Healthy Journey Series Part Seven - Isa-scuse me?

Hi everyone! This is my seventh post in my Healthy Journey Series.

Thank you all so much for coming along on this ride with me, I really appreciate the kind comments and support <3 I will get back to blogging about some beauty related things soon, but I wanted to get this story out first as I am truly passionate about this and really want to share with you.

So the title of this post is a shout out to the person that introduced me to this new opportunity. She told me I reminded her of Anna Kendrick from Pitch Perfect, I'll take that compliment!

Isagenix. Have you heard of it? I hadn't.

(My two favorite products from Isagenix and my adorable little shaker!)

So I hopped on the internet and did some research and after much debate I decided to go for it and order some products. What the heck? If I absolutely hated the products I could get my money back so no harm in trying right?

To clarify Isagenix offers a range of products to help you have a more healthy lifestyle. They have different packages based on your goals and needs and at a variety of different price points. The kicker for me was that the shakes they offer are full meal replacements. Not a protein shake or snack to be had pre/post workout but an actual meal replacement. And you know what? It's made with real food. Real vitamins and minerals that your body needs. No weird chemicals and artificial sweeteners.

I tried it for a week and lost a pound, but I was feeling a lot better. Hard to believe given how good I felt adding exercise and making healthy eating options into my life already. But I wasn't 100% committed, so I decided I was going to return my products and just move on to something else. I called and got a return number and had everything all boxed up and ready to go.

And then it sat there for two weeks. Two weeks. Remember, everything happens for a reason. I kept seeing my friend and others post about how great the company was. How great they felt using the products long term and how supportive the company was and how great the culture was and being so supportive of one another. Not saying they are perfect here by any means, but everything was just really positive.

So I called my friend and told her I still hadn't returned my stuff and wanted to talk to her about the company and the business opportunity. In the mean time I had watched "all the videos" and read a ton of articles, blogs, etc. (I really commit to my research guys). And when we met for coffee there wasn't anything she told me that I hadn't already read or heard about something else, but she was able to explain the comp plan to me in a way that made real-life sense so that was way helpful. And seeing her passion come through as she was talking about it is what really sold me.

I have sold Mary Kay, mark., and Avon in the past so I know about network marketing and I know how hard you have to work to be successful and how rewarding it can be. But none of those companies offered a comp plan and success tools like Isagenix does.

And so here I am, staring down the awesome opportunity that awaits with this awesome company. I can't wait to see where it takes me!

A Healthy Journey Part Six - But Now What?

Hi Everyone! This is part six in my Healthy Journey Series.

I am feeling great, better than I have in a long time in fact. And I lost the weight I have been talking about losing for years. I still have some additional fitness goals I want to hit, but I want more than that. I have always had a secret love affair for the fitness industry.

(Diesel is very supportive of my fitness goals. Also, if you haven't tried PiYo, you're missing out.)

When I started college the second time (or maybe it was third, I don't know) my major was Exercise Science and Sports Nutrition. As I mentioned in a previous post I worked out like crazy in college and I liked how I was feeling. So when I was picking out a major I thought why not do this for a living? And then, I had to take Anatomy. Did you know there are roughly 900 gagillion bones and shizz in the human body?! And did you know that in order to pass that class you have to have it all memorized. Yeah...that didn't work out so I went back to my other passion, psychology. [In case you are wondering 9 years later I finally graduated with a double major in Psych. and Marketing. Yes nine years. No I don't have a PhD, I just like to take my time.]

But I have still always secretly envied those in the fitness world and have always wanted to be part of that. But I felt like I didn't fit in. As I said, I didn't play sports, I wasn't a naturally fit person so I just never felt right trying to insert myself somewhere I wasn't sure I belonged.

Now that I have started on this journey I feel that pull stronger than ever. I want to help other people, I want them to see that they can accomplish their goals and live a healthier life. If I can do this, anyone can do this.

I was offered the Beachbody Coaching opportunity and thought it made since to get a discount on Shakeology. I liked Shakeology, it tasted good, it was semi-filling and made me feel good about putting all kinds of good nutrients in my body at least once a day. But in terms of weight loss, it didn't really do much for me. Eating "clean" and incorporating more veggies and fruits with protein, healthy fats and carbs along with literally moving my ass each day is what did it for me. I know this product helps a lot of people curb their cravings for sweets but I am not a sweet eater (damn you potato chips!) so that didn't really matter to me. It's a great product, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't the key for me.

The key for me is the feeling. I love how I feel. That's what I want to share with people.

You may have read my post a few weeks ago about not believing in coincidence and that everything happens for a reason. (Go read it quick, it's short.) And I believe I am on this path for a reason. I believe that this theme in my life has never really gone away because I am truly meant to do something with it.

A couple of months ago I had the opportunity to participate in a local artist show and I got to meet some of the most amazing women (and a couple men) and one of them introduced me to a new opportunity. Something I had never even heard of and was really pretty skeptical about, but then I did some research (and by some I mean I watched an inappropriate amount of YouTube videos, read a shit ton of blogs, articles and went to A LOT of websites to find out more.) I basically was consumed trying to get all the information I could because I am certain this is something I am passionate about and want to share with everyone.

(Me and the amazing women from the fashion show I was in in August. If you like the fashions pictured, check out my friend's site here.)

A Healthy Journey Part Five - Results.

Hi Everyone! This is my fifth post in my Healthy Journey Series.

The results were/are awesome. I lost 15 pounds. Finally. I have been talking about doing that for longer than I can count right now. Fricking finally. But that wasn't all.

 (This is after the first 30 days. I was down a few pounds and starting to see muscle definition.)

(This is at the end of 60 days. Be jealous of my shirt, don't judge, I know you want one.)

I was super pumped about the weight loss. But I also felt better. See there's that word again, "feel". I was sleeping better, I felt better when I woke up and throughout the day. I had more energy and didn't feel as stressed out all the time.

I was thrilled with the results. About half way in I actually started following the meal plan and that's really when the transformation gained momentum. I was eating better, drinking less wine (sad, I know, but not really), both of those things coupled with the increased activity and better sleep really sold me on being healthier long term. I could see that this wasn't something to finish and then go back to my old ways. Why would I trade more energy and better sleep for feeling like shit and not sleeping great? I wouldn't. And I haven't.

So now that I had lost all of this weight, one of the things I did to help keep me committed to my new lifestyle was to get rid of all the clothes that were too big. No hanging on just in case. They were gone. I have gotten rid of 12 bags of clothes. I had to go out and buy new jeans and a couple of dresses for work but most of my tops still fit. I also had to buy new undergarments because those weren't working any more either. I also had to buy a new swimsuit (That was fun! Seriously.)

But, as you may be wondering, I started to wonder what next? What do I do when this 90 day program is over? Do it again? What else am I going to do?

Well thankfully Beach Body has a slew of other workout programs to choose from. I picked a couple and am working on those now. But I am finding myself wanting more. I want to challenge myself physically. What else can I do? Since completing P90X3 I have lost a few more pounds, which is great but it's not my end goal. So now what?

A Healthy Journey Part Four - Let's Do This.

Hi Everyone! This is the fourth post in my Healthy Journey Series.

After coffee that day I was able to find used P90X3 workouts online for super cheap and placed my order. I texted my friend and agreed that the following weekend I would get started. She had already started so she was a week or two ahead of me. 

The DVDs arrived and I was super pumped. I read everything I could find and watched a crazy amount of YouTube videos so I understood just what I was in for. The program was seven days a week and each workout was only 30 minutes so I figured at the bare minimum that I would lose weight because I was going to be working out seven days a week as opposed to one or zero days a week.

(February 14, 2015, I am sucking in my belly so much here that I can barely breathe.)

So on Saturday morning I woke up and did my first P90X3 workout. And it was not as terrifying as I thought. It was hard. And I was sweaty. But I didn't die and I didn't puke (I set the bar pretty low), so I considered it a win. And then something weird happened. I was super excited for the next workout. Weird. And then after the second workout, it happened again. I really enjoyed working out. Who knew? It was so helpful to have my friend for support. We texted each other and encouraged each other the whole way. It took us a little longer than the 90 days to complete the program, with work and life we weren't able to work out every single day of that 90 days. So in June I/we completed the 90 day program. 

And the results were kind of awesome. 

A Healthy Journey Part Three - Ask for help.

Hi everyone! This is my third post in my Healthy Journey Series.

Once you have your head in the game, things will change dramatically. Being healthy is a lifestyle. Not a diet. It's not fitting into pants from high school (even if the 90's are trending again). It's about doing things everyday that will make a difference. Taking a walk. Choosing an apple instead of potato chips, eating a salad instead of another slice of pizza (but still have a slice!). It's all the little things that add up to change.

(This is Isis. She is not impressed with my journey. Or yours.)

I had to realize that this couldn't be a short term solution to a long term problem. I love eating and I love some forms of exercise so I had to find something that would allow me to work my body in an enjoyable way and still allow me to eat "real" food (because apparently I thought really fit people ate "pretend" food...)

So after I sort of got that I need to make some lifestyle changes I asked for help. It didn't really come across as a direct ask like, "Hey I need help, please help me!" But one of my best friends is super fit and has always made healthier eating choices than me so I asked her what she was doing. I told her I needed to try something new because the same old crap wasn't working. This was right after the holidays and she was looking to get back on track too so it was perfect timing really. She told me that she had done P90X3 a couple of times and was impressed with her results and would do it with me if I was willing.

Internally I was freaking out, but I heard myself say "Yes! Okay!" I was panicking because here's what I knew about P90X:

• Really buff people were on the DVD cover = Really buff people did P90X workouts.
• What the eff is P90X3?
• I haven't been really, truly physically active in like a decade or more. 

My friend played volleyball in high school and has always been in slightly better shape than me so I was thinking there was no way in hell I would be able to do this and keep up with her. So I did what any person would do. I fished for a compliment/reassurance. I said "Yeah I am so out of shape though, do you think I would be able to do those workouts?" And she was wonderful and said "You look great! Of course you can, they're only 30 minutes!"

And all I heard was  "You look great!" and "30 minutes". Certainly I can fricking handle 30 fricking minutes. I mean seriously.

So I left coffee with her agreeing to purchase the DVDs online and we would start the following week. On Valentine's Day actually. 

A Healthy Journey Part Two - Get In Touch with Your Feelings

Hi everyone! This is my second post in my healthy journey series.

So why not me? There are tons of fitness models and coaches and professional athletes well in to their 60's who are in better shape than me. I'm only 34, surely I can get fit too? Right?

Sure! Of course! But it won't start in the gym. It won't start at the grocery store either. And it certainly won't start online shopping for cute work-out clothes.

It starts inside. In your head. Yep.

Dig deep and get in touch with those feelings!

(This is Dahlia. Stealing sports bras off the drying rack is her version of getting healthy.)

Something in my brain had to finally turn on and get it. This can't be about being a certain size. It can't be about looking like a Kardashian or Cindy Crawford. This is about being healthy. Which means FEELING good. And feelings start on the inside. And then they work to the outside. And when you feel good, others can feel it too.

Notice I said feel. Not see. Feel. Just think about it.

If you feel good about yourself, you are likely to smile more, use more open body language, have a more positive mood and generally be more pleasant to be around. I am not saying you are perfect, or never crabby, but generally people who feel good are more fun to be around than people who feel shitty. Just think about people you know and how you feel when you are around them. Crabby, fun-suckers might be funny for awhile or you can understand their struggles, but being around them constantly is draining. When you are around someone who is smiling and positive (not like nauseating-Polly Anna-optimistic all the frickin time either) is more relaxing and fun to be around. Agreed?

Once I was able to start getting my mind on the right path, it wasn't as much of a struggle to start getting the rest of me there too. It wasn't a cake walk, but it wasn't as much of struggle as it has been in the past. You can't do nothing, eat like shit and mope and expect to suddenly feel better or lose weight. You have to own who you are and decide that you want to feel better and then figure out what you need to do to get there.

This mental clarity or realization has take me YEARS to figure out. It's still something I have to remind myself daily and some days are better than others. But physical health is directly linked to mental health. Get your head in the game and watch it change everything.

A Healthy Journey Begins

I know a lot of people are using the word "journey" to talk about a lot of things right now. Today I want to talk to you about my journey. This will be the first in a series of posts as this is a long story to tell and one that is still in progress.

This is not a story of weight loss, though that is part of the story, it is not the focus. This is not a story of being skinny or thin. Healthy does not equal skinny. Being fit does not mean losing massive amounts of weight. Being healthy is more than just what you put in your mouth or how many burpees you can do or what size jeans you wear. This is my story of how I am getting healthy.

(This is Onyx. He is not on a journey. But he likes it when I put pictures of him in my blogs.)

Health and fitness is something we all work on everyday. Some of us work harder than others and for some of us it's easier than for others. Many people have huge obstacles and hurdles in their way; be it financial, disabilities and disease, or simply a lack of motivation. Everyone is different.

I've seen a crap ton of fitness and healthy quotes and some of them are really awesome, and some are really stupid. But one that stands out for me as really cheesy and true is that fitness is a journey, not a destination. I don't know who originally said that and I don't know where I originally saw that so I can't credit the source here, but that's not the point. The point is, is that I didn't really get that until now. Seriously, like in the last week or so I've really been thinking about that statement and it's never been more clear to me. 

I have struggled with fitness since I was a little kid. A lot of kids around me were into playing sports and being active. Me? I was totally content to hang out inside with my toys and not get sweaty or deal with bugs. As I got older, I still didn't really care about participating in sports because that would have required interaction with others and I wasn't super in to that. Once I was in my late teens and early twenties I decided I wanted to "get in shape" and tried various magazine workouts and bought a couple of workout DVDs from Target to help me get fit. 

In college I worked out pretty hardcore, but didn't really do anything else to support my healthy lifestyle. I drank a lot and ate like total crap, but I was 23 so my metabolism was working in my favor. I am now 34 and my metabolism is looking at me like "Pay back is a bitch, eat those fries, I dare you." And when I look back at pictures of me from that time period I am not as fit-looking as I thought I was. I am not saying I look bad, I just am not as defined as I felt (or remember feeling). 

Then I entered the professional work force and went from one desk job to the next. I gained some weight and then would decide to eat better and would lose a pound here and there. Then I decided I didn't care and ate whatever I wanted and screw eating salad. 

A couple of years ago I had started working out more, but not really quite eating as healthy as I should have been and I lost a little weight due to increased activity. Then we moved into a new house and had all kinds of other things going on in my life and eating healthy kind of took a back seat. I felt fine, I was tired and stressed, but I felt like that was normal. I wasn't paying any attention to my weight, but I knew that some of my clothes were feeling tighter than normal and just thought, well I'm over 30 now so this is what happens.

But it's not what happens. Why should I have to accept that because I am now 30 that it will just be down hill from here? People over 30 can be healthy and fit right?! Why not me?

Bye Felicia!

I am a make-up hoarder. Well, kind of. I really like make-up, so I tend to buy it a lot. It's like...a hobby. People ride bikes, collect comics and stamps, I collect make-up. Or I used to.

A couple of  years ago I really felt pressure to buy a lot of the new make-up items, mostly from the drugstore, in order to make sure I was trying the latest and greatest and providing my readers with reviews, swatches, etc. I had So. Much. Stuff. Too much actually. And it was really stressful to me to have all that stuff that wasn't getting used and wasn't being enjoyed.

But then over the course of the last couple of years, I realized two things:

1. Not every new product that comes out will look good on or work for me.
2. If people want reviews of every damn new product that comes out, there are already 400 bagillion blogs and videos out there with that info (I'm lookin at you YouTube).

So what does that mean?

I cleaned the shit out of my stash. I mean that literally and figuratively. If the product didn't look good on me, or wasn't something I used a lot I got rid of it. I didn't just throw it away (unless it was expired). I returned a crap ton of stuff to Sephora and Target, and gave away BAGS of make-up to friends and family (you're welcome Jen and Laurel!). And now what I have left is a stash of my most favorite and most used make-up.

This is not to say I don't still fight the urge to buy (or at least want to buy) all the new things. I just don't give in. [Note - to be clear, I NEVER actually bought ALL the new things.] I really think about whether or not I need a sixth foundation in my drawer, or another dark red lipstick in my purse. Most of the time the answer is no. I try to limit myself to picking up new items either, when something runs out that I don't already have a replacement for, OR a couple of things for each new season.

I have gotten to the point this year with make-up (and other things in my life) that if it's not working for me, then it's done. I am done hanging on to stuff that I won't use. I don't care how trendy it is or how much someone else says they love it. I am not a YouTube Beauty Guru (and that's okay - I love them, I'm just not one of them!), I don't have millions of followers and an endless supply of cash and sponsor-ships to try out every new beauty item under the sun. I am done trying to be something I am not, it's exhausting and expensive and stressful and just plain shitty. I am who I am, and I think I am pretty awesome.

Have you every had one of these "epiphany-style" moments? What was it?

May Fitness Post - How I (try to) deal with negative self-talk

Hello lovely readers! So I don't know what I was thinking this month. I was totally organized and had a schedule of all these really great posts I was going to write and then shit happened. This is the busiest time of year for me at my job and there were some other twists and turns along the way and I just didn't get to write everything I wanted/planned to. I am considering the frequency with which I post anyway, because I want to give you guys "quality" over quantity. Which segue-ways  perfectly into this post.

Negative self-talk is something most of us deal with. And it's hard to write about. I'm no expert or doctor but I wanted to share with you how I deal with it. What I define this as is the following:

- that negative little jerk voice in your head that is constantly telling you, you aren't enough. You're too tall, too short, too skinny, not skinny enough, you don't make enough $$, you aren't as good as so and so, etc. Male or female and that voice is an asshole.

So in this post I wanted to give you some examples of the things my inner voice tells me sometimes and what I do to stop that bitch in her tracks. (I apologize for the language in this post, I am passionate about this and it's been a long week)

I am 5'0 short and weigh roughly 130ish pounds, which means I am not "thin". I have what I consider to be a big nose, big hips and my face is too "red". I am also extremely NOT tan, and not toned or fit. I have cellulite, and sometimes when I walk fast my thighs rub together.

That description above pretty much is the executive summary of what my negative self-talk revolves around. And based on that description my self image is sometimes that of an ugly disgusting troll. More or less.

Now, here is how I fight back. It may sound stupid, cliche' or cheesy, but I really don't care. It works for me and I hope by sharing this it might work for you. And if by chance you happen to be reading this and you are perfect, then stop now as this clearly isn't intended for you.

The least offensive thing in that summary is the fact that I am short. I have been short all my life and my family members are short too. It doesn't always bother me, but sometimes when I see you tall girls strutting around in your long legs I get a little pissy. So I wear heels, or wedges or say fuck it and wear flats because I'm short and proud of it. I can buy pants in the kids department that aren't too long and are cheaper than women's pants. (Incidentally, I can also buy shoes in the kids department because I have small feet. Plain black flats or flip flops for less than $10? Yes please!) As my mom always told me, "The best things come in small packages."

So next on the list is my weight. Without getting too in depth and too into social norms and expectations around what a women should weigh, this is what I tell my self "You can't change your height, but you can change your health, so get off you squishy butt and get to work girl." The key to this is the word health. It's NOT about being skinny. Not at all. It's about being healthy. Is that cupcake really giving my body the nutrition it deserves? No? Then put it back. Is sitting on the couch watching YouTube videos or TV for 5 hours really how you want to spend the night? Would 30 minutes of exercise kill you? No. So slap in that DVD and get that workout in. I try to look at it as a positive thing. And once I can get myself on a regular work-out schedule I actually really enjoy it and I totally feel better. Which reminds me of another great quote "Exercise releases endorphin, endorphin makes you happy. And happy people don't kill their husbands. They just don't." Points to you if you know where that's from.

The weight thing has been an issue for me since 6th grade. I was one of the first girls in my class to get both boobs and a booty over the summer and holy crap did people remind me of it DAILY. But I really try to focus on this being about me being healthy and not skinny. That has taken me all of 21+ years to work on and it's still a work in progress. Focus on your health not how skinny or not skinny you are. Be healthy. Your body deserves it.

My nose bugs the crap out of me. It's big at the end and sometimes when I turn to the side, I think "Good Lord girl! Look at that nose!" But here's the thing, who cares? I know I would never get plastic surgery to fix it so I just try not to think about it. Or I contour it with bronzer so it gives the illusion of being smaller.

The big hips, cellulite and rubbing thighs along with being not as toned as I want to be are easy to group together. If I work out more I jiggle and rub together less. My hips are big, if I worked out 10 hours a day and ate salads they would still be big. It's just who I am. Some of us have hips, some don't. And no matter how many creams, lotions and potions I buy that damn cellulite is going to stay there. So I try to keep on that work out schedule and use self tanner on my legs in the summer as that reduces the overall appearance of it.

And finally, I'm pale. Like super pale. Like vampire pale. Which some people think is "yucky". But here's the deal, I have porcelain skin. It's not going to be super wrinkly and dry from over-tanning. And if I can prevent one type of cancer then I'm damn well going to do it. I do use a self tanner in the summer (when I remember) but really I have embraced my un-tan.

If turning that negativity doesn't work for me and I am still really down, I do one of the following two things:
 - stay on the couch and have some ice cream, because fuck it,
- OR I look at what my "imperfect" body has accomplished and when I start to look at the things I have done and am doing in my life that do actually matter more than the size of my nose in the big picture, I start to feel a little better. This is not to say that it works every time, or that I don't have bad days but it's what I try to do most days.

So what I hope you take away from this is that we all have issues with how we look. How you deal with those issues is what makes the difference. Embrace your quirks, be healthy and don't let someone else's idea of what you should look like overshadow you. Historically society has shown it doesn't always know what's right and ideals have been shattered repeatedly. Life is too short to worry about how tall you aren't or how slim you're not. Be proud of who you are and what you've accomplished. Only you could do it.

How do you deal with negative self-talk?

Time to Recharge the Batteries

Life is crazy. Everyday we are pulled in a million different directions. We get up, get ready for the day, head to work, take the kids to school, clean the house, prepare meals, take the dogs to the park, help the kids with homework, etc. There are millions of tasks to take care of and get wrapped up in each and every day. And while in the moment those things seem important, and some of them are, it's easy to get lost in the day to day hustle and bustle of life. 

In keeping with the healthy theme of this month, I wanted to spend sometime today to talk about taking a time-out and recharging your batteries. I know you don't have time, I know you need to reply to that email and call your sitter back. Trust me, I know. But at some point you need to stop and smell the roses a little bit. 

I truly believe that taking a "mental health day" is necessary for survival. Life can be tough and crazy and if you don't take a time out for yourself, no one else will take it for you. You are an amazing person who does a million and five things for everyone else, but what have you done for you lately? 

If you can take a whole day to yourself, I highly recommend it. I just took a week off of work to relax and recharge. It rained all week and was cold. It was perfect. The crap weather forced me to sleep in, read books and take care of myself. I was also able to get some projects done around the house that have been bugging me for awhile. But at the end of the week I experienced something I forgot about. Calm. I was calm. I was no longer frazzled about everything. I finally had the time I needed to unwind. Calm. 

I realize that not everyone can take a week off and "do nothing". So try to find some time each day or each week that's just for you. It could be 15 minutes, it could be a couple of hours. It's hard, but I try to find some time each week to recharge my batteries. Sometimes it's in the car on the way home from work, I crank the radio and belt out my fave songs as loud as I can, or while I make dinner I crank up iTunes and have a dance party (which is extremely amusing to those who happen to be in the house at the time). Or even now as I sit and write this, it's quiet in the house, the dogs are snoring, I have some green tea steeping beside me and I am writing.  

My point is you have to relax and calm down. You can't hurry up through each day waiting for the weekend or next weekend or summer vacation. Enjoy today. Enjoy right now and relax. Find your happy place. It's amazing what you can accomplish and get through once you have recharged.