Seven Day Spring Slimdown

I'm starting a free Seven Day Spring Slimdown Group on Monday, April 6th. I know I haven't done as well as I should over the winter but I am ready to get my butt back into gear! If you're new to exercise and/or just need to get back in to practice, this group will be perfect for you. If you're interested send me a message at facebook.com/janashealthychapter, comment here, or email me at janashealthychapter@gmail.com. Just to sweeten the group, I'll be adding a door prize at the end of the week for just a little extra incentive!!

The only thing I ask of you is to sign up for a free Beachbody membership HERE!!!  You will get me as your personal Coach, access to BB message boards and forums, and the WOWY SuperGym!  You can't beat it!  You will not be asked for credit card info unless you decide you want to purchase a fitness program or Shakeology.

Meal Prepping

Last night was one of my weekly meal prep nights.  I like to prep for three days at a time.  Because my tastes change so much during the week I've found that this helps me to not become bored with food. When you get bored with your food, you start eating things you shouldn't.  So below I have the following for my 21 Day Fix Menu:

Breakfast:  Oatmeal (instant - not the best but it will do for 3 days) and blueberries

AM Snack:  Shakeology, greek yogurt, 1/2 banana, and spinach (not pictured) which will be blended together

Lunch:  Salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, hard boiled egg, turkey dogs, and homemade dijoin vinaigrette (not pictured)

PM Snack:  Hummus, whole wheat crackers, and an apple

Dinner:  Stuffed bell peppers with ground turkey, and veggies on the side (butternut squash and mixed veggies)

Dessert:  1/2 banana and 1 TBSP of peanut butter

It usually takes me two hours in the kitchen to prep.  But it makes things so much easier during the week.  I pull out the tupperware and just heat it up and I'm good to go.

If you need some ideas on meal prepping or are just curious about it or think it may be a bit overwhelming, let me know.  I'd be happy to help you in anyway that I can!

You're a Badass!

This post coincides with yesterday’s post on how to deal with miserable people.

Sometimes it takes us awhile to find out who we really are as a person.  Some people know who they are and feel as if they have to hide it from everyone else for fear of being an “outcast.”  Some people are lucky enough know who they are at an early age and could care less what others think of them and therefore live a happy, healthy, satisfying life.  It took me a long time to figure out who I really was and become a happier person.  Not knowing who you are leads to stress and anxiety.  So many people struggle with stress and depression on a daily basis that it’s becoming an epidemic.

This article from mindbodygreen.com is a great tool in helping you figure out who you really are.  Click HERE to read!

Don’t worry about what other people may think of you.  Be the person you were meant to be and share your happiness with anyone you may encounter.

I want to be someone who is constantly helping others, someone who won't judge, and is continually growing.  Do you need some help figuring out who you are?  Do you need some guidance?  I'd love to get you started on your journey.

Haters gonna hate hate hate...

It’s true!  You’ll always have haters in your life.

I had a ridiculous evening last night dealing with someone who is miserable with her life and in turn is trying to make me, and other people I am trying to help, miserable as well.

Most people want to be happy or change their lives to become a happier person.  You then have those few people who are always miserable, have no desire to change their outlook, and on top of that, want to make everyone else around them miserable.  I’ve also noticed with my weight loss (-76 pounds) that there are some people who become jealous of your success.  Instead of being encouraging, they try their best to bring you down and/or stop you from becoming even more successful.

I woke up this morning thinking I’m still going to help myself and others no matter what anyone says.  Believe in yourself and don’t let haters bring you down.

Join a group that has like-minded goals and WANT to see you succeed.  Thankfully, I have a wonderful Beachbody group with men and women who do nothing but encourage and support each other.  If you need a similar group, please contact me and let me help you find a group that will fulfill your needs and help you succeed and reach your goals!

And just for fun...just Shake it off!

Shakeology Challenge Group

Are you interested in trying Shakeology? Not sure which flavor you would like? My team is having a 7 Day Shakeology Challenge starting April 13th. If you've ever been interested in trying Shakeology, this would be the perfect way to get started.

Shakeology is your daily dose of dense nutrition. It's simply the most delicious, superfood-packed protein shake on the planet.

Email me at janashealthychapter@gmail.com or visit my webpage HERE!

Weekly Goals

Happy Monday!

I like to set weekly goals for myself. I write them down and keep them next to my desk so that I can see them every morning.

My goals this week are: 1. Wake up earlier 2. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day and/or walk 3 miles a day 3. Stick to my meal plan 4. Finish some projects that I've been putting off 5. Stick to my daily schedule!

What are your weekly goals? Maybe I can help you figure out what type of goals you need to set for yourself to help you feel more productive. Comment below or pm me.

Friday Five

Friday Five

What are your Five favorite fitness activities?

1.  Burpees.  I couldn’t do them when I first started but now, I’m slowly getting better at them.

2. Walking.  I love to go for a long walk, especially now that it’s getting warmer

3.  Yoga.  I’m working on my balance and flexibility and am loving it.

4.  Kettlebell Training.  You get dumbbell training and cardio at the same time!

5.  C25K - I’m not a runner, but I will jog…slowly.  This program helps you train for a 5K.  I completed my first last year and am planning on completing another one soon!

Thirsty Thursday

Today is #ThirstyThursday!

so...

Dink All The Water!

Quick rules of thumb for drinking water:

- Drink half your bodyweight in ounces of water (if you weight 160lbs, drink 80oz of water each day).
- Carry a bottle everywhere with you as a reminder to keep drinking.
- Eat raw fruits and vegetables – they are dense in water. You can get water from food, not just from beverages.
- Drink water and other fluids until you urinate frequently and with light color.

Wellness Wednesday

Today is #wellnesswednesday

Bananas! Who doesn't like bananas? 

Not only are they portable and full of essential vitamins and fiber, their rich potassium content is useful in preventing the onset of high blood pressure, stroke, immune disorders and muscular cramps. They’re also great with a quarter cup of peanut or almond butter for a healthy protein-to-carb ratio. Portion: small banana or 4 oz. sliced. The greener the better! Brown/speckled bananas are high in sugar.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
Here's an Irish Blessing today just for you.

As a bonus, I'm posting a Healthy Irish Recipe!

Crock Pot Guinness French Onion Soup & Irish Cheddar Crouton

courtesty of "The Skinny Fork" blog.  You can find it HERE!

The Skinny:
Servings: 6 • Size: 1 Cup Soup + Crouton • Calories: 272.1 • Fat: 11.7 g • Carb: 24.7 g • Fiber: 3.2 g • Protein: 14.4 g • Sugar: 1 g • Sodium: 752.1 mg

Ingredients:
French Onion Soup:
4-6 Onions (About 8 Cups), Sliced Thinly
5 Garlic Cloves, Minced
2 Tbsp. Light Butter
6 C. Reduced Sodium Beef Broth
1/2 C. Guinness Draught Beer
1 Tbsp. Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
1 Bay Leaf
1 Tsp. Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 Tsp. Dried Rosemary
1/4 Tsp. Dried Thyme
Salt & Pepper To Taste

Croutons:
6 Slices French Bread (1 Oz. Each)
6 Oz. Irish Cheddar, Sliced (I used Kerrygold, Aged)

Directions:
Place onions, garlic, and butter into your slow cooker.

Cover and cook on high heat setting for 45 minutes to an hour or until onions begin to soften. Yes, your slow cooker will be pretty full of onions. Don't let it scare you! They cook down.

Stir broth, beer, soy sauce, bay leaf, vinegar and spices into the onions.

Cover and cook on low heat setting 6 to 8 hours (or high heat setting 3 to 4 hours) or until onions are very tender.

Once the soup is finished, remove the bay leaf.

Right before serving, preheat oven broiler and set out individual slices of french bread onto a baking sheet. Top bread slices with 1 oz. of the cheese each.

Broil until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with toasted 'croutons'. Serve piping hot and enjoy!

My Favorite Recipe Right Now

Most of you may be aware that I just finished Round One of 21 Day Fix.  I've been eating ALOT of food but it's all clean and healthy.  #nocheatsfor3weeks  I am taking two weeks off and concentrating on Piyo but will still be using the 21 Day Fix Nutrition Guide and containers and starting back with Round Two April 6th.

Today, I cooked the best meal I had had since starting 21 Day Fix.  

Turkey Quinoa Taco Bake

It was DELICIOUS and I will be making this again soon!

I found the recipe HERE! from Michelle's Fit Life Blog.

Here are my pics from the recipe.

Here's the recipe:

Turkey & Quinoa Taco Bake

Makes 4 servings (Big Servings)

Each serving = 1 yellow, 1/2 green, 1/2 purple, 1 blue, 1 red

Yellow Container Ingredients

1 cup uncooked Quinoa

Red Container Ingredients

20oz package 93% Lean Ground Turkey

Green Container Ingredients

Chopped Red or yellow or green pepper*

Chopped onion & Jalapeno* ( I don't use jalapeno - Spicy foods make me ill)

Purple Container Ingredients

Tomato Sauce (low Sodium) 2 cups 

Blue Container Ingredients

Shredded Cheddar (4 Blue containers worth)

Freebie ingredients

Juice of 1 lime

Garlic 3 cloves minced

Chili Powder 2 Tbsp

Cumin 2 Tsp

Onion Powder 1 Tsp

Chopped Cilantro 1/3 cup

Hot Sauce to taste (optional) ( Again, no hot sauce - it makes me so sick)

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9X13 baking dish with cooking spray & set aside.
2. Add Quinoa to 2 cups water in a Medium saucepan & bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn heat to low & simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat & fluff with a fork. Cover quinoa & set aside.
3. Spray frying pan with non-stick cooking spray. Add onion, garlic & jalapeno & sauté over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the ground turkey, breaking it up as it browns. Cook for about 5 minutes & add the peppers. Cook for 3-4 minutes more, or until meat if no longer pink.
4. Add the juice of 1 lime, cumin, chili powder & cilantro. Stir to combine. Adjust seasonings to taste.
5. Remove from heat & add the quinoa to the meat & veggie mixture. Pour in the tomato sauce & hot sauce if using & stir. Add 1 blue container of shredded Cheddar Cheese.
6. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 3 (blue) containers of Cheddar. Cover with foil & bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil & bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted & edges are bubbling. Remove from oven & let cool for 10 minutes.

*These veggies should total 2 Green containers when mixed together.

Weight Loss Tips and Clean Eating Group

Hi guys!  I am hosting a FREE 7 day Weight Loss Tips and Clean Eating Group via Facebook starting Monday March 16th.  If you want, you can just watch and learn - and get involved physically in my next group.

This group is open to ANYONE so invite your family and friends along for support. However, space is limited.  It will be a fun way to meet new people on the same health journey as you. This will be a NO JUDGEMENT- HATE FREE ZONE! We are all here to support and encourage each other as we make healthy lifestyle changes. I encourage you to ask questions, help others, and have fun!

It’s really simple to join. All you need to do is go to my LIKE page on FB by clicking here and then click JOIN on the event. You will see it posted on my page when you scroll down. I can't wait to meet you if I haven't already and to get going on this fun adventure.

ARE YOU READY TO GET STARTED?

create a FREE teambeachbody account and add me as your free coach:

1. go to www.teambeachbody.com/janaogrady

2. Click the blue “join team beachbody” button

3. Click on "Sign me up for FREE membership”

4. Create your account

5. Let me know via fb so I can make sure you were added

Then Sit tight.  I’m finalizing the details on the challenge, I'll add you to it before we begin.

What To Do If You're Experiencing a Setback

Setbacks happen to all of us.  

Full disclosure - I’m in a little one myself right now.  I have been sick 3 times since January 1.  I’ve let it get the best of me.  I haven’t eaten as healthy as I should, I haven’t worked out as much as I should, I haven’t worked in general as much as I should.  It’s hard to do regular day things when you feel like crap and are in pain on a daily basis.  It seems like the winter weather makes it so much more difficult to feel like your "normal" self.

Today is the day I get back on track!  I’ve had my healthy breakfast, I’ve scheduled all my work and appointments, and even scheduled in my exercise.  Don’t let a setback define your goals. Acknowledge your setback,  Regroup, evaluate, vent, give yourself a break, and move on!  

I’m here for you!   

Full article can be viewed HERE!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today, I'm staying away from the chocolate and forbid my husband from buying any for me!  Instead I'm having a chocolate shakeology with strawberries, greek yogurt, and vanilla milk.

Here are a few more Valentine's Day Shakeology Recipes.  Click HERE!

Taco Thursday

Tonight is Taco Thursday which ususally leads into Taco Friday with leftovers.

I like to fix myself a taco salad while the husband has "normal tacos.  Tonight I used a clean home made taco seasoning instead of the packets.  I've been wanting to try it for awhile now but just never did.  Since some friends and I are holding a clean eating accountability group via Facebook this week, I decided to give it a try.  I will never eat another taco seasoning packet again!  It tasted SO much better.  Even my husband liked it, which I was a little worried about.  So if Brian likes it, everyone likes it! ;)

The recipe calls for the taco seasoning is as follows

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

DIRECTIONS:

1. Blend all spices in a bowl and use to season any taco meat you are cooking. Use approximately 1 tablespoon per pound of meat.
2. Note: This mix has a small amount of “kick” to it. Nothing that will set your mouth on fire, but definitely noticeable. If you want something without the kick, leave out the cayenne and add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of paprika.

I found this recipe at The Gracious Pantry if you're interested in taking a peek!

As far as the taco salad itself, I used ground turkey, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, fat free refried beans, salsa, and Weight Watchers Shredded Mexican Cheese.  I also added 2/3 cup of water when adding the taco seasoning.

Be sure to watch your portions!

Seasoning:

Finished product:

Taylor Swift Blank Space

So, I have to admit that I like Taylor Swift's "Blank Space."  I'm not a huge fan of hers per se, but I do like some of her songs...some.  However, I just found this song from I Prevail covering "Blank Space."  I'm not sure how I feel about a "hardcore" or "hard rock" group covering a pop song.  But, let's just say I have both versions in my workout playlist.  What do y'all think?

Eat Your Veggies...and Chicken

Tonight’s supper is brought to you by the letter’s C & E

Clean Eating

This is my Chicken &Veggie Bake that I LOVE to make.  This meal will last me for at least 3 days.  There’s my meal prep right there. I also added some organic whole grain rice.  It is SOOO good!

Here’s the recipe:

I usually use 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts cubed 

1 lb red potatoes, cubed

Almost 1 full cup of chicken broth or veggie broth

1 cup of green beans

1 cup of carrots

1 red pepper

1 onion sliced

4 garlic cloves thinly sliced

1.5 tsp olive oil

1 tsp fresh chopped rosemary

Your favorite chicken seasonings to taste ( I use Lawry’s seasoned salt and some pepper)

Dump all this goodness in a baking dish.  Cook for 45 minutes or until chicken and potatoes are done at 400 degrees.

Missy Elliott's 30 Pound Weight Loss

Y'all, Missy looked great during the Superbowl.  Even my husband made a comment about how good she looked.  Come to find out, she lost her last 30 pounds doing Shaun T's workouts.  Most of my friends and family know that I'm a HUGE Shaun T fan.  I've been using his Hip Hop Abs program for a month now and they are just so much fun!  His energy level and personality is contagious.  Even when you're sweating your butt off, you're still smiling!  I'm thinking of doing his T25 program next.  I'm a fan girl, I'm hooked, I'll admit it.

Click HERE to read more about Missy's weight loss.

I'm Just Gonna Leave This Right Here...

Whoa!

What I'm Trying to Figure Out

Day 22 of 31

What am I trying to figure out?

What am I NOT trying to figure out?!?!  There are so many things going on in my life that I'm trying to figure out what to do or how to do it.  Right now, the main things is what career I'm going to complete until I decide to retire.  I'm a librarian.  I went to grad school for library and information science.  I spent butt loads of money on my education and now librarianship is a dying career.  I haven't been able to find a job in 5 years as a Librarian.  So, I had to go back to the drawing board and just do SOMETHING.  I decided to go with medical coding and billing/health administration.  It's a growing occupation and there's always going to be somebody sick.  Even President Obama mentioned medical coding in his state of the union address 2 days ago.  So, I'm trying to figure out medical terminology, anatomy, codes, billing procedures, Medicare and Medicaid insurance.  It's ALOT harder than what I was thinking it was.  But, I'm still trucking.  Wish me luck!  My goal is to be CPC certified by the end of the year.

Workout Routine

Day 21 of 30

My workout Routine

My workout routine between January 19th and May 19th is my Piyo and Shakeology Beachbody Challenge.

I recently signed up to become a beachbody coach and I picked this as my Challenge pack. Chalene Johnson (Piyo) is a wonderful motivator and very inspiring.

I usually exercise in the afternoon.  Due to arthritis in my feet and peroneal tendonitis, I have a hard time walking, let alone exercising in the AM.  After walking around a few hours, my tootsie feel much better.

I work part time as a pet sitter/dog walker while in the process of working on a new career and I am usually busiest during lunchtime.  After my pet visits during the day, I come home, have a banana and do my Piyo.  If I haven't gotten my steps in for the day, I usually visit our apartment gym later in the evening around 7PM.  I have to get my steps in!  If I don't, I feel awful the next day.

After my Piyo Challenge, I'm going to try Les Mills PUMP.  If anyone is interested in trying a challenge pack with me, please let me know.  I am loving the beachbody program.  The workouts are hard, but I love that they ALWAYS have someone doing modifications in the videos.  There is also a huge amount of support.

Best Thing to Happen this Year

Day 20 of 30

The best thing that happened this year was...

I flew on a plane without a seatbelt extender.  I know it sounds trivial to some but I couldn't believe how excited I was!  I almost got the flight attendant to take a picture but I decided against it.  I didn't always need an extender but within the past 5 years, anytime I flew, I needed one.  I promised myself I wasn't going to fly again until I knew I was smaller to be comfortable in the airplane seat.  The last time I flew and didn't need one was on my honeymoon 5 years ago.  I knew that I was 20 pounds lighter than that but I was still a little nervous.  What a great feeling!  It was always so embarrassing to ask the flight attendant for the extender.  Never again!!!

Top Ten Favorite Foods

Day 19 of 31

My Top Ten Favorite Foods

1.  Pizza
2.  Turkey burger ( i don't eat red meat )
3.  Hot, buttery popcorn
4.  Peeps
5.  bananas with peanut butter
6.  banana nut muffins from my local bakery
7.  cucumbers
8.  anything chocolate and mint combined
9.  salted caramel
10.  My Shakeology (specifically the chocolate flavored)

pic courtesty of www.mysanfranciscokitchen.com

Where Have I Traveled

Day 18 of 31...

Where I've traveled

I haven't been to many places, although there are a ton of places I want to travel to.  I've never been out of the country and I really want to travel through Europe.

I have been all up and down the East Coast...Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virgina, West Virginia, Washington, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut.

I have visited California...I went to Los Angeles, visited Disneyland, Universal, took a tour of Dreamworks studio, which was UHmazing (I have a friend who is a graphic artist there)!  But, that's about it.  I'm dying to go somewhere new and exciting!

Here I am in Hollywood...

And here I am at Dreamworks studio with Po from Kung Fu Panda.  Pictured with me is my friend Billy, who actually worked on the movie.  *Note...I was at my heaviest here. :(  Can't wait to go back smaller.  I'm really hoping for a visit this year!

What's in My Makeup Bag

Day 18 of 31

My makeup bag consists of mostly bareMinerals make up.  I used to wear Clinique but decided to switch it up a little.

I have:

bareMinerals:
a kabuki brush
prime time foundation primer
ready Foundation
Eyeshadow "The Magic Word" with presto and abracadabra colors
Moxie Lipstick "Breakaway"
Lash Domination volumizing mascara
Marvelous Moxie lipgloss "Hypnotist"

Then, I have:
an Eyebrow and Eyeline "comb"
eyeshadow brush
and Wet'nWild eyeliner in BlackBlack

My Two Favorite Recipes

My absolute favorite recipe, because I like it and my husband actually likes it.  He is such a PICKY eater!  Grrr!

Weight Watchers Pizza Casserole

I found this recipe at:  Recipe-Diaries

Ingredients from food.com

Servings: 10

Calories 254.3 | Fat: 8.4 g | Carbs: 24.5g | Fiber 1.9 g | Protein 19.7g

Points Plus: 6

1 lb ground lean turkey sausage
1 medium onion , chopped
1 clove garlic , minced
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
8 ounces rotini pasta , cooked and drained
2 cups shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese (20 oz)
32 slices of turkey pepperoni

Directions:

1.  Brown ground beef, onion, garlic and seasoning in oil.
2 .Drain.
3.  Stir in pasta, spaghetti sauce and 2 cups cheese.
4. Place mixture in 2 greased 9x13x2 inch baking pans or 4 square pans.
5.  Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
6.  Top with pepperoni.
7.  Cover and freeze up to 3 months.
8.  To cook now: Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until heated through.
9. To bake frozen casserole: Thaw in refrigerator overnight and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, till hot.

My second recipe (just for me, because the husband doesn't like seafood) is:

Tin Foil Salmon with Asparagus

Servings:  4

Points Plus:  Appx: 5ish

Calories 207.2g | Fat: 6.4 g | Carbs: 6g | Fiber 2,6 g | Protein 31.6g  (all approximate)

4 sheets aluminum foil, wrap (12-inch by 18-inch)
4 (5 ounce) salmon fillets
1 lb asparagus
1 fresh lemon or lemon juice
fresh ground black pepper
seasoning salt
lemon wedge (to garnish)
Note:  I usually brush a little olive oil on top of fillets
Note:  Sometimes I just bake the salmon and cook green beans separately instead of asparagus)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2.  Snap the ends off asparagus spears (they will break where tender) and divide into 4 equal portions.
3.  Spray the center of each foil sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
4.  Place one salmon fillet in the center of each sheet, top with a serving of the asparagus and drizzle with lemon juice.
5.  Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and salt or seasoning blend as desired.
6.  Bring up the sides of foil and fold top over twice.
7.  Seal ends, leaving room for air to circulate inside the packet.
8.  Place packets on a cookie sheet and cook in oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until salmon is opaque.
9.  Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
10.  Please use caution when opening the foil packs, as the steam is very hot.

Things I Collect

Day 14 of 31

What do I collect?

I'm very close to becoming a hoarder.  It could come at any time. I love collecting:

cross stitch kits
cross stitch floss
anything with skulls
plants
anything Disney related (especially the Haunted Mansion)
anything weird or macabre
movie posters
sneakers

The one thing coming between me and a hoarder is that there is a method to the madness.  I have a place for everything.  It may not be the neatest collection, but I'm not blocking hallways or having to climb over boxes to get to the bathroom.  :)

Blog Name Meaning

Day 13

The meaning behind my blog name:

Jana's New Chapter

It is just what it says.  A new chapter, a new chapter of my life.  For so long, I did the same thing over and over again.  I followed the sheep and did what everyone else was.  Finally, I figured out that I wasn't happy with the way my life was going and decided to make some changes.  I didn't want to be overweight anymore, I didn't want to be unhealthy, ashamed of what I looked like, depressed because I got so out of breath doing any physical activity.  So, I changed it.  I'm still working on the next chapter.  I can't wait to see how it ends.

This Girl Can

A friend of mine from my WWsendthelove group posted this video today.  I am absolutely in love with it.  For a long time, I was always worried about my "jiggle" when I exercised.  I could care less now.  We're all in this together and we can do this!

What Inspires Me

Day 12

What Inspires Me

I think the number one thing that inspires are people who have been on the same journey as me and have lost tons of weight and have changed their lives forever.  I love looking at their before and after pictures and learning more about them and how they have lost all their weight naturally.  My family also inspires me.  Especially my mom and my brother.  My mom is such a great person - she is the caretaker of two people (my grandmother and my brother).  She's such a strong woman who has been a single mom for 32 years.  She never remarried and all she has ever done is take care of us.  She's strong, dependable, nurturing, smart, and sooo many more things.  She's taught me so much.  So, I'm doing this for her!

My Bucket List

Day 11

My Bucket List

1.  I'd love to find a job that I love.  I loved being a librarian but it's SO difficult to find a job that I'm trying to start a new career and help my husband more financially.

2.  Visit all 50 states

3.  Take a train trip around Europe

4.  Visit Bucharest and Dracula's castle

5.  Visit Africa and do charity work

6.  Hot air balloon ride

7.  Learn Spanish

8.  Buy a home

9.  Reach my healthy weight range

I'm very simple.  I don't want much - Just a few "simple" things.

If I Won the Lottery

Day 10

If I won the lottery, I would...

1.  Pay off my stupid student loan, first and foremost!
2.  Move back South!  I love the area we live in, but my family is back in SC and I want to be closer to them.  I secretly keep hoping my husband gets transferred back south. ;)
3.  Buy a house
4.  Pay off any debt my mom has
5.  Buy my mom a house
6,  Adopt another animal
7.  Buy a new car
8.  I'd donate alot to animal adoption charities
9.  Save and invest!
10.  Splurge a little

Timeline of My Day

Day Nine:

So...

I'm a part time pet sitter, changing careers.  I'm a librarian by trade, but haven't been able to find work as one in 5 years!  I worked from home as a consultant for 5 years and was "let go" in January.  The Librarian profession is a dying career I'm afraid, so I've decided to change careers and am switching to medical coding and billing.  I'm hoping that this will help me get a great career and possibly get me into a medical library.

I usually wake up around 7:30 and I study until around 11AM.  That's when I'm most busy walking dogs during the weekday.  After I get home, I have some lunch and then I exercise.  I then spend the rest of the day studying and working on Beachbody coaching which I love.  My days can be very tedious but "it is what it is" for now.  I'm hoping it changes soon.  Very boring!  I know!

What's in My Fridge

Day 8

What's in My Fridge?  Definitely nothing special

ALOT of condiments!
Minute Maid Juice for my husband
Water bottles galore
Diet Dr. Pepper
Brummel and Brown Yogurt spread
Leftover Chicken Noodle soup
Leftover Buffalo Wings for my husband
WW Cheese
Cottage Cheese
Cucumbers
Lettuce
Grape Tomatoes
Dill
Pizza Sauce
Lemon Juice
Yogurts in the bottom drawer

What do you see/want to see when you look in the mirror

Day Seven:

When I look in the mirror, I see a work in progress.  I used to see an unhappy, depressed, tired woman.  After realizing that I was the only one who could change this outlook, I try to look in the mirror and appreciate who I've become on my healthy living journey.  Of course I still see the imperfections, the double chin, the chubby face, and the pale skin.  However, I've learned to accept these traits and know that they make me who I am.  I also see pretty green eyes, a cute smile, and rosy cheeks.  In a year from now, I'd love to look and be 100 percent happy about my reflection.  But as a work in progress, there's always something that can be improved.

5 Rules for the Game of Life

Someone recently introduced me to Brendon Burchard. I love his enthusiasm and positivity. If you have some time, please take a look and Take Charge!

What's In My Bag

Day 6

What's in my bag!

I usually have a bag full of junk.  I got a cute new bag for Christmas and it's actually clean right now.  So, here's what's in there.

A pen
My wallet
Some tissues (I've had the crud)
My weight watchers calculator (I recently canceled my account and have become a beachbody coach.  But, I'm still counting points)
Pepto Bismol and Dramamine (I have HORRIBLE motion sickness and keep those two meds on me at all times!)

What's in your bag?

My Top Ten Workout Songs

Day Five:
My Top Ten Favorite Workout Songs for now

If you'd like you can follow my faves at the link below on Spotify:

Alt Walking Music 

1.  I'm Only Joking by Kongos

2.  Hysteria by Muse

3.  Yellow Flicker Beat by Lorde

4.  Disparate Youth by Santigold

5.  Default by Django Django

6.  Sleepyhead by Passion Pit

7.  Ways to Go by Grouplove

8.  Get Some by Lykke Li

9.  The City by The 1975

10.  Black Out Days by Phantogram