New Blog Name!!

So have you ever started something and then had the focus shift mid way?? Story of my life!! I created this name because I am a Fit and Trim Twin! However, I have realized the focus of my posts have become allergy food related and how i maintain my fitness with those allergies!
So, i’ve changed my name and created a different blog. Early enough in the process is better, right? I think so!!
Please visit my new page at http:/missallergyfit.wordpress.com

THANKS!!!

Week in review… via instagram

Hey all,
Here is my week in review via my instagram photos.  (Is anyone else sort of in love with instagram?? i actually woke up the other day and liked because i wasn’t 100% ready to get out of bed yet… just me?? Okay, i can accept that!)

I’ll start with my foodie successes!! I usually eat the SAME things every other day!  Habit?  Easier to track my food?  I’m boring?? All of the above?  It’s easy to eat the same things that you like when you’re single!  Probably the only perk of living single.  I can the same things, AND i can have breakfast any time i want!  I will have to find a man that likes breakfast for dinner!!

BUT, back to my successes.  I made both a fantastic gluten free/dairy free cauliflower crust!  🙂  I had a fouled attempt earlier this week… but the second try was WELL worth it!!!  The first round was delicious, but it just didn’t crust like it should have.  I tried to be sneaky and use Coconut Flour.  I have the WORST luck with coconut flour?  I’m starting to think that it dries out so quick because of altitude.  Well, second time around I used Caralyn at Gluten Free Happy Tummy’s recipe!  It was yummy!!! Found here: http://glutenfreehappytummy.com/2012/07/21/cauliflower-pizza-party-a-graduation-gf-v-bed-scd/  I also added some spices to the mixture.

I really need to work on my presentation for photos… I loved it! I actually used half of it for dinner, and saved the other for lunch the next day.  The second day was actually pliable and I was able to use it as a wrap! Even better! Two recipes out of one!!

The second one I made was from Laura at Sprint2theTable.  I am now obsessed with recipe, plus a few others of hers!! It seems like I have a very similar palate to her.  I made her PB & Aggs recipe!!  It was delicious!! http://www.sprint2thetable.com/2012/08/pb-aggs-wiaw/ I think i also added 1/2 banana to it too, and then I put the mixture into a left over Peanut Butter container.  I LOVED it! and I wasn’t hungry for a while… even betteR! Protein does that for you!! The bread in the photo is the Julian Bakery Paleo Coconut bread.

I HIGHLY recommend anyone following a gfree diet follow these two gals!!  They both have a wonderful variety of documentation on their recipes and meals.  🙂
In regards to my fitness… I took a challenge via the gals at Tone it Up from Instagram yesterday!  They said “drop and give me a plank”, SO I DID! 🙂

The other big accomplishment in my “Allergy Fitness” life, was that I completed my Hybrid of Chalean Extreme and TurboFire.  I am going to miss my program until I come back to it.   I hadn’t done Extreme in a while, but wanted to a change from the heavy cardio.  This is a great hybrid, because it gives you a mix of both worlds.  You don’t get bored easily!!

I also took my “After” photos for the FIRST TIME EVER!  Does it ever get easy to pose in a bikini??  And then post the results??

:sigh:: i did it!!

very pleased with the results, but embarrassed… that’s my old insecurities rearing their ugly head…

I will have to do this on Friday’s from now on!  Considering almost all my photos go up on Instagram.  I could post for days of all of Fumble’s photos too! lol!

Just as an aside… it’s a full blue moon today.

August Foodie Pen Pal

Yah! I can FINALLY reveal my August Foodie Pen Pal!! 🙂

I follow MANY blogs, and I have seen the Foodie Pen Pals that Lindsay over at http://www.theleangreenbean.com/foodie-penpals/ started.  I have always been intrigued by the idea of getting a box of goodies.  Plus, who doesn’t love a care package???!!???

I participated this month and got a FABULOUS box from Kyle over at http://eatsandadventures.wordpress.com/ .  She put together a wonderful box from her lovely state, and this one i’m JEALOUS of!! Hawaii!!! 🙂  Honolulu, Hawaii to be exact!

I arrived home a two Fridays ago and there was a box on my doorstep!!  I think i could actually smell Hawaii! So i decided to suck in the scents of the ocean.  I’m a nerd!

Then I got to open all the carefully wrapped goodies!! Inside was a fantastic selection of local goodies!

I loved the notepaper!! I always love a High Five! 🙂

Kyle wanted to give me some variety, not just foods.  She sent me their “native” fruit cookie cutter!  I know this will come in handy with my gluten free baking!  I’m finally getting some recipes that I NEED to try.  Plus, I love to bake in the fall!

She also sent me some local soaps.  I have a cadre of soaps from all over in my bathroom.  One can never have too many to choose from!  I am obsessed with coconut, and I have a sneaking suspicion there must be coconut oil in these!!

I don’t know how she did it too, but Kyle must have known I’m not the most responsible person with my cell phone and I have frizzy hair!  These two items are locally made and will come in VERY HANDY!! She sent me an adorable pin with a flower on it!  Great for girls with flyaways, aka ME!!  Then the other flower is something I have never heard of!  It is a pin that goes into your cell phone to protect the slot for the earbuds!??! Have you heard of this?? It’s genius!!!!

The next photo is my foodie items!  She sent me local coffee, macadamia nuts and honey.  I get local honey here (in NY)  A LOT!  I love to bake with it!!  I can’t wait to try it either.  There must be different floral notes from Upstate NY!!!  I ❤ any type of peanut variety!!! And I am OBSESSED with coffee.  I drink way too much.  (Hence, all the !!!!s)

Kyle could NOT have done a better job in preparing this box for me!!

THANK, THANK THANK YOU Kyle!!!!!!!!

Have you ever participated in the Foodie Pen Pals?? 

What's your favorite Care Package item you ever received??? 

Gluten free in college.

Being gluten free in regular life is difficult, let alone add a college lifestyle into it. Are you gluten free and going to school? Here are my tips to avoid a contamination or allergy reaction! (We try to avoid those in regular life, especially in the dorm setting!)

Suggestions on what to bring with you??

I would obviously recommend a fridge and microwave. Most dorms either allow you to have a microwave or will have one for the floor. I would also recommend maybe bringing a mini waffle iron. They sell these for as little as $15. If you like pancakes for breakfast at home, most recipes can be made into a waffle form! Another top item? Tupperware! One of the top recommendations I will have to all gluten free-er undergrads is to make some food while you’re studying or doing homework. HAVE STUFF PREPARED! Sometimes, the campus eat spots won’t have an option and it will be 2 am and you’ll be starving. This way you have a back up food item to choose from!

Another item I have JUST come across is the Ziploc Steam bags… have you seen these?  They’re GREAT!!! You can cook almost anything in them!!!

I would also suggest a little under the bed Rubbermaid to store your “pantry” items in. That way they’ll be safe and stowed away for more clothes in the closet! 🙂

I know most girls carry around larger handbags now, so this is easy to get away with… Get a small lunchbox or cooler. Marshalls and TjMAxx always have some cute ones. I ALWAYS have a cooler with me with at least one meal for back up or my favorite gluten free condiments ready to go. It took me a while, but having an allergy or sensitivity is not an easy way to live and getting contaminated is even worse! I hate being “that girl” that has to request all the specific stuff and I used to be self conscious about it, but NO MORE!! My body, my choice! I whip out my foods when I need them! If a restaurant doesn’t carry what you can eat, don’t be ashamed. Don’t not go and be social because you can’t eat there. Bring your own food, or eat before! Don’t be embarrassed about it. I used to and I missed out on a lot. A year later, I pulled up my big girl pants and got a lunchbox! 🙂

Staples for the fridge/pantry:

• Egg whites: these are Easy! And you can make them in the microwave. Both plain or add them to a protein muffin recipe! (see links below)

• Almond/Coconut milk (if you’re not dairy free you can use regular or skim)
• Protein Bars: find the right ones for you! There are a few out there now that are gfree. Some include the kind bars, think thin, Lara… To name a few. I’m picky on the bars so I usually stick to the kind bars if I need one. I always keep about five on hand though for backup!

• A few gluten free frozen meals for the microwave: if you go to your grocer they carry a lot of these now. Amy’s makes a bunch. I love the GardenLites, but they can get expensive. Also, keep your eye on the sugars in frozen meals! Most manufacturers add excess sugar to make up for the flavor! Check your labels!

• Cheese or Dairy free cheese alternative: I prefer cheese that melts! I like the rice shreds. But we all have our own tastes!!

• Yogurt (if you like greek it’s higher in protein!)

• Gluten free bread: this is a total person to person preference. I’ve tried a lot of the breads and only like a handful. Most are frozen, so you shouldn’t have to worry about moldy bread under your bed!!

• Fruit: I always keep bananas and apples handy. In college though, you only need one or two pieces each.

• Glutenfree oats: if you like oatmeal this is essential! Get a big bag and store it!  IF you like oats from scratch, the best way to make them is from Chocolate Covered Katie.  I would recommend getting a larger measuring bowl that’s plastic to make your oats in the microwave.  It’s the only way I avoid “spillage” from the boiling water!

• Microwaveable sweet potatoes: great source of nutrition and an easy item to throw in the micro if you’re in a pinch!

• Tuna packs: if you like fish and your roomie doesn’t mind the smell (ask out of courtesy!!) it’s a good thing to have around. Grab a garden salad at the cafe and then throw some protein on top!

• Cereal: I keep rice puffs on hand to add crunch to my smoothie type meals. Chex is also great and CHEAP alternative!

• Protein powder: If you’re into fitness, you’re probably already using protein powder. Take it with you! You can add it to most foods for extra protein!

• Quinoa: quinoa is great for gfree peeps! (And non alike!). You can make it in the microwave and store it for a few days. It’s great to add to salads or even eat for breakfast!

• Rice Cakes/Corn thins: I love these things for snacking. Better than crackers!

• PB or peanut flour: I’m obsessed with peanut butter. I use peanut flour all the time now. It’s easy to store and goes a long way.

• Your favorite spices, plus salt and pepper

• Gluten free soy sauce, tamari and at least one bottle of your favorite salad dressing. I usually make my own dressing with lemon, apple cider vinegar and nutritional yeast.

Warnings in the cafeteria:

• Stay clear of sauces
• Don’t be afraid to ask for a different pan if they’re making it in front of you.
• Be careful w salad bars w gluten ingredients in the bin next to the gluten free ones. Sometimes they cross over!
• Just ask someone when you first get there! Find out who is in charge and ask if they make previsions for allergy sufferers. It’s more prevalent now than ever!

Easy Recipes

I post some great recipes on my Pinterest account: pinterest.com/eiren

But here are some of my go to’s for easy microwave cooking (If I’m at home, the microwave is usually going with something!)

Low Cal Moist Fudge Brownie in the Microwave Via Smoothiegirleatstoo!

I love PurelyTwins in general! But these are DIVINE!! Chocolate Protein Muffins

 

Egg Mug Cakes are great too!!  Check out HungryGirl for some easy recipes there!!

I mentioned something above about quinoa in the microwave.  It’s pretty simple!  Be sure sure to do the right amount of quinoa to water, 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water.  Heat for 3 minutes, then let it stand in the microwave for a minute or 2.  Fluff with a fork, and then cook for another 3-5 minutes.  Then allow it to stand in the microwave for at least 2 minutes.  If there is excess water, just drain it out.  Of if it’s not 100% cooked through yet, I will cover and let it steam for a little longer in the microwave.

I hope this letting “getting started” guide was useful for you!!  Even if you aren’t going to college, they’re just a good to have you’re “bag of tricks”!

Did you have to eat gluten free while on vacation or at college?  How did you handle it?

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RevieW Post!!! Julian Bakery Bread and the Polar FT 7

I made my first “fitness” purchase not dvd related this weekend.  Well, that’s sort of a lie.  I got the BodyMedia for Christmas, and ended up returning it because I had a feeling my ‘compulsive’ background would not fair well with wearing something 24 hours.  I actually wore it for 2 days, realized I was not burning as much as I thought I did and started to feel myself getting the urge to do more! I was already working out twice a day, typically cardio/strength and then a pilates/ballet workout.  What more could I DO!? I didn’t want to see myself fall into an old trap of doing too much, so I ended up returning the gift!

However, since becoming a Beachbody Coach, I’ve been thinking it would be great to see and document how much I actually burn doing my workouts!  Now, that being said, IT’S NOT THE SAME FOR EVERYONE!! I knew that going in.  I am 5 foot 1 and weigh on average about 115 lbs.  So my calorie burn is not going to be as high as someone with more weight.  The less you weigh, the less your burn.   I did think it would be interesting to see my heart rate during the workouts and gauge them in combo with my calorie burn!

So, off to BestBuy I went this weekend and bought my first monitor.  It was between the Polar FT4 and FT7.  I decided to go with the 7! I did look at the FT40, which I’ve seen a lot of the bloggers use.  There were only a few differences between the two, so I decided to go with this one.  It was about $119 before taxes.  I would have preferred a different color, but black is fine!  It matches everything, even my usual brown tones! (MISCONCEPTION, YOU CAN WEAR BLACK AND BROWN TOGETHER… Stacy and Clinton from What Not to Wear told me so!) 🙂

When I opened the box, I had received the watch, the heart rate monitor clip on, chest strap and instructions.  I will say, I did not realize that chest strap had sizes?  Mine is a medium-XXL, and it fits fine.  However, I have a broad chest.  I was blessed with wide ribs! 🙂

You wet the portion of the strap that has the heart rate receptors on it, strap it on and then clip the heart rate monitor to the front of your chest.  It’s not that visible.  Here’s a photo I took in my workout tank.

I was happy the first time I wore it, it was with a shirt with a built in sports bra.  If you’re worried about it slipping, which it didn’t, it was that good reassurance the first few times I’ve worn it.  It’s good to know it’s not going to budge.  I have worn it a few times now, still no slipping.  I’ve also done a few workouts, including lifting, pilates, and kickboxing.  Still no budge.

I did take two photos for Instagram so far with my results.

The watch is very user friendly.  It will walk you through the set-up options, which includes entering your data.  Once you’re ready to start your workout, you push the start button and it will begin to read your heart rate and start the workout.  It also has a great feature that will beep when you move from the fat burning zone into the fitness zone.  You can also pause it between workouts.  I did this with my first trial between my cardio and lift.  It was good because I got distracted between the workouts! hehe!

My first test was a blanket test, so I didn’t document it.  However, I was surprised by my results! I thought I was burning a lot more than what was documented.  I guess it really does help to have hard evidence!!  I did a 55 minute cardio workout and I only burned about 460 calories.  Not horrible, but I was thinking I was burning closer to 500.  So already, the equipment paid for itself in knowledge!!

I did my High Intensity Interval Low 25 minute workout with the TurboFire Dvds yesterday morning.  Here were my results.

It shows your duration, calories burned and average and maximum heart rates.  **NOTE: This workout does not yield a high calorie burn during the workout.  The science behind a HIIT is that you continue to burn after the workout is over!  Whereas with most other cardio sessions, you will stop burning the moment you stop moving!**

My second reading was this morning with a 45 minute kickboxing session that included 2 HIITs.  I did the TurboKick Sport Home DVD round!

I got VERY SWEATY during this workout!  I was able to grab a photo of my Fat Burn time and Fitness Time this round! (bottom left photo).

Overall, I REALLY like this watch and think it will come in handy while I’m working out.  Especially as I transition into other fitness.  It will be interesting to see if I burn the same when I start running, or if I do another program?

I’m also excited to do another reading today with just my weight lifting!??!  More to follow on my instagram  (you can find me at “eirenm” and facebook!
On another note! I want to review a new product I got this weekend.  I had to order something for my “Foodie PenPal”! 🙂 I so decided to try this Paleo bread from Julian Bakery.  Julian Bakery is in California and they offer Low Carb and Gluten Free breads.  I am a firm believer in “if i can read all the ingredients” i will eat it!  So when I saw this bread it intrigued me!

Here is the info from their website:

Paleo Bread -Coconut, is organic, starch-free, grain free, gluten free, yeast free, soy free, dairy Free, and ideal for any diet.  The Paleo Bread, Coconut, is the first starch free, gluten free, grain Free, low carb bread on the market!  Get lean and sculpted while still enjoying this particular variety! *Nutritional Info Provided By An Independent Lab For Accuracy* **GI= Zero / Stay In Ketosis** **Freezes great for 4+ Months** “Paleo Breads Are Soft & Fluffy & Do NOT Crumble” (HCG Diet Approved)

Coconut is Low Carb & Low Calorie:  The term available carbohydrate refers to the portion of carbohydrates that have the potential to raise your blood sugar levels and provide calories, or energy. Available carbohydrates include both sugar and starches, but exclude dietary fiber. You can calculate the available carb content of any food simply by subtracting its fiber content from its total carb content. In the case of all-purpose white flour, the available carb content is 23.1 g per 1/4 cup and whole-wheat flour has 18.4 g of available carb per 1/4 cup, while coconut flour contains 7 g of available carbohydrate per 1/4 cup.

Because of its lower available carbohydrate content, coconut flour can prevent blood sugar spikes and help you maintain more even blood sugar levels after eating, which is especially helpful if you have diabetes or are trying to lose weight.

High Fiber Content:  Coconut flour contains a lot more fiber compared to any other flour, with as much as 12 g per 1/4 cup, compared to only 3 g for the same serving of whole-wheat flour. You should get between 25 and 38 g of fiber a day, according to the “2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” to help you stay regular and prevent constipation. A higher fiber intake can also help you feel fuller with fewer calories, which is especially helpful if weight loss is a goal.

**As seen on http://www.Julian Bakery.com

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size	1 slice (43g)
Servings Per Loaf	Approx. 16
Amount Per Serving
Calories 40	Calories from Fat 10
% Daily Value
Total Fat 1g	2%
Saturated Fat 1g	4%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 90mg	4%
Potassium 210mg	6%
Total Carbohydrate 6g  (1 Digestible Carb)	2%
Dietary Fiber 5g	19%
Net Carbs 1g	0%
Soluble Fiber 1g
Sugars 1g
Protein 5g
Vitamin A 0%	Vitamin C 2%
Iron 2%	Calcium 4%
**Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie a day diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Ingredients: Purified Water, Organic Coconut Flour, Egg Whites, Psyllium, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Baking Soda.

So Saturday afternoon this is the little package in the mail:

It is sliced thin!  I plan on freezing mine so it will last longer.  I don’t eat bread that much, so I don’t want it going bad before I get a chance to really enjoy it!
I tried it on Saturday afternoon.  I typically stay away from “Carbs” in the afternoon, however there is only coconut flour in this!  So I figured I was in the clear!  I ate one slice (halved) with a turkey burger.  It was actually pretty good! I haven’t eaten bread in a LONG time because I am so picky about the gluten free varieties.  None seem to “cut the snuff” in my book to the real stuff!  But this will definitely do for now!  At the calories/nutrition of it, how can I pass it up?? I am anxious to try the almond variety too.
To be determined…
Have you tried a heart rate monitor at all?

Have you tried any gluten free breads that you would recommend??

 

Crafting weekend!

Hey all! I hope you enjoyed a lovely weekend.  It was a tid biT HOT in NY!! I thought I might be able to take Fumble for a walk.  I was sorely mistaken.  I let him out at 5:30 am and there was drool to the floor after 3 minutes to pee!  So we played a few rounds of football in the house!  We were actually very inspired after a lovely trip to watch the NY Giants Training Camp on Sunday… with about 5,000 close fan family friends!

Victor Cruz and Eli Manning…

And then my favorite boys… the lineman!!

The rest of the weekend was pretty quiet.  Did a LOT of food prep.  I swear, i keep myself quite busy for a single lady!

I also decided to actually try one of those crafts i’ve pinned on pinterest!  You can follow me at Eiren!

First, I decided to make my own “Turbo Tshirt!” I’ve been doing the program for 7 years might as well represent!  The t-shirt cost me a $9 at Old Navy (Vintage T) and then the letters cost $8.  I had a coupon at the craft store for 40% off.  **MY TIP, always look for a coupon!!**

Here’s how my T-shirt came out!

My second crafty tank experiment was based (or should I saw loosely because it didn’t come out 100%) on this tutorial:

Blogilates Racerback Tutorial

It came out okay! But i think I need to make some revisions next time!  Definitely use a bigger tshirt to start with.  Don’t start with a tight one!  I felt like the incredible hulk when i put it on.  When I stretched my arms the arm holes tore a bit!  But once that happened, it fit quite well! 🙂

Here is the finished product!

I started with the basic t shirt….

I then cut off the top of the neck, the arms, and the bottom band.

The directions call to cut out a V-neck, which I did.  I folded it over to make the V ‘even’.  Even though mine still wasn’t too even! lol.

Take your bottom strip, cut off the bottom panel.  Stretch out the rest of the fabric as much as you can.  Take the back of the t-shirt and tie a knot at the top of the back where you want to make your racerback.  Wrap it down to the bottom of the V and then tie another knot.  Cut off the rest!

And voila’ it’s complete!

Like I said, mine was a little ‘snug’.  I will definitely do this again but with a larger t shirt.  I have my momentous shirts that I have saved through the years.  I didn’t want to trial this out on them and then ruin it!

Have you tried to do a craft from Pinterest yet?

If you have, have you had success???

So how do i use this peanut flour???

I am obsessed with this stuff.  Probably because I’m in love with peanut butter in general.  However, I try to limit my intake due to the caloric and fat grams!  Tell me if I’m right here, ladies, but I have somewhat of a problem with portion control?  I can’t stop eating peanut butter!  The whole idea of 2 Tablespoons is never enough!

When I first heard about Pb2 and Peanut flour, I had to try it!  I can’t buy the stuff around here, so I’ve been ordering it for over a year now.  You can buy it pretty much anywhere, however I have had the best luck with www.netrition.com and www.lindasdietdelites.com/

I’ve received a few questions on how to use Peanut Flour?! How can I not use Peanut Flour? Well there are a few things I wouldn’t add it, salsa for example. bleh!

You can add it to smoothies, puddings, yogurt, you can make cookie dough, oatmeal, ice cream, waffles or pancake mix, baked goods, you name it!  I’ve heard that some people replace it for their flours. However, having worked with other gluten free flours, go cautiously with this one.  Most baked goods need xanatham gum without the gluten.

I usually mix it with a banana for a breakfast topping, or I’ll add it to my baking for extra peanut flavoring.  However, you can go beyond that!! I’ve even added it to sauces for stir fry’s! I think i saw that once on Iron Chef and it stuck!

It’s a great source of protein too without the added fat!

I’ll be sure now that I’ve got the hang of this blogging business to post some recipes as I go!  🙂

Are you Gluten Free? Do you have a favorite flour or flour mix that you bake with? 

and the winner is…

Hey all!! Here is the info about the giveaway i was running!
It was to win a bag of Protein Plus Peanut Flour! 🙂

and the winner was Jessi Avila

For my first giveaway, I was pleased with the results! I learned how to use www.random.org  too! It’s always a good thing when you can learn a new skill for the day! 🙂
Congratulations Jessi!!  PB flour is on it’s way!!!

 

 

Giveaway RemindER!!!

Hey all,
Just a friendly reminder!  You have until Thursday 8/9/12 to enter the Giveaway for Protein Plus Peanut Flour!!

I’ll give you a quick info session on the goods!

Peanut flour is derived from blanched, roasted peanuts.  Peanut flour can replace peanut butter where you want to control fat!  It’s very easy to work with!  It’s naturally gluten-free and adds that peanut butter flavor to your baked goods, or even mixed with a banana!  It’s MUCH less in fat than it’s parent alternative!

I usually mix mine with half a banana and use it as a topping on rice/corn cakes.  I also have added it to my Shakeology and protein pancakes!

To enter all you have to do is click LIKE on my facebook page and tell me how you would use the PB flour!!! EASY as that!!

*Open to US Residents only**

There’s always an App for that!

Hey all,

I hope you had a great weekend! I had a blast!! I got to go to visit with my besties from College. It’s very rare that we get to see each other, so it was a pleasant and MUCH needed treat!

It’s funny though, when you get older how things change. I used to leave a party with a purple or pink goodie bag with candy and bracelets, but NOW I get excited about leftovers! Check out the Guest of Honor, “Princess Jaclyn’s” 3Bean salad! I was the lucky recipient, and got to take it home with me! SCORE!! (Thank heaven’s I always carry a lunch box with me!) It’s a super easy recipe per Jacks, diced tomatoes, black beans, white beans and red beans, corn! Voila!!

I also was able to stop at one of my favorite places, a grocery store! But not just any grocery store, Whole Foods!! 🙂 I will not tell a lie… i dropped $70 in 15 minutes! But they were all necessity items! Plus, I got a pie for the party! AND I got my dad some healthy treats! I live with him, and am trying to instill the world of a healthy eating lifestyle.

Here are a few of my goodies….

PS, i’m quite glad that i got that many protein bars. Because I’m gluten and dairy free, I usually always have planned foods for meal time. Somehow I totally disregarded Sunday’s ride home and breakfasT! Doh!!! Ate the Maple Peanut Protein bar on the way home. DELicious!!! Can’t wait to try the others ones!

 

So… enough about me, back to my blog post! Are you an Iphone person? I traded my Blackberry in for an Iphone in December, and I’m pretty sure i’m a convert for life!! And I’ve become addicted to Apps. However, I find that the reviews are never sufficient, so I’ve become the girl who installs, tries and deleteS!

Here are a few of my Fav “Go-tos” that have survived my “X” button! 🙂

The Weather Channel (Free)

Who doesn’t need the weather? I can access where I live, as well as my sister’s home in CA. That way, I know if it’s a beach day for her and whether to be jealous! 🙂 Plus, I like the radar and the 36 hour written weather. Sometimes just a photo and a degree doesn’t cut it! This girl requires some verbiage!

Camera + ($.99)

I am always editing photos of Fumble because he’s so dark! It’s hard to see his pretty little face through all the black! I like how I can edit, crop and add some effects to the photos!

Fast Shutter Speed Camera (Free)

This is how I took those jumping photos of myself! You can set the camera to take as many pictures as you want and as quickly as you want and walk away. It’s great if you want to catch a photo in motion! My only snafu is that you have to delete a lot of the photos afterwards. However, after all is said and done and you have an awesome “motion” photo! I’ll happily delete!

PicCoLLage (Free)

I like this app to make my collages for instagram. My only issue is that it doesn’t automatically transfer to Instagram. But I like how you can place the photos where you want and move them around. I’ll take customization over a preset collage.
Labelbox (Free)

I use Labelbox to add font stickers to my photos. The free version offers just enough of the labels to meet my needs!

So now that I have all of these photos, how do i share them??
INSTAGRAM!!! (fREE)

I think i have a new found love and addiction to instagram! I love it because you can follow fitness, newfoundlands, food, bloggers! You name it!!!

MyFitnessPal (Free)

This is a great app to keep track of your caloric intake and foods! I will document what I eat to make sure I’m eating enough. However, I’ve tried to back off for a while, but I’ll keep the app around. I typically eat the same meals day by day, so it’s silly to add it up every day!

Find me Gluten Free (free) and AllergyEats (Free)

If you’re gluten free or have any food allergy, these are great. They locate where you are and tell you what restaurants around you offer a gluten free and allergy friendly menu. When I’m traveling these are GREAT! I used them my entire trip to Denver this past Spring. I think if I had to pay for them, I would! It’s THAT worth it for allergy friendly folks!

Motion X GPS (Free)

I also used this app when I was in Denver. I had a GPS that broke one day. I got a free 30 day membership with the voice commands. I am out of my trial, but still find myself using this app more often than not! I’m sure I’m breaking all sort of rules of driving and reading my phone, but it definitely beats having to print directions EVERy time i need them (which is usually a lot because I get lost in a closet!)

Scramble with Friends (Free)

My Best Friend, Sarah, just introduced this game to me! It’s addicting, and I’m horrible at it! But a fun change to Words with Friends (her words and they are true!)

Pinterest (Free)

Are words even needed to Pinterest? I could sit on here ALL day long!! It makes for a great mini break during the day! Plus, it’s where I usually keep all of my recipes, so when I’m in the kitchen it makes for easy access to the recipes!

Grocery IQ (Free)

I USE THIS EVERY DAY!!! You can look up your foods, and then they’re all there! It’s also great because you can make a list of your favorites and then on Saturday when you make your grocery list it’s easy to put it together! I rarely ever forget my grocery foods! (rarely, sometimes i still forget!)

 

 

Do you have any favorite apps that you use???