Fun and Healthy Snacks for your July 4th Party !!

The 4th of July is already here! It is time for the BBQ's and all of the yummy snacks and desserts to stuff our faces with!

I am not a Pinterest kinda gal, but I did decide to check out some healthy snacks on the site, and I must say, people are very clever! These snacks are super creative, healthy, and easy to make!

A few of my faves that I came across are:

Firework Fruit Kabobs- all you have to do is buy some wooden skewers, watermelon and blueberries. Oh, and a star-shape cookie cutter =). What you are going to do with the watermelon, is cut it up (or buy it cut up already, but in larger pieces), use the cookie cutter to create star shapes out of the watermelon. Add your blueberries onto the skewer, and add your star-shaped watermelon on top, and there you go.... a firework fruit kabob! A fun way to eat your fruits on a wonderful July 4th day!

Coconut Water and Fresh Berry Popsicles -- I found this cool recipe from http://www.backtothebooknutrition.com/coconut-water-fresh-berry-popsicles-4th-of-july/#_a5y_p=3982780

Also, these 4th of July yogurt bites that I am DEFINITELY going to try out from http://loveandmarriageblog.com/healthy-4th-july-yogurt-bites/

I hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th of July weekend!

I Know You've Missed Me =)

Hey everyone! I know I haven't posted anything in a couple of weeks, because I just got back from Europe! I have missed blogging, so here I am!

I visited both Spain and France, and let me tell you, it was a wonderful experience! The best part about the entire trip though, was all of the delicious food!! I know I've posted in the past about how to eat healthy, yet still enjoy vacationing, but this time I decided to splurge a bit more than expected. I definitely had my fair share of breads and pastries, but you just can't resist how good it is over there! There were definitely other parts of my trip where I did stick to a nice big salad. It's all about compromising with yourself and really being able to have the ability to use that self control you know you have deep down.

Again, don't be too hard on yourself while you are away on vacation! Vacationing is all about having fun and eating whatever you want! Once you are home from vacation, you will be able to get right back on track with the gym and eating healthy.... I promise!

How to control your cravings while eating out at a restaurant

I am a HUGE foodie, and so is my boyfriend (who is also a cook), so you can only imagine how hard it is for me to eat healthy 24/7. I do try my best though!

Being a foodie requires you to want to go out and try tons of different restaurants! It is not a bad thing, BUT there are ways you can portion your meals, so that you don't feel as guilty once the meal is over. When I go to certain restaurants, I do like to splurge, because let's face it, you can't get that sort of food at home! If you are on a diet, chances are, you'll want to eat a salad, which is OK, but if you have little self-control like I do, you are going straight for that piece of crostini, or that gnocchi!

I see it this way.... if you spend your entire week eating clean and healthy, then all you have to do when you go out for a nice dinner, is eat smaller portions! If there happens to be a pasta dish in front of your face, and you just can't resist it, take a small spoonful of it and enjoy! It doesn't hurt to have a tiny spoonful of that AMAZING pasta on your plate =).

Also, you can modify your meal as well.... such as swapping out those tasty french fries for some steamed veggies or a nice side salad. Where there is a will, there is a way! At the end of the day, it is all about motivation and self-control. You don't have to torture yourself by not going out to eat, or enjoying that chicken parm for one night!

Infuse Your Water

I recently started to infuse my water with fresh fruits and veggies, and I must say, it makes me feel super refreshed and hydrated! Still experimenting with different recipes though :)

Today I decided to add some strawberries, lemon and cucumber to my water. It took me a second to get used to the taste, but I must say, it is pretty tasty! There are soooo many different combinations you can try.

Here is an article I found on Buzzfeed that has all different types of recipes for infused water:

https://www.buzzfeed.com/emmacooke24/21-fruit-infused-waters-to-hydrate-with-this-summe-1ku65?utm_term=.vggde2pOV6#.fuPD8xN93X

Definitely try this stuff out!


Benefits?

• Well for starters, it keeps you super hydrated (like regular drinking water, except with flavors and natural antioxidants/vitamins)
• Keeps food moving through your system
• Flushes toxins from your system
• Boosts your metabolism
• Helps you recuperate faster from a workout