Seven tips to eat healthy while you travel.

Traveling is fun and exciting. We get away from reality, visit new places, immerse ourselves in different cultures, and build memories with family and friends.

However, once we get back home it can leave us tired, run-down, and in need of a vacation from our vacation. Have you ever felt this way?

I have good news for you!  You can still take a vacation and not come home feeling run down. By eating healthy foods (most of the time), making sure you get plenty of sleep and rest, and by listening to your body you won't need a vaca from your vaca.

Here are some simple tips to help you stay on track with your health and fitness goals, while still being able to enjoy food while traveling.

1) Scope out local grocery stores before you go so that you can shop when you get there and make a list of the things you will need to buy.

2) Plan your meals ahead of time. How often do you plan eating out? Work around that to make your list. Are you eating dinner at a restaurant three out of seven days? What are you going to have the other four evenings? Plan it and add it to your list.

3) Eat regularly and snack during the day. I get it! You are leaving at 10 am for a hike and don't plan on being back till 3 pm?  Don't skip lunch- pack it. Bring the snacks! Graze all day, which brings me to my next point:

4)  Bring snacks for in between meals (don't forget to pack a lunch tote, ice packs, sandwich bags, and utensils as needed).

Snack ideas:

• Tuna pouches
• Trail mix
• Fresh Fruit
• Protein powder
• Cheese sticks
• Yogurt
• Homemade "Lara" balls (see recipe in recipe section of my blog)
• Popcorn
• Fresh veggies with hummus
• Peanut butter
• Honey (raw, local- electrolytes and energy) for your water

5) If you are going to indulge do so wisely. Get the burger, but skip the bun or only eat half. Have salads and load up on veggies when eating out!

6) Alcohol. If you are drinking alcohol alternate every drink with water. Calories from alcohol add up quick! Try not to drink the trip away. This goes for other beverages as well. 

7) Don't eat until you want to throw up. Sometimes I think- I'm on vacation, I'm going to throw all of my guidelines out the window and eat everything and anything. Then reality hits! Just because I am on vacation doesn't mean I need to eat every meal like it's my last.

There you have it! Seven amazing tips on how to eat healthy and on track with your fitness goals while you travel.

XO

Stephanie

Twenty Things you don't know about me!

So.... I thought I'd get a little crazier than I already am and tell you 20 things you don't know about me! Enjoy!

1) I only having one working kidney.

2) I have thalassemia minor- a blood disorder that results in chronically low hemoglobin.

3) With my 4th child I had a home birth- on purpose- with a midwife.

4) At 16 years old I had my oldest daughter.

5) I have my cosmetology license and practiced for 10 years.

6) I graduated a full year early from high school with a Regents diploma.

7) Bugs don't scare me.

8) I started smoking cigarettes when I was 14 years old, but quit when I was 18- YUCK!

9) I was married once and divorced. Engaged one other time.

10) I don't have a favorite color.

11) Out of high school I went to college to be a paralegal. Hated it and after a year, quit.

12) I re-started college at 25 (while I was pregnant), received my associates, then went right for my Bachelor's while raising my kids alone. I had a 3.8 GPA.

13) I love my bearded dragon.

14) I am an over-thinker.

15) I am a caring and compassionate person. I don't judge.

16) In October 2015, I was diagnosed with Adrenal Fatigue.

17) In 2010, I was prepping to compete in a Figure Competition.

18) I am a meat-head, but a smart one!

19) I am very intuitive.

20) I saw an Angel once.

21) For 10 years I struggled with anorexia and binge eating.

What to know more?! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook :)

XO

Stephanie

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Put YOU First!

When is the last time you spent time taking care of you?!

Have you painted your nails lately? Rented a movie you like or watched one from your stash? Gotten a massage? Spent a half hour reading a book? Picked up your favorite magazine? Gotten a pedicure? Do you have a special place you can go to that brings you calmness and serenity? 

If you can’t remember the last time you did something for you right now, you need to take action and make a plan. Schedule it in! 

As women, it's important that we don't get lost in the busy culture of today’s world. It seems like it’s always something- work, kids, pets, housework, laundry, cooking meals, cleaning up after meals, a friend that needs this, a neighbor that needs that, etc. While all of these things are completely unavoidable, and in fact, they may bring joy into our lives, we still need time to ourselves to feel our own love and to feel at peace. We need to take the time to breathe, relax, and enjoy the little things in life that we too often forget about.

I know, I know- But if you spend time doing things for you and not taking care of everyone and everything else first you will feel guilty. Things won’t get done and stress adds up.

Here are three tips to take away that burden to help put YOU first:

First:  I’m giving you permission right now to let go of that guilt. Just throw it away! Take those thoughts in your head, crumble them into a big ball, and throw them into the invisible trash can behind you.

Second:  Learn to say no to things. It’s not worth being burned out over. People will understand. I used to always say yes. It leads me to a path of extreme anxiety and I felt like I never had any time to finish anything, let alone make time for myself.

Third:  Delegate tasks and become a bit more organized. Set days to do laundry and days to meal plan and prep. Have a schedule for feeding pets and have others- like your kids or partner pitch in. Don’t feel guilty that they have to help even if they are busy. They will have to learn life balance too, so this will help them- even if they kick and scream to do it. Don’t let them make you feel guilty!

When you start putting yourself first you feel better when you wake up in the morning. You see life in a new light. You don’t let the little things get to you.

Your assignment is to do something for you once a week until you are eventually doing something for you every day. Plan it out ahead of time and write it on your calendar so you follow through.

If you like this blog post be sure to join my Facebook group by clicking here and check out my daily tips on how women are living Sexy, Confident, and Healthy Lives!

Visit me on FB or my like page: StephanieCaputoWNY or Instagram! 

xoxo 

Stephanie

How to go from brunette to blonde without having your hair fall out!

Every girl wants the type and color of hair they can't have. It is what is it. However, sometimes it's a bad idea to reverse what your were already blessed with and sometimes it's totally ok. Like many women, I woke up one day and decided- I must be blonde!!It was an urge that needed to happen ASAP.  I make a quick call to my cousin a hair dresser to ask if she was up for the task. She agreed and that night began the process of me becoming blonde!!!

Prior to deciding to go blonde you must know that bleaching your hair is VERY damaging!! Because I had no permanent hair color on my hair (I've only used semi-permanent the past 4 years every 3 months or so), I wash my hair 1-2 times per week with sulfate free salon grade shampoo, and when I blow dry it I use a thermal protectant. I also want to add that since I've been drinking Shakeology I've noticed that my hair has grown faster and has become stronger. - No sales pitch here! 

I highly recommend that you do not have any permanent color on your ends. Especially dark browns and blacks. If you have those colors DO NOT try to be pale blonde. Your hair will break and it will fall out. especially if you wash it more than once per week. If you are ok with chopping your locks to be blonde and having frizzy hair- then go for it! 

Step 1: Full head of foils and tone. 

Waited one week. Applied conditioning mask. Only washed once. 

Step 2: Bleach ends with 40 volume and tone.

Result was brassy- had to go to step 3 day after.

Step 3: Use color to try to lift and get out brassy-orange color. 

Step 4: Waited a week and applied more toner to take out orange-brassy color. 

In between I washed my hair less- so just 1 x a week. I used my fantastic arsenal of hair products to repair my hair and I WILL NOT do anything more to it for a while because it is becoming thin and frail. 

I am also going to get a hair cut this week! I highly recommend you trim the ends after so that you cut all the dead stuff off. 

I just want to mention I am a licensed cosmetologist and have my license since 2006 which I why I have this knowledge. 

Before: 

                                                                           After:

And this here are my go-to MUST HAVE products! 

From left to right: Isoplus curling thermal spray- holds a curl like you would not believe while protecting your hair. Kenra nourishing hair mask. Adds softness and repairs the hair. Kenra Platnium blow dry spray- THIS IS AMAZING!! It smells delicious too. A little goes a long way and don't get it on the floor. It will come very slippery. Kenra restorative shampoo- just got this, but it's made to restore hair cause from damage from color. Chi Iron Guard- Smells soo good and is my favorite product to protect the hair when using a flat iron/straightener.  

So there you have it ladies! Be wise with your hair too :) 

P.S. This is a costly investment. Don't be shocked if you spend up to $300 or more to become blonde. 

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