BODY BY J.A.

If you’re like me summer is stacked with vacations and events that may challenge your eating regiment. Travel leaves you in a new environment that may shake up your workout routine, leave less time to hit the gym, or leave you with no access to a gym.

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Back in March Amanda Irizarry and I provided an exclusive summertime workout guide in honor of International Women's Day to help you g...

Avocado Pesto Zoodles 

After a long time off I'm back on my meal prep game. Kicked it off with one of my all time favorite recipes, zucchini Noodles, but this time with an extra twist. I took a stab at avocado pesto sauce. I completely winged the recipe and it turn out to be a banger. 

Ingredients: 

1 lb ground turkey or chicken

1 cup spinach

1 large ripe avocado

1/2 c hemp seeds

1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 cloves garlic 

1/2 t...

With summer ending, its time to ditch the beach BBQs, rooftop happy hours, and day parties to get back into your health and fitness routine. Here are some ways that you can avoid the fall blues and fall into a routine to keep you motivated. 

COMMIT 📅// Add your workout to your calendar. Believe it or not, having this reminder can really help to hold you accountable. If you are like me, you will want to be sure everything...

I know many people who workout but hate running. I go through phases where I run more often, but to be honest running long distance gets very boring very quickly unless I am at the beach. Quite frankly I do not have time or patience to drive to the beach (in LA traffic) on a regular basis. So, I do quick sprints and incorporate other moves using the treadmill to maximize my workout on cardio days. This workout focuses on legs!

...

Say you do not have time for the gym before work. As a former consultant, I am the queen of waking up just a few hours before my Monday morning flight and thinking it would be impossible to even think about squeezing in a workout. That's when I put together this quick routine to wake me up, spike my heart rate, and give me some adrenaline for Monday morning travel adventure (aka the Monday morning struggle in the consulting wo...

Living in SoCal, I constantly feel dehydrated. Of course, I strive to drink a gallon of water a day, but in downtown Los Angeles, there are so many other treats that catch my eye! Qwench Juice Bar, located at the corner of 9th and Flower street has become my "go to" spot for fresh juices and smoothies. 

Whether I'm sticking to my usual - Avocado Greens- or branching out to try a new smoothie, I am never disappointed....

It's not everyday you get to workout on a rooftop. And perhaps your gym isn't as fabulous as the rooftop at Speedplay LA in Beverly Hills. However, starting off your weekend with any form of a workout is a great start to boost your energy, and do damage control for all the wine you are going to drink! Here is a list of the top 5 ways to start your weekend:

Exercise! Of course,  I am going to say exercise is a priority at all ti...

I must say I'm OBSESSED with my new spiralizer. I purchased it on Amazon for only $29.99! Tonight I created my very own Shrimp and Pesto Zoodles!

Ingredients:

• 2 zucchinis - spiralized 

• 1 lb shrimp

• 1/4 c shaved parmesan cheese

• 2 tbsp pesto 

• 1 garlic clove 1 tbsp EVOO

• 1 tbsp Mrs. Dash Garlic seasoning 1 tsp black pepper

• 2 tsp garlic salt (optional)

Process:

1. Thaw 1 lb shrimp

2. Season the sh...

Baked chicken is one of my go to meal prep items. Often, people tell me they avoid baked chicken because it gets too dry. However cooking the chicken on a higher temperature for a short period of time will help cook the chicken all the way through without drying it out! Additionally, all the lemon and pepper flavoring in this recipe will make you forget that there is no salt! 

Salt-free Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

...

This upper body workout can be done anywhere! All you need are 2 light weights and a burst of energy. Complete 3 sets of 12 repetitions of the following: 

1. Bicep curls

2. Hammer curls

3. Shoulder blade contractions

4. Front raises

5. Lateral raises

6. Shoulder press

Follow @body.by.ja for more quick easy home workouts!