I fell off the wagon...

The hashtag #thestruggleisreal is no joke with this girl right now. I've been a big fat lazy bones this week and I can FEEL it. My eating was okay, but not stellar and I had too many treats and WAY too much dairy. Time to start over. Time to get back on the wagon instead of running behind trying to catch up. Starting Monday this girl is back on 21 day fix extreme and I'm going to try out the bikini competition plan. That means cutting carbs out a few days a week... It's gonna be a challenge but because summer apparently starts in March in Oregon now, this girl has to up her game.


Starting this coming weekend I am hosting a free 7 day "Cut the Crud" challenge. I have a meal plan, shopping list and mini workouts read to go and all you have to do is show up with your A game and be ready to get back on track with me! I am right here with you and ready to ditch the junk and start those healthy habits back up.

We all mess up from time to time. We have to forgive, forget, and move on. We are human after all and sometimes things like Juanitas {CRACK CHIPS} and salsa happen... Not that a splurge isn't a good thing, but too many splurges then become habit.

Interested in trying this out?? What do you have to lose? Come join us and let's get that wagon ROLLING!! Shoot me a comment below with your email, or send me one at karielliottfitness@gmail.com and I'll get you started!!

For now,

Kari

That time in life between Married and Kids

Yeah, I know I've been married for like .5 seconds but it seems like the moment you get married people start asking you when you are going to have kids.

If you are married, you probably remember that relative that asked you that just mere hours since you said "I Do" while you were still beaming at the fact that you had just married your love. It's a little bit of a smack in the face when you are repeatedly asked this question as a newly wed. The pressure to have kids right now is everywhere, whether is is said out loud as a question out of pure curiosity or the silent pressure we place upon ourselves to fit into the idea that we need to have kids NOW.

It's a silent tug-of-war in my head on a daily basis. You are almost 30!! You are ONLY 29. You just got married. You have plenty of time. What if we have trouble? I want a dog, but I want a baby. I'm not ready. I could be a mom. HOLY CRAP, THIS IS SCARY! eh, you can do it!

Like I said, it's a silent struggle. Life is short in a beautifully long sort of way. Often we rush to do the things society pressures us to do, what we are supposed to do without thinking about what is right for us. Do I know what the right decision is for myself? {and obviously my husband and our future} Maybe not right now. Do I think about it all the time HECK YES. We are a young couple with lots of love to give, and a lot of life before us. I know that ultimately the decision isn't just mine alone and the blessing of raising a child is one that is not one made by J and I alone. I know that the plans for our life together are held dearly by the Big Guy upstairs and we have to trust in his plan.

Something I am working on is slowing down and figuring out what the best decision is for me in that moment. What makes me happy? What will serve my life best? What will bring me and my family joy? {There is more to this internal dialog that digs WAY deeper than this, but that's for another time}

For now...The silent tug-of-war rages on, but I will delight in knowing I can spend this time building my relationship with my husband and trust that when the time is right, children will be a part of our family! 

For now,

K

Anchored in Strength

Since the name of my blog isn't exactly self explanatory, I figured that I probably need to explain myself!

The name of my blog stems from scripture. It's a verse I discovered while looking at Pinterest. Yeah, I know that sounds totally weird, but inspiration strikes where it strikes.

This verse speaks to me on many levels, and reminds me to stay positive and have hope and trust in God that things will happen as He sees fit, not according to my own plans.

Many times in life I have found that I have to dig deep to find strength and hope in a time when it seems that there is none. I'm sure most everyone has had these moments. This verse has become an anchor for me. Reminding me that when I have given up, or when things get hard, I need to trust in the plan that has been made for me, and know that everything will turn out the way it is meant to be.

I've learned recently that when these moments of uncertainty happen, if you look and listen you will find the strength you need if you trust in His plan. It's a hard thing to do (trust me, I'm right there with you!) But, it can pay off big time. I have some stories to share on this trust and how faith has led me to some of the most amazing things in my life, but I'll save those for another day.

Until next time,

Kari

How chocolate helped me get healthy

You are probably thinking I am a total nut job right now, chocolate? How can that help someone get healthy? I promise I am telling the truth!

My wedding is quickly approaching (Less than a month!!!!) and a few months back when I was getting ready for my first fitting I realized I had gained weight and it was very probable that it wouldn't fit. This scared the living daylights out of me. There was NO WAY I was going to let this happen. I had to do something, and I had to do it NOW. A friend of mine had been posting about the 21 day fix and it seemed like something that would fit easily into my life. So, I took the plunge and got my first challenge pack. I am not going to lie, I was skeptical at first. Would this really work? Can I do it? I was nervous as heck, but I put my inner-self doubter in her place and decided I would give it a try. To my surprise, it was as easy as everyone was saying! The eating plan is simple and VERY easy to follow. The workouts are short, but don't let that fool you, they pack a punch! Even Mr. E thinks they are great, and that's something to note, because he does crazy hard workouts to stay in shape for work.

 Now, let me tell you the BEST part. You get to have CHOCOLATE. Now, this may not be a big deal for you, but it is for me. I LOVE chocolate. With my first challenge pack came Shakeology. I chose chocolate and Man, is it yummy! Most of you can probably relate to having cravings for junk food. For me, It's anything sweet, especially chocolate. I drink Shakeology in the morning for breakfast, yes, you heard me BREAKFAST and I don't have one ounce of guilt for starting my day with it Yeah, yeah Kari...get on with it. How did it help you get healthy? Since starting to drink Shakeology, I have lost weight, my skin is the healthiest it has ever been and my junk food cravings are practically GONE. For me, this is HUGE. I LOVE JUNK FOOD, I mean who doesn't? But, I can resist chips, candy and other delicious treats with greater ease now. Do I indulge every once in a while? Sure, but my cravings are far from what they used to be. I have also learned that the food I put in my body has a HUGE affect on how I feel, and if I put junk in my body, I feel like junk. Aside from my drastically reduced cravings for junk, I have lost over 11 inches from all over my body. 11 INCHES!!!!! It's crazy!!

Without Shakeology, my amazing coach and the fitness family I am now a part of, I would have never been able to have the success I have had the last few months. I am SO blessed to have found this, and to have the chance to share my journey with all of you!

This is just the beginning of my journey, I am still working on making changes and becoming a better, healthier me! 

 For now, Kari

Introductions

With all new things, come a learning curve. Blogging is a new thing for me. I am learning as I go, so stick with me!

If you have landed here you may be wondering who I am and what this blog is all about. Well, Here's me in a nutshell. 

I'm Kari. I am a born and raised Oregonian. I love my state and will probably never live anywhere else. I was born and raised in the city, but have fallen in love with my small(ish) college town that my fiancee and I call home. We recently bought our first home and are working to bring it into this decade!

In exactly one month, I get to marry the love of my life and best friend, who for this blogs sake will be called Mr. E. Mr. E is a firefighter in a town close to where we live. His schedule is a difficult one to manage, and I have become well versed in shift schedules and trades.

As a elementary school teacher, I work 9 months of the year with some of the most disadvantaged students in the city I work in, and I love every second. I am a reading specialist, so I spend my day working with small groups of students from ages 5 through 11. My other job is 'Coach'. I am a health and fitness coach. I work to provide support and accountability to anyone at any point in their fitness journey.

In my free time I love to spend time outdoors. In the winter I love to ski and snowshoe. I also love to hike, kayak and camp. Mr. E and I love to go new places and explore the amazing state we get to call home!

That's enough for now, I could keep going but I'll spare you a novel for today, at least.