Wedding Slim Down

I got married 2 months ago, and of course looking my best was important! But I wanted to stay on the same healthy pace I was on and not fluctuate too much either way in my weight. I also wanted to focus on getting in shape for our honeymoon; we went away for almost 3 weeks backpacking through South East Asia (Indonesia and Thailand) and had lots of adventures planned.

Hiked Mt. Batur in Bali, Indonesia

We had also just moved 2 months before the wedding, so eating healthy was super difficult (kitchen stuff not unpacked + a super teeny NYC kitchen to begin with)! But the best part of living in NYC is that we have access to any kind of food we want - especially healthy foods. Grocery shopping for me is half the battle.

Moving insanity

 These are some of my main tips that I followed every day for the 6 weeks before the wedding to tone up and slim down:


- Don't drink any calories 
I'm not gonna lie, I love drinking calories! But water is your best friend when you are trying to lose weight/slim down/not eat junk food. It keeps me full and hydrated.


- Walk more, take stairs when you can
Every movement counts. I added in a 20-30 minute walk every day during work. Get moving and burn extra calories, also leaving your office/desk during the day clears your mind - also helps me crave sugar less.

Leaving to backpack Southeast Asia!

- It's the little choices
Take it day by day. I talk to myself: "Steph do you need soda TODAY?" And usually I can say no, not today.

- Morning workout
When I work out in the morning - I see a significant improvement in my drinking/eating habits all day. My theory is that if I work hard in the AM, why would I ruin it with the shiz I eat the rest of the day? I also started to run twice a day to get in shape for our honeymoon - we had several hikes planned and I wanted to make sure I was in tip top shape. Running also helped to reduce wedding planning stress, it was nice to take out time for myself every day, even when my to do list was crazypants.

- Fruit snick snacks
Keeping grapes, strawberries or a banana on hand always helps me stay away from other unnatural sugars/candy. I can even trick myself into pretending grapes are candy by adding some honey and popping them into the freezer for a bit.

What are your tips/tricks? Comment below and I will share them on Facebook!

Connect with us on Facebook for extra articles, recipes and inspirational pics all summer!

- Stephanie

Peach Mint Green Iced Tea

This is my favorite summer iced tea.  It's incredibly refreshing and is a wonderful drink to bring to a summer picnic.

Ingredients:

6 green tea bags

2 peaches

A bunch of Mint Leaves

1/2 cup of Stevia

Directions:

1. Boil 3 quarts of water (12 cups). 

2. Add to your large container and soak your tea bags for approximately 10 minutes.

I used this pasta scoop to hold my tea bags. =)

3. Remove tea bags and allow to cool to room temperature.

4. If you have a juicer, juice 1 of your peaches and add to your tea.

5. Add your Stevia and stir.

6. Take your remaining peach and slice into 1/2" wedges. Add to your tea.

5. Add your bunches of mint leaves and allow this mixture to sit overnight.

6. Remove your mint leaves & peach slices the next morning and enjoy over ice!

Feel free to cut this recipe in half if you don't think you'll be able to finish it within a few days.

Alcohol & Health

There are quite a few benefits versus risks when it comes to drinking alcohol. It is important to acknowledge all of the benefits, and especially the risks of drinking alcohol when it comes to your health.

I gave up drinking two years ago... long story short: I used to be able to drink a lot but would get awful hangovers. Then two years ago the hangovers got worse and I would get sick while drinking (not cool). I blame this on my gluten intolerance along with thyroid issues - my body just can't process alcohol. So I gave it up. It sucked socially but I feel great now health wise and do not miss those hangovers! Also - I lost more than 10lbs due to cutting alcohol out and I don't want that back!

So how do you make the decision that is best for you?
Only you know yourself and how drinking alcohol makes you feel. If you are deciding this for weight loss - cut the alcohol out (at least for the first month)! Drinking any extra calories won't help you, then the cravings that alcohol brings (salt, sweets, etc) adds even more extra calories!

But here at Strawberries & Tea we know that living healthy in a processed world isn't all about weight loss. It's about the big health picture - physically and mentally. How does alcohol affect your whole life? Think about the day after drinking, how does it affect you then? Be honest! Alcohol affected my moods, eating habits, exercise habits... once I realized that I knew I had to change.

When it comes to drinking, moderation is key. If you can limit yourself (1 drink a day for women and 2 drinks a day for men) then you will see health benefits from alcohol. However more than that has a bunch of health risks.

Mayo Clinic has a great article about drinking in moderation. They say that moderate alcohol use may be of most benefit only if you're an older adult or if you have existing risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol. If you're a middle-aged or younger adult, some evidence shows that even moderate alcohol use may cause more harm than good. In fact, if you're a woman and drink alcohol, talk to your doctor about taking supplemental folate to help reduce the risk of breast cancer associated with alcohol use.

 You can take other steps to benefit your cardiovascular health besides drinking — eating a healthy diet and exercising, for example.

> Have you had to make any decisions regarding your health and drinking?

- Stephanie

> Connect with us! Get exclusive, up to date, giveaway opportunities and insider tips and pictures on our Facebook page.