Land of the free because of the BRAVE! <3

Happy Almost Fourth of July my Sweet, Sweet Friends!

Fourth of July is my FAVORITE holiday. And for a multitude of reasons. My heart bleeds red, white and blue. My love for the United States is endless. I still to this day, feel emotional during the playing of the National Anthem and I feel joyful seeing an American Flag billowing strong in the wind.

When you come from a family filled with generation after generation of Veterans you begin to see the world in a new light. You understand what freedom means and that it comes at a heavy price. Countless brave men and women have paid the ultimate sacrifice in laying down their lives for our country and many continue to serve. Many will not be with their families today. I ask that you would please keep them in your hearts and find gratitude in today. <3

If you know me you know that I do not like holidays. In fact, I dread them- which is a whole other topic. But I LOVE Fourth of July for what it celebrates and how casual the event is. It is a "come as you are". Or more so, we all come together as we are to celebrate in unity our love for our beautiful country. There is no drama, no stress for everything to be perfect, no gift-giving. Its whatever you want it to be. Maybe being outside, enjoying BBQ and watermelon. Or hanging out at the pool or going to a baseball game. Or watching fireworks barefoot with those you love. It's "Oh beautiful for spacious skies" and "this land is my land, this land is your land" and "Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there" and "I am proud to be an America where at least I know I'm free". It is a time when we put aside our differences, no matter how big or small they are, and celebrate that WE are American.

So what will I be doing this Fourth?

Well, unfortunately I won't have the day off to celebrate in full-effect but as long as I see red, white, and blue everywhere and hear the National Anthem, I will be happy :)

But I wanted to share with you some festive yet healthy munchies. For the most part, typical Fourth of July foods can be made healthy, especially is you are grilling. But what about the sweet treats? I've got you covered!

All of these ideas came from Pinterest and they all contain similar ingredients.

Breakfast Parfaits:

How easy? Layer your favorite granola, Greek yogurt, and some berries. Be mindful of the sugar content in both your granola and yogurt. But this is a great idea packed with protein, lower in carbs, and some healthy fats.

American Flag Fruit Tray

How cute is this! I love the idea of using yogurt covered pretzels instead of bananas as bananas change color if left out for awhile. Quick and easy!

Fruit Kebabs

Another festive way to present your fruit. Just skewer your blueberries and use a cookie-cutter to create stars out of watermelon. Adorable!

Red, White and Blue Pops

These look so refreshing! Pour coconut water into a Popsicle mold and add red and blue fruit. Add your Popsicle sticks and freeze. Kids would love these!

Red, White and Blue Jello Sliders!

Look how creative these are! Use sugar-free red and blue flavored Jello or regular is you prefer (I am not a big fan of artificial sweeteners). Use cool whip for the white layer and top with a raspberry. Adorable!

What if I want to indulge?

Holidays only come once a year and we never know if this is going to be the last holiday we will experience of share with our loved ones. If you are not prepping for something serious, like a show, and you want to indulge a little, I say go for it. If not eating everything around you is going to make you miserable or too stressed to even attend, breathe. Its OK to have a treat every once in awhile. Remember food is FUEL. Enjoy yourself, mindfully, and then put in some work at the gym. Do a HIIT session or a leg workout. You have to live in your convictions. If you want to eat that donut with red, white, and blue sprinkles and you do, its OK. Accept it and move on. Do NOT feel guilty while eating it or beat yourself up about it afterwards, that is not a healthy mindset.

That's all for today guys. I hope you have a very Happy Fourth of July (safely)! If you go to the gym that day will you be rocking red, white, and blue? I know I will be! :) God bless America. Much love.

-xxoo Britt