Things Are Changing.

So as you may have noticed, I haven't been posting much here on NicoleStyle101. And honestly, my only excuse is that I'm trying to figure out with I am. I've been on this journey for 20 short/long years, and it surely took me that long to figure out who I am and what I want to do with the rest of my life.

My senior year of high school, my school basically forced all the seniors to go to college. If you decided to not take the college route, you were definitely looked down upon. I had no freaking clue what I was going to study in college because I really wanted to go to beauty school and be a professional makeup artist. I enjoy makeup more then anything when it comes to hobbies so I thought that was what I wanted to do. Growing up, if you would have asked me what "I wanted to be" everyone would have known I was going to be a teacher. I didn't play house, I played teacher. I had popsicle sticks with pretend students' names on them and I would call on the students to do the math homework on the board. Or read the next paragraph in a book. As I grew up, I had 2-3 people tell me that teaching was the WORST field to go in to.
The money sucks.
The president is making things worse.
It's too stressful.
The state is taking our money away.
The state is controlling the testing.
It's miserable.

So as I started my freshman year of college I majored in psychology. My plan was to become a counselor and help children who had a rough family life. I realized that was not 100% for me. Then I changed to nutrition. Then I changed to business. Then I changed to communications. Here's the thing, all this time I dabbled in a few of these classes from each major, and basically hated them all. During the 3 semesters I was in, I had been taking an education class each semester to fill a General Education credit. I met a friend (who is majoring in edu) who convinced me to take these classes to fill the GE credits. While taking these classes, I didn't not like them. I enjoyed them.

ANYWAYS, long story short… I've changed my major to early childhood education. It took me twenty years to finally stick up for myself and do what I want to do. I know my family supports whatever decision I make, whether it be a professional makeup artist or second grade teacher.




Here's how this all relates to my blog_____________
As I'm changing, I want to change my blog too. I, obviously, am still into makeup and fashion and fitness which is what I've been posting all along. But I want to post things related to what I learn about teaching. DIY's. Crafts. Experiences. Recipes. Organization. Just more all around life things.

What To Sip & What To Skip: Starbucks's Creamy Ice Drinks

What could be better then an icy coffee at that 2pm drive home on a long, hot summer day? These stats from your favorite Starbucks drinks will help you save some calories the next time you go to order a creamy icy drink!

What To Eat (And Not To Eat) Before You Workout

It is very important to fuel your body before you head out for a run or to the gym to lift! Fueling your body will make you feel more energized and it will help you go for longer; that is if you're eating the right food! If you eat the wrong foods before you workout, that can lead to cramps, dizziness, headaches and more! When you're not feeling great, it's hard to kick some butt during your workout!!
Today I'm going to share with you a few of my favorite picks for before my workouts!

TWO HOURS BEFORE:

To Eat:                                                                                               To Avoid:             

-Whole Wheat Pasta w/                                                                     -Fibrous Veggies

cheese & veggies                                                                                (Broccoli, beans, onions)

-PB&J Sandwich                                                      

-Greek Yogurt w/                                                                             -High Fats That Are Hard To Digest
fruit, nuts, granola                                                                              (burgers, fries, cream based soups)

-Veggie Omelet

ONE HOUR BEFORE:

To Eat:                                                                                           To Avoid:
-Whole Grain Crackers w/                                                             -Gas Producing Fruits
hummus                                                                                         (pears, apples, melons)

-Small Bowl Cereal

-Cheese Stick &
carrots

FIFTEEN MINUTES BEFORE:
To Eat:                                                                                           To Avoid:
-Apple Sauce w/                                                                          -Protein and Carbs AND high fat/fiber
dash of cinnamon                                                                               -Pasta
                                                                                                           -Bagels
                                                                                                  
-Raisins                                                                                       -Granola Bars (high in fiber & calories)             




Also keep in mind that hydrating before a workout is also VERY important. So drink 15-20 ounces of water one to one & a half hours before you go out for your workout!









Reasons You Should Be Drinking Lemon Water
4 Ways To Reward Yourself Without Food 
How To Dress For Weight loss Success 

Reasons You Should Be Drinking Lemon Water!

As summer is approaching, a nice refreshing glass of lemon water is perfect while sitting at the pool or watching your little brother play soccer! Lemons are very important not only for inside benefits but outside appearances as well!
I have 3 main reasons I love lemon water and why I think you should be drinking lemon water on a daily basis.. they are:

1. It's a natural energizer.
It hydrates and oxygenates the body so in return you feel very refreshed and more awake!

2. It's cleansing.
All of the citrus that is in the lemon helps maximize enzyme function which means it helps the liver function. And when the liver is properly functioning, it will naturally detox your insides!

3. It helps with digestion.
All the citrus not only helps detox, but it helps your natural digestion process. If you get a lot of heart burn, lemon water might be a daily dose for you!

Adding lemon water into your daily diet is a really great idea and I recommend it to everyone!

4 Ways To Reward Yourself Without Food

After you complete an intense workout and you're feeling amazing, you want to reward yourself for making it through the tough time. You've lost the last 10 pounds and feel and look amazing, you deserve a reward. What do you go for? Chocolate? Ice cream? NO. You're not a dog. Today we're going to talk about 4 ways to reward yourself that doesn't require the calories!

1. Book A Spa Treatment:

A massage or facial is the definition of luxury; especially when your muscles are sore! This would definitely be one of my go to's for a reward. But it doesn't have to be a massage, you could get a mani/pedi and feel just as pampered and rewarded!

2. Shop For New Clothes:

When you've lost the weight, or even toned up a bit, you DESERVE fitting clothes! Show off your hard work with a new bikini or a dress for a special occasion!

3. Order Concert, Sports, or any Event Tickets:

Check out what band is coming your way within the next month, and book the tickets for you and a friend! When you have something to look forward to you're going to want to look and feel your best!! 

4. Send Yourself Flowers:

Instead of having that last piece of cake, call your favorite florist and send yourself some flowers! Even better, go to Whole Foods or your fav. grocery and pick up some healthy groceries and the biggest bouquet of flowers on your way out!

I hope next time you reach a big fitness accomplishment, (or any accomplishment!) you reward yourself on something that's not food!

Xo Nicole 

Pictures In The Life

Today I thought I would share some personal pictures with y'all! Some of these pictures can be found on my Instagram (x0nicolee) and others are some that I've randomly taken recently!

 Tyler and I went on a 10 mile bike ride and had a wonderful time! Biking is definitely my favorite cardio, hands down!

 This is the new bikini top I got for Summer '13! It's from VS and it's this gorgeous coral that just POPS against tan skin! I bought it in store and unfortunately they don't sell it online!

My mom & I went to California Pizza Kitchen over the weekend, and got this gorgeous guac, corn, black bean appetizer with some chips! MMMM!!!

Just a small haul of what I picked up from Wallgreens recently! I ran out of pretty much everythinggggg, so I needed some new dry shampoo and makeup wipes asap! I've never tried the Simple facial cleanser or the Batiste dry shampoo, but I figured why not!

 Panera is my go to when I'm on the go! This is a picture of their Greek salad! Delish! I always ask for dressing and feta on the side 'cause ain't no body need that much fat -_-

My finals are FINALLY over! YAAYYYY!!! :)

This was my m2 that I packed for school during finals week! I needed a rather large snack to get me through 5 hours of studying (eecckk)! The Luna protein bars (cookie dough & choco. PB) are my absolute fav! They taste like caaaaaandddyyyy!!! I also packed a fruit bowl of grapes, raspberries, and blueberries! And last I brought a juice from TJ that was divine! 

I hope you guys are all doing well!

xx Nicole

Grocery Haul 5/6/13

Yesterday I went to my local grocery store (which has an AMAZING organic and health food section) to pick up some necessities as well as some stuff for dinner! I thought I would share with y'all what I picked up and what I've been loving!

This Artic Zero "ice cream" is AMAZING. There's only 150 calories for the wholeeeee pint and considering the fact I only eat around 2-3 table spoons worth in a serving, it's perfect! It doesn't have the consistency of ice cream- it's more like a custard. The Mint Chocolate Cookie flavor is my absolutely favorite ;)

Next I picked up a few premade smoothie mixes. These aren't my absolutely favorite since it's not pure fresh fruit, however on the go they are really really good and not too many calories! Some have greek yogurt and others have regular yogurt. I just combine the package with some almond milk or water and blend it up and I'm out the door!

I also needed some almond milk. I know almond milk is definitely a controversial product, however I really enjoy it. I use it every morning in my cereal!

On days where I workout, I definitely need some extra protein in my diet. These Luna Protein bars are my favorite and they honestly taste AMAZING! The kinds I got here are Chocolate Peanut Butter, Mint Chocolate Chip, and Cookie Dough. All 3 of them are seriously delish!

Something I always need in the fridge is baby spinach! My grocery has an amazing organic section, so I get this pre washed (even though I wash it when I get home), low calorie, spinach. I use this for salads, juices, smoothies, pastas, and SO much more! Yum!

To go along with my spinach, I picked up some kale. To be honest, I hate it. It is way too 'green tasting' for my salads and honestly I'm thinking to just throw it out! If you have any ways to use kale, tell me in the comments down below!!

Garlic cloves are great for many, many recipes! So of course, I always like to have it in the house!

Going along with garlic cloves, I needed to pick up cilantro. Cilantro is so good in Mexican dishes as well as Italian dishes! So of course I needed to pick some up!

When I went to the store I was actually getting some stuff to cook a specific pasta recipe. So I needed the whole grain penne pasta, veggie broth, and sun dried tomatoes for a spinach tomato pasta!

The very last thing I picked up was just one avocado! I love to use these for a topping for toast or a salad or even guac!



What have you recently picked up from the grocery? Would you like to see more grocery hauls? However, if I'm not sure if I should do them weekly, biweekly, or monthly! Let me know!!

Xo Nicole

Fit Tip: How To Dress For Weight Loss Success!

We all have that one pair of jeans that looked good on us 6 months ago, but we can barley fit into one leg today. Many of us are looking forward to loosing some weight and getting fit, so here's a few tips on how to dress for weight loss while you're on your way to the loss ;)

1. Dress For Today. 

Don't look too far ahead when you're picking out a new outfit at the mall. Put together outfits that make you feel confident and wonderful in your own skin right nowwwww!

2. Buy Basics. 

Invest in some great basic pieces and save the accent pieces for later. You should have two of your favorite every day/ go to basics. That means, two black tee's, two white cami's, two pairs of jeans. These basics can be dressed up with accessories or dressed down with casual pieces!

3. Get Clothes That Can Shrink.

Purchase items that can get smaller as you get smaller. Great choices would be materials that have great stretches to them! So once they appear to big, just throw them in the dryer and watch them shrink!

4. Accessorize.

Have a good time with the accessories that you already own! You don't have to be stick skinny to rock a gorgeous bubble necklace or diamond earrings!

5. Don't Be Afraid To Flaunt Your Form. 

Don't hide under extra material!!!! Make sure your clothes fit well and accent your favorite features. 

I wish you luck in your weight loss process and I want you to know that you're beautiful JUST THE WAY YOU ARE. ;)

xx Nicole

Fit Tip: Food For All Day Energy!

Ever get that afternoon slump that you just can't get out of?! You're ready to leave the office, or class, and go home to take a nap... and not wake up until tomorrow. However, those days are usually the days where you need to get things done!...
Here are a few healthy foods that are going to give you the energy you need to get through your busy day!

1. Salmon.
Salmon contains a lot of omega-3s. Omega- 3s help build muscles and tissues and that will add to energy!

2. Citrus.
Most of your oranges and grapefruits are filled with Vitamin C, and these fruits will help enhance energy and alertness just from the SCENT!

3. Walnuts.
Walnuts, like salmon, are high in omega-3s. Like many nuts, they are a great energy builder!

4. Dark Chocolate.
Really, really dark chocolate will have a huge cacao concentrate. And that means that will help you fight stress, help you focus, and boost your energy! It also has a kick of caffeine, so that should help too!

5. Water.
These are so, so, so, many good benefits of water and building your energy is just one of them! If you're feeling sleepy, there's a good chance it's from being dehydrated. So your first step should be to drink an ice cold 8 OZ of water!!

What's your favorite way to gain some energy? Mine's definitely the dark chocolate and water ;)

xx Nicole

Fit Tip: Running In The Spring Rain

Spring is right around the corner and I don't know about you, but I love running outside when it's warm out! However, I'm not always a ran of running in the rain!

Here's a few quick tips on how to have a better run when it's raining out!


1. Don't Wear Cotton!
Cotton soaks up water very quickly and become heavy. This will drag you down and you'll be a soggy mess from the beginning of your run! Wear wicking materials and even a waterproof jacket!

2.Wear Higher Socks!
Running in the rain can easily give you blisters. Make sure you're wearing higher (NON cotton) socks that go higher then your shoe!

3. Wear Old Shoes!
If you don't want to invest in a pair of waterproof sneakers, wear an old pair. Shoes take days to dry out and you don't want that to be your excuse for not working the following day! Plus, rain usually comes with mud and I'm sure you don't want to ruin your nice running shoes!

4. Secure Long Hair!
Getting hit in the face with dry hair and wet hair are two completely different things! And when you're hair is wet, it is going to be insanely uncomfortable and will ruin your whole run! You could put your hair into a bun or braid and you should be good to go!


Do you enjoy running in the rain? I hope these few tips will help you out the next time you think twice about canceling your run because of rain!

xx Nicole

Fit Tip: Fast Food Meals AROUND 400 Calories

We all have those times where the only thing we want is fast food.. and we want it NOW. Here's a few 'healthier' options for when you're in a rush and you choose fast food!
(ps, don't get down on yourself for wanting to drive through McDonalds once in a while! Everything is alright in moderation... You only live once!!)



Wendy's:
Large Chilli: 310 Calories
Side Salad: 25 Calories
Fat Free French: 40 Calories
___________________________
375 Calories




McDonalds:
4 pce Chicken Nuggets: 190 Calories
BBQ Sauce: 50 Calories
Fruit & Yogurt Parfait: 150 Calories
________________________________
390 Calories




Subway:
Turkey & Ham Sub: 280 Calories
Small Baked Lays Chips: 120 Calories
_________________________________
400 Calories




Taco Bell:
Chicken Soft Taco: 170 Calories
Black Beans & Rice: 200 Calories
________________________________
370 Calories




Chipotle:
Burrito Bowl w/ Brown Rice: 160 Calories
Chicken: 190 Calories
Veggies: 20 Calories
Lettuce: 5 Calories
Tomato Salsa: 20 Calories
______________________________________
395 Calories





What's your favorite fast food joint? Mine's Chipotle!
Next time, try one of these meals to make sure you're staying around 400 calories!!


xx Nicole

Fit Tip: 5 Reasons To Go 5 Minutes Longer In Your Workout!

Once you get to the gym, worked out for 30-60 minutes, you're ready to leave... right? Well when you're ready to be done: GO FIVE MINUTES LONGER.
Why?

1. You Burn More.
- If you're trying to loose weight, this is a big one. In just 5 minutes you're going to burn 25-50 more calories!

2. The Time Really Adds Up.
-If you workout 5 times a week and each time you push yourself 5 minutes longer, that's 25 minutes you've added onto your normal workout routine! This can really help if you're trying to tone up / loose weight for an upcoming event!

3. It'll Build Your Endurance.
- The more you workout (and the longer), your muscles are getting more stronger. So the next time you go to workout, you'll feel even stronger AND it'll be easier!

4. For Your Metabolism.
- That extra time building your endurance, also increases your metabolism because lean muscles burn calories!

5. For Your Stress Level.
-We all know from Elle Woods that exercising releases endorphins and endorphins make you happy. So that extra five minutes of running, cycling, or swimming means an extra five minutes of "happy hormones" and that will help release tension and keep you happy!!


So next time you workout, go five minutes longer for the both of us!! ;)

xx Nicole

3 Morning Mistakes That Are Slowing Down Your Metabolism

As many of you know, your metabolism starts to get slower as you get older. So things like drinking water with lemon and getting more sleep are very important if you want to try to speed it back up! 

Here are 3 common mistakes you're making in the morning that are actually slowing your metabolism down even more!:

1. Not Exercising.
Obv. getting your morning workout in is very important! Studies show that if you have the time (or MAKE THE TIME) to get your workout in on mornings, you benefit more. Your body is still burning calories 24 hours after you workout so when you workout in the morning, your body keeps being productive as you move on with your day. It's always best to sweat it out in the AM!

2. Eating Too Late.
Skipping breakfast is the WORST thing you can do if you're trying to speed up your metabolism, however, there's almost no point if you're going to be eating too late. When you don't eat, your brain sends a "help" message to the rest of your body telling it to conserve on the energy because it doesn't know when you'll eat again!

3. Not Pumping Iron.
Lean muscle mass burns calories so you should always add strength training into your norm workout!

How To Loose Weight: The Healthy Way

As many of you know, I've recently really gotten into fitness and being healthy. My goal is not to loose 100 pounds, however I would like to loose some weight and look fit and fab for the upcoming bikini season. Not to mention, who wouldn't want to look like a VS model?...