GET YOUR BUTT INTO GEAR. IT WAS 79 DEGREES TODAY.

well it's april.  and apparently april in virginia is like july in pennsylvania.  do you know what that means?  I HAVE WASTED SO MUCH TIME!  apparently here you have to get into shape right after christmas.  i am so not ready for this weather.  i have been eating like a fat cow.  and by that i have been eating fat cow aka burgers.  way too many greasy, delicious burgers.  and what is a burger without a beer.  i am awful!  but it tastes so good!

so, seriously, it's officially time to get my ass into summer/bikini/minimal clothing at all times shape.  i really do blame my shape right now on lack of nutrition being put into my body.  i mean there's been a lot of food shoved down my pie hole but not nutrition.  and that's probably being hard on myself.  i really try not to eat like the typical american does these days.  i don't eat fast food unless it's like chipotle or subway or pot belly, which okay still fast food, but not mcfatassolds or any of those joints.  i keep my fast food classy?  there's me justifying my choices again.  but seriously i probably eat better than the average bear, but that's not how i want to eat.  i know what's right and i know what's wrong and there's no problem in indulging, but not everyday! or even every other day!  like once a week if i'm gonna try and be hot and healthy.

so since today's weather blew my mind.  i need to start blowing my body away.  i think i'm going to attempt a juice cleanse next week.  i've done it before where it's been straight juice with fruits and vegetables thrown in when i need something solid.  the time i did it i lasted about a week.  the only reason i quit was because i just wanted like a real meal.  but honestly you feel pretty good on them because of all the nutrients you get.  now when i say juice, you have to include juice with vegetables.  nowa days there's plenty of options out there.  when i did my first one i chose mostly naked juices for on the go and i would blend up frozen fruit when i had the time.  i'm not sure how many calories i was taking in, probably under 1000, but they were nutrient dense calories which does make a difference.

has anyone heard or tried the Blue Print Cleanse ?  I've heard tid bits about it and did some research and it seems pretty sound.  it is pretty expensive though so i don't think i'll be doing it for more than 3 days. but i really want to try it, just to see how an actual cleanse makes me feel.  like i said i felt pretty good on my other one and that was back in my freshman year of college when i was playing volleyball/working out pretty regularly.  i don't want to cleanse just to lose weight or really because of that at all.  i want to prepare my body for a new diet and by diet i just mean cutting out the crap.  i also want my energy back.  it's amazing how you can tell your body is responding to what you're eating.  i already know i don't sleep well when i eat close to bed time, but yesterday, let's just say i had two bad meals, and i probably had about 4 hours between eating and going to bed and i slept horribly.  that shit is not doing anything for my functioning especially when that's working 50 hours a week and doing my school work and cleaning and cooking and working out.  i need energy!!  so cleanse i shall and prepare i am.  (yoda?)

so i ran outside today, obviously.  i didn't make it very far because i'm still not super trust worthy of my area just in the sense i don't know it well enough.  but it felt good none the less and now i am making a scrumptious, summertime-esque meal--strawberry chicken salad. YUM!

MY strawberry chicken salad--

I tend to look at recipes and just kind of go off of them--i'm sure i've said that 5 times now. so today's salad had:

chicken breast--enough for two or three because steve eats for two--you can bake or sautee however you please.  i only seasoned mine with a tiny bit of blackening for some kick and salt and pepper
strawberries roughly chopped
mixed greens of your choice--i have organic 50/50 baby spinach and spring mix and the more the merrier!
chopped pecans
fresh goat cheese--you could probably substitute with others.  i was looking for gorganzola but i couldn't find any.  i'm happy with the goat though, it's so creamy!

raspberry vinaigrette would have been my go to dressing but steve is extremely strange and doesn't have a big sweet tooth so i just made a balsamic vinaigrette--1 part balsamic vinegar 3 parts oil--salt and pepper, a smidgen of sugar, and some garlic powder (fresh garlic would be better but we're out--terrible)

throw it all together and voila, easy, delicious, summertime meal.  and if you have left over chicken, it'd be an easy lunch or on the go/take to work meal. SO GOOD.