FIVE TIPS TO YOUR FITNESS GOAL

 

What's up wonderful, amazing, sweet and lovely people. How are you all doing today? I hope you're doing great and not letting anyone steal your joy. Welcome to Maryam's Joyful Life. Today is a beautiful day! Thank you for checking out my blog today.

It's a new day and I am so thankful for the blessings of God. The grace to stay fit and be in good health is a blessing that I will forever be grateful to God for. It is my joy and privilege to share five of my favorite tips with you today.

1. Park A Little Farther Than Usual

I used to fight for spots close to the door at the grocery store or places I go to. I understand the convenience to go quickly in and out of a place without having to wait. However, if you're trying to stay active and live a healthier lifestyle, I encourage you to park a little farther away from the door. Most people don't compete for the parking spots that are farther away because of the effort it takes to walk to the store. For someone whose goal it is to lose weight and live healthier, you know that is the real gem. Your metabolism increases as your activity level increases. High metabolism is what breaks down fats and carbs that lead to overweight.

2. Walk Back and Forth To The Kitchen or Dining Area

When we are at home, it is normal for us to want to sit down and be sedentary. We want our comfort such as eat conveniently on the couch and use the remote. We tend to sit on one spot for hours. To break this bad habit, we could get up and walk back and forth to the kitchen or dining area 10x per day. The goal is to get yourself used to getting up and moving in your house. Remember every step makes a difference.

3. Use Your Steps In Your House

If you live in a duplex or split level home, that's your opportunity to get fit. Sometimes it is hard to go up the  stairs, trust me, I understand. But if your goal is to be active, try going up and down the stairs 5X per day. You don't have to run up the stairs. A gentle walk up the steps will do you good.

4. Cut Soda And Replace It With Fruit Juice

Soda doesn't have any dietary value. It is full of sugar and not good for your health. You can simply try cutting down the amount you take per day and replace it with a healthier drink such as water or fruit juice over time. You will feel the difference in your body when you cut soda off.

5. Relax

I know some of the points I have shared may be a little overwhelming to follow. However, getting in shape shouldn't scare you. Don't overwhelm yourself with the thought of losing weight so much, that you begin to resent yourself. You should be excited about the steps you're taking and keep your eyes on your goal, with excitement, that you will get there.

I hope this helps you.

Have a pleasant day.

With gratitude,

Maryam 

FOCUS IS EVERYTHING IF YOU MUST SUCCEED

 What's up wonderful, amazing, sweet and lovely people. How are you all doing today? I hope you're all having a great day, today and are not letting anyone steal your joy. Welcome to Maryam's Joyful Life. Today is a beautiful day!

Happy Labor Day my people! I hope you're spending it with those you love.

Get my accessories here:www.maryamsjoyfullifeapparel.com

Today, I want to share a topic that helps me everyday of my life. I believe that this will help you too. See, in life, we are constantly being bombarded with signs and signals and these things have the power to control us if we let them. We have to know how not to let them control us. Our ability to focus is very powerful. 

Focus is power. Where your focus goes, your energy flows and where your energy flows, there's growth and expansion. You want to make sure that you're only fueling what you want with your energy and that includes the type of thoughts you let yourself dwell on.

The sun gives vitality and strength to plant life on earth. Without the sun, we won't have warmth and life as we know it, would not exist. The sun is the number one and most vital source of energy and life on this planet. You're the sun of your world. If you pour your energy on people and things you don't like, you are empowering them to do you harm. I encourage you and me to become aware of where we focus our attention. If it doesn't feel good, if it brings you fear and constriction, it's not right. Focus on things and people who bring you joy and excitement. 

Don't focus on things that you want to change, focus on the thing you want, that is the change. If you want a baby, focus on a baby not the absence of a baby. If you want money, don't focus on poverty. The trick of the enemy is to make you focus on the things that are going wrong or missing. Being that we are vibratory beings, your focus determines the state of mind you're in and that in turn, becomes your point of attraction. If you allow yourself to focus on what is wrong with you, you feel bad about yourself and when you do, you attract people and circumstances that will make you to keep feeling bad.

I want to feel good all the time because feeling good is amazing! I have come to the awareness that when I am not feeling good, it's because I am focusing on negative thoughts. To feel good, my thoughts have to be positive ones. So, I shift my focus to positive thoughts. You can do this by giving thanks for the things that are going right in your life. You cannot be grateful and feel bad at the same. If you can't seem to find anything to be thankful for; "you're alive!" That is a great place to start. While you still have breath in you, IT AIN'T OVER!

I hope this inspired you because it sure inspired me.

Have an amazing day!

With gratitude,

Maryam

IT IS NATIONAL CHEESE PIZZA DAY

What's up wonderful, amazing, sweet and lovely people. How are you all doing today? I hope you're having an amazing day today and are not letting anyone steal your joy. Welcome to Maryam's Joyful Life.

Thank you for checking out my blog today.

So, today is National Cheese Pizza Day! I just found out about it. My kids' favorite pizza is Pepperoni. I love Pepperoni pizza too. There are days when I crave pizza and there are days I don't. Although pizza is delicious, it also depends on where you purchase it from. My favorite place to buy is at Papa John's.

I freaking love their pizza! The crust is delicious and the pizza is amazing. My kids and I like to visit Shaq O'neal's location in Lovejoy, Georgia. It's a drive-through location and my order is usually ready within 15-20 minutes. The staff over there are amazing! Check them out today, if you live in the area.

Today, I just wanted to celebrate National Pizza Day by sharing it on my blog.

Enjoy a slice today!

With gratitude,

Maryam

YOUR WEIGHT-LOSS JOURNEY DOESN'T HAVE TO BE BLAND|| Veggie Noodle Soup Recipe

 

What's up wonderful, amazing, sweet and lovely people. How are you all doing today? I hope you're all having an amazing day and are not letting anyone steal your joy. Welcome to Maryam's Joyful Life. Today is a beautiful day. Thank you for checking out my blog today.

Weight-loss doesn't have to be scary and boring. You don't have to eat tasteless and bland food in order to reach your goals. In fact, to lose weight, you can still eat what you like but in moderation and increase your physical activity . 

The reason why most people never reach their goal is because they try too hard and apply hard-to-follow techniques that only work for a few people. Being a fitness and health enthusiast, I can tell you from experience that you can still eat what you love but in moderation and be able to reach your goal. I have to clear up some misconceptions though.

Dieting alone will not get you to your ideal weight. However, dieting in addition to increased physical activity to burn calories and fire up your metabolism will get you there anytime. By dieting, I don't mean eating tasteless and unappealing foods. I mean cutting down on the amount of food you eat and substituting non-nutritional foods for nutritional foods. It takes discipline and commitment to stick with your plan and ultimately reach your goals. I believe you can reach your goal. There are days when you're going to feel like quitting but don't quit. Keep the picture of the person you want to become at the end of the journey on the screen of your mind.

Here's a recipe I think you might want to add to your list. Vegetable noodle soup!

My son and I just enjoyed a bowl of this delicious soup each. I tell you, it's very delicious. I find it fun to mix-up what I eat. I don't always eat meat. I love meat a lot but sometimes I just don't desire to eat meat. Yesterday was one of such days.

I decided to make this amazing pot of vegetable noodle soup. I am super excited to share the recipe with you.

What you will need:

1 pack egg noodle

1 teaspoon salt

a tablespoon of minced or chopped garlic

2 tablespoons of chopped onions

3 tablespoons of olive oil

a teaspoon of Weber's Kick'n Chicken Seasoning

A sprinkle of Ground black pepper

A teaspoon of Knorr Beef

2 cups of water

1 Green Bell Pepper

1 Red Bell Pepper

Slice Bell peppers into four parts each and blend until coarsely blended with little bits of pepper still showing.

Get a saucepan or soup pot. Place on the stove-top at medium high heat. 

Pour your olive oil into the pan. Let heat for about 2-3 minutes. 

Add your chopped onions and garlic and let cook until onions are translucent.

Then add your blended Bell pepper mix. Stir until content mixes completely.

Add your water and all spices. Cover your pot and let content boil. This should be between 8- 10 mins.

Add your pasta and let cook for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes extra.

Get your favorite bowl out and serve yourself. This is delicious.

The great thing about this meal is that it's very light and it satisfies your taste buds too. It's a very low calorie meal.

I hope this inspired you.

Have an amazing day.

With gratitude,

Maryam

TODAY IS THE PRESENT|| LIVE IN THE NOW

 

What's up wonderful, amazing, sweet and lovely people. How are you all doing today? I hope you're all having a great day today and are not allowing anyone steal your joy. Welcome to Maryam's Joyful Life. Today is a beautiful day. Thank you for reading my blog today.

Please subscribe to my blog.

Hey guys, so I was just thinking about yesterday and I got an idea about today's blog. The reason for this post is to encourage me and you to learn to appreciate the gift of yesterday and release the guilt.

The feeling of guilt is a negative feeling. I notice that when I reflect on yesterday, I am drawn to the things I didn't do right or the people I wished I had treated better or called. See, the more I dwell on this feeling, the more I feel depressed and disconnected from the"present"- the gift called today!

I am learning to become more aware of my gift of today and I can't allow myself to dwell on the things I didn't do right yesterday."Now" is the only moment I can really live in and experience. Everything I can control and change is in the NOW! After all, I want to feel happy now, I want to feel peace now, I want to feel loved now and I want to live now.

This post is to remind us, to choose the pleasant moments of yesterday; appreciate them, while making today count by living in the present. So what?! That we messed up yesterday. So what?! That things didn't go well yesterday. So what?! That we forgot to call a loved one yesterday?! I want us to stop worrying too much about what we didn't do right and be grateful for the things we did right. That's not to say we don't get better. We get better by doing the thing that we wish we did yesterday,  now. No amount of energy we waste in relieving the negative can fix it. We can only fix it by doing the right thing now!

So, I close with this; live life in the moment: by this I mean, when you're eating your meal, be fully present with your meal. Enjoy every bite and flavor. Release the past and the future. Live in that moment, be fully present. This moment is the gift! Embrace it!

Thank you so much for reading to the end.

I hope you have an amazing day, being fully present.

With love and gratitude,

Maryam   

MY TO-DO LIST SCARES ME

 

What's up wonderful, amazing, sweet and lovely people. How are you all doing today? I hope you're all having a great day today and are not letting anyone steal your joy. Welcome to Maryam's Joyful Life. Thank you for checking out my blog today.

So, it  September 2nd and I am feeling inspired. I can't believe that I just said that. See, earlier, I wasn't feeling quite as  inspired at all. I was over thinking and dwelling on some to-do list, which I shouldn't be thinking too much about. I realize that the more I think about it, the more tired and discouraged I got. Knowing this, I just find myself reminding myself to breathe and chill out!

Life is in the living of it. How do you really live without experiencing stuff and this stuff includes lists of tasks to be tackled.

 This is why I love meditating and doing things I love. Whenever I get caught up with thoughts of things I shouldn't be thinking about, I remind myself that I am not my thoughts. Then I come back to the present moment. That usually keeps me calm. My brain is a memory bank that either keeps me hooked to favorable memories or unfavorable ones. It is a matter of my choice. Which thought do I want to focus on? The positive thoughts or the negative ones? I get to choose.

Oops! We were talking about my to-do list. Back to it. Whenever I think about everything I have to do all at once,  it scares me. I think this is why many people feel overwhelmed, including myself. We tend to think about all we have to do, instead of prioritizing our list. I am learning to prioritize my to-do list in order to get things done on time. Prioritizing means arranging my list according to deadlines. Tackle each at a time and do the best I can with the time that I have. 

When we think about life as a whole, we can be intimidated by the many pieces involved. However, if we think about life as happening in the moment, we are inspired by the little things and we enjoy the simple things in life. I am learning to keep my mind in the present more often. I want to catch the jokes and the milestones of my children in the moment. I guess all am trying to say is "Chill Out!" Maryam. 

So, if you're overwhelmed right now, make a to-do list, prioritize and tackle it according to deadline. Then, be in the moment, relax and Chill Out! Life is meant to be lived. Don't let living pass you by.

 Thank you for checking out my blog today.

With gratitude, Maryam

 

I THINK BLUE MIGHT BE MY NEW FAVE COLOR || LUXE GAL

 

What's up wonderful, amazing, sweet and lovely people. How are you all doing today? I hope you're all having a great day today and are not letting anyone steal your joy. Welcome to Maryam's Joyful Life. Today is a beautiful day. Thank you for checking out my blog today.

Femme Luxe Refinery

This post is a fashion review. You all know that I love clothes or maybe love reviewing clothes lol. I know a good number of you guys are fashionistas. While I am still trying to catch up, I'm happy to share my new pieces with you all today.

Watch the Unboxing video here: 

Femme Luxe Refinery have a variety of styles that catch my eyes and today, I am very excited to share a few of them with you all. Heads up, I think blue might just be my new favorite color.

Blue Off The Shoulder Loungewear Set- Blake https://femmeluxe.co.uk/blue-off-shoulder-loungewear-set-blake

I absolutely love this set. There's something about this light blue that I am drawn to. I love how it fits perfectly and the material is so soft. I love how it complements my skin. It's truly beautiful.

The strings in front of the pants are for aesthetics. They add a play touch to the outfit and I kinda like them😆.

Such a  beautiful outfit that just goes so well with my brown skin.

 Truly a gorgeous piece. Remember you can get this exact piece by clicking the link on the first picture above.

Grey Marl V-Neck Short Sleeve T-Shirt: https://femmeluxe.co.uk/grey-marl-v-neck-short-sleeve-t-shirt-alaya

I really like this V-Neck T-shirt. It can be dressed up and dressed down. It all just depends on how you want to style it. This post is an unboxing and try-on but I will be sharing pictures of me dressed up in my new pieces in the next few days. Be on the look out for them.

This tee would look really good paired with a high-waisted pair of pants.

Even on a casual day, this tee makes me look sweet😉.

Black Long Sleeve V Neck Leggings Loungewear Set: https://femmeluxe.co.uk/black-long-sleeve-v-neck-leggings-loungewear-set-acadia
 

This set is also one of my favorites. I like the simplicity of it and how relaxed and elegant I felt wearing it. The sleeves are not quite long on me but they might be on you. I have very long arms. P.S my asset for receiving a basketball scholarship lol.

I look relaxed even while lounging with kids toys all around me lol.

This set has a classic cardigan look and feel to it that I really like.

I really like this.

 

Rib Two Piece Loungewear Set- Aloranna https://femmeluxe.co.uk/rib-two-piece-loungewear-set-aloranna-1

I really like this set. I don't always buy whites or cream colored clothes because I fear that they will not wash well. I like to mix my laundry when I wash. I get lazy separating colors. In fact, the thought of separating colors gets me tired. Like, I am already tired with all that I already do lol.

I couldn't resist the set. It caught my eye and couldn't say no. I guess everyone starts somewhere. With this set, I'll have to learn to separate my laundry if I want to enjoy it for a while.

These are loungewears and I am lounging.

I hope you found inspiration in this post.

Life is to be experienced. I hope your experience is filled with a lot of joyful moments.

With love and gratitude,

Maryam

You Better Not Quit Now, Baby

What's up wonderful, amazing, sweet and lovely people. How are you all doing today? I hope you're all having an amazing day today and are not letting anyone or thing steal your joy. Welcome to Maryam's Joyful Life. Today is a beautiful day! Thank you all for checking out my blog today.

So it's September 1st! Yay!! I am so grateful for the blessing of seeing this new month. I hope you are too because the fact that you still got air to breathe, it ain't over! Whatever may be happening in your life currently, is a setup for a BIG comeback! God is not finished with you yet. Please don't put a period where God has a comma.

Your life is not defined by what you've been through. 

My tee is available here:www.maryamsjoyfullifeapparel.com

Your life is not defined by what you've been through. Your current situation, however unbearable it may currently seem, is only for a limited time. You're building muscle, baby. And by the time those muscles start popping, no one will recognize  you. You'll be riding high baby. Flying on wings like Eagles. Your story will be the reason someone else overcomes their trials. So, you better not quit now. You're right at the edge of a breakthrough. I see a bright light in your future. I see God using your mess and turning it into a miracle. You better not quit now baby.

I hope and pray that your month is the best yet. That your best experiences are still ahead of you. Life gets better for you from now on. May each passing moment, bring you more joy and prosperity than the last. You're shining baby and don't let temporary unfavorable circumstance, steal your joy!

I am on your corner, rooting for you baby.

Go on, shine your light and don't you dare dim it for anyone else.

With gratitude,

Maryam

MY NEW FAVORITE JEWELRY PIECES|| ANA LUISA JEWELRY

 

Hello wonderful, amazing, sweet and lovely people. How are you all doing today? I hope you're all having an amazing day today and are not letting anyone steal your joy. Welcome to Maryam's Joyful Life. Today is a beautiful day! Thank you all for joining me today.

It is the last day of the month of August. I glorify God for His grace that preserved us through out the month. As we embark on the journey through September, I am super excited and hopeful for the wonderful things that are in store for me and my children. I pray that this next month brings you amazing blessings and miracles each and everyday. 

So, I wanted to share my new favorite pieces of jewelries with you all today. With these pieces, you don't break the bank for them. Have you ever wanted a piece of jewelry that is made from high quality metal and with you mind? Something that speaks to your heart as well as agrees with your budget? I got you covered.

Ana Luisa jewelries are amazing. They are made from great quality metal that don't wear out with time. Their pieces are gorgeous and meaningful. They speak to the very core of your being. At least they do to me. Lol...

I chose two amazing pieces which I believe were made for me. The necklaces you see me wearing in the picture above are personal to me. The heart necklace is called "The Lev," my son's name is Le'Veon. This necklace reminds me of the love I have for him and the feeling I feel when I think about his birth. Le'Veon represents answered prayer to me. He brought the light back into my life after years of darkness.

The second piece I chose is called the "mama Necklace," I love this one because two Angels call me mama. It reminds me of my most cherished role of being a mama. Zo'e, my sweet baby girl seen in the picture above, is especially attached to me. She is my overflow to my Le'Veon. I love my babies so much. When I touch my "mama necklace," I feel the connection to my Angel babies. They bring a lot of warmth, love, excitement and joy to my world.  

I also chose a pair of star-like hoop earrings. These earrings remind me of the Cross. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross to bring me salvation. Oh how amazing that is. Life is full of symbolism and the best symbols are those that bring positive vibrations and warmth to us. These pieces really speak to me on a deep level and I am glad that I could share them with you.

Are you looking for great pieces that will speak to your heart? Are you a mom? You may want to check out the "mama necklace." I am especially drawn to Ana Luisa Jewelries because they start at an affordable $39 . Here's a code to get 10% off your order from me: MaryamS10

Use this link:https://www.analuisa.com/collections/bestsellers?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=maryams&discount_code=MaryamS10&discount_t=percentage&discount_a=10&utm_products=puffed-heart-necklace-lev_mama-necklace_talisman-huggie-hoops-cruz

It will take you straight to the page that has my favorite pieces. 

I hope you have enjoyed today's post. Please follow me on Instagram: @maryamsjoyfullifeblog. I would love to see pictures of the pieces you choose.

Until next time...

Have an amazing day!

With love and gratitude,

Maryam

HOW MINT AND GINGER ROOT TEA CURES HEADACHES AND REDUCE STRESS|| NATURAL REMEDY

 

What's up wonderful, amazing, sweet and lovely people. How are you all doing today? I hope you are all having a great day today and are not letting anyone steal your joy. Welcome to Maryam's Joyful Life. Today is a beautiful day. Thank you all for joining me.

I love tea! Especially natural teas. I don't like caffeine though. Caffeine gives me a headache. I don't like that.

A few days ago, I did a live video on my channel. I have linked the video to this post. I shared my favorite tea recipe and promised myself to make a blog post about it. I love peppermint and ginger. I make mint and ginger tea a lot. I make them separately and combined. I have a jar of dried peppermint leaves I bought a while back from Amazon; here's the link to get it  https://amzn.to/2QxDuzp

From drinking these teas separately, I have discovered some personal benefits from them. I notice that whenever I have a headache, peppermint tea cures it after a few sips. Peppermint also refreshes my body after a very stressful day. Here's how I make it:

I get a couple of tablespoons of dried peppermint leaves and pour it into my teapot containing two cups of water. I boil and turn off the stove. I let it brew on the warm stove top for about 5-7 minutes before serving. I get a filter and filter the leaves out into a cup. Add a teaspoon of honey and it is ready for my enjoyment.

Ginger roots are great for your digestive system. I love ginger tea. I have found that it cleanses my system and using the restroom is easy and it cures gas too. It's awesome!

I love the spicy taste and combined with a little bit of honey, oh my! It's heavenly!

This is how I make my Ginger root tea: I get a couple of medium size heads and pound in my mini pestle mortar. You can blend it, if you don't have a pestle mortar. I then put it into my tea pot containing a pot of water. Then I boil. I then turn off the stove and let sit for about 5 minutes and then I filter the bark from the tea into my favorite tea cup. I add a tablespoon of honey and stir. Then I take a sip and enjoy!

This the honey I have been using. Mountain ridge 100% Natural honey. I got it from Walmart.

This is my teapot. It's a beautiful kettle by Portobelo which I bought from Ross Stores.

Here's my glorious cup of tea. Truly a glorious experience whenever I make this tea.

I make a combined Ginger and Peppermint tea. Follow the steps already shared but add both ingredients to the pot of water and boil. It's truly refreshing.

I hope you have enjoyed this post. It gives me so much joy to be able to share things that I love with you.

I hope to see you next time.

With gratitude,

Maryam

TRAVELLING TO A NEW FRAGRANCE DESTINATION FOR MY LOVE OF GOOD SMELLS|| DOSSIER

Hello wonderful, amazing, sweet and lovely people. How are you all doing today? I hope you're all having a great day today and are not letting anyone steal your joy. Welcome to Maryam's Joyful Life. Today is a beautiful day. Thank you all for joining me.

Thank God for the internet. I can now travel with my eyes to new fragrance destinations. Lol... In today's blog, I will be sharing my new fragrance destination with you all.

I love good smells. Whenever I go to Macy's or any fragrance destination, I always like to sample their new fragrances. I love how different scents just transport my imagination to different beautiful destinations from a single whiff. It is quite amazing. The only thing is, they are expensive and sometimes I don't feel like spending a whole lot of money on a small bottle.

I believe there's a lot of people like that. They want luxury perfumes but can't afford to pay the price that go with them. Even if they eventually are able to get it, they have to sacrifice other needs for it. There's a solution for that. I am so happy to say www.dossier.co has a solution for the problem. Dossier makes quality perfumes which are inspired by famous designer fragrances, for a fraction of the price. Their perfumes are made from clean ingredients and cruelty free. Say you want Chanel Coco's Mademoiselle, you go to  www.dossier.co , you'll find Oriental Woody 1 which is inspired by Chanel Coco's Mademoiselle. The great part is, you pay ONLY $29 for a 50ml bottle. Amazing deal if you ask me. I actually happen to have Oriental Woody 1 and I love it!!! I feel like I smell heavenly when I'm wearing it 😊. 

I am really loving my bottles and will be adding a few more to my collection of inspired fragrances from Dossier. I am so happy to share my discount code with you all. If you're inspired and would love to try one of Dossier's fragrances, use my code: Maryam10 for 10% off your order today.

I hope your day is filled with sweet smells and your imagination filled with beautiful pictures.

With gratitude,

Maryam