NEW LIFE CHOICE

WOW! I've been all over the board with what i want to be when i grow up! Growing up, all i ever wanted to do was become a movie producer. I graduated high school and went on to college to pursue that dream. While away in school, i made a few bad choices. Towards the end of the school year, i was involved in a bad car accident that altered my life plan. Ever since that day, i have questioned what i wanted to do for years. I enrolled myself into cosmetology school and realized i had a knack for doing hair! I LOVED it! I found out i was pregnant a week before graduating. I went on to take my cosmetology exam to become a licensed hairstylist in the state of Florida. I passed the theory with flying colors. I missed the practical half by 2 points. Instead of kicking it up a notch and re-taking the exam, i went back into depressed "whoa is me" mode. I decided to stay working as a waitress/bartender while i was pregnant. (Living the dream - i know:) After my son was born, i decided it was best to stay at home with him. I was back to "what should i do with my life?".

My son was so attached to me that i ended up being a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM). It has been awesome! I wouldn't trade the time in the world for anything! My son just turned 3! I took on a part-time job last Novemeber and LOVE it but wanted and needed MORE for myself. Just recently, i signed up to become a BEACHBODY COACH! When my friend, Dara, decided to become a coach, she put it out there she was looking for people who wanted to change their life. Her posts literally tugged at me and pulled me into this world of GETTING FIT, FEELING GOOD, and INSPIRING OTHERS. I signed up to be a COACH to keep myself accountable and inspire others. I am excited about this NEW JOURNEY and i'm finding my way in this world. Being 31 without a "LIFEPLAN" is something i've always had to deal with - but it's been my personal choices that have brought me to this place. I can't go back and change those choices - BUT, i can make the choices i have in the future to better my life and that is what i am doing! XO

www.beachbodycoach.com/alysutton

Commitment

I have always struggled with a healthy body image. I've always thought i need to lose a little weight and tone up. When putting clothes on, i change outfits at least 3 times before deciding "this looks ok". Since i can remember, when i see a picture of a fit muscular body, i stare in "awe" and wish i looked like that - YET, never do anything about it, except for the occasional walk/run, etc. In the past, i have had gym memberships and even personal trainers BUT never committed to the nutrition part of it so i never achieved what i wanted.

About 2 months ago i started Focus T25. I was doing great with the program and looked and felt better. 3 weeks into it, we went on vacation and things just got messy. I fell off the bandwagon and struggled to get back on. I failed myself yet again.

Today, i am committing to achieving the body i've always wanted. I am starting another Beachbody program called "21 Day Fix". They say it takes 21 days to form a habit and i will have done just that if i can complete this program. So many people in my life tell me i am crazy for "going on a diet". This isn't a diet. It's a lifestyle - a new way of living. The 21 day fix is a fool proof way of getting nutrition right. It teaches you correct portions of each food group each day. The idea is you will get use to this way of eating and continue on with it after the 21 days is over.

I am excited to start this adventure and get it right this time. Follow me on this journey if you'd like and if its something you think you would be interested in - contact me and we can make that happen! xo

Investment

Invest in your children. Take the time to be with them. You only have ONE life with them- you will never get the past back. Slow your social life down and be with your kids. 

It hurts me to see your child suffering from your lack of existence. BE PRESENT in his/her life. As corny as it is, children ARE our future. 

Put the technology down and PLAY. I get you wanting to snap pictures of memories being made and that's ok. But enough is enough. LIVE IN THE MOMENT. Live in your kids world. BE their world! 

I am his and he is mine.

Thoughts of an attached mom

Sometimes, I'd give A LOT to be able to lay Jax down without having to nurse/rock him. It lasts at least an hour, usually 2 EVERY night! One day, ill look back and wish that I could still rock him and that's why I choose to embrace this child and his sleeping habits. Xo

Going GREEN

GREEN SMOOTHIES have been the rage for awhile now and we decided to jump on the bandwagon of goodness. I'm a HUGE fan of smoothies; fruity, delicious ones:) And so I was a little hesitant to try my first green smoothie BUT I needed more nutrients in my life and thought a good green smoothie would help with my lack of cooking many vegetables. One of the MANY benefits to making a smoothie is that you can add anything you'd like to it! Here's one of my simple recipes that taste great!

Handful of Kale
Handful of Spinach
1/2 Banana
1 CUP Blueberries
2 TBS Maple Syrup or Honey (to sweeten it up)
Splash of liquid for blending - this can be: Milk, Coconut Milk, Almond Milk

*Makes 4 popsicle molds, may need to double depending on how much you'd like to make

YOU can tweak this however you'd like. Don't like an ingredient? Change it out for something you do like. Don't drink milk? Try yogurt or even coconut water. Add anything to this recipe that you think would taste good and/or benefit YOU! There are endless possibilities!

I made the above recipe and froze them into popsicle molds. My son LOVES popsicles. Making them has been more beneficial than buying ones with junk in them! After playing outside in Florida's hot sun, these are the perfect way to cool down.

 

Hopefully, your kids will be saying "mama more"

Just One of Those Days

Today was one of "THOSE DAYS". 

Let's rewind. Big J had yesterday (Saturday) off which NEVER happens and so naturally, he went golfing with his buds. Naturally, they visited a local bar, and naturally, I was home with the littlest love of my life- my 2 year old. Apparently, it was a ten hour adventure for Big J;) When he got home I asked him if he would hang with Jax this morning because I needed "me time". 

Of course, our day began with goose (jaxton) waking up VERY early so J, being true to his word, took Jax into living room so I could snooze a little and he could go back to sleep on the couch (I don't blame him) all while jax could play. Kids definitely know when their parents need more sleep...that's the exact moment they are bright-eyed and ready to go. 

I decided "me time" would be a pedicure. J decided it would be a family outting to fancy Walmart. Ok. I'm cool with it; I'll have "me time" in the pedicure chair and boys will have "boy time" in the toy aisle. He hands me $20 for the pedi (thanks babe) and carries Jax away. Jax lost it, wanted his mommy, and it resulted in this...

AND...

 I embraced EVERY SINGLE MINUTE of this moment! First mommy/son pedicure;) my little boy will only be little for a short amount of time. If we don't embrace the moments our children want to "just be with us", it will slip out from underneath us. Sometimes we all need one of "those days" to embrace moments like this! XO

Nursing My Toddler

My son is 2, 25 months to be exact and I breastfeed him. I'm often asked "When are you going to stop that?". Usually, I smile politely and say "I meant to stop at 1". It tends to throw some people off a bit, as they then get that "huh?" look on their face.

From day one, Jaxton has been a GREAT "latcher". He latched on within an hour of his birth and has since never broken his latch:) In the hospital, he cried A LOT - and I was told to throw him on the boob - that he was probably hungry as they need to nurse often when they are young and get your milk flowing. He wouldn't settle down with a pacifier or on his own. He wanted to be held A LOT and so I did what any mother would do - HOLD HIM, NURSE HIM, COMFORT HIM, MEET HIS NEEDS.

I became his "human pacifier" as he wouldn't take a pacifier, nor his thumb. The middle of the night Google searches led me to dead ends. The trips to the libraries and bookstores reading books on how to get my son to sleep with out nursing to sleep were endless and also dead ends:) I documented it - see picture:)

 

There are endless articles on the benefits of breastfeeding and co-sleeping. My mom sent me this one http://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-who-were-breastfed-longer-have-higher-iqs-new-study-6C10787012 this morning and that is what sparked my blog post. I am not sure how long I will breastfeed. I've been saying I intend on stopping for over a year now:) Whenever it is, its MY choice. I believe in what I am doing for my son. He's HEALTHY and HAPPY...VERY HAPPY:)

 

XO