2019

New year, new you -. right? That’s the words I see basically everywhere when a new year is around the corner. As much as I love the thought of being able to press a button that is 2019 and leave everything else behind. And start 2019 with a clean slate – that’s next to impossible. I definitely see a new year as a fresh start, but not in that – new year, new me, new life – kind of way. More in the way of letting myself just be human and yes, set goals that I want to achieve or work towards. But in a very relaxed way. So I thought I would share my New Years resolutions with you.

x Drink more water

x Lower sugar consumption- put my health and myself first

x Write more-x Focus on people and things that make me happy and fill me with love. You know those people that support you through everything. But who can also remind you of the things you need to get better at. 

x Stretch/yoga-

x Set alarm- I have never needed an alarm to wake up in the mornings but I would like to use this tool to transition both Cami and I into our new weekly schedule since she started school a couple of weeks back

x Use my hands more- color, cook, write, etc.

x Start a recipe journal- simply document

x Sleep more- I average 5-6 hours/ night. I have to keep reminding myself how important it is to get 7-8 hours/night.

x Unplug

So with this said, set healthy goals this year. Have fun. Don’t take it too seriously. We all make mistakes and we all have our lows. These moments happen for a reason, I like to think. When you have highs, take it in. Really soak it in. Put your phone down at the dinner table and have real conversations. Put the phone down when walking outside, enjoy the nature. Let yourself feel. And let yourself make mistakes. Let yourself thrive and let yourself work hard. As long as you’re feeling healthy and happy. If it gets too much, take a step back. Dare to say no, and dare to say yes. Call your friends and tell them how needed and valuable they are. Give people a long hug. Hold them tight. Work out because it makes you happy. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Write down what you need to do so it’s not a tangled up mess in your head. And write down what you are grateful for. And focus on that. Focus on what makes you feel bubbly inside. What makes you smile and what makes you want to get out of bed. Focus on your health. Listen to your body. Let love, compassion and joy lead the way. Don’t forget to take care of the people around you. And don’t forget to take care of yourself. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Have fun. Live.

Turmeric Milk Elixir

Today I'm sharing with you how to make turmeric milk. This is my favorite beverage to have during the winter. I drink this once and sometimes twice a day. It tastes delicious and it's extremely nourishing. I have a special love and appreciation for turmeric. It has helped me heal my body in many ways and I notice a such a difference when I use it. It took many years for me to understand the relationship our digestive system has with the rest of our body. Your gut is your second brain. It is the second largest part of your neurological system! Crazy right? Turmeric contains a compound called cur-cumin. Curcumin is an amazing anti-inflammatory, it's pretty much nature's ibuprofen. This is great if you have any pain or inflammation in the body. Curcumin is also very beautifying. I use turmeric both, internally and externally in the form of a mask (it helps with acne). Your liver will also love turmeric, it is very beneficial for healing the liver. Drinking this will improve digestion and therefore reduce bloating. What better thing to do than to put this in and on (literally)your body? NOTHING. Now please. 

ELIXIR

The ingredient list is minimal and is as follows:

• 1 cup of almond or coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric 
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• A dash of pepper

I prefer almond milk but if my fridge is empty of it I will use coconut milk. I pour 1/4 cup of water in a heated deep pan and add the teaspoon of turmeric and the 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and stir until everything is mixed well (3-4 minutes) I let it sit for another minute and turn the stove top off. Last but not least, I pour the mixture on a mug  and add the almond milk to fill the mug and finally I top it with the dash of pepper and... voila! Enjoy! 

XX  

Claudia

Back to Basics

Hi guys,

It's been so crazy settling into a routine. Although I'm in a complete different mode right now, I am super excited to get back to a routine. It is difficult establishing a routine due to my busy schedule. With that, most days I get to improvise! I have been working on a LISS (low intensity steady state) cardio routine for the past few months. Most of you have been reaching out to ask what my day at the gym looks like now. There are 3 components to my workout. A warm up followed by my exercises and finally a cool down, so for those of you wanting to know, here is a breakdown 

WARM UP

When I step into my gym the first thing I do every single time is warm up. Warm up warm up warm up! Doing this gently prepares the body by gradually increasing the body's heart rate and circulation. This will loosen your joints and increase blood flow to the muscle you're working on that day preventing an injury. Use your warm up to get in the zone so you can concentrate on the workout to follow. Keep in mind, your warm up should take 10-15 minutes. 

EXERCISE

After warming up I like to keep my workout simple but effective. I focus on achieving 4-6 exercises and keep sets at a medium level 3-4 that is and my repetitions are 8-10. I follow this mostly for bigger muscle groups (eg. leg day). So for smaller muscle groups I up the repetitions to 12-14.

COOL DOWN

Lastly, I move on to a 5 minute cool down. The worst thing you can do is complete a high intensity workout and then just stop. Cooling down will slowly bring your pulse down as well as reduce the chance of feeling light headed. 

For best results, change up your workouts often. Play around with your body (not like that) keep it guessing so you don't hit a plateau and stop seeing results. Ah! and before I forget, DOCUMENT. If you want to take your goals to the next level, start documenting your diet, routine, and take weekly photos. You will learn more about your body and how to get results quicker and more effectively if you do so.

xx

Claudia