365 blank pages

365 blank pages, what will you do with yours?

Me? I’m setting goals for myself and my business. Organizing and planning out the year instead of flying by the seat of my pants… although that has actually worked out OK for me so far! As I make my goals, which are always changing, I make sure it is a realistic goal and not a crazy stressful goal.

• write more
• walk more
• more “real food”
• less processed food
• blog more
• new ideas for bookstore
• new designs for TPT/Etsy store
• lift weights!!!!
• organize posts
• hug more
• have fun
• love life

Whatever you do, do it for YOU and don’t beat yourself up if you slip. Just dust yourself off and try again.

change is good

Some of you have noticed a change in my pages. I have been a Beachbody Coach for a few years and I :::gasp::: quit! Now, I want to make sure everyone knows I did not LEAVE, I just quit being a coach. I love the products and will continue to use them however my focus has changed:

1. Family & homeschooling

2. Writing my book.

3. Working on my very own business, AnaMaree Designs.

The thing that led me to this decision was actually Chalene Johnson’s 30 Day Push! It helped me get my priorities in order and figure out what I really want. I am still a HUGE fan of hers and will be doing PUSH ever year or so (the only “self-help” book I have ever read, used and re-read.

I am getting ready for 2015 and when I prepare for the new year I tend to buy a new planner, some pretty new notebooks and get ready to make my lists and ideas BLAH BLAH BLAH. The last few years of setting GOALS instead of “resolutions” has been amazing. Typically my resolutions are forgotten as fast as I set them, probably because I never considered how the fit with my priorities. Now I write down my priorities and set goals that work with them. Now the end of the year is a wonderful surprise!

For example, 2014 I set 10 goals (I rewrite them every month or so, but they basically stay the same). Today I look back and realize I completed 5 goals and have 2 more 80% complete!

That feels good.

It also reminded me of why I created this blog, for myself, to see how things change, how I change. The latest changes are a perfect example of the quote I chose above as I left something good to gain something better… for myself!

If you want to know more about Beachbody or need to order, contact Erin, my friend and coach on her Facebook page or her Beachbody Page.

Good luck in all you do, and just be the BEST YOU that YOU can be 🙂

goal setting

Yesterday I started my 30 Day Push again, love it. Always motivates me. I even have the book! I love going through the online version for the videos though.

Today was about PRIORITIES. Basically a belief that if you have balance in your life you will not resort to bad habits. Seven areas to be balanced are relationships, fun, financial, spiritual, career, environment and health. I love the fact that I have learned to focus on my priorities when setting goals. It makes no sense to set a goal if it is not in line with your priorities.

My PUSH goal I am focusing on this year becoming a published author. To do that I need to create daily time to write, learn more about how to write, edit and publish. The writing is the easy part for me. Writing properly and in a way that makes sense to every one else is a struggle for me. Editing and publishing, I know nothing about! I will take it one step at a time though, starting with writing every day.

Most of my writing I do in Scrivener, a software program I got for a good price by winning NaNoWriMo last year, I love it! I had to turn off the annoying red and green lines though so I just write instead of trying to correct every last typo, that will come later. That was very hard to give up but needed to be done to get the story out.

When I get stumped I go to pen and paper. A friend of mine who is a published author told me to write left handed (since I am right handed). I have not tried that yet, when I do I will let you know how it worked for me.

To keep me from getting lazy I wear my Fitbit Flex every day, got a part-time active job and while writing I set an alarm every hour where I take a “mini workout” break. Thanks to at home workouts I can stay on track and continue to improve my health. I track my food daily, weigh weekly and measure monthly. I can also log my workouts online but keep forgetting, that is a habit I need to get into, especially since you can win CASH just for doing so! Check out my online gym and sign up for your free membership! Would love to connect with all of you, writers, exercise buddies, online stalkers welcome too 🙂

Cheers to another year of self-improvement. Life will toss in some challenges, I’m ready. Are you?

testing testing

Goals are dreams with deadlines, so keep dreaming and make them happen!

Yes, I need to be more regular at blogging.  Will I? Who knows. My intentions are good but I get so side tracked. First I have my actual life, second that life needs constant attention, third I have a few jobs.  These days I am a wife, mother, grandmother raising granddaughter. I have a part-time job , along with with two other side businesses. The side businesses are two companies whose products I love and really enjoy the discount on. Don’t worry, this is not a sales pitch but just me sharing and reminding us all that there are many parts to every individual. Some expected and assumed, others quite surprising.

Some things I do:

Judo (3rd degree brown belt
Team Beachbody Coach
NYR Organics Rep

and my passion, which I hope to turn into an income some day, writing, as many of you know. This is NaNoWriMo month. Every November. You want to write? Then Write! It’s fun, it’s free.

Goals are dreams with deadlines. Never forget your dreams, just make them happen!

Now, for the testing testing title, let’s see 🙂

confidence

Swim suit shopping, I dreaded it. I haven’t bought one in over 10 years, refusing to wear one or set foot in a changing room with :::gasp::: MIRRORS. Nope, no way!

Now having a 3 year old who wants to swim, I can’t say no, and she can’t swim alone so off I went. Swim suit department AND dressing room!

I am still not at my goal but have made some major progress, along with losing over 60 pounds I have been taken off all rx meds, including thyroid medication. What I haven’t gotten over is the chubby girl in the mirror hiding in baggy clothes (because we all now how that fools everybody LOL).

Today I did it. I went into the REGULAR size department and grabbed some suits and found one that not only fits, but one I could look at in the mirror 🙂

Probably seems silly to many but it was a big deal for me. Now I am wearing it in public tomorrow and not even nervous. I still jiggle and have some weight to lose and toning to do but I don’t care, I’ve come a long way and I’m proud of myself.

I’m also going to toss out a bunch of baggy stuff and buy some things that fit. I encourage you all, no matter what size or shape you are, no matter how you think you look, get at least one thing in your closet that fits you, flatters you and makes you feel good about yourself.

getting back on track

Now that routine is getting settled with baby girl and new job, I realize how much I have been neglecting myself and am ready to get back on track. Had my Shakeology for breakfast and did a small workout with granddaughter. She is so cute trying to do squats and push-ups! Dancing with her is serious aerobics, she is exhausting!

Challenging myself to count my veggies and fruits, I eat them but don’t think I have been eating as much as I should lately (although I do constantly finish her apples and bananas). Water is never an issue since I drink tons

Currently I am working an extra couple hours to cover another location, when that position is filled I will take those two hours back for writing time and longer workout time.

Updating my entries online at my tracking site http://www.MakeYourFatCry.com (FREE!) And thanks to being some “magic” age, I will have new numbers to enter when I go get my blood drawn and results from doctor FUN FUN!

Blood pressure has gone up over the last year (imagine that!) but nothing doc is worried about, I just have to track it for a few months and give him results, he expects it to go down now that life is becoming more routine and I am GETTING BACK ON TRACK!

I love trying out new apps for tracking, the above is my favorite for overall goal tracking (weight, measurements, BP, sugars, etc.).  For food tracking I like MyFitnessPal (also free online and smartphone app). Currently trying out Jillian Michaels Slim Down smartphone app as well as P90X smartphone app.

Also updating my to-do list and even set reminders to check my to-do list, yea, I’m bad at that one!

how?

http://www.MakeYourFatCry.com

I seriously need to break out the tape measure and do an update! All these stairs I am walking, wow! I haven’t moved on the scale but my jeans are falling down faster and need new ones SOON!

I’m telling you, eating better, even 80% of the time AND moving MORE does wonders! Change your life, one thing at a time, baby steps if you need, doesn’t matter. Change helps.

If you know me in real life you know mine has been slow, but it has also been steady. I have had plateaus but have not gone backwards once.

I am healthier and stronger and am only moving forward 🙂

A while back I posted on my facebook page what I had done to help myself make changes, I will share it here now:

what changes have i made and HOW have i made them

by AnaMaree (Notes) on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 6:52pm

I have been writing down all the things I have done and realized how overwhelming it can sound to somebody who has not started, so here is the simple, short and sweet version.  Changes were made one at a time. I changed one, and worked on it until it became a habit that I didn’t really have to think about before moving on to the next.

 

Here they are in the best order I can remember. There was at least a week between every change, and some took a month or two before I moved on to this next one.

1. Shakeology, started with 1/2 a shake twice a week, every week or two I added another half shake. (I did this because I have IBS and introducing new foods, no matter how healthy can be… not so fun).
2. Jumped right in and signed up to be a coach, never dreamed anybody would take me seriously but I figured the discount would be nice.
3. Started walking a few times a week.
4. Figured out how many calories I needed per day (turns out I was under-eating!)
5. Replaced crappy desk lunches with P90X bars, nuts, dried fruits, jerky, etc. Just filled a drawer at work with better choices so I had no excuse to hit a drive through.
6. Gave up sodas and fast food (this was amazingly easy!)
7. Found www.MyFitnessPal.com and started tracking foods, watching calories only.
8. Started strength training (LOVE ChaLEAN Extreme and currently on round 2).
9. Realized I feel better when I eat better and when I eat junk I get ill later.
10. Planning dinners, meat, veggies, removed white bread, biscuits, etc. from meals… another amazingly easy change and I found I not only LOVE cooking, I am pretty good at it 🙂
11. Switched my morning mocha for a mocha Americano (i still like my touch of chocolate and caffeine!).
12. Quit the bagels and cream cheese for breakfast and started having PB&J sandwiches, cottage cheese and fruit, nuts and fruit… the more protein I add at meals the better I eat and the better I feel, especially the protein in the morning.
13. Started tracking my food! For the first couple months I just entered it all, didn’t worry about what it was, just creating a habit, I used the notes field at the end to make a note of how I felt (stressed, sad, happy) or anything special (wedding, party, family gathering).  Later I started paying more attention to fat, protein and carbs on MyFitnessPal (easy to do there, no extra work at all!), one at a time to make it easy and create a habit!
14. Keep the middle shelf in the fridge just for me, fruits–where I can see them, greek yogurt, sliced cheese and laughing cow cheese (with multi-grain wasa crisps YUM), if I buy veggies, grapes or berries I bag them in snack size bags, make a couple PB&J sandwiches, mix some fruit and cottage cheese in single serve bowls.  This makes grabbing healthy breakfast and lunches for the day when running out the door for work easy!
15. Started tracking sodium and cholesterol (turns out the changes I have made have kept these numbers way under so I don’t have to worry about them!
16. Made a list of foods broken into categories of RED, YELLOW, GREEN. Green means I don’t have to worry or I have no problem eating only a little (for example, a couple things on my GREEN list are carrots and dove dark chocolate LOL. I can be satisfied with one little chocolate and they sit in a drawer in the fridge for days before I even remember they are there). Your list will be different than mine since we all have different weaknesses and diatary needs. My poor friend is allergic to tree nuts, she can’t even touch my snack drawer at work no matter how healthy it is for me, it is deadly to her!
17. Only shop with a shopping list now and plan meals. 80% is on the outside of the store, I do keep frozen and canned fruits and veggies as well (more froze than canned).
18. Constantly look for new recipes online, Club Membership at www.MakeYourFatCry.com is great; many ideas come from other coaches and people I am friends with on facebook, a great book PUSH by Chalene Johnson and of course my favorite cult Pinterest.com  did you know you can make pizza using zucchini as crust? I try at least one new recipe out a week that is vegetarian also. I love a good steak now and then also, however I found vegetarian meals are really good once I got over the fear of just tossing stuff together and being creative.

I personally do not eat fake fat-free or sugar free foods, I find those foods really upset my stomach. When I have cheese I have the real thing, I use half-and-half in my coffee over non-fat creamer. And I must confess I have blowpops in my snack drawer 🙂 I get a sweet tooth and I have a sweet. For me I have found better a little bit now to satisfy then deprive myself to the point all I think of is sugary crap and over do it! I aim to eat right 80% of the time and look over my food journal from time to time and learned i am getting very very good at doing that or better on a consistent basis (FINALLY LOL).Remember, this is what is working for me, it will probably not be a perfect solution for you, however I hope it gives you some ideas and also serve as a reminder to take it slow, change it one at a time, create habits you can live with for life!  I am a work in progress, figure I am about half-way there or so… weight wise, health wise and measurement wise I think I am more than halfway. Crash diets do not work, health is important. It feels good to feel good. If I can help in any way at all please feel free to message me or call me.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/anamaree/what-changes-have-i-made-and-how-have-i-made-them/391840094181388

the blank page

 

How to start? Where to start? What to say?

I keep thinking about these questions and more and realized all thinking was getting me was a blank page. Nothing is harder for me that putting the first words down, once the page is no longer blank though it gets easier for me to keep writing.

This blog will not have just one topic as it is more about the current journey I am on in life. The main focuses will be:
Raising a grandchild
Writing a book for the first time
Staying healthy and getting stronger
Coaching
Balancing life in general

Knowing me there will be more than few random and totally “off topic” posts, as it will just depend on what is going on in life and what mood I am in.   So sit back and enjoy the ride, I plan to.

Bye bye blank page!