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October 7, 2020October 5, 2020

A Detox for Your Mind, Body and Soul

Happy (early) green drink Sunday! Yup – I’m already ahead of the week and almost through my weekend making that statement. Are you ready for a detox for your mind, body and soul? You don’t have to wait for Sunday.

I have a loose tradition of making green drinks every Sunday morning for the whole family. (I say loose because I don’t do it every week but I do it more often than I don’t). Sometimes I make smoothies, sometimes I juice.

I don’t do it with the intent of detoxing. I do it simply to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

If you’ve never known differently, I would imagine that the idea of a detox for your mind, body and soul sounds like a great idea!

It is. However, why would you ever need to detox? It is popular, so therefore it should be done?

I live in a great city that offers so many healthy options for restaurants and grocery shopping. Also, as a result there are several small businesses that advertise detox bowls, detox smoothies, detox juices, detox this and detox that, but have you ever just thought about why?

WHAT DOES DETOX MEAN?

Detox defined means: a process or period of time in which one abstains from or rids the body of toxic or unhealthy substances.

Detoxing also goes so far as to reference ” . . . a period of medical treatment, usually including counseling, during which a person is helped to overcome physical and psychological dependence on alcohol or drugs. . .”

So detoxing can be quite a process, it isn’t always just as simple as a Sunday green drink tradition.

Our bodies are always dealing with toxic substances, so are our minds. Even our spirit, our soul.

Toxins just permeate the air, our foods, the clothes we wear, the homes we live in and the beds we sleep in. Toxic information infiltrates our social media, our conversations and our thoughts.

You would think that we’d need to detox regularly!

Detox for your mind, body and soul — Photo by Truong Dat

Humans ingest about 5 grams of plastic per week. They drink an average of 9.5 alcoholic drinks per week. Over 80% of Americans eat fast food daily, and fast foods comes with a lot of toxic ingredients.

We also are exposed to toxins in perfumes, plastic bottles and containers, cleaning products, air fresheners, furniture, makeup, fabric softeners, non-stick cookware, bug sprays, canned foods, TV and game consoles . . . and guys, the list just keeps going!

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY AND IT TAKES CARE OF YOU

The good news is, we have awesome bodies designed to get rid of these awful things that hurt us, and they’re designed to do this naturally!

Our lungs, kidneys, liver, and large intestines are our bodies natural way of getting rid of toxins.

Here’s the kicker guys! If you live a balanced lifestyle that includes a good night of sleep, sunshine, fresh air, water, proper nutrition, exercise, meditation and moderation in all things . . .

Guess what?

. . . You’re helping your body do what it is meant to do on a regular basis on it’s own!

This is how you live a lifestyle of detoxification, or prevention from toxic build up. This is balance8life.

SO . . . IS DETOXING BAD THEN?

There are a lot of intense detox methods that can actually be harmful for our bodies.

Some things that are marketed as liver and kidney cleansers can actually strain the organs they are intended to help.

“If you’re thinking about a detox, think instead about the underlying problem,” Dr. Nancy Reau MD advises. “If you just want to be more healthy, good diet choices and exercise are best. And some symptoms, such as weight gain or fatigue, should be evaluated for causes that can be addressed.” ~ The Truth About Toxins.

Staying healthy is a very important part of a balanced lifestyle, and doing things that help our bodies stay healthy is essential. As I mentioned above, balancing all 8 methods of health is how you keep from ever needing to do some drastic detox to your body.

A detox for your mind, body and soul doesn’t have to be thought of as a yearly New Years resolution.

Your body can actually remain in a detoxed state of being when you take care of it properly.

A legitimately needed detox should be determined by a doctor and that is out of my expertise.

However, eating (or drinking) healthy foods that are labeled as a “detox” is safe and good for you.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DETOX AND DAILY HEALTH

I met a woman who was asking me for advice for her toddler who had a lot of trouble having consistent bowl movements.

As I began asking her what she was feeding him, it quickly became apparent to me that there was no fiber in his diet.

I suggested she add fruit to her sons diet. Her mouth dropped and she stared at me and said, “bad idea! fruit gives him diarrhea. He simply cannot handle fruit.”

Fruit became a detox for this child not because fruit is a detox, but because he was unhealthy. His body wasn’t used to a healthy, balanced diet that included things his little body needed to function at peak performance.

This is the same with adults who eat poorly, and then one day decide to have a green drink, or go through a juice cleanse. They may be in the bathroom more than usual.

This reaction is because the diet is imbalanced and the body is missing vital nutrients to function properly, and is reacting to the sudden change in nutrients.

This does not necessarily mean bad (or good) things are happening. This just means there is a lack of proper nutrition and the body has to go through a process of balancing out before it can regulate again.

If you take care of your body, there is no need to do a classic “detox” where you go to drastic measures to rid your body of toxins.

Instead, feed it healthy and treat it well. All the time.

DETOX SIDE EFFECTS

The side effects of detoxing are headaches, cravings, digestive problems, fatigue, nausea, etc.

Detoxing is a big deal to a lot of people, and for a lot of people it truly is very important.

Let me just remind you once more:

You don’t have to regularly detox your mind, body and soul if you live a healthy lifestyle and eat a healthy, balanced diet.

Instead of a yearly green juice cleanse, incorporate something like I have done, a green drink Sunday. Do this regularly as part of a healthy diet and your body will thank you.

You won't have side effects 

if you're already maintaining a balanced,

healthy lifestyle.

ACCIDENTAL MIND DETOX

Monday morning I went to make an Instagram post and realized I had started to make a Green Drink Sunday post and literally forgot, midway through.

I set my phone down and didn’t even look at it for hours! It was great!

a detox for Your Mind body and soul — Photo by Zoo Monkey

Green juice detox is a fantastic way to turbo boost your body with an assortment of essential vitamins and minerals. But have you thought about putting any time into detoxing your mind?

Our bodies are naturally made to detox on their own when we take care of them properly, but our minds are a whole different ballgame.

We can’t just eat right for our minds to function properly. We also have to make sure we’re feeding our mind with good information.

For the average person, phones have become permanent extensions of our bodies.

Phones hold all our private information, the good, the bad, the ugly. And without them, most people have serious separation anxiety.

A mind detox has side effects, too.

If I try to set my phone down for an hour during the week when the kids are gone at school, or my boyfriend is at work, I struggle.

At first, my mind goes into a scramble mode of not being able to focus on any one particular thing – almost as if it’s got a peculiar case of personal ADD.

We’re all so used to instant information, we don’t know how to slow our minds down.

I have children who struggle with ADD and when I started learning about how to help them deal with ADD naturally, I found that anything electronic (TV, gaming, computers, phones, etc.) should never be a part of their day. Period.

Well that is a complicated situation in todays society. No electronics equals being left behind.

So how do we detox our minds, set our anxiety at ease and truly allow our minds to slow down and detox from the constant need to always have instant information?

LET YOUR MIND BREATHE

Detoxing your mind from the constant information overload take conscious effort (sometimes).

Sometimes it’s almost like telling yourself to breathe, intentionally. You have to remind yourself that people survived without a permanent metal attachment decades. You can still survive without it today.

When the quiet sets, and I allow myself to be okay with the disconnect, my imagination kicks in and that’s when art happens.

That is also when my mind is given time to process my self. A lot of introspection and self evaluation time kicks in and things get a little better; clarity brings new perspectives to life.

A detox for your mind, body and soul includes introspective evaluation.

Evaluating your self is not selfish. Or – it shouldn’t be. It’s a time to think about all of the things you’re giving to others. Or all of the things you should be giving to others.

We all give off vibes that communicate many things to those around us.

How are you silently communicating to those around you? Have you ever thought about it? It can simply be a look. Body language. The lack of, or the presence of, a smile.

If you’re constantly on social media, checking emails or taking in other info that is flooding into your mind at 100mph, your personal evaluation time gets toxic and effects your vibes, your attitude, and effects how you treat those around you.

We give gifts of kindness as well as uncaring, impatient gifts when we don’t care for anybody but our own self.

This happens when our internal evaluations become toxic and self centered vs. self evaluative and introspective in a way that looks to bless others.

Become aware of who you are and what you communicate to everybody in your vibe frequency.

Take some time to detox your mind and your body this week. Set a goal to lower your screen time. Hand write something and memorize it; a saying, a prayer, a Bible verse, a mantra . . . anything positive and up lifting. Something to remind yourself that you are amazing and there’s no reason not to share your amazing self to someone who needs a smile.

WAYS YOU CAN DETOX YOUR BODY

Green drinks, as I mentioned, are an amazing way to give your body an immune boost, as well as help to rid your body of other toxic waste that might be hanging out.

Juicing is my favorite way to feel vitamin and mineral charged on a Sunday morning. If you do not have a juicer, green smoothies work, too.

Juicing is also a way to energize and minimize fatigue naturally.

There are an abundant amount of vitamins and minerals that are hidden within dark, leafy green vegetables.

When you make a juice or drink with these foods, you’re getting chlorophyll, which helps control inflammation, increases red blood cells, and more.

You’re also getting vitamins A, C, E, K, antioxidants, and calcium. Plus, your heart, will thank you.

One drawback is you are taking out all of the fiber (if your juicing). So be sure that you’re also eating your veggies, too.

Other ways to detox your body is exercising as well as drinking plenty of water, getting plenty of rest, getting out in the sun, fresh air, and staying on top of a healthy diet for continued, balanced nutrition.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT. LITERALLY.

Believe it or not, our brains need proper foods to work at peak performance, too.

A detox for your mind, body and soul is only effective if you eat to live, not to live to eat.

When you eat to live, your focus is on eating the foods that keep your bodily functions working at peak performance.

When you eat to live it also keeps your mind, your emotions, and your self-control in check. As a result, you can better control bad emotional eating habits and avoid late night cravings.

“Food as medicine should become a mantra of living.” Detox Your Brain by Center for Healing Neurology

Here’s a couple (non-scientific) basic examples.

Take someone you know that has been out partying all night long, most likely made bad food choices and had little to no sleep. In the morning, how likely are they to be bright eyed and bushy tailed? Are they going to be kind? Happy? Patient?

Not likely.

Let’s create another scenario. Your aunt, who’s had a full night of sleep, woke up and went running. She had a great breakfast before 9am. She will probably be full of energy, have a big smile on her face, and be a lot more patient.

The point is, what we put into our bodies and how we treat them also makes a huge impact on our brains. In turn, this effects how we act.

KEEP TOXIC INFO OUT FOR THE ULTIMATE MIND DETOX

I know that you know that we all know, that this is a thing. The social media onslaught of toxic information.

A detox for your mind, body and soul means giving the mind just as much attention as our body and spirit.

Did you know that there is such a thing as internet addiction disorder? And a legit gaming disorder?

“Problematic social media use, also known as social media addiction or social media overuse, is a proposed form of psychological or behavioral dependence on social media platforms, also known as Internet addiction disorder, and other forms of digital media overuse.”

“Video game addiction, also known as gaming disorder or internet gaming disorder, . . . results in significant impairment to an individual’s ability to function in various life domains over a prolonged period of time.

“Such disorders can be diagnosed when an individual engages in gaming activities at the cost of fulfilling daily responsibilities or pursuing other interests without regard for the negative consequences.” – Internet Addiction Disorder

Not only are there actual acronyms for legitimate social media, internet and gaming disorders, but now we have a problem that we didn’t have before the mid 2000’s.

The (easy?) solution is to put down the phone, computer, gaming consul, iPad, iPod, (wow, there’s a lot of devices).

It just isn’t easy. Let’s be real. It ain’t easy.

I get anxiety when I put my phone down sometimes. I have asked myself why several times. My first thought is, someone special to me might need help and I may not be able to get to them in time and I’ll feel so guilty . . .

Funny thing is, I survived in the 80’s and 90’s and early 2000’s without a phone.

Experiment and test yourself. Give yourself a timer and turn your phone off for a set amount of time. Allow your mind to imagine and think without social media and the constant scrolling feeding your brain junk.

By setting your phone down for 1-2 days a week, it can result in a lower, total weekly screen time.

I choose to set my phone down on Saturdays and Sundays. Those are my creative days and I do much better not having my phone on me.

Try it.

Can you survive without it for a few hours in your day or a couple days a week? Let me know in the comments below, how you are managing the world of social media and internet addiction.

A DETOX FOR YOUR SOUL

The soul. Last but definitely not least.

A detox for your mind, body and soul cannot be complete without giving the soul equal attention.

Give your spirit a rest by getting away from it all and take some quiet time out in nature.

This is not just taking a break from social media and other media sources. This includes other people, and all other artificial stimuli.

Get out in nature and breathe.

Meditate on the goodness in your life, the things you’re thankful for, the people you are thankful for, and the life that you have.

I’m not talking about focusing on the things you hate about your life. I mean simply focusing on the fact that you have life!

There are a lot more things to be grateful and thankful for in our lives than we give credit to.

Somehow, the negative things always seem to sneak up into the center of our focus points and we forget that our focus has the ability to go in other directions.

Train your mind to focus elsewhere.

Give your spirit and your soul a detox by remembering to be grateful.

LETS CONNECT

So, now that we’re done talking about detoxing from social media, please follow me on my social media pages! Hahaha

I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

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September 23, 2020October 14, 2020

How to Overcome Late Night Cravings

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How to overcome late night cravings, the topic of the day. For days.

But, ohhh the cravings though! The need for a yummy snack at ten PM and then . . . the disappointment the next morning when you step on the scale.

And the vow that last night was the last night.

Again.

How to overcome late night cravings — Photo by Edward Franklin

Why on earth do you keep going around and around, and around . . . ?

Because, emotional eating and stress eating are all about weakness, not logic or strength.

So let’s figure out how to build the foundation to a strong fortress of saying no.

I CAN TELL YOU HOW TO OVERCOME LATE NIGHT CRAVINGS BUT YOU HAVE TO DO IT YOURSELF.

RECOGNIZE YOUR EMOTIONS

Once you understand that late night cravings really are just emotions nagging at you, not true hunger, recognizing this is step one.

Emotional eating is using food to make yourself feel better. You are eating to placate emotional needs rather than to satisfy actual real hunger.

Emotional hunger can’t be filled with food. It feels good to eat in the moment, but the feelings that triggered your need to feed your face are still there. The worst part is, you make yourself feel even worse later, because you now feel guilty. It’s a vicious, vicious cycle that only you can stop.

There is a difference in using food occasionally as a reward, or to celebrate. That isn’t bad. When my kids get good grades, sometimes I take them out for vegan ice cream or a rare treat as a reward.

When eating becomes an emotional coping mechanism this is when it is a problem.

Once you recognize that you are eating simply to cope with stress, you can then take step two.

I recommend talking with your doctor and finding a good counselor to help sort out your emotions, if you are unable to do it alone.

DIG DEEP AND DEAL WITH IT

Journaling is somewhat of an old fashioned hobby I suppose. I used to keep a diary when I was younger. Now, with voice text and even with typing, slowing down with a pen and paper gets a little annoying. Buuuutttt . . .

When you slow down, it forces you to process what you are thinking, and in the process of slowing down, you can really start to assess your feelings and figure out the why behind what you are doing.

It also takes up time you would otherwise be eating.

Face your emotions, sort them out, decide what you want to do with them, and confront them.

Once you have done this, you can go about doing other things to fill the void.

A nutrition coach can also help. A nutrition coach is someone that can hold you accountable, as well as help you start new, healthy habits.

MAYBE IT’S NOT EMOTIONS

There are also cravings that can be linked to bad food choices, food sensitivities and lifestyle habits.

“Some foods promote indefinite cravings. Unfulfilled longings or unrest cause cravings.” Agatha M. Thrash, M.D. Preventive Medicine

Doctor Agatha M. Thrash also goes on to say that, “Many individuals who are sensitive to various foods taken even in small quantities get their cravings aroused.

“Sugar is a very common offender in this regard. One innocent appearing teaspoonful can do much damage in the sensitive person.

“Milk and all dairy products represent a common source of cravings.

“Salty foods irritate the stomach lining and produce thirst. Much of the mechanism of cravings is related to unrecognized thirst, causing the individual to try to satisfy his thirst by indulging his craving. If the thirst is eliminated, the craving can be handled with much greater ease.”

Full article here.

OVERCOME LATE NIGHT CRAVINGS WITH TEA

Now, I realize this sounds a bit trite and boring.

At night when I want something to snack on, and when I am trying to break a habit of grabbing something to nibble on during a show or while doing something before bed, I make tea.

When you fill the void with something it makes it easier to overcome the craving.

The options for flavors are endless when it comes to tea. Which makes it so fun!

Just be sure your tea is white or red, not black or green. Black and green tea have caffeine in them and aren’t good for late nights.

Rooibos is a South African red tea, and it is full of antioxidants and naturally a bit sweet.

Chamomile tea is also a bit sweet and floral, and a great calming, night time tea.

Sleepytime tea is another great evening tea!

Explore herbal, white and red teas and share with me in the comments below. Tell me what your fave herbal tea is!

When you’re making tea at night, leave out the sugar and milk. Learn to appreciate the pure flavor of the herb. Your waist will thank you later and your guilt will be set free.

For other options, read my article “Five Ways to Yummy-Up Your Water”.

WHAT BETTER WAY TO OVERCOME LATE NIGHT CRAVINGS THAN TO READ A GOOD BOOK!

Nope. Snacking during reading can’t be a thing anymore . . . but make you some tea and find a book that draws you in sooo deeply that you can’t even think about food.

Escape from your stress, drown your emotions in far, far away, and allow yourself to fall asleep dreaming in another world.

I would recommend a list of books here, but I write more than read, so I am going to let you list a few for me below in the comments! 🙂

If you prefer to write, like I do, it keeps your hands too busy to eat, and it works as well as reading for those who love to write.

OVERCOME LATE NIGHT CRAVINGS WITH CHORES

I doubt there is a person in the world who does not have a tub that could use a scrub, a carpet that couldn’t use a vacuum or some laundry that needs to be folded or ironed.

Evenings are great times to get some small house chores done and curb the appetite at the same time.

Plus, you’re getting yourself off the couch, burning a few calories, and let’s face it, you can get your heart rate up if you’re vacuuming stairs, and also, who doesn’t love a clean house when you go to fix a bowl of granola at breakfast time? Clean dishes anyone?

OVERCOME LATE NIGHT CRAVINGS WITH BREAKFAST

If you’re truly in it for the long haul, ready to lose weight, gain self control, eat healthy and feel amazing. . .

Begin with breakfast.

With the right foods, you will notice less cravings.

Typical breakfast foods aren’t actually good for you. (Bacon, grits, white biscuits, donuts, pastries, etc.)

Breakfast needs to be filled with unrefined foods and should equal to a third to a half of your food and take for the entire day.

This results in a sense of well being, which will help with emotional eating!

A good breakfast filled with unrefined, low to no added sugar, and complex carbs, also equals better work performance. This “feeds” your emotions positively by fulfilling the need to feel accomplished.

When I say no added sugar I mean it literally. For example, grapefruit, don’t add sugar to it! Cereal, don’t add honey, sugar or any other sweetener. Add banana or fruit if you want more sweetener. Dried fruit is another way to add sweetness without adding extra sugar.

When your morning starts with a fantastic breakfast, you have less desire to over eat later on in the day and less need to eat between your meals. Which of course leads to better weight control, which results in less emotional eating as well.

OVERCOME LATE NIGHT CRAVINGS WITH SLEEP

It’s evening or night time. Go to bed.

As I have mentioned before when talking about weight management and losing weight/belly fat, eating at night adds fuel to your “car” just as you’re about to “park it in the garage.”

These are bad habits that put weight on fast.

I’ve used this scenario before, and I’ll use it again. When you’re about to go on vacation, you pull the car out of the garage and before you leave, what do you do?

You take it to the gas station and fill it up! ALL the way to the top.

Why? Because you don’t want to have to stop any time soon! It is a waste of time. You don’t drive it to the gas station, put $5.00 of gas in, then carry on down the road and do this your entire trip.

Imagine doing this, then arrive at your destination, purely exhausted. Then filing up and parking your car at the hotel.

What kind of logic is this!?

This is what most people do to their bodies. They start off in a hurry, grab a cup of coffee and maybe a pastry or a granola bar and go to work. An hour later, you’re starving but it’s not lunch time. So what do you do? You eat a snack.

This happens all day long until dinner. Then you consume the majority of your calories (or over half of what you should have your entire day) right before bed.

On top of consuming a too big dinner, an hour or two later, late night cravings set in.

This is a very bad habit that adds so much weight to your waist for no good reason.

No matter how much you want to just sit and snack, if it is too tempting, and you know that you’re tired, just go to bed. A good night of sleep on an empty stomach is the best night of sleep you’ll ever have.

MORE RESEROUCES

A healthy lifestyle is all about balance.

Balance8life in motion is simply that.

Balance8life is actively engaging 8 expressions of health to our daily routines for true completion. It will always be in motion, and you will never stay in one place for too long, or the balance will slip away. So don’t get discouraged when you can’t maintain for one day. It is the overall daily routine that makes the balancing act go ’round!

The trick is to learn how to set goals that last. There are steps to setting goals that last, that make all the difference in the world when you are beginning your health journey!

For more on where to start begin your health journey, visit my blog!

And that’s it friends! I love it when the balance8 community shares and invites! Join me on my social media platforms, share my articles and tag me! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

August 12, 2020October 14, 2020

Fat Burning Techniques

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Fat burning techniques go deeper than dieting or cardio. Fat burning comes from a balanced lifestyle; it is essentially a lifestyle that should be lived daily, even when you’re not trying to burn fat.

A healthy, balanced lifestyle sets you up for an amazing future of health for your mind, body and soul as well as emotions.

When one part of our health gets off kilter, the rest will spin out. Eventually we’ll have to start over. But that’s okay, starting over is better than abandoning ship completely.

Losing weight can often feel like an uphill battle. I have many friends that have struggled with weight for years and come to me for help.

The number one thing that I have witnessed as a downfall to success, has always been the lack of true commitment.

The decision has 
to be made.

Once you make the decision to lose weight and commit to it, that’s when things happen. Until then, talking and wishing and doing temporary diets and partial exercise programs for a week, (yes I say a week because I’ve witnessed this over and over) nothing will change. Weight comes off 5-10 pounds in, then the commitment somehow goes away and the pounds come piling back on. I have had many texts and phone calls from friends, crying about the fact that the weight went back on and ask what to do to fix it.

Nobody can help you if you do not help yourself first.

Making the commitment and a solid decision, is the number one and most important thing to tap into, for true fat burning results.

FAT BURNING WITH WATER

Over half of our bodies are made up of water. To stay hydrated, we need to drink 8-12 eight ounce glasses of water per day.

If you grab a bottle of water instead of tea, coffee, juice, coke, etc., you’re saving yourself (about) 2.6 tablespoons (39 grams) of sugar per can. 8 cans of coke = 1 cup of sugar. This is double the amount of sugar in 1 slice of angel food cake. This in turn is a lot of calories and “fat” that drinking water will completely eliminate from your daily diet.

For a little more in depth on why sugar makes you fat, there’s a good article written by Dr. Jason Fung, a Canadian nephrologist. He’s a world-leading expert on intermittent fasting and low carb, especially for treating people with type 2 diabetes. He has written three best-selling health books and he co-founded the Intensive Dietary Management program. Check out his article about sugar here.

FAT BURNING WITH NUTRITION

I talk a lot about how amazing the vegan diet is. The number one reason I recommend the vegan diet is because it is a balanced diet that does several things all at once. If done right, it can help you maintain healthy weight, while keeping your heart healthy, giving you energy, making you feel less tired, foggy and groggy, as well as the obvious; you’re saving animals. There are many reasons why a vegan diet is the bomb diggity.

You can maintain healthy weight a lot easier on a vegan diet, plus, it is a “diet” that you can continue to maintain after your “dieting” process is over. Since this diet is not a temporary fix, it is a permanent, healthy, lifestyle that can be maintained form birth to old age.

FAT BURNING WITH EXERCISE

Just 30-60 minutes of exercise a day can take off roughly about 8-10 pounds in a 3 month time frame. The more you sweat, the more rigorous your exercise, and the longer you do your cardio, will determine how much weight
comes off and how quickly.

When exercising to lose weight, the best thing to remember is that muscle weighs more than fat. So, if you are weight training while losing weight, you may not lose as quickly, simply because you are gaining muscle while losing fat.

FAT BURNING WITH SUNSHINE

There are new studies that show that sunlight may actually burn fat. It was accidentally discovered and is still being studied. It’s speculated that this could partly be a reason why we pile on extra weight in the winter months when there is less sun exposure.

Sweating on the other hand, is not a calorie burner. Sitting in the sunlight sweating away is only dehydrating you. Once you drink water after sweating, you rehydrate, your weight is right back to where you started. So don’t confuse sweating in the sun with calorie burning.

Sunlight also tends to suppress our appetites making us less likely to eat as much.

And then there’s always the vitamin D factor we get form being in the sun, which is a plus, so don’t skip out on your time in the sun!

FAT BURNING WITH REST

Sleep before midnight is twice as beneficial as sleep after midnight, as growth hormone (useful in adults for repair and healing, cheerfulness and a strong mind) is produced mainly during the hours before midnight, and only when one is sleeping. . . It is better to sleep between 6 and 9 hours daily, as persons who sleep less than 6 or more than 9 hours tend to live shorter lives than those sleeping 7-8 hours. Weight gain increases sleep needs. Weight loss decreases sleep needs.

With good sleep comes good energy and positive thinking which is a fantastic for an energetic exercise routine. When I wasn’t sleeping well, I really struggled to get the energy up to work out regularly. I did it, but it was so painful. It was 75% pure will power. Even then, I felt like my workouts were lacking. It was one of those, “any workout is better than no workout” days, but 3 times a week!

When I started taking Nrf2 my afternoon fatigue vanished and 3 months in, I was sleeping through the night every night! My workouts, my recovery, and my energy has just been through the roof, which has resulted in gains I haven’t seen in years.

I highly recommend this nutritional supplement if you’re having trouble sleeping! It’s anti-aging, gluten-free, natural, and vegan!

FAT BURNING WITH MEDITATION

Often times we don’t really give downtime the credit it deserves. Whether you meditate on a higher power or on the sound of your own voice, or repeat a weird mantra, it is important to find time to be grateful. When you stop to be grateful for your life, the people in it, and love yourself, it helps put your mind in a positive place. Positive thinking removes the need for emotional feeding, and makes it easier for you to say no.

For more on meditation for beginners, click here!

FAT BURNING WITH FRESH AIR

Fresh air technically doesn’t burn fat. If you were to go outside and breathe in some fresh air, you can’t expect to drop 10 pounds. But, getting outside to work in the yard, walk, meditate, sunbathe, and play with the dog or the kids, is something that takes your mind away from eating for no reason. And a lot of weight is gained simply from eating out of boredom.

FAT BURNING WITH MODERATION

Be mindful of the amounts you eat, and how often you eat.

Fasting – or not snacking – between your meals is a huge weight loss trick that is so simple it’s hard to believe. 5-6 hours should go between your meals with nothing in between but water! Not even a single cracker or grape.

Eating backwards does amazing things for weight loss! Switch your meals around. If you want to eat 3 meals, have your typical dinner for your breakfast, and your breakfast for dinner. Most Americans tend to eat their heaviest and highest calorie meal at night. It should never be this way.

FAT BURNING WITH TWO MEALS A DAY

Vegan powerlifting champion, Jim Gurtner, says that eating or skipping dinner determined his weight gain and/or loss, depending on what competition he was going to be in and what his goals were.

For me, when I want to lose my extra little tummy quick or shed a few pounds fast, I always skip dinner. My last meal will be around 3 or 4pm and that’ll be it. This isn’t bad for your body and it doesn’t slow your metabolism. Fasting and giving your digestive system a break actually helps you lose weight and also increases your chances of having better health.

GET RID OF EXCUSES

Nothing kills goals, puts on weight, prolongs bad habits and keeps you from moving forward more than excuses.

Identify them. Get rid of them.

FAT BURN AND NEVER DIETING

Dieting is temporary and once your diet has run it’s course of 4-6 weeks (give or take) your bad habits step in to take the lead again. Dieting is a ticket for a rollercoaster ride of weight loss and gain and loss and gain. If you’re wanting to ride a rollercoaster, you’d do better going to 6-Flags.

For more on weight loss, read Principles of Weight Control here.

I would love to answer any questions you may have or hear about your weight loss journey! Please stop by and follow me on my social media so we can be friends! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life, so wherever you like to hang out best, you can find me!

June 24, 2020August 31, 2020

Regularity is Overrated

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more info.

Regularity is seriously overrated . . .

Regular gas, regular food, regular life, and regular thoughts are just that. They are regular! Have you ever thought about the fact that maybe a little premium upgrade would do you some good?

When we say the word food, as is happening right now, I am sure you are thinking of things like apples, pie, pizza and peppers. Errr . . . You could be thinking about ice cream and coffee. Because, let’s face it, there are people that basically live on ice cream and coffee.

. . . I think.

Today I was reading about luxury cars and fuel. I read that, “Using regular gas in an engine that requires premium could void your warranty.”

Now I know I’m talking about food and our bodies here, so what does a car with premium gas have to do with it?

Well, I was thinking about how we care for our bodies. Some people are willing to pay the price for premium fuel for longevity of life, top notch health, a great physique and just an all around healthy lifestyle. Yet, there are others that prefer regular (even poor) fuel because it’s easier and less expensive, but they suffer greatly.

Sadly these folks don’t realize they are suffering because of the poor quality fuel they have been regularly pumping into the their premium tank. (Or tummies, whichever you want to call it.)

REGULAR OR PREMIUM MIND?

These last several months with everything going on, our mental fuel has been less than mediocre. I’d classify it as ice cream and coffee, or fries and candy bars, type of poor.

These things have been tedious on my mind and emotions, basically, ripping apart my soul and leaving it out to bleed. Okay, that was dramatic. But I don’t think that’s too far from the case for America right now. Her heart is bleeding, and it is taking bits out of our mental and emotional wellbeing.

How often do you think about the quality of fuel you fill your car with? Or do you prefer to save money with regular fuel? And how often do you think about paying for organic, fresh food? Or do you prefer to save time and grab something to go? And how often do you think about paying a little extra attention to reading a book of depth to fuel your mind? Or do you opt for laying back and swiping through social media, or watching TV?

BALANCE YOUR REGULARITY

Our health is not just the food we do (or do not) eat. It is a balance of internal, external and unseen fuels that our entire being needs, to purr like a Bugatti! Nobody is going to put any sort of cheap fuel in a Bugatti! They’d be out of their dang mind!

(No, this is not a Bugatti, I just liked this picture cause it’s cool, okay). :p

Most of us aren’t taught to change our own oil, tire, replace hoses, spark plugs, etc. Many of us are equally unlucky in the self care department. We aren’t taught how to properly take care of our bodies and minds. And, since we don’t know, we don’t teach our children. And the cycle goes around and around.

Good news is, we can break the cycle now!

Let’s get something straight. Regular is good for a regular mind in a regular person with regular emotions and regular work schedules, which lends to regular lunch breaks with regular food. And being regular is – okay. But do you really want to be . . . regular?

REGULAR MIND UPGRADE

Let’s take things to the next level. As we upgrade our bodies by improving our exercise regime and feed our bodies with premium (healthy) fuel (food) let’s take into account our minds.

It is so important to seriously look at what it is we are feeding our minds and
emotions.

Firstly, let’s look at info, because information is sort of a big deal.

Information . . .

How do we get it, where do we get it, when do we get it and what are we getting?

Social media and TV plays a huge part in the quality of mind’s health or likewise, the depth of its illness. It is the seed to which thoughts begin to form which then can generate all sorts of good and bad strong emotions.

There was a saying I read recently that I absolutely loved.

YOUR MIND IS A WEAPON. KEEP IT LOADED.

Last week, I talked about meditation, and how it can give us clarity in a time of unsettling world vibes. So right now, while we’re bombarded with all sorts of strong emotions through social media, TV, friends and family and coworkers, it is important to take a step away for clarity.

It is equally important to pay close attention to what you are taking in, processing and allowing to become part of you as a person.

SCIENTIFICALLY REGULAR

Our minds are just as important as our bodies. In fact, it is scientifically proven that our bodies are directly effected by our minds/thoughts.

In the past, modern medicine largely continued to treat the mind and body as two separate entities. But in the past 30 years, research into the link between health and emotions has made significant changes, observing that our minds and our personal health are in fact very interrelated.

“According to the mind–body or biopsychosocial paradigm, which supercedes the older biomedical model, there is no real division between mind and body because of networks of communication that exist between the brain and neurological, endocrine and immune systems,” said Oakley Ray, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Psychiatry and Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN, USA). More on mind-body research can be found here.

REGULAR RESOURCES FOR PREMIUM MENTAL VIBES

I vibe off of positivity.

Don’t allow yourself to sit under a cloud for too long.

The longest I have sat under a dark cloud recently was when the coronavirus hit. Stunned, I was, as Yoda would say. I lost my job. The gym closed. The kids had to do school at home. We weren’t allowed out of our house. Some places still won’t let us in without wearing a dreaded mask. What on earth? That took me a minute to shake, I won’t lie.

When my mental state gets off balance, my body follows, and I physically, mentally, and emotionally just suck at life. (Errr, that’s what my mind likes to tell my self and then I just start to ride a little rabbit down a long dark hole).

So now I am going to give you some awesome positive vibes, okay?

NUMBER UNO

Ed Mylett.

I follow this guy all over my social media. I receive his e-mails, listen to his podcasts, get his texts, and read his book. This man is a powerhouse of personal motivation. His motto is #Maxout. And I am not kidding, he knows how to push you to literally max out your life! I appreciate him because he is humble, he is real, he is not showy at all, and somehow when I listen to his podcasts in the morning, I feel as though something in me just loaded my rocket into outer “I-can-do-this” space.

NUMBER DOS

Jen Sincero.

Read her books!

As she puts it, “If my broke @$$ can get rich, you can too.” And I am telling you what, her books are easy to read and so hysterically great. And it’s not all about getting rich monetarily, only. She talks about being rich as a human, in health, body, dreams, etc.

If you can’t handle a little language, don’t bother buying her books. But I will say that the few “bad words” she uses definitely won’t compare to the immense amount of self-love and motivational gems she has to offer an open mind.

NUMBER TRES

Nimai Delgado.

I have mentioned this man as someone to go to in Five Ways to Stay Fit at Home for motivation when working out at home. But his positive and motivational vibes run thick throughout his instagram feed.

NUMBER CUATRO

Zig Ziglar.

I have linked his instagram here because that’s what I appreciate. It fills my feed
with motivational quotes daily. But you can also go to ziglar.com if you are not on instagram.

NUMBER CINCO

Dope Lemon.

Everybody has their own taste of music.

I love Dope Lemon. Their music always just puts me in a great mood. But, music is really powerful.

If you're in a 
down place in 
life, don't 
listen to 
depressing music.

Try to find happy, powerfully uplifting music that puts some pep in your step and go clean house with it cranked.

NUMBER SEIS

Be a kid and get out the coloring book.

There’s nothing like coloring for some methodical quiet time. Listen to an Ed Mylett podcast, or an audio book, make some lavender chamomile tea and get in the zone.

Or not. I like to though.

NUMBER SIETE

Fill in the blanks.

What is it that makes you happy and puts your mind in a good place? Is it art? Is it nature? Hiking? Camping? The beach? A day trip? A cup of tea? Talking to a friend? Walking the cat? Petting the dog? I mean, I’ve seen cats on leashes . . .

NUMBER OCHO

Grateful journaling.

What are you grateful for? 
Right now, 
in this 
present moment?

“The simple habit of reflecting on what you’re grateful for can actually lead to a happier, more content life. All it takes is a few moments of your time and a gratitude journal to record your thoughts. Gratitude journals are not unlike the diary you kept as a teenager, but instead of writing random thoughts about your day, you write about the things you’re grateful for—big or small.” ~ A bit of Shutterfly knowledge

SUPPLEMENTS FOR BRAIN FUEL

Fatigue, the inability to focus, and the energy to sustain an entire day of good vibes can be harder for some more than others.

Don’t worry, I have the perfect things for that.

NAD – doubles sirtuin (a type of protein involved in regulating cellular processes including the aging and death of cells and their resistance to stress) activity in 24 hours. This particular little supplement increases focus, energy, mental clarity and also puts you in a good mood! Try it here!

AXIO – Is just flat out tasty, and I can’t seem to keep it in the house. My boyfriend and my kids are basically addicted. Axio takes a different approach to energy, especially formulated to give energy to your mind, not just your body. It is designed to deliver mental clarity, focus and concentration without jitters. There are decaf options that work great for kiddos! More here! 🙂

Take some time away from the craze of the world and chill.

How do you fix your vibes?

Please feel free to comment below, contact me on social media and follow me here! I love hearing from my readers. 🙂 I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

June 17, 2020October 14, 2020

Meditation for Beginners

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Meditation can be a deep subject, and I will touch on a little bit of that, but this article is all about taking advantage of being quiet and taking a break, solo.

There is a lot going on in our world right now. First it was COVID-19, now the BLM Movement and all that is going along with that.

It really doesn’t matter which side you’re on politically, emotionally, white, black, young, or old. All to this is emotionally tiresome.

Meditation as a break from social media

Right now, I am finding that social media and the news is extra exhausting. The information coming at me and the tension in the air is mentally and spiritually draining.

Quiet time can be cleansing for the soul. It can be an escape from the onslaught of negativity and confusion entering our minds through social media, the news, and conversations that are concentrated on one single subject.

Meditation can offload the overload

I personally have spent a good share of my time educating myself on what is going on in our world right now. I’ve gone as far back in history as the 1600’s, trying to understand where people are coming from. I enjoy learning new things about our history.

Debating and talking, listening and learning, can turn into major overload at times, and we need to offload in other ways than by feeding the chaos. What I mean by feeding the chaos is, we need to give others a break as well. Stay off of social media and the intense political subjects surrounding us.

Quiet time is the perfect outlet for brain overload rest.

Meditation can help sort the clutter

I have recognized that my mind has been cluttered with information. My soul is emotionally hyper. Not only have I had a more difficult time sleeping, but overall, I feel like my spirit is discontented.

Educating ones self and being privy to what is going on around us is important, but it is equally (or probably more) important to be sure that we feed our spiritual health, especially when things are extra intense around us.

Quiet time is almost like feeding the soul. It is the vitamin that can bring balance to our imbalanced and troubled minds.

Just as we went through the Coronavirus pandemic, we also now have a mentally draining pandemic of chaotic opinions and strong emotions.

Friends are “breaking up”, blocking and deleting each other on social media, and not speaking to one another, all because of heightened emotions and differing opinions.

Meditation empowers us

To stay healthy and strong during this Coronavirus pandemic, we need to eat things that strengthened our immune systems to fight off disease. Alongside that, it is now time to be careful how we take care of our spiritual and mental health. It’s time to build healthy walls of protection around our emotions and make room for mental clarity.

Just like we need the right foods to keep us healthy during the Coronavirus scare, we need to allow our minds a chance to power up. This happens when we allow our minds to rest.

Meditation as a new and old concept

Meditation is a new concept to a lot of people, and to others, very familiar. There are several different types and levels of meditation as well. It can be an extremely deep topic and can be discussed and picked apart for hours. It can also be deeply religious as well as not religious at all.

The oldest documented evidence of the practice of meditation are wall arts in the Indian subcontinent from approximately 5,000 to 3,500 BCE, and written evidence as far back as 1500 BCE.

Meditation is also mentioned in Psalms in the approximate year of 1063 BC.

Meditation has ancient roots, but it is also very popular in todays age. I know several people have a lot of hesitation when it comes to meditation and choose to steer far around the concept, but the people that I have spoken with that choose to omit meditation, I have found they do not know anything about it. They only feel like something is wrong with it.

Meditation and being educated

Before I go much further, I want to disclose that I am not a mindfulness teacher, and it is a good idea to thoroughly research the topic before you choose to go to a retreat, or participate in guided meditation.

For those of you who are wary of the concept, you are not wrong to proceed with caution. There have been studies that have shown negative effects of some types of meditation.

It is important, if you are going to truly dive deep into meditation, to do your research.

That being said, I want to clarify to you that when I speak about meditation, I am mostly referring to solo quiet time. Time away from the TV, from your phone, from noise, from social media, or whatever else it is that could be causing mental and emotional imbalance and turmoil.

There are a couple different types of meditation that I am going to point out here.

There is a Biblical meditation and a Buddhist meditation.

Biblical meditation engages the mind. Buddhist meditation can engage the mind but it can also empty the mind.

When you have time and if you are interested, read about the Eightfold Path and you will understand a little better, the path to mindfulness according to Theravada Buddhist.

Personally, I like to keep meditation simple and basic. Some people may not even technically consider my version of meditation, meditation. But – it is calming, I benefit from it, and I teach this to my children.

To me it is very important to take time to “meditate” or in other words, be quiet.

If you’re a beginner, or if you’re not wanting to dive deep into meditation, but do desire clarity and freedom from the clutter in your mind, look no further.

HOW TO MEDITATE

Just find a quiet place and sit or lay in a comfortable position. Close your eyes. Breathe. Focus your attention on something, whether that be your breathing, an image, a verse, a sound, a shape, a color, a positive thought, etc.

Meditation can last anywhere from 5 minutes to several hours. I prefer 5+ minutes.

Annnnd . . . That is it.

Here are three easy ways to add meditation to your day. These are my favorite ways to meditate.

Music

Meditating with music simply gives my mind a calming background of sound to focus on. I have had it be the element that literally evokes mental freedom.

Choose music that creates a mental image of wide open space, calming images, or offers the privilege to envision something bright, natural and happy.

The purpose of this is to remove yourself from the thoughts that are cluttering your mind. It is not to solve problems or figure them out, rather to go somewhere else altogether.

I prefer music with nature sounds, and especially water. I am not sure if it is because I am a Scorpio and water is my sign, or if it is simply because it is soothing to me. Whatever it is, water is the most calming sound for me.

Nature

If you can go into nature, do it. At first it feels wide open and possibly even uncomfortable, or it cold be the complete opposite. Nature provides the perfect space to be quiet while focusing on the sounds of wind, birds, and other natural elements to escape with.

Breathe in the fresh air. Consciously allow your shoulders and limbs to relax as if you are about to fall asleep. This is when you find the sounds of nature to focus on. It is okay to think. The key is to think about what you hear in the moment. And then, find something to be grateful for about what you hear. Keep it simple.

Shower

You don’t have to leave the house or plan out your time for a 10 minute shower. I live in the city, so going outside to meditate sometimes can be tricky.

I need clean, neat and comfortable places where I can be quiet in order to fully relax. My bathroom is very clean, and taking a warm bath or a shower is not only soothing, but a place in a moms world where escape and quiet is just going to happen.

I use my Bluetooth speaker for meditative music, and with the door locked, I am rarely bothered. I find this the simplest and easiest place for me to go if I need uninterrupted quiet time.

This might not be the ticket for everyone, but I am 5 feet tall so sitting in the shower is easy for me. If you can do this, close your eyes and reach out with your senses and listen. Feel the water and then just breathe.

It is not uncommon for my mind to start wandering around and focusing on my day ahead, but when this happens to you, it is important to train your mind to return to your focus point. If you’re in the shower and focusing on the sound of the water, imagine it is rain. Imagine a puddle of water and paint a picture of something soothing and peaceful in your mind to focus on. Go there every time your thoughts wander somewhere not so peaceful.

Meditation takes practice

It takes practice and patience to learn how to relax, redirect your thoughts, and focus on something simple.

If you are a Christian and Biblically meditating, find your comfortable place, your verse of choice and repeat the words until you begin to go further than the words alone. Feel them, sink into the verse with your being until you almost feel one with the word.

Meditating isn’t necessarily about emptying your mind. It can be. But for me it is a redirection of thoughts. It is making space to find something good to focus on. It is a place to go away from the troubles and permission to focus elsewhere.

After meditating, I often find that the “time out” from the clutter really clarifies a lot for me and I often feel less tense. I also find that I start to see other perspectives on my own without having to discuss things with others. I also realize that often times, there are a lot of things I once thought were important that are not at all, and I can throw those thoughts completely out and start from scratch.

I wish all of you a peaceful moment or two in your day! (Hopefully more than two!)

Please feel free to comment below, contact me on social media and follow me here! I love hearing from my readers. 🙂 I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

Definitely hit me up or email me and let’s chat!

March 28, 2020October 14, 2020

Boost Immunity at Home: 8 Secrets to Staying Healthy

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more info.

A great way to boost immunity at home is by thinking ahead before you or your family start to get sick. Below are 8 techniques that work for us, and I figured I’d pass them along to you!

Right now more than anything, we need our immune systems strong and ready to rock and roll!

So let’s get right into it! Here are 8 things that you can do (at home!) that will boost your immune system and help fight off sickness.

NUTRITION

Diet is an extremely powerful tool in fighting diseases and boosting our immune system.

As soon as flu season hits, there are three things I do with my diet to boost my family’s immune system.

Cut out all sugar (but keep fruit!)

White blood cells are what fights disease. Sugar kills white blood cells. Math isn’t my strong point, so I’ll let you do the math here.

More fresh fruit and veggies

I increase my green juicing and fresh fruit and veggie intake.

“There are sufficient vitamins and minerals in the food that we grow to supply all of modern man’s needs.” ~ Agatha M. Thrash, M.D.
Preventive Medicine

I eat a variety of colors to make sure I’m getting efficient vitamins and minerals, but especially things that are naturally high in Vitamin C. (Citrus, kale, broccoli, kiwi, bell pepper, strawberries, pineapple, etc,)

Emergen-C or Airborne

Boost your defenses at home with a little C.

Maybe not the “healthiest” of supplements, but it is (usually) easy to get my hands on and my kids like it, so we use it and it works. If I even get the tiniest whiff of somebody getting sick, we drink an Emergen-C packet 1-2 times a day, and often it (a common cold) blows over without hanging out for too long.

However! Right now, I have not been able to find vitamin C, Airborne, or Emergen-C anywhere! so here is another way to accomplish the same thing. (Just slightly a little more complicated).

Increase your whole grains, nuts and seeds, (these are high in zinc), and eat more citrus fruits and raw veggies! Juicing is the best way to get large quantities in a smaller amount. (List of some things high in vitamin C above).

EXERCISE TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNITY AT HOME

Get your peaches moving!

“As exercise is increased, degenerative diseases of all kinds are decreased, life span is extended, various minor infections such as colds are reduced . . .” Agatha M. Thrash, M.D. Preventive Medicine

When you exercise, you’re breathing deeper and this helps to flush out your lungs and helps make you more resistant to respiratory infections. Do this outside and it is a win-win!

Exercise also increases white blood cells. Remember earlier how I said white blood cells are our disease fighters?

Exercise balances out our hormones. Including stress hormones. Stress makes us more susceptible to disease. So exercising brings us to a better, balanced state.

From my personal experience, the more working out I’ve done on a regular basis, the less I’ve gotten sick. #facts!

FRESH AIR

Fresh air actually helps strengthen our immune systems. Deep breathing helps purify the blood and increases oxygen to various parts of the body. You don’t have to spend your entire day outside, just 10-20 minutes is all you need. (Of course more won’t kill ya).

WATER

Water cleans out the internal ick. If you leave the ick inside, the likelihood of getting sick is higher. Get it out, drink at least 8-12 glasses of water a day!

A little trick I have done that works is, if I start to feel a little off I drink one 8oz glass of water every 10 minutes for an hour. Weird, I know. The toilet becomes your hangout spot and you feel super bloated. But, it actually works. It’s called flushing out your system.

REST

Boost immunity at home with simply by getting proper sleep. Sleep is essential to keeping your immune system strong and healthy. As soon as you start going for late nights, disrupted sleep schedules, and then over sleeping, you’re creating the perfect playground for viruses and bad things to have a party. Lack of sleep also effects recovery time.

Sleep at least 7-9 hours.

SUNSHINE

Sunlight kills germs and strengthens the immune system, too. It also heals. A little bit goes a long ways, so don’t stress about not having time to lay out on the beach for hours. 10 minutes is all you need.

MODERATION

Less is more . . . errr . . . unless it’s not enough.

Think small(er) size. Especially if you’re inside and sitting a lot more than usual.

Portion control is a big deal and even bigger when fighting disease. Over eating, eating frequently and eating late at night does no good for strengthening your immune system. Quite the opposite, in fact.

This applies to all things ~ too much sleep, too little sleep, too much sun, too little sun, etc., etc., is not healthy or good for building a strong immune system.

Be moderate with your work, your diet, your exercise, your inactivity, your thoughts. Stay balanced. Stay strong.

MEDITATION

Meditation brings balance to the body’s system and reduces stress and anxiety. It is like a massage to the soul, and is good for our emotions. When our emotions are out of whack our body tenses up and everything just isn’t balanced.

Fear is very palpable right now. Constant talk about what is going on around us is causing a lot of fear and tension for millions of people. Fear and tension increases weakness. Now is not the time to feed weakness in any way.

Our mental health is the beginning to our physical and emotional health. Now more than ever we need to find positive things to focus on, minimize our time obsessing over the news, limit our conversation of negativity and increase positive conversation patterns. The less fear we allow into our minds, the stronger our bodies will be.

I wish the best of health on all of you and would love to hear what tips and tricks you do, to strengthen your immune system! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

Definitely hit me up or email me and let’s chat! Seriously. We’ve got nothing better to do, right? (Said no mom of 5 doing remote-schooling ever). Haha

Until next time! 🙂

October 16, 2019October 14, 2020

How to Be Real (Positive)

**Today I am trying real hard to be real (positive)! But it is a real struggle!**

The thought crossed my mind . . . “How does positive equal negative?”

Let me re-word that.

How is it possible for "positive" things to turn 
your in-ward thoughts negative?

This was a thought I had (and processed for some time) when I was laying lazily on my bed thinking negatively about my day. (I was on Instagram, just FYI). I thought that all I had focused on was (mostly) positive, so I was puzzled as to why I was feeling so negative!

**As I pondered this weird thought, I realized that I had attached the word “positive” onto things that weren’t. . . real.**

For example:

A girl with an airbrushed face, (or filter) in a professionally taken photo at just the right angle, wearing the perfect outfit, with a huge smile on her (perfect) face, writing, “positive vibes” in the sand. . . and I feel. . . inadequate!

Why? Because I suddenly feel like I need that face, that body, that outfit and that sand, to feel positive vibes! *You can fake gasp here*.

Sometimes when I read all these “positive” quotes, see pictures of perfect bodies, see other people’s positive encouragement on instagram, and read blogs about how positive of a life the blogger has, I start to wonder if it’s real and, “what’s wrong with me?”

But this is where positive and fake are friends but shouldn’t be. (Didn’t anybody teach positive how to choose friends wisely!?)

Positive thinking equals positive feelings and vibes and people dig that st**f! But. . .

. . .  positive has to stay real!

Your body and actions follow your mind and thoughts. Everything we truly ponder and think about somehow shows itself in our actions – on our face. There is a reason why they say that if you think it, it will be so.

If you say you can’t, you won’t. If you set your mind to something, you will find a way to do it. Say “I can do”, whatever it is you’re wanting to do, but how real were you about that “can do”? And when you “couldn’t”, did you stop? Or did you figure out another way to accomplish the “can do“?

I see this all the time with my kids. “I can’t get good grades”, and they don’t. Why? Because they don’t care, and don’t put forth the effort to study. It has nothing to do with what they can or can’t do. I took away some pretty important privileges and we’ll see how those grades change soon. (I’ll have to report back later, this is still happening as I write.) But it’s not about can or can’t here, it’s about where the mind is focused.

Here are a few tips on how to stay focused on the positive and keep it real!

1. BE REAL (POSITIVE)

Positive thinking has to be realistic. You can’t tell yourself you’re going to lose 50 pounds in three months when it took you 3 years to put it on. “I can lose 50lbs!” Is real positive! “I can lose 50lbs in 2 months!” is turning a positive thought and attitude into a quick negative when it doesn’t happen.

Be real with yourself when you see or read positive vibes in a perfect world. There’s no such thing as a perfect world, but there is such thing as positive thinking in an imperfect world! It really makes it a lot easier to deal with, trust me! It isn’t easy, but it is possible! (Tell yourself you can do this! *wink*)

2. ACT IT OUT

Positive thinking has to bleed into your actions. You have to act it, feel it, fake it till you make it. Allow your thoughts to seep into everything you do, and you will eventually feel it even when you didn’t to begin with.

3. TAP INTO YOUR P0WERS

Humans are power packed beings filled to the brim with strength. Mental, physical and spiritual strength. But, just like muscles, strength grows with practice, repetitive behavior, endurance and consistency.

Tap into your powers, the mind strength, and override old, negative habits of thinking you can’t! Then, once you say you can do, believe you can, then you start going on a scavenger hunt within the labyrinth of your mind to find the open doors and windows, channels and alleys, that are the “can do” freeways.

You are stronger than you think you are. We are all stronger than we give ourselves credit for.

It’s all about the focus and belief. You can’t half way do this.

4. FIND THE FIRE

If you can’t get motivated, find out what it is that will put fire under your donkey. It’ll buck and get mad, but it’ll move! Go with it!

5. SHARE

When I am having a bad day and I walk into Walmart (that’s enough to put anybody in a worser bad day) and some stranger smiles. . . I don’t mean one of those fake things. I mean one of those big, genuine, real deal smiles, it kinda does something to me! What about you?

Share a smile, give positive vibes even if you’re not feeling it in the moment, and watch out. Positive vibes actually start to be real!

If you have any positive vibes to share, I’m so down! Please send them my way anytime! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

September 4, 2019

Balance Happens When We Let Go

Have you ever tried to balance on one foot while holding onto a chair? Are you truly balancing? Balance doesn’t happen until we let go. I didn’t say balancing means you will never fall or that it is perfect the first time. But balance can’t be learned while holding onto a chair and never letting go.

Every day, we are subconsciously, and consciously, fed with things that are either overly perfect, or dramatically devastating. When comparing real every day life to either of these, real life becomes very weighty, and starts feeling out of control. It’s difficult to maintain balance in our minds!

The things we have to do, the lists we have to check off, and the deadlines we have to make, are physically easy to see, to touch, and to organize. But what about our inner peace, our minds?

Blogging about health and fitness keeps my mind focused on my own health and fitness. It makes my weakness super, glaringly clear, and in my face, all the time.

I know how to juggle mom life, follow a routine, change it up when I get board, workout at home, eat healthy, and drink plenty of water. I know how to make sure I am getting the right amount of sunlight for my vitamin-D and fresh air to calm my soul. I know how to meditate and “clear my mind of the clutter”, but. . .

. . . knowing, and doing are two different things!

It also reminds me that, no matter what I say, or what I do, real life is real life. It is easy to skip things when nobody is watching. But it’s also not that hard for me to do the do. What is hard for me though, is chillin’. (My boyfriend told me this yesterday).

I’ve had a rough past 5-6 weeks. I’ll just be honest. Even doing the do has been more difficult than usual for me . . . the mind clutter has been hefty!

The lack of balance between work and play.

That’s my problem.

Yesterday my boyfriend freed me of my chores and motherly duties and told me to go do something for me.

I decided to go hiking, but I was really upset when I walked out in nature and couldn’t quiet my mind. I needed to meditate, clear my mind, and let go of the tension, but it just would not happen. I ended up driving home early, frustrated and disappointed.

When I walked in the door, the house smelled glorious. Dinner had been made, the floor had been vacuumed and the dishes had been done. There wasn’t anything that I had to do. Suddenly, all the tension left, and clarity came. I thought how strange it was that it happened at home, once I returned. Not in the woods, not on my drive, not while I was alone.

Balance happens when we let go.

I expected and tried to create balance at a certain time, in a certain place, and in a specific way. When it didn’t happen, I thought, well this isn’t working. The fact that I was upset that it didn’t work made it even more frustrating. But when I got home and quit trying, it happened.

Now I’m not saying to quit trying. I’m saying, let go. Let go of the crutch that keeps you from gaining that strength, that inner peace, that center focus. We have to let go of what we lean on, of what we are holding onto that is keeping us back, before we can grow stronger in the next phase of our life, of our strength…

BALANCE

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April 22, 2019July 6, 2020

How to Will Power Your Way Through a Bad Day

Today did not start off to be a good day…

I was only ten minutes into my day and the kids were already wearing me out! My workout, that normally finishes at 8:30am, had not even begun and I was just sitting down to breakfast. In addition to that I hadn’t been able to drink my allotted amount of water before breakfast and I still wasn’t in workout clothes. Today was not looking good and the worst part of all was my mindset.

Our minds are very powerful tools, but how many times do we actually use the power of positive thinking?

When it really comes down to it, how much do we realize positive thinking effects our day? More importantly, how can you change your mindset to both improve your day and give yourself the extra boost to get in the mindset that you need?

The power of our mind isn’t a new concept. In A.D. 58, a man named Paul said something extremely relevant even to us today, “Do not imitate this world, but be changedby the awakening of your mind, that by challenging and changing your thoughts, you can recognize the path in which you should take, what your purpose in life really is.”

Following the norm, following the natural weakness of our own selves without tapping into the powerful tools we were given, weakens our day-to-day accomplishments . . .

. . . like filling up that mason jar of water and actually drinking it all before we leave the house for work.

It’s those simple, down to earth, every day (dare I say, mundane?) things that lead to greater triumphs in our daily lives.

I admit I did go back to bed, but only for a few minutes. I cried. I snuggled with my boyfriend and I told him I just wasn’t feeling good. It wasn’t my body that didn’t feel good. It was my mind. I told him that I just didn’t feel like I could be a mom today.

He said something to me that stopped me in my downward spiral to continuing on my bad day . . .

He said, “I know. But we have to do it. We are the strongest people they know”.

I started to think. If I don’t go out there with a smile and fake it till I make it, I will ultimately ruin their day and make it more difficult for themto have a good day. That is a lot of responsibility for one human!

I managed to drive them to school without lecturing, though I wanted to, and I managed to keep my tone calm. I hugged them all before they went to school and smiled, told them they looked and smelled great, and told them I loved them, and that I knew it would be a great day.

They laughed at me and said, “You just made that up.” And I said, “I certainly did not! The sun is shining, and it’s going to be a beautiful day!”

While I admit, inside, I was trying to convince myself of the same thing, but once I said it, I began to believe it. Seeing the kids leave for school with smiles on their faces reminded me of the power of positive thinking and positive words. Also, the results of our positive thinking can generate encouragement not only in our selves, but also in others, brightening the day for more than just us.

This morning, when I walked back inside, I did something as simple as making up my bed to put me on a productive beginning to my day. I knew that if I didn’t do that, I would probably get back in it and sleep all day long. I wouldn’t get my day going, would never work out, I wouldn’t blog, I wouldn’t make lunch, I wouldn’t feel good when I got up and I would be disappointed in myself.

Choose your own kick-start. Mine was making my bed. Yours could be completely different. The point is, make that first step.

Here are a few tips on how to will power your way through your day. It worked for me today, and all I can focus on is today, so let’s start with today!

THINK POSITIVELY.

Be grateful! It all starts in our minds. The number one way to begin the process of will powering your way through a bad day till it brightens up, is thinking positively.Nothing will change until you change your way of thinking.

SPEAK POSITIVE WORDS.

When we tell others how good we feel, we begin to realize how good we really do feel. It turns our focus to searching for the good because, if we say it, we end up showing it. Once we say it, somewhere in our subconscious minds, we start to realize that things really aren’t as bad as they could be. The mere fact that we are alive is a wonderful reason to think and speak optimistically.

KNOW YOUR GOALS FOR THE DAY, SIMPLIFY THEM, AND STICK TO IT.

If your goal is to workout and you know for a fact that doing it will feel like a major accomplishment for that day, then focus on that one thing only and do it. Decide what yourprimary goal is and break it into bits to help you get started.

ACT – EVEN IF YOU START OUT AS A ROBOT.

You have to force yourself to go through the motions here. You might feel like a robot. But immediately attack the things that are roadblocks to your accomplishments for the day. For me, I knew if I didn’t make my bed, I’d get back in it. I had the day off work, which means it’s my day to blog. I made my bed and opened my computer, turned it on, and set it dead center on my bed. Then promptly went and filled my jar of water and set it beside my workspace. As soon as I sat down, I pulled up my website. I will admit, I kept getting distracted with Instagram and Pinterest, but I kept coming backto what was most important until I finally silenced my phone and threw it across the room. (I don’t recommend that exact plan of attack).

ACCEPT THAT YOU AREN’T PERFECT

It’s okay if you don’t perform at your ultimate capacity today, but aim to tomorrow, and make it happen!

We all have our days. Just because we’re less energetic or less positive one day, doesn’t mean we have to focus on that negative energy. Put your focus on accomplishing smaller, less taxing undertakings for the day, set your goals at a reasonable and attainable platform, and push through, even though it’s not easy.

Accepting where you’re at is part of positive thinking and willing your way through a less energetic day. Even if that’s all you do, if you’ve kept a positive outlook on a lower energy day, that is an accomplishment in itself, that a lot of people don’t achieve.

LISTEN OR READ

Find a quote on Pinterest, a podcast, a YouTube video, or something that not only distracts you from your current state, but plants positive thoughts in your mind when it seems too difficult to do on your own.

Nourish and protect your positive choices and thoughts. Don’t allow outside influences to pull you down. If you don’t have the energy to summon your own positivity, go find it.

For a little help on motivation, check out Shlomo Jesmer. His YouTube video How Can We Become More Self-Motivated is great if you don’t know where to get started!

ADMIRE YOUR ACCOMPLISHEMENTS.

Once you’ve accomplished one thing, even if it is simply making the bed and showering for the day while squeezing in a positive podcast while doing these activities. Congratulate and compliment yourself for what you have done.

FOCUS ON WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, NOT WHAT YOU HAVE NOT DONE.

Nobody can be you as well as you can. Keeping your focus on the task at hand, then admiring what you have done, gives your will power a pre-workout, so-to-speak, for the next task at hand.

FOCUS.

Over and over and over, until focus takes hold. You can do it. We all can. Will power isn’t easy and it is not going to grow over night. Try and fail, and learn, and try again until you succeed

For a little more on motivation, how to stay on course, and tips on how to make working out from home actually work, check out my article Five Ways to Stay Fit at Home!

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