Archives for February 2015

Magical Coconut Oil and Scrub

February 28, 2015 2 Comments

What does your perfect solo night look like? Most often I prefer spending my free time with loved ones but every once in awhile it’s blissful to be alone and do whatever you may feel like. Feel like dancing around for 5 minutes sporadically, then piling pillows and blankets all around you the next second? Anything is acceptable.

This Friday night I set a date with myself. I enjoyed a great workout, and helped teach body pump! I’m working my way to teaching a whole class and can’t wait!

After my grueling sweat sesh I made some delicious quinoa chili and sat down to watch some Modern Family and sip some wine. After a couple Modern Family episodes and wine, the magic of nothing to do settled in and I was so relaxed. Best feeling ever. So as usual I started getting crazy ideas around this point.

My current love for coconut oil began overtaking my thoughts. Before I knew it my hair was dripping in coconut oil. Any greaser would have invited me into their club.

I left the oil in my hair for about thirty minutes. It was the perfect conditioning mask for my hair. All this crazy weather hadn’t been kind to my hair.

After it was in my hair making it feel so soft, I began to want it all over my skin immediately. Leading me to recreate this delicious scrub I had enjoyed previously as a homemade gift. The recipe couldn’t be any easier.

Coconut Oil Scrub
1/2 C Coconut Oil
1 Tsp Coffee Grinds
1 Tbsp SugarThe sugar exfoliates your skin while the oil perfectly hydrates. Coffee is full of antioxidants and prevents premature aging. The caffeine in the coffee is good for your skin. Enjoyed a relaxing bath covering myself in this coconut oil scrub. And might I say, my skin is the softest skin ever for winter!

Next, I wanted to eat it. Do people just eat coconut oil? Luckily I was able to get my coconut oil love under wraps before spooning it into my mouth. I love the smell of coconut oil and pretended like it wasn’t snowing outside and that I was in the Caribbean sipping a Pina Colada. A girl can dream.

My relaxing, no agenda, night was fabulous. What does your solo night look like?

20 Minute Body Weight Workout

February 27, 2015 2 Comments

Try this no nonsense 20 minute body weight workout. It works your entire body – chest, glutes, legs, core, arms.

Do each exercise for the allotted amount of reps and then move onto the next move. Try to get through it as many times as you can before the timer goes off! Challenge yourself each time that you go through it.

Kick and Lunge

Kick leg forward at 90 degrees then step back and lunge. Be sure that you keep your core tight for balance.

Inch worm push ups

Start in standing position then bend forward walking your hands out into plank. Push up once in plank. Then walk your hands back to your feet and stand up. Squeeze your glutes at the top for some extra booty work.

Squat jumps

Go deep into a squat position then push off your feet into the air. This move is sure to keep your heart rate up the entire workout.

No matter how many times I incorporate squat jumps into my weekly workouts, they still are so hard!

I love this workout because all you need is yourself, you can do it anywhere! I really do like working out with weights but all you really need sometimes is your own weight! If the weight is too heavy, then you can always modify (or be encouraged to make a change.)

Do you prefer working out with weights or body weight?

Lemon Chicken Pesto Pasta

February 23, 2015 3 Comments

Pesto has to be one of my favorite flavors to add to chicken or pasta. It can drastically improve and enhance any bland dish. Add a hint of pesto, and Bam! the dish goes from boring to brilliant in less than a minute.

This pasta dish was easy to make and packed with delicious flavor! I added some chopped walnuts in with the chicken to include a hint of nuttiness. I was lazy buying the pesto, rather than actually making it, but it still tasted delicious.

Lovera’s pesto is one of my absolute favorites if I am not making it myself.

Sprinkled a generous amount of Parmesan over the warm pasta.

And no pasta dish is complete without freshly baked bread and oil. Wish I could give up this habit but I loveeee bread too much! Sometimes you just have to live it up like that 🙂

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp Pesto
1 Lemon
1/4 C Chopped Walnuts
Pasta
Chicken
Parmesan
S & P

Directions:

Begin boiling water for the pasta.
Sautee garlic then add chicken.
Once chicken is almost cooked, add in the walnuts and pesto.

Mix cooked pasta, chicken, and stir in a hint more of the pesto.
Squeeze in lemon for a perfect amount of zest.

Happy eating!

What is your favorite healthy-ish pasta dish?

Bundled Up in February and Link Up!

February 18, 2015 1 Comment

Is it as cold as it is there as it is here? Below freezing in mid February seems quite unfair to me! I was hoping to get to start wearing spring clothes soon, but it looks like it’s still time to be bundled up! The flippy skirts and crop tops will have to wait.

Some of my favorite warm things right now to get me through this harsh weather!:

BCBG Puffer Coat I needed this coat! Puffers seemed to be everywhere this winter. They haunted me until I finally purchased on!

This amazing Silk Scarf. It’s such a classic and can be worn almost every day!This Sequin sweater. I mean come on, it’s perfect! I love adding glamour to a cozy look.

So excited to be linking up with Pumps and Push Ups! Add your link below 🙂

Link-Up ‘Rules’

1. Follow our blogs on blog lovin.
2. Link back to our sites from your post!

An InLinkz Link-up

Becoming a Body Pump Instructor

February 17, 2015 Leave a Comment

After a long weekend of lifting, sweating, dying, and loving every second of it, I’m super excited to announce that I am going to be a Body Pump instructor! I will be able to start teaching classes now! This is the first step, next I will need to submit a video for final assessment. Eeek!

This weekend was filled with inspiring people and amazing stories. It was really special to hear all of our differing reasons for wanting to become an instructor. They were all so different but we all had the same end goal, to inspire and change people’s lives through fitness. One class at a time, you can begin to push past mental or physical weakness.

The body pump challenge was one of my favorite parts of the weekend. I don’t think I have ever pushed myself so hard. There were moments where I didn’t think I could do it, but I fought through it and truly amazed myself. We discussed how all the blocks you make for yourself are not the truth, you are capable of so much more. Don’t let your mind be in the way of your goals.I was reminded how you are never “finished” with fitness, there is always room for improvement – one more mile, one more weight, one more challenge. But isn’t that the fun part?!

I simply cannot wait to begin my journey as a Body Pump instructor and inspire someone to reach their goals and change their life for the better. If you’re in the OKC area come take a class at Golds Gym!

This is my happy place.

So proud to join the Les Mills One Tribe!

Our goal is to make the world a fitter planet! Sound kind of difficult?

You bet! But we are fitness lovers, so we are always up for the challenge!

Brannon Gilliam was our trainer this weekend and he was so awesome! Inspiring is an understatement. He was the perfect combo of pushing and encouraging you. I hope to grow to be an instructor that can do both! Scream at you, while you still know that I am on your side 🙂

Thinking about becoming an instructor and have questions? Comment below!