Scales SUCK!

I've always been all about ditching the scale, it's lame, it doesn't SHOW you what you're doing right or wrong, it's just a societal measurement that we can't seem to get rid of! It frustrates me just as it does most of you and recently I've been succumbing to the power of the scale and it's had me pretty down for the past month or so...that is until today :) I was scrolling through my Pinterest page and found this picture I posted almost to date 2 years ago! At the time of the first picture, I was struggling to gain weight (apparently due to stress from my wedding...I don't remember feeling stressed, but as soon as it was over I got back to my normal weight so I'm assuming that's what it was) So during this picture first picture I weighed 114 pounds, I was exercising regularly, eating a TON of healthy foods, but not packing on the pounds. I was down about it, but within about 6 months I got back to my typical weight of 118.  Back in 2012 I had been 118 pounds for almost 6 years, that length of time gets you tied to that number....Well enter December 2013, I was up to 123 and not feeling awesome, I had suffered a knee injury back in August 2013 and gave myself a LOT of excuses. So I decided to go through P90X3 at the start of 2014 and got some freaking AWESOME results, but I only lost 1 pound on the scale...for me it was still a win bc I LOVED the pictures and measurements at the end of my 90 days...

Fast forward through this summer of 2014 and I've managed to gain another 3 pounds (yep I'm at 125 pounds)...for the past few months I've been struggling with this a lot...my weight was 118 for so long, that's where I'm supposed to be, right?

I'm thinking WRONG, especially since seeing these pictures side by side! Do you see 11 pounds?! I know I sure as heck don't and I'm SO much more toned now than I was then! The point is, you've got to start taking progress pictures! They will show you the REAL story, not that dumb scale! 

How often are you going to commit yourself to taking progress pictures to see the real story?

You can still reach your 2014 goals, here's how...

Just because it's September doesn't mean you have to wait until next year to reach those goals you set for yourself in January! NOW is the perfect time to sit down and write out exactly what you want to achieve in 2014 :) Here are a few tips to help you along the way....

1. Create a goal with a deadline That means put it in your phone, write it on the calendar, make it legit so that you've got some healthy pressure on yourself :) Make sure it's specific & measurable so you can easily know when you've reached it. 

2. Budget Yep, I put that in there. "Why?" You might ask? Because almost every aspect of your life has $$$ attached...believe it or not, you likely aren't going to reach your goal for free and money should NOT hold you back from reaching it, you just need to get creative and plan ahead. Whether it's eating healthier, keeping your house clean, going hiking daily, etc be sure to keep in mind what you'll be spending, you'll need proper groceries, cleaning supplies and hiking gear to get those things accomplished.  Dig deep into your goal, what's it WORTH to you to make sure you achieve it?

3. Accountability group/buddy The people who stick to this tip are more likely to reach their goal than the ones who don't. When other's know about your goal and can help push you towards it, you're more likely to achieve it! I see this time and again with my support groups, the ENGAGED supporters have AMAZING transformations and successes, while those who go at it alone are still afraid to let anyone else in to help. Be vulnerable, take this step and ask for some accountability. 

4. Sacrifice In order to reach your goal you're likely going to need to add something to your plate so that means taking something else OFF. You cannot do it all, it will make you crazy. Take the time to figure out what you are and are NOT willing to sacrifice to achieve this goal. 

5. Create your plan Your plan is your roadmap to success. Once you've figured out what you want, now you need to figure out how to get there. In order to achieve a goal you've never achieved you need to do things you've never done before. This plan will help you get there, but it may take some research and talking with people who have reached the goal you have. Take time with this part and then GO FOR IT!

***don't get stuck on this step! You've got to FAIL in order to succeed so go out there and give it your all!

If you need help with this just comment below or send me an email :) 

You aren't alone, I struggle too

I don't know why this is, but from talking with friends, family and so many people on social media, I've found us women, just don't feel comfortable in our own skin! It's a daily struggle for so many people and while I've learned to overcome it most days, I still have days when I struggle too! When you think "How does this make me look,?" "Why does this shirt lay that way?" "That totally makes me look like a whale" and on and on and on... Wonder why you feel so bad about yourself all the time? It's because you're being so MEAN to yourself! Stop beating yourself up and stop focusing on a look and start to go for a feeling and behaviors....what in the world do I mean by that? Here are some guidelines to help you ditch the negative self-talk and start living a more positive life:

1. When you catch yourself saying something bad about yourself, STOP and think about the things you're DOING daily that are positive :) Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, eating a nutritious lunch, exercising for 30 minutes, focus on the positive :) 

2. Focus on others. This is hard because we are naturally selfish people, but start focusing on others and how you can HELP others: lend a helping hand to someone in need, give out a random compliment to a stranger, pray for a friend in need, etc :) 

3. PRAY. The power of prayer is like no other power I know. This key component is what has helped me the most over the past few years. Be thankful for this body that God has given you and remember you have been made in HIS image. Don't talk down about what God made! (that's YOU)

What tip are you going to try out today? Any other tips that have helped you feel better about yourself?

Weekend Sabotage

You've been killing it this week so maybe it's ok to relax a little this weekend, you've earned it, right?! Welllll...maybe not....

I'm all about moderation, but splurging on weekends is sabotaging your progress more than you think! Just take a second to think back to a weekend you really let yourself go, how hard was it to get back on track on Monday? or maybe even Tuesday? 

It's TOUGH to get back on the horse after falling off over 2-3 days....consistency is the key to most aspects of life so stay consistent with your eating habits, don't go overboard, and you're going to keep on moving forward!

4 Nutrition Tips for the Weekend!

let me explain...

#1: Figure out your options first! This part is KEY to having success when going out to eat or even eating a special meal at home. Know your options, don't go in blind and look at the nutritional facts online. We live in an age where you can find out pretty much anything about any meal at any restaurant so utilize this!

#2: 2 Drink Max...call me crazy, but if 2 drinks isn't giving you that "buzz" you want, it's time to lay off the alcohol anyways. This is HUGE for your progress, it's easy to forget just how much you're consuming and without the nutritional labels on the drinks, it's tough to realize just how many precious calories are being wasted while you get wasted. 

#3 Limit the carbs (trust me I shed a tear on this one) pizza, tortillas, cakes, cookies, oh my goodness carbs galore! This is where I say eat SMARTER. Choose multigrain and wholegrain options or substitute healthier complex carbs if need be, trust me I still enjoy my pizza and tortillas, but I don't feel guilty about them when they're nutrient dense :) 

#4 Ditch the "BIG" dessert. Super sad, I know, you wanted to celebrate during your night out with some molten chocolate cake with the hot fudge and ice cream....not worth it, I promise, that sucker is going to give you a HUGE stomach ache when you're through...instead go out for some fro yo (don't go overboard on this either) or have a few pieces of dark chocolate at home waiting for you :) 

Sorry if that was too harsh, but these are some guidelines that will help you get through the weekend temptations and feel AMAZING on Monday morning! :) 

Do you have any tips that could help? Comment below and share them with us!

Chips over salad? Why not both? {{Kale Chips}}

I'm a huge salad lover, but I realize there are MANY people out there who just don't dig it. That's cool, there are some super delicious ways to still get your leafy greens and right now this is one of the fastest and easiest ways I know how :) The Kale Chip....

I was SUPER skeptical when I first saw these, and I'll admit, I only LOVE them when they're fresh out of the oven, but dang these are good! Seriously, don't knock 'em till you try 'em

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350

  Step 2: Combine kale in a large bowl and drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt. Mix together with spoon until all kale seems equally covered. **Be careful not to use too much olive oil or garlic salt, just a light drizzle/sprinkle will do.

 Step 3: Place kale evenly on baking sheet.

Step 4: Once the oven is preheated, bake kale for 6 minutes.

Step 5: Take kale out and turn it over (I use tongs and don't really pay attention to if I get each and every piece turned over)

Step 6: Place kale back in the oven for another 5-6 minutes

**The longer you leave it in the crispier it gets

Enjoy!

Comment below if you have ever tried making Kale Chips before! How do you like to make them? Any variations we should try?

Hey guys, I'm 25! And so pumped for the year ahead!

Idk about for you, but birthdays for me are a time to reminisce. Crazy right?! For many of you, you may be thinking "You're only 25?! You're such a baby!" Well for me, it's kind of a big deal, specifically because my life is so FAR from what I ever thought it would be at this moment!

When I started my 20s just 5 years ago, I was probably one of the most negative people you could imagine...my husband (boyfriend at the time) actually used to tell me I always had a "complaint of the day" Seriously, that's how negative I was, ALWAYS complaining: school was hard, I had to get an A, I had to be the better, work the hardest, I didn't have time, blah blah blah blah blah...."woe is me" was always me.

NOW I'm 25 and have realized I can achieve absolutely anything I want AND I can help other people do the same! It's probably the most freeing realization I've ever had. This year alone at the age of 24 my husband and I were able to buy a home we're in love with (on one income), pay off 2/3rds of student loan debt (did I mention we only had 1 steady income?), go PART TIME as an ER nurse (PS this WAS the steady income) and get off of night shift (my biggest dream ever that I had no idea how to accomplish just 1 year ago), find my husband his dream job, and most importantly I started to....DREAM BIGGER!

Please do NOT feel like I am bragging, I'm not at all, I want YOU to know that YOU can do anything you dream of....the difference is ALL attitude! Bringing positivity into my life and kicking out the negative has DRASTICALLY changed my life! Dreaming BIG and making a plan to get there has helped me achieve my crazy dreams and helped me dream even bigger!

It wasn't all rainbows and lollipops, it was a year of sacrifice, crying, 70+ hour work weeks and LOTS of prayer. I truly believe God gives us obstacles so we can overcome them and come out stronger than ever! I've owned my own fitness/health coaching business from the time I was 21, but it took until the age of 24 to realize what God has put me here on earth to do. Yes I am a nurse, I will always be a nurse, but I'm quickly realizing WHY God put me into nursing....He did it to show me that I need to be on the forefront of preventative healthcare!

I'm here to help others get HEALTHY! It's not about crazy fast results or the new fab workout or diet plan. For me it's about teaching others that a healthy lifestyle isn't boring, it's the exact opposite, it's FUN and INSPIRING! I get to workout at home with no one to judge me, eat better than I ever have with little cravings for the bad stuff and be surrounded by people who are striving to do the same things! It's a DREAM :)

At the beginning of 2014 I committed to helping change 100 lives and I'm getting close to my number, but the number doesn't matter, just as long as I'm doing God's mission to help people realize their selfworth, their drive, their motivation to be health, that's what my life is about! This 25th year of life is going to be even better than the last because of the people who will come into my life and who are already here. God is so good, you just have to ask Him for help when you need it! He knows about the choices you have and He wants you to live a long and prosperous life! Sorry for all of the "!" I'm just so excited about what's in the year to come :) Keep learning everyday and keep DREAMING, but don't stop there...make a plan so you can actually LIVE your dream!

-Samantha