Motivation Monday!

Fit Affinity

Is anyone else looking for the "new year, new you" motivation!? Let's be real, everyone says it. Recently, I saw that Fit Affinity had lower body workout guides on sale for $2.99. Uh, what? Couldn't pass that up! So, for $2.99, I got a 12 week workout plan! About a week later, they had the extension on sale for $2.99, as well. Or buy them both for $5.99. For $6, I now have 24 weeks of workouts. Pretty hard to deviate from that!

FYI, IT'S STILL ON SALE HERE UNTIL 1/5/2015!

For anyone who is just beginning their fitness journey, the guide comes loaded with how-to's for the moves, as well as some nutrition facts. I've looked through them, and I'm pretty damn pumped to start it! I'm sure I'll toss my own favorites in the gym, too! The pages also feature some fit chicks, I'm assuming to motivate you. (;

Here's a little snippet for those of you who aren't quite sure!

I'm super excited, and I'm starting this today! What are you guys doing to help meet your goals this year!? Let me know in the comments below!

Christmas Cookie Week! Pt. 1

Chocolate Chip Cookie & "Sugar" Cookies

Ya know how there's just some memories that you just remember? Like, it's really vivid and you can just remember everything about it? One of those for me is when I was in cooking class in middle school. We were making chocolate chip cookies, and we were at the point of adding the chips in. One of the girls I was working with says, "we need to fold the chips in. Do you know how to fold them in?" She was like Hermione in Charms class. "It's Levi-O-sa, not Levios-A." I honestly had no idea what she was talking about, but promptly responded, "yes, I know what folding is," and I went about using common sense and folding the the chips.

It's not an important memory. It's just something I can recall so vividly. From then on, though, I loved baking. For Christmas this year, I have a hefty list of cookies and treats I intend on making. In fact, I have 5 or 6 doughs in the freezer now, waiting for me to bake and blog! The week before Christmas is when it all goes down in the kitchen! So, I'm going to share these recipes with you this week! (Probably some next week, too.)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Let me begin by saying, not one woman in my family is capable of baking chocolate chip cookies without them turning out flat as a pancake, except me. So, every year, I'm obligated to make them. I'm also not into using all the bowls in my kitchen to bake. Enjoy only using one bowl!

Ingredients:

3/4 c. (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

2 tsp. vanilla

1 large egg + 1 egg yolk

3/4 c. light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

2 1/4 c. flour

16 oz. bag chocolate chips

How To:

In a non-metallic mixing bowl, melt the butter down. (If you only have metallic bowl, sorry! You'll be using 2 bowls.) Whisk in the vanilla. Did you know that melted butter and vanilla form a chemical bond perfect for baking? I always start with those two together. Now, whisk in the egg and extra yolk. Whisk in the sugars, baking soda, and cornstarch, mixing after each addition until smooth. Now start whisking in the flour. I usually do 1/2 a cup at a time. Once this is smooth, mix in your chocolate chips. Pop this in the fridge, covered, for at least an hour. You can stick it in the freezer, too, if you don't intend on making it the same day.

Preheat oven to 325˚F. Using a tablespoon, start scooping your dough out. Roll it into a bowl in your hands, and place on a greased baking sheet. Pop these in the oven for 11-12 minutes. Allow them to cool for a few minutes on the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack. Done!

"Sugar" Cookies

I'm calling these "sugar" cookies, because the almond definitely stands out! They definitely aren't your typical sugar cookie, but they are delicious!

Ingredients:

1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/4 c. sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

3 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

How To:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until it's fluffy. Add in the egg, vanilla, almond, and baking powder, combining well.  Slowly add in the flour. Again, I do about a 1/2 cup at a time. Beat well, until there's no lumps in the dough. Now pop the dough in the fridge for at least an hour. You can put it in the freezer if you aren't making them the same day, just make sure to pull them out and let them thaw a bit..

Preheat the oven to 350˚. Roll your dough out on a floured surface. Use your little cookie cutters, and place the cut out dough on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-12 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rake and cool completely before frosting. I used colored sugar on mine. For that, just sprinkle the sugar on before baking!

What's your favorite Christmas cookie!? (:

Make It Monday

Christmas Wreath

What?! Oh, yes, yes, I'm still alive. Alive and kickin'! However, it was time to spend my time with friends and family, and that's exactly what I did. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I know I sure did. Boyfriend's birthday was Black Friday, and, of course, he drug me out into the hoards of people. But we were so accomplished! We finished over half of our Christmas list and got good deals! I guess, in the end, it was doable. I still don't like going out on Black Friday (please remember your manners and humanity!), but at least it was successful. I also got presents all wrapped up! Do you remember my DIY inspiration post? I absolutely love how they're wrapped. The brown paper wrap is actually packing paper from Target. $6 for 800 ft! Steal!!! The twine is from Michael's, and, surprisingly, the paper doilies are from Walmart. They have a few different sizes, and I needed multiple, but they're only $2 for a 10 pack! (:

So, it's make it Monday, and you may have gathered that I like wreaths by now. I had this whole idea planned out with "Do you wanna build a snowman?" lettered out on it, but that's a ton of work. and how on earth do you securely attach that? You don't. That's all. So instead, while bored at work all day, I sketched this little guy up and sent it off to boyfriend. He liked it, so done deal. It was cute and much easier!

What you'll need:

Grapevine wreath (size o' choice)

Christmas bow of choice (just make sure it fits nicely on the wreath)

Spool of litter ribbon

2 sheets of white felt

1 sheet black felt

1 sheet red felt

2 pearl beads sprays

2 frosted cranberry sprays

Hot glue gun and glue

*FYI, I bought everything at Jo-Ann's, in case you don't know where to find something.*

How to:

You can start where ever your little heart desires. I started by making my little snowman. Mainly because I didn't have the other parts of the wreath yet. For his body, I made 3 different size white felt flowers, like the ones in this tutorial. FIY your circles don't have to be perfect. I hotglued his little body pieces together and set him aside. Then, I just cut out 2 rectangles of red felt. The first one, I glued around his neck. The second, I tucked into the first, to make it look like his scarf was tied, then hotglued the end down to his body so it didn't stick out all crazy. Now just cut a top hat shape out of the black felt, glue a little sliver of red felt to the hat, and glue it to his head. Voila! Cute little snowman. I used some pearl beads for his buttons. You can use what ya like, or leave him naked. 

After I got the wreath, bow and sprays, I took apart the sprays. For this, all you have to do is pull the grouped bunches off the main stem, or just cut them off. Before you start putting those one, you might want to put on your bow first. All I did was take the twisty tie that typically comes on the bow, and twisted it around a branch of the wreath to secure it. If yours doesn't come with a twisty tie, take one off your bread or something. (; 

Tuck your spray fragments into your grapevine wreath and arrange them to look neatly disheveled (yes, that is possible). Hot glue the ones down that are feisty. Start wrapping your ribbon around the top fourth of the wreath, overlapping the wraps. Once you run out of ribbon, just hot glue the end down in the back. Final piece! Find a happy home for your little snowman and glue him on!

Make It Monday

Holiday Inspiration

You may have noticed that I went MIA last week. Maybe not, and that's ok! I needed to take a little mental break. I'm (for sure) an introvert, which means personal, alone time is pretty important to me. Life has been lacking that lately, and while that's ok for some, it's a little stressful for me. It was also my last week of training (10 weeks!). I completely take some of the blame for all of my anxiety over the past month. My work schedule was just too much for me to also get in the gym and also do my typical cooking and blogging. So for about a good month, month and a half, I haven't been in the gym. Going to the gym really helps control my anxiety. However, now I get to pick my work schedule, which means I made sure there was room for the gym. Not only do I miss the release of stress, I also need to get in there! It's holiday season, guys!! Ya gotta find a way to balance all that yummy food, right?

So, I'm about to start my Christmas crafting. I wish I could convey via internet how much I love Christmas decor and just the warm feelings that come along with it. Although I haven't made anything to show you guys, I have tons of ideas reeling through my head and tons of inspiration.

 

All the marvelous inspiration!!

Chocolate Mint Meringues

Peppermint Bark

Tiramisu Cheesecake Trifle

Mint Chocolate Delights

So, these things are what you have to look forward to! As for the DIY projects, I'll be taking little elements from each one. I have a total obsession with making presents look adorable. And of course, each year I have to top the previous year. That's just hard, ok? Last year, I made everyone's name out of wire and tied it on top of their present with a ribbon. Doubled as an ornament!

What are your DIY plans for the holiday season!? I love new ideas! Leave 'em below!

Make It Tuesday?

Oatmeal Pumpkin Cream Pies

I must apologize for the late post. Last night, I went to see my favorite band of all time, Anberlin. It's their final tour, and there was just nothing that could keep me from being there. Needless to say, the band played amazingly, as they have every time I've been to a show of theirs. They'll alway hold the largest part of my little musical heart. 

Guys, that man we're standing with? That's the lead singer, Stephen Christian. His voice is pure perfection. Now that you've forgiven me, we can get to the real post. (:

I'm sure we've all got Thanksgiving coming up. Unless you don't celebrate that, which is cool. But then there's the work pot lucks and dinner with friends, and ya know, just the whole holiday get togethers begin. Whenever there's a potluck or any kind of gathering, everyone knows I'm bringing a dessert. That's just what I love making. Although it had nothing to do with any gathering, I recently made these Oatmeal Pumpkin Cream Pies, and can I just tell you, they were delicious. 

Ingredients:

Cookies:

1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted

1/2 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 2/3 c. old-fashioned rolled oats

1 c. flour

Pumpkin Filling:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

1/4 c. pumpkin puree

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

2-2.5 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. flour

How To:

In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and sugars. Add the vanilla, egg, baking soda, and cinnamon, and whisk to combine. Mix in the rolled oats. Slowly add in the flour using a wooden spoon to combine well. Cover this and let refrigerate for at least an hour. I let mine sit overnight because I got lazy. After about an hour, or the next day, preheat the oven to 325F. Roll the cookie dough into small balls, about 1-2 inches. Place these in rows on a greased cookie sheet. Pop in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. I like my cookies a little crispier, so this is all judgement. Let the cookies cool for about 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. 

While you're making the cookies, or while they're cooling, you can start the filling. Using a hand mixer, or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, pumpkin puree, and spices together. Slowly begin adding in the powdered sugar, about a 1/2 cup at a time. As this still produces a thin consistency, add in the flour. Fair warning, it's still going to seem a bit thin, or it did to me. However, if you pop the frosting in the fridge for a bit, it's much easier to work with. Once your cookies are cooled completely, you can spread the filling on the bottom of one cookie and sandwich it to another.

Congratulations! You just made delicious cookies!

What's your favorite dessert to take to gatherings!? I'd love to know! (:

Make It Monday

Glitter Pumpkins

Please excuse my not cute porch.

I do apologize for being late, but boyfriend and I were at Best Buy all last night getting new iPhone 6's! And I'm a procrastinator and didn't have my post ready yet. (; but isn't she a beaut!?

So anyway, the first thing boyfriend said when I started making glitter pumpkins this weekend? "Halloween is over." If you're one of these people, it's still fall!!!! I can keep my decor up until thanksgiving! I can't go putting up my Christmas tree yet, can I? Nope, people would give me odd looks. So fall decor it is. Thank you very much. Trust me, as soon as Thanksgiving is over, I will lose my mind over Christmas decor. It's just so beautiful and sparkly. Until then, however, I will keep my fall decor and love it. (:

For a while, I was debating whether I wanted real pumpkins or craft pumpkins. I ended up opting for craft pumpkins for 2 reasons. 1) Michael's had an amazing deal. 2) One less thing I have to do next year! 

So, of course, you can pick whatever patterns your little heart desires, but I've gone with polka dots and stripes!

What you'll need:

Glitter

Craft pumpkins of various sizes

Tape

Paper

Scissors

Glue

Sponge brush

Rubber Bands

Patterns in mind

How to:

*Disclaimer: Do not do this inside, in clothes you like, or want to wear to bed. Because glitter.*

So anyway. I began by cutting out a circle out of a small piece of paper. Then, I just held it up to the pumpkin and, using the sponge brush, painted inside the circle with glue. Over a piece of paper, I shook some glitter onto the glue spot. Shake to remove the excess, and voila! Now cover the rest of your pumpkin in circles. The striped one took a little more. Using the rubber bands, "rope off" the areas you want to make glittery. I made one large stripe, a small stripe (that is blank), and then another large stripe. All together, I used 4 rubber bands. Now, using your sponge brush, paint a generous amount of glue inside the stripes you want to be glittery. Then, sprinkle the glitter on, shaking off the excess. Easy and super cute! Like, ridiculously cute. You could totally do chevron, but I'm way too anal about that. I know I wouldn't be able to make the stripes even, and that would drive me crazy. 

What's your favorite fall DIY!? I'd love to see in the comments below!

Make It Monday

Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Smoothie

October is coming to a close already! What? But that in no way means I'm done with pumpkin. I don't think any white girl is done with pumpkin yet. I've got until the end of November to eat and drink as much pumpkin as I can. Then it's on to Christmas cookies for days. However, as we've discussed before, pumpkin-flavored love isn't alway good for you. So this yummy coffee pumpkin smoothie is perfect for those days when you can't wake up, and you need something quick and filling. Or for that afternoon pick-me-up!

Ingredients:

1/2 c. pumpkin puree

1/4 c. rolled oats

1/4 c. greek yogurt

1 c. almond milk

1 packet Starbucks Caramel Iced Via

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Pinch of allspice

How to:

Pop all the above ingredients into a blender and blend away. This produces a creamy smoothie. I, personally, poured this into a cup and threw it in the freezer for the next day. By the time it had thawed out enough to drink it, it was the perfect afternoon snack!

Motivation Monday

New Month, New Goals!

Today is the day! It's been 2 weeks since I stepped foot in the gym, and I am so antsy to get back. I've been recovering from whatever virus has been ravaging my immune system. It's been awful, but I totally believe in letting your body heal itself. There is no "sweat the sickness out". Absolutely not. Your body needs time to heal. (:

With that being said, a new month calls for a fresh start. It takes 21 days to kick a habit, and that's what I intend to do. Who's with me? I'm going to spend the next 21 days kicking sweets. Sweets are my downfall when it comes to my diet. I could probably do really well, but like, cake. 

I've also given myself a wonderful little incentive of 4 days a week for 10 weeks equals a new tattoo!

Who's with me!? As always, you can feel free to friend me on myfitnesspal! toriiix30

Motivation Monday / Review

Water Enhancers

Anyone that knows me, knows that I don't like soda. For that matter, I don't like anything carbonated. Wine coolers, soda, smirnoff, none of it. When people ask me why, I have to explain that it's like fireworks going off in my mouth, and I just hate it. While I'm not complaining (soda is just awful for you), it also really limits what I drink. So like, water. Juice is great every once in a while, but it's loaded with sugar most of the time! So, I've turned to water enhancers. If you're into trying them, make sure you check the sugar content!

Many of the water enhancers I've seen are loaded down with sugar. Vacay is free of calories and sugar! I'm trying the Island Lemonade, and it's so delicious! This little packet has 10 servings in it! It adds a little flavor to my water, while helping me drink the amount of water I need! It's sweetened with stevia, so it's not awful for you! (:

How do you make sure you're drinking enough water? Do you have any secrets!? I'd love to hear down below!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Motivation Monday

Matcha!

I have officially transitioned to my 5 am workouts. It definitely helps when you work in an office setting. If I don't work out in the morning, it's just sit, sit, sit. Sit and put my makeup on, sit and drive to work, sit in front of a computer for 8 hours. Guess what? That means I'm ridiculously tired throughout the day. Like, nodding off tired. While coffee is grand and I love it, remember I'm trying to stay away from the sugary-ness of it.
While working at Starbucks, I fell in love with green tea lattes. So much goodness, but still a ton of sugar! Plus, it's pricey. So why not make your own at home!? It's pretty simple.

Ingredients:
1 cup milk of choice
1 tsp. matcha powder
Honey, agave, or other sweetener to taste.

How to:
Combine ingredients in a cup and whisk! Add ice if desired. If you're on the go, you can also put the ingredients in a bottle and just shake it up. So easy, and so much better for you than Starbucks!

I'm using this matcha powder. It's so, so good. It's got a strong smell, but that's only due to how fresh the product is. I'm able to drink this with the tiniest bit of honey. It's got an amazing flavor, and since you only need 1/2-1 tsp, it'll last you a good while! Kiss Me Organics has done a great job with this product and I strongly recommend it! :)

So, what is matcha?

Matcha powder is pulverized green tea leaves. So, ya know how everyone raves about how good green tea is for you? Since you're taking in the whole tea leaf, matcha is even better for you. Up to 10 times better, according to my research.

Some of the benefits include:
Tons of antioxidants
Boosts metabolism & burns calories
Great for a detox
Calms & relaxes
Enhances mood
Provides calcium, selenium, zinc, and magnesium
Helps fight viruses and bacteria
Rich in fiber
Lowers cholesterol

With all that, what's to lose? I've been drinking this after a good workout! It can also be used for baking! Yuuum, matcha macarons.
What's your favorite way to use matcha powder? I'd love to hear in the comments below!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Motivation Monday

Sweets!

I have an awful sweet tooth. Awful!! And how fun can life be if you just chop all the fun things out? Yeah, the answer is none. I'm not even willing to try. There is, however, a way to make sweets that are a liiiiiittle better for you!

I got these on Amazon! They're wonderfully versatile. I can use them to make yummy healthy sweets, or I can use them for portion control in my lunch for work! Both are things I need. These nifty little things have lids that seal really well, so you don't need to worry about them opening on your way to work. But yesterday, I used them to make a healthy treat. 

 Look how messy my little kitchen is! :O

Berry Matcha Popsicles

Ingredients:

2 tsp. match powder (I'm using this)

1 1/2 c. milk of choice (I'm using coconut almond milk)

1 tsp. honey

2 handfuls of assorted frozen berries

Pop Molds!

How To:

In a bowl, whisk 1 cup milk, matcha powder, and honey. You should taste it at this point. If it isn't sweet enough for you, add a bit more honey! Using something with a lip to avoid spilling everywhere like I did, fill your molds halfway with the matcha mixture. As you can see above, to keep my molds upright, I used a cooling rack! Sometimes I'm a little clever. 

Anyway, in a blender, toss in the berries and the remainder of the milk. Blend until you have a nice frozen puree. Fill the remainder of the molds with this mixture. At that point, I put the lids on them and gave them a good shake. Not a drop was spilled. Now toss those in the freezer for a couple of hours, and enjoy!!

What is your favorite healthy sweet!? I'd love to hear!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Motivation Monday

It's a slow day here in our little home... The animals wouldn't get up, and I had planned to be at the gym at 9. Needless to say, that didn't happen. However, I did get in there at noon. Not what I planned, but hey! I got in there, and I kicked a little ass. 

Anyone that knows me personally knows the magic morning rule: "Don't talk to Tori until she talks to you or she has a cup of coffee in her hand." I can't help that I'm not a morning person. Staying on track with my fitness and nutrition isn't easy when I want to start the morning with a sugary cup of coffee. Unfortunately, no matter how many times I try, I can't seem to acclimate my taste buds to black coffee, or tea for that matter. My solution?! Find a way to make the shit healthy. And so, I did.

Healthy Protein Frappuccino!

8 ice cubes

1 c. cold-brewed coffee

1/2 c. almond milk (or milk of choice)

1 tsp. cocoa powder

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. sugar

2 scoops protein of choice!

(I've been using Spirutein Cookies n' Cream protein. So yummy!)

Have you ever tried to make a frappuccino at home, and it just comes out all chunky and weird? The protein acts as the gum that Starbucks uses to make the correct consistency. I know, because I work there (Saturdays), and I know how these things work. :P

What healthy ways do you use to perk yourself up in the morning?

Who's going to try this?! I'd love to know how it turns out for you!

Motivation Monday

I hate running. Hate. It. As a busty lady, it just doesn't work for me. No thank you, it hurts. Literally, the last time I ran on the treadmill, both straps on my sports bra came undone. Well, isn't that just so helpful!? But I suck it up, and I do HIIT on the treadmill.

HIIT stands for high intensity interval training, and it's supposed to burn more calories for longer. I like the sound of that. So, the goal is to get your heart rate way up, then normal, then way up, etc. My personal favorite for this on the treadmill is to lunge for a 1.5 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 1.5 minutes, walk 1 minute, and repeat. Slowly, I'm building my endurance, and my lunge/run time will increase.

Literally, the only way I get through 25 minutes of that is my music. I haven't really touched on the type of music I listen to, but let me assure you, it helps. A lot of it is hardcore, with the occasional upbeat pop song.

What do you guys listen to at the gym? Do you have anything else that gets you through a workout!? I'd love to know! (:

Motivation Monday

Happy Monday!

Or, if you're like me, "uuunggh, coffee."

Personally for me, I feel like I'm so rushed and busy with work all week, that I make that an excuse. And let's be honest, after a full day of working, going to the gym is the last thing I want to do. If I could, I would get up at 5, go to the gym, and get to work by 8. I don't have that luxury. I wake up at 5 to leave by 6 for work, and I'm there till 3:45. It's a loooooong day. POPSUGAR recently (ish) posted this article for ladies with busy lives.

In short:

• Have realistic goals. If you have time to work out for an hour, 6 days a week, congrats. I personally would get burnt out and quit altogether. The article says to do a minimum for 150 minutes a week. That's completely doable!
• Treat the gym as an appointment. This is something I personally struggle with. At the end of the day, I'm typically like, "ehhhh..." Also, my gym partner (boyfriend) sucks. Which brings us to the next point. :P
• Gym buddies! Telling someone you'll meet them at the gym on given days makes you much more likely to actually go. You don't want to leave someone hanging. Speaking of, let's be friends on myfitnesspal: toriiix30!
• Take your time. Don't over-excercise in the beginning. Like I said, if I worked out 6 days a week, I know for certain I would quit altogether. This will also help prevent injury. If you're body isn't used to the movements you're making, you most likely won't be making them for long! (i.e. my body wasn't used to running, but I got over-excited and tore a tendon in my ankle, which put me out for a couple weeks. Not ideal.)
• Just do it. Even if you don't have a lot of time, or you're just starting out, 20-30 minutes of exercise is better than nothing. Go for a walk, ride a bike, but do something!

So, how do you work the gym into your busy schedule? Any tricks up your sleeve!?

Because I could always use more tips. :D

Motivation Monday

Meal Prep

I'm absolutely awful at packing my lunch in the morning. Instead, I typically take leftovers from the night before. However, that doesn't always get me all the veggies I want, or fit my diet the way I want it. But I'm lazy as shit... and I don't want to pack stuff.

So, since Sunday is dedicated to various things I don't want to do anyway, I added a quick prep in there. Grapes, strawberries, carrots, hummus tubs, and spinach ready to be made into a salad! The spinach I prepped with sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and nutritional yeast.

No time for laziness!

Also, last week, I actually got into the gym on a Monday... that. is. a. feat.

Let's be friends on myfitnesspal! Username = toriiix30.

Happy Monday! <3

Motivation Monday

I always start my day with breakfast. Always. Recently, I read about drinking hot water with cinnamon and honey 1/2 hour before you eat in the morning. It's supposed to reap all these great benefits. I'm going to attempt to do this in the mornings from now on, and we'll see how it goes. I did it this morning, but I felt like it slowed down my morning just a teeny bit. I'm not really capable of doing much at 6:20am...

If you'd like to try this as well, it's simple!

Just boil 1 cup of water and add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 2 teaspoons of honey!

You can adjust the amounts to your taste, just try and keep it at a 1:2 ratio. I think when I do this tomorrow, I will take the measurements to 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1 tsp. honey. It was just a bit much for my morning taste buds. Let's see how this goes! (:

Motivation Monday

I do love a good smoothie! I'll be making this tomorrow morning!

Motivation Monday

A bit more about how weight loss affects your body...

I try really hard not to focus on the body image I want to achieve, and more on how I'm benefitting my body. Of course, as any girl, I would love to be fit and little, but it isn't my main goal. I just want my body to run as it should and be healthy!

I'll be starting the week off right at the gym tonight!

Motivation Monday

Weight Training

I love weight training. It's a great way to get out my frustrations... with life. Somehow, only my right arm is sore from my workout on Friday. So, that's cool. I hate the myth that weight training bulks women up. In reality, when I added weights to my workout routine, I saw way more change than when I was just doing cardio.

C'mon, ladies! The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn just sitting on your ass during the day. 👍 Who doesn't like that?

Motivation Monday

Aaaagh!

I just want everyone to know that after last week, I never want to do another ab workout again. Ever. 

Like, never. 

Did you know you could pull your ab muscles? I sure didn't. But I found out when I couldn't use my torso to do anything. Get off the couch, sit up straight, lift my legs... nothing. I don't recommend doing that. So, for 3 days I was like that. I suppose I'll be nicer to my abs this week.

My current motivation: I have 4 months till my best friend's wedding. FOUR MONTHS.

Today is arm day, so here's a snazzy little guide.

Unfortunately, I do more than 4 moves while I'm at the gym.