Sunday Link Love: East Coast, Blogging Tips + Nutrition {June 4}

Health, Fitness + Lifestyle

The Scary Reason Illinois Just Banned Your Face Wash "Imagine a gazillion tiny plastic balls floating through the world’s streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans, adding to the already insane amount of plastic in the water. Scared? You should be. In the future it might be impossible to find water without them."

Tanning can be 'addictive', new study claims I always had a feeling this was true. Laying out in the sun is very relaxing for me.

Want to get unstuck? Maybe it’s time to stop analyzing it.

7 Sneaky Reasons You’re Bloated

Food + Nutrition

Coca-Cola Attempts to Go Healthy With Stevia-Sweetened Coke Life Very unfortunate!

Chronic Inflammation and Turmeric Ginger Lemonade JUST what I needed. I am all about fighting inflammation. Plus, how delicious does this sound?!

Some Unsolicited Advice About Healthier Eating Habits at Work

5 Tips for an Efficient Cook

How To Meal Plan Without Losing Your Mind

10 Healthy Food Blogs To Follow

How Well Do You Know Your Vegetables? Take The Quiz

Social Media, SEO + Entrepreneurship

17 Apps That Help You Make Ebooks That Get Noticed

Danielle LaPorte and her team's favorite apps What can I say...I'm a sucker for a good resource roundup.

How to Cultivate Resourcefulness Like I said in my comment on this post, being resourceful is so important, and something I've always been complimented on. With the internet so accessible, sometimes all you need are a few creative ideas and Google!

3 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Create Passive Income

Blogging

5 tips for better blog photos from Allyson Wonderland One day I'll take decent photos. One day!

How to Create a Privacy Policy for Your Website

7 interesting, innovative blog posts ideas you haven’t seen a million times before

9 Essential Books That Will Transform Your Writing Forever

Build Your Blog With Social Media Optimization

Other

How to Clean Your Keyboard, Cell Phone, Tablet, and Other Electronics

7 Things Truly Amazing Listeners Do Differently So important for every relationship in your life, but especially for connecting with your clients.

Good Reads: My Summer Reading List I've read The Happiness Project and Wedding Night. Plus, this list mentions a book "like TFiOS," so I'm definitely looking into these.

My life lately...

+Last Friday I flew from Pensacola to Baltimore with a layover in Nashville. My second flight was delayed, but the Nashville airport was pretty cool so I didn't mind. There was a guy playing acoustic classic rock covers (James Taylor!). I entertained myself by snapping a photo of a floor drain for a client and sitting on the floor reading magazines. (No wonder I'm sick again...)

+Sunday we left for a quick trip to Wildwood Crest, NJ, where we spent time at the Cape May Lighthouse, the pool, walking the boardwalk and playing some Mad Libs, of course! We didn't actually go to the beach because my little 5 month old niece was sick.

+I've visited a few of my favorite spots already. The Ragged Edge Coffee House in Gettysburg, PA is a must-visit any time I'm in town. I've loved that place since I was a kid. The Pure & Simple Cafe is in a small town called Greencastle. Despite being tiny, Greencastle has some great healthy living options like that organic cafe, a small health store behind the cafe and Balance Yoga & Wellness Studio.

+I found this delicious cold-pressed juice at Giant (grocery store) and a friend sent me coupons. Cold-pressed juice for $2?! It makes me way more excited than it probably should.

+I designed two t-shirts for my business and am so excited to see them when I get home. The above is one I made to cover both aspects of my business. The dots are just from the preview. It made me think...would any other health coaches be interested in t-shirts? I'm thinking general tshirts that say Health Coach or Certified Holistic Health Coach (if you went to IIN). It's such a great conversation starter. Leave a comment or send me an email and let me know! I can show you some designs.

What are your favorite links from the week?

Keep up with me on Twitter and Instagram.

Vision Board Friday: Do What You Can

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Stop waiting to get started. You have enough and you are enough.

image credit

The #1 Rule for Becoming a Successful Entrepreneur

You can follow every rule, how-to and template. You can take the courses, read the books and get the credentials.

But the thing that really matters is what you do differently.

How can you get your audience's attention when it's already pulled in a million directions?

Four signs you're missing the point:

1. Your website looks like every other website in your industry.
2. You go to networking events that are filled with competitors and colleagues rather than your target audience.
3. You're following every tip but can't seem to find your tribe.
4. You're holding back in your writing and communication.

Why should anyone listen to your message? What do you have to offer that's unique? That's where you need to focus your energy.

The market place is saturated. But customization is on the rise, and no two people are exactly alike. Figure out what you can do differently, while still being authentically YOU, to stand out.

What really matters for your business is what you do DIFFERENTLY.

What helps you stick out? What do you offer that's unique in your industry?

Sunday Link Love: Business Resources Galore! {June 3}

Oops! I hadn't looked at my business RSS feed in a few weeks, so this post will be full of good resources!

Health, Fitness + Lifestyle

Do These 7 Things to Feel More Empowered Today

Which Fitness Tracker Is the Most Accurate? The Results Are In Good to know! I love my Fitbit Flex, and tracking my activity in general.

New to Running? Motivate Your Workouts With These Minigoals

Cool Kids Lose, Though It May Take A Few Years Makes sense! What do you think?

Food + Nutrition

Why Calories In vs Calories Out is Outdated

The Great Grain Debate

Building A Balanced Smoothie

17 Incredible Things You Didn't Know About Whole Foods

Social Media, SEO + Entrepreneurship

5 Contract terms that will keep you safe as a freelancer

Resources and Tools for Digital Nomads

How music affects your productivity

8 Tips for Optimizing Pinterest

Optimizing Images for SEO (Blogger Platform Tips) I'll be writing a post for WordPress soon!

25 Things Every Young Professional Should Know by Age 25

Creating Online Courses with Kunerango This looks pretty handy. I'd love to know what else you guys use to make e-courses. Leave a comment!

Why Pinterest is 1,680 Times Better than Facebook

How to Choose (and Use) the Best Tools for Your Business

How To Sell Yourself To A Client

Tips For Those Who Set Their Own Salaries "Figure out what you want to make yearly and put that aside as a salary you pay to yourself. Then add expenses, such as purchases and overhead, plus the profit you hope to make above expenses. Ms. Van Thoen suggested 10 to 20 percent of your salary."  This article also talks about Toggl.com, which is what I use to accurately track my time.

Starting Out: Working from Home This is spot on!

Blogging

Looking to Outsource Your Design Needs? You Need to Read This

You’ve Got Readers To Your Blog – This is How You Keep Them There

Social Media for Newbie Bloggers Part 2

3 Google Analytics features to help grow your blog or business

My life lately...

+I'll be spending time with family in PA until the 30th with a quick trip to NJ this week. I love the flexibility of owning my own business. I cannot stress that enough.

What are your favorite links from the week?

Keep up with me on Twitter and Instagram.

Vision Board Friday: Elements of Glow

I came across this last year and love it! No explanation necessary. Elements of Glow:

1. Eat well.
2. Sleep.
3. Drink lots of water.
4. Exercise, exercise, exercise!
5. Meditate.
6. Tend to your hair, skin and nails.
7. Breathe consciously.
8. Laugh often.
9. Pamper yourself.
10. Don't worry.
11. Don't judge.
12. Slow down.
13. Pay attention.
14. Be kind.

30 Simple Ways to be More Eco-Friendly

Earth Day may be over, but we should each make an effort to be green all year round. If we all make a few small changes, we can have a big impact on saving the Earth. Here are 30 simple steps you can take to be more green:

1. Meal plan efficiently so you don't waste food.

2. Make your own cleaning supplies. Here are 31 Household Products You'll Never Have to Buy Again.

3. Participate in Meatless Monday. We use more grain to feed animals than humans, and their waste is one of the biggest contributors to global warming.4. Carpool to the office. Take turns each week and use it as quality time to catch up!5. Wear your clothes a few times before washing, such as pants, sweaters, and items that don't collect a lot of dirt.

6. Turn off water when brushing your teeth. Extra points for turning it off in the shower when you're lathering up!

7. Buy local + freeze leftovers, herbs, in-season produce, etc. Plus you'll be supporting your local economy. Produce that's out of season uses a lot of resources to ship, plus it will lose nutrients during the days it takes to travel.

8. Plan your errands so you make less trips.

9. Conduct an at-home energy audit.

10. Plant your own organic garden. You'll save money and be helping the environment!

11. Practice rainwater harvesting.

12. Give old newspapers to animal shelters, or cancel your subscription and read news online.

13. Unplug appliances and electronics when not in use. Many electronics, including computers, are still using electricity even if turned off.

14. Use re-usable shopping bags. Keep them handy so you don't forget!

15. Use re-usable water bottles and re-usable coffee mugs. Some coffee shops will even give you a discount, including some Starbucks locations.

16. Make your own portioned food instead of buying it in packs. Try these homemade breakfast sandwiches, these oatmeal muffins, or this foolproof greek yogurt.

17. Fix any leaks in your home. "The average household's leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year, or the amount of water needed to wash 270 loads of laundry." -EPA

18. Buy used items and donate or sell your own. Refinish items to give them new life. Buying and selling used items keeps them from going into landfills. There are many sites to search for items in your area for cheap or free, such as Freecycle.com, Craigslist and Yard sale groups on Facebook.

19. Buy energy efficient appliances, light bulbs, and make sure your windows are sealed and efficient.

20. Have receipts emailed rather than printed when the choice is available.

21. Buy toxin free make-up and bath products to keep chemicals out of the ground and your body. (or make your own!)

22. Buy organic produce when possible- fertilizers and pesticides are ruining our soil.

23. Turn off lights when you leave a room, and try using natural lighting if you're home during the day.

24. Spend more time outside and less time watching TV and on the computer.

25. Recycle your electronics properly, such as batteries, computers + cell phones. Many electronics stores will take them to recycle for you.

26. Don't buy new appliances just because the newest model has come out. Save your money and our landfills.

27. Clean out your car. Extra weight in your trunk (or car) decreases fuel efficiency.

28. Buy used books or e-books.

29. Opt in to paperless billing and pay your bills online.

30. Wash laundry in cold water instead of hot.

Post your easy green tips in the comments below.

[Tweet "Let's all commit to making one green change per week this year."]

An edited version of this post appeared first on MindBodyGreen. See it here.

Sunday Link Love: Starting a blog + Designing a Meal Plan {June 2}

Is it sad that this is always my favorite post to write for the week? I am such a resource hoarder and love to share them. 

Health + Wellness

Revisiting the Idea of Living with Intention I've been really into the idea of living with intention ever since coming across Jess Lively. This is a good post about Erika's view, from All Things E.

Are You Addicted to Adrenaline?

Why You Should Throw Away Your Scale

No Sunglasses vs. Cheap Sunglasses: When It Comes to UV Protection, What’s Best for Your Eyes? Such good information! I've been wearing cheap sunglasses because I always break them...but looks like I might need to make a change!

Don't Let Cramps Get the Best of You During Your Workout

Food + Nutrition

Designing A Meal Plan I struggle so much to meal plan and I'm not sure why. These are good tips that I need to follow.

Healthy Produce That Keeps Well

Loaded Southwest Sweet Potato Fries

This Is Your Body On Diet Soda (Infographic)

Your Body on Sugar (Infographic)

What the Hell is the Difference Between Cacao & Cocoa?

SEO, Marketing + Entrepreneuship

Work From Home? Don’t Make These Mistakes

How I Got Started Freelance Writing

How to figure out pricing once and for all (and stop stressing about it already)

Simple Introduction to Google Hangouts

Blogging

Are Your Beliefs Self-Sabotaging? One Way to Know…

7 Outrageous Requests To A Food Blogger

Want To Grow Your Business? Stop Lying To Yourself

How to Start Your Own Blog in 3 Easy Steps

Other

Normal is Boring

The #GratefulfFor30 Experiment <--Good idea!

My life this week..

+The Fault in Our Stars was SOOO good. The whole theater was in tears, guys and all. Now I want to re-read all my John Green books. I tend to get really passionate about the things I love...

+It's been storming here every day, so I enjoyed some relaxation time watching season 2 of Orange is the New Black.

+Not many photos from this week. I'm working extra so I can take a few days off June 13th-18th. I haven't taken any actual days off since last July that weren't travel days, so this is exciting!

+I'm looking for vegetarian cookbooks and websites that have super simple starter recipes. I'm a health coach who can't cook :-/ What do you suggest?

What are your favorite links from the week?

Keep up with me on Twitter and Instagram.

*The images above are not mine.

12 Tips for How to Get More Blog Traffic + Keep Readers Engaged

This post was originally a guest post for my friend Anne over at FANNEtastic Food. She’s a DC area Registered Dietitian with delicious recipes, fitness posts and wellness tips, so make sure to check out her blog! It has been slightly modified from the original version. With that said, let's dig in!

---

So – you’re on Facebook, have a consistent blogging schedule, and vaguely know what SEO means. Now what? Dig into these tips to take your traffic to the next level.

Don’t Lose Your Readers

1. Minimize your load time to keep readers engaged. Kissmetrics.com says, “40% of people abandon a website that takes more than 3 seconds to load.” Excessive ads, buttons and photos can slow it down. Consider what each item is worth and experiment with placement, WordPress plugins, and even removing things that may be hurting your traffic numbers.

a. Check out these 5 ways to speed up your WordPress site.

Up Your Social Media Game

2. Expand beyond Facebook and Twitter. Instagram and Pinterest are excellent for food + healthy living bloggers.

Here are some Pinterest-specific tips to get more traffic:

• The best time to pin is between 2-4pm and 8pm-1am.
• Verify your website so you can track your analytics.
• Use images with text (your post title). 
• Join “community” boards on Pinterest
• Pin guides and tutorials for a 42% higher click-through-rate
• Use hashtags, just like you do for Twitter and Facebook. Either search hashtags before you use them or try Hashtags.org to find popular tags.
• Make sure your pin link works, and make sure it leads to the actual post and not your homepage.

Here are 34 Tips for Using Instagram for Business.

3. Submit articles to sites that sites that accept reader submissions. The more specific the niche, the better. Here are a few examples to get you started:

• MindBodyGreen
• Buzzfeed
• Huffington Post
• Thought Catalog

4. Re-purpose old blog posts to get the most out of each post. You have new followers all the time who haven’t read your posts.

• Use a Twitter Plugin like “Tweet Old Posts”, or schedule posts to multiple channels with something like Hootsuite. If using Hootsuite, this gives you a chance to pull different quotes from your post and schedule for the future. Get creative! It doesn’t always have to be your post title. Ask questions, use teasers, and play with other titles you thought about using.

5. Maximize traffic through sharing at optimal times on social channels. You can use Hootsuite or a similar automation tool to schedule most of these. Best sharing times:

• Facebook: 1pm – 4pm
• Twitter: 1pm- 3pm
• Pinterest: 2pm-4pm and 8pm-1am
• LinkedIn: 7am-9am and 5pm-6pm

Cozy up to SEO Tactics

6. Take a few minutes to do keyword research. Use Google Keyword Planner + Google Trends to find the best way to phrase your blog title and which keywords get the most traffic.

7. Use an SEO Plug-in, like “Yoast All in One SEO”, to make sure you cover the basics.

• Fill out the title tag with 60 characters. This is usually your blog title, so make it appealing and share-worthy!
• The meta-description is not used by search engines, but can encourage people to click your link. Google shows around 160 characters.
• Use keywords in your URL and H1 tags. These re-enforce what your post is about to search engines.

8. Break up your text with sub-headings. These help readers scan your post, and all heading tags signal to search engines what your blog post is about.

9. Spend time thinking of a good title. Titles with the most clicks often include:

• “How-to”
• “Mistakes”
• “Secrets”
• Questions (people are typing full questions into Google more often now – Anne’s “How to Make Brussels Sprouts Delicious” post does well here!)
• Lists

10. Link to related posts within your blog post + have related posts available underneath. These keep readers engaged in your content and increase your page views.

• Use a plug-in like YARPP (Yet Another Related Post Plug-in)

11. Complete the “alt text” for your images. Use keywords that are related to your post but also describe the image. This is another signal to search engines about your blog post topic, and this helps categorize images in searches.

12. Install Google Analytics and Google Webmaster tools. These aren’t as intimidating as they may seem! Reasons to utilize these tools:

• Monitor your referral traffic. Which social channels are doing the best? If you’re advertising, is it worth it? Are other bloggers linking to you? If yes, go thank them!
• Webmaster Tools can analyze the technical aspects of your blog, like broken links and pages. Not only do these annoy readers, search engines also pick up on them and will penalize your ranking.

What tools and tips have given you the most traffic growth? Anything to add to this list?

Vision Board Friday: Be a Light to the World

"Be a Light to the World." When you experience a positive, uplifting person, don't you feel amazing? You can be that person too. Trade positive energy.

image credit

The #1 Mistake Entrepreneurs Make

I've seen this with clients, classmates and friends time and time again. It applies to more than just starting your own business. Once I finish this course, I'll be ready to apply for that job. When things slow down, I'll be ready to get certified in X, Y or Z.

I don't have the right [business name, logo, website theme] to put myself out there yet.

I don't have enough blog followers to write that e-book.

You get the point. The #1 mistake is waiting. Not jumping into it. It's too easy to get caught up by the fear and lack of confidence, but you know how you'll gain that confidence? Experience.

You'll figure out more about your business from your clients than from yourself. You'll figure out what you want to do more of and less of.

I was speaking to a client last week who validated this thought for me. Through starting to coach clients, she realized that helping with romantic relationships wasn't quite up her alley. And that's okay. It's better to specialize and to refer people when it's not what you want to do.

You don't need to have the perfect website, blog, social media presence or even business name to get started. My logo is only a pretty font I made myself and my website and blog are currently separate. Not ideal, but it hasn't slowed me down one bit.

Follow these steps to get started TODAY:

1. Start with your legal name as your business name to skip some legal steps. In most cases you won't need to do any special registrations as long as you use your own legal name as part of the business. Example: Danielle Zeigler Coaching. My name and what I do. If you use a different name, such as Kickin' Fitness, you'll need to file as DBA (Doing Business As), at minimum. (I know, I know..that's why I don't have a fancy business name yet.)

It also allows your business to grow and change directions. I offer health coaching and business coaching, but I may not always offer both. I'm not ready to commit, so using my name is perfect. The tagline is the important part anyway.

2. Start a blog, even if it still looks like name.wordpress.com Start writing what you know and building an audience or community. You'll learn which topics you like talking about and what questions you see over and over. You'll also demonstrate your expertise. Clients like to work with someone they know and trust, so a blog is the perfect, non-committed way for someone to get to know you.

3. Put together a Wix.com website. You can even keep the ads and free domain, and you'll have a free website set up in an afternoon. It's drag and drop, and they have beautiful templates to get you started.

4. Start telling people what you do. Introduce yourself as a health coach, business coach, life coach, etc. to everyone you meet. Even if you don't have any clients yet, that's still what you do.

5. Keep your day job. You don't have to jump head-first into the world of entrepreneurship. I highly recommend keeping your day job and working in the evenings and on weekends until you have a more solid footing with your business.

What tips would you give other entrepreneurs as they get started? What did you struggle with or see success with?

Stitch Fix Review 2 + Clothing Fails

In case you’re new to Stitch Fix*, here’s a quick run-down on how it works: Not all of my fixes have been great, but I continue to get them because the pieces I DO keep I find myself wearing the most. It helped me realize that I tend to wear the same few items over and over– the ones I invested a little more money in. I have a bad tendency to buy quantity over quality when it comes to clothing, so I have tons of cute cheap clothes that fall apart in less than a year.

With Stitch Fix, it’s like having a personal stylist and shopper. You get to choose the price range for each item, how often you want your fix and add specific notes for the fix. For example, for several fixes I’ve requested dresses for specific occasions.

Your fix also comes with photo ideas for how to wear the items (with clothes you may already own.)

The details:

• $20 styling fee upfront, but you get to deduct this from the items you decide to keep
• set a schedule for your fixes (like monthly) or schedule as the mood strikes
• set up a detailed style profile + include twitter and Pinterest links (gives your stylist a better idea of your personality)
• choose the price range you’re willing to spend for each category
• 25% discount if you buy all 5 items
• 3 days to decide which items to keep
• the shipping is free to return any unwanted items
• $25 for each person you refer

I recently received my second fix from Stitch Fix and was pretty disappointed. I had given them as many details as possible, such as "no gold detail" on the purse and to send a pair of shorts that weren't too short. I'm not sure if there was a miscommunication or what, but I didn't like anything I received. My stylist regurgitated my requests in her note, like "no gold detail," but yet the purses still had gold detail...

I sent everything back. Since I spent $20 for the styling fee, I could have gotten at least one item for next to nothing, but I knew I wouldn't use anything. They sent an email apologizing and made some recommendations, like to update my Pinterest style board.

From reading other reviews and listening to friends describe their experiences, it sounds like the fixes get better the more you try them. That makes sense. This was only my second fix, so there wasn't much to go on. So despite being disappointed, I'll definitely be getting more! I already wear the items from my first fix all the time.

Here's what I received for my second Stitch Fix:

Salmon/pinkish top with long white shorts. They took my request for shorts that weren't "too short" a little too seriously. They fit great, but weren't what I was looking for. The shirt was okay, but I wasn't in love with it.

I guess navy and that salmon color are what Stitch Fix recommends for me. The shirt was different than I would ever pick, but I think I would have kept it if it wasn't so boxy. It looked worse in person than it does in that picture.

stitch fix style card

My style card and the two purses I received. The white one is okay but still not my style.

I still love my first box from Stitch Fix and will be trying a third fix at some point. Here are some outfits I've created with the items from my first box:

Pinkish skinny jeans with a purple top and my floral rain boots + that navy lace dress with a maroon sweater.

Interested in trying Stitch Fix? Check it out here* and sign up with my referral code.View my third fix from Stitch Fix here. It's much better!

If you work from home, do you opt for comfortable clothes or do you still get fully dressed? What are your favorite trends and colors this spring/summer?

Sunday Link Love: Writing eBooks, a Reset Button + Getting Fit {May 4}

I'm making a few changes to Sunday Link Love. Follow me on Twitter for tons of great health and business tips!  

Ready to put your ideas into an ebook? These tips will make sure you write one that sells.

Don't panic. What to do if your blog content is stolen.

Ever wish you had a reset button? I can see a day like this in my near future!

I hate running, but would still love to do a Color Run. Who wants to join me? Here are some great tips to train for beginners like me.

"Our whole lives are relationships. So reach out and keep going in. If you have to choose between flying overseas to see your friends and painting the house this summer — choose your friends."

I love this motivational post about going after your dreams. "What do you need to do to make it happen? Turning a dream into reality requires a cocktail of action, risk, and trust."

Over-comitted and stressed out? Here's how to gracefully back out of a commitment.

I'm guilty of not changing my make-up from season to season. In fact, I hate wearing any foundation at all. What are your favorite make-up tips?

Everyone can use a dose of positivity. Here are 101 Inspiring Happiness Quotes.

My life lately according to Instagram...

  This is my work situation every day..

Spent last Sunday exploring Pensacola with a friend. I live around here and haven't explored much yet. Any recommendations if you live in or have visited the panhandle?

Hah! Had to get these.

Added some subtle ombre to my hair. What do you do when you need a change? (P.S. What is on my shirt? I'm betting it's an orb.)

I watched 6 seasons of Nurse Jackie this week. Now what do I do with my life? What should I watch next?

Keep up with me on Twitter and Instagram.

Vision Board Friday: Believe You Can and You're Halfway There

"Believe you can and you're halfway there." - Theadore Roosevelt  

image credit

10 Free Tools to Create Quote Images + Increase Social Media Engagement

Beautiful images with quotes are everywhere these days. Think Pinterest, Tumblr, Instagram, Blog Photos, etc.You get the picture. It can take a long time to create your own, and let's face it, not everyone is gifted in graphic design. It's also a great idea to make a graphic of your blog post title. Every social channel allows a featured image and it's proven to grab readers attention.

Why use quote images:

• Image posts increase interaction on Facebook by 39%
• Engagement is 200% higher for Twitter posts with images/ image links
• Pinterest has a 50% higher click-through-rate than other social platforms

[All stats from QuickSprout]

Where to find quotes:

1. Goodreads 2. Brainy Quote 3. Your blog title or quotes from your blog post

6 Quote Image Creation Tools

1. ReciteThis

A free tool with almost 50 options. The images are watermarked, but they're super easy to create and download.

2. Pinstamatic

Pinstamatic will help you liven up your blog and Pinterest account. Add captions to photos, create simple quotes and more. It's doesn't have a lot of customizable options but is simple, quick and has a very attractive website!

3. Quozio

A free tool with 28 options. They're fairly limited and not too fancy, but it's easy to use and easy to save (just right click).

4. PicMonkey

PicMonkey is what I use for most of my images. It's free, easy to use + extremely customizable. They have some backgrounds to choose from or you can upload your own.

5. ProQuoter

Free and easy to use. It provides small groups of stylized quotes for you to choose from. They are all fairly similar to the photo above.

6. Quote for Fun

Click through quotes on homepage to find inspiration and create your own with their free tool. Customize the background color, choose from a few fancy fonts + choose from a few random icons. This site looked promising at first, but I wasn't impressed in the end.

7. QuotesCover

This tool has specific editors for Facebook and Google+ cover photos, wallpapers and more. You can also choose a quote from the homepage to help you get started

8. PinWords

Designed for Pinterest. Free and easy to use. You can upload backgrounds or choose from a few plain options. Font options are limited and the image size is very small. The above image is one I created at full size.

9. LivLuvCreate

LivLuvCreate is a social community of image quotes, but also offers a free editor. To use the editor, you have to create an account, but you can easily sign in with Facebook. The editor offers tons of options, from collage layouts to pre-made beautiful background images and Instagram-like filters.

10. Chisel

Chisel offers images to choose from, similar to LivLuvCreate. Choose an image, add your quote and save. The downside is that you have to create an account first.

Which tool is your favorite?

Sunday Link Love: Food, Blogging + Lifestyle {May 3}

Health + Lifestyle

Balancing Technology

What Sedentary Living Does to Your Brain

Why introverts just can’t handle you… sometimes You know this is one of my favorite topics! And I love Sarah Wilson. Worth the read.

Hormone Imbalance: Why stress is ruining your health Stress has had a huge impact on my health, and I'm still trying to correct it. It's a long road. Read this to prevent dealing with the same or get on the right path to correct it.

Birth Control Pill Problems, PMS, and Disease with Alisa Vitti – Author of Woman Code (VIDEO) Do you take a birth control pill? Have you noticed any side effects? I'm very interested in this topic!

10 Simple Acts of Radical Self-Care RIP to the beautiful, inspiring Polly Noble, a fellow IIN grad and MindBodyGreen contributor. She will be greatly missed, but her message will continue to spread. The above is one of her most popular MBG articles.

New Study Says Finding Your Purpose Leads To A Longer Life

How to Get Over Your Mistakes

Fitness

Beginner’s Running Guide I've started running so many different times. I hate it, but I want to love it. Maybe this will help!

10 Minute Workouts You Can Do At Your Desk I'm not sure you'll want to do all of these in a crowded office, but quick workout ideas are always helpful!

Food Tips + Nutrition

10 Scary Facts About Our Food

Surprising Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

The Questionable Link Between Saturated Fat & Heart Disease

The Importance of Omega-3s

These 11 Charts Show Everything That's Wrong With The Modern Diet I love statistics to back up claims! Check these out.

Michael Pollan Weighs In On The Gluten-Free Craze Yes! What I was trying to say in my post about gluten..

5 FDA-Approved Food Additives  Banned in Other Countries Makes you wonder...

Blogging

Are You a Health Blog Junkie? I've learned so much from health bloggers and have made some amazing friends already, so I know I won't stop anytime soon, but sometimes it can be overwhelming. I used to read WAY more than I do now.

How to Start a Self-Hosted Blog It can seem intimidating, but it's not too difficult.

Marketing, SEO, Social Media + Entrepreneurship

The Big List of IFFFT Recipes  for Social Media Productivity

Optimizing Images for SEO

7 SEO Truths Every Business Leader Must Understand

Is Your Content Strategy Guided by Audience Intent (or Just Keywords)? So important!

A Call to Doing it Your Way yes!

3 Common Legal Mistakes Small Business Owners Make The most confusing part of being an entrepreneur. Watch this video for awesome advice on service agreements and what should be included. She specifically mentions health coaches, plus there are details on choosing the right business structure and more in the post.

How to Avoid Getting Slaughtered by Penguin 3.0

Are You Cultivating and Pursuing The Spark? Every entrepreneur should follow Scott Dinsmore

Fun / Interesting Posts

20 Common Words You Could Be Using Incorrectly

10 Things Only People From Pennsylvania Will Understand "James Carville summarized Pennsylvania as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with Alabama in between."

23 Psychological Life Hacks to get an Advantage "People will remember not what you said but how you made them feel."

Things I'm Loving Lately + Life

Just a little obsessed with yoga pictures. Anyone else? Check out my new yoga love Pinterest board.

One reason I keep my fiance around- funny cat pictures. ..and maybe the fact that he loves cats in general and volunteers with me.)

I spent Saturday with a friend at Panama City Beach. It was the first time I had ventured over there and was so impressed. The water in Destin was very questionable last weekend (dark foam, green water), but this view was unbelievable. Laying out is a major vice of mine, but how can you not when you live around the above??

Keep up with me on Twitter and Instagram.

Vision Board Friday: Fall in Love With Yourself

Fall in love with yourself. You'll be surprised what else starts to fall into place.  

I can't remember where I found this and can't find it using reverse image search. So if this is your image, sorry!

34 Tips for Using Instagram for Business

Instagram can be an excellent social channel for brands. It's a great way to make your brand more personable, and visual content is super-important in your online strategy. A post from HubSpot on why you should include visual content in your marketing cites:

• 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual, and visuals are processed 60,000x faster in the brain than text.
• 40% of people will respond better to visual information than plain text.

Instagram is especially popular among lifestyle blogger, like fitness buffs, recipe creators and fashion lovers, but we're seeing a huge increase in use across different industries.

Before signing up and snapping away, take a few moments to think about your overall strategy.

There are 4 basic content groups you can share from, and I've included a few ideas for each below. Your strategy might include any mix of these, or all of them.

4 Content Groups on Instagram:

1. Behind-the-Scenes: sneak peeks of what you're working on, your office or work location, a day in the life, what you're loving lately.
2. Education: bite-sized tips related to your business and industry.
3. Inspiration: anything to make life a little better, a it's not secret people love quote images. Tie it back to your overall brand if you can, and use high-quality images.
4. Community: feature clients (in-person, their work, etc.), work from peers, local events.

34 Tips on Using Instagram for Business:

Profile:

1. Here are tips on how to create the perfect Instagram profile.
2. Make sure to include a recognizable profile photo, like your company logo or the headshot you use on other social channels.
3. Include your location in the description, especially if you're a location-based / brick-and-mortar business.
4. Make sure your Instagram account is public (you'd be surprised how many business profiles I come across that aren't!).

5. Include your website/blog URL in the description.

Photos:

1. Use a mix of fun images and business images. Let your photos and videos tell a story of your company or personal brand.
2. Think about the overall look and feel of your feed. How will people view it when they're scrolling through their feeds and seeing each photo individually vs. how will your photos look all together in your channel. Try to go for a consistent look and feel. Some people use similar filters for each photo or use a shaped crop for every photo.
3. Play around with apps and filters until you find what you like. VSCO for editing and Moldiv for creating cool collages.
4. Post an image from your blog post with a little teaser and direct people to the blog link in your profile.
5. Post at different times to test when you get the best reaction. You don't need to post every day.
6. Geo-tag your location in photos if you're a location-based business or want to be found at that location or by that business.
7. Tag clients + customers in images whenever relevant. This is a good way to start a conversation.
8. Add relevant hashtags to older images as you discover them. This will give new life to old posts.
9. Add text to images as call-outs and post "quote images" with thoughtful, relevant quotes.

Connect with other social channels:

1. Connect your account to Facebook and Twitter.
2. Run an Instagram feed in the side bar or footer of your blog or website.

Instagram Feed in Footer on Wordpress

Hashtags:

1. Develop a hashtag relevant to your brand and use it often.
2. Research hashtags before using. You'll get an idea for additional hashtags when you find photos that match the theme you were going for.
3. Comment on other photos with the hashtags you're using. This will draw people back to your account.

Instagram Video: - 15-second filter-enabled, editable video

1. Take advantage of these videos that are longer than Vines.
2. Mix up the content here too, with personal and business related.
3. Embed videos on your blog to reach a wider audience.
4. Post clips from your vlog as a teaser.

Engage with followers:

1. Follow brands and people who inspire you and have similar businesses/interests.
2. Follow people back, and engage with them!
3. Answer questions on your photos.
4. People can see the images and videos you like, so take advantage of liking similar content.
5. Pay attention to which images and videos get the most likes and comments. Start sharing more content like these.

Fun Ideas:

1. Create photo contests with specific hashtags.
2. Host a photo caption contest.
3. Create a hashtag for events you're participating in. Instagram is great for live events, like Twitter.
4. Use Instagram as a fun way to show teasers and sneak previews of upcoming products, blog topics, interviews, etc.
5. Ask followers to submit photos of your product, book, etc.
6. Allow a guest to "take over" your Instagram account for the day.

The Institute for Integrative Nutrition does #IINTakeover often. Below is an example:

IINtakeover

Starbucks is one of the top followed Instagram accounts. Take note!

• In their description they encourage you to use a specific hashtag.
• They share photos from followers, such as cup art.

Starbucks Instagram Account

In the Comments:

Do you use Instagram for business? How do you engage with followers?

My Experience at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition + Special Offer

I officially graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition as a Health Coach two weeks ago. It's hard to believe it's already over. I wanted to recap my experience while it's still fresh in my mind, PLUS I have a great special offer for anyone who enrolls with me as a referral.

Summary

You'll hear the same thing from most IIN graduates. The experience is life changing. You'll learn to think critically about what you're putting into your body and how your lifestyle affects your overall well-being.

You'll not only learn over 100 dietary theories, but also about the sustainability of our food choices and how big business impacts the USDA guidelines. This leading-edge nutrition information comes from the top experts in the field of nutrition and health.

Looking to turn your passion into a full or part-time business? You'll also receive the necessary business and marketing training through the program.

Integrative Nutrition's mission is to “play a crucial role in improving health and happiness, and through that process, create a ripple effect that transforms the world.”

Watch this video to find out why the world needs health coaches.

Why I Enrolled

It's hard to pinpoint the exact reason I enrolled at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. It was the perfect storm of interest in nutrition; major health struggles in my family; and searching for a more fulfilling career, whether that be part-time or full-time. All of my reasons are enough for multiple posts, so I'll save all of that and jump into the details!

Community

The community at IIN is one of the best parts. Connecting with people all over the world who are interested in alternative medicine and holistic nutrition is amazing. I was part of the May 2013 class, which had around 1200 students. We had a Facebook group for our class and numerous side groups for specific topics, such as Plant-Based Eaters, Women's Health or Blogging.

We had students from all over the world, of all different ages and from all different career backgrounds. You'll encounter medical doctors, pharmacists, school teachers, stay at home mothers, and anything else you can imagine.

Students are encouraged to create a study group in their geographic locations. After you graduate, you'll start coming across other graduates in your every day life. I promise you'll be immediate friends.

Classes + Curriculum

The curriculum is separated into 40 modules, with 10 modules per quarter and 4 tests (one at the end of each quarter). It's recommended to spend at least 5-10 hours per week on your course work, or potentially more if you're ready to plan a business or already have one. Between the tests you can go at your own pace with the modules. You download them to your Apple device and listen to lectures and read PowerPoints at your leisure. You'll also receive a workbook that contains your assignments. These are optional, but I highly recommend completing them!

The course work is a mix of nutrition, business/marketing and coaching skills. Even if you plan to create a product, open a yoga studio, or just want the nutrition knowledge for your family, all of these skills are applicable to every day life. You'll learn over 100 different dietary theories, but you'll also learn how everything works together holistically. You'll touch on topics such as positive psychology, relationships, sleeping habits, and so much more. A recurring theme is bio-individuality, which is the belief that no one diet is perfect for every single person. This also applies to lifestyles. From veganism to the paleo movement, you'll help people find what's right for them.

You'll be able to access your course work for life, as long as you download it to your device. This is a plus for me, because sometimes it takes a few times of hearing something for it to sink in!

You'll have the opportunity to apply for AADP (American Association of Drugless Practitioners) membership and also to apply your certificate toward credits to a growing variety of college programs. More information can be found here.

After the normal one-year period course, you'll also be able to enroll in a the Immersion Program. This is geared toward those who are ready to take their businesses to the next level. I'll be enrolling in the January Immersion Program and can't wait. From what I understand, you can complete Immersion as many times as you like.

Tests + Requirements

We had 4 tests during my class with two chances to take the test. We had a 2 week window to take each test, so that was perfect for those who were extremely busy. The staff and curriculum creators at IIN really understand the fast-paced lifestyle that nearly everyone has, and has developed a way to work around it. Keep in mind that the curriculum is constantly updated, so I can't promise that's how it will be.

During my class we also had to complete coaching calls (small groups discussing the curriculum) and practice "health histories." So, despite the school being a distance learning, go-at-your-pace style, there was plenty of hands-on learning and communication.

Overall Pros

• Great community of people. You're sure to make life-long friends

• Diverse education on nutrition

• Skills to build a business and help others achieve their health goals

• Manageable for those working full-time, mothers and busy people in general

• Taught by the leading nutrition experts

• Continuously updated material so it is never outdated

• A variety of payment plans are available

Overall Cons

• Some people in my class complained that they wanted more nutrition information and less business. I wouldn't personally say this is a con, but it's the only one I can think of. The education sets you up to seek out information and how to make sense of all the different theories floating around.

• I would have enjoyed a little more science behind the information. The more in-depth information can be found in the books written by the presenters, however.

I am in SUCH a better place in life since completing the program, both mentally and physically. There were many times when I doubted myself, my business ideas, and my goals, but everyone is extremely supportive at IIN. It takes courage and dedication, but you really can have the life you want. You just have to create it. Plus, everyone is a work in progress at all times. Nutrition, health and wellness are an ongoing education process.

Enroll and let IIN know that I, Danielle Zeigler, referred you, and you'll receive up to $1000 off tuition + any other special offers going on right now.

Please contact me if you have any questions or would like to know more. It was hard to include everything I wanted to in this post without making it extremely long!

Vision Board Friday: Collect Moments Not Things

Collecting moments and memories instead of material possessions will make you more fulfilled.  

image credit

4 Ways to Increase Productivity + Efficiency at Work

        Never mistake motion for action -Ernest Hemingway

Have you ever worked with one of those people who is always frantically busy, works late every evening and always seems stressed? But yet they never seem to get a whole lot done? Or maybe you've had a boss who suggested it would "make you look good" if you were the last person to leave every evening, despite not having work to do.

Not only is that constant state of stress and over-extension bad for you, but when you stop to think about it, does it really make you look good? To me that screams inefficiency.

Our culture is obsessed with staying busy, and we wear our stress like a badge of honor. "You think that's bad!? Last week I pulled 3 all-nighters in the office. I may not even go home this weekend!" (Alright, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the point.)

Don't get me wrong. There will be times in your life when you need to push yourself, work the extra hours and take on extra stress. And it will (hopefully) be very rewarding. That's not a sustainable lifestyle, however. As working hours increase, sleep, healthy eating and exercise tend to get pushed aside. When you're not taking care of your body (and mind) your work will start to suffer, and that will send you into an even worse cycle.

With that said, here are a few tips to stay productive and efficient so you can lower your stress and stop extending your work days.

4 ways to increase productivity + efficiency

1. Get enough sleep Seriously. You need adequate sleep to keep your immune system strong and your hormones regulated. It's been said that people getting under 7 hours of sleep make more errors during the day than those who get more. People wearing "little sleep" as a badge of honor could be a whole post on it's own.

2. Eat better This one is pretty simple, and seems obvious, but it can be challenging to put in the effort when you're stressed and crunched for time. Increase fresh fruits and vegetables. I won't tell you to never eat junk food again, but try to crowd out the bad food with good food. When you get the proper nutrients, your body and mind will thank you by working with more clarity and energy. Junk food slows your body down because its trying to digest foreign chemicals, fighting to balance sugar levels and protect your body from damage all at the same time. How much could you accomplish if you weren't fighting brain fog and an afternoon slump?

3. Remove distractions Limit social media throughout the day. There are plenty of computer apps that will actually block designated websites for a certain period of time. Try setting specific breaks to check and respond to email. You'll get on more of a roll if you're not interrupted every few minutes by a new "urgent" incoming request.

If you find your mind starting to wander, get up and take a short walk instead of checking Facebook. The walk will increase energy, get blood moving and give you a chance to rest your eyes, among other benefits. You can play on Facebook later with the extra time you have from finishing your work.

4. Get organized This may look different depending on your personality style. I'm a very Type-A list-lover, so I like to start my day by making a to-do list. I break this list into sections of importance. What do I need to finish today? What do I need to keep in mind, but doesn't need to be completed immediately?

Here are a few ideas to get started:

• Consider batching similar tasks together. Designate an hour for admin work, 3 hours for client meetings, two hours for up-keeping your online presence (responding to comments and questions on your blog, social media channels, etc.) and so on.
• Make a list of 3-5 things you must accomplish today. Work hardest to easiest. You'll free up mental space when you finally call that client you've been avoiding.
• If you're visual, spend a little time color coding your notes and files. This will save time when you're looking for papers you need.
• Sarah over at XOSarah has created this efficiency worksheet to help you figure out how much time you're wasting throughout the day. I highly recommend using this, even if it's just a test for one day!

Our culture is literally killing itself from stress and over-working. Here's an eye opener:

        75% of health care in this country is stress related and preventable. -Arianna Huffington

As I've said before, you'll do better work when you feel better. So if you're stuck in the chaotic, overworking trap, slowly start to rethink what it's helping you to achieve. How is it serving your body, mind, and life in general?

        Eulogies never talk about what's on our resumes. They're about what really matters. How we made people feel... -Arianna Huffington

How do you stay focused and efficient?