Gluten Free Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes and Rise Bar Review!

Hello blog world!
Long time no post right?
Sorry I've been SWAMPED with school work, internship applications, LIFE, it's all so hectic! But if you want more daily updates from me, don't forget to follow me on instagram, tumblr, and twitter! I update there a lot more than here!
If you're wondering about what I'm doing NOW, I'll be having a post later about how I'm eating, working out, how I'm living my healthy lifestyle journey, etc. More #stoppingthebinge posts, more tips on how to get through this lifestyle in the healthiest, and most maintainable way! <3

BUTTT for now, I have a delicious recipe AND review!

RISE BARS

Last year I got to review Rise Bar products, a company that has bars for ALL your needs: breakfast, energy, and protein bars! Check the link to read all about them!

This time I got to review two new protein flavors of theirs:

Cinnamon Sunflower and Lemon Cashew

The lemon cashew was surprisingly delicious! It had a great light hint of lemon, not too overwhelming at all. And I love cashew butter in general, it added a natural sweet taste, I wasn't overwhelmed by the sweetness at all!  I know lots of other bars out there contain WAYY to much artificial sugars and when you bite it it's like WHOA, I think I just got a cavity... But not with Rise Bars. Seriously, look at those ingredients for the Lemon Cashew bar:

That's why I love this company. It's so straightforward, NOTHING crazy added. Just all natural ingredients! It's AMAZING.

The sunflower cinnamon was interesting! I've never tried sunflower butter, so it was definitely a different taste than the nutbutters I've tried, like almond, cashew, peanut. But it had a good earthy taste, full of cinnamon too! My boyfriend wasn't a fan, but I actually liked the flavoring of it. Wasn't too sweet, which I like!

Both bars, since they are made from a nut base, are a bit oily when you take them out of the wrappers, but that's just the oil from the nuts :) But I did love the texture, soft to bite and chew, and the tastes were delicious as well!

Thanks so much Rise Bar for allowing me to try your new flavors!
And as a bonus, they've given a coupon code where you can save 5$ on your order!! Use the code: "5OFFRISE"

 ___________________________________________________

Chocolate Avo-Cupcakes

Avocado cupcakes WHAT??!

The secret ingredient that adds moistness, and super healthy benefits. AND you can't even taste the avocado!

 

Ingredients:

·      2 medium ripe avocados

·      3 eggs

·      ¼ cup cocoa powder

·      1 TBS coconut flour

·      2 TBS almond flour

·      ½ tsp baking soda

·      ¼ to 1/3 cup honey

·      optional 2 TBS chocolate chips

Method:

·      Preheat oven to 350 F

·      Mash avocados well with a fork or spoon

·      Mix together wet ingredients, then add dry except chocolate chips

·      Pour into greased muffin/cupcake liners

·      Top with optional chocolate chips

·      Bake for 15 minutes or until knife comes clean

#Vmfityear2014 MARCH FITNESS MADNESS: Glute lifting edition

Welcome to another month in this #VMFITYEAR2014!
Ready to keep on going in this lifestyle journey of yours?!

Lightened Up Healthy 7 Layer Dip

Have a big get together coming up but don't want to bring a bland and boring dish? Want to bring something delicious and secretly healthy?!

Try out this lightened up dip! I made it for this past Superbowl Sunday and it was a huge hit!

January Bounce Back Winners and February #VMFITYEAR2014!

I bet you all ROCKEDDD January's plan! Hopefully it pushed you and made you sweat!
Check out the 3 winners of the prizes and get your February plan now!

Gluten Free Banana Bread Muffins and Quest Bar Frosting

Want to try some delicious guiltfree banana bread muffins covered in frosting?!

Must Read Blogposts For the New Year

It's officially 2014!
Brand new spanking year.
Today is the first day of a 365 page book, make an amazing and inspiring story.

New Mentality for the New Year

2014 is around the corner!

#Vmfityear2014 January: Bounce Back Plan

It's here!

#VMFITYEAR2014

Your Fittest Year Yet

This is the January Bounce Back Edition!
Ready to get those New Year Resolutions underway? Ready to actually COMMIT to them and follow through?!
Make this a LIFESTYLE change. Not a temporary plan, but a jumpstart to the rest of your life, where you'll feel confident in the body you have, and continue to improve it daily!

 Read a bit more about the plan here

Each month will have:

• Calendar full of workouts
• Grocery Guide
• Progress Pages
• Food Logs
• 3 Chances to win monthly prizes from either Quest Nutrition, P28Foods, or You Fresh Naturals!

All for $8.50
Very reasonable considering some personal trainers can charge up to $200 a MONTH!

What are you waiting for? Commit yourself to FIT!


<3 vmfitness
Josie Mai
JosieMaiFitness LLC

 

Tips on Stopping the Binge/Overeating

I've been reading the book "Intuitive Eating" (HIGHLY recommend this book if you've had problems dieting/yoyoing/want to learn more about listening to your body's biological hunger cues etc) and felt like sharing my favorite tips from the book AND my personal experience on how to control your eating, whether you overeat or BINGE, try out some of these tips to control your eating.

Tips on Stopping the Binge/Overeating

HELLO WORLD! #vmfityear2014 and GIVEAWAYS!

Hello hello hello!

If you don't follow me on instagram or twitter, then you probably think I've fallen off the face of the earth! Well don't worry I'm RIGHT HERE!

Been swamped getting back into college life, homework, exams, attempting to be social :P, and more. It's been a whirlwind! But things are finally starting to calm down with the end of the semester and Christmas break coming around!

Well an update with me.....

I took a break from macros.
I tried intuitive eating.
Started overeating a little bit more and more.
Backtracked slightly the progress that I had made over the end of the summer.
Really wanted to reach the balanced lifestyle of intuitive eating: eat when I'm hungry, don't when I'm full, but it seems like my mind wasn't in the right place, so I had to go back to IIFYM for a while.
Just got back from a week cruise vacation getaway where I definitely enjoyed the relaxation, sun, and FOOD. While on my cruise I started reading "Intuitive Eating" to try to learn more about why I feel the need to overeat and how exactly I can STOP it. It's been helping and the book is a great read! For anyone dealing with dieting issues or yo-yoing and how to stop for GOOD, I definitely recommend this book to read!
Taking it day by day trying to get in tune with my body and simply just eat for fuel, and not overstuff myself like a Thanksgiving Turkey!

So yup that's what I'm doing now!
Obviously.. I'm not very consistent. I have ups and downs, progress and backtracks, but that's life. It's never perfect! And I know you all share similar experiences! I don't want you to think you're failing or are a failure because you can't stay on track. Just know it's part of the lifestyle journey and process. You haven't failed, you've just learned ways that haven't worked!
Keep going. You'll make it.
It's a journey. It's not a set path. There will be bumps on the way, but you CAN and WILL make it.

NOWWWW
What exactly is this #vmfityear2014??

What do I have in store for YOU ALL and MYSELF for the 2014 year?!!?
Well not only is it a new year, but it's also MY 21ST BIRTHDAY ON JANUARY 2!
So I needed to come up with something AMAZING this year!
Like a COMEBACK YEAR.

 

That's right, I've been working on something realllll special for you all!

I know this last month is always tough with the holidays and whatnot, and you end up starting the new year fluffy, guilty, out of shape, and ready for New Years resolutions. I wanted to do a challenge for you all, but decided not to for winter because I want you all to SUCCEED! And we all know how those holiday temptations and gatherings can get! So I present to you :

#vmfityear2014

 

EVERY SINGLE MONTH 

I'll be releasing a program with:  

• Monthly calendar:
• FULL of workouts to get you ON TRACK TO THE FITTEST YOU YOU CAN BE! 
• grocery guide
• #vmfityear2014 journal for progress updates
• food log 

Andddd each month there will be 

• ️ONE WINNER that will receive 2 QUEST boxes OF THEIR CHOICE as well as an article of  Quest apparel! 
• ONE WINNER that will receive P28 Food Products  (either bagels, bread, nutbutter, or wraps!)
• ONE WINNER that will receive a delicious nutubtter from You Fresh Naturals!

That's right: 3 WINNERS EVERY MONTH!

WHO WOULDNT LOVE THAT! 

Rules will be in the monthly plan on how to win the prize for that month!

Do you want to get back on track, bounce back from the holidays, and make a LIFESTYLE change?!? This isn't a diet. This won't be a quick scheme. I'm trying to prepare you for LIFE.

A Lifestyle Change.

Then get ready for DECEMBER 26, 2013 when I'll be releasing the first month: 

JANUARY: BOUNCE BACK 

There WILL be a price for the monthly plans, I'm aiming around $7 to $9!! 

 Which if you ask me is pretty SWEEET considering some month plans are anywhere from $50-$200! But I GOTCHU, I'm a broke college student too! Are you IN?!?? 

Mark your calendars for Dec 26, and give yourself the present of a New Years resolution you'll stick to!!!