August 2018 – Mindful Nutrition

My Monthly Blogging Routine Including a Promote Your Blog Checklist

Bloggimg to-do list, blogging checklist, blogging routine — My Blogging Routine

*Updated on August 23, 2018

This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)

Before you Start Your Blogging Routine

Hopfully you have already set up your blog, and now you are ready to start a regular blogging routine. If you have not set up your blog, I recommend registering your domain and setting up your blog through the hosting site Bluehost.

If you want more information on how to start a blog, you may find my post “How to Start a Blog when you are Feeling Called to Blog” helpful.

Now that you have set up your blog you will need to do a few things before starting your monthly blogging routine. So here they are!

The 5 Steps You Should Take Before Starting Your Regular Blogging Routine

Step 1

You should get a Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest Business page and link these pages to your site.

Step 2

You really do want to sign up for Tailwind! Tailwind is a Pinterest scheduler. This has been so helpful for me. I am able to schedule the pinning of my posts to all my pinterest boards months in advance. I am also a member of several Tailwind’s tribes. Members of the tribes basically pin each other’s pins! You can do all this through Tailwind. You can schedule 100 pins for free. They don’t even ask for your credit card for the free trial. Click here to try Tailwind for free. After the free trial, I decided Tailwind was sooo worth purchasing, and I am the type of blogger who uses mostly the free plugins, themes, etc. So this is coming from a blogger who doesn’t purchase much.

Step 3

Purchase the “Pinterest Ninja” ebook! Really, I couldn’t purchase much when I first started. In fact, the only things I really feel like you should purchase in the beginning are:

Your Hosting Site (I recommend Bluehost)
Your Domain (Included if you decide to go with Bluehost)
A Blog Creation Tool, ie WordPress.org (You can set up WordPress through Bluehost)
Tailwind
“Pinterest Ninja” ebook

Pinterest in the number one platform to grow your blog, and you will need to know how to use Pinterest effectively. I looked into many courses and ebooks. I knew I wanted one with the best reviews and within my very low budget. “Pinterest Ninja” fit the bill so I purchase it, and I was amazed with how helpful this ebook was. I highly recommend this purchase (and so do many other successful bloggers).

Step 4

You will want to start requesting invites to Pinterest group boards. These are boards where many people pin to the same boards. We also pin each other’s pins. These boards are a great way to get your pins seen. Some group boards are open to any topic, and some are niche specific. For example, I am in a Pinterest group board specifically for dietitians.

Are you looking for a Pinterest group board to join? I have an “any topic” group board called “Best of the Blogs”. To join my group board, just follow “Mindfulness in Faith and Food” on Pinterest and follow all the requirements listed at the top of the “Best of the Blogs” board. To request a group board invite, just send me your Pinterest Profile URL through the “contact me” form on Mindfulness in Faith and Food.

I also have a niche specific Pinterest board called “Mindful Living, Health, Wellness, and Faith.” This board focuses on the wellness of the whole body: mind, body, and spirit. If you talk about any one of these topics, feel free to contact me.

Step 5

Next you will want to start requesting invites to Facebook blogging group boards. Like Pinterest boards, some group boards are open to any topic, and some are niche specific. I am a member of several faith-based blogger group boards as well as dietitian blogger group boards. I am also a member of a faith-based nutrtion group board. Talk about specific. Bloggers support each other on these boards. You can ask your questions, share blogging experiences and opportunities with each other, and read and share each other’s blog posts.

I also have a niche specific Facebook group board called “Mindful living, Health, Wellness, and Faith Bloggers.” Similar to my niche specific Pinterest board, this group focuses on the wellness of the whole body: mind, body, and spirit, and is open to bloggers who talk about any one of these topics. You can apply to join this board here.

On a personal note, I try to write Facebook comments about other blogger’s posts often, instead of always talking about and promoting my blog. I know how much it means to get that comment on your blog so I try to do this for other bloggers. I noticed something interesting when I started doing this. Although I was trying to support someone else’s blog, bloggers started supporting my blog in return. So I recommend you do this as well. Don’t do it expecting someone to recipicate. Genuinely support other blogs, and eventually you will notice others supporting you as well. One of the many reason I love blogging is that other bloggers are not the competition. Engaging and supporting each other actually helps your blog become more successful! Isn’t blogging a beautiful way to make extra income?

Step 6

If you are interested in monetizing your blog, you may want to apply to become a blogger affiliate associate. A blogger affliate associate is someone who partners with a company and promotes the company’s products on their blog. When someone buys something after clicking on the company’s link in your blog post, the blogger affiliate gets a commission from the sale. The Share-A-Sale affiliate program has become one of my favorites. I like Share-a-sale because you get to pick which companies you want to partner. Because Share-a-Sale has over 4,500 companies, you get to pick the companies and products you love and use. I only write about products I naturally talk about in my blog, and I only choose companies I actually love. Some of the merchants include Etsy, Tailwind, and even Share-a-Sale. Yes, I said Etsy! You can fill out an application with Share-a-sale here. After you join Share-a-Sale, browse the companies and apply to partner with the individual companies you love.

I definitely don’t make enough to get a Bugatti (not even close!) and move to THE LA, like my son says, but it’s nice to be able to make a little money on the side.

So now that you have these important tools in place, you can get into a writing and promoting routine.

What I Do the First Week of Every Month

The first week of every month, I write several blog post drafts. I keep these posts in draft form until I am ready to post. I often write 4-5 posts that are related to each other in a series.

But before I start writing each Blog post, I try to remember to pray. I pray that I am still following God and not just my own wants, and I pray that I say the things God wants me to say. I pray that my blog finds the people who need to read them and helps somehow.

If you have read some of my past blogs, you know I like to practice mindfulness. I feel that pausing to pray is a way to stay mindful of God’s presence and a way to stay mindful of THAT very moment. When I pray before I blog, I focus on the joy of blogging and live in the moment.

After I have written 4-5 individual posts, I am ready to post one blog post each week.

By the end of week one, I am ready to post one of the drafts. I pick one to post, and then I follow the steps below. I do these same steps each week for the blog posts I have pre-written.

My Weekly Routine

Step 1:

Proof read my blog post

Step 2:

Add pictures to the Blog by uploading my pictures or using ImageInject. ImageInject is a plugin on my page. With ImageInject, I am able to easily search for free images and photos and insert them into my blog.

Step 3:

Add any links to my past-related posts.

Step 4:

Add an affiliate disclaimer at the top of the post. An affiliate disclaimer just lets the reader know that you will get a small commission if someone purchases a product you mentioned in your post by clicking on the link on your site.

Step 5:

Add a Copyright note at the bottom of the post.

Step 6:

Add any affiliate links for products discussed in my post. (My affiliate program recommendation is Share-A-Sale)

Step 7:

Scroll down to the Yoast SEO notes at the bottom of the blog. I make corrections to my blog based of the Yoast SEO suggestions. Yoast SEO is a plugin that makes your post as search-friendly as possible.

Step 8:

Change my Meta Description. A Meta Description is a snippet that summarizes your blog post content. The search engine shows this description under the title when the searched phrase shows up in the description. You are more likely to pop up when someone searches for your blog topic when you have an optimized meta description.

Step 9:

Add tags to the post. Tags are a list of the specific items/subjects discussed in your post. The Tags are keywords and points you have discussed in the blog post. When you are reading a blog, tags are often listed at the bottom of a post to help you see all the topics and items discussed in the individual blog post.

Step 10:

Develop Pinterest friendly graphics and Instagram friendly graphics. You want your Pinterest Graphics to be vertical images. You can create these graphics using apps like Canva. Add these graphics to your blog. When you upload the Pinterest graphic, make sure you add subject words about your pin to the “Alt tags” of your pin image. (There is a spot to do this in WordPress)

Step 11:

Hit the Publish button. Your blog post is now live!

The Next Steps Involve Promoting your Blog:

Step 12:

Share your blog on your personal and business Facebook pages.

Step 13:

Remember that Pinterest image we developed in step 9? You can post that graphic straight from Canva to Pinterest. Once you have posted your Pinterest pin to a board, you have to add your link to the image. You can do this under the little edit pencil on your pin. You should add a great description while you are editing as well. Remember you can now use hashtags in your Pinterest descriptions. This will help your pin show up when people are searching in Pinterest. If you have added the pinterest image to your post, you can also pin your blog straight from your blog using your pin buttons (You can find a free plugin on WordPress that will add sharing buttons on your posts).

Step 14:

Use Tailwind to schedule your pin to be posted on additional boards.

Step 15:

Add your Pin to Tailwind’s tribes, and schedule other bloggers pins on Tailwind.

Step 16:

Support other bloggers in your group boards by pinning their pins to your own Pinterest boards.

Step 17:

Post the image you created for Instagram on my Instagram page. Again, you can post this image directly from Canva.

Step 18:

Promote your post on all your Facebook blogger group boards. I made a list of all my Facebook group boards and all the participation threads of each group. I put this list in a clear notebook sleeve. Next, I use a dry erase marker to mark when I am finished with a Facebook group thread. The marker will wipe right off of the sleeve when I am finished so that I can use the Facebook group thread list again for the next blog posts.

When I am participating in Facebook group threads, I want to genuinely support other bloggers. I try to carefully read and provide authentic and encouraging comments to other blogger posts. If you are looking for a Facebook group board to join, I have a niche specific board called “Mindful Living, Health, Wellness, and Faith Bloggers.“ If you talk about any one of these topics and would like to join this group board, you can request to join here.

Step 19:

Email your subscribers about your new post. Tell your subscribers a little about the post and about anything new or interesting happening on your blog. Mailchimp is my email marketing company. You can use Mailchimp for free for up to 2,000 subscribers. Here is another tip. Some of my post offer free printables for signing up to Mailchimp. When someone joins the Mindfulness in Faith and Food Family, they get three free printables: the 7-Day Mindul Planner, the Healthy Lunchbox Checklist, and the Mindful Lunch Box Notes.

You Are Finished! Now What?

Step 1-18 usually takes a whole week. When I have finished with steps 1-17, it’s time to post another blog and go through the steps again.

The ways you can promote your blog are endless. You can use Bloglovin’, Twitter, G+, Mix, and so much more. I have done a little with these, but I would like to do more at some point. My advice would be to promote on just a few Social Media sites, especially Pinterest at first. You don’t want to get too overwhelmed when you are first starting out as a blogger. You can build a following much better if you put most of your energy in just a few areas.

And there you have it, my blogging routine. I hope you have enjoyed this series. Are you interested in starting a blog? I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas!

How Does the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” Plan Work?

Healthy Freezer Meals, Healthy cooking, bulk cooking, meal planning — A Freezer Meal Healthy Eating Plan

Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals: How it All Started

I love to cook, but I found that I didn’t have the time to cook everyday. Trying to juggle cooking, soccer practice, dance class, volunteer meetings, work, cleaning the house, and all the other “mom duties” was just causing too much stress. There just wasn’t enough time in the day to do it all AND cook. We would often find ourselves grabbing take-out, going to a restaurant, going through a drive through, or eating random less healthy stuff for dinner, and yet as a dietitian, I knew needed to figure something out.

Why This Is Life Changing

Eating healthy family meals together was important to me, and the chaotic meals were stressing me out. So I decided to cook it ALL AT ONCE. More specifically, I decided to cook enough breakfasts, lunches, and dinners to last my family a whole month, and I decided to cook it ALL in ONE DAY! Let me tell you, THIS WAS LIFE CHANGING!

My family now has more energy, more family time, less stress, and our bodies have even started changing. My family is eating dinners together, and we now have so much more free time in the afternoon. I am no longer spending my afternoons in the kitchen; instead I am now present with my children. And because I am less stressed, I am a happier, more relaxed, and more patient mom. In other words, I am now mindfully living in the moment during the afternoons instead of running around trying to frantically figure out what to feed my family for dinner. So I do not exaggerate when I say these meals have been LIFE CHANGING.

Because I have been making them for my family and friends for so long, I have learned the tricks and tips on how to efficiently and quickly make all my meals at once. Making freezer meals has become one of my passions and joys in my life. I wanted to share that passion with others, which is why I decided to write the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals “eBook.

Mindfulness…

In this ebook, I not only show you how to cook your freezer meals, but I also discuss how to plate and eat your food using mindfulness techniques.

In Faith…

Health is not just about our body; it is about the whole person: mind, body, and spirit. In “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals,” I talk about how my faith journey has helped me live a healthier life.

And Freezer Meals…

For this plan, you spend one day out of the whole month cooking all your freezer meal… then your are DONE COOKING FOR THE WHOLE MONTH! So you cook 14 breakfast, 14 lunch, and 16 dinner freezer meals. Most of the breakfast and lunch meals are divided into serving sizes so all you have to do is grab one and pop it in the microwave! Yep! Homemade…easy…microwavable freezer meals! The dinner freezer meals are packaged family style. Meaning you make all of it at once so that your whole family can enjoy the meal together. Of course, you can always cook it and then eat the leftovers for lunches too. Each meal lasts my family for 2 meals or more, so these meals EASILY lasts us 30 days (a whole month)!

The goals of cooking all of your meals in ONE Day are:

More daily free time,
A decreased grocery bill,
Healthier meals for the whole family,
Less daily stress, and
Weight Loss/Weight Maintenance

No more worrying about what to cook or when am I going to cook each night. Since doing these freezer meals, our family is eating at home more because we are less likely to say, “There’s nothing to eat so lets just go out.”

As you can imagine, planning and prepping a months worth of freezer meals in one day is also a fantastic weight loss technique for ALL of the above reasons! Plus enjoying your food is probably one of the most important tips for lasting weight loss. These freezer meals are delicious, nutritious, easy, home-cooked meals that you can mindfully enjoy.

Meal planning, weight loss, freezer meals ebook — Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals eBook

More Perks

Bonus 1: Many of these meals make fantastic appetizers or party foods so if you suddenly realize you are suppose to bring something to a Super Bowl Party (think Protein Blends Burrito Dip) or a ladies luncheon (think Crustless Omelet Muffins), you can grab one of your already done meals!

Bonus 2: You have food ready to go when a friend is in need. In my town, giving food is one way we show our love to one another. So whether your friend just had a baby or your aunt just had surgery, you can provide some food for them ASAP. These meals are perfect! Just grab one of your comfort food freezer meals and add a gallon of love and a pound of prayers, and go!

One more thing…

Because I am a registered dietitian, I wanted to include more to help you organize your kitchen and your life to promote a healthy lifestyle for the whole family. So along with the Freezer Meals I have included the “What is Preventing You From Living Your Healthiest Life?” interactive quiz as well as results and solutions based on your results.

Learn how to efficiently cook healthy make ahead freezer meals once a month; the ultimate bulk cooking and meal prep guide for families; developed by a registered dietitian

What Others are Saying about the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meal” ebook

“I have lost 17 pounds since I started eating these freezer meals. They are healthy AND taste great!!! We are now eating at home more, which has made a huge difference!” Chad

“As I read this book, I kept thinking, ‘this is so much more than a freezer meal cookbook! Lacy needs to be a life coach! She has such a positive outlook on life!’ “The Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook is so uplifting and encouraging!” Wendy

“I can actually see a decrease in my grocery bill since I started eating these freezer meals, and my kids love them! We are eating healthier now. Plus, we are eating more meals together as a family!” Nicole

The Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals ebook becomes available a few times a year. If you want to recieve an email when Mindfulness in Faith and Feezer Meals is open for sales again click here.

Cook all of your healthy meals in one day, learn mindfulness and mindful eating techniques, and learn how faith and nutrition are important for healthy and wellness — Cook all of your healthy freezer meals in one day, learn mindfulness and mindful eating techniques, and learn how faith and nutrition are important for healthy and wellness;

You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

This site is hosted by Bluehost.

Mindfulness in Faith and Food Product Recommendations

Have you ever read product recommendations on someone’s website, and thought, “I want to get that product later,” but then later comes around and you can’t remember the name of the product, where you can buy it, or which post talked about the product the first place? Well, this has happened to me so I wanted a place where you could find a list of my favorite products. These are the products I have talked about throughout this website.

I hope you find this list a great resource of some of the best health, nutrition, and fitness products.

Health products, wellness, products, cookware recommendations — Health, Wellness, Fitness Products Guide

Disclosure: This site may provide affiliate links. (See full disclosure).

Favorite Foods and Convenience and Packaged snacks

Three Ladies Brand Spring Roll Rice Paper Wrapper (2 Packs) Round, 22cm

Ole Xtreme Wellness Whole Wheat Wraps – 4 Pack Case – 8ct

BetterBody Foods Organic Quinoa, 1.5 Pound

Annie’s Naturals – Organic BBQ Sauce Orginal Recipe – 12 oz.(pack of 2)

For a Complete list of Dietitian Approved Healthy Snacks click here.

Favorite Cooking Appliances

12 Essential Freezer Meal Products and Cookware

6 Things to Do with Your Standing Mixer Besides Mixing Batter or Dough

You can checkout the KitchenAid standing mixers and attachments here.

*Here is a money saving tip* I like going to DealYard.com to buy cookware like slow cookers at a discount.

Favorite Money Saving Apps

How I Cut My Grocery Bill in MORE than Half!

My Top 6 Money Saving Sites and Apps

*Sign up for one of my favorite grocery saving apps, ibotta for free and get $10 by clicking here!

*You can also sign up for the awesome monye saving app, ebates for free and get $10 by clicking here.

Favorite Health, Wellness, and Fitness Products

Beachbody: Do Those Beachbody Programs Really Work?

You can Stream over 600 workouts and 100+ healthy cooking shows 14 Days FREE on Beachbody on Demand by clicking here

Why I am Loving MealEnders For Help with Weight Loss

Door Shoe Rack for Pantry Snacks

Why would you need a door shoe rack, you ask? A few years ago, I bought a similar shoe rack to the one below and hung the rack over the pantry door. I like the clear shoe racks so that my children can easily see what is inside. I keep healthy snacks like popcorn, cups of mandarin oranges, and whole-wheat crackers on the lower shoe compartments. These are snacks my children (and I) can easily grab anytime. I keep a small portion of their favorite not-so-healthy snacks in the higher shoe compartments. My children can’t reach these compartments and have to ask me if they can have these snacks.

Sheet Protector and Dry Erase Markers

In my “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook, I talk about how I place my grocery list in a sheet protector. By doing this, I can use the same grocery list every time I shop. I simply use a dry erase marker to mark off items I already have, and to mark off items as a grocery shop.

Fitness Dice

These are just a fun way to get in your workout.

Games That Promote Physical Activity

The Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook

If you are looking for a detailed freezer meal plan and weight loss guide, you will want to purchase the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook.

The “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook has 22 Chapters full of helpful information and tips including:

The “What is Preventing You From Living a Healthier Life?” interactive quiz
Mindful eating techniques and guide
A Complete Healthy Freezer Meal Plan: You will learn how to cook all of your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for a whole month in ONE day. Don’t worry, I don’t just give you a bunch of recipes adn tell you to cook them in one day. The ebook includes strategies and “Pro Tips” on HOW to efficiently cook your meals in one day.

The goals of cooking all of your meals in ONE Day are:
- More daily free time,
- A decreased grocery bill,
- Healthier meals for the whole family,
- Less daily stress, and
- Weight Loss/Weight Maintenance

Learn more about the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook here.

Here are a Few Reviews from the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” Launch Team

“I have lost 17 pounds since I started eating these freezer meals. They are healthy AND taste great!!! We are now eating at home more, which has made a huge difference!” Chad, South Carolina

eBook Resource

I used the “eBook Ninja” ebook by Megan Johnson to learn how to write, format, promote, and sell my eBook, and I could not have made the Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals eBook without it!

I also read her book “Pinterest Ninja.” This book helped my blog become successful through Pinterest. Both of her books were so helpful!

Mindfulness Products

Bring More Mindfulness into Your Life with These Mindfulness Essentials

The Mindful Planner: Free Printable

Faith and Health Gift Ideas for You or Someone You Love

The Ultimate Gift List for the Health and Fitness Fanatic

The Ultimate Gift List for the Christian Soul

You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

This site is hosted by Bluehost.

6 Things to Do with Your Standing Mixer Besides Mixing Batter or Dough

standing mixer, kitchenaid, standing mixer attachment — 6 Awesome Things to Do with Your Standing Mixer

Disclosure: This site may provide affiliate links. (See full disclosure).

The KitchenAid standing mixer and the multi-cooker are my two favorite kitchen appliances in my house. (okay the microwave is pretty awesome too!)

I have talked some about the multi-cooker in other posts, but today I want to talk about the six things that I like to do with my Kitchen Aid standing mixer and attachments besides mixing batter or dough.

Mix Meatloaf or Meatballs

I use the basic mixer and the flat beater that comes with most mixers to mix up my meatloaf and meatball ingredients.

2. Mix Guacamole and other dips

The basic mixer and beaters also work great for evenly blending guacamole and other dips.

3. Spiralizing Vegetables

I love the 7-blade spiralizer for making vegetable spirals. Vegetable spirals are a great way to add more healthy vegetables into your recipes!

4. Making Vegetable Lasagna Noodles with the Vegetable Sheet Cutter.

What is a vegetable sheet cutter, you ask? Think, lasagna noodles made out of zucchini!!!

5. Slicing Vegetables

I like to make freezer meals in bulk, but I don’t love cutting all the vegetable at once that go into multiple recipes. The Vegetable Slicer/Shredder makse slicing vegetable so much easier!

6. Dicing Vegetables

The Food Processor attachment, again makes it so much easier to dice lots of vegetables at once!

Is the KitchenAid Standing Mixer awesome or what! I just love all the attachments, and all the creative things you can do witht he standing mixer! Which is your favorite attachment? What are some other ways you use your standing mixer?

12 Essential Freezer Meal Products and Cookware

Make A Month’s Worth of Freezer Meals in Under 3 Hours: Recipes and Grocery List Included

The Ultimate Gift List for the Health and Fitness Fanatic

Grocery Shopping Tips for Weight Loss and Saving Money

You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

This site is hosted by Bluehost.

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Delivered Straight from the Farm to Your Door

One of the best ways to make sure you are regularly eating your fruits and vegetables is by making sure they are regularly available in your home.

Disclosure: This site may provide affiliate links. (See full disclosure).

I just discovered a company that can help us regulary keep these awesome fruits and vegetables in our homes, and I wanted to share it with you. The company is called Farm Fresh To You. This company actually delivers fresh fruits and vegetables straight from the farm to you. How fun and exciting is that! Okay maybe I am easily excitable, but really, wouldn’t you be excited when you found a box of fresh fruits and vegetables right at your door!

Fresh Farm to You; fruits and vegetables — One of the easiest ways to make sure you are eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is to make sure they are always available in your home!

How It Works

Simply go to Fresh Farm to You, and pick the box you want delivered. You can choose whether you want a mix of fruits and vegetables, only vegetables, only fruit, the “No Cooking Box” or the “Snack Box.” Next, decide if you want a Small, Regular, More, or Monster box.

Now, you can even customize your box by switching out produce. You can also order other farm products along with your box like pasture-raised eggs, nuts, grains, and honey.

You can choose to have your box delivered every week, every other week, every 3 weeks, or every month.

I just think this is a fun and convenient way to keep your family eating healthy.

Click the box below to save $40 ($10 of your first 4 boxes)!

Have you ever tried Farm Fresh To You? Which boxes did you get?

Dietitian Approved Healthy Packaged Snacks

Do Those Beachbody Programs Really Work?

Fresh fruits adn vegetables delivery — Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Depivered Straight form the Farm to Your Door

You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

This site is hosted by Bluehost.

Month: August 2018

How Does the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” Plan Work?

Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals: How it All Started