Happy May!

It's finally May and  the weather seems to be changing! With this new change it's been getting harder to stay inside and hit the books... But anyway it has been getting easier to be active and get a workout in! I will be having a new post up soon as I have been on school trip in NYC!!



Stay healthy, stay motivated, xoxo,
The teen health blogger

every little thing counts

My friend Leen & I were going on a walk today because it is finally nice outside here and we were comparing workout styles. I seem to find that we are very similar in mind and body! She reminded me and also reinforced some of my main motto's. We also discussed working out together which I think would be a lot of fun!

1. Doesn't matter how much just DO IT.
We are both very academic students and seem to find it hard to fit in a workout while also keeping up high grades. However one thing we both agreed on was to at least do a small workout to keep on track! Even 10 minutes is enough!

2. Mix up your workout.
It's fun to try different types of workouts and different things like yoga, zumba, jazzercise & my favoirte barre3.  If you're a runner try a new path or a new trail. Make sure you make your workout fun and exciting! So look for new workouts to do every so often to keep your workout fresh and fun!

3. Keeping your friends motivated helps you be motivated!
We were thinking of starting to run together and workout together! I feel like it would be a lot of fun to work out with a friend because you can laugh but also feel the 'burn' together! lol It's good to push each others boundaries and help each other grow!

I hope you enjoyed this post! As always leave suggestions and comments down below and pleassse subscribe!

Keep moving,
The teen health blogger -Nathalie

Get creative with your food

Lately I have been really into juicing and smoothies, so I am going to share 2 of my favorite smoothies of all time!

1. Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie

Ingredients:
- 1 banana
- 1 cup of milk (approx.)
- 2 tbs of peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
- 1 or 2 squirts of chocolate sauce

Blend all the ingredients together to get a heavenly smoothie that is also a little healthy! ;)


2. Strawberry Banana with a twist

Ingredients:
- 1 banana
- 1 cup of strawberries
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 strawberry yogurt
- 2 squirts of chocolate sauce

Blend it all together to get a creamy, fruity but also sweet smoothie!

If you have any other suggestions on your fav smoothies leave a comment below and please subscribe to my blog!

Thank you have a great day,
Nathalie

The power of 10 minutes ♥

If you're short for time and only have 10 minutes here is some ways to get moving and sneak in some exercise in your very tight schedule. 

1. Take your dog for a 10 minute walk. (Even if you don't have a dog find a friend or just go alone and enjoy nature).

2. Lift some weights while watching your favorite TV show.

3. Blast your music and dance around the house for 10 minutes! This is also a great way to blow of steam.

4. Do lunges down your hall way while on your phone call, you'll surely start to break a sweat.

5. Do a 30 crunches, 30 oblique twist, 10 push ups and a 30 second plank hold. Repeat this as many times as you can!  Here are other quick workout ideas!

5. Walk or bike to your next errand. You're getting a workout in and saving money on gas!

6. Take the stairs instead of an elevator. 

Hope this helped! 

Stay active, Nathalie xoxo

Tips & Tricks To Success

Embrace the pain
Most of us give up at the first feelings of pain, but I encourage you to embrace the pain. That pain you are feeling during or after your workout means that your body is changing and becoming stronger. You are most likely growing more muscle so be excited about that!

Don't count the reps 
Okay, I'm sure your thinking that is strange advice but it is true. Rather then counting the reps make sure you are doing things properly. It has been proven that its better to do less reps of a move done properly then to do a lot of reps of a move wrong. Sure it is okay to take a break but make sure that every rep you do is your best and done properly.

Don't fool yourself
Have you found yourself staring in the fridge thinking "ok I will have a piece of chocolate cake but if I put some fruit on top of it then it's healthy". If this is your mentality you need to make a change. Don't play those little mind games even though you know deep down you are wrong. However just like I've said many times before, everything in moderation so go ahead and have a little sliver of that cake!

I hope this has helped in any way! If you have any comments or anything to add let me know! Since it is also Easter today I wanted to say Happy Easter to those who celebrate it and Happy Sunday to those who don't!

Thanks and have a great day :),
Nathalie

A day of healthy eating

Here's a little idea of what a day of healthy living should look like..

Wakeup after 8 hours of sleep.
Get your beauty sleep!

Eat breakfast (try to eat no later then an hour after you wake up)
try to include one grain, one fruit or vegetable & one milk product everyday
check out this chart --> http://www.eatingrules.com/healthy-breakfast-flowchart.pdf

Have a mid morning snack
Instead of loading up on junk food try to fuel your body. Have a piece of fruit or some crackers that will fill you up and keep you going until lunch. Junk food will only leave you wanting more and unsatisfied. 

Lunch time
When it comes to lunch try to get one meat, one or two fruit or veggie, one grain & maybe one dairy product. Try to make healthier choices like having a whole grain bagel with peanut butter instead of a white bagel with cream cheese. Little changes will help you feel better and live healthier. 
Here's a nice article --> http://www.fitsugar.com/Best-Worst-Foods-Pack-Lunch-18654331

Afternoon snack
Follow the same principles as your mid morning snack.

Dinner
Try to follow these guide  lines when picking a healthy dinner. Don't forget about your daily intake from each food group. Aim to fulfil that everyday. 

Workout time

Try to get your 60 minutes of physical activities everyday. In our busy life's that's not always possible but try to get in at least 10 minutes a day. Whether you do a nice home workout, hit the gym, go for a run or even a brisk walk try to get moving and break a sweat. The more persistent you are with your workouts the better you will feel and your results will be!

Night time snack (if needed)

Depending on how early you eat dinner you might need a little snack. Try not to let this snack be to late at night and make it as light as possible. Stay away from man made carbs because that might cause you to have a hard time sleeping at night!

Hit the hay

Aim for 8 hours of sleep, I know what you are thinking that's hard to do. But try to get at least 7 or more hours of sleep per night! If you don't leave your body time to repair it won't be ready to workout tomorrow. Your body builds muscle while your are resting so remember to get to bed at a decent hour. 

I hope this helped! Have a safe, happy, healthy and blessed day!

Get moving xoxo, 

Nathalie

A Little Inspiration

here is one of my favourite fitness blogs.. all in the good of health!

http://fitness-problems.tumblr.com/

do it for YOU!

the only thing standing in your way is you.

Don't delay, don't say you'll get to it. Do it today.

nothing is impossible the word it self says: "I'm possible"!