It is definitely a SUPER Saturday!

Today is awesome and, despite this raging headache that is attempting to bring me down, I am having a freaking awesome day!

I went bicycle shopping today!! The last bike I had was probably a Huffy 10-speed when I was like 14 or so. As soon as I turned 15 and I was old enough to work and make money, I felt I could not be bothered with such "little girl" things like riding bikes and rollerblading. Anyway, I fell in love with this beauty at the first store I went to:

It is amazing. I am not the racing bike kind of girl, so this bike is right up my alley. It is navy and has military style stars and stripes, polka dots on the seat, a pin-up girl on the frame, and beautiful white leather handles...with leather streamers!! Are you serious? Plus, it even comes with a bell. I couldn't stop ching-chinging it in the store! IF I get it, I plan to put a basket on each side of the back tire so that I can ride it to the grocery store and back. How freaking quaint is that!?

I'm pretty sure that if I get that bike that I would need to dye my hair black, wear pin curls and red lipstick, and change my name to Betty. Love it!

While browsing the bike store, I made friends with the store pet, a black and white cat...with three legs. I have never seen a three-legged cat before and watching him get around was pretty interesting. It did kind of weird me out, but since the cat was nice, I got past it. I asked the shop owner what his cat's name was and he said, "Oh, the white and black cat? His name is White and Black." Huh. Guess he didn't feel like getting too creative. Oh well.

I was having a really good time chilling in the bike store, and then, out of nowhere, I got stung by a wasp! I have pretty bad allergies, and since I had never been stung by a wasp, I was hoping my face didn't blow up like a balloon. Lucky for everyone involved, I'm fine...well, other than the small red welp on my finger. Crisis averted!

When I got home, I found out I won a blog contest hosted by Jessica Lynn over at Jessta Girl and Her Officer. I am so excited because I never win ANYTHING! She is going to be traveling across the pond soon and will send me a postcard from her trip! I love getting mail so I can't wait to get my cool postcard! Be sure to check out her blog too! Her blog is super fun and I love hearing about all the wedding plans she's making!

Okay, so I didn't sit down to write this blog with the intentions of writing a novel, so my apologies for being so long. :) I'm off to make dinner and watch a scary movie!

KEEP IT JUICY!

Donate Blood. It's about LIFE. Pass it on.

Today I gave blood. *shutter*

I absolutely HATE needles and I am really not a fan of giving blood, but I do it because I can. I do it because if something were to ever happen to me or to anyone I love, I would want the supply to be there. Plus, they called me yesterday and told me that the supply for my particular blood type was low and I just wanted to do my part.

(I apologize in advance for not looking more...presentable. :) The weather is GROSS today!) Notice my Keva Juice cup tucked snugly underneath my arm. I was ready in case I needed a boost in blood sugar!!

Here I am with my wrapped up arm. I requested the yellow smiley face tape since it is so rainy and dreary outside.

The best part about giving blood (other than, you know, knowing that I'm helping people) is the free t-shirt! Doesn't take much to make me happy! Ha! :)

If you can do it and you are willing to, I highly encourage you to consider donating blood. In addition to helping save lives, donating blood is also good for your body.

* Giving blood every 6 months has shown to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes in people ages 43 to 61
* Donating blood rids your body of excess iron. Excess iron is thought to contribute to early onset heart disease. This preserves your heart and vascular health.
* Giving blood regularly helps flush your body's circulatory system and keeps it healthy.
* An awesome added bonus of giving blood is that you get a free mini-physical where they inform you of your blood type, blood pressure, and iron level.

(Statistics provided by the American Medical Association)

Do you give blood? :)

Thirsty Thursday!

Oooooh, yummy! It's Thirsty Thursday! I know I am getting to this blog late in the day (my deepest apologies), but I couldn't let a Thursday go by without passing along another deeeeelicious Keva Juice specialty. Today's treat is the Hawaiian Holiday! I had this for the first time today and it is AWESOME!


HAWAIIAN HOLIDAY
3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1/3 banana
6 medium strawberries
3 small scoops orange sherbet (low-fat, of course!)
1/2 cup ice

Please give it a try and let me know how it tastes! And, as always, if you have any awesome smoothie ideas, please be sure to leave me a comment or e-mail me!

BREAKING NEWS!
There is an AWESOME promotion coming up in just a couple of weeks! I can't reveal all the details yet, but I promise it will be really good! And, who knows...you might just be seeing me around your local Keva Juice SOON! EEEEEEEEK! I'm so excited!!

I like to eat, eat, eat eeples and beeneenees!

I love fruit! I could seriously eat fruit all day, every day. However, I get tired of eating the same things the same ways, so I try to mix it up pretty often. Peanut butter, honey, and fruit sandwiches are my favorite! If you have never had one, you are seriously missing out. Plus, this sandwich makes and EXCELLENT post-work out recovery snack! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

I usually use bananas that look like this. The riper the banana is, the more banana-y flavor it will have. I'm not sure if "banana-y" is really a word, but whatever... :)

I start out by using two slices of whole wheat bread. Try to use whole wheat or multigrain bread instead of honey wheat or white bread. Whole wheat and multigrain bread is typically lower in calories and fat and usually has higher fiber.

Slap some peanut butter on one side. I use low-sugar natural peanut butter since it is lower in calories and carbohydrates. While you shouldn't be scared of carbs, you should be careful to make the most of the grams you take in.

Layer slices of your favorite fruit. My favorites to use in making this type of sandwich are apples and bananas. However, feel free to mix it up and experiment!

Next, squeeze some honey on the other slice of bread. Layering the ingredients this way will help the bread stick to the fruit on the inside.

Flip they honey side of the bread down and enjoy your lunch! I love eating these sandwiches with pretzels because I really enjoy the combination of salty and sweet.

Either one of these sandwiches packs in healthy monounsaturated fats and oils, high protein and high fiber, magnesium, folate, and large amounts of Vitamins A, B3, C and E. Whew! Healthy AND yummy! WIN!

Try it and let me know what you think!

KEEP IT JUICY!

THR? RHR? Whaaaaat?

The idea for this post came to me while I was out running with my Saturday morning run group this morning. I started monitoring my heart rate a few months ago and I have seen and felt a tremendous improvement in my time spent doing cardio exercise, so I thought I would share...

When starting an exercise/cardio plan, most people will walk/jog/run as fast or as long as they can (with 30 minutes being the minimum) and call it a day. While this may work at first for a little while, eventually you realize your body isn't changing anymore.

A while back I was having trouble getting motivated because I felt like I was exercising all the time, but I wasn't losing any inches. And we all know that when most people say they want to "lose weight", they probably really mean that they want to "lose inches" (ie, they want to tone up and look thinner). I'm a runner and, while I run often, I noticed that I just couldn't change my body shape. It was then that I really started paying attention to my target heart rate (THR).

Paying attention to your THR and exercising in it can help you maximize the benefits of your cardio and your body's fat-burning potential. In general, your THR is 60-75% of your maximum heart rate. When you exercise and your heart rate goes above your THR, you still work and strengthen your heart, but you end up training your body for endurance exercise instead of working to burn fat.

Finding your THR is pretty simple. The Karvonen Method of calculating THR is the most effective method because it accounts for your resting heart rate.

1. Take your resting heart rate (RHR) as soon as you wake up. Count
your pulse for one minute. Try taking your RHR for several days in a
row and averaging it for a more accurate number.
   Keva Kate RHR = 67

2. Find your maximum heart rate (maxHR) by subtracting your age from 220.
   Keva Kate maxHR = 220 - 26 = 194

3. Next, find your heart rate reserve (HRres) by subtracting your RHR from your maxHR.
   Keva Kate HRres = 194 - 67 = 127

4. Calculate the lower limit of your THR (THRlower). This is 60% of your HRres plus your RHR.
   Keva Kate THRlower = (127 * 0.60) + 67 = 76.2 + 67 = 143.2
   (I round to 143.)

5. Calculate the upper limit of your THR (THRupper). This is 75% of your HRres plus your RHR.
   Keva Kate THRupper = (127 * 0.75) + 67 = 95.25 + 67 = 162.25
   (I round to 162.)

So, that means my THR range is 143 - 162. When my heart rate is in that zone, I am maximizing my fat burning potential.

To help you keep track of your heart rate while you exercise, I highly recommend wearing a heart rate monitor. Personally, I use a Garmin Forerunner 405. This monitor is quite an investment, but has LOTS of neat features like virtual shadow runners, pace timers, and heart rate zone monitors.


However, most people getting started are looking for something a little more low key and affordable. There are several great options out there for under $100. Be sure to check out the Polar FS1, Polar F4, Garmin Forerunner 50, and the Nike Triax C8. All of those are really great and dependable monitors.

I know this was a long post, but I really hope it helps! KEEP IT JUICY!

Thirsty Thursday!

Hey hey hey! It's that time again...THIRSTY THURSDAY!! Woo hoo! Today's choice was inspired by a fellow Twitterer (@carrgoesvrooom) and is a great choice for late summer early fall! To me, fall means football, crisp weather, and cranberry and pumpkin flavored...everything! :)

CRANBERRY KICKER
1 1/4 cup cranberry juice
1/2 banana
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup raspberries
3 small scoops raspberry sherbet
1/2 cup ice

Toss in the blender and blend away, my friends!

This one is really tasty and it is one of my favorites! Please let me know if you tried it and how it turned out!

On a side note, I'll be starting my training for the Breast Cancer 3-Day tomorrow and I'm a little nervous. Luckily, I have one of my friends joining me so that will help get me going!


KEEP IT JUICY!

Keva Kate and Keva Juice LOVE Ta-Tas!

It's OFFICIAL! I am registered for the 2009 Breast Cancer 3-Day in Arizona! I am so excited! This will be my 5th year walking in the Breast Cancer 3-Day and I can't even begin to tell you how thrilled I am to be reaching my 300th mile for Susan G. Komen for the Cure!


The Breast Cancer 3-Day is a 60-mile (YES, 60 as in 6-0) walk to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure in their efforts to support breast cancer survivors and activists fight to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cure to breast cancer.

Every advancement in breast cancer research, treatment, education, and prevention in the last 25 years has been touched by a Komen for the Cure grant.

I walk the Breast Cancer 3-Day ever year in honor of my grandmother and in celebration of my aunt. Walking the 3-Day is a very personal journey for me, but it is really so much more than that. I have watched my friends' moms and sisters battle this horrible disease and I have witnessed how unfair it can be. I am COMMITTED to being part of the solution. I walk for every grandmother, mother, sister, aunt, best friend, co-worker, and neighbor that has ever been affected by breast cancer.

If there is someone you would like me to walk in honor of, please
e-mail me and let me know. I would be honored to add her name to a ribbon that will be tied to my back pack. I will carry her name with me the whole way.

If you are interested in contributing to my fundraising efforts, please visit: www.the3day.org/goto/kevakate!

So, it looks like I need to get to training! I'll be posting updates on how all my training is going so be sure to check back!!

Here's a pic I took at last year's walk! (It was REALLY cold!) Enjoy!

Keva Kate coming to a store near you!

Hi everyone!! I am so excited! I've been working on some super-sweet-super-secret Keva stuff and I can't wait to share it with you! Unfortunately, I can't tell you just yet! Sorry... :(

I had a really fun photo shoot this morning as part of the new Keva Kate awesomeness heading your way. I felt so special! In my head I was singing RuPaul's "Supermodel".

"Work! Now turn to the left! Work! Now turn to the right! Sashay, Shante! Supermodel!..."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!


KEEP IT JUICY, GUYS AND DOLLS!

Indoor Rock Climbing and MORE!

Yesterday was such an awesome day! I was soooo busy, but I had so much fun! Here's the skinny...

1. RUN. I started off the morning with my weekly 4-mile run. I'm in a running group that meets every Saturday morning so it keeps me motivated. (Sorry, no post-run pics...a sweaty and exhausted Keva Kate is NOT pretty!)

2. FAMILY TIME. Around lunchtime, I went to eat and visit with the family. I got to play with my new 10 day old...hmmm, nephew or cousin? What do you call your cousin's baby? Anyway, I went and visited the 10 day old little man and he is a cutie!

3. INDOOR ROCK CLIMBING! HOLLA! I climbed for about 2 1/2 hours and I was so tired! I used to rock climb all the time but I hadn't been in a while. I really need to work on my upper body strength. I had a fantastic time, but I am a little sore today (not too bad though).


4. KEVA JUICE! I totally needed a boost after all that activity! I went and grabbed an Oreo Speedwagon at Keva Juice! It was taaaaaaaaaasty! Highly recommended!


5. Tar-jay and Best Buy. I was a woman on a mission. There was a specific movie I was looking for and while I didn't find it at my beloved Tar-jay, my local Best Buy never lets me down! I finally found the DVD I was looking for! SUCCESS!

6. OH, BURN! No really, I burned my hand while making dinner. NOT smart, folks. Ugh. I never professed to be Martha Stewart. (I'll spare you the pics of that one too.) :)

7. The Muppet Show Movie! I was totally in the mood to channel my inner kiddo and watch The Muppet Show Movie! You know you love it too! Don't hate! Besides, how can you not like a movie where Kermit the Frog sings a song that was nominated for an Oscar? Yes, an OSCAR! Ha!


And, that's it! One FAAAAAANTASTIC day! I hope this weekend is treating you all well too!

KEEP IT JUICY!

It's Friday! Woot Woot!!

It's FRIDAY! It is B-E-A-UTIFUL outside and I have lots of fun stuff to get into today! Hopefully I'll find some trouble to get into today! ;)

Besides, how could your day not start off right when you wake up to this handsome fella? :) Meet Elvis.


I told my 16 year old nephew that if he ever wanted to get the chicks that all he needed to do was take Elvis for a walk downtown. Elvis gets aaaaalllllllllllll the ladies. With a face like this, who could resist??


Oh, and on a complete side note...can anyone tell me what in the world this is supposed to be? I went to dinner last night and this was parked right near me. I know it is hard to tell what it is, but it is a truck with a lit candle sitting on top. Why would anyone do that??



KEEP IT JUICY!

Thirsty Thursday!

Woo hoo, its that time again! Thirsty Thursday, boys and girls! I'm super psyched to share this one because I just tried it today and it is DEEEEEELICIOUS!!! Today's tasty treat is called the Acai Allure and I hope you love it as much as I do!

ACAI ALLURE
1/4 cup raspberry juice
1/4 cup soy milk
3/4 cup acai berries
4 scoops of natural raspberry sherbet
few ice cubes

Give it a try and let me know what you think! It is super yummy and has a really unique flavor!

Did you know that acai berries increase energy, improve your digestion, help detoxify the body, and improve the appearance of skin? Plus, it is high in fiber and helps reduce cholesterol. Awesome! Talk about a super food!

Old Faithful

Okay, so I know I'm not the only one out there that has "old faithfuls." You know what I'm talking about...your favorite dishes at your favorite restaurants. At just about every restaurant, I have one or two "old faithful" dishes. For me, "old faithfuls" become just that for one of two reasons: 1) it is a dish that is so spectacularly unique to the restaurant, or 2) I feel like I'm getting a tasty dish for a really good value (read = good eats on the cheap). :)

I rarely, if ever, venture outside of my "old faithfuls."

However, in the last week, I've felt unusually frisky and ordered outside my norm at two (yes, count 'em...TWO!) restaurants. And you know, I was disappointed beyond all belief in BOTH dishes. That's what I get. :( I should have known. The very second I took a bite, I thought to myself, "WHHHHY?? WHHHHY DID I DO THIS!?." I felt so let down because I walked away hungry and like I had wasted my money. And the way this economy is going, who wants to feel like they're wasting they're money?

That brings me to reason #2,335,687 why I love Keva Juice. While I do have "old faithfuls" at Keva, I am NEVER hesitant to try one of their new smoothies or juices. Knowing that they use real fruit and 100% fruit juice (no concentrate here, ladies and gents) gives me the confidence that no matter what I try, I know I'll love it! Keva Juice smoothies are always tasty and blended to perfection.

So, tell me, what are some of your tried and true "old faithfuls"? What are some things you've been disappointed in?

PS - Not to name names...BUT a certain Asian-style chicken dish at a certain fast food restaurant is NOT worth the money! ;

Keva Kate recycles!! Do you?

Yesterday I happened to catch the new episode of Brooke Knows Best. Yes, I know, I'm not exactly the "target demographic" for that show, but hey, it's mindless TV and sometimes I like it. :) Anyway, this latest episode dealt with her new roommates efforts at "going green". Oh, and don't even THINK about turning off the water supply while I'm in the shower (if you saw the episode, you know what I'm talking about).

Watching that episode last night actually made me more aware of what I do to "keep it green." Today, I made lunch. As usual, I made sure that as the different food containers were used up that I washed them, took the paper off, and sorted them in my recycling bins. I then wondered, "Do other people go to this much trouble when they make lunch??" Most of my friends don't. However, I think the main reason they don't is because they really don't know what they can or can't recycle. And since they don't know, they just don't do it. To help you get started, here is a little guide to plastics! Enjoy!

PETE represents plastics made from polyethylene terephthalate. This is the most widely recycled plastic and is commonly used for soft-drink bottles, water bottles, and medicine containers. This plastic is also commonly used in textiles which how a plastic bottle can be turned into fabric!

HDPE stands for high-density polyethylene. This plastic is usually brightly colored and can be found in the form of grocery bags, detergent and fabric softener bottles, shampoo and conditioner bottles, and motor oil bottles.


V represents polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl). This plastic is most commonly used to make restaurant take-out containers packaging or packaging for precut fruit in the grocery store.


LDPE stands for low-density polyethylene. You will find that most sandwich bags, dry-cleaning bags, and fresh-produce bags at the grocery store are made of this material.



PP represents a class of plastics made of polypropylene. Manufacturers use this sturdy plastic to make syrup bottles, bottle caps, yogurt cups, diapers, and drinking straws.



PS stands for polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam. This type of plastic is most often used for drinking cups, food containers, and packing peanuts.



OTHER plastics represent…well, everything else! Products labeled as “other” are made of any mixture of the above plastics or possible an additional, less commonly used plastic. These plastics are generally not recyclable at most recycling centers.

Please remember that not all plastics are accepted at all recycling centers. Be sure to check out earth911.com to find out what the recycling center near you accepts!

Let's all do our part to keep things a little GREENER!

KEEP IT JUICY!

Thirsty Thursday!

Hello there! It's Thirsty Thursday and I know you are all anxiously awaiting this week's sneak peak into the Keva Juice kitchen! Well, today I offer you this little tasty treat. This recipe is the basis for the Strawberry Sqeezer and the Bananarama on the Keva Juice menu.

Strawberry Squeezer/Bananarama
8oz apple juice
1/2 banana
4 scoops of non-fat yogurt
handful of strawberries
few ice cubes

If you're in the mood for a Strawberry Sqeezer, just toss in a few extra strawberries. However, if you're craving a Bananarama, try adding a whole banana instead of a half.

AND, if you are feeling like you really really deserve a treat, you can always substitute that non-fat yogurt for some vanilla ice cream! Delicious!!

KEEP IT JUICY!

Do I drink enough water? Do you?

Drinking enough water seems so hard sometimes. You know the old rule: drink eight 8oz glasses of water a day. If you aren't used to drinking that much water, it can really seem like a lot! Trust me, I know!

First of all, it's really important to know why drinking water and staying hydrated (especially during the summer!) is important. Water makes up 60% - 70% of your body weight. Just about every system in your body depends on it! Water helps regulate your body temperature and protects your body organs and tissues. It carries important nutrients to your cells and organs and helps dissolve minerals to make them accessible to your body.

Whether your goal is to lose weight, keep your heart healthy, get more energy, or improve your skin, drinking enough water is absolutely necessary. Now that you know how important it is, how do you get in the habit?

Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Carry a bottle or mug around with you all the time. Try to drink enough so that you never feel thirsty.
2. Get your body moving! Exercising will warm your body up and make you want to drink more water. Be sure to drink water before and after you exercise to stay properly hydrated!
3. Substitute a glass of water for one drink a day. If you normally drink two cups of coffee in the morning, try drinking one cup of coffee and one cup of water. If you would normally get a soft drink with your lunch, have a glass of water instead. You get the idea.
4. Write it down! Keeping track of how much you are drinking will make you more aware and will help form your new habit!
5. Try water flavor packs! Flavoring your water can help you drink up to 20% more water a day! Did you hear me? 20% more! And it tastes good! I do this all the time and it really helps for people who get bored with drinking pure water.

In addition to water, be sure to drink your fruit and veggie juices to help you stay hydrated. Not only does the water content contribute to your daily amount, but the vitamins and nutrients in juice is essential for keeping your body healthy!

Do you drink enough water? If so, how do you stay in the habit? Please share! I know I'm not perfect and I don't always drink as much water as I should, but I WILL today! Consider me armed and ready! I promise I'll drink it all!





It's hot out there, so stay hydrated and KEEP IT JUICY!

Get to know me!

As promised, here are 10 more things about me...

1. My favorite band of ALL time is Guns 'N' Roses. Journey, however, would have to hold spot number 1 1/2. :)

2. I don't like to nap on my couch without being under a blanket. I don't care if it is the middle of summer and 100 degrees outside, I want my fleece blanket.

3. As a teenager, I went through every phase under the sun. Pink hair was a really good look on me.

4. I think the two most powerful movies I have ever seen are American History X and Fight Club.

5. Several women in my family have been affected by breast cancer and I do as much as I can to raise awareness for the cause and support breast cancer initiatives.

6. I am deathly afraid of fire. I'm not afraid of fires in fireplaces or even bonfires, but seeing a building on fire scares me to death.

7. I looooooooooove rollercoasters! I'm particulary about them though. I'm a little wary about old wooden ones, but I love the big fancy ones at newer theme parks.

8. I love to cook. I love to try new foods with new recipes! These Louisiana roots of mine run deep...cooking is what we do!

9. Community service and volunteer work is very important to me. I feel so lucky to have had the opportunities I have had in my life and I feel it is my obligation to give back and do my part.

10. I got to meet Mario Lopez when I was 8. Yes, I STILL have a crush on him. *glassyeyedstare* Oh, Slater...



HAHAHAHAHAHA! Those were the days!

PS - The grilled chicken caesar salads I made on Saturday were delicious! All I did was marinate the chicken in Dale's Seasoning for about half an hour and then grilled them on each side for about 7 minutes! Perfection!

I am determind to relax today!

That's it, I'm putting my foot down! I am determined to relax today. I have been so busy lately, and some days I'm just not sure if I'm coming or going. And I don't like that. At. All. So, today I am just doing what I want to do. Yeah, yeah, call me selfish. :)

I got up this morning and met the Saturday morning running group for our weekly 4-mile run. I was so disappointed at my time, but hey, that's what I get for not pushing myself in the last couple of weeks. I'm not going to beat myself up over it. I'm just going to let it go and try to do better tomorrow! After the run, I went and got a Bananarama smoothie from Keva. The potassium in the bananas keeps my muscles from aching and they are an EXCELLENT recovery snack. As much as Future Husband of Mine and I run, I'm pretty sure our apartment is never without bananas and strawberries.

Last night, FHM and I went out to eat dinner. I have been craving a chicken caesar salad for the past week, so I already knew what I was getting. I was so disappointed!! It was THE GROSSEST chicken caesar salad. EVER. It had so much dressing that the lettuce was all wilty and, for some reason, it tasted like bacon. Gross. So, to get my fix, I'm channeling my inner chef and making my own this afternoon. I marinated the chicken in something new, so I'm hoping it is yummy! *keepingmyfingerscrossed* I love the caesar dressing made by Naturally Fresh. Who am I kidding...I love all of their dressings! If you have them in your grocery store, I highly recommend them!

Happy summer grilling!