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. From what I can tell from looking at the Vitamuffins site, they could be considered the carb part of a high carb meal. You’d want to watch the portion size, though.

    1. Here’s some general information on protein bars: Protein bars can be a healthy option for both low and high carb meals, especially when you need a quick source of healthy nutrition. For low carb meals, Chris and Heidi prefer Quest and Kind + Protein bars. They have some carbs on the label, but since most of these carbs are dietary fiber, they are actually what we call “non-impact carbs,” and these carbs don’t count. They also have a good amount of protein and fat?perfect for low carb meals! For high carb days, they recommend Think Thin and Cliff Builder, even though they do have some fat content. The key to knowing which bar is best for which type of meal is to look at both the carb and fat content. If more calories come from fat than carbs, then that bar is a good option for a low carb meal. If the reverse is true, then that bar is a good option for a high carb meal. Chris and Heidi do recommend consuming only one protein bar a day, since it is best to eat whole foods whenever possible. Hope that helps!

    2. Hi,
      I am still confused about the kind of protein bars for low and high carb days. On this blog you mentioned that Heidi’s day was a high carb day, but she had a Quest Cookie Dough Protein Bar, which I thought quest bars were for low carb days. Also, when calculating calories from fats vs carbs on these bars, do use the amount in grams of fats and carbs to calculate calories, ex. if fat content is 9grams and carbs are 10grams would this be a high carb bar? Also, do we deduct fiber and alcohol from the total carbs?
      Thanks again for this amazing diet!!

    3. Hi Dee: Yes, Quest bars are recommended for low-carb days, but on this very long day in Heidi’s life, a Quest bar was what she had with her, so it worked in a pinch. Here’s some info on protein bars: The key to knowing which bar is best for which type of meal is to look at both the carb and fat content. If more calories come from fat than carbs, then that bar is a good option for a low carb meal. If the reverse is true, then that bar is a good option for a high carb meal. And yes, you do subtract the fiber grams from total carbs. Hope that helps!

  1. Such a great post! I especially like how you workout a 9pm. Sometimes that is the only time that is feasible!

    1. One more question, are we suppose to eat two fist fulls of veggies with the five meals on low carb days? If not, what is the minimum amount you recommend?
      Thank you.

  2. Loved reading this! So, did you eat the protein shakes and bars while pregnant? Do you recommend doing so while breastfeeding? I’d love to have healthier eating habits but I’m pregnant and will be nursing and fear there may be something in the shakes or bars that wouldn’t be recommended to consume during that time. Thanks!

  3. Love your blog. So inspiring!
    I was hoping you could upload a food summary of a low carb day. When maintaining are you still getting the same amount of calories?

    1. Here are some examples for meals on a low carb day: Breakfast (within 30 minutes of waking): Basic Omelet with a corn tortilla to make it a wrap. Snack (3 hours later): A protein shake with a portion of a healthy fat, like peanut butter, mixed in. Lunch (3 hours later): Tomato Basil and Garlic Chicken with a portion of olive oil drizzled on top. Snack (3 hours later): Sonora Cottage Cheese with a portion of avocado. And the calorie total listed in the post is right around the daily total Heidi shoots for since she is maintaining her weight.

      Dinner: (3 hours later): Lemon Chicken drizzled with salad dressing.

  4. Thanks for sharing, Heidi! You all seem like such a sweet family that values relationships – what a blessing you are to so many – and I’ve never even seen your show yet! Thanks for inspiring so many 🙂

    1. You’ll want to check the carb amount – some “low carb” products do still have a good amount of carbs.

  5. First of all thank you for sharing the entity of your day with all of us! It means a lot! I actually felt a little sigh of relief reading that just thinking….you do it too!! This is life! This is normal! I have a question for u though, that has been a battle for me since I’ve started your choose to loose transformation. After reading your blog I’m wondering… Is it ok to do what I can as I can? Or should I be following what is recommended in the book to do my 9 minute missions in the morning and my cardio at any point in the day? Be honest- I need to do what works. My body is still holding on to these last 10 pounds like there’s no tomorrow!! What do u think?

    1. It is best to do your 9-Minute Missions in the morning – these will get those muscles working early in the day which will help you burn more calories during the day. You can do this!

  6. Ya, I thought my wife & I were crazy busy compared to people we know but the Powell Pack beat us.

    Heidi my wife (Stephanie) & I have very common interest in lifestyles as you & Chris as far as eating heathy, workouts, healthy habits for our kids (w/ 4 & 2yr old we look to you guys for ideas to get them to eat healthy food), & to help others. I enjoy reading your blogs. I was just wondering if Chris has a blog too? As a male I’m trying to gain more size, I’m very heathy eater and very few cheat meals. I was wondering what Chris eats on a regular basis and what his workout routine is?

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