Discouraged But Not Defeated

"But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one."
2 Thessalonians 3:3

Satan has a funny way of using negativity to get under our skin. To make us forget God's faithfulness and to make us feel discouragement in areas of life where we should feel encouraged.

But, God's faithfulness is so abundant and so limitless that He never fails to gently remind me that He's got my back, that He goes before me and that He has all of this life in the palm of His hands. And for that, I am so thankful.

God kept laying these words on my heart to share. Hopefully someone else can be encouraged. Recently, I've been discouraged. Satan has found ways to use things I'm passionate about and things that I work hard on to be a source of frustration and stress. People, in their human nature have been critical and negative, resulting in my own second-guessing and questioning of my purpose. I've questioned my motives, I've questioned my ministry and I've questioned if God really has me in the right place. Let me tell you, discouragement is not fun. Feeling frustrated and angry about things you're normally excited about is from the devil. It's straight from Hell. And I knew it, and I let it get to me anyways.

And then, you know what? God gently reminded me that He is right here next to me. I selfishly prayed that I would get a chance to "prove the nay-sayers wrong" and He has given me that opportunity. As soon as the opportunity finally presented itself, Satan crept in for an instant, making me second guess myself again - Maybe I can't do this. Maybe it is a bad idea. But with determination and perseverance, I set out to achieve my goal - raise money for my God's church.

Be encouraged, dear brothers and sisters. Let me share with you how I have been. I set out to get donations for a church event. Church events are my thing. I have felt over the past few years that everything I've worked in ministry for has built up to being an "event coordinator". Among all the other things I do at church, this is by far my favorite thing. I enjoy it - yes it brings me stress - but the reward of seeing my brothers and sisters enjoy fellowship, enjoy food and evangelize and live out the gospel are things that bring me so much joy.

For this event, I have a very short window of time and getting donations is not something that is easy to do without time. But you know what - God doesn't need a lot of time, so neither do I. Let me tell you, friends. I set out over the past 3 days to solicit donations from local and national businesses. Some of which I have worked with in the past, some of which I know personally and some of which I have no prior relationship with. I've been blown away by the generosity of others. I have handed out over 30 letters and talked with so many people in person, via phone and via email that have just been so willing, so excited and so generous. I've gotten easily almost $400 worth of items donated in just 3 short days and I still have dozens of letters that I am waiting to hear back from.

People always say that God works in mysterious ways.  But to me, this is not mysterious, it's just God at work. He is good, all the time. He could have easily humbled me through this experience and taken the opportunity away, closing this door - as He has done so many times. This time, though, He humbled me by showing me grace and encouraging me through the selfless charity of others.

Satan did not defeat me this time. I'm praying that he doesn't discourage me anymore, either. So, to any of you reading this who have helped through a donation, THANK YOU! You've been the hands and feet of Jesus and you can know that God put you in my life to encourage me. I'm so thankful. Thank you for letting God use you in big ways. I'm praying for you and hope that He can encourage you, too.

Love,
The Farmers Wife

7 Habits of Highly Effective Fitness-y People

Hey! Me again.

I have had such fantastic feedback from my two most recent posts about my fit and healthy lifestyle transformation that I wanted to follow up with another little post. The most common thing I heard across the board was how difficult it is to stay focused, stay motivated and stay on track while trying to reform your eating and exercise habits. So, when reflecting on that common complaint, I have come up with a couple things that really helped it stick for me this time around. 

I can remember riding on a plane to Disney World when I was in 4th grade. My dad had a copy of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It intrigued me. I asked him if I could read it and I'm pretty sure for the duration of the flight I stared at the pages of words that went completely over my head and made no logical sense to my 10-year-old brain. A couple years later, I was gifted [by my parents] a copy of 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. I read it, but honestly couldn't tell you what a single "habit" of a highly effective teen is. BUT, when I started thinking about the things that helped me to stay on track, or be "effective", if you will, I couldn't resist using this format for my post.

1. Start Slow

I know I have said this so many times before, but I say it a lot because it is completely true. In my experience, if I drop everything unhealthy at once and try to get 2-a-day workouts in, I crash and burn in about a week. It never works. Like, ever. So, starting slow is probably one of the most important keys to success. You didn't gain all the weight overnight, and you're not going to lose it all over night, either. It takes time. Serious transformations take months, sometimes years to complete. Don't let this discourage you, but motivate you to see the end result!

2. Set Goals
Setting goals is important because it gives you something to work for. It's important to set short term and long term goals. If you have a goal weight, size or certain amount of total pounds you want to lose, that is going to be your long term goal. But in the short term set small goals for yourself like:
-working out 3 days a week for at least 30 minutes
-eating clean/unprocessed food for 6 out of 7 days
-giving up X, Y or Z for 30 days
Setting short term goals is important because it helps keep you motivated when you can check them off your list. I'm a list person, and when I see a few things crossed off, it keeps me on track to continue crossing them off!

3. Take Progress Photos
This one might seem weird, but I only have a handful of photos of myself at the very beginning. Mostly because I hated what I saw in the mirror. But now, when I go back and compare current pictures, it helps keep the motivation strong because I can literally see with my eyeballs how far I have come. No one ever has to see the photos but you - there are ways to lock up and password protect photos on your phone, I promise - but when you are able to look at the differences after 30 days, 60 days, 90, days, a year...it's incredible how your progress will actually keep you motivated to keep going. This is important too, because sometimes physical changes don't necessarily equate to pounds lost on the scale. So at times when you're discouraged because the scale hasn't budged, your progress photos will show where you've lost inches and gained muscle definition. Even if you don't plan on making comparisons for a long time, just snap a couple in the beginning. You can thank me later.

4. Keep Track
Now, in my previous posts, when talking about going slow, I included in that to not get all crazy about counting calories and tracking macros at the get-go. Because if it doesn't come easy for you, it will add to your frustration and discouragement. In the beginning, it's more about being mindful of what you eat and not so much how much you eat.

Now, that being said, I think it is very helpful to still keep track of the what you eat. There are so many tracking apps out there and even if you don't have a smart phone, My Fitness Pal can be used on your computer at their website. You can sign up for free. There is a certain level of accountability that comes along with having to keep track of all the food you eat. It will help you think twice before grabbing the bag of chips at the vending machine or the donuts in the break room. If you eat it, log it. At the end of the day you can look back  through what you ate, see what kind of macronutrient stats it created (protein, carbohydrates and fat) and get a good idea of what your diet currently consists of. This will help you make long-term changes in the future.

5. Plan Ahead
Planning ahead is another big one. It is so hard to be successful in healthy eating if you just wing it each day and stare into the fridge hoping something healthy jumps out at you. You need to be intentional in what you buy and how/when you prepare it. If you work full time, it might be helpful to prepare a few days or a week's meals at a time. But if nothing else, it helps to have a plan of what you're going to eat so you don't grab unhealthy snacks on impulse.

Planning ahead also helps when you're at a party or a function where healthy options might not be available. Depending on your level of discipline, you can pack a separate meal for yourself or go into the event knowing what you will allow yourself.
Grandma's 90th birthday? Celebrate the woman and have some dang cake.
Casual bonfire/cook out with friends? It's perfectly acceptable to show up with your own cooler of healthy foods. I promise, no one will be offended.
Company Gala for your husband's job? Probably just choose the healthiest options they have and limit your portions. Probably a slight-bit inappropriate to walk in with your Playmate cooler and Tupperware containers.

It's your call, but it always helps to have a plan!

6.  Give Yourself Grace
This is so, so, SO important. Listen, you will fail. You will eat a donut when you swore to yourself you wouldn't. You'll break down and find yourself drowning all your sorrows in gummy worms and Diet Coke.

It happens.

Your macros reset every day. Therefore, everyday is a chance to start fresh. Isn't that awesome!? Just get over it, move on and do better next time. Don't continue to wallow in your own self-pity. Don't let yourself go down a "cheat-week" path. Just forget it ever happened and move forward. There is no point in worrying about what happened yesterday, you cannot go back and change it. It's impossible. But you can decide what today will hold. So make better choices. The. End.

7. Get Yourself a "Tribe"
This is like a new thing. Having a "tribe". Your tribe is all the people who you look to for support, encouragement, and inspiration. Whether it's total strangers you've never met on Instagram or literally your BFF who wants to get fit with you. Whoever it is, get some peeps in your tribe. Find an accountability group on Facebook (hint: you can join mine here.) or start following some fitness people on Instagram. I mean, there is literally like twelve million of them - or something. For real, there are so many awesome people on IG just getting their fitness on and being all inspiring. Some of my current faves are:

@paleobailey 
@kayla_itsines
@alexajeanfitness

and of course...yours truly @farmerswife_fitlife 

It can be intimidating to start talking about being fit, because, if you're like me who still feels a little insecure about it, you'll be like "well, So-and-So knows way more than me about abs and macros so I can't put this post up - they'll think I'm a total knuckle-head" and you won't make a status update. But people, I'm telling you when you start to talk about your fitness, people get interested. And your friends come out of the woodwork about how they've been getting healthy and fit - BOOM! More peeps for your tribe!! I have reconnected with old friends in awesome ways because of my healthy lifestyle and fitness goals. It's so awesome to have someone to text and ask how their week is going or to vent because you failed and you just need a little 'pick-me-up'.

Listen, if you're super self conscious and you don't even know where to get a tribe - just invent a new IG or Facebook account and use some fake profile picture and name. Literally, no one cares. Follow a bunch of cool fitness people and start getting inspired! Before you know it, you'll want to post and share - and they may not know who the heck you are, but sharing and posting that stuff keeps you accountable. Even if it's to a bunch of strangers out in cyberspace, accountability is accountability, yo.

Alright, have I made a proper plea for a tribe? Because I think it might be the most important one - that's why I saved it for last! Having a support system is just so, so vital to your success. I personally am so blessed to have awesome people all around me to tell me how great I am doing, how much I inspire them and even those who help encourage me when I fall off track. My farmer has been my best motivator to date. He gives me compliments that help me push harder and keep working toward my goals. Having your spouse sincerely impressed with your results is one of the biggest accomplishments (at least for me!).

BUT! But, please don't do it for the compliments from others. Because that was one of my greatest weaknesses in past attempts. Working for the approval of others will get you nowhere, fast! You need to keep in mind what YOUR goals are. Set your mind on what YOU want for YOURSELF and no one else. It's then, and only then, that you'll find your greatest success.

Love yourself, dear friend. Love yourself! Self-love is the key to your success.

So, before you start these 7 Habits of Highly Effective Fitness-y People, stop and re-evaluate why you are doing this and what your end goal is. Keep your eyes on the prize and don't get distracted by the nay-sayers.

Good night, beautiful.

from the farm,

-The Farmer's Fit Wife
@farmerswife_fitlife

Inside Out: My Transformation, Part 2

Well, as promised, here is Part 2 of my transformation. It's funny because I had wanted to blog about this whole thing real-time, as it was happening (like, as in the past 2 years) but I just didn't know enough to feel confident to give advice to other people....I just knew what was working for me (and quite honestly, I still don't know enough to be considered "qualified" to give advice on this matter). But I'm glad I waited until now, because rather than have broken pieces that at first seemed to be mismatched, I can stand back now and see the whole picture and it all came together, and it makes sense.

After a solid 6 months of reforming the way I ate by cutting out processed foods, sugar (natural and artificial) and focusing on eating clean, nutrient-dense foods, I was feeling great. But I wasn't getting where I wanted with my weight and so I added regular exercise. That was helping a little bit, but slowly I was starting to realize that it wasn't only what I ate, but also how much I ate. Up until last summer (2015) I had it in my head that I didn't need to count calories and I didn't need to keep track of how much I was eating, so long as the food I was eating was whole and clean. To a certain extent, I still feel that way and I will never restrict myself food if I am hungry and "out of calories" - if I am hungry, I eat. I have not wanted, nor do I ever want to have that kind of unhealthy relationship with food. That being said, I try very hard not to emotionally eat, because that is just as unhealthy as restricting caloric intake. But, I digress - unhealthy relationships with food is seriously at least one post on it's own, and I'm sure the blogosphere is full of them. So anyways...

I have a couple friends and family members who have had wild success using a program called 21-day Fix, and it had me intrigued. However, my whole point in this endeavor was to do it myself without the programs and the expensive gadgets and gizmos and workout plans, etc. So I started reading. I used Pinterest and Google and all the informations available on the internets everywhere and learned as much as I could about 21-day Fix without actually buying the program.

And I feel like I need to add a disclaimer here: I have nothing against the 21-day Fix program, in fact, of all the MLM companies out there, I personally think Beachbody is the only one I could actually get behind. I won't, because I do not support MLM anything (again, another post for another day) but I just want to make it clear that I am not here to bash any programs or discount them, because as I mentioned before, I have seen the results in friends and family first hand. If you are dedicated and stick to their plans, IT DOES WORK! But, I am also here to tell you that I am living, breathing proof that you don't need to invest hundreds of dollars into a program to get the same type of results.

You can absolutely do it yourself. You need a little bit of time to plan your meals and a little bit of research to find workouts that will work for you. But, I read and pinned and printed and planned and I geared up for what I simply called, "21-days". Listen, I personally know 4 Beachbody coaches and I didn't even want to insult them by asking them questions and expecting answers for free. I have more respect for business people than that, I don't let customers wash their clothes for free at my laundromat, so I would never expect them to give me advice about a program that I had no intention of buying for free, either.

The general idea here is that for 21 days I dedicated myself to perfectly clean eating (no cheat meals, processed foods or sugars at all) in certain portion sizes and to complete at least a 30 minute workout once a day. So  that is what I did. I did not keep stats, other than my weight. In hindsight, I wished I had taken measurements, but oh well...ya live, ya learn (well, not really because I still don't take measurements). I lost 7 lbs in 21 days and about a week after completing my first round, I started another. This, for me, and I think for anyone is such a great way to get your foot in the door. Who can't commit to something for a mere 3 weeks? If you just sit down and think it through and have it all planned out, you really can't go wrong!

In all my research and studying about the 21 day fix (which, btw, Pinterest has TONS of 21DF recipes, tips and tricks - I even have a board dedicated to stuff I used for my 21 days, check it out here: 21 Days) I kept seeing/hearing this term "MACROS". And I was all like, what the....?? I tried reading more about macros and my brain would just get confused. I'm really not a smart sciencey person, so anytime people try to explain things using science, I get completely overwhelmed and my brain basically turns to mush. So, I took a break from trying to figure out macros and I just kind of put it in the back of my brain for later. I did use an app to help me keep track of calories, though...which eventually kind of helped me figure out macros. I started using an app called Lose It! - it's free and worked pretty well. Turns out, though that I should have listened to my bro-in-law all along and just started with My Fitness Pal, it's pretty much the bees knees.

As it turns out, if I wanted to really shed the pounds, I needed to watch what foods I was eating, and how much I was eating, exercise regularly and drink lots of water. That's the non-secret secret, friends. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you need to eat well, exercise, drink water and repeat, for eternity. Haha, that sounds so simple, doesn't it!? But when you start to see and feel results, you will not want to stop. I promise. Getting started is the hardest part!

And so that brings us to 2016. I had wanted so much more for myself in 2015, but what is most important is that I got started. And now I feel unstoppable. This whole thing started with a non-new-years-resolution-resolution. I make changes on December 15th each year. My birthday is December 14th and I always give myself a good 2-week "it's my birthday" celebration where I eat and drink and buy anything I want, and on December 15th I generally create my "resolutions" for the coming year. This year, was different in-that I had already come so far, but not different because I still resolved to be a better version of myself. I resolved to keep going on this journey and to not stop.

A big one was increasing my water intake this year. I started by just carrying around a gallon jug with me and drinking it whenever and wherever. That way I knew how much I was drinking. These days, I just carry a 20 oz refillable bottle around with me and be sure to get 5-6 of them in a day. I also started BBG in February. Bikini Body Guide is an eBook or an app by Kayla Itsines. Now, I know what you're thinking..."but you said you didn't do this with any fancy programs or buying anything, blah blah blah"  and yes, you're correct. But I was able to get my hands on a copy of Kayla's first eBook for free. And I mean, if you've ever seen the before and after photos of the girls who do her program, you would do it too if you got it for free. And if you're not already following @kayla_itsines on Instagram, you need to...like 10 minutes ago. I'll wait......are you following her yet?

Kayla's workouts are hard, but totally do-able. You can modify if you need to and they were the perfect bridge to get me into a higher intensity workout. There is very little equipment needed to do the BBG workouts and I did a lot of improvising. I don't own a weight bench, so I used coffee tables or chairs. I don't have a medicine ball, but I have a kettle bell so I used that. I joined a Facebook BBG accountability group which was awesome for support or ideas on how to modify exercises when having limited equipment. I completed all 12 weeks of BBG by May of this year and I have started and re-started a few times, but haven't been able to finish my second round yet.

February 2016 >> July 2016

I took the photo on the left on my first day of BBG. It's hard to see because the lighting sucks in my house, but I have way more muscle definition everywhere. BBG helped me gain so much strength and helped me finally do things like a proper push up. I cannot say enough good things about BBG, Kayla is an  awesome role model and I'm thankful that the world of Instagram introduced me to all the wonderful that is BBG and the BBG Community. 

Well, that about wraps it up - I am currently working on completing a program called body beast (also by beach body) that I borrowed from a dear friend and brotha-from-anotha-motha. I am almost done with week 4  of 12 and y'all, Sagi Kalev is not joking around. I still do Kayla workouts here and there, but I have been focusing on training with heavier weights and building more lean muscle mass. 

I have finally figured out how macros work for me, but again, the sciencey stuff. I don't think I could explain them well enough, but if you want me to try, you can email me at spielman6125@gmail.com and I for reals would love to tell you what I think I know. And I'll just close with a couple quick words about what kind of "equipment" I use. 

There it is, in all it's glory. My "equipment"

I haven't really had to invest much into this kind of stuff because Sworkit and BBG didn't really require a whole lot and the things it did require, I could improvise with things I had on hand. I asked for a kettle bell for Christmas, I found the little purple 3 lb weights at T J Maxx on clearance for like $4.99. The two rusty adjustable ones were in my basement...the farmer helped me clean them up. The silver 5 Lb dumbbells I found at a rummage sale for $2!! That was pretty exciting, because as I have come to find out, used weights go for like $1/pound. If you can find them for $0.50/pound then you have found a great deal! Finally, I just added the black and blue ones to my collection yesterday. I picked them up off craigslist for $18 (a set of 10 lb and a set of 8 lb) and I have arranged to pick up a 12 lb set on Sunday for $12. If you include the 12 lb set that I don't have yet, my total investment for these is roughly $37. Did it require patience and a little bit of savvy shopping? Yes, of course. But it all depends how bad you want it.

Well friends, this transformation has been 7 years in the making. Thanks for sticking around...if you take nothing else away from this post, please know that I honestly never thought I was capable of a transformation like this. You might feel like it's too hard, or you just can't. It's going to be hard, and there will be days when you want to quit. But I promise, if I can do this, YOU CAN DO THIS. ANYONE  can do this. You just need to start. Stop making excuses, stop putting it off. Make your health a priority and give yourself the chance you deserve to be great!

{End motivational speech}

Good luck and good night, from the farm,

The Farmer's Fit Wife

Inside Out: My Transformation, Part 1

Well hey!

Welcome to my second post of 2016...it only took me 6 months to write another. 

I started thinking about resurrecting my blog yesterday, when this popped up in my Facebook memories:Before & After - a post I proudly wrote on the heels of a little bit of weight loss back in 2011. I was 2 years postpartum and I was super excited about finally getting off the baby weight. LOL. Way to go, Ange. 

August 2009 >> August 2011

But seriously, I was so proud of being active again. I started running and basically just ate less. In hindsight, I was actually still pretty unhealthy and I was only concerned with seeing a certain number on the scale. I didn't care about being strong, I didn't even concern myself too much with having abs or muscle definition. Fast forward to 2016 and so many things have changed about how I look at my body. From what I fuel it with to how I strengthen it. I haven't cared about the number on the scale in quite some time, I eat more than I ever have and I fit in smaller sizes than every before in my adult life. Like, literally ever. 

Recently, I have been so encouraged by many friends who send me messages me DMs telling me how I "inspire them". They want to know my "secrets" and I haven't ever been more flattered. Thank you, really! I'm so happy to share my successes with others because my whole goal this entire time was to get fit and be healthy without expensive pills, shakes, exercise programs, gym memberships, etc. I wanted to prove to the world that I could, in fact, do this myself. Armed with Google, Pinterest and a few inexpensive pieces of equipment that I have literally picked up at rummage sales and even borrowed from other people, I am on my way to attaining the body and the level of health that I've always wanted. I am so excited to let you in on my not-so-secret "secrets". 

My first non-secret is that you have to want it. I mean really WANT IT. I used to want to be skinny, weigh a magical number that would put me in some "skinny" girl category. I wanted it, but I wasn't willing to put in the work, and so as it turned out, I didn't really want it, that bad. Once I made up in my mind that I was going to do this "healthy" thing, and like, really do it, it was like a switch flipped. I started slowly, with my diet and removed one unhealthy thing at a time. Once I had mastered not having X, Y or Z in my diet, I moved on to the next thing. After about 6 months (yes, it took that long) I was eating totally clean, whole, nutrient dense foods, with the occasional cheat meal here and there. The key, though is to not have too many "cheats" in the beginning. It is important to get your brain and your body weaned off of these processed-sugar-laden foods. Once the cravings stop you won't really want it, and if you do indulge occasionally, you'll be taking a lesser risk of a "relapse" or binge. 

For your reference, I started with gluten. I went gluten-free, then I cut soda and juice. Then I cut out candy and sweets (which for me weren't that big of a deal, but still needed to be addressed). Finally, I cut out any other processed foods/snacks. My biggest weakness was (and still is) potato chips and salty snacks. So that was my last thing, I let myself hang on to it for as long as I could. By the time I had cut everything else out, my body started to feel so good, that cutting those last things out wasn't really that big of a deal. And let me tell you, when I do indulge in Doritos every once in a while - they are so, so yummy. But I can stomach like 8 before I have had enough. I have found balance, and therein lies the key to your success - BALANCE. 

Once I had mastered the eating, I began slowly to add regular exercise to my daily routine. My goal at first was to exercise for anywhere from 15-30 minutes a day for 4 days a week. I used an app called Sworkit  - free on Google Play or iTunes. You can pick which area of your body you'd like to target and how long you'd like your workout to be. Pair this with your Pandora radio and you've got yourself a home gym! Have kids? You also have free weights. I would throw my kiddos on my shoulders when doing calf raises or squats for added resistance. This app was such a great way to get started. I wasn't in any shape to be doing the kind of high-intensity workouts that I do nowadays, but it was a perfect way for me to get my toes wet!

In review, if this type of lifestyle is so far from what your norm is, it's important to take things slowly. For perspective, I started my clean eating journey in December of 2014...so we're coming up on 2 years. I began adding exercise in June of 2015 and in July of 2015 I began my own version of the 21-day Fix. This is where I started to see some serious results. 

....More on that soon - I can't give you all the good stuff in one post! 

I promise it ends well - I'm almost 2 years into my journey and I look and feel better than ever. I'm so happy to know that my story has resonated with so many of my friends and helped them work toward a healthier version of themselves. 

I started a dedicated fitness Instagram account, give me a follow! @farmerswife_fitlife where I post food, progress photos and more! 

I can remember a post hoping to one day sign off as "the Farmer's Fit Wife" - and well, I'm happy to report that day has come!

Good night from Spielman Farms,

The Farmer's Fit Wife

Inside Out: My Transformation, Part 1

Well hey!

Welcome to my second post of 2016...it only took me 6 months to write another. 

I started thinking about resurrecting my blog yesterday, when this popped up in my Facebook memories:Before & After - a post I proudly wrote on the heels of a little bit of weight loss back in 2011. I was 2 years postpartum and I was super excited about finally getting off the baby weight. LOL. Way to go, Ange. 

August 2009 >> August 2011

But seriously, I was so proud of being active again. I started running and basically just ate less. In hindsight, I was actually still pretty unhealthy and I was only concerned with seeing a certain number on the scale. I didn't care about being strong, I didn't even concern myself too much with having abs or muscle definition. Fast forward to 2016 and so many things have changed about how I look at my body. From what I fuel it with to how I strengthen it. I haven't cared about the number on the scale in quite some time, I eat more than I ever have and I fit in smaller sizes than ever before in my adult life. Like, literally ever. 

Recently, I have been so encouraged by many friends who send me messages me DMs telling me how I "inspire them". They want to know my "secrets" and I haven't ever been more flattered. Thank you, really! I'm so happy to share my successes with others because my whole goal this entire time was to get fit and be healthy without expensive pills, shakes, exercise programs, gym memberships, etc. I wanted to prove to the world that I could, in fact, do this myself. Armed with Google, Pinterest and a few inexpensive pieces of equipment that I have literally picked up at rummage sales and even borrowed from other people, I am on my way to attaining the body and the level of health that I've always wanted. I am so excited to let you in on my not-so-secret "secrets". 

My first non-secret is that you have to want it. I mean really WANT IT. I used to want to be skinny, weigh a magical number that would put me in some "skinny" girl category. I wanted it, but I wasn't willing to put in the work, and so as it turned out, I didn't really want it, that bad. Once I made up in my mind that I was going to do this "healthy" thing, and like, really do it, it was like a switch flipped. I started slowly, with my diet and removed one healthy thing at a time. Once I had mastered not having X, Y or Z in my diet, I moved on to the next thing. After about 6 months (yes, it took that long) I was eating totally clean, whole, nutrient dense foods, with the occasional cheat meal here and there. The key, though is to not have too many "cheats" in the beginning. It is important to get your brain and your body weaned off of these processed-sugar-laden foods. Once the cravings stop you won't really want it, and if you do indulge occasionally, you'll be taking a lesser risk of a "relapse" or binge. 

For your reference, I started with gluten. I went gluten-free, then I cut soda and juice. Then I cut out candy and sweets (which for me weren't that big of a deal, but still needed to be addressed). Finally, I cut out any other processed foods/snacks. My biggest weakness was (and still is) potato chips and salty snacks. So that was my last thing, I let myself hang on to it for as long as I could. By the time I had cut everything else out, my body started to feel so good, that cutting those last things out wasn't really that big of a deal. And let me tell you, when I do indulge in Doritos every once in a while - they are so, so yummy. But I can stomach like 8 before I have had enough. I have found balance, and therein lies the key to your success - BALANCE. 

Once I had mastered the eating, I began slowly to add regular exercise to my daily routine. My goal at first was to exercise for anywhere from 15-30 minutes a day for 4 days a week. I used an app called Sworkit  - free on Google Play or iTunes. You can pick which area of your body you'd like to target and how long you'd like your workout to be. Pair this with your Pandora radio and you've got yourself a home gym! Have kids? You also have free weights. I would throw my kiddos on my shoulders when doing calf raises or squats for added resistance. This app was such a great way to get started. I wasn't in any shape to be doing the kind of high-intensity workouts that I do nowadays, but it was a perfect way for me to get my toes wet!

In review, if this type of lifestyle is so far from what your norm is, it's important to take things slowly. For perspective, I started my clean eating journey in December of 2014...so we're coming up on 2 years. I began adding exercise in June of 2015 and in July of 2015 I began my own version of the 21-day Fix. This is where I started to see some serious results. 

....More on that soon - I can't give you all the good stuff in one post! 

I promise it ends well - I'm almost 2 years into my journey and I look and feel better than ever. I'm so happy to know that my story has resonated with so many of my friends and helped them work toward a healthier version of themselves. 

I started a dedicated fitness Instagram account, give me a follow! @farmerswife_fitlife where I post food, progress photos and more! 

I can remember a post hoping to one day sign off as "the Farmer's Fit Wife" - and well, I'm happy to report that day has come!

Good night from Spielman Farms,

The Farmer's Fit Wife

Stress Free Dinner Time = Meal Plans For The Win!

Picture this:

You're standing at the refrigerator in your booger-crusted yoga pants and as you twirl your messy bun in your fingers, your eyes desperately scan the shelves for something that resembles ingredients for a meal. You glance at the clock behind you and your stomach drops to your knees - where, coincidentally, your toddler (mid-tantrum) clings to you, demanding treats - because its 5:00 and they're starving. Not-to-mention, your dear husband will be home in 30 minutes expecting dinner (and lets be honest, he worked hard all day and probably deserves a nice, hot meal...much less a hot wife? But, I digress). Meanwhile, your extra-chatty elementary schooler simultaneously does homework, asks you for help on said homework, watches his favorite after school show and crunches extra loudly on his Cheetos.

Its enough to drive you to the brink. And it's a scene that is all too familiar to me - and still haunts me from time to time.

Listen, I big FAT heart cooking. Like, if money were no option and budgets didn't exist, we would be eating steak and mushroom risotto paired with the best wines. Sea Scallops and cuts of exotic fish would line the shelves of my fridge and I would love every minute of dinner time. But ya'll, truth is, money is an option and budgets seriously exist, and I HATE dinner time. That is capital H- hate it!

Enter: meal plans to save the day!

A couple years ago, I got this idea that, like, if I just sat down and wrote out what we would eat each night I would know exactly what to get at the store. At the time, it helped with efficiency at the grocery store. Because, toddlers. And while it ultimately helped me get in and out of the grocery store a lot more quickly, it also dawned on me that dinner time was a lot less stressful because I had a "menu" set ahead of time. 

I had a plan, so no more panic attacks at 5:00 upon the realization that I had precisely 30 minutes to create a meal out of a can of chick peas and a pound of Turkey sausage (it was on sale, ok?). But, for real - do you know what I am talking about? The days when you just barely keep it together and then your family shows up acting like they're going to waste away to nothing if dinner doesn't magically appear in .07 seconds. I mean, they seriously expect you to feed them 3 times a day. Every. Single. Day. Real life, mom-life.

So over the years, meal planning and I have had one of those on-again, off-again relationships. I would go two months straight and feel like I was totally rocking this motherhood-stay-at-home-wifey thing. Then, I would skip like 3 months and once again be driven to the absolute brink of insanity. Dinner time would be, yet again, filled with my attention being split a million different ways, the pantry was never stocked with the proper ingredients - due to a lack of planning and inefficiency at the store - and you know the old saying, "when mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy". Dinner time was miserable.

Let's be honest, don't we all have this picture in our minds of dinner time being this happy family bonding time where we all sit around with smiling faces and talk about how uniquely challenging and exciting our days were? We all sit down to piping hot food, everyone eats every-last-drop of all the components of the meal - meat, complex starches and nutrition-packed green veggies? I mean, that is how dinner is supposed to be, right? 

Instead, when I don't have a plan in place, I morph into this mom-ster of epic proportions, attempting to assemble ingredients, prep them and cook them while yelling at my kids to sit down and be quiet, or get off my leg, or denying them the attention they request, the help they need, the snacks they demand, and the list goes on...If my husband happens to be around while all this is happening, he's seeing a side of me that I'm not proud of. Maybe I'm alone when I admit that dinner time has had the tendency to bring out the absolute worst in me, or maybe you can completely relate to everything I am saying. In any case, can we all just agree that life is easier when you have a plan? 

Once I really got on the healthy-eats band wagon - and I mean really got on, after having fallen off so many times I can't even count anymore - meal planning became a real necessity to staying on track. For me, if my meals are planned and partially prepped, I am about 100x more likely to actually eat healthy and nutritious foods, not just talk about it like a far-off, distant goal. Oh, and I'm not a mom-ster at dinner time. 

Meal planning [not-to-mention consistency] has done wonders for me. After I got the hang of making plans and doing the shopping and creating a menu, I began adding small preparatory elements to my plan. Menu plans helped cut down on the likelihood of forgetting an ingredient and eliminated the scrambled search for a last-minute dinner idea, but prepping the food partially takes meal planning to a whole new level. Having things like the protein or starch already prepared - only needing to be reheated at meal time - made life infinitely easier. It cut my actual cooking time down considerably and I could - even on a totally crazy day - have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. Mom-win!

Recently - ok this morning - I was asked to talk to a group of my mom friends at my church's mom's group about how I go about planning and prepping meals. The truth is, this is going to be different for every family. Based on your budget, based on your tastes and based on your schedule. So what I do may not work for your family, but hopefully there are principles that you can draw conclusions from and formulate a plan that will work for you. In preparation for this talk, I penned a short twenty-something page book about my process in planning including a sample menu and all the associated recipes. You can download it on Google Play or iTunes for $2.99.....just kidding, you can grab it off my Google Drive for free. Just don't judge me too hard, I didn't really proof read it, and I copied and pasted recipes from Pinterest. It's far from publication worthy, but maybe it'll offer something to spark your inspiration. 

Sorry this post is more like telling a weird story and not really like teaching you how to meal plan. But luckily you have that handy link up there that you can use for future reference - you know, when you have a few moments for some light reading. Hopefully this will help inspire you! Please ask me questions, I am glad to help any way that I can. Meal prep can be as simple or as complicated as you make it and anyone can do it. I promise. Even if you serve a combo of frozen pizza, grilled cheese, macaroni and hot dogs at dinner (no judgement here! We've all had those weeks) - having them written down so you know what is dinner for each day it will take some of the guess-work out of your meal time. Guess-work = stress, so anytime you can eliminate stress, that's a win in my book! 

Here's to stress-free meal times! 

Plan some meals - let me know how they go and share your recipes! 

-The Farmer's Wife

PS - coming soon: FREEZER MEAL SWAP. stay tuned!