eat clean (+bonus recipe!)

Finally!! Spring time….the sun is out, the birds are chirping and the tank tops are out of the closet. It’s time to step up our diet and exercise routine a notch. And what better way to stay committed and motivated than the always-so-fun-bathing-suit-shopping. Diet is KEY with maintaining health, wellness and weight. You could be working out every second of the day, but without a balanced diet, you are sabotaging your own progress. It’s all about clean eating.

What exactly is clean eating? Clean eating is the idea of eating more fresh and whole foods, opposed to pre-packaged and processed foods. Hello lean protein and vegetables, goodbye fast food. Leaning more towards complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, over white flour. It’s also being committed to replacing saturated fats with healthy fats. Note that people who follow the clean eating lifestyle avoid dairy. It’s not about counting calories, but believing in good quality.

Yes I understand, Spring is filled with outdoor parties with fruity drinks and tasty treats. Don’t worry about temptation, when you can enjoy your own tasty recipes! Check out this one below for guilt free pancakes!

Guilt Free Pancakes
1/2 cup Organic Oats
1/4 cup Almond Milk
1 Large Egg White
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1 Tbsp of Baking Powder
1/4 Cup Blueberries
In a medium bowl, mix oats with milk. let stand for 5 minutes. Add egg and oil and mix. Continue to add baking powder and blueberries. Pour onto nonstick skillet until golden brown. Flip and cook until desired. Makes 8 pancakes.

Stay tuned for more fit tips from our expert and guest blogger, Angela Claire Fitness!

fit @ home.

March is almost done! And can you believe it? It seems like just yesterday we were trying to figure out New Years Eve plans and rushing around to find the tightest dress! Most importantly, we were writing down a list of New Years Resolutions. Let me be the first to remind you of the goals you set two months ago and check in to see how your progress is going!

Spring is around the corner! And yes we still have a few more cold fronts to dodge.  However don’t let the weather set you back from reaching your goals. Yes the weather is gross and all we feel like doing is wearing sweats, vegging out, and watching re runs of Real Housewives. But there are no excuses! Especially when we have goals set. Don’t feel like making the trip to the gym? No fear! Here are some exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home. No equipment needed!

1) Standing Side Crunch – Stand with feet shoulder width apart, and make a fist with your right hand overhead, extend left arm at side. Shift weight to left leg and raise right knee out to side as you bend right elbow, crunching it toward inside of right thigh. And repeat. Do 20 reps and switch sides for 4 sets each.

2) Glute Lift- Position yourself on all fours and pulls abs in so your back is flat. Raise right knee to hip height behind you, foot flexed, and lower to start position. Do 20 reps. Switch legs and repeat for 4 sets each.

3) Full Extension – Lie face up with knees bent over hips and extend arms overhead. Crunch up as you reach for your hands toward feet. Extend legs a few inches off the ground in front of you as you extend arms overhead. Crunch up as you bend knees, placing weight back on ankles to return to starting position. Do 20 reps for 4 sets.

4) Stationary Lunge – Stand with your legs staggered, your right foot about two feet in front of your left. Bend your knees to lower your body until your right thigh is parallel and your shin is perpendicular to the floor. Straighten your legs to return to start. Do 10 reps, then switch sides and repeat 4 times.

5) Incline Push up- Get into a pushup position with your hands more than shoulder width apart on your couch or low table. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the surface. Pause at the bottom and then push yourself back to start. Do as many reps as possible until you can not maintain form or have to stop.

6) Tricep Dips – Sit on the edge of your couch or a chair with your knees bent and your feet on the floor in front of you. Place your palms face down next to your thighs and keeping your arms straight, shift forward until your hips and butt are in front of the seat. Bend your elbows to lower your hips until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Push back to start. That is one rep. Do as many reps as possible until you can’t maintain form.

Stay tuned for more fit tips from our expert and guest blogger, Angela Claire Fitness!

giveaway monday: free personal training.

What better way to kick off Valentine’s week than with a giveaway? This week, up for grabs is a FREE personal training session with fitness competitor and certified personal trainer, Angela Claire Fitness! Angela is also the Mrs. Why Knot fitness guest blogger and we love love love the fit tips she shares with all of our readers.

Entering is simple and remember…you’ve got to be in it to win it!

v-day alternatives.

Our Guest Blogger & Fitness Expert, Angela Claire, loves alternative gift and date ideas for Valentine’s Day. Read ‘em over and drop some hints! Valentine’s Day is just a week away!

HWTM: top tips for turkey day.

bridal belly blasting tips.

So your wedding is just weeks away and you want to blast your belly flab just in time for your last dress fitting. Most brides would say in order to get fit in time for their big day they started just after their engagement with a disciplined work out routine, eating right and limiting their guilty pleasure foods.

What about those brides looking to flatten their midsection just before putting on their dream dress. Wondering if there are any last minute ‘fixes’? There sure are! Read below for some go-to tips to tackling your tummy (spanx not required!)

feature friday: fitness together.

Good morning and Happy Friday! Today, the spotlight is on Fitness Together, a one-to-one personal training studio located in Scarsdale. So read along on how the studio can help you get the bridal body you are looking for…why knot?!