Finding My Balance

I have been in a major rut since moving to Colorado. I would love to say that it has only been a few weeks or even months, but I have lived here since August of last year! That is officially 1 year. Since moving here, I have gained 15 lbs (this happened after one of the healthiest years of my life). I managed to find an amazing job doing something related to my degree, but it has it ups and downs...way too many downs. I work the midnight shift and drive 2 hours, round-trip, to get to work.  All things haven't been that bad. I have had a great year in Colorado, Joe being the main good thing here. My time with Joe is amazing, but limited. I am also, trying to plan my wedding!


I have recently made some changes in my life that will hopefully be positive changes. One thing that I have added back into my life is yoga! I have been practicing for almost 7 years on and off. I am happiest when I make time for my practice. This has recently been a priority for me. I have found an awesome studio in Colorado Springs, Core Power Yoga. It is a chain, which I was really nervous about, but it has been amazing!! Everyone is so kind and I really feel like I fit in with the community.

I have been trying to make it to the studio at least 4 times a week. The days I go, my attitude is great! I feel great and I just want to keep smiling. I can truly feel a difference.  Core Power offers a variety of classes for every level. My two favorites are Core Power 2 and Core Power Sculpt. They both are done in heated rooms and give me a great work out! I leave knowing that I have given it my all. Core Power 2 is a 1 hour, hot vinyasa flow class that targets your entire body. Core Power Sculpt is a 1 hour, hot vinyasa flow class with weights added into the mix! I LOVE this class. I am hoping that with time, I will begin to see some tone and definition in my body.

 My practice is my own, it gives me time to relax and focus on me.

Do you practice yoga?
What makes gives you balance?

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Vega Bars

     I have received this product for my review. All opinions are my own. 

For the entire month of April I have been trying out being Vegan (more on that later), so I was really excited to be picked by Vega to try out their new line of bars! But, I was a bit nervous to try out the products for a few reasons: 1. I generally don't care for protein bars of any sort and 2. Most packaged vegan stuff is lacking a little flavor. Vega is a company that focuses on plant based diet and nutrition. They have everything from protein powder to supplements!

I tried 4 different products in eight different flavors:

• Snack Bars - They were by far my favorite! The bars are great for on the go snacking or when I was in the middle of work and needed something fast. The bars were mostly nuts and really yummy! They are gluten free, non GMO, and packed with super foods!
• Meal Replacement Bars - These bars were ok, they were extremely filling and satisfied me while I was at a baseball game. Since they are meal replacement bars they do have almost 300 calories. My favorite flavor was Chocolate Peanut Butter!
• Energy Bars - I used these bars for my morning runs. I am guilty of never eating before I run, so these bars were the perfect amount of food to get me going. The taste was good too! 
• Protein Bars - Posible one of the best protein bars I have ever had! They are a little high in sugar, but the taste is well work it. I ate these bars after a hard workout at the gym, they have 15 grams of protein and are chocolate! It was like having a treat for my workout. 

Overall, I was impressed by the bars and will be ordering some more! I even saved 2 for my upcoming spartan race this weekend! You don't have to be vegan to eat these. They have great flavor, but can be a bit high in sugar. They are great for on the go and really easy to carry with you. They are all natural and totally worth the price!

How I enjoyed my Vega Bars!

What is your favorite protein bar?

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Working Out Alone

I have a confession: I am the WORST at woking out alone. I have always been and will most likely struggle with it for along time. When I googled "benefits of working out alone" nothing came up. There were a ton of articles of benefits of working out with a friend, but nothing about working out alone.  This unfortunately is my reality right now. Because of my strange work hours and lack of friends, I have to workout alone. So in order to stay positive I came up with reasons why it is better to workout alone! 

Benefits of working out alone:

• You can work out when it is connivence for you - Sometimes it is tough to put together a time and place that works for you and your friend. Which can limit the amount of time you get in at the gym. If you work out alone, you can go whenever you have free time! Just put on your shoes and get out there. 
• You can go at your own pace - Sometimes your friend might be holding you back by having a bad day and you might be holding your friend back if you are just not feeling it. So why not just do it alone? You can give it your all with out feeling bad for the person working out next to you. 
• You can do the workout that you want - Maybe you don't want to workout your shoulders today...no problem. You can change it up last minute and swap out your shoulder day for that leg day that you've been wanting. You don't want to do Zumba today? No problem. Go for a run. 
• You can focus on your workout - Let's face it, sometimes you don't want to hear about your best friends dogs health issues. When you take away the distraction you can really focus on when is important. Your Goals!

I will always choose a workout partner if one is available. But right now I just have to stay positive and do it alone. Who knows, maybe I will meet my new fitness bestie at the gym. 

Do you workout alone or with a friend?

Do you have any benefits of working out alone?

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A Perfect Quinoa Salad

One of the things I wanted to do in 2014 was actually use my Pinterest. I have been on Pinterest for a long time now and have a ton of things pins. But I have never really tried to duplicate what I have pinned on Pinterest. I finally did it!! I made an amazing quinoa salad that I found on Pinterest. The original pin can be found on my food board. This salad was really easy to make and is a healthy meal. The portions made enough for me to eat it for a few days.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Quinoa
• 1 Cucumber 
• 1 Bell Pepper
• 1/2 Shallot 
• Cilantro
• 3 Limes 
• 1 Avocado
• Garlic
• 1 Jalapeño  
• Salt

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil and fully cook 1 cup of quinoa. I cooked the quinoa according to the package. 
2. In a small bowl mix a garlic paste ( I watched this YouTube Video to learn how to make garlic paste), diced jalapeño, and diced shallot, and lime juice into a bowl. This mixture will be your dressing. 
   
3. While quinoa is cooking start to cut the cucumber, bell pepper, and cilantro. 
4. Once the quinoa is fully cooked place it on a cookie sheet to cool.
   
5.  Once the quinoa is cooled mix the quinoa with the cut cucumber, bell pepper, and cilantro. Add 1/2 of your dressing. Make sure everything is mixed well. Add salt to taste. 
   
6. When you are ready to serve the salad, add slices of avocado to it wand top it off with some of the dressing. 

This recipe was the perfect first attempt for me. It was so easy to make and had everything in it that I really enjoy. I have already made this a few times and I can't wait to try some more of the recipes that I have pinned.

Have you ever made anything from your Pinterest?

Follow me on Pinterest and I'll be sure to follow you back! 

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On Again, Off Again!

It is Monday and I am ready to get back into shape! I know it is easier said then done, but I will be challenging myself with posting some Motivational Monday posts about my fitness journey. Every Monday I will share some of my favorite gym tips, health topics, and just discuss random fitness/health related issues. I really hope that these posts will keep me accountable for getting back to where I was in the picture above. I hope you will enjoy them and feel free to ask questions, share posts, or give me ideas on what to write about.

I would love to sit here and tell you that I live a perfect, healthy, and fitness happy life. But, that would be a lie. I have struggled big time since my move to Colorado. I stepped on the scale today and realized that I have gained 15 pounds and I have been having back issues. I went from going to the gym 5 times a week, running 4 times a week, yoga 4 times a week, and Zumba 2 times a week. My schedule in LA was filled with plenty of opportunities to workout and lots of activities to keep me active and busy. Fast forward to Colorado, I wasn't going to the gym and don't even like to run in this horrible elevation.

The best way to describe my fitness routine is on again, off again. Sad, but true. I have a few reasons to be on again: 1. I will be in one of my best friends weddings this July! 2. I am planning a fabulous cruise around the Mediterranean with my sister in June. 3. I am not happy with the way I look. 4. I am getting married next year!!!

Here are my top 5 tips on Getting Back in Shape:

1. Set goals - Write them down, tell a friend, put them in your planner. It ALWAYS helps when I let people know that I am back at it. But, make sure they are attainable goals. My goals this week is to lose 3 lbs ( I am sure most of it will be water weight) and to drink at least one green drink a day (I am trying to increase my veggies and eat cleaner)! 
   
2. Drink Plenty of Water - I know you hear this all of the time, but it really works. It really helps me shift my focus when I think I am hungry (I tend to eat when I am bored). It also helps with the bloat. I have read in many fitness magazines and websites to drink a full glass of water when you wake up. I will be working on carrying a bottle of water with me and get the recommended amount of water daily. 
3. Research - Every time I am back at the gym I find that I am more successful, the more I invest into it. Makes sense right? I spend my free time looking at Pinterest to get motivated and get ideas. I read fitness magazines, I read online articles. Anything that gets me motivated and educates me on how to stay healthy really helps. I am currently loving Jamie Eason and everything that she has to say! 
4. Make Time to Workout - I am really guilty of "being too tired" or "not having time". But lets get real, there is always time. I wouldn't be so tired if I actually got off of my butt and worked out. When getting back in shape I have to make time to workout or it won't work. There will always be excuses so I set aside 1 hour a few times a week to go workout. I also try to so more physical activities with Joe on the weekends. This weekend we will be going snowboarding, sometimes it's as simple as a hike. 
   
5. Challenge Yourself with New Ways to Workout - Last time it was Zumba, this time it is rock climbing. My gym has a rock wall, I am trying my best to get on the wall as much as possible. Even if it is for just 10 minutes after my normal workout. I am also trying new group fitness classes at my gym. You never know what you will like until you go out there and try it! Get out there and have fun! 
   

What are your go-to tips for getting back into shape?

Do you have any amazing fitness posts? I would love to read them. Share them in the comments!

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Running Must Haves

I am back on my running schedule. I feel like I am always on and off, but it feels good to be back on. I wanted to share with you all some of my favorite Running Must Haves. I found most of these at the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon Fitness Expo and I am so happy with all of the products. I normally don't wear all of them at once, but it is nice to have them in my running stash. 

Garmin ForeRunner 210 with Heart Monitor - I was really excited to get this watch. I have had the Nike Running Watch, but didn't like it because it was too big for my wrist. This watch fits much better and is easy to wear and control. The one thing that I do not like about the watch is the fact that I always have to charge it. I am also still getting use to the heart monitor. 

Sweaty Bands - I love these head bands. I was able to run a full 13.1 miles with out having to re-adjust  it at all. They come in so many different colors and patterns, you are sure to find one you love.

Running Sunglasses -  These are a must for me. Ever since my pteryguim surgery earlier this year I have tried my best to wear sunglasses. But I have not been able to find a pair that look good and are light. 

Running Belt - Very few of my running clothes have pockets, so this was a great addition to my running gear. It is the perfect size to hold my iPhone, chap sticks, key, money, and any running gels. This iFitness belt is perfect for all of my stuff that I "need" when I run.

Halo Running Visor - This is a really neat visor. I bought it more for hiking or being outdoors. The yellow band on the inside of the visor is made so that the sweat rolls off of your head and stays out of your eyes. It fits well and is easy to keep clean. 

What is your running must have?

Do you struggle with staying on a running schedule?

p.s. This is my 100th post!! So exciting. Thanks for reading :)

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