Monday Pic of the Day!

* I thought this was very appropriate for the whole theme and purpose of my blog. People can be absolutely beautiful on the outside but lacking depth, strength and a good character on the inside. It's so important to continue to strive every day to be the best you can possibly be, to understand the importance of physical fitness without forgetting about also improving yourself internally, and to be your own biggest fan. There is nothing more beautiful than true self acceptance*

Happy Monday to you all!!!

-Kate

Instagram @fitnfreekate

*Homemade granola, raspberries, blueberries & goji berries. Perfect snack*

Oil Pulling

Have I got your attention now? What a weird and confusing title for a blog post huh? If you are familiar with oil pulling than first off, good for you! A+ ...If you are not, I'm sure you are just dying to know what the hell oil pulling is. 

I wasn't aware of this unique practice until only a few months ago. As you probably already know by now, I'm completely in love ( it used to be infatuation but now we are on a much deeper level) with coconut oil. The health benefits are off the charts and you can use it for SO many different things. The list is seriously endless and continues to evolve and grow. 

So another use for coconut oil is oil pulling. What the heck is it you ask? It's simply taking 1 tsp (start with a 1/2 tsp if you need to) and swishing it around in your mouth, gums and teeth for anywhere from 10-20 minutes then spitting it out. The longer you do it the better but when I first started doing it, I could only do it for about 10 minutes because my mouth got too tired. Maybe it's just me? Probably... 

After you spit, rinse your mouth out with warm water and brush your teeth. You will instantly feel refreshed and clean.

So, why oil pulling? 

 There are many different reasons people choose to participate in the oil pulling activity. The most basic way I can describe it is your mouth is full of all sorts of bacteria. When you swish the oil around the bacteria literally get stuck in it. Then when you spit it out, out goes the bacteria. 

Here are a few health benefits:

 Removes bacteria, toxins and parasites that live in your mouth 

Pulls congestion from your throat and loosens up your sinuses

 Reduces plaque and gingivitis
Helps with bad breath 

Stronger gums and whiter teeth

A form of detox and rejuvenation

A few tips:

DO NOT swallow it

Make sure to swish it around to all areas but try and avoid the throat
When you are finished spit it out in the toilet or the trash- not the sink

Doing it while in the shower makes time go by faster. I know I have ADD but I get really bored when I'm just standing there waiting to spit. 

You can use other oils such as sesame or sunflower but I recommend coconut oil because it's antimicrobial and tastes better :)

For more information, click here  

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Get your oil pulling on this weekend and start to reap the benefits!

-Kate

Guilt-free granola that will knock your socks (and boots) off!

I've always been super picky about granola. I'm not sure why. I've never really fallen in love with it. And it seems like the only granola I actually LOVED was when I was on vacation somewhere or at a restaurant where they refused to give me their "secret recipe." Understandable, I guess ;)

In my experience, the majority of granola is either jam-packed with crazy sugar additives, is super high in cals or just tastes like cardboard. So...I was lucky enough to steal this recipe from my sister Heather who is famous for coming up with the most creative and healthy (but still mouth watering) recipes! This homemade granola is nutritious, tasty and will leave you wanting more and more. Trust me.

Preheat oven to 325

2 cups of old fashioned oats

1/2 cup nuts- I used cashews since I LOVE them and that's what I already had at home

1/4 cup seeds (I used pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds)

1/4 cup dried fruit (optional but I used goji berries)

2-3 tbsp of honey or maple syrup or both

2 tbsp. coconut oil- if its solid because of the temperature in the room don't worry it will melt when you combine everything together

1/4 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes 

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

*Combine everything in a big bowl with your hands and make sure to really incorporate the coconut oil if its not liquid just so there aren't any huge chunks!

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Put on a baking sheet in a thin layer and bake 10 minutes then pull out, stir it up and flip what you can with a spatula and put it back in for another 5 minutes to cook it evenly. You want it lightly golden but not too brown or it will taste a little burned and we don't want that!

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And here she is...beautiful bowl of granola made with love. Add this to some plain Greek yogurt with some blueberries and you are set for heaven :) Enjoy!!

-Kate

Instagram @fitnfreekate

*My miscellaneous lunch today! Quinoa spelt cakes, red bell peppers, chicken, avocado w/red pepper flakes & pepper, yellow lentil hummus and spicy salsa. Variety is key!!*

-Kate

Monday Pic of the Day!

*Believe in yourself. Follow your heart. Push your limits. Accept your flaws. Embrace your free spirit. Trust your instincts. Learn from your mistakes. Love. Laugh your buns off. Appreciate what you have. Trust yourself. Enjoy every bit of this crazy roller coaster we call life*

-Kate

Instagram @fitnfreekate

*2 eggs with sauteed coconut oil, kale, spinach, onions, garlic, sesame seeds, salt n pepper with my very last cup of Kona coffee from my Hawaii trip with cinnamon, stevia and a splash of 1/2 and 1/2*