I Love the 'little" Things. & Free Sponsor Opportunities

Today's post is not about Fitness- although rest assure I am making healthy Choices today :).

So What is today's post about ???

-Well I am a woman in L.O.V.E. - and I like to talk about it from time to time :).

If you have been following my blog - you already know that Last year -wasn't my best year ..It's probably safe to say it was my worst.

                  --- My depression affected me relationship in so many ways, but I'm happy to say that talking about every-thing  that happened last year and hearing each other's thoughts and feelings helped us to understand each other better and even brought us closer together--

**And we have a better understanding of how important Communication is in any relationship**

-Also it helped me to be more appreciative of the little things that I had began to take for granted.

Such as--

- The way he looks over at me during an emotional scene while we are watching a movie -knowing I'm probably tearing up

- Hugging him before he leaves for work in the morning. -- Now he will even wake me up out of my sleep ( if I don't wake up on my own) and hug me. -- Which makes me feel all happy inside because when he takes the initiative I know he's doing it because he wants to.

- When he calls me "Babe"- I just love hearing the word falling from his lips and know he's talking to me :)

-On the weekends (when he actually gets to sleep in with me) - when we wake up and he'll tickle me and i'll try to be mad but of course can't help but laugh

They might seem like silly things to most  but for me they mean so much. After so much time being sad and angry for no reason and shutting him out -- It feels good to let him in again and to feel like "US" again :)

And now for some Exciting NEws !!!!

For the first 10 people who contact me - I am doing a Free Button Swap for the month of April. That's right Free :)- I'll place your button on my sidebar and all I ask is that you do the same. 

There are 10 spots open - so if you're interested sign -up and spread the word !!! :)

Click here to Sign- up

Or email me at Kanettram@gmail.com

Grocery shopping on a Budget & This week's Menu

Money is going to be a little tight this week and next week (being that I am still looking for a new job & Aaron had unexpected car trouble last week.)-- So when we went shopping on Sunday we had to try to be as smart as possible about what we purchased.

Healthy but affordable.

Breakfast was already taken care of because we both drink Herbalife shakes and Tea for Breakfast each morning.

Each morning I start off with an Herbalife Nutritional Shake mixed with protein.

This morning I chose Cafe Latte w/ Chocolate protein.

Followed by Raspberry herbal green tea 

-Cell-U-Loss Tablets

-Total Control tablets

Want to learn more about Herbalife- Click here

For Snacks we purchased our favorite Greek yogurts. We like the ones with crystallized almonds or granola on the side but they also have ones with fruit on the side (but I haven't tried those)

He also purchased a few of the Oikos greek yogurts for himself. They are okay but I prefer the ones above.

For lunch I picked up some Jennie-O Turkey Burgers - We haven't had them in a while and they are so delicious. I use Low-fat mayo & multi-grain bread (instead of white) to keep it as healthy as possible but still tasty :)

6 packages of Chicken Breast - Aaron decided since they were cheaper than usual he wanted to take as much as possible.. So today I will meal prep for the week and then separate the rest into freezer bags and put them in the freezer. --Can never have too much Chicken Breast :)

I decided to go with Frozen veggies for sides- I use to think Frozen Veggies were not as healthy as Fresh because they lose Nutrients, but after a ton of research I now know that unless you are purchasing your produce from a fresh market (which i don't) that your "Fresh" produce might not be as "Fresh" as you may think and you can be better off purchasing Frozen. 

+

They are cheaper :)

-I also picked up some Salmon and shrimp to mix it up a little. But as you can see the next two weeks are going to be plain and simple but that's okay-- When money is tight I rather be simple & healthy than all the unhealthy cheap foods i use to buy.

I've mentioned before that I am studying on becoming a Personal Trainer - and last week I didn't get much studying done- So this week that will be my main focus.

How will you spend your week?

Weekend Re-Cap!!

I have been doing some thinking and I have decided that until I get more participants -- Instead of doing Fitness Feature of the Week ... I will Do Fitness Feature of the Month..Starting the first of each Month.

So on the first of each month I will create a post dedicated to the feature and then for the rest of the month I will leave the features photo and log link on my sidebar.

so April 1st I will bring you your first Fitness Feature :)

Weekend Re-cap:

Saturday:

I went with my friend Tiffany to get my nails done, and then we went to Chili's for a nice meal. I had fun. -- It's nice to actually go out with friends after a whole year of staying home all the time and staying to myself.

Sunday: 
Woke up watched a few episodes of bones and then went to the gym with Aaron. I was so excited because we were training legs but I made one huge mistake...

I didn't eat and I know better... After we did Squats I was light headed and feeling like I would throw up  or die. but thankfully I didn't. I barely made it through Leg extensions..--So once we were done with extensions --we left..

I felt bad for being the reason we didn't finish our workout but it was unsafe for me to continue , I really felt like I would black out at any moment.

We stopped by the grocery store and bought groceries which i have to meal prep today. I will take pictures for tomorrows post ( my phone is broken so I have to wait to use his)

Then we spent the rest of the day just relaxing together on the couch watching Bones (of course).
I love the weekends mostly because of the time I get to spend with him. during the week he's so busy with work we only have time to go to the gym-- eat dinner - and watch a few episodes of Bones or a movie while we eat dinner--then it's off to bed.

So being able to spend the day together of the weekend is something I will ALWAYS look forward to.

How did you spend your weekend?

When words Hurt & My Addiction to "Bones"

Yesterday I was skyping with 2 of my sisters when my little brother decided to take over the web cam. I always love talking to them because they are in a different state, so I don't get to see them in person as much as I would like so video chat is the next best thing.

Sooo... We are talking for not even a minute when suddenly he's like "Mmooooo" and laughs. Then he proceeds to say that I am fat and I look like a cow. -- Now I know he is just a child and his words probably shouldn't have affected me-- but if I'm being honest it did hurt.

I spent the rest of the day/night with his words popping in my head. Everytime I walked past the mirror I would lift up my shirt and stare at the fat on my stomach - -sigh because my face has still not trimmed down--

I was no longer feeling as sexy as I was the days before. -- All because of simple words. Nothing else had changed- I hadn't gained weight since feeling sexy and being called fat.

Before I went to bed I decided I wasn't going to let it keep me down- but I realize words can hurt no matter whom they are coming from. And as a reminder our words can either help or hurt others as well.

Anyways enough with that ... I have come to realize I am Obsessed with Bones....

No ..No.. not real bones silly.. The Tv Show

I began watching Bones in February by accident. A show I was watching went off and Bones came on afterwards. Then sometimes I would catch an episode and watch it and was slowly becoming more interested in the show.

Then I realized Netflix had 8 seasons of it and that I could watch it from Season 1 Episode 1 :) (I always have to begin a series from the beginning.) So anyways I am now on Season 6. I barely watch anything else. --I love the relationships, the scientific aspects, the weird humor. I just love it!! :)

I even find myself trying to use bigger words and sound smarter when having conversations with Aaron. (Thanks to Temperance aka Bones)-- lol

So there you have it. My name is Kanettra and I am addicted to Bones.

Dealing with Weight Gain when trying to LOSE weight!!

In yesterdays post I spoke about my very enjoyable weekend. Well this morning I step on the scale and I had gained 5 lbs. ...What!!! 

So I stepped off and tried again and the number didn't change ..There it was 170 lbs staring me in my face. --

Now at first I became very disappointed in myself. I felt like I had threw away all my hard work in one weekend. 

BUT....

You know what I don't regret anything. I have been working hard and have made eating healthy and working out a part of my lifestyle. -- And reality is I will enjoy a weekend out from time to time and have a few drinks with friends , while enjoying good food, music, and conversation. -- and I shouldn't feel guilty about it.

And the scale will constantly fluctuate. -The number will change depending on what time of day, When I have lost fast, when I have gained muscle etc. 

My point is I believe we all get down when the scale goes up in number instead of down (and vice versa for those trying to gain weight)  - I believe it's a natural reaction. But remember it's not all about the number on the scale. 

Yes I've gained 5 lbs but I also had the most enjoyable weekend I've had in a long time. And Guess What ??-- I'm going to lose those 5 lbs + more. 

My Day:

Insanity Workout

Breakfast:

Herbalife Meal Replacement Shake w/ Protein

Herbalife Raspberry Tea

Snack:

Strawberries & Blueberries

Lunch:

Turkey Sandwich w/ Turkey bacon, Light Mayo, Cheese, & Multi -Grain Bread

Heralife Peach mango Beverage Mix- helps keep you full and tastes great.

Snack:

Greek Yogurt w/ Almonds

Dinner:

Herbalife Meal Replacement Shake - Dutch chocolate w/Chocolate protein 

Gym in the evening.

2 hours of Personal Training Studying

Happy Monday & Weekend recap

** Fitness Feature Monday was supposed to start today & i apologize for the Inconveinience but it will begin Next Monday **

I was very eager to begin a fresh new week - So Happy Monday Everyone :)

Weekend Recap:

I had a very enjoyable weekend.

Friday:

A friend of mine I haven't seen in a while came over to visit. We hung out and talked for a while and it was nice.

Then I went to the Gym (finally :)) - With Aaron , and my Friend Tiff and her boyfriend.

Us gals worked out together and let the gents do their own thing.

We trained abs and Legs and it was a great workout- Definitely was feeling it yesterday.
Then had dinner at their house (Baked Chicken & Broccoli) - which was DELICIOUS!!!

Saturday:
-Washed the car
- Watched a few episodes of Bones on Netflix
-Aaron and I Went to a club on the beach w/ Tiff and her beau.
      -- It was my first time ever going to a club of any sort. but it was very enjoyable. I had a few drinks and enjoyed the company of my friends.

Sunday:
-Cleaned the Apartment
-Made sweet potato fries for a mid day snack
-Made chicken, shrimp, & broccoli Stir fry w/ multi grain rice for dinner.
-Spent the rest of the day relaxing w/ aaron, lounging on the couch and watching Bones.

--So now it's Monday and even though I had a very enjoyable weekend and snuck in a few sweets here and there--- I am even more excited to get back to my workouts and eating healthier.

If you asked me even a few months ago , If I would eat a healthy meal over fast food, pizza etc. The answer would definitely not have been yes.

But I'm noticing I no longer crave unhealthy , greasy, high calorie, foods as I use to and it's an Amazing feeling.

Another thing I have noticed is I use to want to reward myself with Food. - If I lost X amount of lbs I would go out to eat at xx place.

-Now I reward myself with a new outfit, or even an outing. I would like to go on a semi-hike soon, so maybe that will be my next reward. -Rewarding & still being Active.

**But don't get me wrong rewarding yourself by going to your favorite restaurant , or going to your favorite ice cream parlor is fine in my opinion ..but switch it up from time to time and find other ways to reward yourself ;)**

Joys of being an Herbalife Health Coach & uPdate

I awoke this morning to my email full of inquiries about Herbalife and a smile spread across my face.

So I decided to post this on my fb page:
I LOVE being a Health coach ..Anytime someone contacts me about Herbalife or Healthy living in general it brightens my day. It's not only about losing weight or being skinny or gaining muscle. It's about being Healthier - being able to live longer and enjoy this Amazing thing called Life. It's about seeing people transform before your eyes into someone they never believed they could be... Life doesn't have to suck.. Stop being Afraid and take that first step.

And it;s true . I absolutely LOVE being a Health coach. Seeing my clients changes -physically , emotionally, and mentally is so exciting.

-But sometimes those of us who have already chosen to live a healthier life focus too much on the physical. -Yes it's great to see the number on the scale go down (or up depending on your goals) - It's great to see your body transforming into something you are working so hard for.

-But we must remember to focus on the bigger picture. -

 How are you feeling?

-Do you feel healthier?
-Do you have more energy?
- Are you noticing a change in your attitude> -thinking more positive than negative?

Yes? - Well than take pride in that. That is something to be happy about.

Yesterday I was with friends whom I haven't seen since I began a healthier lifestyle and after only a few minutes they commented how they can see a change in me and it was really nice to see this new me.

I smiled and said Thank You - and it made me feel really good. I don't need for other people to notice the change in me but it definitely is a good feeling when they do.

So don't become so obsessed with the scale and the measurements and pants sizes that you are not enjoying the rest of the changes that are taking place and enjoying life.

I mean one of the reasons we are choosing to live a Healthier lifestyle is so we can be healthy and live longer right? -- So don't forget to enjoy life :)

And to update on my progress :):

- I haven't been to the gym (and I'm missing it dearly) because of the car being in the shop but thankfully it should be ready to bring home today.

- I have been doing my at-home workouts (most days)
- I am drinking my Herbalife shakes, tea, and tablets like I should ..and still eating healthy ... and it feels Amazing !!!

I hope everyone has an Amazing Weekend, Have fun and continue to make Healthy choices :). Have a cheat meal , enjoy yourself!!! -Remember no one is perfect.

Exciting News !!!!

Every Week I will be hosting a Weight loss/Fitness Inspiration of the week. I have gotten such good feedback  and cannot wait to get started.

My first feature will be next week. It will be every Monday... Why Monday you ask??

- Well you know how we always say Oh we will start Monday -- yea we have all been there :)

So I decided it was just the perfect day. Maybe someone who promised to start on Monday will see it, and instead of convincing themselves to just start next Monday -maybe they will be Inspired and it will Motivate them to start right then and now.. No more putting it off.

-Fresh week-Fresh Start.

Who can be featured?

-Anyone who has lost weight
-In the process of losing weight
-Gained weight ( if you were underweight)

If you are Interested in being a feature please feel free to email me @ Kanettram@gmail.com

Make sure to stop by to see Amazing Transformations, Here their stories, and tips from each other.

Get ready to be Inspired!!!

sorry I've been ....Learning!

Hello Everyone. Sorry I haven't posted the past few days. I have been doing a lot or learning and a lot of studying.

I've been studying to be a Personal Trainer , so I have been focusing a lot on that. It's so important to me and there is a lot to learn. So I'm trying to make sure I'm putting in the time and energy I need to in order to soak it all up and pass the test at the end.

But 

I also have been doing a lot of networking and trying to learn as much as I can about blogging  and was helps create a successful blog. -- I feel that we can always learn from others experiences -- Even though what worked for another won't always necessarily work for you -- i believe you can always take something that will help you from others experiences. 

And i felt I have been learning a lot. So this week will be spent putting together a plan based all that I have learned. 

-Beginning next week , my blog will be on a set schedule- I will be posting daily at the same time (most days anyway) 

I've learned that it good for your readers to know when to expect your posts. And I want my readers to be happy :)

Okay Okay ..I know you all want to know what I've been doing health wise. :)

I weighed myself this morning and I am 165.8 lbs :) 

I haven't been to the gym in a while but it's mostly because Aaron's car is in the shop (don't know who that is, click on the page Our Story)

The other day after an oil change it decided it wanted to break down , So it's been with the mechanic and I've been stuck home. 

I have been continuing with Herbalife and eating correctly so I'm still losing weight but i honestly miss the gym.  --Never thought I would have fallen in Love with weight training but now I need it in my life. 

So that has been my last couple of days...How have you ladies been?

Herbalife Success Training Seminar- Amazing Experience

So today was my first Herbalife Success Training Seminar and it was Absolutely AMAZING. I had no idea what to expect upon arriving - but once you walk through those doors nothing but positive people and positive energy.

Definitely a LIFE CHANGING experience. People sharing their positive weight loss experiences and Business success. -- I was so Inspired it brought me to tears.

I am ready to make big changes in my life. Nowhere but up from here. 

****Don't be afraid to Dream*****

The Future Belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their Dreams!!!

Herbalife really has changed my life and is continuing to change my life. Anything is possible with Herbalife.. Whether it's just fitness goals or you want to be in charge of your your own success Business wise.

Want to learn more feel free to email me with any questions.

Join me in Inspiring others and Changing Lives !!!

Squash Spaghetti

I've had a very long and busy day but I wanted to share with you the new recipe I tried today. 

Squash Spaghetti

Low carb- Less Calorie Spaghetti alternative.

Ingredients: 

1) Spaghetti Squash

2)Pasta Sauce

3)Ground turkey

                   Step 1- Cut the spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds. 

Step 2- Place both halves face down and cook for 50-60 minutes

Step 3:

While the squash is cooking begin cooking your ground Turkey on the stove top. Season to taste. I just used some adobo and Garlic powder.

Step 4: Add spaghetti sauce

Step 5: Take Squash out of oven when done and scoop out the insides. Should resemble noodles.

And there you have it Spaghetti squash. I never even knew you could make Spaghetti out of Squash but it was delicious and Healthy :)

Tomorrow Morning I have an Herbalife Training Seminar (so i need to get my sleep) But I am sooo excited. I'm always looking forward to learning new things and I've never been to one before so it will be a new experience.

;)

Confessions of a new Blogger.

 When I first decided to start a Fitness blog I was so excited and I still am but I have to confess sometimes I feel like I have no clue what I am doing. I have realized one of my biggest mistakes is ---


-Being Shy- I need to stop being so shy and start commenting on the blogs I follow and love. I read them but most of the time I leave without saying anything. One of the reasons I began blogging is because I wanted to make new friends and you can't do that if you never speak.

I also think I need to spend a little more time on my posts. I can still write about what I love while at the same time keeping it interesting (with most topics anyway.)



Design- Right now I have a pre-made free design and it's cute but it's not what I want in the long run. So as I have said before I am currently trying to get a custom design. I wan't something fun but also professional.

I think everyone who begins blogging sees it as this new and exciting experience where you can share your thoughts and meet new people but once your up and running you realize you are in this huge world with no road map.

Thankfully the blogging community is full of Amazing people full of knowledge and tips to help you find your way.

So if you are feeling overwhelmed take a second to catch your breath and reach out to a fellow blogger.

And remember it takes time. ( I have to remind myself of that often.). The more you put yourself out there and participate in the blogging community the more you will learn and the more your blog will grow.

Don't Give Up!!!

Meal Prep + Insanity = Healthy Living

 I did it :). I prepped my meal for tomorrow while cooking my dinner. Here's a sneak peak before I give you the juicy details of my dinner for tonight.

As I've mentioned before I've been looking for new recipes and I came across this one. Yes it's still simple and quick to make but it's still different from my usual. I plan to look up more "difficult" recipes for next week.

You can Find this Recipe on Youtube: Easy Oven Chicken by Michael Kory

Pre Heat Oven: 425

Ingredients:

2 lbs of Chicken

1/4 cup Sriracha

1/3 cup of Honey

1 Tbsp of Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Soy sauce (low sodium)

1 Tbsp of Lime Juice

Salt & Pepper

Ground Ginger

Mrs. Dash- Fiesta Lime Seasoning 

Put in oven  Bake for about 35- 40 min  ( Make sure chicken is fully cooked)

I decided to add a few sweet potato fries and steamed broccoli  & it was Delicious :). I made enough for left overs for tomorrow.

For more Recipes by Michael Kor's visit his You tube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/MichaelKoryFitness?feature=watch

I also started back on Insanity today and it kicked my butt but I promise I am going to stick with it this time. I have to - for myself if for nothing else. Unfortunately I didn't make it to the gym today but hopefully I will be able to go tomorrow. 

On non fitness related news I dyed my hair a deep red (was black) but it's so long and thick it's difficult doing it on my own and I missed some spots but it doesn't look bad just wish it was a little brighter. 

So that was my Monday - Nothing to exciting but enjoyable.

How was your Monday??

When You can't walk after Leg Day & Pinterest Blog Tips

So I trained Legs at the gym on Friday and I am definitely feeling it today thank goodness it's my rest day for Insanity. But I think I'm handling it pretty well and by that I  mean I'm walking around like this:

Okay maybe not to that extreme but I am very sore. But it's a good sore, Every time i wince I cannot help but smile because I know i worked hard at the gym the other day. 

But if you could see me as I walked around the apartment cleaning you would probably be very amused. 

Good thing is the apartment is clean and now I can sit down for a few hours until I decide what I want to cook for dinner -- Probably something quick and simple. 

Until then I think I'll look up more blogging tips. Even though I had a blog before I am still learning so much that I didn't know. Like today I learned how to add the feature for others to be able to pin my photos directly from my blog.

I had to try a few different sites but this one ended up being the one that worked for me: lPin- It- Image- Hover

So that pretty much sums up my sunday , How will you be spending the rest of yours?

Late night thoughts & Blog changes.

So while I have been up I have been reading numerous blogging tips and they have inspired me to make a few changes.

1) Write about more than just weight loss, healthy eating & Fitness- No worries my blog will still be focused mostly on Healthy Living but I also want to be a little more personal.  I have been debating on it and I decided that in order to stay true to myself I wanted to start posting about other things in my life such as my relationship .. other things that may have happen throughout my day , and anything else.

2) Take personal pictures - I decided instead of only grabbing pictures off of the web I am going to start taking pictures myself of food, me exercising, random things, nature etc. -This shall be fun :)

As of now those are the 2 changes so far I have decided on.

For more Amazing Blog tips stop by the Amazing Carrots 'N' Cake Blog. It has tons of blogging tips and so much more.

So on a personal note.

 When I first began this blog I mentioned that I had a wake up call after my ex and I broke up. We had been together for over 6 years and us separating was really hard on me. Even though our relationship wasn't doing so well separating didn't make it any easier.

Photo Taken back in 2007

At first (when I was still stuck in my depression)  I couldn't understand why he couldn't accept me for who I was. But now I realize it's a great thing he didn't because I was no longer myself. I was this depressed person with no motivation or goals. And the clearer my head got the more I realized he was trying to make it work and snap me out of my funk but I only saw everything as negative.

**Thankfully I can see positively and clearly now**

The reason I am mentioning him is because we have been talking a lot more and spending time together and slowly building a strong foundation to continue our relationship on. So I will prob mention him from time to time and didn't want there to be confusion :). I'll dedicate a post to him soon , so you can learn more about the mystery man and the things that make him so special to me  ;)

I look forward to giving you more glimpses into my life and continuing to motivate and hopefully inspire you to begin or continue living a healthier life :).

Beginning of the month Weigh in, Progress Pics & more

Wow it's March already and what a great month it's going to be. More happiness, More weight loss, More steps in the right direction :).

 Lets make this March your best so far :) :)

Soo since it's the beginning of the month it's time for Beginning of the month stats and progress pics so i'll jump right into that.

**The progress Pics will be in the tab labeled Progress Pics**

My beginning weight was 180lbs. Mid February I weighed 174 lbs and now ...............................

I weigh : 167.8lbs  Which means in the month of Feb I lost 13 lbs which is pretty good.

Yesterday I talked about my goals for this month and would like to lose 8-10 lbs this month. Of course I would love to lose more but I am doing this the healthy way. If I lose more that would be great but I will not be starving myself or doing anything extreme to lose weight quicker.

I ordered my nutrition plan from Herbalife today but it won't be here until Tuesday probably because it's the weekend. Thankfully I order a month ahead of time so I never run out :).

That's about it as far a weight loss and Fitness goes....

I decided that this month I am going to try at least 1 new recipe a week. Whether it's just snack or a full meal I want to start learning new healthy but tasty recipes. - So I am excited about that.

I also want to buy a few new outfits. I haven't been shopping for clothes in so long. I am so done with baggy t-shirts and sweat pants and unless I want to walk around in the nude and be arrested for indecent exposure I'll have to go shopping :)

Check out my Pinterest for an inside look : http://www.pinterest.com/ABrandNewM3/

And don't forget to keep a lookout for my new blog design coming soon :).. As you can see i'm overly excited.