life update: 2019 goals

Why hello there, friends.

As we enter into quarter two of 2019 I see that blogging once a month has become my norm (I apologize) and that my resolutions for 2019 remain unset (I will not apologize for this).

I have decided I am forgoing setting goals for 2019, both for my life, and my business.

If you read my January post you read about how much success I had in 2018 both with meeting and exceeding many of my goals. But, 2019 is proving to be the year of slowing down. Right now, I do not need goals to push myself and achieve and challenge myself, I need to slow down. This post is let you know where I am at, and what I am focusing on. I hope it helps you be ‘okay’ with whatever your choices are. Whether you are choosing to make this a year of hustle, a year of family, a year of love, whatever it is, it is yours to choose. I certainly am periodically panicked that I ‘should and could’ be doing more. But then I remember, I am enjoying the less doing and more being. I also remind myself that those things are available to me when I want them. I know how to hustle, if I want to start pushing my limits I can certainly flip that switch. For now, this break is okay. I hope you will share your 2019 updates with me and of course continue to follow my journey on IG where I share daily. Below are some updates on what I have been up to and enjoying.

what I’m doing

• Focusing on my job. My new job has proven to be a great outlet for my skills and passions and as a result I feel less drive (pressure) to do ‘all of the things’ outside of work. Work is more fulfilling, and that is a positive.

• Getting married. I am getting married in just over 5 months and while we aren’t doing anything crazy, it is still WORK. We have weddings to attend, family functions, events to plan, and details to organize. That is enough for my to-do list for the next few months, thanks.

• Hanging out with my nephew. Because he is cute.

• Exercising. I joined a gym for the first time in several years. It is fun to get back to lifting heavier and also rediscovering what my best ‘balance’ of lifting, running, walking, yoga, barre, etc really is. I love experimenting with my body.

• Therapy. This is new to me but has been great.

What I’m loving

• Reading. So. Much. Reading. If you are following me on IG you are following along with my reading and my audiobook listening. I set a goal of 50 books completed in 2019 and I am already just about halfway there. Reading is great because instead of stressing and finding ‘things to do’ and things to worry over, I take any moment of free time and open a book.

• Teaching group fitness. I am teaching at InlineFit in Canton, Baltimore 3 classes per week + subbing and recently started picking up some Saturdays at LIFT in Mt. Vernon, Baltimore. These classes are a highlight of my week.

• My InstantPot. (DuoPlus 6 Qt.) Really working on spending more time enjoying my time in the kitchen. Turns out when you don’t overfill your life it is a lot easier to find enjoyment in cooking.

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So thats my 2019 trajectory. Nothing crazy. No big goals. Just lots of things going on and I want to enjoy and be present instead of stressing over the week or waiting for stressful events to pass by. I hope you continue to enjoy my content, even if the pace is slowed down. As usual, if there is something specific you want to hear about LMK!

Talk soon!

lessons learned: no added sugar

Hey friends!

How was your February? Two weeks ago me and my friend, and fellow RD, Becky went one week without added sugar. Did you join us? If you missed the challenge, you can find the details here.

Today I am sharing some of the lessons learned during our brief seven days without added sugar. Don’t worry, I am back on the donuts, but it was a great, eye opening challenge.

lessons learned: added sugar

1. Too much sugar can make you feel crappy and can aggravate IBS.

2. Added sugar is in SO many foods. Truthfully, I tend to think my added sugar intake is fairly low day-to-day (unless I bake cookies or am PMSing) but, getting reacquainted with the food label on staple foods in my diet made me realize that I likely come very close to the ‘recommended’ added sugar limit of 25 g/d. Between sausage or bacon, a granola bar, bread, sauces, and so much more, sugar is literally everywhere, and often in places it really doesn’t need to be.

3. Eating sweets can quickly become a habit. We found that nighttime snacks and post dinner treats weren’t really something that was needed or even really wanted.

4. Sweets are often used to comfort when stressed, or occupy when bored. Yikes!!! I am all about mindful eating, I really try to think before I eat and this challenge helped me identify the moments when I normally would reach for some m&ms or chocolate in the cabinet. This challenge forced me to check-in. EVERY SINGLE TIME I had that urge it was due to looking for a distraction from something I didn’t want to do, or feeling stressed / overwhelmed and wanting a moment of comfort. I prefer intentional treat selection for enjoyment, but I am not immune to the comfort of my favorite chocolate to escape my stress. I definitely do this way more often than I realized and I am glad for my better awareness. Now I am more apt to stop and ask ‘what am I really feeling right now?’ It is challenging, but powerful.

5. A savory breakfast can be just as satisfying as a sweet breakfast. PS Becky has some amazing recipes and breakfast shares on her IG so make sure you’re following her.

6. Fruit makes a great dessert! We both really enjoyed adding more fruit to our day, either at breakfast, as a snack, or as dessert after a meal. Clementines and grapes are extra tasty this time of year and are certainly sweet!

7. Carbohydrate intake didn’t decrease. This eye opening experience showed us that we do love carbs and can eat carbs and will eat carbs for fuel and satisfaction but perhaps the countless sources of added hidden sugars in our diet don’t all need to be there too. I rely on bread a lot more than I ever have (due to my schedule) and I recognized there were higher quality breads I could invest in for more nutrition and less / no added sugar.

8. Not drinking alcohol is tough. We had an alcohol goal, I did not succeed. Some weeks I drink 3-4 days, some weeks 1 day, some weeks 2 days. I wasn’t going to give up on a social outing and seeing friends because of this challenge. If I am out and socializing I prefer to drink. If I didn’t want to drink I would stay home and read. Worth highlighting two big points here: 1) Your alcohol intake isn’t benign, I know about my relationship with it, what’s yours? and 2) Your diet choices should not limit your social life and enjoyment of life.

9. And of course, as I always say, it is important to be able to enjoy a treat when you want it and when it is special. Sweets are for enjoyment, not just because you realized your taxes are almost due and your anxiety is thru the roof. My biggest take away, was to remind myself of this exact thing that I know and teach but can sometimes lose sight of. Choose the treats that matter, that are chosen for the sake of truly tasting and enjoying, not the treats that are used to numb.

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Well guys, there you have it. We survived, we learned a lot, we have new ideas for snacks, and a greater appreciation for why we make certain choices. Are we both back to eating sugar? You bet, however I always appreciate a learning moment and ideas about how to be more mindful and I look forward to using these lessons moving forward.

reflecting on 2018

Hi everyone! We are almost a month into 2019, which is crazy.

This first month has already been hectic!! I shared a post earlier in the month about prioritizing health in the new year. I hope you found it useful. While I still do intend to write about my 2019 goals, I have not quite gotten to the point of writing them out yet (key!!). Today I am reflecting on 2018; reminding myself of what worked, what didn’t work, and of course, all that I achieved. Getting out last years planning sheet is really motivating me to sit down and create notes for 2019. I hope this post helps you see the power of writing something down or confiding in a friend. Sharing your goals can help you manifest those things. You need to believe it, see it, feel it, to have it be.

2018 goals

Over the last few years I have shared new year goals and thoughts. Last year I didn’t focus on health related goals but did focus on other happiness related factors. Let’s see how I did…

1. Exploring more in the kitchen by trying at least 2 new recipes per month. No super proud of this one. While I spent more time not stressing in the kitchen and had a few weekends where I did some intentional (fun) cooking, it still isn’t where I want it to be. Getting an instant pot has helped me explore more, but the joy factor in spending my time cooking does need to be greater.

2. Improving my relationships by using my planner to help me align my time with priorities and... Well, I would say I did well here. I have said no to more, tried to be realistic about what I can and can’t attend and say now off the bat instead of bailing last minute. My biggest achievement here was setting aside one evening a week I spend time with my sister and nephew. In the past I would have thought I ‘couldn’t’ possibly do this, yet here I am. That is a win!

3. Completing the 40 day May Cause Miracles guidebook and continue to work on mindset shifts. I didn’t do this. But I spent several seasons focusing on meditation and am happy to report I am now meditating (almost) daily and even getting some mental health help.

Here are the 2018 goals I didn’t share with you guys in last year’s post, but I wrote down for myself in my goal planning chart:

1. Work less, or get a new job. SUCCESS!! Resigned from my former job just around Christmas.

2. Fitness certification. SUCCESS!! I became a NASM-CPT in August and started teaching group fitness in October. This was a very long held dream, we are talking almost a decade. Taking the steps to pay for the course, study, and utilize my credentials is something I am truly proud of.

3. Sponsored TV with 1 new partner. I started working with 2 new partners!

4. Travel. YES! We went to PNW and a weekend trip for my birthday!

5. Invest in good makeup and skin care. SUCCESS!!

6. Blog 2x/month. I would say I waxed and waned with this one.

7. Create a stand alone nutrition online program. Didn’t even get close here, but I realized my energy was needed elsewhere and that is okay.

How i approached it

All of the above were written down in a chart (courtesy of a Day Designer printable) at the beginning of the year. It helped me think about the 3, 6, 9, and 12 month marks. The power of writing things down is huge. Not only does it help you visualize reaching your goals, but it serves as an accountability tool. Its so satisfying to look back and think, “Wow, I did all of this.”

So here we are into 2019, and I have taken a slower start to setting some goals. Revisiting 2018 sure is motivating and I can’t wait to think about this new year, my new job, and how I can spend more time on me this year. Imagine what you can do when you set a vision for yourself!!

What are you most proud of from 2018? What are you looking forward to this year?