Happy Monday!

How was your weekend? I spent most of my weekend on one of these guys in reformer training.

source

It was a blast, but I am completely pooped! My body is tired from practicing all of the exercises and my brain is a little tired from information overload; however, it was an absolutely amazing training. I seriously feel so lucky to have the chance to learn from such amazing instructors.

Although, most of the weekend was spent in training, we did make some time to have a little family fun with the Aerobie Ring. The nice people over at AeroAerobie Ring Ring sent me one to try out. The Aerobie Ring is a high tech frisbee that can fly further than you ever thought possible. The soft grip makes it very comfortable to catch, especially on the run!


We decided to play a little game of catch in the backyard, and as you can see Champ definitely wanted in on the action!


It's not your traditional piece of exercise equipment, but we all definitely worked up a sweat running around and throwing it to one another. Well, when Champ wasn't wearing it like jewelry that is.


It was great because it would stay in the air long enough to get a running start and catch it with ease. The perfect activity for the warmer weather we are enjoying right now.

Speaking of warmer weather, we took the opportunity to enjoy the Spring weather by busting out the grill. E is quite the grill master and whipped up a piece of salmon for me, steak for him, and some sweet cajun corn to go with it!


The perfect ending to a busy weekend!

How was your weekend?

What is your favorite way to get moving outdoors?

In health,

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Howdy Y'all! :)

How is your week shaping up? I've been busy working, sweating, and baking up a storm! I can't believe Christmas is just a couple of days away! I am almost ready but for some reason I still feel so unprepared. I think it's because I've been so busy the holidays have just seemed to fly by this year.  Anyways, all of that will change at 10:00am on Friday. I will be off work and ready for full blown Christmas wonderfulness (so not a word but oh well). I really do LOVE Christmas. I love buying presents for my friends and families, baking, spending time with loved ones, and most importantly celebrating Jesus' birth! :)

I have had a lot of fun trying out new foodie finds lately, and I thought I would share some of my favorites with you.

1) Nutritional Yeast - I have have been hearing about this around the blog world, but just now found it in the store. It adds a cheesy taste to your food (without all the fat and calories), and is the perfect topper for eggs, soup, and chili! It really is delicious! :)

2) Coconut Milk Creamer- One word .....AMAZING! I don't know if I will ever be able to drink regular creamer again. This stuff is like candy in liquid form. I seriously woke up stoked for my morning cup of Joe.


3) Almond Thins -  These guys are the perfect alternative to traditional crackers. They are gluten free and wonderfully crunchy. I'm slightly addicted.


4) Amy's Organics Soups - I've tried two different flavors of her vegetable soup plus her vegetable chili and they have all been delicious. She uses only organic ingredients, and the soups are rich and flavorful. If you someone served them to you in  a fancy bowl, you would never know they came from  can. They are perfect for a quick lunch!


5) Baking Banana bread for all of my students and instructors! Baking is so therapeutic, especially when you get to cook for others!


Well, there you have it. Those are a few of the things that are bringing a smile to my face thee days. I'm off to continue baking away! I hope you all have a wonderful night!

What are some of your new favorite foodie finds?

Do you love baking for the holidays?

In health,

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Howdy!!
We get to pick up this precious guy on Sunday, and I am so excited I can hardly stand it!

I am so excited to have a rambunctious little guy running around our place. Hopefully, it will cool down soon so we can take him for walks. Right now, I don't think it's healthy for anyone to be out walking around. Check out that temperature. Can you believe it? I feel like you cannot escape the heat anywhere!



I am also super pumped because I am attending a Zumba certification this weekend. I will be shaking my booty and swiveling my hips to the cows come home. I can't wait to get my dance on. I will have a full recap for you next week.

I want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to Erin over at the Healthy Apron for hooking me up with an amazing gift basket from Nu Naturals. This package could not have come at a better time since I am trying to stay away from artificial sweeteners to see if that will help my headaches.


The package included:

• Pure liquid clear stevia
• Pure white stevia extract
• MoreFiber stevia baking blend
• CocoBean Extract
• Vanilla stevia
• 50 packets of white stevia powder.  

How lucky am I?? Stevia is vegan, does not contain sucralose or aspartame, and won't raise your blood sugar. It's truly amazing! I just received the package, so I haven't tried out too many of the products yet. I did use some of the vanilla stevia in my coffee and it was AWESOME! I also put a scoop of the MoreFiber baking blend in my oatmeal to add a little extra fiber and a touch of sweetness. It was delicious as well. The gift package also came with a ton of recipe ideas so I will report back once I have tried out all of the products! Thank you so much Erin!!!!

Last weekend when I went to visit my friend Sara in Galveston she made me the most amazing coffee. It was called Old Savannah Coffee in Creme Brulee. It was pretty much life changing. My regular coffee just wasn't cutting it after I tasted this stuff, so of course I had to make a trip over to Central Market to pick some up.


I promise this stuff will not disappoint! I hope you all have an absolutely wonderful Friday!
Q's & A's:
Do you cook with Stevia?
Are there any great recipes you want to share?

In health,

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Howdy!!

How is everyone today? Are you managing to stay warm in this crazy weather? I heard a statistic on the news that this crazy winter storm covers over 2,100 miles. Isn't that unbelievable? It's snowing all the way from Dallas to New York City!

They canceled work and school again today and tomorrow. I am starting to go a little stir crazy stuck in the house. However, I am so excited because Eric's flight landed safely in DFW just a few moments ago. He has been riding out this storm in Kansas! BRRRR! Having him home safely is the best birthday present I could get! :)

I got a request from one of my wonderful readers to share some snack ideas that are easy to take with you to work. Although I wish blogging and teaching aerobics by themselves could pay the bills, that is simply not the case. I have to spend a good bit of time hanging out at my desk as well. (Don't get me wrong, I do love my job!) Due to the fact that I usually go straight from work to school, I am the queen of snacks!

Most of us have to spend quite a bit of time at one of these! [soure]

When you are packing snacks to take with you to lunch or school, there are a few things your should keep in mind. Whenever possible, try to pack whole foods instead of sodium and artificial flavor laden processed foods. Try to include a small amount of carbohydrates, protein and fat into each snack so you stay full for longer. You might want to consider buying a small lunch box if your office doesn't have a refrigerater for you to use. If you have a way to keep food cold, you will have a lot more snacking options!

[source]

Easy and Portable Snack Ideas:

• Apple with Greek Yogurt and Peanut Butter Dip (simply mix 3tbsp. Greek Yogurt with 1 tbsp. peanut butter)
• Other portable fruits: bananas, peaches, pears, grapes, cutie oranges (keep a few napkins handy)
• Homemade oatmeal cookies (more like a granola bar than a cookie but still rediculously delicious)
• 1 cheese stick with a couple of carrot sticks
• A couple of cheese slices with low-fat triscuits
• Bag of breakfast cereal (try and choose a low sugar high fiber option and don't forget to stick to the suggested portion size on the nutrition label)
• Laughing Cow low-fat cheese wedge with whole wheat crackers (I love Kashi crackers)
• Instant Oatmeal (Most packets have less than 150 calories, keep you full for a long time and it's great for colder months! Again, watch the sugar content here.)
• Low-fat yogurt with fruit
• Greek yogurt with a packet of stevia mixed in
• Wasa crackers with peanut butter or hummus on top
• low-fat cottage cheese with fruit or no sugar added jam mixed in
• Veggies and hummus to dip them in
• Low-fat granola (Watch your potion sizes here. Granola is usally higher in calories.)
• Trail Mix (You can make your own with dried fruit, mixed nuts, and either granola or high fiber cereal.)
• 100 calorie packs of popcorn
• Soy beans (you can eat them shelled or pick up a bag of soy nuts which are yummy as well)
• Herbal tea or low-fat fot cocoa - sometimes drinking something hot will help curb your cravings, especially sugar cravings!

[source]

If you are going with a granola bar, some of my favorites include:

• Luna bars
• Luna protein bars
• Larabars
• Kind bars
• Kashi TLC fruit and nut bars (I love the pumpkin pecan bar, but I'm sure they are all good)
• Cliff bars (I actually eat Z bars, the kids version of cliff bars because they are only 130 calories and have way less sugar.)
• Odawalla bars (these are delicious but are kind of high in caloires and sugar)

Hopefully, something on that list appeals to you! Since I have been stuck inside for almost 36 hours straight, I have been doing a lot of reading. Here are some great articles I have read in the past few days.

Super Bowl Snack Break Down

The Magic of Mantras

5 Things I Wish I Had Known About Yoga As A Beginner

Sleep: The Missing Piece To The Weight-Loss Puzzle


Q's and A's:
What is your favorite snack?
If you are snowed in, what have you been up to?

In health,

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Howdy Friends!

How is everyone today? I hope everyone had a fabulous and lucky 1/11/11!

A few days ago, I went to the grocery store and came across this little gem!

Heather over at HEAB always raves about Justin's Almond Butter, so when I saw this sample pack, I had to give it a try! Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. It was a little sweeter than regular almond butter, but didn't have a ton of added sugar. I spread it on a piece of toast and was in Heaven. I would highly suggest it!

I've always been a fan of running, but lately, it has been my cardio of choice. I look forward to my morning runs immensely, and love the way I feel after I'm done. Since I'm not teaching as many classes right now, due to the Christmas break, it has been hard to make myself do anything else but run. On some days, I'm tempted to go for a second run in the afternoon, but I'm afraid to injure myself by over training. Been there, done that! I just feel so much less stressed and so rejuvenated after a good run. Oh well, there are definitely worse things to crave than running! :)

Yesterday morning, it was literally freezing, so I headed to the gym in my apartment complex to hit the treadmill. I'm always worried that my training will suffer if the majority of my runs are done on the treadmill. I decided to try and simulate running outside by changing up my pace and adding in hills. Here's what my plan looked liked:


My training plan called for a 5 mile run, so I repeated this series 5 times. Changing the pace and elevation made this run fly by! You can definitely adjust the speed to fit your own individual pace. For the 2 recovery segments (6.2mph) use a comfortable jogging pace, and then pick it up a bit where it has 7.0 mph (you can use your 5K race pace or just a pace that is challenging but doesn't leave you completely breathless). If you are doing a shorter workout and want even more bang for your buck, simply pick up your speed and bump up your elevation to 3.5% +. Let me know if you try it out!

In the January issue of Women's Health Magazine, there was a really neat quiz that calculated your bodies real age based on various aspects such as your waist to hip ration, resting heart rate, eating habits etc. I took the pencil and paper test in the magazine, but now the have an online version! We all know that regular exercise and healthy eating habits can help us live longer, and now we can see how all of our hard work is paying off! Check it out: What's Your Body's Real Age.

Questions of the day:
Do you ever get fixed on one form of exercise, and that is all you really want to do?
If you took the Body Age quiz, how did you do?
What are some things you do to spice up your treadmill workouts?

In health,

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Happy Hump Day!!

Brrrrr it's cold and nasty here in Dallas! It's probably my fault, since I have been raving about the amazing weather we have been having. It's so nasty outside, I had to do my run yesterday and this morning on the treadmill. NO FUN!

When  it's this cold outside, there is nothing better than a hot cup of tea. I have actually been going through somewhat of a tea phase lately. There are a million different types of tea that provide a million different benefits. When I walk down the tea aisle, sometimes I feel like I'm in a pharmacy. There are teas to boost immunity, tea to cure an upset stomach, tea to soothe a sore throat (I love this one), tea to give you energy and tea to relieve stress (big fan of this one as well). I am rotating between three different teas at the moment: Green Tea, Yogi DeTox (to promote healthy liver and kidney function), and Kava Stress Relief. All three are delicious, especially with a little almond milk.

Tea contains high levels of antioxidants, some of which are called polyphenols, flavonoids, and catechins, and all of which take on the “free radicals” in the body and prevent them from harming the healthy cells on board. A study by the American Medical Association followed more than 40,000 Japanese adults for a decade, and at the 7-year follow-up, those who had been drinking five or more cups of tea per day were 26% less likely to die of any cause compared with those who averaged less than a cup. In another Japanese study, researchers broke participants into two groups. Only one group was put on a catechin-rich green-tea diet. At the end of 12 weeks, the green-tea group had achieved significantly smaller body weights and waistlines than those in the control group. Researchers believe that catechins are effective at boosting metabolism. Other teas that are high in catechins are yerba mate, white tea, oolong tea, and rooibos (red) tea.



Are you sold yet? If not, check out these additional health benefits of hot tea:

• Studies show that tea drinkers have lower blood pressure.
• Tea may lower cholesterol and protect against heart disease.
• Black tea may lower "bad" cholesterol.
• Green Tea can help prevent or slow the progression of certain types of cancer including, prostate cancer, colon cancer, skin cancer, and stomach cancer.
• Green tea and oolong tea can help reduce the risk of hypertension.
• Tea can boost your bodies immunity.
• A green tea component helps kill leukemia cells (Mayo Clinic, 2004).
• Consuming tea may help delay Alzheimer's disease.
• Green tea can actually boost your metabolism.
• Tea also contains less caffeine than coffee. So swap your cup of Joe for a cup of Green tea and you will cut down on caffeine while loading up on free radical fighting catechins!

All of the statements above are backed by credible research studies. To check them out, visit: Health Benefits of Tea.

Now that you know the facts, it's time to head to the kitchen and brew some tea. Another great thing about hot tea, is that it is not very expensive. A box of 16 tea bags will run you between $3-$7. That's about how much I pay for one grande skinny vanilla latte at Starbucks. You can even buy variety packs so you can test out different flavors.

Don't forget to check out the reader discounts and giveaway going on at the Shop FF&F page. To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on a post before Friday!

Food for thought:
Do you drink hot tea regularly?
What is your favorite type of hot tea?
Do you put anything in your tea?

In health,

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Good Morning!

We have been in our new house for exactly one week now! It feels amazing to finally have all of the boxes unpacked, pictures hung up, and kitchen stuff put away. Speaking of the kitchen, I wanted to share with you the five things I must have in my kitchen at all times. These are my "staples," if you will.

I am absolutely obsessed with cinnamon at the moment. I put it on or in everything; my coffee, Greek yogurt, cinnamon toast, and mmmm bread pudding! Research shows that cinnamon can help curb fatigue, ease frustration, and increase alertness. Not to mention it is loaded with good for you antioxidants!
I know Greek Yogurt has been around the health food scene for quite a while now, but I still absolutely love it! My favorite snack is a green apple with Greek yogurt and peanut butter dip. Greek yogurt is much higher in protein and lower in sugar than your regular yogurt. An Oikos single serving cup has just 80 calories, 0g fat, 6g carbohydrates, 6g sugar, 15g protein, and 20% of your daily value of Calcium.

I made the switch from skim milk to soy milk about a year ago, and I am never going back! I don't have anything against Old Bessy, but there is nothing more delicious than a cold glass of Silk Light soy milk. It tastes delicious on its own, and works great in recipes. Silk is slightly sweeter than regular milk, so it gives your creations a little something extra! One 8oz serving of Silk has only 70 calories, 2 g fat, 8g carbohydrates, 6g sugar, 6g protein, 30% of your daily value of Calcium and Vitamin D, and 50% of your DV of Vitamin B12. Talk about a good way to jump start your morning!
My newest obsession is Lipton Diet Green Tea. In my quest to cut out diet coke, this drink has become my best friend. It is the perfect drink for summer: cool, crisp, and delicious! This tasty beverage is also pretty good for you. One bottle has zero calories, 0g fat, 0g carbohydrates, 0g sugar, 100% of your DV of vitamin C, 122mg flavanoids antioxidants, and 24mg caffeine.


Last but not least, I am absolutely in love with these cute little pink measuring bowls. They are perfect for measuring out ingredients, storing leftovers, or scrambling up egg whites. There are four different size bowls: 4 cups, 3 cups, 2 cups, and 1 cup. Did I mention they were pink? Enough said!

Food For Thought?
Are there any products you must have in your kitchen at all times? If so, what are they and why do you love them?

I hope everyone has an amazing weekend!

Yours truly,

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