Well hello there lovelies!!! :) I am THRILLED to be blog swapping with the lovely Miss Monica today!! When you're done here, she's over at my place sharing some fanciness!

We would love if you popped over to say hey!! Until then... My name is Kassi and I blog over at Truly Lovely! A blog about all things my sister and I consider to be lovely!

I have been on a quest lately to fancy up my boring old office cubicle!! So far I've fancied up a potted plant and a few picture frames. Before I share the third frame I fancied up, I'd like to share my recent discovery with you.

Maybe I'm the last one to know, but if not, you've gotta check out this cool website called Wordle. It lets you enter either a paragraph of text, a website/blog/any other url and then makes a word cloud from the most used words within what you provided.

For example, I made a wordle using the Truly Lovely blog URL.

 COOL, right? The site chooses the most used words and creates your word cloud. From there you can customize the colors, shape, and even remove words to make it your own. Then you can print or share it as you please. :) Next, a Wordle made from my wedding blog, My Road to Mrs.

You could frame a custom word cloud to be used as wall art, as a gift, or even to label random items! I made a Wordle from my work website and framed it in the pink frame I talked about here, to display in my office!

I think I might frame my blog wordles as wall decoration for my craft room now! :) The ideas are endless!!! *Wordle does not know who I am or care I'm sure... This is just a fun idea I found and wanted to share with others. :) So... Wordle away friends!!! I would love to hear about what you create!!! I hope you'll pop over to Truly Lovely and say hello sometime! Thanks again to Monica for having me over! :) AND for being this week's Bloggie Bestie at Truly Lovely! Have a lovely day!

Becoming a Runner Girl

Hi guys…erm…gals! I’m Brooke from Smart + Strong = Sexy. I didn’t start out as a fitness blogger, but have slowly evolved into that over time. My blog originated as a place to document my wedding plans. A few months after I got married, I got sick of people telling me how much weight I was going to gain now that I was married, so a friend of mine and I started taking advantage of the exercise classes our work place offers.

One afternoon she stumbled upon the Couch to 5K program and worked up the genius plan in her mind. We’d start the program and run the inaugural “5K in May” being hosted by a charity in our hometown.

Two years ago, she and I struggled with week 1’s “run 60 seconds, walk 60 seconds, run 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds” Today I’m not only an avid runner, but also a triathlete and marathoner. This January I ran 26.2 miles to complete the Disney Marathon.

That’s me after pausing for a photo op 10 miles into the race – yes, I really was that happy!

I’m not here to brag on myself, but to say you can do it too!

Maybe you don’t want to run a marathon, and that’s fine. But please give running a chance. You might fall in love and join me in the less than 0.1% of the population who’ll call themselves marathoners.

Or maybe you’ll be like my running buddy who has never ran more than a 8k, but that distance provides her with all she needs to maintain a healthy weight and challenge herself to improve her speed.

Still yet you could be like our mutual friend who was inspired to start running because of us…but quit because she didn’t enjoy it. We’re still her friend even though she has bad taste in workouts.

Just kidding…but seriously.

You may hate running, but I’m urging you to please give it a try. Running does far more for me mentally than it does physically. Its empowered me to know that I can do whatever I put my mind to. I’ve shut up critics who’ve doubted my ability to jump from a 5k (3.1 miles) to a half marathon (13.1 miles) in six months.

Running helps me shift my focus from what my body looks like, to what its capable of achieving.

All you need is the Couch to 5K (or similar walk/run plan), a pair of tennies, and a place to train, and a 5K race signup sheet. I’d not recommend sinking a lot of money into shoes before you know how well you’ll stick with it.

As you continue in the sport wicking fabrics, an Ipod, an SPI belt, and some sort of long-run hydration system are handy to have. But for now, put on some sweats, lace up those shoes collecting dust, and hit the road.

You won’t regret it.

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I am so not a runner, and this post makes me consider trying it again. A smidge. I hope all my guest bloggers inspired you to make your lives a bit healthier and beautiful leading to a world with more birthdays, more laughter and more happiness. This is the final guest blogger entry, and I’d like to thank all of my guest bloggers for doing such a great job motivating, inspiring and educating us. Have you ever tried running? Would you ever try running? Let Brooke know in the comments! I’ll be picking winners for the guest blogger comments on Sunday! Leave comments on any/all of these blog posts for chances to win.

Hi everyone! This is Fit Bee/Colleen from www.thefitbee.com

When it comes to working out we can all come up with millions of excuses of why we cannot. One of the most prevalent I hear is “I have no time”. Of course in this day and age no one has extra time. But really exercise is an investment in you. There is no greater gift you can give your body than some exercise, it boosts endorphins, makes you feel great, and improves your health. Making even just 20 minutes a day for you to have some me time and get in some activity should be doable.

One great way to get exercise in a fun challenging way is workout videos. I love these because they can be done at home on your own time in your own way. If you have accesses to On Demand they have exercise TV. On exercise TV there are hundreds of free workout videos available for your viewing pleasure. This is a great way to test out some styles and find out which one you enjoy before going out to buy one. Also many videos can be previewed online before you buy them.

My advice, keep trying different videos until you find a few you like. There are tons of great videos out there and every trainer does things a little differently. This gives you an advantage of seeing different styles. I also like to rotate my favorites to keep my body guessing and working.

I enjoy the videos that combine cardio and lifting weights. For me it is the best of both worlds wrapped into 1 intense workout. I really feel they give you the most ‘bang for your buck’. The 30 Day Shred is a great workout that does just that.

Lately I have been using a kettlebell. I love the kettlebell because it is more dynamic and incorporates strength training with cardio. The kettlebell really works your core building it to be stronger. Jillian Michaels came out with Shred It With Weights and I fell in love with this workout.

If you have a child at home, then a home workout can help you greatly you can exercise while they nap, play in another room, or early in the am or after they have gone to bed at night. Workout DVDs give you the freedom to do this. If you work odd hours, cannot afford a gym membership, really if you just prefer to be home then try a workout DVD today!

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Thanks Colleen! Colleen is a huge source of inspiration for me. She’s lost a lot of weight, seriously, check out her AMAZING weight loss on her website. Her journey has made me realize that I can do it, too. And it should make YOU realize you can do anything you set your heart to. How do you find time to exercise or be healthy? Leave a comment for an entry to win some earrings! Now I’m off to exercise before the Lady Gaga concert…gotta make time for it!

Hi all! Thanks Monica for letting me share your virtual space through this guest post. You can find me at www.laceywilson15.blogspot.com. I'm a full-time public relations professional and I enjoy all things crafty, thrifty and pink.

xoxo,

Lacey Wilson

@laceywilson15

I love to change things up when it comes to home décor. I have to admit it’s a bit addictive. The only problem is, if you change your décor as often as you change your shoes, the price to decorate your space can equal the cost of a few Manolos.

Being a bit budget-conscious, I found a new hobby in thrift-store shopping for most of my home décor needs. Ok, I’m not going to lie, it took me awhile to get the hang of it…and I still reach for my hand sanitizer whenever I leave, but I feel a sense of accomplishment when I can find something at a discounted price, then refurbish/repaint/reuse it.

The key to incorporating thrift store finds into your DIY projects can be challenging but here are a few tips for those who are willing to give it a shot:

• Have a list of purposes, not items (ex: mail organizer rather than basket). This will help you keep an open mind when browsing.
• Keep an eye out of items that are sturdy…which leads me to my next point: 
• Overlook color and in some instances, fabric. You will be amazed at what spray paint and a little stroll down the upholstery aisle will do. 

And if you’re still not sure what to look for, try these for starters:

• Remnant fabric to cover an old bulletin cork board 
• Magazines – look for retro or fashion magazine covers to frame 
• Small plates for candle holders 
• Bookcases + curtain rods to create a gift-wrapping station 
• Picture frames – you can easily repaint them and you’ll spend just pennies compared to buying new ones. (See this one below, embellished with some wallpaper.)

For a little inspiration, here are some of my favorite before and after projects:

So whether you're shopping for first-hand items or perusing the local thrift stores, always remember, your home can be fabulous no matter the budget.

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Thanks so much Lacey! Doesn’t she have a lovely sense of style? I love her damask bench and chandelier makeover- stunning! Also, I can totally relate to having the heebie-jeebies when you go thrifting, but once you find some good stuff, you will be addicted! I know this first hand since I started actively thrifting in mid-2009 and have scored some lovely treasures. Carry a tape measure, hand sanitizer and an open imagination and you shall be golden! Want your own little treasure? Leave Lacey some love in the comments section to be entered for a free pair of floral earrings.

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...oh wait, wrong post. Oops!

Hi, my name is Bari and I normally post over at livelaughrunbreathe. I'm a 40 year old mom to teenaged twins (a girl & a boy), and I work full time as a Speech-Language Pathologist for a public school system. In the past 10 or 11 years; I’ve lost 50 pounds, gained 30 of it back, and then spent the past year re-losing said 30 pounds by taking up running. What, you may ask, am I doing over at Monica Wants It? Well, Monica put a call out on twitter a while back looking for guest bloggers. I asked what her readers could possibly want from me. She thought since I love my iPhone so much and often tweet from apps I've used for running or weight loss, I might have a nugget or two of wisdom to share. Plus, you Verizon folks will get to enjoy the awesomeness that is iPhone too! So here I am.

Now before I get started on my favorite things, I should state that the opinions here are strictly my own. I have purchased my phone and downloaded these apps with my own cash and haven't been compensated by Apple or AT&T in any way (but how cool would that be?). Also, I'm not a doctor nor do I play one on TV. Before you get started on a weight loss or fitness program, you should consult someone who really knows what they're talking about. Now, without further ado, a few of my favorite things!

• My iPhone! I have a 3GS because I couldn’t be patient enough to wait 6 months for the iphone4 to come out. Now I hear the 3GS is super cheap – like under 50 bucks! My only complaint is the battery life drains REALLYFAST if you are running multiple apps. It lasted for my 1/2 marathon, but just barely. From what I’ve read, the iPhone4’s battery may be a bit better. Now, if you don’t have the iPhone, either stop reading, because the rest of this post will just seem silly, or go out and get yourself one. I’ll wait…

OK, are you still with me? Sweet! Let’s continue…

• Extra battery case. Because these apps tend to drain the battery quite rapidly, I have an extra battery case like this one. It works very well without adding a lot of weight or bulk to your phone. I actually bought this before a vacation to Disney World and my phone managed to survive tweeting, face booking, picture taking, etc, etc all day in the park.

• Electric Miles: This is the app for the DailyMile website. If you are not already on DailyMile, I strongly suggest you sign up. It is essentially a social networking site for posting your fitness activities. You get lots of friends encouraging you by commenting on your workouts or calling you out if you haven’t posted in awhile. The app, Electric Miles, allows you to post and comment from your phone, without having to go out to the site. It’s super easy to use and if you have your Daily Mile account set to auto post to twitter and Facebook, the app will do that as well.

• iMapMyRun: As the app states, “Everything you need from couch potato to marathoner.” I have the “free” version of the app, and other than the occasional ad, it is does everything I want it to do. The app lets you use your phone’s GPS to track distance, time, pace, splits (I’ve never figured out how to access this-maybe it’s in the paid version), map routes as you run them and gives you voice feedback along the way. The app works whether you are running, walking, biking, hiking, whatever. When you log a workout, it has selections for the gym, sports, etc. but I have never used these features. I’ve only used it for running, biking, and walking. From what I can tell, the GPS is quite accurate, but like any GPS device, weather conditions will affect the accuracy of the mapping. One nice benefit to this app is the ability to edit the workout after it’s been recorded. I frequently use this feature to adjust the time (since the 30 seconds putting the phone in and out of my pocket and waiting for traffic will change my pace so much - LOL). I’ve also used it to fix the distance if clouds or snow have goofed up the GPS. You can multitask with other apps, take pictures, tweet, etc and the app keeps recording. When you are done (or even during your workout if you’ve selected that feature) you can tweet or Facebook your workout. You can also access your account online.

• RunKeeper Pro: I will admit I am much less familiar with this app as I just downloaded it in January because it was free (normally it is $9.99). I’ve only used it once on a very snowy, cloudy 2 mile run. The GPS was off .2 at the 1 mile mark but by the time I got home, was only off by .05. Pretty good considering the weather. I liked that I could start my iPod from RunKeeper and I did stop and take a photo while the app was running without the app stopping. I was also able to view the mile splits after the workout was completed. I don’t know if you can use other apps while it’s running, but I really haven’t played with it that much. Like MapMyRun, you can send your workouts to Twitter or Facebook and you have an online account that tracks your progress.

• Livestrong/daily plate: This awesome little app allows you to track your daily calories, figure out how many calories you burn with various activities, track your weight and more, all for $2.99! There are over 620,000 foods listed, including many common brands, plus countless fitness activities. Online, there is a support community plus the ability to generate your own recipes (and calculate their nutrition info). When I was actively working to lose weight, I used this app religiously.

• C210k and C25k: For anyone interested in starting a running or run/walk program, I highly recommend the couch to 5k and couch to 10k programs. There are several apps for both running programs. Some have their own music in the background, others allow you to use your own playlists or receive the audio cues without music. Some also have social network settings as well.

So, there you go! Everything (not really, who am I kidding?) you need to know to get started using that iPhone and Get Moving! Hopefully you learned of a new app or are interested in learning even more. Thank you to Monica for giving me the opportunity to share!

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Thank you Bari! You should definitely check out Bari’s blog over at http://www.livelaughrunbreathe.com/ Bari is such a wonderful twipal (twitter + pal) and she is a running maven. She inspires me to be great, and I thank her again for taking the time to compile THIS awesome list of apps. Now, I know you’re probably anxious to go download them all, but before you do that leave a comment for a chance to win some cute floral earrings to wear as you workout!

When people write about body image, weight, self-esteem I think back to my days of blogging and starting the Exposed Movement: http://exposedmovement.wordpress.com/

You see for the past 10+ years I have been on a mission to lose weight. I have successfully kept off around 90lbs.

I was lower at one point in my life, by about 40lbs, and I was spiritually freaking miserable.

How does being skinny = miserable?

Well, it’s all how you approach your weight loss and how much you respect your body. After getting to my lowest, I started to full.on.binge. Jars of almond butter, pans of brownies, puking in the shower. I was miserable. The weight crept on. Over 2 years I gained 40lbs.

During this time I started to think about my body. I started going to counseling to find my center of control, to find the spring in the step that I had lost…I went to find my spirit.

In our quest to become ‘thin’  in life and to HATE the way we look we hold our spirits in bondage. We sit, wallow, starve, over-exercise, and punish away the one thing that many of us are chasing..LIFE. LIVING!

I can’t say that there was an epiphany of sorts in my life. It wasn’t an over-night change, it was the slow progression of making peace with food. Making peace with the weight I was at and realising that I am more than a calorie, point, or pant size.

Three things which have helped in over-coming my issues with food, balance, and my weight:

1. Admitting where I was, what was causing me to numb my pain
2. Seeking help: Counseling, “Women Food and God”, “A Million Miles In A Thousand Years” and my faith
3. Focusing on today..and ONLY today. Give each the best that you can give it.

The past two years have been exhausting and the most life-giving thing that I’ve done. I never refused to give up.

“The reward you get from a story is always less than you thought it would be, and the work is harder than you imagined. The point of a story is never about the ending, remember. It's about your character getting molded in the hard work of the middle" ~ Donald Miller "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years"

~Michelle @ http://exposedmovement.wordpress.com/

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Thanks so much to Michelle for her inspiring words about loving ourselves no matter what size/shape we are. How we look doesn’t have to define us, and though we obsess about it, it’s not all of who we are. Remember to leave a comment to be entered for a pair of earrings to help you feel a little more lovely.