7 Ways to Add Flavor to HCG Approved Meals

One of the hardest parts of sticking to any diet is finding recipes that taste good, or adding flavor to simple dishes. Having done four rounds of HCG, I have learned a few tricks that arent on the original protocol, but pose no risk to your weight loss. Here are 7 ways to add flavor to your HCG approved meals:

Franks Hot Sauce

I love using Franks Red Hot Original Sauce on chicken. Its a simple addition that really ramps up the flavor. Plus it only contains a few simple ingredients, all of which are approved for the HCG Diet. The only caution with this is not to use more than a teaspoon per meal because it does contain salt which can cause water retention. Franks Red Hot Original Sauce can be found in the condiment aisle of the grocery store.

Mrs. Dash

Mrs. Dash has a great line of salt-free, MSG-free seasoning blends that are absolutely amazing. Mix them up with some stevia and vinegar for a dressing, or sprinkle them on our meat while it cooks, these are a healthy, simple addition to any HCG Approved meal. Mrs. Dash seasoning blends can be found in the spice aisle in the grocery store.

Lemon Juice

It sounds simple, but adding lemon juice can make all the difference to your Tilapia or asparagus. Its also great on apples, in ice slushies, water and more. Lemons are super cheap, too!

Salsa

Now this one was a life saver for me in round three. I would use Pace Picante Mild salsa. It has no added sugar and its low in calories. I would add a couple tablespoons to chopped chicken and serve it over lettuce. Technically that is mixing veggies, I know, but it never affected my weight loss and it saved me from cheating on the diet on numerous occasions. Look for it in the Salsa aisle in the grocery store.

Onion
Like lemon juice, this seems like another no-brainer, but there are certain veggies that dont seem to pose any problems when mixed with other veggies. Onion is one of those. Try chopping up a small chunk of onion and grilling it with chicken and chopped tomato. Its simple but the onions add a great, fresh flavor that seasonings cant.

Combine your Fruit and Veggie Serving
Did you know that you can make some pretty amazing fruit and veggie combos? Yup. Try mixing your apple with spinach and topping it with chicken, you can also do that with oranges. Or you can try mixing grapefruit with cucumber, strawberries and lettuce, and even apples and celery. Mix and match your fruits and veggies to create new flavor combinations.

Trulicious Powder/Liquid

Trulicous powder is an amazing product of Blue Earth nutrition. It is stevia that is combined with a unique fiber blend to help promote digestive health. It is the best powdered stevia I have ever tasted plus its packed full of health benefits you wont find in Truvia. I love mixing some powdered Trulicious, cinnamon and sprinkling it on an apple then baking it. Its like a mock apple pie! Its also great in tea and coffee. Plus, HCGDiet.com offers Trulicous stevia liquid in multiple flavors.


What are ways you have found to add flavor to Phase 2 of the HCG Diet?

Looking for some health, Phase 2 approved recipes? Check out Eat Well, Slim Down. Its a digital HCG Approved recipe book with over 100 recipes! Plus its only $10! 

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4 Mistakes that could be Ruining your HCG Diet

This isnt your first rendezvous for the HCG Diet. You know what youre doing. But for some reason, every once in awhile your weight loss seems to slow or stall. And that is frustrating, even for an HCG Diet veterans like you and me.

 We like to think we know what were doing, weve read Pounds and Inches, weve gone through every page of the guidebook, and maybe even got our hands on Lose 50 Pounds Guaranteed, but somehow even us veteran HCG Dieters miss details that could be slowing down our weight loss. 

Here are 4 things that may be ruining your HCG Diet:

Not Measuring
OK, lets be honest after our second or third week on the diet we lose interest in measuring everything we eat, at least I did. However, trust me when I say you need to measure, no matter what. The thing is, we think we know what 3.5 ounces of meat looks like but its easy to add an extra ounce and sometimes even two. Those extra ounces add up to extra calories and they can be slowing down your weight loss. So do it a night ahead or pack a food scale in your purse. This is one fine detail that when skipped adds up over time.

Over Compensating
Have you ever eaten something you were supposed to and thought, "I can fix this, Ill just do a Cali Kicker, some sit-ups, take green coffee, go for a walk, take my appetite control, and cut back on dinner." Im guilty of that train of thought. But you dont need to freak out like that. Just get back on track at your next meal and let your body correct the problem itself. If you do too many quick fixes at once youll confuse your body and the problem will only get worse.

Deviating from Protocol

I went through this phase where I was eating banana peppers because they are low-calorie and didnt have any oil, but the thing is they arent on the original protocol for a reason and that reason is sodium. There are also a lot of other things that seem like theyd be fine but they arent. For instance certain fruits like mango and watermelon are too high in sugar for the diet and can slow you down. Even unlisted veggies can cause problems. So simply put, if its not on the approved foods list... dont eat it.

Skipping Calories

Toward the end of Phase 2, I have a hard time getting all of my 500 calories in. I know that sounds crazy because Im not eating very much as it is, but the appetite suppressant in HCG Triumph drops is pretty powerful. So its tempting to skip out on your fruit or veggies, but then your body (even though it doesnt feel hungry) goes into starvation mode and you stop losing weight. Eat all of the food youre suppose to eat.

And for those of you who arent quite HCG vets, you may not have slipped into these bad habits yet, and thats good news. So take notes and make sure you never start. :) 

Are you guilty of any of the above diet blunders? What other bad habits have you found slow down your weight loss?

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And Its All Thanks To HCG Triumph

If one year ago I had been approached by someone from the future and told how much my life was about to change, I wouldnt have believed them. If they told me I was going to lose the weight of a European supermodel, I would have laughed in their face. So how did it start? How did I go from an obese diet skeptic to a much healthier diet blogger? Simple. It all started with HCG Triumph.

HCG Triumph is one of the few legitimate HCG brands left. Despite a lot of misconceptions, HCG Triumph drops still contain the HCG hormone, but more than that they contain a powerful blend of amino acids that help support your body during the low calorie portion of the diet. I did a lot of research before I decided to start the diet. I read a lot of articles on HCG and calorie restriction, and when it came down to it I knew that using HCG Triumph would be healthier than resigning to a life of obesity.

The HCG Diet was hard, but it worked. What a lot of people dont understand is that when you have over 100 pounds to lose, losing a pound a week, while better than nothing, makes the task seem impossible. With the HCG Diet, I lost about 1 pound per day. Each morning I felt rewarded for my hard work and suddenly losing all that weight seemed doable. And even though my caloric intake was restricted to two meals of lean meat and fruit and vegetables, I felt satisfied because of the amino blend in the Triumph drops.

Day by day and pound by pound I conquered my weight loss. I lost, 100 pounds, 90 inches, revamped my wardrobe on a couple occasions, and dieted through every holiday and social event imaginable. I survived the HCG Diet, and whats even better: the HCG Diet gave me my life back. I no longer have to worry about living in discomfort, shopping in the plus size section, or not being able to cross my legs and its all thanks to HCG Triumph.

HCG Triumph made me a new person. It has transformed me and hundreds of others completely. Now imagine what it could do for you.

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7 Things to Be Happy About

Bad days happen, but when a bad day turns into a full on funk, something has to be done. Sometimes when we are caught up in worry and stress, we stop living in the moment and we focus on things in the past or things in the future that are out of our control. Theres a lot of uncertainty in the past and future, so when we stop living in the moment we have a hard time finding things to be happy about. We become so unsure of what we have done and what were going to do that we poison ourselves with negativity. If youre in a funk, if youve stopped living in the moment, this is your reminder that life is beautiful and here are 7 things you should be overwhelmingly happy about.

You Are Beautiful
Truly, I mean it. "But Lowery, you cant see me through a computer screen." Right, reader. I cant. But I do know a couple things about you.
1. You can smile.
2. You have talents and attributes unique to you.
Both of those things make you incredibly beautiful. If you can recognize these things, youre miles ahead of a lot of people in the world. Recognizing your beauty is simple, it just starts with smiling.

There Are People Out There Who Love You
Maybe they are far away, maybe you cant reach them right this minute. But there is someone somewhere who is so happy that you are who you are and that you exist. Know that. Remember that. Give yourself the same patience, love and understanding that they give you. Chances are there is someone you will encounter during your day who is willing to bend an ear or share a smile, and that is something to be happy about.

Hot Showers and Bubble Baths

Youve been freaking out lately over stuff you cant change. You need to relax. Take a bath or a hot shower and soak up the steam. Live in this moment. You are alone, and theres no one bothering you. All you need to worry about is not getting soap in your eye. While youre in there, feel free to belt out some Celine Dion. Trust me. Its therapeutic.

Progress
Celebrate the little victories. Maybe you got through a whole day without spilling food on your shirt. Maybe you woke up on time and made it to work five minutes early. Victories. If you are working on things that are getting you closer to a goal, like eating healthier to lose weight, or studying hard to get a 4.0, those are victories. And you deserve to celebrate and be happy for your progress.

No Matter Where You Are, It Could Always Be Worse
If you take a step back and examine the facts, youll realize that things arent so bad. Youre alive, for starters. I am willing to bet that you can easily name 100 things youre grateful for more quickly than you can name 100 things that are ruining your life. I can say that Im pretty blessed. I have a family who loves me, I have a job, I have transportation, I have a lot of modern conveniences. My life could be a helluvah lot worse, and because its not that is something to be happy about.

Tomorrow Can Always Be Better
You decide whether or not you have a good day or a bad day. Its not events that happen to you, and its not people you encounter. Its completely your attitude toward different life situations. So if you decide that tomorrow will be better, it will be better. You cant control what happens to you but you can control how you handle it. Instead of lashing out, put on your headphones and turn on Pharrell.

Possibilities
You know whats really amazing? You can pretty much do anything you set your freaking mind to. The possibilities are endless. Want to run a marathon? You can do it. You want to lose weight? You can do it. You want to become someone new? You can do it. The possibilities for you and your life are incredible. This moment youre in, this funk, its temporary. And if you want to be happy, its completely possible.

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10 Signs You Need a Fresh Start

When was the last time you took a few moments to do some a self-inventory. Not like a counting freckles, or hairs, but a nitty gritty introspection sesh? When was the last time you examined your habits and your moods and really thought about how youre doing. If its been a while, you may be missing the blatant evidence that its time for a fresh start. Sometimes when we are stuck in a bit of a rut, it can be pretty easy to miss the 10 signs that you need a fresh start. Let me break them down for you:

1. You would categorize or mood as kind of, "eh." You dont really find yourself passionate about anything.
2. You dont feel like your normal self. Youre not sure whats up, but you know that a couple weeks ago, we were not feeling like this.

You feel indifferent about most of the decisions you make.
3. You would rather sleep than spend time with loved ones. You and your bed are pals. When you get home you just want to lay in your bed and tell it about all of your problems.
4. Nothing makes you feel motivated anymore. You know you should workout, but you dont wanna. You know you should probably shower, but you dont wanna do that either. And laundry? Yeah... probably should... but no. All motivation = GONE.
5. The ones closest to you keep asking what is wrong. Your family thinks youre a little depressed. They keep asking you how you are and if everything is OK. Your response is usually, "Im fine. Just been tired."
6. Your confidence is in the toilet. You look in the mirror and you just arent feeling in. So, theres no point in getting ready, because that too is something youre just not feeling.
7. You feel insecure about your decisions. You put a lot of thought into choosing simple things like what to have for dinner and what to watch on Netflix, and then when you do make a choice you still arent sure if it was the right one.
8. You feel like running away from all of your problems. Your ideal situation would be a vacation for you and your friend Bed far, far away where no one can reach you. Preferably somewhere that doesnt require money, or bills, or other general life activities.
9. You realize youre not on track with your 5 year plan. This is not where you wanted to be with your life. You were supposed to have your dream job by now. Whats wrong with you? Your plan is totally ruined.
10. You feel like youve maxed out your potential. You cannot see yourself getting passed this. Youll be stuck here forever. All of your potential is maxed out and this is where you level off.

Even if only two of these apply to you... Its time for a fresh start. You need to re-vamp your life.

So how does one just start fresh? You cant just run away and sleep forever, and as good as that sounds it wont make any of your problems go away. Here are some suggestions to help you feel excited about life again and slowly start climbing out of the slump youve been camping in:

1. Start with gratitude.If you really stop and think about it you have a lot of amazing things around you. Set an alarm on your phone that will go over every day at the same time. Open up a memo app on your phone and write down 13 things you are grateful for and do this every single day. Seeing how awesome your life really is can be just the right push to get you living it to the fullest extent.

2. Watch this pep talk from Kid President. He is a pretty cool kid with some big ideas on getting out of a slump.

3. Make a list & reward yourself when everything on that list is done. Write down everything you need to do that day, and then write down what you get when its all done. So maybe when you shower, do laundry, and finish that report for work you get to take a break and watch a couple episodes of your favorite show. This will help you start getting things done so you dont get overwhelmed by tasks.

4. Do something for your body. Dropping a few pounds or even just doing a detox can help you regain some of the confidence youve been lacking for awhile. Try doing the Lemonade Detox. No need to change your diet, all you do is just drink the drink and reap the benefits.

5. Get outside. The weather is warming up and its time to spend less time inside and more time soaking up the sun. Go for a jog, go play a round of golf, or even go lay outside and read a book. You need some fresh air and some Vitamin D. You will feel better physically and mentally when you step away from the couch and when you step outside.

6. Reconnect with some friends. If youve been putting off hanging out with your friends, its time to reconnect with them and start surrounding yourself with people who make you laugh.

7. Cut down on naps, but still get your 8 hours. If you sleep too much, you actually feel more tired. If youre getting more than eight hours of sleep per day, its time to cut down on the naps. You are training your body to want sleep that it doesnt really need and in return it is making you more tired. Before you know it, your over-sleeping has got you caught in a cycle that makes it hard for you to get anything done.

8. Start dreaming & planning. If you arent where you want to be, change it. Simple as that. No one is going to change it for you, its up to you. Start dreaming again. Then start planning out way you can make that dream a reality. Sign up for a class at the local college, Read a book on investing. Whatever your dream is, start working toward it.

9. Surround yourself with motivating things. Find a happy post, rummage through old pictures and find your favorites, or turn on some happy music. Surround yourself with things that remind you to be better and things that inspire you to stay positive.

10. Lighten up. Dont take everything so seriously. Life is good and its worth living. All you need to do is decide that as of this moment, this moment right now, you are going to start fresh.

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How Long Will It Be

I started writing this post over an hour ago, and I am just now getting to it. I am slow tonight! I had a few emails to catch up on, a thank you note to write, facebook to check. Lots to do! I wasnt planning on writing tonight, because frankly, I just cant do the grief thing day in and day out. I do know that thats why youre here, because it makes for a good read. And thats totally ok with me, please just be aware that I wont be "grief blogging" every day. I would say the majority of my posts will be about grief, but Ive still got that Advent Calendar post to publish.

Anyway...

Today the youngest was very tired and overwhelmed. We were cleaning the house all day, and she didnt get a nap in. Naps arent the norm for her, but once in awhile she will still take one. During one of her cranky fits, she was crying and crying and said "I want my daddy".

Just imagine me letting out the biggest sigh ever. The weight of the world on my shoulders.

All I can do for her is say "I know", and give her a hug and a kiss.

I dont know how to handle these types of instances. I know she is young, but how long will it be till she stops asking about him? All the kids have known is having Daddy gone for work, he started Trucking when the twins were just over a year old. And while he had a local trucking job for awhile, they were just 2-3, and E at the time was just brand new, and 1.5 when he started with his current job (well, it was his current job). So all the kids are used to him being gone, but the older three understand more. She doesnt. I want her to ask, I dont want her to stop asking, but I dont know how to explain to her about what happened, over and over and over. My usual response is something along the lines of: "Daddys heart was sick, and the doctors couldnt fix it, and then daddy died. Now he lives in our hearts and we can talk to him any time we want" etc etc.

I thought ahead to Christmas, and her birthday, and wondered if shes going to ask about him then. Why does she have to be so used to him being gone? Why did his job have to be such a curse and a blessing that way? I cant help but wonder if she will forget him. I dont want her to forget! I am scared she will stop asking about him, and forget he existed, because she is so young. I know that it is our duty to keep him alive for her, to relay memories and tell stories, look at pictures and watch the few videos we have. And sadly, that is all we have now, whatever exists in our hearts and our heads, the jpgs in the computer and the few videos I have wandering somewhere around the house.

And if she does ask, what the hell am I going to say? How do I explain to her that daddy can never come back? It breaks my heart to break hers. How can I tell her that No, daddy isnt working, he died and now he lives in our hearts? As I said earlier, she is used to him being gone, she doesnt get the finality of the situation.

I just dont know what to do!

And while I am on the topic of grieving, I am wondering how to handle day to day life with the kids. I feel like we arent grieving. OK, maybe we are, I know we all are, but around each other, we dont so much. I rarely cry in front of the kids. The boy doesnt like to talk about his feelings. V, the oldest, is always saying how much she misses him and does cry...she shows her grief the most. E, the middle child, is a lot like the boy and doesnt show her feelings very well.

It feels like were just going through the motions of day to day life as usual. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Is it bad that this is our life, having him gone all the time, and bad that were used to it? I will be bringing this up at our next grief support group, because I think that some of the other parents can give me some insight on this. I personally, do not know what to do, because I want us to miss him, I want us to cry and be sad, but it seems like we just dont know how because we are so used to him being gone.

I know for a fact that I have trouble grieving in front of the kids. I do cry occasionally in front of them, and I know they have heard me at night getting upset and crying, but I feel like I have to put on a front for them and just be the strong mommy. The grieving wife side of me doesnt get to come out usually unless I am by myself at night, or during the day if all the kids are gone at friends houses or school.

Does anyone have any ideas? I know youre all reading, so comment already :)

Its hard to believe Ive been a widow for almost 7 weeks. It will be 7 weeks on Saturday.

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Two Months Ago

In Loving Memory
Barry N. Bender, Jr.
3-6-80 to 10-10-09

I will love you forever and always sexy man.

Ive been writing this blog post off and on for the past week, gleaning bits of information from myself to write today.

Today is the magical number two. Two months. 8 Weeks and 5 days exactly. 87,840 minutes.

It has been that long since Barry died.

And you know what? Im OK. I really am. most of the time. Today though, because it has been two months, I am sad. And I am crying, but I am OK. I am OK because I know that he loves me, and he will always love me. And I am OK because I know that I gave him his forever, even though he couldnt give it to me. I gave him the most love he could ever receive, I was a good wife, I was a good mother to his kids, I was his everything. He died knowing that I loved him, and that he was loved. And now in tribute to him, I am going to continue to live because that is what he would have wanted.

I still miss him terribly, but that awful heart wrenching pain has dissipated quite a bit. And for that I am thankful. I am thankful I can go to bed without crying, without feeling desperation all day, without feeling like I HAVE to grieve. I can go about a normal day and be a normal person. I love the picture that I posted of him. I took it this past summer at Fort Langley when we were visiting my mom. He rarely smiled in pictures, but in this one I can just see a smile coming out. I can look at it and see his mouth break open into a smile, while he looks at me. Even his eyes are smiling.

My cousin Heidi wrote a note on face book that really struck a cord with me. She wrote exactly how I felt, have felt, was feeling. She wrote about how you never think things are going to get better, and how it seems all youre going to do is hurt. But that time heals.

And its true, it really is. Time heals all wounds, even though it seems like complete bullshit when you first hear it.

To quote Barry,

"But in realizing death, we must also remember to live. Time heals all wounds. Grief is normal, and it will pass"

Ive had to repeat that to myself many times over the past two months. It seemed at first that nothing would get better, that I could never be happy again, that I would never get past this. And I really did walk around in a fog, just had this cloud above my head that was dark and thunderous. Eventually it started to go away, slowly, but its gone now. Sometime last month, a couple weeks before I wrote my post about "Its Time", is when I finally started feeling normal. I still wrote grief posts after that, because I felt I had to, but not because I wanted to. I felt it was expected of me. Like I had to bow to societys standards about how I have to grieve. But you know what? Fuck Society. Really. I dont care what everyone else thinks. Im an adult, I am independent, and I will make my OWN decisions and stop worrying about what everyone else thinks of me. I can thank Barry for helping me cultivate that attitude/view on life, because without him, I wouldnt have it. I will grieve in my own way, and if someone doesnt understand then they can just keep that to themselves.

Then I think about what he said, and I realize that time does heal all wounds. I can look back at him now and smile, and remember without my heart breaking. I still get teary eyed sometimes, and I will always miss him and love him. Hell never be forgotten. Hell always live on in us.

I had my ring cut off on Monday. I didnt feel right wearing it anymore. Im not married anymore, so why wear it? My fingers were too chubby to take it off myself, so I went to a local Jeweler, and had them cut it off. BUT BUT...Im also having mine and his re-soldered together, so they are intertwined. Not sure what Ill do with them after that, but Im not worried about that yet. They are very special to me, and we have the exact same ring, a plain gold band he bought from a German jewelery store. This way, if the kids want later in life, they can get them made into wedding bands for themselves, and have something special that was mine and Barrys. Ive also gotten rid of most of his stuff. Ive kept all the important mementos like pictures, cards, his wallet, knives/guns, last outfit he ever wore, his favorite t-shirt and one shirt for each of the kids. And I kept most of his DVDs, and his computers. But everything else went to goodwill. I dont want it anymore. I just needed to get rid of it, as it is cluttering up my life. I just cant have it around anymore. Im ready to move on. I think he would be exceptionally proud of me for how strong I have been, for how Ive held up in this time of adversity. I know he is proud of me. He ALWAYS encouraged me to become more independent, to stop worrying about what everyone thought of me, to be my own person, and I finally am. He would be extremely proud of me for standing on my own two feet!

In just under a month well be ringing in a new year. Im going to make 2010 the best that I can. Im going to Live, Love, Laugh, and Be Happy.

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3 Ways Negativity Could Be Ruining Your Diet

I am making efforts in my life to be more positive. Life is just better when I have a smile on my face. I feel better, I eat better, I have better workouts. Overall, being positive is good for my health, and Im not the only one who thinks so. According to an article from Mayo Clinic: 

Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health                      benefits that positive thinking may provide include:

• Lower rates of depression

• Lower levels of distress

• Greater resistance to the common cold

• Better psychological and physical well-being

• Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease

• Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

•  Increased lifespan 

I am completely serious when I say Im making an "effort." At times being positive is difficult and it takes a lot to see the good in an awful day, but the more effort I put in to being positive, the more I realize that negativity is much like a disease. It starts with something small, maybe a complaint about the way you look in your outfit, then that negativity spreads and what started out as a little complaint turns into an infection of negative, self-doubting, irrational observations. Suddenly, that one little complaint has got you into a negativity funk.

 If youre dieting, this funk can easily throw you off track. Dont believe me? Let me explain. Here are 3 ways negativity could be ruining your diet. 

Its Harder to Recognize Accomplishments
For me, when Im negative, I dwell on the bad so much that I never recognize the good Im doing. For instance, last week I went to the gym and was supposed to do 45 minutes on the treadmill. I got halfway through my workout and I didnt want to keep going anymore. I had a bad day and just wanted to go home. I stopped the treadmill and went to stretch. Initially I was really disappointed in myself for giving up. I felt like a failure. I had two options in this moment, I could choose to feel like a failure and let that keep me from stepping back on the treadmill the next day, or I could take the more positive approach. So thats what I did. I reminded myself that one bad workout is not the end of the world. Plus, Ive come so far! It wasnt until later that night that I realized I had set a new time for running a mile, so even though I didnt finish my entire workout, I still I improved. I never would have recognized this in my moment of negativity.  When I took the time to look at the situation from a different perspective, I realized that I accomplished something amazing!

Take the time to recognize all youve accomplished. Maybe you didnt lose as much weight as wanted to but youre closer to your goal now than you were before you started, right?

Youre More Likely to Engage in Emotional Eating
The pity party. Weve all thrown ourselves one. If you eat when youre mad  or lonely or sad, negativity can be a catalyst to diet cheats. You see, that little negative Nelly that lives inside our heads likes to make us think that being mad will help us feel better, that voice makes us think that we are alone and no one cares, that voice also tells us were not good enough shes wrong! Her observations are based off emotion and not fact. As emotional beings, we try to seek out something to cope with those feelings. Unfortunately that tends to be food. Dont let emotions rule your life! When youre feeling emotional, take just one minute to analyze the facts. The fact is, being mad wont solve your problems. Youre not alone, there are literally dozens of people in this world who care about you. They may not be available at every moment you need them to be, but they still care. You may be sad, but sadness is a temporary emotion, there will be more moments of happiness in your life if you can just get through this small struggle. 


Youre Less Likely to Feel Motivated
Have you ever gotten up in the morning and just wanted to lay in bed for the rest of your life? Youre tired of dealing with work,  youve got a million things on your plate, you just want to close your eyes and escape the chaos. Well, this isnt the best way to start your day! Its hard to get pumped up for an awesome day when all you can think about is how tired you are. Look at each day as an opportunity. Acknowledge that some days are going to be difficult but you are more than capable of making it through. Try this: First thing when you wake up say, "I cant wait to see what challenges I overcome." Isnt that so much better? This statement acknowledges that you may encounter problems, but it also reaffirms your ability to come out on top. Its so much easier to stick to your diet when you start your day with empowering thoughts. 

Bad days are inevitable, but a bad day doesnt mean you have to eat poorly. Staying positive, even when its tough, can make all the difference in your diet! 

What are some ways you pull yourself out of a negativity funk? 

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