Let’s be real. If eating healthy required a degree in culinary arts and a personal assistant named Karen to handle all the prep, most of us would be living off chips and queso. (No judgment if that’s your current situation. Queso is a lifestyle.) But here’s the truth: eating healthy doesn’t have to be a full-time job. You can have your kale and eat it too, without spending every night sobbing over a cutting board.
Chop It Like It’s Hot
The second you haul that bag of vegetables home, act like a ninja and start chopping. Don’t shove them in the fridge to die a slow, wilted death while you “wait for inspiration.” You’re not waiting for inspiration; you’re procrastinating. Chop them. Toss them in containers, like these airtight veggie storage containers. Boom. You just shaved 20 minutes off your next meal prep. And future you is going to feel like an absolute boss when dinner or lunch takes five minutes to throw together.
Stop Overcomplicating It
Listen, you don’t have to be the next Top Chef to feed your family. Nobody is handing out Michelin stars in your kitchen. Pick a few staples that you like and rock those babies on repeat. Grilled chicken, roasted veggies, rice. Done. Taco Tuesday? Keep it simple with some seasoned ground meat, chopped veggies, and tortillas. The next day? Nachos from the leftovers. You can even have a “Snack Plate Dinner” where you toss random things on a plate—like cheese, nuts, fruit, sausage, and whatever else isn’t expired—and call it a day. Fancy? No. Effective? Hell yes.
Want some go-to staples to make your life easier? Here’s a no-nonsense list to keep stocked:
Proteins: Ground beef, steak, fish, turkey, chicken, pork. Keep it rotating so you don’t feel like you’re living in a grilled chicken loop.
Veggies: Frozen green beans, white rice, Brussels sprouts, black beans, chickpeas, asparagus, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and always the ingredients for a solid side salad. And side note? Sometimes frozen veggies are actually fresher than the “fresh” ones. They’re frozen at peak ripeness, while the “fresh” ones might have been hanging out in a truck for days. So don’t sleep on the freezer aisle.
With these staples on hand, dinner becomes as easy as tossing some meat on the grill (like this handy Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill and Smoker) adding a small starch, and piling on the veggies. Keep it simple and ditch the casseroles—because basic doesn’t mean boring, it means done, delicious, and most of all – healthy.
Variety is Great, But You Gotta Chill
Do you need to be a culinary Picasso every night? No. Stick to your basics until you’re bored, and THEN toss in a new recipe. Variety is awesome, but consistency keeps you sane. It’s okay if you rotate the same meals for a few weeks. Your kids probably won’t even notice as long as they’re fed and it doesn’t taste like sadness.
Prep When You Can, Not When You Should
If Sunday meal prep is your love language, go for it. But don’t force yourself into this box. Do small things when you can. I DO NOT MEAL PREP ON SUNDAYS! Sundays are for sweatpants, not sweatshops! I personally grocery shop and chop on Mondays, because let’s face it, they already suck. I also try to make sure to cook enough for leftovers for lunches. Side note, I used to be disgusted by leftovers until earning a serve safe certificate realizing restaurants are ALL LEFTOVERS. Yep, most restaurant food is prepared and kept for up to 6 days!
How I define “Healthy” as a Nutritionist
Eat Real Food. It’s that simple. Real Food to me is food that comes from plants, animals, or the sea – not created in a lab. I also don’t consider it to be “real” if I cannot pronounce it. If you must do Packaged food, look for labels with fewer than 5 ingredients. If you are using whole food to fuel your body instead of counting calories on the side of packaged lab food, you are on the right track! Once you are used to making meals out of whole ingredients, you can start to cut or add carbs, protein, etc.
Final Thoughts: You’re Not on a Cooking Show
You don’t need to perform culinary gymnastics to be healthy. You just need to make small, smart choices that work for you. And hey, you might enjoy spending hours in the kitchen prepping a meal that your family underappreciates. Pin a rose on your nose, Mother of the Year. The rest of us are just out here trying to survive and maybe look decent in swimwear this summer.
If anyone judges you for keeping it simple, hand them a knife and let them do the cooking. Bet they’ll shut up real quick.
So, cheers to eating healthy without losing your mind. Because the only thing that should be full-time is your paycheck, not your kitchen schedule.
Let me just say: I am obsessed with how this textured wall art turned out.
I had a massive wall in my living room that was giving big “blank stare” energy. Like, no personality, no pop—just drywall sadness. I needed something bold, custom, and not $900 from a fancy design site. So I got scrappy (as I do) and made my own three-piece textured art using literal plywood and spackle. And you know what? It looks high-end, it was super affordable, and it makes me feel like a DIY goddess every time I walk past it.
The Vision:
Something modern, dramatic, and big enough to anchor the space. I didn’t want color—I wanted texture. Mood. Drama. Black-white – wood, but make it art.
The Supplies I Used:
1/4 inch Plywood Project Panels (2ft x 6ft) – I used three of these bad boys. 👉 Shop them here
DRYDEX Heavy Weight Spackling – This stuff is thick, buildable, and textured like a dream. 👉 Find it here
Flat Black Paint – Because nothing says “I have my life together” like matte black on the walls. 👉 This is the one I used
1×2 Pine for Framing – Simple, classic, cheap. Cut to fit each panel like a DIY boss.
Wood glue, screws, and a whole lotta patience.
The Process (A.K.A. Controlled Chaos)
Texturing the Plywood I applied the spackling right onto the plywood using a drywall knife and my hands—and let me tell you, it was weirdly therapeutic. I didn’t follow a pattern, I just went for a raised, abstract feel. Kind of like frosting a giant cake, but it’s your living room wall and not a birthday.
Let It Dry (Alllll the way) This part takes patience, and I am not known for having any. But seriously, let it dry completely or you’ll end up with cracked texture. Unless you like that vibe—in which case, go off.
Paint It Black Once it was fully dry, I went over the entire thing with flat black paint. No primer, no fuss. Just full send. The black really brought the texture to life.
Frame It In – Complete the Textured Wall Art! I cut 1×2 pine strips to size, glued and nailed them around each piece to give it that clean, finished look. It instantly elevated the whole thing from “Pinterest fail” to “designer dupe.”
Hang It Up and Stare at It Like It’s a Picasso Three vertical panels, evenly spaced on the wall = instant drama. And compliments. So many compliments.
Why I Love This Project:
It cost a fraction of what a similar piece would run retail
It’s huge and makes a real statement
I got to play with texture, which feels way more fun than just hanging another framed print
It’s completely custom to my space—and easy to tweak for any style
Wanna Make One Too?
Here’s everything I used, all in one spot (affiliate links because mama’s tryna monetize this creativity 💁♀️):
I’ll definitely be making more textured pieces like this—maybe with a neutral or tone-on-tone color palette next time. And yes, I’ll be sharing it all here because one project always leads to five more. You know how it is.
Pin it, share it, save it for later.
Because this is the kind of project that looks way more expensive than it is—and we love that for us.
Mindset Shift: Stop Faking It and Start Embodying the Future You
Let’s talk about the mindset shift that actually changes things—the one that moves you from “faking it till you make it” to fully becoming the version of you who already has what she wants.
I get it all the time. Every week, sometimes every day. People ask how I’ve accomplished so many things or learned so many skills. I even have a friend who jokes about putting up a billboard that says, “There’s nothing Jess can’t do.”
From small business ownership to economic development, from photography to home décor—you name it, I’ve probably dabbled in it. But I’m not a prodigy or a perfectionist. What I’ve mastered is the mindset shift that says, “I can do this”—before I ever have proof that I can.
I never once thought I couldn’t do it.
That right there is the secret. I didn’t doubt myself. I wanted to be a photographer, so I saw myself as one. And then I became one. No hesitation, no long-winded plans. Just belief followed by action. That’s the mindset shift that changes everything.
And guess what? You can do it too.
If visualization doesn’t come naturally to you, no worries. Try this: Think of something you want—money, strength, confidence, love, community, whatever. Now picture yourself already having it. Imagine yourself walking into your dream home, rocking that outfit in the back of your closet, smiling with someone who truly values you, or doing work that lights you up.
See it. Feel it. Experience it. Write it down if that helps. This is where the mindset shift begins.
Now take it further. Don’t just picture it—embody your future self. Show up today as if it’s already done. How would that version of you speak, think, and make decisions? Start living from that place. When you do, your reality will catch up.
Here’s why this works: “Fake it till you make it” might get you through a job interview or your first day at the gym, but your subconscious always knows when you’re just going through the motions. That’s why it doesn’t stick. Faking it keeps you operating from a mindset of lack—always chasing, never becoming.
But when you embrace a true mindset shift and fully embody your future self, you start living as if it’s already true. Your subconscious starts to believe it, and your actions start to align. That’s how real change happens. You’re no longer pretending—you’re stepping into alignment.
This is something I teach all of my clients early on—because once they shift their mindset, everything else falls into place. The results last because they’re operating from belief, not burnout.
And yes, I’m a Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach. But nutrition isn’t just about food. It’s everything that feeds you—your thoughts, your relationships, your spiritual life, your environment. All of it matters.
This is why the “just eat better” approach doesn’t work long term. You have to shift your mindset before you can stick with the habits that nourish you. And that starts by deciding—right now—to embody the version of you who is already thriving.
So no, I don’t believe in “faking it.” I believe in becoming it. And that, my friend, is the mindset shift that changes everything.
Please Share This Post Know someone stuck in the fake-it phase? Send them this post. Share it, pin it, or drop the link in a group chat. Every share helps this blog grow—and maybe it helps someone else start their own transformation.
This is our only bathroom—aka the one every guest sees, and the one I’ve been silently apologizing for since we moved in. It was functional, sure… but cute? Cozy? Guest-worthy? Absolutely not. It was past time for a bathroom makeover.
It was the room I kept pretending I’d “get to eventually.” Spoiler: eventually took a while.
But now? She’s got her act together. I finally gave this poor neglected space the attention it deserved, and the result is a bathroom that feels fresh, intentional, and finally not embarrassing when someone asks to use it.
Setting the Scene: The Vision
Every makeover starts with a vision, and for this space, I wanted modern organic meets rustic farmhouse. A little bit soft, a little bit edgy. I also needed it to flow with the rest of my house, check out my Living Room. A place where I could light a candle and pretend I wasn’t being yelled at through the door.
Let There Be Light: The Farmhouse Fixture
One of the first things I swapped out in this bathroom makeover was the old light. You know the one—generic builder-grade vibes with no personality. I upgraded to a farmhouse-style fixture with vintage charm and a warm glow that instantly gave the room character.
It’s centered over the mirror, adds just enough drama, and says “someone with taste lives here.”
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Next up: the mirror. I went with a round, matte black one to break up all the sharp lines in the room. It’s lightweight, easy to hang, and gives the illusion that I know what I’m doing.
Could I have gone a few inches bigger? Sure. But this one works great for now and was super easy to install. No swearing required.
Storage That Doesn’t Suck: The New Medicine Cabinet
Real talk: we have one bathroom in this house. Storage matters. The new medicine cabinet checks all the boxes—sleek, black, and actually holds things. It blends right into the wall like it was always meant to be there.
Curtain Call: That Extra-Long Linen Moment
Let’s talk shower curtain glow-up. I added an extra-long linen curtain on a ceiling-mounted track and I’m never going back.
It gives hotel energy. Spa vibes. Not a plastic liner that sticks to your leg in the morning.
Paint Me Pretty: Behr’s “Blank Canvas” + “Black”
These two colors completely changed the feel of the room. “Blank Canvas” for the walls = soft, warm white. “Black” on the door and trim = instant edge.
Both are in a matte sheen, because I didn’t want anything shiny screaming “hi, I’m paint.”
The Final Vibe: Rustic, Organic, Minimalist-ish
Now? The space actually feels like a bathroom I’m proud to let people pee in.
The combo of farmhouse lighting, a modern mirror, bold black trim, and that extra-long linen curtain gave this room a total identity shift. It finally matches the vibe of the rest of the house—and no longer feels like an afterthought.
It’s clean, calm, functional, and even kinda fancy. No more awkward guest apologies or panicked pre-visit cleanups. Just a bathroom that makes me smile every time I walk in (and hopefully impresses anyone else who does, too).
Want to Steal the Look?
Here’s a quick roundup of what I used for my bathroom makeover (or close dupes you can shop with affiliate links—because you know I keep it real and I gotta fund the next project):
Wanna See the “Before?”
If you’re wondering just how bad this bathroom really was before the makeover… oh, I’ve got receipts.
You can check out the full before over on my TikTok and Instagram, where I documented the chaos, the outdated lighting, and the “please don’t judge me” vibes in real time.
Spoiler alert: it makes the after look even better.
Loved this transformation?
If this gave you some inspo (or made you feel slightly better about your own neglected bathroom), do me a solid and share it! Send it to your DIY-obsessed bestie, pin it to your project board, or post it to your stories. Sharing helps more than you know—and let’s be real, everyone loves a good before-and-after moment.
📌 [Pin it] 📤 [Share on Instagram Stories] 💌 [Email it to someone who still has builder-grade lighting]
There are few things I love more than a good before-and-after… especially when it comes with full creative freedom and a secret reveal at the end.
One of my closest friends handed me her house key, a budget, and the words every DIY-er dreams of: “Just make it beautiful. She trusts you.”
The “she” in question? Her daughter—a young adult who had been away at college, while her bedroom still looked exactly the same as it did when she was seven. (Because, well, it hadn’t been decorated since then.)
This boho bedroom makeover was a surprise from start to finish—and the results were totally worth the wait.
The Mission: Surprise + Style
The goal was simple: transform the space without her knowing a thing. No texts, no Pinterest boards, no Tik-Toks, no sneak peeks. Just a full-blown “holy crap” reveal when she came home.
And let me tell you—those are my kind of projects.
This room had amazing bones: tons of natural light and the best view in the entire house—looking straight out over the lake. But it was drowning in bright blue walls, clashing colors, and little kid energy.
It was time to level her up.
The Reveal: One for the Books
When she walked in and saw it for the first time… chills. Happy tears. Shock. Silence followed by “Wait—what?!”
Exactly the reaction I was hoping for.
She walked around the room in awe, taking it all in like she didn’t even recognize the space—and honestly, that’s one of my favorite parts of doing what I do. Seeing someone feel at home in a space that finally reflects who they are now.
Watch the Transformation in Action 🎥
Want to see the makeover come to life? I documented the full process over on TikTok & Instagram (@jescarrier) Check it out below and watch the magic unfold:
Don’t forget to follow for more real-life DIY, makeovers, and mildly chaotic projects in progress.
The Vibe: Boho, Classy, and Grown-Up
I wanted the space to feel calm, modern, and just a little bit whimsical. The final vibe? Coral boho bedroom makeover with warm neutrals, breezy textures, and subtle pops of color that tied in beautifully with the lake view.
Here’s what I brought in:
A soft white for the walls.
Layered bedding in creams, rusts, and terracotta tones
Rattan + wood accents for that boho texture
New curtain panels to frame the view (because yes, the lake deserved better)
Cozy throw pillows + a few subtle coastal details to keep it grounded in where we are
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Shop The Look:
Want to Surprise Someone Too?
Honestly, this kind of project is magic. Whether it’s your kid coming home from college, a best friend who needs a pick-me-up, or yourself after ignoring your bedroom for years (ahem)—there’s something special about creating a space with fresh energy.
And if you’re ever looking for someone to help make it happen? I might just know a girl.
✨ Love a Good Room Reveal?
If this post made you smile, gave you some ideas, or made you text your bestie “we should totally do this”—go ahead and share it!
📌 Pin it to your room makeover inspo board 📤 Post it to your stories 📎 Send it to the group chat and brag me up!
