Howdy Friends,

I hope you are having a fabulous Tuesday. Mine has been pretty good so far. It started bright and early with a 7 AM Pilates class at the studio. After I got my blood flowing, I did a little work at the studio and then headed to the chiropractor for an adjustment. Going regularly helps keep my hips somewhat in alignment which slightly eases my lower back pain. I'll take any little bit of help I can get.

I'm sticking with liquids before noon until this weird nausea thing goes away. This morning, I tried out a new tropical inspired smoothie!

Strawberry, Papaya, and Mango Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 2 large handfuls of spinach
• 1 cup mixed frozen fruit (strawberries, papaya, and mango)
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1/2 cup water
• handful of ice
• 2 packets of stevia (optional)

Blend and enjoy! It was refreshing and reminded me of something I would drink while lying on the beach! I will definitely be making it again soon.

Yesterday morning, I whipped out the TRX and medicine ball for a quick strength workout. I am really trying to hold on to as much muscle mass as possible during my last few weeks of pregnancy so I hope to squeeze in a few more strength workouts each week. It's so sad watching your muscle dissapear week after week even while working out. :(



This workout took me about 30 minutes with minimal rest inbetween rounds. It's perfect to do on its own when you are short on time or before or after a cardio session. For my fellow soon to be mommies, feel free to do the plank with your knees on the floor instead of in the TRX handles if it puts too much pressure on your lower back. Let me know if you give it a try!

How did you get your sweat on yesterday?

In health,

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Howdy,

Happy Hump Day everyone! I hope you guys are having a great day so far. I have a yummy smoothie recipe lined up for this weeks installment of What I Ate Wednesday.

After reading yesterday's post, you know I have not been eating watermelon. :( I was also pretty over PB&J, so I mixed things up a bit for lunch this week with an open faced turkey, colby jack, and avocado sandwich on gluten free bread.



I'm not usually a huge sandwich person, but I am totally going through a phase right now. This sandwich absolutely hit it out of the ballpark in my book. It's even better if you toast your bread first and add a little spicy mustard!

Since my tummy still isn't loving real food in the morning, I went with a smoothie for breakfast. I decided to pump up the nutrition factor by throwing in a Mamma Chia Squeeze Vitality packet. Total success. Trusty smoothie ingredients + a Mamma Chia packet = a power packed smoothie!







It's time for me to tackle a little bit more work before heading back up to the studio for barre. I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your day!!


What is your favorite smoothie ingredient?

In health,

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Happy Monday Friends!

It's the first full week of 2014! Whoop! How do you plan on making 2014 you're best year yet? My number one goal for this year is to live more in the moment and enjoy every single day to it's fullest potential! That means I have to cut down on my stinking worrying. It's a work in progess always. :)

I started that off by enjoying a wonderful weekend with the hubs! We went to dinner on Friday night at a delicious new sushi restaurant in southwest Austin called Yanagi. Their sushi was amazing and they had traditional Japanese entrees for E too.

It was delicious, and just what I was craving. We kept it low key the rest of the night and just watched a movie at home.

On Saturday, I got up around 7:30am and squeezed in a TRX and kettlebell workout plus 30 minutes on the treadmill. After that, we went and scoped out a new doggie day care for champ to stay at while we're in Tennessee in a few weeks. It turned out to be such a beautiful day that E and I decided to spend the afternoon hiking around Town Lake. We did a fun 4 mile loop around the lake. Most of Austin had the same idea! :)


Sunday, was very low key. Full of laundry, grocery shopping, and a quick workout in the afternoon. E and I both squeezed in a little work in the afternoon as well. All that working made my brain crave a little healthy fuel so it was time to whip out the blender. I mixed some of my favorite smoothie ingredients together and added in extra omega 3's and MUFA's thanks to chia seeds and 1/2 an avocado. It was delicious.





We spent the rest of the evening just hanging out and cooking dinner. It was an amazing relaxing weekend after the craziness of the holidays!

How was your weekend?

In health,

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Howdy,

Yet another tragic event happened yesterday in West, Texas. I've driven through West more times than I can count and often stopped for their amazing kolaches. It is such a wonderful and friendly community, and my heart breaks for them! It's so hard to believe that something so horrible can happen just up the highway from you. Both the incidents in West and Boston remind you how precious each and every day are.

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On a happier note, I told you guys yesterday about the cookie experiment I was working on. It turned out even better than I had hoped! I have cooked with coconut flour quite a bit, but it is definitely one of the harder flours to work with. Both coconut flour and almond flour absorb a lot of moisture, so they can be difficult to work with. However, I love the flavor they give baked goods so I keep trying to work with them. I would definitely say I had a success yesterday!

These cookies have a subtle coconut flavor with a creamy almond hint! The best part is they are extremely moist and chewy! SUCCESS! They are completely gluten-free and paleo friendly as well. Score number 2!



Even better yet, they are extremely easy to make, and minus the coconut and almond flour, most of the ingredients you probably already have on hand. :)





If you give them a try let me know! I love getting feedback on recipes.

This morning started out on the right foot with a great Pilates Mat class. I feel so blessed to have such amazing students. It makes my heart happy every time I teach a class. :) After class, I came home for some breakfast and took care of a few chores. Before I headed out to teach bootcamp, I whipped up a new smoothie. I was out of almond butter, so my go too banana almond butter green smoothie was a no go. The new experiment was a definite success. I give you my Strawberry Avocado Green Smoothie!




I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your day. Remember to make it a great one because tomorrow is never guaranteed.

Praying for West and Boston,

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Happy Friday!

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How is everyone doing today? Fabulous I hope! Have you got your sweat on yet today? I started the day off with a barre class followed by a kick but class at PureRyde Cycling. They were both amazing, and I am officially pooped now!


I've been seriously craving green drinks lately! I'm not going to lie, I love green drinks, but I don't want them to taste too "green." I prefer mine to be a little bit sweet. First up, is a chocolate coconut concoction that cures my sweet tooth and keeps me satisfied for hours!




Next up, is a delicious fruity green drink that's lower on the calorie side but still packed with protein thanks to the Greek yogurt.



Green smoothies leave me refreshed and full of energy. They are also perfect when you're in a hurry or need something easy to take with you on the run. I made one this morning left it in the freezer for an hour and then took it with me for after class. It was the perfect smack in between barre and cycling!

What's your favorite green smoothie recipe?

Do you have a go to one or do you like variety?

Have an amazing weekend!

In health,

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Hello there friends!
How was your Monday? Mine started out with a great 3 mile run. I headed out the door at 5:40am, and barely made it back before it started pouring rain! Lucky me! I also took a great circuit class yesterday  afternoon, and boy are my glutes feeling it this morning.
After grilling up some chicken for dinner, we sat down to enjoy and episode of The Glades and some Olympics. Check out my view!

Pretty cute guys aren't they? Do you love our fancy temporary furniture? The trusty old banana chair that E will never part with. Please couch, come in soon! :)
On Sunday night, I also whipped up a new smoothie recipe. This smoothie is a combination of overnight oats and a green smoothie. You make it the night before you wish to drink it so the oats can soak in the smoothie and soften. Like any other green smoothie, you can't even taste the greens! I drank this yesterday morning, and it was definitely more filling than my normal smoothie!

Perfect breakfast to go!

Let me know if you try it! I'm off to work, but I hope you all have a wonderful Tuesday!

In health,

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Hi There!
How was your Monday? Pretty marvelous I hope! So I want to talk green today, but not in the traditional eco friendly way (although I'm a big fan of that too). I'm sure you have all heard about "Green Smoothies" by now. Talk of them have been floating around the Healthy Living Blog World for some time now, and I myself am a HUGE FAN. But what is all the hype about?



Minus the fact that they are super tasty, green smoothies have a ton of health benefits, some of which you may not even think about!

Breakfast, snack, and lunch in the office = 3 green power smoothies!

Benefits of Green Smoothies:

• Improve Energy - Green smoothies are extremely nutrient dense and full of healthy whole foods that can give you more energy and help you feel great!
• Help regulate your digestion (you know what I mean). - All of the fiber in the greens and the fruit help keep everything working properly on the inside.
• Help tame cravings for sugary and salty snacks. When your body is getting all of the nutrients it needs, you have better control over your cravings.
• Regulate mood swings.
• Improve your skin. I can testify to this one! Ever since I started to drink green smoothies regularly, my skin definitely looks smoother and more radiant.
• Blending fruits and veggies make them easier for your body to digest. When blended, most of the cells in the greens and fruits are ruptured, making the nutrients easier for your body to utilize.
• May help control your weight.
• High in antioxidants and phytonutrients!
• Help improve mental clarity and focus.
• Great source of hidden calcium! Did you know these greens were packed with calcium:
• Kale -188mg (19% DV) in 2 cups chopped
• Seaweed - 126mg (13% DV) in 1 cup raw
• Bok Choy - 74mg (7% DV) in 1 cup

I eat at least one green smoothie every day, if not two! They are the perfect easy breakfast or post workout snack. You can easily add a little protein power, nut butter, or avocado for a little extra protein and healthy fat. For even more guidance on how to build a healthy and tasty green smoothie check out my green smoothie page! 

Are you ready to get blending?

What is your favorite green smoothie recipe? Link up below!




Sources:
http://greatist.com/health/dairy-free-calcium-sources/#
http://www.incrediblesmoothies.com/green-smoothies/green-smoothie-health-benefits/

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Howdy!

I've missed you guys. It's been a crazy week! Let's just say I was in three states in 1 day and jet lag is a very real thing even if you stay in the same country. Today I wanted to share a few of my favorite things from the week starting with this guy!

And this wonderful verse!



And a delicious green smoothie recipe!

Coffee Chocolate Green Smoothie
1 heaping handful spinach
6 ice cubes
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 frozen banana
1 packet stevia
1/2 packet instant coffee

It's Ah-mazing and perfect when you need a caffeine spiked breakfast! :)

Happy Friday!!

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