Ready for challenge nine? Did you ever notice how much better you do something when you are prepared?  Being prepared is one of the best ways to guarantee healthy living.  When we have a plan all we need to do is stick to it and we are golden.  For this weeks challenge I want you to think about how you have been doing since the beginning of the year on both your nutrition and fitness goals.  Select one or the other, or both if you chose and do a few thing to help you prepare each day this week which will assist you in completing your goals.  Below I’m sharing 3 ideas for each to help you get started! 3 Ideas to Better Prepare For Healthy Eating All Week Long 1. Plan your meals and go to the store with a list of exactly what you need.  I have a love hate relationship with food planning because I am more of a wing it or use what is in the fridge type of cook.  However, when I write down exactly what I plan to have for my meals each day it makes all the difference.  I typically look at my week in two parts.  Part one is Mon-Fri or the work week.  I think through what I am going to make for all of my meals and if I am not going to make something for lunch I decide ahead of time where I am going to get something to eat and I stick too it.  That way I am not running somewhere that is a less healthy option.  Part 2 is the weekend or off days.  Typically weekend meals are a bit more fun as I may try a more labor intensive recipe or we may got out.  Just like during the week if we eat out we typically select a restaurant where we know there are healthy options.  If I am going somewhere I have never been I always look at the menu ahead of time and go with a plan for what I am going to get or how I might modify an item on the menu.  For example, sometimes I make my own salad dressing and bring it with me so that I know I am having a good quality oil. 2. Think about your week and what you have going on after work.  If you…

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Ready for challenge eight? Can you believe we are already on challenge eight?  For eight full weeks you have been challenging yourself, putting yourself out of your comfort zone and trying new things.  You should be proud of the work you have done and the progress you have made towards better health.  After all this hard work it is time to take a deep breath and thank yourself.  Much of the time we go through our day never once reflecting on ourselves and the amazing things that we can do. For this week’s challenge I want you to work on loving yourself and if you already have a strong self-worth I want you to love yourself even more.  Practicing self-love can look like many different things.  Below are 10 ideas tohelp you get started. Select at least one of these ideas to work on this week and then over the course of the next few weeks work your way through the list.  I know this is a one-week challenge but self-love is such a huge part of personal development, growth and healing that it is something we should give continued focus and effort.  The payoff is huge! Ideas to Help You Practice Self Love Nourish your body with healthy foods and habits.  Eat foods that you know will make you thrive and make your body and mind perform at their optimal level. Forgive yourself and others.  If there are things you are holding onto from the past let them go.  Forgiving does not make the wrong right.  What it does do is it releases sadness, anger and resentment which allows for us to start enjoying the present moment.  Sometimes we think holding onto our upset punishes whomever hurt us but the reality is it punishes us much more. Quite your inner critic.  When a negative thought about yourself pops in your head tell it to be quiet, refuse to believe it and change that negative thought into a positive one. Stop comparing yourself to others.  This can be hard due to the social media world we live in.  It is so hard not to look at others images and believe their life is as perfect as it appears on screen.  Know they are only showing you an edited version of their real life. Celebrate every single win.  Big and small!  Recognize your accomplishments. Embrace the things that make you unique.…

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Ready for challenge seven? This weeks challenge may or may not be a hard one for you depending on how big of a sweet tooth you have.  Did you guess it?  If you think challenge seven has something to do with sugar then you are right!  This weeks challenge is to kick refined sugar to the curb for a full 7 days! Don’t worry!  I am going to give you some tips to make this as easy as possible and I promise after just 7 days you are going to feel the difference.  And, if you currently struggle with sugar cravings they will start to fade away.  I promise! My first tip for kicking your sugar habit is to become a sugar detective and search it out in the foods you are eating frequently.  If you are eating anything out of a package I can almost guarantee there is added sugar.  What can be sneaky is the label may not clearly say sugar.  Its important to become familiar with the other names used for sugar.  Here is a list with 56 other names!  Once you are familiar with some of the other names for sugar take a look at the products in your cabinets, refrigerator and freezer focusing on the items you use everyday.  Check the ingredients to see if there is added sugar.  If there is, ditch that item for the next 7 days.  You also need to watch out for so called health foods.  So many have added sugar its unbelievable.  Common products with hidden sugars are protein powder, nut butter, salad dressing, tomato sauce, soup, frozen meals and protein bars. In addition to giving up sugar in packaged foods I also want to challenge you to not add it to anything.  So, for example if you add sugar to your coffee try to consume it black this week or with a little coconut milk.  If you can’t bare the thought of absolutely no sugar and need to take baby steps towards going sugar free my second tip is instead of using refined sugar like white cane sugar use organic maple syrup, raw honey or dates instead.  These are still sugars but because they are not processed and in their natural state you will get the benefit of added vitamins and minerals. Ok, now lets talk natural sugar like the sugar found in fruit, vegestables and whole foods.…

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Ready for challenge six? I am so excited to share this weeks challenge with you.  One of the greatest things my struggle with health has brought to my life is the opportunity to help others by sharing both my struggles and successes.  The more I share the more I heal and the better my life becomes.  When we share ourselves with others we actually gain more than we give. Sharing can be difficult because it puts us in a vulnerable place.  Extending ourselves outside of our comfort zone is scary but it’s where the magic happens.  I have found that when I share with others more often than not I find they are going through something similar and the words I share give them encouragement, motivation and hope. For Challenge Six I want you to think about all the previous challenges you have completed and which has had the greatest impact on your life.  Then, share that challenge or learning with someone else.  It can be a family member, a friend or even a post on social media.  When we share our story and what we have learned along the way with others we can make a huge impact. Ready, Set, Go…. Challenge Time The first step is to set up your free account on healthstorylines.com if you have not already. Challenge Six Instructions: 1. Think about the last 5 weeks and the challenges you have completed.  Think about the one that has had the greatest impact on your life and health.  The one that really resonated with you.  Think about what you loved, what you learned and how it made you feel. 2. Once you identify this challenge or your learnings share it with someone else. 3. For this challenge you won’t necessarily be doing something every single day but through your sharing be a constant support system for others.  In the journal section of the Health Storylines app record what you shared with others as well as what you learned by sharing with others and how it made you feel.  You can journal daily or as often as you want throughout the week. 4. If you feel comfortable and want to share your favorite challenge with your social media audience post the challenge with a link (all challenges can be found here) and hashtag #wholelovleylifesharing on your Instagram, Instagram Stories or Facebook so we can engage with each…

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Ready for challenge five? Let’s get ready to say goodbye to January and welcome February with open arms and endless possibilities.  I hope the last month of challenges have helped you to establish new healthy habits and encouragement to continue with at least one. The last four challenges have been focused on adding healthy foods into our diet as well as working on our mindset.  Challenge Five is going to focus on moving our bodies.  Whether you are an experienced fitness guru or you are just embarking on a fitness journey this challenge is for you! This week I am challenging you to move your body for at least 30 min for 5 days.  This can be anything.  It can be a walk over your lunch break at work, a dance session with your kids (I know from experience this really gets the heart rate up and it’s down right fun) or a HITT (high intensity interval training) session.  Focus on doing something you love and enjoy. If fitness is already a normal part of your day challenge yourself to try something new or take your routine to the next level.  For example, if you have been using the same machines at the gym or going to the same class for awhile shake it up and try something totally new.  Keeping your workout fresh and challenging is what keeps you coming back. If you are a beginner try a few different things this week to see what you like.  Walk, jog or try a class or video you have been interested in. Whether you are an expert or beginner I also encourage you to take a day or two to do something fun, something you really love.  Exercise becomes a natural part of our lives when we look forward to it! Here are 3 tips to get you started and to help you accomplish this weeks challenge: Focus on what you love and what brings you joy!  Exercise does not have to be at a gym.  A workout can be anything that moves your body and elevates your heart rate. Don’t look at exercise as a chore or something you have to do.  Look at it as a way to honor your amazing body.  On day’s when I don’t want to exercise I remind myself that it is a privilege that I can.  When my Ankylosing Spondylitis and Iritis were at…

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Ready for challenge four? I hope you have enjoyed the last 3 weeks of challenges.  You guys have been doing AMAZING!  So, before we move onto week 4 I want you to take a few moments to reflect on the last three weeks and the challenges you have completed.  Honor yourself, your body and your mind.  Many times we move quickly onto the next thing when in actuality we should pause and reflect. I don’t know about you but I feel like I have accomplished so much these last few weeks.  January has been an amazing month!  Let’s close it out with one last challenge and make the start to 2018 great. Because you guys have been working so hard, this weeks challenge is going to be easy peasy lemon squeezy (words directly from my 5 year olds mouth :))  No pun intended but this week is about LEMONS!  It’s about adding fresh squeezed lemon juice to warm water each morning to kick off your day.  This is a super easy challenge so everyone should be able to hit this one out of the ball park. First let chat about just the water.  Depending on the number of hours you sleep it can be quite some time that you go without water which can lead to dehydration.  Having a large glass of water upon rising rehydrates your body and gets you going in more ways then one.  If you are already going to be drinking a big glass of water why not boost it with a little lemon juice? I feel the greatest benefit to consuming lemon water first thing in the morning is that it jump starts digestion.  Warm lemon water has helped me to stay perfectly regular (sorry TMI but I can’t tell you how many people have constipation issues) for as long as I can remember.  It gets things moving!  In addition, lemon water gives you a small boost of immunity due to the vitamin content.  Not a huge amount, but enough to give you a boost especially if you are consuming it daily.  I also personally feel like it helps to keep your skin clear and glowing.  Again, this is partially due to the water alone but lemons have antioxidants that are great for the skin.  And, to top it all off I personally think lemons scream happiness and sunshine.  So, I can’t think of a…

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Happy 2018 ! I am currently working on my 2017 reflection post which will be up soon, but, in the meantime I am super excited to share with you that I have been selected to be a Self Care Ambassador!  2017 was an amazing journey and I am hoping through this opportunity I will be able to share some of the things that took my healing from two autoimmune conditions to the next level.  I will be working to create a community where individuals encourage and empower each other to focus on their own journey to the best health possible.  Over the next few months, I will be posting mini challenges on Instagram, Instagram stories, Facebook, and my blog.  These challenges will be super easy and I know they will fill your life with so much joy.  I hope you will follow along and share your experience both with me and others.  The more we share the more we grow and learn. To join the challenge and track your progress, go to healthstorylines.com and set up a free account.  Health Storylines has 40,000 users!  Joining will allow you to participate in mini health challenges with like minded people.  These challenges will allow us to support each other and our journey to self-care and healing while having a ton of fun.  There is nothing more motivating than joining a community of people who are passionate about helping each other practice self-care.  Therefore, when Health Storylines reached out to me about becoming an Ambassador I had to say yes! If you have been following my blog for a while you know that I had a long struggle with Ankylosing Spondylitis and Chronic Iritis.  It may have taken me years to realize it but my health struggle was my greatest teacher.  I whole heartily believe that when we are presented with a struggle in our lives whether health or something else it is happening For Us NOT To Us.  Meaning, there is a deeper reason.  You must look inward and realize your body is sending you signals that something is not right.  When you honor the struggle, you will find yourself on the other end shining bright.  I promise! Nutrition has been a huge part of my journey but it was not until working with a mind body healing coach who also struggled with Ankylosing Spondylitis that I truly healed.  I consider myself…

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