Learning Happy & Healthy: An Introduction to the Series

Last summer I was arguably in the greatest physical shape I have yet experienced. I had made my lifestyle into one that was active, happy, and fulfilling. I ate incredibly well and fresh, too, but I still enjoyed pizza and ice cream (as everyone should). It was a lifestyle I loved and flourished in, but it wasn't one that necessarily came easily. It took articulate, small, and well thought out steps to achieve, but it did eventually became habitual. I wish I was the type of person that naturally sought out activity, challenged myself physically, took care of myself mentally, and always picked healthy food first. As an introvert who struggles with anxiety and depression, I may very well be the opposite. It very easy for me to slip out of these habits, despite the fact that they make me feel good. And I did slip.

I came to the realization the other day, while I was standing among pine trees and filling my lungs with fresh mountain air, that it is simply silly to not take care of myself. I don't know how else to put it. I deserve nothing less than to actively care for myself and to seek out feeling my best every single day. My body deserves attention and nourishment and strength. I deserve to feel strong, healthy, happy, and confident because of my efforts.

You may remember that I made it a goal this year to create an integrative schedule to get moving. If you've been a longtime reader of Oh Whimsical Me, I'm sure you remember that last summer I participated in a fitness program, called Revolt Fitness, for 12 weeks. I documented my journey and experience here in exchange for free access to the complete program. This included meal guides, workout schedules, new daily workout videos, and a supportive and interactive online community. Before I was contacted to participate in the program, I had really embraced yoga, Pilates, and even did cardio a few times a week— so integrating this program was simple; especially since the Revolt workouts were all designed to complete at home in little time. I am all about workouts that I can do from anywhere with little equipment.

But starting from scratch again is always difficult; I kept putting off getting back into working out knowing how out of shape I had gotten. It was easy to discourage myself, knowing all the hard work I had to put in before and realizing I had fallen back into unhealthy habits. That is why it is important to start small. My goal is to take some of the important aspects I learned from Revolt (and the parts that I loved), add lifting and toning twice a week, and mix everything in with yoga and flexibility building. I am happy to say to that I am already well on my journey and have really started to integrate these things back into my everyday. I miss being fit and feeling strong, confident, and highly focused. But I will get there again. And I want to share my journey with you.

The Learning Happy & Healthy series will be a monthly or bi-monthly post featuring topics such as:
+ my workout from home tips
+ my favorite workouts
+ recipe suggestions
+ planning meals ahead
+ body image and body morphism
+ self love
+ mental health care
+ tips for managing stress
As well as many other topics, I'm sure. Of course, I can only speak from my own experience and the knowledge I have gained, as I am not a expert (or a professional) on any of these topics.

I'm excited to continue my journey and share a bit of it with you. Look for the first edition soon!
xx Emorie

Feeling Confident: Revolt Check-In Week 10

Another quick update for you about how I am feeling with the Revolt Fitness program. Some exciting news, actually. I have reached my initial goals! Well, actually I reached them a few weeks ago, but I'm sharing now :) When I first set out on this journey with Revolt, I wanted some concrete and realistic fitness goals that I knew I could  achieve. You may remember that I started out at a body fat percentage of 26ish%. The goal I originally set was to get down to a body fat percentage of 20%. Well, I am there! Or I was a few weeks ago; I'll share my final measurements with you in two weeks.



So now that I have reached my initial goals, what does that mean for my progress and what do I do now? Well, I'm setting new goals. I am pushing myself to see improvement everyday in my workouts. I do still have things I want to lose; I'd like to see what's left of my love handles gone for good and I'd like to still lose a bit of fat from my thighs. But more than anything now there is a lot that I want to gain. I want to continue to grow stronger, to gain some more muscle mass, to tone up my arms and legs completely, to finally see these abs I've been working so hard on show through!

More than anything, I am so happy with the confidence I am gaining about my body. I hate how much shit we women give ourselves about appearance on a regular basis. No matter how aware I am of that fact, sometimes I still can't beat it. But, I am getting better! This weekend, when we were camping, was the first time in a long time that I was in a swimsuit in front of people (besides Will). And the first time in as long as I can remember that I felt comfortable as so. As silly as it may sound, it is empowering and freeing to not care how you look. And thankfully so, because it was so hot this weekend I think I was wearing my suit the whole time.

So I asked Will to take my picture in the river. And the pictures are silly and cheesy, but I love them. I had to include a blooper picture, because I know you all like laughing with me, and also because look! My swimsuit is even getting too big. My bottoms kept threatening to fall off. Haha.

I've had a bit of trouble keeping up with the workouts the past few days, with camping and other activities. I was sure to stay active, though. I am definitely ready and happy to get back into my routine.

I hope you're all enjoying the summer fun, confidently.

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own. 

One Day at a Time: Revolt Check-In Week 7

The past few days have gone a little something like this...

Saturday: End of the week! I don't know how I made it through all those Tabatas. I should do my Revolt check-in post today...
Sunday: Okay, well, I should do that post today! I don't really want to take measurements though. Yawn.
Monday: And now it's the start of a new week; I really need to get that post in.
Tuesday: Blargh.
Wednesday: Okay...

I've been struggling a lot lately with finding motivation for workouts. It is always easy for me to stick with the food, although I did slip up just a little this weekend due to so many celebrations (oops), but I have a tendency to fall into these ruts after awhile. As you know, I suffer deeply with anxiety, but you might not know that I also suffer from depression. It is something I work at daily to control, but it does still affect every aspect of my life, sadly my health/fitness/workouts are no exception.

I'm still doing the workouts but I am not facing them from the frame of mind I would like to (how I was before). It may take me all day to convince myself that I should workout, only to then do it out of spite and not enjoy a minute of it. When I workout from a place of anger my workouts are lacking and I leave exhausted and frustrated. I'm missing that feeling of elation I use to get from Revolt workouts when I faced them all head on, as a challenge to myself, with strength and confidence.

And it is silly. Because I know that I am getting better and stronger and seeing the results I want. But there is still this part of me that feels like I haven't made any progress at all, or maybe not fast enough. I look in the mirror with disgust and hate measuring/weighing myself.

Taking each day as a new one has helped with this a bit. So has taking time to really just focus on my needs and really relaxing. I've been getting outside as much as possible. It's lovely and rainy today; I even took the dogs out and walked around in it a bit.

I've also been taking the time to really remind myself why I am doing Revolt and improving my health in the first place. I want to be strong and uninhibited about my real strengths. I want to feel capable of anything. I want to feel stronger physically so I can feel stronger mentally. I want to be healthy and fit and never afraid of participating in something active. I want to go backpacking for a week in the Sawtooths or along the Pacific coast and feel great. I want to really get into climbing. I want to feel confident in anything I wear. I want my confidence to shine through more than anything.

Because I really want to focus on how I am feeling and the reasons why I am getting fit, I may refrain from sharing measurements for a bit. I created a little motivational board for myself yesterday. Cheesy? Yes. But helpful.

stretch / inner strength / change / backpacking / kickboxing / mountain top / progress / canoeing / sweat

See more inspiration and fitness tips on my healthy body pinterest board. I hope you are all feeling strong and confident and beautiful.

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own. 

I am Super Intelligent: Revolt Check-In Week 6

I am a few days late with my Revolt check-in this week, but I promise I have a good excuse. But first, let me clarify that the title of the post I am Super Intelligent, is completely drenched in so much sarcasm. I have discovered that I have been doing something so terribly wrong, and it may have affected the results I post here about Revolt. Let me explain; I include every week in my updates body fat percentages. To get this number I take millimeter measurements of my fat at four locations on my body (tricep, bicep, scapula, iliac crest) and using those numbers I then use an online calculator to determine my body fat percentage. It isn't completely accurate, but it is consistent and gives me a really good idea of the progress I am making.

^ the calipers I use^

Well, guys, I have been using my calipers all wrong. I am so embarrassed. I finally realized I had been making a mistake when I went to take Will's measurements for him on Saturday (yes he is doing Revolt with me! Yippee!). As I'm taking Will's measurements I realize I had a problem; for some reason my calipers would not allow you to take any measurements lower than 6 mm. Will is very thin and this will not do. So I say, maybe I can remove the zero marker, that should let me take a smaller measurement. The zero marker just adds bulk. And so, I try to remove it and well, you see the little marker there on the caliper in the image above? The marker at zero? It moves. It frakkin moves. This whole time I thought it was simply a marker for zero and non-moving, I had been taking my measurements as such:

Luckily, I have been consistently measuring wrong. So even though my measurements are incorrect, they are all incorrect by a certain amount. This means I can go back and fix my mistakes, taking my degree of error in to account, and calculate all of the correct measurements. I will go back as far as my very first post to update the measurements. This will take a bit of time (the math is easy, but I have to update all of the graphics for all of my posts) so I am just including pictures as a testament to my progress (in this week's post). I'll update with my correct measurements soon!

Regardless of the fact that I have be using some poor calculations, you can definitely see the progress I am making. A new uprising of Revolt started this week, and our workouts got an update; we are doing Tabatas! Tabatas, in case you don't know are a form of high intensity interval training founded in Japan by Izumi Tabata. For instance, you would preform an exercise all out at the highest intensity you can manage for 20 seconds and follow with a 10 second rest. You then repeat this high intensity/rest for 8 rounds. I love them, I mean I hate them and want to die while doing them, but I love them. I found my chest muscles this week when we had to do push-up tabatas. I don't think my pecs have ever really been sore. That is the thing I am most excited about, building up my upper body strength. I can squat for hours, but push-ups make me want to lay face down on my yoga mat. The upper body sadly gets a bit neglected by women but I am happy to say I am no longer afraid of working it hard! I'm so excited to continue Tabatas and Revolt and see all that my body can do!

Well, you know that I mentioned that Will is now doing Revolt with me. I should also mention that he is tiny. Will has seen how much I enjoy and am benefiting from the program that he wanted to join in. For him, it is more about learning a healthier lifestyle, and embracing a fit lifestyle that is so structured. Will has always enjoyed active things such as hiking, soccer, rock climbing, and long boarding, but he doesn't always have time to get and enjoy those activities. The thing he likes most about the program is how simple it is. He loves having meals already planned out and quick exercises to do after work. If anything, Will is hoping to get back into shape and gain some muscle mass and weight from participating in Revolt. Since upping his protein intake he has already gained 5 pounds! Woot!

Here are some pictures I took this weekend, after his first week of Revolt, so you can get an idea of where he is starting from.

See, he's just a tiny thing. In the future, Will will be posting his thoughts on the program here in my weekly progress posts in addition to my own.

Time to go workout! :)

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own. 

My Poor Butt: Revolt Check-In Week 5

Happy June everyone! Is anyone else freaking out that is June already? It's just hard to come to terms with the fact that we're already six months into 2013. It's really starting to feel like summer. It is almost Will's birthday. It has almost been a year now that we've been living in Boise, which is the biggest thing I'm really trying to wrap my head around. It seems like just yesterday we were stuffing our car and a trailer full of things for the drive down here, but at the same time it feels like no time has passed at all.

For once in my life, I can say I am ready and excited for the summer. You guys all know how much I hate the heat (and Boise summer's has no lack of it), but I am feeling fit and happy and ready to be outside exploring. I'm hoping we'll be able to take a longer camping trip at some point this summer; to really get out and relax and enjoy nature.

Revolt this week just about killed me. Or at least my rear-end. This is an extreme exaggeration, but do you want to hear a funny story? So, normally a week of Revolt exercises includes 3 days of cardio, 1 day of lower body sculpting, and 1 day of upper body sculpting (just not in that order). Well, Nichole was super lovely and had some extra awesome fat burning cardio blast workouts planned for us all this week to kick us into gear for the June 3rd uprising (wanna join me?!) that starts Monday. The workouts were great! But I had shut myself away from the internet for the weekend and was unaware of this change of plans. Also, I usually take a break on Saturday because Saturdays are my most busy days and it is easier for me to do my last cardio video/exercise on Sunday instead. I did this this week, and then decided to switch my Monday and Tuesday workouts too, making Monday's workout an intense lower body sculpting day. Well, Tuesday when I got back on the internet, I found out Monday was suppose to be a rest day! Since then I've been doing cardio blast type workouts all week. My poor little behind; all of those workouts were jam-packed with lunges and squat after squat. It has been quite a killer workout, and now I am getting a bit off a break. Even sitting down hurts :( But! I think you can see from my results this week that these intense workouts that kicked my butt (literally) were well worth it. Look at the change in my hip measurements:

My butt is feeling a little firmer and a little smaller too. I'm excited to start the next uprising on Monday. If any of you are interested in Revolt, you can always leave a comment or email me with questions!

P.S. I did 40 big girl x push-ups yesterday! My arms and chest are getting infinitely stronger.

P.P.S. Will is going to be joining my in my journey with Revolt! Look for some thoughts from him in next weeks post.

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Revolt Check-In: End of Week 4

Things have busy and fun over here, hence my lack of posts this weekend. So, excuse me while I try to squeeze in a little Revolt progress post for you, lovelies.

It has been a month now since my start with Revolt, and things are always just more and more wonderful. Revolt, and fitness in general, is slowly becoming a natural part of my day. I no longer have to talk my self into workouts; in fact, I am experiencing the opposite. On rests days I feel incredibly anxious and restless. I have discovered that exercise is something my body really enjoys and now craves. I'm excited to be changing my lifestyle not only into something that is good for me, but something that will last for the rest of my life. I know I've still a ways to go until my goals are reached but I've never felt better than I do now.

I didn't loose any weight this week (again), but don't let that fool you. I have a feeling that now I've lost some initial weight, the weight loss will be slow coming. Especially since I don't have much to lose. And I'm still definitely seeing results. I'm keeping this in perspective and focusing on the fat loss, as well as my improving strength. My push ups are getting so much better, and my endurance is through the roof! I think I am going to add in some running at least once a week (perhaps on Wednesday's rest day) now to my training; I'm hoping to run a 10k in August with my mom!

image source: tribesports

I also decided to start this plank challenge this week, as part of my warm up, and was surprised that I could already hold for a minute, easily. Woo hoo, ab strength! This challenge should be fun.

How are things with you and your personal fitness lately? Are you doing Revolt? How has it been for you? If you're not, you can check it out more here and sign-up for a free week/kickstart!

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Revolt Check-In: End of Week 3

It's the end of my third week today with the program and I'm here again to update you on how well I am doing with Revolt. I am seeing such great results already that I just had to include a picture with today's post. Plus this means you get to see my awesome farmer's tan, lucky you.

I'm proud of how far I have come so far, and of how hard I am working. I just had to show off a bit. Will was looking at my before pictures yesterday and commented how different I looked already, and so I looked back, too, and I have to agree. Now of course, the both of us obviously see me every day, so changes are easy for us to spot. Let me know if you can see a difference! My week three photos are below, and I included the before pictures (taken 4/29/13) just below that for your convenience.

They are small, subtle changes really. My waistline has decreased a bit each week. My belly looks flatter, at least from the front. I am noticing my butt slowly lifting. I am starting to get a teeny tiny gap between my thighs. And I'm beginning to see definition everywhere. I even think my face looks thinner! But I must say I am feeling a million times better than I look. And how I feel is so much more important than noticeable physical changes. My arms are getting much stronger; I can do ten whole, real push-ups! Mt. Climbers have become so easy peasy. I can run around the block, or even a mile without feeling like death. My pants are getting loose in the waist, and I might just be able to squeeze into an old pair of really really skinny jeans!

The food is still just fantastic. I love it! And I love having it all planned out for me; it leaves no room for excuses. Plus it is so good, I want to eat it and not much else. In fact, Revolt should come with a disclaimer. I'm starting to dislike a lot of foods I once enjoyed, that were maybe not too good for me. For instance, today is my free day, so I can eat what I want freely. I went to have a doughnut hole with my coffee this morning and had to spit it out! It was disgusting. Way way way too sweet. And later today I tried some cheddar cheese with some rice crackers, and that cheese straight up tasted like butter. Gross. I'm not minding these changes is food preferences too much :) Clean eating is treating me so well.

Here are this weeks stats:

I am nowhere near done, but I am more and more near where I want to be with each and every week. I'm starting to envision what my body will feel and look like when I reach my goals, and I can't wait.

Here's to a happy and healthier me! Join me for the June 3rd uprising!?

P.S. A free kickstart begins on Monday if you are interested in Revolt, but want to test things out a bit, first. The kickstart includes access to a 50 page guide, 1 week of videos, 1 week of workouts (3 levels), and 1 week of a meal plan (6 cal levels).

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Revolt Check-In: End of Week Two

I am a little late with this check-in due to a camping trip this weekend. But it has been another successful week with Revolt. I mean, look, I even took my yoga mat camping with me. If that doesn't say dedication, I don't know what does. In all truthfulness, I didn't use it too much; I got plenty of exercise canoeing around an entire lake two days in a row. But I will say that I am loving how Revolt is making me feel. I feel infinitely stronger than I did two weeks ago. And I'm even starting to look forward to my workouts! That is something I have never experienced before. And I still can't stop raving about the food. Cutting out sugar and most gluten has really done my sensitive tummy and body good.

Before I share the results with you, I want to mention something important. Don't get caught up in my weight. Because I am not. I don't like weighing myself and I am only doing so now as a reference for my readers. You may notice that I gained a pound this week, it happens. I added carbs back into my diet after the detox week and I've also gained a significant amount of muscle mass. Please pay more attention to the the inch measurements I have taken and also the changes in body fat. After all, I am not too concerned about losing weight, but I am about losing some fat.

Now, on to the results!

Things that feel great this week:

1. I am really starting to see definition in my quads/thighs. All those squats sure pay off.
2. Also noticing my butt lifting. Again, squats.
3. My arms changed drastically this week! Or so it seems to me. I'm sure all that paddling around the lake this weekend has something to do with it. I feel so strong and I love it.
4. I can also see some little baby upper abs showing up! I know the rest are just hiding under that belly fat!
5. My jeans are getting looser in the waist, but are getting a little snug in the thigh. Woo hoo, fit body!

Things that feel not so great this week:

1. Something I was eating this week was really making my gut a bit angry and as a result I was a little bloated. I need to figure out what it was!
2. I hurt my knee a bit from landing funny while climbing over some logs when we were camping. I just have to remember to be easy on it for a bit.
3. I got a bad sun burn. This has nothing to do with Revolt, I'm just really mad about it (because I tried so hard not to sun burn).

For more posts from bloggers doing Revolt click this image:

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All pictures and results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own.

Revolt Check-In: End of Week One

Well hello, lovelies! I wanted to stop in really quick and share with you how my time with Revolt has been so far.

.

It has only been a week and I am already very impressed with this program. I'm not going to lie, the detox this week was a little hard to get through. And not because it wasn't good, I liked the food, but because I got bored. I was eating the same thing every day, and after just 2 days I was really wanting some variety. But I powered through it and I'm glad I did. I think my results say a lot. I'm not use to seeing results so quickly from working out, and I was definitely a skeptic about the whole thing. When I weighed in this morning and took my measurements (had to get that in before my "cheat" day today!) I was feeling a little crummy and bloated, but I was shocked that I had lost 5 pounds and an inch or so from various spots on my body. I think a lot of this is thanks to the detox, and I'm sure most of that was water weight.

I am loving the workouts. When I first signed on for Revolt I was a little nervous about the workouts. I knew they were tailored to work into people's schedules, and as a result, only 20-30 minutes long on average. But people were getting great results from them. So I figured the workouts must be just super crazy intense. And not that they aren't, but I never feel like I can't get through a workout. And I love the way they are structured. I always feel so great and strong and accomplished when I finish one. And really sweaty. Obviously. 

As you know, I'm mostly just trying to get a healthier lifestyle out of this. And to really tone up. The weight loss/inches lost is just an added advantage. I'm so excited to see where Revolt takes me. But for now, I'm going to enjoy the rest of my "cheat" day and get outside a little bit more! Will and I went downtown to Bardenay's for lunch and sat out on the patio. I had the black bean sweet potato chimichanga, he had the salmon filet sandwich. A perfect cheat meal.

^I just got Instagram! Follow me here^

I hope you are having a lovely weekend.

P.S. I was so excited for my free food day today, but I could barely eat half of that chimichanga, and now my belly hurts. Such is life.

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own.

I'm Starting a Revolution

A fitness revolution that is! You may remember that I mentioned how excited I was to start Revolt. Well today is the day, folks. I've got my weeks worth of meals ready and I'm about ready to go bust my ass with the first workout. You can follow my progress here for the next 6 weeks during this "uprising." I'll be posting once a week (except this week when I'll post twice) sharing my results. I wanted to share a little about the program today and why I'm so excited to be apart of Revolt, as well as sharing with you my "before" pictures. Scary, I know.

Okay! Let's get right into it:

^img via Revolt Fitness on FB^

Revolt was started by Nichole Huntsman, due to her own personal struggles with weight loss. After 10 years of experimenting, competing on stage, and finally earning her certification as a NASM, CPT, she has perfected and shares a 6-week transformation system. But really she is a guide on your fitness journey. She is so involved in the program and personable, it really shows through into Revolt. She has worked out everything you need to see results. Revolt includes a Quick-Start Guide, the current 6-week workout plan plus daily workout videos of the day's workout, and the current 6-week diet.

^my detox breakfast this morning^

^sweet potatoes are such a treat after all those eggs^

You know I mentioned before that I'm not a fan of diets. I think being really restrictive with food is a bit silly. I do eat really well on my own, on average. But I do love all the cheesy everything and carbs and chocolate desserts. And I tend to eat them freely. I think the diet plan that goes along with the workouts will really help me to make progress and see the results I really want. Plus the Revolt diet is pretty fun, there are new exciting recipes all the time! I'm excited to try the coconut curry chicken (which I will obviously sub for tofu).

The best part of the program though? The community of people all working the program together. I have made so many friends and found such support, and I haven't even done my first workout! Don't worry, that's up next as soon as I share this with you :)


It may help to get an idea of where I am starting from on this journey. I have mentioned before that I was finally beginning to start embracing my own personal fitness and discovering just how much I needed to make a change with my health and life. I never had problems with my weight growing up. I was always naturally thin and small and fairly healthy. I wasn't too healthy with food choices as a kid, but I was young and spent my days outdoors and it didn't show. But even at a young age I was very self conscious and embarrassed by my body. As I got older I got even more active. I enjoyed running in high school and played lacrosse for a few years. I was pretty fit and healthy, and I loved it. But I still hated my body.

When I went off to college, I warred for years with depression. I shut my self inside for months at a time, I stopped seeing people, and I stopped taking care of me. I was unhealthy and underweight and miserable. I won't go into too much detail here, but I made it through. And when I did I gained a lot of weight back. And I was the heaviest I have ever been. I still am. Now, I'm not saying I am just completely unhealthy. And I don't feel fat. In fact, this may be the first time in my life that I have loved my body. I love my body, but I still want to change it. I want to take care of it. I do have fat. And quite a bit of it. I am excited to transition and really learn to take care of my body. Revolt is so structured and supportive. I think it will be just the thing I need.

This is the start.

Wow, posting those pictures took a lot of courage! Check back at the end of this week to see if I survived week one and my detox! And also be sure to check back once a week to see how I am doing.


Revolt Fitness Bloggers – link up:
Below is a list of other Revolt Fitness bloggers (thanks to Crystal @colormecrystal for the linkup).  It would be so so lovely of you to visit some of the others in the program. We are all on this journey together, and support and love from are readers is such a help along the way. It can makes such a difference in our day.

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own.

Exciting News and (Another) Midweek Favorite Finds

After that heavy post from earlier today, can I share something exciting? If you have visited Oh Whimsical Me lately, you may have noticed a new page link up top (titled Fitness Journey). I was contacted by the social media consultant (Tara Smith) for Revolt Fitness to trial their program and share all of my results with you! I'll be starting the program April 29th and sharing my progress here (with photos even! kinda scary) once a week for the next 12 weeks. As someone who has recently begun to embrace my own health and fitness, I could not be more excited. Revolt seems like such a great program with lots of structure, serious workouts, and a clean eating extravaganza! I think Revolt will be just the kick in the rear I need to finally reach my fitness goals. Here's to a stronger, healthier me! Check out a video featuring Nichole Huntsman, Revolt's founder, and the Revolt Fitness Manifesto, below:

Without further ado, my Midweek Favorite Finds:

1. How Sweet It Is's recipe for Spiked Almond Joy Poundcake had me drooling, majorly. I may just have to make it this weekend.

^image via How Sweet It Is^

2. I'm a longtime reader if The Sartorialist, I just think he is brilliant. I love seeing and being inspired by fashion from all over the world. His post from yesterday, If You're Thinking About Walking Shorts, is lovely. I'd love to find a pair. Do you know where I can get some? Please share if you do! Perhaps I'll have to hit up the thrift stores.   

3. This Beside Table DIY over at A Beautiful Mess? So cool! Those girls are so crazy talented, and so is everyone who works for them (I'm pretty sure they're, like, everyone's favorite blog). This homemade table has got me brainstorming about all kinds of wood-working projects I could do!

^via A Beautiful Mess^

4. Probably the thing I am most excited about, Eisley premiered the song Drink The Water (listen below) from their upcoming album Currents (dropping May 28th) for Nylon Magazine. I can't even begin to describe how excited I am for this new album. I've been a long time fan of Eisley, my obsession with their dreamy music began all the way back in their early days when I was in Junior High! And I love love love everything they put out. And I really love love love Stacy's other group Sucre. It's been 2 years since their last full length album The Valley. Their new stuff is sounding better than ever. How do you keep getting better and better, Eisley? How?



Hoping your week is nothing but lovely so far.

My Favorite Protein Shake

Lately, I've been educating and immersing myself more into the world of fitness and I'm loving it. Getting to know your body and your strengths and challenging yourself every day is exciting. But I have also come to the realization that there are quite a few misconceptions floating around. For instance that if women lift heavy they will look soooo bulky and manly and lose their womanly curves. Number 1, that's just silly. Lifting heavy will help you tone and gain muscle. Number 2, having curves does not make you any more of a woman than someone without curves.

Another topic that I've seen a lot of misconceptions about is diet. You work hard for a healthy body, but what you are eating is equally, if not more, important. I personally don't have much of a set diet. I tend to eat pretty clean on my own, because those are the foods I enjoy. But also, I don't like being too restrictive about food. It seems silly to me. You're on your period and you really crave chocolate? Eat a brownie! I'm tired of negativity around food. You should never feel guilty about food. Guilt and negativity toward food can lead to so many unhealthy eating habits and eating disorders. I don't think there are really any "bad" foods, just bad ingredients I suppose (think over-processed food). It is all about finding a balance and what makes your body feel best.

And in finding my balance, I have been so surprised about how much protein I need. As a vegetarian, I have to be careful and make sure I am getting enough protein. And if you are working out nearly every day like me, you are going to need a lot of protein. "In order to gain lean muscle you need to eat enough protein to sustain the creation of new muscle proteins" (source and great article to help figure out your protein needs).

I tend to eat a lot of tofu and eggs and beans for protein, but sometimes it is still not enough. I will supplement with protein shakes, usually a few times a week. This is the protein powder I am currently using, if you are curious:

I love these protein shakes post workout. They are really yummy! They could even be considered a green smoothie, given the amount of spinach I shove in them.

My Favorite Protein Shake, makes one serving:

1 scoop of your favorite protein powder
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup milk (I use almond milk, because yum)
1/2 a frozen banana
2-3 handfuls spinach (but I tend to put in as much as I can)

Measure out all ingredients (don't you dare put that spoon in the sink without licking off the peanut butter, that is a crime) and using a blender, or magic bullet, blend all ingredients thoroughly. You may need to use a spatula to squish down the spinach and to make sure all the peanut butter and protein powder doesn't end up stuck to the bottom. That's it! Easy peasy. This is also delicious with 1/2 tablespoon of cocoa powder. Or leave out the peanut butter and add more fruit; it is really good with berries. Use what you have and get creative.

Your smoothie will likely be very green, but don't let that scare you. It is delicious and good for you and you can't taste the spinach at all anyway. Drink up!