Guess what this month is?! National Physical Fitness and Sports Month! (oh yea, and my birthday month, hehe) It’s time to step into the joy of fitness like you’ve never done before! It’s time to drop excuses, enjoy the fresh spring air and get moving! Today, I’m not going to share a long form blog post. I don’t want you to spend your time reading. I want you to spend your time MOVING!!! I hope that these 5 special treats will help you do just that.
Drum roll, please!
Today….I will be PROUDLY presenting you with….
A chance to get a FREE hour-long fitness and wellness consulting phone call (or skype) with yours truly!
A three ingredient, summer-inspired recipe that I love!
Hand-picked images to inspire you towards fitness!
22 energizing songs to fire up your workout playlist!
…annnnnddd a poem, written by one of our readers, that just plain rocks.
Get it, girls!! Today is your day!
Part 1: COACHING GIVEAWAY!
Yes, it’s true. I have a golden window of time this spring during which I’m excited to extend my professional guidance even more than usual. Thus, the coaching giveaway! This will be a FREE one-hour coaching session via phone or skype, focused exclusively on your top-priority fitness and wellness needs. It will include a customized, 4-week workout schedule.
All you have to do to enter is go to the new WellnessWinz Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/wellnesswinz (or click the above image) and “like” the page. Then, comment on the timeline with this hashtag: #WannaWinzGiveaway. At the end of the month of May, I will randomly draw a winner! Get excited!!!
PS – if you aren’t interested in the drawing, I would still be honored if you’d like the Facebook page!
Part 2: “FROSTED MANGO,” MY FAVORITE ANYTIME SMOOTHIE!
It tastes just like summer and it can be made for any meal of the day. It only requires THREE ingredients: Mangos, Milk, and Vanilla Protein Powder. I prefer almond milk but you can use regular milk, coconut milk or cashew milk. You can also pick a protein powder that works for your dietary needs and preferences (e.g. whey-based, soy-based, hemp-based or pea-protein-based). Try to find a protein powder with minimal processing, minimal sugars and sugar alcohols, and lots of packed-in nutrition.
I swear, this smoothie is simply the best because you can keep all three items in your pantry and fridge for long periods of time without spoiling. Choose frozen mangos and you will avoid wasting ones that turn to mush.
Put a handful of ice in your blender and then scoop in some mangos. Next, add the powder (serving size or half a serving) and milk product. Use 12-16 ounces of milk so that everything blends well. Add spinach, bananas, berries or anything else yummy for extra nutrition and taste! This smoothie will probably come out to 400 calories or less, depending on your ingredients and portions. Yummmmm.
Part 3: HAND-PICKED PINS FOR FITNESS INSPIRATION!!
Straight from my Pinterest-loving heart to your computer monitor. Hope one of these will inspire you to get moving!
Part 4: THE ULTIMATE WORKOUT PLAYLIST. GET IT, GIRLS!!!
Allow me a moment to brag…I’ve been told by many exercise class participants that they love my music selection. Of course, I like to think that they love the workouts more, but alas, there’s something about a well-rounded playlist that boosts energy like none other.
Enter the songs below into your iTunes search bar and you can download them for yourself. It will take about 5 minutes or so, and then you will be stocked with enough songs to last you almost an hour and a half!! (For some of us, that’s TWO workouts or more!)
Part 5: POEM BY ONE OF OUR READERS!
I was so thrilled to see this poem from our reader, Meredith O’Leary. She recently shared it with me and I’ve got to say, tears swelled in my eyes. Why? Well, Meredith and I have talked about her fitness/wellness journey for a few years now. One of the most challenging parts of it, like for most women, is understanding the line between pushing one’s body towards health and accepting one’s body and its incredible beauty. I couldn’t be prouder to present you with Meredith’s insights and powerful words…
“This is My Body”
This is my body, true and real
Don’t tell me how I should feel
About it. Cause it isn’t for you
To decide just how I make it through
This is my body, and only mine
The only body I could find
To host my spirit and my mind.
I promise you, I’ll be just fine
This is my body, ever improving
I assure you that I’m always moving,
Being aware, and trying not to care
About others’ judgments, though they’re always there
This is my body. You can’t see through me
It isn’t like you ever knew me
And yet, you disregard the rest
Which is making it through Life’s great test
This is my body. Watch what it can do!
It can clean a house, drive a car
Sometimes it can walk quite far,
And when I hear a good beat, it can dance, too!
This is my body, which you cannot own.
You try to possess, and sometimes offend
But I digress, because I can mend
Myself. So just leave me alone.
This is my body. And I’m proud of it!
Life is the cause, and I’m the effect
It’s never, ever allowed me to quit
And I think it’s about time I gave it some respect
This is my body. And I am beautiful!
Nothing about me has ever been dull
The Universe, in me, is embodied
I have a strong soul! And this is my body.
Meredith O’Leary (c) 2015 MAO
Alright, ladies! What are you waiting for?! HAVE FUN! GET MOVING!!!!
Happy National Fitness and Sports Month!
Yours in health and wellness,
Maggie
Thanks for your time and effort with this! Forgive me, but I just have to share some wellness info with you! I would be remiss to advocate something that just isn’t in tune with a wellness lifestyle…
The almond milk (and really any other non-dairy milk one might buy in the store) contains at least one really unnecessary and not nice ingredient: carrageenan. Here are two wonderful resources, from two highly followed and trusted folks, to help explain the matter.
The solution? Make your own! It really doesn’t take much time or effort, thanks to appliances. OR, write the companies and get them to remove this dangerous additive! So many changes have been happening with our foods lately, and it is proving that the companies are listening to the consumers!
Simple changes keep us on that path to living and feeling better.
In any case, cheers to wellness!
http://wellnessmama.com/2925/what-is-carrageenan/
http://chriskresser.com/harmful-or-harmless-carrageenan/
Hi Colleen!
Thank you for the thoughtful words on wellness and these processed milk products. Yes, carrageenan is an additive in milk alternatives that is concerning, just like casein in protein powders, and many other additives in processed foods. Hence, my philosophy on wellness is always to choose [for oneself] which products work best for each season in life, and to always consume with moderation (especially processed foods). When we take a microscope to any supplements and/or processed foods, we quickly find that there may be issues with all of them, but many people are too time-pressed to remove them entirely from their diets and to eat strictly raw/unprocessed foods. Hence, I encourage people to undertake a gradual process to slowly minimize processed foods. These slow changes reduce intimidation about how to eat natural foods and gradually get people cooking more and more.
As per the conclusive effects of carrageenan, the article you shared by Chris Kresser says it best:
“As with magnesium stearate and soy lecithin, carrageenan has been frequently portrayed as significantly more harmful than is supported by available evidence. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not a known carcinogen, and although some studies implicate carrageenan in ulceration and inflammation, some show no adverse effects. However, I do still think caution is warranted.”
I agree with this statement completely and encourage that if someone is invested in wellness, then he/she may be ready to make more and more foods like almond and cashew milks from scratch. Not everyone is “there” though, and simple steps such as trying milk alternatives and seeing if there are changes in inflammation and/or gut discomfort, is an important part of the process.
I believe wholeheartedly that each person gets to define wellness for themselves and that ultimately, it’s a journey, not an end destination at eating only raw or working out religiously. Even people who believe themselves to be fully singing the song of a healthy lifestyle may find one day that they were too restricted in their food choices, leaving out many wonderful nutrients, or that they worked out way too hard and actually boosted inflammation rather than reduced it. There are no black and white answers, in my opinion, just the process of learning for oneself. That is the aim of this blog – to always remain positive and to offer an array of balanced, holistic perspectives and things for people to try.
Thanks for caring and for your time and resourses! I hope that individuals take these to heart and consider what the larger picture may mean for their personal choices and health. I wish I had an army-strength team behind me like Wellness Mama has at this point, but unfortunately, it’s just me and thus, I can’t always share the full picture each and every week. Perhaps some day this will be my full-time focus!
I echo you: “Cheers to wellness!” and to the journey of discovery for what that means in each season of our lives!
Maggie