I walked to work this morning with my headphones on playing a guided meditation on releasing fear. Listening to the words gently urging me to break down the wall between my fears and my desires brought me a bit of clarity before I reached my desk and started my workday. There's nothing exceptional about this …
8 High-Protein Foods that Are 100% Meatless
Whether you're dropping meat for Meatless Monday or going full-on vegetarian, making sure you get enough protein in your diet will be a priority. Lucky for us, there are plenty of protein alternatives that are tasty enough to keep you from asking, "where's the beef?" Taking a break from meat can be a good idea …
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The Day the Earth Stood Still
I never heard Martin Luther King Jr. give his speech on the mall. I can't tell you where I was when John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas. Nor can I recount the story of how I crowded around a television to watch Neil Armstrong take his first steps on the moon. But …
3 Reasons Why Squats Are Awesome For You
There are many exercises out there that will help you get fit and healthy, but none more awesome than the squat. It's a winning combo of calorie-burning and strength-building, plus the added bonus of literally kicking your butt into shape. There are tons of reasons you should get on those squats ASAP, but these are …
5 Surprising (and Delicious) Ways to Use Avocado
If you were stranded on a desert island, what one food would you absolutely have to have, no matter what? There's a lot to consider since we're talking about survival here. I'll assume there are coconuts on this island, and having seen Castaway about a hundred times (and being a massive Lost fan), I've learned …
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Crunchy Summer Rolls with Sweet and Savory Dipping Sauce
I've had a terrible case of snack attacks this week. Chips, fruits, bagels, yogurt, granola...uh, chocolate covered pretzels. Sure, that's not all terrible but when you're eating almost every hour on the hour, it's time to admit to yourself that things have gotten out hand. Not wanting to slide back into old, unhealthy habits, I …
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Challenge Yourself to Be Better Today
When I began my fitness journey years ago, my main goal was to lose weight. Nothing groundbreaking about that one. How many of us are motivated by the idea of hitting a magic number on the scale? I definitely was. When I took on weight lifting over a year ago, I had no idea how …
The Ones Who Get You
 People inspire you or they drain you- pick them wisely. -Hans F. Hansen  You know who I'm talking about. They're the ones you turn to when no one gets what you're trying to say. The ones who have your back when someone screws you over or if you hit hard times. The ones that make …
5 Things You Need to Know About Women’s Health
Ladies, it's all about you this week! From diet to pregnancy to oral and mental health, the Office of Women's Health hosts a week filled with events and education initiatives to get women proactive about their well-being. There are many aspects of health to consider when working towards optimal living. Daily pressures coupled with busy …
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Revisiting Rome: Baked Eggplant Parmesan with Homemade Tomato Sauce
It was our third day in Rome and we were exhausted. And hungry. My mom is a notoriously picky eater. As the group leader, I was unofficially tasked with not only guiding us through the city, but finding affordable, non-touristy places to eat that would make my picky mom and equally picky sister, happy. We …
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3 Health Benefits of Mindful Eating
When was the last time you sat down to eat without your phone, tablet or television turned on in front of you? Were you mindful about the foods you ate? How did this impact your health? In our rush to get from one activity to the next, eating often gets pushed back as a task …
Golden Beet and Radish Arugula Salad with Pan-Seared Asparagus + BONUS EARTH DAY SMOOTHIE RECIPE!
10 minutes. That's what it took to put this beautiful salad together. 10. Minutes. Pan-seared asparagus. Doesn't that sound so yummy? I can feel my stomach rumbling already. And then you've got these beautiful golden beets. I've only ever had beets that were boiled or roasted. It was a little scary to go for them …
Introducing…Me: The Liebster Award
I owe Annie of Strong Brees a HUGE hug for nominating me for the Liebster Award! Here it comes Annie: <HUG> Thank you times a million! What I love most about these awards is the opportunity to get to know new bloggers who are doing some pretty awesome things on their sites and to spread …
Forgive Yourself Before Anyone Else Today
As important as it is to let go of conflict with others by forgiving them, it's just as important for you to let go of the negative self-talk and forgive yourself in the process. Sometimes the reasons we argue stem from some deep seeded inner conflict that causes us to lash out. We hold onto …
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Smoky Chipotle Black Bean & Roasted Sweet Potato Tacos
There are some things that are just meant to go together. Peanut butter and chocolate. Bagels and cream cheese. Yogurt and granola. You get the point. They combine to make a perfect medley of texture and flavor, hitting all the notes that keep you coming back for more. Black beans and sweet potatoes are a …
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Using Technology to Aid in the Fight Against Breast Cancer
I am thrilled to welcome back author and breast cancer survivor Patricia Dean-Escoto to talk about her exciting new app for newly diagnosed or recovering breast cancer patients. I hosted Ms. Escoto a year ago during her book tour for Top Ten Superfoods for Preventing Breast Cancer where she shared her nutrition tips for prevention …
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The Health Tracker Revolution is Here
Type "health trackers" into a Google search and you'll get dozens of newly invented devices and apps all engineered to give you an array of options to help track your activity and health-related symptoms over time. Items like Google glass and Samsung's smart watch were once considered so high-tech that they were deemed sci-fi, something …
Thankful Thursday: Love in Conflict
"The point of living and of being an optimist is to be foolish enough to believe the best is yet to come." --Peter Ustinov "Our wisdom comes from our experience, and our experience comes from our foolishness." --Sacha Guitry I once was asked how I balance my personal life with my public life. It was …
Happiness isn’t a Destination
The Word Vomit
Sometimes you'll put up a good fight and lose. Sometimes you'll hold on really hard and realize there is no choice but to let go. Acceptance is a small, quiet room.                                                         -Cheryl Strayed I stood there, in front of the fridge, holding the door wide open, completely lost in thought. I forgot what I was …
Light and Creamy Potato Leek Soup with Roasted Cabbage
Tapping the microphone. Shaking the dust off my favorite pretty apron. Clearing the throat. Ahem. AHEM! Yes, I am still here!! After a very long winter hiatus, I am back on the blog with a brand new recipe for my favorite day: Meatless Monday! And while there isn't a mic, there is a camera. Yes, …
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No (Wo)Man is an Island
Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow." - Mary Anne Radmacher It's impossible to go through life without taking others into consideration. In the wise words of John Donne, 'no man is an island.' As much as …
Experiencing Orthorexia: One Year Later
It's been a year since I sat down to write about my personal experience with disordered eating. I had just come off a miserable attempt at the paleo diet where I lost more than just weight. My inability to distinguish between a healthy awareness of what I was eating and an unhealthy obsession with every …
Go Red for Women’s Heart Health
Don't save that red dress for Valentine's day. Flaunt that color today, National Wear Red Day to help raise awareness about women's heart health as part of the National Heart Health initiative by the American Heart Association this month. You may not realize it, but heart disease is not just a problem for men. Take …
The In-Between
"It's everything in between we live for." What are you doing with that time? Regretting or doubting the clumsy start of love? Fearing its end? Or celebrating—lavishly—the in-between? I'm not much of an Oprah fan, but occasionally I find some gems in her countless newsletters that make me stop and consider my life from a …
How Powerlifting and Latina Magazine Changed My Life
Where the heck are those curtains? I thought to myself.I was rushing through a department store one afternoon on my lunch break from work when I received the email.Hello!I’m working with Latina Magazine and for our social media issue, February, we’re reaching out collecting images from Latina bloggers all across the web. We’d love to include …
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5 New Ways to Cook with Cauliflower
One of the best things about a clean diet is the opportunity to explore new foods that I would have previously turned down because I just didn't know any better. Case in point: cauliflower. I never had any problems with broccoli (what I consider to be cauliflower's cousin) growing up. I remember eating them as …
‘Shred Your Ex’ and Beat Your Bully With This Killer Workout
" Jab. Cross. Hook...Left roundhouse. At the sound of the bell, GOOOO!" I didn't have any energy left, but I glanced at the photo I'd taped onto the bag and found myself pulling my arm back to take another swing at my target. This was not the way I thought I'd spend Valentine's Day. In …
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6 Easy Ways to Make Those Resolutions Stick for Good
Resolutions, shmesolutions...or something like that. I was never much for making resolutions. Sometime last year I got a bit sidetracked on my health goals and lost some of the steam I had going when I was lifting heavy on a regular basis and following a super clean diet. It happens to all of us. In …
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