[last week's routine]

I started a new job last week [YAYYY!!!] and with that new job came a new lifestyle; a more organized one. I had to wake up at 4:30 am all week and wouldn’t get home again until about 7 pm so planning was a MUST. Basically if I didn’t plan I knew my eating habits were going to be horrible and my exercise routine was going to be nonexistent. So I made a plan from Sunday until Thursday and let me tell you, I can already tell a difference in my body from that week. I tried new recipes, pushed myself to run more than I felt I could, AND got sick and I still think the plan I was on helped me. Here’s how I was able to accomplish those things:

1.      Meal Planning. I pre-planned my entire week; I planned breakfasts, mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks, lunches and dinners. (Well, by dinner time I usually wasn’t very hungry so I usually had a snack again.)

2.      Exercise Planning: Basically I set myself up for success by packing my workout clothes and 5 pound weights the night before work. Immediately after work I would change into my workout clothes and go for a walk / jog on the boardwalk (I work on the beach). This was the only way to do it, because if I drove home after work I would’ve gotten tired and gone straight to bed (I know, it's happened before). 

3.   Rest. Especially since I got sick, staying rested was a must. I wasn't going to let a cold break me! I went to bed at about 9:30 each night and took NyQuil the nights I needed help sleeping through the sinus pressure. 

Here are some photos!

[I posted this on the side of my refrigerator so I wouldn't have any excuses in the mornings. I prepared my lunches and snacks the day before]

[This is an example of 'dinner' I had one night. I wasn't very hungry so I had some cherry tomatoes, a cucumber and some hummus!]

[me after a 2 mile walk / jog on the boardwalk]

"discipline is just choosing between what you want now and what you want most."

-anonymous

[meal prep & food organization]

I think one of the most important things about being healthy and staying in shape is what we eat. Obviously there has to be a balance of diet and exercise, but you can't out-workout a poor diet. So today I'm going to show you the step before meal prep: food organization.

Unless you live on your own and have only the foods you eat in your refrigerator, then your fridge likely has some food that you don't even need to touch or think about (like mine). To make it easier for me, I've organized my refrigerator so cooking will be easy and convenient and to keep the bad-for-me things out of sight.

This is what my fridge looked like before I organized.

 

This is what it looks like now. If you notice, beforehand I couldn't really tell what vegetables I had in the drawers and things were very messy. Now I know exactly what I have just by taking a quick glance!

 

           


These are most of the things I threw away. (Thousand Island dressing?!? Parkay?!? Bean dip?!?! I don't know who bought those but they are horrible for you!)

These are things I kept (but only for the sake of those I live with.) I've discovered I need to limit my cheese-eating; it really messes with my digestion.

Now the next step is going to be going shopping for what's missing and then beginning meal prep!

"If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail."

- benjamin franklin

[tutorial: repurposing candle jars]

So I'm obsessed with candles. Honestly. I love burning candles and having the house smell delicious from them. I'm not big on incense or those scented reeds; i'm strictly a candle gal. This being said, I don't see the sense in spending money on a cheap candle that'll only smell that first day. I buy the good candles at Bath and Body Works. Because i'm spending $20 on a candle, you better believe i'm going to reuse the container!

So here is how I clean the glass jar (or container, whatever) after the candle has no more life left. 

STEP 1: Start with candle jars. Melt them down as much as you can.

STEP 2: Boil water. Place candle jars in a glass container. The deeper the container, the better. 

STEP 3: Pour boiled water in glass container so it'll surround the candle jars. This water will melt the wax down enough to allow you to pour it right out, while also softening the labels so they come off clean too. Look at the difference in color of the wax inside the containers, you'll notice the outside is melting.

STEP 4: Using paper towel and hot water (and glass cleaner if you have too), wipe the rest of the wax off. 

DONE!

...and here are some examples of how I've repurposed candle jars in my house.

Hope that helped!

"for every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned."

-benjamin franklin

[resolve]

First of all, I can't believe it's already the middle of January. I meant to get organized before 2014 started, but naturally, time got away from me. So now, I'm finally getting organized.

I've been trying to get in better shape and lose weight, but when you live an unorganized life, that becomes really difficult. For me, I've been so focused on work that I let it take over my life. I wake up, do nothing around the house, get ready, go to work, come home to sleep, and do the same thing the next day. It's not that I don't have the time to get other things done, it's just that I've become lazy and complacent. 

NO MORE!!!

I bought a wall calendar and a planner for 2014 and I'm going to work really hard to stay organized. 

I've even written in which workouts I plan to do every day to help me stay on track. No more excuses! 

I would post links for you but they were from a limited collection by Sugar Paper for Target. Check out Sugar Paper's site to see the other great things they have! 

"the secret of getting ahead is getting started."

-mark twain