The Sensible Mom

Food, DIY, Chicago Mom Blogger

blogging events

Losing the Baby Fat Weight Loss Update: July Results

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This is a sponsored post as part of the Shaklee Corporation blogger program. I have received free products, online support, and incentives for participating in the Shaklee Corporation blogger program. My opinions are my own. People following the weight-loss portion of the Shaklee 180β„’ Program can expect to lose 1-2 pounds per week.

weight loss

I’ve lost weight since my last update. πŸ™‚

I still haven’t made it back down to my lowest weight on the plan, but I did lose 3 of the pounds that I had gained when I went out of town in June. I ended the month of June weighing 185.5 pounds, and this morning, I stepped on the scale and weighed 182.5 pounds.

Again, I wasn’t able to get into the 170s, but I’m okay with that. (Okay, not really, but I’m trying to be okay with it.)

How I Managed Not to Gain Weight During the BlogHer Conference
Many of you know that I went to the BlogHer conference last week, and I didn’t destroy my weight loss efforts. Yes, there were sweets everywhere, but I tried to be careful about how many I consumed. Most of the sweets were small and cute, and I would pick up just one. I did overdo it a little on a Chicago boat cruise that I went on, but that’s pretty much it when it came to sweets.

disney event food

I didn’t take my Shaklee products with me, because I’m all out of the meal bars (I’d been taking those to the library with me as easy meals). And I knew I wouldn’t be eating meals in our hotel room. There was food at every event and many of the brands in the Expo Hall were giving away hot samples of their food. Coffee was also plentiful, but again, I resisted the urge to go crazy.

whirlpool coffee

If you were following my time at at the conference on Instagram, you may have noticed that I tried to make healthy choices. I had salads, soup, and lots of fruits and veggies when I could.

chicago boat ride food

Nearing the End on the Shaklee 180 Program
This is my last month on the Shaklee 180 program, and my ultimate goal is to get to 179 pounds by the end of the month. I think I can do it. πŸ™‚

How is your weight loss progress coming along? How do you find ways to eat healthy when you’re away from home?


Weight Loss: Shaklee 180 Video (Month 4 Update)

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weight loss

Well, it’s no secret that I gained weight during the month of June.

I talked about that in my lastest weight loss update post. And now I’m torturing myself talking about it again and sharing even more in a video that you can watch below.

P.S. My wonderful husband gave me extra library time this week, so I filmed my video there. I had to film the video a few times to minimize distractions, because people kept perusing the bookshelves in the background. πŸ™‚

This is a sponsored post as part of theΒ ShakleeΒ Corporation blogger program. I have receivedΒ free products, online support, and incentives for participating in the Shaklee Corporation blogger program. My opinions are my own. People following the weight-loss portion of the Shaklee 180β„’ Program can expect to lose 1-2 pounds per week.


Disney Social Media Moms On-the-Road Event: What I Learned

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disney social media moms on the roadI recently had the opportunity to attend a Disney Social Media Moms On-the-Road event in Maryland with other mom bloggers and mompreneurs.

I had an amazing, unforgettable time.

Not only did I get to meet one of my best blogging friends in real life, I also had the chance to meet new friends and find out more about what Disney is up to at their parks and in the world of social media.

disney social media moms on the road

Disney Updates
Gary Buchanan, from Disney, shared this video of the 24-Hour Monstrous Summer All-Nighter that Disney pulled off in May in order to kick off a Monstrous Summer at Disney. It’s a fantastic video that even includes the Magic Kingdom parades and their spectacular fireworks. Don’t blink, though, or you may miss them! πŸ™‚

The All-Nighter video is a time lapse of the 24-hour event, and it’s only 90 seconds long.

In addition to learning more about Disney and getting to enjoy a little Disney goodness in the form of Mickey treats (which I saved for my kids ;)) and a delicious breakfast, I had the chance to listen to some amazingly hardworking women entrepreneurs and glean tips and takeaways from them that we can use when running our own businesses.

disney world rice crispy treat

I thought this conference was unique it this way. I’m used to attending blog conferences where I’m mainly learning from other professional bloggers. At the Disney On-the-Road event, I was learning from women entrepreneurs who are not necessarily bloggers but own thriving, growing businesses. They brought unique ideas my way that I hadn’t necessarily heard before, and I’m going to share some of those great ideas with you.

disney social media moms on the road

Tips & Takeaways from Jennifer Labait – the founder of Cotton Babies and the creator of bumGenius, Flip, and Econobum

  1. Define your roles: Who are you and what is important to you?
  2. Do the right thing even when no one is looking.
  3. Write down what it is that you want.
  4. Create a business plan (and, yes, even bloggers need business plans).
  5. Ask yourself: What is my exit plan? When will you stop, switch gears, or sell your business?
  6. Buy a pretty notebook, and write down what you learn along the way.
  7. You have to be new to go big. Don’t be an echo.
  8. Be willing to fail when you dive into a new idea. If you’re not willing to fail, you’re not able to succeed.
  9. Decide what determines your success.
  10. We can be moms and run businesses at the same time, and we can do it well.
  11. Go to school.
  12. Creators win when they keep creating. Create.
  13. Be sure that what you create truly reflects you.
  14. Think bigger. Decide how you’re going to make a difference in the field you work in.
  15. Read, read, read.
  16. Be willing to hire others and take a hat off of your head so that your business can grow bigger. Otherwise, your business will only grow as big as you are.

After Jennifer’s talk, I listened to a panel of mompreneurs.

disney world social media moms event

These three women shared great tips and insight into how they run their businesses as wives, moms, and entrepreneurs:

These women were transparent and so kind to share details of their lives with us.

Here’s what I took away from the panel:

  1. Don’t cut corners if you have a product. Make it high quality.
  2. Evaluate your day, and find out where your time is going.
  3. Set boundaries for yourself.
  4. Don’t be afraid to take risks.
  5. “Someday” isn’t a day of the week.
  6. Don’t give up on your passion.

Final ThoughtsΒ 
The Disney Social Media Moms On-the-Road celebration was definitely an event that’s going to help me take my business to the next level.

Do you want to take your blog to the next level? Which tips mentioned here do you think you can implement in your life to make an impact on your business in the near future?