Motivation Monday: Are you sticking with your New Years goals??

January 26, 2015January 26, 2015 ~ cassandra ~ Leave a comment

It’s almost February and this is the time that people start losing interest or motivation in sticking with their New Years goals or resolutions….are you one of them? If so, think about what it is that you REALLY want….and then read this post about the most important question to ask yourself when setting goals. But most importantly, if something is important to YOU, then you owe it to yourself to push!

Making changes is hard. But that’s okay! It’s hard in every aspect of life…making financial changes, business changes, relationship changes, and of course health and fitness changes. I was talking to an older gentleman at our gym last week with my husband, and he said to us “if it was easy then everyone would do it”. And more often then not, if it’s difficult and if it pushes you…it’s worth it.

If you need to re-think or adjust some goals, that’s okay…but don’t give up!! Remember- if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

Have a great week!

Winter Break Recap

January 8, 2015January 8, 2015 ~ cassandra ~ Leave a comment

It’s back to real life this week (well, almost- school starts next week), but winter vacation has been glorious! It was so nice being in California with my family and soaking up the warm weather (aside from the weird cold snap). We stayed in Newport and went to Disneyland, California Adventure, and Knotts Berry Farm. It was amazing and I am so thankful for my amazing family!

It felt good to have a couple weeks off, but being back in a somewhat normal routine feels good too. I ate my weight in junk food (Disneyland Churros are apparently a huge weakness of mine), and only got a couple workouts in at the hotel, so my body was ready for some normalcy. January isn’t my favorite month by a long shot, but it felt good to come home and snuggle up in my own bed. I’m finishing packing up the Christmas Decorations, and I still can’t believe how fast the holidays went! The year seemed to kind of stretch on and on, but ever since I started school in the Fall time flew by.

I’m excited for a fresh start to the new year, and crossing my fingers it was better than 2014, which was definitely a lesson-learning and “growing” year. And in no particular order [and not the best photo quality] some highlights of the trip….

amazing sunset in Newport Beach ^^

Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls ^^

Christmas Eve with my babe ^^

Downtown Disney^^

California Adventure^^

NYE at Disneyland^^

Space Mountain 🙂 ^^

Happy New Year!

The Great Dry Shampoo Debate

October 23, 2014October 23, 2014 ~ cassandra ~ Leave a comment

Last week I was digging through my drawer of hair products, and I realized I had an insane number of dry shampoos in there. I have a tendency to pick up the small bottles for traveling or my gym bag (or just to try out), so I thought I would share my favs as well as the ones that aren’t worth picking up.

Tresseme: Let’s just start with the worst. This was the first dry shampoo I ever tried (a few years ago) and I wasn’t impressed. My hair just felt grungy after using. Well fast forward a few years, and I kept seeing this pop up on beauty blogs, so thought maybe they had changed the formula. Nope. Still grungy. Not worth the buy. It does smell nice though.

Suave: Best value for sure. Only about $2 I think, and works really well. Smells decent. After it dries, it really rubs out evenly. No complaints.

Bumble and Bumble: Much higher price point than the rest, but I love it. I like that it’s a powder instead of aerosol (my hubby complains when I spray a ton, and I’m basically in a dry shampoo cloud. #lol… so husband’s fav for sure). I also like that it’s volumizing. Since it is more pricy, I use sparingly. Mostly for date nights, or if I’m actually going some place other than the gym or nannying or school. Also has a really nice scent.

SG: I saw this in a magazine around Christmas time, so I bought it the next time I was at Ulta….such a great consumer 😉 anyway, I’ve only bought the ‘clear’ version- it’s available in brown I believe, but I love it. It really is volumizing, while still being effective at dry shampoo-ing. Win-win. I plan on picking up the full size bottle. When I run out of some of these. haha.

Pssssst: Nothing special about this one. I think it does about the same job as the suave, but not as cheap. It is nice it comes in a travel size though. Smells nice.

My dry shampoo tips:

I like to use dry shampoo at night before bed (if I’m not planning on working out the next morning). I feel like it really absorbs well over night, and you don’t have to use as much (or any) the next day.
part hair in multiple places when spraying. Especially if doing a pony tail or pulling hair back in some way. It’s awkward to have hair to appear clean on top, but greasy on the sides, if pulled all the way back (ew). Also, this helps with adding volume.
For post-workout, sometimes I blow dry my roots, and then spray dry shampoo if I don’t have time for a full shower. Sounds gross but it works. Obviously, don’t do this every time you workout. Dry shampoo does not equal bathing 😉

SO tell me your favorite dry shampoo tricks and/or products!

Motivation Monday: Wise words from Jillian

August 12, 2014 ~ cassandra ~ Leave a comment

Just wanted to quickly share this from Jillian Michaels’ book Unlimited. I plan on doing a full post about the book soon, but for now- one of my favorite passages.

“The truth is, there are no rules. Period. Anything is possible if you have the knowledge and do the work…
Lets be clear: wanting things and feeling worthy of a great life do not mean you think you are more deserving or better than everyone else. We are all deserving of happiness.”

I LOVE this so much. It really spoke to me when I read it the first time, and I’ve gone back to read it many times since. Having high expectations of ourselves is healthy. God wants us to have a happy and successful life. On that note, Happy Monday!

25 Things About Me

August 1, 2014August 1, 2014 ~ cassandra ~ Leave a comment

Happy Friday!! Got this little quiz from A Healthy Slice of Life and thought it would be fun.

1. I’m happiest when… I’m with my husband.

2. …Especially if it… is with our families. Or we are shopping or exercising. haha.

3. I’ve always wanted to… visit the Mediterranean

4. My family and I… like the beach. And ice cream.

5. I was a terrible… dancer. not coordinated at all. ha

6. My first job was… at an Orthodontist office- sanitizing tools and seating patients.

7. I could probably eat chips and guac everyday. Or cucumbers with lemon. Or watermelon.

8. I stole… Brian’s heart. It only took a few days 😉

photo by

9. I was born on the same day as… Joe Pesci.I just had to look that up

10. My all-time favorite film is… Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Such a classic.

11. I do a pretty mean… Protein smoothie.

12. I’m still mad… I’m not a trust-fund baby.

13. I met my husband… at a party in college

14. I always knew I wanted… kids. and a Masters Degree. I’m starting the degree soon and hopefully the kids will come soon after 🙂

15. I’m not afraid to… wear gym clothes all day…Lululemon and Nike are my jam lately.

16. I make the best… enchiladas with homemade sauce.

17. I have almost no… patience for slow drivers

18. I always cry when… well. Whenever I read or watch ANYTHING emotional. At all. haha. I’m a crier. [I just asked my husband this question and he said I just cry always hahah]

19. I’m (now) a Utahn, but I will always be SoCal girl

20. I spent 12 years… well that’s half my life. I don’t think I’ve spent twelve years doing anything haha. Except for school…and I’m going back for more…

21. I wish my folks… Lived closer to me.

22. At 5, I was deeply in love with _____ and ______. Pink and purple anything.

23. I believe if everyone had good manners (and ate more vegetables) the world would be a better place.

24. I can’t stand… Utah Drivers (see #17)

25. Whenever ___ is on, I’ll watch it. Well I don’t have TV, but when I’m at the gym (or anywhere with a TV) I love to watch the food network!

It’s always more fun when you share too! Pick a question and answer it in a comment!

A quick update…

July 27, 2014 ~ cassandra ~ Leave a comment

I can’t believe it’s been 2 weeks since I’ve posted! I’m in full on summer mode plus we are moving tomorrow morning (!) and I can’t wait to get into a normal routine.

I’ve been trying to keep up with workouts, but packing/moving is a workout in itself! Meals have been hit and miss as well- again due to the move. So excited to get back into our old neighborhood. We’ll be right by a lake with tons of trails. Perfect for after dinner walks and morning runs.

Excited to get back to my normal posting schedule next week! Until then, here’s a little catch-up.

[can’t put this down. so good. Jillian is such a bad ass]

[late night workout with my hubby]

[more jillian, and my mile-long moving to-do list]

Happy Weekend!

Book Review: The Power of Habit

June 20, 2014June 20, 2014 ~ cassandra ~ Leave a comment

Ah. Such a great read. It’s about pathways in our brains that cause activities to become habits. He approaches the topic from a personal, community, and organizational perspective. I found it interesting to read up on how the culture and subculture of large companies grew from (seemingly) small occurrences that eventually became the norm.

power of habit

From simple activities like why we go to the cafeteria at the same time every day- to casual gamblers becoming full-fledged addicts who spend their life savings and then some in the casino, the book is presented in an easy to read way, mixing anecdotes with research.

It was a quick read and really got me thinking. I don’t want to summarize the whole thing so I’ll just talk about the basics.

The basis of every habit is a habit loop:

cue —> routine —> reward

This really got me to look at my behaviors, and think about the cues that cause them (taking pretzels from the pantry, or going out to get a diet coke) and why. What reward am I seeking. Am I really hungry? Do I need caffeine? Am I bored?

While the habit loop is simple, the author does not suggest that changing habits is easy to navigate because (obviously) everyone is unique. We have different triggers and emotions tied to our habits that can make them more or less difficult to break.

However the simplicity in the habit loop does create clear guide for how to start a new habit. He used the example of leaving running shoes right by the bed. You see them every morning (cue). You go for a run (routine). You feel accomplished/ endorphin high, etc. (reward)

In order to begin a new and lasting habit, we need to identify cues to remind us of the habit, and it’s equally,if not more, important to have your routine attached to a reward. That reward keeps us coming back for more, and our brain craves it!

ANYWAY…I def recommend. I couldn’t stop yacking about it to my husband while I was reading it!

Have you read it? What did you think?

Lessons in Spin Class 2: Life is hard

June 20, 2014 ~ cassandra ~ 2 Comments

In Spin last night, the instructor started the class by telling us we’d be doing 15 sprints 20-30 seconds each. The previous class I’d gone to was hills so I was happy for a change of pace. After the 15th sprint, when my legs felt like they were going to spin right off my body, she told us we’re doing 2 more sprints (followed by 2 time trials, 3 and 4 minutes each). She said in life sometimes things happen and we feel like we are at the end of our rope. Then something worse happens and we feel like we’re going to fall right over the edge. But we don’t. We keep pushing. It’s all mental. Some days are long and hard and we want to crawl in bed. But we keep moving forward and eventually things fall into place and the pain dulls, and we learn the lessons God intended us to learn.

I was thinking about how true this is. This Spring has been super stressful for B and I, and when everything started to get sorted out we got some devastating news that made our “problems” feel so small and so superficial. Life is hard. Sometimes it’s really shitty. But I’m reminded that life can also be so short. There’s not time to waste worrying about inconsequential crap that doesn’t matter.

On that note…

Stop waiting. Take a look at that sunset and soak it up. Enjoy your freaking pizza. Stay up too late chatting with your husband, or your bestie or whoever. You never know what tomorrow will bring, so enjoy what you have right now.

Sunday Gratitude: These are the Good Old Days

June 2, 2014 ~ cassandra ~ 1 Comment

I keep hearing this quote “These are the Good Old Days” and every time I do, it stops me in my tracks. Sometimes I get so caught up in what the future holds- jobs, school, career, moves, finances, kids, etc. that I forget to remember I’m in the good old days right now. We’re going on 3 years of marriage (this week!!!)- and these are the days.

The quiet evenings. The late(ish) netflix nights. Lazy weekends. Book reading. Gym go-ing. The graduate school apps. The hot-dates. The lazy nights in. Apartment-hopping. Studying. Job finding. Baby naming. Sunday Walks. These are the good old days. The days I will look back on and think- wow- how lucky I am to have had so much time to spend with my sweet husband in our newly-wed years. I don’t want to look back and think about how I was always stressed out. Life is full of ups and downs. It sometimes takes a rain storm to enjoy the sunshine.

Just something to think about on this Sunday evening.

6 tips for avoiding the weekend Yo-Yo

May 30, 2014May 30, 2014 ~ cassandra ~ 1 Comment

Happy Friday! Doesn’t it just feel like summer? I am loving it….1 week til the SLC Downtown Farmer’s Market opens and I am a happy girl. Also a new Whole Foods is opening near us and I am stoked!! Since we are heading into the weekend I thought I’d share a few tips about avoiding the weekend “yo-yo”.

I think everyone has experienced the weekend yo-yo. Do you know what I mean? You eat great during the week, sticking to your plan/schedule- then the weekend comes and you go out to eat a few times and throw down everything in sight. Then Monday rolls around and your progress has halted (or worse, your pants don’t fit)…..Just me? Ok. Well…recently I’ve had some luck with avoiding this unfortunate conundrum. Part of that reason is that I don’t have extra moneys to be going out to eat all the time (aside from the occasional burrito bowl from chipotle. #obsessed). But those aren’t too bad anyway.

Soo0…a few tips to keep you on track during the weekend. And first let me preface this by saying in no way shape or form should food rule your life. But if you DO have goals, it helps to stay on track most of the time…..and if you throw diet/exercise out the window on Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday—that’s a big chunk of your week. (#foodforthought)

Eat a big healthy breakfast. This will get you started on the right foot, and hopefully keep you full for a while. If you happen to be going out for breakfast- don’t choose the pancakes. Fill up on eggs or something protein-packed to keep you full. This is most beneficial if you’re out running errands all day. The last thing you want to to is find yourself ravenously hungry 2 hours into your errand-marathon.
Pack snacks. Throw some bars, nuts, or fruit in your purse or car. When hunger strikes you can eat one of those- and then think realistically about the best way to find your next healthy meal. (I don’t think well on an empty stomach. I made the mistake of going to Costco while starving [and emotional] recently and it was not pretty).
Schedule active weekend plans. Recently my husband and I have been going hiking on the weekends. It’s fun, burns calories, and makes me not want to ruin my hard work with a burger when I’m done. This time of year there are so many fun things to do! Take advantage of that warm weather.
Workout on the Weekend: even if your activities aren’t getting you any physical activity (actually especially if they aren’t) go to the gym. It will help you feel like you’re sticking to your routine, and Saturday Morning gym classes are so fun. I think that’s the best time of week for the most variety in a given time slot at the gym. [yoga, spin, zumba, etc.] This is the same idea as above- you won’t want to ruin your hard work after busting your a$$ in the gym. Just don’t twist this and say “now i deserve a sundae” Don’t ever ‘reward’ yourself with food!
Schedule your cheat meal on the weekend. If you are a person who participates in scheduled cheat meals- do it on the weekend. The idea that you can hold off on (x,y,z) now because you are eating a burger the size of your face tonight will help you limit other temptations. I have mixed feelings about the cheat meal (leading to binging behaviors, etc) but I do think it’s a good way to practice prolonging desire. Just make sure when the meal is over, you’re back on track!
Water. Stay Hydrated!! I have found that I drink less water on the weekends because I’m not on my usual schedule- go figure. Staying hydrated will help you determine hunger vs thirst. Also- when you do go out, it’s always a million times better to choose water than soda. I’m for sure guilty of the occasional diet coke (moderation, etc etc) but water is the best choice always and forever!

Now AGAIN, this is not to say that you shouldn’t enjoy yourself, have fun with friends, etc. etc. Life shouldn’t be ruled by food choices. Moderation is the best policy. (and keeps me happiest come Monday morning…) But it’s also no fun to wake up and say, now why did I eat the whole city this weekend…..? Hard work and moderation = long term happiness. I personally think the 80/20 rule is the way to go.

SO. How do YOU keep the yo-yoing to a minimum on the weekends?

Happy weekend!