.: juicing addict :.

if you follow me on any type of social media (Twitter: @sweetdeesnuts or Instagram @lifeonthedeelist), you've seen me blasting pictures of my new juicer and all the fun i have been having with it! i am SO excited to finally have a juicer - i literally have been doing research for the past year and a half on juicers. i originally boughta  $100 JuiceMan from Target a couple years ago, but immediately returned it because i was overwhelmed by how much produce it required to just get a cup of juice! i couldn't afford the time or the money at the time for a juicer. well, i'm now another year further out of college and further into my career and decided that i wanted to give it another shot. plus, being a wellness coordinator, i should probably continue to work on my wellness, right?

after talking with a few of my 'juicing expert' friends and a few nutrition professionals, i knew that i wanted to get a Breville, but there are SO many makes and models, it was overwhelming. i researched the capabilites and reviews of every Breville model that i heard of. i wanted to give you guys an overview of what i found, in case you are looking for a juicer!

Breville JE98XL - this is going to be the most basic juicer. if you have ever seen 'fat, sick and nearly dead' this is the juicer he uses. if you haven't seen it, you should. this is a great start for people who are tip-toeing around the possibility of starting to juice. it's fairly inexpensive and easy to find - Best Buy happens to sell this one for $149. this will juice your most basic produce - this apples, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers. it is dual speed for both hard and soft produce.

Breville JE510XL - this is a step up from the basic juicer - it has 5 speeds to adjust depending on which produce you are trying to juice. this also has a Nutri disc which easily separates the pulp and the juice. some people may find this desirable while others prefer to have some pulp - completely personal preferences. this juicer runs about $199 at Macy's.

Breville 800JEXL - this is going to be another step up, yet. it runs about $299 from Macy's or Williams Sonoma. this one is also a dual speed, but will juice more efficiently than the JE98XL - it will give you about 30% more juice! the opening to this juicer is extra wide which cuts down on all the chopping and preparing of the produce - i have found that this is a huge plus for obvious reasons!

now i get to talk about the juicer that i bought - my plan was to get the JE510XL or 800JEXL, but i was also hoping for a store associate to shed some light on which one would best fit my lifestyle. the guy at Williams Sonoma, not only loved his job, but was very educated when it came to juicers right down to the sound differences of them....

anyway, he broke down all the juicers from the most basic to the mack daddy of juicers including a Hurom slow juicer (which is also another great choice, but he mentioned that his fellow co-workers returned the Hurom for a Breville). after talking with him and hearing his lovely and accurate sound effects, i decided on the Breville BJS600XL. it only has 1 speed, but it is a slow juicer, so it really gets the most of out of the produce. with that being said, it is extremely efficient - i can juice AND hand wash all of the pieces in about 25 minutes and that's been the first couple times i used it. i fell in love when i realized how much juice it sucked out of everything! it also leaves some pulp which is great not only for nutrients, but for the volume of your juice! apparently, my past experience with the JuiceMan traumatized me enough that i literally washed 2 cucumbers, a mango, 2 kiwis, 3 apples and a handful of carrots for my first round of juicing (see picture below). i think i was halfway through the batch when i realized that the jug was already full! to give you a better picture, when the jug is full it fills about 2 1/2 mason jars (the standard size, not the jumbo). most of the parts are dishwasher safe, but since i use my juicer almost everyday and don't run the dishwasher everyday, i have been handwashing the parts. super easy to do!

a couple other things worth noting, this juicer is fairly small - we don't have a lot of counter with all the kitchen appliances we have, but this juicer fits really nice next to our espresso machine and even underneath our cupboards! i love being able to leave it out on the counter all the time! this juicer also has the capabilties to turn flax seeds into oil or peanuts into peanut butter. i doubt i will rely on that often (i haven't gotten into flax seeds, yet and i'm allergic peanuts), but it's nice to know that it is an option.

anyway, i just gave you the VERY basics of all SOME Breville juicers - there are a ton more reviews and information on good ol' Google or even Amazon. check them out!

i am clearly already a huge fan of juicing - i am excited to start playing with recipes and see what it can do for my health. this week is really busy for me with hosting biometric screenings, but i feel comforted in knowing that i can bring some juice to get my nutrients and hold me over until i get the chance to eat.

always striving for more,

dee b.

.: what's in my purse? :.

if you are anything like me, you are always on the go, yet always trying to find a simple way to 'sneak' healthy habits into your every day life!

in this post, i wanted to expose what i carry with me everyday in my purse - this could get scary, but when my purse is strategically stocked, i find little to no excuses to stray out side of simple healthy habits.

i do like big purses, but when i emptied my purse for this picture i noticed that i could probably downsize........probably won't happen....

water bottle - i ALWAYS carry a water bottle with me. i feel naked with out one! carrying water will deter me from buying juice, high-sugar coffee, sports drinks or spend unnecessary money on buying water. most places have water fountains to refill a water bottle, so it makes it even more convenient and cheap!

 

chapstick - who doesn't carry chapstick with them? i bought this EOS chapstick a few months ago and have yet to lose it! (knock on wood) keeping it in my purse has prevented me from misplacing it.

cuticle cutter and nail file - you see, i have this nasty habit of biting my nails and/or picking my cuticles depending on the season, but if i keep my nails looking clean, i am less apt to destroy them. must. have. nail file.

hand lotion - i absolutely HATE having dry hands. this also helps my bad habit mentioned above.

gum - whenever i have a naggging craving (think sugar or chocolate), i chew a piece of gum until it is gone. this also happens to keep my mouth busy - another way to trick my mind from biting my nails. it's a gross habit, i know.

hand sanitizer - you think it would be odd for a germaphobe to be a nail biter - well, nice to meet you! i HATE germs. whenever drew and i are in public places i am always pushing hand sanitizer. hand sanitizer comes in handy in SO many situations like leaving the yoga studio/weight room, at a coffee shop, grocery shopping, work, there are more places to use hand sanitizer than to not use hand sanitizer. plus, being sick a lot towards the end of last year, i feel like i am in a safe bubble with my hand sanitizer.

flossers - if you haven't tried these hand flossers, you are seriously missing out! working at a Medicare insurance company, it was eye opening how important it is to take care of your teeth while you are young to avoid insanely high cost services when you are retired. these flossers have made flossing seem less daunting and time consuming (plus, you don't have to stick your germ-filled hands so far into your mouth, gross). i can floss in my car, in my cube, pretty much anywhere now! also, don't you just hate when you have something stuck in your teeth and you can't get it out ALL day??? i sure do.

crystal light packets - these babies pack 60 mg of caffeine and only have 5 calories! i've started using these as a pick me up when i feel like i just can't have another cup of coffee. worth nothing, i also don't depend on these everday because i am sure the pretend sugar isn't that great for me....

green tea - i am totally OK with relying on these for my afternoon pick me up! i always have green tea packets on me - when you think about it, hot water isn't all that hard to get no matter where you are....

emergen-c - since getting sick, i have been trying to drink these more religiously. all you need to do is add water, but i know some people who just eat the powder....either way, by carrying these, i have no excuse to miss my daily Vitamin C dose.

vitamins/supplements - i don't take too many of these, but the ones i do, i have a hard time taking on a regular basis. if i carry them in a little tupperware container, they are always on me. another way to have no excuses.

ipod - please tell me when you don't need music.

aside from all of this, i also carry my wallet (obvi) and my datebook (always).

i hope you've found some things that maybe you can add to your daily routine by carrying it around in your purse!

please let me know if i am missing anything that i should add to my purse (lord knows, there is PLENTY of room to fit more in purses these days....)


always striving for more,

dee b.

.: what the H is a HRM? :.

have you guys been missing me???

i am seriously embarrassed by how long it has been since i have posted. i am even more embarrased by how long ago one of my followers asked me to write up this post - to that follower, i am sincerely sorry!

ok, enough gushing! this post is a basic breakdown of a heart rate monitor - the specific model is a Polar FT40. when i was able to run, i was trying to decide between investing in a GPS or a heart rate moniter. the HRM won because it was more versatile than a GPS - it doesn't track distance, but it tracks your heart rate (obviously), whether you are in a cardio (fitness improving) range or fat burning range, how long were in each range, length of work out and number of calories burned. you are able to enter your height, weight, gender, birthdate, etc., so your HRM is tailored for you and your workout stats are accurate unlike what the machines at the gym tell you.

getting started:.

first, you have set the time and enter your biometrics in - height, weight, gender, etc. if you buy a new HRM, you will be prompted to do this. if you buy a used one, it is easy enough to hit a few buttons and change them. another bonus, it is easy to change these if you happen to lose or god forbid, gain weight to ensure your results are always accurate.

that's pretty much all you need to do and you are already ready to use it in a workout!

the chest strap - the strap is very comfortable, adjustable and easy to put on. before you put it on, you need to wet the back of strap where the transmitter attaches. the transmitter is the small chip-looking piece that will snap on and off the strap. when i say wet, i mean spreading a couple drops of water (or spit), not running it under water - too much. plus chances are you may sweat during your workout so you just need something while you warm up. placement - you will want the transmitter to lie flat, for me that is either to the left or right of my sternum. picture this, place the strap either under your sports bra band or right above whichever is more comfortable for you. i tend to place mine a little above the band so i don't feel too constricted. play around with it, see where you get a 'signal' and adjust it from there. guys, i am sure you can picture where a sports bra band were to lie if you wore on.

now, all you have to do is hit the middle button on the right side of the watch (twice) and get moving! it may take up to 30 seconds for your watch to link with the transmitter, but your heart rate should soon take over the watch screen. if it does not pick up your heart rate, it will say 'check your transmitter' - if that happens, adjust the transmittier, end the session and start it again. extra bonus, your heart rate monitor will most likely automatically sync with the cardio machine you are using.

the HRM does have the ability to pause - hit the 'end' button once to pause or twice to end.

what else do you need to know??? after you hit end, it will automatically break down your workout data and you can interpretate how ever you would like!

here is one of my workouts as an example:.

breaking down how long you were in each 'zone'

tracks your average heart rate throughout the workout and the highest that your heart rate reached 

tip: detach the transmitter from the strap after every use - this will help extend the battery life of the transmitter.

i hope i gave a decent overview of a HRM - let me know if you have any questions. the user manual is EXTREMELY helpful.

i use my HRM for just about everything - yoga sculpt, barre, buti, ellipticalling, lifting weights, spin, biking outside. i love that i can see how productive each work out has been regardless of what it is - a GPS watch can't do that..... i have also found that i can use my HRM as an indication of being sick or not getting enough sleep - for instance, i noticed my heart rate spikes really quickly and has a hard time coming down when i am sleep deprived or am getting over a cold.

heart rate monitors range in brands and prices. it all depends on what you want to use it for. i am biased towards to Polar brand because they seem to be the largest and most popular HRM, but they can come at a cost. i was lucky enough to have my employee wellness program offer discount prices. do some research - there are hundreds of makes and models that can benefit you in a different way!

do yourself and your workouts a favor, buy a HRM - it will keep you honest.



always strving for more,

 dee b.

.: pomegranate salsa :.

i wanted to throw this quick post together for a few reasons:. 1. i truly feel bad for slacking on my blog lately, i just can't seem to find the brainpower to do this at the end of my days right now. 2. i have been a little out of control with posting Instagram pics of my food lately (see right) and i have had a lot of requests for the recipes 3. it is the middle of dead fricken winter - i don't know who doesn't need a little spring in their step and this recipe just may do it!

i got this GREAT recipe from drew's mom - she's an awesome lady and forwards me a lot of good recipes to try and this one was no exception!

pomegranate salsa:.

>> seeds from 2 pomegranates (i cheated and bought package of seeds, but feel free to seed your own!)
>> small onion chopped (i used about 1/4 of an onion)
>> 10-15 sprigs of Cilantro, finely chopped (surprise, i cheated and used about 8 tsp of the dried stuff)
>> finely, finely chopped hot peppers to taste (i used 2 serrano peppers without the seeds and that was plenty for me!
>> 2 Tbsp of honey
>> juice from 1-2 limes : i had a crazy juicy lime so 1 was plenty

>> salt to taste (extra for me!)

mix it all together and voila! salsa that is all sorts of fancy and 'churched up'. i have heard that this salsa is better once it sits over night - there is a lot of juice that needs to be absorbed, it is still SO yummy the same day!

you can serve this simply with tortilla chips, on top of bruschetta bread, with quinoa (seriously, what doesn't go with quinoa?) and i am going to bring it to work the next couple days on top of a bed of spinach. this isn't the type of salsa that i could hammer in one night, but who knows? play around with it!

****this calls for 4 asterisks and more!!!! serrano peppers are SUPER hot - i figured that out, not only when i had a coughing attack from inhaling the fumes, but also when i went to take out my contacts 3 hours later! i even researched it once i could see again - do yourself a favor and rub some olive oil onto your hands before and after cutting up the serrano peppers. the juice will literally stay with you for hours - i may not even attempt to put my contacts in tomorrow morning.

enjoy! let me know what you think and what else you serve this fun salsa with!

always striving for more,

dee b.

.: my new journey :.

i fully intended on writing this after my first week of work, not my second, but intentions don't always make things happen.

well, good news is that i have survived the first 2 weeks - it's setting in that this job is going to be my baby, my passion, my career. i am here to stay!

the first time they showed me my cube, i couldn't help but blush when i saw my own printer, 2 monitors, a laptop, a whiteboard and all sorts of filing options. i thought, 'whoa, i don't need all of this. maybe someone else needs it more than me - i'll check into it later'. my checking into was quietly pushed aside when i was given an office supplies catalog and told to mark whatever i wanted (oh yea, i went for the Swingline stapler). to be truthful, i wasn't sure what to order, i thought i had everything and more than i needed - even their pens in the general stock room are crazy nice! but with some help from my new co-workers, my 'first' order was placed. then i was handed a stack of business cards - i had to bite my tongue to stop myself from asking 'what do i need these for'? so, i Instragramed them instead.

i have been asked a lot, 'so, what exactly do you do?'. well, basically i am building a corporate wellness program. there were a few reoccurring events that i will need to continue, but they want a more robust program that caters to all employees. the purpose of a wellness program is to have resources available for employees to lead healthier lives (and reduce healthcare costs) such as smoking cessation, active lifestyles, healthier eating options, promoting preventive exams, and many more!

positives:. i had to push past the whole recent grad real job shock rather quickly, but aside from available resources, this job has so many positives! the facilities are impeccable with a cafeteria that offers different cuisines and salad bar everday. i don't have anyone checking in on me numerous times a day or asking me where i am going to lunch (long story, but i am past it). everyone is really nice and welcoming. i have received a lot of positive feedback and excitement towards the new program. lastly, i have been completely trusted in since day 1. i don't have many parameters that i need to follow - i was given a bunch of information and files on my first day and was told this is what we have, please let us know where you want to go from here.

negatives:. i. am. stressed. the first 2 weeks were super busy getting the wellness webpage ready (there wasn't one before) along with getting a communication finalized to send out to all the U.S employees. yes, just the U.S employees - did i tell you that i am the ONLY wellness coordinator for this massive company? yea, yikes is right! both of those are now launched and went over really well. now the real work starts. my next task is trying to figure where to take this program - there are so many different populations of workers to cater to and SO many directions i can take this. being 23, i don't have any experience building a corporate wellness program from the ground, up. what i do have is endless drive to create a program that every employee can benefit from (and stress induced acid reflux). seriously, i am ready to make opportunities available to empower employees towards healthier lifestyles. one step at a time, i will get there, right?! another bummer, is that i am one of the youngest ones in the company (obviously, right?). it has been hard to find a confidant, someone to have lunch with that i can relate it. it forces me to be more focused, but i came from a place where i had about 15 people close to my age and experience where we could email and hit up happy hour after work. this may happen eventually, but it may not.

i am so excited to have started this new journey. while it is taking more work and brainpower than my last job, it is exactly what i needed. i needed to be challenged, i needed a job where i can roll up my sleeves and dive right in. i know it isn't going to be all balloons and confetti, but i am in it for the long haul! while i am young, i have to keep reminding myself, they hired me and trusted me with this program for a reason and i refuse to let them down.

always striving for more,
dee b.

p.s. to my new followers - welcome! i am so humbled and excited by the idea of you joining my journey of life (post-grad). i promise things are typically more exciting around here, but my energy has been channeled elsewhere recently.....

.: 2 years of bliss :.

can i just take a moment and gloat about my relationship??? drew and i just celebrated our 2 year anniversary!

as with any anniversary, you reflect on the time that has passed and how you have changed during that time. i can confidently say that i have changed in the past 2 years, for the better.

drew and i have a crazy connection, a relationship full of love, respect and equality. we have similar interests and characteristics. we both have high expectations for ourselves and each other. we are realistic, yet share big aspirations. we are practical, yet fun.

as i mentioned before, we have had a busy few weeks with the holidays, my new job and drew's birthday that we actually forgot to plan something for our anniversary. on saturday, we went to the Timberwolves game with my brother and sister-in-law - SO much fun!!! drew and i don't go out very often for many reasons,the top 2 are money and sleep (we're practical, remember?), but we had a great time with great company - we even managed to stay awake until 2! sunday, our anniversay, we headed to the Mall of America (in sweats) to shoe shop and think about how we wanted to spend our day together. 6 hours, 5 games of bowling, 3 pairs of shoes and 2 beers later, we had the best anniversary either of us could have asked for.

by spending our anniversary in sweats with no stress, we honored our relationship the best way we know how - by being ourselves! we don't need expensive dinners, fancy clothes or extravagant gifts to keep us together, we literally just need quality time. i'm not trying to fool you, we have fought once or twice before, we have our flaws, but through them we have never lost sight of who we are and what we have as a couple. 

drew,

i may tell you this close to everyday, but i mean it every time - you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. i couldn't dream up a better partner than you and i am so glad that life brought us together when it did. you make me want to do the best and be the best because you deserve nothing else. the past 2 years have been incredibly easy and successful, i know the next 2 will be just the same! 

(p.s. you can come home from soccer now - i feel like a crazy cat lady when you have late night games). 

our first picture together as a couple:. 

our most recent picture taken :.

please don't comment which one you like better - one is mid summer and one is dead winter, totally not fair! ;)

always striving for more,

dee b.

.: superhero status :.

what is your definition of a superhero???

someone who can maintain a clean house? someone who makes home cooked meals from scratch every night? someone who keeps themselves in shape and 'manicured'? someone who makes a good living? the best parent? the ideal partner? a combination of all of these?!

i thought of this post yesterday as i was on my hands and knees scrubbing our floors. my last day at UCare was thursday and i start my new job on Monday. i really had intentions to relax most of the day, but after taking another barre class (awesome) followed by a hot yoga class, i got home and couldn't stop cleaning! with pandora rocking, i spent 3 1/2 hours cleaning - it was actually almost embarrassing the things that i cleaned. i legitimately cannot sit still unless the house it put together (drew thinks it's some type of condition).

i find myself trying to do it all from keeping the house clean, to keeping myself healthy and in shape (and i should probably try to look good while doing it), to having a secure, well-paying job and making sure drew and i eat 'whole foods' meals on a regular basis. can it get to be to much??? heck yea!

ok, let's get serious though. there are days when we feel a little under appreciated, right? the feeling when you spend a couple hours cleaning or preparing a meal and you don't get 'enough' acknowledgement for it OR the place is a disaster about an hour after your family gets home? seriously, making my toes curl just thinking about it.

i'll admit, yesterday, there were a few moments of resentment when i thought, 'why should i have to do this on my day off and all alone?!' or 'this place BETTER stay clean for longer than 24 hours!'. then i kept thinking and thought of a book that a friend gave me, 'The Happiness Project' (which i HIGHLY recommend especially to those superhero females trying to do it all, but like you have time to read a book, right?!). well, there is a quote that i think of time and time again when i am feeling overworked and under appreciated:.

'you have to do the work for yourself. if you do it for other people, you end up wanting them to acknowledge it and to be grateful and to give you credit. if you do it for yourself, you don't expect other people to react in a particular way.'

another confession, 9 times out of 10 we put the work on ourselves, right? we pride ourselves in maintaining all of these things so the ones we love don't have to worry about it, right? we also silently hope for acknowledgement, a prize or reward sometimes, right?

so, to all you self proclaimed, self directed superheroes, i notice you! grab a glass of wine, take a deep breath and acknowledge to yourself all of the great things you accomplish in a day. if you can become satisfied with self recognition, you will notice that all those 'chores' will be fulfilling rather than degrading.

onwards and upwards, my friends!

always striving for more,

dee b.


p.s. a great quote from my friend that you have to laugh at -'boys are blind to dirt'. holy s, too true!