Monday Motivation

Even the best of us need to have a cheat day and enjoy a burger. 

Monday Motivation

Get off the couch and enjoy every moment in life. 

Monday Motivation

Create the life and body you desire now, no need to wait to begin. 

Monday Motivation

Don't let your mind stop your progress. 

8 Meals to Pack & Go

Life in college is crazy. The days are often spent trying to balance classes, studying, working, and catching up with friends. Finding time to be healthy in college also takes some balance and patience.

One great way to balance healthy eating with college is packing healthy meals for on the go. Packing healthy meals for school and work helps limit the amount of cafeteria and vending machine food eaten while studying or working. Finding healthy meals that are easy to transport can be challenging but not impossible. So what are some healthy meals when on the go?

Here are some my recommendation:


What Lisa Cooks shares some great lunches to go that are not just sandwiches, here are some of my favorites. Don't be afraid to modify these recipes to fit your tastes.

French Toast Sticks w/ Yogurt: 

- French toast, cut in strips
- Maple or flavored yogurt for dipping
- Strawberries and grapes
- Mozzarella cheese

Mac 'N Cheese w/ Salad:

- Macaroni and Cheese in thermal
- Deconstructed salad w/ lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, and another other vegetable.
- Small side of dressing.

Customized Burritos:

- Homemade burritos
- Carrots
- Grapes
- Cheese

Tortilla Rolls: 

- Tortilla rolls full of turkey, cream cheese, or whatever ingredients you prefer.
- Grapes
- Strawberries
- Cheese
- Muffin

Pesto Chicken Salad: 

- Grilled chicken w/ tablespoon of mayonnaise and tablespoon of pesto mixed together.
- Shredded lettuce
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Cheese






Above pictures belong to +What Lisa Cooks 



Jenny Flake, author of the Picky Palate cookbook shares a great meal to go recipe that I'll definitely be trying:

Grilled Chicken Veggie Bowls: 

- Seasoned Chicken Breast
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Brown Rice
- Quinoa

You can find the full directions here.



Above picture belongs to +Jenny Flake 



Cassie, author of Back to Her Roots shares some of her healthy lunches to go, here are some of my favorites:

 Turkey Sprout Sandwich

- Turkey and sprout sandwich on whole wheat
- Cucumbers
- Pretzels and hummus
- Cherry tomatoes
- Hard-boiled egg
- Blueberries and strawberries
- Chocolate covered cherries.

Chicken Salad

- Chicken salad
- Green  beans
- Roasted potatoes
- Crackers
- Mini pear
- Strawberries
- Chocolate covered cherries.






Above pictures belong to +Back to Her Roots 

What are some of YOUR favorite meals on to go? Comment Below! 

Monday Motivation

Clear your mind of can't because you can. 

No Gym? No Problem!

What exercises to do at home to stay fit? 

The struggle of finding enough time in day is common for all, especially among college students. We are constantly choosing what to sacrifice in order to fulfill our priorities. A healthy lifestyle should not be sacrificed.

A healthy lifestyle is worth the challenge. Creating a healthy lifestyle doesn't require an expensive athletic wardrobe, a personal trainer, or even a gym membership.  But how? Exercises at home!

Finding those quality exercises for home can be daunting and overwhelming. Below you will find some great videos and guides for working out at home with most no required equipment or weights.

• Julie Fagan, blogger on Peanut Butter Fingers, shares some of her favorite home workouts with no necessary equipment or weights.

• Indulgy provides printable and customization workouts for home and the gym.

• Deven Hopp, blogger on BYRDIE, shares 5 workout videos designed for home and to help motivate you.

• Workout Labs for women and men allow customization workouts that can easily by done at home.

• Natalie Borton, blogger for Glitter Guide, shares the top You Tube exercise channels for home workouts.

• Fitness Blender, my personal favorite and go-to videos, has over 100 free full length videos that are great for working out at home. 

For more ideas, guides, and videos check out my Pinterest. 

What exercises do YOU do at home? Comment Below!

Monday Motivation

The journey isn't easy but it is always worth it.

11 Snacks for School & Home

Life in college is crazy. The days are often spent trying to balance classes, studying, working, and catching up with friends. Finding time to be healthy in college also takes some balance and patience.

One great way to balance healthy eating with college is choosing healthy snacks. Snacking throughout the day is important to keep your metabolism running. But finding healthy snacks for school and home can be challenging.

Here are some of my snack recommendations:

Snacks for School: 

1. Hard Boiled Eggs
2. Almonds & Craisins
3. String Cheese & Grapes
4. Pumpkin Seeds
5. Unsalted, No-Butter Popcorn
6. Yogurt & Granola
7. Trail Mix
8. Dried Fruit
9. Apples
10. Turkey Jerky
11. Nuts 

Snacks for Home: 

1. Banana & Peanut Butter Bites
2. Celery with Peanut Butter
3. Cucumber & Humus
4. Oatmeal & Fruit
5. Rice cake with Peanut Butter
6. Baby Carrots & Low-Fat Ranch
7. Homemade Popsicle and Smoothies
8. Banana Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Bites
9. Banana & Peanut Butter "Sushi"
10. Frozen Yogurt covered Fruit
11. Lunch meat & Cream Cheese Roll Ups

For more ideas and recipes check out my Pinterest.

What are YOUR favorite snacks? Comment Below!

Monday Motivation

Don't Quit. Be stronger than your excuses. 

How to Study Better

It is no secret that there are many differences between high school and college. College students have very different living arrangements, social lives, school/work schedules, and meals compared to most high school students.

One difference between high school and college are the tests & studying for them. In high school, many tests could be passed with a brief read-through of the notes the night before or the morning of. In college, many tests could be passed with a long, tiring cramming of notes the week before or pulling an all-nighter the night of. Learning that difference can be a hard lesson to learn.

There are millions of results when googling "college studying tips" that include articles, opinions, research, and info-graphics. All this information can be overwhelming for any college student searching for a new studying technique so it's crucial to remember that every college student is different. Every college student will have a different experience with studying for exams; take note on what works for you and what doesn't.

Here's college student tested tips or techniques on getting better test scores:

Megan June reveals of some of her studying secrets:

• Be organized 
• Have goals
• Go to tutoring or office hours
• Study every day
• Rewrite your notes
• Make flashcards 
• Know what to do before/after class
• Turn off the distractions
• Take breaks
• Study groups
• Make a list of questions. 

Samantha shares her insights on studying:

• Actually pay attention in class. 
• Take good notes 
• Read over your notes daily. 
• Make note cards 
• Study hard 
• Don't be afraid to use the internet
• Get some rest
• Get up early to review
• Go to class with confidence 

Rachel defines some DON'Ts on studying:

• Don't save it until the last minute
• Don't be cluttered with distractions. 
• Don't avoid sleep. 
• Don't underestimate the time you should set aside to study.
• Don't underestimate all the material that you will need. 
• Don't only cram in sutdying in between all of your other stuff. 
• Don't look at something once and move on. 
• Don't study or memeoriaze material without understanding it. 
• When studying with someone else. Don't move on if you still don't get it. 
• Don't be scared to go to office hours

For more ideas & tips check out my Pinterest.

What are YOUR studying tips? Comment Below! 

Monday Motivation

You are getting better & stronger with every step. 

Monday Motivation

Don't quit on yourself or your goals. Progress is progress
no matter how small. 

Simplify Your Body

The human body is a complex organism. We have 206 bones. It takes 17 muscles to smile compared to the 43 to frown. We have about 100 billion neurons in our brains. The largest organ in the human body is the skin. The human body is complicated and complex.

Becoming healthier shouldn't be.

Three weeks ago, we rang in a new year along with resolutions to accomplish. Common resolutions tend to be focused on becoming healthier, happier, or wealthier. New year resolutions trends show about 8% of individuals achieve their resolutions and 64% maintain their resolution for six months. Maybe it is time for me to join to the ranks.

My resolutions: Exercise 2-4x a week, Snack Healthier, and Be Happy.

My first week was great; I exercised three times, ate little to no sweets, and smile/laughed often. Then I went back to college and life got crazy. I discovered if I truly wanted to be healthier I needed pace myself and start simple.

Here's some tips to simplifying your exercising and eating habits:

Simple Exercise Habits

Recommit to yourself and to a better lifestyle with Katie McLaughlin's five tips:

1. Start Easy
2. Partner Up
3. Dress the Part
4. Try Something New
5. Reward Yourself for Showing Up

Create and follow a plan with Kimberly Grabinski 's monthly exercise plan for each skill type. Exercises include:

• Jumping Jack
• Crunches
• Push Ups
• Plank
• Squats
• Calf Raises
• Walking

For more ideas check out my Pinterest Board. 

Simple Food Habits

Find healthy alternatives than the cookies and chips with SkinnyMs.' clean eating snacks. Snacks include:

• Greek Yogurt
• Dried Fruit
• Peanut Butter
• *Homemade* Kale Chips
• Hummus
• *Homemade* Sweet Potatoes Fries

Re-hydrate and reap the many benefits with water:

1. Stronger Hair & Nails
2. Healthy Scalp
3. Weight Loss
4. Smooth Skin &* Clearer Acne
5. Bright, Clear Eyes. 

For more ideas, check out my Pinterest Board.

What are your resolutions? How are you accomplishing them? 

Comment below!!