Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Medifast. All opinions are my own.

The first month of the year is synonymous with getting back in the gym, joining a weight loss program and making a resolution for better health. It's viewed as being the month of new beginnings, fresh starts and a clean slate. But for all of the motivation and energy January brings, February and March usually see a sharp decline in momentum. Maybe we set unrealistic goals and are frustrated at the lack of progress achieving them. Maybe it's not as easy as you thought it would be. Maybe real life got in the way. All I know is that I have experienced each one of these hypotheticals myself. Have you? The thing is, no matter what month or season it is, any time can be your January. Why? Because you deserve to be healthy. You deserve to feel better about yourself. You deserve to feel comfortable in your own skin. And you know what? You can decide to make that happen whenever you choose, not when society dictates it. In March, in the middle of a hot August day or right after you have over-stuffed yourself on that secret stash of Halloween candy you've been hiding from everyone. You deserve to say, the time is right now. In fact, I made October of last year my January and began the Medifast Go weight loss program. People thought I was crazy since it was the season of food. Wouldn't I miss out on all of those glorious meals and treats? Wouldn't I feel deprived and miserable? It made me worry, too... can I really do this? But Medifast Go taught me a lot. It's really not just about meal replacement bars, shakes and ready-made meals. If your diet plan makes food the focus, then you're on the wrong weight loss plan... because what happens once you stop? Why, the weight comes back of course. While obviously Medifast's food is the basis for their program, it is not the foundation. Wait, what? The foundation of Medifast is education. This education propels you forward in making a lifestyle change that sticks because it is a guide in understanding food and yourself.  With my month's shipment of meals came a cook book, one that is filled with savory and sweet recipes for a large variety of food. It also showed how to incorporate your Medifast meals into it to really switch things up. I personally am not creative when it comes to the kitchen and let's face it, there's only so many times you can eat soup. The cook book is one of the ways Medifast sets you on the path to success. Then there's the booklet for dining out. It literally lists every chain and popular restaurant you can imagine and tells you which meals you can order to keep you on track. This booklet has been a staple for me because my family only eats out on weekends. And when I want to order from a locally owned restaurant, I simply find a similar menu item on the list. They really make it easy for you. Lastly, there's the food journal, which really makes you accountable to yourself to help you keep on track. Combining these tools with the food you'll be eating aid in changing how you eat going forward. I don't know about you, but it's not neccessarily food that is my problem, but the way in which I eat. My mindset, habits and lifestyle choices. I value a program like Medifast Go that takes those things into account and makes them an important piece of their plan. I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please leave a comment (and I'd love to know which month you're making your January!) You can also follow my journey from the beginning: How to Lose Weight at Home What the First Few Weeks on Medifast are Really Like How Medifast Works How to Stick To Your Diet During the Holidays Can You Cheat on Your Diet and Still Lose Weight? 5 Tips to Lose Weight Right Now Try 30 days of Medifast with 7 Days of Free Meals included in the first month's order with a renewal plan. Offer expires April 30, 2018 or get $15 Off orders of $150+ with promo code SAVINGS15 at checkout! Some exclusions apply. Offer expires April 30, 2018. *Average weight loss for Medifast Direct® customers using Medifast Go™ is 11 pounds. Medifast Direct customers are in weight loss, on average, for 8 weeks. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Or check out our natural bath and body line!

From pea protein to whey protein, hemp protein, and soy protein, I've done my research to give you a quick summary of what each one is and its benefits. I've also included a list of brands to try - this list is simply based on the brands I have personally used and liked.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Medifast. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

(Medifast Cappuccino - so super delish)

I hate the word diet. Diet, to me, means going without. When you go without then that is all you can focus on. Can't eat chocolate? Now I want ALL the chocolate every chance I can get. Can't go out to that favorite restaurant? Now I want to camp out and basically live there. I prefer to look at weight loss as a lifestyle change. Lifestyles changes are permanent, diets are temporary. Whether or not you have the money to join a weight loss plan to make that lifestyle change (see below for some discounts for Medifast Go that might help), there are 5 things you can start doing right now to set you on the right path to lose weight. Eat a high-protein breakfast Protein is like the golden child of every weight loss plan. It boosts your metabolism, decreases hunger and as you are losing weight, adds lean muscle. Of course, you don't have to just eat protein, you can drink it, too. Eat small meals every few hours Eating smaller, healthy meals several times a day helps to maintain your blood sugar at a consistent level helping you to avoid energy crashes. It also means you feel full longer decreasing your chances or excessive snacking. Psychologically speaking, you may think that eating more often means you'll gain weight, but as long as it is low calorie, low fat, high protein and minerals, then it is much better than the potential for eating 3 large meals and snacking in between - because let's be honest here, snacking is what often does us in. Decrease Stress Easier said than done, but it's well known that stress can pack on the pounds. If you don't incorporate any form of stress management techniques into your day, then there is no time like now to do things like: download the Calm app to your phone, start going to bed earlier, learning basic yoga, meditation and even just exercising for 30 minutes a day. Some days just chasing my two year old around from room to room for 30 minutes straight and making a game of it counts as my exercise for the day - and it boosts both our moods, too. Drink water before and after meals I'm not a fan of water, however I've come to not mind it as much when adding Medifast's Calorie Burn Mixed Berry Flavor Infuser (it tastes so good!) Drinking water a half hour before a meal acts as an appetite suppressant because you feel fuller prior to your meal, helping you to either eat less or just the proper portion size. Since water has no calories (the flavor infuser I mentioned is only 5 calories btw), you avoid loading up on empty calories that would only contribute to weight gain. Decrease sugar and starch Oh the addiction to sugar is real my friends. Sugar gives you temporary pleasure, but then converts to fat and you have to work that much harder to lose it. Starchy foods also convert to sugar. When you significantly reduce them both, you'll begin to notice the pounds start to melt away. I say reduce because in the real world cutting them out entirely simply means you'll find a way to sneak them and overindulge. All of the above are steps you can take starting today to start your weight loss journey. There's no magic potion, only a committment to becoming healthy. I'm cheering you on! You can also follow my journey from the beginning: How to Lose Weight at Home What the First Few Weeks on Medifast are Really Like How Medifast Works How to Stick To Your Diet During the Holidays Can You Cheat on Your Diet and Still Lose Weight? If you’re interested in joining me on this journey, you can get 7 days of free Medifast meals + bonus gifts + free shipping on your the first order as part of the renewal plan. Or for a limited time you can get 20% off any order of $300 or more + Free Shipping with promo code BIGDEAL20! Valid December 26, 2017 through January 2, 2018 at Midnight ET. *Average weight loss for Medifast Direct® customers using Medifast Go™ is 11 pounds. Medifast Direct customers are in weight loss, on average, for 8 weeks. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Or check out our natural bath and body line!

Stuck in a rut? Feeling like you are working endless hours, but not really completing your to do list? If you are wondering how to increase your productivity so that you are working more efficiently, staying on task and not just being "busy" with nothing to show for it, read on for 5 things that have helped me. Sleep It goes without saying that when you don't have a good night's sleep, you'll struggle to focus throughout the day and your productivity will decline. Quality sleep is a little more involved than just going to bed 8 hours before you need to wake up. Something I've had to learn the hard way. Getting the right balance of deep sleep, rem sleep and light sleep involves sleeping on the right hybrid mattress, not snacking up to two hours before bed time, the amount of stress in your day (and how you handled it), putting down your phone/tablet/laptop at least an hour before lights out and invoking relaxation techniques to help ease you into a restful night's sleep. Comfort is obviously key - making sure your room is the right temperature (cooler is always better), wearing clothing that won't tug or bind, and making sure all light is blocked (I have light blocking curtains, but certainly a sleep mask can work for you.) Sound is also helpful to a restful night's sleep. When home I use a white noise machine and on ocassion I use my Alexa Echo Dot to play relaxing sounds. When on the road, I have the Relaxio White Noise Generator app on my phone, which plays rain, thunderstorms, a fan, a crackling fire, wind, etc. and you can set a timer for how long you want it to play. I highly recommend it. For managing stress and developing relaxation techniques, see meditation below. Eat I'm sure you've heard the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I can only speak for myself, but if I skip breakfast, suddenly around 11am all I can think about is food and it takes me off-task. I've discovered that eating small meals every two hours not only helps to maintain my energy level and avoid an early afternoon crash, it also improves my mood. When you're less irritable, you're more likely to be open to other ways to problem solve throughout the day helping you blast through your workload and overcome any obstacles with a positive attitude. Obviously what you eat is super important. A mix of protein, healthy fats and complex carbs are best. Oh, and I can't live without coffee. Aromatherapy This one really works for me. Whether it is a placebo effect or actually true, scent makes a big difference in how I tackle my work day. When I need a boost, I rub on citrus essential oils like grapefruit, lemon and lime. If I need to take my stress level down a notch, it's lavender, jasmine, and rosewood. I personally love these pictured above from Adoratherapy. Between their positive, motivational statements and roll-ons and mists, I am sure to be in the right mindset when I apply their oils. Organization I am all about lists and alloting a certain amount of time to tasks, as well as taking my multitasking down several levels. To make sure I tackle all of my tasks for the day I live by the Todoist app, my Alexa Echo Dot, and yes believe it or not, a notebook (old school things still work in this modern era!) The Todoist app is free and I utilize it on both my phone and desktop. It's also tied to my Alexa, so while I am getting ready for the day, I can tell Alexa all of the day's tasks to add to my list. Once I'm at my desk, as I bang out each project, I then check it off my list. I tend to do the easiest items first, as accomplishing a lot in a small span of time makes me feel even more productive and gives me the stamina and motivation to work through the items that take more time and brain power. Aside from using Alexa to manage my Todoist app, I also use it for setting timers, adding appointments to my Google calendar and creating reminders. Alexa is basically like having my own office assistant and when I want to boost my mood, she'll play me any music I want to hear from my Amazon Music library, too. Meditation This is one tip I've even passed onto my oldest son at college. Meditation has helped me in so many ways - from increasing my ability to focus, to increasing awareness and mindfulness, to decreasing stress and invoking relaxation, I feel like meditation is so often underestimated for its numerous benefits. I personally use the Calm app, while my son uses Headspace. I always meditate before I start my work day. The Calm app has themes like 7 Days of Managing Stress, 7 Days of Focus, 7 Days of Calm, as well as becoming aware of your breathing, doing timed meditation, a body scan and so on. They also have soothing bedtime stories, 7 Days of Sleep and soothing music. Meditation helps with clarity, especially on busy and stressful days. I know that my mind can become crowded with conversations, things I need to remember, as well as the limited amount of time I have to achieve everything within. When I slow down and calm my mind, it's like it compartmentalizes everything for me so that I can focus more easily and not get led off task. Honestly, meditation is something I look forward to every day because of the calming effect it has on me. What are some things that have helped increase your productivity? If you've used any of the above tips, I'd love to hear how they worked for you! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Or check out our natural bath and body line!

While unicorn hair may not be your thing, you can still get in on the unicorn life trend at The 411 Studio Salon & Boutique in Olyphant, PA. They serve up a Unicorn Bubble Spa Pedicure that is equally as magical for an 11 year old girl, as it is for any adult. Sidenote: This is the salon I go to on a regular basis that has the most talented team of nail techs delivering gorgeous custom nail art designs. You can see some of my manicures on my Instagram or check out their Facebook gallery for both hair and nail photo amazingness! I recently had a spa day with my niece and decided to add on the unicorn bubble to her Express Spa Pedicure. I watched my niece's eyes light up as they added a bag of orbeez along with 24K gold dust to her foot bath. As she kicked around the unicorn bubbles, it made this cool sparkle look in the water. For adults who get this add on, you are treated to cotton candy wine or their seasonal homemade sangria, as well. Yum! With the Express Spa Pedicure you get a salt soak, cleanser, scrub and herbal lotion. All of the products are unscented and you get to choose the essential oil you want used to create your custom blend; my niece chose coconut.  

A post shared by Shannon Smyth ? (@agirlsgottaspa) on Nov 11, 2017 at 12:59pm PST

My niece went with a beautiful gold polish as a way to remember this mystical experience. ? If you are local here in Northeast PA or will be visiting the area, I highly recommend booking this pedicure or even their jelly pedicure (I haven't tried it yet, but it looks so fun!) Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Or check out our natural bath and body line!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Medifast. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The temptation is all too real. You're trying your best to lose weight and get back on track to being healthy, when you get thrown off your routine with an invitation out to dinner, a get-together with friends or just grocery shopping while hungry. It's happened to the best of us - we've all been there. So you've cheated on your diet, now what? It's time to be real, but not give up. Be Honest with Yourself Changing a lifestyle is hard work. If it were easy, everyone would be their ideal weight without any issue. We all have our vices (mine is chocolate and fried food.) Don't fall victim to all of those "I lost 26 pounds in two weeks" stories that are vapid throughout the interwebs. It's not realistic, it's unhealthy and it's why there is always a disclaimer with the average weight loss in small print. "Results are not typical." Just because you strayed off your diet program here and there is no reason to lose hope. Just behonest with yourself and try again. Allow Yourself a Cheat Night Notice I didn't say "day." I don't believe in throwing away an entire day of indulging in fattening foods so that I stay on track the other 6 days. I do allow myself once per week to eat something I'd like - within reason. If we go out to dinner, I'll typically order salmon or chicken, most times those meals come with rice. Rice is another favorite of mine. So I might eat some rice. Or allow myself to eat 1-2 chocolate chip cookies when I make them with my kids. It's about giving in just enough to satiate your craving without going overboard (e.g. eating an entire loaded sundae when a baby cone would be enough.) You'll find that if you give yourself permission, it takes away the constant desire to do it. Pick Up Where You Left Off I'm doing Medifast Go, so that means I eat every two hours 6 times a day. When I give myself permission for a cheat night, I pick right back up on my routine the next morning. I don't lament on how many carbs, calories or fat I consumed and wallow in it. I don't beat myself up. I don't tell myself I just threw away 8 weeks of dieting. I admit, when I see an increase on the scale I feel disappointed, who wouldn't? But I do have to remind myself to keep pushing forward, keep exercising and that inch loss still counts! Now will you continue to lose weight if you cheat on your diet? If you follow my above tips, you should be OK. So far I have only gained back one pound in the two months that I have been on this weight loss journey, but as I continue to get back on track, exercise and not go completely crazy, my inches continue to melt away. I haven't lost sight of my goal. You shouldn't either. Now for my 8 week stats: Starting: Weight: 183 lbs BMI: 35.7% (I’m 5′) Bust: 43″ Waist: 44″ Hips: 46″ Butt: 47″ Arm: 13″ Legs: 25″ Neck: 13.5″ Eight week mark: Weight: 177.5 BMI: 34.7% Bust: 41″ Waist: 41″ Hips: 43″ Butt: 44″ Arm: 12″ Legs: 24″ Neck: 13″ TOTAL:  5.5 lbs lost, 1% BMI loss, and  13.5 inches lost. Follow my journey from the beginning: How to Lose Weight at Home What the First Few Weeks on Medifast are Really Like How Medifast Works How to Stick To Your Diet During the Holidays If you’re interested in joining me on this journey, you can get 7 days of free Medifast meals + bonus gifts + free shipping on your the first order as part of the renewal plan. If you’ve already worked this weight loss program with success, I would love your encouragement and tips in the comments! *Average weight loss for Medifast Direct® customers using Medifast Go™ is 11 pounds. Medifast Direct customers are in weight loss, on average, for 8 weeks. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Or check out our natural bath and body line!

Hydrate Skin with Cold Pressed Oils: At the new Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach, Spa & Recreation Manager Allie Arguelles recommends massaging Aromatherapy Associates Hydrating Nourishing Face Oil or cold-pressed apricot or coconut oil in small circles from forehead to chin.

Humidify Your Way to Brighter Skin: At Windsor Court Spa, Spa Director Sharla Martin recommends investing in a good humidifier to keep skin hydrated especially during bitter-cold winter days. To get rid of unwanted dry, flaky skin, she recommends exfoliating with a sugar and oil-based exfoliant.

Coffee Scrub for a Bright Complexion: At Well & Being at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princes, Whitney Mullins, a dual massage therapist and esthetician, recommends guests sip on a cup of coffee to keep skin merry and bright. Coffee has many natural skin benefits, including reducing inflammation, reducing cellulite, gently exfoliating while brightening the skin and reducing puffiness, as well as packing the skin with antioxidants.

Use Oxygen to Revive Tired Winter Skin: At The Spa at Red Rock by Well & Being, intentional living specialist Emily Heim recommends travelers revive dull winter skin with Dr. Lancer’s 3-Step “Method,” which includes, The Method: Polish, The Method: Cleanse and The Method: Nourish.

Get a Glow with an Overnight Mask: At Guerlain Spa at The Plaza Hotel, lead esthetician Alina Cimpoeru recommends sleeping with the Guerlain Orchidée Impériale Mask, which leaves skin hydrated, plump and bright.

Use IntraCeuticals to Heal Winter-Ravaged Skin: At Well & Being at The Four Seasons Resort & Club Dallas at Las Colinas, lead esthetician Melissa Miller advises guests to purchase IntraCeuticals Oxygen Therapy products formulated for home use to maintain stunning skin throughout the snowy season.

Call on Mother Nature: At Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort & Spa’s Group Spa and Wellness Director Sienna Creasy recommends an exfoliating treatment to get rid of dry skin. Beginning with a triple threat combination of Blue Mountain Coffee to tone, sea salt that detoxifies and golden-brown sugar to soften. Shea butter and local annatto oil provide a warm glow naturally from the color of the seed’s skin which is an orange-red.

Ban Dry Skin with Avocado Honey Mask: At Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino Michelle Arce, marketing director for Zen Spa Retreat, says that avocado and honey have powerful antioxidant and moisturizing properties to ban tricky rough patches and keep skin healthy and smooth during winter. Apply the following mask 2-3 times a week: mash 1/2 avocado and add 2 tablespoons of honey and apply generously on your face and neck. Let it dry for 10-15 minutes and then rinse with water. 

Brighten Complexion with Coconut Oil: At Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort at Sibö Rainforest, Spa & Retreat, Nicole Courrau, spa manager says that a good body scrub eliminates the accumulation of dead skin cells and brings back that healthy glow in the winter. To maximize results, scrub with a body brush in circular movements then apply coconut oil which provides deep hydration and promotes the removal of dead cells to brighten a dull complexion.

Refresh Lips with Sugar and Honey Treatment: At Costa Rica Marriott Hotel San Jose César Sánchez, spa manager for Kuö Spa, deals with chapped lips by mixing sugar with honey is a great moisturizer that helps heal them quickly. Mix two teaspoons of sugar with one teaspoon of honey and rub the paste gently on the face to loosen the dead skin cells. Let it sit for a few minutes and then wash off with lukewarm water.

Light Therapy to Sooth and Rejuvenate: At JW Marriott Grand Rapids, guests cure the winter blues with Light Therapy treatments. During the session, lay with the Light Therapy lamp over the face with a soothing eye mask and massage. According to spa manager Caitlin McClelland, using an illuminating palette can provide a summer-inspired, dewy look.

Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Or check out our natural bath and body line!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Medifast. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The holidays bring on the greatest tests of will power, especially when on you have been following a weight loss plan. Every chocolate dessert or new trendy coffee seem that much more tempting when you know they are forbidden. When choosing to jump on board Medifast Go, I was very much aware that I would be hitting every major holiday along the way. I kept feeling bouts of sadness that I wouldn't be able to partake in a cookie exchange or eat two helpings of my mom's famous chocolate trifle. What would I do when invited to a holiday party? It was completely stressing me out. And this is when any other time I'd fall off the wagon. You, too? But I chose to switch up my mindset and keep reminding myself that I am doing this to sustain the life of someone else (kidney donation if you haven't followed from the beginning) and so giving up is not an option. Someone's life depends on me. Then I remembered that Medifast has so many awesome Meal Makeovers in their Simply Well cookbook and on their blog. Below are a few holiday-themed recipes from Medifast that will not only keep you on track with your weight loss goals, but they taste soooo good! Pumpkin Spiced Latte 1 Medifast Meal | 2½ Condiments Yield: 1 serving Total Time: 5 minutes Ingredients ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond or cashew milk 2 Tbsp pumpkin puree ½ cup strong brewed coffee 1 packet of Medifast® Gingerbread Softbake Directions Combine milk and pumpkin puree in a microwave-safe mug. Microwave for one minute, and stir. Add coffee and the Gingerbread Softbake, and stir until smooth. Serve immediately! Pumpkin Pie Whoopie Pies Yield: 4 servings (2 whoopie pies per serving) Per serving: 1 Medifast Meal | ½ Healthy Fat | 3 Condiments Ingredients 2 packets Medifast Spiced Pancakes 2 packet Medifast Gingerbread Soft Bake ½ tsp baking powder 6 Tbsp egg whites ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond or cashew milk 2 tsp vegetable oil ½ cup whipped topping ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice Cooking spray Directions Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine pancake mixture, soft bake mixture and baking powder in a medium-sized bowl. Add egg whites, milk, and oil, and mix until a batter-like consistency. Divide batter evenly among eight slots of a lightly-greased muffin tin (should fill only a third of each slot). Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Meanwhile, combine whipped topping and pumpkin pie spice. Once cooled, slice each muffin in half horizontally. Spread one tablespoon of whipped topping on the bottom half of each muffin, and top with the remaining muffin halves. Cauliflower Rice Stuffing Yield: 2 servings Per serving: 3 Green | 2 Healthy Fats | 3 Condiments Ingredients 1 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 cup diced celery 1 cup diced mushrooms 1/3 cup diced yellow onion 2 oz chopped walnuts 4 cups riced cauliflower ½ cup chicken stock 1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary ½ Tbsp poultry seasoning ½ tsp salt Directions Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add celery, mushrooms, onion, and walnuts. Sauté for five minutes. Add cauliflower rice, sauté for an additional two minutes. Add stock and seasoning; mix well. Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes. Frozen Pumpkin Shake Per serving: 1 Medifast Meal | 1 1/2 Condiments Ingredients 1 Medifast Vanilla Shake 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1/4 tsp cinammon 1/2 cup cold water 1/2 cup ice Directions Mix all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. The bottom line is that age old saying - everything in moderation. Adjust recipes to make them healthier, don't over-eat and eat smaller portion sizes. You'll thank yourself once the holidays are over and you may just find some really grest recipes that continue past the holidays and find their way into your everyday diet. Now for my 6 week stats – Starting: Weight: 183 lbs BMI: 35.7% (I’m 5′) Bust: 43″ Waist: 44″ Hips: 46″ Butt: 47″ Arm: 13″ Legs: 25″ Neck: 13.5″ Six week mark: Weight: 176.5 BMI: 34.5% Bust: 42″ Waist: 41″ Hips: 43″ Butt: 44″ Arm: 12″ Legs: 24″ Neck: 13.5″ TOTAL:  6.5 lbs lost, 1.2% BMI loss, and  12 inches lost. Follow my journey from the beginning: How to Lose Weight at Home What the First Few Weeks on Medifast are Really Like How Medifast Works If you’re interested in joining me on this journey, you can get 7 days of free Medifast meals + bonus gifts + free shipping on your the first order as part of the renewal plan. If you’ve already worked this weight loss program with success, I would love your encouragement and tips in the comments! *Average weight loss for Medifast Direct® customers using Medifast Go™ is 11 pounds. Medifast Direct customers are in weight loss, on average, for 8 weeks. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!

The Wanderlust, a subscription box by Bikini.com, is themed around destinations. Winter 2017/18 is Maui and A Girl's Gotta Spa! is thrilled to be a part of it! The Wanderlust is a quarterly subscription box that contains $250 worth of beauty, style, travel, and fitness products. You can either purchase a box individually for $75 or you can subscribe to all of their beach destination boxes for $250 annually. Maui has full-sized items you are sure to love. We're so thrilled to be among many great brands with our Energizing Citrus Body Lotion. If you pop over to The Wanderlust, and scroll 3/4 way down, you'll be able to see which items are in the box. (Although they state that some boxes may vary.) If you scoop up this box, I would love to hear from you! Tag us Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and/or Twitter @agirlsgottaspa so we can hear your thoughts! Get yours now: Bikini.com The Wanderlust Maui Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Or check out our natural bath and body line!

Something we all need, but typically doesn't rank high on the priority list, is sleep. Good, solid, restful, sleep. We're told creatives rarely sleep, that if you are an entrepreneur you'd better burn the midnight oil and at the same time be up before the sun rises to get a jump start on the day. If you're a parent, there's always a million tasks that need to be tackled before you can have the "luxury" of sleep. But sleep is so important for so many reasons. It's how your body recooperates and repairs itself. It lowers your stress level. It plays a role with your weight - too little sleep and you gain weight. Getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night helps to improve mental clarity and focus. It improves productivity. Basically all of the things in life that are important, but when you lack quality sleep, will wreak havoc when out of wack. For far too long, sleep wasn't a priority for me. I'm someone who always likes to be tackling the next task. I need to always be doing. I don't necessarily like working long hours, but feeling like I am accomplishing things, especially once my kids are in bed, well that feels rewarding. Not to mention, laying on my now former mattress brought me pain and endless tossing and turning at night. Our mattress was a traditional spring mattress....and it was 14 years old. Since it had a pillowtop (which was more like a flattened paper at this point than "pillow"), we couldn't flip the mattress. So we added a memory foam topper, but that only worked for a short period of time. I have bursitis in my hips, but I am a side sleeper, so the pressure of my body on the springs would cause me to wake up frequently in pain and have to change positions. Sleeping was not something I looked forward to. It wasn't relaxing. And actually, from all of the waking up, it was more exhausting than anything. And being a mom with 5 kids under this roof, meant I've had to be ready to leap out of bed at the first yelp of, "Mom!" So light sleep it is! However, improving my sleep became a focus when I decided I wanted to become a Living Kidney Donor. I needed to get my body to be the healthiest it has ever been and restful sleep plays a vital role. So I went in search of the best hybrid mattress. I love the idea of the cushiony softness of memory foam, but I also like the firmness and stability of coils (because who wants to feel like they are sinking in a bed?) A memory foam hybrid mattress has the best of both worlds. Tomorrow Sleep reached out to me to try their mattress at just the right time. What attracted me to Tomorrow Sleep's hybrid mattress, was that it had the support (the coils are wrapped), the high-density memory foam and the cooling capabilities - because that memory foam topper I used to use? It would make me sweat. Along with the mattress came their 500 thread count Supima cotton sheets. Let me be real with you for a minute. I've never invested in sheets. I would shop the discount sites and scoop up microfiber. I've seen friends rave about the best sheets they have ever slept on, but upon looking up the various brands, I would scoff at the price tag. Well, I'm scoffing no more. I could not believe the softness of these sheets. They don't slip or slide off the mattress. I also loved that they were not ice cold and crisp when I'd slide into bed at night. I typically end up going to bed with socks on my feet because my sheets are cold, but these sheets are always room temperature. After being spoiled by these new Tomorrow sheets, I told my husband we are always investing in good sheets going forward. If you interested in improving your sleep, you'll want to take a look at Tomorrow's Sleeptracker. Prior to installing this, I simply used my FitBit to see how many hours a night I was sleeping, how many times I was restless and how often I woke up. But the Sleeptracker takes things to a whole new level and really dives deeper into how you are sleeping and offers daily tips through their AI. The Sleeptracker sensors are placed under each side of the bed and plugged into the monitor. You will need to be able to get WiFi in the bedroom in order for it to sync with the app you download on your phone. You can set a sleep goal (mine is 7.5 hours), set a timer to remind you to go to sleep and to wake up. Each day the app compiles data regarding your breathing, heart rate, deep sleep, light sleep and REM sleep, as well as how many times you woke up and how long you were awake. It also emails you the data as well. The readings on my FitBit were almost always the same - restless 22 times, woke up 3 times, awake anywhere from 30-60 minutes. So I took notes to compare my FitBit the last night sleeping on my old mattress and then again once sleeping on my new Tomorrow hybrid mattress. The difference was stark. Before: 22 times restless, 2 times awake and 45 minutes awake/restless; with the new mattress 10 times restless, 1 time awake and 10 minutes awake/restless. That was just the first night. Each night since (and I am writing this after a month of use), most nights my Sleeptracker shows I am only up 0-1 times, awake 10 minutes or less and that I am getting a lot of REM sleep. The quality of sleep is definitely improving. The only thing I have not figured out yet is how to increase the amount of deep sleep I get. (I always thought REM sleep was deep sleep.) From my Sleeptracker analysis, it shows I am mostly getting light sleep and REM sleep. Tomorrow also offers a comforter, drapes, pillows, and a mattress protector. They offer a 100 day trial on the mattress, which typically ships quickly in 2-3 days. If you're not happy, returns are free. To put it all together, I'm in love with this mattress. The sheets are amazing and I enjoy the Sleeptracker to help me monitor and work toward the perfect night of sleep. For a limited time, Tomorrow Sleep is offering A Girl's Gotta Spa! readers $150 off any $500 purchase (expires 12/31/17). Use the promo code SPA150 at checkout on www.tomorrowsleep.com. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Or check out our natural bath and body line!