We see this time and time again…year after year.

The Christmas decor is out in the stores before the Halloween candy is even passed out! Almost like there is unnecessary pressure to have things out and ready before the first Hallmark movie is on TV. Or how about the Mom who posted that she already has ALL of her Christmas shopping DONE and WRAPPED!

Like, really!?

Unfortunately, this seems to be the new normal in our world. There is a huge rush to get the next holiday started before the current one has even arrived!

As a Mom of two small children, Charlotte (5) and Carson (16 months), today, I find that there is so much pressure to have it ALL together ALL.THE. TIME! Am I alone here? It can be hard to manage expectations and the stress of what this time of year can bring. It can often feel like you are in a pressure cooker.

As this season is upon us, I wanted to share some tools that I have tried to adopt that might help us all during this stressful time.

EMBRACE

1. I believe that we first must go ahead and accept the fact that this is a stressful time of year. Period. Know the holidays are here, and they will be about 2 months long.  Embrace this time and pace yourself for the ride.

GET ORGANIZED

2. If you have not done this, get a planner. Today. Paper or electronic, it does not matter. Just get one. My husband, Stephen and I share a Google calendar where we both can put important dates of events. Trust me; this has been a game changer in our marriage and how I organized my life! When you have all of your holiday obligations on a calendar, you are less likely to be surprised by a holiday obligation.

LEARN TO SAY “NO”

3. If your family is as busy as mine, you are going to have every weekend in November and December filled. You will be invited to parties, community events, work functions and your children’s school events. You are going to be pulled in a lot of different directions. Learn to simply say “No” to some of them. You need to decide what’s important to you and your family. If it seems like it might not fit into your schedule and will cause more unnecessary stress for you, then politely decline.

SELF CARE

4. I personally cannot emphasize this one enough. You know when you are in an airplane and they go through the oxygen demonstration with the yellow mask? You are told you have to first put the mask on yourself before you can help others. Start thinking about self care this way. It will be the best medicine for you, not in just the holiday season, but for life. When you move your body, it releases all the “feel good” hormone serotonin and you are simply happier! It’s like you have a superpower and you want everyone else to feel good too! Doing just 30 minutes of exercise per day has been crucial for me in managing my stress. I have more energy, I’m more creative, and it helps me be a better wife and mother.

DON’T COMPARE

5. Comparison is the thief of joy. This can be a slippery slope that cause many of us moms to feel guilty.Keep in mind that you never know what someone else is going through. Ever.

We all can be quick to judge and sometimes long for what others might have. When we compare ourselves to others, it puts unnecessary pressures on us and that is never healthy. Try to stay in your lane, smile at strangers and lift up others when you have the opportunity.

REFLECT

6. We can all agree that the holidays are crazy. For some, it’s the most wonderful time of year, and for others it’s the worst. Whatever your position might be, the holidays are inevitable and it’s your choice on how you choose to look at this time of year. There is always an opportunity to make a new tradition, set new goals, to try something new in the coming year. This is a time of year to reflect on what you’ve accomplished and what matters most in life. Give yourself permission to slow down and reflect on why we recognize the holidays in the first place.

As I write this and think about how busy this last quarter of 2017 has already been for me and my family, my hope is that we can all take-away parts of these suggestions and build on them. As mothers, we are the foundation for our families and we are all just trying our best each and every day.

It is OK to say “No”

It is OK to take some time out for yourself.

It is OK to slow down.

Book Review: The 5 Second Rule

Before I dive right into this, I think it’s important that I mention that I have NEVER been a big reader. It’s not that I don’t like to read; maybe I am just not disciplined in that area quite yet. I seem to never have the time to sit down and read the pages quietly while life is happening around me. Maybe that is sad and lame, but reading books have never been a huge passion of mine.

With that said personal development (P.D.) or “self help” books have NEVER been on my radar. Honestly, I really do not read books at all. Well, with the small exception of the Twilight series – those books I could hardly put down.

Knowing this about myself, I decided to get an Audible account so I could listen to books while I drive in the car or listen while I’m working out. It’s pretty awesome really and just a better way for me to absorb information.

I’ve heard so much buzz around a book called “The 5 SecondRule” by Mel Robbins. I knew people that absolutely SWORE by this book and I am so glad that I decided to finally download it so I could listen to the 5 + hour story on how The 5 Second Rule came to be.

Without giving too much of the book away, my goal is to give you a glimpse into how this book has helped me in just a few weeks of listening to the book. Mel Robbins is a witty, smart mid-westerner with a background in law. She is a wife and mother of two girls and she finds herself in a place in her life where she feels “stuck.” We have all been there right? 

We are in a job we hate. 

We have an awesome idea, but we are too scared to act on it? 

We see need to have a conversation with someone, but the timing is never “right.” 

Or what about simply getting up earlier and tackling that “to-do” list that keeps getting pushed aside.

I know I have been there.

What I appreciate about this book is how open Mel is about her own personal situation and how she applies The 5 Second Rule or as Mel calls it “The Rule” to her situation. There is a ton of science and research that goes into The Rule (over 6 years) and they way she spells it out makes so much sense.

For example, we are NEVER going to FEEL like doing most things. Getting up early, going to the gym, emptying the dishwasher…you get the idea. See if we waited around until we “felt” like doing most things, we would never ever do them.

The way The 5 Second Rule comes in is that it’s somewhat of a trick on your brain. Without getting too sciencey (not sure that is even a word…I’m pretty sure it isn’t) something “wakes up” the frontal cortex of your brain when you simply count backwards instead of forwards.

As humans, we are constantly going in a forward motion when we move…turn pages right to left when we read…threaten our children by “counting to three”. When you count “5, 4, 3, 2, 1” then Go!, your brain almost does not have time to consider if you “feel” like doing a certain task or not. You just do it.

If you wait more than five seconds to act that is when fear and doubt creep in and your brain will kill the idea.

So far, The 5 Second Rule has been the most helpful for me in 3 ways:

1. I am not always up before my kids and I am not exactly proud of this. When Stephen gets up in the mornings around 5:20am to take Winston out, I usually hear him. While I am there thinking about if I “feel” like getting up, somehow my mind shifts to The Rule and I start counting…5,4,3,2,1. I’m kind of miffed for a couple of seconds after I rise up out of bed, but then there I am up and moving. I get my coffee, head downstairs to begin my day. So far this has been amazing at how it sets the tone for my day.

2. Chores around the house are just one of those things you have to do, right? The laundry and the dishwasher are always full in my house and seem like a never-ending task. Since I have adopted The Rule, I just count 5,4,3,2,1 and get them done and out of the way. I just do it.

3. Never letting things go unsaid. How many unread text messages or emails do you have on your phone right now? I’m guilty of having quite a few at times. How many of you have something you want to say to someone, but are afraid? The promotion you want at work, but you are too afraid to ask? The idea you have at a board meeting, but what if it sounds stupid? When was the last time you simply said “thank you” or texted a loved one “I love you”?

What I have learned from The 5 Second Rule is that you will NEVER know if you don’t act. There is so much AWESOMENESS on the other side of fear and doubt. If you don’t lean in, raise your hand, press send, you will NEVER know if you don’t take action.

You count, act and you are done. The point is that it doesn’t have to be perfect, but you at least STARTED. When we ACT, is when things really awesome happen. Not when we are “thinking” about doing something or we are “too afraid” or “don’t feel like it.”

Y'all, it’s truly AMAZING at how much time I have gained since I have started doing this. Mel goes into greater detail about how this has helped people land the job of their dreams, fight addiction and bring loved ones back together. It’s really amazing at how powerful it is.

I have suggested the book to many others as well. Stephen has started listening to the book and I’ve been impressed with his own take-aways.

Friends, our time is limited here on Earth and you NEVER how long you have. Make today and each moment count.

5

4

3

2

1

Go!

xoxo, 
Saralyn 

A Review on Insanity

in·san·i·ty

inˈsanədē/

noun

1.      the state of being seriously mentally ill; madness.

"he suffered from bouts of insanity"

synonyms:

mental illness, madness, dementia;

I found it fitting to have the definition of the word out in the open before I started sharing what I thought about this program with such an intimidating name.

What is Insanity?

Shaun T. in all his glory! 

Insanity is a 60 day High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) program designed by Shaun T. and developed by Beachbody.

The basis of the program is inspired by what is called “max interval training” with 30 second rest periods in-between each set. You are using your own body weight so no hand weights are required. I got through each workout with my pre-workout formula, water, towel, a yoga mat and a little prayer.

Now, this program is a little older and not like many of the 30 minute workout programs out there today. So going into this program, I knew it would require more of my time. Each workout is about 45 minutes to 90 minutes long.

The back story on my decision to try Insanity…

I went into this program KNOWING it was going to be tough. I had just finished another program called Insanity Max 30 (another Shaun T. program), so I thought I was in shape enough to go for the “old school” program.

I also decided to go at it from a “hybrid” approach by adding Chaleane Johnson’s Piyo program to the mix too! My original plan was to incorporate Piyo workouts with Insanity so my muscles didn’t completely burn out.

For the first month, I did it just that way and it was fine. I enjoyed the strength and stretch of the Piyo workouts and the cardio workouts with Insanity. Then after completing the first month of Insanity and the first month of Piyo, I decided to go ahead and push through the last month of Insanity without Piyo. I wanted to get Insanity DONE!

Me in May or early June trying to find me life after one of my first Insanity workouts!

Month 2 of Insanity was very different than Month 1.

Oh my goodness y'all….

I am going to sit here and say that I now KNOW why so many MILLIONS of people across the world have had such amazing transformations due to this program. Growing up as an athlete, I’ve had countless pre-season basketball practices (both high school and the collegiate level) that don't even compare to one of these workouts. In fact one of the cool things about these workouts in that the entire program is filmed inside a basketball gym. During some of the workouts, you actually do these jump shots in the air! It’s kinda cool and got me thinking that this program would be GREAT for conditioning athletes! Just sayin’!

What to expect in the workouts:

The workouts are longer and average about 50 minutes - sometimes longer. There is a GOOD amount of stretching at the beginning and the end of each workout which was really nice! In the beginning, I would have to stop my workout and come back to it when I had other things going on. Some days I just needed to stop because it was just getting to be too much (one of the many great things about having Beachbody on Demand…you can press pause). I was just not used to working out for that long. Little by little, my endurance got better.

The moves are more intense in Month 2. Sometimes you have a 50 minute workout plus a 20 minute Ab workout or a Fit Test on top of that! WHAT THA ****?!  The Fit Test is what you do every two weeks throughout the program to check your progress. When you have a Fit Test, it is timed to see how many reps you can do of a certain move in one minute. You have to go all out for this test and it can be SO hard to do a freaking workout on top of that! Not kidding!

Warm up under the deck!

Who should do the program?

I believe that Insanity is for someone who loves to SWEAT and for someone who LOVES a cardio workout! Your heart will be beating like it never has before in your life! If you are looking to lose some pounds and to get lean, this is a great program to consider.

Keep in mind that you will need some space and time to recover after each workout. Be prepared to feel completely exhausted. I would normally workout out on my deck or driveway, but the basement or a hotel room is ok too!

In my opinion I believe that this program is not for beginners, and I would personally not recommend it to someone who is looking to hit a reset button. There are many other programs that are better for beginners. However, I have heard many stories of people who have done this program at different levels of fitness.

What did I gain from doing this program?

That is a great question! I think I have made it very clear that it has been the hardest program I have ever done. It very much lives up to its name because the workouts are freaking INSANE!

On some days it was downright brutal. I complained, I acted like a brat, and I felt like I would NEVER FINISH the program! Most days during my workouts I would cuss and my neighbors probably thought I was a CRAZY person! “Why the hell is she in her driveway doing those weird moves with her husband....is that girl ill?” You can imagine.

We do like to workout together! 

But there were also awesome moments when I felt like a complete bad ass when I finally was able to finish an hour long workout without pressing pause.

Then I later would finish an hour long workout WITH good form.

Then I finally mastered a move like switch kicks or not having to take a break when I normally would have to.

Y’all, those feelings were SO AMAZING! Along with my support group, my husband and community, I know that is what kept me going each day. I was never alone and I always had my tribe cheering me on!

My results?

Most of you know that I do not personally own a scale. I cannot tell you how many pounds I lost because it is not something I worry about. However, I will say that I noticed the biggest differences in my side oblique area since that is a place that is highly focused on throughout the program. I am still working on my tummy after having a baby over a year ago so I need all the help I can get here! The other part of my body that I’ve noticed a difference is my legs and booty. We do all the squats and jumps the entire time! My lower body is so much stronger and jeans just fit differently! I can work out or do tasks for a long time without feeling tired or winded. 

I’ve now picked Piyo back up and starting with Month 2, and I can already tell how much stronger I am from the work from Insanity! It’s just really an awesome feeling!

  

All in all I am SO glad that I did this program, and I am SO glad that I am finished! To be one of the other millions of people who have benefited from this program, I am just so humbled!

To learn more about these programs shoot me an email at saralyn.hamilton@gmail.com and I'd be happy to share more!

xoxo, 

Saralyn 

A Day of "Research"...Discovering what exactly is a "Lash Lift" and a "Fantasy Tan"!?

When you work in the beauty industry, one of the great perks is that you get to do “research” on some of the new products and services.

At Polished by Claire V. we recently hired Esthetician, Spray Tan Technician and Lash Artist; Nikki Goins.

With over 6 years of combined experience, Nikki did not disappoint.

I have plans to go out with some friends this weekend so I decided to go ahead and schedule a couple of appointments!

First things first…

Lash Lift/Tint and Brow Tint/Soy Wax

A Lash Lift is where you take the natural eyelashes and basically give them a permanent curl. So they look “lifted”! The idea is for the lashes to stay extended and curled for a more voluminous and naturally pronounced look. The service takes about 1 hour give or take.

Before Lash Tint/Lift Eyebrow Tint/Soy Wax 

Keep in mind BEFORE your appointment:

Arrive with a clean dry face with NO make-up on. The technician does not have time to take make-up off your face.

The pads are placed below and above the lash line so the lashes are exposed. This makes it easier to apply the curl cream and tinting color.

I probably had my eyes closed for just under an hour total, but that wasn’t bad considering I was lying on a heated blanket. I’m surprised I didn’t totally fall asleep. I HAD to stay alert! Remember I’m doing “research”!

Now that the pads are secure and lashes are ready, the curling cream is applied. This smells like the old school perming solution. Not awesome, but it does the trick! For about ten minutes the curling cream sits and does it’s magic.

Then the tinting color is then applied. When you get a Lash Lift and Last Tint, you should go ahead and get your eyebrows tinted too so the hair on your face is one color.

While we were there, I asked if my brows needed freshing up. Nikki couldn’t resist and we went ahead with a brow wax. This was the most pleasant wax I had ever experienced. IT DID NOT HURT! The special soy based wax was very gentle and left my skin smooth.  

Before and After Lash Tint/Lift and Eyebrow Tint/Soy Wax

I am encouraged not to get my lashes wet for about 24 hours, so I will wait to wash my face until tomorrow. The treatment should last 4-6 weeks which I thought sounded like quite a while. Overall, the Lash Lift/Tint and Brow Tint was such a relaxing and different experience! Nikki is obviously VERY patient and has a very gentle touch, not to mention she is extremely passionate and gets excited about what she does!

Spray Tan

It is just me or does a spray tan just make you feel a little more awesome than you did before? Like you instantly took 8 pounds off of your body?

But really, I’m a huge fan of this service. It is a safe way to add a little color on your skin. It can make all the difference when you have something fun planned.

Keep in mind BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT:

You MUST workout, exfoliate and shave BEFORE your appointment.

After you shower, do NOT put on lotions, perfume, makeup or deodorant. Wear loose fitting clothes to your appointment.

Also, if you are considering getting your nails done, you MUST have those services BEFORE you get a spray tan.

I like to think of a spray tan as the finishing touch! The longer you leave the spray on without it getting wet the better. Showering a day later is encouraged.

Now on to the service….

I had heard of the brand, Fantasy Tan, and no, not all spray tans are created equal. Fantasy Tan has 5 different soulutions that allow technicians to mix the perfect color to match your skin to and desired darkness. Each formula has the right amount of sunless tanning ingredients and cosmetic bronzers to give you a great looking tan. The Fantasy Tan solution is only the highest quality, and does not make your skin look orange or unnatural. 

The application equipment uses a medical-grade air compressor that is quiet and provides a strong airflow required for a smooth and even application. The Fantasy Tan solutions have been formulated with precise amounts of DHA and does not need to be “caked” on to achieve your desired darkness like other brands do.

As I was standing there waiting to get sprayed, I watched Nikki open what looked like a bottle of wine (no we were not drinking on the job) to mix the perfect color for me. With the 5 different color combinations, it felt special that she took that kind of approach to achieve the perfect color for me!

With the spray tan service, you are provided a hair cap, disposable underwear and foot pads. It feels a little weird being instructed to move this way and that, but it’s important to get all the nooks and crannies when getting sprayed if you know what I mean.

The entire service was probably 30 minutes and extremely THROUGH!

When we were finished, I got dressed in my loose fitting clothes and went to check out. Fantasy Tan also has a line of post service products that I could not resist. I decided on the special body wash and lotion for keeping your spray tan looking fresh.

Since the color takes a few hours to set, it’s encouraged to wait 8-12 hours before taking a shower. It is funny to think about how much you have to “prepare” for services like these, but to get the best results, you really do!

Being a part of the health, wellness and beauty industry, I feel especially blessed to help people feel beautiful from the inside out. I am super excited about these services, and I hope this review will give you a better idea of what to expect before, during and after a Lash Lift/Tint, Eyebrow Tint and Spray Tan at Polished by Claire V.!  

What a difference a YEAR can make...

For some reason today felt different.

Today I realized something.

What I realized is that I have been mindfully committed to my health and wellness for over a year.

I cannot tell you how amazing it feels to type this out.

While I was doing my 60 minute Insanity workout with a young and mighty Shaun T. I was like..."WOW...I cannot believe I am out here doing THIS program...for 60 minutes..." Then, just like that, I realized that it was THIS TIME a year ago that I set out on this journey.

AND I WAS SCARED TO DEATH...

Having our second baby in June 2016, I knew things would be different. I knew that I would have to make a shift in how I get my workouts in.

Stephen and I used to run together and go to the gym together. That all changed after having Charlotte who is almost 5. We would take turns going to the gym or going on a run. As you can imagine, that never really worked out well.

We would spent SO much time getting to and from where we were going that the other person never had the time to get their workout in. This would cause resentment and frustration.

For years Stephen actually talked about getting the program P90X so he could workout at home. P90X is a Beachbody program and is still one of the most successful programs in the company history.

To be honest, I hated the infomercials that would come on and I thought they were just a little too hard core. I would NEVER consider doing them and I quite frankly NEVER would be one of those people who "worked out at home."

Fast forward to having two kids, a dog, a job, owning a business and all the other things life throws at you.

I wanted a plan and I wanted to be prepared after having Carson. I developed a relationship with a girl who as doing a program called 21 Day Fix. My thoughts were...."I really do not like the name....What needs to be "FIXED" exactly and what could possibly happen in 21 Days?"

I mean, growing up as an athlete, I knew how to workout and eat right. I was just SUPER skeptical.

At the time, I knew I had to get outside of my comfort zone and I was desperate to get my body back to a good place after having 2 c-sections. Plus, I knew I needed to fit back into my jeans before winter came. I REFUSED to buy new jeans in a bigger size! NOPE!

This is a photo of me in my jeans and I could only have them zipped for like 2 seconds. 

I made my decision to change just days later.

So, I said what the hell do I have to lose and I went for it! So, on August 24, 2016, I bought what is called the 21 Day Fix Challenge Pack that included the 21 Day Fix program DVD's, a 1 month supply of Shakeology which is a dense source of daily nutrition, the Portion Fix Container System, a month of Beachbody on Demand where I could stream my workouts online if I wanted, and I was enrolled into a online support group that was lead by my Coach. This was $140 and I didn't even tell my husband. I do not recommend that, but I still believe that it was some of the best money I have spent in a year.

In a nutshell, 21 Day Fix is a program that lasts for (you guessed it) 21 days and it includes 7 - 30 minute workouts. Only 30 minutes?! What the heck could possibly happen in 30 minutes?! Again, I was SUPER skeptical, but I decided to give it a try!

I will never forget that first workout - Total Body Cardio. It was so hard and I believe it's the 2nd hardest workout in the program. I called my Coach almost in tears telling her that this was too hard and I didn't think I could do it.

Normally, Carson would nap while I would workout. He was a great little cheerleader. I would often look over at him and that was all the motivation I needed. Some days were harder and I'd have to press pause. Some days a 30 minute workout turned into 6 - 5 minute workouts!

Carson cheering on Mommy! ;-)

All in all, I got through each workout, each day and each week until I finished my first round of 21 Day Fix. I was SO thrilled with my results and the support I was getting I decided to do another round. Then another round!

I also learned that I could get a break on my Shakeology by signing up as a preferred customer or a discount coach.

It did not take me long for things to click and it was simple.

I feel AMAZING and I want others to feel the SAME WAY I FEEL! So, in September 2016, I decided to start sharing my story and helping others as a Coach.

Coaching to me is all about relationships and really finding out the goals of people I care about. Coaching has also given me a sense of purpose outside of being a wife and mother. It is 100% up to me if it is successful or not. Coaching has also allowed me to contribute financially to my family. I felt good knowing that things like swim lessons came from the work I was doing helping others. Coaching has almost given me permission to DREAM BIG! I am always trying to work on me and be doing so, personal development books have been most of what I listen to anymore.

Over this year, there has not just been a difference in me, but in someone else in our household too. The person who might have been the MOST skeptical, my sweet husband Stephen, even started doing the workouts. He even cancelled his gym membership! This was a day I will NEVER forget! He is also just 2 weeks shy of finishing Insanity Max 30! I could not be more proud!

Charlotte working out with Daddy! 

But it has not always been rainbows and butterflies either. About 3 months into my journey, I noticed that postpartum was creeping in. This was one of the most horrible things and I know so many mom's struggle with this. I thought I could manage it on my own. With working out and eating well....I just thought it would go away, but it didn't. In October 2016, with the support of friends, family and professionals, I got some much needed help. That was a very dark time for me and anxiety and depression are still things that I struggle with. Honestly, exercise is such a crucial part in keeping me not only physically healthy, but mentally too!

There have also been those that have completely looked the other way. Some people don't event ask about this part of my life. I have been made fun of. Unfollowed. You name it.

And yes this was all really hard and I have doubted myself at times. But if this experience has taught me anything, it is to have a thicker skin and to believe in myself. I also had to understand that sometimes people are not ready. They are not ready to make the changes they know need to be made. They are not ready for the "old" you to be the "new" you. They liked you the way you were "before."

And you know what, that is all ok!

I go to bed each night knowing that I am doing something to help me and my family. I am sharing what I do because maybe it will help someone else. Maybe right now YOU are the mom reading this that doesn't feel good in her clothes, you are tired, have ZERO energy and you have NO idea how you are going to make it happen!

I will tell you how it will happen....little by little, day after day.

Because we have a choice in this world. We can choose to be tired, have no energy and to be in pain OR we can try to make better choices even if they seem skeptical, scary or uncool.

Your desire to change MUST must be greater than your willingness to stay the same.

As a wife, mom and a health and wellness Coach, I usually wake up everyday, pretty pumped about what I get to do everyday!

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for riding along in this journey with me and giving me so much inspiration to do what I do! I am so excited about the next year to come and I hope you will continue to ride along with me!

With love and light,
Saralyn

A Strong Breakfast for Busy Moms

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. 

I don't know about you, but for YEARS I struggled with what to eat for breakfast. Cereal always left me feeling super hungry an hour later. I never really felt good after eating a cereal bar. And who has time for eggs? 

For almost a year now, my go-to breakfast has been oatmeal. This is what I have 99% of the time. Except for when my husband, Stephen, creates an amazing breakfast on Saturday mornings. 

Oatmeal is a solid source of protein and fiber. Did I mention that it's SUPER quick!?

Here is my collection of items to create what I consider "A Strong Breakfast for Busy Moms":

As you can see, there is TON going on here, but I promise it's QUICK!

OK, so YES, I use TWO kinds of oatmeal. Growing up we had the old school maple brown sugar oatmeal packets. For some reason I cannot let that stuff go. 

So, I take one packet of the brown sugar oatmeal and combine it with a little of the regular Quaker Oats (seen in the yellow container). 

I have a collection of portion control containers for food. The containers help me when I prepare my meals so I don't go overboard with my portions. This has always been a challenge for me and I find they super helpful! They are GREAT tools for success and I always keep them close by in the kitchen! The yellow one is for carbs. 

As a side note, I go ahead and get the large container of oats since I go through it so quickly. 

 

After the old school brown maple sugar is combined with the regular oats, I'll add chia seeds and flax seed!

What tha?

Flax seed has great benefits! Flax contains powerful antioxidants called lignans, which are phytochemicals (or plant chemicals) that provide many health benefits. They are metabolized by friendly bacteria is your gut, then absorbed and circulated in the blood. 

Chia seeds are one of the healthiest foods on the planet! They are loaded with anti-oxidants, protein and fiber. One cool thing I learned about Chia seeds is that they derived from the Aztec Mayans and the actual word means "strength." The Aztec Mayans used to eat handfuls of these seeds before hunting and it kept them full for hours! 

So yeah, if the Aztec Mayans used these little seeds for more stamina and strength, this momma needs them too! 

Then to top it off, my blueberries! They add a delicious sweetness to the mixture! You see them in the first photo in that little purple container. The purple container helps portion out fruits! 

This literally takes me three minutes start to finish. I am full and focused until about 10:30am - 11:00am give or take! 

I will say it does take some getting used to, but for me, this is a healthy and quick way to ensure you start your day off strong! 

xoxo,

Saralyn