Bananas for all things I!

Happy Wednesday! or... Happy Hump day? hm... I don't like the way that sounds tho... so I am going to stick with Happy Wednesday!

I had an amazing weekend I must say.. It was filled with cuddly babies and my favorite equine friend...

I am one proud auntie...

I also got to spend my weekend with my Tari...

We took a trail ride every morning....

What a beautiful way to start the day! I love this!

We went and visited this GIANT tree

This picture doesn't do it justice, but let me tell you my friends, this is no twig....

:)

Okay... So lets talk about a bit of fitness....

I want to stress the importance of the Individualization of your workouts or anything physical you do for that matter! 

I is for INDIVIDUALIZE!!

YOU are the only one who knows how your body feels when YOU do any sort of physical activity so when it comes to the way YOU feel, YOU have to listen to what your body tells YOU is okay. 

It is also good to make your workouts fun to get the best results...

because with fun comes motivation....

for some people, fun may be simply plugging your headphones in and doing your routine with the weights, to others it may be running bleachers until you can hardly walk anymore and to others.. it may be playing basketball with a friend, what ever it may be, it is what YOU like as an individual....

So that is my little fitness clip for the day, nothing too excited but it is something I very much believe in, finding what is best for YOU!

My Love :)

So now for some foodieness!!

I is for ICE CREAM (of course, what else would it stand for)

Unfortunately, I failed to get any pictures of this little creation, but I will post some later in time, I just really wanted to get the recipe itself up!

"Banana 'Ice Cream' "

1 whole Banana

1 Tbsp. of Peanut Butter

1/4 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt

1/2 Scoop Chocolate Protein

1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

Handful of Dark Chocolate Chips (Optional)

Mash the banana really well, mix in all remaining ingredients. Place in the freezer and freeze for 15 - 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and stir it a bit... and boom delicious and healthy ice cream :)

This does need a picture, I promise one will come soon!

This recycled one will do for now :)

Now just for a little random something about me....

I is for Iphone

I have an Iphone.... I have never updated it in the 2 1/2 years that I have had it....I can't download aps because it is so far behind. It is quite slow and the home screen button only works sometimes. It often "forgets" what it is doing and will close down everything that is open all on it's own, without any warning... its lovely.... on the other hand.... In the 2 1/2 years that I have had it.... I have dropped on the floor it a bagillion times, dropped it in a sink of running water, lost it in the snow for a couple hours and let it roast in a car all day... (all of these things have happened multiple times) but... it still works and has no cracks in it... so although it has some flaws, I must say that it is a champ for everything it has been through. 

That is all for today, I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your day! Also... If you haven't already, go like the "Dumbbells and Cupcakes" face book page :)

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time" -Thomas Jefferson

I leave you with this :)

Anyone have a very individual workout for yourself?

Any plans for this day?

H is for Honey

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Just to recap a few things…for the past couple weeks I have been doing my posts themed by the alphabet. I take the letter of the day, write something about fitness, a foodie item/recipe and then a little something of a “get to know you” about myself. I just wanted to put a reminder so that no one is confused. 

My last post was all about I posted about my favorite Chocolate GRANOLA… well ever since then, I cannot get enough of that stuff… it is so delicious… Just in case you all wanted to know J

Okay, so today is a day For H… It really is a great letter, I must say. So first I’ll talk a little fitness….

H is for HEAVY LIFTING…..

(I do kind of have man arms hehe)

The whole “heavy lifting” concept is a great one, I must say… I know a lot of women become quite intimidated by the concept of heavy weights. I have heard so many times “I don’t want to become bulky” or “I don’t want to look like a man”. But it is a myth that a woman would become a man just by lifting heavy things… 

First of all... When you train heavy, not only do you burn calories while working out, but you continue to burn calories while you muscles are recovering from the workout you put it through...

Also... Women especially, will tone muscle without the bulk. Women don't have the hormone content that men do that cause the extra mass gain, therefore the result of women lifting weights is tone not bulk.

And... by lifting weights, you become all around physically stronger and increase your body's health.

And... working out results in better moods, less depression and an increase of metabolism... you just can't go wrong!

Therefore, unless you are going to start taking some mass gaining protein to go along with each high-intensity workout, the only thing lifting heavy is going to do is tone you! Gaining muscle is inevitable, but you’re not going to gain enough to look like a man….

I love lifting heavy. Being sore the day after a workout is a wonderful feeling because you know you pushed your body to be better. Even if you did something little and became sore (unless it’s a medical issue, which in that case please get that checked out!) it is something you are doing to better your body.

H is for HONEY

Honey has many health benefits that I think many people don't know about...

It is Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Viral, and Anti-Fungal

THIS website goes on to explain in much more detail, the benefits of Honey! Enjoy :D

And of course, I have a recipe! 

"Cinnamon Honey Glazed
Roasted Almonds"

2 Cups of Almonds

2 Tbsp. Honey

1 Tbsp. Water

1 Tsp. Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place Almonds in a shallow baking dish. Roast the Almonds for about 12 minutes. In the mean time combine the Honey, Water, and Cinnamon in a small pot and heat until warm and well combined. Pour the Roasted Almonds into the honey mixture and stir until the Almonds are well covered. Spread them onto some wax paper and allow to cool. Then Enjoy :D

H is for Haley!

That’s ME J I believe I was named just because it was a name my parent’s liked… I don’t think it had any significance (maybe I should ask?)

I have blonde hair, Blue eyes, I am about 5 feet 3 inches

My Favorite Color is Orange

I love to workout

I had a favorite Stuffed cat growing up named Thomas

I rode on the equestrian team in high school

and Played Field Hockey

(Lovely)

I have a peanut butter addiction

I am very much a breakfast person and I love taking naps

I love to horseback ride and Hike

I am a Graduate student

I have an older brother and sister

I have 2 nephews and a niece

I love looking at water bottles at the store, and you can tell by looking in my water bottle cupboard (and yes, I have an entire cupboard just for water bottles.

I love to bake

So that is a little about myself… I hope you all enjoy.

Any other women out there do a lot of HEAVY lifting?

Tell me something about yourself?

"Sun's out, gun's out"

Hello Friends!

I hope everyone's week is going well! Mine is. It has been quite busy to say the least. 

So today I would like to talk about the letter G....

G is for GUNS!

"Guns" as in "arms" though... not the weapon!

Arms are great things, aren't they? A good thing to do with them too is... well.... lift heavy things... Like Dumbbells ;)

Lets talk about a little "Guns", workout shall we?

This little sequence works both your biceps and triceps as one big super-set of exercises. 

"Sun's out, Gun's out" Quicky

 Arm Workout

Barbell Preacher Curl: 12-15 Reps

(Don't mind my nice little action shot here...)

V-bar Push down: 12-15 Reps

(Another one of those action shots...)

Standing Dumbbell Curls: 12-15 Reps

(Didn't get a picture... but this is a standard exercise...)

Bench Dips: 15-20 Reps

Repeat this sequence 5 times, increasing your weight with each set....It is a nice little combo for those days where you don't have a lot of time. It gets your arm working while keeping your heart rate up!

Following a wonderful, quicky arm workout, it is obviously important to refuel those arms so they can keep lifting those heavy things....

One of my favorite, favorite go to foods is granola...

Therefore G is for GRANOLA :)

This particular foodie item is generally not high in protein but if you pair it with some Greek yogurt (which IS high in protein) and a bit of fruit, it is a great combination to fuel the body! 

You have to be careful purchasing granola from a store because they are often LOADED with sugars and the ingredients lists are far beyond anything you would want to put into your body.... remember the goal is to fuel the body, not punish it with unidentifiable objects....

I really enjoy making my own granola, it's so easy and delicious and there are a billion and one recipes out there or you can get creative and make one up!

However... it is a slightly time consuming project, making your own granola... so admittedly I do buy it more than I should..... But, you CAN do good by this.....

My favorite is this one....

KIND Granola..... They are such a great company....

There motto right on the bag says "ingredients you can see and pronounce"

So I feel good about this one....

They are gluten-free, all natural and have some pretty fantastic flavors...

Low in sugar too which is always a plus

Oats and Honey as well as Blueberry Vanilla with flax are two of my other favorite flavors....

But I definitely recommend this granola. I really can't get enough... and they are always in clusters so it makes a great on the go snack too, just by itself.... 

:)

Another one of my favorite granola's from the store is this one....

Nature's Path LOVE CRUNCH

Dark Chocolate and Red Berries

This is a favorite guilty pleasure of mine....

This accidentally happened one day when I took one of those "I shouldn't go to the grocery store because I'm starving, but i'm going anyways" trips.... so it was an impulse buy...

I can't decided yet whether I'm happy I discovered this or not because it is 

UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS.

It has chocolate granola with chunks of dark chocolate and dried raspberries and strawberries. 

The best part though is that this company is all Organic and it is surprisingly very low in sugar. I just love this stuff so much! 

and

Here is my favorite of favorite all time Homemade Granola Recipe....

"Pumpkin Granola"

1. 1 1/2 Cups Chopped raw nuts of any kind (I like to use      almonds, walnuts, pecans, and cashews)
2. 1 Cup Gluten-Free Oats
3. 1/2 Cup Pumpkin Seeds
4. 3/4 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
5. 1/2 Cup Gluten-Free Oat Flour (or put Oats in a blender or food  processor and blend till a powder has formed)
6. 1/4 Cup Chocolate Protein or Cocoa Powder
7. 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
8. 1/4 Cup Scant Honey
9. 2/3 Cup Pumpkin Puree
10. 1/8 Cup of Peanut Butter OR Almond Butter
11. 2 Tsp. Cinnamon
12. 1/2 Tsp. Ginger
13. 1/2 Tsp. Cloves
14. 1/2 Tsp. Nutmeg

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or non-stick spray. Combine the first 5 Ingredients in a Large bowl and mix until well combined, set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour this mixture into the nut mixture and stir until everything is well coated. Pour the mixture onto the cookie sheet and spread evenly. If you prefer, make sure some of the mixture remains in clumps for a great on the go snack. Bake for 1-2 hours, depending on your desired crunch and stir about every 20 minutes... make sure not to burn it... no one likes burnt granola. I hope you enjoy!

And to finish off this post I would like to throw in just a little bit about me! 

G is for GRATEFUL...

10 things I am grateful to have in my life (in no particular order):

1) My man :)

2) My Family

3)My Friends

4) My Education

5) My Horse, Tari

6) Coffee

7) Sleep

8) Trees

9) Sweat Pants

10) Yogurt

Well, I hope you all enjoy my short little post..... Everyone enjoy their week, OKAY!!!

"No Matter what historians claimed, BC really stood for 'Before Coffee'."

-Cherise Sinclair, Master of the Mountain

Anyone else LOVE Granola?

Coffee, Yes or No??

Fitness and Fruit... What a combo!

Hello there folks!

I apologize for such a delay in between posts, but schedules get very busy..... that is life and that is good! I love having things to do and being able to do them!

To continue on with my "letter of the post" deal! I do believe that the letter for today is F!

What FUN yes?

Well.... Lets begin with a little Fitness.... well would ya look at that

F is for Fitness...

Lets talk a bit the importance and how glorious fitness really is.....

Participating in regular fitness activity is so great for helping you feel good both mentally and physically.

Exercise can result in a decrease of stress and anxiety.

It can also increase your energy level and increase metabolism. How great is that?

who doesn't love a quicker metabolism?

Regular fitness activity can really help with your self-esteem too! You feel better about yourself and getting in shape. What a great feeling! When you stick with it, and see results, the confidence boost is so fantastic. At least from my own experiences. When I first started regular exercise, and stuck with it... I knew there was no going back!

Not only is it great for your physical health, but fitness is also great for your mental health too! 

Along with the decrease in anxiety and stress, it's a great way to meet people! Especially if you're a people person, having friends to workout with or do anything physical really is the best!

Also, it's not all about the gym... fitness can be any physical activity really... any.... 

you can make it FUN.... and that helps with the whole sticking with it part.....

so playing games, hanging with a friend, anything really, make it into a fitness activity and boom Fitness Fun!

here is a bit more INFO that goes along with the more scientific aspects as to why fitness and exercise is so very good for us... just in case you were wondering :)

Okay moving on.... Lets talk a bit of eats!

F is for FRUIT!

Let me express to you how much I love fruit...

Well not to the extent that I would do what MR. Kutcher here did...

(SOURCE)

an extreme fruit diet that landed him in the hospital....

here is an article about that....

:-/

Well I don't love it to the extent that I would eat only fruit.... but I sure do love it....

There are so many great benefits you can get from eating fruit... lots of antioxidants and all that jazz... but I am sure many of you know much of this health information already hehe....

I love it most because when I crave something sweet (which is pretty much a constant occurrence in my life!) Fruit is the perfect go-to snack because it satisfies that sweet tooth without ruining the diet. LOVE it!

"Simple Green Fruit Smoothie"

- 1 Cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

-1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt

-1 Cup Frozen Berries

- 1/2 Banana

-1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

-A few handfuls of spinach

-Blend all these ingredients together until smooth, and enjoy!

I love smoothies so much because they are the perfect go to snack for any busy schedule. So quick to prepare and you can take them on-the-go.... just make sure you check your teeth to make sure you avoid any seeds!

And last but not least.. Just a bit about me

F is for Favorites... 

so here are a few of my favorite things....

My Boyfriend with horses....

 My oldest nephew... on this "bike"

Teeny Tiny Horses...

Nature....

 Riding....

 This lady....

Working out and fitness of course... especially with this guy :)

Family...

This Picture...

So those are just a few things....

Well I hope everyone has a fantastic day... I'm off to have a busy one!

"No matter how many mistakes you make, or how slow you progress, you are still ahead of everyone who isn't trying"

What are your favorite on the go snacks?

What are some of your most favorite things?

feel free to comment :)

Energy Love!

ENERGY!!! Who doesn't love energy? The best way to be efficient in any aspect of life is to have a copious amount of energy, yes? well.... lets talk about it then!

E is for ENERGY!!!!

Having energy in the morning and throughout the entire day, makes getting to the gym a whole lot easier. Lets be honest, no one really wants to go to the gym when a nap is screaming your name. Am I right?? 

So, having energy in the morning and throughout the entire day will make a day successful in every way. With your job, workout, at home responsibilities, and the list goes on....

Of course caffeine gives you energy... who doesn't love a wonderful cup of Joe to get your day going? 

Love this little buddy of mine, it does wonders... from the wonderful man of mine :) 

who doesn't love a good appliance!!

Another great way to have tons of energy throughout the day is getting plenty of sleep at night. The recommended is 8 hours of sleep at night, yes? It's amazing how much you are affected when you miss out on enough sleep... so really we should all go sleep like a baby :)

Before a workout is always an important time to have energy. 

Energy = Motivation

Having a proper meal is a great way to get this necessary energy.

Protein packed and Healthy Carbs are the perfect combo for a good pre-workout meal or snack

Here are just a few recommendations:

-Protein Bars (with Low-Sugar)

- Fruit and Yogurt

-Lean meat (chicken or fish) with rice and veggies

-Protein Smoothie (Like this one!)

-And of course WATER!! Hydration is very important!

Another go to energy booster prior to a good workout are pre-workout supplements. My man swears by them!

HERE is a really good source for additional information and introduction into pre-workout's purpose along with different kinds!

They are best when you have them in a fun Shaker!

Another recommendation I have for energy, is taking a Multi-Vitamin. Many times, people miss out on certain important vitamins. I know a lot of people have mixed opinions on Multi-Vitamins, but personally, I am a fan. I feel that when I forget to take mine in the morning, I drag through the day.... Here are the kind that I take!

(SOURCE)

These ones are great for active women. It has both metabolism and energy support as well as a joint support blend! AND... they taste like the marshmallows from lucky charms! They're fantastic.

Another great pre-workout snack are eggs... and look at that... what that word starts with! the letter E!

Therefore:

E is for EGGS!!

This is a very simple recipe, more of a tip really, but I feel that anyone who enjoys eating hard boiled eggs needs to know this one!

"The BEST hard BAKED eggs!"

-As many Eggs are you desire

-Muffin Tin

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place one egg in each muffin holder in the muffin tins. Bake the eggs for 30 minutes. Immediately place the eggs in a bowl of ice water and allow to sit for about 10-20 minutes or until completely cool. 

These eggs are so perfect every time. The shells peel right off and they are so perfectly cooked. When you take them out of the oven, they usually have little brown/burn marks on the shells. This is okay, it does not harm the inside eggs at all. I read about this method a long time ago and have no idea where it came from, so it is not an original recipe/tip, but it is wonderful to have! 

and to end this lovely post... Just a bit about me...

E is for EARLY!!

I am an early riser! I wake up early Every. Single. Day.

Any day of the week!

I do enjoy embracing the day and enjoying the morning, but sometimes, just sometimes, I wish I could sleep in a little. I love going for early morning runs... it happens quite often... except when I visit home... early morning RIDES trump the run!

Okay, that is all for today. I hope everyone embraces the day, because this day will never happen again!

"Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value"

-Albert Einstein

Anyone else an early riser?

Anyone else bake their eggs?

A little history lesson...

Good Morning to all!

I was woken this morning to a wonderful massive thunderstorm. It was great... the kind that make you want to stay in bed all day.... of course the moment that I get woken from something, I am awake indefinitely!

Yesterday, after my cardio post, I went and hung out with that pretty cool little 8 year old. We went for a very long bike ride, it was great! A quote that he said yesterday while on this bike ride that I feel you all would enjoy: "I can't just go by a two door car and then out of nowhere get married and have a bunch of kids".... oh little buddy, you are so young!

So, today is the day for D!!

Shall I begin with a little fitness...

D is for Dumbbells! (of course)

Did you know... That Greeks were the first to introduce a dumbbell like piece of equipment?

Did you know.... the term "dumbbell" came from literally a bell that was "dummbed" by removing the clapper inside so that athletes could use the weight without the noise.

Did you know.... that there are 3 main types of dumbbells: 1) adjustable; 2) fixed weights; 3) Selectorized

Did you know.... that you can use them to train just about any part of your body?

(SOURCE)

So there is a little bit of history for you... interesting, hey?

HERE is a great source to get tons of good exercises using dumbbells!

In order for you to successfully build strength using these dumbbells... you have to fuel your body properly!

Of course you will eat a protein filled meal following a workout, yes? but what follows that meal? Dessert? yes, that's what! and... you don't want to ruin and workout or healthy meal with a regrettable desert therefore....

D is for DESSERT!

"Mixed Berry Chocolate Protein Cake"

·         2 egg whites

·         ¼ Cup Chocolate Protein

·         3 Tbs. Berry Puree

·         3 Tbs. Unsweetened applesauce

·         2 Tbs. Ground Flax

·         ½ Tsp. Baking Soda

·         1 Tbs. Cocoa Powder

·         2 tsp. Stevia

·         1 Tbs. Almond milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare Berry Puree by heating up frozen mixed berries then placing them in a blender and blending until a puree has been created (fresh berries would work great too!). Spray a small loaf pan with non-stick spray. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined. Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top if firm. Allow to cool a bit then enjoy while warm! All the delicious without the indulgence! If you prefer them to be a little sweeter, adding a bit of honey will do the trick!

So now last but not least... "A little about me".... just in case you want to know....

D is for DOGS!

I LOVE dogs! I grew up with them, and we were always breeding them and what not so we always had a plethora of puppies my entire life, so naturally, I was destined to be a dog lover!

Okay, that is all for today, I hope you all have a glorious day... off to be productive!

"whoever said diamonds are a girls best friend, never owned a dog"