I didn’t realize how badly my body had slipped away from me during my 4th pregnancy. I hardly had time to eat, let alone shower between everything we had going on. Then few months (6 weeks to be exact) after Rowans birth, I was using the medicine cabinet mirror to put my make up on. I had just gotten out of what probably was my only shower in three days, and I caught a glimpse of myself in medicine cabinet mirror. I cringed. And then I cried. What happened to me?
I’m pretty sure that up until that point, I had managed to fool myself into thinking I could eat whatever I wanted, and still look and feel just “fine” to others and even myself, hiding in loose-fitting clothes. My tears revealed the truth. I wasn’t “fine.” I didn’t feel comfortable in my skin and I wanted to be as beautiful on the outside as I felt on the inside.
So… after a good cry in my underwear, I decided to take some full body pictures of myself. I was adamant that this was the last time I would be “fine”. I didn’t want to be fine, I wanted to LOOK and FEEL GREAT. I wanted more energy. I wanted to make it through to the end of the day without a melt down. In my new world of motherhood and doing everything and anything for everybody else, I wanted something for MYSELF.
I’m no fitness supermodel. I wasn’t a college athlete. I’m just a mom that wanted to regain her identity. I wasn’t born with the “skinny gene.” Obesity runs in my family lines. However, I was born with the “try hard” gene and I strive for personal growth.
Lipstick & Lunges is bringing you the “5 Steps to the Best Shape of My Life” series. Regardless of where you are on your journey for personal health and fitness, I hope that you’ll take a look at what I believe are the KEY factors for success in our own lives. Let today be the day you decide to change your mindset. Let go of “fine” and embrace what could be. Join a community of women who are striving to be the very best version of themselves.
Follow us Instagram@Lipstick.Lunges and on my personal Facebook where I love getting personal. You can also subscribe to Lipstick & Lunges blog for healthy recipes, workouts, and most of all inspiration and encouragement! Check back tomorrow for Step 1 in the 5 Steps to the Best Shape of My Life series.
You can do this and we are here to support you along the way! We can’t wait to see you shine!
Everyone has this misconception that a diet is a restriction or limitation of foods.
A deficit of calories or cutting out food groups.
No. No. No!
My diet is my lifestyle. I choose to eat healthy, but it’s a maintainable consistent diet.
I don’t deprive myself of calories, I don’t miss out on social gatherings
because I’m “dieting” and I definitely don’t cut out food groups!
Additionally, I don’t go more than 3 hours without eating. This is especially important if you are trying to lose weight, and feel free to disagree with me on this.
When you go hours without eating, to the point where your stomach is aching, maybe you have a headache or your energy levels are low, your body is in catabolic status. Meaning it thinks it’s in starvation mode. If you are in this status once every day, or more than once a day your body starts to store all the fat it can, making it impossible for weight loss! If you’re familiar with this, you may even be having a hard time building muscle. Yes, this is because your body is utilizing the proteins as an energy source because that’s its last option!
Eating every hour and half, allows my metabolism to be turned on all the time. I’m burning the energy I’m eating and constantly keeping my system active.
So if you’re someone whose been trying to lose weight, going to the gym every day, maybe twice a day, and eating 1000-1200 calories but not seeing any weight loss, maybe even weight gain, that’s because you’re not eating enough! If you’re on a workout routine and you’re highly active, eat AT LEAST every two hours.
7 Years ago this month, I was at the lowest point of my life. I had closed my child care business in Kansas and moved to Missouri for empty promises to a career as a Child Care Director. I needed the change, it was something I've dreamt of. But it all quickly fell apart when the owner fired me after she refused to hand out paycheck to her employees and I spoke up about it.
I was a single mom of 2 kids. I was in a brand new state, new town and scared. I was broke living in the demon possessed house (not joking but that's another story for another time). I was serving my kids Ramen Noodles & Pancakes for dinner, because that's all we could afford. I was VERY depressed, hated my life, and asking God why he lead me to this career change just to rip it out from underneath me.
I was behind on my rent, barely able to put food on the table. I had to ask the church and state for health, which was my lowest point. I went on food stamps which made me feel so ashamed. I felt like I couldn't do a damn thing right.
During this time I met my now husband. We got a house together, in a new town and I found work again. Things started to look up. However we spent years living pay check to pay check barely making by.
Two more children later, living paycheck to paycheck and my health at its lowest point. I had gained 85 lbs with my 4th pregnancy. Food was the only thing that numbed me as I'm not a drinker. One day it all hit me. I HAD to make a change! If not for me but for our family.
That was the day I invested money we didn’t have into a box of Shakeology and a fitness program. I decided to take on the coaching opportunity to help other people before I had even helped myself.
The moment I realized that this business was more than just health & fitness; That was my ah-ha moment.
It was more than a physical transformation. It was mental. It was the satisfaction of knowing I was doing something for myself. It was knowing I could give the same gift to others. That’s why I believe I can help people just like YOU. And I can help YOU pay it forward to someone else.
I realized I was given the greatest gift in the entire world.
Financial, emotional, physical, & mental freedom.
It’s great when your job consists working out, dialing into your nutrition & see changes within your body. But you know what’s even cooler?
Looking in the mirror and realizing how far you came. Knowing you are a brand new version of yourself. You’re happy, you’re fulfilled, you are FREE.
It’s a gift I have given countless women who are on my team and a gift that has yet to be presented to thousands of others. It’s a ripple effect– one that is making waves.
I am looking for women who want MORE to join my team. I will mentor you. I will teach you. And I will help you achieve the same FREEDOM I am blessed enough to feel every single day.
Team Beachbody does not guarantee any level of success or income from the Team Beachbody Opportunity. Each Coach’s income depends on his or her efforts, diligence, and skill.
Yes PINK is the coolest color in the world in my opinion. And the whole thought of consuming a pink drink totally tickles me....PINK!
But is it really healthy for you?! How does it compare to Shakeology?! Well, since I've had a few messages from people asking me since I posted Isagenix VS Shakeology, let me break it down for ya. Also before I continue, if you are going to argue that my comparison is "laughable" and "false" please back it up with facts. Because facts is all I'm stating. The cold honest sometimes harsh truth is what my blog is about.
You go to any ambassador's site, and someone or their mother has lost 30, 40, or even 100 pounds with Plexus! The worst is Facebook! Half of FB is stuffed with Plexus rainbows! I support these women cause I know how it is to run your own business but lord knows I vomit a little when I see their posts about it.
I recently was messaged by a friend of mine who sells Plexus after posting about being finally diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease. Who claimed Plexus could "cure" my hastimoto's. She was telling me to drink the magic pink drink, along with the P96 Protein Shake along with other shit they offer.
First off, if this person really knew much about Hashimoto disease, they would have known that soy is NOT okay for most Hashimoto people to consume ... P96 contains soy. It also contains dairy which I can't tolerate due to lactose intolerant.
Plexus Slim is gluten-free and Vegan and Vegetarian friendly. Oh, well at least there’s that.
I'm not buying the snake oil.
Plexus has NO nutritional value so it can’t actually be compared to Shakeology because Shakeology is NOT a diet drink. Shakeology is hands-down the healthiest meal of the day - a daily dose of dense, superfood nutrition.
Plexus Label VS Shakeology Label
This company relies on the uninformed consumer to make their money off of. The makers of this product do not do enough of their own research and will grab at whatever buzzword they can feed you to get your money. They removed the appetite suppressant Hoodia when it became controversial for it’s lack of scientific evidence to back up its claims. They also removed DMAA from their accelerator formula after comparisons to the side effects of ephedra eventually led to a government ban on the substance. Plexus Slim's main ingredient is Chromium. What is chromium? It is metal. Its that simple. Chromium exposure is safe for some adults up to about six months. Extended Chromium exposure is directly linked to dizziness, headaches, liver damage, kidney damage, and is NOT safe to be consumed when pregnant or breastfeeding!
WAIT! WHAT?! So you want me to put something into my body that contains a metal and I should stop consuming it after 6 months because it can lead to other issues?! Um, no thank you. Here's another weird thing about Plexus. Previously, you could buy Plexus Slim off Amazon.com, but after unbelievably bad reviews and the presence of the banned chemical dimethylamylamine, Amazon completely removed the product off their site! You cannot buy it on Amazon anymore. I brought this up to my "friend" and she twisted is by saying its just like any other MLM business and its illegal to sell those products on sites like Amazon. Funny, cause Beachbody isn't BANNED from Amazon...I checked the banned list, nope only Plexus.
When I went to the official plexus website looking for their company info/their story, like any normal person I expected the first thing to be about their company and products that make a difference in obese people.
Guess what?
The first line on their "our story" page completely gives away the primary focus of the company = money making scheme!
Here's an actual pic straight from their "our story" page…
Here's an actual pic straight from Beachbody's "out story" page...
Now, the cost... Most people report needing 2 doses of Plexus Slim in a day. Even more people report they take the other Plexus supplements like “Accelerator” and it costs them around $150 a month by the time they get all the add-ons they recommend for “Optimal Results”. WHY do people want to waste their money on a very expensive product that provides them NO nutritional value, suppresses their appetite which in turn can seriously affect their metabolism, provides possibly unsafe levels of ingredients, etc?!
Eat real food. Eat the right amounts of real food in the correct portions.
Here’s the thing: Shakeology is not an appetite suppressant. It’s also not necessarily a meal replacement shake (not on its own, anyway).
If we’re speaking in terms of caloric needs, you have to mix other things in with the powder in order for the calorie levels to get high enough for it to serve as a meal replacement. It is not a diet drink.
It’s meant to serve as a boost of protein, vitamins, and minerals because a lot of people don’t get what they need from the foods they eat. It will not target your fat cells over your muscle cells. What it will do is make you feel a million times better. You will have more energy. You will see reduced sugar cravings. You will become more regular because of the probiotics. Your hair and nails will become healthier (hooray biotin!).
And, you can pair it with a workout and nutrition program that has already accounted for it to make a genuine lifestyle change.
All in all, Plexus Slim MIGHT work for a minor few. We don't know who these 'few' people are. It might be you, yes, it might work for you. But do you really want to spend $150/month for the next 6 months to find out?
I am so excited to announce that a brand new Beachbody home fitness program is going to be launched on the 31st of October!
Core De Force is a 30 day total body transformation program that will rock your world.
The best part about the program is that the only equipment you need is YOU! Core De Force is an MMA inspired program which inludes 3 minute “rounds” where you will get boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai, knee-elbow combinations, bodyweight training and cardio spikes that will help you lose belly fat and shred your body. If you can focus on hitting it hard for 3 minutes at a time before you know it the workout will be over. I have had the opportunity to do Core De Force as a preview to the release date. This workout gets your heart rate up, it gets you sweating and I couldn’t believe how sore I was the next day. I noticed that it really does focus on your entire core and getting your midsection defined, which of course is a woman’s top area to spot treat right!!! So check out all the details here if you are interested in changing up your workout, breaking a plateau, getting started with your transformation or holding yourself accountable over the holidays. I am going to be hosting a private test group for people who are ready to join me in this 30 day program.
What?
Core De Force is your 30 day countdown to a total body transformation. This workout was created by Joel Freeman and Jericho McMatthews, it is the ultimate mixed martial arts-inspired workout that is going to really knock off the belly fat, get rid of inches and tone and tighten your entire body with no equipment.
I love this workout because in every workout there is a “learn it & work it” section that breaks down the moves so that you can learn them before you do the workout. So if you are new to the MMA style exercises this will give you confidence to go right in and kick some butt. Core De Force is also not on a beat or rhythm so you do not have follow a specific routine per se. There are modifiers in every single workout so no matter what your ability level is, you can go at your own pace. As you get stronger the goal is to challenge yourself with higher intensity and increased focus.
I also like that there is no equipment needed except yourself. This is key for those that are budget conscious, don’t have a lot of room to workout or are traveling and want to workout in a hotel room.
Core De Force takes the barriers away to getting started in your health and fitness journey because it is EASY, SIMPLE to follow and all you really have to do is show up and PRESS PLAY on the workout of the day! My goal is to EMPOWER YOU AND GIVE YOU CONFIDENCE TO MAKE THE CHANGES NECESSARY SO THAT YOU CAN LIVE A HEALTHY AND FULFILLING LIFE.
Who is this program for?
Core De Force is for EVERYONE. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced level in your fitness you can do this workout. You will enjoy the challenge of taking the intensity higher to improve your cardio strength, speed and endurance. Each MMA inspired workout has an optional move breakdown to help you get familiar with the combinations. There is also a “modifier track” so you can follow a split screen if you would like as well.
Core De Force also focuses on rotational moves which means you will work your core from 360 degrees every time you hit play. That is going to be awesome for all of us who really want to tone that trouble area!
What Is the Eating Plan Like?
The nutrition guide was created to be simple, clean foods, that you can easily measure out and combine to give yourself a well balanced nutrition plan that will fuel your body with the energy it needs to crush the next workout on the schedule and get the results that you want. If you really want to know what this program can do for your body make sure that you are 100% committed to the nutrition plan because what you eat is 80% of the results that you get.
The nutrition plan follows the portion fix, but you will not receive another set of containers unless you want them! Each food category is measured out and explained in detail to you. The plan is meant to be SUPER EASY to follow so that you don’t get overwhelmed with to many options. Plus, in the test group I am hosting I am going to be walking you through the entire nutrition plan as well.
How long are the workouts?
The workouts are 30-45 minutes in length and you workout 6 days a week with a stretch on the 7th. The workout program is 30 days in length.
There are 8 workouts in the program...
MMA Speed- ∫ Upper body and core focused boxing influenced workout. (27 minutes)
MMA Shred- Muay Thai inspired elbow and kicks for total body shred. (37 minutes)
MMA Power- Uses explosive and defensive style movements in this fast paced cardio conditioning workout (47 minutes)
MMA Plyo- Core De Force is an MMA style home fitness program that will transform your entire body in 30 days. When you combine boxing, Muay Thai and plyometrics in one workout you get a huge calorie burn and RESULTS. (47 minutes)
Power Sculpt- Total body burner that uses explosive power and interval training to lean and sculpt. (37 minutes)
Dynamic Strength- Low on impact but high on intensity. (47 minutes)
Active Recovery- Recharge for the week ahead with this rest day that focuses on form and technique to help fight fatigue and sore muscles. (21 minutes)
Core De Force Relief- A quick 5 minutes stretch before bed session. (5 minutes)
Team Beachbody Exclusive MMA Mashup– All the best Core De Force moves in one workout. (26 minutes)
Core Kinetics- A unique core workout inspired by Mixed Martial Arts movements.
5 minute Core on the Floor- the ultimate core finisher- 5 minute challenging plank movements that gets your abs on fire.
If you want to take your fitness to the next level after your 30 days you can get these 3 additional advanced workouts too:
Agility Strength- combines fast footwork drills with body weight resistance to help improve coordination and blast major calories. (9 rounds- 37 minutes).
Agility Power- Grab your agility ladder and rip through multifunctional training that ignites every muscle and helps shred fat for serious definition (6 rounds-27 minutes).
MMA Kick Butt- This workout is meant to target your legs and butt with nonstop mix of powerful kicks and calorie burning conditioning spikes (9 rounds- 37 minutes).
When Can I Get This Workout?
Core De Force will be available on the 31st of October to customers of Team Beachbody coaches.So if you do not have a coach right now make sure to sign up with me so that I can be your coach and guide you from start to finish through the program. Here is your link to create your Free Team Beachbody Account
Make sure that you complete the application below to be considered for a spot in my Core De Force Test Group so that you can also get the support and accountability to start and complete the program. To complete the application click here: Core De Force Application
How Much Does It Cost?
Core De Force has a variety of options. The one that I recommend the most is the Core De Force Challenge Pack because it comes with everything you need to be successful with this program. It comes with the entire Core De Force workout program, nutrition guide, program manual, Shakeology, access to me as your coach, discounted price and shipping plus it gives you entrance into my Test Group where I will be personally walking you through the nutrition guide, helping you to create a food plan that meets your needs, giving you recipes, tips, daily accountability so that this program does not become another dust collector on your shelf.
The Challenge Pack is $140 on Sale
starting October 31st through November 2016.
How Can I Get Involved In My Support & Accountability Group?
So now here is the MOST important part. How do I REALLY succeed at this program?? Well, anyone can go out there and buy the Core De Force Challenge Pack and do the workouts. Unfortunately I have seen many of times (I am also guilty of this) where we purchase a program with the best of intentions and before we know it, the workout is sitting on our shelf collecting dust and we make excuses for why we don’t have time or it isn’t the right timing. So don’t let this be another program that you have good intentions with! It’s time to take charge of your fitness and nutrition and get involved in a closed online community of support that is going to help you start and complete the program and get the RESULTS that you want just in time for the holidays. Better yet, we are going to help you create a holiday plan that is going to give you the flexibility to enjoy the holiday things you want to eat but still get results. Does that sound like a good plan?
Do you want to join??? Here is the requirements and how to get started:
In my Test Group I am going to be requiring that each participate for the entire 30 days of the program starting on the 15th of November. Each participant must have ME as their assigned coach. You cannot already be working with another coach or be a coach yourself.
You must commit to both the fitness program and Shakeology to join the group. You will be getting everything you need for this group when you sign up with me.
You must be willing to participate daily in the closed online group. I will have you log your workouts, your daily food activity and provide you with tools, tips and recipes to help you get to your goals.
You must be willing to give it your all! Change is not always easy but it is totally worth it.
There will never ever be a perfect time to start your fitness and health transformation. You literally just have to take that leap of faith, bite the bullet and go for it. If you do not try, how will you ever know if you can succeed! This just might be that 1 thing where everything comes together and just finally makes sense to you and your lifestyle.
Connect with me on my Facebook to see even more details on the event and news and announcements: Mandy Irizarry Facebook
Are you in??? There is limited space in my Test Group so make sure you complete the application to get your spot!
I want to see you crush those goals and feel confident and empowered to take on the rest of your life!!!!
I posted earlier on my FB about being surprised about seeing someone had pined my Beachbody transformation from the Team Beachbody website. I mean, I guess it could totally happened but I was not expecting to see MY picture while browsing pinterest for some menu idea's for my challengers. Haha! I'm pretty proud of that picture so it's kind of a big deal to me. I worked my ass off (literally) to get where I am now. Its been quite the journey and I'm still going!
Whenever people learn that I've lost a large amount of weight, the first thing they want to know is HOW I did it. So I will dedicate this post to answering that question and get it out of the way now. The short answer is: beachbody workouts & running (aka exercise) + shakeologoy & eating clean (aka diet). Sorry to disappoint, but I did not take any magic pills, magic wraps, eat magic food, or any type of surgery. I did not sit on my couch all day and stuff my face with food and lose weight! Shocking, right? I actually put in a LOT of hard work, dedication, and made lots of sacrifices to get where I am now---and it was all worth it.
Now, if I still have your attention, I'll give you some details. I am a binge eater, and when I was upset, I ate a LOT of food in one sitting. We ate a shit ton of fast food, cooked fattening meals at home, and in order to "relax" at night, I would eat large amounts of comfort foods. June 2004, I worked up the nerve to finally leave my toxic marriage. Being a single mom, running a home childcare business and trying to find the real me was hard. The first year after my divorce I put on 37 lbs. I went from 118 lbs to 145 lbs. I went and saw my dr because I was exercising daily and not seeing the scale change and I had a few other issues I was concerned with. Come to find our my thyroid was crap. I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. The dr wasn't the best and just told me to take the meds and continue working out and it'd work its self out. Well it never did but I had so much on my plate I just thought that's who I was meant to be. I did continue exercising 1 hour a day at the gym because it was my therapy time. September 2009 just a few days before my birthday I was at the gym on the elliptical doing my thing when I felt my left leg separate at my knee. I dropped from the treadmill in horrible pain. Usually there is no one else in the gym since its a tiny 24 hr fitness but that day there was some meathead looking guy lifting weights. He came running right over and helped me up, got me some ice and wrapped up my knee. I waited a few days and the pain was only intensifying so I went to the ER. After a few X-rays later was in a whole leg brace and on crutches and I had a referal to see a specialist. They were pretty sure I tore my menicus. I went to the specialist but all he talked about was surgery this, surgery that. And this girl was not down for that. Espically since I had been all over the interweb researching for myself. I instead went and saw my family chiropractor. He adjusted me a handful of times and started doing physically therapy with me for 6 weeks. After that he said it would just take time to heal but it would heal on its own. The only catch was it could take up to a year to fully heal. I would try to workout but each time my knee would really both me. So I pretty much gave up. Fast forward to 2011 when I gave birth to our beautiful lil man Sebastian. I was sick all 9 months with this child. I threw up 1-2 times a day without fail. It was horrible. But I craved sooo much food at the same time. I ate horribly during my pregnancy everything salty, fried and sweet I ate. I ended up gain 80 lbs with this boy. I started the pregnancy around 140 lbs and ended up at 220 the week I had him. He actually came 2 weeks early so I can only imagine the rate I was going if I would have made it to full term that I would have topped off around 230 lbs. Thankfully with Sebastian I was able to drop the 80 lbs by the time he was 10 months old and was holding steady back at 140 lbs. Then came baby number 4 in 2014! We found out two weeks after we found out we were moving to England, that I was pregnant with our lil Rowan. During the next 7 months, we had to plan our military move halfway across the world AND deal with a HORRIBLE custody battle with my ex. After my 5 months of morning sickness subsidded the weight started really packing on. In May alone I put on 25 pounds...no fucking joke. We had all our stuff packed up mid month, we were living in temporary military housing, trying to see all our family & close friends to say our good-byes and work out the last few kinks of our custody battle. My ex's lawyer was really good at trying to fuck us over at the last moment. And I ate my feelings to coop. I've always held my emotions in so eating them was the only way I could handle everything that was going on around me. Rowan was born August 23, 2014 (1 day before his due date) and the day I went into labor I weight in at 235 lbs ... I'm 5'1".... that's a whole lot of weight on a short person! October 2014, 6 weeks after Rowan's birth, I made a decision to lose all the weight and get back to the 120's. I've made this decision at least a thousand times before, but for some reason, this time I was very determined to stick it out to the end. I wanted to quit so many times, but I persevered and in December 2015, I weighed in at 150 pounds (85 pounds lost). My ultimate goal is to weigh 125 pounds, which would be a total of 110 lbs lost. From January - June I was stuck at 150-152. In June I was laid off from exercise due to a sever hip flexor strain and I ended up gaining some weight. Not a ton but July-September I was fluctating between 157-160. I started back to exercising and eating right mid August and I wasn't losing again. After getting no where with my dr on our military base I took my health into my own hands and late September I started seeing a UK specialist that helps people that battle thyroid issues and weight loss. I started seeing her September 25th and as of today October 20th I'm down 5 lbs. That's a HUGE deal for someone that has hypothyroidism. As far as the changes I made to my diet? I did not cut out carbs, or eat just fish and broccoli. I didn't live on salads for the last few years. I cut back on my portions by weighing and measuring my food, tracked my calories and meal planned and prepped. Right now the dr I'm working with has me elimanting soy and sugar from my diet. I have already elimantated diary because my stomach doesn't agree with it. It doesn't mean that I occasional enjoy some ice cream because I do its just not monthly. HA! At first, I ate all the usual stuff that I was eating before--I just ate less of it and counted those calories. Over many months, I began to make healthier changes (because I WANTED to, not because I felt like I HAD to). I was eating roughly 1200-1400 calories per day. Right now my dr has me on a 1200 calories per day and that's because of my thyroid condition. We will be changing it as I begin to lose more. As for exercise Turbofire is what helped me lost the 80 lbs after I had Sebastian so of course it was my go to after having Rowan. I did Turbofire, 21 Day Fix, Insanity Max 30, ChaLean Extreme, Cize, Country Heat, 22 Minutes Hard Corps, and Hammer & Chisel (not in that order). March 2015 I started training myself to be a runner using a treadmill hubby bought me. I'm currently back to training myself since I had to take 4 months off completely from running due to my hip flexor issues. And that's about it! I'm currently sitting at 151 lbs but I have a feeling I will finally be breaking this plateau real soon. ;) Currently I'm running 2.2 miles, 4 times a week and I'm doing ChaLean Extreme again because this girl loves weight training.
Have you ever woken up and from the second you open your eyes there’s this FUNK following you around that you just can’t seem to shake.
That’s been me. For the last FIVE days. I thought I’d wake up this morning feeling more like myself again. In fact yesterday I was betting on it so I didn’t take any action towards fixing it. I trusted it would go away on it’s own.
It didn’t.
So today I knew I needed to do something about it before I wasted another precious day not feeling like “me”.
This is my tried and true recipe for shaking the funk and getting back to your normal kick ass self:
1: Flood your body with endorphins. This doesn’t have to be traditional exercise. Have a freakin dance party in your living room. Or better yet…get OUTSIDE into the glorious sun and soak up some vitamin D. For me music, singing on top of my lungs and dancing really helps. So this morning after my lifting session the lil boys and I cranked up so 90's music and danced and sung our hearts out. I started to feel a LITTLE better but I knew my work wasn’t done.
2:Flood your brain with positive voices. While making the boys and myself some lunch I turned on some of my fav podcasts that are teaching me to be better at the things I love. So while I was cooking and cleaning, I was learning and turning on my creative juices. And cooking leads me to #3.
3: Eat a wholesome meal. Todays lunch was eggs with some delicious red grapes!
4:Gratitude – flood your mind with ALL the things you’re thankful for…no matter how small. I like to write a random list in the mornings during my miracle morning time. I have a whole notebook full of gratitude.
5:Shut down technology and don’t let others put demands on your time if you have that option. Take care of you first! I kind of did this over the weekend. I choose to hangout with the family instead of working my normal work hours. Sometimes you just need a few hours, few days (no more then 2 is my rule) away.
6:This is the final and VITAL tip that I use to pull me out of a funk…Meditate.
(Doesn’t have to be a spiritual thing if that turns you off.)
I only started doing this regularly for the last 2 months and it’s been life changing. I’ve struggled with ups and downs and anxiety my whole life but I’ve always looked for natural ways to cope.
Meditation has been a total cure all for my mood swings and my anxiousness! I can tell when I skip a day that I just feel off balance. And guess who didn't meditate Saturday and Sunday...yep this girl. No wonder my funk has lasted for 5 day. I meditated Monday, Tuesday and this morning and I could defiantly feel myself slowly coming out of this funk.
Hopefully after tonights rest. I'll be completely back to normal. :)
Why is it that we tend to be wayyyy harder and more critical on ourselves compared to everyone around us?
We’re so gracious and loving to others yet when we step in front of a mirror we pick ourselves apart.
We pinch and pull at our bodies trying to see what if would look like if only we could nip here… and tuck there.
Am I right?
We complain about our bodies, get frustrated, swear we’ll be better tomorrow and then… same thing happens. It’s like fucking groundhogs day with our personal self care and leaves us feeling disappointed….every…damn…time.
Have you been there?
Look…
I get you. Been there done that.
Here’s what I’ve learned…
When we look at our bodies with disgust and disappointment we treat ourselves how we view ourselves. If we feel like trash, we treat ourselves like trash. We think we’ll love our body.. “when I’m 10 or 20 lbs lighter.”
The reality is that when we apply love and pride to something we get phenomenally better results.
So when we begin to show gratitude and thanks to what our bodies do for us each day NOW… we start to treat it better. That has to start TODAY, not when you get to your goal.
It’s a mindset shift. 80% of our results in ANY area of our life are physiological and only 20% tactical.
Lucky for you… I can help with both.
It’s not always easy when you’ve been living with that inner mean girl (or boy) most, if not all of your life.
Here’s what I want to do to for you… I’m hosting a 30 day challenge where we’re going to work on your internal and external habits.
Gone are the days that you avoid summer clothes, magical moments with your family or friends because of inner shame.
Imagine finally walking into a dressing room and feeling your shorts or new summer dress just slide over your hips and the pride you’ll feel when you say, “I did it and it feels DARN good!”
If you’re ready to put that inner mean girl down and let the best you rise to the surface, drop your email below or email me directly at MandyIrizarry218@gmail.com (I have room to work with 10 new people in a virtual support group. First come, first serve.)
