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Showing posts from February 23, 2017

29 Questions {Blog Survey}

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HELLO! Happy Friday to you! Ever since I started working with clients via Designed to Fit Nutrition , my faith in people on the Internet has been restored. As you can imagine, I get my fair share of trolls and haters on CNC, but coaching strangers from all over the country has really been such an awesome experience. I love getting to know my clients and talking to them about food, fitness, health, and wellness, which is most definitely a fun perk of the job for me. Anyway, the reason I am telling you this is because some of my clients have turned into (Facebook) friends. One of them recently shared this questionnaire on her personal page, and I thought it would make the perfect blog post, sooooo here are my answers to her 29 questions! And, of course, feel free to play along in the comment section! 1. Who are you named after? I don’t think anyone in particular, but I heard a story once that my mom wanted to name me “Tina,” but my grandmother preferred a Catholic/Christian name, so

Clean Eating Lemon & Honey Almonds Recipe

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This simple snack takes only minutes to prep if you have the lemon zested already! Tip: When you use fresh lemons, don’t forget to zest them first. Freeze the zest on ice cube trays and you’ll have “… Read more → from The Gracious Pantry http://ift.tt/2lAmgkq

The Personality Factor: How Does Introversion or Extroversion Interact with Well-Being?

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Sometimes it seems like this world is built for extroverts. The most successful politicians, entertainers, and public figures are (or at least come off as) extroverts. One of the “Big 5” personality traits we use to judge and praise people is extraversion (Introversion, falsely assumed as simply the lack of extraversion, doesn’t merit mention.) Certain studies suggest that extroverts make more money than introverts, on average. Extroverts tend to be happier than introverts, regardless of the cultural context. Introverts are more likely to suffer from depression  and  asthma . On paper, it seems like extroversion is the clear evolutionary winner. It makes you happier, wealthier, and even healthier (maybe). It’s selected for in many of the most public spheres, like entertainment and politics. So why has introversion been so well preserved? Why do introverts, by most accounts, still comprise at least 25% of the population? If you could construct the perfect human to innovate, explore

Have You Tried Pinole?

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Have you heard of pinole ( pih-nole )? It may soon be giving quinoa a run for its money.  While this trendy superfood may be new to America, it has been around for centuries. Pinole is a grain mixture, made predominantly of heirloom blue and purple maize that’s roasted with raw cacao beans, then ground into a fine mixture. Served a multitude of ways, it’s most commonly combined with milk to form a thick, warm porridge. Similar in texture to oatmeal or grits, it’s a concentrated source of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.  Just two ounces of pinole provides 7 grams of fiber, 40 grams of complex carbohydrates, and 100 milligrams of anthocyanins; a specific antioxidant that may help reduce rates of cardiovascular disease and cancer and boost cognitive function . In addition to being a great breakfast choice, pinole has historically been used as a source of fuel for endurance athletes. The Tarahumara Indians of northwestern Mexico, known for long-distance running, consume pino

Mall Street

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Good morning! I’ve been really into peanut butter banana toast lately. Such a quick and easy breakfast, and on dense Great Harvest bread, it fills me right up. On Monday Sarah and I took the kids to Short Pump for the day since they had a school holiday. They had a wonderful time riding the escalators. And playing boat in this double stroller. (Must have been the Sperry  shoes that inspired that!) Mazen wanted to pick out a wedding ring for Sylvia in KAY jewelers while Sarah had her ring fixed. But Sylvia said “Wait, we’re just kids!” Sarah and I tag-teamed some shopping, and we took the kids on the train that winds throughout the mall. We had a delicious lunch at the Baker’s Crust. I had a shrimp + avocado tropical salad. It was another warm sunny day! On Tuesday it was back to school, back to work. Which brings me to my career news: I’m going to be working with Tina and Kerrie at Designed To Fit Nutrition ! I’m really excited to get back into the field, and I’ll b

30-Day Challenge Analysis Part 3: Changing Your Life For Real – Let’s Do This Right

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All right folks, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for. That’s right, it’s the GRAND FINALE of the EPIC, three part 30-day challenge series. We’ve already talked about the pros and cons of 30-day throw downs (Part 1) and we’ve discussed (AT LENGTH) how we totally screw em’ up (Part 2) . Now let’s get to the good stuff – let’s figure out how to do this right and truly ‘change your life’ and health for the long haul. If you haven’t read the first two parts, I would recommend doing that first, both for the background information and because, if I do say so myself, they’re damn entertaining. (**NOTE: I also laugh at all of my own jokes.**) If you’re already up to speed, then let’s get this party started… The GREAT Group/Gym Challenge Okay, all of you gym owners and coaches, regardless of how good your intentions may be when you set up one of these ’30-day fat loss challenges’, you are doing your members and the folks that participate in them no favors if you’re not running them