Personal: What I've Learned on My Fitness Journey

It is no surprise to my readers that I have been into fitness for quite some time now. It has been almost three years that I've been lifting weight consistently. For the most part, I have loved the results and the progress my mind and body has made (though injuries can be major setbacks). But let me tell you a little bit of what else I've learned and experience on my fitness journey.

1. I have been called Hulk, brolic, and huge. This one is probably the toughest one for me. Have you ever been in a situation where someone's compliment just doesn't sit well with you? Or perhaps you just know it's a backhanded compliment to downgrade your progression or lifestyle changes. While "brolic" isn't necessarily a bad thing (it means chiseled and buff), it still makes my mind falter for a minute. I am in no absolute way, shape, or form shredded or cut. I do have some muscle definition but I am far from being a competitor. Just because I lift heavy doesn't mean I appreciate being called a Hulk (in fact, I prefer She-Hulk or just strong). Sometimes I feel people don't know what to say when I reveal that I am not a cardio fanatic and do powerlifts. I know it's been said time and time again, but girls who lift heavy DO NOT look manly and should not have a fear of that result. That being said, I am pretty good with letting things like this roll off my back now, but it took a while. 

   

   I admit it, I do like to lift things up and put them down.

2. "You must be in the gym all the time!" No, I am not. The most I spend in the gym is maybe two hours. People tend to think that once you post one Instagram photo of yourself lifting in the gym, you're there 24/7. Lifting has not yet become a profession for me, it's a hobby and a healthy way to build grit, character, and self confidence. It is only one aspect of my life that I choose to share.

   

   Selfie's or it didn't happen!
3. My food must be boring. For anyone who follows my Instagram or knows me personally, you know this is not the case at all. In fact, I can tell you my diet is probably what is holding me back the most because I love food too damn much. However, when I am focused with a set goal in mind, I can be very on point with my food. It doesn't mean I stuff my face with tilapia, broccoli, and brown rice all day. Instead I focus on nutrient-dense foods and stay away from processed ones.  

   

   Get in my Bellah!!!!

4. People generally don't care that you workout and will only ask you about your training when it benefits them. Back when I first started, I wanted to tell the world that I loved lifting! I wanted to be like Jack from Titanic and yell from the top of my lungs, "I LOVE LIFTING!" Alas that did not last very long. I mean, I got the generic, "do you still lift?" but once I said, yes, it was on to the next topic. Now I notice that people will talk about lifting/fitness with me only when they want to get information. It's slightly flattering to be asked because people think my knowledge is valid but it is irritating it only comes when they are finally interested in it. Now that being said, don't let that deter you or keep you from continuing your own journey! Remember that the only person you are ever in competition with is yourself.
   
5. People think all lifting is the same. For those who don't work out or don't have much knowledge in the field, lifting is lifting. There are people who think I do Cross-fit and when I explain I don't, I've been told: "well it's pretty much the same thing, right?" I find it infuriating because I find people do not listen to what I say to them. I understand we all make assumptions, but it's not the right thing to do. When it comes to things I don't know about, I try to keep as much of an open mind as possible before I make my conclusions. I just wish everyone had the same regard when it comes to things they may not know a lot about.

I am not saying that everyone I have encountered is like this. There are many supportive friends and family in my life who encourage me to continue down this path. But I have definitely learned that not everyone will share your vision. You will get the naysayers and those who don't believe in you, but if you believe in yourself and you have a strong support system, you know you can do anything. Make your dreams (whatever dreams they may be) your reality. It will be hard work but the result will pay off.

So if you are currently starting your fitness journey, don't quit! On those days you just want to give up, push through and conquer your doubts and that workout. I'm cheering you on!

Health Review: Amazing Grass Chocolate Green Superfood

When I first started to change my eating habits back in January, I took note of how little vegetables I ate. That's when I remembered a review my nutritionist friend, Adeline, did a while back (her site is here and follow her on twitter!). She mentioned this product, Green Superfood in Chocolate Infusion and all the benefits she experienced while consuming it consistently: healthier hair, skin, regulated system and also the ability to get the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables. Another bonus was the taste. She stated she mixed the powder with unsweetened almond milk and it tasted relatively close to regular chocolate milk. I was sold. I purchased the smaller tub of powder to try it out first to see if I would like it. Well I'm on my second tub and I've even gotten the Mister to take it as well!

So what does this product claim? According to the website it states:

• Helps achieve your 5 to 9 daily servings of fruits & vegetables

• Naturally detoxifies & boosts your immune system

• The added benefits & great taste of cacao

• Complete raw food with powerful phytonutrients

• Alkaline green plant foods balance acidic pH levels

• Whole Food nutrition, no fractionated vitamins

• More organic whole leaf greens per gram than other green superfoods - not from juice

• Probiotics & Enzymes to aid digestion & absorption

• Featuring Sambazon organic pure açaí powder

• No soy lecithin fillers

• Nitrogen packed for freshness

Does it live up to all the claims? Let's start with the taste. I'm not going to lie, the first time I tried it, it seemed a little chalky to me and it smelled like a combination of chocolate and crushed greens, but I mixed it with water. The next time I tried it, I used almond milk and it tasted much better. Now I add a scoop of my greens to my protein shakes for the nutritional benefits and to give it a chocolate boost (my shakes are mixed with water). So the taste is something that grew on me rather than me loving it right away.

What I really like about this is the amount of vitamins and minerals it provides. If you are a person who hates eating vegetables and fruits, or if you're just picky about food in general, you may want to try this out. Unlike juices or other forms of bars this contains no sugar and a very small amount of carbs. I do think that this has helped me with staying healthy during the winter. The Mister got a really sick in March and usually I get sick right as he gets better. This time around, I only had about two days where I felt fatigued with a slight sore throat. So I do think this does help boost the immune system a bit, especially when taken consistently. 

Here is the nutritional information from the website:

As for my hair and skin, I don't really notice a difference, but then again I began using this when I changed my diet. Perhaps the only thing I do notice is that my hair seems shinier than what it used to be, but I may just be imagining it, haha. The overall improvement and benefits of additional nutrition is the main reason of me repurchasing another tub.

Overall, I think this is a helpful product especially for people who do not get all the nutrients they need due to poor diet or living a on-the-go lifestyle. This is an easy way to incorporate the daily servings of fruits and veggies without taking a ton of time to prep and eat. Remember that this may not work for you or it may work better for you compared to others. Everyone is different and each body has different needs. This review is just my take on the Superfood and the results it gave me.

Have any of you tried this out? Or a product similar? Please let me know your thoughts! 

Quick Recipe: Chai Spiced Apple Tea

I have always loved tea. Maybe it's the Chinese in me, but me and tea have always had a great relationship. Lately I've been drinking more tea to add variety and flavor without adding a ton of calories and sugar. This recipe I whipped up the other night to satiate my sweet tooth and have made it a bunch of  times since. I haven't tried this with green or white tea. Unless it's matcha, my preference for green and white tea is plain.

What You'll Need:
-Your favorite mug
-Your choice of tea. I'm using Twinnings Chai Spiced Apple.
-Half to one cup of almond milk. You can also use soy or regular milk. If you're feeling really indulgent you can even use half and half. The amount of milk you use depends on how creamy you want your tea.
-Sweetener, any kind you wish to use. I'm using Truvia.
-Cinnamon (optional)

What To Do:
1-Brew your tea. I'm using my Keurig.
2-Heat up your milk while your tea steeps. You can do this via microwave or stovetop. I nuked my milk for two minutes after I measured it out.
3-Let your tea steep for four to six minutes. I add my cinnamon at this point. I feel it brings out the chai in the tea. Plus apple and cinnamon compliment each other so well.
4-Pour your warmed milk and sweetener into your mug. Stir to mix well. You can also discard your tea bag at this point. I like to leave mine in.
5-Sit back and enjoy!

The finished product!

Macros:

For half cup of almond milk: 

Calories: 15

Total fat: 1.2 g
Carbs: 0.5g
Protein: 0.5g

Please let me know if you try a version of this! I would love to hear about it! Happy Tuesday!

By the way, did anyone watch The Biggest Loser finale? Congrats to Danni for that victory! It was well deserved. I love this show because it shows how discipline, motivation and drive can truly transform people inside and out.

(image rights: NBC)

**All products included in this post were purchased with my own finances unless otherwise stated.**

Mini Date Haul

Having an entire lifestyle change means looking at your life, well in all aspects. This means bettering your mind and body as a whole and finding new ways to do this. So when the Mister and I decided to change our minds and bodies for the better, we needed to take a look at our diet and clean it up. To be frank, it was horrendous. Tons of refined carbs, sugar and sodium. Like they say, you can't outwork a bad diet. We cleaned out our fridge and filled it with healthy, leafy greens, lean proteins and complex carbs. Now, a giant misconception about eating clean or healthily is that it's tasteless and boring. I beg to differ. I've been finding more ways to season my food without the aid of tons of salt and I love it! I actually prefer eating cleaner than eating all the junk food I used to love (I'm looking at you Son of Baconator!)

On Saturday after our workout, the Mister and I saw just how gorgeous it was outside. We decided to take a walk to Pier Village, a shopping hub along the beach, and take in some vitamin D. The walk is about a mile to and back but in great company it doesn't feel long at all.

After treating myself to some frozen yogurt (yummmm) we stopped by one of our favorite stores, Carter & Cavero. This store is amazeballs. It specializes in olive oils and several types of balsamic vinegar. The store also dabbles in some olive oil based beauty products and contains other miscellaneous treats like specialty teas and plates made out of Himalayan pink salt! The store is very dangerous because you can sample each and every type of oil and vinegar and you can easily spend a good hour in there tasting everything. After much sampling and debating we decided on four bottles: two oils (garlic and tuscan herb) and two vinegars (red apple and coconut.) I also helped myself to some boxes of tea because I'm a tea hoarder and also because drinking water can get kinda boring!

Precious treasures waiting to be upwrapped!

The Tuscan herb olive oil is the bomb-dizzle! Dip some warm french bread in it and trust me, you'll be in heaven! The coconut balsamic vinegar smells and tastes delicious, I added a bit of this to my grilled tuna and it was a party in my mouth. I haven't used the apple balsamic yet, but I think it will be great with some grilled asparagus or salmon!

 

I've tried Harney & Son's tea in the Barnes and Noble Starbucks near my house and have loved every flavor. While I was in the store, they had "test tins" which was basically a tea bag in the tin so you could smell each one. These three were my favorite. I love any type of green tea pretty much and the Mister loves cinnamon tea. The vanilla comoro was so decadent smelling and it's decaffeinated, which means I can enjoy this at night without worrying about sleeping troubles!

I hope you liked my mini haul! As I find more interesting finds in food and health, I will post more. I'm thinking of incorporating reviews on different types of health foods, I know there are some readers who are interested in improving their overall health. If you would like to see that, please let me know! Feedback is always a plus. Hope you all had a great Wednesday. Two more days till the weekend!