Hi there!  Welcome back to another week of 4EvrBless Healthy Living's powerful posts! 
Back with some more food related tips, I am here to share my top 10 FAVORITE smoothie recipes with you. Also, for those of you who LOVE to research and know the more intricate details, I will share more specifics as to the benefits of the ingredients/smoothies. 
(Note: The names of each "Smoothie/Smoothie recipe," as well as the recipes themselves, were created by myself, Alyssa R., of 4EvrBless Healthy Living). 


Although smoothies can be made any way YOU like it--either cold (using frozen fruit) or fresh (cut & prep items "as you go"), my best recommendation is to wash, prepare and freeze your fruits first. Yes, I have tried the "fresh option" and it definitely works well. I have even implemented this method into my smoothie-making regimen for several years. However, I have recently realized that the frozen/cold option helps to: 1) preserve my fruits longer, 2) makes smoothies taste WAY BETTER and 3) cut down on "as you go" prep time, 4) makes for a lot easier clean-up, and 5) eliminates having to add ice (or water) to the smoothie. A site, daily-harvest.com even states that their fruits are "Farm frozen to preserve the highest nutrient density." (http://bit.ly/from-Daily-Harvest)
So, with that in mind... HERE WE GO!!!
​

Let's face it... we all LOVE food! But why don't we find ways to take the delicious, yummy foods we all love to benefit us in a healthy way as well?
As I have read and gathered some POWERFUL points from blog, "Diet for Women of Linda," whose author shared some encouraging messages on this same topic, I am delighted to pass this on to YOU today!
​So, join in on this wonderful adventure of discovering 5 simple, yet easy ways to enjoy food, and lose weight... while still eating foods you'll enjoy.

#1): Visualize Your Weight Loss Goals
Visualization is basically the practice of "seeing yourself where you desire to be." So before you start counting calories or going crazy about the foods you desire to eat, begin to imagine what it would be like to BE your dream size right now. 
How does it feel, look, etc.? Are you comfortable in your "own skin?" Once you decide where you want to be, then the fun & exciting things can happen!

#2): Keep Track of your Successes
I'm currently taking a course to that is encouraging me to get back to "The TRUTH of Who I Am." To put it more simply, however, this basically means that I should keep track of what my body is telling me... what the voice of "TRUTH" within is guiding/leading me to do right now. So, the next time you sit down to eat, consider what the Proverbs says: 

Thus, become more conscious of what is before you each time you're about to eat. You don't necessarily have to stop eating the things you love... BUT, you DO need to monitor and check your progress. Then, celebrate EVERY TIME you succeed at doing this. Each time you eat smaller portions, or say no to the 2nd or 3rd round of servings, give yourself a little pat on the back for doing a great job.  
(P.S. Also, you can write your successes (or wins) in a book or journal).

#3): Plan Your Meals
Although "Meal Planning" is kind of like a huge craze right now, it IS very practical and logical. If you PLAN what you're going to do, then you will NOT be planning to fail. That's why I love the quote that says, "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." - Benjamin Franklin. 
Make sure you PLAN what you are going to eat each day. As Ms. Woodard said in her blog post (about this same topic), "...to avoid being faced with the dilemma of making bad food choices, make sure to pack healthy and nutritious foods when you leave the house."  Just take the time to figure out the foods you can eat that will help you achieve point #2, as well as stay on track with your new health goal.

#4): Stay Accountable; and  
#5): Get/Receive Support
Although you can do things by yourself, it is best to have an accountability partner to help you stay on track. It may be a physical person, OR it could even be the alarm/calendar on your phone that will alert you when to eat your healthy snacks, exercise, or to do another activity that is aligned with your health goal. 
While many people may think, "Oh, I'm good by myself... I don't need anybody 'in my business' anyways." that's usually when problems arise.  Always remember this: "NO MAN IS AN ISLAND."  As I have recently learned and discovered, we must learn to receive Love and Support so that we can be powerful. In order to gain success even more effectively, seek out help--Love and Support--and then, when it makes its appearance to you, RECEIVE it! What is also so great about these last two steps is that having an accountability/support partner can also be FUN, as well as helpful for the other person as well. So, you get both the benefit of having fun, helping someone else, and creating a better, healthier, more amazing life for yourself also. To end this last point, I again make reference to what Linda Woodard also stated in her blog: "A collection of friends you can call on for inspiration will be invaluable. Your friends can be big time supporters when the going gets tough. Your friends can help motivate you to get out of the house. Besides, you would do your best for them too!" 

​So.... As I also promised, check out this wonderful recipe list that Ms. Woodard shared on her blog. It's great! I've tried out a few already, and absolutely LOVE it. Comment below to let us know how it's working for you...

Until next time!
To Your Self Love, and to Embracing & Accepting Yourself so you can live a Healthy Life... Stay 4EvrBless! 

There Mary stood standing in the mirror thinking, "I absolutely hate the way my tummy looks today... I just wish it could be flatter. And my hair, ugh! I can't stand to even look at myself anymore. I wonder if other people think I look as horrible as I think I look."
Can you relate to Mary in some way? Even if you are a man, there is always a point in time were we as people forget that we are valuable--deserving of a better outlook and opportunity at life. So, rather than beating up on yourself today, let's work together to discover and apply these 3 simple steps to enjoying (and deserving) a much healthier lifestyle.

#1): Realize that you are ENOUGH!
As crazy as this may sound, you must first realize that you are ENOUGH in order to begin taking care of yourself.
So many times we allow the clutter of each day and the phases of life to destroy our self-worth, which in turn makes us feel unworthy of self-care and self-love. However, there is HOPE! Once you consciously begin to place and direct your thoughts, decisions and emotions upon what you truly desire to see and attract into your life, you will begin to see greater results. 

#2): Set 15-30 minutes aside, each day, to have "You Time."
Now that you are in the process of realizing your "enough-ness" as I like to call it, you must create times to take care of yourself. This may be time to exercise, meditate, sit still, relax and unwind, read, etc. You can truly customize this time to your needs. The point of this session is basically to "shut out the noise" of the outside world, and focus on yourself. I know... this probably goes against EVERYTHING you've ever heard before. However, as a frequent traveler, I often reflect upon the flight attendants' annoying little message which goes something like this: "In the event we lose cabin pressure, gently tug on the mask above you to start the flow of oxygen. Place the mask over you mouth and nose and adjust it by pulling the straps. Be sure to put on your mask FIRST before you attempt to help someone else."
I used to think this sounded selfish. But then I realized something very valuable: If I do not help myself FIRST, I will never be in a position to help someone else effectively--even those I love. Therefore, you MUST set aside 15 to 30 minutes each day to have "me time." You need it, and it will help you to be more productive, and to become the best, healthiest version of yourself.  In essence, you have to "Love and accept yourself unconditionally" that no matter what comes up, you will love yourself enough to take care of yourself. 
As I learned from Cole Bombino, "[You] must fill up [your] own "Love Tank" before [you] attempt to keep pouring out Love to everyone else." When you do that, you will uncover your own POWER, and realize how wonderful and "enough" you really are. 
(I strongly suggest doing your "Me Time" session in the morning to really Kick-Start your day!)

#3): Detox, Cleanse, or Make Time to Stretch/Exercise.
Exercise does NOT need to be dreadful. In fact, after you apply #1 and #2, you should find yourself approaching it with a smile more and more each day. So, if you are just getting started on your "Healthy Living" journey, try something easy like a smoothie cleanse or 7-day detox. (Click here for links to great, delicious detox and smoothie recipes! : http://f6afbwnotxo8vra6tzhl74mxyh.hop.clickbank.net/ AND http://41e4arot-6oc-dbffgzjzk883o.hop.clickbank.net/).
After you get your feet wet, so to speak, with these simple tips, start integrating great, simple exercises for 5-10 minutes, then ramp it up to 15-20 or even 30 minutes each morning. 
(As always, also remember to check back in with 4Evr Bless Healthy Living, as more will be posted about exercises for your "target areas" as well as core exercises that will help you according to your body type, etc.).


Again, remember to realize that you MUST invest in yourself first, in order to be the most productive, best version of yourself. 
"The best investment you can make is ALWAYS in yourself. It's always worth it." - Unknown