Reunited and it feels so good...

{my "first meal" - Fuji Salad at Panera}

Well the cleanse is over and I feel absolutely fantastic! I officially ended my juicing yesterday, but went ahead and had one more this morning as my breakfast. 

I want to say that this is one of the best things I’ve ever done. I know I already said that, but seriously – I feel great! I lost another 5 pounds (even though it’s not about that) and really feel full of energy. In addition to the cleanse, I started oil pulling this weekend – so I just feel great.

Just to review what was in the Skinny Limits cleanse – I opted for the tropical with the Scorpion Lemonade as a substitution:

·         Pure & Simple: Kale, Cucumber, Spinach, Apple, Parsley, Celery, Lemon.

·         Balance: Kale, Cucumber, Spinach, Apple, Parsley, Celery, Lemon, Ginger.

·         Green Firefly: Kale, Cucumber, Spinach, Apple, Parsley, Celery, Lemon, Pineapple.

·         Scorpion Lemonade: Lemons, Agave Nectar, Cayenne, Filtered Water.

·         Green Firefly: Kale, Cucumber, Spinach, Apple, Parsley, Celery, Lemon, Pineapple.

·         Crescent Moon: Raw cashews, Vanilla Bean, Cinnamon, Agave Nectar, Filtered Water.

The highlight of every day is Crescent Moon, which tastes like Horchata but is much healthier and dairy-free. 

You get 6 juices per day for 3 days.  The juice is so fresh – as if I had just juiced them myself. Except without all the mess and having to buy produce. This is a total #win!

My journey to a decent bridal body

So, I am getting married in October. While I could go on and on about my wedding, I really wanted to talk about another journey inspired by my impending nuptials.

I’ve always battled with weight and my love of food. I came to terms with it years ago, but after starting my new job with a national healthcare nonprofit, I decided I needed to make some major lifestyle changes.

In January, after realizing how bad I was really eating and taking in too many cupcakes to count at a bridal expo, I decided to cleanse my body by juicing for three days.

In comes Skinny Limits – one of the best things that have ever happened to me! Not only do their juices have an incredible taste, but they are all natural, cold pressed fruits & veggies. So, both my fiancé and I decided to give it a go on January 13 and completed a three-day cleanse.

Fast forward to today. I have now dropped 47 pounds and am on my way to a truly healthy lifestyle. We’ve pretty much maintained healthy eating, eat at home much more than we used to, and I walk 4-6 times per week plus I go to Zumba once a week.

I decided to visit Skinny Limits this morning and do another three-day cleanse. One of the biggest reasons I wanted to do the cleanse again is to ward off all my bad cravings. In May there were graduations, parties and even a Quinceañera and I had way too much cake. Really, I’ve just had a hard time saying no to sweets since that first cupcake. After my juice cleanse in Jan, I didn’t crave any kind of sweets, and couldn’t have enough veggies.

So after a pretty bad weekend of some mimosas and a big sugary waffle, I went ahead and picked up my juices this morning. So far, so good…. It helps that I get to daydream about the last drink of the day: Crescent Moon.

Don't shut your virtual door, be social online

{source}

There's something my boss said recently during an interview that has been on my brain lately. He said that a recurring theme for small business owners is that they are too busy working in their business, they miss out on the opportunity to work on their business.

I think we all know this to be true, but we rarely take a moment to think about it. And I believe this is a problem when it comes to being social online. I hear from many business owners that they are concerned about how much time they will spend online, but what many folks don't realize is that it is important to nurture your client relationships both in person and virtually.

People are spending more time online, and this is just increasing. Case in point: I am always on the hunt for fun, retro office supplies and even though there are great places in Austin I could shop, there is one website that pops up on my favorite blogs and on my Facebook feed quite often. They are always on my mind, so next time I plan to shop for office supplies, I will probably turn to their website before I check out any stores.

We all listen to our friends (word of mouth is king!), and this is a great opportunity for your customers, friends, and family members to be your ambassadors. Just a quick "wow this is great!" or a snapshot of a product or service can help drive traffic to your business - both in person and online.

Don't shut your virtual door. And when you make the decision to be online, make sure you engage your audience. It is not just about what you have to say, but what your audience has to say.

Dogs, Frocks and Foot in Mouth

Do y'all like to dress up your pets? I find it interesting to see all these dogs in pretty decked out frocks. The other day I saw this wiener dog and he was dressed just like his hipster owner. I remarked, "wow - that's a pretty cool hipster pup." I do have to admit that he looked pretty snazzy in his lumberjack button down and straw hat.

Then, all hell broke loose. The human hipster distorted his face, looked completely appalled and then (in all caps, of course) loudly said "HE'S NOT A HIPSTER, HE'S THE SCARECROW."

Whoops.

The moral of the story is assuming something about a pet is like assuming a woman is pregnant.  Don't go there.