Check Out This Awesome Blog!

One of my favorite-est people in the world gave me the sweetest, most glowing shout out here. I am blushing!

Thanks so much!

Seriously, check out her blog. She is on an amazing fitness journey and has so much to offer!

She is right too, foam rolling is like a piece of heaven and a very important part of fitness!

Jenn's blog is fun and bright and makes you want to get your butt in the gym!

Thanks girlie!

Now seriously, go check her out now.

http://ohhshesocute.blogspot.com/

Wishlisting...What is on your wishlist this year?

Now that the holidays are over, I am sharing my wishlist for the year 2014! 

Some things on this list are things I use everything and just know I need more of soon, but figured it may help someone else out...

and other things are things I like and would love to have!

What is on your wishlist? Please share!

1) All kinds of jars!
Since I make our own body butters and other home products, I find myself going through a ton of canning jars and always needing more.

Here are the kinds I am putting on my list:

(none of these are my photos, images googled from around web, if you click on image takes you to website where I found the product)

2) Honeybee Gardens Make up

Hubby just got me some of their make up for my birthday & I love it. Here are some more items of theirs I want to try!

3) Leggings & Tees! 

I love leggings. Comfy and cute.

4) Fitness Gear!

I have been jumping rope a lot for cardio and now would like to get a good one! Here are the two that I want to try.

5) Shoes of course

6) Essential Oils of all kinds. I normally buy NOW essential oils, but I also think that I would like to try doTERRA essential oils at one point.

Here is the next essential oils on my list.

7) More items to make body butters, etc with.

So there you have it! These are the things that I am interested in currently. Do you keep a running list through the year?

I am not someone who tends to want a bunch of "extra" stuff. A lot of stuff that I like is stuff that can be worn, used up, or used to chisel my body the way I want it.

For me those "extras" ( collecibles, etc) tend to take up space & sit around, and I don't like clutter.

What types of things do you like?

Weider Pro 6900 Review {Video}

My first ever VLOG!!

All opinions are true and my own, as always!

*Happy Dance*

Let me know what you think.

I did not receive compensation for this review, review is of a product I already own. Special thanks to Hubby for putting it together!

Enjoy!

Let me know if you would like to see VLOGs on recipes, or anything else! Leave your feedback in the comments! 

I always love to read your comments!

You saw the Weider Pro 6900 Review {Video} post first on reinventing-lolli.blogspot.com

Happening's Around The Re-Invented Household.: Work Outs, Baby A, Garden Damage, and More!

There has been a lot going on here. I have been super busy with Baby A. She has been learning new things daily. She says "shoulder" "baby doll" "bye bye now" and "help me". I love that she  says "help me" because it is easier to know when she needs my help with things. 

She has been coloring a lot with crayons and side walk chalk. Her brain seems to  be developing at such a fast pace. 

Her baby doll goes everywhere, even the bath tub.

I feel especially good about her development knowing that she is still getting breast milk from a bottle and we are feeding her whole foods, and not the processed kinds.

She will be 18 months old tomorrow~!

Keep an eye out on my blog for my 1 1/2 year progress pictures! I am fitter than ever, although it doesn't show as much as I would like. The reason it doesn't show as much is because the skin on my stomach still has not snapped back. Any other mommies of 1 year old+ dealing with loose skin still? I am feeling a bit self conscious of this issue.

I have been working a lot on organizing our home and our paper work. Getting our life in order has been such a rewarding process. It is not only the physical process of sorting but also the emotional freedom of getting rid of unneeded things. It also feels good to know where everything is at. I was super organized before Baby A, but since her birth my organization went south. Now I am finally getting back on track and it is wonderful to be my organized Type A self again.

I have been working hard in the gym, as has Hubby. We both have changed up our routines and upped our weights. Seeing progress again is so rewarding.

Loading up the weights, not all on yet, but I leg press 250#.

I suffered from acne for years....bad acne. I recently discovered that even natural  sugars make my acne worse. I have long gotten rid of all processed sugars. I noticed a correlation between when I would eat honey or a high sugar fruit and when I would get a major breakout. Now that I have drastically limited my natural sugar intake, my skin is clearing up and I am not getting the major breakouts that I used to.

My skin isn't perfect, but it is getting there! I don't have to wear foundation anymore.

I now keep my sugar intake to 2 bananas a day, and not much else. I chose bananas because they are great for before and after workouts...muscle recovery and limiting soreness.

The garden is doing well despite the roofers dumping shingles all over it! I will be continuing to update you on that. No progress on the avocado trees though, I am thinking the pits we have are duds...that can happen. We will try growing some more pits and see what happens. I would love to have an avocado tree indoors,

The damage left behind by the roofers! This is AFTER first time I cleaned up their mess.

It was supposed to thunderstorm the past several weeks, and still has not stormed yet. The humidity is horrible, but thankfully it is not taking a huge toll on my fibromyalgia!

I honestly think that the Immortal Velvet Hubby and I started taking 2 weeks ago has really made the difference. I feel that it is very anti-inflammatory. It is still too early to tell yet how extensive the benefits are, but it is definitely doing something. I do not feel the muscle fatigue in my work outs like I used to, I am feeling stronger.

We buy this from Surthrival.com. This is the Immortal Velvet Silver.

I quit taking my allergy medicine (Allegra) I have pretty severe allergies and asthma that is flared by my allergies. I however really want to see if I can get my body to build its own defenses. I really feel that the allergy medicine was holding my body back on being healthy. I am completely medication free ( someone who 7 years ago was taking 8 pharmaceuticals a day!). I am living proof that going off medications can improve health. It is not for everyone, but it is working for me. 

How are you? 

What is going on in your life?

I would love to get to know my readers. Though I do not know you, I care about each and every one of you. 

Please comment below if you would like to share some exciting news or even depressing news about your life. I am always here to listen.

Be Happy Healthy & Strong,

Lolli

PS- The measurement for the lemon juice in the hummus should be 1/4 not 1/3. I apologize for the typo. I will correct it in the recipe.

(TT): Fitness, Being a SAHM, Gardening, Thankful for Life.

Every day there is so much to be thankful, I could blog daily about all of the blessings in my life. 

I have many hardships too, but I choose not to let those steal my focus from the good things in life. 

I am so thankful that I was able to wake up at 5 am today to go to the gym. I did not feel well (fibromyalgia) yet I went anyway, and I couldn't be happier that I did. I still do not feel well, but I feel better than I did before. Just getting into the gym and lifting weights was a huge accomplishment. I also upped my weights on most of my exercises this week.

pic from last week, didn't take a pic today.

I am pleased that the pollen count in our area is lower over the next couple of days. I have been wanting to open my window :) It feels so nice to have fresh air coming in the windows without my allergies flaring.

I have been getting a lot done around the house lately. Sorting and getting rid of things that no longer serve our family's lifestyle. It is freeing to get rid of things. The happier I am with my life and myself, the less I need things in my life to make me happy.

I am thankful for our new shoe organizer that is keeping our shoes all neat and tidy. It was getting out of hand in the entry way.

I am thankful for Baby A, she has been saying new things daily and some of her new phrases and mannerisms are the cutest ever. How about this? She is only 17 months old and knows how to sit in time out. We don't yell or spank in our house and use the word "no" sparingly. We use time outs for temper tantrums and other outburst ( like if she throws things, etc). It is really working. She is only a baby though so its a 1 min. time out, followed by a hug, but she understands and corrects her behavior very well for being so young.

We finished our garden this week as well. We only had a couple of seeds left to plant. I am so grateful for our balcony so we can at least grow a potted garden. It is wonderful to see the sproutlings coming up already from the plants we planted previously! Baby A even helped plant seeds and had a blast.

our garden & Baby A's chalk artwork ;) 

the hot peppers that were in Baby A's window from Feb.
they weren't flourishing in window, so planted. left planter plastic on to
not damage plants.

I love that I get to stay home with my daughter. Contrary to how people make it sound, it is not easy to be a stay at home mom. I hear excuses from people all of the time saying " I don't get to sit at home all day, so I can't cook or clean....blahblahblah". Honestly, I hardly EVER just get to sit. My work day does not end. I have been blessed with a Hubby who helps out in the evenings....thankfully! :) Even though I have help in the evenings I still have to make dinner and get things ready at night. I am not someone who "sits and eats bonbons".  I run the sweeper daily, do 4 loads of laundry a day ( babies are messy), clean up the messes Baby A makes, clean and sweep the kitchen all day long, cook all day long ( we make almost every single thing from scratch that we eat), I hang clothes and make beds...etc. There is a ton of things I do daily. This is a mini rant. However, I am blessed to get to stay home to be the person to raise my daughter. I am happy that a day care is not raising her or a grandparent or a neighbor....I am the person home with her. My Hubby and I are raising her...and it shows. She is so happy. Just yesterday a lady in the grocery store said that Baby A is the happiest baby she has ever seen!

I am grateful for every aspect of my life and would not change a thing.

Life is beautiful.

What are you thankful for?

Be Happy Healthy & Strong,

Lolli

Newest Programs from Beachbody! {Sponsored}

I personally have not done a ton of work out programs, as I make my own programs for the gym.

However, when I cannot get to the gym, I love to do ChaLean Extreme.

Beachbody has several other programs as well, and here are their newest!

• P90X Certification
• Les Mills Pump Crosstraining
• Beachbody Challenge
• T25 Workout

Do you like P90X? Why not become P90X Certified? Check out their websites to learn more.

Les Mills Pump Cross training includes step, sports drills, and more! Read more here.

Beachbody challenge is a great way to get motivated to get into shape! Start by choosing your package, then enter the contest, and go from there. Check it out here.

T 25 only takes 25 minutes of your time. This is a way to get in intense exercise in a short period of time. Want to learn more? 

Check out Beachbody's programs and decide for yourself!

I have not tried them, but they look exciting! I personally think that the T 25 is most exciting because as a mother I can understand how hard it is to fit everything into a busy day! 

What programs are you interested in?

Be Happy Healthy & Strong,

Lolli

-I have not tried these programs, I am simply sharing information that I received from Beachbody. All opinions are and always will be my own. Please view my disclaimer tab for more.-

Health & Fitness with Fibromyalgia.

not my photo. image googled from around web.

When I was 16 years old, I couldn't walk up the stairs at school without falling. I was dizzy. I didn't notice when classmates said hi to me in the hall...I was in a fog. I fell asleep in all my classes. I couldn't sleep at night because I was in pain....all the time.

I went to a specialist and found out why I had all these symptoms.

I have fibromyalgia. 

17 out of 18 "tender points" ( tender points are a  part of how they diagnose)

Fast forward to today. I am 27 years old. I am so much happier and healthier than I was at 16. I would never go back to 16.

I still have problems though.

At 24 years old....

After figuring out that I had Celiac & removing gluten from my diet, a lot of my symptoms nearly disappeared. I was exercising  5 days a week, sometimes twice a day. I felt good. I did have days where I was sick, but they were few and far between.

When I was pregnant with Baby A at 25, I started to feel fibro symptoms on a more regular basis. Pregnancy aggravated my health condition quite a bit. This made exercise hard, so I relied a lot on yoga and walking in the later part of my pregnancy.

Since having Baby A, my fibro has remained aggravated. I believe that breastfeeding had some to do with it. Simply because my body was working so hard to make enough milk for Baby A. This winter has been a hard winter. The back and forth weather, the air pressure and temperature changes have really taken a toll. As a result my workouts have also taken a hit.

I missed a cardio workout and a weightlifting workout this week. I didn't feel well enough to run 6 miles or leg press more than my body weight. I couldn't even stand for more than a few minutes.

My hands and feet felt like they were on fire, and they were so swollen ( like if I was 9 months pregnant swollen!). I had pain over my entire body, and the worst part I was so exhausted, yet I could not sleep through the night. 

It can be difficult to stay fit with fibromyalgia, but I am dedicated to my fitness plan.

Eating a clean, healthy diet and taking my vitamins has made a dramatic impact. Even though my fibromyalgia has been bad this winter, it doesn't even come close to what it was when I was a teenager. 

If I didn't eat clean or workout, I wouldn't be able to be a good mom to my daughter. 

Do you have fibromyalgia? What do you do to help yourself?

I went the pharmaceuticals route when I was younger, and it was a big disappointment. There was no relief at all. Now, I am looking for natural ways of relieving that pain and swelling and exhaustion. I have found that yoga helps on the days I do yoga. I am also looking into essential oils for relief. I have read that eating pineapple and avoiding eggplant can also be helpful. I will be exploring these natural options further, and hopefully posting about them on my blog if interest is expressed in reading it. 

Be Happy Healthy & Strong,

Lolli

Getting My Body Back After Baby : 1 year later.

It has taken me a while to get this post up as this past year has been incredibly busy.
In fact, my body has changed even since these pictures were taken, so I will update you all again later.
You may remember the series right after I gave birth to Baby A, called " Getting My Body Back After Baby".


This is a follow up post from that to show you where I am now.

Before pregnancy. 98-101 lbs.

Pregnant with Baby A. 141 lbs.

Pregnant with Baby A

Only a few weeks after giving birth.

A few weeks after giving birth

Middle of my work out journey

Side view

Middle of the journey. From the last "Body Back post".

Middle of the  journey. Side view.
May I mention that these pants are too big now, they fall right off!

So now, without further ado ( hehe had to say it!),

here is where I was 13 months after having Baby A ( she is 14 months old now).

My arms are bigger!

My waist is smaller, the skin however has some catching up to do.
I have about 1 inch of skin there.

Back view.

26 inch waist ! Side view.

Since the last post, you can see that a lot of changes have taken place. I have been working out hard in the gym, and eating a completely clean diet. Minimal grains ( brown rice & quinoa), lots of lean protein ( chicken, turkey) & tons of veggies!

I even had to get new work out pants! 

I now have a 26 inch waist and fluctuate between 100-104  lbs. ( in all fairness the weight depended on if Baby A had eaten yet or not). Since I nursed her this whole time, the weight loss and progress in the stomach area stalled some as my body wanted to store a little extra in the middle to ensure her a safe food  supply. However, now she is down to 1 feeding a day, I have noticed dramatic changes in my midsection, it is really starting to come together.

I believe that I have closed the gap in my abs, as it seems much smaller now. I have added crunches and various other ab exercises to my plank routine. I also am doing 5 days a week ( since she was 10 months old) instead of the 3 days a week I was doing before ( for weight training). I have added yoga to my routine on most days of the week as well.

It has been quite a journey, and still continues to be as I am praying my skin goes back sooner than later. 

I hope that my journey has helped someone else along the way. I am hoping to post my meals and work out plans to give people an idea of what I have done to get here. 

I am happy with how far I have come, and am continuing on my journey!

Be Happy Healthy & Strong,

Lolli

New Year, New "Do"....with Hoo-Rag! (Sponsored Review)

Tired of tying scarfs around your neck?

Trying to get the perfect folds in your bandana?

Look no further. 

The Hoo-Rag is the solution!

You can wear it on your neck as a neck warmer, you can wear it as a beanie, a headband, even a face rag.

Check out this video on how to use your Hoo-Rag:

I like the Hoo-Rag because it makes it so simple when you are on your way to the gym, you don't have to mess with headbands or bandanas, you just throw this on and you are set!

I received the Hoowaiian Hook (makau)   Hoo Rag in the mail for review. I love the wide variety of designs that Hoo Rag has to offer! I also love the smooth moisture wicking material! It is light and comfortable to wear.

They even have custom options available on their website!

I definitely recomend the Hoo Rag for anyone who is into sports, or would wear a bandana or scarf. The Hoo Rag is the real deal.

Try the Hoo Rag! Come back here and tell me what you think, I'd love to hear your experiences with the Hoo Rag!

Baby A even likes the Hoo Rag! I can't keep a bow in her hair, but she will wear the Hoo Rag as a beanie! The beanie is my favorite way to wear it.

Have you tried the Hoo Rag?

Be Happy Healthy Strong AND Unique,

Lolli

I received the Hoo Rag in the mail at no cost to me, color/design of my choice. No other compensation was recieved. All opinions are true and my own.