Absolutely in love with this gorgeous mashup of Wrecking Ball, Roar, and Royals. I was/am tired of all three songs individually, but the way this artist puts it together is flawless and so emotional.
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I am actually so excited about this post! Which is very strange because I secretly HATE fitspo social media (Twitter, Instagram, etc), it all annoys me. But I woke up this morning and felt very motivated to start my "crash diet" that I always do, and I wanted to share because it's always worked for me. It's definitely not for everyone and obviously, you know what works best for your body. I am in NO way a nutrition or exercise expert, so please take my advice with a grain of salt. It also certainly helps to have a bit of motivation (wink). It could be Spring Break, it could be a certain reunion with someone special. Who knows! Anyways, I'm going to break it down by liquids/foods/exercise and little pieces of advice in between. Sometimes it's not even about losing weight or hitting that goal number, it can be a quick little cleanse of the toxins that are constantly slowing you down. OKAY, so first thing's first: go through your kitchen and throw away all the shitty food you keep around. I hate saying "throw away" because I feel wasteful. Donate it or something, but get rid of it. This morning I got rid of a loaf of broad, some leftover cupcakes, cheese, etc. No use keeping temptations around. LIQUIDS 1. Lemon Water - the best EVER. From the moment you wake up, to the moment you go to sleep - DRINK LEMON WATER. It helps everything from your energy levels to your skin and I promise you will notice a difference. I fill a 30 oz reusable bottle with ice cold water and have a lemon sliced up. I also recommend picking the seeds out first because they're annoying. Sometimes I'll add limes for extra flavor or cucumbers. It's important that the water is ice ice ice cold because that speeds up your metabolism. So refreshing and so healthy! I keep it on me 24/7. I drink about 150 oz of Lemon Water a day. 2. Tea - I usually opt for two or three types of tea. In the morning, I'll go for an energizing apple flavored tea with maybe a quarter pack of Splenda. I sometimes do a Kombucha green tea in the morning as well. At night, I'll have my Traditional Medicinals Organic Smooth Move tea with Senna that helps my digestive system keep moving. RESTRICTED DRINKS: any soda (including diet), ALCOHOL, dairy, sugary energy drinks, any Starbucks/Dunkin creation with whipped cream and fun flavors ***I absolutely swear by going off alcohol for a while - I honestly think alcohol keeps you chronically bloated and feeling gross. I always notice a HUGE difference after I've gone a few weeks without drinking. Probably my #1 Tip. FOOD I like to keep it 100% natural and raw - I will usually cut out all meat, including chicken and fish. Again, not for everyone. However, I do add Whey Protein from Trader Joe's into my all-natural smoothies, which I will explain shortly. I'm not huge on three exact meals per day. I like to eat lightly when I'm hungry. Does this make me a snacker? I guess so. I also like to eliminate all oils when cooking - no olive oil, no vegetable oil or canola oil when preparing food (hence: raw). Favorite Veggies: asparagus, spring mix lettuce, spinach, celery, carrots, cauliflower, squash, zucchini, peppers, onions. Favorite Fruits: APPLES APPLES APPLES APPLES (super filling), bananas, mangos, peaches, pineapple, strawberries, pomegranates. RECIPES - Top Two 1. Smoothie: I use my Ninja Professional blender, which is a gift from above. I'll first add a banana to add that creamy texture, then I'll add any frozen fruit, plus about a cup of ice cold water - and that's it. I like to do a mango, banana, strawberry smoothie. 2. CRAISIN SALAD: I use an organic spring mix base, with a few 50% reduced sugar craisins and walnuts. Then I add some calorie-free Balsamic dressing and that's about it! I always chop my salads first. *Note: my picture of the completed salad has feta cheese in it, which I wouldn't add when crash dieting but is totally up to you because it's delicious. EXERCISE
I like to keep it relatively simple because I'm not trying to train for a marathon here, I'm just trying to look/feel good in a short amount of time. I really focus on my abs, butt, thighs, and arms with a little bit of cardio thrown in. I'll break it down by morning, afternoon, and evening. Remember: 70% diet, 30% exercise! MORNING: a little bit of stretching, 150 crunches (50 to the left, 50 center, 50 to the right), 75 squats, 20 lunges per leg AFTERNOON: I'll go on a run outside for about 20 minutes, or a walk .. whatever feels healthy EVENING: I'll use 8 lb weights per arm and lean forward and curl my arm backward (there is a name for this, but since I'm not an expert - I have no idea), I'll 100 squats using the 8 lb weights, then finish with 200 crunches (100 to the left, 100 to the right). Do not forget to stretch! All about stretching! I hope you enjoyed this little crash diet tutorial! Enjoy your spring breaks or whatever you might be working toward ;) And I RARELY use wink faces. Happy hump day camels! And here is some last min #FITSPO: 1. Destroyed Boyfriend Jeans - I was hesitant to even try these because I felt like they wouldn't get along very well with my butt BUT I went out on a whim and decided to go for an inexpensive pair from Forever 21 just in case I hated them. I ended up loving them and will now be investing in a more high quality brand - or two. These are great for transitioning into spring. Pictured Below from Left to Right: Naomi Destructed by Paige, Boyfriend Moss W/ Holes by Rag & Bone, Destroyed Boyfriend Jean in Light Roxy Wash by J. Crew 2. Coffee Table Books - I blame Pinterest for this new obsession. All I want to do is order every coffee table book I can get my hands on and style all different surfaces of my soon-to-be apartment in New York. Truly, there is not a coffee table on this planet that I do not want to own. Pictured Below from Left to Right: Vogue: The Covers, Chanel Collections and Creations, The Impossible Collection of Fashion 3. All Natural/Organic Beauty Products - I am not kidding when I say that Trader Joe's Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion has literally changed my life. I used to avoid face lotions all together because I always felt greasy after, especially if it had any sort of SPF. But this lotion is amazing, I use it twice daily but it has SPF in it so it's great for the morning. I've also been obsessing over Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day hand soap. The smells are to die for. Pictured Below from Left to Right: Mrs. Meyer's hand soap in Lemon Verbana, Trader Joe's Enrich Lotion, Mrs. Meyer's hand soap in Rhubarb I'm starting to realize that ambition and passion are two of the most important things in life. I hate to sound cliché but these two qualities are what separate the boys from the men. You can have the most impressive degree from the most prestigious school, but if you aren't passionate about what you do (or what you want to do, or really anything in life for that matter) then it doesn't mean shit. People that lack drive and think that they're too cool to give a damn are not going to go very far. There's nothing more attractive, not even necessarily in a romantic or sexual way, than someone who is sincerely passionate about what they do and who aren't afraid to go after what they want. If I've learned anything from my interview experiences, it's that people can tell when you are hungry and motivated and that's impressive to anyone. Life is too short to pretend that you don't care. Not giving a damn is not cool and it's not cute and it doesn't translate into real life. It's just boring. Be authentic and be passionate about what you love because I'm convinced this is what has brought me to all the right places. Happy Hump Day! I've always struggled with this thing my mom calls being a "people pleaser." I have a hard time saying no to people or even facing confrontation on uncomfortable topics. This has been a downfall of mine many times and now I'm starting to see that if you aren't your own personal advocate, you will get stomped all over and taken advantage of. You have to put yourself first sometimes - you have to know what's right for you physically and mentally because nobody else does. Listen to your body and listen to your mind, and then don't be afraid to put your foot down and make some changes for your own benefit. Being selfish can be a good, healthy thing. You have to learn how to put yourself first and do what's best for you, even if it means letting someone down and facing awkward confrontation. I won't declare myself fully grown up until I master the art of being selfish and being my own advocate. People treat you however you allow them to, so what you put up with says a lot about how you view yourself. Only accept the best from people and never allow yourself to be a pawn in anybody else's game. That's my advice for this Thursday. Don't be stupid like me and leave your flats at home today until Mother Nature gets her shit together. The first part of making a huge life change is the initial mix of nerves, anxiety, and excitement. Depending on the magnitude of this change, the feeling can last anywhere from one day to a week to a month. Feeling nervous and excited is amazing, you feel alive and it feels like you're seeing everything for the first time (probably because you actually are being exposed to so many things in such a short amount of time), and it feels like you're looking through a new set of eyes. But like anything else in life, you become used to routine and what once seemed so new and eye-catching is now just a backdrop to your daily life. I'm sure you can think of a few different places in your life where you can apply this concept - the first one I can think of is when you meet someone and fall in love. The "honeymoon" phase - where you are so overwhelmed by the total bliss of falling in love, and your person's little quirks are so cute and not completely annoying yet. Well, the honeymoon phase ends and it's up to you to maintain that special feeling that you can't quite put your finger on.
And the honeymoon ends for any new, exciting experience. When I first decided to leave Delaware and head to New York City, I was terrified. I was nervous about what people would think and I was nervous that I would regret my decision. I was worried about all the people I was leaving behind and I was just anxious in general. I think anyone would be scared of the future when making such a huge decision. But as I said, nerves are usually good. It means you care. And being the cornball that I am, there's a quote that really helped me through this initial phase of pure anxiety (along with a little white wine..). It goes like this: "Sometimes what you're most afraid of doing is the very thing that will set you free." And this was true. I feel free in New York. I feel like I'm getting a taste of a world that is so much bigger than I realized. And this initial feeling of freedom, and exploration, and sweet confusion and just overall newness lasted a few weeks. Learning the subway routes and getting used to being a commuter. Being the person who gives other people directions instead of asking for them. There are a lot of subtle things that changed and then all of a sudden, I was somewhat of a "New Yorker". And I use that term in a very broad sense. So, it's been two months since I've been here and though I still feel like I'm kind of living in this amazing fantasy land, there's definitely a sense of comfort and familiarity. What I've noticed is that the more comfortable and familiar I become with the city, the more I notice things that my cloud of early excitement covered up. For example, New York can be a very lonely place. If you don't live here or work here, you might wonder how that could possibly be. There are millions of people and buildings and everything you could ever need. It's hard to find yourself physically alone and isolated. But for me, this is what makes loneliness such a loud emotion that's hard to ignore. It's seeing those couples who are ridiculously in love and holding hands on the subway, and it's seeing the groups of men in suits meeting up with their coworkers for a drink after work on a Friday. I think I become most lonely when I see how not lonely everyone else is. Without a doubt, one of the best and most important parts of growing up is discovering who you really. And I think this is something that has to happen when you're alone, without another person's influence shaping your opinions or goals or desires. I've learned more about myself in the past two months than I've learned in the sum of my life before I came to New York. I've gotten to know myself as someone without a boyfriend. I've realized what it is that I (just me, one single unit) want out of life - from my career to what I want in a boyfriend to what matters in a friend. I don't think this personal growth would've occurred unless I spent some alone time with myself. It's terrifying to imagine who I would've turned out to be if I always had a boyfriend. I've learned that there is a difference between being alone and being lonely. And I know it's possible to be alone and not be lonely because I've felt it many times since I've gotten to New York. Those moments when you realize you enjoy your own company and don't need someone else with you to validate the significance of that moment. But sometimes life can just be plain lonely, so I remind myself that it's only temporary. "Remember: the time you feel lonely is the time you most need to be by yourself. Life's cruelest irony." Douglas Coupland And on that note, happy Friday from a random Starbucks in New York. Maybe it's a divine intervention but I think Lulu Lemon's store was placed on the way to/from my office for a reason. I am a sucker for these types of things, but their signs always cheer me up. I failed to snap a pic of one of my favorites from Monday that said "Happiness is the truth." Amen, Lulu Lemon. Happy Hump Day! I've learned something very important through having an on again/off again boyfriend of three years who is not much of a talker. I've also learned this lesson because I am a talker, so the lesson has come to me by comparing myself with him. Basically, I am quick to vocalize anything and everything - my feelings, beliefs, opinions, emotions. I'm especially good at this when it comes to telling the people I am closest with, but I sometimes struggle with expressing myself honestly with acquaintances or strangers. On the other hand, my (current) ex boyfriend is very selective with his words in general. Though I would probably melt and die if it were to happen, I never expect a long, emotional text to wake up to. At times, his lack of communication pisses me off to extreme extents. I am known to freak out if he doesn't text me back right away. But this is just him and the way he does things, and after three years you think I would learn how to work with this. I'm trying. The one thing that I've learned from being in love with someone who isn't going to write me a three page love letter, is the value and importance of words. Hearing "I love you" all day, multiple times a day would be lovely, but the meaning fades and it becomes less of a novelty. It's true that the less we hear something, the more valuable it becomes. I'm a firm believer that you should always tell someone how you feel about them while you have the chance. But it's not that I don't know that he loves me. The reason I'm bringing this up is because tonight I got a text that said "Proud of ya" .. which is not something I hear very often from him. In one month, I've had my dad, mom and my ex (honestly, I hate how "ex" sounds so negative) all tell me they were proud of me. It always means so much coming from people so close to you, but especially when it's not something that you typically hear. I'm learning to keep some words and thoughts to myself, and use them less as space fillers and more as genuine sentiments. Love should never be a word that loses its value or meaning.
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