Know Your Why

Why do you want to lose weight? Why do you want to feel better? Why do you want to start exercising? Why do you want to run that race? WHY! Why is the driving force to why we do things. It is also that annoying question that our kids tend to give us when we explain they can't do or they need to do something. Why? Why? Why? Why? They ask 1000 times! Well, why does a kid ask you why 1000 times? Because they aren't satisfied with the answer you are giving them. They want to know the deep dark reason why they can't have that candy. "Because I said so," just doesn't cut it for them.

And you know what? You need to be just like your kid and ask yourself why until you are so raw, emotional, crying and feeling it all the way deep down into your bones.

Why do I want to lose weight? Because I am terrified to get pregnant again at a heavy weight. I'm not saying my weight last time is what made me miscarriage but I started out my last pregnancy at my heaviest weight which made physical exercise difficult and hard. I want to be healthy. I do want to blame myself again for losing the pregnancy had I had been weighing less...I don't want to endanger my life or the life of my child because of my weight. I want to exercise. I want to eat right. I don't want to feel limited by my weight while I am pregnant. I want to be here for my family. I want to run at the park and not feel winded. I want to enjoy life to the fullest! I am determined. I am persistant. I am worth it and I know I am worth it!

You have to really dig deep for your why on why you want to do whatever it is you want to do. If you don't then those pesky excuses are just going to rear their ugly heads and sooner or later you might give into those excuses. Your why has to be stronger than your excuses.

Need help finding your why? Ask yourself these questions:

1) What makes you come alive? What gives you drive to want to do something. Your kids. Your family. Your future family. What is going to give you that push to push harder.

2) What strengths do you already have? Look at what you already have going for you. Use these strengths to help you realize that you can do what you are wanting to accomplish!

3) How will your life change if you succeed? Think about the outcome of what you want to accomplish. How much different could your life be when you succeed? How amazing will you feel?

When you figure out your why I want you to write it down and post it in a place that you see everyday. On your bathroom mirror. On your computer. On your fridge. In your car. Wherever you can look at it daily, or when you are having a bad time. So that you can read your why and find that drive to keep going! You have this. You are so worth it!

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

How to start December Feeling Great

So who is feeling a little sluggish or icky from this past weekend feasting? Did you eat too much good stuff, or too many days of it? It's ok! Take a deep breath. It is ok! I have been enjoying a bowl of the fruit salad everyday. Yes it has marshmallows in it. It is my weakness, but I am limiting myself to only one bowl a day. Oh and it is going bye-bye today. It will not be in the house TOMORROW!

First things first. Make today the last day to have leftovers that might not be the best for you. And decide that tomorrow is the day that you get back on the healthy food and workout bandwagon.

Drink lots of water. You need to help flush your system of the heavy foods you ate this weekend. So make sure you are getting at least 100 oz of water over the next few days.

Drink 1-2 cups of warm lemon water (this counts towards your daily water allotments) This will help to flush and detox your body of the stuff you ate. It will help to regulate your system and help your tummy feel better. 

Drink 1 cup of water with 1-2 teaspoons of RAW Apple Cider Vinegar. This will help to re-balance out your body to a better PH balance. Eating meat and heavy foods change the ph balance of your body. it will also help you retain the good minerals in your body that you need instead of flushing all of them out with the extra water you are drinking. Plus more benefits. 

Eat more fruits and veggies! Have leftover veggie? Eat those up first. Stick with lots of veggies and fruits as your sweets. Now that you have had sweets your body is going to crave it. Use your fruits as your sweets. Get some grapes and stick them in the freezer for a nice frozen treat. Grapes have some of the highest natural sugar contents and it is a good starting point to help cut your cravings for sugar. After a few days cut grapes and go with apples or other fruits with less sugar in them.

But most of all. Give yourself a break. If you overate or indulged more than you had planned, it is done. It is in the past. Focus now on how you can help your body feel better and happier now. Also use this as a good lesson for Christmas. Remember how you are feeling to help drive you to eat differently over Christmas! You all did great. Give yourself some credit. I know each and everyone of you made at least 1 change to what you had at your table and that right there is the starting point!

Diamond Coach

 Last Thursday I hit a HUGE milestone as a health and fitness coach! I had a goal in May that I wanted to reach this goal by Christmas, and I am a whole month early! I advanced to DIAMOND RANK!

I don't receive a payout bonus, and it is not determined by how much money I have made or am making. What it means is that I am helping people every single day. Motivating them, supporting them, helping them reach their goals. And on top of that I am helping my team help others too. They are duplicating what I do and are now building their own teams. I have helped over 60 people now personally in my coaching career and that number is only going to get bigger.

What does that mean, well, that means that I am still going to be providing daily motivation and support. I am still going to be holding a clean eating challenge every month to anyone and everyone who wants to join. I am still going to be offering one on one support to my friends. Nothing changes, I am just leading a team who want to help people reach their health and fitness goals and are also reaching out to their friends who want to do the same. 

I am working with amazing women who want to be mompreneurs, girl bosses. Who want to contribute to their families income. Empowered women! Women who believe that they have a special mission to help people and who believe in themselves. (and some days we all need a little help believing in our selves. and that's ok! I'm here to help with that because I believe in you!)  And it is AMAZING! I feel so blessed to be able to work with such amazing people every single day. If you want any of these things, let me know, I would love to have you on my team! Send me an email or comment below! Connecting the dots to find balance between your fitness, health and life! 

BLACK FRIDAY SALE

 Ok, so it is Saturday but I still wanted to extend this AWESOME OFFER to you! My PERSONAL BLACK FRIDAY SALE! When you get either 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix Extreme, which is ON SALE! I will send you FIXATE FREE!

Yep! You have seen me post recipes from it, and it is AMAZING! Fixate gives you 101 great tasting recipes that you can use along with your killer new program to help you reach your goals!

Plus, you get access to my exclusive health and fitness support group, and ongoing support group filled with motivation, support, great people and tools to get end the year FEELING GREAT!!! The offer ends 11/30! 

Are you in?

December 30 Day Ab Challenge

It's another month and this is the month of cookies, sweets, sugars and decadent dinners. To avoid getting your own belly that shakes like a bowl full of jelly I thought it was the right time to do a 30 day AB challenge! Sounds great right?!?

Abs are so important though, they help protect your back, keep your posture finely tuned and help you just feel strong. Are you going to get a 6 pack doing these? Maybe, if you lose body fat on top of doing the exercises. But for me I know that I have a six pack under my fat because it would take a LOT for me to get visible abs. But just because I am plus sized doesn't me I shouldn't work my ABS off! (like that huh!) If anything we should be working our core more as plus sized women because we need to compensate for the extra stuff we already have. And that is ok! I love my curves and I have accepted that I have a belly. I have 2 beautiful babies! But here is the thing, I am fit. I am healthy. And I love my body and am taking care of it. It is just taking me a lot of hard work to get to where I want to be!

So let's go ladies! let's work our abs off! And get a strong core which will help us with all of our other daily things we do!

And, of course, be sure to like our FACEBOOK page and follow us on PINTEREST for motivation, clean eating tips, and healthy lifestyle resources.

Staying On Track For Thanksgiving

Check out my tips for staying on track this Thanksgiving. Many of us will be having a buffet style dinner. Here are my tips to keep Thanksgiving healthy but still enjoying many of the foods you want to eat for Thanksgiving!

Tips to Conquer The Buffet

Scope It out
Before taking your plate through the buffet line, check out the options and pick what you like. Having a plan will keep you from going overboard.

Top it with Turkey
Grab a plate of salad, (or bringer own) and top it with some turkey. When your plate is full of delicious veggies you won’t have room to over-do it with the other sides.

Be Mindful About Added Butter, Salt and Sugar
yes those dishes may taste incredible, but most Thanksgiving sides are packed with those things that aren’t the best for you. Try getting smaller portions or avoiding some of the choices.

Choose Water
There are probably lots of options filled with sugar. Stick with WATER! You will be well hydrated and feel great after!

Stick To One Trip
As tempting as all that food just laying around is, try to get everything you’d like in your first trip. et smaller portions of sides so you can have a variety.

Greens Over Yellows
Get more veggies than carbs. Obviously we love those potatoes, but we don’t need a plate full!

Bring Food to Share
Bring your own healthier options to share! Then you know exactly what went into it!

Be Selective About Desserts
there are often tons of desserts. Remember your goals and only get one small choice (or none if you’re feeling extremely controlled!) 

And, of course, be sure to like our FACEBOOK page and follow us on PINTEREST for motivation, clean eating tips, and healthy lifestyle resources.

Tracking Your Journey

One thing that's so important to remember as we're on this journey is that this is in fact A JOURNEY. It's ongoing, and we need to be making lifestyle changes in order to have a lasting effect on our health. There are no more diets in our world - just clean, whole, healthy foods, portion control and exercise to go with it.

Have you struggled in the past with dieting and having it quickly come back once you resumed your normal habits? What is your story about why you got here and why you realized you needed to change your habits, and not just do another fad diet out there?  I have. But it wasn't until I finally realized that I eat the things I like in moderation that this lifestyle change really clicked for me! 

I think it is so important to keep returning to our journey and see where we have come from and how far we have changed. Answer these questions: Where did you start at the beginning of your journey? What have you learned from your journey thus far? And where do you so yourself at the end of your journey? 

And, of course, be sure to like our FACEBOOK page and follow us on PINTEREST for motivation, clean eating tips, and healthy lifestyle resources.

Be Fearless

How many of you feel like exercise and clean eating have become a normal and regular part of your life now? Yes, I have times where I just want a milkshake and goodies, but it is just times now. Not ALL THE TIME like it used to be. I love that I have a healthy relationship with food now. This is the first time ever! You do not have to sacrifice to be healthy you just have to realize that there are better things out there for you.

In high school I ate so little because I thought I was fat. Always skipping breakfast and I would eat Jr. Mints for lunch and that was it and barely ateany dinner too. I used to think, "to lose weight I have to cut food, or a food group." I lost 20 pounds in high school because I didn't eat. I used an excuse as a reason to why I didn't want to eat. I felt that I had to stop eating and exercise to be happy. And I still thought I was fat even when I was too thin for my body type. Most people thought I looked great. I was miserable. I was hungry. I was depressed. And I was hurting myself. 

Even as a young adult I was hard on myself. Thinking that if I ever reach a certain weight that I would just stop eating again. And I thought I was HUGE! 

Now, I finally get to eat, and it always fills me up and still lose weight. I am eating the right types of carbs. I am eating healthy fats. I am LOVING veggies and fruits. And I am getting the protein in my body that it needs to function correctly! And the food I make is pretty great! Oh and I still get goodies, sometimes. I live my life by the 80/20 rule where I eat clean most of the time but still get a good treat. 

We are all in here for our own reason but we are fighting for what we want. We are fighting to be healthy and sometimes the battle is REAL! Be fearless in what you are pursuing. Because in the end, you matter. Your healthy life matters! You are worth it and never forget that!

If you are done letting food rule your life and want to start eating clean and healthy. Fill out this GOOGLE DOC and I will get back with you within 48 hours.  I can't wait to talk to you! 

Thanksgiving Appetizer: Pumpkin Hummus

Here is a great appetizer to try out before you dive into your feast! Let me know what you think! 

Pumpkin Hummus:

Pumpkin is a great Thanksgiving tradition. This recipe taste good with chips, and baked pita chips.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp pumpkin oil
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
15oz pumpkin (plain) baked or canned
4 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press
2 tbsp cilantro

Preparation:

Place all ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth.
Spoon into a decorative stoneware serving bowl and serve chilled.

[Image source: cooktj.com]

Keeping The Holidays Healthy

Here they are! The Holidays are HERE!

Every December I have been resigned with the fact that I was just going to enjoy my holiday and deal with the aftermath in January. But this year is going to be so different. This is the first year that I am going into the holidays losing weight and actually knowing what I should and shouldn't eat. And trying to follow that. I am taking the time for me, my health and my body! No more just allowing the holidays to run my life for me.

Why wait for New Years to make the changes your body is wanting?

For December I am running a group to help keep your holidays healthy. A holiday survival group just for women who are ready to make themselves a priority this year.

My 30 day exclusive private group will include:

-A fitness program that fits your lifestyle and needs
-30 day supply of dense nutrition
-Meal plans, recipes and grocery lists
-Meal planning help and support
-Accountability and one on one coaching
-Daily motivation to help you stick with your goals
-Clean eating and holiday survival guide ebooks
-A group of supportive women who can relate to YOU

I am ready to make this December the most healthy and best one I have ever had with ME as a priority. Are you ready?

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

Stretches for Tight Hips

Oh my legs and hips are super sore and tired from my workouts I have been doing this week. Tonight I am taking the time to stretch them out and help them out a little! Thankfully I have Pilates on the schedule for tomorrows workout and not strength training but I still need to stretch them tonight. I'm following this exercise routine to help me out! 

All of you doing the squat challenge. Takes some time during the week to stretch out your legs and hips! 

Facing Fears

Yesterday was a rough day for me guys. I faced a huge fear of mine during my counseling session. And it is something that has come out during this whole process of the miscarriage. Because I was so close to it actually happening.

I faced my fear dead on. I am so scared of not being here for my family. My fear is, had I had died during the miscarriage. I had to face that today. We had to go back into it and talk through those feelings of sadness and grief and how close I really was. I even said, "I didn't want to go down that path because it scared me." Talking about me dying and not being here just broke my heart.

But you know what. I realized how much I love my family. I realized that I have a lot more work to do here in this life and that I am making my life count. I have my two amazing boys who need me. And my husband that loves me and wants me. I have friends that would miss me. I have lives that I am helping to change right now and countless future people that I know I am going to be helping that need me! I am so thankful that I am still here. That it wasn't my time and that I have found my purpose as a mother, wife, teacher and motivator.

I give all of myself in all that I do. Because we only have 1 life to live. Live it to your fullest. Every single day! And be thankful for the life that you do have. It has helped shape you into the person you are now!

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

Old Me vs New Me

Transformation Tuesday! MY OWN! The old me and the new me. The me on the left. She was suffering from depression, but still trying to be better every day. Shy, nervous and suffered from low self confidence and esteem. Determined though to never give up. Worked on eating better, giving up the processed foods, and making meals that were healthy and helped make her happy. Motivated to change while motivating and supporting others just like her.

Well, the old me, the one on the left, blossomed into the girl on the right! Confident, glowing, happy, inspiring others and 18.5 pounds lighter. All because I decided that I was worth it and that I was tired of being sad, tied of my body hurting, or out of breath when climbing the stairs. I was through with making excuses. I had enough and I was ready to change.

And I have.

It is so amazing to see that in just a few short months I have literally transformed into this girl on the right. No make up and all and still beautiful!
Be you. Take care of you. You are worth fighting for. You are worth starting today and trying. This is your chance. Are you ready? You can join me and my group. Send me a message and we can talk about how you can change too! Connect the dots for your fitness, health and life with this Ginger! 

And, of course, be sure to like our FACEBOOK page and follow us on PINTEREST for motivation, clean eating tips, and healthy lifestyle resources.

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Turkey Day Transformations! Who wants to have a healthier Thanksgiving this year? I DO! Every week I am going to be posting some great healthy options for your Thanksgiving feast! 

Yes this has sugar in it. But this makes 4 servings. That means only 1/4 tablespoon of sugar per potato. 80/20. Eat clean 80% of the time and enjoy the rest 20% of the rest of the time. but there is so little sugar per serving. Swap out your traditional cream and butter filled mashed potatoes and gravy for this healthy tasty option. Oh and this can also replace the sweet potato casserole. TWOFER! Enjoy! 

Check out todays, 

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes (1/2 pounds total)
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon light- or dark-brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped pecans

How to make it: 1 hour, 20 minutes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Pierce each sweet potato twice with tip of knife.

2. Bake until soft, about 50 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle but still very warm. Reduce oven heat to 325°F.

3. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out flesh and place in medium bowl, being careful not to tear skin. Reserve skins. Add pineapple, oil, butter, sugar, zest, and salt to potato flesh. Whip with electric mixer or whisk until slightly fluffy.

4. Place skin shells on baking sheet. Fill with potato mixture, mounding each. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans. Bake 5 minutes longer. 1 serving is half a potato.

Healthy Cooking Tip:

Twice-Baked Stuffed Sweet Potatoes can be made up to a day ahead of time. Bake and stuff the potatoes as directed in the recipe through step 3. Place in a shallow dish, cover loosely and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking as directed in the recipe.

Modified from Reader's Digest Recipe

Sneak Peek Into My Challenge Group

Hey guys! You see me post all the time about challenge groups, or health and support fitness groups, or my clean eating groups. You ever wonder what they are? A challenge group/health and support fitness group, is a small micro-community of people that are all going through a journey of health and fitness. I have various types of groups held during the month. A Month long group for those that are doing a specific workout program or regime and need that daily motivation, and more constant interaction to help them stay on track. I also hold a 5 day clean eating challenge which is actually an introduction to clean eating. You get to try out clean eating for 5 days, learning how to adapt that kind of lifestyle into your daily life. And also a 5 day sneak peek into what I do as a health and fitness motivator.

In each of the challenge groups, I post multiple times during the day to engage with the challengers, ask questions, help to motivate them and also post motivational videos in there so that they get to know me as a person and know that I am really there for them and care about them. Yes I am a Beachbody coach and I love the products, but what I love more than that is actually working one on one with each of my challengers. Getting to know them. Educating them. Inspiring them. Being there for them. Motivating them. That is my favorite part and I think I have that part down pretty well.

We just wrapped up our 5 day clean eating challenge- Halloween Edition and it was AMZING! Everyday I posted a new recipe for them to add to their list to try, we had a competition going on for the highest point earners with a grand prize of a Hydra Trak water bottle to help them get the water they need during the day and have a fun way to track it. There was so much interaction.

Anyways. I wanted to share with you one of my videos that I made for the group. Since it was Halloween week, I wore a different wig everyday for the 5 videos I made. It was tons of fun. Check out the video and let me know what you think,

Have any other questions or are interested in joining any of my challenge groups? Let me know. Send me an email! I would love to have you join us!

November Book Club

First Wednesday of the month is BOOK CLUB book announcement day! And it is November, the thankfulness month. With Thanksgiving at the end of the month it just makes sense to make this month the most happy and sharing of our thanks. This month I wanted to focus on working the good inside of us but also to see what makes us happy! Hence book #2 The happiness project! How excited are you for these books this month? Have you been keeping up with the books? 

Goal is to read at least 10 minutes of day. You can read both books this month or just one. You choose and have fun! Comment below with which one you decide.

Check out our books this month! 

Book 1: 
Rebecca Rosen- Awaken The Spirit Within: 10 Steps to Ignite Your Life and Fulfill Your Divine Purpose

We all want to be happy and fulfilled. We want to understand the very point of our lives—why we’re here and what we’re meant to do. Yet, when we think about how to get from here to there and answer life’s “Big” questions, so many of us don't know where to begin. The advice from so many different people and sources can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. In Awaken the Spirit Within, acclaimed author and spiritual medium Rebecca Rosen offers us an inspired and invigorating prescriptive program to give our lives clarity and deeper meaning. With Rebecca’s down-to-earth and conversational style, this book will help you learn how to: 

   • Create more peace and fulfillment in your personal relationships 
   • Gain confidence in your natural talents and abilities 
   • Succeed in greater degrees at your job 
   • Develop financial abundance and prosperity 
   • Conquer addictions and negative thinking 
   • Find freedom from weight struggles and poor body image 
   • Gain the clarity to make the “right” choices and decisions for your life

Bold claims? Yes. But when it comes to Rebecca Rosen, you’ll understand just after a few pages, why Time.com has told its readers to “Take her advice seriously.”

Book 2: 

Gretchen Rubin - The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun

In this lively and compelling account—now updated with new material by the author—Rubin chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. Among other things, she found that novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness; that money can help buy happiness, when spent wisely; that outer order contributes to inner calm; and that the very smallest of changes can make the biggest difference.

30 Days Of Thanks-November Support Group

I am so excited! I am setting up my next challenge group that begins THIS WEEK! 30 Days Of Thanks! Why not have a whole month to be thankful for our friends, family, health, strong bodies, and clean healthy foods!

I still have available spots to help more people stay on track, avoid the holiday bulge and food comas and feel their best EVER this holiday season!

Now that Halloween is behind us, more and more sweets and treats are going to be around and tempt us. Let this be the first year that you say "NO" to excess sweets this season. We will work together to find a workout program that fits your life. So you can Connect The Dots with your Fitness, Health and Life!

Are you ready?

By joining our group you receive:
~a workout program that works for YOU
~a months supply of superfoods nutrition
~meal plans/ prepping and planning help
~support/accountability and a community that helps motivate you daily and allows you to DREAM BIG!

You are worth it! Why not start today?

Fill out this application to let me know YOU WANT TO JOIN! 

Healthy Halloween Game: 2015

I did this last year with Anna and Elsa costumes that came a knocking and ended up doing 60 squats for the night. I wanted to up the anti this year. Adding more categories of costumes and a variation of exercises to do per costume.

So the rules: Whenever one of these little costumes make an appearance at your door keep a tally and do the exercise associated with it either right then and there or after the little monsters have gone to bed. Think of this as your way to eat a candy bar or 2 for the night. Fun way to help keep you healthy and happy this holiday season!

Also check out my trick to keep the candy in the house at a minimum! Big bucket, lots of stuffing!

November 30 Day Squat Challenge

New month means a whole new monthly challenge! Here we go 30 days to a sexy, lifted, slimmer, rounded butt!

You do not need to do these all in one sitting (squatting) Break it up throughout the day. That's ok. Your goal is just to follow the amount of squats per day! Let me know if you are doing this! Comment below or send me an email. Need daily support and motivation? Follow me on FACEBOOK or join my monthly challenge group! Hope to see you there and GOOD LUCK!

And, of course, be sure to like our FACEBOOK page and follow us on PINTEREST for motivation, clean eating tips, and healthy lifestyle resources.