Motivation

Staying motivated when life gets *in-the-way* can be a huge obstacle to conquer. It surely can be for me! 

The last month and 1/2 of been extremely difficult. I have been going through some personal trials, but I can almost see the light at the end of it. Through this rough patch I got off track. I detoured from my goals. I'm disappointed in my self, but I'm not giving up and want to get back on track before it gets worse. 

So, with that said I'm excited to share with you some of the tricks that have helped me to get back on the horse! We go through tough stuff so it makes us stronger, right?! So we can better ourselves? So let's get to it and take a step closer to our set goals!! 

Motivation tips and tricks:

1. Write down all the reasons you want to better yourself. You need that motivation list to keep you going during the plateaus. Look at it daily and remember why you started this journey in the first place. As new motivators develop, write them down too!

2. Begin a new hobby or start a new project. Think of something besides eating healthy or exercising that can keep you happy and busy during the lulls throughout the day.

3. Get a buddy. It is so much better doing it with someone than trying to do it alone. You can get a group of people together or just one or two friends. Self motivation is hard. Having a partner to rely on once in a while can make the burden easier :) 

4. Surround yourself with things and places that can keep you on track. Keep your workout clothes close, maybe hang up an outfit you are working to get into, keep your workout equipment out as a reminder and put the tempting foods away (high shelf, separate cabinet, or have a section in the kitchen & fridge that is just for you).

5. Decide when the toughest times to stay on track are and change the habit, remove yourself from the repetitive action and you most likely will loose the desire to get off track. Try it! I have personally had great success with this little trick :)

Share with me what tips and tricks you have!!! I'd love to hear :) 

GOOD LUCK!!!

Basic physics

I don't know about you, but I jumped for joy on my last day of physics class. It was just not my forte, and unfortunately my grades reflected that :/ BUT there is one thing that has always stuck "an object in motion stays in motion." 

What a SIMPLE and BASIC truth!!! 

We will all have our lazy days, come on, those are necessary, BUT the more we get up and GO, the more results we will see! 

Being a mom of two littles I seem to always be on the go, and I really enjoy it! The days we are out and playing are always my favorite. It's the days when it's too cold, rainy or stormy out that keeps us locked up inside I really struggle with. 

What do we do? How do we pass the time? Whether your a stay at home mom or dad, work from home or spend a majority of your time in and around your home, I have one suggestion- stay moving! Once we sit for too long we get sluggish and loose interest. TV could be one of the best and worst inventions! Although so helpful (news, weather,etc) and often entertaining we often find ourselves too hooked. It's tough, and I'm as guilty as anyone, but step away and be productive. Not only will you get things done, you will be prouder of yourself for your daily accomplishments and feel happier! 

It's sometimes easier said then done, I so often find myself taking too many "lazy days" and then eating poorly and not exercising, it's kind of a quick downward spiral. But the days I go,go,go I feel accomplished and so much happier! 

So, whatever your occupation or living situation, let's do this together, let's try and keep ourselves moving so we have more energy (the more we do during the day the better we sleep at night), get more accomplished, and feel overall happier! 

Share what you like to do to stay motivated and going, going, going 👍 

Happy hump day ☺️

It's not a diet, it's a LIFE change

I am going to open up and be vulnerable now. 

I hope I don't regret it later, but in the past when I have been open and honest it has always felt *right*

High school was the first time I encountered a disfunction with my eating habits. It was my junior year when I was wrongly told by a friend (we just were young, innocent teens) that in order to loose weight you couldn't eat more than you exercised, another words if I ate 500 calories, I had to retreat to the gym ASAP to run enough miles to burn 500 calories (making my net at the end of the day 0). I did this. After 6 weeks I lost 27 lbs (140 down to 113). I felt so skinny and I loved it. I didn't think it was wrong and my relationship with food became unhealthy. I would go days without eating and learned to LOVE the grumbling (hunger pains) feeling in my stomach. Crazy right?! 

I did this for about a year. My parents and friends tried to help, but I just held close this idea that the skinnier I was the more boys would like me and such. I developed such an thick outer shell. I didn't want to talk about the issue at hand, I wanted to enjoy it and live up the exciting time in my life. 

When I got to college my body finally began to give out. Long hours at the library, late night chats with my roommates, traveling around the north west with my choir and trying to juggle all the fun freshman year at college had in store for me put a toll on my not-eating enough ways. I got sick. I always had a stomach ache. I had no energy. I began to feel vulnerable and knew I needed help. But did nothing.

Fast forward to 1 year later and a lot of late night eating, and turning to food during break ups, I gained weight and didn't like it! I craved that thin figure and was willing to do anything to get it. So I turned to throwing up my food after eating it. This behavior I wasn't happy with, I was ashamed, but it was working and I got thin again. After a lot of trips to the porcelain throne and over-taking of laxatives I landed myself in the ER. That was a wake up call! After that I bounced around from doctor to specialists and found help. I gained the confidence I needed to own up to my disgusting habits and chose a healthier life style. 

After putting my education on hold while I dealt with this challenge, I got back into it and changed my major to health promotion and wellness with a minor in nutrition. I had been helped and wanted to reciprocate that kindness. 

Since then, I have fallen a few times (struggling to loose the 50 pounds I gained with BOTH my pregnancies) but I have gotten back on track and endured. Changing these habits and trying to stay fit and skinny have been an overwhelming trial for me, but one I will never give up on. As I have developed a better relationship with food, I have gained more love for my self and more confidence in my ability to be a better wife and mother, sister and friend! 

If you or anyone you know has ever struggled or are currently struggling with an eating disorder, please know you are not alone. You can change. You can better your life. This challenge does not need to ruin this life you have been given. It is tough, they are hard habits to break, but seek help and find yourself again, the self you WANT to be. 

Choosing healthy food and getting fit shouldn't be a diet, not a quick fix, but a lifestyle change. I can do it, you can do it, we all can do it! It takes hard work and self control, but we can do it together! 

Our bodies are incredibly beautiful, we need to take care of the inside so we can shine bright on the outside! 

Have a happy weekend!! 

Love the Log...

   Have you ever wanted to relive a memory over and over? I know I have! There are those precious moments in my life that I wish to relive over and over. When we write or LOG, we sorta get that chance. We live it, we write it down (reliving it for the second time), then we read it (living it for the third time+) Writing can be a true blessing!

  In my life I have tried to record my journeys, but have often fell short. Journaling can be hard, but I have seen the impact it has made. In fact, it has had one of the BIGGEST influences in my life so far- marrying the man of my dreams.

  I was in a rocky relationship where I was struggling to interpret the true feelings I was having with him- was I just blinded by love? Was he really THE one? Am I suppose to feel this way? Anyway, it was so confusing!

  I felt our relationship was moving fast and I didn't want to rush into something that could turn out disastrous. I turned to journaling. I know, it sounds totally weird, right?! But it felt so therapeutic to write down all of my emotions. After several months of writing, I was able to look back and see how unhealthy my relationship truly was. We broke up soon after this realization. 

  If I hadn't logged I may not have understood the whole story. When we keep a journal the entire story unfolds and allows us to see clearer. Journaling our daily food intake has the same affect. Lets do our best to keep a personal journal ( for our own sanity) and a food journal so we can stay accountable to our health goals!!

Sorry for the lengthy post today, but I hope we can all strive to have a daily log! Happy hump day ;)

ohh and I use MyFitness APP to log my food/exercise daily & it REALLY does help!!

The WEEEKENDER

Wanna stay on track with your normal fitness or healthy eating routine? It's always easier for me to do that during the routined week days, but it's the unexpected weekends that get me every time! Those summer bar aqua foods call my name, baking a yummy dessert Sunday afternoon seems to always be a must and eating out either Friday or Saturday night is almost always a fun way for our family to enjoy the weekend together. NONE of these things are bad, but combining them together, and repeating it EVERY weekend may decrease your energy, confidence and focus (on your health/fitness goals) come Monday morning. Here's 5 hints I like to do that help me stay on my pathway to happiness,

1. Eat out AND enjoy it! Don't keep yourself from enjoying life just because you're on a healthy journey, remember you are also on a HAPPINESS journey, and if eating out with your family makes you happy, then go for it! You can choose lean meats (chicken or fish) for a main dish, choose a side salad with dressing on the side to start your meal so you begin to fill up on veggies, order water with lemon to refresh yourself during the meal (try and drink two+ glasses and see how you feel) and skip the brownie/cake dessert and head out to a local frozen yogurt place instead (a lot less calories and still a tasty treat!!) More on eating out to come :)

2. Plan an outdoor activity for Saturday morning- the beach, the lake, hit the bike trails, go walking with a friend, etc The more you get moving the more energy you will have to stay focused and eat healthy the rest of the weekend! Remember an object in motion STAYS in motion!!! 

3. Bring SNACKS!! Snacking throughout the day can be a great way to keep you happy and feeling great! Choose an apple, a cheese stick, a granola bar, some wheat thins, some light popcorn, some cut up fruit or veggies. Eating every two hours wards off those hunger pains, keeps your blood sugar stable so you don't crash and crave sugar and keeps your metabolism going strong! 

4. Get your hubby/roommate/friend on board to help keep you motivated! Doing this alone can be rewarding for some, and if that's you, more power to you, but if you need a buddy to keep you motivated and consistent, don't hesitate to find that companionship!

5. Don't forget to nourish your mind. Sometimes we focus so much on our bodies (toning our abs, bulking up our arms and legs) we forget the importance of quickening and enhancing our cognitive capabilities. MIND OVER MATTER can really help us accomplish our health goals. I suggest to play some brain games (can find in the App Store or in store- like brain teasers and such), working on memorizing something (pick a longer quote, or a short article or if your spiritual maybe some scriptural passage), or have an intellectual discussion with someone (pick a deep topic and see where it takes you guys). Working your brain can keep you more focused, stronger and overall more well! 

You guys we can do this! There are so many more tips/hints I have to share, just like I'm sure you have to share :) so please don't hesitate to share! I would love to hear (or read) what you guys have to say!! What are some of your weekenders?!! (You know hints that get you through the two day weekend on track!!)  

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!!! Ohh and if you can get LOTS of sleep (sleep does wonders for both the body and the brain!!) 

Welcome!! I'm so excited about this new blog! I will be posting shortly the WEEKENDER :) Which I happen to love and do once in a while to get me ready for a long week ahead, or just when I need some motivation or a boost in the right direction. Stay tuned, I will be posting it tonight so you (and I) can start it Friday afternoon (before the 2:00 slump hits us and we are reaching for the chocolate pick-me-up or the salty satisfaction :)

Ohh and just so you know, I have been mentally working on this for months, but getting it all up and running (pretty to look at, explanations complete, easy to access, etc) is taking longer than I hoped, so bare with me for a week or so while I get a better handle on it, THANKS!!