10 tips for staying hydrated

Regardless of the temperature outside, hydration is super important.

Here are some of my go-to tips on how to stay hydrated 365 days a year:

-Wake up and drink. Your body becomes dehydrated while you sleep, so drinking 8-16 oz. of water when you wake up will instantly energize you. Even though you are asleep, your body is still hard at work. If you get 8 hours of ZZZ’s, that’s how long you are going without water. Also, if you tend to wake up with headaches, this may be a good way to get rid of them.

-Carry a big bottle of water with you wherever you go. I ALWAYS have a bottle of water with me, it’s my comfort blanket.

-Being thirsty is a sign that your body is already dehydrated. Drink up.

-Dehydration is often mistaken for hunger. Drink a large glass of water and wait 20 minutes to see if you still hungry.

-Eat hydrating foods like Watermelon, Cucumber, Pineapple, Celery, Blueberries, Greens, Tomatoes, Pears, Grapefruit and Cantaloupe.

-Take water breaks or set reminders on your phone to drink water.

-Does plain water bore you? Spice it up by adding flavor such as lemon, lime, cucumber, mint, pineapple or berries. The possibilities are endless. Coconut water and sparkling waters with no sugar added are also great alternatives.

-Staying hydrated is great for clear skin, weight loss, increasing your metabolism, detoxification, and reducing headaches and colds. Sick germs thrive in dry environments. Yuck.

-Drinking alcohol? Drink 1 glass of water in between alcoholic beverages to prevent or reduce hangovers. Coconut water is an amazing way to prevent hangovers.

-Working out? When you’re killin’ it in the gym, you may not notice when you are dehydrated, especially while you’re working up a sweat. Be sure to drink plenty of water before, during and after your workouts.

-Bonus: Cold water isn’t best for digestion, according to ancient Ayurveda practices, but if drinking ice cold water is the only way you will drink it, then drink up and take a digestive enzyme with meals.

What is your favorite way to stay hydrated? Comment with your favorite tips below!

The Amazing Health Benefits of Turmeric

So what is turmeric anyways? Turmeric is know to many as the spice that gives curry it’s yellow color and has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb. Turmeric’s medicinal properties are due to the amount of compounds called curcuminoids which is the main ingredient of turmeric.

Why should I consume it?

-Curcumin is loaded with antioxidants, contains anti-inflammatory properties and consuming turmeric with black pepper increases it’s absorption in the body.

-Due to it’s anti-inflammatory benefits, it can be a game changer when it comes to treating joint issues and arthritis. Studies have shown, turmeric extract can be just as effective as ibuprofen.

-Natural anti-depressant. Studies have shown that curcumin has a similar effect as Prozac on patients suffering from depression, anxiety, and stress. This makes it an amazing alternative to pharmaceutical drugs which often have dangerous and addictive side effects.

-Improves liver function and supports detoxification in the body by stimulating the lymphatic system.

How do I use it?

-Turmeric can be added to steamed veggies, soups, eggs, blended into salad dressings and sprinkled on avocado toast.

-Add fresh or ground turmeric to teas, lemon water and fresh juices. To make a tea, boil 4 cups of water and add 1 tsp of ground turmeric. Reduce to simmer for 10 minutes, strain and add lemon and/or stevia.

-Can also be taken as a supplement or extract in addition to consuming it fresh or ground.

-DIY face mask to help give you that glow! Combine 1 tsp of organic ground turmeric, 1 tsp of raw honey, 1/2 tsp of chickpea flour, juice of 1/2 a lemon. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and apply to the face, avoiding the eye area. Let the mask sit for 5-10 minutes and rinse with warm water.

Disclaimer: Just a reminder that like anything else in life, enjoy turmeric in moderation as excessive consumption yet rare can lead to a mild rash, nausea and diarrhea.

What are your favorite ways to add turmeric to your diet?

Pitaya Smoothie

 

Smoothies are my jam (as if you didn’t already know.) Pitaya is amazing in smoothies or smoothie bowls and is packed with Vitamin C, healthy fats and B vitamins. Perfect beauty super food!

Another amazing super food in this smoothie is… cauliflower! If you haven’t hopped on-board the cauliflower smoothie train, I highly suggest taking a ride.

Why cauliflower?

-packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

-contains anti-cancer and anti-inflammaroty benefits.

-low carb replacement for banana or mango.

-makes super creamy smoothies

-perfect way for you and your family to get an extra serving of veggies in.

p.s you can’t even taste it!

What you’ll need:

-3/4 cup frozen cauliflower (i used Trader Joe’s cauliflower rice)

-3/4 cup frozen strawberries

-1 1/4 cup coconut water

-1 packet of Pitaya

-1/2 tbsp of chia and flax seed

-1 scoop of Plant Fusion Lean Vanilla protein powder (you can use any vanilla protein powder)

Add all of the ingredients to the blender and blend on med-high until creamy.

This is a serious game changer on my smoothies.

What’s the weirdest ingredient you added to a smoothie?

Homemade Vanilla Hemp Milk

There are sooo many alternative milks out there; Almond, Cashew, Coconut, Hemp, Hazelnut, Macadamia Nut, Oat, Rice, and Pea milk (yes, Pea milk). While i have tried them all, my favorites are hemp and almond milk and they go the best in a cup of coffee or a latte. They are creamy, delicious and packed with nutrients.

Hemp seeds have high levels of vitamin A, C and E and are rich in protein, minerals and fiber. 1 tbsp of hemp seeds has 3 grams of protein!

Today i will be showing you how to make vanilla hemp milk at home.

What you’ll need:

-3 cups of filtered water

-3/4 cup of hemp seeds

-2 vanilla beans or 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

-1 packet Stevia

-Nut milk bag

-Vitamix or high powered blender

First you’ll want to add the water and hemp seeds to the blender. If you choose to use vanilla bean, you’ll need a sharp knife to cut a slit down the vanilla bean. Then you’ll want to open the vanilla bean and scrape out the vanilla “caviar” into the blender. Check out how to open a vanilla bean here. If you are using vanilla extract, just add that to the blender with the stevia.

Blend all ingredients on high for 1 min. Next you will want to take the nut bag and put it over the container you will be using for the hemp milk.You are going to pour the hemp milk through the nut milk bag into the container. Pour slowly as the pulp from the hemp seed will collect at the bottom making it difficult for the milk to get through. After you are finished pouring, slowly squeeze the remaining nut milk from the pulp.

Voila! This made about 2 servings. You can double it to make more! This is my first time making hemp milk at home and it is easy peasy. Try it and let me know how it went! Comment below!

Acai Beauty Bowl

Anyone else OBSESSED with smoothie bowls? It’s been cold AF outside but that won’t stop me from getting my daily smoothie or smoothie bowl fix.

What i love most about smoothie bowls is that there are endless possibilities of variations and toppings so they will NEVER get old. This beauty bowl is jam PACKED with protein, super foods, and antioxidants. Not to mention the skin benefits from this bowI are unreal; omega 3’s, calcium, magnesium and vitamin C to give you that glow. I think this may be my new go to.

Ingredients:

-1 Sambazon Acai packet, thawed.

-6 mango chunks

-3/4 cup of frozen raspberries

-1 scoop of Vega vanilla protein powder

-3/4 cup to 1 cup of water or coconut water

Add all the ingredients to a blender, and blend baby!

Toppings:

-6 Walnut halves

-1 tsp of Chia seeds

-1 tbsp of Goji berries

-1 tbsp of Cacao nibs

You could even swap some of these ingredients out for more beauty foods like:

-Almonds

-Shredded Coconut

-Pumpkin Seeds

-Hemp Seeds

 

What are your favorite smoothie bowl toppings?

Healthy Vegan Crock-pot Pumpkin Chili

If you’re like me then you want all the pumpkin, all the time. I know that pumpkin season is technically over (sniff sniff) but it’s not over for me. This is my current go to chili. It’s easy to make, healthy and jam packed with fiber, and protein.

This pairs really well with the Oh She Glows Vegan Caesar Salad which is AMAZING if you haven’t tried it already! If you don’t have a crock-pot, I highly recommend investing in one. It makes living a healthy lifestyle so easy! Throw a bunch of healthy ingredients in the pot, and walk away for a few hours and dinner or lunch is done! This chili makes about 8-10 servings. It is vegan and gluten free deliciousness!

 

 

What you’ll need:

-3 cups of low sodium vegetable broth

-3/4 cup of uncooked quinoa (rinsed)

-1/2 onion, finely chopped

-1 small zucchini or 1/2 large, chopped into small pieces

-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

-1 small red bell pepper, chopped into small pieces

-1/2 frozen corn

-1 can of pumpkin puree

-1 can of no salt added diced tomatoes

-1 can of no salt added pinto beans (rinsed & drained)

-1 can of no salt added black beans (rinsed & drained)

-1/2 cup of dry, uncooked lentils (rinsed)

-2 tsp of chili powder

-1 tbsp nutritional yeast

-dash of cayenne and chili flakes

-1/2 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt

-1 tsp of ground pepper

-1 tsp cumin

-1 tsp oregano

-1/2 tsp garlic powder

Chop up veggies and add to crock-pot. Add all other ingredients to the crock-pot and stir. Cook for 6 hours on low, or 3 1/2 hours on high.

I like to top my chili with nutritional yeast, avocado, hemp seeds and Eden’s Organic Pumpkin seeds.

This hearty chili will warm your soul on those long, and cold winter nights.

15 Minute Ab Routine

Hiiii!! I’m alive! Sorry for the lack of posts, I have just been sooo busy and there isn’t enough time in the day. Work is cray and I’m so busy all day so sometimes extra curricular activities fall through the cracks AKA blogging. Ok, enough excuses. Trying to get better at this time management thing. Please comment below if you have any tips. I would greatly appreciate it!

Anywho, on to the good stuff. This is a great combo of ab exercises if you are in a hurry or just want the basics. In my experience, if you really want to tone your core, add weight and fine toning to your ab circuit. Most importantly, diet is the key factor. You CANNOT out exercise a bad diet.

Complete 4 sets of each exercise:

-1 Min Forearm Plank

-20 V-Sits

-20 Flutter Kicks

-15 Sit-Ups w/ weight

Mocha Maca Smoothie

Happy Saturday!!

I am officially on vacation! I’m celebrating my birthday and 2nd wedding anniversary this weekend! Next weekend, I’ll be back home in San Diego for a wedding. It’s been such an amazing summer so far, i can’t believe it’s halfway over.

Now let’s talk smoothies. My smoothie obsession continues with this bad boy. I recently tried the Vega Mocha Performance protein powder and I’m hooked! Who knew berries and mocha could go so well together?

What you’ll need:

-1 scoop of Vega Mocha Protein Powder

-1 tsp of Maca Powder

-1 tbsp Flax seed

-1 cup Almond milk

-1/2 frozen banana

-1 cup of blueberries

-3/4 cup of frozen strawberries

-Optional: 1 scoop of Collagen (I use the Reserveage Collagen replenish powder)

I recently started taking collagen and am loving the results! My skin has been looking amazing and well hydrated. Collagen promotes plump, healthy skin by fighting free radicals that cause wrinkles and increasing hydration within the skin cells.

 First, I add the almond milk, collagen, flax and maca.

 Next up, add the berries and the banana.

 Don’t forget the protein powder! Blend until smooth. What are your favorite smoothie combos?

7 Tips for Staying Fit While on Vacation

 

I’m headed to Northern California next week for a wedding (Yay, roadtrip and vacation!) and I wanted to share some of my favorite tips for staying fit and healthy while you are away. Just because you’re on vacation, doesn’t mean you should take a break from your healthy lifestyle.

1.Be prepared: Do your research. You take the time to plan a trip, (hotel, rental car, etc…) So take the time to research healthy restaurants and gyms in your area, (if the hotel you’re staying at doesn’t have a gym). Check out nearby fitness studios and parks/trails where you can go to get a quick workout in before vacation fun begins. Pack workout clothes, shoes, headphones, a shaker bottle, resistance bands, jump rope, or even a workout dvd.

2.Pack healthy snacks: Prep healthy snacks to keep you from choosing quick, convenient, and unhealthier options. I always pack protein bars, protein powder, portioned out trail mix and oatmeal w/ cinnamon & stevia, bananas, apples, rice cakes, nut butter, and veggies. I always make sure to bring a big jug of water to stay hydrated. On days of heavy traveling, keep your macros higher in fat & protein and low in carbs. If you eat a lot of carbs on rest days, your body stores the carbs as fat instead of energy. The higher intake of fat and protein on rest days will cause your body to burn more fat and use it as energy.

 

3.Schedule time for workouts: Yes, you can still workout on vacation. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy, as long as you are moving. Do body weight exercises like jumping jacks, squats, push ups, tricep dips, planks, etc in your hotel room or outside to fire up your metabolism and increase your heart rate. If you are on a road trip, drop and squat every time you stop. Don’t forget to stretch! Being stuck in a car for hours isn’t always fun, so make sure to stretch it out every time you get out of the car. Remember energy in v.s energy out. Don’t let vacation as an excuse to abandon your goals.

4.Stay hydrated and don’t skip meals: Dehydration is often mistaken for hunger. Make sure to stay hydrated to keep from overeating. Drink a glass of water first and see if you are still hungry. Pack a protein bar or some trail mix in your purse to keep that hanger at bay. Skipping meals will increase the chances of over consumption during your next meal.

5.Being good while treating yourself: Don’t throw away months of hard work by eating a days worth of cheat meals. On days that you know you will be indulging, eat light throughout the day. Save your calories for a treat later. While eating your cheat meal, start with the healthier option first then eat your splurge last so that you fill up on the healthier items. If you want to celebrate with a few drinks, choose lower calorie options like light beer, wine and vodka with club soda.

                  

6. Make smart swaps:

-Stick to clean options like lean protein and veggies.

-Ask for sauces or dressings on the side.

-Go with baked or grilled options instead of fried.

-Omit oil, salt and butter.

-Drink water with meals.

-Get your burger open faced, without a bun or wrapped in lettuce. Sub fries for greens or a side of steamed veggies.

 

7.Keep balance in mind: Vacation is all about having fun and treating yourself, just don’t forget your goals! Living a healthy lifestyle is about listening to your body and finding balance in everything you do.

What are your favorite tips to stay on track during vacation?

Green Dream Smoothie

 

Hi guys! Happy 4th of July!! Sorry for the mini hiatus! I’ve been so busy with school and training at my new job that some things have just fallen through the cracks, like blogging. Definitely working on my time management skills so that I can find more time to pursue my passions.

I made this smoothie for the first time last week and just fell in love with how creamy it was. I’ve have been craving it ever since.

Green Dream Smoothie

-3 cups of spinach

-1/2 tsp maca powder

-1 scoop of collagen (I use Reserveage – Collagen Powder)

-8 oz of coconut water

-1 banana

-1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

-16 pieces of frozen mango

I usually blend the greens, collagen and maca powder with coconut water first, then add the fruit and protein powder.

This is the best post workout smoothie after a heavy lifting day with the perfect ratio of protein and simple carbs to replenish the glycogen in your muscles and keep your metabolism burning all day long.