This is the biggest I have ever been in my life, I know I know I was pregnant and this was two days before my daughter was born. But I don’t want to be this person anymore. Every day is a struggle, its hard for me to just get motivation to go work out sometimes or make myself something healthy to eat. But I have to be stronger than my strongest excuse I have to be a better me and healthier me for my two little ones. I wasn’t able to start working out right away after my daughter was born I was having a few health issues related to pregnancy and I was having severe panic attacks and anxiety. It was a lot for me, but I have been working on myself and becoming a healthier me. So I can keep up with my 6 year old and 3 month old lol, they are a lot sometimes but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I love being their mommy.

These pictures were about a 1 month and a 1/2 since the baby and me starting to go back to the gym. It is a little progress but not much a little progress each day adds up to big results.

and these are me currently, I am down 36 lbs from my heaviest weight and only 14 lbs away from pre-pregnancy weight. I still have a lot more progress to make to get to my ultimate goal of being 180 to 160 that is supposed to be my current body mass index(BMI). Everyday is a struggle for me, I have body positive issues, confidence issues, anxiety, stress, depression, health issues, I am a hot mess right now lol at least I am a hot mess and not a cold one. lol Some days I wake up with no energy and I just want to stay in bed under the covers and just lye there and not move. But I force myself to get up and get my 6 year ready for school and drop her off. Them I head home and the whole way home I am arguing with myself about going to the gym. A millions reasons why I shouldn’t go to workout start to run through my head and sometimes I just give in and let the inner fattie win and I don’t go. I have a real lack of motivation, and I just chill at home on the couch with my 3 month old. I am currently on maternity leave and I go back to work in about two weeks and I need to get myself together I need to stop beating myself up. I need to find my motivation again I need to be healthier mind, body and soul. Today I said out loud I am going to the gym  and then I was struggling and fighting with myself about not going and the old me almost won when I said I am not going after all. Then my husband said why aren’t you going to the gym? You need to go you know you are just going to yell at yourself and beat yourself up about not going. And something clicked in me he was right so I got off my butt and I went back to the gym and worked out for an hour. I love that I have someone to support me and kick my butt into gear to get moving when I myself am struggling to get myself to go to the gym. He is my man crush Monday and my motivational and emotional support. When I myself have lost my own. I am not doing this for him or my kids, I am doing this for myself and trying to become my best healthiest self I can be for myself and my little family. Everyday is a struggle, and its hard to find the motivation. I have to move past that and stop beating myself up about being overweight and start doing something about it. You can’t get what you want by sitting on your butt and doing nothing about it and just wishing and dreaming about it. You have to get off your butt and go do something about it and work hard toward your goals. You got this, I’ve got this it is going to happen I will will become a happier and healthier me.

-Retro Rebel Girl

Monday, maybe this day is not one of your favorites, but never forget that everyday you wake up is an amazing gift and it’s up to you to make it count. Mindful Monday start the week off right. Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different. Enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes, which it will. Being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way, which it won’t People don’t realize that now is all there ever is, there is no past of future except as a memory or anticipation in your mind. Ways to practice mindfulness in your daily life, focus intently on the task at hand. Observe your thoughts and feelings without judging them. Take 5 minutes several times a day to close your eyes and breathe. Walk outside, close your eyes and listen to the sounds of nature. Notice when your mind is in the past or future, and gently return to the present. Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It’s a way of entering the quiet. It’s a way of entering the quiet that’s already there buried under the 50,000 thoughts the average person thinks every day.

Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment non-judgmentally. De-clutter your mind by accepting what is, be kind to yourself. Release your guilt and fears. Let go of control and visualize what’s important to you. Focus on your life-force energy. Allow yourself to be vulnerable and find what doesn’t serve or interest you and let it go. Deep breathes are like little love notes to your body. The next time you start having a bad day, stop everything, and notice what you’ve been thinking. Bring yourself into the present moment. Touch the fabric on your clothes. Run your hand over a smooth surface. Breathe fully choose one thing to be grateful for. This simple process normalizes blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing and will turn a bad day into a good one. Your mind will always believe everything you tell it. Feed it faith, feed it truth and feed it with love. Do not lose yourself in the past. Do not lose yourself in the future. Do not get caught in your anger, worries, or fears. Come back to the present moment and touch life deeply. This is mindfulness.

Mindfulness is to pay attention in a particular way on purpose, at the present time and without judging. Just slow down, slow down your speech. Slow down your breathing, slow down your walking, slow down your eating and let this slower, steadier pace perfume your mind. Just slow down.Mindful people do things differently. They don’t believe their thoughts and they don’t take them all that seriously. They don’t try to avoid or deny emotions. They understand that all things come and go. They do one thing at a time. They turn everyday tasks into mindful moments. They practice being curious and they get outdoors and embrace the beauty of nature. They enjoy every bite when they eat and they slow down when reading and truly take the information in. They are fully present when listening without trying to control or judge. They take mini- breaks every hour or so when working or studying. They laugh at themselves and they focus on what they’re doing. They challenge existing beliefs and they nourish their bodies. Approach everyday things with curiosity and savor them. Forgive your mistakes, big or small.

Show gratitude for good moments and grace for bad ones. Practice compassion and nurture connections. Make peace with imperfection, inside and out.  Embrace vulnerability by trusting others and themselves. Accept and appreciate that things come and go. Stay mindful throughout your day by breath, connect with nature, learn to focus and eat well. Slow down, reset with breaks, let go of emotions, release and just stop. Connect with your senses. You are responsible for what you hold in your mind, not for what goes through it. Your goal is not to battle with the mind, but to witness the mind. Mindfulness practice means that we commit fully in each moment to be present inviting ourselves to interface with this moment in full awareness, with the intention to embody as best we can an orientation of calmness, mindfulness, and equanimity right here and right now. I keep my mind focused on peace, harmony, health, love and abundance. Then, I can’t be distracted by doubt, anxiety, or fear. So be mindful in all that you do.

-Retro Rebel Girl

When gratitude becomes your default setting life changes. Gratitude helps you fall in love with the life you already have. Those who have the ability to be grateful are the ones who have the ability to achieve greatness. Gratitude blocks toxic emotions such as envy, resentment, regret and depression which can destroy happiness. It’s impossible to feel envious and grateful at the same time. We must never forget the importance of gratitude. Say thank you when your heart is full and when it breaks and when you are alone and sad and when you dance with joy. When things are lost and found  again day and night. Give thanks for this incredibly beautiful , tragic gift called life. Gratitude is a choice, a practice and an attitude. If you want to find happiness find gratitude. What differences does gratitude make? It helps to lessen your anxiety, it can help to decrease your depression. It helps you to be more self accepting and helps you to have more energy. It increases forgiveness and helps you to have greater happiness in your life. Three things to know about gratitude, one is gratitude is a choice. We can choose to be grateful. Secondly gratitude is practice. Train your mind to see good in every situation and lastly gratitude is attitude. The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become. A few ways to practice gratitude are by starting a gratitude journal, by writing a thank you note. Meditate and verbalize your appreciation. Set an intention to be grateful in the morning. Four gratitude phrases to verbalize are 1.Today I’m thankful for (thing). 2. My favorite part of the day was… 3. I feel joy when…. 4. I am grateful for…. (person). Gratitude shields you from negativity, makes you at least 25% happier. It rewires your brain, eliminates stress, heals and improves sleep.  It helps to boost your self-esteem and performance, enhances the law of attraction and improves your relationships.

Gratitude in advance is the most powerful creative force in the universe. Gratitude like faith is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it grows and the more power you have to use it on  your behalf. If you do not practice gratefulness, it’s benefaction will go unnoticed and your capacity to draw on it’s gifts will be diminished.  To be grateful is to find blessings in everything. This is the most powerful attitude to adopt, for there are blessing in everything. When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears. Gratitude is short for great attitude, happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude. Gratitude should not be just a reaction to getting what you want, but an all the time gratitude, the kind where you notice the little things and where you constantly look for the good, even in unpleasant situations. Start bringing gratitude to your experiences, instead of waiting for a positive experience in order to feel grateful. Sometimes we should express our gratitude for the small things like the scent of rain, the taste of your favorite food, or the sound of a loved ones voice. Gratitude is deeper than thanks. thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words, gratitude is shown in acts. There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy. Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind. In ordinary life we hardly realize that we received a great deal more than we give and it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich. We can lift ourselves and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude.

A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles. Gratitude turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity. It makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. Life is beautiful see thru the eyes of gratitude. It’s not happiness that brings us gratitude, it’s gratitude that brings us happiness. Gratitude is one of the most powerful human emotions. Once expressed it changes attitude, brightens outlook, and broadens our perspective. appreciate where you are in your journey even if it’s not where you want to be. Every season serves a purpose. Develop an attitude of gratitude and give thanks for everything that happens to you. Knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation. I am grateful for all the goodness in my life. I give thanks for all the good that I have and all the good things to come. I am now dissolving all negative, limiting beliefs. I forgive myself for any and all mistakes I have made. I trust my own process, i deserve to be healthy and feel good. I am grateful for every gift that I receive. i attract only peace into my life. I am grateful for every blessing the universe has and will ever create for me. I am grateful for where i’m at and excited about where i’m going. Have an attitude of gratitude in all that you do.

Retro Rebel Girl

One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. It’s not about perfect, it’s about effort and when you bring that effort every single day. That’s where transformation happens. That’s how change occurs. We all succumb to negative self talk, challenge yourself to love the very things that give you doubt. Today is not just another day. It’s a new opportunity, another chance, a new beginning, embrace it. If you aren’t willing to work for it, don’t complain about not having it. I am in charge of how I feel and today I am choosing happiness. Your not going to master the rest of your life in one day, just relax , master the day. Then just keep doing that every day. Just take time to make your soul happy. Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway. Your life is your message to the world. Make sure it’s inspiring . Healthy doesn’t mean only eating salad, healthy isn’t a measure of weight. Being healthy is mind, body and spirit.  Everyone’s version of healthy will look different, and that’s a beautiful thing. Exercise is a blessing, not a chore. I workout because I am grateful I physically can. You must do the thing you think you cannot do. Your best weight is whatever weight you reach when you’re living the healthiest life you enjoy and you feel good doing it. Eat clean, stay fit and have a burger to stay sane. Healthy is an outfit that looks different on everyone. It’s not what you say out your mouth that determines your life, it’s what you whisper to yourself that has the most power. Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally. It comes from what you do consistently. Embrace failure, missteps and roadblocks are inevitable but are ultimately an opportunity to learn, pivot, and go after your goals with new perspective. Be the change you wish to see in the world. A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by actions makes your dreams come true. Strength doesn’t come from what you can do it comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t. A tiny change today brings a dramatically different tomorrow. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. Here’s to a year of better habits, positive thinking, clean eating and most of all loving yourself. Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle. At the end of the day who you are is totally and completely up to you. Get up move your body and go exercise to become the bad ass that you want to be.

Retro Rebel Girl

Whatever you decide to do in life, make sure it makes you happy. We can complain because a rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses. give this world good energy, radiate positive vibes. Love yourself then figure out how to spill a little of that over on someone else. Believe you deserve it and the universe will serve it. Do everything with so much love in your heart that you would never want to do it any other way.  Here are a few ways you can spread positive energy and feel fantastic. First, make your first thought of your day a positive one. Your first thought of the day will dictate how the next 12-18 hours turn out. Choose enthusiasm, think enthusiastically, talk excitedly, be passionate by acting passionately. Your thinking and actions set up your level of awesomeness for you. Always offer a smile, a smile indicates you are glad to be alive and happy to be with the other person. A real smile radiates interest, positivity, and happiness. Be the bearer of good news. Good news promotes good will, it also spreads positivity and joy. Always aim to make people you talk to feel better than they did before they met you. Visualize, close your eyes before you try to do anything and envision yourself doing it well and with ease. Visualize yourself doing everything you need to do to get a job done well with great success. Talk you yourself, what we think about is 100% reflected in our feelings and actions. If we all think about negative thoughts, our feelings and actions will be negative. Ask yourself if specific thoughts are helping you. If not ask yourself how you can change those thoughts. take time to understand , bring encouragement, optimism, and hope to every person yopu meet. Help others feel comfortable, spread happiness and love. Take time to learn about the wishes and desires of others. Be understanding, caring, accepting and forgiving. Do not judge others because they do things differently to you, instead take an interest and you might learn something new. Having a glow of positive energy around you will help you achieve your goals and make you feel much more content with life in general.

The ability to be optimistic in difficult times makes people feel invincible to a point. If you add up your blessings and spread positive energy around you, your strides will feel much more stable and focused. It is how you handle the tricky roads that determine your strength. If you  are positive, you’ll see opportunities instead of obstacles. Smile more, complain less, want more, talk less, love more, argue less, hope more, fear less, live more, worry less, focus more, cry less, laugh more and work less. Your energy introduces you before you even speak. I choose to be strong in the hearts of those around me by radiating positivity through encouraging supportive words and my humor. Kindness is the sunshine in which virtue grows. Life is like a camera just focus on what’s important and capture the good times develop from the negatives and if things don’t work out just take another shot. I am supported by the universe as it brings me endless opportunities for growth. Say thank you, be grateful , keep your promises, help others and don’t wine. Today I choose to be grateful for everything I have, kind to myself and others. Happy to be alive, present here and now. happiness is a direction not a place. What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for. Find joy in your journey, radiate positive vibes. Don’t trip over what is behind you. Think happy thoughts, you are going to be okay. When we train our minds to radiate positive view points, we will see positive results in our lives. A negative mind will never give you a positive life. Luxury to me is not about buying expensive things, its about living in a way where you  appreciate things. Positive thinking evokes more energy more initiative and more happiness.

You have a choice each and every single day. I choose to feel blessed. I choose to feel grateful. I choose to be excited. I choose to be thankful. I choose to be happy. I choose to radiate positivity. Radiate positive vibes, whether you think you can or think you can’t you’re right. A positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible , and achieves the impossible. The goal is to build up the wall of positivity so high around you that no matter what negativity comes your way it can’t get through but bounces off and no longer affects your well being. You may remember a beautiful soul forever. People remember how you make them feel. The energy you give the universe is what you receive. I radiate love and attract the same. Everything around us is made up of energy. To attract positive things in your life, start by giving off positive energy.

Retro Rebel Girl

My plan for today is to count my blessings, let go of what I can’t control, pursue my purpose, share kindness and give love. The key to happiness is to focus on the positive. Live in the moment, laugh in the moment and love every moment of your life. Today will never come again. Ba a blessing, be a friend, encourage someone. Take time to care, let your words heal, and not wound. There is always something to be thankful for. Live in gratitude. When you are thankful for what you have, you are always rewarded more. Today is thankful Thursday and I am thankful for so many things in my life. I am thankful for my life, my health, my friends and family and for a roof over my head. Did you know gratitude shields you from negativity, makes you at least 25% happier. It rewires your brain, eliminates stress, heals, improves your sleep. It boosts your self esteem and performance, enhances the law of attraction and improves relationships. Be thankful and grateful today and every day.  Today is your day do what you love. Today be thankful and think how rich you are. Your family is priceless, your time is gold, and your health is wealth. Life is nothing without gratitude. Gratitude turns what we have into enough and more. Because when you stop and look around life is pretty amazing. Start each day with a thankful heart. Your hard work will pay off. The right people will show up and your dreams will come true. Never let the things you want make you forget the things you have.

-Retro Rebel Girl

It is wellness Wednesday today, take care of yourself, stay refreshed and stress less. Your health is an investment not an expense. It’s never too earl or too late to work towards being the healthiest you. You can’t give of yourself unless you have something to give. The biggest disability is thinking you can’t do something before you’ve ever tried. Enjoy all you’ve got while it’s here and now. Stay focused , keep evolving and follow your heart. Rise above drama and negativity, love more and stress less. May you always be guided by your heart , lifted by your spirit and strengthened by your soul. Today be present in all things and thankful for all things. Make self-care a priority. When you take good care of “you”, the people in your life will get the best of you rather than what’s left of you. Eat well, move daily, hydrate often, sleep lots, love your body, repeat for life. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, you just have to take the first step and one step at a time. Here are five wellness breaks you can start to help you with self-care:

1.Take a 3-5 minute mindfulness meditation break.

2. Take a walking break 5-20 minutes you decide.

3. Take a socializing break, preferably with someone who makes you smile.

4. Take an appreciation break, write a thank you note.

5.Take a stretching break, your body will thank you.

Aim to be the absolute most best version of yourself. Forget the old you and focus on being the best new you. What most people don’t understand is the gym is therapy. Working out makes me feel good. A lot of people seem to think that the gym is only for becoming physically stronger, getting shredded or packing on muscle. This could not be further from the truth at least for me. I go to the gym because it’s truly my kind of therapy. It’s where I can stop all the thoughts rushing around my head from whatever goes on in the outside world and focus on one thing going beast mode. Pushing my mind and body to the limit makes me feel good in a way that nothing else can, insanely good. The physical benefits are a nice bonus, not gonna lie about that. But no I don’t primarily go there to simply look better, I go there to feel better. So take care of your mind, body and soul they are all that you got.

Retro Rebel Girl

 

Hey all Happy #Fitnessfriday

I thought I would share with you all what I keep in my gym and what I find essential must haves for me when I go to the gym. First off you have to have a gym bag, I got my bag at my local target its called 18″ Yoga Duffle Bag Purple-c9 champion. Here is  a link https://www.target.com/p/18-yoga-duffle-bag-purple-c9-champion-174/-/A-51188605 to it if you like it and also a picture.
Now onto what I pack in it for the gym, I don’t put gym clothes or shoes in my bag because I go to the gym dressed because my gym is literally down the street from house I could probably walk there exercise and walk home lol. But I also hate using public showers and changing in front of strangers it gives me to much anxiety. So I use the locker room just to lock up my bag and important stuff while I work out. Anyways that was a random tangent back to what I pack. I usually put two extra bottled waters in my bag because I carry an empty water bottle and or a shaker bottle to mix my pre workout and then another for my post work out protein shakes. If I don’t have preworkout I will drink a Bang energy drink.

Then I also have my thermo flask or some other type of water bottle with me full of water for when I exercise. I got a two pack at Costco.

I carry my pre workout and post workout protein shakes in a Jaxx powder container with funnel I got mine from the vitamin shoppe here is a link https://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/bodytech-jaxx-powder-container-funnel-1-bottle/vs-0058 and a picture

I also pack a protein bar or some sort of healthy snack for after my workout, a girl can get hungry after a intense workout lol. I also make sure to pack my ear buds or head phones. I have the samsung galaxy buds in white you can get them here https://www.samsung.com/my/wearables/galaxy-buds-r170/SM-R170NZWAXME/

or I use my Jaybird x3 in ear wireless bluetooth sports headphones sweatproof in Alpha Green. You can find them here on amazon https://www.amazon.com/Jaybird-Wireless-Bluetooth-Sports-Headphones/dp/B01MECNLU5

I hate wired headphones the cord always gets in the way and they accidentally get pulled out of my ears. That is why I love wireless bluetooth ones. Next up is my phone so I can play my favorite music. I have a Samsung Galaxy s10+ in Flamingo Pink.

 

Next up I have a gym lock for the locker that’s important so you can lock up all your valuables and gym bag in a locker. I also bring a Nike lean waist pack to hold my phone while I work out. I have a black and a neon yellow one so depending on my cute gym outfit I can color coordinate I know that sounds dumb but it makes me feel good and want to workout.

I also have a pair of workout gloves for when I’m lifting weights I can get a better grip. I bought a pair at target. https://www.target.com/p/c9-champion-174-women-s-gloves-xs/-/A-51468471?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google&fndsrc=tmnv&DFA=1&CPNG=PLA_DVM%2B0060H00000n8mPjQAI-SG-Q2-AlwaysOn-AO-Ext-Search-May-2019-Flight&adgroup=PLA_SG-1&LID=700000001393753pgs&network=g&device=c&location=1013976&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxvjM2Oiw4wIVEf5kCh3uGQbMEAQYASABEgKMb_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Also I wear my Samsung Gear Fit2 watch to keep track of my heart rate, steps and calories burned. I got mine off amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Smart-Fitness-Liquid-SM-R365NZKNXAR/dp/B074G3L3QP/ref=asc_df_B074G3L3QP/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309857271969&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17542781995386810727&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1013976&hvtargid=pla-520993422693&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=62393607275&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=309857271969&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17542781995386810727&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1013976&hvtargid=pla-520993422693

I also wear a silicon ring in place of my wedding rings so they won’t get messed up while lifting weights. I got mine from Qalo https://qalo.com/collections/silicone-rings/products/qalo-womens-pacific-opal-bead-stackable-silicone-ring

I also carry some lip balm, deodorant, extra hair ties, a baseball hat, brush, hand sanitizer, girl products, towel, makeup bag, a jump rope and resistance bands.  My wallet, keys and gym membership card. It is quite a bit of stuff but it’s the products I love and use.

Retro Rebel Girl

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored I purchased all these products with my own money and everything I said is my own opinion, these are products I use every time I workout out and love.

 

For wellness Wednesday I wanted to share 7 routines to help clear your mental clutter.

1. Take in regular exercise whether it be a sport you love and you reserve that time for yourself, go to the gym, a hike. Just find something to do that you love that helps you to be active and exercise.
2. Meditate every day, Take 10 minutes out of your day each day to reflect on your feelings, thoughts and emotions. Get your mindset from a negative to positive. Push out the negative and let in the positive thoughts.
3. Create a daily routine, a routine means less decision and less clutter in your day.
4. Act with awareness. By Bringing intentions into your actions you will know why you are making each and every choice.
5. Set goals and priorities, Prioritize your goals in life and act on them accordingly. Having goals in your life to strive for can give your life purpose and meaning.
6. Make lists to clear the clutter in your mind. You can use journals, diaries or paper and pencil to make you lists. They can be to do list or whatever important things you need to list and free up the clutter in your mind.
7. Tidy your home, a tidy home is a tidy mind, also try to reduce the clutter in your home. By de-cluttering your home space it will help to reduce your stress and make you feel happy and less chaotic.

 

Retro Rebel Girl

 

Eight things you need to remember when going through tough times.

1. Everything can and will change
2. You’ve overcome challenges before.
3. It’s a learning experience.
4. Not getting what you want can be a blessing.
5. Allow yourself to have some fun.
6. Being kind to yourself is the best medicine.
7. Other people’s negativity isn’t worth worrying about.
8. And there is always, always something to be thankful for.