Tea Time with Josie - Q&A

Here it is everyone, FINALLY! PART 1 Q&A!

I was going to originally do a video for this, buttttt that ended up being 40 minutes and I never got to refilm it!
So this Tea Time with Josie Part 1 will be answered blog format, but for Q&A's I have in the future I'll try to get them in vlog format for you all so you can feel a little more connected and personalized with me! Hoping to maybe throw out a Q&A once a month!

Currently sipping on this Blooming Jasmine tea my parents picked up from Shanghai while on their Asian cruise! MMMM delicious.
Now to the questions!



How did you first get started?
If you read my About Me, you'll see the beginnings of my story there!

How do you deal with Unsupportive Family?
At first, my family and roommates definitely did not support me at all in the beginning. I started while taking summer classes at college, and while living with my sister and current roommate, they continued to eat their unhealthy foods, while I ate my veggies and protein and fruit. It was hard at first because everything they ate was SO tempting. But I kept reminding myself, I'm doing this for ME, for my HEALTH and BODY. They don't get it now, but when they see the changes I make, instead of asking Why I'm doing it, they'll ask how! (Which is actually what one of them DID end up doing!)
When I lived with my parents over the Summer, they constantly tried to get me to eat like I normally did, all that rice and yummy goodness of Vietnamese food. Now Vietnamese food isn't even at all as unhealthy as other foods out there! But some of the dishes did contain too much salt, so I would say no. After they pestered me for a while, I made sure to have a good talk with them. I told them my goals, what I ultimately wanted in the long run, and that it'd mean a lot if they supported me. I told them I understand that they keep asking out of habit, because whenever you're a child your parents' automatic reaction is to feed and nourish you! So they're just trying to help! But they don't realize that it's difficult for YOU to say no! So just let them know that! Communicate! Communicate your goals, hardships, difficulties, and how you'll be a lot more patient with them if they try to help you out too!
Currently, my parents totally accept my clean eating 100%! But of course, they love when I do give in sometimes to eat a usual home made cooked meal, or go out to a meal with them and enjoy. My dad always says "Happy food makes the tummy happy. A happy tummy = a happy heart" haha which is very true! My mom and sister have even (tried to) change their lifestyles for the better! However as of now they have both fallen off that track.....

How do you fight temptations?
OK, you know I'm no Saint in the clean eating department! I do have my slip ups, and when I do, they are BADDDDDD. Some things I do to fight these crazy cravings and temptations are:

• GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN/ Get away from food! Get it off the mind! Go read a book, watch tv, do homework, hang with friends! Something productive!
• Grab a healthy snack instead: nuts, veggies, fruit for its natural sweetness, make a mug cake!
• Brush your teeth! Usually after a minty feeling you wont want to indulge
• Go workout! And say you can have that treat AFTER! Usually, after a great workout you won't even be craving anymore!
• Keep yourself occupied, they say cravings don't usually last more than 10 minutes

Favorite Nutbutter & Animal? (oh Zandra :P <3 )
Hehe had to stick in my girl's questions in here!
Fave nutbutter? ALLLLL
Fave animal? Hmm.....
to have as a pet: cat/dog/monkey
to ride: elephant
to be: something that can fly or lives in the sea
:P

What can I do to tone ..........?
Ok, everyone asked a LOT of questions on how to tone arms, legs, tummy, lovehandles, etc.
To get those nice toned and tight curves, WEIGHT TRAIN! DON'T do that endless cardio! You'll be shapeless and skinny fat! NONONONONO.
Lift those weights to build that toned BOOTY, to build those lovely bare boulder shoulders, amazing arms, and curvy waist!

What is my workout routine?
My current Split:

Monday - Abs & Cardio

Tuesday - Back and Bis

Wednesday - Quads and Calves

Thursday - REST

Friday - Shoulders Chest Tris

Saturday - Glutes Hammies and Calves

Sunday - REST

When I have time, I'll also had some HIIT forms of cardio! 

Favorite form of cardio?
Incline walking, HIIT, or light jogging

I don't see a change in my body, help!
PROGRESSS IS PROGRESS! Just because you can't see any obvious change doesn't mean there's nothing happening! It will not happen overnight! Give yourself time and don't beat yourself up over "no" progress!
If you seriously are stuck however, you've probably hit a wall or plateau! Change up your calories, your foods, and your workouts! Try to zigzag calories to keep your body guessing (1600,1700,1800,1700,1600 etc). Don't do the same thing over and over and over or your body will get used to it and bored and won't have to work as hard to get through a certain exercise because it's already used to it! Change it up, confuse your body, and bust through that plateau!

How to stay motivated? Especially when busy with school?
I stay motivated everyday by telling myself what I want, what I need to do to get it, and if what I'm doing now will get me there. I make time in school by waking up a little extra early to fit in my workout in the morning, or if I have a break between classes, I go hit the campus gym for a quick workout! At least aim to do some form of activity for at least 30 mins/day ! I also read in a study that short workouts accumulated can equal the same as a long workout! For example, 4 ten minute sessions can equal the same amount as a 40 minute session! Haven't done much research on this, but thought it was interesting! So feel free to span out your exercise!
But basically, I stay motivated with quotes, inspiration pictures, my instagram, you all, and knowing ultimately what my goals are and what needs to be done in order for me to achieve them!

How do you deal with social situations?
Ha, my friends are so used to my healthy eating now, it doesn't phase them too badly! Yes, I bring my own meals to be prepared whenever I visit friends. I bring snacks of veggies fruits and nuts while they snack on chips and buttered popcorn. I bring my own chicken and asparagus when they're eating their double stuffed crust cheese pizzas. But let's say you don't bring your own stuff, then what?

• If you go out, try to find the healthiest thing on the menu! Don't be afraid to customize some things! Get grilled things instead of fried and with no seasoning, and get a side of veggies instead of fries!
• Even if your friends insist, politely decline the temptations they're taunting you with
• Coward way out (sometimes I'm guilty of doing this!) - Say you already ate and are full! This can get you out of explaining and having them try and force naughty food on you
• If they ask about your lifestyle, don't shove all the info down their throats! if you do they may want to shove all their naughty foods down yours! Explain to them calmly why you made this LIFESTYLE change, but don't try and make them change as well! If you show them respect, they should show you theirs!
• If they don't accept your lifestyle change, maybe that means they shouldn't be a part of it! If they ultimately want to see you fail, you don't want people like that in your life anyway!

Do I count calories/macros?
I used to at the beginning of my journey, but these little numbers had so much control over my life and mind, so I quit counting and have never been happier! Now I just ENJOY healthy foods every day! Without being controlled by trivial numbers! I dare you to do the same!

Do I think I'll ever backslide from my healthy lifestyle?
Not completely, I don't. I know that I will have times where I won't be as motivated to work out consistently or keep eating clean, but even if I do, I KNOW that I'll bounce back with an awesome come back! I'll never backslide and stay at where I was unhealthy for good. I may backslide and take a few steps back, but I will always work harder to take 3 leaps forward!

Favorite treat meal?
Ooooh that's tough!
I love sweets! Even though before my lifestyle change I didn't have much of a sweet tooth! Strange...
Froyo, Candy, CARBS, Pizza, Jimmy John's subs, Burritos

Where should I start?
I believe everyone should start with the diet aspect! Not diet as in a short term plan that ends in a yo-yoing of weight gain and loss. I mean "diet" as the foods that you eat and your body takes in! I think the first thing that needs to change is exactly that, slowly take out any processed junks and foods that aren't clean. When I first started, I mostly changed my eating habits and did at most 20 minute walks a day! Then after I got my clean eating down, then I started upping the workouts. Remember to have REST days! Great for your body physically and MENTALLY. Be sure to add WEIGHTS and CARDIO.

Where do I get my recipes?
Google! I love googling clean recipes!!! I have found so many awesome blogs this way!

How many days ahead do I food prep?
Sometimes I food prep Saturday or Sunday for the first half of the school week (Mon-Wed or Thurs) and then I food prep Wed or Thursday for the next half of the week until Sunday!

Good Snacks?
Veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, protein shakes

Workout that focuses on stamina, core, endurance, etc?
HIIT is a great exercise that focuses on all of these, as well as weight training! Contract your core through every movement, and increase muscle endurance with super and monstersets!

Thoughts on fruit?
Love fruit! Nature's candy baby! I believe these should not be omitted from your diet because they're nature's natural cleansers full of allll sorts of nutrients your body needs!

What kind of watch do you have and how much?
Polar FT7 I bought on EBAY for $57!



Well I hope you've liked this First Segment of Tea Time with Josie!
If You have any other questions you'd like me to answer for next time, leave a comment below!
My next Q&A will be focused on personal questions about me! So ask away!