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" Healthy is the New Skinny!"

Sunday Self-care • Fly by July Campaign

February 13, 2023

Mia The Diva

What’s stopping you from getting started on your Wellness Journey? • Fly by July Campaign

February 7, 2023

Mia The Diva

Hi Divas!

Here we are into February of this New Year! I hope you found the last post helpful in helping you envision your best 2023!

What’s stopping you from getting started on your Wellness Journey?

So here we are, where do we start? We know everything we need to do but somehow we’re not showing up for ourselves. Turning over when we set that early alarm.

Our beds are soooo comfy and it’s cold outside. We love our pillows, fluffy duvets, and warmth from our beds it’s so cozy here. I realized l didn’t want to get out of bed after having good intentions and setting that early alarm because ultimately it’s comfortable. It’s secure. It’s what l know.

I started thinking about other areas of my life and everything is comfortable, secure and what l know. I found myself having this aha moment of being in status quo.

Especially working from home my days are running into each other and look much of the same from day to day. I realized if l continue to stay in this bed (metaphorically) nothing is ever going to change in my life.

Shortly after the new year started, l was having a conversation and discussing my health goals for the new year with a friend. I work long days and was figuring out ways to make time so that l can get my walk in daily.

During our conversation I asked: “ Is this really realistic? Am l really going to wake up at 6am everyday?”

My friend responded simply and with the most care had said:

“ You have to —-.”

In that moment l realized what was stopping me from getting started on my wellness journey, something shifted. I realized l wasn’t making it a priority and was not given it a sense of urgency.

That night l laid out my workout clothes on my bed. The next morning l got up and went for my walk.

It turned into something that l realized l must do because l’m never going to own my life if l don’t take control of my health and the way l feel.

I don’t hit my workout goals everyday but l’m learning to change my scope of how l view consistency. I’m learning that tomorrow is always another day and another chance. It will never be done. This is truly a lifestyle change.

So this week is the official first week of campaign season! This year’s campaign will run through July 1st 2023. So be sure to Subscribe & Follow a diva!

I am here simply to share information l’m learning as l am on my own wellness journey to improve my health. I hope this blog can be a source of inspiration and motivation to get you started on your own healthy path dear diva!

Taking the first step

Please know we are all doing this for ourselves but not by ourselves. I’m right here with you along the way as we get through this together and hopefully partner up in supporting each other towards something great.

The First Step: Set a Goal

We can not achieve success if we do not have something that we are moving towards. A goal helps us measure where we want to be.

It’s one thing for us to say we want to look like we had a BBL it’s another to have an ultimate goal that is as ambitious as attainable.

What’s attainable?

Everyday we are bombarded with IG Beauty Standards. IG models don’t even look like IG models IRL so stop the foolishness! Don’t let social media and society dictate how you should look and feel about your body.

Having unrealistic body aspirations only sends us down a path of poor self image and not feeling like we are “ good “ enough. – Not a good look for a Diva!

A quick story time. I started seeing a nutritionist about post pandemic 2021 due to some health challenges l was having. I never had suffered from poor body image. I’ve always been a big girl my entire adult life.

My mother was a Big Beautiful Woman and it didn’t stop her or what she wanted out of life which was a husband and a family. She didn’t have to work. She went to work because she chose to which are two very different things.

So in short as l got older and gained weight over the years l never saw it as a reflection of my value as a person, self worth or inability to date or be in a relationship. I’ve always been proud of my body and her strength.

However my scope of health was quite the opposite ironically. Like most of society my ideal of health was having the body of an athlete and eating salads.

I started having some issues with low iron, elevated blood sugar and cholesterol. I went to a nutritionist to help me with the tools to improve my diet, health & get my body into “ healthy “ shape.

My story about going to a nutritionist is for another post but it has been one of the key factors on my healing journey and has really helped put the pieces of my life together.

So during one of our sessions l was asking her ways that l can eat to lose weight and change my body. She had asked me, “ Mia, what if you never lost another pound? “ — l was speechless.

I was taken aback and even slightly offended like she didn’t have belief in me or something. That l was just destined to be this way forever. When l tell you that this was one of the most empowering moments of my journey this was that moment.

It took me sometime to think about it. It was about a week or so and when we met for our next session l was able to share with her that l had come to the actualization that all l could do is be myself.

All l can ever be is my healthiest self that is something that l can change if l don’t like it. Ultimately we are all born with what we’ve got. It was in that very moment that l was finally free from the perfectionism of my wellness journey.

Ever since then l show up. I strive to give my best and to be consistent is the goal. I’m not perfect l have ways to go but l am learning more and more about myself everyday. Our bodies are beautiful and can do some pretty amazing things.

I honor my body she shows up for me everyday as long as l have breath in this body. That was such a great question my nutritionist asked me and l am so grateful for her. It was a powerful loaded question that changed the entire direction of my journey.

What’s a realistic expectation?

There are three basic body types. It’s important for a diva to understand her shape and what she can and can’t expect from it.

The Apple Diva

This body type stores fat in the upper torso. The extra fat is usually carried around the tummy area this body type had evolved over time for longs periods without food. It’s important that Apples are health conscious to cardiac disease as they tend to store fat in the upper body.

The Pear-shaped Diva

This body type holds majority of fat in the lower body hips, thighs & butt. This body type mostly are woman and have evolved over time for fertility and breastfeeding so it’s harder to lose but not as much of a health risk as tummy fat.

The Proportionate Diva

This body type fat cells are evenly distributed throughout the entire body. They lose everywhere and gain everywhere. It all adds and comes off evenly.

Weekly Challenge:

So as you can see we all have a shape where our fat goes. Working out and eating a particular way we can altar our bodies to a point. Our genetics will kick in and we will have our reality. Once we get this we can let go of unreachable crazy “lG Model goals “ and replace them with real ones.

I challenge you this week to identify your basic body type and start thinking about a fitness goal of where you want to be by July 1st.

I want you to imagine it’s July 1st 2023 and you have crushed your fitness goal or on your way to crushing & achieving your fitness goals.

What changed in how you’re showing up today vs how you were showing up in your life this first week of February 2023?

What are you doing different these days? What does your daily routine look like? I’d love to hear from you comment below if you’d like to share & have some support & accountability towards your goals! 💪🏽💕

You can follow us @flybyjuly on all the things social tag a diva! We would love to check in on you & support you on your wellness journey as well!

I’m definitely working on getting more active on my socials it’s been a minute but l mostly hang out here on the blog & pod!

Be Healthy Be Fabulous Be You!

Mia Thee Diva

2023 Bucket List • Fly by July Campaign

January 30, 2023

Mia The Diva

Hi Divas!

Happy New Year Everyone!🥂🖤 so who else tried to get their entire life together before midnight New Year’s Eve?

NYE 2022

Although l had intentions of being in these streets this NYE l opted to ring in the New Year quietly at home in my fanciest of leggings taking a few New Year’s selfies because this tiara is everything & binge streaming which was a nice change of pace because l don’t watch a whole lot of television.

It was a pretty full holiday season for me which l am grateful for and looking forward to that fresh start where we get this time of year to do this —-ALL —- over again. There’s always something optimistic and nostalgic starting a New calendar year.

I have a decent view of the strip and at midnight l ran out at midnight in the rain, wet and cold then drove around the corner to watch fireworks the one day it rains in Vegas lol.

Happy New Year. I’m back! I know it’s been a minute. It’s like the year ended for me when summer ended and my birthday came back in September.

It’s now winter. We got goals and as the saying goes Summer bodies are made in the winter.

The days just seem to be going by so fast these days, it’s hard to believe we have completed a whole year already it seems like 2022 was just one long weekend and my brain somehow is still stuck in 2020 it seems like time has just froze these past couple of years.

I started this year very early this morning as I am writing this on January 1st 2023 feeling refreshed, ready and hopeful of this year ahead.

To be transparent this whole holiday was great as it was tough for me to process some very hard residual emotions.

I’m not one to get emotional or depressed during the holidays but this year I think for the first time I allowed myself to feel ok with being a little down.

I kept myself busy and enjoyed time with friends. I had to get over this idea l had of the holidays. The holiday’s look different in this space of life that l am in and —— it’s ok.

It’s not what l was expecting in this space of life but what l’m learning is having expectations of things that are out of our control is the fast track to being down in the dumps.

To feel all the feels I realized I’ve been over-functioning since my Mom died 20 years ago this month. All the memories flooded that last holiday when she was alive. I understand now how young she was I was so young she was so young.

I’m in a stage of life that l am losing family members a change of the guard but it’s tough. Just when l think lve got this grief thing down l’m reminded that l don’t. I probably never will.

I look back at my life and took inventory of these past 20 years. I happened to have been in therapy at the time of my Mom’s death and I remember not crying and wondering why I was not crying when my mother had died.

My therapist at the time shared with me a truth bomb that helped me through my grieving process to this very day twenty years later.

She said that sometimes when we experience trauma our brains go into survival mode until it is safe to feel those emotions.

I remember years later I was crying at everything I seemed to see my mother everywhere but I also understood why I was going through what so I didn’t think I was losing my mind and going crazy. Side note: Therapy Rocks!! It doesn’t take away what happened to you but it helps you understand.

So as l enter this new year this new stage of life l will be living it on my terms. I’ve waisted so many years making other people and their bullsh*t my reality. Don’t nobody have time for that! Literally.

At the end of the day all we are left with is our feelings after people have did you dirty and have used you they will go on with their lives, so make sure you always feel your best. Do the things to be your best so that we can show up for ourselves and live the life that we truly want.

How we feel and how we show up for ourselves is one of the few things we actually have control over in this life, so make it work for you dear diva!

My 2023 Bucket List:

So traditionally a bucket list helps us maximize every moment of our existence and be able to live our lives out to the fullest.

A bucket list is all the things that we want to achieve before we die. The start of a new year is the perfect time to create one!

This year l decided to go more of the personal growth route but you honestly can create one for all aspects of your life like Travel, Health & Fitness, Career, Learning something new, relationships, all the way down to random things that you want to do. It’s your year you get to decide.

I challenge you to envision how you want your 2023 to look for you! Here’s my personal list below l took the non traditional route because l want to focus on my all around wellbeing.

1. Daily Gratitude – We hear this all the time but when are grateful for things it’s hard to get anxious, depressed or angry.

All day negative thoughts have been trying to get in my mind and l kick them right TF out!

2. Taking things one day at a time – There is no rush to the finish line. I’m learning that life is really about the unfolding of events and having deeper connections that help us grow into who we need to be.

3. Following my intuition – going with my gut! Sometimes l can overthink things to death and make myself sick over it. I have given my energy my attention to things that have far exceeded their shelf life. – Not a good look for a diva!

4. Spending more time with people that inspire & energize me. People either will energize, inspire, or drain you. Choose wisely.

5. Letting Go of Unrealistic expectations – Perfectionism has stalled so much of my life. The all or nothing approach has only set me up for the failure. The failure l was desperately trying to avoid ironically. I’m learning to work with my life and not against it.

6. Brain Breaks – Taking a brain break for a few minutes each day to give to myself. Especially working from home the days and my life all kind of run into each other. It’s so important to break up the day and give time back to myself.

7. Focusing on 3 simple goals – I use to over complicate trying to do everything at once every New Year only to get frustrated. Keeping my focus small & simple. A health goal, a personal goal, and career/financial goal.

8. Normalizing feeling sad – Sometimes we get down it’s a part of life. Sometimes we are up and have some pretty amazing days. I think it’s unrealistic and unhealthy to have the belief that things are to be good all the time.

When l’m having a moment I give myself 24 hours to be a sad bit*h then it’s time pull it back together.

I take it as a que like a check your engine light for something that’s not working in my life. It’s when we can’t pull out of it’s ok to get some professional help. Which l have done been there and actively doing.

Sadness no matter how painful has always given me the gift of clarity. It sucks when we’re in the thick of our expectations but the growth on the other side of painful experiences is priceless.

9. Booking my life – This year flew by and l have no idea how l really spent my time. I kind of found myself on this gerbal wheel of life lost, stuck, in a rut of poor habits and routines tired from being tired but nothing to show for it.

So anything l do it’s going on the calendar! The same for planning if it’s not on the calendar it doesn’t happen. I heard this quote “ lf you aim for nothing you will hit every time.” And l felt that to my core. Power Hour – Routines & Habits all 2023!

10. Allowing myself to be – Change is not easy as with a shifts l experience instead of resisting it l am willing to explore it.

My hope and goal this year is to live intentionally while still being in the moment. I challenge you to create your own 2023 Bucket List as we start this brand spanking’ New Year!

Be Healthy Be Fabulos Be You!

Mia The Diva

This is how l’m healing

August 21, 2022

Mia The Diva

Hey Divas,

There is no judgement in how l’m coping with life. We hear so much today about brokenness & healing. To heal means that something was broken. Know that we were never broken just growing & learning.

Life is tough. Life is also really great and the older we get the more shenanigan’s seem to unfold, but the wisdom we gain is priceless from surviving things that we have gone through and accepting people will disappoint us at one point or another especially those whom are closest to you.

So how do we heal? What does it all mean?

Heal. I use that word sparingly. Take heart dear diva if you’re going through a hard time just know that it is temporary nothing last forever even when it feels like it. Nothing is permanent unless it’s a tattoo and even those can be removed. So you can’t mess up but you can always be curious.

Sometimes we have to break down so we can build ourselves back up. Sometimes we have to be still for a minute before we can move forward. We have to crawl before we can walk.

Healing is personal no one can tell you how to heal. It takes time and working on yourself learning yourself. What you like what you don’t like. What feels good, what doesn’t.

It also takes a level of maturity that like with any investment is gains interest over time and builds wealth; an abundance that can overflow into all aspects of your life. There comes a point when we have to accept that there is wealth in our health the reality of life is chaos and groundlessness. That’s why being healthy is so very important and its’ value is priceless.

The more we realize how insignificant we really are on this planet in the grand scheme of things; if we were to die today life wouldn’t stop it would keep going and our job posted the next day; accepting this reality keeps us humble and allows us to really focus on ourselves and enjoy our experience while we’re here.

Places to go – People to see – Things to do ~

Diva on a journey! 💪🏽💕 Let’s Get Moving!

So this week l decided to take some time off and had a designated chill day. I have been working a lot these past couple of months and just needed to slow down. I was able to soak up some Vitamin D and relax which was great.

Circling back from last post l started with my daily to do list and got most of the things done but also got a bit overwhelmed so learning and adjusting as l go.

This week’s goal is to get moving. I’ve focused on the mental wellness heavily along with nutrition which is vital it’s also time to focus on this body body body and get her together.

So this week my focus is movement! If you’re having trouble getting out and moving l challenge you to carve out some time this week and do the same dear diva!

Be Healthy Be Fabulous Be You!

Mia The Diva

Be Loyal To Your Smiles

August 10, 2022

Mia The Diva

Hey Divas,

When we think about the things we are loyal towards; like our jobs, our families, our relationships our friendships. It serves purpose, fulfillment in life, and an addition to our lifestyle.

Sometimes we are loyal to pleasing others, loyal to putting everyone and everything before ourselves. Loyal to the hustle. Loyal to the grind. Loyal to our grief our mistakes you know our coulda woulda shoulda’s. Loyal to the comfort, living in the mediocrity of our lives.

Where has it gotten us? Did we get what we wanted? If not, it does give us an opportunity to discover what we don’t like and to do something about it.

One of the best life lessons l’ve learned was from a therapist. Where do you expect to see yourself in 5 years? If we make no changes we will be where we are today. When we find ourselves at the fork in the road it’s a life shift that will go in the direction that we decide to take.

If life is not working right now then it’s time to make some decisions and take the direction on the path we would like to go.

If we make no changes life today will be the same in the next 5 years as it is for us today. Not making a decision is still a decision. It’s a decision that’s made for you. So why not take control of your life and make the decisions you actually want to make.

“ When you make a decision that is your truth. “

I’ve made a decision to focus on what makes me smile and being loyal to that. Focusing on what makes me feel good and being loyal to that. Focusing on being curious and being loyal to that. Focusing on kindness to myself and others because you just never know what someone is going through and being loyal to that.

The greatest relationship we will ever have in this life is the one with ourselves everything and everyone else around us gets to experience our overflow. It makes everyone and everything around us better when we are at our personal best.

When we are in our essence of who we truly are doing the things that our heart desires experiencing true joy it’s almost as if we illuminate it seems to have a ripple effect.

No one can steal our energy no one can steal our good juju vibes for themselves because it is ours. However we can give it away through people pleasing and giving in to others demands by not setting clear boundaries for ourselves.

If it doesn’t feel good likely a boundary is being crossed and your energy zapped! You will either feel inspired or drained after interacting with someone so be mindful of the company you keep dear diva.

Be loyal to your smiles.

Diva on a journey! This week’s goal 💪🏽💕 Daily To Do List

Circling back from last post I was successful in getting more activity in and managed to even lose 3 lbs.! I had a pretty active week running around and getting errands done. I actually shop at 3 different grocery stores so I got a lot of steps in going from one store to the next; since being on my wellness journey I’m real bougie about my produce and where I get it. Quality over quantity. I don’t care how great a sale is, if it’s trash I’m not buying it. I work too hard for my lifestyle and I care about what I put into my body.

This week’s goal is setting my up my days with intention and tackling my daily to do list. Call it the Virgo in me but I need structure in my life as I shared in a previous post it brings my life peace and balance so this week I will be focusing on what I need to do for this week and break it down into days. If you’re feeling stuck and trying to get it together yourself I challenge you to do the same dear diva!

Be Healthy Be Fabulous Be You!

Mia The Diva

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