Ms. Bling's Tips For A Healthier and Happier Holiday Meal

With Thanksgiving just a couple of days away, now is the perfect time to start planning for a healthier and happier holiday. To help you get started I have made a list of my favorite healthy Thanksgiving tips ot share with you.  For instance getting the whole family active before and after the meal and getting them involved in the preparation of your yummy yet healthy dishes.

Be Prepared:

Make sure you take some time to plan your healthier dishes, shop for all of your ingredients, plan your before and after meal activities and that you pre-plan ways to get the kids involved.  Getting kids involved at an early age will help them make better food choices for life!

Eat Breakfast:

This is extremely important so that you are famished by the time Thanksgiving is served and overindulge yourself.  Make sure breakfast is something healthy.  I will be having Shakeology but if you aren't drinking Shakeology try some egg whites with some turkey bacon.

Get Moving Early:

Make sure you don't skip your workout just because it is a holiday.  On holidays it is even more important to work off some calories so you can have some extra treats.  Also you should do it in the morning so that you don't make excuses later.  Involve the whole family in an early morning walk where you can share things you are thankful for in your community.

Involve The Kids With Meal Preparation:

By letting them help they will get to see all of the yummy stuff they are about to put into their tummies.  They will also feel more connected to the healthier foods and be more likely to make better food choices in their future.  Explain to them what the ingredients are and why you are using those ingredients (such as low sodium broth instead of real butter to flavor stuffing).  Teaching your children the value of food and nutrition and how it helps to fuel your body is vital to their future eating habits so start now if you haven't already.

Stay Hydrated:

Sometimes our body confuses being thirsty with being hungry so especially on the holdiays make sure you are drinking plenty of water throughout the day.

Be Conscious Of What You Put On Your Plate:

Remember that whatever you eat today is going to work itself off so start with lots of veggies that are either raw, steamed or grilled with a low-fat cooking spray.  Also stick with white meat from the turkey and always peel off the skin.  When loading up your plate go easy on the carbs such as stuffing, bread, pasta, anything sugary, potatoes and gravy.  While carbs may be delicious they should be enjoyed in moderation if you want to keep your weight under control.  Anything that you know once you start eating it you will not stop should not touch your plate.  I am sure you will have plenty of other options so steer clear of any foods that are triggers for overeating.  Also start with small portions so you don't overeat just because it is on your plate.

Control Your Eating:

By this I simply mean don't just inhale your food because it is so delicious and you have been waiting for an entire year for this day!  Eat slowly.  Chew your food well.  Drink plenty of water with your meal.  When you are full STEP AWAY FROM THE PLATE!

Start New Active Traditions:

After the meal start some new traditions that involve being active.  Not only will it bring your family closer together but you will be up and moving and working off some of those dinner calories.  Maybe you could start a traditional scavenger hunt where the family divides up into teams and they will search for things that they are thankful for on this day and every day.  Or you could involve everyone in the clean up by preparing jobs for everyone ahead of time and then everyone will get to spend more time together.  Or you could play active games such as charades or musical chairs.

What are your favorite tips for staying healthy and active through the holidays?  Please share below or on my Facebook page.

Happy Holidays from Ms. Bling :)

The Power of a Challenge Group

Today I want to talk about the power of a challenge group.  For those of you who continually see my posts about my challenge groups and have thought about it I am going to show you what a challenge group has done for me.

Prior to becoming a Beachbody coach I had never heard of these challenge groups.  I have ran several challenge groups in the past and am learning more and more about how to help people the most (which is why I became a coach... to help others).  As you all know I still have just a little way to go but I AM GOING and NOTHING is going to stop me.

I recently (on September 4th) joined my first challenge group as a participant where there was a prize involved.  The competitive challenger in me came out and I kicked butt for the six weeks that the challenge ran.  The other people in the group were so supportive and every single day I was surrounded by people who were working on the same goal as myself which kept me going strong every single day.  I had been stuck in the 140's since June and even though I was running challenge groups and exercising and eating healthy I was not able to break into the 130's.  Being part of this group gave me the extra push that I needed and I am happy to report that as of this morning (that challenge group ended yesterday) I weighed in at 134.2.  During the 6-week challenge here is what I lost:

Inches lost: 

Right arm: 1"
Left arm: 3/4"
Right leg: 1 3/4
Left leg: 2 1/4"
Waist: 2 1/4"
Hips: 2"
Chest: 2"
Weight lost: 

9 pounds

Did I have to pay to enter this challenge?  Yes I did.  Was it worth it?  You tell me.  What would those results be worth to you?  

I am starting my next challenge group Starting At Square One in 2 weeks.  The deadline to join my group is exactly one week from today.  If you are interested in more information just comment below or send me a message on my like page which is www.facebook.com/tinaballingerfitness.  This challenge I am going to shed these last few pounds that I need to lose and I want to help you reach your goals as well.  

I look forward to hearing from you!  Have a great day friends and thanks as always for your support :)

Here is the video invitation to my challenge group which explains in greater detail how the challenge works:

Is Life Getting in the Way of Your Life?

Today I realized that I am finally starting to feel like I have a life.  I know that may sound a little weird because everyone who is alive has a life so I will explain.  I have had a life since I was born, this is very true.  However I had the life that others wanted me to have.  You might be thinking that is not that if I was living the life others wanted me to have then that was my own fault because we all get to choose our own life.  The problem was that I did not know that I was not leading the life that I wanted to lead.  I am 47 years old and I am just realizing that all these years I have been living a life that was not my ideal life.  How did I not know this?  The best answer that I can come up with is that I was just going with the flow.

In high school my guidance counselor said I should go to Alice Lloyd College because I could get a full scholarship so that is where I went.  That is not what I wanted to do but I did what he suggested because I thought he knew better than I what course I should take.  My whole life I had wanted to go to The Ohio State University and become a psychiatrist.  THAT was my dream.  But I did what he suggested and did not even try to pursue my own dream.

After college my mother got very sick and I moved with her back to Ohio to be close to our family so that she would be looked after while I worked.  I am not saying that I regret that decision at all but I was not pursuing my own dreams.

Fast forward to 1999 when I had my son and my life became all about him.  As a parent your child should definitely be your priority but if you don't have a life that you love then how happy can you really make your child.  I guess a better way to put it would be that your child will experience more happiness if you are at your happiest but I just never thought of it that way I suppose.

If you have been following my Facebook like page or this blog or have watched any of my YouTube videos then you may be somewhat familiar with my life and my struggles.  Year after year I was finding myself dealing with issues such as my stepfather passing away in 2006, I bought my first home in 2007 and 7 days after I moved in my father died of a sudden heart attack at the age of 59, in 2008 I had a lot of medical issues, over the past 6 years I have had a lot of relationship issues and issues with my weight.  I could literally go on and on and I am sure you could swap stories with me about your struggles.  Those struggles are called life and things happen and are going to continue to happen.  One of my favorite new quotes goes something like this "Yeah that happened but it doesn't matter that it happened what matters is what are you going to do about it?"  That is my version of the quote and how I choose to paraphrase it because I now realize that shit happens.  Shit happens to everyone.  The only thing that matters is what are you going to do about it.  A really simple way to put it is that how you react to what happens around you is what determines your life.  YOU are in control so what are you going to do about it because that decision or choice that you make will determine how your life is going to go or what direction your life is going to take or your attitude.  In the past I was making choices like hating myself, eating away the stress, staying in unhealthy relationships and situations just to appease someone else but not any more.  The new me is confident, strong, self-loving, and I have a new passion for life.  I don't want to just exist any more and I don't want to let "life" get in the way of my life, my vision, my dreams.  IS LIFE GETTING IN THE WAY OF YOUR LIFE?

As always thank you so much for being here for me and your continued support.  If you enjoy my blog posts then please follow me on my blog, on my Facebook page, and/or my YouTube channel..  Have a great day!

*** Ms. Bling's Bloopers Take 999 ***

Have you watched any of my videos?  I have had several people tell me that I inspire them and a few have even said that they wish they were as comfortable on camera as I am.  The truth is that when I am recording a video it takes me many, many tries to get it right!  In fact I have a touch of ADD and if you watch this video blooper you will see my ADD at it's finest.  I was supposed to be recording a video to introduce myself to a new group that I am in and this was one of the many takes that I did before getting it right!

WARNING:  You may want to put on some Depends before viewing ;)

Comment below if you would like to see more bloopers from me in the future.  Thanks for checking out my blog and have a great night!!!

I Am Not An Overnight Success and You Won't Be Either

Are you trying to lose weight but getting discouraged because it isn't coming off as fast as you would like or as fast as you think it should?  Well let me tell you my friend that I have been there, done that, and bought the damn t-shirt, mug and souvenir spoon!  This time it is different for me and I am not giving up on myself or my scale but dang it have I gotten impatient at times and wanted to just give up.  The reason I started this blog (which has become my escape, therapy, motivation, inspiration and so much more) was to make sure I could look back at myself and how I used to be and NEVER go back to being THAT GIRL.   I know you are thinking that my old ass is not a girl and if you are just thinking of my age then ding, ding, ding we have a winner because you are correct.  However, in my mind I was still a girl that let other people define me and my self worth.  Because I didn't value myself enough to do it for myself, I would fail every single time that I tried to lose weight.  I would lose 10, 15, 20 pounds and then I would have a bad day or week for whatever reason and I would just say screw it I am meant to be fat.  Or I would say that I was at least better than I was before even though I had not reached my goal and then I would just stop trying.  Eventually I would put back on all the lost weight and then some.

So what makes this time different for me you might be asking (or I might be asking it for you lol)?  The difference this time is ME!  I am not doing this to impress someone, or to fit into a dress for a special event in the future, I am doing it for ME so that I can prove to myself that I deserve it, I am worth it, and I can do ANYTHING that I set my mind to do.  This is not about being skinny or looking good (well maybe a little... ok a lot... about looking good) but it is about being the best me for me.  I have a son and I love him more than life itself and I have tried in the past to do it for him because I want to be around to make his life miserable (just kidding of course- everyone says the gooey stuff so I am trying to keep it fresh) for as long as possible.  That didn't work because I can't do it for him or anyone else.  I have to do it for me and that is what I am doing.  By being the best me for me, I can be the best mom for my son.

If you have been following my journey at all you know that I started on 2.17.14 and today is 10.14.14 so it has been almost 8 months.  Right now I am down to 136 pounds (I weighed 176 at the largest that was documented by a doctor) and I still have at least 10 pounds if not more to lose.  Do I look better and feel better than I did?  Heck yeah!  But I am not stopping because I am not at my goal yet.  You might be thinking to yourself (or I might be thinking for you again) that it has been 8 months so what is taking you so long?  I am so glad that you asked me that question.  Please let me explain.

Three years ago in September I was so miserable and I thought I had hit my all time lowest point and I didn't know what to do but I knew that I had to do something.  So I did what fat girl Tina thought was a great idea and I surfed the internet and found a doctor that would prescribe me diet pills.  I made an appointment and went and got those magic little Adipex pills.  Man those things are awesome if you want to lose some quick weight and I did shred some pounds.  I think within 3 months I had lost 20 pounds.  But after 3 months they will no longer give you those magic little pills so guess what happened?  If you guessed that I gradually put all of that weight back on because my silly fat ass thought that swallowing magic pills would make me skinny forever then ding, ding, ding you have just won for the second time while reading this post.  Not only did I gain the weight back but I had lost the weight in a very unsafe and unhealthy manner.  Looking back that was a HORRIBLE choice but I can't turn back time.

Fast forward to January of 2014 and I was back at the bottom of my pit trying to dig myself out.  If you want to read about my journey you can click here to read all about how I got started and where I have been so far along the way.  Has this been easy?  I would be lying if I said yes so the answer is no it has not been easy.  Has this been worth it?  The answer is I AM WORTH IT so I am never giving up again.  I finally believe in myself and that is the game changer.  I am no longer looking for a magic pill, I don't need anyone else's approval of me, and I have ditched my excuses for good this time.  Sure it is taking me a while but when I fall down, I get back up instead of giving up.  This time I am doing it the healthy way which means changing my lifestyle which is not going to happen overnight.  I didn't get to 176 pounds over night and I am not going to get back down to 120 pounds over night.  Patience is something that I struggle with but the new me is learning to be patient.  If you can relate to my story I hope that this post will encourage, motivate or inspire you to give yourself a break and take a crack at the whole patience concept.  IT WORKS :)   Have a great day friends and as always thank you so much for your support.  If you enjoy my posts please follow my blog (you can do so in the right column... go ahead just look to your right and scroll until you find the follow me widget).  You can also follow me on Facebook by liking my Facebook fan page.  And if you just simply can't get enough Tina Bling in your life you can subscribe to my YouTube channel.  Thank you if you are still here but now go have a fabulous day you sexy beast!!

Do You Value You?

On February 17th, 2014 I started a journey to lose weight and become healthier.  At that time I had absolutely no idea how different my life was about to become and how much I would discover about myself that I did not know before.  I've lived with myself for 47 years so I thought I knew myself pretty well.  As it turns out I wasn't just hiding myself from the rest of the world but I was also hiding from myself.

Throughout this journey I have been trying to keep it real and be as open and honest as I can possibly be because if there is even one person who hears my story that I can inspire, motivate or just reach to let them know that they are not alone then this will be worth it.  At this time I think it is important to share a little more about my story with you so here goes (deep breath).

Until I was about 8 or 9 years old I remember my life as being like a story book childhood.  We lived in brand new houses and went on vacations to Disney World every year.  Looking back I think that my memories seem so ideal because I was too young to realize the reality that we were actually living in (my sister and I).  I think I was about 9 years old the first time that I walked into the living room and caught my father holding my mother down on the living room floor and beating her head into the floor.  I am convinced to this day that if I had not walked in he would have killed her.  My father was a raging alcoholic and compulsive gambler.  I was always sympathetic to his situation because when he was 16 and his only brother was 19 (those are the ages as I remember them but could be a little off... it was too painful for my dad for me to talk about it with him) his brother died tragically in a car accident.  My grandmother went into a catatonic state and my father was devastated.  I have never had anything that tragic happen to me so I can't imagine what that would be like but I know it had to have been horrific.  I always just thought that he turned to alcohol and gambling to try to ease that pain.  Anyway, after that first memory I have so many other horrible memories that there are too many to write but there was one other one that I will never forget that truly scarred me for life.  One night I just remember that my dad was driving and my mother was in the front seat of the car and my sister and I were in the back seat.  My father was beyond irate and we were parked.  My parents were arguing and it was crazy scary.  At one point my father turned to me and my sister and told us what a whore our mother was and that she was having an affair with someone.  He went on to say that she had gotten pregnant and had an abortion.  I was 9 and didn't even know what sex was but he went on to explain to us what an abortion was.  I do not think that was true at all my father was just trying to hurt my mother.  But what he did to me and my sister's young minds (she is a year and a half younger than me) was irreversible.  The horrible arguing, physical and mental abuse, and our parents putting my sister and I smack in the middle trying to pit against one another lasted for about 3 or 4 more years.  Even after the divorce my father tried to ruin my mother's life and often used my sister and I as pawns.  He would not give my mother any money for child support and then he would take my sister and I shopping and buy us ridiculously expensive clothes just to rub it in her face that he had money and she did not.  My life when I was a young teenager was literally a living hell.

Once my parent's divorce was finalized and my sister, mother and I had been on our own for a few years, my mother decided to move us to Kentucky close to her brother and his family so we could get away from the craziness.  By that time my sister was already into drugs and being a full blown rebel.  She hated me and would just be horribly cruel to me because I was smart, did well in school, and had really good friends who were like me.  As soon as she turned 16 my father signed the papers so she could get married (then he was free from paying any more child support).

So I think I have shared enough that you are getting the picture of why I would want to hide from the world.  What I am discovering is that I thought my father hated me, that my mother was too wrapped up in herself to care about me, and my sister literally despised me and would do anything to hurt me.  Needless to say my self worth was very little.  If your own parents and sister don't value you then how can you value yourself?

Now I want to talk about value and what I am learning about my value.  In order for anything to mean anything to you it has to have a value to you.  For example if someone gave me a baby stroller that would have zero value to me because I do not have a baby nor do I ever plan on having another baby.  So if I had this stroller I would probably give it away or put it in my basement and never give it a second thought.  When something has no value to you then you don't care about that thing and you don't give it a second thought.  For me I saw no value in myself probably ever in my whole life.  I am beginning to realize that because I did not see any value in myself that I was not giving myself any attention.  Over the years I became increasingly overweight and although I didn't like how I felt I did nothing to change.  I think the only reason I decided to change is because I was becoming increasingly uncomfortable to the point that I wanted to lose weight to feel better physically.

Since starting on my journey I have been blogging about my feelings and experiences which has been such therapy for me.  I have also become a Beachbody coach and I am trying to be better every day than I was the day before.  Being a coach is keeping me accountable and is surrounding me with other people who have the same goals as me while I am helping others who are like me.  Every single day I am getting stronger and feeling better.  For the first time in my life I finally value myself.  I see myself as worthy of whatever I want.  I am no longer letting other people's actions define me and diminish my value.  I can not control what other people think or do, I can only control myself.   For the first time I am learning that I can be whatever I want to be and I am discovering that I want to just be me because I am pretty awesome.

Do you value you?  I implore everyone to dig deep down and find your own value.  The most important thing I want to say is that if you are a parent you need to instill value into your children.  Let them know they have value.  Next to that know your own value.  If you don't value yourself then no one else will value you either and YOU ARE SO VALUABLE!

So what is my value?  I am an awesome mom, I have a great career that I am really good at, I am smart, pretty, funny and fun.  Without me I would be nothing.  I am like a fine wine that is only getting better with age.  What is your value?  Do you value you?

WHY NOT ME?

Have you ever looked around at other people and wished you could be more like them but thought that there is no way you could do what they did or have what they have so you just kept going on with your life?  The post that I wrote the other day was about looking at those people and comparing yourself to them so I am not saying that you should compare yourself to them or that I am comparing myself to them.  What I am asking myself is if they can be skinny, why can't I be skinny?  If they can be successful and are able to live their dream life, why can't I be successful and live my dream life?  The answer is there is no reason that I can't be like them. 

The real question to ask here is how bad do I want to have what they have?  What are they doing that I am not doing?  The truth is that everyone is different and has to do what works best for them to get their desired results.  I am living proof that if you decide to something and commit to it, and I mean make a real commitment, that you can accomplish your goals.  By that I am talking about my weight loss goal.  I still have a few pounds to lose but I am so close that I can taste it.  I will never give up until I reach my goals.  The difference in them and me is the commitment.  I say I want stuff and there are things I would like to have or accomplish but I clearly haven't wanted them badly enough because I have not made the commitment (which means making time, making a plan, preparing and then working my ass off to make it happen!).  

This past weekend I finally started noticing a big change in my body and I am amazed at what I have been able to do which has got me thinking WHY NOT ME in the other aspects of my life.  Other people have healthy, happy relationships with a significant other so why not me?  I have always thought, and more so as the years go by, that I was not worthy of a great relationship but for the first time probably ever I am finally feeling like I am valuable so why not me?  

I also see some of the other people in my life who have amazing careers, love their jobs and are very successful and I have always been envious of them.  But again I am for the first time ever thinking if they can do it why not me?  After all they are just regular people like me, right?  So I am finding myself today just asking myself over and over WHY NOT ME???  As of this moment I am no longer going to ask that phrase but rather make that a statement.  WHY NOT ME!!!  I have so many things that I want to accomplish so I am going for it starting now.  WHY NOT ME!  I have a plan and I am mostly prepared now I just need to go and put in the time and effort and that is what I am going to do.

Is there something that you have always wanted to do but just thought you couldn't so you didn't even try?  I would love to hear your comments so post them below.  As always thanks for checking out my blog and have a fabulous day friends!

What's YOUR Game Plan?

If you have any goals or dreams for yourself and your life there are two things that are ABSOLUTELY necessary if you want to see those goals and dreams come to fruition.  Number one you HAVE to have a plan because without knowing what you are going to do to help yourself reach your goals/dreams you will never get there.  Would you go on a long road trip to somewhere you had never been before without a map or some sort of navigational device?  I hope not but if you did you may never reach your destination or at the very least it would take you much longer to get there.

The second thing that is necessary is preparation.  Let's say you do have a map and a navigational device and you are all set to take that road trip.  So you hop in your car and start driving.  In a few hours you are going to need to stop for gas so you are going to need money.  When you get to where you are going you are going to need to find a place to sleep.  The next morning you are going to need to shower and wear clean clothes.  In order to make just those few things happen you would have had to been prepared.  Did you bring your wallet with enough cash/credit to last the entire trip?  Did you make reservations prior to leaving to make sure that all of the hotels were not full?  Did you pack toiletries and plenty of clean clothes?  You get the idea of why you needed to be prepared.

The same concept applies to reaching your goals in life.  I am going to use one of my very public goals that I have been working on as an example.  Since February 17, 2014 I have been trying to lose weight and be healthier.  I was fed up with how I felt and looked and I was ready to change.  At the beginning I had an initial game plan but nothing that I had really thought out past the first few months.  I bought Focus T25 from TV and I bought a bunch of healthy food and I started exercising and eating better.  Now if you are reading this post you probably already know that I started this blog at the same time that I started my journey. Blogging to me is therapy but the reason I wanted to start this blog was so that I would always be able to look back and see how miserable I was and hopefully that would prevent me from ever going back to being that person again.  As it turns out this blog has turned into so much more than just therapy for myself.  Much to my disbelief when I shared my blog with others just in case they were curious as to what I had been doing and wanting to share how awesome I thought T25 was I started getting a lot of positive response.  I was actually even getting messages from people that I barely knew or did not know at all saying how I had inspired or motivated them.  That was a great incentive to keep going and to keep sharing my story.  Baring my soul and sharing my struggles is totally worth it every single time I have someone reach out to me and say that I have inspired them.

Anyway, getting back to the topic, when I started I really did not have much of a game plan.  I just knew what I wanted to accomplish but did not really know how to get there.  I had my T25 and my healthy food.  What else could I possibly need right?  Well it is 7 1/2 months later and I am finally starting to get great results again because I FINALLY figured out that I have to have a plan.  Eating right and exercising is not enough to get me to where I need or want to be so I developed a plan.  I have been working this plan for almost a month and have been able to lose 7 more pounds since then.  I want to help you with your plan.  We all have different goals and different finish places and times, our bodies all work differently, we all like different types of foods and exercises, and we all need our own customized game plans.

If you want help customizing your game plan so that you can maximize your results in the quickest amount of time I am here to help.  All you have to do is reach out to me and we can start your journey together.  Maybe you already have an exercise program or a meal plan but the two together don't seem to be working.  Or maybe you need help deciding on an exercise program or meal plan.  Or maybe you just have had no idea where to start and just need a lot of help figuring out a plan and preparing to put the plan in to motion.  No matter what you need help with I am here to help you.   All you have to do is go to the right hand column and either send me a message through the Contact Me widget at the top or you can schedule an appointment for a free consultation which is the widget directly below the Contact Me widget.  You can also find me on Facebook.

Life is too short to go through it unhappy and/or unsatisfied with your current situation so don't wait to contact me.  Now's the time!

Thank you so much for reading my posts and I hope you are making the most of this glorious day friend!

Stop Comparing Yourself To Others

If everyone in the world suddenly woke up and never compared their self to anyone else how different do you think our world would be.  Imagine a world where everyone was happy with who they were and what they had.  Now imagine that you are one of those people.  Right at this moment in time I am finally truly happy with who I am and what I have but I am definitely less than thrilled at how I look.  Even though I am finally happy with who I am, I am dissatisfied with myself because I have been unhealthy by choice.  But I am working on that which makes me truly happy and proud of myself.

For the past 11 years or so I have been struggling with a demon that I know far too many people struggle with as well, my weight.  Right up until I got pregnant with my son I weighed around 118 pounds and I was ok with that.  I looked fine and I felt fine (of course I was much younger and hotter then LOL).  Was I fit?  No!  Was I healthy?  Absolutely not.  In order to stay thin I mostly starved myself.  I would take diet pills, laxative, water pills or do just whatever I had to do to stay thin, oblivious to the fact that I was abusing my body.  But in my defense I really didn't know any other way and I wanted to look good so that is the road I chose.

Fast forward to 2003 (I believe this is the year but I'm old and the memory isn't quite as sharp as it used to be!).  My son was 4 years old and I was still at pre-baby weight and doing ok.  Then life happened and I started just spiraling out of control.  Little by little I started gaining weight because I started stress eating.  Truth be told I JUST LOVE FOOD!   My favorite meal would be a big plate of something deep fried and covered in ranch dressing followed by a salad covered in ranch dressing with bacon and cheese, a ribeye steak, and a loaded baked potato.  Doesn't that sound heavenly?  I ate like that all of the time.

Then fast forward to January of 2014 and I was then weighing in at 176 pounds.  I had been feeling so hopeless for so long but I just couldn't take it any longer.  I would look at myself in the mirror every single day and hate what I was seeing and having no idea how to fix myself because I really did not know what the problem was I just knew that I could not stop eating.  I am a 47 year old single mom with a full time job and tons of extra curricular activities for my high school football player so I never really thought about myself much.  I would look at other moms who were like me and wonder how in the world they could possibly be so thin and put together when I was struggling to get through a day with all of my activities.  My son has been my priority for the past 14 years so I focused on him but I knew that if those women could be thin and happy that I should be able to do that also.  BUT HOW?!?!?!

Since college I have always been in management which means that I do a lot of problem solving so once I decided that I just couldn't stand how I was feeling a second longer I started looking at my situation as just another problem that I had to solve.  So I started my journey.  I am getting so close to reaching my goals that I can taste it but I am still struggling with a few things.  One of those things is comparing myself, my journey, and my results to other people.  For the first time in my life I am losing weight the healthy way which means that the weight is not going to just melt away in a few months.  Getting from 176 to 118 is not going to happen overnight so I have to remind myself daily that it is happening for me (I am currently clocking in at 138) even though the progress is slower than I would like.  I see other people who were able to lose weight quicker and I just have to tell myself that I am not them.  My ass is 47 so it is not going to be easy (and I am smack in the middle of menopause... yay me!).  So I am trusting in the process and daily continue to workout, drink my Shakeology, work my numbers, because let's face it losing weight is like a giant math problem) and know that I WILL GET THERE!  I sort of put on blinders to others just so I can focus on myself.  My journey is mine.  My results are mine.  That is what keeps me going in a positive direction and continuing to see positive results.  My journey is about me and I am doing this for myself because I AM WORTH IT!

I strongly encourage you to put blinders on and stop comparing yourself to other people because you are you.  I love the Dr. Seuss quote "Today you are you, that is truer than true.  There is no one alive who is youer than you!".  So be yourself, believe in yourself and go and kick some ass!


#youareyou #believeinyourself #yougotthis #stopcomparing

Losing Weight is a Numbers Game

Recently (well for the past 7 1/2 months) I have been on a journey to lose weight, get fit and be healthier.  Let me tell you that when you are 47 it is a whole heck of a lot harder than it is when you are even 37.  I am a single mom of a teenager, I have a moderately stressful job and I am smack dab in the middle of menopause all of which separately could make a woman nuts so add in trying to lose weight and I am all kinds of bat shit crazy!  But for those of you who know me once I get something in my head that I am determined to do I AM GOING TO DO IT whatever it takes.  I have always been the type of person that loves figuring stuff out.  You are probably saying to yourself (because I have been axing this same dang thing) if you are so determined and love to figure stuff out WHAT HAS TAKEN YOU SO LONG???????  Well Ima tell you :)

For the past probably 12 years or so I have had a self-esteem that spiraled out of control from moderately low to off the charts negative.  One of my favorite sayings is if you always do what you have always done you will always get the same result.  I KNOW THIS!  I am fairly (ok more than fairly but I don't want to brag LOL) intelligent and I have always known in the back of my mind why I was overweight and unhappy but my self-loathing was far greater than my self love and I was totally in self-destruct mode.  Failing is so much easier than succeeding.  Failing requires ZERO effort.  I was quite awesome at failing and actually I was getting pretty good at being a complete train wreck.  Then I settle in to my comfort zone where even though I was hiding from the world and completely ashamed of myself I was somehow ok with how I looked and felt.  Truth is I was never ok with it, I just became complacent.  The desire to change was not as great as my level of comfort I was feeling.

I can't exactly put my finger on what light bulb went off in my head or say that one thing in particular made me want to be different but one day I decided enough was enough.  This chica is only 5'2" tall and at one point I was over 176 pounds.  That is ridic and no matter what people who are heavy try to preach, and you can get pissed if you want, but you are not healthy.  My cholesterol was off the charts and I had high blood pressure just to name a few of the medical issues that I knew of that I was having at that time.  Not only was I risking my health but let me tell you as the voice of experience that people do treat you differently.  You get stares and whispers which is detrimental to your ego.  Also you don't get people paying any positive attention to you and you start to feel isolated and alone.  Even if you have the most outgoing personality in the world if you are overweight and honest with yourself you know that being overweight takes a toll on you both physically and mentally (and let the hate comments/messages begin but I am just keeping it real).  Anyway I was 3 months away from getting a new driver's license and I wanted to have a better pic than my old license in which I looked like just a giant, wide face.  I hated that picture so I guess you could say that is what got me started but I got a new license in May so that is definitely not what has kept me going.

Fast forward to October 1st and I am 7 1/2 months into my journey and the great news is that I am now down to 138.2.  The bad news is that I am still at 138.2.  My mind is constantly struggling with my body when it comes to being able to lose weight.  I am exercising at least 5 times a week and I am eating so much healthier now that it is ri-dic-u-lous!!!  SO WHY AM I NOT DOWN TO MY GOAL WEIGHT YET?  Well FINALLY I am starting to get to the bottom of that question and find an answer.  Sure I am making much healthier choices but you can over eat healthy foods also.  And let me tell you that you can exercise until the cows come home but if you are feeding yourself crap you will not lose weight plain and simple.  You can not out exercise a bad diet!

Want to know what I am doing to finally start shedding pounds again?  One thing that I tried in the past was Weight Watchers and it did work for me but do you know why I am not still doing WW?  I HATED counting and writing stuff down and constantly looking in some damn book how many points something was.  Then at the end of the day I am hungry and I have no points left so I would be starving.  It was so frustrating and quite frankly exhausting to me.  And since February and I have been eating better and exercising I have been gradually losing weight but I keep hitting plateaus.  That is when I had to get to the bottom of my problem and fix whatever I was doing wrong.  I used to have a really bad problem of bitching about things that were wrong yet not trying to change them.  Then I decided I would just stop bitching about those things and accept them.  Well now I don't bitch or accept I just look for solutions and keep trying until I find one that works.  So what is working for me right now is plain and simply just keeping track of what I am eating but in a new HIGH-TECH way that is making my number on the scale finally start to go down.  For the first time since my journey began I actually feel like I am going downhill instead of uphill.

So here it is.  I used a formula that is in the Insanity Elite Nutrition Guide and I calculated how many calories I am supposed to be eating on a daily basis so I would know my daily target.  I also used another formula to calculate how many calories that I should be eating daily that should come from carbs, protein and fat in order to help me lose weight.  Then I found an awesome website that I cannot recommend highly enough called FatSecret and I started tracking my daily caloric intake on that website.  Now, either in the mornings or the night before, I put in what I am going to eat for the day and I take that stuff with me to work and I know ahead of time what is for dinner.  In my mind I am also spacing out what I am eating throughout the day instead of eating all of my healthy stuff at once and going for seconds or wanting something different.  When things happen throughout the day or if I decide to eat something that is not great (for example a slice of pizza) I just put that food in and adjust the rest of my day and cut out other stuff.  I also have a tracking sheet and every single day I write down my caloric intake as well as my weight from the morning.  My brain can visually see each day how my caloric intake is directly effecting my weight and is finally starting to work in conjuction with my body.  I am also continuing to drink my Shakeology every single morning and doing my daily exercise which usually for me consists of Focus T25 or Insanity because that is what I love to do.

So in a nutshell you just need to know your number and make sure you focus on your nutrition if you want to see the pounds start melting away and guess what?  If you don't have that formula or you don't have the time to figure out your numbers I am here to help you.  I am here for you 100%!!!  So if you are ready to start and need some help just let me know.  My facebook page is www.facebook.com/tinaballingerfitness or you can email me at tibelling@aol.com.

Thanks again for all of your loyal support.  I truly appreciate each and every one of you :)

#magicpill  #magicnumber #losingweight  #helpmeloseweight #weightloss #healthyeating #msbling #focust25 #shaunt

Check out my delts!

DO IT FOR YOURSELF!

This morning I had an epiphany.  I have so many people, including myself, that tell me they want so badly to lose weight and be fit.  For the past 10 years I have "wanted" to feel better and look better.  There are lots of things that I "want" but as my mom used to always tell us when we were kids "want in one hand and s#@t in the other and see which hand fills up fastest".

So how do you go from just wanting something to actually getting something?  When it comes to losing weight and being fit their is no magic pill, no magic wand and no magic dust that will just make it happen for you.  The skinny fairy has yet to come sprinkle any skinny dust on my ass.  Achieving any goal requires a commitment and to stick with a commitment you need a WHY.  If you have no reason to do something then you are not going to stick with it and you will never succeed.

As I was getting ready to workout this morning I was thinking about how far I have come and how hard I have worked and how proud I am of myself.  If you know me personally you know that once I get something in my head that I am going to do it come hell or high water and the one thing I have been struggling with is the getting rid of these last pounds that are stalking me.  So I knew it was my nutrition and I have found a "magic formula", if you will, that has been a God send and I am finally dropping pounds again.

The one thing that I cannot control is other people.  Those people who reach out to me for help are just like I used to be and I want so badly to help everyone, including myself, get healthy for good and never look back!  I am struggling with finding a way to make sure that I never go back to being the person I was so this morning I have been digging deep and asking myself why I have been able to get this far and how I am able to keep going and not give up even though my weight is coming off slowly and it seems like I am working so hard.  Like a ton of bricks it dawned on me that I am succeeding for several reasons.  One is that if I have a bad day I just start again the next day and I do not let the bad day define me.  I let the good days define me now instead.  There are so many other reasons (being a coach and being surrounded by other people with the same goals as myself, running challenge groups where I also hold myself accountable etc.) but the number one reason that I am winning this battle this time is because of my WHY.  Every time I have tried in the past and lost a few pounds only to gain it back and bring a few of it's friends home with it is because I am no longer doing it for ANYONE else but Me!

Here are a few reasons I used to have for trying to lose weight and be healthier and more fit:

~  I was trying to impress someone else.

~  I had a special event coming up and I wanted to look good.

~  I wanted to make my son proud and not be embarrassed of me when I would go to his school or his football games.

~  I had to get a new driver's license picture (which is the reason I started this time but is definitely not what has kept me going).

Do you see the common denominator in those reasons?  They are all short term goals or they are about someone else.  That is why I always failed.  The difference in then and now is that now I am doing it for myself.  I am doing it so that I feel good and look good.  My epiphany was this:  Do it for you because YOU ARE WORTH IT!

If you are wanting to lose weight, get healthier and fit then you need to dig deep inside yourself, become your new best friend and partner up with yourself and commit to success.  I know you are getting so tired of hearing me say that I am here for you but I say that because I mean it and I sincerely want to help anyone that wants help.  If you are ready to do this for you I am always running challenge groups and I would be honored if you would let me be your coach.  You can find me on facebook at www.facebook.com/tinaballingerfitness or you can email me directly at tibelling@aol.com.

Remember YOU ARE WORTH IT... DO IT FOR YOURSELF!

Thank you so much for your continued support and loyalty.  I couldn't do it without you :)

#msbling
#nevergiveup
#focust25
#doitforyourself
#fitoverforty
#loveyourlife

Fontina, Caramelized Onion and Pancetta Pizza

Ingredients

• Pizza Dough
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 ounces pancetta (Italian-style bacon) or Canadian bacon, chopped
• 8 cups sliced onion (about 3 large)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 
  
• Yield:  2- 9 inch pizzas        Serving Size:  2 slices
  
  

• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded fontina cheese, divided
• Thyme sprigs (optional)
• Cracked black pepper (optional)

Preparation

Prepare the Pizza Dough according to directions.

While dough is rising the second time, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add pancetta, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add onions, thyme, salt, and white pepper; cook 25 minutes or until onions are browned, stirring frequently.

Preheat oven to 475°.

Brush each prepared pizza crust with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil; top each with half of onion mixture. Sprinkle half of cheese over each pizza. Bake at 475° for 9 minutes or until crusts are crisp. Cut each pizza into 8 wedges. Garnish with thyme sprigs and sprinkle with black pepper, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 238
 
• Calories from fat: 28%
 
• Fat: 7.3g
 
• Saturated fat: 2.7g
 
• Monounsaturated fat: 3.4g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.7g
 
• Protein: 8.6g
 
• Carbohydrate: 34.8g
 
• Fiber: 3.1g
 
• Cholesterol: 16mg
 
• Iron: 2mg
• Sodium: 300mg
 
• Calcium: 87mg
• • 
    
  • • #healty recipes
    • • #nevergiveup
      • • #healthypizza
        • • #msbling
          • • #teamchange
            • • #tinabling #msblingsfitness
              • • 
                  

Pizza Dough

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon dry yeast (about 1/2 package)
• 3/4 cup warm water (105° to 115°)
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Dissolve sugar and yeast in 3/4 cup water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Stir 2 cups flour, oil, and salt into yeast mixture to form a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent the dough from sticking. Place dough in large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning dough to coat top. Cover dough, and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 40 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Punch dough down. Cover and let rise 40 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Divide dough into 2 equal portions; roll each portion into a 9-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Place dough circles on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Top and bake according to directions.

INSANITY Max 30 IS COMING!!!!

Woot woot!  Another amazing workout program from my main man Shaun T.!  Want to be the first to know when it goes live for sale so you don't miss out?  Just click on the link below and sign up to get an email I know I did!

Insanity Max 30 Email Launch Reminder

Program Details
Program Trainer	SHAUN T
Program Length	60 Days
DVD/VHS/Blue-Ray	DVD only
Workout Length	30 minutes
Spanish Program	No (subtitles)
Closed Captioned	No (subtitles)
Certification Available	No

What is INSANITY MAX:30?

INSANITY MAX:30 is the challenging new 30-minute, in-home workout program from Shaun T, creator of INSANITY and Focus T25. Shaun T has developed 150 new cardio and strength moves that will make everyone push harder and dig deeper than ever before to get the best body of their life in just 60 days. INSANITY MAX:30 will be the hardest 30 minutes of the day and customers need to be ready to MAX OUT. It's not about "getting through" all 30 minutes, it's about going as hard as possible, for as long as possible, until becoming "MAXED OUT" (i.e. until taking the first rest and/or breaking proper form). No equipment needed… just push to the MAX for INSANE results in just 60 days.   I don't have any further details at this time but will update this post as I get them! Again thanks so much for following my blog and have a fabulous day!!!

P90 IS HERE!!!!

What is P90?

P90 is the gateway to getting fit regardless of one's age or fitness level! This program from legendary trainer Tony Horton includes ten all-new workouts that are simple, doable, and less extreme than his others, but still just as effective. Whether a person hasn't worked out in a decade, or is just looking to maintain what they've got, P90 opens the door for customers to see dramatic, visible results in just 90 days. P90 includes three 30-day phases. Each new phase is designed to gradually ease your body past its old limits.

Program Details:

Program Trainer Tony Horton
Program Length 90 Days
DVD/VHS/Blue-Ray DVD only
Workout Length 25-45 min

GENERAL:

How long is each workout? Workouts range from 25-45 minutes.

What is the workout schedule? 1 workout a day, 6 days a week, for 90 days.

What size workout space is needed? Enough space to step side to side in each direction.

What shoes are recommended for the program? Cross trainers or tennis shoes are best.

What is the minimum age recommended for the program? View FAQ 669 to learn more.

Is the program available to stream or download online? No. Today Beachbody programs cannot be streamed or downloaded.

Is there an iPhone or Android app? No. There are no current plans to release an app.

Is a measuring tape included with purchase? No. A measuring tape is not included.

Which kit is included in the Challenge Pack? The Base Kit. There are no plans to include other kits.

FITNESS & RESULTS:

Does P90 require pull-ups like P90X? No. The program does not include pull-ups.

Do both the Sweat and Sculpt calendars use the same DVD's? Yes. Sweat is cardio focused. Sculpt is strength focused.

Which calendar (Sweat or Sculpt) should be done first? Either can be done first. It is up to the customer.

What is the recommended wait time between rounds? No break is required.

If a workout is skipped/missed, what happens? Results will vary. Visit the Team Beachbody Message Boards for advice.

Are there hybrid workout schedules with other programs? No. There are currently no plans to create a hybrid schedule.

Where can the P90 Workout Sheets be downloaded? VisitTeamBeachbody.com/msbling > Get Fit >Workout Sheets.

MEAL PLAN & NUTRITION:

Is the program & meal plan safe for pregnant/nursing women? View FAQ 9903 for advice.

Does the meal plan include Gluten free options? No. Visit the Team Beachbody Message Boards for advice.

Does the meal plan include vegan/vegetarian options? No. Visit the Team Beachbody Message Boards for advice.

Where are additional medical or nutritional concerns answered? View FAQ 9902 for additional medical or nutritional concerns.

BEACHBODY CHALLENGE:

After completing the Challenge, how can the T-shirt be redeemed online? View FAQ 9873 for free T-shirt redemption instructions.

Can the P90 Challenge T-shirt be purchased? No. Only those who complete the Challenge can earn it.

MISCELLANEOUS:

Where can apparel be purchased? Available apparel can be purchased in the Team Beachbody Shop.

Is the fitness guide available for purchase on TeamBeachbody.com/msbling? No. The guide is only available with the purchase of the program.

Can the workout playlist be purchased separately? No. The playlist is not available for individual purchase.

What is the link to view/download the infomercial? The infomercial can be viewed/downloaded on YouTube.

What is the name & link of the official Facebook page?www.facebook.com/P90Workout

Kit Details (USD) Retail Club Members:

P90 DVD Package (Base Kit) $79.90† $71.91
P90 Deluxe DVD Package $159.80† $143.82
P90 Deluxe Upgrade Package $79.90† $71.91
P90 Speed Series DVDs $39.90† $35.91
Resistance Band Handles - 1 Pair $4.95† $4.46
Pro-Grade Resistance Band (Pink) $19.95† $17.96
B-LINES Resistance Band (Red) $20.95† $18.86
B-LINES Resistance Band (Magenta) $19.95† $17.96
Yoga Mat $29.95† $26.96

Challenge Pack Details (USD) Retail Shipping
P90 Challenge Pack $180† $2.00

ORDERING INFORMATION:

Did you know that when you order a Challenge Pack that you can sign up as a Coach for FREE?  Being a Coach entitles you to product discounts and commissions when your friends and family purchase Beachbody products from you which can help you pay for your products.  For more details please send me an emai at tibelling@aol.com or send me a message on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tina.ballinger.3.  To sign up as a Coach with a Challenge Pack go to www.teambeachbody.com/msbling.  Make sure you see my transformation pic there that way you know you are signing up to have me as your awesome coach!  Then click on the Coach tab at the top of the page and then click on Be A Coach and it will give you the opportunity to customize your Challenge Pack :)

To Order a Challenge Pack:

Go to www.teambeachbody.com/msbling (make sure you see my transformation pic so that you know you are ordering from me), go to the Beachbody Challenge tab at the top of the page, select the Challenge Pack option from the drop down menu,   Then select the P90 Challenge Pack!  Easy peasy :)

To Order Everything Else:

Go to www.teambeachbody.com/msbling (make sure you see my transformation pic so that you know you are ordering from me), go to the Shop tab at the top of my page and then select what you would like to shop for from there.  HAPPY SHOPPING!  There are so many great things to choose from and once you order something the good news is you will get me as a Coach completely FREE :)  

Don't want to order anything but you really want some help getting healthier and/or more fit?  Visit my facebook page at www.facebook.com/tinaballingerfitness and send me a message or go to the Contact Me tab and send me a message.  I am here to help everyone that wants help!

Thank you so much for being loyal fans of my blog.  You can also find me on Youtube at www.youtube.com/user/mstinabling.  

Have a fabulous day!

Update:

P90		Base Kit	Deluxe Kit
GUARANTEE
30-day Money Back Guarantee		Yes	Yes
WORKOUTS (4 DVD's)	RUN TIME
Sweat A	25 min	Yes	Yes
Ab Ripper	8 min	Yes	Yes
Sculpt A	28 min	Yes	Yes
Sweat  B	32 min	Yes	Yes
Ab Ripper B	14 min	Yes	Yes
Sculpt B	31 min	Yes	Yes
Sweat C	36 min	Yes	Yes
Ab Ripper C	15 min	Yes	Yes
Sculpt C	42 min	Yes	Yes
Saturday Special*	25 min	Yes	Yes
BONUS WORKOUTS (1 DVD)
P90X3® Dynamix	30 min	Yes	Yes
DELUXE WORKOUTS (1 DVD)
Speed Sculpt	25 min	No	Yes
Speed Sweat	27 min	No	Yes
Speed Abs	6 min	No	Yes
Horton's Greatest Hits	37 min	No	Yes
EQUIPMENT
Pro-Grade Pink (15lb) Resistance Band*†		Yes	Yes
1 pair of resistance band handles*		Yes	Yes
Door attachment		Yes	Yes
Pro-Grade Magenta (20lb) & Red (30lb) Resistance Bands†		No	Yes
Yoga Mat		No	Yes
TOOLS
Simple Kitchen Nutrition Guide		Yes	Yes
4-Step Power Plan		Yes	Yes
"How to Hit It" Tutorial		Yes	Yes
FREE GIFTS
6-Day Shred*		Yes	Yes
90-Day Workout Calendar		Yes	Yes
24/7 Online Support		Yes	Yes
*These items are free to keep with purchase and do not need to be returned with the kit.
† Contains natural rubber latex which may cause severe allergic reactions.

         

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT	Resistance band(s)
RECCOMENDED EQUIPMENT	We recommend dumbbells, yoga mat, towel, water and a space wide enough to take a step in each direction.
WORKOUT DESCRIPTIONS
SCUPLT A	Gets your body ready to get strong.
SWEAT A	Melts that fat that's been holding you back.
AB RIPPER A	Adds power and definition to your core.
SCUPLT B	Builds endurance and lean-muscle growth.
SWEAT B	Cranks the calorie burn even higher.
AB RIPPER B	Carves slimmer, rock-hard abs.
SCUPLT C	Defines your body and puts results into overdrive.
SWEAT C	Burns fat and tests endurance like never before.
AB RIPPER C	Puts the final touches on your lean, sexy six-pack.
SATURDAY SPECIAL	A superefficient, high-velocity sweat-fest that will help you get your weekend workout done-and done right-in a hurry.
SPEED SCULPT	Shake up your routine and burn off calories with this quick resistance workout!
SPEED SWEAT	A quick cardio routine designed to melt away more fat in less time.
SPEED ABS	Quickly tone and strengthen your core with 5 of Tony's favorite ab moves.
HORTONS'S GREATEST HITS - FREE GIFT	Tony chose his all-time favorite moves for this workout that fits perfectly into your regular P90® routine.
P90X3® DYNAMIX	Increase your range of motion, flexibility, and stabilization to help maximize the results you get from every routine.

          

#P90 #itsyourturn #p90challengepack #challengepack #getresults