5 Paleo Travel Tips: How to eat healthy, real food while traveling

August 6, 2015 by Heather 7 Comments

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links.

Paleo travel tips (5 ways to eat healthy, real food while traveling) #paleo #paleotravel #cleaneating #paleomeals...definitely need this as much as I travel!

I LOVE exploring new places just as much as I love learning about health and wellness!

When I lived in Australia from mid-2010 to mid-2011, I spent most of the year exploring my new home through food. At the time, I avoided gluten and dairy about 80% of the time, but I made exceptions for things I deemed special.

Once my husband and I decided to book a 3-week trip to Australia this summer, I knew I’d need to stay committed to my more restrictive diet (Paleo-ish/low-FODMAP/minus-food-allergies). Before, during, and after our trip, I learned that is very possible to adhere to a Paleo diet while traveling with advanced planning! If you’re traveling soon, I hope what worked for me can offer you some new ideas.

Concerns while traveling

Long before our trip even began, I had a few food-related questions and concerns. Because when you usually a) meal plan like a champ and b) have snacks on hand to avoid getting hangry, you’ve gotta know that there will be diet-safe food available.

1. Traveling from Virginia, USA to Australia is a long journey. The trip to Melbourne included four flights (24 hours), layovers (10-12 hours), and car transit to and from airports. I knew I’d need safe meals and snacks to start the trip on the right foot.
2. Since transitioning to Paleo last summer, we’ve only gone out to eat a few times. It’s been too difficult to find a place where I can enjoy a Paleo, low-FODMAP, and allergy-friendly meal. So we cook at home! However, I knew we didn’t want to cook every meal for three weeks. We were going on vacation after all!
3. Traveling takes you out of your routine (and that’s a good thing). With being on the go so much, however, I wondered if I’d have easy access to safe meals and snacks. Would familiar brands be available or would I need to do some research?

How I stayed on a Paleo diet while traveling

1. Pack paleo-friendly, airplane-friendly snacks.

I don’t know about you, but when I fly, I tend to feel more hungry than usual. Perhaps it’s because I can smell other people’s food. Or maybe I’m just looking for an excuse to snack.

I tend to have a paleo-friendly snack handy at all times, and with 30+ hours of travel time door-to-door, I knew I’d need an ample supply for the flight. What did I bring? Just *ahem* a handful of my favorites.

Thin and crunchy: Organic Green Pea Chips
Chocolate fix with no added sugar: Clif Kit’s Organic bars (I love the Chocolate Walnut and Dark Chocolate Chili)
Full of flavor, 3 ingredients: Larabar, Pecan Pie
Organic, real food bar: Bearded Bros: Radical Raspberry Lemon
Protein + meat fix: Epic’s bars are so satisfying
When you need a little crunch…and pork: Pork Clouds (my new favorite treat!)

I wasn’t allowed to bring meat products into Australia, so I was sure to eat those items on the flight. If you’re traveling internationally, be sure to read the laws and regulations before you pack and fly.

I knew my snack stash would run out quickly, so from day one I kept my eyes open for paleo-friendly snacks in the health food and other specialty shops. Many of the products I’m used to at home weren’t available, but Australia offered MANY of its own substitutions. I read labels carefully, tried new things, found what I liked, and bought a few snacks to pack for the return flight.

2. Pack your own meals.

I’ve seen a handful of people ditch the airline’s meal altogether in favor of a DIY option before, but I’d never tried it myself. This trip was the perfect opportunity! I knew requesting the usual gluten free meal wouldn’t address all of my needs, so we prepared two meals (lunch and dinner).

For previous domestic trips, we’ve prepared a chicken breast or burger patty, as well as a slightly starchy vegetable and non-starchy veggies.

Pack your own paleo-friendly meal for the flight that's airplane carry-on friendly too! Super simple and delicious (and you get to eat when you want....)! — Mixed roasted veggies are paleo and travel friendly.

For our flight to Australia, I packed two plastic (BPA free) containers with grilled veggies, a chicken burger, and roasted carrots. I kept the lunch-designated container in the fridge and the dinner container in the freezer until it was time to head to the first airport. I had lunch fairly quickly due to our schedule, and dinner was thawed by the time I was hungry hours later.

I also packed meals for the return flight home. The day before we left, we visited a couple of shops with healthy, pre-cooked meats and sides, and I enjoyed them during our 14-15 hour flight back to California.

3. Research diet-safe restaurants and read menus carefully.

The first thing I do after deciding to take a trip is to identify places to eat!

I started with one of my favorite foodie websbites Urbanspoon, which I quickly learned is now Zomato. You can search for restaurants around the world based on the type of cuisine and get reviews, photos, menus, and more. Although I found some results in the “Paleo friendly” category, I found that searching for gluten free, vegan, wholefoods, or organic cafes opened up more options – these types of restaurants sometimes had a “Heather-safe” item or two on the menu.

If you need to take extra precautions like I do, be sure to read the menus carefully and contact the restaurants with any questions.

And if you’re like me, you probably look at the restaurant’s Facebook or Instagram accounts to find photos of the dishes that interest you. I followed a few cafes on Instagram for MONTHS before the trip and knew exactly what I wanted to eat ahead of time!

My most popular image on Instagram from the trip

4. Plan meals ahead of time.

Based on the restaurant research, we planned to eat out for lunch each day and stay in for breakfast and dinner at our Airbnb apartment.

For breakfast, I kept it simple and choose to have a smoothie every morning. I found a couple of healthy bulk food shops in Melbourne, so on day one of the trip, I measured out just enough protein powder to last the three weeks.

Paleo meal planning & travel: prepare safe, inexpensive meals when you're not eating out — I bought just enough pea protein powder for morning smoothies.

For dinner, we made burgers or chicken sausages and paired them with mixed veggies and squash/pumpkin soup. The bag of frozen veggies included only low-FODMAP veg and used olive oil instead of a heavily processed oil. The soup came in a bag in the refrigerated section, and the brand I bought was the only one of four or five that was completely safe for me. While we tend to cook from scratch at home, we took a ready-made meal approach to our trip and loved it. Sure, our meals were a bit repetitive, but lunch was our big treat every day.

5. Make access to a kitchen a top priority when booking accommodations.

Making our own breakfast and dinner wouldn’t have been as easy, or in some cases possible, if not for having full access to a full-stocked kitchen.

After enjoying Airbnb throughout our honeymoon in Hawaii, we knew we’d look to the site again for accommodation.

We selected our top picks in both cities, and because we would be sharing the apartment with our prospective hosts, I sent them a message mentioning the dietary restrictions and asking if our food preparation would interfere with their usual routine. Both welcomed us to use their kitchens at any time and set my mind at ease.

Our minds were also set at ease that we had ample space to sleep, cook, and relax for MUCH less than the cost of a hotel room. If you’re new to Airbnb, save $25 on your first reservation (of at least $75) with my Airbnb referral link. You’ll save on your next trip and so will we!

Paleo friendly travel

I hope my experiences help you prepare for your next trip, whether you identify with Paleo, gluten free, or clean eating, or just want to pack your own meals.

What are your favorite tips for keeping your diet safe and healthy on the road? Share them in the comments!

Eating paleo while traveling – our experience in Australia

July 22, 2015 by Heather 4 Comments

For the last year I’ve followed a Paleo and low-FODMAP diet to address numerous food allergies and begin healing my digestive tract. While the restrictions are difficult at times, I still have plenty of ingredients I can combine at home to make healthy, delicious meals.

As much as I’ve come to love cooking, I adore going out for a good meal with my husband, friends, or family. That’s been pretty tricky to do with my long list of foods to avoid, but once we decided to go to Australia, I was determined to find a few safe places to eat during our recent 3-week trip.

A few years ago, I lived in Australia for a year, and I enjoyed the food and cafe culture immensely. I knew this trip would be different (no more gluten or dairy!), but I hoped with Australia’s focus on good, fresh food, I’d be able to follow a paleo diet while traveling with relative ease.

Traveling on a paleo diet in Australia

After not going out to eat for the last year, I was THRILLED that Australia seems to be on board with a Paleo approach to eating. Both Melbourne and Sydney have a few cafes or restaurants with a dedicated Paleo menu. Other cafes that focus on real food (with a whole foods, organic, gluten free, or vegan focus) often offered a Paleo-friendly option or two.

Before we left, I decided to experiment with adding egg and coconut back into my diet. Both ingredients are staples in the Paleo diet, but I had to eliminate both last fall. I knew eating out in Australia would be much easier (and more enjoyable!) if one or both ingredients could be back on the menu.

“Let food by thy medicine” – loved that a brand new cafe in Sydney displayed this quote!

I spent HOURS (literally – I couldn’t even tell you how many) researching for safe places to eat weeks and weeks before the trip. I poured over menus and began following restaurants on Instagram so I could see what their menus looks like. Because, hello, we eat with our eyes first.

With a bit of research and planning, it’s very possible to follow a Paleo diet while traveling. In this post, I’m sharing the yummy dishes I tried in Melbourne and Sydney. In the next post, I’ll share what I did to make adhering to a Paleo diet easier throughout the entire trip!

Eating paleo while traveling in Melbourne, Australia

“Create your own meal” at Palate.
The “create your own meal” menu option allows you to choose one meat and four sides. From a great list of options, I chose slow roasted lamb ragout, grilled tomato with basil, green beans with sesame seeds, citrus infused sweet potato & macadamia mash, and roasted pumpkin with paprika. As delicious and healthy as the meal was (and the lamb was out of this world), clearly, my Instagram skills needed some work.

Choose from a variety of meats and veggies to make your own bowl of goodness at Thr1ve.
We enjoyed Thr1ve so much that we went four or five times during the 3-week trip! My first custom bowl? Raw zucchini noodles, spinach, slow roasted pork with crackling, tomatoes, and sweet potato. Why I loved this place so much? The choose-your-own-ingredients route means your meals is different each time, it’s healthy food delivered to you quickly (perfect while you’re traveling), and the concept is pretty easy to recreate at home (just need to take the time to slow roast pork!).

Eating paleo while traveling in Sydney, Australia

Clearly my Instagram skills were improving by the time we arrived in Sydney.

How pretty is this almond milk mocha at Henley’s Wholefoods at their Alexandria location?!

And their Maca Packed Hotackes (almond meal maca hotcakes, caramelized banana, chocolate nut crumble and coconut yogurt) weren’t bad either. I was so busy devouring the first pancakes I’d had in months that I didn’t even realize I had dunked my hair into the maple syrup until I saw drops of syrup all over my jeans. Oops.

My favorite cafe of the trip? Proteini Cafe. Not only do they want you to LOVE YOUR GUTS (see the photo at the top of this post!), but they served up my favorite overall dish. The “Paleo Stack” features sweet potato and kale hash, pulled pork, poached eggs, grilled tomatoes, grilled asparagus, and olive oil pesto. I love asparagus but I’m not sure if it loves me, so I gave it to Gavin. I also limited the amount of kale I ate to a few bites, as it seems too much bothers me as well.

Gavin’s Cavemans Bowl was also incredibly delicious, especially that turmeric sauce! The bowl includes roasted pumpkin, chicken, spinach, house relish, turmeric sauce, and protein bread.

For dessert (paleo AND vegan friendly), Sadhana Kitchen more than had us covered. With so many options, it was hard to choose just one treat, but my husband and I shared the Banoffee Pie. I thought about getting a treat (or two) to take with us, but I know I would have eaten them within minutes!

More Paleo adventures

Believe it or not, I didn’t take a photo at every place we ate. Or I’d be halfway through a meal before I thought to bring out the phone. And sometimes, you just aren’t happy with your image.

BUT, in case you’re reading this and headed to Australia soon, you might also want to visit Paleo Cafe (their salted caramel hot chocolate was a mug-o-heaven), Patch (my french toast tasted like FRENCH TOAST), Pana Chocolate (you will love their Instagram account), Mr Crackles (skip the bread roll), Tall Timber (Chef Ryan has a must-follow Instagram account), and About Life (dine in or visit the food bar).

If you’re on Instagram, you can follow the HealthyLifeHeather account for healthy food adventures, and if you’re curious about how I adhered to Paleo when I wasn’t dining out, the next post will have you covered!

Eat well, m’dears!

Red, white, and blue 4th of July chia pudding parfait

June 24, 2015 by Heather 2 Comments

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links.

Patriotic red, white, and blue chia pudding parfait -- perfect healthy and festive treat for the 4th of July! (paleo, dairy free, grain free, gluten free) #july4

Red, white, and blue desserts are a staple at 4th of July celebrations.

Growing up, we often made the popular “American flag” cake, decorating a 9×13 cake with blueberries, strawberries, and whipped cream to look like the flag. A time or two, I made a poke cake with red and blue jello. And it was gooood.

But now that I’m paleo-ish for health reasons (and responding poorly to paleo staples like eggs and coconut), I need to find a new patriotic dessert for the 4th of July. Enter chia pudding.

I don’t think I’d tried a chia pudding recipe until last summer, but once I did, I was hooked.

First, chia seeds are all kinds of awesome. They’re often touted for being a nutrition superstar – a good source of fiber, protein, fat, antioxidants and several vitamins and minerals. And while chia seeds are thought of as a superfood with loads of health benefits, I mostly eat them because they seem to work well for my body (happy digestion) and mind (knowing there is a safe treat helps when you’re craving a sweet).

If you buy white chia seeds, chia pudding is (mostly) white. But a 4th of July chia pudding parfait isn’t a parfait without a red and blue layer! I love the late spring/early summer combo of strawberry and rhubarb, so choosing my red was easy. For the blue, I choose some beautiful plump blueberries.

If you’re looking for a healthy, festive dessert for Independence Day this year, add this red, white, and blue chia pudding parfait recipe to your menu!

Patriotic red, white, and blue chia pudding parfait -- perfect healthy and festive treat for the 4th of July! (paleo, dairy free, grain free, gluten free) #july4

I got things going with the blue layer. Add some blueberries, water, and healthy sweetener to a pot. Cook until the berries burst, gently mash, and remove from heat to cool.

Patriotic red, white, and blue chia pudding parfait -- perfect healthy and festive treat for the 4th of July! (paleo, dairy free, grain free, gluten free) #july4

While the blueberries cooled, I prepped the red layer by coring and quartering strawberries and peeling and chopping rhubarb.

I love rhubarb!

Add water and healthy sweetener (I like maple sugar) and fruit to a pan and heat until fruit is (gently) mashable.

Once the fruit layers are cooked and cooled and the chia pudding is made, you can store each layer separately in the fridge until you’re ready to layer and serve — the perfect dessert to make ahead of time! It’s so quick and easy to assemble.

Patriotic red, white, and blue chia pudding parfait -- perfect healthy and festive treat for the 4th of July! (paleo, dairy free, grain free, gluten free) #july4

You can use any dish to serve it in, but I like reusing cute clear containers, like this one that originally contained pink salt.

Patriotic red, white, and blue chia pudding parfait -- perfect healthy and festive treat for the 4th of July! (paleo, dairy free, grain free, gluten free) #july4

I recommend waiting to layer the parfait until you’re ready to serve — unless you’d like a cool swirl effect!

Patriotic red, white, and blue chia pudding parfait -- perfect healthy and festive treat for the 4th of July! (paleo, dairy free, grain free, gluten free) #july4

Red, white, and blue 4th of July chia pudding parfait

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Red, white, and blue 4th of July chia pudding parfait

Author: Heather

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

For the chia pudding:
½ cup chia seeds (I used white seeds)
1.5 cups of non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
Optional – dash of vanilla extract and/or liquid stevia, to taste
For the blueberry layer:
2 cups blueberries
1.5 tablespoons of water
2 tablespoons of sweetener (I used raw, local honey)
squeeze of lemon juice (I used freshly squeezed)
For the strawberry blueberry layer:
¾ cup peeled and diced rhubarb
1¼ cup of cored and quartered strawberries
1.5 tablespoons of water
2 tablespoons of granulated sweetener (I like maple sugar here)
squeeze of lemon or orange juice (I used freshly squeezed)

Instructions

Mix chia seeds and non-dairy milk in bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the chia seeds to absorb some milk and the mixture to thicken. Stir occasionally. You can make this the night or day before and keep in the refrigerator (recommended).
Place blueberries, water, and sweetener in a sauce pan and stir to combine. Cover with lid and heat over medium-low to medium, depending on your pan and stove top. Once blueberries begin to simmer and pop/burst, remove lid, reduce heat, and stir. Allow blueberries to simmer until all blueberries have burst and you can gently mash blueberries. Remove from heat, transfer to glass bowl, add a squeeze of lemon juice if you like, and allow to cool. Once cool, you can store in the refrigerator until you're ready to layer and serve the parfait.
Next, place the peeled and diced rhubarb and the cored and quartered strawberries in a bowl. Sprinkle with granulated sweetener (I used maple sugar but coconut sugar would work well too) and allow to sit for 30 minutes. The sugar will macerate the fruit (i.e., soften, release juices, make them even more awesome).
Add macerated fruit and water to a sauce pan, stir to combine, cover pan, and heat over medium-low to medium heat. Like the blueberries, once the heat begins to break down the berries, remove lid and reduce heat slightly. Stir. Allow to cook until you can mash the rhubarb gently with your spoon, about 10-15 minutes depending on your pan and heat. When done, remove from heat, transfer to glass bowl, add a squeeze of juice, and allow to cool. Once cool, refrigerate if necessary.
When you're ready to layer your parfait, gather all three layers. Spoon either blueberry or strawberry rhubarb layer into clear serving dish of choice to desired amount. Next, divide the chia pudding into 3-4 servings and gently layer on top of fruit compote. Finally, gently spoon remaining fruit layer on top. You may have leftovers of fruit compote depending on the size of your serving dishes.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Depending on the thickness of each layer and your serving dish, the layers may sneak into one another.
Enjoy and celebrate Independence Day!

What’s on your holiday menu this 4th of July? If you make this red, white, and blue chia pudding parfait, let me know in the comments! Happy eating and happy Independence Day!

Patriotic red, white, and blue chia pudding parfait -- perfect healthy and festive treat for the 4th of July! (paleo, dairy free, grain free, gluten free) #july4

Quick paleo breakfast recipe: Paleo breakfast bowl

June 16, 2015 by Heather Leave a Comment

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links.

I don’t know about you, but when I think “breakfast”, I think “bread”.

For most of my life, breakfast involved cereal, oats, sliced bread, muffins, waffles, pancakes, bagels, and granola bars. When I learned about my sensitivity to gluten, I found or made gluten free substitutes for typical bread-based breakfast items. Because breakfast = familiar, comforting carbs.

But what happens when grains are off the table altogether?

When I gave up grains last summer, I created a morning rotation of smoothies, chia pudding, eggs (scrambled, fried, casseroles), and coconut flour muffins. I enjoyed the variety but missed having eggs on toast, gluten free cereal, and goodies made from oats (or oat flour).

And then one day, things got even trickier.

I met with my new integrative medicine doctor to review the results of my allergy test. Allergic to egg yolks. Allergic to egg whites. Allergic to coconut. Shocked.

Eggs and coconut (oil, flour, milk) had been a daily staple during the GAPS diet and my transition to everyday paleo. I had no idea they may have been contributing to my digestive woes, but shortly after removing them (and other offending foods), I started to have some good days.

At first I was at a loss of what to eat for breakfast. After all, before GAPS and paleo, I’d enjoyed eating meals that were gluten free, dairy free, and 90% vegetarian. Since GAPS and paleo meant including significantly more meat into my life, breakfast had been the one meal of the day that I kept meat-free.

Giving up eggs and coconut was the most challenging dietary change I’ve made in the last year, but a few week after receiving the allergy test results, I settled into a breakfast rhythm. For the last 9 months, I’ve prepared what I call my “paleo breakfast bowl” 4 mornings per week. It’s easy to make! And perhaps more importantly, it’s easy to modify. When your food choices are limited, you have to find a way to liven things up.

Quick paleo breakfast recipe: my fave breakfast bowl

My favorite go-to breakfast bowl uses 5 key ingredients with bonus herbs and spices. It’s quick and easy. Let’s get started.

First, I warm 1-2 tablespoons of tallow or leaf lard (bonus: both are from pastured, local sources) in a pan over medium heat until melted.

Next, I add 1/3 of a bag of Whole Foods Mediterranean Blend organic frozen vegetables to the pan. This is the only blend I’ve found where all of the veggies are safe for me and I LOVE it. Although I eat a low FODMAP diet, I seem to tolerate onions quite well. Peas and green beans are considered legumes, but I also do well with small amounts of both, and if Paleo Magazine says peas and green beans are paleo-friendly, I’m not going to argue. Above all, I feel great with this blend of veggies, so it stays!

Once the veggies have been in for a couple of minutes, I add in 3-4 ounces of meat. I choose pre-cooked sausages with little to no sugar (cut into bite-sized pieces below) or use ground meat with no sugar or seasonings. If using raw ground meat, I make sure it’s cooked through before adding additional ingredients.

Once the veggies and sausage are warmed through, I add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of roasted winter squash. I’ve found that roasted squash keeps well in the fridge for several days, so I roast a butternut or acorn squash one night and then use it for four mornings in a row in my breakfast bowl. Add salt (I use and love Himalayan pink salt)
and pepper to taste here, along with any other herbs and spices you enjoy. My go-to add-ins are dried basil and thyme, but I also like sage, paprika, or garlic powder.

I give the squash a minute or two to warm up before adding in a large handful or two of organic spinach. I’ll stir everything together until the spinach is wilted to my liking — about one minute.

Scoop everything into a bowl and you have a breakfast with healthy fat, protein, veggies, carbs, and flavor. Not a bad way to start the day.

I usually add 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder to my breakfast bowl, as it’s anti-inflammatory, aids digestion, and benefits the body in so many ways. I also attempt to hide the 1/4 teaspoon of kelp powder I take daily (doctor’s orders) in my breakfast bowl.

Quick paleo breakfast recipe: Paleo breakfast bowl

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

Quick and easy paleo breakfast bowl

Author: Heather

Serves: 1

Ingredients

1-2 tablespoons cooking fat of choice
½ cup of frozen veggies
3-4 ounces of meat of choice (look at ingredients to avoid added sugar)
¼ to ½ cup cooked winter squash
Salt and pepper, to taste
Herbs and spices of choice, to taste

Instructions

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of cooking fat of choice over medium-low to medium heat, depending on your stovetop and pan.
Add frozen veggies to pan and stir occasionally, cooking until veggies are soft and slightly warmed through. This may take 5-7 minutes.
Add in meat of choice (I like slicing sausages into bite-sized pieces). If using pre-cooked sausage, heat until warmed through. If using raw meat, stir occasionally and cook until no longer pink.
Add in pre-cooked winter squash of choice or cooked sweet potato if you tolerate it.
Add salt, pepper, herbs, and spices of choice. I usually use a pink of salt and papper and ⅛-1/4 teaspoon of herbs or spices.
Once meat is warmed through (or cooked for raw) and veggies and squash are warm, add in a large handful of spinach. Stir until wilted to your liking.
Spoon meat and veggies into bowl. Grab your fork. Enjoy your paleo breakfast bowl.

Ready to make your own breakfast bowl? Share your favorite ingredients and modifications in the comments.

Free workout videos online: 4 of my favorites on YouTube

April 14, 2015 by Heather 2 Comments

4 of my favorite full-body FREE workout videos online -- full length and full of variety!

I’ve enjoyed working out 3-5 times a week for about 15 years, and during this time, I’ve tried different videos, classes, routines, and forms of exercise.

In 2013 and early 2014, I put most of my eggs in one basket — running. By the time I completed my first (and to date, only) half marathon, I needed a break to rehab runner’s knee. I had no interest in the stationary cardio equipment at the gym, so I looked to online workouts for inspiration. And once I found the YouTube channels below, I was hooked.

In fact, I’m so hooked on these free at-home workouts that since starting them, I’ve only used my gym membership for weight lifting! With most of the videos being relatively short, I can’t make the excuse that I don’t have time to incorporate fitness into a packed day. When it’s raining, below freezing, or simply too dark outside, I get to workout at home thanks to my laptop and YouTube. If it wasn’t for lifting, I’d cancel the gym membership!

400+ free workout videos online from FitnessBlender

Have you heard of Fitness Blender? If not, I’ve just made your day.

On the FitnessBlender YouTube channel, husband and wife team Daniel and Kelli have created, recorded, and shared over 400 free videos. They cover everything from a stand-alone warm up, to videos focusing on strengthening and toning specific muscle groups, low-impact body weight interval workouts for beginners, high intensity interval training (HIIT), pilates, and more.

I love choosing the length and difficulty of my workout, and I often string a couple of videos together — it’s so easy to customize based on how I’m feeling and how much time I have any given day. And I’ve been amazed that even though I focus on the low-impact, bodyweight interval workouts, I’ve been able to maintain my weight and see small fitness improvements. I’d love to challenge myself with the more intense workouts, but while I’m working on addressing and healing my digestive health issues, I’ve heard numerous times not to add too much additional physical stress to the body — it’s already going through enough!

These are a few of my favorite Fitness Blender videos:

Quiet Cardio Workout – Low Impact No Bounce Recovery Cardio Workout
At minute 6, Kelli shows you their “quiet burpee”. If I’m ever doing one of their videos that features a regular burpee, I always swap it out for a “quiet” one. This low impact version is still a good workout, and after a few weeks of doing quiet burpees a couple of times a week, I noticed I was able to pick up my speed — improving my fitness without the impact on my knees!

Calorie Burning Low Impact Cardio Workout for Beginners – Recovery Cardio Workout with No Jumping
After the quick warm up, the first exercise is a side jack with punches. Like the burpees, if I encounter regular jumping jacks in any of their videos, I substitute a side jack to protect my joints. If you engage and keep your muscles tense, you’ll still feel it!

Short on time? Try the 8-minute Fat Burning Low Impact Cardio Workout – Easy on the Joints Quiet Cardio Training.

I LOVE this Standing Abs, Crunch Free Ab Workout Routine!

If you prefer abs-on-the-floor workouts, I like this 10 Minute Abs Workout — and I have a few others saved on my Abs playlist.

Indoor walking videos with Jessica Smith

Sometimes all you need is a good walk.

In the spring, summer, and fall, my husband and I go for a walk after dinner several times a week. When the clocks change and evenings become darker and more chilly, we tend to stay indoors. I don’t know about you, but after sitting most of the day at work, it’s difficult to sit all evening too.

One evening I found Jessica Smith’s 30 Minute Sunset Barefoot Walk. The video is fairly dark, but I love the balance of variety and repetition in the routine, and it’s the perfect length when I just need a little extra movement in my day.

After walking to the video several nights a week for a couple of months, I needed a new walking video — thankfully I found Jessica’s 30 Minute Barefoot Fusion Walk. I also use this one in the evenings after work or on the weekends when I want to walk at the beginning or end of the day and include a longer workout somewhere in the middle.

My new favorite walking video is the 12-Minute Fat Burning Power Walk Home Workout. I tried it for the first time yesterday when I was short on time, and I worked up a little sweat! It’s going to be a great addition to the days I work from home, as it’ll get me up and out of the chair and back to the desk in no time.

Create your own Zumba workout at home

I’ve LOVED Zumba for years. After a couple of classes, I bought a pair of dance sneakers (like these), and from time to time I’ve thought about getting certified to teach Zumba.

When I started training for the half marathon, I gave up my Friday morning Zumba class to fit in one of my runs. Somehow, I’ve just never made it back to class.

BUT I can still enjoy Zumba from home. There are hundreds of Zumba routines on YouTube, and I’ve pinned just a few on my Zumba Pinterest board.

To find more Pinterest boards dedicated to Zumba, first do a search on Pinterest for “zumba”. Then, just above the first row of pins you’ll see four options: All Pins, Your Pins, Pinners, and Boards. Choose “Boards” and you’ll have countless boards to explore and routines to repin!

I’ve also recently created a YouTube playlist with Zumba routines. Using a playlist cuts down on the stop-and-start time of watching videos from Pinterest. There are still ads on the YouTube videos of course, but that usually gives me a nice, brief break in between routines.

Improving my running with Yoga with Adriene

I’ve attended one yoga class in my life.

A colleague who was a Bikram yoga devotee encouraged me to join her for a class, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised I did so well in a hot room for 90 minutes. I might have considered making it a routine thing, but the fee to join the studio was more than my gym membership, and I couldn’t justify (or afford) paying for both.

Last fall, however, I made yoga part of my weekly routine. I found the Yoga with Adriene channel on YouTube and immediately loved Adriene’s Yoga for Runners – Warm Up Sequence. The sequence came at just the right time for a 10k. For some reason, I struggled for two weeks before the race with tight muscles, and I wasn’t at my best. Instead of using the video as a warm up to a run, I played it every night, and I felt fantastic afterward. On the morning of the 10k, I woke up feeling like I could run another half marathon.

Since then, I’ve tried a few of Adriene’s other videos. She offered a “30 Days of Yoga” series to kick off 2015, which I think I’ll do in June, once I have more time to commit to 30 consecutive days of yoga. Anyone care to join me in the challenge?!

Free full-body, bodyweight workouts

If you’re looking for workouts you can do for free at home (or anywhere you have internet access), I hope one of my favorites above is new to you! I’m always looking for new videos offering full-body, low-impact, bodyweight exercises, so leave your favorite workouts in the comments below.