Health and Fitness Friday: Body After Baby

I need to get back on the Health & Fitness Friday train in a big way. Health and fitness are two things I am very passionate about and they are so important in my life. I love Jen, and I love this linkup! 

Believe it or not, it has been SO HARD for me to get back into my normal workout routine since Will was born. I had grand plans of not wasting a single second once my doctor gave me the okay at my 6 week appointment to go about life as normal. But now, here we are 16 weeks later, and I have yet to really kick my workouts up to where they used to be. I lost my baby pounds super fast and was back to my pre-pregnancy weight and wardrobe within 3-4 weeks, but I still feel flabby and am ready to tone my body up! 

Walks are a part of our daily routine, but I am ready to be diligent about strength training again with the main focus of getting my tummy tightened back up!  Lugging a baby around all day is a pretty hefty arm workout, but that doesn't mean I don't want to tone those up, too. The Fall weather is so beautiful here in Charlotte, making for fantastic outdoor runs. My goal is to run 3-4 days a week and filling in with other cardio in between. If I make a schedule, I am more likely to stick with it. Even if it means squeezing in a home workout while the baby naps, I just need to make it a priority and get it done.

In addition to fitness, healthy eating is huge. We do well for the most part, but we really need to buckle down and focus even more. Mark and I both feel so much better when we stick to mostly Paleo eating and as a cook, I love the creativity that comes with it! Meal planning, keeping our kitchen stocked with whole, fresh foods and limiting meals out. These are all things that work for us. A flat belly really does start in the kitchen.

It is my hope that within the next month to share more weekly menu posts and workout recaps, in order to hold myself accountable. I'm also looking forward to a few fall races, including my family's absolute favorite, The Turkey Trot!! (and this year, with our tiny turkey in tow!) 

So, this coming week, it is my hope to get my groove back and get out of this slump! Wishing you all a delightful October weekend! 

Health + Fitness Friday: Staying Hydrated

It's time for another dose of Healthy + Fitness Friday with my good friend Jen! This week, I want to focus on hydration, because pregnant or not pregnant, making sure you are drinking enough water is so important. I drink tons of water normally and have found that during this pregnancy, I can't seem to quench my thirst enough! Like most people, I get "watered out" and some days it just doesn't go down as easily. I've found that adding fresh fruit to my water helps to mix it up a bit! The Ballantyne Hotel here in Charlotte always has ice cold fruit infused water in the lobby and after a spa day there several years ago, I was inspired to create my own infused waters. These are so easy to keep in a pitcher in the fridge-  Lemon, orange and lime slices are my go-to favorite, but lately I've been experimenting with other fruit infused waters! 

strawberries + mint

watermelon + strawberries

raspberries + oranges

pineapple + mango + mint

lemons + limes + oranges + grapefruit

cucumber

I'm also a huge fan of keeping a water bottle filled and with me at all times. I still use my trusty Nalgene bottle that holds 32 oz. of water, but lately, I have found that I drink even more water through a straw!! I'm convinced it's a mind trick. I keep my 24 oz. Tervis Tumbler filled with ice, water and a few slices of lemon. I pop a straw in the lid and I'm drinking water all day long. Much better than any sweet, fake, zero calorie drinks with artificial sweeteners and God knows what other chemicals.

Wine, Limearitas and Arnold Palmer's made with Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka are the usual suspects around 6pm this time of year, but since I'm still on happy hour lockdown, I've been enjoying the same fruit infused waters made with sparkling water! We got a SodaStream for Christmas and it's nice to have bubbly water to mix things up.

Drink your water, everyone!!

Now, as for my health and fitness goals for May...let's just say I'm more concerned about keeping this baby snug as a bug in my belly at least until 37 weeks! That counts, right? Other than that, I plan to keep up moderate activity like taking my crazy doodle pup for long walks and continuing with light strength training. Staying active has been so important to me while pregnant!

Enjoy your weekends, everyone!

Health + Fitness Friday: Adventures in Juicing

I've officially jumped on the juicing train and I am in liquid love. A juicer arrived on our doorstep in the form of a birthday present a couple of weeks ago- such a sweet husband! After months of watching food documentaries, reading articles and drooling over the juice recipes that cross my path as I browse Pinterest, I finally have my own juice bar open for business in our kitchen. This is also after the very same months in which I had to educate Mark Moore and convince him that a juicer is a much different species than a blender. Case closed.

Making healthy juices in my own kitchen is so much fun. I can't wait to experiment with different flavor combinations and really take advantage of produce that's in season. My friend Danica gave me some good advice and said that as often as you can, make your juices GREEN. I think this is great to remember because as tasty as fruit juices can be, they are also very high in sugar and should be enjoyed in moderation. The greener your juice, the better! I don't think that juicing can solve all of your problems and I certainly don't tout it to be a health miracle worker, but I do think that in addition to an already healthy diet and active lifestyle. 

I have mixed up the following delicious combinations so far:

apple, carrot + kale

pine apple + mango + orange + cucumber

grapefruit + ginger

The apple, carrot and kale combination is SO GOOD. Mark actually really liked it, too! I've been drinking a small glass of grapefruit ginger in the mornings this week and it's so refreshing! With a baby still cooking for another 9 weeks or so, I won't be doing a juice cleanse anytime soon, but that is definitely on the horizon! One thing I am struggling with is what to do with all of the pulp! We plan on using some of it for compost for our yard, but I have heard there are various sites that actually have recipes for juicer pulp. I'm a little skeptical but I also am not one to turn down a culinary challenge! 

I have the Breville Juice Fountain Multi- Speed Juicer and so far, I am loving it. Breville appliances are some of my favorites so it's no surprise that this juicer is good quality. Since juicing can be a bit messy, all of the pieces to this juicer are dishwasher safe making for an easier cleanup! Two weeks into this relationship, I would definitely recommend this juicer if you have the space.

I'll be sure to keep you all posted as I embark on more juicing adventures and mixing up some crazy combos. 

It's all about juicing over here today but pop over to A Daily Dose of Davis to see what is on everyone else's Health + Fitness Friday mind this week. 

Enjoy the weekend, friends!

Health + Fitness Friday: Healthy Food Find

I love a good and healthy food find and this week, I'm crazy for chia seeds! I have had these tiny seeds on my radar for awhile, but it wasn't until I watched a few food documentaries that I learned more about their beneficial qualities and why I should be adding them to my daily diet. Chias are chock full of fiber, omega fatty acids, calcium and even some protein! Their gelatinous properties also are a great way to cleanse your system. Here is a quick round up of articles on the chia seed craze!

THE NEW YORK TIMES

ABC NEWS

40 WAYS TO USE CHIA SEEDS

Lately, I've been adding chia seeds to my protein pancakes, paleo snack bites and even my morning smoothies! They also make a great addition atop my plain greek yogurt with fresh berries for some added crunch! A little goes a long way with chia seeds. I buy mine at Trader Joe's. 

And, for a quick workout update this Friday, my baby and I are still cruising along at the gym about 5-6 days a week! As of yesterday, I am 30 weeks. OMG. Sadly, I had to slow down with the running because the extra weight in my baby belly causes me to cramp up, so the elliptical and I are best friends. I still mix in some strength training a few days a week Now that Spring is finally (almost) here, Wrigley and I can take advantage of long daily walks. Overall, I'm feeling great and I can't believe our little one will be here in about 10 weeks time. 

Wishing everyone a wonderful Easter weekend! Don't forget to check out all of the other Health + Fitness Fridays posts over at A Daily Dose of Davis. Cheers! 

Health + Fitness Friday: Hungry for Change

This week's installment of Health & Fitness Friday is an assignment...actually more like a plea. PLEASE WATCH THIS DOCUMENTARY. Mark and I watched this on Netflix last month and it pretty much sums up our thoughts on the commercialized food industry in America and why we eat the way that we do. When it comes down to it, food marketers and the industry as a whole sends out tricky and deceptive messages. Diet sodas and low fat packaged foods- I'm looking at you. Artificial sweeteners are no bueno and "low fat" means higher in sugar and other additives. It's been years since I carefully counted and nit-picked every single calorie I ate throughout the day but the truth of the matter is, when you cut out the junk and eat clean, whole foods, it's not necessary. And guess what? It's nearly impossible to get a "perfect score" every single day. If you keep 85-90% of your day on the right track, it's okay to indulge every now and then. I have so many thoughts on this and could go on for days, but instead, I urge you all to do your research and pay attention to what you are putting in your bodies. Healthy habits for life can be achieved by anyone.

This documentary is filled with great content that is explained in a clear and concise way. If you have access to Netflix, I highly recommend watching Hungry for Change. Your 90 minutes will be well spent. Additionally, you can find the official Hungry for Change website HERE.

For more inspiring Health + Fitness Friday posts, head over to my friend Jen's blog, A Daily Dose of Davis, and see what everyone is writing about this week.

Enjoy the weekend, everyone!

Health + Fitness Friday: Grocery List Staples

I have said it before and I will say it again (and again and again and again), meal planning and intentional grocery shopping are two of the most important aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It's so important to stock your kitchen with healthy, wholesome items so that what you have available is good for your body. For Health and Fitness Friday this week, I thought it might be helpful to share some of my grocery list tips and some of the things that I keep our kitchen stocked with.

At the beginning of each week, I typically sit down and create a meal plan and grocery list for the week. I include what we need for our meals, plus lots of fresh produce. My grocery cart is usually 50% produce and full of color- which I love! When it to fresh items, I usually buy what looks the best and according to what's in season. Refrigerator items like almond milk and Greek yogurt always appear on the weekly list. For freezer and pantry items, I find that it's easiest to keep a magnetic notepad on my fridge so that I can keep track of things as we run out or are close to it. If we open a jar of almond butter, I make sure to write it on my notepad so that I can buy a backup! Many of the staple items in our kitchen not only make for healthy snack options, but also make it possible to whip up dinner on a whim when we have to veer from the meal plan or I just want to make something easier than what's on the list.

I've put together a list of our kitchen staples and foods that are always found in our kitchen. These items are broken down into four categories: FREEZER, FRIDGE, FRESH and PANTRY.

FREEZER

Frozen berries are great, especially when fresh berries are out of season! I find that Trader Joe's has the best prices. I add frozen berries to my protein shakes, greek yogurt or on top of a protein pancake. 

Frozen Tilapia & Salmon are a must to keep on hand! I buy most of our other meats fresh but since most fish is delivered to the grocery stores frozen already, this is a no brainer! Frozen fish thaws in minutes and makes for a quick and healthy dinner when roasted with some garlic, lemon & olive oil. All you need is a salad on the side!

Bananas are purchased fresh, and then I let them ripen, peel, break in half and freeze. Again, perfect for smoothies or pop in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir into plain Greek yogurt.

FRIDGE

Eggs (Eggland's Best or Trader Joe's Omega-3)

Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

Greek Yogurt (Fage 2% Total, plain)

Laughing Cow Cheese

FRESH

Greens are a must! I like to keep a variety on hand so that we can enjoy salads with dinner or for lunch, or throw spinach in a smoothie. Arugula, Kale, Spinach and baby greens are my favorite.

Garlic should go without saying.

Onions are another given. I always have both sweet and red.

Avocados can be used on top of salads, scrambled eggs or just as a snack with a little lime juice and salt. Healthy fats are good for you!

Apples make a great snack with a wedge of Laughing Cow or a smear of almond butter. 

Citrus in all forms! Fresh lemons, limes, and oranges freshen up water, marinades, dressings and smoothies. 

Berries when they're in season!

Fresh vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus or green beans can be roasted with olive oil and sea salt for healthy dinner sides. Vine ripened tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers are other favorites.

PANTRY

Canned beans to add to salads or make homemade hummus! I like cannelinis and garbanzos.

Almond Meal to use as a healthy substitute to breadcrumbs on chicken, fish and pork.

Nuts to snack on, sprinkle on Greek yogurt or add to salads. They also make a great "crust" on all types of meat when crushed.

Crushed tomatoes (unsalted) can be used in soups or to make quick marinara sauces.

Almond Butter/Peanut Butter does not need an explanation!

Dijon Mustard is something I add frequently to salad dressings and marinades.

Protein Powder so that we always have what we need for morning smoothies!

Dark Chocolate Chips for when the sweet tooth cries out for some love. Just a few of these satisfy a chocolate craving when necessary- the darker the chocolate the better! (at least 60% cacao)

To make planning and shopping easier, there are tons of free menu/grocery planning printables right at our fingertips! Jen's happens to be my favorite and I keep multiple blank copies in my Home Management Binder! Click HERE to download your own copy.

Wishing you all a fantastic weekend!

Health + Fitness Friday: Working out With a Growing Bump

It's Friday AND it's a beautiful one at that. The skies are finally clear and the sun is shining after four days of dreary clouds and rain. It's as though my mood has been instantly lifted and Mr. Wrigley seemed to wake up on the right side of the kennel as well. I started my Friday with a great workout which is always the best way to kick off the weekend, in my opinion. That and an early happy hour but since my happy hours these days consist of seltzer water, cucumber water, citrus infused water and water...you get what I'm saying.

I'm linking up with my sweet friend Jen for Health + Fitness Friday so that I can quickly discuss what I've been doing to stay active all while I have a baby growing inside of me! Some people look at me like I have five heads when I say that I have continued to workout but honestly, I think it has made a huge difference in how I feel- which most of the time, is great! From the very beginning, I knew that I wanted to continue my regular workout schedule throughout my pregnancy and I am so happy that I have. I do feel very fortunate to have not had to deal with morning sickness or a major slump in energy level, which made maintaining my normal routine fairly easy. Had I been super sick, nauseous and tired in the beginning, it may not be the same story for me.

FUEL: Typically, I'm a morning workout person and used to just grab a few almonds or a spoonful of almond butter before working out. Right now though, I try to eat a small breakfast about an hour before I workout so that I can fuel my body a little extra. Hard boiled eggs and plain greek yogurt with fresh berries are my go-tos and always give me the extra energy I need for my workouts. Water is key for me, too. I have always been a big water drinker but I swear, being pregnant has turned me into some sort of a camel-like creature. I just can't get enough!

WORKOUTS: Prior to becoming pregnant, I was doing a lot of high intensity interval workouts that included a lot of crossfit and muscle confusion. I still do some crossfit type workouts but not near the intensity that I was once doing. I'm actually running more often than I was before and also doing strength training. I operate on an every other day schedule so for example on Monday, I will run or do some kind of cardio for 45 minutes. Then, on Tuesday, I'll only do 20-25 minutes of cardio and strength training. There are a few classes I like going to as well just so that I can mix things up. Right now, I aim for workouts 5-6 days a week!

My friend Kelly, who is a fitness instructor, reminded me that if you were doing it before you were pregnant, you can do it while you are pregnant! She gave me some great advice and said to just watch my heart rate, make sure my body temperature doesn't get overly high and to listen to my body. She also said that if you can carry on a conversation while working out, you're at a good pace. 

Also of note? Thanks to my workout playlist, this baby of mine is bound to come out dancing and fist pumping. Just like his/her mom :)

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! 

Fitness Friday: The Paleo Plate

If you know me in real life, or if you have been reading this blog for any amout of time, you have seen or heard the word Paleo pop up here and there. I have written this post in my head time and time again but have never actually taken the time to turn my thoughts into words, and those words into a blog post. Fitness Friday (hosted by my dear friend Jen from A Daily Dose of Davis) seems like as good of a time as any to dive right in and get to business.

Let me first start out by saying that I am not a professional. While I do not have a background in nutrition, health or fitness, I am very passionate about all three. I will also add that I strongly dislike the word "diet". If you are dieting, it's more than likely that you are making drastic changes to the way that you eat, in hopes of losing a large amount of weight in a short period of time. Compare this to making healthy lifestyle changes, slowly incorporating new and smarter ways of eating and fueling your body. These are the changes that made that tend to stick. So, instead of diet, I prefer to call it a lifestyle. Makes a lot of sense, right?

A little over two years ago, shortly after Mark and I got married, we started going to a CrossFit gym in Bloomington, Illinois, where we were living. This is where we were introduced to Paleo. I will admit, at first I was skeptical, and did a whole lot of judging. When lost those 45 pounds in college, I really cut back on starchy carbs and sugar so I didn't need to be convinced of that, but this whole fueling your body like a caveman would was something foreign and frankly scary to me. I heard a lot of the Crossfitters complaining about how boring eating Paleo was and how nothing they made tasted good. Boiled chicken and steamed broccoli every day? This is when I frowned. I am Italian. And as for me and my family? We are food people. Food is meant to be enjoyed, savored and enjoyed around a giant table with hours of conversation. However, being open minded and already in favor of a lot of the Paleo minded thinking, I decided it didn't sound so bad. 

The basic idea behind The Paleo Diet is to stick to eating anything that our Paleolithic ancestors would have had access to many moons ago. If they could kill it with a bow and arrow, fish it out of the sea, or pick it off of a bush, shrub, or tree, they ate it! Meat, fish, plants and nuts. This is the backbone of the Paleo Diet. I will not get into all of the scientific research and background because frankly, I'm not qualified. At the end of this post, I will add a list of recommended reading from my well- read other half, Mark, who has read several books on Paleo. There are also a few blogs that are my go-to for all things Paleo that I will add to the list as well. 

At first glance, the Paleo Diet may look like a complicated list of food rules, but the important thing to remember is you can only do what works best for you and for your family. Many of the Paleo blogs and books talk about an 80-85% rule. This means keeping 85% of your daily intake Paleo while leaving about 15% for a little wiggle room- this is what we try to stick to. For example, strict Paleo Dieters do not eat dairy or legumes. 

My thoughts on dairy...
I happen to love Greek yogurt for breakfast a few mornings a week and we also enjoy goat cheese and fresh mozzarella for salads. And Laughing Cow cheese wedges! I try to stick to one serving of dairy a day. A quick note about dairy- be careful of anything that is labeled as fat-free. Most of the time "fat-free" equals added sugar. Read your labels! I rarely, if ever, buy fat free dairy. While my family and I were in Italy in 2007, there were no fat-free foods in sight. That's good enough incentive for me!

and Legumes... 
are another item that are seen as kind of a no-no in Paleo eating. This is largely due to the fact that our bodies don't digest beans and peanuts easily. I don't think that hummus as a snack or black beans on fish taco lettuce wraps are the worst thing you can cheat with. I prefer almond butter to peanut butter but there is nothing like peanut butter on a banana!

The thing to remember is that this is not for everyone. I will always encourage everyone to eat whole foods and cut out processed junk, fake foods and artificial sweeteners from their life, but as far as going totally Paleo, it's not for everyone- even we make some exceptions around here! (ahem, dark chocolate, red wine, pumpkin beer) Remember the 85% rule. 

Instead of getting scientific and wordy, I thought it would be fun (and helpful) to highlight my Paleo Plate- what a day eating Paleo might look like. Mark can attest to everyone reading that we eat some very delicious meals. Sticking to healthy foods doesn't have to be boring. I'm fortunate in that I grew up in a house where good, healthy food was enjoyed around the dinner table every night, so I was exposed to fresh cooking from a young age. To some, it may seem impossible to cut our breads, pastas and grains, but I am here to tell you that it's not hard to eat like this! 

Since adopting a lot of the Paleo ways a few years ago, I can tell a huge difference in my energy level and I just feel better about what I'm putting into my body. The biggest difference I noticed was how clear my skin became! I have battled with my skin since I was a young teenager and for the first time in my life, I felt like my skin was truly healthy from the inside out, and it had nothing to do with what I was washing my face with at night! In fact, I stopped using medicated face washes and went back to a mild foaming cleanser. I also never feel like I am depriving myself of delicious food. We enjoy homemade pizza nights and build in "cheat meals" that we appreciate so much more now. Moderation, moderation, moderation!

All in all, incorporating Paleo eating into our everyday lives has been a rewarding challenge. I love coming up with new and healthy recipes so that we can still enjoy the same flavors but using cleaned up, healthier versions of what our tastebuds love! Soon, I'm hoping to archive all of my Paleo friendly recipes in one place

If you have any questions, please send them my way. I'm happy to share what I know and if I don't know, hopefully I can point you in the right direction of the appropriate resource. If you are thinking about incorporating Paleo eating into your life, here are some resources to get you started with a good knowledge base.

Mark's Paleo Must Reads:

The Primal Blueprint

The Paleo Solution

Why We Get Fat and What to do About it

Paleo Blogs:

Mark's Daily Apple

Everyday Paleo

PaleOMG

Enjoy the weekend, everyone!

Fitness Friday: Smart Shopping, Meal Planning + Healthy Lunches

Happy Friday everyone! My friend Jen started a new Friday linkup and ever since we've all been kicking major butt in the LGN department, I thought it would be fun to join this week and  share some health and fitness fun. 

When it comes to staying healthy and taking care of your body, I firmly believe that this starts in the kitchen. Plenty of sleep and daily exercise are huge factors as well, but in order to make sure those things fall into place, you have to make sure you're fueling your body appropriately and with intention.  I could run and run and keep on running, but if I countered all of my hard work with donuts for breakfast every morning and a giant bowl of ice cream for dessert every night, all my hard work would go nowhere. I wish I could say that I workout so that I can eat whatever I want, but that is not the case. It's just not how my body works and I've come to accept it. It took me awhile to adopt this mentality but once I got into a solid routine and saw the positive effects that eating well had on my body as well as my workout performance and even sleeping, these healthy habits became second nature. Now, before I share some of my favorite lunches, I need to give you some background.

When I moved into my apartment my junior year in college, I was able to really take control of what I was eating because I was grocery shopping and cooking for myself. I was no longer confined to college campus food and I was excited to hone my cooking skills. This is when I discovered that if I planned my meals in advance, and made sure my refrigerator was stocked with good for me foods, I was less likely to head to the bar for beer and wings and more likely to stir fry up some chicken and vegetables at home. If I had a long day on campus ahead of me, I almost always packed a lunch to go. Knowing I had spent good money on groceries for the week was also a clear incentive to let nothing go to waste. 

Fast forward to my Charlotte apartment when I was working a corporate job, my roommate Ashley and I would sit down every Sunday, plan our dinners for the week and go to the market to pick up everything that we needed. I credit this wonderful living situation for really making me fall in love with meal planning. We actually enjoyed it and we always looked forward to our meals together. Ashley and I were both big on bringing our lunches to work. We stocked up on salad ingredients, hummus, veggies and yogurt. Some weeks, we would even buy a rotisserie chicken to shred up and use for the week. We also planned our meals accordingly so that we had yummy leftovers to use as lunch options as well. When you work in an office environment, it's especially hard to turn down lunches out and treats from the gift baskets that clients send in. I wish I would have added up all of the lunches out that I turned down in my my time there, I bet I saved a TON of money. Working in an office like mine was a HUGE test in self control and looking back, I am honestly proud of how well I did. 

Now that I work from home most days, I don't really operate any differently. When I do my grocery shopping for the week, I make sure to pick up things that will be good options for lunch, also knowing that I will have some leftovers from dinners throughout the week. I'm a big fan of re-purposing dinner leftovers for lunch. If we are grilling chicken for dinner, I try to plan that for the beginning of the week. We'll make four times what we need and that way we have chicken to throw on salads for lunch. I do the same thing with flank steak, pork tenderloin, shrimp and salmon. Leftover roasted veggies are also great the next day! I enjoy all of these cold straight from the fridge and on salads is the perfect way to eat the leftovers. 

Here are some of my favorite go-to lunches:

Big Salads

I'm a big salad eater. Trader Joe's is my favorite place to grab fresh arugula or mini lettuce mixes- I always have some on hand. Sometimes, I skip the lettuce all together and just go leafless. On my salads, I like some form of protein and just add in vegetables and sometimes fruits if I want something sweet. Avocado is one of my favorite salad toppings! Sometimes I'll add crumbled goat cheese and a handful of nuts. Walnuts are my favorite right now. I just top my salad with a small drizzle of good olive oil, some balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. 

Mediterranean Tuna Salad on Cucumbers

This tuna is so yummy and quick to whip up. I take a can of tuna in water, throw in some chopped red onions, tomatoes and kalamata olives. I mix in some balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and oregano, and eat it on top of cucumber slices. 

Turkey, Avocado + Tomato Lettuce Wraps

We love lettuce wraps around here. I almost always have a head of iceberg lettuce in my refrigerator solely for making lettuce wraps. I have my turkey cut fresh in the deli and just build a normal sandwich using lettuce instead of bread! I like to pile my lettuce wraps with turkey, tomato, avocado and dijon mustard.

All of these lunches are incredibly healthy and take less than 10 minutes to prepare. The extra time it takes to plan is worth the extra inches off of your waistline. 

Enjoy the weekend, everyone!!