Charlotte Loa

I saw this on a “motivational” poster today and I had to speak up and say something.

This is what I have to say to this poster: SO WHAT?!

Does this mean we should be happy with where we’re at and never strive to become the best we can be? Just because someone else out there is happy with their kindergarten drawing skills, it doesn’t mean you should give up on your dream to become the next Picasso.

My problem with this kind of thinking is it’s just another excuse to quit. Another way out. “Well she’s happy so I should be happy with where I’m at too.”

That being said, if you are one of those people that complain about life, WISHING things were different, and generally have a negative outlook of life, then this message isn’t for you. Why? Because you’re already living the “not being contend with where you’re at”, just in a counterproductive way. What I mean by that is you’re talking about what you want instead of doing what you want. Big difference.

If this is you, then your first step needs to be to start taking action.

*Don't be like this guy, take action!*

For the rest of you: Never settle. Never be contend with what you’ve got. You can always improve.

You can always become a better husband, wife, friend, researcher, trainer, accountant, traveller – whatever it might be.

So instead of settling with what you’ve got because of someone else is happy, be rather happy for them, and continue on your journey of becoming the best version of you you can possibly be.

//Charlotte

I’m not gonna lie. I want a tall, 220 pound muscular man. That’s just a non negotiable I’ve wanted for as long as I can remember. You have your preferences, I have mine. Don’t judge me! But even though people tell me “good luck with that”, I’ll need a hell of a lot more luck finding the most important trait I want in a future husband.

Yes, there is something more important to me than the physical attraction. I’m telling you, he can be the hottest guy walking this earth, but if he aint got what I’m about to share with you, it’s a dead end.

He’s got to have a successful mindset.

Now, what does it mean to have a successful mindset?

I used to say I wanted to marry a millionaire. “Oh you little gold digger”. That’s what you were thinking, admit it. But honestly, I couldn’t care less about the actual MONEY. In other words, I wouldn’t want a lottery millionaire.

The money I can and will take care of myself. But I’d want a millionaire because of the HOW he got there. I want someone who can think outside of the box, think for himself and not follow the status quo like a dumb sheep as the rest of the world does.

Millionaires have a lot more in common than just a big house and 10 cars. The money is simply just a manifestation of what’s going on on the inside of that person’s head. And THAT is what I’m looking for. That mindset.

Someone who sets no limits on himself, that knows all the things he dreams of, he can have.

You can compare this to a bodybuilder, or a great physique. Their appearance is a result of their ACTIONS and their determination to follow through no matter what. When you see a bodybuilder, you know this about them. Their drive, and their ability to set a goal and never lose the sight of it.

The same goes for millionaires. They too have traits that got them to that point.

I’m not saying all people that are not millionaires have a poor mindset. Please, don’t get me wrong. I know of a few people that have a successful mindset and are not millionaires. They’re in non profit organizations, in the starting phase of something great or learning from the best working with the end in mind at all times.

But just to get my point across and piss some people off, I used the millionaire comparison.

Now, do you have a millionaire mindset?

//Charlotte

Whether the goal is to become more productive ,or being more creative in regards to your business or life in general, there is one small tip you can start doing today that will change your life.

The secret to come up with new ideas and being more productive is to make small changes in your current environments. It doesn’t have to be drastic; If you go to a certain coffee shop every day, go to a new one. If you sit in a certain spot every time, sit down at a different table.

You can also make a switch in your relationships. Join a new community. Get to know someone who isn’t your “typical  friend”.

Take a new route to work.

Anything that is different from your current routines.

I used to sit at home “reading” every day. I didn’t get anything done. Not just that, but I didn’t have any new ideas. Just all black. One day I “accidently” went to a coffee shop in town, for the first time alone, to get a cup of coffee. I also happened to have a book in my purse and started to read while drinking my coffee.

What happened?

I was there for a good 2 hours, undistracted, getting my reading done.

Click.

That’s when I knew I had to get out of the house to be productive.

In fact, right as I write this I’m sitting in a coffee shop writing about my thoughts/revelations around the book “Where Good Ideas Come From”.

I love the quote “If something’s not working, change your approach”.

You feel like your head is empty? You need a breakthrough or a new idea?

Change something. A seemingly insignificant change might be the key you need to succeed in an area.

~Charlotte~

When I was 17 my biggest dream was to move to NYC and work at Starbucks.

That might seem like a shit dream for many people, but back then I didn’t know how to dream, or know what was really available to me.

This counts for the majority of the people in the world today.

People settle, never realizing what they are really capable of. Because when you realize what you were created to do, what you CAN do, the sky is the limit on how big your vision will be.

I almost see it as “hidden superpowers”, and that all of us have unique qualities and capabilities we are unaware of. These superpowers are your destiny. But they have to be dug out, because they don’t reveal themself without pursuit, or without the longing for “the more”.

In other words, you can’t be content with what you’ve got.

Dreaming the impossible, and knowing it can be done is something we are all born with but grow out of. This has to be re-learned, and only the ones that are seeking it will find it.

Do you want to be great?

You can start out by making a dream board. For five minutes, without stopping, describe a perfect day in your life. What does it look like? When are you waking up? What are you doing? Who are you with? Details are important.

When you are done, set aside five more minutes to brainstorm and write down your wildest dreams. No limits allowed. If you could do anything, what would it be?

When you are done put the board up on your wall so you can see it. This way every time you pass it you will get reminded of your future.

This is your first step into renewing your mind.

Take action today and discover your superpower.

~Charlotte~

From time to time people ask me what it is I am looking for in a guy. What does it take to win Charlotte over? So I thought I’d introduce you to my future man. Haha… Yeah so basically I’m writing this post as a result of how frustrated I am for thinking there can’t possibly be ANYONE out there who has all the things I’m looking for.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never been the “I want/need/desperate for a boyfriend NOW” type of girl, and even though I’m still not that girl, I am getting older… By that I mean I look around me and all my friends are dating, having babies, getting married, engaged, you know… all that shit.

I wouldn’t go out with anyone at the moment, in fact, I’m VERY content with where I’m at, being just me. But there’s still this little small voice telling me this can’t go on forever. One day I actually do want the man on the big white horse to find me. Yes, find ME.

So here he is;

1. He must think anything is possible. He loves to dream the impossible, and achieve it too. I have to have someone I can dream with, someone that can make me better. Someone that’s not content with what he’s got, but always want the more.
2. He is at least 6.2. At least.
3. He sets big goals
4. He takes ACTION
5. He makes me laugh
6. Must be TOUGH. Can be a little romantic, but not too sentimental. That just throws me off.
7. Isn’t afraid to TAKE INITIATIVE and ask me out
8. “Step Brothers” is his favorite movie
9. He is stronger than me.
10. He loves to train
11. He is always up for a challenge
12. Smart. He teaches me new things all the time
13. He is FIT and athletic. No skinny tweak.
14. He has a business mindset. Entrepreneur.
15. He loves Jesus.
16. He is comfortable in speaking in front of crowds
17. He is a great leader
18. People lover
19. He sees solutions in problems
20. Good at decision making
21. Always want to get better. Continuing education
22. Takes charge
23. Has great integrity
24. Honest
25. Doesn’t take life or himself too seriously
26. Doesn’t always have to win an argument, or have the last word
27. Loves to give to others
28. Humble
29. Understands that networking is important
30. Always finds a way to do things. Creative.

There you have it. Just a few of the points I’m looking for when it comes to these kinda things. And yes, I am aware I’ll probably never end up with someone who has EVERYTHING that’s on my list, but at least it sets a standard. Because some of the points above are non negotiable. Which is probably why I am still single

But I do encourage you to make a list like this. If you don’t know what you want, you’ll never find it. Now I have the opportunity to weed out the ones I know will only waste my time, and focus on my dreams and goals. Somewhere in there he will find me and start running beside me.

There are a bazillion articles on this subject already, but I thought I’d throw in my 2 cents as well due to quite a few requests lately.

So you don’t know what to do about your weight problem. You feel embarressed waring tank tops because of your flabby arms, your ass is hanging out from your jeans and your face has turned into something like a red round ball. You are miserable, because you’ve either tried it all, or you really just dont know how this all happened and now you don’t know where to start.

Hey, don’t feel bad, I’ve been there too.

I used to think there was a hidden secret on how to get in shape. I mean it had to be, because I had tried it all, and nothing worked. So I was certain all these personal trainers were hiding the truth, the recipe, the ingredients on how to get those six pack abs we’re all longing for.

Well, turns out I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Two of the biggest things I learned throughout my search for the big weight loss secret was

1. There is no secret

2. “Everything” works as long as you stick with the program
It’s better to do an “okay diet” 100% than a perfect diet with half the effort. One of the first things I tell people that are looking to lose inches is: It doesn’t matter what I tell you, I can give you the best advice in the world, but it all comes down to if you don’t follow through, if you give up, it won’t matter. So promise me this, that you stick with it no matter WHAT. Not for 2 weeks, not for 3 weeks, not for a month, but for as long as it takes. Got it? Good. Now, let’s proceed.

“No secret? What’s the no secret then?”

I’m about to tell you what you already know. Getting and not to mention STAYING in shape is all about a lifestyle. You are what you are because of x. You didn’t wake up one day 40 lbs overweight. Your behavior patterns are what got you there. It’s the same deal with athletes, fitness models and meat heads (don’t become a meat head). They repeated a few smart choices every day. You just repeated a few bad choices every day.

Replace those bad choices with the smart, and you’re on the right track.

EAT RIGHT

I don’t care what people say – abs are made in the kitchen. You’re more than welcome to train your ass off 5 days a week (which is recommended, and you will get results faster), but if you don’t eat the right foods for your bodytype and goals, you are doomed to fail.

• Eat a lean protein, vegetables and/or fruit, and a healthy fat to each meal. Vegetables contain a lot of fiber and takes up a lot of room in your stomach, which will leave you sated much faster, and longer. *For fatloss purposes, depending on what bodytype you are, make sure you get a veggie/fruit ratio of 1:4 or 1:5. Too much fruit can hinder fat loss and in some cases get stored as fat!

• Get rid of all PROCESSED FOODS. What this means is you need to get rid of every little package of food which consists of ingredients you don’t know what the hell means. If it’s more than one ingredient it has to go (in most cases). French fries, ice cream, chocolate, candy, pastry..
• What are ONE INGREDIENT FOODS: Chicken, fish, beef, vegetables, fruit, oats, whole grains, rice, potatoes, avocados, extra virgin olive oil, nuts and many many more. Look them up using the key words: vegetables, fruit, starchy carbs, protein and healthy fats. These are the foods you should consume on a daily basis in order to reach your goals as fast as possible. PS: Dried fruit is a no go, even though it’s a one ingredient food…. It’s loaded with sugar which will make your bloodsugar go ADD.
• Starchy carbohydrates (oats, potatoes, rice, whole grain..): Depending on your bodytype, you should limit these foods to 1-2 hours after your work out only. This is when your body is most ready to receive these carbohydrates so your blood sugar doesn’t skyrocket. Reason for this is the glycogen stores you depleted during your work out needs to get replenished (however, this all depends upon what kind of exercise you are doing. A walk at brisk pace or Zumba wont deplete shit… Sorry. Strength training and anaerobic training is what we’re looking at here).
• 90% Rule: SPLURGES. As long as you are 90% applicable to your eating plan, you can and should include 1-2 free meals a week to stay sane. However, please don’t go overboard on these splurges and screw yourself over. If your weekly calorie limit is 10 000 kcals, then your cheat meals all together should not go beyond 1000 kcals. So no 4000 calorie meals for you.
• MEAL FREQUENCY: Eat as many or few meals a day you want. Whatever works for you. You’ve probably heard more than once you need to eat every 2-3 hours to keep your metabolism up, “to keep the fire burning”, however, no recent studies are supporting these claims. Personally I eat 3-4 meals a day. *1 ref
• Water: It’s recommended to consume around 3 liters of water a day. However, as we get at least 1 liter of water through the foods we eat every day, 2 liters is more than enough. Your pee should be clear, if not you are dehydrated. You might wonder why water is so important for fat loss? Well, simply put, most of your fat cells leaves your body through your pee. That’s why
• Pre work out nutrition: What many people are doing wrong is to load up with bananas, “protein bars” (aka sugar load) and carbohydrate drinks or whatnot right before their work out. Why they do it is a good question… Because “everybody” does something doesn’t make it right. What happens is your body is going to be using those carbs you just consumed as fuel during your work out because it’s available, before it starts using your fat as fuel. Unless you’re an athlete training hours a day, or someone who’s looking to add muscle mass while possibly gaining some additional fat, I’d suggest you stay off these sugar loads until post work out. What you do: Have some protein and fat prior work out. This is going to preserve your muscle mass while using more fat as your fuel source. 
• Supplements: I don’t recommend many supplements, however there are two essential ones you should include in your diet for optimum fatloss and health benefits. Fish oil: Omega 3, and a “greens” supplement. There are SO many benefits adding omega 3 into your diet you’d be stupid not to take it knowing all of it’s advantages. It’s shown an improvement in memory, preventing alzheimer disease, better concentration/focus, mood (higher serotonin levels), reduced risk of heart attacks, fat mobilization, improved insulin sensitivity, faster recovery when injured or after training (anti-inflammitory effects)++.. Daily omega 3 dose: 3 g. I mentioned the greens supplement simply because most of us don’t consume enough fruits and vegetables in our diet to cover all the vitamin and fiber recommendations.

I was planning on writing about training that will enhance your fat loss further in this section, and strategies on how to make it through in one piece. But that will have to wait for another post. Be patient dear internet friends!

However, if you start following these guidelines, I can guarantee you WILL start seeing results. Don’t lose hope if you don’t see big changes for a week or two. Fat loss is easy, but can be tricky as well, always trying to mess with your mind. When you hit a plateau (not seeing changes for a week or two), simply reduce your caloric intake by a little bit (don’t be too drastic!), or play around with your macronutrient ratios (proteins vs fats vs carbohydrates) to see how your body responds and adjust accordingly.

- Charlotte

*Meal frequency, Alan Aragon: http://www.leangains.com/2011/04/critique-of-issn-position-stand-on-meal.html

“I’ve always believed in magic. When I wasn’t doing anything in this town, I’d go up every night, sit on Mulholland Drive, look out the city, stretch out my arms, and say, “Everybody wants to work with me. I’m a really good actor. I have all kinds of great movie offers.” I’d just repeat these things over and over, literally convincing myself that I had a couple of movies lined up. I’d drive down that hill, ready to take the world on, going, “Movie offers are out there for me, I just don’t hear them yet.” It was like total affirmations, antidotes to the stuff that stems from my family background.” JIM CARREY

Do I need to say more? This is a powerful testimony about someone that never doubted he was going to get a breakthrough. He didn’t just believe his dream would come to pass, he knew it.

Do you know your plans will come to pass? Whether your answer is yes or no, by constantly affirming yourself you will get a confidence you’ve never had before. So no matter how much resistance you might get, you will keep standing tall, knowing the doors will open for you in the right time.

PS: I’m sure Jim Carrey did more than just positive self talk. So don’t be stupid.

-Charlotte

Yesterday it hit me. I approach life like a little kid! You know how they always think the best is going to happen? They literally have no worries, because they believe everything will work out the way they want it to. I “happen” to be the same way. Somehow I always expect the best outcome in every situation. I expect everything to go my way. I expect people to like me. I expect many once in a lifetime opportunities to come my way. I expect to win. Even great things most people would consider illogical, or not humanly possible, I expect them to happen to me.

This is the true way of thinking like a child. They see no limits, because they haven’t been introduced to them yet. But as we grow older we are taught to hide our true desires and dreams because “you can’t have it all, it’s just not possible. Get a real job.” Because of this we go through life settling for less, limiting our potential.

“I’m not a child anymore, so how can I think like one?”

To always have high expectations for things in life doesn’t just happen in a split second. You have to choose to change your thought patterns, little by little, every day. (Beware: This is not like one of those crash diets where you’re done after 30 days. This is for life.) So when you’re getting worried something is not going to work out, or stressed out because something didn’t happen the way you planned, just brush it off, and tell yourself: “Okay. Then there’s something better for me than this.” Often times you’ll find you have to speak out the opposite of what you’re feeling in the moment. “I’ll NEVER get there!” will be replaced with “I’m ALREADY there!” Say it as if you already have it.

One of our most important assignments as grown individuals is to relearn to become the child we once were. Only then will our eyes open up again for what we once thought was possible. And guess what? When you start thinking this way you will notice the right doors opening at the right time. It definitely does for me, and I’m really no one special. I’m just your “ordinary girl” who learned how to think in unordinary ways to get to where I want to be.

-Charlotte

Hey Ladies! If you are like me, or most women, you love everything that has to do with chocolate and ice cream. It’s especially hard to stay away from these alluring foods when that time of the month comes.

Paris Hilton's got cravings too!

So here’s a tip I thought I’d share with you about weightloss and mindset, which hopefully will help you stay on track, and be able to resist those devils we all face on a daily basis.

Before, during or after eating anything, have you thought about WHY you’re eating that specific food? It’s so easy to get lost in the moment when there’s any kind of delicious food placed in front of you. You’re not thinking about the consequences of your actions, because after all, it’s “just a slice of pizza”, and you can start all over tomorrow. How much damage can it make?! However, all these little slices of pizzas will sure add up, and in turn hold you back from achieving your goals.

“So how do I overcome the cravings?”

Whenever I feel like eating something that is not high in nutritional value such as chocolate, ice cream or garlic bread I simply ask myself: Will these foods help me reach my weight loss goals? What are they going to do to my body fat percentage?

By asking yourself those simple questions you can save yourself from a lot of trouble. Are those foods good for your overall health? Are they going to make you feel great after eating them? Will that cheesecake melt down your belly fat? Picturing it all in your head is also a very powerful tool. Imagine yourself eating the junk, what it will do to your thighs and what it will make you feel after you’re done eating. Then imagine yourself being that fit amazing looking female you’re daily working towards, and will become, if you stay on track. Now, is it worth it? Is 5 minutes of pleasure worth taking two steps back? Keep your eyes on the prize and don’t trick yourself into thinking it’s okay to eat the junk today because of x.

Binge eating: This is what you might face if you are too strict with yourself.

However, I’m not saying you’re never to eat your favorite foods anymore in order to reach your goals. As long as you are 90% applicable, 1-3 “cheat meals” a week, or “splurges” like Rachel Cosgrove likes to call them, are in fact essential in a fat loss, and most kinds of training programs. By denying yourself these pleasures once in a while is a recipe for  failure and can often lead to binging. Remember, if you’re not being nice to yourself, your body is sure not gonna be nice to you.

Now, every time you feel like you’re going crazy and want to give in, try these simple tricks. You’ll notice the cravings won’t last for long after doing these exercises for the mind.

-Charlotte