New Dreams Come With New Sacrifices

Recently I have decided I wanted to push my body, I wanted to see just how far my results could go.

Of course this decision seems easy, I see the pictures of other people making the meal plans, doing the workouts and seeing amazing results. So my first idea was, let me begin the "NPC Bikini Competition" meal plan. 

   Excuse me?!? A bikini competition??

We all know what that entails and nope NOT for me! The doubts started running through my head. But I decided in determined to JUST see where my body can go! 

I started mentioning it to a friend and coworker. I decided with his help, why not try it!? 

So here I am Sunday January 11th in the office searching and reading about this diet. 

For any of you interested, I was sent the guide by 4hourlife.com it makes the rules very simple and easy to understand, although I still ask several questions, every couple of minutes. 

Looking through the information I knew I was going to have to make adjustments to my eating habits, for me I thought the only hard part was getting back into meal prepping.

The hardest obstacle I had to overcome was what it meant to me to go from about 900-1,200 calories per day to 1,400 everyday. My thought as soon as I heard the calorie intake was: I'm supposed to start seeing muscle definition and abs while taking in more calories? That cannot be possible. 

The one thing that was so important for me to remember was, it's not just calories, the food I am beginning to eat will fuel my body much better than the food I had been eating. 

Today begins day one of the new eating habits. I will be continuing with my workouts and adjusting when necessary. 

Yesterday was for preparation day, the recipes were kind of off the top of my head and I have not tasted them yet.

"If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail"

I used ground turkey, and chose several veggies to add into the mixture. 

✔️celery

✔️pepper

✔️onion

✔️baby Bella mushroom

✔️tomatoes 

Mixed them all together.

I originally planned to make burgers but I could not get them to stay together so instead I cooked it all up on a skillet with seasoning. 

I have begun to use myfitnesspal to track my calorie intake and progress.

If you would like to follow my recipes and see what I eat friend me bplummer21.

Feel free to comment with questions! I would love to hear from you. 

Connect on Facebook at newfoundconfidence or Instagram @FoundConfidence

Homemade Drain-O

             Homemade Drain-O

My drains have MAJOR issues! They are constantly getting backed up! Mostly my bathroom sink and shower. It gets irritating!! BUT now I found an easy, homemade fixer! 

What you'll need:

1/2 cup baking soda (I used Arm and Hamor)

1 cup vinegar

1 gallon boiling water

1. Carefully siphon the baking soda down the drain

2. Pour 1/2 of the vinegar into the drain and try to keep the fizz in the drain!

3. Add second half of the vinegar

4. Sit for 15 minutes

5. Flush with an entire gallon of boiling water

It made my drains like new!

Facial Scrubs

      Lavender Vanilla Facial Scrub

 I wanted to make a special gift for my grandmother this Christmas. She loves the smell of lavender-it helps her relax and sleep better. While I was looking for do-it-yourself gifts, I stumbled upon facial scrubs. 

 I wanted to send my health and fitness team a little something special that was unique. I thought this was a great idea. 

 As I was making all of these, which was so much fun, my brother continually made jokes about how I was working in a lab. The best was that I was creating something special, having fun and all while I was surrounded by family💖

The Ingredients:

🔻Glass container that seals (any size)

🔻2 cups of Epsom Salt (I got a lavender smelling mixture)

🔻1 cup Course Sea Salt

🔻2 TBSP Vanilla Extract

🔻1/2 cup oil (you can use coconut, Olive, peanut) I used coconut for some and Olive for others!

🔻15 drops of Lavendar Oil

🔻Red and Blue food coloring to make purple salt scrub (optional)

How to Put it All Together:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine the Epsom Salt and Sea Salt. Mix well.

2. Add in the oil and mix well, make sure all salt is covered by the oil.

3. Add in the Vanilla and Lavendar Oil and mix well.

4. Slowly add some drops of food coloring to create the perfect shade of Lavendar and mix well!!

5. Carefully pour the scrub into the jar

And enjoy!!

I used the 16 ounce mason jars and hot glue gunned patterned burlap on the top for extra added decoration. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Gift In A Jar

    Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix in a Jar

Ready made baking mixes in a jar as gifts are not new ideas. This year I decided it would be a nice change of pace for neighbors and coworkers. I looked around and found my favorites on Pinterest.

Ingredients:

- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 

- 3/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 

- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar

- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

- 1 quart mason jar

1. Combine flour, baking soda, salt in a small bowl

2. Place mixture in 1-quart jar.

**for a tip to getting your mix to look nice, use the back of a spoon to pack the flour mixture down around the outside of the jar

3. Add the brown sugar- use the same method to pack it down in the jar 

4. Finish by adding the sugar and the chocolate chips 

Great gift and fun to make :)

Bath Crayons For The Kiddos!!

        Fun, Chemical-Free Bath Crayons!

     I have seen mommas posting about bath crayons since early this past fall. When it came time to decide what to get my sixteen-month-old niece, I was continually reminded of these fantastic bath crayons! 

   So what are bath crayons?!

       Fun for the kids while in the tub! They can draw and write on the tile in the shower, with NO mess! The writing easily rinses with plain water! 

So, how are they made?

   Very simply!!! I had so much fun making these! I was getting creative and trying many different things that I found in my mom's kitchen-some worked MUCH better than others!! 

What you will need:

🔹Food Coloring

🔹Glycerin Soap (I got mine from the local health food store, but I found it is also sold at Walmart, Walgreens, and Target) There are many different bases, I used plain glycerin soap 

🔹Coloring (soap or food-I used food)

🔹Scent (optional-I used lavender)

🔹Shape molds

Directions:

1. Divide the soap so you can make multiple colors, then melt them in the microwave- I did increments of 30 seconds, I only needed two!

2. Add the food coloring into the glycerin soap and mix well.

3. Pour into the molds, some I used cookie cutters and others I used jello jiggler molds (the jello molds worked best because they kept the hot soap contained, unlike the cookie cutters)

I packaged them up individually with plastic wrap and put them in a holiday bag

I really enjoyed making them! I hope my niece enjoys playing with them!!

Fun for the kids!❤️

Train Like An Athlete: Update Week 2

I have kicked my training up a notch, this past week.

Although I have to admit, I stopped completing Focus T25 workouts-due to being sore and lack of time (since we are in overlap with fall and winter sports!)

I have seen nonscale victories as well as scale victories-already in this journey. 

My nonscale victories have included increasing my maximum weights on many of my exercises, more definition in my legs and my arms, abs beginning to show, and my calluses beginning to harden! 

My scale victory is small, it is only a pound and a half, but I am happy! I have been training heavy (for me) and eating decent. 

My struggles through this week:

My hands are taking a beating, both sides. From lifting and hitting the punching bag. 

Bruises on my collar bone, quad and knee from lifting! 

My hard work is paying off. One step at a time I am seeing gains and reaching my goals as a true possibility!

Landmines: to work rotational muscles and build strength in all areas.

Circle crunches: again rotational muscles are being worked. 

I am very excited about my progress and this week will continue and add in Focus T25.

Training Like An Athlete-update 1 month

Training Like An Athlete for one month!

I know I have been completely Missing In Action for the past two or three weeks and I apologize! 

I want to share some incredible Nonscale victories and yes they are nonscale, but they have improved me physically and mentally.

*First I want to share updated pictures

(Brand new clothes absolutely loving them!)

These are week 3 pictures! 

Week 4 pictures are following:

Slowly I have been gaining strength and toning up.

I am seeing muscles that I have never seen before.

My absolute favorite NONSCALE victory is being able to do pull-ups. I have never been able to completely them, assisted or on my own. Here is proof I have began to do it.

I have been able to do sets of 5! That is a huge accomplishment! 👏

What is my training schedule?

Six days of the week I train in the weight room and the wrestling room.

Three days out of the week I mix in a Focus T25 workout. 

(Focus T25!)

Changing up training styles to avoid plateaus are necessary. You do not want to hit a plateau without being able to adjust. 

My form is far from perfect, but day in and day out I look for critiques to make me better, I push myself just a little but harder.

Here are medicine ball tosses with sprawls. Sprawls are a common wrestling move and are full body exercises.

Some days are just the kind to beat the punching bag! 

My kicks need work! As you can see here my knee is pointing up, it needs to be down. 

My absolute favorite part about training:

THE FUN CHALLENGES

Challenging myself in nontraditional ways keeps the excitement boiling!

My latest update:

This past weekend I was traveling with the wrestling team. We trained at Ground Control in Maryland.

I was lucky enough to get to train as well. This provided an opportunity to  complete a different workout than I am used to!

I began with sludge hammer slams against the tire. 

10 on each side, followed by a 10 pound dummy bag flip. 

Once those were complete I did sled pulls down and sled pushes up.

The funniest part of the training session was getting to "box" one of my wrestlers. (He of course had all the protective padding on) 

**I did get a jaw shot in!😝

I have been completely blessed with my training this past month.

I would not trade my home workouts for anything, but I have added in a different style of training as well and I have seen the most incredible changes. 

Follow for tips and eating habits!

If you would like to connect please contact me!

My email is: brittanyplummer271@gmail.com

I would love to hear from you 🌟