NEW BLOG LAUNCH | FASHIONABLY FLEXY

HI FRIENDS! I HAVE LAUNCHED A NEW BLOG AND WOULD LOVE YOUR SUPPORT! IT'S ALL ABOUT FITNESS FASHION AND ATHLEISURE STYLE. I WILL ALSO BE POSTING FIT FOOD RECIPES AND WORKOUTS. I WILL NOT BE POSTING TO THIS BLOG ANYMORE AS I WILL BE PUTTING ALL MY LOVE INTO FASHIONABLY FLEXY. XOXO, LINDSAY

WWW.FASHIONABLYFLEXY.COM

Scarlet and Grey

In honor of my team, The Ohio State Buckeyes! Heading to the National Championship!!

Add caption

Fashionably Fit: Fun and Stylish Workout Clothes!

Turkey Muffins

Happy Monday!

Last night I made some turkey muffins for the first time. I googled recipes but ended up kind of doing my own thing (they are all pretty similar). They turned out yummy- and best of all, they are healthy, and will help me get all my protein in for the day- which isn't easy. Plus, I get bored...so have to put a little effort in to make new recipes. So here's how I made them:

1 lb lean ground turkey
2 eggs (I used the whole egg, but you can use 3 whites if you're on a stricter diet).
1 Cup of croutons, crushed. Any flavor crouton will be good. Some recipes use oats instead.
Chopped yellow onion- I used about 1/4 of a large onion....but use as much or as little as you like.
Chopped green pepper- I used half a pepper... but use as much or as little as you like.
Chopped mushrooms- I probably used about 3/4 cup- but same thing, use what you like.
Garlic salt
Mrs Dash- original flavor
Pepper
*You can use any seasonings you like. I thought about using Italian seasonings or cajun salt for some spice, but kept it pretty simple.
*I'm thinking provolone or swiss cheese would be really good if you put it inside the turkey ball... but I wanted to keep these healthier.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Roll into balls and place in a cupcake pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Bake for 40-45 mins at 375 degrees. *The turkey balls don't really expand when baking, so you can make them larger to fit the cupcake inserts.

Jamie Eason has a good recipe online too. My recipe is similar to hers.

Enjoy!

My Top 5 Fitness Tips!

I'm often asked what my favorite exercises are or what my diet looks like. The truth is, when it comes to fitness, there are no magic supplements or quick fixes. There are, however, some basic rules/tips that will significantly impact results. You gotta start somewhere- and remember, perfection is not the key... Consistency is!! Here are my top 5 basic fitness tips:

1) DRINK 1 gallon of water per day. (You will be in the bathroom often!)

2) EAT 1 gram of protein per 1 lb. of body weight every day. That means if you weigh 140 lbs., you eat 140 grams of protein a day.

3) EAT 5-6 times a day. (I eat small meals at 8, 11, 2, 5, and 8. You have to prepare ahead for this.) Eating smaller meals this often keeps your metabolism working at it's highest, fat burning, potential. Don't go below 1,200 calories per day or eat 2 huge meals a day.

4) WORKOUT. Strength training is not only great for muscle growth and tightening, but muscle burns fat! Plus the curves they create are sexy! The treadmill is overrated! You can burn calories and keep your heart rate up through weight training. Your workouts should last 45 mins to an hour and you should be sweaty and exhausted by the end. Don't take long breaks between sets and lift HEAVY.  *Lifting doesn't make you bulky....cupcakes do.

5) Sleep! This is the best way to recover from workouts, burn fat, and reduce stress. 8-9 hours a night is optimal.

As you may have noticed- I mentioned nothing about restricting your diet or completely cutting out beer and ice cream. You can have those.... But if you are eating the proper amount of protein, everything else kind of falls into place. You are less hungry and have less desire to fill up on junk. If you are trying to lose weight- try to seriously restrict your alcohol.... But mainly, follow the 5 principles.
Getting and staying fit shouldn't be that complicated. It's actually very simple. These 5 principles may seem like common sense, but I promise- if you follow these tips for 3 months, you WILL see progress. It's all about consistency over time.

Peace and love!

Keep'n It Real

Every single day, I am at a high risk for failure. For regressing. For allowing laziness to beget laziness. It's just how it is....
I've been doing this for a year now, and sometimes I feel like a beginner. I have learned SO much- but the truth is, the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know in the areas of nutrition and lifting. When I started my journey to fitness, it was all about competing. That was the driving force behind my fitness transformation. Now, I am striving to make healthy living a lifestyle- with competing as a secondary perk. I love working out... But anyone who knows me, knows I love to eat. I struggle to make the right food choices during my 'off/ building season'. If there were maturity levels in fitness- I think I would be on the immature side. I have met so many competitors and fitness fanatics over the past year- and so many of them seem to have it all together in the area of food. They get healthy, make huge transformations, love the results, and all of a sudden are writing cookbooks on clean eating! (Well not really, but almost). I admire that- and hope I can become that way. I'm better now than when I started, but I'm definitely not a model of clean eating. Yes, eating clean makes you feel (and look) a lot better- and eating crap makes you feel (and look) like crap. But even with this profound discovery, I still catch myself walking down the candy aisle at Kroger, or ordering the worst option on the menu at a restaurant. You may regret it... but it tastes so good going down! lol.
Let's keep it real- we all struggle with this- some of us more than others. My name is Lindsay, and I am a recovering addict. I'm sure recovering alcoholics- even though they have experienced the 'dark side' and have also experienced the healthy, empowering side- still would love to have a drink! They don't pretend like they have no desire to ever do it again. I love healthy food, but I also love all the crap that is not good for you. (I know, this is an extremely inspiring blog post haha). It's not always glamorous. Scratch that- it's not usually glamorous. It's consistent hard work over time.
I will definitely never win an award for healthiest or most disciplined eater. Clearly, I have made big strides in this area of my life.... But honestly, I have a long way to go. I can't pretend like my life is changed and I will never eat at McDonalds again, or eat carbs before bed. Truth is- it's an ongoing struggle. Fitness maturity is gained over time and tested and perfected through experience.
Just thought I'd share some honest thoughts with you. If you're like me, staying fit and eating right is an ongoing challenge. We know it's well worth it in the end... But that doesn't make the daily grind any easier. Don't get discouraged. Don't give up. Make sure you surround yourself with people who support you and hold you accountable. Keep it real. Set goals. Try to have fun with it. And although it sucks- keep pushing yourself and don't stop until you accomplish your dreams! You deserve it. And remember, fitness is a journey- not a destination.
Peace and love ~ Linds

2013 NPC Northern Kentucky

I competed at the NPC Northern Kentucky on March 16th down in Cincinnati, OH (Covington). This competition is known as the largest one day show in the country- which usually means craziness and lots of waiting around and staying late. I was pleasantly surprised by the organization and efficiency of the competition. There were 4 open bikini height classes, with a total of around 125 bikini competitors. I went into this competition with no expectations (something I've learned to do over the past year), and this was going to be my last competition for awhile. The past year I went 'balls to the wall' and competed 6 times. I was in need of a break and some time to put on muscle and eat like a normal person. I was pretty happy to take 2nd in my class- which really was the toughest class (it usually is because my height class is between 5'4- 5'5 1/2). This was a good way to end my 'first season', and I am already working hard to improve for my next show- NPC National Championships in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl (November). Here are some pics from the show! Peace and love!! ~Linds