Healthy Happy and Free

A-hiking we will go, a-hiking we will go, hi ho hi ho, a-hiking we will go! Back at it again, my mom and I took to the mountains for a quick hike! The Graveyard Fields/Graveyard Falls trail has been on our list to hike for a while now. The hike is right off of the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile marker 418.8. There's a large overlook area with a restroom facility and a map of the trail so it's easy to find and not too far from Asheville! When we arrived it was misting rain and looked cloudy but as we started, the sun came out and it was beautiful! We started out going down a stone staircase near the bathrooms. It's just a very short bit until we arrived at a bridge/platform for viewing the lower falls. If you turn right after the bridge, there is a swimming area from what I understand, however we went straight/left/up to continue on to the Upper Falls. The trail weaves through blueberry bushes! Many people were picking them and taking them home! It also has wooden planks for...

Bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S. What to do with over ripe bananas? Banana bread, of course. In my efforts to make a macro friendly version, I created this delicious banana loaf! It's sweet, cinnamony, moist and dense! It makes for a great snack or even breakfast! Ingredients: 3 medium sized ripe bananas 3 tbsp egg beaters 5.3 oz fat free greek yogurt 1/4 cup nustevia (I used NuNaturals brand, feel free to use any sugar substitute to taste) 1/2 cup kodiak cakes power cakes pancake mix 1/4 cup coconut flour 1 scoop protein powder (I used Quest banana cream pie) 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp cinnamon Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.  Mash the bananas first with the beaters of a hand mixer.  Add the egg beaters, yogurt and sweetener and mix with the hand mixer.  Add in remaining ingredients and mix well.  Spray a standard sized loaf pan and pour in the batter.  Bake for 50-60 minutes. The top will be browned.  Le...

How sterotypical is it that I work on glutes/legs on Humpday AKA Wednesday? That's just the way the protein cookie crumbles. For a few weeks now, I've done at home workouts and that's fine by me! I feel like it saves time and if I focus, I think I still get a good workout in! Equipment I use: Dumbbells (5lb, 10lb, 35lb, 45lb), and resistance bands Here's the circuit workout I did Wednesday, August 17! Circuit 1: 10 Dumbbell Deadlifts (I used 45lbs) 20 Crab walk and squat (Challenge Options: add resistance band around legs and/or add a dumbbell, hold it at chest level and squat with it each step) 15 each leg dumbbell kickbacks Repeat circuit 3x Circuit 2: 20 plie squats (I used 35-45lbs) 15 Hip thrusts plus hold for 30 seconds (I used my couch to rest my upper body on and used a 35lb dumbbell to add weight) 15 each leg lying hip abduction (Optional challenge: add resistance band or hold a weight on top of your leg) Repeat circuit 3x Circuit...

The protein bar industry is flourishing lately! There's so many different types of protein bars, different flavors, textures, protein sources, etc. Does your favorite protein bar use whey protein, egg white protein, brown rice protein, soy protein, chicken protein, cricket protein? That's right. Cricket. As in the insect. We all knew they had protein, right? But did you ever think, hey I should eat that? Maybe not, but someone did!  Apple Cinnamon, Blueberry Vanilla, Cocoa Nut, Banana Bread, PB&J Exo Protein makes protein bars featuring cricket protein. They are gluten, dairy, soy, and refined sugar free. Crickets are a very sustainable source of protein so I love that aspect of this product. The bars are all natural but do I really want to eat bugs?? Of course I had to try these bars! To be honest, this is not the first time I've eaten a cricket! I've had the sour cream and onion flavored crickets from Hot Topic just for fun!  The first flavor I ...

Why am I just now reviewing Slap Nutrition?! As an active person trying to gain muscle mass, it's very important for me to get good nutrition and protein. So, I often use supplements to my diet to make sure these needs are met. I've tried various protein powders but I really enjoy Slap Nutrition. Other protein powders usually have one or more of the following issues: a) taste gross b) made of weird chemical and artificial things c) cause gas. Slap nutrition, however, uses "clean" simple ingredients. They are sweetened with stevia and contain 100% micro filtered whey protein isolate. All the flavors are very delicious, in my opinion, although not overly sweet. I've successfully used the protein powder in protein fluff, smoothies, protein cheesecake, protein cake, pancakes, oatmeal and simply with cashew milk or almond milk. My top three flavors are probably Slappy Birthday, Cinnamon Swirl and Peanut butter, although I've yet to try the latest flavor: Mi...

As I ran through the extreme heat and humidity that characterizes the first of August in the South, not only was my heart racing, but my mind was as well. I recalled to mind that the race for life is likened to a marathon foot race and I came to realize just how accurate a depiction that truly is. Running mile after mile in less than favorable conditions made me question myself several times: Why am I doing this? What reward or satisfaction do I receive? Who is watching? Who will know if I give up? Is there any end in sight? The answers, however, are all at my disposal. I am doing this to prove to myself that I can, to strengthen my endurance, and to win. What is the prize? Peace. That is true also in the race for life. As I struggle, as I push myself up the hills, through the suffocating heat (or at times, the bitter cold), I keep in mind the reward of eternal life in a peaceful paradise. Even if the finish line is not in sight, I have confidence that there is a finish line and I ...

What's dairy free, soy free, gluten free, organic, non GMO verified, vegan yet chocolatey and delicious? This is not a riddle or a sick joke! The answer is Square Organics Square Bars. Chocolate Coated Crunch Square with Protein Cookie Dough on top! These bars are quite possibly the best vegan protein bars I've tried yet. As a self proclaimed chocolate addict, I'm a big fan of the chocolate coating on each bar. The inside texture is hard to describe - chewy but not overly so. All the flavors are so good! I loved that the cherry flavor has a strong, genuine cherry flavor - not a sickeningly sweet artificial taste. The mint flavor is strong and refreshing. The almond spice is a nice comforting cinnamony type flavor. Peanut butter and chocolate obviously are a fantastic combo, so I've yet to pick a favorite flavor! Although, the one I was most surprised by how much I enjoyed it was the cherry!  Mint Square chopped as topping for Cocoa Mint Homemade Fro-Yo Tr...