a latte lipstick

The Matcha craze is real. Have you fallen yet? There are many known benefits, so if you haven't given it a try, you might as well.

First off, you know it must be healthy since it's sooo green, and we all know that green = healthy. Now you don't have to eat your greens, you can drink your greens.

Still don't understand what Matcha is? Matcha is a fine ground powder of green tea leaves that have been shade grown. Keeping these leaves out of sunlight slows down their growth resulting in an increase of chlorophyll development, which creates the production of amino acids.

The flavor is super distinct and something to get used to. However, once you fall for it, you'll never look back. There are many new interesting Matcha-flavored foods and drinks to try like matcha green tea beers, or a matcha milkshake. Have you tried anything crazy?


Benefits of Matcha:

Improves mental focus
Provides an energy boost with no crash
Filled with antioxidants
Burns fat
Boosts metabolism

Still not convinced? Matcha tea is the nutritional equivalent of 10 cups of good ole fashioned green tea.

Have you tried Matcha powder?

Pasta salad is one of the yummiest side dish and perfect to bring to any tailgate. Football watch parties will be here before we know it! The beautiful pops of colors can brighten any boring, probably otherwise too greasy, plate. It also is super fresh and light. The trick is to use more veggies than pasta! Use a whole grain pasta - any type of noodle works. I was feeling spirals.

You can really make the pasta dish your own. Choose your favorite veggies, cheese, dressing and pasta. Chop, stir, eat!

I have never used a hardcore trainer because I believed that I had what it took to make my goals happen, as long as I was determined enough and self motivated. However, this can be close minded thinking and sometimes just a little support goes a looooong way. And since I'm doing one of my hardest challenges, I thought I'd share with my lovely, supportive readers. :) Plus once it gets out there, I don't want to not make it happen.

My goal is to continue my fight to end my sugar obsession and lose a couple pounds so that my muscles aren't covered with excess fat. In other words, see you later chocolate. Those arm muscles are under there so I want them to show, especially now that I am teaching a workout class! I want to truly inspire my awesome class-goers to continue to push themselves and add that weight to their bar. Rawr!



Terrifying statistics...
One in seven Americans have metabolic syndrome
One in three Americans are obese
Diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate
...many believe it all comes down to one toxic presence...sugar.

Seeing that sweets are my greatest downfall, I must start there. I am going to try the no sugar challenge once again and potentially keep it up for longer.

Second, and my favorite, is to continue my working out schedule. If you're in the OKC area, hit me up at Golds Gym for Body Pump :)

No sugar diet:

Foods to eat:
Vegetables
Beans
Meat
Nuts
Eggs
Nut Butter

Foods not to eat:
Breads
Crackers
Baked goods
Juices
Fruit
...sugar

I am allowing red wine... you have to give yourself a break somewhere.

Who wants to join me? I am going to do this for 2 weeks, ending September 1. Just in time for Labor Day festivities and bikinis!

I came late to the overnight oats game, but I still wanted to play. These oats are the best to have prepared in your refrigerator for those busy mornings when you don't have a spare second. Grab your cute mini mason jar and head out the door!

You can enjoy them cold or hot. I prefer microwaving them when I get to the office. That mouthwatering banana bread smell wafts through the air making any morning slightly more delicious!

Overnight Oats + Latte= <3

I find it almost too fun to create different flavors and find the perfect mixture of ingredients for this morning deliciousness. Below are my favorite mixes, but always feel free to adjust according to your personal likes and dislikes!

Base: Fits perfectly into 8 oz mason jar

1/2 C Rolled Oats - I like the gluten free Bob's Red Mill rolled oats
1/2 C Almond Milk

Coming from a time when there was ALWAYS a computer, I am hardly ever seen without it. It is basically attached to me at all times of the work day.  So, is this wise?

Not only can it get to be a little much having a keyboard seemingly permanently attached, research has shown that computer use may actually hurt you when it comes to note taking. Research shows that you can't get as clear of an understanding when you are simply transcribing notes. Sure, you might not miss as many words but do the verbatim notes actually help when looking back at them? Nope! It's your comprehension of the matter or idea. You should join me and try the old fashioned hand notes for a week and compare! Plus you can use some really cute notepads.