First Time Mom and Losing It

I can not believe how fast eight months have flown by on this weight loss journey. I remember how hard it was when I first started and how I had to adjust to my new way of eating. I started with small changes and eight months in I am down 70 pounds! I feel so much healthier, happier and can do so much more.


Now that the weather is warmer and I want to go out more I am taking my healthy lifestyle on-the-go. It is so much easier to live a healthy lifestyle at home when you have access to healthy food and exercise equipment. These are the steps I am taking to continue my healthy lifestyle when I am out of my controlled environment. Download and print out my Healthy and Active On-The-Go guide to have the following tips right in your bag for easy access.


Stay Hydrated: I always carry my water bottle full of filtered water. I love taking my water bottle because it's 32 ounces so I know when I drink a whole one I just have to drink one more to get in at least 64 ounces of water.

Track Activity: I love wearing my fitness tracker because it motivates me to stay active. My tracker gives me reminders to walk around when I am sitting down for too long.

Food Log: Whenever I am out for a long time and have to eat out for a meal I try to plan ahead. I always have my go-to meals that I can quickly log into my smartphone.

Stay Active: I try to find ways to keep active and burn extra calories. I like to walk up and down the outside steps of my apartment a few times to warm up. I then take my walks and try to take routes that has hills. When I go to the park with my daughter I use parts of the park to strength train like doing tricep dips on benches.


On-The-Go Snacks: Since I am on a ketogenic diet it is sometimes hard to find foods to snack on at my local convenience store so I always bring my own. When I was at my local Walmart (check out the giveaway below to win a gift card). I forgot to get myself some snacks and was already walking to the checkout. I quickly scanned what was near me and noticed the Lorissa's Kitchen Protein Snacks. The Korean Barbecue grabbed my attention and I quickly looked at the back for the macros. I was happy to see that it was just 6g of carbs per serving. I looked for other flavors and picked up the Szechuan Peppercorn and Sweet Chili Pork.





Since starting this way of eating we have made the move to eating more grass fed beef and avoiding nitrates and things with MSG. I love that the Lorissa's Kitchen Beef and Pork Strips are made with simple ingredients and no preservatives. Since the strips have a higher moisture content they are really tender and delicious.


Enter the #SavvySnackingSweepstakes for your chance to win a $100 Walmart Gift Card.

How do you stay healthy and active on-the-go? 

*I received the product below free for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be a good fit for my readers. All opinions are 100% my own.


I am almost four months into my weight loss journey and am now ready to fit in a really structured exercise program. I tried one before this one but it was pretty advanced and I probably just wasn't ready. Four months in I can walk long distances without back problems and have the stamina to do so much more. It is amazing what over 40 pounds lost will do for your body. Now that I have the nutrition and daily activity down I want to focus on getting cardio and toning in.

The Fé Fit Women's Workout Program is the perfect way for me to start a planned daily workout routine. Following a keto diet and doing some strength training workouts is the the perfect way for my weight loss to continue. Now that my body is used to the way I eat I don't want my weight loss to slow down so this is the perfect time to incorporate some exercise.


I was so excited to get my Fé Fit program in the mail. It came in a really pretty hot pink box with everything I needed to start the program. I got the instructional booklets, a 21-day calendar exercise plan, stickers to mark down my completed workouts and the awesome DVDs. I love that the program includes 7 different genres of exercises so I won't get bored doing the same thing. I was also happy to see that I had all the equipment I needed to get started. You are going to need some light weights, a yoga mat, resistance band and pilates ring.


There are different programs to choose from and I decided to start the 4 times a week program. I like that you get two rest days and that you can choose to walk or jog on another one of the days. The best part of the workouts are that they are only 30 minutes long! I did the start-up DVD that prepares you for the workouts and I have to say that I am excited to start this 90-Day Challenge.


How are you planning to stay active this year? 

**I received the product below free for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be a good fit for my readers. All opinions are 100% my own.


I have been continuing with my Fall Weight Loss Journey and am happy with my eating plan. I wanted something more structured with motivation and exercise so it was the perfect timing that I got to review the D28 for Life Home Fitness Program by Robert Brace.


I was so excited when I got my box of goodies from D28. You get supplements, protein powder meal replacements, a book full of recipes and nutritional guide, menu calendar, exercise calendar, fitness DVDs and a Strategies For Success Guide. I love that this is not just a program that tells you eat this and do this exercise. With the Success Guide and Motivational talks from Robert Brace, it makes it easy for you to continue and change your life. The program doesn't just end after the 28 days either, included in the program are strategies to continue on the weight loss journey and maintain your weight loss.


I was really impressed at how well thought out the program is. All you have to do is put up your calendar and follow it from there. It tells you what to read and do in the success guide, what exercise to do and what motivational video to look at day by day. I put up my Exercise & Motivation: Roadmap to Success up on my Weight Loss Command Center and I was ready to go. There is also a menu calendar that tells you what to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks day by day.


The exercise DVDs were a bit challenging for me because I have been just walking a lot and doing the treadmill at my gym on occasion. I love the challenge of doing the workouts so I kept going at it and did as much as I could. I felt very sore the days after the hard workouts but I know that my muscles got a good workout.


I have been on the program over almost 3 weeks now with my own meal plan and I have lost over 14 pounds! My favorite part of the program is the Strategies for Success guide. I feel like I have homework and it is really helping me with the emotional and mental side of dieting.

Click on the link to try the D28 for Life 28 Day Challenge for yourself and use the code MFELICIANOFL. If for any reason you are not satisfied with the program you can just call customer service and you will only get charged for shipping costs.

**I received the product below free for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be a good fit for my readers. All opinions are 100% my own.


Using a pedometer or activity tracker definitely motivates me to move more. I set daily step goals so I always walk more than I normally would to achieve those goals. Once those goals are met easily I bump up my goal numbers. I have been using an activity tracker since I started on my journey. I was using one of the popular brands but when the band kept breaking and the generic bands caused skin irritation I stopped using it. I stopped walking as much and didn't really have a gauge of how much activity or steps I was getting in.

Now that I am fully restarting my journey with eating properly and starting to go the gym and walk more I really needed another activity tracker. I was so happy to review the Tushi Waterproof Pedometer and Sleep Tracker. It tracks number of steps, distance traveled, calories burned, goal progress and sleep quality and performance.


The Tushi Wireless Fitness Tracker has a Bosch 3D acceleration sensor with 360-degree high sensitivity so it won't miss out on any movements whether they are big or small. It syncs via BlueTooth using a free app on Android or IOS phones and tablets. Once you pair and connect to the app you can easily see the data that was tracked.

It is really comfortable to wear and the clasp is so smooth and close to the silicone band that it didn't bother or irritate my skin. I love how big and bright the OLED is so you can see your data clearly. Seeing my steps and calories burned really motivated me to get more active and move more during the day. When you have met your daily goal the pedometer buzzes to let you know. It was very satisfying to get the little buzz at the end of the day.


Overall I love this new tracker and will be using it during and beyond my weight loss journey. A couple of things I didn't like about the tracker is that sometimes it doesn't respond to my touch at first and I have to swipe or tap a few times for it to register. It took me a while to figure out the app too. I was clicking on the sync button like the directions said but it was the start button that actually syncs your information to the app. Once I figured that out I got to see all of my data together. I also think the app could be improved on with interface and features.

I purchased it on Amazon but it is no longer available at that address. You can find out more about it and purchase one for yourself at the Tushi Website.

**This post was sponsored by FabFitFun via Bloggin' Mamas.


I love subscription boxes because it is a fun way to get new things you would have never thought of purchasing for yourself. Every time they come in the mail its like a surprise Christmas present to yourself! I have tried plenty of suscription boxes but one of the best themes is the FabFitFun subscription boxes. With FabFitFun you get "fashion finds, glam beauty secrets, and fab fitness gear". It is a lifestyle subscription box so you get a little bit of everything.

Every three months you get a new box of full sized seasonal products that are hand-picked by the people at FabFitFun.  You pay $49.99 four times a year and get at least $200.00 worth of products in each box!

I was lucky to receive the Summer 2015 box and here is what I got:


Wren 14Kt Golad and Black Sapphire Necklace ($100) : The necklace and pendant are 14 karat gold dipped. You had the chance of getting a horseshoe, heart, or moon, each with a black sapphire. I was lucky to get the horseshoe. This is my favorite item of them box.


The Everyday Wireless Speaker by FabFitFun ($29.99): A cute and pink portable and wireless speaker that is perfect to take with you on picnics, trips to the beach and more. The great thing about this speaker is that is also is an FM radio.


Inkling Scents Sultry Roll-On Oil Perfume ($25): It has no alcohol so it's pure perfume oil. It has notes of sandalwood, white amber, lotus flower, orchid, Bulgarian rose and vanilla. I love that it is small enough to take with me and that the oil makes it long lasting.


Gorge "I'll Make You Look Amazing" Daily Spray ($24.95): It is a spray on leave-in conditioner that really does a lot! It helps with dry, frizzy hair and protects again heat styling products. It leaves no residue so I have been using it daily.


Tarte LipSurgence Lip Gloss ($19): It's a pretty plum color and is infused with vitamin E, jojoba seed oil, and flower extract. It isn't sticky like most lip glosses so I will probably be leaving this one in my bag.


FabFitFun x CosmoBody Jump Rope ($14): What could be better than a black and pink jump rope! FFF teamed up with CosmoBody to bring workout videos to go along with the jump rope. You can check it out at fabfitfun.com/jumprope.


Scratch Nail Wraps ($12): Cool designed nail wraps. I love the graphic designs on these and will be trying them out soon.


Headspace 3-Month Subscription ($38.85): This app takes you through guided meditations when you want where ever you are.


Hello Konjac Cleansing Sponge ($12): It is a gentle exfoliating cleansing sponge that thoroughly cleanses your pores. It is made of vegetable fibers.


Vaseline Intensive Care Aloe Soothe Spray Moisturizer ($7.99): A cooling spray on lotion that moisturizes your skin and absorbs in seconds! This item is sponsored so it's a freebie in the box.


Click on the link to find more information on the FitFabFun boxes. Please use my specialized discount code LOSINGIT to get $10 off of a box!

Have you ever gotten a FitFabFun box? Which item in this box was your favorite? 

I have been motivated to exercise at home and go to the gym lately because of the awesome iMaze Bluetooth Heart Rate Monitor (HRM). If you exercise and you have never used a HRM you should really get one.

It is super motivating and tells you how hard to workout. Sometimes I am even workout out too hard and it reminds me to slow down. Depending on your age your heart beats per minute (BPM) should be in a specific range to get the best out of your workout. For a woman my age, my target heart rate range is 93-157 BPM to be in the 50%-85% workout zone. I always try to keep my number in the higher part of my range.

I have been using my old HRM for a few years now and was so disappointed when it finally gave out. I started working out without one and kind of felt lost without it. Some machines at the gym do come with HR sensors but it is annoying for me to hold my hands on the sensors for the specified amount of time since I don't usually hold on to the handles when I workout.


I have been wanting to upgrade my HRM to a Bluetooth one for some time now so when iMaze wanted me to try their Bluetooth one I was thrilled. I was incredibly impressed when I used the iMaze HRM for the first time. First the strap was super thin and when I put it on I didn't even feel like I had it on. I also loved how the adjusting buckle was at the back and not on the side like my old one that used to pinch my side.


If you are getting a HRM you have to get a Bluetooth one. Instead of having a bulky wristwatch you just connect the HRM to the iMaze app on your smartphone. You can then pick which activity you are doing like running or cardio, hit the play button and it will begin to record your workout and HR. You have the option of a voice over that tells you how long you have been working out, your current HR and average HR. I love how the voiceover also tells you to slow down or speed it up depending on how you are working out. The app also comes with the iMaze cloud that you can register to so that you can sync and review your workout history and stats from the app, a tablet, or any computer.


One of the coolest Feature of the iMaze app is the Zenn feature with a simple 1 minute assessment each morning during rest. It calculates your Heart Rate Variability, giving you a Zenn Health index score scaled from 0-100. The higher your Zenn is – the better you are! By monitoring your daily and weekly Zenn score, you can adjust your training load to optimize results.


You can learn more and purchase your own iMaze Bluetooth HRM on their website. You can also download the iMaze app for free for Apple or Android.

*Update: With the new iOS update the iMaze HRM stopped communicating with the iMaze App. You can still use the HRM with other free apps like Endomondo and Wahoo Fitness without any problems. I have kept in contact with the iMaze team and they are working hard to fix the bug. 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Weight: I gained  2.8 pounds for an adjusted total of 51.4 pounds lost. I am finally fed up with the scale and will be only weighing in every other week. I know there is no way I gained almost 3 pounds this week but it still is not fun seeing that number. I know I am getting smaller because I literally had nothing to wear when I wanted to go to the zoo and date night. All of my v-neck shirts fit me too big especially around the neck and chest area. I took all of my old t-shirts and put them with my gym clothes because they were all too big. These jeans that I bought a couple of weeks ago already fit me too big and I had to put on a belt. So happy that I have an excuse to go clothes shopping again!

Nutrition: I did so well with my eating 5 1/2 days of the week. I had smoothies for breakfast, lots of veggies and salads. Tons of healthy snacks like hummus and baby cucumbers and nuts. On Tuesday I enjoyed some food from the food court at the zoo and on Wednesday I went all out on a date with my husband with popcorn, a super fried dinner and dessert. After the date night I made sure to eat super healthy and clean the rest of the week

Exercise: I started my week by taking my daughter to the zoo for the first time. It was awesome to be able to walk the whole zoo without getting tired. I got tons of steps in and ran around with my little toddler. I went to the gym 3 times this week and enjoyed an elliptical workout I found on Pinterest. I also got up to 18 minutes on the Arc trainer which is my all time high. It was nice going to the gym at night because it was so empty and so peaceful. I was proud that I hit the gym all three days and even went back to back on Friday and Saturday!

Last Weeks Goals:

• Gym or DVD 3 times - GOAL MET
• Strength training 3 times
• Up water intake - GOAL MET
• Continue vitamins and probiotics - GOAL MET
• Try a healthy dessert - GOAL MET
• Drink at least one cup of green tea a day

This Weeks Goals: