Start 2016 feeling good, looking good & doing good!

Ready to bust into 2016 with a vengeance?  I know I sure am!!  

How was you 2015?  Here's a few things I did that I'm pretty happy about...

-Started the It's My Evolution thrifty subscription box

-Lots about 20lbs

-Completed my first 30 Day juice reboot

-Connected with other local bloggers through Dallas Blogger Collective (now closed) and the Dallas Fitness Ambassadors

-Started working with a business coach

And a few not so fun moments....struggling with my health for the 1st 1/2 of the year, trying to find balance (it's a journey!) and seeing a few family members struggle with their health as well.

I'm sure this year has had it's ups and downs for you too....but my question to you is this:  What are you going to do to make 2016 your best year yet??

I'd like to invite you to partner with me to help you make the most of 2016.....to help you feel good, look good and truly do good.  

On January 11th, I'm kicking off a 6 week eCourse that will be jam packed with info to help you get on track and stay on track throughout the year.  The eCourse will include: 

-Nutrition Guidance

-Meal planning

-Accountability

-Tons of juicing tips for beginners

-Fashion tips 

-Motivation

and MUCH MORE!

This eCourse is something completely new and I can't wait to share it with all of you.  If you're interested, you can email me at itsmyevolution@gmail.com or schedule a time to chat with me HERE on Equity Scheduling.

Merry Christmas from It's My Evolution

Merry Christmas y'all!  

I hope you have a fabulous day with your family and friends as you celebrate the reason for this wonderful season, the birth of Jesus Christ.  Of course, we all love the presents (and there's nothing wrong with that), the parades and all the parties, but the best gift we've ever received is something to be celebrated with joy all year round. I hope your joy extends throughout the rest of this year and your whole life through.

My OOTD Featuring HeartfeltTX Tshirts

HeartFeltTx, created by Sarah Huggins, is an adorable etsy store full of vegan friendly, Texas loving t-shirts. They're seriously the softest tees you will ever own! Sarah's tshirt line is inspired by her love for the south and passion for sustainable, responsible living...plus she's a local Texas gal and shopping local is totally a WIN in my book! ;-)  

Plus, $1 of every purchase is donated to the International Justice Mission, a global organization that works to end slavery and human trafficking in the U.S and abroad.   So that gave me about a million and one reasons to love her brand before even laying hands on my tee! ;-)

Trust me, this Veggie Lovers Baseball Tee did NOT disappoint!  It's adorable, cozy and so easy to style.  I wore it out to do last minute Christmas shopping and it was the perfect mix of comfy and cute! 

Oh and funny story...while I was out shopping I got hit on by a guy who asked if I grew my own produce and wanted to chat with me about sustainable living...so apparently this tee's a conversation starter to. HAHAHA

Don't forget to check out the HeartfeltTX shop on Etsy HERE.  

Which one of the tees is your fav?  Share in the comments below. :-)

**This is a sponsored post, but, as usual, all the opinions are my own & I only share what I truly love with all of you.**

Staying On Track With Your Health & Fitness During The Holidays

With travels, family visits, holiday parties, Christmas dinner and an abundance of desserts, it can be tough to keep your eating on track and even more tough to find time to squeeze in a workout, BUT it can be done. Really, it can! :-)

Let's get right down to the how...How can you stay focused during this busy time?  Well, I'd like to share a few tips that have worked for me.

1. Wake up early

If you don't have any time in your day to workout, wake up 30 minutes earlier than the rest of your family and get your workout in first thing in the morning.  This alleviates the chance to put it off to later, which sometimes never comes.  Plus, you know you've got your workout in so you don't have to feel stressed about having a little taste of the chocolate pie.

Get up, get it done and join on with your day. 

2. Just have water.

Saying no to sodas, tea and other holiday drinks can really cut down on the amount of sugar and added calories you're consuming throughout the day.  I always feel like drinking my calories away is such a waste (except for fresh made juice, of course!). 

You should be getting enough water to equal 1/2 your body weight in ounces and I actually try to drink more than that at holiday parties and dinners, because it naturally helps keep you feeling full so you can fight the urge to snack all day.

3.  Watch your portions

There's a difference between having a piece of pie and having 1/2 the pie...haha Trust me, in holidays years ago I would stuff myself soooo full of turkey and desserts that I would literally get sick, have to unbutton my jeans and basically go into a coma on the couch. 

Don't follow in my old footsteps...save yourself and your tummy some grief.  Just have a piece of pie...a sensible piece that you'll enjoy, but isn't so big that you'll regret. 

4. Get moving.

It's easy to spend your holiday planted on the couch watching Christmas movies and parades  curled up under a blanket next to a fire, but it's also easy to get up every once in a while.  Help clean off the table, pickup all the wrapping paper that's covering the floor after everyone tears into the presents.  Hey, every little bit of movement helps! 

5. Keep healthy snacks on hand.

I'm not sure about your mom, but mine goes crazy with desserts....chocolate pie, fudge, cookies and more.  There's just as many dessert options as there are side dishes!! haha  

Yes, they all look yummy, but chowing down on everything will leave you feeling blah and will get you further from your goals.  How do you resist?  By keeping a few healthy options on hand.  Here are a few of my favs:  pitted dates, bananas, crackers or veggies dipped in hummus, gluten free, vegan chocolate protein bars and chocolate chip banana oat cookies.

Do you have any other tips or tricks you use to stay on track?  Share them below!! :-)

Nike Training Club Private Shopping & Workout Event

Last Saturday I went, along with a bunch of Dallas Fitness Ambassador ladies, to a private shopping event and NTC workout with a Nike Master Trainer at the Nike store in North Park Mall.  What an awesome experience?!

They're store is HUGE and we were greeted with personal shoppers, $50 gift cards to the store, a breakfast buffet, swag bags and more.  

Before the workout we all chatted about Nike and all that Nike Training Club has to offer.  They have several training sessions available during the week at the North Park location, but they also have an app with awesome workouts for when you're not able to make it out to train with the group.

They also had a table full of new shows that we could test during the workout.  What an awesome way to try before you buy!!!  ((LOVE that!))

Nike even featured some AHHHmazing trainers.  The Master Trainer on the far left was a football player at UT, the trainer in the middle trains Dallas clients and the trainer to the right own his own boxing business and used to be an athletic trainer for the Dallas Mavs.  It was pretty cool to have such great quality trainers leading & encouraging us along the way.

And the workout....oh the workout!!! This lots of plyometrics tip moves....burpees, a bazillion squat variations and nonstop movement. I was sore for several days....but in a good, I kicked some rear kind of way. ;-)

After we finished our workout, we all huddled up, they announced an Nike Training Club MVP of the workout and we all chanted.  

It was a pretty box group that came out!!  I generally workout at home in my garage all by myself so being in a big group with a live trainer was a change, but I loved it.  I def want to go back soon!!!

After the workout, they gave us all Nike swag bags with adorable little coffee cups and magazines inside. 

They also had a breakfast buffet....no vegan food options, but that orange juice sure was good!!

Ohhhh and they even had a Refresh Station where you could use all the products to make sure you looked cute before heading out after the workout.  I thought that was an awesome touch!!

And of course, you now I spent my $50 gift card right then and there.  I got these awesome Nike Pro leggings....thanks to the gift card they were only $9.  They're such a fun print and their lined so they keep me extra warm when it's freezing in the garage. 

I had a blast at this Nike event with all the Dallas Fitness Ambassador girlies.....seriously, if you're into sharing your fitness journey and you live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, join in on our fun....it's FREE and you will meet such awesome women who are just as obsessed with workouts and adorable leggings as you are. HAHA

Taking A Spin At The Spiral Diner

Spiral Diner and Bakery is a 100% vegan and mostly organic restaurant with locations in both Ft. Worth and Dallas.  This Sunday, while my hubs and I were in Dallas already, we decided to give it a whirl.....Ok, ok, I decided and he went along for the ride.  His little steak and potato loving heart was probably squirming the whole time. 

As soon as I walked in, I knew this place was going to be amazing....from the vintage diner vibe to the Seinfeld Fetivus related specials, it was spot on ADORABLE and made my little vegan heart flutter.  So wishing they had a Lewisville location, because I'd be there weekly!!

They even had a gallery wall with pictures of all of their employees...love that!

The bright colors and throw-back decor matched the laid-back atmosphere perfectly.  It was evident that people love it by the constant flow of people in and out as we slowly savored our meals....Ok, maybe that we just me...lol  My carnivore hubby isn't much of a vegan food fan, but 

For lunch, I had a delicious bacon ranch burger, check out the description:

Since I don't visit full on vegan restaurants often, I decided to go all-in and chow down on one of their desserts & oh my goodness, the Turtle Brownie Sundae did NOT disappoint!!! 

My lunch was awesome enough, but that brownie sundae....Oh my goodness, I don't like I have sighed from satisfaction that many times during one meal in my whole life. HAHA  It was completly delicious and WAAAAY too much goodness for one person.  I totally took the extra home for an after dinner dessert.  No way was I just leaving it there!! lol

The hubs even got me a vegan dark chocolate almond bar for a special treat throughout the week.  Before going vegan, I would stuff chocolate in my face like a woman on fire....but now that I am eating more intuitively, I can make 1 bar of chocolate last about a week. Now that's pretty amazing in itself. ;-)

Have you ever been to a full-on vegan restaurant?  Which one?  How was it?
Share all the details below...you know I'd love to check it out!

Getting Back In The Workout Game After a Sick Day

Last week was a little rough, if I wasn't at work hacking up a lung then I was hopped up on cough medicine while falling asleep to the sounds of the Real Housewives of Atlanta brawling on a boat.  I got a few 5-15min yoga stretching sessions in, because my back was sore, but that's about it.

This week I am feeling MUCH better so I wanted to share how I get back into the routine after having to take a break, because well, we all get sick once in a while. 

My fav. way to get back into the routine is with a day (or a few days) of light yoga & stretching....I love P90X3's 30 minute workout routine.  It moves quickly from pose to pose, but not so fast that you can't keep up.  It's a great way to gently nudge your body in the right direction.

Once my body feels ready to ramp it up, I get back to my normal workout routine, but give myself some serious grace and go into the first few workouts with the mindset that it's ok not to go full-out.  I'd rather ease in slowly, then go to hard to soon and feel sick again or get injured.  

Some of my girlfriends try to tough it out and exercise even when they're sick, but honestly, I think it's best to really listen to your body and soak in the rest when your body needs it.  Taking a sick day doesn't mean your lazy....it means you take care of your health.  ;-)

I'd love to hear from you-->>  What to you do to help you get back into a routine after being sick?

Don't quit your daydream!

If you're anything like me, you LOVE making list of dreams, goals, things you'd love to accomplish, but without lots of work behind the scenes those dreams won't come to fruition. Well, guess what, now is your behind the scenes moment....it's the end of a new year and a fresh start is right around the corner.  

Now is the time to dream even bigger and put in the work to make those goals MORE than just dreams, but morph them into reality.

Later this month I'll be sharing some of my big goals for 2016 with all you, because, of course, I want y'all to be along for the ride every step of the way....but today, let's take a second to look back on 2015 and celebrate one thing that often goes without fanfair.  What's the ONE thing?  

Well, pretty simply it's just the plain old fact that YOU did NOT quit.  You're still here. You're still pushing toward your goals...whether part of that is getting healthy and fit or defining your unique style so closet morning melt downs become a thing of the past.  

So as you set your intentions for what you want 2016 to be, I want you to give yourself a pat on the back...maybe even throw yourself a dance party to celebrate, because you have NOT given up.  And that truly is a HUGE part of getting to your goal. 

So here's my little celebration extravaganza for all that 2015 has had to offer for me and the It's My Evolution brand.....a little 2015 highlight reel, if you will. ;-)

-Officially launched a new website HERE. 

-Expanded to Instagram (our absolute fav place to hangout now).  

-Launched It's My Evolution's monthly thrifty subscription box.

-Completed a 30 day Reboot

-Became a vegan.

-Travel a lot for FREE through my social media job. (San Bernardino, Laguna Beach, Seattle, Chicago (twice), Phoenix, Minnesota, Atlanta)

-Searched for & officially started working with a business coach...AHH!! 

-Completed several workout programs: 21DFX, BBL, Hip Hop Abs, & more

-Joined in on the local blogging fun with Dallas Fitness Ambassadors & Dallas Blogger Collective

Plus lots more fun things including time with my hubby, puppy adventures & more.  I can't wait to share what all is in the works for 2016....YAY!!!

What accomplishment are you most proud of in 2015? 

I'd love to hear all about it, so be sure to share yours in the comments!! ;-)

Asian Style Vegan Bowl

As you may have noticed, if you follow me on Instagram, I'm obsessed with all kinds of vegan bowls.  Why?  Because somehow you just throw lots of stuff together and it seems to turn out deliciously every time.  It's like magic....yummy, edible magic! HAHA

Ingredients:

-Hand full of Spinach leaves

-1/4 cup of brown rice

-Veggie slaw mix

-Black beans

-Corn

-Onion

-Sweet potato (Chopped)

-Guacamole (Homemade)

-Liquid Aminos

-Crushed Black Pepper

-Sea Salt

Directions:

I started by putting a heand full of spinach at the bottom of the bowl.  

Then added on 1/4 cup of cooked brown rice. (I use the microwaveable 90 second bag kind....no judgement, right?)

Then I heated up a sweet potato (also in the microwave...hey it's about convenience too!) and then chopped and a 1/4 of an onion it into chunks.  Then threw those in the bowl too.

Next I added a 1/4 cup of corn and 1/4 cup of beans to the bowl.

Then take the veggie slaw mix and cook it on the stove top.  Season it with a little of the Liquid Aminos (Like Soy Sauce, but healthier), black pepper & sea salt.  Cook until tender and then add that into the bowl as well.

Give the bowl a good mixing. Now, to finish it off, just add on a dollop of homemade guacamole....yum!!!

Be sure to let me know if you give it a try...you can also share your recipe on social media using #ItsMyEvolution so we can all see your yummy creation. ;-)