Real Talk | The Sweaty Betties

Join The Movement

February 4, 2016 By The Sweaty Betties Leave a Comment

Wow!! I definitely used to be one of those people.
In 2009-2011 the market had crashed so bad where we lived, my husband and I made the very hard decision to let our house go into foreclosure.

Since that time, and since 2013, we decided to live like no one else and never get in that situation again.

We weren’t any different than most.
We didn’t go out often, had student loans and no car payments, but we definitely weren’t prepared with any buffer or savings.

Once we found financial freedom for ourselves, we wanted nothing more than to help other families find the same!

You do not have to live paycheck to paycheck.
You can take your family on trips and make more memories!!

You can live in a nicer neighborhood, go to better schools and spend more time with loved ones and less time working… but it’s going to take a few small changes and mind-set shifts.

Did you learn about money in school?

Neither did I!!

I think it’s time we start talking about it and creating a conversation about freedom.

One of the big, scary things we did, as a couple was sit down and highlight what we were actually spending.
We realized that we were basically eating ourselves into a financial hole.

We aren’t extravagant and the realization that a thousand tiny holes can sink a ship really hit home.

SunTrust Bank has created the #onUp Movement to help you (and me) set goals and gain more financial confidence!
You can take the pledge, take your Mental Wealth Quiz and set a goal for yourself and your family. (and find awesome tips as well)

Head over to OnUp.com and join me! Let’s get #OnUp

At SunTrust Bank their purpose is lighting the way to financial well-being. When you feel confident about your money, you can save for your goals and spend knowingly on what matters most to you.

The onUp movement was created to guide millions of people one step at a time towards a more financially confident life without ever losing sight of the moments that matter along the way.

Join the growing number of people transforming their stress into positive motivation to move onUp.

Join the movement

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of SunTrust. The opinions and text are all mine.

Filed Under: Product Reviews, Real Talk

Walk Out Wednesdays

March 21, 2015 By The Sweaty Betties Leave a Comment

Sooo I’ve been living in a van….. down by the river, for a good 8 months now.

Alright, so it’s an RV and it’s not really by a River, but still.

I spend a LOT of time working in a small space, and while it’s fun, I’ve been really neglecting my fitness, because I “don’t have a gym or space”

Then my trainer head was like

“WHOA NELLY!! Stop right there! You have all you need with your shoes and two legs”

However, have I mentioned, I hate running?

So, I was asked to do a product review of the new Omron Alvita Wireless Activity Tracker (HJ-327T)

Our most advanced tracker yet, the Omron Alvita Wireless Activity Tracker (HJ-327T) is petite yet powerful. It allows you to transfer your fitness data wirelessly to your smartphone with our free Omron Fitness App. Featuring Bluetooth® Smart technology, the Alvita Wireless Tracker records regular steps, aerobic steps, distance and calories burned so you can set realistic goals and check progress along the way

I was actually REALLY excited about this little gadget because I needed a little push. I wanted to see how this baby worked and I ripped it open and went straight for the instructions….

uhhh….

OK, I admit, I freak out at gadgety things… BUT this was so easy. The instructions were basically: pop in a battery. Download an app. Now WALK!!!

OMG OMG. I have never been so excited to get out since my first pedometer in 7th grade! I grabbed my two #dogjerks and told my hubby “you’re coming with me!!” and off we went!!

I had to fight the urge to keep looking at it and checking my phone to see my progress. It certainly was fun to see how it shows your activity by time of day.

I realize that between taking care of work, my pups my husband, etc. I don’t always leave much time for myself and I forget how good FRESH AIR and a quick walk feels.

The hubs and I got to chat and reconnect and it was FUN.

Omron is encouraging women like us to #walkoutwednesdays where we schedule a walk with a friend and get out there on Wednesdays!

Why is it important to walk with a friend and not alone?

Many studies have shown that working out with a partner or group of people encourages you to stay on track and motivated. Many people choose to workout with someone who lives within close proximity.

I am excited to see how I can increase my daily activity and also reconnect with a friend or my husband once a week, just getting outside.

The awesome thing about this little tracker is that it is only $40!

It syncs to your phone and you can also sign up for a free account at www.omronwelllness.com where you can:

Download and share fitness activity from their personal dashboard
Participate in fitness and other health challenges
Easily view data on a mobile device or PC
The website syncs with the Alvita and our new line of connected blood pressure monitors where you can analyze your data, set goals and track your health progress

If you want to see more, make sure to go to their website www.omronwelllness.com

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Omron. The opinions and text are all mine.

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured, Motivation, Product Reviews, Real Talk Tagged With: cheap, danny j, fitness, Fun, product review, review, sweaty betties, walking

How to make time for healthy activities every day

February 17, 2015 By The Sweaty Betties Leave a Comment

Maybe you’ve noticed, or maybe you haven’t been around me long enough to notice, but I have made a huge, huge shift in the way I do fitness.

I have started to really look inside and do what feels right to me.

I used to be this hard-core, “no excuses” maniac, who didn’t believe that anyone who wanted something couldn’t go out and get it!! (I still believe that if you want something you can make it happen)

However, I now have realized, the hard way, that too much pushing, not enough ALLOWING can pretty much, well, get your panties in a bunch!

You can become no-fun, too serious, and actually less healthy!!

(ain’t nobody got time for that!!)

There is a big world out there and all kinds of people. There are all kinds of fitness and all kinds of food and ways to eat and stay healthy and active.

I actually took nearly TWO FULL YEARS off of what most people would consider “working out”… at least in the sense of how I used to work out.

I decided, it was best for me, to just make time for healthy activity.

Some of that actually meant: RESTING.

When I was overworked, tired, sick and sore, in the past, I would just tell myself to “suck it up”

This ultimately led to burn out and a whole bunch of hormonal rebounds.

Ultimately, just staying active has helped me maintain my physique, my relationships and my sanity!

I’m excited to team up with Stayfree® to share how I am able to stay calm, cool, and collected while staying active.

Here are some of my best tips on making time for healthy activities:

Think outside the box!! – we think we have to “go to the gym” to have a workout. Not so!! I started doing a lot more from home– climbing the stairs to my apartments 25 times and then some push-ups on the counter– a little goes a long way!
Opposite Day Workout – sometimes, we have SO much stress in our lives- work, kids, traffic, etc. the last thing we need is another high intensity workout to raise cortisol even MORE. Take a walk. Take a yoga class in person or online. Breathe and let go.
Use your breaks wisely– if there is little time between leaving work, picking up one child, dropping off another, etc. Make those water breaks or lunch breaks count!! Walking lunges, parking far away, a few squats while waiting on hold. Make the extra minutes count!
PLAY – My newest, most fun way to get some activity in, is to blast Pandora and dance!! Playing is so fun and laughing is the best ab workout I have found! Make life and fitness enjoyable and it will be easy!

What are some ways that you stay calm, cool and connected during your busy life?

For a limited time, received a free 30 day online subscription to My Yoga on Gaiam TV with any Stayfree purchase! Keep your receipt and visit Stayfree.com/myyoga for program details.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Stayfree®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Stay calm, cool, and connected with Stayfree®. For a limited time, received a free 30 day online subscription to My Yoga on Gaiam TV with any Stayfree purchase! Keep your receipt and visit Stayfree.com/myyoga for program details.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Stayfree®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Filed Under: Featured, Product Reviews, Real Talk Tagged With: calm, cool, danny j, sweaty betties, the sweaty betties, tips, workouts, yoga

What if you had a CONTRACT for every goal?

January 20, 2015 By The Sweaty Betties 3 Comments

First off, I want to say THANK YOU.
You guys helped me win a scholarship to a program that I learned about last year that I really wanted to be a part of; it’s called Youth Speaker University.
It is basically a 12 month curriculum teaching you how to become a better speaker and share your message with today’s youth and/or teachers and counselors of our youth.

I won by getting the most comments, shares, likes and views on THIS video

So, I just got the log in for the course and I downloaded the first part of the workbook.
What I found at the bottom was THIS contract

Wow.

I guess the reason this wow-ed me is that I have worked with so many clients in my personal training business and co-workers in my network marketing business and the amount of people who GIVE UP is astounding!!!

What IF every time we set a goal for ourselves, or tried something new, we actually wrote it down and MADE A COMMITMENT to follow through, KNOWING that it is in our best interest, and KNOWING that it is going to be hard and things will sometimes suck?!

What IF you wanted to lose 30 lbs and you wrote a contract to yourself:

I _____________, will:

commit to working out 3 days per week.
limit my drinking anything but water to one drink per week
will eat one serving of vegetables every day

I know that this is for my highest good. I know that it will get hard and there will be days I don’t want to, but I will continue.

Signed _____________________

Or what if you started a brand new business or network marketing company and you REALLY want to be able to stay home with your kids and you just said:

I ____________, will:

Talk to 2 new people a day about my product, service, or opportunity.
will listen to any training that my company provides
will read books and become a student and ask successful people what they do.

I know that this is for my highest good and this will help me eventually get to my goals and that there will be days I don’t want to, but I will continue.

Signed _______________________

WHAT IF WE TOOK EVERYTHING AS SERIOUSLY AS A SIGNED CONTRACT??

What if we hold OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE??
What if we SIGN A DOCUMENT promising NOT to give up on what we really want??

If we can keep our OWN WORD to ourselves, we will have higher integrity in our relationships, more confidence and maybe ACTUALLY do what we set ourselves up to do.

What are you going to do now?

Write out a contract for yourself today.

Take a pic and post it or let me know in the comments below!

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured, Real Talk

Get Glowing Liver Cleanse

January 5, 2015 By The Sweaty Betties 2 Comments

As you can imagine, in the fitness industry I love to check out all the latest research, learn about the human body, how it works, and how to make it perform OPTIMALLY.

Ever since I struggled with metabolic damage and hormonal issues stemming for over-dieting and exercise I have been even MORE consumed with learning how to make my hormones function optimally and what “true” health is.

I have tried different cleanses before, I have even created my own.

However, about 8 months ago I needed PROFESSIONAL help (think DOCTOR) with my wacky hormones.
I met a woman, Dr. Tami, at an event, and right away I could tell “She GETS me.. she GETS MY BODY!!”

Sometimes, as women, we just KNOW that something is off, but we don’t have any exact reason for saying so.

Dr. Tami helped me get my hormones tested and helped me understand what was happening with my body… why my moods and periods were wacky.. why I was tired in the afternoon… whew!!

What I love about her is that she GENUINELY wants to help women feel AMAZING.

She recently posted about her Get Glowing Liver Cleanse and I figured, you know, I have NOT been taking the best care of myself (and possibly having a few too many social drinks) and maybe my liver could use a little jump start.

I could tell, that my skin has been a little less “glowy” and my digestion hasn’t been fantastic, so I got going on this cleanse.

I’m just a few days in, but I can tell you right away some things that I LOVE

This doesn’t feel “restrictive”- I still get to eat, I just know I need to clean it up!
I feel like I’m really doing SELF-CARE. I love the shower and skin scrubbing part!!
It’s pretty easy!! I just take out my supplements for the day and remember to drink more water
My skin is already clearing up and feeling less itchy.. yay!

One thing Dr. Tami mentioned to me was the juicing; how it is suggested but not mandatory. She doesn’t want people to beat themselves up for not doing it every day.

I have to say, THAT right there instantly made me feel less guilt, and like I am still doing my body a lot of good, even if its not “perfect”

I feel like I can actually incorporate this into my life maybe once a quarter and there will definitely be enough product to do so!
I’m excited to see and feel the results in the next week and a half!!

Filed Under: Challenges, Featured, Product Reviews, Real Talk Tagged With: challenges, clean eating, Cleanse, goals, metabolism, real talk, truth, weight-loss, weightloss

Depression and the Holidays

December 11, 2014 By The Sweaty Betties 5 Comments

I don’t know if you have been following me for a few years or we just met, but last year was a crazy whirlwind of travel, speaking engagements, meetings and fun…

BUT when it was all over.. I CRASHED….. hard.
I actually haven’t talked about this, except for a few close friends and my husband… but last December, I was suicidal.

IT WAS INTENSE. AWFUL. SAD. FRIGHTENING.

You see, I had just been traveling for 3 months straight, I hosted a workshop with some amazing women, but I had burned the candle at both ends (again) and unbeknownst to me, I was also severely hypothyroid.

All I wanted was to be home and resting.. but I still had a business to run and I felt like I had SO much to catch up on after being away so long!

I couldn’t explain WHY I started to think I sucked the biggest balls in the world and I was worthless… because I loved my life, my husband, all the success… but I FELT LIKE KILLING MYSELF.

I just didn’t think I was making a difference.

I thought I should just quit now because I wasn’t where I wanted to be.

I had a million thoughts racing in my head about hating the holidays and not being worthy and on and on and on!!

Honestly, it got to the point, where I wanted to get away because we own guns and I was afraid of what I could do…but I was equally afraid to go anywhere because all I could think of while driving was to pull the wheel into oncoming traffic.

It was THAT. BAD.

I’m telling you this, not to make you feel sorry for me, or freak you out… but maybe just to raise awareness.
I DID end up getting some help (my sweet hubby just dragged me with him to work for a day or two so I wouldn’t be alone)

Then we took an amazing trip to Belize to focus on others rather than myself.

I got some blood work done, started on new thyroid medication and also some supplements to help my brain stabilize, but one thing I learned was that it is VERY COMMON to have major depressive episodes around the holidays.

When I started to really look back on the years, I realized I sort of had a pattern of mild to severe depression during December for a number of years.

SO WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH YOU??

Well…. I’m sharing my story because maybe you feel this way too and don’t know why… or maybe you have a friend out there, who suddenly got quiet and you figure she’s just busy, but might be going through the very same thing.

I think it is so important that we scoop each other up this holiday season.
Something about the cold, the family stuff (when maybe you didn’t have the best family growing up) can leave many people lonely, depressed and anxious.

Take a look around and maybe just do a quick check in with some friends; “Hey! How are things going?” … and wait…. and listen…..
You could just save someones life.

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured, Real Talk

6 Morning Habits That Will Set You Up For a Wildly Alive Day

November 22, 2014 By The Sweaty Betties 1 Comment

** guest post

Something I hear from my clients often is that around two or three every afternoon, they start to

feel exhausted. They feel worn down, and they reach for some afternoon caffeine or sugar to

perk them up. Hours later, they feel exhausted again. It’s a vicious cycle. I tell them a secret

I’m here to let you in on today –

If you’re feeling worn out every afternoon, it’s because you’re starting your morning off in fight or

flight mode! Think about it – you wake up, you check your phone, and you rush around getting

ready while you run over your mental checklist of all the things you need to get finished that day.

You feel stressed and defeated before you even walk out the door!

Here’s the thing – the first hour of your day sets the tone for how your entire day will go! You

want to feel productive? Have energy for that post-work workout? Avoid sugar cravings in the

afternoon? The key is setting yourself up for a wildly alive day within minutes of waking up.

Here’s how both my coaching clients and myself start our days off on the best possible tone –

Cuddle your loved ones

When your alarm goes off, spend a few moments snuggling with your partner, your pets, your

kids – whoever you share a bed with! Wake up slowly, soak in the love of the people you share

your home with, and be thankful.

Talk with the Universe

Spend a few moments visualizing how you’d like your day to go. Say some prayers for yourself

and others. Mentally review all of the things you have to be grateful for. In my program, my

clients make goal cards that I encourage them to review at this time, but you can do the same

thing by spending time thinking about what your long term goals are, and what small actions you

can take today to reach them. It’s all about putting good juju out for yourself and the people you

love!

Keep your phone out of reach

It only adds stress to your morning to begin checking email, Facebook and text messages as

soon as you wake up. Wait until you’ve moved through your morning routine and are feeling

nourished, reenergized and ready to face the day before looking at a screen.

Boil a pot of water

Instead of jumping right into your morning coffee drinking, boil some hot water and add a slice of

fresh lemon. Hot lemon water is a soothing, detoxifying way to get your body moving every

morning. For an added detoxifying boost, add some cayenne pepper to the mix.

Make breakfast a priority

After going without food for 8-10 hours, your body needs to be refueled! I tell my clients to focus

on eating a healthy, nourishing breakfast within ninety minutes of waking up. If you wait much

longer, your body will begin craving sugars, caffeine and other not-so-healthy foods, setting you

up for a day of poor choices and irritable behavior.

Have fun getting ready

Enjoy getting ready for your day by first taking a relaxing shower. While you’re standing under

the warm water, imagine all of the stress of the day before melting off of your body and washing

down the drain. Once you’re feeling clean and refreshed, spend some time jamming to your

favorite uplifting music. Put on makeup, choose clothes that make you feel great, and do your

hair. My clients hear from me all the time that when you feel fabulous, you make fabulous

choices in your day!

Nichole Kellerman wants to live in a world where women actually enjoy the process of losing

weight and connecting with their bodies.

When she’s not fearlessly (but lovingly) pushing her clients into the lifestyle they dream of, you’ll

find her laughing with friends, connecting with nature and loving up on her boyfriend and two

dogs.

Her business, Wildly Alive Weight Loss, is for women who want to stop dieting and re-frame

their minds so they can reshape their bodies. Her teachings are like nothing you’ve ever heard.

Discover how you can lose weight by feeling #WildlyAlive at WildlyAliveWeightLoss.com.

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured, Motivation, Real Talk Tagged With: challenges, coffee, danny j, expert personal trainer, fitness, goals, inspiration, mornings, real talk, the sweaty betties, toning, weight-loss, weightloss

How to use a foam roller

February 8, 2014 By The Sweaty Betties 1 Comment

Foam Rollers are a great form of Self-Myofascial Release.

You may see many in the gym, white, blue, grey, bumpy ones, smooth ones and people rolling around like its fun

(I’m telling you, its not! LOL)

Foam rolling helps relieve muscle soreness and tension, loosens knots, allivates IT Band syndrome and helps with full range of motion and increasing mobility.
Its one of those love/hate things. I’ll be honest… its hard to “not be a bitch” when I’m lying on one… I whine, cry and all but curse my mother.

But afterward… wow! I’m a new woman!
Here are a few techniques I use and teach my clients for IT band, inner thighs, upper back, traps, lats and even feet for plantar fascitis.

The foam roller I use in this video is from The Pro Unit
*I am not a paid affiliate for The Pro Unit

Filed Under: Featured, Real Talk Tagged With: danny j, expert personal trainer, fitness, fitness expert, foam rolling, goals, how to foam roll, how to help ease soreness, how to loosen muscle knots, how to use a foam roller, IT Band, IT Band syndrome, personal trainer, plantar fascitis, plantar fascitis relief, self myofascial release, shin splints, sweaty betties, the sweaty betties, training

How can I get rid of loose skin on my belly?

January 9, 2014 By The Sweaty Betties 118 Comments

this picture is more likely a candidate for a tummy tuck ** always consult a board certified plastic surgeon and get more than one opinion**

I get emails with training and diet questions all the time. I also get this question (or version of it a lot)

<<<Q: I used to be a size 18 and now am a size 2. I eat clean, weight train and do cardio, but I still have this loose skin. How can I tighten my belly?? (or I have loose skin after pregnancy)>>>

these stretch marks will not go away, but her skin most likely will still tighten more

There are many factors

*age

*amount of weight lost

*how long you were overweight

*how fast you gained the weight

*how fast you lost the weight

……….and a lot of genetics.

Some people gain and lose a ton of weight and have hardly any issues while others are covered in stretch marks and are trying to fix that sagging skin.

You can cry about it or just learn what you can do and accept what you can’t.

There are tips for preventing stretch marks; like cocoa butter and moisturizing, but honestly, if you’re bodies’ genetics are likely to get stretchmarks, no amount of cocoa butter is going to stop that. At this point, the damage is done. So….what is my answer for what you can do?

Assuming you already eat clean, lift-weights and “do what you’re supposed to”…. you may not like the answer.

Preparation-H does not work.

Saran Wrap does not work.

Crunches, reverse crunches, planks or any abdominal exercise you can think of will not work.

There are a few lasers (usually very painful, expensive, and not largely effective) that are available that MAY have some effect on small areas or small amounts of skin “wrinkling”

this picture is more likely a candidate for a tummy tuck ** always consult a board certified plastic surgeon and get more than one opinion**

The only true thing that can actually get RID of loose skin is a tummy tuck.

They actually CUT. IT. OFF.

Even this only works if you have a significant amount of skin…. annnnnnnnd $8-$10k and about 3 months to recover.

Sooooo– the BEST thing you can do is: love yourself, don’t stress over it (its probably worse in your head) and think of it as a symbol of your hard work or your souvenir of your beautiful child or your hard work on losing the weight.

Surgery is a personal choice but realize that if you aren’t ok inside, it’s not going to fix everything. That being said, if you worked hard, there’s no reason you should be held back because of some loose skin.

Whatever you choose, be ok with that.

I would never judge and I’d be in line for a tummy-tuck if I worked my ass off to lose a bunch of weight and it was really bothering me.

We don’t all look/stay young forever.

Just be strong, be healthy, be beautiful.
and sorry I wish I had some better tips… but I am here to tell you the truth, not what you want to hear. Please Leave your comments!

you are MORE than some silly scars :)

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured, Real Talk, Uncategorized Tagged With: abs, clean eating, danny j, fitfluential, fitness, healthy, inspiration, loose skin, nutrition, pregnancy, Q&A, real talk, surgery, sweaty betties, the sweaty betties, training, truth, weightloss

Working in Moore

July 24, 2013 By The Sweaty Betties Leave a Comment

Manual, outdoor labor is probably the best workout that anyone could have. I would like to think even that THIS is why I train. I have never had to lift so many things, squat, carry, and breathe hard, as I have this week.
When I say I earned my sleep, I EARNED my sleep. Pure physical exhaustion and it felt soooo good!

I didn’t go out to help with the tornado clean-up to toot my own horn or try and look like a saint. (All y’all know, I cuss and I’m inappropriate and I’m no Stepford Wife)
However, I have been helped many times in my life and I think one of my gifts is that I am very empathetic. When someone hurts, I hurt. I try to put myself in others shoes and I couldn’t imagine being in the shoes of the people who lost homes (and even loved ones) and had no help.
The mess in Moore, Oklahoma was overwhelming, to say the least…. and this is 8 weeks AFTER the fact! I love when people go on mission trips to other countries and to help people in need, but I find its very important to help our own neighbors when we can.

I was able to stop by the school that was leveled and where 7 children were killed. They had 7 crosses for them and their toys below them. I spent a few minutes reading the messages and I cried. I also heard about the animals that were injured and I will post a picture below that is a little graphic, but the horse lived and the pic below is the same horse, healing.

My volunteer group. A few Sweaty Betties and a few new friends

outside the elementary school that was blown away and 7 children were killed

me during some very labor intensive debris removal. I was drenched in sweat!

the fence around the school site. So many notes, flags, toys, etc.

a house who had roof damage from the tornado and then it collapsed from a storm the night I was there.

WARNING– IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH– DO NOT SCROLL ANY FARTHER

This photo was provided to me by one of the Sweaty Betties. This was her friend’s horse. She mentioned how no one even thinks of the animals, but so many were hurt or killed or are in shelters because they were lost.
I cringe looking at this photo, but the good news is that she is healed and lived. This just really illustrates the power of those winds and the storm.

This horse is doing better now. I can’t help but be amazed that she lived!

Filed Under: Adventure, Blogs, Featured, Real Talk, Travel