Fabulous Spotlight!

It is a very rare situation to have a boss that you not only respect in a professional manner, but admire as a person and end up befriending them. The beautiful woman that you see featured above serves as the Career Services Coordinator at Troy University and was my former boss- her name is Lauren Cole. Before I began working as a Career Peer Counselor, I remembered seeing Lauren at various events I attended that Career Services offered, as well as around campus. I saw her on two occasions when she was pregnant, and I must say, she looked AMAZING! She was glowing, appeared to be very healthy, and most importantly happy.

After spending several months with her at work I was able to witness her healthy habits, discuss life, workouts, babies, relationships and careers. During this time I found her to be an extremely warm, caring and beautiful person inside and out.and I realized we had much in common! What I found most fascinating was her passion and commitment to health and fitness while still balancing career, husband and baby. Because I found Lauren so relatable and her fitness routine so realistic and encouraging for women postpartum, I interviewed her for her story on body transition after baby. Read on to find out how she was able to lose the weight following her son's birth and her advice for mom's trying to do the same!

MCBSS: Give me a rundown of how you came to be interested in health and fitness. I believe you told me that you received your degree in Nutrition Science? How did this influence
Lauren: I got my undergraduate degree in Nutrition Science. It was because I originally thought I would go into optometry and thought of this as a way to get into a professional school. I changes my mind about that, but I knew that I was so far into the Science program that I would have to stick with it. I liked the nutrition aspect and decided to stick with it and pursue that Nutrition Science.

MCBSS: Did you workout regularly during your pregnancy?
Lauren: I did. I was a member of a gym and did a lot of group fitness classes, so yeah, up until toward the end I did. But, it's always been a lifestyle choice for me. I've always worked out, maybe not as hard sometimes during college(laughs!) Not as hard, not as often and just because you don't have the extra money to join a gym as much then. But, I like the nutrition component of things that's always been interesting to me so that's kinda helped me, even though I don't always follow my own advice- I cheat on a regular basis...

MCBSS: It's okay! You have to cheat sometimes! I've read that it's easier if you already workout before you're pregnant it's easier to keep up with a routine, but if you decide to wait and say, "I'm pregnant, I'm gonna workout!" You're body might not respond well.
Lauren: Yeah, you do have to check with your doctor if it's something you've never done before because it might be to strenuous. So from my conversations with my doctor they really didn't worry about me continuing do so because my body is already used to it, other than too much weight-bearing.

MCBSS: That's what I was going to ask next, can you still lift during pregnancy?
Lauren: You can, you just don't want to strain so nothing too heavy.

MCBSS: What kind of workouts did you do? I know you mentioned the group classes, but was it cardio, yoga, did you do any barre classes?
Lauren: So the gym I was a member of at the time, we did spin classes, Turbo Kick, you can find it online, it's like a combination of cardio with Taebo, which I'm actually certified to teach! I also did typical lightweight lifts, machines and running on the treadmill.

MCBSS: How, if at all did your workout change during your pregnancy, if at all?
Lauren: It really didn't change much, other than intensity especially during the first few months when you are just drained and you just don't have energy.

MCBSS: Were you really tired during the first trimester?
Lauren: I was, and I was a little sick, but not too badly. The most important thing is to listen to your body, even if you're not pregnant and you start feeling aches and pains you kinda have to lay off what you're doing.

MCBSS: Only if you are comfortable answering, how much weight did you gain during your pregnancy?
Lauren: Oh, I don't mind! I gained about 50 pounds during my pregnancy. But, it's like you said before that weight gain isn't all fat. But, I definitely gained weight! I mean, I got bigger than I thought I would.

At this point during the interview another one of our co-workers joined us in the room.

MCBSS: Did you see her when she was pregnant?
Emily: I did and she was all baby, it was like a basketball in her stomach.
Lauren: Towards the end?! Nah-ah ya'll, I got big!

Eyerolls

Lauren: But, the recommended weight gain is like 25-30 pounds, but that's not always realistic depending on your weight before your pregnancy.

MCBSS: It's not because the wight gain includes not just body fat, but increased blood flow, the baby and other things your body needs so the baby can be healthy.

Lauren: Yep!

MCBSS: What did your diet consist of when you were pregnant?

Lauren: I"ve always kind of eaten a normal diet- let me rephrase that, I eat cheeseburgers, chicken fingers, pizza. We had pizza last night! So, on the weekends I pretty much eat what I want, but if you're trying to lose weight then you should scale back by eating pretty much lean proteins- none of the things I just mentioned!(Laughs) But, during my pregnancy I would pretty much not worry about having a salad if I didn't want to. if I have another baby I wouldn't do that because it just makes you feel worst, I mean I'll pretty much still eat what I'd like, but just in moderation. Now, I use lunch as my one meal to have whatever I want.

MCBSS: Do you feel like your appetite increased during your pregnancy? Because I've definitely heard that it does.

Lauren: You really do have cravings, my big one was Gatorade.

MCBSS: That's not a bad craving at all! 

Emily: I know right!

Lauren: But, you only need an extra 300- 400 calories a day. If you go overboard and add thousands of extra calories per day that's when you really start packing on the lbs.

MCBSS: I know you mentioned earlier that your energy level and how you were feeling during your first trimester kind of prevented you from working out, did that get better later on?

Lauren: It did. Since it's still always been apart of my life I would try to go every week day, but it kinda slacked off a little bit because the bigger you get the less effective you feel like your workouts are. But, I still liked getting in there and getting some cardio in so I would go three days a week instead of five. 

MCBSS: How long after delivering the baby did you wait to work out?

Lauren: I waited about 6 months because I had some complications, so I had to wait. But, most people are back within 3-4 months. Some people who have had a lot of babies so even get back to it within a month!

MCBSS: Was it hard for you to get back in the groove after not working out for so long?

Lauren: Yeahhh, just because at that point I was way out of shape from 6 months not going after having the baby and then the few months before the baby is born that you feel so big that a workout isn't even effective- it was hard. It was hard work, it's discouraging because you feel like I'm way more out of shape than I've been. But, I saw results pretty soon like the first month.

MCBSS: I've heard that breast-feeding helps also.

Lauren: Well I wasn't able to produce as much so that didn't really help me, but I did see even better results in 2-3 months and I had completely lost all of the weight in 6 months.

MCBSS: That's not bad at all! So this question is meant to focus on the positive, how has your body changed and what do you love most about it?

Lauren: I think I'm in better shape, I just really like the muscle content that I have and I think my percentage of body fat is a lot lower than it used to be. So, I'm really happy about that. It's hard work and it definitely takes dedication. I get to the gym at 5:30 in the morning and sometimes I go on my lunch break, but nutrition is the most important thing and a whole different aspect. 

MCBSS: It's funny you say that about your body fat percentage being lower because recently I was watching movie with my dad that Paula Patton was starring in and I said, "She made this movie after she had her son." Then he asked how I knew and I said in roles previously she was thinner and didn't really have any muscle mass, especially in her hip area. But, of course she looks great either way, but it definitely is a difference.

Lauren: Because you do get a little thickness going on!(Laughs)

MCBSS: Do you have any advice for women who have never worked out, or may not be able to get to the gym as often?

Lauren: Don't get discouraged! Some women who may not able to physically workout and they don't have a regimen, nutrition is the key. If you can get someone to help you come up with a meal plan and limit the amount of sugar you're taking in, cut out the sodas if you can and drink water. People see big results just from eating right, because you can exercise all you want, but that can be sabotaged by eating the wrong things.

If there are any moms out there that have any health and fitness tips that they would like to share please contact me at moneycantbuystyleorsense@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you ladies!

Be BEAUTIFUL. Be FABULOUS. Be INSPIRED.

A Supermodel In Her Most Beautiful Form

This morning as I got ready to workout I got on the Internet and realized it was Cindy Crawford who was breaking it. Seeing photos of this beautiful woman should come as no surprise because she is after all known as one of the original supermodels, but this photo was different...it was an unaltered photo of the supermodel! First let me say that I believe that this woman and all women are gorgeous in all forms and should be celebrated in their natural state. It is still not clear who actually released the photo or why, but it is more important that it was released to let women know that even the most well-recognized women still have flaws just as we all do.

So to keep it simple and sweet I say to Cindy and all women(in my Martin Payne voice)...YOU GO GIRL!

Breaking up is Hard to do…What I Learned from the Demise of my four-year relationship

Breaking up is something that is pretty much inevitable. It’s something that we all have, or unfortunately will encounter at some point in our lives. I have gone through six breakups in my entire life. So when it was time to end my four-year long relationship with my boyfriend this past January I should have been an expert in what to do and how to deal right?...Wrong. You see one thing I’ve learned is that each breakup, much like every relationship, is different. The purpose of me writing this blog is not to bash my ex; my blog is about uplifting women of all ages and backgrounds. In my journey to uplift I will often times use my own experiences in the hopes of helping someone else no matter how hurtful or embarrassing those experiences may be…and honey it can’t get more hurtful, embarrassing or real than what I am about to describe to you.

My ex and I dated for four years. We met my very first semester of college and his very last semester of college, this of course made for an interesting start to our relationship. He was preparing to enter the “real world” and I was just exiting freshman orientation. We encountered some hiccups before we finally got serious with each other nine months later, but we cared about each other enough to make it work. During the span of our relationship we managed long distance, him in Texas, me at school in Troy and there was also a period of time where I was in Orlando for an internship with Disney. But, somehow we managed to come out swinging and survive it all. If you’ve ever been in love and thought you were with “the one”, this is what I thought my relationship was with my ex. We had discussions of what parts of the country our careers would lead us, the number of children we wanted, the wedding, vacations etc. I had never before felt so comfortable in my own skin with another person and I couldn’t see my future without him in it…again, I was dead WRONG.

Fast forward to January 2014…My boyfriend was still at work and would not be home until midnight. I had traveled to stay with him for the weekend and got to the apartment before he was off. I had plans to wash my hair that night, so I went looking for towels. My boyfriend had clear bins that held his items instead of a dresser so it didn’t make it hard to find what I was looking for. I spotted one towel, but needed another to dry my hair. I lifted up the bin in order to get to the other towel I had spotted, but when I lifted up the top bin I saw several different greeting cards. I picked the cards up and realized they were all from the same girl. All of the cards were sent by this girl over a four-month period expressing her love for MY boyfriend. Now, I had been at his apartment manyyyy times by myself and never felt the need to snoop, finding the cards threw that notion out of the window. I began searching the apartment more and came across a bra…I had found all I needed. Four years of love, intimacy, hard-work, companionship, time spent with families, planning and most importantly trust, was thrown completely out of the window within a matter of minutes.

What followed was an episode of denials and lies. Over the next few weeks I went back and forth with whether or not to spend the forever I had planned with him, or trust that God had better for me and walk away, I eventually chose the last option. However, coming to this decision was not easy. I prayed A LOT and relied on the guidance and support of my family, close friends and I even had a session with my therapist in the process of making my decision.

I’m sharing this with you because in the process of my hurt and pain I have learned sooooo much and if my story can reach and help even one person then I have no problem sharing with you all. Here is a list of everything I learned through the demise of our relationship:

1.       The first time you feel the need to walk away, WALK AWAY!

A former girlfriend of mine once told me that the first time you feel the need to walk away, walk away because you have that feeling for a reason. There were several occasions and disagreements that were had during the course of our relationship that showed me who I was dealing with, but I chose to ignore it foolishly.

2.       The way a person treats you is NOT a reflection on you…

What is a reflection of you is once you know better, you choose not to do better.

3.       Selfish people cannot prosper in a relationship with another person.

If you’re dealing with a selfish person just hang in the towel now because you can’t be selfish in any relationship let alone a dating relationship and attempting to prepare for marriage.

4.       Figure out what someone is capable AND willing to give you and take it from there.

I realized very quickly that my boyfriend wasn’t willing or able to give me the whole truth because he lacked integrity... Couples have survived infidelity, but not lack of integrity.

5.       Listen to what your loved ones have to say about your significant other.

In the words of my best friend-“Everybody and they mama don’t lie!” Sometimes you’re too invested and close to the situation to pick up on the warning signs, but when several people have said the SAME things it’s time to open your eyes and guard your heart.

6.       Keep and nurture your relationship with God so you can know what love is and what it isn’t.

This is an area I definitely slacked off in. Had I been more into my word I would have recognized  that our relationship, although some parts, not all were representative of what love is meant to be, 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8.

7.       Trust that God knows the desires of your heart and has plans to prosper you and not to harm you.

In the process of making my decision I felt that I had two choices: I could continue with the relationship and everything we had planned to be happy temporarily, or I could be uncomfortable and sad for a little while and be truly happy for the rest of my life with what God really has for me. The reason I chose the second option is because once you realize that someone has no desire to change, you have to make the decision to change and move forward.

8.       NEVER settle for less and ALWAYS rise above!

One of my favorite high school teachers told me this and it has stuck with me. Figure out what you want and handle the situation with dignity and class.

9.       You’re STRONGER and more FABULOUS than you ever realized!

This one is pretty self-explanatory and describes ALL women who have dealt with adversity at some point.

 

I sincerely hope that by me sharing this it has helped someone with a similar situation or just to encourage you to know you’re worth. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions at moneycantbuystyleorsense@gmail.com. In the following posts I’ll be writing more about how I was able to get over my breakup and re-enter the dating scene.

 

Be BEAUTIFUL. Be FABULOUS. Be INSPIRED.

 

 

Let Them Have Books!

 

So as I mentioned in a previous post I absolutely LOVE to read and I'm sure some of you share this as an interest with me as well so I'd like to start writing posts about books that I'm currently reading or have read already. With this post I want to feature a book by one of my favorite authors, Mary Kay Andrews.

 

Her books are H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S! Her stories are based in Southern states(which is probably one of the many reasons I enjoy reading them) and about women who find themselves in less than fortunate situations, but instead of whining about it they rescue themselves and on their journeys they usually encounter a love interest along the way. Considering we're now in the spring season I thought it was fitting to feature Spring Fever.

 

 



 

This story explores the relationship of Annajane Hudgens and her ex-husband Mason Bayless. Annajane is engaged and ready to leave behind she and Mason's history. But, although Annajane thinks she's COMPLETELY over Mason, an unfortunate event that occurs right before his wedding to another woman causes her to question all the feelings she thought were stored away since their divorce.

 

Be BEAUTIFUL. Be FABULOUS. Be INSPIRED.





Product Junkie Review

 

Ladies, if you're on the lookout for a great leave-in conditioner then your should definitely give this a try! Not only does it moisturize, but it also serves as a heat-protector. This conditioner can be a little expensive with prices ranging from $10-$12 in store. Normally I would purchase this product from Walmart, but I haven't been able to find it lately except on Amazon.com for $5-$24.

 

 

Be BEAUTIFUL. Be FABULOUS. Be INSPIRED. 

Sometimes a girl just needs some short shorts!... But, not too short. Also, ladies remember there's a time and place for everything, especially shorter and more fitted apparel.

Top-$7(Old Navy)
Shorts-$14(Walmart)
Sandals-$6, Price after discount(Charlotte Russe)
Hoop earrings-$6(H&M)

Be BEAUTIFUL. Be FABULOUS. Be INSPIRED. 



 

 

 

Blouse-$15(Walmart)

Pants-$19.50(Wetseal)

Shoes-$10(Wetseal)

Watch-$20(Walmart)

 

Be BEAUTIFUL. Be FABULOUS. Be INSPIRED.