On Easter Sunday, {I donned a sundress for the first time in awhile} and was dismayed to find it a tad snug. Not major but still, I’m a girl. I was not amused. I also have a smaller frame (true story, I’m just shy of 5’3″!!) so a couple of lbs. can make a difference.
Over dinner the next night with girlfriends, I mentioned how I really wanted to tone up with Pilates but I didn’t want to spend a ton of money on classes. I obviously want to practice more than once or twice a week but that’s not financially reasonable for this 23 year old.
My friend mentioned {Blogilates} and I jotted it down to look up later. Well, I did and it’s safe to say I am hooked.
Cassey Ho is an experienced and accredited Pilates instructor with a bubbly personality. How bubbly? You’ll be in a holding squat position with your thighs shaking and you won’t notice (as much) because Cassey will be gabbing the whole time. It’s like chatting with your gal pal…as she completely kicks your you-know-what.
In a fit of madness (or brilliance), I’m doing the #blogilates127 challenge: do all 127 Blogilates exercise videos in the month of April. Trust me, you will feel it! After the first two days, I was hobbling around DC I was so sore. But you know it’s working then : )
Are you striving for #blogilates127? Thinking about it now? Let me know!It’s swimsuit/sundress season and I have my five year high school reunion next month, so let’s get sweating!
P.S. I’m hitting “Schedule” on this post & then rolling out my yoga mat to do the video above, join me!
Full disclaimer: For my DC readers, I am usually that girl wobbling down the bus aisle juggling a tote and a Trader Joe’s bag stuffed with groceries all while tweeting away on my iPhone.
In my endeavors to get back on the clean eating bandwagon, I turn to my beloved Trader Joe’s. Recently, I’ve developed a bit of a full blown crush on these products. I decided to give a twist to the traditional “What’s in my bag?” blog post (although maybe that would be a post you’d like to see soon??) to highlight the products keeping me away from junk food snacking.
Frosted Maple & Brown Sugar Shredded Wheat Cereal: I used to think shredded wheat was utterly repulsive but my taste buds have clearly matured (somewhat). I pack a small baggie of this cereal as either breakfast or an afternoon snack at work. At $2.99/box, this cereal is a great bargain for a snack that’ll last you a week.
Vegetable Pad Thai: I never had Thai food until I came to college but you could say I’ve made up for lost times. This pad thai is more of a lunch than a snack but I wanted to showcase it anyway, it’s microwaveable but also cooks quickly on a stovetop (for those of us who don’t have a microwave!).
Fully Cooked Falafel: My relationship with falafel is a complicated one. The first time I tried it was on a date that was not going so well to be honest (after that, we never spoke again) and I translated the uncomfortable date atmosphere into the falafel, deciding at the end of the night I did not enjoy my meal or my date. Then, TJ’s gave away free samples of falafel and I realized that I should give falafel another chance (the guy, not so much). It’s now my favorite protein to add to a salad, because let’s face it, chicken on a salad can be repetitive and boring.
Cowboy Caviar:This Sunday’s post (SPOILER ALERT) will be fish tacos, a favorite meal of mine. I liked this salsa on my fish taco salad because its tangy flavor boosted the tilapia and guac. Also, a spoonful or two would mix well into TJ’s Turkey Chili, a favorite quick lunch.
Reduced Guilt Chunky Guacamole: Guacamole is another food I was rather suspicious of as a youngin, mostly due to its vibrant green color. Once I decided guacamole was actually incredibly wonderful, it was game over. Generally speaking, I try not to obsess over calorie counting; however, I do know people panic over how many calories are in guacamole. TJ’s Reduced Guilt Guac subsitutes Greek yogurt and cuts the calories and fat nearly in half. So you can eat more! Right?…Right?
This week has been a wake up call for me. Although DC is in the midst of a cold snap, spring will be here soon and with it, sundresses and swimsuits.
It’s natural to gain a few pounds over the winter, with the freezing weather you’re less motivated to walk outside and most warm, comforting foods aren’t always the best for your waistline. However, this year I’m shocked at how I feel. I think sluggish would be the best description and in general, I just do not feel like myself. So it’s time to do something about it. I got the point where I thought, “Enough is enough” and then I went on the Elliptical for 20 minutes. And that’s where you, my lovely readers, come into play.
Starting today, you’ll notice a new page above the header: {Healthy & Fit}. I’ll be posting a daily diary of sorts with what I’ve eaten and any exercise I complete. My goal for this blog series is to hold myself accountable and hopefully find motivation pals to keep me going on the path from sluggish to energized.
As for diet, I believe diet is a four letter word and you would not catch me living on celery alone. I’m a real girl with a real appetite. And there’s no way I can resist a cupcake every now and then : )
That being said, I did an inventory of sorts of what I eat on a daily basis and the truth was frightening. I found that I snack…a lot. And I am more than guilty of the “snack as you watch TV and don’t really notice how much I am actually eating” crime.
I am going to work to eliminate the empty calories and cleanse my system. Think of (ahem) Skinny Bitch in the Kitch meets Naturally Thin meets Trader Joe’s. So get ready for healthy recipe posts on Sunday.
I would really appreciate any advice or tips as I start my series. If you want to join me on my quest, I’d love the company : )
Despite the looming “Snowquester” about to allegedly descend upon DC, I am still cheerfully optimistic spring is right about the corner. Spring means sundresses, breaking out shorts and finally taking your Jacks out of the shoe box for a spin. We’re all anticipating spring cleaning but what about spring clean eating? With those aforementioned sundresses, I want to do a spring cleaning of my diet so I will look as fresh as the tulips and daffodils. Like all good plans, I set some guidelines:
Fruits & Veggies: I love meat as much as the next carnivore but try to keep the red meat to a minimum. Instead, pile your plate with leafy, dark greens and vegetables! As you know, I am a major proponent of oven roasting vegetables: {here}, {here} and {here}. It’s a simple yet delicious way to add veggies to any dish. Fruits make wonderful snacks, especially if you have a late night sweet tooth like yours truly!
Drink Water: I keep my 24 oz Tervis at my desk and I honestly believe having the tumbler with a straw increases my intake of water. I drink it so quickly I’m always amazed to see it’s time for a refill. Your body is mostly composed of water, replenish it. Lemon water is helpful for balancing your body’s pH and if you’re a struggling Diet Coke lover like myself, it gives water a boost.
Exercise: Now, I’ll be honest. I have been really bad at exercising lately. I love to walk but with winter hibernation, my exercise fell to the wayside. Pick up an exercise you love and stick with it. DC is a town of runners but I am not a runner by any stretch of the imagination. Instead, I like the elliptical and following along to yoga tutorials on YouTube.
Snack Healthy: I do enjoy snacking. There, I said. It’s out there for all to see. I like a good afternoon snack with a crunch. For those with an affinity for the crunch, pack along carrots or celery (I’m more of a carrots gal). You want your snack to be healthy but one that does not spoil your appetite. My other favorite snacks include Fiber One bars, granola bars and Progresso soup, particularly their Garden Vegetable and Minestrone options. It takes off the hunger without weighing you down or ruining your dinner later.
Write It Down: Healthy eating is all about accountability. I write down every penny I spend throughout the day on my budget sheet…so why not do the same for every bite? I also find that writing down what you eat also helps you balance your meals for the day. I had angel hair pasta with oven roasted tomatoes and pesto for lunch? Looks like I’ll be having a dinner emphasizing protein and veggies! Oh wait, I ate 2 brownies in a sweet tooth moment of weakness? I acknowledge it, adjust the rest of your meals for the day accordingly and move on with my day. As my girl Anne of Green Gables says, “Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet.”
When you’re busy and constantly on the go, it’s super easy to rely on comfort foods instead of taking the time to prepare nutritious meals and snacks. Yup, that is me currently.
I fell on the wagon in the last couple of weeks and now, my jeans are tighter than I’d like to admit. I need to get back into the swing of preparing portion controlled, simple meals and drinking more water. “Check yourself before you wreck yourself” is my mantra.
I try to walk when I can but being stationary during the day has an impact. I need to get into the habit of working out. What is more motivating than {cute workout gear}?
Happy Tuesday, everyone! Today, my Twitter friend @premedprepster is guest posting to share some rules for springing back into shape for summer! It’s getting time to bring out the shorts and the sundresses and get rid of those pesky winter lbs., thank you savory Christmas pies and Valentine’s Day chocolates. I asked Kerry to guest post after seeing her tweets about successfully slimming down in a healthy way (emphasis on healthy, no crash diets allowed!). A lot of people talk about going to the gym (I can be guilty of this just as much as anyone) but Kerry didn’t merely talk the talk, she walked the walk…and rocked it! So, without further ado, here is Kerry!
P.S. Share your strategies for a healthful diet and exercise routine in the comments. We’d love to hear them!
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Hi everyone! I’m super excited to be posting for Lauren today! Lauren and I became friends through Twitter. We share a love of preppy clothes, monograms and Trader Joe’s. Lauren asked me if I was interested in writing a post about nutrition and fitness and I was thrilled to share some of my secrets! First off, I believe that you should eat well and exercise for overall health. Once you start taking care of your body, not only will you feel great but your confidence level will soar!
I have always been interested in nutrition and fitness, especially because of my food allergies. I am allergic to dairy, gluten, eggs, and citrus fruits. Therefore, I have to be very particular about my food choices. I am a vegetarian by choice. It’s a personal decision and I won’t force my views on anyone! So now that you all have some background about me, I will move onto the good stuff!
First- cut down on the caffeine and get some beauty sleep. I know we live in a crazy world and we put sleep at the bottom of our to-do list. But notice how I said “beauty sleep?” Sleep is ESSENTIAL for good skin, hair and overall appearance as well as memory, immunity, and muscle repair. It’s the only time that your body can repair damage and recharge. Sleep is also necessary for weight loss. Get a good night’s sleep and you won’t press the snooze button 5 times, skip that morning Pilates class, down 4 diet cokes before 2 pm and eat that container of peanut butter cookies that you don’t even really like. It’s a vicious cycle. We sleep four hours, drag ourselves out of bed and run to Starbucks. We over caffeinate all day and then when it’s finally time to sleep, we’re too crazed to even sit down. So take a moment and think about the last time you slept for 9 hours straight. If you can’t remember, get off Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest and get some shut- eye!
Second- Eat as natural and clean as possible. FRUITS AND VEGETABLES- Eat them. Eat lots of them. Not only will you get the vitamins important for health and immunity, you’ll lose weight! Replace cookies with carrots and hummus. Replace chips with fresh watermelon and cantaloupe. Throw out that white bread. White flour will do nothing for your body. Whole grains are where it’s at! Make sure to drink milk, eat yogurt or cheese. Calcium is important (especially for us girls!) Basically, your diet should be balanced. It’s soooooo easy to eat all carbs, but try to sneak some protein and veggies in there too!
Third- Stop making excuses. I cannot stand it when people tell me that they “don’t have time” to go to the gym. How much time do you spend texting and on Facebook in one day? Cut that time in half, and you can fit in a workout! Start by walking for 20 minutes, 3 days a week. Before you know it, you’ll be running 6 miles, 5 days a week! Start small, but do your best. No excuses. “The only one who can tell you ‘you can’t’ is you. And you don’t have to listen.”
That’s basically a summary of my health and fitness beliefs. I could write about 20 more pages, but I don’t think Lauren wants me to put her readers to sleep! Read Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. It will change your life. Buy kale next time you go food shopping. Take the risk. Trust me, it’s a game- changer.
