Secrets of Success

Sweet and juicy peaches everytime!

I don't know about you, but when I buy peaches they are usually firm (which I don't like). I learned a little secret from my mom; put your peaches in a brown paper bag (closed) for a day or two and your peaches will soften up guaranteed! Soft, sweet and juicy too

Like water off a ducks' back....

I was asked how I keep a smile on my face (most often than not, LOL). Simple; I try not to sweat the small things and things I can't control. I exercise, which helps with stress relief, laugh often, and most importantly let things roll off me like water off a ducks' back. Smile!

Find your passion!

I've learned you must find activities you love to do in order to stick with it. Once I started running, I found that I actually enjoy it! My friend introduced me to girlfight, an all girls Muay Thai class (MMA) that I fell in love with also. Exercise is no longer a chore; I look forward to it!

My salad's in the bag! ;-)

I wanted a salad for dinner w/o the hassle. I was grateful that I had resealable bagged salad (iceberg w/carrots, red cabbage) handy. It's quick, sanitary, and healthy! To add a little, I chopped up a cucumber and an onion, added an egg and salad toppings, and voila! No rinsing and chopping lettuce :-)

Work out just a little bit harder and/or longer

When I know I'm going out to eat or (since it's nearly summer) to a cookout and I may splurge, I step up the intensity of my workout or go that extra 20-30 minutes BEFORE I go. I use those extra calories burned for my splurges (drinks or a yummy dessert or whatever!)

Nike + mini

My mini is usually very active because I run 3-4xs a week. I haven't run in 5 days and my mini started walking and trash talking me! I thought it was funny but actually felt bad that I had been slacking on my runs. I ran today to get my mini back on her feet; just the motivation I needed!

I'm not going to quit

I may have a bad weigh in or a day of bad eating but I still jump back on track. Instead of completely backsliding and constantly feeling sorry for myself, I look at how much weight I've lost so far; why go backwards now? So if you fall down, get back up, brush yourself off and keep it moving.

Eat it or Juice it!

The Jack LaLanne juicer is awesome! It's a great way to get my daily servings of vegetables and fruits since I refuse to eat some raw veggies like carrots, for example. Today I had Mango surprise: carrot, mango and kiwi. Juiced fresh goodness! I have a slew of recipes but you can create your own.

Reward yourself

After I lost my first 20 lbs, I got a tattoo I've wanted for awhile. When I reached my first goal (29lbs), I went shopping. How motivating is it to shop for smaller clothes!?!? This keeps me going; looking forward to my next reward after reaching my 2nd goal, which will probably be a girls vacation.

Tweak your plan once in awhile

Sometimes when the scale stops moving for you, take a look at your calorie intake and exercise plan. More exercise may require more calories, so use the nutrition tracker to stay on track. Shake up your exercise routine to shock your body. Just don't get discouraged!