Fun, Fit and Fabulous!

Annabelle Katherine - 11 Month Update

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 17:56:00 +0000

Howdy Friends,

I hope everyone is having a fabulous day so far! I am still running a few weeks late on her monthly updates, but hey, at least I got this one up before she turns one. I'm all about celebrating the small victories! :)

How do I even start to describe my sweet, giggly, cheeseball of a baby girl this month. The amount of joy she brings into our lives is really immeasurable. She makes me want to pull my hair out occasionally, causes me to shed a happy tear quite often, and makes me laugh hysterically every single day. Every day things such as eating lunch, running errands, and hanging out watching a movie are 100x's more fun with this tiny human by my side!

She has really taken to hamming it up even more lately. She likes to give big squinty eyed grins and cracks herself up on a regular basis. She just radiates joy and goofiness!

This smile has to be one of my favorites. Look at all those beautiful teeth. She is up to 10 already (she really had 8 when she turned 11 months but oh well), including two brand new molars. Good thing too, since this one loves eating! Chicken sausage, watermelon, green beans, chickpeas, black beans, and french fries definitely top her favorites list.

She is very organized like her father and likes to keep everything in just the right place. All of her very important items tend to end up in the trunk of her favorite pink car. Cell phone...check! Sippy cup... check! Red ring.... check! Ok, Mom I'm ready!

Even though she is busy busy when she is awake, she will sometimes fall asleep in my arms when I'm rocking her if I'm really lucky. This picture was taken post playdate and she fell asleep before I could even finish singing her favorite song Amazing Grace.

Speaking of playdates, her favorite place to meet up with buds is the pool. She loves floating around in her floaty and kicking her legs while I'm holding her. Now, the splash pad on the other hand is another story. She was not a fan! I think there were a few too many big kids running around and splashing her.

One thing is for sure.... the water tires this one out. Most of the time, she doesn't even make it home before passing out!

Crawling is still not happening no matter how we try to bribe her. Notice the fruit drop on the ground in front of her. She can scoot pretty well (mainly backwards), and is really good at standing up while holding onto things. She's a stubborn one, so I'm sure she'll do it when she's good and ready and not a second before.

Belle is by far the definition of a Daddy's girl! When daddy is around, mommy reverts to peasant status and is only needed for food prep purposes. :) They really are two of a kind. It cracks me up how similar their personalities are. She absolutely lights up whenever E walks into the room and cracks up at every noise he makes (even the not so lady like ones). Here she is helping daddy shop for tools.

Speaking of being a daddy's girl, she can pretty much get him to do whatever she wants, including share his cupcake!

I can't believe this little angel is about to turn one. Time has seriously flown, but I am so excited to see what adventures the future has in store for my sweet little family.

Thank you God for picking me to be this little one's mom. I truly an blessed beyond measure!

In health,

Annabelle Katherine - 10 Month Update

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 23:32:00 +0000

Howdy Friends,

Back to back baby girl updates! On the day she turns 11 months old, I am finally getting her 10 month update posted. I know every parent thinks, "wow, how time fly's," but I it really hit me today that my sweet baby is going to be ONE in a month!! How in the world did that happen? It's crazy how sometimes the days seem so long, but 11 months have seriously flown by. I wish I could just freeze her cheesy grins and belly laughs and hold on to them until the end of time.

This tiny human gets more personality by the day. She is a complete ham, and will give you the sweetest and biggest grins anytime you are talking to her. She is definitely a social butterfly and still gets pretty annoyed if you expect her to entertain herself for too long. In her mind, I should be a stand up comedian all day long.

Like her daddy, she does not like to be woken up from naps before she is ready. If you do, be prepared for some awesome nap hair and not so happy faces.

She still thinks daddy is the greatest things since sliced bread. My favorite part of the day is watching how excited she gets when he comes home! They are two peas in a pod and she has him completely wrapped around her tiny little finger!

I mentioned last month how Belle has some pretty wicked dance moves. Well, she has perfected them even further. Her favorite song is "Drop It Low" and the second it comes on, she gets a huge smile on her face and gets down!

She's getting really good at pulling herself up and loves to hold on to her jumper and dance. She still hasn't quite nailed how to sit down slowly, but it's a work in progress. Still no developments on the crawling front, but she can push herself backwards while sitting. I'll take what I can get.

Baby Belle is still extremely ticklish and loves when you tickle her legs or belly. Most of the time, she starts laughing so hard she folds herself in half.

Annabelle got even more teeth this month (she's up to 8 now), and enjoys eating things that she can bite into. The picture below was her first experience with apples. At first, she wasn't sure how she felt about them, but now she loves them!

She has also made friends with the people at the HEB deli. She much prefers shopping with a side of turkey! The challenge is getting her to just eat the meat and not the paper.

I think she gets more fun with each passing month. Each stage is wonderful, but I absolutely love how she is really growing into her personality right now. She makes me laugh and my heart burst with love every single day!

I am so so lucky to get to be this little angels mom!

In health,

Annabelle Katherine - 9 Month Update

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 00:03:00 +0000

Howdy Friends,

So I officially win worst mom of the year award! It is 6 days before this little one turns 11 months old, and I am just now getting up her 9 month update posted. With the start of PulsePointe and some other family matters going on, life has been crazy to say the least. I thought about skipping 9 months and going straight to 10, but I really want to have these blogs to look back on one day, so here it goes!

To say this little bit has a personality would be the understatement of the year! She is full of giggles, funny noises, and will most certainly tell you when she is not pleased. Most of the time she sounds like a cross between a squealing bird and a dragon. This makes going anywhere in public extremely interesting.

This month we celebrated Easter, and baby girl got to show off her beautiful Easter dress. She wasn't so sure about sitting still in church, but she always likes hamming it up for the camera.

She also said goodbye to mushy baby food and hello to big people solids and she's never going back! This girl can EAT! She put herself on the paleo diet from day one and prefers meat over anything else. Turkey? Yes, please! Brisket? She loves it! Breakfast sausage? You better have it cut up and on her plate before she wakes up or she's going to let you have it until you have it ready!

Eggs, on the other hand, she prefers to feed to champ. She's also not a huge fan of strawberries, peaches, or anything she finds even the least big tart. Luckily, she did get her love of watermelon from her mama!

Baby girl also got to experience her first Spring football game this month. Just in case the refs weren't calling a fair game, she was dressed and ready to go in if needed.

Luckily, they did a fairly good job, so she got to spend most of the game hanging out in the press box with daddy!

Speaking of daddy, she LOVES watching daddy play any kind of sport. As you can tell by the picture below, she is an extremely good cheerleader!

She is also miss social. Hanging out with friends (aka stealing their pacifiers) is her favorite!

Overall, she is still an extremely happy but opinionated little girl. She still refuses to even attempt to crawl, but loves to sit and play with any toy that makes noise and flashes fun lights. She now has 4 teeth, 2 on the top and 2 on the bottom. She still wants to wake up around 4:30 - 5:00 AM for a quick snack, but other than that, she is a great sleeper! Annabelle's cutest new skill this month is definitely her dancing! She has some major rhythm and loves to dance at the studio when the music comes on.

I seriously look at her every day and can't believe how fast she is growing. The time sure does fly!

In health,

Introducing PulsePointe barre | The Story Behind The Journey

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 15:16:00 +0000

Howdy Friends,

How are you? I've been a ~~little~~ lot MIA from the blog world lately because I've been working on a ~~big~~ huge project! I've poured my heart and soul into this endeavor for the the past few months, and I can't even begin to describe how excited I am to finally share it with the world!

A few months back, I told you guys about the continuing education workshops I was launching. I received such a great response to those, that I decided it was time to pursue my full dream of creating a barre certification!

This whole journey really began over 8 years ago when I first started teaching Pilates at Texas A&M. I had just fractured my sacrum from over training, and needed a lower impact exercise to keep me in shape. I tried Pilates, absolutely loved it, and got certified shortly after that. I continued teaching Pilates throughout college and grad school. Then, in 2011, I discovered barre! To say I was immediately hooked would be an understatement. I took classes all throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex trying to lean as much as I could about this exciting new format. After a couple of months of taking classes, I took my first barre certification and began teaching multiple classes per week.

I had been teaching group fitness classes for 4+ years at this point, but nothing made me as excited to teach as barre! I loved coming up with new choreography, refining my cueing skills, and seeing my students improve. I continued to take barre classes from other instructors, pursued 8 additional Pilates and barre certifications, and refined my craft. I sought to combine the fun factor and cardio elements that I loved from group fitness, the amazing lower body workout from barre, and the killer core strengthening abilities of Pilates to create my own barre format. My goal was to have my students leave class drenched in sweat, smiling, and feeling like they got a total body workout while having the time of their lives!

As I moved from Dallas to Florida State University, I was excited to bring barre to FSU. When I started to look into getting my instructors certified, I was disappointed to find that many of the barre certifications were either too expensive, not the up beat barre class we were looking for, or not offered in our area. I had students that I knew would make amazing barre instructors, but no way to get them certified.

After moving back to Austin, and diving into teaching barre 8+ times a week, I decided it was the perfect time to combine my love of barre and Pilates and my passion for mentoring other instructors into a power packed barre certification. Thus, PulsePointe barre was born!

My goal in creating PulsePointe barre was to offer a high quality, creative, and fun educational experience at an affordable price so everyone can have the opportunity to fall in love with teaching barre like I have!

PulsePointe barre is an innovative and challenging barre experience that seamlessly weaves together traditional muscle-sculpting barre choreography with exhilarating cardio segments to define and challenge the body in a whole new way. PulsePointe takes barre to the next level by matching each segment with upbeat music to motivate and energize your class from start to finish! By utilizing the unique PulsePointe barre class blueprint, you can mix and match the barre segments using your own creativity to deliver a rock solid class every time!

After months and months of praying, working on educational material, getting approved by ACE & AFAA, developing a website, creating logos, etc. etc., I am beyond excited that it is finally time to start sharing PulsePointe barre with the world!

So what makes PulsePointe barre different from other barre certifications?

PulsePointe barre strives to offer high quality certifications at an affordable price.
No licensing fees.
Every participant who completes the 8 hour primary instructor training course will receive 8 AFAA and .8 ACE CEU's, a comprehensive instructor manual with choreography snapshots, PulsePointe barre Class Blueprints, and a certificate of completion.
Learn how to use music to enhance your class, motivate your students, and take the fun factor to the next level!
High energy cardio segments will take your class to the next level and give your students a cardiovascular and muscular strength & endurance workout all in one!
Easy to implement choreography and class blueprints will have you ready to teach challenging, well balanced, and creative classes in no time! We take the guesswork out of class planning while still allowing you to come up with your own choreography.

For more information on PulsePointe barre, upcoming workshops, and video demonstrations of exercises, please visit our website at www.pulsepointebarre.com! If you think this is something your would like to bring to your facility, we are currently scheduling workshops for late summer and fall of 2015. Feel free to email us at info@pulsepointebarre.com

Throughout this process, I have received so much amazing support from my family, friends, and the online fitness community! I could not have done it without each and every one of you! I am so excited to see where this new journey takes me and to share the barre and Pilates love far and wide!

Linking up for Workout Wednesday and Wild Workout Wednesday!

For my barre lovers out there, what made you first fall in love with barre?

In health,

Annabelle Katherine 8 Month Update

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 11:18:00 +0000

Howdy,

My sweet baby girl was 8 months old on March 9th, and I feel like this past month has been a big one. She's turning into such a tiny person, and I just love getting to know her personality more and more each day. Belle loves to laugh deep deep belly laughs and thinks Daddy's burps are purely for her entertainment. She hasn't started crawling yet, but she rocks so hard, it's only a matter of time before she tumbles forward onto her hands and knees. She just started pulling up on things this past weekend, even though that technically happened after her 8 month birthday, I just had to share! Every day is definitely a new (and sometimes sleepy) adventure with this little one!

Belle is still a huge fan of basketball, especially if she gets to watch it from her daddy's lap. The lights, all the people, and the interesting noises keep her very entertained. She of course loves the cute outfits she gets to wear as well (even if they are burnt orange)!

She is also still fascinated by her toes, and never ceases to amaze me with her flexibility! If you need to keep her entertained for a few minutes, simply rip of her socks and she's good to go!

Annabelle would still rather eat books than read them, but we are working on that! I like to think she's still soaking up the knowledge right?

Our new favorite things are zippers and drawstrings on jackets. She could go after those things for hours and she will jump out of your arms to reach one on her neighbor if you're not careful! No jacket zipper is out of this girls reach!

On the other hand, baby girl DOES NOT like green peas. I've tried them a few times, and each time results in some version of this face or gagging. Looks like we are going to have to skip these for awhile! I know I shouldn't laugh, but the faces she makes when she doesn't like a food are just hilarious. She can be quite dramatic.

She is also not the biggest fan of sleeping these days. I'm not sure if she's going through a sleep regression or if her top teeth are about to pop through, but the past 4 nights have been pretty rough. Last night, she did a little bit better so hopefully we are on the upswing. Whenever she decides she is not tired, she turns her bumper into a jungle gym and goes to town. We have to pull it out of her crib so it doesn't distract her most days.

Belle may not like peas or naps, but she LOVES puffs. It was amazing to watch her master picking up those little guys with her fingers in less than a day! Don't stand between this lady and her puffs or you might get spit up on!

She also still loves giving slobbery kisses. She'll often attack you when you're least expecting it, and I love it! I'll take a slobbery snotty kiss from this tiny human any time!

Although you might not guess from the picture on the left, Belle loves going shopping. So many cool things to look at and people to talk to. Plus, mommy usually caves and buys super cut things like pink baby aviators. Who could pass these up, seriously?

Lately, Annabelle has been a busy girl helping mommy with Pilates MatchMatness. It's hard work modeling for a new picture every day, but Belle handles it like a champ. She loves showing off all of her cute accessories like this beanie!

Most days with this one are lots of smiles and giggles, but she definitely has her rough days as well (just keeping it real). I think she's ready to be on the move, but hasn't quite mastered crawling yet so she gets bored and frustrated easily. I also think those top two teeth are going to pop through any day which can't be comfortable. You have to capture the good times and the bad right? Side note, Belle loves to try to eat the button off of this pillow which explains the massive drool mark to the right of her head.

Overall, baby girl has had an exciting month full of learning, new adventures, giggles, and lots of cuddles. She is absolutely the light of my world, and I feel so blessed to get to be her mommy!

I can't wait to see what the next month has in store for us! I hope you all have a great rest of your Tuesday!

Mommies, did your kiddos go through a sleep regression? If so, how long did it last?

In health,

Ro Fitness Review, UT Basketball, and Baby Food Prep Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 11:22:00 +0000

Howdy!

I'm a little late with the weekend recap, but oh well. I'm rolling with it! I'm partly running behind because this weekend was so fabulous, I needed a little recovery time (and no, not due to wine). :)

On Friday evening, our friends Alison and Danny came in for a visit. They live in San Antonio so we don't get to see them as much as we'd like. They got in right as I finished putting Belle to sleep, and then we got right to catching up (aka discussing all things fitness and sports).

On Saturday morning, Alison, Danny and I went to try out a rowing studio in town called Ro. E had baby duty, and let's be honest, waking up early on a Saturday to workout is not is idea of fun. Try out a new class at midnight? He's all about it! I've used the rowing machines plenty of times, but had never taken a full rowing class. I was pretty pumped for the experience!

We arrived at Ro Fitness about 15 minutes early and the nice instructor helped us get all set up and familiar with our machines. This studio had Concept 2 rowers which I had been on numerous times.

The actual room itself was on top of the boat house overlooking Lady Bird Lake. It was such a pretty view and very appropriate for a rowing class!

The classroom, was clean, bright, cheery, and had plenty of room for the 10 rowers it housed. The instructor took us through a technical warm up to help us nail down our form and then we started the workout. We did 10 rounds of various 2 minute intervals. I wasn't quite as gassed afterwards as I thought I would be for spending a whole class on the rower, but I was definitely sore the next day. I was actually excited when I woke up the next day with sore hamstrings and glutes, because they say you are suppose to row more with your legs than arms. At least I know I was doing it right!

Overall, it was a really fun class with rocking music and a great atmosphere. I would definitely do it again!

Later on that day, we headed up to campus for the UT vs. Kansas State basketball game with a few friends. As usual, Belle had a great time at the game taking in all of the crowd. She actually does better when we are out and about then when we are at home. She gets bored easily at home, so she loved all the commotion at the game! She looked pretty darn cute too!

Just in case the ref started making bad calls, Annabelle was dressed and ready to go into the game at a moments notice. Luckily, they called a fair game so she was able to stay with us.

Sunday morning, I went to the grocery store bright and early before Annabelle woke up and then got right to baby food prep. I purchased a Baby Brezza whenever Annabelle started eating solid food and it was the best investment ever. It steams and purees the food for you in one container. I made over 30 jars of organic baby food in no time and all for less than about $12! Not too shabby!

After hanging out with little bit for awhile, I went up to the studio to train some of our new instructors in barre. They did an amazing job, and I can't wait to see them teaching. We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out at home, doing laundry, and practicing our Pilates moves for MarchMatness. Belle is really good at spine stretch forward!

That about sums up our weekend. I hope you are having a great week so far! I'm linking up with Sara from Lake Shore Runner for Tried it Tuesday!

What was your favorite memory from the weekend?

Fellow moms, any favorite baby food recipes I should try?

In health,

Lauren

Friday Favorites - March Matness, Plantain Bread, & Baby Kisses

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 06 Mar 2015 12:29:00 +0000

Howdy,

Happy Friday friends! I hope you've had a wonderful week. First of all, I want to to thank everyone for their sweet comments of support and encouragement regarding my announcement about my new Barre & Pilates continuing education workshops. I really appreciate it more than you know!

It's been another great week here at the George household. I love reflecting on all of the happy (and this week, not so happy but still cute) moments from the week with Friday Favorites!

MarchMatness

I am having a blast participating in MarchMatness with Belle. It's fun to practice moves I may not do every day and I love seeing everyone's pictures from around the world doing Jo's classic exercises! If you want to join in on the MarchMatness fun, check out this post for the details!

Plantain Bread

I came across a recipe for plantain bread on facebook yesterday via Purelytwins.com and I had to give it a try! It's grain free, gluten free, dairy free, paleo, and oh so easy. Simply blend half a plantain with 2 eggs and 1/2 tsp. coconut oil then bake in a pie pan at 350 for 15 minutes. It tastes like a cross between banana bread and a crepe. I ate it plain, but it would be delicious as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or served in place of toast with breakfast. I will definitely be making it again very very soon! If you've never checked out PurelyTwins blog, it's a must! They have amazing recipes!

Belle's Dramatic Expressions

Of course, I never want Belle to be upset but I must admit her angry faces can be pretty funny. She was having an extra fussy day yesterday, and any little thing seemed to make her mad. Sometimes, to keep from losing your mind, you just have to laugh. Here's to hoping she is in a better mood today!

Baby Kisses

On a positive note, Belle isn't stingy with the slobbery baby kisses! She comes at you full force with an open mouth and drool dripping off her chin when you're least expecting it. She can rub drool all over me anytime she wants as long as she keeps the kisses coming!

Sunshine

source

Although we technically had a "snow day" yesterday (some schools were shut down and a lot of places had a delayed start), we actually got to see the sun for the first time in over a week yesterday afternoon. It was still freezing, but I was starting to think the sun had disappeared completely!

I'm off to do a little early morning cleaning before Belle wakes up! I hope you all have a fabulous Friday and a great weekend!

What was your favorite moment from the week?

In health,

An Exciting Announcement - Barre and Pilates Continuing Education Workshops for Fitness Professionals!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 10:00:00 +0000

Hi Friends,

I have some big and very exciting news to share with you today. If you know me, or read this blog often, you know I LOVE teaching Barre and Pilates classes. I truly believe in the power of these formats to change your body, mind, and life, and I can't get enough of the amazing students that attend my classes! It also amazes me, how people can benefit from Barre & Pilates throughout all walks of life. Trust me, if I can teach 10 classes a week 9 months pregnant, these formats can be modified to benefit everyone!

What you might not know, is that my other passion is mentoring new instructors. Becoming a fitness instructor completely changed my life, and I love helping others find their passion for teaching as well. I began my teaching career at Texas A&M University and was lucky enough to have some of the most amazing mentors around. Our boss, DeAun Woosley, always made sure we got the best of the best when it came to continuing education and encouraged us to continually work to improve our teaching skills.

The wonderful instructors I began my teaching career with at Texas A&M!

A few months ago, I decided to combine my love of Barre and Pilates with my passion for teaching other instructors to create five continuing education workshops. Through these five workshops, I hope to help other instructors either dive into the world of Barre and Pilates for the first time or take their current classes to the next level with new choreography and a fresh approach on teaching!

Each of these workshops are approved for ACE and AFAA continuing education credits. Additionally, every course is equipped with unique class blueprints to help you take what you learn and effectively create fun and balanced classes you are ready to teach in no time!

Cardio Barre For Group Fitness Instructors - 5 AFAA/.5 ACE CEU's

Barre Fundamentals - 3 AFAA/.3 ACE CEU's

Power Up Your Barre Class - 2 AFAA/.2 ACE CEU's

Pilates Fundamentals For Group Fitness Instructors - 5 AFAA/.5 ACE CEU's

Pilates - Pump Up The Beat - 2 AFAA/.2 ACE CEU's

For full workshop descriptions, please visit my Fitness Continuing Education page. I can't even begin to describe how excited I am to go out and spread the Barre & Pilates message. These methods have changed my life and my body for the better, and I believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience them.

With that being said, if you would like more information on attending a course or hosting a workshop at your facility, please feel free to email me at LaurenEGeorge@gmail.com. I do private (just for your in house staff), or public (open to community registration) workshops and love working with gyms, studios, YMCA's, and campus recreation centers of all sizes!

Thank you for helping me spread the word about my endeavor, and maybe I will see some of you in a workshop soon!

Linking up for Workout Wednesday and Wild Workout Wednesday!

Have you ever attended a Barre or Pilates class? If so, what did you think?

If you are a current fitness instructor, what is your favorite CEU workshop you have ever attended? Bonus points if you tell me what made it so great!

In health,

The Power Of A Great Playlist

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 03 Mar 2015 17:24:00 +0000

Howdy!

I hope you're Tuesday is treating you well so far. Minestarted off sweaty a fabulous with a 6 AM Pilates Mat class, 7 AM Barre Express class, and 9 AM Barre class. I had such a great crew this morning and we had a blast getting sweaty and foggy up the windows. Well, at least I know I did. Hopefully, they did as well! I would be lying if I didn't tell you I was pooped after three back to back classes. An awesome playlist is the most essential element for teaching when you are a bit tired or really any early morning class if you ask me. Music can make all the difference in the world when it comes to a great class!

If you were to ask my students what my favorite song is, they would tell you that I have a new favorite every week! Totally true! I just love discovering new songs and coming up with choreography to match. I've had people ask me in the past if music is really that important for a good class, and the answer is always YES! There are so many proven benefits to working out with music, and when it comes down to it, it's just MORE FUN!

Benefits Of Exercising To Music:

Synchronization of movements - According to Dr. Carl Foster, Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin, “You can go all the way back to rowers on the Roman Galleys. The guy is sitting there beating on his drum and he drives the basic rhythm of the rowing. Part of that is coordination – you want the rowers to row together – but part of it is that people will naturally follow a tempo. It’s just something about the way our brains work.” There isn 't a fitness instructor out there who doesn't love when the whole class is moving together in unison. It just brings such an energy to the class!
Provide a positive distraction from exercise induced discomfort. We all know a great song can make or break us when our legs are shaking and our quadriceps are burning!
Music makes exercise more enjoyable - Professor Costas Karageorghis, Ph.D., from London’s Brunel University School of Sport and Education states, “[Music] can reduce the perception of effort significantly and increase endurance by as much as 15 percent.” I was using David Guetta's "Hey Mama" song in my barre class recently, and it was literally one of the hardest sets I've done in a while, but I just LOVED that stinkin' song so I actually looked forward to it every class.
Helps students “get in the zone” or let go of outside distractions and focus on the moment. You've all been in class when your jam comes on and you think to yourself, "I am totally about to kill it right now." Your eyes start to focus, your head may bob to the beat, and you take it to that next level. Katy Perry "Black Horse" anyone! That song does it for me every time!
Improves mood - When it comes right down to it, and great song can just make you smile. Maybe it reminds you of a happy memory, you love to sing along with it, or it just makes you want to dance. Regardless, when a great song comes on, you just can't help but work a little harder.

So next time you're just not feeling your workout, dial up a great playlist and get to steppin! If you need a little music motivation, check out what's playing in my classes right now. Don't forget you can always find my latest playlists on my playlists page.

In unrelated Annabelle news, baby girl is finally learning how to hold her own bottle. Kara, our wonderful babysitter at ToddPilates, snapped this picture for me during class today. What a big girl!

I hope you all have an amazing rest of your Tuesday! Stay warm!

What is your favorite song on your workout playlist right now?

In health,

Pilates MarchMatness Challenge 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 15:27:00 +0000

Happy Monday!

Monday is here, and it's time to take this week by storm! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! It was pretty cold and rainy here (by Texas standards), so we spent most of our time hanging out at home and getting things done around the house.

I did venture out on Sunday to teach a special birthday class for one of my favorite students! Helen celebrated her 60th birthday by hosting a fit and feisty class for students 50 and older. We had an amazing turnout, and hopefully everyone had as much fun as I did! These ladies kick some serious booty! Happy Birthday Helen!

Can you believe it is already March 2nd? I sure can't! Where has 2015 gone? I am excited to ring in March by participating in the MarchMatness challenge this month. Every day in March is assigned its own Pilates move. To participate in the challenge, you simply post a picture of yourself doing the corresponding Pilates move to Instagram or Facebook. If you attend ToddPilates, don't forget to tag @ToddPilates in your pictures for a chance to win free gear!

Source: www.marchmatness.com

I borrowed this graphic from the MarchMatness Instagram so it is a little hard to read. Here are all of the exercises again in print so you can follow along.

1. #hundred
2. #rollup
3. #rollover
4. #onelegcircle
5. #rollingback
6. #onelegstretch
7. #doublelegstretch
8. #spinestretch
9. #rockerwithopenlegs
10. #corkscrew
11. #saw
12. #swandive
13. #onelegkick
14. #doublelegkick
15. #neckpull
16. #scissors and #bicycle
17. #shoulderbridge
18. #spinetwist
19. #jackknife
20. #sidekick
21. #teaser
22. #hiptwist
23. #swimming
24. #legpulls front and back
25. #kneelingsidekick
26. #sidebend
27. #boomerang
28. #seal and #crab
29. #rocking
30. #controlbalance
31. #pushup

Yesterday, Belle and I had fun practicing our hundred. She loves playing airplane so she was more than willing to help mom complete day 1 of the challenge!

Today's move of the day is the rollup. I'll be back tomorrow with our rendition of the baby rollup.

Are you participating in MarchMatness? If so, linkup below so I can follow you on facebook/instagram/your blog etc!

In health,

Barre Breakdown - 1st Position Plie + Baby Bird Belle

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Feb 2015 17:40:00 +0000

Howdy Friends,

How's your Thursday treating you so far? Mine has been sweaty, exhausting, and fun! Thanks to Triple Threat Thursday (I teach 3 classes back to back on Thursdays), my arms and legs feel like jello as I type this. I secretly really enjoy that feeling! ;)

There is not all that much new to report in the George household. This week has been full of lots of teaching and hanging out with little bit. E has been super busy at work so it's just me and the tiny human for most of the day. Since she started solids, she is also suppose to start drinking liquids other than just milk; however, she is not a big fan of that. She's a stubborn one and doesn't like to drink out of a sippy cup so I end up giving it to her like medicine. She just lies on her pillow while I give her about 20 syringes of half juice half water. It's like I'm feeding a little baby bird. She just lounges like the Queen of Sheeba and watches TV while I squirt her juice right in her mouth. We practice with the sippy cup every day as well, but you got to do what you got to do right? Oh geezee!

I saw this quote early this morning and thought it was a great reminder. I am a firm believer in the fact that you get out what you put in, especially when it comes to exercise! If you want something you have to work for it plain and simple.

I received some great feedback from the Barre video I posted on Tuesday, so I thought I would keep the ball rolling and share another short clip with you guys today. This segment alternates between 1st and 4th position and really focuses on the front of your thighs. As always, take every exercise at your own pace and consult with your doctor before beginning any new exercise program. If you can't see the video on your smart phone or tablet, you can visit my YouTube channel. I hope you enjoy!

Apparently, "Good" was my word of the day this morning. I learn something new about my teaching style every time I do one of these clips. It's a great learning experience for me too!

Want to join me for a full barre workout? Check out this hour long Cardio Barre Fusion video or head over to my "Workout Video" page.

I hope you all have a great rest of your day!

If you're an instructor, do you ever film yourself teaching to self evaluate?

In health,

I Workout To.....

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 10:00:00 +0000

Happy Workout Wednesday,

For most workout Wednesdays, I post a workout, a new playlist, or a workout video, but today, I want to talk about WHY I workout. Of course we workout to look and feel good, but is that all? No, way! I could think of about a million reasons I workout and why I love to teach exercises classes, but I decided to narrow it down to my top 35 (ok, so I didn't narrow it down that much).

I Workout To.....

Stay strong

Set a good example for my daughter

Feel like a GLADIATOR IN SPANDEX (corny Scandal reference, but true)

Have an excuse to whoop and holler in public (my students know what I'm talking about)

Hang out with amazing friends

Look good for my husband (just being honest)

Thank my body for all it does for me

Revert back to my cheerleading days

Feel good about myself

Work off some steam

Sweat like a pig, and like it

Dance to hip hop music like I'm at a high school dance, and not care who's watching (all my high school friends are laughing to themselves right now)

Empower others

Empower myself

Build muscle

Burn calories

Make myself smile --> the kind that creeps into your eyes because you're that happy

Have an excuse to sing along with my favorite songs

Bob my head to the music and have half the class do it with me

Spend 10, 20, 30, or 60 minutes just thinking about one thing (my workout) and not my to do list

Escape reality

Embrace my body

Make myself huff and puff for air

Feel my legs and arms shaking after a hard workout

Experience how rewarding a hot shower can be after a run in the cold

Relieve stress

Reward myself for my hard work as an employee, mom, and wife

Encourage others

Meet new people

Try new things

Learn things I didn't know about myself

Push my limits

Stay healthy

Increase my brain power

Love myself!

There you have it! The top 35 reasons I workout and love every second of it (most of the time)! If you came to the blog today hoping for a new workout, make sure you check out the great lower body barre workout I posted yesterday or my workout page for tons of ideas!

Linking up for Workout Wednesday and Wild Workout Wednesday!

Your turn! Why do you workout?

In health,

Barre Breakdown - Curtsy Lunge Cardio Barre Segment Video

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 18:11:00 +0000

Hi Everyone,

I hope your week is off to a great start! I have had a lot of people ask if I have any barre or Pilates videos available online so they can see what I'm always going on and on about. :) I decided to try to start posting more short Barre and Pilates video segments here on the blog. They can be used for quick workouts, or maybe they will give my fellow instructors some fun choreography ideas. I know I am always on the lookout for creative and effective things to do in class. I also have a few videos posted on my YouTube Channel and at ToddPilate's OnDemand.

Anyways, here is my first Barre Breakdown video installment. Today, I filmed one of the cardio segments from my current barre class. The main exercise in this video is the curtsy lunge. I hope you like it!

Curtsy lunges can be a lot on your knees at the beginning, so modify your range of motion as you see fit. This workout is prenatal friendly, but my mommies be especially careful with your turnout since you have a lot of extra relaxin in your body. If you are on your smartphone and cant see the video, you can click here to watch it on YouTube

I'm linking up with Sara, at Lake Shore Runner, for Tried It Tuesday!

Would you guys like to see more videos like this?

Anything else you would like to see videos of?

I hope you all have a wonderful day!

In health,

Friday Favorites - Massages, Snacks, Fitness Conferences, and a Silly Belle!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 15:29:00 +0000

Happy Friday Everyone!

I hope everyone had a fantastic week and is ready for the weekend. Who am I kidding, when are we ever not ready for the weekend? In honor of all the fabulous things that happened this week, I am linking up with Heather for Friday Favorites!

1) Play Dates - Yesterday, Belle and I had the pleasure of hanging out with Olina and her fabulous Mommy, Holly. The girls played at the house (well, looked at each other and tried to reach for the same toy), and then we went for a nice walk around the neighborhood. The weather was gorgeous! You know it was a successful play date when the babies pass out immediately afterwards.

2) Vanilla Almond Crisp Oatmega Bars - This is officially my new favorite Oatmega flavor. I am usually a peanut butter all the way kind of girl, but these guys are amazing. They almost remind me of white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. I just love how they only have 3g of sugar and no crazy ingredients!

3) Massages - OH my gosh! I had THE BEST MASSAGE OF MY LIFE yesterday. Kara, who is also the babysitter at ToddPilates, is a wonderful massage therapist that does in home massages in Austin. Not having to arrange for child care was amazing. I simply put Annabelle down for a nap right before the massage (hence the baby monitor under the head rest), and then Kara got to work. Kara was even kind enough to go give Belle her pacifier twice during the massage.

I have been having some killer tension headaches lately, so Kara spent the entire hour working on my back and shoulders. I felt like a million bucks afterwards and am even a little sore today. That's how hard she was working! If you live in Austin and are in need of a great therapeutic massage, you must call Kara. You can find her website here.

4) TexFit - I am so excited about the fitness conference I get to attend this weekend. Every year, all of the Texas campus recreation center's group fitness instructors get together for a fitness extravaganza. You get to attend classes by instructors from all around the state and learn what classes are going well at other schools. For me, it is extra fun because I get to catch up with fitness friends from far and wide!

5) Silly Belle - Belle has just been cracking me up this morning. When I got home from my 6 AM class, I found her in bed like this. Apparently, she decided to entertain herself by playing with her bumper. She thought it was pretty funny when I walked in.

She also decided that she should probably start brushing her teeth since she has two now. She went to town on this toothbrush for a good 5 minutes. Our dentist would be so proud.

Well, that's about all I have for you this morning. It's time for little bit's morning nap. I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your Friday!

What is your favorite memory from this week?

What are you looking forward to this weekend?

In health,

Workout Wednesday - Find Your Motivation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 19:57:00 +0000

Happy Workout Wednesday!

Where has this week gone? It seems to be flying by a little faster than normal. Last week, I shared a roundup of some of my favorite workouts, and this week, I want to roundup a few of my favorite motivational mantras. Between a baby, work, a husband, and trying to stay sane, I can definitely admit to struggling with workout motivation from time to time. Sometimes, I really just want to go get back in bed after Belle's 5:30 AM feeding instead of working out, but I try to remind myself of how great I will feel afterwards. I also find that keeping positive quotes around me about health, fitness, and life in general helps keep me on the right track. They are like little kicks in the behind when I feel like skipping a workout or when my exhaustion turns into a bad mood. Here are a few of my favorites!

Remember we are in control of how we treat our bodies and our attitudes! I hope one of these quotes resonates with you and maybe puts a little extra sunshine in your day.

Linking up for Workout Wednesday and Wild Workout Wednesday!

What is your favorite motivational quote or mantra?

In health,

Liebster Award

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 11:00:00 +0000

Howdy Friends!

I hope your week is off to a great start! The wonderful Amanda at Livin", Lovin', and Lots of Laughter nominated me for the Liebster award. What an honor! I just discovered Amanda's blog a few months ago, and I absolutely love it. You can feel her positivity radiating off of your computer screen when you read her posts. They always put me in a great mood and ready to take on my day with a smile on my face. Thank you so much Amanda for nominating me for the Liebster award!

11 Facts About Me:

I am the oldest of 6 kids and completely live up to the Type A, over controlling, Mama bear oldest child stereo type! Just ask my younger siblings. :)
I am 110% obsessed with the mountains. Give me mountain trails over the beach any day. If I could live somewhere with a mountain out my back door and no neighbors anywhere around, I would be one happy camper (not that I'm anti-social, but nothing makes me happier than a great nature view and plenty of trails to explore).
Following up on #2, my favorite thing to do is go on a hike or walk with friends.
I love visiting new places and will take experiences of material things every time.
Jason's Deli is my favorite restaurant. Yep, you read that right, nothing fancy for this girl. A salad bar and some free chocolate and vanilla swirled frozen yogurt make me a happy as a lark.
I am probably the biggest light weight in the world. Two glasses of wine, and someone better drive me home and tuck me in bed.
Since graduating college 4.5 years ago, I've lived in 5 different houses, 4 cities, and 2 states.
Unless I'm at the lake, pool, or beach, I HATE extremely hot weather (not so good for a girl who lives in Texas).
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and I would probably eat it for every meal of the day if I could. Well I guess I could, but it probably wouldn't be the most nutritious choice.
I have been married to my high school sweetheart for five years this May, and he is the absolute love of my life. Thanks for putting up with me for 11 years E! :)
If I could choose one word to describe me, it would be "mom," because nothing in this entire world brings me more joy than being Annabelle's mom. Everyone tell you that you never truly understand how much you can love someone until you have a child, and that is definitely the truth.

DeAun in the white jacket with just a few of her girls at Dallas Mania.

Questions From Amanda:

Why do you blog? I started blogging when E and I were about to move for the first time so I could stay in touch with friends and students at A&M. I wanted a way to continue to share fitness tips and recipes with those who used to take my group fitness classes at the Rec. I have continued to blog over the years because of the amazing community of bloggers and readers out there!
What post did you just love writing? I have to say my favorite posts to write are probably Annabelle's monthly updates. It's so fun to look back at the previous month and see how much she has grown. I just posted her 7 month update, and I seriously can't believe she is getting so big.
Who is your hero and why? My very first boss in the fitness industry, DeAun Woosley is my hero. She is one of the most passionate, positive, and caring people I know. Every year she touches thousands of students at Texas A&M through her work at the Rec Center. She helps clueless college students, like myself, learn how to teach aerobics, teaches classes every day that hundreds of students attend, and inspires those around her to spread the word of health and fitness. She truly changed my life and the life of so many of my friends for the better! I would not be the person I am today without her!
What is your favorite thing about blogging? I love blogging because it keeps me a perpetual student. I am always learning new things (recipes, workouts, and mommy tips) from other bloggers and doing research to produce great posts myself.
Aside from family members, who is one person who had a big impact on your life? This is an easy one. DeAun (see question 3) has definitely had the biggest impact on my life. She led me to a career that I am extremely passionate about and is still one of my best friends to this very day.
What is your dream vacation? A secluded house in the mountains with amazing hiking trails. We would go in September or October before it got too cold, but all the leaves were starting to change for fall. The house would have a gigantic back porch with rocking chairs and a hot tub, so I could spend every waking moment that I wasn't hiking sitting on the porch taking in the views.
What is one of your biggest goals in life? I think my biggest and most important goal in life is to be an amazing mom and wife. Annabelle and Eric are the two most important people in my world, and I want to work every day to give them the life of their dreams, support them in everything they do, and make sure they know they are loved beyond imagination.
What is your favorite store(s) to shop at? Lululemon
What is one of your favorite childhood memories? This is a tough one. I would probably say spending the weekend at our lake house. We'd go swimming, tubing, water skiing, watch movies at night, and my dad would always make delicious breakfast tacos every morning.
What does your typical weekend look like? Our typical weekend usually involves some kind of sporting event on Saturday either in Austin for UT or back home in College Station for A&M. Sunday, is usually our recovery day full of grocery shopping, meal prep, laundry, family walks, and maybe even a nap!
What is your favorite holiday and why? Probably Christmas because it's the biggest chunk of time we get to spend with our families. I love all of the prep work that goes into Christmas.... finding presents for everyone, wrapping gifts, decorating, and COOKING. I also love getting to catch up with all of my siblings and watching E and my Dad play the boys in basketball. It's also nice because E's brother and his wife, Meredith, always comes into town and we don't get to see them all that much since they live in Georgia. Plus, it's the most wonderful time of the year! :)

I nominate:

Alison at Fearlessly Fierce Fitness

Lindsay at Broke N Bougie

Emma at Be Mom Strong

11 Questions for my nominees:

Why do you blog?
If you could meet a celebrity, who would it be?
Beach or mountains?
Big city or small town?
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
What would be your dream job?
What would you say is your biggest accomplishment in life so far?
All time favorite food?
What is your motto for life?
What's your go to type of workout?
What is your favorite memory of all time?

Whew, my brain is tired after answering all those questions. What fun though! I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your Tuesday?

What about you, beach or mountains?

What would be your all time dream job?

In health,

Belle's First Valentine's Day + Valentine's Day Pilates Class

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 11:00:00 +0000

Happy Monday Everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and an amazing Valentine's Day! We partied hard at the George household! Ok, maybe not exactly "hard," but we definitely had fun! It was a fantastic day from start to finish.

Belle gave me an early Valentine's present by sleeping until 5:30 AM before she requested her first feeding. After I fed her, I squeezed in a quick garage workout and shower. Then I started swiffering the floor expecting her to wake up at any second, but she didn't. She slept for so long I got to sweep, mop, and clean the bathrooms (doesn't sound all that glamorous, but I was so thankful she slept long enough for me to get it all done)!

After spending the morning with Annabelle and E (and enjoying the gluten free muffins E surprised me with), I head to the studio for our special Valentine's Day class. Todd had the great idea to do a love song extravaganza class to celebrate Valentine's Day. Each instructor taught 2-3 songs choreographed to our favorite love songs. Of course, I had to go with upbeat songs, so I chose:

"Living For Love," by Madonna
"When Love Takes Over (feat Kelly Rowland)," by David Guetta
"What I did for Love (feat Emeli Sande)," by David Guetta

You can find these songs and check out my full playlists on my playlists page.

The class was an absolute blast! All of the instructors did great and our class brought their A Game with a ton of energy. After class, there was an after party at Water 2 Wine with wine, snacks, and lots of great company. Below, is my recently graduated trainee, Katie, and she absolutely kicked butt in class. I am so proud of what an amazing instructor she has become. Watch out Pilates world, Katie is coming for you!

Crazy socks and leg warmers called for ridiculous poses of course! Throw back to our cheerleading days.

After class, I headed home to find my sweet tiny human dressed to the 9's in Valentine's Day apparel. The weather was so amazing, we had to take a family walk. She was all smiles the whole time.

She loves to sport Dad's hat anytime he will share. I have to admit, I think it looks even better on her than on E.

After our walk, she showed off her gymnastics skills to all of our neighbors. She cracks up uncontrollably anytime E tosses her in the air. Even when she is at her fussiest, this will usually stop the crying.

And of course, she is still mesmerized by her toes.

After our walk, E and I changed and got ready to go out for dinner. E surprised me by having my wonderful mother-in-law come in to watch Annabelle! We haven't had too many just us date nights since Belle was born, so this was a special treat. It's funny how we used to go out to dinner almost every Friday and Saturday night before Belle. Now we hardly ever do, and I really don't even notice. Hanging out at home with a crazy tiny human can be just as much fun as trying the latest and greatest restaurant. I have officially crossed over to the mom side huh?

After dinner, we decided to take a stroll on the brand new boardwalk that just opened at Lady Bird Lake. It was a gorgeous night, and there was hardly a soul on the boardwalk. It was so nice to just be able to walk and chat while taking in the views. We probably walked for over an hour, and it was just perfect.

The views of the skyline from the boardwalk were absolutely amazing. I love how all of the lights reflect off of the water. If you live in Austin, you have to go check it out at night.

No date night is complete without dessert, so before heading home, we stopped by Central Market for my favorite gelato. It was delicious as always. We hung out there for awhile to soak in a bit more quality time before heading home. It was the perfect ending to the perfect Valentine's Day!

We took E's mom to Wildwood Bakehouse for brunch on Sunday (I am getting so spoiled by all the brunch I've been eating lately), and then spent the rest of the day doing laundry, running errands, doing work from home (both of us), and hanging out with Belle. Nothing too crazy, but nice all the same. Linking up with the wonderful Biana at B Loved Boston for this weekend recap!

I hope you all got to spend time this weekend with those you love!

What did you do this weekend?

Favorite upbeat love song?

In health,

15 Delicious Gluten Free Valentine's Treats

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 15:04:00 +0000

Happy Valentine's Day Eve!

I hope you have all had a fabulous week. In preparation for Valentine's Day, I have been perusing Pinterest for some delicious and possibly semi healthy Valentine's Day treats. I found so many delicious sounding recipes I wanted to share my top 15 picks with you guys!

I hope you enjoy and find something delicious to share with your Valentine, enjoy with friends, or gift to those you love!

Valentine Peanut Butter Cups by The Sugar Free Mom

Cherry Cheesecake Bars by The Heartbeet Kitchen

Gluten Free Oat Crepes by The Heartbeet Kitchen

Paleo Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes by Against All Grain

Paleo Flourless Chocolate Cake by Lexi's Clean Kitchen

Paleo Chocolate Molten Lava Cake by Clean Eating With A Dirty Mind

Gluten Free Red Velvet Protein Bites by Nutrifitmama

Paleo Strawberry Shortcake Bites by Rubies and Radishes

Valentine's Day Donuts by Fork and Beans

Gluten Free Soft Sugar Cookies by Flippin Delicious

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake by Gluten Free Fix

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars by Handmade Charlotte

Frozen Yogurt Covered Strawberries by Just a Pinch

Red Velvet Cake Pops by Flippin Delicious

Raspberry Blackberry Coconut Parfait by Cook Eat Paleo

So many delicious recipes! How will we ever choose? Let me know if you give any of them a try and what you think! I hope you have an amazing Valentine's Day with those you love. Linking up with Heather from Life In Leggings for Friday Favorites!

What is your favorite Valentine's Day treat recipe? Leave a link in the comments!

In health,

Annabelle Katherine - 7 Month Update

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 17:20:00 +0000

Howdy Friends!

It's already time for another monthly update on our sweet giggly baby girl. I really think these get more fun to write each month. This past month was definitely a big one full of so many new experiences, changes, and lots of learning.

One of my favorite things about this past month was watching Annabelle discover her toes. One day we were sitting on the couch and you could tell she was really starting to notice them for the first time. She kept grabbing them and trying to bring them to her mouth. She thinks that if she just opens her mouth a little wider, objects will magically get closer to it. She tried over and over again to lift them up to her mouth and then finally discovered she could just bend over and bring her mouth to her toes instead of vice versa. This resulted in a lot of this...

She also loves to play with them while she is lying down. It cracks me up every time. I love and cherish every stage, but this one is extra fun. She is one big ball of giggles and smiles all day (until nap time of course)! She is extremely ticklish and will play pick-a-boo with you for hours if you'll play along. Baby girl loves to help mom in the kitchen and sits in her high chair and talks to me while I cook dinner every night (aka squeals and throws all her toys on the ground over and over again).

We ventured out to eat a few times this past month and Belle did great. She loves sitting in her high chair and taking in the restaurant. She also loves chewing on the table. Don't worry, I sanitized it first (overprotective mom confession). We have to time going out to eat right around her naps, but overall, she's been great! I think this dinner happened just a few days before her first tooth cut through. She now has two shiny new bottom teeth peeking through her gums!

Belle thinks E is pretty much the funniest most entertaining person on the planet. He can always make her laugh and comfort her when she is upset. It's been so fun to watch her really bond with him over the past month. They have so much fun together watching sports, playing with her toys, going on walks, and flying around the house with champ. Baby girl could not ask for a more amazing dad!

Annabelle is all about talking this month too! She often keeps up a running conversation with herself during the day and loves telling stories. Additionally, she has also figured out how to make a VERY high pitched squealing noise that sometimes only champ can here. You can tell she is very impressed with herself when she makes it!

Belle still doesn't quite know what to think about solid foods. She is much more excited about trying to grab the spoon out of our hands than actually eating the food. We did discover that she HATES green peas. She literally gagged and threw up 3x's the first time a fed them to her before I finally threw in the towel. Of all things to hate, right? Sweet potatoes and apple sauce are definitely on the top of her list of favorites.

She still loves going to work with mommy. Luckily, I work with the nicest people in Austin, and all of the other employees and students give Belle TONS of attention. She likes to sit on my mat and talk to everyone before and after class.

Since it's been 70+ degrees here for most of January and February, we have been enjoying afternoon walks almost every day. Luckily for mommy, it's still one of Belle's favorite things. She loves lounging in her Bob with the Hungry Hungry Caterpillar while strolling around the block. Most of the time she tells Mr. Caterpillar very long and exciting stories as we walk.

Airplane is an instant crowd pleaser with Belle and she will let you do it until your arms fall off. Baby girl is not light!

Her hand eye coordination has really improved this month. She can really grab things with a lot more precision. Belle was grabbing the tiny string on my birthday balloon right out of the air without any problems. It is so fun to watch her master new skills.

Probably the most exciting thing that happened this month was Belle finally mastering rolling over!!! I was so worried that she was never going to roll over, but the second she figured it out, there was no stopping her. Now, she won't stay on her tummy for .5 seconds without immediately rolling over. So much for tummy time!

I can't believe another month has flown by at the speed of light. Each and every day I get to spend with this little beauty is a true gift. She makes me smile and laugh all day long. Her personality is developing more and more and I just love watching her grow.

I can't imagine my life without my little side kick! Grocery shopping would be so boring without that cute little face to keep me company!

I hope you all have a fabulous rest of your Thursday.

For my fellow mommies or even older siblings, what was your favorite stage during your child's first year?

In health,

Workout Wednesday - My Five Favorite At Home Workouts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 11:18:00 +0000

Happy Happy Workout Wednesday!

I hope you all are having a fabulous and sweaty week so far! For today's Workout Wednesday, I wanted to share five of my favorite at home workouts with you (these can all definitely be done at the gym as well). They are all total body workouts that should take 35 minutes or less and give you a killer workout!

First up, is a traditional circuit workout using resistance tubing and your own body weight. Each circuit contains an upper body exercise, lower body exercise, and cardio burst to get your heart rate up. Repeat each circuit 3x's before moving on to the next.

Next up, is a dumbbells only circuit. This workout is great to do at home or while traveling because all you need is a set of dumbbells. You'll perform 12 reps of each exercise and repeat the circuit as many times as you can in 25 minutes.

This one is a doozy!! Fifty reps of each exercise will have your huffing and puffing in no time. I loved this one because 1) it was hard, 2) I was sore the next day, and 3) it was fun to bust out of the 12 reps of everything rut!

Ladder Down was another great rep rut busting workout. You start with 25 reps of each exercise and then ladder down to 5 reps of each workout. All you need is your own body weight for this one, so no excuses!

Last but not least, is my beautiful friend the kettlebell! If I had to be stuck on a deserted island with just one piece of equipment, I think I would take the kettlebell. This total body circuit workout will hit every major muscle group in your body and most of the minor ones in no time. Be prepared to feel it the next day!

Let me know if you give one of these bad boys a try! I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your Workout Wednesday and Belle sends each one of you a great big hug as well!

Linking up for Workout Wednesday and Wild Workout Wednesday!

Are you a gym kind of person or an at home exerciser?

If you go to the gym, weight room or group fitness class?

In health,

Thinking Out Loud - Snacks, Walks, and Workouts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 17:33:00 +0000

Howdy Friends,

It's triple threat Thursday and my little booty is toast! All three of my classes were fabulous this morning, and I am definitely going to be feeling it tomorrow. I have been working on some new choreography to Valentine's inspired music so that always makes me look forward to teaching even more.

I told you last week how I am hungry ALL OF THE TIME (thank you breastfeeding), and this is especially true on days I teach a lot! Therefore, proper fueling is essential.

Before my 6 AM class today, I enjoyed an Oatmega peanut butter bar. These are some of my favorite protein bars because they are delicious, don't have a ton of crazy ingredients, are low in sugar, and high in protein, and are reasonably priced! I teach a 6 AM and 7 AM class back to back then I have an hour break before my 9 AM class. I usually take this opportunity to eat breakfast. On the menu for today was 2 boiled eggs and chia pudding. I also enjoyed a cup of half-caff coffee before my 6 AM class and after my 7 AM class. :)

When I left class today, I was greeted by some very yucky weather. The cold and rainy weather has officially made it to Austin. While I kind of enjoy that it actually feels like winter, I will miss afternoon walks with Belle. We went for a walk yesterday and she kept a steady stream of babbling commentary going the entire time. Apparently, she had a very long and interesting story to tell Mr. Taggy.

Although the weather may be dreary, I received sunshine in a box in the form of naturebox this morning (disclaimer... this is an old picture but the lighting in my kitchen at 5:15 AM was less than stellar). I got some exciting new snacks to try this month, plus I requested my favorite Peanut Butter Nom Noms again, so that always makes me smile! E got me a subscription to naturebox for Christmas and I'm loving it. Getting goodies in the mail every month is the best!

Well that's about all I have for you on this Thinking Out Loud Thursday. Pretty random, but that is what thinking out loud is all about right?

Do you subscribe to any monthly goody boxes?

If so, which one and do you love it?

In health,

Workout Wednesday - What's in my gym bag + A Leg Burning Workout!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 15:44:00 +0000

Howdy!

Happy Happy Workout Wednesday! I hope you are all having a beautiful and sweaty week so far. My workout Wednesday started off with a bang thanks to my amazing and packed 6 AM Barre class. I say it all the time, but our clients really are the best. I love waking up to workout with them every day!

This edition of Workout Wednesday has two parts. First, I want to share with you some of my must have fitness products that I keep in my gym bag at all times. I seriously couldn't live without most of these items!

1) My Lululemon gym bag! I have had this bag for 3 years, and it is my absolute favorite bag in the entire world and still looks pretty brand new. That's impressive considering I've used it every day for the past 3 years. It has a gazillion pockets and is one of my favorite colors so it's a win win. Additionally, it was a gift from one of my favorite clients in Dallas, so I love that it reminds me of them.

2) Pink Plie ToeSox's - These babies are awesome. They keep your feet warm and have extra padding on the ball of the foot for barre classes.

3) Keurig Tumbler - Belle gave me this for my birthday, and it is my new favorite tumbler. It keeps my coffee ridiculously hot and water super cold.

4) Sophie the Giraffe - Mom problems right here. I'm not sure how this ended up in my gym bag, but it's handy for when Belle goes with me to the studio.

5) Headbands by The Whisky Dog - These headbands are made by a local Austin designer and they are great because 1) they actually stay on your head, 2) are super cute, and 3) are double sided so you get two for the price of one.

6) Gum and chapstick - These are must haves no matter who you are. Coffee breath and chapped lips are just not cool. :)

7) Nike Studio Wraps - If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you know that I have the unfortunate ability to dislocate my right pinky toe at the drop of a hat. This sucker has popped out of place 4 times in the last 3 years, and it doesn't like to go back in very easily. E bought me these after my third dislocation to try to protect it during class (I dislocated it on someone's water bottle that time). I have broken numerous bones and given birth to an almost 8 lb baby no problem, but having to get my stupid pinky toe put back into place is enough to make me want to bawl my eyes out. So needless to say, I am a big fan of my studio wraps so my baby toe stays right where it is suppose to!

8) Batiste Dry Shampoo - As someone who pretty much lives sweaty, I am somewhat of a dry shampoo connoisseur, and this baby is my ALL TIME FAVORITE! It smells great, doesn't make your hair look ashy, and isn't sticky at all. If you don't have any, go buy some!

9) Coach Wristlet - I use this as my wallet/mini purse. It's easy to throw back and forth between my gym bag and diaper bag so I always have what I need. It also keeps me from having to carry my entire gym bag in with me when I'm running errands or meeting a friend for lunch.

10) Tylenol - Even though cutting out gluten has drastically cut back on the number of headaches I have, I still battle tension headaches from time to time so tylenol is important.

11) ToeSox Leg Warmers - Last but not least are my new favorite Barre accessory.... leg warmers! When it is freezing outside, these things are amazing and look super cute I might add. Don't you knock 'em till you try them. Move over 1985, I'm coming for you!

I also usually have a water bottle, small makeup bag, and bandaids hidden somewhere in there!

Part two of this glorious Workout Wednesday is the quick and dirty (aka sweaty) workout I completed on Monday morning. I should have titled it, "Watch out 27, I'm going to kick your butt!" Anywho, it was a good one and only took 20 minutes.

Most of these exercises are pretty standard, but the plank to squat was new to me. It is essentially a burpee without standing up. That sounds like it would be nicer than a traditional burpee, but when you take out the standing portion, you end up staying in a squat or plank the entire time, and boy do your legs start to burn!

source

To begin, start in a deep squat position with hands on floor. Jump feet back into plank. Perform a push-up and then jump your feet back into your squat leaving hands on the floor. Sounds fun right?

Let me know if you give this workout a try! I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your workout Wednesday. Linking up for Workout Wednesday and Wild Workout Wednesday!

What is in your gym bag that you couldn't live without?

What is your favorite variation of a burpee? I think my all time favorite has to be a BOSU burpee!

In health,

Past, Present, and Future

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 17:35:00 +0000

Howdy Friends,

As I grow another year older, I think back on all of the wonderful things that have happened in my life, the beautiful memories that are being made right now, and all of the hopes and dreams that I have for the future. As a constant planner, remembering to stay in the present is definitely something I have to work at constantly. So in honor of living in the present, and creating joyful memories, I am going to keep this post short and sweet so I can get a few things done around the house and then play with my tiny human when she wakes up!

Relish The Past:

I have many many happy memories that make me smile, but there are definitely two that stand out.

1) The moment they opened the doors at the back of the church and I saw Eric waiting at the end of the aisle for me on our wedding day is something I will never forget. It literally took my breath away and was the first step towards the rest of my life. I feel so incredibly blessed to be married to such an amazing, loving, and smart man!

2) The first time I ever held Annabelle in my arms had the be one of the most awe inspiring feelings in the world. There are literally no words to describe how much love I felt at that very moment. After I thought my heart couldn't handle much more, seeing E with Belle literally made my heart explode. She has completely changed our lives forever and taught us to love on a whole new level.

Live In The Present:

There are so many amazing things happening in my life right now, I could go on forever; however, I really want to focus on soaking up every moment I can with Annabelle. They really do grow and change so fast, and I can never get this time back. So for right now, it is ALL about her and I love it!

Dream Of The Future:

I have too many dreams for the future of my little family to write down in one post, but I'll just start with a few. I dream of all of the wonderful and exciting moments that are going to happen in Belle's life.... first steps, first words, going to school, her first crush, homecoming, sporting events, prom, family trips, graduating high school, going to college, getting married (officially tearing up as I type now), and one day babies. I am so excited to see her grow through all of these stages, but I hope she grows very very very very slowly. I truly wish there was a pause or rewind button on life so it didn't fly by so fast.

I also dream of continuing to improve as a fitness professional and hopefully positively impacting my students and future fitness professionals. My goal is that each person that walks into my class leaves feeling better than when they came in. Additionally, I feel so blessed to have found a career I am overly passionate about, I hope to be able to help other individuals looking to pursue a career in fitness.

Memories are beautiful, and the future is fun to dream about, but don't forget to enjoy the right here and now every single day!

Share with me your favorite memory, what you are thankful for right now, or something you are dreaming about for the future.

Wishing you a beautiful Tuesday!

Birthday Weekend Fun - Running, Brunch, Baby Toys, and More!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 13:48:00 +0000

Happy Happy Monday!

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! Thanks to my sweet hubby and beautiful daughter, mine was fantastic! Since my birthday falls on a weekday this year, they spoiled me with lots of birthday fun this weekend!

Saturday we ran some errands, did a little shopping, and spent some quality family time at home. In true kiddo fashion, Belle has a gazillion toys but loves the remote. Luckily, her wonderful grandparents had an old remote that they shipped her. This way she can chew to her hearts delight without mom having to worry about her getting to the batteries or dad having to worry about her reprogramming the TV!

Saturday night, they took me out to dinner to one of my favorite BBQ joints, Black's! We went to the one in Lockhart, TX while I was pregnant, but we had never tried their second location here in Austin. It did not disappoint. Again, we brought Annabelle plenty of toys to play with, but plastic spoons were much more interesting!

Sunday morning, I met up with my friend Erin for a run. She is training for a marathon in April and was doing an 18 miler (I know, she's a total bad a**!). Since I haven't ran since my 1/2 marathon in December, I was a little worried about how my hips would hold up (and I didn't want to slow her down), but they felt great and I gabbed her ear off for 7 miles and then she continued on her way. It was the perfect way to start my last day as 26! Thanks for letting me join you Erin!

After our run, I grabbed a speedy shower before the tiny human woke up. Then it was a quick breakfast for her, protein shake for me, and we were off to the grocery store to try to beat some of the Super Bowl madness. It was busy, but not too bad. Ms. Belle had a lot to say while we were shopping and pretty much had a running commentary going the entire time. This picture was mid one of her very entertaining stories.

When we finally made it home from the grocery store, Belle was ready for her morning nap. She napped while E and I finished getting ready. Once she woke up, it was time for brunch, but first she had to get dressed in her super cute new outfit from Grandma and Grandpa George.

As you can tell, she's a big fan of the new threads! :) We headed to brunch at my all time favorite spot in Austin, Wildwood Bake House! It is a 100% gluten free bakery and restaurant. They have the most delicious cupcakes, cakes, cheesecakes, muffins, and breads, and on Sunday they do a to die for brunch buffet! I'm talking everything you could ever want... migas, bacon, potatoes, french toast, waffles, biscuits, pulled pork, and so much more.......... and it's all gluten free!!! I am so used to not being able to eat things, I passed right by the biscuits and then when I saw it on Eric's plate I was like, "wait, I can try that!" Hahaha! I was in gluten free breakfast Heaven!

Belle had a great time a brunch as well. She's getting to the point now where she is a lot easier to take to restaurants. She still doesn't really get the concept of inside voices when she tells us stories in baby language, but she's getting there.

Belle was ready for nap round 2 when we got home from brunch and so were dad and I since we were stuffed with gluten free french toast (AH-MAZING)! Belle napped for about an hour and a half then we had to take advantage of the beautiful day (it cleared up since my rainy morning run). We went for a family walk around the neighborhood with the pup to try to help burn off a little brunch. Dad got a little dramatic when I asked him to cover up Annabelle with a blanket, but she didn't seem to mind. :)

We spent the rest of the evening doing laundry, grilling, and watching a slightly disappointing Super Bowl (I was routing for the Sea Hawks). It was an absolutely amazing pre-birthday weekend with my sweet little family. I feel like I am the most blessed girl in the world to be surrounded by so much love! I hope you all have a marvelous Monday!

What did you do over the weekend?

Are you a brunch fan? If so, what is your favorite part of brunch? The GF french toast was definitely my favorite this week!

In health,

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein + Barre and F-bombs!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 15:58:00 +0000

Happy Friday Friends!

Today, I want to talk about hunger. More specifically, I want to talk about how I am hungry ALL OF THE TIME right now. I'm talking 24/7, 365. Everyone tells you that you need to consume extra calories while breastfeeding, but no one warned me about the crazy crazy hunger I would feel. Any other mommies out there know what I'm talking about? I think since I was sick for 9 months straight while pregnant and never really hungry, that my current hunger level feels even more dramatic. Hahaha Or maybe I'm just dramatic? Probably the latter. Anyways, do to my insatiable hunger, I constantly need to have healthy snacks on hand which explains why I am posting my second protein bite recipe for the week. Yep, I consumed the entire batch of the first recipe in about 2.5 days! Woops!

Luckily, I had plenty of PB2 powder on hand to make a new batch on Thursday and this time, I went for a chocolate version! Belle was a big fan of this recipe. I used my blender to mix up the dough, and I can't even begin to describe how fanny Belle's face is when I turn on the blender. It's definitely America's Funniest Home Video quality. She starts our looking completely shocked and terrified and then cracks up hysterically .5 seconds later!

If you don't have PB2 powder on hand, you can totally swap it out for regular peanut butter. I haven't tired this, so you may have to play around with the dough consistency. If it comes out too sticky, add an extra tablespoon or two of coconut flour until you get it the consistency you like.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bites

by Lauren George

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Keywords: blender snack gluten-free

Ingredients (1 Dozen)

1/2 cup chia seeds
1/3 cup flax seeds
1/3 cup coconut flour
6 pitted and roughly chopped majool dates
1/2 cup PB2 powder
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp of peanut butter
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp honey

Instructions

Mix PB2 powder, water, and salt in a separate bowl.

Add dates to food processor or blender and pulse until well chopped.

Add in remaining ingredients and pulse until a thick dough forms.

Roll into approximately 1-inch balls and enjoy.

Let me know if you give them a try! It's time to get ready to go shake my booty at the Barre with my 11 AM crew! I saw this ecard today and had to share. I know some of my students are probably secretly cursing me under their breath (I can tell by their dagger eyes when I say 8 more), but I love it (and I know deep down somewhere inside they do to)! They're the best!

I hope you all have a fabulous rest of your Friday!!

Any other mommies out there feel me on the hunger issue? What do you do to tame your hunger?

What's your go to healthy snack when you're starving?

In health,