Yoga+Creativity Book Review+GIVEAWAY

I am good enough. I am extraordinary in fact. I have so much to give. I am a wealth of creative energy. Yoga+Creativity

Don't you just LOVE that quote? So positive and empowering! Now, I am a huge yoga fan. I have been practicing yoga for quite some time now and today, I am ecstatic to share Yoga+Creativity with you. As part of my ambassadorship with I'm Fit Possible, I was given the opportunity to review the eBook Yoga+Creativity by Lacey Haynes. 

I'm Lacey Haynes from The Yoga Emporium & I'm on a mission to liberate your creative flow through the path of yoga. This eBook will teach you yoga practices and creative tasks to bring you into alignment with your true creative self. 

Lacey Haynes is a creative renegade. She writes, acts, sings, draws, and is willing to explore just about anything creative, playful and mind-blowing. She's also a smart cookie. She's studied English Literature as an MA student, currently blogs for the Huffington Post, DoYouYoga and runs The Yoga Emporium where she writes, teaches classes and workshops and offers Yoga Lifestyle Coaching & Intuitive Healing.  She's a trained actor, having performed on stage and on screen in Canada and Germany.

More than anything, Lacey loves spreading the path of yoga and helping people like you to uncover their own innate happiness, love and creative energy.  Her students get blissed on her warm presence, intuitive and joyous energy and loving approach. She is grateful to her own stellar teachers – past, present and future – who help to light this glorious path.

 Prior to reading this book, I left my expectations at the door, ready to embrace each experience! This book incorporates the art of yoga into an experience of creative expression. Through various exercises of self exploration (free writing, singing and moments of deep breathing, etc) Lacey has designed each exercise with the intention to embrace self love and creativity.  And with the idea that each individual must work at their own pace, Lacey offers 3 different paths for all lifestyles to enjoy.

I chose the intensive 4 week path, taking each exploration activity one week at a time. I felt that I was able to thoroughly enjoy and get the most out of each day that I completed the weekly exercise.

Although I am a yogi at heart, I truly believe that even those without prior yoga experience can enjoy this book. Lacey does a great job of explaining how to properly manipulate your body into each pose and illustrates each and every one of them beautifully in her book.  I also greatly appreciated receiving videos from her, each sent to my email weekly about various yoga methods and yoga terminology.

My favorite portion of this experience was creative expression. I gained so much from this experience. After minutes of this creative writing, I was able to read my thoughts out loud. The words were profound, I was speaking my truth. I observed that on the days that I performed this exploration after work, my mind became much clearer and I felt myself slowly begin to let go of any tension that had built from the day. I found it enlightening. I felt a sense of peace after completing this exploration each day. 

This book is like a manual to release your creative energy and an exercise guide to opening your heart and mind. I learned a lot about myself through this e-book experience and highly suggest it to anyone! Interested in this book? 
You can purchase this eBook for $20 from my affiliate site here
...or...
You can enter in my Rafflecopter giveaway today and get your copy for FREE!

Yoga+Creative E-Book GIVEAWAY

Do you give yourself time to reflect each day? How about once a week?

What are your thoughts on Yoga and how do you embrace your very own creativity?

Why I Love Barre3

Barre3. 

Have you heard of it?

I started using Barre3 religiously about 6 months ago. I had heard about various Barre franchises and absolutely loved the idea of incorporating ballet, pilates and yoga philosophies together. However, none of these trendy Barre classes really stood out to me--I just kept thinking, "Okay, yet another overpriced fitness class..." But then I learned about Barre3 from a friend. Barre3 was different, it stood out to me because it wasn't just a trend--it was a lifestyle. So this post today is dedicated to my undying love for Barre3 and why I think it is insanely AWESOME. AND this is for anyone who doesn't know much about it and should get on the Barre3 train right now. 

1. I grew up in Ballet, I miss it constantly. Barre3 allows me to use my training and continue to enjoy ballet without having to step into a dance studio. This is what drew me to Barre3 in the first place. *I should also mention that you do not need prior experience in dance. I just personally enjoy revisiting the techniques that I learned as a dancer in Barre3* 

"Balance, strengthen, and lengthen the body with moves inspired by ballet, yoga, and Pilates" --Barre3

     2.  The Barre3 Philosophy: Exercise, Nourish & Connect. And this is why I became hooked. 

Making exercise a priority and incorporating it into your day at any time

Nourishing your body with food that will only fuel your body properly

And finally, connecting with Barre3 instructors, the fundamentals of it's practice and being a part of a supportive community of individuals.   

    3.  Workout Options. I love the variety of workout options Barre3 provides for it's clients: In-studio, online or through the Barre3 app. 

    4.  Time constraints? No problem. Both the Barre3 app and online workouts cater workouts to whatever time you have!

   5. You can do these workouts, literally, anywhere. Majority of these workouts are made for busy moms--there are in-the-kitchen workouts, movement you can do in the park while your kids are playing or simple movements you can do from your desk at work. 

  6.  Recipes. The Barre3 blog and the Barre3 app have amazingly healthy recipes, easy for weekly meal planning!

  7. Healthy tip of the day. Love this! A healthy tip pops up on my phone daily with my Barre3 app. It helps me stay accountable and inspires me to make small changes. 

  8. "The Inch". The dreaded inch. I actually love/hate "the inch". Barre3 uses this term to describe small movement while performing poses and routines. It hurts, it burns, it feels so good and you can see results quite quickly. I also really love this idea for those of us who run--we use our large muscles constantly, however, it's the smaller muscles that are being neglected! Barre3 helps us out with that. 

  9.  Instructor feedback. The instructors are great about explaining what parts of the body you should be working and why it's beneficial to your health to work targeted muscles. The instructors are also your biggest cheerleaders--they are so positive and encouraging throughout the entire session. 

10.  Balance. I feel extremely balanced after completing a Barre3 session. I also feel strong, relaxed and ready to take on the day! 

  

So if you didn't know much about Barre3 before now, perhaps this is something you may want to check out. Let me know what you think and give Barre3 a try!

Winning Pinterest Recipes

I love Pinterest, don't you?

My favorite board on my Pinterest account is my Food & Recipe board. I love to cook and I LOVE to find amazing recipes. Today, I thought I would share FIVE of my favorite recipes from Pinterest!

1.   One Pot Andouille Skillet Pasta: This was SO good. I made this recently and it was not only extremely tasty but pretty healthy and ridiculously easy to make. Took about 30 minutes to make the entire meal. 

2.   Butternut Squash Mac 'n' Cheese: I loved this because it was still very cheesy but lacked all of the heavy cream. Next time, I probably won't bake mine because I found it to be a bit dry when cooked. I plan to just toast breadcrumbs and then add them once combined. Great comfort food recipe with a healthy twist!

3. Chicken & Avocado Enchiladas in Creamy Avocado Sauce: You want a crowd pleaser? This is the EASIEST, most DELICIOUS recipe. I make it at least once a week during the summer. My friends and family are always asking me for this recipe. Not only is it healthy but it's so dang good. The only alteration I've made to this recipe is that I use the Trader Joes Corn & Flour Tortillas--> it tastes so much better! 

4.  Pesto Pasta w/Chicken Sausage & Roasted Brussel Sprouts: This was super yummy, healthy and so easy to make! Plus, I could pretty much eat dog poo if it were covered in pesto. 

[Okay, not really...but seriously, pesto is the bees knees.]

5.   Salted Dark Chocolate Truffle Cookies: Okay, you want to die and go to heaven? I just DARE you to eat only one--these cookies are INSANELY good. They are a bit time consuming (you need to let the dough sit in the fridge for a few hours) but totally worth it! [My husband still begs me to make these often] :) 

SPARTAN UP! With Joe De Sena

I'm thrilled to share yet another glorious post about the Spartan Series! However, this time I'm not just talkin' about the race, I'm talkin' about the BOOK! 

SPARTAN UP! Have you heard of it?

 The awesome team over at the Spartan Race Series asked me if I could read over a brief synopsis of the Spartan Race Series creator, Joe De Sena's new book (yep, you guessed it) SPARTAN UP! 

I've gotta tell ya...I was thoroughly impressed! I'm not kidding. 

{Here are a few brief notes that stuck with me after reading the synopsis}

• I was in complete "awe" of Joe's ability to encourage all of us to look fear in the face and take it head on. He draws comparisons to his races as challenges we face in life--a 12 foot greased wall is compared to a lifetime of failed relationships. He refers to that feeling of hopelessness but that we all have the ability to keep going forward. That's life...and that is what the Spartan Race is all about.  
• His thoughts on delayed-gratification. I found this quite thought provoking. He refers to scientific testing and the lifelong effects of individuals who are able to find delayed-gratification as opposed to those who are unable to wait. To sum it up, you got it, individuals who were able to find gratification after longer periods of time, were much more successful in their lifetime. Discipline is what allows us to reach our full potential and Joe helps us understand that in this book.
• Joe speaks to the observation that our society has become so dependent on what is basically, "the easy way out." We have forgotten what it feels like to accomplish something difficult and to put the true work in.
• Joe briefly speaks about his own life--his challenging childhood, his various career paths and what ultimately led him to create the Spartan Race experience. Not to mention that Joe has pretty much done it all-- Marathons, Ultra Marathons (as in Badwater--for those of us who are familiar with outrageous marathons, Badwater is pretty much the top of the insanity totem pole), triathlons and ironman (to name a few). So in other words, this guy KNOWS his stuff. He's been there and done it ALL. 
• This book is a manual to living the spartan lifestyle. Joe gives you the tools to take control of your life and to go after your goals without fear. 

In fact, I'll let Joe speak briefly about his book, himself. 

Yep! This is Joe De Sena the creator of the Spartan Race Series and the writer of SPARTAN UP!

I think that the only complaint I have, is that I didn't have more to read! 

The synopsis wasn't enough, I wanted to read more. I felt a fire begin to burn inside and I wanted to know more about Joe, about the Spartan Races and about how I can discover and unleash my inner spartan. Well, luckily for me (and for you) you can PRE-ORDER Joe's book right NOW! 

Pre-Order SPARTAN UP! 

And in case you needed another video for inspiration...check this out.

 

Make sure your hands on this book today! 
This is the real deal. You guys know that I wouldn't be sharing this if I didn't absolutely believe in it. So what are you waiting for?! Keep me posted if you order the book so we can share thoughts! I can't wait!!

Have you ever participated in a Spartan Race? 
What were your thoughts on it?

What do you think of this book?
Do you think it would inspire you?

*This is a sponsored post. Sometimes I am given the opportunity to share products in exchange for either product or monetary compensation. My thoughts are all my own and are not influenced by the payment I receive. I will always give my honest opinion to my readers. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544286170

Sunday Meal Prepping

This week, I tried something new. I've watched Sunday Food Prep float around the blogosphere quite a bit lately. Sunday Food Prep is preparation and portioning of all meals on the Sunday before the work week begins. SUCH a smart idea! Not only does it make mornings much smoother (and time saving) but it also eliminates the opportunity to eat poorly (grab-n-go snacks). Something I've noticed personally, is that if I do not plan meals, I tend to just grab whatever sounds good at the time (which usually isn't the healthiest choice.) 

So why have I not tried this sooner? Well, basically because I thought it would be way too time consuming to even attempt! But I have to tell you, it really wasn't. So this week I only prepped my lunches, and decided to give this idea a try!

Sweet Organic Carrots
Lightly drizzled with olive oil and baked at 375 for 35 minutes (or until tender) Cut into bite sided pieces, season with salt and herb de provence (so YUM) 

Sweet Potatoes

Baked at 375 for 35-45 minutes (until you can easily slide a fork in and out of them when poked), halved when portioned

Chicken Breast

Cooked at 375, 45 minutes, drizzled with olive oil and topped with pepper, salt, garlic & basil--halved when portioned

Broccoli

Bought a large bag of frozen, organic broccoli, heated in boiled water for a few moments, drained and portioned. 

Trader Joes Frozen Rice Medley

Heated and portioned. 

Carrots & Sweet Potatoes 

Garlic and Basil Chicken

Easy, right?

Here are 5 quick tips that I wanted to share.

1. Buy frozen veggies, they last longer in the sense that you can grab a portion to heat up, bag the rest and toss it back in the freezer until next time. (*Plus, a lot of the time, it's much cheaper!)

2. I cut everything in half so that my money and the food itself would stretch a bit more. So every day, I have had half of a sweet potato, half of a chicken breast, and a handful of broccoli florets/carrots.

3. Trader Joe's frozen rice packages rock my socks. (They also have quinoa but it's a smidge more expensive) Throw that bad boy in the microwave for 3 minutes, DONE! This is perfect for quick meal prep--it has been my staple this week. You can use this in stir fry, make rice bowls or add it to a taco salad!

4. Make every meal COLORFUL! Color=vitamins. Color=healthy. Make each meal as colorful as you can. 

5. Prep your meals while you are cleaning around the house. You can multitask! I made sweet potatoes while I started the laundry and vacuumed the stairs. It was great! 

I really love this idea and am now planning to jump on the Sunday Meal Prep train with my fellow bloggers! Yahoo! Who's on board with me?!

Do you prep your meals ahead of time?

Do you have any time-saving tricks? 

Easter Sunday, Trails & Sushi Dates

Happy Monday to you!

I hope your weekend was filled with beautiful memories and time spent with friends and family. 

{Grab your coffee and get ready for photo OVERLOAD}

:)

Of course I started the weekend off with a hilly run through the neighborhood--I just love beginning my weekend with a great run! I missed a turn on my way home Friday afternoon and discovered a trail entrance on the side of the road. I decided to grab the pooch and head out Saturday morning to see how far this trail went! We were on the hunt!  

After a few miles, we found a trail! It was a bit choppy (like a lot of trails around here) but we were happy to find one. I look forward to running a bit further on it next weekend. 

After our long run, Cooper and I were beat after conquering some monster hills. (He literally laid on the floor, belly up, with his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.)
Mission: Exhaust the dog.
Nailed it!  

Saturday evening, Danny and I went out for a little sushi date to explore the area.

I tried eel for the first time! I felt so adventurous! :) 

We ended our date with some take-home espresso cake to share and a bottle of wine to drink while curled up at home in our PJs. Are we lame?? I love having our little piece of heaven, we like to call home. I know, sappy, but so true! 

Classy. Straight out of the to-go container! 

We had brunch with family on Easter Sunday. 

The table was decorated beautifully! The food was fabulous and there was a mimosa bar filled with fresh fruit, various juices and long stemmed champagne glasses--totally Pinterest worthy. We had a veggie scramble, french toast bake, fruit kabobs and antipasti (basil, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and various meats)

Don't worry, I took plenty of photos! 

How absolutely ADORABLE are these Easter basket place settings?!

Holidays always make me feel so incredibly thankful for the special people in my life. I love our best friends. They have become more than friends to me, they are family. Danny and I feel so grateful for them each and every day. Being able to spend these special moments with them mean the world to us. 

How was your Easter weekend?

What was your favorite moment?

An Award For Me? And GIVEAWAY Winner

 I feel absolutely honored as I was recently notified that I have been nominated the Liebster Award by AnnMarie from FitFoodieMama. 

Now for those of you who are unaware of what the Liebster Award is, it is an award given to bloggers by bloggers! Neat idea, huh? The idea is to nominate smaller up and coming blogs in order to get them a little more exposure. So obviously, I feel extremely honored to be nominated. Thank you AnnMarie for your support and nomination! Make sure you head over to FitFoodieMama and check this awesome lady out! Okay, well to go along with this nomination, AnnMarie has sent me some questions to answer. So let's get to it, shall we! 

Questions:

1.  Where is your favorite place to travel and why?

I don't know that I have a favorite place to travel to because I just love to travel in general! I grew up traveling as my dad's job transferred us to new areas constantly and with each new move, I always remember weekend trips or school vacations to new places. As an adult, I definitely feel anxious when I haven't been to a new place after a certain period of time because it is just kind of ingrained in me at this point. But my favorite place that I have ever been to would have to be Venice, Italy. There is just nothing in this world like Venice. I truly believe that it is a place that everyone should try to go to at least once in their life. It's a different way of life there and it is just so beautiful. Man, I could go on for DAYS about some of my favorite travel spots but that's a whole other post... ;-) 

2.  What is the last good book you read?

I hate to admit it but I'm really not a huge reader. I don't know if it is because I am unable to sit still for long periods of time or what. I do however read a lot of articles (mainly health and running related) online. I love Runners World. I read my Runners World every month. This month there was a great piece about the Boston Marathon survivors, so touching and absolutely inspirational. So I guess if Runners World counts, that's my answer!

3.  What did you want to be when you were little?

I wanted to be a veterinarian for the longest time. I grew up loving animals (and still do)! At one point I realized that part of the job was to put animals down and I just could not fathom the idea of doing that. So yeah, being a vet was out of the picture for me at that point. I decided I would just adopt all neglected animals instead. I'm still working on our little zoo we have started (2 cats and a dog) I'm still trying to convince my husband that we need more!  

4.  What is your favorite way to be active?

Running is my absolute passion, it's what keeps me sane and healthy. However, I also grew up in multiple dance classes (mainly ballet) so I still love to dance as well. Along with Barre3, yoga, hiking, pilates, kickboxing and oh man, the list could continue! I just really love any excuse to be active (as long as it isn't swimming or biking) Triathlons are definitely not in my future...

5.  What is your go-to breakfast?

I am usually running out the door in the mornings so I typically have a piece of toast with organic peanut butter, a glass of milk and a banana in hand. 

6.  If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Pasta. Hands down. Carb queen for life! 

7.  What are your hobbies outside of work/blogging?

I love crafting and anything health and fitness related. I am a huge running nerd and love learning more about the sport any chance I can get. 

8.  Would you ever be able to go a day without your phone?

Yes, I totally could. I feel like I rely on my phone more for emergency purposes. I always feel like the day I go without my phone, something terrible will happen and no one will be able to get ahold of me. I know, morbid thinking, right? 

9.  Do you prefer to exercise in the morning or at night?

Morning exerciser all the way. It gears me up for the day and gives me the energy I crave. I work with little ones so at the end of the day I am pouring myself onto the counch--evening workouts just don't work for me. 

10.  What is your favorite thing about blogging?

I love hearing comments from my readers about what material is working for them, what inspires them and how they feel motivated to keep moving because of the things they read. It keeps me inspired to keep this blog going every single day.

I now pass the torch to 10 others!

       Lauren Breathe Deeply & Smile

Mary Four The Health Of It

Heather Divas Run For Bling

Jess Just Call Me Janks

Sarah Licorice And Olives

Michelle RunBakeBlog

Joshua A Runners Enduring Excursion

Sarah Sweet Miles

Jeremy Confessions Of An Amateur Athlete

Ashley Snow Cream And Syrup

I love each and every one of these blogs and read them frequently. Watch out for this group of fit fanatics, they have extraordinary content and are just growing by the minute!  And here are my 10 questions for this group...

1. If you had one day devoted to doing whatever you wanted to do, how would you spend that day?

2. Name a food that you have tried to like over and over again but just cannot stand...

3. If someone gave you a plane ticket to anywhere in the world, where would you go?

4. What is your favorite song and why?

5. What is your guilty pleasure? 

6. Who was your first celebrity crush?

7. What exercise do you despise doing the most? 

8. What is your absolute dream job?

9. What is your favorite quote?

10. What have you learned about yourself through blogging?

And last but not least...

Gregory Pochron 

You have WON the Spartan Race Series FREE entry! I'll be contacting you shortly with details. 

Thank you for all who entered! If you didn't win a free entry this time around, I do have 15% discount code for you, so technically, everyone is a winner!
The code will work one time for any open heat (non-confirmed start time) in any 2014 Spartan Race in the continental US.