Friday, March 9, 2012

girl crush

Every girl has 'em. Here is mine for today.......

the fabulous, fit, funny & feminine Ms Kelly Ripa!

Great style! I will be copying the following outfits {in my ~~Hopes &~~ Dreams...}

work wear

dinner & drinks

summer party

bridal shower!!!

out for drinks

for all of the fabulous events I don't go to.

And possibly the best part about Ms Kelly--- she isn't scared of being fit

great motivation

perfectly prep

Oh Kate...always tugging at my heart strings

Completely perfect!!!

I think I need one of everything for bridal showers.

:) amc

We have finally made it to Friday. It was touch and go there for a while; but we are here. Whew. And just when I thought I was home-free for the weekend; the ugly monster stuck it's ugly head out again.

That monster is Self Doubt and Fear.

I can't let myself go there again; it is torture and makes my hours long and worrisome. Being that blogs are oh-so public, I will say no more about the point of stress; but instead harp on my goal to only focus on the happiness and joy that comes in my days.

Goodness, there is so much happiness and joy! Thank you God for that; You are the one and only giver of this love. I am forever grateful.

As the fun pinterest picture above says, I must remind myself how far I have come. I have come quite far. And there is more for me! I know it. I can totally keep going.

So, focus I will, on my Hopes & Dreams. All other will be handled.

"The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still" - Exodus 14:14

:) amc

Thursday, March 8, 2012

kony 2012

_________________
march 9th
i spent last night doing some reading on this issue and Invisible Children's plan to resolve it. I'd rather not say how I feel about all of it- but I do think the video is worth watching. If nothing else, the little boy {Gavin} is adorable!!!! {Hopes & Dreams!}
_________________

watch this video

www.kony2012.com

stop at nothing
amc

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

a walk on the spiral side

Thanks to the Gluten Free Goddess.... I have made a new purchase!

The Joyce Chen Spiral Slicer! {$18 on Amazon}

How amazing does this look?! It takes a plain zucchini {that I would be stuck sauteing, and get tired of in 2 weeks or less} and turns it into pasta! WHICH I NEVER GET TIRED OF!

Fine strands of veggie pasta- here I come!

Zucchini Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash and Creamy Garlic Sauce

{via Choosing Raw}

and the pasta point of inspiration... Raw Zucchini Pasta in a Vegan Curry Cream Sauce

{via Gluten Free Goddess}

I am nerding out :)

Let me know if there are any other veggies that turn into spiral spaghetti strands!

:) amc

sweet attack

Sweet Attack

I've never had a strong sweet tooth, but I can't say that I don't crave some sugar from time to time.

When the late night sugar surge strikes...I combat with this #EatClean tasty treat:

Fig & Almond Cottage Cheese

2 Scoops of cottage cheese
3 quartered dried figs
Pinch of sliced almonds
Shake of ground cinnamon

Crunch, savory, tart and sweet

Simple and Satisfying

Great, now I'm hungry...

:) amc

planning session

I'm a big girl now.

The parents came over Monday night for a wedding planning session and.... I made dinner!

I know, I cook dinner all the time. But that is just for Josh. And that kid will eat just about anything. So this was more of a test.

Almond Crusted Tilapia

I got to use my *brand new* food processor to make the coating {almonds & whole wheat flour}. Yummy! I tried to cook them on the stove top but that was taking much too long, so into the oven they went- thank you versatile cast iron pan!

Quinoa

This was Mom & Dad's first quinoa adventure, and they said they liked it! This time I cooked it in vegetable broth and added sauteed garlic, onion and mushrooms.

Roasted Asparagus

A JAMM family staple

Dinner went well! Right, family?

Wedding Planning also went well... thanks to those of us that stayed awake...

:) amc

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

itty bitty {shorts} motivation

I want these.

This is my mini jolt of motivation.

Train Hard!

Push Yourself!

Eat Clean!

Take Care!

{Speed Short by Lululemon}

Was that weird? Please tell me that cute spring outfits, bikinis and new workout clothes also motivate you.

Oh and feeling better about myself and being healthy is motivational too.... {that was for you Mom}

:) amc

myths debunked

Not sure if it is selective perception or the onset of bikini season, but I see weight-loss tips, tricks and secrets everywhere I turn. How do you know what to believe? Stick with reliable websites and double-check all resources. Everyone seems to have their own take on science and health..so caveat emptor....

Speaking of... I love when some of those tips, tricks and secrets get proven false!

So I give a big 'thank you' to Refinery29 for posting a collection of 15 debunked weight-loss/fitness myths!

Getting Skinny: What's Dangerous & What Works

via Refinery29

Some highlights {but please read the whole article!!!}:

MYTH: If you're looking to lose weight, you should cut out all fats.
"Fat does not make you fat — it is sugar, wheat, and refined carbs that do so because they cause the release of insulin, which leads to fat storage" -Dr. Lipman

MYTH: If you skip breakfast, you'll lose weight faster.
"Skipping breakfast, eating a sugar-laden breakfast, or only drinking coffee sets your body up to crash later. Protein and fat are essential in the morning — we need those nutrients to keep us energized and alert" -Dr. Lipman

MYTH: Doing crunches is the best way to get toned abs.
"The first step to flat abs is watching what you eat" -David Kirsch

MYTH: Just do a ton of cardio and the weight will practically fall off.
"With cardio, once you step off the treadmill, the calorie burn is over."
"Interval-type cardio has been shown to increase metabolism for over 36 hours after you step out of the gym. A combination of proper nutrition, resistance training, and intervals is not only a great way to lose weight, but also to end up with the body that you want" -Dan Trink

MYTH: Lifting weights is only for people who want to bulk up.
"Lifting weights is really for people who want to increase bone density, lose weight, add lean muscle mass, correct muscular imbalances brought on by sports or lifestyle, remain injury-free and live longer, healthier lives." -Dan Trink

:) amc

Monday, March 5, 2012

blended & roasted

Food is my favorite. They say looking great {and being healthy!} is 80% diet. I have fully taken on this idea, and lucky for you {uhh} I have chosen to document my every bite.

Every single day begins with a fresh smoothie.

The contents are almost always different but follow the same basic formula.

1 liquid {carrot juice, water, coconut water, 100% fresh fruit juice, etc}
1 leafy green {handful of baby spinach or leaves of 2 kale stalks}
1/2 banana {fresh or frozen}
1 berry {4 strawberries, handful of blueberries or handful of blackberries}
1/2 cucumber {peeled and sliced, fresh or frozen}
Hefty pinch of Ground Flaxseed
Scoop of Brown Rice Protein Powder

Liquify & enjoy!

A good tip is to keep snack baggies around and in the mornings when you use one half of the banana or cucumber- go ahead and prepare the second half, put it in a baggie and pop into the freezer for the next morning.