Easy Lunch Bowls

EVERY Sunday one of my favorite activities is to lunch meal prep for the week. I know.. I’m a party animal!

But bowls are my number one go-to ways to prep food. Here are some essentials for a healthy, yummy bowl:

• Whole grains – brown rice or quinoa are great!
• Lean protein – chicken breast, ground turkey, salmon, or tofu!
• VEGGIES – as many as you can fit!
• Sauce – add salsa or low sodium soy sauce for some taste!

For veggies, I loveee shredded carrots, broccoli slaw, cauliflower rice, or sauteed spinach in less oil. But you can add whatever you want!

If you’re eating out for lunch, bowls are also a great way to eat healthy. I went to a korean restaurant today and got a bowl with lettuce, spicy grilled chicken, shredded carrots, quinoa, seaweed, and scrambled egg. Filling and delicious! (and yes.. my friend and I split fries. Gotta live a little!)

What are your favorite meal prep ideas?

The Best Workout Leggings

Y’all – it is HARD to find good workout leggings that don’t cost an arm and a leg. I used to always just get random leggings from Walgreens.. but talk about see through!

Recently I’ve discovered leggings from Aerie and I just can’t go back! They fit tight on the waist, are thick through the legs, and end at just the right spot.

In these leggings you can squat, lift, and run.. without worrying about them falling off or people seeing your underwear (sorry but, it happens!)

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I’ve thought about shopping at Lululemon or Fabletics – but I don’t think you can beat this bargain with this quality. What are your favorite clothes to workout in?!

My Number One Self Tanning Tip

Summers coming to an end.. which also means my TAN is coming to an end! I always make sure to self tan year round. EVEN in the summer, I use self tanner to even everything out.

But it can be super hard to get a self tan to go on even and smooth though! Here are my top 3 tips to get a great tan!

1. Exfoliate first! But don’t shave. If you have to shave, wait one more day to tan since your pores can open up a bit. Then exfoliate right before.. I personally love to dry brush!
2. Use a mit. This will make sure your hands don’t turn orange and will help you rub the lotion smoothly on your skin.
3. And this is my NUMBER ONE SECRET TIP! Apply lotion RIGHT after. This way you’ll smell better.. but this is just a second round of making sure your tan is on well!

I personally love Bondi Sands the most, but you definitely don’t need an expensive tanner. With these tips you can make any one work!

All Tied Up

I know Summer is pretty much over now.. but I love a good tie up top all year long! A little tie at the bottom can completely change a plain top!

For Fall, get an oversized thin sweater to tie. Or take your summer tie up tees through the seasons by wearing jeans instead of shorts or some fleece leggings!

For this look, I paired one of my fave tops with some light wash denim. I know there’s no white after Labor Day (but we should all break that rule..), but light is always allowed!

XOXO, Kim

Post-Vacation Blues

I hope you all are NOT laboring today! It’s a long weekend and it feels so good to have some extra time to relax.

I just got back from vacation to LA and Mexico.. and the post vacation blues are REAL! Even if you haven’t been out of town, a long weekend can still make it extra hard to get back to reality. Here are my tips to get back in the swing of things:

• Make a list. I love to make my to do lists the night before.. then it’s out of my mind and on paper ready for the next day!
• Schedule a workout. Book a class or write it in your calendar. If you schedule it like a meeting, you’ll be more motivated to go.
• Meal prep! I love to start the week with breakfast and lunch made for the next few days. Prep some broccoli slaw salads and egg muffins ahead of time!
• Self care is KEY. Put on a face mask, some self tanner, leave in conditioner.. and you’ll feel like a new woman!

What are your favorite things to do to beat the post-vacation blues?

XOXO, Kim

Drinking on Vacation

Coming to you from sunny Mexico.. I’m talking about how to stay healthy while still enjoying a few drinks on vacation!

The first thing people normally talk about on a “diet” is the need to cut out alcohol. In my opinion, I don’t want to do anything on a diet that I’ll start doing again and can’t make part of my lifestyle. Otherwise, you’ll just gain that weight straight back! So I just make start changes to my drinking (in moderation.. of course!).

My top tips are:

• Don’t use sugary mixers! Nix pre-made marg mixes or sugary sodas. Opt for sparkling water or water with a few DROPS of juice.

• Stick to one liquor. In my experience, once I start mixing a ton of stuff, it affects me more which leads to bad food choices. Even on vacation at an all inclusive, I pick either vodka or silver tequila each day and stick to it!

• Avoid sweet wines. Lean towards dryer blends (merlot, cab, chardonnay) or even better yet – brut sparkling wine. A lower sugar intake is better AND sparkling wine has bubbles and a lower alcohol content.

• Add ice. I personally hate cold drinks.. but adding ice will keep you hydrated (it melts into water.. duh hahaha), and will help you drink slower.

Photographed.. whiskey on the rocks and champagne with a splash of liquer!

Cheers!

XOXO, Kim

Sleep Well Naturally!

Sleeping can be hard. Especially trying to adult, it’s so easy to stay up all night thinking about your next to do list or worrying about something that happened that day. And sometimes you just aren’t tired!

You’ve heard of a lot of natural remedies I’m sure.. chamomile tea, melatonin.. but those actually don’t work for me! Melatonin gives me restless legs and the tea gives me crazy nightmares! (At least I think they’re related)

Next time you can’t sleep, try some essential oils! A dab of lavender oil on your wrists at night or a spray of some calming oil like the one in the photo are live savers. The scent is crazy relaxing and will help you fall asleep in no time.

One Week on Keto

So I’m off to Mexico – which meant crash diet time! And as a disclaimer.. crash diets are NOT GOOD! Do as I say, not as I do.

But I figured.. let’s try out keto. I watched a few documentaries about all of the benefits. If you watch “Fat” on amazon, they talk about how people get off insulin.. stop seizure medication.. etc. So I’m officially on day 8 and have a few thoughts:

• Eating out isn’t as hard as I thought! Some photos are below.. but I normally opt for meat (lamb, fish, steak..), sauteed veggies, and avocado. I LOVE a good sushi roll sans rice or sashimi. And sauteed veggies are great… hello, olive oil!
• Working out is hard! I went to pilates the other day and WOW I felt like passing out. So be sure to eat a little snack before you workout and have some extra salt.
• The keto flu is real.. so have some pickles on hand to take a shot of juice! Trust me, it helps. It sounds gross – but worth it.

I’ve also lost almost 10 lbs in a week! Have you tried keto? Let us know in the comments!

XOXO, Kim

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Sneakers in Summer

Does anyone else struggle with what COMFORTABLE shoes to wear in the Summer?! I have such a hard time because flat sandals or flats hurt my feet.. so I pretty much always have to wear a small heel for a little arch support.

But sometimes heels just aren’t practical, don’t fit the event, or don’t go with the outfit. In this case.. I was wearing a super casual ensemble, so I decided to try out some sneakers!

Personally, I LOVE a good white (VERY WHITE) sneaker (helloo dad shoe trend). Once they start getting discolored.. it just looks dirty. But you don’t have to spend hundreds for a good pair. I found these for $20 at KROGER. Yes, Kroger!

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Let us know in the comments what type of shoes are your fave for a casual Summer day!

XOXO, Kim

Two Low-Cal Poolside Cocktails

There are few things better than enjoying a cool adult beverage by the pool! But calories can add up QUICK with cocktails. So avoid the extra sugar and sodium (and bloat) with these two simple low-cal cocktails.

Vodka Spritzer

• 1 shot vodka
• 6 oz sparkling water
• Cut up fruit of choice

The fruit makes all the difference in this one! Watermelon is great and extra hydrating.

Cuba Libre

• 1 shot dark rum
• 6 oz Diet Coke
• Juice of 1/2 lime

This classic drink feels like a heartier cocktail – but still rings in under 100 calories!

Enjoy!

XOXO, Kim