June Goals

Happy Monday friends! I'm sorry I've been MIA. I feel like I say that a LOT but I really have missed you guys and this sweet space of mine. These past few months have been a blur and I so much has occurred since I wrote my last review and goals post. To say I'm excited to catch y'all up would be an understatement. So I'll waste no time and cut to the chase.

April + May Recap

- Traveled to and played tourist in Chicago with Will. You can read my recap of our trip here.   - Updated my passport and have ALL of my documents updated with my new last name. If you are getting married, I used this resource to help guide me through the post-wedding name changing process!   - Backed up all files, documents and photos on my computer and got rid of a bunch of stuff that was no longer relevant or needed. I love all things related to organization to simplifying and checking this off my list was a relief.   - Visited Caitlin in Winston-Salem and had a much needed girls day together! We went to lunch at the cutest place called the Silo, did some window shopping, treated ourselves to ice cream and had our nails done. It was the perfect day and made me really like Winston-Salem. It's a small city but really cute and I can't wait to visit again and explore more places Cait finds!    - Spent an afternoon at the Whitewater Center with the hubs and our pup, Miller. We walked the blue (intermediate) trail, then had lunch on the patio at the River's Edge Bar & Grill which overlooks the river. Good food + great views = a win/win in my book.   - I got a new car! Long story short, while we were in Chicago, my car (which was parked on the street like everyone else who lives on our street) was hit by someone who backed into the front of it and tore off the driver side headlight and ruined the radiator. After a few weeks with a rental, it was determined that the cost for all of the repairs was more then the value of my car so they gave us what my car was worth and viola. I honestly can't complain one bit. Was it bad timing? Yes! But I'm thankful that no one was hurt, that my neighbor saw it happened and called us right away. He even took care of the police report for us. Nationwide was also really easy to work with and I can't say enough about my husband who has been supportive through the whole process!
   - Tried a new restaurant in Charlotte called Seoul Food (Korean inspired southern BBQ). If you live in the area you need to check this place out. Make sure you order the sweet potato birds nest and the bao buns! You'll thank me later I promise.    - Went to Charleston and Folly Beach to celebrate my friend Allison's bachelorette getaway. Tomorrow I'll review some of the places we went and places I highly recommend.

June    - Printing photos from our honeymoon was one goal I had for April but sadly never got around to doing. It won't likely be a priority of mine for June so I'll save this for another month!   - At the beginning of the year, I made it a goal to read six new books over the course of the year. To date, I've already finished six books and I'm halfway through reading You and Me Forever by Francis Chan and (Un)Qualified by Steven Furtick. This brings me to a total of eight books which means I've not only met my goal but I've surpassed it! Just because you meet a goal, does NOT mean you can't revamp it later. There is still a handful of months left to 2016 so I'm going to keep reading and next on the list is A Praying Life by David Powlison. What other books should I read? I'm looking for a fun summer read. If you have any recommendations please leave a comment!   - Join a bible study. Y'all I'm so excited about this one! Right at the end of last month, I reached out to a girl who leads an E-Group at Elevation Church and she was not only quick to respond but genuinely excited for me to check out her group. Meeting new people is not always easy, even when your an extrovert like me but something about her excitement made me excited and all my nerves melted away. I went to my first bible study, which led to me going to the next one, which has already led to new friendships being made. Y'all...Kenna is the REAL DEAL! She is the leader of a bible study (or E-Group as they all them at Elevation), the owner and hairstylist of New Steele Studio at Sola Salon, a photographer, does makeup, AND teaches classes for SkillPop in her free time. Can you say superwoman? She also has the sweetest soul and can make you laugh without even trying. I mean, #girlboss am I right?   - There are so many places in Charlotte we have yet to try and since Seoul Food was such a hit when we went, Will and I have decided to keep finding and trying out other restaurants. On the list is The Summit Room and Kid Cashew. We actually went to The Summit Room over the weekend and my friend and I split the burger, mac and cheese, and maple bruleed brussels. My mouth waters just thinking about that meal. Another must if you have the chance to check it out.   - In my last review and goals post, I opened up about having degenerative disc disease and how I went to Duke to get a second opinion from a Neurosurgeon there. Well, the appointment went great and I was given a lot of insight into my current condition and have decided to go through with surgery. Like really soon. Next Monday to be exact. A few friends have asked me about my condition, the surgery and what the outcome will be like so I've decided to write a post that will go live Thursday if your interested in learning more about this personal topic and decision. Prayers for a peace of mind would be so appreciated as the days leading up to the surgery draw near!     

No More Excuses

Did you know that it takes three days to overcome a craving, three weeks to develop a new habit, and three months to see a physical transformation? What about the fact that it takes 3,500 calories to burn 1 pound of body fat? Those are some of the things I learned when reading The No More Excuses Diet book by Maria Kang.

I'll start off by telling you that one of the excuses that I've carried around with me for years is that I never had enough time to work out. But the solution I needed was to make the time for it and commit to setting aside time each week to doing just that. With a wedding right around the corner (literally in 39 days) I've made sure that each and every Tuesday I attend the Weights and Warriors class at the Dowd YMCA. That class is a MUST for me. I also try my best to go to at least one or two other classes throughout the week, and the rest of the days I try to fit in some light cardio, walks around the block or at-home yoga and stretching.

One of the things I love about this book is that it breaks down an acronym, SPEED which is the main focal point of the book and stands for: Set the Goal, Plan the Attack, Envision the Journey, Execute the Plan, and Deliver the Results. SPEED is summed up really well by Maria saying "while on any program you will hit plateaus, deal with distractions, and have to bust some excuses" SPEED is a "goal-setting model that you will use to effectively and efficiently target your short-term goals" and I couldn't agree more.

Will and I created a short term goal that we want to carry out long term and that is to lose weight and be our physically best selves by the time of our wedding in June. We literally measured our starting points by individually weighing ourselves on a scale last year, jointed down that number and marked that as our starting point. We took "before" photos and checked back three months later to note our halfway point. In the course of those three months, I've lost a total of 6 pounds and started to see definition I hadn't had prior to our starting point. That right there was half of my motivation. The other half has been having Will as my "motivational coach".

Honestly y'all, I feel consistently and sticking with a new routine for at least twenty-one days is key because things really do start to become a habit! Even with other areas of your life such as at work. For me, it's really worked in my prayer life (spending my mornings with God in devotion) and trying to eliminate the amount of soda and sugary foods I allow myself to have. Today I can say that I crave less soda but am still working on my sweet tooth cravings! But again, it takes time.

The first handful of days are hard, and they were for me. I had days when I would lose motivation, but as the weeks went by I started to see that I was looking forward to going to work out after work! It's absolutely vital to schedule the most realistic times for you to workout as well. Otherwise you won't stick with your plan. I tried the whole working out in the morning thing but that didn't work! And that's okay. It's not the best time for everyone. For me, working out right after work before going home, is the best time for me. And one that I can stick with.

Another thing this book has shown me is that I need to find ways to stay motivated from start to finish and to really understand the proper ways to stretch and do certain workouts. To help curve my motivation, especially towards the beginning when things were a lot harder, I went out and purchased new fitness attire. All I can say is what girl doesn't like to shop, even if it's for workout gear. This book is a must read if you are having a hard time sticking to a plan. It's an easy read and very informative. I would like to lose another two pounds before the wedding, and I know that with determination and will-power, I'll be able to do just that with the help of The No More Excuses Diet (but it's more so a lifestyle and less of a "diet" if you asked me)!

I received this book to review from Blogging for Books. However, all opinions are my own.