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I recently came home to a bottle of Physician’s Formula Super CC+. So you’re probably wondering, as did I, what the Super CC+ means. According to Physician’s Formula website, this is the first of it’s kind “Color-Correction + Care Cream. Color-Correcting Pigments + Anti-Aging. It visibly corrects: Age Spots, Dark Circles, Blemishes, Dullness, Uneven Skin Tone, Redness, Dark Shadows, Discoloration, Fine Lines, Wrinkles, Signs of Fatigue. Replaces Anti-Aging Treatment, Moisturizer, Foundation and SPF.” This cream is also hypoallergenic. Oil Free. Paraben Free. Gluten Free. Fragrance Free. Non-Comedogenic. Dermatologist approved.

My current beauty regimen is simply an SPF facial moisturizer post shower and a bit of mascara however I was very intrigued about the replacement of anti-aging treatment, moisturizer, foundation, and an SPF in ONE! SPF is incredibly important to me as my mother recently had a small spot removed from just above her lip. Taking care of your skin is just as important as exercising and eating right.

So I took this new cream out on a test run for a few days to see a few things 1) can it stand up to Houston humidity 2) will it clog my pores and cause breakouts and 3) does it feel heavy on my skin.

The picture on the left is my before picture as evidenced by my lines and uneven skin tone. The picture on the right is with the foundation applied. Notice my skin tone is evened out and the circles under my eyes are no longer visible.

After running around town and testing out this product I can honestly say that I’m in love with this foundation. One of my MAIN concerns has always been that I do not like the feeling of foundations on my face. Most of the time they feel heavy and I feel as though my skin can’t breathe. This Super CC+ is so light and airy that I forgot I was even wearing any.

Also, a little bit of cream will really take you a long way which is awesome because this will last you quite a long time. It’s also priced really well at only $14.95! For just under $15 dollars you’ll get a quality product that will last you for 6-9 months.

All in all, I will definitely be purchasing a new bottle of Physician’s Formula Super CC+ once I run out of this one. I now find myself wearing it even when I don’t step foot out of the house. I love the anti-aging properties and most of all the protection from the SPF 30 since the sun is a major culprit in premature aging of the skin. Protection, beauty, and brightening of your skin…what’s not to love?!

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Coach Kozak and I like to go vegan a few meals out of the week. Not for any particular reason other than it makes us feel better about going animal protein free. One morning while working and watching Bloomberg, we watched an interview with the CEO of Beyond Meat, Ethan Brown. I immediately visited their website and particularly enjoyed their mission statement which states they “aim to improve human health, positively impacting climate change, conserving natural resources and respecting animal welfare.”

Beyond Meat currently offers chicken-free chicken strips and beefy crumbles. Their chicken-free strips come pre-seasoned in lightly seasoned strips, grilled strips, and southwest strips. Beefy crumbles are offered in regular flavor and feisty crumbles that adds more of a spicy kick. I love the product because one serving (6 strips/3oz) of the chicken-free strips offers of 120 calories and 20g of protein! In addition, they’re low carb. The beefy crumbles, for 1/2 cup serving you get 90 calories and 10g of protein and in all honesty, this product tastes like the real thing! The source of protein comes from non-GMO soy protein and pea protein isolate. The beef and chicken flavor comes from a unique blend of spices making you believe that you’re actually eating the real thing. We love Beyond Meat in this household but have had a hard time finding the beefy crumbles anywhere! Most beef substitutes are full of gluten and GMO soy, so I’m holding out hope I’ll get my hands on some soon.

Since by red meat loving brother has been staying with us, I’ve been doing my best to introduce him to whole foods and slowly showing him a vegan/vegetarian diet. For lunch yesterday I decided to take my chicken-free strips and make him a chicken salad. He was skeptical but open to it.

So I took the “meat” and heated it up according the to package recommendations; in the skillet.

While that worked up I chopped 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped 3/4 cup of baby carrots in the food processor along with 1/2 a small onion, and chopped up some fresh parsley. Once the chicken was heated, I placed the chicken in the food processor to get it to the shredded chicken consistency.

Once pulsed for about 8-10 seconds, I added it to the vegetable bowl and blended it all together.

Since the strips are already seasoned, I only added  little bit of pepper and cayenne for a little extra spice. Add in 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt or vegan mayo and voila! Easy chicken-free chicken salad!

I’m happy to report my bro devoured his open faced sandwich and then asked for  a little more of the chicken salad by itself! I think that was a slam dunk for me. 🙂

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A couple of weeks ago I so graciously received a $25 gift card to Panera Bread courtesy of Women’s Health Magazine asking to try and review new menu items they’ve recently launched. Now, I honestly can’t tell you the last time I dined at Panera Bread and mainly because as the name suggests, the menu consists of mostly bread to which I don’t eat much of.

I really applaud restaurants for cleaning up their menu’s and adding wonderfully healthful menu items for the health conscious diner and so it appears Panera is doing the same. Before heading out, I scoped out the menu much like I always do before dining out. By reviewing the menu beforehand, I’m able to get an idea of what I’m going to order as not feel pressured upon my arrival.

Coach Kozak so kindly accompanied me this evening because let’s be real, he wanted to eat. I was so thrilled to discover upon walking in that they list the calorie count next to ALL of their menu offerings. Not only do they do that but they now have a POWER MENU! The Power Menu offers delicious and beautiful breakfast bowls and salads all sans bread and lower on the calorie side, I love it. Some of the healthy menu items on this new Power Menu include the Power Breakfast Egg White Bowl with Roasted Turkey and the Power Chicken Hummus Bowl. In addition, their website has the full nutrition guide for you to read and review.

This evening however we ordered a couple of salads not featured on the Power Menu just to mix things up. I ordered the regular size Thai Chicken salad with the dressings on the side and the whole grain baguette.

Coach Kozak selected as his meal the Strawberry Poppyseed and Chicken Salad with the regular baguette for his dinner.

I usually eat my salads dry but I was curious to taste their dressings. My salad comes with a Thai chili vinaigrette and a peanut sauce which sounded good.

My method of eating a salad without dousing the entire bowl is to dip my fork in the dressings and grab a forkful of food. My salad was incredibly crunchy, fresh, and flavorful boasting antibiotic-free chicken, romaine lettuce, Thai cashews, fire-roasted edamame, red peppers, carrots, fresh cilantro and wonton strips. YUM!

I then feasted a bit on Coach Kozak’s salad which was full of succulent sweet fruit such as fresh strawberries, blueberries, pineapple and mandarin oranges. It also features crunchy pecans and a refreshingly delicious lemon poppyseed dressing to which I loved.

As you can tell from our plates, we didn’t like these salads one bit. 😉 I only ate half of my whole grain baguette which was a bit chewy but that’s ok, the salad was the clear winner here.

After today’s Panera Bread visit, I now view them as another viable option for a restaurant that I won’t feel bad about stopping in for a healthy breakfast or lunch due to their non-bread menu options. I’ve even recommended the restaurant to my family which says a lot. I’m actually excited to dive into their Power Menu and even indulging in their Frozen Lemonade which will be perfect on a hot and steamy Houston day. Panera gets two thumbs up from the Kozaks!

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Aside from being a blogger for Women’s Health magazine this year which in and of itself is incredibly exciting, I also get to try out some great gear and report back to you guys. Recently, I was able to try out the new Heidi Klum for New Balance sport performance line. Aside from being excited to have a matching workout set, I was curious to see how it performed and I’ll say it definitely didn’t disappoint!

I had received the top and the leggings on the same day and had planned on wearing them for Coach Kozak and I’s second workout video together, the 15 Minute Hurrican Cardio Routine. When I opened the package, I knew that this outfit was going to perform beautifully. The material is so light weight and feels amazing against your skin. The pant and skirt combo, while I was a bit hesistant on the style is super cute on. It’s made of Nylon and Elastane while the skirt is Polyester and Elastane. The skirt is sewn on and cannot be removed but that’ ok, why would you, it’s so cute!

The top is now officially my favorite workout top for a few different reasons. First because I love the color. Second, because it is comfortable and keeps me dry during my sweaty workouts and third and most importantly, because it’s tight where it should be, let me explain. As a woman, one of the things that kept me away from longer tops like these is because of the lower belly area. They had the tendency to hug and accentuate that area and not in a flattering way, let’s face it, we’re not all size zeros with 5% body fat. What I love about the HKNB shirt is that it’s comfortably snug in the bust area but is looser and a little more flowy as it moves down your body. It allows you to perform your workouts without worrying about material getting in the way but doesn’t make you feel self conscious about wearing it. WIN!

So, a few days after my rockin’ outfit came in, my shoes finally arrived!

Not only did they arrive but they arrived on shoot day, how perfect was that?! I’ll be honest, I’m not one to step out of the style box when it comes to workout clothes but with the outfit all together, it just works.

The weight of the shoe, flexibilty and the support just made them so easy to wear during my workout movements. Best of all, these shoes go from workout to daily wear with ease. I’ve already paired them with jeans a few times.

I love everything about this gear!

I then went on to do the crazy cardio workout with Coach Kozak and other than the discomfort from all of my muscles burning, the Heidi Klum for New Balance gear kept me dry and beyond comfortable.

Also, it’s great to mix and max the top and bottom with other tops and bottoms that you may already have especially if you enjoy working out. It’s nice to invest in gear that’s comfortable but that’s also well made and going to last. Care and cleaning is a cinch also, no going out of your way to hang dry or hand wash.

Overall the style, performance, and comfort that Heidi Klum and New Balance bring you is second to none. It’s bright and fresh and when you feel good about what you’re wearing, for some reason you just may push it a little bit faster on that next run or a little bit harder on that strength session. I know I did.

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I recently celebrated my birthday on March 18th and I celebrated my day of birth two days in a row! Celebrating to me and to most people consists of food and wine and I won’t even try to deny it, there was a lot of both on Tuesday and Wednesday. 🙂

So Tuesday, my actual birthday, I got a wonderful surprise delivery from Edible Arrangements from two of my wonderful friends back in San Antonio. They sent me chocolate covered fruit, pineapple to be exact! They were the cutest things ever shaped in the form of a cupcake, dipped in white and milk chocolate and the top portion covered in sprinkles.

I totally devoured one in approximately 120 seconds FLAT and got busted too. That’s ok, no shame in my game.

I then scooted on to flag football practice where I burned it off for the next two hours running drills and catching passes. As with most social sport settings, we then moved the “practice” to a local upscale pizza place where I enjoyed a glass of cabernet and two slices of pizza with my teammates. Find out why I’m playing flag football here.

Because of my practice, I had to postpone dinner with my awesome cousins for the following day. We headed to a restaurant called Corner Table.

Corner Table is a restaurant that offers an all Paleo diet menu along with traditional menu items and is the first of its kind here in Houston. Now, I’m not a follower of the Paleo diet as I’m not one to jump on fad diet bandwagons however I am a fan of eating unprocessed whole foods. I will say this place was delicious! I had a glass of cabernet (singular) while waiting for our table as I usually do because, you know, red wine is good for you. And while we waited for our food to come, I opened my gift from one of my cousins. She’s clearly trying to sabotage me….

Yes, that is a basket full of Ghirardelli chocolates, Godiva truffles and a bottle of Tempranillo, one of my favorite Spanish wines. The Saboteur herself posing with me…DARN HER!

Let’s shoot across the table at the other goofballs joining in on the birthday fun. They “left” their gift to me in the car. Suuuuure. Here they are being silly.

Ok, so once the food arrived, the real fun began, for me at least. My apologies in advance for the dark photos but I didn’t turn my flash on. Womp, womp. Coach Kozak ordered the Chicken Enchiladas with coconut flour tortillas. It included organic tomato, cilantro puree and vegan cheese. So good!

He described his enchiladas to me in one simple word, “remarkable.” And they really were.  I was incredibly jealous but he let me have a big bite so I was ok with that.

My entree was the Stir Fry! Instead of rice, they used cauliflower rice and placed a wonderful red snapper filet right on top.

Again my apologies for the dark photo but it included steamed asparagus, broccoli, and carrots on either side of the filet.

And since it was my birthday, I ordered dessert. I never and I mean NEVER order dessert when we go out to eat but it was my day to celebrate and I did just that. When a restaurant doesn’t have a dessert list at least listed on their menu, which should have been my clue. Our waiter brought out an AMAZING(LY) huge tray with no less than 20 different desserts on them with at least half being dairy and grain free. HEAVEN. I chose the grain free brownie with dairy free coconut ice cream because my stomach cannot handle lactose.

My dessert came out and I was a happy girl. Much like I was in ’85 when this birthday picture was taken. Dessert makes me smile as you can obviously tell.

And I didn’t even share. Ok, not true, I let Kozak have a baby bite. Good thing he doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth.

Hey guys, the moral of my birthday blog post is to let you all know it’s ok to indulge from time to time as long as it’s the exception and not the rule. Prior to my dinner, I ate as I normally do, drank my water as I do every day and worked out too. I’d probably consider my few birthday celebration days as a bit of a binge since I don’t normally eat like that but you only turn 31 once. It’s over, I’ve moved on, and I’m back to my normal eating and drinking habits. Enjoy family, enjoy life and enjoy the body you’re currently building and/or currently maintaining.

P.S. I even had a few truffles from my basket when I got home. 🙂

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When I started running about 2 years ago, I’d started with and have always run in Mizuno Wave Inspires and loved them. I’m a little flat footed and I overpronate so I definitely need that supportive shoe and being loyal to the Mizuno brand, I kept purchasing them. Recent rumblings in the runner world seemed to suggest that the most recent Wave Inspire 10’s are not quite up to snuff and not as comfortable as they once were. Being skiddish after my plantar fascia injury last May, I decided that I didn’t want to chance it and decided to try another shoe. ::GASP::

My sister and a few other folks I know absolutely love their Brooks so I thought I’d give the brand a try. I went to my local run shoe store to get my walk and run looked at again to make sure nothing changed. **Note, if you’re new to running or looking to get into it, I suggest you go to a shoe store that specilizes in running shoes. There, they will measure your foot and observe your foot strike and stride to ensure you’re placed in the appropriate shoe so you’re not experiencing pain or discomfort during your runs.** After my review, I was placed in a few different shoes but I ended up selecting the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 14’s.

More importantly than being visually appealing they provide the arch support I need and really hug my feet. In the store, they felt fantastic but I was ready to get them on the road for a test run. On another note, with my Mizuno’s, I’d usually purchase insoles to provide additional support. However, with the purchase of the Brooks, that wasn’t necessary which I enjoyed because after dishing out $115 for shoes the last thing you want to do is spend another $50 on inserts.

A few days after, I took my new shoes out for a spin…an easy 4 mile run. They perfomed beautifully and I was more than impressed. They felt smooth, supportive and I felt like I was running on a temperpedic pillow. Firm and supportive yet soft. My left foot (previously injured) had no problems at all. No pain and no soreness experienced during the run or after. The stability and motion-conrtol offered with these shoes is absolutely fabulous.

In short, I highly recommend the Adrenaline GTS 14’s for overpronators like myself. They’re the perfect balance of supportive, firm, and soft.

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Better late than never I always say. It’s been an incredibly busy month and I wanted to get this post up sooner so here it is! On the 8th of February, Coach Kozak and I headed north to Dallas so I could participate in the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K, a Ram Racing series. We left on an incredibly cold Friday even for San Antonio standards and made the 4 hour drive to Dallas.

We stopped along the way for a lunch break at one of our favorite Austin spots, Blue Dahlia Bistro. A small restaurant that brings local and organic ingredients to your table with a European countryside feel. It’s SO good. My date was obviously excited….

I enjoyed my usual Goat Cheese salad with pine nuts and added their chicken salad. Their bread is made fresh daily and I indulged. Why not? I was running 9 miles the next day anyway. I really wanted to buy one of their freshly made baguettes but I refrained. 🙁

After that, we jumped back on the road and headed straight to the expo so I could pick up mine and my dad’s packet.

The expo was great because not only were the fleece jackets we got super nice but I got a free coffee mug and they passed out free hot coco and chocolate dipped marshmallows….what?!? The expo was well organized and offered the patrons a chance to purchase cute merchandise and even sign up for another Ram Racing event, the Cinco de Miler being held in May.

As you see, even Coach Kozak enjoyed the free coco shot!

As did I!

Now I’m not big on cold weather and cold to me is 65 degrees. The temperature on Friday never got out of the low 30’s and I was nervous about the race because I knew it was going to be a cold one. So the next day, my dad and I layered up and fueled up on some apple banana bread I baked (that recipe is coming soon!) and jetted out the door at 6AM. What in the world am I smiling about so early?

My dad’s race started 45 minutes before mine and this was our hurried photo op as we ran to make it in time for his race to start. It was FREEEEEZING.

I ducked into the merchandise tent to stay warm while I waited as all of the heaters placed around the grounds were taken by the other frozen runners. I was trying to focus on the run as opposed to the fact that I wanted to cry and run  to the car and go back to my warm bed. I waited until the very last minute to make it out to my corral. This is the one and only pic I got before the run. You can see how depressing of a morning it was, haha.

The course was great aside from the fact that there were way more hills and bridges than I ever expected. Despite the unexpected hilly course, I felt fantastic! Other than a little discomfort I felt because of normal wear on my Mizuno’s, I was able to maintain my pace and PR’d! Here are a few pics of me running towards the finish line and a post run pose….as usual. Please pardon my appearance.

Smiling for the camera before I could fix my hair. 🙂

My dad walk/jogged his 5K and finished in 44 minutes, YAY DAD! Here are my results….

Previous to my integrating in strength and agility training, my pace stayed within the 9:45 – 10:00 minute mile range. Working out to Coach’s videos have definitely improved my running and speed.

After my run, I headed straight to get my finisher’s mug which consisted of chocolatey goodness. Hot coco, chocolate dipping sauce, a banana, rice krispy treat, pretzels, marshmallow, and something else I can’t remember because I didn’t eat it. 🙂

It was a fun way to celebrate the runner’s success! And I was even nice enough to share it with Coach Kozak.

Overall, I really enjoyed the race. I wasn’t too keen on the location at the Fair Park/Cotton Bowl in Dallas because of the charge to park when simply picking up our packets ($10) which we found to be a bit steep for a 20 minute stop. Also, the parking was literally a mile from the location of the race. When you’re cold, sore, and just ready to be warm, it’s not that fun.

A 15K is a really good distance for someone looking for more of a challenge than a 10K but not quite ready to hit a half marathon. I don’t find too may races offering this distance either. For me, it was a great way to test my foot out after my torn plantar fascia injury. After my recent rehabbing (foam rolling, calf raises, etc) I think I may be ready to hit another half this year. We’ll see, I’ll keep you posted. 🙂

The post Hot Chocolate 15K Recap and Review! appeared first on HASfit - Free Full Length Workout Videos and Fitness Programs.

As a healthy eater, we are bombarded by high fat and high calorie food with very little nutritional value everywhere we go. When I first began my quest at becoming a more mindful eater, one of the biggest adjustments was what to eat when I went out. Grilled chicken salads are definitely not created equal at every restaurant you visit and let’s face it, that gets pretty boring.

The great thing is that most restaurants are becoming more aware of the demands of diner’s such a myself. They are now creating space on their menus for low calorie options and some even include the nutrition facts. However, not all restaurants do this, for example, this awesome little Indian restaurant Coach Kozak and I like to go to, that practice doesn’t exist. So what is one to do?

Well that’s where I come in! I’ve done the research for you and am ever so happy to share. Indian food is so great because of the use of spices, it’s down right delicious and can be low on calories too, if you know what to choose. From stewed meats to soft naan, it can be confusing to know what the best selection is. So let’s break it down:

What to avoid:

Samosas or Samoosas is a fried pastry with a savory filling such as spiced potatoes, meat or cheese. These little fried pillows of deliciousness can pack up to 308 calories for 1, yikes!

Pakora is the taking of an ingredient such as an onion, cauliflower, spinach, potato or eggplant (just to name a few) and dipping them in a batter of gram flour and deep frying them in oil.

Chicken Korma Curry is a savory creamy chicken dish that includes of course chicken, ginger-garlic paste but the butter used in this dish sets it over the calorie edge and you back 800 calories!

Lamb Rogan Josh pictured above, which is (my personal favorite) a lamb dish that is cooked in oil and spices at an intense heat. One serving is nearly 600 calories.

We all love bread but naan can sneak up on you at 320 calories per naan! Not to mention, it’s made with all purpose flour and butter which can send you on a blood sugar roller coaster.

Jalebi is a popular dessert in India and is made of deep-frying flour in circular shapes and are then soaked in sugar syrup. Delicious, yes, but one will cost you 450 calories. Ouch!

So I know that seems sad but I promise you can still eat out at your favorite Indian restaurant. You will want to look for dishes labeled Dal because they are made with lentils and are low in fatty oils and butter. Lentil as well as chickpea based dishes are fantastic because they are high in protein and fiber therefore they help you feel full. Also, opt for dishes made with fresh vegetables like Sukhi Bindhi (40 calories/1 cup) or Baingan Bharta (Eggplant Curry 140 calories). Of course, grilled and kebab meats are a great way to get the protein you need to build up that lean muscle.

Some great Indian dishes to choose from would be the following:

Barrah Kebab are savory, spicy lamb chops grilled in a tandoor and only 315 calories per serving.

Kadai Chicken this spicy and totally delicious Indian dish is has a distinct flavor of bell pepper and is cooked in a red gravy with whole spices such as cinnamon, coriander, cloves and turmeric. Only 400 calories for 1 cup

Tandoori Salmon is marinated in spiced yogurt marinade and baked or grilled in a clay tandoor oven. 6oz 210 calories

Chickpea and Spinach Curry this dish is vegan, full of protein and flavor from curry, garlic, ginger in a stewed tomato sauce. Only 215 calories.

Aloo Palak pictured above, is delicious potatoes and spinach that come in at 100 calories per serving.

Patrani Machhi  spice coated and rubbed fish steamed in banana leaves, yes please! 290 calories

Be healthy, be social, and still make your health and fitness goals. Don’t deny yourself, just remember everything in moderation and when in doubt, eat half and save the other half for later or even share your dish with your dining partner. A rule of thumb I use is that I’m honest with myself. If I know that not eating the entire plate of Lamb Rogan Josh is next to impossible, I share it or I just don’t order it. Choosing to live a healthy lifestyle does not have to be a sacrifice, all it takes are some small adjustments to make a big difference.

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If you’re looking for an alternative to traditional nut butters that are still packing the same nutritional punch, I think I’ve got it! One of my new favorite add-ins to my recipes is Raw Organic Coconut Butter by Artisana.

With coconut butter you can mix it, spread it and as for me, I prefer to warm it up to get that delicious creamy, coconutty flavor and texture. It’s in a solid form at room temperature but can be easily heated into buttery deliciousness that gives you the great coconut flavor and aroma.

In coconut butter, you’re still getting all of the nutritious coconut benefits. Since it’s made utilizing a low temperature process, it maintains all of the enzymes, vitamins, and nutrients. This product is 100% gluten and dairy free and packed with healthy fats! Coconut butter contains NO TRANS FATS just like coconut oil. There is a common misconception that coconut butter and oil are dangerous to your health because of the high saturated fat content. This could not be further from the truth. Nearly 2/3 of the saturated fat found in coconuts are derived from medium-chain fatty acids. Medium-chain fatty acids are health promoting and antimicrobial, easily digested for quick energy, and beneficial to the immune system.

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