About a year ago, I took a running class with my boyfriend at a local fitness studio. The class incorporated interval training. As a fitness

Motivation... Willpower... Confidence... I recently posted this photo to my Instagram page. Once in a while, I like to post a quote or photo with an inspirational message. This quote really stuck out to me: "Old ways won't open new doors." I've learned this lesson time and time again in my life. Not only has this concept played a huge role in my personal fitness and nutrition habits, but it has also proved true in my personal life. We all have challenges in our life; however

Happy Labor Day loves! Hope you all had an exciting and relaxing weekend. As you may already know, I do a LOT of writing. From my work with Elite Daily to freelancing, writing about health and wellness is a huge passion of mine. I recently collaborated with my church to start writing a monthly column in their newsletter! Since our church has a 5K coming up in October, I thought what better topic to write about than preparing for your first 5K. There are so many opportunities

August is back-to-school time for all of you college students! I loved my undergraduate years, and I learned a lot about my health while in college. During my freshman year, I made a ton of friends and focused a lot building my new social life at school. I joined various organizations on campus and enjoyed my newfound independence. It took a while for me to balance school, friends, and my health. I got into a healthy routine and made a commitment to bettering my mind, body, a

I recently posted a Facebook Live video and an Instagram post that showcased my favorite ab circuit. After a run or spin workout, I like to get in a quick ab circuit to help balance out my body and enhance my core strength. This ab circuit is less than 10 minutes. In the Instagram video, I'm using an ab mat to support my lower back. I'm also using a 10-pound medicine ball here; you can try this circuit without any weight, and then slowly add either a weighted medicine ball or

Hi loves! Welcome back to the blog. Today, I'm sharing my personal experience on starting my own blog and brand. Ever since I started this blog in 2014, I have been amazed at the fulfillment that Stef Health Tips® has given me. More importantly, I'm very humbled by the positive impact it has had on all of you! There have been ups and downs, failures and successes, and lots of amazing moments with this blog. Not only have I enhanced my personal knowledge of health and nutritio

Memorial Day Weekend is right around the corner! This is a beautiful weekend of honoring those who have served our country. As the unofficial start to the summer, this weekend brings friends and family together. If you are trying to stay fit and focus on nutrition, the classic Memorial Day Barbecue can be a bit overwhelming. I recently wrote a piece for Anton Newspapers that provides some simple strategies to tackling the Memorial Day Barbecue. Here is an excerpt from the art

This week, I'm focusing on nutrition and your child. I recently wrote a piece for Anton Newspapers in my monthly column, Choosing Health. The piece focused on practical solutions to getting children interested in health and nutrition. It also includes information from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services on the recommended caloric guidelines for children of different ages and gender. The article is available in print issues April 6 - April 12, 2016. It is also avail

My latest article takes a humorous twist on the typical gym experience. Here is a short snippet from the article: The gym is your sacred time; you have one hour to yourself during your entire day, and no one is taking that away from you! You lace up your sneakers, put on your best workout outfit, and head to the gym with your favorite workout music blasting. As you walk into the gym, you hear the all-too-familiar grunting coming from the lifting area. When you try to make you

Happy Monday loves! This is my last resolution article for 2016, I swear! :) I'm evidently very passionate about nutrition and fitness, but I'm even more passionate about helping you set practical goals to nourish your wellbeing. However, it's easy to forget about finances and reality in the midst of planning our lavish health goals. For those of you that are new to the site, thanks for visiting! I do a lot of work as a Freelance Writer and Columnist, and many of my articles

The old saying is certainly true: you are what you eat! All of your hard work at the gym can’t overcome a bad diet. If you’re putting in the time and the effort to exercise, you want to see results! Good nutrition that compliments a steady workout regimen is the key. Fitness and nutrition go hand-in-hand when it comes to building the body of your dreams. But what if you’re looking for certain results? Maybe you’re interested in gaining some muscle and bulking up your body, or

Sometimes, it takes one short moment to completely change your life. In the blink of an eye, one simple experience can inspire and motivate you. Us workout fanatics have these moments every single day. Fitness gives us life; it helps us break through our physical and emotional barriers, and excel our bodies towards peak health. Nothing is more empowering than an amazing workout. An Indoor Cycling class is 45 minutes of non-stop inspiration and hard work. You challenge your he

You spent all of Spring and Summer working on that bikini body. You felt amazing sporting your toned physique around the beach and loved feeling confident in your bikini. Then Fall comes around… Countless workout guides, weight loss plans, and motivational quote stickies pile up with dust as the colder seasons approach. Your time at the gym is now replaced by waiting on line at Starbucks for a Pumpkin Spice Latté. After all of your hard work to get your body into peak shape,

Who else has been loving Instagram lately?! I love exploring this amazing social media platform, and countless Instagram accounts are packed with motivational pictures and quotes. Fitness gurus have taken a liking to IG as well, posting inspiring pictures to get us off the couch and to the gym. I compiled my personal favorite fitness gurus to follow on IG for major motivation. Here is the official list! 1. Kayla Itsines 2. Tara Stiles 3. Chris And Heidi Powell 4. Tracy Anders

Let’s start by exploring this common workout scenario… You make time during your busy day to go to the gym, do the same boring workout routine that you did in college, and see minimal results. We have all been there; that workout rut, where it seems like all the blood, sweat, and Lululemon pants were for nothing. If you’re tired, bored, or just not seeing the results you want with your current workout, there is still hope! A simple workout principle among the CrossFit communi

My boyfriend, Polydoros, and I are always looking for healthy date spots in the city. We spend so much time eating healthy, working out regularly, and leading a fit lifestyle, that it's a shame to throw it all away on date night. I've compiled our favorite date activities to do in NYC in my latest guest blog post for City Girl Bites! Hopefully you'll find something you like to take your boo out to ;) Read the full post here: http://citygirlbites.com/blog/archives/11828 What o

Photo Credit: Will Toms We are back with our Blogger Of The Month series! This month, we are featuring my longtime friend, Abu Fofanah. Abu and I met in college at Penn State, and became friends instantly. He is, without a doubt, one of the most hardworking and driven people I know. As an athlete, entrepeaneur, intellectual, supporter, and friend, he does it all. His outlook on life, and many achievements, made him the perfect candidate to feature as the Stef Health Tips Augu

Traveling... who doesn't love exploring and experiencing different parts of this beautiful world! But those exciting nights out and delicious dinners don't have to derail your healthy efforts. Not only do I advocate keeping up with your healthy habits while on vacation, but I also think feeling good has a lot to do with looking good! I combined my love for nutrition and beauty in my latest article, 9 Tips For Traveling Fit And In Style! This article has relevant, fun, and use

June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. As promised, here is my follow-up article to the Alzheimer's research post! Your brain is your most powerful muscle. In my latest Elite Daily article, I highlighted 40 small changes you can make in your daily routine to keep your brain in shape. Read the article here: http://elitedaily.com/life/ways-keep-brain-in-shape/1084459/ Xoxo, Stefani *This article was originally published on Elite Daily. #brain #research #elitedaily #well

You're exercising regularly, making an effort to push hard at the gym, and focusing on good nutrition. You are putting all of this effort into getting fit and strong, but see no improvements, and you can't seem to reach your fitness goals. This has all happened to us at one time or another. We dedicate our time to making healthy efforts, only to be disappointed with a lack of results. First off, just because you don't see physical improvements does not mean that your body isn