nutrition Archives - Soap Queen

Start 2017 Right – Join the Challenge!

January 14, 2017 Filed Under: Personal Ramblings

Phew! Can you believe we’re already into the second week of January? The kids are back in school (am I the only one that is super excited about that?) and some normalcy has resumed in my life. Of course, this routine-normal-phew-feeling won’t last for long. There are multiple business trips coming up – an event on succession planning (a fancy way of saying I’m going to spend 3 days in a hotel room learning all the ways that owners transfer companies and leadership when they retire, become incapacitated or die, none of which I plan to do anytime soon), working the Seattle Gift Show with the Best Day Ever stationery line and walking the Las Vegas trade show floor for some trendspotting. It’s a lot of airplane trips, but they are designed to be fast so I’m away from the family as little as possible.

Bramble Berry has been rockin’ and rollin’ with new product development (helllllo new best friend, my powerful stick blender). We just filmed new Soap Queen TV episodes (check our latest Instagram story to see sneak peeks before it disappears) and released some awesome all-in-one Handmade Beauty Box kits. I’m also starting to turn my eye toward the keynote at the Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetics Guild Conference in Las Vegas on May 1st and sketching out the talk.

It’s only been 2 weeks but so far, goals for 2017 are on track minus the sugar goal. What I thought would be the tough goals are making continual learning habit based and restarting my meditation habit. It’s been great to have my husband join me in getting up early so we can both do our daily planning before the children wake up. In addition to planning, I’ve been diving into Robert Greene’s books in the morning. They’re so dense, I don’t get much more than a few pages read before it’s time to make kiddo’s breakfast and start the school drop-off wrangle. Those few pages are worth it though. It seems like every other page is an ah-ha moment. Sugar on the other hand; man oh man, it is in **everything**. Which leads me to the below statement…

If your 2017 goal was to lose weight, start working out, sleep better, fight chronic illness or (sheepish grin) dump sugar, I’ve got just the thing! Starting January 16th, I’m leading another fitness and nutrition challenge; join me here! This 42 day-long challenge is not designed to be a “detox” or an “elimination diet.” Instead, this challenge is designed to give you the tools to positively change your eating and fitness habits for a lifetime. It’s the perfect way to get 2017 off on the right foot to make that investment in yourself and your best future. Included in the challenge cost are daily support and education emails (example of that below!), 3 pre-challenge days to ease you into it, a meal plan, a shopping list, a downloadable journal and an “accountability page” that helps keep track of your progress. It’s less than $1 per day and it’s like getting a little dose of me every morning in your InBox and Facebook feed =) Speaking of the the Facebook group, there are 63 active, friendly, and supportive people and there and we would love to have you join us. We officially start Monday. Learn more and sign up here. (And now, I’m going to go finish a Star Wars themed DIY gift pack for a 7 year old’s birthday party. I’ll post a photo of the final product on my Snapchat bramble-berry when it’s done).

I hope to see you in the challenge group. The past challenges have been so inspiring and rewarding. Helping others reach their fitness and nutrition goals is an amazing feeling. I love seeing the difference it makes in every aspect of life! Have the best day ever =)

Join Me for a Healthy Holiday Challenge!

November 24, 2016 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. I hope your day was full of family, friends and reflection on what you’re thankful for. My sister-in-law is hosting today (thanks sis!) so that makes my day pretty stress-free. I’m determined to stick to healthy eating habits even during the holidays, so I made a gluten-free pumpkin pie that was delicious (really, I swear!) =) If after today (and the weekend…those leftovers are a killer!) you’re feeling sluggish, bloated and gluttonous, join me for a special “Best Holiday Ever” 21 day nutritional challenge.

The Best Holiday Ever Challenge involves small lifestyle changes that have big results. This includes drinking plenty of water and moving 20 minutes everyday. It also includes cutting out sugar, gluten and alcohol (or at least massively decreasing your intake of them). Yes, that can be hard during the holidays. That’s why I’m here to help. The challenge is designed strategically to start on November 28th (the Monday after Thanksgiving) and end on December 19th (the week of Christmas).

That’s 21 days of support over the holidays to protect your waistline from holiday parties and office cookies. Instead, let’s focus on healthy habits that will build the foundation for the upcoming year. Ready to challenge yourself? Join me, and have The Best Holiday Ever. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours =)

Whole30 + Superhero Unleashed, Want to Join?

July 8, 2016 Filed Under: Personal Ramblings

I hosted my first nutrition challenge reboot in 2012 and loved the camaraderie, support and long term friendships that came out of that challenge. Since 2012, I’ve led an average of 6 nutritional and fitness challenges per year. It’s fun and I like the social aspect. I keep trying to improve how I eat because it’s the foundation for everything I do. Whether it’s being a mom, a business owner, wife or a daughter, I’m better when I’m fueled with the right stuff. I have energy to get through my day, and even some leftover energy to work out when I’m fueling my body right.

I’m leading a Whole30 Group starting Monday, July 11 and I’d love to have you join me. It’s free. There’s no big formal program. It’s me, you, and about 10 other people in a round-robin email chain with accountability, recipes, cheerleading and support.

Whole30 is about ditching grains, sugar, dairy and alcohol and filling up on veggies, fruits, and grass fed meats. Here’s their official take on it. If you’re like me and can’t stomach meats, they do have a vegetarian option that I’ll be more closely following.

If you’re doing this to lose weight, that naturally happens if you’re cutting out alcohol, sugar, dairy and grains. This will be my sixth time leading a Whole30 eating program and typically participants end the 30 days with much better sleep quality, a few inches lighter in the waist & thighs, more sustained energy throughout the day and a new outlook on their relationship with food. It’s about eating nutrient-rich food that nourishes your body and your life and making healthier habits.

If you want in, let me know! Comment on the blog, and fill in the email box. Your email won’t be published, but I can add you to the email chain!

Emily Schrom’s Superhero Unleashed program is full of resources and support. Want to join us?

I’m also doing Emily Schrom’s Superhero Unleashed program that starts on Monday. It offers more support, suggested workouts, and recipes. It cost $21. If you decide to join that one, let me know. I am doing both programs because they are complementary to each other and, I love the support and comradery that the Superhero Unleashed Program gives.

I’d love to have you join our merry group of healthy, happy eaters. Leave a comment below if you’re ready to get healthier this summer! =)

UPDATE: Everyone should have their first email from me. If not, please let me know by emailing info(at)brambleberry(dot)com. Thank you to everyone who signed up. It’s going to be an awesome 30 days!