Wellness…there is no magic pill…or is there?

Wellness…there is no magic pill…or is there?

by | Jan 19, 2019 | Fitness, motivation, self-care, Uncategorized, Wellness

Wellness

Girlfriend (or guyfriend),

It took time to put on weight. Getting out of shape didn’t occur overnight, furthermore, you didn’t become a couch potato within a week. I know you want to get in shape quickly, however that probably isn’t going to happen.

Why?

Because there is no magic pill.

However, there are some things that can help. Ready?  Here are my recommendations for improving your overall wellness.

Water

THIS IS ESSENTIAL! Too many people substitute sugary drinks for water. Doing this sends you on a crazy emotional and energy roller coaster! For a short time, you have energy burst; followed by the crash, which sends you into a cycle of doing it all over again. Your sugar levels spike, you become full of cravings and you want to sleep while drinking more sugar!

Stop the madness! Drink water for improved overall wellness. I always tell my customers to aim for 1/2 their body weight in ounces per day. Add Crystal Light Pure, lemons, or cucumbers. Just drink your water! By doing this, you will decrease your hunger, minimize headaches and actually feel more energized!

Sleep

Ask virtually anyone you know how they sleep and I can pretty much guarantee that they will tell you they don’t. Furthermore, few people make it a priority. With to-do lists that stretch five miles long, we tend to stay up later and get up earlier. But what happens in between those hours?

Nothing.

Nada.

We can’t turn our mind off. Every little anxious thought comes to mind and we lie there wondering how to complete everything on our to-do list. If you need help turning off those old tapes, check out a previous blog post I wrote. We think about the project we didn’t complete or the upcoming opportunity. We put together our grocery list and try to figure out when we will fit in time to even see our spouse.

Lack of sleep creates added stress and increases our level of cortisol. An unfriendly little hormone that likes to hang around our middle. try setting a schedule and sticking to it, meaning go to bed and get up at the same times every day. You may also try Melatonin, another little hormone that tends to decline with each decade and a little bit help the sleepies come quicker.

Move

Get

off

your

ass.

Remember going to gym class in school? Why did they have that class? It wasn’t to torture us (although I am convinced that some of my gym teachers enjoyed that). They were trying to instill the importance of movement and exercise for our overall wellness. We have had this ingrained in our heads since we were in kindergarten, yet somewhere on our journey, working out became a chore.

Make yourself a priority. Studies show that walking around the block can raise your endorphins. Step out into the sunlight and get some Vitamin D. Take a Zumba class, ride a bike, or walk your dog. Do something. Exercise is critical for your emotional and physical health and will help you decrease stress levels, thus decreasing your cortisol levels. An added benefit is that movement will help you sleep better.

You are what you eat

I remember this tag line from my childhood. At that time I thought it was bunk and looking back, I would have been Nacho Cheese Doritos and Diet Mountain Dew! It took me many years to realize the truth behind this tagline though. When I eat like crap, I feel like crap and have minimal energy. What you put into your body is critical and will determine how your body looks and feels.

I am still not the best nutritional eater and I rely on supplements. Again, you have to do your homework and know what is in those supplements. I look for non-gmo, no artificial fillers, and a reputable company. Today, there are so many options, it is often difficult to know where to start. If you need help, go here and look around to see some viable and bioavailable options.

Accountability

Share your goals with your friends and family. Writing them down and declaring them helps to hold you accountable. Opening yourself up to others also provides opportunities for them to support you. Remember, you are not on this journey alone, nor should you try to improve your overall wellness on your own.

We are stronger together.

Own it

There is absolutely nothing in this blog that you have not already been told. You know what you need to do and all of the external influence and motivation will not help you if you are not doing something for yourself. Improved wellness begins with one little change and builds confidence and self-love. When that one little change gets comfortable, add another.

There is no magic pill, however, stay tuned for something that may be the next best thing!

 

Motivation is intrinsic, or is it?

Motivation is intrinsic, or is it?

by | Dec 28, 2018 | Dreams, Fear, Inspiration, motivation, self-care, Wellness

Resolutions

December typically draws out a feeling of regret from failed resolutions. Humor me and take a moment to look back upon 2018 and assess your goals. Now, be honest with yourself…did you meet them? Why or why not? For me,  this year was tough. I did NOT meet my business goals. Furthermore, here’s the hard truth. I did not meet my business goals as a direct result of not working hard enough. Ultimately, I wasn’t focused enough on what I wanted.

Ouch.

But that’s the truth. It wasn’t the lack of someone’s help or the result of my team not working. Consequently, it was me not doing what I needed to do to make things happen. So let me ask you again, did you meet your 2018 goals?

Motivation

On a positive side, I did meet some wellness goals, so that’s a win. However, I digress.

In truth, I used to wonder why people weren’t internally motivated. Naively, I also used to think that I could externally motivate people to make the changes they needed to. However, now I know better. Today, I realize that I can’t change anyone any more than someone else can make changes for me. That really sucks.

It sucks because I have many amazing ideas. I am chock full of motivation and inspiration. Furthermore, I may believe in you more than you believe in you, probably because I am not bogged down by the same old tapes that you are repeating.  I see through the bullshit to who you can be if you only trusted yourself to make it happen. If only I could do the same thing with myself.

Intrinsic

When you were learning to walk, you didn’t quit trying every time you fell down.  You got right back up and tried again (I love this analogy). That desire to move on two legs was intrinsic…it came from within. Somewhere in your life, you began to doubt yourself and those doubts are what is keeping you from reaching for more.

Tell those self-doubts to fuck off. You were created on purpose and you are NOT an accident. You have a purpose. What are you passionate about? Where are you when you feel the most alive? That’s what you need to do. Trust me, you aren’t too old and it isn’t too late. Dig deep, say some prayers and go for it. God wouldn’t put it in your heart if He didn’t want you to fulfill that dream.

Goals

It will still take work. You have heard the old cliche, that it begins with a dream. That’s true…however after that dream comes goals. Goals are brought to life when they are written down, so take a moment and free write what you would do if you weren’t limited by your own self-beliefs or current circumstances.

Now, write a workable time frame next to those goals. Be honest with yourself about what you can achieve and feel free to break the goals down.

Take a look at what you have done. You, my friend, have just created a plan for your dream to come to fruition. That takes courage and many people do not even get this far in their planning.

Go make it happen and let me know when you hit your first goal!

3 reasons why live video will increase your relationships – and your sales

3 reasons why live video will increase your relationships – and your sales

by | Nov 5, 2018 | Business owner, marketing, social media

Live Videos, the future is here

It’s no secret that providing a live video on your social media feed can increase your interactions with current and potential followers and improve your algorithms. Furthermore, providing live video enables your followers to become better acquainted with who you are and what you have to offer them.

Why?

Video is authentic

Let us teach you how to do live videos well from the comfort of your own home or office. Give us 14 days to help you change your business. Simply click here and follow the prompts to join our 14-day trial. You can do so much in just… Click To Tweet Additionally, typing your feelings leaves too much room for subjectivity and open-mindedness. Remember, people react to a stimulus according to their experiences.

Therefore, if you are making an attempt to sell your followers a product or service, they have no idea of how to gauge your authenticity within the text. After all, we are a culture of multiple stimulations and we want to touch people on more than one level or more than one sense. Putting yourself out there on video allows your followers to SEE your facial expressions while HEARING your tone of voice. There is little left to the imagination allowing others a glimpse into the real you.

There are no filters

A rule of thumb that we follow in A Cup of Content is this;

  • Know me – people want to know who YOU are. Remember, you are the business you represent. Branding is imperative and providing live video gives you the opportunity to show your expertise and passion while providing the groundwork for your branding.
  • Like me – followers will watch your live videos because they are curious about who you are and why you are live. Maybe you have the ability to laugh at yourself or say something inspiring that will stick with them…that is what will keep them watching.
  • Trust me – as you build your audience with live videos, you will have the opportunity to prove your worth. During your live videos, provide tiny tidbits of expertise, however always leave room for more. After all, you want them coming back.
  • Buy me– relationships cannot be forced and take time to culminate. Each time you create a live video, you are planting seeds for a future harvest. If you are authentic, your audience will buy you.

Sell yourself

A live video doesn’t have to be daunting or scary. Furthermore, going live is critical to growing your audience. People want to be engaged with you, particularly when you are taking the time and effort to go live. If you are raw and true, your followers will know. Personally, I rarely script out what I am going to say on a live video, as doing so takes away from my authenticity. Accordingly, I may leave out a few things I wanted to cover, but at the end of the day, my followers know that when I am doing a live feed, they are getting the authentically raw version. Not one that is watered down for their approval.

 

If you understand why you need to do live video however you are still stuck, let us help you get unstuck. Let us teach you how to do live videos well from the comfort of your own home or office. Give us 14 days to help you change your business. Simply click here and follow the prompts to join our 14-day trial. You can do so much in just two weeks and we can’t wait to help you!

5 Easy Steps to #beabetteryou

5 Easy Steps to #beabetteryou

by | Oct 26, 2018 | mom, motivation, parenting, self-care, Wellness

#beabetteryou

As am empowerer, I am often asked how to lose weight, feel better, and/or get in shape. Honestly, the answer is different for everyone. Subsequently, there is no quick fix, magic cure or secret formula. Furthermore, the answer most likely isn’t in what you are doing, rather, it is more likely what you are NOT doing.

Wtf? That doesn’t make any sense, right? Just hang with me here and see where I am going with this.

OVERSCHEDULED

Look at your calendar. Immediately stop what you are doing and look when your next full open hour is.

For many of you, it is late tonight, after the kids are in bed and you have cleaned up the house after a long day. Even more of you may say this weekend after a scheduled event, while others are not open until next Tuesday night at 7:00.

How does looking at your calendar make you feel? Happy? Anxious? Annoyed? Ultimately, the answer to feeling better isn’t to schedule more for others, rather, it is to schedule LESS.  Finally, it is in doing less for others and above all, scheduling more time for you.

5 steps to #BEABETTERYOU

  1. Make yourself a priority. Women have the most difficult time with this one. We are raised to serve others and for that reason, it became the norm to be scheduled every minute of the day. STOP the madness! Repeat after me: you cannot give from an empty cup(read more about this in a previous blog post). Subsequently, if you are constantly doing for others, you will have nothing left in reserves. You have to fill up you in order to help others!
  2. Learn to say NO. Why does telling someone no feel so bad? It isn’t personal, it’s essential. Ultimately, you teach others how to treat yourself and when you can’t learn to say no, and eventually, people will ask you for everything. Sound familiar? Saying no to a few things just means that you will have enough energy and focus for the activities you choose to say yes to.
  3. Sleep. Don’t laugh, I really mean this. Go to bed at the same time every evening and awaken at the same time every day. If you listen to your body, it will tell you how much sleep you need. Your natural circadian rhythms will guide you when you are in tune with them. Hence, sleep deprivation leads to increased stress, increased cortisone levels (think increased belly fat), and increased crankiness and furthermore, none of these situations create a pleasant person. Undeniably, that project will still be there tomorrow morning, and you will certainly have a fresh pair of eyes and a clear mind to see it for what it is.
  4. Increase your water intake. Unfortunately, that coffee doesn’t count as water, nor does that wine. Above all, water is essential to maintain hydration levels, improve digestion and can keep you feeling fuller for longer periods of time. While in contrast, too little water keeps you feeling sluggish and may give you headaches. Ideally, you should aim for ½ of your body weight in ounces per day.
  5. Put yourself on your schedule (in pen). Open your calendar again and schedule time at the gym. Make a nail appointment. Get a massage or try a float at the local Float Center. Get back to nature with Fido for a nice long walk. The fresh air will work wonders on your tired body and soul.

Let it Go

The world will go on without your hand in everything…and people will still like you and ask you to participate in activities. Saying no doesn’t make you less of a servant. It creates a strong foundation for which you can serve.

“In today’s rush, we all think too much – seek too much – and forget about the joy of just being: – Eckhart Tolle

Hormones – It’s not all in your head!

Hormones – It’s not all in your head!

by | Sep 30, 2018 | Fitness, Inspiration, mom, Wellness

 

What is wrong with me?

Fatigue. Mental Fog. No libido. Disappearing lean muscle. Do any of these sound familiar?

I am talking about real fatigue, like the kind where you can’t keep your eyes open in the afternoons, even after laying in bed for 8 hours the previous night. Notice I didn’t say you slept the previous night, and chances are you weren’t having sex either, because you are just so fricken exhausted!

And mental fog? Listen, I know that we all walk into a room and forget why we went in, but this kind of mental fog is a tad more extreme...its the kind where you need your vitamins in a daily display case so you can remember if you… Click To TweetIt’s the  check your toothbrush kind to see if it’s wet because you can’t remember if you already brushed your teeth today.

Let’s be real, as much as you love your son’s overstuffed bear, you really don’t want to BE ONE. Where in the F__K is all the fluffiness coming from? You work out, you eat well and the muscle keeps melting away. You have a whole closet full of clothing that you can’t wear and you really don’t want to purchase the bigger sizes.

WTF?

My story

While my story may begin differently than yours, my frustration may be the same. I had my children at the ages of 39 and 40 (gasp). Following the birth of my second child, I had surgery on both of my hands…shortly after I healed, I began working out and kept injuring myself; which derailed me every time I started getting momentum. It also left me feeling defeated.

Within 18 months, I had three abdominal surgeries, including a hysterectomy and the recovery was awful. Actually, I am not sure I ever fully recovered from that final surgery. I was depressed, fluffy, exhausted and unhappy. Once again, I was determined to work out and signed up for a 5K. I began training with a friend and dropped some weight…until I experienced two stress fractures from carrying my child down a mountain in the rain…

Right?

Soon after, I began experiencing planar fascitits and after 18 months of therapy that included a boot, injections and physical therapy, they wanted to perform surgery.  Additionally, I had been experiencing extreme joint inflammation and I just fricken hurt. I HURT ALL THE TIME. My doctor took a blood panel, which showed a high ANC so she sent me to a neurologist, who diagnosed me with fibromalygia. I knew within my whole being that there was something else going on.

Hormones

Keep in mind, during these years, I was still a wife, a mom, and freelancer however I was exhausted. I could fall asleep anytime I sat down and my hips and joints just hurt. So I did some research and found a new doctor who took one look at me and tested my hormone levels. Turns out my testosterone was a whopping 17(that’s very very low, my friend). No wonder I was fluffy, exhausted and in pain.

After some research, I began taking bioidentiacal hormes and within two weeks, I was no longer needing an afternoon nap.  It took some time, but I began to feel like a real person again. Granted, there are some days that I feel better than others, but isn’t that with all of us?  I didn’t expect miracles, I just wanted to feel good again.

It’s not all in your head

As a trainer and empowerer, I am appalled at how many women struggle with this and are never given proper information. So many of us are given medications, instructed to eat less or told to work out more. All any of that does is bandage the problem. Honestly, when I was first introduced to bioidentiacal hormones, I was skeptical. However research shows that we lose our ability to create hormones with each decade…and as we are living longer, that often leads us to living miserably also.

Unfortunately, not every practitioner is open to testing for hormones, which in turn can be frustrating. Furthermore, even when they do test, insurance companies rarely cover the cost of bio identical hormones. I know women who have gone to physician after physician and have been diagnosed with a multitude of ailments, without ever having their hormone levels tested, let alone talked about.

Additionally, not all physicians test the same hormones, nor are the optimal levels consistent. No wonder we are all confused, right? And we can become peri menopausal in our 30’s, which may cause a change in hormones while we look completely fine. Rest assured my friend, it isn’t all in your head. If you know that something isn’t right, keep asking questions and demanding further testing. You deserve to look and feel your best at every age and you can’t pour from an empty cup.