Category Archives: Health

Ready To Change or Not

willpower or not

There are a lot of reasons why we can choose not to do something.

Especially when that something means we have to change our habits and way of thinking.

*I don’t have enough money to start

*I have no energy because of A, B & C.

*I don’t have any time

*I have young children who keep me busy

*Eating healthy is expensive (so are doctor visits and medicine….just saying)

*I don’t have the willpower

*I don’t believe that (name workout program/product here) works

*I am so sore the next day I can’t do anything (what did you expect from working out?)

*I am too tired

*I can’t get up early

*I don’t like schedules

*I don’t like cooking/I’m not a good cook

People!  I say this with all the love in my heart.  Stop the insanity and just call it what it is. You just don’t want to change.  Period.  You ask for advice. You talk to people who are working out. You want the results. You want to be a part of groups and get motivation. But that motivation won’t do anything for you unless you get off your cute behind and do something about it!

If you think that changing your habits/thoughts/lifestyle doesn’t come with a cost…you are fooling yourself. I am not necessarily talking just about money either (although that does for some reason keep a person from moving forward! And those same people will buy a brand new smartphone, concert tickets etc.).  It will cost you time. You may have to wake up before everyone else in order to squeeze in that workout. You will have to say NO to things you used to do before.  You may have to spend a little more in groceries so that you can make sure you have healthy food options in your house.  You may have to *gasp* cook more!

Listen, I get it. Change is uncomfortable.  I thought so too. All those excuses I typed above?  I made them. Pretty much all of them.  So forgive me if you have talked to me and I have called you out on your excuses. It is just because I believe you can push them aside and do work.  I believe you are capable of changing. But I can’t make you. You have to want to.

You have to decide to really want to change and not let the excuses hold you back.  You hold yourself back. And that’s the truth.

Decide today to do something about it.  If you don’t like how you feel, if you want more energy, if you want to be healthier for your family…..then let’s do this!

Tiff~

Molly’s Suds-Greening Up Your Laundry

I recently found Molly’s Suds through one of my favorite blogs and I was dying to try out their product to see if this was something that I could include for daily laundry use.

Workout clothes, sports gear and unmentionables need special care so I spoke with Monica (owner of Molly’s Suds) and she graciously sent me a sample of the ALL SPORT liquid detergent along with dryer balls.

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I did a happy dance when I received the box. Immediately opened the cap and smelled the detergent.

Heaven. No chemicals. It smelled like Orange. From using sweet orange essential oil.

Certified Vegan. Biodegradable. No SLS/SLES or Phosphates.

And it CLEANS!!!

The most common question people ask when they try out green products is whether or not it will do as good of a job as traditional cleaning products.

They absolutely do. And I think they work better.  You don’t have to worry so much about your child getting an allergic reaction to an ingredient in certain detergents.  For those with sensitive skin, and my daughter is one of them, Molly’s Suds didn’t irritate her when I washed her Softball uniform.  The clothes maintained their color.  It didn’t leave any residue or stains behind.

Even though this was an ALL SPORT formula, I even tested out Sean’s Cloth diapers in the wash. Again, clean and odor free.

For drying,  I put some Lavender Essential Oil on the 100% wool dryer balls, tossed them in with my laundry to dry and dry clothes emerged and eliminated a lot of that annoying static that can result.  I hate static. Mostly because I hate getting shocked. Dryer balls are an excellent replacement for those dryer sheets which are toxic.  Plus, dryer sheets are not reusable and create waste. You can reuse dryer balls

I LOVE Molly’s Suds!!  Here is what they offer:

Laundry Powder

All Sport Liquid detergent

Dog Shampoo (perfect for all you dog lovers out there!)

100% Wool Dryer balls (get rid of the toxic dryer sheets. You don’t need them.)

And a surprise for my readers!  When you order from Molly’s Suds, use coupon Code HARPER15 at checkout & you will get 15% off your entire order!

So what do you have to lose?  NOTHING! Go check them out on Facebook as well and be sure to tell them Tiffany  Harper Online sent you!

Are you trying to Green up your life? What products in your home have you currently replaced with healthier options?

Tiff

 

 

Santa Run 2012

I competed in my last race of 2012 and I was so thrilled to be able to do it with my husband!

Back in October, I signed both Dan and I up for the 5K Renegade Santa Run and since we paid for it, there was no backing out.  My husband hadn’t been in a race since he was in college so he was a little nervous but I told him 3 miles he can do.

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We arrived at the race location around 6:45, grabbed our packet and then sat in the car for about 30 minutes because it was FREEZING early in the morning. Holy cow. I am realizing that I do not have appropriate running attire for cold weather. Imagine if I lived in places where the weather was even more cold.

I am such a wussy California girl!

Anyway, we warmed up together. We got in the VERY BACK of the line because let me be very real here.

I. AM. SLOW. Ha!

I have come to terms with the fact that I will probably never be the fastest in my age bracket and I am okay with that. I am just really enjoy running to relieve stress, compete against myself and try and beat my time if I so desire.  I no longer feel the need to try and beat everyone I see. Although I am competitive so I might try to race past some folks ;) .

Dan told me to go ahead of him so I did. I felt a little bad, but he gave me his blessing and off I went.

Running. Relieving all the stress and emotion I felt yesterday and carried into this gorgeous Saturday.  It was nice to relieve all of this in a healthy, physical way.  This is why I love this lifestyle.

I don’t have my official time yet, but I think I ran it around 34 minutes.  Pretty proud of myself.

We did it!

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What did you do on this beautiful Saturday?

Tiff~

Cyber Monday!

Hi all!!

I love writing on this blog to post my thoughts, quotes that inspire me, things that I love…..

And the occasional great deal I find!

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Today is the last day you can tale advantage of these deals.

I love my job solely based on the fact that I get to pay it forward and share with others the gift of health and fitness. I personally have seen incredible results from TurboFire and P90X. I have lost the post baby weight and have become stronger than I have ever been.

Go here to check out these programs and savings: Cyber Monday Fitness Deals.

Plus, order through the link above and you will get me as your free Coach and get the accountability and support you deserve.

I hope this motivates you to begin a brand new beginning as a fitter, stronger and healthier version of yourself.

Have a FIT Monday!

Tiff

Picking A Food Plan is So Confusing! Aaagh!

When I first began taking charge of my health and trying to force myself to eat better, (Okay yes there was some forcing… I LOVED my Chili Cheese Fries and Pizza. sigh.) figuring out the best type of meal plan or “diet” to pick from was really confusing.

There were so many choices!!!

Paleo. Vegan. Gluten Free. Sugar Busters. Atkins. Vegetarian. Pescatarian. Whole Foods only. Weight Watchers. Jenny Craig. Nutrisystem. Juicing.

Holy freaking cow.

I began to understand why getting started was so hard.

There was a lot of information out there and quite frankly a lot of it I didn’t understand.  Everyone one of those plans above had “scientific research” to back up why their plan worked the best.

Sure. Whatever.

Now I am not discrediting these plans and their research.  I only say it this way because it can be very confusing to the average consumer as to what is really best for THEM.

So I just got started. I didn’t pick any of those above and went with a comprehensive nutrition plan that was pretty basic and easy to understand but at the same time doable.

Something I could do over a lifetime.

And guess what? I tend to enjoy consuming Vegan/Vegetarian meals as much as possible because I love veggies and I don’t crave animal products all that much. That took time of course and a ton of experimenting.  But I say this because eventually you will figure out what it is exactly that your body needs and craves. Your body craves Nutrients, not calories.

Again, this is something I can do for the rest of my life!

And that is the key.

When you are doing your research as to what types of diet would best fit your lifestyle, family and budget keep this thing in mind and ask yourself this:

“Can I maintain this way of eating for the rest of my life? Or will this be another quick fix that ends up nowhere?”

There is no magic pill, drink, celebrity diet plan that will get you long term results.  You must put in the work. Tell yourself no to the things that, while provide pleasure for the moment, can harm you long term.

Focus on health first. Long Term Health.

If you have food allergies or disorders that prevent you from consuming certain food items, talk to your doctor!  A good doctor will work along side you to help you shed the fat and maintain a healthy, fit lifestyle.  Weight loss surgery (unless you will die without it) should always be last resort.

So do your research, but for right now, start simple. Cut out processed foods and focus mainly on incorporating more veggies and fruits as well as lean proteins in your diet. Master that and the rest will be easy to figure out.

<3 Tiff

 

 

The Ultimate Reset-What Is It and Is It Right For You?

Most of the time when we hear someone say they are going on a detox, we immediately think starvation or subjecting oneself to a crazy cleanse that does more harm than good. (Hello Master Cleanse….I am talking to you.  Oh yeah…I named names).

When I first heard about the Ultimate Reset that was released through Beachbody, I have to admit, I was very skeptical.  My experience with those performing cleanses had not been favorable in the past.

However, after having several of my friends ask me about the Reset, and by conducting my own personal research, my husband and I are embarking on the detox journey beginning October 10th.

So what is the Ultimate Reset?

It is a complete, three-phase, 21 day program that provides you with all the tools you need in order to:

1. Reclaim your body’s natural balance

2. Release harmful materials that you may have hiding within your body.

3. Restore your body to its optimal state.

What the Ultimate Reset is NOT:

1. A Starvation diet. You WILL be eating three healthy, filling meals everyday.

2. An abrupt cleanse that is hard on your body. You will be provided with natural supplements that work together to provide a gentle and gradual  shift of your body’s internal settings.

3. A laxative-based, colon focused cleanse. Those don’t truly detoxify you, which is the whole point of the Reset. We want to eliminate toxins…not just have you going to the bathroom all the time!

Why would someone want to do the Ultimate Reset?

Sometimes, regardless of how often we exercise, how well we eat, how much sleep we get….our bodies can feel, well, off.  And we need to provide it with routine maintenance in order to ensure that our bodies are functioning at their optimal state.  Much like you take in your car for regular oil change, change its tires, replace breaks and fill it with the right type of fluid, it is the same with caring for our bodies.

Because if we don’t, then our bodies break down.

The Ultimate Reset can help you:

*Have more energy  and greater focus

*Experience better digestion and a more positive mood.

*Enable your body to function more efficiently

*Lose weight (This is not a weight loss program. This is a program designed to cleanse you and remove toxins. So if you are looking to solely lose weight I suggest you email me and we can discuss workouts or other programs for you.)

*Improve your overall health

Also, take note, I will be refraining from intense exercise activity for 21 days. That is going to be a hard one for us. My husband and I workout regularly so it will be a big change of focus, but I think it will benefit our bodies to rest from the physical activity and focus on the internal stuff.

If you need more information about the Ultimate Reset, please email me. Or you can check out the website where there are videos provided as well as other information for you.

I will post pictures on my Instagram and Facebook pages and on this blog, sharing some recipes and Dan and I will post a video once a week together to document this journey.

We are very excited!

What do you think about the Ultimate Reset?

<3 Tiff

Start Today

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No matter where you are in your journey, whether you have taken those small first steps or have spent months trying to hit a target.

Just keep going.

Start and keep going. Don’t lose momentum.

Grab people and have them join you.

True success is never straight to the top. There are many twists and turns, starts and stops until we reach the place we want to be.

But you got this. As long as you remember why.

You want to be strong. You want to be healthy.

And maybe you want to inspire others to do the same.

Let’s do this.

Who’s with me?

Tiff

Change Up Your Dinners!

I don’t know about you but I absolutely love books that include yummy recipes.

I have been doing a lot of research lately about Vegetarian and Vegan diets and so far my curiosity has been satisfied. I found two books that I am dying to share with you that I am drooling over. And you don’t necessarily have to be Vegan to enjoy them. Everyone should be incorporating more plant based meals into their overall diet on a regular basis as it helps keep our body humming and packed with powerhouse nutrients. Remember, this is about health…not skinny.

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I purchased Crazy Sexy Diet from Amazon.com after hearing a friend share her review of it. I have tried 3 of her recipes so far and I love them. I hope to post more recipes on this blog soon so stay tuned. But this gal was diagnosed with cancer, had a documentary filmed about it, and she fought it basically by changing her overall diet. What??!!

For real. Now for those of you who are sensitive to language, a word of caution. She does have some colorful language. This is not a Christian book by any means. But the information she shares is excellent so if you can look past it, I think you will find it interesting and helpful.

The second book, The Engine 2 Diet, I picked up from the library. However, I love it so much I am going to buy it. (Dan gave me the okay yay!) The author is pro Vegan so expect some Vegan Evangelism here. But his recipes are awesome and you can tell he has done his research and practices what he preaches. My husband will probably never convert to veganism….but he has liked several of the Vegan items I have made….without him knowing it ;) .

If you are in a dinner rut and need change, check these out. Or share your favorite cookbooks with me!

Tiff

Insanity- Yep I’m Nuts

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I don’t know but I need to change up my workout routines regularly. Otherwise, I get in a funk, lose motivation and tend to skip more days than I should.

And lately, my workouts have not been all that exciting. It was time to invest in another program and push myself.

I had been debating between a few programs for awhile and I finally decided on Insanity. I knew it would be a (very!) Challenging workout so I was ready for the push.

My friend Kalli over at Fit and Forty Something is doing Insanity with me and I am so glad! Because my program arrived today and holy smokes folks! The fit test on day 1?

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No JOKE!!

I will definitely need the accountability and encouragement over the next 60 days.

I am excited to see how much stronger I will become. I will do my best to post weekly updates on here as well as video on my FB page, Be A Size You.

Have you ever done Insanity? Please share with me your experience! Or if you want to join in, let me know. The more peeps the better!

Blessings,

Tiff

Motivation Monday-Move Like Grandma

I saw this photo this morning on one of my favorite fitness inspiration sites and I have to share it with you.

I want to be like that Grandma!!!

When I was younger, while I was athletic, I didn’t really feel the need to take care of myself or workout because I had youth in my favor.  I had a high metabolism and I could eat whatever I wanted and not have to work it off.

A lot of us young folk think that way.

But I am fast approaching my 31st birthday and I am realizing that I should have paid more attention to the kinds of foods I put in my system.  That I should have worked out a little more and spend a little less time worrying about having a boyfriend (at 19 and 20 this was a huge preoccupation..HELLO!)

But I can’t keep looking back at what I should have done.  I can focus on NOW.

So now I put in the effort to eat clean (about 80 to 90% of the time….I really can do better) and workout at least 5 to 6 days a week.

So I can be like Grandma up there.  I want to be strong and able, not frail and weak.

What are your reasons for putting in the work now? And if you are older, please share your wisdom with us!  Us young folks need all the help we can get!

Tiff~