food

Fit girl essentials for the dorm room

~ cassandra ~ Leave a comment

When I was doing my undergrad I was far from fit. My sleeping habits were the worst, I ate junk, and rarely worked out (and it was usually like 30 min on the elliptical). Ironically my major was Public Health, and as I got more into my program I realized that a few small things made me feel so much better. By the time I was in my senior year, I got more into working out and quit the pizza habit, and weight started to come off and I felt a million times better…SO my point is…developing a few great habits in college will pay off in the long run!

To avoid the freshman 15 and keep yourself feeling energized, I recommend a few inexpensive basics for the dorm room. I am back in school (although thankfully not living in a dorm), and these things are key in helping me stay on track this year.

dorm-room-fitness-essentials

Yoga mat– if your school doesn’t have a fitness center or you don’t have access to a gym- a yoga mat is essential! There are SO many free body weight workouts available on youtube! There are also a few hot blogging babes that provide body weight programs too!

Water bottle– Get a large water bottle and fill that sucker up and carry it with you ALL DAY. Hydration is key!! Especially before you go out!

Crops/Sports bra/shoes– get some workout gear you feel great it. F21 has some cheap stuff that is great, and the material actually feels high-quality. If you have the gear, you’re more likely to hit the gym. Gap also has great stuff that will probably be on sale come Labor day. 😉

Peanut Butter- if you are in a dorm (or even an apartment w/roommates) the amount of space you have is probably limited. Get some natural nut butter to throw on an apple,crackers,toast,celery…a spoon…before class.

Protein/Bars– Use amazon or BB.com to get some protein or questbars. Both are great to have on hand for a last minute snack!

If you were used to doing sports or working out in high school, keep it up! If you continue to eat the same way you always have (or more), with less exercise those lbs are going to pack on quick. Even if you never really worked out before, simply walking around campus is a great way to get some activity in!

Any other dorm room tips for the fit girl?? Let me know! Tweet me @afitgirlsguide

signature

Back to school: my favorite healthy snacks

~ cassandra ~ 1 Comment

I’ve found a few go-to snacks that I can keep in my purse that fill me up if I need something quick. If you’re a busy student, mom, or working babe, it’s always good to have a little something on hand for extra busy days!
I’ve separated these by if they need to be refrigerated/be in a lunch box with an ice pack or if they can just go in your car/purse.  I usually use a lululemon bag to pack my lunch in- it’s the perfect size to put in my purse and I can throw in an ice pack to keep things cool for long days.

healthy-snacking

Here we goooo….

Non-refrigerated items:
Emerald roasted almonds (I like the cocoa and vanilla flavors)
Skinny pop
Boom Chicka Pop
Celery + carrot sticks
Apple slices
Celery + pb
Questbars (white chocolate ras is the way to go)
Pretzel Crisps

*the fruit/veggies may only hold up a few hours in your purse…depending on AC conditions or if you’re outside, etc.

I got the individual sized bags of skinny pop and boom chicka pop at target. They are great because I have a hard time controlling myself with an open bag of skinny pop in the house 😉 but obviously you could also portion it out of the big bag.

If you have an ice pack and can keep a few things cold, I love:
Chobani greek yogurt
Cheese sticks  (with my apple)
Cottage cheese + fruit

What are you snacking on these days??

signature

What’s the real cost of juicing at home vs buying juice??

~ cassandra ~ 3 Comments

As you can see from my last couple posts/my instagram [@afitgirlsguide], I am a little obsessed with whole juicing again. It’s such a great way to get fruits and veggies in the diet…and in the case of whole juicing- fiber! I love whole juicing in my Blendtec because it keeps all the great fiber in it, vs separating it out in a typical juicer. And of course it’s tasty! I’ve been trying out some really great combos that are SO refreshing on a hot day.

cost-of-juicing

In the past I used to buy a juice every now and then from Sprouts or Whole Foods, but they are so expensive and I never really made it a habit [luckily]. After buying produce specifically for juicing, I am totally shocked at how much juice can be made at home for the same price!!

Recently I’ve been doing 1/4 lemon, 1/2 cucumber, handful of kale, handful of watermelon, and about 1/4 of green apple with some water in the Blendtec.

Here’s what I purchased from Sprouts:

2 lemons @ .50 each
4 cucumbers @ .50 each
1 container of organic kale @ 3.49
1 seedless watermelon @ 3.99
2 green apples @ 1.49 /lb

total price: 12.09

This amount of produce will probably make about 8 drinks, with watermelon left over. That’s $1.51 per drink!! And it’s a lot more than the amount in a tiny juice bottle or cup too! Compare that with $7.99 bottle of Suja and you are saving a lot of $$$.

Of course this requires you have a high powered blender or juicer, but if it’s something you use often, it’s worth it! Save more money on juice, buy more lululemon…no brainer.

Have a great weekend!

signature

Juice Obsession: watermelon-lime-cucumber detox juice

~ cassandra ~ Leave a comment

I started whole juicing with my Bledtec again, and I guess I had forgot how simple it is! There is no reason to spend $$$ on  juices if you can make them at home! #duh

picmonkey_image (3)

For this recipe I used:
1 cup watermelon (chopped up), half of a cucumber, and a quarter of a lime (peeled).
Blend and serve over ice. Easy Peasy and SO refreshing.

Watermelon and cucumbers are both super hydrating, the combo is perfect if you need a little de-bloat after some weekend indulging. No judgement. I don’t really believe in “detoxing” per se, because that’s what we have organs for…. but I totally know the post-vacay/Monday Morning feeling of needing to lay off the sugar/carbs, and hop back on the fruit & veggie train. As long as you aren’t starving yourself, I think juicing is part of a healthy lifestyle, and is a great way to get more nutrients into your diet!

detox-juice

And if you’re interested, here are a few reasons I will NEVER do a juice cleanse.

Happy Hump Day!

signature

Skinny Strawberry Limeade

~ cassandra ~ Leave a comment

With the crazy hot temps this summer, a cold drink is essential. Lemonade can be kind of a calorie bomb, so this is a tasty alternative. It’s super easy to throw together for a 4th of July BBQ as well.

strawberry_limeade

For each glass of limeade, you will need:
Handful of strawberries
Juice of 1 lime
1 stevia packet
8-12 oz water
Ice

You can either puree the strawberries, lime juice, and stevia or simply mash them together. If you are making a large batch (or don’t like “chunks”), I recommend blending or pureeing.

Enjoy!

 

signature

Grocery List Basics

~ cassandra ~ Leave a comment

I thought I’d share my typical grocery list. I always love to see what’s in other people’s carts…maybe I’m just nosy though 🙂

I usually re-stock produce weekly, and then fill in the meat, eggs, etc. when needed. I don’t really follow any type of “diet” per-se, but I’d say I eat mostly “clean” [I hate that word], and then fill in with some fun foods…which is basically the definition of flexible dieting according to me. For example, you can see some sour gummy worms in this photo.

grocery

Meat/protein:
flank steak
lean beef stew meat (I use this for stir fry)
tuna (I like the tuna packets)
eggs
egg whites
chicken breasts
Ground turkey
lunch meat

Dairy:
almond milk
cottage cheese
sliced Tillamook cheese (sandwiches, omelets)

Produce:
apples
bananas
frozen berries
cucumbers
lemons/limes
red peppers
frozen edamame
romaine lettuce
avocados
little red potatoes
onions

Grains:
english muffins
cream of rice
Kodiak pancake mix
rolls for hubby’s sandwiches
popcorn
garlic quinoa/brown rice (seen here)

Other:
Arctic Zero/Halo Top (gotta have my night time snack!!)
Kombucha
olive oil/balsamic
peanut butter
PB2

My other fave toppings/condiments can be found in this post.

Produce varies depending on the time of year. In the winter I eat more steamed broccoli, roasted veggies, and apples. Now, I’m eating more salads, melon, berries, etc. Shopping in season = tastier and cheaper produce.

With this list  I’ll typically make:
Dinners- stir fry, fajitas made with grilled flank with grilled onions/peppers, turkey burgers, some type of large salad with grilled steak or chicken, and we also usually will do breakfast for dinner once a week.
sides- green salad, roasted potatoes/onions, quinoa/brown rice
lunches- sandwiches, tuna salad, leftovers
snacks-cottage cheese + fruit, apples + pb/rice cake w/pb, boiled eggs, popcorn, arctic zero
breakfasts- protein pancakes, omelets, breakfast sandwich

I split most of my grocery shopping between Costco and Sprouts, and fill in a tiny bit at the regular grocery (tuna, soy sauce, etc)

What are your favorite weekly meals? Does my list look much different than yours?

signature

Low-Cal Ice Cream Float

~ cassandra ~ 1 Comment

Hellooo…I had to share this little gem. It’s super quick, low-cal and hits the spot if you have a sweet tooth! An ice-cream float for less than 200 calories. NO Joke. I already love Zevia and Halo Top, but the 2 together tastes like a real ice cream float! Zevia’s website also has various other float recipes as well that sound amaze! [Strawberry zevia + vanilla Halo top would also be great!]

Macros on 1 can of  cream soda +  1 cup of chocolate halo top:
130 calories// 30 carbs/7 fat/14 protein

You could also use arctic zero for even less calories, but Halo Top is definitely creamier and more like real ice cream.

zevia_float

 

Do you have any go-to snacks when the sweet tooth hits??

signature

 

Recipe: Easy Protein Pancakes

~ cassandra ~ Leave a comment

I finally bought some Kodiak Cakes pancake mix (after getting a free sample), and I am loving how easy it is! I can’t even call this a recipe!

picmonkey_image (2)

for the pancakes:
1/2 c kodiak mix
1/2 c egg whites

topping:
1/3 serving protein powder
2 T PB2
enough milk to make a thin liquid

3/4 c frozen berries
sprinkle of chia seeds

combine the egg whites and pancake mix. cook over medium heat, flipping after 90 seconds. Combine the topping ingredients. Microwave berries, and then mash.  Add chia seeds to the berries, and allow to thicken for a few minutes.

Layer pancakes with toppings and enjoy!

Macros: 422 calories// 54 carbs//5 fat//42 protein

signature

On my radar…

~ cassandra ~ Leave a comment

Happy Friday! It’s daylight savings this weekend and that lost hour of sleep is SO worth that extra hour of daylight! Here are a few things on my radar form this week…

This article from Precision Nutrition…interesting read on willpower

Nicole from Pumps & Iron posted this delish acai bowl recipe this morning, and it’s been on my mind ever since! I LOVE acai bowls, and I need to learn to make them at home!
related: Good Mood Food via Into the Gloss

blueberry-acai-smoothie-bowl-cashew-coconut-topping-1

I finally picked up these Lulu crops thanks to a bday giftcard from my mom…here’s a little fitting room selfie 😉 And my booty is growing even bigger thanks to squats #sorrynotsorry

2015/03/img_5963.jpg

Not fitness related:
Rach is killing it with her pregnancy fashion- island style
Spring cleaning/redecorationg/freshening up is on my mind…so I’ve been spending a lot of time over here

and of course walks with my boy….can’t wait for springtime hikes!

2015/03/img_5933.jpg

 

Have a great weekend!

signature