Keeping Goals in Mind

WOW, what a long exhausting week it has been. I wasn't able to stay on track as good as I would have liked with working out and eating healthy this week. Monday and Wednesday the girls and I at work went out to lunch and Friday we ordered Subs and Thursday night I was at Mary Kay party at my sponsors house and snacked on unhealthy treats. It was also my intentions to get up and workout every morning before work this week, and to go walk around Lake Andrea everyday on my way home from work. I have really put a lot of thought into what it might take to help get my weight back down, and I thought back to a time when I felt thinner (back in college), and I'm positive that what helped me to keep weight off back then was the fact that I was walking EVERYWHERE. Plus I would work out 2-4 times a week. Getting back to that I figured if I workout in the morning before work for 40 min or so and then try to go walk after work at Lake Andrea which is a man made lake that I drive right past on my commute to and from work. It has a 2.3 mile walking path around the lake. I should shed some pounds in a couple months. Ideally my goal is to get down to 125 pounds. Which thinking realistically I should be able to drop 5 lbs a month and hopefully be down to my goal weight in 6-7 months. Needless to say getting on a new work schedule and waking up early have not mixed well for me this week and I failed to on my fitness plan, but next week is a new week.

Not only have I had personal fitness goals, but I also have been working on really getting my Mary Kay business off the ground and as part of our training we were asked to come up with a goal date of how many faces we are going to facial within a certain period of time. I've told myself I would like to do 30 faces in 30 days. Realisitically this would be about 2 facial parties a week with 5 people at each party for the next 3 weeks. So in 30 days I'll let you all know my progress.

Today, I am babysitting a friends kids. It's a pretty easy day to make a little extra cash, except for the fact that I'm extremely tired. I had forgotten that last weekend my friend Brian and I made plans for me to come see him this Friday night. So last night I drove down to the city to see him and we ended up going to dinner at a restaurant called the Gala Street Inn, it was honestly the most delicious food I've had. Everything was extremely good. They are known for their baby back ribs, that just fall off the bone. I honestly cannot say I've never had any other ribs that good around here. So if your ever on the West Side of Chicago you must try out this place.

Anyhow, I've fallen somewhat back on these fitness/health goals but I just have to keep reminding myself that you can pick yourself back up and continue to make better and healthier choices. Next week fitness mode starts again.

Feels Like Christmas..Mary Kay style

YAY!!! I'm so excited. I just got my Mary Kay inventory order yesterday! I had so much fun unpacking the boxes and seeing all the products I bought for my customers to purchase from me directly. I am most excited to try all the bonus products I got, some which will really help my business! I purchased foundation primer and a foundation brush along with loose translucent powder.

Not only did I get my inventory order but I also got my debit card for my new Mary Kay checking account in the mail. It's so cute and the image on it reminds me that this all is magical. And it is what I make of it.

Any of you interested in learning about Mary Kay skin care or glamor please contact me:
email: mmlloyd@marykay.com
website: www.marykay.com/mmlloyd

I look forward to servicing any in anyway I can, please don't hesitate to contact me. And maybe soon we can make it feel like Christmas Mary Kay style in your house too!

New Job

Well Monday (6/10) I started my new job at Hospira. I'm in training now, but once we are done in about 5 weeks we will be out on our own at our desks out on the "floor" as they call it. Then I will be considered part of the customer care department but as a kelly services employee. The first two days have been BORING and so slow. We have hardly learned anything. And they didn't have our computers set up correctly until today finally.
Monday there was 3 of us in training supposedly there was another girl who would be training with us but she didn't end up showing up until today (Wednesday). So because our trainer didn't wan to have to retrain her we really didn't do much the first day, we listened in on phone calls while we waited for our computers to be set up but by 2:15 in the afternoon our computers still hadn't been set up so we were sent home.
Yesterday we did a few more things to finish setting up our computers and then we went to lunch, 5 minutes after we got back from lunch the power went out. We sat in the dark for about 30 minutes with nothing to do. Then we were asked to turn off our laptops and give our batteries to the ladies out on the floor so they could continue working and answering phone calls. Then we were sent home because they had no time frame of when the power would go back on.
Then today we asked to listen in on phones and I was talking with the girl who I was sitting with and she was so nice and helpful and filled me in on how everything works at Hospira, unfortunately seems like it might be months before I could get hired on from the company. I was under the assumption that the company evaluated your progress after 90 days and at that point either decided to hire you or to let you go, but apparently that's not how it is here. Not only was this disappointing but its a real eye opener going back to work after not working for 6 months. You have so much less time to yourself and after sitting in a training room for 3 days it really made me realize how badly I want to be my own boss and have the luxury and freedom to do what I want when I want. I would just rather not be on somebody else's schedule. It was then that the words "THINK PINK" flashed before my eyes. I know deep down in my heart that if I put forth 110% effort I can really blossom with my Mary Kay business. The thought of being a customer service rep and answering 20-50+ phone calls a day just bores me to tears. But I'm taking this journey day by day, maybe as I learn more I'll grow to like it, but right now I feel like a spec on the wall that could really care less if I'm seen or not.

"You Can Do It"

So I haven't been able to post for a few days, have had such a crazy schedule.......
Saturday 6/8 friends I went to Alpine Valley and saw the Zac Brown concert, which was so much fun, they are great performs and I can't wait to go see them again. They but on one hell of a show. It was also my cousins 18th birthday so he came with us and we got to celebrate and party. I'm sure the I beers  drank were far from healthy, but I made sure when we went shopping for snacks to only pick healthy snacks....on the list was pistachios, guac and tortilla chips, string cheese, and humus and carrots. However I'm not sure it made up for the piece of pizza I had while at the show. But maybe walking from the parking lot to the show and back to the car after helped to burn off some calories, its was a fairly far walk and Sunday my legs hurt from it.
Sunday 6/9 I woke up and ate some whole grain waffles with a light nutella spread on top and strawberries. Then I proceeded to help my mom in the garden for a good majority of the morning and got ready for the new job I started today. Pretty low key day at home which was nice, but also very productive. Seems as though I've slacked on the working out. Goal this week is to do some form of cardio 4 days this week.
 Today, Monday 6/10 I began my new job at Hospria, to spare all the details it was fairly boring, they didn't have our computers completely set up for us so there wasn't much for us to learn or do. We were able to sit with some women out on the floor while they took phone calls and get a real hands on experience for what we will be doing once training is complete, all in all it was a fairly easy first day. The other girls in my training class didn't bring a lunch today like this nerd (me) so we ended up going out to lunch but I kept it healthy and got a greek chicken salad. I'm going to have to get used to being on a schedule again because once I got home today I felt extremely tired. Unfortunately I wasn't as productive when I got home as I hoped, but I ended the day with the night at the salon while Cris (my friend and hair stylist) cut and highlighted my hair. I'll to post pictures soon, its not a drastic change but I like it, and I'm so glad she thinned it out some for summer. Anyhow I'm setting some goals for myself this week.....
1) work Mary Kay business 1hr everyday
2) continue to make wise health choices
3) make time to get in some form of physical activity daily
4) get at least 3 mary kay skin care/glamour parties scheduled

I am off to bed for so I can make sure to get up and workout in the morning, I hope everyone has a great week. Remember as Mary Kay says "you can do it" if the bumblebee can overcome all odds that are set against it, then we can too.

Challenegs

So this week I have very consciously been watching my food intake and choosing healthier food options, I've worked out 3 times this week but I know I could be doing more.  The most challenging part of this life change is picking wiser food choices.  The other night I wanted a bowl of chocolate ice cream so bad, but I resisted temptation and just went to bed. It was hard but I know in the long run it will pay off. I would have to say that so far Wednesday and Friday this week have been probably the worst. Wednesday nights a group of us go out to Anastasia's in Antioch for their $6 pitchers and 1/2 off thin crust pizza. Although I know this isn't the best to be consuming these things when trying to lose weight I had ate healthy all day leading up to Wednesday night. The worst of all was Friday. I had not ate much but some breakfast and carrots and hummus and then I took a friend out to see a movie for her birthday, and of course I had to get popcorn. I ate about 1/3 of the popcorn and half a bag of pretzel m&m's (the size you get at the checkout). Then not only did I eat that but later in the evening I ate really bad for you and hardly tasted that great pizza hut. I went to bed with a stomach ache, it must have been my body telling me I was poisoning it. All in all this has been an eye opening challenge and it really makes you think about the quality of the food you decide to put in your mouth.  Today is a new day and as I am going to concert with friends, I also see today as challenging, but I know with a little planning and prep I can make wise decisions.

My Story.....

As I shared with you all in my last post I want to explain why I decided to start blogging...For about the last 2 years I've been struggling with weight gain/loss and choosing to live a healthier more active lifestyle.  And some recent things with my family and how I see my future finally just clicked. I can explain it to you like this....It began about 2 weeks ago when I was invited to a Mary Kay appreciation night and to play bingo. I went into the night thinking awesome, we'll go play bingo and win some fun Mary Kay prizes. Not yet knowing what my fate had in store, by the end of the night I was registering to become a Mary Kay consultant. Freaking out a little I went home that night and told myself to really give it a chance, if 100's of other women whom were less cut out "to do" Mary Kay then myself have become extremely successful in the business then I could too. So here I am 2 weeks into business, and I have had my first training/skin care class and walked away with an order, from my mom none the less, but still an order! And I am also booking a party with a friend who wasn't able to attend tonight. I keep reminding myself of my goals and where I want to take myself with Mary Kay. Their business model and the way they support and treat their consultants is what really makes me feel secure in my decision to take on this adventure. I hope that you all will grow with me and let me help you will all your beauty and skin care needs. I know that with all the love and support of my friends and family along with all the wonderful women involved in Mary Kay, I too can be successful.  Now your probably thinking what about her weight loss and more healthier active life....

I have had a major epiphany that has hit me like a ton of bricks.  With the topics of fitness and health always on the back of my mind...I recently was driving one day last week and noticed an older woman (between her 40-60's) walking into the store, she was a heavier set woman, wearing frumpier looking clothing (not very flattering). And in that instant 3 things came to my realization 1) my health & fitness are in my hands and nobody else 2) at an older age I don't want to have to wear frumpy looking clothing/clothes that dont fit in certain places 3) taking care of my health and fitness starts now. Unfortunately one of my family members has had recent health problems occur and is now considered pre-diabetic, she now has to wake up at 5am every morning to walk on the treadmill in order to loss weight and has been put on a diet because she not been eating enough of the right foods up to this point. Like I mentioned finally this all "clicked" for me. But it wasn't until the instant I saw this random woman walk into the store. Many thoughts came to me like a light bulb, I mentioned a few above but the biggest one for me was that I MUST take my health and wellness by the reigns now so that at 45, 50, 55 years old I won't have to be forced to start making these healthier choices for myself. When I'm 45 I want to be able to walk into the store and still be able to feel good and look good in any clothes I choose to wear. I know many of you have probably heard everywhere in different places and from different people how important it is to make these things your priorities when your young...just as I have but it has taken me this major epiphany for that light bulb to really shine for me. I guess you could say hearing my family members health problems was the greatest change for me.

And the last real change I have been really trying to incorporate in my life is to try and consciously dress more dressy than plain jane. I want to dress more maturely and like a 24/25 yr old business professional should dress. And I suppose that joining Mary Kay has also helped me be more conscious of this. Lets face it...I'm not getting any younger and when I go out if someone happens to notice me or something of the sorts, I want them to say hey you look really nice, or something alone those lines. I've been doing this now for about a week and it just makes you feel so much more put together and confident. I urge you both women and men to try it. Put away the fleece zip up or plain t-shirt and go a step above and beyond, because you never know who you'll run into or meet. Plus what if you see a attractive guy or girl and you think to yourself...if only I would have put a little more effort into getting dressed, I know we have all been there. WOW, now that this post has gotten very lengthy, I will finish by quoting a quote I recently read that I think sums up this post very well....

"Give into life now, what you desire later"

Welcome to My Next 25!!!

Welcome to my blog!!!! I'm so excited to start sharing my life with all of you. I have been wanting to start a blog for almost a year now, and although we can all make excuses for ourselves, it really was because the timing wasn't right. If found lately, that its all about timing. The real reason I am starting this blog is to document change in my life. You will be reading about the recent changes I have been going through and the new chapter in my life I am beginning, and the adventures my next 25 years of life bring me. Later I will blog about the real changes in my life and reasons why I decided now was the right time to begin blogging. So stay tuned in for that. I look forward to sharing my stories with you all.

Megan