An Incredibly Long Day in the Life…

I’ve been asked a handful of times: What do I eat? What do I do? How and when do I workout? How do I fit it ALL in, and what is a usual day like? Well, a few months ago I was asked by my friends at AZ Foothills magazine to write an article about what an ideal day would be like to me. I?ve taken that article one step further and added bonus details and pictures that didn?t quite make it to print, and Voila?a real (long) day in our unpredictable, and oftentimes crazy, life. Enjoy! 🙂

6:00 a.m.: The alarm goes off (already?), and it?s time to rise and shine and jump in the shower. Thankfully, my hair is still good to go from yesterday?s hair appointment?it?s amazing when that happens?saves me some major time. And I?m loving this killer braid they did!

6:10 a.m.: Time to wake up Matix and Marley for school. While they?re getting dressed and ready to go, I quickly check my emails and texts to see what?s happened over night, and take another glance at today?s schedule to make sure I?m not forgetting anything (because that does happen). #babybrain Then I head into the kitchen to get breakfast ready.

6:30 a.m.: Matix and Marley eat breakfast. This morning it?s cereal with unsweetened almond milk and fruit for Matix, and scrambled eggs and fruit for Marley. While Marley?s eating, I do her hair?it?s braids for both of us today! Twinsies!!!?X HP_Marley_Braids copy - LR

6:50 a.m.: I grab a protein shake?we?re pretty partial to our Vemma Powell Perfect Protein Shakes 😉 ?and Chris and I drive Matix and Marley to school. Cash and Ruby stay behind with our nanny.

7:07 a.m.: We realize we?re actually early for school (seriously, how often does that happen?! NEVER!!!), so we make our daily Starbucks run before dropping them off. I grab the other half of my breakfast?my favorites?a morning bun and iced coffee (one pump of mocha, no sweetener). Yes, you read that right ? a morning bun. My daily ?hug,? I call it.

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7:20 a.m.: We arrive at school, and it?s hugs and kisses for both of them, whether they want them or not. 😉 They usually want them from Mom?but fight off Chris ONLY because he loves to make a scene in front of their friends.

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7:25 a.m.: Chris and I head to the AZ Channel 3 studio to tape a segment for Good Morning Arizona. While Chris drives, I finish my makeup, and then make some calls to the season 5 cast to talk about weigh-ins and goals for the upcoming week. We troubleshoot some weight loss mistakes for one contestant and talk about how he needs to Confess, Reassess, and Recommit to continue the transformation process.

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8:05 a.m.: We arrive at the station and get ready for our interview with Scott Pasmore (aka ? ?Dad.? He and my mom have been dating for more than 3 years now! How crazy is that? Chris? old buddy just may be his stepdad someday ? lol). During our segment we talk about one of our babies, our non-profit organization, Be Your BEST AZ. Then we show Scott and his viewers some commercial break sofa moves. And aren?t Scott?s socks awesome? Like father, like son (wink, wink).

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8:43 a.m.: Chris and I drive back home to meet our tech guy who can hopefully help us (two very tech-UNsavvy people) figure out some of our WiFi and computer issues. Technology. It?s a love/hate relationship sometimes. While Chris is driving, I?m on the phone hammering out business calls, mainly with our blog team walking them through the technical side of our upcoming posts.

9:22 a.m.: We get home and meet the Wi-Fi guy and notice that the pest control guy came to spray while we were gone. Whew! The Powell Pack will be free of scorpions (hopefully) for a few more months! Cash is up and around and enjoying a family breakfast favorite?oatmeal. Let me tell you, this boy loves his steel cut oats! I also grab a quick snuggle with little Ruby and her favorite pink giraffe. 🙂 I love my mornings with them?and must admit I?m feeling a little bit of sadness today to know I missed a good chunk of it while we worked.

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10:05 a.m.: Morning snack time! Today it?s plain nonfat Greek yogurt, a handful of mini peppers, and a banana. Yum!

10:35 a.m.: Chris, Ruby, and I head to the pediatrician?s office for her 9-month checkup. I can?t believe my little is already 9 months old already (3 months ago,when this was written)! Chris and I troubleshoot some current business situations, and talk about future business ideas. Then I catch up on emails and text messages while he?s driving (easy to do since Rubes is so little and sleeps in the car still!). I must say, it?s so nice having my own personal?and very handsome?chauffeur! He even addresses me as ?Miss Heidi? ? I?m sure, in a sarcastic tone?as he asks me where we?re headed to next. That guy definitely knows how to keep me smiling! 🙂

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11:00 a.m.: We arrive at the pediatrician?s office. Ruby keeps the doctor and his staff smiling and laughing the whole time we?re there, and she has plenty to say herself. That little girl has a lot of opinions for a 9 month old! She gets her shots to keep her healthy, they prick her finger to test her levels, and she doesn?t even flinch. She is one tough little cookie!

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11:53 a.m.: We leave the pediatrician?s office to drive back home. While Chris drives, we have a conference call with our agents to discuss a few overdue business matters, and Ruby hangs out in her car seat?once again, dozing off. Those smiles take quite a bit of energy out of her!

12:15 p.m.: We arrive home, where our contractor is waiting to go over my mile long list of house maintenance type stuff (fridge, dishwasher, family room, front door, and so on). There?s a lot to catch up on since we?ve been in Denver for several weeks for our season 5 Extreme Weight Loss boot camp, and we?ve got to fit in everything we can while we?re home for a few days. I steal some snuggles from Ruby and build Legos with Cash. He chatters about what he?s been doing during the day?that kid is hilarious. He keeps us on our toes.

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1:55 p.m.: Chris and I leave to pick up Matix and Marley from school, and I realize I missed lunch, so it?s lunch on the go today. Thankfully, I keep my favorite Quest Cookie Dough protein bars in my bag for times just like this. Add in the other half of Cash?s granola, and I?m good to go! Chris and I discuss details about our new book (on shelves summer 2015) while we?re driving, and throw around ideas for a title. Sometimes the title is the hardest part!!!!!

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2:29 p.m.: Matix and Marley hop in the car, joke around with Chris, and chat about the dramas of second and fourth grade. I could sit there all day and laugh at them. 🙂

2:45 p.m.: We all get home, the kids start their homework and piano practicing, and I talk to one of our teammates, Richard, on the phone about a potential EWL AZ boot camp house, while supervising both kids and picking up around the house. Yes, multi-tasking at its finest!

3:30 p.m.: Our friends from The List arrive at our home and start setting up the garage for our interview. We notice that the pest control guy was very effective?one of his victims is lying on our garage floor?yuck! I help Marley get ready for gymnastics and continue to supervise Matix? piano practice. He?s been improving every week since we told him that girls like it when guys can play instruments.

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3:45 p.m.: Chris and I do our interview with The List and our nanny drives Marley to gymnastics.

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4:30 p.m.: Our interview is over, and I grab a quick snack (deli low sodium turkey, an Ezekiel tortilla, and some spinach, all rolled up together) to eat on the way to meet Richard to check out that potential EWL AZ boot camp house. Chris stays home with Ruby and Cash, while his mom and nieces stop by for a visit.

4:40 p.m.: I arrive at the potential AZ boot camp house and LOVE it! Fingers crossed we can secure it. This could potentially be our peeps home away from home over the next 9 months as we finish off their journey with us! On the way to pick up Marley from gymnastics, Richard and I talk on the phone about Powell Metabolic-related business stuff.

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5:00 p.m.: I finally pick up Marley from gymnastics!!! She?s grinning from ear to ear that she can now do her back handspring on the floor?without a spot! That?s my girl? 😉

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5:20 p.m.: Marley and I get home and Chris and I play with the kids before the neighbors come over for a visit.

5:45 p.m.: Our sweet neighbors arrive?with dinner! So kind. :)? And while dinner is a bit early for me (I do my best to follow our every-three-hour eating schedule), I feel that it?s more important to be flexible and adapt my schedule to those around me. 🙂

6:15 p.m.: Play time! Our kids are in heaven because they?ve missed their friends soooo much. It was totally loud and chaotic, but they had a blast! And while the kids were playing, we adults tried to catch up on the happenings of life.

7:15 p.m.: Our neighbors head home to get their kids showered, Chris bathes Cash, and Matix and Marley take their showers. I get to bathe and put Ruby to bed?I snuggle her up, give her her pacifier and her little giraffe blanky, and she goes right to sleep. Dream baby!

7:30 p.m.: The neighbors come back over and we all crash on the couches to watch the movie Heaven Is For Real. Seeing Todd (the dad in the movie) suffering from his kidney stones was quite the unpleasant flashback of my kidney stone experience last November. And when Colton (the little boy in the movie) was holding Rosie the tarantula, it reminded me of Cash holding that same Rosie several months ago. It?s a great family movie?and I must admit, I shed a few tears watching it.

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8:15 p.m.: I put Cash to bed with ?Gray? (his blankee) and his Angry Birds. He will not go to bed without them!

9:15 p.m.: We tuck the big kids in bed. They got to stay up late tonight since the neighbors were over, and they definitely thought that was pretty cool! Chris and I head to the garage for a quick workout before it?s time for us to hit the hay. Our workout, you ask? Fast and easy. Ten rounds of 5 pull-ups, 10 sit ups, 15 air squats?as fast as possible.

10:00 p.m.: We grab post-workout grub (left over grilled chicken and potato), take some quick showers, I answer some last minute emails, do one last text check, and then do one of my favorite things in the world??attitude of gratitude? check with Chris. We each say one thing in particular we are grateful for from that day. Puts things in perspective.

Yes, it was a super busy day, just like most days are for the Powell Pack. But to be honest, we wouldn?t want it any other way. And while every day is a different kind of busy, with new opportunities to embrace, new challenges to figure out, and new memories to be made, one thing is a constant?we try really hard to find joy in each day?s journey, especially in those small, seemingly insignificant moments.

For all of you who?d like a food recap for the day, here you go:

Breakfast: A Powell Perfect Protein Shake, a morning bun and iced coffee (one pump of mocha, no sweetener) from Starbucks {500 calories}
Morning snack: Plain nonfat Greek yogurt, a handful of mini peppers, and a banana {250 calories}
Lunch: Quest Cookie Dough Protein Bar, and a handful of granola {350 calories}
Afternoon snack: Low sodium deli turkey, Ezekiel tortilla, and some spinach, all rolled up together {250 calories}
Dinner: The yummy dinner the neighbors brought to our house! 🙂 {estimated at about 450 calories for my portion of chicken fajitas}
Post-workout snack: Grilled chicken and potatoes {225 calories}
All day long: Water, water, and more water!

My daily total today: About 2,025?right darn near exactly where I aim to be as an active mom, attempting to maintain my weight and my fitness levels!

Xoxo,

Heidi

Want to learn more about our Carb Cycling program, including what, when, and how much to eat? Check out this post:

Carb Cycling 101

44 Responses

  1. I a carb cycling! Love you guys! After Christmas, when I have extra $ in going to include the BOD-e products. I can’t wait. I love quest bars. Are they ok to use on only high carb days as a meal or snack?

    1. Chris and Heidi workout whenever they can fit it in during the day. Sometimes it’s in the morning, sometimes it’s in the middle of the day, and sometimes it’s at night. It all depends on what they have scheduled each day.

  2. I really enjoyed reading you’re blog and that you have a busy schedule and make time for everything . Where do you get the quest protein bars? I usually only eat at the most 1200 calories 🙂 it’s working for me 🙂

  3. As another busy mom, I loved seeing this breakdown of your day. You did a great job keeping family, self and work life balanced. Kudos! As I saw your food, and finding something quick to eat as you needed to, I realized I would love to see what your basic pantry/frig items that you always keep stocked are. I tried to see if there was already a blog post I missed, but didn’t seem to find one.

    Thank you!

  4. You & Chris are an absolute inspiration! I’m a busy mom of two boys – 2 & 7 weeks and I’m back at the gym and really trying to eat for fuel! Seeing how busy you two are and yet still manage to eat so well and squeeze in exercise is amazing! Kudos to you and your sweet family!

  5. Your little stories and all of the pics you and Chris post just make my day. This was a great read…thank you! When I was working I was having a hard time fitting in my exercise and balancing everything. I was laid off from ten years at my job… So now I have these open days and find that I’m having a hard time…but I have good goals and just need to focus. Thank you for sharing your lives with us and know that you touch ours, and like its been said… You are inspiring. Go, Superwoman! <3

  6. Wow, I am exhausted just reading that. Lol I need to get a little bit more active! I think my calorie count is too high for what I do during the day. I’m working on being more active and exercising a little more. Have a great day.

  7. Thanks Heidi for sharing! I loved reading this. Whoa what a busy busy day! My day looks almost the same but I just have 1 daughter that’s almost 2.. Don’t know how I would manage with there more.. 😉

    I love you guys!
    xoxo
    Liba

  8. I was surprised at the food summary with the calories. I knew to eat every 3 hours if possible but the amount of calories you can have daily and maintain your weight is amazing. I am still trying to lose weight and I keep my daily calories between 1200-1300. I can’t wait for the day I can have 2000 calories and not gain anything.

    1. Right!!
      Even when I’m maintaining my ideal weight (58kg) I can’t eat that amount of calories (have to stick to around 1200 and keep it low carb) and I work out 6 days a week 🙁
      So jealous of Heidi! lol. Guess everyone is different.

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