Hello lovelies! First thing's first: I'll be sending out a new health coaching newsletter soon. If you aren't already subscribed to my free newsletter, which includes exclusive healthy living tips, workouts, recipes, and more, sign up below if you're interested. Subscribe to my health coaching newsletter! * indicates required Email Address * First Name Last Name So, has anyone else been holiday shopping like crazy? So far I've strictly stuck to online shopping, as Black Friday shopping is a little too chaotic for my liking, but I have been checking people off of my gift list like it's my job! I really enjoy buying gifts for the people I love. Oh, and I might have bought a few things for myself too. ;-) Today's gift guide is geared towards ... [Read More]
Archives for November 2016
Thanksgiving Weekend 2016: Hiking Iron Mt, Relaxing & Feeling Grateful!
"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude." - D. Waitley If you're in America or Canada, I hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I also hope that your weekends were full of fun and relaxation like mine was! Today I'm backing it up to the start of my glorious 4-day weekend. We decided to stay in town for the long weekend. My hubby had off for the week from his MBA schooling, so with little work on our agendas, we were free to do whatever we wanted! On Thanksgiving I love to do an outdoor workout with my little family before the holiday festivities. By going hiking, we all get a workout in and get to enjoy the outdoors together! This year we elected to head to ... [Read More]
Vegetable Mac & Cheese Ramekins
Happy Thanksgiving week! Throughout the entire year, but especially during the holiday season, one of my main diet principles is portion control. So many people ban certain foods from their lives, only to "fall off the wagon" and binge when their willpower wanes. I promote the idea of balanced eating and moderation because it is what works in the long haul! Take pasta for example. Do I eat it daily? No. But do I eat it when I'm in a carb-y pasta mood around every couple of weeks? Hell yea! I just never eat a huge bowl of it (well, unless I'm in Italy...) and I try to sneak some veggies into my pasta dishes to make them heartier and more nutritious. I recently came up with this idea of making ramekin macaroni & cheese - because ramekins are perfect for built-in portion ... [Read More]
Cultivate Gratitude by Switching Your Mindset from “Got to” to “Get to”
Hello, hello! Today I want to talk about a concept that I've been sharing with my health coaching clients and loved ones this week. The idea first came into my consciousness during a yoga session last weekend. I'm usually an optimistic, genuinely happy person, but since I share real life stuff on this blog of mine, I don't mind admitting that I've just been experiencing a bit of a down feeling that I haven't been able to quite shake. When I woke up last Saturday morning feeling like I was kind of in a funk, I decided that I was going to start my day with a yoga practice to stretch my sore muscles and soothe my soul. I did a class via YogaDownload, and decided to do a post-class meditation afterwards to further clear my head and open my heart. The concept of the Outlaw Yoga ... [Read More]
Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cereal Bars [gluten free]
As a traveler, I'm not usually the person that seeks out the best shopping spots in a given area. I'm not huge into shopping and my husband absolutely loathes it, so shopping is never on our vacation checklist. While I prefer making memories, taking photos, and going on adventures while traveling, I do enjoy nabbing a souvenir that reminds me of the trip and is unique to the area. For instance, I picked up coasters in New Orleans that have the city's symbolic fleur-de-lis design on them. When I put my drink on one, memories from my time there come to mind. The last time I was in Italy, I bought a bracelet from a street vendor. Every time I wear it, I think of the magic of Venice. During my trip to Ireland a few months ago, the souvenir that I took home was a jar of locally ... [Read More]
Election Hangover HIIT Workout
I don't know about you guys, but the election this week has left me feeling emotionally drained. In checking out the trends on social media yesterday, one of the ones that stood out was #ElectionHangover. Yes, this has felt like an election hangover in the worst way. I've had my share of {alcohol} hangovers in my life, but this week's hangover is the kind that lasts for days, and leaves you feeling exhausted, headachy and kind of depressed. To help get my spirits up in general, one of my go-to moves is ranting to my mom exercise. Workout endorphins are a powerful thing! So today I'm sharing an election hangover remedy: a 40-minute HIIT workout. I've been starting to add HIIT back into my workout routine, and it's one of my favorite kinds of workouts. I just love how the moves are quick ... [Read More]