Two years ago I wrote my very first blog post, having no idea what the heck I was doing, and hoping to simply share some diet-friendly recipes for others looking to begin a weight loss journey similar to mine. One year ago I was made aware that my “healthy eating” was taken to an ultra-extreme (all thanks to Ash), and that it was serving as more of a detriment to my health than it was a blessing.

Today I sit here with a completely different heart, knowing deep down that the long and winding season of blogging in my life has finally come to an end.

Life has picked up in unexpected directions, my priorities have completely shifted, and God has put a heavy burden on my heart to really start properly pouring into others, and less into myself. Lately, blogging for me has felt more like a difficult chore in which I talk about myself and focus on what I’m putting in my mouth—while my heart is so desperately craving being more focused on those around me. Please don’t think that I’m saying blogging in general is a selfish activity, but for this particular season in my life that statement really serves as truth.

Itty Bits has been a fantastic tool for MANY women (as I’ve picked up through plenty of emails and messages), as well as a great tool for myself—so at first I thought that it wouldn’t be so bad to keep it live for the sake of accessing old posts. However, the more I sit on that decision and try to rationalize, the more I know that it’s time to cut it off completely. I’ll be deleting the site within a few weeks time, after this post gets a chance to make its rounds.

Thank you all for spending these past two years with me, and for being there through so many of my ups and downs. If you care to stay in touch, I can ALWAYS be reached at Ittybitsofbalance at gmail dot com.

So goodbye Itty Bits! It’s been fun, but I’m ready for a new season of growth

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” –John 15: 1-2

Fashion.

It’s a funny thing—and something I’ve never necessarily been too skilled with (hence the reason there’s no dedicated “fashion” tab here on Itty Bits. I would never put you guys through the torture of staring at all of my $5.00 finds.)

The majority of my wardrobe consists of pajamas, workout clothes, pajamas, scrubs, pajamas, and a few dresses/going-out tops that I happen to sport on the weekends. Oh, and did I mention pajamas?

But now, dare I say that I may just have to replace some of those pajamas with this beauty–

Heck yes. And you better believe I tried to look naked underneath on purpose

But really, I was more than stoked when I received this apron + special care package the other day from my pals at Bumblebee Foods. As I mentioned previously, I just became a proud member of their Bee Squad along with a few other bloggers, and will be ecstatically sporting that position for the rest of 2013.

I’m very selective with the brands that I work with and really try my best to only promote products that I personally would use on my own. Obviously, as an already diehard salmon/tuna fanatic, and because of the fact that I’ve been using Bumblebee products since I was a wee little tot (tuna sandwiches in my lunchbox for the win!), this partnership was a definite “yes”.

Once Popcorn approved, we were good to go.

I also love the fact that the company has just started a really great health initiative called Bee Well For Life with loads of recipes, workouts, and healthy tips in general. It’s all in perfect timing too, because I’m predicting the need for plennttyy of tuna recipes in my near future..

In other breaking fashion news, the family pup Max has been spotted sporting a cute little blue boot due to a last-minute surgery he had to have last week. He seems to be recovering well, and looks pretty freaking adorable in the meantime–

Psh. I stand no chance.

A bit to think about: Do you consider yourself to have a sense of fashion?

I know I’ve mentioned it a couple different times here on Itty Bits, but over the past year (right after passing my NASM CPT exam), I’ve been studying to take the NASM Fitness Nutrition Specialist exam in order to expand my PT credentials. Well, my friends, the deed has FINALLY been done, and after a year of on and off studying, I passed the online exam in the wee evening hours on Tuesday of last week. Woot woot!

Although I’m not exactly using my personal training certification in my current position at the weight loss office, I do love me some good ole’ fashioned nutrition information– so as soon as I found out that NASM released the FNS certification I knew that it was something I’d be interested in.

Source

So let’s get into the nitty gritty–

What is the Fitness Nutrition Specialist course?

According to NASM–

“FNS was developed to address the growing need for professionals with the ability to consult clients on proper food intake, weight management strategies, and function/recommendations of macro & micronutrients.

Developed in partnership with NASM’s respected partner, Jones & Bartlett Learning (JBL), FNS provides the advanced knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully work with clients seeking basic nutritional guidance.

The course is:

• Scientifically-based, accurate, up-to-date information
• Authors represent a balanced presentation of both the science of nutrition and the components of behavioral change
• Reflects research and teaching expertise from top institutions including: Stanford University, the California Institute of Human Nutrition, University of Southern California, University of Pennsylvania.”

What is included in the Fitness Nutrition Specialist course, and how long did you have to study?

Through NASM you will receive an online nutrition-based textbook, access to the online exam, client handouts, quizzes, and a meal planner. All of the study materials are available online and on your computer or tablet. I downloaded the textbook to my iPad, which I found very useful and made it easy to study on the go.

How long did you have to study and how long did it take you?

NASM gives you a year to study for the exam, but because I was already a little burnt out from studying for my CPT exam last April (and from college in general), I decided to really stretch out my study-time. I milked 11 of the 12 available months during my study period, but in all honesty there were some months that I barely even looked at the material.

Do you have to be a personal trainer to take the FNS course?

No! The FNS credential is open to absolutely everyone and there are no required prerequisites. However, if you do happen to have a PT certification, this DOES count for some hefty CEU’s! (1.9 CEU’s for NASM, 2.0 for ACE, and 2.0 for NSCA.)

Group photo from my NASM CPT workshop in late 2011.

Was the information relevant/interesting?

YES! As some of you already know, I’m currently working with a physician who believes in a high protein/low carb/paleo-type way of living. Since I started my job, I’ve been living and breathing paleo articles and scientific evidence on a consistent basis, so it was really interesting to change up the pace with something a little more based on the food pyramid. Obviously, a lot of the information in the book was different and even contradictory to what is instantly believed as truth at work, but everything was science-based, which gave me adequate room for comparison.

What topics are covered in the Fitness Nutrition Specialist course?

• Food choices
• Nutritional guidelines and assessment
• Digestion and absorption
• Carbohydrates
• Lipids
• Proteins and Amino Acids
• Metabolism
• Energy balance, body composition, and weight management
• Fat-soluble vitamins
• Water-soluble vitamins
• Water & major minerals
• Trace minerals
• Complementary and alternative nutrition
• Eating disorders

How do you take the exam?

You have unlimited attempts to take the exam from the comfort of your own home. There are 100 questions, and you have 90 minutes to complete them all. The passing score must be a 70% or higher.

I used every last second of the available testing time due to the detail of some of the questions. My passing score was around an 85% or so.

So was it worth it?

Yes! Nutrition is definitely one of my passions and it was VERY interesting to read certain scientific explanations behind ideas that I had previously just accepted as fact. I feel that it really expanded on my current knowledge, and I could always use some more of that

Disclaimer: Although the study materials were provided to me through The National Academy of Sports Medicine, the opinions expressed are completely my own. I did not receive monetary compensation for my review.

A bit to think about: Would you ever consider taking something like the Fitness Nutrition Specialist course?

A very happy (belated) Easter, from my family to yours!

It was undoubtedly a blessed weekend down here in sunny south Florida, and I was fortunate enough to spend the holiday surrounded by plenty of love, smiles, and good company. Plus some sweet potato fries shared with my vampire-skinned boyfriend, but that goes without saying.

But in all seriousness—it was truly a much-needed weekend full of love. Although this only marked my second Easter as a Christian, it was the first that I truly was able to recognize what God’s grace looks like in my life, and how important it is for me to make note of it on a regular basis.

I haven’t spoken a lot on the blog about the shenanigans that have been taking place in my personal life since my move down to Miami, but to say that they have been emotionally draining is a vicious understatement. These past 8 months have been full of far more sadness, anger, and apathy than I’d care to admit, but also guilt and frustration for even letting myself get so down with a life that’s so full. I’ve been challenged like never before to maintain drive in a world that seems to be constantly telling me I’m not doing the right things at the right times, and have fallen prey to far too many lies about not having what it takes, or knowing right from wrong.

Then I went through a period where I even blamed God for putting me through these trials and wondered “why me?!” as I pathetically dreaded each new decision. I looked in the mirror and hated the fact that I couldn’t snap out of my slump. I couldn’t turn around my frown. It wasn’t as easy as it always had been, and I blamed God for that.

Yet even with all of the anger that sat in my heart, He still continued to bless me. He still continued to make things better, little by little. He still answered my prayers in small effortless installments. He showed me that I didn’t have to work for His love, or earn it through my “Godliness” or an attitude adjustment. He continued to make all things new each day, and I didn’t even have the eyes to notice until I looked around this past weekend and realized that things were drastically looking brighter.

All I can say is thank goodness that God doesn’t base His love for me on how much I deserve it through my actions or demeanor. Thank goodness that I’m as blameless as His perfect son, who died and rose again for my naturally selfish nature. Thank goodness that I’m continually showered with love and blessings, although oftentimes my attitude deserves nothing even similarly close to it.

To say that this Easter was the same as any other is also a major understatement, as I think that I’m starting to finally understand why all of this painful pruning is absolutely necessary for the planting of any progress.

“Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” – Romans 8:28 MSG

Um.. what Crossfit Kool-Aid?

Okay, who am I kidding. I knew that it would only be a matter of time before I bit the bullet, grabbed my wallet, and bought my little booty the Groupon for 2 months of unlimited Crossfit that had been stalking me since my move to Miami. If it weren’t for my recent health reevaluation, my latest obsession with long leisurely walking workouts, or my determination to convince Will to splurge with me (success!), the deed would’ve been done a loooong time ago.

Before our first “official” class, we were required to attend three basic intro sessions to go over beginner movements and protocol. The next day immediately after I got out of work, Will and I grabbed our jump ropes,

our water,

and our gym gloves (because as controversial as they are in Crossfit, I love the skin on my hands way too much)

And off we went!

Popcorn was full of judgment.

The class was a little less than an hour long and was full of running, millions of wall balls, and loads of burpee shenanigans. By the end, I was beet red with exhaustion, and pretty stoked that I got such a great workout in—buttttt I must say that I certainly didn’t feel the initial love-struck-heart throbbing-obsession that so many first-timers rave about. I thought it was just me (which it probably is), so Will and I returned again for another class, and then I attended one all on my lonesome the other morning. Yet still—I don’t quite get the infatuation. Am I weird or am I weird?

I’m thinking it has something to do with my tendency to love all sorts of workouts and never being able to commit to one activity alone. I can’t imagine my life without a varied combo of running, strength, HIIT workouts, yoga, and walking all bundled up in one—but eh, different strokes for different folks I guess.

In the meantime I’m definitely going to continue getting good use out of my Groupon purchase, but as for whether or not I’ll be splurging on a Crossfit membership once its over– it doesn’t look like the stars are lining up in that direction.

I guess I’ll just stick to eating as much as a Crossfit athlete and call it a day there

(PaleoOMG’s herb crusted salmon + Brussels sprouts sautéed in coconut oil.)

A bit to think about: Have you tried Crossfit? Do you prefer to stick to one particular activity, or a variety of workouts to change it up?

1. Dollar store coffee grounds that taste just like Starbucks, except 8 dollars cheaper. Can I get an amen?

2. The newfound friendship that has developed between Popcorn and the family dog, Max. When the Cornpops was a wee little pup, he was constantly ALL over Max (as seen in this post here) who was pretty clear about wanting nothing to do with him. Now, however, these two guys have developed quite a mutual understanding and respect for each other.

Check out how they walk side-by-side!

And how they huddle together on the windowsill. Could a mother ask for more?

3. FINALLY taking the time to plunge through my NASM Fitness Nutrition Specialist material and passing the exam late Tuesday night! I received the book and test prep info in April of last year, capping off my total study time at about 11 months of the 12 I had available.

Source

Let’s not mention that I also milked the full 179 of the 180 days that I had to take my original NASM personal training exam. I guess I just work well under pressure?

And for whoever is interested, I should have a full recap of my experience with the FNS credential up on Itty Bits within a week or so. Which probably means at the last minute of that 1 week. I know, I’m horrible.

4. Catching up with old friends at World of Beer, even though I pretty much detest the taste of any and every beer. Am I in the minority on this one?

5. This Popcorn-twin who happens to have Will’s full name that my sister-in-law’s-sister is trying to coerce me into adopting. Talk about temptation at it’s finest!

6. This little setup that Will surprised me with on Valentine’s Day, which I somehow completely forgot to blog about last month. I’ve said it 820893 times and and I’ll say it again—I’m truly one blessed lady. Upon my return home from work, I walked into my room to find rose petals leading to more roses, a bag full of surprises, and a mini pink Valentine’s Day puppy on my bed.

Be still my heart.

7. Receiving an amazing opportunity with Bumble Bee Foods to become a Bee Squad member for the year of 2013! You all know how much I already love my ghetto salmon concoction and tuna avocado salad mix, so to say that I was elated when I heard the news is quite the understatement.

8. Taking awkard family photos and coming out looking like a straight up Who from Who-ville.

Popcorn, don’t worry—I would be terrified too.

A bit to think about: Tell me about something that has made you smile lately!

Up to sharing a turkey leg, anyone?

Not that there were any leftovers of that beast to share, but I’m sure that you catch my drift

This past weekend Will and I spent our Saturday afternoon meandering the streets of Deerfield for the Annual Florida Renaissance Festival. Between the plethora of eccentric costumes, dozens of foot-long beards, and many-a-mud pits, I felt like I was actually part of the time-period myself. Throw me into a time warp, why don’tcha?

But eat, drink, and be merry we did!

The festival was a lot larger than I expected it to be, and they had TONS of shows for the visitors to pick from at different stages around the park.

Will and I accidentally wandered into our first show around 1:30, which ended up being a comedy/magic blended show by a solo performer who called himself “Broon”. He made our stomachs hurt with his witty jokes, especially the adult-themed ones that flew wayyy over the heads of the younger audience members.

And of course, it wouldn’t be a Renaissance show without the fire and sword tricks!

Which obviously inspired Will to try some bladed tricks of his own.

You’ll get ‘em next time, young lad

We knocked out about 6 hours of our day just walking around, seeing shows, eating good food, and making friends with the Renaissance folk. In fact, we had such a blast (and such dirty feet) by the end of the day that we promised each other a return visit next year.

And perhaps we’ll even dust off our spare renaissance gowns for the occasion

(Hear that Will?)

A bit to think about: Ever been to a renaissance or other themed festival?

Did I ever tell you about that time I went strawberry picking in the middle of winter? Because it definitely happened, and was made possible thanks to the never-failing 70 degree Miami temps.

(Note: the office buildings in the background. Gotta love city livin’ )

Or how about that time I had my first taste of Peruvian cuisine in the form of a delicious lunch, compliments of Will’s mom and the downtown Miami favorite, Ceviche 105? Because that DEFINITELY happened too, and I have the leftover fish bones to prove it.

Let it be known that I’m not typically a fan of overwhelmingly saucy dishes or heavy meals in general. Call me crazy, but my ideal meal would probably consist of some veggies, a bit of protein, and perhaps a moderately dense carb-based side dish. Based on this little tidbit, I was a liiiiiittle intimidated by our planned visit to Ceviche 105, let alone the whole fish that I saw at some of the tables around us as we stepped foot into the joint.

Let it also be known that I’m now a changed woman. Anyone down to move to Lima with me?

As soon as we sat down we were served a bowl of canchitas, which is basically a variety of Peruvian corn kernels. These were probably one of my favorite highlights of the meal, but that’s coming from the girl who is known to demolish the remnants of any and every popcorn bag.

Next up, the appetizer sampler. There were two different kinds of ceviche, and two kinds of Peruvian sushi-type dishes—all of which were flavor bombs in their own respective ways and presented quite elegantly.

Followed by choritos a la chalaca (aka mussels)

The fish pictured up above was the entrée that was shared between Will’s mom and myself, and it was indeed a whole snapper filled with all sorts of seafood, a delicious sauce, and served with white rice on the side. Will ordered an Asian-style sashimi dish for his entrée, which was accompanied by some type of quinoa fried rice.

And for dessert– an order of suspiro de limena, which this white girl translated into “mousse with cream and cinnamon”

Just how I like it

Overall, our lunch at Ceviche 105 was much more than a meal. In fact, I’d consider the occasion a life experience that I would love to live out over and over again, in all of it’s Peruvian sauce & canchita glory.

P.S. — I was kidding about keeping the fish bones.

Maybe.

A bit to think about: Have you ever tried Peruvian cuisine?

Let it be known that I looove me some dark meat.

(And I’m not talking about Will’s Peruvian/Latin flava’, although it’s true that his hips don’t lie.)

I think back to the days when I thought that “healthy eating” consisted of three precisely measured ounces of white meat, 1/2 a cup of steamed greens, and a spritz of Pam cooking spray. In fact, I distinctly remember requesting that my protein be cooked with no butter/oil at restaurants, that my dressing ALWAYS be of the low-fat variety, and that my croutons be thrown into the scorching depths of hell.

Now, as I look down at my curvier hips, smile at my clearer skin, and appreciate my signals of womanhood, I can’t help but to say–

“hold the breast and pass me the legs?”

Rosemary Drumsticks

Ingredients:

• 5 chicken drumsticks
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons freshly chopped rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking dish with foil.

2. Wash drumsticks and pat dry with paper towel. Try to dry them as best as you can because this will allow the skin to get crispy.

3. Coat drumsticks with coconut oil, then arrange them side-by-side on the pan. Sprinkle rosemary, salt and pepper on the chicken, flip them over, and do the same on the other side. Rub the spices into the drumsticks.

4. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, flip chicken, then cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from oven and enjoy!

Yesterday marked Will and my 2 year dating anniversary, which also marked the longest that either of us had ever been in a relationship.

As the theme park tradition goes, we spent this past weekend up in Orlando celebrating at Epcot (we started dating at Islands of Adventure, and visited again at our 1 year mark.) Between the gorgeous sights and the delicious food, I had a tough time leaving when it was eventually time to hit the road.

Aaaaand the fact that I got to pretend it was still my birthday

Let it also be known that my favorite cuisine in all of Epcot can be found in the cute little country of Morocco. Cover me in hummus and tabouleh why don’t you?

Oh, just sippin’ coffee on the streets of Italy–

And drinking some German beer

How about that Canadian kilt band?

Or the French acrobats?

We had such a fantastic time roaming and eating our way through Epcot that we barely even noticed the EIGHT hours that had passed since our arrival. Not that I’m complaining—I mean, I had to walk off my several food babies somehow!

Other fantastic highlights of our trip included embarrassing myself (per usual) with a chef hat and birthday song at Kobe Steakhouse,

And the grass-fed barbeque that Will’s father cooked up for us on Sunday afternoon before our departure. He’s lucky enough to work with a legitimate cow farmer, so he has access to delicious fresh meat at all times of the year.

By the time I sat down, my plate was complete with a nice chunk of T-bone steak, a burger, shrimp, chicken, and some salad on the side. I think it’s a bit obvious where my priorities were, no?

A weekend to remember indeed!

A bit to think about: Have you ever been to Epcot or another Disney park?