As I am entering my final week of the Arbonne 30 days to Healthy Living Program, I have done some reflecting on what this program has meant to me and how to best communicate that out to my followers. If you followed me from the beginning (see post 'Out with the Old, in with the NEW" post here), you know I have been on a journey toward taking back my health since January 2018. As I entered the new year, I remembered feeling just 'blah'. I was a year and a half postpartum, still wearing maternity clothes and using the phrase ' I just had a baby, my body needs time to adjust and bounce back.' I would indulge in just about every dessert that passed my way and tell myself 'next week is the week I will start', 'next week I will get my act together, start exercising again and start eating better.' How many 'next week's' had to pass by before I actually got my tail into gear? How many more times did I have to stare at my size 10 jeans in the closet and sigh before I actually did something to get me back into those jeans? Enough was enough and on January 29th, one week after my ACL surgery, I went back to work with a new mindset....a new me. Fast-forwarded seven months and I can honestly say, the Arbonne 30 Days to Healthy Living Program works. From January to June of this year, I took small steps at moving toward my weight loss goals by supplementing a protein shake for one meal each day. These vegan shakes are 160 calories, soy/gluten/dairy free with no fillers, no mineral oil and no artificial colors or sweeteners. They are made of yellow pea, brown rice and cranberry, are easily digestible and provide essential amino acids plus more than 20 essential vitamins and minerals per serving. They are also SUPER filling. Just by supplementing one meal a day with a shake, I was able to lose about 10-15lbs over the course of six months. While that may not seem like a lot, take a look at this visual of fat vs muscle. Clearly, losing fat, regardless of the amount, is more than I realized! Here is a before and after picture from January 2018 to June 2018. Same shirt, just fits a little better :o) In August of this year, after just returning from Ryan and I's all inclusive (all indulging) anniversary trip to the Caribbean, I set a goal for myself to go all in for the 30 Days of Healthy Living Program. I wanted to push myself to the limits and see just how far I could go (see blog post 'Get out of that Rut' for more info on what this means). On August 6th, I started this program which included:
Now that I am moving into my last week of the 30 day program, I am reflecting not only on the things that I have lost.....but also the things that I have gained. Lost
This is the version of me that I love. A much healthier, happier, more confident and loving version. This is the me that I want to maintain. If I have not sold you on this program yet, I hope you will see the transformation others are making as well. These are real people. Real Life. Making REAL changes. You can tell how passionate I am about this program (and Arbonne in general) because I believe in it. I have seen how it can change other's lives and I want to shout it to the world and make others aware of just how much it will help anyone looking to make a change in their health and wellness goals. As I close out this week, I welcome your encouragement to finish out strong. But I also invite you to join me . If you are experiencing any of the feelings that I have felt in the past year and a half, know that it is never too late to start. If you are feeling in a state of 'blah', or catch yourself saying 'next week I will .......' or feeling an inkling of what I felt, I encourage you to take a leap of faith and jump on board with our next group. We will be starting again on September 10th and would love to have you join us. Email me or direct message me to find out how to get started. And thanks for your continued support and encouragement along the way!
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Have you ever looked around your house and asked yourself, where in the world did all of this come from?!?! I experienced that feeling many times this past weekend. Our family is in the beginning stages of remodeling our kitchen. As part of this remodel, we are removing a couple closets and blowing out a few walls to make it, as HGTV would say, more 'open-concept'. I cannot tell you enough how excited I am about this. But, in order to bring this vision to reality, the hallway closets have to go, leaving me with a bunch of 'stuff' that does not have a home. So what do you do?? Well, there are a few options. I could pile all of this stuff in a trash bag and donate it to a good cause. I could try to have a yard sale at the house to recoup some of the expenses associated with our new kitchen, but that would require way more coordination than I have time for. Or, I could do a combination of both, but do it in a way that was convenient for my busy life.....BINGO. See, the thing I love about technology and the social media age that we live in is the ability to reach mass amounts of people in a timely manner. As I was pondering what to do with all of this 'stuff', it dawned on me that I always see people host virtual parties to promote the items they are selling, so why could I not do the same thing with our household items that we no longer need? If you know me, you know that I ALWAYS shop the local online yard sales to find the best deals, so what would keep me from hosting my own online yard sale? Many more questions came to mind. Would people join? Would they be interested in what I am selling? Would this be a one-time thing or something that I continually update throughout the year? Well, there is only one way to find out. Read on for more :o) Since I work full time, evenings and weekends are the only time I get to spend with Rhett. That time is precious and I do not want to ever take it for granted. So, being the planner that I am, I planned out my Saturday and Sunday schedule and based my online yard sale work around Rhett's nap time. As soon as his head hit the pillow, I started clearing through every single closet in our home. I pulled out every piece of clothing that Ryan and I had. I scoured through ever pair of shoes that we owned (some still new with tags on them). I pulled out every household item we never use and went through all of Rhett's cabinets and chests, only to find many items still unopened. I then made three piles which consisted of :
Now, to tackle the items to sell. Many of the clothes, shoes, accessories, home decor, etc. that we have are all name brand. I went through a stage where premium jeans were my favorite. They were better quality, comfortable and trendy. I did not mind saving up to pay for high-end jeans because I knew they would last for a long time. These jeans, along with a lot of other items that we own, still have a lot of life left in them and can venture on to the next home for someone else to enjoy at a discounted rate. So, to showcase these items, we have created a Facebook Online Yard Sale page. On this page, we have highlighted everything we are selling from women's and men's apparal, namebrand women's coats, women's shoes, household items and even items for infants/children. Here is a sneak peak of just a few of the items that can be found on our online yard sale: If you are interested in viewing more of the items we have listed for sale, follow these steps:
Thanks in advance for checking out our yard sale and for helping us clear out our clutter. If you are feeling like you need to do the same, I encourage you to find pockets of time to dedicate toward this effort. You will be SO glad that you did!! Seriously? Are your glasses fogging up? Was the sun in your eyes? Did you read that right? YES......Read on for greatness. It is no surprise that I have been on a new adventure to health and wellness. If you have been following me from the beginning (see most recent post 'Get out of that Rut' here), you know that I have taken multiple steps to reach some of these goals to help me get back to a healthy lifestyle. Some of these steps include making dietary changes, exercising more and using products that will help me feel better about what I am putting in and on my body. With these changes comes a cost. Making changes in my dietary lifestyle has been expensive. When you eat clean, you are purchasing more raw and organic ingredients which are more costly than conventional or genetically modified ingredients. When adding fitness and exercise into your life, that too comes at a price. Gym memberships, fitness equipment and exercise accessories can add up. And now that I am adding more safe and beneficial Arbonne products to my daily routine, that too will increase what is coming out of my wallet. I cannot read that above paragraph without feeling the stress start to rise. It seems as if one wanted to become healthy, more would be coming out of their bank account than would be going in. Not to mention, with all the above items being added into our monthly budget, there are still the regular necessities that our family needs. Thank goodness for Walmart. My friend Jenn knows my love for Instagram. I follow many pages that gives tips on anything from parenting advice, to fitness techniques, to wildlife art (ahem---go follow @ryankirbyart :)), to favorite healthy recipes, etc. She told me about the Instagram page @woahwaitwalmart. This is a page/blog created by two women who share all of their greatest Walmart finds. It has been a GAME CHANGER, especially when it comes to fashion apparel and accessories for women. On a regular basis, this page will post SO many cute and trendy clothes/accessories. One brand, in particular, that I have fan-girled over lately is the Time and Tru brand. Because of this brand, I have been able to shop for clothes and accessories that are cute, comfortable and trendy, but that also do not break the bank. Here are some of my favorite recent personal finds from Walmart: With the most expensive item in this fashion line priced at MAYBE $20, it is no wonder Time and Tru has become one of the leading brands for its 150 million customers that patron a Walmart facility each week. Not to mention, in addition to Time and Tru, Walmart has also launched other popular brands including Terra & Sky, focused on plus- size women, George, a premium brand focused solely on men and Wonder Nation, a brand exclusively for children ( as if I need more of a reason to go shopping for Rhett?!?!).
Clearly, it is easy to see why I love this brand, and Walmart, so much. Not only am I able to find items for my family and I that are stylish and fashionable, but most importantly, that are AFFORDABLE. I can maintain a trendy wardrobe that fits this mom-bod and still be able to have room in our regular budget to afford any added expenses that are tied to my new health and wellness journey......and for that, I am THANKFUL. I hope you too will take advantage of the many items and deals that Walmart has to offer. And be sure to share any other great Walmart finds you see along the way! Let me give it to you straight.....this is the first of what I hope to be many FeatureFridays where I highlight local businesses and some of the wonderful services and products that they offer to our awesome community. This is a great way to learn more about companies that are either right here in our beautiful high country mountain town or somewhere you have never been but are eager to visit. For my first FeatureFriday, I am highlighting a company that is one of my local favorites - Mountain Mystic Spray Tanning, a high definition sunless spray system. Now, let me preface by saying that while I do love my Arbonne liquid sunshine, sometimes you need a glow that is done by a professional. Sometimes my right out of the shower, slap it on sunshine just isn't going to cut it. That's when Breanna steps in. Breanna Shockley is the founder and owner of @Mountain Mystic Spray Tanning. Upon graduating from college in 2011, Breanna headed down the mountain to Lake Norman, NC where she pursued her passion for fashion merchandising and apparel. Breanna and I were living in my condo in Cornelius, NC at the time and about once a week (late in the evening usually), she would head out the door to patron her favorite mystic salon. About 40 minutes later, she would return with this flawless glow. It was not too soon later that she realized her love for the mystic tan and decided to venture back up the blue ridge mountains and start her own mystic tanning salon. Made by Sunless Inc., Mountain Mystic Spray Tanning Solution is an all-natural, 100% vegan, paraben free and gluten free product. Customers can select from color variations of light, medium or dark. In addition, they can select from various additives such as bronzers, accelerators and scents. With a 5 star rating and a client base of over 2000 customers, it is no wonder Mountain Mystic serves as one of the go-to sunless tanning facilities in the high country. Customers always have positive reviews and continually comment about how helpful Breanna is from the time you step foot in the door to the post-care requirements after your spray tan is complete. For first time clients, Breanna provides a new client page which provides steps and videos to prepare for a spray tan. Upon arrival, she walks each new client through the positions so they are comfortable before stepping into the booth. Here are a few before and after pictures of some very happy clients: If I have not sold you on Mountain Mystic yet, I encourage you to call to make an appointment or drop in to give it a try. As an added incentive, if you are a prospective new client or already a faithful follower, I am doing a giveaway for one free spray tan ($20 value) from Mountain Mystic. Here is how it works to enter to win:
When you hear the term rut, you may think a number of things. If you are like me who has a spouse that hunts (or maybe you are the hunter of the family), the term rut means the time when white-tail deer, especially bucks, are more active. Because of this term, I know not to schedule anything that requires Ryan's presence the first two weeks of November. During this time, there is a sure bet that he is somewhere in Hancock County, IL, sitting in a deer stand, freezing his tail off (joyfully might I add), waiting for the next big booner to conveniently take a walk near his stand. If you are reading this and the sound of that not only entices you but you automatically become like a kid on Christmas, than I encourage you to go check out Ryan Kirby Art. You are sure to enjoy! In this case, the term rut means "a habit of pattern or behavior that has become dull and unproductive but is hard to change." After we welcomed our son in June 2016, I was stuck in a very, very, very long and and unpleasant physical rut. Throughout my pregnancy, I often heard that if you nurse, the baby weight will just 'fall off.' For months following Rhetts birth, I kept waiting for it to do just that. Then, I wondered if maybe the weight would fall off after I quit nursing because my body would not need to hold on to extra weight thinking it needed it to feed baby any longer. I waited.....and waited.......and waited, until finally I had had enough. I was sick and tired of being so sick and tired. My health and wellness was at an all time low and I knew that it was time for a change. If you have been on this journey with me from the beginning then you have already had an introduction into some of the steps I took to make a change (see 'Out with the old, in with the NEW' blog post here). I am SO thankful that I found some Arbonne products that worked for me and helped contribute to my goal of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I am indebted to those daily shakes that helped me slowly chip away at moving out of that rut and into a place of wellness, confidence and gratitude. Pictured below, you will see the left represents January 2018 and the right represents July 2018. Saying good-bye to 20lbs has never felt so good. Looking Ahead
While I am proud of my journey thus far, I don't want it to stop here. Beginning August 6, I will be joining the next group of the Arbonne 30 Days to Healthy Living Program. For 30 days, I will eat lean meats, veggies, beans, fruits, nuts and much more. This is not a "diet".....this is a lifestyle change. I will overcome energy deficiency, weight gain, sleep deprivation and mental fogginess by focusing on clean eating. If you are reading this and feeling anything similar to the rut I experienced, I welcome you to join me on this 30 day program. You will see below what this program includes. Just shoot me an email and I will be glad to share more information. If this is not the right time for you, then I would welcome (and love) your encouragement along the way! Last week I celebrated my 33rd birthday. As I woke up that Monday morning, my mind started wandering about how year 32 went and what I could do different to make 33 even better. I started listing out in my head ways that I could improve what now till next July 16th looks like. Go to the gym more, wake up early and do a morning devotional, set a weekly date night for me and the hubby, have a hot supper on the table every night for our family (sure??), take Rhett to Disney.....the list goes on. As I started creating this list in my head, I felt my nerves start to flinch and stress creeped upon me almost immediately. It was like I should have started conquering this list 3 months ago! After I escaped that list that evolved within a matter of minutes and joined the human race back on planet earth, I then started to think about my life in my 20s and how blissful it was. I was single, living at Lake Norman, NC with all my girls and working for a bank in the middle of downtown Charlotte, NC. When my work day ended, there was time to either hit up the local gym, join my coworkers at happy hour, volunteer at my church or boat around the lake with my girlfriends. My weekends consisted of country concerts, cookouts, road trips, or hanging out at the LKN sandbar (whoop whoop). Life as a 25 year old was swell. Looking back on that time in my life, sure it was wonderful and consisted of many memories that I will always cherish, but that was a stage a life and those phases pass to create room for new stages and memories to be made. Now that I am close to my mid-thirties, I recognize that while I may not have the ability to skip a meal and be skinny again (ugh), and I may have a few more wrinkles and grey hairs, this phase of life is oh so sweet. I have a loving and caring family, a husband that would give his life for me, friends that I could call at anytime of day, a job that I genuinely love and look forward to going to, and the love of a 2 year old boy named Rhett. This is a life that I most certainly don’t take for granted. It’s a life that is full of joy and bliss. A life I wholeheartedly thank the good Lord for every day. So whatever stage of life you are in, whatever your ‘33’ may be, whether you are a free spirit enjoying your single days, or maybe you’re embracing a new stage of parenthood.....maybe you’re a recent empty-Nestor and are enjoying the fruits of your labor, I pray you embrace your inner 33 and enjoy this time in your life. If you find you are in a place of challenges and hardships and need someone to pray for you, know that I am happy to do so. I encourage you to bask in the life you created and find love and joy in all of it. I hope you will hold me accountable to do the same!
Last weekend our family took a short road trip to Atlanta, Georgia. My oldest brother Mike, sister-in law Charmaine and niece's Ashley, Toni and Katie were in town from Texas for Katie's softball tournament and we could not miss an opportunity to see her play and visit with them. We had the best time watching Katie pitch and catching up with everyone. Rhett grew quite fond of each of them. Within minutes of pulling out of the softball field, Rhett, in his most excited voice, would say ' I saw Katie play BASEBALL'. Ryan and I looked at eachother, laughed, and knew we had a lot of baseball games to look forward to in our future. Our visit was short, but oh so sweet. Here are a few pictures captured from this occasion: To top off an already exciting weekend, we knew we could not head back to our North Carolina Mountains without visiting the Georgia Aquarium. We visited this facility over Christmas break when Rhett was about a year and a half old. While we enjoyed that visit, we knew this time would be even better. Now that Rhett is 2, he has a new sense of exploration and wonder. He takes in everything around him. Everything from the bus driving down the road, to the 6 year old playing at the tot lot beside him, to the beluga whale he saw at the aquarium, is captivating and mesmerizing to him. Of course Ryan and I had fun, but the pure joy that exeudes from him is what truly fills our souls. If you plan to head to Hotlanta anytime soon, I would highly recommend making a stop there. Here are a few pictures of some of our favorite moments at the aquarium: While we had such a great time on our short road trip down the mountain, I could not conclude this blog without touching on some of the yummy places we ate. With my newfound love for health and wellness, I knew I had to be mindful of what and where we ate (especially on the road). If you are anything like me, you know it is easy (and way more convenient) to stop for fast food or grab a snack at the gas station when you are re-fueling. It is also easy to forego exercise when traveling. I am the first to admit that hitting up the hotel gym is not on my list of priorities while on vacation. Here are some tips on eating healthy and staying fit while on the road:
It was a weekend for the books. I am thankful for our road trips, but even more so that we get to experience them together as a family. I hope on your next road trip, whether it be planned for months or spur of the moment, that you experience the same joy on that adventure and that you can maintain your own health and wellness journey along the way. And whether you like to walk, run, jog, bike, swim, etc., I encourage you to commit to that workout upon returning. Set a goal for yourself. Grab a friend to join you and who will hold you accountable. I hope you will continue to hold me accountable as well!
As I was sitting here thinking what I should write my first blog post about, I began to think about all of the things I was most proud of in my life. Believer (yes). Wonderful husband (yes). Precious toddler (yes). A job that I love (yes). The list goes on. However, one thing that I am exceptionally proud of here lately is my newfound love for health and wellness. I was about a year and a half postpartum and realized I was not the best version of myself. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a love (more like a relationship) for pasta, mac & cheese and basically anything that screams carbs....YIKES. I had just returned from Thailand where we took a group of 16 MBA students for 10 days. We ate what we wanted, we drank what we wanted and basically tried just about every authentic Thai dish that you could imagine (it was all delicious by the way). When I returned from that trip, I knew it was time for a change. It was time for something drastic. Something that was really going to kick me into gear. What Changed? First, my mindset. I knew I had to set my mind that I was going to pursue a healthier lifestyle, otherwise, it was never going to happen. Second, I needed a plan. I needed to plan out my daily meals and snacks so that when hunger would strike, I would have a plan that would satisfy that craving. If you know me, you know I am the ultimate planner so this is something I actually enjoyed. So here is what I planned for every breakfast and lunch:
Chicken Spaghetti Ingredients
Third, I needed to incorporate exercise back into my life. Pre-Rhett, I would run 10-15 miles a week. It was something I enjoyed and looked forward to. I needed to reinvent that back into my life so I started running on the treadmill again. With the recent recovery from ACL surgery, I knew I would not be able to run fast but anything would be good. I started jogging a a few days a week and eventually added weights into my regimen.
As of today, I am down almost 20 pounds. I am nowhere near my goal weight but I am a heck of a lot closer to where I want to be. I feel great, I am more confident and I am sleeping a lot better too. Here is a before and after picture. The picture on the left is from January 2018. The picture on the right is from April 2018. This is my new self......my better version of myself. I look forward to continuing this journey. I hope you will follow along, send encouragement and even tips along the way! |
I am a wife and momma to a sweet boy named Rhett. I live in the mountains of North Carolina and am saved by grace. I believe in all things family, all things food and all things fun. Archives
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