Eat This, Not That! (part 1)

This week, I wanted to share a few of my go-to diet hacks with you!  But first, I want to talk just briefly about “dieting” 

 It’s so important to remember first and foremost that with everything in life, BALANCE IS KEY.  This is especially important to remember when developing new eating habits. If you’re anything like me and love your sweets, fried food, extra cheese on everything please! … Let me just say that I understand your struggle!  Making small changes and enjoying the journey  is the only way to get long lasting results.

There are so many healthy alternatives out there today and I am so excited to share them with you all! Many of these items are now staples in my diet.  I didn’t make all of these changes overnight… it took a lot of time but it has been rewarding both physically and mentally.  I feel better, I’ve been able to maintain my weight loss and I attribute so much of that to making the changes below. Along with lots of juicing of course :)  Here is my special edition of “Eat This, Not That”  

Ezekiel VS. Whole Wheat 

Most people know that wheat bread is better than white bread.  There is a big difference between Sprouted Grain (Ezekiel Bread) Whole Wheat and White Bread.  Contrary to poplar belief, whole wheat isn't much better than white bread.  When you eat bread that is made with refined flour (which is most bread) your body processes it quickly like a sugar which throws off your blood sugar levels.  This causes a lot of people to gain weight and bloat.  Most whole wheat and white breads are loaded with preservatives, GMO's, added sugars, and. artificial flavoring and coloring.   

Sprouted Grain Bread (Ezekiel Bread): 

Contains NO FLOUR 

Technically is made from vegetables.  In order to sprout a grain, you soak it until it becomes a little plant! 

Easier to digest 

Is Gluten Free 

Contains more Protein 

I can't remember the last time I bought anything other than Ezekiel Bread.  Ezekiel offers a lot of other "bread like" products and I use them all... Sliced bread, hamburger buns, muffins, tortillas and more!   This an easy switch to make and it's nice because you eat carbs and bread... GUILT FREE! 

Earth Balance Butter VS. Butter or Margarine 

Earth Balance Butter is a dairy-free butter spread that contains NO artificial ingredients. It's made from expeller- pressed oils and has the same rich, creamy, taste and texture of regular butter.  It's Vegan, Lactose Free, Gluten Free,  0g Trans Fat, Casein Free,  and Non GMO.  I haven't stopped using this product since I first tried it years ago.  It's nice to put on toast, cook with, and more! 

Coconut Milk or Almond Milk VS. Milk 

Unsweetened milk alternatives (coconut and almond milk) contains less calories than cows milk.  For example, 1 cup of almond milk contains 40 calories per cup whereas skim cows milk contains 90 calories.  Cows milk also contains a higher amount of carb.  In a cup of cow's milk, there are around 12 grams of carbs whereas unsweetened almond milk contains less than 1 carb per cup.  Almond milk is right in heart healthy polyunsaturated fats while cows milk is mostly saturated fat.  Both almond and coconut milk are delicious.  It may take some getting use to at first if you are one who loves their glass of milk but your heart, health, and tummy will thank you!  You can enjoy a glass guilt-free, pour of over cereal, use it in a smoothie, cook/ bake with it and more! 

Eat Pastry Cookie Dough VS.  Regular Cookie Dough

If there's one thing I can't live without.. it's cookies... and cookie dough.  I discovered Eat Pastry awhile ago and since then it's my favorite treat to pick up on the weekends.  This is a great guilt-free dessert and I promise that you will be impressed with the taste! 

Eat Pastry is: 

Vegan 

Gluten Free 

Organic 

No: dairy, eggs, cholesterol, artificial flavors, or hydrogen oils.  

Other products: Chocolate chip cookie dough, peanut butter cookie dough, oatmeal raisin chocolate chip, sugar cookie dough, and snickerdoodle.  

Quinoa VS. Brown Rice

Brown rice is often thought of as the healthy alternative but Quinoa has been giving brown rice a run for it's money when it comes to being the healthiest grain.  

Quinoa has : 

More Protein 

Less Carbs 

More Fiber 

More Magnesium 

More Iron 

More Potassium 

More Zinc 

Digests easier 

Naturally Gluten Free 

Packed with Nutrients 

Low Glycemic Index 

Benefits for Metabolic Health  

Alternative uses:  Fried "Rice",  Quinoa Cookies, Hot "Oat" Quinoa Cereal, Quinoa Breakfast Pancakes, Salads, Cakes and Fritters, Quinoa Bites, Quinoa Burgers, Quinoa "Tater" Tots, and more. 

Please keep in mind that these are simply my personal suggestions formed from my own experiences with my weight loss journey.  Making these small changes worked for me.  I have been able to maintain the 40 lbs I lost by sticking to these changes I made in my diet.  I was always a big yo-yo dieter... I would try something for a few months and then revert back to my old eat habits.  This is why it was so important for me to find healthy alternatives that I could use for the rest of my life! 

I can't wait to share part 2 with you later this week! 

Always keep striving to become the best version of yourself and make the most out of the last few months we have left this year! 

xoxo 

Ashley 

Sparkling Green Detox Smoothie

I’m a huge fan of this smoothie!  I try to have 1 serving for breakfast every morning. Green drinks look intimidating at first but I promise, they aren’t as bad as they look and they are FANTASTIC for you!  Drinking the Sparkling Green Detox Smoothie is an easy way to sneak more fruits and veggies into your diet.  I personally like to make one big batch at a time and keep the leftovers in my refrigerator, in mason jars.  This provides a way for to me to grab a quick breakfast when I’m on the go.  I enjoy starting my day with this delicious drink because it kicks off my day with a healthy mindset, it fills me up, and it gives me enough energy to get through my busy schedule! 

Sparkling Green Detox Smoothie 

1 cup of Water 

1 cup of spinach 

1 cup of Kale 

Handful of parsley

Handful of Dandelion Greens 

1 Pear 

Juice of 2 lemons 

Directions: 

BLEND greens with water 1st, followed by blending the pear and lemon in with the greens.  

NOTE:  This recipe is intended to make a smoothie with a blender.  If you want to make Sparkling Green Detox Juice, simply double the ingredients. 

Other variations of Sparkling Green Detox Smoothie: 

1 cup of Water 

1 cup of Spinach 

1 cup of Kale 

1 Granny Smith Apple

Juice of 2 Lemons 

1 cup of Water 

2 cup of Spinach 

1 Granny Smith Apple

1 Banana 

Juice of 2 Lemons and 2 Limes 

1 cup of Water 

2 cup of Spinach 

1 Granny Smith Apple

1 Pear 

Juice of 2 Lemons and 2 Limes 

NOTE:  These recipes are intended to make a smoothies with a blender.  If you want to make Sparkling Green Detox Juice, simply double the ingredients. 

Smoothie Benefit Breakdown: Why is this good for you? 

Why Parsley? 

I know adding parsley to a smoothie sounds weird but the truth is, you can’t even taste it when blended with the right fruits and vegetables.  Parsley is rich in antioxidants, chlorophyll, vitamin C, antioxidants, and much much more.  So, what does that mean?  It acts as a natural diuretic while cleansing the blood, and body.  

Why Dandelion Greens? 

The dandelion plant is EXTREMELY powerful.  This plant is filled with fiber, which helps move waste out of the body, contains vitamin C and B6, calcium, iron, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, copper, and magnesium… just to name a few.  Dandelion greens are low in calories, loaded with antioxidants, and help cleanse and detox the body.  They also have a high amount of protein per serving in comparison to spinach lettuce. It’s been said that dandelion greens contains anti-inflammatory properties, which helps with bloating.  

Why Pears and Apples? 

By adding 1 pear or apple to your smoothie, you can mask the earthy taste of the greens.  Your goal should be to use less and less fruits as time goes on  (to lower the sugar content)  but these recipes provide a great starting point! 

I challenge you to start your mornings off with the #SparklingGreenDetoxSmoothie 

We still have a few months left of 2015… Let’s make them our healthiest months yet! 

Cheers!!! 

XoXo, Ashley 

July Resolutions

New Year's in July

Can you believe that we only have about 5 months left of 2015?! ... Neither can I!  This year has flown by! (I feel like I say that every year) Now, I have another question... Have you stuck with your New Year's resolution? Or better yet,  do you remember the resolution you made almost 7 months ago?  

If you answered no to one or both of those questions, I have good news for you! We still have 27  weeks left of this year and that's plenty of time to create your own fresh start!  There's no rule that says you can only start over on January 1st or on Monday or at the beginning of any month.  One of my favorite quotes is, “A year from now you may wish you had started today.” 

Whether you are trying to lose weight or just trying to start living a healthier lifestyle you have to “Sacrifice what you are, for what you will be become” –Eric Thomas.  I think THE most important thing a person can do when starting this journey is to remember that it is a JOURNEY.  It’s a process and it’s far from easy, but it’s completely possible to achieve those dreams and goals.  There will be good days and there will be bad days, there will be easy days and there will be hard days, but a year from right now will you be so happy that you started today.

So, I think the big question here is how do create a game plan and stick with it... for more than a few weeks!  

Here are a few ways that I personally go about making my dreams, my reality.  

Game Planning

It’s so important to sit down and actually take the time to write out your goals.  “A goal without a plan is just a wish” There is something about writing your goals down on paper that makes them so much more realistic.  I highly encourage you to do this! Once you have your goals written out, hang them somewhere so that you can look at them everyday! I have mine on my bathroom mirror and I read them every morning while I brush my teeth.  I also like to set mini goals.  If my ultimate goal is to drop 10lbs by a certain month I will divide the pounds by the amount of weeks I have and then I will set mini dead lines.  For example:

Let’s say you weigh 160, You want to weigh 150 by Christmas... 

Which means you want to lose 10 lbs in 5 months.  That would mean you should set a goal of losing 2 pounds a month, or .5 a week.

 I like to make mini deadlines so every two weeks I would set a different goal.  This
helps keep you on track and holds you accountable. 

I also like to sit down on Sundays and write out my meal plan.  I mean like, to the T! Every meal and every snack down to the portions! If you do this, there will never be any question on what you are going to eat, leaving minimal room for error! We fall off of our diets when we’re confused and unprepared.

Create A Dream Board

I know this may sound like a silly and tedious task but I am telling you it’s so worth it! (and it can be fun!)  Make a copy of your goals and paste them into the middle of a blank poster board.  Once you have done that go thru magazines and cut out anything that inspires you! It could be a quote, a food item, or maybe someone’s physique.  I also like to print out pictures of people who are close to me that inspire me.  Giving your dream an actual vision is a powerful thing! Hang your poster in a place where you can look at it everyday and constantly be reminded of why your making
these changes!

Balance is KEY

We all get discouraged at times.  It’s just a part of the journey.  Getting discourage can hit us out of nowhere and sweep us right off of our feet!  These are the times we have to remember why we started in the first place.  If you fall off track with your diet… it’s not the end of the world. It’s so important to take BABY STEPS.  If you eat healthy for one day, you are not going to see results immediately (very unfortunate, I know) it’s a process that takes time.  And likewise, if you have been eating very healthy… one “bad meal” will not cause you to gain 10lbs.  If you end up cheating at lunch that doesn’t mean you have to cheat for dinner as well.  Someone once said to me, “If you dropped your phone on the floor, would you keep smashing it until it was completely broken?”  Of course my answer was no, and their reply was, “Well then why would you do that with your diet?”  It’s something that we all do at times… We have a slice of pizza that we weren’t intending to have and we think “well I already cheated… now where’s the dessert?!”  There will be days when you give in but that doesn’t mean you should give up.  Keep going, keep striving, keep dreaming, and keep reaching to achieve those goals!

 I hope you all have a wonderful, wonderful week! 

xoxo

-Ashley

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My slim down secrets

My slim down secrets 

Hello everyone!!! I’ve had a few people ask what supplements I use and how I get ready for pageants.  I thought on today’s blog, I would share some of my favorite products and slim down secrets.  

I’m a huge advocate for using products that are 100% natural.  I don’t use any protein powders, pre-work, fat burners etc.  I know a lot of people swear by those things,a but I prefer to use products that are 1. all natural and harmless 2. I can use for the rest of my life.  Trial and error with other “diets” lead me to the conclusion that I wanted to start a lifestyle that didn’t have “use for 8 weeks and then stop” expiration date.  On top of juicing and eating an all natural diet, there are a few things I think help to shed those last few pounds and really help with de-bloating.  I bloat like crazy… If eat something that has a lot of sodium, you can tell the next day, so I have done quiet a bit of research on how to naturally drop water weight.  These are a few things that work for me! 

1. Dandelion Root 

Dandelion Root is like magic! It serves as a digestive aid and flushes waste, salt, and water out of the kidneys which significantly helps with bloating.  Dandelion reduces inflammation throughout the body, is rich in antioxidants, regulates blood sugar levels, and boosts the immune system. 

You can purchase dandelion root at most health food stores.  It comes in a tea form and in a pill form.  I prefer the pill form because I find it to be more potent, however I like both! 

2. Epsom Salt Bath 

Epsom salt baths are the bomb.com You’ve probably heard to take one when you’re sore, but if you happen to be feeling like you're carrying a little extra water weight… these bad boys will do the trick! 

I prefer to use warm-hot water and soak for about 30-45 minutes.  I use anywhere from half a bag to a whole bag and I love the Dr. Teals brand.  I typically buy it at Target and my favorite is the lavender! 

3. Magnesium 

Magnesium is an incredible mineral.  There are a lot of foods that have a high magnesium content, but I take the pill form daily. It helps digest proteins, carbohydrates, and fats among several other things! 

4. Digestive Enzymes 

Taking a digestive enzymes to help with digestion is like hiring workers for a large task inside the body. Digestive enzymes help fight to keep your gut healthy.  They break down our food and help us absorb properly.  If you feel bloated or constipated, enzymes could be your saving grace! (pictured below are women's digestive enzymes because that's what I use but there are men's available as well)

5.  Probiotics 

Probiotics help with overall digestive management! Keeping your gut clean is important when trying to lose or maintain weight.  

6. Cranberry Tea 

Cranberry has a lot of powerful benefits.  This superfood is even more delicious in a tea form and filled with vitamins and antioxidants.  Cranberry tea helps flush the kidneys, liver, and burns fat by removing toxins from the body.  It can also help increase the metabolism depending on how much your drink. It’s good stuff!!! 

7.  Dry Sauna 

Do whatever you can to sweat! Sitting in a sauna induces sweating significantly which in return rids the body of waste products.  You will be getting rid of toxins and shedding excess water weight.  I love sitting in the dry sauna at the end of my workout. I always feel great when I leave the sauna!  

8.  Juicing 

Of course, I am a huge believer in juicing.  If you are looking to drop a few pounds for any reason, I highly suggest adding more fruit and veggie juices to your diet.  Fruits and veggies have an unlimited amount of nutrients that heal the body from the inside out. Juices also have a very low sodium content which helps when trying to de-bloat.  

Because these supplements are all natural, you can incorporate your favorites into your daily or weekly routine!  I personally use about half of these product on a daily basis.  A lot of excess weight is stored in the gut which is why it’s so important to always keep things moving.  I highly recommend finding a good probiotic and digestive enzyme to take regularly.   You can buy the majority of these at health food stores like Whole Foods.  

XoXo
Ashley 

reFRESHing Homemade Lemonades

It's Thursday... and I'm thirsty!! 

There is nothing more refreshing than a cool glass of lemonade on a hot summer day.  The problem is,  most lemonade is anything but FRESH.   Most pre-made lemonades are filled with preservatives, chemicals and flavor enhancers.  Making your own fresh lemonade is simple! Today I am going to share a few of my favorite variations! 

Replenish and Hydrate with these DELICIOUS summer recipes! 

Honey Lemonade: 

6-8 lemons which should make 1 Cup of fresh juiced lemon juice

1 1/2 Cups of  hot water 

1/2 Cup of Honey (preferably fresh local honey)

Pour everything into a heat-proof pitcher.  Stir until honey is dissolved.  Place the pitcher in the fridge  and let it cool before serving. 

Low Calorie Lemonade: 

6-8 lemons which should make 1 Cup of fresh juiced lemon juice

1 1/2 Cups of water

1/2 teaspoon of Stevia 

Stir all ingredients together in a pitcher and serve over ice.

Agave Lemonade: 

6-8 lemons which should make 1 Cup of fresh juiced lemon juice

1 1/2 Cups of  hot water 

1/2 Cup of Agave 

Pour everything into a heat-proof pitcher.  Stir until agave is dissolved.  Place the pitcher in the fridge  and let it cool before serving. 

Strawberry Lemonade: 

6-8 lemons which should make 1 Cup of fresh juiced lemon juice

1 Cup of fresh juiced strawberries 

1 1/2 Cup of water

Stir all ingredients together in a pitcher and serve over ice.

Spicy Lemonade: 

 6-8 lemons which should make 1 Cup of fresh juiced lemon juice

1 1/2 Cups of water

A few dashes of cayenne pepper 

2 Tablespoons of Agave 

Pour everything into a heat-proof pitcher.  Stir until agave is dissolved.  Place the pitcher in the fridge  and let it cool before serving. 

Sparkling Lemonade: 

This is a great replacement for soda and diet soda drinkers* 

6-8 lemons which should make 1 Cup of fresh juiced lemon juice

2 Cups of Sparkling Water 

1/2 teaspoon of Stevia 

Stir all ingredients together in a pitcher and serve over ice.

I hope you enjoy these summer lemonade recipes! 

Xoxo 

Ashley 

Pageant Live Interview

This past weekend I had the privilege of being interviewed by Pageant Live about being Miss New Mexico World 2015 and Miss World America which will be held on July 4th in Washington DC! 

I am so honored to be representing the Land of Enchantment! 

I hope you enjoy this video! 

xoxo 

Ashley 

Last Minute Summer Slim Down Secrets

With June right around the corner (7 days to be exact!) you may looking for an emergency weight loss plan.  Well, look no further! Here are a few of my all time favorite & simple slim down secrets. 

7 Day Challenge 

1.  Start your morning off with 1 cup of warm lemon water.

Lemon water helps reduce inflammation, aids digestion, cleanses your system, and helps with weight loss. 

2.  Drink a green juice for breakfast.  (Make with JUICER)

2 cups of Spinach 

2 cups of Kale 

1 loose cup of Parsley 

2 Pears (or 3 Medium pears)  

1 Lemon 

Each night our bodies detox naturally.  By starting our morning off with lemon water, followed by a detox juice, we are prolonging that process.  It's important to continually detox rather than playing red light, green light with our bodies.  

3. Throughout the day sip on dandelion root tea.  It helps remove bloat.

4. Drink a glass of watermelon juice for morning snack. 

Not only are watermelons in season, but they are full of antioxidants, a great source of potassium, low in calories and high in nutrients.  The best part about watermelon juice is that it's loaded with amino acid citrulline which breaks down fat cells. Watermelons have a high water content so you will be able to make a lot of juice! 

5. Enjoy a refreshing salad for lunch.  

Fall in love with creating the perfect crunchy, yet healthy lunch! Keep it light and try to stay away from dairy and croutons (or any bread toppings) The last thing you want to do is have a four course meal with a side of lettuce.  My go to salad recipe is: 

Organic Lettuce 

Shredded Carrots 

Shredded Purple Cabbage 

Cherry Tomatoes 

Sunflower Seeds 

Kalamata Olives 

Olive Oil Balsamic Dressing 

6. Mid Afternoon Snack Choices: 

Laura Bar (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, Organic)

Kale Chips (My favorite brand is Alive & Radiant) 

or 1 Slice of Ezekiel Bread 

7.  Have a green smoothie for dinner.

This may be hard for some.  I know the concept of not eating but drinking dinner is frightening, but remember that this challenge is only 8 days.  There 357 other nights to enjoy a sit down meal :) I recommend finishing your day with a green smoothie for a few reasons.  The first being that in order to get results- it's important start and end our day with foods that hold high detoxing properties. The second reason is that the fiber from the smoothie will not only keep you full, but the fiber will also help push/flush out the system.  This last step is vital in order to shed excess weight and drop any bloat. 

Green Smoothie:
1 cup of water 

2 Cups of spinach 

2 Cups of romain lettuce 

1/2 Banana 

1 Green Apple or 1 Pear 

1 Lemon 

After just one day of following this plan you should start to feel more energized and lighter.  Like I said earlier, this challenge is only 7 days!  You can do absolutely anything for 7 days! Kick off your summer feeling your best!

I was asked the other day what supplements I take and what I products I use.  After I started juicing over two years ago, I stopped using any kind of supplement or artificial products simply because when I started eating fresh, clean foods.. the weight started melting off my body.  Before, I was drinking protein shakes regularly and taking all kinds of different and harmful things- AND I wasn't getting the results I wanted.  However, when I started juicing regularly and feeding my body natural foods, I started losing weight.  Everyone is different- finding what works for YOU is always going to be a learning process, but juicing and eating naturally is what worked for me.   

A few natural products I love: 

Dandelion root tea: natural diuretic 

Probiotic: Keeps your gut healthy; improves digestive system  

Digestive Enzymes: Facilitates the breakdown of food  

Magnesium: Mineral that helps digest proteins, carbohydrates, and fats

Smooth Move Tea:  Herbal tea that promotes digestion 

All of these can purchased at health food stores such as Whole Foods & Sprouts.  I highly recommend taking and using these during the 7 day challenge! I am going to be starting the challenge tomorrow... Send me a message and let me know if you will me joining me! 

Instagram: RealAshleyMora 

Twitter: RealAshleyMora 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/missnewmexicoworld 

Xoxo 

Ashley Mora