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I’ve been writing more, gathering more content, and more value for you; but I want to make sure that why I continue to put together is for you. Customized to you.

Please help me do that by filling out this short survey:

Help me help you

It will take about 2 minutes for you to click through and will set me up for the rest of the year with better content, mini challenges, and email series that are useful, important, and can be used in your daily life. This is not for extra promotion of BODi or products, but true value right in your inbox from me.

Thank you for your time in filling this out and I look forward to creating for you and seeing you back in your inbox later this month.

If what you’re learning about me and my passion for helping others fits you and your goals; let’s chat and see if my coaching is a good fit for you.

It would be such an honor to help you crush your goals and feel your best!

Check out all previous months on the article feed and find great recipes, tips, travel fun and more.

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Email: s.m.mans1991@gmail.com

Facebook: @happinessunleashedwithsam

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January is more than half over!! How are your goals for the year going? If you need help with this look back at the last few emails in the feed for tips for success. 

It’s easy to get stuck in a low energy state in the middle of winter, after the holidays. Actually I get like this if it’s been a few days of no sunshine or no movement. Anyways we want to focus on energy, giving things and joy.  That’s why SOUL Studio is bringing a Weekender Book Club to February.  

Since we want to do things that bring us joy and make us feel good, we are encouraging everyone to try the Weekender Kit:

Get the Weekender Kit HERE

it comes with Beachbars, Hydrate, Recover, and Energize, just some samples of things we love that will help you feel good and not deprived when trying to eat well to feel good.  

As for the book club portion we will be reading Energy Bus by Jon Gordon. We will be checking in weekly with takeaways and what we want to breathe new life into as we learn and move forward.  

If you’re wondering if this book is for you, it is if you ever experienced negative energy within yourself or around you in work, home, and those close to you. 

“The Energy Bus, an international bestseller, takes readers on an enlightening and inspiring ride that reveals ten secrets for approaching life and work with the kind of positive, forward thinking that leads to true accomplishment at work and at home.

Everyone faces challenges. And every person, organization, company, and team has to overcome negativity and adversity to define themselves and create their success. No one goes through life untested and the answer to these tests is positive energy the kind of positive energy that consists of the vision, trust, optimism, enthusiasm, purpose, and spirit that defines great leaders and their dreams.”

The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy

Get the book!

One more thing!

If you haven’t heard, BOD is getting a major upgrade. Beachbody is changing its name to BODi with a theme for Health Esteem. With this change comes a major upgrade with the platform, it will no longer be BOD and BODI but just BODI where it encompasses both the member library you know and love, but also access to all the new live interactive workouts and the live workouts that have been archived along with new recipes released every month.  

BUT WAIT!!! There’s more!!

If you have ever contemplated getting a bike, now is the time.  Currently you can get a Bike Studio for $1800 which includes three years of BODI, yup you read that right 3 years of your favorite content and new stuff added daily. But not only that, it comes with a rack of weights, a kettle bell, and foam roller and workout mat. Also you have access to the whole BODi library and can stream directly without needing to buy a special tv for your workout space. This is the most amazing deal on the internet right now. (https://beachbody.myxfitness.com)

BODi Bike Studio

I hope if you are somewhere cold like me (in Iowa) you are staying warm, well hydrated and healthy! If you need help on your journey, I am here and just a message away. You can email me, message me on FB or Instagram; those are the easiest ways to find me and truly I am happy to help.

Have a great day!

If what you’re learning about me and my passion for helping others fits you and your goals; let’s chat and see if my coaching is a good fit for you.

To get started fill out this short application for the Studio.

Let's Chat

It would be such an honor to help you crush your goals and feel your best!

Check out all previous months on the article feed and find great recipes, tips, travel fun and more.

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Email: s.m.mans1991@gmail.com

Facebook: @happinessunleashedwithsam

Instagram: @happiness_samantha_mans

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/faith_and_fitness_mama

Clubhouse: @samanthamans

Thanks for reading Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

HABITS! Our consistent habits get us to our goals. Habits like gratitude to be thankful for what we have instead of focused on what we want or need that we don’t actually need (hint hint… helps save money for my fellow spenders out there). Habits like positive thinking so we can aid our health with positive body image while working on fueling and moving our bodies better (You can love and appreciate your body now while having goals of better health). Habits like spreading kindness and positivity to others because a kinder, gentler world is always wonderful and you can impact that with those around you everyday in your actions and words.

To help us all with these habits I created a workbook to help you out. In it you’ll find helpful ways to create these habits as well as two different challenges to help bring some amazing habits into your life.

Just click on the image below to get your FREE workbook!

Let me know how this has helped you by posting, tagging me, or commenting right here in the email.

If what you’re learning about me and my passion for helping others fits you and your goals; let’s chat and see if my coaching is a good fit for you.

Find out more about the Studio

To get started fill out this short application for the Studio.

It would be such an honor to help you crush your goals and feel your best!

Check out all previous months on the article feed and find great recipes, tips, travel fun and more.

Share Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans

Social media

Email: s.m.mans1991@gmail.com

Facebook: @happinessunleashedwithsam

Instagram: @happiness_samantha_mans

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/faith_and_fitness_mama

Clubhouse: @samanthamans

Thanks for reading Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Resolutions. Why do we make goals, that are so short term and ones we don’t care if they come true or not, call them resolutions, and seem to give ourselves permission to “fail” at them or “give up on them”? Why not make a goal, break it down to actual action items and then daily habits that actually will get you to your goal?

I’ll be honest, I’ve had a struggle the last few months with business goals. They haven’t felt important. I hit some really great goals and ranks in 2022. One’s I aimed high for, set out to achieve, and am thankful for. But being in my studio, present with my clients, and helping them to have a healthy lifestyle is what is filling my cup. It’s helping me find more purpose and enjoyment in my own health journey and how I am envisioning my own life and goals both in and outside business. What does this mean for my 2023 vision planning? The part where I usually have these wild ideas, goals, and big dreams?… it’s just not here yet. Or maybe it is and it simply looks beyond different than prior years…

Either way, I want to tell you that it’s okay to not know yet what you want for this year. It’s also okay to not plan in an annual or yearly construct. When we plan on an annual basis and we get off track, we seem to just push it off or move the goal to the next day or month. The year seems long and like there is plenty of time. But doing this means we end up achieving less than we are capable of.

“If we did the things we are capable of we would astound ourselves.” Thomas Edison.

What are you capable of? What do you want your year, month, heck! What do you actually envision for your life? The big, scary, pee your pants vision! What is it?! You are capable of reaching it! But only if you write that vision down. Pick out 3-5 small, tangible goals that will bring you a touch closer to that vision that can be completed in about 3 months, and find 5 daily habits that will get those small goals checked off.

Make this year, your year! The year that you don’t make a resolution to change, but a resolution to be YOU! Fully. Authentically. And go after that vision you have in life!

If what you’re learning about me and my passion for helping others fits you and your goals; let’s chat and see if my coaching is a good fit for you.

To get started fill out this short application for the Studio.

It would be such an honor to help you crush your goals and feel your best!

Check out all previous months on the article feed and find great recipes, tips, travel fun and more.

Share Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans

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Email: s.m.mans1991@gmail.com

Facebook: @happinessunleashedwithsam

Instagram: @happiness_samantha_mans

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/faith_and_fitness_mama

Clubhouse: @samanthamans

Thanks for reading Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

As I reflect on this year like so many do as they look ahead to the year to come, I notice so many challenges that we’ve grown through. We survived and even thrived through the end of AJs command time (no it wasn’t easy literally none of it was easy! So much happened in Europe during that time…) and thriving in that season felt very different than thriving would feel now in this job and season. But we did it. We succeed. He succeed and the people we had the privilege of mentoring and doing life with will forever be in our hearts.

We grew our family then turned around and bought a house sight unseen (we FaceTime met our realtor while I was in labor and waiting to go to the hospital…) then had our house packed two weeks postpartum. Traveled at 3 weeks postpartum (did that with Reagan too so that felt achievable for us as a family). Attended my grandmothers funeral via YouTube streaming. Flew and moved back to the USA back to the Midwest at 7 weeks postpartum. Attended my grandfathers funeral in person. Moved to Iowa and worked tirelessly on our house before our stuff arrived. Had our things arrive with stolen items, lost items, and damaged items (the move wasn’t kind to us). Our kids are amazing and always surprise us even in the hard and through the not listening.

I now sit in my house in Iowa reflecting on a year of hard. Yet a year that I wouldn’t change. It provided so much love, growth, and connection to our family. We loved the chapter in Europe that had to close. Our time so far here, close to family, close to many friends is priceless and cannot be matched. It’s what we needed for this season.

I’m beyond thankful that with each duty station, each home, and each new town as Reagan calls it still we pray for God to use us for His glory, His plan, and show us why and how we can serve this community. We pray for connection and I didn’t realize how I got that connection and community until reflecting just now… I joined MOPS here, were we are placed in the beginning of the year at tables that we stay at all year. My table is filled with two military “brats”, a former military wife (her husband is retired now), a mom who isn’t from the area but has now been here for a few years, a mom who grew up here and has always lived here, and a fellow current military spouse (our husbands are battle buddies now). The understanding of this lifestyle even if we’ve had different experiences is a comfort. It’s helpful for me since being thrown into civilian life has been hard. So so hard. The reintegration into American life after being fully immersed in European life is challenging is so many aspects. But what’s also hard is the reintegration into being close to family again. It’s like a deployment when the service member comes home… the coming back home and doing life together again instead of simply sharing about it from a distance takes time, intentionality, patience, and love. It’s not easy and our time away has made that challenging for us to jump in the ways we imagined. We’ve focused on being as intentional as we can. With our extended family and also our family of four. Supporting ourselves mentally and emotionally and keeping certain routines that we enjoy and serve us well. But also trying to be intentional with new pulls, traditions, and wants to be at everything. I don’t share this to focus on the “bad” but to look at the last year and all it’s been, challenges and blessings, together. Because by looking at all that you’ve grown through can aid you in finding your hopes and goals for the new year.

I challenge you to revisit this last year; not to morn it or push it aside if it’s been hard and challenging; but to see what blessing or blessings have come through those hard times. What can you flip the script on and be grateful for? What has helped grow you to be a better you? What can you use to carry you into this new year with more hope, love, and kindness to yourself, your family, and those around you?

I pray that if your year has felt like it’s continued to knock you down that 2023 is simply gentler to you.

If what you’re learning about me and my passion for helping others fits you and your goals; let’s chat and see if my coaching is a good fit for you.

To get started fill out this short application for the Studio. (Click on the photo below)

It would be such an honor to help you crush your goals and feel your best!

Check out all previous months on the article feed and find great recipes, tips, travel fun and more.

Share Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans

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Email: s.m.mans1991@gmail.com

Facebook: @happinessunleashedwithsam

Instagram: @happiness_samantha_mans

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/faith_and_fitness_mama

Clubhouse: @samanthamans

Thanks for reading Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Merry Christmas! We love all things Christmas around this house, and especially love our intentional focus on slowing down and putting the real reason for the season first in our lives, and days. Our advent devotionals help, but so does our continued relationship with Jesus that we strengthen every day of the year and not “just” in this Christmas season.

This time of year is one that everyone enjoys time together, maybe some extra treats and sweets, and then gets berated by health coaches doting the newest “thing” to get back in shape, lose weight, or be a better you. Here’s where I, as a health coach myself (with extra training in nutrition and personal training from NASM), tells you to NOT LISTEN TO THEM! Any of them. And I will include myself in there because if my message doesn’t resonate with you then leave it at the door and move on to what brings you happiness.

Got your attention now don’t I? As the new year closes in on us there are so many messages, posts, stories, and reels out there saying that you need to “start now” or do this or that to lose weight. I think it’s wrong. I’ve grow a lot in my own personal health journey and in my experience finding what brings me health and happiness; those types of messages don’t help me. And they really haven’t helped my clients and team either. Instead our focus needs to shift to what we consume and what we don’t. Consume is a word I don’t love using because it usually relates to food, but for me its everything I allow my body to take in (which includes my mind!). We consume tv, social media, food, positive self talk, negative self talk (hopefully not often…it’s a work in progress), workouts, others opinions, and so much more. All of this consumption adds to how we feel. Which in turn, directly affects our health.

So instead of letting others bring you down about needing to stop the holiday enjoyment and get to some stupid number on the scale this holiday season; can we dig deeper? Can we find “things” in life that bring us happiness AND health? Can we focus on how we feel when we spend quality time with family, start or continue a beloved tradition? How the movement like a walk or workout helps ground our thoughts and let out some pent up stress? or How the extra rest is honoring our body’s need to slow down and be more intentional?

That’s my challenge to you in this season. Find YOUR goals that help YOUR happiness and YOUR health and do those. Surround yourself with amazing people and ENJOY LIFE! Honor your body in all its glory because it keeps you going each and every day. Honor it by treating it well, fueling it well, helping your body feel well on the inside, and let the benefits of having better health allow you to live more life and live it fully!

Doing: We’ve decorated for the holidays and are truly enjoying as much family time as possible. Being intentional about slowing down, not filling the calendar with added stressors or busyness has been a goal for us and we are very happen with those intentions this year.

Reading: It’s Advent so I'm working through a wonderful devotion with some amazing women called “Emmanuel” by Ruth Cho Simmons. We also have been reading our daily “God story”, as Reagan calls it, which is our family Advent devotional call “Jesus Has Come” from The Daily Grace Co.

Eating: All the amazing recipes from my dear friends cookbook which is now officially in print and available!!! Click the image below to get on her emails, order her cookbook, and check out all things focused and centered on bringing families together around the table!

Workouts: Still here, still working out… because I feel better mentally and physically when I do. Plain and simple. But I am excited about the program I’m starting next week called SURE THING. It’s more of what I love, weight training for function and being able to life more life, cardio for heart health, and recovery so you aren’t burnt out or too sore to move the next day. If you want to check it out, message me, email me, or click on the “join soul studio” link in my about me page, or click the image below. I’m here to help you feel your best, achieve the goals you have personally, and love yourself and the journey to better health each step of the way.

bphotography specializes in Senior portraits, and family sessions. But she also is great with branding sessions (my weekend in Paris for mine was AMAZING!) and also has completed a few weddings for some very special couples. What’s cool and unique about bphotography? She travels for shoots! Meaning, if you are in Europe, DC/Virginia area, NC/Fort Bragg area, WI, MN, or Eastern IA you can schedule a session for when her travels bring her to those areas.

Click on her logo above to be taken directly to her website.

If what you’re learning about me and my passion for helping others fits you and your goals; let’s chat and see if my coaching is a good fit for you.

To get started fill out this short application for the Studio.

It would be such an honor to help you crush your goals and feel your best!

Check out all previous months on the article feed and find great recipes, tips, travel fun and more.

Share Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans

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Email: s.m.mans1991@gmail.com

Facebook: @happinessunleashedwithsam

Instagram: @happiness_samantha_mans

Clubhouse: @samanthamans

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Thank you SO MUCH for investing in your health with the BEST superfood meal replacement out there! I KNOW you will love Shakeology just as much as I do, and I cannot wait to see what kind of results you get from simply replacing one meal or snack each day with this yummy goodness!

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There certainly haven’t been as many newsletters this summer and early fall as I wanted. Let’s just simply say that going from one kid to two kids while also moving internationally, setting up a new house, doing work on that house because the market sucked and you bought what you could… well it’s been chaotic, hard, and a lot.

But we are all busy. In our own ways, with what we choose to fill our schedules with. And as hard as this transition and season has been so far, it’s also been fun, and enjoyable mostly.

I do believe that you make time for what’s important to you and what you are passionate about. For a while now, I have been feeling stale about my virtual wellness studio. It was becoming a lot of the same, and was too focused on workouts and nutrition and not enough on life, getting more out of life, and being sustainable

Because of all of this; I connected with some teammates and my passion project was brought to life in our brand new SOUL STUDIO.

If you aren’t already in our new studio, email me or chat with me via social media (all contact info is at the end of this email) and we will get you in and all started! We have had the best time over the last month in the studio with the launch, tons of recipes shared, mindset work daily, and the most caring community I could ever ask for. Thank you for trusting me with your health journey and for showing up for YOU!

Get started

SOUL studio

Doing: Trying to find me again. I heard something recently that said us mommas need to “find our pink again”. Did you know that when a flamingo gives birth they lose their pink color.. and slowly as they recover, hormones balance, etc. their pink coloring comes back. It’s been 6 months and I am finally feeling more like me. We had a lot of change at once and I was DRAINED! I need to find my pink again. So I am doing less, intentionally resting, finding joy and gratitude in each day and continuing where I’m at now to get better each day.

Reading: Enjoying more fiction lately and catching up on the latest Janet Evanovich books (she’s my favorite author!). Also reading “No better mom for the job” for a bible study I started with some moms from MOPS locally. I’m also slowly reading the Magic of Motherhood. I’m reading more and it’s been amazing finding more love in books again.

Eating: Since I was diagnosed with hashimoto’s during all the craziness of this summer, I’m focusing on veggies, proteins, and finding what foods my body works well with right now in this new challenge of needing to decrease inflammation and heal my body more.

Workouts: I’m really enjoying our new XB Sweat and Sculpt workouts and will be doing a second round because it’s been really enjoyable as well as doable with two kiddos and has helped me find a better routine for my mornings. Here’s a great sample if you want to check it out.

XB Sample

I also am slowly getting back to some weight lifting and it’s been very fun so far, even with starting much slower than I expected. Helping me with my strength goals will be Megan Davis and her new program SURE THING launching next month. Her sample is available to all BOD customers.

If what you’re learning about me and my passion for helping others fits you and your goals; let’s chat and see if my coaching is a good fit for you.

Email me or contact me on social to work with me. It would be such an honor to help you crush your goals and feel your best!

Check out all previous months on the article feed and find great recipes, tips, travel fun and more.

Share Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans

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Email: s.m.mans1991@gmail.com

Facebook: @happinessunleashedwithsam

Instagram: @happiness_samantha_mans

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/faith_and_fitness_mama

Clubhouse: @samanthamans

Thanks for reading Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Two things before I get to the “meat” of what I want to say…

Having moments that are hard are normal and it’s okay. I have them too… this evening felt hard.

Fed is best! Always! I think it’s wonderful to nurse and I’ve been blessed to be able to, but it only works as long as it’s physically AND MENTALLY healthy for BOTH momma and baby.

We’ve navigated a lot of hard in this move and transition. More than a post can hold… it’s not done yet…

And mostly I can keep adding the hard without a overflow of emotion or breakdown… then I hit my elbow this evening on a tray. It was the final straw apparently… I broke down.

I’m constantly overstimulated

By kids, the move, the boredom, lack of routine, kids needing occupying, nursing, constant touching of a kid to me for something, no quiet, lack of sleep, the reverse culture shock, being able to hear and understand everyone everywhere, reading all the signs as we drive because I can and somehow can’t turn that off.

Just plan overstimulated and tired.

I also know what helps. Pouring into my people and team, being on a program (workout get and nutrition), having routine, sleep.

All of those are in my control, except the sleep… that is controlled lately by an infant and toddler.

So tomorrow we get our things back and begin the purging and unpacking. More stimulation.

But my workout space will be set up by the weekend and by Monday I’m starting right back into a favorite program. (You should do it with me… nudge nudge).

Tonight I showed up for my team, first in bible study (where we focused on emotions… 🧐) then for laser coaching one of my teammates.

I also said no to nursing baby J tonight. He got a bottle of pumped milk and is totally full and happy. I pumped during our meeting. But I needed the space. The no kid on me. Even for just a bit.

It’s okay mommas! It’s okay to love every minute. It’s okay to need some minutes to you. It’s okay to be in between and loving it while also needing a bit of you time.

The piece of summit I didn’t talk about is in these photos… me pumping literally everywhere… on the street holding up team photos because I was pumping… hiding in the back of a team selfie because of pumping. Just before I walked the stage at summit I was sitting on the floor of the dome  like back against the wall by the stairs to the seats pumping…

It’s a huge commitment. And just another brain stimulation that I have to fit into my day, but not too much so I can also nurse, but enough to have a stash…

The over stimulation of two kids and this move has been incredibly difficult. So much more than I ever imagined and it’s adding up…

In the next few days it’s all about organizing and unpacking to get our space where my brain mentally needs it to be. Then it’s back to routine and into a full program for my mental health. For my mobility and joint stability. To get rid of the soreness and feel stronger again and less achy.

The lights at the end of the tunnel and getting closer and closer with this move settling down, but the choice of coming out of the overstimulation and “funk” is my choice. And the choice has to produce action.

That’s why I’m so passionate about what I do with my team. We produce action and help others feel their best. Yes we have a vessel of fitness and nutrition to aid this, but that vessel is just that. Only a vessel. It’s action of each individual using the tools and resources we share that gets them feeling their best, crushing their goals, and changing lives. It’s not a quick fix, it’s not for the outward appearance, it’s for sustainable health. Creating happy moms and happy homes and happy families.

Let’s go unleash that happiness together!!!

Doing: splash pad and park time almost daily for Reagan to be occupied. Too much tv time. Lots of traveling to see family. Lots of moving. All the moving. I miss my own bed!

Reading: not much happening right now doing our bible study (barely) with the team and that’s it right now

Eating: the best we can… we only got our kitchen supplies (minimal ones) back last week. But we are adding in lots of veggies when able and cooking most meals again which is super helpful.

Workouts: been doing barre workouts for a long time. Managed to do fire and flow but I didn’t have the right weights so I didn’t enjoy it as much as I could have with proper equipment for me. Can’t wait to do 645 with Amoila from my beachbody library starting on Monday. I felt my best last summer nauseous and newly pregnant with the program so I’m going back to it to feel that good again now at 4 months postpartum.

If what you’re learning about me and my passion for helping others fits you and your goals; let’s chat and see if my coaching is a good fit for you.

Email me or contact me on social to work with me. It would be such an honor to help you crush your goals and feel your best!

Check out all previous months on the article feed and find great recipes, tips, travel fun and more.

Share Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans

Social media

Email: s.m.mans1991@gmail.com

Facebook: @happinessunleashedwithsam

Instagram: @happiness_samantha_mans

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/faith_and_fitness_mama

Clubhouse: @samanthamans

You're getting this email on this sunny day to let you know 2 things:

1. You're awesome. I hope you know that.

2. To tell you about what we have been up to in our BODgroup, Inspired Soul Studio, and what we have coming up NEXT!

So let's chat the Studio. If you are getting this email, you already have EVERYTHING you need to pick up on your health journey and continue...or maybe get started again. There's no shame if it's been a while since you laced up your shoes...or maybe you just got overwhelmed with how and where to begin. A lot of what I do in the BODgroup is coach my clients on exactly those things, but sometimes a face to face chat is necessary. If you want to chat via zoom, email me back and we will schedule something.

Now, back to the BODgroup. This month we are focusing on being good human beings in all aspects of our lives...not just in our health, but also in how we show up and serve others as well. It's going to be a great segway into our new program that launched on May 24th, Fire and Flow! This is the first program in all of Beachbody history where there is a huge mindset component, designed to help us both conquer habits and negative narratives that aren't serving either of us. The program is only 4 weeks long, 6 workouts per week, where 3 of them are higher intensity (with a modifier) and the other 3 are flow and mindset coaching. I will admit...I had my doubts. BUT the results I've seen so far are super inspiring. More than that though? Some of my friends who were in the original test group are completely different people...stronger from the inside out! Here's a few testimonials:

"I actually hate working out. I do it for how I feel after. This was the first time in my life I actually looked forward to working out, it's unlike anything I've ever done before!" - Danny D

"Before the test group, I was in a really dark place in my life. This program was so therapeutic and healing, I feel totally different!" - Morgan S

Cool, right? That's what I'm most interested in...helping you FEEL your best. Of course the physical results will come, but overall health is about so much more.

Here are a few more logistics:

- 30 minute workouts developed by two POWERHOUSE females!

- A journal is included where we will track our emotional health, physical results, a to-do list section, a place to write out thoughts, and be inspired by a daily affirmation.

- Available on May 24th!

- Inspired Soul Studio’s FIRST EVER BYOB (Bring Your Own Best Friend) Test Group begins on June 6th! (With our second wave kicking off June 13th)

This test group will be like NONE OTHER since we are bringing our best friends with us! Since this program was developed by two female friends, we will want to have our closest people with us, too, as we revamp our mindsets and focus on overall health. ALSO, I'll be giving away TWO things!

1. A custom Fire and Flow tank top to anyone who completes the program and shares their results with me! (I will not share your results with anyone without your permission, pinky promise!)

2. A custom Fire and Flow tank top AND $20 gift card to anyone who completes the program and shares their results with me AND brings their best friend to do the program with them!

How 'bout them apples?

I'll also be offering weekly one-on-ones with my F&F test group crew where you can ask me anything to help you stick with it!

COOL? Cool!

RSVP by replying to this email with "I'm in!" and I will email you back with what's next!

I'm so excited to see you there, along with your best friend!!

Deadline for our SECOND test group is Monday, June 13th! Respond to this email to get in!

PS Here is a short promo video!

Life has been BUSY! We had our little boy on April 9th in a freak snow storm that hit Germany. Reagan was beyond happy with the snow and friends to keep her busy while we spent the weekend in the hospital. He’s perfect and made by God. We proceeded to have a few weeks at home then shipped all of our household goods (including our bed.. let me tell you that is what we all miss most in this transition… our bed). Traveled to Holland for a weekend and saw the tulips and windmills, Belgium for a week to see AJ’s parents and spend time with them, then back to our craziness of shipping the UAB (unaccompanied baggage - basically the tiny kitchen items and such we kept survive the last few weeks in our house) and I’m currently writing this letter in our hotel room…one day before we fly out and back to the states. It’s been the most rewarding 3 years of living here, with so much personal growth and learning along the way. We are a mix of emotions as we leave a foreign country that we have truly called our home for 3 years and felt so welcome and safe in. Tomorrow we embark on our next adventure of an international flight with two kids, a dog, two adults, and so much luggage… picking up our car at the port upon arrival and driving back to the Midwest.

With so much going on in our lives, it’s hard to find time to be good to ourselves. We all get busy and let our lives be run by our calendars more than us choosing what we want in our lives daily.

So, what does “be good to yourself” really mean? 

It’s taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. It’s showing the same understanding and compassion for yourself that you have for others. It’s releasing the pressure you put on yourself to be perfect. 

So, to help with being better to yourself, a new program has been created. 

It’s called FIRE&FLOW. 

It’s designed to take the stress and frustration out of getting/staying healthy and fit. 

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: 

• 4-Week program 

• Designed to bring more balance and joy into your life while getting/staying in shape

• 25-30 minute workouts

• 6 workouts per week

• You’ll alternate between Jericho’s intense FIRE workouts and Elise’s stress-reducing FLOW sessions 

• This allows you to go hard, but still have time to recover and rejuvenate

• WORK OUT, not burn out (light, medium, and heavy dumbbells; resistance loops)

• 4-Week Journal: 5 minute self-care prompts and habit tracker

• Full-body workouts (strength and cardio training), as well as recovery, mobility, and core strength 

• Designed for ANY fitness level 

• 4 BONUS WORKOUTS that target abs, glutes, arms, and flexibility 

SNEAK PEEK VIDEO: 

My favorite part is the journal and the mindset work that is a focus of this program. It’s not just about physical results, or some workout that will help you lose weight. It’s about health! Whole health! Making your body healthy from the inside so you can live your BEST life!

Doing: Trying to keep our toddler active and busy while we pack up and get everything done for an international move is a challenge; especially with a newborn. This move has been challenging. Each time we’ve moved so far… (4 times in 5 years) we have leaned on knowing it’s what our path is that God has set for us and that we are meant to go be a light and blessing in our next community. I still believe that, but leaving our live here in Europe is harder that the previous moves. We have thrived here, made the best of friends; who are now family, and we don’t want to leave this culture behind. We are so thankful for these experiences and how much more open minded and knowledgeable we are of the world coming back “home” to our new state.

Reading: I am starting a Bible study called “The Lies Women Believe” with my team and also reading Jennie Allen’s “Find Your People”. Both are amazing!

Eating: We are eating as clean as we can with enjoying our favorites from Germany before we leave. And once we are in our new house our fridge and pantry will be stocked according to our Gut Protocol plans so that we can reset our bodies, get back to feeling our absolute best, and find out if we have any foods that don’t serve our bodies the way we thought they did.

Gut Protocol Video

Workouts: I have been doing postnatal barre workouts and lots of walking. It’s been what my body can handle with all the moving and packing and stress. I’m also very excited about FIRE & FLOW and will be starting it with my exclusive test group in just over a week. It’s a program from my two favorite trainers and combines rest, recovery, mindset, and high intensity all in one. Love that I can start my weight lifting again postpartum with Jericho and Elise. It’s the best!

Fire and Flow

Check out all previous months on the article feed and find great recipes, tips, travel fun and more.

April will bring our little family a new baby, some extra family time, our last travels in Europe and our prep for our move. So look forward to some real life family and travel tips I use, as well as moving tips and tricks.

Share Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans

Social media:

Email: s.m.mans1991@gmail.com

Facebook: @happinessunleashedwithsam

Instagram: @happiness_samantha_mans

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/faith_and_fitness_mama

Clubhouse: @samanthamans

Let me share a bit about how I started this whole health and fitness journey and what was my personal “tipping point” of enough is enough. And in case you’re newer here it’s also a little bit about myself that will hopefully allow you to get to know me a heck of a lot more.

I’m a mom of a toddler who will be 4 in September, and soon to be mom of a newborn (33 days and counting to due date). I’m also a dog mom of a husky mix who is almost 7 and we are still living in Germany for a few more months before we embark on our 4th move in 5 years with the military. My husband has been serving our country for almost 10 years (this May is that BIG anniversary) and has spent that time nearly split with national guard and now active duty. We so far enjoy military life, meeting new people, creating communities were we go. But this life doesn’t come without many very hard challenges that are ever present, ever changing, and never seeming to allow up deep full breaths sometimes. Since we as a couple decided to go from his guard duties to active military; we are one of THE VERY FEW that did “choose” this life. Maybe not all the hard we’ve had to go through in the last 2.5 years specifically, but to an extent we knew the differences. Most do not. Most don’t have that choice, and as a spouse; most spouses don’t “sign up” for that when God brings them their person in life.

I’ve been doing beachbody programs for over 6 years now. (WOW!) I had been diagnosed with IBS with chronic constipation at the start. It took 12 years to diagnose and I was then told I’d have to live with it the rest of my life. Managing symptoms and dealing with pain… I wasn’t okay with that answer to put it simply. So I started getting healthier from the inside…out. I started by inconsistently drinking my nutrient dense shakes and working out daily for 20 minutes.  I saw some results. I fell in love with the community and sisterhood and support. I ended up needing a colonoscopy at 19, an endoscopy and full GI workup done at 23 and then surgery to remove my gallbladder. All while still dealing with painful gut symptoms and no answers because “everything came back normal”. In recovery from my surgery I decided I was going all in on nutrition and fueling my body properly to be consistent in my health so I wouldn’t ever go through that medical issue again. I never use to enjoy veggies or working out but do now. I am a cyclist and worked in the bicycle industry for 12 years during school and after graduating and love biking so much! I’m also a lover of golf and I golfed competitively in high school. It’s still a favorite sport that I wish I could do more often. 

So when I say I’ve dealt with gut issues and being so unhealthy on the inside, I do mean it. It’s been a long road of healing, making sure I am fueling my body well, and continuing to learn as much as I can about the gut and nutrition so I can help others safely and fully to feel better inside. This leads me to not only this passion and a few nutrition certifications along the way, but to our newest launch with beachbody that is designed to help jumpstart our gut health.

If you’re dealing with stomach issues, things like stress, sleep, exercise, and the food you eat can all impact the health of your gut. The Creator of this program, Autumn Calabrese is no stranger to digestive problems. She learned how to uncover her “food sensitivities” and now you can, too! 

She created a SIMPLE PROGRAM with no-impact exercise and a way to identify the foods that could be causing digestive sensitivities. 

A Gut Protocol nutrition program provides a step-by-step elimination schedule to help identify food triggers, food sensitivities, and the foods that optimize your digestion. This will teach you how the food you eat can impact your health and how much your gut health impacts your overall health. You will remove, replace, and rebalance your body. 

INCLUDED: instructional videos, weekly tips, food lists, and gut-friendly recipes. These tools have been designed to help you overcome discomfort. The supplements suggested: Optimize for digestive enzymes that help support nutrient absorption and bioavailability; Revitalize to help support beneficial flor in the gut, and vegan Shakeology. 

I personally love the simplicity and no guessing to this. 

The no-impact workout program that can go along with working through the nutrition aspect will be 4 weeks as well. There are a total of 16 workouts - 4 workouts per week all under 30 minutes. As a bonus, you also will have 4 optional cycling rides that you can integrate with your regular workouts. 

**If you are serious about doing this, the next step will be picking your path. Email me back and I will get you all set up with those details! I’m excited to get started and so is my husband AJ as we will be doing this program together with our exclusive test group starting at the end of March.

Doing: Lots of resting honestly. We haven’t traveled since January for a number of reasons. Real world events that keep us home for AJ’s work and because I’m just straight uncomfortable and we are all tired and just surviving. We instead are using any energy we have to purge the house again before we have the packers come for our move in May. The car has to be shipped this month and we are just slowly checking off all our PCS (Permanent Change of Station) moving to dos. Doing them slowly and earlier than usual is keeping stress way down and making sure we just keep chugging along nicely and aren’t rushed in the end.

Reading: Our women’s Bible studies for this semester are in full swing and I am leading two studies so it’s been a lot to keep up with them. Elijah by Priscilla Shirer and Surrendered by Barb Roose are the two I’m leading and they are fantastic studies! I am also still slowly reading “You are the girl for the job” and just got “Girl on Fire” which I’m excited to dive into this month. Once baby is here and I’m nursing the little guy I’ll have more time to read and I am looking forward to that. I read a lot when Reagan was a newborn.

Eating: We are gearing up for the 4 week gut protocol by the end of the month and I’m so excited for it! Click the link below for an introduction to the program and see a little more what it’s all about.

Gut Protocol Video

Workouts: I’ve done the sample for the workouts that can be paired with the Gut protocol nutrition (it’s optional!) And it’s actually really awesome. They will be less than 30 minutes, just 4 days a week. There will be extra optional cycling workouts to do anytime and everything is ZERO IMPACT! I’ve also been walking, stretching, and doing prenatal Barre with Elise. It’s whatever is best for my body that day and I’m listening to what it needs. Instead of my “normal” 6 workouts a week I’m doing 3-4 and it’s exactly what I need to do for myself and baby right now. I’ll link the 4 weeks for Every Body sample workout incase you want to test it out too.

Sample Workout

Check out all previous months on the article feed and find great recipes, tips, travel fun and more.

April will bring our little family a new baby, some extra family time, our last travels in Europe and our prep for our move. So look forward to some real life family and travel tips I use, as well as moving tips and tricks.

Share Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans

Social media:

Email: s.m.mans1991@gmail.com

Facebook: @happinessunleashedwithsam

Instagram: @happiness_samantha_mans

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/faith_and_fitness_mama

Clubhouse: @samanthamans

The newsletter is late…shocker…

Honestly it’s been a crazy start to this year for us. But instead of sharing why it’s been so busy, let me first ask you if you let your busyness derail you already from goals you’ve set for yourself this year? Why do you think that is?

Is it a cycle you continue year after year or month after month? Or do you make these goals without the intention to complete them because you’ve “failed” in the past?

Heavy questions of reflection right?!? I get it… I’ve been there. Making new year’s resolutions only to stop them before day 31 or even day 15 or day 2. I think it’s way more common that we realize to make big goals for the year, or have a vision of what we want the year to look like…but we sometimes forget that merely setting and speaking that goal or vision isn’t enough to make it happen. We have to take small, really tiny simple actions daily or weekly to make those goals/visions come to life. The big goal and vision looks so shiny and pretty, but many aren’t willing to do the simple mundane work to get the shiny prize at the end of the year.

So, my main tip to you…because you can still crush that goal and vision even if it’s not starting in January or if you’re starting again this month… (NEWSFLASH: you don’t need a new year, month, or week to start achieving something you want.) is to write down the big lofty goal and vision. Next, write down 4 slightly smaller things you need to achieve that goal (quarterly goals if you are stuck to a calendar year format). Next, break those 4 goals into 3 smaller items each. This gets you one smaller, achievable goal each month that will progress you to that big goal you really want to have happen. Need it smaller yet? Break it down to a weekly action or even smaller daily action that will move you closer and closer to your big goal every day/week.

Those small bite sized things we can actually do frequently are how the big goals that seem unreachable happen. It’s not a hard process or even a new one, but it’s sometimes hard to get past the small mundane actions that get you there.

One goal of mine this year is to have this newsletter really be of value to YOU! I can plan all I want for each month, research and write weekly, but I cannot pretend to know exactly what you want to hear and read from me. For this; please leave me a comment or reply to the email what you want to have more of this year. Examples I can think of are fitness tips and programs, nutrition for actual life, recipes, travel fun, moving tips, military life, etc. But my examples will only help me, after I hear from you!

To tide you over: Here’s some great tips with action steps for Healthy habits this year.

Doing: January we traveled stateside for my sister’s wedding. It was amazing to see family and a few friends, but we cannot wait to have more time with loved ones once we move back this coming summer officially to Iowa. The work schedules will be so much easier on our family life, and we will live up every moment of this because we know that most jobs won’t have the time this one will give us. I was also able to attend an incredible work conference with some of my teammates while I was back stateside. Beachbody sure does pamper us on these earned conferences! It was such a fun weekend, but also tiring for this pregnant momma. I can’t wait to be able to see my team in person more this coming year! I’ve missed that in person connection so so much. Meeting some of our super trainers in person and working out with them live was definitely a big highlight too!

Reading: Our bible studies have kicked off for the semester so I’m currently knee deep in two studies for or women’s group and a third for our OCF study group that AJ and I attend weekly together. When I’m not focused on those, I am reading “You are the Girl for the Job” and “The Obstacle is the Way".

Eating: What’s been working for me lately is focusing on veggies and protein intake. Fruit and carbs are easy to add and consume. Veggies, especially salad is easy for me to get also… but honestly the last bit my protein hasn’t been enough, so I’m really trying to eat that at every meal so I don’t fall behind in my day. Water is super high intake for me being so far along in my pregnancy (32 weeks now). I’m up to or over a gallon a day. Yes I pee frequently… but my body also is using it and craving the water so that’s what it’s getting.

Below is our “lighter” and healthier version of snickers salad:

4 green apples (sliced and cut into pieces)

1/2 cup almond milk unsweetened

8 oz cool whip (don’t go fat free here…. the ingredients are better with the regular)

sugar free vanilla pudding mix

4 built bars (diced small)

Mix it all in a bowl (wet ingredients first, then add apples and bars) and enjoy!

Workouts: When I workout… meaning I went from 6 days a week for 30-45 minutes to 3-4 days a week for 30-45 minutes; it’s a specific prenatal 3rd trimester workout with Elise. All barre! I’m loving the low and no impact, the focus on glutes and strong legs. It’s been so helpful with allowing for more comfort and less overall pain.

Check out all previous months on the article feed and find great recipes, tips, travel fun and more.

March will bring what YOU want to see and read based off the feedback I receive. So check back in soon.

Share Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans

Social media:

Email: s.m.mans1991@gmail.com

Facebook: @happinessunleashedwithsam

Instagram: @happiness_samantha_mans

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/faith_and_fitness_mama

Clubhouse: @samanthamans

Merry Christmas!

I honestly love the holiday season and all the joy that surrounds it. Seeing the wonder and happiness through the eyes of my daughter has brought even more fun to this time of year for both my husband and I. But for many the holidays brings a lot of stress. What to get for gifts, and how to stay healthy while enjoying the holiday treats and parties are two of those stressors.

For me, I enjoy finding great gifts for others; but this year we went very practical and for many of the family it was the same gifts for everyone. New gloves, an ornament, German goodies, and a note of love instead of extravagant things. Christmas gifts that are thoughtful and from the heart will always win in my book.

Those pesky holiday treats and fun, but over indulgent parties… why not flip the way we think of them? Enjoy a little of everything, but not a huge mound of it all, enjoy the presence of the people you’re with and the conversation. Have one drink, and then try the other non-alcoholic options also. Enjoy the sweet treats! Enjoy the sweet time with people you love. One party, one meal, one day of treats won’t ruin your progress. Don’t let it turn into days on end of not fueling your body intentionally, but enjoy this time of year.

Since you are life family and get all the information FIRST… Our little baby bean…. is a BOY! We are beyond excited to welcome Jaxston John Mans in early April 2022. Jut before we move and enter a new season of life back in the states. But we aren’t there yet…

Doing: We have gone to 7 markets this year, before many of them have closed in our local area due to more lockdowns and new rules for this winter cold season. But we are enjoying lots of Christmas crafts, baking, and family time.

Reading: I just started the book “You are the Girl for the Job” By Jess Connolly. It’s pure fire! She uses her faith, the TRUTH of God and how we are called for purpose in this life to light fire within your heart.

Eating: In true pregnancy fashion… and this baby being wildly different that my daughter… food is a struggle. I personally focus on my proteins first for sustaining energy and then work on veggies and fruit. But don’t forget those carbs! They are also needed for energy.

Workouts: I just started a brand new test group with my clients and team for JOB1. It’s a 20 minutes workout. 5 times a week. I’m loving how fast it is, how effective it is. How engaged and fun the trainer is. Use the link to try it out and learn more. And let me know if you need a fast, effective, and short workout during this crazy busy holiday season.

JOB1 sample workout

Get started

Check out all previous months on the article feed and find great recipes, tips, travel fun and more.

January will be about my take on “new year’s resolutions” and how we can make bettering ourselves last, less fad-like, and truly healthy for us.

Share Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans

Social media:

Email: s.m.mans1991@gmail.com

Facebook: @happinessunleashedwithsam

Instagram: @happiness_samantha_mans

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/faith_and_fitness_mama

Clubhouse: @samanthamans

The last two months have been busy… like always… Last month I was able to go to Corfu, Greece for a week on a fantastic retreat with Elise Joan (our super trainer and creator of Barre Blend). It was such a wonderful week full of rest, yoga, barre, amazing food, and the best company I could ask for. I knew no one before going on this retreat.. I know have 23 new incredible friends who are all so unique and beauty souls.

We had the most beautiful scenery for our yoga sessions (2 a day for an hour- I was so sore… yoga is definitely challenging when not practiced often). We got to explore the town, people, history, and architecture. We had a private Greek cooking class, down time on the beach, and a olive oil tasting an tour. We also had quite the adventure when our bus got stuck up in the mountains because the island experienced their worst rain storm in 60 years and had chest height standing water in the streets. Thank goodness for small cafes and amazing café owners so we can stay dry and safe while we waited for the streets to be cleared. I’m very thankful for the “hurry up and wait” and unpredictability of the military life as I was the most calm I’ve ever been in such a difficult and uncertain situation of us being stuck for hours (7 hours).

Being that it was Oktober in Germany; we had tons of fun this month with Oktoberfest, halloween, and the fall cooler weather. Sweatshirt/sweater weather is my favorite! Not to mention the golden leaves all around us. The beauty created in this world that we get to enjoy is unmatched and I hope that each of you takes the time to enjoy the world around you with a walk, hike, or cup of your favorite warm beverage on the porch.

Until next month… Christmas in Europe just is special and we cannot wait for the start of the Christmas Markets.

Doing: 

Resting lots and relaxing before our busy November takes off. We have 3 weekends full of travel scheduled. First is Disney Paris as our family of 3 to spend quality time with Reagan and doing something just for her (ok…and us… who doesn’t love Disney?!?) Then my mom gets to town and we are off right away to go polish pottery shopping. Followed by Thanksgiving with AJ’s parents in Belgium and a weekend off to the Netherlands. It’s going to be busy, but we are quickly running out of travel time as our next home will be upon us next spring/summer already. Moving is always stressful, but we thankfully don’t have to worry about that…yet.

Reading: 

Over my Greece trip I listened to the podcast “Policy Out Loud”. It’s one of very few podcasts and blogs I keep up with so go check it out. I also was able to listen to the audio book “Own Your Everyday” by Jordan Dooley. Loved this book and it’s uplifting spirit and messages. Practical tips for getting to your goals and creating momentum in everyday to lead you to your purpose.

Eating: 

Honestly, this has been a struggle lately… this pregnancy has been making me mostly sick and everything unappealing. So I focus on my nutrient dense shakes, some extra hidden veggies in the shake, and fruit. Focusing the best I can on protein and fruits has been helpful and less stressful while making sure baby and I are properly fueled for our season of life right now.

Here’s a fun Thanksgiving recipe book just for you, my readers!

Thanksgiving recipe book

Fall recipes

Workouts: 

I’m on week 12 of our newest program from Amolia Caesar. Still loving every workout and the focus on recovery. Follow more of that journey on my Instagram.
But this month, I have a group of clients and teammates starting a variation of Barre with Elise. I had the amazing opportunity to work out in person for a week with Elise and she has just reignited my heart and mind in so many ways with her motivation, journaling ideas, and inspiration. Let’s all get some more of that along with great results with Barre at home!

Barre at home!

Check out all previous months on the article feed and find great recipes, tips, travel fun and more.

Next time… We will chat my favorite Christmas party ideas including some amazing recipes for your next get together.

If you have enjoyed this share it! I’d love to help others I wouldn’t be able to reach on my own!

Share Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans

Social media:

Email: s.m.mans1991@gmail.com

Facebook: @happinessunleashedwithsam

Instagram: @happiness_samantha_mans

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/faith_and_fitness_mama

Clubhouse: @samanthamans

I would normally start by apologizing that this letter is so late, but I’m not that sorry this month for that. It’s been insanely busy here with “operation allied refugees” as we care for and provide security to tens of thousands of afghans as they transit our military community to their next or new destination. It’s been an emotional toll, a physical toll, and beyond heartbreaking. I’ve had the opportunity to work along side these individuals and see first hand their pain, relief, worry, fear, and thankfulness as they have to literally start over with a new life, in a new country, with nothing. It’s taken up our lives and the lives of those around us for the last month and it’s not going to be done any time soon. It’s got our service members working 12 hours shifts with no days off so far. But in all the chaos there has been so much beauty and grace and unity. Our community here has banded together over night and taken on feeding our service members on all shifts and meals, donated more than we ever imagined (much with your help back stateside! THANK YOU!) Volunteered countless hours to sort, distribute, and help where ever needed. It’s been truly beautiful to see the community come together over the humanitarian efforts that were needed with no notice and no initial plan.

We are surviving on leftovers from meal prepping. Thank goodness we meal prep! We plugged in the air fryer each weekend and have made chicken, steak, and brats for our proteins for the week. We cook up frozen veggies by the large bag full, and always have fruits for quick grabs. Thank goodness for our shakes that go anywhere to and provide dense nutrition because we need it now for sure. Meal planning and prepping doesn’t have to be extravagant, or pretty. It needs to be functional. Simple, easy to put together combos of proteins and veggies makes our life flow better when it’s crazy busy. It means our bodies are fueled and given the energy to carry on our days.

Send me a email if you need more ideas tailored to you or your family! I love helping others with their nutrition and making it work for them, in simple ways.

Doing: 

R turns 3 tomorrow! We managed a small birthday party for her over the weekend and she’s been loving the extra daycare and playtime with friends as mommy and daddy are taking on too many things. Our PWOC here started and since I’m on the executive board that’s been super busy too in the best way! So excited to dive in this week to our Bible studies with these women.

Reading: 

I am reading my Bible study book “Reading Isaiah with Luther”. It’s amazing and having Luther’s quoted commentary on Isaiah is such a treat to read through. I’m also starting the book “I am Here” by Ashley Lemieux. It’s about the journey from fear to freedom and the reviews are incredible. Lastly I’m diving in to “A Rhythm of Prayer” for some inspiration as I create our devotionals for our PWOC mornings. I love that it’s a variety of different writing styles all compiled together.

Eating: 

Like I said above we are focused on super simple meal prepping and proteins and veggies. I’ll link one of our favorite recipe go-to here for you.

Simple fun meals

Workouts: 

I’m on week 7 of our newest program from Amolia Caesar. IT’S AMAZING TO SAY THE LEAST! It’s helping me keep my focus of mobility, movement, and not over training in check and getting me stronger in the process. Win-Win-Win! It’s not over training my muscles, letting me recover fully. I’m not sore which is amazing and I don’t feel drained of energy from the workouts. I can only say good things about it because it’s been so good to my body and mind so far. Here are my results from just the first 4 weeks:

There’s still time to join my studio with this program! You’ll get a free copy of “Superlife” from me, and $45 back once you complete the program too! Check out the sample workout below and let me know if you want to join in the fun!

645 Sample Workout

645 options PLUS studio access

Check out all previous months on the article feed and find great recipes, tips, travel fun and more.

September was suppose to be about routines and schedules…. haha… I should know by now to realize that our life in general, and especially with the military will always have something new to keep use crazy busy. So for October I’ll share some favorite fall treats and we will see where life takes us.

If you have enjoyed this share it! I’d love to help others I wouldn’t be able to reach on my own!

Share Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans

Social media:

Email: s.m.mans1991@gmail.com

Facebook: @happinessunleashedwithsam

Instagram: @happiness_samantha_mans

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/faith_and_fitness_mama

Clubhouse: @samanthamans

How is it August already? It’s been 6 months since I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. It’s been 6 months of learning how my body really needs me to fuel it, to exercise it, and treat it. I had been doing the same things for a while, working out and eating like I did before Reagan was born, the way I was able to get the results and body I wanted, and feel amazing in my own skin, have energy, and enjoy life. The kicker here… is that aside from a little weight loss here and there (seriously minor scale changes and inches changes) I wasn’t seeing any results postpartum. This was 2.5 years of this. What I didn’t realize is that what my body needed had DRASTICALLY changed. Not just in hormones… that’s been way different since my acne is now major and hormone related… but also in how my body is responding to the stressors I am allow it to be exposed to. Workouts are a stressor to the body… a good one, but still a stress. I’ve had to take a step back, lift lighter, in different tempos, with different trainers, and in different blocks than ever before. This is making me stronger… slowly… I can now lift the heavier weights without draining all my energy during the workouts. I’m finally feeling energized from my workouts again and not beat down from them. It’s take 6 freaking months of this! And if I’m being really honest it’s been almost 3 years of frustrations from this.

I don’t write this and share it for pity, but to help you know you are not alone in your struggles. We all have goals. We all want to be better. We all want more out of life. But what happens when sometimes, what we are doing isn’t helping? I chose not to quit! I fought for answers, and researched more than I wanted to in order to do better for my body. And it’s slowly paying off. No I’m not suddenly down the 15 pounds I still “should” lose to have a healthier BMI and BFP. THAT’S OKAY! My body is strong! It’s recovering faster from my workouts than every before. It’s sleeping better, longer, more soundly. It’s being fueled with plant based foods 80% of the time and allowing me to live life and enjoy everything. It’s about knowing my body is able to work with me, but I also have to work with it and help it as much as I can.

These past 6 months of newness and feeling like I’ve been restarting have been an important part of my journey. One that isn’t done, one that will change again I’m sure and continue to be challenging. But it’s also one that has taught me the very most about what my confidence and “happiness” means. That I don’t need a certain weight to be those things, that I don’t need a certain size clothes. That my body is amazing and does so much for me everyday! I just have to appreciate it more on my way to crushing those next strength goals.

Doing: Life never slows down… it’s the constant you can depend on. We traveled lots with my mom here and enjoyed all our time together. Now we wait for my husband to come back home after being gone 3+ weeks for work. Solo parenting an almost 3 year old sure is interesting and never dull. She’s had all the big emotions this last month and we are doing lots of cuddles and time together to help her through what she needs currently.

Reading: When I drive I listen to audio books. Sometimes it’s a non-fiction read, but more often than not its a humorous mystery to keep me awake, attentive, and entertained on the drive. Janet Evanovich is my GO-TO! I just finished both 26 and 27 in her Stephanie Plum series, and will move onto book 7 in her Fox and O’Hare series next. She’s a fun writer and I’m also laughing with her books.

Eating: Added in more of my ultimate reset recipes since AJ is gone currently and I can eat all the meatless meals I want without cooking extra meals for him. I meal prep a lot when he’s gone because it makes lunches and dinners with Reagan and sleep routines easier and less stressful. I’m one person… I can only do so much. So I prepped salmon and rice with veggies (not vegan I know, but I love salmon), rice and beans with seasoning, and zucchini cashew soup for this week along with my salads. This type of eating has made a huge difference on my overall health, gut health, and energy levels. Check out a great explanation as to why it’s helped me below.

Whole-Food-Based eating

Workouts: I’ve started our brand new program from Amolia Caesar. IT’S AMAZING TO SAY THE LEAST! Check out the link below to get to know more about this pro NBA trainer and guru on functional fitness training. It’s helping me keep my focus of mobility, movement, and not over training in check and getting me stronger in the process. Win-Win-Win!

Here’s 10 of the best hip stretches to try at home and help easy back and hip soreness.

Hip stretches

There’s still time to join my studio with this program! You’ll get a free copy of “Superlife” from me, and $45 back once you complete the program too! Check out the sample workout below and let me know if you want to join in the fun!

645 Sample Workout

645 options PLUS studio access

Check out all previous months on the article feed and find great recipes, tips, travel fun and more.

September brings back routines, schedules, school, sports and more. We will focus on how to fit yourself into the schedules and day to day busyness so you don’t feel burnt out before you even start.

If you have enjoyed this share it! I’d love to help others I wouldn’t be able to reach on my own!

Share Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans

Social media:

Email: s.m.mans1991@gmail.com

Facebook: @happinessunleashedwithsam

Instagram: @happiness_samantha_mans

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/faith_and_fitness_mama

Clubhouse: @samanthamans

Have you thought recently about what brings you joy?

I mean true joy… not just superficially, happy, but the happiness and joy that lasts, that carries over and overflows out of you when you have it?

I challenge you to write down three small seemingly simple things that you might otherwise over look each day for a week. I’ve been doing this daily for over 3 years now and I cannot express how much this habit has transformed my mind and heart and therefore my journey of health.

It may sound cliché but what you fill your schedule with is what you are prioritizing. And in all seasons of life this will frequently change and flow, but what does your calendar say you are prioritizing right now? What are you focusing on that isn’t bringing you joy, or rather, what are you doing that is bringing you joy?

Fill your time with those things and the priorities we crave start to align with what we focus on, what we choose to spend our time on, it all has a part to play.

My calendar currently is FILLED with bible studies… it’s a few to many at once if I’m being honest, but serving my community and the women around me in ministry is something I use to do a lot of, and had to be a back burner item for a bit (military moves and having a baby who is now a toddler changed my priorities for a bit). I’m so so glad it’s back in my life. I just may need to have a bit more balance with the number of studies I do come fall. It’s also filled with volunteer work for my husband’s company and helping his soldiers out. Work items for my clients fill my days too, which brings me so much joy because we have some amazing people in our VIP studio that are rocking their health journeys. Then it’s family. Travels with family, days at home, etc.

What you fill your days with and who you fill them with matter! It will either bring you joy or slowly suck the joy out of you. But that choice is yours!

Reading: I’m entirely nuts when I read apparently… I’m going on 5 books at the moment.. All pictured below so you can see what is keeping my attention this summer.

But I wanted to specifically highlight “Superlife” by Darin Olien. It’s all about how food and what we consume affects our body internally. How our health is so much more than some diet and exercise but deep down, whole health is at the cellular level. I’m still gifting this book to any client in July (reach out if you want to know more). Darin breaks his book down into “5 simple fixes that will make you health, fit, and eternally awesome.” His knowledge is extensive and he’s so willing to share and educate others so they can also be their healthiest. It’s not a book that is going to give you a diet, new supplements, or any of that. It’s about our bodies, our cells, and how we can either help them work optimally or hurt them.

Eating: Keeping up with my same nutrition. Enjoying treats and food in our travels and hitting my giant salads, grains, and lean proteins at home. I focus on veggie intake while at home. The other foods (protein, carbs, fats, and fruits) are easy to get in and add to my veggies, so I get those as my focus. I also make sure I have an intake of 100 oz. of water daily. Hydration, especially in the summer heat is VERY IMPORTANT. Sweating isn’t your your fat crying as the saying goes… it’s your body cooling itself. You have to replace the fluid lost or you will dehydrate. So please drink your water and help your body work better for you.

Beat the heat with these popsicles!

Workouts: Back at it and for the last two months have been doing different workouts from different programs (the beauty of my “Netflix of fitness”) syncing them with the energy levels of my cycle and it’s been very eye opening and fascinating to see how my body is responding to this so well. But in just two short weeks I’m starting our brand new program from Amolia Caesar. Check out the link below to get to know more about this pro NBA trainer and guru on functional fitness training.

I’m all in for this workout because of the functional fitness training. It’s not cross fit, it’s not jarring to our joints and bodies, it’s about training for the normal functions we do daily… setting our bodies, and muscles up for success to do life better, easier, and repair properly.

For my body, I need to focus on repair and recovery in equal parts to building muscle and flexibility and mobility. This program checks ALL the boxes for me and I cannot wait to see how my body feels once I jump in.

There’s still time to join my studio with this program! You’ll get a free copy of “Superlife” from me, and $45 back once you complete the program too! Check out the sample workout below and let me know if you want to join in the fun!

645 Sample Workout

645 options PLUS studio access

Doing: We’ve been working hard with business, AJ’s company and soldiers, and keeping Reagan’s energy level manageable…meaning lots of running around outside and daycare a few times a week for my mental health and for her to socialize with other kiddos. This weekend I planned a last minute get away to Paris with my mother in law and we had THE BEST TIME! Sitting and enjoying coffee and wine at the local cafes and embracing the French culture. Oh… and doing a super fabulous photo shoot around the city… talk about FUN! The next few weeks will be spent in our normal day to day… and it will be wonderful to sit and enjoy summer and our heat here with kids activities and family time. And very impatiently waiting for my mom to visit! YAY!!!

Last month we chatted about traveling and how I keep my nutrition fun, and still focused. We travel with snacks and health in mind, but also for enjoyment and to be immersed into culture so we try new foods, and enjoy our travels fully without guilt.

August means the start of finding our routines as school years start back up in September and getting all the things done before summer ends. I’ll be sharing end of summer favorite recipes and lunch ideas for kids that will help start your school year off with one less worry. Also a little special shout out on how I’m looking back on my decade of my 20s and looking ahead to my 30s as I turn 30 this month (July) and love how much life I’ve been able to enjoy so far!

If you have enjoyed this share it! I’d love to help others I wouldn’t be able to reach on my own!

Share Happiness Unleashed with Samantha Mans

Social media handles:

Email: s.m.mans1991@gmail.com

Facebook: @happinessunleashedwithsam

Instagram: @happiness_samantha_mans

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/faith_and_fitness_mama

Clubhouse: @samanthamans