Wedding Bell Workout

I officially only have 33 more days until I am no longer a bride.. I will be a wife.

I want to look my absolute best and that means not only eating healthy but also working out. I am constantly looking for new workouts and things to keep me wanting to workout. I personally think that is a key to staying fit. You  have to be interested in your workout to keep the workout going.

Here is one workout that I just created to help me get in shape for my big day. 

It is simple yet effective and should take only about 15 minutes to get through it all. 

Bonus - it works out your whole body! 

I called it the 

Wedding Bell workout! 

It can be used for any occasion but especially for weddings :) 

There are tons of other workouts out there to help you stay motivated for any event or season. 

Some of my favorite workouts are: 

(from pbfingers)

(from sweettoothsweetlife)

(from the fitnessista)

All of these blogs also have other AMAZING workouts and inspire me daily with their healthy lifestyle,  I would highly recommend that you check them out. 

Another great idea for getting workout ideas and motivation is always pintrest. I also always find great workouts that have been pinned. 

I hope all these workouts help you get ready for whatever is coming up in your life. 

Remember to keep working out fun and always just do the best you can... no one is perfect the first time they try something new. 

Writing down what you eat.... is it really that important?

I know that so many people have heard that part of weight loss success is writing down what you eat and keeping a food journal. 

Why?

For so long I did not understand the idea or process of writing down what I ate, I truly thought I can remember what I ate today and yesterday... but the more I began learning about food journaling the more I found so many benefits to this practice. 

I have just began food journaling and am really finding out that it does work and is such a helpful tool to use. I realized that there is no way you can remember everything you ate throughout the day, especially if you are a snacker like me. 

So I wanted to share with you today all the amazing information I have discovered. 

One of the first articles I found when researching food journaling was on WEB MD. According to WEB MD the number one piece of advice to give someone who is trying to lose weight is to keep a food journal. 

That is HUGE because so many times when I think about losing weight I automatically assume the best piece of advice is to eat less and work out more. 

The same article also states that in a study of overweight women, the women that kept of food journal lost an average of 6 pounds more than the other women who were on the same diet program. Another example of the incredible weight loss achieved by those keeping food journals was a study done in 2008 that discovered that people who kept food journals 6 days of the week lost twice as much weight as those who only kept of food journal sporadically. 

Just that information right there has convinced me to keep a food journal. 

I truly think those findings are incredible and really prove that watching what you eat, while writing it down is a weight loss secret that so many people do not use. 

I also wanted to give you some information on food journaling. 

I found this wonderful article on EATING WELL that talks about the basics of keeping a food diary. Some of the key points that they mentioned were: 

Keep your food journal handy. - Take it everywhere you go.

Be as specific as possible - For example don't just write down you had a handful of crackers, write that you had 10 crackers. 

Write it right after you bite it - Do not wait to write it down an hour later because you might forget.

For me the easiest way for me to keep a food journal is on my iphone. It is always with me and it is simple to find almost every food out there.

There are so many amazing apps that are great for tracking what you eat and also helping you count your calories and nutrients. 

I personally use MyNETDIARY but there are many others out there too. You can find some of the best right here.

QUESTIONS:

Do you keep a food journal?

Do you really think food journaling works?

What is your best weight loss secret?

Easter Recipes.. plus one created by me :)

Happy EASTER! 

It is such a wonderful time of year, the sun is starting to come out, flowers are blooming and Jesus is ALIVE. :) 

Spring is also a wonderful time to start eating healthy again. I know that I always WANT to eat clean and healthy this time of year, it is not a job or something I have to do. Usually during the winter I tend to want to eat sweets and things that make me warm, like pastas or soups, but now that it is getting warm, I want fresh foods that make me feel alive. It is almost like spring cleaning for you body, your body is being renewed day by day. 

This spring and summer I challenge you to start eating healthy. I promise it make you feel great and you  really start to not crave all the bad foods that make you feel bad. 
But remember healthy foods do not have to be boring, there are tons of great recipes to enjoy. I am always looking online for great new recipes to try out. 

One healthy recipe for springtime and Easter that I created is 
Almond Coconut Bars. 
These bars are so easy to make and also healthy and filled with good all natural food. This requires less than 10 mins of work and is AMAZING :) 

Serving size - 6 bars 

Ingredients:
1 cup of sweetened coconut
1/2 cup of raw almonds
1/4 cup of agave necter
2 tbsp of coconut oil
1 tsp of vanilla extract
dash of salt

Directions:

1. Crush almonds in food processor or magic bullet (what i used) 

2. Put all the other ingredients into the food processor and mix until throughly combined. 

3. Once the ingredients are all mixed, flatten the mix into small container and put into the refrigerator for around an hour (or until firm)

4. ENJOY! :) 

Some other great healthy recipes for treats that I have found online are: 

Light Key Lime Pie Bar 

Healthy Sugar Cookies 

Please go check out this blog... it is full of great recipes. You will be amazed at how many delicious foods she has created that are healthy.  

Cocoa Almonds 

And I also wanted to add in some low calorie options to eat your favorite easter treats (because you shouldn't have to give up your favorite easter treats... just eat them in moderation :) ) 

2 Bunny Peeps are only 65 calories 

1 Springtime Oreo is only 54 calories 

1 Lindt's Milk Chocolate Mini Lamb is only 50 calories 

All the fun treat calories came from Health.com

Questions: 

Do you like to eat healthy and clean this time of year? 
What is your favorite Easter treat?
Do you have a favorite Easter dish?

FAD DIETS... So Yesterday

There are so many fad and crash diets out there today that claim that they can all get you in the perfect shape. They claim  you will lose 10 lbs in a week, they will get you in the best shape of your life and so many other things.

I know that so many brides, and basically everybody, wants to look their best (especially on their wedding day).  I would love to tone up and get the best abs of my life, and to be honest I have thought about trying some of those "magic" pills, but I haven't because I know they are just lying and can actually hurt me.

So many people turn to these crash diets or diet pills hoping they will work but what so many people do  not know is that they can actually hurt you.

Crash diets can effect you in so many negative ways. Here are some of the harmful effects that these diets can lead to:

• Heart Problems - According to Dr. Rosenfeld, MD, a professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, and author of the forthcoming "Doctor of the Heart: A Life in Medicine, a crash diet increases the risk of having a heart attack. This increased risk of a heart attack is due to the strain of your body trying to function without having enough calories. These crash diets can also lead to heart palpitations, dehydration and chest pain.  
• Slow Metabolism - When on a crash diet, your BMR (Basal Metabolic Weight) will slow down, due to the lack of calories that you are taking in. 

The best way to be in the best shape and feel the best about yourself in my opinion is moderation and making simple healthy choices every single day, not just when a big event is coming up.

To be really honest, this is something that is kind of new to me.

I have always had food issues and always either ate to much or too little, never just the right amount. It really is something that I think you have to learn, and that most Americans today do not truly understand.

So here is what a normal day of eating looks like.

Breakfast: Green "Cake Batter" Smoothie

Snack: Handful of Veggie Straws

Lunch: Chicken and some Coca Powder Cottage Cheese

Dinner: Tortilla Pizza (with Turkey Pepperoni's and veggies), Rice Cake with Peanut Butter and

I do know that today I did miss out on a good amount of fruits and I still needed some more vegetables but everyday is a work in progress and no one has a "perfect" diet. We are all just working to be the healthiest we can be. :)

Disclaimer: I am no dietitian and will not say that this is what you should eat. My diet changes daily but here is just a look at what I feel like it is to be "Normal".

Questions: 

What does your daily diet look like? 

What do you think of Fad diets? Have any of them worked for you? 

Perfect Skin, White Teeth and a Tiny Tummy

Planning a wedding is so stressful and on top of everything every bride, or at least i do, wants to look their best. 

I officially have two more months to get ready for my wedding and with everything I have to do, I know that having great skin and feeling my best on May 18th is a key part. 

So today I have searched high and low to find the best foods to help achieve great skin, a beautiful smile and a tiny tummy. 

Perfect Skin Foods 

• Chocolate - I was very shocked to find this food on the list. I can not think of a better way to get in a delicious treat and work on your skin. According to Fitness Magazine Chocolate helps to hydrate your skin  which will help it feel firmer and decrease puffiness. They recommend eating chocolate that contains at least 70% coca. (aka - Dark Chocolate) 
• Yogurt - Yogurt is said to be a key ingredient for achieving perfect skin because of the protein which helps your skin become firmer and more resistant to lines. 
• Sunflower Seeds - These seeds are loaded with Vitamin E which helps protect the top layer of your skin from the sun. It is said to help brighten your skin. And who doesn't want to look glowing on their wedding day? 
• For all the rest of the Perfect Skin foods just click here. 

Teeth Whitening Foods

• Celery, apples and carrots - Name one thing all these foods have in common. Any ideas? - The answer is that they are all CRUNCHY. I did not know this but crunchy fruits and veggies help produce more saliva and saliva is a built-in / natural cleanser. Also the crunchiness of the foods helps scrub your teeth too. 
• Lemon juice - Lemon juice is a natural lighter ( I have actually heard people putting it on their hair to give them highlights). One way to use lemon juice to lighten your teeth is to mix it with baking soda or salt and brush with the paste. One warning though - always rinse your mouth out after doing this because it can harm your enamel if left on for too long. 
• Strawberries - Even though this fruit is very bright berry, it is a berry that does not stain your teeth, it actually can help brighten them. The way to use strawberries to whiten your teeth naturally is to mash up the berries and mix them with baking soda until a paste is formed. Then leave the paste on your teeth for five minutes.
• There are other great foods for getting your teeth pearly white here. 

Flat Belly Foods

• Almonds - These delicious nuts help to build muscle and fight off those cravings. (And with all the food tastings and cake decisions... fighting off those cravings is key!) My trick is to always keep a little baggy of them in my purse... so when I get hungry I reach for the almonds instead of all the snack food. 
• Chicken, Fish and Eggs - All of these foods are key a flat and tiny tummy because they are all good sources of protein. These foods will help you stay fuller longer. 
• Olive oil and walnuts - Even though these foods are high in their fat content, they work to burn fat in your midsection. And I know that most of us would love to lose a few inches from there. 
• For more information about the best foods for a flat tummy click here and here. 

Questions:

How are you planning on getting in the best shape of your life this year? 

Do you have any cool beauty tricks I can try out? I am ALWAYS up to try out new tips :)