Breakfast is perhaps the most important meal of your day, and as mentioned in previous articles should never be skipped. It’s the first meal of the day. Which means whatever you eat fuels your body or slows it down, depending on what you choose to eat. Just because you are in a rush, is not an excuse to skimp on breakfast or completely avoid it. This will just result in you being  in a groggy mood, and possible weight gain overtime.

Even though it might seem easier to stop by a coffee shop and pick up a quick breakfast, which will definitely be loaded with calories, carbs and sodium; this recipe takes under five minutes to prepare and enjoy. It will leave you full because of the oatmeal, and give you an energy boost from the whey protein. When i don’t have time to prepare and eat eggs, i’ll whip up a quick smoothie and be satisfied until lunchtime. Check out the recipe below, hope you enjoy it!

ingredients:

1/2 cup of regular oats

1 cup of non fat milk

1 serving of your favorite whey protein- i like chocolate flavored

about 14 frozen strawberries or mixed berries

1 banana (optional)

Preparation:

• Pour the oats in a blender and grate until they are finely chopped.
• Add in the milk, strawberries and whey protein and blend well. If you’d like to add a banana, blend the milk and banana first, then add the berries and whey.
• Pour and enjoy

Breakfast can’t get any easier than this! There is definitely no excuse for skipping this meal now!

Like the recipe?! Try it and let me know what you think?!

Choosing healthy food as a quick snack doesn’t have to be boring or seem like a chore, and will always leave you feeling better than indulging in a chocolate king size bar or bag of chips. For some women, a few weeks prior to it being that time of the month occasional cravings and an unsatiable need for chocolate can throw you off balance; but having the right snacks at hand will help fight over-indulging.

A few helpful tips:

• Drink a glass of cold water. Sometimes we mistake thirst for hunger and end up ruining that mornings workout by eating twice as much calories as we burned. Drinking water will hydrate you and give you a burst of energy, as well as fill up your tummy.
• When buying veggies at the grocery store, wash and cut them before putting them away. Store them in ready to go bags, or tupperware. This will make it easier to grab those to snack on, without the excuse of having to wash and cut each time.
• Add some flavor to your veggies! Take some peanut butter for your celery, or make ham wraps out of lettuce. There are also many spice/seasonings you can purchase to add to your fruits and veggies.
• Stock up on sugar-free jello or those low calorie dessert puddings by jello. They have a delicious tasting chocolate mousse pudding which goes great when paired with peanut butter!

• Make pre-made healthy snacks for the week and put them in your fridge so they are ready to go.
• Eat a yummy salad like the one in this recipe to keep you going until dinner if you work late hours. Or hard boil eggs and put them in your fridge for a quick fix and a protein burst on the go. Another good snacking tip, is to cut up a block of cheese into slices and grab 1-2 slices with a couple multi-seed crackers. Cheese and crackers are a good snack choice since it will help keep you full.
• Mix walnuts, almonds, cashews and even a bit of chocolate chips to keet at work; on those days when you must have chocolate it’s ok to indulge if you don’t overdo it and mix it in with healthy options.

Yummy Very Berry smootie under 200 calories

This smoothie is delicious and under 200 calories with no extra sugar added! It’s a good snack choice or even an option when you feel like having a very light dinner. I love drinking smoothies on the weekend and this little recipe has saved me from eating junk and kept me full without all that extra sugar.

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ingredients:

• 1 cup of frozen berries
• 1 1/2 cup of non-fat milk
• 1 light & fit strawberry yogurt (only 60 cals)
• ice

Preparation steps:

1. Put ice in blender
2. Add cup of berries and yogurt.
3. Pour milk in until it reaches the 2 cup mark
4. Use the ice crush setting first, then blend until you get a thick smoothie texture.
5. Keep blending until you are satisfied with your drink.

If you’d like you can also add a banana to your smoothie for a berry-banana blend

Since I’ve been trying to keep a healthy lifestyle lately, I’ve been eating a lot of veggies. Especially in the form of salads. Most of my mornings are shorter than i’d like prior to heading for work, so a quick and yummy lunch for me equals a big salad with many toppings.

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Lately I’ve been on a blue cheese and feta hype, so I’ve been adorning my leafy lunch with either crumbled cheese and drizzling with a raspberry vinaigrette or delectable champagne dressing. Below I share my super quick, super tasty salad recipe that’s perfect for any meal.

Ingredients:

Washed and cut lettuce and spinach leaves

blue/ feta cheese

cranberries, almonds/walnuts and cashews

avocado sliced

turkey/ ham cut into bite-size pieces

cherry tomatoes

dressing of your choice

Preparation:
Once all ingredients are cut and washed, mix and toss them together. Drizzle with dressing and enjoy

*You can also leave the avocado out and add sliced pears or apples for a splash of fruit.

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What’s your favorite salad recipe?! Share your Thursday temptations @ Blonde Episodes blog hop!!

Here is a great recipe, which can be altered depending on your favorite vegetables and seasonings.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of lentils
• 1/2 -1 tomato
• Basil
• 1/2 bell pepper
• 1 carrot
• 1/2 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 potato
• Spinach
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Rinse lentils and soak them for an hour. In the meantime wash and cut all the veggies you wish to add.

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2.  After the lentils are done soaking, rinse them with cool water. Place them back in your cooking pot and              add hot water covering the lentils with about an extra inch of water. Cook over medium heat in a                            covered pot.

3.  Check in them in about 20-30 minutes and add some salt and pepper. Cover them and allow them to                 continue cooking.

4.  In another 10 minutes, add all the veggies and any other spices you’d like. Add more water, if you’d like              them less watery don’t add as much water. This will make them less of a soup but just as good. Stir                   and cover. Check back on them a few times, until lentils and veggies are soft. Taste them to ensure the             seasoning is to your liking.

5. Once fully cooked serve and enjoy! To keep lentils fresh longer,  place in a few plastic containers and                 freeze.

What are your favorite veggies and ingredients when making lentils?!

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Vibrams are said to be a better and ergonomically correct shoe for running and other types of physical activity. The way it allows for each of your toes to wiggle and move, is meant to create less stress and tension on your feet, which means less room for injury. There are various models, each meant for a different sport. They are also built specifically for either men or women, and come in different styles and colors. The soles have a slip-proof grip, And are made from breathable mesh and Stretch nylon. You can customize and lock the fit, so they are specifically designed for you.

These shoes are meant to be more efficient during fitness, but I think they look like you’re wearing a sturdy version of those funky toe-socks. it will probably take you time to get used to the wear and feel of these shoes, but they are said to improve your range of motion, flexibility and balance. I wasn’t too impressed when I first saw these shoes, possibly due to their design, though I wouldn’t mind putting regular sneakers and vibrams to a better workout shoe challenge.

Check out this field test video to see Vibrams in action and the effect they have on your feet as well as overall performance.

What about you?! Do you like the design and promise Vibrams offer? Or do you think they just look too weird when worn?! If you have a pair share your thoughts below! Do Vibrams really deliver a more vibrant fit and feel on your feet?!

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Most of your day’s energy is derived from the first nourishing source you provide your body with, though many people skip this important meal due to whatever reason. This is a bad habit, if you too skip or don’t eat sufficient during breakfast, start getting in the habit of doing so!

A breakfast rich in protein will give you the energy to get through the day, and keep hunger at bay until lunch time. It also prevents cravings which lead to unhealthy snacking and overeating. Eating breakfast gets your metabolism going, helps maintain a healthy weight, and will help keep you on track when you’re conscious on what you’re eating. Breakfast provides your body with minerals and vitamins, gives you energy and helps with concentration. If you decide to skip breakfast, you might find it hard to keep focused while at school or work, and even get cranky or a headache after a long period of time.

The best meals consist of protein and fiber rich foods, which means avoid processed and sugary ones. Eating a donut or other pastry and washing it down with your favorite energy drink won’t do much for your body, except hike up your glucose levels and crash down after a couple hours. This exposes you to wanting more sugar, rather than getting any actual nutrition. Cereal is glorified as a quick and nutritious option, though it most often is loaded with sugar and starches which won’t provide your body with enough energy or nutrients. The best breakfast, especially when you want to satisfy your hunger and maintain a healthy weight, is made up of fiber and protein. Eat eggs, or egg whites, with beans, some type of meat, and a side of veggies. Eating protein and fiber will keep your body fueled until your next meal, making it easier to get through the day.

Here are a few protein and fiber rich breakfast options:

1. Heat cooked beans in a frying pan, preferably black or pinto, and add two eggs. Scramble eggs with beans, and add some spinach. Eat with a side of cooked ham.
2. Cook two eggs sunny side up, or to your preference, and eat with a side of cooked turkey sausage. To incorporate veggies, cut up half a tomato into thin slices and season with pepper.
3. Heat cooked ground beef in a pan, and add two eggs. Scramble eggs and beef, and add some spinach. Eat with a side of lentils and a turkey patty.

If you honestly don’t have time to make a real meal for breakfast, at least drink a protein shake and grab some veggies or a Greek yogurt on the go. Got any breakfast tips you’d like to share? Comment below!

What’s your take on this topic? Do you agree with eating breakfast daily, or most often skip it? Share below!

Free-weights Are Your Friends

Don’t be afraid of the weights, you aren’t going to turn into a beastly lady.  Do extremely high repetitions in your sets.  Think 20 to 30 to make yourself tired, you’ll have amazing muscle stamina and give yourself the leanest look possible.  Lie down on a bench and do bench press exercises to keep your chest perky and work those tricep extensions for lean sexy arms and no jiggle.

Bands Are Amazing

I use bands myself and they are absolutely fantastic.  You can mimic dozens of exercises and add resistance to ever motion.  Go with the lighter bands and buy the ones with handles if you prefer.  Use the bands instead of free-weights for a wonderful resistance workout that will leave your upper body toned.

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Yoga – Oh Ya!

Ladies, we do love the yoga and we do love the pants.  Stretching is an absolutely crucial part of long, sexy muscles and exercises that use your own body weight are perfect.  There is a reason they call them “yoga arms,” it’s because all of the downward dog positions involve holding yourself in push-up type positions, sculpting your arms, shoulders and engaging your tummy.

Any Of Those Classes!

Zoomba, Dance, Tae-Bo, Pilates, Kenpo, Step, Jazzercise, Aerobics; the list goes on.  Not only is it more fun to work out with a class, but also most of these classes are typically a great workout that involves the whole body.  Not only are you sweating and burning calories, but toning your body all over.

A Long Lean Stomach

Of course we love a sexy stomach.  If you want that sexy stomach the most important thing to do is to eat healthily and burn calories.  You can’t have a sexy stomach if you have extra pounds, so cut back on the beers and empty calories and work on getting a sweat going more often.  Now that your body is thinner, focus on core exercises that are good for a tight stomach and not a 6 pack.  Crunches are always good, but try to do more leg raises and planks instead.

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Drink Water and Plenty Of It

Water is an amazing thing, it is delicious and 0 calories.  Additionally, it will help make your skin look wonderful.  Ditch the sodas and the empty calorie drinks that add up immensely throughout your day, cleanse your system and drink to better health by choosing water almost every time.

About the Author:

Cooper Elling is passionate about health, fitness & blogging. When he’s not working out he writes about Sono Bello, cooking and a myriad of other topics. He’s also active with Sono Bello on Twitter and Sono Bello on Facebook.

Don’t forget to follow Beautycareme on Twitter for more beauty, fashion and fitness tips!

Though it might sound unappealing to make a drink out of a vegetable, it’s actually pretty tasty and a great way to get a serving of veggies. Cucumbers are mainly composed of water, but still pack a good source of vitamins and folic acid. Magnesium, silica and potassium are found on the skin of a cucumber, and they also have vitamin K which aids in bone mass and in keeping healthy, glowing skin. They’re also low in calories and rich in vitamins A, C, and E. This cucumber drink recipe is quick and requires a minimal amount of ingredients.

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Try it for yourself and let me know what you think?!

Ingredients:

1-2 cucumbers

crushed ice

1 1/2 quart of water

3 limes

Directions:

- Pour 1/2 quart of water into blender. Chop up cucumber and blend until its pureed.

- Pour the pureed cucumber into the remaining quart of water and add the crushed ice.

- Squeeze in the limes and add sugar to taste, depending on how sweet you want your drink.

- Blend a bit more if desired.

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For a cold summer treat, mix some chilli powder for fruits in the juice and freeze it in popsicle trays for a pepino con chile paleta

Your legs are a symbol of strength and mobility, since they carry most of your body weight. They’re probably taken for granted quite often, but you should be thankful and take great care of them while you can. Muscles, veins, nerves and bones all make up your legs, and have various duties in order to keep them working. Toned legs are easy to spot, as the calf and thigh muscles will look very defined. Your thigh bone, or femur, is actually the biggest bone in your body, which should tell you just how important legs actually are.

Skirts, dresses, shorts and swim suits are all types of clothing which leave your legs pretty exposed. Warm weather makes for short outfits so besides working on your tan, you should also work on adding definition to them!

Read these tips for getting and maintaining strong legs, and check out the tutorials below for great at-home-workouts to try!

1. Eat protein

- Protein is needed after a strength training session to help replenish your muscles. It’s also a big part of the food groups you should be eating to maintain healthy eating habits. Good sources of lean protein come from fish, chicken, beef, beans, soy, eggs, milk, and yogurt. Protein can easily be added to an active and busy lifestyle by drinking protein shakes or bars on the go, just be sure they are low in sodium and sugar. Another great benefit of consuming protein-rich foods, is that they keep you full longer and keep cravings at bay.

2. Take your time to tone up

- Don’t rush or over-do your workout, getting muscle definition takes time and it’s better to do a workout correctly than to rush and not get full benefits from your session.

3. Drink lots of water

- H2O keeps you hydrated and replenishes the water you lose from your body in a daily basis, it also helps keeping you full. It’s recommended to drink a glass of water before each meal to avoid overindulging. Water doesn’t just cleanse your body from toxins, it also aids in making workouts more efficient and easier. It’s pretty hard to keep focus and give your full potential if you’re dehydrated.

4. Walk or run uphill

- Walking uphill can be hard enough on your calves, just imagine what running uphill will do. The way your legs are angled when you walk uphill do a lot to strengthen and build calf muscle strength.

5. Do strength training

- You can’t expect to build muscle mass off cardio alone. Strength training should be done a couple times a week along with cardio in order to shed weight and tone up. Check out this article: Weight Training for Women,  to read more in depth about strength training.

While much of the interest in the life elixir revolves around eternal life, a huge aspect of it is being perpetually young. In our society, youth is equivalent to beauty and ease. Being young means being beautiful and being happy. While there is likely no magic potion we can drink to give us endless beauty and health, there are several real-life edibles that encourage it. These four fruits bear components that slow the physical effects of aging and help to keep us healthy.

1. Cherry

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For centuries, the cherry has been used within the practice of cosmetology. Rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Iron, cherry juice is proven to help maintain tender and supple skin in the face. With numerous pricey creams and lotions marketed as skin rejuvenators and tighteners, many likely exhibit much of the same components and vitamins that cherries possess. Plus several more harsh chemicals! Cherries are a natural way to rejuvenate the skin on your face, revealing a more youthful and glowing complexion. In addition to revitalizing the skin, cherries have several other health related benefits. It has also been suggested that cherries can reduce the inflammation caused by illnesses such as heart disease or arthritis. Moreover, cherries are thought to benefit muscle strength for individual’s suffering from chronic pain disorder.

2. Pomegranate

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With natural antioxidants, pomegranate helps to protect your skin from the harsh threats of the environment around us. Proven to shield our skin from harmful ultraviolet rays, pomegranate can help make our skin appear more youthful and keep it healthy. The high levels of antioxidants found in pomegranate juice act directly on the skins cells, slowing down the aging process and nurturing the very core of our skins being. Research has shown that pomegranate juice has an even larger antioxidant capacity than red wine or green tea. Within further studies, some researchers found that pomegranate juice slows cholesterol oxidation by almost half.

3. Apricot

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As a great source of fiber, Vitamin C, iron, zinc, Vitamin B, Calcium, Potassium, and many more, there is no question that apricots provide both health and act as a beauty aid. With vitamins and minerals known to nourish and revitalize our skin, apricot is a common ingredient in beautifying skin treatments. Furthermore, because apricot is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, this fruit provides a great step in weight control and a healthy diet.

4. Olive

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Designated as the symbol for life and health, ancient Greeks recognized the health and beauty benefits olives provided. Nearly every component of the olive tree can offer health and beauty benefits. Both the olive fruit and the olive leaves can be used within a healthy and natural skincare regimen. Olive essence is used to protect the skin cells from harsh environmental threats, such as ultraviolet rays and pollution. Furthermore, the antioxidants found within olive essence helps to maintain supple and youthful skin. Olives have been long considered a culinary delicacy, since they are both healthy and delicious.

Author Bio:

This guest post is contributed by Leslie Johnson, who writes about health, green living, parenting related articles at masters in healthcare administration.

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