What Amanda drinks every morning!

by Amanda Frances | Aug 12, 2018

Hi love bug!

Today, I am sharing something that makes my stomach flat, hair grow, skin tight, and also warms my soul.

(And, no, I didn’t join an MLM. I love MLMs but that is not what is happening here.)

One of the things I get asked the most is this:

What is your morning routine?

As you may have heard me say before, I don’t do routines.

I am the least structured/scheduled person ever.

I wake up at a different time every day.

I hit up workout classes at various times.

I sometimes work at nights. Sometimes in the morning.

I do different things at various times and let it evolve and fluctuate over time.

It is all based on what feels aligned, what I have going on, if I’m feeling grumpy or energized first thing, and lots of various factors.

(Trusting that it is all always working out for you and knowing that you will always show up to do your part each day is key.)

There is a funny idea that successful people are doing some sort of magical thing that is making them successful.

And if you just do that special thing you’ll be successful too.

Like reading a certain number of books a week or starting their day with a certain number of minutes a certain meditation.

In my opinion, that is all silliness.

You become successful by deciding to be successful and doing your part each day.

And of course, if that thing helps you feel like you are starting your day in the right vibe, then that’s amazing.

Like anything, it’s your thoughts about the thing or belief in the thing, that ends up matter a lot more than the thing itself.

In the vein of doing things you love and believing in them…

I sort of accidentally created a morning ritual that I am obsessed with. #shocking

Over the past few months, I have begun to take a beach walk each day.

Sometimes this happens in the morning.

I sometimes instastory moments of my beach walk (from dolphins to me skipping around to waves to my morning drink).

Overwhelming amounts of people keep asking Team AF and I what is in my cup!

And while it’s astounding to all of us that I am drinking the same thing every day…

It’s true! I am!

On today’s blog I am sharing what is in my magic morning potion and why I love it!

This is something that I completely made up + felt intuitively guided to.

I am SO excited to share this with you!

#1 MINT TEA

Throughout my world travels, I have found that I can get someone to give me mint tea in nearly every country I visit.

It has become a staple of life for me. I love love love love love me some mint tea.

This is my base!

You can totally replace this with coffee, ps! (I don’t do caffeine. Gave it up in grad school!)

Mint Tea on Amazon

#2 BLUE GREEN ALGEA PROTEIN

My friend Kourtney K. told me about this.

That part is not true. But, one time, I was leaving a Pilates class in Calabasas and was Googling what the best grocery store option.

When Erewhon (best grocery store in the world) came up on my search, I clicked on a link that informed me that Kourtney buys this blue green algae there.

Now, so do I. You can also get it on amazon however.

Blue Green Algae on Amazon

#3 MO’ BETTER BELLY

On the same trip to Erewhon, I found myself talking to a girl in the vitamin aisle.

She said, “Omg. You have to try this. It makes bloating disappear. It will change your life forever.”

I said, “You mean like, I eat a cheese plate the night before with friends and the next day have a food baby, this will make it disappear?”

She said, “Yes!” and here we are. While I am just taking a little each day as a supportive tonic like the directions suggest, word on the street (and on the vitamin aisle) is that you can take more for other belly discomforts.

My overall digestion has been incredible since I started using it.

Plus! It tastes good.

Mo’ Better Belly on Amazon

#4 COLLAGEN PEPTIDES:

DID YOU KNOW that you can get as much protein from Collagen Peptides as your protein powder?

Do you know what’s even better than that? This stuff instantly dissolves in any drink and doesn’t add a yucky or grain situation to your drink like most protein powders.

They say it’s good for the elasticity of your skin, prevents wrinkles, supports hair growth, and improves gu health.

It also adds creaminess to your tea or coffee #yourewelcome

I haven’t been this happy about a health food product since I discovered coconut oil.

Collagen Peptides on Amazon

#5 BONUS: DUST FROM MOON JUICE

Some days, I get a little crazy and add edible intelligence, edible radiance, edible strength, edible attraction, edible joy and edible rest to my cup in the form of dusts from Moon Juice in LA.

I do not have a picture of this (thought all six jars are in my kitchen — I’m in bed) but I did find a sampler pack for you on Amazon.

(My fave is power dust!)

Moon Juice on Amazon

There you have it! That is my morning drink.

We’ve left you the links above for anything you feel guided to try!

Remember — this is YOUR life. You are the expert of what is best for you and works best for you!

Have fun! Trust yourself. And figure it out as you go!

(Wait! One more thing! I want to hear from you below!)

I can’t wait to hear from you!

What is your favorite thing to start the day with? Do you have a morning drink?

What do you think about morning rituals?

Share with me below!

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. I am a business coach who likes things. Seek the advice of your doctor before adding vitamins, supplements, minerals, etc to your life.

Best Year Yet – Lesson 3: Get Healthy

by Team AF | Jan 29, 2012

My Size 4 Ass Does Not Miss My Size 10 Ass At All.

Heaviest Ever – December 2006

Two months before I decided to get in shape – March 2009

September 2009 to Present. 🙂

I love you at any size and I love me at any size, but I’d be lying to say that I miss the days of wearing empire waist dresses and shirts every day because it was the only way to hide my stomach.

I’m not a nutritionist or registered dietician, but I know what I did to get healthy. I didn’t count calories, hire a trainer, or order strange supplements from a late night infomercial. (Not that there is anything wrong with those things, it’s just not what I did.)

And I don’t have anything to sell you.

I started making smart decisions. I educated myself as I went. I took it one day at a time.

And here I am. 30 pounds smaller with opinions and a personality as big as ever 😉

I’m here to tell you that you can loose weight, keep it off, and still eat drink and be merry.

Here is what worked for me:

1. Work-out.

You aren’t going to be able to get where you want to be without getting off your ass. So get up and go outside. Either start walking or get in your car and drive to the gym or a place to go walking. Now.

It’s that simple.

When I started I decided I was going to go the gym 5 days a week. It was May 2009 as school was out for summer. I was taking summer classes and working a lot, but I decided now was the time to change my life. There will never be an ideal time.

I quickly found that 20 minutes on the elliptical each day bored me to freaking tears. So I alternated in a weekly yoga class. Then I discovered how much I liked walking/jogging on a pretty trail near the river. Then I borrowed my sister’s bike a couple of times and realized I loved long bike rides. Then I discovered the usefulness of all sorts of equipment at the gym. Before I knew it, I had so many options for my daily work out. Since I was able to pick whatever workout sounded good that day, working became a fun part of my every day life.

The gym-5-days-a-week plan was quickly replaced by something that makes you sweat every day.

I didn’t take designated days off, because inevitably, there was always a day I just couldn’t fit it in. It was my goal to be active each day.

On really busy weeks sometimes the best I could do was a work out DVD or YouTube video in my living room at midnight. As a college senior this is what worked for me.

You have to find what works for you.

I heard that the more muscle you have, the more calories you’re burning all the time. Loosing weight while sleeping and watching Gilmore Girls sounded like fun so I decided to learn a little about building muscle. Weights are surprisingly not complicated. Mimic someone at the gym. Look up some exercises on YouTube. Or walk up to a weight machine and read the directions. I actually did the later. I decided to do arms and abs because those were the fattest parts of me.

Doing 10 reps of 3 arms workouts and 3 ab work outs two times only added 10 minutes to my total workout. It was so exciting to see my arm-pit fat go.

Thirty min of cardio most days with 10 minutes of weights every other day was doable for me.

The first ten pounds fell off.

2. Eat better.

Once I started loosing weight and feeling better, I didn’t want to slow progress due to my intense love for Heath bars and Cheetos…so I started grabbing an apple on the way out the door for breakfast and picking up fruit for snacks. I was shocked the sweetest things in the world to eat were so good for me.

Some people will tell you to limit your fruit intake because of the sugar. I completely disagree. It’s natures candy and it’s EASILY processed by your body.

No one gets fat from eating fruit.

Replace junk food with fruit and see what happens.

I decided I had to give veggies a chance too. At first I couldn’t eat them without smothering them in cheese. That’s okay. Start where every you are at. Veggies and cheese are better than no veggies at all.

I discovered I love pistachios. Later humus became a huge staple in my diet. Over time, one day at a time, I found healthy food I loved!

3. Read Nutrition Labels – Replace Yucky Foods

So at this point my energy was through the roof. My body was totally loving all the fruit and veggies I was giving it and working out was a regular part of life.

So I decided I had to learn more about what was good for me. Luckily, my mom is a healthy person and was able to sort of help as I went, but in the end, it’s up to you to know the implications of what you eat so I started reading nutrition labels.

A lot of things that are supposedly healthy, really actually suck. Next time you are at the grocery store compare some of your usual foods with other similar products. By comparing food I was used to eating to other foods on the aisle, I was able to pick the healthier options.

I would check out the calories, but I would also check out the ingredients. Things that had sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or bleached flour as one of the first few ingredients were deemed unworthy.

White bread was replaced by wheat bread. Cheddar was replaced by Provolone. Ham was replaced by turkey and later salmon. A venti white chocolate mocha was replaced by a tall soy vanilla latte. Sugary cocktails were replaced by red wine or vodka soda. Mayo, ranch, butter, and whole milk were completely removed from my life. I found dressings and condiments that were much better for you like spicy mustard and balsamic vinaigrette.

I started making salads and sandwiches that actually tasted really good.

If you make food that requires actual cooking, this process would work to find plenty of substitutions for your regular ingredients. I just don’t do the whole cooking thing. 😉

4. Refuse to diet.

I did not deprive myself.

If I wanted What-a-Burger at 2 am, I took my thinning self to the drive-thru. I would remind myself that eating right and working out that day was the reason why a late night snack on the weekends was no big deal.

Today, I don’t eat usually beef or fast food, but back then, it was important for me to not feel deprived. Anything you are not allowed to have, you are going to want that much more.

Do not skip meals.

You have to keep your metabolism going. So eat when you are hungry and work toward getting your portions small. I learned to keep nuts, fruit, and Luna bars in my purse or car. Healthy snacks keep you from over-eating at meals.

This was not a diet. This was a new way of living. This was a path to a better me – it wasn’t dropping weight to fit into a bikini for summer.

I only made changes I could stick with… one day at a time.

A 30 minute workout every day and lots of fruits and veggies were so doable.

That’s why it lasted. That’s why 2 and 1/2 years later I haven’t gained any weight back.

By the time my Senior year of college started (3 months from when I started) I had lost around 20 lbs. By my birthday in mid-September I had lost the entire 30 lbs.

5. No judgement.

I am not 118. I am not a size double zero. That’s not me.

Let go of the idea of how much you “should” weigh or what size you “should” be and work toward being healthy and feeling good.

This isn’t about weight or size. Those things help us measure our progress, but this is about living a balanced, amazing life.

It’s about finding exercise you enjoy and healthy foods you think are scrumptious.

It’s about learning what works for you. It’s a process. It’s one day at a time.

Today, I work out 3-5 times a week. I love yoga. I love running. I love feeling good.

I don’t always feel like working out.

That’s okay. I do it anyway.

Today I have NO desire for Taco Bell or any frozen pizza-like products. I can actually not think of anything in the world I want less, but I still sometimes accidentally eat way too many kettle chips!

That’s okay. I’m human. And I effing love kettle chips.

If I were to judge myself every time I hovered over the buffet at a party or skipped the gym I wouldn’t have made it. I am not, nor will I ever be perfectly healthy.

But I’ve made positive changes along the way and reap the rewards every day.

I love that I can walk into a store and pick up a small size and it fit. I love that (and I still super surprised every time) someone refers to me as little. Most of all, I love that I worked hard, got results, and reminded myself that I can do anything I put my mind too.

Enjoy the process. And remember you deserve a life you love and body you feel hot in.

The only step you are responsible for right now, is the next right step.

So take it.

Xo,

Amanda Frances

As always, send questions, comments or concerns to amandafrances.com@gmail.com to be answered on the site. Love you.

Health

by Team AF | May 7, 2011

Four Ways to Burn More Calories at Home, in the Gym, and at the Table.

First of all, I’m not obsessed with calories. The most important thing is to get the nutrients that your body needs every day of your life. However, since calories are an easy way to examine a workout and a meal, I’ve learned to pay attention to them. Keep in mind, calories are just one element of nutrition. Someone handled me a snack-cake yesterday that was “only 80 calories and just one point on Weight Watchers.” I picked up the box to find the first ingredient was SUGAR. No one gets skinny or healthy eating sugar. Ingredients are listed in order – use your brain and read them. That being said. . .

1. UP UP UP – Do some hill work. Whether you prefer to walk or run, when you hop on that treadmill do some of your cardio uphill. I prefer to run for 5 minutes then walk uphill for 5 minutes (alternating speeds and incline gives you an extra challenge and is extra good for your heart)! I’ve noticed up to a 50% increase on the calories I burn.

2. PICK UP THOSE WEIGHTS. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn ALL THE TIME. Yes, that means if you lift weights 2-3 times a week, you will be burning more calories the whole rest of your week even when you pick up your fork or beer glass. I only do 15-20 minutes of weights a couple times a week. I keep it simple: biceps, triceps, shoulders, back, abs, and obliques. I do 8-10 reps, 2-3 times each. I finish and think, “That took no time!” My arms and ass have definitely noticed the difference. Can’t get to the gym? Keep weights at home!

3. EAT foods with negative calories! I like to eat! How about you? According to lifehacker.com, these 15 foods burn more calories during digestion then they contain. That’s sort of awesome. Here is the list: celery, oranges, strawberries, tangerines, grapefruit, carrots, apricots, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, cauliflower, apples, hot chili peppers, and zucchini. Lots of nutrients and negative calories. Is there something better than this?

4. Do what you love. In the end, if you enjoy a work-out, you’ll do it more which will contribute to your healthy life-style! I personally love to bike, do yoga, and go to the gym, but if for any reason I don’t feel like doing one of those things, I alternate it for something else. Example: ballet class, roller-balding, swimming, running outside, etc. REFUSE TO HATE A PART OF YOUR LIFE. Rule of thumb: do something that makes you sore or makes you sweat everyday. (Yes, that last phrase was adapted from Matthew McConaughey – but he’s so worth repeating.)