The cold weather is almost gone. There isn’t much to complain about when you’re living in the south. Only a couple weeks out of the winter get really cold, but most weeks are mild. It was 17 degrees yesterday, icy over the weekend, but it’s going to be 70 degrees on Friday. AMEN to that. I am trying to get most of my work done by Thursday so I can spend the warm days outside. I have runs, hikes, and fun yard work planned. Did I just say “fun yard work?” Yup, I’m officially old. 
I don’t know what got into me this morning. I was up at 5am, walked the dogs, had coffee, vacuumed, swept, mopped, did laundry, unloaded the dishwasher, and did a thirty minute yoga video. Sometimes I feel like I need to do a burst of chores before sitting down to blog. I have the energy of a five year old and sometimes it comes in handy. Now that all the energy has been released, I’m sitting down with my mug of cheerios to blog about my week 🙂
The boys did not like my morning vacuuming. I covered them because they looked so cute laying there together.
I’m super excited for it to get warmer because…running. It’s been almost a week since I’ve ran more than three miles, but I spent most of the week doing strength training. My Wednesday run was really good. I have 109 days left before my half and it’s time to get serious! I’ve never been more confident and excited. I am going to run three miles tonight, five miles tomorrow night, four miles on Saturday, and a hike on Monday! In-between those workouts, I make sure to strength train, stretch, and use recovery equipment for my muscles.
I bought some food for meal prepping to do today because last week was a bit random. I had a Van’s Gluten Free Waffles
Meighan came over on Thursday night and we organized more of my closet and took the pups for a really long walk. 
We made a chopped salad that had Italian leaf lettuce, goat cheese, bell pepper, hard-boiled egg, red onion, cucumber, and a vinaigrette. We also had Udi’s Pepperoni Gluten Free Pizza
Udi’s Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread
They were so excited for a snow day!
I headed to the grocery store to grab groceries and thank goodness I wasn’t looking for regular bread.
I did find pistachio Halo Top!!!!! & it’s so good. I also made LOADED blueberry muffins!
Since it was going to be cold and snowy all weekend, I decided to make a crockpot chicken soup.
I bought three pounds of chicken breast. I usually make my crockpot chicken soup with a whole chicken, but there were none left at the grocery store. The place was wiped out because of the storm.
This soup had: 3 lbs chicken breast, 2 cups sliced carrots, 4 celery stalks diced, 1 large yellow onion, 4 tablespoons better than bouillon chicken flavor, 2 tsp black pepper, 1 cup frozen peas, 2 tsps sea salt, 5 cups organic chicken broth, 2 cups water, 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic in water, 1/2 cup chopped green on onion, 1 can cannellini beans (drained), 2 tsps garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tablespoon italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon honey. 
Add all the ingredients into the crockpot and turn on high.
Let the soup cook for about three hours.
Remove the chicken breast from the soup and shred with a fork. Add the chicken back to the soup and let it cook on medium heat for four more hours.
I made Ancient Harvest Organic Quinoa Pasta
The soup was so perfect for the cold night! Kyle and I had soup and watched a couple Netflix documentaries.
The meteorologist were going nuts on the local news channel on Friday night. They predicted seven inches of snow, icy roads and a horrible blizzard. I was so excited when I woke up on Saturday morning because I wanted the pups to play in the snow. BUT NOTHING! We had a little ice and that was it.
We waited a bit more in the morning…
AND FINALLY WE HAD SNOWFLAKES! 
It wasn’t much, but it was still fun. Leo loved his first snow experience.
We let the boys run around my backyard and get as dirty as they wanted.
Throwback to Grumples fun snow days!
Leo was eating the snowflakes and I wanted to cry because it was so cute.
I love these doods so much.
After running around in the snow, I headed upstairs to do a bedroom workout. I love that you can do strength training anywhere.
I got cleaned up after my workout so Kyle and I could grab coffee and head to my parents house to say hello.
Not a lot of places were open because of the ice, but luckily the Grapevine at the Riverwalk was open.
We wanted to let the dogs run around and play in the snow some more. They were LOVING their saturday.
When we got back to my place, we warmed up with some chicken soup!
We decided to head uptown for the night. We walked the pups at the park and enjoyed the snowy city.
I had a late night protein shake for dinner.
It had 3 cups spinach, 2 scoops vanilla whey protein (40g protein) 1 banana, 1 cup ice, 1 cup almond milk and 1 cup blueberries! 
We also popped some popcorn and hopped on the couch to watch a movie!
We had a crazy sweet tooth later in the night, so I made toasted marshmallow hot chocolate!
We ended up watching an amazing documentary on Netflix. It’s called Finding Traction and it’s incredibly inspiring. WATCH IT! You’ll make up less excuses for yourself by the end of it.
I was sitting in bed commenting back on my previous post and I saw Kyle bundling up in his coat and gloves. The dogs had already been out, so I asked where he was going. He said he was going to grab me coffee…I don’t know how I got so lucky. He’s the sweetest guy I know. I didn’t want him to walk alone, so I insisted on going with him. I love snowy morning walks in the empty city.
Extreme coffee lovers will go the extra mile for their coffee.
Pre-cofffffffeeee.
We walked to the grocery store after coffee so Kyle could get ingredients for his weekly meals. 
Kyle makes his meals every week and it’s so inspiring. I wish I was half as dedicated.
I met up with Becca later in the afternoon for a workout.
Pre workout: 1 scoop protein powder, half banana, 1 cup spinach, 2 cups water.
We killed our workout and I’m still feeling the pain today. This is a great workout and you can do it pretty much anywhere.
We picked up coffee at Smelly Cat in NoDa after our workout. I didn’t sell myself short on coffee this week.
Becca had been contemplating a tattoo for a while, so we stopped at Charlotte Tattoo in Plaza Midwood. They got her in and helped her come up with an amazing sketch.
It took him a couple hours to get the tattoo ready. I was so hungry, so I walked across the street to grab something to hold me over. I should have had a post-workout snack, but we didn’t expect that tattoo to take that long. We had nothing else to do, so we didn’t mind.
The only gluten-free option at Nova’s Bakery 🙂 & THEY WERE DELISH. 
I got back home around 8pm. I made a quick Udi’s Pepperoni Gluten Free Pizza
When I got home on Sunday night, I found this.
I seriously have the greatest friends! My birthday isn’t until January 31st, but I guess the festivities start early. Thank you so much, Meighan! 🙂
Breakfast yesterday morning: gluten free cinnamon raisin bread with melt spread, coffee and Greek yogurt!
I took both pups for a FREEZING walk later in the afternoon. 
I had leftover chicken soup for dinner and watched the Bachelor.
Ugh….CORRRRRRINNNE! (if you watch, you know what I mean. And I’m kind of glad Liz went home, she was making me feel so uncomfortable.
This week I really like Vanessa, Alexis, Brittany, Rachel, Danielle M, and Raven. Their personalities are starting to show through more!
*post edit* GLUTEN FREE, SAY WHAT?!
*For the past month and a half, I have been gluten free. I’ve been battling endometriosis for about two years now. The pain can be pretty excruciating. Sometimes I don’t even want to leave my house. My doctor recommended a couple options to help with the pain and attempt to resolve endometriosis. He’s had a lot of luck with patients experiencing the same symptoms by having them cut gluten from their diets. I also mentioned in a post a while back about my swollen joints and stomach on some days, so I’ve decided to spend the next couple of months experimenting with how I feel on a 100% gluten free diet. I’m not doing it to “lose weight” simply to get better and I hope it works. I have definitely been feeling different. I have more energy, my moods have changed tremendously, and my knees do not ache during my long runs. It’s still early, so I will continue to see how the progress goes. I definitely don’t recommend going gluten free unless you consult with your doctor first.
Questions for you!
- What do you do on snow days?
- Favorite inspirational documentary?
Have you always eaten gluten free or is this relatively new?
New! 🙂 I added my explanation at the bottom of the blog! xo
We had some gorgeous snow in North Mississippi! We played outside for a few minutes before putting the husband’s truck in 4-wheel drive to go for an icy ride to see the sights around our city (we live right outside Memphis, TN). It was gorgeous.
I made homemade tomato soup–super easy recipe if you want it–and we stayed inside the rest of the day. I got a living room workout in since I couldn’t hit the gym!!
That sounds like so much fun!!!! We used to do that when living in Iowa!
YES I DO WANT YOUR RECIPE because I LOVE tomato soup!
Love that you did a living room workout, too!
Awww, can’t answer the first question because it doesn’t snow where I live in Hong Kong! I’ve only seen snow like… 3 times in my whole life? Haha!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Lol three times is probably all you need! 🙂 It’s fun for the first day!
Girl ..the HALO TOP. I cannot find Pistachio! Luckily though, my Whole Foods just recently started carrying a few of the new flavors. Have you tried the Oatmeal Cookie?
Leo is SO. BIG!
Funny you mention the ‘extra mile’ for coffee. The Chicago Burbs don’t have a lot of local coffee spots.. I stumbled across one a few weeks back about 25 minutes from my house so I’ve been making my husband drive out with me every weekend because I dream of their coffee during the week.
Corinne.. Corinne.. that CAN’T be real right? My favorite moment was when she whined that she got “re interrupted”? And the pool/wedding photo shoot.. I just..can’t. Favorites this week are Raven, Danielle M, and Christen. Alexis is growing on me too.
Snow days in Chicago are for staying inside unless you have fun sledding plans 🙂 We have a new Vinyl Record player and I’ve been loving spending snowy days listening to Christmas music, Johnny Cash, Earth Wind and Fire, Fleetwood Mac, etc. I have all my mom’s old albums 🙂
Enjoy your week!
I couldn’t find it either and it just appeared at Publix! I WAS JUMPING WITH JOY!!!! That is only NEW flavor I’ve had.
Lol that is too funny. I would do the SAME THING. I don’t remember Chicago having a lot of coffee shops in the burbs when I was there either. I did love going to Wheaton!
Lol I ALSO CAN’T with Corrinne! and that rose? such a producer move. I’m still not a fan of Nick. I think he’s boring, can’t hold a conversation, and I CAN’T STAND the way he smiles when he’s nervous. He told the girls he had sex with Liz WHILE SMILING ABOUT IT! JUST STOP!!!! uhghhghghghhghg ok rant over.
Love that you stay in and listen to music!:) I used to make Grumples play in the snow in Chicago!
xo xo
I love your recap posts as always !
Did I miss something about you going GF ?
Thank you!!:) I added my explanation on the bottom of the blog! xo
Did you go gluten free?! I’ve been gluten free for 7 years this March!! You’ll have to share some of your fave GF recipes in the future! 🙂 FYI… Burton’s on Woodlawn has an enormous GF menu, and it’s SO good! It’s safe to say I’ve sniffed out just about every GF menu/restaurant in Charlotte!
I live in Ballantyne and they SWORE we were getting 8 inches… NOTHING.. maybe 1/4 inch and it melted by the late afternoon!! My roomie and I woke up and went to the gym, then came home, poured mimosas, blasted music and did a deep clean of our apartment!! It needed to be done! Sunday, I went to At Home in Pineville to get some new decor for my apartment… so many good finds! Trying to make my apartment more home-y and cozy 🙂
And Leo is almost as big as Grumples!! He’s growing so fast
I’ve been wanting to go there! Thank you for letting me know about their GF menu!! I cannot wait to try. I just added a note to explain my gluten free diet. 🙂
Hahaha the meteorologist were going nuts on the news! & I love ballantyne! I lived there when I first moved to Charlotte. Your night with your roomie sounds amazing! I keep hearing about AT HOME! I neeeeeed to go! Adding it to my list 🙂 You can keep he suggestions coming!!
xo xo
Thank you for the blog Taralynn!! I loved all the beautiful pictures. 🙂
Thank you for reading!:) xo xo
Ah, we’re birthday buddies! January 31st is the best day to be born! What a sweet and thoughtful birthday gift!
YAY! & Justin Timberlake!! haha
Sounds so cozy and fun! You’re looking fantastic, happy, and healthy. Such an inspiration!
1) We get a bit more snow up in Wisconsin as I’m sure you remember from living further north, but most snow days also consist of lots of coffee and warm comfort food! If it’s not an ugly snow storm we like to throw on the boots, snow pants, and heavy coats to go for a hike near our house and play in the snow along the way. 🙂
2) I just recently watched “Minimalism” on Netflix, shows you how great it is to not live with so much stuff. Made me clean out some closets, that’s for sure. Also love “Before the Flood” by National Geographic and Leonardo DiCaprio.
There is a good chance I missed this somewhere in a previous post, but are you going gluten-free now? If so I’m just curious what made you want to, I’ve been slowly getting more GF foods myself. Thank you!! 🙂
Hi Jessica!
Your kind words mean so much to me 🙂
YES, I know you get so much snow. My friend, Anna, lives in Wisconsin and she’s always in the snow! We were like that in Iowa. I don’t care how old you are, playing in the snow WILL ALWAYS BE FUN!
I watched Minimalism on netflix too! It also made me clean out my closet lol. I will have to watch that doc next! I love everything LEO stands for!
I just added a little note to the bottom of this blog explaining why I’m eating gluten free for now! xo
I have literally been checking your blog all day because I just had a feeling that a post was coming soon. I’ve never commented on here before but I have to say you and my mom are literally the only two bloggers I follow. I really appreciate how honest and real you get. Especially your last post–I’ve been struggling with not feeling like myself lately. Fortunately, I’m getting back on track with eating right, meditating, and slowly incorporating exercise. Thank you being a positive role model for taking care of myself!
That makes me so happy to hear!
That is so cool that your mom is a blogger. I really appreciate your kind words! I’m so happy to hear that you are getting back on track and taking control of your feelings! You’ll feel better in no time. Keep it up! xo xo
Hi! I have a question. Did you start eating gluten free? May I ask why? I was wondering because I remember you making a post about the gluten free trend and that you were kind of against it if it’s not for medical reasons. I was just curious! Those pictures of your dogs are adorable! My dog doesn’t like the snow on his paws.
Hi Lauren! Yes:) I wrote about going gluten free of weight loss!
I just made an edit to the blog explaining why I am not eating gluten free.
& THANK YOU! They were obsessed with it! Have you tried booties on your dog?
Ok thank you for explaining! I’m glad it’s making you feel better. 🙂
I haven’t tried booties yet, I don’t think he will like it either. He’s a real baby. 😉
Of course! 🙂
Lol its SO FUNNY when you put boots on your pups. I know they hate it.
Thanks for the recommendation of “Finding Traction”…it’s on my watch list….just getting back to my fitness & workouts, so looking forward to watching. I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog & I’m sure I’ll be trying your recipes as well. Keep it Up!
Thank you Dana! You’ll LOVE that doc and it’s the perfect way to get inspired! 🙂 xo xo
Are you trying out a gluten free diet now?
Hi Courtney!
I just added an edit to the bottom of the blogpost talking about why I’m eating gluten free right now! 🙂
Hey! How long have you been Gluten Free?
A month and a half! I made an edit to the bottom of the blog explaining it all.
I thought macaroons were not gluten free! This is a game changer…
Some are not! You will want to ask if they are made with almond flour, but most are!:)
Good afternoon! Lovely post, I enjoyed reading it!
Don’t want to sound creepy, but I really am curious what you use to keep your teeth so clean and white? What products do you use? (Hope you don’t mind me asking…!)
You have a gorgeous smile!!!
Have a great evening!!!!
Hi Mercedes!
I make sure to brush morning and night with toothpaste that contains baking soda!
thank you for the compliment!
xo
What brand do you use?
(Sorry I hope I’m not being too nosy… just curious…!)
Thanks so much!
Hi Mercedes! No problem. I’t nothing fancy 🙂 just ARM & HAMMER Advance White Baking Soda & Peroxide Toothpaste, Extreme Whitening
Thanks for the response! Appreciate it!!! Have a great Wednesday!!! ?
Thank you & you too! xo
Hi Taralynn!
1) What do you do on snow days? – Hmmm, well, I live in MN, so we don’t really get snow days. It’s been a snowpocalypse here yesterday, today, and tomorrow, but nothing shuts down for that! I’m sure you can relate from living in IA 🙂 Tonight, though, I’m planning on heading home after work, doing a workout, making a healthy dinner, and then meal prepping! I haven’t had a chance to do it yet this week, but I’m going to make quinoa taco bowls with ground turkey, and a healthy homemade tomato basil soup.
2) Favorite inspirational documentary? – Honestly I haven’t really seen many documentaries, so I can’t say!
Question for you: Are you eating gluten free now? There’s a lot of foods I try to avoid to help my skin, and gluten is one of them! I don’t eat a lot of gluten, but I can’t get on the gluten free bread train!
Yes! The Charlotte schools have been shut down today for a tiny bit of ice on the sidewalks! We had to go to school in blizzards. Sounds like you have a fun night planned!! Quinoa taco bowls and homemade tomato soup sounds amazing!!!
I get sucked into the docs.
I just posted at the end of this blog a little bit about my new gluten free experiment! : ) xo
Do you have to eat a gluten-free diet, or do you just prefer to?
Hi Megan! I just added a little “edit” to the end of the post to explain why I’ve been eating gluten free.
You live the perfect life!
No ones life is perfect, but I do live a happy life! xo
Where did you get your green jacket? jeans? hat? boots?
I just love your style.
I’m in Buffalo so pretty much every other day from November to March is a snow day XD So I guess I shovel out my car and try to go about business as usual! And I don’t have a favorite documentary but I am currently watching one for school called “When I Walk” about a man who films himself over the course of several years after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, and it’s super eye opening and makes you feel grateful for things that you normally take for granted! Also I just wanted to say that your dogs are SO ADORABLE and I get pangs of puppy jealousy every time I read your blog. I can’t wait to move out to a place that’s dog friendly and adopt my own doodle 🙂
You guys are so used to the snow! It’s so rare here and maybe once or twice a year. January and February are our worst months.
I would love to see that! My ex-boyfriend’s mom has been battling multiple sclerosis for almost eighteen years and I know it’s an everyday struggle. She is such a wonderful person and it’s sad to see her fight all the time.
Thank you so much. I feel like I take WAY TOO many photos of them, but I just can’t help it.
xo
I love how sweet Kyle is to you. If anyone deserves a sweet man, it’s definitely you! I’ve never seen you so happy and your readers can tell the difference in your writing.
That means a lot to me Haley!
I feel so lucky to have him in my life. 🙂 xo
Two things for you!
1. What kind of baking tin did you use to make those delish muffins?!?!
2. And how do you make your toasted marshmallow hot chocolate? YUM!!!
It’s a Wilton Brownie Pan!
and I added the link for you!
I just toast the marshmallows on the gas stovetop with little wood picks and throw them on the top of the hot cocoa!
Do I sense a trend of going gluten free?! As a celiac it’s always refreshing to see gluten free foods in posts. Keep up the good work on your running!
Thank you!:) I’m excited for my race and all of the running! xo xo
Thanks for the inspiration! I love all the things you do it seems and am trying to start up my own blog. 1st question: how did you get started? Im sure it’s in here somewhere but just thought you might have some special advice that isnt? 2nd question: are the pics on this post taken with a nice camera, filters used? My sister is a professional photographer but I she cant follow me around all the time, lol and my iPhone doesnt take great pics!
Thanks again!
Thank you Karah!
I just started writing and posting. I didn’t really have a set plan or anything in mind. You just have to create content 🙂 Write what you know! I took those photos with my iPhone6plus and ran them through a filter app! I also like to use my Cannon sometimes. I think they take amazing photos, just practice and practice!:)
1. We live in Missouri so we get snow here and there. We got about as much as you the end of last week and a MUST is to take our dog out to play. She is a siberian husky and has a 6th sense about it. Usually she sleeps in but she was ready to go at 4:30am!
2. I still to this day love The Men Who Built America. I loved learning how the men of power came to be. The rise and fall of most of them. The Eads Bridge was the most interesting part, only because it is a part of history near to me and who would have thought to walk an elephant across it to ensure it was safe. Genius!
Hi Jessica!
That is so cute! I bet you’re super excited about those 4:30- wake ups.
I saw that doc and it was really good. I felt bad for the elephant lol
Haha, cereal in a mug? I love it.
Snow days are perfect days to do a HIIT workout, yoga, meditate, and then watch How to Get Away with Murder!
Great show! & YES so guilty of cereal in a mug!
I love having productive mornings like yours, by the time I hit lunch I feel like I’ve gotten SO much done!
Grumples and Leo are ADORABLE in the snow! We had a snow day here too. Although our 10 inches was a bit much for my liking ha! Moose LOVED every minute of it and begged to go outside and play in the snow all day! He’s such a goof ball and does snow angles every chance he gets! I spent the day alternating playing in the snow with him and snuggling on the couch with all of the blankets, cups of coffee, and Netflix.
I don’t have a favorite documentary. But I’m always looking for a good one, so I can’t wait to see other readers favorites! What is your favorite?
Hi Carly!
They are great days and they feel so long!
They loved the snow so much 🙂 I wish it would have snowed a bit more. The meteorologist got our hopes up! I bet Moose loves it. BLANKETS + COFFEE + NETFLIX + PERFECT SNOW DAY!
Caffeinated is definitely my favorite 🙂
Well since nearly everyday is a snow day in MN, I like to stay inside. I love Charlotte weather because it sounds like it’ll be gone by Friday for you guys! *insert crying emoji x10* We just got another few inches last night… with ice inbetween… My mom and I braved the roads and went to Target! Haha
I have yet to find super good documentaries. I don’t usually have the best luck when picking them out! I’m excited to try out the one you mentioned above.. I’ll probably do that tonight!
Looks like you had a fun week! I’m going to try the last circuit you posted tonight since I ran yesterday and want to start running every other today so I don’t over do it at first. Lookin’ good girl! 😀
Hi Jennifer!
Lol Target is always worth the drive, even in the most dangerous conditions lol. I actually went to Target this weekend too! Hopefully you get some warmer weather soon. Yes, please watch that tonight! I had a couple people snap me and they said they LOVED it so far!
So smart you’re not overdoing it! Let me know what you think of the circuit! 🙂 I am creating a new workout challenge right now!
Have a great week!
xo
Taralynn
Hi Taralynn! I love reading your blog, I was wondering why you typically choose gluten-free products? Thanks!
Thank you! xo xo
I just added the reason for the gluten free at the bottom of my blog!
xo
Are you eating only gluten free now? Why the change?
Hi Josie!
I just added a edit to the bottom of the blog post 🙂 Explains the change!
We had a snow day today!! Always shoveling and laundry; and we always make some homemade dessert, today it was chocolate chip cookies! One documentary we saw recently was ‘That Sugar Film’ (as I tell you we just made cookies, lol!!!). It was eye opening and we made our kids watch it too! They didn’t like hearing about it, but it is real! Ugh! Now I’m feeling guilty about those damn cookies! I’ll take them to work! Have a great week!
Hi Ann!
Chocolate chip cookies on a snow day sounds like so much fun! Lol, I always find myself doing something awful while watching food documentaries. I always feel guilty after those documentaries, but all moderation 😉
I hope you have a great week!
xo
Have you always been eating gluten free or is it a more recent thing? Why did you start eating gluten free and where do you find your products?
I have an explanation at the bottom of the blog!:)
I find them everywhere! Grocery stores, Target, and Amazon!
xo
So glad to hear that the gluten free change over has been working well so far! I did the same thing after tons of acne, migraines, vertigo, fatigue, and digestive issues and it has been a life changer!
Snow days for me mean hibernation indoors with hot drinks! I like Forks Over Knives, Cowspiracy, Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, and Plant Pure Nation. LOVE me some food/health documentaries!
Good to know it’s made a difference for someone else! I have seen all of those documentaries, but I feel so ad afterwards lol
Yes, Corrine! Whyyy ?? is she still there?!
lol obviously producers pick!!!
Hey hey
Just out of curiosity it seemed like pre GF diet change you ate pretty low gluten anyway what did you cut out specifically?…
Also on snow days I work ?
Yes! So it wasn’t too hard 🙂
I just made some swaps! Made sure to get gluten free bread, gluten free dressings, gluten free soy sauce and change out my flours! I also find myself eating out less and making healthier choices while I’m out and about.
I Love your instagram
thank you!!
WHEN DID LEO GET SO BIG?!?! Such a cutie!
I have PCOS and doctors think I also have endometriosis. I’m starting at a new clinic next month for more testing. Under doctors orders I switched to a vegetarian diet and have actually found it does help with my stomach cramps. But maybe gluten free would help more.
It’s crazy how much diet affects every little part of your body. When I see people eating badly for every meal I worry for how they are affecting themselves!
http://www.justbeingbrooklyn.com
HE’S HUGE!
Sorry to hear you have PCOS! I know one of my friends had it and ate gluten free. Weird how gluten can interfere female hormones. I would definitely as your new doctor about it. Diet can play a huge help and I agree with you! I don’t know how some people do it, even though that is how I lived my lifestyle when I was young and clueless.
xo xo xo
Ugh! Corrine needs to go home! I would say I was shocked, but the Bachelor/Bachelorette don’t really shock me anymore. They have gotten pretty raunchy! LOL But I still am addicted to them! I’m sorry you’re dealing with endometriosis. I battled this for several years and finally had to have surgery to correct it. I understand your pain! There were days when I absolutely could not get out of bed. And I used to wear those stick on heating pads on my stomach all day to try and ease it. The surgery was pretty rough too, but I’ve been better for several years now. I really hope going gluten free helps you! It’s so crazy how stuff like that can affect every part of our bodies! P.S. I’m loving the circuit workouts you’re posting. I’ve been doing some of them!
UGH CORRINE, BYE!!!
lol I feel the same way. I always say I’m not going to watch and then I get sucked in.
Yes, I’m trying to do everything the natural way before taking the steps to surgery, but I’m glad to hear yours is better. I agree! I can feel it all the way in my joints.
I am working on having a months worth of circuits! Glad you love them!!! xo xo
Can I first start of by saying how happy this post made me?? Seriously, your positivity shines through in your photos, and you really seem to be enjoying life lately and we can tell just by reading these posts. So happy for you Tara!! Also, that picture of you holding up Leo and he’s kind of half falling out of your arms is the CUTEST picture ever. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pup look so happy! You definitely treat your dogs well, they are so lucky to have you xo
Hi Sam!
Thank you so much!:) I love knowing that my posts can make someone smile! I really am enjoying life and it feels so great to be where I’m at today. Leo is such a silly pup! 🙂 I feel so lucky to have those pups! They definitely keep me busy.
I hope you have a great week and thank you for taking the time to comment! Made me smile this morning.
xo xo – Taralynn
I have endometriosis too! I’ve been treating it with a different kind of birth control that also treats the symptoms, but i didn’t know about the effects of gluten on endometriosis! Do you have other tips about it? I would love to hear more!
Xo
My doctor and I tried on a different kind of BC, too, but it didn’t help too much. He gave me a high dose of Ibuprofen to take during painful times, but I didn’t want to rely on that, so I’m hoping the GF diet makes a big difference. You should ask your doctor about a diet change and see what he recommends! Some things I do to help with pain is drink herbal tea, lots of water, hot bubble baths, massages, and exercise!
Gluten free healed my joint pain and most of my digestive issues. It lowered my anxiety level, too. I hope it helps you out as well!!
Funny you mentioned that. For the past month and a half my anxiety has been VERY LOW! I also read that gluten plays a huge part in people with anxiety. I’m glad to hear that it has helped heal your join pain because that is what I’m praying for!
Hi Taralynn
Isn’t it great when you wake up with heaps of energy.. I woke up this morning at 5 walked 3km with the dogs then I was at crossfit by 6am, worked from 8 to 5 got home and went for a 3km run.
Where I live in New Zealand we don’t get snow at all so I would have to drive 3hous to see it.
My favourite inspirational documentary is “that sugar film” it opened my eyes so much about how much sugar is in every thing from a bag of chips to a apple. It also explains how much sugar can change if you juice fruit.
It’s good to see that you are having some results with going gluten free for you endo, I was only diagnosed mid last year, and in six months of going 95% gluten free has helped so much.
Have a great week !!
Hi Harriet!
You had a very busy day! Love how energetic you are! Cross fit & a run! WOAH!
I actually watched that too. I’m very guilty of added sugars!
I LOVE hearing that you’re experiencing what I’m experiencing and that it’s helped! Thank you for sharing.
unfortunately, I am living in a city full of smog.bad pollution. I wear mask every day in Winter.so nad
bascially I do love each documentray of BBC, They r so great!
I’m so sorry to hear that 🙁
What are those documentaries about?
Do you have snap chat?
YUP! You can follow me @taralynnmcnitt
We don’t really get snow where I am in California. Luckily we’ve had some rain to help with the drought. A family friend recommended that I watch the Barkley Marathon Documentary on Netflix and it was so awesome!
Yes that was a good doc too! I watched that a couple days ago 🙂
Glad you guys got rain!
Hi Taralynn! Great post! Love getting glimpses into your life – you are so blessed (and I know you know it). That pic of Grumples and Leo sharing the stick outside was SO cute! Did Grumples ever get jealous when Leo joined the family?
Good luck cleaning out your closet! I’m doing the same thing and trying to follow the KonMari method. I’m sure you’ve heard of her book, but if not I recommend it.
Thank you Susie!
I was shocked and expecting him to get severely jealous, but he was more than welcoming. Ive never seen Grumples react that way! He lets Leo eat from his bowl, crawl all over him, and they play so well. I was so proud of Grumps!
I will have to look into the book!:) I’ve gotten rid of over half of my wardrobe! 🙂 xo xo
I love snow days! Unfortunately, we haven’t had a ton here (which is weird, because Chicago normally gets a bunch!) When the snow if falling, a couple of my favorite things to do are to go skiing, sledding or ice skating, or cuddle up with popcorn and hot cocoa and watch movies. I also love running in the snow, there’s something equally magical and peaceful about it.
As much as I do enjoy the snow, I’m super jealous of your 70 degrees you have coming your way. I’ll take 70s annny day.
On documentaries, I just added one to my Netflix list about minimalism! Looks super interesting!
I’m shocked because it was a snowy winterland when I was living in Chicago! I loved running in the snow (for like ten minutes) lol
It’s been so mild here and I’m loving it!
YES, I watched it and it was pretty good! I definitely got rid of some things after that lol
My husband recently found out he was gluten intolerant so we’ve been experimenting with gluten free foods as well. His favorite bread that he says tastes very close to normal bread is by a company named Schar, we found it in the natural foods section of stop and shop and they have a huge product line up and we’ve liked everything of theirs we’ve tried so far. If you see any Schar products at a grocery store I highly recommend trying it! Best of luck, I hope going gluten free helps with your symptoms!
That is great and a bread I will look out for! Thank you!
Oh my goodness! Halo Top ice cream is the best! You are looking great girl! And you look like you are surrounded with good people which I love! I hope going gluten free helps with the endometriosis. One of my college friends had that and it was so sucky to deal with!
On snow days, I tend to clean, and then snuggle up and watch cheesy movies with my pups. My pups are smaller, so they are not huge fans of the snow!
My favorite documentary so far is Fed Up. It talks about all the sugar that is in our food and the obesity epidemic. It definitely made me want to clean up my diet!
Thanks for sharing your life! I always love reading your posts! It feels like catching up with a friend!
Hello Taralynn!
What do you do on snow days?’
While I grew up in Maine, I have been living in Florida and Southern California for all of my adult life, so no snow days for me. As a kid though we would make tunnels in our snow banks and go sledding!
Favorite inspirational documentary?
I don’t know what my favorite inspirational documentary is, but I recently watched one about the tiny house movement that I thought was pretty cool.
I have celiac disease! The best bread I’ve found is Canyon Road Bakehouse (all of their products are great, actually).
Best,
Michelle
I bet Maine is gorgeous in the snow. It’s one of my FAVORITE places!
I love the tiny house shows!
I will have to check out Canyon Road Bakehouse! Thank you 🙂
I was going to mention Canyon Road Bakehouse too! Totally my favorite pre-packaged gf stuff. Also, if you’ve never heard of the blog Gluten Free On A Shoestring, she does amazing recipes from scratch and has several cookbooks.
Hey Taralynn! As someone with Celiac, I know it can be an adjustment in finding some good gluten free products. I see you are checking out some Udi’s products, which is my go-to for bread. If you are looking for one with more fiber, try their millet chia bread. It has 5 grams of fiber so it’s a lot healthier than their other versions. Also, Freschetta has an awesome gluten free pizza! <3
Hi Taralynn!
My mom has celiacs disease and has been gluten free for a long time. Luckily for you there are so many GF options today that are so delicious! We love udis, vans, Perdue makes very good GF chicken strips and there’s a company called garden lites that makes amazing GF muffins! My favorite are the banana chocolate chip…SO good. I loved this recap post & hope this new diet helps alleviate some of your symptoms 🙂
What app do you use for running? I feel like I always think that I’m running farther than I actually am!
RUNKEEPER 😀
Thank you for addressing your reasoning for going Gluten-Free! I was curious about your reasoning. I personally do not stick to a gluten-free diet and I have nothing against going gluten-free, but I absolutely HATE when people assume others are doing it just for weight loss! (Or assume that, that is what they should do to lose weight–there’s so much more to it than that) It makes a lot of sense when you explain the other health benefits that going gluten-free does for you personally!
Hey Taralynn! I myself have been battling endo for 3-4 years. As soon as I started getting crazy pain I started having issues processing food. For a while I would still consume some gluten but would make sure it was organic, sprouted, anything minimally processed with good ingriedients. Eventually I had to fully cut it out, along with dairy, and I can say it 100% made a huge difference. I ended up going vegan a year ago and it was the best choice I ever made for my pain and overall energy levels. I still struggle with some fluctuations from the endo but it is much more controlled now and I havent had any severely crippling pain since. If I ever had red meat before I would be in just as much pain as when I ate gluten or dairy. I hope it helps you out! I know that struggle all too well unfortunately.
Also I am living in a winter wonderland! I’m in Vail, CO and we have had a ton of snow so far this year. Except unlike the south, we get 1-2 feet at a time 🙂
You seem to cram so much into your day. Especially your mornings. I’d be curious to see a post on what your daily schedule looks like.
On snow days (when we do get them) because I live in TN so it doesn’t happen often 🙁 🙁 One year we got a good snow and we have a farm and we took the 4-wheeler out and tied little body surf boards to it and sat down on top of It and someone drove the 4-wheeler around until we flew off. It was so much fun but after falling in the snow so many times my body was cold and wet and frozen even with several layers on. The weather has been crazy here it was just below 15 degrees and this week its going to be almost 70 all week.
Im a super huge bachelor fan so I have to comment on the Corrine post. UGH she gets on my NERVES so bad. You can clearly tell she is only on there for ratings. ://// Why cant the show just be legit when people start acting like that they should go home the first night. I would still watch it without all that nonsense just because I am all about some romantic sappy love stories lol
Hi, Taralynn! First, I have loved reading your blog over the years. I have always been on-again-off-again when it comes to eating right & exercising, but I always get the itch to start up again when I read your blog! I am currently back into it & hoping to make it stick!
Random question, where did you get the white striped tank in your bedroom circuit picture? I’ve seen it in other posts, and it is adorable! 🙂
I love how happy and energetic you are all the time. I wish I was like that!
NOT ALWAYS like that 😉 But I do try my hardest! xo
What kind of dog is Leo? He’s so cute!
Goldendoodle 🙂 Thank you!
Thats so interesting about the gluten, wish I had heard about that yrs ago! I had endo pretty bad..had a laparoscopy and the horrid lupron depo shots. Dr said I prob would never have kids. Well, Im expecting #6 and will be 32 next month! I have not had any symptoms since having babies.
Hi Taralynn,
I am definitely going to watch that documentary soon, I love documentaries and haven’t watched one in a while so I’m excited to hear of a good one! I’ve been trying to make more time for running and really want to get back into it on a more regular basis. I’ve always wanted to run a half and I know I could but I’ve been too nervous, and frankly have made too many excuses that have set me back, but now I’m really inspired to set my mind to do a half or maybe starting with a 10k this year!! I’ve been loving how you post those workout, especially ones that are easy to do at home because they are perfect for me to do in my room at school when I’m too busy to find the time to hit the gym!! Also, your cream winter hat is so cute…I want it! lol Thanks for always inspiring me….and congrats on being a home owner, so crazy!! Your house is beautiful 🙂
Best,
Taylor
You and Kyle <3
You look so happy now! Not that you weren’t before but it just looks like a different kind of happy!! I have followed your blog since it started! You make me want to get up off the couch and live my life. When I feel unmotivated I go to your page and get inspired. Best of luck to you!
Thank you Blair!!!
That is the sweetest thing in the world! Thank you, and YES I am very happy and a “different kind” for sure 😉
xo xo xo
I’ve also battled endometriosis, and I can totally tell a difference when changing my diet! Like you, cutting out gluten made a great improvement. I had surgery for it years ago but was told it could come back. I wish you luck and hope it works out and you won’t suffer with it anymore ?
Thank you so much! That means a lot and I’m glad you went through and had it removed!
A man who enables your coffee addiction and buys you coffee?! You really lucked out =)
lol for real! 🙂
Would you consider doing a blog post on going gluten free? I’ve been considering giving it up as well for the same reason, but I don’t know where to start! I’d love to hear about your experience as a gluten free beginner!
Oh no poor girl!!! Sorry to hear about the endometriosis! I know you eat super healthy anyway, but in case you haven’t heard of her, Jessica Murnane at One Part Plant also has endometriosis and is coming out with a cookbook soon. Her blog has tons of fun plant-based tips and recipes; you might want to check her out!!
Now back to catching up on your blog!! 🙂
Wow thank you Erika!! I will look into her book!
love your coat
I love the four of you! You should post more about Kyle!
cute pups
snow dogs!