Do not compete with others; compete with yourself!

This is an idea that I believe is genius! As a female under 140 pounds, you are supposed to consume between 1300-1500 calories a day. In order to lose weight quickly, consuming 1200 calories and burning around half of that each day, will give you the results you need. I keep saying "today is the day I am going to start eating better and working out." Isn't that what everyone says? Well, this idea makes it very simple to stick to your plan.

Find a bin, decorate it if you wish, and put in food that is only 100 calories each. Putting 12 items will add up to 1200 calories, forcing you to only consume that many calories, and having the opportunity to possibly eat less. Also, keep in mind that smoothies are also a perfect snack to lose weight and be healthy. Filling your smoothies with ingredients like honey, peanut butter, protein powder, and greek yogurt, are great ways to boost your smoothie and allow for ultimate weight loss. Then, plan in trips to the gym and at home work outs!

Working out at home can be easy, especially with limited space, equipment and time. If you are in a rush, hate doing the typical work out moves, and do not want to spend money on equipment, I suggest you buy the Zumba DVD's! They are around $60 for a set of 4 DVD, also including a work out plan for each day of the week. Although you have to spend this money, there is no equipment required and you can use this to replace the gym (saving you money). If money is not an issue, than this DVD can be a great way to continue your work out from the gym, or alternate days of going to the gym and staying at home.

TIP ---> If you choose a day of the week (lets say Mondays) and you only consume 3 smoothies, one for breakfast, one for lunch, and one for dinner, than you will lose 2 pounds over night!! Do this once a week, on top of working out and eating healthy, and you will lose weight very quickly! Here is my diet/exercise plan:

Mondays:
Breakfast - "My perfect smoothie" (ingredients in my first post)
Go to the gym and use the bicycle for an hour
Lunch - "Peanut Butter/Banana" smoothie (substitue last recipe for strawberries & blueberries)
1000 calorie burning exercises (will post soon) OR zumba dvd
Dinner - "Spinach/Mango" smoothie (substitue last recipe for strawberries & blueberries, minus honey)
*sometimes because of work, I skip the gym and double my afternoon exercises*

Tuesday - Saturday:
Breakfast options-  Non-fat Greek yogurt & coffee, grapefruit, 100 calorie cottage cheese, smoothie
Lunch options - Apples & peanut butter, half a ham & havarti sandwich, banana, smoothie
1000 calorie burning exercises OR zumba dvd
Dinner - Grilled chicken, zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli, fresh cut strawberries, rice
*eggs are always a good option for anytime of the day*

Sunday: free day! (don't go overboard)

Jewelry is a must

HiHo Silver ring - $35 (plus free engraving)

I recently received this ring from my mom for graduating from college. I have never been a fan of monogramed things, especially when it is all of your initials (mainly because mine would be MMI, which does not work well); however, I do like monogramming one initial. This ring is from HiHo Silver ($35) and free engraving! It is the perfect ring to wear on a daily basis, matches everything, and you can have it sized to fit your finger exactly.

I strongly believe women should have a few pieces of jewelry that mean something to them and try to wear every day. A wedding ring has a symbolic meaning of commitment and love for another person, where as other jewelry changes with your outfit, mood, or occasion. I have two rings, a watch, and my Chamilia bracelet I wear every day, each having a special meaning.

First post!

I wanted to dedicate my first post to finally perfecting my smoothie that is less than 100 calories! I have been on a crazy diet lately and decided to buy a Hamilton Beach smoothie maker (Target - $15). This little baby takes 3 seconds to mix together your favorite ingredients AND you can remove the top where it becomes a cup to drink out of (: It is super easy if you are busy and on the go! I have a 40+ hour work week, plus a side job, and this mixer makes it extremely simple to make a smoothie for breakfast, or even a quick lunch if you have time to go home on your lunch break.

Hamilton Beach smoothie maker - Target $15

My perfect smoothie:
- 4 frozen Welch strawberries
- a handful of frozen Welch blueberries
- 3 tbsp of Greek vanilla yogurt
- 1 tbsp of honey
- Protein powder
- Splash of almond milk
- Splash of water
& of course ice!

Mix together (: