Optimal Health for 2k15

I can’t believe how fast the last year went. I made a little “flipagram” on my instagram and just picked a few of my favorite pictures from the last year to include in it and I seriously had some reminising going on.

How much my babies grew.

I had another baby.

Brent and I celebrated 8 years of marriage

We went to Disneyland

A LOT of short family trips.

Memories to last a lifetime.

I usually am not really a resolution person, because I can’t just make ONE goal for the year. I am always working on some random goals throughout the year. This year I want to be more organized and ready for the new year!

I am always striving for optimal health. This is the thing. HEALTH is just NOT physical. There is SO much more to it. In fact there are 6 ASPECTS of health. Mental, Social, Emotional, Spiritual, Fiscal and Physical.

To be considered optimally healthy you must find balance within all 6 aspects. If your always just focused on one aspect your probably failing in another.

I challenge all of you to join me on this one.

I will be sharing all of my resolutions for each aspect soon!

Please share yours with me too!

Leave a comment about one or all of your goals for me.

You have to put it out there. Just do it!

Happy New years EVE!

xoxo

Grain Free Banana Bread

One thing is for sure today (besides this post getting up way late..) is that the weather is crazy! We have had some crazy strong winds today!

The wind started last night and even woke me up a few times. After Roens morning feeding, I headed to the gym and drove through this on my way home.

It wasn’t snowing.. it was wind blowing the snow around. We had wind gust up to 70mph! I taught a boot camp class today and had a packed class! I guess nobody was really scared of a little wind. Usually classes tend to be a bit smaller around Christmas break so having a full class was great. As an instructor I feed off the energy of the class and I think they do too. It was a great class and I was even able to workout with them a bit today. I’ll have to post the workout we did tomorrow.

But tonight we talk about bread.

So if your in for the night whip up this banana bread to warm up with.

Grain Free Banana Bread

I made this bread on a whim on Christmas Day and it was amazing. We practically ate the whole loaf by the end of the night.

Ingredients

• 4 ripe bananas
• 4 egg
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 4 T. Melted Coconut Oil
• 1/2 C. Coconut  Flour
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. baking powder (gluten free or homemade)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine your bananas, eggs, and nut butter, in your blender then add coocnut flour, cinnamon, baking powder,  baking soda, vanilla, and sea salt and mix well
3. Spray a 9x5 glass pan with coconut oil.  
4. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
5. When done remove bread from glass pan and let cool for 5-10 minutes
6. Slice and serve

Enjoy!

Hope you are staying safe and warm tonight!

Snowed In Workout

Hey Hey! I hope you guys are having a great Monday!

This morning we woke up to quite a winter wonderland.

I headed to work this morning and made the first tracks in the snow through my neighborhood. I used to hate driving in the snow but now that I have an all wheel car it is almost fun!

WORKOUT

I completed the GPP workout of the day plus some extra stuff and have Body Attack tonight! I am wearing my top from Fabletics! I love the soft fabric and the color.

Love my messy bathroom? Yea. Ill get to it. #reallife

BREAKFAST

When I got home my stomach was feeling a bit off? I had a banana and almond butter before heading to work but it just didn’t sit with me. I use to be the person who HAD to eat something before I workout but lately I have been heading out the door in a hurry to make it for work and haven’t eaten before my workout due to early alarm, feeding/pumping and getting ready.. and now maybe my body prefers it that way now? Either way I kept breakfast pretty light.

2 eggs some egg whites, spinach, and sweet potato along with 2 clementine's.

If you decided to skip your morning workout at the gym due to the crazy weather, I created a workout you can do at home! No excuses. Don’t wait till the new year to start reaching your goals. Mondays are always good place to start!

Here are a few of the demo videos for the above movements:

Skaters

Bicycle Crunches

Step Switches -> Use a stair in your home.

Get your workout done today!

Do you eat before a workout?

Lazy M.F Monday: Graphic Tees

 

Happy Monday! Hope you guys all had a great Christmas and soaked in as much family time as possible. I am still in a holiday funk. As in.. getting back into routine hasn’t been the easiest. I guess that is why we have new years resolutions right?

Are you ready for another Lazy Mother Fashion Monday?

I have been such a fan of graphic tees lately. I love to dress them up with a chunky necklace and a matching jacket. Then when you get home you can throw on some sweats and call it a day! 

Dress it up with some pleather pants, skinny jeans or joggers. Then rock it down with your favorite pair of comfy sweats. I love how some of them have catchy sayings on them or a simple design.

Here are couple of my favorites in my closet and then a few that has caught my eye lately.

Shirt: Holy Chic from Old Navy

Jacket: Ponte Jacket from Target

Necklace: Old..

Shirt: Mindys Mae Market ON SALE!

Necklace: Diamond chunk was J crew. Old. Gold Bar Necklace

Here are a few others I have my eye on.

Tee: Urban Outfitters

Tee: Anthropologie ON SALE

And of course because I am a “mean girl” fan. I seriously could probably quote that whole movie. I saw this tee at target online and will be buying it.

Tee: You Go Glen Coco from Target—> Also ON SALE

Past Lazy M.F Monday Posts:

Jewelry organizer

What is in my make up bag?

Do you have a favorite graphic tee?

Christmas In Pictures

 

 

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

A Little Christmas Survey

Merry Christmas Eve!

I saw this fun little survey over on Ashleys Blog and I am a fan of fun little surveys so here we go!

Egg Nog or hot chocolate?

I’m a hot chocolate fan all the way! Mint Chocolate to be specific. I really don’t love egg nog.. you almost have to chew it.. My grandma puts sprite in it and it makes it foamy and almost bearable. I have also made hot chocolate with chocolate protein powder which is amazing also!

Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?

Wraps everything always! I love wrapping all the gifts for my kids because it just makes Christmas morning last a little longer.

Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White on both.

Do you hang mistletoe?
I did last year.. not this year.. I just think I never saw one in the stores?…

When do you hang your decorations up?
The day after Thanksgiving.. and I don’t take them down till probably mid January.

What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
My grandma usually makes crab every year! It is my absolute favorite. My Aunt Jana also makes a killer artichoke dip that I love.

Favorite holiday memory as a child?
We used to sleep over at my grandmas house every Christmas eve with all of my cousins. One time my sisters and I were sneaking upstairs to see if Santa had come yet and we were being SO quiet and I stepped in dog POO.. ended up in the bathroom trying to clean my foot off without waking any of the adults! Miss that old dog..  My grandma also always reads us a book for Christmas. It is one of my favorite memories.

What is on your Christmas wish-list?
Jaw bone and Lulu of course.

Do you open any gifts on Christmas Eve?
Yes, just jammies at our house but we have a few holiday parties on Christmas eve so we usually get a couple of gifts there.

How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
I have red white and green balls, but my tradition is we make a little ornament each year with the kids faces in them. I love hanging those up and seeing how much my kids have grown in the last year.

Snow? Love it or dread it?
I love it except when I don’t have to drive

Real tree or fake tree?
Fake. As much as I love the smell of a real tree, I don’t love the mess and upkeep/fire hazard of them.

Do you remember your favorite gift?
My favorite gifts are the ones that are actually thoughtful. I have had a few different ones through out the year. It is hard to just choose one..

What’s the most important thing about Christmas for you?
Remembering and reflecting about the birth of Jesus Christ.

What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Sugar Cookies and Chex mix.

What is your favorite tradition?
Going to Temple Square to see the lights!

What tops your tree?
A silver star.

Which do you prefer, giving or receiving?
I won’t lie, receiving gifts is always fun! But, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve developed more of an appreciation for giving. Seeing someone’s eyes light up by the thoughtfulness and energy put into the gift you give them truly doesn’t compare to receiving gifts. (Ditto to Ashley!)

Candy canes, yuck or yum?
I’m not a peppermint fan but I do love the gobstopper candy canes.

Favorite Christmas Movie?
Home Alone and Christmas story.

What do you leave for Santa?
Cookies and carrots for his reindeer

Do you have a Christmas morning tradition?
We go to my Dads every Christmas morning.

Do you prefer to shop online or at the mall?
Online.. Being a busy mom requires quite a bit of online shopping because you don’t really get a chance to go to the store without a kid or two.

Christmas letter or Christmas card?
Christmas cards! I love to save them too and look through them each year.

I hope you guys have a great Christmas!

I just want to say thank you to all of you and your support here on my little bloggy!

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

“It came without ribbons, it came without tags, it came without packages, boxes or bags…What if Christmas he thought doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas perhaps, means a little bit more.” 

-Dr. Suess

Question of the day:

Answer one or all of the questions from above!

Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Fudge

We have been in a baking and making mode around here. Baylee has proven to be the perfect cookie ball roller.

We are in the process of making sugar cookies for all of our neighbors. These may be the best sugar cookies on earth.

Lunch:

I also have had this lunch more often than not. It has been my go too lately. Crockpot shredded chicken, yellow squash, zucchini, mushrooms and asparagus, topped with avocado.

I even add sweet potato if I have some on hand. Quick and simple! Especially when it is left overs

Sugar Free Peanut Butter Fudge

On Sunday we made this Peanut Butter Fudge that my friend Ashley sent me! She is doing the no white flour/sugar challenge with me till Christmas and has sent me some amazing recipes  lately. She found this fudge recipe from a pretty popular instagram @jazzythings! Follow her for some pretty simple recipes that are quick and healthy!

This Fudge is dense and delicious! If you have a sweet tooth this will definitely hit it!

Ingredients:

• 2 C. All Natural Peanut Butter
• 2/3 C. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 C. Melted Coconut Oil
• 1/2 C. Agave or Natural Honey
• 1 t. Vanilla flavoring
• Pinch of Sea Salt!

 

Directions:

Combine all ingredients with a food processer or blender.

Press it into a 8x8 pan and place in freezer till firm.  (Store in fridge.)

Bam. Yes, its that easy!

Well, I am off to teach a boot camp class and then have to do some “elf errands” for the big guy and then have Body Pump later tonight followed right after a Christmas party with Brent’s mom and family. The Bement family has the tradition to do a mexican themed dinner, we have enchiladas, tacos, and do a pinata! We actually used the pinata to announce that I was pregnant with the twins one year! (Before we even knew it was twins!) It is a tradition I always look forward too. The pinata.. not announcing another pregnancy..

What is your favorite thing about Christmas? Tradition? Food? Etc?

Lazy M.F Monday: What’s in my makeup bag?

 

Who is ready for another Lazy M.F Monday post!?

I know this is just my second post of the series but I am loving them! I have brain stormed a whole list of different topics to share and I am excited to post about them.

First off, how was your weekend? I hope it was full of a little or a lot of holiday cheer. We had a family party on Saturday to celebrate Christmas and my grandmother turning 90!

She is the one on the left and she is talking to her sister who is 95!! I have to say. Both of them look amazing for their age! Lets hope I fall into that piece of my genetic pool.

I love that lady!

Anyway, back to business!

What is in my make up bag.

I always find these post interesting because I love to find and hear about different products that others love, and that I may actually fall in love with also. As a busy mom I don’t get the opportunity to make it out to the mall often to try on, and purchase some of my favorites as I used too, but  I have found a lot of great products at target or even the grocery store that replicate a few of my department store favorites.  So here are a few of my faves from my bag.

Just so you know these products are well used, most are about ready for a refill!

First up!

Physicians formula BB Cream.

This is amazing! It is pretty similar to Bobbi Browns BB cream and half the price! It is still about $14 but is worth it. One bottle can last me 3-4 months, and I use it every. single. day. It provides moisture, coverage, and flawless looking skin! I don’t think I will ever waste my money on a different kind of foundation ever again.

HP Concealer by NYX

I have loved this concealer. Its easy to apply and blends perfectly! I also love the waterproof stick by NYX. I use it under my eyes and as a highlighter! Go buy it and thank me later.

ELF brushes.

You guys, these brushes are like $1-$3 at Target. Seriously. So cheap and I love them. I have never splurged on nice brushes before so I guess I really don’t know the difference.

Elf has a crazy amount of different brushes all with a great price point! Check them out next time you are in Target!

Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Eye Liner (black).

I used to use Bobbi Browns gel liner but I found this about a year ago and love it just as much. It comes with a brush but I toss it and use this elf small angle brush and apply it to my bottom lid.

NYX butter cream lip glosses

I think these have been my favorite find recently! They are smooth lip gloss that has bright colors all the way to neutral colors and I have about 6 different ones. My favorite is the crème brulee! It is a light every day color that I am sure everyone can pull off. I bought the red one recently to add a pop of color for the holidays!

Physicians Formula Bronzer

I buy the medium-dark pallet and use it everyday. I never put bronzer on my whole face, just where the sun would hit (like where you are most likely to get sunburned). It adds the perfect amount of that sun kissed look. It also cost about $12 ish dollars. But last quite awhile!

ELF Pink Passion blush

 

This blush is hot pink and seems a bit intimidating at first but I promise it looks amaze on. It also cost a grand total of $3.00! You can’t beat that. I use it everyday also and have repurchased it multiple times!

Natural Eye Shadow by NYX

I recently just purchased this to test it out and I think I may stick to a loose powder. I like this, and I do go for more of a more matte look compared to a shimmer but, I like how a loose powder goes on more than a pressed powder. Although, I do miss my MAC eye shadow but which is pressed but just is better.

Maybelline Mascara

I have used this mascara since Junior high. My mom is the one who introduced it to me, and I have used it ever since she taught me how to put on my own makeup. Weirdly, I feel like it connects me to her in a way. (My mom passed away in ‘05) I have tried SO many other mascaras, even department kinds and none match up to good ole’ Maybelline. I always buy the blackest black!

MAC lip stick.

I have a variety of lip sticks by MAC. In fact I have a whole different bag full of a variety of different colors and brands of lipstick. MAC is my favorite by a landslide. They stay the longest and topped with a shine gloss from Victoria Secret and your good to go!. NYX are a close second.

I love make up and it has totally worn off on my little one. She always asks me to do her make up before we go anywhere! I secretly love it.

Past M.F Monday post:

Jewelry organizer

What product are you currently crushing on lately?