My Healthy Essentials + 3 Delicious Dessert Recipes

This post is sponsored by iHerb, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

With bikini season in full effect and Miami Swim Week right around the corner, I recently picked up some of my healthy essentials. For today's post, I've partnered up with iHerb. For those who aren't familiar, iHerb is the mecca of all things high-quality for the health-minded. I discovered the website years ago and I've actually been shopping on their site for supplements and healthy snacks ever since.

As one of the world's largest online stores for natural products, iHerb carries a huge selection of natural products with the best overall value. Let's face it, I don't enjoy spending my life savings at more expensive retailers. Therefore, iHerb saves the day. I typically purchase my protein or other supplements, nut butters, nuts, or natural seasonings through their site. It saves me a lot of time and energy, and shipping is free on orders of $20 or more.

They carry over 35,000 products and ship to over 160 countries, and iHerb is a Google Trusted Store. Therefore, it's great for gifting the man in your life. In my case, the man in my life is nearly 6 years old, eats like a grown man, and loves sweet treats. I like to incorporate healthy treats or desserts to help curb the sweet tooth in a way that won't be detrimental for our bodies. Here are some of my favorites:

Peanut Butter + Banana Roll-ups

1 low-carb whole wheat tortilla

2 Tbsp peanut butter

1 banana

Dash of cinnamon

Spread peanut butter on the tortilla, place a banana in the center, roll it up, and cut into slices. Sprinkle with cinnamon!

High Protein Chocolate Brownie

1 scoop protein powder

1 egg (or 1 Tbsp flax powder and 1 Tbsp water)

½ banana, mashed up

2 Tbsp almond milk

Mix everything together, microwave for 45 seconds, and devour.

Apple “Nachos”

1 apple, sliced

Unsweetened, shredded coconut

2 Tbsp peanut butter, melted

2 Tbsp raw almonds, chopped

Dash of cinnamon

Layer the apples and toppings, and sprinkle with cinnamon. It's really simple and delicious!

 

If that's not enough goodness, they also have a rewards program that hooks you and your referral up with 5% each.

Products mentioned:

Buff Bake, White Chocolate Protein Peanut Spread, 13 oz (368 g)

http://bit.ly/2sqk2Li

California Gold Nutrition, SPORT, AjiPure, Pure L-Glutamine Powder, 16 oz (454 g)

http://bit.ly/2saNf8B

iHerb Goods, Blender Bottle with Blender Ball, Green, 28 oz

http://bit.ly/2tz4pRA

Lenny & Larry's, The Complete Cookie, Snickerdoodle, 12 Cookies, 4 oz (113 g) Each

http://bit.ly/2usPll7

Peanut Butter & Co., White Chocolate Wonderful, Peanut Butter Blended with Sweet White Chocolate, 16 oz (454 g)

http://bit.ly/2t9ZYd2

Vega, Sport Performance Protein, Chocolate, 29.5 oz (837 g)

http://bit.ly/2t08hKc

What are some of your healthy must-haves?

If you're interested in trying iHerb out for yourself, click here to get 5% OFF your order!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of iHerb.

 

COTTON CANDY | Two-Piece Set on Sunset

 

What I'm rocking:

Two-Piece Set by: Hot Miami Styles

Shoes by: EGO 

Photography by: @MaxTheBody

Get the look:

INTERGALACTIC | Metallic Shoes + White Two Piece Set

 

Occasionally, I enjoy long walks on the beach and climbing on the ledge of buildings. 

In all honesty, this was probably one of the most fun photo shoots I've done in a long time. The team and I just wandered through the streets of downtown Miami and discovered little gems to shoot near. I've always been drawn to Freedom Tower, which is right across from the American Airlines Arena and serves as a historical building. Currently an art museum, it's known as the "Ellis Island of the South" for its role from 1962 to 1974 as the Cuban Assistance Center, offering nationally sanctioned relief to the Cuban refugees who sought political asylum from the regime of Fidel Castro. Downtown Miami has so much mysterious beauty that tends to surface each time I wander through the area. 

What I'm rocking:

Two-piece set by ZAFUL

Pants by PUMA

Shoes by EGO (similar style here)

Sunglasses by ZAFUL 

Get the look:

Photography by: Ralph Raphael

Lexus GS 200t F-Sport

I'm back, and with another sexy Lexus.

As most of you know by now, I am slowly becoming a connoisseur (or at least in my mind I am) of all things cars. Although I rarely speak of it, but I used to write for a car company where I would detail all of the performance, styling and other aspects of each vehicle. I grew up with Tomboy tendencies trailing around my older brother, and aesthetics of automobiles became something that I found interest in.

Over the past week and a half, I had the pleasure of driving the Lexus GS 200T F-SPORT around Miami. Let me start off by saying that this is completely elevated with performance upgrades, three modes of power, racecourse injected styling, all with the power of a V8 on the GS Hybrid. Everything is catered to your personal experience, including butt-hugging seating (how epic is that?). The driving experience of the 200T F-SPORT was incredible, as its Sport mode allowed for an enhanced thrill that I'm always looking for in a car. 

For more information and specs, visit www.lexus.com

2017 Lexus GS 200T F-SPORT featured throughout.

Photography and Video Production by: @ADuaneGVisual

The Big Fat Truth: My Weight Loss Transformation Story

I'm excited to announce that I've teamed up with Z Living to share a bit about their newest show, The Big Fat Truth, and to share my own transformation story.

The Big Fat Truth airs on Sundays at 8pm EST and features a different set of participants who are looking to break their bad habits that are detrimental and damaging to their health (i.e. teachers, chefs, nurses, diabetics, moms, etc). The show addresses the real reasons people struggle with weight, and gives them tools and optimism to transform their lives. I encourage you guys to join the FREE Big Fat 30 Day Challenge to get health and wellness tips from executive producer and host JD Roth!

Growing up, I was always an active child involved in sports and extracurricular activities. I ran track and field, swam competitively, and played basketball and volleyball. Fast forward to 2010, I became pregnant with my son and ate nearly everything in sight aside from feeling stressed out. Needless to say, I gained an immense amount of weight during my pregnancy. After I gave birth, it became a mission to lose weight and get back to finding my confidence and myself. I lost 55 pounds of post-baby weight, two months after giving birth to him.

Afterwards, I completely changed my life for the better. Having my son ultimately changed my life in a way that most won’t understand. From staying in a draining relationship to poor self-esteem during my pregnancy, to living happy and healthy, I learned to change my life through good decisions and surrounding myself with like-minded people. I began living a more active lifestyle, eating healthier, and encouraging my son to stay active as well. I started doing at-home Insanity workouts by Shaun T, and was featured in the International Insanity workout commercial for my transformation. After that, I began living a life where I followed my passions and what I truly wanted to do – inspire young women to know that they can achieve anything they put their mind to. I started my blog and YouTube channel for me to speak to young women all over the world. Regardless of obstacles that the universe puts in our path, we are capable of overcoming them with the right mindset. Looking back, it’s crazy to see how far I’ve come just by making the right decisions.

 

It can be hard to stay motivated or you may be intimidated to start the process, but my best advice is to take it one step at a time and believe in yourself. In the end, you are the only person who is going to push yourself when nothing else is left. When you’re on that last rep, or last 30 seconds of the workout, only you can tell yourself to keep going and not give up on who you are. Only you can change your life.

It's A Gold Birthday

Over time, I've slowly transitioned from one of those "it's my birthday all month long" to "let's just sit here and do nothing" type of people. However, today's birthday is exciting because I'm in Los Angeles and grateful for another year! I stopped by Sunset Boulevard to check out the shops and restaurants, and took some shots of this golden look.

What I'm rocking:

Bodysuit c/o Hot Miami Styles

Body chain c/o Hot Miami Styles

Pants c/o Free People

Boots c/o EGO Shoes

Watch c/o La Mer Collections

Get the look:

Photography by: @MaxTheBody

Day In The Life In Miami: Food, Video Shoot + American Ninja Warrior Workout

I'm going to be one of those typical moms and say that I can't believe it's been nearly six years, and my son graduated Kindergarten. Thankfully, I didn't cry or get all sappy on his last day. However, I did transform into a 10-year-old child at the Ninja Lounge. Coincidentally, I also shot the most recent episode of The Unstoppable Series (where I am indeed a ninja) alongside Bad Ass Vegan, Poetic J, and more. Press play, and let me know what you think!

No Party Like An Ok! Mag Party

 

There's nothing like getting together with your girls and celebrating life, whether it's enjoying a beach day, working out, or pampering yourselves. 

Fortunately, I had the pleasure of experiencing all of this over the weekend, thanks to OK! Magazine's Body and Soul Miami Beach event at The Raleigh Hotel. The all-day beachside event showcased the hottest celebrity health, fitness and wellness trends of 2017 and allowed guests to get out, get fit, and join OK! for a fun-filled day of wellness and plenty of pampering! 

I started my day with a quick stop at the Barbar, where I had my hair braided (let's face it, my hair looks like a hot mess otherwise) before my first workout. Shortly after, The BOX hosted an intense and dynamic boxing experience that started off with some jump romping for cardio and shifted into shadowboxing and boxing-inspired bodyweight exercises. As many of you know, I workout often and the intensity levels are quite high. However, this was one of the hardest boxing and invigorating workouts I've ever tried. DJ Mike Louis played some of the hottest tracks, which made it a fun experience.

In between the boxing and Vixen Workout, I hydrated with both HINT water and Whispering Angel infused ROSE ice pops (yes, they legitimately had rose-filled popsicles on deck). Atkins sampled their new harvest gluten free breakfast bars all day.  Tampax and Always were sampling Pearl tampons and Always pads. The Little Lighthouse Foundation of Miami was there to recruit volunteers for their foundation.

 

 What I'm rocking:

Sports Bra by Beyond Yoga

Shorts by LIVE!

Shoes by PUMA

Black Mesh and High Waisted Denim in LA

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I'm rocking:

Bodysuit by Hot Miami Styles

Jeans by BooHoo

Boots by Hot Miami Styles

Bag by Rebecca Minkoff

Bracelet by Alex and Ani

Get the look:

Photography by: @MaxTheBody

The Lexus Experience

 

 

Moving boldly forward, the all new 2017 Lexus NX Turbo F Sport is incredibly designed in all aspects of the vehicle. It embodies an aggressive, standout look, with dynamic handling and exclusive updates. Its sporty seating and race-inspired G-force transform this SUV into an innovative beauty and beast. Its interior design and moonroof also give it a luxe experience, with a Remote Touchpad to help navigate the vehicle at your fingertips. Another key feature that I absolutely loved about the NX was its wireless phone charging capabilities (because who needs cords). 

Continuing on with the athleisure trend and lifestyle, I paired sporty pieces with edgy details for a bold look during FUNKSHION's The Retreat here in Miami. The Lexus NX Sport was the perfect vehicle for getting me around during the busy four-day fitness and wellness retreat, while allowing for plenty of cargo space while going in and out of events. 

What I'm rocking:

Choker by: ZAFUL

Bodysuit by: OMG Miami

Track suit by: Luli Fit

Shoes by: EGO

Sunglasses by: Free People

Watch by: Movado

Handbag by: Rebecca Minkoff

Get the look: