A couple weeks ago I gave my first “juice cleanse” a try. Being as I had never done one before I was a little nervous so I did a lot of research before landing on this particular cleanse. I had no idea there were so many out there! Seriously, it took a while to pick the right one for me and I highly suggest you do your research to pick the right one for you if it is something you’re interested in.
Here is why I picked the Raw Generation Protein Cleanse:
PRE-MADE, ready to go, no work on my part! Sounds lazy but I am a woman on the move. I already have to schedule sleep in my planner so I didn’t want to now have to take to the cutting board and blender for hours a day. Plus this made it easy to take multiple juices with me.
Throughout the day you are getting to mix things up, there are three true juices and three that are more like protein shakes. Unlike traditional juicing I had multiple flavors throughout my day.
This cleanse actually had calories. Each day was about 950 calories. A lot of the other cleanses I looked at only had about 400-500 calories per day. I don’t know about you but that is not nearly enough for me.
I didn’t have to give up caffeine. The cleanse allows for black tea or coffee.
If you need a crunch, raw veggies are allowed.
Options! They had a 3, 5, and 7 day cleanse option. I ended up opting for the 5 day cleanse but bought shakes for 7 so I could taper off.
They can be bought through Amazon Prime (let’s be real, the deal was sealed when I found this out)
How it went:
Fantastic! My goal was 5 days but I ended up doing a 4 day cleanse and tapered day 5 and 6. I was never once hungry (except the time I left my last juice of the day at home and ended up working till almost midnight…so my fault!), ended up with a bunch more energy, lost 5.8lbs and several inches around my lower abdomen, and overall just felt much much better. I feel like it gave my gut the kick start it needed after all the junk I had been eating ((and no, I did not spend all 5 days in the bathroom 😉 )). Also, another added perk, it MADE me drink water. I hate water but with this cleanse since I wasn’t eating a bunch of snacks, I filled that snack void with water. Finally, the best part, it actually tasted good! I really really liked 4 of the 6 and the other two were still good, just not my favorites.
Overall Impression: A+!! I will definitely be doing it again in the future and would highly recommend this cleanse to anyone, but especially to someone taking on their first cleanse.
Hey y’all! I hope you are all doing well and this week is off to a great start! Things are busy as usual over here but I can’t complain, thats the way I tend to like it. For today’s post, I am going to take you though a few recent favorites / what I have been up to over the past several weeks….
1. Bullet Journaling….have you heard of it?? I am in love with it! I read about it on Haley’s Blog a while ago but have really just gotten into it and it is great. A quick overview of it… Start the very first page with an index. Then on your next two page spread, label the left page with the Month and down the left side of the page write the dates. On this page you write your major events for the month. On the right page of that same two page spread label it tasks / goals you want / need to accomplish that month. Turn the page to your next two page spread. Here I start my week. The first thing I do is a week at a glance. In this section, I put my weekly workouts, personal training clients, and work schedule. Then you start with the individual days. Within the individual days an open circle represents an event, a bullet point represents a note, and an open box represents a task to be accomplished that day. I love it because there is no set amount of space you have per day and it is easy to keep up with everything day to day.
My first two page spread. Monthly calendar and Tasks / Goals page.
2. Long distance relationships….THEY ARE HARD! I love Dylan but dang it is tough. I definitely value the time we have together but I am certainly struggling not to plan out every second we are together and then not to plan when to see each other again when we are apart. I will say thank goodness for FaceTime though cause it allows us to have an “in person” conversation most nights which is amazing. Something about getting to see his face makes it seem like we aren’t apart quite so much. Any of you who have done the distance thing before, do you have any suggestions?
3. It’s my favorite time of the year…. lake days are in full swing now!! I am so lucky to live so close to the lake and I am taking full advantage of it nearly every weekend. My most recent favorite lake activity is wake surfing. And as lame as this is, I think it is because it doesn’t make your entire body hurt the next day and falls aren’t painful at all haha (does this make me sound old?!)!
4. Speaking of the lake, ironman training is coming along. I just did a mile long open water swim this past Friday and it felt great. Biking and running are getting there as well. A lot of miles are being logged on the trainer and treadmill but I figure that is better than nothing and hitting the pavement in the dark isn’t my best bet. I have also adjusted my training schedule to where I am only (for the time being) doing one workout a day with a mid week rest day. I was getting really frustrated not having the time (or energy) to get in double workouts most days of the week like previously planned so now that I have taken some of the stress off of myself each of my workouts seem to be of much better quality and I am enjoying them more.
5. Smoothie season! Y’all can thank Dylan for this one….here is my current favorite smoothie recipe:
1 – 2 large spoonfuls of vanilla greek yogurt
1 Banana
1 cup (ish) Frozen Berries
1/2 cup (ish) Frozen pineapple
1 tbs chia seeds
1 cup (ish) orange juice
Sorry for the “ish” I am not much for the whole measuring thing.
6. So I am not much of a movie buff but a couple weeks ago I finally watched Gone Girl and it was AMAZING! I didn’t have super high expectations going in so needless to say I was blown away. I think I need to watch it again to catch onto all the little details though. The main character was cray – cray! I have to give the writers props for coming up with her and the all the little twists and turns throughout the movie. Who else has seen it? What’d you think?
7. Finding what makes you happy. So as y’all know my days seem to be planned to the millisecond with work, training, and other commitments which can be great but can also be exhausting. Yesterday though, I finally had the realization that I was building my own coffin at the rate I was going as I was forgetting about the most important thing in life, myself and my personal happiness. This got me thinking about all the things that make me happy. Here is the list of things I came up with:
Playing soccer <— even made time and did this today!
Blogging <— look at me, two “happys” in one day!
Serving Others
Playing Recreational Sports….has anyone joined any of the adult leagues around the South Charlotte area? Thoughts? Suggestions?
Running with friends….I got on meet-up today so hopefully I will get connected with a running group or two in the area soon.
Being outside…hiking, paddle boarding, running, biking, and even just taking a nap in the sun.
Reading a good book (in the sun of course)…any suggestions? I tend to like something that is kind of educational. I really enjoy learning 🙂
What makes you happy? What is your go to stress buster activity?
8. Target swimwear is on point this year. I got a few bathing suits from there this year and I am loving them! They are cute and stay in place well…. Such a great combo!!
9. I am thinking about changing up my hair style…. I just can’t decide, long or short?? I’m ready for a change but not sure what exactly I want to do. What’s your opinion?
Short?Long?
10. “Great people do things before they’re ready. They do things before they know they can do it. Doing what you’re afraid of, getting out of your comfort zone, taking risks like that – that is what life is. You might be really good. You might find out something about yourself that’s really special and if you’re not good, who cares? You tried something. Now you know something about yourself” – Amy Poehler
I love this quote. Personally it makes me think about what I am doing with my life and brings a few questions to mind… Am I being complacent? Am I taking appropriate risks? Am I putting myself out there to be successful? What am I capable of that I haven’t found out yet? I feel like it is always good to keep questioning what you’ve got going on. I feel like this helps you to keep growing as a person.
So there are my 10 things…feel free to play along in the comments with what you’re loving and what is new with you as well as answer a few of the questions throughout this post.
Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone has had a fantastic day! See below for a list of my most recent favorite things….
Men’s Nike running tights. Unlike women’s tights they are durable, a little bit more breathable, and they aren’t super low rise!! Not being super low rise, I think is the best part. No one likes feeling like their pants are falling down while they are running. Also, since they aren’t those silly low rise things, the waist band isn’t suction cup tight. Basically what I’m saying is, they are the most awesome and comfortable running tights I’ve ever worn.
Whole Foods Salad Bar…. I think this picture speaks for itself. Everything is super fresh and delicious. Plus this salad bar has just about everything you could possibly imagine to put on your salad from chicken to pasta salads to zucchini to walnuts. The possibilities are endless!
Glutino Gluten Free Peppermint Yogurt Covered Pretzels. It’s like a Christmas Party in my mouth. They are super yummy. One of my coworkers brought them in the other day and wow, we all devoured the bag in a matter of minutes. Another Whole Foods find.
Adidas Energy Boost Running Shoes. I love them because they provide support and have lots of cushioning yet aren’t super heavy like some of the other running shoes I’ve had in the past. Also, as an added bonus, they stretch a lot which is great for someone whose feet (like mine) swell really badly.
That is it for this week! Anyone else in love with Whole Foods? Or have anything they are super obsessed with right now? I’d love to hear all about it! Have a great rest of your Tuesday!
Back again for another edition of Things I’m Loving Tuesday. This week I have 4 things to share with you…
#1Tervis water bottle. I love it because it doesn’t leak, keeps my drink cold or hot, and has a lifetime warranty. Also it is great this time a year when the pollen is in the air because the lid closes over the mouth piece.
#2 LuLu Lemon headbands. They stay in place with rubber grip (doesn’t pull your hair), aren’t too tight that they give you a headache and they come in all kinds of fun colors and patterns.
#3 Hummus and Carrots. This has quickly become a go to healthy snack for me. It is quick and easy and super delicious!
#4. Loreal Sulfate Free Shampoo and Conditioner. Love love love it! My color is staying brighter, my hair is softer, and it smells great!
Slightly different this Tuesday as I am only going to share a single product…
Ever wondered what that crazy color tape is that you see the professional athletes or even your everyday runner sporting? The answer to that question is KT Tape. So now you may be wondering what’s its purpose? How does it work? Why do they wear it? Should I invest in it? How do you use it? Etc. Etc. So here is the break down….
What’s its purpose? KT tape is used to help relieve pain and provide support in a lightweight, non-restrictive manner to aches and pains. It can be used for joints, soft tissue, tendons, ligaments, as well as muscles.
So how does it work? It is made of a material that can be stretched in all directions. Based on how it is applied (get to that in a minute) it can provide the pain relief and support that you are looking for. How do you apply it? This is the hard part I will admit but their are great video tutorials online once you have narrowed in on what your pain is. From my own experience it is beneficial to watch the video at least once before applying it then re-play it while you are actually applying it. Be sure to pay close attention to where they say stretch it and how much to stretch to achieve maximum support and pain relief. From personal experience, it usually takes 2 or 3 times to get the hang of it. Also, be sure the area you are applying the tape is free of any oils. I have had best results with using an alcohol wipe to clean the area then spraying hairspray on the area before applying the tape. Be sure to give it a good rub after applying it. This is what makes it stick to the skin. Who should wear it? Anyone with aches and pains who is too active to wear a bulky wrap or brace or if it is an area (like a back or hip) that you cannot easily apply a brace or wrap. It’s kind of expensive, can you re-use it? I will say this is a bit of a downfall to the product but I will also say that the cost has been worth it. Although it is not reusable, it does last several days. It can be worn in water, sand, mud, etc. The biggest issue I have had with it not lasting as long as I feel it should is when I am changing clothes and it will occasionally roll making it useless. So as long as you are careful it should get its monies worth of wear. As an aside note, it doesn’t always last quite as long on your feet. Be honest, does this stuff really work? Honest opinion..YES!! It takes practice applying it though to get it to really feel the benefits. I regularly wear it on my feet and it has certainly helped. I have also worn it on my IT band and knee. I can’t think of any reason I would try anything else at this point.
This is a picture of me sporting some black tape on my knee/IT band (& training partner Kimberly) at Thunder Road Marathon.
So have any of you ever tried it? What’d you think?
How would you like to get paid to eat your fruits and veggies? Or how about getting paid to workout? I know I enjoy getting paid to do what I am already doing every week. This is why I am loving the PACT app. It pays you (REAL MONEY $$) to workout and eat fruits and vegetables.
How the app works… At the beginning of each week you set a “pact” for how many fruits and veggies and/or how many times you are going to workout. I set mine to 14 fruits and veggies and 5 workouts per week. I found this to be a reasonable number for each without stressing myself. Then the following Tuesday a credit is placed in your account for how much you made for the the previous week’s pact. Most weeks I make roughy $4.25. It doesn’t seem like much but over a month that’s $17.00 for doing what I was going to do anyways.
There is a MAJOR, and I’m stressing major because it is a doozy, catch to this app. At the end of the week, if you’ve missed anything that you made a “pact” to complete you are charged at a minimum $5.00 for each missing item. I don’t know about you, but that’s motivation enough for me to complete my pact.
A couple others things to know about the app:
~You must take pictures of your foods in order for people to vote on them to count.
~ You will have to give a credit card. From using it the last 3 weeks I can attest to the fact that it doesn’t charge you “just because.”
~ You have to make a minimum of $10.00 before you can collect your rewards.
~ Tracking your workouts is a bit of a strain on your phone battery.
~ A workout must be at least 30min in length to count as a completed workout.
~ Home gyms do not count but there is a motion tracker if you choose to workout by walking, running, biking, etc.
~ You can make adjustments to your pact at anytime.
Let me know if you have any questions or decide to give it a try!
Back again for another edition of Things I’m loving Tuesday…
Guacamole. I have decided that it is good on just about anything. And it’s whole30 approved 🙂
Water with lemon. Since being on this whole30 plan, beverages have been super plain. Adding lemon has been a great way to spruce up the flavor. Have any of you tired any other fruits?
Almond Butter. Best thing ever on a banana!! Sort of like peanut butter but better! Be sure to check the ingredients to make sure it’s just almonds and no additional sugar.
And finally, one non-food thing… Actually a person. His name is Daniel and I am happy to be able to introduce him to you all as my boyfriend. Early this morning, he woke me up to a great breakfast he had cooked (sorry I ate it before taking a picture) and on my napkin he asked me to be his girlfriend. So I guess it’s pretty appropriate that he falls into this weeks post 😉
That’s it for this weeks edition. I hope you have had a great Tuesday!
Earlier today as I was looking through Pinterest and I found this thing called Daily Odd Compliments. They kind of remind me of goofy/cheesy pick up lines. So today’s post is in honor of some of my favorites that I came across. I hope you enjoy and maybe even giggle about them a little as I did.
I hope these made you laugh a little and possibly even brighten your Wednesday! And if you see fitting.. Throw one of these lines at your best friend or significant other. If you do so, please let me know how it goes!
Back again for another round of Things I’m Loving Tuesday. This weeks addition will be a little different as it will be all the apps that I am loving.
1. Blogger. Without this one you wouldn’t hear from me nearly as often. I love it because it allows me to post quickly on the go (or at my desk when I have some free time). Anyone who is into the blogging thing, I defiantly recommend it.
2. Nike Training Club. I think I raved enough about this one yesterday. If you missed it, check out yesterday’s post to get the down low on that one.
3. Training Peaks. Training peaks is a website where my triathlon coach posts all my workouts. I love having it as an app so I can easily make plans of how to incorporate my workout into my day without having to get on the computer. I feel like it makes me much less likely to miss a workout.
4. My Fitness Pal. This is a great free app that allows you to easily track your calorie consumption and exertion.
5. IFTTT, If this then that. Many of you who read my blog via Facebook may have noticed that I’m not the one who posts it there now. This app automatically posts my blog for me once I have published it. Additionally it sends me a text message alerting me of the weather forecast for the day every morning at 5am and let’s me know when it’s going to rain. It can do plenty of other things but that is all I have figured out so far. Do any of you use it? If so, what for?
That’s all for this week. Are there any apps that you are currently using and would recommend? Please let me know, I’d love to give them a try.
Have a great Tuesday!
P.S. If you would like to have my blog emailed to you after every post please check out the home page. In the top left corner, there is a spot that you can add your email address. Thanks for reading! 🙂
I know I have already raved about this app before but Nike Training Club has to be one of my favorite fitness apps I have ever used. Today, since it was technically my off day but I felt like I needed to do something after all the chips and dips I consumed during the Super Bowl, I did the Arm Definer and Alpha Abs followed by the Full Stretch Guide to cool down (I wanted to avoid cardio and working my legs too hard).
Since I have raved about it so much I wanted to give you some of the pros and cons about the app so you can see if it is right for you.
Pros:
1. All levels welcome. They have beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
2. Talks to you the whole time, giving helpful cues and a continuous count down all while allowing you to keep your music playing in the background.
3. A variety of options based on what you are trying to accomplish and the equipment you have available.
4. Gives short video demonstrations to help clarify any confusion about an exercise.
Cons:
1. The cuing isn’t always the same based on who the “instructor” is so at times it may be easy to miss when you’re supposed to switch sides, change directions, etc. during the exercise.
2. For someone who is super new to fitness, it can be a bit overwhelming. There are such a vast the number of options so it could be confusing picking which one to start with. **did notice today that there is a make your plan section so maybe this could help alleviate this issue**
3. Transitions are really quick so it is extremely important to have all your equipment ready before you get started.
If you give it a try let me know what you think and to any of you who have tried it before, what’d you think?
Men’s Nike running tights. Unlike women’s tights they are durable, a little bit more breathable, and they aren’t super low rise!! Not being super low rise, I think is the best part. No one likes feeling like their pants are falling down while they are running. Also, since they aren’t those silly low rise things, the waist band isn’t suction cup tight. Basically what I’m saying is, they are the most awesome and comfortable running tights I’ve ever worn.
Eat Train Love 365 