YOU ARE GORGEOUS!

I just wanted to take the time out today to say…

I have made my goal in life to uplift people who are around me.  To be completely honest, I've allowed myself to become overwhelmed by the events in my life to change how I see myself.  In turn, I haven't fulfilled my deepest desire.  

What happens in our lives or what people say have nothing to do with who you really are.  You were made to be unique.  

It's what makes us weird.  

It's what makes us lovable.  

We are not our occupation.  

We are not our past.

We are who we want to be in this present moment.

It's never too late to change what you don't like in your life.  I've heard my pastor say, "If you don't like where you're going, just change your direction."  

As you read this, I hope you leave feeling a little lighter and remembering that you really are gorgeous!

Affordable & Fun Workout Outfit - Mint

Thought I would post something fun today.  I'm always shopping online for awesome new looks for the best prices.  

Mint is one of the prettiest colors for spring.  So here is something fun and under $100!

Leggings, Purse, Track Jacket, Sports Bra, Tank

Yoga Leggings - Forever 21 - $8.80

Perforated Purse - $23.99 (on sale)

Navy Jacket - Love Culture - $21.90 

Sports Bra - Target - $18.99

Perforated Tank - Forever 21 - $12.80

Grand Total:  $86.48

Turning Excuses Into Challenges.

Too many times we’ve let excuses stop us from doing the things we want to do.  Why not take the opportunity to create challenges from our excuses?

Now that I’m turning 30 this year (yes, this is a huge deal for me), I want to make sure I did something I’ve always wanted to do before I enter into this new decade of my life.  I’ve always wanted to be a fitness instructor.  Now, I didn’t say a personal trainer.  I have a long way before I can get to that fitness level.  But I’ve always wanted to teach turbo kickboxing or one of those cardio classes.  Don’t ask me why because I have no idea why.  It just seems really fun!  

Sad thing is, I’ve had so many people recommend me to get certified and even had offers to pay my certification training. I’ve always allowed my insecurities about my weight and my looks to keep me from doing something like this.  

Recently, I had someone encourage me to get certified to train for a certain cardio class (Once I finally get recognized as a trainer, I’ll share which class I’m training to teach).  I think this particular class would be a perfect class for me to start with because it’s so new and in demand right now.  Also, since I have 5 years of experience in college, it would be easy for me to get the movements down.  Well, I looked into it... and there’s a course for people interested in becoming trainers in me area in a couple of weeks.  Yes, I’m in!  I’m letting go of the negative thoughts and just committing to becoming an instructor.  

So, what is it that you’ve always wanted to do, but had so many excuses?  If you don’t want to do something big right away, start small.  

1. Begin by writing it down.  Write down what you want to do and why you want to do it.  This will help motivate you in your journey.  Now, just wait... see what starts to pop into your head.  All of the excuses and fears will flood your mind.  Write them down also, but don’t stop there.  For every excuse, come up with a solution or a way to overcome this excuse.  This brings us into the next step.
2. Build yourself up.  Find what motivates you to follow through.  Quote?  Person that inspires you?  Find enough motivation that make all of your excuses seem crazy.
3. Research.  What is it that you have to do to make this a reality.  This is usually the fun part.  Learn as much as you can about it.  
4. Go!  So many people stop at the research part and have so many excuses.  If you have to, go back to Number 3 & get started.  Find someone who has gotten to where you want to be and gain strength through them.  

Yes, these are things that I end up doing in order to do something I want to do.  So many times in my past, I’ve let my insecurities and excuses stop me from getting where I want to go.  To get where we want to be, we need to head in that direction.  I’m finally heading there.  I hope you join me for the journey. 

6 Sexy Bikinis

Summer is only 85 days away!  That's exciting!  So, in preparation of the upcoming seasons, here are 6 bikinis to help motivate us even more.

(Left to Right)
Black & White Stripe Bikini
Red, Blue & White Stripe Bikini
Black & White Rose Bikini

(Left to Right)
Coral Bandeau Bikini
Navy & Nude Halter Bikini
Magenta Halter Bikini



Summer

2 Quick Healthy Alternatives - Summer Dessert

I cannot wait for the scorching hot days of summer!  They are my absolute favorite!  You always feel like you're working out because you end up sweating all of the time.  
  
Unfortunately, on those hot days of summer, I always crave ice cream and slushies.  These little tricks are really simple and I'm pretty sure most people already do this.  Here are amazing healthy replacement for frozen desserts:

 

Frozen Fruit

Oranges make the quickest and easiest frozen dessert!  If  you find really sweet oranges and freeze them, they end up tasting like slush orange julius!  They're my favorite!  

Just peel oranges and place them in the freezer for an hour… and presto!  You've got your treat!

Another great option is frozen cherries. My family has done this since I was a little girl.  They aren't the best option because of the seeds, but they taste amazing once you de-pitt them.

DIY Frozen Yogurt

Sorry for the messy and out of focus picture.  
I realized you can make frozen yogurt by mistake, but I'm glad I did!  It's great because you can add whatever you want! 

All you have to do is mix frozen fruit of your choice & non-fat greek yogurt in a blender.  I always use the vanilla greek yogurt and add flax seeds to mine.  You can make any flavor.












These are just a couple of my favorite healthy replacements for summer treats.  What are some of your favorite healthy summertime desserts?

Fitspo - Motivation Monday!!

Tumblr Fitspo

 
Happy Monday!!  

I don't know about you, but this week, I need a little extra motivation.  To be completely honest, it's been really hard to convince myself to get to the gym.  I know that once I get to the gym, I will feel better after working out.  However, it's been a struggle to workout.

Normally, I wake up and get an early morning workout before my mind has enough clarity to create excuses for me not to train.  But today, I woke up super late and wasn't able to get to the gym.  It has been one of those days that got the better of me.

So, I went about my day doing everything I had to do today.  But I have made the decision: right after this post I will do P90x.  Even if I don't have time to go to the gym, I'm determined to get a workout in today.

Wear Your Motivation

Truth be told, sometimes we just are not in the mood to workout.  The great thing about making healthy habits is you stop relying on mood to get you moving.  

When you're getting ready to get your butt to the gym, it's great to have motivation all over your home!  

Cotton On

Tank

MissFit Clothing

Tank, Tshirt

Blogilates

Purple Tank, Blue Tank, Shorts

Nike

These Nike shirts are can be found at any sporting good clothing store.  Nike Store, Foot Locker, JcPenny, Sports Authority, and Sports Basement are just some to name a few.  For a more economical choice, try the Nike Outlet store or re-sellers like Marshalls and TJMaxx.  I have found many great workout items for a fraction of the price.

Just to clarify, I have not been contacted by any of these companies.  These are really great items that I wanted to share with all of you.  Something happens when you wear motivational shirts.  It's as if you take more responsibility for your workouts.  You can't help but train harder when you become a billboard for health.