3 Boundaries that ALL Single Women Should Have

I came across an article today talking about single women and why they should set up boundaries.  I found it very inspiring because I wish I knew these three simple things back when I was dating….would have made my dating life less of a struggle!
I wanted to share the article in my own words with all of you!  I hope you find it just as helpful/inspiring as I did.

I’d like to first say that boundaries are NOT a way of controlling someone (although some may accuse you of this).  Boundaries are NECESSARY to be able to show the man that you have respect for yourself AND that you will not put up with being treated poorly.  Having boundaries is crucial in the first 3 months of dating because the man will see that you have high respect for yourself and he in return (if hes not a jackass scum) will respect you and your boundaries for the rest of your dating.

Treat Your Sexuality like a QUEEN

Think about this for a minute….. how do queen’s act?  They don’t just let anyone come near them let alone have sex with them. They show class, authority, and govern their affairs wisely. They have self-control and don’t put up with men that try to bring them down or use them.

A lot of women allow sex to be far too casual.  By putting up this boundary you are doing yourself a favor as well as inspiring men to grow a pair a balls, man up, and start treating women with respect.

 

Don’t Stay in the “Date Zone” Forever

If you are looking to be married, you need to make that clear to the man.  Don’t let him drag you on for years playing with your heart making a false promise of marriage and it never happening.  You are beautiful, talented, smart, kind-hearted….don’t let someone take that for granted.   You have to make that decision to leave him.  Obviously you aren’t going to be happy with him if he hasn’t been able to decide if he even wants to be with you forever.  Why would you want to be with someone who can’t decide if they want you???   I want to be with someone that WANTS me and knows that right off the bat.  I won’t put up with the “Date Zone” and neither should you.  If it’s been a year and a half and he hasn’t even MENTIONED marriage or talked about a future with you….its time to move on to someone who will love you and WANT you to be there everyday with them.

 

What You Give is What You Will Get in Return

If you think that all guys want is to see your boobs and ass, then you’re always going to get the scum ass losers that can’t treat an animal decently let alone a woman decently. You need to remember that your CHARACTER (not your body assets) are what make you beautiful and appealing to men.  It’s what’s on the inside, not the outside. Your actions, your words, and your appearance should all be in line with WHO you truly are.  If you’re not trying to be a hooker, then stop dressing like one!  Are you constantly swearing?  Because its definitely NOT appealing to high class men. Are you selfish? Or do you try to help strangers in need or your community neighbors that are in need?

Believe it or not, THESE inward appearances are what make you appealing to men that WANT to be married.  So, if you’re looking for something long-term, look at how you act, think, say, and what you’re wearing around men.  Don’t try too hard. Just be YOUR HONEST self and let your INWARD beauty shine OUTWARDS!

 

What Boundaries are YOU going to set for yourself?? Tell me in the comments below.

 

 

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6 Tips to STOP Emotional Eating!

I’m sure we’ve all been through this before^

The never-ending cycle of emotional eating:

“I feel like crap! Today sucks! Why did Jody have to do that to me??!! I was only trying to help!”

 

“I need some ice cream and some Netflix! Jody can go F**k herself!”

(As you’re feeding your face): “Oh this is so good!  Wow, I can’t believe Kate died from NCIS!! WTF!”

“I shouldn’t have eaten that Rocky Road ice cream 😦  I was doing SOOOO good all week with my meal plan!  All week is down the drain now!!  Back to square one….  I hate life”

I KNOW you’ve all had a similar experience!  I definitely had, but I have learned that food is NOT the answer to your emotional problems.   Here are a few tips that have helped me over the years to stop my emotional eating:

WRITE down your emotions, Don’t EAT them, or even better TALK to a tree.  

I am 100% serious!  Talking to ANYTHING so you can “get out” all your built up emotions is the best way to let go of the anger and not have that overwhelming feeling lingering inside of you.  If you think that is “too weird,” then write a letter to the person that made you made.  Write out EVERYTHING. Don’t send the letter, just write it out…read over it and then rip it up.  I know that sounds stupid and like a waste, but this also works!  Again, this helps you get the chip off your shoulder so you can move on with your day and not have a burden to worry about.  If you really want to, then give the letter to the person that upset you.

No JUNK: Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Hiding your junk food, or better yet not having any in the house REALLY helps when you have these “emotional food cravings.”  I actually took my dog, Maebell, for a walk and asked my boyfriend, John, to hide the Cheez-its because I knew that I would eat the whole box in one sitting if I saw them in the snack cabinet.  I’ll be honest….when it comes to junk food I have little self-control. So for me, it is so much better that I keep ALL junk food out of the house or ask John to hide his snack foods so I wont know where they are.

Take a LONG walk! (or jog even..OR go punch your pillow!!)

Exercise is a great way to release anger!  Being outside in general (getting the fresh air in your lungs) immediately puts you in a better mood (at least for me it does!)  Exercising gets your blood pumping and helps release a chemical to your brain called “endorphin.” This chemical gives you that good, happy feeling like a “runner’s high.”  For example:  after you workout or finish a run or did a set of push-ups…you usually get that good feeling of accomplishment…you start feeling positive.  That comes from this magical chemical that is naturally released into your brain during exercise.  So, long story short:  exercise will help LOWER your emotional stress so then you won’t need to seek out this horrible emotional eating habit!

Drink 10-12oz of water BEFORE you try to eat ANYTHING!

Most of the time we FEEL hungry or THINK we are hungry, but we are actually thirsty.  Our bodies like to mimic the same hunger-thirst feeling.  90% of the time, if you drink water before you eat then you wont have that “I’m starving” feeling any longer.  You’ll actually feel full and not want to seek out food.

Think about HOW you’re going to feel if you eat those 5 cupcakes or 1/2 gallon of ice-cream

Do you want to stay on the never-ending cycle of emotional regret??? NO!  Then STOP and THINK before you go and eat!  You are better than the food.  You don’t NEED this junk food to make you “feel” good.  I don’t care how good ice-cream tastes…I want to stay on track to getting my six pack so I’m not going to veg out on ice-cream and Netflix because Jody made my day like a living hell!  Be strong. Be smart. And move forward.

If you do need to eat…EAT HEALTHY!

Just like I mentioned keeping junk food out of sight……keep healthy snacks IN SIGHT!  Have your carrots and broccoli and celery cut up and easily accessible with some hummus cups or peanut butter cups.   Put apples out on the counter and some grapes too!   I can’t stress this enough!   I started doing this for John and WOW!!  IT WORKED!!  He ate almost all the veggies I cut up in one day instead of going for popcorn and cheez-its!  I was so happy!   If he can do it, so can you!  Take 15mins of your day and cut up some fruits and veggies (maybe make that fruit salad that I have a recipe posted on here for!) so you and your family can live a healthier, happier life

 

And remember:   NO ONE is worth eating over!  You are beautiful…so stay that way and everyone else can go F**k themselves! 🙂 

Guilt-Free Frozen Dessert!

I made a promise to myself to stay away from ice cream and those new Fro-Yo shops.  I’m a huge ice cream addict so this is a really big commitment for me.  I’m 11 days in and so far I’m staying strong!  Of course I”ve been craving ice cream (especially when my neighbor tells me about her homemade milkshake and sends me a picture of it!)

I decided to make my own treat!  I ahve used frozen bananas in my shakes before and it made it nice and thick and creamy like ice cream, so why not make actually “ice cream” lol!

This recipe has only 3 main ingredients!  THAT’S IT!! Super simple and SOOOO delicious! Such a great substitute for ice cream! (and may I add…a great way to enjoy a hot day!)

Strawberry-Banana Frozen Treat

• 1 frozen banana
• 3-4 strawberries
• 1/2 c. vanilla greek yogurt
• nutmeg (opt)

Blend all ingredients together in a small food processor. Pour into a small dish and top with nutmeg if desired!    ENJOY!

*You can try this with other fruit as well besides strawberries: blueberries, blackberries, or try adding peanut butter! (banana and greek yogurt are the key ingredients so don’t switch them out!)     

Chicken Salad (No Mayo!)

This recipe came to me through a friend on Facebook.  I saw it and thought, “WOW! How do you make chicken salad without mayo?????!!”    I ran through the recipe and then saw that they substitute  mayo for greek yogurt (may sound gross, but I promise you…it was DELICIOUS!)   I added a few extra spices from the originally recipe.  I put (opt) by those spices 🙂

When I cooked my chicken I actually boiled it on the stove in a sauce pot. (I know that sounds weird but its honestly healthier than frying it and quicker than baking it. My chicken also didn’t taste any different; just cooked it a healthier way lol!)  I try not to fry many things any longer. You can cook the chicken however you’d like before shredding it up though!

 

Ok, enough of my talking lol!  Here is the recipe!

Chicken Salad (No Mayo!)

• 1 lb boneless chicken breast (cooked and shredded)
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 2/3 c. grapes (halved)
• 1 apple (chopped up)
• 1/2c c. craisins
• 1/4 c. almonds
• 1/2c. plain greek yogurt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt & pepper to taste
• juice from half a lemon squeezed in
• 1/2 tsp Oregano (opt)
• 1/2 tsp Basil (opt)
• 1/2 tsp Garlic salt (opt)

Mix all the ingredients together and place on your favorite bread or crackers!

*This makes a great appetizer for parties topped on some fancy crackers, or make it for a big family gathering or picnic sandwiches!

Acne/Blemish Remedy

So you all have probably heard of Aloe Vera….its used to treat sunburns. It soothes the sunburn (reduces swelling and redness) and makes the pain /itchiness go away because of the antimicrobial properties in Aloe Vera.  It is also a moisturizer too!    So why not use a little on your face….. I mean if it soothes the redness and swelling on a sunburn…why not use it for those pesky blemishes??

Aloe Vera combined with another anti-inflammatory product (that works even better and is less harsh on your skin than benzoyl peroxide: the leading acne medicine) will help clear your skin up in just a matter of a few weeks!

100% Tea Tree oil is the other anti-inflammatory product.   You only need a TWO drops to do the trick!

I have been using Aloe Vera + Tea Tree oil for a couple weeks now and it’s improved my skin so much!  I used to have acne all along my chin line.

Did I mention that these two products are extremely inexpensive!  I mean for goodness sakes you can find Aloe Vera at a dollar store or Walmart lol!  I ordered my Tea Tree Oil online form Amazon.  The brand is called “Now Essential Oils”

 

How to use it:

• wash your hands! (Don’t touch your face with dirty hands!)
• Remove any makeup (best to do this after a shower so your makeup is off already)
• Dampen face (don’t soak it in water…just splash a little and pat it slightly dry)
• Take a dime size amount of Aloe Vera into your hand. Add ONLY TWO drops of 100% Tea Tree Oil to it. (Too much tea tree oil will dry out your skin…even with the moisturizer of Aloe Vera)
• Gently rub onto damp face. Let sit for 3-5mins. Then rinse off and pat dry!

THAT’S IT!  BLEMISH FREE IN A FEW SHORT WEEKS, AND SUPER CHEAP TO DO!

 

Lemon Ginger

I find it hard to get my 64oz of water in each day.  I feel like I’m constantly drinking and going to the bathroom but I STILL fall short of my goal       Well I just made drinking water easier/ taste better so now I am DEFINITELY more likely to reach my goal!

*To find out how much water you need to drink take your body weight in pounds and divided that by 2 to get your water intake number( weight lbs/ 2 = amount of water in ounces to drink each day).  If your water intake number is less than 64oz, bump it up to 64oz.

To make this lovely drink just simply:

• add 1 1/2 sliced lemons to a pitcher
• fill pitcher with FILTERED water
• grated FRESH ginger root into the pitcher (about 2Tbs worth)

That’s it!  Keep refilling for two days, then throw out the lemons so bacteria and mold do not grow in your water!!

Why ginger you ask? 

1. Ginger has been used as a holistic herbal medicine for many, many years to help cure inflammatory problems and digestive issues
2. Ginger is also known to help speed up recoveries from colds and the flu (great to add in hot teas! That will help soothe a sore throat)
3. It’s a natural ingredient!!  God gave us ginger roots to USE to help heal us….so lets add it to our waters, teas, juices, and shakes and enjoy the wonderful healing benefits!

 

 

Banana Yogurt Muffins

If you have been trying to stay away from flour and a lot of added sugar, than give these delicious muffins a try!   I made them yesterday and love them!  I actually am giving them to all my neighbors to try as well (lol!)   We have all decided to start trying new healthier recipes, so why not share what we’ve made?  🙂 

So these are the easiest muffins EVER to make! You can literally throw all your ingredients into a blender and BOOM! DONE! (or be like me and love the arm work of old fashion hand mixing lol!  I dont know why, but I honestly LOVE doing all my mixing for baking or cooking by hand.  I dont even use my Kitchen-Aid mixer anymore!  *Anyone need one??? I’ll sell it!*)

Ingredients:

• 2 large ripe bananas (mashed)
• 1 c. greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
• 2 c. quick oats
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• **optional:  1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg,  1/2 c. choc chips, 1/2 c. walnuts, or  2 tsp of  peanut butter powder**

Directions:    (yields 12 yummy muffins)

1. Preheat oven 400 degrees
2. Add all ingredients to a blender (or hand mix) until smooth and creamy.
3. fold in optional ingredients if using (or top the muffins with the cinnamon and nutmeg like I did!)
4. Pour batter into a 12 muffin cup tin that is sprayed with Pam cooking spray.
5. Bake 15-20mins  until golden brown on top and toothpick comes clean when poked in the center
6. Let cool 10 mins before removing from pan.  Store in an air-tight container for up to 1 week.

*For my 21 Day Fix followers:  1 muffin = 1/3 purple, 1/4 red, and 1/3 yellow  (this does not include the optional add ins of walnuts, choc chips,  or PB powder)    

***add-ins  per muffin —–> PB powder = 0.2 of your teaspoons (almost not worth counting!), walnuts= 0.2 blue container,  choc. chips (adding in a half cup of choc chips isnt recommended for 21 DF.  Change it to only 2Tbs and sprinkle them on top), and seasonings are free!

Guilt-Free Chocolate Chia Pudding

I’m in love with sweets!  Can’t seem to stop eating them completely   BUT THIS (and my shakeology of course lol) have saved me from caving in and having a big bowl of ice cream lol!

If you like the texture of tapioca pudding then you will love this healthy chocolate version 🙂

Why Chia SEEDS??

Chia seeds have SOOOOO many nutrients in them… in just one single ounce they are packed with:

• Fiber: 11 grams.
• Protein: 4 grams.
• Fat: 9 grams (5 of which are Omega-3s).
• Calcium: 18% of the RDA.
• Manganese: 30% of the RDA.
• Magnesium: 30% of the RDA.
• Phosphorus: 27% of the RDA.
• They also contain a decent amount of Zinc, Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Potassium, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and Vitamin B2.

These chia seeds are literally a super food!!   Can you say that you ever ate a super-food pudding before????    NOW YOU CAN!  🙂

Here is the AMAZING and EASY (I always make things simple!) recipe for this wonderful dessert<3

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups almond milk unsweetened
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 6T. chocolate ovaltine powder or cocoa powder
• 2 T pure maple syrup
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• a dash of salt
• 3 cups cut, fresh strawberries (for topping. not needed right away!)

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients (except the strawberries) into a bowl until well blended. Let stand at room temperature for 30mins!
2. Refrigerate covered for minimum of 4hrs. Can stir occasionally if desired.
3. Divide into single serve dishes and top with strawberries

ENJOY!!!

Smoothie Bowl!!

I’ve been on a huge smoothie bowl kick lately lol!   I always make one to bring to work because it’s packed with protein, fruit, calcium, amino acids, and helps with my digestion!

At first I was afraid to try a smoothie bowl.  I was like, “Why the hell would you put liquid into a bowl????”    But hear me out!!   It’s like a THICK smoothie shake…so its nice and thick and then you add whatever toppings you want and make it look pretty (like mine pictured below lol).   This literally only took 7mins to make!  You have time to make one…just do it!   Let me know what you think!

 

Here is a basic recipe that you can change up to your liking!

Base:

1 frozen banana
8-10oz yogurt
1 Tbs chocolate ovaltine
¼ c. Almond milk
Toppings:
½ a kiwi
Small handful of craisins
Small handful of walnuts
2 T. Flax seed

 

Please comment below on other toppings or bases that you have tried for your smoothie bowls!!  I love hearing from you 🙂 and I love trying new recipes too!!

Avocado SEED Benefits (YES you CAN eat it!)

I never knew that you could EAT the seed of an avocado.  I only knew that keeping the pit in guacamole or in with pieces of avocado would keep it from browning so quickly.  I saw a friend post about avocado pits, so I did some research:

Come to find out that avocado seeds contain higher levels of antioxidants such as catechins (also found in green tea) and procyandins that act as anti-inflammatory: reduce pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of joint function.

These two antioxidants also improve:

• heart health– reducing swelling in your arteries and veins will cause less strain on your heart when pumping blood throughout your body.
• blood circulation– reducing swelling in arteries and veins will help your body have improved blood circulation and less cold limbs.
• help regulate your digestive tract– due to soluble fiber.  There is more soluble fiber in one avocado seed than in most vegetables
• help fight cancer as well as build glowing skin –  due to the antioxidants that rebuild collagen, repair cell damage caused by free radicals, and actually improve the look and feel of your skin.

So how do you use the seed??

GREAT QUESTION!   Don’t do what I did in the picture (unless you like spending a good amount of time grating lol) I found after researching more that you can simply take the seed from the avocado like normal and then knife it into quarters. This is much easier than it would seem ( JUST BE CAREFUL!). After that, the bits of seed can be thrown into a food processor or blender to make a powder (You only need half a seed per serving! You can save the other half of the seed by letting it dry out on a windowsill for a few days before grinding it up). The resulting powder will be bitter and full of tannins, so it’s best use with other strong flavors, say in a smoothie or a flavorful salad like the one I created in the picture.

Need a great recipe to get started?? Here are two Avocado Smoothie recipes:

Coconut Chocolate Smoothie

• 1/2 an avocado seed (powder form)
• 1/2 an avocado
• 8-10oz coconut milk
• 3tbs cocoa powder (I use Ovaltine or my Chocolate Shakeology)
• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• a few dashes of cinnamon
• 1/8 cup chocolate chips  (optional)

*Put all ingredients in a blender (saving just about 5 choc chips for a garnish). Blend and top with remaining choc chips.  ENJOY!

Green Power Smoothie

• 8-10oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/2 avocado seed (powdered form)
• 1/2 avocado (cut into pieces)
• 1 ripe pear (cut into pieces)
• 2 handfuls fresh spinach
• 1 small piece of ginger root grated
• 1/2 an apple (cut into pieces)

*Place all ingredients into a blender. BLEND & ENJOY!