Incentive.

I absolutely LOVE this idea! Reward yourself for doing something good! :)

Feelin' Like a Zombie.

First off, I'm so sorry for not updating for a while.. I have been so crazy busy between exams and MARDI GRAS! :)
Anywaysssss...
This post is dedicated to every last college student, stay at home mom, hard-working individual or just absolutely anyone who feels like they have nnnooooo energy what so ever. You just feel so "blah" all the time..like a Zombie. Believe me, I know how you feel. I feel like I never have time for myself. But the perfect place for me to have "ME" time is at the gym. You just have to find that time to go, and make yourself go. You will NEVER ever regret going... but you'll regret skipping. If you're looking for a little extra "umph" to get the zombie out of you..I use what is called Spark from Advocare..It's absolutely amazing!! It's natural and gives me the boost I need. So many of my peers drink it, and once you do, you're hooked! A lot of people even gave up their morning coffee (I find that just totally crazy, I'd never do such a thing, but some people do haha!).

If you're interested in trying it out let me know! And if you're currently drinking it I want to know what you think too! I'm sure you're hooked.

Now that I've given you my secret for energy..spring break is right around the corner so the next few updates will be focused on "hot bod" routines...which I know everyone will enjoy! ;)
I found a video, that's only 2 minutes long to help you get that sexy butt! It's soooo easy to do at home! (Soon I'll post my own workout videos, I just haven't uploaded mine yet.)





if this video isn't working.. you can go to YOUTUBE and watch it. (the link will take you directly to the video.)

So you have your energy, and your sexy booty...Now you need to work on getting your meals right! I'm a huge, HUGGEE fan of salt! I love my sodium :) But of course I keep my intake healthy. Lately, my guilty pleasure has been garlic hummus! It's absolutely amazing and so healthy!

I promise it taste better than it looks! :P Recipe from: Prevention
Artichoke Hummus

Tahini, a flavorful paste made of ground sesame seeds, packs healthy monounsaturated fats.

PREP TIME 10 minutes TOTAL TIME 10 minutes SERVINGS 8
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp hot paprika
1 c chopped fresh basil
1. Combine all ingredients except basil in food processor. Pulse until smooth. Transfer to serving bowl. Stir in basil and season to taste. (Makes 2 cups.)
NUTRITION (per 1/4 cup serving) 88 cal, 3 g pro, 9 g carb, 2 g fiber, 4.5 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 172 mg sodium
Serve with: Sesame Pita Chips, Sea Salt Baguette Toasts



ENJOY, LOVES! :)

Healthy-to-Go!

Life as we know gets in the way of absolutely EVERYTHING sometimes..especially nutrition. That is probably the number one complaint about trying to maintain a balanced/healthy diet because you're constantly on the go.. well let me just say noone understands better than me! I am literally NEVER home..(why you think I'm only doing a weekly blog :/ ) Between living at school and work..then coming home for five mins, then going to the gym..finally getting back home and having to do homework,study, laundry then find time to bathe myself isn't very fun nor does it constitute a good eating schedule.. BUT I figured it out. You just need to plan ahead..No it's not fun, yes it takes a little bit of time..but hey you may get to sleep those 3 extra minutes you set on your alarm clock. I usually make me a pb&j the night before for lunch the next day. If I don't have time to make anything the day before or the day of, I rely on good ole Smoothie king! Very nutritious! Also, I've stumbled upon a new little blog that I've come to love quickly. Here's a recipe for a very healthy and filling smoothie! (Yes, I know it's green and full of spinach! but it's my supper tonight and let me just say..it's a must try!) Thank you, IowaGirl!

Green Monster Spinach Smoothie!

Green Monster Spinach Smoothies are one of my top secret diet weapons, because although they’re packed with baby spinach, which make my skin, hair, nails, and overall self feel totally great, they do not taste healthy at all. I repeat, they do not taste healthy at all.

PLUS!

• Spinach is fat free, cholesterol free, low in calories, and very low in sodium
• Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin A, C, K, iron, fiber, folate, and lutein
• Leutin is an antioxidant that promotes good eye health, and may help prevent cancer of the liver, ovaries, colon and prostate, and even dementia.
• Dole lab tests found spinach juice has twice the chlorophyl, eight times the calcium, six times the magnesium, 10 times the potassium, 15 times the vitamin C and 43 times the vitamin A of wheatgrass juice!

First add 1 sliced frozen banana, and 1 Tablespoon peanut butter in a blender. Tip: PEEL and SLICE your bananas before you freeze them, or you’ll be sorry!

Next add bulking agents for staying power, like protein-packed vanilla Greek yogurt, and creamy unsweetened vanilla almond milk. You could use any kind of milk you want – cow’s, rice, soy, etc.

PS I started calling cow’s milk, well, cow’s milk, after I stopped drinking it last year in favor of Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze, and it freaks. Ben. out. So hysterical. I terrorize because I love.

Fill the blender the rest of the way up with baby spinach. I reckon I fit about 4 cups in there today!

Start the blender on “high blend” until everything’s mixed up, then switch it over to “liquify” to get the Green Monster velvety smooth.

Pure green gold!

Green Monster Spinach Smoothie

Print this recipe!
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 frozen sliced banana
1 Tablespoon peanut butter
1/2 cup 0% Vanilla Chobani Greek yogurt
1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze (or other kind of milk)
4 cups baby spinach (or more, or less)
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Nutritional stats:
350 calories, 10g fiber, 21g protein

I almost feel guilty enjoying one of these babies, as it tastes like a sweet, indulgent ice cream shake. It’s perfect for breakfast, lunch or even a snack.

Try throwing in different kinds of greens, protein powder, and any frozen fruit or berry combo under the sun. The sky’s the limit with this ultra-healthy, not-healthy-tasting Green Monster Spinach Smoothie!



Please let me know what you think about this smoothie! I know eating on the go is hard, so finding time to exercise is too! Any time you have down time...like when you're driving... do some glute squeezes..It'll help tone your butt WHILE DRIVING! ... or when you're walking to work, to the pantry, or anywheres keep your shoulders peeled back (having a nice posture) and you're ABS tight (stomach sucked in) will help work those tummy muslces as well...and you'll look slimmer just by maintaining the correct posture! COOL HUH!?

My Story: From Fat to Fab

I am no dietitian. I am no expert on fitness. But I have my own personal story.
       In 2009 is when my journey began. It was the end of my freshman year of college. I was 18 years old, weighing 181.7 pounds. People always say your first year of college="FRESHMAN FIFTEEN"..haha yeahhh more like "FRESHMAN FIFTY"! I always had issues with my appearance, and at this time in my life it was really bad. I no longer liked who I was. I wanted to change, but I had no clue how. I knew about the gym, the fad diets, etc. but where do I start? I never believed in diet pills; I always believed hard work really pays off where it is due. Well, at the Workout Company in Raceland a new weight loss competition for the summer was coming up. It was called "Biggest Loser on the Bayou". Locals gathered, made teams, and competed (like Biggest Loser on TV) to lose weight. Fortunately, my best friend's mom asked me to join her team.
 I could not pass up the offer. I was so embarrassed to be exercising in front of people..and even worse..WEIGHING IN in front of them! I was so worried about what all these people would think of me. But the truth is, people are happy for you--proud of you--so many different emotions are soaring because you are being CONFIDENT and taking a better step towards your health.
The program started in May and ended in July. With a lot of hard core exercising and a strict diet, I managed to lose 25 pounds. That's A LOT of weight (for a girl) to lose in such a short period of time. Once the competition was over, I slowly started to develop my old eating habits again. Before I knew it my weight was back up to 170-ish. I was eating fast food all the time; it seemed so convenient because I live life on-the-go. In August of 2010 I finally got some motivation back. My mom bought me "INSANITY" for my 20th birthday. Insanity is a high cardio workout--SUPER INTENSE! They don't call it Insanity for nothing. I started the DVD's right away, but  I didn't remain consistent with it until January 2011. That's when my life changed completely..for the better!

January 2011- I had an amazing workout partner, Josie Plaisance. We pushed eachother to  the limit. Just when I thought I couldn't go anymore.. I pushed a little bit harder. Also, my boyfriend I was dating at the time helped motivate me because of his passion for fitness.
February 2011- I was becoming a workout gu-ru. There was just one thing I didn't understand..WHY I COULDN'T GET MY EATING HABITS UNDER CONTROL!? I just couldn't bring myself to watch what I was eating.. I just wanted to eat, eat, eat---alllllll of the time! Well guess what? I discovered this cool, nifty little app called "MyFitnessPal". If you don't have it, you should. It is phenomenal! Once I started portioning my food, the weight just melted off of me!
March 2011- It was like one day I was 170 something pounds and the next I was in my 150's!! I lost 30 pounds :) I swear I felt like a whole new person. My confidence started boosting! The compliments I received were the biggest reward to me. I never felt so amazing in my life. I submitted my before and after pictures to Insanity. No sooner than I submitted them, they wanted to hear my story because of the success I had!

April 2011-NOW- I've kept the 30 pounds off, and I've lost 20 more. I now weigh 130 pounds. I go to the gym almost every single day. I like to try to go to 5am classes. For Christmas, my mom bought me the new Insanity called Asylum. I try to incorporate that into my workout routine as much as possible. I eat the minimum of 1200 calories a day and I allow myself to splurge whenever I feel it's necessary.

NOW..THE REASON I CREATED THIS BLOG!----Most people don't think they can do it..or all their lives they've been told "Ohhh, you're just big boned"! Well that's bullshit. I was always told that and obesity runs in my family. YOU and only YOU can take control of YOUR life. Don't let what you see in your family history put a label on who you are. It's never too late to change unless you're on your death bed. Each day is a new one. I hope to update my blog weekly, if not more with helpful tips, recipes, advice, etc to motive people to get up off the couch and do something. I may not be able to change the WHOLE world and make it healthy, but I can atleast do it one person at a time and start a chain reaction. Feel free to email me, call me, anything with questions-comments-or concerns. And if I help you at all, PLEASE let me know! I love the encouragement! Soo with that said, STAY TUNED ;)

AND WHILE YOU ARE "STAYING TUNED" BREAK OUT YOUR CAMERA AND TAKE A BEFORE PICTURE OF YOURSELF! YOUR LIFE IS ABOUT TO CHANGE BEFORE YOUR EYES!