Two passions of mine besides music are health and fitness. I wanted to take time to dedicate a blog post to these two things – or at least show you my routine in these areas, which may give you some healthy ideas for your own lifestyle. = )
Disclaimer: I am not a certified nutritionist or trainer. These are just tips I follow and am passing along in case they are helpful to others.
DIET
I hate the word diet because it immediately conjures up feelings of desperation and hunger. For me, my diet is part of a healthy lifestyle, and I really never go hungry. (In fact, since I started my version of ‘clean eating’ I actually eat more, not less.)
I follow the philosophy that about 80% of your diet should be healthy and 20% whatever you want. A girl has to have a burger and fries every now and then to stay sane!
I try to eat 3 meals a day and two snacks. I fill my diet with a lot of fruits, vegetables, lean meat and protein sources, primarily. I have some whole grain. I avoid sugar, soda etc. – and since I’ve started doing this, I notice I not only look better, but feel better. I used to suffer from chronic headaches and random stomachaches – both of which have gotten a lot better for me.
I might start my day with either scrambled eggs with cheese and mixed vegetables or fruit and Greek yogurt. If I’m feeling particularly indulgent, I mix in peanut butter with the Greek yogurt for a more satisfying flavor. For lunch, I usually have slices of zucchini topped with spinach, cheese, and turkey or a salad, or slices of cucumber tossed with tuna salad. For dinner, I have a few recipes I alternate between and I’m always looking for more recipes on Pinterest (you can find my recipe board here). My snacks are usually fruit, nuts, vegetables etc.
One of my favorite breakfasts to eat – scrambled eggs with cheese and vegetables.
One of my lunches – zucchini slices topped with spinach, cheese, and turkey, and a side of fruit.
I use this as breakfast sometimes or as a snack. Fruit with Greek yogurt.
A favorite dinner of mine – baked salmon with vegetables. #Yummy
FITNESS
I try to work out at least 4 times a week, but I usually end up doing some kind of exercise every day.
Within those workouts, I do 4 miles of cardio (I mix up running, the elliptical, biking, etc.) and then either abs, arms, or legs strength training. I make sure I have at least an “arm day” and a “leg day”. I was fortunate enough to work with a personal trainer earlier this year and picked up some great exercises from him.
I also recommend trying to just be active in your everyday life. Go hiking with friends, take your dog for a longer walk, take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Picture of me attempting to horseback ride for exercise and fun!