WHAT I EAT AND WHAT I DO TO STAY FIT IN MY FORTIES + $750 GIVEAWAY TO NORDSTROM

I do a post every year on what I eat and what I do to stay fit because I get a ton of questions from you all regarding this topic.  As I get older it honestly doesn’t seem any harder to stay fit as long as I keep eating clean and exercising.    There is no fast way or quick thing you can do to stay or get in shape – it’s not rocket science either, just exercise 3-4 times a week and eat clean and you’ll get there! I know it’s not easy and that the same thing doesn’t work for everyone.  Today I’m sharing what works for me and has worked for me most of my life.  I hope some of what I’m sharing today helps you or inspires you to stay fit or get fit!

SHOP MY LOOK:

HOW TO STAY FIT IN YOUR 40’S:

First, let me start by saying that the size I am is 90% due to what I eat, period.  I think that eating right and healthy is more important than exercise.  Don’t get me wrong, exercise is important, I work out 6 days a week, but it’s doesn’t have nearly as much to do with my size as eating does.

WHAT I EAT:

I basically eat the Paleo way, if you’ve ever heard of that way of eating it’s the best and really does work. It not only helps you lose or maintain a healthy weight, but it reduces your chances of getting sick.  I haven’t been sick in years, in fact I can’t remember the last time I was sick and had to go to the doctor.   I eat tons of vegetables (mostly raw) and lean proteins such as fish or chicken.  I’ll break it down for your even more and give you a list of what I eat on an average day:

BREAKFAST:

I make a protein shake every single morning no matter what, after I have my one cup of black coffee plain of course!  It ‘s what I eat every day for breakfast and have for the last like 10 years, except when I travel.  When I’m traveling I’ll usually eat a veggie omelet with little or no cheese and a side of bacon.

SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN FOR MY RECIPE OF THE DELICIOUS DAIRY-FREE AND GLUTEN FREE PROTEIN SHAKE I LITERALLY DRINK EVERY MORNING FOR BREAKFAST 

LUNCH:

I typically eat a salad full of spinach or spring mix lettuce with lots of raw veggies such as cucumbers, carrots, mushrooms, green peppers, and red onions topped grilled chicken or salmon.  I usually order my dressing on the side and only use half of it and will almost always get an Italian dressing or oil and vinegar.  I also love to get a juice from The Gem, it’s an amazing juice bar in Preston Center, I always get the “Green Glow”, it’s packed full of green veggies and so good for you!  I try and get one at least twice a week for lunch and will get the kale salad or a protein bar to go with it.

SNACK:

I snack on nuts a ton because they’re high in protein so they’re pretty filling, I buy the container of organic mixed nuts at Tom Thumb and they’re the best!  I also love to drink coconut water, especially after hot yoga, it’s so hydrating and refreshing!   I also eat gluten-free crackers with almond butter or celery sticks topped almond butter and goji berries.  Green apples and pineapple are a few of my favorite fruits to snack on.  I buy the best granola called “Purely Elizabeth“, it’s gluten-free and tastes sooooo good,  I literally eat it by the by the handful! I get it at Whole Foods or Tom Thumb.  Hard-boiled eggs are another healthy snack that I love to eat and fills me up.

DINNER:

I’ll usually have a small salad, fish or chicken, always grilled or baked, never fried, and a cooked vegetable of some kind like broccoli, asparagus, or mushrooms.  I don’t typically eat bread, rice or pasta.  Those are foods high in carbs so I try and stay away from them.

DESSERT:

This is my only vice when it comes to my eating habits, I have an enormous sweet tooth (just like my Dad) so I do allow myself to have one dessert a day and it’s usually a small one.  I love to eat dark chocolate covered almonds or raisins, a small piece of coconut pie or a simple chocolate chip cookie.  The key is not to eat too much of any dessert!  Some of my favorite desserts I eat when I go out are the banana parfait from Shensie and I love the chia seed pudding from True Foods which is one of my favorite restaurants, by the way, I always get the grilled chicken salad, it’s so good!

WHAT I DRINK AND DON’T DRINK: 

I drink water, 99% of the time, I don’t drink soft drinks, EVER.  I have one cup of coffee and I drink it black every morning, this might just be my favorite time of the day!  I hardly ever drink alcohol, I might have one glass of wine a week. There are a few reasons I don’t drink alcohol that much, first, it makes me feel bad the next day, yes even just one drink.  Second, it makes eating healthy foods harder because after a night of drinking I always want to eat salty or fried foods, not good!  Third, I don’t sleep well after drinking wine, I’m usually up for 2-3 hours in the middle of the night and it’s just not worth it.

I look at this way of eating as a way of life, not a diet.  It’s the way I eat 95% of the time.  It makes me feel good and that’s reason enough for me to do it!

MY EXERCISE ROUTINE:

Like I mentioned earlier I work out 6 days a week, it makes me feel good mentally more than anything so that’s a big reason why I do it so much.  I do hot yoga, specifically BIKRAM, 3-4 days a week and I highly recommend it!  It’s a 90-minute HOT yoga class in a room that’s 105 degrees so to say you sweat is an understatement.  I literally look like I took a shower every time I walk out of the room when the class is over, that’s how sweaty I get.  You do 26 postures, yes, the same 26 postures every time twice and it’s amazing!  I feel like a million dollars every time I finish one of these classes, they’re addicting, they’re that good!  You can get the full low down and learn more about all of the amazing health benefits you get from BIKRAM YOGA by clicking HERE.

I also play tennis 2 times a week which I love, it’s so enjoyable I don’t even feel like it’s a workout, but it is for sure!

I will try and get in a weight lifting class as well once or twice a week at the YMCA.  Here are some of the classes I do at the Y, I love Bodypump because it gives you an all over body workout by lifting light to medium weights.  I also love the class ‘HIT’ which is a 30-minute intense workout kind of like a boot camp.  You do cardio and lift light weights.  I really like it because you get a really good workout in only 30 minutes!

I love exercising and I do it because it makes me feel good mentally more than anything else!

Health and fitness are different for everyone, this is what works for me, but I realize this isn’t for everyone.  I hope this helps you and inspires you to do what you need to do to live a healthier lifestyle.  Please let me know if you have any questions, I’m always happy to help in any way that I can!

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Thank you so much for stopping by today, I truly appreciate all of you!

XOXO, Heather

ALO JACKET WEARING A SIZE XS // ALO BRA TOP WEARING A SIZE S // ALO LEGGINGS WEARING A SIZE XS SIMILAR  // APL SNEAKERS SIMILAR // VEGA PROTEIN POWDER

Recipe for my DELICIOUS AND HEALTHY SHAKE I DRINK EVERY MORNING FOR BREAKFAST: ( It’s dairy free, soy free, and gluten free)

1 scoop of  Vega protein powder – order yours here: VEGA PROTEIN POWDER

1/3 banana

1/4 cup of mixed frozen organic berries

1/2 cup of frozen organic spinach

3 ice cubes

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon – this keeps your blood sugar level

1/2 teaspoon of ginger – this strengthens your immune system among many other benefits

1 teaspoon of chia seeds

1 1/2 – 2 cups of coconut water – hands down the best form of hydration

1/2 tablespoon of organic peanut butter – this gives good taste and texture to the smoothie and it has protein which helps you stay full

Combine all of these ingredients in the blender and mix on high for 60 seconds. Enjoy!:))

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