I used a meal delivery service for a week and here's what I learned

Guys, making time for yourself in this "new" working world is tough.

After a long day of work, the last thing I want to do is run home and make a glamorous dinner for one. Especially when cooking isn't my biggest passion to begin with. While I can make a mean turkey, cheese and lettuce wrap like the next guy, the truth is, it gets old fast. There, I said it. 

It wasn't until the second week in my studio apartment, that I found a company who could potentially solve all my bland cooking problems. And boy did they succeed. Fast, healthy, little to no effort (on my part)... and bon appetit, dinner is served. Did I mention they deliver? If you're salivating at the thought of all this ease, let me save you some effort. The company's name is Munchery. And boy will you munch. 

So, I decided to order a week's worth of meals... Because I'm wild like that. I hopped on the website, picked out my very non-Caroline-made dinners, chose the deliver dates/times and hit the order button. Making dinner has literally never been easier.

To keep things on the edge, I tried a new meal each night. From salmon with veggies and rice to Sriracha chicken and quinoa, I was certainly eating well this week. No doubt. Each meal arrived right within the time frame I chose and the delivery service was extremely helpful. Opening my apartment door to those beautiful, bright orange bags gave me life. Dramatic, but true — thank you, Munchery!

Reasons to Order from Munchery:

1. Money. Everything was very reasonably priced. Varying between 7 and 15 dollars, you really can't beat that. In fact, I started wondering if there's even a real need for grocery trips. Especially if you'll spend more money on food that will either A. expire or B. not be as filled with variety and yumminess as a delivered meal from Munchery.

2. Time. This was one of my favorite parts about the week. Being short on time means you run home and throw something together, only to try and get in bed at a decent time. Knowing that a freshly cooked meal would arrive at my door allowed so much more me-time. Before dozing off, I'd catch up on my favorite websites, scroll through social media and even FaceTime the fam. Doesn't get much better than that!

3. Portions. A week of Munchery is like a week of meal prepping, minus the time commitment. With so many healthy and protein-packed options available, it's a win-win. The size of the meals were perfect for me... not too much, but not too little. I never felt uncomfortable or stuffed once *insert praising hand emoji.* Perfect portions, perfect week of "meal prepping."

4. Ingredients. Each meal I ordered arrived noticeably fresh. Folks, what you see is what you get — which I love. The ingredients listed on the label are plain and simple. No insane words that you can't pronounce, no unnecessary additives. They even package the dressings and sauces separately, giving you the option to pour as little or as much onto your meal.

5. Variety. Lastly, and most important for the easily bored, there are so. many. options. Just take a look at their menu. They're constantly adding new meals to the list and recycling through different choices for different days. Try a shrimp salad one day and a pan seared salmon and rice bowl the next. Heck, you can even splurge by adding a sweet ending for only a couple extra bucks.

All in all, my week of delivered meals was a success. I highly suggest it. Now, BRB, need to place my orders for next week. 

Copy & paste the following address into your URL for $20 off your Munchery meals: munchery.com/invite/3B7TB4DC

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11 Facts about matcha and why you should give it a try

Slide to the left... slide to the right... Cha Cha Matcha real slow now.

Caught me — those aren't the real lyrics. Similar enough, the added "matcha" will still make you want to clap your hands and dance.

I tend to hear that "M" word pop-up often in day-to-day conversation. On the street, in the office, throughout the gym... I've even passed matcha sampling stations. Sure, I've heard of this tea a few times, but never enough for it to grab my attention.
In other words, VA isn't as health-trend-savvy as NY. 

I drew the matcha-newbie-line after scrolling through Instagram one evening. What did I see? Pictures of a super trendy, coffee-ish shop that sells only matcha drinks and baked goods. We're talking iced matcha, hot matcha, matcha lattes... even matcha-filled doughnuts and coffee (err, matcha) cakes. Whaaaat. Appropriately enough, the name of the store was Cha Cha Matcha. With raving reviews and that darn cute Instagram, I decided it was a must-see this weekend.

And that's how my Sunday began. I hopped on the local six train and made my way down to Broome Street. Once I landed in the beautiful pink and green blur itself, I stood staring at the menu for a solid ten minutes. To help beat the heat, I settled on an iced matcha. Classic.

After sitting, sipping, typing and repeating, I bring to you...

11 facts about matcha:

1. Let's start out simple. Matcha is a type of powdered green tea, specifically tied to Japan.

2. 1 cup of matcha = 10 cups of green tea. It's basically the superhero version of green tea.

3. Why is it so much better and more powerful? Unlike a regular cup of tea, sippers consume the entire tea leaf... In crushed-up, powdered form. We're not just dealing with brewed water, folks.

4. This means it soars in antioxidant levels.

5. Which really revs up the metabolism. Hello "natural weight loss aide."

6. Also, the amount of chlorophyll in matcha serves as a fabulous detoxifier. It flushes out harmful toxins, all while cleaning out the blood.

8. Matcha's ability to flush these toxins, coupled with a high concentration of vitamins and minerals, makes it the perfect skin protector. In other words, it helps keep your skin clear (and may even hold some anti-aging secrets). Dermatologists even recommend creating a matcha face mask.

9. This super green tea is said to provide three times as much caffeine as a regular cup of Joe. A different kind of caffeine, L-Theanine, giving you a more relaxed boost of energy. Coffee without the jitter side effects.

10. Start guzzling because matcha is an immune booster. This is especially important for those of you heading back to school!

11. It's yummy, bright green, extremely healthy and you can mix it in anything. Give it a try, then comment below with your favorite way to consume matcha.

XOXO - because I love you oh so matcha. 

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Why you should store your food in the freezer

You know what's fun? Grocery shopping.

I love grocery shopping. Rolling in and out of the aisles and finding yummy treats 

is a great pastime (especially with a latte in hand). I guess this enjoyment comes from being the daughter of a man working in the grocer industry — thanks pops. 

You know what's not fun? Expired food.

We've established my love for food shopping. Now let's discuss my problem with the actual purchasing of weekly groceries. Being a college student, who's not on a meal plan, grocery trips are vital. Unfortunately, buying for one mostly means not finishing that bag of lettuce or handle of milk in time. Even the smallest version of whatever you want to buy always seems to win. It's a vicious race to beat the expiration date. Sure, you could buy certain items to share with your roomies, but it's likely everyone has different preferences (there's actually four different types of milk in the fridge right now) or you just want your food to yourself. You could also just forgo certain foods... nah.

Solution: the freezer. 

Recently, I've been buying frozen veggies for meal sides and frozen fruits for my morning oats. Sure, frozen isn't fresh, but frozen lasts you long time. And saves you money. And it's still fruit and veggies, right? Freezing foods lengthens their timeline — freeze soups, chicken, different cheeses, veggies, bread... freeze it all! 

Try Laura's mix: kale, chard, and spinach mix, combined with 1 banana and a handful of berries and mangoes.

Looking for a healthy, energizing morning meal? Try making smoothie packs! This idea was inspired by my fellow health nut co-worker (xo) and is a perfect way to make use of your grocery buys... without them going bad. Mix your favorite smoothie ingredients in a baggie and throw them in the freezer. The packs will blissfully sit there until you're ready to blend, mix, and feast. 

Perfect for a quick morning meal or post-workout refueling! Enjoy. :) 

   

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4 Reasons to include oatmeal in your morning routine

Let me guess, you read the title and cringed. 

Or maybe that's just my roomie. Unfortunately, oatmeal always seems to always get a bad rap. Maybe it's the outward appearance or maybe it's the texture. Maybe people just reject absolutely scrumptious and healthy breakfast meals. Who knows. As for me, I'm a big fan of the oats. Sometimes, I even whip up a quick batch for dinner. Is that weird? Probably. At least there's some benefit to my love affair. Read below and let me entice you to add a bowl o' oats to your morning menu. 

4 Reasons to include oatmeal in your morning routine:

1. Stay full. Oatmeal contains fiber. Fiber takes a longer time for your body to break down. Because of this lengthy process, your stomach feels full for a much longer amount of time. This fullness will prevent you from sneaking unhealthy snacks until it's time for your next meal. You'll be full of energy and ready to take on the day. 

2. Lower cholesterol. The fiber in oatmeal (as mentioned above) also plays a role in lowering bad cholesterol in the body (LDL cholesterol). Tip: Pick steel cut oats over instant or rolled. 

Sure, they take a little bit longer to cook, but they contain a greater amount of fiber content (fiber=fullness=lowered cholesterol). 

3. Lower blood pressure. Oatmeal, as well as any diet that includes fiber and whole grains, helps keep your blood pressure levels in check. When your blood pressure is in a healthy range, the risk for heart disease is significantly reduced. Tempted to whip up a bowl of oatmeal yet? Keep reading. 

4. Play dress up. Berries, cinnamon, walnuts, oh my! If you really want to enjoy oatmeal, but are still uncertain about the look or texture of it, remember that you can always dress up your bowl o' oats. Sprinkle any type of fruit (dried, frozen or fresh) or slices of nuts in the bowl — get creative! I'll even allow you to add a teeny tiny amount of my mom's favorite oatmeal topping, dark chocolate chips.     

Looking to get extra snazzy with your morning oats? Check out some of these fun, Pinterest-inspired oatmeal recipes I found. Click the title (link) above the image to find the recipe. Enjoy!

Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Smoothie 

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

Raspberry Almond Overnight Oats

Banana & Oats Cookies (with some chocolate)

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Girl's guide to a healthy wine night

It's 19 degrees here in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and the snow is coming d-o-w-n. 

The weather man is calling for close to three feet of snow this weekend and us Virginians don't quite know what to do with this information. So far, it seems as though we're following the protocol fairly well - snow shovels are out of stock, the staple foods are no longer on the store shelves and talk about losing power has everyone cooking meals to last for a few nights.

I, and many other college girls in town, took snow preparation a slightly different route. Instead of leaving Walmart with bags of bread and milk, I was bogged down with wine bottles and chocolate (dark chocolate, of course)... snow = wine night, right? 

With this in mind, I decided it was time to write a Girl's Guide to a Healthy Wine Night! 

Let's start with some background research on the main health benefits of wine.

1. Heart disease. For starters, the American Heart Association (AHA) suggests that drinking one to two glasses of red wine a day decreases the chance for heart disease. Maybe you've heard this statistic before or maybe you haven't, but let me dig a bit deeper. It's the polyphenolic compounds present in red wine (and white wine... but not nearly as much) that relax the arteries, helping them keep tonicity and prevent blood from clotting. 

2. Cholesterol. There's HDL cholesterol and there's LDL cholesterol. What do these mean? When you hear HDL, think good... happy... cholesterol. LDL, bad... lame... cholesterol. When LDL cholesterol is built up, the chance for a heart attack or disease increases. In a study performed by National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), both the alcohol and polyphenolic found in wine "increases HDL cholesterol by 12%," helping to remove LDLs and keep healthy blood circulation.

3. Cancer. The same phenolic compounds mentioned above have been found to slow the growth of various types of cancers (breast cancer, liver cancer, prostate cancer, oral cancer, liver cancer). With that being said, the Journal of the American Dental Association found that antioxidants in wine (there's a ton in red wine) have cancer-fighting abilities. Drink up!     

Now, the fun stuff... some of my favorite, healthy wine night essentials. 

1. Wine: Skinnygirl, Barefoot, Cupcake, Sutterhome  

2. Chocolate: Boom Chicka Pop (Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Kettle Corn), Brookside (Dark Chocolate Crunchy Clusters, Dark Chocolate Fruit-Filled), Lindt (Dark Chocolate Sea Salt) 

   

3. Snacks: Wheat Thins, cheese slices, grapes and fruit, cinnamon-flavored walnuts 

4. Games: Apples to Apples, Twister, Cards Against Humanity... deck of cards in general

5. Extras: Mags on mags, rom coms, onesie, fuzzy blankets (and socks), candles and great gal pals

Comment below with your favorite wine night essentials!  

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Thanksgiving throw-down: the healthiest Thanksgiving foods

It's time to start getting twurkey. 

With Thanksgiving only a couple of days away, I'm sure multiple trips to the grocery store are in order. Before snagging all of the ingredients for your traditional recipes, read over my latest "Thanksgiving Throw-down" article in the university's newspaper to find out which of our favorite meals is healthier than the next!

 Click here to read my article in The Breeze! 

Have a happy Thanksgiving and remember... it's a marathon, not a sprint. 

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4 ways to eat healthy in college dining halls

Hello fit-tastic readers! 

No, I've not forgotten the blog life. 

So far, fall semester of senior year has been one of the busiest semesters yet - here's hoping next semester's schedule takes a major chill pill. Amidst the craze, there's been plenty of writing (just not for TF&F, *sigh*). Between three writing classes, working as a marketing assistant (which I'm loving) and writing for the school newspaper, I'm certainly learning the ropes of the marketing and writing world!  

Yes, I still have my health column in the university's newspaper ("Health Hacks") and it's doing better than ever this year. Usually, the column is solely online-based, but as of this week, it has made an appearance in print twice this month - woowee, Health Hacks! This brings me to my article topic for the day. I wanted to share with you all one of the two articles that made its way into print, "How to stay healthy at dining halls." Enjoy!

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   Let’s face it, sometimes the dining halls are overwhelming. With people walking or waiting in lines everywhere, it’s easy to get in a grab-everything-you-can-get-your hands-on mentality. Before you know it, your hands are completely filled and your table is one big pile of plates. To prevent overindulging and dilute some of the what-to-eat confusion, I’ve provided a few tips on how to navigate the dining halls the healthy way.

   
   

   1. Start your dining hall feast off with a glass of water. Besides being 100 percent calorie-free (unlike most drink dispenser choices), water benefits your entire body in multiple ways. To name just a few, drinking water keeps your face appearing fresh, digestion system moving at ease, muscles energized and calorie intake in-check. Fun fact: sometimes when you may think you're hungry and need a snack, you might just be dehydrated. Try drinking a glass of water prior to snacking to decide between cravings and reality.  

   2. Decide on an entree and then build the rest of your meal. Treat your dining hall experience like dinner at home. It's likely that your family meals don't consist of a pizza, a cheeseburger and a couple tacos as entrees. Or maybe it does; regardless, start by surveying your options, decide on one, then build your meal. Try to include healthy side options — add steamed veggies with your chicken or a small salad with your sandwich.     

   3. The dining hall isn’t going anywhere — at least until it closes. Sometimes loading up a plate when you're starving sounds like the best option, but hold out. First things first, finish eating one plate at a time. Still hungry after one plate? Venture back for a second.Consuming one plateful at a time allows you to realize when you’re full before becoming uncomfortable and stuffed.       

   4. Don’t forgo your sweet ending. Did you save extra room for a little post-dinner sugary treat? Heck yes, you did. Being healthy doesn’t have to mean forgoing all sweets — small portion sizes are key. At the end of your meal, slide by the dessert station with moderation in mind. Take one oatmeal raisin cookie instead of three, or plan on splitting the cake of the day with a friend. This simple trick can leave you feeling guilt-free, while completely satisfied.

   Now that you know the tricks, try putting them to use at your next E-Hall brunch. Remember, don’t feel like you have to kick that chocolate chip-topped waffle completely to the curb — moderation is key. Pair with a side of fresh fruit and you’ll be set for the morning, feeling not only comfortable and satisfied, but proud of your health-conscious meal choices.

Edited by: The Breeze

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Healthy meal recipe: baked beet glazed salmon

Hello, hello! 

Long time, no blog. Don't you worry, the distance has only given me time to cook up a few, wonderful ideas about how to enhance "Twenty-Fit and Fab" - stay tuned into the next couple of months! 
As always, if there's any suggestions you have for the blog (article ideas, blog layout, new sections, etc.), don't hesitate to send me an e-mail at twentyfitandfab@yahoo.com.

Today's post is a short entry to fulfill my promise from last week's article, "Health drink recipe: watermelon mint fizz" (if you haven't read, the title is hyperlinked)! Though the watermelon mint fizz is simply fabulous on its own, why not pair it with a dish and call it a meal?! 

Today on Courtney's Corner, we'll be doing just that. 
Courtney dished up this fit and fab approved meal for you, that compliments the drink perfectly. Whether you plan to have a girls night in or date night with your man, this meal is impressive, yummy and easy to follow - you'll be Chef Courtney in no time!    

Baked Beet Glazed Salmon with Nectarine and Apple Salsa 

(2 Servings; 20-30 minutes combined prep and cook time)

Salmon

TWO 4-6 oz Salmon Fillet

1 small Beet, small dice

2 Tablespoons Fresh Orange Juice 

Kosher Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to  375 degrees

Cut off top and bottom of the beet and remove skin (using a potato peeler). 

Dice the beets into a small dice and place into a sauce pan.

You'll notice your hands are now dyed purple. DON’T FREAK OUT!

Cut orange in half and squeeze 2 tablespoons orange juice into the sauce pan with beets. Take the the half of orange that you just squeezed and rub on hands. Bye Bye stained hands. 

Save other half of orange.

Put sauce pan on stove and cook on a medium - low heat. 

Sprinkle a little salt on the beets while cooking. Stir occasionally until the beets are tender and you have a small amount of dark, purple glaze. Turn off heat.

Brush glaze liberally on top of salmon fillets. SO PRETTY! Season the fillets with salt and pepper.

Place in oven for 8 to 12 minutes. If salmon is over cooked it looses all its color and is very dry. 

What to look for: You will be able to flake salmon with a fork, yet it will place back nicely. 

If the salmon is over done, when it is flaked it will stick up like a mohawk.

Salsa

1 small nectarine, medium dice

1/2 Granny Smith Apple, small dice

1/8 - 1/4 small red onion, minced

1/4 cucumber, minced

1/4 - 1/2  small jalapeño

1 teaspoon cilantro, minced

1-2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste

Dice first 6 ingredients and add orange juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place reserved beets on a plate. Place salmon on top. THEN Top with Nectarine and Apple Salsa

Pro Tip: Salt is meant to enhance the flavor of the food. When sampling your food and it tastes a little dull, more often than not, it is a salt issue.

We're using Kosher Salt. When using table salt (iodized salt), you must use sparingly. So sparingly. that it sits in your pantry for so long that you have to eventually throw it away :)

Iodized salt tastes very metallic and is a noticeable flavor in food. Yuck. So not Fab.

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Healthy drink recipe: watermelon mint fizz

Well, we made it to Thirsty Thursday everyone! 

If you're both thirsty and ready to get your Thursday rollin', I think you'll thoroughly enjoy this article. Before getting into the minty details, I would first like to announce the 

newest edition to Twenty-Fit and Fab:

Drumroll, please... 

Courtney's Corner!

(props to mom for the name idea)

Basically, Courtney is the coolest chef you'll ever meet. She's extremely talented at cooking and can make even the most blah of foods taste spectacular. Since I'm definitely not an expert at cooking, unless you're a fan of oatmeal and pb&j sandwiches, I've decided to leave all things food to the foodie master herself. 

Keep an eye out for Court's latest FIT and FAB recipes under her label, "Courtney's Corner," and enjoy!      

Part 1: Watermelon mint fizz! Check back later this week for the perfect, complimentary meal!  

Watermelon Mint Fizz

(1-2 servings)

3-4 oz Watermelon Juice (FIT)

Juice of 1/2 of lime (FIT)

2-3 leaves of Mint (FIT)

Sparkingling Wine (FAB!)

Agave, optional

First, mince the Mint (chop finely) and put at the bottom of a glass. Take the handle of a wooden spoon and muddle the mint, by placing the HANDLE into the glass and Smooshing (very technical term) the mint to release flavor. 

Then  take the watermelon and place in a bowl. Now is the time to let out a little aggression by smashing the watermelon with the spoon side of the wooden spoon, releasing as much juice as possible. Strain juice into the glass with mint. Top with juice from half of Lime, and Sparking Wine to your taste! Drink!! If it is not as sweet as you would like, add a little agave and lightly stir.

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Benefits of eating colorfully

Good morning readers! 

I don't know about y'all, but today is the first sunny day we've had in a while. It was starting to seem like cloudy and rainy was the new summer weather. Today, I plan to spend as much time as possible outdoors; I've gotta soak up the sun. Hope you have some fun, outdoor plans today too!

Today's article is about colors. Yes, I'm talking about the ROY G BIV. Research shows that an individual can get all the nutrients their body needs by eating a plate full of different colors (Fruit Loops don't count). Each color offers a different benefit for the body, while some overlap, check it out: 

Red (watermelon, tomatoes, red cabbage, pink grapefruit) - Redish fruits and veggies usually contain lycopene. This is a strong antioxidant that have been found to lower the risk for cancer. Remember me writing about these in the article about watermelons? 

Orange & Yellow (carrots, cantaloup, mango, yams, sweet potatoes, squash, apricots) - So, these foods are also rich in an antioxidant, beta-carotene. Beta-carotene, like lycopene, shows a reduced chance for specific cancers. This antioxidant is also the precursor for vitamin A (the skin and eye vitamin)! 

Green (broccoli, kale, collards, spinach, green beans, asparagus) - Like the orange and yellows, greens promote healthy eyes. The lutein (combined with the zeaxanthin) in the foods reduces the risk of chronic eye diseases, including age related macular degeneration and cataracts. 

Blue & Purple (blueberries, blackberries, plums, cherries, purple grapes) - These foods are great sources of anthocyanin. This flavonoid increases your vitamin C levels, which are not only known for boosting the immune system, they also assist in preventing free radicals from damaging the body. Vitamin C also promotes good skin health (including wrinkles).

All in all, eating a rainbow of foods promotes a strong, overall health. Whether it's getting a variety of important vitamins and nutrients into your body or lowering cholesterol, body circumference, chance for cancers and heart disease, eating colorfully certainly doesn't hurt. 

Challenge: Try filling up your plate with at least three colors during today's meals! Think you can do it? Yeah, you totally can.  

Thanks for reading and enjoy your day!

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Quick List: 14 Healthy facts about watermelon

Today marks two, pretty important holidays: National Watermelon Day AND my Mom's Birthday! 

It's really only appropriate that both of these holidays fall on the same day. 

They're both pretty, refreshing, sweet and the favorite amongst their crowds - go mom! go watermelon!

With that being said, I guess you could say that today's post qualifies as, yet another, "Quick List." Aren't these fun?! 

14 Fun facts about watermelon that'll make you want to go celebrate right now: 

1. Each bite out of a watermelon contains 92 percent water and six percent sugar - the perfect snack that will fill you up and keep you hydrated.
2. Watermelon can be classified as both a fruit and a vegetable (gasp).
3. Every inch of a watermelon can be eaten, including the rind and the seeds!
4. The seeds of the watermelon contain healthy fats and proteins.
5. They contain significant levels of vitamin A, B6, C, amino acids and even potassium.
6. There's only 40 to 50 calories in one cup of watermelon.
7. Watermelon contains high levels of lycopene, a compound found in certain fruits and veggie that's linked to good heart health, bone health and prostate cancer prevention. 
8. Drinking watermelon juice prior to a hardcore workout helps relieve muscle soreness. 
9. Because it contains both magnesium and potassium, watermelon reduced blood pressure. 
10. Watermelons are rich in anti-inflammatory substances, making it, well, an anti-inflammatory. 
11. Watermelon promotes glowing, fresh skin and healthy hair because of its vitamin A levels.
12. Worry about heatstroke no more! Watermelon is one of the most effective at reducing heatstroke due to its ability to reduce body temperature and blood pressure. 
13. Due to the antioxidant power of vitamin C and the overload of lycopene, studies show watermelon to be a potential cancer-preventing food.
14. Chomp on some watermelon to protect your eye health. The levels of beta carotene, vitamin C, lutein and zeaxanthin will protect your eyes from age related blindness and degeneration.   

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Quick List: 12 Benefits of drinking water

Hello my fit and fab-u-lous readers,

Today I'm merely popping-in on the blog to share what I'm calling a "Quick List." It'll be short, sweet and to the point! Since I've been guzzling down two times more water in D.C. (than I normally do back at home) I figured today's Quick List should be all about, well, water. 

12 Reasons to drop everything and drink a glass of water:

1. Low-cal, more like no-cal. With a whopping zero calories, water comes in at the top. The crazy thing? It has the ability to fill you up, preventing mindless snacking urges. Often, these snacking urges may simply be dehydration in disguise. 
2. Skin-improving serum. Yes, keeping a steady amount of water in your body promotes healthy, glowing skin and prevents wrinkles.
3. Water expels any toxins that are floating in the body ---> out of the body.
4. Because the body is composed of roughly 60% water, drinking water helps keep the entire system balanced. What's included in this balancing act? Continue onto reason number five and find out.
5. Water regulates digestion, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients and maintenance of body temperature.
6. This one's probably pretty obvious: including water in your daily regime prevents dehydration. Dehydration can have multiple consequences: headaches, weakness, dizziness, confusion, fainting and heart palpations. #Don'tMessWithDehydration
7. Drinking water promotes weight-loss (and management) by keeping your calorie intake in-check. Before engulfing an unhealthy snack, drink an entire glass of water. No longer hungry? You're likely just thirsty. 
8. Water protects your cartilage and joints by keeping them hydrated and lubricated.
9. This one's important for all of my endurance athletes. Water energizes muscles, preventing muscle fatigue. Drink water before, during and after each workout session to keep your performance strong and replenish lost fluids (from sweating).
10. Water is in lymph, a fluid that's part of your immune system -- this helps you fight off illness. 
11. Drinking water is a mood-refresher. Even the slightest bit of dehydration can have negative effects on your mood. Stay happy, drink water! 
12. Aside from keeping you positive and peppy, consuming water throughout the day keeps your focusing abilities strong (also by combating dehydration). 

Make drinking water a priority each day. Challenge accepted? 

If you're having trouble finding ways to incorporate more water into you day, 

take a look at some of my handy-dandy tips:

Thanks for reading! 

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Fourth of July beverages and snacks

Time to break out the red, white and blue decorations and let those Stars and Stripes fly high... 

It's Independence Day, y'all!  

I'm a huge fan of the Fourth. Not only does the day include patriotic festivities, such as a 5k fun run, crab cookouts and fireworks over the river, but it also calls for a little family reunion! Since my brothers and I are all grown-up, we're no longer just a bedroom away; instead, we cover quite a bit of ground (L.A., Philly & Harrisonburg). Recently, it's become tradition for us to reunite during the Fourth weekend at our favorite, little "rivah" bungalow. I cannot wait -- bring on the billowing laughter and epic times by the water! 

In honor of the patriotic celebrations to come, I found it necessary to post some festive (yet scrumptious) snack and beverage ideas. So, I put my Pinteresting skills to work and compiled a few healthy, festive options that are perfect for that Fourth of July party you're hosting or attending! Simply remember: moderation is key. 

1. Something sweet: The recipe 

2. Something fruity: The recipe

3. Something meaty (and a staple for cookouts): The recipe

4. Something for the side: The recipe

5. Something {alcoholic} to slurp: The recipe

Happy Fourth, everyone! 

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Favorite {healthy} foods abroad

Hello, everyone!

We've been home from our amazing trip abroad for a little less than a week now and I've finally re-adjusted to the time difference. I can honestly say, I've been bitten by the travel bug. After a good night of sleep and more than a couple loads of laundry (yay for clean clothes!), I'm ready to catch a plane back to London! What an unforgettable adventure. 

As promised, I kept tabs on the many unique (to the European culture) foods I came across. Though they certainly have endless options for delectable pastry items, I'm writing to prove that there's way more to European meals than just the sweets. So here it is, my list of healthy food finds abroad (with the exception of one or two). Enjoy! 

1. Too hot, too cold, juuuust right. Yes people, I'm talking about porridge. Being an avid oatmeal devour-er in the States, I was pretty stoked to try some England porridge -- I was certainly hooked after my first spoonful. Since it was sold everywhere, porridge became my morning go-to while abroad. I'd top it off with a sprinkle of almond slices and any berries that were offered -- 100 percent delish and 100 percent healthy (the perfect combo).

                             

2. Split pea soup. Although the color of the soup may be a bit repulsing, it's actually quite delicious. If you're a first-timer with this meal (like I was), split pea soup is pureed peas, ham and other veggies (like onions and carrots). It's a very light soup that hits the spot and leaves you not feeling stuffed. Not to mention, there are a ton of health benefits: high fiber, potassium (and other minerals), vitamin K, low calories... the list could go on.

Give this recipe a try and make it at home: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/split-pea-and-ham-hock-soup-recipe.html

                        

3. Lunch for breakfast? Here's something a bit different from the norm. In each of the countries we visited (Ireland, England, Italy, Switzerland, France) there seemed to be a trend for morning meals. The layout of breakfast each morning included a mixture of hams, turkey, a myriad of cheese and veggies. Though I never could commit to forgoing breakfast foods (my favorite meal of the day), my momma did -- she loved the layout of different, yet healthy morning options. 

                                       

4. Tea, please. Gah... London tea time. This picture brings back great memories. For a little background info, my mom and I are suckers for a good tea time. We love settling down in the evening by making a hot pot of tea and scrolling through the latest Pinterest trends. So, when we made it to London, we were definitely excited to give the English tea time a try -- 'twas nothing less than lovely. There are so many benefits that come with drinking tea... An article I'll certainly have to write. For a Sparknotes version of health benefits, click here. As for the pastry items, they fall under the "exception items" mentioned in the beginning paragraphs. 

                                        

5. Happy Juicing! This was a fun find. I came across all of these different juices while at a coffee shop in the Chelsea district (in London). Not only did I have to try one (I bought the "Lean & Green" Vit-Hit), but I had to do some research on both Vit-Hit and Savse. Both juices are extremely healthy and offer a great amount of nutrients. What you see in the flavor description is what you get; each bottle is packed with various fruits and veggies, nothing more. I thoroughly enjoyed my Vit-Hit. It was scrumptious and actually filled me up. Come to America, Vit-Hit! To read more about the two, click the links: Vit-Hit or Savse

                             

6. Veggie and fruit stands! These stands were scattered everywhere throughout Europe. People would stop by to grab their weekly fruit and veggie groceries, while others (*cough,* us) just wanted a cheap and healthy snack. Nothing like a mid-day banana or apple, am I right? 

                             

7. Weeta-what? Weetabix! I'm very excited to write about this one. My mom and I discovered Weetabix during our hotel breakfast one morning. The unique packaging had us perplexed at first, but from the looks of it, Weetabix seemed like a popular morning meal -- we had to give it a try. Basically, Weetabix comes in the shape of clumped, shredded-wheat bars. Once a little (emphasis on the little) milk is poured over top of the bars, Weetabix turns into a porridge-wanna-be meal/soggy cereal. OK, so that makes it sound gross, but take my word on this one, it's scrumptious and offers a whole lot of health benefits (put link here). I fell in love. The best part: though the meal is unique to Europe, it's offered in America... Let my Weetabix obsession continue!! 

7. As stated above, this is the exception to my healthy finds, but boy is it worthy of being mentioned (actually can't believe I forgot to take a picture of it). Two words: chocolate crossant. Yes, it's definitely not a healthy start to the day... But necessary when in Paris. You may ask, "what's a chocolate crossant?" Well, it's exactly how you imagine: a warmed crossant filled with just the perfect amount of chocolate. Heavenly. Top it off with a morning latte and you've got yourself one heck of a good start to the day. 

Now that's a sweet ending... Thanks for reading!

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Gelato vs. ice cream

Third stop: Milan, Italy 

After stumbling through multiple train and subway stations, with no signs in English, we successfully made it to our next destination: Milanooo! Our visit was very short, but boy did we do some damage -- they weren't kidding when naming Milan the "shopping capital of the world." During our quick stay, we made a trip to the longest {greatest} shopping street in the world, gawked at the beautiful cathedral (Duomo) and ate all-things Italian. 

The Italian food was amazing, as expected. We had to try all the staples: pasta, pizza, wine, cannoli and gelato (coming back to this point soon, stay tuned). Regardless if we shared the meal or ordered individually, we left our plates without a trace of food on them. The craziest part was, we never left the restaurants feeling uncomfortable or stuffed -- likely because of our non-stop walking, but still! The portion sizes were the perfect amount each time; this certainly helped with not feeling bloated.

I digress. What I really want to talk about is Italian gelato! Mm mmm good. Everywhere we turned we saw a gelato shop or stand in the midst of clothing stores. Each shop had a vibrant display of their flavors (check out the picture: @twentyfitandfab)! The taste of the gelato definitely held up to its appearance... It was so fruity and refreshing that I just had to look further into the health aspects of the tasty treat. So, today I'm comparing two similar {or not so} frozen desserts: gelato vs. ice cream. Let the throw down begin. 

                

Still screaming for ice cream? Comment below to let me know your take on the two. Au revoir!

Sources:

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/nutrition-gelato-compared-ice-cream-2157.html

http://www.eatouteatwell.com/ice-cream-or-gelato-whats-the-difference/

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