What I buy at Costco
Hello there,
If you know me personally probably you have heard me talking about how much I love some of Costco products.
The other day I took my camera, drove to Costco and took pictures of some of those products with the price tag included.
Here we go!
This raw almonds are awesome. I eat them by the handful, add them to different dishes and salads, make almond milk, bake with them…endless options. They are not organic, I know! But with that tag price,  it is a challenging deal to let pass by 🙂
Love quinoa, great source of protein and nutrients and fiber! Anytime I want my tummy to be flatter I eat some quinoa as dinner. I make soups, salads, bake with it, again…options are endless. Check this website for more ideas how to cook with this ancient grain. http://www.ohsheglows.com
This nutty little nutrient-packed seeds are amazing! They are loaded with protein, fiber, manganese, iron, Vit B, Phosphorous…the list goes on…I sprinkle them on salads, cereal, yogurt or just plan with almond milk and some maple syrup.
Chi Chi Chi Chia!!! I cannot live without my daily dose of chia seeds. I have been adding a scoop to my daily smoothie for over three years now. Check this website to see how can you use them in a creative fun way http://www.vegangela.com
and this last one is from Italy! Love this tomato sauce because it has minimum amount of ingredients and it doesn’t have any sugar added as most of marinara sauces in the market. If I am gonna eat sugar, I want it to be on a pastry!!!!!! hahaha
Well, I hope you like it! Let me know if you did 🙂
Natalia
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Ironman 70.3 Silverman Bike Course — Detailed Description
this is extra valuable information for those racing IM Silverman or any one interested in biking around the lake
Be better prepared for the Ironman 70.3 Silverman® bike course by reading this second post in a 2-part article written by Melodie Cronenberg, veteran Ironman competitor, multiple Kona championship qualifier, Team XCELL member, and long-time Las Vegas local.
Melodie Cronenberg
In Part 1’s “5 Tips to Know About the Bike Course”, I shared some “insider information” that may serve to help smooth the road on your way to the finish line.
Now let’s get on our bikes and tour this challenging yet beautiful course!
Ironman 70.3 Silverman Bike Course: Detailed Description
Download a PDF copy of the bike course map here.
T1 to Northshore
Directly upon leaving the Swim-to-Bike Transition you will meet your first hill, that is, the road heading up to Lakeshore Road. This hill is getting longer each week because the water level is dropping as summer rolls on! Best to use this time to get…
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Five Easy Ways to Exercise
Exercising is so healthy for us and at the same time challenging to do it consistently enough to get to that point were its easy. Here there are a few tricks that worked for me over the years. I have putted in action all of them. Sometimes one at the time, sometimes all at the same time. I still do and I would like to share them with you and see if you find them useful. They keep me motivated and in track.
1- Train with a buddy. When you agreed to meet somebody to exercise there are a lot more chances you are going to show up. A training buddy could also help you to stay motivated and he/she could inspire you do things that otherwise you by yourself wouldn’t do. One of this things leads me to number two:
2- Sign up for a event. I call this one ” Fear training” I have done a lot of this ones!!! Once you are signed up for an event you have to train for it. Don’t ya? You spent hard earned $$$$ to register for it. You may as well train for it. That fact will most likely get you out of the door to exercise.
3- Multitask. This is the only time I will agree with multitasking. In any other setting I wouldn’t even consider it; but, multitasking has been a wonderful and inspiring way for me to get out the door and exercise. The way I do it is listening to podcast that interest me (there are a ton of different podcast out there  talking about everything; from cooking to child raising to running to business mastery) I use I tunes. And also, taking the child with you on a stroller or the pet. Also listening to e-books. There has been times when I couldn’t wait to get out the door to keep on listening to my latest book acquisition.
4- Get yourself a new workout outfit/Reward yourself with something you like. Â The first one I believe is self explanatory. About the second one I will only say that during a rough workout I am often thinking about the sherbet I am going to be getting after. Whatever you like and you don’t allow to splurge in it often. Get it. Use it as the carrot in front of the donkey.
5- Change places to workout here and there. Sometimes we just need to get out of the routine. You run around your hood everyday? Go explore that trail your FB friends keep on taking pictures of. You bike the same flat path over and over? Go do some hilly riding up in the mountains. Break the routine. It will bring a new appreciation of what you do and it will likely sparkle the flame again.
Plus Bonus Picture:
Cheers!!
Natalia
http://www.facebook.com/pages/thrive-massage
Comments and questions are appreciated. Also likes! yay
“…You are beautiful in every single way…”
Natalia 🙂
Facebook.com/pages/thrivemassage
Real beauty
Ways to get the most out of life. Part #1
We are living in a world where we are pressed to deliver value all the time. It doesn’t really makes a difference if you are the CEO of a successful company or if you are the CEO of your household; if your budget involves three or four zeroes or one. We are all in the same boat. Trying to get the most out of this limited years we have to live life, trying to leave a legacy, a positive foot imprint here and now.
Over the years I Â have learned and practiced a few rituals that helped me to achieve my goals. It is still a work in progress; but, I figure it would be fun to share what I do on a daily basis to squeeze the best juice out of my life.
First of all I believe in starting the day strong. The first hour of the day is the most important; it gives direction to what is going to be my attitude towards the rest of day’s unfolding series of events. It is important to create a routine to follow each day so we don’t spend time thinking about what to do.
1- Have a clean whole foods breakfast. Ideally a green smoothie. With lots of water. (I share my green smoothie recipe below)
2- Tame the monkey mind. (The Buddha described the human mind as being filled with drunken monkeys, jumping around, screeching, chattering, carrying on endlessly. We all have monkey minds, Buddha said, with dozens of monkeys all clamoring for attention). Meditation is a wonderful way to quiet the voices of fear, anxiety, worry and other negative emotions. Meditate every day for five minutes if you don’t have more than that amount of time. (Meditation technique at the end of post)
3-Exercise for at least forty minutes at least three times a week. Forty minute is what our heart needs to get pumped up and moving the blood around the whole body. Jog, dance, practice yoga, swim, bike, walk the dog…whatever rocks your boat. Just do it!
I am going to stop here for today. I know these are very simple principles to start your day with; however, it takes a lot of practice to make them a solid, unmoved, must have part of your life. I highly encourage you to give them a fare chance and try them; you will notice the difference in your life right away.
“An ounce of practice is worth a ton of theory!” Swami Sivananda
The only way to live a happy, fulfilled and meaningful life is to practice healthy behaviors, positive life affirming thoughts and challenging ourselves outside our comfort zone. Don’t take yourself too seriously; if you fall off the wagon, just lovingly and gently put yourself back into it. Laugh a lot! Practice until this routine becomes second nature and you cannot start your day without.
Green smoothie recipe:
Blender
plant-based protein 1 scoop
frozen fruits 1 cup
spotty banana 1
dates 3
spirulina powder 1 teaspoon
maca root powder 1 teaspoon
chia seeds 3 teaspoons
kale 3 leaves (dinosaur kind)
water 20 oz
Meditation technique:
In this meditation you will be using the flame of a single candle as the object of your meditation. Before you begin you may want to contemplate what candlelight represents to you. For what the candlelight represents to you will become seed thoughts for your meditation.
For example you may want to contemplate on this:
“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the light of the candle with not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared”. — Buddha
Or, if this is too much or too complicated , just try thinking “peace” “love” “health” “compassion” whatever is the idea that you want to focus on.
To start meditating choose a quiet place where you can sit comfortably for 20 – 30 minutes without distractions, then light your candle. I met a very successful business man in the past whom used to lock himself in his closet to meditate. It was the only way he thought he could find quiet time for himself. Hey! Whatever it takes!
As you sit comfortably with an erect spine and eyes focused on the flame, to settle your body start focusing your attention to the flame and your breathing pattern.
You can also try tensing and then releasing the muscles from your toes to your head until they become relaxed and still.
Keep on follow your breath as you gaze into the candle flame. During meditation your business is simple awareness, nothing else. No two experiences will be the same. Distracting thoughts will arise but you will not “hook” to them and follow them. Instead you will gently direct your focus back to the candle flame and following your breath.
When your mediation comes to an end rest for 3 or 4 minutes before rising. This transition time is important so do not return to daily activity suddenly, after meditating.
Note:
Regular practice of meditation will enhance your capacity to limit the production and influence of distracting thoughts. The monkey mind is tamed at last!
Thank you for reading!!!!
Natalia 🙂
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Practice practice practice!
XCELL Triathlon Training for June 2014
I joined Xcell Silverman 70.3 training group. Check it out! It is going to be fantastic!
20-week Silverman 70.3 Training – Last Chance to Sign Up Now!
Make your dream of successfully competing in Silverman — whether you’re a first-timer or looking to PR — a reality with one of my no-junk, let’s-get-it-done training plans.
To make it easy (yes, EASY!), all you have to do is choose one of three options that fits your goals, schedule and lifestyle:
* Silverman “NO Excuses” 20-week Training Plan Level 1
This plan is designed for first time 70.3 athletes or those just returning to the sport. I’ll keep you on track and you won’t have to think about what to do and when to do it. Expect to start with 7 hours of training per week, building to 12 hours on peak weeks.
* Silverman “Time Crunched” 20 week Training Plan Level 2
This plan is for those who want to do well but are balancing other goals…
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DIY Yoga mat cleanser.
Breathe in, breathe out…taking a yoga class is one the best things we can do for our well-being. Every single time the yoga teacher starts with the class I think to myself: Oh, this is what I have been meant to be doing my whole life! Â It is really relaxing and it does bring an awareness of the body and how important is to be healthy to this unique carriage we generally call “body” .
I started practicing yoga sixteen years ago when due to an injury I couldn’t keep on doing aerobic exercises. Braking my wrist bone was a blessing in disguise. It forced me to stop the “Go/Go” craze I was involved in and think of other ways of keeping my self fit. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try a more gentle and compassionate approach to keep me healthy.
I asked around my circle of friends for a yoga teacher and somebody referred me to Alejandro. He would become my personal Hatha Yoga teacher for over two years. Even after my wrist was healed and I could go back to “pump it! pump it!” aerobics classes, I stayed loyal to my practice up until I moved to USA. I haven’t taken an aerobics class since.
It has been a long journey…they call yoga a “practice” because is something you practice every time. There is no final destination to arrive, just a sweet place on the now. Doing your best now and not worrying about what your yoga mates are doing or if you look good or if you are flexible enough. It is about the journey and not the destination…staying in the moment, letting go of anything that can be on our way to  relaxation and mindfulness… Still love my yoga practice…Of course! it gets better every minute…:)
After all this years, I have used quite a few yoga mats. I keep them clean two ways:
1- Here and there I put them in the washer machine. Delicate cycle with soft detergent and air dry outside.
2- After every practice I spray it with this Yoga mat cleanser and air dry outside.
Yoga mat cleanser:
1-spray bottle (dark glass works best)
2-filtered water
3-Therapeutic grade DoTerra Maleluca oil (15 drops)
4-Therapeutic grade DoTerra Purify Cleansing Blend (5Â drops)
mix and shake!!!!! spray on your mat and dry with paper towel. Air dry outside for extra freshness.
Natalia 🙂
comments are  are appreciated it!
Contact me if you want to get  a hold of DoTerra products 🙂
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My secret tool to energy and stamina.
So, you must be asking to yourself : How does an average Jane with no extra surplus of natural energy  get to work hard and play hard?  Well, besides exercising,having a diet that favors whole foods and meditating, I believe a big part of my success is due to the  foods and vitamins supplements I religiously take every day. Particularly Mito2Max. It provides me with tons of energy without any negative or toxic side effect.I also believe it makes me perform better during races. I notice a difference when I start taking it.  One of the ingredients is this formula that I am completely sold on are Cordyceps, an adaptogen derived from mycellium fungi that grow above 10,000 feet in rural sections of China, cordyceps were first used by Chinese track and field athletes, who experienced significant improvements with daily use. Known to boost the immune system, increase lung capacity by enhancing oxygen uptake, improve stamina and combat the onset of exercise-induced fatigue, I have experienced tremendous success incorporating this mushroom extract into my daily regimen – taking two pills in the morning and two at noon. Â
Here is the science behind Mito2Max:
Trillions of cells make up each human body. It is remarkable to reflect on the synergy that occurs between those cells to
create life for each of us. The “energy” for life comes from within each of these cells and is known as the mitochondria. As we age, our body’s mitochondrial function becomes less efficient. This leaves us with lower levels of energy and more toxic cellular exhaust. The sports and activities we enjoyed in our youth can become less enjoyable. Some people try to boost their energy levels through caffeine and other stimulants that can provide a quick buzz but often leave us feeling worse.
Mito2Max contains dōTERRA’s proprietary energy and stamina complex that enhances mitochondria function, supports stamina and endurance, helps the body adapt more quickly to the diverse activities of life, and helps to increase mental energy.* Acetyl-L-carnitine, a primary ingredient, supports mental health, mitochondrial function, and circulation to the brain. Ashwagandha root extract, which has been called the “herb of the ages” due to the many uses that it provides, has been studied for generations and has been utilized for boosting energy levels and supporting immunity and libido, while also reducing the effects of anxiety, insomnia, and stress. Perhaps the greatest quality is its ability to support regeneration of cells from damage caused by molecules knows as free radicals.
A great antioxidant that can help prevent the spread of free radicals is Ginkgo Biloba, which improves blood flow to the brain and acts as an antioxidant. Mito2Max is the perfect way to boost your exogenous antioxidant intake, controlling the spread of free radicals and maximizing your mitochondrial energy levels each day.Â
PRIMARY BENEFITS
• Promotes efficient production of ATP in the
mitochondria of cells*
• Enhances stamina and efficient use of oxygen*
• Supports metabolic adaptation for diverse
activities, from movie watching to marathon
running.
• Improves mental energy.
FAQs
Q: How soon will I feel increased energy?
A: Mito2Max can produce powerful and helpful
outcomes. Optimized benefit is achieved
through consistent use over a period of time;
however, each person is unique and has
individual needs. The time needed to feel its
effects will be different for everyone.
Q: Why is Mito2Max safer than regular energy
drinks?
A: Mito2Max contains safe ingredients that
support mitochondrial function for natural
energy production. Regular energy drinks often
contain stimulants with unwanted side effects
and high amounts of sugar. Taking Mito2Max
can provide you with the energy you need
without the withdrawal symptoms or energy
“crash” later in the day
Q: What is Cordyceps and how will it help give
me energy?
A: Cordyceps is one of the best known fungi
used traditionally in Chinese medicine to treat
illness, promote longevity, and increase energy.
Cordyceps contains polysaccharides,
carbohydrates, and B vitamins that help
promote endurance and energy metabolism. It
may act on immune cells and metabolic
regulators to improve energy levels.
Q: Can my children take Mito2Max safely?
A: Most ingredients in Mito2Max would be
expected to be safe for children; however, there
is limited scientific information on the use of
Mito2Max ingredients in children. Therefore,
Mito2Max is currently only recommended for
adults.
Q: Can pregnant women take Mito2Max safely?
A: There is insufficient scientific study on the
use of Mito2Max ingredients during pregnancy.
dĹŤTERRA does not recommend Mito2Max
during pregnancy. If a pregnant woman wishes
to take Mito2Max, use of the product should be
monitored by her physician.
Q: Is Mito2Max GMO and gluten free?
A: Yes. All Mito2max ingredients are analyzed by
an independent, certified laboratory using state
of the art methods. These tests have shown our
ingredients to be free from genetically modified
material (GMO). Likewise, all Mito2Max
ingredients are gluten free and the finished
product has been tested gluten free.
I hope you found this information useful. I was a little reluctant to try Mito2Max at first; However, I am so happy I set aside my preconceived notions and gave it a try. I am so hooked now! I feel awesome day after day! Energy galore!!!
Call me or text if you want to get a hold of them! 702 6843422
I hope you give it a try too and don’t forget to let me know how it works for you as well!
Thanks!
🙂
Natalia
120 capsules $39 + tax + shipping and handling
Beets. What is all that fuzz about beets?!
Let’s take a close look at the reasons and science why beets are considered one of the best vegetables (between many, I should say ;)) nowadays. Every single restaurant that targets the healthy-minded, vegetable and fruits bats, athletes and weekend warriors, yoga gods and goddesses; is serving this delightful sweets and deliciously deep purple-red veggie.
In many holistic, integrative, and Easter traditions, beets are believed to be an excellent liver tonic and blood purifier. They are a staple of the juicing crowd like me for a very good reason; they make a delicious juice, but have a strong flavor and are usually best mixed with some combination of carrots, apples, spinach and ginger.
Here my favorite Beets juice:
2 beets
2 carrots
1/2 apple
1/4 lemon, peeled
Juice beets, carrots, apple, ginger and lemon. Stir. YUM! makes 2 servings of course. Sharing is caring!!!!!!
You need more reasons and scientific fact? Ok, here we go:
Although beets have the highest sugar content of all vegetables, most people can safely eat beet roots a few times a week (and their greens in unlimited quantities), enjoying not only their sweet, earthy flavor but also their powerhouse nutrients that may improve your health in the following ways.
1. Lower Your Blood Pressure
Drinking beet juice may help to lower blood pressure in a matter of hours.
The benefit likely comes from the naturally occurring nitrates in beets, which are converted into nitric oxide in your body. Nitric oxide, in turn, helps to relax and dilate your blood vessels, improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure.
2. Boost Your Stamina
If you need a boost to make it through your next workout, beet juice may again prove valuable. Those who drank beet juice prior to exercise were able to exercise for up to 16 percent longer. The benefit is thought to also be related to nitrates turning into nitric oxide, which may reduce the oxygen cost of low-intensity exercise as well as enhance tolerance to high-intensity exercise.
3. Fight Inflammation
Beets are a unique source of betaine, a nutrient that helps protects cells, proteins, and enzymes from environmental stress. It’s also known to help fight inflammation, protect internal organs, improve vascular risk factors, enhance performance, and likely help prevent numerous chronic diseases.
4. Rich in Valuable Nutrients and Fiber
Beets are high in immune-boosting vitamin C, fiber, and essential minerals like potassium (essential for healthy nerve and muscle function) and manganese (which is good for your bones, liver, kidneys, and pancreas). Beets also contain the B vitamin folate, which helps reduce the risk of birth defects.
6. Detoxification Support
Traditionally, beets are valued for their support in detoxification and helping to purify your blood and your liver as I mention above.
Oh! Well, I hope I could help you a bit. I am going to go and eat my beets salad right now. All this food talking made me hungry!
Natalia
facebook/thrivemassage
Recipe of my beets salad:
For the salad:
1 big organic chopped boiled beet
1 organic chopped apple (sweet type)
1/2 cup of organic walnuts
2 cups of organic chopped kale
Mix all ingredients in a salad bowl and drizzle with one teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, three teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and salt to taste. Enjoy!
Thrive Massage 