MY FAVORITE EASY AND HEALTHY SNACKS TO STAY ON TRACK

Let’s admit it – eating healthy is hard and it takes a great deal of dedication and planning- but as with many things in life it is not impossible! With a little bit of creativity and planning we can set ourselves up for success. Over the last few years my diet has drastically improved – I think back to my high school days and just really wonder how I survived those years! My diet consisted of chips, pizza, ramen noodles and soda – it was not cute, it was not healthy and it was definitely not smart to eat that way but at the time I was truly not aware of the harm I was putting my body through. I really wish the school system did a better job at educating students on proper nutrition but that’s a topic for another day!

I began to educate myself on nutrition in college and slowly began to incorporate healthy foods into my diet and also began to exercise a couple of times a week. Over the years I have come to realize that while I can prepare healthy meals that I really enjoy my downfall is snacking. When I get hungry and do not have time to cook a healthy meal I tend to reach for an unhealthy snack. Which is usually (fun fact alert!) something chocolatey – I am a total sucker for anything chocolate!

In order to resist the ever present chocolate temptation I try to make sure I do not feel hunger in between meals so here is my list of my favorite easy and healthy go to snacks. Also, in addition to eating a healthy balanced diet I cannot stress enough how important it is to drink water throughout the day – I wrote a post on this topic – The Do’s and Dont’s of Keeping Your Body Hydrated – check it out for my top pieces on advice on that topic!

Roasted Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds

This snack probably takes the most time – no more than 2-3 minutes - to whip up and it is incredibly easy. All I do is grab a handful of pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas) and a handful of sunflower seeds and throw them onto a pan set on medium-high heat for a few minutes and mixing the seeds around to roast them on all sides. Important note: they both need to be in their raw form no added sugar and not pre-roasted.  Now, if you want to add some sea salt you can (I usually do) but you do not have to – this snack is super delicious even without the salt.

Clementines

Clementines are my favorite type of citrusy fruit I find them to have the perfect amount of natural sweetness and a great bite-sized snack. These little fruits are packed with great sources of minerals and nutrients like calcium, potassium, magnesium and vitamin C. All the elements that make up this fruit are great for the immune system, your skin and your digestion.

Coconut Chips

I came across some coconut chips in the checkout line at TJMaxx last year and decided to give them a try on a whim and boy I’m glad I did, they have the perfect crunch and what is even better is that the only ingredient in these is coconut, that’s it. The specific brand I have purchased these coconut chips in is www.thenutbox.com in case you are interested in checking them out.

Raw Cashews

Being allergic to many fruits and nuts I am limited to the type of nuts I can intake and cashews if one of them. What I cannot have (in their raw form) are almonds, pecans, pistachios or walnuts as long as these are roasted I can have them but I always proceed with caution. I really love to have raw cashews on hand all the time as I like to eat them by the handful and are always very filling. Also, cashews are a great source of copper, phosphorous, manganese, magnesium and zinc.

Coconut Vanilla Macaroons

These have been yet another TJMaxx checkout line find! Again they looked very good and I bought them on a whim these macaroons are vegan, raw and gluten free in addition to being made in small batches (I love anything and everything that is made in small batches!). Of course my all-time favorite macaroons are chocolate macaroons but these vanilla coconut ones definitely give those a run for their money. If you are interested in these coconut vanilla macaroons you can check them out at www.emmysorganics.com.

Cucumber Slices with lime

I have been eating this snack since I’ve had any recollection of memory. My mom used to make this for my sister and I as children and it has become a huge staple in my diet. All you need to do here is slice up as much or as little cucumber as you‘d like (I usually go for a regular sized cucumber) I then add lime juice from an entire lime and then add some salt (optional). AHHH my mouth is watering from just writing that! I know that not everyone likes sour foods but if you are like me and you do this snack is a must try!

What are your favorite easy and go to snacks to keep your food intake on track? Share below!

Six practical ways to give your mood an instantaneous boost

Ever wake up on the wrong side of the bed? I have. Sometimes there is nothing really “wrong” in your life but for some reason you may not feel as energized as the day before. I feel this way maybe a handful of times a year and there usually is not explanation for it. Overtime I have realized that this is totally normal and there is no need to worry because it is just temporary feeling. Whenever I feel this way, I do a few simple things in order to help lift up my spirits.

TAKE IN SOME VITAMIN D          

There is (scientifically backed) a direct correlation between the amount of Vitamin D in your body and how happy you feel. There are three main ways to feed your body the Vitamin D it needs – the food you eat, the supplements you take and the amount of exposure to the sun you take in. When I am in a not-so-great mood I grab a seat and take in the sun for no more than 30 minutes. And for those of you who are in the middle of winter right now (like me), no this does not only have to happen in the summer months – when it is cold outside I find a sunny spot by a window and simple feel the sun rays on your skin.

CALMING SCENTS

My all-time favorite thing to do is to light a candle (or two!). Good candle scents instantly boost my mood and having a candle lit truly relaxes me while also making my home smell divine, that is a win-win in my book! But, if in case you are not a candle person you can try incents – if you like muskier scents these may be a great option for you.

TAKE A WALK

Yes a good old walk will do the trick in getting you in a better mood. Something about getting the blood flowing in your body and breathing in some fresh air will re-energize your mind, body and soul from the inside out. Give it a try!

WATCH A MOVIE

Pop in your favorite movie! I have favorite movies in different genres but on not-so-good days I stick to my favorite comedies which are…Money Talks and The Devil Wears Prada. Now I know, these are not technically considered comedies but in my book they are J. My point here is to laugh whether it is a movie, a tv show or a book – whatever floats your boat.

HUG IT OUT

That’s right! Hug your mom, your dad, your sister, your brother, your dog… you get the gist. When I am not in a great mood I always hug my dog – Nina. She is cool with about 2 or three hugs, after that she needs her own space but something about hugging someone you love will always make you feel better. No question about it.

DO SOMETHING YOU LOVE

Do you like to draw, cook, sew, read books? Do anything you love to do and do it with passion, immerse yourself in whatever your favorite activity is and you will come out feeling refreshed and motivated.

How do you lift up your energy on your not-so-good days? What tips can you share with us?

7 FOOLPROOF WAYS TO STICK TO YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION

Every time the beginning of a New Year comes around people make New Year’s resolutions to begin doing things they should already be doing (YEP, I’m guilty of this!). One of the mistakes I have made in past years is setting too many resolutions and this causes too much change for a person to handle all at once. I am going to do things a little differently this year by committing to ONE resolution which is to eat healthier. However, that resolution is too broad and I know I will break that resolution in a matter of a week (if that!). So instead of simply stating that I will eat healthier in 2016 my resolution is to have one green smoothie every day.

In 2014, I went four solid months of drinking a green smoothie every…single…day but then I stopped. And why? Because I grew tired and bored of the same 2-3 recipes I was rotating. But a few weeks I found out of Simple Green Smoothie (through a podcast) who put on a green smoothie challenge every quarter. I went to their website and have been hooked to their recipes and conveniently enough their first challenge begins January 1, 2016! To make a long story short I am confident that I have found a way to make my new year’s resolution stick in 2016 and I’ll share the process I used to plan for a successful resolution.

Make one resolution

Think of something you are constantly telling yourself you are going to do whether it be to make your bed every morning, do at least 20 minutes of exercise very day, drink more water or start meditating – it is important to pick the one that will make the biggest difference in your everyday life.

Focus on what you want

Similar to the above tip, in order to keep your resolution you have to really think about what it important to you right now at this point in your life. Don’t simply pick a trendy resolution because everyone else is - because you and I both know that that resolution will be broken within the first 48 hours.

Keep your goal manageable

Once you decide on a resolution that is meaningful for you it is key that you to plan out how you will incorporate this into your everyday life. For example, say your goal is to read more you now need to make this manageable and to do this you can break it down to reading one book each month. But you have to get even more specific than that so the next step could be to plan on reading 20-30 minutes every day. See how I did that?!

Pros and cons list  

Make a list of the pros and cons of sticking and succeeding to your new year’s resolution. Keep this list handy all year – put it in your planner, on your fridge, keep it in your phone – whatever works best for you. Whenever you feel like skipping a day or if you feel like giving up whip this list out and read it out loud to yourself. I am sure this will light a fire under you again and keep you engaged with your goal.

Stay consistent

It takes 21 days to build a new habit, that’s it three weeks. In the grand scheme of things three weeks fly right by so stay consistent and give it your all for the first three weeks - I promise it will get easier from there on out. You will also feel an immense amount of satisfaction from which you will WANT to keep giving it your all.

Create a support team

No, you do not have to tell all of your friends about you resolution. In fact, I even recommend you do not tell all of your family and friends because chances are that you will find one or two naysayers and you do not need to invite any negativity. What I do recommend is that you pick one or two people in your life who have achieved a goal in the past – these people are more likely to keep you in a positive state of mind and keep you accountable.

Reward yourself

Set certain increments to reward yourself throughout the year whether it be once a month or once a quarter – you can go get a massage, a facial, a mani/pedi – anything that will leave you feeling good about yourself is the way to go.

Have you achieved a new year’s resolution in the past? If yes, how did you keep yourself accountable to it? Do share below!

4 MONEY LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED AFTER COLLEGE

I graduated college in 2010 and landed my first full time job about two months after graduation. Even at an entry level salary I thought I had “made it” but that ideology only lasted about a year until I realized that I needed to do more in the personal finance department. With that said, I still found a way to dig my student debt hole a little deeper when the little nerd that lives inside me decided she wanted to go back to school to earn a Master’s degree. So fast forward to about three and a half years after getting my Bachelor’s degree I also had a Master’s degree and a job where I had been promoted twice and my salary had almost doubled.  Yet, I still felt that my personal finance world was in need of some help.

Here was my situation: I had student loan debt that equaled my annual salary, I had a car loan that was about a third of my annual salary and I did not (and still don’t) have any credit card debt. I was fortunate enough to have parents that allowed me to move back home after college in order to focus on paying down my student loan debt. Also, here is an interesting fact, my monthly student loan payments equaled my parent’s monthly mortgage payments. YES, you read that correctly! Anyhow, I wish I knew some of the things I know now when I was a recent graduate.

Save, save, save

I wish I had gotten into the habit to save a percentage of each and every paycheck into a separate savings account. I now save 20% of each paycheck and I cannot tell you the difference that has made in terms of building a healthy emergency fund. Also, I recommend keeping this savings account in a bank separate from the one you use on a day to day basis.

Retirement savings

I did not contribute to my 401k for the first nine months of my first full time job and whenever I think back to that I kick myself! I know you have heard this advice over and over but it contributing to your 401k (or other retirement plan) is extremely important and the sooner you begin your contributions the better. And if your company has a matching program please, please take advantage of it.

Shop smarter

As a rookie full time employee with an entry level salary that seemed like a whole lot of money I definitely overspent on shopping for clothes, shoes, handbags and so on. I recently went through a closet detox where I felt like I was literally throwing cash money into trash bags! Side note: the clothes were donated. Now I think of quality over quantity and not only that but I also only buy clothing if there is either a promotion going on or if it is on sale. I worked at Banana Republic for 5 years so I know it is not worth it to pay full price for clothing.

Use credit cards wisely

I have one credit card, that’s it and I use it on a regular basis but I do not, I repeat, do not carry a balance on it. At one point a few years ago I had a balance of $600 and you all may laugh at me but I could hardly sleep at night knowing that I had an outstanding balance – I paid those 600 bucks as soon as I could and vowed to myself to not carry any credit card debt anymore. I believe the point of a credit card is to help you build your credit and not to use it to buy items with money you do not have. While it is tempting buy new and shiny items, it is not worth it.

What have you learned about money after college? What are some things you know now that you wish you knew then?