Starbucks, Pete's, It's a Grind - Oh My!!

I don't share this very often but I'm a reformed coffee drinker.  And by coffee drinker I actually mean addict. Coffee addict would be an accurate term to describe me a year ago.

When I began my clean eating journey I started drinking black coffee.  Then one day, after starting to drink Shakeology daily, I noticed I was very, very jittery.  I decided to skip my normal cup o' joe the next day - and bam! - no jitters.

Since that day I haven't had a cup of fully caffeineated coffee.  I guess you could say my reform is going quite well!  Except for one thing - I still LOVE coffee!!! So now I get my fix in an usual way - decaf.  

When I was drinking coffee black I knew that it was the best way to get rid of unneccessary calories, which in turn was ridding me of extra belly fat. Win, win!  

Today I want to share with you some of my favorite Starbucks clean - eaters allowed drinks!

*Warning: MOST of these require extra effort and preparation.  But hey - the little green lady is worth it, right?*

1. Doppio Espresso over Ice with an Optional Sugar Free Flavored Syrup

This little beauty is for my ladies who love their lattes!  First off, this drink is $2.45.  Yes.  Two dollars.  Forty - five cents.  You're welcome. 

Ok so back to our lattes - a latte is espresso, milk and maybe a flavored syrup.  

The great thing about this drink is that Starbucks does not charge for milk! What's even BETTER about this for my clean eaters who don't drink cow's milk - you can bring your own small cup of almond or soy milk to add to this beauty.  If you want to enjoy this without the sugar-free syrup simply order the espresso over ice and add your own stevia drops or packets with your milk.  Bam - clean, low calorie, low sugar and inexpensive! 

This is my #1 go - to drink at Starbucks now.  I get it on my way to work in the mornings or after I've been running errands all day and want a little treat to enjoy once I get home to kick my feet up. 

2. Iced Green Tea 

This one may be pretty obvious but I love it!  It's refreshing, light and satisfying.  Squeeze in some lemon, a few drops or packes of stevia - and again - a clean, delicious treat!

3. Iced Green Tea Lemonade (Lightly Sweetened/Not Sweetened)

This is very similar to the Green Tea but the lemonade adds a refreshing bit of citrus.  I recommend ordering it unsweetened; feel free to sweeten with Stevia and enjoy! 

4. Skinny Vanilla Chai Tea Latte

Ok, this is a newer drink to me.  And quite frankly, I'm in love with it.  

Skinny means with non-fat milk and sugar-free syrup.  This is a tea based latte so it has less caffeine than your espresso latte. It's smooth and creamy with a bit of spice.  Absolutely delicious! 

Pretty basic but equally delicious options are always hot or iced black coffee, sweetened with stevia and a splash of almond - if you're at Starbucks and stuck for milk options, opt for non-fat or soy - but just a splash! 

Now it's your turn!  What is your favorite fitness friendly Starbucks drink?

xoxo,

Corina

How to Drink More Water Every Day!

Water. 

We all know that we should be drinking it. 

We KNOW that it has huge health benefits. 

But HOW do we get enough water in each day?? 

What number should we be aiming for each and every day? 

You're in luck!! Here are some of my best tips for drinking as much water as you need each day.

1. Figure out how much you need a day: divide your weight in pounds in half, this number is the number of ounces of water you should be drinking a day.

I.e.: A woman weighs 160 pounds; divided by 2 this is 80 ounces a day. That may seem like a lot, but let's break it down: A glass of water is 8 ounces so to drink 80 ounces is 10 glasses a day.

Let's beak it down even further, shall we?

Let's count how many glasses our gal can drink in one day:

#1. One 8 oz glass at waking <<< do this FIRST thing!!

#2. Drink a glass with breakfast.

#3. Drink a glass between breakfast and your morning snack

#4. 8 oz between your snack and lunch

#5. Drink 8 oz at lunch!

#6. Drink 8 oz between lunch and your afternoon snack

#7. Drink 8 oz between your snack and heading home for the day or before dinner

#8. Drink at LEAST 8 oz during/after your workout - this helps to replenish your muscles

#9. Drink 8 oz with dinner

#10. Drink 8 oz before bed!

Bam!! 80 ounces done!

2. How do I manage this number of glasses during work? I have several large plastic bottles, that are between 24-32 ounces, that I take to work daily. I drink 2-3 of these a day at work and that alone covers my water needs for the day. During my workout I also drink plenty of water, as well as a glass afterwards. Hydrating your muscles also helps to prevent soreness!

3. Ok, say you're drinking all of your glasses and you're getting bored of plain ol'H2O? Add lemon, lime, mint, cucumber, strawberries, raspberries or blackberries to spice it up. A squeeze of orange juice does the trick, as well! So there you have it! This is how I get my water intake in each day. I hope these help you to drink the water that your body so desperately craves each day!

How to Become a Weekend Warrior & Crush Your Health & Fitness Goals!

So, so, so many people leave meal prepping for a Monday-Friday practice. 

Did you know that the weekends make up nearly 50% of the month?!  

Think about this for a moment - you eat clean, healthy meals all week.  Friday hits and BAM - pizza, burgers, waffles, pancakes, ice cream, chocolate, ice cream, cookies - OH - it's Sunday, let's prep a salad and grill some chicken for the week. 

Imagine how much damage you are doing to all of the hard work you put in the week before!  

So Monday morning rolls around and you feel defeated from too many goodies!

The trick that I use that saves not only your waist line, but your wallet, too, is to prep food for the weekend as though it's for the week.

Now by all means - give yourself room for a cheat meal, enjoy it and then get back on your normal eating routine. The weekend is meant to be enjoyed, not regretted.

I promise if you implement this plan, the weekend will be much more enjoyable and you will feel great and have a bounce in your step come Monday morning!

What are you prepping this weekend? 

xoxo,

Corina

Cinnamon Honey Almond Butter

Cinnamon Honey Almond Butter

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Oh. Goodness. Gracious.  I'm a complete nut butter addict.

Sweet, smooth, creamy, clean!!! I mean, come on, what's not to love about cinnamon and honey?  Can I just say, after making this butter I seriously doubt I'll be getting any store bought butters again!!!  The creativity of flavor options is endless!  I may have found a new obsession. ;)

Ingredients:

-2 cups almonds

-1/2 tsp salt

-1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (more if you're feisty and a cinnamon lover like I am!)

-11/2 - 2 tbsp honey (definitely 2 if you have a sweet tooth)

Directions:

Roast almonds in oven heated to 350 degrees for 10 minutes. 

Once almonds are roasted place in food processor along with remaining ingredients.

Begin processing.  

Processing will take about 10 minutes total.  Do not stop until it is creamy (it will get creamy, I promise!).  Feel free to scrape the butter back down into the bowl from the sides from time to time! 

Indulge in deliciousness.  Try not to eat the entire jar in one sitting. ;)  

Enjoy!

Are you a nut butter addict like I am?  I can just taste this on toast, waffles, apples, celery...oh my! 

Until next time!

xoxo,

Corina