Category: fitness

May 15, 2018

The Fascinating Science Behind the Tone It Up Bombshell Spell

I’ve always wondered about the Tone It Up Bombshell Spell and Meta D since they first came out a few years ago. They were and continue to be a huge hit. If you search the #TIUNutritionPlan, you’ll probably see that characteristic hazy orange sprinkled all over Instagram.

Once I bought the nutrition plan and looked at the ingredients of the Spell, I wondered what such a little 4-oz drink could do. Was it really worth it, or should I just skip it?

K&K said the drink was based on science, without much explanation.

Now, cutesy little vinegar juice shots are everywhere.

But why?

You hear constant warnings not to drink fruit juice, because it’s basically sugar water empty calories.

You also hear about how bogus apple cider vinegar is.

And honey? Basically just more added sugar. And you know how bad extra sugar is for your body.

And don’t you wonder if the minute benefits you might get from a little shot are even worth it?

So, why drink those little drinks then?

But, then I started drinking the Bombshell Spell. Every year during and after the Bikini Series. Whenever I’m ready to get my body back in gear.

What happens amazes me every time.

Whenever I drink it, the weight budges again.

Whenever I stop drinking it, the weight loss halts.

Not to mention the giddy feeling I get when I drink it. Since the drink has become a staple during the Bikini Series, I now equate that sweet tropical taste with summer! It’s a psychological trigger now.

But I wasn’t satisfied with “not knowing” how this drink works.

Because I love the science behind stuff like this, I did a little digging, and here’s what I found.

The incredible benefits of pineapple juice

This article from Healthline on the benefits of pineapple juice had some really great insights into the potent properties of pineapple juice.

Bromelain, the medicinal enzyme in pineapple juice:

Reduces inflammation, especially post-exercise soreness
Suppresses cancer growth
Speeds up digestion
Improves fat loss

Beta carotene in the juice:

Protects your eyes
Protects against free radicals (that lead to cancer and heart disease)
Helps keep your brain sharp
Protects your lungs

The Vitamin C boost you get:

Bolsters your immune system, especially your defenses against the common cold
Helps prevent cancer
Protects your eyes
Protects against heart disease
Reduces the effects of stress by lowering cortisol and adrenaline levels

You also get a bunch of additional benefits from the calcium, magnesium, and manganese content of pineapple juice, like better bones and increased metabolism. The benefits are too long to list!

Then, there’s the apple cider vinegar in the Bombshell Spell…

The fabulous side effects of apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar, though a highly controversial dietary aid, does carry antioxidants and acetic acid which have been shown to:

Improve blood sugar and insulin levels, fighting diabetes
Help with weight loss by increasing satiety and reducing belly fat
Reduce heart disease risk

The fermentation makes ACV a great prebiotic, which:

Aids in digestion
Promotes healthy gut flora, which has a whole bunch of other benefits

I found this version, which has the cinnamon, honey, and lemon in it already,
so all I have to do is add it to the pineapple juice.

The Unmistakable Benefits of Raw Honey

If you pour raw honey into your concoction, you get the following benefits:

Powerful antioxidants that fight free radicals
Antibacterial and anti-fungal properties
Phytonutrients with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
Cough suppressant

The powerful medicinal properties of cinnamon

If you add a dash of cinnamon to your spell, like I do, you get a bunch of extra benefits:

Improves metabolism
Super source of antioxidants to attack cancer-causing free radicals
Potent anti-inflammatory
Reduces heart disease risk (lowers cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure)
Improves sensitivity to insulin and lowers blood sugar, fighting diabetes
Powerful antibacterial and anti-fungal

Lime has some unmistakable benefits too, especially in the vitamin department with its potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium content, not to mention the antioxidants. Lime juice is also really great at kick-starting digestion and boosting metabolism.

Pretty wild, eh? Who knew you could get so much out of a tiny tropical drink?

You can see how pineapple juice is a heckuva lot more than just glorified sugar water and that apple cider vinegar actually does have some research-backed health benefits.

Plus, the Bombshell Spell uses only 4 ounces of pineapple juice, so it’s not like you’re overloading your system with sugar. And the sweetness helps counteract the strong vinegar taste.

If you were thinking about skipping the Bombshell Spell, I hope this information inspires you to reconsider.

To help you swallow that bitter vinegar taste, consider these helpful tips.

Tone it Up Bombshell Spell Tips

The contents of your Bombshell Spell make a big difference in how it tastes and how beneficial it is. To help you get the most out of your Bombshell Spell, remember to:

Drink the Spell in the morning while you’re fasted to ignite your metabolism
Wash your Spell down with water to protect your teeth from the acidity
Use pure pineapple juice, not from concentrate, to get the most benefits
Use organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, like Braggs or White House
Use raw honey, if available, to keep all the benefits intact
If your ingredients are available in an organic version, choose that

Do I think the Bombshell Spell is a miracle drink and the cure for cancer? Pfffff. Heck no!

But I do feel more…powered up, I guess you could say…when I drink it every day.

I do think it’s a great complement to a lean, clean and green diet and active lifestyle.

And it evokes positive summer vibes for me, so why not?

***Like the Bombshell Spell? You might also like this simple Green Tea Elixir. It has some of the same incredible benefits and more!

How about you?

Do you drink the Bombshell Spell every day? Do you notice a difference when you drink it versus when you don’t? Does the smell and taste remind you of summer too now?

July 6, 2017

Read This Before Buying the Tone It Up Nutrition Plan

So, you’re on the fence about purchasing the Tone It Up Nutrition Plan. You just can’t see throwing $150 out there on a glorified recipe book.

That’s how I felt too.

Heck, if I wanted to, I could find all the recipes online somewhere. I could probably find a bootlegged copy somewhere, but that makes me feel dirty.

I followed Tone It Up for a good two years before finally caving. Those thoughts above are why I didn’t make the leap sooner.

But after finally caving, I realized that it wasn’t just a recipe book I purchased.

Oh wait, before we go any further, let me just preface this by saying, I’m not an affiliate of Tone It Up at all. I don’t even think they have an affiliate program, otherwise I would’ve signed up. Their word-of-mouth marketing is strong enough to not need one. This is just me speaking from my own experience of being a 5-year member myself.

Getting all the books out and ready for the #bikiniseries @toneitup #tiuteam #toneitup #tounutritionplan Who else is having a hard time waiting?

A post shared by Jessica Collins (@jess_flashfit) on Apr 10, 2017 at 4:11pm PDT

What you’re actually buying when you buy the Tone It Up Nutrition Plan:

You’re not just buying a recipe book for $150. That’s preposterous. I wouldn’t do that either. Amazon has plenty of amazing recipe books for under $10.

No, what you’re actually buying is your ticket into the inner TIU circle.

When you sign up, you get all the member benefits and you get to play with all the other TIU girls. You don’t have to “wonder” anymore about the plan, searching Pinterest, Instagram, and Google Images for sneak peeks of the pages. Haha, I see you;) (I did it too.)

Along with the recipe book, you also get a nutrition guidebook. It teaches you some nutrient timing basics and reasoning behind the plan. It gives you the plan breakdown and walks you through the benefits of eating lean, clean, and green. It also makes eating this way really fun…and hot! It’s not a crazy serious “diet” like some of the other plans out there. It’s a way to have fun with good nutritious food and hang out with your girlfriends in the process.

The plan also includes the infamous 7-day slimdown, Tone It Up’s proprietary slimdown-for-an-event plan that you’ll hear everyone in the community talking about.

Speaking of which…The level of FOMO that you feel in the community is enough to sign up alone, amiright? You see all the posts on Instagram of what everyone is eating, you feel the excitement when new plans come out, and you see everyone sharing their printed book pictures and you feel left out. There’ll be no more FOMO when you finally get it!

And it really works! You can see the evidence in all the transformation pictures out there. You see my own story! I have a seriously difficult time losing weight, and even I have been able to lose the weight when I follow the plan.

Another benefit of signing up is the member emails and exclusive discounts. Members get their hands on everything first. And they get their hands on some things that others don’t. There are some great members-only sales and discounts on TIU retreats, merchandise, apparel, and Perfect Fit.

You might say I have a (healthy) addiction. #toneitup #tiuteam #tiuplan #bbg #thekaylamovement #michellebridges #12wbt

A post shared by Jessica Collins (@jess_flashfit) on Jul 20, 2015 at 3:59pm PDT

Members also get access to all past and future editions of the plan and all the series meal plans. Every time Karena and Katrina launch a series, like the Bikini Series, a new meal plan comes out with additional recipes, along with weekly meal plans and grocery lists. You’re basically getting your eating plans for weeks and months at a time handed to you on a pretty coral and teal platter (probably with an etched mermaid on it to boot!).

It makes it a whole lot easier to follow along with their plans and get major results if you’re a plan member.

Another benefit: you’re only eligible for some of the series grand prizes if you’re a nutrition plan member. To be a Bikini Series grand prize winner, which is being selected right now, you must be a nutrition plan member.

You also get access to some exclusive groups in the community and on Facebook if you’re a member. They’ll only let you in if you are a paid member (and not a bootlegged one either, just FYI).

It’s a one-time fee of $150 to get you all.of.that!

As a businessperson, I can appreciate how TIU could’ve used a whole different business model and made a whole lot more money if they would’ve set things up differently. They could’ve created a membership program where members pay a monthly fee, which would’ve added up to well over $150 within a few months. That’s what a lot of other online businesses are doing.

Now it doesn’t sound too bad to pay $150 to become a plan member for life, right?

Do yourself a favor and just buy it already😉 M’kay? Call it an early (or late) birthday present for yourself.

Then come back here, and let me know in the comments that you did.

Those of you TIU babes who are already members, what is your favorite part about being a member?

July 3, 2017

Exactly How the Tone It Up Bikini Series Helped Me Lose 9 lbs (So Far!)

I showed you my transformation pictures in my last post (*shields eyes with hand*).

And I’ve told you before how I will have a really hard time losing weight, despite working out 6 days a week religiously and eating *pretty* healthy.

Seriously, my weight after baby #2 has crept up past my highest weight ever, despite doing everything I know to do. I’m working out way harder than I did when I was at my heaviest (I was sedentary), more than anyone I know, and eating waaaaay more healthy than I did then (all-you-can-eat a lot).

It’s infuriating to say the least!

I’m still higher than my previous highest weight when I was sedentary, but it’s finally budging. Especially with the Bikini Series.

So, how was it that the Tone It Up Bikini Series finally did the trick?

I’ve been thinking a lot about this.

I really wanted to get to the bottom of it, because I want to be able to help other people. And I want to be able to return to this whenever I need a jump-start again.

How was it that the weight came off this time?

I followed the Tone it Up nutrition plan pretty closely. I chose Meals 1-5 from the nutrition plan and even had a nightly handful of dark chocolate chips. I had a few “off-plan” days for sure, but ate 95% on the plan. I really tightened up on the snacking, which was huge.
I built my meals around veggies and lean protein: Start every meal with veggies and protein, because Lord knows we need more of those in our lives. If you’ve ever tracked your food for a few days, you’ve likely noticed that you don’t get enough veggies. That you eat too many carbs and too little protein. You likely just need to adjust that balance. You can do that by starting with protein and veggies at every meal and then building them out from there. Fats and carbs aren’t evil though. So, I had a lot of protein smoothies and egg scrambles for breakfast, salads and quinoa bowls for lunch, and chicken/veggie tray meals. Which leads to my next point…
Don’t eat starches after 3pm. This is one of the recommendations on the plan. Our dinners tended to be chicken and veggies, sprayed with olive oil and peppered with seasoning. I tried to stay away from potatoes and noodles for dinner. Where I come from, that’s blasphemous. LOL. Meat and potatoes are dinner, not chickpeas and broccoli. But really. There’s something about starches at night that make your body hang onto it. I notice that I always weigh heavier in the mornings after I eat starchy dinners.
Don’t think so much about food! Our culture has so many polarizing emotions around food. But food is just a thing that fuels our bodies. It’s important, but we don’t need to think about it so hard. I didn’t let thoughts about food get away from me in between meals. I prepped all my meals and I had extra snacks on hand, so I didn’t need to think about food all day. I knew what was coming and what to eat next, so I didn’t have to think about it. Without food on my mind, I didn’t feel compelled to keep eating when I didn’t need to.
Don’t eat after 6-7pm. There’s something about eating late at night that makes our bodies hang on tight too. Allow your body to digest your last meal for at least two hours before bed. Your body needs to spend its sleeping time repairing and rejuvenating your body, not digesting. Any food left over in your system that you didn’t need for the day will be stored as fat. No thanks!
Don’t “wing it” on the weekends. I have a tendency to prep meals for the workweek and just leaving the weekends to chance. Bad idea. During the challenge, instead of winging it, I had a plan. I prepped every meal for the week, even on weekends, so the weekends didn’t destroy all my progress.
Build in backup snacks for your backup snacks. You know you’re going to be hungrier some days than others. Instead of assuming you just won’t eat when you’re famished (bad idea!), make sure you have some lean, clean, and green backup snacks. Then, a few backups for your backups. It’s way better to have all these extra snacks within reach than to assume you’ll be fine, only to end up desperately reaching for Lucky Charms or whatever other sugary monstrosity you have stashed away. When you’re hungry, eat. Just make sure it’s nutritious. Don’t starve and then cave!
Jump into a fitness community: whether it’s on Tone it Up, Fitbit, Sparkpeople, Kayla Itsines, Lauren Gleisberg, Blogilates, or wherever else, find a tribe of fit-minded women you can join. The #tiuteam (that’s how you find them on Instagram) is super accepting and supportive of one another. Having hundreds of other TIU girls in my newsfeed and getting encouragement from them on my posts always energizes me. When you scroll through a newsfeed of women who’ve already worked out at 5 in the morning, you feel compelled to jump out of bed and get your own workout on. Several other fitness platforms have communities built around them too. Find one and jump in. The motivation works! They say you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Are those people fit-minded for you?
Drink. Like, a lot. Drink until you aren’t thirsty. And then drink a little more. Honestly, if your body doesn’t have enough water, it can’t work correctly. Your metabolism can’t work correctly. So drink first before you eat to make sure your hunger isn’t thirst in disguise.
Work on getting better every day, not just trying to be perfect on the first day. I think we have it backwards. When we start “diets” or any new goal, we tend to want to jump in with perfection on the first day. But that kills us! What if we started with better-than-normal and just got better every day from there? Do your best, do better tomorrow. When I had a bad day, I just jumped back in better the next day, and it paid off! Constant improvement works out a lot better than all-or-nothing.
Move more. Besides your workout, make sure you build more movement into your life. I noticed that my weight went down whenever my Fitbit stayed in the 8-10k range every day. On days when I wasn’t quite that active, nothing happened. On days when I was over 10k, I woke up lighter. Get up from your desk every hour, stretch, walk around, and don’t plop down at night.
Get your family on-board. My hubby is a trucker, so he’s been gone, and I made my family aware that I was following a plan to eat healthier. Otherwise, ice cream and donuts e’eryday, between my mom and father-in-law. And as much as I’m disheartened by my husband being away for long stretches, it has been really good for my weight loss efforts. Before, he was our chief dinner maker, which weren’t healthy. Hey, I can’t complain about a man who cooks dinner for his family, so I ate anything he graciously made. But once I had to start making dinner for myself and the kids, my weight started going down. I have control over what’s on our plates at night again, so I can make it healthy.
I no longer have work temptations. Yay for freelance life! No more office donuts, vendor treat boxes, birthday treats, vending machines, and catered meals. Everything I grocery shop for and have at-hand are the only things I eat, and they are only healthy things. Makes eating healthy a whole lot easier.

Well, there you have it. My full analysis of why the Tone It Up nutrition plan worked when nothing else did.

To keep the momentum going, I’ve jumped into Round 2 of the Bikini Series, along with another group of women (more support!). So, I’ll be following the plan again for another 8 weeks to hopefully keep progressing from here. It’s working. I’m not going to mess with it. Plus, I love the recipes and the way I feel, so I figure it’s best to keep going. That’s what they mean about making a lifestyle change anyway, right?

How about you?

What are the tweaks that you’ve made in the past that have worked for weight loss? Anyone else have an extra EXTRA hard time losing weight?

June 29, 2017

2017 Tone it Up Bikini Series Transformation Results

So, the results are in for the 2017 Tone It Up Bikini Series.

Now, please be gentle with me, because I’ve never a posted a vulnerable picture of myself, like this, in a two-piece, on the internet before.

I hesitate….

But then again, I so BAD want you to know and SEE my results. I want that more than I want to hide.

So, here goes…

My results for the 2017 Tone It Up Bikini Series

Before (April 2017) and After (June 2017)

My happy “after” picture, after completing the TIU Bikini Series

Okay, okay I know the transformation in the pictures is hard to pinpoint. They don’t look that much different to me either.

For one, the distance from the camera is different, so that changes the perspective.

We don’t even need to mention the lighting.

But the real transformation?

You’d have to talk to me (or read this post;) to know more about the true transformation.

Let’s pull out the numbers first though:

Pounds lost: 9

Inches lost: 3.5″

Satisfaction meter: through the roof!

Non-weight changes: I did a cartwheel in the living room with my son (hehe, picture that!) without “seeing stars” and the lower back pain I was having from running outside went away! Must be all those deadlifts and ab work.

It never cease to amaze me that getting fit can actually make activities easier and that it actually alleviates pain!

If you’ve read this blog for awhile, you know I’ve been having a hard time losing any weight whatsoever. To be down 9 lbs might as well be 109. It felt impossible!

I’ve even been to the doctor to talk about it (And a nutritionist. And a wellness coordinator. And, and and…) Everyone said I was already doing what I should be, better than most people.

Yeah, but…

That’s not very helpful!

I’ve religiously worked out 6 days a week for forever and eat healthier than anyone I know (not to mention I’m a fitness professional), yet my weight wouldn’t budge, except to go up.

I’ve felt ashamed about it, often. But that’s a whole ‘nother post.

But then it happened!

The scale started to move. I didn’t put my hopes in it too hard.

But then it started to move some more! What the actual…?

Somehow, over the course of 8 weeks, I lost 9lbs. That’s a tad over 1lb per week, that all added up. I even had a few “off” or “cheat” days in there. But that didn’t reverse my progress.

I just can’t even believe it!

I can’t even tell you how pleased this makes me feel. How light. How hopeful. How thankful.

I guess a few little tweaks really can make a heckuva difference. But not just any tiny tweaks. Really effective ones.

About that…

I will be back shortly with a follow-up post about what is it about Tone it Up that I think made all the difference in the world. Because I wanted so badly to “figure it out.” Figure out why this worked when nothing else did. Figure out what exactly helped, so I know what to do if I ever need another “refresh.”

But most importantly, so I can help you!

I know what to do now! I KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW!!!

Then, after that, I’ll be back with another post on what I think about the nutrition plan. If you’re on the fence about buying it, you’ll want to read this one!

So, what now?

I joined a group of women to do Round 2 of the Tone it Up Bikini Series. Since this plan is working so well, I might as well keep going with it. If it ain’t broke…right?

By fall, when my “baby” turns 3, if everything goes right, I plan to be down to pre-pregnancy weight.

You just watch! 🙂

Just think, if you lose 1lb a week, where you could be in three months. No, I mean, really think about that! That goes for anything. If you have a project you want to complete, weight or otherwise, think about where you could be in three months if you worked on it a little every day.

How about you?

What were your results for the Tone it Up Bikini Series this year? What are you going to work on a little every day for the next three months?

May 11, 2017

Third Time’s a Charm: Why Three Sets of Exercises are Optimal

I love how Tone It Up has us doing three sets of all their Daily Moves for the Bikini Series. Because the third time really is a charm!

Three sets of each exercise is perfect for building lean muscle mass.

Let me show you what I mean.

The first set

The first set of an exercise is sort of a warm-up set. It gets your muscles used to the idea of a move. Your brain and muscle fibers start firing to meet the demands of the exercise.

The second set

The second set usually feels easier than the first set, because your body is warmed up now and your brain is ready for the moves this time. At this point, you’re starting to burn through major calories because all your systems are “go,” especially if you run through the sets with little rest in between moves.

The third set

The third set is what counts! On the third set, your muscles should be nearing fatigue. And if you remember this quote from Arnold Schwarzenegger, you’ll know why:

Share me!

The last few repetitions of the last set are where change comes from.

Those are the repetitions that you need to burn through to create change.

Remember that next time you’re struggling at the end of your workout. The last few reps are where change comes from, so push through! You deserve it!

The result of this kind of training is lean muscle mass, exactly what most of us women want. Most of us aren’t working toward hypertrophy (muscle building) or athletic power. We’re just trying to lean out and build some definition.

How about you…

Where are my TIU girls at? How is the lean muscle building going for you?

April 4, 2017

Tone It Up Bikini Series Printable

The Tone It Up Bikini Series always gives me butterflies in my stomach. To me, it means the countdown to summer is on! My body gets a “refresh.” Social media explodes with TIU motivation. The prospect of making fitness fun with friends as we all prepare for summer always gets to me!

Because I love you, I put together a Tone It Up Bikini Series Printable pack for you. Fo’ free.

If you’re a Type-A binder-keeping personality like me, you’ll have these three-hole punched and organized into a binder along with your Starter Pack and any other delicious printables you might have. Enjoy.

Also, come over and find me on Instagram @Jess_Flashfit so we can be Bikini Series buds. I’ll follow back;)

What the Tone It Up Bikini Series Printable includes:

8-Week Workout Planner for the series. The workouts are written in the meal plan. Just write them on the calendar and hang the on your fridge to see what’s next!
Daily TIU checklist. If you’re a nutrition plan member, you’ll know what the Bombshell Spell and Bootycall mean;)
150 and 100 By Summer Checklists. Track your mileage for the Bikini Series. You can shoot for either 100 or 150 miles by the first day of summer. I made a tracker for both!
Bikini Series goal and reward sheet. Make sure you list SMART goals, ladies!
Summer Bucket List: list all the things you’re looking forward to doing this summer. Dream away!
Meal planning sheet with accompanying grocery list: I like to plan out all meals for the week (because I tend to tweak the plan a bit). As I’m writing the meals out, I put the ingredients I’ll need to get on the shopping list right away.
Measurement tracker: take your measurements on Day One and then watch in bewilderment what your measurements are on the last day. Weight isn’t the only story. You’ll see progress in inches lost, even when the scale doesn’t budge.

*After entering your name and email address in the form, the second page will give you a link to the printable. Copy that link and paste it into a new browser to access the PDF.
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P.S. Didya know I’m a certified personal trainer and fitness writer? You’ll want to make sure you come back here for more motivation and fitness insight. You might like my Budget Fitness ebook if you’re tight on funds.

Just another way to be…

~Better Every Day

How about you…

What are you looking forward to the most with the 2017 TIU Bikini Series?

April 4, 2017

The Best Way to Make New Habits Stick Is…

…to incorporate them when your entire schedule and life is changing!

Well, I think any time is a good time to put new habits in place. But, new habits are much easier to incorporate when your schedule is changing anyway. Because if you put these new habits into place immediately, they’re easier to stick with than if you try to wedge them into an established schedule later.

I knew that leaving my corporate job for self-employment was the perfect time to create some new habits, since they would automatically become part of my new schedule. And I knew I didn’t want to waste this perfect opportunity!

I showed you my morning schedule, but truthfully I wasn’t being as consistent as I would like with all of them while still in corporate. But now I am!

The secret to incorporating a new habit into your day is setting aside dedicated, uncompromised time for each activity, otherwise there will never be space for them.

So, before I left corporate, I wrote out a new schedule for myself. I sketched in work time, lunch breaks, naptimes, babysitting times, and time for some new habits.

I decided I needed to dedicate time for:

Spirituality: God is the center of my life, but I wasn’t really being true to that. So, I decided to make dedicated time every morning for devotions and prayer. I typically read the daily devotion from Proverbs 31 ministries. Sometimes I journal on the message. Sometimes I meditate on the message. But whatever the message is, I try to bring it with me throughout the day.
Journaling: I wrote about this practice extensively in my journaling post. (You gotta check it out!) I’ve learned that journaling is THE secret to moving myself and my business forward. Reaffirming my goals and objectives every single day seems to bring them into focus much easier. Also, I just get really excited about journaling, so it’s really easy to get out of bed in the morning. If my mood turns sour, I know a better mood is just a journal entry away. And no, I’m not talking about “dear diary” baloney either. If you read the post, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Tithing: From the very moment I opened up a new Google Sheet to track my income and expenses, that I wanted to make room for tithing. That way, it was already taken care of and I didn’t have to think about it again. So, that’s what I did. I made columns on my spreadsheet for taxes and tithing. I take those percentages out automatically.
Lunch break celebration: Every day, I whip open my office door, blast Rebel Beat by the Goo Goo Dolls (my new theme song), and dance with my daughter at lunch. It’s a signal for my 2-year-old daughter that it’s lunch time, but it’s also a fun daily tradition that makes lunchtime a little more special for us. I can’t wait until summer break so my son can celebrate lunch every day with us too!
Move once an hour: my Fitbit is changing my life. I don’t say that to be trite. It really stinkin’ is! One of the ways it’s helping me with my health habits is with its hourly vibration to get up and get moving. It literally vibrates when you’ve been sitting for an hour. That’s an excellent trigger for me to get up and get moving once an hour, like I’ve always intended to do, even in corporate. So, on cardio days, I’ll typically get up and jump rope for a minute every hour. On leg day, I might get up and do some jump squats. On arm day, I might do 10 pushups. You get the picture. It helps re-energize my body, warm me up (it’s still chilly in WI), get my blood moving, and burn a few extra calories. I might start posting my daily moves on Instagram, if you’d like to follow along.
Sit on my exercise ball: I don’t often sit on my exercise ball, but when I do…I practice much better posture. So, in corporate, we weren’t allowed to sit on exercise balls because it was considered a safety hazard. But, as part of the corporate wellness team, we were always looking for ways like that to change people’s sitting habits. Well now, in my home office, I can do what I wanna. And I like being able to sit on my exercise ball. I have a platform for my laptop that puts it at just the right height too. Me likey.
Flexibilty goalz: So, for as long as I can remember, I’ve been writing down a few flexibility goals. The kind I haven’t followed through on. Until now. So, one of my goals is to be able to clasp my hands behind my back, one over the shoulder and the other behind my lower back. The other goal is crow pose. So now, once a day, when I get up for my hourly moves, I practice those two moves. I hold my jumprope to stretch my arms behind my back. I can’t wait until I can announce that I’ve nailed it!

I totally fail this shoulder mobility test!

Source

Make your habits stick by making them meaningful

To make new habits stick, they should also hold personal meaning. These goals are actually very important to me, otherwise I wouldn’t make room for them in my schedule. It’s important to have a strong enough “why” behind these habits to actually put them into practice. If you want to put new habits into place too, you need to make sure they’re not just “would be nice” goals. They should be “change my life” goals. They need to have personal meaning, otherwise they’re not worth it.

These are just a few more examples of how we can make an effort to be:

~Better Every Day

How about you…

Have you ever been successful putting new habits into place? What is your best piece of advice?

January 30, 2017

How the First Hour of the Day Can Transform Your Life

Ok, this post is a little bit different take on the “Change Your Life on Your Lunch Break” series, but this topic is super important.

What you do in that first hour upon waking will set the tone for the rest of the day.

Most of us wake up, snooze, wake up, snooze, finally get up, shower, coffee, off to work, meanwhile wondering exactly how you got to work because you can’t quite remember your drive in. Right?

That, my friends, is exactly what they mean by “life on autopilot.”

But you don’t actually want to live on autopilot, do you? You want to live with purpose!

What you could do instead is be more intentional about that first hour of your day to really transform then way you enter life day-by-day, over the course of a lifetime.

You can change your entire mood, your vibe, your drive, everything, if you do it correctly.

I did my first Facebook Livestream on this subject. Have a listen:

Success habits for the first hour of the day:

Light therapy or sun: I am drawn to the sun. I think we are wired to be drawn to light. There’s got to be a reason why light and mood are so interconnected. In the winter, I do at least 10 minutes of light therapy or sit in a sunny window to stay ahead of my anxiety and depression.

Daily devotions: God comes first, always. Instead of trying to fit God into my busy schedule, I need to build my schedule around God first. So, I try to make sure I get my nose in His Book every day with guidance from a daily devotion reading.

Workout: I work out 6 days a week religiously: 3 days of cardio, 3 days of strength training. Fridays are usually barre and Saturdays are a long run. Working out immediately in the morning wakes you up, pumps you full of endorphins, and makes you feel ready to take on the day. Working out improves everything about life.

Journaling: my “adult” type journaling consists of asking myself questions about what I need to work on, focusing on my goals, and really stretching myself. The repetitive nature of doing this every day is important so that goals don’t just get ignored like when they’re written on a note posted to my computer.

Water: We all wake up dehydrated, so getting water into your system first thing gets the motors all greased up and running.

Apple cider vinegar shots: I use Tone It Up’s Bombshell Spell from their nutrition plan. I’ve seen so much research about apple cider vinegar. And for some reason, even though acv is harsh, the way they make the spell is addicting.

Self Development: filling your mind with thoughts of potential and empowerment will make you a better person. This was a habit I picked up from my network marketing days. One of the three essential habits was personal development and I really felt like it was powerful. If you can make yourself just a tad bit better every day (read The Compound Effect), you will be amazed how far you can go after a year, or even a few months.

***Another thing I didn’t mention on the video is music. I have several playlists on Spotify that are meant to lift my spirits. They’re all songs that personally make me feel inspired and uplifted. My favorite thing to do right now is to listen to “Rebel Beat” by the Goo Goo Dolls while I journal. That song is like my theme song right now. I also like to listen to upbeat music while I’m working out. It changes everything! The difference between a silent workout and a music-ified one is drastic!

Most of these morning habits can be done simultaneously. For example, I’m usually listening to music and drinking water while I workout. Then, I use my light box while I’m getting ready or doing my devotions. Journaling takes about 10 minutes, while I’m listening to Rebel Beat. And then self development is typically ingrained in every part of my day. When I have my ear buds in at work, I’m typically listening to some type of personal development content.

If you layer your day this way, and remain intentional about what you’re doing with your body, what you’re feeding your mind, what you’re surrounding yourself with, how you’re feeling, you can see how this would elevate just about everything, right?

And I know when I’m starting to feel crummy about something, all I need to do is turn to this list to refocus and elevate my mood again.

Once all these things are out of the way in the morning, the feeling is euphoric! These habits put everything into perspective and give me a compass for the rest of my day that leads straight toward fulfillment.

Add value to your life by being intentional with the first hour of the day.

Let’s hear it…

Do you have specific morning habits that you do to start your day?

Does this inspire you to try being more intentional about your mornings?

December 28, 2016

Free New Year’s Health and Fitness Program

Pin me, Tweet me, Share me!

Hey #Flashers,

I’m in charge of putting together a wellness program for my corporate job for the month of January. Since I’ll already have all the materials put together, I thought I’d invite you to join too!

It’s called Full Force because we’ll be going into the new year with full force toward our overall wellness goals.

This plan will cover fitness, nutrition and mental health.

What you’ll get:

A training plan
Printable trackers
Meal planning ideas
Daily tips emails

The entire program is based around using what’s already available to you. It will help immensely if you own a smartphone and a Fitbit, but they’re not completely necessary.

Let me know in the comments if you would like to join, and I will hook you up! No strings attached.

You want in?

August 9, 2016

My Newest Adventure–Barre Teacher Training

Guess what I’m up to now?

Dun dun Duuuuuun!

I am studying to become a barre instructor!!!

What started as a search for a way to fulfill my NASM continuing education requirements, led me to one of the fastest growing, most delicious workouts. I love barre! I’ve been throwing barre workouts into my routine here and there for several years now and when I saw that there were a few barre programs that fulfilled my requirements, I hit “BUY NOW.” I went with American Barre Technique because they seemed to have the least restrictions as far as teaching, re-certifying and licensing are involved. Super straightforward.

Thing is though…I am not very graceful or graceful and I was never a dancer. I hope I’m not too clunky of a teacher. But I just LOVE working out this way, working those muscle with teeny tiny wicked movements.

My textbook and training video came in the mail last week and I devoured the entire book before bed one night. The entire thing.

Then, on Saturday, I tried the workout AND did a 40 minute run. I was hungry…all day. Haha. Now, I just have to work on memorizing the routine. My son and Hubster don’t know what they’re in for. Who else am I going to practice on?

So, my workplace offers on-site exercise classes before work, during lunch and after work. I’m hoping to nab my spot when one becomes available!

Wouldn’t it be fun to have a ladies’ only barre party at my house and teach in the backyard, from the deck, and then have snacks and fun afterward? That’s what I’m planning to do to film my final exam video (read: that’s how I’m planning to lure in my friends to be my guinea pigs). Love you, friends!

Oh yeah, and I published a book of poetry. NBD. Haha. It’s a compilation of all the poetry that I’ve tucked away in boxes and notebooks for years and thought, why the heck not publish it? Get your copy here:

Keep your eye on my Youtube channel because I’m going to be sharing the meaning and stories behind the poetry in a series of videos. In fact, one of them (Dresser for Sale) is already up! Subscribe so you don’t miss any when they go live!

Sometimes I can’t even keep up with me.

Have you tried barre yet? What do you love about it?

Are you a hustler who has one million projects going at all times too?