My Fitness Routine and Giveaway

Did you all have a great weekend? Today I wanted to chat a bit about my fitness routine. To be honest, for many months it hasn’t been a routine. I got lazy. I’ll be honest. But starting in the fall, my husband and I have been much more intentional about our fitness and food choices. Let me preface this by saying I am in no way an exercise expert. If you want to know the ins and out of what and when to do it, visit my girl Megan over at Honey We’re Healthy. She is such an inspiration. But many of you have written emails or left comments on my IG asking what I do to stay fit so I thought it was time to share. Nutrition: First and foremost, we are very very aware of the food we eat. That isn’t to say we don’t splurge and eat junk food now and again, but we try to stick to a Paleo inspired diet. Notice I said, Paleo inspired. It’s not super strict around here. We eat protein, vegetables, and fruits every day. We try to go very light on carbs and that is simply a personal choice for my husband and I. We feel stronger and more fit when we lower our carb intake. We do not hold back carbs for our kiddos as they are growing like weeds. We are big fans of salmon, chicken, tilapia, and grass fed beef. We also love vegetables and never go without them for lunch and dinner. I truly believe that controlling what comes into the house is the biggest key to staying healthy. When I meal plan and figure out our lunches and dinners for the week prior to shopping, we eat so well and so clean. It’s when I fail to do that, that our diet suffers. That’s when you grab anything or get take out because you just don’t have a plan. Below is an example of a few meals we typically eat. BREAKFAST: avocado toast with tomatoes and lemon pepper | over easy egg with bacon and avocado LUNCH: tuna topped with diced red and yellow peppers, avocado and lemon pepper | spinach salad with grilled chicken, blue cheese crumbles, tomatoes, and bacon DINNER: grilled chicken topped with mango, red onion and avocado served with sautéed spinach, shallots, and diced apples | tri tip served with a spinach salad and roasted vegetables. SNACKS:  almonds {I roast my own with fresh rosemary}, sweet potato chips and guacamole, bell peppers, bananas DESSERTS: We are not huge dessert people. Neither one of us have a big sweet tooth. I know, kind of rare. We are more the salty/savory types so we have to curb our chip/snack intake! But we are CRAZY for Haagen Dazs Caramel Cone ice cream so if we need something sweet we have a spoonful of that. A spoonful is all you need to lose the sweet craving. Or we will have just a small piece of dark chocolate. WATER: We also stick to water around here. While we love one cup of black coffee with cinnamon in the morning, water is our drink of choice. And I am a red wine girl so if I have an adult drink, it will surely be a glass of Cabernet. We feel like if we are eating  healthy 80% of the time then the other 20% of the time won’t do too much damage. Maybe we are living in la la land but it’s what works for us. Exercise: I used to kickbox religiously. We have a bag in our garage and I love it. But lately, I have taken to hiking. I love getting outside in the fresh air and hiking for an hour. We are fortunate that we live in an area that boasts great weather pretty much year round. But here is the takeaway. I just focus on moving my body for at least 30 minutes a day.  And most of the time, once I get going it becomes an hour of exercise.  I also do a ton of ballet style exercises. Random I know. But if you picture having a ballet bar. . . I grab a nearby chair or counter ledge. . . and do simple movements that strengthen the legs and core {tendu, degage, plie}. I can do these even while watching TV at night. I also do the following five days a week: 50 squats, planks for one minute x 3, and 20 push ups. I need to get back into boxing again because it’s what tones my body the best. I think the trick is finding something you love. And something that works for your body type. It’s also little choices each day that add up. I run up and down the stairs {literally} instead of walking. I also forgo elevators and take the stairs. I purposely park far away from buildings so that I have to walk further. I think just being aware of moving as much as possible is very helpful and the more that I move and exercise the more I want to fuel my body with healthy foods. I think the two go hand in hand. And I have a treat for you because I have teamed up with Albion Fit and  I am giving away a pair of leggings  over on Instagram. I can’t tell you how much I love their feminine and unique fitness wear. It’s seriously the cutest and so darn comfortable. Albion Fit is also know for their unique line of swimwear. I’m crazy about the floral rash guard. You can check out their brand new line which hits the store today. How cute are these suits? This one is on sale right now, too. I love the retro vibe. So if you are up for winning a pair of leggings for yourself and a friend,  head over to my Instagram and you can enter!  I adore these leggings. What do you do to stay fit? Maybe we can all help one another stay active and fit by sharing little tips. I know I am always up for something new and different to try. And to motivate you even more, use the code athoughtfulplace15 at check out over at Albion for a discount! It’s good for one week. instagram giveaway with albion fit To read my post, “I’m Not Getting Any Younger” go here. Enjoy your day!