Happy Monday All!

Happy Monday Everyone! Not only is it Monday but it is also the end of the month and that means...well whatever you want it to mean but to me it means a fresh month.

January was ok to me...funny cause I am such a believer in signs and "The Secret" but yet I blame months on my bad experiences. So let me refresh, I allowed myself to get a little too stressed and overworked myself in the month of January, a lot of minor-unavoidable situations happened.  But with that said I did start working out again 3hours a week and I did not put on weight for the holidays, and I did drop another pants size YAY! More positives: I did work extra hours, I did book our big family vaca, I did have an amazing girls weekend so January was bad but yet so good in so many ways as well!

If you are going to take the good you have to take the bad too in every situation!

Happy Monday!

Laughter Quote

"A day without laughter is a day wasted." Charlie Chaplin

Cereal Just Got Even Better...

Did you know the Dietary Guidelines recommend people get at least 48 grams of whole grain in their daily diets. Thanks to General Mills you now can start your morning, have an afternoon snack of enjoy a bowl at night feeling even better about eating cereal. Cereal should not only taste good but also make you feel good for eating it. General Mills has added more whole grain fiber to their cereals. Same great taste, just more whole grain fiber!

I personally enjoy cereal throughout the day and night and not just for breakfast. I also love to mix the different General Mills brands together. Knowing that I am contributing to my daily recommended value of whole grain makes me enjoy eating it even more! Cheers to healthy eating!

*WIN A PRIZE PACK*

Tell me what is your FAVORITE General Mills' cereal and you will be entered for a chance to win a prize pack from General Mills.*

* Prize pack is provided by General Mills through MyBlog Spark.

Peace of Mind Quote

"To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him." Buddha

Snow Day

Today was the first snow day we had in 2012. Gratefully it was on a Saturday so there was no rush to plow the drive way and clean off the cars. My lil on is sick so it was a great day for us to stay in our PJ's and watch movies on the couch. We even got to nap together. It was a great Snow Day!

My dog and lil one dying to play outside in the snow.

Feel Good Song: Kelly Clarkson Stronger-What Doesn't Kill You

Life is a Test

Everything that happens in life is a test. It's a test to see what can break you, but really it's about learning how to fix you, and make you stronger. It's funny how you think you are having a bad day and you hear about someone else having an even worse day then you and you think, well it can be worse.

The reality is life is not easy, life can really suck sometimes, but every situation we are faced with is a test to see how strong we are, it helps us build our character, it helps us get by the bad situations because we've dealt with even worse situations.

Sometimes I want to throw in the towel and say I give up but then I think about how much stronger I become. I also realize that every situation I encounter helps me look at life differently. I start to realize I am creating who I am everytime I handle a situation. I once had a friend ask how I manage to do it all and honestly just like the rest of you I don't. Some days I can do it all other days I give it all I can and whatever doesn't get done will have to wait. We just do what we have to do and smile along the way.

I always thought by the time I was an adult I would have life figured out and then something happens and I am learning about what life is about all over again. Life is a test, you can NOT fail this test, you can only pass and what I mean by this that we will make mistakes, we will do things and later look ourselves in the mirror and laugh at ourselves. We will have crappy days but then really good days. Don't let the bad days break you.

I love the expression "What we cry about today, we'll laugh about tomorrow." It is so true. So remember when your day is bad just remember tomorrow is another day. When your day is awesome, cherish it. Take it from me when they say "Life is what you make of it" they are not lying. And remember whenever you encounter a bad day just repeat to yourself that this too shall pass. Don't allow the things in life to bring you down. Allow yourself to grow with every experience and be good to yourself. Love yourself and when things bring you down pick yourself back up! Most importantly smile and be grateful because this life won't last forever!

Make an Impression Without Words Quote

"Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent"  Dalai Lama

Feel Good Song: Bon Jovi - Blaze of glory

Just Doing Zumba is Not Enough

I see so many people doing the treadmill and then go to a Zumba class. I love Zumba and doing cardio but after speaking with trainers and people into weight loss I think it is important to share this information: Zumba is NOT enough for weight loss.


I will be the first to admit that my body type needs cardio in order to loose weight and cardio helps you burn calories. Cardio is great for the brain and honestly the best stress releaser for me. Burning calories is great but what you need to add to your routine is weight training. Weight training helps burn fat and build muscle. I am not telling you to lift 15lbs of free weights to start with. Begin with 3lbs weights, then 5lbs and gradually increase.



My husband and trainer always tell me to lift less weight and do more reps. So if you get on the machine try lifting 20lbs and do four sets for 12 times each. Instead of lifting 30lbs and doing three sets for 10 times each. This burns fat and tones muscles. As a woman I do not want big muscles, but I do want to burn fat that is why I lift a little less. However, make sure you feel it, if you don't increase the weight. You want to make sure you are lifting enough.  Also when you do weight training your body continues to burn calories throughout the day vs. just doing cardio.

Below are some great articles to help you understand this better:

• How Much Weight Should You Lift? http://exercise.about.com/od/exerciseworkouts/a/liftingheavy.htm
• The Best Strength Training for Women http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/weight-training-tips
• The 3 Best Strength Training Tips For Women: The 3 Rules Of 3 http://thebeautybean.com/site/sweat/the-3-best-strength-training-tips-for-women-the-3-rules-of-3/

*Please note I am not a doctor. I write based on my own personal experiences. Please consult with your doctor prior to doing any exercises!

Speak Less Quote

"When you speak less people will listen more."

Children Quote

"While we try to teach our children all about life, Our children teach us what life is all about." Angela Schwindt

My Daughter is Good for My Soul

It's funny how different children can make you feel. People always say having children makes your life more difficult, and although it is harder due to the fact that you have someone else to take care of I feel like my daughter makes my life easier at times. She helps me stop and appreciate the little things in life.

Life can be complicated, it's so easy for us to get stressed out and over work ourselves. But whenever times get tough I take a time out and just being with my daughter makes all the worries go away. She has this certain smile and way that calms me.

At night when she's sleeping I want to just curl up in her bed and forget all the problems of my day. When I have a really hectic day I tend to stop working early and pick her up. My mom is always wondering why I finished work early and my response was "I just needed a break so I wanted to see my daughter." Strange right?!

Reality is kids are simple, they look at life in a simple way and sometimes us adults need to be reminded of that. Life can be as complicated or as simple as we wish. Sometimes things are not in our control but when we look at life through our child's eyes it much more beautiful then we imagined it would be.

So stop and enjoy the little, simple things. I know I need to do that more for sure and my daughter is a constant reminder to help me do that! She's good for my soul and we all say we were brought here on earth for a purpose and I truly believe she was brought here to help me enjoy my life more.

Lay OFF the Scale!

I know we all have at least one scale in our house, I actually have two and if I could recommend anything to anyone it would be to Lay off the Scale!

Weight loss has always been a focus in my life, I tried different diets, exercises, diet programs, and I must say dieting is not fun! But the reality is if you really want to get in shape and remain in shape as a long term life goal then lay off the diets and change your "lifestyle."

I had a lifestyle change 6 months ago and I must say it is one I will stick with forever. Which consists of  protein with every meal, no caffeine and exercise at least 3 hours a week. At first I weighed myself all the time and it was VERY discouraging. But then I decided to lay off the scale and measure myself. It's funny how I always thought girls were the ones always obsessed with the scale but lately I have been hearing more men who are and my advice to them is to start measuring themselves.

The scale is our worst enemy but you can not deny the inches you track when you measure yourself. I suggest you measure your arms, legs, waist-above your belly button, thighs, chest-under your boobs and hips. I even measure my neck, and wrist, A week after working out and your "lifestyle" change" measure yourself again then wait two weeks and do it again. Keep a little journal of your measurements and once you start seeing results then you can hop on the scale. But don't let it discourage you, if you are building muscle it weighs more than fat. I always lose inches faster then lbs so this system always worked well for me.

Below are great sites on how to measure yourself:

• 4 Ways to Track Your Weight Loss Progress: Take Your Measurements Website: http://exercise.about.com/od/weightloss/a/weightlosstrack_2.htm
• How to Take Measurements: For Women Website: http://www.wikihow.com/Take-Measurements-%28For-Women%29
• How to Take Your Measurements: Website: http://www.mahalo.com/how-to-take-your-measurements/

Cheers to healthy living!

Jealousy is a form of Flattery

We all have someone in our life that does things to us out of spite and jealousy. Honestly if it wasn't for the my mother I probably wouldn't have this person in my life. See it has been repeated in my head that when someone is jealous they are weak and instead of shutting them out we should help them. Trust me that is not easy for me to do or anyone to do. The reality is that when someone is jealous of you we need to accept it as a form of flattery.

Yes, it's frustrating but reality is that if someone will steep so low to copy everything you do and not own up to it then it's their demon to face not yours. We can not control other people's actions but we can control our reactions.

I have been blessed to have a lot of great, strong women in my life who help me see things in a different point of view. They have taught me that you can not cut people out of your life but you can change the way you deal with them. So for the people in your life who are jealous of you just be happy you're not them, and realize that if they are jealous then obviously you are doing something right so take their jealously as a form of flattery!

"Jealousy is a form of flattery!"

Feel good Song: Adele Set Fire to the Rain

This song is really deep and  gives me goose bumps!. Her official video may be offencive to some people so I chose not to post it but if you have seen it unfortunately there are dysfunctional relationships out there. Let it be a lesson to all of us as to what we should and shouldn't accept in a relationship. Reality is sometimes love makes us do crazy things. 

Not Getting What You Want Quote

"Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck." Dalai Lama

Feel Good Song: I Love Rock n Roll Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

Great Song to do Karaoke to!!!

Your Life is Your Own Quote

“The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours - it is an amazing journey - and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins."  Bob Moawad

Never Say Never...

Ever judge someone and turn around to do exactly what you judged them on? Ever say you would never do something to just turn around and do it?

The point I am getting at is never say never. Never say you will not do something or put up with something or feel a certain way when in reality when you say that then you will be faced with it. And I bet the way you handled it will shock you. It's like the law of attraction, what you put out you get in return. What you focus on preventing you will have to on day face.

I changed a lot these last couple of years. I became less judgemental and opened my eyes to other's points of view and the reason for this is that: you may say you will handle a situation one way and once you are faced with it, you handle it the complete opposite way.

We all have a boundary as to what we will stand for in our lives and what we won't but the reality is our true being and beliefs come out when we have to face a problem head on. I have always had an opinion on people, I always felt one strong way, but as I got older I learned to stop having such a strong opinion and to be more open.

I never thought I would work from home, I never thought I would even want to work while having children, I never thought I would want to be as independent as I am. I always said I wanted to get educated and go to college, get married and raise a family. Who wouldn't!?  Yes, I did get a college degree, got married, had a child but I do not want to stop at that. I want to be more, have more, do more. I like having a career, I like being independent, I like being a role model to my daughter. I was not happy when I was not working. 10 years ago if you said I would be where I am at today I would say you're wrong.

My point to all of you is we need to stop judging and start learning. The man who cheats and the wife who stays or vice verse is because it is harder to leave then to stay, the kid who takes drugs and hangs with the wrong crowd is not a bad person they just have deep issues that no one wants to take the time to deal with. The one who judges most is the one who is feared of being judged.

Never say never...never say not my child or I would never...always remember that God gives you what you can handle. Look back on any situation in your life and pay attention to how you dealt with it, how you could have prevented it and how you learned from it. After all the journey of life is a journey. The mistakes we make happen so we do not repeat them. The stories we hear remind us that yes anything can happen. The people who come in and out of our lives are there for a reason. We can prevent things, but you can not prevent fate or destiny but you can change the way you interpret it and change the way you handle the things that come in your life. You can change, people do every day but if you decide to do it make sure it is for the best. Life is too short to keep making the same mistakes and not learn from it. Be true to who you are and what you want and make sure to not hurt people along the way.

I read a quote today that I came across that made me stop and think: "To die well you need to live well, but living well is it’s own reward." Dan Kuban

Good for the Soul Quote

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." Marcel Proust

Winter Fun at Killington Resort

No snow yet no problem. Head over to Killington Resort for some awesome Winter deals and activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Whether you enjoy skiing, snow boarding or off-mountain activities like Killington Tubing Park; dog sledding; cross country skiing; snowshoeing; ice skating; and snowmobiling, there is something for everyone.

Check out their Winter deals and activities today!

Your Path in Life Quote

"The road least taken is the road most feared. Pay attention to the signs but always follow your intuition."

Marriage is like a Deck of Cards Quote

"Marriage is like a deck of cards.

In the beginning all you need is two

hearts and a diamond. By the end,

you wish you had a club and a spade."

Hope you all enjoyed the laugh!

Do You Work Out? If Not... Why Not?

I can not emphasis enough how important it is to work out. Now I am not trying to preach about how important it is to work out only for your health but for your mind too. Over the holidays I did not stick to my routine as much due to a hectic schedule but boy did my moods change due to missing my workouts.

Working out is so important for the mind and body. It is an excellent stress reliever! I am not asking you to work out to push yourself beyond the limits you can not handle, I am asking you to start off 3x a week for just 30 mins. That's it. Try that for a couple of weeks and add more time and days once you get comfortable.

I work out 3x a week for an hour. Some days more some days less, but I try to do a total of 3 hrs a week. It feels good once you start to do it that you'll be pushing yourself to "leave" the gym.

The key to a good workout is to first find a gym you feel comfortable in. I look like crap when I work out and really do not care. I am not there to socialize and love that my gym is filled with people who are there to sweat and work out not make friends and date. 

My suggestion to you is to eat a lite meal with protein before you go. Don't work out on an empty stomach, bring a great play list with your favorite songs and water. Water is so important. Stretch before and after and make sure you listen to your body. Don't push yourself too much at first.



Please note I am not a doctor, I am an average person like you sharing my tips on a healthier lifestyle. SO please consult your doctor before doing any work out if you have any health conditions! We are all different so what may work for me may not work for you. 

Cheers to a healthier life! 

Help Fight Hunger Today With ShopRite´s "Get Can Canned"

For those who shop at ShopRite are well aware of their Can Can deals but now you too can help in the fight against hunger.

All you have to do is become a fan of their Facebook fan page...yep it's that simple. Simply go to http://on.fb.me/SRFbook and like the page and they'll donate a can of food for every like they receive.

During their 2012 Can Can Sale (1/5 - 1/21), ShopRite will donate one can of food (up to 50,000 cans) to local food banks in the communities it serves, on behalf of every new ShopRite Facebook fan.*

Thank you in advance for helping in the fight against hunger!

Wanna have some fun then check out this fun Can Can Check line up you too can be a part of. Upload a personal photo and become a virtual ShopRite Can Can dancer http://www.shopritecancan.com/cancan_start.php?userImageId=0
 
 
*Information was provided by ShopRite through MyBlogSpark.

New Years Resolution... Did you make one?

Every year I normally make a resolution, sometimes I stick to it, sometimes I forget about it, but this year I decided not to make one. The reason for this is that we always think a new year means a new beginning but the reality is that everyday is a new beginning. I think 2011 really tested me in believing a lot of things, things I used to believe in that I don't anymore.

As a child my mom warned me that the older you got the less shocked you got from the events that took place around you. You see it all, heard it all been through it all. 2011 was kind of my eye opener for a lot of things. Things I could have prevented, things that made my life better, things that made my life more complicated and things that had nothing to do with me but somehow affected me.

With that said do know that every day, every hour, every minute, every second can be changed. You do not need a resolution to make a change, you need to believe in yourself to make a change. I guess I wish I could go back to when I was younger and oblivious but in reality when the tough gets going we just get stronger.

Be happy in 2012, love yourself, be good to yourself and the people around you. Remember everyday you can make a change. Life is short, life changes by the second, embrace it, love it and know that bad things happen fast but good things happen even faster.

Cheers to 2012!

Fate Quote

"A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it." Jean de La Fontaine

Feel Good Song: Glad You Came

Happy 2012 Everyone!!!

“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” Oprah Winfrey