Healthy Living

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Old Navy Muscle Tee (on sale)// Champion Leggings// Mossimo Hoodie// Nike Sneakers// J. Crew Factory Sunglasses (similar)

Let me start out by saying that there are a bazillion (yes, made up number but you get the the point) other things I’d rather do with my time than work out.   First and foremost, I like my sleep so the idea of getting up extra early to jump around before I’ve even had a sip of coffee is unthinkable.  I prefer to ease my way into the day so although I throw on my workout clothes as soon as I get up, first there’s coffee, then getting the kids off to school, and then I usually eat breakfast while simultaneously checking my emails.  After I’ve put it off for the majority of the morning, I finally muster up the motivation and start moving.  Since I’m not a gym person, I like to get outdoors especially while the weather is still warm so I either take a power walk around my neighborhood or head down to the beach and walk the boardwalk for at least 45 minutes.  Other days, whether it’s raining, cold or I’m short on time, I get on my stepper  and watch one of my Housewives shows (guilty pleasure #nojudgement) and then do a series of ab exercises (a few ideas here).  All in all, it takes an hour out of my day and I have to admit, once I do it, I feel much more energized and it puts me in a better mood instantly!  Of course, exercise needs to be coupled with healthy eating habits because we certainly don’t want to do all that work for nothing!  Plus, eating clean is common sense and it actually tastes better.  So, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite go-to meals and snacks that help keep me on track:

1. Breakfast: I alternate between oatmeal with flax seed topped with blueberries and bananas or egg whites with feta, tomatoes and herbs.  On days when I’m rushing, I grab a low fat muffin (like these, these or these).

2. Lunch: I posted a few different lunch ideas here.  I also like fresh turkey, lettuce and avocado with hummus in a flax seed wrap.

3. Snacks: I get really hungry around 4 pm everyday so I try to reach for the good stuff like cucumbers and hummus, apples and cheese, yogurt or this smoothie.

4. Dinner: I usually feed the kids first so I typically don’t eat dinner until 8 pm.  Since it’s so late, I stick to salads (herehere, here and here).

5. Dessert: I LOVE my treats so that’s why I tweak most recipes and swap out butter or oil for yogurt or apple sauce and lately, I’ve been swapping out sugar for agave nectar.  Plus, I throw ground flax seed into everything!  It’s so good for you!  Just scroll through my food section for ideas.

And just so you know, I certainly don’t stick to this all the time!  I cave in the Starbucks drive through more times than I’d like to admit.  But, I don’t beat myself up for it.  Instead, I make healthy choices the rest of the day and try to get moving as much as I can.  Park a little farther from the store, opt for the stairs versus the escalator, skip the bread or chips when you go out to eat.  Ask for the dressing on the side and share a dessert instead of ordering your own.  All these little things make a big difference!  I hope my tips have been helpful and leave you feeling inspired.  Have a wonderful weekend!

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