Thrifty Thursdays: Afternoon "Pick-Me-Ups"

I am so excited to have finally found a substitute to that heavily desired, Starbucks latte I crave around 2pm each day. Its not only 1/4^th  the cost, its also 1/4^th  the calories.

Creatively Lu

This homemade coffee is easy to make, costs nearly nothing, and despite the lack of calories it certainly does not lack any of the flavor. 

So How do you Make this Beautiful, Frothy Coffee? 

Creatively Lu

Ingredients for Wellness Mama's Healthy Coffee Recipe:

• 1 cup of coffee (keurig or brewed), or an herbal tea
• 1 T. of coconut oil  (feel free to use more, especially if you choose to leave out the butter)
• 1 t. of unsalted butter (preferably organic)
• ½ t. of vanilla extract
• ½-1 packet of Truvia*

*I also really like Sugar in the Raw or a few drops of honey

Brew Your Coffee (or tea)

I like to buy my Keurig pods at Bed, Bath, & Beyond.
There is a large selection of flavors, and they are offered in bulk at a steep discount. (I got my pack of 18 ct.Breakfast Blend Kerug pods  for $12.99).

If you do not have a Keurig, brew a pot of regular coffee or boil some hot water for a comforting mug of tea.
I  really enjoy this recipe with green tea. It tastes similar to a chai latte, while stimulating your metabolism and energizing your mind. Not to mention, green tea  is an excellent antioxidant, which is perfect for the Winter flu season ahead. 

Blend it all together 

• Pour your mug of coffee or tea into a blender. Add in the coconut oil, butter, Truvia, and vanilla.
• Turn Blender to the "whip" setting & whip for 20 seconds or until frothy (or any high speed settingworks).
• A Single Serve Blender like the Magic Bullet or Oster, My Blend Personal 20 oz blender that my friend Amanda gave me last Christmas works great and provides an ever easier clean up. 

Feel Energized and Renewed

With this afternoon pick-me-up you will feel renewed and ready to  lead a  more productive day. It may even make you kinder to co-workers, and whoever else you have the pleasure of gracing with your presence that day. And if nothing else, it'll get you one step closer to that holy weekend.

Pinterest.com

Coffee Shop Talk 

I think that coffee shops are a great place to go once or twice a week as a treat. I go there most Sundays to work on the blog and always enjoy a latte or tea, while I'm there. However, the recipe above tastes just as good and will save you lots of money and calories. Use it as a "most days" cup of joe, and save the coffee shop for special occasions. 

Sleeping Beauty

If you still feel that you hit that afternoon rut this may have a lot to do with your sleeping habits.No matter what you got going on, it is essential to make rest your priority:

• Stick with a routine: Try, as best as you can, to keep a steady bedtime and wake-up time. You can even set a daily reminder in your phone that it's time to start to wind down. 
• The idea is that you're creating a habit that the body then wants to stick to, so it tells you that it's tired at the chosen time- Huffington Post
• Keep technology out of the bed.:Those lit up screens found on your iPhone, laptop, and even Kindle will keep your mind stimulated and suppresses the sleep-producing hormone melatonin, keeping you wide-awake for hours to come. 
• Make your bedroom your sanctuary. Light relaxing candles, play the Spotify Unwind Playlist, do a Night Time Yoga routine, whatever you need to do to get into the sleep mode. 
• "Pencil in" your exercise just like any other appointment in your calendar.
•  Find a time to exercise that makes you feel re-energized, and in which you can continue to block out in your calendar. 
• I find that working out between 5:30-6:30pm gives me the best night's sleep; any later, and I'm wide awake all night. I listen to my body; if I haven't worked out yet and its already past 6:30 that night, I know that it is better to choose sleep over a workout.

An Energizing Playlist

 Below is a heart-pumping, energizing playlist that you can listen to on my Spotify account (Lindsay Opper) when working out or simply when you need an afternoon pick-me-up.

Photo Courtesy of: Amanda Bucci
Pretty Lights Concert, Fall 2013

As a spinning instructor and personal trainer with over 4 years of experience, I am excited to share my music playlists with you. I have thousands of songs that I have tested out on both and clients, along with myself, and I know which really push you to perform better.

If you guys are looking for similar health posts, along with full, workout plans, get ready for "Tone it Tuesday's" s debuting in January! Below is your daily dose of inspiration...

Photo Courtesy of Caitie Sprague
Grand Canyon, Fall 2013

I hope you all create an energized-filled Thursday!