Body & Mind Cleanse, Day #3 – Planning Ahead

Rise and shine! Got an early start to the day since we had about a 2 1/2 hour drive to Flagstaff for the Snowbowl, my first time snowboarding a real mountain! Fueled up with my default egg and avocado breakfast and some quinoa.

I knew I had to pack a cooler of snacks since we were going to be up north for the day, and it’s not like I could just order anything off the menu.  With a ton of munchies on hand, I was grazing and energized for the whole day!

~~> What was in my cooler:

-Raisins

-Nut clusters (Costco)

-Bananas

-Clementines

-Easy avocado salad (avocado, tomato, lemon, salt, pepper, cilantro)

–Homemade granola bars (no bake!)

-Naked drinks

-Coconut water

-Baby Carrots

–Greek-style chic pea salad (minus the cheese… boo)

and plenty of water…  the only thing I wish I wasn’t missing out on was the hot chocolate. Once we arrived home after 5 hours of driving and 6 hours of snowboarding, I was hungry but too tired to cook. Luckily, I made a vegetable soup in bulk that I froze into single-portion containers! In the morning, I put one in the fridge to defrost so all I had to do was pop it in the microwave.  This concept also works well for frozen meals in general. It’s quick and convenient, it’s healthy, it’s exactly what you like, and it’s cost efficient!

For more tips and ideas on how to prep your own frozen meals, visit my Pinterest ❤

Body & Mind Cleanse, Day #2 – How to deal with the munchies!

The most challenging part of my cleanses isn’t planning my meals… it’s deciding what snacks to fill the gaps in between! I’ve always been a grazer when it comes to eating, several small portions spread throughout the day.  I like my savory and salty snacks, my crunchy munchies, and of course my sweets.  But what’s there to snack on besides raw foods when you’re on a cleanse? Once again, Pinterest has come to my rescue!

~~~>> Here are a few of my favorite homemade goodies:

–Coconut Cream Larabars

–Flourless Peanut Butter Muffins (can sub almond butter)

–Honey Peanut Butter Protein Energy Balls

–Peanut Butter Dip (can sub almond butter, great with fresh fruit!)

–Oatmeal Banana Dark Chocolate Cookies

-Veggies & Hummus

-Cucumber salad (lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, chili powder, maybe add onion and tomato!)

-Baked Garbanzo Beans (400degrees for 30min, shake halfway through… be creative and have fun with your spice cabinet! Honey Cinnamon, Ranch, Garlic & Onion…)

The list can go on! I hope this offers a solution to the crave factor.  I find that I not only eat these foods when on a detox, but they’re still yummy any day of the week.  You can make these satisfying substitutions and before your know it, you’re looking and feeling the benefits of healthy eating :]

For more snack ideas, visit my Pinterest ❤

Body & Mind Cleanse, Day #1… and welcome to my blog!

I’m a 24-year-old Chicago native, though I recently relocated to hot and sunny Arizona.  The warmer weather offers many outdoor activities any time of the year, even hot yoga in 120 degrees!  Every new week offers an opportunity to explore my new home, whether it’s swimming and tubing on the natural lazy river or hiking an unfamiliar mountain.  I now realize how much the temperamental winters of Chicago have limited my fitness goals!  Now that it’s beautiful everyday and I no longer have a gym membership, I’ve been doing most of my workouts at home, if not the great outdoors.  I’ve also been focusing on clean eating and a healthy mind.  Best of all, I do it all on a budget! Pinterest is my best friend :]

Speaking of Pinterest, that’s where I get many of my ideas, diet tips and fitness challenges! You can also follow me on my Pinterest.

I post my food and yoga pictures on my Instagram.

Yoga enthusiast. Health fiend. Practicing Buddhist.  My purpose is to humbly offer the life regimen that works for me :]

= Detox Day #1:

Morning vinyasa-flow yoga with a friend.

Then Breakfast…

Two eggs over-easy in coconut-oil complimented with fresh-sliced avocado tossed in lemon juice, salt, pepper, & fresh cilantro. Easy, filling, & delicious.

I also made my nutri-bullet shake:

-1c baby spinach

-handful mixed berries (frozen)

-unsweetened almond milk

-1tsp chia seed

Dinners will be tricky considering I work at an Italian-American restaurant.  Looks like my default dinner at work for the week is grilled chicken breast with sautéed veggies in olive oil.  Costs me $3 with my discount!  Eating earlier in the shift helps me cut back on all the munching and “taste-testing” I usually do.  I also pack my own healthy snacks so I won’t be temped to cheat.  Day one is always the hardest… especially when you work in the industry.

No alcohol. No sugar. No dairy. Nothing processed! Looks like I’ll be prepping and cooking a lot this week :]