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What happens when you combine my love of green smoothies with my love for cherries? Something special, my friends, ESPECIALLY when you add the undeniably goodness of raw chocolate aka raw cacao. It’s kinda like a dark (green) forest cake all blended up but way healthier. (Hey, Summer Stunner Detoxers..you can have this!)
This smoothie is definetly a seasonal beauty….cherries are only going to be around for a few more weeks. For the best flavor, choose the dark red/black ones. I added in some wonderful superfoods as well. We got some chia seeds for extra essential Omega-3’s and linoleic acid (and tons of other benefits) and Maca, which can not only increase your libido (hey now!) but can also help us women balance our PMS and Menopausal symptoms. A smoothie that can give me great skin, great nutrients, great immunity, a great mood, maybe a great %#*!?…well, let’s start blending!
How to Make This!
Hope this one become a favorite for you…it sure is one of mine. And for all of ya’ll who are now hip to maca, you can thank me later (wink, wink).
P.S. Not what you thought would be on a detox? Want to join us? It’s not too late! Click here to get on the goodness.
So it’s been a week since the 20 For 30 Challenge started and I am feeling great! I am beyond happy to recommit to my body and making myself a priority again. Here are some things that I have been working for me and have been keeping me on track:
1) Each day I have been marking on my calendar exactly what I did and seeing the boxes on my calendar fill up is giving me such a great sense of satisfaction and accomplishement!
2) Knowing that I am going to have to answer to you guys is also a great motivator. Accountability is wonderful thing!
3) Listening to my body…when I have a lot of energy, I do more. When I don’t, 20 minutes feels great.
4) Hearing from you guys also is keeping me going and inspired. In today’s video, I give some shout outs to some of my readers who have been emailing and facebooking me with their updates!.I am beyond proud of them (Susana, Leo, Melissa, Priya, Georgia, Sarah, just to name a few!) Please keep ’em coming!
5) Having people come up to me and ask if I have recently lost weight. Must mean I am looking lean, baby!
We got 23 more days, people! Keep yo head in the game!
Before I jet, I just wanted to remind all of you that the Summer Stunner Detox: 21 Days to A Happier, Healthier, Slimmer, More Balanced YOU! is here! The detox starts June 9th and I can promise you that it will be unlike anything else out there. Not only will you give your body the chance to detox, you will also learn how to detox your life! The registration for this fully supported, LIVE detox began this week and until Friday, I have some kick-ass early bird registration deals that you can’t say no to! (Like bringing a friend along for the challenge at no additional investment?! Sweet!) Make sure you click here to get all the deets about the detox and register today. And please, if you have any questions, feel free to email me at anita@anitaavalos.com and I will get back to you ASAP!
Til next time…sending you all love, good health, and much happiness!
I have been thinking a lot about fear, about feeling held back, about the unknown. The challenge of feeling the fear and moving through it keeps coming up in my life, especially as of late. Today, I’ll let the video speak for itself. And if you are wondering why I picked this adorable frog for today’s pic, make sure you listen to the frog on a lily pad story in the video. It’s a downsized version of one that my favorite Holistic Business Coaches, Stacey Morgenstern and Carey Peters, have relayed to me and other holistic practitioners and it keeps running through my head. Take a look:
KNOW and TRUST that whatever it is that you are desiring to make a reality in your life is possible for you. We can always remind each other of that! And as you are flying midair to your next lily pad, feel your heart race, notice the butterflies in your belly and take it all in…it simply means you are really living out loud! Sending you all MAD L.O.V.E!
(Note: I already changed the name of my challenge, so the pic and video call it “20 In 30″… I decided “20 For 30” made more sense. Now ahead and read!)
I gotta come clean. I have been slacking on my workouts…gasp! Yes, it’s true. Even after I bought those beautiful new running shoes, even after I told you guys not to make excuses, after all that, I have not been honoring myself and my workouts the way I have wanted to. Yes, I have been working out, just not as much I should. Life has been beyond crazy busy and I have found myself giving to everyone WAY more than I have been giving to myself. All work and no play on my yoga mat makes for a very unhappy Anita.
But I see the error in my ways and I am on it.
After getting back on the saddle this weekend, I decided to give myself a little challenge. I asked myself, “What would happen if I committed to at least 20 minutes of exercise for 30 consecutive days?” My wise self told me that I would be happier, healthier, and recommitted to my workouts. Afterall, it takes 21 to 30 days to break and make a habit; once I get back in the routine, I know I will be much more likely to keep this good thing going. And by making the minimum time 20 minutes, I get the flexibility to step out of that all or nothing mentality while still holding me accountable to being committed to my exercise program, if only for 20 minutes.
So then I thought, what would happen if I extended the challenge out to my readers? How would their lives benefit and what kind of positive impact would it have on their health?
You might be thinking what could 20 minutes really do. Well, think about this. How often have you caught yourself coming up with excuses or reasons to NOT lace up and get your workout in? If you knew you only had to do 20 minutes, wouldn’t you be more likely to get moving? And chances are, once you are dressed for the occasion and moving, you are highly likely to go beyond those 20 minutes. Why? Because you have broken free of one of the biggest obstacles to getting your workout in…you showed up! Once you do that, it’s on! (And BTW, you really can get a great workout in 20 minutes…it’s all how you use it!)
So…are you ready for a little challenge? Here’s the low-down:
1. For the next 30 days, you and I are going to commit to at least 20 minutes of exercise EVERY SINGLE DAY! (I’m already 6 days in, but the official start date of the challenge is May 19th!)
2. You can definitely go over 20 minutes…in fact, I encourage it. But this way, if you only do 20, you can still feel great that you honored your commitment to you!
3. You can do any type of exercise you enjoy….yoga, walking, running, biking, hiking. In fact, Yogis Anonymous just posted a 20 minute flow with Lauren Peterson on their On-Line Yoga Library (are they secretly reading my mind?) Just pick anything you enjoy!
4. I highly encourage you to document your progress. Write down your success on your calendar, journal, or even on here! I would LOVE to here from you and how this is working for you.
5. Congratulate yourself for taking charge of your health and relish in that kick-ass feeling your will get for every day that your honored this commitment.
Let’s do this ish together! I’ll keep you guys up to date on my progress and what’s working and I want to hear about your successes as well!
How awesome are we going to feel in 30 days? Are you in?
I’ve been waiting for it all year and finally, last week at the Farmer’s Market, there were my beloved cherries! If you aren’t as excited as I am, I going to give you lots of reasons why today!
Cherries are, in my opinion, a superfood that really has it all. First, they are delicious. If you are looking for the perfect blend of sweet and sour, look no further. Second, they are perfectly portable. I hear people tell me all the time that they have to eat convince store food or vending machine garbage because they are too busy to bring their own food. Cherries are the perfect snack or addition to any meal and are easy to bring on the go. Third, and most importantly, is the myriad of nutritional benefits these tiny powerhouses have.
Cherries are high in Vitamin C, which we all know as the go-to vitamin when we needing an immunity boost. However, cherries are also a great source of antioxidants and are anti-inflammatory, which can help reduce your risk of cancer and heart disease. They have also proven to be an effective pain reliever, relieving the pain of arthritis, gout, and even headaches.
Cherries also contain melatonin, which not only is a pain reducer but is also pivotal in regulating your sleep cycle. They are low in calories, have a high water content, and lots of fiber…all good for your waist-line and for your digestive track!
One of the coolest things I learned about cherries came from Whole Food Supplements Guide, where they related a recent study on men with high cholesterol incorporating cherries into their diet. According to Whole Foods Supplements Guide:
“One of the most recent studies related to the nutritional benefits of cherries had to do with unhealthy cholesterol levels. A group of men with high LDL (bad) cholesterol levels were recruited to participate in this study.
The men were given whole food supplements containing cherries and other fruits. After 4 weeks, total and LDL cholesterol (known as “bad cholesterol”) levels were significantly lowered, while HDL (good) cholesterol levels were increased. There were no changes in cholesterol levels in control groups, given a placebo.”
Wow! Talk about letting your food be your medicine!
Have I convinced you yet? Yes, you can get cherries year-round via dried and frozen cherries, but I personally think fresh is best. So make your way to your local Farmers’ Market and load up now. Cherry season is for a short time only. In Cali, it’s only from May to mid June so don’t delay!
What’s your favorite way to enjoy fresh cherries? Is there anyone you know who could really benefit from them?
