Happiest 5K on the Planet!

OH YA!  I DID IT!  MY FIRST 5K!!!

I decided earlier this year that I was going to do a 5K.  I wanted to do the Color Run after seeing friends of mine post pictures of theirs over the past few years.  Well, New Orleans had a Color Run August 23, 2014, and I was going to do it!

I was so lucky because not only did I do it, but my husband and kids, his sister, and her husband joined me!  What an awesome experience this run was.

Here is us before

Me and my little family.  Yes, even the baby was ready!

At the start line at 7:30 a.m.

Now, I will be honest and say I had to walk the majority of it.  I couldn't run with that stroller I am holding onto.  It isn't a jogging stroller as much as an off-roading one.  It is rugged but as soon as you go faster than a fast walk the front wheel shakes uncontrollably.  But I gave my husband the nice jogger and he ran the whole thing.  

But seriously, it wouldn't have mattered if I ran it, I am proud of myself for speed-walking it and having a good time!  My daughter sure did!  She got out and "ran" for a while.

And check out the aftermath!

Haha, you can tell that the baby was NOT impressed.  And my daughter was ready to get down to party.

But we had a great time.  We got out, we got moving, we were active, and THAT is all that mattered!

And what made me so proud of myself is that I BOUGHT those leggings, WORE those leggings, and I think I look pretty good.  AND I GOT IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA!!!!  I HATE being in front of it and I did it willingly!  Getting rid of some of that weight has made me more confident in myself.  Whoop!

Can not wait for the next 5K!  Going to either get a different stroller or get a sitter for the kids so I can run it!

Hey Jiggles!

I am Fluffly.  Soft.  Squishy.  Pleasantly Plump.  Or, as my dad says to my mom, "You're in shape.  Round is a shape."

Ya, go ahead and giggle at that last one.  I always say it to myself when I feel particularly *blah*.

And I am working on it.  

But today my husband made me laugh so hard that I had to share this Meme with you guys.  His (joking) reason for our weight loss?  

Enjoy.  <3

Why I Chose Shakeology...

As a mom of 2, I am all for making my life easy.  Especially while they are still so little and always seem to tag-team each other for needing my attention.  Kids need warning labels stating they eat, poop, and demand mommy attention....  All. The. Time.

Moms, can I get an "Amen"?

But seriously, I love my kids.

And then having a husband who works nights and sleeps all day means I am with them almost 24 hours a day, 5-6 days a week.  I am not claiming Single Mom status here, just stating that my life revolves around baby dolls and "Frozen" as of late, and finding time to eat is a lot harder now.

So I had to find easy.  And FAST!  I tried frozen meals (can I say "Ick"?) and a lot of the ready-made meals were so high in calories or sodium that I felt that not eating was healthier compared to eating that junk.  I have tried GNC shakes and the ones you can easily find at Wal-Mart....  but I still felt hungry, sluggish, and blah (my Mommy-technical term).

What to do, what to do?

HELLO Shakeology!!!!!  I was introduced to this by a friend (and my own Beachbody Coach!) and I admit, I was skeptical.  I had already tried a bunch of meal replacement shakes and now I was supposed to shell out $$$ on yet another one?  Ummmm.... ok?

I can sum up the experience in 3 words - BEST IDEA EVER!!!  Finally I have a meal in a cup that I not only look forward to eating but actually has proven itself.  How, you ask?

Well, I took the shake for 10 Days as part of a Challenge.  I had energy, I didn't have sugar cravings, and I wasn't hungry after replacing a meal with it.  Then I went off it for almost 2 months.  And I saw a huge difference.  I was eating bad again, I wanted sugar foods all the time, I just felt icky.

When I talked to my husband about it, he told me to get back on it if I felt better.  I did just that.  And then asked him if he was interested in trying it.  At first I got this look like I was insane.  Till he saw that my weight loss journey was actually doing better now that I was back on it, and then he said "ok, I'll try it."

He has been on it for a month now and he swears by it.  My Marine husband, who has tried tons of supplements and meal replacements now swears by Shakeology!  He feels better when he takes it every day, especially after his morning workout before he goes to bed.

So perhaps you are wondering what is in Shakeology.  I know I am all about the facts.  Thankfully there is a comparison chart already made up with all of the nutritional information about Shakeology versus the other leading meal replacement shakes out there, including the ever popular GNC, MediFast, Slim by Vi, and Advocare.  Take a look:

Do you see the difference?!  I not only see the difference, I feel it!  I get all the nutrients that I miss in a normal day.  I know I don't eat enough veggies and fruits, and I know I am not getting the vitamins and minerals that I need in just my food.  I don't even take a vitamin anymore.  Why bother, it is all there!!

Want to know more about this AMAZING product that I and my husband are supporters of, as are thousands of other users who are seeing results?  Check out my link below or message me!

www.myshakeology.com/lauradufrene
laura.dufrene@outlook.com

A Wedding Ring Success

In 2011 I was pregnant with Eleanor. I had pre-e and gained a lot of weight, which sadly means my wedding ring no longer fit. Even after giving birth it didn't fit properly. Then I got pregnant with Damion in 2013. Didn't gain a lot of weight but it didn't help the ring situation. I hadn't been able to wear it since I got pregnant with my first, and my second baby made sure it stayed that way...

Guess what I just tried on? Yup, my wedding ring.

And. It. Fit.

No forcing it on. No cut off circulation. No fighting, tugging, or the soap trick to get it off. It slides on and off like it did the day I got married!

My daughter will be 3 in November.... it has been that long since I have been able to wear it.

Look at what 1.5 months working out and eating right did for me!!!!! Who else wants to change their life and be able to put those rings back on?!

"You exzercizing? You got this!"

Now I know that 2.5 year olds are full of energy.  I am the oldest of 8 kids and I worked with small children for many years, so I am very aware that they are moving from sun up to sun down.  But little did I know that this little spitfire would be the pushing me to keep going when I feel like I just can't.

Nono has decided that it is her job to join us on our journey to being fit.

In the morning she jumps into the jogging stroller and yells at her Daddy to "go fast!" while he is doing his 3 mile run.  Then, when they get home, she joins him in doing his T25.  She jumps, wiggles, twists, and does her own version, but she does it right beside him.

In the evening, it is my turn to have her.  She will plank (she is VERY good at these), run in place, punch, and kick right along me with Power90.   She grabs my kickboxing gloves after I get home Tuesdays and Thursdays, puts them on, and then asks "Wanna fight?"

And through all of this she yells at us "You got this, you got this!"  When we feel like we can't keep going she says "I love you.  You got this."

How can we look at her and say we can't do this?  We can't!  We have to keep going, because it has dawned on us that she looks up to us.  She does what we do.  And we have to show her that this is the right lifestyle.  So even though there are days we want to quit, we keep going.

So, I will ask you what she asks me all the time - "You exzercizing?  I exzercizing. You got this!"