"How do I get rid of this?" The lower-belly Conundrum

A lot of women come up to me, lift up their tops, pull the skin from their lower belly's and ask: "How do I get rid of this?"

I mean, if I had a dollar for every time a woman asked me this I'd have at least 43 dollars! ;)

**This post is intended for those of you are are leading healthy lives, have reached an ideal weight or body fat percentage but are still having trouble with their lower stomach. If this is you, READ ON!

If it's belly fat you are dealing with, keep going! If you keep working on your resistance training and diet and cardio and keep loosing those pounds properly you will get there. Hear me when I say THE ABS ARE THE LAST THING TO COME IN AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THEM YET IT JUST MEANS YOUR BODY FAT IS STILL TOO HIGH. QUIT BITCHING, STOP CHEATING, AND KEEP WORKING!

For everyone else, I think it's important to know the difference between "belly fat" (which you can rid through proper diet and exercise, see above) and "loose-skin" (usually associated with pregnancy or extreme/rapid weight loss) which cannot.

I know, I know, say it ain't true! But alas, it is!

If you can pull the skin away from your stomach and it doesn't bounce back (usually marked by stretch marks or 'tiger stripes') then chances are it's loose skin and and not belly fat!
Sad face?

Hey you! It's not death! It's just some lose skin! Through diet and exercise this can be diminished to a certain extent but it will NEVER completely go away. So let's make peace with this. Please acknowledge the following:

This does not mean you were lazy during pregnancy! I have seen both women who gained 15lbs during pregnancy and women who gained 90lbs during pregnancy, those who ate clean and exercised regularly and those who did not and those who slathered on cocoa butter every day and those who did not, and IT DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

***IF YOU'RE GENETICALLY-DISPOSED TO YOUR SKIN REACTING THIS WAY, IT WILL!  Case and point: My Mom has some "interesting" veins so chances are, this is my future! Genetics do play a part whether we like it or not!
I'm not saying to give up! Obviously, if you are pregnant and planning on getting pregnant do your best to stay beyond hydrated, eat clean, do yoga, and stay moisturized, because you should be doing this anyway!
BUT if you are one of those women who have already given birth and is dealing with this issue don't beat yourself up about it! What the hell is that going to do for you?!?
I've seen soooooooo many women at competitions who are in crazy-awesome shape and they have that little bit of stretch marks and little bit of loose skin AND THEY WIN OVER GIRLS WHO DON'T HAVE IT!!!! Seriously! I can't make this ish up! So get over it! 

It's all about you making peace with your body, AND you focusing on what you DO have! And making everything the best that it can be. If you dwell on the negative or what you don't like about yourself you are simply giving yourself an excuse to not work and what's more, you are feeding that insecurity! Don't give some lose skin power over you! You've dealt with worse! It's ten times easier to give up because of one little issue then it is to keep working towards being your best self ! 

If you want to completely get rid of that loose skin on your belly then get really, really fit, grow some muscle, get your body to peak performance, THEN get a tummy-tuck. If spending $8-$10 grand to be rid of this problem is worth it to you, do it right! Set yourself up for success! Do the hard work first, then reward yourself with the surgery so that your results can be maintained. If not, don't be surprised when after the surgery you have a whole other slew of body issues and insecurities to deal with. Nothing worth having comes without sacrifice or hard work, even when you are paying for it! 

This loose skin is not just restricted to the tummy either, this just happens to be one of the more common places we focus on. As we age we lose elasticity and collagen production diminishes. Evidence of this shows up first in our upper arms, then elbows and then knees, as the skin begins to loosen and sag... The good news about these areas is that if you stay on top of your clean eating and resistance training you can avoid this is a big way! 

I personally would rather have a little loose skin and some stretch marks with a banging ass and some kick-ass shoulders than a tight tummy and a saggy bum! But that's just me.
What do you want?
What can you live with?
What is it worth to you?
Whatever it is, decide, commit, and BE HAPPY. Life is too short to be anything else!

Love yourself. I know it's hard and it takes practice not picking on yourself all the time but it's worth it to get to a place where simply by treating yourself right, you are teaching others how to!
Perpetuate love. Perpetuate self-care. Lead by example. And if all else fails, ACT AS IF until it becomes your reality. Affirmations really work! Don't get scared now...

Repeat after me:
"I love myself!"
"Through working toward my own goals I inspire others to do the same!"
"I am perfect!"
"I work every day to become my best self and see positive changes every day!" 
"I am in control!"
"I am strong!"
"I am fit, beautiful, and healthy!"
"I am a hot piece of ass!"
"Everyday I see myself getting closer and closer to my goal!"
"I am enjoying my journey as it unfolds before me!" 

Keep going! Nothing can stop us now!
xoxox,
T

SO You Want To Compete eh?

I've been getting a lot of inquiry's lately about training and competing for bikini and figure competitions so I'd like to take a little time to discuss how to decide if competing is right for you...

1. SHOULD I COMPETE?

First, there a few things you should ask yourself:
1. Do I love working out A LOT?
2. Do I love eating clean?
3. Am I willing to eat clean and follow a strict meal plan with no cheating (food or alcohol) for 10-14 weeks?
4. Am I willing to sacrifice my social life and other aspects of my personal life to devote the needed time to prep & train for competition?
5. Do I have the funds needed for coaching, suit, heels, make-up, tanning, on-site tanning, nails, supplements, hotel, etc.

If you answered "YES!" to those questions, competing may be right for you!
When I started 3 years ago, I did it BECAUSE IT SCARED ME, ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED ME! That's how I knew, I HAD to do it! Also, FITNESS is MY LIFE! I am impressed by competitors who are full time Mothers, Nurses, etc. Although I do find that most of us are in the fitness industry to begin with, lately I am seeing a ton of men and women become personal trainers after they start competing (which I find humorous because making a living in a competitive/over saturated field such as this is 10x HARDER then competing #kiddingnotkidding).  I digress...

2. WHO SHOULD I WORK WITH? 

You do not need to be a fitness professional to compete, and while there is plethora of information available to you online on how to train yourself and compete, I strongly recommend the counsel of someone who has competed & understands both the physical and mental process. PLEASE do not waist your $$$ and time on someone who has never competed or does not work with competitors on a regular basis! When you make your decision of who to be coached by, be honest with yourself! Ask yourself these questions...
The first & most important is: What is your goal? 
Do you just want to get one competition under your belt to see if you like it? Are you doing this to get it off your bucket list or to see if you can follow through with a nutrition/workout plan and achieve a goal? Or are you like me and aim to become an IFBB PRO?
                      What are your expectations? Can you workout on your own or do you need 1-on-1 sessions. Do you need to be able to text a question or call your coach at the press of a button or are you cool with sending an email and awaiting a response? Do you want to be associated with a competitive "team" and be coached by a professional who works with competitors 99% of the time or is this not really necessary for you and your goal and are more comfortable in a smaller competitive setting?
                       What works for you? Do you need loving support or tough love? Do you need to feel like your Coach believes in you and thinks butterflies come out of your butt or are you going to go hard, no matter what, knowing you'll prove it to them no matter what?!

I know for me, I can train like a BEAST on my own but I need ACCOUNTABILITY more then anything else! I need tough love! I want the truth because I want to win. I know a lot of people say they need this but then they turn into a sappy mess week 5! There's nothing wrong with this but take note! Again I say: BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF.
I also needed to respect my mentor/coach and believe undoubtedly that my coach could/would look at me objectively and not lie to me to spare my feelings but push me to be my very best. These are all things that work for me but I work with the opposite of this every day! Most people who choose to work with me are people who need to know they have me at the click of a button if need be or train with me instead of on their own because they know working with a personal trainer is the ONLY way to push themselves the way they need to be pushed! I respect this. "KNOw THY SelF!" Whatever (or whoever) it's going to take to get you where you need to be, do it! 

3. WHAT ARE THE 'UPSIDES' & 'DOWNSIDES' OF COMPETING...

On the negative... You will sacrifice a lot! You will go a little crazy! You might be a little hungry?! You will get in fights with your partner, sister, and cat! You will spend a lot of money and not get any of that money back. You will spend a lot of time at the gym, away from people you love and enjoy.

On the positive... you will have the hottest body of your life and you will feel what it is like to follow through and actually accomplish a goal.

On the negative... after you compete you might get a little depressed. For most of us (I'll refer to us as humans) unless you are making a career of this or your natural body type is: "I hate you",  It's practically impossible to maintain what you looked like on stage and even if you could you probably wouldn't want to! It takes a while for your brain and body to readjust to your life and for you to look at yourself and love your body without comparing it to your "stage-self".

On the positive... you are now a part of unique group/percentage of the population who compete in aesthetic competition a.k.a. bodybuilding... one of those most challenging sports in the world. Simply by competing you accomplish what most only dream of! What's more, you gain the belief in yourself that you can do anything!

On the negative... you don't always win. In fact, you might NEVER win. Sometimes you train your ass off and there were five people who were better then you in some aspect, end of story. You get nothing (but the satisfaction of competing and your epic cheat meal after)!

If you decide to compete, your #journeytothestage will be whatever it is you make it, but once you commit, COMMIT!
GO FOR IT. After all, What have you got to loose?

I hope this helped!
I'm aways here, keeping it cray-cray real for you ;-)
All my love, xoxo
T

It's Not You, It's ME

I recently competed in an NPC Bodybuilding competition, placing third in my class. It was my first figure competition and the hardest transformation I've EVER gone through (understatement of the year).  I'm incredibly proud of my accomplishment, but because I take this so seriously, and I dream of so much for myself in this sport, I did not let myself go into full-celebration mode. It was like I placed, but in my head I'm straight into the next competition. I can do better! I WILL do better. I want to do better. I want more. This is my third year competing and now that I feel I found my "division" I can't stop, won't stop, until I get THERE!

Even though I just worked for months on this, I can't slow down! I haven't reached my goal. Everything else must fall by the waste side (except for work because I'm not a complete idiot and time with my clients keeps me sane).

When I say "everything else" I mean EVERYTHING:  Entertainment, hygiene, chores like laundry and washing dishes, and mostly: relationships. This is the worst part about competing. Maybe some competitors are better at balancing then me. Maybe I'm a bad communicator? Maybe they don't understand because I don't explain it well enough? Maybe it's a million things. Maybe it's just me? I mean, It's quite possible that I suck at life, but truth be told I get so incredibly busy and EXHAUSTED balancing my work and my workouts that I'm forced to choose myself and my goal over almost everything 100% of the time.

My family and friends do not understand this.  They say they do and then they are asking me to hang out or making me feel guilty for not committing to spend time with them...
"I'd love to but I can't, I have to workout."
    "I can't, I have to eat at 2:30."
" I cant, I have to create four new workout plans."
" I can't I'm freaking tired and I choose to lie here and watch TV for two hours and shut off my brain instead of doing ANYTHING else." Oops.

People who matter like my Mother and best friend, as much as they love me and are trying to be supportive, just can't process my priorities and I've learned that I cant expect them to BECAUSE I CHOOSE THIS. This is not a punishment. Nobody forced this desire upon me! This is MY PASSION  burning in the deepest parts of me, forcing me to keep going, keep fighting!
THIS IS MY DREAM.
THIS IS MY GOAL. I choose to place it above all else.
Even my boyfriend, who I live with, who sees me bleeding for my goal, gets pissed off because even though he sees me all the time he never gets time with me.

DO I want my loved ones to understand? YES!
Do I want them to feel un-loved or left-out or ignored? HELL-TO-THE-NO! 
Do I want more time with them? Yes!
... but not more then I want this for me. 

I'm writing this entry because I want people to hear me when I say: All that matters is WHAT you want. You get one life. DO whatever it is you have to do to be happy (short of hurting others on purpose but that goes without saying). I see so many mothers choosing everyone else over themselves. Where does that leave you at the end of this? I see so many men and women running their own companies and when they finally make the time to invest in themselves, really give themselves permission to go for personal happiness, it's like a literal wight is lifted from them.
NOBODY WILL GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO GET YOURS. Even the people who love us most can't see past their needs to to let you BE YOU, in all your "selfish"glory. They might not get "it" but they don't have to! Release the need to be accepted in this way (by others), it does not lead to happiness. 

If you have something that you have been putting off, this is me telling you right now: STOP. Do IT NOW. MAKE THE TIME NOW. YOU ARE WORTH IT. 

All my Love,
Go get YOURS!
xoxo T

It's no secret I've been a little quiet lately.
You name it, I'll use it as an excuse: Off-Season, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Clients, old clients, new friends, social events, bulking, birthdays, New Years AND SO ON...

How many of you are on this page? The "I don't even remember what my standard bicep weight I use is because its been THAT long since I've been to the gym" page!?!
Or better yet, the "Hey, I've totally been working out but I'm still wearing my fat pants for some reason" page?!?!

Well lucky for you the WHOLE world is on the "Get fit/Lose Weight/Gain Muscle/Be a sexy beast by Spring/This time I mean it" Page (as of YESTERDAY).
There is literally NO better time to get your little butt back to that gym, signed up with that Trainer, or at least walking the block like every other person out there!
I know, I know... the last thing you want to do is make another failed New Years Resolution.

I mean, "Don't even get me started."

This year don't think of it as a New Years Resolution,
                        think of it as "IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME!"
three months from now you could hit your goal and never make a "I want to lose weight and be my best self" Resolution AGAIN! Next year, what if your Resolution is just to maintain a healthy lifestyle!?!
WOW! What a concept? Right?!?

The only reason you need to do you is because you want to,
                                                                                     your ready,
                                                                                             it's time! 
So from me to you, Happy New Year! 
AND Happy Better, Improved, Happier, Healthier, Sexier, more Confident YOU!
You don't have to be 'NEW' also (I'm pretty darn sick of that marketing stanza myself)!
As far as I'm concerned you're already pretty damn awesome.

I believe in you (but it doesn't really matter unless you believe in you to)
XOXO
T
We can do it!

"Loose 20lbs in 4 Weeks!" Read THIS!

How enticing was that title, huh?

Well I sort of lied... Hey, if it got you to read my blog so technically I'm #winning...
Go ahead, be mad at me, but I'm only trying to save you from years of disappointment, health issues, false promises and gimmicks!

IF you wanna "loose 20lbs in 4 weeks" go join 'The Biggest Looser' where loosing 20 lbs is easily (& safely) accomplished because not only do they have professional doctors clocked-in 24/7 but because its only 4% of your total body weight when you weigh 400+ pounds!

Otherwise, DON'T EVEN GO THERE!

It's claims like these that make me go BANANAS!
Obviously.

Time to talk about a sensitive subject and one that I take very seriously: loosing weight in an unhealthful manner. I've seen all these posts on my Facebook page or heard clients discussing "their sister" trying out the HCG/whatever diet and have risked imploding on several occasions simply because I have so many feelings about this topic. Basically...
If it sounds too good to be true, it IS! 

When I have someone meet with me about personal training or creating a personalized plan I ask them the exact same thing: "Do you want the weight to come off fast OR do you want to keep it off?"
They usually reply: "Both."

Then I brake it down... if you want the weight to stay off you have to do it in a semi-slow, gradual manner. We are talking 1-2 lbs a week. This is a safe weekly goal to create "sticky" weight-loss.
Sticky means pounds that will stay off rather easily once your diet is 'over' and you move to maintenance. After all, you are not planning on being on an extreme diet forever, right? This gradual type of weight loss allows your body to adapt to your new weight, your new metabolism and what's more, allows you to create those 'sticky' habits that's will help you keep those pounds off long after your high school reunion/best friends wedding/ etc is over.

In short, it should NOT take you 4 weeks to loose 20lbs when your goal is to loose 10-35 lbs total. This is too high a percentage of your body mass to loose too rapidly and indicates a very-low calorie diet and/or excessive exercise... never mind the loose skin and rapid aging, just these two things alone lead to a ton of health risks including:
- storing of ketones (liver damage),
- heart damage,

- formation of gallstones
- eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, food addiction)
- workout addiction
- easily set-off edema

- AND THE WORST/Frequent symptom of extreme dieting I deal with: metabolic damage (as in your metabolism WILL inevitably be soo messed up that you will gain the weight back on wayyy faster then you took it off and what's worse, it is now 100 times harder to get rid of and what's worse-worse is that it redistributes in awkward places (like fat pockets on your hips and lower stomach)! This rapid fat-gain thing that occurs is mainly an after-effect of starvation. You are soo hungry once the 'diet' ends (or you take a brake) your body goes bonkers and/or you literally have a nervous breakdown trying to get the willpower back that it took to starve yourself the first time!

Cutting down the calories you take in PLUS upping your calories expended EQUALS 'weight-loss', but when you up the anti by consistently taking in less then 1500 calories a day and are excessively burning calories thru exercise you are playing with fire and you MUST be sure this is something that is made for you and ONLY you/your needs. I've had quite a few clients come to me recently who were put on a "competition-type" prep plan when they weren't even competing!!! These people have suffered severe muscle and strength loss AND have extreme metabolic damage... and all they were doing was listening to their trainer as their bodies and muscles got 'eaten up'.

The same thing must be said for miracle weight-loss shakes, weight-loss pills or drops, etc... these are all just dressed up methods of STARVING yourself. Sure, when you drink a shake/have these drops/pill instead of a normal meal at breakfast or lunch YOU WILL LOOSE WEIGHT BECAUSE you are starving yourself! I mean, duhhhhhhh. Those results you are getting WILL NOT last and you will get even fatter after! Quicker!

Don't cheat yourself, your health, and your body. Do it the right way. Work with a professional you trust to stay with you for the long-haul. Go workout like a normal, healthy person who is in control and who understands that everything awesome takes consistency and patience.  Eat healthy food. Retrain your brain along with your body so your results will be easy to maintain!

I'm here if you need help,
I believe in you, xoxo
T

You say "White Rice," I say "AhAAAHh!!!"

I don't like to admit this but I'm prejudice against grains of the non-whole variety. As in, I have no problem eating a jar of peanut-butter but try to get me to eat white rice and I go to crazy town on a "how can you put that crap in your body?!?!" type-rant! I hardly even eat sushi anymore because it's nearly impossible to find fresh brown rice sushi in my town and sushi without rice is sashimi (and sashimi is just raw fish and... thanks but I'll pass).
Sadly I find I am alone in my 'I hate white rice club'

Even my significant other prefers white rice (insert gasp here) as do most people in both of our families. I have heard every argument known to man as to why I need to drop my efforts to end the the white rice insanity. Instead of lashing out and alienating everyone on family occasions I usually just embrace my spiritual philosophy and say "If that's what you believe then you are right to." I really don't believe this, I'm just saying it (concerning rice, not spirituality btw). 

After all it's not my job/passion/hobby to know about this stuff is it?

Yea, about that...

So no matter which camp of the rice-wars you belong to here is what is going on in my head while you are making your argument: 

What I hear: "It's the exact same thing!"

My thought bubble: Ummm WRONG! While white rice and brown rice have basically the same amount of carbs, calories, and calcium, Brown rice provides FOUR times as much fiber and protein. In fact substituting white rice with any whole grains, including brown rice, protects your heart from cardiovascular disease, thanks to a compound found in the outer layers (called the bran layer) of the grain that is removed to make white rice (what gives it the pearly white color) along with some other awesome vitamins and nutrients. You are going to give up of that because you like your rice white? 

What I hear: "Asian culture is built on eating white rice and they are the healthiest people on the planet!" 

My thought bubble: Huh?!?! Regular consumption of white rice leads to development of type 2 diabetes and certain forms of stroke. According to a 2011 study published in the British Medical Journal researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health reviewed four previous studies involving Asian (China and Japan) and Western countries (the United States and Australia) on the link between eating white rice and the risk of type 2 diabetes. They analyzed whether this risk is dependent on the amount of rice consumed and if the association is stronger for the Asian population. All of the participants were diabetes-free when these studies began. They found that the more white rice a person eats the higher his/her risk of type 2 diabetes. What's more, it's estimated that the odds increase by 10 percent with each additional serving (and who eats less then a cup of rice per serving when not paying super attention?).  

What I hear: Come on, is it really thaaaat bad for you?"

My thought bubble: Well, no. If you could care less about getting a vital amount of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from the food you put in your body and prefer empty starch/carbs to slow-digesting-your-body-needs-this-to-be-its-best whole grains then no, white rice isn't that bad for you. While it's not exactly eating a tub of full-fat ice-cream or smoking a pack of cigarettes, white rice is technically a processed food and if you say you care about your body and avoid processed foods then you have to kick that white rice to the curb! If you take the extra time to put stevia in your coffee, chew sugar-free gum and eat something green at almost every meal, take the next step and swear off anything besides 'whole' when it comes to your grains! 

From my head to your eyeballs,

I believe in you

xoxo

T

P.S. stay away from the regular soy sauce. Don't even get me started. 

If You're Exhausted And You Know It Raise Your hand: How to Beat The Tiredest Excuse EVER

“Every Part of me is so tired right now, I just want to cry.” 
Been there? Me to.
School, work, the kids, clients, a relationship with your partner, sibling or friend… unfortunately many things in life drain us instead of feed us.  Exhaustion itself takes on many forms - You have your standard ‘physical exhaustion’ and then you have your ‘mental' and 'emotional' exhaustion… all can be equally yucky If I do say so myself. Exhaustion, tiredness, fatigue, over-extending yourself, etc... it's a part of life... practically unavoidable, unless you win the lottery and can afford a full-time staff and even then you can't hire someone to work-out for you! The important thing is learning how to not let that exhaustion be an excuse that stands in the way of you achieving your goals. As NPC Nationals near I've been feeling overly tired/cranky/you-name-it-won't let-the-Mr-touch-me-without-biting-his-head-off so I have had to work (extra) hard to get everything into my day while maintaining (loose term) my sanity and my energy. True, I have a strong work-ethic but I'm only human and my activity-loaded days get to me as much as the next girl! Here I break down the steps that work for me when I'm just too tired.


          The first step – the Mental Piece

To put the kibosh on sabotaging behaviors and kill the thoughts that accompany exhaustion, the first step is to have a brutally honest conversation with yourself. Approach yourself with kindness and love (sneak attack works best) and ask yourself:

Am I tired?

For all intensive purposes, regarding my current state of health, should I be physically able to get to the gym/fix a clean meal/etc? Have I eaten and slept enough to devote one measly little hour to my body? 

Am I allowing myself to wallow in my "exhaustion" and be lazy?

Could I really push through if I really, really wanted to?

Could I stick to the plan, hold out and wait for my scheduled day of recovery or eat my scheduled cheat meal instead of blowing it all today?

           (If you are not sick or injured) The answer is most definitely: Of course you can!

Put quite simply: check Yo’Self before you Wreck Yo’Self (or your health and fitness goals) Got It?!?! The difference between having a ‘Perfect 10 Body’ and not having a  ‘Perfect 10 Body’ is going after it and sticking with it when you just don’t wanna!  You know you. Not only do you now what you are capable of achieving but you know better then anyone else what you are capable of talking yourself out of. Out-smart yourself. 

           The Second Step – the Emotional Piece

Don’t feel sorry for yourself! Remind yourself why you started all of this in the first place – to become your best self and get a rockin’ drool-worthy body! I say to do this a lot because I do this a lot! I am always reminding myself why I am fighting like this. I remind myself of my vision and tell myself that whatever tiredness I’m feeling right now won’t compare to the feeling of joy I will feel once I accomplish my goal! I know I will never get there if I let excuses such as 'tiredness' stand in my way. I look at my vision-wall, stalk a woman I admire on Facebook, stare blankly at a piece of clothing I'm striving to look awesome in and figure out how to trigger myself into wanting it again. Find your thing and hold onto it for dear life! Self motivation is the key to jump starting that booty! 

           The Third Step – the Physical Piece

Get your move on! Cry if you must but move forward. I said FORCE YOURSELF TO MOVE damn it! Put on your gym clothes (slowly if you must) drive to the gym or grocery store, begrudgingly (cursing my voice in your head, telling you to get off your lazy/tired tush)… before you know it your task will be completed and instead of dealing with the ‘Why did I do that?!?’s and trying to justify the poor choice you just made with that pitiful “I’m just sooo tired” excuse, you’ll be one step closer to reaching your goal! The results you have been getting, no matter how small, are worth fighting for mentally as well as physically. You must physically remove yourself from your comfortable/ pajama-enticing hole and put yourself where you don't want to be because once you are there you are already involved! You are already committed! What's more I can pretty much guarantee you will not get to the gym, in your gym clothes, and then decide to leave! You will do something workout-y and that alone will be worth it baby! It's not about being Perfect, It's about effort. Make the effort, move! It will happen! 

          The truth is guys: Everyone is flippin’ exhausted. Even those people who post lml (love my life) on facebook have a bad day, eat their feelings, or are exhausted from lml-ing too much!

Whenever I pass a person-in-need on the street I always give what I can (duh) but after living in Hollywood for so many years I can’t help but laugh whenever I’m asked “Do you have any spare change?” Ummm, as in ‘spare money??? Can’t say I do. I mean, who has “spare” money? I feel the same way about energy. Nobody has “spare” energy. We all have to dig-deep to get stuff done that we either care about or just have to do!  Lucky for us working out, eating clean and paying attention to self love and care fall into BOTH categories!  Very rarely are we all rarin’ to go the gym after a day of go-go-go or want to take the time to cook a clean meal when ordering out is just so much easier. Do it anyway. Your quality of life, your goals, your sanity, your pant-size and your happiness depend on it.