What season are you in?

"Life is like the changing seasons..."  Jim Rohn

Do you find yourself in a season of Winter, right now in your life?  Maybe you have lost your job, have a loved one who is very ill, or have even lost a loved one recently.  Maybe it is something less serious, maybe you have been working hard on your 2014 resolutions/goals and the results are...well...just not showing up.  Are you working hard, eating right and the scale is not moving? Right now my winter season is just basic illness/viruses/tummy bugs that I cannot seem to get out of my home!  
First my son, then my husband and daughter, now my other son.
It will not end....or will it? 

Hold Strong!  Maybe you are in one of your winter seasons right now.  We ALL go through this. Think back through your life.  I'm sure you can quickly pick out those winter seasons you have endured, right?  The ones that stand out to me are of course the loss of my son, Tyler and soon after my sweet & loving Grandma.  Our time of infertility and the trials & tribulations that come with that.  There were rough patches along the way in my marriage.  Trying times that seemed would never end with my kids.  Even that struggle of trying to lose the baby weight after having the kids.

Can you relate?

The Winter season is where we learn how to survive.  How to handle the tough, cold, long winter nights.  Hang in there though, because what always follows winter?  

SPRING! 

Oh sweet spring.  

It is refreshing.  We start to see the buds on the trees & the tulips begin to pop up out of the ground.  We see hope.  

We see things can get better.  

We see our hard work paying off.  Opportunities show themselves to us and we begin to see them.  Yes after winter comes spring, and so it will come to you as well.  

In this season of Winter, stay strong, value all of the things you can in your life.  Look for the good.  Find something that you can hold on to.  Treasure those special moments in your day to day life.  
See, because as you do these things, you are not only helping yourself survive your winter season, but you are also planting some fabulous seeds along the way.

Now note...those seeds will reap an amazing harvest in your life

...come the season of Fall.
So keep going, keep striving, keep doing what you know you should even if you are not seeing the results quite yet.  
Spring is coming...history show's it's true. 

February Challenge

FEBRUARY IS HERE

February Challenge is Ab work Baby!  

 February means Valentines Day, 

the Month of Love...SO

I want to see you 

LOVE YOURSELF! 

Work hard to make yourself proud.  

Find something everyday that you LOVE about yourself.

Are you up for the challenge?

Do what you can. 

Give it all you have.  

If you need to break it out througout the day then do that. 

Stay focused.  

Get it done.  

You will get better as you go. 

You can also find the challenge daily here.

January week 3

This made me giggle.  However,  how many of you have fallen into the "eating healthy and working out hard on Monday & Tuesday, then find yourself cheating a bit on Wednesday and by the end of the week...what...we are not seeing results?"  C'mon, I'm guilty.   Are you?  I think we have all been there.  It happens.  However, just be honest with yourself. This new healthy relationship you are creating with yourself deserves honesty.  

It's the third week in January and I knew this week was not going to show a huge chang on the scale.  I worked out (hard) I ate some really healthy meals and I ate some okay meals.  (not to mention it's shark week, here...sorry if it's tmi)  So getting on the scale I knew it was not going to show huge results...even a little result would have been good, but instead it was +1lb.  Surprised? Not really, it happens.

Do not beat yourself up when this happens and do not act all surprised either,  because you know when you start your week out great, it is awesome, but the great start will not carry you through the rest of the week, if we just cheat a bit here and a bit there...it all adds up in the end when we are searching for those results.  Don't sabatoge your hard work.  Health & fitness can be simple, but it's not easy.  Stay focused and be careful, most of the time we are our own worst enemy.  I highly recommend you find yourself a great accountability partner or even a fabulous online group of people to help you stay accountable and on track.

Just a little food for thought!  Keep going!  Even with little set backs DO NOT GIVE UP.  You are worth the work, you are worth the results, you are worth the sweaty workout clothes, you are worth the delicious healthy food, you are worth the early morning wake ups, YOU ARE JUST PLAIN WORTH IT!

~Go kick some butt this week!

2014 Fitness Journey

January 2014 has been off to an interesting start.  In December I was fighting a double ear infection.  Started antibiotics, took them all as I should and still had crackling in my ears.  So on to the second round of antibiotics, again taking them as I should and then wham hit with a cold/sinus infection passed onto me from one of my sweet daycare kiddos. Yes the sneeze to the face as I held her close is burned into my memory.  I could feel the virus invading, just marching it's way inside so excited to infect another human.  SO workouts have been little to none, as I just have zero energy when I try to become active.   Healthy eating is key and especially when the workouts have slowed down.  I am down 3.4 lbs for the first 2 weeks in January, starting to eliminate the added holiday lbs. I knew it was going to take work, but I decided it was worth the extra work for the extra treats and family fun.  

As for this virus/ear infection...what do I do now? Of course with all of this sinus gunk going on, my ears are still full.  Will it end?  Is there hope?  We shall see.  

~Lori

January Jumpstart Calendar

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Final Week

Blackened Salmon Tacos

Blackened Salmon Tacos have become almost a weekly meal in the Harmon house.  Quick, simple and so delicious.  When you find a combination like that...well, you just can't keep it to yourself.  Check it out and let me know if you give them a try. 

Blackened Salmon Tacos

Ingredients:

1 tsp Chili powder

1 TBSP Paprika

1 TBSP Black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

3 Wild Salmon fillets

12 tsp kosher salt

2 TBSP grapeseed oil...or olive oil

organic corn tortillas

Directions:

1. On a large plate, combine Chili powder, paprika, black pepper & cayenne pepper to make blackening seasoning.  Stir with a fork to combine. 

2.  Season the salmon fillets with kosher salt on both sides. 

3.  Press one side of the salmon down into the blackening seasoning.

4.  Heat a large nonstick saute' pan over medium/high heat and add in oil.  Once hot, add in fillets, blackened side down, 

5.  Cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side or until a dark golden crust forms.  Flip to the other side, reduce heat to low/medium and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. 

6.  Remove from heat and flake the salmon apart with a fork into smaller, bite sized chunks.

7.  Warm tortillas on the stovetop over a low open flame or wrap in a damp towel and microwave for 12-20 seconds.  Fill each taco with salmon and a dollop of Greek yogurt.  

I like to add 1/2 lime juiced and a pinch of cayenne pepper to the greek yogurt. 

Our Christmas Around the World Fitness challenge

Christmas Around the World Fitness Challenge

Day 1:  Was Rest Day

Day 2:

Day 3:

Day 4:

Day 5:

Day 6:

Day 7:

Day 8: Rest Day

Day 9:

Day 10:

Day 11:

Day 12:

 Day 13:

Day 14:

Day 15: Rest Day

Day 16:

Day 17:

Day 18:

Gratitude

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.

It turns what we have into enough

and more. It turns denial into acceptance,

chaos to order, confusion to clarity.

It can turn a meal into a feast,

a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.

Gratitude makes sense of our past,

brings peace for today, and creates a vision

for tomorrow."

Mealanie Beattle

Protein Pancakes

Protein Pancakes. There are many recipes out there for these babies. This morning I had to use what I had and they turned out pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. 

Ingredients: 
2 eggs and 1 egg white
1/2 cup uncooked old-fashioned oatmeal
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
1/4 cup non-fat vanilla or plain Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Blueberries
1 tsp pure maple syrup

Mix first five ingredients together in a bowl. Spray a small non-stick frying pan with cooking spray and turn heat to medium. Add pancake mixture to pan, cook until edges are firm. Flip and cook on other side. Slide onto plate and top with your blueberries and syrup.

Enjoy!

Daily Gratitude Photos June 2012

June 27, 2012
Kati & Sydney ready for their Shake it Up Video

June 26, 2012
Kati's first softball team!

June 25, 2012
Came home from friends house right on time and started mowing!  Love the responsibility he showed!

June 24, 2012
My future cupcake bakery owner...couldn't resist snagging a photo with this little trailer!

June 23, 2012
A great run in the rain!

June 22, 2012
Lost in thought....

June 21, 2012
Kati's entertainment on the plane ride back home from AZ.

June 20, 2012
Last evening with Gradma Shirley!

June 19, 2012
Jumping in the pool with our clothes on because it's Tuesday and we think that is reason enough to celebrate! :)

June 18, 2012
Got up at 6 a.m. and enjoyed my coffee and did some work by the pool.  Was joined by a little hummingbird and finished it up with a game of Farkle with the kids!

June 17, 2012
Happy Father's Day!

June 16, 2012
Enjoyed the afternoon with Nicole and Austin!

June 15, 2012
My first morning in Arizona, went for a beautiful morning run, then hung out by the pool and enjoyed some fun, yummy food!

June 14, 2012
Made it to Arizona and celebrated at Great Grandma Day's favorite place...Organ Stop Pizza

June 13, 2012
We were flamingo'd!!

June 12, 2012
Had a Dance Party up in this House!

June 11, 2012
My camera man and guest star in my Smokin' Hot Mama Fitness video!

June 10, 2012
Official Warriors!

June 9, 2012
Barb & Kathy came to Kati's softball game...made her day!

June 8, 2012
Waiting to see the ortho doc

June 7, 2012
Kati's cooking supper!  Yummy spaghetti!

June 6, 2012

June 5, 2012
Nick made his own grilled cheese :)

June 4, 2012
Kati had just got home from Softball Practice...a very HOT softball practice, was going to go upstairs to shower and change, but she just can't walk past the piano without sitting down to play!

June 3, 2012
Love this kid!  We picked him up today from his week at Grandma & Grandpa's and Basketball Camp!  Love having him back home.

June 2, 2012
Curtis took me on my first LONG bike ride.  Ended up being 12.5 miles...up some nasty hills against the wind....yes there was an ever so slight feeling of (I think I'm going to puke) but we forged on and made it back! Definitely need a picture to remember this day (it may never happen again...lol)

Then tonight was the Matthew Alexander Benefit and the band played!  Had fun!  

June 1, 2012
Started the month with Nick getting a walking boot on due to a stress fracture in his lower leg.  However, Dr. gave him permission to continue going to gymnastics...just needs to focus on upper body!