Introducing … new blogs!

Hey everyone! As per the title, today I’ll be sharing some of the blogs I recently started/joined that I am super pumped about! Feel free to check out each one and follow along!!!

So, here is the first blog!

Higher Ground

Higher Ground is my new school blog! I started it so I could organize my essays onto another blog meant specifically for school, so that if you want my lifestyle and wellness posts instead of my school posts (or vice versa) you can choose to follow (or not follow!) my different blogs. Visit Higher Ground here!

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Here’s the next blog! (which is my favorite!)

Wake up, Girls!

(above is my funky collage – excuse the rather amatuer format!)

Y’all, this is my dream blog! A place where I can share with girls just how much they are worth and how much they can accomplish if they only believed in themselves and held onto their faith. If you want to guest-post on it too, just let me know! And I’d love it if you’d give me a follow so you could see my new posts when I begin to write!

The mission of this blog is to encourage and uplift teenage girls throughout their teenage years, in the easy and the hard times. I want to help girls become strong in their faith and find their identity in the Truth of God’s Word. I’ll be sharing and writing all sorts of articles on here, covering topics like faith, health, beauty, fitness, getting through teen life, and so much more!! Visit “Wake up, Girls!” here!

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Also, I joined my first collab blog! Friends of Faith has an amazing mission and I know there’ll be some amazing stuff coming up! Go and check out the blog, it’s really awesome! I’ve only posted once on it but I hope to speed things up a bit in the near future! (I love the concept of Friends of Faith – being in the Word and dwelling on things of the Spirit, daily!)

Here is my first post from Friends of Faith! Thursdays for the Thirsty – Living Water

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All right, thanks everyone for coming on! Be sure to check out these blogs, like if you like, and maybe even give them a follow if you LOVE!! See ya next time, and STAY AWESOME!!!

Makayla

What would this post be without an ad for this blog? 🤣 Yah’s Girl has been around for almost a year, and I post fairly regularly on a wide variety of topics!! Join the crew by following to get some fantastic updates!

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I’m starting the Chloe Ting 2020 SHRED Workout!

Hey y’all awesome people! I know some of you are doing the Chloe Ting 2019 challenge, so thanks for joining me! I’ve finished, and boy, was it a ride! (Click here to see my recap!)

I’ve been resting for the last few days, and I’ve decided to go officially crazy and start the 2020 SHRED! (I know, I know, I’m pushing it, for a beginner! Bring on the 🔥PRESSURE🔥 and keep me accountable!!)

I’ve passed the first rest day, and I’m now on Day #5. Directly related to the workout, I feel pretty good all over. In almost every Workout video, the exercises seem to really focus on the legs and gluteus muscle in particular. It’s important to end each workout with some deep leg stretches, or you will ache the next day! So, do yourself a favor, and don’t forget to do the optional cool-down at the end.

Compared to the 2019 SHRED, more of these workouts are standing ones, which are fun! Make sure you’re wearing runners, or you might slip or twist your ankle. I’m greatly enjoying the lack of up-and-down-planks (😂), and the abundance of combo workouts! I’m more breathless doing these workouts but hey – what’s life without doing hard things?

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For this specific challenge, here are some tips to have fun, stay loose, and give you your best chance of success!

• Begin to eat more healthily. Learn to average the correct diet percentages of protein, carbs and fat. Some people start with 20% protein, 50% carbs, and 30% fat, but depending on your activity level you can play with it a bit. This will enable you to gauge what you personally want and need, and which foods are good for your lifestyle. See this article for details.
• Stretch every day! Focus on those areas that were the hardest to hold in place/keep going with during your workout.
• Rub peppermint essential oil on your limbs and joints to help with flexibility. Breathing in peppermint can also assist in clearing your airway and help with blood flow.
• As always, pay close attention to the form. I know it can be hard to determine whether you’re arching your back or not, or whether you’re going deep enough into the stretch, but for any questions you may have, be sure to do some research. You may find a video that explains it in more detail.
• Be kind to yourself and your body! Don’t force yourself to finish a workout that will hurt you in the end. I literally, just today, fell really hard on my tailbone, and was unable to finish the Day #5 workouts!😱 But you know what? It’s okay! I did half of it already. Sometimes, you have to know when it’s merely mental block keeping you from finishing your workout, or something more serious, like an injury. I’m hoping that hot water, some essential oils, and tonight’s rest will fix me up enough to get back at it tomorrow.

Thanks for coming back to the blog! Be sure to subscribe for future content on faith, fitness, lifestyle and more!

Have a great day everyone!

Makayla

Related posts:

• I’m starting the Chloe Ting 2019 SHRED Workout Challenge!
• I Completed The CT 2019 SHRED Challenge!

Chloe Ting 2019 SHRED Workout Challenge – Day #5

Hey fabulous people!

I started the Chloe Ting Shred Workout Challenge! Guys, I am so excited to share this with you because I finally found a workout I like!! *cheers*

My friend SonofYHWH made a post about how he wants to complete the Chloe Ting Two-Week Ab Workout, and I’ve decided to take the plunge and begin the Challenge! He’s asking people to keep him accountable and to do it along with him, so go ahead and join us both!

(Check out SonofYHWH’s post here!)

I’ve decided to do a little more than just the Ab Workout for these next two weeks … I’m doing the whole 2019 SHRED Challenge! (Yes, I know, it’s my first workout challenge ever, but I can do it. And so can you!)

So, the Challenge includes 5 different exercises, which are paired up differently for different days, and it also includes two rest days.

You guys, rest days are really important! The rest day is when your body actually begins to build the muscle, in addition to letting you rest the parts of your body you’re working on so you don’t get burnt out. So be sure to take a break every fifth day of the program, and to take at LEAST a four day break from intense workouts after you finish the Challenge.

(Check out the Chloe Ting 2019 Shred Challenge!)

Having already gone through five days of the program, here are my tips for your best performance in the coming weeks, should you decide to join me in the Challenge.

• Be sure to stretch before and after, even if it’s only a little. Stretching afterward is, in my opinion, one of the most important things to remember to do in tandem with your workout, because it causes your muscles (and potential muscle growth) to be relaxed and settled into their proper places, instead of leaving your workout tight and sore. Ballet dancers use and employ this technique for long, lean muscles.
• Use a protein powder for maximum results in gaining muscle and satisfying your daily protein count without micro-managing your diet.
• Don’t be afraid to make adjustments to the program for you personally. I’ve tinkered with it a bit, but it hasn’t changed the overall scope of the workout. You know what your body needs, and if you want to make a few small changes (swapping certain workouts, resting on different days, etc,) then go for it! Just keep in mind that too many adjustments can render the program less effective.
• Eat as healthily as you possibly can. Most people embark on workout challenges for either fitness benefits or prestige, but healthy food is important anyway regardless of whether you actually want results or not. Just be aware of what you’re putting in your body. Think “Will this help my body function well through my physical activity for today, or will it drag me down and slow my progress?”
• Make sure to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drinking water can get boring, but you can force yourself to get your quantity by flavoring it, keeping a bottle handy at all times, or sipping while at your desk.
• Have fun! Don’t pressure yourself! A workout challenge can be way too stressful if you’re always pushing your body to the point of exhaustion. Take it easy – working out should never be a burden.

So people! If you want to do something awesome with 25 to 50 minutes of your day for the next two weeks, then join us! 😉 I hope you all have tons of fun with these workouts and feel awesome about your results!

Stay awesome, y’all!

Makayla

Are you going to join me in the SHRED challenge? Are you currently doing it? What are you doing differently during this challenge, and what are your best tips for staying hydrated and loose while working out?

Simplifying Lifestyle

Heyyy y’all!

Ever seem like life is just way too busy? I know I’ve felt that way sometimes! From sports and school to home life and hobbies, it can just pile up and get to be WAAAY too much! I love minimalistic lifestyles because it seems so much easier to see the beauty in the simple things and to focus on the other, more important, things.

I don’t mean to fill up the introduction with useless chatter, (because that would be cluttering up this post on simplicity) but I don’t want to oversimplify either! 😉

I’m not going to begin this in a fairy-tale manner “I can help you simplify your life!” Because simplifying your life isn’t easy. It’s hard. It’s really hard. But if you care enough about it, and your willing to work hard, then I know you can do it!!

So, without further ado, here are some tips that I know you will be able to use in your life to have more time, energy, and feel so much better about yourself and what you’re doing!

1. Get lots of sleep.

Try going to bed early, around 9:00. This will give your body time for plenty of sleep and you’ll probably wake up around 7:00, or earlier! You’ll feel more rested and have a jump start on your day.

2. Focus less on ‘doing’ and more on ‘accomplishing’

I know there are those days when you just need to “do” the laundry, your math, your violin practice, your cookie recipe, your room … but that’s a rat race you don’t want to get sucked into. Instead, congratulate yourself for everything you get done, that was worth doing.

I find it really helpful to write out a list of what I need to “do”, then as the check marks fill up along the page it restores my confidence and makes me feel like I really “accomplished” something important.

3. Take a break.

Sometimes we just need to take a break from something in your life, whether it’s an activity, your blog, school, or some other thing that occupies most of your time. Spend a few days or so in soul searching, relaxing, reprioritizing your goals, talking to God and delving into His Word. Commit yourself to change and you’ll emerge so much fresher and self-aware, and ready to dive back into your busy life again!

4. Switch it up.

Develop a new routine. Maybe you’re bored with just slapping on some tea tree and sunscreen every morning. Do something different and make it special! And if you have a really complicated routine, you know what I’m gonna say … keep it simple! Tone down a bit.

5. Cross it out.

Is there something holding you back from being PRODUCTIVE? Do you have a bad habit, spend too much time online, or are you feeling unmotivated? Conquer that mountain!!! Break that habit!! You can’t win a race wearing leg irons. Release that activity or habit, and do what you REALLY want to do, instead of what your brain says you want to do.

Don’t be afraid to stop doing things. If soccer practice is keeping you from writing quality essays, take a break. If you don’t have time for a babysitting job, don’t accept. When we have something serious going on in our family or we need to do a lot of seasonal farm work, we take a break from school, and that’s helped more than you can imagine!

6. Organize!!!!!

This is my FAVORITE ONE!!! I love to organize, clean, and design. At any given day (unless I was in a rush getting ready 🙄) you could come to my house and look at my room and it would be TOTALLY CLEAN! So if I can get passionate about cleaning, you can too! 😂

On a more serious note, I find it so much easier to be productive when I don’t have a mess distracting me. I’m sure you would find it helpful as well!

Have the best day ever! See y’all next time!

Makayla

My best tips for using extra notebooks!

Hey guys! If you’re like me, you love anything to do with writing or creativity, and collect all kinds of pens, pencils, paints, notebooks, stationary, sketchbooks, workbooks, and so on! The thing about that is … I end up with tons of extra notebooks stacked in my already-messy closet!

So, if you’re like me, and you want to use your gorgeous notebooks, but you don’t know how, then please, by all means, read on to see my tips on how to use your empty notebooks!

1. Journal! I try to keep a daily journal, and I have ever since I turned 13. (Its been 3 years?! Aaah, I’m getting old! 😂) But there are SO many more things you could journal about! Workouts, bible study, creative arts, even a songwriting journal would be so cute!

2. Write stories. Maybe you love stories and constantly get story ideas! Write down the date, then your idea. Or write an entire story in one notebook. I did this once and it was so much fun! (Although the story was rather predictable and immature!!)

3. Keep lists. You could make wish lists, to-do lists, bucket lists, goals, etc. If it’s a spiral notebook, you can write down your to-do list and rip it out if you want.

4. Dress up the covers and give them away to friends as a gift. I know I LOVE getting notebooks from friends, I don’t know, there’s just something about it! 😄

5. Make a devotional or an encouragement diary and give it to a friend. I have been toying with this idea for a while and I’m planning on trying it out. It would be so much fun and you’d basically be writing a book!!

6. Keep an inspirational idea journal. This is different from plain journaling because it involves everything, literally every good idea, quote, sketch you come across in a day. Carry a mini notebook around with you (like I do) and you’ll see what I mean. The ideas just come to you and you’re caught scribbling madly before you lose the spark!

I hope you enjoyed! What other ways do YOU use your empty notebooks? I’d love to know! Maybe I’ll add your ideas to the list!