10 Daily Defenses to Live Balanced

Before I started committing to meditating and to myself truly I realized that I would try but I didn’t have a true defense or a plan on how to achieve balance. I didn’t have the daily ways set up to make sure I would be okay.

Here are some of the things that I have been doing daily to ensure that I can combat the blues, the worry, the things in life that might stop me in my tracks from living a full & happy life:

Stop & breathe purposefully throughout the day & especially in stressful situations
Reading self-help books or books that help enlighten your mind or just for fun (less TV more reading)
Meditate-2 times a day for 5 to 10 minutes each which helps you connect with yourself and feel peaceful and grateful
Routine Sleep-8 hours from around the same time each night (11pm to 7am for me) and always think good thoughts before falling asleep so they can marinade in your sub-conscious all night
Nutrition-smoothie with flaxseeds and smart choices with some fun indulgences (don’t stress out about and control strictly what you are eating)
Movement of any kind for 20 min a day
Connect with friends and family-talk on the phone or visit
Sunshine-get outdoors if you can at least once a day even if the sun isn’t brightly shining
Surround yourself with fresh flowers, plants or visual inspiration around the house or your workspace
Cooking/baking or doing something creative that you like to do even just for a few minutes a day

I don’t do all of these every single day but I do most of them. They help keep me balanced. That is all I have been striving for, BALANCE. I am still working on it and always will be but now that I have a plan and some easy daily defenses to practice I am further along than ever before.

I hope some of these ideas help you to live a balanced life too! Come up with your own plan or build off of mine. Point is, have a plan and start practicing it!

xo,

Adrienne

thouhgts real destiny

Tips for breaking through a SLUMP!

Hi friends! I have been thinking a lot about you and some of you that have told me that you are in an unhealthy slump or you had a few bad days and are having trouble getting back on point.

Although I can’t see all of you in person to talk I want to try to help you from here!

Here are some tips to get you back on track and realize that slumps are just a part of the process! So do not beat yourself up over it. Let it flow and know that it is normal to have ups and downs. The sooner you get back up the better. Make sure you aren’t doing anything too extreme that you can’t keep up with. Keep daily healthy stress-free habits so that they are part of your life that you really don’t consider a burden. It’s just what you do and how you are choosing to live.

#1. Treat each and every day as if it is the beginning of the process for you-the past does not matter. Those cookies you had or those drinks and cake at the birthday party over the weekend-guess what?? Today, they have no bearing on your fit and healthy future! Start fresh everyday-in attitude, movement and nutrition! Slumps happen because no one is perfect and its okay to live a 80/20 ratio. You can have some downtime, you can go to the game, you can lay on the couch. But you must keep breaking through!!!

#2. Be creative and try something new-food and exercise wise. Nothing breaks you out of a slump like a new class or a new training program or trying some new recipes and snacks! Do not be intimidated by others! Healthy looks different on everybody and every body!

#3. Let others inspire you! Social media is flooded with fitness and food-look at it, copy it, try it, eat it!! Do it! Keep fresh and up to speed with new ideas that are working for others. But stick to your guns and know that only a true long-term healthy lifestyle will get you the healthiest and fittest you! Tag along with a friend on a run or do whatever they are doing for a day. Buddies are the best!

#4. Check in with your mind. Is something bothering you? Is something not right in your love life, family, career? This could be what is literally “weighing you down” and making you unmotivated to get off the couch or put the chips down!

#5. Remember why you started trying in the first place. Get back to that place and start fresh!! That is what is so great about waking up each morning and having the chance to make it even better! So, go make it better! Focus on your physical activity, healthy eating choices and mental health! Because the good life requires all three! I know you can do it!

#6. You and only you can turn it around! If its been days, weeks or even months or years you can turn it around right now! I can’t do it for you, nor can your friends or family members. You hold all of the power to make the changes to get out of the slump. It’s a decision that only you can make.

xoxo-A

Fast Track Workout and Nutrition Advice

I wanted to share with you my workout from yesterday! It was short but awesome!

First, I ate some delicious overnight oats that I made with:

1 c oats, 1 c almond milk, 1tsp flaxseed meal, tsp chia seeds, half banana (added in the morning) cinnamon, nutmeg and a few drops of honey (also added in the morning.) I ate 3/4 of this and saved the rest for after the workout along with a protein shake.

I dropped off my son at Kindergarten at 9:15 and by 9:27 I was on the track running. I ran the first mile in 8 minutes and 40 seconds-which is fast for me! I can’t keep that pace for more than 1 to 2 miles (yet). I walked 1 lap and then ran 2 at the same pace, walked 1 and then ran 2 more at the same pace. It took me 25 minutes total, a total of 2.5 miles and I felt like I had accomplished something! I was home by 10 am. Not to bad if you ask me!!

I drank my protein shake in the car right after and when I got home I ate the rest of my oats.

I want you to think of your workout as 3 total parts. Each workout whatever it is should have a beginning a middle and an end.

Begin with a proper pre-workout meal/snack

Workout-doesn’t have to be for hours. It can be quick as long as you are working hard-that’s the key!

End with stretching and a proper post workout meal

Also, proper rest is crucial! I have noticed that 3 to 4 workouts per week are perfect for me. I do a running, yoga & strength training combo. I work hard during those workouts and my body needs the other days to truly rest/recover and rebuild! So does yours.

I found this infographic that may help explain 🙂 xo, A

Black Bean & Quinoa Cakes

Ingredients:

2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
4 large eggs, lightly beaten (can substitute 2 of the eggs for 2 teaspoons of ground flaxseed meal -if so beat 2 eggs and add 2 tsp of flaxseed meal to that mixture and let sit for 1 min)
1 15 oz canned black beans, rinsed
3/4 cup 2 % or non fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1 cup chopped broccoli florets
2 tablespoons millet flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried cilantro
dash of ground pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 avocado, chopped to serve with on the side

Prepare:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 12-cup nonstick muffin tin with cooking spray.
Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in quinoa. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the grains are tender and reveal their spiraled germ, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for about 10 minutes.
Add eggs, beans, cottage cheese, scallions, flour, baking powder, spices, broccoli and salt to the quinoa and stir until well combined. Divide the mixture among the muffin cups (about 1/4 cup each).
Bake the cakes until puffed and a little brown on top, about 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Gently loosen and remove with a paring knife.

Makes 15 cakes

Serving size is 2! Yay!

These are packed full of nutrition!!!

Enjoy!

xo-A

Brussels Sprouts Salad

Well….I thought I knew but I had no idea what living really was until I ate this…..so fresh, so good for you AND so tasty! I perked up like a plant does when you water it! Nutrient overload! Yes! This is what I strive for in my meals and hope that you will too! I want you to feel ALIVE!

Back to the sprouts….Take about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of raw Brussels Sprouts and chop off the ends (discard them)

Peel apart what you can of the sprouts and chop up the rest. Place all on your plate and get ready to create something beautiful!

Add:

4 oz chicken breast (I made a whole chicken on Sunday and had this chilled and stored in the fridge for the week so I just grabbed some and chopped it up) highly recommend this! Makes meal prep so easy!

1/4 c chopped mango

1/4 chopped red grapes

about 2 tsp. feta cheese

about 2 tsp. chopped up celery

1 TBSP pepitas or sunflower seeds

I am sure it would be lovely with other ingredients too but this is what I had on hand. I could see it with sweet potatoes, pomegranate seeds, strawberries, nuts, mixed with spinach leaves…you get my drift…create a magical combo on your own if you want, you don’t have to follow any of my recipes to a tee!

Dressing:

Mix 1 part vinegar, 2 parts oil (like olive) and 3 parts water. Add a dash of cinnamon, lime juice, salt, pepper, cumin and honey. Whisk together and serve.

Boom. Alive.

Enjoy!!

xo-A