Thursday, May 31, 2012

THIRSTY THURSDAY



 She tried it, tested it and LOVED IT!


PEPITA DESIGNS to pick up your one of a kind outfit :)






Wednesday, May 30, 2012

WORK IT WEDNESDAY


By the way: I am OBSESSED with "Starships" by Nicki Minaj....


I started off with a bit of cycle! It kind of has become my new favorite thing :) I did it from ten minutes although I recommend to just do it for about 2-3 minutes to get your heart pumping!

I started my timer and working out HAPPENED! haha* I left the gym after this cycle (4 times yah!!) sweaty, wet and felt a force of energy ride throughout my body!

P.S If you can't reach 4 cycles than push yourself to at least complete two! I promise one day 4 cycles will become the regular but make sure you build yourself up to this! Make it a GOAL!



My food yesterday! So many people write me private messages and ask me what I eat on a given day! I start my morning off with at least a liter of water followed by a veggie based shake. Snack is either a piece of fruit or a handful of seeds. After a few hours (3-4 hours) I head on over to lunch and usually have something already cooked up in the fridge waiting to be eaten :) Smoked marlin this week because I picked it up at the farmers market saturday! Loving it! For dinner, we went to Mi Casa (top restaurant choice in Los Cabos) and I ordered a salad with dressing on the side. Look at those colors! I also added a side of grilled chicken and cut it up very tiny so my body can easily digest it!


Do you enjoy timed workouts or do you like to count your reps and sets?





Tuesday, May 29, 2012

TIP TUESDAY



You eat all the right foods, 4-6 meals a day and workout and you still seem to be STUCK! No more pounds falling off, fat still sticks there and you just DO NOT GET IT!

Well SISTER, I am here to help you!

There are a few reasons why this is going on but today we are going to focus on one of the larger reasons: PORTION CONTROL..




That's RIGHT...just because you are eating "healthy foods", :ALMOND's, PINENUT'S, SEEDS ETC. (raw, unroasted, unsalted) does not mean you can eat the whole bag.....

And grains like quinoa, barley, brown rice, whole wheat pastas..etc..same thing! YES you are eating quinoa and you know all of the health benefits but does that mean you should have three servings? NO

These foods STILL have calories! Yes, they are better choices compared to what you used to eat so GO YOU! 

But it is NOW time to look into that NEXT STEP...

You have the right formula, the right foods but those portion sizes are out of control! (trust me I am with you on this one...me and nuts are "frienenemies")

Counting on Nutrition Charts that restaurants and the internet are WONDERFUL but remember these estimates are not EXACTLY what you will be served when you go out to that same exact restaurant and order that same exact dish...WHY? Well half the time the chef is not measuring the amount of oils, butters, and gosh knows what else and could give you a larger slab of meat or even a larger serving than what was given the day of testing. Also this number is usually a "mean." A mean is a sum of all the totals divided by the amount which then gives the approximate result. 

I know you most likely don't have a portable food scale, or a nutritional chart on the back of every single thing you eat so here are so "handy" guides for you to control your portion sizes....


Monday, May 28, 2012

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY


Anything is possible! I mean it!

Truth to that be told and for some it can be harder than others but just know that anything, ANYTHING is POSSIBLE if you put your mind to it!

Since this is a health, fitness, motivational type blog I will focus on that as my "main point" but it really can be APPLIED to ANYTHING in life (love, friends, work etc.)

Women most of the time are looking for a quick fix diet, a way to look EXTRA fit for memorial day weekend, birthdays, that next big trip but go home after all the fun/hardwork and gain it all back and then some (most of the time)

I am about to give you some tips that will transform the way you think about dieting and I promise you there are ways to lose weight without dieting...


THATS RIGHT WITHOUT DIETING

it is called a LIFESTYLE CHANGE...


Saturday, May 26, 2012

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY



I have been cooking up a storm since Mr. Bentley has been gone....

My ABSOLUTE favorite blog to grab recipes from is Love Veggies and Yoga
I also use Peas and Thank You but have just been introduced so have yet to try a TON of her stuff!

Averie Rocks :) I have been reading her blog since I was a full blown VEGAN in 2008 and always dreamed of having enough energy to bake or as she says UNBAKE away!

Her website has changed quite a bit and she has added all kinds of recipes so do NOT worry it has non-vegan related and easy recipes which is always a BONUS!

If I don't pull straight from her site I definitely get INSPIRED by her ideas and ingredient mixtures...

My Pumpkin Bars were pulled from Peas and Thank You but will try Averie's this week...

I tweaked the recipe with what I had because of course when I start baking..I start baking (NO STOPPPING ME)

  • 1 c. oat flour (ground old-fashioned oats)
  • 3/4 c. vanilla protein powder  ( I used Moduvated Vanilla Protein)
  • 1 t. cinnamon
  • 1/2 t. nutmeg
  • 1 t. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 t. baking powder (did not have this but used gluten free pancake mix I had in the back of the pantry)
  • 1/4 t. salt (I used sea salt)
  • stevia to taste 
  • 1/2 c. silken tofu ** (I used the flax "eggs)
  • 1 c. canned pumpkin
  • 1 t. vanilla extract
*If omitting protein powder, substitute any other flour of your choice or just use additional oat flour
**For a soy free version, substitute 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce or 2 flax “eggs” (1 T. ground flax + 2 T. water = 1 flax egg)


Again this recipe is from Peas and Thank You..

My results were fantastic especially since I added some CAROB CHIPS!!  (before I ate them ALL) I gave them to my client so she can see that you can make your own protein bars at home! Plus I LOVE TO COOK/BAKE/CREATE..

Friday, May 25, 2012

FABULOUS FRIDAY


If you watch the news or read news articles, I am sure you have heard the famous DANGEROUS BEAUTY scares that are sweeping the nation that make you never want to wear makeup or wash your hair again because it could cause cancer, lung disease, heart failure, seizures...what have you...

Me being a beauty freakazoid and now conscious wife..I have been weeding out my beauty products one by one and finding new products to replace them!

I thought it would be easy being that I already know a handful of natural beauty remedies. When it comes to certain products like shampoo, deodorant and hair spray I am just so UNSURE! So if you know of anything that is good for dyed blondes and wavy curly hair or stinky armpits let me know ;)




Switched out the old mouth wash for some organic sesame oil! It has been working out wonderfully. My results have been shiny white teeth, clean gums and have yet to be sick :) You can read more about it here.




Clinque Total Makeup Remover has been a staple for years, but I decided to try Vichy because the Clinique product contains Phenoxyethanol (can cause reproductive toxicity and banned in Japan).  I have heard a ton about Vichy and the natural ingredients and how it actually works so I thought I would give it a try! I am LOVING Vichy!!



I used to use those Neturogena wipes everyone and there sisters uses but decided to try out the Yes to..products and what can I say....I have always been a fan and still am after using this nourishing facial towelette. Although it does not totally remove my water proof mascara like the Neutrogena wipes I feel it does a good enough job considering it does not have PEG 4 and PEG 6 (known to cause hives and eczema)in it.




Thursday, May 24, 2012

THIRSTY THURSDAY



 Gorgeous Thursday today and I had a very informative and fun-filled day! 


I would like to start you all off with an amazing treat for those upcoming SUMMER days! 




This  extraordinary drink is perfect for those days you just want to sit outside on the front porch and relax the afternoon away!


You could even quadruple the recipe and make a pitcher to share at a BBQ or picnic!


Today, like I mentioned above was a very informative and fun-filled day!

I went and got a reading because I am at a new point in my life where things can go in two VERY different directions! I was happy to know it will be going in the direction I was ROOTING for!

I always drive by....

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

WORK IT WEDNESDAY





Today was an awesome day and to think it just started....

I got my workout on with my new client! I am having so much fun with her because I get to experiment and see if my method really works on everyone :) Personally, I have MARVELOUS results when I follow it to the T. I also want to see if other ladies would have the same results..onwards towards a path of trial and error and so far so good :) Pictures to follow soon....

Afterwards I headed to the farmers market with the two Rachel's and we dined on some delicious BREAKFAST eatery and I bought some appealing foods:



Strawberries, zucchini, broccolini, sweat dumpling squash, chipotle hummus, and green salsa (?) 

Monday, May 21, 2012

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY


Start making commitments to yourself!

We all make commitments to our friends, boyfriends, husbands, kids, jobs, and god knows what else but what about YOU!?!

I sit back and do the same. I get caught up in pleasing others, stop what I am doing for myself to do something more for my husband, my doggies, friends, family and I sit back and wonder what is missing sometimes. What is missing is ME! My love for music, working out, cooking, sprouting, reading learning and dancing! Putting others before yourself is ok sometimes, but is never ok if this is the life you lead!

Take charge of YOU first and the rest will follow....

Saturday, May 19, 2012

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY




KeVita ROCKS! Not only do the flavors like Coconut,Mango Coconut and Strawberry Acai Coconut taste like heaven these probiotic wonders are beneficial to your health and well being.
I have been reading about probiotics for some time and never quite understood what a probiotic was and why I needed to add such thing into my diet. I have then come to find through drinking KeVita that I have more energy and I just overall feel better after a meal. Why you may ask? Is this all in my head?

Friday, May 18, 2012

FABULOUS FRIDAY





What in the world am I doing with curlers in my hair?

Today's fabulous friday is a topic I have struggled with for MANY, MANY years! As you can tell from some of my pictures, my hair is short one day and then long the next (thank you clip in extensions)! This is because I have been struggling for as long as I can remember with hair growth! I not only dye my hair blonde, I love to curl it and straighten it because my hair naturally is a kinky mess.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

TUNE THURSDAY


I love rocking out to music when I workout and even on those days when I feel low energy or I am in a bad mood!

A playlist can get you into a planned workout because you can decide for lets say Adele-"Rumor Has It" I will do crunches varied until the song ends and after that Justin Timberlake "Sexy Back" I will do lunges. It is an easy way to not be sitting counting reps bored out of your mind and keep you singing and in a FANTASTIC mood :)

Here is a rocking list of music to check out and add to your current playlist or just take this whole playlist altogether:

THIRSTY THURSDAY


Time to start the party already CourtStar! I hear you sister! Time to learn about your ultimate party girl survival drinks so the next few weeks, Thirsty Thursday will be dedicated to the boozin good times!




I have been loving this one on a hot summer day :)


Question: What is your favorite cocktail and why?

Cheers to life, love and happiness :) 


Wednesday, May 16, 2012

WORK IT WEDNESDAY



Go out and buy yourself a jump rope! It is seriously the best investment, super cheap and can go with you anywhere and everywhere. When clients mention to me that weights are to heavy to travel with I laugh because I know that options such as a jump rope and resistance bands take 0 room in your suitcase and weigh far less than a pound! 

A trick is to go to your local medical supply store and buy thera bands. Thera bands at these stores are much cheaper and you can have the worker cut the band as long or as short as you want.

Just completed this baby right after my trip to the farmers market! I got two of my girlfriends to join me today and we had a blast. It is awesome when you can have girls time and be doing something healthy instead of going out for drinks. I love doing other activities and it is always way more fun as you can actually hear each other and you are not blasted lol


Look at those delicious muffins and cookies!


The "good" stuff! I picked up some brownies for my hubby but none for me!

Herbs and greenery!

The colors of the tomatoes are so brilliant, I bought a bunch! Fennel and other root veggies!


More greens! Half the time I have no idea what I am buying but its green so I am golden :)


Mixed greens with flowers! Who would have thought you can eat flowers but you can and I got some!

Rainbow carrots! I love these!

Herb plants! I may pick one up next time but my goal is to get really good at sprouting my alfalfa seeds first!


Have you checked out your local farmers market? 
What other activities do you like to do with your friends besides going out to clubs, bars or restaurants?

TIP TUESDAY





Back to the drawing board on my videos I quickly made this one I apologize but the info is what is important :) I find that you can workout anywhere at anytime. Some may think I am crazy..I just think I am smart ;) haha

Anyway I take advantage of brushing my teeth and washing my face to add some extra squats, lunges and standing ab exercises into my day. If you ever are talking to me on the phone and your hear me breathing its probably because I am working out. (Sorry for working out) Days like yesterday I was super busy but I promise you while I was waiting for my curlers to cool down I was lunging, when I washed my face before I went to bed I squatted and when I brushed my teeth I was doing side to side ab exercises. I make it happen and you can too :)

Comment and let me know what you added this week!


Last week I asked you all to grow something, whether it be flowers, herbs, sprouts or even veggies or fruits! I sprouted and let me tell you the results were amazing! They started out tiny little seedlings and became a salad and an addition to my smoothies. I have even been sneaking them into my husbands protein shakes for an additional boost to his nutrition!  An amazing feeling came about me as I watched our guests eat my sprout salad at our last dinner party. I added avocado and cherry tomatoes with a homemade dressing (raw) as well. 

The sprouting stages
The greening process: getting sunlight for an added bonus of chlorophyll 

Just my sprouts, cherry tomatoes and some chopped avocado

What did you end up growing?

For more information on sprouting check out these books I found on amazon:
I received these two books as a gift and just sprouted the fourth option below (the alfalfa, brocoli mixture)