Negative Mindset and Stress WEIGH YOU DOWN--- LITERALLY!

Negative Mindset and Stress WEIGH YOU DOWN--- LITERALLY!

I have noticed that this is so true!

It is so much harder to lose weight when you have a doubtful mindset and choose to focus on negative parts of life that are simply out of your control.

It is like a spiral downward... You want to be happier and lose weight, but find it difficult to put in ALL THAT WORK, or even worse, you put in all that work without seeing the results quick enough, so you begin to doubt yourself, which in turn causes your body to hold onto that stress and anxiety, therefore making it even more difficult to lose the weight. 

You then become MORE stressed out, and find yourself speaking even more negative thoughts to yourself, which in turn attracts negative into your life... 

weighing you down mentally and physically. 

Mentally, as in the burden of your stress and worry is overwhelming at times. 

Physically, as in you will not only have a hard time losing weight, but you may actually find yourself gaining weight...

Maybe this downward spiral sounds familiar to you? I may not be aware of your personal situation, but I am aware of my personal experiences, and that pretty much describes some tough times that I have been through.

BUT, I have also experienced the opposite spiral! The one where you want to lose weight, choose to be happy and focus on all the things that are going right in your life. Where you create positive affirmations for yourself that you speak aloud to yourself daily, which in turn brings a sense of peace and positive energy into your mind, freeing you from worry and stress, and lightening that mental burden. This sense of enlightenment increases your desire and drive to improve and you begin to lose weight and see positive changes in your life. 

The spiral continues upward and you begin to create bigger goals for yourself. 

Your energy is through the roof! 

You see your potential is greater than you ever thought possible and you set higher expectations and feel AMAZING as you see yourself accomplishing what you once only dreamed about! Dreams begin to become reality and you realize that not only are you changing your own life, but your positive energy and newly-found purpose and drive 

is spilling out into the lives of others. 

They begin to see hope for themselves and then reach out to thank YOU for inspiring them!

Yes, both scenarios are VERY real.  I have lived them both, and I have seen others live them. The truth is, your reality is based on the choices you make. 

But also, you ATTRACT into your life what you ARE. 

If you are negative and living a life of regret and hopelessness, then that is what kind of people and experiences that you will find coming into your life. 

But on the other hand, if you are driven to improve, striving for progress, setting your mood to a happy, positive beat every morning, THAT is the kind of people and experiences you will attract into your life. It literally begins with a conscious choice... EVERYDAY.

  

I would love to hear your experiences with either scenario. 

Please share and tell me what you have learned. 

REMEMBER:

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DEEP in thought... me being a little more than transparent

The Last few months I have been reflecting on a LOT. Trying to recall my journey throughout the last couple of years. I know that I once had some regret, and still do regret not keeping a record of my emotional struggles and successes through my 70+ pound weight loss journey. Especially now that I feel like I am almost starting over.

I was once obese and through nutrition and exercise I was able to lose a significant amount of weight. Easier said than done, right? 

I can easily recall the way I FELT after losing weight. I can remember the abundance of energy, the escalated self confidence, the joy of getting dressed and liking the way my clothes were fitting! It was so exciting and is still fresh in my mind!

But I wasn't done! I still had more to lose! It is well known that weight loss really doesn't have a finish line, because once you lose the weight, you must then CONTINUE the healthy lifestyle to MAINTAIN that weight. Well, I still had weight to lose! 

So why did I stop after coming so dang far? I still ask myself that question...

But I have learned so much going through these struggles, that I KNOW that it HAD to happen for me to overcome my self-doubts and increase BELIEF in myself and my potential. Mindset is huge in any life transformation. To pursue and progress forward you must personally grow. I recognize that it was my lack of personal development that kept me from progressing. How can I help others if I don't first help myself?

But is it too late to restart? 

Absolutely not.

It is NEVER too late to learn. It is never to late to improve. It is NEVER EVER too late to change direction and course. 

Well, of course unless you are dead, but even then I believe there is HOPE! ;)

TO ALL MY FOLLOWERS (or those who once followed me, and no longer do because I'm a slacker), I am SO SORRY!!!!! I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. 

Here is ONE (of the MANY) things I have learned in the past several months:

"Choices you make everyday, although seemingly insignificant at the time, ultimately determine where you end up. Do your daily choices align with where you want to be?

It is this very reason that when wondering WHY you are where you are, the answer is so very clear... take a look in the mirror and you will see who is responsible." -Cherish

So here is my confession: It is ALL my fault... For gaining weight, for losing support, for losing belief in myself, for losing traction on my momentum, for losing sight of my goals... It is ALL my fault and NO ONE else's. 

Why have I been so quick to throw the blame on other people? Maybe because it was easier than taking responsibility of my own actions and fessing up to my mistakes and lack of action. (and yes, I overate, and lacked self control when it came to food, and that is ALL MY FAULT as well!)

I heard a quote a while back that said "NEVER GIVE UP ON SOMETHING YOU CAN'T GO A DAY WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT."

Guess what? I have something that I think about EVERY DAY, that I have been trying to give up on, but I just can't seem to imagine my life without it! And as much as it changed my life previously, I can't imagine not sharing it with others since I KNOW it can change their life as well!

It is something that taught me countless things about myself!!! It helped me believe in things that I thought were once impossible, it taught me how to take control of my life and make positive changes, it taught me that I was capable of inspiring others and making a difference in this world, it taught me to expect more from myself, it taught me that everyday choices are what will determine where we end up in a year from now, ten years from now... I have learned SO much from being a Beachbody Coach! I learned so much about myself and my limitless potential. I have learned to BELIEVE in myself and also to help others BELIEVE in themselves! It is SO empowering to know without a shadow of a doubt, that YOU are destined for great things! And it is also SUPER empowering to know that when great things don't happen, there is no one else to blame but yourself. (by the way, I am swallowing A LOT of pride when I say all this)... don't judge! lol! But seriously, I can't in good faith, keep something so life-changing, to myself. Yes, it's about working out and getting healthy, but more importantly, I FOUND purpose and PASSION in helping others see what was possible for them in their own life.

My point is, nothing is final until we are dead, and even then, there is still HOPE! 

I want to throw this out there that I HAVEN'T GIVEN UP! I have faced some road blocks and hit my head on a few brick walls, but I am still alive and therefore, I still have to look at myself in the mirror each day. And I cannot look at myself in the mirror with adoration until I fulfill my calling in life which is to make a DIFFERENCE in the lives of others! That means being a positive influence and it starts with ME! 

The next question is, are you with me? Because it won't be easy if I'm on my own. I look forward to building more relationships and being that source of hope and light for others that feel there isn't much hope or light out there. 

Much Love,

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Dr Seuss Birthday Bash Costumes

Simple home made Dr Seuss Costumes for the kids!

 CAT IN THE HAT is in the house! 
With Goldfish in the bowl and the Lorax! 

This Goldfish "bowl" was once a container for Halloween pretzels that I bought last year. We just cut out the bottom and made the goldfish out of orange construction paper.

Cat in the Hat costume pieces: Red and white striped hat, white gloves, red fabric for the over-sized bow tie, Black shirt and pants, white paper for the white tummy! That's it!

Lorax piece is just the mustache and eyebrows cut out of construction paper and taped to oversized glasses. We stapled some yellow yarn to the construction paper for more texture.

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5 simple tips to restarting a fitness journey after falling off track

Losing weight is hard. 

Being obese is hard. 

I know, I have been there. 

I remember cringing at the FEW pictures I ever saw of me. I remember thinking, "IS THAT what I REALLY look like?" 


I think I was in denial for quite sometime. Constantly telling myself that I don't care what others think of me. If people don't like me because of my weight, then that is THEIR problem. I have loved ones that accept me NO MATTER WHAT I look like, so why does it matter?

Then I started realizing that my laziness WAS impacting those around me. I didn't have energy for my kids. I FELT exhausted most of the time. I was self-conscious and uncomfortable in my own skin. Although my looks never brought me to a state of depression (I am and have always been rather optimistic about life and every situation that comes my way), I STILL struggled with FEELING good about myself. 

The size of my jeans or the number on the scale NEVER defined me. I never let it get me down. 

But here's the thing... I HAD to face the fact that I was unhealthy.

There was no denying that I needed to make a change. Not only would it cost my family financially (our insurance would be raised at least $100 a month if I had a BMI over 30), but I started to realize that my bad habits and lack of self-discipline were starting to spill over to my children. Actions speak louder than words, right?

So I decided to make changes. I ate healthier. I exercised regularly. I set goals for myself and found I was capable of anything I set my mind to! Yeah.. I lost over 70 pounds!

To sum it up, I FELT FRICKIN' AMAZING!

Now... before you stop reading thinking this is some ad or slogan to make you "buy into whatever it is I am selling", let me reassure you that it IS NOT.

Which is what brings me to my next (and main) point.... 

I started this weight loss journey to help myself. I wanted to SHOW my kids what healthy meant, I wanted to FEEL good about myself, and I wanted to have more energy.  

After months of losing weight and feeling great, it just so happened that I learned about a "coaching opportunity" where I could "help" others lose weight like I did with the fitness programs I used. After all, doesn't that sound AMAZING? Lose weight, inspire and help others, and make a living doing it?

Inspiring others THEN became my main focus. It was no longer about me, but more about how to best serve others. This motivated me like NO OTHER because I sincerely care for others and wanted everyone else to feel as great as I was feeling. I hope people felt my sincerity when I tried to help them, but I learned that I was powerless when it came to changing their lives.

You see, I continued my own journey. 
I continued to lose weight to show others what was possible. 
I could have lost more weight had I continued...

SO what happened? I found myself overwhelmed with the amount of people that I was unable to help. People were constantly coming to me, but not many were actually sticking with it. I would push and push and push myself in hopes of inspiring others. I didn't give up on them. I didn't want to give up on them. But I found myself stuck when they would give up on themselves. And because their results were MY motivation, I lost my motivation when they didn't get results. I also found myself beginning to focus on impressing others --which is SOOO unlike me-- instead of just trying to be the best me possible.

Plus, I felt that so many others around me were in this for "worldly reasons" like to look good and to make money. Both of which were NOT on my priority list when I began. So why would I want to continue? It just wasn't "for" me. 

Like so many others have done before me, I FELL BACK INTO OLD HABITS!

I found myself saying the SAME things I used to say. 

"It doesn't matter what I look like."
"TRUE friends will love me for who I am, not for what I look like."
"The scale doesn't define me."
"I have no self control. Food is just too good."
"You only live once! Might as well eat what I want!"
"I don't like to workout. I just don't have the energy."◄(which gets WORSE the more you put it off)

geeez.... the list goes on and on....

I have tried "restarting" different routines and I just haven't stuck with it. It seems that my most common excuse is, "If nobody else cares, then why should I care?"
Like I need someone else's approval or support to continue. 

Here's what I discovered. NO ONE can make you workout. NO ONE can make you eat healthy. Support does help, but even WITH support, people stop progressing if they lose sight of what it is they REALLY want. 

So here I am today, starting back at the beginning. 

Yes, I lost 70 pounds in 2012, but gained half that back in 2013 because I lost my motivation. I lost sight of what it was I was striving for in the first place. 

You can judge me, or you can learn from me. Frankly, that's none of my business. 

So how to restart?
1→Figure out what it is you want and WHY you want it. Having that true conviction of WHY you want it, will give you the motivation to continue every day, even when you don't "feel" like it. Go deep to find your true reason of why you want to get back on track. For me, it is that feeling of accomplishment. Being able to look in the mirror and be proud of what I have accomplished. Not for bragging rights, but for a heart-felt excitement that I was worth every effort. And being able to pass on that confidence to my family. DECIDE NOW that the past does NOT equal the future. Who cares what happened last week? Last month? Last year? If you are still alive, it is NEVER too late to change your course! 
2→DO NOT put the blame on anyone else. You are in control of your life and your decisions. Step up and take control of your destiny! No one can do it for you!
3→SET precise GOALS for yourself and track your progress. Setting small measurable goals is the key to seeing your progression! Not all progress can be measured on the scale or in the mirror, so track more than just your weight. Retake photos and measurements, and track how you FEEL. 
4→Get a PLAN in place that you can stick with! To get to a destination, you must have a clear plan. Know where you are now, where you want to be, and the best route to get there. What kind of fitness do you enjoy? Choose a plan that works for you and one that you can follow!
5→ACCOUNTABILITY! Tell someone! Share your goals and what it is you want to accomplish. We are much more likely to stick with it when we know others are aware of what it is we are doing. Find someone who you relate to and keep in contact with them daily so you can share your successes and struggles. KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!




I did create a booklet that I used to track my measurements, meals, workouts. thoughts, feelings, struggles and such! I used to offer this to only those I "coached", but I am no longer limiting my resources to certain individuals. If you want a copy of my printable results tracker booklet, request it through email: cherishsaurey@gmail.com and I will be more than happy to send it to you if you think it will help you stay on track. 



Although I want to see everyone succeed at reaching their own goals, I have learned that I can't control that. The only thing within my control is how I choose to live my life. If I can positively influence others, then that is okay, but I am no longer going to rely on others to be my motivation. My motivation has to come from within. I have to go back to WHY I started in the first place. 

I am restarting this weight loss journey to help myself. I want to SHOW my kids what healthy means, I want to FEEL good about myself, and I want to have more energy. 

If you want to join me, then by all means, you know how to contact me. I love hearing from others about their experiences and their journey. I am not superior to anyone, I'm just trying to figure out what works best for me. Let me know if you have anything to add! :)

Have a REMARKABLE week!

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THIS QUOTE SPEAKS VOLUME TO ME!

SO much that I had to share! 

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." - Marianne Williamson

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Solar System Room Painting

This is my son's room that I enjoyed spray painting!

When he said he wanted a solar system themed room, I thought it would be SUPER SIMPLE and I would just buy the already made stick-ons and some glow-in-the-dark star stickers! 

How easy would that be?! Then I started looking into the prices of the planet stickers, and was surprised at how expensive (and PLAIN) they all were. 

So I thought of a different option!

After watching countless spray painting tutorials on you tube, I decided to give it a try! 

I used a satin dark blue base for the wall paint, then added the planets, stars and dimension with the spray paint. I used about 14 different colors of spray paint 

and am loving how it turned out!

What do you think of the way it turned out?

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Cut out the chatter of social media...

Lately, I have had MANY things on my mind about different ways to improve the quality of life for my family. There are countless things I KNOW I can do differently. Some easy to change, some not so easy...

I was thinking once again about our FAMILY PRIORITIES, which are GOD and FAMILY.

Then I realized that God, or my immediate family (husband and children), aren't really even on facebook, or social media, so WHY the heck am I spending so much time there????

This quote really hits home so I had to share:

In attempt to cut out the chatter, I tried to omit facebook from my day, and it was A LOT harder than I thought it would be. WHY???? I'm still unsure why it is such a tempting distraction. 

But I do know this, it is a true addiction that weighs heavily on my mind. I find myself less-productive because of it. I find myself interacting less with my family when I am on it. 

I check it throughout the day because I "feel like I might miss something", but how IRONIC is it that when I spend time checking it, I am MISSING the most important thing in my life... my family and precious time that can never be regained. When checking facebook, I am not 100% focused on the tasks that I once listed as a priority in my life. 

Because of this realization, I have decided to take drastic measures and CUT OUT FACEBOOK! I will limit myself to ONE HOUR per week to check messages and any important updates. To cut out temptation, I must delete the facebook app from my phone. 

Now, please note that I am NOT saying this to prove anything to anyone but myself and my family. I am not saying everyone should do this, I am just sharing WHY I must do this for myself. 

Social media has connected me with countless others that have inspired me, uplifted me, made me smile, let me know I am not alone in the struggle of motherhood and housekeeping, and it gives me a sense of relaxation when I take a break to "check" my news feed. But it seriously has become a problem, and I feel I must do this before my children get any older and before any more time is wasted. 

I am also making it a goal to get my home in complete order so that I can finally feel at peace within the walls of my own home. I want that same thing for my children, and MUST teach them not just with words, but with ACTIONS/

The things I want for my family are;

LOVE for one another at all times.

RESPECT for one another and each other's property.

QUALITY TIME spent together to be meaningful and memorable. 

ORGANIZATION in our home to avoid confusion and stress.

HAPPY memories and traditions being made.

TRUST between one another so we feel comfortable sharing secrets.

TEACHING moments in our home. (parents are the child's first teachers).

FAMILY HOME EVENING at least once a week.

Daily SCRIPTURE STUDY to learn the words of God.

NO BULLYING within the home, so children learn confidence and self-respect.

MANNERS among everyone.

Individual RESPONSIBILITIES to teach follow-through with tasks. 

Let me know if Facebook can help with ANY of these family goals ;)

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