3 Ways to Become the MacGyver of Spring Cleaning

It’s officially Spring here so it is time for Spring Cleaning! Have an open mind and let’s apply this yearly tradition not only to your home, but your body & mind as well! Become an expert and a MacGyver on Spring Cleaning!

Your Spring Cleaning Goals:

#1 = HOME: Clean out, declutter & focus on one room in your house that has been bothering you all winter!

#2 = MIND: Close your eyes, and think about one thing that you’ve been meaning to do, that has been on your mind all winter (or for the past year!). Write it down. Now write down the roadblocks associated with this goal or obstacle. Now get strategic and write down the steps to tackle each roadblock. This week start working toward overcoming your obstacle and achieving your goal ONE STEP-AT-A-TIME!

#3 = BODY: This week it’s all about simplifying everything! Simplify your diet. AND simplify your exercise routine (if you don’t have an exercise routine, than start with the one spelled out below!)

BODY: EAT CLEAN

• Drink eight, 8 ounce glasses of water per day
• Whole foods, nothing processed.
• No baked goods, breads, added sauces, condiments, sugar or artificial ingredients or artificial sugars.
• Eat lots of green leafy vegetables like kale, broccoli & spinach.
• Add some colorful veggies to the mix like bell peppers, tomatoes & carrots.
• Eat clean & lean animal and plant proteins like organic, free-range & grass-fed turkey, bison, & eggs, as well as raw almonds, cashews, & sunflower seeds!
• Get some healthy fats in your diet from ground flax seed meal, avocados, coconut oil, & the nuts & seeds listed above.
• Lastly, include some unrefined, unprocessed, wheat-free organic whole grains like quinoa & buckwheat!
• Keep it simple. Each meal should only have 3-4 ingredients (for example: a kale salad with tomatoes, bell peppers & 2 eggs scrambled is a yummy breakfast, lunch or dinner option you can cook up in one pan on your stove top).
• Use lemons and fresh herbs & spices to flavor your meals and snacks.

BODY: SIMPLIFY YOUR WORKOUTS

This week focus on one muscle group per day and do at least 5 workouts. Choose one of the exercise routines below. Do the given number of reps/sets/time and then perform the cardio option for given duration. Go at your own pace and for your own skill level & have fun with it!

ROUTINE #1:

Muscle Group – Chest/Arms. Do 5-10 sets of 10 push ups.

Cardio – Run for 25 minutes at moderately fast pace.

*Do push ups against wall, or on your knees, or on your toes depending on your skill level

ROUTINE #2:

Muscle Group – Glutes/Hams. Do 5-10 sets of 10 prisoner jump squats.

Cardio – Run for 25 minutes at moderately fast pace.

*Just do squat portion (minus the jump), if you don’t feel comfortable doing jump squats

ROUTINE #3:

Muscle Group – Triceps. Do 5-10 sets of 10 tricep dips.

Cardio – Run for 35 minutes at moderate pace.

*Do dips from a chair, a bench or a dip bar

ROUTINE #4:

Muscle Group – Quads/Abs. Do 5-10 sets of 10 step ups/leg.

Cardio – Run for 20 minutes at max pace.

*Do step ups from floor or onto a chair or step bench

ROUTINE #5:

Muscle Group – Back/Abs. Do 5-10 sets of 10 Back Fly/Back Row combo (image on right).

Cardio – Run for 45 minutes at a steady-moderately challenging pace.

*Use dumbbells or if you are a beginner you can even just use two water bottles!

It’s good to change up your workout routine every 4-6 weeks to trick your muscles & body (& mind)! I wanted to share with you one of my favorite workout shirts that gets me pumped up (on the right).

What’s your favorite inspirational & motivational workout gear?

What Everyone is Saying About These 3 Bikini Body Breakfast Recipes

Include these three recipes as part of your daily diet to help you slim down, tone up and fuel your workouts! These three breakfast recipes are wholesome and healthful and will help you get on track and stay on track with your health & fitness goals, whatever they may be, and are in line with our “Fit & Toned Bikini Body 28 Day Challenge“.
Remember, it isn’t always about losing weight or getting skinny ladies! When it all comes down to it, it’s about feeling good, on the inside & out. Start listening to your body, and after you eat a meal, become aware of how that meal affects your mood, energy level & digestive system. If your energy dips and you feel agitated or your stomach feels funky after a meal, make a note of what you ate and start becoming mindful of what “works and doesn’t work” for you.

Everyone reacts differently to food and also different food combinations, so start listening to what your body is telling you. Remember, if your body is in a toxic state from ‘pollutants’ and/or processed foods, or if your bodily systems are functioning at a lowered state because you are eating things that your body has a negative response to, then your body will have a difficult time achieving your health & fitness goals. Eat clean, and train dirty is the best motto to go by!

#1. Cinnamon Toast Pancakes: (Gluten & Grain Free)

Whip up the pancake batter below and cook away! These pancakes are nutrient packed, gluten-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, sugar-free, grain-free and a perfect post or pre-workout snack! Measurements may vary according to your taste and preference, so have fun with it and tweak the recipe as you like!

Pancake Batter: Prep time is 10 minutes and recipe yields 1 pancake = 1 serving.

• • 1/4 cup Almond Flour
  • 1 tbsp of Ground Flax Meal
  • 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1-2 shakes of sea salt
  • 1 Whole Organic, Free-range Large Egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon of Organic, Alcohol-free Vanilla or Maple extract
  • 4 scooper-fulls of 100% Pure Organic Stevia Extract powder

• 1 teaspoon Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon

First, mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Then whisk 1 egg, Vanilla or Maple extract, and melted coconut oil together and add to dry mixture in bowl. Slowly add unsweetened/unflavored coconut milk (unsweetened/unflavored almond milk or water are optional substitutes) until the pancake mixture becomes a thick pancake batter consistency (should be around 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup of coconut milk or liquid you used in place of coconut  milk). Mix well, spray your frying pan with cooking spray (preferably coconut oil spray or canola oil spray) and pour the pancake batter mixture into your frying pan. Cook until you see tiny bubbles starting to pop through on top of the pancake. Now flip the pancake and cook other side until the bottom of the pancake is browned (or cook to your preference). Plate and serve!

*Optional: Spread coconut oil on top after pancake is plated and shake cinnamon on top, add sliced 1/2 medium banana or 1/4 cup fresh cut strawberries or blueberries.

#2.Almond Joy Breakfast (or Energy) Bars:

These raw, no-bake breakfast bars are gluten-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, sugar-free, and a great energy boost for any time of day! Make these on a Sunday and store them in your fridge to have as a quick snack when you’re in a rush and on the go! Measurements may vary according to your taste and preference, so have fun with it and tweak the recipe as you like!

Breakfast Bar Mix: Prep time is 20 minutes and recipe yields 12-16 servings/breakfast bars.

• 1/4 cup Dry Organic Oatmeal *optional (I use Gluten & Wheat-free whole oats)
• 1-2 tbsp Chia seeds
• 1 cup Raw Almonds
• 1 cup Raw Cashews
• 1/2 cup Raw Pumpkin seeds (slightly browned in dry frying pan)
• 1/4 cup Raw Sunflower seeds
• 2 tbsp Raw Cacao powder
• 2 chopped & pitted Organic Dates
• 1 tbsp of Organic, Alcohol-free Vanilla extract
• 4 scooper-fulls of 100% Pure Organic Stevia Extract powder
• 1 teaspoon – 1 tbsp Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Filtered water

First, mix all dry ingredients in a bowl (don’t add dates yet). Pour half of dry mixture into your food processor or your high-speed/high-quality blender (I use a Blendtec Blender). Pulse your blender or food processor 8-12 times to moderately chop up the nuts. Then add remaining portion of your dry mixture, as well as, the vanilla extract, dates and 2 tablespoons of filtered water. Slowly pulse the mixture in your food processor or blender until it begins to stick and hold together, adding water as needed (similar to making pizza dough). Once your mixture begins to stick together, scoop out the mixture onto a plate or 8″x8″ baking pan lined with saran wrap. Pull sides of saran wrap up and over mixture so it is covered and use the saran wrap to start to mold your breakfast bar mixture into a square that is 1-2″ thick and about 6-8″ x 6-8″. Cut into squares and throw in the refrigerator to let cool for at least an hour before eating so that your breakfast bar squares hold together! Voila, your breakfast bars are ready to eat!

*Optional: Spread organic shredded coconut on top of breakfast bars before popping them in the refrigerator.

#3. Bacon & Eggs Frittata:

This bacon & egg frittata feels and tastes like a cheat meal! It is so tasty and is jam packed with lean protein sources to help you repair and recover from your daily workouts!

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and spray an 8-10″ oven-safe pie pan with cooking spray.

Frittata Mixture: Prep time is 15 minutes and recipe yields 2-4 servings.

• 1/4 cup Unsweetened Organic Coconut Milk
• 4 Organic, free-range large eggs
• 2 cups Kale
• 1/4 cup Scallions
• 2 medium roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 large bell pepper, diced
• 6 strips organic turkey bacon
• 1-2 shakes of sea salt
• 1-2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons oregano

First, throw the bell pepper, kale & scallions in a frying pan (coated w/cooking spray) and brown up. Add in diced tomatoes to this mixture. Turn off heat. Cook up bacon in a frying pan. Remove bacon and chop up. Add bacon & vegetables to your round oven-safe pie pan. Whisk eggs and coconut milk together in a bowl. Pour in egg mixture evenly over your vegetable & bacon mixture in the round oven-safe pie pan. Make sure egg mixture evenly covers and spreads throughout the pie pan. Top with salt, oregano & pepper and place on middle rack of your oven that has been preheated to 375 degrees. Cook for approximately 45 minutes, or until top is browned. Remove from oven, let cool for 5-10 minutes. Then cut into 4-6 wedges (like a pizza). Plate and serve!

*Optional: If you need some extra calories or energy, serve a slice of this bacon & egg frittata with a tablespoon of almond butter iced on top of it!

That’s all you need to do today. Pretty simple, right?

Shhh…Just Between Me & You…20 Secrets to Get You Ready for Bikini Season

TOP 20 SECRETS TO GET YOU READY FOR BIKINI BODY SEASON

First of all…Bikini Bodies are COMPLETELY OVERRATED…it’s all about getting fit & strong ladies!

Here are 20 unconventional ways to get & keep a fit & strong body while still having a life!

Incorporate these rules below into your daily lifestyle to not only improve your health & well-being but to help you fast track your progress toward achieving your fitness goals! For more on the details & science behind these guidelines, check out other related posts here on www.BraveAngel.com. Otherwise, follow these rules and you’ll start shedding the excess weight you’ve been trying to get rid of!

1. Avoid alcohol

2. Write down three habits that will bring about change in your potential to stick to your goals. Ex: I will drink one bottle of water every two hours while at my 9-5 job.

3. Eat 4-5 small meals/snacks per day that are 300-500 calories max

4. Eat on smaller plates that are no larger than 6” diameter

5. Take Probiotics, like Jarrow Formulas – Jarro-Dophilus EPS

6. Workout at least 5 days per week

7. Strength train at least 4 days per week

8. Don’t do too much cardio! Three, 25-30 minute sessions/week + 1 longer 45 minute max session/week is a good standard to go by…

9. Eat whole foods. Unrefined. Nothing processed. From the earth, to the plate & to my belly!

10. Oil pulling

11. Drink Bentonite Clay (this will be one of my next posts!)

12. Take a Magnesium Supplement

13. Drink at least 80 ounces of water/day

14. Avoid High Glycemic Foods (& Sugar)

15. Eat Fat! (Healthy fats that is, like coconut oil, olive oil, & flax oil)

16. Keep a daily log of what & how much I consumer

17. Keep a daily log of type & duration of my workouts or activity

18. Eat organic. Food without use of antibiotics, GMOs, pesticides, or fertilizers, & that is grass-fed & free-range.

19. Take an Omega-3 Supplement (I use Deva Organic Vitamins Flax Seed Oil, Omega-3’s instead of Fish Oil)

20. Eat for what your activity level will be for the next three hours. “Eat for what you are about to do”. Remember, food is your fuel so you can get out there and seize the day!

P.S. – If you are sick of always trying to get in shape by summer…but by the time bikini season arrives you haven’t reached your fitness & physique goals….then you may want to join us Brave Angels in the 28 Day Fit & Toned “Bikini” Body Challenge. I will be posting it here on the blog in the next day or so! It includes a total of FIVE workouts for you (with modifications for all skill levels), a 28 day countdown calendar, and the tools you will need to get you where you want to go by the 2014 Bikini Body Season! Oh, and these FIVE workouts, you can do at home or at the gym and they will be downloadable to your smartphone & you can print them out! You can’t go wrong with this one! I slaved away to make sure I covered all the bases for you!!

Follow this blog and check back here tomorrow to get your 28 Day Fit & Toned “Bikini” Body Challenge!

Or Follow Us on Facebook & Twitter & to get your 28 Day Fit & Toned “Bikini” Body Challenge directly via our Facebook & Twitter feeds!

Yours Truly,

Brave Angel

Push Ups & Cupcakes!

Here in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S., we are having a snow storm and most offices are closed! So that means a lot of people get to stay home from work and snuggle by the fire and watch movies all day….
The first thing to think about is that you now have ALL day to get in a great workout. AND you should really reward yourself by cooking up (and eating!) these amazing cupcakes. They are so delicious and perfect to pack in your lunch bag as an afternoon snack. If you’re like most people, during a workday you probably experience a dip in energy around 2:00 – 3:00 pm…right? Perfect time to eat a cupcake than, right?

So here is the plan:

1. Do the workout routine (see below).
2. Then eat a cupcake (recipe below).

That’s all you need to do today. Pretty simple, right?

“How Low Can You Go?” Workout:

Tone up your legs, arms and abs with this simple home workout routine! For each move, the lower you can go, the better. Challenge yourself! Visualize your goals, put on some motivational tunes and rip this workout routine a new you know what! Do 5 rounds of each circuit. Give yourself 10 seconds between each exercise move. Give yourself 30 seconds between each round & circuit. Do 10 – 15 reps per move.

Circuit A: *Do 5 rounds, 10 secs rest between moves, 30 secs rest between rounds

1. Push Ups (on knees or toes)
2. Prisoner Squats (add jumps to step up intensity)
3. Knee Tucks

*30 secs rest before moving onto Circuit B.

Circuit B: *Do 5 rounds, 10 secs rest between moves, 30 secs rest between rounds

1. Dips
2. Walking Lunges (20 reps total)
3. Leg Raises

*30 secs rest before moving onto Circuit C.

Circuit C: *5 rounds, 10 secs rest between moves, 30 secs rest between rounds

1. Elbow Plank to Push Up Plank
2. Split Squats (10 reps/leg; elevate foot to intensify)
3. Mountain Climbers (20 switches total)

Good Job, You’re Done! Now go eat a cupcake!

Almond Butter Cupcakes:

Preheat your oven to 350˚. Whip up the cupcake batter below. And bake away! These muffins are nutrient packed, gluten-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, sugar-free, grain-free and a perfect post or pre-workout snack! Measurements may vary according to your taste and preference, so have fun with it and tweak the recipe as you like!

Cupcake batter: Prep time is 15 minutes and recipe yields 9-12 cupcakes

• ½ – ¾ cup coconut flour
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 -7 eggs
• ½ – ¾ cup coconut milk (add at end)
• 1/3 cup coconut oil (melt in microwaveable bowl first)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 10 scoops pure stevia extract powder (taste test as you go, start with 6-8 scoops and add as you taste test batter)
• 1 teaspoon dolloped on top of cupcake once batter added to cupcake tins *optional (before baking)
• Almond butter ‘icing’ – once cupcakes are baked, take a tablespoon of almond butter and spread on top of cupcake as ‘icing’

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350˚, spray a cupcake tray with cooking oil, and get out your muffin tins (I use silicone tins, they’re awesome!).

1. Combine the coconut flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in large bowl.
2. Whisk together the eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla extract in a bowl and blend well.
3. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Slowly add coconut milk until reaching a cupcake consistency and thickness (should be like pancake batter).
5. Now add 6-8 scoops of pure stevia extract powder (very potent, so I mean the very tiny scooper that comes in your pure stevia extract powder bottle).
   1. Taste the batter, and if you want to increase the sweetness, add a scoop or two more.
   3. Once batter is ready, fill each of your muffin tins about 90% full with the batter.
      1. Dollop a teaspoon of almond butter on top of a few muffins for some fun and variety!
      2. Put muffins in middle rack of oven for about 20-25 minutes.
      3. Cool and frost with almond butter! Yum!

W.O.W. Week 2 – RawFitnessChallenge!

Time for a new W.O.W. (workout of the week)!
This week we will be doing a ‘Time & Rep Challenge’. Again, focus on form first, endurance & strength will follow as you improve in fitness. You will perform the below exercises in a circuit fashion, perform the given # of reps for each move, then move onto the next move until you finish the whole circuit. Then do a 2nd and/or 3rd round. Your goal is to see how many rounds you can complete in 30 – 45 minutes. You choose the how long you want to push yourself for. If you’re a beginner, aim for 20-30 minutes. If you’re advanced, go for the whole 45 minutes. Or you can even up the intensity and just do 30 minutes! It’s up to you and your goals!

‘Time & Rep Challenge’: Warm up for 5 – 10 minutes.

1. Split Squats 30R/Leg
2. Pike Press 30R
3. Donkey Kicks 50R/Leg
4. Dips (Off chair, Dip station, 1-Leg, you choose) 40R
5. 1-Leg Deadlifts 20R/Leg
6. Reptile Push Up 10R
7. Plie Squat Pulse 40R
8. Bicycle 30R (2 twists = 1Rep)
9. Double Straight Leg Circles 10R/Way (Lie w/back on ground for beginners)
10. Toe Touches 30R

Cardio: Do 10-20 minutes of high intensity intervals on treadmill, elliptical, arc trainer, outdoor jog, bicycle, spin bike, etc.

• Do 30 seconds at a 6-out-of-10 exertion level. (Active Recovery Interval)
• Do 30 seconds at a 8/9-out-of-10 exertion level. (Effort Interval)
• Alternate between these two exertion levels for 10-20 minutes.

Cool Down and pat yourself on the back! Good Work!

Click on the exercise to be taken to a youtube video showing the exercise move if you aren’t familiar with what the exercise is. Make sure to have a nice big bottle of water nearby and write down how many reps, the weight you use, and how many rounds you get done. Then post your results on our 30 Day RawFitnessChallenge Facebook Page! Keep a journal of your workout results so you can track your progress!

M.O.W. (Meal of the Week): Perfect light meal that you can cook up on the grill! Sweet potato rounds are my ‘go-to’ when I’m hitting up a cookout. Everyone is throwing on their greasy, artery clogging burgers and hot dogs…meanwhile my sweet potato rounds are grillin’ up and are absolutely satisfying and tasty! Serve w/a side of raw vegan zucchini pasta that you can make ahead of time and bring with you to your cookouts. All the other guests will be jealous of your yummy plate of food!

Raw Vegan Zucchini Pasta

Grilled Sweet Potato Rounds

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist or a doctor. What I write in my blogposts is simply information that I have gathered over the years from reading and researching several health related topics from credible resources as well as personal experiences. I urge you to consult with a physician before changing your diet. The purpose of my blogposts are to share my experiences and fitness knowledge with everyone I possibly can to help others in their journey to improve their state of well-being.

RawFitnessChallenge – Nutritional Guidelines!!

I updated the ‘RawFitnessChallenge 30 Days to Re-Vamp’ post with new instructions on how to join the 30 Day Challenge & Interactive Community Board. Basically, we switched from using twitter.com as the main interactive community location to facebook.com. Read the post for instructions on how to join. You will go to my FACEBOOK PAGE ‘Get Fit with RawFitnessChick’ and make your commitment statement there as well as any posts related to the challenge, and this will be the main hub to find support and motivation.
Without further ado, click here for the ’30 Day RawFitnessChallenge Nutritional Guideline’. Read this and follow the 7 steps. You have 5 days from now until we start which will give you enough time to get prepared!

Will be uploading the exercise guidelines soon!

MacroVegan Sushi? So YUM! & Part of the RawFitnessChallenge!!!

So you’re thinking…’RawFitnessChallenge’??? Am I going to be eating broccoli for 30 days? Well although I use the word ‘Raw’, this challenge is in no way only ‘raw’ foods! RawFitnessTV.com and Raw Fitness personal training use the word RAW to describe the approach to nutrition, exercise and lifestyle habits. RAW can stand for Real, Authentic, Wholesome in relation to food, nutrition and lifestyle. RAW can stand for Ripped Ass Women or Ripped Awesome Workouts when it comes to exercise and fitness. Basically, I want you to be friendly to the environment and use what ‘the good lord gave ya’! Food should be from the earth to your table, unprocessed, unrefined, organic farming practices, wholefoods baby! Exercise should be functional, bodyweight and minimal equipment and machinery. Your body weight is a sufficient amount of weight for your workouts to get you trim, slimmed, lean and toned…and feeling great! Get back to the basics! Oh, and there is more info about how to join the #Rawfitnesschallenge at the end of this post, so don’t miss that!
A fantasticly tasty meal that is aligned with the RawFitnessChallenge is my MacroVegan Sushi rolls made with Quinoa, Sweet Potato, Avocado & Zucchini. SO GOOD! AND SATISFYING!

If there is anything that could help satisfy a sweet tooth craving, it would be the combination of a slice of sweet potato, a slice of avocado on top, and a sprinkle of sea salt or dulse flakes…and if necessary a drizzle of agave…so good. But you put that combo into a sushi roll and you’ve got yourself a pretty delish meal for a warm summer night. Refreshing, satisfying, filling yet light. Remember, your dinner should not be super heavy and filling, you will be sedentary after din din and going to bed soon…so there is no reason to load up on the calories.

Super Satisfying Sweet Potato-Avocado Sushi (Macro-Vegan, RawFitnessChallenge worthy)

Sushi Ingredients: (All Organic)

• Quinoa (1/4 – 1/2 cup per person)
• Avocado (1/2 Avocado per person)
• Sweet Potato (1/4 – 1/2 Medium Sweet Potato per person)
• Zucchini, julienned (1/3 Large Zucchini)
• Ume Plum Vinegar 1 -2 tsp (or Apple Cider Vinegar)
• 1 Nori Sheet per person

Marinade Ingredients: (All Organic)

• A few dashes of dried basil, oregano, dill, pepper and dulse flakes
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ume plum vinegar
• 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

First combine marinade ingredients and put your julienned zucchini into a bowl with the marinade and let sit, to soften and infuse the zucchini. Cook sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker for about 10-15 minutes depending upon how many potatoes you’re cooking. Remove from pressure cooker and place in tupperware on the side/countertop while you make other ingredients. Cook up your Quinoa before or during prep. You should soak your quinoa, then cook in pressure cooker for around 10 minutes. You can use it hot or chilled, it’s up to you. Lay one nori sheet on a sushi mat, shiny side down. Place about 1/4 – 1/2 cup of Quinoa onto nori sheet and spread out over one half of the nori sheet. Drop a line of ume plum vinegar down the middle of the quinoa on the nori sheet. Lay your sweet potato slices (1/4 inch thick slices), avocado slices (1/8 inch thick), zucchini slices down the middle of the quinoa and drizzle the extra marinade over the quinoa evenly. Roll it up, slice it up and plate! I used any extra avocado, sweet potato and zucchini slices to put atop my romaine side salad. Very delicious and satisfying dinner for a warm summer night! Enjoy!

For the RawFitnessChallenge starting on July 1st read the blog post ’30 Days to Re-Vamp’. Additionally, we will be chatting with eachother over the world wide web to keep each other motivated not only on Twitter.com but you can join the conversation and interactive community directly on Tweetchat.com too using the directions below. Remember, if you want to join the challenge you must post your ‘commitment statement’ on Twitter.com using hashtag #rawfitnesschallenge now…do it now…the instructions are in the ’30 Days to Re-Vamp’ post. And any tweets you make in reference to this challenge on twitter.com use the hashtag #rawfitnesschallenge.

Get Involved in the Interactive Online RawFitnessChallenge Community:

1. Go to tweetchat.com
2. Sign in using your twitter account on tweetchat.com
3. Enter rawfitnesschallenge as the hashtag to follow.
4. It will take you to a ‘wall’ with all the posts related to rawfitnesschallenge so we can share our experiences and keep each other motivated, share exercise routines and recipes, and do a little Q & A.

See you there! Make your commitment statement now!

Take 30 Days & Re-Vamp Your Wellness…weight loss, fitness & well-being!

Alright…it is SUMMER! Today is the first day of summer. So much to look forward to, getting out and about with friends and family, the beach, enjoying the city you live in, taking in what nature has to offer and much more.
We also will be faced with more temptation. You will face temptations at cookouts, there are more gatherings centered around drinking alcohol, people will be indulging in frozen treats and drinks everywhere, like ice cream & pina coladas…you’ll be tempted to skip a workout either because you went out and had a little too much to drink the night before…or the view of the pool is calling you away from your workout shoes…

Enter…the 30 Day #RawFitnessChallenge. Coming July 1st, 2012. Take the month of July to re-vamp your wellness. Work towards 3 health, fitness & lifestyle goals. This challenge is for you, you will customize it to what you want to get out of 30 days in relation to your health. Be it mental, emotional, physical health and so on. I will provide each RawFitnessChallenger with a template and you will customize it to your individual needs and goals. You can do this challenge from anywhere in the world. If you happen to live in the Baltimore, MD area…you will get the opportunity to take part in my local wellness meetups I hold for this challenge. If you live elsewhere, you can do this challenge on your own…or invite friends/co-workers/family and hold your own meetups…the RawFitnessChallenge interactive community will provide everyone with the workouts, nutrition guidelines, motivation and accountability to keep you going for 30 days! I will explain how you join (free) the interactive community for the RawFitnessChallenge below.

What will the challenge be?

• You will do 3-7 workouts per week (depending on your current fitness level and goals). The 30 Day Fitness guidelines will be posted on RawFitnessTV.com blog for you to read, print and post on your refrigerator or somewhere you visit daily.
• You will follow ‘clean eating’ practices that include wholefoods that are unrefined and unprocessed for 30 days. The 30 Day Nutritional guidelines will be posted on RawFitnessTV.com blog for you to read, print and post on your refrigerator or somewhere you visit daily.
• Each Sunday, I will post the W.O.W. (workout of the week). You can choose to do the W.O.W. or your own workout you design but must log your 3-7 workouts on the RawFitnessChallenge interactive community board as an accountability factor and to help support others & keep each other motivated as well as provide ideas.
• Each Sunday I will share a new M.O.W. (meal of the week) breakfast, lunch & dinner recipe to test out and include in your week’s meal plan. You can choose any ‘clean’ wholefoods, unrefined/unprocessed ingredients and recipes that follow the 30 Day Nutritional guidelines. You are encouraged to post your recipes, success w/avoiding temptations, experience, and questions on the RawFitnessChallenge interactive community board!
• You will join the challenge by posting your commitment on the RawFitnessChallenge interactive community board on Facebook. Also you can post on your twitter page (if you have one) and your own facebook wall, as well as email close friends/family so that they are aware and able to empower you and keep you accountable. You must state this on the Facebook Page: “I am committing 100% to the 30 Day #RawFitnessChallenge to fuel & condition my mind, body and soul towards optimal wellness. (State your 3 fitness goals you want to work towards/achieve in 30 days if you feel comfortable doing so)”. Make sure you use the hashtag #RawFitnessChallenge when posting on Twitter so that your post is logged in the twitter RawFitnessChallenge interactive community board!!!!
  • Example: “I am committing 100% to the 30 Day #RawFitnessChallenge to fuel & condition my mind, body and soul towards optimal wellness. Lose 5 lbs, go vegan, apply myself at work.”
• Email Friends/Co-workers/Family: “I am committing 100% to the 30 Day #RawFitnessChallenge to fuel & condition my mind, body and soul towards optimal wellness. Lose 5 lbs, go vegan, apply myself at work. If you’d like to join me, let me know! Go to RawFitnessTV.com for info on the challenge.”

Where do I find the RawFitnessChallenge interactive community board?

• Log on to your facebook account.
• ‘Like’ Get Fit with RawFitnessChick.
• Every time you workout, need motivation, hit a roadblock, have questions about the challenge or need support, eat wholefoods, want to share a recipe, achieve one of your goals or to log the results you’re experiencing…basically, ANYTHING related to the RawFitnessChallenge….YOU WILL compose a new facebook post ON GET FIT WITH RAWFITNESSCHICK’s page – this page will be the interactive community board.
• You can also log on to your twitter account. If you don’t have a twitter account you can choose to open an account with twitter, or just log your posts on the ‘Get Fit with RawFitnessChick’ Facebook page.
• Once logged onto twitter follow @RawFitnessBmore
• Your first tweet will be your ‘commitment’ tweet as explained above.
• You can also tweet your questions, motivational quotes/pics, recipes, achievements, experience, workouts on twitter using hashtag #rawfitnesschallenge. You can then do a search on those posting about the #rawfitnesschallenge on twitter and get support and motivation on twitter as well. But the interactive community board is FACEBOOK.
• Log on to your pinterest account. If you don’t yet have one, sign up on www.pinterest.com.
• ‘Follow’ the following boards on ‘RawFitnessChick‘s’ pinterest page: Wellness, Amazing Vegan Desserts, Vegan Meals & Snacks, Raw Delicious Meals & Snacks, Raw Desserts, Exercise, Nutrition (or just follow all my boards if you wish).
• These ‘boards’ on pinterest.com will be a good resource for recipes, motivation, and workout ideas!

Your resource for workouts, recipes, nutritional advice and guidelines, motivation and support will be mainly Facebook, RawFitnessTV.com, and pinterest.com AND if you wish to use it, Twitter. If you live in the Baltimore, MD area and want to join in on the wellness meetups…join us on meetup.com or listen for updates on meetups on facebook and twitter!

The 30 Day RawFitnessChallenge will provide you with exercise and nutritional guidelines as well as the support, motivation and accountability needed to stick to the 30 day challenge to empower you to achieve your 3 health & fitness goals. After the 30 days, you will incorporate what you’ve learned and the habits that you’ve maintained into your new life for a healthier and happier new you! Let’s do this together, start preparing now, join the challenge now on twitter and facebook. Get committed early so that you can learn what you’ll need to do for the challenge and when July 1st comes you will be 100% ready to go!

Join us now…#RawFitnessChallenge…make your commitment statement now on twitter and facebook, let it be heard!

Hop on the Macrobiotic Train, Next Stop…The Sky’s the Limit

So, whether this is the first post you’re reading on my blog or if you’ve been following me through my 30 Day Challenge…let me just say and announce that I have been converted to the Macrobiotic Way. Go back and read my posts from May 1st to May 30th and you will understand more about what the hell I’m talking about!
To sum it up, I’m sad it is the end of the 30 Day Challenge because I want to keep going with it and the group of ladies that I’ve been doing the challenge with are AWESOME! SO I’m sticking with it baby! Why in the world would I go back to my old ways? I’ve learned so much and experienced how amazing and energized and clear-minded and strong I can feel and be when sticking to the macrobiotic way 100% (I did not cheat!). In fact, I think I can take it another step and incorporate more of the macrobiotic way into my life, there is so much more to learn! This was just the introduction, now it’s time to educate myself more and improve upon that knowledge. Some may say, “She is crazy”…but I say that anyone would have to be crazy to regress to what they were doing before. Once you learn something that will improve your quality of life, why in the world would you let it “go in one ear, and out the other”? Why would I go back to my old ways in which I had a lower quality of life? WHY? I ask myself this all the time when I share a VERY USEFUL piece of knowledge with someone, a piece of knowledge that could improve their quality of life greatly, and see that they don’t incorporate that new piece of knowledge into their life because it seems ‘too hard’. Well, isn’t it even harder to go day-to-day feeling like crap and isn’t it frustrating when you can’t seem to reach your health and fitness goals?

GO out and get a book on Macrobiotics (‘The Macrobiotic Path to Total Health and/or Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition are two that were recommended to me and are great) OR just start doing research on the internet. Learn what the principles and rules are and stock your pantry with Macrobiotic friendly foods and learn new recipes and start your own 30 Day Challenge. GIVE IT YOUR ALL AND YOU WILL ‘SEE THE LIGHT’.

Before Kara’s 30 day challenge I ate mostly ‘clean and whole foods’ (or thought I did). My ‘vices’ that I got rid of for the 30 day challenge were my vegan protein powder, coffee (8 cups/day…organic though! Lol..), oatmeal (microwaved rolled oats), LOTS of vitamins/minerals, fiber supplement, fish/meat/chicken/eggs (didn’t drink dairy), my beloved ‘processed, store bought’ almond milk, alcohol, seltzer water and those were my ‘vices’. My first day of the 30 day challenge I stated in my blog post, “This is a 30 Day cleanse/makeover/challenge and in no way do I plan on restricting my diet to this extreme after the 30 days is finished…BUT, I plan on taking a lot of what I learned and implementing it in my nutrition & lifestyle habits post-30 day challenge. Will I stay ‘vegan’? To be completely truthful…I doubt it…nothing personal to any ‘vegans’ but it seems very restricted and I don’t do well with extremes. I do want to lower the impact I have on the planet and the types of products I use to be of no harm to animals…we will see how much ‘veganism/macrobiotic’ I keep with me after the 30 days, how about that?”

Well…I’m not turning back!!! The funny thing I notice when I look at that statement is the word ‘restricted’ because this 30 Day Challenge has been the opposite of restricted. It has opened my eyes to the great variety of foods, recipes, ways of living and joy for life that you experience by living the macrobiotic way. Before the 30 Day Challenge, eating wasn’t fun because I ate the usual ‘healthy’ chicken and broccoli for dinner, salad for lunch, and my beloved oatmeal for breakfast. Now, the options are endless, and they make me feel good after eating too which I always had problems with. Follow me on pinterest.com where I ‘pin’ all the recipes I find, there are SO MANY great and tasty recipes out there!

Since I was a little kid, I dealt with horrible digestion problems, I remember I used to hate eating dinner because immediately afterward I’d be in severe pain from stomach issues, no matter what I ate this problem persisted. Even later in life, when I was eating ‘clean’ and correct portion sizes (ex. chicken and broccoli for dinner) I still experienced stomach issues. One of the most relieving moments on this 30 day challenge was around day 3 or 4. I ate my first meal in years in which my stomach felt COMPLETELY normal after finishing the meal and I was SO happy! As I’ve already stated, this new feeling of weightlessness and surge of energy and clear-mindedness and awareness have emerged & materialized. Everything I sense seems so ‘crisp’, from the blue sky to the green trees to the birds chirping and light warm breeze and smell of the fresh spring air. When I run I feel that energy surge just as I used to feel when I was 5 years old. When I take my pup for a walk, I literally start running as fast she is and we’re flying across the field, be it I probably look like a lunatic but I don’t care one bit because I feel amazing. Running never felt so good, I feel weightless and strong. I finally feel what ‘living’ should feel like and I’m ecstatic. THIS is why I’m not turning back to my old ways and I’m going to continue on after this 30 Days truly living life by fueling my body, mind and soul with what God wanted us to consume and how God wanted us to live!

Kara, thank you from the bottom of my heart. No words could ever express the amazing and life-changing impact your 30 Days Challenge has made on me. You saved my life, because now I can actually live it! Kara’s site: Natural Body Makeover

From here on out I’ll be sharing with you exercise routines, exercise videos, recipes and my journey to optimal wellness in hopes that you can enjoy life and really start living! Hop on the macrobiotic train, because when you truly feel alive and well, the sky is the limit baby!

Yours Truly,

Nat

Tushy Toner & Strawberry Orange Mint Cream Smoothie

I tested out a recipe last night, there are some tweaks that I’ll have to make but it is actually a perfect light energy snack to have on hand during this heat wave we are experiencing here in Baltimore. It’s called socca bread and is made from chickpea flour/water/salt and what ever flavoring (sweet or savory) that you add to it is up to you. Chickpea flour is just finely ground up chickpeas (that have been soaked/sprouted/or not soaked/sprouted, this is your preference and I’ll be experimenting with the two options). So I had a ton of leftover cooked chickpea that I didn’t want to go to waste, so I used them. The original recipe for socca bread does not involve cooked chickpea, it is chickpea flour. But I figured, what the hey!
Socca Bread: My ‘Test’ which will need adjustment

1. 1.5-2C Cooked Chickpeas
2. 1-2 tsp salt
3. 1-2 TBSP Agave
4. 1-2 tsp lemon juice
5. 1 tsp cinammon
6. 2 tbsp almond nut cheese
7. 2-3 tbsp water
8. 375F for 15-30 minutes in square coconut oiled pan

Place all ingredients in blender of food processor and blend until combined. Then put in a 8X8 baking pan and throw in the oven on 375F for 20-30 minutes. Turned out light, a tad sweet and delish! I will need to tweak though because it crumbles easily and I want it to stay together. Maybe arrowroot powder or something else, I will update you when I figure it out!

On to the workout…

I woke up ready to tear up some legs and core exercises down at a park near my house with my TRX and straight up body weight moves. I tuned my bike up yesterday so I hopped on my bike, brought my backpack with my workout gear (TRX, phone for music, exercise journal, water) and hit the road for a pre-workout quick bike ride which was perfect warm-up, took me about 7 minutes to get to the park.

Then I did the fabulous workout below baking under the warm morning sun.

Tushy Toner Workout:

Do each exercise for given # of reps and sets. Then move onto next exercise. Complete workout one time through or if you’re really feelin’ it that day, go for 2 rounds!

1. Pistol Squat (10R/Leg; 2 Sets) (Hold out 1 leg straight while you squat all the way down then back up on other leg, I used TRX for a bit of assistance on way back up)
2. TRX Reverse Lunge (10R/Leg; 3 Sets) (Make TRX into 1 Foot Strap, place foot in foot strap, hop forward on other leg so you about 4 feet away from anchor point, squat down on leg as you reach foot that is in foot strap back OR do same motion resting one foot on stability ball) (OR do a reverse lunge)
3. TRX Ham Curls (10 Reps; 3 Sets) (Lie on back facing TRX w/both feet in foot straps, raise hips up, curl feet into butt-back out-then lower hips down OR do same motion w/heels on stability ball) (OR Lie on back, place both heels up on edge of chair, raise hips up and down)
4. TRX Jump Squat (10 Reps; 5 Sets) (Facing TRX holding handles lightly, feet wide and plie/toes point out, squat all the way down then power up and jump up OR do same motion without holding TRX handles)
5. TRX Knee Tucks (10 Reps; 5 Sets) (Do plank w/feet in TRX foot straps OR on stability ball, from plank you tuck both knees up to chest and back out) (OR do plank and hop both feet up to hands and back out)
6. Burpee minus push up (10 Reps; 3 Sets) (From standing, squat down, place hands on ground, jump feet out to plank, jump feet back in, stand up/power up/jump up, repeat)
7. Shoulder Taps Feet Elevated (20 Taps Alternating; 3 Sets) (Get into plank w/feet in TRX foot straps, on a stability ball or elevated on chair, contract core & right arm as you tap right shoulder w/left hand, repeat w/right hand tapping left shoulder, do 20 reps)
8. V-Up Knee Tuck Reach High (10 Reps; 2 Sets) (Lie on back, hands at sides, raise upper body up and tuck knees up to chest as you come up into V shape w/body and reach hands up to sky, lower back down)
9. Side Plank Reach Unders (10 Reps/Side; 1 Set) (Get into side plank on left hand w/feet in TRX OR on stability ball OR elevated on chair, take right hand and twist torso as you reach under left side, do 10 Reps/side)
10. Side Lift Splits (10 Reps/Side; 1 Set) (Lie on Left Side, split legs pressing feet up against a wall, press left hand into ground right under left shoulder and raise hips up off ground and lower back down, do 10 Reps/Side)

Then I biked back home taking a longer route that included a BIG hill, so biking for just a total of 15 minutes but with intensity! DONE! ENJOY!

After my workout I continued to be quite active. Took my pup for a long walk, hit up the organic market for some goodies, played baseball with my boyfriend and then I needed to cool off from the 90 degree heat with a tasty and refreshing Strawberry Orange Mint Cream Smoothie (VEGAN)!

Strawberry Orange Mint Cream:

1. 8 Frozen Strawberries
2. 8 Sprigs Fresh Mint
3. 6 TBSP Fresh Almond Milk
4. 1/2 Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
5. 1 TBSP Lacuma Powder
6. 2 Shakes Stevia/Agave/Brown Rice Syrup
7. 1 TBSP Shredded Coconut
8. Ice to desired thickness
9. BLEND!

As you can see, I had already taken a big gulp of the smoothie before taking the picture! It was just too good to wait! Perfect treat to chill off and cool down from one fabulous Sunday!

Health & Happiness,

Nat