How Do Busy Women Eat Healthy?

Oh my! I just have to say that FOOD is my weakness when it comes to my health. There really isn't much that I don't like. However, if you have any kind of health/fitness goals then learning how to eat healthy is vital. You can't workout all of the time and expect to have awesome results if the nutrition doesn't add up.

So, what can we do? Accountability has been EVERYTHING to me in my journey as I've been losing weight and feeling better. However, I need to step it up with the food portion. I would LOVE to have you along the way as we learn about clean eating.

What it is?

How much can I eat?

How will I be able to stick with it?

What about menu/meal planning?

I will go over all of these questions and we can keep each other on track along the way. I have another 5 pound goal I'd love to meet and I know with your help we can do this together! What kind of goals do you have?

If food has been an issue in your life, then let's get together! Comment below and let me know if you want to join this free group! I can't wait to get started!

Blended Family Encouragement

It is not uncommon today for people to have a blended family. It may be due to death or divorce, but no matter what we all need encouragement to help us and guide us. Steve and I have been married almost 7 years and merged from 2 to 4 kids. Then a few years later, we added one more to the gang! So here we are a BIG family of 7 and have daily struggles with our "blending".

Sometimes, it could be related to the different ways we parent and discipline... other days it can simply be being oversensitive to the circumstances. But, I can tell you that no matter what I can ALWAYS use some encouragement in this area. There are things I wish I could go back and do differently when we first got married. I was young. I didn't want to go through divorce. I didn't want to have a blended family. I didn't want to have to deal with ex-spouses for my entire life! haha

But, thankfully God's Word has given and continues to give me truth in how to handle my life and kids. Believe me, I've failed PLENTY of times, but I feel like what I want to share in this new Blended Family Devotional will help so many people. As I wrote this over a year ago, I cried through every page I typed. I poured out my own story which was super painful. It left me feeling like I had a big open wound that I was exposing to the world.

Little did I know what God had in mind. He truly inspired each page of this 30 day devotional. If I wasn't inspired, I didn't write. Now, I am watching and waiting to see what God has in store next. He has opened a BIG HUGE DOOR to publish this devotional and I am trusting Him along the way.

I've started the fundraising to pay for this to become a reality. I'd love for you to check out my page and if you feel led... donate to the ministry.

https://www.youcaring.com/other/blended-family-ministry/240888

Thank you so much for all your support!

Crazy Messy Wonderful Life

Wow! I look back on my 33 years some days and wonder how in the world did I get through it all!

Ever feel that way? Maybe it's just this week! Or maybe you feel like you are stuck in a pit and can't get yourself out right now.

I've totally been there and fight this feeling almost every day at some point. As a mom, I make my schedule and try to keep up with all of the activities the week holds. Not including attempting to keep the house picked up, laundry done, doctor/dentist visits, bills, etc....

I can sit down at night most days and think... Did I even get ANYTHING accomplished??

As a mom of a blended family, I am hit by so many more issues to deal with on a weekly basis. Things that I'd rather not have to work through. I find myself desiring the "normal life" whatever that is :) Sometimes, I ask God why I have to handle situations over and over again that are a waste of time. I ask if I'm always going to have to put up with such negativity and drama. I ask "can I please get a break sometime soon!", but I know all in all He wants and desires the best for me and my family. I know that I am in this "pit" for a reason and that reason will ultimately glorify God. For now, I am just hanging on!

You see, we all have our struggles. Some may deal with health issues or financial struggles. Some of you may have addictions or depression. Others of you may have difficulties raising your family. BUT... no matter what you are dealing with just know that there is a God who cares so much for you. He wants the best in life for YOU! The question is are we giving Him our best?

Sure, I can totally get bummed with the little annoying things that get thrown my way. But, I need to give it up to Him and let Him guide me through it. My life will never be perfect. I can strive to be the best "Sam" I can be, but I'll never add up. There will always be someone or something reminding me that I've failed.

What is different for me is that I'm going to take my failures that I've tried to just shove in a box and I'm going to use them. I'm going to TALK about them! I'm going to let my failures help me produce more strength.

I have to take this a day at a time (sometimes an hour at a time) in order to make it through. But, no matter what I have got to say that God is so good and I am a blessed woman. I have a super sweet, big hearted, hunky husband who I love and 5 kids who hold my heart. No matter how messy our life gets or how crazy this mama may feel.... I know that God's plan for us is too good to even imagine.

So today, hold onto that hope. Wherever you are... however you are feeling today.... know that there is a bigger plan in the making. Be obedient to God and He will lead you and pull you through life's situations.

21 Day Fix Extreme and Insanity Max 30 Coming Soon!

I am so excited about the 2 brand spankin' new programs coming your way from our awesome Beachbody trainers! Both are incredibly proven to get you shredded  and in the best shape of your life using just 30 minutes a day.

You've heard of Insanity, but what about the new INSANITY MAX 30!!!! You LOVE Insanity.... what about a condensed 30 MINUTE workout with Shaun T that pushes you until you MAX OUT! Check out this awesome video! Make sure you register with me to get the latest info! See pic!

http://youtu.be/9XAIYy14PB4

Also, 21 Day Fix Extreme! You have heard of 21 Day Fix right?! Only the best workout for those who also need help with the nutrition side. Well, Autumn is a bikini model who is ready to share ALL her secrets on how to get ripped in time for a body building competitions, pageants, an athletic event, or just because you want to be the strongest you can be!

Autumn shares with us her food secrets and takes the fitness up a notch to get those abs, arms, and legs that you've always wanted! I cannot WAIT!!!!

Check this out!

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=653753938072583

Make sure you register NOW with me to get the latest updates! Go to www.beachbodycoach.com/ashleycrew and click JOIN and fill out info. I'll be sending updates to my contact list only! Can't wait to get started!

Also, I run online accountability groups for when these come out so stay posted! Feel free to also add your email below in comments.

How To Lose The Cellulite On Your Legs

That's it! My #1 part of my body that has always been "my issue" and my reason I refused to wear shorts for so long! My LEGS! Anyone else understand me on this? I started feeling this way in college and have struggled for years.

No matter what size I was or what exercise I did, I always felt I could never obtain that smooth texture on my legs. I always seemed to have some kind of rippling or dimpling somewhere that would seriously drive me insane. It got to the point where I would where capris only or pants even in the summer! In Florida, this was miserable!

Instead of feel like I did, let's give you a great solution! I was never a fitness freak or sporty kind of chick growing up. I always played a sport, but it's not like I lived for that. I ran in high school, but that was by accident. ha ha I wanted to do something just for fun that was different so I decided to do shot-put and discuss. Well, little did I know that it meant running with the team too! Not only did I get in the best shape ever, but I felt the most comfortable with myself. You know what else we did besides running?

Calisthenics!!!

LOTS of them!

So up and down the football field we would go with walking lunges and squats. That is what we are going to talk about today. In the last year, I have learned so much more not only about my body, but how to get the results I want to see. I started using hand weights with squats and lunges and that gave me the toning that I was looking for!

Right now I rotate between Brazil Butt Lift and 21 Day Fix workouts through Beachbody. Both incorporate this method and it's been awesome! (If you want more info contact me below) So, here are some of the things I do..... I think pictures will help.

Side lunge:

(womenworld.org)

 

 

Sumo Squats:

 

(venusfactorbarban.com)

 

 

Curtsy Lunges:

 

 (courtesy of mooshworld.com)





 

Do each exercise for 1 full minute on each leg. Then switch to the other leg. This is a great daily addition to your regular exercise. You will notice a difference after the first week or two. Make sure you take before pictures so you can compare as you go! Feel free to share them with me! I love to see results!

Whiter Teeth in 5 Minutes!

I LOVE COFFEE! :)

I don't like to miss a day without a good cup or two and I know that has a lot to do with discoloring my teeth. I always had super white teeth when I was younger, but it was due to using whitening trays from my dentist. You could probably see your reflection off my teeth at one point.

Now, I don't put money into keeping up white teeth, but have always wanted them to be as white as they once were without the added expense. So what did I do? Researched NEW ways to obtain the same amazing results without the sensitivity that I got from the whitening trays. I want to use something natural that is cheap.

So, I went out and got this.....

Activated Charcoal! I found it on sale for $7.99 at my local Earth Fare.

What is it? Good question! This is something that is used as a natural help for the following:

Gas
Bloating
Detoxifying

It is believed that this, when taken orally, can bind with toxins to help remove them from your body. It's also been said to whiten your teeth after brushing or swishing around for 5 minutes. Of course, I had to test this theory for myself and show the results to you!

Here is my picture from 1 use of activate charcoal.

Here's what I did:

1. Open capsule and pour half on toothbrush or right in your mouth and recap the rest.
2. Brush for 5 minutes
3. Rinse out mouth and brush teeth

That's it!!! How easy?

Some may want to know about taste. I was wondering the same, but there is absolutely NO taste to this. It was super easy to do and I didn't gag like I did with oil pulling. I can't handle some textures as well.

So try it for yourself! I'm super pleased with my results after one use!

10 Things You Need To Know

Have you ever tried so hard to reach your health goals only to feel like you are on a wild ride? You know.... one week you are sticking to all that you planned on and the next you have completely fallen off track. Well, I've been there too and I want to share 10 thing that you need to know in order to stick with it this time!

1. Pre-plan! Why is this so important? Well, you know when you say "I'm not going to eat any more Twinkies", but then you neglect to clean them out of your house before you start your health journey? That's preparation and planning!

You can't expect to look all of the junk food in the face when you are starving and be totally fine with turning them down. Eventually, but not at first.

So, CLEAN OUT the pantry!!!! No more hidden stashes of your favorite snacks and get serious about hitting those goals!

2. Schedule your workouts. When you know that you have a time set aside to get the job done then you are more likely to do it. So, plan your workouts. Is it during lunch hour? Is it early morning? Late night? When it comes to getting the workout done I'm not picky about when people get it in just that they get it in.

3. Accountability.... THIS IS HUGE PEOPLE! I failed miserably on my own. Until I found people to work with me and keep me going only then did I get to my goals faster. Find a friend online or someone who wants to work out with you in person. Keep it real. Talk about how you really did not how you wish you did with the workout and eating. Keeping in touch at least weekly is ideal!

4. Choose one thing to cut out of your diet or life and work to eliminate it. Too often I see people saying "I'm going to cut out all of ____ right away" and many times they fail. Why? Because we need a little progression sometimes. So, if it's bread. Cut it out for at least 1 -2 weeks before the next item. Baby steps to stay consistent and not overwhelm yourself.

5. Meal prep and planning. Did you know that if you are fine with eating similar foods throughout the week then you are more likely to succeed with your weight and health goals? What do I mean? Like I am totally fine eating oatmeal everyday or salads or chicken. Once you set up a weekly eating plan then you can prepare your meals ahead of time. For instance, I like to grill a huge pack of chicken at the beginning of the week and make it 5 different ways throughout the week. Or throw a roast in the crock pot and eat off of it for a while. Use the little Tupperware containers and portion off fruits and veggies. Plan out what snacks you are having. This will save a lot of stress throughout your week.

6. WATER! Don't forget the water! Did you know you are supposed to be drinking 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water per day? Holy cow! I used to only drink like 1 glass of water, LOTS of coffee, and coke or tea! Oops! Now, I buy the 1 Liter bottles from the Dollar General for like 65 cents and refill them. Once I get 2 in I know I'm set. This is a great way to drop that retention or initial water weight. Don't skip this step!

7. Relax!! Find time for yourself and get some personal development in. For me that's my time with God first. Then, I find time to read books to help grow my business. Sometimes it's watching inspirational YouTube videos or webinars. You choose, but invest in yourself!

8. Sleep... Ahhh I love this one! I have the hardest time with this because I am up early and stay up late. I average about 5 hours a night, but give myself at least 1 or 2 days to catch up. We really need about 7 hours of sleep to allow our bodies to recover and stay healthy.

9. Stretch..... Don't forget this part! You can be working out all you want but you need to stretch. You want to be more flexible and loose not tight and in pain. Make sure at the end of each workout that you give yourself about 5 minutes of stretching.

AND....

10. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF - All of this is great, but if you have zero confidence in what you are doing you can easily fall off the wagon. I want to encourage you to write down 5 positive things about you. What things do you love about yourself. What dreams do you want to shoot for? KNOW that you are capable of conquering this! Then..... prove it!

Now go utilize these tools and get busy :)

21 Day Fix Review and Results

Have you heard of the 21 Day Fix program through Beachbody?

Well, I'd love to share my review with you. I did 2 rounds of the 21 Day Fix. I lost a total of 21 inches over all my body and some weight, but I had already lost 30 pounds by this point with other Beachbody programs.  I was more interested in toning, tightening, lengthening.

I LOVED:

• The 30 minute daily workouts (so far my FAVORITE workouts yet)

• The detailed meal plan

• The RESULTS! - You can definitely SEE the differences within the first week of your body changing

I didn't do as well sticking with the meal guide after the first round. I found that I had a hard time eating as frequently, but did notice better results when I did follow the plan as directed.

So, you want to know how to get the BEST results with this program? You need to have accountability and join a group! I run them online so no matter where you live you can do this....IN YOUR OWN TIME.

All it takes is checking in once a day on a facebook group and posting (takes less than 5 minutes)

We post our "sweaty pic" post workout for accountability.

We talk about our food and what we've eaten and how we can do better. We are lifting each other up and encouraging others to push towards their own goals.

Not everyone wants to lose weight! Many people want to have a better quality life. They want to make healthier changes NOW and implement this as they age.

We have seen cholesterol levels drop, blood pressure levels decrease, heartburn go away, GI upset decrease, glucose levels stabilize and Hemoglobin A1C levels drop.

Not including the INCREDIBLE transformations including my own! Want to be a part of a growing group pushing towards a better self? Come join us! Fill out my form and let me help you get started! https://samaraashley.wufoo.com/forms/new-customer-profile/

How To Make Your Toilet Sparkle

All you people out there that actually clean your own toilets listen up! :) Whether you have well water or city water those annoying rings that are stained into the porcelain get sooooo annoying! I for one do NOT want to put my hand any deeper into the toilet than I have to, so I've asked many of my friends to share their secrets to a sparkly toilet bowl!

Yes, I'm totally serious! 5 years ago I may not have been interested in it, but in my 30's I'm totally wanting to have a clean, fresh, sparkly home. Does this always happen??

NO WAY!!! Try keeping up with 7 people in and out of the house all day. Sports clothes, school clothes, shoes, backpacks, toys, .... you name it!

So, I'm going to focus on finding new ways to keep things picked up and clean and I'll be sharing this with you!

So here are the ideas I was given:

Bleach left in the toilet overnight

Vinegar/Baking soda

Coke

Pumice stone

Dawn dish soap with vinegar and baking soda

Kaboom cleaner

Magic Eraser

This was just a FEW of the suggestions. I can't even begin to list all of the great ideas I was given. So, I needed to put this to the test. First the magic eraser. This was simple because it says to simply drop it in the toilet and leave it in overnight. I already had a magic eraser so I figured why not?!

I dropped it in the toilet and came back this morning to find..... the same ring around the toilet bowl. So, I had to stick my hand in the toilet to get it out (which I hate doing) and then went on to the next step!

PUMICE STONE!!!

Who would've thought! Luckily, I didn't have to go and buy one because I had a new one at home. It took about 2-3 minutes and I rubbed it all over the stains. Take a look at the pic!

Of course I still wanted the SPARKLE! Even though the ring was gone now I wanted it to smell fresh and clean. I also wanted that sparkly bowl look :)

So.... I found some KABOOM in the house and not only did it do the job, but it smells good too! AND.... My 2 year old thought the purple color was cool!

There you go! Easy quick way to a sparkly clean toilet! Now.... I have to go finish the other 3 toilets in the house.

A mom's job is NEVER done! Have an awesome day!

Top Beachbody Coaching Tips - How To Build A Strong Business

How many of you have started a business of some sort and then months to a year later it just fizzled? You may have thought that it was just a fad business or that no one wanted the products. Maybe you just decided you didn't want to push products or tools on people and just quit.

Well, I am here to tell you that if you have a long standing product or tool that you KNOW will help so many people.... the only thing holding you back is YOU!

Whoa whoa... you mean it's MY fault that I didn't succeed? Well, to say it gently...... yes :) Here, let me explain.

After reading more and more personal development books on leadership, building a strong business, network marketing, inviting, confidence, etc.... I have found one thing to ring true. If you are an entrepreneur and you are doing this business on your own then it is up to you to make it or break it. This is something I needed to learn right from the start. 

There are times that we feel the little piddly beginner steps can be skipped over. You know, like daily inviting, using the products yourself, sharing with people, reading and listening to personal development to learn about how you can improve. We may get so caught up on the futuristic plan or dollar signs that we often forget the small daily steps it takes for growth.  

Did you know for example with my own business that the 3 Vital Behaviors that I need to do daily can take as little as 15 minutes per day? Why not get that done before the other tasks if you know that it will push your growth?

Personal development I must say has been the biggest part of my growth thus far. I have got to not only believe in the business, but overall believe in ME and have the confidence I need to move forward. Don't get me wrong. This is not the easiest for me to do. I fail sometimes DAILY at many thing. I try new ways that flop. I think up some great idea that goes unnoticed, but it's what I do with that failure that counts!

Get up!

Move on!

Keep pushing!

Knowing that I have unlimited resources and unlimited potential drives me to do better. I have BIG dream and goals for me and my family. I want financial security. I want us to be debt free. We are moving in the right direction, but it's not a get rich quick scheme. It's my dedication and hard work that keeps me moving forward.

So think today..... why am I stuck in a rut? Are you blaming others for your lack of success? It's time to take a look in the mirror. Drop the negativity and write down 2 goals for this month that you want to reach. Write down your ideas and how you want to get there. 

I didn't become a Star Diamond Beachbody Coach overnight. It took me a year to get to where I am and despite any ups and downs I will push to reach those crazy goals I've set for myself. 

Are you ready to be a powerhouse? It all starts with you! Now..... get busy :) If you haven't started yet you can join my amazing team! Fill this out and I will contact you! https://samaraashley.wufoo.com/forms/coaching-application/ 

30 Minute Workouts - Are You Worth The Time?

Four years ago, I had unknowingly let bad food habits and lack of exercise creep in. You know.... it's super easy to let happen. You may have been like me... I had a great routine, but then something in life changed and I fell off the map. My workouts went from 5 a week to 0. My healthy eating turned into fast food runs as often as I wanted. 

I changed my thinking to make it "OK" because I just simply did not have time to give to my body. After all, I was a busy working mom of 5! Come on people! You can't expect me to keep it all up right?! What truly happened is that I just kept telling myself that I had so many good excuses why I wasn't taking care of myself. 

Then 3 years ago, I found out I was pregnant! I was sooooo happy to find out that I was having a little boy. However, in the back of my mind I couldn't help but thing "Man! I wish I hadn't kept this weight on before getting pregnant." Here I was in my 30's and I knew it would be harder than before when I was in my young 20's having babies. I let the pregnancy be my new excuse for eating what I craved. Can I get an AMEN out there? :)

So, what happened? I found myself over 200 pounds. 

Yes I was prego, but that was a scary number to me. A weight that I never wanted to see. Then Levi was born! I swore that he was going to be like a 10 pound baby. Nope! He was 7 pounds. Then I thought that I would lose all of the major baby weight because he was nursing every hour on the hour. I lost about 12 pounds, but then NOTHING!!!!

Why am I telling you all of this? Because it took me 1 1/2 years to realize that I needed a change in my lifestyle. I don't want others to wait SO LONG before making a healthy change. The older we get it seems so much harder. 

So, today I'm asking you.... Do you have 30 minutes a day that you could commit to a set workout. You don't have to leave your home. You don't have to drive anywhere and waste time and gas. I have a program that you can do in your pjs if you want!

Let me tell you about it....

• 30 minutes a day for 3 weeks
• Nutrition plan with portion control colored cups that explain what foods you eat and when
• Super nutritious shake with all your vital nutrients to boost your energy naturally and curb your cravings.
• A personal health coach to motivate and keep you accountable to your goals
• Learn to eliminate bad habits and foods
• Great results whether you want to lose weight, tone up, or just be healthier 

This workout program is called 21 DAY FIX! Simple Simple Simple.....

Now, here's your challenge. Instead of dwelling on this for too long and talking yourself out of it.... It's time to make a change NOW! I was there! I was skeptical! BUT.... I had awesome results! 21 inches lost overall and I'm down a total of 31 pounds since started Beachbody programs last year. 

My next group starts next week! I want to show YOU that it is possible! Sign ups are from today until Wednesday night. You deserve this! Your body deserves better! Contact me today @ ashleycrew7@gmail.com and let's save your spot!

5 Minute Homemade Salsa

Ok friends! I don't know about your family, but mine can eat through a jar of salsa at one dinner. They LOVE it and it's not always cheap. On top of that, the jarred salsas can come with so many artificial ingredients. So.... this week I was given a large amount of fresh garden tomatoes (thank you to whoever gave them to my hubby) and I wanted to make my first ever salsa. 

I asked friends to send me the recipes of their favorites and then I finally just decided to make it to my own liking which is pretty much how I cook every meal. I don't measure. I don't follow directions. I simply cook by taste.

So, here is what I came up with and I LOVE it!

Using a food processor.....

Fill food processor with as many tomatoes as you can fit without squeezing

Add 2-3 Vidalia Onions

1 large handful of fresh cilantro

2 jalapenos with seeds out

3 Tablespoons minced garlic

a few short squeezes of lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Pulse about 7 times until large chunks are gone. 

Yep! That's it! So stinkin' easy right?! Wait til you taste it! It's not the thick chunky salsa you get in the store, but rather more like a restaurant style. Don't expect it be around long! If you want more of a kick to it you can add another jalapeno or a touch of vinegar. Enjoy!