Yay! It’s Friday!! Annnnnnndddd I have a special blogger to introduce to all of you babes: Paige Burton from the cute site, Healthy Hits the Spot. She’s fab, realistic, & has a super healthy approach to eating. I’ll def be whipping up her frozen banana ‘ice cream’ ASAP. Check it:

+ Tell us about yourself and your blog.

Paige Burton: I love sharing my life, and my journey through achieving a balanced & healthy mindset around eating. Healthy Hits the Spot is mostly focused on what I eat, because my heart is to inspire other women to have a healthy relationship with food, without feeling like they have to count every calorie that goes into their mouth. My motto is “enjoying my calories, not counting them.” I hope to inspire women to love healthy foods, and to not be afraid of eating an avocado because “it has too much fat.”

+ Inspiration to start blogging?

PB: I was inspired to start blogging when I found myself, for the first time in many years, in a healthy relationship with food through seeing a Naturopath and finding my faith. ‘My Story‘ explains my ups & downs in detail. When I finally felt at peace with my eating, I knew I had to share it with the world because I would have wanted someone else to do the same for me. I love this “do unto others as you would have done unto you.” -Golden Rule.

+ Advice for new bloggers?

PB: Start simple and enjoy blogging. I think Tumblr is great place to start! That’s where I started. Once you want to go a bit further and use advertising, then you can get into the more complicated blogging platforms, but let others get to know you first. Plus, Tumblr is a great place to get your name out there!

 + Weekly workout schedule?

PB: I don’t have a set workout schedule. I am always trying to get myself to move around whether it be cleaning my house, doing laundry, taking the stairs, or parking at the opposite end of the parking lot. If I am actually dedicating myself to some exercise, which I do most days, you will find me outside running or in a step class. I occasionally do the ‘Body Works’ classes to get some weights into my routine [ yes, I wish I liked weight lifting more! ].

+ Favie go-to healthy food?

PB: My favorite foods are foods that don’t come in a package. While those are the obvious fruits & veggies, my favorite on the go food is a LARABAR. These have the least amount of ingredients out of anything I’ve witnessed coming from a package, and they are delicious! I discovered these when I was on my way to finding a healthy relationship with food. I was doing a “diet” to reset my mind and taste buds, & boy was it ever successful!

+ Cocktail of choice?

PB: Lemon drop! Sugar on the rim? Yes, please! It’s not worth skippin’!

+ Quick skinny tips or tricks? 

PB: Cut where it doesn’t really matter, but never deprive yourself. For example, if you’re not big on bread, skip it, or just have one piece. You’ll taste more of the insides by doing this anyways! If you’re craving something sweet, but not so much ice cream, blend up some frozen banana with flaxseed in the food processor and enjoy a healthy frozen treat that way! If you’re feeling really adventurous, add some blue berries and unsweetened coconut, or throw one teaspoon of organic PB in the mix!

+ Motivation to stay in shape?

PB: Motivation to stay physically in shape- the way my clothes fit. I like a little wiggle room! Motivation to stay healthy- my attitude! I eat healthy, I have a healthy attitude. I eat like crap, I act like crap. Makes sense since food is what feeds our cells, right? Plus, since I am on my way to becoming a Holistic Health Coach, it would only be right that I would practice what I preach.

+ World’s best beauty product?

PB: Garnier Fructis BB Cream! Yep! Not some $75 dollar face primer. I love this $12.99 tube of miracles. Sometimes when I am in a hurry, I throw some of this on with my mascara & I am set to go. It evens out my skin tone more than anything else. I don’t know what I would do without this stuff!

+ At home natural beauty remedy?

PB: Water + veggie juices! I find that when I stay hydrated, my skin glooooows. And it’s not just juices. The more fruits and veggies I add in, the more I glow.

+ Quick, healthy recipe:

Healthy Pancakes

1/3 cup quick oats

2 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Few shakes o’ cinnamon

Toppings [ I love banana slices or raspberries + walnuts + maple agave syrup ]