Fat Burning Recipe: Chicken & Chickpea Salad

Work full-time and not in the mood to slave over dinner when you get home in the evenings? But still want to eat a healthy meal? Don't sweat it! There are lots of options for a quick and easy meal that healthy and nutritious too. My Chicken & Chickpea Salad Recipe packs a big punch in flavor while incorporating ingredients that can help burn fat. 

The End of Another Decade, Now Onto 30...

Well today I say goodbye to a decade that treated me VERY well. I'm 30... I know most females dread turning 30 and feel it's that marker that once you pass, everything is downhill. And not that relieving feeling when running downhill where your run gets easier. It's the downhill sense that your health will get worse, your brain slower, and your looks will fade. If you asked me 10 years ago, this was exactly my feeling towards turning 30. I said I would do whatever I could (including a nip and tuck lol) if it meant I'd look and feel young forever. 

So, was I ready to turn 30 this year? Now that the day has arrived, I feel at peace with 30 and I'm actually embracing it. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that so much happened in my 20s. There were quite a few ups and downs; so much I'm surprised I didn't vomit from the whiplash! But, it's all made me who I am today. I'm happy where I am in life. I have a great job, I live a healthy lifestyle, have an amazing boyfriend and friends, own a beautiful home, and am in a very comfortable place in my life. 

Here's a quick Top 20 Milestones from My 20's list, the good, and the not-so-good times:

1. Came of legal age to drink
2. Gained more than my Freshman 15...
3. Got into a car accident and totaled my car
4. Graduated college
5. Moved to Florida all by my lonesome
6. Started a "real" job 
7. Got fired from said job
8. Went broke for a little bit
9. Started a new job
10. Began truly living healthy, and lost 35 lbs
11. Sister got married
12. Removed some excess baggage from my life
13. Bought a house
14. Began a new relationship
15. Became an aunt
16. Was laid off
17. Started a great job that allowed me to save a lot of money
18. Hit goal of 18% body fat (yeah this is a big deal to me to make my list!)
19. Completed a long bathroom demo and remodel project
20. Became an aunt for a second time

There's a little more to the list, but I don't want to get too personal with it. I think you get the idea.  

Therefore, I'm excited to see what happens in my 30s and can only hope I will embrace the next decade so well! 

Manning is Returning to Indy

Well he's not returning to Indy the way I would love for him to... to be a Colt again. Nearly two years ago I felt like I had my heart broken when news broke that Indy and Manning were parting ways. It was like a horrible breakup that you never saw coming. Manning was coming back from his injury and we all were anticipating a great season with him. But just like that, dreams were shattered. It was an emotional release felt by all Colts fans. As awesome as I think Andrew Luck is, I still feel sad when I watch Manning throwing passes for the Broncos. I can't help but root for him every week. I miss him.

Fall Flavors: Healthy Pumpkin Raisin Cookies

It's the time of year when everywhere you look and everything you hear is pumpkin related...Dunkin Donuts' Pumpkin Coffee, Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte, Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie, Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale, and the list goes on. We all want to indulge in the delicious flavor of pumpkin, but not at the added cost of increasing our waistline! So how can you enjoy this seasonal flavor without all the syrups, sugars and calories? 

The Importance of Amino Acids

Do you know how important amino acids are to your body and muscle building? They are the building blocks of protein and muscle tissue. Sounds pretty important huh? Of the 23 amino acids, nine are considered essential, meaning our body can't produce them and we must obtain them from nutrition or supplementation. Aminos are also important in metabolic process, which means they may play a role in improving certain diseases such as diabetes, obesity, insomnia and arthritis.

The Olympia Weekend Has Come and Gone

I just returned from the Olympia weekend in Vegas. And let me say, WOW! What an exhausting, but great time. If you're into health and fitness this is a great show. There's so much to see and do, aside from the fact that it's in Vegas of all places. 

The Olympia Expo is over 500,000 square feet of floor space with more than 30,000 bodybuilding and fitness fans from all over the world who come out to see, sample and purchase the newest products from over 750 booths of supplement, apparel and fitness companies while having a chance to meet athletes, celebrities and industry icons.