Cranberries = healthy 
Sugar = diabetes

But.... YOLO. 
Ya know? 
Its the holidays, its okay to eat a treat here and there (try not to confuse 'here and there' with 'anywhere', 'anytime', or 'always').
​ 

This is a super easy treat to bring to a holiday party, or snack on a little bit at home (when you really want pie but already ate the equivalent of like 16 slab pies....) Anyways.
Make these, they are awesome and delicious and everyone will love you for sharing. 

They're tart and sugary and delicious- all at the same time. Its like a legit party in your mouth. 

Recipe from My Recipes 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups granulated sugar 
• 2 cups water 
• 2 cups fresh cranberries 
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar 

Directions: 

• Combine granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until dissolved. Bring to a simmer; remove from heat (do NOT boil). 
• Stir in cranberries; pour mixture into a bowl, cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. 
• Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl, reserving steeping liquid if desired. Place superfine sugar in a shallow dish. Add the cranberries, rolling to coat with sugar. 
• Spread sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet. Let stand at room temperature for at least an hour. 
• Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to a week (these would totally make cute Christmas gifts for your friends or coworkers).  

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Let me know if you like! 
​

So sorry for the late post today! Its been a little crazy lately... you know how life is. 
This is one of my favorite, quick cardio workouts for days when you don't have a ton of time or you want to add an extra cardio burst at the end of your regular workout. 
This workout is originally from my gymnastics days, but I've made a couple of modifications. 

Here's how it works- you start by doing 10 of everything... 10 jumping jacks, then 10 military jacks, etc etc. Once you've made it through the list with 10's, you do 9 of everything... then 8... then 7... until you get down to 1 of each. 
Easy peasy, right? 
Finish it off by bringing your heart rate down & then do 25 sit ups and 25 push ups. You know, just for fun :) 

If you try this fun little workout, don't forget to post (pics of it didn't happen!) and tag me (@eatglitterallday). 
Happy Tuesday peeps! 

First things first, remember my post HERE about the Tracy Anderson DVD? Well, congrats to Sydney Nau! Please submit a form in the 'contact' tab with your address :) 

Thank you everyone for entering- your support means so much to me! You guys are the best. Seriously.

Okay, onto today's post...

I've had a few questions on what we usually eat for dinners during the week, so I thought I would do a little post about whats on my menu (sorry if this is mega boring!). I'll post the recipes too, just so you can follow along if you want :)

Before Skylor and I got married, I barely cooked. My idea of eating at home was making a box of hamburger helper (yikes). Skylor's mom, Julie, cooked a ton & he grew up loving and relying on homemade meals. When we got married, I decided that I wanted to cook most, if not all, nights of the week. I thought by practicing so much, I would up my cooking skillzzz and also so Sky could have homemade stuff. 

When I am on a stricter diet, I don't cook as much/I make simpler stuff, but our normal meals usually come from like the billions of cookbooks I have. I love Cooking Light, Betty Crocker, and Better Homes and Gardens- I try to pick healthy, nutritious foods that are decent in the calorie dept. I make the weekends a little bit more special by just making something fun and delicious (sometimes it's healthy, sometimes not). 

Onto the good stuff... here's a sample work-week menu: 
Monday: Pork Tenderloin
Tuesday: Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas (I use ground turkey instead though) 
Wednesday: Italian and Chicken Lentil Soup
Thursday: Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Friday: Beef and Barley Stew

Pork Tenderloin (pictured) 
Recipe from: Cooking Light Good Mood Food ​

Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas 
Recipe from: Cooking Light Good Mood Food 

Easy Chicken Pot Pie 
Recipe from: Betty Crocker The 300 Calorie Cookbook

Beef and Barley Stew 
Recipe from: Betty Crocker The 300 Calorie Cookbook 

So... I wish there was a way to make oatmeal look more attractive in pictures... I love oatmeal but it is just not very pretty. 
ANYWAYS. 
I love picking up cookbooks at the thrift store and sometimes I end up really scoring. The other day I found the Biggest Loser, 6 Weeks to a Healthier You (found HERE). I'm really happy that I picked it up for $1 cause there are some awesome recipes in it! There's also a lot of basic health information and some workout stuff if you're just starting on your journey & need something to get your feet under you (make sure to look for it at a thrift store first ;) ) 

This breakfast is really easy and really filling. Like I'm not even hungry for lunch yet and I ate it 4 hours ago... so yeah. Steel Cut Oats for the win. If you've never tried steel cut before, pick some up at the grocery store and give it a go. They have a nuttier flavor and hold their shape better so it doesn't get as mushy (if you will). Keep in mind though that it takes quite a bit longer to cook- I always just put mine in the rice cooker the night before, and spoon it out in the morning. So freaking easy and requires like 2 minutes of work to get it ready to eat. 

These all natural sweenter packets are sold in most grocery stores- they can be a little pricey but usually the box comes with a lot of packets- for me, its worth it. You can also pick up a liquid version of stevia or agave and use that as a sweenter- those are both delicious too! 

First things first, I am not a hair stylist. And secondly, I kind of suck at doing my hair. 
Like I really am not talented when it comes to hair stuff. My hair goes up into a pony almost everyday. 
Enter Savvy Curls (aka the best hair invention ever). 
Even people that suck at doing hair can have AWESOME curls. Plus it takes like 5 minutes to do & that is a HUGE win in my book. 

This is what your hair should look like when all of it is wrapped. Pretty right? I totally wore my hair out like this day until it was all dry. I took out the band and then wore my curls out that night. I rewrapped it before bed and wore my curls again the next day. BOOM.  Not only is it pretty, its also crazy comfy. I sleep in this band ALL THE TIME and I honestly don't even feel it or notice it. The only sad thing about it that my hubby can't play with my hair at night anymore lol. 
If you are wanting to pull some second day curls, just run some curl mousse through your hair and brush it out! It'll be a little bit damp which is exactly what you want. 

Guys. This band really is a miracle worker. I am SO obsessed with it. I think that everyone can benefit from a heatless way to curl their hair. I love knowing that I can have pretty hair without thrashing it and can do it in a minimal amount of time. 
Seriously. Buy one. They are so affordable and are so worth the money. Also... DUDES- get one of these for your wife for Christmas. She'll love you forever.

Not convinced yet? Well... would a coupon code help? Be sure to enter savvyc1 for $2 off! #holla
​
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! 

I've hopped on and off of the Tracy Anderson craze for sometime and I can tell you, I always regret my 'off' hops! The Tracy Anderson Method is a seriously awesome (and very different) exercise class, if you will. I have found that I truly enjoy the workouts- but it took some time for me to get a hang of the way that Tracy teaches. 

I've done a lot of her workouts- everything from Metamorphosis to 10-minute toners to Release Your Inner Pop Star. Like seriously, I'm a fan girl (one of the only things I haven't tried is the TA Real Time; you pay a subscription to get a new class each Wednesday... it's a little on the pricey side which is why I haven't tried it yet). 
Buttttttt.... the thing is that yes, I've done a lot of her workouts but it took a solid couple of months of consistent work to learn the way to move in her method, it really is quite different. 
Enter 'The Method for Beginners.' 

She walks you through every single move- which is awesome when you're first trying her method. Most of her DVDs she's either not talking at all and its a 'watch and learn' type of thing, or she gives you the option to have the commentary either on or off. 

So in honor of my birthday week this week, I wanted to give one of my readers the chance to win this very DVD! I want you guys to try out the TA method, its different but if you give it a chance it really teaches you to connect with your body (not easy to do!)

In order to enter, you just need to fill out this form (essentially you'll just need to follow @eatgliterallday on insta and comment to tell me what kind of posts you would like to see in the future!) This giveaway ends on December 6, 2015 at 12am. A winner will be announced on this post and on my Sunday post. Good luck! 

Peeps! It's my burfffday tomorrow. I'm going to be 24! I can't believe that I'm that old already. Sometimes I still feel like I'm 18 and have learned nothing in life. But then I see an 18 year old and I remember that yes, I am old and so wise. I made these this morning to get into the birthday mood & I am LOVING it. Its like so healthy and like way delicious. Boom. 

Recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

Ingredients: 

• 1/4  cup vanilla yogurt 
• 1/4 cup vanilla almond milk 
• 3 ice cubes
• 2 large ripe bananas (cut in chunks and frozen) 
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1/4 tsp butter extract 

​
Directions: 

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth
2. Party like its your birthday

I am a big believer in cleanses and fasting- I think both give your digestive system a chance to rest and take a break from the daily eats. Whenever I feel bloated or sick, I love to juice. It's not difficult and only requires some planning, some time and a juicer. (If you don't have a juicer, I would search online for a used one- like on a facebook yard sale page, or on KSL. If you can't find a decent used one, I would suggest buying a lower end one before you splurge on a nicer one). 

I have been feeling SO sluggish everyday- I honestly have no idea why! I get an average of over 7 hours of sleep each night and I still feel blah. If that isn't the perfect time to do a  cleanse, I don't know what it is! Plus, I binged so hard on turkey and mashed potatoes not too long ago #thanskgiving... so yeah. I need this. I like to have at least 6 juices per day & a ton of water. I suggest drinking 8oz of lemon-infused water right when you wake up to get your digestive system moving and then drinking a bottle of water (equivalent to at least the juice bottle size) after each successive juice. 

Here's what my normal schedule would look like: 

I got my recipes this time from The Juice Solution (found HERE). I'm obsessed with how easy and yummy these are- it was so worth the $7 to buy the kindle book. 
Authors: Erin Quon & Briana Stockton

1. Pineapple-banana-strawberry 
2. Apple Spinach Harmony 
3. Deep Green Treat
4. Electrolyte Balancer 
5. Orange-carrot-melon 
6. Mexican Chocolate

These are all the juices I made, I'll post the recipes at the bottom of the post :) 

Don't be scared to freeze your juices for a couple of days if you want to do a multi-day cleanse. It is way too much work to juice every single day- I juice all of my juices at once & then freeze the juices I am not using that day. Just remember to take out your juices at least the night before and put them in the fridge to thaw out. 

PS... I know that my last juice isn't Mexican Chocolate Milk... I forgot to soak overnight so they're soaking now and I'll finish up later. Hate when I forget to prep all the way before hand! 

A few things to remember- 

• Water is so vital to any cleanse- drink up (also it will help keep you full!) 
• If you are doing more than a 1-day cleanse be aware that the first couple of days you might feel super crappy- toxins are getting released and are trying to be excreted- tough it out.  The third day usually gets better & you'll be feeling very energized! 
• Stay near a restroom 
• Sleep a full 8 hours each night (sleep is your body's best recovery, use it!) 
• A hot bath can also help release some of the toxins & they are usually a good distraction if you're wanting to cheat on your juice 
• Keep a small journal on your phone and write down what you're feeling at the beginning, throughout your cleanse and at the conclusion- its fun to see the process 
• Don't be scared to exercise- sweating it out also helps release the toxins (although you may feel exhausted the first couple of days) 

If you decide to do a cleanse, let me know how it goes! I love juicing and I love how I feel after I get through a cleanse. It's a straight up miracle worker.

Who's up for a challenge before Thanksgiving? 
{You better raise your hand!} 

What's better than an extra calorie burn before a massive ingestion of delicious calories? Either extra calorie burn or a nap... but we aren't here on Eat Glitter to take a nap. #amiright?
Jump rope is seriously one of the best calorie-burners out there. I have a serious love/hate relationship with this thang. 

So hard to go an extended period of time but so good for you. I think jumping (as long as your joints are healthy and okay) is super good for your lymphatic system. I think it can totally help clean out your system (in addition to the cardiovascular benefits). So here's the challenge. 

You ready? 
Throw on a girl boss shirt and kick some booty. 

I don't know about you, but I do not want to gain any weight this Holiday season. The scale can be such a buzz-kill and I'm not ready for that kind of negativity. 
If you're like me, you want to know how many calories you're burning during your 1,000 jump feat. Follow the link HERE and fill out your info. You'll get a pretty good idea of where you're at. 
If you want even more of a challenge on Thanksgiving, track your desserts on MyFitnessPal and burn off all your dessert calories with your rope. 
Boom. Tough. 
But if you aren't ready for the kind of commitment, it's okay. I'll still like you and be proud of you for getting you 1,000 jumps in. 

Bonus: if you wear a cute workout outfit, it's like 10x easier. I promise ;) 
Leggings: Saks Off Fifth 
Top: Ross, in stores :( 
Shoes: 6pm.com, sold out (similar HERE) 
Jump rope: Walmart 

Don't forget to tag your pics on insta with @eatglitterallday and #1000challenge ! Can't wait to see your jumping posts!

Guys, there are so so many food delivery services out there to try... its seriously insane. Every time I turn the corner, there's a new ad up for a new delivery company. So in the spirit of giving everyone a chance, I decided to place an order from Green Chef and see what they had to offer. 

The food came in an awesome box- with tons of insulation and ice packs. It stayed cold all day long (which could be due in part to the cold Utah weather lol). Everything was labelled which was amazing. 

One of the biggest perks to get a food service is that they measure out everything for you... it is SO convenient. I'd say that it cuts down the prep time by more than half. Plus- look at those cute little containers??? I'm obsessed. 

The first meal I made was the Adobo Eggplant Quesadilla with Black Bean-Quinoa Salad. Cause yeah. Hi, quesadillas are our favorite. We are obsessed and these quesadillas were so satisfying. Skylor even liked the eggplant (woot woot!) It was so easy and the food is so high quality, it was delicious. 

The other meals were equally amazeballs: Asian Chicken Noodle Soup, Black Rice Ramen and Shiitake Mushrooms & Cheesesteak-stuffed Pepper and Home-fries with Caraway Kraut. Helloooo.

Keep in mind that all food deliveries are usually pretty expensive, so make sure you have accurate expectations about pricing. We can't afford this always but on busy weeks, its a life saver. Green Chef makes is so easy to skip weeks & they always send out reminders if you want to turn it on or off for that week. 
Let me know if you try it! Don't forget to tag any of your Green Chef meals on insta with @greenchef and #iamgreenchef with your chance to win a free meal! (insert dancing emoji here....). Don't forget to #eatglitterblog and I'll take a look at them too!

Today I thought I would do a post today with one of my current playlists on it! I just recently got spotify (I know... I am behind the times). I like to add some goodies from when I was growing up & some newer hits. 

To me, music is so so important for a workout. It can distract your mind and it honestly can make the workout much more enjoyable and fun! I love sassy and get low 'club' type music. I know that might not be everyone's thing, but I like it. Totally gets me in the zone. 

Spotify has been really fun to use! If you don't already use it, you most definitely should. Just remember to create your playlists on the computer before your workout- just have everything prepped and ready to go so you can get your sweat on without being distracted with your music. 

In addition to having your music playlist ready, make sure you have good headphones! When I run, I use my little Sony earbud headphones, similar found HERE. When I do weights, stairs or elliptical, I love my Sony bass headphones. OMG I am obsessed with these headphones. They are the bomb and have amazing base- similar found HERE. When I am working out at home, I turn up my jams on my Sony bluetooth speaker, found HERE. Now this has sound like none other. 
Does this make me a Sony fan-girl? Oh well. They've got great sound so I'm not even mad. 

If you guys have some playlists set up on spotify, share the love! I love new playlists and love finding new songs. Comment with your spotify link here on this post, or tag me on insta or something (@eatglitterallday). Have the best Friday guys! Don't forget to get your sweat in this weekend... Thanksgiving is next week so stay on track as much as you can! 

I just wanted to write a quick post about rewards! Who doesn't like to reward themselves after they've done something challenging? I submit that everyone does! Honestly, after I have completed something tough, I love to treat myself a little bit. 

But that doesn't always mean with food every time (but sometimes it does cause... all things in moderation). I LOVE to buy new exercise clothes after I've hit a personal goal- like exercising 5 days a week for a month straight... or completing a half marathon... or getting my mile time down. Know what I mean? In my opinion, it is good for your well-being to reward yourself after you've pushed yourself to new limits. Mentally, it's a good break and I think subconsciously your mind needs to know and learn how to be happy and recognize your accomplishments. 

This is one treat that I really like to reward myself with (since oranges are kind of expensive), and I know I'm getting good vitamins while I'm drinking this goodness. 

It's like the easiest thing in the world (you can either juice them on a manual juicer- I've seen them at the thrift store for like 2 bucks! or with an electric juicer... I have THIS one). I love my juice fresh squeezed with plenty of pulp- gotta keep some fiber in there! 

Juice and exercise clothes are how I like to reward myself... but how do you? What do you do to give yourself a pat on the back? I'd love to hear and get some more ideas on ways to pamper myself :) 

So the end of the year is quickly approaching & I want to finish out the year the best that I can! I made so many New Years resolutions for 2015 and I haven't finished all of them yet... one of those was to lose 10 lbs. I've actually lost 8 (yay!) but I have a couple more to go. 

So... it's game time. I picked up THIS book at my local thrift store for a dollar fifty and I am really excited about it. Its a 6 week diet plan with normal/easy to make foods. So normal that even Skylor said that he is cool eating the same dinners as me so that I don't have to cook 2 separate meals each night. That's a BIG deal for us. I hate the idea of having to spend double the time in the kitchen every time I want to do a specific diet. So yeah. Winning. 

Here's my grocery haul for this week... not too bad honestly. 

I wanted to go balls to the wall for the rest of the year, so I am also going to do a little workout program specifically to drop weight. I'm heading straight for my trusty Tracy Anderson Method DVDs. She's so good. Like, I want to die/jump for joy/collapse every time I do her programs. I'm obsessed. Usually I just do an hour a day of her stuff (30 min dance cardio and 30 min muscular structure) but until the end of the year, I'm going to do two hours per day (1 hr dance & 1 hr structure). The Perfect Design Series is a little older, but I haven't done them yet so I thought it was worth a shot! You can buy all of these DVDs on Amazon for like $10 a pop. So really there are no excuses. If you do her program, she recommends that you use a humidifier and heater in your workout space (at least 80 degrees) in order to get the most bang for your buck sweat-wise. 

I'll be posting updates periodically throughout the rest of the year- I already can't wait for a post about how I look better naked...LOL. Jk. 
But not really. 

If you are interested in getting the exact plan of what I'm doing, let me know! I'd be happy to write it up and email it to you/post it on here. Just let me know! Happy end-of-year resolutions!! What are the goals you are trying to finish?

Unless you have been living under a rock for your whole life, you know that healthy foods can sometimes be a little pricey. Take red bell peppers for example, they are almost $1.50 each! And don't even get me started on a bag of almonds or pistachios... 
Enter bulk foods. Guysssss, they are my favorite. 

I'm a big fan of Winco. Like I come here almost every Saturday. You would be shocked at the actual cost of some of the regular items you purchase when you buy them in bulk. Keep in mind that you aren't paying for packaging, marketing or branding. I'm big into saving money & budgeting (hello college life!) so I'd basically grocery shop anywhere in order to save some money. If you don't have a Winco near you, the chances are that some local grocery stores have a bulk food section (I know Whole Foods does- but they are a little on the expensive side). 

I love snagging basics here- oats and flours are crazy cheap here! I'm so obsessed. 

You know all those recipes you want to try that call for random stuff? You aren't ready to commit to buying a whole package of coconut flour to try some "apple pie protein bars" but you do want to try them. Let's say that a recipe calls for only 2/3 cup... if you buy in bulk, you can get as much as you need (probably pay less than a dollar). That way you can try your recipe- if it turns out, great! You can go ahead and buy more for later. If it doesn't exactly turn out well, no harm done since you only spent 80 cents for that coconut flour. 
You get my drift? Its the best way to try out random stuff (like wheat berries or groats) to see if you like it or not. 
There's also SO MANY OPTIONS. Like basically you can find anything in bulk here. Its the best. Everything from rice & beans to pasta and protein powder. 

Try it out! I promise you won't be disappointed. 
BUT. Pics or it didn't happen :) Make sure to post on insta and #eatglitterblog and I'll check them out! Can't wait to hear about how much you love bulk foods (insert dancing emoji here). 

Have you guys ever heard of 'Pinner's Conference' before? If not, you're gonna die- it is the craziest conference ever. There's TONS of classes (everything from beauty to DIY to photography to health) and boy is it amazeballs. And don't even get me started on the vendors. 

I had the opportunity to go to a couple of classes on Saturday and my only reaction is a bunch of emojis with heart eyes. High Fitness is like so intense. I was sweating hardcore #sohighrightnow

High Fitness is a choreographed HIIT workout with crazy fun music and pretty dang easy routines (I love stuff that is easy to catch onto!) If you are local, you have got to try one of these classes- they are all over UT! Go to their website to find a class close to you, I promise, you won't regret it (go HERE). 
I'm get up on a little soapbox right now, so bear with me. 
Guys, it is so important to put yourself out there and try new things! It's good for you to switch things up and confuse your body; it's good for your mind- you stay more engaged and connected with what you're doing, which in turn gives you a better workout. Also, if you find it hard to stick to a workout program, it might be because you haven't found something that you LOVE. So try everything you can until you find a program that you really connect with. You'll have more fun and you'll probably stick with it a lot longer than if you dreaded it. 
Okay, soapbox over. 

On a kind of unrelated note... Albion Fit (partners with High Fitness) has the freaking cutest workout clothes, I die over them. Here's a promo code for $10 off... just enter the code "givethanks10" 

It snowed the other day. And I drank a smoothie. Cause I'm a smoothie whore. And I'm not mad about it. 

You would/will drink this too- its refreshing & lightly sweet. And it has a cucumber in it. So that's cool cause I like adding green food to my smoothies. Its fun and makes it pretty colors (and you're getting extra nutrients... muahahaha). Look at all those cute flecks of green. 

Plus it has like no calories. And I'm always d-town for that business. 
Recipe from Super Smoothies 
Ingredients: 

• ​1 1/2 cups chopped honeydew melon, chilled 
• 1/2 cup lite white grape juice 
• 1/2 cup cucumber
• 3/4 cup frozen green grapes 

Directions: 

• Combine the honeydew, grape juice, and cucumber in a blender. Add the grapes. Blend until smooth. 

Makes 2 cups; serves 2 
Calories 109 (per serving) 

If you have a yummy, healthy recipe you are obligated to share it, right? 

This chowder is just that- yummy and healthy. Plus it takes less than 30 minutes so that's winning. I'm a big soup fan, especially during the Fall/Winter months, nothing like warming up from the inside out! 
This chowder is creamy, spicy and full of veggies. I hope you like it! 

Recipe from ​Best of Cooking Light

Nutritional Info (per 1 serving./1 cup): 

• Calories 257; Fat 8.1g; Protein 19.1g; Carbs 28.6g; Fiber 1.9g

Sometimes ( I feel this way especially on Saturdays...) there is so much to get done, that you have to run from workout to errands or visa-versa and there is no time to change in between.
Enter multi-functional outfits.
They're outfits you can sweat in AND look cute in. Win-win, #amiright? 
I'm a big fan of multi-functional outfits... like outfits that fit you when you're skinny and can fit you when you're pregnant (wait what??? but really, this is how I've been shopping for the past two years. The more times you can wear your clothes the better, you totally save money that way...)
Anyways. 

Fall is the perfect time to pair your normal workout clothes with fun jackets and vests- it is honestly the best/easiest way to add a pop of color & style so that you feel cute outside of the gym too. 

Pull your hair back into a banging braid and add some fun sneakes and BAM. You're good to go anywhere. (I love getting hair inspo from Barefoot Blonde... like insert so many heart eyes right now). 

Add a fluff ball of a puppy and your outfit is complete. 

Sneakers: Sold out :( But I am obsessed with these ones found here and here
Pants: Roxy
Top: Nike, old but found at the rack in store
Vest: Moving Comfort, found here but I purchased mine at Utah Run in American Fork 

Photos: Lauren from Urban Ombre

The holidays are some of the hardest times to stick with your goals- trust me, normal people TOTALLY struggle. Its hard! There's candy and goodies everywhere, especially on Halloween. So I just wanted to give you some ideas of a few things you could do to stay on track today! It is okay to have a couple of treats, its not okay to binge eat all the candy in your trick-or-treat bowl.... (this also applies to stealing your kids candy, just don't do it!) 
Also- as a side note, I totally had to post my costume for Halloween. Cause, DUH. (Disclaimer- you can skip right over the photos to the good stuff below if you really must). 

I couldn't let October slip away without doing a post about Breast Cancer- it has become a large epidemic and is one of the top 3 most common cancers in the US. According to breastcancer.org, 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime & about 40,000 women in the US are expected to pass away due to the cancer this year.  Talk about scary right? Breast cancer is such a challenge and takes strength and hope from those suffering from the cancer and their family members as well. I've know a few women who have had/still have breast cancer and it is such a trial. I have so much respect for the women who have fought this battle- you are amazing! 
Breast cancer affects so many women & families, I think it is important to do our part and contribute what we can to find a cure and help reduce risk and incidence rates. Only about 5-10% of rates are due to genetics or are inherited- that means that we need to make healthy choices in order to reduce our risk as well. 

Since the inheritance rate is so low, we should focus on our lifestyle choices in order to reduce our risk: 

• Overweight/obese women have a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer compared to women of the same age of normal weight (a normal BMI is more important than some people realize) 
• Breastfeeding can help lower the risk of cancer, especially if you breastfeed for longer than 1 year (watch this hilarious satirical video about breastfeeding here...) 
• Drinking alcohol increases the risk of hormone-receptor positive breast cancer 
• Women who exercise at a moderate to vigorous intensity for 4-7 hours per week have a lower risk (get your sweat on!)
• Smoking is heavily linked to breast cancer, especially in pre-menopausal women 

Information was gathered from breastcancer.org- see more risk factors and find more information here. 

Also, if you are interested in donating to research to find a cure for breast cancer, my cousin is fundraising money through her Making Strides Against Breast Cancer campaign. The link to donate is found here. 
Tip: look for products at your favorite stores that donate part of the proceeds to help fight breast cancer... its a win-win because you get something fun while also donating to a good cause. Boom. 

Find my shoes & pants at Utah Run in American Fork, Utah & find my top at Forever 21 stores/online. Remember to tag your pics with #eatglitter and I'll be sure to check them out! 

Ever since I had Convention for work a few weeks ago, my eating/meal prep has been mega crappy. I have slacked so much! I'm working to get myself back on track before the holidays set in... we all know that those can be deadly for our health. 
I didn't have a plan for breakfasts last week, so I was making stuff on the fly each morning (arg, I really do hate this cause its so much easier to eat unhealthy foods when you don't have anything prepared) and I created this little gem. Its full of spinach, kale and berries. So like, so much goodness. The almond butter gives it a delicious after taste and the yogurt gives it just the right amount of sweetness. 
PS- just to be clear, you can't taste the bitter kale or spinach at all. You're getting all the nutrients and still eating something yummy. 

Directions: 

• ​​Add berries, kale & spinach, yogurt and almond butter to blender. Add the almond milk a little at a time and blend until smooth 
• Brag to all your friends about how healthy you are 

This is husband approved... so also a good excuse to get some green food into your man. 

ohhh.mmmm.goodness. 
I'm 100% obsessed with these snacks. 
The Salted Caramel Pretzel business is my kryptonite. 

All I have to say is that you should totally try these snacks out. Your first box is free, so you should most definitely give them a try. They are a little bit on the pricey end ($20 a month) but the bags are decently sized and oh-so-yummy. 

Go to NatureBox and set up an account / pick items for your pantry. Wait for your box (which by the way was shipped incredibly quickly) and then die of snack-happiness. Snackiness. Is that a word? 

I'm usually pretty hesitant about subscription stuff...but I promise you won't be disappointed! 

My first box came with salted caramel pretzel pops, kung pao pretzels, toffee almond granola, sourdough cheddar pretzels and sweet blueberry almonds. Hot dannng. I cannot get over it. These were awesome to send with Skylor on his field trips since they are high energy and easy to grab. Not that I didn't keep those caramel ones at work with me... Also, we took these to Disneyland with us and we didn't even regret it for 1 second. 
I'm trying not to snack so much on normal days, but on days we are out and about hiking or whatever- they are great! 

Lunchboxes are not just for kids. Cross my heart, hope to die- I swear you won't regret getting one.

First things first, Burlington Coat Factory for the win on this adorable bag. I'm really digging this lunch box- I feel so much better toting this thing around over my last lunch box... (Walmart special not for the win). This Betsy Johnson 'lunch tote' doubles as a purse. Yep, I have used this as a purse too and I'm not even mad about it. 

Alright, now onto the reason behind this post- preparation. It's not always easy, nor is it as fun as hitting up a restaurant everyday for lunch- but I am telling you that it is worth the effort and sacrifice. Prepping your own lunches and snacks (and bringing them with you no matter where you go) can make a huge difference on your waistline and your pocketbook. When you plan, prep and bring healthy food for yourself, you'll be less tempted by fast food or other unhealthy stuff, which can definitely help you lose weight (I can attest to this! This is one of my first go-to weight loss tricks). Also- by bringing your lunches with you to work, you can save up to $1800 a year (according to Dave Ramsey). That's so much money! I would way rather spend that on something more fun than fast food. 

So you bring a lunch to work... what's next? 
This might sound a little silly or weird but pack your lunchbox even when you stay at home. If you put everything you're going to eat for the day (except dinner probably) in your box in the morning, you have NO excuse to hang out in the kitchen. The kitchen is a dangerous place to hang out in- a bite here and a bite there adds up. By having your set food for the day with you, you'll have a better chance of avoiding unplanned eating. Winning. 

Picked up a cute lunch box? I want to see! Hashtag your pics on instagram with #eatglitterblog and I'll check them out! 
PS- how sweet is that braid? My friend over at Urban Ombre Blog did it for me using the tutorial found here. Love me some good chunky braids! 

'Tis the season for all things pie and pumpkin- right? 
When I was younger I was not the biggest fan of pumpkin... it was okay but I wouldn't ever crave it. Then I grew up and my taste buds matured after massive inhalation of Great Harvest pumpkin spice bread (no chocolate for me!).
Now I am a lover of all that yummy pumpkin stuff. But instead of nomming on cookies and bread all day (I still eat them but I try to limit the amount of face stuffing so I don't end up to be 500 lbs), I make this delicious smoothie- it satisfies my need for pumpkin in a lower calorie way. Winnning. 

Ingredients: 

Directions: 

If you haven't ever done a cleanse before... go to Mend right now and sign up. Cleansing is challenging and very rewarding- but keep in mind that this isn't a quick weight loss trick or fad diet. The purpose of a cleanse is to detox and get your body plenty of nutrients. Seriously. This is not a drill, its the real deal. Its tough and will test your willpower to the max! 

Mend does a fabulous job of having everything ready to go- they've got every hour planned out for you (they send you with a nifty little schedule card). The thing is that you will probably experience some side affects on your cleanse, not including hunger :) 
-Dizziness
-Digestive issues 
-Headaches 
To me, these side affects either meant I was getting toxins out of my system or that I needed a few more calories for the day. If its the latter, broth and soup are amazing at getting in the needed calories while still giving your digestive system a rest. If its the former, try to sweat it out. Turn on a heater- take a hot bath- literally anything that will help get the toxins out faster! Water also helps A TON. 

There are some awesome benefits for having someone else prep your cleanse for you/buying a pre-made cleanse; knowing that you can just go pick it up and it will be in your fridge waiting for you is priceless! It also limits the amount of time that you have to spend in the kitchen and around food... I'm a big believer in 'out of sight, out of mind.' 
On the other hand, these cleanses can get pretty pricey. I try to wait for deals and coupons to come around but if you want to do a cleanse, and can't afford the pre-made ones, try juicing at home! Invest in a juicer just one time and you can enjoy the benefits whenever you please. I enjoy picking out my own recipes and creating new juices- I can pick and choose exactly what I want in my juices (for example- I HATE the taste of beets... the #4 Mend juice has beets. Usually they can substitute it for you if you make a special request but still). It is nice to control exactly what you want to drink. It will take time and effort but you can't have your cake and eat it too, right? 

I won't claim that I was perfect on this cleanse- progress is more realistic than perfection! I slipped up a couple of times- I hope the next time I do a 3-day cleanse, my willpower muscle will be stronger haha. Although, I will say that doing a cleanse when you can stay at home is SO MUCH EASIER. I can control the distractions in my own home... but when I am at work and other people are eating or drinking things that I shouldn't be, its extra tough. I did my cleanse from Sunday-Tuesday and Sunday was by far the easiest day. I could sleep/nap whenever I felt hungry or felt dizzy and the sleep always helped. 
Even though I did slip up, and even though it was really hard I felt a huge difference- especially in the restfulness of my sleep. I fell asleep quickly and slept really well. I LOVE that. There are so much perks when you baby your body. Literally- insane. It is easy to forget that you don't feel great when that is your everyday reality. When you give your body a taste of how it should feel- the difference is amazing. 

If you end up trying a cleanse or juicing on your own, I want to hear about it! One of these days I will do a post of my favorite at home juices so you can get some recipe ideas :) 

PS- if you end up doing a pre-made juice cleanse, save your bottles! They are awesome to reuse for your own juices and drinks! Plus you'll reduce your carbon footprint and we are all about taking care of the earth, right?