Blog

24 Oct, 2023

38 Life Lessons I wish I knew sooner...

On Tuesday, September 26th, I officially turned 38. I say officially because last year I thought I was turning 38, which means I basically gained an entire year. I felt like a complete idiot until I spoke to a number of people who also had a similar experience around the same age, so now I am beginning to think it is totally normal.

Anyways, in honor of my birthday I thought it could be fun to simply list out 38 life lessons I wish I knew sooner. I will not give any context in hopes everyone will individually read into and take what they need from the list without hesitation or explanation. Here we go!

38 Life Lessons I wish I knew sooner…

  1. Health is not tied to appearance.
  2. Family and friends are life.
  3. You get back what you put in.
  4. Food is fuel.
  5. Exercise is not a punishment.
  6. You only get one body.
  7. Life is shorter than you think.
  8. 75% of all the time you will spend with a child is complete by the time they reach 12.
  9. You are always replaceable.
  10. Drinking water is the most underrated activity.
  11. It is you vs. you.
  12. Love yourself over everyone else.
  13. You are responsible for your own happiness.
  14. Eat the damn cake.
  15. The grass is always greener where you water it.
  16. Own your mistakes
  17. Tomorrow is not promised.
  18. Your kids are always watching… and listening.
  19. Learn something new every day.
  20. Be proud of the person you look at it in the mirror.
  21. You will never please everybody.
  22. Do it tired.
  23. Kindness costs nothing.
  24. Health > Wealth.
  25. Little things add up to big things.
  26. Actions mean more than words.
  27. People can change.
  28. Life will never be fair.
  29. Don’t look back… you’re not going that way.
  30. Trust your gut.
  31. Celebrate all wins, even the little ones.
  32. Fail Forward.
  33. Think before you speak.
  34. You don’t need alcohol to have a good time.
  35. Growth only exists outside of your comfort zone.
  36. Set goals… chase dreams.
  37. Choose your friends carefully.
  38. Comparison is toxic.

If even one of these things helps someone, I consider this post a win. Hop on over and follow me on Instagram @life-after-numbers.

Subscribe

Sign up for our newsletter and stay up to date

*

life.after.numbers

24 Oct, 2023

life.after.numbers

27 Sep, 2023

Blog

What is diet culture anyways?

Diet culture values physical appearance over health and overall well-being. It allows judgement of people based on what they look like and what they choose to put into their bodies. Some examples of diet culture include:

  • Establishing labels for foods (ie. good, bad, treats, etc.).
  • Guilt or shame for eating “bad” foods.
  • Working out to burn off “bad” foods.
  • Eliminating food groups (ie. candy, sugar, treats, etc.).
  • Pushing products for weight loss (pills, coffees, etc.).
  • Glorifying skinny over healthy.

So why is this still a conversation today?

Being healthy and being thin are two very different things and need to start being valued appropriately. Diet culture is used to pray on those who want to look a certain way. Each person’s body is different and should be accepted regardless of shape, size, color, or ability.

I, just like everyone else have fallen into the diet culture trap a time or two. However, in the past 5 years I have learned there is only one way to get and maintain overall health…. work! There is no magic pill, there is no quick fix, it takes consistent work. If your goal is to get into better physical shape, then you need to move your body. If your goal is to improve your nutrition, you need to focus on what you eat. It is truly that simple.

My Journey…

When I started this journey 5 years ago, I wanted to look better (embarrassing but true). I assumed if I worked out 4 hours a day, I would have my “dream body” (pictured on the right). Problem was, I got what I thought my dream body was yet still didn’t feel happy or healthy. I prioritized working out over everything and everyone. And while I was working out nonstop all day every day, I never changed my diet. I ate primarily candy and tacos and always felt sick, shocker. It took a picture to make me realize appearance means nothing.

Since then, I have cut back on my exercise to 1 workout a day and focused more on my nutrition, not for my looks but for my overall health. I do not diet and will not diet and also will not exclude any food groups, outside of gluten since I am celiac. I do not get on the scale every morning as my worth is no longer tied to a number. And believe it or not, I am happiest and healthiest I have ever been, and I weigh more than I ever have (except when I was pregnant).

The Harm of Diet Culture

  • Promotes and normalizes disordered eating.
  • Turns exercise into a punishment.
  • Wastes time and money.
  • Increases guilt, anxiety, and shame.
  • Affects overall health and digestion.
  • Hurts relationships with both food and people.

Tips to Fight Diet Culture

  • Focus on what your body can do, where you are at, with what you have.
  • Avoid social media accounts that leave you feeling like you are not enough, or you need to look different.
  • Stop labeling foods as good or bad, eat foods that fuel your body and make you feel good, even if that including lots of candy corn.
  • Focus on all the health’s (mental, physical, social).
  • Watch how you speak to yourself about yourself.
  • Build a community with people who have similar beliefs.

Even though on the face of the diet culture definition we all know it should not continue to be a thing, it will never go away. It will always be used to help sell the next quick fix. It is up to us to not fall into the trap and to continuously fight against multi-billion-dollar industry.

Come follow me on Instagram @life-after-numbers for workouts, nutrition, and who knows what else!

Subscribe

Sign up for our newsletter and stay up to date

*

life.after.numbers

27 Sep, 2023

life.after.numbers

22 Sep, 2023

Blog

Crazy to think my last blog post was January 6, 2022. Even crazier to think just how unhealthy I was back then. My physical health was thriving, I was working out daily, but that is only one piece of the puzzle. My mental and social health’s were being ignored.

Needless to say, I have learned a lot since January 2022 and continue to learn a lot… every single day.

I don’t know about you, but I am now focused on my overall health. As I said above, previously I only made my physical health a priority. What does that mean exactly, before I assumed as long as I was working out every day, I was healthy. I rarely listened to my body and would force myself to do a workout to “feel good”. Does this sound like you? I feel like our culture has created these types of monsters within all of us.

Recently I have incorporated new routines to help me and thought they may also help you.

Tips and Tricks for OVERALL HEALTH

Some tips and tricks I started incorporating into my everyday life which have made the biggest impact include:

  • Gratitude/Journaling
  • Planning out the week/day/month
  • Goal Setting
  • Meal Planning

While I get some of those things sound pretty basic, it is amazing what actually completing them does for your overall health. Take gratitude, if you know each morning you have to write down 5-10 things you were grateful for from the last 24 hours, don’t you think you will start to focus more on the positives of the day versus the negatives? And before you say, I don’t have a journal, you do not need any fancy journals to do this work. You can use the notes section of your phone, or one of the 163,785 papers your kids bring home from school.

For me it is the little things. I can set all the goals in the world, but if I don’t plan out how I will achieve them I will always find something more important to do. (ie. scrub 14 pairs of baseball pants in a week)

Lastly, my nutrition has always been my biggest downfall. I love all kinds of food, but since being diagnosed with celiac a lot has changed. Planning out meals has allowed me to focus on getting the right food groups in on a daily basis. I have also incorporated a meal service which has been a game changer for our busy lives.

Just because these things worked for me doesn’t mean they will work for everyone. Overall health is not a one size fits all but if I can help even just one person this post will be worth it.

Check out my Instagram where I will try to get better about posting all health-related topics as opposed to only workouts! @life-after-numbers

Subscribe

Sign up for our newsletter and stay up to date

*

Life After Numbers

Proudly powered by WordPress

life.after.numbers

22 Sep, 2023

life.after.numbers

6 Jan, 2022

Blog

How about New Year same you? Anyone else feel like the new year sets motivated people up for failure? Why is it all about what you need to change about yourself? How much weight you need to lose. The amount of body fat you need to shed. What you can change about your appearance. The list goes on and on. What would it look like if the world started focusing more on overall health and less on appearance? What would happen to the diet and fitness industries?

Transformations

New year same you

Over the last 30 months I have made a number of transformations. Crazy part is, the most important ones have NOTHING to do with how I look. I left the corporate world in the cushy accounting field. Jumped head first into fitness after years of riding the fitness roller coaster. Became a home school teacher (with everyone else) at the height of the pandemic. Got diagnosed with celiac disease, which was never even on my radar. And finally, upended my nutrition.

While some of these things were my decisions, others were thrust upon me. I have done my very best at navigating my new normal, and even though it is not perfect, it is me. Even though I know that life is not one size fits all, I thought that if it were helpful to even one person to share what worked for me, then it would be a successful blog.

What worked for me…

Focus on what you can add to your life as opposed to what you need to take away from it.

New year same you… more water

  • More plain old H2O. As we all know, drinking more water is scientifically proven to provide endless health benefits. I listed a few below:
    • Hydration – which maximizes physical performance.
    • Aids in digestion.
    • Stabilizes the heartbeat.
    • Cushions joints.
    • Flushes bacteria and other toxins from your system.
    • Regulates body temperature.
    • Boosts your metabolic rate, which helps with weight loss.

I could go on and on, but the bottom line is just drink more water.

New year same you… more movement

  • Moving my body daily. While this is something that will never look the same for 2 people, you should do what you can where you are, with what you have. Consistency is key in turning a habit into a routine. Tools I currently use to keep me on track:

First, the Sweat app is geared more towards women and offers a number of different ways to move your body including yoga, low impact HIIT, high intensity strength, barre, Pilates, etc. The app also offers 14 different trainers to choose from, so there should be a training style for everyone. This is not meant to be an advertisement, just information about a good fitness app you can use from anywhere.

Next, Le Sweat is an app that I found via Instagram during quarantine. The founder, Charlee Atkins, was a Soul Cycle Instructor who branched out and created her own app. During 2020 she offered a number of free live workouts on Instagram and I was hooked. Again, not an ad just a good option for at home fitness.

Third, Transform is an app I also found during quarantine which offers a number of trainers and workout styles. Y’all have also seen me post about their protein shakes, as well as their boost supplements.

Lastly, I found and leaned on accountability buddies to keep me on track on the days I just wanted to lay on the couch all day. Active kids (especially boys) are also helpful for not letting me rest.

New year same you… better nutrition

Adding in daily fruit and vegetables. I LOVE sugar and sweets. In fact, I would eat candy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (and sometimes do… not perfect – remember). I will keep it short, the more whole foods you put in your body the better off you will be. Processed and modified foods are not ideal and do not offer near the benefits that whole foods do. Stick to the things you know and can pronounce and you will be a lot better off.

On that note, I am always here to help. I post a fitness calendar monthly on Instagram @life.after.numbers and would be more than happy to be an accountability buddy for someone in need.

Click here to check out some of my other blogs.

Until next time!

Subscribe

Sign up for our newsletter and stay up to date

*

life.after.numbers

6 Jan, 2022

2 Aug, 2021

Amazon Workout Gear...Worth it or NOT?

I have just purchased the following workout pieces from Amazon, below I will give you a review on each piece.

Lemedy Womens Sports Bra

This bra is as soft as the Lululemon tank. It has a built in bra with removeable padding. There are a number of colors and totally worth the money.

Toplook Womens Seamless Set

This set is my favorite of this workout try on. It is great quality and has great patterns in all the right places. The shirt can be worn with the pants or with a pair of joggers. I will absolutely be purchasing more colors of this set.

Blooming Jelly Shorts

These shorts are very similar to the free people shorts, with a slightly thinner waist band. There are built-in underwear with these shorts and the length is perfect for working out or chasing kids around. There are also tons of colors.

TASADA V-Neck Sports Bra

This bra top is also very soft and fits on the tighter side. It has a built in bra with removable padding and a cross detail in the back. The top looks great paired with shorts, leggings or even jeans.

The Gym People High Waisted Biker Shorts

In my opinion, these are the perfect biker shorts. The shorts have pockets on both sides and the length is great. The high waist band provides “tummy control” without turning you into a sausage. The short comes in a number of colors and patterns and is a purchase that will not disappoint.

Aleumdr Womens Yoga Outfits 2 Piece Set

One word…. fun! This is such a fun set and for the price I feel like you cannot go wrong. There are 15+ colors and patterns to pick from. The bra comes with removable padding, but overall doesn’t offer a ton of support for high impact movements. The leggings fit nicely and do not move around a ton during workouts. I have wore this set a few times now and overall am happy with how it is holding up.

I have seen a number of bloggers review a lot of types of amazon finds so I look forward to doing more of this in the future. If there is something in particular you are looking for drop a note below and I will be sure to give it a try so I can provide a review.

Until next time…

Subscribe

Sign up for our newsletter and stay up to date

*

life.after.numbers

2 Aug, 2021

26 Jul, 2021

How we got here and where we're going!

Have you ever jumped head first into something you knew absolutely nothing about? Me neither… but I think there is a time and a place for everything, so let’s go.

Exactly 500 days ago my life changed forever in a way I could have never imagined. I got an email from my Mason’s school saying they were closing for 2 weeks to flatten the Covid curve. I remember exactly where I was when I got the email. I looked at my friend and said there is no way they will be going back this year.

I was with my friend having lunch that day because one month prior the company I was working for was acquired. The only way I could keep a job was to move to California, away from all my family. So needless to say I took my severance package and decided to take a few months off to travel and decompress…cue Covid.

18 months later…

MSU Family Pic

Fast forward to today, Mason never went back for his remaining month and a half of kindergarten and I never went back to work. I spent the last 500 days being teacher, mom, wife, sister, friend, daughter and everything in between. Mason completed 1st grade virtually at home while Braxton was in “mommy taught” pre-k. I traveled by car to Michigan twice to help my parents out, the first time ended up being a false alarm as my father’s surgery was postponed.

Come September Braxton will be starting kindergarten and Mason will be going into 2nd grade. Not sure about where y’all are from but here they call it half day kindergarten even though it is only 2.5 hours long.

During these 18 months I have felt every emotion possible about not being back to work, yet here we are. I have taken this time to consider what I want and do not want out of life and have come to the conclusion that I needed to pivot my career path.

Next Chapter…

Long story short, I have decided to take the plunge into blogging and I couldn’t be more excited. I hope you are excited too as I will be taking y’all along for the ride. I currently have exactly 26 followers on my @life.after.numbers Instagram account.

Over the coming months I hope to do the following:

  • Create a following by posting about fitness.
  • Learn WordPress and website builder as I go.
  • Lastly, and most importantly, I will be publicly working through the struggles of gaining confidence to post videos and pictures of myself online.

I am sure I am missing a lot but for now I will focus on these items.

I will be honest and upfront about all the struggles and wins I have along the way.

Hope you are ready because I sure am, let’s go!

Subscribe

Sign up for our newsletter and stay up to date

*

life.after.numbers

26 Jul, 2021