August- Nature Box

If your not already receiving one than you must try the Nature Box. I ordered my first one this month and finally got it in the mail today. 

It's a monthly subscription ranging from $19.95-$49.95 depending on the amount of goodies you would like to receive. I choose the $19.95 box that comes with 5-6 goodies a month. All the snacks provided in this box are nutritionist approved. These items have:

-No high Fructose corn syrup
-No partially hydrogenated oils
-No artificial sweeteners
-No artificial flavors
-No artificial colors
-0g Trans fat


Here's a look at what I got this month.................

Lemon Tea Biscuits
Country Ranch Sunflower Kernels
Big Island Pineapples
Garden Tomato Almonds
Whole Wheat Blueberry Figgy Bars
Cherry Ganache Granola


This is a must try subscription for all you health fanatics. Absolutely good tasting goodies all the way around. Go check them out here.

                                                                                        THIS GIRL LIFTS

Worlds Best Gyms

I have to say that I have ran across some of the worlds best gyms (in my eyes) while trying to plan a few trips this year. Might I say "OMG" can't wait to stop at some of these great places to workout. So sit back and enjoy our blogging trip through some of these great cities.

David Barton Gym, Miami

This gym is amazingly beautiful. Monthly membership here is about $100. 

How beautiful.......I can stay here for days.

The Setai Club, New York

This gym is for anyone near Wall Street who needs relaxation. The Setai has its very own spa, private cocktail bar, and luxury gym. The monthly membership is about $275.00 a month.

Relaxing............Please take me there.

The Sports Club, LA

The Sports Club La is amazing as well. The monthly membership is about $600 to $1600 Initiation fee plus $235 to $275 monthly. This club actually had an awesome video for a tour so take a look......

The Ken Club, Paris

Traveling overseas to a beautiful place maybe like Paris? Well checkout the Ken club. 

I hope you guys enjoyed our journey through some of the most amazing gyms and I hope you guys get a chance to visit them soon. 

                                                                               THIS GIRL LIFTS

Dana Linn Bailey

One of the greatest days you can have is meeting someone who you look up to for all their dedication in the fitness industry. Today I had the pleasure of meeting Dana Linn Bailey. She is one of the greatest IFBB Pro's in Physique. 

On her Flag nor Fail tour she came to Morehead City, NC to Golds Gym. Due to the fact that this was close to me, I gathered up friends and went to meet her. Here's a few more pics.

       (Dana and I)

      (Dana's husband Rob and I)

Dana's husband was also a blast. He's a super sweet guy and very supportive to his wife. 

    (Dana, Rob, and a random guy I don't know lol)

Today was such a great opportunity and wanted to share it with you guys today. Hope you enjoyed the pics.

                                                                                                 THIS GIRL LIFTS

Women to Women

As a women, we start to understand that the older we get the  harder it is to take care of our body. Our bodies start to do funky things that we are so not use to and it starts to make us go crazy. As a teenager I loved my body. I was the perfect size 2 (I cold probably wear anything from a zero to a three) and didn't have to work as hard to keep fat off. Now that i'm 28 times have surely taken over. So I have came up with a few tips to keep you healthy and strong as you grow in age.

Continue to Exercise

We should all include some type of exercise to our daily routines. Cardio is a must. Whether its a stroll in the park or a marathon you run for a great cause, 30 minutes a day allows the body to stay fit. I also believe that all women should include strength and flexibility training. It's so much easier to shred muscle than it is to shred fat.

Yearly check ups

Have you heard that now they are moving pap test to every two to three years instead of one? Yes they are!!! When my doctor told me.......I literally had like this dumb look on my face LOL!!! Go do your yearly checkups ladies. This not only includes pap test but breast exams, dental, and eye exams. All of these things are a part of keeping our bodies healthy.

Vitamins and Supplements

On a daily I take vitamins and supplements. The most important for women are multi vitamins, fish oil, calcium, and vitamin c. Those happen to be the most essential through my eyes. As we get older, our bodies may call for more. This should be a part of your daily routine in the morning before you leave your house. 

Stay Mentally Sane

Stress is always a silent killer ladies. Relaxation is key to mental health. Try a little bit of yoga or Tai Chi. I am also a big fan of meditation. Sound machines are the best to get a peaceful night sleep. 


Being a women is hard and sometimes men don't really understand that. Our health is important no matter what age we are. Remember your health always comes first.


                                                                           Stay Healthy and Fit,

                                                                                                THIS GIRL LIFTS

Morning Regimen

I have been asked a million times about my morning regimen and how I wake up everyday to workout. One thing I can say is it's not easy...lol!! I have a daily routine that I follow every morning and if I even skip one step I feel extremely lost. So I'm going to go through my morning regimen with you including all vitamins and supps that I take in the morning. 

(I am not a doctor and the advice and info that I am giving you is based on my own judgments and what I take. If you are wanting to take a supplement you are unsure about, please notify your doctor before use.)

1. First things first in the morning (only on Sunday) I weigh in. This is probably one of the scariest days of the week. Once I weigh in, I take front and back pics to track my progress and because it's a want from my trainer. 

   (This is a great way to keep track of before and after pics)

2. I go straight to vitmans and supps (well brush your teeth first...lol) What all do I take? For vitamins I take Calcium, Vitamin C, Primrose Oil, B Complex, Fish Oil, and a multi-vitamin. For morning supplements I am only taking BCAA's (I also take this throughout the day). 

3. I go to the gym for my first session of morning cardio which atleast last about 45 minutes. 

4. Back from the gym, I shower and try to give my body at least 45 minutes from the time I finished cardio to finish burning fat. 

5. Favorite part of the morning......BREAKFAST!!!! Yummy!! This is when I get to eat the best carbs of the day. My Oatmeal!!

In the afternoon I return back to the gym from strength training and more cardio. The life style of an aspiring competitor is more than crazy but rough and tired all at the same time. Sometimes I just want to fall on my bed and sleep for days. Hope this helps you figure out a morning routine.

                                                                           TOOTLES,
                                               THIS GIRL LIFTS

Favorite Fitness Gear

Every one has their very own fitness gear that they love to wear to workout. I'm going to share some of my favorites that I love to rock to the gym. I love color, so a lot of my stuff is going to be very snazzy and bright. 


For workout pants, I totally rock my Aeropostale Cropped yoga pants. Not only are they comfortable but they fit very well.


Also, I Like to rock my Lululemon pants. So super cute.



As for tops, I rock regular ol' tank tops that you can buy at Body C.


For tennis shoes, I absolutely love my Saucony's.



So there were just a few things that I love to rock to the gym on a regular. Not super expensive but super cute. What do you love to rock?!!

                                                      Always look cute,
                                                                         THIS GIRL LIFTS

Tips to Prepping Weekly

Not a week goes by that I don't spend a couple hours on Sundays Prepping my meals for the week. This is the most responsible way to stay on plan for that awesome body. I spend about 2-3 hours on Sunday slicing, dicing, and cooking up some delicious meals. In order to do these things you have to have the essentials for the correct food prep. 

1. Get your shop on.

You must have all the correct essentials to do your prep. The night before I go over my meal plan and go through my refrigerator to see what I have and don't have. I make a list and then head to the grocery store the very next day to gather my necessities.

2. Tupperware

You know how we all use to say those sappy parties our moms went to where they bought tupperware was lame?!! Well guess what? I wish I was actually there...LOL!! Tupperware is the greatest necessity to any food prep day. I believe I own about 50-60 Tupperware bowls. Oh yes I do!! What is also great about these is that they come in a variety of sizes. So its not hard to portion out your meals.

3. Food Scale

If your on a decent meal plan like most then you probably portion your food by ounces. With a food scale, you literally put an ease on your brain so you don't have to do the math. They run about $5-$60 but usually a decent one from Wal-Mart will do. I actually love the digital scales. They are very easy to read. 

4. Ziplock bags

we always need somewhere to store our extra cut up veggies and ziplock bags work like wonders. I also use them to store some of the snacks I eat for the week. They are easy to pick up and go.

There are tons of different ways that people do food prep and of course everything I listed is just essential but more than likely not everything you need. You are probably still going to need pots and pans, knives, utensils, and much more.

If you are not in the habit of prepping your food for the week, you must start. It serves your body right.


                                                                       Thanks and Much love,
                                                                                            
                                                                                             THIS GIRL LIFTS