Workout Week #20

Last Week's Workouts

Monday: 30 Day Shred, Level 3 then Level 1
Tuesday: P90x Yoga (52 min)
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Jackie Warner's Circuit Training
Friday: Jillian Michaels 6 Week 6 pack, Level 2
Saturday: Rest

RED= Mostly Strength workout
BLUE= Purely Cardio

Supplements I'm Currently Taking

I just started getting into supplements about a year ago.  It's been quite a journey because there's so many supplements out there.  You can take recommendations from nutritionists and health gurus but in the end it's based on what works for you and if you've actually seen any differences after taking the supplements.  So I think that some supplements are kind of ridiculous and a waste of money.  I've found that I get the best results from getting my vitamins and minerals from the foods that I eat.  Hence the reason why I start every day with a "glowing green smoothie." But I do believe that some supplements can definitely benefit you.  The hard part is figuring out which ones actually work.  

So I've cut down quite a bit on supplements because I wanted to test some out.  After some trial and error, I've been able to cut it down to just these supplements:

• Magnesium- I take magnesium every night before I go to bed.  It helps to get rid of all the "sludge" in your system.  It helps with constipation and bloating.  It also helps with stress and anxiety because it's helping your body to calm down.  It helps me fall asleep at night. I take these,  Aerobic Life Mag 07 (Recommended by Kimberly Snyder, author of The Beauty Detox Solution and The Beauty Detox Foods)

• Enzymes- I take enzymes with every meal to help break down the foods that I'm eating.  Enzymes help relieve stress from the digestive system.  It helps prevent bloating and constipation.  I absolutely love it!  I've noticed a huge difference with taking enzymes with every meal.  I take these, Rainbow Light Advanced Enzyme System, (Recommended by Kimberly Snyder, author of The Beauty Detox Solution and The Beauty Detox Foods)

• Ox Bile- I take a bile supplement because I got my gallbladder removed back in 2009.  I've noticed though (every now and then) I have a hard time digesting foods.  So I started taking a bile supplement to give me a concentrated amount of bile to help break down my food.  This way I'm not overworking my liver.  I take these, Ox bile, (Recommended by Liz Wolf, author of Skintervention Guide)

• Spirulina (powder form, Superfood): considered a multivitamin- Vitamin B, C, D, E.  It also has potassium, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium,  manganese, phosphorus,  selenium, sodium and zinc. It's incredibly high in calcium (26 times higher than milk). Can bind with heavy metals and help remove them.  Can increase fat burning during exercise.  Has a large amount of iron, protein and amino acids.  It's my Miracle "Drug"! I take this, Hawaiian Spirulina Spacifica. Every morning, I add 1 tsp to my Glowing Green Smoothie.

• Maca Powder (powder form, Superfood)- It provides plenty of calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and amino acids.  Relieves menstrual issues and menopause. Improves mood.   Increases libido and helps boost energy.  I take this, Navitas Naturals, Maca Powder. Every morning I add 1/2 tsp to my Glowing Green Smoothie.
• L-Glutamine- Every now and then I'll take a couple spoonfuls of L-glutamine in a glass of water to help with sugar cravings.  It helps balance blood sugar levels.  It also helps with gastrointestinal issues and metabolism.  I take this, MRM L-Glutamine 500.

Workout Week #19

Listed above is everything you'll need along the way to a "healthy" lifestyle.  Everyone is different in what they view as "healthy."  But no matter what it entails, it takes a LOT of MOTIVATION, COURAGE & SUPPORT.  I think the biggest challenge is courage.  We all fear that we're going to fail.  But one of my favorite quotes says, "Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will." It takes a lot of courage to be healthy and stick to it.  Because not everyone lives the same way.  So to choose a different path than some around you, can take a lot of courage.  But It's invigorating when you find people that have the same goals.  It's quite exciting and in the end rewarding.  My favorite place to find motivation is on Instagram.  I love looking at pictures of what other people are eating out there.  Photos of creative meals with foods that I myself are trying to implement more is inspiring.  It's a huge boost of encouragement and support.

Last Week's Workouts:

Monday: 25 minute walk, outside
Tuesday: Bob Harper's Pure Burn Super Strength (only 45 min)
Wednesday: Jillian Michael's Extreme Shed & Shred, Workout 2
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Bob Harper's Ultimate Cardio Body
Saturday: Jillian Michaels' No More Trouble Zones

RED= Mostly Strength workout
BLUE= Purely Cardio

Workout Week#18

Last Week's Workouts:

Monday: Bob Harper's Cardio Rev Conditioning
Tuesday: Jillian Michael's Hard Body, Workout 1
Wednesday: Nada
Thursday: Jillian Michael's Hard Body, Workout 2 (only 25 minutes)
Friday: Jillian Michael's Banish Fat Boost Metabolism 
Saturday: Jillian Michael's Six-Week Six Pack, Workout 2

RED= Mostly Strength workout
BLUE= Purely Cardio

How I Clean My Make-Up Brushes: Castile Soap

Here's a very simple way to clean your make-up brushes.  It's reasonably affordable.  In fact there are many uses for Castile soap to make natural cleaners.  So it is a great investment.  It's organic, and made from natural sources:

"Made with organic oils! 100% Vegan. Health is our greatest wealth. No detergents. No foaming agents. 100% Biodegradable! Dilute: Enjoy 1 soap for 18 different uses! Guaranteed pure potassium castile soap and 100% vegetarian: Supermild castile has outstanding water softening and cleansing powers. preferable to harsh soap and defattening synthetics. It does not cut dirt, but dissolves it. It is the mildest, most pleasant soap you ever used. Oregon Tilth Certified Organic."

I needed something natural to clean my make-up brushes with.  So I've been using my castile soap.  It cleans my make-up brushes beautifully!  You want to be cleaning your brushes about 2-3 times a week.  I tend to be lazy about it but I'm working on it.

Available at most local grocery stores.

Smoothie Shortcut: Freeze Your Ingredients Ahead of Time

Lately I've been making a smoothie every morning!  It's a great way to start off my day.  And it's easier than making anything else if you're into "making" your breakfast rather than bowl and cereal like *muah*.  So I wanted to make my smoothies even easier.  So I've been freezing and chopping my ingredients ahead of time.  It makes it a lot easier to just pop in the ingredients into my blender.  It comes together even better when it's frozen.  It adds a nice touch.  Lately I've been freezing my spinach into individual baggies for a single smoothie serving.  It's easy to break apart when it's frozen.  I also have been slicing up my bananas.  It's easier than slicing them frozen.  

Here are some Smoothie Recipes to Try:

Glowing Green Smoothie

I do a "Glowing Green Smoothie" every morning.  I finally got it down perfectly! It's absolutely delicious.  I look forward to it every morning!

I do mine a little differently: 1 single serving

2 c spinach, 1 c romaine lettuce, 1/2 c celery, 1/2 c Arugula,  1/2 banana, 1/2 pear or 1 kiwi** , 1 spoonful ground flax meal, 1 tsp spirulina, 1/2 tsp maca powder, 1/2-1 c cold water (depending on how thick or thin you want it), 1/4 c of almond milk (vanilla, unsweetened) and 1 c ice.  

**The pear makes it sweet, kiwi makes it sweet/tangy, My favorite is with a kiwi.

Rainbow Green Smoothie

Green Supreme Shake

Red Cabbage and Blueberry Smoothie

Beautiful color Huh?

I love using purple cabbage in my smoothie! 

It doesn't add any flavor, just a beautiful color & some Vitamin C!

Workout Week #17

This last weekend I attended a beautiful wedding in Bountiful, Utah.  I was able to meet up with my friend Emily at the wedding.  Following the wedding we grabbed some food.  We ventured over to a cafe called Plates & Palates.  It was so delicious!  I got chicken curry salad with grapes and dried mangoes on a bed of greens.  I don't normally go for curry but I was totally digging this salad.  And they brought me a little plate of sliced pears, apples and strawberries.  It was so yummy!  It was a really hot weekend to have a wedding but all in all absolutely enjoyable!  We just stuck to the shaded areas and it turned out alright :). 

Last Week's Workouts:

Monday: Nada
Tuesday: Bob Harper's Ultimate Cardio Body
Wednesday: 1.5 hour walk, outside
Thursday: Bob Harper's Power Yoga
Friday: Nada
Saturday: P90x Yoga sesh, (1 hour)

RED= Mostly Strength workout
BLUE= Purely Cardio