Monday Mantra - Give It All You Got

I was traveling for work last week and a friend who lives in town invited me to a hot yoga class she has been going to. First off, I was ecstatic to get back to hot yoga since I had not gone since completing The Ultimate Reset. More importantly, the yoga teacher said something interesting that I will keep with me for a long time. More or less, she pointed out a workout only lasts "x" number of minutes. Give it all you got for that time period and leave knowing you couldn't possibly have done more. If your mind is elsewhere during your workout or you only give half an effort, you will leave feeling unsatisfied.

I think that is a great piece of advice! So often I find my inner voice complaining or whining and I give in. Before I know it, the workout is over and I *know* I could have given more. I tried to apply this 'give it all you got' mentality to my run the next day. I knew, total, I only had to run 25 minutes, and then I would be done with the workout. I ended up cutting about 10 secs off my normal pace! And by having this mentality on a consistent basis, I know I will only get stronger. This can apply to any workout or challenge you are taking on right now - push yourself! You can do it, I believe in you!

Snack Time at the Movies

"I don't know about you, but whenever I go to the movies I really crave s'mores!"

Ok, so maybe I was lacking a bit of sleep this past weekend since I was watching after my 1-year old nephew, but I'm pretty sure I heard this quote right. I was expecting "popcorn" or "candy" to come at the end of that sentence. S'mores? I want to know what movie theater this person goes to!

I cannot remember the name of the show or the host for the life of me (I blame a sleep deprived Laura!) however I do remember the concept of her show was to come up with reduced cal versions of foods we all love. Since she loves to have s'mores while at the moves (still trying to figure that one out) she came up with this alternative:

2 c popped kettle corn
10 chopped up tootsie rolls
1/2c cinnamon toast crunch or similar cereal
1/2c mini marshmallows

Basically you put everything in a bag and shake it all up and keep on hand or sneak into the movie theater with you. I made a few tweaks:

2 c popcorn (not kettle)
1 tbsp dark chocolate chips
1/2c cinnamon toast crunch
1/2c mini marshmallows

It is a very tasty treat, not too high in calories if you are watching that sort of thing, and a lot less messy than a real s'more if you would like to indulge while watching your favorite flick! Enjoy!

Travel Tip Tuesday - Visit a Grocery Store!

As a young professional, I was pretty excited to land a job which requires me to travel to other shops & suppliers from time to time. However traveling can make it difficult to stick to your regular workout & meal plan. I travel up to one week per month, and needed to find ways to travel while on a fitness plan. Tuesdays I will share with you tips & tricks I've picked up along the way!

Visit A Grocery Store

One of the things I find most difficult when traveling is sticking to a meal plan - especially traveling as a vegan! Unfamiliar grocery stores & planned business dinners make it hard not to blow your meal plan. My tip this week is to head up to a grocery store after checking into your hotel. Most hotel rooms have a fridge & access to a microwave. You can pick up items from the store, like fresh fruits & veggies, to make a healthy breakfast & lunch each day.

For instance I spent less than $20 on this:

Spring Mix, Instant Rice, Nuts, Salad Dressing

in order to make this:

Lunchtime Salad: 380 cal / 8g fat / 60g carb / 12g protein / 10g fiber

I have enough for 4 servings - it may be repetitve, but I have lunch covered for the week! I also picked up almond milk to mix with my Shakeology and fresh fruit & some granola bars for snacks.

If you're anything like me in the morning, you are slow to get moving. Pack Shakeology and bring a shaker bottle and breakfast can be done in less than 2 minutes! If you don't have to worry about luggage size, you can even pack your Magic Bullet, pick up some fruit, and make a quick smoothie in the morning - the perfect way to start your day off right!

Monday Mantra : 6/11/12

Newsflash - we were all created differently! That is the beauty of the human race! I am tired of women - especially teens & young women - comparing themselves to an unrealistic standard that popular culture has set. Do not look inward to find your flaws. Look inward to find what makes you uniquely you!

 Repeat these words to yourself:

Photo: gettyimages.com

YOU are strong. YOU are beautiful. Remind yourself of that daily!

Things I Love Thursday: Teeccino!

If you are looking to cut back on caffeine (maybe because you are starting BB's Ultimate Reset!) there is a great caffeine-free alternative on the market. Teeccino is an herbal tea blend that is roasted and ground just like coffee. You can even brew it like coffee, or use the convienent individual-serving tea bags!

There are 18 flavors divided into two flavor lines - Mediterraenan and Maya. There are also 3 roasts - light, medium, and dark. My personal favs is the Maya Chocolate, because I don't like my coffee too sweet! With all the options avaialble, I am sure you can find one you love too!

Iced Chocolate Mint Coffee
1 c Maya Chocolate Teeccino, chilled over ice
1/2c chocolate almond milk
1 tsp mint extract

Have you tried Teccino? What is your favorite flavor?

Monday Mantra: Small Changes

I know we have all heard it, but small changes really do add up! Here are 2 examples:

1. Swap Greek-style Fruit Yogurt for Fat-Free Fruit Yogurt. On average, Greek Style yogurt has 2% LESS sugar than non-Greek style. The American Heart Association recommends that women get no more than 100 calories per day from sugar, and that men get no more than 150 calories per day from sugar. Despite these recommendations, most Americans average more than 350 calories per day from sugar (Livestrong.com). Many studies have shown decreasing your sugar intake can reduce your belly fat (& lead to a healthier heart!) so try to keep your sugar intake within the recommended daily limits!

2. Park further away. Another suggestion that we all hear on a regular basis. Maybe because it works! A good goal is to get 10,000 steps a day in. You can pick up a cheap pedometer from your local sports store to help keep track of your progress throughout the day. I recently purchased a Nike+ Fuelband and it really does encourage me to get up and moving from my desk at random times during the day. I take the long way to the water fountain and park farther away from the door just to sneak in some extra steps! They add up!

What small changes have you made recently? Let me know in the comments!

Beachbody Ultimate Reset - The Results

If you have been following my blog, you know that I wrapped up Beachbody's Ultimate Reset this past week. There were definitely high & low points of the experience, and commitment to the program took more discipline than I was expecting! Many thanks again to my support team for being with me every step of the way.

Let me tell you it is TOUGH to share before and after pictures of yourself, especially when you aren't exactly proud of your "before" state. I choose to share these pictures & results though because I am PROUD that I finished this program and recognize this is just another step on my journey towards lifetime health and fitness.

So here you have it...my before and after pics and some highlights of what I accomplished in just 21 DAYS!

What's next for me? I have been slowly ramping up my workouts again after being off for 3 weeks. I have a 5k scheduled for June 30th and will be starting up another Beachbody program soon (most likely TurboFire). And of course, I will keep blogging! I have always enjoyed sharing health & fitness tips with others, and I think this blog is a great avenue to do that through.

Thanks for following along. And please let me know if you have any questions - about the Ultimate Reset, about a vegan diet - or anything else you may have on your mind. Signing up to be a Beachbody coach means I'm committed to helping YOU on your health & fitness journey as well! Stay positive :)

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