Muffin Top-Less

A great blog I recently came across that gives me daily motivation to stay fit and healthy!
http://muffintop-less.tumblr.com/

I definitely recommend you check it out if you're looking to start or keep a healthy lifestyle. The author of the blog is now in the fitness industry and even models after leading an unhealthy lifestyle throughout high school and college. She's a huge inspiration!

LIVESTRONG's 20 Best Fitness Tips

It seems like everyday there's a new workout fad that comes out or new advice on how to get the best bod. More cardio, more weights, yoga, pilates, kettlebell workouts... So what really works? A little bit of everything to be honest. LIVESTRONG.com has a great article featuring the 20 best fitness tips from various fitness experts to work out in a safe and effective manner.

A lot of exercises or tactics I practiced in college are featured in the article such as interval training, free weights, being explosive, testing your range, mixing grips, doing a dynamic warm up, and having an appropriate recovery.

Intervals is a form of working out that I strongly believe in. So much that any time I do cardio (and sometimes weights) I turn it into an intense interval workout. Intervals mixes various levels of intensity into a workout as opposed to remaining at a steady pace.

Whether you're on a treadmill, running outdoors, on an elliptical or a bike, you can always do an interval workout to maximize your calorie burn and keep it going after your workout's done!

One to one ratios are really tough but such a good way to push yourself. I like to sprint for a minute on the bike, then just ride for a minute, sprint for a minute, ride for a minute x 5. Quick 10 minute workout (minus warm up and cool down)! But I guarantee you you'll be sweating, gasping for air, and feeling the burn in your legs.

If you're on a treadmill, change the speed every minute. Go from level 6 to 6.5 to 7 to 7.5 to 6 to 8 to 7 to 7.5 to 6.5... or whatever you're feeling that day. In my opinion, intervals are undoubtedly the best way to get the physical results you want through a cardio workout.

That's it for tonight! Super exhausted again tonight after a loooong week. I'm hoping to try out more healthy recipes this weekend so stay tuned for that. :) Good night!

Oreo Red Velvet Cupcakes

After the Niners lost on Sunday, my family and I were upset, depressed, frustrated... It was a tough loss for the Niners but I have to say I'm proud of them for a great game and a great season!

My brother was especially upset and needed some good ol' sweets to cheer him up. So, in honor of the Niners (and my brother's lover for the dessert), I decided to make RED velvet cupcakes. I don't usually make desserts like this from a box, but it was lying around the house and we needed to use it eventually.

I hate that we used boxed cake mix BUT I did make some adjustments to make it my own AND to make it healthier. :)

You'll need:
1 box of red velvet cake mix
1/3 cup of apple sauce
1 cup of water
3 eggs
Oreos (optional)

Makes 24 cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the cake mix, water, eggs, and apple sauce together. Substituting apples sauce for oil or butter reduces a lot of fat and calories but keeps all the yummy moisture. You can substitute apple sauce for butter in almost any baked good to make it a healthy rendition of your treat without sacrificing taste or texture.

My brother loves oreos, so for extra texture we crushed some up and sprinkled them on top before putting them in the oven.

Bake for 19-22 minutes.

For a few cupcakes, we also took half of an oreo (by just separating where the cream is) and placed it in the bottom of the cupcake paper to create a "crust" of sorts. The oreo softens a lot so texturally it's not that big of a difference, but the oreos on top can lend a nice, crunchy surprise. :)

Achieving your fitness goals

Whether your fitness goal is to lose weight, tone up, or bulk up, there are always standard practices of working out one should apply to achieve their goal. Since not playing sports anymore, my workouts have definitely changed in terms of frequency and content. I started Beach Body Insanity a few months ago and haven't been a gym since, which is so unlike me! In college when training, I would have to do power cleans, lifts, back squats, front squats, kettle ball workouts, free weights, resistance work, med ball work... you name it. But since graduating I haven't really done any hard core weight lifting and, to be honest, I kind of miss it. I always enjoyed lifting weights more than I enjoyed intense cardio, yet I've been doing more cardio lately than weights. Ironic, isn't it?

The Insanity workouts kicked my ass so much that I just figured I would stick with those to give me a great workout, but lately I've been thinking about getting back in the weight room to switch up my routine. And a lot of fitness articles seem to be pushing me in the direction as well.

One article I read lately was really really helpful and reiterated all the training advice I learned and followed in college.

You can read the full article at the link about, but to give you a quick run down it's titled, 10 Things Trainers Wish You Knew About Your Workout.

1. You need to switch up your workouts
2. Cardio isn't the magic bullet for weight loss
3. Wimpy weights will get you nowhere
4. Muscles come in pairs; train them that way
5. Crunches aren't crucial for strong abs
6. A workout doesn't merit a post-gym pigout
7. Bad form is bad news when you're strength training
8. Working out on an empty stomach won't burn more fat
9. A death grip on the cardio machine strains your bod and burns fewer cals
10. The "fat-burning" zone isn't really a fat-burning zone

Something is better than nothing. I even need to remind myself of that every so often. So whether you love cardio, lifting, or both, there's always a workout that you can enjoy. Spinning/biking, running, intervals, circuits, jump roping, skating, resistance, dumbbells, kettles, whatever! The more you mix it up the better, in my opinion. Not only can that elicit better results, but that'll keep your workout more fun.

Bellagio, Italia

Not just a casino and hotel in Las Vegas, Bellagio is one of the most adored cities in Italy. Situated on the well-known Lake Como, it's the perfect spot for a day or week-long getaway. Though it's a small town with seemingly little to offer, it's array of shops, cafes, alleyways, and lake views will keep you more than entertained. It takes about an hour to get to Bellagio by ferry from Como. Most people can take a train into Como, which is a much larger city, and then take the ferry to all of the cities that sit on the lake. Bellagio is probably the one with the most tourists because there are so many enjoyable things to do there.

My mom and I stayed in the cutest and most functional apartment in Bellagio. It was in a great location with air conditioning! A huge plus when staying in Europe during the Summer! We took a hike to an old villa with hilltop gardens that allowed us to overlook the lake and take some great photos, ate the most amazing desserts, bought classic Italian clothes and accessories, and enjoyed lakeside walks on a daily basis.

The Trattoria San Giacomo was probably our favorite dining spot in Bellagio. Every course we ordered was delicious from beginning to end--the tiramisu was my personal favorite. And their wine. To die for! It was the first time I had ever had Moscato D'Asti - Beve, and I could have drank an entire bottle. No, I'm not an alcoholic. As a matter of fact, I don't even typically like wine, but I went around to three wine shops in Bellagio looking for this exact wine to enjoy. :)

 There are lots and lots of steps throughout Bellagio. The town is known for that and most alleys are comprised of them.

Atop the mountain from the gardens of a villa.

 Lake Como. :)

 A shell bracelet I bought that day and delicious desserts at the Baita Belvedere. This is a restaurant at the very very top of the city. The restaurant will send a driver down into town to pick you up and take you to and from the restaurant. It's a long ride up through switchbacks and rocky roads but definitely a cool experience and totally worth it. The food was delicious and actually very cheap! Win win.

For dessert, we ordered Panna Cotta with caramel sauce (on the right) and a Zambione (on the left). The Zambione has yogurt, fresh berries, and cream and the Panna Cotta translates to cooked cream. It's a creamy texture, but sweet, and refreshingly light.

Baita Belvedere also has a machine where you can buy fresh yogurt and milk that they produce fresh every day!

The lake view from the restaurant right before sunset.

We went to Menagio, another city along the lake to visit a famous villa. There are lots of villas on the lake, many of which have been used for filming famous movies, including one of the James Bond movies.

 A bamboo garden at the villa we saw.

Peaking Through The Mist

Super tired tonight so I'm just going to let you enjoy a few more pictures from around Switzerland. :)

Wengen, Interlaken, and Thun. There may be a couple other places thrown in there, but those are the big ones. Enjoy! And good night!

Network. Network. Network.

We've heard it so many times before, but I wanted to revisit the importance of networking when it comes to job searching in particular. I still have a number of friends who are looking for work after college and recently, it seems networking has played quite a prominent role in opportunities or potential opportunities. 

In addition to what I've heard from my friends, I too have experienced the value of networking as of late. A couple of weeks ago I went to a Harvard networking event and met some amazing alum working in various industries. A couple of important networking tips I took away from that event...

• Don't be shy.
• Even if you don't know someone, don't be afraid to approach them. Chances are, they're just as anxious to meet someone new just like yourself!
• Listen and interact.
• People love when you ask questions in response to something they've said; it shows you're paying attention and interested.
• Smile and be energetic! Even if you have to fake it!
• First impressions are everything, and who doesn't want to keep in touch with someone friendly and positive?

If you're one of the many still looking for some type of work, keep your friends and family in mind as a valuable resource. 

Who you know gets you in the door, what you know gets you to the top.

Networking is often more effective than coldly applying for jobs through ads, online sites, etc... Employers are likely to hire someone they already know or somebody that one of their colleagues knows. It's often a quicker process than sifting through resumes and cover letters and having the confidence that someone if a qualified candidate from knowing them versus from what is says on their resume can be a safer bet. 

I recently had a past coach approach me with a job opening he thought I might be interested in and I never would have thought to reach out to him before! But it was a great job at his daughter's company. So a couple other things to remember...

• Think of anyone and everyone in your network to reach out to
• You never know whose friend, cousin, daughter, boyfriend's sister's friend could know of a great job opportunity for you.
• People love helping people
• Most of the time, people love to help others. They'll be happy to advise you about a job or forward you to someone they know if they can.
• It never hurts to ask!
• Continue building a network
• On a night out, an event, whatever, get to know people. You never know who could be your angel in disguise.

Good luck with the job hunt to those still looking! Keep pushing the networking. ;)

The 'many fountains' of Switzerland

Lauterbrunnen, which translates to 'many fountains' in German, is a town and valley in the Swiss Alps near Interlaken, a central hub for those traveling through the Alps. We hadn't planned to, but we ended up going through Lauterbrunnen almost every day we spent in the Alps. We stayed a short train ride away in Thun, a small town with not much going on to be honest.

One reason why I found Lauterbrunnen to stand out from every other town (learn more about it here) is because it is a town of 72 waterfalls! SEVENTY TWO! There are some you can climb up and around, and maybe you can walk very very close to. Trummelbach Falls has about 10 different waterfalls that you can climb up and around; it gives a chilling close view of the falls and a spectacular panorama of the rivers and valley below.

Here are some views of inside the falls. You take an elevator or cable up, and make your way down to see a series of falls. There are different routes to go down so it doesn't get too congested up there and you get a lot of different views. It gets super super cold in the crevices of the mountains as the water rushes by at a violent pace. It was almost scary to see how fast the water runs down and eventually becomes nothing more than a quiet stream.

Some people brought rain coats to wear because you get so close to the water that you actually get really really wet. It was definitely thrilling though!

After leaving the falls, my mom and I decided to take a walk along a paved road in the middle of the valley. It was unfortunately raining when we were there, but I still found the scenery to be clear and beautiful. It's incredibly calming and picturesque from every angle.

We ran into an American couple while walking who told us about this farm down the road that sells FRESH milk through a machine. They milk their cows every morning and sell the milk for a cheap price to passers by throughout the day. We had to check it out.

The milk was delicious for sure! There were little cups to the side, and you just insert the coins, open the charming metal door, place the cup inside, press the button, and the appropriate amount comes out in no time. It was so much fun to watch, and the milk was so good! So fresh and cold; we got another cup after finishing the first. :)

This is the view from the farm we got the milk from...

The waterfalls were so loud, you could hear them throughout the valley. I love the sound of water though! Waterfalls surround this valley; it was amazing to see.

The Alps finally peaking through the clouds, with ample snow still sprinkled over the top.

I love that valley! And you can see some of the waterfalls running down the cliffs. ...those goats also began to chase me as I was snapping shots!

 Staubbach Falls - another I climbed up and BEHIND

 The view of the valley on the way up the fall...

The stairs leading me behind the fall...

Pretty much behind Staubbach fall at this point! It's hard to see the water in front of me, but it was literally running down the mountain right in front of my face. I could feel it spraying onto me and see it hitting the rocks below. The stairs were definitely a little scary to climb up so I was afraid to look over and drop my camera!

This is actually Gimmelwald, another town in the Alps but much higher up. The valley is far below. This place was so so beautiful. My mom and I talked about just renting a home there for a week and looking out at the view, not even leaving town. You can see and hear all the waterfalls, the cow bells, birds...

The panorama was like a poster. The pictures absolutely don't do it justice so after a while, we decided to put our digital and video cameras away to just take it all in while we could and capture the photo in our memory.

On the way down by cable car, ending an unforgettable day in the hidden villages of the Alps.