Flourish: Fitness Health Wellness (2025)

05/11/2025

I haven’t been cooking as much as usual since my class started this semester, but I wanted to get in a couple pumpkiny meals this Fall before we transition into all the Christmas vibes and goodies!

For anyone who knows me, knows that I am big on fiber and I am always focused on getting enough in my diet. One of the quickest ways for me to reach my daily fiber needs is through chia seeds. I will throw them into my yogurt almost every day, but my chia seed puddings will get me to my daily goals quickly! I have a few different recipes, but this one is perfect for the season and for my pumpkin spice lovers! My Pumpkin Spice Chia Seed Pudding has all the Fall feels in one jar!

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Pumpkin Spice Chia Seed Pudding
Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients:

6 TB Chia Seeds

1 Cup Almond Milk

1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder

1 TB Maple Syrup

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

½ Cup Canned Pumpkin Puree

1 (5.3 oz) container Greek Yogurt (pumpkin or vanilla)

1 ½ tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice

1-2 packets of Whole Earth Sweetener (depending on how sweet you want your pudding)

Optional- Whipped Cream and Chopped Walnuts for toppings

1. Place all the ingredients (except for the optional toppings) into the food processor and blend until all are mixed well.

2. Pour into two different glass bowls or mason jars.

3. Put lids on the bowls and jars and place them in the refrigerator overnight.

4. In the morning, top with whipped cream and/or chopped walnuts, or enjoy as is!

Nutrition Facts: (per serving/no toppings) 340 calories, 12.1g fat, 31.7g carbohydrates, 25.9g protein.

22/10/2025

These past few weeks have been crazy! This is the time of year when my schedule fills up with all the fun Fall activities, on top of all the other tasks and responsibilities I have on my plate. But it’s my favorite time of year, so I make it a point to keep our family traditions going and continue making memories with my kids because time flies by too quickly, and before I know it, they’ll be off on their own. But, while all of this is important, so is my self-care, so I’m still trying to prioritize movement and exercise as best I can. It certainly isn’t always great, and I’m never perfect. Nobody is, and perfection isn’t what we need to strive for. Do I miss a workout here and there? I sure do. But it doesn’t stop me from moving forward; I keep going.

This month, to help keep me showing up for myself, I’ve scheduled my workouts around my plans. I’ve even made it a point to say no to things to keep my “date” with the gym. I’ve also adjusted some of my workouts so that I’m not doing as much as I used to, so I’m not at the gym for more than an hour.

If you find yourself juggling so much and still trying to fit in time for exercise, here are tips to maintain your fitness goals throughout the holiday season!

Focus on consistency, not perfection. The holiday season is busy, and it's okay if your routine isn't as intense as usual. Aim for consistency by trying to get in a few workouts weekly. Something is better than nothing.

Give yourself grace. Don't let one missed workout derail you completely. Focus on your next opportunity to move, rather than dwelling on a temporary setback.

Prioritize your mental health. Use exercise as a tool to manage holiday stress, rather than another chore on your to-do list.

Schedule short, efficient workouts. Even 15 to 30 minutes of training can deliver results. Block out these shorter sessions in your calendar like you would any other important appointment.

Use bodyweight exercises. If you can't get to the gym, bodyweight exercises can be done anywhere without equipment. Focus on compound movements like squats, lunges, and push-ups to target multiple joints and muscle groups.

How are you keeping busy this season?

17/10/2025

Here are the examples we should set for our daughters:

I want them to watch us focus on the foods that will nourish us properly and give us the energy necessary to fuel our workouts and get us through the day. But I also want them to see us enjoying food and taking the time to indulge in our favorite fun foods regularly with our spouse, friends, but especially with them!

I don’t want them to demonize or eliminate foods from their diet because they think they are “bad”. I want to show them that they don’t have to restrict themselves from foods, but they can enjoy all foods in moderation. All foods can have a place on our plates and within an overall healthy and well-balanced diet.

I want them to see that we don’t feel guilty after enjoying ice cream or a hamburger with fries. We eat them in moderation and incorporate them into an overall well-balanced diet.

I hope they understand that they never have to earn their food. We all need food to be healthy and to give our bodies the nutrients they need to function properly.

I hope they find joy in moving their body daily through physical activity and exercise. I want them to see it as something fun and good to do for themselves and not as punishment for what they have eaten that day.

I want them to see us striving to be strong and not skinny. I want them to see it as normal for women to be in the gym lifting and building muscle. I want them to focus on feeling strong, healthy, confident, good, and comfortable with who they are and in their skin.

I hope we exemplify what self-care looks like and that they understand that it isn’t selfish to care for themselves. I hope they see us taking the time to prioritize our health and well-being for our physical health, but also our mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

I want them to know that strong women build one another up and help each other succeed. I want them to be kind and learn to support and cheer on other girls and women. I want them to know that their light doesn’t dim when you ignite someone else’s flame. It just makes the world shine that much brighter.

I hope they know we love them so much to be healthy for them and with them.

09/10/2025

September was a month for rest, relaxation, refocusing, and resetting. A month that I wanted to prioritize doing things that make me happy, and one of those things was just spending time with my kids.

During this time, Ava and I had many girls' nights, and among those nights were evenings spent in the kitchen cooking. One of her favorite meals that she cooked was oven-baked meatballs. Not only was it simple enough for her to do almost entirely on her own, but it was fun, and she absolutely loved them! They are such a great source of protein and are wonderful as leftovers throughout the week. They can be enjoyed in various ways, but she likes her meatballs with spaghetti noodles, and I enjoy mine with spaghetti squash.

Give these a try and let me know what you think!

Oven-Baked Meatballs
Makes 20 meatballs

Ingredients:

1 lb. 90% Lean Ground Beef

1/3 cup finely chopped onions

¼ cup dried breadcrumbs

1 Egg

¼ cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

3 TB Ketchup

1 TB Worcester Sauce

½ TB Dried Parsley

1 ½ tsp. Garlic Powder

1 tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Black Pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. If possible, use a baking sheet with a rack.

3. In a food processor, finely blend the onions and place in a medium-sized bowl.

4. Also, blend the Parmesan cheese in a food processor and put it in the mixing bowl along with the onions.

5. Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixing bowl and combine well.

6. Scoop the beef mixture and roll it into 2-inch balls, and place it on the baking sheet or rack.

7. Bake for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.

8. Let cool.

9. Serve with pasta noodles or spaghetti squash and top with your favorite marinara sauce!

10. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (per meatball): 77 calories, 3.5g fat, 3.2g carbohydrates, 7.7g protein.

02/09/2025

It’s September, which means, it is officially Halloween season in my house! Therefore, all my decorations will go up, and it is time to break out all the pumpkin-flavored treats!

My chocolate pumpkin muffins are starting the season off right! These bad boys are not only delicious but also less than 100 calories each, making them easy to fit into your daily macro goals.

Give them a try and tell me what you think!

Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:

1 Cup Pumpkin Puree

1 Cup Gluten Free Flour

1 Cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt (I use Oikos)

½ Cup Unsweetened Applesauce

1 Scoop Chocolate Protein Powder (I use Kirkland’s Signature Creamy Chocolate)

2 Eggs

2 TB Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

1 ½ tsp. Baking Powder

½ tsp. Baking Soda

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

3 packets Whole Earth

½ tsp. Sea Salt

1 ½ tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice

28 g. Lily’s Milk Chocolate Baking Chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Grease a muffin/cupcake pan or use paper liners.

3. Add the wet ingredients in a small mixing bowl: pumpkin puree, Eggs, Vanilla, Greek Yogurt, Applesauce, and Almond Milk. Whisk together until well-combined.

4. Add the dry ingredients in a larger mixing bowl: Gluten-Free Flour, Protein Powder, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Whole Earth, Sea Salt, and Pumpkin Pie Spice. Mix well.

5. Pour the wet mixture of wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until well-combined.

6. Scoop your batter into the muffin pan, filling each cavity about ¾ full.

7. Top with the chocolate chips.

8. Put in the oven and bake for 30 – 35 minutes.

9. Let cool.

10. Enjoy!

Store muffins in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving/muffin) 96 calories, 1.7g fat, 16g carbohydrates, 5.4g protein.

29/08/2025

Far too often, I come across women who believe that when they become a mom or have reached middle age, a decline in health and body composition is simply a natural part of aging and the sacrifice of becoming a mother. They’ve concluded that there’s nothing they can do but accept their fate.

That may be true to an extent. Certainly, some sacrifices come with having children, but we have more control over our health and bodies than we realize. Our fate doesn’t have to be losing our health and bodies to motherhood or age.

You’re not broken, nor is your metabolism. Your health and body haven’t solely changed as a result of aging. It’s more likely that your lifestyle has changed over the years, which caused changes to your body, energy levels, strength, and overall health.

Good news, this isn’t your fate. You aren’t too old, and it isn’t too late. You can make the changes needed to improve your health and fitness, allowing you to flourish into the best version of yourself.

Here are 7 changes to start your health and fitness journey!

1. Track Your Food- Knowledge is power, and learning the types of foods and calories you consume daily could be what you need to achieve your health, fitness, and body composition goals.

2. Eat More Protein- Our bodies need sufficient protein daily to function efficiently, especially if we exercise and want to build muscle. Look for lean, high-quality protein sources.

3. Increase Your Fiber- I can’t stress enough how essential fiber is for our bodies. Eat fruits, veggies, whole grains, and legumes! They also provide necessary micronutrients!

4. Build Muscle- Cardio benefits our hearts and lungs, and we don’t want to stop doing it; however, incorporating more resistance training will help build the muscle we need.

5. Move More, Sit Less- As we age, we tend to become more sedentary, which impacts our overall energy output. So, move every day!

6. Get More Sleep- Rest and recovery are important for our bodies, so get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night.

7. Drink More Water- Instead of consuming all the coffee drinks, sugary drinks, and alcohol, which can be high in calories, focus on drinking water and staying hydrated.

20/08/2025

I have been on a “chunky monkey” kick lately, probably because I had many bananas go brown in my household, and I didn’t want them to go to waste. One day, everyone is eating bananas like crazy, and they are gone in two days. The next week, nobody eats bananas, and they all go brown. Sometimes I just cut them up into slices and freeze them for smoothies, other times, I bake with them!

This time, I made the most addictive Chunky Monkey Chewy Oatmeal Squares! Let me tell you, this sh*t is BANANAS! It really is hard to eat just one. They are perfect when you want a little sweet treat, but you don’t want anything overly decadent. The banana and chocolate combination is so delicious. They will also help you with hitting your fiber and protein goals.

Give them a try and tell me what you think!

Chunky Monkey Chewy Oatmeal Squares

Makes 9 servings

Ingredients:

2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats (I like Bob’s Red Mill)

2 Large Ripe Bananas

1 container of Oikos Vanilla Greek Yogurt

¼ Cup Egg Whites

¼ Cup Almond Milk

¼ Cup (28g) Lily’s Milk Chocolate Baking Chips

1 scoop of Chocolate Protein Powder (I use Kirkland’s Signature Creamy Chocolate)

2 TB PB Fit

1 TB Maple Syrup

1 TB Cacao Powder

2 packets Whole Earth

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 tsp. Baking Powder

½ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Cinnamon

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. In a small bowl, mash your bananas, but you can leave them slightly chunky.

3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (with the exception of the chocolate chips).

4. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients.

5. Add your wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients, and mix until well-combined.

6. Pour the batter into your greased baking dish and top with the chocolate chips.

7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and firm in the center.

8. Let cool and serve.

9. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts: (per serving) 168 calories, 3.1g fat, 27g carbohydrates, 9.7g protein.

19/08/2025

I love Greek yogurt! It is quick, easy, and delicious. I eat it almost every single day. Sometimes I eat it as a snack, but most of the time, I eat it as part of one of my meals. Occasionally, I will have it for breakfast, but usually it is part of my lunch. I really look forward to my Greek yogurt. Typically, I like to eat it with chia seeds, walnuts, and berries. However, sometimes, I want to change it up and enjoy it another way. Enter my Chunky Monkey Greek Yogurt Bowl!

This is a bit of a sweet treat kind of way to eat Greek yogurt. The sweet taste of the bananas mixed with the peanut butter flavor of the PB Fit and topped with the rich chocolate flavor of the Lily’s baking chips hits the sweet spot while hitting my protein goal!

Give it a try and tell me what you think!

Chunky Monkey Greek Yogurt Bowl

Single serving

Ingredients:

1 Medium-sized Banana (approximately 115g)

2 containers of Oikos Vanilla Triple Zero Greek Yogurt (or your favorite brand of Greek Yogurt)

1 TB PB2 Fit

14g Lily’s Milk Chocolate Baking Chips

Optional- Sea Salt

1. Cut your banana into slices. Put half of them into a small mixing bowl and mash, leaving a little chunky. Set the rest aside.

2. Mix the Greek yogurt and PB Fit in another small mixing bowl.

3. Add the mashed bananas to the Greek yogurt bowl and put it in the fridge for about 15 to 30 minutes to get cold.

4. Pour the mixture into your dish and top with the chocolate chips and the rest of your sliced bananas. Optional: You can sprinkle a little sea salt on top.

5. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts: (per serving) 384 calories, 5.8g fat, 51.8g carbohydrates, 35.9g protein.

13/08/2025

Many people think they must give up all sugar and desserts when they are attaining fitness goals and eating healthy. Let me tell you that it is completely untrue. Sure, we may not be able to eat tons of desserts all week long, but incorporating treats in our diet is okay, and I think it’s best to do it that way so that you don’t feel deprived and end up binging later.

Sweet treats don’t necessarily need to be modified into high-protein; you can portion out a serving size of your favorite treat to fit your daily caloric needs or macro goals. However, I do think both kinds of desserts are beneficial and have their place. Therefore, I like to incorporate both into my diet. For those who also like to enjoy both, I have a great dessert for you, my mini strawberry shortcakes! They are the perfect size, are delicious, and look so cute!

My kids enjoy them without the strawberry filling. They add some Cool Whip on top of the cake, then they top it with diced strawberries and a little whipped cream!

Give this dessert a try and tell me what you think!

Mini Strawberry Shortcakes
Makes 5 servings
(1/2 cup servings)

Ingredients:

5 Shortcake/Sponge Cake Dessert Shells

Strawberry filling:
16 oz. Fat-Free Cottage Cheese (if you don’t like cottage cheese, use Strawberry Greek Yogurt)
1 Cup Diced Strawberries
½ Cup Reduced Fat Cool Whip (thawed)
2 packets Whole Earth
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Optional toppings: ¼ cup (40g) Diced Strawberries, 2 TB (5g) Reddi Wip whipped cream

1. Dice strawberries and set aside.

2. Place cottage cheese, diced strawberries, vanilla extract, and whole earth in the food processor and blend until smooth.

3. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and fold in the Cool Whip.

4. Chill the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

5. Use a small bowl, ramekin, or mini trifle bowl, and layer your dessert by placing the short cake vessel at the bottom and then adding ½ cup of the strawberry filling on top of the cake. Optional: top with whipped cream and additional diced strawberries.

6. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts: (per serving, without toppings) 151 calories, .9g fat, 24g carbohydrates, 11.7g protein.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving, WITH toppings) 180 calories, 1.9g fat, 28.7g carbohydrates, 11.7g protein.

Flourish: Fitness Health Wellness

05/11/2025

22/10/2025

17/10/2025

09/10/2025

02/09/2025

29/08/2025

20/08/2025

19/08/2025

13/08/2025

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