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Life of a Night Owl

~ An eclectic collection of life, love, food, and health.

Life of a Night Owl

Tag Archives: Shopping

No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars!

10 Thursday Oct 2013

Posted by aneris91 in Ash's Updates, Bettering my Body, Food and Recipes, General Updates

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chocolate, dad, DIY, exercise, Facebook, food, how-to, life, nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp, no bake, peanut butter, restaurants, Shopping, yummy, yummy recipe

Hey all!!! Sorry For the long delay in posts. For those who don’t know, I have recently relocated (once again) to Washington State from Florida. It’s been quite a full load!! Got a little (ok a lot) lax with my workouts, but am planning on starting up a couple new challenges once I get moved in to my own place! In the mean time I’ve been trying to at least do a few push-ups, squats, and crunches in the meantime as to not get rusty 🙂 I also found a great kettle-bell workout! It’s killer on the arms, legs, and core!

500-rep-kettle-bell-workout

Hope you enjoy! Be sure to check out Pumps and Iron for some more fun stuff!!

But onto the main event!!

No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars!

pb-2

So Good! So Easy! And sooooo for a cheat day or party!! haha but seriously it’s fantastic and easy. It’s a great recipe to cook with kids due to its simplicity!

IMG2033

Just start with 1 cup of melted butter

IMG2034

Add 2 cups of crushed graham crackers (or crumbs)

IMG2035

Then add 2 cups of powdered sugar

IMG2036

And finally 1 1/2 cups of creamy peanut butter

IMG2037

Give them a nice mix (you can also use a food processor to achieve a smoother texture. I liked that the graham crackers were still a little crunchy)

IMG2038

Then smooth the mixture into a lightly buttered 9×13 (This is what I used, but I think a smaller dish such as a 9×9 would work for a thicker bar)

For the topping

IMG2039

Use 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter

IMG2040

and about 10oz of chocolate (crushed, crumbled, chips, or otherwise broken up)

I missed this step so here's a cute pic of my dog sleeping :-)

I missed this step so here’s a cute pic of my dog sleeping 🙂

Melt it in the microwave for about 1 min (continue to heat in 10 sec increments if it needs more time)

IMG2041

Spread it as evenly as possible on top of the peanut butter mixture.

IMG2042

Chill in the fridge for at least an hour, cut, and enjoy!!

 

I hope you all like it and would love to know if you give it a try!

 

~Ashley<3

 

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Crockpot Apple Butter!

30 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by aneris91 in Ash's Updates, Ash's Weight Loss Journey, Bettering my Body, Food and Recipes, General Updates

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Tags

5 hours, affles, apple, apple butter, apple peeler corer slicer, apple sauce, applebutter, apples, applesauce, Arts, bearded dragon, beauty, bistcuits, butter, caramel apple, cardio, caterpillar, cinnamon, cleanse, cloves, Combination Skin, crackers, crock pot, dad, diet, dieting, diets, DIY, exercise, Facebook, fiji, food, foozy, frozen strawberries, fruit, fuji, fuzzy, gala, gamera, gaming, GM Diet, golden delicious, granny smith, green, health, healthy-living, honey, honey flavor, how-to, immersion blender, iscuits, Jillian Michaels, life, loves, Makeup, mom, nature, nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp, New Skin Products, nutmeg, pampered chef, pancakes, pink lady, potato peeler, product testing, red delicious, restaurants, saltines crackers, Shopping, smoothie, smoothies, social media, south, southern, style, toast, tutorial, veggies, washington, washington apples, water, Weight loss, work out

Our readers from the south most likely know exactly what I’m talking about! (And maybe our readers up north! haha) But for those who are looking at the title and scratching their heads, Apple butter is a highly concentrated form of apple sauce, produced by long, slow cooking of apples with cider or water to a point where the sugar in the apples caramelizes, turning the apple butter a deep brown. The concentration of sugar gives apple butter a much longer shelf life as a preserve than apple sauce. It’s great on fresh biscuits, toast, pancakes, waffles, saltines/crackers, and really just about anything you want. And the kicker?

It’s so easy!!

Start with about 5-15 apples, any type

I used Red Delicious because that's what I happened to have, but playing with your varieties can give you different flavors!

I used Red Delicious because that’s what I happened to have, but playing with your varieties can give you different flavors!

Then peel,

I prefer to use my pampered chef Apple-Peeler-Corer-Slicer, but it is in a box in the garage! lol

I prefer to use my pampered chef Apple-Peeler-Corer-Slicer, but it is in a box in the garage! lol

But the potato peeler is awesome too

But the potato peeler is awesome too

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Core and chop

They look like potatoes!

They look like potatoes!

Add cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and honey (or your choice of sweetener)

I used probably about 3-5 tbsp of cinnamon (add more or less per your preference) a few sprinkles of each nutmeg and cloves, and maybe 3 tbsp of honey. Flavor to your liking!

I used probably about 3-5 tbsp of cinnamon (add more or less per your preference) a few sprinkles of each nutmeg and cloves, and maybe 3 tbsp of honey. Flavor to your liking!

Then put on low for at least 5 hours.

I forgot to get a pic of this step so here's my brother's Bearded Dragon, Gamera :-)

I forgot to get a pic of this step so here’s my brother’s Bearded Dragon, Gamera 🙂

Then blend to your chosen consistency

Here's where an immersion blender comes in handy!!

Here’s where an immersion blender comes in handy!!

Let cool and enjoy!!

 

I absolutely love this recipe and in a mason jar, makes a great gift for the holidays!

I hope you all enjoyed! If you try it, let me know how it turns out!!!

Foozy caterpillar ish foozy

Foozy caterpillar ish foozy. As my dad found out the hard way, DON’T PICK THESE ONES UP!!! 

Good Night and Much Love!

~Ashley<3

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Inside-Out Caramel Apples!

25 Sunday Aug 2013

Posted by aneris91 in Ash's Updates, Ash's Weight Loss Journey, Ashley's Tips, Bettering my Body, Food and Recipes, General Updates

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98rock, alien ant farm, apple, apples, Arts, avory, babies, beauty, caramel, caramel apple, caramels, cardio, cleanse, dad, dessert, diet, dieting, diets, DIY, dogs, easy, exercise, Facebook, food, frozen strawberries, fruit, gaming, GM Diet, health, healthy-living, how-to, huller, inside out, inside out caramel apple, kraft, leeloo, life, lucy, mom, nature, nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp, newmom, pant size, pinterest, quick and easy, restaurants, Shopping, social media, style, technology, transportation, tutorial, twins, veggies, walk, water, Weight loss, work out, workout, yoga and pilates

Hello all! Sorry for the hiatus, I’ve been super busy going through my stuff in storage! Also been spending some time with a good friend of mine who just had twins!!

Avory (left) and Kaylie (right) only a few minutes old!

Avory (left) and Kaylie (right) only a few minutes old!

Miss Kaylie at two weeks :-)

Miss Kaylie at two weeks 🙂

Miss Avory at two weeks

Miss Avory at two weeks

They are growing up fast already ^_^ I also had the pleasure of going to 98Rock’s Big Night Out in St. Pete with my dad. That was a lot of fun…except we got rained out and didn’t get to see the last two bands lol but I got to meet Alien Ant Farm, so it was a pretty successful day I’d say!

Big Night Out 2013

Big Night Out 2013

My self with Alien Ant Farm

My self with Alien Ant Farm

With a human advert for the band SnapM

With a human advert for the band SnapM

 

It was a lot of fun actually!! haha A quick update, I’m down to only 60lbs from my goal weight and back in a 14/16 pant size. I got really lax with my eating and exercising and gained about 15 pounds, so I’m really excited that I’ve taken it back off.

I feel sexiest after a workout!

I feel sexiest after a workout!

Princess Lucy!

Princess Lucy!

Leeloo likes to rub her face in the grass...this is what happens!

Leeloo likes to rub her face in the grass…this is what happens!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love being able to walk the dogs, because it forces me to get out and move, and I’ve started running again to train for my first 5k! Lucy is loving gong running with mama! hehe

Anywho!! I thought I’d post a super delicious recipe that I found on pinterest and decided to give it a shot a couple weeks ago! Inside Out Caramel Apples!!!

Start with:

Two Apples (I'd recommend a tarter apple such as a fuji, gala, or granny smith)

Two Apples (I’d recommend a tarter apple such as a fuji, gala, or granny smith)

One bag of Kraft Caramels (14 or 16oz I believe)

One bag of Kraft Caramels (14 or 16oz I believe)

Any flavor granola, I used this one because I happened to have it on hand

Any flavor granola, I used this one because I happened to have it on hand

Then,

Put all of the caramels into a pot and add 1 tbsp of water then turn to med heat, stirring constantly

Put all of the caramels into a pot and add 1 tbsp of water then turn to med heat, stirring constantly

Once that gets going,

Cut the apples in half and scoop out the insides, brush with lemon/lime juice to prevent browning (I didn't brush them quick enough hehe)

Cut the apples in half and scoop out the insides, brush with lemon/lime juice to prevent browning (I didn’t brush them quick enough hehe)

I used a strawberry huller to scoop the insides, it worked really well actually

I used a strawberry huller to scoop the insides, it worked really well actually

Be sure to keep and eye on the caramels too!

Take your granola,

Crush the crap outta them!! The slap chop thing-a-majig worked perfectly

Crush the crap outta them!! The slap chop thing-a-majig worked perfectly

This is a perfect crunched-up-ness

This is a perfect crunched-up-ness

Once the caramels are melted,

Perfect consistency

Perfect consistency

Pour it slowly and evenly into the apple halves

Pour it slowly and evenly into the apple halves

VERY carefully!!

VERY carefully!!

Poy-Fect!

Poy-Fect!

Then top,

Add as much or as little as you want!

Add as much or as little as you want!

Yum!

Yum!

And Enjoy!!

They're pretty messy!

Inside Out Caramel Apple!

I will definitely be making these again!!

Anyways! I hope you all enjoyed! Let me know if you make it and how it turns out! These are super easy and guaranteed to please even the pickiest eater!

:-)

🙂

Goodnight and Much Love my fellow Night Owls!!!

~Ashley<3

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Body After Baby

17 Saturday Aug 2013

Posted by aneris91 in Bettering my Body, Food and Recipes, General Updates, Health and Beauty

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baby, baby body, baby workout, beauty, c-section, cardio, celebrity mom, cleanse, crossfit, diet, dieting, diets, DIY, exercise, Facebook, food, frozen strawberries, fruit, GM Diet, health, healthy-living, how-to, Jillian Michaels, life, mom, mother, nap time, nature, nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp, post baby, postpartum, pre baby body, prebaby, restaurants, Shopping, smoothie, social media, style, veggies, water, Weight loss, work out, workout, yoga and pilates

So I’ve seen a lot of buzz online about these new celebrity mom’s and how by the time baby pictures finally surface (usually about a week or two later), they’re back to their fit pre-baby bodies.

1805 alessandra-ambrosio pink1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, ladies, this is possible, but it may take a little longer than Hollywood shows it to be (what do you mean not everything in Hollywood is real??) Most of those mom’s have access to a lot of resources that the average woman doesn’t, i.e. personal trainers, chefs, nannies, etc. But you can have your pre-baby body back, and even get into better shape! It just takes some dedication and killer timing!!

For example, when baby is asleep!!

Here are a few naptime routines from sheknows.com

Lotta Tabata

Tabata is a great way to get your heart rate up in a very short period of time. You do 20 seconds of hard, intense work, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Each Tabata consists of eight intervals for a total of four minutes work. You work at your level and take breaks as needed. Tabatas are a more advanced form of exercise, but they can be adapted to all fitness levels.

Perform each each four-minute Tabata by doing eight rounds of 20 seconds work followed by 10 seconds rest.

  • Tabata #1: Pushups
  • Tabata #2: Squats
  • Tabata #3: Burpees
  • Tabata #4: Plank

Cardio blast

For this workout, you do each exercise for one minute and complete the workout as a circuit with one exercise after another. The cardio blast workout gets your heart rate pumping and keeps it elevated for the 20-minute workout for maximum calorie burning.

Repeat series four times. Perform each exercise for one minute.

  • Mountain climbers
  • Butt kicks
  • Jump rope
  • Burpees
  • Rest

Full body

Incorporating weight training is an effective way to help lose those last stubborn pounds. All you need for this workout are dumbbells.

Repeat series two to three times. Do 10 to 12 reps of each exercise.

  • 1 Minute jump rope
  • Biceps curls
  • Triceps kickbacks
  • Pushups
  • Dumbbell rows
  • Squat
  • Lunge
  • 1 Minute plank

Belly slimmer

As moms, one of the areas we are most focused on improving is our stomach. These exercises target each area of your abs and help to whittle your middle.

Repeat series two to three times. Perform each exercise for one minute.

  • Traditional crunch
  • Bicycle crunch
  • Reverse crunch
  • Feet up crunch
  • Plank

♥

Now, not every woman is able to have a natural delivery, but don’t worry C-Section moms, here are some great fit tips for you too! Here are some exercises from BreezyMama.com

So you had a cesarean section, now what do you do for exercise? Whether it was planned or an emergency cesarean, it’s time to rehab those core muscles. But first, there are a few things you should know about your C Section:

The external bikini scar is horizontal, but the inside incision of the abdominal wall is vertical. Trust me you wouldn’t want it any other way. The good news is that if you had a diastasis rectus (split of the abdominal wall) or a hernia, it was repaired during the surgery. Just remember that the scar is layers deep. Your internal organs were also moved around and exposed to air. It takes a few weeks for things to find their position again. In the meantime, gas pains and little twinges are normal.

Physiological healing time for any body part is about 6-8 weeks. Give yourself some time to heal. That being said, some of us need to ask for extra help and be nudged along the way. Nudging is what our Mom’s and friends are for, so take the help and get moving.

Although your pelvic floor wasn’t traumatized by the birth, bladder position may be altered due to the procedure. It’s just another reason to do your Kegels! More on that later.

Most C-section scars heal without any need for extra measures. Occasionally, scars are sensitive to touch. You can do a few things to help that along. First, once the stitches or staples are removed any scab is gone, gently massage the scar in all directions. Here at CTS, we also offer silicone gel sheets to be worn 24/7 to cover, protect, desensitize, and flatten the scar. Let us know if you need, extra help in the scar department. Physical therapists can also facilitate healing with modalities and specific soft tissue techniques.

Get your cardio going by walking….a lot. Yep, put that baby in your stroller and start walking. When I was recuperating the following morning after the birth of my daughter, I held onto that IV pole and walked the perimeter of the hospital floor. When I got to the nurses station, they were surprised to see me. I explained that they had instructed me to walk. The nurse responded, “Yes, but nobody actually does it.” Well, those nurses know something. Walking is the best way to get moving, manage the lingering discomfort and drop the baby weight. Practice walking as tall as you possibly can to strengthen your core.

The abdominal wall needs rehab and conditioning just as any other body part would need after surgery. So here is a sequence of exercises that should be started within 24 hours of delivery.

– Diaphragmatic Breathing:

Picture 4 Postpartum Exercises for the C Section Mama

Lay on your back with knees bent. Take deep breaths expanding your ribcage. When you breathe out, make sure you exhale completely which will facilitate a light contraction of your abdominal wall. As you improve straighten your legs until you are completely flat on your back. Repeat 10 times. 2 times per day.

– Kegels:

Picture 41 Postpartum Exercises for the C Section Mama

Lift your pelvic floor muscles up and in. Hold up to 10 seconds. Relax and drop your muscles completely and repeat 10 times up to 3 times per day.

– Pelvic Tilt:

Picture 42 Postpartum Exercises for the C Section Mama

Lay on your back with knees bent. Pull your belly button to your spine to tilt your tailbone up while flattening your back. Relax down. Repeat 10 times.

– Heel Slides: 
Picture 5 Postpartum Exercises for the C Section Mama

Place your finger tips just inside your pelvic bones. Maintain your neutral spine. Activate the muscles under your finger tips by pretending to zip up a tight pair of jeans. Your pelvis should maintain this same position as you straighten one leg, return to start, and repeat on the opposite side. Repeat 10 times maintaining the same position.

– Bridge:

Picture 6 Postpartum Exercises for the C Section Mama

Picture 11 Postpartum Exercises for the C Section Mama

Picture 12 Postpartum Exercises for the C Section Mama

Picture 13 Postpartum Exercises for the C Section Mama

Picture 10 Postpartum Exercises for the C Section Mama

Start on your back with your knees bent. Roll through your pelvic tilt to lift your buttocks all the way off the floor. You should be able to make a straight line between your shoulders and knees…..no sagging. Roll back down through your pelvic tilt and repeat 10 times. As you improve, hold the up position and add a slight twist from side to side. As you improve further, bring your arms overhead and perhaps close your eyes. This is also a great exercise to do with your feet over a ball.

– Cat/Camel:

Picture 7 Postpartum Exercises for the C Section Mama

This yoga move is a great way to get your core activated. On your hands and knees, pull your belly button to your spine to round your back while exhaling. Sag your back as you raise your head on inhale. Coordinate the motion with your breath as you repeat 10 times.

– Kiss the Baby:

Picture 8 Postpartum Exercises for the C Section Mama

From your hands and knees, bend your elbows to kiss your baby. Babies love to watch you go up and down. Repeat at least 10 times. This exercise progresses to knee push ups or the plank maneuver.

– Bird Dog:

Picture 9 Postpartum Exercises for the C Section Mama
From hands and knees, activate your core muscles and raise one arm and the opposite leg. You can look down at your baby, maintaining neutral posture while you alternate sides. Repeat 10 times. Add a rattle or toy to your hand and really make your baby giggle while toning at the same time.

As stated, you can start any of these exercises within 24 hours of your cesarean. Start with just a few repetitions, maybe 3-5 and progress to 10. Eventually, you should get up to at least 30 reps of all these exercises. These exercises should become easy for you before starting any other “core classes”, like Pilates. These exercises should also be painless. If you have any trouble, please contact your women’s health physical therapist. We can help.

♥

Another big thing to remember after your pregnancy, is that your body won’t quite function the way it used to when it comes to food. Your hormones are all over the place, your metabolism is most likely slowed, and a lot of times, women develop thyroid problems. Any kind of fitness starts in the kitchen, and that goes double for postpartum “dieters.” You need to be sure that you’re replenishing the nutrients your body lost while giving birth, but also making sure that what you’re eating is still helping baby (if you’re breastfeeding.) Your body requires just 500 extra calories a day to support your breastfeeding. As a breastfeeding mom, you need adequate fluids to ensure a proper milk supply, so drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. It’s most important to remember that what you eat winds up in your milk. If your baby is gassy or showing signs of an upset stomach, check your diet.

A big concern for a lot of new mothers is bowel regularity (hey, we all go!) A lot of people don’t like OTC meds or have allergies preventing them from utilizing certain stool softeners. You can easily add foods to your diet that will naturally help with the process!

Here’s a great recipe from simplebites.net!

Stewed Prunes with Citrus & Cinnamon
Recipe type: Dessert
Author: Aimee (adapted from Molly Wizenberg)
Prep time: 2 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 32 mins
Serves/Yield: 10
Gently poached prunes are infused with citrus and spices to produce a plump and fragrant stewed fruit that is sure to please.Top them with chopped almonds for an extra boost of fiber.
Ingredients
  • 1 lb pitted prunes
  • 1/2 orange, cut from top to bottom
  • 1/2 lemon, cut from top to bottom
  • 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
  1. Slice the orange and lemon very thinly, giving multiple half-moon pieces and remove the seeds, if any.
  2. place all the ingredients in a heavy saucepot and just cover with water.
  3. Bring to a very gentle boil and cook for 30-40 minutes.
  4. Serve warm or refrigerate overnight. Keeps 1 week.

The big thing is to be sure to give your body healing nutrients. Eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies and lean proteins. Be sure to include milk in your diet too, to be sure that baby is getting everything they need!!

And remember moms, DON’T OVER DO IT! Take care of yourself and don’t let baby get pushed aside by your wants, and don’t put yourself last getting caught up with baby. It’s always okay to ask for help!!

Much love and good luck to everyone!!

~Ashley<3

Life of a Night Owl

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Apps That Keep Me Motivated

22 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by aneris91 in Ash's Updates, Ash's Weight Loss Journey, Ashley's Tips, Bettering my Body, General Updates, Health and Beauty

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2 week challenge, 2 weeks, apps, Arts, ballet recital, beauty, bicycle, biking, Body Rock, Body Rock TV, bodyrock, bodyrock.tv, calories, calories burned, calories burned calculator, cardio, charity miles, cleanse, dad, daily ab workout, daily arm workout, daily butt workout, daily cardio workout, daily workout, diet, dieting, diets, DIY, exercise, Facebook, Fast food, Fast Food Calorie Look Up. FFCL, fast food calories, fitness apps, food, free, free charity, frozen strawberries, fruit, gaming, GM Diet, god sister, happy sunday, health, healthy-living, HIIT, HIIT interval timer, hit interval timer, how-to, interval timer, Jillian Michaels, life, lose it, map my ride, map my run, map my walk, mom, my fitness pal, My Special K, nature, nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp, Paleo, Paleo Diet, phone apps, Primal, Primal Feed, product testing, run, running, Shopping, skinny wrap, social media, Special K, Special K Challenge, style, transportation, veggies, walking, water, Weight loss, weight loss apps, work out, workout, yoga and pilates, Zombie, Zombie Run

Happy Sunday all!!! I hope everyone had a great weekend! I had the privilege of watching my god-sister’s ballet recital in Jacksonville at the Florida Theater.

Florida Theater

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a beautiful building and when I get the pictures I will upload some!! 🙂

Anywho, I had a conversation awhile back with a friend about apps on the phone and if fitness apps really help or if they just take up memory. So, over the last few months I’ve tried a bunch of different fitness/weight loss apps on my phone so I could let you guys know which ones I thought we’re actually worth while!

All of the links are for the Google Play Store (since I have an android) but if you have an app that is available on another OS let me know and I’ll be sure to link it!

  1. My Fitness Pal-Free                                                                                                 Lose weight with MyFitnessPal, the fastest and easiest to use calorie counter for Android. With the largest food database of any Android calorie counter (over 3,000,000 foods), and amazingly fast food and exercise entry, we’ll help you take those extra pounds off!                                                                               My fitness Pal is an ap that lets you track your calorie intake. I use this one regularly because it’s easier than keeping a writen food journal. Plus it helps you also track your fat, carb, fiber, etc. You can also track cardio and strength training so you can track your workouts too. 4.7/5
  2. Charity Miles-Free                                                                                                    Charity Miles is a free app that empowers you to earn money for charities while walking, running or biking– everyday. Just choose a charity and hit the streets. As you walk, run or bike, the app will track your distance and you’ll earn money for your charity: 10¢ per mile for bikers; 25¢ per mile for walkers and runners, all up to $1,000,000 courtesy of our corporate sponsors.                                            I love this ap! As long as I remeber to turn it on that is haha. I use this when I walk my dogs and it really helps me go further because A) I know I’m giving something back while bettering my health, and B) You have to go at least half a mile before your donation is accepted. I also love that there are so many different charities to choose from, including ASPCA, Wounded Warrior Project, Pencils for Promise, Feeding America, Habitat for Humanity, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, and many more! 5/5
  3. HIIT Interval Timer-Free                                                                                           Easy to use workout timer for interval training. Create your own sets and workouts! Great training timer for Crossfit training, HIIT, interval timer, tabata, round timer, running, c25k timer, etc.- Merge several sets into large workout
    – Simple and intuitive interface
    – Warning ticks
    – Advanced sound settings
    – Skip forward in workout                                                                                         I like this app for my workouts that I find on pinterest and youtube. I used to use my stopwatch on my phone, but having to watch the time really distracted me from my workout, making it less effective. It’s great to have and really good for personalizing workouts! 4.6/5
  4. Zombie, Run!-Free                                                                                                   The Zombie, Run! Zombie Finder is a survival tool for people living in a zombie-infested area. Zombie, Run! displays the location of nearby zombies, helping you safely navigate your urban or rural area.                                                                I haven’t used this app yet, but I have heard wonderful things about it from friends! Pretty much as you run or walk, you have a map that shows you if there are zombies near by. The further you go, the more power-ups or weapons you can get to defeat them. What’s a plus is you can pick up where you left off on your next run! A great way to get you off the beaten path to find new areas to walk or run. 4/5
  5. Lose it-Free                                                                                                              Lose It! helps you set a daily calorie budget, track your food and exercise, and stay motivated to make smarter choices and achieve your goal. We think it’s the best, most seamless weight loss system available. EFFECTIVE-Lose It! is based on the proven principles of calorie tracking and peer support for healthy, sustainable weight loss. CONNECTED-We seamlessly connect you to the people, devices, and food information you need to achieve your weight loss goals. PERSONAL-We customize a weight loss plan that fits your life. Set your goals and achieve them on your terms. All the tools you need to achieve your weight loss goal, all in the palm of your hand. HOW IT WORKS-Getting started with Lose It! is easy. Simply download the app, tell us a little about yourself and your weight loss goal, and we’ll create a custom weight loss plan for you. Then simply start logging your food and exercise! TRACK YOURSELF-Lose It! offers a simple, easy-to-use tool for tracking what you eat and do. Our robust food database has thousands of restaurant, grocery store, and brand-name foods, all researched and validated by the Lose It! Team. Log food and activity on your Android device, or online at LoseIt.com.                                                                  Similar to My Fitness Pal. Very user friendly and lets you add friends to keep you motivated! You can also watch your progress and it will tell you if you’re losing too fast or if you’re not taking in enough calories per day. 4.7/5
  6. Calories Burned-Free                                                                                               Use this calculator to estimate your energy (calories) spending on daily activities, exercises etc.*** MASSIVE FEATURES UPDATE**

    1) HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT WORKOUT OPTIONS
    2) FAVORITE SECTION
    3) DAILY DIARY FEATURE
    4) WORLD’s DIFFERENT CUISINES’ DISHES PER SERVING CALORIES – You can add/delete/update your own dishes
    5) FRUIT AND VEGETABLES’ CALORIES – You can add/delete your own fruits and vegetables

    I primarily use this one to see how many calories I burn with my various workouts to add to my other apps, or to see how long I have to do a certain exercise in order to burn my daily 500+ calories.

  7. Primal Feed-Free                                                                                                      Primal Feed presents the latest information on the paleo diet and nutrition and the primal lifestyle. Any of the content can shared by email or on the popular social-networking sites. The content is sourced from “Mark’s Daily Apple”, “Paleo for Women”, “Paleoista”, “The Paleo Solution”, “PaleoFast”, and “The Paleo Network”. Any of the feeds can be turned on or off individually from the menu on the opening screen. The app is free and supported by ads.                                    I don’t use this one very oftern except for the ocassional recipe. Great for anyone follwoing or wanting info on the Paleo lifestyle (it’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change!) It is a little buggy and freezes sometimes, but that would have just been the area I was in. 3.9/5
  8. Fast Food Calorie Lookup-Free                                                                                This app is simple – it gives you calorie counts (and more) FAST for a number of popular restaurants! Pick your restaurant, pick your item, and you get the count! For restaurants that have dozens of items, use the search box to narrow down your criteria! Trying to eat healthier? Check out the BMR and daily calorie calculator. Over 10,000 people use this app every day!                                          This app is great for going out to eat when you don’t know how to stick to your healthy eating! Sometimes you just forget to pack a lunch or end up out later than you expect. It tells you calories, fat, protein, fiber, and more! 4.4/5
  9. My Special K-Free                                                                                                     Special K Plans™ are customizable weight management plans designed by our nutritionists to help you meet the goals that are most important to you. Now staying on track gets even easier! With the new My Special K™ mobile app you can access your meal plan wherever and whenever you want and so much more. By downloading the app you can:• Choose the 2 Week Challenge or customize a plan based on event or weight goals
    • Create a plan to maintain your current weight
    • Access daily menus and detailed shopping lists
    • Manage your plan
    • Update your progress
    • Receive helpful tips and motivation
    • It’s Free!                                                                                                               This one is great for those who those who only need to loose a few pounds. Unfortunately due to the app’s design and Special K’s “2 week Challenge” set-up, you are unable to set a weight loss goal higher than about 30 pounds at a time. 3/5
  10. BodyRock.TV-Free                                                                                                    BodyRock.tv is the largest free gym class. In almost every country around the world – in dozens of languages, across multitudes of boarders and in many different cultures, BodyRockers are standing in their living rooms and training together for a life well lived. BodyRockers share in this positive energy together – supporting each other in a non-judgemental, safe and empowering environment of community. This APP makes it easy to BodyRock anywhere and everywhere. Let us change your life – Workout @ Home for FREE !! Daily Workout Videos, Fitness Tips & Diet Advice. 12 minutes – ZERO excuses!http://www.BodyRock.Tv  I actually just recently downloaded this app, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE bodyrock.tv! The workouts are short and simple (with the exception of the rep challenges) and they have workouts for everyone from beginners to advanced! Plus a bunch of recipes for clean eating 🙂 The app is a little difficult to navigate at first, but overall very nice! 4.3/5
  11. Daily Ab Workout-Free                                                                                             Daily Ab Workout FREE is a great 5 to 10 minute daily ab routine for men and women that steps you through ten of the best ab-sculpting exercises. These proven exercises, demonstrated by a certified personal trainer, target all major abdominal muscles. Spending just minutes a day can strengthen your core and tone your abs. The routine’s simple interface, complete with video and timer, allows you to easily follow along and understand each exercise.*If you like Daily Ab Workout FREE, check out the full version which features:
    • A second and third workout to vary up your routine
    • Randomize feature for different daily workouts
    • Landscape mode and ad-free                                                                               This app did not stay on my phone very long. While it does have some decent workouts, you cant access a lot on the free version. But if you’re intersted in purchasing the full version, it does have a lot of better options. There are several varieties of this app as well, including butt, legs, cardio, arm, and all over workouts. 4/5
  12. Map My Run/Walk/Ride-Free                                                                                    Built to help runners, joggers, and walkers of all ability levels and ages. Easily track pace, distance, calories, time with audio alerts and much more!Track running, cycling, and over 600 types of other activities with:
    ⊕ Pace
    ⊕ GPS Route Mapping
    ⊕ Distance
    ⊕ Route navigation
    ⊕ Calorie counting
    ⊕ Elevation profile
    ⊕ Nutrition, food, diet, and weight tracking
    ⊕ Real-time Stats (avg/min/max pace, distance, time, etc) during workout
    ⊕ Voice prompts that give you updates on your progress as you go!
    ⊕ Compete on local Courses: receive automatic achievements and overall rank on Leaderboards for popular local runs and rides.
    ⊕ Tracks in the background so you can listen to music, take calls, and use any other feature of your phone, while still tracking                                                      This app is really nice if you have a route that you run/walk/bike regularly so you can keep track of your miles. As well as it’s great if you’re trying a new route and want to know how far you’re going! You can also track your food and weight. I had issues with this one freezing at times, as well as the calorie allowance it gave me was WAY higher than it should have been for me telling it I wanted to lose weight. I primarily use it just to keep track of my routes. 4.5/5

So there ya go!! I hope this helps and if you have any other apps that you want me to review, just let me know!!!

Much love!!

~Ashley<3

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6 Leg Exercises that burn thigh fat!

18 Thursday Jul 2013

Posted by aneris91 in Ash's Updates, Ash's Weight Loss Journey, Ashley's Tips, Bettering my Body, General Updates, Health and Beauty

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Tags

all fours, cardio, diet, dieting, diets, exercise, Facebook, food, health, healthy-living, how-to, Jillian Michaels, left knee, left leg, leg exercise, legs, life, mom, nature, nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp, Shopping, skinny wrap, social media, stretching, style, switch legs, thigh fat, thighs, tutorial, water, way switch, Weight loss, work out, workout, yoga and pilates

#1 Butt Lifter

Lie faceup, knees bent, feet flat. Extend right leg toward ceiling, toes pointed. Squeeze glutes and lift hips to form a straight diagonal from left knee to shoulders (as shown). Raise hips higher, then lower to floor for 1 rep. Do 15 reps. Switch legs; repeat.

#2 Rear Reshaper

Start on all fours, knees under hips, hands slightly in front of shoulders. Lift right knee to side at hip level; trace 12 large circles clockwise (as shown), then 12 the other way. Switch legs; repeat.

#3 Calf Carver

Raise right knee to hip level, toes pointed, hands behind head. Contract abs as you lift left heel as high as you can off floor, balancing on ball of foot (as shown). Hold for 3 seconds, then lower heel for 1 rep. Do 15 reps. Switch legs; repeat.

#4 Twisting Toner

Step right leg into a lunge, arms out to sides, rotating upper body to right until arms align with right thigh (as shown). Rotate to center, stepping right leg back to meet left. Repeat on opposite side for 1 rep. Do 12 reps.

#5 Butt Kicker

Start on all fours, knees under hips, hands slightly in front of shoulders. Lift and extend right leg as high as you can, toes pointed (as shown). Keeping leg straight, cross right leg over left leg and tap toes to floor, then swing right leg up as high as you can and across to right, again tapping toes, for 1 rep. Do 15 reps. Switch legs; repeat.

#6 Leaping Firmer

Stand with feet together, hands clasped in front of chest. Step left leg into a forward lunge. Push off floor immediately, jumping as high as you can (as shown). Land in a lunge with right leg forward for 1 rep. Do 15 reps as quickly as possible.

~Ashley<3

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Nail Growth/Strengthening UPDATE!

17 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by aneris91 in Ash's Updates, Ash's Weight Loss Journey, Ashley's Tips, Bettering my Body, General Updates, Health and Beauty

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

30, 30 day, 30 day challenge, 30 day fitness challenge, 30 day squat challenge, 5-7 day nail growth, Arts, beauty, biting my nails, blogging, cardio, cleanse, dad, diet, dieting, diets, DIY, exercise, Facebook, follow-up, food, frozen strawberries, fruit, gaming, GM Diet, grow 10 nails, health, healthy-living, how-to, Jillian Michaels, life, mental-health, mom, nail, nail biting, nail growth, nail products, nail strength, nailene, nails, nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp, nutra nail, Shopping, skinny wrap, smoothie, smoothies, social media, squat challenge, squats, squatting, style, technology, thighs, tutorial, update, veggies, water, Weight loss, work out, workout, yoga and pilates

Hello all! So I’m a few days behind, but Saturday before last I posted about a few new nail products I’m trying. After 10 days, I’m actually really impressed with the results.

Here is my before:

Left hand again

Left hand again

right hand again

right hand again

And my after:

Left hand 10 days Right hand 10 days

Wow!! The picture quality isn’t great, unfortunately my hands has been in water that day so my nails look really transparent hehe but here’s a side by side to compare!

LHAND RHAND

I was very pleased!! I still had some issues with breakage, but that’s normal as my nails haven’t been thins long in YEARS! I’ll be posting again at 21 days so you can all see what my progress is!

On another note! I am doing another 30 day challenge!! This time?

30-day-squat-challenge

That’s right! Squats!! My thighs are a problem area so I figured why not!!

I’ll try to post before and after pix and if anyone else is following along, I’d love to hear your story!!

Much love!!

~Ashley<3

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June Fitness Challenges

01 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by aneris91 in Ash's Updates, Ash's Weight Loss Journey, Ashley's Tips, Bettering my Body, Food and Recipes, General Updates, Health and Beauty

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Tags

30 day, 30 day challenge, abs, Arts, beauty, captio, cardio, cleanse, dad, diet, dieting, diets, DIY, exercise, Facebook, food, frozen strawberries, fruit, GM Diet, grasshopper, health, healthy-living, hey you guys, holy cow, how-to, Jillian Michaels, Makeup, mom, nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp, plank, pretty flowers, restaurants, Shopping, smoothie, smoothies, social media, spoiled brat, style, tutorial, veggies, water, Weight loss, work out, workout, yoga and pilates

Hey you guys!! June has been pretty crazy! The weather hasn’t been the greatest haha Lots of thunderstorms

Spoiled brat doesn't like thunder!

Spoiled brat doesn’t like thunder!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lucy isn’t a fan! But I’ve been trying to spend sometime outside of the house as well. I’ve found a recent obsession with photographing weird bugs and pretty flowers!

Holy Cow these things are real!!

Holy Cow these things are real!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These make me think of Hawaii!

These make me think of Hawaii!

Yellow Beach Flower <3

Yellow Beach Flower ❤

Big Green Grasshopper

Big Green Grasshopper

I can't for the life of me remember what these are called!!

I can’t for the life of me remember what these are called!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love walking the dogs and going out with friends too!

Black Light Party!

Black Light Party!

:-)

🙂

Never underestimate the big sister!

Never underestimate the big sister!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve been feeling a lot better since I’ve been forcing myself to workout and be more active, too. As of Sunday I completed my 30 Day Plank Challenge and my Mean Abs June Challenge!! Even though I didn’t hit my goal of a five minute plank, I was really happy with my progress.

30 day Plank Challenge

30 day Plank Challenge

Time to take them down!

Time to take them down!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It felt awesome to be able to cross off each day as I progressed from 15 sit ups, 5 crunches, and 10 push-ups to 100 sit-ups, 200 crunches, and 60 push-ups!! My body still hurts! lol

As promised, here are my times for the whole month!!

  1. 42s
  2. 47s
  3. 47s
  4. 56s
  5. 1m3s
  6. 40s
  7. 52s
  8. 1m10s
  9. 54s
  10. 56s
  11. 1m32s
  12. 2m3s
  13. 2m6s
  14. Danced all night! 🙂
  15. 45s
  16. 1m3s
  17. 1m
  18. 1m29s
  19. 1m48s
  20. 1m56s
  21. 1m46s
  22. 2m13s
  23. 2m25s
  24. 2m20s
  25. 2m30s
  26. 2m32s
  27. 2m46s
  28. 2m52s
  29. 2m49s
  30. 3m2s

It was crazy!! I likes this challenge because the plank really works so many muscles and you can tweak your stance to work different muscles each time! I ended up losing almost 25 pounds this month!! (mostly of what I gained back after my 7 day cleanse! haha)

If anyone else decided to follow along or decides to try this one out, I’d LOVE to hear your experience!!

Much Love!

~Ashley<3

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Shirley Temple Popsicle!! <3

01 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by aneris91 in Ash's Updates, Food and Recipes, General Updates

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Arts, beauty, cleanse, dad, dessert, diet, diets, dinner, Facebook, food, frozen strawberries, fruit, health, healthy-living, how-to, Jillian Michaels, life, lime soda, mom, nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp, popsicle molds, restaurants, Shirley temple, shirley temple drink, shirley temples, Shopping, smoothie, smoothies, social media, style, summer, tutorial, water, Weight loss

Perfect for summer.  Refreshing. Flavourful. Delish!

Shirley Temples

 Ingredients
  • This recipe makes 1 drink.
  • 1 cup lemon-lime soda (I used 7-Up)
  • 2 tbsp Grenadine
  • 1 tbsp orange juice
  • cherry for garnish (fresh or Maraschino)
Instructions
For the Shirley Temple Drink:
  1. Fill a glass with ice.
  2. Add the soda, Grenadine, and the Orange Juice. Stir.
  3. Garnish with a cherry, either a fresh cherry or a Maraschino cherry.
For the Shirley Temple Popsicles:
  1. For the popsicles, I doubled the recipe and filled my 6 popsicle molds.
  2. I pitted, then chopped up about 10 fresh cherries and distributed them evenly between the Popsicle molds. They give the popsicles a nice texture! I might even add more next time.

 

 

Recipe from Canadian Living

 

Mix one up, and sip it in the sunshine!
Summer perfection!

 

 

Or pour them into a popsicle mold, and you have a fun summer treat!
Yummy!
~Ashley<3
Life of a Night Owl

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4th of July Creme Filled Strawberries–With vodka!

01 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by aneris91 in Ash's Updates, Food and Recipes, General Updates

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

4th, 4th of july, alcohol, apricot sauce, Arts, beauty, booze, cleanse, dad, diets, DIY, easy dessert, Facebook, food, fourth, fourth of july, frozen strawberries, fruit, health, healthy-living, how-to, hulled strawberries, July, life, Makeup, mom, nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp, patriotic, restaurants, Shopping, smoothie, smoothies, social media, style, tutorial, water, yummy recipe

Fourth of July Crème Filled Strawberries  ~ Get patriotic with these adult easy red, white and blue dessert for your 4th of July barbecue or picnic. These vodka infused whip cream strawberries are the perfect way to enjoy a cocktail dessert!

4th of July Creme-Filled-Strawberries Red white and blue dessert

4th of July Creme Filled Strawberries

While this is not as fast as “chopping and blocking”, it comes pretty darn close.

No recipe just a few notes for this fast and easy dessert.

A few notes:

  • Hull your strawberries and cut the bottom tips for a flat edge.
  • Add two tablespoons of vodka to every cup of whip cream.
  • Fill hulled strawberries with whip cream. I cheated and actually used Reddi Whip. Martha would be so ashamed (sorry Ms. M, I ran out of time). On the flip side Sandra Lee would embrace me.
  • Toss the blueberries in an apricot sauce. Uh, cheated again- I nuked apricot preserves in the microwave.
  • Top crème filled strawberries with  blueberries.
  • Of course for an alcohol free version omit the vodka.

Thanks to Bakers Royal for this yummy recipe!

Much Love!

~Ashley<3

Life of a Night Owl

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