Hi friends – happy Friday! I’ve got something special for you today… a foodie feature of the one and only Lee Hersh of Fit Foodie Finds. I adore Lee’s beautiful blog. It just underwent a fabulous face lift, too, might I add. Anyway, Lee posts stunning, healthy (often gluten-free) recipes and challenging workouts, alongside a portion of posts about her life as a health-conscious, 20-something, mid-western girl.

Miss Lee and I decided to do a blog post switcheroo today (be sure to stop by FFF for my post today!) by interviewing each other with a few questions of our own. Lee and I have a lot in common, including the fact that we are both recent college graduates who have entered the career world of health promotion. I decided to ask Lee a handful of questions about how she maintains her healthy lifestyle as a newbie in the “real world.”

1. How have your healthy lifestyle habits changed from when you were a college student to now, a full-time working girl?

My daily habits have definitely shifted from college life to work life, but my “healthy habits” have pretty much stayed the same (with minor changes). When I was in college at the University of Minnesota, I walked a minimum of 4 miles each day to and from class. On top of that, I also exercised daily (run, yoga, group fit, etc.). I’d say I had a pretty good routine down.

As for my nutrition… At the time, I was grocery shopping for one, so meal prep was a bit more monotonous. Most days I would be gone from 10AM until 8PM, so I made sure to pack a lunch and a dinner to reduce costs. Today, I have a full-time job (which obviously means I have an income) and I shop for two (my boyfriend and I). The foods I eat today are much more diverse, which is a good thing in my opinion. Still healthy as can be, just more choices! I can honestly say that I do not do as good of a job packing my lunch and dinner as I did in college because money is no longer the issue. While I am mindful of the amount I eat out and spend on groceries, it is not as critical if I go for a spur of the moment lunch with a few co-workers.

As for exercise these days, I do much less walking. I try to make sure to get up from my desk every so often (go talk to someone rather than email), but it’s just not the same as walking 4+ miles a day! I have continued to exercise each day, mixing yoga, strength training, and running (see question #2).

2. How do you fit exercise into your busy 9am-5pm lifestyle?

This is easy, I work for a fitness company! I work in the marketing and branding department at the Anytime Fitness Corporate Offices. While my job is considered a “desk job”, my company culture is extremely “healthy.” We are encouraged to get our workout in during the day and even the CEO does it! We have a gym inside of our corporate office, so it makes for an easy lunch time workout. Furthermore, I teach yoga sculpt 4-5 days each week, one of which is at the Anytime Fitness Corporate Headquarters (during lunch). The other times I teach are either at 6AM (yikes!) or at 5:00PM right after work :) Blake has recently gotten into yoga, so sometimes after dinner, we will go to a vinyasa class together; it’s a great way to wind down the day!

3. What have you learned are the secrets to maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle with a (mostly) sedentary job? 

The secret is to be surrounded by people who also participate in a similar lifestyle. I rarely workout alone at work, and I like it that way. I like having a partner in crime at the gym or studio because it is not only motivating, but it is fun. Another secret is my online community. I have so many “virtual” friends who support and practice my very same lifestyle. I should definitely give my blog some credit for keeping up my healthy habits. FFF is one of the best accountability partners a girl could have!

4. What are your go-to, favorite weekday breakfasts and/or other meals/snacks?

We will start with breakfast. My go-to breakfast is hands down oatmeal! I pretty much eat the same exact breakfast every day because: 1. I love it 2. It’s easy 3. It’s inexpensive 4. It keeps me full and 5. I love it. Oatmeal + Banana + Nut Butter (any kind!). Other go-to snacks that I keep at the office are nuts, cheese sticks, and kefir. I have also been on a smoothie kick including ingredients such as: frozen berries, almond milk, Designer Whey Protein Powder, and nut butter. (I’ve got myself drooling over here.)

Last – I love making my own energy bars and balls. I like that I can monitor what ingredients I am eating. Most bars have 20+ ingredients, where mine have 4-5. They are not only mouth watering, but cost effective, too!

Side Note: Check out Lee’s amazing recipes, including her energy bars and bites!

5. Weekend meal prep – yay or nay? Suggestions/tips for stocking a healthy kitchen for a busy work week?

I go in waves of meal prep. I either do it or I don’t. When I do do it, I am extremely thankful because it saves so much time! I am a meat eater, so I usually bake or grill 5-6 chicken breasts (or any other kind of meat) on a Sunday night along with cooking 5-6 servings of a whole grain (brown rice, quinoa, etc.). I prefer to eat my veggies fresh, so cooking those, I do the day of. As for prepping my lunch throughout the week… I am a definite lunch time salad eater! I make sure to prep my “toppings” on the weekend, so it is easy to assemble the morning of.

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Have a wonderful weekend!!