Beach Body Builder

If you are like me, you hibernate in the winter by watching a combination of DVRed shows and Netflix every night (Scandal and Friends, anyone?) while allowing comfort food to slip back into your diet.

Awkward Fitting Room Selfie

Although it does not feel like a drastic slip of the healthy lifestyle, each day of inactivity and bad food eventually adds up. By the time Spring rolls around, you realize (as you awkwardly try on swim suits in oddly lit fitting rooms) that you are not as tight and ready for summer as you would like to be.

Last year, I found success with the following plan and I am employing it again to get ready for Florida! If you are looking for that last slim down before the beach, feel free to try it out. Basically, it is: cut out soda and fried food; eat and drink less than 50g of carbs per day; work out an hour every other day. See how these tactics are rolled out below.

Build A Plan

The first step to living a healthier lifestyle is to have a path to get there. Do research, gather resources and create a timeline. Here are some examples of plan pieces.

Research:

• Search pins on Pinterest to find fitness routines and recipes. My favorite fitness pins on my Get Fit board are the YouTube videos for arms, legs and HIIT workouts.
• Know how many calories you take in each day and how many you need to burn to reach your goal in two months. MyFitnessPal can show you how to whittle away the pounds each week.
• Find out how you maintain a routine the best. Some people are more successful if they take fitness classes, other if they pay for a monthly gym membership. I have fun and keep a routine by watching Friends on my stationary bike, walking my dogs and watching short, effective YouTube videos.

Resources:

Steps in FitBit

• Make sure you have a way to track your work. I recently received a FitBit and it allowed me to see my daily "normal" activity. That encouraged me to get more active at night by walking my dogs at least three times a week. Additionally, Daily Carb helps me evaluate meal choices by carbohydrates and track my intake throughout the day.
• Know your budget. After winning an award for work, I chose a stationary bike to make fitness more accessible. I do not like paying gym fees and spending extra time away from home at night, so that bike allows me to be home when I maintain my fitness habits.
• Use tangible and visual measures. I have a bundle of clothes hanging that I am hoping to fit back into. I use photos to track muscle definition and love handle reduction.

Timeline:

Reward Shirt

• Set small goals that lead up to your ultimate goal. Each day, I aim for 50g or less of carbs. Each week I want to work out at least every other day, and on alternative days I want to walk my dogs.
• Create a benchmark. Take a "before" photo so you can later see how far you came in just two short months! I just found a cute new swimsuit from Target, so I took a photo at the beginning of my two-month plan. Right before my trip, I plan on taking another one to see how far I came! It feels incredible to actually see your progress.
• Reward yourself...but not with cheat food. This was the toughest habit to keep. Now, I enjoy rewarding myself with new workout clothes or new clothes in general.

I look forward to sharing my progress throughout the next two months and before my Florida trip! Stay tuned and feel free to share any steps that help you get the final push before hitting the beach.

Photography Tips For Beginning Enthusiasts

A year ago, I finally bought a digital SLR camera of my own. No more checking them out at school or borrowing them for a weekend. The Canon EOS Rebel T5 (and all of the incredible accessories in the Amazon bundle) was a late Christmas present to myself. That, combined with a Photoshop Creative Cloud subscription (only $9.99 per month!), gave me the tools to really practice and improve my photography skills.

During the past year I have learned so much more about photography by going out and actually doing it than I could have just reading books from the library. Believe me, there were sessions in which I learned the hard way (overexposed portraits when playing with the white balance) and continually improved (gaining sharper portraits by playing with the aperture and shutter speed), but each session helped me learn more about the manual settings and how they interacted.

To help other budding photographers along their journey, I am offering some of my favorite tips!

Photo challenge.

1. PRACTICE, no matter what type of camera you have. 

Before I had my DSLR, I continued to practice with my iPhone and Fujifilm point-and-shoot. For my iPhone, I looked up different photo challenges to practice looking at the world in new ways. Then, to practice editing, I used Tadaa and Instagram to explore the ways filters can adjust the tone of the photo. 

Taken with a point-and-shoot.

With my point-and-shoot, I practiced using good outdoor lighting and the available camera settings. No matter what camera you use, you can still capture amazing portraits. DO NOT be limited by the tools you have; instead, get good at using those tools to unlock your talent.

2. Soak up as much new information as possible.

This pose suggested by the groom.

Whether you read tutorials on Pinterest, save favorite photos from Instagram or go outside and just practice manual settings, find every opportunity to learn from experience. After a bad session where almost all of my portraits were overexposed, a friend of mine recommended always shooting in RAW and JPEG. Let me tell you, it has been one of the best pieces

of advice I have ever gotten.

Another way you can learn and explore is by incorporating ideas from your clients. Some of my favorite poses and portraits have been recommended by the person I am photographing! Each new pose adds to your pool of knowledge and helps you deliver an idea to your client.

3. Put yourself out there.

After moving to a completely new place, I had very few people I knew who wanted "practice" portraits. In order to practice and improve my skills, I advertised my free services on several platforms: message boards on The Knot, ads on Craigslist and new friends at work. Although the postings did not bring hoards of new clients, I was able to practice family sessions, a fashion shoot and professional head shots.

4. Use your friends and family for practice.

Brother-in-law's reception.

Obviously, it is never good to use people; in this case, though, it is a win/win situation. You get to practice taking portraits on manual settings AND your friends and family get keepsake portraits.

Another angle to consider is to offer to be the photographer at special events, like weddings and birthday parties. It makes a great gift and you can build your portfolio at the same time. There really are an unlimited amount of life events to consider: engagements, family, maternity, kids, parties, LinkedIn profile pictures, dog portraits, concerts, etc. etc. etc.

How do you get comfortable asking for these opportunities? Express your photography interest, share your current work and always have your camera ready.

5.Be sure to check the surroundings in all portraits.

I cannot count how many times I have taken a great portrait, then found an object supposedly coming out of my subject's head when I went to edit it. Another example is having a wonderful expression on the subject's face, but the camera is zoomed in too far. When you do not leave extra space around the subject(s), it makes it difficult to frame later! Think about the entire product, from camera to wall. It is much easier to move an object when you are shooting or zoom in later than try and fix it after the fact.

I hope you enjoyed these tips! Be sure to comment if you have any other great tips for beginners or for me.

Books Are Tools...Use Them!

Have you ever read a book, attended a workshop or taken a development webinar and learned a lot...then never again used that new knowledge?

I cannot be the only one to experience this conundrum. My favorite part of personal development is the revitalization I feel when I finish the training; on the other hand, my least favorite part is never using the material I learned in real life. After investing dozens of hours a year in personal development, this paradox is extremely frustrating. So I am going to change it.

Today I am sharing a list of the personal development books I have read the past twelve months and the specific ways I am using (or plan on using) them in my personal and professional life.

First, some general insights from this experience:

• It drives me crazy when people say you need to "make time" for things. You cannot physically create time, so what we really need to do is reallocate time. My work commute is an hour each way, so the past year I have made it a point to listen to books on my drive home. (My drive to my territory in the morning is pleasantly occupied by The Kane Show and NPR during Kane Show commercial breaks.)
• The library is still relevant! Not everyone may love the library like I do, but here is why you should check it out (pun intended): FREE BOOKS. Sure, technology has changed, but the library has been keeping up. Not only do I check out physical books, but I also get audio books for my car and eBooks for my iPhone. 
• Do not expect to retain everything from every book. Instead, find the relevant ideas and zero in on the implementation of those concepts.

Without further ado, here are my book recommendations, complete with Amazon summaries and how I have used them or plan on using them in my life!


Creative Confidence by Tom Kelley and David Kelley

"Too often, companies and individuals assume that creativity and innovation are the domain of the "creative types."  But two of the leading experts in innovation, design, and creativity on the planet show us that each and every  one of us is creative.  In an incredibly entertaining and inspiring narrative that draws on countless stories from their work at IDEO, the Stanford d.school, and with many of the world's top companies, David and Tom Kelley identify the principles and strategies that will allow us to tap into our creative potential in our work lives, and in our personal lives, and allow us to innovate in terms of how we approach and solve problems.  It is a book that will help each of us be more productive and successful in our lives and in our careers."

This book is great for a team because it reinforces that EVERYONE is creative. I gained two big concepts after reading this book: encourage others to pursue their creative efforts and fearlessly implement/test new ideas. First, many people believe they are not creative because that is what they were told at one point in their lives; I have started making an effort to not only support people in my company when they have ideas but to also follow up with them. Second, the book is adamant about following through with your ideas. A hundred people may have the same idea you do, but the innovators separate themselves from the rest by creating a prototype and testing it until the "aha" moment materializes.

Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office 101: Unconscious Mistakes Women Make that Sabotage Their Careers by Lois P. Frankel

"The New York Times bestseller, which for 10 years has been a must-have for women in business, is now completely revised and updated. In this new edition, internationally recognized executive coach Lois P. Frankel reveals a distinctive set of behaviors-over 130 in all-that women learn in girlhood that ultimately sabotage them as adults. She teaches you how to eliminate these unconscious mistakes that could be holding you back and offers invaluable coaching tips that can easily be incorporated into your social and business skills. The results for hundreds of thousands of women have been career opportunities they never thought possible-at every stage of their career, from entry-level to the corner office! Stop making "nice girl" errors that can become career pitfalls."

Taking the assessment and reading this book helped me identify ways I could increase my confidence and become a stronger leader. Two mistakes I commonly make are asking permission and using minimizing words (such as "maybe" and "I guess"), which fall under the "How You Sound" category. I plan to do a better job of sounding more confident and self-assured, especially when talking to managers in my company.

Duct Tape Selling: Think Like a Marketer - Sell Like a Superstar by John Jantsch

"Many of the areas that salespeople struggle with these days have long been the domain of marketers, according to bestselling author John Jantsch. The traditional business model dictates that marketers own the message while sellers own the relationships. But now, Jantsch flips the usual sales approach on its head.

It’s no longer enough to view a salesperson’s job as closing. Today’s superstars must attract, teach, convert, serve, and measure while developing a personal brand that stands for trust and expertise. In Duct Tape Selling, Jantsch shows how to tackle a changing sales environment, whether you’re an individual or charged with leading a sales team."

Even though I do not work in inside sales, I found a couple of extremely helpful tips in this book. One tip that I implemented immediately was building my brand. In order to gain respect for my position as a sales consultant, I needed to become a respected expert in my field. For my career, I created a quarterly newsletter for my clients, filled with third-party information aimed at growing their businesses. For my personal life, I decided to start blogging again. (Welcome to the result of that! Be sure to check out Grumble's other articles.)

Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation by Sally Hogshead

"In Fascinate, advertising and media personality Sally Hogshead explores what triggers fascination—one of the most powerful ways to attract attention and influence behavior—and explains how companies can use these concepts to make their products and ideas irresistible to consumers. Marketing professionals of every ilk will find much of use in the pages of Fascinate."

Is it too much to say I was fascinated by this book? Too bad, I was. With the seven triggers, I evaluated the brands I represent at work to see how my company uses the triggers in marketing. Additionally, I used the triggers to figure out how I wanted my photography hobby to be perceived, and it generated dozens of fun ideas to work on this year.

The 5 Love Languages of Appreciation at the Workplace by Gary Chapman and Paul White

"The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering Organizations by Encouraging People, by Gary Chapman and Paul White, applies the love language concept to the workplace. This book helps supervisors and managers effectively communicate appreciation and encouragement to their employees, resulting in higher levels of job satisfaction, healthier relationships between managers and employees, and decreased cases of burnout. Ideal for both the profit and non-profit sectors, the principles presented in this book have a proven history of success in businesses, schools, medical offices, churches, and industry."

If you've read The 5 Love Languages, then the terminology and concepts in this book will be very familiar. The reason I like this book is because using the languages of appreciation do not require everyone at my company to know this book (although it would help!). I can show my appreciation for others on my own and create a better, more positive environment for my whole team. This year, I plan on making it a point to reach out to at least one person on my team each month to express my appreciation.

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

"For more than sixty years the rock-solid, time-tested advice in this book has carried thousands of now famous people up the ladder of success in their business and personal lives. Now this previously revised and updated bestseller is available in trade paperback for the first time to help you achieve your maximum potential throughout the next century!" 

There were too many applicable concepts in this book to count. As a salesperson, the principles outlined by Dale Carnegie are so important when dealing with relationship-based consulting. Even though I already do many of the actions Carnegie outlined, it was good to put them into terms and categories. I know this book is almost 70 years old (the references to telegrams are hilarious), but the basics will remain true even 70 years from now. At my April meeting, I am going to print and share these principles with my team.

Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder by Arianna Huffington

"As more and more people are coming to realize, there is far more to living a truly successful life than just earning a bigger salary and capturing a corner office. Our relentless pursuit of the two traditional metrics of success -- money and power -- has led to an epidemic of burnout and stress-related illnesses, and an erosion in the quality of our relationships, family life, and, ironically, our careers. In being connected to the world 24/7, we're losing our connection to what truly matters. Our current definition of success is, as Thrive shows, literally killing us. We need a new way forward."

I loved this book for many reasons, but one of the tangible recommendations I got out of it was volunteering. Thrive recommended a website called Catchafire, where you can offer your expertise/talent/skills to an organization in need of that particular skill. As a result, I partnered with an amazing organization based in Kenya called LivelyHoods to create a Communications Manual for their team.

You Do Not Have To Be Rich to Lose Weight

J Hud before and after

It is that time of year again: New Year's Resolutions. The most popular one tends to be lose weight or get fit (or some variation of those two). How do you get motivated to actually follow through with your health goals?

It is easy to get motivated by your favorite celebrities (I mean, Miranda Lambert looks fantastic, right?). When you see a celebrity suddenly drop 30 pounds, it is easy to assume she finally gave in to the pressures of Hollywood. However, when you take a look at how the stars achieved their body transformations, you realize they have two resources in much higher quantities than us "normal" people. They have more money and the luxury of free time.

The Price of Fit
Living an unhealthy life seems so attractive: no calories or carbs to track and no exercise plan to adopt. Not only is being unhealthy easier than being healthy, but it is also CHEAPER. However, diet may be the biggest contributor to weight loss. Dr. Shawn Talbott, a nutritional biochemist, says that weight loss is about 75% diet and 25% exercise. How much does it cost to address this 75%?


According to Harvard Magazine, it costs about $550 more per year per person to buy healthy food. Broken down by day, this does not seem monstrous, but for many American families, that change in budget can be a barrier to a healthy lifestyle. Foods like fresh fruits and vegetables cost more to produce than bread and processed food, making them more expensive to purchase. Take a step back and look at this on a micro level. Need a quick lunch at McDonald's? You can get two McChickens for $2.00 plus tax or a healthier Grilled Southwest Chicken Salad for almost $6.00. These savings add up over the course of a year. Whether you are making your own meals or eating out, healthy food is just more expensive. Period.

In addition to the costs of a healthy diet, there are costs associated with fitness as well. The most obvious way to begin a fit life is to join a gym, but gym membership costs can be overwhelming. Even if you can find a gym with a low monthly fee around $20, sign-up or yearly fees can be upwards of $100 per membership. If you decide to go the more convenient route by working out at home, equipment and workout videos can still put you in the whole for hundreds of dollars (plus where do you put all that stuff?).

Making Time

Miranda Lambert Before and After

For some, investing money in healthier food and exercise may not be the issue; instead, it may be making the time to work on the last 25% of losing weight, which is exercise.

To lose one pound, you have to take in 3,500 fewer calories, burn that same amount, or a combination of the two. Running a marathon can burn about 2,600 calories...and marathons take hours. This fact points back to the fact that diet makes the biggest difference in weight. However, a combination of diet and exercise is the most effective plan, so incorporating fitness in a weight loss plan is crucial.

How do you make exercise more manageable? Divide the 3,500 calories by seven days and you need a calorie-torching session of 500 calories per day. This could take 30 minutes to an hour per day, depending on the workout. Making the time for these workouts tends to be the toughest part of a lifestyle change.

Besides the workout time, another element of time makes it tough to shed the pounds. Being patient while you lose weight is also a struggle. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say it is healthy to only lose one to two pounds per week. If you have 20 pounds to lose, that could be about five months of slow progress to hit your goal. Patience is key. When you see these body transformations from your favorite celebrities, keep in mind that the before and after photos are probably months apart.

Adele Before and After

Fit Like You Are Famous
Some women are lucky enough to be at a place in life where they can afford to be healthy and have the time to implement a solid plan. What if you are not one of those lucky ones? What if you have a pretty strict budget and not a lot of extra time to spare throughout the week? Here are some tips and tricks to make the most of the resources this year to achieve rock star results.

Diet:

• Do you have any food sensitivities? About 90% of the population has at least one food sensitivity. One of the easiest and most effective ways to cut out food that could be contributing to your weight gain is to find out which foods need to be cut. Food sensitivity testing is becoming more and more popular, and you can find doctors in your area that will administer the test.

• Track your intake. There are dozens of great apps for your smart phone that track calories, carbs and exercise. Not only does this allow you to see how you treat your body during the week, but it also allows you to be aware of the nutritional facts of your favorite foods and activities. Two great apps are MyFitnessPal and Daily Carb.
•  HIIT, or high intensity interval training, is a good way to maximize your workout time because it burns more fat. During a HIIT session, you have short bursts of intense activity that are followed by brief moments of rest. Examples of HIIT workouts are Zumba and boxing.
• Although the accountability of gyms and fitness classes help one keep a resolution, there are many resources available that help you workout for free. YouTube has a plethora of free videos, from yoga to Zumba. Create your own playlist and workout at home (here's my favorite)!
• Watch and research gym promotions to try out a gym in your area. Since gyms are so competitive, you may even be able to negotiate a good rate or a free trial.
• Try various dieting strategies to see what works for you. Some people find success by counting Weight Watchers points while others lose those last few pounds by limiting carb intake. Do your research, plan your meals, and try different diets.
• EAT BREAKFAST. Jump start your metabolism by ensuring you eat the most important meal of the day.
• Swap unhealthy snacks with healthy ones. Do you tend to munch on chips at 2 in the afternoon? Pack peanuts instead and eat those when you get a mid-day hunger.
• Eat less. Many people overeat because they tend to put more food on their plate than they need. Start with small portions because it makes you think before you get seconds.

Whether you have a big reveal with a big name sponsor like Jennifer Hudson or you quietly see steady progress over the next year, make the necessary lifestyle changes to be a better, more fit you! Money and time may be limited, but you can make the most of what you do have.