Big Slice - A Healthy Snack

Our diet is a very important part of our life, but not many people pay attention to this. We eat fast, we eat bad food and we eat at the wrong time. To keep our health and energy we need something that contains all the good nutrients that we need, but without chemicals and additives.
Big Slice is the kind of snack that you adore from the first try. When you hear about natural snacks (Big Slice is completely organic) you expect a strange, not delicious combination of herbs and seeds. However, Big Slice is delicious and it comes in 16 different flavors depending on what combination of fruits you choose. This means that no matter what kind of snacks you like, Big Slice will be your favorite.
Unlike other snacks, Big Slice actually contains pieces of apples that were prepared naturally, so they did not lose any nutrients. In this way you can see exactly what you eat and forget about those strange looking snacks. After cooking slices of apples (not any apples, GMO-free ones!), they are mixed with other whole fruits and superfoods. The result is amazing: a natural, tasty snack that will take away the hunger and bring you the Vitamins and Minerals that you need to go on with your day.
Big Slice is not only tasty and healthy, but it’s also practical. It can be tricky to have a healthy snack at work, because you have to make sure that your fruits remain fresh for the entire day. On the other hand, Big Slices comes in small, on-the-go bags that you can carry with you everywhere. You’re hungry on your way to work? Open your pouch and have a snack! You’re hungry at work? No problem, it’s easy! Besides all this, one bag only contains 100 calories, so you don’t have to worry if you are on a diet.
If you need yet another reason to eat Big Slice, you have to know that a part of the profits go to Sparkle charity, an organization that helps women in need. Isn’t this snack amazing?
Alright, let’s make a resume: Big Slice is healthy, organic, tasty, easy to carry around, it has barely no calories and every time you buy a pouch you donate to charity. What more can you want from a snack? Now go and give it a try; you will love it from the first minute!
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Healthy travel tips for the holidays

Winter holidays are close, and you are already packing for your trip. You want to make sure that you will have the time of your life, but what about your health? How can you feel active and strong during all those long walks, and how can you keep your diet while trying traditional, exotic food? Check out these tips:

·   Find a hotel with a gym. For sure you will not be in the mood to work out, but 30 minutes of exercise per day are necessary to keep yourself fit. Since there’s no point to make a gym subscription in another country, you have to find a hotel that offers this facility. In the morning, before going out, stop in the gym for 30 minutes; it will be worth it.

·   Choose the healthy meals. Of course, there are many traditional dishes that you want to try, but how good this will be for your body? If you eat huge portions and heavy meals, you will not have enough energy to walk around the city all day, not to mention swimming or climbing. Try to find healthy, low calorie meals that are still tasty.

·   Take nutritional supplements. You will not sleep enough, you will eat fast and you will forget about your daily vitamins intake. In this situation, you need something to keep you going even when you feel exhausted. Nutritional supplements will provide the nutrients that you need so you can enjoy your vacation!

·   Make prior arrangements. You don’t want to think that you will need a doctor, but it’s better to be prepared. If you don’t know the city and you need a consult, you can use a service like Amino. This will allow you to find the right doctor for you within seconds, no matter what insurance you have or what kind of specialist you need.

·   Don’t indulge on sweets. We all know how it goes: you are in vacation, so there’s nothing wrong if you have chocolate for breakfast and Ice Cream for lunch. Well, it might seem simple, but the problem is that a few days in this rhythm can destroy the balance that you struggled to create for months. After your vacation, you will have cravings and it will be difficult to give up sweets again.

·   Keep a first aid kit in your bag. This can be very helpful in those days when you can’t enjoy your time because you have a headache!

Partner Up! 5 Exercises you can do with a workout buddy.

Sometimes you need to have someone to workout with you. Research has shown that people are more likely to stick to their plan if they are held accountable. So grab an accountability buddy and start your sweat sesh.

Here are some exercises you can do together:

Partner Push-Up with Shoulder Tap: Tap into this! Find a mat and get down on all 4s, facing your partner in a push up (full or modified...it's your choice). Next, lower your bodies by bending at the arms with the abdominals engaged. Push back up to the starting position, then lift your right hand, and tap your partner on the left shoulder (while your partner does the same thing). Complete 10-12 reps, alternating hands each time.

Wheelbarrow Push-Ups: Remember this one from your days as a youth? This is a tough one so if you are just starting out I would advise to skip this one for now. Work up to it! Start in a traditional push up position with your accountability buddy holding your feet in their hands. Bracing the core, head down and complete as many push-ups as possible while maintaining good form. With each down motion, add in a synchronized squat on your partner’s end to really double up. You do NOT move forward during this exercise.

Body weight Squat: Stand facing your partner at arm’s length, like how far you'd be from your dance partner in Jr High, with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, grasping each other’s forearms. Maintaining a secure grip, at the same time squat down until the thighs are about parallel to the floor. Hold, then slowly return to starting position. Repeat for 10-12 reps.

Dynamic Lunge: Shorty get low, low, low, low.  For this move, stand facing your partner at arm’s length, clasping each other’s hands between you. Next, lunge forward your right leg as your partner lunges backward with their left leg (Turn on your thinking caps this move requires coordination). Reverse the motion, lunging backward with the right leg as your partner lunges forward with the left. Complete 10-12 reps, switch legs, and repeat.

Reach-and-Touch Plank: You and your partner are team mates, right? Go join awesome forces and show 'em how it's done. Lying on your stomach facing your partner, position the elbows under the shoulders with the palms flat on the floor and the toes tucked under. Next, using the muscles in your core, elevate the torso into a plank position, (you must move at the same time) and reach forward with the right hand to touch your partner’s right hand. Follow swiftly with the left, then lower your bodies back down to the floor. Complete 11-14. Follow this by saying "good game" in a monotone voice.

Try these fun 5 exercises with your workout BFF for a lively sweat sesh! Your waistline will thank you for not indulging in high calorie foods.


I found this awesome article that I think you would appreciate and like:
Get More than a Beach-Ready Body with 10 the Best Core Exercises 

Avoid HOLIDAY weight gain this year

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. I love the holiday season! I love being with my friends and family and celebrating this time of year. I love the lights, the music, and decorations. Sadly, most of the time spent with family and friends means crazy amounts of rich, heavy, and sweet foods. It’s everywhere! It begins in October and doesn’t stop until after Jan 1st.  Most of us indulge “just this once” over and over again for weeks on end, without realizing it. Then before you know it, you don’t look as good in your leggings. So, I decided to put a list of 3 simple things you can do to avoid the “holiday weight gain.” They are super simple and effective and I hope they are a gentle reminder for you during this festive time.

1. Ditch the processed foods.

If it comes in a box, a bag, or in plastic wrap, just say no! Items high in salt, sugar, additives and artificial sweeteners are more difficult for our bodies to recognize and digest, plus they offer no real nutritional benefits.  Instead of packaged and processed products, opt for real whole foods that your digestive tract knows and loves

2. Go to bed and sleep like you always do.

Maintain Your Sleep Schedule. Just because you have more opportunities to stay up late and party doesn’t mean you should. Go out and have fun, but call it quits early enough so that you can get plenty of sleep. Aim for at least seven hours of sleep each night.

3. Drink Alcohol in Moderation

Yes, you should watch your liquid calorie intake, but what you drink can also affect the quality of your sleep. Drinking too much alcohol or caffeine can interrupt your sleep and leave you feeling worn out the next day. Remember, moderation is key!

I want to leave you with this: List your top 2-3 favorite treats during the holidays and commit to having only those.

It helps me so much and I hope it works for you too!

Happy Holidays!

Does The Music Tempo Matter?

I was listening to a playlist I created on Spotify and I noticed that certain songs made me run faster and even focus more on my workout. As a fitness pro I understand the important role music plays in your fitness. I thought I'd take this post to talk briefly about music.

Have you ever noticed that some songs put you in the zone and you are able to increase the speed on the treadmill or whatever you are doing? Does your favorite fitness class play songs that make you want to work your body harder? This is on purpose. As a instructor I want my music to drive my classes. I want the participants to not only enjoy the class more but when the music tempo is increased the students are choosing to work harder and faster. I'm just there guiding them along but ultimately it's them who choose how hard they want to work. Maybe that's what makes them keep coming back for more?

So maybe the next time you want to get your cardio on skip the NPR and play some sped up Chris Brown.

Here is a playlist I encourage you to play for your next workout:

Oh Sh**!

This week my friend lost her job. When stuff like that happens it’s devastating but it can also become an eye-opening experience.

Life is unpredictable and it's not surprising to come face to face with situations we never thought would happen to us. “This is the sort of thing I hear about on TV or see in magazines… I never thought it would happen to me,” is a common thought.

These "Oh Shit!" moments have not only made me miserable but also gave me a reality check. Things that I once thought were important are now trivial. Other areas my life I didn’t pay much attention to, or perhaps took for granted, are now the only things I care about.

I hope that you have no idea what I'm talking about because your life is perfect and that you are having a hard time relating to this post. If not, this post is for you.

Don’t Wait for an Oh Shit! Moment

This is an exercise I’ve been doing the past several months. I know bad things in this life are inevitable, and I don’t want to wait for (another) one to make me prioritize. I routinely  ask myself what matters most to me. What do I truly value? At the end of every day, what and who am I most grateful for?

Here are some questions to ask to help you figure out what matters most:

• What do you value? Family, friends, faith, free-time, adding value or contributing to the world in some way?
• What has (intentionally or unintentionally) taken a back-seat in your life that you once valued?
• Who do you love or value spending time with?
• At the end of the day, what matters most?
• Are the things you’re spending time and energy on adding value to your life, or distracting you from the things that truly matter?

Start living life the way you want, be fearless like you once were as a child, and always stand up for the truth. 

 

Block Island Organics Are A WIN!

When it comes to taking care of ourselves, it is equally important to take care of both our inside as well as our outside. Our skin is our body’s largest organ so it should be an important part of our healthcare regime. Our skin serves as a protective barrier between our insides and the outside world. It helps regulate our body temperature and acts as a filter.

Our skin is in a constant state of growth as old cells die and new cells are formed. It is a fact that healthy skin is better able to fight off signs of aging, has the ability to heal faster and staves off potential disease.

As skin plays such an important role in our health and well-being, I do a lot of research when it comes to the products I use it. In my research, I found a company that makes a great line of skincare products. They are called Block Island Organics (www.blockislandorganics.com) Block Island Organics is a family-owned company that is run, in majority, by women (girl power!!) and is located on Block Island, Rhode Island.

What I love about this company is that all of their products are free of parabens, sulfates, petrochemicals, phthalates, dyes and artificial fragrances. Plus, they use only vegan-based formulas and they don’t do animal testing of any kind.

My favorite product of theirs is the Organic Purifying Facial Cleanser. The cleanser is produced with an organic and natural formula; made with botanical ingredients and rich in antioxidants. It cleanses the skin gently while maintaining a moisture balance so delicate facial skin won’t dry out (even more important in the upcoming winter months!)

I love using this cleanser just after completing a sweaty workout! It removes build-up, impurities and makeup residue and leaves my skin feeling very refreshed. The ingredients include rosehip, chamomile, sunflower, avocado and olive. Because it’s packed with vitamins (like C&E) I know I am enriching and revitalizing my skin.

Block Island Organics makes other great products (moisturizer, sunscreen, and revitalizing night cream). All the products are packed with antioxidants and are made from all-natural ingredients. Because they produce a line of non-toxic products, you can feel confident that you are doing right by your skin.  

Rather than buying products from a big name, mass production company, I feel good purchasing items that have been made with care and attention. I trust that a family-owned company like Block Island Organics, is going to put more care and thought in to their products because they focus on only a handful of items -and they do them extremely well!

I encourage you to try out one (or all!) of their products. Check out their website (www.blockislandorganics.com) this Sunday 11/8 through Saturday 11/14 and get 20% off using this coupon code: jessicab . . .  You’ll won’t be disappointed!