Taking back what matters most

After discussing my feelings and thoughts to a friend of mine about how my blog was going, I discovered that I have kind of lost track of what my blog is all about. I mean, when I started, I was focusing on healthy eating and helping others eat healthy as well. I did this by posting my foods so others could see and critique it so I could learn better and healthier eating.  Life hit, like it does to us all, and I noticed, I was steering clear of that and taking on a path of what I felt you guys wanted to see. I kind of lost track of what was helping me and focused on what I felt would really help everyone else. I love doing reviews and giveaways as much as the next blogger does. Please don’t interpret this as me saying I don’t. I just feel I need to start incorporating more of what I did in the start. Meaning that me posting my meal plans and my workouts will in turn not only help me by making me more accountable for what I ingest, but will also in turn help you all out by showing you my path and what works for me and what doesn’t work for me and my family.  You may be having the same issue as I am or you may know a better way to do things than I do. That’s why I am going to ask for all of my readers help. When I post my weekly meal plan at the beginning of the week then again with pictures at the end of the week, please feel free to critique it a bit and tell me how I could make it better.

Not only will I post them for me but for you as well so you and your families can try them.  I am also going to start looking into more products that will help me along my journey to write to you guys about.  For example, I am now looking to review and possibly participate in a giveaway, products like clothing, performance powders like BCAA, glutamine and other products to help me lose the weight and gain the muscle without the harmful side effects most seem to have. I am also looking to better my blog so I can start making a little bit of extra income for my family. As long as what I am writing about falls in the lines of my goals. I am going to try to steer clear away from “Fad Diets and pills” because in the long run, they cause more harm than they help.  I want to try out accessories that I can use to help me keep track of my progress and important items. (Like hydration packs, things to carry my stuff in, Head bands, etc.)  I know there are so many fads out there in this day and age that have little to no actual clinical research to back up the claims they make. Do I really need to remind everyone of the Fen-Phen Diet and all the harm that caused?

My family is the most important thing to me. I want to be here for them as long as the good lord lets me. So I am making it my vow to start steering clear of all the harmful things that I have before put inside my body to help me get to my fitness goals.  I am going to start setting more goals and do all I can to blast through them.  I have made it my goal to be healthy now for 9 months and I honestly thought I was doing great at it. It hasn’t been enough. The goals I have set are still sitting there collecting dust and that is going to end NOW! I am going to do more races, work out harder, eat healthier and beat the long family line of thyroid issues and other obesity problems. I make it my vow that my children will not have to worry about being overweight because I am going to teach them the importance of eating healthy and exercising.  Fad Diets Don’t Work! When it comes to losing weight, there is no easy way out. There is always a catch somewhere.  Or you don’t find out till it is too late that it is harmful to your body. (To late as in go to the doctor and find out your thyroid is now shot and you have to take medicine for the rest of your life. Or WORSE!)

My journey has not been an easy one. I have gotten discouraged and honestly, I have wanted to quit more than I can count on one hand. That is when I turn to my mentors for help. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have mentors to look up to you and help you when you feel like you are sliding down that cliff. I have been there. Trust me I know how it feels.  I have 2 mentors I go to when I need that “Tough Love” or that “You got this. Don’t give up now” and the “Look at all you have done. You should be proud of yourself”  I know from one mentor, I bet you there is at least a dozen times she wanted to reach through the computer and smack some sense into me because either I was discouraged or was doing something stupid. Yet I know deep down she did it because she knows I can succeed and she sees how strong I am. Though sometimes, I can’t see it in myself. Both are there to answer any question I have. No matter if it is stupid or not. They even listen when I need to rant and get something off my chest.  These two wonderful people always seem to know what I need before I do. Yes at times I am in shock because of I get something in my head that is driving me nuts then she posts on her blog about what I was thinking about and it clarifies everything.   The other, well I could really say so much about her but I think it will take me days to write about all the good she has helped me with. I think all in all, I owe her the most. She is the one who helped me get on my weight loss journey and introduced me to my other mentor.  I even have had the wonderful opportunity to go to lunch with her for my birthday and meet her in person.

The point I am making is, everyone needs that someone who they can go to when they feel they are about to fail. Every successful person who has set a goal and then blew it out of the water has had a mentor of some kind to help them. Either by getting inspiration from this person about how they succeeded or had that special person there for them when they needed them the most.  That is another goal for me. To get on the path I need to be on and then later in the future, help and mentor others on their journey. I highly recommend you follow the following two people. You can follow their sites or social media. You can even try to contact them directly through their sites as well. I can guarantee you, if it is fitness related, they can answer you.  I honestly believe these 2 people deserve recognition for all they have done and will continue to do. Not just for me, but for others as well. The 2 ladies are Joanna Broadbent , blogger for http://sportsbrasandsippycups.com/, fellow SPA and GGSA, and Laura Williams, Founder of http://www.girlsgonesporty.com/.   Please take a look at their sites and you will see what I am talking about.

In closing, I really do thank all of you, my followers, for all of your support and ideas. You have helped me make Aphalicious Bliss what it is today. Without all of you, my blog would not be half of what It is. Thank you!