Guest Speaker, Erik Hanberg

The guest speaker to our Entrepreneurship and Technology class, Erik Hanberg, had quite a story to tell. As a fellow entrepreneur, I could relate to his story on SO. MANY. LEVELS. I have often had friends tell me that I never finish anything I start, but that is just because I have so many things I am passionate about, and my brain works non-stop on ideas to monetize those passions.

Mr. Hanberg told his story of personal choices blending with his entrepreneurial vision. There are many things over the years I haven't embarked fully on because of kids, family, or other life choices in play at the moment. There are also times I didn't pay my house power bill because I needed to buy supplies for my business. When you are a small entrepreneur, your personal life and business life become so intertwined that it is hard to see the difference between them and they really affect each other. That is a story I can sure relate to.

I feel a kinship with Erik's story because he has kept his passion for writing as he works on all his other passions and endeavors... his failed theater, his work with Metro Parks, his business partnerships with his wife and her skills... but still, he writes. And he publishes his work; self-published, no less. I love to write, especially when I am inspired, but I rarely carve out time to do so. An important reminder to make more time for that. (As I am currently inspired, hence catching up on the blog posts...)

There were two big takeaways for me from his visit... One, a reminder of one of my favorite sayings as an entrepreneur... "Opportunity is lost because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work". I think that is what makes an entrepreneurial brain work just a bit differently from everyone else's; we see the opportunity in its overalls and all, and are not scared off by the work it looks like. We embrace it.

The second cool thing for me was the statement of "Sell your time, or sell something else". I have made a career of selling my time as a nail tech... now I need to sell my experience in my field. I need to monetize all this experience to help other nail techs who are just starting out on the road I have already walked for 18 years. Sort of a "If I had known then what I know now" share, so others CAN know what they need to know now, when they are at the beginning. Definitely helps me focus my vision on my business plan of software development for nail techs...

Thanks for the inspirational story, Mr. Hanberg. And thank you for taking time out to share it with our class.

I'm out for the night. I will pick up with Amy Sallin after some shut eye. Hasta luego, fans!

Michelle :)

3 business ideas!

Those of you who know me also know that my little entrepreneurial brain is always at work. The problem with this assignment was narrowing my extensive list of business ideas down to a mere 3 that would be the most workable for this class AND provide a real, functional framework for actually using it to start a business.

Since I am behind on my blog posts, I will say that any ideas I had of being a blogger for a business are long gone! I have lots of ideas and I like to share them with the world, but I can only write when I am feeling it, and that doesn't always work on a blog type deadline (or a classroom one, for that matter). My beloved English teacher from TCC (shout out to Alexis Clifton-McMillian! Woot!) would be both disappointed in this revelation and excited that I had the self awareness to see it. So, no, one of my business ideas is NOT blogger. It wouldn't be able to get big enough for the purpose of writing the business plan anyway. I doubt that even Vani Hari aka "Food Babe" has a staff of 60+ working for her, and her blog is HUGE.

Anyhoo, I believe that the best money to be made, and far more likely to happen, is not to invent a product or idea that is revolutionary, but to "build a better mousetrap", so to speak. It is in that spirit that I think of business ideas. Target an existing product to a niche market and make it so absolutely perfect for them that it changes the entire market. That is my philosophy. That being said, here are my 3 business ideas....

1. Solar powered smartphones.

It was pointed out to me by my International Marketing teacher the first week of class, incorrectly I might add, that this was not a viable new product because it has already been done. That part is true enough, but to look at it that way is a truly imperialistic view on the cell phone as it pertains to the world market. Some quick research led to an unmet need and some cost effective ideas on capitalizing on that need. There is a company in Finland that manufactures cell phones via plants in China, and they can design and customize just about anything. Currently, a basic smart phone can be had on Alibaba for about $10 USD wholesale, but there is a lack of infrastructure to charge that phone in many parts of the world. Especially parts of the world that have, oh I don't know, a lot of SUN!! And $10 USD is still a lot of money for most other countries in the world, especially emerging market countries. Also, current solar cell phones have their charging panel on the back... now who in the hell is going to carry their phone out so that it can charge? And there is no sun in a pocket! So, designing a cell phone that does not have a color screen is also cheaper to produce and faster to charge, and also holds a charge longer. It looks that with customization, a phone could be made with 3G capability and wifi, no color screen, in a Blackberry style format, with a small solar panel that could clip on a backpack or back collar of a shirt and a cord to the phone in a pocket, for under $8 USD. The slightly lower price could make it affordable, especially if broken into a pay as you go plan and not needing to pay for the expensive electricity to charge it. There could be a huge market for this in emerging markets in Africa and South America. It could be further expanded for uses domestically for homeless people in the southern states, and for thru-hikers who would not be able to access power for charging but wanted a phone for emergencies. I really like this idea.

2. Complete software solution for running an independent nail business.

There are software solutions for online booking, accounting, marketing ideas, etc for the nail business but none of them are an affordable COMPLETE solution for the average booth-renter nail tech. I answer all kinds of questions online in forums about tax structure, accounting, marketing to get new clients, what someone needs to start up on their own, and on and on. Nobody is filling this need. Most systems are geared to multiple stylist/tech salons with payroll modules that a sole proprietor doesn't need, and is missing the integration that they do need. There is marketing help in online booking programs, but it is not targeted to nail techs specifically. And with a small tweak in programming to allow for different currency types, this could be scale-able to a global market of nail techs. It should be cloud-based to eliminate the investment in expensive software and hardware, and start on the iOS platform for the apps since that is what the majority of techs use. Many companies have the pieces, but nobody has the whole pie. See, better mousetrap.

3. Business card app.

While I don't think this idea is scale-able large enough for the purpose of this project, I have full intent on doing it someday. I need to give credit where it's due... the general idea was actually LTB's when he was struggling to find someone's card one day. It is an app for your phone that is a cross between social media and an electronic Rolodex (remember those? Or is my age showing again?! LOL!). The basic premise is that users develop an electronic business card and can "give it" to another app user. When information on the card needs to be changed, the card owner changes it and it updates on the app of everyone they have given the card to. Everyone always has their phone, and nobody likes to wonder if they are calling a former place of employment to reach a contact. Problem solved with technology. Now this is here in writing, so if someone steals the idea and does it, I can sue them. Be warned. (I need to use the lesson on Intellectual Property that Mr. Fry gave us......)

So, there are my 3 business ideas. I already know which one I am doing my business plan on, but those were the ones that were in the running when I should have written this blog post. At least my instructor can't say I am trying to slide under the radar... I know he is more intelligent than that and has been checking our blogs anyway. :)

Next blog post... A guest speaker summary... Mr. Erik Hanberg.

Until next time,
M.

"startup.com" Movie review...

So, better late than never, I suppose. I'm not sure that my instructor, Andrew Fry, will agree; however late it may be, I am doing my required blog posts anyway.

For those of you late to the party (not that I arrived at the party much before you, apparently!), I am in an Entrepreneurship and Technology class this quarter at the University of Washington Tacoma. We have blog posts assigned to us for various topics along the quarter, and since I am behind, they are going to come rapid-fire here for a bit.

This particular post is a review of the movie "startup.com". If you have not seen it and are too young to have lived through the dot com boom of yesteryear, it is definitely worth a view. The movie documents the story of high school friends Tom and Kaleil as they embark on developing a new website called govWorks.com. Back in the early development days of the internet, the desire to be the first to offer something new and cool that could be done on a webpage was at a feverish pace. Everyone wanted in on the action, and there was big money to be made. And lost. More on that in a minute...

The website that the friends had dreamed up would be to search and pay online for any bill you may have to a government agency... parking tickets, renewing drivers licenses, etc. Now, in 2015, it seems silly to think of this as a big deal- but it was a revolutionary idea in 1999. The movie, released in 2001, chronicles the journey in the rise and fall of this great idea.

To be honest, the movie was frustrating for me to watch. For one, I am old enough to remember life before everything computers and online. So, it was a bit like the adage of "hindsight is 20/20" as I looked through it with my Applied Computing minor glasses on 41 year old eyes. I kept face-palming myself during the movie (both times I watched it) as I thought to myself Damn, no wonder it took forever for the internet to get rolling! Dumb asses.

Secondly, from a business perspective, I felt like they really went after their idea half-assed. That's right, I said it. People who got to sit with Bill Clinton and hang with a bunch of rich people took a great idea (clearly, since it is commonplace today) and botched it. From the beginning, they had a complete lack of clear vision and focus for their company. Kaleil kept wavering on the name until the last second, and still continued to second guess himself even after the choice was final. They went into venture capital meetings unprepared because they were not clear on the vision for their idea in process, just the end result. It is lucky they ever got any investors at all.

Finally, Tom and Kaleil violated the fundamental strength of a successful partnership- each partner doing what they do best and butting out of the other partners doing what THEY do best. Tom had no business being in the meetings for the capital search, and Kaleil needed to stay out of the development process. Tom was really not as emotionally invested in the company as Kaleil, as evidenced by his lackadaisical candor when discussing the impeding failure possibility with Kaleil, and I think he never got as emotionally invested as he could have been because he wasn't focused strictly on what he was good at. If Tom would have been nose-in on the tech side the entire ride, they may not have had as many delays getting up and going, not had the ask.com debacle, and might have beat their competitor to market.

Spoiler alert: In the end, the only person who made any money was the third partner who they bought out early on. He got $4 million, and everyone else got squat when it crashed. Tom didn't see that affected by the loss, which was probably a part of the problem all along. It seems their friendship, although strained, survived the experience.

And they all lived happily ever after, I suppose. Check it out if you get a chance; especially if you are looking to start a business and want some good ideas on what NOT to do.

Next up... 3 business ideas for my Business Plan for the class :)

Ciao!
Michelle

Ride along on a college course with me!

As many of you may know, I'm a marketing student in the business school at University of Washington Tacoma. This quarter I have a class for my Applied Computing minor called Entrepreneurship and Technology. Part of this class is to blog, so instead of starting a new blog, I decided to use my current blog and bring you guys along for the ride. For those of you I know who are entrepreneurs, this part of my journey may help you out in some way just by reading... I certainly hope so!

First... One of my favorite images...

It is all a part of Life of Cordes :) Enjoy!

Assignment 1: What do I want out of this class...

Above everything, I'd like to explore ways to make my personal goals be realized via achieving my business goals. Being entrepreneurial at heart, these two sets of goals are closely related. My personal goals are to travel, and to be able to work on my own schedule from any location. It's ok if that is 60 hours a week, if it's from my hotel room in Italy! Long term, I want to share my knowledge, experience, and education with the nail industry at all levels; from the individual nail artist to international suppliers, and be able to make a living doing so. The beauty industry, and especially the nail industry, is way behind the curve of technology that many other industries are already using in the mainstream. I would like to use my knowledge of the industry and technology to further the use of technology some meaningful way.

Which brings me to my goals for this class- primarily, I would like to explore options to monetize my industry experience besides actually doing services on clients. I would like to learn how the infrastructure of tech companies works, and explore paths to bring that infrastructure and technology to the nail industry. And even if I don't plan on using them, I would like to learn what types of funding avenues are available for business startup and how that relationship normally works. 

I think the experience of this class at this point in my college education could serve to play a key role in developing my professional path from here. This class has really gotten my brain working on how to use my experience and skill set to start my own company, and really utilizing my minor. 

Next up... my thoughts on the movie "startup.com"... don't miss it!

Here's to a great quarter!  

Michelle

Homemade Meatless Burgers

So, I promised if these turned out good I would post. So here I am! 

They are kind of involved to make, but this recipe makes about 8, so the ones you don't use can be frozen and reheated for later meals. I had one fall apart on my first try, so I ate it the next day crumbled with spaghetti sauce and quinoa noodles for a good meat free Italian dinner. :)

This recipe DOES contain an egg, so if you are casein free or truly vegan, you will need to sub something else. Possibly some olive oil or bean paste of some sort would do the trick! If you find any good options, feel free to comment below. Use organic and/or locally sourced ingredients when possible :)

Without further ado, here's the recipe!

HOMEMADE MEATLESS BURGERS:

1 cup water

1/2 cup quinoa

1 tbsp olive oil (or other plant based oil)

1 medium onion, diced

2 cups (approx) finely chopped mushrooms, I used white button

1 tsp minced garlic (I used garlic paste)

1/4 tsp dried oregano

Dash sea salt

1 egg

1 cup cooked mashed black beans

1/3 cup quick cooking oats

1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

Rinse quinoa and combine with water in a saucepan. Bring to boil and reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat let sit covered for 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool. 

Cook and mash the black beans, or mash a can of drained and rinsed black beans. 

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet pan and sauté the onions about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, oregano, and salt. Sauté another 5 minutes or so until everything is tender. Set aside to cool. 

In a bowl, beat the egg, then add the quinoa, beans, onion/mushroom mixture, oats and soy sauce. Mix until well combined. 

Place a piece of parchment paper on the counter. Using 1/2 cup scoops, form the mixture into pressed patties. (I used the Tupperware hamburger ring and press shown in the pics). Slide a top part of a broiler pan under the parchment paper and bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until browned and crispy. 

Allow to cool for a few minutes and use like a burger, or crumble in a bowl while still warm for a good ground beef substitute! Allow extras to cool and then later between wax paper and freeze for later use. (I plan on reheating in a cooking sprayed skillet, just like the store bought ones!)

Enjoy! Until next time, Ciao!

Michelle

Shrimp fried rice- cheap! With a soy free option!!

In honor of my friend, here is a cheap dinner that is dairy free and gluten free and has an option to be SOY FREE!!! 

All prices are as of August 2014. 

2 cups dry rice, prepared to make 4 cups+ .... About $.50

1/2 pound salad shrimp... $2.35

12 oz Frozen peas and carrots... $1.09

2 eggs... $.33 to .65 (depending on what eggs you buy)

Prepared soy sauce or THIS SOY FREE SOY SAUCE RECIPE!!... $.50

http://stephaniecooks.blogspot.com/2012/05/homemade-soy-sauce-soy-free-soy-sauce.html?m=1

Prepare the rice. In a large wok pan or skillet, heat 1/4 cup of oil (I used certified organic canola oil, but safflower oil would be a good GMO FREE alternative) over high heat. Put rice and frozen veggies in pan and stir around to combine... Should be frying!! Add shrimp undrained and "some" soy sauce. Fry until everything is hot and combined. Make a well in rice in the center of the pan all the way to the metal. Put scrambled eggs in the well and stir until fully set. Mix the whole thing again, adding some soy sauce if desired. Serve it up!! Total for 4 big servings... $4.77!!! 

Quick, easy, and cheaper than takeout! Enjoy! -Michelle :)

Almond milk making per request!

I posted a thing about commercial almond milk today on my Facebook page, and since I make my own, I am honoring a request to post a how-to....

Making Almond (or other nut) Milk...

1 cup of Raw Almonds (or other nuts)... bulk section is great for this!
4 cups of filtered water
vanilla (if desired)
sweetener (dates, honey, cane sugar simple syrup, etc) if desired

You will need a blender and a "nut bag" (which I find hilarious to say or type, by the way!)... or a new knee high pantyhose stocking, or cut the leg off of some that no longer fit since you bought them ;)

1. Soak the almonds overnight (8+ hours) in enough water to cover them.
2. Drain the water off, and place almonds in the blender.
3. Add the filtered water and blend until the contents are milky white and the almonds are little bits.
4. Add the vanilla and sweetener, and blend a little longer.
5. Strain the milk through the nut bag aka pantyhose into a pitcher, and then squeeze the liquid left in the hose into the pitcher.

There you have it! The milk will stay good in the fridge for about 2 days, so it is best to make it in these small batches.

As a bonus, if you spread the remaining almond meal out on a cookie sheet and dry it out in the oven on the lowest setting until it is dry and crumbly, you can use it as almond meal or almond flour in your recipes... nothing goes to waste, and no expensive almond meal to buy!

Happy milk making!
Michelle

New blog for ROAD TRIPS!

Hey y'all, just stopping in to invite you to check out my newly created blog about the alive and well American road trips we will be taking, starting with one in 34 hours! Check it out...

Road Trip Blog

Enjoy! All is well here in the Life of Cordes... but moving too fast to blog much. Peace to all, and Happy Independence Day!

Ciao!
Michelle

I feel like crap.

I have promised much blogging I have not delivered on. I have pics and ideas ready for a post on how to cook and use an entire chicken, recipes I've created out of necessity, and gluten free news I've discovered. I have not forgotten, and I have plenty more food and nutrition information to share. But....

Right now, I'm trying to figure out why I feel like crap. I have taken all of my regular supplements. I have had plenty of sleep... In fact, I have been so fatigued and exhausted that I have been sleeping almost 15 hours a day. For a week. I ate some food I shouldn't have (aka doughnuts and too much yummy Starbucks), but I have gained 8 pounds in 10 days. That is 10% of the weight I have lost since my surgery!! I'm foggy headed, no concentration to study, no attention span, and zero energy. I am usually pretty in tune with my body, but I don't know what it's trying to tell me. (Unfortunately, it doesn't talk as much as my mouth... lol!) 

At first, I thought I was hungry again, which is weird since the part of my stomach that produces ghrelin, the hunger hormone, is no longer there. So, I ate some bad for me shit because I was lazy. In the last few days, I've deciphered that it's not hunger. It's a craving. But I can't figure out for what. Nothing has worked yet, but clearly my body has been trying to tell me what it's missing. 

I think I have narrowed it down to two possible deficiencies. (By the way, all of my labs were normal 3 months ago, so anything abnormal would be new...). My problem could be one or both of these, and possibly more I haven't thought of. (Don't suggest to eat bananas... Lol... They make me sick...)

First, an iron deficiency. I was anemic a lot as a kid, and none of my supplements have iron (my old crappy Centrum did), so I began taking an iron supplement tonight. I can't eat red meat well, I don't have room in my tiny tummy for dark leafy greens, and I haven't eaten many eggs lately.... So I'm sure my iron is probably low. 

Secondly, I think I am lacking in Vitamin D. My It's Vital has vitamin D, but I can't drink milk and with being gluten free, I don't generally have fortified grains and cereals. Plus those same leafy dark greens are good for calcium and Vitamin D... So the spinach, kale, and broccoli I've been missing are a double whammy! I've been bad about my Greens, so I am going to add that to the extreme priority list, and I am going to go tanning for a few days and see if that helps....

Alright, before the indoor tanning attacks begin: from age 16 to 21, I tanned 5 days a week. I went to a tanning salon, tanned and then ran on the treadmill they had. I was healthy and thin, and in excellent shape. I don't burn with "normal" sun exposure, and I wear sunscreen if I'm going to be outside for a length of time when burning could be possible. I have a lot of melanin which, statistically speaking, makes my risk of melanoma minimal. (Notice that melanoma rates aren't higher in Africa and other equatorial societies?) I do skin checks, so I am always on the look out for basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma, both of which won't kill you if caught early, and many times they are. During the winter in the northern states even a blue sky day doesn't yield strong enough sun to make our bodies produce Vitamin D and increase serotonin production. This is the first winter in yeeeeeeears I haven't tanned at least once a week. So, I'm going to go for a few days and see if it helps... If it does, I will tan until the year I can move south. I just can't hang with this lack of energy and low brain capacity. 

So hang in there with me, guys. I'll let you know what I figure out and get to those blog posts. I promise :)

Hasta luego! 

Michelle

Cranberry Pumpkin GLUTEN FREE Muffins!

By request (and since I am dilly-dallying going out for my run since it's a lazy Sunday...), here is the recipe for the yummy muffins that I posted on Facebook 2 weeks ago! Happy baking!

Cranberry Pumpkin Gluten Free Muffins

2 cups Gluten Free Flour (I used Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose GF Flour)
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsps xanthan gum
1 tsp GF baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup softened butter (I used Organic Valley pastured butter, YUM!)
1 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (C&H pure cane... non-GMO)
2 eggs (from a local egg farm, just sayin')
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup organic pumpkin puree (Trader Joe's is the best price)
1/3 cup soy milk (you can also use regular, almond, or coconut...)
1 cup fresh cranberries (you can break them up a little with some sweetener if you find cranberries too tart on their own...)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease 24 mini muffin or 12 regular sized muffin tins.
3. In a large bowl, use a whisk to mix together GF flour, baking soda, xanthan gum, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt until well combined.
4. In another bowl, use a mixer to cream the butter until its white and fluffy.
5. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy.
6. Add the eggs one at a time and beat.
7. Put aside the mixer and stir in the pumpkin puree with a wooden spoon.
8. Stir in half the dry mix, then half the milk, then half the dry mix, and the other half of the milk.
9. Stir in the cranberries.
10. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Tap the tin to settle the mix.
11. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes.
12. Let cool... if you want it more like a cupcake, mix together powdered sugar and cream cheese to make a cream cheese icing for them :)

Enjoy! I put mine in individual freezer bags so I could grab one in the morning and it would be defrosted by afternoon snack!

Freelance nails and wraps!

Hi guys! Longer post later... As you know, life at light speed! 

I am officially done with my time at Gene Juarez, and am doing some freelance nail appointments in addition to my wrap business... Around school of course! I am also able to do events like wedding parties and fill in at salons for event parties :) 

Call or text me at 253-753-4009 or email me at michellecordes@me.com... DON'T FORGET TO GET YOUR FALL WRAP SESSIONS BOOKED TOO AND PERSONAL NUTRITION ANALYSIS!!

Talk to you soon! More to come!

For those of you that aren't my "friend" on Facebook...

Just so you know, you don't have to be a facebook member to see my posts on Facebook... for the most part. The vast majority of my posts are set to public so that you can see without being a Facebook member. :) If  you want to look, this link will get you there, and then you can bookmark it. I put a lot of useful information on there because it is easier than updating my blog, most days.

Here is a copy of a lengthy post I just put up... I will expound more later as time goes on, but there are some really exciting things coming up with me, and you don't want to miss it!

REPOSTED FROM MY FACEBOOK PAGE: I know you guys may get sick of all the "It Works!" and "crazy wrap thing" that you keep hearing about. Let's face it, we all get inundated with everyone we know selling something! Let me explain to you why you should pay attention to this FROM ME- AND WHY I AM BETTER THAN THE PEOPLE AT PLACES LIKE GNC:

1. I have had a lifetime of experience dealing with weight loss, like many of you. I get it. We think we have heard it all... and many of us have. I can help guide you NO MATTER what your goals are.... read on...

2. You want health? I'm a junkie for it. I have now had a REAL Human Nutrition class, so I am aware of how what we put in our mouths affect our bodies on a cellular level. I can use what I know, combined with what you have tried, to come up with a custom plan that will get you maximum health benefits.

3. You want fitness advice? I have that too. In fact, I am considering taking a course to be a personal trainer this summer. And if I don't know, I know people who do. I can help you come up with a plan that will work in YOUR life- and I am not affiliated with a gym... no membership fees and no commitments. It all is a perk of being my customer.

4. You have tried everything, and you are healthy as a horse but are still gaining weight? Considering weight loss surgery? But maybe no insurance or your insurance won't cover it? Let's work together to get you where you want to be. Being a distributor for It Works could get you to the knowledge and income to get that surgery done... IT'S LIFE CHANGING.

5. You have made it to your goals, or close, but are not quite looking the way you want? I can help guide you to the products that will get you there, combined with the support to make it work for you....

IT REALLY WORKS... NOT JUST THE PRODUCT, BUT THE SUPPORT SYSTEM TO MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU. YES, YOU. I get not having time for parties, I am working on a "virtual party" to make that happen where you get to wrap in the privacy of your home and watch my presentation on video. See, I am interested in your success and will do ANYTHING it takes to help you get there...

As a loyal customer you get to buy at my price, get rewards points for future shopping, and get free shipping on certain orders! Plus the convenience of auto-ship to your door every month of whatever products you want... doesn't even always need to be the same things!

I think I may get my Masters in Nutrition... I am the real deal. I have managed a team of people before, so I am not an "upline" who will sign you and leave you on your own... This is my business and this is my life... not my hobby. I will help you every step of the way.... Inbox me for more details. Share this with your friends on your wall. Help me help you and everyone you know. I have been a distributor since September and ain't going anywhere- this is by far the best product I've found. It just happens to be an individual distributor product not sold in store fronts! (Which is a better business model, by the way... take it from the former salon owner and business major, storefronts are expensive!!) Click on my "About" section and check out my blog, YouTube video blog, and It Works! personal webpage....

Inbox me... right now... let's get you to where you want to be... YOUR WAY.

GO TO MY FACEBOOK PAGE. CHECK OUT MY VIDEO BLOG ON YOU TUBE. READ MY OLD BLOG POSTS HERE. TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF YOUR NEW LIFE... LET'S DO THIS TOGETHER!!!

<3 Michelle

I'VE LOST MY MARBLES! And nutrition tweaking by the numbers...

Well, hello again! Here is an updated pic of me... no makeup, but I thought I would show you guys that I look much different than my 1 week post op video! It has been about 8 weeks since surgery now. Below, you will see my new visual aid... 115 glass marbles for 115 pounds to lose (more on how I got that number in a minute...) and there are 38 in the "LOST" jar and 77 remain in the "TO LOSE" jar. I am super excited about this! I am only recording my weight once a week now, so this is a good reminder of how far I have come in between weigh ins....

So, here is how I calculated my weight goal. I started out at 255 pounds which was a BMI of about 45. After doing some pounds to kg conversions, because us Americans can't seem to get on board with the metric system like EVERYONE else (lol), I determined that I would be happiest with a BMI at the upper limit of "normal", which is 18.5 to 24.5. I have always been a little "dense" for my height, usually "heavier" than other people my size, so I think this is realistic. So, at a BMI of 25, I should be about 140 pounds. That is a 115 pound difference from my beginning weight of 255. Since I have lost 38 pounds so far since surgery, that means that I am 33% OF THE WAY TO MY GOAL!!! ONE THIRD OF THE WAY TO THE FINISH LINE!!! How freakin' cool is THAT?!? My BMI as of today is 38.64. :)

However, my diet has needed some tweaking, so I am going to share those plans with you now:

The docs said to consume between 400-600 calories per day, and of that, I should be upward of 70+ grams of protein a day. Now, I won't bore you with the math, since you aren't in a nutrition class by choice I assume, but that all just didn't seem quite right to me. Time to listen to my body....

And my body is telling me I am WAY. TOO. ACTIVE. for that low of a calorie intake. I had next to zero energy at that level, and that seemed like too much protein to me. So, I have been closer to the 800 calorie a day range, and losing about 3 pounds a week. However, I have still been feeling very fatigued if I even exercised for more than about 5 minutes, and walking up stairs at school was putting the burn on my muscles. Time for that math now (because you know I am a "why" girl...)!

I calculated my basal metabolic rate to be approximately 2,264 calories per day. That is just about what my body needs, based on my current weight, to keep breathing and my heart beating etc. If I am eating about 800 calories per day, then I should be losing about 2.9 pounds per week just through calorie restriction. That seems about right. As I lose weight and my body composition changes, this number will go down, but no worries, because I have calculated activity level too. At 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity 5 times per week, at my current weight, I will burn an additional 1,950 calories per week for another .5 pound of loss. That puts me at 3.43 pounds per week, and I am perfect with that. Now about the energy thing.

I have been right about in "normal" ranges for fats, carbs, and proteins... but I am not normal. (Shush.) I am very active, and I need my muscles to have immediate energy storage for things like going up stairs and doing squat challenges. I determined I needed more carbs. And as much as I hate to admit it, that 70 grams of protein a day was probably closer to right for what my body needs physiologically right now. And fat? Yeah, I learned about FAT this week in nutrition. We all know that once your body makes a fat cell, it never goes away... it just deflates. As if that is not depressing enough, that empty fat cell is calling out for fat to fill it back up. Little assholes! And fat cells have a loooooong life, so they don't die off as often as we would like. Crap. Turns out that empty fat cells also send out a hormone to pull fat out of the blood to fill up their little tanks... so in the state that I am in, almost all dietary fat I intake will go directly into those little empty fat cells. There's some good news... :(

So, I had to tell you all THAT to tell you all THIS:

NEW DIETARY PLAN....

My diet of 800 calories a day will now be split approximately like this...
70 grams of protein a day for 280 calories---- approximately 35% of my calorie intake.
9 grams of fat a day for 80 calories------------approximately 10% of my calorie intake.
110 grams of carbohydrates per day for 440 calories- approximately 55% of my calorie intake.

I am going to try this for a little bit. I WILL get this damn post-surgery diet perfected so that I can tweak other people's post surgery diet to get them maximum health and weight loss! The 9 grams of fat is gonna kill me, lol, but I need those little asshole fat cells to STARVE! I need the carbs to fuel my muscles and give me some more immediate energy, and the protein to give my body the building blocks it needs to repair stuff so I don't lose muscle tone.

I started wrapping this week, so I took before pics the other day. I just did my second ab wrap this morning. After 4 wraps, I will put up pics of before and after. Only 12 days will have elapsed, so what you see will be mostly due to the wraps and not the other weight loss. I really want to keep my skin toning as I lose weight. Also, to keep my protein up and fat down, I am now mixing my PROFit shakes with half soymilk and half water, and making sure I get at least 2 a day. I take It's Vital morning, noon, and night, along with New You in the morning and night. I usually mix my Greens in somewhere with a fruit and protein drink to keep my body detoxed as my fat stores empty.... Seems to be working well so far! Don't make me bust out some Fat Fighter to keep those hungry little fat cells starving!!!!!!!!!! Don't forget you can get on my It Works! diet plan by ordering off my website <-- click here!

As soon as I can find a damn camera man, or can get to my friends to pick up a tripod they are giving me, I will get another video up! Sorry, but without Raingirl around to hold the camera, it is just too hard!

Well, peace out! I have a project on MSG due in 32 hours.... lol....

Cordes out! :)

YO! What is UP?

Hey yo! Things here are fantastic! I have been back to the gym and have started the process of jogging again. Tomorrow is my first day of Couch to 5k. Again. This time I am set up for success though... the surgery, my It Works!, and feeling the workout bug again.

Haven't gotten my post-op labs done yet, with no insurance anymore it just isn't in the budget this month. But as soon as I know, you'll know! However, as of this morning I am 218 pounds, down from a high of almost 255 before the surgery. My weight loss has slowed down now, but I am ok with that so my skin has a chance to catch up :) I am 45 days post surgery now, and feel better than I have in years!

I paid to promote a post on Facebook for the first time today. I am interested to see how it works out. I just had a lot of info on my post and I wanted maximum visibility. I am going to include the verbiage of the post here...

"Here is the dollars and sense of it... Weight Watchers is $40 a month, includes no food, and requires meetings that nobody has time for. Nutrisystem is $397 per month, has some food, but you still need to buy veggies and fruits, and does nothing for your health because it's full of crap. Jenny Craig, same story only more expensive yet: $500 a month, some food like Nutrisystem, and meetings that nobody has time for. A dietician will run you about $160 a month, no food, and appointments you don't have time for. Slimfast is convenient and cheap at $90 a month for the shakes, but they are gross (more chemicals than food) and no suppletments for your health, plus you still need ADDITIONAL food.... AND NONE OF THESE HANDLE SKIN TONE, CELLULITE, FITNESS AND DETOX!!

It Works "Ultimate Pack" is $279 per month, shipped directly to your house, and only has a 3 month minimum commitment to get that price (retail price totals $559!!!) MY IT WORKS plan includes one high quality shake a day of PROFit shakes, a snack bar daily in It's Essential, Greens for detoxing as you lose, Advanced Fat Fighter for blocking the fat and some of the carbs you eat at lunch and dinner, Thermofit for cranking up your metabolism, It's Vital to get all the nutrients you need for max health and weight loss, Defining Gel to help minimize the appearance of cellulite, and the Ultimate Body Applicator 4-pack to tighten and tone that skin as you lose. Complete, convenient, and 24-7 email support and encouragement from me with no meetings to go to!

What are you still waiting for?! http://michellecordes.myitworks.com and inbox me, call me or email me with your questions. Will you invest in a 90 day challenge with me? Let me show you how It Works! I'll even help you design a custom workout plan to enhance your results... I can't wait to help you achieve your goals!"

Of course, you don't have to do the Ultimate Pack to get started... get in touch with me on Facebook, by commenting below, or through my website to find out where is best to get you started with what your priorities are and what fits in your budget...

My personal products I'm using right now :)

I really hope some of you will take me up on this! If you are a Vision Quest member, we can even meet at the gym! My experience with diets and nutrition to date,

My tummy at 45 days... scars are getting better every day!!

and the Human Nutrition class I am taking is putting me on a path to becoming a diet and fitness coach I think. I love nails, but I can do that too... this is making people feel good and look good in a different way!! As soon as I can find someone to video me, I will be doing a new vlog....Gotta get back to calculus now (yuck)...

Hasta luego!

Michelle

Misc. STUFF... Weight tracking, etc

Here is my weights as recorded since the 3 days before my surgery, a pic I sent Raingirl the other day, and my tummy as of today. I'm almost all healed from the rashes, the incisions don't really itch anymore, and I did some mini-Pilates yesterday. My tummy wasn't quite as ready as my brain was to exercise!! I will need to verrrrrrryyyy slooooooowly increase my activity over the next 2 weeks or so, or I will be a hurtin' unit! It is difficult to wait because my knees, ankles, and feet feel so great that I just wanna MOVE!

Gotta plan for a new video now... I think I need to find someone to record for me and a good place to do a new full body recording. Maybe Raingirl can do it this weekend... :)

Going to start tanning today... I look like the ghostess with the mostest!! I really want to start wrapping with my toning IT WORKS! wraps, but my fear is I won't be able to get enough water in yet. So that is my goal for this week, regulate fluid intake so I can start firming and toning this skin up!!!

On a side note: my entire application for my major (marketing at the Milgard School of Business at University of Washington Tacoma) is in! Should be about 4 weeks to a decision...*fingers crossed*...

Until next time... M.C. :)

In celebration of no GMO's

Today I got my It Works! order, and now I have the Creamy Vanilla PROFit protein shake... Yay! I had it today with Unsweetened Organic Silk soy milk and even added a little water... Saved 15 calories over the Original Silk with the flavor of the Vanilla Silk that has even more calories, with no sacrifice on protein! This is great!! I don't wanna lose my hair OR get any weirdo diseases from GMO food!!!

I have tried to incorporate real food back into my diet, but man, my tummy is small!!!! Lol... I need to take it back down a notch and stick with my one-egg limit. I keep accidentally getting too much food (apparently one and a half boneless wings is too much!) and need to go back to measuring out my portions.

Anyhoo... Order your PROFit shake powder today from my website... Http:/michellecordes.myitworks.com. No GMO's... No gluten... No added sugar- this bad boy uses STEVIA. 14 grams of USABLE protein in every shake for only 100 calories. Mix with milk or soy milk if you're looking to ramp up the protein and/or calories. Chocolate and Vanilla... Check it out! US company too... Bradenton, FL. :)

P.S. I'm down 30 pounds and am 4 weeks post op tomorrow! Who wants a videeeeeeeoooooo?? ;)

Ciao! Michelle

P.S. again... Today is boycott GMO day, so make sure you vote with your dollar today and choose non GMO if you can!
HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Recipes!!

For Day 1 through 3 post surgery, it was all clear liquids. The usual. Broth, jello, juice, water... I am willing to bet the little bit of tequila I slipped in my ice tea didn't count as a "clear liquid" but whatev!

Day 3-17, it is all liquid. I have learned a lot of things, like most sugar free packaged food is crap. I could have pudding too, and I used sugar free with lactose free milk, but this week I will be making my own with stevia. The amount of aspartame and GMO's in these prepackaged things is mind boggling. I am using Unjury protein shakes right now, because I need the high protein, but I will be switching to mostly It Works! PROFit shakes over the next week as I can add soft food.

Fruit Protein Shake
8 oz. Silk Fruit and Protein smoothie blend
Unjury Vanilla protein shake
2 scoops Greens

This gives me a good chunk of protein, enough carbs to not burn out, and some micronutrients in a manner my new tummy can handle.

Creamed Chicken Soup
2 oz chicken breast, cooked
6 oz veggie or chicken broth
2 Tbsp. half and half
salt and pepper to taste.

Take all of the items and put them in a blender... I use the Magic Bullet blender. Process to a smooth consistency, remove the blade, and put in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Heat for 1-2 more minutes until desired temperature.

Chocolate Almond Smoothie
6 oz. Silk Unsweetened Soy Milk
Unjury or PROFit Chocolate protein shake
1 Tbsp natural Almond Butter (I used Kettle brand)
1 ice cube

Put all items in order listed into Magic Bullet. Process until ice is blended and shake is frothy. Enjoy!

AM Legal Mocha
1 packet Organo Gold Black Coffee
12 oz. Silk Soy Milk
Unjury Chocolate protein shake (I've used the Vanilla too... tastes like a latte instead)

IN a 16 oz travel mug, prepare the OG coffee with 4 oz. hot water. (I use my Keurig.) Add 6 oz of the soy milk and stir. Add protein powder to cup and stir until dissolved. Top off with the rest of the soy milk. This makes a to-go cup that I drink on for about 2-3 hours. There is very little caffeine in the OG coffee, and it is slightly alkaline vs the traditional acidity of coffee. I get a little kick from the Ganoderma :)

Just today, I am at day 16 and I am adding the pureed type food. I got Earths Best Organics baby food, some Tillamook yogurt (no rBst!!), and some Darigold 2% cottage cheese (no rBst!!). I also got some Stoneyfield Vanilla yogurt to make smoothies with my protein powder, and I had a scrambled egg earlier. It was amazing!! LOL... ah... the simple things... I will post my stevia sweetened pudding recipe when I get it perfected... :)

If you have any low cal, high protein shakes to share that have no fruits or veggies in them... Please share in the comments! P.S. the vitamins I have to take because they are chewable are full of GMO's and aspartame!!! ARG! I can't wait until I can go back to my It's Vital. Soon. Very very soon. I actually think it is making me feel a little worse because I am an anomaly and I am getting less nutrition than I got before the surgery!!

Ciao!
Michelle

Since surgery...

Howdy y'all!

Well, I have learned a few things in the last 2 weeks. First of all, the mental part of this is pretty intense. It is very strange to never be hungry... to not be able to gulp down water when you are thirsty... to not be able to eat the healthy things you ate. For months. I can't have salad for 4 more months. I can't have fruit, like melon, for 3 months. Secondly, I have to find new ways to make things because the stuff that is recommended to eat is full of artificial bullshit and ingredients that I refuse to support if I can help it. I don't know if I am having difficulty with being excessively tired because I am actually eating crappier than I did before the surgery. So, like anything else it is a work in progress. Lastly, everyone told me I would be really tired for awhile after the surgery, but I am frickin' exhausted. All. The. Time. I will be excited when that part is over.

I have lost 25 pounds in 2 weeks. I am excited to be able to start exercising again. In two weeks, I am starting tennis lessons with Youngest Boy. We both need something that is outdoor exercise to do, so that seemed like a good place to start! I go out walking, as much as I can, but I am ready to CRANK IT UP. It feels so good to be down weight!! My knees don't hurt as much, my feet don't hurt, and I am excited to put the lighter me to WORK.

In the next post, I will show some recipes I have learned. That way, people don't have to stumble through my blog posts to find them. They would be good for people who haven't had the surgery too... :)

Gotta do a new vlog tonight too... so in the next few days, check out my You Tube channel if you haven't already... :) And subscribe. And share. I want everyone to see my journey!

Until next time, Hasta luego!
Michelle :)

Pictures of stomach... (graphic)

Here are pics of my stomach as it was healing... It really wasn't too bad, except for the rash from the tape. Ick.

This was the day I got back to the hotel. Thursday, March 28.

This was before I left Mexico...

Here was at one week...

And here is at two weeks...

See, almost all better now! Two weeks... not too shabby!!! -M. :)

Link to videos!

For those of you who have not seen the videos, here is the first one: March 26, 2013.

The rest of the videos can be seen on my You Tube channel.

There will a few posts rapid fire here... be sure to keep up! -M.