Fall Into a Healthy Routine

It's officially fall! I can tell because everything is now pumpkin flavored and I actually had to throw on a sweatshirt to walk to the dining hall this morning, which is terrible, because I usually don't even want to put pants on.

BUT ANYWAYS...

Unfortunately fall means that people tend to start losing the motivation that they had, over the summer, to be healthy and fit. DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU.

I know the weather is not so great and comfort food is calling your name, but don't give in. It's time to kick it into high gear and either revamp your routine, or for those of you whom haven't started yet, now is your time.

In order to be healthy and fit, all throughout the year, you need to change with the seasons. It's important to keep things interesting and allow yourself to mix things up once in a while.

Yesterday in my government 101 class, this guy that sits by me was telling me about how he could not get himself to go to the gym because it was just too cold to walk there, so instead he did some high intensity interval training videos that he found on youtube. If you face this problem of lacking motivation because of the weather, take advantage of the internet and all of it's fitness resources, you have no excuse. However, if you do prefer taking a walk or running outside, try to slowly make the adjustment to the treadmill or elliptical over fall, so when winter comes you are ready. If you struggle with boredom on the treadmill, refer to my post entitled "Workout of the week: A Treadmill Workout."

About the comfort food that is calling your name....

Resist the urge. Whether it be pumpkin pie or mac and cheese, comfort food is not the answer. To stop this craving, enjoy a bowl of a homemade soup, or if making soup is hard for you, Amy's Soups are a great, healthy option!

So think about your current routine, and ask yourself, is it time for a change? A change may keep you going and healthy. I know it's time for a change for me :)


On a side note...
I apologize to everyone who has been contacting me lately, regarding health and fitness, for the delayed responses. I just had midterms so I've been very busy, but luckily my schedule is starting to clear up, so feel free to continue to contact me for help and motivation!

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls

One of my favorite combinations has always been chocolate and peanut butter, whether it be ice cream or in cup form, I love chocolate and peanut butter. Of course, living a healthy life does not necessarily allow me to eat a big bowl of chocolate peanut butter ice cream or even a twin pack of peanut butter cups, but alas I found a solution to my craving: Chocolate peanut butter protein balls. Ringing in at about 75 calories per ball, these delicious bites of protein pack the flavors I love AND are full of protein and nutrients. I thought it would only to be fair to share this recipe for you all, and especially for my dad who is begging for it. As I tell my dad, eat these babies in moderation, one a day or every two days is a good rule, because even though they are nutritious, everything should be eaten in moderation :)

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do! 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup (dry) Old-fashioned oatmeal
• 2/3 Cup coconut flakes 
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (I use natural peanut butter)
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (up to you whether its semi-sweet, dark, or even cacao nibs)
• 1/3 cup honey or agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Stir all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl until they are thoroughly mixed
2. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for half an hour
3. Once done chilling, roll into balls (about 1" in diameter)
4. Store in an airtight container and keep in the freezer for up to one week 

Don't Fear Change, Embrace It.

I was once so afraid of change. I couldn't throw my schedule off in even the slightest of ways. Eat breakfast an hour later? No way. Go to sleep past midnight? Not a chance. Start eating healthy and working out? Excuse my French, HELL NO. That would throw everything off. I can't pinpoint all of the reasons why, but I was scared of change. Sometimes, however, change is necessary.

I once had a basketball coach that constantly asked "What is the definition of insanity?" And the whole team would answer, "Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result." This phrase became my reality and it made me realize that I was insane. I was eating terrible food and never working out and I always expected that I wouldn't gain weight, but I did. Not too mention I was anxiety ridden and not doing anything about it. This led me to realize that change was necessary.

Successfully, I changed my life. Six months ago (exactly), I took a left turn on the path I was going, and it led me in the right direction. Who knows what would be going on in my life right now if I would have never changed, but I don't even want to imagine life another way. Not only did I lose 40 pounds, but I lost the anxiety that burdened me because of my negative self image. I changed my body, and in turn I changed my attitude and my perspective on life. I am much more positive and confident and I just live. I enjoy every moment, good and bad, and look forward to what the future holds. I look back and see how far I've come, and I am still amazed at myself and my progress every single day.

I write this blog post today because I know a lot of you are ready for change. I have recently been contacted by many people (most around my age, some older) looking to lose weight or become fit, but they all tell me the same thing, "I have no motivation." They are all searching for something to inspire them and to push them to change. Well I hope you all can look, not only to me, but to yourself. Motivate you. You can do it. Don't change next month, next week, or even tomorrow, start changing today. Cut something out of your unhealthy diet today, like soda, or start working out today. Make little changes. This will make it easier to ease on into the big change; changing your life.

I always find myself looking back at old pictures. In some of them, I don't even recognize myself. I started my change, exactly 6 months ago, but the difference is incredible. Not only do I see a skinnier and healthier individual, I see a more confident, happy, young woman. I feel and look amazing and it's all because I took a leap of faith and I changed.

I want you to change.

The picture on the left was taken a year and a half ago and on the right it now. 

Fat and Happy: A Popular Myth

I'm sure you've heard it said many times before. "I'm fat and happy." A phrase I once preached. But was it the truth? No.

It's highly unlikely that someone is fat and happy, because the reality of it is, the bigger you are, the more problems you may face. I'm all for having a positive body image, no matter what your size, don't get me wrong, but it's hard for me to understand how someone could be happy if they live an unhealthy life.

So for me, it used to be that I was overweight and tried to make everyone think I was happy. I always had a smile on my face and I was always ready to burst into laughter, but I wasn't truly happy. The face I put on in public and during the day, was just that, a face. Something to mask what was inside. At the end of the day, the face would come down and so would the tears. There was no more "fat and happy", but instead, overweight, out of shape, and absolutely miserable. When I would look in the mirror at night, I didn't see a mask, I saw the reality, and I did not like it, at all.

No one should ever have to feel that way. You should never excuse your life problems by pretending and trying to be something that you are not. Now I don't know your life. Maybe you are legitimately happy and maybe not necessarily in shape, but my guess is that, since you are reading this blog, that is probably not the case. You can probably pinpoint something in your life or about your body that makes you unhappy. Well, guess what? You are responsible for your own happiness.

One night I looked in the mirror, mask down, and I decided I didn't want to pretend anymore. Who wants to have to put on an act everyday? Not me. So I changed my life in order to be happy, not fat and happy, just happy. I realized that food didn't make me happy, at least not in the long run.

I encourage you to look at yourself in the mirror, take the make-up and the fake smile off, and just look. Do you like what you see? Are you fat and happy or overweight, out of shape, and absolutely miserable? And if you are one of those that swears that they are fat and happy, think about the future, will you always be this way?

I only want the best for my readers and I believe the best is happiness. For me, happiness is found through living a healthy life, this, of course, is different for everyone. Find what makes you happy and makes you excited to look in the mirror everyday.

10 Unhealthy College Habits to Cut Out

So upon returning to school I have been constantly reminded of the unhealthy habits that surround us in the college setting. This a list compiled of the unhealthy college habits that you should break at school in order to live a healthy life and avoid any further weight gain. I hope this helps to make you aware of the little things that you may be doing at school that are negatively effecting your health.

1. Late night snacking 
2. Last minute cramming for a test (how stressful!)
3. Getting less than 7 hours of sleep a night 
4. Staying up way to late
5. Drinking/Partying more than 2 nights a week 
6. Eating while doing homework when you aren't even hungry 
7. Staring at facebook for hours 
8. Watching way too much netflix
9. Grabbing ice cream before leaving the dining halls (EVERY NIGHT)
10. Taking a nap more than twice a week (this is not kindergarten, this is the big leagues people)

These are easy habits to cut out once you are aware that these are problems that you have! 

Good luck :)

The Skinny Discount: How being healthy pays off

A commonly heard excuse, amongst those considering living a healthy life, is that the food is too expensive, and while yes the food is expensive, in time it pays off.

This weekend I went wedding dress shopping with my sister. I thought it would be a very stressful experience but it was actually not that bad! My sister tried on dress after dress and eventually she found the right one, which looks absolutely stunning on her.

Gabrielle (my sister) has been trying to lose weight for some time now and she has successfully lost 20 pounds! Her changes are visible and she is the happiest I have ever seen her. I believe she probably felt as if her hard work culminated when she, not only found the dress, but when she went to pay for the dress. The consultant had told her because she was not over a particular size, she was able to get a discount on her dress, a discount that my sister and I referred to as the "skinny discount", which saved hundreds of dollars.

So is it worth the extra dollar you have to spend on organic produce? Yes. In time this pays off. A discount of sorts may be the pay off, for example the dress discount or the discount I receive on Lululemon for being a cycling instructor. Or this may pay off in terms of health care. When you live a healthy life you lower your chances of getting diseases that could become costly and you spend a lot less time in the hospital and at doctors offices.

To add to my point, by cooking your own food, and not eating at restaurants, you are saving money. I couldn't believe how much money I saved when I stopped constantly going to Panera and my favorite Mexican restaurant.

So while initially being healthy may take a hard hit at your bank account, do not make this your excuse. After all, if you want to be healthy, you will do anything. It will pay off.

Don't Let the Weekend Become Your Weak End

For many college students, the weekend is a fun and exciting occasion that makes getting through the week so much easier. Unfortunately, on the weekend your food patterns probably don't stay the same. You eat more and drink more, it's a fact and you know it. So it's time to get this under control...But how?

First of all I recommend trying to create some sort of flexible eating schedule for the weekend. Plan on eating at the same times or around the same times as you normally do on weekdays. It will help to reduce overeating or underrating.

Second, try to wake up at a decent hour in the morning. You don't need to sleep till noon, it's unnecessary. Try to wake up around the time you normally wake up, I usually wake up an hour later than normal, which gives me the feeling of sleeping in, without actually oversleeping.

It is also important that you continue to eat healthy. While the weekend is a good time to enjoy a splurge of some sort, you should not splurge all weekend, and treat it as a free for all. If you are going to some sort of event or party, allow yourself a small treat, but don't go crazy. It's best to eat healthy all day so if an occasion arises where unhealthy food is involved, you can indulge a little without feeling bad about it. Just remember that everything is okay in moderation, so have one cookie, but restrain yourself before grabbing another one. This same theory applies for drinks, whether your going to a party or you are having a girls night in, remember to drink in moderation, because anything and everything is bad if you have too much, and this is especially the case for alcohol and sugar.

Lastly, remember to exercise. The weekends are the best time to get out and exercise. Take the weekend and make it your time to go on adventures. For me, the weekends are the perfect time for tranquil trail walks and riverside runs. Go out and explore your exercise options. If you have a busy weekend just try to find a time where you can fit in some simple cardio or an ab workout.

I know it may be difficult, but try to set yourself up for a successful weekend. Plan out what you're going to eat, when you're going to eat, when you are going to exercise, and how long you are going to eat, ahead of time. This will allow for you to continue to live a healthy life on the weekends.