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A Letter to Fitness Instructors

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Hey all! I hope you are having a great week! This post is a way for me to get out something that has been weighing on my mind lately and to hopefully make a difference.

I have been taking some awesome group fitness classes at the same studio(s) for the past 3 years. I can't even believe I have been going that long since I was so scared to go in the first place but here I am, still taking my place at the barre most days of the week. They offer a wide variety of classes, none of which are easy. They are fast-paced, high energy, kind of addictive and I like them. Maybe I like them too much. I started because I wasn't happy with my body but I've continued because it makes me stronger and better in many other ways. I've mixed up my schedule over the past 3 years with different classes, different times and different instructors trying to find which ones suit me best. I have a few instructors that I prefer and I few that I tend to avoid, but I think that is the same for most everyone. I need someone that plays great music, can keep my attention for the full hour and puts me in a great mindset. I don't think that is too much to ask for (eye wink, tongue out emoji).

Why I'm Talking About Intuitive Eating

Why I'm Talking About Intuitive Eating

Many of you have probably never heard of Intuitive Eating. Right? I hadn't until about a year ago and it was written in 1995 by 2 dietitians. Where have I been? In my previous job I had a pretty narrow focus for our specific patient populations and didn't get into many other nutrition topics during those 11 years. It wasn't a bad thing because you should focus in on your "niche" and continue to build on that knowledge but I knew I was missing out on some awesome nutrition stuff. When I started blogging a year ago, I connected with more dietitians on social media, which opened my eyes to parts of our field that I am not as or not at all familiar with. Intuitive Eating spoke to me the most and I'll share with you why.

Intuitive Eating is a non-diet approach to wellness that involves connecting with your mind and body to determine what is best for you. Basically finding your "normal eating". Wait, what? No dieting? Exactly! You don't need restriction. You don't need willpower. You don't need guilt. You don't need to count calories, points, macros or anything else. You do need your intuition and some patience. Well, I'll be damned.

Crockpot Sweet Potato BBQ Chili

Crockpot Sweet Potato BBQ Chili

Is anyone else loving chili right now? We are still having a lot of cold days in KC so a good, hearty bowl of chili hits the spot. I know it's late in the football season but the Super Bowl is this weekend and this would be perfect for your game day meal! Make sure you double up the recipe for yummy leftovers too.

I found the inspiration at primaverakitchen.com and changed it up a bit to suit our tastes. If you've read any of my other posts you probably know I love sweet potatoes! I especially love them in this chili for a little sweetness to balance out the spices and the acidity. I also love the texture of the sweet potatoes in this chili.

The first time I made this I told my husband there was no way our 9 y/o was going to eat it because he despises anything with bell pepper. Well, he loved it, red peppers and all. He will occasionally ask me to make this chili for him. OMG, a total Mom win!

Lettuce Eat Greens

Lettuce Eat Greens

Hello friends! I hope this new year is finding you happy and well. I kind of feel like my new year so far has been a whirlwind and bam, it's already the 18th. We've visited more with friends, we're back to soccer and baseball practices and we've been home a lot lately due to the bitter cold temps in KC. This week we had -20° windchill and then it will be 50° this weekend. That's KC for you.

One thing holds true for me when I am out of my food routine (whatever that really is) for whatever reason, I miss eating something green! I don't discriminate (too much) when it comes to what kind of green foods I like to eat but I want them regularly! I'm going to share with you why green foods are good for you and easy ways to incorporate them into your routine, even when life gets, well, like life.

Greens are full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients and carotenoids. Antioxidants help protect healthy cells from damage. They can be vitamins, minerals or carotenoids. Phytonutrients, or phytochemicals, are compounds found only in plants that help protect them. They also have health benefits. Common Phytonutrients are lutein and beta-carotene. Carotenoids are a phytonutrient that has antioxidant properties. Anyway, there is a lot of great s#!$ in green veggies, or all veggies for that matter.

2017 Year in Review

2017 Year in Review

Happy New Year friends! I have been MIA this past month with a new very part-time job, the holidays and traveling, and this time of year tends to bring on a lot more stress for me. But I've been looking back on this past year and reflecting on how much I've learned and grown since starting this blog in May. I continue to remind myself that I started it in May and it can only go up from here. I'm really excited to see what this next year has in store.

This was definitely a year of growth for me. From starting the blog to opening up about my own struggles to figuring out what I want to do with my life. I. Have. Grown! Thank you to my husband and my dear friend, Sarah, for pushing me to test out the blogging world. Thanks to all of you for following along on this journey with me. These are the top 3 blog posts you viewed this past year.