5 Habits You Should Start Now

With a new year, often comes change- a new routine, stricter diets, more exercise, less clutter, bigger income, raise, etc. You get the point. Most people vow to make some type of positive change with the new year. The best way to do this is starting with your daily morning habits. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” This could not be more true and I’m proof of it! There are 5 daily habits that I added to my morning routine 3 years that have had such a huge impact on my life. I’m going to give you a glimpse into my morning routine and the 5 habits you should start NOW.

Not a morning person!

I’m not nor have I ever been a morning person! In fact, just the opposite, ask my hubby. People who know my morning routine and what time I wake up each day, like to assume that I am, in fact a morning person. But they are wrong. I’ve just created some habits that have transformed my mornings and make things run so much smoother.

A question I get from my followers all the time is, “How do you stay so motivated to workout and get up so early?” Here’s the thing, motivation has very little, if anything to do with it. I have just created these habits which include working out, that have become a part of my daily life. So for me to sleep in (I do on occasion) or skip a workout (very very rare) feels odd to me because I’m so use to doing these things. They are habits!

So, how do you create these habits?

First, you need to decide what new habits you want to start and jot them down. I’ll post a picture of the ones I recommend and you can screenshot them. Keep that list somewhere that you will see it everyday when you wake up. Next, you need to create your “why.” It may sound cheesy but if you don’t know why you want to create these habits, it will make it that much easier for you to just skip them. Your why needs to be strong, powerful and make you want to jump out of bed. Write it down and post it with your daily habits. Read it every morning! This all sounds easy so far, right? NOPE! Of course it’s not easy! If it were, everyone would do it. Nothing worth having comes easy. It takes work and dedication.

Now, it’s time to get your emotions out of the way. Emotions are great when they are pushing us to do something hard. But what about the emotions that so often prevent us from reaching our goals? Those are the ones we have to recognize as emotions and learn to release them. It’s okay to feel emotions like, “I’m too tired, I don’t want to get up, I don’t feel like working out, I’m too sad to do it today, too stressed, too busy….” Those are emotions that so many of us let control us and keep us from reaching our full potential. But it’s time to put your big girl panties on and LET THAT SHIT GO and do the things any way! It’s time you had some tough love! Feel it and do it anyway!

We become what we repeatedly do

Read that again! We become what we repeatedly do! If you are always making excuses- that is the person you will become. And no one likes that person, come on! The good news is that you always have the choice to replace those excuses with new, positive habits that will actually benefit your life. YOU have that choice! You choose the kind of person that you become. Today, decide what kind of person yo want to be and create the habits that will support that!

My morning routine

I’m a huge believer that how you start your morning sets the tone for the day. That’s why for the last 3 years, I’ve made a conscious effort to wake up each day before my kids for my momma time. I’ve had a very similar routine that I have been following for these last few years that has been a game changer for me. As I mentioned before, I’m not a morning person so having this time to myself before having to deal with everyone else’s issues is priceless.

Gone are the days of waking up, rushing around to get 3 kids ready for school and out the door before I even have a chance to breathe or have coffee (I need coffee!). It doesn’t mean that my mornings aren’t very stressful. I have 3 kids, so of course everything doesn’t always go as planned. But now, when they wake up, I’m in a peaceful, fully caffeinated state of mind so that I can handle what they throw at me. I’m telling y’all, major game changer!

I’m going to share with you what my mornings look like. I highly suggest you read the book My Morning Miracle and really learn how to take back your mornings. You can thank me later!

5:00- Alarm goes off TIP- Place your alarm (phone) in your bathroom. It will force you to get up. Seriously, do it!

5:05- Walk/stumble to the kitchen, start coffee and drink 16 oz water while coffee is brewing.

5:08- Sitting in my favorite chair I meditate for about 10 minutes. Sometimes I use a guided meditation but not always. Here are my favorite guided meditations- Meditation Minis Calm

5:20- Read my daily scripture and spend time with God. This is the app I use Inspirations

5:30ish- Read person development- You can check out a few of my favorite books here.

5:45- Quickly jot down things that I need to do for the day and list the in order of priority

5:50- Time to get the boys ready for school

6:30- Boys are on bus and now I make my “Momma Crack!” This is my life line and I can’t workout without it! Here’s what I use for my pre workout drink, “momma crack.”

6:45- Workout!

After that it’s time for Stella to wake up and be on her way to school and my day really starts!

Take a screenshot of the picture below and make these 5 habits a part of your new routine in 2019.

March 14, 2017March 14, 2017

5 Foods You Should be Avoiding

One of the biggest questions I get from people is, “what should I be eating?” With so many contradicting articles on the internet, people just aren’t sure what they should eat or what foods they should be avoiding. There are always new studies coming out on how certain foods affect our bodies. Not to mention the fact that we simply do not grow and make food like we did 20 or 30 years ago. It’s all about mass production and getting as much food grown and packaged as possible. No wonder so many people are confused. This is my reasoning for sharing with you, 5 foods that you should be avoiding.

While I’m not necessarily an expert on nutrition, I have dedicated lots of my spare time and energy into learning more about healthy eating. Losing my mother at such a young age made me really want to be proactive in doing everything I could do live a healthy, long life. With my daughter’s special needs, it was even more important for me to learn how certain foods may affect her now and in the future. While researching that I’ve learned quite a bit about the what certain foods can do to our bodies and our minds.

5 Foods you should be avoiding

Sodas, soft drinks– I think most people know that they shouldn’t drink sodas. I mean, there is absolutely no nutritional value in a can of soda. You’ve heard the phrase, “don’t drink your calories,” right? Not only does it not have any nutritional value, it is FULL of sugar! According to Livestrong, one can of soda contains 30 grams of sugar, which is about 9 1/3 teaspoons of sugar. WHAT!? Now, that’s a lot of sugar! This is more sugar than an adult woman should have in one day! Try trading your sodas in for flavored water, green tea or one of the healthier sparkling water like La Croix.
Artificial Sweeteners– While we are on the topic of sodas, don’t let the word diet in front of it fool you into thinking it’s a better alternative. Diet sodas contain artificial sweeteners that just cause other harmful damage to your body. Why would we want to put anything “artificial” in our bodies?? That can’t be good for it! Did you know that your body has to work extra hard to break down the artificial crap they now put in our foods and drinks? What does this mean? It means that our bodies are working so hard on breaking down the bad stuff that it struggles to break down the good stuff causing your metabolism to slow down. What happens when your metabolism slows down? You start to gain weight or find it even harder to lose weight. The bad thing is, is that companies are putting this in everything and making it sound like a healthy choice by adding the label “Low fat” or “Sugar Free.” We are fooled into thinking that it’s good for us but the truth is, it is NOT!
Processed Foods-This is one of the foods you definitely want to avoid especially if you are trying to lose weight! This is also ties in with the artificial sweeteners as it is processed as well. But I felt like it needed a number of its own. 😉 Processed foods are foods that contain artificial ingredients like, sugars, corn syrup, artificial flavors, colors, preservatives or other harmful ingredients. Eating these kinds of foods has been linked to obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, cancer and many other ailments. Your best bet is to stick with real, natural and fresh foods like, vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and seeds.
Refined Flours/white bread– White bread is bread that has been refined and typically contains a lot of sugar. There is also little to no nutritional value in white bread. It has been linked to an increased risk of Type II Diabetes as well as an increase in weight gain. All you need to do is substitute your white bread for a bread made with whole wheat. Ezekiel bread is a good option. Keep in mind that even whole wheat contains gluten which has also been linked to other health issues. So, I suggest if you are going to continue eating bread, do so in moderation.
Trans Fat– I think most of us know by now that we should avoid foods with Trans fat but it is still definitely one of the top foods you want to avoid! Trans fat is found in fried and processed foods like chips. It is said to be one of the worst forms of fat causing weight gain especially in the belly area. When shopping for food, avoid foods with ingredients that say; hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated.

The biggest advice I can give you when it comes to choosing what foods to eat is this, read your labels! If you do not know and can not pronounce most of the ingredients listed then chances are it is something you should not be eating. There are so many healthy alternatives out there now, just be proactive when doing your shopping. Another tip to avoiding bad foods is to do most of your shopping in the outside perimeter of the grocery store.

If you want to learn more about clean eating and portion control, give the 21 Day Fix a try! It’s the perfect program to teach you what you should be eating and how much each day. If you’d like to join one of my support groups on fb where I share even more health and fitness tips, email me at tmg3177@gmail.com.

August 4, 2016September 14, 2016

Tammy’s Top Fitness Tips of the Week

Today I am sharing ten fitness tips that will give you the perfect 10 minute workout. You can add this to your current workout or just use this when you are in a hurry.

Tammy’s Top Ten Fitness moves

1 Minute Jumping Jacks

If you ever went to gym class as a kid, you know how to do this move! Jumping jacks are common in many fitness routines. Jump your legs out and arms up and out. To modify: Instead of jumping, raise your arms as you move one foot out to the side, then the other. Do this at a quick pace to get your heart rate up.

2. 1 Minute Squats

If you want to firm that booty and legs, don’t leave out this fitness tip! With feet shoulder width apart, squat down as if you are sitting in a chair. Keep your back flat, knees over toes (Knees should NOT protrude over toes!), weight in the heels of your feet. As you come up, squeeze your quads and gluteus (booty).

3. 1 Minute Burpees

This move is sure to get your hear rate pumping! You will start with feet hip width apart, arms raised straight up. Squat down, placing hands on floor, then jump or walk your feet back to a plank position. Jump or walk your feet back to your hands, in the squat position, then jump or stand up back to starting position.

4. 1 Minute Plank Hold

I love this full body fitness move! Get on floor in the push up position-drop to your forearms, weight equally distributed between your feet and your arms, butt and legs squeezed, core engaged (belly button pulled in and up). Hold this position for 1 minute. To modify, place your knees on floor but keep your core engages.

5. 1 Minute High Knees

Here we go, getting that heart rate up! You can do this move slowly or quickly depending on your fitness level. Bring one knee up above waist using athletic arms, switch legs. You can do this as a run, just bring your knees above your waist. Keep your core engaged.

6. 1 Minute Wall Sit

Back to the booty with this favorite fitness move! Find a wall, place your back up against it and move to a squat position (like sitting in a chair), back stays against wall. Hold position for 1 minute. Keep your knees behind your toes, core engaged.

7. 1 Minute Mountain Climbers

Another full body workout while getting that heart rate up. Get down in a push up position, hands directly under shoulders, hips down, abs pulled in, body in a straight line. Without changing the posture of your back, bring one knee in toward your chest. Pause, return to starting position, continue with the other leg. Continue to alternate for 1 minute.

8. 1 Minute Sumo Squats

Can’t forget those inner thighs! Stand with your feet a significantly wider than hip width apart. Turn your toes pointing outward. Lower yourself down by bending your knees and hips. Keep your core tight and your back flat.

9. 1 Minute Skater Jumps

More cardio=more calories burned! Stand on your left leg with hips and knees slightly bent. Extend your left hip, knee and ankle to jump forward and to the right at about a 45 degree angle. Land on the ball of your right foot with your hips and knees slightly bent to help absorb the impact. Immediately jump off of your right foot in the opposite direction. Continue for 1 minute.

10. 1 Minute Push-Up

The stronger you get, the more you begin to love this fitness move! Position hands palms-down on the floor, approximately shoulder width apart. They should be about next to your shoulders, with your elbows pointed towards your toes. Raise yourself using your arms. At this point, your weight should be supported by your hands and the balls of your feet. Make a straight line from your head to your heels, and contract your abs to keep your hips from sagging. This is the beginning and the end position of a single push up. Lower your torso to the ground as your elbows form a 90 degree angle. Keep your elbows close to your body for more resistance. Keep your head facing forward. Try to have the tip of your nose pointed directly ahead. Keep your body in a flat plank—do not drop your hips. Draw a breath as you lower yourself. Now, raise yourself trying to push the ground away from you. To modify: Drop to your knees but keep your body in a straight line.

July 22, 2016August 4, 2016

Tammy’s Top Tips For a Happy, Healthy Life

Tammy’s Top Tips for a Happy, Healthy Life

I really want to start a weekly blog consisting of my top tips for a happy, successful and healthy life. Let’s see if I can follow through! You will hold me accountable, right?

It’s not that I consider myself an expert by any means but I have made changes in my daily routine, mind set, nutrition, fitness, etc that I have seen great results from in all areas of my life. And I would love to share some of that insight with others because I think that everyone has the potential for a successful life. When I say successful, I don’t necessarily mean financially. What I do mean is, in all areas of life; marriage, happiness, family, fun, future, finances, health, fitness.

It is my belief and I have seen these changes take place just by making little adjustments in things you do every day. I have turned my days from stress and worry into a happy, healthy life. The first thing that I’m going to recommend is that if you haven’t yet, go out and purchase or download the book “The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy! That is the first step to changing your life!

Here are this weeks Top Ten Tips from Tammy:

How to Live a Happy, Healthy Life:

Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning and before every meal.

When you sleep, your body is deprived of water for a long period of time so the first thing you should do when you wake up is drink about 20 ounces of water to rehydrate your body. Drinking water before meals helps give you the illusion that you are full so you will eat the appropriate portions of food versus overeating. And of course, drinking water throughout the day will help keep you hydrated, which will give you more energy, keep cravings at bay, give you clear skin, help with digestion, etc, etc.

2. Eat 4-5 small meals a day.

I eat 5 small meals every day. Doing this helps to keep you from getting so hungry that you over eat and choose the wrong foods. You never want to get to the point where you are starving because we all know what happens then. 🙂 Also, small healthy meals take less energy to digest which means more energy for you.

3. Eat a protein at every meal.

Protein helps give you more energy, build muscle, helps with brain function, digestion and balancing hormones which will make us much happier people to be around. 😉 Because protein can also make us feel full, it can help with weight loss.

4. Get rid of refined flours and grains

Refined flours and grains include white rice, white bread, white pasta and other foods that have been made with white flour, These foods can actually cause food cravings and even spike blood sugar levels. They are missing fiber and other nutritional ingredients that you would get in whole grains. Always go for the whole grains!

5. No more artificial flavors and sweeteners.

Well, the word artificial itself tells you something. They were made in a chemical lab! Foods or drinks with artificial flavors or sweeteners can have a negative affect on your body. It can cause high blood sugar levels, headaches and stomach issues to name a few. Your body also takes a lot longer to breakdown the foods that contain this, which could slow down your metabolism. If you have had trouble losing weight and are drinking diet sodas, spenda in your coffee or anything else artificial, try cutting those out and see what happens.

6. Start every morning with positive thoughts and affirmations.

This is a life changer. The way you start your morning sets the mood for the entire day. If you are rushed, in a hurry, stressed, etc. you are likely to stay that way all day. Wake up a few minutes earlier, meditate, pray or repeat positive affirmations and your entire day will change! Trust me!!

7. End every day with positive thoughts and affirmations.

When you go to bed stressed, you do not sleep as well which in turn affects you the following day. End your day, the same way you start you day, with positive thought, meditation, affirmations etc.

8. Exercise daily.

Exercise does so much for our body outside of weight loss and appearances. I feel so much better when I exercise every day! It gives me more energy, the endorphins help eliminate stress, it makes me think clearer and I feel good about myself. You will be stronger which will help with every day duties. Do NOT skip this step!

9. Set goals

Every one needs to have goals in life, whether its career, financial, family, marriage, etc., it is a must. But don’t just set goals, write them down and look at them everyday so that you are constantly reminded of what it is that you want to accomplish. And bonus points for sharing them with someone else to help keep you accountable.

10. Be grateful.

No matter what is happening or has happened in your life, you can ALWAYS find something to be grateful for. Finding things that you are grateful for, reminds you that things aren’t so bad. Some one always has it worse than you. Wake up with a grateful mind and heart and go to bed each not with a grateful attitude. LIFE CHANGING!

My hope is that you put one if not all of these into daily practice so that you can be on your way to a happy, healthy life. They may seem like little things but its the little things that eventually add up to something bigger. SERIOUSLY, go read “The Compound Effect!”