LIIFT 4 - Plan C - Meal Plan

1,800-2,099 calories

Consisting of: 5 Veggies, 3 Fruits, 5 Proteins, 4 Carbs, 1 Healthy Fats, 1 Seeds & Dressings, 5 Oils & Nut Butters (tsp)

Real quick, LIIFT 4 is an 8 week program from Beachbody to build muscle and burn fat. The workouts are four days a week with each workout being 30-40 minutes. The workouts consist of weight training (my favorite) and HIIT.

I can discuss LIIFT 4 more in depth in another post if anyone is interested, but I wanted to give an example of the Plan C Meal Plan. (Plan A is readily available online but Plan C seems to be MIA!)

Not anymore!

With this program, a specific nutrition plan is recommended. If you are looking to build serious muscle (like me!) it is recommended you bump up two plans which is what I have done. Plan C Meal Plan consists of: 5 Veggies, 3 Fruits, 5 Proteins, 4 Carbs, 1 Healthy Fats, 1 Seeds & Dressings, 5 Oils & Nut Butters (tsp).

The easiest way for me to follow is to meal prep every few days. For example, I will boil a bunch of chicken, cook a bunch of ground chicken, make a pot of brown rice, bake potatoes and veggies, etc. This will make sticking with the meal plan MUCH easier...you won't have any excuses.

Happy eating!!

Going to Try This Crazy Idea - Wash My Face with Coconut Oil...

I kind of forgot how amazing coconut oil is suppose to be for your skin until my sister asked me where I got mine over the weekend. She spent the night at my house a few months ago & I had her use some of it on a breakout she had on her face. Over the weekend, she told me how much it helped her breakout a few months ago & now that she was encountering another breakout, she wanted to use it again.

It reminded me of all the research I have done on coconut oil & all of the amazing benefits. (I still can't get into oil pulling though!) A handful of my friends have been using coconut oil to take off their makeup & wash their face. I've always been too chicken to try it!

Until last night, that is!

My sister, completely un-biased from the whole "coconut oil craze" had first hand experience from it and truly saw the benefit from it...even from just a few uses, many months ago!

Last night I put some coconut oil on my face & used a cotton pad to remove my makeup. It removed the makeup SO well! I then put more (a small amount goes a long way!) on my face, rubbed it around with hot water & at first I tried using my hands (like normal face wash) to remove the coconut oil. But that did not workout too well so I used a wash cloth to remove it.

I have sensitive skin & usually after I wash my face, my skin feels very...tight and like I need to put moisturizer on RIGHT away. Well last night & this morning, that was not that case! It felt smooth and my skin tone was pretty even. Usually I have red blotches on my face after I wash it - not last night or this morning!!

I am excited to see how my new routine works for me! So far, I have faith that it will work! Sometimes you just have to take the plunge & put your worries aside.

From what I read, it is important to use organic virgin coconut oil, so this is what I ordered a few months ago (and as you can see, haven't used too much of yet!) -

 

I'll let you guys know in a couple of weeks how it's been going!

Have you used coconut oil as a skin care regiment? If so - what has your experience been?

Send Sonya to Japan!

One of my best gal pals from college, Sonya, is heading to Japan to teach English in just a few short weeks! She has a heart of gold and will be such a great teacher - I'm so excited for her future there!

Let us try to help this ambitious gal if we can. Instead of me telling you the details, I'll let Sonya tell you...

Diabetes has been such a focal part of my life since I was diagnosed in 2001. I've had many highs and many lows, and for a while I thought being a diabetic defined me. I was embarrassed to tell my friends some of the issues I was struggling with. I wanted to be a normal young adult. More importantly, I had in my mind this idea that I had to be tethered to a full time job in order to keep my medical benefits. My mother would tell me all the time you have to have somewhere to jump, you have to have a plan. I love Disney. Working for a company that takes pride in their customer service and strives to do the impossible inspired me to do a little soul searching. I have always wanted to learn a different language. Disney has such a plethora of people that it's hard to imagine you wouldn't hear different languages walking through the parks. With this idea in mind, I wanted to have a cultural experience that benefited not only me, but others as well. I want my learning experience to be a teaching experience as well. And so, I searched in Google "Teach English in Japan" and the rest is history. Diabetes will always be a part of my life, but I don't want to feel like it is keeping me from seeing the world. The medical bills and medications will be expensive, and this is why I ask for your help. Nothing would make me happier than to look back on this amazing experience a year from now and know their are people all over the world who believed in me, and wanted to see me succeed, no matter what the price. If you can, please donate. And if you can't that's ok too. I just thank you for reading about me, and if you can, spread the word. The days get closer and closer, and while I admit there's a bit of fear in the pit of my stomach, I'm so excited, thrilled and honored to be offered such a life changing experience.



You can donate to her cause here. And if nothing else - please share this post - the more that are aware, the better. And remember - don't let your struggles define you - fight against it & turn it into a life experience.

You can follow the link below to learn more - receive updates, donate, etc.!

Fall is in the air!!

Ok so as "fall" as Florida can get - it's coming!! I can feel it in the air at 6:30am - by 9:30am - it's gone. However - in just a little bit, hopefully fall will stay with us during the day a little longer.

In an effort to feel fall, I think it's important to decorate...and craft it up!

We had a girls night recently and made some fall wreaths. Yes, a little premature since it's not even October yet...but, that's ok. (After all PSL season is in full effect anyway.)

Final product...

Do you plan on decorating a wreath this fall? I'm already excited for pumpkin decorating!

Cars.com brings you the #newcarface

This post sponsored by cars.com 

Honestly, shopping is always such a chore for me. The only thing that is “easy” for me is food shopping. Anything else tends to be tough for me. Right from clothes shopping, up to car shopping.

I love looking a new cars – when it’s for fun and I’m purely just “window shopping.” When it comes to NEEDING a new car and NEEDING to go shopping, it’s tough!

A few years ago when I was in a car accident and my car was totaled, besides all of the medical issues that it brought, it meant I also needed to go car shopping. (For inquiring minds: someone “sneezed,” which caused him to run a red light & hit me.) #newcarface

ANYWHO! I had so much fun from the start – car shopping with my dad…looking at cars online and then going to the dealership to look at them…coming back home, researching more, and going back to the dealership. It was a fun experience (mostly because I got to do it with my dad) for the most part. It got stressful quickly because I needed to make a decision since I needed a way to get to work.

After countless hours researching, tons of different dealership, lots of online searches, I finally found the perfect car which led me to having that new car face. (Actually…my dad did!) It was the best decision for me at the time and the car is still treating me well! I am very happy that my dad persuaded me in the direction that he did.

Speaking of cars, I have a super fun new car contest for you, brought to you by cars.com! If you win, they will pay your car loan off, up to $25,000. You can’t beat that! They take all of the drama out of car shopping.

There are a few different ways you can submit an entry to the contest…make sure you only submit though:

• On Twitter: Upload a photo of your new car + happy new car face. (Must use #newcarface and mention/tag @carsdotcom in your post.)
• On Instagram: Upload a photo of your new car + happy new car face. (Must use #newcarface and mention/tag @carsdotcom in your post.)
• On Facebook: Post a photo of your new car + happy new car face on the Cars.com Facebook wall (as a new post). (Must use #newcarface for your entry to be valid.)

You can visit more contest rules & examples here.

Contest fine print: A “new” car is considered to be bought or leased after 1/1/2012. Open to legal US residents (excluding MD, NJ and TN), 18+ who hold (or whose immediate family member holds) a qualifying vehicle loan or lease. Begins 7/29/14 at 8:00:00 am CST and ends 1/2/15 at 12:00:00 pm CST. Prize value up to $25k. Subject to the Official Rules at http://bit.ly/1pLUGey. See Official Rules for full details, including eligibility criteria and qualifying vehicle restrictions. Sponsor: Cars.com, a division of Classified Ventures, LLC.

If you decide to enter your happy new car face into this awesome contest – best of luck to you!

I'm Mingling Today!

I decided to mingle with Meg & friends today!

What would I do if I had $100 to splurge with?!

Clothes? Makeup? Dog toys? Accessories? Kitchen gadgets? Art/craft supplies?

I'm going to go with a clothes (and 1 dog toy per furbaby)!! Mostly cute summer dresses so I could wear them to work, too. I haven't gone a clothing shopping spree in quite some time...it's a shirt here & there...nothing major.

New clothes always make you (me!) feel pretty. And who doesn't like to feel pretty?

Lately, every time I have attempted to snag a shirt or two, I have struck out! I can't even show an example of what I would buy - I'm so behind in the fashion scene. ;)

If you had $100 to splurge with, what would you pick?

USA vs. Nigeria

In preparation what starts on Thursday, which is known as the World Cup, we went to the USA vs. Nigeria soccer match at the Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville over the weekend. It was the last US "friendly" before the World Cup starts. A big game!

I had never been to a professional soccer match before - it seemed like time went by quicker versus watching it on tv! Minus the incredibly heat and hot sun, it was a blast!

A summarized version of our day, minus all of the new soccer/US chants I learned, in photos:

One Nation - One Team!

Waiting for the match to start!

We watched the US soccer team tour bus pull in!

Shot of the stadium when we first sat down 

The US team warming up

Panoramic view!

<3

WE WON! The final soccer was USA, 2 - Nigeria, 1.

What a fun day! I would definitely go again. It was also awesome to see all of the American pride & spirit - everyone was pretty much wearing red, white, and blue - or at least a soccer jersey.

Holy moly...it's June!

WOW. I haven't blogged in two months. Shame on me! I've missed it, I truly have. I've also missed the interaction with all of you lovelies.

Sometimes, life just gets right in the way though! Between work, keeping up with the house, cooking, family life (which doesn't "get in the way" - is precious and needs to be cherished!), cleaning, etc. I don't know how some of you ladies keep up with blogging. I'd love for you to share your secrets with me!

My blogging hiatus has taught me that sometimes it's okay to leave the dishes on the table after dinner to enjoy the beautiful sunset with your husband (ok, so hubby taught me that!), or to just curl up with your puppies and a good book and get lost into fantasy land, or to go to the beach with your family instead of going to the gym.

I will vow to blog at least once a week. Because I DO enjoy it. I vow to do it for ME. To chronicle my life - what's going on personally and what I'm thinking about.

First Wedding Anniversary Cruise :)

Happy hump day to you! Here's hoping June is a fabulous month for us all! xo

Thankful Thursday, 4.3.14

April flowers bring May showers...

Wow I can't believe it's April already - where is the time going?!


For the beginning of this beautiful April day, I am thankful for...

the great day V & I had celebrating our first year wedding anniversary :)

all of our family who celebrated with us!!

all of the family & friends who sent cards, messages, texts, etc. wishing us a happy anniversary - I felt like it was a whole new holiday we got to enjoy!

the whoopie pie cake that I made for family to eat while V & I indulged in our frozen cake topper ;)

that we are going on a cruise SOON!! ahh, so excited.

raspberry leaf tea. I was told it helps with (girly) cramps and so far - it does!! FINALLY something natural that works.

and I will end on this goofy note...my new pen! ;)

What are YOU thankful for this week??

One Year Since "I Do"

I can't believe that a year has gone by that I married my best friend...that I had the time of my life...that I celebrated our very special day with loved ones...that my life became complete. What a special day we had that neither of us will never forger.


We are ready and excited for what the upcoming years will bring! Every day I realize how blessed I am and how thankful I am to be loved by such an amazing man.

& now to reminisce just a tad...