance to see ho much better you’ve gotten! And of course, love that core work.
  • Saturday – MMA Shred (37 minutes) + Core Kinetics (16 minutes) – Get ready to SWEAT. Shredding everything and it seems like Core won’t get any more breaks!
  • Sunday – Active Recovery (21 minutes) – 10 minutes of slow conditioning work that definitely made me break a sweat, quickly followed by the most relaxing stretch session ever for the remaining 11 minutes. It’s the shortest workout but not one to skip over lightly.
  • Monday (DAY 29) – MMA Power (47 minutes) + Core Kinetics (16 minutes) – 12 rounds my friends, 12 rounds of MMA explosive moved. Fast paced cardio, but the rounds fly by. Get ready for some jump rolls! Core Kinetics is intense but so amazing for really forcing you to engage your core, love those 16 minutes just hard after 47 minutes of intense work!
  • Tuesday (DAY 30) – MMA Plyo (47 minutes) + Core Kinetics (16 minutes) – Hardest workout for your last day, seems fitting! THAT’S A WRAP!

 

Non-scale Victories:

NON scale victories of core de force

  • I completed something I started!
  • Every day happened!
  • NO excuses were made
  • It happened, I put myself first
  • My husband stuck with it every day and together, we finished strong.
  • I feel like I can accomplish anything now!
  • Bathing suit wearing does not make me nervous! and I actually ENJOYED shopping for one!

Get your Core de Force:

Order your Core de Force program here if you live in CANADA!
Order your Core de Force program here if you live in the USA!

Join me:

If you’re nervous about starting this alone, here’s the deal, you don’t have to! I run monthly challenge groups and I’d love to help you through it and share tips I learned during my first go at it! If Core de Force looks too intense for you, fill out this form to tell me what kind of goals you are trying to reach and I’ll help you find the perfect program for you, and work along side you as your accountability partner!

Make me your FREE Wellness Coach
Join my next challenge group!

I hope you found this review helpful and that if anything it gets you excited about starting a new fitness program where the hard work has been done for you in calculating when to work what muscle group and what to eat and how much. All you have to do is show up, and by show up I mean press play! Workout at home, get amazing results. It’s possible.

Love,

Mariangelica

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NEW MOM MONDAYS CHASING LITTLES
 This post is part of the New Mom Monday series! A series about moms and their advice to new moms! Books and videos can only teach us so much, but there’s something special about hearing from real life moms. Honest, true, and always beautifully inspiring!!
♥ What’s your Name?

Sheena Lastoskie

♥ Tell us a little about yourself!

I am a Christian mom, wife to the love of my life for 8 years, and a family travel blogger. I was born and raised in Southern California and I don’t plan on ever moving away. I love to craft, from scrapbooking to wood crafts, I love it all. My new addiction is to adult coloring books, they are so calming to me. I could eat pizza and tacos everyday of my life as long as I have a rootbeer to go with it.

♥ How many kids do you have? What are their names and ages?

I have two children, ages 3 & 4. Shane and Scarlet

♥ How do you find your “me time”?

I miss me time. It is the one thing that I have not found time for in my last 4 years of motherhood.

♥ What is the best baby related book you’ve ever read?

I stayed away from reading mommy books. Once you start letting others influence your parenting you will be unhappy.

♥ What’s the most useful baby product you have? Why do you love it?

The Nose Frida saved my sanity on numerous occasions. When my children would get a running nose, I was so scared to use those awkward nose suckers you get when you bring your baby home. The Nose Frida is the same concept except so much less stressful. Now when my children have a runny nose they ask for the Nose Frida because it clears them right up.

♥ If you could say something to yourself when you first brought home your first baby, what would you say?

Your baby is not going to break. Don’t be scared of her, all she needs is your love.

♥ How much planning did you do before your baby was born, and how do you think that it helped or didn’t help?

I love to plan and I did a lot of it before I brought home both of my children but nothing could have prepared me to care for a new baby.  Going from a family of 2 to 3 and then from 3 to 4 is a huge transition.

♥ What do you believe are the top three pieces of advice a new mom or someone trying to conceive should know?

My husband and I struggled with infertility and it was some of the hardest times of our lives. The negative pregnancy tests seemed to be never ending. What I would say to those trying to conceive is that God has a plan for you, don’t let it consume your life, he will provide.  Enjoy the time with your spouse because once you have a little one, your life will forever change. Stay positive, as hard as it may be, this is just apart of your life’s journey, embrace it.

♥ What is your best memory so far of being a mom?

Watching all of my children’s accomplishments. Seeing them proud of themselves always makes me cry happy tears.

♥ Give us the short form version of your birth story.

I suffer from extreme anxiety and when I was making my birth plan with my doctor we decided that we would induce and give me an epidural very early on to keep me from feeling any pain. I labored for 3 days and pushed for almost 4 hours. I was exhausted and hungry but had a healthy baby girl to show for all of my suffering!

♥ Lastly, for fun, define motherhood!

Organized Chaos

NEW MOM MONDAY CHASING LITTLES

To hear more from Sheena be sure to visit her blog Shining Thoughts Blog and follow her on instagram!

If you would like to participate in New Mom Mondays please feel free to message me by using my contact form! I would love to not only feature you on my blog but learn from your answers, as I’m sure many readers would too! 
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