FabFitFun: February Subscription Box Goodies

Have you heard of FabFitFun? We have been loving their monthly subscription boxes filled with goodies for years now. How it works is every 3 months, as a FabFitFun VIP member, you can look forward to their new seasonal gift box filled with the new most fab items, hand-picked by the FabFitFun Team! You enjoy full-size, premium products delivered 4x per year. Each box is a $200 value, but you only pay $49.99 four times a year {that's $200 for $800 worth of product, ladies}! The shipping is free too!

This month we received our favorite subscription box to date filled with every day favorites from fashion, beauty, and health & fitness products.

Get your hands on these boxes by signing up today! Use code 'SORORITYSECRETS' at checkout to receive a special discount!

Show us the goodies in the box that you love by using the hashtag  #TSSxFabFitFun

5 Yoga Workouts For Beginners

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We just love yoga! It is so calming and relaxing and really helps us to get centered. We are total beginners and really wanted to get some yoga beginners basics so we reached out to Kelsey Lawrence, Arizona Yoga Instructor and an Alpha Chi Omega Alumnae, to show us the ropes. Kelsey shares just how to do each beginner's yoga workout. Whether it's doing yoga at a studio, on the beach, or in the comfort of your home, you can take yoga just about anywhere with these easy workouts. Thanks for sharing, Kelsey!

Cat Cow (Chakravakasana)

1. Begin in tabletop position, hands under shoulders and knees under hips. 
2. Inhale and arch your back. Leading forward with your heart (not your head), shoulders on your back and chin tucked. Press down through your hands and feel your heart opening. Keep your shoulders relaxed, opened, and broadened. 
3. Exhale and round your back like a cat. Tucking your chin in towards your chest and exhaling all of the air out of your lungs. 
4. Repeat 5 times on your breath. 

This pose is extremely beneficial for back pain. It moves your hips and spine and squeezes out the kidneys. When leading with your heart, feel the expansiveness and opening of new possibilities!

Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

1. Begin in tabletop position. 
2. It is important in this pose to angle your hands in the right angle in order to protect your shoulders. 
3. On your mat, widen your arms to where your pinky fingers are touching the edge of the mat. Make sure your pointer fingers are pointing forward. 
4. On your next exhale tuck your toes and push back, raising your seat into the air with your feet hip distance apart. Push back through your hips while being mindful not to hyper-extend your straight arms. 
5. Try and turn your shoulders out ward. 
6. Ground your heals into your mat and if not, bending the knees is a beautiful way to practice this pose, especially if you have tight hamstrings. 
7. It allows pressure to be taken off the hamstrings and lower back and you are able to sink deeper into the posture. 
8. Breath here for 5 breath’s. Long inhale and extended exhale. 

This pose relives stiffness in the heels, strengths ankles and legs. The abdominal muscles are drawn towards the spine and the head relaxes and drops down, allowing the heart rate to slow. This is a very exhilarating pose and brings energy to your body. If you are feeling tired or groggy during the day, drop everything and get into down ward dog or some sort of inversion. The energizing benefits from this asana help to sustain energy and is much more valuable to your health compared to sugary energy drinks.

Warrior B (Virabhadrasana B)

1. Begin by standing on your mat; exhale and step your left leg behind you about 4 feet. Have your right toes facing forward and your left back foot angled about 45 degrees. 
2. Bend into your right leg; keep your knee over your ankle and breath. 
3. The outside of your back foot should be pressed into the floor and feel grounded. 
4. Feel the strength of your legs and the beautiful earth supporting you. 
5. Engage your abdomen, tuck the sacrum down, and try keeping the right knee over the ankle, not letting it dip inward or outward. 
6. Breathe here as long as you feel comfortable or for 3 breaths keeping your gaze at your right hand. 
7. Straighten your right leg; bring your left to meet the right and switch sides! 

This is a very powerful pose. You are toning your quads and hamstrings as well as your core. It also prepares you for other challenging yoga poses. Mentally focus on the path you want to be on. Find strength in grounding in the earth and that energy will guide you. A beautiful mantra for this pose might be: There is no path to peace, peace is the path.

Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)

1. Begin on your back. Tuck your chin a little into your chest and breath. 
2. Tuck your pelvis under and bring the insides of your feet together and slowly move your legs closer to your body until you feel a stretch in your hips. 
3. Rest your arms beside you palms up to receive energy. 
4. Your legs will look like they are in the shape of a butterfly. If the sensation is too much, you can place a blanket under each of your knees for support. 
5. Lie here and breathe into your hips for 5 deep breaths. 

Hip openers are so important because we hold so much of our tension in our hips. There are issues in our tissues! When you consciously focus on expanding into that tight area you are not only stretching the fascia you are consciously letting go of anxiety, and who doesn’t want that!! Focus on your breath in this pose and if it hurts you can always back out of it. However, I challenge you to breath through the pain and notice how quickly it subsides and how good it feels.

Childs Pose (Balasana)

1. Time to rest. Begin in tabletop position. 
2. Bring feet together and widen your knees open so that you are able to bring your buttocks towards your feet. Exhale and slowly rest your torso over your thighs so your forehead touches the mat. 
3. Extend your arms forward and breath. Another variation for this pose is to keep your arms bent or relax them next to you on your sides. 
4. Close your eyes and lengthen your breath for a deeper form of relaxation. 
5. Breathe here for 5 breaths and enjoy the stretch into the back of the torso 

This pose helps relieve stress and anxiety, as well as helps with dizziness and fatigue. Flexes the body’s internal organs and keeps them supple, and lengthens and stretches the spine. It normalizes circulation throughout the body and calms the body and mind.


Enjoy these poses and I hope they bring you peace, love and beauty to your life.


Namaste

The Low-Down on The Skinny Confidential's New Book!

When our friend Lauryn from The Skinny Confidential let us know that she was coming out with a book we couldn't wait to read it! As soon as we got our hands on it, we just could not put it down. The Skinny Confidential is like the women's version of a Bible. Lauryn gives you the low down on just about everything from fitness to healthy recipes and just every day tips to make life as a woman a little bit easier. We often struggle with healthy, quick snacks and meals so having her favorites in the book have been really helpful. We are always interested in staying in shape and portion control is a huge part of that. In The Skinny Confidential: A Babe's Sexy, Sassy Health and Lifestyle Guide, Lauryn provides an easy table that explains portion control. It is something you can easily make a copy of and hang it in your home or stick it in your binder as a friendly reminder.

The Skinny Confidential: A Babe's Sexy, Sassy Health and Lifestyle Guide is more than just a book that you shove into your bookshelf; it's a lifestyle guide that you can take with you anywhere. The Skinny Confidential: A Babe's Sexy, Sassy Health and Lifestyle Guide can be purchased at Barnes & Noble or Amazon. You won't regret it!

Energy Bites Recipe

Every time I make these bad boys I am hounded by everyone who bites into one until I send the recipe over. Every ingredient serves a purpose (besides making them taste amazing) and is uber healthy (would I post anything that wasn’t?). Bonus: They are crazy portable! So next time you need a quick pick me up before a hike, yoga, gym class, or if you just want a little bite (or two or three) of yumminess, whip some of these tasty little balls of health.

Ingredients
1 C dates
1/2 C honey
1 tbsp of chia seeds
1 tbsp of ground flax seeds pinch of sea salt
1 C old fashioned oats
1 C shelled pistachios
1 C dried cranberries
1⁄2 C unsweetened coconut shreds
Optional: Add 1/2 C of chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips... I’m already drooling.

Directions:
1. Combine the dates, honey, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, and salt into a food processor. If you don’t have a high powered motor, soak your dates in water for about an hour first to soften them up. Blend until smooth.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, pistachios, coconut, and cranberries, add the blended ingredients and mix until evenly distributed. This might will definitely get sticky. That’s ok. I just ditch the spoon and get in there with clean hands. It is also pretty much a requirement that you eat the portions that are relentlessly sticking to your spoon and hands. For me, this is a pivotal step in creating these tasty little nuggets.

3. Put mixture in the fridge for about 20 minutes to cool (if there is any left). This will make it easier to shape into bars, balls (come on now, grow up), or whatever geometrical or non-geometrical shape you so desire. Another tip: coat hands in coconut oil before shaping.

Whole Grain Oats: Can help lower cholesterol and improve heart health. They are full of good dietary fiber, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and are a great source of energy. Whole grain oats are good for regulating blood sugar levels, and have been shown in scientific studies to help enhance athletic performance when ingested 45 minutes to 1 hour before exercise of moderate intensity.
Dates: Dates are chock full of vitamins and minerals, fiber, and are often used for a quick energy boost. Their high potassium content makes them a great addition to this snack, especially when eaten pre or post work out!

Pistachios: Are a great source of healthy fats. They are loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that nourish your body. Pistachios are especially great for eye, skin, and immune health.

Honey: Raw honey is a natural way to sweeten your food, and your health. It is anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal, has an array of essential vitamins and minerals, and natural probiotics. Bonus: It actually works better to soothe and heal sore throats and coughs than over the counter medicine. Honey is always my sweetener of choice!

Chia Seeds: They don’t call chia seeds a superfood for nothing. These babies are extremely high in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, minerals, fiber, and protein, while also low in calories. They help to reduce inflammation, enhance cognitive function, improve cholesterol levels, and help regulate blood sugar. Bam.

Ground Flax Seeds: These low calorie seeds are packed with omega- 3’s, fiber, antioxidants, and B vitamins to help boost your immune system and keep you feeling full for hours. You can eat flax seeds in their whole form, but they are not as easily digested and absorbed as when they are ground, so make sure to either buy them ground or grind them up yourself in a coffee grinder!

Coconut Shreds: Besides providing a boost of energy, shredded coconut will provide you with an array of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, protein, and healthy fat. While some may worry about it’s fat content, the medium chain fatty acids in coconut are amazing for your health. These fatty acids can actually help you to burn more fat for a whole day after consumption, and help to reduce your appetite, helping you to stay on track more easily, as well as immediately improving cognitive function. 

Meet Alicia Our New Health & Fitness Contributor!

We have very exciting news that we just couldn't wait any longer to share with our readers- meet our new Health & Fitness contributor, Alicia!  We're all about eating healthy and working out... but we're not exactly fitness experts.  Alicia is the perfect addition to our team!

A few times a month, Alicia will share all of her tips & tricks on eating healthy and working out.  Bonus... she even has yummy and healthy recipes in store for us too!  Read her bio & interview below, and get to know Alicia personally!


Bio:

Alicia Holmes is an Arizona native with an intense love and passion for health and wellness.  She serves as a health coach, personal and group fitness instructor, a fitness model, and has a passion for what she does.

Alicia’s thirst for knowledge about health led her to the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.  There, she became a certified health coach, with the intention of helping to improve the quality of life for others through nutrition and overall wellness practices. 

Given her athletic background in competitive gymnastics and cheerleading, coupled with her extensive knowledge of physical fitness and performance, becoming a fitness trainer was a natural step for her.  For the last four years, she has been training clients on a personal level, and has recently started instructing group fitness classes as well.

Upon meeting her, it's apparent that she finds true joy in being able to inspire others to improve their health and happiness.  She loves sharing her knowledge of nutrition and fitness!

Interview:
1. How did you get into health & fitness?

"It’s been a journey, but my dad’s cancer sparked my interest in nutrition.  I have a blog post on that on my website.  Years later I started marketing for an organic supplement company, and also began fitness modeling.  That’s when I realized I couldn’t quench my thirst for knowledge on anything health related."  

2. How many times a week do you workout?  What do you do?

"I try to get a good work out in at least 3-4 times per week.  Sometimes it’s more, and sometimes I just don’t have the time.  I love group fitness classes though, especially bootcamp style workouts.  The energy is awesome and I get such a killer workout.  For fun I also love hiking, hot yoga, and swimming."

3. What is your go-to snack when you're in a rush?

"Fruit, but I also try to always have my homemade protein bars or bites handy; sometimes a girl needs a little more than a banana!"

4. You have gorgeous hair- what's your secret?

"Thank you!  I don’t really have a secret, but eating as healthy as I do does help to grow strong, thick hair.  Also not washing it everyday if I can avoid it, which is convenient for my busy lifestyle."

5. What is your favorite part about working and eating healthy?

"My favorite part about working out and eating healthy is definitely how I feel.  I haven’t always been so healthy, I look back and it’s like night and day.  I have so much energy, I feel vibrant and alive.  I hardly get sick, and I sleep like a champ."

6. What's the worst diet you've heard of and why?

"That’s a tough question to answer.  There are so many fad diets out there that are pretty extreme.  I believe in moderation.  No carbs?  No fat?  95% protein?  Are you kidding me?"

7. What's 3 things you always carry around in your purse?

"I never go anywhere without lip balm and snacks.  Those two are easy.  Hmmm…  Floss!  I always have a travel size floss on me."

8. What's one of your favorite workout classes? 

"I really like doing Amenzone workouts, they are really challenging, but I love that.  And the workouts are different every single time, so you never know what to expect.  Except that I will definitely be sweating.  A lot.  I also really love hot yoga."  

9. One food you cannot live without.  Why?

"Just one?!  I feel like I have tons!  Right now I guess it would be bananas.  I have been having at least one a day lately.  But they are so tasty, and healthy.  And they are perfect before or after workouts, in my protein smoothies, and they are so portable."

10. What do you think is key to living a healthy lifestyle?

"Having fun with it.  If you make eating healthy and exercising fun, it’s easy to maintain.  We all like having fun.  But the second you start to take things too seriously, it tends to all fall apart.  Go hiking or make a healthy dinner with a friend; find a way to really enjoy eating vegetables by experimenting in the kitchen.  Eat cleanly, but have a treat now and then. Don’t sweat it if you miss one workout.  It can be easy to get carried away, but if you enjoy yourself, your meals, and your workouts, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is easy."