Fitness Program Review: BodyBoss Method

Like a lot of people, I made a few New Year's resolutions this year. And, while it's taken me a while to succeed at a couple of them, I've been religious about sticking to my exercise goals for once in my life. It's been nearly 4 whole months, and I haven't missed a single workout! 

In the past, I've halfheartedly tried a few programs. But life seems to always get in the way, I get down on myself, and I quit. So I started this year with a new attitude and by some small miracle, it has worked, whatever "it" may be. I think I was just sick and tired of being so fatigued all the time. I figured the best way to remedy that would be to not only get back into a regular exercise routine, but to go above and beyond anything I've done in the past. And that included a set schedule. My life pretty much revolves around a set schedule, but of the having-four-kids kind. Which pretty much means anything I do for myself is put on the back burner until the kids are squared away. And many nights that's not until they're fast asleep. So it's always been difficult to stick to an effective exercise routine. But something about this one worked.

One of my friends had mentioned her success with something she called BodyBoss. I saw her before and after pictures and my mind was blown. She directed me to a series of YouTube videos that cover the entire program. So I'm not even going to lie: I didn't pay for the program, because I'm a tightwad like that. But I did check out several reviews and informative articles and videos to get a general idea of meal plan suggestions and the sort. But, being honest again, I knew I'd fail miserably at any set meal plan at the time because of my hectic life. But I did attempt to eat better in general, and was successful for the most part. I even eventually started making "clean" meals for my entire family in the evenings. So, just to make it clear, this review is based solely on the exercise portion of the program. 

Per their website, "The BodyBoss Method is formulated with 4 cycles of 3 weeks. Each cycle is designed to lift the performance of the muscles and gradually increase in difficulty and intensity as the body adapts to the training."

Now, the only problem I had with the claims is that they say each HIIT workout (every Monday and Wednesday) is only 24 minutes. Well, that doesn't include the warm up, cool down, or total of 6 minutes of rest between circuits. The 24 minutes only includes active workout time... if you're able to go at that pace. I've been exercising several years, and I had to rest now and then. Most of my workouts were around 40 minutes, not including warm up and cool down. There was one that took me nearly an hour. But remember, that's just my experience, and someone else may be able to finish each workout in 24 minutes flat. I do have asthma, and had stopped taking my maintenance medication after the first 4 weeks (Under physician recommendation and supervision, of course, but totally unrelated to the exercise program. It just happened to be at that time that I had my annual checkup.) So that very well may have been a factor in my endurance, or lack thereof. But even so, I'm positive that, personally, I still couldn't have completed many of those routines in less than 30 minutes. But it's all good, because it's only 2 days a week.

On Fridays, you have a "Power-Up Workout" that only takes 6 minutes. That eventually increases to 12 minutes. It's pretty intense, but, as with all of them, you can go at your own pace.

Tuesdays are active recovery days, and Thursdays are dedicated to cardio. I usually ran on the treadmill for cardio.

To start, there are 4 weeks of pre-training workouts. These aren't mandatory, but I'd highly suggest that, if you're new to exercising, or haven't been in a regular routine for a while, you should do them. I did the first week and thought I was ready to move on. But after a few weeks of the actual program... well, you know what they say about hindsight. I should've prepared a little better. 

Okay, I said that the only problem I had was the 24 minute claim. However, I also didn't enjoy the long warm up and cool down. They add several minutes to the routine, and it seemed a little excessive to me. I admittedly shortened them by doing my own thing. But it most certainly is very important to both warm up before and cool down after every exercise, not just with this program.

What I did like was that you only need a set of hand weights (I used 2 or 5 pound weights, depending on how rambunctious I felt), a jump rope (or just pretend), and a sturdy elevated surface like a step that won't slip when you jump onto it. You also might want to make sure it's not very high, because you'll be jumping up onto it multiple times in a row, and that tends to get very difficult. You may also choose to modify these particular box-jumping exercises, as I sometimes did.

My favorite part was that it's not the same boring routine over and over. A lot of the exercises are repeated on different days, but it's changed up enough that it kept my interest. I get bored way too easily by even slightly repetitive exercises, so that's saying something. 

Minus the 4 weeks of pre-training, the program is 12 weeks long. The last 4 weeks were definitely more difficult than the prior weeks. But that's a good thing, in my opinion, because I wanted to really push myself the last part of the program to get the most out of it. And I did! I was so happy with my results. As I've mentioned in a previous post, I don't necessarily exercise to lose weight. Sure, I have that 5 pounds that I'd love to get rid of. But I know that how I feel is more important. I went into this program with two simple goals: To feel better/not feel so darned fatigued all the time. And to fit into my skinny jeans again. And by fitting into them again, I mean that I literally couldn't wear them because I felt like I was suffocating when they were buttoned. True story. 

To be more specific about my accomplishments, I only lost 1.2 pounds. But I somehow still fit into those stupid skinny jeans when all was said and done. How? Because, even though I had very little weight loss, my body composition changed big time. I lost 5.75 inches. Again, that doesn't sound like much, but I'm fairly small framed, and that little bit made a difference on me. 

It's very common, especially when you first start working out, to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. Muscle is more dense than fat. If you put a pound of fat and a pound of muscle next to each other, the muscle is a lot smaller than the fat. So while the number on the scale may not really change much, know that you body actually is changing. I think it's a good idea to take before and after photos, and maybe even take photos half way through a program, so that you can see the difference and not get discouraged if you don't have a drastic weight change. I did take before and after photos, and I'm pleased with the physical changes, but I'm too chicken to show them to the world. Maybe next time.

Author's note: I have not been solicited nor paid by BodyBoss Method for my opinions or review. Please note that I did not purchase the program and did not complete it using their guides. I'm simply sharing my personal experience from following online videos posted by acutal BodyBoss Method customers. 

Walmart Online Grocery Pickup Review

There are few things that I dread worse than grocery shopping. Funerals, PAP smears, and paying bills are the only things I can think of at this moment. But my hatred of grocery shopping every week has finally come to an end, because my local Walmart finally moved up in the world and offers free grocery pickup. Yay! So I'm going to share my experience with those who are curious about the process.

The Ordering Experience 

The first time I placed an order, it did take me about an hour to do so, but that's because my attention span is short, and I multi-tasked placing the order and chatting with my fellow Blockheads about NKOTB stuff. Typical. But it also took a little while because it was my first time placing an order, so I had to search for everything. On subsequent orders, I had the option to choose from a list of items that I previously ordered, so that sped along the process a little. It's still faster than shopping in the store.

It's super easy to find exactly what you want. And the total price is readily available and updates each time an item is added, so it's easy to keep up with if you're trying to stay under a certain dollar amount. I've found that I actually save money, because I'm not making any impulse purchases, and I don't buy more groceries than I actually plan on using. The only downfall I've realized so far is that you can't use coupons. For someone who uses a lot of coupons or money saving apps like Ibotta, that kind of sucks. However, I will occasionally go inside to shop specifically for the items I have coupons/money back deals for if it's a significant amount of savings. It's still quicker to grab those few items then pull around to pick up my online order than it is to shop for the entire list. However, you can still use the Walmart Savings Catcher, because they provide a TC# on the app that you can copy and paste.

Once you're finished adding everything to your cart (if you've forgotten something, you can still add it within so many hours before your pickup time), you choose your pickup location and time. Pay close attention while choosing your pickup location. My explanation is detailed in the pickup experience section below. 

Then, you can check whether or not you want to allow substitutions. Usually, if a substitution is needed, you'll get the same item in a larger quantity for the same price as your original selection, or a variety of smaller sizes to equal the desired amount. But sometimes they'll substitute another brand. So make sure that you uncheck any items that you absolutely don't want substituted.

I picked up a $10 off first order code in store before ordering, so I added that when I checked out. You can share a personal referral link with friends, and if they use it, they will get $10 off their order, and you'll also receive a $10 code. So if you're interested, use my referral link to get $10 off your first order! (No shame.): http://r.wmt.co/gU6Bc

When your order is ready, you'll receive a notification by email, text, and/or app, depending on what all you've signed up for. I usually get one about 15 to 20 minutes before the pickup time I've chosen. You can go ahead and check in when you're on your way. You don't have to wait until you arrive. 

The Pickup Experience

Okay, as with 92.8% of everything in my life, things didn't go as planned my first time. It went something like this...

I got the notification that my order was ready for pickup at 1:43 p.m. I had scheduled the pickup for 2-3:00 p.m., so that was perfect. I finished up what I was working on and was on my way soon enough. But first, as directed, I checked in using the mobile app.

My drive was a mere 6 minutes from work, and I had no trouble finding the pickup area, because there were plenty of signs and painted pavement to lead the way. So I pulled into one of the designated parking spots, and I checked the app, which shows your location on a map, to see if it recognized that I was there. It didn't. Well... it was in this moment - when it said that I was still 32 minutes away - that I realized I obviously entered the wrong pickup location when I placed the order.

To say that I was mad at myself would be an understatement. I cursed myself thoroughly, and proceeded to put my vehicle in reverse before someone approached me and I looked like the idiot that I really am, and headed to the correct/wrong location, 32 minutes away. I wanted to cry.

Y'all, I swear that I chose the right location before I even put the first item in my cart. I know I didn't dream that. As a matter of fact, it asked me to enter my zip code very first thing, and I'm pretty sure the only location that came up was the one that I intended to use. I don't know what happened. But either I or something in cyberspace went wrong, and the whole point in me using the pickup thing was moot, because I was going to have to drive over an hour out of my way, round trip.

But anywho... other than that goof up, the rest of the experience wasn't so bad. I did have to wait exactly 20 minutes before the nice lady loading groceries approached my car to ask my name. There were two other vehicles there before me. And the lady apologized and told me that she was the only one working. So I get it. But I've had no other problems with waiting on subsequent trips, but they've all been at a different location than the first one.

If any substitutions are made, or something isn't able to be fulfilled, they'll go over that with you before you sign for the order. And, of course, you don't have to accept the substituted items if you don't want them. 

On my first trip, I was told that there were two items that were substituted: A 3-pack of spearmint Trident gum was substituted for the mint bliss flavor that I'd ordered. No biggie, except I dislike the spearmint kind. But I didn't fret about it because I knew my kids would gladly accept it, so no biggie. The second item that was substituted was a bag of frozen sweet potato fries. I was told that, "They substituted it for another brand, and it actually has more ounces, at no extra cost." Great, right? Nope. When I got home, I discovered that they actually substituted the fries with a package of diced butternut squash. I'm dead serious. I guess I could've taken it back, but that would've cost me another hour of my life, and I just didn't have the energy at that point. So that's why I suggest paying close attention to what you've checked to be substituted if needed, and also viewing the substitutions before you accept them.

You don't have to step out of the car at all. It kind of makes me feel weird sometimes. But that's what's supposed to happen. And at first I didn't know if I should tip or not. I didn't, and later found out that they're not allowed to accept tips, so that made me feel better.

Also, you should get a goodie bag on your first order. If they don't offer it, ask about it. The nice lady on my first trip didn't realize it was my first order until I mentioned it so, then she asked me to wait for a minute while she got my gift bag. It was a little reusable tote that contained a jar of Prego spaghetti sauce, a V8 energy drink, and some Monster 20 ounce energy drink. Oh, and a sample of these new little chewy candies. So that was nice.

A Little FYI

I definitely recommend the service. But I feel obligated to point out one more thing... 

About about 3 orders later, I happened to notice multiple charges on my credit card that I didn't recognize, from a Walmart in Bentonville, Arkansas (which I later learned is where Walmart headquarters is located). I did as anyone would do and called my credit card company. Long story short, they cancelled the card and overnighted me a new one, and said they wouldn't hold me liable for the charges. Well... later on I thought I should look and see where the last place I used the card was before those charges occurred so that I might be able to pinpoint where my information was obtained by this thief. This is when I realized that my Walmart grocery pickup orders weren't on there. BUT when I added up the totals of those fraudulent charges.... Well, I probably don't have to tell you the rest. So it turns out that when you add items to a grocery order that you've already scheduled for pickup, each item you add is charged separately. To me, that would've been valuable information to know before I made a fool of myself and had to call back to say "my bad." It also would've kept my walmart.com account from being locked. I couldn't order anything at all on walmart.com for 6 months after that. I'd place an order, and it would automatically cancel, and I'd have to call. It took 11 separate orders and me being ugly for someone to finally transfer me to their corporate team (which I asked for them to do on multiple occasions but they wouldn't so much as transfer my call to a supervisor) to get my account straightened up. So I'm telling you all of this so that I can maybe save someone else from embarrassment and a ton of frustration.

Fitness Program Review: Betty Rocker 30 Day #makefatcry Challenge

I kept seeing this Betty Rocker exercise program advertised on my Facebook feed. I scrolled past it many times, because I figured it was another overly-priced program that I wouldn't be able to spare the money for. Plus, only 15 minutes a day? Yeah, okay. That'll be real effective, right?

But then I realized that it was free. So, out of curiosity, I clicked on it, expecting to have to provide my credit card information to try it out, and I'd have to remember to cancel after so many days or be charged a monthly fee. But, to my surprise, that wasn't how it worked at all.

The 30 day program is legit free with no strings attached. I will say that there is some heavy advertising for the 90 day challenge within the 30 day program, but not to the point of annoyance. I did check it out, and would love to buy it if I didn't have two vacations that I'm still trying to save for, because I absolutely loved the 30 day program.

When it says the workouts are only 15 minutes a day, it's true. But even so, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to fit in 15 minutes every single day to exercise for a month, even though I was already working out 4 to 5 days per week. But then I thought, "You know, I spend way more than 15 minutes a day looking at nonsense on my phone. I just need to prioritize." So that's what I did.

Once you sign up, you'll get an email asking you to fill out a commitment statement about what your goals are and how you're taking control of your health, in a nutshell. Then, the creator and face of Betty Rocker, Bree Argetsinger (A.K.A. Betty Rocker) wants you to post it to her Facebook page, or whatever social media platform you wish to share it. I thought it was a little over the top, because I'm by no means a super positive or confident person (which are the major reasons why I've gotten into fitness), but I did it. I also tweeted that I was excited to start the program, to which Bree replied with encouragement. 

You'll get each day's workout video via email by about 5:30 a.m. Side note: I admire the heck out of you go-getters who get up early to work out. The link to the video expires 24 hours after you open it, so don't click on the link until you're ready to exercise. You may have limited access to the videos, but there is a printable PDF of the exercises and explanations with each video if you want to save those.

So, this is my take on the actual exercises. There were only a few workouts where I felt pushed to the max, usually the cardio days. Yet, even the easiest days left me feeling satisfied that I had a good workout. I think it would be a great program for beginners. But it's also challenging enough for more advanced people looking for something new or different from their usual routine.

I love that each day is a different routine and focuses on a different area, because I get bored very easily. Most are strengthening (using your own body weight) and cardio workouts, but they rotate with active recovery days, incorporating yoga and stretching exercises.

You don't have to have fancy gym equipment or even weights for this program. And you're shown modifications for a lot of moves in case you need them. So it's really simplified as much as possible.

Another thing I liked was how Bree pushes the importance of healthy eating. If you're exercising but still putting all the same junk into your body, what's the point? I'm by no means the healthiest eater in the world. If I really want some ice cream, by gosh, I'm going to eat it. But I try my best while still making foods that my kids will eat. But it's tough, you know? I found myself being even more conscious of what I ate, and really cut down on sweets and processed foods. I also cut out soda. Well, except for those 2 times I was forced to eat out because of a busy schedule, but at least I had the calorie free kind.

Because of this program and the bonus videos about smoothies and meal plans, my interest was peaked. She mentioned that her plans included a grocery list, and I was sold. That's what I hate worst about cooking: making sure I have everything I need before I get started. It never fails, no matter how careful I am about making a list, I'll start pulling out ingredients for dinner, only to discover I'm missing something important. So for $9.99 for a 7 day plan, I thought it was worth the splurge to try out. That's not the only available plan, but it's the cheapest. I'll be trying it out next week, and I'll let you know how that goes.

You may be curious as to my results with the program. And I'm happy to share them with you. But keep in mind that I don't exercise in order to lose weight. I'm of a healthy BMI, but I still like to keep track of measurements and such, because I feel that I still have lots of room for improvement as far as building endurance, building more lean muscle, and developing healthier eating habits. I lost 1 whole pound. But I also lost 3.5 inches, which tells me that I lost fat AND gained muscle. That may not sound like much of a difference, but my body composition changed enough for me to fit into my skinny jeans without struggling again! 

It's so hard for even me - someone who isn't necessarily trying to lose weight - to not see much of a difference on the scales. But what you must remind yourself is that while the numbers may not change much, your body is definitely changing. Bree shares a really good video titled The Truth About Your Weight.

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for the 30 Day Challenge here.

Author's note: I have not been solicited nor paid by Betty Rocker for my opinions or review. 

Realistic Fitness And Diet Advice For Real People

"Like you need to exercise."

This statement has been said to me numerous times when someone finds out that I exercise regularly. And it's almost always followed by an eye roll. My response is always the same: "Well, if I didn't exercise, I wouldn't look like this." Duh. Do you think Jillian Michaels doesn't need to exercise? Because a body doesn't get much better than that. Maybe she should just stop right now. I'm sure she'd look exactly the same in a few months. 

Another favorite: "You're so skinny. You can eat whatever you want." 

First of all, no, I'm not skinny. I may be smaller than today's average person. But I'm well within a normal BMI, and trust me, I have plenty of fat. I think a lot of people don't realize that being called "skinny" can be offensive. It doesn't necessarily offend me, but I don't want to be described as skinny. I'd rather be "in shape" or "fit" or "healthy." Just because I'm not overweight, it doesn't mean that I'm skinny. Okay? Okay. And just because you saw me eat a piece of pie at lunch today, that doesn't mean I can eat whatever I want. I mean, yes, I can, but I don't. If I did, I'd double my weight, no lie. I love food, y'all. Food is life.

But seriously, it doesn't matter what you look like, we all should do some form of physical activity as often as possible. I totally get that a lot of people have zero interest in exercise, and that's fine. To each his own. But for those who have any interest at all, I'm going to share my experience with you, and give you some realistic advice for real people. But first, I want to discredit some myths.

Spot Reducing Fat

I often see people sharing posts on Facebook saying something along the lines of "Get a flat belly with these simple exercises." A huge misconception is that you can spot reduce fat by exercising a certain group of muscles. It's not possible. While you can obviously increase muscle mass by concentrating on a desired muscle(s), fat burns evenly over the entire body. Now, if you're dieting properly, you may see fat disappear from your problem areas before the rest of your body. But that's not because you're only losing it in that area. It's because you have more fat there, so that's where it's going to be noticeable first. So don't waste your time doing 200 sit ups a day, because it's not going to flatten your belly if you need to lose weight all over. 

Exercising Alone Is Enough To Lose Weight

You can exercise all you want, but unless you improve your eating habits, you're probably only going to lose a few pounds quickly and then plateau. You have to consistently burn more calories than you consume in order to lose weight. So if you're eating exactly the same as you ever have, and you add routine exercise to the mix, yes, you'll probably lose a little weight. Maybe you'll even lose a lot. But then it becomes so easy to throw in that extra snack or second/third helping and think, "It's okay, I'll exercise later." And then there will be some excuse to not exercise that day. And having that "I'll exercise later to make up for it" kind of attitude is basically viewing exercise as punishment. So you're going to need to make some changes to your diet.

That being said, a drastic diet isn't necessary to lose weight. Near the end of this post, I'll list some simple ways to reduce your caloric intake, without making huge changes to your diet. It's just as important, if not more important, as exercising. And my best advice about exercising is to start slow. Try exercising 2 or 3 days a week. Even if it's walking 30 minutes above what you normally do, that's a start. And walking is something your whole family can enjoy together. And only aim to lose 0.5 to 1 pound a week. If you find that amount to be easy, then go for more. But 2 pounds should be the max.

I Have To Do Cardio

If I had to do cardio with every workout for exercise to be effective, I'd have given up a long time ago. If running or other aerobic exercises aren't your thing, that's perfectly okay. As long as you're moving and burning calories, that's all that matters. I've realized that even strengthening and flexibility exercises rev up my heart rate. I may or may not reach that target heart rate that's recommended by professionals to get in a true cardio workout. But I don't really care, because it still works for me. My point is just make sure you do something, anything, to get your body moving outside of your normal routine and increase your activity as tolerated. 

Find the type of exercise that you enjoy. You're more likely to stick with it if you enjoy it. And don't choose something that's too challenging. Work your way up. I've tried everything from Zumba to using a Bowflex to HIIT circuit training exercises. Personally, I enjoy just about anything as long as it's not too repetitive. And it's important to switch it up. If you're always doing the same exercises, your body is going to get used to it and you'll stop benefiting from it. 

If I Use Weights My Muscles Will Get Too Big

Don't even worry about this one, because it's not true. Unless you're doing some heavy duty weight lifting, you're not going to bulk up. I only use 2 and 5 pound hand weights during some of my workouts. And yes, I noticed some tiny growth in my biceps and forearms in the beginning, but barely enough to give me a little definition. The same happened with my legs just by using my own body weight. But that's a good thing! You're not going to look like a bodybuilder unless that's your goal and you workout accordingly. 

Weight Is An Indicator Of Progress

Stay off of the scales. Seriously. Especially if your goal is to lose weight, stay off of the scales for a while. I do think it's important to weigh yourself when you begin your journey, if you're trying to lose weight, because obviously you need to know your starting weight. But it's even more important to take measurements. A simple internet search will give you all kinds of suggestions on the best ways to do measurements. Write them down, along with your weight, or log them into a fitness app, whatever. Then forget about it for a while. 

Unless you're only doing cardio, such as running, what's likely going to happen when you first start exercising is this: You're going to lose fat, but you're also going to gain muscle. So in the beginning, you're not going to see the pounds drop, and that can be super discouraging. Much better indicators of progress are measurements or noticing how your clothes fit. For example, when I completed the most recent program that I participated in, I only lost 1.6 pounds. My goal wasn't to lose weight, but that was still such a disappointment. All that work those 12 weeks was for 1.6 pounds?! That was my first thought. But then I reminded myself that I no longer had to struggle so much to fit into my skinny jeans. And then I took measurements and compared them to when I first started the program. I'd lost 5.75 inches! That may not sound like a lot, but on my frame, it made a difference. And best of all, I felt better. I had more stamina than I'd ever had, plus I slept better and didn't feel so tired all day. Not to mention, it was a confidence booster. I'll share a review of the program I did in another post soon, complete with before and after photos.

Tips, Tidbits, And Tricks To Improve Your Diet

So this is the part where I'll share some advice that works for me. 

First of all, don't expect overnight results. In this world today, it's all about instant gratification. But it's unrealistic to see a difference after a week or two, plain and simple. Besides, it's healthier to lose weight slowly anyway. Plus, you're more likely to keep the pounds off if you lose it gradually. Even if you're not trying to lose weight, but want to tone up, or whatever your goal is. It takes time. I'm talking two or three months, not weeks.

Crash diets are no good. One of the worst things you can do is drastically reduce your caloric intake. Your body will go into starvation mode and cling onto every bit of fat that it can. I highly recommend using a fitness app to keep track of your calories if your intention is to lose weight. I know there are tons out there, but I've always used My Fitness Pal. Even if you're not trying to lose weight, but want to get fit, I still think it's a good idea to keep track of what you're eating. It'll help you see where you may need to improve your eating habits.

Pay attention to portion and serving sizes. Measure your food if you need to. What you think is a cup may really be almost 2 cups. And you'd probably be surprised to see what 1 serving of some foods actually is. Pop Tarts probably aren't the healthiest example to give here, but I remember the first time I looked at the nutritional value on the package, and realized that 1 serving is actually 1 pastry, not 2, which comes in 1 package! So that 200 calories is actually for only half of the package. That's crazy! 

I don't believe it's necessary to become obsessed with the nutritional content of everything you eat. For beginners, I think it's far more important to concentrate on portion sizes and maybe making a few substitutions to the diet you're used to eating. I mean, if you want to go cold turkey from an eat-what-you-want diet to 100% clean meals, then more power to you. That's awesome, and realistic, actually. But it takes a lot of willpower to do something like that. When I first got serious about making changes to my diet, I pretty much ate the same foods I always did, but with changes. What worked for me were these things:

-Don't eat second helpings.
-Eat slowly and stop when you start feeling full.
-Have a treat now and then, just don't over-do it. If you deprive yourself, you're more likely to cave and overeat. I treat myself to something sweet not every single day, but most days. I just make sure that I only have a little of it. If it's cookies I'm craving, I'll have 1 or 2 instead of 3, or whatever the full serving is. If I want ice cream, I'll have a Yasso frozen yogurt bar. They're only 100 calories.
-There are a lot of snacks that may not necessarily be "healthy," but they can be "healthier" substitutions. Chips are a good example. I recently discovered Terra chips, which are real vegetable chips, and they taste every bit as good as Doritos and such, but they're not as bad for you.
-Skip the bread. I often have a hamburger with all the toppings, but without the bun, and eat it with a fork. Want a turkey sandwich? Forego the bread and roll up all the toppings inside the turkey. 
-Use salsa instead of ketchup. 
-Switch to unsweetened almond milk. I only recently did this, and I love it! Unless I'm drinking it straight up, I can't even tell the difference.
-Cut down on carbonated beverages. This was the hardest thing ever for me. But what worked was first switching to a diet soda once a day, then weaning myself down to one every other day, and so on. I'll still drink diet soda sometimes if I'm eating out. But the best way to avoid it is to not buy soda in the first place.
-And that brings me to this: If you know you shouldn't be eating something, don't buy it! 
-Instead of sweet drinks or fruity drinks, have water with a low/no calorie flavor packet added.

I promise if you take control of what you eat, after a while you won't miss what you're not having. 

The most important thing you can do is educate yourself. There are endless articles on healthy eating and making lifestyle changes out there. 

As for exercising, you can always find time to fit in 15 or 20 minutes most days. How much time per day do you spend looking at your phone for no particular reason at all? Most of us do that for several minutes, if not hours, every day. Put down the phone and throw in an exercise DVD. Or don't put down the phone, but pull up a workout on YouTube that looks interesting. You don't even have to do the whole 30 minute workout or however long it may be. Just do as much as you have time for. 

This is all my own personal advice. I'm not a doctor or fitness expert by any means. I'm just sharing what has worked for me. I'm a very busy single mom of 4 kids and I have very little free time to workout or even cook healthy meals every day. I know if I can do it, so can you. Just do the best you can. What works for me may not work for someone else. We're all different. And we all have different goals. It's very important to find what works for you personally, taking baby steps if you need to. There may be some trial and error involved. I know there was lot of that for me. 

If you have something you'd like to share, I'd love to hear all about it. And I'd also like to share a couple programs that I've completed that have made a huge difference for me, both mentally and physically. Stay tuned for that future post. 

My Girls

I've had some emotional moments today, and I feel the need to write about it. And when I say emotional, I mean tears rolling down my face while group chatting with my friends because I miss them and the crazy moments we've had. Before I get into it, I want to ask you this: Have you ever been passionate about something that no one else seems to understand? Maybe it's blogging. Or a political stance. Or perhaps it's something on the "odd" side, such as cosplay.

When you think about your passion, how does it make you feel? Happy? Excited? Yeah, me, too. But to describe it as simply "happy and excited" doesn't seem to do justice for how I really feel. I fail at words when thinking about my passion.

I wish I could find an explanation for the love I have for this "thing" that returned to my life 10 years ago today and changed my world forever. I just want other people to understand how I feel and why it's so dear to me. I feel like every time I mention it to someone on the outside, they roll their eyes and think, "Good grief, grow up." Sometimes they actually do make fun of me, right to my face. Haters are gonna hate, I guess. But that used to bother me, a lot. I already have very low self-esteem, and these idiots only made it worse. However, my skin has grown thicker over these past few years, and my feelings don't get hurt so much when someone laughs at me or mocks me. They're the ones who are missing out and I feel sorry for them that they feel the need to belittle someone for enjoying what they love.

When I mentioned to my friends today that I wish there was a way to explain it, one of them pointed out, "I don't want people to understand. I want this for me and my friends. It's the one thing that makes me smile when I have a whole lot in my life that doesn't." That made total sense to me. I mean, I still wish other people "got" it so that they could at least appreciate why it makes me so happy. But its okay if they don't, because those who do are the only ones who need to know. They're the ones who have shared this journey with me and have never for a second judged me. 

So, you must be wondering what I'm talking about. And I know when I say it, there will be some of those eye rolls that I mentioned. But when you read what it is that's made such a difference in my life, I want you to know that I truly hope you all have something in your lives that brings nothing but pure joy to your heart. This world could use more of that.

Ten years ago today there was this magical thing that happened: my favorite boyband from my childhood, New Kids On The Block, announced their reunion on The Today Show. I was excited, but thought, "Cool. Too bad you'll be gone again in less than a year." I intentionally tried to not get too caught up in the hype, because I knew it would be yet another disappointment in my life and be taken away. I couldn't have been more wrong.

I was at the lowest point of my life at that time. There wasn't much that I got excited about, because it seemed as though the world was against me. I won't get into the boring details, but if someone had told me on April 4, 2008 what all would happen in my life over the next 10 years, I would've laughed in their face. I was going to get on a plane for the first time ever and go on a vacation with people I've only ever talked to online? I was going to meet these 5 guys I adored practically my whole life? I was going to develop friendships that meant the world to me? I would travel across the country multiple times with one of these friends, making the best memories of my life? Whatever.

I have such bad social anxiety that I shake and get short of breath just calling to make an appointment. Befriending people isn't my thing. So it blows my mind that I've made such close friends all because this cheesy overaged boyband reunited and stayed together. I guess it's because I know there's no judgement. They have this same "stupid" love for the band that I do. They get me. They're my peeps. 

We've laughed until we were physically hurting. We've danced on a lido deck and sang our hearts out at 4 in the morning. We've cried many times just because we love each other so much. We've gotten shit faced at 7 p.m. and had to hold each other up as we walked down Bourbon Street. We've done all kinds of crazy things that only we understand. But above all, we've loved. We've loved each other. We've loved those 5 guys who don't even know our names. We've loved meeting other people just like us. We've loved leaving our comfort zones and experiencing things we once only dreamed of. We've loved making future plans together. We've loved hearing all about each others' good news. We've loved having so many inside jokes that we can't even count them. I could go on all day...

And that's what my whole point is. New Kids On The Block aren't my passion. My passion is the moments I've had because of them, and the friends I've shared those moments with. I've spent entirely too much money on my "fangirl" shenanigans this past decade. I sometimes get down on myself about that. But honestly, it's been worth every penny. I can't begin to imagine my life without the friends I've made and the experiences I've had. I'm truly blessed. I can't imagine how my life would be, had NKOTB not decided to give it another chance. It'd be so mundane. Though, I'd definitely have a lot more money.

And to the non-believers... I say peace.

Show Me The Money

I created this blog to write about topics that I'm passionate about. And saving money is something I'm very passionate about. Aren't we all? So, it's pretty much a no-brainer that I should make my first official blog post about the many money saving/making techniques that I've been practicing over the past few years. I'm not saying that I've discovered a get rich quick scheme or anything. And I'm certainly no extreme couponer. But I do have a bit of an addiction that requires extra cash on top of what I bring home from work. More on that in a future post. But what I'm getting at is that I have a few tricks up my sleeve that have allowed me to stash away enough money to completely pay for two expensive cruises (plus partially pay for three more), many concert tickets, plane tickets, and Christmas gifts the past few years. Plus, I almost never have to pay for a hotel when I go on trips. That one is mostly thanks to my friend that I travel with, but I'll discuss that more in a bit.

"Is it worth it?" 

That's the first thing people ask me when inquiring about my money saving techniques. A few cents here... a couple dollars there... Yes, it's worth it! If you stick to it, those small amounts add up before you know it, I promise. And it honestly doesn't take up as much time as many people fear it does. Trust me, I have very little free time. What little bit I do have is usually spent doing important things. You know, like looking for something to watch on Netflix, adding it to my list, and never getting around to watching it. Well, that, and I'm like everyone else in that I tend to get caught up in whatever is going on in that addictive world of social media. Which is dumb, because I'm the most non-social person on the planet. But anyway, my point is, I'm the busiest person I know, and I still find time to do everything I'm about to tell you.

Okay, let's get to it. Click on the names of the apps/sites to learn more about them.


Cash/Passive Saving

Let's start with the basic, easy stuff that you don't have to put much thought into. I know a lot of people don't carry cash with them these days. I rarely do. But when I do have change or small bills like ones or fives, I'll put them in a jug in my closet and forget about them (because out of sight, out of mind) until I'm ready to pay for whatever I've been saving for. Like I said, every penny counts, and those small amounts add up over time. I guess you could always deposit it into a savings account. But if you're like me, it's not worth the hassle. Are you really going to bother taking $5 here and $2 there to the bank? Nah, me, neither.

Another trick to let change add up without really thinking about it is this: Whenever you write down an amount to deduct from your checking account -assuming you're old school like me and still use a register to keep track of your transactions- round the amount up to the next dollar before subtracting it. You'll forget all about that extra change and have quite a bit saved up before you know it. Personally, I can't do this because I'm too anal and have to know the exact amount I have at any given moment. But I know people who do this and it works for them.

If you have the option to have money deducted from your paycheck and directly deposited into a savings account, go for it. Chances are that you won't even notice it's gone. Even if it's just $25 or so, if you're paid bi-weekly, that's $650 a year! Start low with about $10 if you're hesitant, and increase it later if you find that you don't miss it.


Sell Some Stuff

My first adventure into making some spare change was via eBay. This was circa 2009. At the time, I was in need of some extra cash for a trip I had planned. I was living paycheck to paycheck (as I basically still am) and had nothing at all to spare. I had a couple of yard sales, which can be a great way to quickly make a little money, but it's kind of hit or miss. But I had a bunch of stuff left over and decided on a whim to put it all on eBay. I had no idea what I was doing, but I educated myself and I've made the bulk of my extra money that way. I mostly sell my kids' outgrown clothing, but I've found that people will buy the most random things, like a vacuum filter. You never know what people are looking for, so list anything that's in decent shape and you'd like to get rid of. If you're a newbie and need some advice on how to get started, let me know!


Credit Card Rewards

I think one of the easiest, yet most overlooked, way to passively earn money is by taking advantage of credit card reward programs. I prefer the ones that give you cash back; specifically the ones that offer 2%+ back. To get the most bang for my buck, I charge everything that I buy (even the tiniest charges like $2) to one card and pay it off every pay day. This way I don't have to worry about due dates, carrying cash, interest charges, or overdrawing my checking account. But to pull this off, you have to be strict about paying the entire balance every pay period, or at least by the due date every month, or else those interest charges will add up fast! That would completely defeat the purpose. I try to not pay attention to how much cash back is accumulating, because if I knew I had $200 waiting on me, I'd be tempted to use it on every day charges. If that's what you want to spend it on, then great. I just prefer to use mine on things that I consider extra expenses. For example, I allow the savings to add up until my next vacation, and use it to pay for whatever I bought during the trip, like food. If you travel frequently, a hotel rewards card is probably a great idea. Most of them give you at least 1 free night yearly and you can redeem points for free/reduced fee nights. As I mentioned earlier, my friend whom I usually travel with (the same one who introduced me to many of these techniques), uses her hotel rewards credit cards to get us free stays almost every time we go somewhere. Plus, we redeem our e-Rewards for IHG points. More on that below.

My favorite credit card is the Citi Double Cash card. It rewards you with 2% cash back on all purchases: 1% on what you purchase, and 1% on what you pay back. I also like the American Express Blue Cash Everyday, which you can apply for with this link. You'll get 1% to 3% cash back on purchases, depending on the category of the purchase. 

One little extra hint regarding credit cards: Add authorized users to your account to help your rewards accumulate faster. Of course, you should only do this for people whose charges you'd normally be paying for yourself anyway, and trust to not go crazy with the spending power, such as a significant other or children. The American Express card that I mentioned will allow you to add your child as an authorized user at the age of 13. But authorized users for the Citi Double Cash card must be 18, I believe. At least, when I added my oldest son that was the minimum age. One important point to note: If your credit isn't so fantastic, you should probably not add an authorized user. You don't want to impact someone else's score negatively.


Online Coupons/Money Back Sites

You'd be surprised how much you can save when using these apps. All of these are simple to use. Trust me, if they weren't, I wouldn't use them. 

Ibotta Choose your offers, (basically like online coupons that you redeem after your shopping trip), and either take a photo of the receipt or scan the QR code to redeem. Cash out after reaching $20. New offers added weekly.

Coupons.com app Just like it says, coupons in an app (you can print coupons via the app as well if you wish). You'll take a photo of your receipt to get cash deposited into your PayPal account. Just make sure you "clip" your coupons prior to your shopping trip or you won't be able to redeem them. I found that out the hard way.

Receipt Hog Take a photo of receipts from retailers such as supermarkets, dollar stores, drug stores or convenience stores to earn coins that may be redeemed for cash or gift cards.

Shopkick Earn "kicks" just for walking into many stores. Then, scan a few selected items with your phone while you're shopping, earn more kicks, and redeem for gift cards. Easy peasy. You can also earn kicks for buying selected items and submitting (taking a photo of) your receipt.

Fetch Rewards This is the easiest way to earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards. You're rewarded for simply taking a photo of your receipt within the app. Points are given based on items you've purchased from participating brands. I don't buy many name brand grocery items, but I still rack up points every grocery trip I make. Enter my referral code during signup and you'll get 2,000 Fetch Points ($2.00 in points!) when you complete one receipt: T3PHN

Receipt Pal Just like Fetch Rewards, it's super easy because all you have to do is take photos of your receipts, up to 12 per week (you can submit more to earn chances at winning a gift card). Redeem for gift cards.

Money Making Sites/Surveys

So, as I was saying, I don't really have much extra time on my hands. And I definitely don't want to be spending that little bit of free time glued to a computer or phone doing surveys or whatever to earn a few cents here and there. I'd rather be sucked into an Instagram black hole or something that's a total waste of time. But yes, I actually do surveys and "watch" videos and such. Though, I never sit down and do them for hours at a time. I may start a video playlist on Swagbucks or Inbox Dollars and let them run while I'm preparing dinner or cleaning, clicking on the next set of videos now and then as I walk by if necessary. Surveys are more time consuming. But I've been known to go through as many as possible while I'm waiting on my kid to finish up band practice, or while I watch a movie that's not exactly captivating, or waiting 17 minutes for pizza to bake. 

I'll list my favorite sites below, along with a quick description. If you have any specific questions about any of them, I'll be glad to help you out. If you prefer to redeem points for cash back, as I do, you'll need a PayPal account for most of them. I like that they pay you via PayPal, because it's another way that I can kind of forget about it until it's needed. Then I transfer it to my checking account. One very important thing to remember when signing up for any of these programs in which money is redeemed to PayPal: Make sure you use the same email that's associated with your PayPal account. 

And one last tidbit of advice for anyone who is hesitant about giving your email account to these companies when you sign up: don't be hesitant. I've used my "real" email account for every one of them, and I don't receive any spam at all, just legit notifications regarding my account activity. That being said, if you are required to enter an email for any of the surveys or offers within the site, you may want to set up a new email account specifically for that purpose. You will get spam from those.

Swagbucks has the best cash back offers for online purchases. But you can also do surveys and sign up for offers for "swagbucks" that you can redeem for cash or gift cards.

Paid ViewPoint is by far the easiest in that there are usually only 10 or 11 questions to answer per survey, so they're really quick to complete. Plus, there are no qualifying question to answer. But you'll only get 1 to 3 surveys per day on average. Most surveys pay 10 cents each, but the more you answer, the more higher paying surveys you'll get.

Branded Surveys This has definitely been the best site for me as far as qualifying for surveys. I can easily make $10 per week. 

Inbox Dollars I kind of have a love-hate relationship with this one, because the minimum amount to cash out is $30. I think that's a little high based on the length of time it takes to earn that much. It's very similar to Swagbucks.

Quick Thoughts This app at least pays 10 cents if don't qualify for a survey. That's more than most apps pay for disqualifications. Most don't pay anything. And those that do, only give the equivalent of 1 to 5 cents, or nothing, as consolation. So this is a pretty good deal. You may only complete 5 surveys per day. Redeem for gift card codes.

Op4G (Opinions For Good) This is a charitable survey site that allows you to choose how much of your earnings you contribute to the charity, in 25% increments. That may seem like a bit of a ripoff, but the payouts for surveys are good. Most are at least $2, and you'll usually get a 25 cent consolation reward if don't qualify for the survey after answering a few demographical questions. I contribute a portion of my earnings to Children's Craniofacial Association, an organization near and dear to my heart because of the condition my daughter was born with. If you use this link to join, it will automatically set this as your charity, too. But it can easily be changed to a charity of your choosing. 

e-Rewards: You must be invited by a brand to join this program. I have no idea how I was invited. But from what I've seen, if you sign up for certain rewards programs, such as airlines, hotels, car rentals and the sort, you may receive an invitation. In the event that you ever receive one, I highly recommend e-Rewards. There's not a cash back option for the points you accumulate with e-Rewards, though. You'll mostly benefit from this one if you use points for travel expenses such as hotel, flights, and car rentals. Some brands have limitations as to how often you may redeem points for rewards, but not all of them.

I guess that pretty much sums it up. There's actually a lot more I'd like to talk about, but I don't want to be too long winded. I'll definitely add some more tips (other than apps and websites) in a future post. 

Please note that there may be more ways to redeem your rewards/cash back than those I mentioned. I'm just letting you know how I do it! And remember, you're not going to make enough money from these methods to quit your day job or anything. But they're excellent sources to supplement your income a little, depending on how committed you are. It's basically what you make of it, ya know? If you have any tricks/hints/secrets/favorite apps please please please tell me all about it!

The Warden Says Hello!

To be 100% honest, I have no idea what I'm doing. But I've been wanting to start a blog for a while now. Why? Well, mostly because I want to share my experiences and advice in hopes of helping out others. But also because I've found that my life as a single mom to four kids is too... crazy? fascinating? ridiculous?... to not share. There are far too many "You can't make this stuff up" moments that would make for great entertainment. And I've had a couple of people say that, based on my Facebook posts, I should run a blog or write a book. Well, the blog thing seems much easier, so I'll start here.

I have 19+ years of parenting experience, including many ups and just as many downs. Maybe some of you will relate. Maybe not. But hopefully my stories will not only entertain, but perhaps encourage and inspire now and then. I'm generally not a super positive, inspiring person. I'm more of a "if something can go wrong, it will, and I expect it to" type person. But I do have a lot of things that I'm passionate about and would like to give a little advice on those topics. So I'll give it a whirl and see where this goes.

You'll find that I keep it real. When writing, I tend to not censor myself. I guess that's a good thing, but super ironic. Why ironic? Well, because "in real life" I'm just about as introverted as one can get; Introverted and plagued with social anxiety. But social media and the like offer me an outlet where I can be myself without the crippling fear of being judged. I also find that ironic, because I've never seen such judgmental people as those that exist in the comments section of any viral post ever on Facebook.

Expect sarcasm, sass, bluntness, swearing, my honest opinions, and lots of real talk about my kids, dogs, job, passions, and life in general. Okay, there will be some sweet mushy stuff, too, I guess. You'll learn that I'm about as open-minded as one can get. I respect that everyone has an opinion on every topic ever, and that their opinion may not be the same as mine. And that's okay! I enjoy comments and feedback, and welcome constructive criticism. But I will never respond to hate.

I'm not going to limit my blog to parenting, although that's what 96.3% of my life involves. I'm going to talk about anything and everything that runs across my mind on any given day. That'll include everything from fitness to money saving/making techniques. I'll probably ramble and go off on one tangent after another. Who knows? I'm new to this and I'll just have to see how it goes. And I hope you'll tag along for the ride. Just don't expect anything fancy like an amazing layout and magazine-worthy photos, because I'm a bit technologically challenged. But I'll do my best.

Oh, and you may be wondering about my blog title: The Warden Says. "The Warden" is a nickname given to me by my ex-husband/one of my best friends, Lonnie. Yes, you can be friends with an ex. (I'll definitely write about that one day.) He and our sons, Tyler and Tristan, refer to me as "The Warden." That's even my contact name in Lonnie's and Tristan's phones. You can imagine why, though it's a total exaggeration of my parenting style, no matter what they say. But I've often heard one of them start a sentence with, "Well, The Warden says that..." So now you know.

Stay tuned...