I've lost 14lbs on Nutrisystem already! #NSNation Update

 I'm on a journey to get fit this year and with the assistance of Nutrisystem (and Planet Fitness), I've already started to lose big! I updated a few weeks ago that I had already lost 9lbs... That was after losing most of the weight in the first week on their Fast 5 program jump starter. Those results were incredible so I knew I shouldn't expect results like that during the entire program; that just wouldn't be healthy! So with all of that said, I'm SUPER excited to have lost another 5lbs! That means total I have lost 14lbs!

I'm not sure if anyone else can see the difference in these photos, but it's a huge difference to me. I mean I'm wearing a tank top tucked into jeans; that's a HUGE difference itself that I felt confident and skinny enough to do this is a huge sign... plus, my pants look kind of wonky because they are too big! Oh and my wedding band was lost for over a week after losing it because I lost SO much weight (I'm glad to report, it was found) and I now wear it on my middle finger until we get it resized!



All of these amazing transformations and this is only half way through my plan, I can't wait to see what the rest of the journey will hold. I do know after Nutrisystem is over, I have a better mind set towards food and how often/what I should be eating and that is what is going to help my results last once I don't have the pleasure of having a majority of my food pre-made for me.



So are you wondering what my secret to success is?

I'm going to be honest, I occasionally eat out with hubby because that's just how life works... BUT I limit my portion sizes and order healthy. Salads, grilled chicken, and minimally processed foods are this gals best friend. Which means technically, I haven't strayed from my diet at all while eating out but I still get to spend time out with friends and family! It's all about making wise decisions!

Planet Fitness has become a regular day date every few days in our home, while this isn't as often as I would like (we're waiting for the location closer to us to open)... I'm still seeing results! I do about 20-30 minutes of cardio, then I use a couple weight machines, and wrap it up by getting a few miles in on the stationary bikes... I can't even believe I have a "plan" at the gym, that's a huge transformation for me as well.

DRINK YOUR GREENS! Your body and your taste buds will love it. I've made smoothies almost every day, if not a few a day... It's a good way to get in your smart carbs and veggies at the same time while not having to choke down a whole forests worth of broccoli.  Have you seen the smoothie recipes I've been sharing lately? I'm telling you, they all are AMAZING!

I'll be sharing more tips to lose big on Nutrisystem soon so keep your eyes peeled!

Results so far on Nutrisystem:
14 lbs down and looking forward to the rest of my journey!

Help Increase Creativity with Yoga & Meditation - Aurorae Yoga #HolidayGiftGuide

As you've probably observed, I'm a huge fan of yoga and I love sharing my passion for yoga. I hosted the Everybody Yoga Challenge in September and it was an amazing experience, watching all the participants share their photos was inspirational to me... not just because each and every one of the women that participated are amazing yogini's, which is so very true. It was inspirational because those women that were new to yoga seemed to really embrace the challenge and I learned things from them.

During the challenge I learned some amazing lessons and they have changed the way I view myself and my yoga practice. The main thing I learned from these ladies is that we are all our own worst critic, so just a little note - "Hey you, quit being so hard on yourself; you're awesome". I also learned a good mat makes a huge difference in my ability to get into poses, I did almost every pose for the challenge outdoors without a mat and that got sticky at times.

I'm so excited I was given the chance to work with Aurorae Yoga this month. Their Northern Lights Yoga Mat and their meditation candles are two amazing gifts for those in your life that love yoga or even those that are seeking balance in their life. Yoga has so much more than just the obvious physical benefits, it's therapeutic to the soul. Practicing yoga will leave most people feeling rejuvenated and happy. It doesn't necessarily have to be a spiritual thing, but it can be... It doesn't have to be a high intensity session, but it can be... It doesn't have to be "hot" yoga, but it can be... The point I'm trying to make here is that it's your yoga; that's what Aurorae Yoga believes anyways.

A video posted by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀lauren paints🎨 (@sunkissed_sweetheart) on Nov 11, 2014 at 1:23pm PST

Aurorae Yoga makes products for the everyday yogi and the newbie. The level of experience you have doesn't matter, they just want to encourage everyone not to feel intimidated or uncomfortable. It's all about relaxing and enjoying your yoga practice in their opinion and that's why they make products designed to help you do just that.

As I sat meditating after yoga today on my Northern Lights Yoga Mat with my Vanilla Compassion meditation candle, I really felt inspired. I have so many ideas running through my head now that I need to make a list of them all, before meditating I felt like I had writer's block. It's no joke, meditating can make you more creative... According to a Dutch study conducted in 2012 certain meditation techniques can promote creative thinking and open monitoring meditation, the type in which you don't have an exact focus but let ideas flow freely, has shown to increase creativity the most.

So instead of providing you with mantras to chant, I'm going to just encourage you to relax & enjoy and spoil yourself with high quality products from Aurorae Yoga!

Namaste.

Interested in scoring a yoga mat or a meditation candle for yourself or another person in your life?  Find out more about Aurorae Yoga!

While I was provided with products by Aurorae Yoga to facilitate this review, all opinions expressed are my own.

Adorable, Unique Jewelry Gifts for Christmas 2014 from Alice Hollywood #HolidayGiftGuide

You're going to fall in love with the necklaces over at AliceHollywood.com, they make the perfect gifts for yourself or for your friends and family. If you browse their collection, you'll notice their jewelry is unique and fun - a nice twist on the daily norm. Offering everything from adorable little fox necklaces to Hamsa necklaces; they offer a piece of jewelry for the 12 year old and the 42 year old on your shopping list this year with all of the variety in their collection!

I was sent the fox necklace and while it is petite, it is adorable. The perfect understated accessory. Something I love about this necklace is that it doesn't necessarily feature a "face" but the silhouette shape of a fox face.The necklace isn't a stand alone accessory either, Alice Hollywood has a matching ring on their best seller list as well as other adorable fox pieces that you are sure to love.

If you are looking for a gift that will surprise a lady in your life with eclectic taste, I highly recommend Alice Hollywood's collection. Head on over to the site and spoil yourself and your friends with your favorite pieces!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com.
Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

All About The Benjamins Giveaway - $100 Shell Fuel #HighValueHop {ends 11/17}

Welcome to The All About The Benjamins Giveaway Hop

November 1-17

Hosted by MamaNYC

Can you believe it's November already? I can't, maybe because this year is just flying by... which means Christmas is coming quickly as well! I'm so excited to have teamed up with a fantastic group of bloggers, we're bringing all of our readers a rockin' giveaway hop that will feature prizes valued at $100+ for every single winner!

Now let's get to the good part:

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed that I went on a fantastic little road trip last month to see family. We drove all the way from our little suburb in Florida to North Carolina to visit my husband's brother and sister and both of their families.

The road trip was fun over all, but I learned that I get bored when there isn't much to look at... and that I much prefer a road trip where we take the time to stop and walk around and explore things vs. just "straight-shooting" to our destination. I also learned that if you're really bored in the car and you are an artist, you'll find a way to make art... You can view my abstract creations made with my D-SLR while being deliriously bored on the road late at night below.

But what I really learned on this trip is that family time is invaluable. I learned that laughing with my family and feeling a bond knowing that we share more than just a last name is the best joy in life. I love hearing stories about when they were young, listening to them recap huge family milestones and hilarious mishaps. All while making new memories watching the babies of the family run around, these are the moments in life that really matter. Hanging out with the twin babies, going to the renaissance fair, watching the oldest get creative, petting some wild animals at the drive-thru zoo, getting a beginner's education about natural healing and essential oils - this road trip was an incredible experience full of so much fun packed into just a few quick days.

Road trips, family memories, days spent driving around the family - it's all fun.. and something we all need to have fun and go on road trips is fuel for our vehicles, right? Well, almost everyone needs this commodity and lucky for one lucky reader I'll be giving away a $100 Shell Gift Card to help one lucky reader fuel their fun this holiday season. Whether you need the gas for an upcoming road trip over the holidays to see family or to run errands to make sure your family has everything for Turkey Day, I'm here to make one readers pocket a little fuller this holiday season by treating them to a full tank, a few times.

Enter to win the $100 Shell Gift Card using the giveaway tools form below:

Entry-Form

Disclaimer: I may have received one or more of the products mentioned above or compensation to facilitate my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.This contest will run through November 17th at 11:59 pm EST. Must be 18 years or older to win.  This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or any other company mentioned above. You understand that you are providing your information to Lauren Paints | a beautiful life and not to Facebook, I will not use your information other than to e-mail you a winning notification if you are the chosen winner. Enter using the Giveaway Tools form above. Void Where Prohibited. Please note that Lauren Paints | a beautiful life is not the party held responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes.

Wanting to win something else awesome?
Check out my Xoundstar Bluetooth Wireless Speaker Giveaway!

Be sure to enter all of the great other giveaways listed below:

Xoundstar Smart Wireless Bluetooth Speaker + Nokia #Lumia 635 love - #HolidayGiftGuide #Giveaway

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com and Microsoft.
Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

I'm so excited to begin my Holiday Gift Guide with a super awesome product that everyone can use. This Xoundstar Smart Wireless Bluetooth Speaker is a gadget any techie will love, yet it's easy enough for anyone to connect to & use that anyone with a cell phone could will easily be able to figure out it's functions!

The sound the Xoundstar speaker offers is superb, it's small size doesn't dictate it's ability to make some noise and that's awesome! It's so compact but really packs an impressive musical punch... the perfect solution for a college student with little space or someone who travels a lot and loves music.Whether studying for finals to some classical music or watching netflix on the beach, The Xoundstar Speaker is the perfect way to listen to your media!

I love listening to Pandora via my Nokia Lumia 635 and my Xoundstar speaker while I'm painting and/or blogging, just turning it on an awesome station and letting it play while I get creative is therapeutic. The beats in the music always get me feeling pumped and I never have to worry about my speaker dying because the battery life is ridiculously long, like 10+ hours. If it does happen to run out of battery, I just plug it into a micro USB and we're on again! I love that the speaker has buttons that control what's playing (with a skip, previous, and play/pause button) and the it also has controls to adjust the volume of the music. I love this while painting, I can just reach over and hit the button on the speaker without worry about getting paint on my Nokia Lumia 635 screen or any of that nonsense... it makes playing a DJ in our home so much easier!

The main thing I noticed about the Xoundstar is the clear and crisp audio. I'm pretty impressed by the excellent quality of the speakers, especially at it's price point. So if you're looking for a great gift for someone who loves technology, trends, or music -  I bet they will adore a Xoundstar Wireless Bluetooh speaker! Plus, if you really want to spoil them, I recommend adding a Nokia Lumia 635 to their list of presents as well!

Now that you know why I'm obsessed with my Xoundstar speaker,

I'm excited to announce I get to share the music with one lucky reader!

Will you keep the Xoundstar Speaker for yourself or give it to someone special as a gift?


Enter to win with the giveaway tools form below:

Entry-Form

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above to facilitate my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.This contest will run through November 21st at 11:59 pm EST. Must be 18 years or older to win.  This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or any other company mentioned above. You understand that you are providing your information to Lauren Paints | a beautiful life and not to Facebook, I will not use your information other than to e-mail you a winning notification if you are the chosen winner. Enter using the Giveaway Tools form above. Void Where Prohibited. Please note that Lauren Paints | a beautiful life is not the party held responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes.


Interested in learning more about my Holiday Gift Guide?
Click here!