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Interview With My Sister, FITnancials

Last Updated: BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 107 Comments

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Interview With My Sister, FITnancialsHello everyone! I hope all of you had a great weekend. I wanted to start off this week with an interview with my sister Alexis. I talk about her blog every month in my monthly income updates, but I’ve never actually dedicated a full article on her website.

Her blog is FITnancials and I helped her start her blog last year. She blogs about healthy living and personal finance.

If you are interested in starting your own, check out my article that will show you the steps to create a blog.

 

Tell us about yourself.

First off, my name is Alexis and I am in my early twenties.

I used to be around 180 pounds and I was extremely unhealthy. Smoking a pack of cigarettes a day and drinking tons of soda was what my average day of consisted of. You might laugh because I was young, but it still happened.

I never exercised nor believed girls should do anything besides cardio.

One day I had a breakthrough and I realized I needed to get healthier, but the journey there wasn’t easy at all.

Why did you decide to blog?

I decided to blog to be able to reach out to others who were in need of help. I wasn’t just going to be any other blogger, I was a girl that came from experience of being heavy once myself.

I can relate to others who are in the process of having extra weight on them.

Interview With My Sister, FITnancials, Plus $250 GiveawayWhat do you like about blogging?

I love being able to meet others who are so passionate about fitness and nutrition as well. Surprisingly, a lot of my friends around me aren’t into eating healthy and exercising.

Most of my fitness friends are from online that I’ve met through blogging and Instagram.

What are your favorite blogs?

My favorite fitness blogs would definitely have to be Blogilates and Simply Taralynn.

I love Blogilates because she posts free workouts along with free meal plans as well. Taralynn’s blog reminds me of something out of Pinterest. She is always posting so many creative meals and makes everything look so interesting.

This is a personal finance blog, so I have to ask. Would you say you are good with money?

In all honesty, I would say I’m best with my money when I am running lower than I’d like to be at.

It’s sort of like a wake up call.

It hasn’t happened in awhile because I think I finally learned to save money whenever possible. I set aside a certain amount of money bi-weekly and that has helped me tremendously.

What’s your best money tip?

What I mentioned in the last question; take out a certain amount of money each check. Have it direct deposited through your bank account to your savings so you don’t even have to think about it. This has saved me so much money.

Pay yourself first!

Do you have any student loans?

At the moment I do not. I went to community college for a year and paid out of pocket. I am starting school in Chicago starting this Fall, so I will definitely have some school loans then.

Why should people read your blog?

People should read my blog if they’ve ever felt alone in the process of losing weight or becoming healthier. A lot of people feel like they are in the journey alone or don’t personally know anyone who is going through the same feeling.

I come from experience knowing what it is like to be heavier and I am here to help you achieve your goals. I love motivating and inspiring others and simply making others feel good about themselves no matter where they are body wise.

 

Are you working on being healthy as well as improving your finances?

Do you prioritize one over the over? Why or why not?

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About Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Michelle is the founder of Making Sense of Cents, a blog about personal finance and traveling. She discusses how her business has evolved in her side income series. She paid off $40,000 in student loans by the age of 24 mainly due to her freelancing side hustles. Click here to learn more about starting a blog!

Comments

  1. Kasia says

    Focusing on both health and finances is important. I try to do both although looking after my health seems to be a lot easier than looking after my finances!

    Reply

  2. John @ Wise Dollar says

    Nice to meet you Alexis! We’ve really moved to making our health as important, if not more so, than our finances this past year. It is nice to see progress from changes which just challenges us to continue – much like with money I guess. 🙂

    Reply

  3. James Salmons says

    Congratulations to Alexis!

    Alexis has certainly recognized one of the greatest values of the blogging world, finding a support group. An online community is one way to do it.

    When it comes to achieving anything important, good health and financial success being two of the most important, it helps to be able to interact with others who have the same interests. Often our immediate family and friends are not interested, even hostile in some case, which makes it hard for some people to succeed.

    Through your blogging communities, both of you, Alexis and Michelle, have helped a world of others as well as finding strength for your own journey. Thanks to both of you.

    Reply

  4. kammi says

    I agree that health and finance (and balance) go hand in hand. Also, I was reading recently that success often comes in groups; for example, a bunch of musicians all knew each other on the way to success, and if you’ve ever read Q (which is a GREAT book, btw) on the life of Quincy Jones, there was a time where he was mentoring and in the company of a lot of the greats who were younger at the time. I also feel like I get a lot more done and am more productive when I work out in the morning, too!

    Reply

  7. Holly@ClubThrifty says

    Hey Alexis! We are always working on our health and our finances. I actually think the two are related to a certain extent. It’s all about being the best we can be and living a happy, healthy life! =)

    Reply

  11. Natalie says

    Very nice post. I am glad you were able to adopt better eating habits. I am still trying to kick soda consumption. It is just so yummy but I am sick of hearing how bad it is for you.

    Reply

  15. Tonya@Budget and the Beach says

    Nice to get to know you better. Congrats on taking charge of both your finances and your health! A pack of cigs a day is…wow! I think being healthy and watching finances go hand in hand. Both are disciplines, and both compliment each other. For instance when you are happy with how you feel, you may not feel that urge to spend as much. It also helps alleviate financial stress when you work out. I think I prioritize health just slightly over finances. It’s not always easy to live a super healthy life and have that be cheap, I find that especially true when it comes to food. But I just try my best to balance everything out and not go overboard with either. Keep up the good work!

    Reply

    • Michelle S. says

      Yes, I am still shocked to hear about how much she used to smoke. AH! Our dad passed away partly from lung cancer (the other part was brain cancer), so hearing that she used to smoke really makes me sad.

      Reply

  16. Natalie says

    I prioritize focusing on my health but recently I am more invested in getting my finances under control.

    Reply

  17. Nicole Dz says

    I already live a healthy lifestyle and focus on being the best I can be mentally and physically daily. I am currently working on my finances right now, and working towards making better finance goals.

    Reply

  18. Bridget Heiple Reich says

    Yes, I am working on both. It’s a lot easier for me to stick to a budget than to lose weight. I’ve been in credit card debt before and have learned how to budget so that doesn’t happen again. I’ve also been much thinner, but I’m having trouble getting back there again!

    Reply

  20. Amanda says

    I’ve unfortunately been neglecting my health a little bit lately, because I lost my health benefits when I was laid off, and simply can’t afford to continue some things that were for my health. I’m keeping up with my prescriptions, but had to give up the chiropractor, and delay re-joining a gym. Hopefully this all turns around within the next month or so and I can get back on track with both!

    Reply

    • Alexis says

      If you don’t have money for a gym, don’t bother. That might come as a surprise for a personal trainer to say, but there’s re countless ways to workout at home. YouTube videos, workout videos from the library, and even apps for your phone have free workouts.

      Reply

  21. Lauren S. says

    I am absolutely working on both, and it has been easy. I now buy more produce and frozen vegetables, along with fresh-cut chicken breasts, and it is FAR less expensive than if I were to eat packaged, processed foods.

    Reply

  22. Jason B says

    I am working on both. I work out at least 3 times a week. for my finances I am working on more opportunities each day and learning more about money.

    Reply

    • Alexis says

      I feel like I had a few actually. Realizing walking up a stair of flights was too difficult. Not having money because I would spend it all on food and cigarettes. Looking in the mirror and topping over 180 pounds. Plenty of negative things.

      Reply

  24. Lisa E. @ Lisa vs. the Loans says

    I feel like my struggle with my weight will never end. I would love to read more from someone who has actually fought the battle I’m going through right now and won. I am working on both my financial and physical health. However, right now I’m prioritizing my financial health over my physical health. I really need to create a balance between the two.

    Reply

  26. Blessie Nelson says

    I try to do both even though finances take more priority with the economy these days. Its not easy but when I get time, I workout to make up!

    Reply

  29. Michelle L says

    Are you working on being healthy as well as improving your finances?
    Both, I think. THey are interconnected. I’m guessing fiscally depressed can cause stress on the body(headaches).

    Do you prioritize one over the over? Why or why not? Both, they both are important.

    Reply

  31. Stefanie Foote says

    I’m working on improving my finances currently and should be working on improving my health as well. I get into a state of despair over both which usually makes the health situation worse. I need a major life overall in both areas!

    Reply

  32. Ann Fantom says

    I’m always working on being healthy as well as improving my finances. Being healthy is my priority because you can buy your health.

    Reply

  33. Melissa says

    Aw, I’ve been reading Alexis’ blog for a while now – I’m excited about her move and new school in Chicago! Can’t wait to continue reading and vicariously enjoying school through her blog posts. I bet she (you, Alexis, if you’re reading :)) will have lots of interesting posts to share about health.

    Personally, I try to place weight (ha, punny) on both managing my finances and my weight, but I seem to go in extremes. When I was younger, I was extremely motivated to be healthy, but I didn’t pay attention to my finances. Now that I’m older, I have a savings account, but now also a couple extra pounds (ahem… more than a couple) to show for it. I need balance!

    Reply

  35. Tory says

    I’m working on improving both situations but its very hard being a full time college student. No money and very little time to exercise and so many unhealthy things around

    Reply

  36. DC @ Young Adult Money says

    If you don’t have your physical health you have nothing, so I would say I prioritize that. But I also know that the better you are off financially, the easier it is to tap into resources that will help you be healthy. It also takes away stress which is a huge problem for many people – myself included.

    Reply

    • Alexis says

      Very true. It can definitely go both ways. People who are low on money often say that don’t have the resources to be healthy but there is always a way.

      Reply

  39. Mai Tran says

    I am working on being healthy as well as improving my finances at the same time. However, I don’t go to gym. I maintain health by a good diet and a lot of moving around. I do prioritize health over finances since finances can only be maintained when one has good health.

    Reply

  41. Tina Marie says

    This is a great question, and one that I’ve been grappling with lately. I have decided that being healthy is my priority, because without your health, you don’t have energy or brain power to improve your finances.

    Reply

  42. Valencia says

    I am working on being healthy. I do need to concentrate more on improving finances. The health part has been taking priority because I was sick for a good while.

    Reply

  43. Mishelle says

    I am working on both – being more healthy AND getting healthy financially because now I am a divorced Mom and I need to be there for my children.

    M

    Reply

  45. Lisa Brown says

    Q) Are you working on being healthy as well as improving your finances? A) Always doing that.

    Q) Do you prioritize one over the over? Why or why not? A) I actually prioritize a bit more with health, my finances are in good standing.

    Reply

  46. Julie Wood says

    I am very good at working on being healthy, and I have always known that my finances are important, and I do not waste money. I have a retirement account that I do not touch, and I save money every month in case of an emergency.

    Reply

  47. Tari Lawson says

    Yes, we constantly work on being healthy. As for our finances, with a child in college we have had to make some changes. We are working on developing a plan for our future and what to do once the college payments are finished.

    Reply

  48. Cynthia C says

    I work hard on both good health and financial well being, but I believe nothing is more important than health. If you are ill, you can’t enjoy what wealth can bring.

    Reply

  49. Carly Smith says

    I prioritize trying to be healthy over improving my finances, because being in good healthy underlies everything. If you don’t take care of your body and nurture your self, everything else is secondary.

    Reply

  51. Shannon says

    Yes I am trying to eat healthier as much as I can. Some foods I will not buy because they are more expensive.

    Reply

  53. Christine Presto says

    I work on both my finances and fitness – I just recently signed up for Diet Bet, so maybe a little extra income and motivation for sure will help with getting healthier!!

    Reply

      • Christine Presto says

        Yeah, this is the first one I actually went through signing up for. I’ve been pretty lazy about my fitness recently so it’s a swift kick in the butt. haha. Chris and Heidi Powell are hosting this specific one!

        Reply

  56. Lynne says

    I am so sorry if this is a duplicate – my computer hiccupped……. I walk alot to try to stay healthy, but I also tend to buy more processed inexpensive foods in an effort to save money – it is a balancing act, for sure.

    Reply

  57. alexis says

    I’m definitely working more on my fitness at this point in time. My finances are great right now, but my health isn’t. :/

    Reply

  58. Suzanne K says

    I’m working on both, but health a bit more because finances are in a bit better shape than I am

    Reply

  59. jenn giannetto says

    unfortunately i always prioritize finances because it has more immediate consequences when not managed well and i have an easier time with what is in front of me and not far ahead

    Reply

  62. Kate says

    I feel that I have a good handle on my finances, but I should definitely work harder at being healthy. While I’m by no means unhealthy, I know I could devote more time and effort to this area!

    Reply

  63. Mary Beth Elderton says

    We are working on both. I began “cleaning” our diet some time ago, and we have recently purchased a small house. Now that we aren’t paying rent and are eating food from scratch at home, we are getting healthier both physically and financially.

    Reply

  64. Paula V says

    Yes, I’m working on both health and financial wellness. No, I don’t prioritize one over the other. Health is more important than wealth unless financial debt is a factor in which that can cause health problems.

    Reply

  65. saida says

    I just came across your blog recently, and reading your story is incredible – I admire the way you’re using your own achievements to help others, especially in health!
    Have a great weekend, Saida xx

    Reply

  66. Dagmar I says

    I love your blog! I’m only starting to think about budgeting my money as I’m going off to university for the first time in the fall, I’m hoping I can save more money and keep the shopper in my at bay.

    Reply

  68. Margarida says

    I’m really glad your sister got healthier! I just starting working out after a year without doing practically nothing and I love it! It’s so good to feel that muscles that you didn’t even existed are being used and I love doing something good for my body. Thank you so much for the opportunity 🙂

    Reply

  71. Irene Newstead says

    I am still recovering from my third stroke on June 9 last year and have learned the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, which includes both healthy eating and daily exercising. One benefit….I no longer cringe when I step on the scale.

    Reply

  72. Edmond says

    It is hard for me to stay healthy with poor nutrition, no supplements, lack of food. SOS. Help. Pick me, pick me! Your next winner!!! Show me the money!!! It would be a dream come true & means more to me than anyone else to win. Starving artist here desperately needs the $250 paypal to shop & eat again. Winner, winnner. Chicken dinner. A life changing experience. Top of my bucket list. Thanks for the awesomeness, the contest, & generosity. Dear Santa: I’ve been nice. My X-Mas wish this year is to win this contest!

    Reply

  74. Ally Paraguan says

    Awesome post! I am working on being healthy as possible, as well as improving my finances at the same time, I am 21 years old and a full time student. I believe organization is the key for success, so I always cook my healthy meals and snack for school. Saving money and getting healthier 😉

    Reply

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