Happy Monday!

Originally posted July 9, 2013

Welcome to Monday! The first day of the work week. I always try to start my week as upbeat and as positively as possible. I found something online this morning that's going to be my mantra this week:

This holds true to all of us who struggle and try to lose weight and are trying their hardest to live a healthier life. I want to work on a healthier me! So I'm going to sing my mantra to myself during every workout, every day: "Work harder." 

With that said, I feel like I started my week off on a high note. Instead of taking the day off from the gym, I did my leg workout that I missed on Thursday (although I did an alternative workout), abs, and cardio. Then my husband and I took our daughter to the pool for some much needed fun time! As usual, I've included a collage of my workout. 

I hope this week inspires you to make great choices with your health! If you want results: work harder!! Happy Monday! 

Saturday Check-In

Previously posted July 7

As the weekend continues, so does my quest for a healthier me. Saturday is my last real workout day before a "day off" from the gym.

You'll find my weight workout for the day. Saturday was dedicated to my biceps and triceps. As usual, I added 50 crunches in for good measure and my obligatory 30 minutes of cardio. 

As the last workout day of the week, make yourself proud! Push yourself to that final minute of your workout! You'll be glad that you did!

July 6, 2013

Previously posted July 6, 2013

Little weekend check-in. Had a great workout yesterday. I hope everyone else did too! If you didn't work out yesterday, make sure you get in some fun yet challenging activity today! Don't forget that you and your health always come first, regardless on how many roles in life you have. You gotta take care of yourself before you can take care of others!

In hopes to inspire you guys to get out there and move today, I'm posting a collage that I made yesterday. It's me post-workout, calories burned during my workout, and my yummy dinner, proving that you can be healthy and still have red meat!

Make it a great day, guys! Keep up the hard work and you will see results quicker than you'll ever imagine. 

July 5, 2013

From July 5, 2013

I'm not a runner. I call myself a wannabe runner. I get out there and I really try, but I can't seem to run for more than five minutes at a time. My legs start to burn and they feel like they're going to buckle. That's okay though. We aren't all runners. I push it as hard as I can and I always feel accomplished after I'm done with my run. 

Back in April, my daughter and I completed our first 5K together. She was nine at the time. We completed those 3.2 miles in about 40 minutes. The pride that we felt after finishing this milestone TOGETHER was like no other feeling in the world. 

The moral of the story is that you need to push yourself every single day. When you achieve that milestone that you thought was out of your reach, it will inspire you to push yourself harder and farther than before. 

With that said, today is my cardio and abs day at the gym. I'll do a total of 150 combined ab exercises. I do a set of 25 crunches that work my upper abdominals immediately followed by a set of 25 leg raises that works my lower abdominals. After a 30 second rest, I repeat the series. I do three sets total with a rest of 30 seconds between sets. My abs always have that good hurt going on afterwards. You should really give them a try!!

As far as cardio, I'm doing an hour. Even though I'm not a runner, I'm going to push myself for an hour on the treadmill. The best was I monitor my progress is by using my Nike+ GPS app on my iPhone. I love it because it tracks miles, pace, and my friends can even give me cheers via Facebook. It gives me the inspiration I need to keep going!

I hope you have a great weekend, friends! In hopes to further inspire you to get out there to make today great, I've included a picture of my daughter running in the 5K we completed together. If a 9 year old can do it, I know you can, too! 

When the Gym is Closed

Originally posted July 4, 2013 

Today we celebrate our country's birthday. Independence Day is synonymous with fireworks, grilling outside, and taking a break from real life.

Unless you're me. 

I worked my full-time job today (I work a graveyard-ish 4am-1pm shift) and the youth center is closed today, although my husband went in for some uninterrupted work time. The biggest thing to me though is even though its the holiday, we shouldn't skip a workout! 

My local gym is closed to observe the holiday, but it's beautiful out, so I'm going to take my workout outside!

Today is my leg day and I found a great weight-free leg workout. Along with my 30-minutes of cardio (running outside is my activity of choice today), I'm sure to get in just as good of a workout as I would with the weight machines and cross country machine, were it available. Don't forget your abs either! I'm throwing in 50 crunches today just because I REALLY want that muscle definition that I have never had!

I've attached my leg workout that I'm doing today. I encourage you to give it a try! You may like it! And since I do so much cardio that involves my legs anyway, I keep my leg days limited to one a week. 

Enjoy your Fourth of July, everyone! However you decide to spend it, I hope it's full of happiness, laughter, and health. 

Something A Little Different

I created an additional blog that focuses on my goals to achieve a healthier lifestyle. I've been trying to manage doing that blog and this one at the same time. While sitting poolside just now, I thought to myself Self, wouldn't it be awesome if you combined food and fitness on one blog? Of course it would be awesome!! So, I'm trying something different. I hope you find it inspiring and interesting!

I'm going to bring over my few posts that I've already created on my other blog. From here on out, I'm going to make this blog about my two favorite things: food and fitness. I'm hoping that you're as inspired by my journey to create a healthier Summer as you are about the foods that I share with you! I plan on blogging for accountability on a near-daily basis. I will still post delicious food for you as well (of course!), but it will be on a weekly basis, if not a little more. I also hope to share articles and inspirations that combine food and healthy living. 

Don't worry! I'm not turning vegan or vegetarian, but don't be surprised if you find a little more fruits and veggies in the recipes that I share. 

To start things off, I'll share my photo from vacation in Florida last month. As well, to keep up with my accountability starting now, I'll share my starting stats: I'm 5'8" tall. I weigh currently 153 pounds. Overall health is my goal. I do have a weight loss goal of 10 pounds though that I'm hoping to achieve in ten weeks (so by Labor Day).

I hope you find my new style inspiring and, as always, interesting! Thank you for your loyalty to my blog. You won't be disappointed! 

Key Lime Pie

Summertime is the only season that I have yet to find someone who doesn't like it. The sun is up longer, we get to stay up later, we wake up earlier, and we usually make all-around better food choices because of the plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables. 

The only thing about summertime that I'm even remotely aware of is the HEAT! Today is slated to be 100+ degrees where I live in the Midwest. That's a scorcher! What better day to make a no-bake pie than today?

When my family and I were on vacation in Belize last summer, we visited this one restaurant at least twice a day. Why? It had this delightful caye lime pie (here, we say "key") that we just couldn't get enough of. On our final day of vacation, we learned that it was the recipe of our favorite waitress and she was kind enough to share it with my family! I've been making it since. 

Here's what you'll need for the Belizean No-Bake Caye Lime Pie:

14 oz Sweet Condensed Milk

8 oz Cool Whip (really cold, almost frozen)

3 large, fresh limes 

1 8-serving graham cracker pie crust 

8 drops green food coloring (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, juice the three limes and add in the can of sweet condensed milk. Mix briefly. 

2. Add in your optional green food coloring. I do this to make the pie look very limey. It's green without it, but only barely. Mix in with the sweet condensed milk and lime juice. 

3. Add in the Cool Whip and beat until creamy. It's very important that you save the Cool Whip for last and start mixing immediately. Waiting or adding it in earlier will cause the Cool Whip to curdle. 

4. Pour contents into graham cracker crust. If you have a little leftover (which I usually do), that's to be expected. It makes a yummy topping to other pies. Refrigerate for at least two hours or until ready to serve. 

I've posted several pictures of my pies that I've made on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook and have had so many people ask for the recipe. I hope that you give this no-bake pie a try tonight. It's delicious, quick, easy, and best of all: interesting.