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Where did you get your passion for health and fitness?
Exercise and healthy eating are two huge interests of mine. Though I was active throughout high school, when I entered college, I didn’t really know what I was doing in the gym and mostly stuck to cardio-based workouts like spinning. It wasn’t until I started reading more about the importance of strength training that my workouts became more well-rounded and incorporated weights and plyometric exercises. Now circuit workouts are my absolute favorite!
My interest in healthy eating and properly fueling my body came a little later, after my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. It was then that I did a lot of research and read about healthy foods that provide your body with important vitamins and aid in disease prevention. I started to experiment in the kitchen a bit and found myself enjoying cooking and making healthy meals more and more. I always thought eating healthy must be complicated, but nearly every dinner I make comes together in 15 minutes or less.
From reading your blog (and your blog name!) it seems that you have a healthy attitude regarding nutrition and the occasional splurge. What would your advice be to other women out there struggling with diet and making nutritional choices without restricting themselves too much?
I grew up in a house that cared about health, but also loved dessert. This rings true for me to this day. I will never shy away from dessert if I want dessert. I think that when we tell ourselves we can’t have something, we immediately want it. Don’t deprive yourself or make food that you love off limits. Knowing I can eat whatever I want but that I CHOOSE to select mostly healthy things for my body takes the emphasis off of restriction and onto overall health.
What are your top five favorite healthy foods and how do you incorporate them into your diet? How do you fuel your body on a daily basis?
Five foods that I eat frequently include peanut butter, apples, Greek yogurt, oatmeal and salmon. I love using Greek yogurt, chia seeds, almond milk and oatmeal to make overnight oats. It’s an easy breakfast that can be prepared the night before and keeps me feeling full for hours.
As for how I fuel my body, my blog documents most of my breakfast, lunch and dinner meals, but I eat constantly and snack often. None of my meals are particularly gigantic, but I eat five or six times a day and make sure my snacks are substantial. I’m a snacky person by nature and eating this way allows me to always look forward to my next meal because it’s never too far away!
I try to work out six days a week and take one day completely off. I try my best to vary my workouts but definitely gravitate toward circuit workouts or strength training. I like moving quickly through a workout and varying the exercises because it makes time fly by! For cardio, interval treadmill workouts are my favorite because they turn me into a sweaty beast and totally kick my butt.
You are also a seasoned runner. How did you first get into running and what is your advice to others who would like to sign up for a race?
Thank you for saying that, but honestly I don’t consider myself a particularly great runner! I just had the desire to get out there and run a 5K when I graduated from college and wanted a new goal in my life outside of work.
My advice to new runners would be to start slow! I first signed up for a 5K and only graduated to longer distances once I accomplished my goal of running a 5K non-stop. I didn’t think I could physically run a half marathon, but with the proper training (and no injuries!), I believe anyone can. It’s important to find a quality plan and stick to it. I followed Hal Higdon’s novice training plan for my first half marathon and highly recommend it.
From your experience, what are some of your top race running tips?
Practice everything before race day! Wear your race day apparel on a test run. Drink water like you would on race day. Eat the same fuel or gu you plan to eat on race day. Go with what you know! Also, if you’re comfortable with someone watching you race, encourage a loved one to come out and cheer you on. I had no idea just how motivating it can be to have spectators rooting for me and I love looking for the faces of those I love in the crowd as I run.
What are some of your workout gear necessities?
I always keep my iPod stocked with rockin’ workout playlists. Nothing reinvigorates a run for me like a jammin’ song! I also love my Garmin 305 running watch because it tracks my time and distance, allowing me to just go out there and run on my training runs and not worry about charting out a route ahead of time to make sure I cover the proper mileage.
What does “healthy” mean to you?
Healthy to me is feeling happy mentally, physically and emotionally. I feel healthiest when I’m taking care of myself in every area of my life.
Julie is a writer, editor, and blogger living in Florida with her husband and adorable dog Sadie. Check out her blog, Peanut Butter Fingers, for all kinds of healthy recipes, workout inspiration, daily musings, and more!
