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This year the holidays nearly killed me with all of the treats and junk I consumed and busy schedules and Christmas break that completely stopped my exercising. The new year was about to begin and I was feeling pretty awful, so I was ready for a reboot. 
But saying you’re going to exercise and eat healthy and take care of your body and actually doing it are two totally different things. I usually get a few days in and get really bored and unmotivated. But here we are on the 20th and I’m going strong and feeling better than ever. So I’m sharing a few tips that have helped me, plus my favorite healthy lunch recipe (I shared my daily healthy breakfast earlier this week if you missed it!)
1. Find a fitness routine that works for your lifestyle right now. In the past I’ve had gym memberships, run outside with my kids in the stroller, done exercise videos, worked out at night, and a ton more different things. Different stages of your lives require different fitness routines and goals. Be flexible and figure out what works for you. Right now I walk B to school every day, and then meet up with a friend three times a week to walk an extra four mile loop. We pack our kids in the strollers and we’re still home early enough to get ready and have the entire day in front of us. It might not work as well when baby comes, or once school lets out for the summer, but it works for my life right now so I go with it.  
2. Get cute exercise gear. I picked up a few new pretty exercise things from Zappos to motivate me to keep myself in shape. I’ve been sporting the same athletic leggings, tank, and jacket for the last year, so I figured it was time to freshen up my athletic wardrobe to give me a little extra motivation. And what do you know? It totally worked. I bought two new tanks, neither of which are non-maternity, but they’re super stretchy and this one even has ruching on the sides so it’s nice and stretchy for my growing bump. I bought a few oversized, loose tanks, thinking those would work for maternity, but basically anything oversized makes me look and feel giant these days, so I was grateful for Zappos free and easy returns so I could toss them back in the mail and exchange them for the two I’m wearing above. I also picked up this super cute strappy back sports bra, which I’m completely in love with, and then two pairs of leggings — one full length, and one calf length. I also snagged a new pair of sneakers, and although I’m wearing them to walk every day, I’m also wearing them with jeans and leather leggings during the day because I just can’t get enough. 
3. Dessert only on the weekends. I was eating dessert pretty much every night for the last six months, so this year I’ve made a goal to just eat dessert on the weekends and it’s easier to say no during the week when I know I can have something on the weekends. It also makes it easier for me to tell my kids no when they’re begging to make a treat during the week — I promise them we’ll bake something up on Saturday or Sunday! 
4. Drink lots of water, and add some ice. When I’m feeling snacky and start hunting around for something to munch on, I stop myself and check to see if I’m actually hungry. Almost always I’m not. So instead I just fill a glass of water and crushed ice and crunch on that to fill me up and appease the munchies. 
5. Brush your teeth and don’t eat after dinner. Last year I was so guilty of snacking late at night. But it always made me feel awful and was just a bunch of calories I didn’t need. I realized I was just eating to keep myself awake — I was never actually hungry. So now I brush my teeth after dinner, and don’t let myself stay up late enough to get to that point where I’m so tired that I have to eat something. 
And here’s my favorite easy lunch recipe, which you can see in the photos above — I eat this almost every single day and it’s a great way to get a bunch of veggies and fill my tummy for the rest of the afternoon. 
  • sun dried tomato tortilla
  • hummus
  • cucumbers
  • spinach
  • tomatoes
  • red/yellow bell peppers
  • pepperocinis
  • salsa (or taco sauce when I’m in a pinch)
Spread the hummus on the tortilla, then chop up all the veggies and add them on. Top with a spoonful or two of salsa, wrap it up, and enjoy! 
created in partnership with Zappos | photos by rad and happy

January 20, 2016

5 WAYS TO STAY MOTIVATED AND HEALTHY FOR THE NEW YEAR (PLUS MY FAVORITE HEALTHY LUNCH!)

This year the holidays nearly killed me with all of the treats and junk I consumed and busy schedules and Christmas break that completely stopped my exercising. The new year was about to begin and I was feeling pretty awful, so I was ready for a reboot. 
But saying you’re going to exercise and eat healthy and take care of your body and actually doing it are two totally different things. I usually get a few days in and get really bored and unmotivated. But here we are on the 20th and I’m going strong and feeling better than ever. So I’m sharing a few tips that have helped me, plus my favorite healthy lunch recipe (I shared my daily healthy breakfast earlier this week if you missed it!)
1. Find a fitness routine that works for your lifestyle right now. In the past I’ve had gym memberships, run outside with my kids in the stroller, done exercise videos, worked out at night, and a ton more different things. Different stages of your lives require different fitness routines and goals. Be flexible and figure out what works for you. Right now I walk B to school every day, and then meet up with a friend three times a week to walk an extra four mile loop. We pack our kids in the strollers and we’re still home early enough to get ready and have the entire day in front of us. It might not work as well when baby comes, or once school lets out for the summer, but it works for my life right now so I go with it.  
2. Get cute exercise gear. I picked up a few new pretty exercise things from Zappos to motivate me to keep myself in shape. I’ve been sporting the same athletic leggings, tank, and jacket for the last year, so I figured it was time to freshen up my athletic wardrobe to give me a little extra motivation. And what do you know? It totally worked. I bought two new tanks, neither of which are non-maternity, but they’re super stretchy and this one even has ruching on the sides so it’s nice and stretchy for my growing bump. I bought a few oversized, loose tanks, thinking those would work for maternity, but basically anything oversized makes me look and feel giant these days, so I was grateful for Zappos free and easy returns so I could toss them back in the mail and exchange them for the two I’m wearing above. I also picked up this super cute strappy back sports bra, which I’m completely in love with, and then two pairs of leggings — one full length, and one calf length. I also snagged a new pair of sneakers, and although I’m wearing them to walk every day, I’m also wearing them with jeans and leather leggings during the day because I just can’t get enough. 
3. Dessert only on the weekends. I was eating dessert pretty much every night for the last six months, so this year I’ve made a goal to just eat dessert on the weekends and it’s easier to say no during the week when I know I can have something on the weekends. It also makes it easier for me to tell my kids no when they’re begging to make a treat during the week — I promise them we’ll bake something up on Saturday or Sunday! 
4. Drink lots of water, and add some ice. When I’m feeling snacky and start hunting around for something to munch on, I stop myself and check to see if I’m actually hungry. Almost always I’m not. So instead I just fill a glass of water and crushed ice and crunch on that to fill me up and appease the munchies. 
5. Brush your teeth and don’t eat after dinner. Last year I was so guilty of snacking late at night. But it always made me feel awful and was just a bunch of calories I didn’t need. I realized I was just eating to keep myself awake — I was never actually hungry. So now I brush my teeth after dinner, and don’t let myself stay up late enough to get to that point where I’m so tired that I have to eat something. 
And here’s my favorite easy lunch recipe, which you can see in the photos above — I eat this almost every single day and it’s a great way to get a bunch of veggies and fill my tummy for the rest of the afternoon. 
  • sun dried tomato tortilla
  • hummus
  • cucumbers
  • spinach
  • tomatoes
  • red/yellow bell peppers
  • pepperocinis
  • salsa (or taco sauce when I’m in a pinch)
Spread the hummus on the tortilla, then chop up all the veggies and add them on. Top with a spoonful or two of salsa, wrap it up, and enjoy! 
created in partnership with Zappos | photos by rad and happy
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5 Comments

  1. Paige Cassandra Flamm says:
    January 20, 2016 at 4:35 am

    I totally need to work on the whole finding what works for me right now thing. I was so great about running over the summer I’ve completely fallen off the bandwagon… I need to work on that, and eat delicious lunches like you!

    Paige
    http://thehappyflammily.com

    Reply
  2. Michelle Arosemena says:
    January 21, 2016 at 11:20 am

    I love the purple spandex! Super cute!

    http://www.theauburnlife.com

    Reply
  3. Stephanie S says:
    February 5, 2016 at 11:02 am

    Great post, tried the tortilla today and it’s so good! Would love to hear more about what you snack on throughout the day.

    Reply
  4. cHRISTY says:
    December 30, 2019 at 12:11 pm

    Very useful tips when the new year is on the verge! It is worth preparing carefully so that there are no sad consequences. Over the past year, I neglected sports, as a result – I was very tormented by pain. What are your options for treating various back pains and joints? I recently read a very interesting article on the CBD FOR PAIN
    You are interested in writing prosperity for your blog.

    Reply
  5. malcolm says:
    April 12, 2023 at 12:51 pm

    I read it in google last week

    Reply

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