Channeling Audrey and finding balance for #StyleMeJuly

#StyleMeJuly challenge Day 6

Channeling (a balanced) Audrey
 

Instagram awesomeness by Micah B. Rubin

Healthy Tip: For today's "Channeling Audrey" challenge, I did a little research on the elegant Ms. Hepburn and her healthy habits.  I found a quote from her first husband Mel Ferrer saying, "She was very careful about her diet, did not drink alcohol except an occasional glass of wine with dinner, and avoided desserts. She chose her diet as a dancer would: plenty of protein and lots of vegetables and salads. She ate sparingly and rarely splurged."

Eat sparingly and rarely splurge.  That's great advice for all of us.  Our amazing lives should be fueled by the food we eat, not controlled by it.  Audrey seemed to know the importance of balance. 

Fashionista Wannabe:  My favorite little black Brooklyn Industries dress and my newly cut (by myself) side swept bang.  :)  Instant Audrey fashion.  

In perfectly balanced health,

Joanie

Joanie Johnson, CHC

Motivated Nutrition

www.motivatednutrition.net

814-442-5311

A Perfectly Toned Pucker

#StyleMeJuly challenge Day 5

A Perfectly Toned Pucker
 

Healthy Tip: When was the last time you worked out your face?  Toning up your face will strengthen your expression muscles and keep that saggy, aging look at bay.  Start doing these now to tap into that magical facial fountain of youth.  Disclaimer:  These exercises make you look ridiculous.  Proof is in the photo above.  It's best to do these behind closed doors.

Eyebrows: hold your index finger in the center of your forehead, one inch above your brow line. Press down as you raise your eyebrows up and hold for 10 seconds.  Repeat 10x/day.

Lips: Pucker up and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10x/day.

Fashionista Wannabe: Maybeline's Super Stay 24 Color in Constant Coral has been my bright pucker go-to all summer.  I love the fun color and the fact that I apply it once in the morning and am set all day makes being a fashionista easy. 

In perfectly puckered health,

Joanie

Joanie Johnson, CHC

Motivated Nutrition

www.motivatednutrition.net

814-442-5311

Patriotic Blueberry Compote

Day 4 of the challenge: 

Patriotic
Happy Birthday America!  

Instagram awesomeness by Micah B. Rubin

Healthy Tip: The happier we are, the healthier we are.  Celebrations make us happy.  It's a birthday so celebrate!  I mixed up a little blueberry compote to top off my pancakes this morning...thus making me happy. :)

Blueberry Compote

• 1/2 water
• 1/4 cup sugar (I substituted maple syrup)
• Grated lemon zest 
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• juice of 1 lemon

- In a medium saucepan, bring water, sugar and lemon zest to a boil
- Stir in blueberries and simmer for 3-5 min
- Remove from heat and add lemon juice

Fashionista Wannabe:  "You look like the 4th of July!  Makes me want a hot dog reeeeaaaaaly bad." (please tell me you know this?!)  This dress reminds me of fireworks.  :)  

In red, white and blue health,

Joanie

Joanie Johnson, CHC

Motivated Nutrition

www.motivatednutrition.net

814-442-5311

"You look like the 4th of July!"

I'm just hoping this doesn't make you want a hot dog reeeeaaaaal bad!  In honor of 4th of July, I'm giving you a few hot doggin' facts. 

• The cities of Los Angeles, San Antonio, and New York consume the most hot dogs by volume every year. * 

• The average American eats 60 hot dogs a year.*  (bleh!)

• According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage council, Americans will consume 150 million hot dogs today.

• Joey Chestnut, 27, 230lbs, holds the Major League Eaters record of eating 68 Nathans Famous Hot Dogs and Buns in 10min.  He's wont the contest 5 yrs in a row.  Check out his impressive Bib Sheet!   

• Other names of for the hot dog include: frankfurter, frank, red hot, wiener, weenie, durger, coney, or just "dog" *

• The Coney Island, Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest began as a duel between four immigrants to determine who was the most patriotic in 1916. 

Me?  Oh no, forget it!  I'm a vegetarian.  I'm not going near them!  Don't over do it at the backyard BBQ and have an amazing time celebrating the 4th today!


In healthy, patriotic love,


Joanie

Joanie Johnson, CHC

Motivated Nutrition

www.motivatednutriton.net

814-442-5311

*Who knows all this stuff?!  
http://www.hot-dog.org/ht/d/sp/i/38579/pid/38579
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_dog
http://fillyourplate.org/blog/hot-dog-facts-and-trivia/
http://nathansfamous.com/PageFetch/

#StyleMeJuly Instagram Challenge: Keeping Cool Trick

Ok.  Here goes.  Day 3 of the challenge.  Day 1 for me. 

My keeping cool trick

Instagram awesomeness by Micah B. Rubin

Healthy Tip: If you're like me in the kitchen, the occasional stove burn happens from time to time.  (Whoops!)  Lemon is a cooling agent and lemon water, if applied on the area of the burn reduces the burning sensation on the skin.   It's also a nice boost of refreshing Vitamin C on a hot day.

Fashionista Wannabe: It's hot as Hades out there.  Shorts are a must...but, I get cold on the subway, hence the sweater.  BF brought home the shirt as a gift the other day and I teamed it up with the cute owl necklace my favorite 6yr old picked out for me last week.  A sweet $1.99 score! 

In summer cool health,

Joanie

Joanie Johnson, CHC

Motivated Nutrition

www.motivatednutrition.net

814-442-5311

Healthy Fashionista Challenge

I'm a health coach.  I eat and work out really well.  I'm a dancer.  I can touch my toes and bust a move in heels.  I work with kids.  I can create fun games at the drop of a hat and run circles around the fastest 3 yr old in the room.  I'm a fitness instructor.  I can rock my hot pink Nikes as I jump rope and do crunches into oblivion.

What I'm not, is a fashionista.  My boyfriend, who used to work in fashion magazines is constantly offering gentle suggestions on how I might alter my outfits before leaving the house.  Ok, it's not usually gentle.  It's usually delivered in the form of, "Uhhhh...are you really wearing that!"

Since we've gotten back from our 7 1/2 months of travel (You missed our travel blog?  Where have you been? http://bucketbath.travellerspoint.com/ ) and wearing the same 3 outfits for that amount of time (don't worry EVERYTHING was given away before we even boarded the plane home from India) I find myself longing for an amazing New Yorker wardrobe.  Unfortunately, 90% of my clothing is STILL in storage and I've been forced to get creative while I run around the city as my fabulous, health coaching, dancing, kid wrangling, fitness instructing self. 

This has all lead me to become obsessed with the fashion advice of fellow Brooklyn-ite, Hilary Rushford and her blog, Bow Ties & Bettys.  I'm waiting for the day I can afford (or be given the awesome gift...anyone?) to have her over to do a wardrobe edit.  Until then, I'm taking her July Instagram photo challenge.  I'm hoping it brings out the fashionista that is hidden under all the workout clothes and sweat every day.

As and added challenge, I'm going to try to accessorize it with some healthy advice, work-out move or recipe.  

Wish me luck!  Better yet, join in and take the challenge with me!  Check it out here:

Was this your weekend?

Was this your weekend? 

It's already midday and you spent a few too many hours lounging around, noshing on bagels and catching up on Facebook.  You're officially late to your friend's afternoon BBQ.  You know, the you've been looking forward to all week?  Where did your lazy morning go?!  To make the panic worse, you realize you forgot to prepare anything to bring.

Pack that 6-pack of Trader Joe's Lager from the fridge and whip up this delicious (and easy) chickpea, tomato and cucumber salad.  I don't know how long it's going to take you to shower, but I've done my part.  You're out the door in 10 min flat.  

FYI:  I'm Betty Crocker's nightmare.  I don't measure ANYTHING and NEVER have all the ingredients.  Don't stress!  Use what you have, TASTE TEST it first and go.  It's a BBQ.  It's more important to have a fun, relaxing day with your friends. 

Chickpea, Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 medium coarsely chopped tomatoes 
• 1-15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 large cucumber, peeled, quartered and sliced
• 1 cup snipped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped 
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp coarse kosher salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or a few shakes of garlic powder)
• 1/8 tsp maple syrup

Directions:

1. In a very large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix like crazy.  
2. Cover and chill while you finish getting ready! 

What's your go-to BBQ recipe?  Please share!



Joanie Johnson, CHC

Motivated Nutrition

www.motivatednutriton.net

814-442-5311