Berry time: Blueberry Edition!

Hello Lovelies!

As mentioned many a time before, I have been surfacing from a hectic transition into the "real world" (university). I make myself laugh sometimes with how mellow dramatic I sound...

Anyway, on to the topic of today's discussion! It touches upon one of my savior foods in the past few days (well since ever, but especially in the past few days); a food that I know is very familiar with everyone, especially within the fitfam community...blueberries! Blueberries are most definitely amongst my favorite fruit (but then again, there is a very minimal percentage of fruit that I do not consider to be amongst my favorite fruit, lets be real) I consume it on a daily; in my smoothies, as an oat topping, as a mid day snack. They are just so seemingly easy and perfect to consume, am I right? This morning, as I was whipping my daily pre-workout smoothie, which consisted of mostly blueberries, I decided what the heck, why not perform a little more research on the little blue bundle of joy I am so fond of.

I was absolutely astonished to come across all the amazing benefits of the blue super foods. Here are some that of my favorite benefits that I gathered:

1. Blueberries are jam packed with antioxidants including: Anthocyanin, Vitamin C, B complex, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, copper, selenium, zinc, and iron. In fact, blueberries have one of the highest antioxidant capacities among all fruits, vegetables, seasonings, and spices. 

So what are antioxidants? 

    

    Antioxidants help combat free radical that can potentially cause damage to cellular structures, including DNA; they are very important for optimized health for the body.

2. Blueberries also benefit blood sugar regulation. They do this because of their low GI, or glycemic index. Glycemic Index is a way of determining and identifying the impact that food can potentially have on our blood sugar levels, after we have ingested and digested the food.

A study that was presented at a mental biology conference in 2009, demonstrated that a blueberry rich diet can lower cholesterol levels, and lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes by improving and regulating glucose control, as well as insulin sensitivity.

Other amazing benefits include ( and the list goes on..)

3. Boosts the immune system, while also working to prevent infection.

4. Aids in reduction of belly fat, as well as other risk factors for metabolic diseases,

5. Aids in the health of the urinary tract

6. Promotes dietary benefits and cures to many heart diseases because of high fiber and antioxidant count, and ability to dissolve any bad cholesterol.

7. Help maintain a great mood, since they are lovely anti depressants.

8. Keeps you fresh, close to nature, and sharp! Natures candy, and superfood!

For more in depth info you can visit these sites:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=8

http://www.womenfitness.net/blueberries.htm

Have a lovely day, and enjoy your blueberries!

And with that I sign off--XO Adri

Hello Lovelies!

I feel like it has been forever since I had the opportunity to  update this blog; my life for the past couple of weeks has been nothing less then hectic as I was packing and preparing for my big University move!  Nothing exemplifies college preparation more than frantic rushes to Bed Bath and Beyond, dorm checklists, and 7 hour car drives...all in a days work I assume?

Although I am undoubtedly excited about this new chapter of my life, I also have come to a sudden realization. Everything I have ever known has been so consistent in the past 18 years; I have molded myself around a routine of the same everyday life. Now, alone in a new city, with unfamiliar faces, and unfamiliar circumstances, it has dawned on me how different life will be. My once comfortable state is no more. For the next few weeks, my days will consist of constant experimentation, and exploration; discovering this new life, this new routine. I began to stress; how could I make it all work? How can I continue this fitness journey? How can I continue running a blog, when my sources, time, and space is so limited?

It will be hard. No doubt. Hard, but impossible? I don't think so.

You see,  through all that I am experiencing, I have already been taught my first lesson. When you want something bad enough; you fight for it. No matter how hard, no matter how long the journey will be, no matter how many doubtful opinions you will encounter, the will to fight for your dreams should be worth so much more.

I want to  inspire,  to motivate, to climb a hierarchy of all things health. I want to go places I never thought possible, both physically, mentally, and spiritually. I want my life to be more than just a constant battle to survive; to stay above water. I want it to be uplifting, with my wildest imaginations awakening on a daily. Yes I am college student. Yes I am limited. I don't have access to all the food I had access to before. I don't have all the time that summer offers as a luxury to many. I may not have all the privacy that I was so accustomed to before ( I share my dorm with a very nice girl I only just met).

I do, however,  have my ambition, and that is all that matters. I may not have an immense following, but I will work hard for the following I do have. The fact that strangers are so willing to allow my pictures, words, and perspectives to enter into their lives on such an indirect but personal platform such as social media, fills me with an immense sense of pride, purpose, and excitement. I want to continue to offer everything I have, and more.

So I am going to face this challenge head on; I plan to continue my fitness and health journey with more strength, more dedication, and more passion than before. Everything from how to eat clean on a budget, to how to maintain health and fitness goals when peer pressure threaten to hinder them will be featured.  I have a new game plan for this blog: I am so eager to motivate myself to maintain this healthy lifestyle I have fought so hard for, and I can not wait to share it with you all.

I refuse to allow such challenges to forbid me from continuing what I started. I will stay dedicated. 

It is as if an awakening occurred within me in the past few days, in between the hustle and bustle of moving that I have recently experienced. I realized how important dedication truly is. Dedication is what brings you to that next level, what will hoist you to success. Dedication is what separates the average, from the extraordinary.

Nothing is unatainable, or too far from reach. Make today the day you decide nothing, absolutely nothing is in your way. No force is greater than your ambition. Work hard, play hard, be kind, be humble, be dedicated. If you have the opportunity to pave your own roads, why not take it?

Stay tuned; I am determined to make make Raw & Refreshed only bigger and better.

 

And with that I sign off--XO Adri

Cocoa Time!

Hello Lovelies!

So for some odd reason, I was in a chocolate frenzy this morning when I woke up! I mean, I already have an unrelenting obsession with anything cocoa, but my body seemed to be asking for it double time. So how do I approach an immense chocolate craving, and still target my eating goals? Well, I decided this was a challenge waiting to be accepted.

Therefore I present you with my amazing chocolate shake creation! The best part? It is all made healthy, with a enough protein, and natural vitamins to serve for a perfect pre/ post workout snack.

What you'll need:

-Chocolate Almond Breeze Almond milk

- 1 Frozen banana

-1/2 cup of sliced almonds

-Half a banana sliced

-1 table spoon of almond butter

Simply mix the frozen banana and almond milk in a blender. Drizzle the top of your shake with the almonds, the bananas, and the almond butter. Add any other toppings if you want to get even crazier.

Also, you can add more of whichever ingredient, depending on how much of a serving size you want, or how much protein you need.

In any case, waking up to this lovely creation has made my day a thousand times brighter. Im ready to take on whatever comes with a big smile on my face, and a nice chocolatley mustache on top!;)

What is your favorite chocolate creation?

And with that I sign off--XO Adri

Having Fun and Staying Fit on South Beach: Day Three

It has come; the inevitable. My days relaxing on a seemingly endless summer breeze have come to an end. Ok, so vivid exaggeration aside, I have come to the third and last day of my South Beach getaway. Although South Beach is basically my backyard; having practically grown up on the sands and surf of Miami, there was something particularly special about this short get away. I am moving to northern Florida for University, so I craved a few days where I could simply breathe in the aroma of the salty winds, and embrace the feel of the beaches I lived my life on.

The Palms Hotel is such an amazingly beautiful place; full of enchantment from the landscapes of the hotel grounds, to the food, to the serene view of the ocean and beaches. These three days were full of sunshine and clear waters, which is something that has been rare for the rainy summer Miami Florida has been experiencing. Any way, my sister rand I wasted no time in enjoying our last day.

It was also my rest day, so I spent the day simply relaxing. For rest days, I typically enjoy a good stretch, since my body is usually aching from workouts done in the week. I was still active throughout the day however; swimming, digging sand holes, and chasing my kid sister all around. It was a perfect balance of rest and body moving activities.

Breakfast: Strawberries, blueberries, pinneaple, cantaloupe, and salmon and cucumber on gluten free toast.

Lunch: Ok I had the same lunch as the first day; call me a creature of habit. Mixed greens salad with a lemon vinaigrette dressing with a side of sweet potato fries and guacamole.

Dinner: Ahhhgg I love this salad; signature Kale Caesar salad with aged parmesan, herb croutons, toasted pepitas, and anchovy vinaigrette.

Today was my rest day, but I did wake up, had a tall glass of water, and did some stretching.

Having Fun and Staying Fit on South Beach: Day Two

Hello Lovelies! What is better than a successful day one on South Beach? A successful day two! Part two of my mini vacay was all I could ask for and more; another day of sun, sand, clear waters, and adventure! My young sister and I had a blast swimming with needlefish, building sand mermaids, and climbing huge beach rocks.

Of course, my day also consisted of eating absolutely delicious and wonderfully nutricious food, all thanks to the amazing Essensia restaurant of the Palms Hotel and Spa.

Breakfast: Fruit Platter with coconut yogurt.

Lunch: Arugula and Quinoa salad with sliced cucumbers and lemon vinergertte dressing.

Dinner/Post Workout: Mixed Greens salad with grilled shrimp (I added that extra fish protein for 

muscle recovery)

Workout: Yesterday I confined myself to the gym, but today I thought to mix it up with an outdoor beach workout! I love the challenge of running on sand; the sand offers a terrain that is much more challenging than the standard concrete or treadmill. Running on sand is also awesome for those leg muscles. I finished my short jog with a plank crazy core workout! I drank a refreshing green smoothie, and then  I was off to hit the sand for a hard sweat session! 

What I did:

- Two Mile Jog

-Abs/Core:

a) 1 minute plank

b) Plank up-downs-30 reps

c) Plank dips-10 reps each side

d) Spiderman Plank Crawl-30 seconds

I did 4 sets with a 10-15second rest in between each move

It was a quick and simple workout that had my heart pumping, my body moving, and my muscles burrnng! I say it was a successful sweat session indeed;)

Having fun and staying fit on South Beach: Day One

My summer days are slowly coming to a close, as I move away in a couple of weeks to start my journey in University life. However, I am determined to end this summer with a bang. So when presented with the opportunity to spend three days on the sunny beaches of Miami, I had to jump on it.

The Palms Hotel and Spa on South Beach is where I will call home for the next few days. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to indulge in a four star hotel experience on one of the most beautiful and energizing places in the nation; Miami Beach.

The Palms is breathtakingly beautiful, and it features one of the healthiest restaurants I have ever encountered in any hotel service. The hotels's restaurant is called Essensia, which holds a myriad of healthy and absolutely delicious dishes, including vegetarian dishes. Essensia also features a gluten free menu. As I sit back and enjoy these few days on the white sands of South Beach, I thought to share some of my health and fitness tips while away on vacay.

Food wise, I always stick to the basics:  what is the most nutritious thing on the menu? I eliminate all the fried, greasy foods off first. Which items have the most protein? Has not been drenched in oils? I like to keep the 80/20% rule; eat healthy meals 80% of my stay, and indulge 20%. For me personally, that is a great way to stay balance, yet stay on track with my food choices.

 For breakfast: gluten free muesli with soy milk, and bananas. The strawberries and blueberries I grabbed from the buffet.

Lunch: Tomato and cucumber mixed greens salad with a side of sweet potato fries.

Dinner/ Post workout: The salmon entree came with a creamy sauce I wasn't sure of, so I ordered the side salmon and another side of asparagus. 

Workout: The hotel features a small but cute and productive gym, where I ran two miles interval training. I finished my workout with a couple of sets of shoulder/arm workouts with weights, as well as some ab workouts.

I know sometimes finding time/motivation to workout can be a hassle on vacay, but if you make a plan to stay fit on holiday, try your best to stick to it! There is no pressure to of course to make such a commitment to fitness while away from home, you are on a vacation after all! My advice for anyone who for goes the gym while on a trip, is to still stay active during your stay wherever you are! Hike, ride bike around the city, play beach sports, do something to get your body moving! Also, just pay mind to your food, and generally eat as nutritiously and enjoyably as possible! But don't forget to make time to relax of course:)

Personally I enjoy working out, so I made the commitment to workout at least two out of the three days of my stay. To motivate myself, I spend a lot of my day thinking about my workout; what I will do, and how I will feel. I pumped myself up throughout the day, so when my step dad got off of work and took over my sister duty, I was headed to the gym with high spirits!

Ill have a picture posted of the gym for my day two!

These next few days are being spent just me and my young sister. Here are some snapshots of today's adventures:

My Travel Bucket List

I have always been one to wanderlust; to dream of far away places, and bask in the different cultures, lifestyles, and people that I could only fathom in my imagination. Ever since I can remember, I have always been filled with a great curiosity for the world that surrounded me. The thought that there are so many sights left unseen by my eyes, so many alien experiences awaiting, leaves me perplexed and anxious. The thought that I could live my whole life restrained only to the quatrains of what I have known for the past 18 years baffles me even more, and scares me out of my wits. I know that the desire to travel is one I share with many, and I know that is is also  a yearning so rarely achieved. To have the opportunity to travel the world, and breathe in the aroma of different scents, taste the ingredients of another culture, and  embrace the colors, light, and history of other portions of the globe unfamiliar to me, is a treasure; no, adventure of life  that I so desperately pray to embark on one day. For now, as I escape into a dreamers paradise daily, I decided the only way to tame my crazy obsession for travel, is to create a bucket list. A bucket list that is distinctive in all things travel; a list that keeps me inspired, and hopeful. Hopeful that one day, I will be able to scratch each destination off. I call it My Travel Bucket List:

Eat a gelato in Italy 

(picture credit: Walks of Itay Published July 19th 2011 walksofitaly.com)

Boat ride in Venice, Italy

(Photo Credit: wallpapersus.com)

 Eat a genuine pizza from a genuine italian restaurant in Italy

(Photo credit: placesiwishiwere.tumblr.com)

Visit the beaches of Greece

(Photo Credit: photo.elsoar.com, Amazing Photos, published February 28th 2013 by Art of Pic)

Ride up the hills of Santorini, Greece by donkey

(Photo Credit: Herschel Supply Company herschelsupply.com/greece/)

Visit Red Beach in Santorini, Greece

(Photo Credit: Herschel Company, herschelsupply.com/greece/)

Go on a photo frenzy in Notting Hill

(Photo Credit: computerexpertlodon.com)