Hello lovelies! Today I wanted to bring you an update on my Thrive 8 week experience. I spoke about Thrive a few weeks ago and got asked a lot of questions, so I figured it would be easiest to do an update on my own experience and answer questions. Let's to questions first.

What is Thrive?

Thrive is a 3 step lifestyle experience. It is not a diet. The three steps are done when you get up every morning. It starts with 2 vitamin supplements. 20-40 minutes later you have a shake loaded with probiotics and B vitamins. Once you are done with your shake you pop on your DFT patch and you are done! Nothing else needs to be done for the next 24 hours.

Is Thrive a diet?

Thrive is NOT a diet. It is a lifestyle supplement. Many people find Thrive helps them lose weight and feel better. This is mostly because it is so jam packed with good vitamins you feel more alert and full of energy.

Why should I take the 8 Week Experience?

You need to experience this product in its entirety to see how it effects you. You can take a 4 day sample but that may not be enough time for your to really get the full benefit of the products. Taking the 8 week experience lets you fully benefit from all the products.

I can't afford Thrive. Now what?

Thrive is fully attainable. Becoming a promoter definitely helps.  As a promoter if you have 2 customers on autoship your product is FREE every month. Most people claim using Thrive has saved them money because they are no longer eating out for breakfast and buying all the junk foods they used to throw in their carts. The average Thriver saves $14 - $28 a day.

 What benefits to do I get by becoming a Promoter?

Becoming a promoter is absolutely free. You are not required to make any purchases or meet any goals if you do not want to. If you decide to purchase the products or have customer orders you start a 2 week bonus time where you can make over $1000 in your first 2 weeks. Again this doesn't start until you become active and purchase and/or have customer orders. Promoting the experience allows you to qualify for things like i-Pad minis, lifestyle trips, and a CAR!

Thrive Overview

Thrive is for anybody and any body. Doesn't matter your age, your weight, your eating habits. Thrive is a different experience for everyone. Sign up as a customer today (it's free) or promoter today and stay up to date with all the exciting happenings of Thrive. I promote this product because I believe in this product. This is not about the earnings for me. It makes me feel amazing.

My Thrive Experience

I have been on the experience now for about 9 weeks. I have noticed my energy has gone through the roof. I don't feel as sluggish in the mornings and I have managed to ward off a lot of the sicknesses going around lately (Colds, flu, and stomach bugs to name a few). The other day I was at the gym and I got on the elliptical (my nemesis) and I couldn't believe when I looked down at my time and I had been on it for well over 30 minutes without and leg fatigue. I felt like I could go forever. I was also to the doctor for my 6 month check and I actually lost weight! I had been gaining weight each time they weighed me at the doctors. I was so excited to finally see a change. This stuff is pretty amazing and I can't imagine this wellness journey without it.

If you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me. Thanks again for taking the time to read about this. Have a great day!

I am so excited to do my first Step up Sunday today! I have made a goal for February to work on my fitness so this is a great motivator!

1. How many pounds did you gain or lose?
I weighed myself on Monday at work to start off this journey and failed to weigh myself Friday. I will edit this tomorrow with how much I lost/gained for the week.

2. How many inches did you gain or lose?
I’m not tracking my inches.

3. Your weekly exercise or step goal, and did you meet it? 
I try to make 10,000 steps a day and I have been falling short every day by like 1500 steps. I will have to pay more attention to my counter this week and meet that goal.

4. What was your biggest challenge this week?
I had a lot of dinner dates this week catching up with friends so I was not eating the healthiest.

5. What is your favorite healthy snack or meal?
I have been enjoying clementines. They give me a punch of energy at that 3 o'clock slump and they taste yummy.

Is it cold outside and you need a way to get warm? Was your day stressful and all you want to do is relax? Are your kids driving you up the wall and you wish you could escape? I may have a way to solve all of these problems. Bath Teas. Now you are probably sitting there scratching your head thinking, "What the heck is a bath tea?"


Well my friend you have come to the right place. Bath teas happen to be my new obsession (I also love tea the beverage). I have lived in my apartment for almost 2 full years and NEVER took a bath. That all changed over the holidays when a friend made me a lovely bath tea mixture. I have been missing out all these years. And the good news is, it's REALLY easy to make yourself! You can turn your own bathroom into a spa experience at a fraction of the cost.

Now I don't know about you but I look for herbs that are soothing and relaxing. I want my bath to make me feel relaxed and ready for dreamland. So with that in mind I went ahead and did the research for you (You can thank me later..) as to which herbs you want to incorporate into your luxurious at home spa experience.



The mix I have been using lately is full of lavender and rosemary mixed in with epson salts. Epson salts are a must in my bath because they are very helpful for sore muscles. If you need to relax, getting your muscles to relax is half the battle.

You don't have to stick to the herbs I recommended. There are all kinds of herbs you can use. My biggest reminder is to always check with the person you are purchasing the herbs from to make sure they are authentic and pure. Also keep in mind if you have any allergies to make sure something in an herb is not something that will irritate you.
 
Now that you have decided which herbs are right for you, you need to buy them. I have a little shop in my city that sells them, but if you are having trouble with that there are many places online to purchase. Just make sure you ask questions if you feel like something is off. Genuine sellers will always answer any questions or concerns you may have.

Once you have made the purchase you are one step closer to that luxurious spa experience. Now that you have your herbs, you need to mix them all together. A mason jar is always a good place to store your herbs. Mix in the "tea" with as much epson salt as you like. Once all mixed draw a bath.


You will need to steep the herbs just as you would in a cup of tea. For this purpose you can either steep the herbs ahead of time and infuse your bath water with it, or the method I use; a tea ball for loose tea. Another method you can try is cutting the end off of an old pair of panty hose and pour the herbs + epson salts in there. Make sure to tie it off at the end to ensure easy clean up at the end. Throw the tea ball (or panty hose)  into the tub and watch it brew before you eyes. Get yourself in that tub and enjoy the benefits of your home made tea! I soak for about 20 minutes and I'm ready for dreamland.


*Keep in mind I am not a doctor. None of the statements I made are from a medical stand point. Always use caution when using things new to your body. If you have concerns consult with your doctor.

I have recently taken up yoga. I am only a few classes in so I am not going to pretend like I am an expert by any means. I wanted to pass along some tips I would have found helpful before I went into my first class.


Tip #1: Always speak to your instructor prior to your first class about any medical or health issues you are currently going through. This can be both beneficial for you and the instructor. The instructor may be able to guide you into a class that works best for you and your needs.

Tip #2: Verify ahead of time if you need to provide your own mats or any other equipment that may be needed during class.  A lot of places today provide these either complimentary or for a small rental fee.  Never assume they are included in the class cost.

Tip #3: Wear comfortable, yet formfitting clothes. When I went into my first class I was wearing comfy clothes, however they were a little baggy in the legs and I kept getting caught on my pant legs in certain positions.

Tip #4: Leave your phone at home (Or at least turned off). The atmosphere is very quiet and relaxing. The last thing you need is to have your phone going off or your mind on that last message you read right before you walking into class. I find leaving my phone home all together allows me to have a nice peaceful class along with a relaxing peaceful drive home.

Tip #5: Breathe! Yoga is all about using your breath. If you forget to breathe or keep your muscles tense, you could end up pulling a muscle and being sore after.  Never a fun option.

Tips #6: Accept help. Never feel embarrassed if your instructor corrects your position. They are only trying to help you get it correct so you can get the benefit the position is meant for.

Tip #7: Keep a positive attitude while practicing. The energy is amazing with a room full of people all focusing on a better well being. Smile often and always be kind to those around you.

Tip #8: Ask questions if you don't understand something being taught to you. If you allow the question to go unanswered you may become frustrated every time you practice.

Tip #9 Bring extra layers and water. At the end of the class after you have completely let yourself relax, you may become cold. Have water if you need to hydrate after.

Tip #10 Practice what you have learned in your everyday life. Learn to use your breath to relax you in a stressful situation. I have definitely used these techniques a few time and it is amazing how much better you feel when you apply what you learn.

Do you practice yoga? What tips would you add?

Happy Friday folks! I am participating in my very first High Five for Friday or H54F. I am excited to recap my week and be grateful for the week I had. As I mentioned here, I am working on a happiness project this year and January is the month of R & R (Relax and Refocus). I am well into my half way point and this week certainly gave me 5 things that I can be happy about!

1. Monday brought me talk. That sounds funny, but I made the decision this year to talk to a counselor about managing my stress better. With the new job, a serious relationship, and some family chaos, I left 2014 in a pretty big stress mess. This was my second session and I am happy I made the decision.

All of these items make my heart happy!

2. Hot baths (With tea and candles of course!). I received some really nice hand made bath products from a friend for Christmas, and they prove to be heavenly. The relaxing herbs mixed in with epson salts are what my body needed. I got out of the tub and instantly felt ready for bed. So dreamy!

3. Soup and tea with a good friend. It's always nice on a cold wintery night to get together with a friend to catch up over a nice cup of tea and some hearty soup.

Bad photo, but it was pretty dark!

4. Yoga. I signed up for a stress management yoga class. Yesterday was my first session and I really loved it. This makes me happy because I also wanted to meet new people, and classes are a good way to achieve this. I was able to go to a place that truly made me feel at peace with some of the things I have no control over. I hope to use some of these lessons for years to come.

5. Getting to spend time with my other half. He has been very understanding to my crazy schedule and moods swings as I try to refocus my energies to positive ones. I don't know what I would do without his love and support when I am going through turbulent times.

Stay tuned as I continue to update you on my happiness project and more helpful tips to relax!

Hello beautiful people! I am so excited for today's post. It is also Friday so that helps immensely! Today I want to talk about something that I have become passionate about over the past month. When I feel passion for something I want to share it with the world. It's a good thing I have a blog right?

Back in December an acquaintance of mine messaged me about a product she had been using and thought I would get great benefit from. It's no secret that the second part of 2014 was rough for me. I entered into a stressed induced depression. I had no energy, my face was breaking out and I reached for every cookie, cake, pasta, candy, or any other unhealthy item that could fit in my mouth. I wanted them ALL in my belly! Needless to say they all got in my belly, and I packed on the pounds.
 
The THRIVE Experience is a 3 step, 8 week premium lifestyle plan, to help individuals experience and reach peak physical and mental levels. So in simple terms: This means it will help if you are feeling sluggish, having mind fog, needing to lose weight, or just all around want to feel better in life.



Like you, reading this now, I was like "Uhh I don't think I want to try your product so stop bothering me!" Well needless to say she finally got me to agree to a 4 day trial. I paid her $15 and my pack arrived. I paid for it so I was committed to trying this out. It sat for a few days before I was ready.

My pack included The capsules, shakes, and patches for 4 days. Now to use these products you take your capsules first thing "before your feet hit the floor". You want to take them on an empty stomach. 20 minutes later (Or long enough to take a shower in my case) you have a shake. Once the shake is depleted you put on your DFT patch. You wear your patch for 24 hours and repeat all steps the next morning. That's IT! You continue your day normally.

I didn't notice much on my first day, which is pretty common. On my second day I noticed it wasn't as hard to get up. I didn't hit the snooze button 400 times. By my 4th day I was feeling pretty amazing. These products are packed with vitamins. Especially B vitamins. And you know if you are lacking in the B vitamins you tend to be depressed or anxious. I was tested before taking Thrive and I was Vitamin B deficient. My count was REALLY low. Now I am doing better then ever! So much energy, my belly is FINALLY shrinking and my moods are great. 

SO when asking what is Thrive and what does it do? Thrive is:

• > Weight Management > Cognitive Performance
• > Digestive & Immune Support > Joint Support
• > Lean Muscle Support > Inflammation Support
• > Anti-Aging & Antioxidant Support

Who is it for: EVERYONE- Tired moms, athletes wanting to improve their performance, the professional who is always on the go, college students who never get enough sleep. And now bloggers who need more energy to keep bringing great content! These are all Thrive customers making their day a little easier. 

Now here's the best part. You can promote Thrive. You can improve your health AND your wealth. Join as a promoter (It's 100% FREE) have 2 customers (Your 2 besties of course!) and your monthly Thrive is FREE!
 
Take a moment to learn more and I will give 2 readers a sample pack for FREE. Three ways to enter: Click on the link for all entries: The Thrive Experience

#1 (2 entries) Watch the video and answer this question in the comments below:

Seven years ago (Veterans day to be exact) I was riding in the backseat of my brothers sporty Subaru Impreza WRZ. Remember when they were cool? I was bundled up in the backseat on a trip home from my grandmothers. It was a 2.5 hour drive and we were in New Jersey. 7 miles from the Pennsylvania border. 45 minutes from home. I had dozed off when I was suddenly woken from a bad dream. I looked around. I had no idea where I was. Everything hurt. A lot. I heard screaming and yelling. It finally became clear to me. I had just been in a car accident.

I felt a sharp pain in my leg. I glanced down at it and realized it was crushed into the door. My head also hurt. With good reason. It had gone through the window.  I instantly started to cry, then scream. Where was everyone else? I know I wasn't traveling alone. Where was my brother? I tried to find him but couldn't move. A man came up to the car asking if I was okay. He couldn't open the door and I was in hysterics at this point. Emergency vehicles arrived quickly expecting the worse. I was removed from the car and was able to see the scene. It was awful. That sporty cute little WRZ had gone head on with a big SUV. That little car saved my life.

It was truly a miracle. We all made it out alive. Rescue workers in shock. They had prepared for the worst. I would have to if I arrived at that scene. It was a miracle and the scariest day of my life.


Today I am a perfectly healthy 31 year old. I count my blessings everyday. With numerous stints in physical therapy and lots of love and support I am back to as close as I can be to normal. I will never have a normal right hip or knee again. They will always cause me discomfort and pain at times. I already have arthritis starting and more days then not my hip bone is up in my back. I over compensate a lot and that doesn't help either. I needed a plan and something to help with relief.

Massage.

Massage has become my gift from god. Not only is beneficial to my injuries, it is also relaxing. Any injuries you have will be upped when you are stressed. Massage is a great way to release tension and clear the mind. Regular massage can help with issues like anxiety, headaches, fibromyalgia, TMJ, and many other ailments.

I am lucky to be able to get regular massage through a woman I clean for. We trade services. I clean her house every Sunday and she gives me a massage. She is excellent at what she does and has been really beneficial to some of my injuries. I am able to see her regularly and she knows where my problem areas are. She is able to continue to work on muscles that need some extra love because she is familiar with them.

Recently I have been going to the gym more often and experimenting with new exercises. Because of that I have really upset a muscle group in my left hamstring. It has been sore for weeks and I never thought to bring it up in my massage sessions. On Sunday night when I was talking about what areas I wanted to focus on I talked about my sore leg. She was able to focus just on that area and all the surrounding muscles that connect to that area. I have been sore from the massage, but the muscle finally feels like it is loosening up. It doesn't help that because of my permanent injury to my hip these problems are reaccuring. Every week is a battle but massage is helping me through it.

Lots of benefits guys. Shop around and find someone you like. Your body will thank you for it.

I don't know about you, but I love to research products before I buy. I want to know everything there is to know about that one item I've been pining over. But then a get a wrench thrown into my decision when a new comparable item comes out on the market right when I have FINALLY decided to buy said item. Now what?

Now I have to re-research my original item AND do new research on the new item. I often take to social media and ask for a little help from my friends. Has anyone used said item? How do they like it? Is it worth my hard earned cash? Most of the time I get divided answers and it really doesn't ever help me out completely. This is why I wish we as consumers had more opportunity to try things out before we buy. If we are willing to make an investment into a high priced item, shouldn't we be able to test drive it for a few days?

Now I know this is only a dream in my head, because no company could ever trust every single person who walks into their door to take care of the item while trying it out. This is why we have product testers. Honest (Or so we hope) men and women try products out and give their opinions so folks like you and I can "live" through them if you may. These reviews are supposed to help us decide if said item is for us.



So here I am. I just got off a research binge. I've read review after review, and I still can't make up my mind. Fitbit or Polar Loop? I am so torn. They both have features I really like and some that I'm not sure of.. I really want to use one in my daily life to see how well (or bad) I'm doing with my steps. Does anyone have any experience with either of them? Was the one you tried accurate? Any feedback is mucho appreciated! Anyone wanna send me one to try, I will love you forever! (Yeah I'm shameless, If you don't ask you never know right?)

Thanks in advance if you help me decide on a gadget that could ultimately get me where I need to be to finally lose the 20 pounds I gained in 3 months.

I was always a shy person. I never had a lot of opinions because I never wanted to hurt anyone's feelings or say the wrong thing to embarrass myself. I come from a military family so it was easy to get talked over or pushed aside when I was at home. This is not to say that my parents weren't loving, this is not what I am getting at.

As I got older I would never question people, or get upset if someone talked over me when I was trying to speak. It felt like it was okay for these things to happen, because they must know more than me. They must be smarter than me. They probably are better liked than me. I always had a good reason in my head why it was okay for these things to happen.

Today, I know this is not okay. It is never right for someone to make you feel like you are less than you are. Bad circumstances unleash the person in you who needs to fight. Sometimes these circumstances make you realize you deserve to have respect and a voice. This is one of the reasons I got into blogging. I wanted a voice. I wanted to be able to talk to the world and hope someone, somewhere understood me. They learned something from me. Anything. As long as it reached someone. I was content.


I only have one issue with the progress I have made over the past 2 years. I am more confident in speaking up, but I have also noticed I am always ready to point out my flaws to people. I haven't decided if this is a defense mechanism or a way to feel protected. Am I trying to tackle the "bad" before someone else points it out? Or do I want to be able to have an opinion without looking like a complete jerk. If I say first, "I need to lose weight, I feel huge", is it okay for me to tell someone they should start working out?

Now I have not come out and told a complete stranger something negative about themselves after I pointed out negative things about myself, but I tend to wonder if I could do that. I don't want to be that person who makes someone else feel bad about themselves because I feel bad about me. Now that I have the speaking up thing down, I suppose it is time for me to start being more positive about myself. Then I can use this "mechanism" that I am latched onto at the moment to make people feel good about themselves too.

The human mind is such a crazy adventure sometimes. It really can make you stop and think about your behavior and how your portray yourself. (Kind of an oxymoron). It just makes me wonder why I chose to be outspoken but in a more negative direction. This is where I need to tell myself: Be positive. Keep working towards the wellness goals! This is both physical and mental wellness. A healthy mind and a healthy body can really bring you to peace. I've been working on getting a sound mind, and I think people forget that part when working on total wellness. Don't forget your mind.


Just a little ramble today. I hope this somehow inspired someone or got you to think. I just wanted to sit and write, and this is what came out. A writing exercise became a blog post. My mind sound a little less loud now that some of it got written down. Have a great day everyone.

I FINALLY got myself back in the gym this week! It has been 2 long months that I neglected to make time to go and sweat away the stress. My body was starting to feel the effects of letting the gym slip and me putting more unhealthy foods into my mouth. I only have 2 days under my belt now, but I will start to hold myself accountable when I make excuses.

When trying to get healthy, it will be a mind over matter effect. If we do not fully commit to the gym, eating better, or quitting a bad habit, we will fail. I have learned you cannot force it until you are fully ready to make the change. For years I said I was going to FINALLY get healthy. I WAS going to eat healthy. I WAS going to the gym. For years I failed.

This week something clicked in my head and I WANT to feel better. I NEED to exercise. My 4'11" frame is begging me to lose some weight. My clothes are uncomfortable and I refuse to buy new clothes just because I got lazy and gained the extra weight. I want to feel good about myself. I want to feel comfortable in my clothes. I finally feel ready to do this right.

Last week I posted a smoothie recipe. I have kept up making these every morning for breakfast. They have kept me feeling full until lunch and they are packed with all kinds of vitamins. I hope you give it a try! It is a nice treat every morning without having to feel guilty. I am also only eating lean proteins and lots of veggies. I am starting to feel better about myself again. Now lets see if I can commit to this and keep gyming it up for the rest of the week! Updates next week. 

So what do guys think? Is being healthy easy? How long did it take for you to form the good habit of wellness?

I am continuing my quest to "Win at life" and working on wellness options in my life. I started a 7 day life detox and one of the things I am doing daily is making a smoothie every morning. It is super easy to do and it keeps me full until lunch. There are so many combinations you can incorporate into your smoothies to customize a taste that works for you. Today I am going to share one of my favorite smoothie recipes, and hope it inspires you to play around until you find one you love!

I do not have a specific name for my smoothie, but it can be defined under the "green smoothie" category.

What you need:
1 Banana (the riper the better)
1 1/2 cups of Spinach or Kale
1/2 cup of Blueberries
1 cup Plain Almond Milk
1/2 cup of Water


Blend all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth. If you like a thinker smoothie you can add 1/2 a cup of plain greek yogurt or a few ice cubes. This normally yields about 16 ounces. Sometimes I have more, sometimes less depending on if I measure my portions or not. I like to add lots of greens so my smoothies normally come out looking more green, but this particular smoothie I went lighter on the greens and it comes out a pretty purple :)



Do you like smoothies? What are some of your favorite blends? Share them below!

Today's post inspiration comes from the September issue of Self Magazine. I know I have said this A LOT lately but I am making changes both on this blog and in my personal life. (There should definitely be a drinking game for every time I say changes :p). Back in May when I started this blog, I also signed up for a gym membership. That lead me to having a  little series on fitness. I really enjoyed doing that, but to be honest I have fallen off the fitness wagon.

I was not feeling well and ran into a few health issues, so the excuses ran rampant. The gym got put on the bottom of my list and because of it, I can feel the consequences. I have gained weight, my skin is a mess, and I just don't feel "good". Circling back to this months Self Magazine, everything about it was inspirational to making positive changes.

On the front cover in big letters it says WIN AT LIFE. That statement alone motivates the crap out of me. Editor in Chief, Joyce Chang wrote a segment about the power of change.  She goes into talking about why it is so important to stop and listen to your body, even when life gets crazy and you want to jump into overload. She also encourages you to step out of your comfort zone and let your body guide you. I feel like its those little things we all seem to forget.
Being healthy, both physically and mentally can sure help in times of stress and overload. This is why I have decided to follow Self Magazine's 7 day detox. Now I know, when we hear the word "detox" we tend to think of things like pills, teas, and juices. This detox is a little different. It reminds me more of a wellness detox for life. I felt like this was a good way to get myself back on track and thinking with a clear head. I am on day 3 of this detox and I wanted to share a few things I have been doing.

Move Your Body
Take the workouts down a notch and do 3 days of light cardio. This will help flush out toxins and rejuvenate the body.

Go Vegetarian
Start every morning with a smoothie. They are packed with fruits and veggies to give you all kinds of good nutrients. Eat clean with every meal. Make a 450 calorie lunch and a 500 calorie dinner with vegetarian options. I have not been hungry and all the meals I have made have been really good!

Quiet Your Mind
Stress causes a lot of our health issues. This part of the detox encourages you to meditate at least 10 minutes everyday. It also encourages getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. Ridding stress and getting enough sleep helps keep the belly slim.

I'm really enjoying this program. I am feeling less hungry and I feel more energetic. I am going to start writing wellness updates on Wednesdays. An unofficial series. Just a place where I can share with you guys what I'm up to and hopefully can inspire all of you to join in.

Have a wonderful Wednesday! Be Inspired!