This is me. 35 years...young. Yet old enough to officially run for president of the U.S.A. Laugh away...but seriously this was my journal entry in 3rd grade that I wanted to be the first female president of the United States. Everyone else wanted to be a princess. I wanted to change the world. And I have realized that I really have made my mark in just 35 years. And that is my mission...my man

Three years ago this year I took a chance on me again. I originally thought this was selfish because we as moms build up in our minds that any time away from our kids is somehow denying them our time. But it's the quality of time that is important and how can we feel fully present without energy and self-love? How can we be a role model if we are not happy in our own skin? And so my transforma

Rainbow mountain. It sounds so delightful and happy, doesn't it? After hiking Wolverine with up to 65 mph wind gusts and in gnarly weather (as my bro calls it)...I was thinking, one more mountain climb before leaving Alaska...perfect. It was all going well... sun shining, fresh clean air, and I am going to summit today. But then we start a direct incline up, my brother is far ahead, and I have

I am a work in progress...but I've decided that I am just fine with that. I want people in my life who see me for what I am...and that's going to come with heartache, loss, and some obstacles. I cannot fix things that happened to me and I'm starting to see these wounds as badges of courage. I will NOT carry the weight of the world on me nor someone else's burden any longer for it is no

We cannot be everything to everyone. But I grew up thinking I could or I should. I think a lot of my self-worth actually came from what I could do to help others rather than what was best for me. I listened to a very powerful Joel Osteen podcast called the "Right People" and it gave me a lot of clarity. Giving to others is an absolute blessing and is a calling, but it can also be a det

Vulnerability is not weakness, but I think we are ingrained to believe that it is. If we expose too much of ourselves, what will people think of us? If we admit that we need help, we believe that we will be judged. Where does this come from? I believe it stems from fear. And fear is paralyzing. It prevents us from fully living, loving, and being present in the now. But we are the creators of

I'm about to get real and I feel compelled to do this blog today. After having several people reach out to me lately, I realized I needed to share what I've come to learn. This is coming from my experiences as a girl, a woman, a mom, a teacher, and a coach.We are in a constant war with ourselves and it's about body image. And there are so many factors that play into it that we really have to

Freedom...not just a word from my favorite movie Braveheart...but also my new mantra. And where I have found it recently is from giving myself permission to be free. I've always been a free spirit but I lost that somewhere along the way. The point is that we set our own limitations and if we set them, then we can free them. It starts from the thoughts we wake up with every day. It's a

4 months ago today I was in surgery to repair a herniated disc that was pinching a nerve in my left leg. I went from the intensity level of double workouts to laying on the floor of my family room questioning why things happen. I've pretty much learned that God has a plan for everything and my thoughts today are focused on my physical wellness...something that I had stopped appreciating. I wa

I have been quite conflicted with the idea of time since experiencing some loss in my life. There are people who recommend being patient and that time heals all things. Then there is this overwhelming feeling to hurry up and get out there & enjoy life because it will pass us by. So what is the answer? I am not certain there is a perfect answer to this. But I do know that what's most import

I think there comes a time in our lives when we need to take a full inventory of what is important to us and what is holding us back. This applies to family, friendship, work, and relationships.I was asked a question this summer about "what do you want out of life Natalie?" I started talking about my girls, my job, my team and they stopped me. "No, I mean for you." At the time I said, I don't k

Surrender. Not a word any of us wants to use in our vocabulary because it's synonymous with weakness or giving up. Yet being a fighter or at war with ourselves is not the better option. And yet it took a sermon today at church to put everything together for me.   I can honestly tell you that I have always taken pride in being a fighter. I always looked at things in life as a competit

I have had some interesting conversations recently with both students and friends about social media. Rather than being seen as a means for more communication and connection with friends & family, it has actually heightened insecurities about who we are. People look at someone on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. and they only see a snapshot of that person's life. They presu

July 9th, 2013 - I lost my grandfather on his 90th birthday. I was able to find peace with this because of the cycle of life and found comfort in the memories we made. I was his girl and we shared in lunch dates, shopping, movies, and just stories. He was also my World War II & Purple Heart hero. I am forever blessed with all that he gave

When I was invited to join my first challenge group (AKA online health & fitness group) two and a half years ago, I had NO idea that my life would change forever. I had hit a point in my life where I was SO discouraged with my health and fitness because of the constant fluctuation in my weight and the stop & go "diet" fads. I had succumbed to the fact that I may never feel confident i

  If many of you are like me, you have probably spent years of exercise focusing only on cardio & not much recovery. I can tell you that I spent a lot of time warming up for sports, but as far as recovery after a competition or an intensive practice, it wasn't a priority. Our coaches never emphasized it & when I jumped back into my fitness in 2012, cardio and strength were my focu

Too much of health & fitness is focused on the physical rather than the spiritual well-being of a person. When it comes down to wellness, it's truly about mind, body, & soul. If you are not at peace in your life, it's hard to be content with any other aspect, especially how you look physically or feel emotionally. I realized that without faith, my foundation would not be strong enough

You have the fight within...but sometimes it takes obstacles or life's challenges to find that inner strength. I'm in a predicament. This fitness girl got injured pretty bad in March. I was at the top of my game with my strength and endurance and was training for my Spartan race. One morning I woke up and couldn't stand and I mean laid out. It just happened suddenly and I found out

  This beautiful woman is my mom Carla and she is also one of the MOST in-shape grandmas I know! She has lost 13.5 inches and 3 pants sizes with Turbo Fire & the 21 Day Fix. She is also finishing P90 before kicking it up a notch with the 21 Day Fix Extreme! She is also the biggest nurturer in my online health and fitness groups. She supports everyone and lifts their spirits on good

First, it starts like this...one day at a time. And it has to so you can make life changes you can stick with. Too many times I got in shape or started a "diet" just for an event or vacation & then I was done. So you can't expect to make an entire life change over night. You have to be patient with yourself and you have to have a plan. That is why the 21 Day Fix changed my life last year.