Banana Face Mask

“You are what you eat.”

One of my favorite quotes about nutrition and diet. Did you know that our skin is our largest organ … so technically we are what we put on our skin as well!

That’s why I’m introducing you to one of my favorite (and easiest) at home face mask recipes!

The banana face mask will give your skin a healthy glow, and can be used on any skin type.

Ingredients:

• 1 Organic Banana

• 1 TBSP Organic Orange Juice

• 1 TBSP Organic Honey

Directions:

1. Mash the banana in a bowl.

2. Add in orange juice and honey, mix together.

3. Apply the mask to your face, and leave it on for 15 minutes.

4. Rinse the mask off with warm water.

5. Apply your regular moisturizer.

Halloween Dessert

Halloween is such a sweet time! I love seeing everyone dress up and have fun with the holiday. 

What I’m not crazy about is all the sugar. Sugar is a drug, and has a very strong chemical response in our brains. I’m sure you have all seen this as soon as you (or your kids) have a sweet treat; there’s the sugar rush ad intense energy, followed by a drastic and often sudden sugar crash. 

There tends to be so much sugar surrounding Halloween, so I’m here to offer you a few healthy alternatives!

Tangerine Pumpkins

Ingredients:

• 5 organic tangerines

• 2 sticks of organic celery (with leaves)

Directions:

1. Peel the tangerine, and remove all of the white inner membrane of the peel as you can.

2. Wash an dry the celery, then cut into 2 inch narrow pieces.

3. Place celery inside the peeled tangerines.

4. Use the celery tops as decor, arrange them on the tangerine to look like pumpkin leaves.

Monster Teeth

Ingredients:

• 4 medium size organic granny smith apples

• 1 cup creamy organic peanut butter

• 1 cup yogurt covered goji berries

• 1 TBSP lemon juice

Directions:

1. Cut the apples into 8 sections each.

2. Sprinkle the lemon juice onto each apple slice (prevents it from turning brown).

3. Spread approx. 1 TBSP of peanut butter on beach apple slice.

4. Add approx. 5 goji berries (at an angle) on top of the peanut butter.

5. Place a second peanut butter coated apple on top of the goji berries.

6. Option to secure the apple slices with a tooth pick. 

7. Place in the refrigerator for one hour before serving. 

Banana Ghosts

Ingredients:

• 3 bananas

• 3/4 cup vanilla yogurt

• 12 mini chocolate kisses

• 6 wood popsicle sticks

Directions:

1. Place wax paper over a baking pan. 

2. Peel bananas and cut them in half lengthwise.

3. Insert a popsicle stick into the cut end of each banana, pushing it halfway up.

4. Place the vanilla yogurt in a bowl. 

5. Hold the pops by the wooden stick, and roll each banana in the yogurt to fully coat the outside. 

6. Allow excess to drip back into the bowl.

7. Add 2 mini chocolate kisses to the top of your ghost (push pointy end of kisses into banana) - this will make the eyes of the ghost.

8. Lay all bananas on baking pan, and place in the freezer for 3 hours to allow them to fully firm up.

9. Remove the pops from the freezer, and use a butter knife to remove from the wax paper if needed. 

10. Serve right away!

Jennifer at Springfield College

Over the past 4+ years growing Lean and Green Body® I have created several amazing opportunities for myself and my company. I have been able to check items off my bucket list that I wasn’t sure were even possible! It’s been incredible, and my brand only keeps expanding and growing in the most inspiring ways.

A little back story on my newest (possibly biggest) opportunity yet…

When I was 16 years old I had already decided what I wanted to create for my life, and I wasn’t afraid to go after it.

I wanted to be an Athletic Trainer (sports medicine for those unfamiliar with the title) with a master’s degree and a minor in nutrition. My goal was to not only care for my clients and athletes, but also to educate them. My dream was to attend Springfield College, at that time it was ranked the best Athletic Training program in the country. Thousands of students applied, and only 25 were accepted… and approximately only 12 would graduate the program. These numbers did not deter me, they inspired me.

I connected with Springfield College, not only because it was the best in the country for my field, but because their philosophy was MIND-BODY-SPIRIT. I have connected with this philosophy for decades now, and understand the concept of it far before my time. I wanted to open a business and treat clients & athletes, and honor their mind, body and spirit. I wanted to give my to my community, and help those who are less fortunate. From day one I have always wanted to help people, to be a positive light in their life, and make a difference in their life.

I am proud to say that I have achieved most of what I set out to achieve, pivoting along the way. I not only was accepted early decision to Springfield College, but made dean list every semester. I graduated in the top of my class, with that minor in nutrition I had dreamed about.

I pivoted my dream, and my schooling, towards nutrition after graduation. I have since completed 2 additional nutrition programs. I am currently working on my 4th and “final” nutrition program, and in 2020 I will graduate and be a Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist.

This is all a dream. Every late night, every exam, has led me to this point today.

Today I run a thriving health & wellness business… with the main goal of helping my clients achieve their goals, being a positive light in their life, and making a difference in my greater community. The mission I set out to achieve at 16 years old still holds true today.

In January 2019 I was approached by Springfield College to collaborate with them on a few events. A proud alumni I was delighted to be involved in dinners and events. The biggest opportunity came when the college asked to fly me up to Springfield to give a talk on entrepreneurship, building a successful brand, and pivoting my degree. I was honored! *cue imposter syndrome* This was a dream!

I am excited to announce that I will be flying up to Boston, and will be giving multiple talks over TWO days to various classrooms and groups at Springfield College. I will be the lead speaker at the October 30 Fit Over Forty event, and will be discussing “A holistic approach to living your most balanced life”. One day two I will be speaking to various classrooms on how to pivot your degree and launch a successful company.

This is all still so surreal to me, and much more than my 16 year old self could have dreamed of. My advice to you is simple… find something you love, find a reason, and go for it. It doesn’t matter what the odds are, if you want something bad enough you will find a way to make it happen.

Reach for your dreams, and don’t stop until you get there.

Looking to attend the Fit Over Forty event? Contact Jennifer directly via jennifer@leanandgreenbody.com

Seasonal Produce - October

Here is our monthly list of seasonal produce for Florida!

Avocado

Cucumber

Grapefruit

Mushroom

Orange

Squash

Sweet Corn

Tangerine

Tomato

All data collected from Fresh From Florida® website.

Something NEW at the Mindful Movement Studio

The kids are settled in at school, the summer air has begun to fade leading way to cooler fall temperatures. The time has finally come for you to take time for yourself, even if it’s only 20 minutes per day.

We all have the same 24 hours in the day, and as the years pass our schedules seem to only get more crowded and congested. Running from place to place, over-scheduling ourselves, and yet trying to give to everyone … but ourselves.

Now is your time.

The Mindful Movement Studio has everything you need for your body & mind.

With yoga classes from 20-60 minutes, and a variety of styles, guided meditations to relax the body and calm the mind: these classes are available anytime of day, any where you are in the world.

On YOUR schedule.

We know how precious your time is, and we understand how difficult it can be to make it to your favorite class some days.

We’ve got you covered!

Launching later this Fall - Fitness Classes!!

These fitness classes range from 15-30 minutes in length, and include full body workouts, upper and lower body workouts, cardio bursts, and core specific workouts!

All classes require minimal (if any) equipment and can be done at your home or even in your hotel room when you travel.

The Mindful Movement Studio is compatible with all devices, and only requires WiFi.

What are you waiting for? #JointheMovement today!

WORLD WELLNESS WEEKEND - BEACH YOGA & DETOX SEMINAR

Saturday, September 21, 2019

9:00 AM 11:00 AM

Edgewater Beach Hotel

1901 Gulf Shore Boulevard South, Naples, FL, 34102 (map)

In observation of World Wellness Weekend, join Jennifer Khosla, a mind-body-wellness practitioner, registered yoga instructor and holistic nutrition book author, for a full-hour of yoga on the beach followed by a fresh juice "taste & talk" covering the benefits of juicing. Click here to sign up!

Beach Yoga Retreat - Naples Florida

Naples is ranked as the healthiest and happiest city in the United States!!

Naples was also named the “Best Beach Town in America”. What more could you ask for in a retreat location?

The sun, sand, and beach are all waiting for you.

Our retreat is about more than just yoga, it's about tuning out the busyness of our days and starting to tune into what's inside. It's about creating space - in your body, your mind, and your soul. So you can live your best most powerful life.

How will you create this space? Through guided yoga classes & guided meditations, silent beach walk meditations & prompted journaling exercises.

We will try new things and explore some of the classic landmarks of Olde Naples.

Let go of what is holding you back - create the necessary space, and allow yourself to be open to what is waiting for you.

Beach Yoga Retreat October 17-20 at Edgewater Beach Hotel.

All yoga instructors will receive 10 CEU's with Yoga Alliance. Space is limited, click here to sign up

Each retreat participant will also receive a swag bag valued at over $200-

Summer Skincare Tips

I love summer!! I love the heat, the long beach days, and the sun on my skin. 

In order for me to fully enjoy the summer sun I have to take really good care of my skin. 

My first rule …. Always wear sunscreen! I always wear a minimum of 30 spf on my skin, and if I know I am going to be hanging at the beach I increase it to 50 or 70 spf. I love the sun, but I love my skin more. I try to prevent any skin damage caused by the sun year round, especially living in south Florida, but really bump it up during the summer. 

My next summer skincare rule … always keep your skin hydrated!! This might be my favorite skin care tip. A lot of damage, wrinkles, and signs of aging can be prevented with proper hydration. Just because the air is more humid during the summer doesn’t mean you can skip on hydration … in fact it means its easier for your skin to become dehydrated. Increase your water intake during these hot summer months, if you typically drink 64 oz of water I would recommend increasing that to a minimum of 80 oz of water when you are in the heat. If you are going to be active, playing sports, or spending the day at the beach you may need to increase your water intake even further to prevent dehydration. My favorite glass water bottle that I use on the daily is the Life Factory 16 oz bottle. This water bottle holds 16 oz, and makes it easy to measure how much water I’m drinking. 

I’m obsessed with my morning skincare routine! One aspect of this routine that has made a huge difference in my skin - and helped to keep it hydrated year round - rose water spray! This is the final step of my morning skincare routine every morning. I actually carry the bottle with me throughout the day and will spray it and rehydrate my skin a few times a day. I keep a bottle at my studio, to rehydrate and brighten my skin post workout or yoga flow. I keep a bottle in my travel bag and always spray my face, neck, and décolletage on a flight. 

The rose water spray that I love is the Mario Badescu Facial Spray. 

Grocery Shopping Tips

One year ago this month, our founder Jennifer Khosla, had the opportunity to be interview by the Naples Daily News on how to successfully grocery shop! Check out the video and full article below!

Watch the video by clicking here!

Read the article on the Lean and Green Body® Blog

Read the article on Naples Daily News

Summer Juice/Cocktail Recipe

There is nothing like sitting on the deck barefoot, the sun beating down on your skin with a fresh pressed juice in hand. Watermelon is my favorite fruit of the summer! I think it goes back to when I was a child, and looking forward to slices of cool watermelon after a long day on the water. To this day I love watermelon slices in the summer. 

As an adult, and now a detox queen, I understand the incredible benefits of watermelon. 

• Watermelon is 92% water, so it keeps you hydrated during those hot summer days

• This juicy fruit is high in nutrients, vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Potassium, Magnesium, Vitamins B1, B5 and B6, Carotenoids, and Lycopene

• Improves heart health, and may lower your risk of a heart attack or stroke

• Decreases inflammation in the body

• Relieves muscle soreness, due to the amino acid Citrulline

I love using the extra watermelon after a bbq or gathering to create some fresh pressed juice!

My current favorite watermelon juice recipe is ….

Watermelon Mint Juice

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of watermelon

• 1/4 cup of fresh mint

• 1 inch of fresh ginger (optional)

Directions:

1. Wash all ingredients

2. Run all ingredients through the juicer, and serve over ice!

3. Looking for a healthy cocktail recipe for those long summer night?? Add 1.5 oz of Tito’s Vodka or 1.5 oz of Camarena Tequila to your juice!

4. Enjoy responsibly!

Seasonal Produce - August

Here is our monthly seasonal produce list for August!

It’s a short list this month for Florida.

Avocado

Guava

Mango

Mushroom

Passion Fruit

Peanut

Mindful Movement Studio Fitness Announcement

You may have heard that something BIG is coming for Lean and Green Body®!

Well the rumors are true!! It’s official … I am launching online FITNESS classes through the MINDFUL MOVEMENT STUDIO starting August 2019!

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to expand the MINDFUL MOVEMENT STUDIO.

I currently offer yoga and meditation classes online; 20, 40 and 60 minute options available, as well as 5-10 minute “quickies”. I will now be expanding to 10-30 minute workouts! These are workouts that you can do ANYWHERE with limited (if any) equipment, making this the perfect tool for those movers & shakers with the on the go entrepreneurial lifestyle.

The thing that I personally love about this online studio is the ability for me to take these workouts, yoga classes, and guided meditations, anywhere with me. My husband and I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to travel frequently and I always miss my workouts and yoga classes when I travel. So obviously, I decided I had to create a solution! A solution that was originally designed to fill a void in my life, and I hope it will help fill one in yours as well.

You can login to your MINDFUL MOVEMENT STUDIO account from anywhere in the world (tropical vacation, Alaskan cruise… anywhere with wifi!) any time of day!! That’s what I love most!! It’s a workout or yoga class on YOUR schedule.

I have actually found that I have been using this studio a lot at home recently too! We are in the midst of a move, and the studios in my area don’t always offer classes that fit into my schedule … no problem! I simply login to the MINDFUL MOVEMENT STUDIO, select the type of class (yoga or fitness), select the length of class I want and the difficulty level. It’s that simple!

I have had the opportunity to work on several exciting projects since the start of Lean and Green Body® in 2015 and I have to say this is my most exciting project to date!

To find out more and create your own account click HERE!

Benefits of Yoga

What is yoga?

An ancient practice of breath work and movement. Through yoga, you will become more flexible in the body and the mind.

Benefits of yoga?

Increased flexibility

Increased muscle strength and tone

Improved respiration, energy and vitality

Maintaining a balanced metabolism

Weight reduction

Cardio and circulatory health

Decreases blood pressure

Improved athletic performance

Protection from injury

Perfect your posture

Prevent cartilage and joint breakdown

Protects your spine

Increase in bone health

Drains your lymphs and boosts immunity

Regulates your adrenal glands

Makes you happier

Promotes a healthy lifestyle

Lowers blood sugar

Helps you focus

Improves balance and stability

Relaxes you

Enhances sleep

Prevents IBS and other digestive problems

Benefits your relationship

Who can practice yoga?

EVERYONE

SIGN UP FOR THE MINDFUL MOVEMENT STUDIO HERE

Breakfast Tacos

Looking to mix up your breakfast routine and stay on track at the same time??

I have the solution for you!

Even as a holistic nutritionist, I can only drink so many protein shakes a week, sometimes I want a real outside the box breakfast.

One of my favorite breakfasts for these days are tacos! Believe it or not, I love tacos for breakfast.

When thinking about putting your breakfast together consider the following 4 requirements ….

Protein - Healthy Fat - Fiber - Greens

These four powerhouse food groups will keep you on track, satiated, and ready for a big day ahead!

Here is one of my favorite breakfast taco recipes….

• 2 cage free scrambled eggs {PROTEIN}

• 1/4 cup black beans {FIBER}

• 1/2 avocado {HEALTHY FAT}

• 2 handfuls of spinach {GREENS}

• 2 corn taco shells

• (option to use large lettuce cups instead of shells to save carbs, great for Paleo and Keto diets)

Essential Oils & Cocktails

Essential oils in your every day life — even in your cocktails!

Join Lean and Green Body®’s Julia Szilagyi for a healthy happy hour at the Edgewater Beach Hotel

4:30-6:30p on Wednesday July 3

This is a free community event!

Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

Seasonal Produce - June

Here is our monthly list of seasonal produce available to us in Florida!

Avocado

Cantaloupe

Eggplant

Guava

Lychee

Mango

Mushroom

Orange

Papaya

Passion Fruit

Peanut

Potato

Sweet Corn

Tomato

Watermelon

*according to freshfromflorida.com

Set Yourself Up for a Productive Week Ahead

Sunday is probably my favorite day of the week. For me it’s a time to clear out the previous week, and start fresh. I love starting the week with a clear desk and an organized plan for the week.

I start by clearing off any unnecessary items (distractions) from my desk. Mess and clutter honestly stress me out.

Once my space is clear, I go through my planner (yes, I’m old school and love my paper planner) and make sure all my appointments are scheduled for the week. This allows me a clear vision of what each day will look like, it allows me time to mentally plan and prepare.

I then take tiny post it notes, and schedule out my social media posts for the week. Although it may seem time consuming (one week only takes me about 20 minutes), it saves so much time daily when trying to decide what to post.

Once my office is clean and organized for the week, and Monday’s charts pulled and ready, I move on to the rest of the house. We *try* to always keep our house clean and ready for guests, but Sundays allow for a deeper clean.

This whole process only takes me less than two hours and leaves me feeling fresh and ready for the week. There is nothing worse than waking up on a Monday morning stressed, with a messy house/office, and unsure of what the day holds.

For those of you who have an office outside of the home, you can follow the same in-office routine on a Friday afternoon before you leave for the weekend.

Coming Back From An Injury

Regardless of your sport, an injury is never good news.

Perhaps you heard the crack as your bone snapped before it gave out from under you.

Maybe you pushed your body beyond its limit and it is inflamed and tired.

Conceivably your ego took over, you went beyond your limits only to come crashing down.

After the initial trauma, treatments, and the healing have occurred are you ever ready to go back? Will you be the same athlete you once were?

Do you recognize this “new” body? Can you accept this new version of you?

Doubt clouds your mind, and you begin to question yourself.

If you go back out there will you injure yourself again?

Will your body support you? Will you be able to trust your body?

Are you fully healed enough to play again?

Perhaps the body is healed, but what about the mind? How do you let go of that fear?

Will they see the self doubt in your eyes?

Dozens of questions, and loads of self doubt, run through your mind after sustaining an injury.

Our bodies are strong, amazing machines, and they will heal. Typically, it is our mind that holds us back.

Overcoming the fear and self doubt through mindful meditation is what has helped me heal my body and mind after an injury. Meditation is a powerful tool and is crucial during healing.

My story…

Back bending was always ‘my thing’. I took great pride in my insanely deep backbends and heart openers in my yoga practice. I loved the rush of energy and the purge of emotions; and of course my ego loved the attention when a teacher would ask me to demo.

Even though I played a sport every season, (soccer, track, softball, swimming and tennis) I was never a serious athlete. In fact, I only ever won awards in two of those sports. When I discovered yoga it seemed like a natural fit, my body loved it and seemed to handle the challenging postures with ease and grace. I fell in love with yoga so much so, that I became a yoga teacher, an excellent addition to my personal training and sports medicine background.

November 2017 my world came crashing down on me a bit, as I sustained my first serious injury.

I injured my back during a yoga class, after completing one of my beloved backbends. I felt sharp and uncomfortable pain, almost as if there was a knife between my vertebrae.

For the next several days and weeks my back was out… I was barely able to move. I was not able to stand for long periods of time, and sitting was painfully uncomfortable.

I would bend over to pick up my phone charger off a chair, and I would get stuck halfway down with tears running down my face, literally unable to move as sharp stabbing pain radiating through my back. It was scary and traumatizing.

The insane pain would dissipate, and slowly achy dull pain would take its place. I was unable to practice my yoga, I was unable to run, or lift weights. My job became to heal. I struggled to do my work and see clients.

The pain would slowly fade after 3 months, then I would feel this immense sense of freedom in my body. I would slowly begin to take gentle yoga, then vinyasa, then jogging … easing my body back into its routine. I was cautious, I did not want to go backwards. I couldn’t go back there.

The physical pain was one thing, and I was learning how to adapt my business fitness lifestyle. The mental game was another, this proved much tougher for me to move through and overcome. I felt a loss from not being able to connect to my body and my yoga practice the way I was used to.

This freedom period would last about 4 weeks in the beginning, then I would do something unknowingly and my back would go out again. This pattern went on for over a year. I would be fine for a few weeks, then I would take several steps back into pain and being unable to move. The period of freedom would begin to elongate over the next year, and the pain periods would heal quicker. I saw several different therapist, doctors, acupuncturist and healers all of which had different answers and all medical testing was virtually inconclusive. I still have no definite answers as to the problem. Unfortunately, this is something that I still deal with on a regular basis. The difference now is that I am learning how to listen to my body. I am tuning in to what my body needs instead of pushing through another power yoga class, perhaps choosing a gentle or restorative class instead. I am intuitively learning what my body needs, and accepting that.

Everyone’s journey to healing is different. If you are currently moving through an injury, I see you, don’t give up. Your body will heal, and you will still do great things.

Comment below and tell me about how your healed from an injury.

Edgewater Beach Hotel Book Signing

Join me today at the Edgewater Beach Hotel for a book signing and healthy happy hour 🥂

The event starts at 4:30pm...hope to see you there!

Lean and Green Body’s 20 Rules to Live by

Sweat everyday for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Eat your vegetables.

Drink a minimum of 80 oz of water each day.

Follow the 80/20 rule when it comes to nutrition.

Limit stress.

Meditate daily.

Surround yourself with positive people who lift you up.

Journal everyday.

Wake up 1 hour earlier.

Limit screen time.

Read more.

Travel.

Spend time with family.

Find someone who makes you happy.

Smile.

Follow your dreams, find what truly makes you happy.

Be present.

Be happy everyday, maybe not all day every day … but everyday.

Love yourself.