Healthy Holidays - 6 Ways To Stay Healthy During The Holiday's





6 Ways To Stay Healthy During The Holiday's

The holiday season is here! With that said there are a lot of decisions to be made from here until the end of December. Decorating your house, parties to attend, what to wear, what gifts to purchase, and so on. But one of the biggest and daily decisions to make is what you will be eating! Don't stress on it because my tips will help make the holidays a little bit easier.

1. Before any party/event pep talk yourself. What I mean by this is prepare yourself mentally and tell your yourself what your limits will be before getting to the event. Whether it's only grabbing one piece of cake, or only drinking 2 glasses of wine. Decide what you absolutely do not want to eat, what you can indulge in etc.

2. Eat a protein snack before a party/event. There's nothing worse then getting to a party starving and you end up over-eating. Protein makes you feel full for longer. Eat some jerky, protein shake, boiled eggs, or chicken sandwich etc.

3. Eat a large breakfast. The holidays are a busy time so make sure you get a great breakfast to start your day.

4. Keep healthy snacks handy. You might be cleaning your house all day long or running to the mall for last minute gifts. To avoid going to a fast food restaurant, keep snacks around until you have time to eat a nutritious healthy meal.

5. When serving yourself food at family gatherings put lots of protein on your plate and only one spoonful of carbs, and make sure you get 2 spoonfuls of veggies. Instead of filling up your plate mainly of pasta, rice, or bread try to make your protein portion larger. During the holidays you can end up not eating enough protein, and eating way too many carbs. Dessert comes after the large plate of pasta which is more carbs/sugar. Carbs are not the enemy but an overload of carbs is.

6. Drink lots of water!!!

Remember it is all about proportion sizes and making sure you do not starve yourself all day until dinner!



Where does success begin?





People strive for success. Where does success begin? Meaning do you think success only comes from one area in your life? For example, you work hard at your 9-5, but at home you dismiss the rest of your life. I believe success is tied into the smallest things we do in a day to day basis.

We all are different and work in different environments, so what I am about to say does not necessarily have to work for everyone. I think you can take certain aspects of it, and it will work for you in your own way. At least that is how I take advice. Not everything can apply, but I apply it in the areas that it would work for.

Success to me is connected to everyday lifestyle. How you prepare for the day, how your closet is organized, how your house is kept etc., I believe it prepares us for success or for failure. Such as in fitness. To be able to have a smooth morning the night before (or Sunday) I prepare my food (to stay on track on clean eating), pack my gym bag (to make sure I have no excuse to not go to the gym), work clothes (so I am ready to start the day as soon as I wake up). Now imagine if I would not do those things the night before? I would be running around all morning, and leave the possibility of not going to the gym, going out to eat junk food, and arriving late to work. ORGANIZATION AND PREPAREDNESS GOES A LONG WAY. In order to succeed you must prepare. It might suck at first, but then it becomes a habit. I think this is true in all aspects of your life. The more prepared you are the more chances you get to succeed.

How many millionaires do you see with unorganized homes? Keeping your closet, house, car etc. organized and clean helps your day go smoother. You are more relaxed in a cleaner environment. If you clean up or wash dishes a little bit everyday things will not pile up. If you leave things to pile up it can cause more stress than you already need, and take up more time. Now you are thinking about all the chores you have to do when you could have just done a little bit everyday. The way you carry yourself on a day to day basis reflects your success.

Everything in life is connected. If you neglect one area over another it can come to bite you in the ass :). If you are organized at home (the starting point) you are organized in life. Life throws a lot at you so might as well be prepared.



What do you do to keep your life in order? Do you believe success starts in your home?

Quote of the Week





There are times in life when we think is it worth it? Is all this sacrifice, and hard work worth it? The answer is always YES!

At times I doubt myself, and lose sight of why I started. This is why I believe having a positive support group around you, vision boards, goals, and listening to motivational speakers is important. It does not matter if you know all the "tips" and "secrets" to be successful you constantly need to remind yourself of those ideals. Life gets in the way, and it tries to steer you away, but do not let it! Control your emotions. The biggest battle is with yourself, and the thoughts that go on in your mind. Think positive.

We all get to a point in life when we just need a break to figure out exactly what direction to take. So take that time off, but never lose sight of your goal! Refresh your soul!




9 Benefits of Passion Fruit





If there is one thing you need to know about me it is that I LOVE passion fruit. I love to drink it, eat it, and mix it with other fruits. My favorite mix is watermelon or mango with passion fruit! Many people do not know about passion fruit or its benefits which is why I wanted to make a list. Passion fruit was discovered in Brazil and has since be eaten in many Latin American countries. Each country has there own name for passion fruit, some of them are Chinola, Maricuya, and Parcha.




Benefits of Passion Fruit

1. Boosts immune system

2. Prevents cancerous growth

3. Contains vitamin A, potassium, and many more nutrients

4. Helps with eye vision

5. Increase blood flow

6. Can help with asthma

7. Reduces restlessness

8. Improves digestion

9. Good source of fiber


There are many types of passion fruit but the two main ones sold are yellow and purple ones.


This is how I prepare my watermelon with passion fruit. I usually eat this as part of my breakfast. Watermelon speeds up metabolism for fat loss. 


And this my boyfriend sharing his love for passion fruit in Puerto Rico.



Do you eat passion fruit? If so, what is your favorite way to enjoy it?




6 Things to know about Fitness





1. Eating healthy and working out go hand in hand. Doing both gets you the best results.

2. You need carbs and fat! They are not evil.

3. Being prepared keeps you on track. Have your lunch, snacks, workout bag, and protein shake ready for the next day.

4. We are all on different paths, don't compare yourself to others.

5. As long as you are trying you are one step ahead of everyone else. Don't beat yourself up if you mess up there is always a tomorrow!

6. DO NOT QUIT. Results won't come easy, but if you stay the course the results are endless. When you think about quitting go harder instead.




Modern Table Meals Review





I must say Modern Table Meals is one of my favorite go to meals. It has the amount of protein, carbs, and little fat that I need for my daily goals. It is also non-gmo which is something I always look for! And it gets better than that! The pasta is made of beans! There are no artificial colors or preservatives!What more can you ask for?



 I love there pasta kits because all the flavors I have tried taste GREAT. The only ones I have not tried are the Pesto and Italian, which I am sure taste great as well.




Honestly the kits are a life saver! I work a full-time job, work out, blog, and take care of a 3 month old puppy who wants all my attention! Having Modern Table Meals in my kitchen is great for when I have little time to cook a good healthy meal. It literally takes me 15 minutes maybe less to have it ready. If I have extra time I grill some chicken or add some cheese on top to complete the meal. Then I have more time to spend with my puppy, and focus on other issues. Picking a healthy option should not be an issue, and Modern Table Meals takes care of that for me!




Have you tried Modern Table Meals?

5 Benefits of Goji Berries





My new crave this year is Goji Berries. They can be a little bit pricey, but they are worth it! I highly encourage trying these berries as they come with many benefits. They taste sweet at first, and then dry/leafy. I eat it for breakfast in my oatmeal. 

1. Helps promote healthy skin 

2. Helps boost immune system 

3. Excellent source of antioxidants

4. Good source of iron and Vitamin C 

5. Helps lower blood pressure and blood sugar 



Please comment how you eat your Goji Berries!

#ileftmyheartin





I left my heart in an island full of joy.  I left my heart in an island full of music. I left my heart in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic!


The culture in Punta Cana is very rich. Sometimes when we travel to new places we are a bit scared or nervous to see what is on the other side. I had planned to only stay in our resort, since I have never traveled to the DR before. But then I decided to just book some tours, and enjoy the island. I booked a tour for Santo Domingo which is the capital, and I booked a Safari tour in Punta Cana. The safari tour gave us a closer look at how people live on the island. 

Let me take you back in time to where I left my heart!



On our way to the resort I took a picture of 2 small businesses. 


People in the DR work 12 days in a row, and then get 3 days off. Most people do not have a car, they get a ride in pick up trucks or motorcycles. The people who drive these trucks and motorcycles do this for extra income, meaning they most likely have 2 jobs. 


A beautiful painting for sell in a store.



This is the entrance to Diego Columbus' castle who was the son of Christopher Columbus.


Diego and his family were about 5ft tall which is why all the doors are short.


In a plaza near Diego's castle we ate a traditional meal called Mofongo and drank passion fruit juice. Mofongo is smashed plantains with your choice of meat/seafood and broth soup. 


This is the "Presidente' s" house. 


We went underground to see Los Tres Ojos which are 3 lakes. This is where the ocean once was. 



A nice walk way through our resort. 


Mama Juana shot! Mama Juana is a popular and traditional drink for the Dominican people. It is rum, red wine, honey, soaked in tree bark and herbs. It is mainly consumed for medical value. As we were told in the DR one shot a day keeps the doctor away! Yes, I bought the tree bark/herbs from the DR, and now make my own Mama Juana!


Mangu is another traditional meal which is eaten mainly for breakfast. It is smashed plantains topped with sauteed onions and sausage. 


We were shown how they make cigars. Some of the leaves are hanging from the ceiling. 


Here they were teaching us how to ground coffee the old way. Which takes a lot of strength and time!


All this rawness and culture is what I fell in love with. I learned how hard these people work, and importantly they do it with a smile. I will forever cherish this trip, and carry a piece of their culture in my heart. 


I can't wait to reunite with my heart!

Want to read more stories of places people left there heart in? Check out http://www.getyourguide.com/info/ileftmyheartin/  





Vision Board





If you see it you can achieve it! I strongly believe that visualizing a goal before it happens is very important! You must see and feel as if what you want is already here! The more you think about the joy of reaching your goal the closer you are to reaching that goal! That is why I think vision boards are good to have.

It's easy! Buy a poster board or anything that you can put pictures, and words on! Look online or in magazines for things that you want, and they do not only have to be material things. If you need a car print a picture of your favorite car! If you want health print pictures of  healthy people, plants, fruits, or even just the word healthy! If you want a relationship print pictures of couples!

I made a vision board about 3 years ago, and many of those things have manifested into my life. But I think it is time for a new board since my goals and dreams have changed.

 I make new goals for myself on a constant basis, but this year I really want to put my long term goals into action. 

Feel free to share pictures of your vision boards!


Losers stick with Losers and Winners stick with Winners





In 2015 I learned that losers stick with losers and winners stick winners. It does not matter how you put it. The people you continue to hang around with is what you will be. If you losing at life, and the people in your circle losing at life, you are only attracting more losers to your life. I refuse to be in that cycle whether you are family or friend. I am a winner and will continue to stick with other winners. One thing I am promising myself is to always be and do better. A loser to me is someone who is always playing the victim and making excuses. A winner to me is someone who never lets fear, life, or anyone get in the way of there goals. I am on the winning team, whose team are you on?



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