5 Benefits of Warm Lemon Water

When you think of lemons, we usually go to images of cool, refreshing lemonade, vibrant decoration, refreshing aroma, and the like. Maybe even just that slice of something to perk up our water at restaurants, or the subject of some hilarious baby videos of them chomping on a lemon and experiencing the tang for the first time.

Whatever image or thoughts you have about lemons, I want to bring a new one to your attention...warm lemon water in the morning!

I have been doing this over the past year and love it! I haven't been as consistent as I would like (read that it has not been consistently every day), but you can bet if I have lemons in my fridge, I'm making warm lemon water in the morning.

On top of lemons being a powerhouse of vitamin c and antioxidants like most citrus fruits, there are numerous other health benefits to squeezing some fresh lemon in warm water in the morning! Some of my top favorites are these...

1. It's a refreshing and energizing start to your day. Think about it. When we want something to smell fresh and clean, lemon is a go to option. Well that natural zesty scent can add a pep to your step in the morning when you start out your day that way!

2. It promotes good oral health. Yup, it's good for your mouth! Know that awful morning breath when you wake up? Warm lemon water can help with that! Lemons eliminate mouth bacteria responsible for bad breath. It is also a natural bleaching agent! Just be sure to brush your teeth after drinking so you don't damage your enamel over time.

3. It's the age old cold buster! Any time you feel that tickle in the back of your throat, honey lemon water is your new best friend. 2 tsp honey, 2 tsp lemon juice in warm water will help you feel better sooner! It helps kill off excess mucus, honey helps sooth the throat, and it also has anti viral properties and the vitamin C boosts your immune system. Before running for a prescription, try this trusted remedy first!

4. It can help get you in a good mood! Vitamin c is a known stress reducer, and the smell of lemon also has shown to help minimize anxiety and depression. Start your day on the right foot and soak in some lemon water and the inviting scent, too!

5. It helps you maintain your bodies proper pH balance! Our bodies have a oh balancr, and based on what we are eating, it can be in good condition or bad. If its in bad condition, that can lead to more serious issues like arthritis, digestive problems and skin diseases to name a few. When your pH balance is in check, it helps your body absorb nutrients better, and keep your health at an overall better level. Lemon water is a great way to getting your gut back in good working order because it addresses one of the roots, your pH level!

I could go on and on with more benefits of drinking warm lemon water in the morning, weight loss aid, heart health, eye health, and so on. But I think you get the picture! Drinking warm lemon water is extremely beneficial for your body!

My favorite way to enjoy it? Boil up some water on the stove, squeeze half a lemon into a cup (I also leave the lemon in), pour hot water over it and enjoy! Adding honey also gives you some great benefits as well! You can also add some cayenne pepper to help rev up the metabolism.

Do you drink warm lemon water at all? Or what is your preference of drink in the morning?

One Year of Fitness

Wow. It has been one year since I decided to get on track with my health and fitness.

One year since I came to the realization that my health was only getting worse, and that I had to face the facts and do something about it. That meant working out and eating better, which were two really foreign things in my life at the time.

What a difference one year can make!

Over thirty pounds lost, countless inches also lost, energy gained, friends gained, and my life and health given back. And the best part? It's not even close to being over. This is a journey, and I'm in it for the long haul.

Getting starting on your journey to health can be a scary thing. It's overwhelming to think of all the changes you have to make, it's intimidating trying to figure out what's going to work for your body. It's scary trying to imagine how you will do a workout when you feel afraid of being out of breath.

But one thing I can tell you from this past year, is that it is absolutely and completely worth it. So I want to share my top five lessons from this past year of getting in to health and fitness, and encourage those of you that may just have started, are on the fence about your health, or even those that have been maintaining their health for a long time.

1. You are not alone. I think one of the big things that I came to realize is that I am not alone in my struggle. It can feel like it sometimes, because it's our tendency to compare our journey to others that are farther along than we are. But you are not alone. Reach out to those around you, and share your story. You might be surprised at what you find out!

2. Get accountability. This ties into my first point. I would never have stuck with this if I didn't have the accountability of my husband for my first program, and then the accountability of my challengers the rest of the year. This has been the absolute KEY to keeping me on track for an entire year (more than I have ever consistently worked out for in my life). Staying accountable to someone helps you stay with it longer, and eventually, it becomes a habit!

3. Create a space in your schedule for your health. Don't just leave it up to chance to figure out when you are going to fit your workouts in for the week, or wing it at the grocery store. Planning is crucial to getting your foundation started in health and fitness, and in helping you stick with it. So many times we find excuses about our schedule and time. But we make time for what is important to us, so write down your workout schedule and your meal planning times in your calendar, and guard that time.

4. It's so much more than the physical journey.  This was a big lesson this year. As I began to work on my health and fitness, and I started seeing results, I noticed that because I had more energy in general, I was putting more into every area of my life. My marriage, my friendships, my faith, my creative pursuits, everything. When you get your health in line, that discipline starts to spill over into other areas of your life and in the best way possible!

5. Progress, not perfection. Another huge lesson. My weight was not gained overnight. It was the result of bad eating and exercise habits that I had built over YEARS. So will all of that weight come off overnight? NO! And neither will yours. You have to stay consistent, and you have to take it one day at a time. Look at the progress you make all along the way, and focus on the little victories along with the big. It's those little wins that add up over time and before you know it, you see a whole new healthy version of you in the mirror!

No matter where you are at in your journey, I want to tell you that you can do this. If I can stick with this for a whole year now- the girl who never worked out, was the chronic quitter with anything health related, and the girl who had almost resigned herself to just staying in the bad health that she was- you can do this. Trust me.

Is it easy? No. Are there hard days? Absolutely.

But is it worth it? EVERY TIME.

Take it one day at a time, stay consistent, and make time for your health. I promise you, it is worth it.
I would love to hear what your greatest lesson from health and fitness has been so far in your life! Be sure to leave your comment below!

21 Day Fix and the 21 Day Fix Extreme

Maybe you have heard the buzz about the 21 Day Fix. I did this program several times this past year, and absolutely love it. It has completely changed how I look at my portion control, and given me a fantastic base line to know what I need to eat to nourish my body and fuel my body.

One thing that I love about the 21 Day Fix is that it is not a crash diet. This isn't something that can only be for twenty one days and never be sustained. The principles taught in the 21 Day Fix are applicable beyond the 21 days, and can be repeated over and over. The emphasis on twenty one days is that that is how long it normally takes to create a habit.

And who doesn't want to make a habit of having a healthier lifestyle?

Now the game is shifting again as the launch of the 21 Day Fix Extreme happened on Monday of this week. What is the 21 Day Fix Extreme you may ask? Well, it's the 21 Day Fix turned up with a punch of intensity.

Today I just wanted to share a little bit about the differences between each program, so that whether you are looking to get your fitness started, or take your fitness to the next level, you will know which one is for you.

Let's start with the similarities of the 21 Day Fix and the 21 Day Fix Extreme.

• Both come with a detailed eating plan and guide to help you get the maximum amount out of your nutrition for 21 days.
• Portion control containers come with both the 21 Day Fix and the Fix Extreme. These containers represent each food group, and your nutrition guide tells you how much of each container you have each day.
• Container sizes are the same.
• 30 minute workouts, 7 days a week.
• A bonus workout
• Amazing results from focusing on nutrition and exercise together.
• You need a set of light and heavy dumbells or a resistance band for both workouts.

Now's lets cover the differences of the 21 Day Fix and the 21 Day Fix Extreme.

• The 21 Day Fix is for people at ANY level of fitness. There is a modifier with low impact moves for each workout. 
• The Fix Extreme has a modifier as well, but the moves are still at a higher level of intensity. 
• 21 Day Fix Extreme takes it up a notch, and Autumn (the trainer and creator) recommends this program for people who have done the 21 Day Fix, or completed other extreme or intense workout programs before, or for those who have a base line of fitness already.
• You can have treats on the 21 Day Fix. Things like chocolate and wine are worked into your eating plan over the 21 days, if you want to.
• The 21 Day Fix Extreme has an extremely cleaned up meal plan, and no treats are allowed. But the good news? It's only 21 days!
• The container COUNT is different between the two programs, the 21 Day Fix Extreme kicks it up a notch. 
• The 21 Day Fix Extreme comes with a "Countdown to Competition" guide that gives you Autumn's specific plan to a T for how to prepare for an event or to get the most extreme results in the twenty one days.

So, in short, the 21 Day Fix Extreme follows up the original 21 Day Fix, and kicks it up a notch. But, at the same time, it is a stand alone program in and of itself. If you already have done intense workouts before, and tend to go to more extreme workouts, you could absolutely do the 21 Day Fix Extreme right from the beginning. 

Both of these programs will challenge you and stretch you, you just choose your intensity level, and dial in. The 21 Day Fix has taught me so much about nutrition and portion control, and how to eat to fuel my body. I am excited to see what the 21 Day Fix Extreme does over the next month, and to share that journey with you as well!

If you have any other specific questions about the 21 Day Fix, or the 21 Day Fix Extreme, please contact me and I can give you all the details you need. If you need a personal coach, tips or recipe ideas, just reach out and ask, and I would be more than happy to help you.

So, who's ready to go EXTREME with me?

10 Weekly Meal Staples

When I used to open my refrigerator or pantry, I used to find only a few predictable things, if that. Generally, when I went to the grocery store, I did it on a whim and got whatever seemed right at the time. That ended up leaving no food in the fridge or wasting food later down the road.

However, since I have started meal planning, our fridge and pantry tend to be very predictable in quite a few healthy staples. This is helpful particularly when I have the munchies, and reaching for a healthy snack is actually a real option now.

Laying a good foundation of some healthy staples to keep around in your kitchen can be a great key to your success with staying on track with health and nutrition. So I'm going to share some of our top favorite staples that you would likely find on a weekly basis in our kitchen!

1. Spinach or kale. Lately it's been kale, but every week I make sure that we have a stock of some leafy green to throw in smoothies, beef up our veggie intake, and have a great source of nutrients.

2. Eggs. Yup, whole eggs! I've never really liked just egg whites, and studies are showing now that the cholesterol found in eggs is the good kind, not the bad. Eggs are a fantastic source of protein, and a super easy breakfast choice!

3. Sweet Potatoes. These are quick to chop up for roasting along side baked chicken, easy to throw in whole to bake, and all around a delicious source of nutrients! Generally we eat these more than regular potatoes, but you can find regular potatoes in our pantry every now and again too.

4. Greek Yogurt. Good ol' plain Greek yogurt has so many uses! Did you know that you can substitute it for sour cream? Or you can sweeten it up naturally too? So many good uses, and it packs a great punch of probiotics!

5. Carrots. I have a tendency to want to snack on something crunchy...anyone else? Carrots are great to have to curb that crunch craving, and you get a serving of veggies in! These are also great to just throw in some soup or with a roast.

6. Bananas. We go through some bananas, let me tell you! Great "fast food" pick when you are running out the door, really hungry and need something fast that packs an energy punch.

7. Shakeology. Love the stuff! I usually have my Shakeology in the morning or after my workout. It delivers an incredible punch of super food nutrition, gives me energy and also helps curb my sweet tooth!

8. Chicken. Of all meats, chicken is probably the most used in our house. It's fast, easy to throw in the oven with some seasoning, and then you can shred it, chop it, put it in soup, tacos, pretty much anything you want!

9. Zucchini. Since I was given a Vegetti by my sweet husband, we normally keep a supply of zucchini handy in the fridge for some zucchini noodles (or zoodles) at least once a week. We've experimented with a lot of different recipes that are fantastic!

10. Rolled Oats. Super cheap, healthy, whole food. I pick up a container of oats usually once a week and we have it for breakfast with a banana. No instant oatmeal here, just the old fashioned stuff. Seriously, it's so much better and doesn't take a long time to cook.

While of course the contents of our fridge and pantry vary from week to week, generally you can find these staples in there most any week. It's crazy to think back to the way I used to eat, used to grocery shop, and how my cupboards and fridge used to look.

They used to be filled with bread, pasta, lunch meat (the bad kind), heavy calorie sauces, cream, leftover sandwhiches from work. Honestly, nothing good or nutritious. As I've told before in some of my stories,  I hardly ever ate any fruits or vegetables, ever. I honestly am not sure how I kept skipping out on that.

But I am glad to say that I love the change, I enjoy eating fruit and vegetables now, and I love keeping our fridge and pantry stocked with things that will nourish us and help us be healthy. What do you keep in your fridge and pantry? What's one staple you just couldn't live without? 

What Coaching is Not

Talking about something I am passionate is incredibly easy. I could talk on subjects I am passionate for hours, if given the breath and time. I won't be doing that to you today, but I do want to share a new aspect of my passion with you to help you understand what it is that I do!

Many of you know by now that I am a Beachbody coach. I own my own coaching business, and honestly, love it more than I ever thought I could. It fits my goals, my personality, my passion, and my purpose to speak life and worth into others, all while empowering myself and others to make a difference in their physical health and fitness.

Honestly, most unexpected and coolest job ever.

But let's shout out the elephant in the room. When most people find out that someone is involved with coaching, consulting, distributing, or anything else related with Multi Level Marketing, direct sales or network marketing, we bristle. We search for the nearest exit and create our strategy to get there as fast as possible.

It makes us uncomfortable because its unconventional. And because there have honestly been some not so honest companies in the past that have burned people.

I want to take a moment today on my blog to tell you a few things that Beachbody coaches are NOT, and maybe answer some of your questions along the way! My heart always in coaching is to SHARE. I'm not out to sell everyone, I honestly love helping people find something that works because it has made a huge difference in my life.

Okay, let's dive in.

1. Beachbody is not a pyramid scheme. Those are in fact, illegal. Pyramid schemes are scams that involve no trading of goods or services. Clearly with Beachbody, you get both. Our commission as coaches does not come solely from signing people up.

2. It's not a get rich quick scheme. This is one that trips up people a lot. In our minds we can know that, but sometimes we have the expectation (whether self imposed or someone dishonestly told us) that we will make millions overnight. This is a business, and it does take time, and hard work to grow.

3. It is not something that just happens. Speaking of hard work, you do have to put in effort. I know I have made the mistake in the past of thinking things would just happen. I put in all kinds of effort to make pretty binders, create posters, but I came drasticly short when it came to action, so I inevitably failed. With Beachbody, because I am passionate about helping others, it has been easy to take action. But you better believe I put in work, effort and heart into my business every day.

4. Coaching is not all about sales. At least it is not for me. Of course there are people in every business that can become the "bad apples." But believe me when I tell you, I am NOT a salesperson. But I absolutely love sharing my story, my journey, my results. Coaching is about helping people find something that works for them, and walking through that journey with them. 

There you have it, just a very few points about what a Beachbody coach is not. I hope through that you can get even a little clearer picture about my work as a coach. It is something that I have become very passionate about, because there is such a great opportunity to help change people's lives.

It's not about the money, a sale, or the programs. It's truly about helping people become more in their own lives. Personally, when I began focusing on my health and fitness, I grew in every area of my life. And that is why I share, and why I want others to be able to experience the incredible freedom and results from making simple changes for their own health benefit in their lives.

Now let's hear from you! What questions do you have about Beachbody coaching? 

Les Mills Combat Review

After doing several rounds of two incredible programs, FOCUS T25 and the 21 Day Fix, and getting some great results, I decided I wanted to try something new and take it to the next level. My husband has had his eye on another Beachbody program called Les Mills Combat. A sort of "mixed martial arts" workout. I could see why it appealed to him.

After I got the program for him, I decided that I wanted to try it with him! Quite a few years back I took a short kick boxing class that was a lot of fun, so while Combat was a different style of workout than I had been doing, it looked fun.

Currently we are over half way done with our first 60 days of Combat, and I can say without hesitation that it is a lot of fun.

So let's get into the good, the bad, the DETAILS!

Les Mills Combat

How long is the program? 60 days, with options for a 5 day workout week or 6 day workout week.

What comes with it? A good variety of actual workouts (7), an instructional video to show you how to properly do the moves, nutritional guide, getting started guide and gloves!

What fitness level would I recommend this to? I would recommend this for people at any fitness level. Its fairly low impact, but you can really amp up your energy level for those who are more advanced in fitness. Plus its not your normal every day program!

How long are the workouts? There are three 30 minute workouts, one 45 minute workout, and two 60 minute workouts.

CONS
- I can't lie, I was really intimidated thinking about doing a whole sixty minute workout. 30 minutes has been my sweet spot, and I was nervous about a full hour.
- I really enjoy a full stretching or yoga workout, and there isn't one included in the base package. But, I do one from my other programs.
-For lifting and cardio junkies...there are a lot of these elements mixed in to the workouts, but its just a different kind of workout for the most part.

PROS
-There is a modifier for each move in case you need lower impact.
- This program has lots of variety! Along with your various types of martial arts, you have two HIIT workouts, they incorporate ab work, push ups, planks, and the like with the workouts.
- I love the trainers enthusiasm and instruction. Each program and trainer has their own style and I really enjoyed this one, they are doing the moves with you the whole time, pushing you further.
- You will build muscles in places in your back you never even knew about! And you might be sore there too, but its a good burn. It worked a whole new set of muscle groups for me.
- Improved posture! I've found that since starting this, I've had better posture because of the muscles in my back that I'm strengthening.
- It's almost like an adrenaline rush doing Combat workouts! And you can store that knowledge for self defense if you ever needed it.

OVERALL CONCLUSION
I will definitely be doing this workout again! While 60 minute workouts can sound intimidating it was so much more doable than I was expecting! I absolutely love all of the workouts and variety. I can't argue with results either. I'm doing more burpees, push ups and kicks already than when I started. My upper body strength is improving as well as my endurance. I absolutely recommend this program!

Whether you are looking to mix up your routine, get out some stress through kicking and punching, break a plateau and get new results, I would encourage you to look at Les Mills Combat!

Be sure to stay tuned in the next few weeks when I talk about my final overall results from doing the program for 60 days.

Have you ever done a mixed martial arts or kick boxing class? What were your thoughts?

5 Ways to Get Motivated to Workout

There are days where working out is literally the last thing that I want to do. We are all human, and life happens. You get tired, it's cold outside, you have a million other things on your to do list, and working out starts getting knocked down to the bottom of your list.

I used to get to that point of no motivation, and that's where I would give up. In the past this is where I would say "well, maybe I'll just start over again on Monday." And then Monday would never come. Because when you lose momentum, it can be hard to pick it back up. I know, because I have been there over and over again.

I saw a great quote by Zig Ziglar on Pinterest this week.
"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing. That's why we recommend it daily."

While amusing, it proves a point. Motivation comes, and motivation goes. It's up to us to get our butts in gear, get motivated and more importantly, get moving. While this can apply to virtually all areas of your life that you need motivation in, today I'm specifically going to give you some tips on how you can get motivated to workout!

1. Get an accountability partner or group. Seriously, I am the biggest advocate for this, and not just because I lead accountability groups and coach some amazing people. The REASON I lead these accountability groups is because accountability WORKS. This is the one key that has kept me going for almost an entire year straight now, when before I could barely keep consistent with anything for two weeks. Get someone to keep you accountable!

2. Write it in your calendar. Get your workout in ink on paper, or marked down on your calendar in your phone. You could even set an alarm! Writing it down helps to solidify your plans. Set a specific time for your workout, and try to plan for the full week at a time. Don't give yourself excuses, block out that time and stick to it. You'll be glad you did!

3. Set out your workout clothes before you workout. If you are working out when you first wake up in the morning, set your clothes and shoes out ready to go for the morning. Cue up your DVD, get  your gym bag ready, whatever you need, get it ready. If you work out at night when you get home from work, same thing. Set everything out so that it is ready for you to get into when you come home. The more you prepare, the less excuses you can come up with to talk yourself out of it.

4. Pump up the jams! Find or create a playlist that inspires you. Wake up to it, get ready to it, and workout to it! Music is a great way to work yourself up into the mood and motivation. Keep it ready and have fun with it.

5. Find a way to put a visual up in your house of your goal. What do I mean by that? Well, personally, I have a goal to fit into a certain dress by my husband and I's second wedding anniversary. It's many sizes smaller than I wear, and a gorgeous dress, and it's my goal to get into that dress by the end of this year! Yours could be a pair of jeans, a swimsuit, anything really. If you have it though, put it on a hanger and put it out where you can see it every day to help remind you why you are doing this!


There are just a few ways that you can get yourself motivated to stay in the fight for your health and fitness. Of course there are so many others, but that's a start for you. Above all, remember that consistency is key. Not just with health and fitness, but every area of life.

How do you get yourself motivated to get your workout going? Share below!

5 Tips for Getting Organized

It's no secret that as the new year is upon us, everyone is wanting to get more organized. Just today in fact, I was in line at Target to get a few things, and I saw at least three other people in line with a planner or calendar in hand. Ready to take on the world, one page at a time.

I myself have gone through phases of using a planner, using a calendar, using my phone, going by my memory, having a million post its and to do lists crammed in my purse, and any number of other "methods" I tried to use to stay organized.

But over this past year especially, I have found that I am actually a pen and paper gal, through and through. Writing things down concretely on paper helps me to gather my thoughts, lay out a plan, manage my time, and most importantly, stay organized.

So I became one of those people, planner and three other notebooks in hand, and began to plan and write. I actually had my goals written out, in several places. But I wanted all of my plans, to dos and ideas in one place (or between a notebook and a planner), in an effort to keep life simple.

From all of my experiments, I have a few tips to share with you if you are looking to get your calendar and life organized this year and are determined to stick to it. I could write a whole series of blogs on how to stick with things, but we will start with some organizing tips for now.

1. KISS. Keep It Super Simple!! Whether you are tech savvy and love your apps, or you need a pen and paper, remember above all to keep it simple! The fewer amount of places you have all of your information stored, the better. Try and keep everything in one or two locations to keep you sane. This will also aid in consistency!

2. Write it down. Over the course of your year, you are going to have parties, appointments, to dos, gatherings, meetings, and an endless gamut of things with a deadline. Write it down. Again, whether on your phone or in a planner, write it down. It may seem simple, but sometimes the simple things are easily overlooked.

3. Take one day a week to plan. This may take some time to get in the habit of if you are not used to it. But truly I am telling you, if you take even just 20 minutes one time a week to look ahead at your week and plan out what you need to do, spread it across your week, I promise it's going to take some stress out of your life.

4. Use your planner! Okay, I'm going to break the mold and encourage you to do something that might make you a little uncomfortable. Put the phone down, get your planner (or calendar, or go get one) and a pen, and WRITE. The art of keeping a planner and a hand written calendar has been lost on our culture for a few years. Some people help keep it alive, but the benefits are much overlooked. I'm going to challenge you to try using an actual physical planner for at least one month to see what you think!

5. Prioritize. When you are looking at your calendar and planner, and comparing them to your goals for the year, take each day and each week and see what you need to prioritize to make your goals and "to do's" happen. Breaking your goals down over the entire year makes them much more manageable. So take some time to prioritize your schedule!

There you have it, a few simple tips to get organized in your calendar and life this year as we start off 2015 strong. Stay tuned on my blog and keep following me on Facebook  and on Instagram as I share more tips on how I keep my planner up to date and how I'm working smart to stay organized!

Let me hear YOU weigh in, do you prefer technology to keep your schedule, or are you old fashioned pen and paper like me?

2015 "Dream Big 15"

"If you aim for nothing you will hit it every time." Zig Ziglar coined some wise words when he spoke this phrase, and it's one that I believe to be very true. For the past few years, and especially in the last year, I have grown to love the concept of setting goals and dreams.

Not only is it fun for me to pray about and dream about the places that I am called to go, and set goals for the things I am called to do, but it gives me direction. Without the goals, sure, I have ideas floating around of things I want to do. But I am a visual person, and I need a concrete list in front of me to remind me of the direction I am headed in.

I heard recently in a personal development call for my coaching that to thrive, you need to set at least three goals, and to really triumph, you need to set 12. Well, considering it's 2015 this year, and that's only three away from 15, I decided to make this year's goals my "Dream Big 15."

Fifteen goals and dreams that I am actively working to achieve and make happen. There are a mix of personal, relational, financial, health and work goals in this list of 15. And honestly, I have a few more than 15 goals, and have written those down into four categories (spiritual growth goals, marriage, personal, and business) and hang those on my fridge.

But I wanted to take a minute today and share my "Dream Big 15" with you in hope that it encourages YOU to write your own goals. Give yourself direction this year, I promise, it is worth it. Even if you do not achieve all of your goals this year, you are moving in a direction and can check your progress along the way.

My Dream Big 15

1. Help 60 people on their health and fitness journey.
2. Take two vacations with my sweet husband.
3. Save up for a down payment on a house.
4. Pay off two of our credit cards (working towards that debt free, baby!)
5. Lose 100 pounds and wear my special dress for our anniversary at the end of this year.
6. Read 12 books (at least).
7. Build an emergency fund of $1,000 (Anyone else done Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University? Seriously so good, and this is one of his first tips to financial freedom.)
8. Do at least one "Pay It Forward" outreach.
9. Create community by getting involved in a small group and host monthly gatherings for ladies at our home that foster spiritual growth.
10. Achieve the leadership position of two star diamond in my business by my birthday in May.
11. Achieve the leadership position of five star diamond in my business by Christmas.
12. Become a full time coach!
13. Hike Blood Mountain in north Georgia with Zach.
14. Go camping with my hubby!
15. Have one "intentional day" each month in our marriage. This is where one person picks something that both of us do together that we might not normally do together, but it helps us connect with each other on what the other likes.

There's my Dream Big 15 list for 2015! I am honestly really excited about this list of goals, as well as the other goals that I have set for myself and that we have set for our marriage this year. Something that the Lord has been laying on my heart for this year is "Excellence."

Excellence in everything that I do, in every area of life. Spiritually, relationally, in work, in business, in day to day interactions, in chores around the house, literally everything. So I am ready to put my all into this list of dreams and goals this year and see what God has in store.

If I don't achieve them all I won't be an utter failure, but I know what direction I am going in and I am giving this my heart and am working towards hitting each of these goals! What are some of your goals for this new year? I would love to hear your dreams and goals!

12 Days of Christmas Fitness - Day 8

EIGHT Glasses of Water.

Stay hydrated during the holidays! Getting the proper amount of water every day is important no matter what time of year it is, but around the holidays it can make an even bigger impact!

Aim to drink at least eight eight ounce glasses of water every single day, and that’s the bare minimum. Generally you want to drink half of your body weight in ounces every single day. So it could be less, depending on your weight, but eight glasses is a good amount!

To help get your recommended amount of water in every day, drink a full glass of water when you wake up, a full glass of water before every meal, and a glass with every meal. This will help keep you full, keep you hydrated, and give you energy too!

I’m pretty sure we can all use more energy around Christmas time, so drink up on that water!

How many glasses of water are you going to drink today?

12 Days of Christmas Fitness - Day 7

SEVEN hours of sleep a night.

I don’t think I have to tell you just how important a good night’s sleep is. Sometimes it just isn’t possible to get your full seven hours, but at least make it a point to carve out that time and attempt to get a good night’s rest every night.

Turn off your phones, computers and other screens and hour before bed time and get your body prepared rest! Take a bath with lavender essential oil diluted in the warm water, or drink a cup of chamomile tea to calm you down from the day.

Create a warm, cozy space for you to sink into at the end of the night and sleep away the stress of the day! Not only will a good night’s sleep help you feel better, but it aids in weight loss, your energy throughout the day, and keeps your body working at it’s full potential!

How much sleep do you normally get per night?