Laina Turner's Blog, page 63

The Editorial Calendar

Last fall I finally got on the bandwagon and committed to creating an editorial calendar. It was more of a loose conceptual calendar of what I wanted to blog about than a specific one. Regardless, it was a huge improvement to what I’d been doing before which was totally flying by the seat of my pants. However, it wasn’t as good as it needed it to be. I had a full (overfull) schedule (and still do), and I found myself stressing over what to write and how to get the best images. It just caused my writing to be more forced and less natural. Mainly because I didn’t have a chance to think about what I wanted to write and was making myself just put fingers to keyboard. Feeling pressured to come up with something fabulous took some of the fun out of blogging.

One of my goals for 2015 is to grow my blog – A LOT – and that takes good blog posts. Planning is a big part of being able to write great blog posts.

The goal for my 2015 editorial calendar was to create a topical calendar that will stay the same on a monthly basis. I’m sure by the time I get to June it might change, but I know what I want to write about and what I feel I have enough to write about.

I then took things a step further and told myself I needed to come up with a months worth of specific posts to write for each topic AND write the posts, at least in part, prior to the start of the month. This was scary for me to say I was going to commit to. But by doing this I knew I could stay far enough ahead of when a post needs to be published to make sure I’m not posting things at the last minute.

As you can see by the photo I use an old fashioned paper method to organize my calendar. I like the monthly view and use lots of post its. I can write my ideas on the post its and move them around as necessary. I keep a running pile of post its of ideas I come up with so I can search through them when I need an idea.

I started on this process over the holidays when I had a bit more time to get a jumpstart on things. I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised when I was able to do what I set out to do. I felt so much better about what I was writing that it motivated me to write more. Now the key is just staying at it.

What are your best blogging practices?

 

[image error] Loading InLinkz ...

The post The Editorial Calendar appeared first on Laina Turner.

6 Tips For Healthy Eating and Instagram Challenge

Starting any healthy eating or exercise routine is somewhat easy the first couple days because I’m excited and determined to embark on a new routine. Then something happens. A business lunch, a treat I just can’t resist, or any number of things I can rationalize like a pro. I realize that losing weight is probably the most common New years resolution and a bit cliché but this is not about dieting or trying the latest weight loss or exercise fad. It’s about a lifestyle change and not eating my emotions. 2014 was a rough year in this regard – you might have read why in my goals post – but I vow to make 2015 different. I want to feel as great as I did before my ankle injury, and I know I can do it. I also know what works for me and what my food triggers are. You would think because I know this information it would be easier for me but it’s not. However, at least I can be more aware so I can see what’s happening and talk myself out of it. I have 5 6 things that help me stay on track with eating what’s good for me and not junk.

I don’t buy food that may trigger me to binge on non-healthy food. If we were all perfect we wouldn’t buy any junk food but since I’m far from it and I have kids who like the occasional potato chip and Oreo I do buy the stuff. I just don’t buy the things I really like. It’s not completely foolproof, but it helps.

 

 Pre-plan meals. There is nothing worse that starving and having to try and figure out what the heck you want to fix. That leads to grabbing whatever is closest and for some reason in my life that’s usually NOT something healthy. Clearly, I reach in the wrong direction.

 

 

 Drink a LOT of water. We all learned in biology class that our bodies are mostly made up of water. Drinking water helps to curb my appetite. As I’ve gotten older I can tell when I don’t drink enough water as I feel dehydrated on the outside that tells me, I’m dehydrated on the inside. I should probably stop drinking wine since alcohol also dehydrates but let’s not go crazy here.

 

 

 Keep snacks in handy. I keep them in my purse, my car, and my tote bag. Apples, almonds, protein bars…all travel fairly well and are easy to grab at a moment’s notice.

 

 

 Stay positive. Head trash is what gets us the most. At least it does me. Something happens that makes me think screw it who cares and I reach for the treats. I know I’m an emotional eater so not letting my emotions get the best of me is key.

 

 

 Make it fun. If I hate doing, something chances are I’m less likely to do it. So I look for ways to make eating healthy and exercising fun.

 

 

 None of these tips are revolutionary but then neither is losing weight. It’s calories in versus calories out, and yet many of us still struggle with it. To kick off this lifestyle change, I thought it would be fun to have an Instagram challenge. Every day for a month join me in posting a photo of doing something healthy. Could be walking into an exercise class or a photo taken on a walk or grabbing a fresh pressed juice drink. Anything you can share to help motivate the rest of us. Use the hashtag #fit2015 and lets all work at this together! You can also enter to win a $25 Visa Gift card by following me on Instagram.    a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post 6 Tips For Healthy Eating and Instagram Challenge appeared first on Laina Turner.

Healthy Banana Bread

I love muffins all kinds of muffins. I don’t make too many kinds except for banana though. I tend to have over ripe bananas on hand pretty frequently because I buy them weekly, and we never eat them all. Plus everyone likes them, so it’s a win-win.

However, now that it’s a new year, and I have vowed once again to eating healthy I thought it was about time I tried a healthier version of the banana muffin. Even if I’m the only one in the house trying to watch calories the normal recipe has ½ cup butter and 1cup sugar, and that’s not healthy for anyone.

I had heard of people substituting Greek yogurt for butter. Didn’t make sense to me but I hadn’t ever tried so figure what the heck. I substituted whole wheat for white flour (it tasted very mealy. I didn’t mind and neither did my daughter. No one else liked the texture. Personally I think they’re too picky.). Honey replaced sugar, and everything else stayed the same. I thought I’d get a little crazy and put ½ tsp of almond extract, but I couldn’t really taste it.

They are denser and a bit mealy but the flavor was good, and I liked them. It took the calorie count down to about 175 per muffin, which isn’t bad.

½ c. Nonfat plain Greek yogurt

4 bananas

Mash together until thoroughly mixed.



Add:

1 Tsp baking soda

1 Tsp vanilla

dash cinnamon

Stir thoroughly

Add:

2 c. whole wheat flour

¼ c. Fat-free milk

Mix thoroughly and spoon into a greased muffin tin.

Cook at 350 for 25-27 minutes.

Makes 12.

The post Healthy Banana Bread appeared first on Laina Turner.

Grab Your FREE Audiobook today!

Presley goes back home to help Katy plan for her wedding to Chris and instead of nuptial bliss, realtor Bethany Granville is found dead in Katy’s salon. Katy didn’t even know Bethany. Ever curious Presley wants to solve the murder but as usual things aren’t that simple and grow even more complicated when ex-friend Dirt who was in jail for murder escapes.

Is he headed back into town? And did Chris know Bethany? All these are questions Presley is determined to get the answers to.

Available in ebook on Kindle, Nook, iTunes, or Kobo.

Available in paperback.

Available in audio.

Enter to win a free audio book of Vows & Victims below! I will be giving away 5 copies. Raffle ends Wednesday.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Grab Your FREE Audiobook today! appeared first on Laina Turner.

Goals For An Awesome 2015!

It’s a new year and what do most of us do at the beginning of a new year? We set goals! Then we might make it a month or so before the goals fly out the window, and we go back to our old habits.

I know I have the best of intentions of following through, but it’s not easy. I sometimes know I’ve set myself up for failure making my goals too lofty and unattainable. Because I have so many exciting things going on this year, I have been very thoughtful in my goal setting and have used my business skills to set S.M.A.R.T. goals.

S.M.A.R.T goals are:

Specific * Measureable * Attainable * Realistic * Timely

And to not set too many – that’s the hard part. If you read my post a few days ago about stepping back to move forward this is the hardest part for me.

I’ve organized my goals into personal and professional even though my life seems to blur between those. Another one of my minor issues. I have a hard time with work/life balance.

So here goes.

Personal Goals

Fit into the size 28 Miss Me jeans I bought on eBay – for a GREAT price – right before I broke my ankle in September 2013 and have yet to wear. This goal needs to happen by the end of April as that’s when I have my first wedding dress fitting.
Pay off all my debt – except the car, though I wish I could do that – and make a huge dent in my significant others. Stick to the budget, which will allow for us to pay cash for our July wedding and a healthy down payment for a house.
Have the wedding of my dreams. I’m already going to marry the man of my dreams, so I’m halfway there.
Find the house we want to live in for the next 10 years until our youngest goes off to college. I know that this is a bit out of my control, mainly because we are limited to houses in a certain geographic area as to not move the kid’s school, but it can also be about compromise. Our lease is up the end of June, and I DO NOT want to be here another year.
Slow down – don’t feel I have to take so much on an enjoy life a little more

Professional goals

Blog – increase average daily views to 10,000. Through being more organized, taking better photos, and more consistent networking – among many other things but that’s a different post. Increase income to $3000 a month.
Books – re-edit and re-format backlist and get sales back on track. $2500 a month average by year’s end. Publish one new fiction book and finish my 2-revised non-fiction on writing and blogging.

Now that’s still 7 goals – that I know is still a lot – but believe me when I say I’ve tried to par them down more, and I just can’t give any up.

The weight loss and spending goals are lifestyle changes and so the first 30 days will be the hardest but I have plans for how to tackle those and am hopeful you’ll join me. More on that plan coming soon.

The post Goals For An Awesome 2015! appeared first on Laina Turner.

A Great 2014

Wow…I can’t believe that 2014 is just over a week away. When I was a kid my dad always said that the older he got, the faster time went. And boy was he right. I can remember sitting at my desk writing the end of the year posts last year as if were yesterday instead of a year ago. My kids have somehow gotten a year old, I, of course, am still 29, but that’s a totally different subject, and a ton of things have happened both good and not so good.

As I plan for 2015 – I’m a huge fan of plans, planners, sharpies, all the planning tools – I think it’s important to reflect on the past and see what went well, and what didn’t go so well, so I can either stay the course or improve upon some element.

Here goes –

5 frustrations of 2014

Having to move – we decided our current house was too small, which I totally blame on the kids for growing because I liked that house, and thought about selling. That quickly turned into moving out in 30 days (be careful what you wish for) and because we didn’t want to be pressured to buy a house impulsively we moved into a rental. I HATE being here and still haven’t found that perfect house that we feel is worth buying.
Too much work – I know sounds like a good problem to have, and it is. I’m not taking that for granted. However, 2014 has been one of the busiest, and I feel like I’m constantly juggling and not doing a very good job of it.
Falling of the weight loss wagon – in 2013, I took charge of my body. Eating right and exercising. I was in the absolute best shape of my life. That September I broke my ankle running – I knew I hated running for a reason – and of course put back on a few pounds. I’m a stress eater and because of the frustration I just mentioned above this one I have not been bale to lose those last few pounds. It’s not a lot to get back to where I feel best, but you all know that last 5 pounds are the hardest. 
Financial management – while under the best circumstances I’m not a penny pincher because of frustration #2 – I’m starting to see a pattern here – I have not been as planful and organized about spending and have not stuck to the household budget. Going out to eat too much because it’s easier, and I’m too tired to cook the main culprit but I’ve also bought things rationalizing I’m working a lot and we can afford it. While technically true not a good use of money.
Book sales – while my blog has grown – THANK YOU EVERYONE READING RIGHT NOW – my fiction books have tanked. The last 6 months have been the worst in years. Normally, I would be freaked out. As it is I’ve been too swamped with work to be that freaked out but it’s got to turn around or my 2015 goals aren’t going to work out as perfectly as they are in my head. I haven’t been able to figure out why they are down so much, though many of my author friends are having similar experiences, and that makes this even more frustrating. It’s hard to fix something when you don’t know what to fix. Maybe I’ll just blame this one on #2 also.

But in case you’re feeling bad for me by this point don’t. All was not lost. Some pretty amazing things happened in 2014!

5 awesome things of 2014

I got engaged – to an amazing guy who has been my best friend for over 6 years. We haven’t had the perfect relationship, but I think because it hasn’t been all rainbows and unicorns it’s made us stronger.
I maintained my physical fitness – even though I’m a size larger than I want to be my body is still strong. Stronger than I was in my 30’s, and I’m super proud of that.
My blog – I was able to do some amazing things for my blog. Most of which won’t be visible until after the New Year but it’s been over 6 months in the making.
My books – while sales weren’t all that great I did get out 2 more Presley Thurman books and at least my fans – all 5 of them – were happy to get new books.
Family – we all are healthy and happy and don’t want for anything. I can’t ask for more than that.

All in all 2014 was great, and I am grateful for all the amazing things in my life. I don’t want to rush time, it goes fast enough as it is, but I’m excited for 2015 and all the great things I just know will happen.

The post A Great 2014 appeared first on Laina Turner.

Fashion Fun For the Holidays

It’s time to sparkle for the New Year.

 

For Laina by morris-kim featuring christmas holiday decorations

[image error]

The post Fashion Fun For the Holidays appeared first on Laina Turner.

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Drink

This is an adult pumpkin pie drink. It’s also the last pumpkin recipe you will probably see on this blog until fall of 2015. I know many people are probably getting tired of pumpkin by this point. Me…I never tire of pumpkin but once the holidays are over I do give it a bit of a rest.

During the pumpkin season, I enjoy the pumpkin pie blizzards from Dairy Queen. This year as I bought my favorite pumpkin pie liqueur and found the pumpkin pie vodka I came up with a great idea of making my own blizzard, but with a kick.

This was so good I about made myself sick from eating/drinking too much.

To make an 8oz serving you want the following:

2 cups vanilla ice cream

5 crushed vanilla wafers

1 ½ oz pumpkin pie liqueur

1 ½ ox pumpkin pie vodka

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and drink cautiously. The alcohol is very hard to taste.

The post Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Drink appeared first on Laina Turner.

An Awesome Christmas Day

The kids had an awesome Christmas. My youngest still believes in Santa. While it can be a pain to keep up the farce, it is all worth it when her face lights up at seeing what Santa brought her when he snuck in during the night and left her gifts.

This year I was also awed by my 13 yr old son who helped put Syd’s gymnastics bar together and wrote her – unprompted from me – this beautiful note. It still brings tears to my eyes.

The morning went all too fast and then they had to head to their dads.

Being divorced during holiday time sucks (it sucks a lot but especially during the holidays). I don’t particularly like having to split Christmas time with the kids, but it’s part of the deal. This year I had the kids on Christmas Eve through noonish on Christmas Day. I realized in previous years where this has happened I needed to make my own traditions without the kids to make this time meaningful and not sad. I don’t want to not enjoy Christmas when I’m not with my kids because the situation is out of my control, and I need to make the best of it.

So this year to celebrate Matt and I decided to do something we had talked about for years, but had never done. Watch all 3 Godfather movies and eating junk food. Just veg out all day. That sounds amazing, right?

It was – the movies were all awesome – though by the end of the day, my stomach hurt from all the unhealthy food I’d ingested and yet I didn’t want to stop. I knew that once the day was over we would be back to reality and normal living. One does not eat a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream in one sitting in normal life. At least without gaining about 10 lbs, which I totally did. Along with chocolate covered caramel corn, cheese and crackers, and summer sausage. 

I’m not weighing myself for a couple weeks after all that damage.

I got a Fit Bit for Christmas from the kids and felt guilty all day that the only steps I took was from the couch to the kitchen. Sometimes we just need to indulge, and boy did I.

I do have a teensy bit of eater’s remorse this weekend, but it was worth it. A great Christmas in every way and new memories.

I hope yours was amazing as well.

The post An Awesome Christmas Day appeared first on Laina Turner.

Merry Christmas

I hope you all have a wonderfully amazing Marry Christmas!

The post Merry Christmas appeared first on Laina Turner.