Its Been a While..

Hello all my lovely readers!

First, let me apologize. It has been quite sometime since my last post. Things have gotten a bit out of hand on my end, sorry for that. My promise isn't that I won't take a long time to post, but it is a promise to always keep you informed.

So where have I been?

School, work, excitement and life, really. I wish I could say I've traveled the globe, met a wonderful prince who swept me off my feet and we are about to jet set to a deserted island far far away. Truth is, life has become hectic.

For those of you who don't know, I have started a new adventure. Its outside my comfort zone, encourages new challenges and most of all... the most fun I've had letting my creative juices flow. What is it?

YOUTUBE! 

Yes, thats right. I've started my very first youtube channel that I'm beyond excited for! I'm quite possibly the most quirky, shy and spontaneous person out there, so needless to say, my channel is the same.

Whats it about?

All things! I intend to design a channel that is completely outside the norm! Most people [most] have their overall favourite channels they constantly check out, or subscribe to. I'm the same way.  I consider myself a lover of all things. I can change the breaks on your car, catch a sturgeon and cook you a delicious vegetarian meal while telling you my favourite unique sites to shop. So why make my youtube channel anything less than that?

I love inspiring others, whatever that passion may be. I want to be your coach to guide you through it!

I'm incredibly excited for this new journey. I owe my inspiration to my many instagram followers. [I've hit 10k - THANK YOU].

I've also been approached by a few companies to promote their products! Once I've tried them and if they pass my test - I'll do some giveaways!!

Words cannot begin to describe the crazy year it has been. I want to thank all of you, my readers, my subscribers and my followers for coming along on my journey.


Things are only going to get better, become more fun, and exciting. - But I am exhausted.


- Stay tuned for new things-

-KM

instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/healthybalancedinspired/

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3dpIfvmFrF1W8N8Paeh2w

please follow and subscribe <3

Life Lessons of 2015

Hello Everyone!

Whew what a year 2015 was! I apologize for taking a break on blogging, I had a very crazy year. Lots of trips, working, and meetings. On top of that I had the unfortunate loss of my best friend, which ended up setting everything back for me, and forcing me to take some time off and to focus on myself, getting through a difficult time and looking to spend more time with the ones I love, which meant, staying away from social media of all kinds.

However, I'M BACK! With new, fun content, and whats most exciting? I've taken on a new project....
VLOGGING! My goal is to create relatively short videos on fashion, reviews, beauty, travels and anything else you may find interesting. I want to design a site based around viewers and what they want to see rather than what I think you would like to see. I'm a bit nervous to step away from the keyboard and stand, or sit in front of the camera. But life is all about challenging yourself, and exposing yourself to new experiences. If you are interested in seeing my first few posts head on over and give it a go!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3dpIfvmFrF1W8N8Paeh2w/videos

Enough about me, lets get to my Life Lessons of 2015!

Have confidence and love yourself. These two go hand in hand and will help you with with anything you do. Have confidence, when meeting new people, working on new or even old projects, talking to someone your passionate about. Have confidence and love yourself when people see that, they become inspired and they will feed of of that. If you can find that one particular thing you are good at or most proud of, shine. You'll have more love for yourself and it will become the stepping stone for building confidence in other areas.


Don't listen to what other people say - I am a huge hypocrite when it comes to this. I tend to listen to what others say about me, and it has a tendency to wear on me. However, if there is one thing I have learned this past year, it is the less you listen, the less you care and the more focus you have on you and what matters most to you. There will always be someone who has something to say, or someone who has an opinion on everything. Don't let it consume you. What I have learned recently, if they are going to talk about you, they are going to talk about everyone. Chances are they are so unhappy in their own life that they feel the only way to succeed or feel good about themselves is to criticize others, and thats not right nor is it fair. Just carry on with your life, don't let it bother you and you will be the one to come out on top. Which brings me to my next point

Focus on You. Theres nothing more important than focusing on you, and your needs what you want out of life. Life is more enjoyable when you have set aside some time for yourself.

• pick up a hobby, join a club, go hiking. Do something that inspires you. Inspire others. 

Accomplish something - Anything! Theres so much to do and such a small frame of time to do it. Don’t let anything hold you back from what makes you truly happy. We all have that ability within us that we want to accomplish. Just do it. and again don’t let what other people think distract you from getting to that goal. By accomplishing something you create an overall, happier, more positive outlook on life, and essentially, a more happier you.

Most importantly,
Focus on what you have and not on what you don’t have - I am the biggest hypocrite with this. I tell everyone around me to focus on what they have and not what they don’t have and yet I don’t live by this. In September, I lost my best friend and I focused so much on the fact that he is no longer here and didn’t think about the moments we had shared. It wasn’t until later with the help of those around me, I had come to the realization that I have moments, memories, and experiences that will always be with me, and I have the ability to share those with other people and include them on the fun experiences.

This can also be said for material items. We spend so much of our time trying to find the perfect house, car or item that we don't ask ourself if its what we need. If we spent more time looking at the things we need and less at the things we want you'll realize what you want is right in front of you. Of course we will always want more, its the nature of things. Instead of always looking for the want in life, look for the need so you can achieve the wants more easily and it becomes more of a reward than an everyday goal. You’ll get a lot further in life and find more success when you focus on what you have and not what you don’t have.


Finally, this could even be said as a sixth point, enjoy every moment of your life. That includes both the good and the bad, in the end its all a stepping stone to the next stage of your life. Learn from what happens. The bad is just preparing you for something great and prepares you for tough times.

Happy 2016 Everyone, Do something great! 

☮

Gett your workout on during a busy day

Gett your workout on during a busy day! Yes I put two t's in there!

Face it, we live in a busy time. Everyone is constantly on the go. We all tend to feel that work, the meetings and errands never end. On top of that we have these long lists of "To Do's" that we feel we will never get accomplished. Although, I feel that an early morning workout is always ideal, I can relate to those busy days where that extra five minutes of sleep takes precedence.
With that said, there are many things that can be done throughout the day that can be just as beneficial as a one hour workout in the morning.

Lower Body:

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Take the Stairs -Everyone talks about it, few do it. I'm telling you folks, this makes such a big difference, especially when we rely on driving to our destinations. Stairs work your quads, hamstrings calves and flutes!

Walk everywhere -  Walking is crucial for blood circulation and burning those extra calories. A small walk around the home, workplace or to the store help keep you active throughout the day.

Squats and Lunges -  Do them whenever you can.  Jumping jacks and burpees are great too, however if you cannot afford to get a bit sweaty lunges and squats are a great alternative. If you work at a desk, take a breather and do 20 squats.

Lateral Leg lifts -  This can be done at a desk, or can be done when your in between activities (waiting for dinner to cook, brushing your hair or teeth etc.). This will help shape your legs and booty.. and we are all about the booty!

Take standing breaks - Believe it or not standing helps burn calories. Its a slow process but it is one that I enjoy when I have a busy day and can't get a full workout in. Stand when you're answering calls, or stand while your studying. (A friend of mine conducted a  study that showed those with ADHD performed better when they focused on the task while standing versus while they sat).

Wall sits - Take 30 seconds every free moment you get and sit against a wall so your legs are parallel to the floor. I personally hate these but only because I can feel the burn so quickly. 

Upper Body:

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Tricep dips -  I think this might be one of my absolute favourites. Anywhere there is a table or a ledge, do at least 20 tricep dips. These can also be done with chairs, and virtually anywhere. I tend to do these at work, when I get a free moment away from the chaos. 

Pushups -   Along with tricep dips, do pushups. You don't always have to be on the ground for these. Its the same workout, but standing up. It is essentially the same workout as the tricep dips, just turned the opposite way.

Sit ups and Planks and Bike crunches -  Do some sit-ups before bed. If you do not have a lot of time, don't fret, just do a hundred ( The number may seem intimidating, but its not a lot, trust me).

Boxing punches -   If you have been following my instagram, snapchat and other social media, you should know how much I love kickboxing. Its a great stress reliever and workout at the same time. Frustrating day? Take a break and just do some squat punches. 

OTHER:

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Drink Water - This will make a huge difference on a busy day. Instead of choosing a carbonated sugary drink choose water. Water serves many purposes and is a fundamental aspect to our daily diet. 


Schedule a 20 minute home workout like a business meeting -  20 minutes.  If this is possible I highly suggest it, even just to get the blood flowing a little bit before/after school or work. 20 minutes may seem like a big chunk of your day but when you think about it, if you spend 20 minutes throughout the day watching tv on your down time why not incorporate a workout while you watch? 


Pick a few a day to do when you can.  If you know you have nothing to do on an hour break go for a quick walk around the block. Your body will thank you and you'll notice results.

Traveling on a Budget

This goes without saying, but budget, budget BUDGET!

Find out how much you can spend
 In my last post I talked briefly about budgeting. Realistically, you should always have a budget. By doing so you won't live pay check to pay check. You can plan for emergencies, a night out and of course vacations. I would classify the above as the pre- budget, the kind of budget you must put into action to allow for your travel budget to take place.

Make a List
First things first on your list - is a list
Make a list of where you want to travel to. Put into focus these key aspects.

- What you want to do

- Where you want to stay

- What you are going to eat

- When you want to go

- How much you can afford

All these things are crucial in planning and budgeting your trip. After all when you think about it, you can't go away without planning!

What do you want to do?
While on your trip, there are tons of fun things to do. You can do the typical tourist activities, without doing the typical tourist thing. What does that mean exactly? You don't need a travel guide. Go online, ask around, or look in books. There are many ways to experience what you want to see without seeing a travel guide. I will admit that there is the odd time a travel guide will be your best option, however in most situations that is not the case.
In my experience, a tour guide will give you facts while your a visiting sights. Unless you want to know about every specific detail about where you are visiting - its not worth it. You are very limited when on a tour as well. You don't choose where you go - they do. By visiting on your own or in a group of friends/family. You get to experience all aspects of what Y O U would like to see. The moral of it all is find what you want to see and do and do it with who you want to do it with.

Pack/buy/bring meals/food
Pack fruits and veggies or sandwiches. In my experience food doesn't always last as long when it is fresh. So don't go out of your way to purchase large quantities.
Find grocery stores that have memberships and sign up for those. You will be surprised at the great deals you can find on fresh produce. My personal favourite is Save On. Their fresh sandwiches are on the relatively cheap side, and you also get points when you spend. Those points go toward more savings.


Find cheap flights
Some of my favourite cheap flight websites such are

Flight Network
Priceline
WestJet ( You get points which go toward your next flight)
Apps that work great for finding cheap flights such as Hopper


Traveling Where You know someone
Travel to places were an old friend, or even new friend lives. Perhaps its time you see that person you haven't seen in a while. In most cases, you will have a place to stay

Find Times to travel that are not peak times
Don't travel at high peak times when everyone else is too. Find times that work best for your budget. You can still do all the things you want to do, just at a different time of year. Hopper is a great app for that as it informs you of when the best times to travel are!

Cheap hotels / b&b / Hostels
Go online and find sites that will help you with finding a hotel at a reasonable cost - and CLEAN! ( Again Priceline and Flight Network are great sites for hotels too)
B&B's and Hostels are my absolute favourite... especially hostels. Great way to meet new people and experience a side of traveling you wouldn't have imagined.


***Disclaimer; I am in no way paid or sponsored by the sites above. These are based on personal experiences that I like to share with those who wish to listen.***

Make it Work!

Traveling can be difficult. It brings on stresses, unexpected expenses, and at times can be time consuming. You sometimes find yourself asking if it is even worth it. 

It is

When you travel your stresses don't seem as big. I don't mean forget about them move on, if you do that your stress will become bigger. What I am referring to, is traveling is a stress reliever. It allows you to focus on something you usually wouldn't. This world has much to offer in beauty. Don't deprive yourself of what is out there. Here are some tips on how to make it happen.

- Look at your schedule. This is the most important tip. If you have any time free, a day, a week, a month. Whatever allows. Take that time to travel some place you've never been.

- Save Your money. You don't need thousands of dollars to travel. Save what you can afford. Don't go over what your budget allows.

- Budget. Instead of going out to eat while away, buy groceries, bring groceries, do what you can to plan meals before you find yourself spending more than needed.

- You don't need souvenirs. Yes, Souvenirs are fun, exciting, and can serve as a reminder or a memory of the fun you had while away. Instead of purchasing a souvenir MAKE a souvenir. Let your memories, stories, and photos be your memories. You can always take the photos you took and turn it into a unique souvenir ( photo albums, scrap books [ great time to reflect, de-stress, and of course serve as a hobby]).

Stay Tuned For more fun posts to come!

Hello Readers!

It has been a while since my last post. I had taken a much needed vacation and now, I am back and ready to give you new content! I have thought long and hard about where I want my blog to go and the topics I would like to cover, so with that said, I want to add traveling to my blog.


Thats right - traveling!

I am excited to starting writing topics on traveling! If you have been following my instagram or twitter, you will already know how much I love to travel ( even if it is just a short trip for the weekend).

Stay tuned for my next post where I let you know how to travel on a budget, sites to shop at for the best travel prices and places to travel for cheap!

-xo

Detox Time!

It has been a while since I've shared a post with my readers. Life has been a bit on the hectic side with lots of exciting experiences and adventures coming. I want to continue to inspire my readers and motivate my readers in all aspects of life. 

A beautiful full circle rainbow around the sun while at the lake

But I will be honest here, the past month or so has been filled with crappy food, little to no exercising and I can thank pneumonia for that. I am only now starting to feel better after a month of struggling to get out of bed, wanting to eat healthy food ( but could only stomach unhealthy food), and enjoy the warmer months! With all that being said, my body is feeling a bit neglected and let down. 

First "meal" since getting sick

Its time to detox!

There are detoxes you can buy, juice cleanses and so on. I am looking towards a lifestyle detox instead. As I stated, the past month I couldn't do much so at this point a lifestyle detox is much needed. I have a very active lifestyle, I workout about 4-5 days a week, sometimes 6 if I can squeeze it into my very busy lifestyle. 

So what am I up to?

- Little to no alcohol

- Little to no refined sugars

- Vegetarian / vegan meals

- Raw foods

- Increase in fruits and vegetables

- Increased workout intensity

- Lots of sleep (when possible)

These things already fit my lifestyle for the most part, if anything its going to be more controlled, with less fries (unless they are zucchini fries... I'll post the recipe after). I will also be jotting down my exercises, and daily food intake to track my progress and help keep me on track! 

Now here is my new workout plan that I intend to use in the short term. 


Day 1: Arms and Abs - Day 2: Legs - Day 3: Off or Cardio - Day 4: Back & Abs - Day 5: Cardio - Day 6: Legs - Day 7: Chest, Shoulders & Abs - Day 8: Off 
For Cardio I am mostly using the elliptical ( it is the one machine I am in love with at the moment), however I like to switch things up, between the elliptical - treadmill - and stationary bike. I am also looking into joining yoga classes, start up kickboxing again, and now that summer is here and the weather is nicer, tennis lessons.

Every morning when I wake up, I'm going to motivate myself to do a quick non strenuous workout as well to boost my energy and get the day started. 

20 Jumping Jacks
10 Crunches
5 Push ups
10 Calf raises
25 Russian twists
10 Squats
20 high knees
10 reverse crunches
30 sec plank (maybe up it to a minute once I've gotten comfortable at 30)
15 sec side plank

If you sit down and just take some time to work on new goals, you will find yourself motivated and ready to kick some butt.

As Summer has started, I am slightly adjusting my diet, trying to make the healthiest choices possible. I am ready to give my metabolism a boost, never skip a workout (even if I can't hit the gym, there are home workouts that can be done!). I can even pull out my rollerblades and check out the scenery! So, really there is no excuse for me to be lazy with all the activities and planning around me.

I hope my readers feel motivated, especially if you are like me and  had a set back due to sickness, never give up and keep going after what you want!

- XO