The other night I was a little crunched for time and needed to whip something together for dinner and I realized I hadn't planned for anything! I had been to Costco recently and I had a container of their Cilantro Lime Shrimp from their deli area... I love keeping those TASTY shrimp around for when hunger strikes or moments like this! I skewered the shrimp and my husband threw them on the grill! I made a salad with mixed greens, kale, arugula, goat feta, beets (also from Costco...called "Just Beets" in the deli...easy and delicious), cherry tomatoes and avocados. I dressed it lightly with some balsamic and olive oil! For how good it looked and tasted it was SUPER easy, so I thought I'd share with you. My husband always grumbles a little bit when we have seafood, but he LOVED it...even talked about it the next day, how much he enjoyed the shrimp that way! Paleo success!!
Fitness Challenge Day 2
Day-2-done
Ok! It's Day 2 of the Fitness Challenge! My commitment was to walk for at least 30 minutes on my "in between" days, so today I did just that! I took "Stella" with me today as I just did a 3 mile loop near my house that has some hills...she can handle that. It took us exactly 30 minutes. I'm pacing myself as it's only Day 2. It's a good idea to do that so you can get a feel for how sore you will get if exercise is new for you....or if you haven't been doing it regularly. (...that's me lately!) I can feel a slight soreness in my quads today and it feels good, that means change is happening!! So, start slow and pick it up as you feel you can during the 30 days. After your walk today would be a perfect time to do some stretching when your muscles are warm!
We had a great walk, we went early... the coastal fog is here this morning so it was nice a cool. We walked at a pretty good clip, enough for me to get my heart rate up a bit and Stella to get a good pant going! One thing I love to do on my walks is to take pictures of anything that grabs my attention...or inspires me. Today, as I passed these mailboxes, that I've passed a million times, it reminded me of living in Beverly Glen Canyon in LA as a kid and it made me smile. The multiple canyons in Los Angeles that run from the top of Mulholland Drive down to Sunset Boulevard are so scenic, beautiful... and have so much character. There are no sidewalks and there're little "lanes" that fork off here and there... going up further and further into the hills. Because of this, all the mailboxes would be stacked up at the bottom of the lanes. It's funny the things you remember as a kid. It's a fond memory for me because it was such an amazing place to grow up...
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If your commitment is to walk during these 30 days, don't talk on your phone, even take your headphones off... just for today ;) Enjoy your surroundings and think of something that makes you happy, even something as small and simple as a mailbox.
What makes a girl "Beautiful" instead of "Hot"
I saw this article on EliteDaily and thought it was important to post here on my blog because I loved it so much. When a woman is truly "beautiful"...it is that 'extra thing' that is so much more than looks....Enjoy!
Below is the article, it was written by Lauren Martin:
Beautiful. It’s a powerful word, one not thrown around as frivolously as hot, pretty or any of the hundreds of words we’ve come to describe women, debasing their worth to nothing more than the symmetry of their face and the fullness of their lips.
It’s a word that holds power and prestige far beyond that of any other adjective. It’s a sacred word, one kept for those who truly can’t be described any other way.
It’s a word that chases women to plastic surgery and extreme diets. It’s the base of all women’s desires and lifelong struggles.
But isn’t beautiful about so much more than looks? Isn’t it in that extra thing — that thing that makes a woman beautiful instead of hot?
We’ve already debated the differences between hot and beautiful, but we never really answered what exactly makes a woman beautiful — what dictates a woman’s right to that elusive status, what embodies that strong adjective we hold to such high regard?
By now we’ve learned that looks are in the eyes of the beholder and there is indeed a somewhat mystical quality of the soul that can turn a beautiful face into an ugly one.
People who have “beautiful” exteriors can begin to look ugly after you get to know them, while someone with a somewhat “average” face can become the most beautiful person you know, proving that beauty isn’t just a façade, but an iridescent quality that is not solely dependent on one’s gene pool.
It’s the quality that elevates a woman from just hot or sexy. It’s in the way she walks, talks and presents herself. It’s the way she radiates from the inside, out. It’s her soul and her spark and that thing you just can’t put your finger on.
It might be the girl you don’t notice at first, the one who doesn’t always stand out. It’s the girl you need to get to know, whose beauty becomes more defined with every conversation, every glance. It’s a word that describes women who can’t be classified as just hot.
Her passions define her more than her looks There is nothing more beautiful than a woman with passion. A girl who gets excited about things, lives for things and holds things close to her heart is a girl worth knowing.
She’s the girl you’d rather talk to in bed than take to bed. Because passion is contagious and watching someone get excited about something is the most beautiful quality you can find in someone.
She shows you her real face Women have the right to wear makeup and there is nothing wrong with that. However, a beautiful woman doesn’t feel the need to hide behind it.
A beautiful woman does not do anything for anyone but herself, whether that means wearing makeup or going barefaced to work, she makes sure you know that she does not owe her looks to you.
She doesn’t chase the limelight A beautiful woman doesn’t fight for the limelight, but is naturally endowed it. The allure of the beautiful woman is that she does not need to work hard or fight for attention.
She is confident and humble, which usually presents a mysterious quality that attracts people more than outlandish gestures and cries for attention. She doesn’t take away from others or place her worth on how many people she’s talking to.
She knows how to talk There’s nothing worse than a woman who doesn’t know how to use her mouth. A woman who knows how to speak her mind intelligently, who can captivate you with her words and opinions proves that there is nothing more beautiful than intelligence. Smart is sexy and words have the power to turn any girl into the woman of your dreams.
She can go it alone A woman who doesn’t need a man is a woman who is confident — and confidence is the key to real beauty. A woman who doesn’t need the approval of others radiates with a security and poise that elevates her from the status of just another hot face.
Because being a woman isn’t about needing a man, and a beautiful woman understands that she, herself, is enough.
She’s tight-lipped There’s nothing more intriguing than a woman of mystery, one who keeps her affairs private and those unnecessary words to herself.
Because there is nothing uglier than people who talk just to hear themselves speak. A beautiful woman is full of surprises and becomes more beautiful the more time you spend getting to know her.
She bends over backwards Is there anything more beautiful than selflessness? Beauty is found in those who care about more than just themselves.
A truly beautiful woman is compassionate and caring; she will never hesitate to blow her cover by showing that she cares. Hot girls play with your heart, beautiful girls mend it.
She’s open Beautiful women do not limit themselves. They are open to new ideas, places and people. They do not shy away from things because of stigmas and fear, they are beautiful in their boldness and their open minds.
She’s got soul There is such a thing as people with ugly souls and we’ve all met at least one person who proves it. A beautiful woman radiates not because of her tinted moisturizer or glossy hair, but because of that something inside her that just makes you want to be near her.
Hot girls don’t need to you show you their souls, beautiful women attract you with theirs.
She’s got that thing You know that thing, it’s the thing you just can’t place. It’s something that you can’t put into words, let alone describe to your friends.
It’s the special something about her that you can’t place because you’ve never seen it before. It’s the defining quality of the beautiful woman, the thing no one can ever completely describe.
I hope you enjoyed reading that article as much as I did...to see it on the EliteDaily website or to learn more about Lauren Martin, click here.
Fitness Challenge Day 1
day-1-done
It's finally here! Today is Day 1 of the 7 Minute Workout Fitness Challenge! I did my workout this morning at 8:00am. I used my interval timer app that I had already set up, turned on the tunes, and pressed "start"! I recorded how many of each exercises I could do within the 30 seconds and wrote it down during my 10 second rests. I plan to record this again on Day 15 and again on Day 30 to see my improvements. Today I only did one set as it's Day 1... I'm going to pace myself and see if I feel any soreness.
One set actually felt great! In just over 7 minutes I was winded! I pushed myself pretty hard though. I've never done a workout that took this little time before, so I'm excited to see the results it gives. I had some protein and almond milk about 10 minutes after... pulled off my "Day 1 Post-It"... then went about my day! I had a lot of energy as the day went on and felt like I accomplished something already!
As I was exercising... I thought about all of you out there who are starting this with me! Looking forward to tomorrow, my walk/hike day...!! :) See you tomorrow!
How to stay motivated during the Fitness Challenge!
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This motivation tool will work with anything... any 30 Day Discipline you choose... but today I'm talking about the "7 Minute Workout" Fitness Challenge because it starts TOMORROW!!
This might be the very first 30 Day Discipline you've ever done! That's exciting... but I also know you might be thinking, "How do I stay motivated and stay excited so I finish as strong as I started? Well, I am here to share with you what I plan to do! I'm going to try the Post-It countdown!!
I have taken the "strip" Post-It's...the one's for bookmarking and put 30 of them in a line on the edge of my bookshelf. You could also do this anywhere you will see it often, like on your bathroom mirror! If you have regular Post It's, you could just cut them into strips. Write numbers 1-30 on them. You could have fun with this and write down a fun, motivating note to yourself....like I wrote "half way" on my 15th strip! Next to the strips, put a picture or a short statement that reminds you every dayWHY you started this. To get healthier... to look better... to get stronger... for your self esteem... if you write down "your why", it will motivate you to continue!!
Each day you do what you have committed to do during this 30 day fitness challenge, TEAR IT OFF and you'll visually see that your are that much closer to your goal!!
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I am SO excited to exercise and get healthier with all of you!! Remember, you can EAT your way through any workout, so remember to do the right thing and try to eat healthier during these 30 days. You'll feel better and recover from the workouts better too. If you have any tips and tricks you use to stay motivated, I'd love to hear from you so I can share it! After all, we are in this together!!
I was contacted yesterday by someone who said that she really would love to join in on the Fitness Challenge, but she can't do any exercises that involve her arms right now because of a procedure she recently had done... I let her know that that's okay!! That's the beauty of this... you make it work for YOU. I sent her this modified workout that she can do. I just changed any exercises that involved arms and added more legs and abs. It's not about perfection, it's about doing YOUR best. So if anyone else has a similar situation, feel free to contact me. This is what I sent her... sorry it's all wrinkled up, but I was carrying it around with me! LOL! The point being, you can modify this to fit YOUR commitment!
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Again, I'll be posting daily during this 30 days...my experience, what I'm doing, and to keep you all involved!! Remember to write down what your commitment is during these 30 days. Mine is: To do at least one set of the" 7 Minute Workout" every other day, to walk at least 30 minutes on the days in between, and to continue to eat Paleo/clean. IF YOU DON'T WRITE IT DOWN, IT'S NOT A GOAL...IT'S A WISH!! Most important....HAVE FUN.
In case you've missed it, learn more about the Fitness Challenge here: "7 Minute Workout #1", "What to eat before and after a workout", "Gain confidence in just 30 days"
"Frenchie Friday" - What does YOUR dog resemble?
It's "Frenchie Friday"! I woke up to "Stella's" face staring at me...almost like she KNEW it was her day today!! Usually she will sleep as long as anyone else is sleeping, it's like she knows she gets to be "Stella the Star" on Friday's. ;) Pets bring so much love, joy and entertainment to our daily lives. "Stella" makes us happy every day. I thought it'd be fun to think about what YOUR pet resembles! When I worked at a vet for 17 years of my life.... I saw some GREAT examples of dogs that had a "likeness" to certain objects that would make us laugh!! Not that we were laughing at them... they were just so cute!! For instance... the freshly groomed Bichon Frise... makes you think of one thing... right!? This one's easy...
So, have some fun with this and make yourself one of these pics of your pet with the fun app "Pic Stitch"! Use your imagination! I've always had a love for the Porsche "Speedster" since I was a little girl... recently I said to my husband..."OMG, "Stella" the "Speedster"!! Frenchie's totally have that sloped shape... bubble in the front, sloped in the rear! :) Here you go... have a good laugh...
I'd LOVE to see some of your pics of YOUR pets... please share!! Have fun today, don't forget to laugh...HAPPY FRIDAY!!