Goodbye 2014 Hello 2015

As we are about to ring in the New Year and make 2015 resolutions. I decided to take some time to think about 2014 while sitting in a nice hammock in Cabo San Lucas.

1. I traveled!

I will never forget one of my favorite college professors advised me that the best thing you can do for yourself is travel. It is tough to come up with money, but it is so worth it. No, I'm not rich. Yes, I save and spend money on travel. I went to Greece, Turks and Caicos, LA, Las Vegas, Tahoe, and Cabo. It's been my resolution since 2012 to travel at least 2 new places a year and I've kept that goig strong! 

2. I let myself not be too obsessed with health

Health and fitness is a huge part of my life. I love working out and eating healthy, but in the past I have let it get in the way of living a fully balanced life. This year I worked out 5 times a week (instead of 6) and ate healthy 80% of the time. I allowed myself to drink when I wanted, and pass when I didn't want to. It's been a huge relief living a more balanced life.

3. Explored SF as much as I can 

We all live in such cool cities that we usually don't explore by foot. We drive, cab, and shuttle around. I tried to go on as many walks, try as many coffee shops, and yummy restaurants as I could this year.

4. I started saving

I got a financial planner this year to help me make sure I am on track with saving my money and planning for my future. It was a big step for me, but I'm so glad I decided to start this. If you need help with this let me know, I know a great guy!

5. Broke up and started dating

When you go through a breakup. It sucks. There's no way around having to deal with tons of emotions (especially when you run in to the guy all the time). This year was tough, because it was my first real heartbreak. After a lot of hurt I learned what I think I want, and what I think I deserve. It doesn't mean I've found it, but it means I'm closer to knowing myself. 

6. Stopped making work my world

Work consumes most of us. We are there more than we are anywhere else. We want to be rock stars, make an impact, and make money. I used to let work rule me. This past year I would leave work when I was done with work, and not stay up emailing all night. I didn't stress about it nearly as much as I used to. It was a great relief.

7. Started a business

Starting a business taught me SO much this year. Working with Lindsay has been a blast. We've learned how eachother work, what one another are really good at, and also how different we each are. We loved waking up on our Saturdays to work out and hang out with amazingly beautiful and inspiring women. We learned how to budget money, and make decisions together. I will take all that we learned and use these skills for the rest of my life.

8. Being there for friends when you need to be 

Weddings, baby announcements, breakups, work drama, big news, and weekly catch ups are way more important to me than I thought. Being there for people, and people being there for me are high on my list of needs. I am so thankful for the friendships I have, and am so glad in 2014 I was able to meet such amazing human beings.

There's a lot more to my 2014, but these are some of my favorites. I can't wait to see all that 2015 brings.

Cheers! 

Do It Yourself: Easy & Affordable Christmas Gifts

If you aren't budgeting this Christmas, you should be. As much as we want to shower our friends and family with expensive gifts, it isn't smart to overspend. If you don't have the budget to get all your friends something expensive, then try making one of these DIY gifts that are cute & affordable.

Hot Chocolate Jar   Cocktails Nail Polish               Wine Tray Spa Jar         DIY Coffee & Tea Mug

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Stuffed Acorn Squash Need a healthy yet hearty recipe for the holidays? I got you covered! Try this super delicious and healthy stuffed acorn squash recipe. It's hearty and filling, but not high in calories! Ingredients: 2 Acorn squash 1 Pound lean turkey 1 Can Black beans 1 Red pepper 1/2 c Corn (organic& GMO free) 1/4 white onion 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil A dash chili powder Paprika to taste A dash of salt & pepper Optional: goat cheese or another cheese 1. Preheat oven to 475 2. Cut both acorn squash in half and remove seeds. 3. Fill pyrex dish with 1/2 inch of water 4. Bake acorn squash for 25 minutes. While squash is baking 5. In large pan pour olive oil and add in chopped onion. 6. Add corn, and bell pepper. 7. Add in black beans, and turkey. Cook until turkey is cooked through.  Remove squash when cooked through, and dump out water. 8. Turn over squash and fill with stuffing. 9. Bake for another 5 minutes. 10. Optional add on goat cheese for the last minute in the oven. 11. Serve!!

26 reps 26 exercises, because I'm 26!

Here's a little bit of my birthday workout. I  just turned 26, so I thought it would be fun to do 26 exercises and complete 26 reps of each exercise. My goal was to keep moving, and take as little rest as possible.

The structure is an upper body exercise, followed by a lower body exercise, next a core exercise, and finally a "cardio" exercise. 

Enjoy! 

"26"

1. shoulder press

2. Squats

3. Sit ups 

4. Double unders (jump rope)

5. dumbbell row

6. Walking lunges 

7. Leg raises

8. Box jumps

9. dumbbell bicep curls

10. Side lunges

11. Plank with hip rotation 

12. Dumbbell tricep extension 

13. Back lunges 

14. Left side plank with hip dip

15. Ice skaters (speed skaters)

16. Shoulder pushup ( pike position)

17. Sumo squat

18. Right side plank with hip dip 

19. Toe taps on box 

20. Dumbbell reverse fly

21. Kettlebell swing

22. Toe touch crunches (lay on mat, feet in air, touch your toes) 

23. Mountain climbers 

24. Ball slams (med ball or sandbag)

25. Curtesy lunges

26. Burpees

10 Reasons Why Trying To Be A "HOT" Girl Will Make You Broke

Being a girl is super awesome, right? Guys think we have it easy. We get free club entrances, and free dinners on our first few dates. I mean it is super easy to have a model face, perfect skin, have awesome bodies, and make it look easy. Little do men know how much money goes in to being a girl (especially during the holidays).

1. Haircuts: 
Split ends are not ok, but what the hell it costs $50-$400 dollars to get our hair done every 6-8 weeks. That is only if the hairstylist doesn't fuck the color up and we only have to stop by once in that 6-8 week span (unlikely).

2. Nails:
When you are a busy bitch like me you are usually running around town in workout clothes. We have to get our nails done just so we don't feel like boys running around in sweats. If we get regular polish that will chip in about 20 minutes, so we get gel & $45 dollars later we are feeling fresh, and broke.

3. Fitness classes:
Girls are all supposed to have perfect bodies. Big (and perky) boobs, round butts, and a tiny waist. Gym memberships now run from about $50-$180 a month. This doesn't include the cost of personal trainers so we know how to properly do exercises ($65-$180 an hour), Pilates classes to lengthen and tone ($18-$30), spin classes to keep on trend($20-$35), and yoga to stay flexible ($15-$30).

4. Clothes:
Guys make fun of girls for shopping. Guys won't date a girl who doesn't have good style. Therefore, we have to keep up with the trends. Good jeans cost well over $100. Boots start at $50-$300. A nice top runs around $30-$130. A nice jacket $60-$300. Hundreds of dollars later we have one outfit that cost about half our rent.

5. Makeup:
Every girl has gotten the "are you tired?" question when they show up to work without makeup on. Gosh! We are almost forced to put shit on our face to make us look "presentable". According to a study from Mint, the average woman spends approximately $15,000 on beauty products during her lifetime. Of that, $3,770 goes to mascara alone (I mean, it does brighten your whole face). Next time I want to buy a car and can't come up with the money, I will thank my full face of makeup for that!

6. Face wash, lotions, & potions:
Wrinkles? Oh, hell no! We buy shit tons of sunscreen, eye cream, face wash, a Clarasonic, toner, night cream, and the list goes on. We are scammed in to buying everything we can to make us look youthful, fresh, and have clear skin. I can't believe it when I leave the estheticians office on how much money I just spend and how much I walk away with.

7. Spray tans, tanning lotions, bronzer:
Nothing is worse than a girl who is pasty white, right? The last thing you want to do is get in to a bikini when you match your white towel. Spray tans cost an upwards of $40 and if you want it to last then you better buy the $30 lotion that helps it stay. If you don't want to pay $40 for a spray tan you most likely are willing to get a "steal" and spend $20 on a gradual at home tanner.

8. Waxing & Threading:
It is totally unacceptable to have bushy ass eyebrows, and GOD FORBID your vagina isn't waxed. If you have hairy arms, you better wax that too. This is where the "pain is beauty" comes in to play. Waxing and treading will cost you $100+ a month if you are going every 2 weeks. As we all know, girls aren't supposed to have hair like normal human beings.

9. Bras, panties, and Spanx:
Girls want to wake up looking like a supermodel. Unfortunately, less that 1% of the population looks like one. The other 99% are spending money on push up bras, thongs, and Spanx to keep everything "in it's place". Sadly, after dropping our hard earned cash on lingerie we will never look like Gisele.

10. Health and diet foods:
Green juices, organic salads, tea cleanses, and the lose 5 pounds in two week diet program will cost you way more than just eating regular "fat people food". I want to be skinny, so of course I am willing to spend my lifes savings at Whole Foods.

 

The list goes on so for the people who get plastic surgery, Botox, teeth whitening, eyelash tinting, eyelash extensions, or anything else... BE READY TO BE BROKE. Dudes better pay for our damn dinners after all we do to stay looking this fly! Beyonce (bless her) did NOT Wake Up Like Dat.

Lips That Say Happy Holidays

Tis' the season for amazing red lipstick! Getting that perfect red lipstick isn't always as easy as it seems. Too pink, too brown, too purple, too bright, a little dry, or too shiny. I have tested out SO many lip colors that I have boiled it down to the list below. Now to be afraid to add a little pop of color to your look this Holiday season.

Kevin Aucoin: Blood Roses

MAC: Ruby Woo

ELF: Rich Red (only $3!!!)

Lancome: Smouldering Mauve 

 

 Givenchy: Rose Ruban 

   

Wet n' Wild: Rose bud (for only $1.99) 

 

ALL My Favorite Black Friday Sales (with coupon codes)

I love shopping. What I love even more than shopping is shopping SALES. This year I am pumped to see all the awesome deals. Get a head start on Christmas shopping, and make sure you are getting a steal with these codes!

CLOTHES:
Piperlime: 25% Off sitewide  code: HEARTNYC
Planet Blue: 25% OFF sitewide code:BLACKEDOUT
ASOS: 30% OFF everything code: TGIBF
Helmut Lang: 40% OFF online & store 
Anine Bing: all items (no code needed)
Child of wild: 20% off Code: blackmagic
Flynn skye: 30% off store code:GRATITUDE
La Garconne: 30% off sale items code:PREBFD30
Bloomingdales: 15% off sale items code:THANKS
Loeffler Randall: 15% off sale items code:BLKFRIDAY
Anthroplogie: 25% off entire store code:HOLIDAY25
FASHION BUNKER: 20% off storewide code:BLACKFRIDAY
Saboskirt: 15% off storewide code: BLACK15
Sunday Somewhere: $50 off all black items (no code needed)
Vidakush: 30% off sitewide code: BlackFriday
QUAY australia: 20% off code:WEEKEND20
LITTER SF: 40% OFF code: TAKE40
Van De Vort: sale code:blackFriYay
SHOPBOP: sale code: GOBIG14
Joie: 25% off sitewide code:THANKS
rag & bone: extra 25% off sale items: extra25
Parker: 25% off all dresses code:PARTYGIRL25
The birdcage boutique: 20% off storewide code:BLACK
Rent the runway: 20% off storewide code:RTRBF2014
DOLCE VITA: 20% off all sale items code: BLACKFRIDAY14

SWIM:
Lulifama:30% off swim code:LULIFRI30
Velvetsphynxswim: 25-65% off everything (no code needed)
The Minimale Animale: Swimwear sale code:MIDNIGHT
Sahara ray swim: 30% off code:BLACKFRIDAY
Gypsy beach: 20% off storewide code: cyber20
Beach riot: 75% off online code: GOBBLEGOBBLE
Kaohs swim: 30% off everything code:BLACK


BEAUTY:
Dry Bar: 20% off all products and tools (no code needed)
Dose Of Colors: 20% off storewide (no code needed)
Cashemere hair: $5 off 16' hair extensions code:HOLIDAY16
$10 off 20' hair extensions code:HOLIDAY20
NUME hair wand: $169 curling iron for 19.99 code:INSTA19

HEALTH & FITNESS:
BODYROK: 2 Months unlimited $375
OLYMPIA ACITVEWEAR: 50% OFF code: black50
Caffeine & Kilos: Free shipping code:BLACKCOFFEE
GNC: buy one get one 50% off (no code needed)
PRESSED JUICERY: 20% OFF GIFTCARDS (no code necessary, in store only)
DALES BARS: Buy one get one free sale (no code needed)

HOME:
Crate & barrel: 15% off plus free shipping code:SAVE15

Being Highly Motivated: Why It's A Blessing & A Curse

"I wish I were as motivated as you".

People look to me and tell me this pretty frequently. I am so flattered when people smile and tell me this. However, it took me years and a lot of self-reflection to realize that "motivation" doesn't lead to happiness. Living a meaningful life leads to happiness. Let me explain...

When I am extremely motivated nothing gets in the way of me and my goal. My goals come first, and life pretty much comes second. When I am super set on a goal I am selfish and my lfe has very little balance. People notice my intense work ethic, because it's hard to miss (I make it my life to execute). 

Let me use fitness as an example. When I have a big fitness goal I will wake up at 5am to do cardio, work all day, workout again at night, cook all my meals, pack them for work, never have anything that isn't weighed out/portioned, and I will turn down any event that gets in the way of my routine.  I never give 80% of my efforts to a goal, I always give 100% without any excuses. This means that I become quite unbalanced with everything else in life. My fitness goals in the past got in the way of ever traveling, going to birthdays, drinking with friends, or doing anything away from my routine.
Another example is my drive to succeed with work. I worked so much after college to show how "motivated & dedicated" I was. I worked nights, weekends, and even when I was on vacation. When I wasn't working I was usually blogging, reading about work stuff, or reaching out to businesses to try to connect. I always thought that the harder I worked the better I was.
WRONG!
Being motivated or more motivated than the person next to you doesn't make you better than them. I remember thinking to myself "you're more motivated & you are willing to do more, so you will go further in life". Again... SO WRONG. Finding balance is way more challenging than finding motivation. Having a life with a successful work, personal, gym, and social life is way more important for happiness. I have learned through my extreme efforts to succeed that it is ok to not drain all of my energy focused on one thing. It's ok to not burn myself out. It's ok to have fun, live life, and do things that may not get me closer to each goal I set. I know myself well. I am able to say that being motivated isn't something I struggle with. However, being balanced is something we all struggle with. I hope you can find your happy balance.

Raw Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Raw Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Keep it clean this Thanksgiving and bring a Raw Pumpkin Pie, yeah I said it RAW! This no bake treat is super easy, is REAL, gluten free, dairy free, egg free, sugar-free!! Your family won't even know it's guilt-free until you tell them!    Ingredients: Crust: Organic Mejool Dates Raw Pecans (you can also use almonds, or walnuts)    Pie filling: 1 large can of pumpkin purée Date paste (from your dates you blend) Cinnamon Nutmeg Allspice Unsweetened almond milk Organic vanilla extract   1. In your Vitamix, blend your pecans with 1/4 c water so they are ground(can be pretty thick). 2. Clean out Vitamix, then place a tub of dates (pitted dates) with 1/2 c water. 3. Blend until smooth. 3. Spoon out about 1/3 of date paste in to a clean small bowl, leave 2/3 in Vitamix. 4.mix almonds and date paste. 5. Remove new almond/date paste from Vitamix and flatten out in pie pan. 6. In Vitamix blend leftover 1/3 of date paste, almond milk, spices, vanilla, and pumpkin. 7. Pour mixture in to pie pan. 8. Serve, and eat!   Want some whipped "cream" too? 1 cup organic raw cashewssoaked for 2 hours  1/4-1/2 cup filtered water depending on desired thickness 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup, or more to taste 1/2 tsp natural vanilla extract, or a little more to taste a pinch of Celtic sea salt Throw everything into a blender and puree until thick & creamy. You will need a high speed blender for thickness (Vitamix).

10 Reasons You Need To Travel

1. Eat delicious food that you can only get away with eating on vacation:
Food is a huge part of any culture. Americas "melting pot" culture gives us the chance to try delicious international foods at our fingertips. When traveling, it has been one of my favorite things to "eat like a local". Eating locally means totally switching up my routine. In Greece I filled up my breakfast plate with greek yogurt, dates, walnuts, local honey, and a cappuccino. Lunch was a big greek salad. Dinner consisted of a greek salad, a local dish, lots of wine, and baklava for dessert. Every trip I've taken I try something new.

2. Clear your mind from everyday BS:
Work stress, sitting in traffic, doing your laundry, saving up money, relationship or friendship drama, and doing the dishes are things most of us deal with daily. When you are on vacation you are allowed to temporarily forget about these (or put them to the back of your mind). Clearing your mind from the day to day stressors allows you to breathe and just simply be stress-free. Be in the moment.

3. Experience different cultures:
Are you American? Do you think America is the best country in the world? Cool! Where else have you been? It's truly important to experience different cultures before you form opinions on them. Meeting people with different lifestyles, perspectives, and beliefs helps us mold ourselves in to the person we want to become. By absorbing other cultures when traveling you learn and have experiences that you can bring in to my life back in the US.

4. Go off the grid:
It is a part of culture to be on email or a phone the majority of the day. Whether you are working, socializing, browsing, or reading up on gossip. It is actually quite hard to go "off the grid". It's hard to not want to post things, talk to friends, and occasionally answer emails when traveling. The problem with wanting to always be on the phone is that you are NOT present in the moment. When on vacation it is super important to be present. Sipping coffee in Italy people watching is much more enjoyable than it is sipping coffee looking down on your phone. Take your vacations on a whole other level and try to pull yourself away from technology.

5. Relax:
When you travel, it is the perfect time to just take some time to sit and chill. You have the choice to go to the spa, take a nap, or read. Do what you need to do to enjoy your travel. There's no need to be your usual busy self.

6. Excitement:
Planning a trip is exciting. You get to pick where you want to go, how you want to get there, what you want to see/do, where you want to eat, when you want to do whatever you choose to do. It's exciting to live life without your routine. Plan your trip and get excited for the experiences you are about to have. When you are finally there remember to pinch yourself and put your experiences in to perspective.

7. Bucket list:
If you were to die tomorrow would you be satisfied with the life you lived? It's scary to think about, but nothing is guaranteed. Look at your life, and start planning out all you want to achieve in the next few weeks, months, years, and lifetime.

8. Because you can:

We are so lucky to have the freedom to do what we want when we want. If you have paid vacation you should take advantage of it! Otherwise, in my opinion, you are working your life away.

9. Do what you want, when you want:
When you are on vacation, you are able to focus one one thing... having FUN. Take time to sleep in, go on walks, say no to things, say yes to things, and make every decision for your personal likings. If you are traveling with someone it's ok to let them know what kind of trip you want. I have gone on trips where I want to workout while my friend reads, or I want to go shopping when my friend wants to take a nap. If you are paying for the trip then be selfish with what you want to do while traveling.

10. Realize the world is bigger than your little life:
Travel will help you realize that this world is HUGE. Not everything revolves around you, your life, your little city, your state, or your country. The world is here for us to explore, so take the bull by the horns and go do that!

Meal Prep For Results

Are you super busy, so you eat out more than you should? There are so many of us who can relate. It is extremely easy to get caught up in the craziness of our day-to-day lives that we forget the simple things. We have to eat, and a great way to get results is by planning out most of your meals. For years I planned and packed every single meal I ate. Now, it is easy for me to gauge portions and healthy options.

 

What To Do

 

Step 1. Grocery shop:

Once a week (or twice) go on a big grocery haul like this. Make sure you pick up enough items, so you can prep food for work or for you to have in case you are out and about without a place that's healthy to stop by. I love making a list before hand 

 

Step 2. Plan tasty meals:

Don't just pack 5 meals of chicken and broccoli. Go find some healthy meals that you actually look forward to eating. I love packing greek yogurt with nuts & berries, spaghetti squash with turkey meatballs, or something like a homemade protein bars.  

 

Step 3. Cook and pack:

Cook your meals and pack in containers and store in the fridge or freezer. All you will need to do before you leave the house is grab and go.

 

Step 4. Have backup:

Pack some protein bars, nuts, or fruit in your bag just in case hunger strikes on the go!

 

Step 5. Switch it up:

Don't plan the same things every week. It is important to have variety in your diet. Variety helps you stick with it, and if one day you don't like a meal you have the option to switch things up the next. 

Healthy Turkey Chili

Fall is in the air. I have been less in the mood for cold salads & way more excited to make warm meals. People often think in the winter months that eating warm foods automatically suggests more hearty or fatty meals. I am here to busy that myth, and over the next few weeks post some delicious and healthy fall and winter meals. First up, a super simple healthy turkey chili.

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground turkey

1 can black beans 

1 can red beans 

1 large can tomatoes

1 white onion 

1 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp oregano 

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

Dash of salt 

1. On medium heat place 1 chopped onion and olive oil in to a big bowl. Stir and let the onion "sweat".

2. Add tomatoes until they start to boil.

3. Stir in turkey.

4. After turkey color changes from pink to white, then add in your beans and spices. 

5. Taste, and check to see if beans have heated and cooked.

6. Serve!

Workout of the Day: 20 Min AMRAP

Jealousy: How To Deal With It Head On

Jealousy is something that we all have felt at one time or another. I personally am pretty good about never allowing it  to get the best of me, and there are a few key reasons why I believe it's never been too big of an issue past my childhood.

Firstly, I want you to know being jealous from time to time is normal. However, it is not normal for it to ruin your relationships with others or your relationship with yourself. Jealousy can range from something small like getting jealous when a friend got something you couldn't afford. Something a little bit bigger would be a time when you become upset with a friend for getting attention (ie.professional, in social media, or out on the town) and criticizing them for it. A common one, but in my opinion the worst kind is when someone is jealous that their significant other and is worried they will meet someone new.  

How do we tackle being jealous on all these levels? 

1. Be OK with yourself:

Sounds simple right? Wrong! This is super hard, but it is SO important to know who you are, what you want, who you want in your life, and how to make it happen. If you find yourself changing (for the worse) around certain people, then maybe they shouldn't be a part of your life. Being OK with yourself is not being too critical of yourself, but it's about being truthful. Be honest, and make sure to give yourself praise WAY more often then criticism. Once you are happy with YOU I think you will be able to be happy for others.

2. Stop comparing yourself to others:
It's hard to do, but the minute you let people and their lives affect your opinion of yourself is the minute you lose yourself in a situation. Whether you compare yourself to someone and it makes your feel good or compare yourself to someone and begin shaming yourself, it's a lose-lose situation for you. Remember my last tip "be ok with yourself" and you won't need to compare yourself to everything everyone else has around you.

3. Start complimenting people and being positive:

If you can't be positive then fake it till you make it to help you handle jealousy. If your friend is super happy and has something you want (ie. perfect relationship, new car, or great job) tell them how happy you are & you hope you will someday be able to share the same great news. Stop being a brat, and be happy when your friends are happy!

4. Face situations for what they are, not what you think they could be:

"Since I'm not getting attetion maybe he's cheating on me? I wonder if her parents paid for that? Maybe she lost weight because she doesn't eat enough." Stop. Don't be crazy. When you allow your thoughts to take over real life you have the ability to create fiction stories of what life could be. Take a step back and don't feed in to the crazy thoughts. Base your opinions off of facts and if you don't have proof to support your idea then "fogetta bout it".

5. Be a grown up and communicate:

Talk things out, and you are likely to resolve them (if it's worth resolving). If you shit talk behind someone's back to a crowd of people then you should be able to say it to their face. If you are jealous of your significant other, then ask to chat for a second to diffuse the situation instead of having a dramatic fit. Get the courage to face difficult situations maturely. 

6. Learn from your mistakes:

When you feel jealousy try to deconstruct why you felt that emotion. Once you are able to address why you felt that way you might be able to avoid this from happening in the future. Remember this is a process, and it takes time.

 

Is Stress Ruining Your Life?

"I am super stressed" is a term you are probably familiar with. If you aren't the one stressed, you probably know someone who is. Stress is a word we use quite freely. There are many different levels of stress, and everybody deals with stress much differently. 

Since starting to work at a company I've noticed some of the highest stress levels I could ever imagine. Some clients have fainted, others have broken out in hives, many stress eat, some simply can't sleep at night, most of them see therapists. Since I work in health and wellness I feel like it's about time I write about it. 

First, let me list symptoms:

• Unable to concentrate
•  Negativity 
• Anxiety
• Moodiness and irrability

• Agitation, inability to relax
• Constantly feeling overwhelmed
• Sense of loneliness and isolation
• Depression or general unhappiness

• Aches and pains
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Nausea, dizziness
• Chest pain, rapid heartbeat
• Loss of sex drive
• Frequent colds

• Eating more or less
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Isolating yourself from others
• Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities
• Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax
• Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)

Next, I want you to know what you can do:

• Workout
• Prioritize sleep
• Eat consciously
• Take vacation (without your phone)
• Spend time with the people you love 
• Manage your calendar (don't overbook yourself) 
• Don't work more than you need to
• Find something you enjoy that isn't on your computer (cooking,painting, walking, reading)
• Check in with yourself weekly (set goals) 

Act on it, now! It's time to assess your biggest struggles and try to tackle them one at a time. When I write all the things down that I stress about I am able to realize how busy I can get, and how I sometimes allow my hectic schedule to stress me out. Don't wait until you are stressed to jot down and understand what stresses you out. Take the time now and fix it yourself. 

Seriously Sore: What to do about it

Ok, you're super sore. It might hurt to get out of bed, sit down on the toilet, and even wash your hair. I think we've all been so sore that we have contemplated canceling the rest of your workouts for the week to recover. When you're that sore you can take care of yourself by doing these few things:

1. Move:

Get your blood circulating. You can do light exercise, yoga, a long walk, or stretching at home. When you move your body you can reduce the effects of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.

2. Stretching & Mobility work:

Take the time to stretch before (dynamic stretches) and after your workouts. If you are super sore take time to stretch, and do mobility work on the areas that are extra tight.

3. Ice bath:

Taking an ice bath immediately after a workout has been shown to reduce muscle soreness. I've done this and it's freezing! 

4. Hydrate:

When your muscles are sore or tight it's extremely important to hydrate! Drink lots of water, because we all know that 60% of our body weight is water! 

5. Foam roll:

One of the best investments you can make would be to purchase a foam roller. Foam rollers are used for self myofascial release to aid in the recovery of sore muscles and assist in returning them to normal function.

Start Living Your Wildest Dreams

I was chatting with some friends last night over dinner about travel. Not just vacationing, but exploration. Travel is all about taking yourself away from everything you know, to swap it with the unknown. It's about putting yourself in an uncomfortable situation, so that you give yourself a chance to learn and grow. I've found that the more I travel, the more I know ... and I then realize there is so much more that I don't know!  It gives me a sense of curiosity when I see what I'm missing out on around the world. It can be so easy to get caught up in our own routine - with  the typical day to day routine, that we forget to live. It's easy to lose sight of what's outside our "bubble".  Take some time to write down what you want to explore. What are some of your biggest dreams, goals, and aspirations? Now, make a plan to remove yourself from your "norm" and set a date to get away and do something new. This doesn't have to be something that is going to cost you an arm and a leg. It could be something like camping out of the back of your car, hiking at a new spot, or touring around a new city you've never been to. But  it could also be something like planning your dream vacation!  Start living your wildest dreams, or they will stay a dream forever.

Spicy Hummus Salad

I never get bored of salads, but so many people do. In order for me to always enjoy my salad I have to get creative. Today I made this one, and loved it! Try it out for yourself.

4oz ground turkey (organic & lean)

2 cups kale (organic & chopped)

1 cup spinach (organic)

1/2 c broccoli and carrots (organic & sliced)

2 tbsp spicy hummus (organic)

1 tbsp Greek yogurt (0% fat)

Hot sauce (optional)

Squats: Good For Your Butt & Health

Squats are my hands down favorite exercise for more reasons than one. I want to share with you all the reasons you should consider squatting more:

1. Rounder butt: A butt that looks better in your Lululemon, your jeans, and naked!
2. Burn more calories doing squats than most exercises: Squats activate nearly all muscle groups and demands a whole lot from them to perform the exercise. (lift heavy to burn more)
3. Builds strength: In the quadriceps, core, back, hamstrings and calves.
4. Improved circulation: Squats increase blood flow, so say bye bye to cellulite!
5. Enhanced core strength: Abs are made in the kitchen, and while squatting. NOT by doing abs.
6. Improved flexibility: Helps range of motion.
7. Increased vertical jump: When you squat you extend your hips with power, which turns over in to your ability to create power in your vertical jump.
8. Bone density: You have "younger" bones and squats are better than calcium!
9. Knee injury prevention: A lot of people think squats are bad for your knees. WRONG, improper squats are bad for your knees. Squats help strengthen the muscles that stabilize your knee.
10. Posture: Doing a full squat while still maintaining the perfect posture will in turn help to correct your day to day posture.