Author: melodiealexander

It’s important for us to do the things that make your mental and physical health align. I’m speaking from my own experiences and I’m not by any means saying this is true for everyone.

It’s crucial for me to take time for myself but also making sure I’m doing the proper thing when I do take that time. I’m guilty of doing all the things, that sometimes don’t give me that “time for yourself feel” and clear mindset I need.

One of them for me is, cleaning. I don’t dislike cleaning, I actually do enjoy cleaning but I’ve quickly realized with three kids and especially in the newborn breastfeeding stage(not complaining because breastfeeding comes so natural and easy to me and I love every second) it has to be done so often with the way we like it clean so we decided to have someone come in and do cleaning once a week until it’s completely caught up deeply cleaned and then maintain it at every other week, and of course I’ll fill in the cracks! Like I said, I don’t mind doing it but for how long it takes I have so much more I can focus on: the kids, adventures, my stay at home work gigs, workouts, cooking, baking, laundry, the list goes on.

Also something we have noticed lately is that when just one of us is around, Mallorie and Makenzie act great but when we’re both around and talking, they’re much more wild. And no we’re not just sitting on our phones, we’re engaging in conversation together and with them but they’re just whining and demanding attention, most of the time for nothing, anyone else have kiddos that do this? It’s not always. But Wednesday night, they were doing it so I brought Tucker upstairs and it was like they instantly stopped and were hanging out, playing and talking to Travis normal. Who knows 😂 This too shall pass. And actually coming back to this today and updating from last night we had a family dinner(steaks on the grill with asparagus, yummy!!) and the girls were well behaved and very obedient all evening, maybe it’s the routine?

Also, Sunday’s have been a great day for me to run and get in my mindset for our week ahead. I ran six miles at a 9:40 pace last Sunday pretty effortlessly so that’s exciting. Right now, my focus is mileage, consistent workouts and then the faster runs will come.

I hope you all are having a great end to March. April is approaching already!!! I can’t even believe it. The fourth month of the year is here just like that! Looking forward to crushing more goals. How about you?

Choices. Life is full of them. Everyday you make choices. Tuesday, for some reason I was in a funk. I can’t explain it, I just was. I had a normal day but I was just not feeling 100%. Things seem to be going completely wrong with everything. I just couldn’t focus completely on things I wanted to do so I just took a step back and chilled on the couch and focused on the moment. I was so exhausted. I chose to not stress after I got over the fact that I just couldn’t deal!

So, I fell asleep shortly after Tucker went down which was just around 9:45 and the next thing I knew I woke up at 4 and he was still sleeping so I went back to sleep. I got pretty much a full 8 hours of sleep(which was amazing!)Yesterday morning went pretty well, Makenzie is a challenge most mornings and I just embrace that now. It’s her, she’s going to work through her drama and I’ll guide her along the way.

Yesterday, was workout day. I had my eyelashes filled in morning after I dropped the girls off at preschool/daycare and Tucker spent some time with his “Gam” (Travis’ mom)

When I got back he was sleeping so I put workout shoes on and already had workout clothes on from this morning and got my workout done, showered and ready to go for the day and he was such a good boy and slept the whole time. As I was doing my workout there were things that I assumed in my head that I couldn’t do; certain moves including a one handed burpee, so then I was like just try it! And what do you know?? I DID IT! In that moment, I reminded myself and thought of this for others, we’re so guilty of saying we CAN’T and we haven’t even tried it. Today, I challenge you to try something you haven’t! Whether it’s a workout move, a new food or taking time to do something for yourself.

My mantra for the rest of March, you do not know unless you try!!

For the past 10 days I did 2 Keto packets a day and I’m here to share my results. I lost 3 1/4 inches and 4 pounds. I ate my normal, mostly clean diet and I’ve posted picture results below. What have you got to lose?

A lot of people get conflicted when thinking about trying ketones because they think they have to be on the Keto diet. That is not the case, I am not strict Keto, I love myself a good beer and pizza every once in a while. Balance is key. (So excited for the release of O’beron (beer) on March 25, anyone else love O’beron?!)

Also, I’m still able to feed Tucker, and pump an extra 5-6oz per day!

Anyways, interested in trying a 10 day experience? Message me!!

Last week I had my postpartum checkup and I was looking forward to getting cleared back to normal activity. I reflected back on my pregnancy and how fortunate I was to be able to work out the whole way through, of course modified as time went on and I even ran my first marathon with baby #3 on board who happened to be our first boy!

So, I got cleared last Thursday. Last week, Tuesday I sent Travis a list of my goals, not only physically but my professional goals, my goals with the kids, life goals, date night goals, all goals. I like being held accountable as most of us see better results that way anyway. I sent him what I would do for workouts each week and what my focus was. As I reflect back on these past six weeks. I’m the person guilty of thinking I NEED to workout HARD seven days a week. So, what happened in the six weeks where I just walked, or did some squats, or some pushups but nothing incredibly strenuous. I realized, you don’t have to do it everyday. I also realized there’s days where I need to do crafts, projects, productive play with the kids and make that a major priority too. I’m often guilty of thinking my house is going to be tidy ALL THE TIME. I have three kids, life is busy, there’s going to be small things I can’t control and I’ve learned to be ok with that.

So, with all that. Today, was workout hard day, because I love a big sweat on Monday. Although, during my pregnancy and before I would say I have to do it first thing in the morning and that’s that. I wanted to do some organizing, throwing stuff out and I did that this morning to afternoon. Tucker was sleeping when I finished and in my mind, I kept saying, now I’m going to have to wait until after he wakes up again and eats and I pick Mallorie up from school, I kept running scenarios in my head. Then I was like, put your workout clothes on, he’s still sleeping. So, I did, pushed play on the workout and he slept through my workout and I even had a couple minutes to spare! Makenzie did yell at me telling me I wasn’t allowed to workout for the first couple minutes but she got over it eventually and was even doing it with me but mostly playing with her new obsession, Barbie and Barbie house.

So, my words of advice today are: plan, set goals, do your best to get those workouts in, plan your meals, write it all down, hold yourself accountable or message me and I’ll hold you accountable! If it doesn’t happen because you absolutely can’t do it, don’t stress but don’t make excuses. Excuses are so easy to make, I almost talked myself right out of the best day to kick off releasing those endorphins! Happy Monday, friends! 💪🏼👏🏼💁🏼‍♀️

Some days are better than others. Some days I get to clean the whole house, enjoy my coffee warm, and get caught up on my “work.” Of course every day is spent playing with the kiddos, they’re my number one priority.

Other days are complete shit shows, meltdowns, bribery of a treat (to Makenzie) to come down the steps so we can get Mallorie to school on time. Getting her to get pants on, I won’t go on, a lot of you get it. The girl has a heart of gold but her world has been turned around and it’s taking some time to adjust. This too shall pass.

The newborn stage obviously is the most challenging as that is when they need you the most. I’m savoring every moment because as we know life passes by all too fast. Sometimes I have to remind myself of that.

Mallorie, our big girl, 5 years old! I’m proud of her. She takes on a big roll and she is so understanding, she gets it and she helps out. She has her moments, but I think we all did at her age and for the most part she is a great kid. We’ve never had ONE issue with her at school for behavior and that makes us very proud. All kids tend to push their limits when mom and dad are around, of course. On Friday, we took all three kids to a sit down dinner and they all behaved so well!

Me? I’m not in survival mode, I’m positive, I’m blessed, why be stressed? (I rhyme too!) 😂
Travis and I have a system, support system, where we support each other and sometimes we disagree on how we should respond to the behavior issues or he gives in a little too easily but we always resolve our issues and we mostly agree and it works, and as a family, we are beyond happy!

My four week measurements were down by a total of 8 inches, and a total weight loss of 23 pounds from my last weigh in before I had Tucker to yesterday. Looking forward to this months results. Do you have any goals you’re looking to reach? I’m hoping to lose 8-10 pounds this month and more inches, of course.

Travis and four other participants will be participating in the March Keto Reboot again from this Sunday evening to Wednesday morning. Looking forward to guiding my participants.

What I’m looking forward to the most, honestly is getting cleared for normal activity this week! I’m so ready for a real workout and to sweat!

I hope your week is off to a great start!

Last week was the first week since having Tucker where I logged my food completely. From Sunday to Friday I lost 4.5 pounds, I’m looking forward to my 4 week measurements on March 3! I even enjoyed a glass or two of wine last week and that’s why I believe in “balance” not “you can’t have that!” That’s why I dislike the word “diet” to me it’s a lifestyle. If you want a slice of cake or pizza, or you really enjoy having a piece of chocolate, or a beer or two, do it but be smart about it. Moderation is key and you won’t feel deprived and you’ll still get those results. And at the end of the day it really always depends on what your goals are. Do you want someone to keep you accountable? I’d love to help guide you!

What I don’t feel:
Deprived of food. I’m eating between 1800-2200 calories a day. I’m not eating eating every 3-4 hours, I’m eating when I’m hungry. I have a bigger meal in the morning about two hours after my shake and then an afternoon meal, a couple snacks, and then dinner. Dinner has really been kept on track because of the HelloFresh meals. Those have been lifesavers. We also snack on things like; pork rinds, sesame stix, yogurt and chia seeds, almonds, walnuts and various other nut mixes!

What I do feel:
✅Energized; even when waking up every 2-3 hours to feed Tucker, he has had some nights of 4-5 hour stretches!
✅ Motivated, I’m blaming that on my routine of Ketones, Happy Coffee, coconut oil, other supplements and mostly clean eating.
✅ Happy and ready to keep killing 2019!

I’ve been able to:
Pump extra milk along with feeding Tucker. I was able to get my eyelash extensions filled and he successfully took his first bottle from Daddy. My milk supply is great and that’s my main focus when eating and making sure I’m fueled for my little man.

As always, your results are dependent on what you’re willing to put in to get the results. Here are my results from 3 days post Tucker to Monday.

I also put testimonials of what people had to say about the coffee and supplements they’ve been using.

1/31/19 to 2/25/19

Haley

I started this coffee my second trimester with our 5th baby. I didn’t want to admit it, but my mind was racing with negative thoughts and I was struggling with depression symptoms, PTSD + anxiety. I watched a friends video explaining what this coffee does, and said I gotta try this stuff!!
Thankful I did. Now my anxiety is pretty much non-existent!

I’m able to have enough energy all day long to play and chase my 4 kids at home.
My mental clarity + focus is on point and my food cravings are less than they were after the last delivery!
Um yeah, these nootropics in my coffee and the xanthohumol in my supplement?
CLEARLY.
They work.

Kelly
I haven’t done much besides adding this to my routine.. and yeah, I’m basically just as shocked as you are.

✔️more focus
✔️happier mood & more patience
✔️less brain fog aka mom brain
✔️sustained energy
✔️ less hashimoto thyroiditis flare ups
✔️ reduced inflammation
✔️ less cravings
✔️ down 40 freaking pounds 😳

THANK THE LORD I RAN INTO THIS STUFF. 😭🙌🏼

It sure has transformed my entire household in so, SO many ways.

Want info on the supplements or have questions on anything, message me on Facebook, Instagram or email me at melodiemariealexander@gmail.com

As always, thanks for following along!

Also, here’s a fun comparison of all three kiddos at 4 weeks old

We are adjusting to having two active girls and our baby boy! Right now, three has been a big adjustment, nothing bad, just a whole lot of busy! We’ve had interesting weather from the freezing polar vortex, an ice storm, to a snowstorm with SO MUCH SNOW, just wondering if it’s spring yet? The girls got a stomach bug two weeks ago and luckily that was the extent of it and now we seem to be in the clear!

So, life with Little Tucker. He’s been a great baby, he’s only upset when he needs something. I found out the hard way when we got home the difference between boys and girls and he peed on me our first night home so now when I change diapers, I make sure he’s always covered up! Mallorie and Makenzie have both adjusted well to being big sisters. Mallorie loves trying to soothe him and she just really cares, and it’s adorable. Makenzie is always concerned as to where he is and when I put him down in anything and she doesn’t see me do it, she comes back with “where dat baby go?” or “where baby Tucka?” Night time is when Makenzie has struggled a bit but has quickly become a major daddy’s girl for bed time. We’re all adjusting pretty well and we can’t imagine life without our little man! 🙂

Travis was featured in Word on the Street and it actually came out the morning Tucker was born and I was crying while reading it and it just reiterated how proud of him I am. He has literally taken me through each birth so amazingly, he knows me so well in those painful moments and it’s truly amazing. (Side note: I will share Tucker’s birth story in time but I want to spend time on each of the kids birth stories and share them all!) Travis amazes me everyday and is truly so dedicated to his work and family, he loves what he does and that is why he is so great at it! He works very hard and his dedication is admirable. I’m proud to be his wife, and his support system. We make a great team! Click here to read his straight talk with Bryan Cabell.

As far as post partum eating, I’m focusing on whole foods, and easy foods as sometimes it’s hard to prep food when you have a baby who needs to feed often. Breastfeeding can be tricky because right when you’re done feeding, I get crazy hungry so grabbing cheese is easy or nuts are a great go to! As far as workouts, I obviously haven’t been cleared to normal activity yet but I have been doing non weight bearing things to just move, also doing foam rolling and stretching, which feels good.

The company I promote with has come out with some new products that aren’t yet for sale. They now are offering KetoUp which is ketones in a can and it’s apple flavor. They are also offering MitoPlex which is upgraded electrolytes.

With that, as I use all of the Pruvit products daily and I’ve continued to use them throughout pregnancy and now on my postpartum journey. I’m currently doing one caffeine free Keto pack a day, one 143 MCT oil and one bone broth. I also want to tell you about another company I recently started using their products because well, I blogged a while back about replacing my coffee with one Keto Max charged(caffeinated) pack and it was a game changer for my morning but after about two months, I missed the coffee taste to start my morning. So, with that I decided to….switch over to caffeine free ketones AND add in Smart Coffee who a friend I follow on Instagram introduced me to. They have amazing products with what I’ve used so far. I LOVE coffee and great supplements of course!

These are the products they offer below. Click here to see descriptions, prices and ordering options! Any questions, let me know.

I hope all of you are having great results and success with your fitness and nutrition journey. Remember, it’s not always about if you’re doing it all completely 100%, it’s about if you’re making better choices to make your life better. Life throws many unexpected things at us and when we learn to adapt and still make better choices that is when we’re going to see those results. Did you do a little movement today? Did you make healthier choices today? If so, keep doing it. Life is what YOU make it. As always, thank you for following along and I always appreciate people reaching out saying they enjoy my blog or with questions. I’m no expert but I like to think I have a few things figured out!! Again, thank you for following along.

Here are all of our maternity pictures!

What have you got to lose? This 60 hour Keto Reboot will assist you to reset your metabolism by reprogramming your genes to run on fat for fuel. By conquering a 60 hour Keto reboot, you engage your body to use fat as an energy source while gradually shifting into Keto Adaptation.

Other benefits:
Control cravings
Protect lean muscle mass
Maximize energy
Stay accountable

Who is in for February? Order by today! For every person who purchases a keto reboot and does it from February 10-13 and makes sure to share their results with me, I will enter you in a drawing to win a 5 day Keto experience and accountability after the reboot!

Here are some real results from the reboot! Order by clicking here!

Ketone supplements, why you ask? They have changed my morning and day for the even better. I am such a must HAVE coffee, like, NEED COFFEE, for the taste and for the energy. My Keto pack I always was doing in the afternoon for a pick me up. But about a month ago I decided to push the coffee to the side for a week and do the Keto pack in the morning instead. Well, let me tell you, I haven’t went back, it’s changed my whole day. Energy for my workout: AMAZING! Mid morning lull: NON EXISTENT! Afternoon pick me up: I mean let’s be honest, I’m almost 39 weeks pregnant with a baby who doesn’t seem to have much room in there anymore, kicking all things, so there’s aches and pains and there’s also exhaustion that I don’t think can be helped! Good news though: looking forward to post baby keto packs too! I thought I would miss the taste of coffee right away in the morning but now I look forward to the cold or warm keto pack that makes a HUGE difference. If you need the coffee taste, there are flavors that you can most definitely add to a cup of decaf or even regular as long as your staying in the moderate caffeine intake. I still have 1 cup of coffee a day but that’s not generally until 11:30 or noon, which has been bizarre. So that’s a little bit more on WHY I love Pruvit ketones. To check out the flavors and all the benefits, click here.

Update on pregnancy. Like I said above, baby is very active, generally all over the place before I go to bed at night. I’ve still been sleeping 8-9 hours with generally 1-2 potty breaks. I really can’t complain. I’m anxious but mostly excited! I’m not nervous for labor, I like to think that when it starts I’m going to embrace it, I see no need to be scared or nervous because well, I know I’m in great hands and everything happens as it’s meant to. Looking forward to sharing with you all when this new bundle makes his or her debut! And, my next blog post I will share the rest of our maternity photo shoot session!

Does anyone have a goal they want to reach but you’re not sure where to start? I think the biggest misconception is that you completely have to change your life to lead a healthier lifestyle. By making small changes through your daily habits, it will make big changes to your health. Like for instance, switching from coffee with sugary cream to switching to a healthier option.   I’m a person who likes my coffee black but sometimes enjoys that cup of a sweeter option in the afternoon. Click here to check out what I use in my coffee! Click *Keto Kreme* once you get to my site.

Have you ever written down your food? When you eat, what you eat and how much you eat? That’s how we’ve found the most success. I designed a food and exercise journal that does just this; I’ve posted a picture below of a couple of my days. If you want to purchase a journal, click here.

So, as I mentioned in my New Year post I started a subscription of Hello Fresh. So far we’ve done three meals and I’m thoroughly impressed. Our order for this week came in yesterday and we tried one of the recipes and it was the BEST so far! It was called “Cheesy Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet”. There is a lot to some of the recipes but it’s a good a lot because it adds healthy ingredients like vegetables, fruits and spices that I wouldn’t always add into my recipes and on the positive side Mallorie has been eating while we’re prepping and cooking. So far she’s added red peppers and pineapple to her like list! The part I love the most is the time we spend together in the kitchen talking and listening to music. We got the Amazon Echo from our friends for Christmas so it has been quite entertaining for all of us to have Alexa play music! Mallorie gets a British like accent when she asks her to play something and Makenzie gets frustrated because she says “Awexa!” and sometimes she doesn’t stop and listen. Most of the time Makenzie’s request is “Awexa, baby shark, turn it up!”  If you want to get $40 off a Hello Fresh order, click here!

I also made this dip recipe this week, which was delicious. It’s a keto friendly recipe but everyone will love it:

4 tbsp acvocado
1 tbsp cream cheese
Sprinkle with some salt and pepper
Cut up some cucumber and put it on top or dip it
Simple but delicious!

Calories are for 1 whole cucumber with all of the dip

180 Cals, 14 Fat, 6 Net Carbs, 3 Protein

Have you had a good start to your new year? I’ve had quite a few particpants get one of my cleanse or detox options to kick the healthy habits into gear! If you’re interested in a 3, 5 or 10-day option, let me know!! I can ship anywhere or drop off if you’re in the Marquette area!