“We do not need magic to change the world. We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already. We have the power to imagine better.
“~J.K. Rowling
I recently started reading the book The Magic by Rhonda Byrne.
Rhonda Byrne is the creator behind The Secret, a documentary film that swept the world in 2006, changing millions of lives and igniting a global movement. The Magic is one of the books in the trilogy of The Secret and is basically a “how-to” guide on using gratitude to manifest anything you want into your life. It’s basically a 28-day guide to magically manifest anything you want into your life.
Now, I’m not sure if I actually believe in Magic per se. But I do believe in consistency and the power of believing in yourself and I think J.K. Rowling says it well.
So maybe she’s born with it or maybe it’s magic…
Either way, I’m all about gratitude and positive thinking – so why not give it a shot.
We ALL desire something we don’t already have.
There are two reasons I decided to go ALL IN on this. A couple of weeks ago my friend Cherie Marquez (aka The Dog Mystic) asked me to form a Facebook group with her. And inside the group, she wants to do the 28 days of Magic together.
This way we’ll hold each other accountable and lift as we climb.
This is why we’re inviting you to join us.
The other reason is that I did my research as any good copywriter would do.
I read the reviews and here’s what I found: The book has a 5 out of 5-star rating on Amazon with 87% of readers giving it 5 stars and that’s with 12,490 reviews.
One verified purchaser, a person by the name of E. Blossom said, “ABSOLUTELY LIFE CHANGING. Went from roughly $70 in my bank account to traveling and making over $78K in 3 months.”
And we can all use a little extra cash. I also truly believe in the power of community.
When we band together the magic happens…
So here’s the deal: each day, one of us (either Cherie or I) will be going Live inside our Facebook group and sharing how to use gratitude to manifest anything you want in your life.
This could be with your health, relationships, money, career. your business, abundance, love, passions, material things, or anything your heart desires. Even finally writing that book you’ve thinking about. We’re starting this Wednesday, May 5 (which happens to be my Mom’s birthday, and what a fitting memorial tribute to the wonderful woman she was). This way, the 28th day will be June 1st which is Cherie’s birthday. That one we planned. 🙂
Which I thought makes a perfect birthday gift for my friend. We named the group Find Your True Bliss.
Because to me, that’s what life is about. Finding joy and happiness in all that we do. To join us inside our brand new Facebook group and find your true bliss use the link below.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/findyourtruebliss
Make today amazing!
Irene
P.S.
If you need some one-on-one help with anything pertaining to writing your book or getting clarity on your path (or your business) hit reply to schedule a private coaching session with me.
I’ve opened up just a few spots this week for the first 3 people who respond. I don’t do this very often but I’m offering an enormous discount so grab it now before it’s too late.
We’ll schedule a live 60-minute Zoom call for only $97. These spots fill up quickly… So hit reply now to save your spot before they fill up!
Updated on November 9, 2020. This post may contain affiliate links. Which means I earn a small commission if you purchase through the links. You can read the full disclosure to learn more.
Pinterest is still one of the fastest-growing social media platforms.
Even in 2020! Read how you can easily use Pinterest to drive traffic to your website, build your email list, and grow your business.
Unlike other social media platforms, Pinterest is a search engine. Where people go to buy things, find useful information, and where business owners go to take action!
*Just a quick side note. I don’t usually write long blog posts. But I felt it was really important to share this with you. It took me a long time to figure out how to use Pinterest successfully. Now that I have found a winning formula I wanted to share it with you. To save you time and start using Pinterest the right way – fast. So you can drive consistent traffic with Pinterest to make money blogging and grow your business.
You can Pin it now in case you get interrupted. Then come right back to learn actionable steps that you can use right now to start getting traffic to your website. Don’t forget to download your FREE guide to make your Pinterest pins go viral.
According to Pinterest Business, there are over 442 million monthly active users worldwide. Pinterest is growing and has become a valuable business platform for bloggers and business owners.
Also, business owners and bloggers are on Pinterest all the time. So if your business targets other business owners (or happy shoppers with money to spend) it’s a great place to be.
Here are some compelling statistics according to Pinterest for Business:
Pinterest is a form of social media that uses images to grab your attention and drive traffic to information, products, and services. The images are shared and saved to boards to keep and use for later.
As a business, you can have direct links to your website, a sales page or an email sign up form. Hosted either by your website or your email provider.
Pinterest is primarily a search engine. Not so much used for social engagement, but to find useful things to make your life easier.
Here’s an example of exactly how it works. I’m going to use recipes as an example. If you want a specific recipe for dinner, you search for it. You find recipes you want to try, then you save them to your recipe board for later. When you want to make that recipe you go to your Pinterest account and look up the recipe you’ve saved.
You can now make it for dinner or look up the ingredients while you’re at the grocery store. Making it super helpful!
You can also delete the recipe from your board if you decide you didn’t like it. Then you can inform all your friends how awful the recipe was. Like this vegan buffalo wing cauliflower recipe, my daughter and I tried.
People love recommendations and honest feedback. Making your testimonials even stronger. Helping you close more sales!
That is basically how Pinterest works. Now let’s see how you can put Pinterest to work for you and your business.
Now that we’ve established who’s on Pinterest and how it can help you grow your business, let’s talk about how you can use it to drive sales. Pinterest is a great way to drive traffic to your website. Let’s face it, without traffic you can’t build your email list or increase sales.
I use Pinterest primarily two ways to help my business. You can do the same to grow your business. I create business boards to share valuable content, resources, and information. I save and share pins I create, that link back to my website. Plus, I share Pins that link back to useful content created and shared by other Pinterest users, such as bloggers and other businesses.
I only share and save pins I think will help and interest my viewers. Or information I personally want to read or use. I often check to make sure the links are working and read the articles when I have time. To make sure they come from credible sources and offer value to my readers. You don’t want your Pins to have broken links or poor content.
You can use Pinterest to find valuable tips and tricks to help you build your business. Valuable resources that help you grow your Pinterest account, drive traffic to your website and tons of other business resources. Including how to use social media, website building, traffic, blogging, list building and making money online.
You can also use Pinterest for fun and shopping.
There is some controversy about having boards that aren’t related to your business. I personally think as long as your boards help or interest your followers that it’s okay to have them. Your viewers are actual people. They might share similar interests and want to know about travel, recipes and cleaning hacks too. Don’t you?
My suggestion is to test it to see what works best for you.
To see whether you want to keep your Pinterest account strictly a business platform or make it fun and interesting. Since my main Pinterest account was originally my personal account, I didn’t want to lose the pins I’d saved. Plus, my main Pinterest account right now is my name which is my main business website.
Most of what I know, I’ve learned from testing and implementing different strategies. I’m always continuing to test and learn what’s working.
This way I can teach you how to continuously use Pinterest as a driving force to grow a profitable business using Pinterest.
The Viral Pin Strategy is an online video course. It teaches you how to drive traffic to your website quickly and consistently.
What I have found works best (for Pinterest and every social media platform) is testing and using consistency. You need to find what works best for your business. What works with your schedule and what things you can implement into your business strategy that you will follow through with.
Which is why I LOVE Pinterest so much.
Once you learn how it all works, you can automate most of it to put Pinterest to work for You!
You need to stay consistent and not give up if you want to put Pinterest to work for you. To drive consistent traffic and grow your business.
Now let’s go over a few actionable steps you can start right now to successfully grow your business with Pinterest. The things I am about to share with you have and continue to work for me and can definitely work for you too.
The steps below are how I was able to increase my monthly views and drive traffic to my website. These are proven methods, you can start doing immediately, to grow your Pinterest views, get more Pinterest followers and drive traffic to your website.
After implementing only a few of things, I quickly grew my Pinterest monthly views from 4k to 46k. This happened within about a week. As I continued to implement new strategies and *test* I grew my monthly views to over 240k within only a few months.
You can quickly grow your Pinterest views, increase followers and use Pinterest to drive traffic and sales. By implementing only a few of the strategies I am about to share with you.
There is *one thing* I have found that is the key to growing any business. Using any form of social media, including Pinterest, any blog, podcast or even a YouTube Channel. To build trust with your audience and drive traffic to your website.
Here’s the thing. There are lots of ways to grow your blog and business. Whichever one you choose, you must be consistent. It is easy to panic when something isn’t working quickly. Blogging is not a get rich quick scheme and all businesses take time to build and grow.
The thing I find that unquestionably works the best is using consistency with anything regarding to traffic, email list building and sales.
Every once in a while I get a little lax and I see a drop. Once I start pinning consistently and trying new strategies it quickly goes back up.
In addition to pinning consistently, I did a few more things that can help you grow your Pinterest views, followers and your cash flow. The first was to convert my personal Pinterest account into a Business Pinterest account.
It is very easy to switch your personal account to a business account. Simply go into the settings of your personal Pinterest account and you will see how easy it is to convert your account. I won’t go into details since Pinterest gives you super easy to follow instructions.
If you already have a business account then you are already well on your way to success! Maybe I was a little slow on the take. 🙂
Once I began using consistency I began to analyze my analytics and *test* my pins. That’s when everything changed!
Another thing I discovered is that Pinterest likes fresh content, fresh pins and longer blog posts. Once they see people pinning and saving posts from your website, Pinterest will begin to push your pins out even further.
This way you reach more of your target audience and buying customers and make your pins go viral!
If you haven’t already you can save this article now, this way you can read it again later. Save it by clicking on any of the Pinterest pins. Then you can pin it to all of your relevant boards. To help your followers grow their business with Pinterest too.
Next, we will cover how and why claiming (or verifying) your website will help you grow your business on Pinterest.
After turning your Pinterest account into a business account (or creating a business account) you can claim your website with Pinterest. This will allow you to now have access to your analytics. This is really important because it helps you track which pins are getting the most re-pins and shares.
It also allows your Pinterest profile picture to appear next to your pins.
If you haven’t claimed your website yet I strongly suggest that you do it today. Below I share the link where you can easily claim your website.
It shouldn’t take you too long to do. If you want to do it now and read this later, Pin this article to one of your boards and come back to it. Otherwise, keep reading and then do everything after you are done reading this.
Another thing you can do, if you want to read a long blog post, but you don’t have time to read the whole thing in one sitting, is this:
First, save the pin to one of your boards, then go back to the article and open it in chrome on your computer or phone. Then you can bookmark the page. This way you can find it more quickly later.
Another reason this is so helpful is that it connects you to someone who is creating great content. To help you grow your business. Hopefully, you will find my articles useful and keep coming back. I’m not a fly by night blogger and won’t be going anywhere.
I am here to help you succeed which you will. As long as you don’t quit!
Before we move on, as promised, here is the direct link to the Pinterest help center where you can claim your website: Pinterest Help Center.
You should carefully assess your Pinterest profile. The about you section isn’t really “about you”. No one really cares what kind of dog you have or what you do in your spare time. They want to know how you can help them and why they should follow you and your boards.
Be clear about your “message,” what you do and how your business will help your followers. I have made this mistake and it can kill or halt your business. I would rather you learn from my mistakes than struggle through trying to figure things out by yourself.
Here’s an example of how to be clear with your message: A graphic designer might say something like “Stunning Graphic Designs to help you build brand awareness and grow your business.” A cat sitter might say something like, “I treat your pets like they are my own. Affordable pet sitting to give you peace of mind while you’re away.”
If you are not doing this already begin to pin regularly and be consistent. You don’t need to be on Pinterest all day long. In fact, you shouldn’t be. Use a scheduler like Tailwind. Especially if you know you have a busy day or week ahead. Do it ahead of time so you are constantly pinning.
I use Tailwind routinely but I also pin manually and think it’s important to do both. Pinterest likes when you are on Pinterest. Plus there is a ton of great information on Pinterest that can help you grow your business.
If you haven’t signed up for Tailwind yet, you can use my Referral link to get a $15 credit when opening a new account. Once you sign up we Both get a $15 credit.
Here’s my referral link to get started now: Get started with Tailwind.
When pinning other people’s pins, you want to make sure that the links are working and that the articles have good information. I have pinned blog posts and then began reading them to find the content wasn’t very good or I didn’t agree with the information. Whenever this happens I go back and delete the pin. Which is super easy.
You can either delete them on your computer by clicking the “edit” button. Then scroll to the bottom of the information and hit “delete.” You do the same thing on your mobile app. Once you are in the edit section scroll all the way down to the bottom. I can only see the “delete” button if I scroll down. Then hit delete.
I also delete all of my pins that are not converting well or going viral. Then you can create new pins that can drive more traffic. Don’t get discouraged. Remember you are not failing. It’s simply a failed “test.” Keep going until you find what’s working and then repeat.
Continue to check your boards to make sure you have helpful resources that serve your audience. Keeping your boards clean and filled with great content (relevant to your niche) will keep people coming back.
Having pins with bad links or misinformation can quickly lead to losing trust, credibility, and followers.
At one point my Pinterest boards were a complete mess. When I first started on Pinterest I didn’t know what I was doing. So I spent quite a bit of time on this. Now every few weeks I go back and delete pins and make sure the saved pins on my boards are relevant, helpful and have working links.
If you don’t have time to go through them all, you can make some of your boards secret.
Then go back to them later, when you have more time. To make your boards secret go to edit the board then click on the secret button. A little lock will appear on your board to show you that no one else can see it.
You can quickly go through larger boards (with a lot of pins) by creating a new board. Try making the title a little more descriptive. Save any pertinent pins from the old board to the new board. Then delete the old board. Doing this will save you a ton of time. It was quick and easy and felt refreshing.
Kind of like spring cleaning or cleaning out your closet.
If you haven’t done so already, add descriptions and hashtags to each board. Use descriptions on your Pinterest boards that maximize SEO keywords. Pinterest is a search engine. You want your boards and pins to show up in searches related to your boards and content
When choosing the titles for your boards, think about how the board benefits the reader. Don’t just say simple things like “cool graphics.” Instead, say something like “Graphics will inspire you to create great blog posts that will have your clients begging to work with you.”
To change the cover image of your board, click on the board then hit the edit icon. Go to where it says cover. Click next to it where it says “change.” Then you can scroll through the pictures by hitting the arrow to the right of the picture. Once you find the pin (image) you want to keep as your cover, click the save button in the lower right hand corner.
As a blogger or business owner, the whole purpose of using Pinterest and creating a Pinterest Business account is to increase sales. By driving traffic to your website and directing the right people to your offers.
Pinterest is a great way to drive the right traffic to your website. Your pins link directly to your blog posts, sales pages and products. Making it a fast and effective way to make sales.
By leading them exactly where you want them to go. To the “Buy Now” button. Or even better, by getting them to join your Email List so you can gain new customers for life.
Once I discovered a winning formula that has grown my email list and helped me grow my business I decided to share it with you. That’s why I created the Viral Pinterest Pin Strategy Video Series that shows you *exactly* how you can create Pinterest Pins that go Viral.
You can start now by downloading your FREE eBook. Where you will learn 10 vital steps that can help you grow your business fast.
Instantly, brighten your day (or someone you love) by doing this one simple thing. If you’re feeling a little discouraged or things aren’t going your way, use this simple strategy to brighten things up.
No matter how big or how small your troubles may seem, you can easily lift your spirits. In a flash! The only caveat is you need a friend or another person for this to work. Which in itself can brighten your day simply by connecting with someone.
This can work with absolutely anyone. Even a perfect stranger.
The really cool thing is, that it will brighten their day too. Sometimes just hearing a kind voice on the other end of the line can instantly make you feel better.
Let’s be honest, people run from negativity. It’s human nature to repel things that can bring you down. But if you’re dealing with a difficult situation it can be hard to always put on a happy face. Which can make people close to you not pick up the phone so much. Or stop making time to see you.
As sad as this may seem, it’s a reality.
It’s not their fault per se. Everyone is going through something. We all deal with difficulties at some time or another and sometimes you can’t expose yourself to people who might bring you down.
It doesn’t make you (or them) a bad person. It’s simply a defense mechanism to feel happy.
The good news is there is an answer! Which is why I am telling you something good. So you can reach out to people for help without bringing yourself down, harping on your problems, or worse, bringing your friends down too.
So if you’re feeling down and out, dealing with stress (or a difficult situation) or simply need a quick pick me up, listen carefully to something that works for me. Every… single… time.
Often when I need to hear a friendly voice I pick up the phone and call a friend. They’ll ask me, “How are you?”
Then I’ll reply, “Fine” or “I’m good. How are you?”
If they know I’m going through a rough time they can smell my BS a mile away. But still, maintain your composure, and simply say something like, “I could be better but I really don’t want to talk about it.” Then say…
“Tell me something good.”
They will usually ponder for a moment trying to think of a funny story to tell you. Instantly relieved they don’t have to hear about your troubles…
Before you know it you’re both laughing over some silly story. Or some achievement, or some cool thing that happened. Then you too start sharing something good that happened. Or begin reminiscing about a similar situation.
You and your friend both instantly feel happier. They are also way more likely to pick up the phone and call you again soon.
Don’t believe me?
Try it. Pick up the phone right now. Call someone you know and simply say, “Tell me something good.”
If you want someone you care about to feel happier, share this with everyone you know. Go ahead. Then reach out to me. On social media or wherever and tell me something good. Hopefully, you’ll tell me how my sharing this with you helped you (or someone you know) feel a little bit happier.
Have you ever looked in your medicine cabinet and thought “this is where eye creams come to die?”
I have. And it isn’t pretty.
I’m not sure when my obsession with ant-aging creams began. Even though people are always surprised by how young I look – for my age.
Is that even a compliment?
Over the years I have tried at least a dozen different eye creams. Everything from the most expensive brands to drug store over the counter creams.
Spending hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars hoping the answer lies somewhere within one of the many half empty bottles.
There is no way of knowing how many bottles I have gone through.
Or how much money I have spent. If you’re counting face wash, face moisturizers, face masks, anti-wrinkle pads and crazy roller things. You know that thing you roll on your face. That feels like tiny little pin pricks. It supposedly helps the moisturizer sink deeper into your skin.
It took me a while to realize that the answer does not lie in a jar. Or a bottle. Or a tube.
Don’t get me wrong, there are many great moisturizers and face products you can use. Every person is different and different products work differently for everyone.
I honestly don’t think it makes that much of a difference which brand you use. As long as you moisturize and stay hydrated.
The answers may not come from a jar. Or lie in the most expensive skin creams.
However, there are actionable steps you can take today that can make you look up to 10 years younger.
Since people claim that I do.
Look at least 10 years younger than my age that is. I figured I would share what I’m doing to stay youthful, vibrant, full of energy and young looking.
In the following chapters you will discover how you too, can look up to 10 years younger.
I recently read an article about weighing yourself. Correction, it was about why you shouldn’t weigh yourself.
Apparently, there are people who obsess over the scale.
I get it.
And if you’re obsessing over a scale, you probably have bigger problems than being overweight. Other issues that may be causing you to overeat.
Don’t blame it on the scale.
I weigh myself every morning. Just once a day. About the same time every morning. Before I eat or drink anything. Just to keep myself in check. “They” say, it doesn’t matter. It’s just water weight. It takes days to lose actual fat. Blah, blah blah. Whatever.
It works for me.
The reason it works for me is that I look at it positively either way. Whether it’s tipping high.
Or weighing in low.
If it’s low, I feel good. But it doesn’t mean I head for the bacon, eat a burger and fries for lunch, then eat candy bars and chips all day. I look at what I did right and try to do it again.
Wash. Rinse. Repeat?
Eat healthy. Exercise. Everything in moderation.
Rules I live by. We all have times when we gain weight. Most of us average folks, anyway. My weight has fluctuated many times throughout my life. People look at me and assume that I am naturally thin. If I had a dollar for every time someone said that to me, I would have a heck of a lot more money.
I don’t believe in “naturally thin.”
I believe in being healthy. There is a reason that I don’t have health issues. Even at my age. To prove that even I have struggled with weight over the years, I pulled out a book that a friend lent me back in my twenties. No, I never returned it.
My bad?
I’m pretty sure she told me to keep it. I must have put on a few pounds at the time and wanted to lose it. Since I am of the proactive nature and I keep myself in check. Before things get out of control, I read the book. It’s called Diets Still Don’t Work by Bob Schwartz. There are two main reasons I like the book: One I agree that diets don’t work. And two because a key element to success is “mindset.”
The mind is a powerful thing.
We cannot change the things that happen to us. Of course, we can make choices about what we do and where we go. That might increase our risk for danger. I certainly wouldn’t walk alone at night in a high crime part of town. But we cannot control everything. Death is inevitable. Challenges arise. The only thing we can control is how we react.
It’s not always easy.
We were born with emotions and we can’t change that. What we can change is how we take care of ourselves. It isn’t rocket science that when you are healthy and feel good, that everything in life is better. It helps us deal with whatever challenges get thrown our way. If you want to be proactive, take better control of your life and deal with challenges a little bit better…
Read a good book.
One that might actually help you. Like “Zipping it Up: How to lose 5 pounds fast and look great in that little black dress.” It is not a diet. And the absolute first thing I teach is “mindset.”
The down side? You gotta do the work. And you gotta want it. If you don’t, don’t waste your money. Buying the book won’t do you any good.
Unless you read it, devour it and implement it.
Just like a gym membership does you no good. Unless you go to the gym and exercise. Anyway, don’t take it from me.
Here’s what Jocelyn Jones says:
“Thank You Irene, this is a very helpful tool for all the ladies out there that need to lose weight fast for a special occasion or just because. The tips are simple to follow and implement. I HIGHLY Recommend this book! :)”
And this Amazon customer:
“I lost 8 lbs that was driving me crazy.” –LS
When you are ready to be proactive just zip on over here:
For a little more guidance check out the Zipping It Up meal planning guide. It is *exactly* that – a guide. The meal planner for folks who want to lose weight but hate meal planning. Here is the link: Your guide to success.
These exercises are the best ab workouts I have found to get flat abs fast. If you want to get a leaner, meaner, stronger core then you have to work for it. Adding cardio, arm and leg exercises, and a healthy meal plan will help you succeed even faster.
If you follow this quick 6 day ab routine, you will have a stronger leaner mid section. This method has worked for me for years and now I am sharing my secret with you. So you can start feeling stronger, sexier and more confident today.
These ab workouts are FREE and easily accessible on YouTube. Cassey Ho is an award-winning fitness instructor who created Blogilates. A YouTube channel that has hundreds of FREE YouTube videos to help you get your body toned and tight fast. Not only is Cassey an amazing fitness instructor but an inspiration to women entrepreneurs everywhere.
Go to YouTube on your Smart TV, on Roku, your computer, iPad or your phone. Look up these 3 videos and do them every day for 6 consecutive days, in sequence:
Day One: Extreme Abs
Day Two: Extreme Abs 2
Day Three: Extreme Abs 3
Repeat in sequence on days 4, 5 and 6.
That’s it. Simple! If you can’t do the entire workout without resting, that’s okay. Take little rest breaks and then pick up again when you can. Or pause the video and grab a drink of water. Then pick up where you left off. Believe me, if you hang in there and keep doing these ab exercises every day (or most days) you will be able to complete the entire workout before you know it. And you will feel great!
The videos are short and extremely effective. But like Cassey Ho says in Extreme Abs, “You want that body? You want that life? Then you have to work for it.”
Fitting in an extra 10 minutes of exercise each day will also improve your health. And if do at least 2 to 3, 10-minute workouts every day you can reap the healthy rewards. It makes no difference if you exercise for 30 minutes all at once, or in three 10-minute intervals. Start today and you will feel stronger and sexier in no time.
For an even faster and more effective way to show off your flat abs and tight, toned body, lose 5 pounds fast.
If you want that body and you want that life – Get Started Today!
The Ketogenic diet commonly known as Keto, is a low carbohydrate high-fat diet used for rapid weight loss. Success stories of weight loss are growing in numbers. With people toting all over social media about their weight loss success. The diet is spreading rapidly as one of the hottest weight loss trends.
The diet creates a low blood sugar effect which puts your body into a state of ketosis. This causes the body to burn excess fat quickly. Although it is recognized for weigh loss success, the diet consists of mostly fat and very little protein which causes some concern.
The Ketogenic diet was developed in 1924 by Dr. Russell Wilder at the mayo clinic. It was originally developed to help treat children with epilepsy. It has since been widely used by doctors and patients as a treatment for epilepsy. Although Dr. Wilder is recognized for coining the phrase Ketogenic, the diet may have been around longer. His studies were based on fasting and similar diets used to treat epilepsy since as early as 500 BC.
It’s not clear exactly when Keto became a popular weight loss trend. However, as with most diets, there are already many cases where the weight is gained back after going off the diet.
The positive effects of the Ketogenic diet are rapid and significant weight loss. Making it appealing to those wishing to lose weight. However, there are drawbacks. Negative side effects have been reported as low energy, constipation and dangerously low blood sugar levels from the lack of carbohydrates. The biggest negative effect is weight gain after going off the diet.
Often times you gain even more weight back. Yet, remaining on the diet can be equally dangerous. The high fat food you consume while on the diet can put you at risk for stroke, heart disease and heart attacks.
A healthy lifestyle change with increased exercise and eating a well balanced diet is a safer way to lose weight and keep the weight off for longevity.
Making healthy lifestyle choices has always been and will always be the safest and healthiest way to lose weight. And keep it off for good. Eating a well balanced diet filled with vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes and lean protein is not only safe but effective.
One of the downfalls of any diet is not incorporating a healthy exercise routine into your weight loss plan. Exercise is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. Whether you are trying to lose weight or not. It relieves stress, keeps your metabolism going giving you energy, it burns calories and releases endorphins that make you feel good. It also increases your stamina. For more productivity, better sex and happiness.
To learn more about weight loss and healthy lifestyle choices watch this video: Vital to Your Weight Loss Success
This post may include affiliate links. Which means I may earn some money if you click on one. This does not affect your price. Please see my disclosure for more information.
Discover the confidence it takes to walk the red carpet.
What would you do if suddenly you were going to a fancy event, black tie dinner, or…
You are finally about to take the long anticipated walk down the red carpet?
And you need to get red carpet ready – FAST!
Don’t think it could happen to you?
Don’t be so sure.
Big dreams can turn into realities.
Look at Channing Tatum. Stripper turned famous actor.
Cheryl Strayed, author of best-selling book and blockbuster hit movie Wild. She became famous after sharing her true story of overcoming drug addiction and walking the Pacific Crest Trail.
Jack Canfield, famous author of Chicken Soup for the Soul was rejected 144 times before a publisher agreed to publish his best-selling book. Now with over 40 million copies sold.
Living proof that it could happen to you.
Even if you never walk down the red carpet. You can walk with the same confidence at any event. A wedding, a formal dinner, a hot date. Or strutting your stuff on the beach.
All you need to walk the red carpet is confidence.
The kind of confidence that only comes with feeling good about yourself. Like when you lose a few pounds. Your clothes fit better and you can even fit back into some of your favorite dresses.
But losing weight doesn’t just change your dress size…
It can change your life.
After I had my second child, I was 20 pounds heavier than I like to be. I was miserable. I hated the way I looked and I hated the way I felt.
After I lost the weight, my whole life changed. I felt happy again.
I ended a bad relationship, changed my hairstyle and started a new career. I eventually went on to start my own business and published my first book.
If I can do it, so can you.
You can accomplish anything your heart desires.
Taking care of your body and your health can give you the confidence you need to change your life. Giving you the confidence to go after your dreams, reach your goals and create a life of happiness.
Like my friend Charlotte did.
Here is what Charlotte said after going through the Zipping It Up weight loss program: “I did all the things in your book and I dropped 2 dress sizes. I am so happy being back to a size 6 again!”
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Every small step you take will lead you in the right direction. You can start now by learning everything Charlotte did. The system that helped her drop 2 dress sizes in 6 weeks. “Zipping It Up: How to lose 5 pounds fast and look great in that little black dress.”
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Get red carpet ready for any occasion.
Follow your path to success. Discover how it feels to be confident and ready.
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Is it possible to eat dessert and indulge on vacation without gaining weight? Yes! Discover how to dine at the best restaurants and enjoy your vacation without getting post-vacation tummy bulge.
A few weeks ago I traveled to Washington, DC to visit the White House at Christmas time. A good friend of mine won two tickets to see the beautiful Christmas décor. She asked me to join her on the tour and I couldn’t resist the offer. I couldn’t wait to see the beautifully decorated home of the President and First Lady of the United States at Christmas time.
After shopping around for airline tickets, I decided to drive. It’s only about a 7 hour drive from where I live and I was looking forward to spending time alone. Getting lost in my thoughts and planning my business strategy for the upcoming new year.
I packed up the car with my laptop, luggage, healthy snacks, my jump rope and hand weights. And all of my favorite boots. The perks of driving. You can bring as many pairs of shoes as you want.
The trip was amazing. I spent time with friends in Virginia and went to see a light show. I walked around downtown DC and had a delicious lunch at a place I now call DC’s best kept secret. Café Soleil located at 839 Seventeenth Street NW. I enjoyed a triple berry kale salad topped with yogurt poppy seed dressing. For dessert I had the decadent homemade crème brulee.
The restaurant was only a short walk to the White House where we met for our tour. There was no wait for a table and the service was fantastic. The waiter even escorted me to an elevator to direct me to the private restrooms inside the adjoining hotel.
After a successful weekend of traveling and eating out I was able to make it through my quick vacay without gaining a pound. Even after the crème brulee.
Read on to see exactly how I did it. Below is a list of 10 ways you can stay healthy while traveling and indulge in delicious desserts without gaining a pound.
1. Pack healthy snacks. Whether you are flying or driving it’s always a great idea to bring healthy snacks. Cut up your favorite vegetables and put them in a disposable container. Or a reusable one. This way you can pack healthy snacks for your return. Easy to grab fruit like apples, bananas or grapes are small and easy to pack. Either in your carry on bag or a small cooler for the car. For protein bring nuts, granola bars, protein bars or trail mix.
2. Use every opportunity to walk. If you are traveling with friends or family, use their restroom breaks as an opportunity to get up and stretch or take a walk. Get out of the car every time you stop even if it’s for someone else. If you’re at the airport walk with them to the restroom or stand up and stretch every so often. Especially if it’s going to be a long flight.
3. Take the stairs. Whenever you have a choice between taking the stairs or an elevator, always opt for the stairs. After all you’re on vacation. What’s the rush? I once lost 5 pounds on a cruise ship just by taking the stairs. And still enjoyed all the delicious food served on the ship. It’s a great way to tone your legs, thighs and glutes.
4. Watch workout videos in your hotel room. You can find them on your laptop, iPad or phone. There are tons of free videos on YouTube. My favorite fitness YouTube channel is Blogilates with Cassey Ho. She has a great selection of short videos ranging from 5 to 10 minutes. Making it easy to squeeze in a quick workout. The important thing is to find something you like. So you will actually do it. Check out a few before you leave for vacation. This way you’ll have it planned out and will even look forward to doing them while on vacation.
5. Exercise in the car. Bring hand weights or a resistance band to work your arms and core while sitting. You can do bicep curls, shoulder presses and over the head tricep lifts depending on your vehicle. Get creative. Obviously, if you’re driving you should have both hands on the wheel. Squeeze in a few sets while making stops instead.
6. Bring a jump rope. Jumping rope is a great way to get the circulation going in your body. They are light and easy to carry. Even when flying. Do repetitions by your car at rest stops or find a quiet corner at the airport. Worried about what people might think? C’mon, you can’t tell me you haven’t seen stranger things at the airport. It’s also a great exercise to do inside your hotel room or on the balcony with the ocean breeze cooling you off.
7. Work your lower body while sitting. Try doing thigh squeezes and butt crunches while sitting in your car, on an airplane or at the airport. Don’t worry, no one can tell. If you’re worried about appearances, do Kegels instead. No one will ever notice and they are great for your core. Helping you get ready for your bikini and making vacation sex even better. Learn how to do Kegels here.
8. Make healthy eating choices. You can enjoy delicious dining and treats while on vacation and still eat healthy. If you are eating seafood, select something broiled instead of fried. Make sure your side of vegetables isn’t laden with butter. Fresh steamed vegetables taste better when they are plain. Order a small side salad instead of french fries. And go ahead have a little dessert. You deserve it with all the Kegels you’re doing!
9. Drink lots of water. Always bring water with you wherever you go. In the car. To the airport. You can bring an empty water bottle through the gates and fill it after you go through security. Or allow yourself time to stop and buy a bottle before getting on the plane. This way you won’t have to wait to hydrate while on the airplane.
10. Get your friends and family involved. Go for a walk in the airport while waiting for your plane. Take walks on the beach. Utilize the exercise center together or go swimming in the hotel pool. You will sleep better after getting much needed exercise. Making it easier to adjust to your hotel bed and vacation surroundings.
Throughout your vacation, make healthy choices. Burn as many calories as possible by walking whenever you can. Don’t skip your workouts. Unless you’ll be hiking, swimming or doing something that will exert a lot of energy. Enjoy treats in moderation and reward yourself for sticking to a healthy plan. Most importantly, relax and enjoy your vacation.
Ready to lose 5 pounds fast before your trip? Go here now: Learn more…
Shower your loved ones with gifts that keep on giving. Gifts that will keep them happy & healthy all year long. If you’re not sure what to give someone this year, check out a few healthy ideas. From luxury bath items to life changing ideas. Below I share 10 ideas for unique gifts that keep on giving.