Healthy Smoothies!!

The Nutribullet has been a lifesaver for me for my daily breakfast. I started drinking vegetables that I didn't think I would ever mix into a smoothie! If you don't already have one, I suggest you go out there and purchase one. You will not regret it, I promise!

Some of the different types of smoothies I enjoy making are;

Strawberries, blueberries, banana and kale.

Strawberries, blueberries, kale, crushed almonds or flax seeds

Strawberries, grapes, mixed greens

Blueberries, kale, mixed greens, crushed almond or chia seed

1 Banana and 2 tsps of organic peanut butter or almond butter

I usually like to measure everything out, using my own judgement. This way, I can add more of what I want to taste versus what I want to taste less, yet still receive the same amount of nutrients that my body needs.

The great thing about this product is that it comes with 2 small measuring/traveling cups, and one large one. All you do is add water once you are done putting all of your ingredients in, and there you have it...a healthy and nutritious smoothie with lots of protein and vitamins! It will also fill you up nicely until it is time for lunch. Sometimes, I also like to add a little bit of almond milk after adding water to my drink.

You can obviously use a regular blender as well to make these types of smoothies, but they don't come with a separate blade just for crushing your almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, etc.

Overnight Oats

I have come across many articles for different recipes, and have a bunch of people ask me if I have tried making these. Overnight oats is a healthier and inexpensive way to make your own oatmeal and add your own ingredients with as many or as little as you please.

I have yet to try them yet, but I am going to and then I'll let you know how they come out!

The best oats to use are old fashioned oats. There are many different brands to choose from, but they are pretty much all ok to use. Add Almond milk (or any milk of your choice, but I prefer almond milk because it contains less fat). Add any kind of fruit that you want, after mixing everything together, put it into a cute lil mason jar and leave it in the fridge over night! You can add more toppings once you are ready to eat it the next morning for your nutritious breakfast =). I preferably do not like my fruit soggy, so I most likely would not add anything to my oats until I am ready to dig in.

There are so0o0o0o many different types of recipes that you can follow online... they look so yummy and they definitely taste yummy! The good thing about all of this stuff is that it is taking the healthier route for eating oatmeal than if you were to make your instant oatmeal that is just loaded with sugar and carbs. Overnight oats are lower in carbs than instant oatmeal, but oatmeal in general is high in protein and also has a good amount of fiber.

If anyone has made overnight oats before, share with me know how you make yours and what you put into it!

Tuesday Motivation!

Sticking To Your Resolutions

January is almost over! Where does the time go?! I hope everyone has been sticking to their resolutions, whatever they may be. I'm going to be honest... I actually just started mine =X, I guess it's better than nothing!

I know it's hard to stick to resolutions, especially when it comes to losing weight and eating right. Well have no fear! I am going to share with you some ways that I find it easier to stick to my goals.

For starters, I try and focus on myself, and only myself. When I am out with friends or my boyfriend, I really try to stay away from fried foods, and I'll even simplify my meal to something that is much healthier and better for me.... something that won't make me regret eating that buttermilk fried chicken sandwich, or chicken fingers, etc. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I LOOOOVE sweets. I can never get rid of them, BUT when I do have that craving, I will satisfy it. If I want a couple teaspoons (or tablespoons) of ice cream/froyo, I'll have it.... craving an oreo cookie, I'll have just ONE. It is not horrible to satisfy your sweet tooth, you just have to have self-control and have the mindset such as.. "If I eat 3 cookies, will it really be worth me feeling like shit afterwards?" Always think before you dig into that bag of cookies or pint of ice cream or leftover birthday cake. Keep telling yourself how bad you want that beach bod and to feel good in your own skin!

Drinking is also a major factor in weight gain. Many people might not notice it, but alcohol has a lot of calories, and just because you are sticking to your vodka soda's, that does not mean you are out of the clear. Yes, that is my drink of choice, and definitely a healthier one, but if you have more than 2-3 drinks, you are kind of defeating the whole purpose. For those of you who can cut out drinking for a few months to lose weight and tone up, I highly recommend doing so. You will also feel healthier and so much better inside and out. You will also see results much faster! When it comes to drinking, I definitely try to keep it in moderation. Binge drinking is definitely the worst route to take, but majority of us are guilty of doing it, especially on the weekends.

So, the three key things to keep in mind when sticking to your resolutions....

1. Self-control
2. Eat and drink in moderation
3. Give yourself a little pep talk and picture that amazing beach bod you've always wanted!

Sunday Funday!

I would like to share with everyone my certification that I received from the IFPA for Sports Nutrition Specialist. Although I am not a registered Dietician or Registered Nutritionist, this is a very big step for me, and I am hoping this will lead me in the right direction. I am going to continue to take different courses to gain more experience in different aspects of healthy eating, and exercises as well. I hope that for those of you who have been keeping up with my blog, enjoy my posts and have been finding them helpful. Like i've been stating in previous posts... please do not hesitate to comment or email me directly (charnaanes@mac.com), if you have any questions or topics you would like for me to talk about. I am a very open person, and would love to hear what ya'll have in mind =)

Building a Fab Booty

Building a nice tush is not easy, and I am the one person who's advice you can trust on this one. I was never the girl who had the nicest or biggest ass in school.... hell, I had a pretty flat ass. I actually used to get made fun of for not having a tush, and always told myself that one day I would have one, and I would never be made fun of again. And no, I was not a nerd or a loser back in the day, I was usually made fun of by my friends. 

During my junior year in college is when I really started getting into fitness and going to the gym every day. I started squatting and doing lunges, and then I noticed that I was actually starting to get a little something something. I am still working on getting that plump tushy that I've always wanted, but it takes time, and I mean lots and lots of squatting and using different weights, etc. 

It's not always about doing different exercises to shape your booty, it's also a matter of eating the right foods. Nuts, fruits, protein, oats, brown rice, almond butter and veggies are all great foods to eat if you are looking to have a nice buttox.

Some simple exercises I use to work out my booty are: 

1. Squats (obvi).... I like to squat with a 25lb weight, so what I do is, hold the weight with both hands, straight down in front of me, and then squat with the weight. Do not let it hit the ground each time, it should be about 4 inches away from the ground. If you are just beginning with your booty building, I would suggest squatting with no weight, until you get your balance down and feel more comfortable. 

2. Glute Bridges... You will be laying on your back, on the floor, feet planted on the floor in front of you, and then what you do is just lift your tush off the floor, up and down, until you feel your gluts start to burn. You can also do single glute bridges, where you have one foot planted on the floor, raising your buttox up and down, while the other leg is laying flat out on the floor. 

3. Leg Extensions... Get on all fours with your palms flat on the floor in front of you, knees are hip-width apart. Extend your right leg back and out towards the ceiling. Do this for about 15 reps and then switch and repeat with left leg.

4. Lunges... Stand in upright position, and then put your left leg forward and lunge (right leg should be straight and behind. Repeat with right leg in front. You can also do this with free weights by holding one in each hand and lunging with them in each hand.

5. Plank Leg Lifts... Getting into the plank position, slowly raise your right leg up, toes should be pointing downward. Bring your leg about halfway and then bring back down to starting position. Alternate legs.

There are soooo many other exercises to do to create a phenomenal tushy, but these are probably the easiest to start off with if you are just starting out =)

Easy and Healthy Ways to Lose Weight

Everyone wants to lose weight fast, but you have to know how to do so in the healthiest and best ways. Nothing happens over night or within a week, so you have to be patient and let your hard work pay off.

The most important factor when it comes to losing weight is maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. This doesn't mean you should only eat the blandest of foods and starve yourself, but try new foods that are low-carb or low-calorie, yet still have some flavor. Grilled chicken and steamed veggies are always a go-to for me when I am looking to watch what I eat. I season my chicken with some kosher salt, pepper, a little bit of garlic powder, and parsley flakes. I use just a smidgen of oil in my pan so the chicken doesn't stick to it when I am cooking. For my steamed veggies, I usually do not put anything on them, not even salt, but if you need some flavor, then adding a pinch of salt and mixing it in will not be the worst thing for you. If I have extra chicken left over (which I usually do), I use it to make a salad for myself for either dinner or for my lunch the next day. Not only are you eating healthy and prepping your meals, but you are also saving money on buying lunch every day =). Another go-to for me is a turkey sandwich on whole wheat of whole grain bread. For me, I need to eat carbs and I love bread, so a turkey sandwich is always a simple and healthy lunch for me to eat and be satisfied. Sometimes, I also like to wrap my turkey and a piece of cheese in lettuce and make little wraps for myself.

Exercising is the second most important factor. If you want to see quicker results, and not just from eating healthy, you should exercise at least 3-4 times a week. If you take 30-45 minutes out of your day to exercise, I promise that you will feel 10 times better and more motivated to lose weight, and stick to the gym. You will also start seeing those results much quicker! I know that it's the beginning of January and it's starting to get real cold here in New York, but that's no excuse to stay home, sitting on your couch eating junk food, and then once spring comes your like "oh crap, I should've started going to the gym 3 months ago." You have got to push yourself to get to the gym and work that butt off!

Now is the time to start heading to the gym or working with a trainer if you want to see the best results for the summer time! I myself have to start eating cleaner again, and that is exactly what I plan on doing this week =).

Arm Exercises

I have a couple of friends ask me how to tone your arms. To tone anything on your body takes time, so if you do not see results after a week or two, it is ok, you will see them! I have come up with a couple of different arm exercises for you to follow, using free weights/dumbbells.

If you are not used to lifting free weights, or any weights for that matter, then you should always start off with the least amount of lbs and work your way up once you feel that you are ready. When I started to get into lifting weights, I started with 7lbs, then 10, I had even made it up to 25 over the summer, but once I stopped lifting and started doing more cardio from eating and drinking so much towards the end of the summer, I am now back at 15lbs ::covers face::. Everyone is different, so don't push yourself to lift a heavier amount than you should be, because you can really hurt yourself, or even tear something internally.

Here are 10 exercises I have chosen for you to follow in order to tone those arms!

I would start off with 15-20 reps for each exercise if you are a beginner, and once you feel comfortable and your arms aren't burning so much, do 20 more.

1. Bicep/Arm Curls; Make sure your arms are hanging low, elbows into your sides, palms are facing upwards with your dumbbells. Curl dumbbells into your shoulders and then lower them back down into your sides.

2. Horizontal Bicep Curls; Standing, your legs should be shoulder-width apart, with a straight back. Place a dumbbell in each hand, arms and palms facing upward, lifting both arms out to your sides. Bend your arms at your elbows, in towards your ears and then slowly uncurl your arms after 5 seconds. Do not let your arms drop down into your sides, keep them extended and repeat.

3. Overhead Triceps; With both hands wrapped around a dumbbell handle, keeping your back straight, pushing your shoulder blades down and back, press the dumbbell over your head, elbows pointing straight forward. The dumbbell should be placed directly overhead with your palms facing upward and hanging vertically from your palms. Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head at a 90 degree bend. Straighten your elbows slowly to the starting position and repeat.

4. Triceps Kickback; Slightly bend your knees and lean forward, keeping your feet hip-width apart and your back flat. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, bend your elbows at your waist, keeping the dumbbells slightly higher than your chest. Straighten your arms out behind you, keeping your elbows close to your body and your upper arms still. Return your arms to the starting position and repeat.

5. Tricep Extensions; Holding one dumbbell with both hands, raise it overhead, keeping elbows close to your head, keeping your back straight. Still keeping your elbows tight and close to your head, dip the dumbbell back behind your head. Repeat this process.

6. Front and Side Raises; Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, dumbbell in each hand, with palms facing inward. Raise your arms out to your sides at shoulder level and keep there for about 5 seconds. Do not bend your elbows. Slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position. Once back at the starting position, raise arms back out, but this time, raise them out straight in front of you...hold for 5 seconds and then bring back down to starting position. Repeat one after the other for 15-20 reps.

7. Shoulder Press; Standing up straight (or sitting on gym bench), feet hip-width apart, hold a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your elbows and raise arms reaching shoulder height so that dumbbells reach ear-level. Push the dumbbells up and in, almost as if you are "raising the roof," but with a little twist (get it? HAHA) Repeat this process.

8. Boxing; If your gym has a punching bag, I suggest you buy some boxing gloves and take full advantage of this! When it comes to boxing, you are constantly using your arm strength and burning calories at the same time! You can definitely work up a quick and great sweat!

9. Push-Ups; Everyone knows what a push-up is, so I am sure I do not need to explain =)

10. Kneeling Tricep Extensions; Using a chair, or you can even do this on the floor, bend from the hip and support right knee on chair (or floor), making sure your abdominals are tight. With your left hand holding a dumbbell at a 90 degree angle at your elbow, extend dumbbell behind you until arm is straight. Before extending your arm, make sure the dumbbell is close to your torso and lined up with your shoulder. Repeat this process and then switch to the other side.

And there you have it folks! I know its easier to see all of these exercises being done in person, rather than reading it word for word. Unfortunately, I am at work and cannot take videos or pictures and step you through, but you are more than welcome to shoot me a comment or message me on Facebook, or even shoot me an email ( charnaanes@mac.com), and I would love to help you out if interested in learning some of these exercises!