Starbucks Low-Cal Snack Pack!

Sitting by the window at Starbucks wrapped in my new white scarf from H&M watching the rain drizzle while spending some quality time with my Love- My Health Blog.

I hadn't eaten in a few hours and started to get hungry and was REALLY pleasantly surprised to find that Starbucks had a great and HEALTHY snack option! Although ridiculously over priced (as everything is there) I decided to fork out the $4.95 for this nutritional snack.

These are FABULOUS ideas for snacks to take with you when you go to work, college or to run errands and if you purchase them yourself separately you can save a LOT of money!

The Starbucks snack pack came with:

• Brie Cheese
• Gouda Cheese
• Two-Year Aged Cheddar Cheese (which I need to Google because I don't understand why old cheese should be sparking my interest.)
• 9 Grain Crackers (WAY better for you that Ritz)
• Apple Slices
• Dried Cranberries
• and ROASTED Almonds!

Usually Starbucks is not the place I'd go to get a healthy snack, but I take my hat off to you this time! 

I'm a blonde with a happy tummy today :)

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

Cupcake Attack!

I don’t want you to have a heart attack every time you pass a Sprinkles Cupcake… But I also don’t want you to get a heart attack from eating at Sprinkles Cupcakes like 5X’s a week!

We all have our guilty pleasures (Chocolate, Cupcakes and Starbucks are mine) and just because we’re living healthy lifestyles DOESN'T mean that we have to cut them all out!

Just eat in moderation.

Split a cupcake with a friend, grab some tea at Starbucks (I am an Earl Grey Tea lover) instead of a sugar packed Frap.

Balance out the non-healthy foods with healthy foods. For every cupcake you eat, try eating 2 pieces of fruit :)

Xox Brittany,

The Fitspirational Blonde

Cut your beverage calories-- drinks on the go!

Great way to avoid drinking sodas while you’re out running errands  at college or working- Bring healthy drinks with you!
Home made lemonade is a fabulously refreshing alternative to soda. If you make it yourself, then you know exactly what’s in it and can also avoid a LOT of unnecessary ingredients that would go into store bought drinks!

Health benefits of Lemons: A large lemon contains about 45 mg of Vitamin C, about 75% of the daily requirement! We need Vitamin C to fend off colds and heal cuts and wounds. They are a natural aid for digestion and weight loss, and are a natural internal body cleanser. They have powerful antioxidant and anti-cancer healing properties.

This is how I make my lemonade :)

*Note- NO SUGAR ADDED!*
1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
1 cup hot water
7 cups cold water
1 cup raw honey

Stir honey into the hot water over low heat until fully blended.

Let cool and add lemon juice and cold water into a 2-quart pitcher. Stir or shake vigorously.

Slice two of the remaining lemon rind halves into fourths for a total of eight pieces, then add the rinds to the pitcher. Add ice to the top of the pitcher and chill.

Try it out!

And why not put them in cute little to-go packages like this to make them THAT much more fun to drink! I bet you ANYTHING this will be 10X’s funner to drink than a coke, and everyone around you will want a taste :)

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

Keep a Fitness Journal!

Keeping a Fitness journal is a FABULOUS way to keep track of your progress, and make sure you are getting closer to those fabulous goals you've made for yourself.

I think we all have at least 1-2 two of those empty notebooks that we don’t know what to do with (who are we kidding I have like 8 of them, I buy them because they’re SO cute and then i get home, put them on the shelf and never use them!)

This is the beginning of a brand new year. Why not take notes, and set goals NOW, so at the end of 2013 you'll remember why it was such a great year. On December 31st, 2013 how awesome would it be to look back and reflect on exactly HOW you EARNED your way to the new healthy you for 2014 :)

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

This describes EVERY 4th of July Party I've ever been to!

But in my wonderful 23 years of life, I've discovered that there are plenty of fabulous things vegetarians can make on a grill too! (Asparagus, grilled cheese sandwiches with avocado or tomatoes, and PLENTY of other delicious grilled veggies!!)

Don’t be ashamed to be the herbivore out of a gang of Meaties, show them your ways I bet they’ll want some hummus too :)

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