Motivation | Make Normal It Like Showering & Brushing Your Teeth

(photo via Pinterest)

This week's challenge is to make exercise and a healthy eating part of your daily life. Not just something you do for a while and then stop. I love the example written in this photo above! How often do you think about taking a shower (or brushing your teeth) and just HATE to do it? I'm sure that for many of us it's not something we hate. I know I don't LIKE to take a shower, but it is NECESSARY for me as it should be for every human. It is a part of our lives no matter how much we love or hate it. Exercise and a healthy lifestyle need to be the same!

Challenge | Make It A Lifestyle

(found via Pinterest)

This week's challenge is to make your workouts and eating habits part of your daily life. Many times people set a diet or exercise plan which only lasts for a certain amount of time, and then once they've lost the weight they wanted they no longer continue the diet/exercise. What they don't realize is that if you don't make the change in your WHOLE life for the REST of your life, you will not be able to keep the weight off. I challenge you to make living a healthy life PART of your life from now on. Don't diet, don't do short term plans...make it long term and make those results last!

Motivation | Drink Less Soda

(photo via Pinterest)

I just love this photo. It has a great point! Many people do not consider how much sugar is in the soda's that they drink each day or multiple times a day. Your body doesn't need all of that extra sugar! In fact, eating so much sugar can cause a lot of health problems. How often are you drinking soda throughout the week? Can you limit how often you have a soda? Can you live without drinking soda at all? Or what about just having it on special occasions?

Motivation | The Healthy Cycle

(photo via Pinterest)

Each thing you do towards living a healthier life style helps keeps the cycle going. Eat healthy (this week's challenge!), drink plenty of water (1/2 your body weight in ounces!), Exercise regularly (30 minutes a day!), Minimize toxins, reduce stress....and it continues. As you work on one thing and take the next step you are putting yourself into a cycle of healthy living habits.

Challenge | Eat Healthier

(photo via Pinterest)

What are you C, R, A, P foods? Here are mine:

C = sprite
R = cookies
A = I don't really eat these...
P = chips & junk snack foods

Eat more F, O, O, D... Here are my favorites:

F = Bananas, Apples, Grapes & Cucumbers, Lettuce, Spinach
O = protein: dry beans such as Lentils & Kidney Beans
O = Tuna, Salmon
D = Drink half your body weight in ounces! For me that would be 80 oz. of water a day!

This weeks challenge: make your own list of CRAP and FOOD. Here is a link for foods high in Protein, and a link for foods with Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Eat healthier this week!

Motivation | Improve The Tomorrows

(photo via Pinterest)

As we wrap up this week of eliminating excuses remember that what you choose today can improve what will happen tomorrow, but if you don't make a positive effort then you will have a negative outcome. Keep working hard on eliminating those excuses!

Motivation | Don't Be Lazy!

(photo via Tumblr)

This week's challenge is to eliminate excuses! How are you doing with eliminating your three excuses? Be strong! You can't break habits in one day or even one week! It takes time to unlearn those things.

Challenge | No Excuses

(photo via 100 Days of Encouragement)

This week's challenge is to eliminate excuses for why you aren't working out. Just pick three reasons why you aren't currently working out (or why you keep putting it off) and get rid of them! Do whatever you have to so that you can get more active! If that means not turning on your phone until you've worked out then DO IT! If that means no internet until you've worked out then DO IT!

Name your three excuses, make a plan to eliminate them, take action to be more active!

Motivation | You Can Do It!!!

(photo via Joe Martin Fitness)

This photo says more than the words I could ever say. YOU CAN DO IT! Don't doubt yourself, don't put it off, just do it! :)

Motivation | Don't Wait on the Weather!

(photo via Money Ssaving Mom)

In line with the challenge from Monday (make a 45 minute playlist and take a walk), I wanted to share this post: don't wait on the weather!!! If you base your workouts on what the weather is like then you may never actually get out there and do it! If it's colder grab a sweater and some ear warmers and head out! Don't wait for a better day or it may never come!

Challenge | The 45 Minute Workout Playlist

(photo via Tumblr)

This week I challenge all of you readers to make yourselves a workout playlist. It doesn't have to be 45 minutes long, but that is a good amount of time to set aside each day for working out! Make this playlist up and put it on your MP3 player, etc. Go for a walk around your neighborhood and don't stop till the list is through!

To mix it up, put the playlist on shuffle so you don't hear the same order of songs each time!

Featured Blog | From Thick to Thin

Hello readers! I am so excited to share with you a new blog which focuses on anything and everything to do with fitness: From Thick to Thin!


Erica. (click photo to view blog!)

Allison (click photo to view blog!)

Two women put this blog together Erica Bodker and Allison Legnon. They are both moms who are focused on fitness. Erica has written many updates on this blog, including her latest showing her body transformation which is absolutely amazing! She has definitely been working hard!

Here are a few recipes shared on From Thick To Thin:
1. Green Beans without Bacon.
2. Lemon Peppercorn & Garlic Tilapia
3. Other fun food!

Other Posts of Interest:
1. Running Tips

Be sure to stop by this wonderful blog and leave an encouraging comment! There are lots of ways to follow along with From Thick To Thin so be sure to check those out as well!

Motivation: Don't Stop Til You're Done

(photo via Team Sparkle)

I wonder how many times I've stopped in the middle of a workout because I was "too tired" to keep going. I'm sure it's happened more times than I'd like to admit. However, I have sense learned that sometimes, even though it's extremely hard, it is better to keep moving until you've completed the whole work out. If you do this you will build more strength and endurance and...if you keep up with it...you will get stronger!

The Search For Perfection

(photo via Pinterest)

I honestly don't know very many people who are "happy" with the way they look. And generally speaking it is because they think that they're too fat. It wasn't very long ago that having a little "fluff" on your body was actually a beautiful thing. This is just a reminder that you don't want to go too far in your search for the perfect body weight. Not everyone is meant to be small, and not everyone is meant to be curvy. Each body is different! Remember that when you look at yourself in the mirror today.

(photo via Pinterest)

This is Marilyn Monroe. She's been considered the most beautiful woman in the world. She's gorgeous, and beautiful, right? But look at her stomach. Is it completely flat? Does she not have love handles, of course! But does she have perfect long skinny legs? No. She doesn't. Her pants size was a 9! She wasn't 00 or 1. She had CURVES. We all worry about our pants size, and our weight when, in reality, who cares? Why not live our lives and be happy instead of counting calories in our head? Love yourself, because if you can't love yourself, you can't love anybody, or anything else. Be free, be happy, and be healthy!

Featured Blog | Sweeping Mama

I am SO very excited that I have a second blog of the Blogger Feature Opportunity to share with all of you lovely readers! Today that blog is Sweeping Mama! (Now known as: Cupcakes & Carrots!)

Hilary is the author of this awesome blog which is about her life as a stay at home mom and her journey to lose 150 pounds. Here is a little piece quoted from her 'about' page: "I've struggled with my weight my whole life. I was a fat kid and now I'm a fat adult. But I feel the need to change that. I want to be around as long as possible for my children and I want them to grow up loving exercise and healthy food. I want to be able to keep up with them and be the best mom I can be."

Three of Hilary's favorite healthy recipes are:
1. Baked "Fried" Chicken. The recipe can be found at Spark Recipes and has great reviews!
2. Easy Baked Haddock. This recipe can be found at Spark Recipes and has great reviews as well!
3. Parmesan Fries. This recipe can be found at Spark Recipes and I can't wait to try it myself!

Some Health Related Posts From Hilary's Blog
1. Beginning of my 30lb. Weight Loss Goal.
2. Weight Loss Challenge: Made It Through My First Week.

Make sure to leave a comment when you stop by this awesome blog so she knows you stopped by! And if you love her blog be sure to join via Google Friend Connect and follow via Email, Bloglovin', and Facebook!

NOTE: Sweeping Mama has since been changed to Cupcakes & Carrots! Be sure to find Hillary over there now!