My Fitspirational Thursday Lunch!

Today’s fabulously healthy lunch I made!

Freshly sliced Avocado over melted Cheddar cheese on toasted Oat-nut bread!

With a side of DELICIOUS baked garlic asparagus that I made all by myself!

(I’ll post a recipe soon)

And of course a fresh glass of Orange Juice and a cup of water to take my 7 daily vitamins with.

I threw this together in less than 15 minutes and it was FULL of nutrients that my body will use for the rest of the day.

Treat your body right and it will treat you right!

Have a healthy day everyone :)

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

3 minute (at home) Italian Salad!

You are ALWAYS telling me you want quick and healthy meals to eat so I’ve decided to start a strain of posts JUST dedicated to QUICK, EASY, and HEALTHY meals all under 10 minutes!

To kick off these posts, here is a delicious home made Italian salad that I literally threw together in 3 minutes.

You can use what ever veggies you have in your fridge, but I decided to go with the basics:

• Cherry tomatoes
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Dark leafy greens
• And non-Fat Italian Dressing

Wash them, slice them, toss them and POOF you’re done!

There is no need to make things complicated when you’re short on time. Get creative, but if you can’t just come to me and I’ll be all the creativity for both of us :)

Enjoy, and remember Fast food does NOT have to come from McDonalds! 

3 minutes is about as fast as it gets and this is PACKED with nutrients!

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

Guess what time it is? THAI TIME!!

I just finished working a Princess Party (it's one of my part time jobs) (today I was Cinderella at little Baily's 6th birthday party.)

Rather than resulting to the eating the typical party food (pizza) I waited to see what I could find around the area that was a bit more healthy and I LUCKED OUT!!! I found a Thai restaurant right down the street and they had my favorite dish, "tofu spicy noodles"!

"Table for 1 fabulous blonde" I said (okay minus the fabulous blonde part,) and they sat me down at my own private booth by the window.

I literally sat at my little booth at this Thai restaurant taking pictures of myself holding the plate for a good 5 minutes. The waiter thought I was hilarious and even jumped in a few of them and insisted that I email them to him.



I wouldn't be surprised if next time I come back, there is a framed picture of us next to my booth!

After I was done with my Tofu Spicy Noodle photo shoot with myself (and my hilarious asian waiter), I took my first bite.

I had asked for a "4" on the spicy scale of 1-10... and I guess he had either misheard me, or their "spicy scales" were NOT made for white girls. When I took my first bite IT WAS SO SPICY, I swear I had steam coming out of my ears.

I had to blow on it since it was not only spicy but hot in temperature even after my tofu-shoot. >>

Instead of sending it back, I decided to just tough it out and ordered a HUGE glass of water. What a great way to get my full 8 glasses in today right?

I took another look at my dish and realized how healthy it was: with the spinach, side salad, orange slices, and tons of tofu and just HAD to blog about it.



Health Benefits of Tofu:
(Excuse my awkward little hand pointing at the tofu)

As you all know, I've been a vegetarian my whole life so I've had to get creative with the way I get protein in my diet.

The health benefits of tofu as a meat substitute are numerous. Consuming tofu regularly helps lower bad cholesterol, alleviates symptoms associated with menopause and even lowers the risk of cancer. Other major health benefits of tofu compared to meat include making middle-aged bones stronger and delaying the ravages of age. Tofu has been found to be a great source of calcium and vitamin E as well. 

The only difference between tofu and meat protein is that you have to eat more tofu to meet the recommended dietary protein levels. In fact, every 100 g of tofu yields approximately 17.19 g of protein. To get the protein benefit of 150 g of lean meat, you should consume 290 g of tofu.

So don't forget no matter where you go to eat there is always some sort of healthy protein you can fit in, even if you're a vegetarian like me!

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

10 minute (at home) quick and easy- Crispy Parmesan Green Bean Fries!

Hi Guys!!

it’s time to leave your idea of “Fast food” behind in 2012, and EMBRACE A FITSPIRATIONAL 2013!!

French fries contain loads of FAT, GREASE  SALT, and WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE that is SO not good for your body.

So, in my efforts to expand my knowledge in the kitchen and try a new vegetable I MADE THESE!

They are SO delicious and a FABULOUS way to eat green beans if:

A.) you’ve never had green beans before

B.) never liked green beans before

C.) or love green beans and just want a new quick and creative/healthy way to eat them.

TRY IT OUT!

Trust me, If I can make these without burning my kitchen down SO CAN YOU!

What you need:

• Fresh (or frozen) Green beans
• Freshly grated Parmasan Cheese
• Garlic powder
• A hint of olive oil

I purchased my fresh green beans from Sprouts!

(they were REALLY inexpensive) I think I paid like $.89 cents for ALL of these… so everyone who keeps telling me that eating healthy is more expensive can SUCK IT!

Wash them up good!

If you didn't get organic green beans then you want to wash them like you’re washing a new born baby! Do your best to get all the pesticides off, I know you can’t see them but THEY’RE there!

LIGHTLY brush a bit of Olive Oil on your aluminum foil

This makes sure the green beans don’t infuse to the foil and then you’re forced to eat green bean foil fries… I don’t know about you but I prefer my snacks foil free :)

Spread your nice and clean little green beans all over the foil.

Make sure you don’t just throw them in a heaping pile. This helps them to get evenly crispy!

Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese all over the tops of the green beans. Follow by dusting them with a hint of garlic powder for some extra flavor.

BAKE them in the oven for 9-12 minutes on 425 and POOF you’re done!

I made these for a few of my friends when they came over and THEY INHALED them like free chocolate!

NOW TRY IT OUT. 
Don’t just read this and think.. “Hmm I should do this one day.” If you’re picky like me this will give you a fabulous new item to add to your little menu
 :)

Have a fabulously healthy day!

Xox Brittany <3

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

Early Morning Heat Yoga!

If you've been following me for long enough, you KNOW I'm FAR from a morning person, but I think I've finally found the motivation to get my lazy blonde butt out of bed early!

HEAT YOGA!!

My best friend found a GREAT deal at our local Yoga Studio for one free week of Heat yoga!

I'm really into trying new things lately, and this was definitely an INCREDIBLE new thing to try. If you've never taken or heard of heat yoga before, it's where you literally do yoga in a room that's REALLY hot.

Your body sweats out a lot of its toxins and it's SO good for not only your body, but also your mind because it helps you relax and leave your life at the door for an hour :)

Yesterday at 7:15am was my VERY FIRST heat yoga class with my bff, and of course we accidentally picked the HARDEST class in the whole studio.

About 1/2 way through the class, I felt like I was going to DIE and the whole class looked like we had JUST jumped into a swimming pool together from all the sweat! Gross right? 

Then I remembered this quote by Jillian Michaels... so I kept going anyway!

After it was over though (and after a REALLY long shower) I felt AMAZING! Refreshed didn't even begin to describe how I felt. The hot suffering was worth it and the best part was it was only 8:15am and I had got my morning workout out of the way already!

Getting up early is definitely going to be a new fabulous habit that everyone should try... but don't do it because you HAVE to... Do it because YOU WANT TO!!



Xox Brittany,

A-Fitspirational-Blonde

31 Ways To Motivate Yourself to Exercise!

Hey Ladies, we ALL have those days where we just don't feel like getting up and exercising and can't seem to find the motivation to get up off the couch (or off Tumblr haha) to actually exercise!

Here are some fabulous tips I found on Zenhabts.com that I thought would help you guys too :)

There are a million ways to motivate yourself to exercise, actually, but these are a few that have worked for me. And trust me, I’ve had days when I’ve struggled with exercise. Most recently, the things that have helped include finding a workout partner (one of the best motivators!), logging my exercise, reading magazines, books and websites, and rewarding myself.

1. How you feel after a workout. I always feel great after a good workout. It’s a high. And I let that motivate me the next time: “You know how good you’re going to feel, Leo!”
2. Time for you. While many people make time to take care of others (kids, spouse, other family, co-workers, boss), they don’t often make time to take care of themselves. Instead, make your “you” time a priority, and don’t miss that exercise appointment.
3. Calories burned. If you count calories (and it’s really one of the most effective ways to lose weight), you know that the more you exercise, the more calories you burn — and the bigger your calorie deficit.
4. Having fun. Exercise should be fun. If it isn’t, try a different kind of activity that you enjoy. As long as you’re moving, it’s good for you.
5. How you’re going to look. Imagine a slimmer, fitter you. Now let that visualization drive you.
6. Magazines. It motivates me to read fitness magazines. Not sure why, but it works.
7. Cover models. Sure, they’re genetically freaky, and probably Photoshopped to look perfect. But for some reason, looking at how good a cover model looks helps motivate me to work harder.
8. Blogs. I enjoy reading blogs about people who are into running, or losing weight. It can show the ups and downs they go through, and you can learn from their experiences.
9. Success stories. I find the success stories of others incredibly inspirational. If a fitness website has success stories, I’ll almost always read them.
10. Forums. Do the monthly challenge on the Zen Habits forums, or join another forum full of like-minded or like-goaled peopled. Check in daily. It really helps.
11. Rewards. If you exercise for a few days, give yourself a reward! A week? Another reward. Do it often in the beginning.
12. Fitting into new clothes. Wanna look good in a smaller size? Work out!
13. Being attractive. That’s always a good motivator, as I’m sure we all know. Edited to correct language.
14. Adrenaline rush. I get a rush when I exercise. Ride that rush to complete the workout.
15. Stress relief. Wound up after a long day at the office? Get out and work off that stress. It makes a world of difference.
16. Time for contemplation. I love, love the quiet time of exercise for thinking about things. Most of this post was written in my head as I exercised.
17. A workout partner. Best thing I’ve done.
18. An exercise class. Sign up for a class, perhaps with a friend, and you’ll be motivated to get there and work out.
19. A coach or trainer. Worth the money, just for the motivation.
20. An exercise log/graph. For some reason, writing it down is extremely important. Really. Do it for a week and you’ll see what I mean.
21. Your before picture. You often don’t realize how far you’ve come. Take pictures.
22. A 5K race or triathlon. Just sign up for one, and you’ll be motivated to train.
23. The dread of feeling “yuck” from not exercising. I hate how I feel after not exercising. So I remind myself of that when I feel tired.
24. Living long enough to see your grandkids … and play with them.
25. The scale. It’s not motivating to weigh yourself every day, as your weight fluctuates. But if you weigh yourself once a week, you’ll be motivated to have it keep going down, instead of up. Combine the scale with the measuring tape, and measure your waist.
26. Reaching a goal. Set a goal for weight, or your waist measurement, or a number of days to work out, or a number of miles to run this week. Setting and tracking a goal helps motivate you to complete that goal. Make it easily achievable.
27. Posting it on your blog. Tell people you’re going to lose weight or exercise daily, and report to them. You’ll make it happen.
28. Motivational quotes. I like to print them out or put them on my computer desktop.
29. Books. I just bought a strength-training book as a reward. It makes me want to hit the weights!
30. Others commenting on how good you look. When someone notices the changes in your body, it feels good. And it makes you want to work out more.
31. An upcoming day at the beach, or a reunion. Nuff said.

Hope everyone has an incredible workout today now!

Love you all!

Xox Brittany

A-Fitspirational-Blonde