*Cohost* LIP Linkup #4

I am so honored to be co hosting the LIP Linkup for the month of August! Thank you Linda for the opportunity :)

From Linda's blog:

What is “Life In Pictures”?

Take as many pictures as you want throughout the week or day to recount the things you did avoiding as much text as possible. Your job is to guess what happened!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall Out Boy concert was very wet.

 

 

Jonnie Candito liked my video. Not upset.

 

Rangers game

 

 

 

An InLinkz Link-up

FitCon 2014

A few weekends ago, Saturday was FANTASTIC. Not only did I get to go to the Scarborough Renaissance festival, but I started my day out by going to FitCon 2014 in Waxahachie! 

I actually found out about the event just two days before, by watching this video by Nick Wright.

I truly am blessed that I got to go. I met some of the most humble and intelligent people in the fitness industry (specifically YouTube, lol).

So here is a quick recap with pictures of how things went!

Nick Wright and his girlfriend were the first people I got to meet. They came in from Long Island and I'm so happy to have met them! Both are super friendly. I felt so tiny next to Nick... look at those arms!!



Bob from OlympusIron was very nice and full of energy. He also captured a quick video of us so maybe it will be uploaded to his page if he reviews FitCon.




Of course, Quest Bars had a booth out there and they were snapping pictures of people with their product. The ingredients list isn't exactly my favorite, but compared to other bars out there, these guys win.



Standing in line (yes, a LINE!) to meet I found myself behind Joe from Health4Thought. I talked to him for abit and got to snap a picture.




After waiting a few minutes, I got to meet Chris Jones from Physiques of Greatness!! I tried to be cool and take a flexing picture with him, but I think he kinda beat me. Super funny guy. He lives in Fort Worth so maybe Ill run into him again some time.




Blondie Builder and JPFitness... aka the cutest fitness couple on Youtube!!



The last guys I got to meet were all the way from the UK... The Terrible Twins! They are so, so sweet! If these guys came in from another country, who knows what is in store for next year.

I was dissapointed that I didn't get to meet Furious Pete or Jonnie Candito, but hopefully they will be out there next year!

Who are your favorite fitness icons or Youtubers?
Did you make it to FitCon or will you go next year?

Natalie

#FitTube Youtube Series!

Fun news for my fellow Clean Eaters!!

Recently, I shared my interest with Diatta of Femme Fitale Fit Club to help with a fitness Youtube series.

Starting on April 16th, a few fellow ladies and I will be posting a weekly video tags on Youtube with the theme being something fitness and health related.

A FitTube tag is 20 questions that each of us participating answer in a video posted on Youtube.  Our first video is going to be about getting to know us all, so keep your eyes open for the upload!

This is the first of many #fittube tags, and I am really excited to be a part of it. I haven't used my Youtube account since posting my first yoga video... so this will ALSO be a great way to again become active in vlogging, lol.

Check out the great ladies who are also participating this round: 

Diatta with Femme Fitale Fit Club
Markita with SweshFit
Tiki with Healthy Living Tiki
Pamela with Gym Free Fitness
Sheila with The Frugal Exerciser 


Be on the lookout for our first video!!

Natalie

Five Things Friday

I thought I might try something a little new here on Clean Eating Teen.

I love reading the Five Things Fridays on "Fitting it All In" and wanted to give it a shot! I think it is a fun and unique way to give a little versatility to my blog, and to give you guys some insight on my life and thinking.

I won't be doing the exact same format as Clare, but instead just post five things that I find worth sharing! :)

Five New Things I am Trying


LOL NOT MY CAR. 

Driving 

I get my license in June, and right now have a learners permit. Watch out Texas... this girl will soon be road-bound!

Macro Counting 

I talked about this in a recent post. So far things have been going alright, with a few bumps... for instance, I miscalculated something yesterday and my numbers were a bit off.

Today marks the beginning of my THIRD week counting macros. Lets hope I master the skill soon.


Foam Rolling 

No need to explain here! I started a month or so ago to help loosen my muscles, aid in recovery, and overall let me have a farther range of motion to squat and such. So far I am really liking it!

Not Weighing Myself

Okay, so maybe this has not taken full effect yet...

It's a work in progress.

I really am trying to focus more on how I am FEELING versus how much I weigh. It plays with my head too much. I don't know if I have gained muscle (which is ideal) or not, and I can easily get upset. I want to give up the scale for good!

Traveling

I am SUPER excited to be visiting my best friend Abby from Yes to Yummy in June. I will be traveling for the first time ever and couldn't be more thrilled. I am counting down the days until I get to see Abby and have the best time of my life cooking, learning, and having fun with her!!

Five of my Favorite Foods


Nut butters.
Like, is this even a question? I think I have made it very clear of my nut butter obsession...

Indian food.
I have made own versions before, but they don't really stand against the stuff I get at the Indian or Middle Eastern restaurants. I don't know though, everything Indian over at Everyday Maven seems even better than going out...

Fruit.
Oh geez. I WISH I could just be fruititarian, but I don't think that would do my body any justice. My favorites are bananas, red apples, and most berries. But in all honesty I couldn't care less what kind of fruit it is, I'd eat it! 
Sweet potato/winter squash.

Again, many a recipe has been posted here on Clean Eating Teen with acorn squash!! Oh jeez. I TOTALLY fell in love with Kabocha squash... I took that fad and ran with it.


Super unhealthy, artificially sweetened frosting from the Target bakery. 
Okay... so I have a secret. Well, I guess not a secret anymore.
But I use to have an addiction. To thick, neon colored, artificially flavored frosting. I remember when I was young, and I would walk into Target and ask for some free frosting that they had leftover from making cakes or whatever.
Of course, I don't eat this NOW! I can totally make my own frosting, which tastes just as great. But the fake stuff will always have a special place in my heart.

Five Songs I've Been Loving

Living Room- Tegan and Sara

If you don't know Tegan and Sara, climb out from under your rock and FIND THEM. The most naturally talented duo I have ever seen... than you Taylor for loving them, and making me love them!

ANYTHING John Meyer 

I guess I am late on joining this bandwagon but uh, I get it now!

Talk Dirty- Jason Derulo  

I usually hate anything "pop" music related. But for some reason, this song is my jam. Great for leg day!

Dark Horse- 10 Second Song Version 

I just found this video via my personal Facebook page and ITS AMAZING!

Cruise- Florida Georgia Line 

This song is older than I thought? It came out in 2012 apparently. But in any case, I love the band and think they have a great sound. I am a fan of country in general and this is a nice modern twist on it.


How are you enjoying this Friday?

Natalie

Old School Blogging: Holiday Edition!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE EVERYONE!! (Or for those who don't celebrate Christmas, happy December 24th!)

I have recently been seeing this type of post popping up around my favorite blogs! 

I decided to have a little fun and go along with it. Thank you to Cori at Olive to Run  for the inspiration!  

First things first: 1 Holy Night or 8 Crazy Ones? (Do you Celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, both?)

I celebrate Christmas ! 

Peppermint or Chocolate?

I'm gonna say both. Chocolate is nice on its own, but it is even better with peppermint. I don't exactly crave peppermint on it's own... but when it is paired with chocolate, it becomes AMAZING!  

Sing us into the Holiday Season, what is your favorite Carol this time of year?

Aaaaall I want for Chriiiistmaaas... Is Yoooou! 

Image via Google Images 

Haha, even though I have absolutely no singing voice what so ever, I still jam out to Mariah Carey's version of "All I want For Christmas". (Actually, I was listening to it back in July, but we won't get into that.) I also LOVE LOVE LOVE Michael Buble's Christmas album. His voice makes everything sound better. 

Tell us about a Favorite Family or Personal Holiday Tradition?

Things have changed since I was a small girl, but there are a few things I always remember being associated with Christmas...

-If there ever was snow, my mom, sister and I would get into our jackets and make snow angels outside at night. We got soaked and were freezing, but it was always worth it! 

-Staying warm by a REAL FIRE in the fireplace. Sure, the fake ones that are more like heaters still warm you up, but it is NOTHING like sitting by a real fire. 

-Decorating the Christmas tree with my family. When I was little, I used to steal the ornaments off the tree and put them in my room for a few hours before my mom made me put them back on the tree! 

-Not sure if this is really a tradition, or something cute. All my life, we always set out a "stocking" for the pets in my house. Silly, but true! As a little girl I wanted to be sure that Santa gave Lucky the cat a present too. So as the animals have came through our house (dog, cat, rabbit, hamster...), so have the pet stockings! I think my sister is putting a carrot in her rabbit's stocking this year. 

C’mon you remember your favorite  (Christmas, Hanukkah) gift, tell us all about it:

When I was 3-4 years old, I got a Jeep! 

Image via Google Images

Haha, no... not THAT Jeep! I got a small, bright pink Barbie jeep that I adored with every ounce of my being. I rode that thing around the house and outside until the battery finally wore out years later. I felt like the coolest chick in the world, cruising around in that thing! Definitely the best gift EVER.  

That magical moment? (Your favorite scene in a Holiday movie..it’s okay if you have 2)
There has always been the tradition to watch "A Christmas Story" during the holidays. I think it is super cute, but really it is my mom's favorite. There are too many funny scenes to name, but I really think the whole "leg-lamp" thing is hilarious! 

Image via Google Images 

Kissing under the mistletoe? Who do you hope is standing underneath (We know it’s normally your spouse, if it didn’t have to be, who would you choose?)

I couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather have than my awesome boyfriend! <3

But if I had to say someone out of the norm like the question asks, maybe I'd choose Bad Luck Brain. He needs some holiday love. 

Image via Google Images 

Swans a swimming, lords a leaping, golden rings; which gift of the 12 days of Christmas would you like most?

The partridge in a pear tree! I'd have the pear tree (I love pears), and I'd cook up the bird. 

Because I am an awful person inspired chef. 

Play Secret Santa, what inappropriate gift would you love to give this year?

Well, on second thought, maybe I shouldn't give this one out. Would just give people more reasons to insist I am a hippie who does this stuff! (I agree with the hippie part, not the pot head part!)

Martha Stewart or the Grinch? What is your decorating style? 

I actually really love decorating for Christmas. My favorite thing to do are the lights outside... I love white lights, or baby blue lights. To me, it makes the house look magical! I also really think it is fun to make the bathrooms in the house decorative (Christmas towels, hand soaps, ext). Surely I'm not the only one who likes this right?!

What is ONE WORD that defines the holiday season for you? (Examples: Believe/Wonder/Bah Humbug?)

Warming. I can't think of anything else to describe it. I love sitting next to a warm fire, and the feeling I get when everyone exchanges gifts and watches movies in their pajamas all day is simply comforting. 

If Santa could assure its delivery, what’s the first thing on your CHRISTMAS LIST?

My own cooking show! It is a goal of mine to eventually have a show that features holistic and healthy cooking methods as well as some restaurants around the world that also serve food in that manner. So many cooking shows now days only worry about how to make the food taste good (read: lots of processed foods!) or how to make really quick meals. I want to show the world how healthy food can be DELICIOUS and time efficient. Plus I would love to travel to see how other states/nations try to incooperate healthy lifestyles.
Having my own cooking show would be such a blessing. I would not only be living my dream, but I would also be able to make connections with other wonderful people in the same industry. Also, just being realistic, some extra income would be awesome! My mom is a single mother, so helping her out in any way I can is always a priority to me.



My sister and I years ago. I am the ugly duck on the right! :)

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday, and new year!

What are you doing to celebrate this holiday season?
Do you have any special holiday traditions? 

Natalie 

Elf For Health 2013!

Hey there Clean Eaters!

Way back when (well, a year ago!), I wrote a post about my participation with an event called Elf For Health Holiday Challenge.


(Image via The Lean Green Bean's blog)

The event is a large, online support system created my Lindsay from The Lean Green Bean and Elle from Nutritionella.

A bit more information on the event...

It is a challenge that runs through late November to late December. You have daily "challenges" to help keep you on track during the holidays . These challenges fall into four categories: "Food, Fitness, For You, and For Others."

Over the course of the challenge, you are assigned an "elf"... aka a buddy that you email and support daily, that helps you with personal goals as well as the Elf Challenges.

Not to mention, weekly there are prizes for best Elf! Some of the awesome sponsors include Manitoba Harvest, Nature Box, Nutzo and more!!

How awesome does this sound? I am totally ECSTATIC to get to participate again this year. I did decently last year, but REALLY want to kick things up a notch this year. My elf and I are totally going to dominate! :)

(See, I even grabbed a blogging button! Check out the side bar for a peek. If you are also a blogger, you can get it too on Lindsays or Elles blogs!)

Speaking of my "elf"... LAST year I had the awesome opportunity to be partnered with Kristen, a fellow blogger. She was an amazing person to get to know and we had lots of fun with emailing eachother and doing the daily activities.

This year, I am blessed with being introduced to a wonderful girl named Megan. We have emailed eachother a few times, and already I can tell we will become fast friends :) We both love to workout, eat healthy, and heck... we both even like romantic movies! ;)

The challenges have JUST began... so I am sure I will fallow up this post with some info on how things are going!

I also will be updating on my Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram on our progress.

Also, the deadline for this first round (two weeks) of Elf For Health is at a close. But you can still hook up on the Facebook page, participate in Twitter, and sign up for the next round in December!

So... are you participating in any holiday challenges, such as Elf For Health or Clean Eating Teen's "No Excuse November Challenge" ?

Happy holidays!

Natalie

I Ran The Amazing Technicolor 5k!

Hey there Clean Eaters. Boy, have I had an exciting weekend!

Not only was the weekend homecoming for me (so a late Friday night football game, plus a late Saturday night dance!), but Saturday morning I ran the Amazing Technicolor 5k! My boyfriend and his family invited me and my family to participate. We had a BLAST getting soaked in colorful powder rainbows. This was my first ever 5K, and I couldn't think of a better way to experience it.

For those who do not know what the race was, it was similar to any other color race. Instead of paint, you are given packets of color to throw at people. Also, every 1/2 mile there is a station where volunteers are lined up tossing a color at you!

That morning, we woke up and headed out to the race. We got to the site 45 minutes before the race started at 9am... With a rainy forcast ahead, we were happy when there was yet a raindrop in sight. But, as luck would have it... we parked our car, and the storm started pouring. Running up into the check in area in freezing Fall rain was definitely something to remember.

Inside the check in area, Jasons Deli and Panera Bread had donated some fuel for the race! I grabbed a banana and some of the other guys got cinnamon rolls and granola.

The group before the race started. We are all wet from the rain! My sister, on the far right, is holding one of the color powder packets. 

Soon enough, 9am came around and miraculously the rain stopped. The sun was shining and you couldn't have been able to tell it was ever storming to start with! And on the positive note, the race began...

We all started together, but some of us wanted to run and others preferred to walk. Even those of us who ran did not stay as one... we all had different speeds! The boys all sprinted the entire way and were far ahead of us all. I ran most of the time, but stopped periodically to be with my sister and my boyfriend's sisters.

Here is a picture we snapped a mile or so through! We had just passed one of out first color stations and were covered in pink powder. 
Also, here we are running on a bridge over the highway. I thought it was so cool that all the cars were honking in support at the runners! 

The race went by QUICKLY! Usually, when I ran (the few times that that actually happens on my own. Seriously... running isn't my hobby!) it seems to take FOREVER. I really respect passionate marathon runners in this sense... I don't know how they do it.

But in any case, I felt like time flew by. I finished the race in about 40 minutes, mostly running but also stopping to walk backwards and catch up with my sister.

My sister got some powder thrown on her... mostly in her eye. Ha! Makes for a beautiful picture though. Also, her eyes really pop with that color! ;) 

About halfway through I got really warm in my jacket. Initially I had it on under my shirt for warmth (it was cold when it was raining!), but I had to yank the thing off! Whew. I carried it the rest of the time in my hands.

Before I knew it, I was crossing the finish line. I crossed it alone, with the adults, my sister and my boyfriend's sisters not far behind. I caught up with the guys and we waited for the others to finish as well.

Then... it was time for the after party! This was just as fun as the race. There was a great DJ and everyone did the cupid shuffle... also, while everyone was in a group, he told us to take our powder packets and throw it up in the air at the same time. For a few seconds you couldn't see through the fog!!

Look at all that color! 

Many pictures were taken of the group post-race. We were seriously on a (runners?) high for hours afterwards.

My mom, sister and I. I love being able to keep my running bib! My mom and sister did not care to keep theirs. 

All of us after the race!! 

 Me and a friend of mine and my boyfriends, from school. This kid is so fun to be around. He also is one sharp dresser... no joke, after the race he went and changed into some fancy shirt and pants and had to head to another event. I guess he is also Mr. Popular! ;) 

Such a cute picture!! My boyfriends sisters and my sister. See all that colorful powder on the ground?

The race overall was one of the most incredible events I have ever been to. EVERYONE was in a great mood, and all runners cheered and supported one another.

It was hilarious, too, the looks my mom, sister and I got after leaving the race. We actually had a dental appointment at noon and had no time to change so... yeah. We went looking like giant blobs of rainbow.
We got lots of smiles though! Seems that the race was a popular event, because everyone knew where we had came from.

So... after such a busy morning, I also had to be ready for HOMECOMING that night! Thank heavens that color came out from my hair and skin. I do have to admit though, I had to part my hair on the opposite side than I was planning, because my scalp was stained pink there! Ha!

Have you ever ran a 5k or other race? How was it?

Natalie

State Fair Of Texas

I had Monday and Tuesday off from school for "fair day". Because I live so close to the Texas State Fair, we actually get holidays for it! There ARE some benefits to living in this hot climate!

 Entering the fair grounds! And the back of my momma's head (hey there mom!)

Funny story... one of the booths was an all natural dog and cat food brand, and they were handing out free samples by the handful. My whole group was down for getting some to take home (even though I actually do not own either....but free stuff!). Little did we know that the "samples" were actually rather large bags! So we had nearly 10 pounds of animal food to carry around... haha, good thing we thought well enough to turn around and put it in the car before continuing our adventure.

In the passenger seat of "my" car in one of the automobile buildings.

Right before we left, my mom, sister, god father and his son all insisted on trying this year's winning fried creation: Fried Thanksgiving Dinner. Basically, it was a bunch of "stuffing" mixed with turkey chunks, all battered and fried in balls. Served with a side of "cranberry sauce" and "gravy". Clever, I do admit... but I opted out for trying it. I'd have the runs for weeks.

 The GIANT Boar is at the Fair every year, and is one of my favorites to go see. It mainly just sits around and sleeps, but look how big the thing is! The picture doesn't do justice.

For all you butter lovers...Here is this years GIANT butter sculpture. Yep, all that... made out of butter. It set a new Guinness world record!  Probably not the best source of saturated fats but at least it looks good enough to eat!

And last but certainly not least... *drumroll please*

 Of course my godfather wanted a corn dog. Who doesn't at the State Fair of Texas?

Any other Texans enjoy the State Fair this weekend? Or plan to do so?

Natalie