hurdles

Being A Bridesmaid

Being asked to be a bridesmaid is ones of the biggest honors. There is nothing more exciting than being a part of someone’s big day. Last summer I was asked to be a bridesmaid in my college roommate Jocelyn’s wedding. Of course I gladly accepted! I can only imagine how beyond gorgeous her wedding will be and how stunning she will look walking down the aisle. My roomie is a looker! Such a beauty, and her future hubby is just the same!

roommate baking timeThrowback to the good ol’ college days circa 2007: Jocelyn (the bride!) and I baking with our bff Betty Crocker! Classy as always Catherine… way to go!

Lakers gameLakers game circa 2007 with Ryan, Jocelyn, and her now fiance Ryan!

Along with the bridal showers, bachelorette party, and wedding weekend festivities to look forward to, there is a little something else… the bridesmaid dress. I’m sure if you have been in a wedding before, you can definitely relate to my battle with THE bridesmaid dress. Luckily, my friends have exceptional taste, so I’ve never been disappointed with the bridesmaid dress selection! However, I am ALWAYS disappointed in the bridal salons and brands who sell bridesmaid dresses. You’ve heard the spiel, “please give us the measurements for your bust, waist, and hips and we will order your dress accordingly.” In a matter of seconds you go from your usual size 26 jeans to a size 10,000 dress. They assure you that due to your measurements, size 10,000 would be the best fit. Umm I think not! Well, let me tell you that this just happened to me.

I sent in my measurements, and was told that I would be in a size 20 dress! After accomplishing and maintaining my weight loss and recovering from my eating disorder/body image issues, this was probably the last thing I wanted to hear. I know I know, the size of your clothes shouldn’t matter… But sometimes, it’s just upsetting. Especially after all of the hard work you put in. Of course I started tearing up, and my mind instantly went into ED mode again. All over a stupid number. Jocelyn was pretty surprised about the dress size that the salon wanted to order for me, and she was so sweet about the situation. Apparently I’m not the only bridesmaid with an odd dress size!

Bridesmaid dress designers often make garments that run extremely small. I totally understand that it’s all about the bride. Duh! But do they need to make the bridesmaids feel insecure and bad about their body in the process? Oh, and for the record they should make all wedding dresses a size “awesome,” so everyone call feel freaking awesome on their big day! These companies make the process of ordering a bridesmaid dress so unpleasant sometimes. Not only do they make you feel like a whale, but once the size 10,000 dress that was “selected according to your measurements“ arrives, it’s ginormous and needs hundreds of dollars in alteration$! Bridal salons must be making a killing off of alterations!

The entire situation of ordering my bridesmaid dress got me so down. I was talking to my friend Taryn, and she was telling me almost the exact same story about a dress that she had ordered. She helped me realize that it didn’t matter what size dress they put me in, it’s going to end up being altered, and beautiful. No matter the dress size, I am so honored to be in Jocelyn’s wedding! She has always been such an amazing friend to me, and I cannot wait for her happily ever after! A silly number is not going to ruin the excitement of this big event!

I’ve caught myself getting down on myself over numbers recently whether it be the scale, measurements, or clothing sizes. When this happens, I have to take a step back and look at all of the accomplishments that I’ve made. A scale cannot measure passion, ability, strength, compassion, or your potential. A number cannot define you or tell you how beautiful you are. A number is just… a number, and you are so much more than that. So no matter how far you have to go on your journey, or how many times you have fallen off of the wagon, know that you are beautiful, and worth so much more than a silly number.

Positive Motivation Scale
Positive Motivation Scale 1

You is kind. You is smart. You is important.” – The Help

Question: Has a number ever made you upset?

Get Fit With Kayleigh and Herbalife

Right after I launched my blog in March, my friend Kayleigh emailed me and shared a story about her health and struggles with her weight. Kayleigh has always been fit and healthy, but a couple of years ago struggled with a failing thyroid and adrenal glands which led to a 30lb weight gain. She was eating healthy and still exercising, and did not understand why she was gaining weight so rapidly. After finding out the root of her problem, she started looking for a way to get back on track. Instead of getting discouraged, Kayleigh turned to Herbalife as a solution to feel better and get back to her regular weight. After starting to use Herbalife shakes in her daily routine, she saw the weight melt off and noticed how much better she physically felt. She loved the results so much that she still uses Herbalife today to maintain her weight, and has become a distributor to help others feel great too!

I thought that sharing Kayleigh’s story and solution was appropriate, because I am struggling with some health issues as well. I have been feeling particularly off lately and have noticed severe changes in my mood and energy, as well as physical changes with my skin, hair, and weight. I went to my doctor and through a round of blood tests discovered that a precursor to my thyroid is elevated. My sister has Graves disease and had her thyroid removed due to its overactivity, and the process of her diagnose was long and very stressful. Some people choose to go for Delta 8 THC vape pens from OCN to deal with stress, It may take some time to get everything figured out and leveled, but I am so glad that I have my sister and Kayleigh who have both overcome their health hiccups. Like Kayleigh, I know how awful it is to be on your A game, and not see any results and just feel crappy overall. Our health has a huge impact in the way we feel, and I know I am not the only one who is dealing with these issues. I love that Kayleigh found a way to feel better and get back to her healthy self with Herbalife, and am so inspired by her positive attitude and story. I hope that Kayleigh’s story can help other’s who are struggling with health issues and are not feeling their absolute best.


I adore Kayleigh because she is honest with her health and weight struggles and always wants to help others to feel and be the best they possibly can. When I was frustrated with my weight back in April, Kayleigh sent me some samples of Herbalife to try. She was so excited to share Herbalife with me since it made such a positive impact on her health and weight loss. She is such a sincere and honest girl and wants everyone to reach their health & fitness goals whether it be with Herbalife or another regimen.

I know that like everything else in life, weight loss is not one size fits all. What works for me may not be what works for everyone else, but I want to inspire others to make healthier choices and provide motivation for others to reach their goals. This is exactly why I wanted to share Kayleigh’s story with you guys. Maybe you don’t have the time to make the meals I make every single day, and need something else to replace meals that fits into your daily routine. Or maybe you have the motivation, but need another option to help you lose weight or get healthy. I think that Herbalife is a great option for someone who is on the go and needs a portable option that still has excellent nutritional value.


I tried the chocolate and vanilla shakes, and was pleasantly surprised. Most nutritional/weight loss shakes taste like same watery fake flavors, but Herbalife did not. My favorite was the chocolate. It actually tasted like a malt from a diner! I mixed my shake with unsweetened almond milk, which gave it a super thick and creamy texture that I absolutely loved. I really enjoyed the natural cocoa flavor, but more than that, I loved how full it kept me until dinner. Call me crazy, but I would throw in some coffee and make it a protein mocha for breakfast! I just told Kayleigh that I want to order a tub of Chocolate Herbalife Nutritional Shake Mix. This is a great post workout shake for busy days when I am short on time. I can’t wait to make some chocolate Protein Pancakes too!

I asked Kayleigh a few questions to give you guys a glimpse inside her HerbaLIFE!

1. Why did you start using Herbalife?
I was struggling with weight gain from a failing thyroid and adrenal gland and my regular healthy lifestyle wasn’t working the way it used to. I needed a jumpstart

2. How did you hear Herbalife?
I actually heard about it on the radio. I listen to Dr. Laura obsessively and she is does advertisements for Herbalife. After she had multiple coworkers loose upwards of 40 pounds using the shake, I decided I had to give it a try.

3. How long have you been using Herbalife?
I have been using it on and off for the past 9 months.

4. How many Herbalife shakes do you have per day? What do you usually eat in a day?
I vary between one and two shakes a day. It depends on how quickly you want to loose the weight. For the quickest easiest results its two shakes a day, but sometimes it doesn’t fit it my schedule or I don’t feel like eating two shakes.

Breakfast:
I almost always have a shake (the green one on my blog). That shake is a banana, Herbalife Forumla 1 Weight Loss Chocolate Powder, chia seeds, spinach, and a scoop of peanut butter.

Lunch:
I’ll normally make something. Maybe a big salad with all my favorites, a soup, a sandwich, a wrap or even leftovers. Pretty much anything that I can scrounge up quickly on my way to work or the night before if I have time. When I do have time I love to try new recipes and check out different ideas – I love RFFMBT for that. It has given me some wonderful lunches that have kept me full till dinner time!

Dinner:
This is normally when I will have the second shake. I work out at night so this is my post workout shake. Either I’ll make the same shake I made in the morning (but nix the chia seeds – they give you a ton of energy that have the potential of keeping you up later than you want to be up) or I’ll get a juice (Naked Juice Superfood is great or if you have a juicer that is awesome also) and mix it in with my Herbalife Formula 1 Vanilla flavored shake with some Glutacor to help with muscle re-growth.

Snacks:
I generally pack and bring with me wherever I am going that day. I’ll bring veggies, fruit and a protein. Everything varies based on the day but for proteins I either bring a bag of mixed nuts or an Herbalife Snack Bar (the lemon one is my favorite) I suggest getting creative with your fruits and veggies. You can eat as many as you want a day because they are just great for your system and you are supposed to have 8 servings a day anyhow so mix and match and use the veggies fill up if your having a mid meal craving or need for a munch fest!

5. How is Herbalife different from other nutrition/diet shakes?
I find that other shakes are either extremely expensive to purchase, not very good tasting, or had to work into your daily life. For me Herbalife is simple. It tastes delicious, it works wonderfully and I can add it to pretty much anything. I go and buy single small bottles of Naked Superfood Juice in bulk and then will bring it with me for the day if I’m out and about. It’s easy to shake up and drink. It doesn’t need a blender, it doesn’t need its own can. Got a craving for something sweet? Throw the chocolate flavored one in milk and drink up and you have a full meal of chocolate milk that will keep you full and energized all morning or afternoon! Its so simple and their are so many options and flavors.

6. How do you make your shake?
Depends on what kind of time I have. I’ll make the chocolate one with milk or water if I’m in a hurry. Or the vanilla with natural juice. When I’m home and I have my Magic Bullet Blender I will blend with ice and other yummy mix-ins. Sometimes fruits and veggies, sometimes peanut butter. Depends on my mood and day of the week, but your options are endless.

7. What is your favorite shake flavor?
Well, I love the chocolate because it fills my sweet tooth, but the vanilla is wonderful for adding to anything. Can I say there is a tie?

8. What is the average price of Herbalife? Where can I get it?
The price of the Formula 1 shake with shipping and handling and tax comes out to just a little over $48. It varies slightly on where it is being shipped to. Depending on the supplements you add, or if you want a workout protein powder as well (Herbalife 24 which is also great) those things vary. You can find all that information as well as the full catalog on my Herbalife sales page.

If you’re interested in Herbalife, or want to connect with Kayleigh, you can follow her Twitter, Tumblr blog, and purchase Herbalife from her sales page!