Meal Prepping 101

I would say this is the HOTTEST topic for anyone who is trying to live a healthy lifestyle, right?! I mean, by meal prepping you: 1. stay on your healthy eating habits 2. save money 3. save time 4. reduce the amount of questions you ask yourself every time you are hungry

When I started my 24 day challenge I was determined to meal prep to have a successful week and not be tempted to cheat everyday. I am also not a cook, so meal prepping has pushed me to cook easy meals. If you are looking for something to help you stop making poor eating choices, and don't have time to cook, meal prepping is for YOU! Meal prepping is definitely something that takes practice and time. I had attempted it in the past and got discouraged the second time I tried to meal prep because I wasn't mentally prepared, nor thinking about efficient ways to meal prep. I have discovered some tips and tricks to meal prep that I hope will help you as you perfect your meal-prep craft!

Tip #1: Get the right tools!

My first mistake in meal prepping was assuming that I had enough materials, because that's pretty basic, right? WRONG! You don't realize how many tupperware you need until you start prepping and get to Tuesday and realize that you are out of containers...womp, womp! I have found that an assorted pack of 34 is enough to get you through three (3) days. If you have additional tupperware, that is always a plus. Now, quality is huge! It is worth to spend the extra few bucks to get the snapping tupperware because your food doesn't spill and make a mess (this also happened to me several times) and make you wanna cry because you have to clean it. These packs will also have larger containers that you will need to store the extra food you cooked for later on in the week.

In addition to tupperware you will need ziplock bags. I like two sizes: sandwich and snack bags. You are able to tailor your bag size to the amount of food that you are packing.

I do not want to get into how you cook, but you will definitely need measuring cups and spoons to ensure you are packing the appropriate portions. 

Tip #2: Make a meal plan

In order to know what you will be buying and preparing, you should have a meal plan for the week. This will allow you to not only buy the right things, but buy the right amount of things. Make sure you check your fridge and pantry for inventory so you don't end up with the wrong amount of food. 

Tip #3: Setup according to your plan

Set out your tupperware on a table or counter to reflect your daily meals. This will make it easy to just fill each container quickly and not get lost, or end up using too many of one size containers, when you should have been using another (yes, that happened to me too!).

Tip #4: Order of Operations

Remember PEMDAS from elementary math? Well, meal prepping also has an order of operations! I have discovered that the easiest way to prep is to:

1. Defrost the protein. These take a few rounds of hot water (if it isn't that you defrosted them beforehand), so I suggest you start there.

2. Pre-heat the oven: Personally, I like to start pre-heating my oven to the suggested temperature. By doing this, I don't need to wait for it to pre-heat after my protein is thawed. Thawing and pre-heating takes about the same amount of time.

3. If you are cooking rice, start it now! 

4. Cook your veggies. Determine how much of each veggie you will need per day and start cooking them. Harder veggies like carrots, broccoli and asparagus take longer to soften, so consider those first. 

5. Prep your fruits and veggies: If you are going to use fruits and veggies later in the week that do not need to be cooked, wash and cut those up and put them away. By doing this, you can just grab-and-go during the week, and BAM, no failure!

6. Cook your proteins: If there are some proteins that are not going into the oven, cook them!

7. Cook your other carbs

8. Get all your snacks and pack them up in the appropriate size ziplock bags for the whole week.

Tip #5: Fill

As you go along through the process, fill in containers with things as they finish getting cooked. This will avoid an overload of food at the end, and will also allow you to cook more, as needed. Have FUN making your tupperware look beautiful!

Tip #6: Store

Personally, I only like to prep for 3 days at a time. My two meal pre days are Sunday and Wednesday. Sundays I grocery shop for the whole week, and wash all veggies/fruits for the week. I only actually cook and prep for Monday through Wednesday. Wednesday night I prep for Thursday-Saturday. This avoids food going bad, or stinking (in my opinion). Sundays I prep for about 2-2.5 hours, Wednesdays I prep for 1-2 hours. Wednesdays is obviously shorter because I prepped all my veggies and snacks on Sunday. I like it this way because I am very busy in the week, and prefer to have more time on Wednesday. 

When I put the food in the fridge, I put Wednesday's food in the back, then Tuesday's, then Monday's. This allows me to stay on track with my plan and ensure that, if I packed something that is perishable, I eat it on time and don't waste food. 

I hope these tips have helped you with your weekly plan! :) Do you have any tips and tricks I am missing? Leave your comments below!

If you have any questions, email me at: ginajarias@yahoo.com | livelikeachampion.net

5 Simple Steps to Stay Motivated to Workout

People always ask me how I can wake up at 4:30 to go to the gym.. I mean 4:30am! That's insane! I never even thought I could do it. Now that I have been at it for 2 months, I think I've figured out a few key ways to maintain the routine! 

1.       Be intentional: In order to have a successful workout routine, you have to set which days  in the week you want to workout- so set your workout goals. If your goals are to workout 3 days a week, what are those? You should have them established on your weekly plan.

o    Example: My fitness goals are to workout 5 times per week, one hour per session. I will workout in the mornings because they are when I have the most time. My 5 days are: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 

2.       Decide what workout plan you want to follow: The first obstacle is actually starting your workout and the second is deciding what to do! Finding a routine that fits your lifestyle and goals is key! Some people just want to do cardio and a variety of gym classes, while others want to tone. Personally, I like a mix of weights and cardio. Cardio is not only running or going on the elliptical, but there are also a variety of different HIIT (high intensity interval training) routines that you can do either at home, or even at the gym. I've mentioned this before, but toneitup.com is one of my favorite sites to get fresh, daily workouts that you can do from home! You can also try blogilates workouts that are great, as well as any other video/Pinterest series. Whatever you choose your workout to be, DON'T let it be the same one every, single day because it gets B-O-R-I-N-G! You want to ensure that your workouts keep you having fun, and challenged.

o    Example: I still have a few pounds to shred, so I do cardio 5 days a week. I also know that by toning, it will burn fat, and I want to build muscle, so I do a weight routine 4 days per week. I love being outdoors, so I ensure that at least one of my cardio routines is outside.

3.       Find an accountability partner: This has been key to my success in waking up every morning, as well as staying on track with my meals. My accountability partner(s) have pushed me and made me feel like I cannot fail them because they rely on my strength. Once someone relies on your strength, you cannot be weak. Your accountability partner should know your workout schedule (if it isn't that you workout together), and encourage each other to get up, get dressed and get your booty to workout! They should also know your nutrition goals. They should send you pictures of their food, you send them the typical "donuts in the office.. HELP!", text so you keep each other strong. This makes you a stronger person, and makes your partner stronger. Once you know others are going through similar obstacles that you are, you know that you can live a healthier lifestyle and that you are in it together!

.. I didn't wake up until she called ..         4.   Find a supportive community: Not only should you have someone that can be there with you, day in and day out, but also become part of a supportive community (or several)! My favorite communities are:

o    The "Burn This" App: This has become my FAVORITE go-to place for fitness and nutritional motivation because of everyone's results and dedication on the app. Picture an Instagram... BUT it's ALL about fitness. All you see in everyone's posts are: clean eating, great workouts, men and women inspiring each other, and even people asking each other for health and fitness advice! Not only are people in the community very involved and always posting, but there are prizes if you join their free challenges, and you get weekly emails on how to live healthier. I absolutely LOVE this app. It has also inspired me to start #StrongSweatySaturdays to help women reach their health and fitness goals! LINK to download app: bit.ly/burnthis_socialfitnessapp | LINK to BurnThis website: www.burnthis.com

o    Tone it up Community: This is strictly a women's community which is also amazing! Women are dedicated to help each other with any question, at any time, and are committed to help each other. You can sign up for free weekly emails that include the weekly workout plan (I talked about that before), and you can plug into their Facebook groups in your area, and meet like-minded women in your area. 

o    Advocare community: Since I started my 24 day challenge, I was placed in a Facebook group of people that were also on the challenge and were posting their progress, recipes and encouragement. Since I've started building my business, I now am part of 4 Facebook groups, and have an immense amount of support to help me build my business and earn income. This supportive community has helped me earn $500 my first month (crazy, right!) and pushed me to live a healthy life that is aligned with the Company values.

      5.  Treat yourself!: That's right, you deserve it! Once you have set your goals, stuck to them, and hit them, you deserve a prize! You set the prize and if it is something that costs money (new pair of shoes) or something that is free (30 minute bubble bath to have alone time). Whatever you choose your treat to be, make sure that you DO IT! Hard work deserves to be rewarded, and not only does it make you feel good, but it pushes you to hit your next milestone and motivate you..... then, REPEAT! and stay consistent!

** PRO TIP: In order to increased results, find great workout supplements. Advocare's spark, thermo and catalyst have proven to be great for my metabolism, energy and muscle repair. I also use rehydrate right after and it helps replenish my body. 

**PRO TIP: Buy a heart-rate monitor that shows you the impact of your routine. I bought a Polar as a personal gift after I completed 100 miles (treat yourself!) and use it for every workout. I would definitely recommend it!

Your turn:

1.       Write down your fitness goals. Have you been sticking to them? If not, what will you do to ensure that you hit those goals?

2.       Do you have an accountability buddy? If not, who can you reach out to and ask to commit to a healthy lifestyle with you? If you do, have both of you been doing your job of being strong and supporting each other?

3.       Which community that I listed above would be of interest to you? I encourage you to be part of multiple communities because that crossover is very positive for your plans. Try them all out at first, then see what works for you!

Contact me with any questions or comments: ginajarias@yahoo.com ; livelikeachampion.net

5 Steps to Plan A Successful Week

As you start off the third month of the year, and finish out the first quarter of the year, have you reflected on your progress for your 2015 goals? Have you reflected on how you have set yourself up for success to reach those on time? One of the best methods to ensure that you are reaching your goals on time is weekly planning. By planning your week, each week, you see how each day contributes to reaching your goals, and time doesn't just pass you by.

I have always been a planner. As a matter of fact, I just went over to my mom's house to clean out my old stuff and found cute things of when I was a younger. In these things there were purses, marbles, journals, to-do lists, grades, pom poms, letters and many other things that made me laugh at myself! One thing that remains constant is my need and desire to plan things. I am someone who needs to have a plan in order to execute effectively and accurately. This is why I write down my goals and spend time each week planning out my week. Maybe you aren't a planner, but want to optimize your time. Try by using these five simple steps that only take about 20 minutes on your Sunday afternoon! :) 

My method is by no means perfect, but is what works for me, so I wanted to share it with you. These steps have helped me reach three (3) of my 2015 goals already!

Step 1: Identify your roles

The first piece of advice I would give you is one that I learned last year from a Franklin Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People seminar which talks about what roles you play in life. You need to Put First Things First. If you identify what your roles you play in your life, you are better able to ensure that you are attending to all of them throughout the week. In my case, I am a:

• Wife
• Family oriented woman
• Professional
• Business owner
• Healthy Woman
• Friend
• Adventurer 
• Leader
• Learner

The nice part about this step, is that these roles won't change very much, unless you have a life changing event.

Step 2: Plan Your Big Rocks

You have to be intentional in everything you do. Covey refers to our most important tasks in life as "Big Rocks". Each week, we want to ensure to get our "big rocks" planned and completed before we even bother with the "gravel", or the "small stuff". For each week, I look at each of my roles (listed in step 1) and decide how I am going to fullfil those roles that week.

For example, as a "Family oriented woman", my tasks can be as complex as "help mom with construction Friday, Saturday and Sunday for 5 hours each day", or as simple as "Call mom on Tuesday afternoon". 

So, for each role I go down the list and write my tasks for that week. For this week, here are some examples:

• Wife
• Weekly Chores
• Saturday date day
• Healthy Woman
  • Workout 5 days/week
  • Meal Prep
• Learner
  • Complete one online course
  • Listen to one TGIM  and Darren Daily every morning 

**Limit tasks to 3 per role. You want to ensure you are not overwhelming yourself and have flexible time.

**NOTE: NOT all roles will have a task each week. Sometimes you will want to focus more on one role than another. This is also my interpretation of the Covey practice, therefore not the exact way it is supposed to be followed.

Step 3: Write them down and Schedule them!

Some people prefer paper planners, while others prefer electronic planners. Personally, I like to physically write my goals, and track them on paper. I also like to use Google Calendar as an assistant to plan out blocks of time to stay focused and remind me (I am really good at forgetting). Darren Hardy refers to these blocks of time as sprints! They are chunks of 45 minutes where you focus on just ONE task! Covey refers to this as "staying true to the moment of choice". 

Step 4: Plan your gravel

We have to-dos that aren't necessarily big rocks, rather things we HAVE TO do. 

For example, check emails and voicemails. These aren't always the most exciting or productive use of our time, but we have to do it. Instead of checking your emails every 10 minutes, set out small blocks of time to check them (unless there are other pressing issues you are communicating via email, of course!). 

This will allow you to stay focused and not keep doing the small stuff that detract from completing the big things that will move you forward.

Step 5: Execute!

Now that you have this amazing plan and have thought about what you want and need to do... DO IT! You have the tools and ability to be amazing! 

Don't forget to track your progress and evaluate! 

Your turn: 

• What are some major roles you play?
• What are some big rocks you want to accomplish?
• What are your methods to plan your week?

Thanks for reading! Please leave any comments below!

Why I chose the 24 Day Challenge

While I was writing my reflection post of turning 25, I realized that a top area where I was falling short was in my life was my health. I feel accomplished in my career (for my age), I have graduated from a top University, bought a home, but all this came at the cost of letting my health slip. So, naturally, like the other 90% of Americans, one of my 2015 new years goals was to get back in shape and eat healthy.

Personally, I like to workout, but I wouldn't say it was something I naturally love. I was in my best shape in high school, then in 2013 before my wedding. After we bought the house, between construction, work and attempting to rest, fast food became my best friend. I hit my highest weight in October 2014 and felt like I was at the point of no return. Thankfully I had found the Tone It Up community at the beginning of 2014, and decided to go back and start the Love Your Body series. If you are a woman who has not yet discovered this community.. check it out!!! It is seriously an amazing way to organize your workouts and find supportive, motivated women who want a healthy life and empower each other. I found my love of exercise there last year, and it is sparked back in me this year and there is no stopping me!

 Through this community I have had the privilege of learning more about other health and fitness programs out there, such as the 24 Day Challenge by Advocare. Funny story: Advocare is the health company that makes a product called Spark. Now Spark.. let me tell you.. is AWESOME! My husband used it in college while he was both going to school and working full time, and it was the only thing that kept him going. Well, 2 years later we find a Spark  distributor  who tells us about the 24 Day Challenge, the potential to lose 12-15 pounds on it, the energy you gain, and just the overall health benefits of rebooting your system. After hearing that, WE WERE IN ... to do some research of course! So, logically we go online to see the benefits, the products, and the credibility of the Company. As most people, we were skeptics! We came to realize that Advocare has been around for 22 years, has many professional athlete endorsers (unpaid!) who are able to pass their medical test and truly enjoy the product! We even learned that Advocare has signed a contract with major league soccer and will be replacing Gatorade on their fields. Above all, their medical advisory board has highly recognized and admired doctors, that are trustworthy and known in their field.

So, after all this excitement of getting to learn more about the products, 3 days passed, and we heard NOTHING back from the distributor. On the fourth day, I was on a Tone it Up page and found that one of the girls had just finished a Challenge and had AMAZING results! I reached out to her, she got my husband and I talking to her friend who is very versed in the product, and we ordered our kits. Not only did we order our kits, but after learning even more about the Company, we signed up to be distributors because we saw how great of an impact the Challenge can have on someone's life and self-esteem, and we want to allow others to have that by telling them about the product. Not only do we help others get healthy, but we are also able to make additional income and we will earn $500-$1,000 per month by the end of this year. I was added to Advocare Facebook groups where I saw so many people who were losing incheS and pounds, and motivating each other to succeed through the challenge. This is what really pushed me over the edge and both my husband and I knew that this was something that we wanted to be a part of and that would really help us achieve our resolutions to live a healthier, leaner lifestyle. 

Our first day on the challenge was February 2nd, so we got our kits in by January 30th, which gave us 3 days to prepare our meals, and get our system down. We didn't realize how easy it was to be successful on the challenge because you are able to EAT (yes, you eat food) 6 times a day, all meals of which come with suggestions on what to eat, a Tmblr page on recipes. If you are like me and already have a meal guide from Tone it Up, most of their lean, clean and green recipes can be used for this plan. 

Come Sunday, I had the options memorized and worked on a meal plan for the next 7 days. Here is what I have some up with so far (I can share more if you are interested to get more ideas). 

I color coded what type of food was in every meal. I also prefer to use Google Docs so that I can access the file form anywhere and reuse my recipes. 

My shopping list was:

• Fruits & Veggies
  • Romaine Lettuce
  • Cucumber
  • Peppers
  • Cilantro
  • Tomato
  • Strawberries
  • Grapes
  • Kale
  • Brussel Sprouts
  • Garlic
  • Parsley
  • Potato 
  • Broccoli
  • Frozen veggie mix
  • Asparagus
  • Pear
  • Banana
  • Premade pico de gallo
• Protein
  • Tuna 
  • Salmon (Costco has great options!)
  • Ground Turkey (Costco has great options!)
  • Chicken (Costco has great options!)
  • Eggs
• Other
  • Veggie broth
  • Hummus
  • Mixed Nuts, unsalted (Costco has great options!)
• Carb 
  • Brown rice
  • Quinoa (Costco has great options!)
  • 90 calorie wheat sandwich bread
  • Whole wheat pasta
  • Black beans

Today is day 3 on the challenge, and I do not feel hungry at all, rather am satisfied after every meal. I feel light, withe energy and focus that allows me to pull through the day. I need to get better at going to be earlier, but with the cleanse I am able to focus at work and get things done! My husband and I are working out 6 days a week, 3 of them are "two-a-days", although the challenge only requires 30 minutes, 5 times a week. We are feeling really strong and proud of where we are on our third day!

My favorite part of the challenge so far has been the app because I can track everything and I'm a freak on tracking! Every meal, exercise and even tips, recipes and portions can be found there. Of course it isn't required, but it's a nice reminder to keep you engaged with what you are doing. 

I am super excited to keep you updated on the progress of the 10 day cleanse phase! :) My next post will be about how I plan my week with personal, professional and now 24 Day Challenge goals!

To get started with Advocare, email me at: ginajarias@gmail.com or check out my website directly at: https://www.advocare.com/150130205/default.aspx

Feeling Alive at 25

On my 25th birthday I look back at my quarter century of life with gratitude to God, first and foremost, and reflect on what has gotten me where I am. Throughout my 25 years of life I have a few lessons learned, and believe in the following:

1. Be genuine: always act and express yourself in a way that is true to your core. Sometimes we have to make a poker face, and hold back, but always try your best to be genuine.
2. Always set high goals: With planning skills, determination, and a support system, never stop setting high goals to reach.
3. Be kind: several of my family members are the perfect example of this. While I was growing up, I wasn't the kindest, nicest or most approachable person. I considered myself "too cool" for others that weren't my friend, or hadn't already received that status from high school society. As I look back, I  know I made some people feel bad about themselves and I didn't realize that until now that I am older. Since then, I have committed to be a more kind person who recognizes the need to treat individual with kindness.
4. Be thankful: This year I had all of my family come and help me with my home remodeling/ reconstruction. I was so impressed, thankful and felt so loved when they came to help me. This three month renovation was such a blessing that I still do not know how to express my gratitude. This is an extreme example of gratitude, but I continue to be thankful for the small things in life.
5. Play your part; things don't work on a one-way street: Being in a marriage I have realized how much being part of a team really matters to success. Sometimes I need to put my pride aside and compromise.
6. Smile.. A LOT!
7. Laugh.. A LOT!
8. Forgive: This continues to be a point of improvement, but forgiveness is a big part of everyone's life, and necessary. I've realized you don't forgive for the other person, but forgive for yourself.
9. Exercise regularly: This helps me with stress relief and of course to look good!
10. Time is precious: Everyday it seems that my days get shorter. As I look into every week and every day, I try to plan everything so that I can maximize my time. The more I plan my week, the more I accomplish and feel proud. I share my personal Google Calendar, Evernote and use Wunderlist to help me get organized. These are also great tools for Favio and I to share tasks and plan social commitments.
11. Take risks!: This has been one that I continue to make a priority because I prefer to have things done "safely". My biggest risk was taking on my current role at work. When I accepted, I wasn't sure how I was going to do it. With my leadership team's trust and support I have been able to manage my job on my own for over a year. Today, the biggest risk I am taking is sharing my blog out with the world.
12. Surround yourself with people who believe in you!
13. Experiences last longer than things: As I've gotten older, my taste has gotten simpler, but my curiosity more and more complex. I have realized that memories, experiences, and relationships are a more valuable place to invest my money.
14. It's ok to fail: This one was tough, especially since I am a perfectionist. Hearing "no" and "you should reconsider" are tough phrases for me. Over time I have realized that these phrases are actually something I am grateful for. When time goes by and all you hear is "everything is great", I feel like I am not learning. I now see "failure" as an opportunity to grow and learn.
15. Trust God's timing: I always want things my way, when I want them and how I want them. As I've gotten older I've realized that things happen for a reason, at a certain time. I've been working on being patient and recognizing that certain things are out of my control. Those that are in my control, I can worry about. Those that are not, are in God's hands, and his timing will take care of the resolution.
16. Put your family first: This year I have gotten even closer to all of my family members. I have realized that they are there for me at any point in my life to help me out and make me happy. 
17. Make a positive impact: Anything that you do in life should be done with a positive outcome in mind, that will both benefit you and others; think win-win.
18. Admit your are wrong: I am still working on this one, but it is important to admit you are wrong and take responsibility and accountability even when it is negative and you are wrong.
19. Stay true to the moment of choice: As described by Dr. Covey, if you decide to accomplish a task, spend time with someone, or do anything else with your time, stay true to what you choose. With a society that moves so quickly, focus is an acquired skill. 
20. Always kiss your spouse hello and goodbye: Always let your significant other know that you love them and appreciate them. What better way than a kiss before you leave them, and when you see them. A little affection goes a long way.
21. Share your knowledge: We are in a social society where it is essential to share information with others in order to be successful. I believe that, the more that people know, the farther we can get in life as a society.
22. Be an overachiever: I believe that you need to work harder and accomplish more than is expected of you.  If you push your skillset further, you will advance even if it is by small increments.
23. Find a job you love: I have always wanted to have a job where I can help people and have found that in my current field- I help people enjoy their jobs and businesses solve problems by capitalizing on people's skills. These are things that make me happy and excited to continue to learn about my field.
24. Dance: This is not only for fun, but for stress relief, expression and because you can't just stand around when you hear that beat!
25. Explore!: I love to travel, be outdoors and explore different areas in life. This is what keeps me curious and fulfills me. 

As I move into my last 5 years of my 20's I plan to continue to learn, explore and LIVE!

Giving our home personality

When I think of someone's personality, who they are, what they love, who they love, what is important to them, I think about the experiences they have had. Most people remember experiences by taking pictures, taking a video or even holding keepsakeswith them that remind them of that moment. Unfortunately, my home doesn't reflect any people or experiences at this point and that is something I am committed to improving on.

One of the most important moments in my life was my wedding, last year, which I have A TON of pictures of! I have been wanting to display them in my home, but hanging pictures has been SUCH a chore because I am a bit of a perfectionist. It has to be the perfect frame, the perfect color and the perfect size. Not to mention that it is a chore to go get my pictures printed. The best option is to send your pictures to be developed through a store's website.

Anyways! I finally got my giant wedding picture framed at Michael's. Their framing services are expensive, but offer warranty, security, and very professional services, so I would recommend them. After going through several options of frames, I chose a frame that was on sale. I then looked at options for an inside frame and noticed that it gave the picture more depth, so added a light beige colored internal frame and chose a custom, super awesome glass  (Conservation Masterpiece) where you can't even tell it is covering the photo.  With all of these upgrades, thankfully they had a sale and I ended up paying $250.

When they told me the price, I almost backed out! I thought the price was ridiculous. Favio and I were at Michael's staring at the picture and talked about possibly taking it elsewhere. We talked about the importance of displaying our special day in our home, what it meant to us, and what we wanted to share with those who walked in. We decided to make the jump and get it framed. A few weeks later, we had the picture back in our hands and it was worth every penny!

The tricky part was actually getting to hang the photo, yet another obstacle and decision in the process. I decided to share some tips with you on how to hang your pictures.

Hanging pictures 101

Step 1:  Decide where the picture goes

This is the most important piece of hanging your photo. Going back to the premise of this post, you want to make sure that you are giving the right impression of your personality, and what is important to you. In our case, our marriage represents commitment, love and eternal friendship and partnership. Our special day is something that we want very present and visible in our home, so we chose to hang it on the wall you see as soon as you open the front door. When choosing your frame, think about your house colors and location of the frame. Of course it needs to look good with the photo, but also needs to fit with your home.

Step 2: Get the right tools! 

,

Step ladder, drill, stud finder, screws and measuring tape. Considering my wall is small, I chose not to use a level and judge level by eye's view.

Step 2: Measure your picture dimensions

In order to even know if your picture is going to fit on the designated wall, you need to measure it's dimensions.

Step 3: Measure the frame's dimensions in relationship to the spacing of the wall

When you have decided on the wall that you want to hang your photo, you need to decide the spacing on the wall. We decided that we wanted it centered on our small wall, so measured the length of it and marked the center spot.

Step 4: Mark your screws!

In order to get the frame centered both horizontally and vertically, measure where the string is in relationship to the frame. In my case, the string was 6 inches from the top, so I knew that I needed to get the screws in the wall horizontally, and vertically.

Step 5: Find a STUD! (my husband says I'm really good at this... since I found him)

In order to ensure that your picture is going to hang properly, you should use your stud finder to find a stud to support your photo. If your experience was like ours, and you weren't able to find a stud directly in the center of the picture, go to Plan B.

Step 5: Find a STUD! - Plan B

So, we were on a mission to find a stud in the middle of the wall but weren't successful, so we realized that our frame had a string in the back the length of the frame. We drilled the holes directly horizontal to each other so that the frame can hang from two spots, and also be secure on the stud.

Step 6: Photo Hanging Party!

Once you have your screws in, you can mount the photo and double check the spacing and level. Hopefully you have a successful looking photo and have added some personality to your home. 

I will continue to add some love, and personalization to our home and will keep you posted! :)