First I want to say that bodies are incredible! Our bodies can create life and change so much. The picture on the left is me 9 months ago nine months pregnant with Briton. And the one on the right is me two days ago. A lot can happen in 9 months.

After having my email bombarded yesterday asking about my workouts and how to get a flat tummy, I decided to dedicate todays post in letting you in on how I have the stomach I have today.

My body is a reflection of my lifestyle. I live very simply, eat basic, while managing a lot. I have cut out anything that stresses me out. Like working out. No more worrying about my kids getting sick at the daycare or never feeling ready and running around in gross sweaty gym clothes all day.

So instead of working out, I just decided to focus on eating cleaner and totally just invest in my family at this stage of life. Since losing myself to my children and family it has paid off and I am in the best shape of my life.

My shoulders and arms are strong and toned from rocking my baby and picking up my kids when they fall. I do always squat 120 times and do 120 calf raises when I brush my teeth, always have always will.  I get my cardio the hr before my husband comes home from work and my kids are playing. I call this “power hour” I run around vacuuming, folding laundry, cleaning bathrooms, cooking dinner. I don’t look at my phone once during this time. I jam the music throughout our home and go to work. It is a really fun part of the day.

People may say I have good genetics, which I do. But I had the same “genetics” when I weighed 136 and was super unhappy with the way clothes fit me. Today I am 20+ pounds lighter and I don’t think about two things. How clothes fit me and losing weight, whereas when I was heavier that is ALL I thought about.

I want to help as many people get to their goal weight so you too can stop worrying about it and can just have fun in the moment and focus on the most important things in life, whatever that maybe to you.

By the way I am no longer consuming protein shakes, I felt like my muscles were retaining water. I have actually lost weight since stopping.

I eat very basic like I said.

I grab a yogurt in the morning (here) , dump granola on top of it until it hits the brim (this granola is the best), grab a spoon, put in my cup holder and am out the door every morning by 8:30 with 3 kids ready to go to their activities, school, and/or sports.

Lunch is a pb&j on bread or tortilla or turkey sandwich with apple or orange, sometimes a granola bar if we have to be somewhere quick.

Dinner is 90% of the time homemade and made health consciously where I can.

I eat s’mores once a week by our fire pit and go out for ice-cream every weekend.

Like I said very basic.

I love this crazy stage of life and I hope I was somewhat helpful.

Let me know if you have any questions.

black feathered tunic (romwe.com)

Apples are pretty amazing. They keep the dr. away, and are also natures toothbrush. But did you know they can also be used as oil, butter and sugar substitutes  in baking?

Today’s post is all about how you can make your cake, and eat it too.

It is very easy. For example, if you are using a boxed cake recipe all you would do is use the same amount of applesauce as it calls for oil.

If you are doing a recipe from scratch you can substitute the same amount of applesauce for the oil and ditch adding any sugar to the recipe.

If you are using apple sauce in your brownies or cookies from experience I recommend doing half and half. Half oil or butter and half applesauce. But for baking cakes, completely substitute.

Here is my favorite desert to make at home.

It’s called Apple Cake

• Cake

• 1⁄2cup  unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup  sugar
• **Instead of adding sugar and butter, just add 1/2 cup of butter**
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon  baking soda
• 1⁄4teaspoon  salt
• 1 teaspoon  cinnamon
• 1⁄2teaspoon  nutmeg
• 1 cup  flour
• 2 granny smith apples, peeled, chopped fine
• 1⁄2cup chopped pecans

• Caramel sauce

• 1⁄2cup  unsalted butter
• 1 cup minus 1 tbl. brown sugar
• **I use the butter and sugar for the sauce, I’ve never tried subbing it for the sauce**
• 1⁄2teaspoon  salt
• 1 teaspoon  vanilla
• 1⁄2cup whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine applesauce and egg
2. Add rest of dry ingredients and beat til mixed
3. Fold in apples and pecans. Pour into greased and floured large round, deep cake pan
4. Bake at 350º for 35-40 minutes
5. Meanwhile, make caramel sauce
6. Caramel sauce: melt butter, brown sugar and salt in pan over low-med heat
7. stir for 2-3 minutes
8. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and cream
9. Drizzle lots of caramel sauce over cake
10. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top for added YUM!
11. Enjoy- à la mode!

*If you have any questions let me know