Summer is Finally HERE.... How Will You Stay Fit?

Summer is all about long, hot days wearing short shorts and bikinis.  If you haven't already toned up for baring (well almost) all, here is one thing you can do that won't take too much time or effort to lose weight and keep it off.  After trial and error, I have found that the number one thing that prevents me from packing on pounds or feeling bloated is... portion control.

You may be asking, what is the right portion?  You would be surprised that you can match up every day objects to help you size up your portions.  Take a look at this chart, courtesy of WebMD.  Don't feel like you have to limit yourself fully to these portions, because according to Mayoclinic.org, you can eat multiple servings from each of these food groups every day.

Kick Up Your Workout For Summer With the Bikini BOOTY Routine! BIKINI SERIES ☀

Just tried this Bikini Booty workout routine, and I absolutely LOVED it!  You really feel your muscles working!  I am definitely going to continue using this workout, along with others from the BIKINI SERIES to tone up for summer!  You can also go to Laurenconrad.com to find some other great 'get fit' tips and videos.

Lets Get Started With Cookies!

Here's a recipe that I created because, well, I don't eat cookies AT ALL, and I was craving the closest thing to a sweet baked good without affecting my daily regimen.  Enjoy!

Sarah's Banana & Oats Cookies

2 ripened bananas
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp of organic all natural peanut butter
1 cup of all natural rolled oats (I used KIND HEALTHY GRAINS 'Oats & Honey Clusters with Toasted Coconut')
^^These grains are Gluten FREE, All natural NON GMO, Low Glycemic, 0g Trans Fat

1>Preheat oven to 350
2>Mash bananas and blend all ingredients together
3>Spoon onto greased baking pan
4>Sprinkle cinnamon over top
5>Bake for 18 minutes, cool on wire racks.

The Calm After the Storm

I have returned....and boy does it feel good!  I have spent the past year and a half dedicating myself to not only fitness, my family, and my friends, but to earning my bachelor's degree in Communication.  I am feeling all different kinds of emotions-- proud/relieved/excited/amazed.  I finally DID it!  

The past several weeks that I have spent preparing for my commencement day has come and gone.  I sit here now dedicating myself fully to searching for a career I have only ever dreamt of.  I have been working towards my personal goals for a long time, and I feel as if they are all starting to come together.

I am also dedicating myself to keeping up with my blog.  It occurred to me that this is my life, so why not talk about it and share the wonderful things that I know and experience about being healthy.  I am constantly learning about how my body responds to exercise, clean eating, and what motivates me to keep going on this path in life.  I hope you join me on my journey....feel free to comment along the way! :)

Ready to Start Feeling More Energized!

I have never been very good with taking the right dietary supplements, but because I work out on a daily basis I decided to find out the essential nutrients my body was missing.  I stopped into a local GNC & this is what I came across...

Women's Ultra Mega Active is a premium formula that is designed for women who exercise regularly.  Some of the benefits include supporting energy and metabolism.  It contains advanced multivitamin formula that features B-vitamins, L-carnitine, and CLA.  It also contains 10 grams of high quality protein that fuels lean muscle to support recovery, repair, and maintain body tissues (such as skin, bones, and muscles).  With a specialized blend of ingredients such as electrolytes, green tea, gingko biloba, and amino acids all of which help fuel performance.  Lastly the formula contains 8 grams of dietary fiber to aid in digestion and promote colon health.

How Fit Are You?

Fitnessmagazine.com gives you links to help you set new goals and track your workout progress every six weeks.  I love quizzes that test your strength, flexibility and speed.  If you do too, you can find out here! :)

Exercise is on the List!

And the New Superfood is...

Kaniwa is the new superfood.  Move aside quinoa, kaniwa (ka-nyi-wa) is the new guy in town!  This South American quinoa-like pseudo-grain is gluten-free, high in protein and a great source of iron.  Kaniwa looks very similar to red quinoa, but is about half the size.  You can use kaniwa as a breakfast cereal, add it to soups or salads, or make a tasty nutty pilaf! (foodandnutrition.org)

Kaniwa takes very little time to cook and it is a healthy choice to add to salads, stir-fries, soups and even stews.  Bonus- It's flavor pairs well with fish.

What does it look like?
Kaniwa seeds are dark reddish-brown in color and are significantly smaller than its close relative quinoa.

What does it taste like?
Kaniwa has a mild, nutty and slightly sweet taste, similar to the flavor of quinoa.

What are the health benefits?
Kaniwa is related to the highly popular quinoa and is considered as part of the healthy grains food group.

Where can you find it?
You can check out your local health food stores such as Whole Foods, or online at Amazon.com.

Words To Live By

Sleep.....Getting Enough?

According to WebMd, the amount of sleep you need increases if you have been deprived of sleep in previous days.  Eventually your body will demand that you sleep more, and more, to catch up on the sleep that was once lost.  While some adjust to a sleep schedule that requires little to no sleep at all (i don't know how they do it!), there are consequences of not getting the amount that your body needs.  Too little sleep may cause depression, memory problems, weakening of your immune system increasing your odds of becoming sick, and increases your perception of pain. 
Depending on different factors, like age, here is the recommended amount of sleep your body needs each night:

Infants require about 16 hours a day.
Most adults need 7 to 8 hours a night for the best amount of sleep, although some people may need as few as 5 hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep each day.
Women in the first 3 months of pregnancy often need several more hours of sleep than usual.

Experts say that if you feel drowsy during the day, your body hasn't had enough of the sleep it needs.

Benefits of Stretching Before Bed

I find myself always stretching, it helps relieve tension.  It's true what they say...

Stretching improves performance in any sport or fitness routine, reduces recovery time and injury, and aides in a better nights sleep.  Stretching also relieves muscle tension and mental tension.

You don't have to devote too much time to stretching.... All you need is a few minutes.  Stretch before bed to make your body that much healthier.

FREE Nutrition Services At Your Local Supermarket!

ShopRite now offers a variety of nutritional services to its customers.  Each supermarket has it's own 'Retail Dietitian', where anyone interested can obtain nutritional advice, counseling, and attend community programs and events.  Information can be found on the store's website.  Posters such as the one below, are advertised in retail stores as well.  I had taken this photo while shopping at my local ShopRite.  

Walking for a Cause (continued)

Below you will find an example of one of the rewards from March for Babies for your participation.  This just goes to show the organization's appreciation for ANY contribution you make!

Dr. Oz's "green drink"

Dr. Oz created a simple plan to improve 5 key aspects of your health.  One of the drinks is said to slow down aging, packed with anti-aging antioxidants.

Mix in a blender to make 3 to 4 cups:
2 cups spinach
2 cups cucumber
1 head of celery
1/2 tsp. ginger root
1 bunch parsley
2 apples
the juice of 1 lime 
the juice of 1 lemon

#INSPIRATION

Dish Up Some Healthy Meals For St. Patty's Day!

The holidays are a good excuse to drink and eat delicious foods.  You can enjoy some traditional St. Patty's Day dishes that won't pack on the pounds.  However, I can't promise that the beverages won't. ;)

Well, Here are a few recipes that are featured on EatingWell.com.  Enjoy!

Simple Ways to Maintain a Healthy Weight

Thanks to an article from Author Katie Morford, here are four habits that help maintain a healthy weight.  

1. Lay off the liquid calories.
2. Watch portions.
3. Close the kitchen after dinner.
4. Exercise!

How likely are you to follow and stick to these healthy habits?  Click Me!

De-Stress With Exercise

There is a direct connection between exercise and stress.  Exercise can increase your overall health and your sense of well-being.  I found out first hand after the birth of my first baby, nearly 6 years ago.  The stress of being a new mom, not to mention the exhaustion and moodiness that came along with it, was something that I needed to manage.  I found that working out was one of the best ways for me to manage my stress.

The good news is, you can do any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga.  I chose Pilates.  For me, it seemed to fall somewhere in the middle of the two.  By incorporating Pilates into my daily routine, I have reaped the benefits of not only being physically fit, but the levels of stress in my life have significantly decreased.
"Being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract you from daily worries," according to the Mayo Clinic Staff.  Tackle stress with exercise and you may see a few of these benefits:

• Pumping up your endorphins. - 

Physical activity results in the production of your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins.

• Meditation in motion. - 

Regular movement and physical activity may help you focus more on tasks, and result in energy and optimism. 

• Improving your mood. - 

Regular exercise can increase self-confidence, giving you a sense of control over your body and your life.  Exercise can also lower symptoms associated with anxiety and depression. 

Walking for a Cause

As a mother of two, one of which born prematurely, I find programs and events dedicated to raising awareness, supporting and giving hope to families that help babies begin a healthy life to be an eye opening experience.  Supporting a good cause can also be a fun and rewarding experience.  #MarchforBabies

Why Walk?

Sign up today to be a part of your local community and give hope to more than half a million babies that are born too soon each year.  Since 1970, the March for Babies, founded by the March of Dimes, has been walking to raise money to benefit all babies.  Today, communities across the nation have raised $2 billion. Volunteering helps raise money to support programs in local communities that help moms have healthy, full-term pregnancies.  It also funds research to find answers to the problems that threaten babies.

  
About The March of Dimes:

The March of Dimes helps moms have full term pregnancies and healthy babies.  Their mission is being there to save babies.  If something goes wrong the March of Dimes, with the help of volunteers, offer information and comfort to families.  The March of Dimes researches problems that threaten babies, and work on preventing them.   Log onto marchofdimes.com for current news and information on local events, health education, Washington updates, and the latest breakthroughs.

Getting to know YOU.  Tell me a little bit about yourself with this short survey!

5 Simple Questions About You!

 

I must admit, working out can be fun...

PILATES for Healthy Living

Check it out!

Video of the Day...Just Dance!

Active and Healthy! Here is some of my inspiration! 

http://t.co/QsGFdvpola

My Daughter, Elizabeth

A Healthy and Stress Free Life...A Parent's Perspective

What does being healthy mean to you? Now, how much does stress and daily activities effect that? Yes, eating right and working out is essential to health and wellness, but one of the most important components is mental. This blog was created to motivate and inspire those that actively seek nutritional and physical ways to keep the mind and body strong.

"Your fitness is 100% mental, Your body won't go where your mind doesn't push it." - Jeremy Chin - (Author of Fuel and founder of fuelrunning.com).