Little WELLNESS tweaks for BIG Wellness results!

by Cindi j Jeffrey | May 23, 2018 | Fitness, mom, motivation, self-care, Wellness

Years of treating my body like shit took its toll. Like most young adults, I thought I was invincible and paid little attention to my overall wellness. I didn’t use sunscreen, I didn’t drink water, and I most assuredly didn’t eat my veggies. I lived on Diet Mountain Dew, Doritos, and beer. Over the years, my weight has vacillated from 115 to 180 (not counting pregnancy). I have been skinny fat and I have been fluffy. Additionally, I had my boys at the advanced maternal ages of 39 and 40, followed by multiple surgeries, including three abdominal adventures. Having been a trainer, I knew what I needed to do, I just didn’t want to do it.

Now that I am nearing a new decade, it is time to focus on ME. It has taken quite some time to get to this point, you know, the one where I make myself a priority! Whether you are a mom or just like to fill your schedule to overflowing, we eat on the fly, we finish our kid’s meals, we stock our kitchen with fast foods. We are too fricken exhausted to work out…even thinking about doing a sit up about makes us want to cry. Our clothes don’t fit, we consider ourselves dressed if we splash on mascara and put on a bra.

Enough. I am worthy of more time than I give myself.

And so are YOU!

Here is what I have learned:

Mindset

Before I could find success, I needed to change my mindset. I had to stop being a martyr and making excuses for why I wasn’t taking the time I needed. Laundry can pile up, dishes will wait, and the kids can deal with mom spending 30 minutes for herself. This was huge. Once I stopped making excuses, I had no reason to NOT go to the gym. I found a gym with daycare and my kids were amazing at the waterworks, however, the staff was incredible and I soon looked forward to these small “me sessions”.

I’ll admit it, I had that same self-confidence issue that many feel when walking into a party. While I had been a trainer in the past, now I was overweight and lacking self-esteem of any kind.

Not every exercise is fit for everyone and I found that I was pushing myself too hard, thus finding myself getting stupid injuries. Those injuries created a sense of failure within me and allowed me to want to quit. The exercises I did in my 20’s may not be the same exercises I should be doing in my 40’s and that’s ok. I had to learn that I was not working out to impress anyone else, I was doing it for me. It didn’t help that I love to play the “let’s compare” game and compared myself to every other person in the gym.

Practice Grace

I was (and continue to be) very hard on myself. I need to grant myself the same grace I would grant a friend. I need to be realistic as I will skip workouts, I will indulge, I will make poor choices. I don’t do diets because it is an unhealthy head game for me. Once I discover something is restricted, all I want is that which is restricted. I choose to use the word “lifestyle”. I am a work in progress on a healthier lifestyle.

Something else I often tell the people at the gym is this: “you didn’t get out of shape overnight, therefore you will not get back into shape overnight”. People, myself included, want immediate results. That is totally unrealistic and anything that promises you fast results is not healthy for you.

That may sound counter-intuitive as I am an It Works Rep. Thus, I do believe there are tools that will help you on your journey, just as I have found tools to help me on mine. Sometimes we need a little help to boost us where we want to go. After all, when we look better, we feel better and when we feel good, we excrete confidence! For me, the wraps showed me that I could change by changing the appearance of my skin. That was the original impetus for my wanting to change my life and therefore, work on my wellness.

Seek Accountability

I get it, no one wants to ask for help. You are wonder woman and can manage your own fricken health, right? Wrong. Someone else may offer ideas you had not thought of. Having an accountability partner ups the ante and makes this wellness journey real. You may be able to skip a workout with too much guilt, but there is no way you are gonna ditch your workout partner.

Additionally, working out or checking in with someone else makes it easier to try new things. It’s tough to walk into a new fitness facility and try something different, however, it is easier when you have a pal with you. It makes it easier to get adventurous and find new classes to try…and stick with!

What I have learned so far:

To this point in my life, I have learned a few things about this wellness adventure…ready?

Your metabolism will change, however, this is NOT an excuse to sit on the couch and eat all you want. Hormones, thyroid, metabolism, blah blah blah. Yes, they are real, however so are you. stop letting these be excuses for not reaching your goals. I meet people every day who have exceeded their goals regardless of their age.
Change your eating habits. This is an extension of Number one. As your body chemistry changes, your eating habits need to change. After being on a plateau for some time, I finally made the decision to go low sugar/low carb. However, before you make any drastic changes, please consult a practitioner. There is so much information out there and starting on a regimen without medical assistance can be detrimental.
One lifestyle is not for all! Just because your pal lost 20 pounds eating low carb doesn’t mean you will. That friend who gained ten pounds of lean muscle doing cross-fit may be in a totally different fitness level than you are. stop the comparison game and find something that works for YOU!
Make small changes. Don’t change your whole world at once. Make healthier choices when eating out, and keep healthier snacks within your reach.
Set attainable goals. When people tell me they are going to come to the gym and work out five days per week, I tell them no. Set a realistic goal and celebrate the victories. Self-sabotage comes from changing too many things at one in addition to setting unrealistic goals.
Be patient. Lifestyle changes take work and will involve some successes and some setbacks. That’s ok. Pick yourself up, get back on course and move forward.
Love yourself. You are more than your appearance. You are a living and breathing human who deserves to be healthy and look their best. Fitness looks different for everyone. I know people who are technically overweight who could kick all of our assess in a circuit and I know people who look fit and get breathless walking up a flight of stairs.

The bottom line is that you need to want to change more than you want to stay the same. My motivation was having children at an older age. I didn’t want to be mistaken for their grandmother, nor did I want to sit on the sideline while they played…I wanted to be right in there with them. So, find your way and get out of your own way. Not only will you feel better, you will be an example to those around you.

What Wikipedia can’t tell you about this wellness supplement.

by Cindi j Jeffrey | Feb 2, 2018 | Business owner, Fear, Fitness, Inspiration, motivation, parenting, Supplement, Wellness

Do you need a SUPPLEMENT?

Not everyone needs a supplement, however, it is my opinion that the majority of people do. Why? We need to be filling at least HALF of our plates with fruits and vegetables at every meal to reach your peak wellness and meet the recommended nutritional guidelines. Although I know people who eat very well, I do not know one person who meets this goal on a daily basis without a little extra help.

As an It Works rep, I have access to amazing bioavailable supplements. For years, I would grab something off the shelf that looked like it might meet my needs. That was before I became aware of artificial fillers and less than accurate labeling. Furthermore, as I began looking at what was IN my supplements, I began to care about what I was putting inside of my body.

So, what if there was a way to DRINK your fruits and veggies every day and in the process, you would improve your overall wellness? Here are my top 5 reasons YOU should have this supplement every day.

Greens

This is my all-time go-to product. Out of nearly 40 products available on my website, this is the one I recommend to almost everyone I meet. Why? Because the benefits are amazing and for the price, you truly can’t go wrong, considering you will receive all of the following benefits are in one little serving.

Energize

Greens offer you natural energy via Matcha Green Tea. I love to drink mine during that mid-day slump when I used to grab something from a vending machine. This energy keeps me going through my evening activities without the sugar crash provided via other “energy drinks”.

Alkalize

Research shows that disease doesn’t thrive in an alkalized environment…it loves acid. Daily Greens minimizes the acid within your system and balances your ph. Personally, I have minimized my reflux medication after starting on daily Greens. The brilliant combination of potassium and magnesium also provides support for stronger bones and lean muscle.

Detox

It seems that everywhere you look, someone is talking about detoxing your system. Why? Because the toxins we ingest on a daily basis wear our body down. Imagine the sludge that is living in your body (actually, don’t) and how that impacts your overall wellness. A daily detox can build your immune system by clearing out those nasty little toxins, while also giving you additional energy via a daily gentle cleanse.

8 servings of Fruits and Veggies

8 servings of fruits and veggies in every serving that includes over 34 fruits and vegetables and 52 herbs and superfoods! When have you ever provided your body with the nutrition it craves? A side benefit of this supplement is a decrease in cravings because you are giving your body what it needs to function at an optimum level. Minerals, enzymes, and phytonutrients are all kept in their natural state in order to be easily absorbed into your body.

2Yummy flavors

Greens are available in two different flavors. Each one has a distinct taste and can be taken alone or mixed with something yummy.

Chocolate –I love these in my morning coffee or smoothies. For an extra rich treat, add it to hot cocoa. Who would have thought chocolate and veggies would be so yummy?

Berry -My favorite! I actually crave this flavor because it has such a unique taste. Add a dash of Mio, put in juice, a smoothie or mix with cold water!

Need more reasons to DRINK your GREENS?

How about this. The Greens blends are NON-GMO, Vegan, Soy Free, and Dairy Free. Greens also help me to balance my diet. I believe in mediocracy, meaning I don’t necessarily deprive myself of anything, however, I realize I need a balance. Greens give me that balance and peace of mind when I do go over the edge of unhealthy eating.

Greens are available in three different sizes to meet your needs. All ingredients are listed on my website, as are instructions for optimum use. I would love to send you a sample, and let me know of your interest in wanting to #beabetteryou.

I want Greens!

Beth Sharma, Working with Intention

by Cindi j Jeffrey | Jan 17, 2018 | Business owner, mom, motivation, work from home mom

Beth Sharma is a force to be reckoned with. This woman knows adversity and works hard to help others overcome it. After all, it takes courage to move 7 kids from sunny California to the Snowy Midwest; however, that’s exactly what this intentional mama did. As Beth shares, “I’m a Midwest girl trapped in a California body” so she loaded up 7 of her ten children and moved closer to her family in Nebraska. Initially, Beth and I had connected via social media before she made the move and from the moment we began chatting, I knew we were kindred souls. After all, it’s hard not to gravitate towards Beth. Her dynamic personality pulls you in and you just can’t help but smile when she shares her story.

I couldn’t help but probe into Beth’s background. I wanted to find out who she was at her very core and what makes her so passionate at this stage in her life. After all, she is a single mom, a fierce networker, an encourager, a rescuer, a business owner and a connector. How does one person accomplish all of that?

Intentional

Beth is intentional with her time. First and foremost she is a mom to her children. They come first in her life and all that she does; she is able to do around their schedules. Beth new early on that she wanted to raise her children. As a 23-year-old new mom, she initially went to work in the corporate world for a few years before realizing she wanted to be home with her babies. So she made it happen.

She began volunteering at her church and making friends. Looking back, Beth was networking without even knowing she was networking. To her, she was just being a friend for those who needed her. She saw a demand in her community for someone to mentor young moms and with her church, she began a leadership group of 100 women and lead a team of 25 to empower those young moms. To Beth that movement was more than mentoring, it was about giving hope to those young women. It was about celebrating everyday victories. It was about providing role models to those who needed them.

Authentic

Beth treats others as she wants to be treated. She knows what it is liked to be overlooked and doesn't want any person to ever feel that way. Click To TweetTo anyone looking in, she appears put together and in control, however, she will tell you her life is messy. After all, how can it not be with a family who needs and deserves one on one time with their mama? Actually, it was her messy life that helped launch her to where she is today. She wanted to take control of her destiny and when she saw an opportunity, she took it.

One day Beth was with a friend and fell in love with her friend’s amazing leggings. Actually, her words were” whatever those are, I love them and I am going to sell them”. The next day she became a direct sales rep for Ruby Leggings, where she has the opportunity to help women look and feel comfortable in their own skin. Two years later, she is financially rewarded for doing what she was already doing…being an authentic friend.

Creating a Sisterhood

For Beth, friendship is more than a mere connection. She envisions a world of sisterhood where she can change lives and give hope to others. By creating a network of women who lift one another up, she is giving hope and providing a safe place for those who are seeking positive change.

For someone who holds others in such high esteem, she downplays her own role in the lives of others. It is refreshing to meet a truly authentic woman who intentionally raises others higher. She is loyal to the core and once you meet her, you will feel her genuine intentions via her words and actions.

Connect with Beth Sharma

Beth would love to connect with you. Find her on FB via her Business Page, Beth Sharma, It’s Possible. To learn more about her amazing clothing business, visit her website and see the styles that stole her heart and allow her to build a legacy for her family. After all, at the end of the day, who doesn’t want to look back with a smile, knowing they not only made a new friend, but someone who will lift them higher and help them reach levels they didn’t know were achievable. Remember, we are stronger together.

Why you will never have success unless you change the outcome.

by Cindi j Jeffrey | Dec 25, 2017 | Business owner, Dreams, Fear, Fitness, motivation, Wellness

Did you find success with your 2017 goals? If you didn’t, let me tell you why. However, let’s first agree to define a goal as reaching toward something we desire. Each January brings an influx of desires, wishes, and promises to ourselves and to others. For example, every January, gyms are full of people who have resolved to get fit. Maybe after binging on sweets and alcohol for the last three months of the prior year, they make a promise to work on their own wellness and undo all of the damage they did.

Unfortunately, getting out of shape didn’t happen overnight and it will take time to get back into shape. Therefore, when the majority of people fail to see instant results, they become frustrated and stop trying. Seems like the same can be said for nearly any resolution made. Ultimately, we fail when our desire to change is overshadowed by our willingness to stay the same. Click To Tweet Consequently, here are my top reasons we fail and how to overcome our own objections to becoming successful in achieving those desired results.

You stopped caring.

Point blank. Much as you may want to, you just don’t care anymore. After all, you can buy larger clothes, save money by purchasing generic coffee, you can sleep later if you don’t have to be at the gym early. Sound familiar? Subsequently, when the effort to move forward becomes shadowed by apathy, you can kiss your goal and therefore success, goodbye.

How do you stay focused? WRITE DOWN YOUR GOAL(s). Begin by putting your thoughts in writing and hang it somewhere you see it every day. Better yet, make multiple copies and put them on the bathroom mirror, in your car, your purse, your pajama drawer, in the kitchen pantry. Ultimately, this will be a constant reminder of your desired goal and help you to stay on track.

You didn’t believe in yourself.

You never believed you would be successful. Initially, you made a goal because you felt like you should, not because you actually thought you would reach it. As a result, you wanted to test the waters and see how you would do without really putting in your all. Sound familiar?

When I started my home-based business, I originally gave myself 3 months to find success…that soon changed to six months and now I am going on five years. Why? Because I realized that growth is ongoing and I am continually learning and pushing my own boundaries. There are times when I believe in myself wholeheartedly and there are times I feel as though I have no idea what I am doing. So, how do I get back on track? If you want to pursue this train of thought further, see my blog post on broken thinking and how to fix it.

Affirmations.

One of my favorite shirts says “fake it till you make it.” You have to walk the walk and talk the talk. I have learned that repeating affirmations truly does help me to believe in myself and what I am doing. You truly have to envision your end result before you can even take the initial steps to reach that goal.

Pinterest has amazing affirmations for virtually any goal you are looking to meet. I know it may feel awkward to use them if you haven’t tried them before, but trust me, once you believe in yourself, you become unstoppable!

You failed to make yourself a priority.

In January you were on fire and worked daily on meeting your goals. You had post-it notes of your to-do plan everywhere you could see them and you talked about your goals to anyone who would listen. However, February came around and you found yourself being drawn into more activities and by May, you had forgotten about your own priorities.

This is easy to do as we get busier and our calendars quickly fill up. At this time, you begin to make yourself a priority by scheduling yourself in your planner. This is critical if you find yourself slipping on your goals. Find a time slot and book time for YOU…and keep those appointments.

You let other’s dictate your decisions.

We have all been there. It is easy to succumb to the pressure of a good friend or loved one and we get suckered into an activity we are not so sure about. Maybe it was a networking group or a business opportunity. Perhaps it was a new gym or book club. Regardless, we didn’t really think it through, however, we decided we would give it a go…because we felt pressured by someone else.

Here’s the scoop. This will never work unless you are all in. Get out. Say no. Let go of the guilt. Bye Felicia.

You got lazy

Right? Let’s be honest. Sometimes it just takes too much effort to keep going. It takes work to stay on task. You must have vision, passion, and forbearance. There must be a deep desire to want to reach a destination, regardless of the roadblocks or life events. Things will happen. Suddenly you become very ill or require surgery or you may experience an overwhelming loss. You may doubt yourself and/or the process. Regardless, YOU are the reason you have not successfully met that goal.

Every year more dreams die due to failure to continue the process than any other reason. When we get lazy, we no longer care about the outcome, we stop believing in ourselves, we stop making ourselves a priority, we let others dictate our actions and we fail to meet our goals.

Do You really want Success?

Are you ready to make a resolution or two for the New Year? You are if you are committed to being a better you. Resolutions and goals are promises to ourselves that we will do better because we deserve better. What if we treated ourselves as we do a valued loved one? Would you continually disappoint someone important in your life? No? Why are you willing to do that to yourself? After all, you are responsible for your success. Don’t leave that up to chance.

I invite you to go to: http://cindijeffrey.wtfitworks.com and join the movement. This is a free app that will provide you will motivation, fitness regimes, healthy eating tips, and opportunities to win prizes. Remember, we are stronger together. Feel free to send me an email via the contact form below to set up a free consultation to talk about your own 2018 goals. I would love to help keep you accountable.

Help me be accountable!

How to cheat Success and make it about YOU!

by Cindi j Jeffrey | Jul 2, 2017 | Business owner, Dreams, Faith, Fear, motivation, self-care

I am success. Not successful, rather, a success.

Isn’t that a bold statement? How dare I put myself out there as being a success? After all, who am I to say that I am more of a success than you are? ME. Seriously, just ME. I am me and I alone know the challenges I have overcome. Click To Tweet I can choose to dwell on them or I can learn from those obstacles and make different choices in the here and now.

Success defined

Let’s talk about the word success.

Dictionary.com defines success as “the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the accomplishment of one’s goals”. If I honestly look back on my life and the goals I have achieved, I definitely meet the definition of success. After all, I graduated from high school. Trust me that was a success for being the person who rarely attended and dropped every class possible in order to have more time to “hang out”. Shoot, I even went on to attend college and graduate from grad school.

I think where we get caught up on whether we are successful or not may depend upon how competitive we are. Stay with me here as I explain. For example, if you neighbor purchases a brand new car and you are green with envy and berate yourself for not being able to afford that car, you may feel as though your neighbor is more of a success than you.

How do you know that said neighbor isn’t looking at your lawn and steaming with rage because his lawn looks so neglected next to yours? Perhaps he wonders how you are such a success with your landscaping. You have heard the expression “the grass is greener on the other side” and this is a perfect example of where that came from. You may be thinking your neighbor has money to waste while he is wishing he had more time to work on his lawn.

Perspective

Here is another cliché…”life isn’t always as you see it”. We all view our world through our experiences and our own perception of reality. Here is also where we need to be careful because our perceived reality may be far from the actual experiences of others. A little friendly competition is good for the soul; however downright jealousy and lusting for something someone else has is self-deceiving as well as self-defeating.

It’s easy to sit back and wallow in self-pity because we are not where we want to be in our life. Here is some free advice. STOP BEING A VICTIM! You are the result of your experiences; however, it is up to you to change your life.

Self-Growth

I am a huge fan of Jen Sincero and I love her forthright honesty in her books (I may also have a little girl crush on her, so bear with me as I proclaim her greatness). She is no nonsense and has lived through her own decades of doubt and self-destruction. However, in her book, You are a Badass at Making Money; she spends a great deal of time talking about how we sabotage ourselves when we compare our lives to the lives of others. Ultimately, her message is simple. To achieve success, you have to believe that you are success. I won’t share more of her message, however, I can assure you, it is worth the read!

Self-growth, ongoing education and challenging yourself are all instrumental in moving forward. Our brains fight hard to hold onto our old thoughts and behaviors and I have referred to these as “old tapes“. It is only by challenging those thoughts and behaviors that we will ever leave our comfort zones. One way of doing that is by following people you admire. No, I don’t mean to literally follow them; I mean follow them on social media, read their books, and watch their podcasts.

Another way to practice self-growth is to practice affirmations. Find something positive that you absolutely love and paste it everywhere! Use is as your screensaver and phone screen! Put it on your bathroom mirror in lipstick and use sticky notes to put those affirmations all over your house and car! Keep repeating that affirmation and “fake it till you make it.”

Let Go

Part of being a success is letting go of anything that holds you back. For many of us, this is difficult as we feel guilty for closing doors on relationships. Imagine this. You are not closing a door, you are no longer allowing a person to control you or have influence over you. That is different than denying the person your company.

As you move forward, others may become uncomfortable. As you step out of your comfort zone, you will have to find others who share your same vision. You are not leaving others behind as much as you are creating a circle of influence to reach your next level. Don’t be selfish and do not be afraid to reach out. The truth is, you most likely have something to offer those around you, even if you don’t believe it yet.

Unfortunately, we are typically the last person to see our gifts and believe in ourselves. When someone compliments you, accept it and file it away in your brain for those moments you are second guessing every decision you make. In conclusion, let go of the negativity and embrace your dreams. At the end of the day, it is up to you to make those dreams a reality.

STOP the MADNESS!

by Cindi j Jeffrey | Jun 12, 2017 | Business owner, Dreams, Faith, Fear, mom, motivation, self-care, Wellness, work from home mom, wraps

Stop and Madness!

Seriously, take a look through the internet and you will find pictures of every shape and size of people trying to tell you to buy their product in order to lose weight. I admit it, as an It Works Rep, I am continuously making suggestions to my friends about a product that will help them look or feel better.

Did you catch that? Look or Feel better.

Intellectually, I know that beauty comes from within. First and foremost, you have to give your body proper nourishment. As a result of proper nourishment, you can expect beautiful skin, healthy hair and strong nails. Proper nourishment can also help you maintain a healthy gut that will reduce bloating and keep you regular.

The right nutrients will assist you in keeping a strong immune system, and high energy level. I believe in plant-based products, so when I have a friend who has a need, of course, I want to provide them with the top of the line supplements that will enhance their wellness. If I didn’t share what I believe to be amazing, what kind of friend would I be?

Who am I do decide who is worthy of these products and who isn’t?

Subjective

Beauty is also subjective. I put out a question the other day on my FB page asking what people thought was sexy. Ironically, the number one response was confidence Click To Tweet. It had little to do with physical attributes at all! So why on earth do we waste so much time worrying about our appearance?

Consider the impact that social media also brings. We now have a new opportunity to compare ourselves with others. Unfortunately, we rarely know what photo is real and what has been altered. Therefore, unrealistic expectations continue to push us to a new level of frustration and negative thinking. Social media also offers an opportunity to participate in behind the scenes bashing. We have all been there. Consider when we post a photo that we actually like of our self and someone says something derogatory. From that point on, the majority of us will remove that photo and begin to focus on the aforementioned negative area.

Stop the Madness

Just stop.

I tell myself this daily and honestly, there are days I tell myself that hourly. I am a woman. My body has given me babies. I have endured multiple surgeries and injuries. Yet, because of my physical appearance, I was reluctant to become an It Works Rep or a trainer at my gym. I was worried about how other people would perceive me and my products and services.

Honestly, that pisses me off. I am so irritated that I would allow my own self-perception to limit the impact I may have on others. Yet, I still get frustrated with myself when I am going to meet someone and I can’t find anything that looks “just right”. I forget that five years ago I was undergoing major surgery that required extensive recovery. Or that 7 years ago I have just given birth. My body has been through changes that apparently my mind has forgotten.

Embrace YOU

There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to look your best. For instance, I LOVE my skin care line because it makes my skin look and feel fresh and glowing. However, globally, there is a sense of shame in wanting to do things to enhance our beauty. Seriously, what kind of crap is that? Why is it that we are shamed if we don’t look a certain way. When did it become the norm to be judged if we don’t fit into a certain size, and why are mocked for wanting to look and feel amazing?

I call bullshit.

Here is my advice. Be comfortable in your skin. Enhance what make YOU stand out from the crowd. Let yourself be pampered. You work hard and you deserve some love too. Stop letting comparison steal your joy. When you continue to worry about your appearance, you lose out on the moments happening before your eyes. Stop the madness.

Moderation

Personally, I have vacillated between 115 and 175 my adult life. Could I be a size 5? Probably. However, I am NOT willing to give up the things I enjoy and revert back to skin and bones. As a mom, I don’t want my boys to see an unhealthy person who is always so worried about my appearance that I won’t share that delicious dessert with them.

I want them to see me as a determined woman who works hard at her businesses and who works out because I want to be strong. They have watched me use my wraps and understand them to be a skin care treatment (which they are). They see my passion for helping others and my focus on being healthy and strong.

So, my friends, mock away. I love when I see memes regarding no wraps, pills or gimmicks. I know what it takes to become stronger…it takes exercising and watching what you eat. Additionally, I know that many people need some help overcoming a plateau or to feel less guilty after a cheat meal. Honestly, I don’t care what you have to do to focus on your own wellness, just do something and believe you are worth it.

Because you are!

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