Be Kind To Yourself.

January 13, 2017 By ClaireFrancis in Fitness Leave a comment

This time of year, it seems all you hear is people blabbing on about how they need to change and become this new superhuman. I think we can get lost in the “sauce” aka the desire to become a new, shinier version of ourselves. We can forget to be kind to ourselves. We can forget to breathe.

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Here’s a little list of things to make yourself feel new, but also still feel like you.

Move the rusty bones: stretch, feel, go on a walk. Depending on where you live, it can be very hard to bring yourself to exercise in the winter. Focus on the basics, and find what feels good.
Inspire yourself. Do something you would never do before (that thing that you said you didn’t have time for, weren’t young enough to do, would regret). Paint the sunset, make a collage of old photographs, read a wild genre, try to do stand on your hands. Surprise yourself! You just might like where it takes you.
Cleanse the gut. After turkey and ham and pies and wine – your body might be in a funk. I know during this time of the year my body gets used to having more food and moving less. Don’t make it hard on yourself-fill your plate with greens, grains, and whatever works for your body. Like Michael Pollan said, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” It really is that simple!
Fertilize your mind. Negative self talk is not cool. It’s an unhealthy habit that far too much of us need to ditch. We get addicted to comparing and complaining, because it’s far too easy to do…a lazy habit. Talk to yourself the way you would your best friend. It’s okay to like yourself.

Until next time,

Claire

New Beginnings.

January 4, 2016 By ClaireFrancis in Fitness, Personal Tags: blogging, lifestyle, new, new years, resolutions, self improvement, selflove, wellness Leave a comment

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It’s a new year. A time for forming a new mold to who we are and how we see ourselves. I know some people think resolutions are pointless and cheesy and stupid- but I like them. And I think it’s important to encourage the people in your life who make them. It bothers me when people say “Oh, everyone will be out of the gym by February”, that negative thinking doesn’t help anyone! Why discourage people trying to improve themselves?

Whether your goals are to improve relationships, get healthier, be more productive with your time, study smarter, read more books, go on adventures, act more genuinely, have more “me” time-whatever it may be-encourage yourself, encourage others. Breaking bad habits sucks. No one says it will be easy, but it sure is worth it.

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Some people in your life may want explanations for your changes, but I honestly do not think you have to give one. If you want to be a different person, you shouldn’t have to explain yourself. We’re all on a journey to become the best we can be, as individuals, and sometimes making these changes you want to tell people and have people be involved- that is great! But some people want to do it alone, and not have to talk to others about it-that is okay too.

Know that this year, 2016, can be anything you make it. Become extremely connected to yourself, and hold yourself accountable! I believe that if you work hard, and don’t cheat yourself, you will be extremely impressed with who you become:-)

Until next time,

Claire

Sweaty Summer Workout.

June 15, 2015 By ClaireFrancis in Fitness Tags: body, fitness, health, summer, sweat, wellness, workout 2 Comments

It’s getting hot outside y’all and that means clothes are coming off! Personally, I am in the worst mood if I don’t get moving and sweat everyday. I’ve come up with this intense workout that will make you feel amazing. This circuit is perfect to do outside!

Warm Up

go for a 5 minute jog and preform simple stretches to warm up your muscles

Circuit #1 (legs)

-25 lunges

-5 burpees

-25 jumping lunges

-5 burpees

-25 inner thigh squat pulses

-5 burpees

Circuit #2 (arms)

-10 push ups

-20 tricep dips

-30 small arm circles

-30 big arm circles

Circuit #3 (abs & butt)

-20 squats

-25 full crunches

-25 fire-hydrants each leg

-25 v-ups

-25 donkey-kicks

-1 minute plank

***Finish with a 1.5+ mile run*** and go give yourself an applause, you killed it!

Until next time,

Claire

Tips To Quit Mindless Snacking.

January 31, 2015 By ClaireFrancis in Fitness, Personal Tags: clairety, health, mindless eating, pantry snacking, snacking, weightloss, wellness, wordpress Leave a comment

I think a lot of us suffer from snacking mindlessly when we know we are not hungry. Before I get into my tips, I want to address something you need to know. Firstly, forgive yourself. We. Are. So. Hard. On. Ourselves. Stop making yourself feel bad, find what feels good, and listen to your body. I invite you to re-read that sentence a couple times and reflect on it.

Now, let’s get onto my tips to stop snacking without intention.

Drink water. Your body might be confusing signs of hunger with signs of thirst. So, before continuing with any of the tips, I urge you to chug a liter.
Get out of the kitchen. If you’re sitting in the kitchen and you just can’t take your eyes off the pantry or you keep exiting your mind with ideas of what to eat, it’s probably time to walk away. Go outside for a walk, call a friend to chat, take a shower, clean your room, read. You will be glad you did ;-)
Chew gum/brush your teeth. I’ve found it really helpful to give your juicy tastebuds the refreshing mint taste combined with the act of chewing to help beat that craving.
Drink tea. Tea is so great because there is a flavor for basically anything you want. I seriously have a “Sugar Cookie tea” in my pantry! Also, naturally for humans, a warm drink is very comforting. Try brewing up a cup with a splash of nut milk to make it a bit creamier.

Until next time,

Claire

Healthful New Years Resolutions For Everyone

January 4, 2015 By ClaireFrancis in Fitness, Personal Tags: clean living, fitness, health, healthy living, newyears, resolutions, wellness Leave a comment

Hi guys and happy new year! I hope you all are well. As we all know weight loss/eating/health is a theme that enters a lot of people’s minds on January first. I personally have mixed feelings about new years resolutions, but I think it IS healthy for people to start thinking about what they’re putting in their body and what they’re doing with it. This being said, people think that intense, immediate switches are the way…and then usually fail. Nothing is immediate!!! Real results comes from longterm commitment, leading to longterm health & happiness. So, these next five goals can be for ANYONE, even people who live super healthy lives, it’s always good to reinforce and remind yourself.

1. Water, water, water! I cannot stress the importance of drinking water. Your cells (those things that keep you alive) BREATHE with water. Aim for 2-4 liters a day. Plan on drinking a big glass when you wake up, during your meals, between your meals, and another glass before bed. (Yes, I know that’s all day) I recommend buying a reusable water bottle and constantly filling it up throughout the day. It’s really yummy to add lemon or citrus fruits to your aqua. Your friends will be asking how you got your skin to look so good!

2. Smaller portions. This is so important you guys, people do not realize how much they are eating. Remember that your stomach is the size of your fist before your eat. Treat eating as a sacred thing (which it is by the way), chew slowly and get in touch with your senses with each bite. It helps to not hang around the kitchen after eating to limit grazing. I like to have a big cup of tea after meals. Know that you usually don’t need as much as you think you do. Don’t let your mind take control of you, this is your life, live it!

3. The Half Method. There are two ways I use the 1/2 method. The first is when I’m eating something delicious, but a little naughty, usually not something I eat all the time. This could be a pastry tart, or a sandwich, or pasta. I recommend splitting it in half, and eating only the half. You will feel satisfied and you are still getting the taste you desired. Now, if you’re like me, if I eat the half the next five minutes will consist of me staring at the other half and then finally giving up and eating it. Here’s the trick, if your with other people, split it and share! If you’re alone, get the half to-go and immediately stow it away in your bag.

The second way to use the 1/2 method is with your regular lunch and dinners. Make sure to have at least half of your plate filled with vegetables. Using that guide you’ll no doubt be getting your veg intake and it will help when you go out to eat.

4. Move more! One thing I find so funny about the American culture, is people would rather slave away in the gym like rats on a wheel than go up the stairs to a friends flat on the third floor, or walk a mile to a cafe. Find ways to walk more in your daily life! You don’t have to do these intense workouts in the gym. Do calf-raises on the train, walk to work, take the stairs (especially if it’s below level 5), flex your core as you’re sitting at your desk.

5. Breathe, baby breathe. So many of us forget the beauty of the breathe. Take time to inhale and exhale for six seconds, through your nose. Be consistent and remind yourself that your breathe takes you through all times of your life. The good and the bad.

Until next time,

Claire

What diet should i be eating? (listening to your body)

August 14, 2014 By ClaireFrancis in About me, Fitness Tags: clairety, cleaneating, diet, eatclean, food, listen to your body Leave a comment

Hello friends! I think all of us, especially those more connected to their health, ask ourselves this question at many points in our lives. All around us, are adverts for ‘getting skinny quick’, ‘the ab diet’, ‘try this new diet!’. It follows us everywhere. There is a mass of diets, and people doing them who claim it is, ‘their holy grail’, ‘everyone should be eating this way’, ‘this diet has changed my life’, etc. Paleo, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Raw Vegan, Atkins, Raw-Till-4, and an overwhelming amount of others. While, yes, for some people these ways of eating makes sparks fly and heals them, for others, they feel as if the way their eating isn’t good enough. That they have to eat this way, that what they are currently doing is wrong. The truth is that, genetically, we are all different. Our bodies function in different ways, our gut’s are all built differently, we all have different tolerances. So, to be saying “everyone should be Paleo” or “humans should never eat animal products”, or “we all should never eat gluten” is just wrong. For some people, they will strive, and others will be left feeling tired, gassy, and confused. Go ahead, try what you will, but just because someone said that it worked for them, does not mean it will work for you.

Listen to your body, it knows what is best. There is a phrase, “listen to your gut”, literally, listen to your gut. If your stomach hurts and you feel tired after eating, experiment, figure out what’s wrong! I say it’s much better to start with the basics: fruit, veg, grains, lean meats, legumes, nuts/seeds, beans. Go from there, see how your body reacts to each food. If your taste buds are satisfied, your gut feels fine, and you are happy about what you’re eating, there is no need to go and change the way you eat!

Until next time,

Claire

Let’s talk: BOOTY!

July 30, 2014 By ClaireFrancis in Fitness Tags: booty, butt, candice swanepoel, fitness, humpday, Justin Gelband, workout Leave a comment

Happy hump-day! Today i am going to share with you my favorite booty workout and booty motivators. Let’s get cheeky and let’s gooooooo!

Workout:

1. i love this butt workout by trainer Justin Gelband so much that i do it everyday. Justin is an amazing and well-known trainer and OWNS Victoria’s Secret model Candice Swanepoel’s booty, so basically listen to him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G892CW5csjU

2. whilst brushing your teeth at night and in the morning, i do 30 squats. i get my booty toned while getting my teeth clean. win-win, baby.

Until next time,

Claire

5 Tips To Stay Fit This Summer

June 25, 2014 By ClaireFrancis in About me, Fitness Tags: fit, fitness, healthy, summer, tips, vacation 5 Comments

Summer is officially here!!! You should not be worrying too much about how you look butttt you still want to feel confident, proud, and happy in your beautiful self. So, let’s go through my top five tips to stay healthy & fit this summer.

THE SUN IS OUT! yay! The sun boosts your mood and gives you a beautiful glow…but be smart about it. I do not care if you are only running errands or if it is a bit foggy outside or if your foundation has SPF 15. The statistics for people in the US that have skin cancer are shocking. It’s better to be safe then sorry. Stalk up on a face and body sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher.
Right as you wake up in the morning is the best time to set the tone for the rest of the day (also make sure you got a good amount of pillow-time the night before). I recommend a morning reflection/mediation. Yes, I get it, you are in a hurry. This could be 10 minutes some days, and others a mere 30 seconds. Just sit your booty down, breathe, and think about the energy you want to accept and bring forth throughout the day ahead.
Stay active whenever you can! Do squats while brushing your teeth, take the stairs, do calf-raises while waiting for the bus, carry your groceries to your car, bike instead of drive. If you are on vacation, use nature to your advantage: go on a run, climb trees, swim. You CAN stay toned with your own body weight!
Amp up the H2O. Your body literally RUNS on water, your cells would die without it! Aim for 2-5 liters in a day. Drink a liter when you wake up, another at lunch, half a liter in the afternoon, and another liter at dinner. BAM! 3.5 liters down and in the system. It really is that easy. Respect the Earth and carry your liquid in a reusable bottle or mason jar. If you are not a water-fan, i suggest you befriend H2O, and quickly. Or drop in some citrus fruit to add flavor.
Eat the sun…and the stars. My best suggestion for a clean diet is first, the main portion of what you eat should be the cleanest foods out there, fruit and veg. Then go from there; meat, fish, grains, spices, eggs, seeds, and nuts. If you’re craving some stuff that isn’t the best for your body, I like to create fun recipes with ingredients that replace the bad stuff and are A LOT better for the body.

Hope these tips helped you and remember to have a fun summer!

Until next time,

Claire

Green Goddess Smoothie

June 19, 2014 By ClaireFrancis in About me, Fitness, Recipe Tags: green smoothie, health, healthy, plant based, recipe, smoothie, vegan Leave a comment

Hello beautiful people! Lately I have been loving this refreshing green, tropical smoothie and I think you would too.

Recipe:

Blend spinach/kale with spirulina powder and water until blended. This helps so there is no leafy chunks in your smoothie and it is all smooth & creamyyyy. yum.
Next, add frozen banana and fresh or frozen pineapple. That’s it! Now go and enjoy your tropical green treat that is amazing for your bod!

Until next time,

Claire

Starting A Healthy Lifestyle: The Basics

February 18, 2014 By ClaireFrancis in About me, Fitness Tags: clean, fitness, food, green, health, healthy, healthy eating, healthy lifestyle, lean, lifestyle 4 Comments

This post is for people who are just getting into health and fitness. I will be doing a post soon for people who are already living a healthy lifestyle and want to amp it up.

Change you mindset. This is not a “diet”, it’s a lifestyle. When you choose to live a healthy lifestyle it is all about balance. Don’t dread eating a healthy meal, make every single meal you eat flavor packed and delicious. You can have the things you like, such as brownies and burgers, but in moderation. One bad meal will not make you unhealthy just like one good meal will not make you healthy.
Water. The best advice I have for this is: CHUG! If you think you’re drinking enough water, drink more. Your body is 60% water. YOU.NEED.WATER!! Water helps with literally everything in your life. When you go out to eat, get water. When you’re at home, drink water. When you’re at work or school, bring water. Always be drinking water. To help with this, get at least a 32 oz reusable water bottle to bring and fill up wherever you are.
Eat clean, lean, and green. This is a good rule of thumb with healthy eating. Eat lean protein like fish, chicken, eggs, nuts, and yogurt. Eat clean and green foods that fuel your body like vegetables, fruits, and good-for-you grains like quinoa. Strive to eat the least amount of processed foods as possible. Swap out a regular salad dressing(s) for olive oil and lime. If you stick to this moto of “clean, lean and green”, you will be on the road to success.
Sleep. Now a days a lot of people consider sleep a luxury, not a priority. You need to make sleep a priority. This does not mean getting 6 hours of sleep on the weekdays and sleeping until three on the weekends (i am guilty of this). Get everything done earlier, stop eating and turn off electronics a couple hours before bed, drink something soothing like tea and read a book to help you relax. If you have trouble settling your mind before bed, there are these relaxing chewable tablets called “Tranquil Sleep” that really help. You can buy them here: http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Factors-Stress-Relax-Tranquil-Chewable/dp/B000OBY4MU
Stay Active. We were born with limbs, and bones, and muscles…our body’s want to move! So get up and move that body of yours. Walk, run, box, jump rope, dance, swim, lift, hike, stretch, bike…just go out into the world, sweat, and move your wonderful body.

I hope my advice helps you, and remember: this is a lifestyle not a diet.

Until next time,

Claire

Clairety

lifestyle blog about igniting your mind and body through clarity

Category Archives: Fitness

Be Kind To Yourself.

New Beginnings.

Sweaty Summer Workout.

Tips To Quit Mindless Snacking.

Healthful New Years Resolutions For Everyone

What diet should i be eating? (listening to your body)

Let’s talk: BOOTY!

5 Tips To Stay Fit This Summer

Green Goddess Smoothie

Starting A Healthy Lifestyle: The Basics