I really do love my sister!

My sister woke me up bright and early this morning to go running. I haven't ran in a couple months but figured I could do a lap or two. It turned into a five mile run that pushed me to the limits- Not to mention it was freezing in Indiana this morning.Now that it's over, I'm so glad she pushed me. I am so grateful for those people in my life that push me to go further! 

Morning Power Juice

I normally reach for a cup of coffee first thing in the morning. It's hard to give that up and not sure that's a reality at the moment. However, I am going to start incorporating a morning juice. I've ran out of strawberries and raspberries at the moment but that would have been a nice addition. Having a juice earlier in the morning really gives me energy. I will sometimes also have a juice around 2 or 3 in the afternoon. That is typically the time I reach for a cup of coffee. Juicing has really changed my entire nutrition and diet. I am always looking for new things to try. It's actually fun.

So here's to the morning!

Morning Juice:

1 large leaf of Swiss Chard
1 cucumber
2 carrots
1 apple

Let's Get Moving!

So we all know that any weight loss program means nothing without actually moving your body every day. It's hard. sometimes really hard depending on how out of shape you may be. Yet, every day you do not start is one more day you are not your best self. Do it for you. This morning I started with a 20 minute body pump routine. For those of you that are not familiar with body pump..let me just say... it is rough. Really rough. At first anyway...then it gets easier. A made the mistake a couple weeks ago of pushing my way through en entire 45 minute body pump video and I paid for it for days afterward. I could barely move the next day. I hurt on every inch of my body. I took a couple days off and did a much smaller routine after that. Today,  found a great 20 minute video (YouTube is awesome for this stuff!) that wasn't too intense yet I still feel like I got a good workout in. I followed it up with a brisk 20 minute walk around my neighborhood.

Each day I will give you a brief run down of my exercise routine.

Today's Routine:

20 minute body pump
20 minute brisk walk

 

It does not matter what exercise you choose to start with...just start. Get moving! Have a great day!

Green Juice For Your Health!

I wanted to share my juice with you guys this morning. I first started juicing close to ten years ago and since then, my juicing has taken on many different forms. I used to mix it with yogurt to be able to get it all down, but slowly that has gotten easier, and now I can typically include one apple and still be able to manage the strong taste. It's one of those things that you really do get used to with time. This morning a chose a mild juice so it was no problem. However, I'm not a big kale fan and I usually need another apple for those big kale drinks.

This morning, I chose the following for my morning juice:

3 carrots
1  radish
1 cucumber
1 apple (I usually stick with Gala apples)
2 leaves of rainbow chard

I always try to stick to organic but it really just depends what's on sale. If I do end up with a lot of non-organic, I try and just peel what I can.

So there you have it...my green juice. If anyone has not started green juicing, it really is something you should look into. It can provide so many health benefits. I notice a huge difference in how I feel, look and even think when I do not juice for a while. I have gotten out of it within the last few months, but as my makeover begins, it is something I plan on bringing back in as much as possible. Bottoms up!

For the Love of Frankincense!

One of the things I wanted to do in creating this blog was to share what I use in my life and maybe what has worked for me and what has not. So tonight, I wanted to talk about oil; specifically, frankincense oil. Now for many years I have been a HUGE fan of coconut oil. I mean ...love the stuff. You will probably see my love for coconut oil show up a lot in these posts. I began using it back when I was looking for another moisturizer for my face. I have super sensitive skin and the last thing I thought I could use was pure oil. I picked up a jar one night and I've never looked back. With any oil, you really have to try a small patch test before you go full force with the stuff. I've learned that the hard way. Not all oil is the same and some works for me and some do not. I have had several mornings where I have woken up to a very red and irritated face after generously applying a new oil the night before. However, coconut oil has never caused me any irritation. I have also used it for brushing my teeth and oil pulling (of course that's an entirely other topic). I pretty much use it after I wake up in the morning and right after I wash my face at night. Anyway, so as not to get off the topic of frankincense oil, a couple months ago I decided to venture out and bring another oil into the mix in addition to my much beloved coconut oil. I had heard so much talk about frankincense oil and after a couple weeks of research, I decided to give it a try. I've included a picture of the actual one I purchased. I've learned a little goes a long way with this oil. I usually only use one small drop. When you use pure essential oil, it is very important to dilute it with another carrier oil so there is less chance of irritation. I, naturally, have chosen coconut oil as my carrier oil. I began by mixing maybe 1/2 a teaspoon of coconut oil with one drop of frankincense oil and mixing. I then apply to my face, paying particular attention to the skin around my eyes. I again use a drop in the coconut oil in the morning. I have to say..I am loving it. The smell can be a little different but it's nothing I didn't get used to pretty quick. It just has sort of an earthy smell. I have noticed my skin just looking brighter. I suffer from so many skin problems so anything that can help my skin look brighter and healthier is a keeper for me. I know there are some people that take a drop of frankincense oil orally but that is something I am not ready to try yet. I've actually seen that taking any essential oil is not recommended but I really don't know enough about it to say one way or the other. For me, a small drop before bed allows my face to look more rested, so to speak, than with just coconut oil alone. I have found myself more interested in essential oils lately so this is really my first step into discovering all they have to offer. That's all for now!

Sick!

So I decide to do this blog and I am so excited to start my journey and then..I get sick. I was feeling it yesterday but it has hit me hard today. I am tired and can barely get out of bed. So, that being said, I have not been able to exercise today. I am hoping tomorrow is a new day. For now, I wanted to share with you all something I have been reading about for a while now and decided to finally give it a try. I'm talking about Himalayan Crystal Salt Lamps. I been reading about the health benefits for several months now and decided to see for myself. One of the main draws for me is the claim that it can improve allergies and asthma. I suffer greatly from asthma...like really bad. It is a constant battle for me. So, armed with my 20% off Bed Bath & Beyond coupon, I headed to pick one up. I think it came to around $30 which I thought was really good. I did some minor research before choosing this specific one and the reviews seemed to be overall very positive. I think the weight of the one I purchased is close to 15 pounds. It is placed next to my bed and it's typically on 24 hours a day. However, at night, I do turn the light down slightly (it has a dimmer switch which is really great!). It's been in my room for about two weeks now. It does seem that I am waking up with a little less congestion but it may take more time to determine if that is really from the lamp. Especially because at the moment, my head feels like it's carrying an additional 10 pounds. Anyway, it is a beautiful lamp and it actually brings a lot of peace to my room. I am happy with it so far!