Intentional Balance

My word for 2019 is a continuation from last year: Intentionality. I launched a business of consulting and online courses last year — The Beehive Collective — and found that intentionality was the root of what I wanted my clients to achieve. I want them to do everything in a way that gets them the results they want. That requires intentionality. Mostly, in being present to receive the information I have to offer them. I am partnering with California Almonds, the sponsor of this post, to talk about intentional balance.

When I started thinking about my personal and professional goals for 2019, I listed out everything I want to accomplish and enjoy.

Everything from the body, mind, spiritual heart, clients, travel, work, family, love and health I want. I want it all! To do that, I need to be intentional about the decisions I make and, really, about everything I do, down to the things I eat.

Of all those goals, reshaping my body is at the top of the list. I’m going all-in to get the body I’ve never had but always wanted. I have to be intentional about the steps I take to get that body. When I consider that my body is my temple and that without a healthy body I can’t enjoy everything I work so hard for, I give myself the gift of fitness.
My fitness journey so far has been super exciting, having started cycling competitively a few years ago.

But fitness is just part of the equation. They say it’s 80% what you eat and only 20% gym/workouts.

I’d be so good if it were the other way around! A girl likes to eat without restrictions! But since I can’t, I have to be equally intentional about my nutrition, which includes what I eat and when I eat it. When I started this journey, on and off the bike, I found that almonds were absolutely the perfect food to satisfy so many of my nutritional needs. Who knew?!

As busy as I am with growing a new business, while still working on my every day work, finding time to cook elaborate meals is becoming harder and harder. Breakfast is usually when I’m able to get the most for my time. You know…mostly fueled by 3 shots of espresso!

For years now, my go-to is a lovely yogurt bowl I build with granola, blueberries, and whole natural almonds. More about almonds here. Almonds do the trick in really filling me up and help carry me over until I can eat again, which is sometimes more than 4 hours away. When I realized how wonderfully full I felt, I ushered almonds into other areas of my crazy, busy lifestyle. They make perfect sense in my go-to fuel packs when I go for a long ride (35+ miles) mostly because they don’t occupy a lot of space in my jersey, aren’t heavy (two key things all cyclists look for!) and provide some solid nutritional value during and after. I can’t be low on fuel on any length ride, and a nice handful of almonds are a good source of fiber (which turns into energy) and equally important is the protein they offer, which help me post-ride. If you know about strength training, you know protein is essential for rebuilding broken down muscle and after all that spinning, my thighs are begging for some love!

Because they are, in fact, a good source of fiber and protein, I also add them to some of my post workout smoothies, but that’s something I only recently started doing. They add some much-needed thickness, flavor and again…they fill me up and keep me from wanting to eat in between meals. So even if I didn’t snack on them during a ride, almonds always find their way into my diet in such an easy and seamless way.

But at the end of my day is when almonds really shine! I read somewhere that former president Obama loves almonds (I think I read that in one of Pete Souza’s Instas) and that he’d have no more than 7 almonds at night, during late night work session in the White House. In business they say to do what really successful do. So, guess what I started doing 3 days week?! Yup! I nosh on exactly 7 almonds at night, about an hour before I go to bed. Here’s what I learned: almonds are an excellent source of Vitamin E and magnesium, and they help with my digestion! Now that’s the best way to end a day of fitness, workouts, cycling and avoid potentially heavy eating.

I’m here to tell you almonds are a life enhancer and a huge part of my success just about every day. They are literally a fixed staple in my diet. And all this is just about their role in my fitness… I didn’t even touch on their role when I travel!

Since 2019 is about intentional everything, I’m looking forward to continuing exploring how else almonds can play a beneficial role in my busy and fit life!

On a side note: I was geeked when the flan emoji was released! Hallelujah! So now… how come we can’t get an almond emoji? I mean there’s a hot #tacotuesday taco emoji. I think even guac gets an avocado. I need an almond one, friends!  Please join me in signing the petition here to help get an Almond Emoji!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of California Almonds. All experiences and opinions are true and of my own.

Eat well, love unapologetically, pray with true intention, and take care of yourself.

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