Self love

It has been a bit since I have posted because I have spent many hours studying and taking my online classes. I tried to upload some videos numerous times and it is just super slow. I have experienced problems with the internet. i won't complain. Living in another country has its own ups and downs. Since Valentines Day has passed, I wanted to share with you all a little something..

I came upon some words that had its way with me. I thought it could be of use to you all. I feel that self love and discovery is vital to anything we do in life. It has took me many years to uncover, love and trust who I really am. I am still learning.

how does one begin to love themselves..

Your heart doesnt always follow your head, which is a big part of the problem. I started by looking at my behavior as communication instead of getting mad at myself. What am i trying to say? Why would i do that? What is it i need or am not gettin? When i began to answer those things honestly, i started making some progress. You make choices then to try and give yourself what you are asking for. It can take time and be challenging, especially if you have some back tracking to do. 

Secondly, i started asking myself ' what do i like? What makes me happy?' It began with only one thing. So i did that thing. I started surrounding myself with superficial things that made me smile, which led to building better connections with people who made me smile, which led to time alone that was replenishing instead of hopeless. It is ok to have a short list about what you like about you, but it is not an excuse to not be working on adding things. ♡

As with all things, we fear and dislike and skirt around things we dont understand; you need to get to know yourself more intimately because the more you understand yourself, the easier it becomes to love and accept who you are in all your progress. Keep pushing. Keep adding to that list no matter how trivial it seems. You are worth being loved. -AB

Greens

Here is my go to salad! I swear even if you are not a fan of spinach, you will love this. It is an easy recipe to remember. Spinach a low calorie superfood filled of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants! Keeping spinach in my own diet has helped keep my skin clear and hair feeling light.

• 2 cups spinach 
• 2 tablespoons feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons cranberries
• 2 tablespoons balsamic dressing
• 2 tablespoon walnuts

                                             294 calories, 23g carbs, 18g fat, 11 g protein

Another tip I wanted to share with you all is adding some apple cider vinegar into your drinks. It is a perfect addition in boosting your digestive system and has claimed many health benefits. Personally, I enjoy a teaspoon inside a nice cup of hot green mint tea. I do this with my lunch and after dinner I include a tablespoon. Make you do not drink this straight!! This must be diluted. From my experience, it has helped me curve those evening cravings and regulated my digestive system. I recommend adding a small bit because your taste buds may not like it and your body may react quickly. Purchasing one small bottle can go a long way!

Just think.

Now, I wanted to remind you all that the key to staying in shape is eating a balanced diet combined with exercise. If your goal is you lose weight or gain, you must eat according to your physical needs/activity. If you are burning more calories then what you have taken in, obviously you will lose weight. If you are wanting to gain, you must eat more but introduce this slowly. I will be more than happy to teach you how to calculate your caloric intake based off your activity to help you reach your goals.

I think the most common thing people want is to witness progress immediately. This type of mind set should be changed and be focused more on developing a habit of eating healthy and committing to any form of physical activity. Sure, one can lose weight super fast in a short amount of time but I guarantee you, this is not long term and ones level of happiness can be quickly diminished. I have witnessed others starve just to lose weight or spend hours & hours at the gym trying to burn off calories. I have witnessed people avoid social gatherings for fear of food. Isolation is not a way of life! You should not have to sacrifice in order to succeed. The point is to develop a way of life as it should always be. I think that the idea of the "on the go, I don't have time, fast food, dessert with dinner, I want what I want NOW, is a bunch of shit.

I understand that working full time, 9-5 or more, 2 jobs, college, family and social life is a lot of work! We do this everyday! This is life. What is stopping you from wanting to eat foods as close to its natural state. What is stopping you from a commitment of a lifetime with yourself? What is stopping you from tasting the beauty of what nature has given us. Pick a piece of fruit over candy. Choose baked sweet potatoes over fried french fries. I have seen memes of people wanting food consisting of greasy pizza, fries, soda and hot Cheetos. What about a chunk of lean tender juicy steak, a fresh salad with crisp apples and nuts, a parfait with wild berries and honey, doesn't that sound delicious too? Just think, instead of people filming fighting videos, why aren't more fighting for physical education & funding for the youth? What is stopping you from enjoying physical activity? Why aren't more families participating in sports, evening walks after dinner, hiking, etc?

I guess what I am trying to say, is that life is truly a gift. We are here for purpose, we are here to make a difference. We can experience happiness. We feel love, we care, we cry, we give. I ask you to stop and take a look around you. The simple pleasures of life is evolved around nature, food and family. Your family is everything, so why not spend more time participating in an activity that will keep you closer & help you live longer. Where did we loose sight of "healthy" living? Is that not what living is? Healthy...

Healthy Lunch

I can get a little tired of egg. Sometimes I will buy a dozen and realize the "best before use date" is coming up. I refuse to throw food away so I try to come up with recipes to use eat them quickly. For eggs, I like to boil them up to make an egg salad sandwich. From the looks of it, the serving size can be for 4 adults. 

• 4 whole eggs boiled
• 5 egg whites boiled
• 2 tablespoon of dijon mustard with seeds
• dash of salt & pepper
• 1 tablespoon of light mayo (a little can go a long way)
• substitute with plain yogurt
• spinach
• toast

I have topped my sandwich with spinach and left out the top piece to toast, mostly to limit my carb consumption. My mission is to show you that eating healthy foods can be filling, fit your budget and be super easy!! I do not cook with anything fancy. If you are stretched for time, boil your eggs while you shower or get ready for work. You can easily chop and keep this in your fridge to save for a daily lunch. I use my fitness pal to calculate the calories. 

1 estimated serving like the photo above: 215 calories, 20 carbs, 7.5 grams of fat, 16 grams of protein

Breakfast example

My go to breakfast is oatmeal! The most common response I get from this is that it is tasteless, boring or for old people. I just wanted to broaden your eyes to see that oatmeal can be very versatile. When I do my grocery shopping, I can only purchase what items are available. Some days I may walk in the super market and it may not have berries, bananas, etc. I never know. One thing with oatmeal is that you can pick exactly what toppings you want to eat that morning! Almond milk, skim milk, coconut milk, water, chocolate almond milk. For sweetness you can add any fruit, dry or fresh. For texture, you can add any nut your heart desires. I either choose walnuts or almonds. For extra protein you can add any type of flavor you have! Honey, cinnamon, vanilla can be additional. This morning I opted for

• half a banana (I save the other half for next days breakfast or snack)
• 2/3 cup of oatmeal
• 2/3 cups almond milk
• teaspoon of honey
• teaspoon of cranberries
• teaspoon of almonds
• dab of cinnamon

I may seem like a small bit but I am telling you a little goes a long way. Mix it all together & voila!

Oatmeal: 348 calories, 57 grams of carbs, 8 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein.

I have this with a my morning coffee along with 2 cups of water. It is very filling, simple and a quick way to jump start your day. Oatmeal is loaded with tons of vitamins and minerals, contains fiber and keeps your hunger satisfied for longer. It can lower you cholesterol levels and keep your blood sugar under control. Below is a sample "before" picture.

Lunch

So your probably wondering what this is. It is tuna cakes without any breadcrumbs or bread. I came across it on pinterest but decided to do my own version. 

 

• 1 can of albacore tuna (in water) drained
• cilantro
• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg white
• braii seasoning. 

Roughly 190 calories, 6g of fat, 33g of protein, 506 mg of sodium.

I shaped them into patties & browned them. Make sure you watch it so the egg mixture does not drip. You can add lemon juice, celery, tomatoes, any seasoning or any herbs that you enjoy. You do NOT need the breadcrumbs they taste good exactly like this. Totally healthy, protein filled, inexpensive and delicious! 

Pair this with a piece of fruit say an apple 80 calories and 1/2 a cup of cottage cheese, 80 calories. Total: 350 cal lunch, 25 carbs, 47g protein. Eat according to your fitness goals. If you need less carbs, leave out the apple. 

My very first Introduction! Welcome to all!

Helping others and giving advise has always been of my specialty. I have been working on my bachelors degree in Sports Management with a concentration in Wellness and Fitness. I chose to study this because it offers a variety of job opportunities regarding my passion for physical health and healthy living. Last year, I received my certification from The National Association of Speed and Explosion. In this, I could train/coach athletes for speed improvement. This type of training consist of foundation training, speed-strength, power training, plyometrics, speed endurance and sprinting. In just a few months I plan to become a personal trainer with The National Academy of Sports Medicine. I decided to take advantage in using social media to boost morale and spark interest in my future clients. Please contact me for any information or questions. I will be happy to help you.