Today, I hit a pretty big milestone in my journey! It made me realize that my journey is ever changing and never ending. It also made me realize that my great big journey I call life is made up of many smaller journeys that all overlap at times.
I have been on my fitness journey for almost 4 years now. I remember walking into the gym the first time ever being completely overwhelmed. My comfort level at the gym grew over time and I started to enjoy fitness. I learned what it was like to be strong and also invest time into myself. It was a great feeling. As with any journey, when you reach a certain level of comfort or achieve a goal, you are ready for another goal or something to change and push you a bit harder.
Over the last 4 years, I started working out in the gym, I competed in the Tough Mudder, I ran the NYC marathon, I became a runner, I stopped going to the gym, I started working out at home, I became a coach to share my journey and passion, and am forever evolving and looking for what it next.
My goals and ideas about fitness have changed so much throughout this journey and each one has resulted in a different turn in my journey.
When I first started working out, I actually wanted to maintain my weight and not slim down like I had in the past after my pregnancies. After my first two children, I lost a lot of weight but was not healthy. I didn't feel good and had zero energy. I was constantly drained and in a fog. I was slim but not strong. I would sleep a minimum of 12 hours every night.
I started workign at the gym and only knew how to use the cardio machines. I was afraid to try anything else but after workign out at the gym for 3 years, I learned how to lift weights by watching others. I would run on the treadmill and watch other people lift and I would copy what they did. Then I finally got into a rhythm.  The problem was that I did the same exact workout 4 times a week. I never changed it because I did what I knew and was stuck in a routine. To change it up. I would increase my weight. I didn't really have goals and going to the gym became me going through the motions. Then I got to this point where I plateaued and even started gaining.
So what do I do? Sign up for the NYC marathon on a whim. I through I was a runner and I thought having a purpose for training would push me and would also help me reach my physical goals. I loved training and learned so much about myself physically and mentally! However, I couldn't lift the way I used to and train for a marathon.
That is when I found PiYo. This workout introduced me to at home workouts and worked me out in a different way and also gave me the guidance of a trainer. Someone to teach me what to do and how to do it and I had a plan to follow which changed my daily routine up. It was through this program that I also learned about proper nutrition. This program led me to the next at home program and then another and another.
I no longer go to the gym and I no longer have excuses that I can't workout out. I traded in my 2 hours of gym time for 30 minutes of sweat at home in my living room.
I am stronger than I ever have been. I am the most fit I have ever been. I have the most confidence I have had and most importantly, I am the healthiest I have ever been!
This morning I got on the scale and I reached my lowest weight ever while also being the strongest I have ever been.
So what is next? Once one goal is achieved, another is made! I think I am on to Body Beast! I have loved PiYo, T25, 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, and Insanity Max 30. So why not give Body Beast a try? I think I am ready for another challenge and to continue to change and work on myself!

Where are you in your fitness journey? I would love to help you and for you to join me! ninapears@hotmail.com beachbodycoach.com/ninapears

Nina Pears

Trail Mix Cookies- Sugar Free Clean Eating Recipe

Trail Mix Cookies- Sugar Free

Ingredients Dry Ingredients 1 cup rolled oats, processed into oat flour 1/2 cup almond meal or almond flour 1/2 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup sliced almonds 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut 3 tablespoons mini dark chocolate chips 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds 2 tablespoons chia seeds 1/2 cup dried cherries- no sugar added at all just dried 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda Wet Ingrededients 1/4 cup raw almond butter 1/4 cup coconut oil 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

• 1) Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• 3) In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.
• 4) In another medium sized bowl, stir together the wet ingredients.
• 5) Add the wet mixture on top of the dry mixture and stir well until combined. This will take quite a bit of stirring until all of the dry patches of flour are gone.
• 6) Portion small balls of dough (just smaller than golf balls) onto the baking sheet, spacing them a couple inches apart.
• 7) Bake cookies for 14-15 minutes (I baked for 15 minutes), until a light golden brown on the bottom. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack until completely cool. The cookies will break apart easily until cooled, so be careful.
• 8) Wrap up and store leftovers in the freezer if desired.

Nina Pears

Meal Planning Food Prep

Up until about a month ago, I had no idea how to meal plan and food prep. I also was not aware of the positive impact it would have on my life. Why didn't I even attempt to do it? I didn't have the time! Little did I knwo how much time I would make up on the initial investment put in once or twice a week.
To give you a little background about myself, I am a full time teacher (not a typical 9-5 job by any means), I have 3 children (4, 6, 9), my husband is a firefighter who is gone at least 72 hours a week and always 48 straight hours, all of my kids are in activities, we spend a lot of time in the car, I am a fitness coach, and workout and run every day! To say I am a little bit busy is an understatement! I didn't think I had time for meal planning and prep!
A month ago, I started a new fitness program and to follow the nutrition plan, I knew I had to plan and prep other wise I would fail miserable and I have always failed the nutrition plan in the past. So I dedicated a day to it! To my surprise planning and prep didn't as long as I thought it would. I spent a couple of hours figuring out what I could eat, planning, and then actually cooking. Over the course of the month, I have mastered a system and I can do the majority of my prep in an hour. I always pre-make my staples and plan on spending some time replenishing the staples mid week. I like food as fresh as possible to I prep the food twice a week. I also consider my schedule when prepping. I always make sure I have dinner options mostly made for the nights that we won't get home until 7 so I can quickly put it together or have something that can be packed for a meal on the go. For the nights I know I will be home, I have a dinner planned that I will make fresh for us.
This hour investment on Sundays has saved me so much time, frustration, and money during the week and has set me up for success to be as healthy as possible and to stay on track! I wish I had learned this when I first had kids!
So what are my staples- ground turkey, shredded chicken, soup/stew, hard boiled eggs, steamed veggies, shakeology, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and carrots. The ground turkey and shredded chicken can be used by itself for lunches and can be made into so many things for dinner on the go or a quick fix when we are gone for 12 straight hours some days.
I am never left with the desperation to eat out or get fast food. I eat 100% clean and the kids eat 90% clean.
I would love to share my tips and tricks and meal plans if it would help you!

Before shopping for the week

Meal prep is done for a family of 5!

Nina Pears

PARCC- Bring it on!

If you have school aged children or are in the education industry, chances are you have heard of PARCC and probably have pretty strong opinions about the test. PARCC has become extremely controversial.
As a parent and a teacher, I have my own beliefs and opinions about the assessment. I can see the good and the bad in it. There are some aspects of this test that I like. Yes, I did say I like some parts of it. There are others that I don't necessarily agree with.
What I do know is that as a role model for my children and students, I need to be positive. I need to prepare them the best that I can so they can go into this exam with an open mind and try their hardest to be the best they can. I want my kids and students to have integrity. They need to give their all in every endeavor they take on. I have such a small amount of time to make an impact on my kids and in my classroom. It is my job to take every situation we are presented with and use it as a valuable lesson that will transfer over into their life in the real world.
I think back to my childhood and situations I was put in and how I learned from those situations. As an adult those situations from my childhood frame my behavior and actions.
If your child participates on a sports team, would you have them forfeit a game that you felt they weren't fairly matched to their opponents in. Or would you tell them to try their hardest, do their best and maybe they would become better athletes playing against the harder competition.
We always tell our students and children to believe in themselves and to shoot for the stars. They are going to be faced with impossible situations for the rest of their lives. There will be times in the real world that they are in over their head. My wish is that they have the skills to put themselves out there and always be able to walk away from an impossible situation with their integrity knowing they tried.
Yes, I know that the PARCC Assessment may be difficult. I have taken the practice tests and I did have to think on some of the questions. My students and my own daughter have taken the practice tests. They struggle a bit but it is amazing to see what they can figure out and how they can rise to the occasion. I want my students and kids to be problem solvers and critical thinkers. I want them to be the best that they can be. Many kids want and need more.
I like the idea of having a common assessment in our nation. How cool is it to have a measurement so students in New York are being assessed on the same skills as students in Colorado. Does it need to be impossible? No, of course not but if everyone is taking the same assessment it will be an accurate measure of where the kids are even if they all fail. What about the kids that struggle? Student achievement is a measurement of academic growth. As a teacher, no matter what level my students are at, they all better grow at least a years worth of growth other wise I have failed as their teacher and I am not afraid to be judged that way.

So I say Bring It On! Will it be hard? Absolutely! Is it fair? Probably not! Are my kids ready? As ready as they are going to be. Will they try their hardest? I sure hope so. Will they fail? Possibly! Will they learn from this experience? Absolutely! Will PARCC be long lived? I'm guessing no!
What can we do as parents and teachers going into the assessment season? Embrace it! It is here. We can alleviate the stress for our kids or escalate it. Make the best of it and move on!

Nina Pears

A runners Confession

I truly became a runner last year. I ran every day for over 250 days. Not one day off! I trained for a marathon. I set goals and reevaluated and set new goals. I trained for my first marathon and grew so much during that experience. I ran my first marathon and it was life changing. I over came challenges and grew so much. I found peace in running and got to know myself and learned so much about myself. I vowed to not let go of running after my race and to make it a part of my life every day here on out.
I didn't want to ease up on my running because I was afraid of losing what I had gained. I was afraid of starting all over again.
I didn't think I liked running in the cold and the winter but I realized I never really gave it a chance. After running in the cold and the snow, it wasn't all that bad. It was calming and peaceful and fresh.
There was no reason for me to stop running. I held on.
Then I had a personal battle. My mind was telling me to keep going and to not think about it and just run but then during my runs, I just couldn't wait for them to be over with. I wasn't enjoying my runs and I was just running to run. Counting the miles and taking short cuts and just getting my run in to say I ran.
I didn't realize this was going on at the time. I blamed it on my excuses- the weather, no time, so busy, my other workouts.
As a fitness coach, I tell people there are no such thing as excuses. Get rid of them and just do it.
So I would run. I just did it and then I didn't one day and then that day turned into a few and then all of a sudden 3 weeks went by.
And then today, I wasn't planning on running but I did. I had a desire to. I had that urge again where I couldn't' go on with the rest of my day until I ran. I enjoyed every step and every breath. I was not counting my steps and waiting to get back home. I was wanting to go further and to run faster.
What I learned from this is that it is great to take a break when something becomes tedious. It doesn't mean you are failing. It doesn't mean you are giving up. It makes you miss it and want it and remember why you do it. Starting over isn't so bad. I can't go run a marathon tomorrow but I can train again and enjoy every day of my training and have so much growth again.

Nina Pears

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

I am on a big clean eating kick and actually the whole family is doing a great job sticking to what I plan and eat and not complaining too much. We are trying to be really strategic with our carbs- when we eat them and eating the best carbs we can. We will splurge every once in awhile and the kids have a bit more wiggle room. But what if you can make a pizza that is carb free and super clean. You could eat it all the time and it doesn't become a splurge any more. We used to make Pita pizzas a lot. We really liked them but when we became sugar conscious, we realized pita has sugar. So it is now entirely guilt free but still a great alternative.
I have heard about cauliflower pizza crust but I am not a fan of cauliflower. I decided to give it a try.
My only complaints about this recipe is it is a pain in the rear to hand grate cauliflower. I will put it in the food processor and it takes a lot of cauliflower to make a little crust. It was extremely tasty! I wanted to make it for myself and let the kids try it to see if if would be a recipe we revisit. The kdis loved it to my surprise and I thought it was pretty tasty. It had a unigue taste to it. I would like to make the crust thinner and hopefully crispier in the future. There is room to play and tweak this recipe for sure!

Grate 2 1/2 cups of cauliflower
Microwave cauliflower for 6 minutes
cool cauliflower
add 1 beaten egg and 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese to cooled cauliflower
mix well and flatten out on a sprayed pizza pan
bake at 425 for 12 minutes
top with desired toppings and bake to melt cheese and warm toppings

Nina Pears