I am not a big fan of peanut butter. I find it sticky and thick and very hard to swallow. It’s really only enjoyable to me encased within the chocolaty confines of a Reese’s cup. My family on the other hand, is a regular consumer. My daughter likes it with bread and jelly. The boys, who are a little less refined, eat it straight from the jar.

A few weeks ago, on the sage advice of my husband’s guru, Tim Ferriss, he brought home almond butter as an alternative to our trusty Creamy Jif. Before this switcheroo I had not given much thought to peanut butter in a health capacity because again, I’m not a fan. After comparing the nutritional value of both, our family’s switch to almond butter has become permanent.

At first glance the nutritional stats of peanut and almond butter may look the same. They both are rich in calories, have about the same grams of protein but what’s inside is very different. For example, almond butter has 25% more vitamin E than peanut butter, 3% more iron and 7% more calcium. It also contains more magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and antioxidants.

As for the fat, almond butter contains 50% more monounsaturated fats and 25% less saturated fats, which certainly makes it healthier. Additionally, almond butter is less toxic and allergenic than peanut butter. But the main reason the switch was made? Peanut butter is considered to be acidic while almond butter is alkaline. Alkaline foods speed up the metabolism, prevent diseases and increase the energy levels.

Now there are 3 of us standing in the kitchen licking spoons of creamy almond butter. Great.

Written by Lea Barlow • 1 Comment

January and February is like the fashion graveyard. All the old winter styles are hanging sadly on the racks and new spring styles are barely making an appearance. I have always found shopping in these months to be depressing and frustrating. One bright spot out there right now is the blouse. It is an ideal Spring transition piece. Very flowy and romantic. Here are a few different ways you can wear it…

The Classic Blouse

A slightly tailored white blouse tucked into a perfect pair of jeans is one of my all-time favorite looks. Unfortunately because my torso is 5 feet long, it is also a very difficult look for me to pull off. It takes a higher waisted jean and a very long blouse to make it work for me. But the majority of you are probably not as tall standing as you are sitting so go forth and make this look happen. Do it for those of us who can’t.

The Casual Blouse

This is a perfect everyday look for moms. An ensemble that is sheer, chic and simple to pull together. Pair it with a matching bandeau or cami and head your fabulous self on over to the parent coffee.

The Sexy Blouse

Now this is a look I can totally rock. Let the blouse hang loose over your skinny jeans. Don’t be scared of the slightly oversized fit. It’s sexy. To top the look off, pull your hair back into a ponytail to accentuate your neckline and wear some fierce peep-toe heels. If you have the urge to cinch, don’t use a belt. Instead, tuck into a high-waisted pencil skirt or work trouser.

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment

You may have noticed that I have been a tad obsessed with ballet lately. Between seeing Black Swan and enrolling both kiddos in class I can’t stop thinking about how beautiful the art of ballet truly is. So much so that I have actually decided to start taking an adult beginners class. Honestly, I’m a little freaked but really excited to try something new. To prep myself for class next month I am focusing on 4 key exercises from Mary Helen Bowers. Each of which she incorporated into Natalie Portman’s workout routine in preparation for her movie role. These are perfect exercises to do when the house is quiet with sleeping babies. Make it a little more fun by buying yourself a leotard at your local dance store. There is something about twirling around the house in dance clothes that makes me feel very young again. Give it a try.

Lengthening the Body

Begin the exercise by lying on your back and bringing your leg above you, pulling the ankle gently toward your head. Work toward stretching your knee all the way straight over time. Change legs.

Abdominal Work

Core strength is essential to maintain balance. For a ballerina, balance is everything. To begin this exercise, lie on your back with your knees slightly bent and the arms open wide in second position. Lift the body up, contracting the abs as you close the arms to first position—a wide yet graceful circle with the hands—just above the abdomen. Pull the stomach in, closing and opening the arms as you lift up and lower. Repeat 30 times.

Tight & Toned Tush

Begin on your hands and knees and make sure you have plenty of cushion underneath. Bring one knee into your chest and then extend the leg straight back, into arabesque. Stretch the knee all the way and be sure to pull in through your stomach. Repeat 30 times, then change legs.

Upper-body

Sitting down on the mat, extend your legs out straight and place your hands just behind your hips, with the fingers facing the outer edge of the mat. Lift your hips off the mat as you stretch the elbows, keeping your chest open and your neck long. Pull your stomach in tight and then bend the elbows slightly. Repeat this 30 times.

Written by Lea Barlow • 3 Comments

With award season upon us I felt it time to address the abundance of cleavage that never fails to steal the show on the red carpet. So many starlets get it wrong. It is a pretty simple and age-old rule to remember. To look younger – LIFT & SEPARATE. To look old – squash the puppies together to create a 6 inch cleavage line. Here are some examples of ‘Hot’ and ‘Not’…

HOT.

Eva Longoria’s cleavage is absolute perfection. Sexy without being too overwhelming.

NOT.

To be fair, Christina Hendricks does have massive breasts but this is just ridiculous. Tip – if you are going to attempt this look please at least get a spray tan. No one likes looking at blue veins.

HOT.

You want to leave something to the imagination. Lea Michele gets it right.

NOT.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Salma Hayek’s curves but her cleavage in this dress is way too distracting. Here is how to tastefully display your larger assets…

Super HOT.

Va-va-voom. Sofia Vergara scores in this dress by limiting the cleavage line and using her long locks as a little distraction from the girls.

Written by Lea Barlow • 1 Comment