Consistency is Key

You want to know a secret? I struggle BIG TIME with consistency. That's right, I'm a fitness coach who managed to lose almost 150 pounds and keep the majority of it off. We'll call that my "claim to fame." But let's be real, that was a journey I started in 2013 and by the end of 2014, I'd hit my goal and you want to know the scariest part of the story. By the spring of 2015, I had slipped back into dangerous habits.

I was no longer working out regularly, somehow I no longer had time. Funny, since I'm pretty sure I had been operating with the same 24 hours all along. I was no longer eating like food was fuel, I went right back to emotional eating and enjoying way too many treats. I mean, let's get real, it's only a treat if it's an occasional thing. That's what makes it a TREAT! If we're enjoying a cookie every single night before bed, that's routine...not a special treat.

By the end of 2015, guess what? Those jeans I had been so excited to fit back into didn't fit. They wouldn't even button. By 2016, I was working out again, but sporadically. I'd dive full force into a workout program and go full force for a week or two, but then I was right back to zero motivation and compiling my list of epic excuses. And the pants still didn't fit.

In July of 2016, I decided becoming a Beachbody coach was the perfect solution. Encouraging other people to get healthy would be the perfect motivator for me. And initially it was. But here's the thing, motivation is fleeting and it always will be. You're never going to find one thing that motivates you from now until the end of time. I know I've said that in a million other blog posts, but even I struggle to truly accept that. I'm constantly letting lack of motivation rule my life.

So 2016 continued with moderate success.By January of 2017, I knocked 12 pounds off the scale, but after that the dang thing wouldn't move another ounce!! I would fluctuate within a pound or so and nothing more. One day it had gone down, the next day back up, and on and on.

This could have been the perfect "motivator" to launch me full force into a workout program that I already know is effective. I know it works, because I've seen it work. Do you think that's what I did? Of course not!! Common sense went out the window and self-destructive thoughts and eating habits crept right back in. How does this happen to someone in the position to help other people set and crush their own health and fitness goals?

This would generally be the part of the story where I would tell you some magical solution and eagerly share that I've lost every pound I wanted to lose...this is not that story. Instead, this story is my attempt to be as authentic and open with you as I've ever been. My hope is that authenticity will help you do some soul searching too and not be afraid to step out in the direction of your goals, no matter how scary and no matter how many times you've tried to reach them before.

So, if I'm not going to tell you a success story, what the heck am I writing for?! Well, I started 2017 by reading Chalene Johnson's book "Push." My hope was that it would be the "motivator" that I needed. You can't see me, just know that every time you see that dang word, it's complete with an over-exaggerated eye roll. Let's be clear, the book is awesome. And what should have taken me 30 days to read took closer to 75.

I still had 2 days left to finish in the book when I finally realized I was just spinning my wheels. I was reading all the awesome things she had to say, but I wasn't fully putting them into action. Knowledge without application is completely wasted!! So, in an effort to say that I wasn't a quitter, I quickly read through the last 2 days and moved my bookmark back to day 1.

This week has probably been one of my most productive all year. I've done some major soul searching to figure out why I'm struggling, what things are working and what's not, and how to change it. So, I reevaluated my 10 goals for 2017, decided which ones needed to be altered, not because they're easier to achieve (because they're definitely not), but which ones were more on target with my priorities. And then I needed to evaluate my progress so far this year...it wasn't good.

Essentially, I've been wasting my time for most of 2017 up until this week. That's a pretty crappy feeling, but an excellent wake up call. It's clear as can be now that motivation isn't my problem. My problem is consistency. I make this excellent plan to help me reach my goal and I kill it for up to 7 days and then it all falls apart. So here I am, starting a new plan...again. Have I mastered the whole consistency thing? Not yet, but I'm sharing this with you for my own accountability. In the next few posts, I'll be sharing 5 of my goals with you, my plan to reach them before the end of the year, and my progress.

I hope that my vulnerability will help you realize that you're not alone. You're not the only one struggling to drop those extra pounds but finding your hand back in the cookie jar over and over. You're not the only one wanting so badly to complete a workout program only to find yourself plopped on the couch or going for coffee with your girlfriends instead. Whatever it is, YOU'RE NOT ALONE!!

2017 Goals:

1. Lose 40 pounds

2. Be COMPLETELY debt free

3. Read 24 books (I upped it from 12!)

4. Study 4 books of the Bible

5. Complete 90 days of TurboFire

The plan for today is to set goals for the next 30 days and to focus on them one day at a time. So these goals have been set, a plan has been made, smaller weekly goals have been set to reach within those 30 days to get me closer to these BIG goals, and those weekly goals have been broken down farther into daily goals.

Will this wake up call be as successful as the one I got in 2013? Who knows, but today is a new day and I'm focusing on the 24 hours in front of me and making sure that every step is a little bit closer to crushing every single one of these goals. Here goes nothing!! I'm diving in, how about you?

Day 5: Show It Off

You made it!! It's the final day of the Closet Clean Out Challenge and I am so proud of you!! I hope you're already enjoying how easy it is to find what you're looking for and rocking some of the great pieces you discovered hiding in your closet!

Today, we're pulling together some outfits and we're showing them off! That means we're going back to the pin board you created on day 1. I want you to take a moment to refresh yourself with what's on there and then I want you to take some time pulling together 5 different outfits. Put them on. How do you feel in them? 

Don't be afraid to experiment and don't worry about how others will think you look!! Be you, bravely and rock whatever makes you feel amazing!!

Alright, now you've got several outfits that you know look great and I'm sure you're wondering where that super time saving tip is, right? Well, do you remember the photo I posted of my closet yesterday? Don't worry, you don't have to look for yesterday's post, I've put it below for you. 

On the right hand side you'll notice an outfit hanging up that matches the pin board I shared with you. As I finished my closet, I installed 3 hooks. One at the top where I hang this super adorable, Mrs. Thompson hanger, and 2 on the bottom. One for my purse and the other for any accessories I may need. With this particular outfit, I just had a necklace so it is actually hanging with the outfit on the hanger.

Y'all these hooks have been what takes my morning from chaos to calm. My outfit is picked out the day before and it's ready and waiting for me the next morning. And I don't have to wonder if it looks good, because I already know it does!

Girl, you did it!! You completed all 5 days of the Closet Clean Out Challenge and along the way found your own style and created some amazing outfits! I would absolutely love for you to share your favorite(s) with me on Pinterest! Head over them and send me a pic!

Thanks so much for taking this journey with me. If you've enjoyed this group and would like more content to help make your life more organized, healthy, and fun, please be sure to follow me. My Facebook page, Get Fit with Alina, is a great resource for recipes, workouts, and inspiration and you'll find my favorite meals, motivation, Scripture, and more on my Instagram page, @alinamfthompson .

Day 4: Organize & Repurpose

Y'all, I know yesterday was not easy. I hope you managed to find some pieces that you absolutely LOVE and jammed out to some awesome tunes while you were trying on all those clothes! The good news? The hard part is over.

Today, we're going to start reassembling that closet of yours, make it user friendly, and display your clothes in a way that makes you want to wear them. Finding your outfit each day should be fun, not some time consuming hot mess that ends up in tears and a huge pile of clothes on the floor. No, I'm not speaking from experience...cough, cough. Let's just hope my husband doesn't actually read my blog or he'll be posting to the contrary. 

An organized closet is literally a welcoming space. Your clothes should be easy to see because items that you can see are 80% more likely to be worn!! That's why that shirt wadded up in the bottom of your closet hasn't been worn in the last year...you didn't even know it was there!

It should be really easy to look at the piles we created yesterday and determine what needs to be hung up and what goes in drawers. Obviously we won't be hanging your underwear in the closet and cramming your dresses into a drawer just isn't functional. 

Keep like items together. In my closet, I keep all of my shirts together. They are separated by color and flow from short sleeve to long sleeve. I suggest organizing colors from lightest to darkest. Visually it's just beautiful, but it also makes it super easy to find that specific top you're looking for. I do the same thing with my pants. Jeans first, then my colored pants, all hung together. 

Once you've hung everything that needs to be hung, on to the drawers. Try to be very intentional about what goes into the drawers. These items aren't seen like the ones in your closet, so they are less likely to be worn. I like to limit my drawers to pj's, underwear, socks, workout clothes, and scarves. If I had the space to display the ridiculous amount of scarves though, I definitely would. 

Mamas, I know it is super easy to get carried away and run off to Target to pick up all the totes and organizational goodies we think we need. But, don't!! I don't want you to purchase a single thing. Organization isn't about tools, it's about habit. Need something to organize your scarves? In the picture above you can see what I've used. It's a hideous green thing with 3 drawers that used to have art supplies in it. At some point I may replace it with something a little prettier, but this works just fine and didn't cost me a penny. Empty paper towel rolls work great as drawer separators. You can even cover them in leftover fabric or wrapping paper if you can't stand them plain. If you maintain the system you've created, then invest the money if you want. But wouldn't you hate to spend all that money only to let it all become a cluttered mess all over again?? I know I would!!

Alright girls, get to organizing. When you're all done, I would LOVE to see your handiwork! Take a second to hop over to Pinterest and send me a pic!!

And yes, there is a reason to tune in tomorrow!! I'm going to share my time saving tip to take your organized closet from good to great!! You won't want to miss it!

Day 3: Try It On

The last 2 days have been spent pinning some awesome threads and pinpointing your own personal style. But today, we're finally opening the closet door. 

Before we actually turn the handle though, I want you to pull up that amazing pin board you created. We're not adding anything to it today, but I want it in front of you. Turn on some awesome tunes, some that make you feel good and maybe even make you want to shake your groove thang all over the house. 

Ready...open the door. Beware of anything tumbling off the top shelf and all those woppyjawed hangers.

The most important thing right now is not to be overwhelmed. If you're anything like me, that closet is packed to the brim with clothes. Clothes you've spent hard earned money on and aren't looking forward to parting with. You're not alone. But remember, those clothes you spent all that money on...that you never wear...are just taking up space in your closet and in your brain. THEY'VE GOT TO GO!! 

Ready to get started?

1. Don't hate me...you're going to pull everything out of your closet (and your drawers). Every. Single. Item. NO EXCEPTIONS!! Yes, your underwear too!

2. Try it all on. Yep, every single piece. (See, why I was worried you were going to hate me?) And yes, the underwear too! 

3. Every time you put an item on, I want you to ask yourself if you would pin that item to your pin board? Does that item make you feel the way you told me you want to feel every single time you get dressed?

**Side note, I don't care what size is on the tag and neither should you. Girl, sizes vary everywhere!! You might be a large in one store and a small in another. If it looks good, who cares what the tag says?! Yes, a fitness coach just said that to you!! If the number bothers you enough that you would get rid of a piece you love, cut that dang tag out!!!**

4. Now it's time to decide what to do with those pieces. Does it match your style board and make you feel AMAZING? Keep pile it is. Do you love those jeans, but they're in desperate need of a hem? Alterations pile! Maybe it's a great piece that just doesn't fit the style you're trying to create. Maybe it even still has the tag on it. Donate or sell it! 

So, how many piles do you need?

KEEP | These are clothes that perfectly fit into the style you're creating. You would pin them to your own pin board and they make you feel like the #girlboss that you are!

ALTER | These are pieces that would easily fit into the KEEP pile if a little tweak was made. Maybe they need to be let out, hemmed, or mended in some way. 

SELL | Let's be realistic, when your closet purge is done, you're most likely going to convince yourself that there is some magical piece from that pin board that you absolutely must purchase. For me, it was that yellow blazer!! If the items are in good condition (and you genuinely have a few items to purchase) consider putting them here first. Sell what you can and donate the rest. Use whatever money you can get, to purchase the items you need to complete your closet. But remember, the items that you purchase should fit into your style board (you would pin them to the board) and they should make you feel amazing...and not just because they're new or were on sale!

DONATE | Maybe you're uber awesome and you're perfectly content with the items left in your closet. In that case, find another awesome mama or charity to donate to. Just remember, these clothes should be in good condition. Don't donate junk full of holes that no one can reasonably use. 

TRASH | This pile is strictly for clothes that can no longer be used. If you're still hanging on to your jeans for sentimental reasons even though they have an enormous rip in the crotch...TRASH THEM!!

STORE | I'm going to need for you to be pretty strict about this pile. I would suggest storing clothes seasonally. So right now, leave out spring and summer clothes for us to organize in the next couple of days and store your fall\winter clothes. However, I'm going to give you an exception. If you are currently on a weight loss journey...like you've already lost 10+ pounds and you're getting close to those jeans that are a smidge too tight...you can store them. If you've been dreaming about losing 10 pounds for the last 5 years, but you can't even get a leg in those high school jeans, let them go.

Now, I want to be clear...I am not telling you to give up on that goal of losing 10 pounds. If you want/need to lose that to be a healthier, happier version of yourself, let me know. I will help you. But let's be real, that article of clothing isn't motivating you. Let it go and let's find something that will work.

?? | I feel pretty confident in saying that you're going to have at least a few pieces that you're not sure what to do with them. They're going in this pile, but here's the deal...you've got 30 days to wear them or get rid of them. You can hang them up with the hangers turned a different way or if you're OCD like me and can't stand them turned different ways, attach a small piece of ribbon to the hanger. I remove the ribbon when I've worn the item. Set a reminder on your phone or mark your calendar for 30 days from now. If the ribbon is still there or the hanger is still turned, let it go.

Lastly, before you get in front of that mirror and start criticizing yourself, I want you to remember that you are AMAZING!!! Absolutely, stunningly, beautiful and I want you to have fun with this!! Your fashion show awaits!!

Day 2: Back to the Pin Board

Welcome back, pretty lady!! Yesterday, we spent some time in the rabbit hole we know fondly as Pinterest. You took time to pin anything swoon worthy and I know you created an epic style pin board full of things you love.

Now, that you've got your board full of those beautiful outfits and pieces, it's time for us to make sense of it all. I mean it's great to throw everything on the board, but stopping there doesn't help us a bit. In order to purge your closet of the items you no longer need, we really need to fine tune your style and figure out what needs to stay. This exercise is the ultimate fix for that closet full of clothes without a dang thing to wear.

So, what exactly are you supposed to do? I want you to put that pin board back up and figure out what these items have in common. If you browsed through the pin board I posted yesterday, you'll find that I may have a love affair with blazers. I don't know why and my job as a fitness coach doesn't provide lots of opportunities to wear them, but oh, how I LOVE them!!! My biggest task as I was purging my closet was finding ways to work my blazers into spring outfits and incorporate them even into the hot summer months. Is that even possible? Apparently, yes.

So, I'm willing to bet that you'll also find a trend in the things you pinned. It may not be one particular piece, but I want you to ask yourself...

Is there a particular style that keeps popping up? Bohemian? Bold? Feminine? Glamorous? Rocker? Romantic? Seductive? Sporty? Whatever you're seeing, jot it down. It's going to come in handy later.

{Photo Cred: Ariana Ayutopia}

Alright, what colors are you drawn to? Is your board full of feminine pale pinks and pastels? Or maybe your an earthy gal with a board full of dark reds, olive greens, and burnt orange. You might be into bold and bright yellows, greens, reds, and blues. Or you might have a pin board full of different shades of black. My board was full of corals, pinks, and teals. Whatever you're seeing, jot it down.

{Photo Cred: Pantone}

Scroll back through your board. Are you seeing a certain fabric or pattern repeating itself? Maybe you've pinned several soft and flowy tops or dresses. Maybe rocker chic is more your thing and you're seeing lots of leather or you're so fabulous that everything you pinned has some sparkle! You may see multiple pins with floral prints, plaid, or gingham. Whatever you're seeing, jot it down. Loose, solid color tops seem to be pretty prevalent on my board and usually a necklace or scarf is added for a pop of color or pattern.

Alright, you should have a list going, something to help you pinpoint what you like about the things you pinned. Now, I want you to ask yourself if the outfits you pinned fit your lifestyle. As a fitness coach, blazers and flowy dresses every day aren't realistic. But they're perfect for church, dinner with the hubs or my girls. And considering that I spend the majority of my time in yoga pants and sports bras, it's a treat to get dressed up. So, even if what you've pinned doesn't perfectly meet the "requirements" of your lifestyle that doesn't mean you're back at square one. Be practical and be creative. I only want you to nix something off your list if it doesn't fit into your lifestyle at all. For example, if your a mama who doesn't go out and spends the majority of your time at the playground with your kiddo, those itty bitty mini skirts and 6 inch stilettos can probably be crossed off. Even if they're super cute, if they don't fit your lifestyle, they're not going to get worn.

Your last task for the day is the biggest and I want you to complete it by commenting below or in the Pinterest group...

How do you want to feel when you get dressed EVERY SINGLE DAY?

Day 1: Permission to Pin

Can I just say...I'm so glad you're here!! I know adding just one more thing into your schedule, especially for 5 days is no easy task so I'm super excited you've decided to join me for the next few days while we purge your closet, find some clothes you LOVE (and already own), and put together some pretty magical outfits.

Today is going to be a pretty awesome, fun, and easy day. Why, you ask? Because I'm giving you PERMISSION TO PIN! That's right, day 1 is taking us straight to Pinterest!

Now, before I lose you and you get lost in the amazingness that is the never-ending supply of pretty things to look at, there are a few ground rules.

1. There is a point to this exercise. We aren't going to blindly post every single thing we see to a board already cluttered with pins we've been collecting for years. This is a FOCUSED time to really explore and figure out what our style really looks like. 

2. Even if you think you're 100% sure what your style looks like, you're going to want to participate today. I promise it's still going to be revealing for you and will be necessary for tomorrow's task. 

{Photo Cred:Who What Wear}

3. Even if you already have a style themed pin board...START A NEW ONE! You're welcome to move some of your older pins to the new board, but I want you to start fresh. 

4. I want you to pin anything that jumps out a you. If you love it, pin it. Try to pin at least 30 images. You definitely can't have too many, but this also shouldn't consume your entire day. 

5. There is absolutely ZERO self-doubt or negativity happening here. It's important that you get that now, because that is going to carry over during every single day of this challenge. We're not beating ourselves up if we're not a size 2. We're not stressing over that muffin top or wishing we could count our abs. NONE OF THAT!! You are absolutely fabulous and if you need to repeat that to yourself 100 times before we start, go ahead, we'll wait for you beautiful girl!! Shoot, make it your wallpaper on your phone. Whatever it takes. Just get it in your head now...there is only one of you and YOU ARE AMAZING!! Got it? Ok, let's move on.

6. Refer back to #5...YOU ARE AWESOME!!

Alright, I think you've got it! If you need some help getting started, feel free to check out my style pin board, created specifically for this group. You can also join the Closet Clean Out Group on Pinterest and feel free to browse and share ideas with some other fabulous ladies!

Ready. Set. Get to pinning!!

Upcoming: Closet Clean Out Challenge

Since getting back from an epic road trip to Texas and back (which I promise to share photos from soon), I've been spring cleaning in full force. And with the coming of a new season, that means it's time to pack up our winter clothes and bring out all of our warm weather clothes. 

{At the Alamo with Ma, the hubs, the mini, & GB}

Before we left for Texas, I had the hubs pull down our tubs of clothes down from the attic because our North Carolina winter clothes just weren't going to cut it in the Texas heat! We picked out the items we needed and then there sat the tubs, in the way, collecting dust, and definitely not getting put away. Y'all, I thrive on organization!! My schedule stays jam-packed and without being pretty ridiculously organized, it all falls apart.

Plus, for me, organization is just another part of my health and well-being. I struggle with some pretty intense anxiety and when I'm living in chaos, it means I'm also battling the anxiety demon too. I'll notice I'm feeling crabby and grouchy, and over the years my hubby has picked up on it too. 

Sunday afternoon when we got home from church, there were those dang tubs just staring at me and I had had enough!! But tackling these tubs is no five minute project. It means the complete disassembling of 3 closets, trying on last year's clothes to figure out what even still fits (or maybe if we're lucky, is now a couple sizes too big!) and then reassembling the closets...and drawers!! 

As I stared at those tubs and thought about the work ahead of me, I realized that I wasn't the only mama facing this spring project and I had some tips and tricks to share. In recent years, I've been asked to come to friends' houses to organize their closets and to bring some order (and hopefully even some joy) to a "room" in their homes that was bringing so much frustration. Clothes that don't fit, clothes we can't find, or clothes that just plain don't look good on us can make us feel pretty crappy. 

There's some sort of awesome magic that comes in putting on the perfect outfit. Think how you feel when you get your hair cut and you leave the salon feeling like a million bucks. Isn't that how you want to feel every single time you get dressed? Y'all even when I'm rocking my workout clothes at the grocery store, I still want to feel good in my clothes. I don't want to feel like I'm constantly tucking that pesky muffin top back in or even worse, see a photo of myself in an outfit I think looks good only to find out I was oh, so wrong!!

For the next couple of days we're going to be detouring from the world of physical health and fitness and into cleaning up a completely different area of your life. The best part? When you makeover your closet, that can be one of the most motivating things you'll ever do to encourage yourself to get healthy. I mean, what's better than the healthiest version of yourself smiling and rocking the awesome outfits you're about to put together?!

Over the next few days we're going to figure out what your personal style really looks like, we're going to purge that closet, re-organize it, and put together some really killer outfits!!

So, how does it work? 

Over the next 5 days, I'll be sharing some awesome tips and giving you a daily task to complete. At the end, you'll have a completely made over closet!!! 

How do you get all the info?

You can check here daily (or subscribe to get all of my new posts dropped directly into your inbox) and/or join the Pinterest group!! Within the group, you'll have access to even more fun tips and tricks, plus a direct link to each day's post!

If you love this challenge, I hope you'll check out my FB page for recipes, workouts, inspiration, motivation, coffee-related humor, and so much more!!