Basic Home Workout Kit ... A Shopping List

You really DON'T need a gym!

I just got done writing a workout for an old friend who is coming over tomorrow to be trained on a trial-basis by yours truly... it was a challenge for me because I am used to using all of the equipment I have at home-- barbells, dumbbells, and now my brand-new BOSU ball being three big ones that I had to leave out for this workout. For good reason. I am so excited to have this challenge ahead of me. My client has considerable budget constraints that only permit her to work out with me 1-2x per month. Challenge #1. Challenge #2 was that my client only owned a yoga mat and a pull-up bar and again, due to monetary constraints could only invest a minimal amount of money on at-home fitness equipment. 

Kiss heavy things good-bye! I had to really get creative!!

After I customized her workout, I wrote down all of the equipment I used and calculated the total price of investing in all of the items on the list. It came out to about $54, not including tax!! Here is the list...

Basic Home Workout Shopping List

Sports Authority:

·      Lifeline brand resistance bands (2-3 different levels, test out) ($17 for two levels)

·      One set of handles (unless you want two for convenience) ($8 for one set)

Walmart:

·      1 stability ball  (pay attention to size according to your height) ($9 for one basic ball)

·      1 set of flat Pilates bands ($10 for one set)

·      1 set of Waxman sliding discs (NOT in fitness section… they are sold in a pack of four for moving furniture. Check hardware dept.)  ($10 for one set of 4 discs (sell the others... you only need two!))

Total = $54 + tax... so for the same price as your average gym membership, you can get an amazing workout with just a few pieces of equipment and your own unique body!

Now... I don't recommend just buying all this stuff, then coming home and expecting to work out and work out effectively with it. You MAY need to hire a trainer, or do some extensive research to figure out just what to do with this equipment... how many sets, reps, proper form, etc.

But it's worth it! Working with a trainer is often dubbed as over-rated; folks often adopt a "just do it yourself" attitude... which I can totally understand given the aptitude of the standard "I-studied-online-and-took-an open-book-online-test" cookie-cutter trainer. But if you hire a properly educated, passionate one, you can (literally) put money on your guaranteed success...  not to mention save lots of tedious research time and have lots of fun along the way! Don't get me wrong, though, effective workouts include lots of WORK and if done correctly, lots of BURN... in time, the burn will feel good, though, and you'll feel cheated when you don't get it!

The bonus of having minimal equipment in addition to saving money is this: CHALLENGE and FUN! Lifting heavy things and putting them down can get boring, for one, plus your body becomes accustomed to working only major muscle groups unless you really get creative with those "heavy things" ... consequently the smaller muscle groups, which are your assisting muscles and stabilizers, are often left out of the picture. Incorporating bands, stability balls, discs, etc. into your workouts challenges your body like NO OTHER and due to the added instability, small movements feel like big ones (especially when using items like the sliding discs and the s-ball). Simple moves like the lunge take on a completely different identity!

So... what are you waiting for??  Get out there and get fit!

Life Update + How to Maximize Your Savings at BJ's Wholesale Club

Whew! It's been a while since I last posted!! I guess it's time to get back into things...

The last few months have been absolutely life-changing and incredible. I lost my job (for good reason), had three weeks off and began taking classes at The National Personal Training Institute. NPTI is the first and as of yet only hands-on, intensive learning program for personal training. I've been there for six weeks so far and it is astonishing how much I have learned! On Day 1 I was wondering how in the world I was ever going to learn all of the stuff on the syllabus, and how on earth I was ever going to become an effective trainer. Fast forward to the end of week six, or day 30, and I am a completely changed person inside and out. I have found a new love for all kinds of different fitness equipment, a confidence I never thought I could have, and I am fitter than I ever thought I could be. Just one example of body transformation is this -- on day 1 I could barely squeak out 5 push-ups in a row... now I am up to 20, and can perform 15+ on an unstable surface. It is really remarkable and it is so motivating to me as a trainer. I am learning that YES, I CAN... so my intent with my clients will always be YES, YOU CAN!!!

ANYWAY, onward to the main event here.

Do you shop at wholesale clubs? I do. I have memberships to all three of the big ones in the US, currently -- Sam's Club, Costco, and BJ's. But the one that stands out is BJ's, and here's why. They accept any and all manufacturer's coupons. Their program is fantastic. Here are a few lesser known highlights to their coupon policy:

• You can combine store coupons with manufacturer coupons. This means if you have a $1 off coupon provided by BJ's, and a $0.75 off coupon from the Sunday newspaper, you can use both.

• You can use TWO manufacturer's coupons for one item. You must have two (no doubling). I always use the self-checkout lanes so I can scan my own coupons. Example: I have two 55 cents coupons for Almond Breeze almond milk. I scan both for a total savings of $1.10. (This is particularly awesome when you have a $1 off BJ's coupon, too-- then you get an 86 oz jug of almond milk for $1.79!
  
• You can use two different coupons for the same item, too. So, if you have a $1 off coupon for Wholly Guacamole, and a $0.50 off coupon for Wholly Guacamole, you can scan both for a total savings of $1.50.
  
• If you forget your coupons or for some reason don't receive them at your house (I don't!) Go to the counter and ask for the latest coupons and they'll hand you a stack. Merry Christmas!
  
• At the front of the store there are also quite a few coupons to take a gander at. A few months ago there were coupons for organicgirl, and $1.50 off a bag of organic apples (THAT was a good couple of weeks!).

To boot, BJ's prices are already great on many items! They often have instant rebates on certain items and their store brand is also noteworthy. I recently snagged a great deal on a 16 oz. container of vanilla extract. Regular price was $8.99, but there was an instant rebate that brought the price down to $6.99, which put the price per ounce at 43 cents, which is lower than what I usually pay (99 cents/oz., at Aldi).  And I don't have to buy it as often! I plan on using the larger container to refill my smaller Aldi container.

Here are some of my favorite things to buy at BJ's... with or without coupons! There are a lot more things I buy there, too, but these are my staples!

• Organicgirl greens -- they have a HUGE variety of organicgirl greens ranging in price from $4.29/lb to $4.99/lb for the Super Greens mix (tasty!). I usually go for the spinach to use in my smoothies... for a while they had 55 cent off coupons stuck to the Super Greens containers that I peeled off and used on the spinach occasionally... -- I've also been able to print off an unlimited amount of $2 off any organicgirl product coupons in PDF format online. I used a total of 4 coupons, before the coupon expired (one on each box -- I did NOT use more than one per product, because I felt that was being a little too greedy!) which saved me a total of $8 -- essentially, that's almost two entire pounds of spinach for FREE.
  
• Organic quinoa -- $4.99 for a 2-lb bag. Costco's got 'em beat by a few cents on this one, at $9.79 for a 4-lb bag, but if you're on a budget or tight on space (it is recommended to keep quinoa in the refrigerator), then the 2-lb bag is perfect. And you don't need to wash this variety!
  
• Nasoya tofu -- $3.99 for two packages -- I've seen coupons, too! Same price as Whole Foods' store brand, but MUCH better price that Whole Foods for Nasoya brand.
  
• Blue Diamond Almond Breeze almond milk -- $3.79/ 86-oz jug. Every time I go to Publix, I "harvest" about 4-6 of their $0.55 cents off coupons for Almond Breeze to use at BJ's :::guilty::: ... and I use two each time I buy a jug. It's always a good day when BJ's has a coupon, too. PLUS... the jugs are really sturdy and easy to pour. I save some of them and use them to store my homemade laundry detergent!
  
• Wholly Guacamole -- $6.99 for four packs -- NOT a better deal in comparison to Aldi's two packs for $2.99, however... I am about to buy some with $1.50 in coupons which WILL make it a better deal! It will make each package $1.37 as opposed to $1.49. Every penny counts!
  
• Organic apples -- currently $8.49 for a 5-lb bag, which equals out to $1.69/lb. NOT a bad price for organic apples. Publix usually has regular apples for higher than this. We always buy organic apples because it is #1 on the list of recommended produce items to buy organic due to pesticide content. Spinach is on there, too! I used to have apples on hand at all times but have taken to buying them every other week or so because of the price.
  
• Bananas -- $1.39 for a 3-lb bag ($0.46/lb) -- not a better price than Aldi, but close... Aldi's bananas are currently priced at $0.44/lb.
  
• Greeting cards -- I recently discovered this... birthday cards, holiday cards, the whole shebang -- 50 percent off!!! I will never buy another card at Walgreen's for as long as I live (unless I forget and am in a rush... lol).
  
• Raw sugar -- use it for baking delicious dark chocolate brownies ($5.99 for 4-lbs) I am not 100% on this, but I think I paid $3.99 for 2 lbs at Whole Foods, so this is the better deal.
  
• Organic carrots - $2.99 for 2 lbs  (this is the same price as when Publix puts theirs on sale!)
  
• Agave nectar -- $6.99 for a big 44-oz bottle (AMAZING DEAL! Better than Costco's two 22-oz containers for $7.99)
  
• Morningstar Farms veggie burgers -- $11.99 for 16 large patties (they are DELICIOUS and I love to microwave them a bit and cut them up/mash them for use in veggie tacos or skillet dinners!) Coupons for these items are always readily available and I see them in BJ's coupon books all the time! Remember -- you can use maximum 1 store coupon + 2 manufacturer's coupons!! 

I subscribe to the Sunday paper, which often has some good clippable coupons, but I also like to print coupons... my favorite place to print them is at Krazy Coupon Lady... click the name to go to the printable coupon list. A few times a month (I should do it more often...) I go through the entire list and look for items that I use. If you have more than one computer in your household, install the coupon printers and bookmark this site so you can print more of the same coupons -- there are usually limits of 1-2 on each coupon from the same computer.

Well, that's all the tips I have for right now! Happy saving... remember, every coupon you use for an item you are going to buy anyway is MONEY IN YOUR POCKET!

How to Use a Bucket to Save Some Bucks

You know how every time you turn on the shower you have to wait for it to get warm enough to slip into it? And allll that water gets wasted while you're waiting?

Yeah, Caitlin, I know, and it bugs me!

We bought a 2.6-gallon bucket that we placed under the flow of water from our shower head to collect as much of that water as possible. What do we use it for? Two main uses:

1. Watering plants: it's already in a bucket, so no more filling up at the hose or the sink!
2. Adding it to the laundry: YES! just put it in the washing machine with your laundry and less water will be needed to start the cycle!

Hopefully you have a bucket at your house already that you're not using. We had to buy one ($3 for a nice, sturdy one at Big Lots), but hopefully the gallons of water we save throughout the year and the other things we use this handy dandy bucket for (like making our own laundry soap!) will even out the cost!

We fill up about half the bucket every morning and have been very good at using the water. We could even give it to our cats to drink! We just need to be careful not to get shampoo in it :)

How to Live a Life at 80%

Put your thinking caps on. We're gonna do some math.

You may have heard of the 80/20 "principle" --where if you eat well 80% of the time, you can splurge the other 20%... some people have cheat days where they eat anything they want for one day, usually the same day, every week. Is this good? Does it help you stay on track? Maybe. But the more I have thought about this supposed principle, the more I think it could end up hurting you more than helping you. Think about it:

If you subscribe to the 80/20 principle, that usually means that 20% percent of your food, or more than an entire day's worth of meals, is just plain bad food. Little to no nutrients. Processed. Greasy. Fried. Artificial. Or maybe you just ate too much.

If food what we need to give us energy, we should want to eat the food that will give us the most, and the best, energy.. I know we don't always want to eat those kinds of foods--but 20% bad food per week is a lot. A serious amount. Even 20% of $20 is $4-- I could buy a lot for $4.

Essentially what we do to ourselves each time we insert edible foodstuffs, or stuff posing as actual food, into our mouths (processed, fried, fatty, farmed, cholesterol-laden foods would be examples of these foodstuffs), we are basically saying to our bodies "I don't care how this will make me feel." Usually when I eat something high in sugar, like ice cream or a slice of cake, I feel like taking a loooooong nap. What's wrong with this picture!? Food should be giving me energy, not taking it away.

So if we say "I don't care" to 20% of what passes through our pieholes (I hate that word), I believe we are limiting ourselves and our health. If I want to have a health level at 80%, an energy level at 80%, heck, even a sex drive (yep, I said it!!!) at 80%, -- then I will strive to feed my body properly at least 80% of the time. But I don't have time for that. Twenty percent of my day is a lot. Twenty percent makes a huge difference. Can you imagine if  our savings accounts had 20% interest rates?! Back in my school days, an 80% grade on a test was as good as failure for me. It was one point away from a *gasp* C! I can't afford to sacrifice 20% of my health and energy level every day of my life because I am causing my body to struggle to cleanse itself 20% of the time because I fed it garbage.

I really want to at least aim for 100%. I will probably never, ever get there. I'll still have my cravings, and I'll still give in to them now and then. And you know what, they come less and less often these days--because the more good, wholesome food I give my body, the more of that kind of food it craves. 

I've got to aim higher than 80%... because if I'd like to live at 100% for 100% of my life, I think need to care a bit more than that.

[Product Review] 100% Pure Cosmetics

I first bought makeup from this cosmetic line in December 2010, and I've been hooked ever since. I first used the fruit-pigmented Healthy Skin Foundation and I swear that my skin literally cleared up overnight. I had been using a makeup from Max Factor that lots of women swore by, but I had come to the conclusion after reading the label (I do that with foods, and I had started doing it with what I put ON my body as well) that these women were simply misinformed. Sure, the makeup does the job to cover up the spot and is the color of your skin... but what are its long term effects? Not good. Chemicals and preservatives all over your beautiful face, all day every day? No thanks.

My first bottle of Healthy Skin foundation is STILL half full, making it more than worth the $32 I spent on it back in December. You need very little. I apply it over my St. Ive's Timeless Skin moisturizer and 100% Pure's antioxidant primer. I love knowing that I am not putting chemicals into my skin and that it is all fruits and veggies! Here is a list of my old makeup's ingredients vs. my current makeup's ingredients... it is shocking the difference!

MAX FACTOR LASTING PERFORMANCE STAY-PUT MAKEUP

• Water
• Cyclopentasiloxane
• Propylene glycol
• dimethicone
• talc
• aluminum starch
• octenylsuccinate
• sodium chloride
• methiconelaureth-7
• PEG/PPG-18/18   otherwise known as WTF
• arachidyl behenate
• trihydroxystearin
• dehydroacetate
• silica
• ethylene brassylate
• synthetic wax
• methylparaben
• polyglyceryl-4
• isostearate
• propylparaben
• PVP
• hexyl laurate
• ethylene/methacrylate copolymer
• stearic acid
• aluminium hydroxide
• cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 dimethicone
• isopropyl titatium triisostearate
• titanium dioxide
• iron oxides

"MADE IN USA OF US AND IMPORTED PARTS"

VS.

100% Pure -- HEALTHY SKIN FOUNDATION WITH SUPER FRUITS, SPF 20 

• Titanium dioxide, zinc oxide (sunscreen)
• Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe Juice)
• Rice Starch,
• Peach extract
• Apricot extract
• Cocoa bean extract
• goji berry extract
• Acai oil
• pomegranate oil
• Vitamin E (Tocopherol)
• Vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbate)
• Candelilla Wax
• white tea leaf extract
• coffee cherry
• maqui berry
• muscadine grape
• mangosteen
• acerola fruit
• elderberry
• grapefruit seed
• japanese honeysuckle

When I started using 100% Pure, my skin literally cleared up overnight. My skin is smoother, softer, there are less flakes, and it actually glows. I love the SPF in it, as well. I really do not like being in the sun. You will never find me tanning or "laying out" purposely to get a tan. I have been to the beach once in the last two years where I laid down on a towel with SPF 50 for less than 3 hours. The sun and I are not friends. But when I'm 50, 60, 70 years old, I will thank myself. Heck, I'm thanking myself already :)

Why I Love Being Ben's Wife

Us, totally elated in love on our wedding day

So this post isn't like the others that have come before it. But I was feeling just so blessed this morning as Ben and I laughed and giggled like crazy while getting ready for work, I just felt so blessed that I was alive, that I met someone who is truly my best friend. I have a lot of moments where I kind of sit back and listen as a conversation is going on, or as we're eating a meal, or working out together at 5:30 in the morning... and I think to myself, "Wow, this is so much more than I ever thought I would have."

I can't tell you how many times I doubted God on this one. Although I had quite a few "power surges" of faith over the years that had me committed to knowing that God was going to bless me wildly in ways I never thought possible, many times I fell back into believing that no one would find me, with all my, um, uniqueness, appealing enough to commit to. But someone did, and he is my MAN!

He is sweet, thoughtful, incredibly supportive, I love making dinner for him, I love that we are partners in life, in love, and in prayer. We are committed to each other and our future family by setting healthy examples for children that don't even exist yet. He loves healthy eating (more than I do!), loves to share knowledge with me, and he is great to snuggle with.  I never thought I'd be blessed/lucky enough to find someone that loves me so dang-on much, that finds it delightful when I geek out about The Gymbox, or whatever book I'm reading, and does not criticize me. He is patient, loving, kind, and as honest as they come. I respect him, love him, and am just tickled to death that he is all mine.

I just never thought I'd ever meet him.

But I did.

I love being Ben's wife.

So-Good-I-Forgot-To-Snap-A-Picture One Pot Pasta!!

This was the kind of meal Ben and I agreed our future children would beg me to make. Kid-friendly taste, full of veggies with vitamins & antioxidants, protein, fiber, good carbs... the whole works.  I love this recipe because it is ridiculously easy to throw together on a week night, and even suitable for a meal with the in-laws (I'm considering it!)... my only regret was, since this was a spur-of-the-moment kind of meal that I hadn't planned on making last night, I didn't have any fresh baked bread! It would have been INCREDIBLE to have soft bread to mop up our bowls with after we finished the meal. Next time... next time!

Absolutely wonderful flavor. The TVP absorbs whatever it is cooked in, and it has an outstanding texture that would honestly be mistaken for bits of ground beef by most. The frozen veggies cook perfectly with the pasta and add a nice little crunch into the otherwise relatively smooth sauce.

This recipe was inspired by One Pot Pasta on FatFreeVegan.com .

Ingredients:
1 tbsp EVOO
1 cup chopped onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 15-oz cans organic diced tomatoes, pureed in a blender
1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups water
2 cups frozen mixed veggies (i was DYING to get rid of the organic corn, carrot, green bean mix I had left from a Costco trip!)
1/2 cup dry TVP (I used the Bob's Red Mill kind. Available at W.F., not sure about Publix)
1 tbs italian seasoning/Herbs de Provence
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp fennel seeds, crushed (i used the bottom of a jar to crush them the best I could)
3/4 tsp sea salt
2 cups whole grain or whole wheat pasta (or pasta of choice -- I used whole grain rotini)
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, with more to taste for garnish

Directions:
1. Heat the EVOO in a pot with a lid over medium heat.
2. Saute the onion and garlic until just beginning to soften.
3. Add the pureed tomatoes, vegetables, TVP, Italian herbs, red pepper flakes, fennel seed, sea salt, basil, and pasta.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and cover the pot.
5. Simmer for about 12-15 minutes, or until pasta and TVP are tender.
6. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes, serve garnished with more chopped basil.

Makes 4 servings.

Next time I might add in almond milk for some of the water or even 1/3 cup nutritional yeast to make it even creamier!