MOTO Monday : fourteen!

School is here! So, this week I have planned on sharing inspiration fitted for early mornings, quick breaks, and good times :) Have a great week!!

1. to move // Pilates Flexibility Workout Routine // pick a few or do them all - I believe the best thing you can do in the morning is a nice stretch to get you up and going!

2. to eat // Salad in a Jar // easy to make and extremely delicious (and cute!). I couldn't just select one so click HERE for tons of different recipes on Pinterest!!

3. to do // Set up a Study Nook // while this is a little harder, creating any space that is inviting to read, study, or just relax, can really encourage you to stay on top of your homework and enjoy your space! Make it as easy as throwing some pillows together or buy a desk to put in a corner with candles and other goodies! 

(this picture comes from "kids reading nooks" but all of these could easily be adapted to fit us bigger kids:)

4. to wear // Circle Skirt + Cozy Sweater // these looks are my favorite. Cute and comfy! 

5. to make // Back 2 School DIYs // this list for back to school DIYs is simply perfect! From pencil cases, letter magnets, pencil decor, and chalkboard pin boards - it is a wonderful slew of great ideas to get your creativity flowing!

It's easy to get discouraged at school, but don't give up and don't forget to ask for help. :)

Moto Monday // Thirteen!

Hello Everyone!

How is summer over already? It just flew right by us all! I don't know about you guys but I start school on Monday! I am so ready to just get back into the swing of things and not be so consumed with my work! Take advantage of the last week you have (if school hasn't started) or just take advantage of some extra time (if school has started)! Either way, I hope you all have a wonderful and positive week!

1. to move // Flat Belly Workout // I know how tough it is to get a flat belly, I've been trying forever! Doing something like this every day or maybe even every other day may just be the answer to our prayers!

2. to eat // Baked Tortellini Casserole // I absolutely love tortellini and this just looks down right delicious! You can find the recipe here! :)

3. to do // Buy a Planner // School is right around the corner for some of us, while others may be in school already. Planners are perfect for getting your homework/activities/life in order! I'll have a post up later this week with some planner suggestions! (This is actually the planner I'm going to be using for this school year, yay!)

4. to wear // Crop Top + Jeans // With the school starting soon, some people may try to take their first day a little too far. I'm here to tell ya to take it easy and rock a casual look. Something simple like this can be the perfect back to school look!

5. to make // Gold Pencil Holder //  Pencil holders are kind of tricky, I have one right now and I hate it. I only use it because it's the only one I have. It is absolutely hideous too (HAHA!). This is something that can spruce up your desk area and provide a ton of holding space! The DIY can be found right here!

With school starting today or next week, you should always put your best foot forward and be positive!  When you're positive all of the negativity will fall behind you! Things may get tough once in a while but you gotta remember to be positive and everything will fall into place!

Have a great week and a fabulous start to the school year! 

The Lemonade Cleanse... worth it?!

There are a lot of things that were OK with the Master cleanse and a lot of things that I didn't like. I know that already makes it sound like a terrible cleanse but... it's not. It's hard to explain. First let me tell you that the Master Cleanse is a lemonade drink that you make to drink everyday for ten days. But before I start rambling, let me just start with some pros and cons. 

PRO: it is relatively inexpensive compared to eating out and/or cooking food for ten days. 

It is easy to not have to worry about what you will be eating.

You really get to clean out your body.

You lose some weight (at least 8 pounds in ten days, I'd say)

You really feel good about yourself and it becomes a great motivator to eat healthy

Restart your mentality on what food you put in your body

You get to drink a lot of water (odd but a major PRO - the best thing you'll be drinking for ten days)

You are allowed to relax the entire ten days

CONS: The lemonade mixture is the only thing you are really consuming for ten days (besides water and a laxative tea)

The cayenne pepper can get a little spicy

It really sucks to not eat anything!

It can make you feel a little tired (results of this may vary) 

Getting off of it is complicated

Keeping the weight off is more complicated

There was one day when I really just did not feel good.

You will want to quit all of the time.

It will make you lose muscle if you work out a lot

You cannot workout during the cleanse (just easy, slow workouts)

Some things that I did differently:

I did not drink any of the salt water that gets recommended

I only drank the laxative tea at night (not in the mornings, too)

I did not use organic lemons (that gets really expensive)

I did not wean myself off of bad foods or caffein before I started the cleanse (but I felt fine the entire time)

I would say that there is a lot to read and look up before you jump into the master cleanse. This website (HERE) made it easy for me to understand how to get off of the cleanse and really made me feel comfortable. I would also highly recommend that you encourage someone to try it out with you. Luckily a friend of mine did it with me and we were able to encourage each other to stay on track and deal with the issues together - I don't think I could have stayed on it without her!

A week after the cleanse I weighed myself and was the same weight that I was the day after I ended! A few of the things I did to help this was eating a lot of soup (mainly the broth), only eating veggies, and walking around a lot more. 

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I am stumped at what else to mention to you guys about doing this cleans but I will say that I would recommend it. While it is hard, and you must understand .... IT IS HARD, it was completely worth it in the end. After the cleanse I felt clean internally and had a better mentality on what I should be eating. I no longer feel like I need desserts and unhealthy food all of the time and feel awesome about craving salads and vegetable soups! I feel great about my body and I feel as though this was finally the push that I needed to stick to a healthy lifestyle. 

After the cleanse I was certain that I would never do it again but now I think I might. 

If you have any questions about MY experience through out the cleanse, feel free to ask in the comments below :)

MOTO Monday // 12!

It's Monday! This week is going to be a big one for me (last week of my summer class) and planning outfits for an unexpected trip to Chicago this Sunday! Yikes! Wish me luck... but now I am here to help the both of us - here's some inspiration to get us through the week :)

1. to move // while this is not an exact workout routine I think this graph perfectly displays how you can work out to lose weight - It is all numbers! Adding a few of these daily or through out the week can give you the results you want. (You're welcome!)

2. to eat // Sweet Corn, Zucchini and Fresh Mozzarella Pizza // I am not a pizza person but this one is a definite YES for me. 

3. to do // Walk Somewhere // I know this might sound like a totally boring to do BUT this past week I have been challenging myself to walk to my favorite places. Roger and I have been walking to our favorite coffee shop every morning, walking around campus, and walking to get juices after a workout. Walking gives you a whole new view of your city and really makes you feel good! 

4. to wear // Tie-Back Dress // I just bought this dress from American Apparel and I love it. So simple and sexy! Don't be afraid to show some skin :)

5. to make // Chalkboards // I love chalkboards and I love that you can put them on almost anything! This is a favorite of mine and plan on doing this very soon :) 

It's easy to get yourself down on things that don't go exactly your way. Learning to take things as lessons instead of losses can really help keep your motivation high! You never lose!

Moto Monday // Eleven!

Hello Everyone!

It's the first Monday of August! I can't believe that summer is almost over, and school is going to start up again! Oh goodness! Let's take advantage of the time we have left! With that being said, here's this weeks Moto Monday :)

1. to move // Cat Lady Exercises // Lighten up y'all, don't let working out stress ya out! It's okay to take it easy some days! Also, if you don't have cats, no worries...just use weights!

2. to eat // Mango and Coconut Pops // In the blazin' Texas heat, we all need some lil' pops to help cool down! Check out the recipe here! 

3. to do // Go on a Picnic // Picnics are great! I think they're cute and a great way to just enjoy the company of others along with enjoying the great outdoors! Not sure of what to take, check out a previous blog post of ours: here! 

4. to wear // Floral Shorts // I've desperately been searching for some good floral shorts! I think it could kick your regular outfit up a notch! 

5. to make // Cactus Pillow // I recently took a trip to Arizona and I have become obsessed cacti! I think this could be the cutest little pillow for any room! The tutorial can be found here!

I know there are times where we all feel a little down, but keep in mind that you are responsible for your own happiness! If you're not happy, you can change that. You can go out there and do what you need to do in order to be happy! Go travel, fall in love, take chances...do what ever it is you need to do! Life is too short to be filled with sorrow. Fill your days with love and happiness! 

I hope that your week is great! Summer is almost over, don't hold back!