Top 4 ways to get rid of your “mother’s apron” and a veggie spiral slicer giveaway!

Lately, I have been on a mission to get in better shape. My stomach has always been my “trouble” area and after carrying and delivering two large babies, well, let’s just say that a “mother’s apron” has been around – for almost 2 years. Ugh. Of course, I am proud of the fact that I made two adorable little girls in my belly. I totally get that. However, let’s be honest, I want this “mother’s apron” gone. Yes, I said that.
For the last 8 weeks, I hired a trainer and he basically kicked my ass at the gym. I met with him twice a week and on the other days, I went to the gym on my own and kicked my own ass. I totally fell in love with boxing. I learned how to lift weights properly. I learned how to use kettlebells. I even learned how to do pull-ups. I know, what the heck?!?! I have always been a runner – I would do a mile or 2 a few days a week – but that was pretty much all I know how to do at the gym. (Check out #operationfindmyabs over on Instagram).
So, how does a mama get rid of a “mother’s apron”? Well, I think it comes down to 4 main areas:
1. Diet. I’m not talking about typical diet foods like Diet Coke and Lean Cuisines. Oh no, I’m talking about eating real food, focusing on protein at every meal (including Arbonne shakes here and there), basically cutting out most processed carbs like bread and pasta and making spaghetti squash and zucchini noodles instead, watching my portions and late night snacking, introducing some high quality fermented foods and drinking lots of water. I am not perfect but when I follow this plan, I feel better, have more energy and my jeans sure do fit better.
2. Exercise. My trainer and I agree that it is all about getting the body fat percentage down. For women between the ages of 20-40, we want that number to be between 21-33 percent. When I first met with my trainer and he weighed and measured me, my body fat percentage was in the healthy range but higher than I wanted it to be. In just 8 weeks, I lowered that number by 2%. I sure don’t have a six pack but my stomach muscles are much, much stronger. What’s working for me? Keeping workouts different each day, boxing, lots of ab work including planks and leg lifts,
3. Sleep. Our bodies need rest and relaxation especially at night to refresh. Our digestive system needs it too.
4. Stress Management. People who have stress and anxiety related problems with digestion often benefit from relaxation therapies such as yoga, meditation, taking a hot bath, deep breathing techniques and even taking much needed time for yourself to get your nails done or go for a walk outside. Stress and anxiety make it much harder to lose that stubborn belly fat.

The biggest lesson learned is that exercise and muscle building is a journey, not a destination. All that matters is that we all keep moving and keep trying a little harder every day.
Like I said before, what happens in the kitchen is crucial. Learning to make healthier meals makes all the difference. Learning to adapt your family favorite dishes into healthier meals will not only help improve your family’s overall healthy and well-being, it will also help you lose that stubborn belly fat. So, I mentioned on Facebook that I wanted to try to make zucchini noodles and Salus Home Solutions reached out to me, sent me a veggie spiral slicer to try out, and graciously offered to give away another one to a lucky reader of my blog. This could be you! You know you want to spiralize some veggies!
Enter below to win your very own vegetable spiral slicer. Oh, and don’t forget to sign up for the 12 Days of Healthy Holiday Recipes online program! We start November 12th.
1. To enter, you must be a fan of BMoore Healthy on Facebook. Also, you must be receiving my monthly newsletters. Click here to sign up for my newsletter.
2. Use the Rafflecopter tool right here to enter to win. This giveaway is available to US residents only. Good luck! The contest ends Wednesday, October 22nd at 9:00 PM. A winner will be announced shortly after that.
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