Healthy Happy and Free

Got a case of the Winter Blues? If you're anything like me, you love the sunshine! I love to be outside soaking up the sun. What's a girl to do when the clocks fall back and the sunshine is limited to what seems to be just a few measly hours? It really can take a toll on your mental well being but here are some ideas to counter that: Keep a routine and do your daily activities. Don't allow yourself to get into a slump. If you would normally go to a friends, cook dinner, go to the gym, go to a pottery class, then do that! Try to get some sunshine in ! It can definitely be a challenge if you go to work in the dark and come home in the dark, but strive to get some natural Vitamin D, even if it means going outside during a lunch break or sitting near a window.  Enjoy citrus ! Citrus foods are invigorating and they are in season during winter so enjoy!  Stretch often - it will keep your blood flowing so you will feel awake even if its dark! Remember, Spring is ...

If ten seems like a lot to you, you haven't seen the full scope of protein bars on the market.  First of all there are some things I look for in a protein bar and some of my top picks don't check all the boxes but I love them anyway. Determine what's most important to you to choose your protein bars!  I look for: quality ingredients i.e. I prefer no soy, high fructose corn syrup, etc.  lower sugar - If I was going to eat a candy bar... decent amount of protein  taste and texture - chewing on bricks is not my favorite thing price - homegirl is on a budget  My Top Ten Protein Bar Choices: Quest Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie - I'm not going to list out every quest bar, but this is one of my favorites from their classic bar line, the ingredients are pretty solid, protein is pretty high, sugar is pretty low and it's oh so soft, chewy and delicious! Square Organics Nuts and Sea Salt/Cookie Dough Chocolate Coated Bar - Again, I'm not going to list ...

My spirit animal is food. Or a dragon. According to Good Zebra's spirit animal quiz. What is Good Zebra, you ask? Hungry like the Wolf! Good Zebra has created the world's first "spirit animal crackers". These animal crackers are sweetened with organic honey and organic coconut sugar. They use a combination of whey and organic pea protein to pack in 12g protein per serving. They come in three flavors: Vanilla, Chai, and Lemon! Vanilla! Macros: 1 bag (57g) 230 calories 8f/30c/12p These taste straight up like the classic animal crackers I remember when I was a kid and the texture is on point too! Lemon! Macros: 1 bag (57g) 230 calories 8f/29c/12p This flavor has a light, refreshing lemon zing. It's not overwhelming or overly tart - I would say it's just right! Lemon Greek Yogurt with Lemon Spirit Animal Crackers Chai! Macros: 1 bag (57g) 230 calories 7f/30c/12p These have a nice light spiciness with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and cloves. I...

So you decide it's time to get fit. Maybe you first go grocery shopping and try to buy all the trendy foods that the fitstagrammers of Instagram use. #ad #sponsoredpost #theyrenotpayingforit Then, you try to choose a gym. Wow, why is working out so expensive? Then, you need some cute clothes to get you motivated and looking cute in your fancy new fitness club. Then you need to get massages weekly because you're so sore. Then you need a bag to carry your food, face wipes, towel, etc, etc. Now, you're getting evicted but at least you're fit. HA! I may have exaggerated the scenario a bit, but I think you know what I mean! The "fit" lifestyle can seem to be a big expense which can overwhelm and discourage people! I've compiled some of the tips that I apply to stay within a budget! Food and Grocery Shop sales at the grocery store - I cannot believe the number of people I talk to that over look this! Grocery stores put out a weekly circular with...

Who here likes to snack? I'm raising my hand and I hope you are too. Sweet, salty, munchy, creamy - give me all the snacks! Typically my snacks include things like non-GMO popcorn, fruits and vegetables (baby carrots are my jam), protein bars, yogurt, etc. Once upon a time, I roasted some chickpeas with cinnamon and stevia and it was delicious. However, the time involved in rinsing, drying, and roasting proved to be a bit arduous to become a common occurrence. Hashtag lazy. BienaSnacks.com In comes Biena Snacks to save the day! Biena Snacks makes a line of chickpea snacks in a vast array of flavors. Whether you're craving sweet or savory, they have a chickpea for you! If you're thinking: "What the heck is a chickpea?", you may have heard them called garbanzo beans. They're the same thing and they are a legume with many health benefits (high fiber, gluten free protein/carb, iron, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, vitamin K, vitamin B6,...

The pumpkin craze of fall 2017 is going strong and I'm no resister. I'm embracing all things pumpkin, salted caramel and apple. Creative Snacks Co. makes delicious snacks and treats while staying away from high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, artificial flavors and other potentially harmful ingredients. Their product line ranges from coconut snacks, trail mixes, granola, coated pretzels, sweets and confections, veggie snacks and more! What I want to talk about is the seasonal items! I got my hands on the Pumpkin Spice coated pretzels, the Apple Cider coated pretzels, and the pumpkin granola. Oh my yum! I already love yogurt coated pretzels so I was especially excited about those! These pretzels were not a disappointment. The pumpkin spice ones had a great spicy flavor without being overbearing. I haven't tried the Apple Cider flavor yet but I look forward to it! The Pumpkin Pecan granola is a granola lover's dream. It has good clusters and a sweet and ...

Know better about what? Know about Know Foods, of course! Keep up, people. Know Better Foods is taking the world by storm. Their products are geared toward a ketogenic lifestyle but anyone can enjoy them. They make so many different foods ranging from waffles, croutons, muffins, wraps and much more. So far, I've only had the pleasure of trying the cookies and waffles but let's just say, I'm glad to be in the know. Their products have NO GMOS, gluten, grains, wheat, soy, dairy, peanuts, yeast, preservatives, added sugar, or trans fat! Whew. So basically, whatever diet or lifestyle you choose, Know Foods can probably fit your restrictions or preferences. Oh, and the cookies are near zero on the glycemic index too. The more you know... Though I personally don't follow a ketogenic diet or have any known intolerances, I do love finding and trying new foods made with quality ingredients sans the unnecessary added sugar. Their foods are sweetened using the natural swee...