Keto follow-up: your questions answered

Whoa. Over 500 of you read Monday's post about my results with Keto. For someone who has kind of fallen off of the blogging bandwagon, that's a lot of people! I love that the post struck a chord with you, and that you had questions you wanted answered! I wanted to go over a few of those questions today - again based on the premise of what's worked for me. If you want even more in depth answers, you know what to do: order Simply Keto (it's available on Prime and can be at your door in 2 days)!

Q: Can I have cheat days on Keto? / Is it a lifestyle?

A: Nope. You really, truly cannot cheat. It will knock your body out of Ketosis (read more about that in Simply Keto). For example, we took Easter off and definitely noticed a change in our bodies/results. And that was just ONE day with a few pieces of candy and some potato salad! Honestly, a few sugary foods weren't worth all of the hard work I had put in over the previous four weeks. Bottom line: don't cheat. You won't get the results you want. In fact, you probably won't get any results.

While I hate the word "lifestyle," I think it's more along those lines than a traditional/typical diet.

Q: How is Keto different from Whole 30?

A: Keto is very different from Whole 30. I am a BIG supporter of doing what works for you. Whole 30 is an elimination diet that focuses on helping you identify the foods that do not work for your body. It's a total reset for your insides! It's also not for me, and that's okay. 

Keto might seem counterintuitive after years and years of being told fat is bad. And for transparency's sake, I'm not convinced putting ranch on anything that sits still is totally healthy (lol). But if that means I choose a salad and get excited about it AND lose a little weight, I'm all about it. 

Before you dive in, do your research and discover what might work for you. You might prefer dabbling with Whole 30! 

Q: Can you eat fruit on Keto?

A: Yes! You definitely can, but you have to be smart about it. Fruits (like bananas) tend to be carb heavy. Choose raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries for lower carb choices, but watch your portions. Again, read about this in Simply Keto. I also look at it like this: if the choice is a cookie or a banana, having a banana is the better choice. My ultimate goal is to be happy with my weight and body, so I can get back to noshing those healthy foods, no matter what they are, regularly.  

Q: Do you only eat chicken salad for lunch?

A: No, not necessarily. However, I do LOVE chicken salad, so I tend to gravitate towards it. It's also almost always available on menus for when I go out to lunch. Finally, it also is an easy way to hit protein and fat goals for macros. 

Other great options for lunch that I've found that I love are poke bowls (skip the base all together & double up on the veggies down the line - and the mayo-based dressing), Jimmy John's unwiches, pimento cheese, and burrito bowls (no rice, no beans, but all the cheese). 

At home, I'll make a quick Cesar salad or deli roll-ups (with Simply Keto honey mustard!). 

Q: How did you kick the coke habit?

A: This one was hard for me, but not as bad as I was expecting. I tried the sparkling water thing (gross), so what has worked for me is sticking with water with lemon during the week or water with some form of low-carb flavoring (I like fruit punch Mio). 

And at the end of the day, I look at it like this: if I have extra carbs, I can spend them on wine, and I'd MUCH rather have wine than a coke! 

Q: What are your must-have pantry staples for Keto? 

A: There are a few things that I make absolutely sure to have on hand every week, especially so if creativity strikes, I don't have to run to the store. Our pantry/fridge staples are:

- Bob's Red Mill Blanched Almond Flour

- Bob's Red Miil Coconut Flour 

- Swerve Confectioners Sugar 

- Lily's Chocolate Chips 

- Lily's Sea Salt Chocolate Bar (Found on the candy aisle at Publix for those chocolate cravings that kick in at 3 PM - I have one square!)

- Wright's Bacon - it's the best and worth every $8.99 penny 

- Eggs

- Heavy Cream
- Cream Cheese

- O'Charley's Ranch (always and forever)

- Hothouse Cucumbers (to dip in the ranch, duh) 

- Head of Butter Lettuce (for making "sandwiches") 

Q: What are your favorite Simply Keto recipes? 

A: I love this question because I have so many favorite recipes from the cookbook! Out of respect for the author, I can't give you the recipes themselves, but you can visit her blog or this post for more specifics. Here are my favorite recipes according to each section:

Sauces:

- Honey Mustard
- Easy Alfredo

Breakfasts:

- Sausage Casserole 

- Waffles (these are a pinch dry, so add your favorite sugar-free nut butter & sugar-free syrup) 

Beef/Pork:

- Chili 

- BLT wraps 

- Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Chops

- Bunless Burgers

Chicken:

- Chicken Parmesan

- Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad

- Chicken Cordon Bleu 

- Chicken Bacon Ranch Skewers

- Chicken Alfredo Bowls
- Parmesan Chicken Wings 

Sides:

- Fauxtatoes

- Twice Baked Cauliflower

- Creamed Spinach 

- Zoodles (they sell these ready made at Publix!) 

Desserts:

- Lemon Cheesecakes

- Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

- Brownies (add homemade sugar free whipped cream)

- Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Let me know if you have any other questions! I am happy to keep answering them for you!

I tried Keto for a month...here's what happened

I debated long and hard about whether I was going to share my experience with Keto on the blog, but the reality is, it's been very much a part of my life for the past month, and that's what this blog is all about - my life!

Before I get started, let me reiterate: this is NOT for everyone, and I am absolutely NOT advising anyone to go down this path. I am NOT a doctor (obviously), and I am not an expert (even more obviously), I just wanted to share and document what has worked for me! 

As I've mentioned before, I got really motivated to lose weight immediately after Christmas (like most of the world). I started down a health(ier) path of recipes, incorporating better foods, and eliminating foods that I know send me spiraling. I also started taking a few barre classes each week to get back on a workout schedule.

Three months later, I had not seen any changes on the scale or in how my clothes fit. There's also a better than average chance that while I thought I was eating better, I really wasn't. I needed a fix, and I needed it fast. I kept hearing about people giving the Keto diet a try, and my ears perked-up. These people were talking drastic changes to their bodies and quickly, too. I decided pretty quickly I had nothing to lose other than weight, so why not?

I started by giving a few recipes a try because I know two things about myself:

1. If it doesn't taste good, I'm not going to eat it.
2. If it takes longer than half an hour, I'm not going to make it.

These are my rules for my meals. I want to start dinner at 7, and be watching Jeopardy at 7:30, so I have to find meals that fit within that window. The recipes I tried did.

Next, I ordered the Simply Keto cookbook, read it from cover to cover in a few hours, figured out my macros, bookmarked the recipes I wanted to try, got my husband on board, and planned to start the following Monday, March 5. I haven't looked back since.

Without getting into a ton of details, the Keto diet is a diet consisting of high fat, moderate protein, and low carbs. Like as low as possible. And yes, fruits and vegetables have carbs. A lot of carbs. My personal goal was to stay at 18 carbs, but more often than not, I hovered around 20-22 per day. I quickly discovered that was the amount that worked for me while satiating my appetite and my cravings.

A typical day looked like this:

Pre-Breakfast: Coffee (with half and half, sweetener, MCT oil, and vanilla) or English Breakfast tea with heavy cream

Breakfast: Egg Casserole, Keto Bagel w/cream cheese, or Frittata

Lunch: Chicken Salad (either homemade or from Chicken Salad Chick) with cucumbers and ranch

Dinner: Some recipe from Simply Keto!

Dessert: Keto approved chocolate, brownies, cheesecakes, or cupcakes (yep...)

Notice something? I don't have any snacks because most days, I was completely full sticking to these items alone. The full fat items like cheese, ranch, etc. keep you full!

Yes, I still drink - mostly clear alcohols like my favorite, gin, and soda with excessive amounts of limes. Also wine. Because wine is the elixir of life.

Yes, I still go out to eat. It's actually super easy to eat out on Keto! Any diet that let's me go to a dive and still order chicken wings or a burger is my kind of diet. Oh, and give me all the charcuterie, please.

Yes, I still eat vegetables.

Yes, I occasionally had higher carb food (like popcorn at a soccer game) because I had extra carbs to use...and I wanted the popcorn.

Yes, this diet fit into my lifestyle.

Note: If you're curious about how Keto works, I highly recommend purchasing Simply Keto. Not only does it have all of the science behind the diet in it (which is all about burning fat, not carbs), it also has 100 recipes! 

What did I miss the most?

Mexican. We eat a lot of Mexican food in our house. I'm talking multiple times a week. This is probably why I was spiraling out of control. I miss tortilla chips and queso. A lot.

Fries. I can definitely order a burger without a bun, but man oh man do I miss the fries that come with it.

So what were my results? 

Here are two pictures of Hunter and I for a side-by-side comparison. We've been doing the diet together which has been a HUGE motivator for both of us. The first photo was taken at a black tie wedding on February 24th. The second photo was taken yesterday at Easter (5 weeks in between photos, but just 4 weeks of dieting).

As of Tuesday, April 3, four weeks of being on the Keto diet, I have lost over 7 pounds. My clothes fit noticeably different, and I am noticeably thinner than I was. As a result, I'm going to keep going. I have a few milestones I want to hit (like losing those stubborn 3ish extra pounds), and a few vacations planned. My goal is not to "be keto" forever, but to get to a better place with my weight and slowly start to incorporate healthy carbs and starches (like brown rice and sweet potatoes) while allowing myself to have a hamburger WITH a bun every now and then.

Have you tried Keto or thought about trying it? I'd love to hear what recipes you like or your favorite resources!

How I'm taking control of my health

A friend and health expert recently told me to expect several metabolism shifts over the next few years. He said the first probably happened around 30. The second will happen around 35, and the third around 40. Obviously, there will be/has been several other shifts, but he said these would be the recent history doozies. Even though I'm only 33, I can already see that second shift coming into play.

As you know, over the past few months, I've been toying with healthier choices. I've found some great go-to recipes, I make it a point to eat breakfast and limit alcohol, and I've started a stricter workout routine, too. The reality is that in the past, these changes would have provided me almost immediate noticeable results. Now? Not so much. 

In an effort to learn more about my body and how to effectively meet its needs, I recently submitted a Custom Weight Analysis with Home DNA. For transparency sake, I was sent the kit for free, but I jumped at the opportunity to give it a try. The analysis breaks down your DNA to determine scientifically-based information about foods to eat, effective exercises, and supplements to consider. I can only imagine that I'll have fewer frustrations if I know those things before implementing even more lifestyle changes. 

While I haven't received my results yet, I did receive a sample of what to expect, and my mind was blown. There was so much detail included, and I cannot wait to learn more about my own body and what might work for me. 

Submitting the kit is super simple especially with the step-by-step instructions. Once you register your kit, you simply swab 4 provided cotton swabs on the inside of your cheek, fill out your information, and pop it in the mail. It's as easy as that!

If you're curious about your own Custom Weight Analysis, use the code HW50 to get $50 off of your order. This code will also get you free shipping until 4/30/18! I'll be sure to share more about my own results once I get them back, so stay tuned. 

Healthy Apple "Doughnuts" for Valentine's Day Snacking

As I've mentioned, my house has been on somewhat of a health kick. Or at least our version of a health kick. We haven't been indulging in things like donuts, cupcakes, and cookies in an effort to embrace a healthier January. The plan is to carry it right on into February, too!

However, as we all know, the hard part of February is all of the fun things that happen during that month. We basically kick it off with "the big game" which is followed by Mardi Gras which is promptly followed by Valentine's Day. In an effort not to totally go off the bandwagon, I've been thinking creatively about chocolate-ridden holidays like Valentine's Day, and today, I've got a fun alternative perfect for little kids and kids at heart: healthy apple doughnuts. 

Apples are a staple around here. I keep them for on the go snacking, easy baking, and fun recipes like this one. I love this concept because it's perfect for even the smallest kiddos to get involved. I can see my friends with kids taking these for classroom snacks - you can even skip the added sugar by just cutting the apples into fun shapes.

I used Autumn Glory apples for this recipe because frankly, they're my favorite. These apples have the absolute best flavors with hints of cinnamon and caramel which perfectly compliment the chocolate and white chocolate. They're crisp, sweet, and never mealy. They're especially handy for healthy apple donuts because they're firm enough to hold the shape and the weight of the chocolate and candies. I just love them! 

Want to make healthy apple doughnnuts of your own just in time for Valentine's Day? Here's how you do it:

Healthy Apple "Doughnuts"

You will need:

- 1 Autumn Glory apple

- melting chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet and white) 

- festive sprinkles 

- a variety of heart-shaped cookie cutters

To prepare:

Begin by slicing your apple into 1/4 thick slices. I got about 6 slices out of my apple, but only used the largest 4. 

Next, take an appropriately sized cookie cutter and press it into one of your slices. Find the smallest heart-shaped cookie cutter in the set, and use it to cut the core. 

Pat dry. 

Melt your chocolate in the microwave being careful not to burn it. I like to melt mine in 30 second intervals, stirring vigorously each time. 

Drizzle your chocolate over your heart shapes and sprinkle with festive candles and sprinkles.

Place in the freezer for 5 minutes. 

Allow to sit at room temperature for a minute or two.

Enjoy! 

This post was sponsored by Autumn Glory Apples. All opinions are my own!

Current Favorite Healthy Recipes

Raise your hand if you're on the New Year's Resolutions bandwagon! ::raises hand, too:: 

I'm unashamed to admit that we've embraced the new year around these parts and have jumped head first into healthier habits. I've been sharing a few of our recipes and my goals on IG stories, but I wanted to share some of my favorite recipes over here. 

I don't know about you guys, but after a few weeks of healthy eating, I feel like I get into a recipe rut. Without fail, I'll spend a few hours on Pinterest going through the same recipes over and over again until I finally just throw my hands up. Instead of tossing in the towel, this year, I'm trying to be a little more creative with where I'm getting my recipes. From Instagram to magazines, here are a few of my favorites all in one place, and if you need even more inspiration, this post from last year has other great ideas! 

Breakfast:

Goodful's Southwestern Shakshuka 

We tried this Shakshuka last week, and it. is. phenomenal, and I've been dreaming of it ever since. Shakshuka is typically served with a hearty thick bread, but I didn't miss it at all. In the future I might try it with polenta or grits to give it a little more of a base, but this recipe is next to perfect. 

PaleOMG Mexica Chorizo Frittata 

If you've never made or had a frittata, it's best explained as a quiche without the crust. Healthy muhc? You bet! Upon realizing we purchased a few of the wrong ingredients for this one, we made a few modifications and it turned out fabulous, so I can only imagine how good the OG is. We subbed the chilis for fire roasted tomatoes, and I love how the tomatoes add both color and texture to the inside of the frittata. 

Snack:

Simple Green Smoothies' Morning Fuel Smoothie

Hunter is our Smoothie Maker, and all of his concoctions are so good. He usually follows a recipe by Simple Green Smoothies, and it's a rare day that it's not completely yummy. We use spinach for ours because spinach blends better, and we can use it again for salads later in the week. This recipe includes some of our favorite ingredients like pineapple for sweetness and oranges for zippiness. 

Lunch:

Georgia Peach Weight Watcher's Buffalo Baked Sweet Potatoes 

One of my BFF's, Lauren, has an awesome Weight Watchers Instagram account where she shares her easy, quick recipes. I've been making her Buffalo Baked Sweet Potatoes for lunch, and they've been awesome, especially with the extreme cold temperatures. I subbed chicken for ground turkey here! 

P.S. Here's the recipe for Ranch Lauren suggests: No Crumbs Left's Ranch

Goodful's Strawberry Spinach Poppyseed Salad 

Admittedly, I am not a huge salad eater unless it's drenched in Ranch or Cesar. However, this salad was super yummy and filling. One of the things that I really enjoyed about it was the additions of the strawberries. Strawberry season is about to be in full force, so put this in your back pocket! 

Dinner:

PaleOMG Burger 

We put ours on a bed of arugula and top it with Sir Kensington's Special Sauce. Don't skip the "fried" parsnips. Holy yum. 

Dessert:

PPD's Monster Energy Bites 

I've been making energy bites for years. These are delicious and packed with fun flavors. It's the best way for me to get a little treat and still feel like I'm able to indulge my sweet tooth. 

Current Favorites from Trader Joe's

It comes in waves, but I think I've decided Trader Joe's is pretty much my favorite grocery store. They have serious respect for pumpkin, their frozen food section is on point, and the best guacamole resides on their shelves. 

I used to run into Trader Joe's for freezer staples (like Guiltless Mac and Cheese and waffles), but recently I've been making a point to walk each and every aisle, observing every shelf as I go. As a result, I've found a few must-haves that I can't live without. Today, I'm sharing my current favorite buys from Trader Joe's. Let me know what your favorites are, and if you've tried any of mine for yourself! 

Chile Lime Seasoning Blend

People have been singing the praises of Everything But the Bagel seasoning for months, but I'm currently digging the Chile Lime Seasoning Blend While I am sure this stuff makes a mean taco, I use it a little more unconventionally: a dash in my snack-sized popcorn. My BFF's husband taught us to put Old Bay in our popcorn years ago, and this TJ's addition reminds me of that flavoring...but better! It has a slight kick, but it really makes you feel like you're noshing gourmet popcorn. WIN! 

Butternut Squash Zig-Zags 

So one of the things that I hate doing when it comes to eating healthy is giving something up. Here's the deal (in my non-expert opinion): if you give something up, it's just going to make you want it that much more OR it's not going to be a sustainable decision. Case in point: french fries. I know well and good that I'm never going to give-up fries, and I'm never going to just replace them with sweet potato fries for life. I also know I can't eat them every day, but thanks to Trader Joe's, I can feel like I am eating them every day. The butternut squash zig-zags look like crinkle cut fries, but are 100% butternut squash. I roast them in the oven until they are as crispy as they can get, top them with Trader Joe's veggie chili (yep, it's in a can...), and a little nutritional yeast, and I feel like I'm eating chili cheese fries which is a perfectly acceptable substitute until I can allow my gut to get its hands on the real stuff. 

Pumpkin Chocolate Mousse Cakes

Before you lose your mind, these are not pumpkin flavored. Now that that's out of the way, these little 120 calorie chocolate mouse cakes have a layer of fluffy chocolate cake, followed by a light layer of chocolate mouse, and then covered in a thin layer of orange icing. Does it help they look like tiny baby pumpkins? You bet. Is that why I bought them? You bet. However, this teeny tiny cake is exactly what I need to curb my sweet-tooth during prime Dancing with the Stars time. 

Honorable Mentions/Other Pantry Staples:

Dark Chocolate Covered Raisins (eat 1/4 cup of these daily)

Cauliflower Cheese Pizza (have had it twice in a week)

Plantain Chips (get the ones in the skinny purple bag)

Butternut Squash Ravioli (add pancetta and a little brown butter sauce - NOM)

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese (share this with a friend - lots of calories up in there)

Mid-Year Resolutions with Chobani Simply 100 Crunch

Since beach season is upon us, I feel like everyone is kicking up their healthy routines Let's call it a mid-year resolution. In true mid-year resolution spirit, my friends and I started a little health challenge this week. Here's how it's working for us: 

Every Sunday, each of us decides 1-3 goals for the week. These can be anything that pertains to healthy habits whether that's exercise, food choices, or even hygiene improvements (like taking your makeup off before bed). If we meet our goals for the week, we are awarded a point for the week. The person with the least amount of points at the end of our six week challenge (aka. the loser) hosts a girls' night for the winners. Sounds easy enough, right? 

Well, let's just say that maintaining healthy habits is easier said than done. In an effort to make better decisions about what goes into my body, one of my goals is to incorporate more fruits and vegetables at every meal and adding healthy snack options in between. And y'all, I love to snack. This week, I've been noshing on Chobani Simply 100 Crunch. I picked up three flavors at the store and have been making my way through each one. And to make things even more challenging, Chobani is sharing 100 fun ways to burn 100 calories. Anything that uses shopping to burn calories gets an A in my book. 

I've always loved Chobani's Flips, and the Simply 100 Crunch is a take on that concept except these portions are...you guessed it...100 calories each! Mango Cone Crisp, seen above, reminds me of sorbet in a cone. Dried mango with little waffle cone crunches (ahem, and graham crackers)? Don't mind if I do. 

Have you developed any of your own mid-year resolutions? If so, share them in the comments! Let's support each other!

This post is in partnership with Chobani. 

3 Atlanta Area Hikes

One of the cool things about living in Atlanta is access to some pretty incredible green spaces around town. Beyond our Beltline, there are tons of hikes that are within close proximity to the city. Since I've been trying to get 10,000 steps as often as possible, Hunter and I have been exploring some of the area hikes on the weekends. We've found a few that we loved...and of course, a few that we hated. There are a lot of options out there, but I wanted to share 3 that we're digging: 

1. Lullwater Park - This is probably my favorite hike that we've done. It combined walking through creek beds with paved access around a beautiful lake. There's a small waterfall along with the remnants of an old mill which while filled with graffiti, you can still walk inside and almost imagine what it was like when in use. This hike also boasts a suspension bridge! Just steps from Emory, Lullwater Park is convenient and accessible. 

2. Morningside Nature Preserve: This hike is incredibly close to our home which makes it perfect for a quick afternoon tour. The day we went on this hike it had just rained the day before, so there was mud everywhere, but it had great views of the city and a fun little creek that the hike follows from time to time. Best advice: go after there's been a dry spell. 

3. Sweetwater Creek State Park: We just did this hike this past weekend, and it was definitely a hike! Challenging hills along with a few treacherous patches made this hike enjoyable but difficult. Sweetwater Creek State Park is probably best known for being home to several shots from the Hunger Games trilogy, and if you go, you'll definitely recognize the ruins. I have to say that this hike was a bit too scary for me at parts, but if you're up for an adventure, I recommend it because the views are awesome, and you feel so accomplished when you're done. Oh, and another thing: it's pet friendly, so grab fido and go!

Any other hikes in the area that I should know about? Spill your hiking secrets!

Healthy Recipe Round-Up

The day after Christmas, I started being more regimented about what I was eating. I am cautious to say the word "diet" because that implies that I am restricting myself and denying myself foods when I want them, and that's not what I'm doing at all. Whenever I purposefully restrict, it always backfires (plus 5 new pounds). What I am doing is focusing on listening to what I actually want to eat. Yesterday, that was protein pancakes & a meatless lunch. Two days ago, that was a fabulous one pan meal from Southern Living and avocado toast. Last Sunday, that was donuts for breakfast. I am operating under a "most things in moderation" motto...and y'all, it's working. I am down almost five pounds since Christmas, which is super motivating for me. I can already tell a slight difference in my clothes and WOW do I feel better. I have some little goals in mind, and hopefully I'll reach them! Stay tuned!

I wanted to share with you some of the recipes that I am cooking up that are delicious, easy, and healthier choices! Feel free to modify these as needed; swap a russet for a sweet potato, make a meatless recipe meat-ed. Let me know which ones you try! 

Southern Living One Pan Veggies & Brats 

(I've been using Publix Philly Cheesesteak Chicken Sausage and skipping the buns)

Cookie + Kate Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls

(This is a favorite! I add ground turkey & taco seasoning to change from meatless.)

SkinnyTaste Egg Salad

(I've been topping my Ezekiel bread toast with avocado and then adding this on top for breakfast or lunch!)

Tone It Up Protein Pancakes

(Accidentally on purpose ate these every day this week...and now I have the recipe memorized) 

Healthy Bananas Foster

(Use Noosa Vanilla Bean Yogurt and this is an incredible dessert...or breakfast...or snack!)

Roasted Cabbage

(I made this but skipped the sauce to go with Brats this week. Roasted cabbage will DEFINITELY be a staple in our house from now on)

PopSugar Dijion Potatoes
(These were so good, I made them two days in a row. They're a great way to fill a french fry craving!)

Ten Items to Improve Productivity

It's the middle of the week which means most of us are in a little bit of a midweek slump. If you're struggling to be productive today, I'm bringing you ten items that just might help you make a turn for the better. Some of these items you might already have, and some you might need to pick up. Take a look at the ten items you need to improve productivity in 2016:

1. Water Bottle: Keep a water bottle at your desk (the bigger the better) to keep from having to get up to go back and forth to the kitchen for a glass of H20. A larger water bottle is perfect for this because it allows you to fill up once or twice and be done with it. 

2. Desk Calendar: Closing your tabs or opening up your Google calendar just to see the date is time consuming (and annoying). Pick up a desk calendar for quick glances at the date. I love mine from Karen Adams Designs because it doesn't take up a lot of space (and is beautiful, too!). 

3. Comfortable Headphones: Tune out distractions with a pair of comfortable headphones or earbuds. I never knew what I was missing until I scooped up a pair of over ear Bose headphones. They are so comfortable that I can wear them for hours at a time. 

4. Notepads: Pick up cute notepads as you come across them. I love finding mine in the dollar section at Target or in paper boutiques around town. My fresh list notepad from Matrick and Eve is one of my favorites!

5. Lamp: While it might not seem necessary with overhead lighting, the soft glow of a lamp can be so much more soothing and easier on the eyes. I use mine daily, and it casts the most glorious glow on my desk. 

6. Jawbone: I mentioned earlier that I received a Jawbone Up3 as one of my Christmas gifts. Set reminders on your phone to have your Jawbone buzz slightly at opportune times throughout the day. 

7. File folders: Like notepads, file folders help keep things organized. Since starting my business, I am trying to be dedicated about keeping receipts, invoices, and other paperwork in specific, designated places. Plus, cute file folders can be found just about anywhere (although I've seen some some of the cutest at TJMaxx).

8. External hard drives: Clean up precious computer space with external hard drives. A few hours spent transferring files will be well worth it once you have more space (and zero anxiety about crashing computers). 

9. Colorful pens: If you are a paper calendar kind of gal, colorful pens are your new BFF. Designate certain colors for certain obligations. Pink for meetings, blue for appointments, green for personal events. Your calendar will be so fun you'll actually want to fill it in (and look at it later!).

10. Trays, pencil holders, etc.: Make sure everything on your desk's surface has a home. That means pens and pencils in a holder and stray papers in a tray. Not only will this make your desk cleaner, but you won't be too easily distracted. Just don't forget to clean that tray out from time to time! 

Favorite Healthy Finds from Across the Web

Happy 2016 everyone! I cannot believe it's already time for a new year. I hope you all had a fantastic holiday season sipping cocktails, eating great food, spending time with loved ones, and above all, relaxing. 

As always, a new year means health and fitness is on everyone's mind. While some people roll their eyes at things like resolutions, I happen to think the focus on improving your health is a good thing. In fact, for me personally, I just want to be nicer to my body after all of those yummy sugary foods and beverages from December. Who ever said that was a bad thing? 

Over the past week or so, I've been scouring the web looking for my favorite healthy finds. In today's post, I've rounded up a few of my top health-related sites for you. Take a look:

Best Healthy Eating Sites:

SkinnyTaste - Gina has been my go-to for yummy recipes for years. I'm certain you've seen her pins all over Pinterest, and I have never had a Gina meal that I didn't love. Usually, at least two or three of our meals each week are SkinnyTaste recipes...they're that good!

The Wholesome Bowl - If you haven't seen Amalia's beautiful Instagram, stop what you're doing and follow her. Not only are her creations gorgeous, but they look delicious, too. I've tried a few of her bowl recipes, and I am looking forward to adding more to my arsenal. 

Against All Grain - Danielle is the paleo queen, and while we don't stick to a paleo diet, I love trying paleo recipes. Danielle has many many cookbooks under her belt and a bevy of recipes on her blog. And let's talk about this marshmallow s'more tart she recently posted. Don't mind if I healthily do...

Best Juicing Plan:

Annette Joseph Style - Annette Joseph is a lifestyle expert, cooking extraordinaire, teacher, photo stylist and more. Every January she does a 21 day juice cleanse which she refers to as Juice January. Even though her program started on January 1st, you can still incorporate juices into your daily routine! Check out her site for great recipes. 

Simple Green Smoothies - The Simple Green Smoothie girls are some of my favorite people to follow in Instagram. Their smoothies are DELICIOUS and their feed is beautiful. They just kicked-off their 30 day challenge to incorporate 1 green smoothie per day into your diet. It's a totally do-able feat especially given that they post so many of their recipes on their Instagram. 

Best Inspirational Podcast:

One Part Podcast - I've talked about how much I love Jessica Murnane's One Part Podcast before, so just trust me on this one and subscribe. Jessica interviews some fascinating people (both inside and outside of the blogger/foodie world). The one thing that she always does is have each guest end with a plant-based recipe they want to try! 

Best Online Snacks:

2 Moms in the Raw - Thanks to One Part Podcast, I recently discovered 2 Moms in the Raw. Their granola bars and other snacks are supposed to be incredible (hello chocolate truffles), and I can't wait to scoop some up at my local Whole Foods.  

Perfect Fit Protein - Brought to us by the Tone It Up ladies, Perfect Fit Protein is supposedly some of the healthiest and tastiest proteins around. I ordered some last weekend, and I'll be sure to let you know how it is ASAP! (P.S. it's on sale!) 

Of course, if you need even more inspiration, be sure to follow my Healthy Eating & Motivational Pinterest boards. Lots to see there!  I got a JawboneUp3 for Christmas, and I can actually say that it's helping me be more motivated (yesterday's devotion to Netflix aside). What is helping you stay on top of your game? And if you have other healthy sites you love, please let me know about them in the comments! 

Fabulous Flybarre

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of trying out a Flybarre class at Flywheel Avalon. My friends Cynthia, Luisa, and Monique hosted a fabulous blogger event complete with mimosas, swag, and one heck of a workout. As you all know, I am a Pure Barre enthusiast, but I have to say that Flybarre exceeded my expectations! Plus, I was sore for at least three days after which is a sign of a good workout, right? 

Here are a few things that I loved about Flybarre:

1. You can reserve your mat. This is by far my favorite part of Flybarre. I know it sounds crazy, but I always end up arriving to my PB classes at least 15 minutes early for prime floor real estate. At Flybarre, it's not necessary. You reserve your time and your mat. Love that!

2. The arm workout was no joke. One of the coolest parts of class was the arm workout. It felt more like a hiphop routine than it did anything which was a great way to have a little fun in class, too. 

3. Space is limited which means more attention for you. The Flybarre studio is small. Really small. And while at first I didn't think there would be enough room to really workout, I quickly realized that the small space allowed the instructor to really focus on every person in the room. 

4. No cleaning the equipment yourself. I know, I know, this sounds majorly snobby, but all we had to do when class was over was gather our things and leave. There is a cleaning crew that cleans all of the equipment which means you don't have to do it yourself. Of course, I don't mind cleaning my equipment after other barre classes, but to just get to walk away from class and continue about my day was pretty awesome! 

All in all, while nothing beats my Pure Barre studio, I'd definitely give Flybarre two thumbs way up, and I look forward to attending classes there in the future. Thanks so much to Flywheel Avalon for hosting us. I loved working out with you! 

P.S.  Be sure to visit the blogs of the fabulous ladies above:

Peachtree Roadies / Peaches to Pearls / Casually Chic by Monique / Sensibly Sharp / City Peach / Just Peachy

And, Thanks to Cynthia for providing me with a few of these photos from the event!

Press Together Juices

Detoxing and juicing are all the rage right now. While I definitely haven't taken the juice diet plunge, I am absolutely smitten by green juices. But not just any green juice will do; I crave the Greengo juice by local Atlanta juice company, Press Together. I discovered Press Together a few weeks ago at my Pure Barre studio, and I've been hooked on their Greengo juice ever since. Made with greens but flavored with citrus and jalapeno, this juice acts like a snack and a reboot all at the same time. 

Press Together's juices run the gamut ranging from Yellow for Immune Boosting to Milk & Honey for Hydration (ie. hang-over helper). Aptly named simply by colors, these juices are available at locations in both Kennesaw & Buckhead, and one day I hope to give them all a try. 

Do you juice? Tell me your favorite kind!

  

Natural Beauty Brands

This week I am bringing you a few of my most recent health kicks. While I do try to watch what I eat, workout, and generally take care of myself, I rarely chat about it on the blog, so this week, I am making an effort to tell you a bit about my recent changes. Excited?!

I am definitely not a health nut, but with my work with Julie Bee's as well as my desire to maintain a healthy lifestyle, I've recently started to get more "into" ecofriendly and organic products. There are tons of natural beauty products on the market, all of which I am eager to try. However, recently I've developed a few favorites that I want to share with you today (all thanks to my friends at Fig & Flower). 

Up first: One Love Organics

There are several things that I adore about this brand. For one, they are from right here in Georgia; St. Simons to be exact. For another, their packaging is simple & chic. And finally, I'm absolutely in love with their products. Right now I am using their Chia Whip as my face soap along with the trendy (and awesome) konjac cleansing sponge. My skin has never felt softer or cleaner!

Next: RMS Beauty Coconut Cream

Confession: I've never been one to actually remove my make up before going to bed because I am just too lazy, but this takes off my make-up in one fail swoop. This little pot of heaven smells like the beach and removes make-up like a champ. It's 100% pure coconut oil, and it's worth every affordable penny. I'm sold.

Finally: Holly Beth Organics

I had the pleasure to spend time with Holly Beth this weekend, and she walked me through each of her products. It was such a treat to spend time with her to see just how passionate she is about her work. Her excitement literally radiates from her, but that may be in part due to her glowing skin as a result of her fabulous products. I picked up her Grits & Honey scrub which even the hubby has started to love, and I have been using her Camellia Sunflower Elixir religiously as my moisturizer. Holly Beth's products are made by her hands in Atlanta, and I cannot wait to see the big big things in store for her brand.

As I delve more and more into the organic beauty product realm, I am quickly discovering just how healthy it is for your skin to make the switch. These are just a few of the products that I've tried, but I am itching to give products by Tata Harper (especially this) & others a try too. 

Tell me: Do you have any natural beauty brands that you're loving?