SMOOTHIE SHOPPING LIST… for all the WOC kids :)

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Tonight I had the privilege of sharing healthy fitness and food tips with some energetic k-4th graders at the World Outreach Church summer FITNESS CAMP! My goal was to show them how to get healthy greens and other goodies in their diet in a yummy way. The best way I know how to do this is with smoothies!

So we had a smoothie bar with a lot of good looking food and quite a bit of questionable food – like spinach, kale, and parsley – on the smoothie menu.

I loved the looks on the kids faces as I grabbed handfuls of spinach and kale and dumped them in! WELLLLLLLLLL, I must report that every kids seemed to love their sample and lots of them left Fitness Camp asking their parent to go buy some smoothie foods for their home! WOOOWHOOOO!!!

If you want to make healthy smoothies, I hope this will make it easy for you.
I’ve put together a

SMOOTHIE SHOPPING LIST!

Continue reading →

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HAPPY FATHERS DAY [For My Dad]

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Dear Dad, hello

I am so incredibly thankful that YOU are my DAD! I can’t imagine who I would be today without your love, guidance, and support in everything I have ever done. You took a sick little girl and changed my, “I can’t” into “I CAN!” You were my confidence when I had none and helped me dream when I thought I had to settle.

I thank you for loving Mom the way you do.

I thank you for the way you have cared for our aging family.

I thank you for loving your son in law, my hubby and best friend, Jeremy. I thank you that you became his dad.

I thank you for being the Grandfather you are to your grandkids,

and everyone who you’ve “adopted” along the way.

I am thankful for your heart, compassion, and drive.

You are an inspiration.

I hate living so far away from you and only wish today that I could give you a big hug.

I love you so much and THANK GOD that He chose me to be your daughter.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

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http://www.ashleybensonfitness.com/family/for-my-dad/

DIY GLASS/MIRROR CLEANER

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artist

WHAT YOU NEED

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

8 drops of a citrus essential oil –

lemon, orange, grapefruit, or lime

spray bottle – glass is best

Add all the ingredients to a spray bottle using a funnel. Shake well before using. Spray onto glass or mirror and then wipe with a dry cloth or towel.

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Clean your faucets with this as well!

Use in the bathroom and it will prevent your mirrors from fogging up 🙂

* Thank you SWANSONVITAMINS.COM for providing the wonderful, natural products for this blog series!!! Go check out this great company for your supplies. They have the best prices I know!!! Click HERE to get a $5 coupon to Swansons!!! Go get you a FREE essential oil!

HAPPY HEALTY CLEANING!

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http://www.ashleybensonfitness.com/diy/diy-glassmirror-cleaner/

PILATES FOR RUNNERS

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I am so excited that I am now an Ambassador for a company called Fitmark! Fitmark specializes in sports bags that are perfectly designed for fitness without compromising style. YAY!

Ok ladies, you know how the “shopping for a purse” routine goes: First select it based on color, size, and style. Now ask yourself, “Will this look good with what I wear?” Second, we must open it and inspect all the features of the purse: “How will my wallet fit? Will this bag become a BLACK HOLE, or does it offer organization? Where will I put my cell phone and will I be able to pull it out fast enough when it rings without making a scene in public?” And third, “Is it a good fit for me? Will it continually fall off my shoulder? Is it the right length for me? And on and on and on. How happy are we when we find the perfect bag?

Well this is why I love Fitmark. Here we can shop for our sports/travel bag like we do a purse. Cool right?

You have to go HERE now and check out their bags!

They published my article

PILATES FOR RUNNERS!

Read it HERE on the FitMark blog!

Go take a look and see how even just one mat pilates session can improve your overall run!

Ok, I must put away the computer and get outside and enjoy this lovely day.

Bye for now 🙂

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Pilates Photo Shoot with Jene’

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Check out these shots my friend Jene’ Sarchet captured:

Check this girl out at

Jene’ Sarchet Photography!

Read HERE to find out how PILATES can improve your RUN!

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http://www.ashleybensonfitness.com/tye4-2/pilates-photo-shoot-with-jene/

DIY DUSTING SPRAY

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Shake it up often because the oils separate.

That’s all I’ve got to say about that.

Oh, and glass jars are better than plastic.

Now go make it!!!

photo credit

HAPPY HEALTHY CLEANING!

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http://www.ashleybensonfitness.com/diy/diy-dusting-spray/

DIY OVEN CLEANER

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CONFESSION

Cleaning my oven is not something I do ~~often~~ ever. It’s not a place I think to clean.

-Maybe I would if THIS were my oven though-

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As I was searching for the best and most practical – meaning easy- homemade house cleaners for me to use in my home, I came across this chemical-free OVEN cleaner on a website called YumUniverse.com I really love the recipe that Heather has and I’m going to adopt it as my own oven cleaner!

TOOLS YOU NEED

paintbrush (like a pastry brush)
2 medium glass bowels
scrubber sponge
spoon

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup of liquid soap
1 1/2 cup baking soda
2-4 drops of essential oil of your choice
1/4 cup white vinegar
water as needed to make thick paste

NOW CLEAN

1. Remove racks- clean them separately in the sink.
2. Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix well. You will want a thick paste.
3. Paint the paste over the entire surface of the inside of the oven.
4. Let is sit for 6-8 hours (over night maybe???)
5. Fill bowl with clean water and use it with the sponge to wipe off the surface. You may need to get clean water a few times.

Heather has a great step-by-step tutorial with pictures showing us how to do this. Take a look HERE. Thanks Heather for sharing!

Ok, so I want to know who is going to go clean their oven now? I think I will paint on the cleaner on Sunday evening, let it do its thing all night and then wipe it down Monday morning. A clean oven for the start of a new week might just inspire me to use it next week! LOL We shall see!

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http://www.ashleybensonfitness.com/diy/diy-oven-cleaner/

DIY Foam Hand Soap!

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I USED

Liquid Soap (Dr. Bronner’s)

Empty foam soap bottle

Essential Oils

Water

Optional:

to make the soap moisturize, add 1/2 tsp of Vitamin E oil, Almond oil, or vegetable glycerin

Step 1 Fill soap about 1/4 of the bottle

Step 2 Put 10-20 drops essential oil – I used Tea Tree Oil and Lavender Oil

Step 3 Fill the rest of the way with distilled water

And DONE!

Oh, thank you for asking.

The structure in the background of my picture is the home of our

lovely little chicks!

In a few months we will have lots of

lovely little organic, free-range EGGS!

Thank you Girls!!!

HAVE A HAPPY HEALTHY DAY!

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http://www.ashleybensonfitness.com/diy/diy-foam-hand-soap/

Bye-Bye Fat: Weight Lifting for Beginners

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I just had a conversation this morning with one of my personal training clients about muscle. She said, “The scale doesn’t seem to be moving, but my clothes are fitting better and my body feels tighter.” That’s great! Forget the scale and let those clothes encourage you! Ladies, you have to believe me:

MUSCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT!!!

In fact, MUSCLE BURNS FAT!!!

photo credit

It’s true, in order to say good-bye to unwanted fat, you need to be lifting weights. It will REDESIGN and RESHAPE your body 🙂

HERE is a blog I wrote about strength training for WOMEN.
Take a look!

Please let me know if you have questions.

Now go lift something today!!!

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DIY MICROWAVE CLEANER

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I’m sure you are very busy today,

so I will keep this short and sweet:

1. Fill a microwave safe bowl full of white vinegar and 15 drops of tea tree essential oil (or another oil you choose).

2. Heat for about 2 minutes. There will be steam.

3. Wait about 3 minutes and then wipe down the walls with a clean cloth or sponge. Be careful not to burn yourself with the hot vinegar bowl when taking it out.

The end.

Easy to do while you are washing out our dinner dishes tonight!

HAVE A HAPPY HEALTHY DAY!

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http://www.ashleybensonfitness.com/diy/diy-microwave-cleaner/

Ashley Benson Fitness

fitness for the modern body

SMOOTHIE SHOPPING LIST… for all the WOC kids :)

HAPPY FATHERS DAY [For My Dad]

DIY GLASS/MIRROR CLEANER

PILATES FOR RUNNERS

Pilates Photo Shoot with Jene’

DIY DUSTING SPRAY

DIY OVEN CLEANER

DIY Foam Hand Soap!

Bye-Bye Fat: Weight Lifting for Beginners

DIY MICROWAVE CLEANER