Yay! It’s mah Birthday week!

Hey guys!

I hope you had a lovely weekend! I spent it cooking vegan comfort food at a cooking class as a part of one of my early birthday gifts and I also danced a lot. Cardio dancing that is. I don’t do that whole club scene. I tried to like it, but it’s really just not me. Power to you if you do! :) It was raining in LA this weekend too, so even though it was gloomy, the clouds just made everything feel cozy. I really enjoyed it. It made me happy.

Before I go into more detail, I wanna share with you your new workout on the #janYOUary calendar! It’s called “

Sleek Tank Top Arms“. Please don’t skip this one and just focus on your abs and thighs. C’mon guys. You’ve got to work your whole body! Every muscle counts. Plus, the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn at rest, and in general. It helps increase your metabolism.

Now! Let’s talk vegan food! First of all, no I am not vegan, but I love eating vegan and cooking vegan when I can because I feel like it’s so creative! You don’t need meat to make things taste good, you just need to know how to mix and match flavors. Also, I would like to note that just because you’re eating vegan, it does not automatically mean you’re eating less calories or you’re eating super clean. It just means you’re not eating anything made from animals or animal by-product. This particular class I took at this place in LA called EATZ was titled “Vegan Comfort Foods” so it’s on the rich, creamy, and verrryyy yummy side. :) Let me show you what we made!

Thai Coconut Butternut Squash Soup!

INGREDIENTS:

1 butternut squash (skinned and chopped)

1/2 onion diced

1 garlic clove minced

1 can coconut milk

1 cup boiling water

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 TBSP apple cider vinegar

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Buy pre-chopped butternut squash if you can and bake in the oven for 25-40 min at 400F until soft. Use a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.

2. Put the squash along with other ingredients in blender then pour into a pot to heat on medium.

3. Season withdraw salt and pepper to taste!

4. Top with avocado, roasted corn, and cilantro for extra flavor. I also like squeezing lemon on top! It really finishes it well.

Spicy Kale Crispy Tostadas with Sweet Potatoes & Avocado

What does this look like to you?

Pulled “Pork” BBQ Sandwiches made with Jackfruit

Yup! That was unripened jackfruit that was made into fake “pulled pork”! It was INCREDIBLE! We even made our own BBQ sauce. I didn’t truly realize exactly how much sugar was used in BBQ Sauce, but let’s just say it’s a lot! That’s why when you’re trying to eat clean, your biggest culprits could be in the dressings and the sauces.

Try to stick to things like Tabasco sauce, Tabanero, lemon, natural spices, Sriracha, mustard, a little soy sauce if you need it (careful though, lots of sodium), and greek yogurt as a sour cream/mayo alternative are all great condiments you should use! For dressings, I always read the label and make sure I know what’s in it and that the first 3 ingredients are oil, water, and some kind of vinegar. Water and vinegar are calorie free and the oil adds in healthy fat that will also make your salad satiating. I try to go less than 0.5 g of saturated fat per serving. The rest of the ingredients should be herbs, spices, and seasonings that you’re familiar with. You can also try making your own fresh dressings once in a while!

Ah and I also want to show you a pic from last week!!

I am filming something epic for you guys! You will probably find out in a couple months. I got to overlook the beautiful city of LA as I was shooting this. How gorgeous huh? Oh and I noticed that a lot of POPsters on Instagram were like whoa that’s what it takes to film a video!? Haha, you should see some of the behind the scenes stuff on OTHER sets I am on that are not my own. This is a widdle baby compared to that :) But yes, there’s a lot that goes into making a good workout video for you. Back in the day, I had my little handycam or laptop, I’d hit record myself, and then I’d basically not even edit it and put it up on YouTube! Throughout the years, I’ve picked up snippets of good tips on lighting, sound, hair and makeup etc. I’ve also met some tremendously awesome people that have helped me improve the quality of your videos. It’s all about teamwork and bringing your passion to the table along with other people to accomplish a common vision.

Ah and last thing! I wanna share with you my personal HIIT workout of the day after I taught POP Pilates this morning at Equinox. Here it is:

“Feelin’ Good HIIT”

(45 sec on, 15 sec rest, 4x)

1. Shoulder presses with 15 lb dumbbells

2. Knee Highs (hand behind head)

3. Plie squats (holding 37.5lb dumbbell at chest)

4. Frogger jumps (wide squat, then touch hands to floor and pop up into a jack)

5. Overhead Triceps (used 22.5lb dumbbell)

6. Burpees (with pushup)

The workout is quick and it’s effective. I’m now pairing HIITs with dance and POP Pilates. I really like doing a bit of everything because it keeps my body flexible, strong, and limber. Hope you have a fantastic start to your week!