Doing the RIGHT Thing, Despite how you FEEL!

Hi Girls!

It's been a while so I thought I would share some inspirational fairy dust with you, just in case a few of you need it today!

I know many of you are on the same journey of weight loss and striving to live a healthier more active life, like I am.  It seems like I am constantly evaluating this area of my life and typically, I feel like I am failing.  Recently, I shared with you that even though the Weight Watchers incentive was my idea, I just couldn't bring myself to jump on board this time.  I've done the program successfully many times in the past but I just couldn't make myself count another point right now!  So, I made excuses.  I kept promising myself and others that I was going to do it, I was just waiting on that "thing" to click on in my mind.  All the while, continuing to gain weight and eat whatever I wanted everyday. 

A few weeks ago, I had a revelation.  This may sound extreme for some of you but stay with me.  All of you know that I am a believer and center my life around God and His principles.  The Bible talks clearly about gluttony being a sin.  I realized for the first time in my life that I had allowed myself to get to a place of sin when it came to eating.  Due to a total lack of discipline and rebellion against what I knew was right, I became a slave to food.  I know that there are many of you who cannot relate to what I'm confessing right now but I am confident that some of you can, and that's my motivation for sharing so openly.

I took a "before" picture, and it was brutal.  The realization staring me in the face of what I had let happen.  I took responsibility for it and made a decision.  A decision NOT based on a feeling (because I've realized that the feeling of WANTING to be on a diet will never come!)  I joined a 21 day program that included a strict diet of 1300 calories a day with no sugar and very little carbs.  I also attend workout classes that are so hard that I never think I will live through them, but I do and it feels awesome!  In just a few short weeks my body is changing significantly.  People are noticing, and I am noticing.  My taste buds are changing and it is affecting my family for the better. 

I had to go to the extreme opposite end of the eating spectrum in order to get this part of my life under control.  It may sound silly but I have submitted my love for food and eating in an unhealthy way to God and I am learning to depend on Him for help- even for such a seemingly "unspiritual" subject.  I think He wants the best for us, and being a slave to food and ultimately feeling guilt, shame and insecure is not God's best. 

My program is over in a few days and I am glad!  (I'm tired of feeling hungry!!!)  However, I have committed to a new way of life... to eating clean and healthy and instead of looking up fatty recpies on Pinterest (one of my obsessions!), I am going to research ways to cook clean and yummy!  I want to raise my daughter to love healthy foods and reap the benefits that come with eating the way we were created to eat!  I don't want her to struggle with her weight like I have, and I also want my husband to benefit too- not only for his own body but to give him the wife he deserves! 

I believe everything in balance and moderation is key.  I know that I personally, will always fight my love of food and honestly, I don't think loving food is a bad thing.  Only when it gets out of balance and out of your control does it become a problem. 

Maybe food isn't your issue, but something else.  Whatever your struggle is, I pray that you will see it for what it is and take ownership of it.  Submit to God and strive to be the best version of you possible! 

If you're like me, and you struggle with the food thing- check out this awesome resource.  It's called "Michi's Ladder."  http://www.teambeachbody.com/eat-smart/michis-ladder
You may have heard of it before but I'm finding it to be my new "grid" for choosing food.  Also, I recently bought Jillian Michael's workout video called 30 day shred and it is AWESOME!  It's only 20 minutes a day but it will kick your tail!  I think 20 minutes a day is totally do-able, even for you crazy Nebo women!!!

Be inspired & do something!
~Your Nebo Fairy~

Suits & Soup!

Nebo Queens!

How are you lovely, crazy-selling fools??? Now that the weather is starting to brighten up a bit, I have realized that the inevitable is coming!  I will have to wear a swimsuit sometime in the near future if I plan on being a decent mommy!  I can't neglect my girl the thrill of splashing around in the pool just because I have major swimsuit blues!  So... aside from the fact that I am on a mission to do what I have to do to feel decent in a swimsuit by our sales meeting (which is also a family vacay at the beach and pool once the meeting concludes!), I also found a website I want to share with you.  I was pleasantly surprised to find stylish swimsuits that are modest and flattering to a curvy girl like me!  The site is www.divinitasole.com  Personally, I'm a tough critic when it comes to finding a suit that is modest while trendy and not maw-maw-ish! (That was straight out of my southern special book of words!)  I plan to get one of these soon and then try it on often to remind myself that the beach is coming, wether I like it or not and I'd prefer to look better than I do now! ;)

Also, I have to share this recipe with you I got off of Pinterest for an easy and delicious baked potato soup in the crockpot.  I was overwhelmed with how good it was- and so easy!  If you use low fat or fat free cream cheese and go easy on the toppings, it's not too fattening at all!  Enjoy!

http://www.mamalovesfood.com/2009/06/baked-potato-soup-slow-cooker-style.html

That's all for now... more soon I promise!
Have a great week and let me know if you make the soup!

~Your Nebo Fairy~

Love, Addy's Birthday & Spring Trend Alert!

Happy Valentines Day Pretty Nebo Ladies!  I wanted to just stop by for a few to say how much I LOVE you girls, how much I LOVE my job, and how much I LOVE my family!  I pray that all of you feel loved in some way by someone today and if you haven't yet... here's a BIG FAIRY HUG from me!  You are loved and appreciated by me and my family every single day!

Speaking of love... last weekend, we celebrated Addy's 2nd birthday!  She had so much fun at her Minnie Mouse party... she ran non stop for 2 hours straight, with the exception of about 10 minutes she dedicated opening to her "peasants" and she would tear the paper apart and say "TA-DA!"   I had to show you guys a picture of how adorable this kid is... I'm one blessed mama!

On another note... let's talk about Spring trends!!!


The seasons are a changing!  Big colors on the horizon... peach, mint green and neon yellow!  Don't be afraid to mix a pattern with a funky color!  And don't be afraid of the COLOR!  Bright pinks and coral are huge too!  I've got my work cut out for me on so many of you girls that love boring, blah black!!!  Here is a new challenge for you... if you wear black, put on colored accessory.   My personal fave is wearing chunky turquoise jewelry with black, black & white, or random bright colors.  It pops and it's unexpected- oh so chic! ;) Or, try bold black and white prints, like polka dots and chevron stripes. (Not together of course!) :)  One last thing... pastels like lavendar, mint green, and pale pink mixed with tans and browns is oh so cool!

All of these tips are relevant for any age or shape so don't give me the "I'm too old" or "I'm too fat" excuse... I'm tired of hearing it!  It's just one more excuse to wear sweats and black everyday- BREAK THE PATTERN!  I say that with a whole lot of love, I promise! ;)

Here are some pictures to inspire you to try out my Spring suggestions...

 

Obviously, you may not feel comfortable in any of these outfits exactly, but the goal is to give you ideas.  So, I hope this has inspired you to get out of your "box" a bit this Spring, and give some of these ideas a try!  Chances are you probably already have a few things in your closet that you could put together that you may have never thought would go together... but now they do! 

I love reminding you girls of how beautiful you are and can be with just a small amount of effort and nudging from your loyal fairy!

Ta-ta for now!
~NF~

Trendy Tip of the Week!

So, I have decided per many of your requests and suggestions to start trying to post little fashion and beauty tips!  My goal will be to do one a week but don't hold me to it!  (It will depend on how many of you are winning prizes that week!) ;)

Yesterday, I was with Addy at Target and since she was in a particularly happy mood (she had fruitsnacks in hand!), I had a little extra time to browse for myself.  I stumbled upon these adorable bracelets and thought I needed to share the cheap jewelry love with my fellow Nebo sisters! 

I wanted to also show you how fun it can be to mix two different types of bracelets together. 

I started with this brown leather braided bracelet... they had these in other colors too.  It was $16.99.

 

Then, I added this cute gold bangle set with ivory beads.  They also had a variety of colors in these too.  This set was also $16.99.

So, they are both cute by themselves BUT, when you put them together....  voila!

SOOO chic!!!  Love Target!  Love cheap jewelry!  Love layering... it looks expensive and so hip!

So, if you love it as much as I do, take a Target gift card or $34 of your hard earned money and go get yourself a fun set to wear!!!  Although... a few of you are not lacking for jewelry as of last week! ;)

Have a great week girls!
~NF~

Fall Fashion Tips!

Hey There Nebo Divas!

I haven't written in a while and I was trying to think of something that I've been inspired by lately to share with you.  I'm embarrased to say that the first thing that came to mind was not deep or profound... it was fashion! (Don't judge me... I spend all day online shopping for you!)

Sooo... I thought I would share a few FALL FASHION TIPS that are easy, quick, and cheap for all of you hard working Nebo girls (and moms) on the go!

Colors:
Mixing grey and brown is a big hit this year!  Throw in navy or even a pop of a fall color like mustard yellow or teal if you want!

Shoes:
Boots are where it's at... and I highly reccomend a tall boot in a camel/tan color.  This color literally goes with anything now.  The "black doesn't go with brown" rule is out the window.  Camel goes with ANY color!  I got mine at JC Penney for $40 last year and they are still going strong! 

Skinny Jeans:
I cannot live without my skinny jeans!  Mainly because I can wear my boots over them! ;)  I got my favorite pair at Wal-Mart over three years ago for $20.  They are the brand Lei.  They are stretchy (they never fail me no matter how my weight fluctuates) so they are also comfortable.  No matter what your body type is, the right pair of skinny jeans are imperative for your fall wardrobe!  Also, the colored skinny jean is a fun way to incorporate color and still wear your boots!  I have a deep plum purple that I got at Express and look great with my tan boots!

Accessories:
Scarves are for sure a Fall staple!  Anything goes with a fabric scarf... it will take any outfit to the next level of cuteness and quick when you're in a hurry! 
Also, I wanted to mention that throwing on a bunch of different bracelets all at the same time, or even a couple with your watch is definitely a trend.  The chunky layered look is what you are shooting for!

Metals:
Gold is the big metal for the season but also mixing metals is in style too!  Don't be scared to put gold and silver together... the more the better!

Jackets & Blazers:
You can throw on a leather jacket or a lightweight blazer with a t-shirt and scarf and look very chic and pulled together.  I have found myelf lately grabbing one of Kory's white v-necks (obviously it is oversized on me which I love) and I just throw on a scarf and a blazer or jacket with my skinny jeans and voi-la! 

Handbags:
Satchels, toteskk, and crossbody purses are definitely the hot ticket on handbags this season. But, any cute purse is ALWAYS better than NO purse! (Anna- that comment was for you. eh-hem.)

Other Ideas:
If you have a cute flouncy type dress in your closet... stick a cardigan and leggings on with it and your boots.  It looks so pulled together and it's comfy too!

I hope this is helpful as you try to make yourself presentable this Fall!  :)
Happy Dressing!

 

Just Do It!

My inspiration for you today is this... do the RIGHT thing, no matter what you FEEL like doing!

How many times have you said "I'm going to start eating really healthy," or "I'm going to organize my closet," OR "I'm going to work 7 hours today instead of the normal 5"... and then you didn't follow through because you just didn't FEEL like it?  It happens to the best of us, and it happens every day!

Recently, I have had the desire to lose some weight and for whatever reason, I have never had a difficult time commiting to excercise.  However, I do talk and talk about how I need to or am going to eat better, cut back on carbs, blah blah blah... and 2 days later, I find myself giving in to the dessert in front of my face.  This is the story of my dieting life and I'm sure many of you can relate.

So, I am telling you the same thing I have recently told myself.  Sometimes, you just have to do the RIGHT thing, even though you don't want to.  If you wait for that feeling... it is never going to come.  That is because so often, doing the RIGHT thing is the HARD thing and we don't want to have to do anything that's hard.

So, whatever it is that you are struggling with right now, I hope today's blog will inspire you to suck it up, quit waiting on the feeling that's never gonna come and just DO IT!  The feeling that will eventually come is the pride you have in yourself for your accomplishing something great!

Nike's got nothing on me! :)  This is GOOD STUFF and not to mention, it's free!

Happy Wednesday!
~NF

Meal Planning 101

After Tonia's brilliant analogy of the "grocery list" theory, I thought I would attempt to aspire some of you to take your literal grocery list to the next level with meal planning.  I know there are a few of you who like me, are already experts at this and if you are one of those do not worry about reading the rest of this! 

Meal planning is something I started doing a few years ago and it has greatly changed my trips to the store, the amount of wasted food in my fridge/pantry, and most of all- THE GROCERY BUDGET!  If you are willing to take the time to meal plan, it will save you a ton of money and you will waste a lot less food!

I typically plan my meals on Sunday's when Addy is asleep.  I turn on spa music and this whole "process" totally relaxes me!  I look online for recipes, usually resort to at least one "old faithful" recipe, and get creative.  Since all of you have different amounts of mouths to feed and different schedules, you will have to decide what works best for you but I typically try to plan about 6-8 meals at a time. 

First, I decide on my meals BEFORE I make my list.  I actually plan mostly dinners, sometimes a few lunch options, and maybe one "special" breakfast.  I write down the meals I choose and keep the recipes handy.  Then, I start to make my list.  I start with all the groceries I need in general- fruit, veggies, cereal, milk, diapers, etc.  Then I begin adding in the ingredients needed for my meals.  I try to plan meals that I already know I have at least a few ingredients for.

I don't actually plan which day we will eat what because I never know exactly when these meals will be or what I'll be in the mood for BUT, I do hang my meals on the fridge with a magnet so that I know what I've planned to make and cross off as I go. 

I highly reccomend meal planning to you because it keeps you organized, and spending much less money!

Happy Planning! ;)

~Your Thrifty Nebo Fairy