Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Pay Yourself!

In my process to get healthier, I look not only at what I eat or how I workout, but also at other aspects of my life. It's important to have a healthy body, but with that, you really also need a healthy mind, and a healthy bank account sure doesn't hurt, either.

I am a huge fan of Alexa Von Tobel, author of the book Financially Fearless and the founder and CEO of the financial planning site, LearnVest. She has a weekly show on Sirius that helps people plan for their future by getting them in shape financially. I listen, a lot. Spending has always been an impulse reaction for me. The money always comes. But as I get older I realize that I get to choose how I want to handle that money. I invest it in amazing companies and craftsmen by buying their products and using their services, but I also want to start investing it in my life down the road.

The seed had been planted for a long time coming, but for me, actually doing big time saving hadn't happened.

And then, while listening to the morning show, Wake Up with Taylor, I heard an interview with Priya Milani co-founder of the company Stash Wealth. While the company is geared towards twenty- and thirty-something H.E.N.R.Y.s (High Earners Not Rich Yet), much of the advice certainly applies to late bloomers like me.

The take away from all that I've heard from both Stash and Von Tobel is to pay yourself first. Instead of paying the bills, allotting for groceries, gas, and then putting money into savings, you instead first put into savings and then live off the rest of that money. (Also, don't use credit cards unless you can (and do) pay them off at the end of the month.)

I did it! Yay me!

Today, I made the leap to open a savings account that was on the top of the Stash list of banks. It has the highest APY I could find. Ally and CapitolOne360 were the two favorites because they have really good APYs (in large part because they are online banks and don't need to pay brick and mortar fees).  I was nervous and excited as I named my account it's wish list name, and transferred a large sum of money into it. I am still just paying myself, right? It's my money, being invested in my future, into a savings plan that I can access at any time. But it felt big. Scary even. And then I thought about what that savings plan was being created for, and let out a huge sigh of relief. I did it. I invested in me.

Monday, May 29, 2017

Getting It Back (and Loving It)!

Since my last post, I have been committed to working out. I haven't been going daily, but have gotten into a habit of going three times per week. Truth be told, I'm a sucker for leg days, so they are always in the rotation. Leg days are great in that they quickly show progress, and most of the exercises are based on things we do all day long (sit, climb stairs). Plus, working big muscle groups grows those bigger muscles, and muscle burns fat. So getting my quads and butt working help me burn calories all day long... even while I sleep.

You've got 'em, work 'em!

On the flip side, cardio is not my thang. I like cardio, but I don't get excited for it. I don't crave the hill climb or the elliptical, until I'm about 7 minutes into my workout. I actually used to talk myself into (or out of, depending on the day) cardio, but now I just decide to do it. I tell myself what I am doing and then commit to it. As a former trainer, I know that people are willing to pay a lot of money to have someone whip their butt into shape. So if I do it myself, I get the payday {wink}, right?

However, all this is sort of a moot point if I'm rolling up to the McDonald's drive-thru though. The quality of what we put into our bodies has a huge effect on the quality of the return. This is evident by looking at people on the treadmills at the gym. Some people work so hard but their hard work doesn't seem to show. Are you one of those people?

There are answers out there. Answers to why you aren't seeing the results you desire. Answers to why all those hours at the gym aren't amounting to killer abs. Maybe it's not about what you're eating, but if it is, that's a pretty easy fix.

When I made the choice to hop aboard a nutrition program that I watched my friend do, successfully, for two years, I was excited but nervous. I had hopes and expectations, but no idea about how I would feel once I got started. I learned that having a plan in place takes away the guess work and makes life easier. I learned that I was in control of what I ate, and I was in control of my health. It was freeing and empowering.

I am excited when I wake up every morning. I no longer dread getting dressed and looking in the mirror. I am happy. I have hope. And I want you to feel that way too. Everyone deserves to feel amazing and proud of themselves. If you aren't there yet, but you're ready to take control of your life, I can help you. I'd love to talk to you about all the possibilities that lie ahead for you!