At Home Workout

It's been a rainy afternoon here in Jax today and I've been stuck inside while my car is having maintenance done which means I've been BORED. I cleaned the house yesterday and we all know you can't clean the house one day and fold laundry the next...that's just too productive! Thanks to the rain I wasn't able to go for a walk but I wanted to get a workout in despite the weather.

I wanted something total body and something that wouldn't take too long because I might have to go get my car soon so I broke out a few at home exercise staples and made this routine for myself:

1 minute jump rope for warm up
30 squat press with 8lb dumbbells
30 second jump rope
30 lunges (15 each side) with 8lb dumbbells
30 second jump rope
15 pushups (girly style of course)
30 second mountain climbers
30 second plank (high or low, but I prefer high)
30 second mountain climbers
30 second side plank (each side)
3 minute stretch (I focus on hip openers and hamstring stretches, being a hip patient and all!)

Phew. I am beat after just typing that again! It doesn't seem like much and it didn't take much of my time, but it kept my heart rate up the whole time and I was ready for a nap afterwords. Getting back in tip-top shape is no picnic, but I feel accomplished and proud that I didn't let the rain get in the way of my daily exercise.

Are there any home work outs you go to on a rainy day or days where you don't feel like going to the gym? Share them here or on the Real Life, Real Health facebook page and twitter!

Almond Butter Breakfast

Happy Saturday!

This morning I'm going to share with you my almond butter recipe. If you've tried almond butter before then you know how expensive it can be, but it's not if you make it! If you're a peanut butter lover but haven't tried almond butter, then give this a try.

You need a food processor (mine is the mini version from Cuisinart and it works jut fine) to make the butter and a bag of dry roasted almonds- feel free to roast them yourself if that suits you!

Now my secret ingredient is something I mentioned yesterday: coconut oil. Not everyone has this at home and it is a little pricey if you buy it at health food stores, but Publix had a big tub of it for $5.99 so I would try there first. The reason I love coconut oil in this is because it has a very mild flavor but also because its not quite solid or liquid at room temperature, which means less separation of the oil from the butter later on. Seriously, I hate stirring nut butters back together every time I want to use them.

Here we go:

1/2 cup almonds, skins on or off
1/ tbsp coconut oil
Pinch of salt

That's it! I like to start the almonds in the processor first and then add the oil at the crumbly stage. You could add a little honey or agave to sweeten it up, but I like it plain on toast. I ate it this way this morning in fact!

Have a great weekend and get a little nutty!

Break Over!

Hey guys,

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted something. I've been so busy with finishing up school and because life is never easy, some wrenches have been thrown in the way including emergency vet visits! All is well now and classes have come to an end until late August so it's time to get back to the business of blogging!

I've been working on some new recipes to share with everyone soon, but today I'm just going to focus on some of my food favorites for Spring and Summer.

1. Avocado: These little green grenades have been on my plate multiple times a week and I can't get enough! There's just something about that creamy texture that makes avocado's irresistible to me and their versatility is great. I've been making avocado spreads for toast and bagels, making Pinterest inspired avocado and pesto grilled cheese, topping my salads, and of course using them for taco nights!

2. Coconut: Growing up near the beach lends itself to loving coconut flavored anything, especially a good summer drink! I've been making coconut crusted tilapia and working on coconut power bites (like granola bars but better!) so I can get my fix! I've also recently started using coconut oil and I'm really starting to appreciate what the hype is all about. It's a good substitute for butter and really does double as a beauty product. Moderation is key here of course, both in your food and your hair!

3. Fruit salads: I'm not talking about melon balls in a bowl here, but fruit ON your greens. It's not rocket science and a lot of places offer great salads featuring fruit in the spring and summer, but I'm all about it. Lunch is usually when I try to get both fruit and veggies in my meal so a good fruit salad is definitely a go-to.

Look for some recipes related to my food faves coming up soon! While you're here, leave a comment letting me know what your favorite Spring/Summer foods are and how you like to used them!

Have a great day!