Banana Carrot Muffins

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to cook but hate to bake. Not because I don't like baked foods but because generally mine just don't turn out. I am excited to share my Banana Carrot Muffin Recipe because for one of the first times, my baking turned out!

You will need:

1 Ripe Banana
1 egg

3 Carrots (finely blended)
2 tbs Olive Oil
2 tbs flaxseed
1 Cup Oats
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup Sugar (I used Sugar in the Raw, not a fan of artificial sweeteners so if you really can't bare adding sugar you could use a little applesauce but honestly it won't kill you to use the real thing when its a very small amount)
Dash of Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour

First:

Preheat oven to 400 and lightly spray your muffin pan.

Second:

Mix together all dry ingredients followed by egg

Third:

Add the Olive Oil, Banana, and Carrots and stir until fully mixed.

Fourth:

Place the batter in the tin, bake for 18-23 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Textbook Arm Workout

Please excuse my awkwardness it was my first video ever.

Now in this video I mention how this is a great replacement for the magic circle. The magic circle is a great pilates workout tool that can be used for things besides your arms, but if you do not have one a textbook is great replacement for your arms. 

Happy Hobbies

Though it is very important to kick back and relax when you need to, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to keep yourself busy busy busy! Humans have the tendency to have higher feelings of self-worth when they do more throughout the day. It gives us a feeling of accomplishment; like we were productive and have achieved something. Though exercises work wonders for the body and soul, there are other things you can do in your free time to ease the mind. I know in a previous post I mentioned hula-hooping as an unconventional workout, but it is also just fun! It is really hard to think about the frustrations of your day while you are spinning endlessly. Also, when you have an LED hoop, the lights just mesmerize you and make you happy! Or they make me happy at least.

In addition to hooping, I also like to make black light t-shirts in my spare time. Clearly I have a little obsession with things that light up, or glow in the dark :)

Whatever it is that you like to do in your spare time, stick to it! It's a good little outlet to escape from the world, and better your mind. When your bed final hits the pillow at night you feel so at peace with yourself when you have done something with your day.

My Top 10 list of Health Tips

Top 10 Health Tips

1-Take a rest day weekly
2-Do Cardio and Strength training
3-Eat every 2-4 hours to keep metabolism up
4-Drink Tea and Water often
5-Know portions based on your body
6-Eat lots of fruits and vegetables
7-Eat whole wheat grains (white offers minimal nutrition)
8-Eat breakfast within an hour of waking up to start metabolism
9-Enjoy your workouts
10-Indulge once and awhile :)

(additional)
11-Don't let Jenna or I cook crab legs for you, this was a terrifying experience

Trip to the Farmer's Market

I was advised to check out the Dekalb Farmer's Market down and let me say, I was blown away by it! The market is absolutely huge and literally filled with any and every type of food. There are different aisles that have spices, ethnic foods, health foods, teas and coffees, everything. I was very impressed with the prices of the produce especially compared to your local grocery store. While it is a bit of a trek from my apartment, I would much rather shop at the market then fork out extra money on food that should not be so overpriced.

I was also very excited to see the prices of some of my favorite things so low!

Chia seeds for $6.99/lb at your local Health Foods store it is generally $8.99/half pound!

I was astounded to see flax meal for $1.69/lb

lentils for $1.30-1.45/lb

All of these prices are unheard of! Give your local farmer's market a go, you will be happily surprised with great prices on foods that are so beneficial to your diet. I know I will be sure to go back and grab a few more spices and ethnic foods I can use in my cooking.

Chocolate Pudding that is actually good for you- too good to be true?

I don't know about you but when I hear the word Chocolate it is all I can think about. I don't have much of a sweet tooth except for chocolate, especially dark chocolate. I start every morning with a piece of Dove Dark Chocolate and I love it. I am a huge follower of the website Fitsugar and frequently view their recipes. I saw that they had a Chocolate Pudding recipe and immediately was interested. I decided to make it myself.

The ingredients:

2 Avocados (would you ever expect that?!)
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
3/4 cup Raw Cacao Powder
1 cup Almond Milk
3/4 cup Maple Syrup (I used Honey because we had it at home) Next time I will use the Maple Syrup..the honey was a little too sweet after awhile

Then you literally just blend everything up and refrigerate it and it is good to go!

I was shocked when I tried it, it tasted just like Chocolate Pudding, and you couldn't even taste the avocado.

Why this is good for you:

Avocados- Avocados are great for you. They are a form of healthy fat and can replace oils and butters used for baking. They are mild so they blend nicely into whatever it is you are making. They also are beneficial for your heart and help with nutrient absorption. I am positive there is a long list of the benefits of incorporating avocado into your diet but I thought I'd just name a few.

Cinnamon- Cinnamon not only tastes and smells good, but it also increases metabolism, improves memory and attention, alleviates mental stress, and can reduce headaches and migraines. Like avocados, cinnamon has endless health properties that extend past the few listed.

Raw Cacao Powder- Raw Cacao Powder has more antioxidants that any food tested. It has up to 4x the amount of antioxidants found in green tea which is impressive! Not only does it taste amazing when cooked, it has a lower fat content then commercialized chocolate.

Almond milk- Almond milk tastes extremely good by itself. Almond milk has a creamier texture then cow Milk and fewer calories. Almond milk has much more vitamins and nutrients then cow's milk and also has high levels of antioxidants. Almond milk is free of saturated fat and cholesterol, even though it contains more fat then skim milk. The calcium level in almond milk is almost equal to that of cow milk and it is free of the hormones that cow's milk has.

Hope you enjoy this pudding as much as I do!

At home workouts

 <--Personally I am not this brave.

Not all of us are as lucky as Danielle to be living somewhere where the coldest it gets is 40 degrees (and she still complains). I am currently stuck trekking around  Michigan State's campus and it is horrible. Today I spilled some coffee on my arm and it literally froze to my jacket. When it is this cold out I absolutely refuse to workout outside. It also does not give me very much motivation to go to the gym either. My alternative is simple; workout at home! At this point I have my favorite exercises memorized, so it is pretty easy to do this. For those seeking cardio, jump roping is a great way to get your heart pumping, and it does not require too big of space. I am hoping by this weekend to have some workouts made for the site so those of you who are suffering the cold weather with me can get a good exercise in at home.

Response to Food Matters Documentary

I realize that I am definitely behind the times and that Food Matters came out in 2008 and Forks over Knives in 2011 but putting that aside, I am glad that I now finally have watched them. Perhaps having a period of time between finishing school and starting work has given me the time I needed to actually sit down and grant some of my attention to something that I view as pretty significant.

After watching Forks over Knives, I was obviously pretty effected by it (if you read my post on it you would get that impression at least). My fiance encouraged me to also watch Food Matters and I am very happy he did. One aspect of the documentary that I really like is that they use actual facts and research to back up what they are saying. In comparing our Western society to the Japanese and the lifestyle differences we have, it seems pretty apparent why the US is a lot sicker than the Japanese are.

The other part of the documentary that really effected me was the emphasis on how much money the medical companies make and how nutritional therapy is often ignored. In treating chronic illnesses, most people go for the "quick" fix of a pill that they eventually become dependent on and experience tremendous side effects as opposed to taking a step back and realizing that a lot of their lifestyle has effected their health. In reality, we are just spending a ton of money and keeping the pharmaceutical industry alive.

By chronic diseases, I mean Diabetes, Heart Disease, Tobacco Related conditions, etc. I am by no means saying that all chronic conditions result from a poor lifestyle, of course there are many things out of our control but I was fascinated that in both documentaries chronic conditions were highly reversible through a dramatic lifestyle change. When you think about it, a pill will stop the condition temporarily but in turn creates many other side effects and also a dependency. When you change your lifestyle, you are benefiting your body in ways even beyond curing an illness. You think sharper, you look better, you feel better, and you are a lot happier as a person.

I was also fascinated by the positive effects that vitamins, natural juices, and Superfoods had and was surely taking notes while watching..dorky I know. In all seriousness though, it is important to at least learn as much information as you can about what goes into your body and what benefits and effects it has on your health. Just as I encourage you to learn as much as you can, I will continue to do the same and open up my mind to other sources. Above all, prioritize yourself first. I don't care if that sounds selfish because it is true. There are many people who care about you and by taking the step to be selfish about your health and what you can control, you will be doing those people a favor and also hopefully helping others in their attempt to find a balanced lifestyle. We cannot control many things in our lives but how we take care of ourselves is all in our own hands and I find that refreshing!

Remember the people you love and mean the world to you and know that you are doing them a favor by trying to be around as long as you can for them. Cheesy with the picture I know but I am a huge sap!

Enchilada Casserole

Before I type up the Recipe, I need to say this turned out amazing and is worth making..I was inspired by the recipe on CookingLight.com but changed the way it was made and added some other ingredients. I was not patient enough for that recipe but I am sure that it would've also been amazing. It just required a lot more time and dedication!

You will need:

Can of Black Beans
Can of Pinto Beans
Can of Corn
Cilantro
Green Onions
Can of Red Enchilada Sauce
Can of Green Enchilada Sauce
Canned Chilies
Salsa
Green Bell Pepper
Jiffy Cornbread Mix
Egg
Milk

1-Begin by making your filler:

In a bowl, mix together black beans, pinto beans, chopped cilantro (1/4 cup), chopped green onions (1/4 cup), red enchilada sauce, 1/3 cup salsa, corn, 2/3 can of green chilies

Set aside

2-Make your base corn bread:

Follow the directions on the Jiffy box, then add the rest of the green chilies, and about 1/4 cup green bell pepper. After stirring the mix, lightly spray your pan and flatten mix to the bottom. Let cornbread bake for about 10 minutes, it should be firm but not fully cooked. Add the filler mix to the top and gently lay over the cornbread. Lightly pour about half the green enchilada sauce over the casserole. Add whatever else you like to the top, I added black olives, you could add cheese, nutritional yeast (which is simiar a replacement for cheese-actually pretty good).

Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Why I stopped using salad dressing

Everyone on a health kick usually uses a salad as a go to meal or something that will fill them up while getting their vegetable fix in a tasty way. I am sure many people have heard that you can easily make a salad unhealthy by adding too many crouton, nuts, etc.. (even though I am definitely an advocate for adding nuts to your salad for some protein) But what about the dressing?

I used to be one of those people who would buy fat free or light dressing and think, "Oh it is light, it won't make any difference!" In reality, I was wrong and it made a BIG difference. Salad dressings in general are produced with many unnecessary ingredients and fats. Even worse, low fat or non fat salad dressings are actually packed with artificial ingredients that will increase your appetite and in turn result in the opposite of why you use it in the first place.

I will compare salad dressing to artificial sweeteners and other non fat products we see at the store that supposedly make your food "healthier" (with the exception of 0% dairy products) but that is for another post. If you are making a salad with the intention of eating healthy, just be careful not to ruin a good thing by adding all that excess dressing. Surprisingly, a burger or fries may potentially carry less fat or calories then some of the dressing being added which is absolutely crazy!

So what do you use instead of salad dressings?

The fun thing is you can make your own, and they will taste much better than most store bought brands.

Some of my favorites:

The Arabic dressing:
garlic, lemon, olive oil (good fat), salt, pepper, cumin, dried mint

My Miso dressing:

Miso paste, apple cider vinegar, garlic, soy sauce

The basic:

Lemon and Olive Oil

others: plain salsa, Frank's Red Hot (if you like spicy), Guacamole (got a great recipe!)



I am still in the process of whipping up more, sometimes I just mix a lot random ingredients until I feel like they taste great together. I am also saving money not forking out 4 or 5 dollars for a bottle of heavy dressing. If you like a creamier blend, you can always add plain Greek yogurt or mashed avocado for a thicker consistency and additional flavors. Good luck! I will try to remember to post more recipes.

Forks over Knives- A big reality check

As I have mentioned before, I am a healthy person and especially healthy about the foods I choose to put in my body. Being an athlete the majority of my life, I have always convinced myself that I need a ton of protein, especially that of red meat. I have also been told by many to keep eating meat to stay strong and keep all the necessary nutrients for running. For awhile in my life, I took those statements a little too literal and ate way too much meat for my needs. I would eat it multiple times a day and honestly, it was not helping my energy levels whatsoever.

After finishing my competitive career as a runner, I realized that my body no longer needed quite as much protein from meat. My metabolism changed quite a bit as I stopped exerting my body as frequently as I used to. Running less mileage and also less intense paces in turn led me to listen to my body in a different way. My appetite which generally is enormous became a little smaller (not significantly, I'd say I still probably am hungrier than the average person) but for me it went down. I also lost my appetite for so much meat and began to gradually cut out some of it from my diet.

I do not believe in just doing something cold turkey, I feel that drastic changes in something especially like your diet can make you ill. Even in leaning up, I gradually changed my eating habits and fitness routine and noticed slow changes in my fitness. Anything cold turkey generally results in a quick rebound and usually backfires. With my attempt to limit the amount of meat I was eating, I gradually cut it out, eating it every other day or every few days.

It wasn't until I watched the documentary "Forks over Knives" that my perspective on meat and the health of our nation really took a turn. I watched the documentary about 2 weeks ago and honestly felt a surge of passion after watching it ignite in me. I would advise anyone who has not seen it to watch it. There are scientific studies that show a huge correlation in the amount of dairy products our country consumes and the rates of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease that affect people's lives daily. The other interesting part of the documentary was that the rates of these diseases reversed when meat and dairy was reduced in a person's diet.

I want to be very careful in writing this post and make it clear that I am not saying that eating meat is bad and will lead you to diseases. I am saying that everything in moderation is a great mentality to live by and incorporating meat in your diet is probably beneficial to many assets of your health but the amount of meat and type of meat you eat is important.

Our country prides our HUGE portions at restaurants and grease filled plates. The sad thing is, this type of mentality not only effects us, but also the younger generations who are growing up thinking that this is the way to eat. I don't care if you are larger built or smaller built, I care about the actual health of your body and the way it functions. You could be a heavier person with a heart as strong as a horse and that is great! To me, health is not about your size but about your body and how well you fuel it to live efficiently.

The documentary talked about how wonderful a plant and whole food diet is to your health. Grains, greens, beans, nuts, and fruits are all wonderful for fueling you and keeping your heart healthy and strong. Lean proteins as well as vegetarian options often are all going to keep you feeling full as well as feeling strong. Am I saying never eat out at a fast food restaurant again? Of course not! I am saying everything in moderation is important and I would not recommend eating fast food multiple times a week. I would advise anyone reading this to watch the documentary and make your own opinion towards it. I know it effected my outlook on the way I perceive certain foods and I am continuing to learn which choices will benefit my health most in the future. Please let me know what you think of the documentary!

Do handstands! They're good for you.

As I said in a previous post I have been experimenting with yoga, and every time I finish a sequence I feel great! I have been trying to master forearm stands lately. Handstand/ headstands/ forearm stand are all great for your core and arms! They also help build your endurance. Aside from that, reversing your blood flow has some amazing benefits; it is easier on the heart to have blood flow right up to your head instead of having to push it up there. The blood flow to the head will flush your adrenal glands, and when this happens we have more positive thoughts which fights depression. They also provide fresh blood to the pituitary glands and hypothalamus. These two areas keep our bodies at homeostasis or in balance which improves our overall well-being. They are great for both physical and mental health!

 I have been trying to master these forearm stances. My form still definitely needs some work, but I have been making progress!

I start out just trying to bring my knees up. Once I gain my balance, I bring my legs up to straight.

After I find my balance with straight legs, I have been trying to bend them. The goal is to eventually have them touch my head, but I am clearly still far away from that.

If you are just starting you, you can use the wall to assist you or start in headstands. They are all great for you and will make you feel good.

Why Pilates?

Whether you are a runner, cyclists, swimmer, gymnast, or just an average person I believe that Pilates will have a positive influence on your fitness and individual goals. But why?

First off, I will give a definition of what Pilates actually is. I found this definition on dictionary.com but many other sites offer other great explanations of Pilates.

Definition: a method of physical and mental exercise involving stretches and breathing that focus on strengthening the abdominal core.

For the past 2 years, I have devoted much of my fitness routine to Pilates. Pilates truly does focus on the strength of your abdominal core, it keeps your body in balance. All of your strength starts at your core because your core is not only your abs but also your back, especially your lower back. With a strong core the rest of your body will be able to function efficiently because your posture will be improved and you will feel far less fatigued. 

The other thing about Pilates that many people may not be aware of is that is creates an after burn. With cardio, you are burning calories on the spot. With strength training, you will continuously burn calories throughout the day and in turn boost your metabolism. For this reason, I believe that an effective fitness program incorporates both cardio and strength training. 

I would like to challenge anyone reading this to devote 10 minutes a day to core strengthening. You can find 10 minute Pilates abs workouts on youtube for free, follow printable workouts online, or even use a fitness DVD. You will be happily impressed with the effectiveness of working your core for only 10 minutes a day and we all have 10 minutes to spare! You can do your core work while watching tv or take that time right when you wake up in the morning. Whenever it is, you will soon realize that it is worth it and hopefully discover the magic of Pilates :)

Lance Armstrong- Once a Hero

After watching the Oprah special with Lance Armstrong, I have to say I left with an interesting array of emotions. Being a former athlete and also just being who I am, there is no way I could ever justify doping or any form of cheating. I was pretty saddened by this entire story, but in taking a step back and thinking about that time in cycling I have to wonder how many others were doing it? Many other cyclists were caught doping and I have never been the type of person to say, "But everyone else did it..." but I do believe that Lance Armstrong was punished much more harshly then the rest.

I know that he represented a much greater cause and the fact that he was the top of the sport and ultimately turned many people onto cycling makes his doping much more of a disappointment then other cyclists who were caught. In no way am I defending him, but I do feel for him and feel that everyone else should have received the same sentence he did if fairness is the moral of the story.

At the end of the day, Lance Armstrong is a person. He has many deep rooted flaws but his fighting spirit definitely impacted many people and served as motivation for other athletes and cancer survivors to push on. While he was stripped of all of his medals and given a death sentence in the world of competing, no one can truly take away what he brought to the sport of cycling. I am sure the sport of cycling will never be the same and drug testing will only begin to intensify but I guess when the level of competition rises, the rules to too.

To those who were inspired by his story and feel let down, remember to keep your passion for whatever it is you do and inspire others along the way. Everyone has the potential to accomplish great things and this has become a lesson to the world. Even if he let down many, he also taught many through is demise. Hopefully there be a lot less people who attempt to cheat in what they do. Shortcuts in life will only take you so far, we have seen that many times!

Homemade Shampoo and Conditioner

Shampoo

From the beginning, I want to let you know that I did not come up with these recipes..I found them on a website I was reading through and I am passing the recipe along. Wish I could take credit for it!

You will need:
Green Tea (Best Brewed for about half an hour)

Castile Soap (You can use any scent, I got lavender and have heard that eucalyptus makes your head tingle a little because it is stronger so I recommend sticking to lavender or getting the non scented one) Castile soap is a natural soap made from other natural oils and is used to cleanse. This will be the part of your shampoo that truly washes and cleans your hair.

Olive Oil

Honey

You will need two empty shampoo bottles, I got these at the dollar store and just emptied out the shampoo in them.

From there mix 1 cup green tea, with one cup Castile soap, with 1 tbs Olive Oil, and 1 tsp honey. You can also add essential oils to add more of a scent to your shampoo. I added lavender oil to mine.

Shake up your concoction and you will have your shampoo! It will appear watery at first but when you wash your hair it will become very lathery and sudsy.

Conditioner

The conditioner is even simpler then the shampoo, here is what you will need:

Rosemary

Hot Water

Apple Cider Vinegar

One bag of any herbal tea of your choosing for additional scent

You them mix 2.5 cups hot water, .5 cup apple cider vinegar, your herbal tea bag, and .25 sprig of Rosemary (I just leave it in the bottle how it is). Again, you can add some essential oils to add to your conditioner, I added fresh orange oil and it smells great! With the conditioner, I would recommend using it only 2-3 times a week. You don't want to dry your hair out with too much apple cider vinegar but this mix keeps your hair shiny and smooth.

These will be your final products, shampoo on the left and conditioner on the right. As you can see the shampoo is a lot more bubbly and the conditioner feels more like a watery base. I would suggest using the shampoo sparingly, it really moisturizes your hair. I can't guarantee that this will work for everyone, as I have been updating, it is still an adjustment for me and I am training my hair to get used to it. I have found that it seems to grow quicker and feel much healthier each day. Good luck and please let me know if this works for you or if you have any other shampoo/conditioner suggestions!

  

Stir Fry

Danielle know's better than anyone I am the laziest cook in the world. I have a very simple stir fry recipe for those who like a little spice to their food. This stir fry contains:
-Mushrooms
-Celery
-Carrots
-Onions
-Red Pepper
-Water Chestnuts

All you have to do is chop up your veggies, put a little olive oil on a frying pan and warm them up! To flavor them up I added some soy sauce, and garlic chili paste.

You can put just about any vegetable in here that you like. Also, if I had shrimp I would have added that to the mix. Get creative with your stir fry!

Oil Free Kale Sandwich

For this recipe you will need:

Tomato
Avocado
Kale
Mushrooms
Brussels Sprouts (I know a lot of people cannot stomach these, personally I love them but honestly any vegetable of your choosing would be good in this)
Red Onion
Garlic
Siracha
Flat Wrap
Salt, Pepper, Cumin
Veggie Burger (or any type of meat or protein source you prefer)

Start off first by washing and straining your vegetables and then keep them to the side.

I recently learned in a documentary that you can sautee onions, garlic, and mushrooms and they actually don't need oil because they release their own juices when heated.

Add your veggies and your protein to the mixture, you can see how much room the veggies take up but they will shrink down. You can then add Siracha which also reduces the need for oil and then salt, pepper, and cumin to taste. As your food is simmering you can stir it around and then reduce heat.

Prepare your wrap, I added avocado and tomato to mine but you can what you'd like! Honestly, I am just obsessed with both.

You can see that the veggies have cooked down and look ready.

Add the veggies and your protein source to your wrap, then fold it and cut it.

If you have extra veggies, you can always eat them on the side of your Sandwich. All that is left to do is enjoy your meal :)

Hope you enjoy this! 

Homemade Facial System inspired by Mel :)

Lets start first with the facial system. I was out to breakfast with my friends Mel and Devon one morning over winter break. Devon gave us this amazing smelling olive oil and lavender bottle that she uses to steam and help her skin. Right after she gave us the bottles, Mel mentioned that she had been doing her own natural skin system. I asked Mel if I could share her system on here. Her skin looked amazing, it not only was clear but had a great glow and she told us how much she saves on money not having to purchase extremely overpriced products that dry out your skin. I got very excited when she told me all of this. To be quite honest, I have never had great luck with my skin and it felt like I had tried way to many products in the past only to yield unsuccessful results so I decided to give it a try:

1. The Cleanser:

Mel uses a Tea Tree Oil facial cleanser from Trader Joe's. I ended up making my own from a recipe I found on Pinterest. I used 2 parts Castor Oil (can be found at any health food store) to 8 parts olive oil, then added 2-3 drops of Tea Tree oil. I then added just a couple table spoons of water to dilute it a little and then shook it up.

The Castor Oil is a cleanser that improves skin. It contains nutrients like Vitamin E and other minerals to improve the health of skin. It was also about $6 for a bottle which wasn't too bad a price to pay. One warning with the Castor Oil is that it could lead to potential breakouts in certain skin types..I am not 100% sure how different people react to it..I honestly took a chance in using it and so far everything has been good.

I know Olive Oil sounds really scary and you would think it would make your face break out. Mel was telling us the thought of putting oil on her face was scary at first too then we learned the reasoning. By using store bought products, your face is dried out. The reason it gets oily is because it fears its natural oils being stripped away. By adding a natural oil to your face, your face will not keep producing more oil but it will eventually find a balance. The olive oil adds a little moisture to your cleanser so you don't end up with a patchy, dry face.

The tea tree oil is an antiseptic that fights acne and blemishes. My friend Devon introduced me to this wonder back in high school and it has many purposes. The great thing about it is you only need a few drops to get a great result.

I shake up the cleanser and leave it on for about a minute before washing it off with a washcloth.

2. The toner

Mel told me she uses a toner made of witch hazel. She uses 2/3 cup witch hazel with 1/2 cup lemon juice, 1 cup water, and 2 tbs alcohol (for people with acne). I just bought a witch hazel toner from Whole Foods because I was kind of being lazy but they both seem to work great. Mine was about $10 and next time I will probably make Mel's recipe to save more money.

3. The moisturizer

Grapeseed Oil. I never had heard of it before Mel but I love it! I even have my fiance using it now. Be prepared for your skin to feel a little oily from it, you only need a tiny amount but you can easily blot off the excess. I have found that my skin feels softer from it and it will last you forever because you hardly need any at all!

Hope this system helps and if you have other skin methods that work for you please share them, I know different people require different types of ways to upkeep their complexion. I will be posting the Shampoo Recipe hopefully in the next few days.

Yoga

Today I did the p90x yoga tape and I must say it is a lot harder than I expected it to be! Not only does it require flexibility but it requires a lot of strength. I found some free yoga classes nearby where I live so I am hoping to start those soon. It is very good for my mental health. I tend to forget about everything else because I am so focused on trying to perfect the pose. Hopefully here soon I will be able to do all of the p90x tape with more grace. If you haven't tried yoga before I would definitely recommend it!

A little nudge in the right direction…

For people who dread working out, hate working out, don’t work out, or often work out but have days that are hard for them to get moving (which if you don’t ever have those days I wish I had your mindset!) it is important to ask ourselves, “What is the purpose behind even putting in all that effort?”

Now I want to make it clear from the get go, I do not consider myself the end all be all of fitness and working out. I think more than anything I enjoy it and I enjoy talking to other people about it and learning from them. I do also believe it is important to have a reason driving you to get in a good workout and exert all that energy.

Of course there’s the obvious, for vanity purposes and if you are human and a female at that then I’m sure you have that drive somewhere in your motivation. But even past vanity and looking good there is so much more behind working out that I am personally learning each and every day.

The following is my personal list for working out and everyone’s is different so if you care to share yours I would love to learn more reasons J

1. The endorphins during a workout and especially after are something that I truly crave. I need these to feel really accomplished and nothing can replace the feeling after a workout even if I felt horrible during it.

2. Working out has sharpened my brain. It is actually proven that exercising is great for your mind. I find that I am able to process information so much more clearly than I used to before. Not to say I have all of a sudden turned into Albert Einstein but I have realized that I am able to better pay attention and focus then I used to.

3. Working out gives me a peace of mind that I need to get through the day. I find that I am a much nicer person when I am able to work out and if I don’t get it in then usually it takes me awhile to feel like my normal self.

4. Of course the wanting to look good factor..I am not going to pretend that I definitely do not care about my appearance..although I am sure many people will try to convince you of that!

5. I have acquired some of my most valuable friendships through physical fitness. Of course my teammates from Cross Country and Track have turned into the people that I confide in the most. When you are forced to run miles and miles of torture with girls just like you every day, you develop a love and respect for them and these have brought me some of the best friendships of my life. I miss these girls every day.

I am sure I could come up with some more reasons but those are some of my most important. Feel free to comment, I would love to hear what yours are too!

Struggles

What is your biggest struggle when it comes to taking care of yourself?

Mine would be making a priority of stretching. I have horrible flexibility especially from running and stretching is something I put on the back burner even though I know it is extremely beneficial!

Seeing is believing

So I realize it is hard to trust someones advice if you have no proof that what they have done works. As much as I hate showing before pictures, I will post some before and afters so readers will be able to see the benefits of what me and Danielle offer you.

Before:

Now after many months of lots of pilates and healthier eating, I got some results I was happy to see:

I would also like to note that the goal of this blog is not to help people lose weight. It is to help improve  people's overall lifestyles so they can be the best possible versions of themselves. If you so happen to look better in the process that is just a bonus, but health is the overall concern here.