Fit and FABULOUS Crepes!

Crepes are one of my FAVORITE morning foods in the universe, so I decided to come up with a healthy way of making them!
By using egg WHITES instead of the whole egg, skim milk rather than whole milk NO added sugar,  and NO added salt these are a bit better for you than your typical crepe :)
They're really easy and are a great substitute for your typical sugary morning cereal.

What you need:

• 2 Eggs 
• 1 tablespoon of butter (NOT margarine)
• 1/2 cup of skim milk
• 1 cup of flour (you can use whole wheat flour to make it a bit healthier)
• Nutella!!
• Strawberries (or your favorite fruit) 

What to do:

• Whisk everything together until you get a semi-watery consistency (1/2 as thick as pancake mix would be.)
• Preheat a pan and LIGHTLY spray with olive oil
• *This is IMPORTANT* Pour your mix onto the MIDDLE of the pan, and before it has time to thicken by the heat, spread it around by turning your pan in a circular motion. This spreads your mix into a thin crepe circle!
• Flip when lightly brown

Then spread some Nutella down the middle, cover with fresh cut strawberries and EAT!!
If you make too many, you can even put them in the fridge and save for the next few days :) All you have to do is Re-Heat them!
This is what our "Brunch" ended up looking like today:

I added my Quick 3 Minute Italian Salad to get some extra veggies in there and some delicious pineapple mango juice to go along with it.
Fabulous, easy AND healthy!
Xox Brittany,
The Fitspirational Blonde

5 minute (at home) Parfait!

Parfaits are a fabulous way to get some fruit and protein in after a workout!

They’re also good if you’re trying to impress guests, since they look so classy in these high stem glasses.

I used Greek Yogurt which is PACKED with protein and nutrition that your body needs after an intense workout at the gym.

These two parfaits took me less than 5 minutes to make!



What You Need:

• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Greek Yogurt (any kind, I used honey and pomegranate) 
• Granola
• A classy glass of your choice

These were my very own creative parfait creations that I made at home this morning, but you can layer them however you want!

Great for breakfast :)

This is also a FAST FOOD. No one said that fast food has to be unhealthy!


Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

How long does it take to get full?

It is surprising how many people don't know this!
From the time that you begin eating, to the time that your brain tells the rest of your body it's full is TWENTY MINUTES!

This is why when you're really hungry you over eat, and then feel like you're going to explode... with 348503458 pounds of food in your stomach.

EAT SLOW! The world is not going to end by the the time you finish your spaghetti, it will still be there if you eat it SLOWLY.

I bet if you don't scarf it down, you'll surprise yourself when you're full and there's still a lot left on your plate.

Anther great tip: drink a glass of water before and during your meal! Sometimes when you think your body is hungry it is actually dehydrated.
Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

Grocery Shopping Tip- Full vs Hungry

Healthy Grocery Shopping Tip-

SHOP AFTER YOU'VE EATEN!

If you shop when you're hungry, your body will want to eat EVERYTHING in sight and you will end up buying twice the foods that you would have bought if you were full.

Save money, save time, save space in your shopping cart :)

Shop Full.

Xox Brittany,

The Fitspirational Blonde.

Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Good morning everyone!

As you know I always push having a big healthy breakfast. This handout has some wonderful examples and ideas on what you can eat!

If you usually have a hard time trying to decide what to eat in the mornings, make your own list and PUT IT ON THE FRIDGE! 

I'm serious about this, it will keep you from grabbing the high sugar Trix cereal just because it's easy and you forgot you have fresh eggs and veggies to make an omelette in the fridge.

Have a fabulous rest of the day <3

Xox Brittany
The Fitspirational Blonde

10 Grocery Shopping Tips!

Good morning Lovelies!

It's a bright and beautiful Sunday morning and I like to get my grocery shopping for the week done on Sundays after Church! That way, when Monday comes my fridge is nice and stalked up and I'm ready for my healthy week :)

I decided to share my wonderful "grocery shopping tip list" with you, because it's easy to walk in the grocery store and feel like you're lost and have just entered a grocery Wonderland labyrinth.




Brittany's Grocery Shopping Tips:

1. Always go with a list!
2. Shop the perimeter! This typically contains the produce, dairy, meat, deli, and frozen section.
3. Inside the “perimeter” you are more likely to stray: the candy aisle, the juice/drinks aisle, and the snacks aisle are all bad places to buy the majority of your groceries
4. Look for what is on sale & stock up if it’s non-perishable. This will SAVE YOU MONEY!
5. When choosing packaged produce, look at the “Use by” date and choose the longest. Fresher items tend to get put in the back of shelves so customers buy the oldest items first. For example, when I'm buying milk, I always take the milk in the back because it has the newest expiration date.
6. Check all fruits & veggies for bruises, scratches, & mold. Yuck!
7. If you buy in bulk or have a big family, buy frozen petite peas, berries (for smoothies or baking), and bell peppers. They’re always cheaper & there isn’t much difference. I personally like to have fresh fruit in the house at all times, but when I'm a bit busy and haven't had time to the grocery store, I always have those frozen fruits and veggies to fall back on :)
8. Try to not over-buy, know how long each fruit/veggie will last & don’t waste it! Every time one of my avocado's goes bad, I feel like a pet died and I didn't have time to say goodbye (As you can tell, I'm very passionate about my avocados.)
9. Because produce goes off so quickly I try my best to go grocery shopping 1-2 times a week. This is usually what it takes to maintain a healthy lifestyle!
10. Shop at stores that are known for healthy living! My favorite's are Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Fresh and Easy, and as I said before your local Farmers Market.

Now it's up to you, these will REALLY help you if you actually APPLY them next time you're at the store!

To see my personal Grocery List, click here

Xox Brittany,

The Fitspirational Blonde

Shelf Life of Fruits and Vegetables

You’re now stocked on veggies and fruits but…

In addition to storing your fruits and veggies properly, it’s good to know approximately how long the fresh stuff will last. Plan your trip to the grocery or farmer’s market accordingly so that your foods are at the peak of freshness when you plan to prepare them, and you’re not throwing away food that’s gone bad before you get a chance to use it!

1-2 days:

• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Bananas
• Basil
• Broccoli
• Cherries
• Corn
• Dill
• Green beans
• Mushrooms
• Strawberries

2-4 days:

• Arugula
• Avocados 
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Grapes
• Lettuce
• Limes
• Pineapple
• Zucchini

4-6 days:

• Apricots
• Blueberries
• Brussels sprouts
• Cauliflower
• Grapefruit
• Leeks
• Lemons
• Oranges
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Peaches
• Pears
• Peppers
• Plums
• Spinach
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon

7+days:

• Apples
• Beets
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Celery
• Garlic
• Hard Squash
• Onions
• Potatoes

PRINT THIS OUT AND KEEP IT IN YOUR KITCHEN!!!


Xox Brittany
The Fitspirational Blonde

The best prescription for the future you.

I went out to dinner last night with one of my uncle's who is a geriatric Doctor. (A geriatric physician provides medical care, counseling, and treatment to elderly and aging adults) He said the better that we can take care of ourselves when we’re young, the healthier we’ll be when we get older. We’ll have LESS need for prescription medication and will be prone to less diseases.

So when you’re eating healthy and exercising now, not only are you doing it to look good and feel good now, you’re also planning for the YOU... 50 years from now!

Your future is in your hands, what will you do with it?

(There better be fruit involved!)
Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

Surround Yourself With Things That Motivate You.

I don’t know what it is about PINK fitness gear and clothes that just makes me want to JUMP up and start running around the block with a smile on my face.

This may explain the fact that:

• I own 6 PINK sports bras 
• My running shoes are PINK 
• My weights are PINK
• My water bottle is PINK
• ...and I’m not even going to talk about my underwear collection on here (but it’s Pink too.)

What can I say, I like to surround myself with things that motivate me to do what I love!!

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

FITSPIRATIONAL PROTEIN PANCAKES!! (Eggless)

I woke up this morning craving pancakes… only to go downstairs and find out we have no eggs! Rather then get in my Mustang and drive ALL the way to the store, I decided to get creative :) 

I came up with a delicious and healthy spin to the average pancake and it contains absolutely no eggs!

Adding the banana, pecans, and protein powder makes it packed with protein and potassium! Plus some chopped up strawberries for a fruity spin (As you can see, Locket LOVES strawberries and cooking with me in the kitchen haha.)
Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1 banana
• 1 cup of pecans
• 2 table spoons of protein powder

Combine dry ingredients and mix slightly. Add milk, oil, water, and vanilla. Whisk together until just combined. Be careful not to over mix - it should still be slightly lumpy. Set aside to rest for a few minutes.Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. While pan is heating, add butter. As soon as the butter is melted, add melted butter to pancake batter.Return pan to stove and stir butter into batter.When pan is hot, with a measuring cup or ladle, pour 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet for each pancake.
Cook until bubbles form on the surface. Carefully flip pancakes with turner/spatula and cook until golden brown.
So if you ever want to get creative in your kitchen and put a healthy spin on the boring average pancake, whip these up!


Xox Brittany
The Fitspirational Blonde

The future of your body

Fill your body with foods that you want to support you when you’re 70.

Imagine how you’ll look and feel if you’ve spent a lifetime filling your body with pringles and jolly ranchers.

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

Fruity Ice Cubes!

THIS IS SUCH A FABULOUSLY CREATIVE IDEA!

I'll definitely be trying this out on Sunday when I stock up my kitchen with fruit for the week! 

What a great way to naturally flavor up all the water that you're drinking everyday.

I make fruit smoothies every morning and use 5-6 pieces of ice in each one and this would give it some extra fruity twists when I drink them :)

Xox Brittany

Eight Ingredients You Never Want to See on Your Nutrition Label.

These are REALLY good reasons to eat CLEAN!


This may seem like a lot to read, however it is ridiculously important to understand the dangerous ingredients that are in the foods you're eating so that you can do your best to avoid them.

Read it, memorize it or make it your computer back round for a few days. 

Next time you're shopping around at the grocery store, check out the ingredients on the back of your foods!I bet you'll be surprised. 

1. BHA
This preservative is used to prevent rancidity in foods that contain oils. Unfortunately, BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) has been shown to cause cancer in rats, mice, and hamsters. The reason the FDA hasn’t banned it is largely technical—the cancers all occurred in the rodents’ forestomachs, an organ that humans don’t have. Nevertheless, the study, published in the Japanese Journal of Cancer Research, concluded that BHA was “reasonably anticipated to be a carcinogen,” and as far as I’m concerned, that’s reason enough to eliminate it from your diet.

2. Parabens
These synthetic preservatives are used to inhibit mold and yeast in food. The problem is parabens may also disrupt your body’s hormonal balance. A study in Food Chemical Toxicology found that daily ingestion decreased sperm and testosterone production in rats, and parabens have been found present in breast cancer tissues.

3. Partially Hydrogenated Oil
I’ve harped on this before, but it bears repeating: Don’t confuse “0 g trans fat” with being trans fat-free. The FDA allows products to claim zero grams of trans fat as long as they have less than half a gram per serving. That means they can have 0.49 grams per serving and still be labeled a no-trans-fat food. Considering that two grams is the absolute most you ought to consume in a day, those fractions can quickly add up. The telltale sign that your snack is soiled with the stuff? Look for partially hydrogenated oil on the ingredient statement. If it’s anywhere on there, then you’re ingesting artery-clogging trans fat.

4. Sodium Nitrite
Nitrites and nitrates are used to inhibit botulism-causing bacteria and to maintain processed meats’ pink hues, which is why the FDA allows their use. Unfortunately, once ingested, nitrite can fuse with amino acids (of which meat is a prime source) to form nitrosamines, powerful carcinogenic compounds. Ascorbic and erythorbic acids—essentially vitamin C—have been shown to decrease the risk, and most manufacturers now add one or both to their products, which has helped. Still, the best way to reduce risk is to limit your intake.

5. Caramel Coloring
This additive wouldn’t be dangerous if you made it the old-fashioned way—with water and sugar, on top of a stove. But the food industry follows a different recipe: They treat sugar with ammonia, which can produce some nasty carcinogens. How carcinogenic are these compounds? A Center for Science in the Public Interest report asserted that the high levels of caramel color found in soda account for roughly 15,000 cancers in the U.S. annually. Another good reason to scrap soft drinks? They’re among The 20 Worst Drinks in America.

6. Castoreum
Castoreum is one of the many nebulous “natural ingredients” used to flavor food. Though it isn’t harmful, it is unsettling. Castoreum is a substance made from beavers’ castor sacs, or anal scent glands. These glands produce potent secretions that help the animals mark their territory in the wild. In the food industry, however, 1,000 pounds of the unsavory ingredient are used annually to imbue foods—usually vanilla or raspberry flavored—with a distinctive, musky flavor.

7. Food Dyes
Plenty of fruit-flavored candies and sugary cereals don’t contain a single gram of produce, but instead rely on artificial dyes and flavorings to suggest a relationship with nature. Not only do these dyes allow manufacturers to mask the drab colors of heavily processed foods, but certain hues have been linked to more serious ailments. A Journal of Pediatrics study linked Yellow 5 to hyperactivity in children, Canadian researchers found Yellow 6 and Red 40 to be contaminated with known carcinogens, and Red 3 is known to cause tumors. The bottom line? Avoid artificial dyes as much as possible.

8. Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, used as a flavor enhancer, is plant protein that has been chemically broken down into amino acids. One of these acids, glutamic acid, can release free glutamate. When this glutamate joins with free sodium in your body, they form monosodium glutamate (MSG), an additive known to cause adverse reactions—headaches, nausea, and weakness, among others—in sensitive individuals. When MSG is added to products directly, the FDA requires manufacturers to disclose its inclusion on the ingredient statement. But when it occurs as a byproduct of hydrolyzed protein, the FDA allows it to go unrecognized.

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

Bring your food with you to college!

If you’re a studying/working girl like me with an outrageously busy schedule, finding time to eat is SO rough.

You know you've been here- we all have:

Sometimes you go hours and hours without eating, skipping meals left and right until you get to the point where you’re feeling faint from not eating and then result to the worst thing possible.. FAST FOOD…. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Well guess what? 

Fruit is the fastest food you can possibly eat, and you don’t even have to drive through anywhere to get it! 

Planning and packing a lunch/ snacks to keep with you throughout the day is a GREAT idea for everyone and anyone.

These fabulous glad ware separators are perfect for putting together a wonderful healthy lunch the night before your day of hectic activities.

Don’t let hunger be another thing making you stressed.

Eating frequently not only makes your metabolism faster, it also keeps your energy level high as well as your ability to give focus to the activities that you are doing (such as college classes.)

So grab some glad ware and get packing tonight!

Xox Brittany

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

Messy Buns, Tissues and Sweatpants....

Yes... it's happened.... I'M SICK!!!


*As I sneeze and accidentally knock over my water bottle*

Despite ALL my efforts to eat healthy, take vitamins, exercise daily, and avoid EVERYONE who is sick (or even thinks about coughing in my direction)... I still caught something!!! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!?!

Maybe I have a weak immune system.

Maybe I shouldn't have gone dancing around in the rain this weekend pretending I was Gene Kelly in the movie "Singing in the Rain".

Or maybe this is bad Karma for taking up one two three parking spaces yesterday at Starbucks...

Well what ever the reason is; the "Flu God's" have officially found me hiding in my large luxurious closet, and have smacked me upside the head with a sore throat and fever.

5 boxes of tissues, 4 glasses of water, 3 trips to the grocery store (for Gatorade and more tissues), 2 angry/congested nostrils and 1 BIG FAT HAIRY MESSY BUN on the top of my little blonde head.
(sorry there will be no partridge in a pear tree in this post; he got to close to my window, caught my cold and flew away)


Not to be dramatic but.... I'M MISERABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IF I HAVE TO EAT ONE MORE CUP OF SOUP, I'M GOING TO THROW SOMETHING OUT THE WINDOW!

Elle Woods can make anything better

Anyway, instead of doing what I usually do when I get sick (lounging around being grumpy watching legally blonde over and over while consuming ridiculously large quantities of chocolate) (while subconsciously  thinking about all the things I should be doing instead of lounging around being grumpy watching legally blonde over and over while consuming ridiculously large quantities of chocolate) This time I decided to push the tissues aside, and do some research on how to get better as fast as possible!!

So after 2 hours of messing around in other peoples blogs, and ripping Google to shreds, this is what I've found the most helpful.

REMEMBER THESE TIPS NEXT TIME YOU GET SICK!

In this midst of my research I got a kick out of stumbling upon a website that was literally called "www.howtogetridofacoldfast.org" No subtlety there, I love it!

This website had TONS of great tips on getting better fast, which was exactly what I was looking for!

1.) Drink TONS of water!!!! When your body is sick, it gets dehydrated really easily. Think about it like you're using the water to flush out all the gross sick germs inside of you. Better in then out right?!!
Side Note: Make sure you're going to be near a bathroom for a few hours when you do this one... you wouldn't want your body to miraculously turn into Niagara Falls when you're at the grocery store and can't find anyone with a key to the bathroom. It would be embarrassing to be the reason for the "Clean up on isle six!!" << Best to try and avoid that from happening.

2.) Eat Right! "When you are already afflicted with cold, it is imperative that you maintain a diet which is most easy on your system. This would include foods such as greens, salads and so on, and therefore, would NOT include foods which are way too oily or greasy. Remember that the more food you consume which is fatty and greasy, the more your body will have to work on digesting the same, taking away precious resources which have otherwise been working very hard on fending off the cold that you are already suffering from."  Eat like you're trying to fit into your wedding gown for next month that is just a little to small for you! Don't eat less, eat SMART! Also, Salads are known for cleansing your system, I'd stock up on some lovely greens :) Also maximize your intake of soups! If you're a vegetarian like me, get creative with your soups try vegetable soup there are TONS of alternatives out there for you.

Garlic is also known for helping get rid of colds! Italian anyone?! Yes please!

3.) Sleep a LOT! Pretend your a bear, hibernate! When you leep your body gets a chance to focus on healing itself. The more you sleep, the quicker you heal and the faster you're ready to get back to your "flu free" life.

4.) Zinc- One of the best things you can take to get rid of your cold quick; it has special anti-cold properties. Use it for a few days, it comes in tablets, nasal sprays (I don't recommend that one) as well as in liquid form. One time at my Grandmas house when I was younger, my grandma made my friend and I stick zinc nasal swabbs up our noses... it actually helped in the long run but I promised myself I'd NEVER do that again, being sick was better than sticking a swab up my nose! EW

5.) Tea- Chamomile tea is a pretty great tea to try out, it's a superlative agent for fighting off colds especially if you're already sick.

Ok guys that's it for today, i'm off to Whole Foods Market to grab some Zinc (BUT NOT THE NOSE SWABS) Tea and healthy foods :)

Hope everyone is staying healthy out there!

Xox Brittany

A Chopstick Catastrophe! -Portion Size in America

Portions, Pool Boys, and Pad Woon Sen.

By Brittany Turner

The Fitspirational Blonde

Did you know, the portion sizes that we are served in America today, are DOUBLE what the ACTUAL portion sizes should be? So, that means if you are served a full plate of spaghetti, you are technically eating a meal that was originally meant for TWO people! However, American's don't usually know or talk about it. 

Yesterday was my best friend's birthday, so we spent the day together lounging by our beach side Marriott's pool, basking in the warm sun, sipping on Virgin Margaritas while simultaneously checking out the gorgeous pool guys who brought us everything we could have possibly desired!

Ok, I have a confession. We secretly kept sending our beautiful pool-side waiter to the kitchen for more drinks and napkins just so we could watch his beautiful butt strut back and forth! Come on ladies, you KNOW you would have done it too!

Anyway, sitting pool side (feeling great in my bikini by the way after just coming back from the hotel's gym) of course I was reading the latest issue of Shape Magazine. As I read I became particularly engaged with an article about portion sizes! Like I said earlier, in most restaurants we are served DOUBLE what we should be eating for each meal. Scary right? What's REALLY scary is if we finish it every time!

Ever since we were little, we have been TRAINED to eat everything on our plate. Didn't your mom used to yell at you saying, "Honey, you can't have dessert until you finish EVERYTHING on your plate!!" (so you'd secretly feed your broccoli to the dog under the table.) Then they wonder why their children are obese… and yell at them for being fat. Have you ever noticed that before? Life is a vicious circle. I was lucky enough to have parents who let me eat what ever I wanted, but I know I was just lucky kid. 

When we grow up, mentally our bodies are already trained to eat EVERYTHING on our plates because that's what we've always know to be correct. So now when we have grown out of kid's menus and have been thrown into the real world of oversized portions, we feel the need to finish every little thing served to us!

Back to the pool, I still laid out gazing at our hot waiter and reading my Shape Magazine (While SHARING a Caesar salad with my best friend) and continued reading the article on portion sizes. The article suggested eating your meals with a dessert fork to slow down the eating process. I've read that it takes approximately 20 minutes for your brain to tell your body that it's actually full. 

Something I usually do is stop about 1/2 way through my meal, drink a glass of water and wait a few minutes to decide if i'm still hungry or if I've already eaten enough to be satisfied. Usually though, if I wait the right amount of time it usually ends up being that I am infect full and glad I stopped when I did. I think people forget to take the time to stop and actually ENJOY what they're eating. Food is such a beautiful part of our daily lives, and if we eat the right foods in the right portions, having meals should be a perfect delightful experience every day. 

Advice- next time you eat, take your time and don't rush through it. Have a RELATIONSHIP with your meal! Chew each bite 7 times and shut your eyes and think about how incredible what you're munching on actually tastes! Shutting your eyes will help you block out other distractions around you and help you focus on what you're eating. Not only will your meals be more enjoyable, but you will eat slower and get full quicker. I bet you'll be VERY glad to avoid that "OH NO I ATE TO MUCH WAY TOO FAST" feeling. EVERYONE has felt that before, I know I did overtime the words "free unlimited breadsticks" slipped the waitresses lips at the Olive Garden. I swear they're trying to kill me over there, "unlimited" and "free" are such a dangerous combination of words when it comes to food. 

On my way to Starbucks (to write this article actually,) I walked by a new Thai Cuisine that I had never been to before called "Bai Yook". The smell of my favorite Thai Dish (Pad Woon Sen) pulled me in like a girl with her first credit card passing a shoe store. I got SUCKED in and within seconds sat down and ordered it JUST for me. Choosing water instead of soda, and passing on the appetizers I was ready to eat my vegetarian dish filled with delicious proteins and vegetables and not feel guilty about a single bite! BUT I had just read the article about portions, and when my "Pad Woon Sen" arrived in front of me I remembered what I had read yesterday about larger portions. It was completely right, I realized they had served me enough food for me AND my 2 best friends… who weren't with me. So I needed to make a choice.

I could either finish the HUGE plate of food ALL BY MYSELF… or I could take on my ultimate enemies…. CHOPSTICKS. I knew using chopsticks would definitely slow me down.

Can someone please explain to me, why I can knit an entire closet full of scarves, but can't handle picking up ANYTHING with chopsticks without unintentionally vigorously flinging it across the restaurant at the poor waitress? (Yes, if you're wondering I HAVE accidentally done this on more that one occasion.) 

I'm a BLONDE CHOPSTICK CATASTROPHE!

BUT if you've been following me for long enough, you KNOW I don't give up that easily. I was DETERMINED to control my portions, so I sucked it up, ripped open the chopsticks like they were a new pair of my favorite Jimmy Choo stilettos, and began attacking my Pad Woon Sen with them.

This helped!

After about 1/2 hour of fighting to get EVERY noodle/vegetable in my mouth, and having been offered a fork about 12 times by my waitress (who I could see laughing hystarically at me with ALL the cooks in the kitchen), I succeeded, and finally felt full! I had only eaten 1/2 of my food and I had already began feeling satisfied! 

Chopsticks, you've got NOTHING on me! 

I felt GREAT! I didn't eat too much, didn't feel overly stuffed, and to top it off I had some left over to eat for lunch tomorrow! 

Eating smaller portions more frequently throughout the day, has yet again been proven to be the best way to eat. I hope you remember this post next time you eat out and are served WAY too much. Don't listen to ANYONE, you DON'T have to eat everything on your plate!

Have a Fit and Fabulous day everyone <3

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

Carbs and Sugar- My Toxic Affair

Carbs and Sugar- My TOXIC Affair!

By Brittany Turner

At the very beginning of this year, I knew it was time to end my toxic affair with sugar and carbohydrates. After reading about the terrible effects they have on our body (especially sugary drinks such as Coke-a-Cola like that picture to the left), I decided January 1st would be the day when I would no longer be a victim of  "Coke" and "Carb" addictions.

I told my self, "cottage cheese causing carbs" and "sweet devilish candy"  would be a thing of the past and no longer a part of my future.

This ALL seemed like such a terrific idea in this blonde head of mine... that is, until January 2nd came around. Yes, I know, it had ONLY been ONE day and the only thing I could think about was getting my luscious lips around a juicy sweet piece of dove milk chocolate, or M&Ms or ANYTHING that started with the letter "S" and ended in "ugar". It was ALL I could think about. How could I have let carbs and sugar become such a HUGE part of my life??

Not to mention, if I stared at my baby Yorkie puppy (Locket) for long enough,  she began to transform into a moving milky way! (Sorry Locket)

Needless to say, I knew that ending my sweet affair with sugar and carbs would not be nearly as easy as I'd hoped. 

So, I did a little research to see if my addictive behavior was common, or if "mentally" turning my dog into a barking candy bar meant I should cancel my afternoon plans, and head straight to the loony bin.

5 news papers, 7 magazine articles,  and over 25 Google searches later, I was relieved to discover that an "addiction" to sugar and carbohydrates was very common. Sorry Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen, I won't be meeting you in a crazy home any time soon!

In an article on Foxnews.com, a scientist named Dr Simon Thornily actually claims that carbohydrates and Sugar are "Just as addicting as Cigarettes." I was SHOCKED to read this! I instantly threw down the 'carb-a-licious' chocolate croissant from Starbucks (mid-bite) that I was LITERALLY eating as I read his article.

Dr Thornily went on to say, “Heavily processed carbohydrates such as cornflakes, sweets and croissants quickly raise the amount of sugar in your blood. “This rush of sugar stimulates the same areas of the brain that are involved with addiction to      nicotine and other drugs." 

Terrifying right??!!

After reading his entire article on carbs/ cigarettes, It secretly made me feel a little better to know that my passion for carbs and sugar was common. 

I instantly realized though, that if I was having a hard time cutting down on the carbs, there HAD to be HUNDREDS and THOUSANDS of other people who must be just as "addicted" to them as I am!

Think about this for a second, YOU may be addicted to carbs too and not even know it! Do you get sugary cravings throughout the day and night? Do YOU choose pie and ice cream over fruit and vegetables? Try completely quitting ALL sugar and carbs for just one week and you'll know your answer instantly! I bet it will be MUCH harder than you expect.

So, this post is now dedicated to all my readers out there that (like me) are having a shameful toxic affair with carbohydrates and don't know how to quit!

GIRLS, it's time to put down the chocolate, and pick up some protein powder because this is going to be a LONG ride. If we're going to cut down the carbs, transforming our diets from sugar to celery will take a LOT of dedication and strength.

The question is, will this addiction ever let us be free? Will we EVER be able to walk past a candy store with out melting down in front of it like the wicked witch of the west from the Wizard of Oz?

Can we ever earn the self-control to choose the yellow brick road made of heathy CORN, or will our self- confidence be SQUISHED by a house filled with lolli-pops and candy canes flattening us like the wicked witch? Will we ever be able to control our bad habits after living with them for our entire lives?

YES! I KNOW WE CAN! 

I don't know about you, but I DEFINITELY don't like the idea of being addicted to ANYTHING. I've never let anyone or anything have control over my life before, I was definitely not about to start now! 

Sorry Sugar, take your sweet hands off of this blonde, because I'm officially putting this sweet affair to an end! 

Grab your tissues Carbohydrates, because WE'RE OVER!

So THIS is where my carb cutting, sugar stopping journey began, and THIS is how I did it!

Now that my taste buds and I were officially packing up and leaving candy land for good, I needed to come up with a plan and some goals/rules for myself to avoid a "Carby" relapse like last time. I was determined to keep my baby Yorkie from becoming a barking Milky Way in my eyes ever again.

Sugar, you can KISS MY NEW SUGAR-FREE BUTT and go give someone else cavities!

Like any break up, I knew this new HUGE change in my life was not going to be easy, but would be worth it!

-BRITTANY'S NEW GOALS/RULES-

Starting off slowly was KEY to sticking to my plan. Obviously, quitting cold turkey didn't work the first time around, so I needed to SLOWLY start replacing my sugary habits with healthier foods.

The first thing I did was literally sat down and wrote a list of rules for myself.

Weeks 1-2

1. Soda- ONLY on weekends! I used to LOVE soda as I said before, so this was going to be tough to quit. Every time I began to crave a coke or any other sugary drink, I would drink 2 glasses of water. This kept me hydrated and quenched the thirst that my body would have gotten by drinking the soda.
2. Restaurants- My "Pass the bread" rule. My family liked to eat out a lot, and of course most restaurants put bread on the table to keep you happy while you're waiting for your food, but one of my eating out rules is to "Pass the bread" and wait for what I actually ordered to come.
3. Dessert at Restaurants- Usually I would be tempted to get a sugar and carb RICH dessert like some delicious ice cream or a slice of cake. My new dessert rule was if I HAD to get dessert, I would order a bowl of fresh fruit to satisfy the after dinner sweet tooth I had gotten used to craving.
4. Drinking at Restaurants- I LOVE sugary drinks especially like juices and sodas, so when I went out (if it was a week day Monday-Friday) I would ONLY order water. 
5. Surrounding Temptation- So I am blessed to have a lot of friends and family, but watching them eat the foods that I was trying SO hard to cut down on was like TORTURE! I couldn't stand watching someone chug a coke right in front of me while all I had was water.. especially in the beginning of my new health journey! So I had to be honest with my family and friends (that I was used to eating out with) and tell them about my new eating habits. To my surprise, they started to eat healthier around me too, which was FABULOUS for me because I got to see my family put down the sugary drinks and get healthy WITH me. Also I didn't have to suffer through watching them eat/drink it right in front of me!
6. Late Night Snacking- Ok so I am and have ALWAYS been a night owl, so eating late was just one of the terrible habits I grew up with. I especially loved midnight snacks PACKED with sugar. My new late night snacking rule was NO sugary foods after 7pm and NO food at all after 9pm. Our bodies need time to burn the foods we've eaten all day, so 9pm was a good time to stop the snacking already!
7. Going out- I am one of those people who isn't home very often so I was usually tempted to get fast food where ever I ended up that day. SO my new going out rule was now to PLAN my lunches ahead! This definitely became one of my most important rules I created! Every day, I would get up a little early and whip out the 'glad-ware' and 'snacking baggies' and FILL them with fruits and healthy snacks to keep in my Purse for all day snacking :) This was a great way to avoid temptation! 

^^^Those 7 rules were the rules I was determined to stick to. ^^^

Now, I'm going to be completely honest with you… Weeks 1-2 WERE SO HARD!!! I'm not going to lie to you, and say that they went perfectly and it was all smooth sailing after I mentally decided to change over to a healthy life style. I had 4-5 days that I couldn't control my cravings and ate chocolate after 7pm (breaking rule 6), a few mid-night sugary snacks (Breaking 6 again), or occasionally sneaked a soda on a Tuesday afternoon (Breaking the first rule!)

I literally felt SO bad for myself after I did it EVERY TIME though. I felt like I was cheating on… well... myself! 

Everytime I popped a Pringle, I would get SO mad at myself. I remember thinking, "Brittany, you are SO pathetic you can't go two weeks without sugar and carbs? You Suck!" 

It took a while, but I finally realized that I'm HUMAN!!! Humans make mistakes, we have to go through hard times to make ourselves stronger. After coming to peace with myself, my new lifestyle and rules got A LOT easier!

By Week 3 of trying my best to stick to my rules, I could NOT believe how far I had come! Not only had I cut SO SO SO much sugar and carbohydrate filled foods from my daily meals and snacks, I actually surprised myself and began LOOKING FORWARD to eating fruit every day! 

Can you believe it??? 

When Week 4 came around, I was no longer craving sodas AT ALL, and didn't have a panic attack when someone at the table next to me was sipping on a Coke. I   was actually SO used to drinking water, it seemed weird to order any soda at a restaurant at all! I found myself not even needing to drink soda's on the weekend like I allowed myself in rule 1! Sure, I would still drink one on a special occasion, but it would be because I WANTED to drink it.. not because I NEEDED it like before! 

To tell you the truth, most of the desserts that I was so used to previously consuming before, began to start tasting TOO sweet and I didn't even enjoy them as much as I remembered.

My new rules had even gone as far as changing my sleeping habits! Since I wasn't eating sugar after 7pm, I started to go to sleep earlier. In my WHOLE life I had never been able to go to sleep at a decent time, and now after cutting the sugar down, I was getting sleepy at 10pm! I don't think I have ever gone to sleep at 10pm since I was 5 years old! 

After a week of going to sleep at 10pm, I began getting up earlier too! After getting up a few mins earlier with every passing day, I was able to accomplish SO many more things in my day! I added morning runs to my daily routines, and began making protein smoothies EVERY morning!

So now, here I am 4 months later feeling full, fit and fabulous! Looking back on that ENTIRE experience and my unhealthy ways seems so insane. I'm now going to sleep EVERY day early and waking up even earlier the day after! 

Soda, Carbs and sugar no longer control my life, I tell THEM who's boss :)

I've taken a complete 360 spin into a new healthy lifestyle, I'm more energetic and happy ALL the time. (Don't get me wrong, even to this day I STILL have my bad days, but I learned to accept them, learn from them, and come out stronger than before!) 

As you've read, it wasn't an easy journey, but because of all of my hard work and dedication, IT WAS WORTH IT.

Everyone reading this who thinks "I'm the exception" and "I could NEVER do that", I am living proof that ANYONE can. STOP making excuses about why you can't dow something, and do what I did and make PLANS towards how you CAN.

 I've created this fitness/ health blog, and also my Fitness&Health Tumblr to help anyone and everyone realize that they can change the way they run their life's to be more fit, healthy and happy with me!

So join me in "kicking sugar to the curb" and end YOUR toxic affair with carbs. Take control of your life, click your ruby red healthy heels together, and believe "There's no place like home" ---->"There's no FEELING like FIT!" 

What are you waiting for? You CAN do this.  

I did!

<3

Xox Brittany,

A-Fitspirational-Blonde