What To Drink While Trying To Lose Weight

    Okay, here's the thing: beverages can pack a BIG punch inside their little flavoured cups of goodness. But seriously, drinking "empty calories" can be the death of your clean eating! A frappacino, cup of juice, and diet soda will run you at 800+ calories (Um, what?!) not to mention, tons of fake sugar, carbs, and you'll crash as quickly as you got your energy buzz in the first place! 

Required: 8+ oz of water per day
Optional: 2-3 sparking waters per week
Optional: 2 small cups of coffee per day
Optional: green, black, and herbal tea
Optional: two 150 calories bonus drinks per week (can be from the "No" list)
No: diet soda, soda, or alcohol
No: fruit juice

How To Lose Weight

    Hey loves! As you probably know by now, I've had my share of ups and downs with the scale. It can be a frustrating process and even a frustrating mind set. Sometimes we backslide and when we no longer feel apart of the "progress" we feel stuck in our current weight and wonder if we'll EVER get to our goals. The truth is, it's totally up to you. 

    While it may be hard to believe right now - your dream abs, thighs, or arms etc, are totally within reach. Nothing is stopping you, except you. When I first realized this concept it was a tough pill to swallow because it meant accepting that I was NOT at my goal weight/body also because of ME. YIKES! What a wake up call. Losing weight since that point hasn't been "a breeze" but I felt a sort of relief knowing that I could do it. 

    There's no magic pill to losing weight, toning up, or "getting abs", but there are definitely steps! And as much as it's tempting to buy into the "next great thing", the BEST thing you can do is to focus on being healthy. Don't worry about the Paris Diet, the Atkins Diet, or how many points something has. Just ask yourself "Is this healthy?" And if it is, then good. If it's not, have some in moderation. Your eating should be about 80% healthy and 20% treat. If it's manmade, it's not as healthy as it should be. Low-fat ice-cream, low-sodium chips, fat free granola bars.... are all things that are man made. It's tempting (and confusing) to look at these things and think they're healthy, but in truth - they're not. 

    If you're starting at square 1, the easiest place to start is not to look at what you "can't have" and instead to focus on having more of what you SHOULD have. Let me explain that..

    Focus on ADDING to your diet, instead of removing. Start adding more fruits, vegetables, grains, and natural protein sources. When you focus on adding foods to your diet you'll be less focused on avoiding the unhealthy foods.

    While I highly encourage tracking what you eat in a day, that can feel restricting and overwhelming in the beginning. If you're a beginner, just start with adding healthy foods to your menu. Once you've gotten a grip on that, then you should start to track what you eat each day. Don't worry so much about calories! Focus on the quality of the food you're eating. Proteins, fats, and carbs! 

    If you want to lose weight you need to active as well! And honestly, sometimes this part is so focused on that people get stressed about it! Just get your blood pumping. Go on a walk if thats all you have available to you. But PLEASE don't go to the gym and spend $50 on a gym membership, it's NOT necessary and chances are you will be as confused as I am in there, and end up wasting time & money. Go for a walk, a jog, get some cheap badminton rackets and play with a friend at a park, or do home workouts (with me!). 

    Like I said, there is no magic pill to weightless, but there are steps. Focus on eating the right foods & be active.

    Chances are you already know what to do and just need some help or accountability to make it happen. Thats what I'm here for! I'm always excited to welcome new people to the Fitness Doll Challenge, and if you're not ready for that that's OK! You can email me at jessica.herle@hotmail.com or add me on facebook and we can start talking about other little ways you can get healthy first. Baby steps are greater than no steps!

Talk soon! xoxox

Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

INGREDIENTS
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats 
1 cup Greek yogurt 
2 ripe bananas 
2 eggs 
1/4 cup honey 
1 1/2 tsp baking powder 
1/2 tsp. baking soda 
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips 

INSTRUCTIONS 
Mix wet ingredients separate from dry ingredients || Blend all ingredients except for chocolate chips in food processor until batter is smooth || Add chocolate chips and stir || Transfer batter into muffin pan using parchment paper muffin liners and sprinkle more chocolate chips on top for fun || Bake at 375F for about 25-30 minutes until the tops of muffins are set and donezo! (Makes 12)

Day 14 - TurboFire & Burn Circuit 1

    Hey loves! Let me just take a second here to say I LOOOOVEEEE working out at home! Not that I don't like gyms or the people in them - but working out at home is just SO my jam. Theres no traffic to get there, I get to wear whatever works for me even if it's not cute or appropriate (lol), and I just get to follow along to my TV. I mean seriously, I'm working out with the BEST of the BEST trainers, and right beside my bed! Muahahaha. just kidding ;) Not to mention, I'm CLUELESS in a gym haha.

    Today is Day 14, and on my schedule is HIIT 15, and Sculpt 30! I decided to do a Chalean Extreme workout instead because I wanted a change-up. The Chalean Extreme workout I chose was Burn Circuit 1. Just a quick, 30 minute workout but let me tell ya! My legs are already killing me and I don;t even want to know how I feel going down the stairs tomorrow, eek! Oh well! I'm all about that bass ;)

Original Fitness Doll Challenge Application

Fill out my online form.

Online contact and registration forms from Wufoo.

My 'AHA' Moment Of The Week

I have to take a second to call myself out on something important...

    That being... I have NOT been living up to my potential. I've been living off of this idea that I'm "apart" of the greatest business in the world, and thinking that alone was enough to accomplish my dreams. But looking back on my behaviour I realize that being APART of it isn't enough. I need to actually take FULL advantage of it (which I haven't been doing) and WORK HARD.

    I regularly quoted to myself and others "true success happens when you spend a couple years living like other's WON'T, so that you can spend the rest of your life living like others CAN'T." Yet I wasn't living like other's "won't"... I wasn't putting in 10 hour days, and giving my all every. single. day.

    Looking back it's like WOAH, how could I miss this?! Being apart of this business is so different than actually taking full advantage of it. And all this time, I thought I was the 1%! Haha! Boyyyy, was I wrong.

    Thank gosh for personal development for giving me the ability to self reflect and actually take notice of where my compass is directing me. Seeing an opportunity is not enough - you need to SEIZE it. Just like reading a self-help book is not enough either... you need to IMPLEMENT what you read.

BIG wake-up call this morning.

WOW!

"Whatever your 100% looks like... give it"

My Abs Are Showing!!

    Hey sugars! Yesterday was a GOOD day. Finally I could see progress in my body from all the workouts, healthy meals, and shakeology. Sometimes the journey feels endless, but I've realized even the smallest amount of results it's SO worth it. It's such a satisfying feeling because you no-one can take it from you, you can't buy fitness, and you KNOW the "blood, sweat and tears" that went into it!

    My weight is currently 124.6 and my goal for the end of the month is (hopefully) around 120lbs, HOWEVER I would like to clarify that the scale is not my ultimate goal.. I have a pair of cut-off jean shorts from Abercrombie that I currently "fit" into, but I want them to feel and look BETTER. 

    The photo wasn't darkened or anything so I'm not sure why it looks like this on my computer LOL. I uploaded the original to here and facebook and it looks a lot lighter on facebook... hmmmm. If you want to join me in my quest of losing 4 lbs (or maybe 10 lbs depending on your goals!) this month - apply for my october fitness challenge here. Love you guys!