Hate Exercise? Try this CHALLENGE instead

I hate to exercise. Exercising is like a chore and a bore. However I love to move my body. What's the difference? Well, exercising to me means being trapped in a gym forced to sweat on an elliptical for an hour. Moving my body means having fun. You can burn calories in so many fun ways by doing things you love, like dancing. I'll share with you in a later post other fun ways to get your body moving.

In this post I want to focus on Erin Stutland's "Say it, Sweat it" challenge. I took the challenge when she first had it, last year, and loved it. It's completely free and once you register she sends daily emails with inspirational words and a video to get your body moving. Unlike typical workouts, Erin incorporates movements with affirmations, similar to her "Shrink Sessions". Each movement corresponds to a key phrase/affirmation to create more positive shifts. She also teaches you ways to incorporate a more positive attitude overall and how you can use these affirmations to work on other areas of your life.

I love this challenge because aside from being free and available for you to do at your convenience, you can also opt in to join our community on Facebook. In our FB group we share our progress in the challenge and anything else we want to discuss that's relevant to our health. Erin also posts giveaways for the participants via FB and Instagram.

If you're like me and it takes you a while to get motivated, at least view the first video and see how you feel about participating. There is movement involved but it's a gentle and positive process which you can do at your own pace. Looking to rev up your weight loss goal and improve your health? Pair this free challenge with my free ebook: learn 5 simple and easy steps to help you get started with your weight loss goals.

Have you done the Say it Sweat it challenge before? If so, how did you like it? What other challenges have you done that worked for you? Comment below and feel free to share!

Sometimes you just can't do it alone

If you're anything like me, you hate asking for help.  You ask for help once in a while, but you wait until you have no other options, or you wait until the very last second before giving in.  I learned the hard way, sometimes you just need to swallow your pride and ask for help.

It's easy for me to ask for small favors, but it's so hard for me to ask for help in the ways I need the most support.  Let's take writing for example.  Writing on this blog comes easily to me, but writing fiction is a B.I.T.C.H.  I have so many story ideas but I get stuck.  I've tried so hard to get myself unstuck, to unblock my inner Stephen King (or J.K. Rowling), but I can't.  And since I can't do it myself I give up.

But I never really give up.  Things that are meant to be don't just disappear because you are having a hard time with them.  My stories bug me.  They nag me to be written and I can't get rid of them. So I joined a couple of writing groups but didn't feel comfortable, yada, yada...bottom line is I set up obstacles to make the task harder than it needed to be.  Finally I decided to send out a few emails asking for a writing partner.  I was divinely inspired one day to do so (listen to your inner guides folks!). I sent one on Craigslist, a few messages on some Facebook groups, and one through my sorority's email list.  After a few responses I felt really good about working with one of my sorority sisters.  The best part is she pushes me to write more.  The challenge keeps me motivated, and you know what?  I've been writing more now than ever.  We're even working on a few stories together (coming soon!).

So what's my point?  My point is if there's something that's been nagging at you, something you can't get rid of; something begging you to be done, to be created--do it!  The best way to get started is by just starting.  I shared the secret to success in a previous post, and I've been incorporating the very easy and basic principles every day.  The hardest part is taking the first step, trust me I know. But if taking the first step is the hardest part, then in essence, the rest is easy breezy, right?  If you're not sure where to start, seek the guidance you need.  Follow the people who inspire you and learn from them; who did they learn from?  What resources did they use?  Your first step can be working towards asking for the help you need.

ANNND if you'd like to start by creating more positive shifts in your life, check this out.


By the way, have you checked out my FREE E-BOOK? It's called "Greens on the Side" and will help you get started with your weight loss goals in just 5 easy steps.  Check it out!

Weight Loss - one step at a time (3 simple steps to start)

Hello all!  In this post I am sharing what my current status and goals are, and a little further down 3 simple steps to get you started with your weight loss goals.

So I have a goal to lose 50 pounds by July 1st, 2014; that's about 10 pounds per month.  My eating habits have improved greatly since the holidays and now I am getting back to incorporating exercise.
First off I am searching for food options I don't have to cook or prep.  Right now I prep about 75% of my meals and I would like to bring the number down to at least 50%.  I currently prep about 3 times per week because unfortunately I share a fridge with 2 other people so as you can imagine, it gets pretty crowded in there.  Food prep takes time for me, and it's time away from working out.  I'm looking into some healthy, low-calorie frozen options which I can just nuke in the microwave, and of course keep some live food options (raw fruits/veggies) for snacks and weekends.

I'm not a fan of working out.  I would prefer to lose weight by taking naps if I could (hehehe) but that's not gonna work, at least not for my goals.  So I'm taking it back to when I first moved out here.  Back in December 2012 when I first moved to San Diego I walked A LOT.  I wanted to learn the lay of the land so walking helped me discover some "go-to" places.  I walked up and down the city of San Diego and lost 10 pounds in about 3 months, just from walking and cutting soda, and juice out (without changing my eating habits).  I figured if I could lose 10 pounds just from that, imagine how much more I could lose if I ate better and exercised more.  So I joined Beachbody and lost another 12 pounds in about 2 months (22 pounds lost as of July 2013).  My weight fluctuated since the holidays but I'm aiming to get back on track. I have been walking 2 nights per week for 20-30 minutes, and 2 other times per week doing Focus T25.  In a previous post I mentioned which were my favorite workouts from T25 (you get a bunch of different DVD's with the program), so I alternate those.  In addition, I recently purchased a sauna suit to help me sweat more when I'm "working out".  I wear it when I walk and when I'm doing T25.  I've been doing this for about a week and already noticed my belly feels a lot less bloated.  Here is the suit I purchased:

Just an FYI, I read in the reviews the suits run a little small, so get a bigger size.  I am between a 2x and 3x, and bought a 4x.  It fits me big but not uncomfortably so.

So if you're looking to lose weight but don't know where to start, start one step at a time:

Useful resources for positive shifts (updated 2/2/14)

Hello all!  I've mentioned a few resources here and there throughout my blog but decided to create a comprehensive list of all the ones I follow/subscribe to (and I'll continue to add-on).

1) (Book) I first began creating positive shifts in my life back in 2010, when I read "The Secret". When I refer to "positive shifts" I mean that I'm being guided to my path, or I'm being put back on track.  I felt for a long time, even back in my teen years, stuck in a rut.  I've kept journals since middle school and I like to read them from time to time.  I noticed every year the themes were the same.  There were subtle changes; changes with my body, my surroundings, the people in my life, my relationships, but the major themes like love, money, health were the same.  Every year started with a search for something better, and when I read The Secret it really helped me understand that I was creating my world.  I created my own obstacles, I created the rut. So reading that book gave me a very different view on my life; I was no longer a victim of circumstance.  This book is great to shift your thoughts and help you open up to possibilities.

2) (Entrepreneurship + more) Around 2011 I began working with one of my sorority sisters, Laura Yamin. Laura has a blog called Joyful Shimmy where she shares how she found her center, and what resources she used to get here there.  Since then her business and brand have grown exponentially. I've involved myself in many of Laura's workshops and classes, as well as have looked into her resources.  I am currently taking her 4-week THRIVE! course and she has another session starting February 3rd.  Thrive is perfect if you're over living on the margin; if you're over just having enough to survive.  You want more out of life.  You want to live the best life you can. Laura helps you take a deep look at your "stories" surrounding money, why they are there, what we can do to overcome.  Everything is done online and we hold weekly group sessions which are all guided by her.  Through Laura I was (finally!) able to learn what my relationship with money looks like (not pretty).  Now that I know I understand what I have to do to shift my relationship to a more positive place.  So if you want to THRIVE this year, please click here to learn more about what she has to offer you. She is an amazing resource to have especially if you're a creative individual with a entrepreneurial mind.  She can help take your business to the next level. She also introduced me to another life changing resource, Magical Manifesters....

3) (Course + more) August 2012 I had made the decision to take a Leap of Faith and move across the country.  At that point I was hungry for information and more powerful tools.  Laura hooked me up with the knowledge of the Magical Manifesters course.  The course was created and is taught by Erin Stutland.  It's a 4-5 week online course, which you can do at your own pace.  Once you're a member of the MM community you have unlimited access to the course and materials (I've taken the course 3 times already).  I still use the tools and resources to check-in with myself, assess my goals and what I need to achieve them. She approaches reaching goals in a way I've never thought of or experienced before. This isn't simply making a list and then crossing things off. She actually teaches you to look DEEP within yourself to assess what your fears and blocks are BEFORE you even begin to discover your goals and talents. You are then taught to analyze your desires with a whole new set of eyes. The way she approached things, for me, was innovative, creative, and just really thought provoking. There's also a group on Facebook for all MM participants, where we network and share our experiences.  If you're truly ready to take ACTION rather than wishing for your goals to get accomplished, this is a great first step.

4) (Book) I was introduced to "Think and Grow Rich" from reading The Secret.  Where The Secret helped me shift my thoughts surrounding life as a whole, TAGR helped me shift my thoughts and beliefs surrounding money.  My financial situation is the #1 area of focus for me and has been for a very long time.  I didn't realize, until very recently, how toxic my relationship with money has been.  I will share with you later on about that, and what I am doing to shift the energy surrounding money.  This book is one of the cornerstones of establishing a positive relationship with money.  If you want to change the way you view and attain money, this is the book for you.  Furthermore, mi gente Latina, many of us are taught very early on to have a negative relationship with money.  "Money is the devil", "More money more problems", and the list goes on...Lionel Sosa has taken the lessons he's learned from Think and Grow Rich and "translated" (so to speak) for the Latino perspective.  I highly suggested checking out his "Think and Grow Rich: A Latino Choice".

5) (Entrepreneurship + more) I've been following Marie Forleo since about 2010.  I started a small, home business back then selling items to my sorority sisters.  Marie has a wealth of information for entrepreneurs; articles, links, courses, videos on Youtube, and much more.  If you're an entrepreneur, do yourself a huge favor and check her out.

6) (Entrepreneurship + Jobs) I am including my e-books on here.  I wrote two (so far) which are available on Amazon for Kindle (you can download the free app fro your phone, computer, or tablet HERE). The first one is for anyone interested in establishing a home business, it's called "BYOB: Be Your Own Boss - How to Start a Home Business on a Budget".  This e-book breaks down how you can take your skills and transform it into income.  Get your small business started from home with little down.  You'll receive step-by-step guidance as well as resources to get you started.  The next one is "How to find the BEST gigs on Craigslist: pay your bills and earn some money on the side". I am a Craigslist guru when it comes to gigs.  I've been "gigging" for a long time and here I share how you can get started navigating through the ads on CL to find legitimate, short-term work.

Blogs I follow:  It's not enough to just bookmark a website.  Subscribing to receive updates is the best way to make sure you get the knowledge first.  I subscribed to receive email updates from each of these.  I've grown my subscriptions over the years; I really like what these people have to say and they each touch me in some way.  They all have something special and unique to provide to me.

Joyful Shimmy

Erin Stutland

Marie Forleo

Mike Dooley

Sonia Choquette

Kate Northrup

Patricia Moreno

Yesenia Vargas

Terri Cole

AstroStyle

Erika Lyremark

Food Babe

Wandering Earl

The Curvy Fashionista

Martine Holston

Catherine Collautt


Youtube peeps: Just like with the blogs above, I also subscribe for some video inspiration (some of the folks above also have channels on Youtube).

Doreen Virtue

Lilou Mace



By the way, have you checked out my FREE E-BOOK? It's called "Greens on the Side" and will help you get started with your weight loss goals in just 5 easy steps.  Check it out!

Feel the FEAR but DO IT anyway!

Today's post is inspired by a challenge I am participating in, created by one of my favorite guides, Erin Stutland.  Her SAY IT SWEAT IT GET IT challenge is a FREE, one-week challenge to get your body and soul moving.  Not only do you receive daily emails with actions to take, but you also get a free 5-minute workout to get your heart and mind pumpin! Who doesn't have 5 minutes to dedicate to themselves; to work on their goals and desires.  The best part is that as you're moving your body to the workout you also have to state positive affirmations out loud.  The movements are in perfect sync with the words.

I'm currently on day-4 of the challenge and it has been my favorite so far.  One movement is to acknowledge that I am feeling the fear.  I feel the fear; it's present and I'm not avoiding it or backing down.  With the next movement you loudly and proudly state I DO IT ANYWAY!  That's my favorite part!  I laughed out loud when I first heard it.  The little rebel inside of me was jumping up and down excitedly.  It's like challenging fear itself; eff you fear!  I feel you, but guess what?  I don't care I'm gonna do me!  I'm gonna DO IT ANYWAY!

This mantra/affirmation really stuck with me for many reasons; the most present reason being my fear of lack.  Lately money has been great.  I've been creating abundance for myself just by changing how I view money.  It's a daily mental workout to change your thought patterns and behaviors, but I know I've come a very long way.  I'll give you an example.  I used to feel so angry at receiving what I called "pocket change".  I would randomly find dimes on the ground, or I'd receive a "cash-back" reward of 50 cents from my bank; I felt as though the Universe were mocking my desire for prosperity by presenting me with "minuscule" amounts, as if to say you want a million dollars but this is all you're ever gonna get.  Until very recently when I realized, oh shit!  I'm actually receiving without even really trying!  These "little gifts" from God are my desires manifesting.  I am actually creating magic after all.  Now whenever I pick up a dime on the ground or receive anything else I would've taken for granted, I say THANK YOU!

So, now I am creating abundance but WHAT DO I DO WITH IT?  I pay my bills.  I budget.  I plan how to spend every dollar.  This is something I'm working on to change.  I want to actually enjoy my money rather than be fearful I won't have enough.  I FEAR enjoying my wealth and then the next day being hit with a huge unforeseen bill or emergency.  Do any of you out there feel like this around money?  It's not a good feeling.  If the message I'm sending is money = fear, and I don't want to live in fear, then guess what?  I won't be receiving the money I desire.

I started changing the energy by doing some small acts of enjoying my money.  I bought myself some earphones I've been wanting and then the voices in my head started.  What if I'm gonna need this money later on, for an emergency?  Is this something I really need?  Can I live without it?  I would keep checking my account afraid that I'll find it negative (because of my past negative energy around money).  I couldn't even enjoy my purchase the first week I had them.  I kept going back and forth with myself on whether I should return them or not.  I finally decided to keep them and flexed my money muscles a little further by buying other things I DESIRED.  I am so used to buying things out of necessity that desire became a luxury I "couldn't afford".

When Erin commanded me to state out loud, "I feel the fear but I do it anyway" I took back my power.  I felt the shift immediately.  And I acknowledge that I already possessed this power when I challenged my fear by taking that leap of faith last year. Now whenever that nagging voice of fear pops in my head I tell it "I'm doing it anyway!".

By the way, have you checked out my FREE E-BOOK? It's called "Greens on the Side" and will help you get started with your weight loss goals in just 5 easy steps.  Check it out!

2013 wrap-up

Hello all!  We are 46 days away from the New Year!  2013 was filled with many blessings and transformations.  I share in a previous post how I took a leap of faith and turned my life right-side up.  16 days from today will mark my 1 year anniversary since changing my life and moving here to San Diego.  I don't know yet how I'm going to celebrate but I will keep you posted!

Once November started I felt my energy shifting into "hibernation" mode.  I was feeling kind of stuck and indecisive.  Once the time changed, it just felt like the darkness was lingering longer and I am such a sun worshiper that it makes me a little sad.  It's so easy to put yourself into a pit of fear and despair; so easy for me to do to myself.  But thankfully I have some great resources to help me stay focused on my goals.  I always turn back to my Magical Manifestor notes and training for guidance.  I am also working with Laura Yamin of Joyful Shimmy on a 21-day "fear detox".  She's such an inspiration, overall great listener and extremely supportive.  I highly recommend working with her.  I recently also began following one of the people from my MM class, Martine Holston, who wrote this powerful post on taking action when it seems like you have no control over a situation.  It really hit home because sometimes it's so hard for me to make a decision, especially when it's something that worries me.

My job responsibilities will be winding down soon, so I'll have more ME time to focus on my goals.  I am 100% focused and dedicated to "getting it done" as Shaun T would say!

Re-cap on my status:

Happy October! Week 9 T25 + Vegan Update!

Hellooo everyone!  I'm super happy it's October!  I love October, mainly for Halloween (best day ever!).  I have tons of juicy updates for you! I've been so busy with LIFE!  I started a new job and just recently interviewed for another position, so it seems like a lot of opportunities are coming my way.  I've been playing catch-up with everything, including my posts, but am glad to finally have a little break to let you know everything that's been happening.

It's the Fall now and I definitely felt the shift right before it happened.  I felt the days growing a little darker sooner, I felt more tired, have been feeling more drained than ever.  Also on the emotional front I've been feeling a little restless and like I'm "almost there"; like on the cusp of something (not sure yet what that is). I just entered on Monday, my 9th week of Focus T25.  I can't believe it's been 9 weeks already!  Actually it's been 10 since I began but I wasn't feeling so great one week, so I decided to do that corresponding week over.  The workout itself is my favorite so far.  There are so many days when I get home from work exhausted and decide to take it easy and rest.  I figure I should give myself a break from a hard day.  Then there's this tiny voice that says "cmon, you should really work out", and then I respond "but I'm SO TIRED", then the voice goes "It's only 25 minutes, just try your best", and that usually does the trick for me.  I play the DVD's on my laptop, so what I do is place a piece of paper over the screen to cover the timer.  I don't like watching the countdown because it feels like time moves slower then.  When I don't look at the time, the workout flies by and I feel amazing when I finish. Some days I am so tired that I only do about 15 minutes, but I don't feel bad because I figure something is better than nothing. My favorite Focus T25 DVD's (all included) are: Alpha stage: Cardio, Speed 1.0, Stretch Beta stage: Core Cardio, Speed 2.0 (MY FAV!), Upper Focus, and Core Speed.  They each have a lot of modifications if you're just starting out, and the best part is when you're consistent with the workouts you'll eventually find that some things which were hard at first become progressively easier.

I haven't weighed or measured myself. I actually decided last month to take a break from doing that. It may work for some people but it doesn't for me. I hate feeling like a slave to the numbers when it's really about the feeling for me. I don't want to let the numbers on a scale or measuring tape define me or my body. I am much more than a body. I feel myself losing weight; my clothes fit much looser, I have an easier time doing things like running after my bus when I'm late, and having more stamina to do things. I tried measuring myself week to week and weighing myself, but realized the numbers were controlling me. I discuss my "ego trip" and negative thought patterns and behaviors in my last post "I forgive myself for being fat". Whenever I weighed myself it was like opening a door I did not want to deal with. If the numbers were higher than the last time, my self-esteem would be momentarily destroyed. If the numbers were lower than before, they weren't low enough. I just thought it was too much to deal with, so I choose to focus on how I feel rather than how much I weigh or how much weight I'm losing.

Actually I will be honest with you and say that I've been looking at myself naked more often and....

yea...

I made this pic collage of my week 1 and week 9, and also the fact that I can actually fit in the door frame comfortably, whereas with week 1 I wasn't able to.  I still have a hard time seeing the physical changes in these pictures, but oh well, here you go!

As for Veganism, if you're just tuning in to my randomness now, I previously discussed taking a Vegan approach to my weight loss (check "Going Vegan") and needless to say I fucked up, and that's OK.  I'm not meant to be a Vegan, at least not at the moment.  I'm not a big meat eater and thankfully dairy is no longer a vice, but you have to have a lot of patience to be a Vegan.  You gotta be religiously aware of what you're consuming and the best option is to prepare your own meals.  As I've stated before, I am not a fan of cooking and I just don't care to cook.  I usually prepare 3 meals per 7-days, in large quantities to last me for a couple of days for lunch and dinner. But after a while I just get bored of the same thing, and I'm just lazy.  I'd rather buy frozen foods and just heat them up.  I know it's great to cook your own meals but I commute about 3 hours total, per day, by the time I get home I barely have the energy to keep up with life, let alone working out.  I think my next endeavor with consumption will be juicing.  I really like Shakeology and would love to do a juicing detox soon, before the new year.

Speaking of which, we are less than 3 months away from 2014!  I've come so far and have accomplished so much; I'm at the home stretch and want to really focus my energy on the last few 2013 goals, which are:

1) Get my driver's license

2) Blast the belly bulge (would love to reduce it by half before the new year)

3) Finalize some short-term career goals, which include solidifying a position with a great salary

4) Create a plan of action for my writing goals

5) Would love to be in a solid relationship, at least starting out

I'm thankful I have my Magical Manifesters lesson plans to guide me through the last bit of 2013.

Whew!  I know that was a lot to take in, but hopefully you laughed, you cried, and you'll be back for more!  Till next time!

P.S: Check me out on Joyful Shimmy!  I was interviewed by my great friend and sister, Laura Yamin, on my journey from East to West (almost 1 year ago!).  Check it out and let me know what you think!


By the way, have you checked out my FREE E-BOOK? It's called "Greens on the Side" and will help you get started with your weight loss goals in just 5 easy steps.  Check it out!

Excuses are blocking your progress + Happy Anniversary!

I recently had a deep conversation with a loved one about her goals.  Every year she starts a new endeavor and quits before it's done.  She often finds herself in a catch-22 and then goes on to create 100+ reasons why she CAN'T finish/complete/achieve that goal.  I'll give you an example. She wants to go back to school. Her mind is so filled with obstacles and negative thoughts that she's convinced she won't get enough financial aid, so she decides she needs to get a job to save up to be able to go back to school.  Ok, so she gets a job. The job isn't paying her enough because she doesn't have a degree, which she'll get once she goes back to school, but she can't go back to school without the much needed money she needs to save.  So she quits the job to try to find another one which pays better, you know to save up.  She finds a better paying job, but guess what?  Now she sees she's not able to save as much as she wanted because she has a million bills to pay (oh yea, and we must include a social life, right?).

So another year goes by and the cycle of non-progress continues.  She doesn't realize she's been doing the same thing for a few years now, and I've witnessed and given advice to no avail.  A little tidbit about me, I was stuck in that same cycle of doom. I felt stuck, like I was living in an eternal "Groundhog Day".  Actually around this time last year was when I decided to STOP the hamster wheel and get out of it.  Last year I was suffering from deep depression due to being unemployed and suffering from low self-esteem due to the fact that I was broke and fat (negative body image).  I had no money and practically no hope.  I was at the point where it was give up and die, or change my circumstances.  I had NO IDEA how to even begin changing my circumstances, but all I had was a dream of moving out.  Moving out (I was living with my family at the time) meant change for me; it meant changing my environment, as if on some level that small change would lead be on a better path than I was on. But I was ready for a BIG CHANGE, HUGE!  I wanted (and needed) something drastic.  I had always wanted to try living on the West Coast.  I had only ever been to L.A. and San Diego.  I loved San Diego every time I visited (and it's the home base of Comic-Con!) so I decided, I'm moving to San Diego!  How the hell was I going to get to San Diego when I barely had $1 to my name?  I put my hands up and let the Universe take over.

Well don't you know within a week from making that decision and committing to the goal, I found a 3-month temporary job which started at the end of August and would end right before Thanksgiving.  PERFECT!  I would save the money from that job for my trip.  And the rest is history.  Was it an easy transition?  HELL NO!  It was one of the hardest transitions of my life!  Was it worth it?  HELL YES!  All I do now is look back and laugh.  I love to think of HOW FAR I'VE COME.  And this was all done in 1 year.  HAPPY (very happy) ANNIVERSARY TO ME!

Don't get me wrong, I didn't do this all alone.  I had a ton of support and love, and even better amazing resources to help me really focus my all on my goals.  One of the best resources, I to this day do not regret investing in, is the MAGICAL MANIFESTERS course taught my Erin Stutland.  I still use the tools and resources given to check-in with myself, assess my goals and what I need to achieve them.  She approaches reaching goals in a way I've never thought of or experienced before.  This isn't simply making a list and then crossing things off.  She actually teaches you to look DEEP within yourself to assess what your fears and blocks are BEFORE you even begin to discover your goals and talents.  You are then taught to analyze your desires with a whole new set of eyes.  The way she approached things, for me, was innovative, creative, and just really thought provoking.  Best of all, once you take the course, you are a magical manifester for life, which means you can retake the course as many times as you want.  You get all the updated goodies, and still keep in contact with the vast network of other manifesters.  I took this course, for the first time, in September of 2012, right after I made the decision to move out West.  This course was presented to me by a great friend and sister of mine, Laura Yamin who is the creator of JOYFUL SHIMMY.  She is an amazing individual with a lot to offer for creative and passionate individuals.  Laura helped me (and still continues to help me) just take it day by day and stay present.  I highly recommend these two LIFE CHANGING resources, especially if you're fed up with your current situation and need to make moves.



By the way, have you checked out my FREE E-BOOK? It's called "Greens on the Side" and will help you get started with your weight loss goals in just 5 easy steps.  Check it out!