Talking Smith

Create a Workout Calendar to Keep You on Track in 2017

January 23, 2017

Based on previous posts, it’s pretty safe to say that I am a big planner. I love the feeling of accomplishment after a task has been completed, and that relates to my workout routines, too.

I’ve made a lot of progress since April 2016. I’m down 40 lbs, but I’m not done. I’d still like to lose another 30 lbs by summer. It’s not an unattainable feat, especially considering my progress thus far. But as anyone that has lost a large amount of weight can tell you, the last few pounds tend to be the most difficult to budge.

Still, I’m keeping at it. And if you are determined to make 2017 your year of healthy, I encourage you to keep at it, too! Today I want to share how creating a workout calendar can help you make and keep your fitness goals.

Exercise is an ESSENTIAL part of my success. Unfortunately, to many people learning a new workout routine is the scariest part of adopting a new lifestyle. It’s intimidating! Especially if you are new to the gym/exercise scene.

Thankfully, COUNTLESS sources of information about different types of exercise are available at your fingertips. All you need to do is some research. Where should you look? Information is seriously everywhere. Try: your doctor, fitness websites, health magazines, blogs, Instagram…it could go on and on. This might seem like common knowledge, but I still find that people wanting to increase their activity levels don’t know where to start. This information is no secret, so just start finding it!

Being the planner I am, this is the fun part for me. I devote time to researching different routines that will work well with my lifestyle and current fitness goals. Then, I make a calendar and plug in what workouts I’m going to complete on what date.

A typical week might look like this:

MONDAY

HIIT

TUESDAY

Full Body Routine

WEDNESDAY

Elliptical

THURSDAY

REST DAY

FRIDAY

Full Body Routine

SATURDAY

Elliptical

SUNDAY

REST DAY

I always take time to consider what is going on in my life each week. For example, if I know that I have an engagement that will cut into my workout time for the day, I plan accordingly. This eliminates the temptation to skip out on a workout because I am “too busy.” I either schedule a less demanding workout for that day, or I plan that day as a REST DAY and make up for it later in the week.

I plan my workout calendar every 4-6 weeks. This is the typical amount of time I like to spend on a routine before switching it up. Not only will incorporating new moves improve your fitness level, it also keeps things interesting. I would be so bored if I completed the same routines for a year straight! Changing it up can also help you target different trouble areas throughout the year.

Although I do own an elliptical machine, I’ve completed all my weight loss without going to the gym. I have nothing against gyms. I would love to have a membership again! But as a mom to two young children, I know committing to a gym routine is not possible for me at this time. That’s another reason why researching and planning routines I can complete at home is so important.

If you are planning on getting healthy in 2017, make sure to download my free weight loss rewards worksheet. After putting in the work, you deserve to pat your own back!

Let’s talk! What are your fitness goals in 2017?

Productive Planning in 2017

January 16, 2017

productive planning

I know what you are thinking. Why are we still talking about resolutions halfway through January? People like to get all motivated the first week of January and talk about all the changes they plan on making in the year ahead. And then everything seems to fall flat. Why is that? Well, you have to do more than talk about the changes you want to make. You have to plan your own successes.

How can you stay productive with all the chaos that seems to seep into your busy life? No doubt, it’s a hard thing to do. That’s why using a planner has become an essential part of my forward development. My husband gifted me with my first REAL planner a year ago, and it helped me accomplish more in 2016 than in any year before.

I’m not talking about a simple to-do list or a daily agenda. Those tools can be useful…and a bit boring. It’s hard to stay motivated over iron the clothes or go to the dentist @ 2:00. If you really want to keep your major life goals a priority, a productive planner can help you do that.

Last year I used the Tools4Wisdom planner and this year I am using the Inner Guide planner. I switched this year just to up my motivation, not because I had any problem with last year’s planner. Both products are great! They keep my big goals in perspective by focusing on more than just day-to-day responsibilities.

In what areas of your life do you seek improvement?

Notice I don’t just say AREA. Most of us have multiple aspects of our life that we would like to make better. Don’t limit yourself to simply I need to lose 20 pounds or I want to make a career change.

Last week, I talked about some of my parenting resolutions for 2017. These are all changes I hope to enforce in coming months. But those aren’t my only goals. Write down the big areas of your life:

Parenting
Financials
Career
Personal Growth
Health/Fitness
Faith
Relationships

Choose the areas that are most important to YOU. Then, commit to one goal under each category. Maybe you want to go the gym 5 days a week and save an extra $200 each month and get your toddler potty trained. Great! Not everything needs to be tackled in one day, week, or month. The point of productive planning is to have several focus points that keep you motivated all year long.

Why do you want to improve those areas?

Don’t just focus on making lists. Really take time to reflect about the changes you want to make and WHY you want to make those changes. Envision the life you want to have a year from now. How will making these changes make you a better person? A better spouse? A better employee? If you emotionally invest into your own goals, you will be less likely to let those goals become an afterthought. Both of the above mentioned planners have plenty of areas for you to write about WHY you want to accomplish such feats, thus keeping you engaged with the your goals long after you first made them.

Lastly, you’ve got to stay at it.

Don’t get so busy with the mundane that you forget the extraordinary potential that lies ahead of you. Take time at the beginning of your week/month to think about what you can accomplish in that given time frame. Breaking your larger goals into manageable action steps can help you achieve more than you even imagined in the year to come.

Happy planning, y’all!

6 Parenting Resolutions to Keep in 2017

January 10, 2017

parenting resolutions

Who doesn’t want the upcoming year to be better than the last? People often roll their eyes at the mention of New Year’s resolutions, but I’ve actually had quite a bit of success in keeping mine. I’ve gotten out of debt and lost X amount of weight and devoted more time to enhancing certain skills. As a mother to two kids aged two and under, I wanted to take those can-do vibes and overcome some of the struggles that I (and probably a lot of other moms) face on a daily basis.

These are the top pledges I’m making this year to better our family balance:

Tackle Milestones Head-On

Parents can sometimes be the worst procrastinators, especially when you know implementing certain changes will be a headache before you even start. Think potty training or sleep training. Heck, the word training in anything is rarely fun! Whatever big changes you know your child will be experiencing this year, don’t let time get away from you. Make a plan, talk about it with your partner, and start tackling those milestones once you feel your child is ready. It might suck in the meantime, but you’ll be happy this phase in your parenting journey is over and mastered.

Be More Emotionally Present

Working parents know that it can be difficult to go from 9-to-5 mode to play time. Add to that, we live in a world of constant multi-tasking. On most days, I’m cooking dinner while checking my email while watching my son color on (hopefully) the floor. Sometimes I’m so busy planning for the day or week ahead that I forget to enjoy the present moment I’m in. Of course I spend time with my children, but there always seems to be a million other things on my mind. In 2017, I want to carve out intentional play time with my children each day. Even if it’s less than half an hour, devoting uninterrupted minutes to each child makes us all feel a little warmer and fuzzier on the inside.

Limit Media Time

It’s no secret that technology is an ever increasing force in the lives of our children. Working with much older teens has shown me how infuriatingly dependent on TV/phones/social media, etc. kids are becoming. You might be the type of parent that disallows any form of technology in your child’s life. Toots to you. Still, many parents are guilty of using said devices as a tool in their parenting repertoire (hey, it can’t be just coincidence that an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse lasts the exact amount of time I need to peacefully get ready). While some media can be okay, even educational, it is important to set limits. That might mean no phones at dinner or decreasing the amount of TV your kids receive each day. This year, see if you can replace that time with more stimulating and bonding activities.

Get Serious About Health

Ever feel like you could step up your nutrition game? Maybe you want to start making healthier meals for you and your toddler to enjoy. Or, maybe you just want to make changes to their dietary routine altogether. The best thing a parent can do is lead by example, whether this means urging your child to participate in physical activity each day or just eat more broccoli.

Start Family Traditions

Although my children are pretty young, I think it is important to start establishing traditions. Parents are so busy scheduling everything else, why not factor in a little bit of fun? A few months back we started incorporating family brunch each Saturday morning. We sleep in a little later, wake up, and eat a big brunch together as a family (even though my daughter just sits in her highchair and watches). Each week I come up with a different breakfast recipe that the three family members with teeth can enjoy. It’s a fun and simple way for our family to connect. Don’t stop at the small-scale, either. Family vacation, anyone? Start thinking about what experiences you want your children to have in 2017 and work toward making them happen.

Take Time for Your Partner and Self

Parenthood can be a busy and funny ride, but you can’t forget about the people taking turns at the steering wheel. Almost every parenting related disagreement I’ve had with my partner can be summed up in one word: miscommunication. You get so busy dealing with life that you forget to touch base with the person helping you hold it all together. Dedicate time to your partner, even if it’s just time to hear them vent. Same thing goes with taking care of yourself. Don’t forget about the things that were a part of your life before baby food and diapers took over. As the saying goes, all work and no play makes Jack Nicholson an aspiring axe murder, and no one wants to be that Jack Nicholson.

Let’s Talk! What are your parenting resolutions in 2017?

Easy Glitter Mason Jars

January 2, 2017

glitter mason jars

Not ready to let go of your pretty Christmas decorations? These glitter mason jars are the perfect way to usher some pretty winter flair into your home.

glitter mason jars

Hello, 2017! This time of year is bittersweet. Saying goodbye to holiday seasons and Christmas fun makes me sad, but the opportunity to start fresh with a brand new year is so inspiring. Of course, nothing tends to change overnight. I like to spend the next few weeks reflecting on all of the great things that happened in 2016 and use that to guide my resolutions in 2017. More on that later.

If you are like me, however, and get sad when it comes time to pack up the Christmas décor, then these easy DIY mason jars will be perfect for you. Not only are they sparkly and fun, but they take mere seconds to make.

glitter mason jars

Materials Needed:

Empty mason jars (or jars that are similar in structure); another great thing about this project is that you can grab any of the misfit jars around your house and glitter them up!
Mod Podge
Glitter, glitter, and more glitter! Seriously, you’d rather have too much than not enough. Hobby Lobby has several colors from which to choose the best shade for you.
Sponge brush

Instructions:

As stated earlier, it does not get easier than this craft! I threw these together late one night in a matter of minutes!

Mix together a small amount of Mod Podge and water. Spread this mixture on the inside of the mason jar using your sponge brush. You want to try and coat the inside of the jar as evenly as possible, while still making sure that the inside stays very wet.
While the glue/water mixture is still wet, throw in some glitter. Swish it around, moving from the bottom of the jar to the top. If it seems like you don’t have enough glitter to cover the entire inside of the jar, add some more glitter toward the top.

glitter mason jars

See! It could not get easier! Leave up some white lights, and you have the makings of a wintry wonderland! I liked using the blue glitter because it went well with my snowman/snowflake décor. Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean the decorating must end! There are several creative ways to bring the beauty of winter into your home! Happy 2017 to all!

Let’s talk? What decorations do you add to your home in January?

Insanity Workout Review

November 7, 2016

It’s now been six months since I’ve been cleared to exercise after having my second baby. I’ve made some progress, although I’m still not quite at the six month post-baby goal I had set for myself.

Here’s a breakdown of my weight loss so far:

Within the first month, I lost twenty pounds. This includes the weight of the baby, fluids, and all the other yucky things that rapidly change in your body immediately after giving birth. Given that I lost only ten pounds following the birth of my first child (he weighed just under 8 pounds), this got me pretty excited.
Seven weeks after my c-section I slowly started my workout routine. Thankfully, staying active in my second pregnancy made it easy for me to ease back into exercise. Within a month, I’d lost a little bit more weight, but…
Then I put some weight back on. It was the middle of summer, and I was enjoying myself. We took a few vacations, I got lazy with my workouts, and I was having too much fun eating all the things that I couldn’t eat while pregnant (a.k.a. sushi and spicy foods).
I went back to work when baby was four months old. This meant no more yoga pants and sleep shirts. I knew I had to start getting serious about losing weight if I wanted to reach my weight loss goals by spring. Enter Insanity.

I put a lot of effort into creating my own workout routines, so it has been a while since I’ve used a DVD program. I enjoy using Pure Barre DVDs when I am closer to my goal weight, but that’s about it. I was motivated to start Insanity for three reasons.

Those late night advertisements are convincing! Not just because the before and after transformations are fierce, but because the science behind the program makes sense. To me, anyways. I’ve seen the fast results HIIT workouts can produce, and I knew I needed something intense to jumpstart my weight loss (again).
The time commitment was set in stone. The entire program lasts 63 days. I knew having a clear beginning and end would help me adjust to working out again. The workout schedule is already created for you: 6 days a week of 45-60 minute DVDs. Having a calendar and plan helped me stay motivated.
My husband and sister also wanted to join in on the program. Typically, my exercise time is a solo event. I knew having a support system would help me stay committed.

So here is what I thought of this two month program:

Structure: My favorite part of the Insanity program is the overall design of the workouts. As stated earlier, HIIT is great for weight loss. In this workout, you are constantly alternating between going all out and resting. After a ten minute intense warm up, you slow things down with a short stretching session. The actual workout consists of different moves that you complete for 30 to 45 seconds. After each set, you get a thirty second water break.Don’t be fooled into thinking that the constant breaks make this workout easy. Even a two minute set is enough to make you beg for water and rest. The moves are tough, but allowing your body a short break in between circuits keeps your heart rate on a constant, fat-burning roller coaster.Completing each move for a short period of time also helps to keep you motivated. There are some moves you will HATE. But you can do anything for 30 seconds, right? At least that’s what I told myself. The reason I’ve failed with different DVD programs in the past is because a) I feel the workouts are not intense enough to give me noticeable results, or b) the workouts are so intense I couldn’t possibly keep up for the next 45 minutes. These mini breaks are the blessing you need to keep pushing through to the end.
Intensity: The DVDs are called Insanity for a reason. These are some really intense workouts! Especially for someone that had a baby less than three months before starting the program. I felt like I was in pretty good mommy shape, but that false sense of reality was completely shattered after the first few days of the program. I was sweating, catching my breath, and taking water breaks as much as I could. As much as it sucks in the moment, I love that my butt gets kicked this much! Time is valuable. I need to know that what little time I do get to exercise is actually going to give me results.
Do you have to be fit to complete the workouts? Clearly, no. My first week of the program was embarrassing, but with each workout I could see improvement. This program could truly work for all fitness levels. Simply do as much work as you can; you DO NOT have to keep up with the athletes in the video. Give your all in each workout (even if that doesn’t feel like a lot) and try to push yourself harder the next time.
Is it worth it? Yes, 100%. Training this hard six days a week is a true commitment. By day 53, I was so ready for it to be over! I can honestly say that nothing has got me back into shape faster. My ability by week nine of the program had improved so much from week one! I’ve started my regular running and strength training routines again, and I know my stamina would not be near what it is if it weren’t for Insanity.I lost 15 pounds during the nine week program. This is exactly the progress I needed to see in order to really feel motivated again. Since ending the program, I’ve found it much easier to remain active. I’m in better shape, and I’ve also conditioned myself to carve out time in my day to exercise.

Overall, I’m down 33 pounds in the six months since baby #2 was born. My new weight loss goal is to continue my regular workout routine until the end of the year. In January, I want to complete Insanity for a second time. I’ll be sure to keep you posted!

Church Baby Dedication Luncheon

November 1, 2016

A few weeks ago we celebrated a very special day in our family: my daughter’s church dedication. As usual, we celebrated the event with a celebratory luncheon.

My children will be the fourth generation in my family to attend my church. My grandparents were married there, as well as my parents. My childhood holds countless memories of attending different events and services over the years. It means so much to pass down these traditions to my own children, although they are still very young.

Church dedications can differ from place to place. Being Baptist, our service is basically an introduction between the newborn child and our church family. It symbolizes a promise that my husband and I will raise our daughter to believe in and follow the footsteps of Christ.

The service itself was very short. We stood in front of the congregation, joined in prayer, and then our minister walked our daughter around so everyone could get a good look at her. I couldn’t have been happier with her behavior! My two year old, on the other hand, was a little more rambunctious. When my minister asked us to turn and face the congregation, my son actually said, “Nope.” If only we could develop his vocabulary a bit beyond that word! It’s hard to believe how quickly time has passed since his dedication.

baby dedication

After the service, we met back at my mom’s house for the meal. The table was decorated with all things pink and girly, per usual. We had a lot of gold accents to match my daughter’s gold and white dress.

We had all of our favorite foods: lamb, ham, casseroles, and cake. It’s always fun to have an excuse to dye deviled eggs, so of course we went with pink.

baby dedication

My mom used her antique china, which added more tradition to the day. This china is so beautiful and I love anytime she decides to use it.

baby dedication

I wanted to make something to commemorate the occasion, so I made this centerpiece. I used a paper backdrop, painted it, and then added the cross and fabric using a hot glue gun. The verse I used comes from Proverbs and describes a Godly woman, something I thought was appropriate for the event. I love that the centerpiece is something that we can hang in her room in the years to come. My only regret is that I didn’t make something to honor my son’s dedication two years ago.

Overall, it was a fun and easy day of festivity. I think it is important to find reasons to gather as a family and celebrate. More important than any event is the memories you create with the people you love most.

Let’s talk! What are some of your family’s traditions?

Farm Birthday Party

October 17, 2016

Deciding what to do for a first birthday party can be challenging. It’s not like your child can tell you what they want, so it’s pretty much up to you to decide. We talked about doing any number of theme parties, but ultimately went with a farm theme. My son’s two favorite toys at the time were both farm related, which greatly impacted our decision.

farm birthday party

After several trips to Hobby Lobby, I quickly fell in love with anything and everything cow print. Table cloths, balloons–you name it. We thought the cow print placed over the red brought in the farm theme and made it a little less western.

farm birthday party

I made several DIYs for this party. The banner hanging over the table was made with scrap paper left over from another project. I hot glued the animals/barns to the garland, and then added the corresponding animal sounds. I thought this was a really cute touch, and it fit with my son’s personality. Then, and still, he mimics animal sounds nonstop.

Another easy DIY for this party was the chalkboard. I really wanted to remember all his big firsts over the past year. Believe it or not, one day it will be hard to remember which book he liked to read and which songs I’d always sing. I made this sign with a black foam board and some metallic markers. Super cheap and easy. It now hangs in his bedroom.

Hot buns for the barbecue sandwiches.

Make your own barbecue sandwiches.

Awesome southern sides.

Deviled Eggs, my favorite.

Food is very important to me. I wanted to make sure that there was enough good food for everyone to enjoy. It was much easier to order the food ahead of time. The last thing I wanted to do on the day of his party was get stressed cooking a bunch of food.

Since I’m much more of a decorator at heart, I ordered some family meals from Buddy’s BBQ and added my own spin on the presentation. It was really easy to incorporate the farm theme into the buffet by using bandanas, tin serving trays, and animal food picks. It was a great meal for kids and adults.

Farm animal hats for the guests.

A fun photo booth for memorable photos.

Barns, daisies, wagons, and cow print. What else could you need?

This party will always hold a special place in my heart. It was my son’s first birthday, the first party I planned as a new mom, and a wonderful day of celebration. Everything from the decorations to the food to the outdoor play area turned out exactly as I’d envisioned. As always, it was an inexpensive party to throw.

Birthday Boy

The best part? My son had a great time. All day at the farm can really wear you out!

Let’s talk! What did you do for your child’s first birthday?

Halloween Entryway Reveal

October 10, 2016

halloween entryway

Halloween is just around the corner, and I couldn’t be more excited! We’ve been making decorations for weeks now, and I finally found the time to put them all together for our Halloween entryway.

I love having a space in my home that can change with the seasons. So often we make permanent decorating decisions. You can’t change wall color and furnishings with each passing holiday. That’s why I love having a space in our home that can showcase seasonal décor.

In our home, this space is in our kitchen. We have a small table that sits under a DIY pallet shelf my husband made. It’s the perfect spot to put decorations without having to do a lot of furniture moving and sliding. This table is one of the first things guests see when they enter our home, so we always want it to look appealing.

halloween entryway

We’ve done a lot with bottle art this year. Last year, we made several candy corn and ghost bottles. I love having decorations I can box up and pull out to use again. These bottles hold up great (just try to keep them out of the hands of your children).

halloween entryway

Still, we decided to make some more bottle art this year. That’s how we made the pumpkin and zombie bottles. I also added a painted pumpkin sign.

halloween entryway

This shelf is a lifesaver when it comes to glassware. As I hinted earlier, we lost a few candy corn bottles at the hands of my toddler. It’s nice to have a place to put glass decorations without having to worry about a) my son getting hurt and b) our decorations getting destroyed.

halloween entryway

The crayon art was a lot of fun to make. We made the “Haunters Gonna Haunt” sign and “Trick Treat Repeat” sign a few weeks back. While my husband and I made a lot of these decorations, it’s always important to get the kids involved. They were a big help making the bat sign and ghost sign. I just love looking at their tiny hands and feet. Such a great way to display family memories year after year.

halloween entryway

Wanna know the best part about this entryway? All of the decorations were DIY! The purple lights were the only addition to the space we did not make ourselves. Making crafts on the weekends is fun, but seeing them all pulled together is the best.

Let’s talk! What are some of your favorite Halloween crafts this season?

Halloween Crafts: Glitter Pumpkins

October 3, 2016

glitter pumpkins

Halloween decorations don’t always have to be scary! I love these simple glitter pumpkins I made for my daughter’s room.

Pumpkin art is something I really enjoy making, and I am constantly looking for new tricks to try. While I do really enjoy carving pumpkins, they eventually spoil. I save all of my carving crafts until closer to Halloween.

That’s what makes crafting with foam pumpkins so great! You can try out some different decorating techniques AND leave them around the house all month long! Also, they are incredibly cheap. This craft only took a few dollars to make.

glitter pumpkins

What You Will Need:

Foam pumpkins. (Super cheap and easy to find at the Dollar Tree. These were only $1 each.)
Spray Paint
Mod Podge
Painter’s Tape
Glitter
Paper Plates (These are just to help with the mess. I suggest you get something to help catch the excess glitter!)

Instructions

These are super easy to make.

First, spray paint your pumpkins. These pumpkins come in traditional colors: orange bottom and a green stem. I wanted to give my pumpkins a white base before doing anything else.
Allow the pumpkins to completely dry. This is really important so that you don’t peel off any of the spray paint. I let mine dry overnight and then some.
Next, section off your pumpkin using painter’s tape. I wasn’t really sure what design I wanted to make, so I just tried some different designs. As you see with the first one, I cut several strips of tape and placed them everywhere. I wasn’t sure what the finished product would look like, but I thought it would be a fun technique to try out. On the second pumpkin, I went with a simpler design.
Cover the visible parts of your pumpkin with the mod podge. I put a generous amount on small sections at a time.
Immediately sprinkle glitter onto the wet mod podge sections. Sprinkle A LOT of glitter. I put paper plates under my work areas to catch the falling specks. I found it worked best to mod podge and glitter at the same time in small sections.
After you have added glitter to the entire pumpkin, allow your piece of art to dry. Wait a few hours, at least.
Finally, peel the tape off your pumpkin, shake off even more glitter, and applaud your latest creation!

glitter pumpkins

These pumpkins look great in my daughter’s pink and gold nursery. I might leave them up until Christmas. Happy October, everyone!

Let’s Talk! Any good foam pumpkin ideas?

Halloween Bottle Art: Maker’s Zombies

September 22, 2016

Maker's Zombies

Here is another great Halloween bottle art idea. Use the unique design of a Maker’s Mark bottle to make zombies!

Earlier this week, I wrote about the painted pumpkins we made using Patron bottles. We decided to use another unique bottle to make these painted zombies. If you don’t know, a Maker’s Mark bottle looks like a melting seal is going down the neck of the bottle. Or in our case, it looks like dripping blood. My husband decided these would be perfect for some gory Halloween decorations.

Crafting your bottles using spray paint is very easy, but because we did not want to mess with the red seal, we decided to change things up a bit. My husband actually used white acrylic paint and moved around the red “blood” that was already on the bottle. It took a little bit more time, but was still a fairly easy project.

maker's zombies

You will need a thin, angled paint brush to get around the red wax. Use a paint pen to draw some faces on the bottles. I think they look like zombies, but get creative! Create some different faces and characters.

maker's zombies

Not only is this craft easy, but it is also inexpensive. Stock up on bottles from local restaurants, and you will have a herd of painted zombies for mere dollars. Mix and match the sizes of your bottles, too. I like having some shorter ones and taller ones. It makes it easier to add the bottles to our other decorations.

halloween bottle art

Here is a look at our Halloween entryway thus far. My favorite thing about our shelf decorations is that everything was DIY, even the shelf! We didn’t buy a single decoration, just supplies. This makes for a fun, unique, and personal display. Make sure to check out our Halloween crayon art and kids’ crafts.

Create a Workout Calendar to Keep You on Track in 2017

Let’s talk! What are your fitness goals in 2017?