Fast-Blasting 5 Minute Workouts!

Hey guys!! 


Today I wanted to share with you two great and super quick workouts...because who has time to workout?! ;) Well now you do. These two routines are only FIVE MINUTES! But they get the job done. Win-win. Now, enough talk. Select one (or both if you're feeling brave) and get that metabolism burning! 

Now try this one! ;)

Love,


Lo

Try-It-Tuesday: No Dessert for 6 Months

Call me crazy. I kind of feel that way. I have grown up loving and enjoying chocolate. Maybe a little too much! It's hard to control when my Dad has a large chocolate stash he always updates. And I know exactly where it is.

Sometimes on Pinterest I'll see something about cutting sugar out of your diet (which is actually a bad idea - your body needs sugar! Just make sure it's the right kind), and I've always been like, yeahhh, okay, that's a joke. I never would have thought that I could be the person to stop eating sweets or cut out bad sugar from their diet, but.....

I've decided to do an experiment of sorts. On Sunday, after coming home from our grandparents house, my brother and I were talking about all the dessert we eat. It's so tasty, and really hard to resist when you have a mom who bakes like a madwoman (in a good way!). She makes the tastiest food. Don't even get me started on her Death By Chocolate. But anyway.... he and I are really trying to get fit, especially lately, so we decided to challenge ourselves and limit our dessert intake. And when I say limit, I mean completely get rid of it from our diet.

I know, it's that shocking. 

So yes. We are crazy. But so far so good! I haven't had dessert since Sunday (we started on Monday), which to you may seem like nbd, but trust me, that's a BIG deal for me! I usually have some kind of treat every day, wether it's chocolate, some kind of baked good, and mostly chocolate again. Let me just say, that having treats IS NOT A BAD THING! I repeat, treats AREN'T a bad thing. I just want to see if I can go without them for a while. I'm making sure that I nourish my body with the necessary nutrients and such, so that I don't feel like I'm depriving myself. 

So when I say "no dessert", what does that mean exactly?

It means: no chocolate, no candy, no pudding, no cinnamon buns, cake, cookies, pastries, or other baked goods (I'm still deciding on muffins - obviously not all muffins are good for you). Although my brother and I decided that we can have dark chocolate. So, I plan on having fruit and dark chocolate to satisfy my sweet tooth while doing this challenge. I have a seriously great recipe for banana ice cream that's totally guilt free and I would 100% allow myself to eat it while doing this. Also, when it comes to dark chocolate, I've never really been a huge fan. That's why I made sure to have good quality chocolate, that's a little over 50% cocoa. I'm sure I could get used to darker chocolate but I don't really want to, because I love the sweet taste of it!

So far, I've found this to be true! I haven't even craved chocolate since starting. Let's hope it continues!

Exceptions include: weddings, birthdays, and the like. I mean special occasions class for a little indulgence! Still not sure on vacations, but I'll update you once I figure it out. 

So, now that I've publicly broadcasted this, I have to stay accountable! I'll keep you updated on my progress too. I don't recommend this for everyone! You have to be careful so you don't deprive yourself so much that you start binging. Sadly I've done that before, on a small scale, but I realized the importance of treating your body well, ie giving it proper nutrients. It's extremely important to give your body what it wants (even if it's a treat), but I'm trying to do it in a healthier way (ie. fruit and dark chocolate). I just want to be less dependant on it for a pick-me-up. So guys, wish me luck!!!

xoxo,

Lo

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Greek Yogurt!

I felt like I'd been having the same breakfast for a while last week and so inspired by this smoothie (I still need to try), I decided to mix up this concoction! Basically I just threw whatever seemed tastiest in a bowl! And voila! It's delicious my friends. Give it a try!

1/2 cup unsweetened plain Greek Yogurt

1-1.5 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Cinnamon

3 tbsp Chocolate Chips

1/4 cup Rolled Oats/Oatmeal (either works)

1/2-1 tbsp real Maple Syrup*

*You can also substitute for brown sugar or 1 pack of stevia

Mix all of that deliciousness together and you'll have yourself a dang tasty - and wayyy easy - morning treat! Enjoy my friends!


Peace and Blessings,

Lo

I Have a Beautiful Body.

Seem like a bold statement? In all honesty, that's a hard thing for me to admit. It is a foreign phrase for me. I have a beautiful body. 

I'm all for positive body image. But as much as I am an advocate for it, I kind of feel like a hypocrite sometimes. I'm learning too though. I think it's easy to just say "everyone is beautiful!" without really meaning it. When you see someone overweight walking down the street, do you judge them? Do you see someone with a thigh gap and skinny legs and judge them? Do you judge people based on their weight? I'm willing to bet that the majority of us have done this. I'll even admit to it. And especially having to admit it online, I feel terrible about it. Why do we do it?

I'm sure there's more to it than we realize, but this is the best explanation I can come up with. I think it's a perpetual cycle. We are hypnotized by the media. We love to see beautiful people. But the thing is that usually aren't seeing real people. Although I'm sure you all know about photoshop. Yet, despite our knowledge, it still affects us. I think that when what we constantly see around us and in the media is one way (ie. toned, skinny, curvy - whatever we aren't), we subconsciously take it in and compare ourselves.

I hate to break it to you, but homeslice over here isn't even that hot. He's attractive in both pictures, I think, but the one on the left creates an unrealistic expectation.

Also, Kourtney didn't even look as good as the magazine cover made her look! Just look at the placement of her left arm in both pictures. That's absurd. I actually hate to think that they photoshopped her baby in any way. That baby is a perfect little guy, and there is definitely NO need to retouch him. I digress though. Ladies, if you are post-preggers right now, please cut yourself some slack! 

ALSO! If you exercise, do it because you want to show your body LOVE! Because your body deserves to be healthy! Not because you "need to lose weight" or because you think that your body isn't good enough. 

You might think this is a Fit Friday post, but it's not, and that's because I want you to try something new. I'll be doing it to, right along with you!

I challenge you all to do something. Well, three things, but I'll start off with this one. I want you to start being consciously aware of what is going through your filter of attention and realize how it is affecting you negatively. Identify what it is that is directly and exactly affecting you. We say the "media", but what does that mean to you? For example, if you catch yourself looking at magazines that are full of toned, skinny, or curvy people, stop it. You don't need to compare yourself to anyone (more than we already do - which we shouldn't!), especially superficial and retouched people. Or worse, those body-bashing magazines. I hate seeing those in the grocery store line up. What worse way to teach us to love ourselves, than to see people making money by hating on other people's bodies, and saying things like "You won't believe who this is!", "Top 10 WORST Bikini Bodies", or "Cellulite Alert!" You can't expect to love yourself when you constantly criticize and find flaws in others. You could even flip those magazine covers over so that you and other people don't have to look at them.

Challenge number two: I want you to start looking for the good in other people. Men and women. Compliment them! Receiving a compliment is an amazing way to cheer someone up and make them feel more confident. Plus, studies show that people like people who compliment them! Duh! You'll make more friends this way. Who could say no to that?! And next time you're with your friends and you see someone who you think doesn't measure up, zip your lips! You have no right to judge them. Instead, replace that mean comment with a positive one! If your friend starts saying something negative, reply with something positive about that person. You don't need to chastise your friend. Just lead by example. If you're by yourself and you hear yourself think a negative thought about someone, be aware of it, forgive yourself, and replace it with something positive. The more you do it, the better you'll become!

Third and final challenge: Change the way you talk to yourself. Either the way you talk outwardly or the way you think about yourself. Watch the video below. When these women started talking positively about themselves, it became contagious. There was so much joy. When you compliment yourself and others, you will be happy! Even watching this video and hearing these women talk so positively made me smile. Start telling yourself that you have a beautiful body. Say it everyday, until it becomes no longer foreign to you. Say it with me right now, I have a beautiful body! 

Now watch this video please!!

Now remember that, and you can change the way you think about yourself! You are beautiful, m'kay?

I want to know, what do you love about your body? And, when do you feel the most beautiful/handsome? I'll start. I love my legs, especially my thighs! I realize that may be really random, but they are strong and beautiful. Also, I love my hair! You can love more than one thing!! I feel the most beautiful when I am helping others or laughing.

Let me know your answers and what you think in the comments below! 

Sending you love,

Lo

Herbed Garlic Shrimp!

So the other day I tried something that slightly freaked me out. It was totally irrational, I know. But still. It was weird. At least at first. Black shrimp. Am I the only one who thinks shrimp should just be pink? Maybe it's just what I'm used to.

Either way, I found this really tasty new recipe for shrimp. I got super excited to make it and then I looked in my freezer and all I could find was this black tiger shrimp. It looked questionable to me. But obviously it's sold in stores for a reason. So without much luck in finding regular shrimp, my hunger pains told me that I needed to suck it up and try it. 

I'm happy to report that it's not weird!! It tastes the same as regular pink shrimp. In fact, it actually turns pink once you cook it. Bonus. 

This recipe is super savoury and has a perfect blend of subtle flavours to make it suitable for pretty much any side dish. I planned on making sweet brussel sprouts, but didn't have time. That's a story for another day. 

Soo here is the slightly adapted recipe from the lovely ladies at Tone It Up! It turned out great you guys! Serves 4.

1 1/2 lbs shrimp*

4 tbsp grapeseed oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1-1/5 tsp dried rosemary

3/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 cup white wine**

salt and pepper to taste

* I'm pretty sure I didn't have that much in the above picture...whoops. It still worked out fine. 

**I didn't have white wine, so I used white wine vinegar and diluted it with water. I ended up doing 2/3 of the measuring cup vinegar and 1/3 water. 

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F. Whisk together oil, garlic, rosemary, and thyme in a pan over medium heat for about 3 minutes. 

2. Add mixture to a baking dish, toss shrimp in, and evenly coat with herbed oil. 

3. Add salt, pepper, and white wine (vinegar) to the dish.

4. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until shrimp are pink. Be careful to watch, because shrimp can easily overcook! (Not from personal experience or anything....).

5. Serve over fresh greens or veggies and drizzle the remaining sauce on top! 

This was after I ate a few. SUPER tasty guys! (Ignore that they may or may not be slightly overcooked, it was still delicious)

Enjoy! And make lots, because they will go fast! ;)


xoxo,

Lo

How To Cure A Burnt Tongue!

Happy Tuesday!

Hope you are all doing well! Today I have an unlikely item on the agenda. Most times on Try-It-Tuesday, I would do a recipe or potentially a craft, but today I am testing out a home remedy. Sadly this weekend I developed a cold at the same time that I burnt my tongue trying to sooth my throat due to the cold.

Life: 1 Lauren: 0

Rookie mistake. I was just so excited to eat some of that chicken noodle soup that I took a big spoonful and slurped it on up. Then felt the intense burn and spit it right back out. It didn't help that I was FaceTiming at the same time. Sorry Ashley for the lovely picture!

I was hoping that the burn would go away when I woke up the next morning, especially since I sucked on about 3 ice cubes. But sadly, it was still there. Although, less painful at least! So, I went on trusty Google to find some home remedies.

I got things like sugar (although it only temporarily soothes it), honey, anesthetic ointment, gurgling salt water (the thought of which makes me want to gag), cough drops, mouth wash, cloves (not sure if they meant the spice or garlic?), Advil, ice cream, raw potato, coconut, and even the genius idea of "not drinking/eating hot foods while waiting for it to heal". Thanks to captain obvious for the last one.

But maybe I was a little stubborn, and I didn't want to wait for my tongue to just heal on it's own, The tricky thing is that I'm not only trying to cure (not just sooth) my burnt tongue, but also not aggravate my cold. That kind of rules out anything dairy sadly. I was really leaning towards yogurt, because I read that it's medically the best thing for a burnt tongue. So I immediately took an Advil after breakfast and set out to find what actually worked!

I figured Advil would immediately help with the pain, mouthwash would also help with the cold, and cough drops were a two-birds-with-one-stone kind of remedy.

I noticed quickly that the Advil lessened the pain, although did not completely alleviate it. The only thing mouthwash did was give me fresh breath - but I guess I can't complain about that.

While I was looking through my medicine cabinets, I remembered this spray that I used a few years back when I had a wicked sore throat. And I found it!! I figured that if it could numb my throat, it could numb my tongue. And numb my tongue it did! Sweet, sweet relief. I could still feel the burn, but only if I pressed my tongue to the roof of my mouth - and even then, it was very minimal. It took about 5 minuted for the full effect to kick in, but it was glorious soothing. I found that you have to reapply it after a few hours, but that may be just because it had a best before date of 2010....(I swear I didn't have it that long ago!)...anyway, it still works! Just make sure to get an anesthetic oral spray of some sort.

Look! I tried out photoshop for the first time and made this cute handy-dandy guide for you!

And if for some reason, the above don't work well enough (they should if you actually use it before the best-before date), it's a good excuse to eat ice cream for a whole day. ;) No judgement coming from me! 

Happy Tuesday friends, and may you never have to deal with a burnt tongue!

Love,

Lo

What "Healthy" Means.

We hear this all the time, "Be healthy!" Or "It's not about being thin anymore, it's about being healthy!" 

So what does it mean to be healthy? This is something I've been pondering for about a year now. It was last year in January when I started on a journey to become healthy. 

Actually, what I wanted was to lose weight. But why did I want to lose weight? It's because I saw people around me and ads and models and all sorts of images and thoughts ingrained in my head, telling me that I wasn't good enough. I think that's really the reason that I felt like I should lose weight. We all are all affected by what's around us, and if it wasn't for that, I think most people would be generally happy with themselves and their bodies. I really wish there wasn't such a thing as "plus-size modelling", I wish it could just be called "modelling". But that's a subject for another day. 

I've grown up in a very supportive home, and for that I am grateful. I grew up with a dad who always told me I was beautiful. Probably every day. I know I am loved. I grew up in a church where I was constantly reminded of my divine origin and potential, and of the unconditional love God and Jesus have for me. I've been extremely lucky to have been told that I am loved, always. 

That love is an amazing backbone. It allowed me to gain confidence, although that love in itself did not give me confidence. That is something everyone needs to gain for themselves. Confidence is something you need to learn for yourself. You can't just be told it, if you want to know it. It's like any talent or skill. It takes time. My own confidence has come over time. And being healthy has been a large part of my confidence. 

So, being healthy helps with confidence. Pass around the sign up sheet!!

Now that that's established, what's involved with being healthy? 

To me being healthy is not about having flat abs, a nice booty, and toned arms. I'm not saying that those things aren't healthy, but being toned isn't what healthy is. Being healthy is also about what you put into your body, having moderation, and being happy. It's also about getting enough sleep. :) That's one of my favourites! 

I believe to be healthy, you should eat when you're hungry, stop when you're full, and on occasion eating a little more. I believe in moderation in all things, even in moderation itself. That's for your mental health. You shouldn't deprive yourself. 

Also, you should make sure that you aren't eating too much sugar. That's something I struggle with a bit. But that's one of my February goals! I'm trying to have sweetness in my meals naturally - from fruit. I'll drizzle maple syrup or agave on my protein pancakes, but I'm trying not to drown then in it. As tasty as that is! 

Being healthy is about exercising to REWARD your body. Steph Hendel came out with a really great image the other day.  

Don't exercise to punish yourself for the way you eat. Do it because your body deserves your love. And you can love it, and make yourself happy, by exercising and releasing endorphins. 

Also, one tip I have is to exercise by finding something you love! That way it's not something you dread. So, if you don't like running (and you've already tried it), try biking! I love going on the bike and watching TV. Go play tennis, plan a hike with your friends, or take a spin class (it works your butt off, and it's fun). Also, I generally like running, but only when I'm in a warmish and beautiful place. I love to be outdoors and see the world. So, I prefer to run outside in the summer on trails when I'm surrounded by nature. But I have a deep dislike for the cold so I choose not to run outside in the winter. So, sometimes I run on treadmills. But if I really don't feel like doing that, I take a dance class (which I just found out I LOVE), go snowboarding, play volleyball, do yoga, or just be active naturally! You could even go roller skating, curling, or tobogganing. 

If you think about people in earlier times, they were fit and healthy. Did they spend hours in a gym on a stair climber? No. Obviously not. I'm sure they would think that that idea would be ridiculous. They did things naturally. If I do things naturally that are healthy, I find it's not so much of a hassle. Like walking for instance - I walk to and from the train to school almost every day. That's about 1/2 a mile each way. I figure if you get in about 2 miles of cardio each day, you're on the right track. And with walking, I'm halfway there.  

Things we can do naturally to be healthy are things like gardening, dancing (because everyone should dance around their house), taking the stairs, going to a park, cleaning, standing more (standing burns more calories than sitting), playing in the snow if it's not too cold (i.e. build a snowman), parking farther away, shovelling snow (bonus if it's for someone else), or generally just don't spend so much time in front of a screen (advice I need to take myself)!

If exercising and using your muscles makes you happy, then being toned will be just a happy bonus! :)

But, let me quickly mention, that sometimes you don't want to exercise, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't! Sometimes working out is hard and makes you sweat, but it is so worth it! Working out and exercising make you feel great after! Sometimes you have to suck it up, BUT if you do something you enjoy, it will be more fun!

So if you want to be healthy, don't base it on your shape or size, and especially not on your weight. Base it on what you put into your body, how you feel (don't eat until you feel gross), and that you're giving your body exercise. 

So to sum up everything I've said, use moderation, limit sugar intake (but only sometimes), find a form of exercise you love, exercise naturally, and you will be (in my definition) healthy. And healthy people are happy people! (Who don't kill their husbands). 

I just want to be happy, and laugh, and enjoy what's around me, and live a long, healthy life. And I'd like to hope I'm on the road to that by being healthy! 

Have a great day friends! :)

Love,

Lo

Healthy Pancakes!

Happy Friday lovelies!!

I'm sharing one of my all-time favourite breakfast recipes with you today! Pancakes. I have a big sweet tooth, so one of my favourite ways to have breakfast is with maple syrup. What can I say, I'm Dutch! ;) The Dutch actually have a word for people with a sweet tooth, which is pronounced something like "Slickhert". I actually have no clue how to spell it, but that's not important. What is important are pancakes!

I don't like to deprive myself, but I do like to be healthy. So, these pancakes are the perfect way to have your cake and eat it too! It's super easy, and the secret healthy ingredient is.........protein powder! It works as a great substitute for flour. Along with pancakes, I've made chocolate cake and muffins with it as a replacement for flour.

You need to make sure you add the baking powder though, otherwise it will not hold together very well. Trust me, I've tried. I've tried many different recipes for protein pancakes, and this one is the best, by far!

So here it is!!

One of the great things about this recipe is that it's so versatile. You can literally make hundreds of different combinations. This recipe is just like a base. You can add whatever other flavours you like to it!

Protein Pancakes

1 Banana

1 Egg

1 scoop Protein Powder

1 tbsp Flour*

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/4-1/2 tsp Cinnamon

*any kind - I've tried almond flour and all-purpose flour - both work good!

Step 1: Mash the banana with a fork or whisk. Add the egg and mix together until evenly combined.

Step 2: Add all the other dry ingredients, plus the vanilla, and mix together.

It should look like this.

Now's the fun part!

You get to add whatever ingredients you like! This time I added strawberry jam & coconut flakes.

Here's a list of things you can add to/on top of them, to make them even more tasty:

Chocolate Chips**

Almond Extract

Crushed up nuts

Peanut/Almond Butter

Lemon Juice and Stevia

Dates

Rasins

Nutmeg

Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

Cacao Powder

Apple Sauce

Baked Apples

Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, etc

Pumpkin Puree

Greek Yogurt (mixed with vanilla & stevia)
Banana Slices

** I try to use semi-sweet or dark, but sometimes I just want milk, so I use that! Extra refined sugar is not good for you. Neither in an excess in sugar. So, even if you're using real natural maple syrup, it's best to keep your sugar intake on the low side, by not using milk chocolate. 

-Even better is to get your sugar from natural sources, like fruit! I love baking apples in the oven and then putting them on top. It's warm and delicious!

Once you're ready to cook them, you can do a few things. You can make a bunch of little pancakes or one large one. But keep in mind, it will be large, so you'll need a massive spatula, if you want it to come out in one piece. Yet again, learned from personal experience. This one is great. I totally own it. 

Another thing you can do is cook them in coconut oil! It kind of fries them, and makes the edges crispy, which I really like sometimes. Coconut oil is a great oil/fat to use, but it is higher in calories. (You can look up the amazing benefits of coconut oil here, or anywhere on Pinterest or Google). If you want to cut back on calories, I suggest using a spray such as EVOO or Pam.

This time, I used coconut oil.

I was able to make 3 - 2" pancakes in my pan. I probably could have fit 4 though. Cook, and wait until bubbles have formed on top before flipping. Cook for about 30 seconds on medium to medium-high.

And that's all there is to it! Delicious protein pancakes, that are healthy and taste oh-so-good.

Here's a couple other versions of the protein pancake that I've made:

Banana & Chocolate Chips

Chocolate Chips & Coconut

Banana and Coconut Vegan Icing

Apple Sauce

Peaches and Greek Yogurt

Banana, PB, and homemade chocolate sauce

Strawberry & Greek Yogurt

Blueberry & Coconut

Pumpkin, Greek Yogurt, and real Maple Syrup

So yeah, you could say I like pancakes. ;)

You can also make them savoury, but more on that later. 

Now go make something delicious and good for your body! It will thank you for it.

Love,

Lo