Here is the run down of everything I ate today. I am definitely gonna try to post these type of blogs frequently.

I started my day off with a spinach and cheddar omelette and an organic cinnamon applesauce. 

Ketchup for the eggs is a must. 

For lunch I had the greatest sandwich on earth. It had tuna salad (thanks mom), 1 extra thin slice of cheddar cheese, spinach, and spicy brown brown mustard coated on my whole grain bread. YUMMM!

Dinner was alright. I made salmon, green beans, and a side salad with ranch. The wine was gross and I didn't drink it, canned veggies aren't really my thing, and I left my salmon in the hot pan while I washed some dishes and it dried out a bit. Oh well!

Snow days call for dessert! I had a brownie bite, 1 scoop of ice cream, and a heap of cool whip. That bowl is actually tiny so don't be alarmed, everything in moderation. 

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Tonights dinner was awesome and took 15 min to make! I had spinach fettuccine pasta with garlic Alfredo sauce. 

I cooked the pasta and added my sauce along with salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and fresh parsley on the top. 

This pasta is a much better option than normal white or wheat pasta. 

For a lighter option go for the Newman's Own low-fat Alfredo instead of the regular. 

It only has 190 calories for 1 1/2 cups.

1 gram of fat

10 mg of sodium

and....

7 grams of protein!

Serve with a chilled glass of white wine and enjoy!

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On Saturday I went to Brunch at Brookland's Finest. It is the cutest little place with a really nice menu and VERY strong coffee. 

Looking at the menu I was determined to order something different from the last time I went. So many things looked yummy and on Twitter they posted fish tacos as the brunch special. 

I started off with a cup of joe as usual. This coffee will make you buzz!

I finally decided on a meal and picked the quiche with an extra side of fresh fruit. 

I ordered the quiche the last time I was there and it was amazing! It was veggie with a balsamic glaze. When I ordered this time I didn't know it would be made differently. It had veggies and smoked salmon...I hate smoked salmon with a passion. The salad was still great and the quiche okay.

My lady ordered the shrimp and grits minus the shrimp and she crunched bacon all over it (weird but awesome.) The grits here are sooooooo good!

I wanna come back for dinner next time. The food here is so fresh and nutritious. I WILL order a special next time!

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One of my goals in 2016 is to journal every day. This journal documents everything I eat, my workouts, my moods, and prayer. 

When I got the journal I also bought a 20 pack of pretty colored pens just to make writing even more fun. 

Every 15 days I review myself. I go back and look at my nutrition each day and give myself a check, check minus or a cheat. A check means I ate completely clean, a check minus a good day but not perfect, and a cheat is when I treat myself that day. I also count the number of days I wrote down my mood, worked out, and prayed. Lastly, I write down any noticeable changes. 

Happy journaling! 

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I went to Marshalls to get some fitness inspiration. I didn't know what i wanted but I got a few nice and necessary things for myself.

I am so late to the game but I finally got an arm band for my phone and some workout gloves.

I got a new 32oz water bottle just because it's cute and its not good to keep plastic water bottles for too long. The best buy of the day is that Under Armour bra, it was only 12 bucks! 

I am ready to use everything! 

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Today I did a 30 minute arm and shoulder circuit workout.

Each Circuit consisted of 3 exercises and I did sets of 10.

Materials:

5 pound dumbbells
8 pound dumbbells

Circuit #1

Bicep Curls (8), Sit Up - Shoulder Press (8), & Push-Ups

Circuit #2

Squat & Curl (8), Side and Front Lifts (5), & another set of Push- Ups

Circuit #3

Front punches (5), Posterior Deltoid Lifts (5), & ANOTHER set of Push- Ups

This workout works your triceps, biceps, anterior deltoids, medial deltoids, post deltoids (all the shoulder muscles,) pectoral muscles, abdominals, and a little bit of booty. 

Even though this was an arm and shoulder workout I like to mix in a few other muscles groups to burn more calories. 

All of my circuit workouts last about 30 minutes. 

This is a beginner friendly workout. Just be sure to always keep your tummy tucked in and back straight. 

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Breakfast is the best part of my day. There are nights when I hurry and go to sleep because I know I have food waiting on me in the morning. Don't even get me started on weekend brunches...YUM! 

Here is one of my staple breakfasts'. I had a spinach omelette, 1 slice of wheat toast with grape jelly, unsweetened applesauce topped with cinnamon, ketchup for the eggs, and a cup of coffee.

The omelette is simple: 2 whole eggs, 1 or 2 egg whites, kosher salt, black pepper, and spinach. I usually add some cheese but today's lunch was slightly high fat so I opted out this morning. 

I start by spraying my pan and then throwing in all the ingredients. I cover the pan because the heat cooks the top of the omelette at the same time as the bottom. 

My coffee has 2 tablespoons of original Coffee Mate creamer, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 2 sweet & low packets. One day I will give up artificial sweetener, but that day ain't coming any time soon. 

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Came home from work today and realized I did not want the chicken in the fridge....at all! I had my mind set on salmon for hours today so I went to the grocery store to pick some up.

I usually make my own honey glazed salmon but I didn't have any of the ingredients I needed and I wanted my meal to be quick. I saw the garlic and herb marinade salmon and decided to give it a shot.

I paired it with my favorite frozen veggies, the Normandy Blend from Birdseye. The blend has broccoli, carrots, yellow squash, zucchini, and cauliflower. 

Not to toot my own horn but, TOOOT TOOOT! I am the greatest salmon cooker in the land. I start by spraying my pan and turning it just under medium heat. When the pan gets warm I put my salmon on and cover it up. Cooking on a low heat and covering the salmon allows the filet to cook all the way through without burning the bottom. I flip it over halfway through it being done. When the filet is finished cooking I crank up the heat to high and let it sizzle on each side for about 30 seconds. I like when my outside gets golden and a tad crisp. 

The veggies are even easier. I bring some water to a boil, add salt, and then add the veggies. I let those boil for about 5 min and they are done. After draining the water I added 1/2 tablespoon of butter and some black pepper. 

VOILA! Dinner done in about 20 min. Super nutritious and delicious! 

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

You know you're old when you start thinking of new years January 1st rather than school years *sigh.*

I am so excited for 2016. This is my harvest year. In 2015 I put  so much energy into many different things and this is going to be a huge year for me!

I love love love to set goals and to smash them. Of course I want to be happy and healthy in 2016 but here are some of my measurable goals for the year!

• To fit into my college graduation dress
• To take at least 3 trips
• To start graduate school and make a 4.0 my first semester
• Keep my room clean
• Write in my wellness journal every single day
• To stay in my relationship and grow with my partner
• Blog regularly
• Get back into personal training (part time)
• Have a successful fast for Lent
• Pray daily 
• Grow my hair without damaging it

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The current Mayor of Washington, DC decided that all fitness rooms in recreation centers should be free! In the past memberships were about $150 a year. This is a great option when I want a quick workout or just want to do some cardio. On Saturday I decided to take advantage of this and I went to the rec instead of my usual gym. This forced me to get creative and I actually ended up doing the hardest workout I've had in months.

Equipment;

10 pound kettle bell (2)
30 pound kettle bell
11 pound medicine ball
Cable weight set on 15 pounds (red resistance band would sub easily)

I started off by warming up for 10 minutes on the treadmill. The incline was set on 5 and the speed was 3.0.

Then I got bored and decided today would be a circuit training day, I looked around the room and gathered a few things to play around with. I performed sets of 10 for each exercise and repeated it 3 times with no rest. Each circuit lasted about 10 minutes.

Circuit #1
Squat with medicine ball press
Walking lunges holding the medicine ball
Dead lift with 30 pound kettle bell

Circuit #2
Squat with bicep curl and shoulder press
Sumo Squat with 30 pound kettle bell
Jump squats with 10 pound kettle bells

Circuit #3
Push ups
Single arm pull using cable
Lat pull down using cable

Hopefully as I get into the swing of things i'll be able to take photos of the exercises I do.
This workout is NOT intended for beginners. The exercises I performed can be hard on the knees and back if not done correctly. However, all things can be modified for any fitness level.

My undergrad professors would be so proud because I am such a form snob. I plan on blogging pretty often about proper form for various exercises.

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