If you recall, a week and a half (or so) ago, I had written that I was going to be venturing into the potty trainingterritory with Emmett. I was SUUPER nervous, but he was showing signs that he was ready, and it’s not fair for me to hold him back because of my worries, or because I don’t want him to grow up. 😉
Since, it’s been about 13 days, I wanted to provide you with an update on how things are going. I’m sure you’ve all been dying to hear more about my son’s potty habits, right!? 😛 (PS: This is a long post, but I hope you’ll stick around.)
Did We Succeed?
In a word, YES! Emmett is officially potty trained, but please know that it was not easy.
We followed the method that Becky Mansfield writes about in her book, Potty Train in a Weekend. The book is great! She goes into incredible detail about things like how many potty chairs you should have (yes, you should probably have more than one, if you follow this method), which potty chairs she prefers, and then what to look for as you begin your journey.
Emmett’s my first child, so I was clueless, however, after reading Becky’s book, I felt VERY prepared.
So here’s how it went…
We started on a Friday… The second I heard Emmett start to stir in his room, I went in to get him up and out of his diaper. I plopped him on his little stand alone potty chair (we love this potty), and he kind of just sat there for maybe a minute, and stared at me. He knew it was a potty chair, but not what to really do in it.
After a bit of him sitting there, I declared it breakfast time. Now, he was bare bottomed all day, and actually in the book, she recommends them being completely naked. However, we live in Buffalo and it’s chilly, so he had a long sleeved, tight fitting shirt on, and warm socks. You need to be able to see when they start to pee, so that you can rush them onto the potty. This is critical on the first day!
Friday was hard. We couldn’t leave the house, because I needed to watch him, so that I could rush him to the potty as soon as he started to pee. We pulled out every possible toy we could think of.
By 11 am, he still hadn’t peed, in the potty or anywhere else. I was starting to think he was holding it in, or resisting potty training. (I was feeding him loads of fluids, too.) Around 11:30, I noticed him start to leak a bit, I picked him up and immediately put him on the potty and told him to “Go Pee.” He did it! He went pee pee on the potty!
This was our song after the first time peeing on the potty!!… Continue Reading
Have you heard of the No Sugar, No Grains lifestyle? How about Vinnie Tortorich? Maybe Fitness Confidential?
If you haven’t heard of any of those three things, that’s okay – you don’t need to. I’m almost hopeful that you don’t know any of the three. That means I get to introduce you to a whole new way of living healthfully! And that’s awesome! I’m going to share a lot of information about them. And, I’m really excited to do so, let’s get started!
My Struggle is Real
For at least 19 years, I’ve knowingly struggled with my eating. I have no idea why, or where it started, I just remember struggling to keep my eating under control. I was a serial dieter. One fad diet after another, I even found success with many of them, losing up to 75 lbs at one point – but, I never managed to keep it off. I always looked at my diet as “only temporary,” and “only until I lose the weight.” Those two statements right there are part of the MUCH bigger reason I never stuck to a diet. However, I want you to know, that despite struggling with my weight, in the past and currently, you CAN find your happy place when it comes to your food.
Don’t Let Those Resolutions Waiver
We’re nearing the end of January, this is about when people’s resolutions begin to waiver. People start to give up on their goals, or stop believing in themselves. If you listed one of your goals as losing weight or getting healthy, I want to help you get past this hump and keep moving. Trust me, it IS possible!!
For the last 20 days, I’ve been following the No Sugar No Grains (NSNG) diet, created by Vinnie Tortorich. I’m not an expert yet, but I am seeing great results, and Seamus actually started following this means of eating about 3 months ago and has had amazing success. He’s lost 68 lbs, by simply giving up ALL sugar and ALL grains. He does workout, but because of a bad back, he’s currently only walking 4 to 5 days a week. Nothing overly intense, and yet he’s still losing weight!
With most diets, they encourage you to eat low-fat / low calorie. To eat small portions and stay below a certain (small) number of calories. People succeed, but they often feel restricted, which can in turn lead to the binge / guilt cycle. That doesn’t need to happen, you can have yummy, delicious cream in your coffee, or eat real bacon, and not turkey bacon (unless you prefer turkey bacon).
Here’s why I am loving NSNG, I am NEVER starving. In fact, I rarely think about food, unless I’ve gone too long without eating. Because I’m giving myself the fat it needs to work properly, and getting my carbs through healthy veg, I don’t obsess over when my next meal is. It’s an amazing feeling, freeing a part of your brain that has always stressed/obsessed/worried about food. NSNG is a true lifestyle change, it’s not a temporary fix, it’s something that you stick with and (honestly) will want to stick with.
There are some added benefits, beyond just losing weight, and I am losing weight (6.7 lbs in 20 days). Giving up gluten can have a HUGE impact on your mental clarity. I often stuttered and struggled to find the right words when I spoke, now I feel clear and like I’m not stumbling over my words. Removing sugar (and sugar substitutes) has also helped, by keeping my blood sugar stable, so I don’t have the peeks and valleys (rushes and crashes), that I once did. I feel a sustained amount of energy all day long, and it feels great. And, the best part? My body is having an easier time fighting the depression I suffer from.
There’s no greater reason than that to follow NSNG. Losing weight is wonderful, but if I still hate life, then it’s pointless.
Maybe you’re thinking, I can’t do this – I just can’t give up pasta/bread/soda/cookies, etc – that’s okay! Maybe try giving up just one of those things, and doing that for awhile, until you feel strong and confident in your ability to say no, then maybe remove something else, so on and so forth.
And, if you just aren’t interested in following an NSNG lifestyle, that’s okay. Please know, you can still be successful, you just need to put your mind to it!
In Conclusion
In future posts, I’m going to talk to you about how we got started with NSNG and provide you with some tips on how to prepare for NSNG if you’ve been eating whatever you want for awhile.
If you’re interested in learning more about NSNG, or maybe you want to start following this lifestyle – Vinnie Tortorich has an amazing book Fitness Confidential and a self-titled podcast, that I would recommend checking out.
Have you ever followed the NSNG lifestyle? Did you have success? Share your secrets in the comments below!
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Hey everyone! I’m really excited this week because we’ve been having some amazing posts linked up and then shared across all of the hosts blogs. It is bringing in some serious traffic for our partiers! I’d love for you to join us – because we are all always looking for a new blog to follow and read. Alright, I’m off! Here’s to a great week!
This is our last week celebrating Turn It Up Tuesday’s birthday/anniversary this week! And we are so happy to have you back here with us (or for the first time) to celebrate…and connect…and grow!
Thank you so much for joining us last week – the posts were absolutely amazing!
If you haven’t already done so, please enter to win the Turn It Up Tuesday birthday giveaway! We have co-hosts and guest hosts (past and present) joining the fun! Make sure to enter below to win!
Turn It Up Tuesdays is all about being happy, excited, energetic…and having fun! Link up your favorite posts (old or new) and meet some awesome bloggers in return! Link up your funny stories, DIY posts, recipes, mommy moments — anything at all, as long as it is family-friendly. We want to laugh, be entertained, be inspired, and have a good time!
Thanks so much to everyone that joins us each week and makes this blog hop the best that it could be!
“Welcome to Anything and Everything! I am a wife to an incredible and talented graphic designer, a mom to a new baby boy, and to another baby of the four-legged variety. Here you will find everything ranging from DIY projects, food and drinks, kids stuff, and anything in between. With my zest for life and my husbands passion for design, we are never at a loss for unique and entertaining ideas. I try to update this blog as often as possible, so be sure to visit often for more adventures! Sit back, relax, grab a beverage, take a look around and enjoy!”
Stop by and check out her blog…it’s definitely a great read!
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This is the last week for our September guest hosts – we thank you all for enjoying the fun this month…and we hope to see you back soon!
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Complete the form here! Monthly co-hosts will be chosen on a first come first-serve basis. We’re now accepting guest hosts for November and December.
Here are the Featured posts from last week!
Mila chose Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Donuts from A Dash of Sanity. “The best recipe in the world.Why? Because of these two words :pumpkin and chocolate! Nough said ;)”
Silvie chose Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti from My Turn for Us. “It was so hard to choose one post to feature because we had so many great ones. I have a weak spot for Alfredo sauce, so I just had to try this recipe! I loved the flavor and how easy it was to put together. Everyone in the house loved it!”
Jillian chose What You Can Learn in the Lobby Before Job Interview from Earning & Saving with Sarah Fuller. “I chose this post because everyone can always brush up on their interview skills and this has some great tips for being prepared before even going into the interview.”
Cathy chose If we knew what we had from Just a Touch of Crazy. “So true! Too often do we not appreciate what we have until it’s gone! I love the how a song touched her heart, as I often feel the same way about songs! We tend to often think the grass is greener in someone else’s family but in reality, through the mess of day to day life….our families truly are a blessing!”
Meghan also chose this post. “I love this post. There are so many days when we get so busy, that at the end of the day, I can barely remember what we did. It is so important to just stop once in awhile and take notice. See what you have in life and smile.”
Cathy chose Healthy Recipe: Carrot Cake Bites from Luv a Bargain. “Sherri takes the amazing flavors of carrot cake and combines them with almond butter to create a most delicious carrot cake bite! I love carrot cake and almond butter and I just can’t get enough of this great sweet treat!”
Mari chose Fiesta Tuna Salad Sliders from 4 Sons ‘R’ Us. “Meaghan’s slider with the Ciabatta bread looks amazing. I love Tuna and just the variety she added looks tasty and healthy for sure. I love the tomatoes and red onion mix with mayo. Can’t wait to try this for sure.”
And because Mari is absolutely fabulous and we love having her here, we allowed her to include a second favorite:
Mari chose Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins from Budget Girl. “Now Chelsey and the Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins! Omg I can just see myself in front of the tv with glass of milk, watching a great program and taking a bite out of that moist muffin. Yes buying the ingredients tomorrow!”
Stacey chose Halloween Wreath {hack} from Home. Made. Interest. “Halloween has always been my favorite time of year and if I could go all out…I would definitely hang one of these on every door in my house! Thank you so much for sharing!”
Yolanda chose Friday Favorites – I Love the 80’s from Krafty Cards Etc. “I selected this one because I’m a 80’s baby, and reading this post gave me a great flashback. Man I LOVED a lot of the shows this blogger posted. It really bought me back to when TV was feel-good, and great for the whole family to enjoy together!”
Natasha chose Clash of the Couples from 100lb Countdown. “I am soooo looking forward to reading this book. I absolutely adore Crystal, and I love all of the writers that I’m seeing on the list. Thanks for sharing April!”
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So now that you’ve met our sponsor of the month, our hosts and co-hosts, the Featured and the Best of the Best, and our anniversary giveaway…
let’s get started!
Show some love to your hosts and co-hosts simply by following them on social media and leaving a comment so they can follow you back.
Link up as many posts as you’d like! The more, the merrier!
Check out some of the other posts and make some new friends!
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Link up your posts, make some friends, and earn the chance to be featured or become the Best of the Best on Turn It Up Tuesday! We will feature the favorite posts each week!
Oh yes, today was Emmett’s first birthday party and I’m pretty sure a good time was had by all. I will share the whole experience with you tomorrow, but tonight (because I’m pooped) I’ll share just a few of my favorite pics from the day. Enjoy!
I’d like to introduce Kendra Thornton, she will be doing some guest posts on my blog from time to time. Kendra is a travel advocate, TV spokesperson, PR businesswoman, proud wife and mama of 3. She’s a long time travel expert who has been packing her bags and traveling the world since she was 3 months old! She’s found her utmost desire in life is right in her own home. She has mixed her excitement for travel by bringing the taste of authentic cuisine to her own home with some of her unique recipes and sharing some of her personal traveling tips. You can follow Kendra on Twitter here or visit her website Thorton Public Relations.
I love my family, and I love to travel, but I will be the first to admit that the two do not always go together at first glance! When you are trying to make the plane while hauling a crying toddler or you need to deal with another chorus of “are we there yet?” from the back of the car, you may want to tear out your hair, but listen to these tips instead!
Tip 1: Eat Before the Amusement Park
Everyone knows that the food at the amusement park is terribly expensive, and on top of that, it is not good for you. Take a moment to eat a good breakfast before you go in. To prevent nausea, leave the fast rides for later in the day and spend the morning seeing the sights and opting for the smaller, slower rides. This ensures that you can see the park without worrying about finding food that your child needs to eat.
I use Gogobot to always check their reviews for family-friendly hotels. When we went to Florida, I scanned through their list of Orlando hotels and found a great spot that had both a quiet hours policy at night and a free continental breakfast for kids.
Tip 2: Buy Some Bottles of Water at the Airport
Children can get dehydrated and cranky about it without even knowing, and this can be a problem on the flights. If you are getting ready to board a long flight, make sure that you pick up a few bottles of water at the airport after you go through security. This can help ensure that you and your family are comfortable during the flight.
When you go traveling, you are going to be confronted with a lot of germs that are foreign to you. Teach your kids to keep their hands away from their faces, and encourage them to wash their hands whenever they get a chance to. Bring along a bit of lotion to prevent chapped skin, but washing your hands with antibacterial soap can keep everyone much healthier. There was an SCA survey conducted that found 40% of adults do not wash their hands after sneezing, coughing and leaving restrooms!
Tip 4: Audio Books
If you have a lot of driving or dead time to deal with, make sure that you download some audio books onto your phone, your media player or your iPad. An audio book will not trigger any sort of nausea or headache from the motion of the car, and you will discover that it can help your children stay entertained for hours.
Tip 5: Consider a Red Eye Flight
Red eye flights may seem a little extreme, but they can be fantastic for your kids. Keep your kids up until the flight is ready to take off; in many cases, they’ll love the late night treat! Then they can sleep through the discomfort of the flight and they will wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when you get to your location.
Traveling with kids can be a little trying, but the memories that you make are typically worth it! Take a moment to think about what you need to do to keep your family happy!
This a week late, I apologize! There’s just a million things going on and that I want to write about, trying to get through them all leads to some articles being delayed.
As you can probably tell from my most recent food posts, I’ve gone back to my old way of eating. Well, that’s not technically true, I’m aiming to eat less meat and dairy and stick to a cleaner (that is fewer processed foods) diet, but I have added some meat, dairy and definitely eggs back in.
You’re probably wondering if I feel any different or if it made me feel better or worse, right? If I’m being honest, when I stuck to the vegan diet religiously without any slip-ups, I felt really great. I could tell my blood pressure was normal (lack of a racing heart when I’d get stressed) and any excess water weight I’d been carrying around had disappeared. My clothes fit better, my rings circled around (I love when this happens) and overall, I felt really positive.
My guess is that you’re probably wondering why I decided to stop eating vegan and go back to regular eating if I’m talking about all those positives. That’s simple, I felt myself starting to slip. Towards the end all I could think about eating was an egg with a runny yolk being soaked up by bread. When I start getting consumed by those thoughts, I know I’m losing control and in order to maintain a healthy(ish) diet, I need to add those foods that I’m craving back in, just in moderation.
Do I feel like I gave my all to this challenge? In a word, no. I definitely did not give this challenge my all, my husband can testify to that. I complained constantly about not being able to have the delicious smelling chicken he had made for him and Emmett or about how I was getting bored of beans (though, I love beans and could eat them everyday). So all I could think about for pretty much the last 2 weeks was being done, and resuming my regularly scheduled diet and that’s not really fair to the challenge. The issue wasn’t with the challenge itself but with my inability to stick with anything.
I want to try again, but I want to take a different approach this time. Cutting these items out cold turkey may work for some and maybe even the majority but I don’t succeed that way. I’m currently in the midst of reading Vegan Before 6, by Mark Bittman. From what I’ve read so far, the concept is pretty simple, you follow a whole foods plant based diet until 6 pm, and then for dinner you enjoy whatever kinds of foods you want. Just a side note, the time 6 is just a number, basically you follow a vegan diet until your dinner and then eat whatever you want. I will do a full review of the book once I’ve completed it and have put the diet into practice for a few weeks. While following VB6 (as it is often referred to), I won’t put a time limit on it. If I follow it and love it, then I’ll just keep on going. By putting the 30 days on something, I am telling myself that I can quit in that time-frame rather than sticking with it until it either becomes habit or doesn’t work any longer.
Do I recommend the 30 Day Vegan Challenge? Absolutely! I learned a heck of a lot through the entire month and I also experimented with different foods that I previously would have never tried. If you do well with cutting foods out cold turkey, then this will absolutely work for you and I 100% endorse the challenge and you giving it a try.
I wish I had a more positive final post for this challenge, but I’m working on it and little by little I will get to where I want to be. I’m just still finding my path.
Have you given any new challenges a try?
In case you missed it, you can read Week 1, Week 2 and Week 3 here.
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