We've all been there, done that. Eating and drinking just a little too much - maybe just during the weekend or the span of an entire week, month, what have you. It happens! Rather than beating ourselves up for it, we can take a more proactive approach. Let me tell you, last week I ate and drank all kinds of crazy good food and wine. Although I still managed to get in some exercise, eating a lot of heavy foods and sugar really does take a little toll on my body. 

So, instead of skipping meals, doing a 'master cleanse' (ugh, cringe) or getting all upset about it, here are a few simple tips that can help to get you back on track! 

Drink Water

Drink water and drink a ton of it! Even though it makes you feel full, drinking a ton of water is the best thing you can do after overeating or indulging. It will help clear out your system and keep you hydrated. After I eat a big, unhealthy meal, I always feel SO thirsty! Eating out a lot can add a lot of unwanted sodium into your system, and the only way to counteract that is with some H2O. Get crazy and add some lemon to it. Keep a full bottle near you all day. I found this awesome Zinger water bottle that lets you squeeze and infuse citrus juice into the bottle - perfect for all those water haters. 

Move Ya Body

Although you might feel a bit slow, moving your body is important. Chances are you're feeling a little sluggish from the lack of nutrients or excess refined sugar & carbohydrates that you've consumed. One of the best ways to get those energy levels back is to sweat it out. You don't have to go crazy, even a light workout will do, like this one! Two things that help me are getting outside and wearing long sleeves or pants. Fresh air does wonders. You can also wear long sleeves or pants during a workout if you really want to sweat and keep your body temperature warm. 

Don't Skip Meals

Don't be tempted. The only way to keep your metabolism going is if you fuel your body! Stick with a lot of protein, fiber and fresh produce to keep you feeling full. Think of it as adding all the good fuel back in to replace the not-so-good fuel. 

Don't Stress

Seriously, don't get your panties all in a wad. So you ate some delicious meals and drank a little too much wine? Great, you're enjoying life. 

XO  - Rach

What are some things you do that make you feel better after indulging?

Happy Friday!! Yet again, this week absolutely flew by. It was full of the usual intern, work, class, teach and repeat schedule. On Wednesday night, I went with some friends to try the new Blaze Pizza that just opened and it was AWESOME. You can customize all the toppings on your pizza and the best part is that they don't even charge for extra toppings.

This morning I attempted to go to a 6:15 a.m. cycle class, but it was completely full! I used to be a lot better about signing up for early morning classes and I've been a bit slack about it lately, so I wanted to share a few tips to help you if you are trying to switch your workout routine to the morning. Unfortunately, I couldn't do cycle, but I ended up still getting a great workout, which I'll share in my next post! And came home to make a delicious smoothie:

Spinach, banana, strawberries, pineapple, Sunbutter, vanilla protein, coconut water & honey!

How to become an early riser:

Getting a workout in first thing in the morning sounds so great, doesn't it? You get it out of the way, it wakes you up and you have the whole entire rest of the day to be productive, but I know that it is not as easy as it sounds. However, working out early in the morning jump starts your metabolism, energizes you and even helps your brainpower.

1. You need to get a good night sleep. This is the absolute most important thing for me when it comes to hearing my alarm go off at 5:30 a.m. I know that this can sometimes be hard with school, work and all of the other obligations that we have going on, but if you can promise yourself throughout the day that you will be in bed by at least 10:30 p.m., that gives you a solid seven hours.

2. Lay your gym clothes out the night before. When you turn your alarm clock off and open your eyes to see your gym clothes ready for you, it makes it a bit harder to just roll over and go back to bed. It is motivating to know that you were so ready for an early workout the night before, so why back out at this point?

3. Plan your workout the night before.Whether that means signing up for a fitness class or having a workout written out, already having a game plan takes the thinking out of it. Chances are you might still be half asleep when you get to the gym!

4. Eat something small before. Although this really is a personal preference, I find that if I eat a small something before an early morning workout, I get a lot more out of it. I'll eat half of a banana and some peanut butter and it's not enough to weigh me down, but enough to give me a burst of energy that I need! This definitely takes some trial and error. I used to refuse eating that early because I just couldn't really stomach it, but I would find that 15 minutes into my workout, I felt ready to fall right back asleep! Again, this is totally personal preference and you will find what works for you!

5. Ease into it. This is crucial. It's not easy to jump right out of bed and get a solid workout, but like anything, practice makes perfect! Start out doing one or two early morning workouts per week and see how you feel throughout the day. I bet you that your energy levels will be a lot higher than if you didn't rise and grind.

It's all a process! These are just some things that help me a lot when I know I want to get in my workout before the sun. There's no right or wrong way or time to workout and it's all about what works best for you and your schedule.

Rach

Good morning! I've got my first recipe to add to the blog! Actually, it's more of a 'how to' than a recipe because it is pretty basic. However, it is one of my favorite breakfast recipes and only takes a few minutes.

This bowl of oats is nutty, creamy, fruity, warm, delicious, filling and all of the above. You'll need:

• 1/2 cup of rolled oats
• 1 cup of water or milk of your choice (I like to use almond milk)
• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 cup of blueberries
• 1 teaspoon of chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• 1 heaping tablespoon of nut butter (obvs)

Start by bringing the liquid to a boil. Stir in oats and chia seeds right before the boiling point. I find that my oatmeal always comes out best when I add the half cup of oats right before the boiling point of the milk. For some reason it seems to take less time to cook or absorbs the liquid better.

Let the oats cook on high for about a minute. Turn heat to low and add blueberries and thinly sliced banana. Slicing it thin helps the banana cook down and almost melt into the oats. YUM. Let that cook for a few minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Add in the honey.

Serve right away with a big spoonful of nut butter. I usually use peanut butter but wanted to try something new with the sunflower seed butter. I don't know how I feel about it quite yet but it's starting to grow on me a little bit. Has anyone else tried it?

Now I'm off to my internship, work after that and hopefully I can squeeze in a workout later! Busy busy.

Have a great HUMP DAY.