I have no idea how it’s already the end of September, but it’s fine by me. I can’t wait for Halloween, October Bookclub, and fall foliage. I love that everyone in the neighborhood is bringing out the Halloween decorations. Fall just makes me so happy! Being able to sit outside in tolerable weather is what I look forward to all summer. I have a lot to do today before my parents come over for my dad’s birthday dinner tonight. I have my coffee, an egg sandwich, and it’s time to get this recap post written!On Monday, after getting a filling done (OUCH), I got all of my filming equipment out (dusted it off since it’s been a while) and filmed a cook with me for my YouTube channel. It was so much fun, and good practice before Vlogmas starts in just a few months! It was also really fun to chat with some of you during the premiere, so I’ll have to do those more often! After cleaning up the kitchen and editing a bit, I headed to the garage for my Sweat App workout! I’m still LOVING it and officially on week three. Many of you have been asking which program I’m doing, and right now, I’m just doing the beginner 12-week. It’s still challenging, and I’m feeling the burn. I don’t want a workout that makes me feel like I got hit by a bus for a week. And for dinner, butternut squash and turkey chili!   Almost every single morning (around 6 am) starts this way. Most evenings as well. I love diving into the book club picks to end or start my day. Leo always makes me move my feet when I’m sitting on this little sofa so he can snuggle up with me. It’s the cutest thing.

Two products that I’m loving and you should look out for at the grocery store are the Apple + Ginger Aha sparkling waters and the pumpkin spice Cheerios! The sparkling water tastes like apple juice! It’s so delicious, and I go through three cans a day. The pumpkin spice Cheerios have always been a favorite of mine, and they are back! The rose bushes that I planted in April have reached six feet. The ones out front are not too far behind this one as well, and they are producing so many roses! Can’t wait to plant more next year. I think they do the best in this clay soil.  Of course… One of the best reasons to have a gym at home is you get to work out with your pets. On Friday night, I made delicious homemade healthy ice cream! This had two bananas, 1 can of coconut milk, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, stevia, and a splash of vanilla. In the end I mixed in a spoon of creamy peanut butter.  I was up bright and early on Saturday morning to do Yoga with Becca. We did two hours of super relaxing yoga, and it flew by so fast that it felt like we were only there for five minutes. It was so relaxing by the river, especially with the cool breeze. We will be doing this again! We grabbed lunch together afterward since we were starving! We had Yummus salad bowls at clean juice with protein shakes. I kept the fall theme and ordered a Pumpkin shake with hemp protein. It was delicious! After stopping in a few of our favorite shops together, I headed home to clean, and then relax on the couch with coffee while watching Hocus Pocus! This movie never gets old. I picked up Crumble Cookies for the house since we had our friend Steve over for wine that evening. We had the most gorgeous foggy Sunday morning. I felt like it was a painting, and photos do not do it justice. Not only were the skies foggy, but they had a tint of pink coming through with the sun. I spent my entire morning out there with my coffee and book.   I’m also still working on my Halloween decor, but I’ll share a post o nit all when I’m done! I still haven’t gotten my pumpkins or mums yet!   Our neighbor was so sweet and brought us over mac and cheese in this dish, so I thought I’d send it back with some pumpkin bread! It made the house smell so good. I also made her my FAVORITE pumpkin spice ice cream to go with it. I will do a separate blog post for that one! It’s delicious. For dinner, Kyle and I had chicken with Thai Peanut sauce over rice.  We ended the week outside reading while the sunset!

This week was so relaxing!  I hope you have the best week and stay tuned for the October Book Club announcement!

Questions for you!

1. Describe your week in one word.
2. Did you do anything festive for fall over the weekend?
3. What is your favorite Halloween movie?

I hope you all had a great week & weekend. Mine was calm and productive. I focussed on writing, building a summer schedule, recipe development, hanging out with family, playing tennis, doing some housework, and going on a ton of dog walks. We had a storm just about every night last week, so I’m looking forward to this week’s great weather. I have some delicious recipes to post this week, the blog about my metabolism test, and more Hawaiian adventures, so look out for those! But, it’s Monday! So let’s get to the weekly recap  
This is how we all felt on Tuesday!

It was pouring on Tuesday morning, but I never let the rain keep us from our dog walks. Around 7 am, we headed out for a mile walk. The good thing about rainy days is that the dogs aren’t as hyper. They love to nap and lay around, which helps me get things done.
Lately, I’ve been trying this new thing (a thing most normal people do.) I tend to snack a lot instead of having meals. I snack on healthy things, but I never feel full. I’ll usually have a power bar with coffee, yogurt later in the morning, a handful of carrots with hummus around noon, a protein shake later afternoon, and then a giant salad at night with some kind of protein. For some reason, that pattern leaves me searching for snacks at night. The whole grazing thing has me grazing too much.

I decided to give myself an eating schedule. Instead of the random snacking throughout the day, I’ve been having actual meals three times a day with no snacks in between. I’ve been doing this for a week now and it’s made a big difference. I never find myself wandering in the kitchen at night looking for something to eat. I’ve been drinking more water, tea, and feeling more intuitive with my cravings. I eat at 10 am, 2 pm, and 6 pm. Anytime after 6 pm or before 10 am, I make sure to drink a lot of water or decaf herbal tea.

For my Tuesday breakfast, I had 1 egg yolk with 4 egg whites, fresh fruit, sweet potatoes, guacamole, and a scoop of protein powder with cashew milk. 
I had soup for lunch and soup for dinner on Tuesday night.

It’s a spicy chicken and vegetable soup that I’ve been eating on repeat. You can find the recipe here.
I spent most of the day on Wednesday blogging some posts that’ll be out soon, creating my summer schedule, and running errands. I had a protein shake with oatmeal for breakfast on the go because I was running a bit late for an appointment.

I had a delicious lunch at 2 pm.

I tossed arugula with Primal Kitchen honey mustard vinaigrette and topped it with baby cucumber slices, cinnamon-honey roasted butternut squash, tomatoes, avocado, smoked salmon, and a sprinkle of dill. 
After having a bowl of chicken and vegetable soup for dinner, I headed to the tennis courts with my bucket of balls to workout and practice my serves. My tennis workout is on the Simply Taralynn Fitness Challenge Instagram page under the “fitness” highlights. 
I decided to do yoga early Thursday morning after my dog walk. I did the morning yoga video out on my back porch because it was so nice out.

A little later in the morning I had seasoned potatoes, avocado slices, blueberries, banana, and 1 egg yolk + four egg whites for breakfast. 
I had my soup for lunch (can’t imagine taking photos of the same soup every day) and spaghetti squash with ground turkey and pasta sauce for dinner. I love making this for a quick dinner option. I roast the squash in the oven for 45 minutes at 400 degrees, scoop out the squash into a bowl, and mix it with a no added sugar pasta sauce, and cooked ground turkey. Three ingredients and it tastes amazing! Sometimes I’ll make a Caesar salad for a side. 
I headed to Target on Thursday evening because I broke my sunglasses and needed to get a pair before my morning dog walk. It gets super sunny in my neighborhood and there is nothing worse than squinting for several miles.

While I was there, I picked up some Tazo dessert tea. The glazed lemon loaf is AMAZING!!!! It really does taste like lemon cake The other two flavors didn’t taste like macaroons or bourbon blondies, but they didn’t taste bad either. If you see these at the store, definitely go for the lemon cake. I hope they come out with a key lime pie flavor. I’ve been looking forward to having a cup of this tea every night as my treat. It totally takes away the sweet cravings. After our long dog walks on Friday morning, we relaxed while I worked on the blog.

Leo is so cute when he cuddles up to his brother. I know I’m a crazy dog mom, but I can’t help it! 
It was gorgeous out, so I decided to go for a four-mile walk. I love my dogs, but sometimes I like to do a speedwalk without having to stop to sniff. I caught up on the Off The Vine podcast and time flew by quickly.
When I got back, I made a delicious breakfast.

I’ve been eating these pancakes on repeat and I can’t get enough. I have the blog ready to go, so look out for the recipe coming soon!

I had my protein pancakes with 1 egg yolk + 4 egg whites, banana, and blueberries.
I decided to have a protein shake for my lunch. I wanted to save room for poke night.

My mini protein shake had 1 scoop of chocolate Orgain plant protein, 1 cup fresh cherries, ice, unsweetened cashew milk, and topped with coconut chips (so damn good) and candied pecans. 
I made poke bowls for dinner on Friday night! They were delicious and I can’t wait to post the tutorial I had a lot of people asking where I found Grade 1 tuna for the bowls. I asked the seafood counter at Whole Foods, and they had me go to the sushi counter where they sold the highest quality tuna. They had it available.

On Friday night, Kyle and I watch the latest episode of Handmaids Tale and finished Safe on Netflix. We were both tired and just wanted to lay around watching movies instead of our original plans of playing tennis.
I was so glad we rested on Friday night because we were super recharged on Saturday.

After the morning dog walks, we headed to the gym together. I did a little lifting (for like ten minutes) and then did intervals on the treadmill for two miles. I usually sprint uphill 1 minutes, jog flat for two minutes, walk uphill for three minutes, and repeat until I hit two miles. 
Kyle and I had protein pancakes and eggs for breakfast. These pancakes are so good, I’m going to have them again for breakfast today and probably tomorrow. 
We met up with my parents at noon to play tennis. This is one our favorite things to do on Saturdays!

We have defeated my parents five times in a row now, so they are trying their hardest to grab the title back. It’s funny because Kyle and I used to get creamed by my parents and all of our practice has paid off. My parents are pretty good at tennis so we feel pretty good about our wins!

Kyle did get his win against me this weekend. I fell short  
My parents invited us over to grill again, and we didn’t have anything going on, so we thought it would be nice to swim a bit and let the dogs run around the backyard. We picked up some burgers, I made a delicious white bean and peach arugula salad (recipe coming soon) and we headed out to their house with the dogs around three.

I bought my dad a bags/cornhole (whatever you want to call it) boards so we played for a bit, and it was so fun! Of course, Kyle and I beat them! We aren’t a competitive family or anything………

I bet my dad is in the backyard right now as I’m writing this practicing his throws. 
The pool felt so good after being out in the sun all day. 
We had dinner around 5:30, and I was so hungry! My mom made delicious roasted vegetables, my favorite! 
It started to storm as soon as we finished making dinner, so we decided to eat inside. My dad grilled chicken, jalapeno burgers, and we had all kinds of delicious sides. I’d be OK making this a Saturday tradition because it was all delicious.
I had my arugula salad (holy moly so goooooood), fresh fruit, sweet potato fries, and roasted vegetables!

Kyle and I headed back to my house later in the evening. We took the boys for a dog walk, and then I showered off and got ready to just relax for the rest of the evening. Kyle and I decided to watch Unsane and it was really really good!
I picked my first tomato in my backyard garden on Sunday morning! It was so cute and perfect I was pretty proud of myself. 
After heading to Home Depot to pick up some garage shelves, I had my breakfast!

Pancakes on repeat, cotton candy grapes, and eggs. If you’re wondering, YES, cotton candy grapes really do taste like cotton candy. I spent about three hours cleaning out my garage, breaking down boxes, and organizing everything on the new shelves.

My dad stopped by to help me put up my new flag on my house. I was so excited to get a flag up. Now, I need to find a light to shine on it at night.
For dinner, I had a B Free gluten free/dairy free/vegan pita stuffed with guacamole, chicken, sweet potatoes, mixed greens, onion, and mustard. Yum! After dinner, I made a little bowl of popcorn, and Kyle and I watched Game Night. That movie is so funny! I definitely recommend it.

After the movie, we went on our final dog walk and came in to watch the NBA Finals. Of course, I fell asleep during the second quarter.
Today is day 26 of the 40 Day Challenge, and I’m feeling so great! I can definitely feel and see a difference, and can’t wait to continue this journey with everyone participating! My progress is slow, but that’s how it’s supposed to be. If you need some inspiration, check out the posts here!

Questions for you!

1. Are you a snack all day person, or a three meals a day person?
2. Have you grown any produce this year?
3. What is your favorite thing to do on the weekend?

Can you believe Christmas was over two weeks ago? It’s going to be spring before we know it (thank goodness.) This week was miserably cold. I’m so used to being outside walking the dogs, walking the trails, or just going out and about. All I wanted to do this week was stay inside, drink tea, blog, watch movies, and read books. Maybe the cold was a blessing in disguise. I suppose drinking tea and reading all weekend wasn’t that bad. This week coming up, you won’t hear me complaining about the weather (other than the rain) because it’s going to be in the high fifties

My recap today is going to be much shorter than most. I’ll be sharing some of my eats from the week, and a couple of random photos here and there.
On Wednesday morning, I woke up super early to walk the dogs, have some toast, and drink a ton of water before going back to the doctor to do bloodwork. Luckily this time was more successful. I have another doctors appointment tomorrow, so hopefully, I won’t have to do more bloodwork. I have nightmares about this stuff. I should be getting my test results back any day now.

For a late lunch/brunch on Wednesday, I made a delicious meal with leftover spaghetti squash and roasted vegetables. I topped the roasted spaghetti squash and vegetables with two eggs over medium. I found pre-cut butternut squash crinkle fries at Whole Foods, too! Cutting butternut squash is a pain in the butt, so these were super convenient. To cook them, I tossed them in a little avocado oil and baked them on a sheet pan for ten minutes at 425 degrees. They were super crispy. I didn’t use much seasoning with my meal other than chili flakes and black pepper. When you have a runny yolk, you don’t need seasoning  
My dinner was so good.

I had so much spaghetti squash leftover that I planned on eating it all week long. I also had another squash sitting on the counter to cook up after this batch was finished. I refrained from buying another at the store yesterday. Not sure I can eat anymore! I love to use large containers for salads because it’s better for mixing. Have you ever tried to combine salad ingredients in a small bowl? It’s nearly impossible. Lettuce overboard!

My salad consisted of baby arugula salad, guacamole, Whole Food’s chicken salad, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, roasted vegetables, and spaghetti squash. I didn’t use dressing because the guacamole and chicken salad made up for it. I had a La Croix with my salad, a little Sun Cup for dessert, and lemon ginger tea before bed. Now that I’m on one cup of coffee a day, I’ve been drinking a lot of decaf lemon ginger tea. I’m thinking about writing a separate post with how I feel after cutting my coffee intake and replacing it with lemon tea. My moods and complexion have changed drastically. Let me know if that’s a post you’d be interested in. I never believed in the power of a lemon until now. 
Thursday was brutally cold. I had to sit in front of the fireplace for twenty minutes after walking the dogs to warm up. When you’re cold, oatmeal and coffee are perfect cures. I brewed a cup of coffee, warmed up some oats, and topped them with sauteed blueberries. Some people hate warm blueberries, but I love when they are squishy and pop in your mouth. They’re delicious! That is why blueberry muffins are one of my favorite foods.

Later in the afternoon, I headed to a power hour yoga class at the gym. Luckily, it was a hot yoga hour, and the heat felt so good. 
For lunch, I had roasted butternut squash crinkle fries and scrambled eggs mixed with spaghetti squash and roasted vegetables. Luckily, it was the last of the leftovers. I could eat something different for dinner. 
Nothing better than sleeping puppies. Leo fell asleep on my shoulder while I was working, and he stayed like that for about an hour. The rule is that you can’t move if your dog is asleep on you. My cup was filled with Stash mango passion tea and the juice of one lemon. I bought a Stash tea fruity herbal flavor assortment, and I’ve loved every flavor so far. It was inexpensive, too. I don’t know what has gotten into me, but I’ve never enjoyed tea this much. 
What is better (or easier) than a three ingredient dinner? I cooked up ground turkey, broccoli, and teriyaki sauce for dinner on Thursday night. I ended the night with So Delicious no sugar added coconut milk vanilla ice cream with a scoop of honey roasted peanut butter on top. 
I was up at 5:30 on Friday morning and ready to start my day. It was 7 degrees when I walked the dogs outside. It took me a while to get the feeling back in my legs. I do not do well with cold temperatures. My body is so sensitive to it. I’m currently in a house with my heat cranked to 70, and my hands are still cold.
On Friday morning, I chopped up some fresh fruit for the fridge. Eating fresh fruit throughout the day always prevents my crazy sweet tooth at night. 
I wanted to come up with some fun recipes to share this week, so I made matcha maqui pancakes and chocolate matcha muffins. I’m excited to share those recipes with you this week! They turned out delicious. I like to make stacks of pancakes and keep them in containers in the fridge. Whenever I want one, I just throw it into the toaster to heat it up. Adding the matcha and maqui to the pancakes turned them green and blue! This could be a fun way to get kids to eat their pancakes, or a festive Earth Day breakfast. 
Leo always sits by the table when I take recipe photos. He’s a character! 
After taking recipe pictures, I made myself a little cozy nook at the kitchen table and got some work done. 
I didn’t feel like heading to the gym, so I wrote up a workout to do in the living room. I had a lot of messages about my workouts, and I was surprised at how many of you guys loved them! I will start sharing more on my Insta stories. This was a great workout to do in the living room! 
I had so much fun doing a mini little workout challenge on my Instagram story. I had so many of you participate! I’m still getting the emojis sent in. It’s a lot of fun If you missed it, head over to my profile and click the “fitness” category. I’ll be saving them all there! I’ve also had a lot of request for a new fitness challenge. I think a three-week challenge could be fun! I’d like to keep it simple with workouts that you can do in your home. 
For my post-workout/lunch, I had one of my favorite combos. I’ve been mixing my So Delicious unsweetened plain coconut milk yogurt with Orgain protein powder. It tastes like vanilla pudding/cake batter. It’s dairy free, gluten free, soy free, and vegan. I top it with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, shredded coconut, and banana slices. It’s like a creamy dessert for lunch. When I shared this recipe on Instagram, I had a lot of questions about the protein powder. This is the protein powder I have been using for about a year. It’s the best organic plant-based protein powder ever! It’s not chalky, and very affordable compared to its competitors. 
I shared a little fun recipe tutorial on Friday night. I was feeling the cabin fever and started having way too much fun. When it comes to videos, I’ll admit it. I’m extremely awkward. Some people do Insta stories, and it’s so natural, and I’m like a deer in headlights. Hello, trainwreck! I’m trying to get better. Luckily, I had some great feedback, and you guys requested more, so I’m going to try!

I needed to use up the ground turkey and ground chicken in the refrigerator, so I decided to make meatballs to go with the spaghetti squash.

My turkey meatballs had: 1 pound of ground chicken, 1 pound of ground turkey (93% fat-free), 1 large egg, 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard, 1 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tablespoon onion powder, 1/2 tablespoon oregano, 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon minced onion, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 tablespoon gluten free low sodium soy sauce.

Add all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and combine.  
Before adding the meatballs to the oven, I browned the outer layer in a pan with olive oil on medium-high. I transferred the meatball to a baking sheet and baked them for 15 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees. I took them out when the temperature was at 168. I sliced the meatballs in half once they cooled down. 
I normally make my own sauce, but this meal was a last-minute decision. I used organic garlic lover’s tomato sauce as back up. I added the sauce to a saute pan on low heat along with the sliced meatballs. I let them cook in the sauce for about twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. 
I still get asked how to roast spaghetti squash. I think a lot of people are intimidated by it, but it’s so easy. Just slice your squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and cut it up into large chunks. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray (I always use my older one when roasting at high temperatures), place the squash with the insides down on the baking sheet, and roast it for about 35 minutes at 400 degrees. The time depends on the size of your squash. I can always tell when it’s done when the outer layer is soft.

I let the squash cool completely before scooping it out. I use a giant spoon and scrape it into a large bowl, and then fluff it up with a fork. There’s really no wrong way of doing it. 
The reason I love making meals like this is because I’m usually set for the next couple of days. Leftovers are my jam, and this was delicious. On Friday night, Kyle and I watched Ben’s Status, and it was a pretty good movie. It gave you a really good perspective on life. 
Breakfast on Saturday morning! Told you I’m all for that leftovers life. I made an omelet stuffed with spaghetti squash and a side of meatballs. 
Power hour and smoothies <3

I shared the recipe for this matcha smoothie on My Instagram!

Later in the afternoon, I started writing a post about my goals and plans with running. I didn’t plan on writing it, but sometimes those are the best types of blog posts. I have all of your comments in moderation, but I’ll get to those today! I promise. I don’t like to post the comments until I have a chance to reply back to all of you. I’ll be heading to the gym today to start my journey all over again. 
Grumples and Leo were overdue for a bath and trim. I usually try to trim the hair around their eyes, cut out their mats, and give them a complete blow out until we get them groomed. It’s been so cold here, that I’ve been holding off until next month.

We really like the Burt’s Bees shampoo and conditioner. We find that it’s the best for dogs with itchy coats because of its relieving ingredients. I also love that it’s 98.2% natural.

Relieving Shampoo & Conditioner Link! 
Here are three other tools to make at-home grooming so much easier.

We use a handheld showerhead to wash the dogs. It attaches to any showerhead, and it makes it so much more comfortable in the tub. The dogs can just stand there, and we can use the shower head all around them. It’s the best $25 purchase we’ve ever made for the dogs. We also use a bathing mat in the tub, so they do not slide, and it makes them more comfortable standing in the tub. We also use de-matting combs to help break up the mats before cutting them out. You can find these at Petco or online. The showerhead was $10 cheaper online than at the Home Depot.

I was so tired on Saturday night. I turned on a movie and was out by nine.
I was really excited for Sunday morning. We had had some fun afternoon plans with the dogs! I was up at the crack of dawn to get them fed and walked. I had my tea and decided to try out the Apple Cinnamon RX Bars. Have you ever had a brown sugar cinnamon pop tart? They taste just like it! I was shocked. I’m about to order another box right now!
Later in the morning, I made a maqui protein shake! It had two tablespoons of maqui powder, 1 frozen banana, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 scoop vanilla Orgain protein powder, and a couple of ice cubes. 
Kyle and I have been talking about finding a trainer for our dogs for a while now. Our dogs are great, but we want them to be better. They had a good streak last fall, but now it feels as if they are back to their old ways. We made the commitment and signed the dogs up with Holland K9 Services for a lifetime of training. We made a list of all of the struggles we face with our dogs and then found the perfect trainer, who is confident he can fix the issues. The best part is that he’s not going to fix them, he’s going to train US how to fix them. We didn’t want to drop our dogs off at month camp for training, we wanted to be trained with the dogs, so I’m excited to share this journey with you all. I will make sure to fill you guys in on the training each week in my recap posts. I know a lot of you have dogs and have shared your experiences, so hopefully, this will be able to help you or inspire you to sign your dogs up as well. We want to be confident in our dogs, and it seems as if their unpredictable behavior has become a huge stress. Your dogs should never dictate your lives, but it seems as though our dogs have kind of taken over. We have to do things around them, and it’s not fun anymore. This is now one of our biggest priorities, and it’s extremely important to do this. Not only will this benefit our lives, but it’ll make our dogs much happier, less anxious, and more confident. My ultimate goal is to turn Leo into a therapy dog in a couple of years so he can visit hospitals, and bring joy to the life of others. I have this dream of reading children’s books to little kids with Leo. 
When training a dog, it’s about going back to the basics.

This week, we are working on teaching them to heel and making them stay on command. We are also trying to get Leo and Grumples to stop giving us their paw. They tend to do it a lot, and it’s a big distraction and a form of begging. We are using more verbal commands rather than our hand signals. Check out their Instagram page to see Leo & Grumples staying in place! They learn quickly You can follow along with our progress on their page too. I’ll be documenting this whole process. I love my dogs so much, but I can’t wait for them to behave better, so I can take them places with the confidence.

We learned so much with John (the trainer.) We discussed some of the things we do and learned a lot about things we shouldn’t be doing. It all started to make sense! 
“Pet dog obedience is the foundation for solving all behavior problems.”

If you’re interested in learning more about what we’ll be doing in training, or getting your dog trained, check out John’s website! Or, you can email him Info@hollandk9services.com

I am really excited about this.
Our pups were exhausted when we got back from their two-hour training session. We did a lot of exercises, and I’m sure they were a bit stressed in a new environment. They passed out on the couch, so Kyle and I decided to have lunch, and then hit the gym.

I had a bowl of coconut milk yogurt mixed with my Orgain protein powder! 

I topped my yogurt bowl with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and grapes! I also had a slice of peanut butter toast on the side.
I was super tired when I got to the gym. I planned on doing a workout with Kyle, but I just felt like doing the bike instead. I grabbed my book from the car and did an easy ride while reading for an hour. I have been reading “A Man Called Ove” for the January recipe & book review. I’m a big psychological thriller genre type of person, but I want to switch it up because I know not everyone likes those types of books, and I’ve heard amazing reviews on this book so far. I’m excited to finish it! If you want to join the discussion, order a copy and start reading! I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the review post! 
After the gym, Kyle and I stopped at the grocery store to pick up some ingredients for dinner. We decided on salmon, salad, and roasted potatoes! I’m so glad we agreed on this because it was amazing…

If you’re ever trying to figure out what to eat for a healthy meal, just always go with the 3-method. 1. choose your protein. 2. choose your healthy carb. 3. choose your vegetable(s).
I never liked salmon until my mom cooked it for me. I still stick to her salmon recipe!

I massage the salmon with the juice from 1/2 of a lime and 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce. After massaging the salmon, I pat the salmon with garlic powder, black pepper, minced onions, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, and onion powder. I let the salmon marinate in the fridge for two-three hours.
I couldn’t wait to bake this salmon! It smelled so good. Sometimes, I’ll use an orange instead of lime. It’s fun to switch things up. 
I boiled about two cups of red potatoes until fork tender. I diced them up and added them to a baking dish. I drizzled a tablespoon of olive oil on top and tossed them in black pepper, minced onion, sea salt, and garlic powder. I cooked the potatoes in the oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. I flipped them halfway through. 
While the potatoes were cooking, I prepared the salad.

I’ve been using the Tessemae’s honey balsamic dressing lately, and it’s so tasty! This dressing also works as a marinade for chicken and shrimp.

I massed the baby arugula in the honey balsamic and then topped the salad with avocados and strawberries. 
When the potatoes were done, I turned the oven temperature down to 375 and cooked the salmon for 15 minutes. The cooking time depends on the size of your salmon.
The salmon was perfectly glazed, and we were ready to dive in! 
There is no better feeling than cooking a perfect salmon. It just fell apart in your mouth, and the flavors were spot on. I love my mom’s recipe, and I’ll be making this for the rest of my life! It was the first recipe that made me truly enjoy salmon.
Cooking salmon at home way more budget-friendly than salmon at a restaurant! This is why I love cooking at home! I like to eat at restaurants in the summer, but I’d rather watch movies, have dinner around the coffee table, and get my own ketchup instead of asking for it. Remember when I used to eat out at restaurants practically every meal? I’m so happy that I’ve cut that out. 
Questions for you!

1. Would you like me to start posting more recipe/workout videos on my Instagram story?
2. Which recipe would you like to see first? The Matcha & Maqui Pancakes or Chocolate Matcha Muffins?
3. I made a list of thirty blog posts to create this year. What do YOU want to see?

I am so lucky that I have the schedule that I do (as of right now), but I totally understand that one day, when I’m working the 8-6, I’ll be facing the same struggles. I also receive questions like this a lot, so I decided to put together ten workouts that only take fifteen minutes to complete, and they are so effective! They’ll get your heart rate going up and down throughout the workout, and you’ll be benefiting from the afterburn. You could do these workouts before work, after work, during lunch breaks, or before bed! It’s hard to come up with an excuse for something that only takes fifteen minutes. Set a timer. If you finish before the fifteen-minute alarm, start the workout from the top, and go until fifteen minutes is up. The more you do them, they easier they’ll get, so it’s important to keep challenging yourself. If you want a thirty-minute workout, choose two of the workouts to do, or do your favorite twice! Fifteen minutes a day can be so effective and these have a nice balane of cardio & weights!

These are perfect for hotel workouts, travel workouts, and pretty much anything! If you are on your phone, screen shot the workout! If you are on your computer, save the workout to your computer, or print it! Take these to the gym with you, or hang them up where you can see them. My mom printed them out and hung them in her gym locker (seriously the cutest.) 

Questions for you!

1. Do you find it hard to fit in workouts with your schedule?
2. Could you dedicate 15 minutes to exersice everday?
3. How long are your workouts?

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. I got a lot of stuff done, and feel so refreshed and ready to conquer the week ahead! My current gym is closed this week, so I’ll be hopping around to some new ones, so this should be fun! I am also creating a new meal prep menu for the week. I love the convenience of the meal prep so much, and I find that I eat a lot healthier, but I have to switch up the recipes, or I’ll get so bored!

You’re probably surprised because I normally don’t do recap posts until Tuesday or Wednesday (last weeks post was the exception), but I want to get a schedule going with my blog. I’m not making any promises, but I’m going to try harder. I feel exhausted on Sundays. My brain just turns to mush, and I crash like a little kid who just spent the entire day at the pool. My Mondays are eventful, so it makes more sense for me to write on Sunday nights. I’ll be able to wake up, head to the gym, and slow down the day knowing that my blog is already up and running for a morning read!
I did all of my meal prepping after the gym last Monday. I pretty much ate the same all week long, and it made life so much easier! 
On Tuesday morning, I spent several hours in the upstairs bathroom shaving Grumples. He had an appointment at the vet to get some new lumps (lipomas) biopsied. All good news. He also got his shots updated, tested for heart worm, new preventatives, and blood work. He went through it all. I decided to shave him down to make it easier to find the lumps and have them checked out. They were in odd places.
Some of you saw the videos of me shaving him on Instagram. It’s crazy how much he enjoys it. He just lays on the floor and lifts his leg for me. His favorite part is when I shave his belly. 
We got back from the vet around 6 pm, so I had some quinoa, baked chicken, green beans, cottage cheese, and bottled water for dinner. Cottage cheese is a great way to add extra protein to any meal!
My dogs LOVE to take country drives to see cows. They start going crazy when they see cows, and they get so excited. We go on “cow rides” at least once a week, and it makes them so happy. When we got back, I took them on a long walk around the block, and then we plopped on the couch to relax and watch T.V. 
I was feeling hungry later in the night and fighting off a sweet tooth. I had a crazy craving for dried pineapple (my weakness), so I had an idea just to bake the pineapple. It turned out to be INCREDIBLE tasting. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I am going to try to perfect the temperature and time for the baking, and I’ll report bake! I think maybe a low temp and higher cooking time. 
I spent a lot of time doing things around the house on Wednesday. My day was a blur. For breakfast, I had two egg cups and a chocolate banana protein shake.
I usually go the gym on Wednesday nights because of the instructor. She’s the one I have a love/hate relationship with. She’s killer. 
I don’t know why I thought it would be a good idea, but I decided to run two miles on the treadmill before heading to class. I was exhausted. Not only did we have an intense workout, but it started to storm so hard while we were working out, so she extended the class. It was raining aggressively with high gusts of wind, and it would have been crazy to go out in that. The rain finally lightened up, but I was still drenched, in sweat! Something completely changed inside of my body, and Meighan agrees about how weird it is. When I used to focus only on cardio, I never sweat. Instead, my skin would turn cold, and my face would go red. Now, I’m sweating buckets! I’ve also been drinking so much water to help with muscle repair, so I hear that has a lot to do with it as well. This isn’t me complaining, but it’s mind-blowing. I used to think I was incapable of sweating. 
I was so hungry after class that I picked up a bottle of water and a Quest Bar at CVS. I just needed something in my body quick! I had been working out for two hours at that point, and I had zero energy left.
When I got home, I started making dinner ASAP. I had leftover chicken and quinoa, so I prepared some zucchini noodles for the side. I added parmesan and garlic powder to the “zoodles” for extra flavor.
I was up with Kyle watching a Naked & Afraid (because I can’t get enough of that show.) For dessert, I had the new Dannon Greek Desert Yogurts topped with a couple pieces of dark chocolate. The Dannon Yogurt snacks are so fun! They have a dessert flavor with crunchy toppings on top!
I woke up early on Thursday morning to have breakfast and walk the dogs before heading to the gym. For breakfast, I had scrambled eggs (3 egg whites +1 yolk), banana slices, and whole grain with almond butter and raspberry jelly. This is my favorite breakfast before a circuit workout. It has an excellent source of carbs and a great source of protein. 
The workout class was just what I needed. It was a new instructor, so it was fun experiencing her routine. I love that every instructor has a particular style. Some days I crave an easier route, and some days I want to be pushed. This class was a bit easier, but it had a lot of cardio, so I left sweaty with a real good push!
I was shopping around for a new mirror after the gym on Thursday, but no luck. I honestly didn’t put too much effort into it. I was too hungry to function while walking through the stores. I decided to pick up a salad from Panera and head home for the afternoon, so I could catch up on work. I always get the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad and customize it. I add avocado, feta, egg, double chicken, tomatoes, kale, spinach, and romaine. The salads are huge and perfect for leftovers.
After my successful afternoon of playing catch up, I made coffee and headed to the couch to watch Naked & Afraid. I’m convinced that I can do this show.
Had the second half of the salad for dinner on Friday night! I ended the night by walking the dogs and watching two more Naked & Afraid (can’t stop, won’t stop.)
I was excited for Friday morning because I had a workout date with my mom. She got off work at noon, so we headed to her gym to complete a fun cardio + strength workout! I typed it all up early in the morning so we could use it at the gym. Before I headed to the gym, I had a slice of whole grain bread + cream cheese + raspberry jelly + almond butter crumbles. 
I stopped at CVS first to grab some post-workout bars for my mom’s gym locker. Above are some of my favorites after a workout.

If you are going to complete this workout, it takes about an hour and twenty minutes, but if you do it without the repeats, you can finish it in 45 minutes. My mom hung the workout in her locker so she could do it during her lunch hour without the repeats. You can customize it any way you want to fit your fitness needs! It was the perfect workout to kick-start the weekend.  If you are going to attempt the whole workout, make sure to have enough fuel in you, and DRINK A LOT OF WATER!

First round of cardio + first two rounds of circuits complete!
Second round of cardio + second found of circuits complete! 
Stretching & workout complete!
I was so hungry after that workout! For lunch, I had steamed broccoli, Applegate Turkey Slices, and a side salad. My salad had romaine lettuce, goat cheese, blueberries, tomatoes, cucumber, and Marie’s Greek dressing. I know I’ve said this before, but if you’re looking for a restaurant style dressing, Marie’s are the best! Every flavor is incredible. You can find them near the salad bags in the grocery store.

I took the boys out to my parent’s house on Friday night to run around and play for a couple of hours. They live so close to me, and it’s nice to be able to let them run around. My backyard isn’t big enough for them to run around like the big crazy animals that they are
Later on, that night, Kyle and I made an enchilada style quinoa with my extra food prep ingredients. I added enchilada sauce, green chilies, corn, Mexican cheese, black beans, chopped bell pepper, garlic powder, and black pepper to the leftover quinoa. I baked it for fifteen minutes, and it turned out perfect! This little recipe was an excellent way to use the leftover food prep instead of letting it go to waste. We topped the quinoa with crab cakes from the Fresh Market. I want to learn how to make the perfect crab cake, so if you have a recipe, send it my way! Please
We woke up at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning to walk the dogs for a couple of miles. It was going to be a HOT one. After coffee and relaxing a bit, I headed out to work on my house. I had to clean out the leaves from the rock, trim up the plants, water the flowers, and spray down the drive way. I couldn’t help but think about how much I want fall to get here ASAP while I was out there. It was only 10 am and almost 90 degrees. The humidity is the real killer.

I love this picture of my sleepy boys
Saturday was dedicated to the pool & reading! I’m almost finished with The Perfect Stranger. I started it a couple of months ago but got sucked into other books. I’ll let you know what I think when I finish it. I looked funny while in the pool. I was covered in 70 SPF sunscreen, hiding under a giant sunhat, and keeping almost all limbs in the water. I’ve really protected myself from the sun this summer. Although being tan looks amazing, I want to take better care of my skin. Later in the afternoon, I got cleaned up, had some coffee, and relaxed in the air conditioner.
I threw on some jean shorts and a t-shirt and headed down to Rock Hill Downtown with Meighan. We decided to check out the BMX World Championship open ceremony. There were SO MANY food trucks and fun activities going on. Rock Hill looked like an entirely different city. It was pretty impressive. The BMX World Championship is taking place all week down by the Riverwalk! Pretty cool event if you’re looking for something to do. 
Meighan and I walked around for about an hour. The heat took over our appetite, and we were sweating. SO ATTRACTIVE. We decided to drive down the road and have a meal in the air conditioner! 
We headed to Legal Remedy Brewery. Meighan had never been and it is one of my favorite spots. I especially love it during football season. 
I ordered my usual. Surprise! Surprise! I get the steak salad! It has pickled onions (which get pushed to the side) cucumbers, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, carrots (which get pushed to the side because carrots don’t belong in a salad), steak and french fries. Sometimes I get fried goat cheese on top! I figured the truffle fries were enough fried for me for the night. 
After dinner, I headed to my parent’s house to watch movies. The dogs were over there with my parents (they are obsessed with them.) Look how cute Leo is!
I woke up early to have coffee with my parents and it was a beautiful morning. The sun was shining and it was still tolerable outside. 
We decided to take the boys for a long walk before the heat arrived. When I got back, I mixed cold coffee with 1/2 cup of vanilla muscle milk & topped it with whipped cream. It was a delicious and cold coffee drink! + protein  
I had a light breakfast before getting outside for a workout.

I had one slice of back (half eaten on the plate) half of an omelet filled with sweet potato and bell peppers, 1/2 English muffin and watermelon slices. 
My gym was closed, so no excuses! I didn’t want to miss my Sunday sweat session, so I came up with a backyard workout! This workout was AMAZING & something you can do at home. It took 45 minutes to complete. It was so hot outside, so I sweat out almost every ounce of water in my body. I had about five glasses of water while working out because of how hot and humid it was.

All you need for this workout is a mat, dumbbells, and water!  This is also a perfect living room workout. 
I threw on my swim suit and went straight into the pool to cool down.
Later in the afternoon, I headed to Bath & Body Works because they were having a sale on candles! I bought some new essential oil candles for the house. I’ll share which ones I bought on my Instagram story later today! 
For dinner, I had roasted vegetables and baked chicken! This is what my meal prep will look like for the week. I think I’m going to buy sweet potatoes, vegetables for roasting, ground turkey, and chicken breast.

I hope you guys have a great week! I’ll be blogging about my Buffalo Chicken Frittata next!:) I will also be making a printable PDF with twenty of my favorite circuit workouts!

Questions for you!

1. Would you like me to start doing separate posts dedicated to my meal preps?
2. Tell me the highlight of your weekend!
3. Do you prefer Monday recap posts?

I’m grateful for the rainy day we’re having because when it’s sunny and hot out, all I want to do is spend my time outdoors walking and running. This rain is forcing me to get things done, so thank you, nature. My mom told me that she could never get me to come inside when I was a kid. I spent 80% of my days outside, and apparently, things haven’t changed much.

I have some fun blogposts + videos coming up this week, and several fun events planned. My grandma, who I haven’t seen in almost four years, is visiting on Wednesday! 
Today’s breakfast consisted of random almond grabs and hard boiled eggs (totally not picture worthy), but I did manage to pull together a decent lunch. I had a leftover salad (the one I walked six miles to get) and a chocolate protein shake. 
On the days I’m not running, I try to get as much protein and water in me as possible. That’s the best for muscle recovery. I also have a sports massage planned for tomorrow, so staying hydrated is important and will help me get rid of all the toxins. 

This protein shake had one small frozen banana, one scoop of chocolate protein powder, and one cup of unsweetened almond milk. The shake is 100% gluten free & vegan.

And now that you know what I’ve been up to today (blogging & eating) I wanted to catch you up on my week.

My Tropicana trip post will be going live later this week, and I can’t wait to share my experience at the plant with all of you. I left truly amazed.

There are a couple eats that won’t be included in that post, so I figured I’d share them here.

I woke up super early on Tuesday morning, so I could finish my last recap before taking off to visit the farm. I’m talking 4:30 am early. I wanted some eggs, fruit, and coffee for breakfast, so I ordered some up to the room.

Our day started at 7:30am, and finished around 2pm. *I’ll share everything I learned later.

Some of us had about five hours before our flights. Our hotel was only fifteen minutes from the Sarasota airport, and it’s usually dead on a Tuesday evening, so we decided to hang around the hotel and get some sun.
 The downtown Sarasota area was so cute. I’d like to plan a trip down here sometime. 
A couple of the girls (Davida & Gina) and I walked to Whole Foods to grab some lunch to take by the pool.
The weather was perfect. 
I had quinoa with grilled chicken, kale, butternut squash “noodles,” cabbage, and watermelon radishes.
I was sad to leave Florida but excited to see my pups! I left with some color too

I found these cruncha ma-me snacks at Whole Foods, and they were the perfect travel snack. They tasted so good, and they were low-calorie. I love spicy foods because it causes you to drink more water.
Instead of powering up the laptop, I decided to read Runner’s World magazine. I always get so inspired by the stories and super motivated to get out and run! That paragraph was the exact thing Meighan and I were talking about during our nine-mile run last Saturday. We felt like we could have kept going, and we forced ourselves to stay slow and enjoy the run. There is no reason our training runs need to be fast.

I arrrived at the Airport about an hour before my flight took off, so I had time to work a little. The post I worked on will be live tomorrow morning and I cannot wait for you guys to see it.

I got home around 9 pm.
I was hungry when I got home, so I made a late night dinner. I had two eggs with spinach and a random salad. The salad had smoked salmon, gouda, romaine, honey mustard almonds, prosciutto, and parmesan. I put my leftover charcuterie board to good use.

I spent Wednesday catching up on everything. Literally took ZERO photos. I’m not sure if that’s ever happened before. 
Thursday didn’t start off so great. 

Grumples had a mild seizure as we were walking out the door to go on our walk. When he was one, he had a seizure on a road trip, and the vet told me that I could expect another to happen in several years. I took him to the vet to make sure he was OK. He took some blood test, and everything was normal. If he starts to have them more, we will have to take him to a neurologist and check for epilepsy. He’s doing fine right now, and the doctor said I might never see another seizure again. His behavior is normal, and he’s acting like nothing ever happened.  
Grumples and I got back at noon, so I had coffee, a protein shake (same as the one above but with vanilla) and headed out on a three-mile run. I wouldn’t call it a “run,” it was more of a jog. I did eleven-minute miles and finished with 100 sit-ups, 20 push-ups, 100 jumping jacks, fifteen burpees, and a fifteen-minute deep stretch session.
 I had breakfast for my late afternoon lunch. I made a (two egg + four egg white) omelet, two slices Applegate bacon, and pineapple. When I’m slicing pineapple, I usually eat half of the fruit before it makes it to the plate.

Meighan and I met up Thursday evening for a six-mile walk. We just wanted to get outside, grab a coffee, and chat. I love being outdoors this time of year because everything is in full bloom.

We stopped at Le Macaron French Pastries at the Metro on our walk. It’s a new spot in Charlotte, and I highly recommend it! I added it to my Charlotte list

There were so many flavors of macarons! My goal is to try them all
 They also had gelato.
Meighan and I split pistachio gelato and a gingerbread and pistachio macaron! I also ordered a small skim latte with an extra shot of espresso.

We took our drinks to go! Not going to lie, their espresso was fantastic. Sometimes lattes are a hit or miss at dessert spots, but I want to go back just for the latte!

We walked all the way down the Sugar Creek Greenway.
It started to rain once we got back uptown, but we did’t mind walking in it.

The flowers were so pretty uptown.

We did a total of six miles and decided to pick up dinner on the way back. Meighan lives right by Kyle, so we always meet up when I’m uptown. She is just like me and will use any excuse to be outside.


They just put a Potbelly’s in uptown, and I am so freaking pumped about it. I ALWAYS have their salads when I’m in D.C., and I practically lived on them when I was residing in Chicago.

This time, I ordered the “Uptown” salad. Fitting, I know. It had all-natural grilled chicken, blue cheese, red grapes, apples, dried cranberries, candied walnuts, diced red onion, and on a bed of fresh romaine, iceberg lettuce, and spinach. I had their non-fat vinigrette on the side. Their dressing is what I love the most.

The salad was SO GOOD, and I have a feeling I’ll be picking this up all summer.

Kyle and I watched movies on Thursday night and took the pups for a walk. 
Early Friday morning, I walked the pups around uptown before heading home.

Can you tell I’m obsessed with Charlotte? You feel like you’re living in a quaint town, but it’s so big at the same time. 
For breakfast, I had pineapple, bacon, and my go-to omelet. I’ve been drinking my coffee black lately, and I’m slowly starting to create a love for it. I never used to be able to stand it, but I hope to cut out creamer altogether by the end of this summer.

On Friday evening, I did an outdoor circuit at my house. This was really tough, but fun! I also added in some sprint work with the circuit.

100 Jump-Rope
20 Squats W/10 lb Dumbbells
30 Crunches (10 Right/10 Center/10 Left)
25 Kettlebell Round Abouts (sitting with feet up while rotating the kettlebell around your body)
10 Push-Ups
100 Jump-Rope
20 Alternating Lunges W/10 lb Dumbbells
30 Crunches (10 Right/10 Center/10 Left)
10 Push-Ups
8 Sprints
X3
It was such a beautiful night Friday, so Kyle and I went to Legal Remedy Brewing with his roommate, Steve.

We started with a flight of craft beer. We tried the blueberry, orange, strawberry cream, and french toast. My two favorites were the blueberry and strawberry cream! 
We ordered the calamari fries for our starter. This appetizer led to a twenty-minute discussion about squids, which then resulted in more incredibly interesting conversations. We can always count on Steve for entertainment.

I ordered the steak salad. It came with cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, goat cheese, onions, fries, and a medium-rare steak.

Breakfast: English muffin with bacon, egg, turkey sausage, and a banana on the side.

I met up with Meighan on Saturday morning for our weekly long run! We had no expectations and told ourselves it would be OK if we wanted to stop at mile seven or eight.

We mapped out an entire new route near Quail Hollow. This route was so pretty!

It had it’s ups and downs for sure. I loved the shaded sidewalks the most.

Once we hit mile five, I knew we were going to go all the way! It’s crazy how well a run can be when you have zero expectations.

The weather was perfect. It was 75 degrees and breezy!

Mile seven!

So not all of my running photos turn out great…

We ran five miles down the main roads and turned back around to finish the rest.

MILE TEN!
WE DID IT!!!!!! Not only did we finish the ten (with no expectations to do so) we stayed at the planned pace. We are trying to keep our miles comfortable. Looking back at my blog last year, I NEVER would have imagined running this much. I would have laughed and said “yeah right,” but this goes to show that even if you weren’t born to be a runner, you can turn yourself into one. You can truly do anything if you set your mind to it.

And let’s be real, running ten miles isn’t the easiest thing in the world. You will get aches, pains, tired, and wish you never started, but pushing through is the most rewarding part.

I will need to start doing more for fuel from now on. Even when I drink a ton of water and eat all the right foods, I get pretty dehydrated by mile eight. I’m started to worry myself because I should be burning up and hot, but instead, I get goosebumps, and I’m freezing towards the end of my run. It’s caused by heat exhaustion and dehydration, so I will start carrying water with me and getting more electrolytes in my body before and during the run. If you have any suggestions on how to stay hydrated (even if you are a water guzzler), please let me know! I don’t want to experience this during the race.` 
For lunch, I had hummus and pita chips, melon, water, and salad with vinaigrette. I had a protein shake after my run too!

I needed a pick-me-up on Saturday afternoon, so Kyle and I headed to Amelie’s for a cappuccino!

To stay hydrated, I was chugging Hint waters all day. I can’t get enough of it! I drink about four bottles a day. 
Kyle and I took the pups to the park to run around for a bit before we watched the basketball games. They were having so much fun!
Grumples has always loved being up on the jungle gyms. 
There is nothing better than a happy pup! I also loved that they were exhausted

I made gluten free cosmic brownies with the Duncan Hines mix! They were so goooooooooood. I had to pack them up and give them to Steve or I would have eaten them all.
Steve and Kyle wanted to watch the game and get fajitas, so we headed to Taqueria El Manhattan Mexican restaurant. Kyle and I split the chicken fajitas for two. I love ordering fajitas at restaurants because they are high protein and low carb if you don’t eat the tortillas. I usually just eat them straight from the skillet with lettuce! 
I have never slept better in my entire life. That ten-mile run had me passed out by ten pm and I slept until 8 am. That NEVER happens.
The boys were so cute Sunday morning

We headed uptown so Meighan and I could go on a walk and Kyle could go to the gym.

Kyle always food preps on Sundays, so Leo and I walked to the grocery store with him before meeting up with Meighan.

I had to share this workout that was sitting on Meighan’s counter. I am going to try it this week, but it looks tough! She did this at the gym for a birthday. We talked about doing this for a YouTube video because there are some workouts on the list that I have no idea what they are. 
We stopped at the 7th Street Public Market for coffee and juice. I had a green juice from Viva Raw.

We had the BEST weather this weekend.

We walked about three miles uptown and on the greenway, and then stopped at Marshalls so Meighan could get a new jewelry rack. She bought a HUGE jewelry rack and carried it for three miles on the way back. It was so funny!

We stopped at Zoe’s so I could pick up a salad for dinner and some fresh fruit to snack on during the walk back.

We hit mile six by the time we got back uptown! We were both zombies yesterday, but still fought through because we wanted to be outside. We suffer from FOMO.

Kyle snapped me this of the dogs when I was out walking, and I just melted.

My favorite tossed Greek salad with extra chicken from Zoes

We also ordered pizza. Papa Johns has light pizza on their menu now! This one had extra sauce, light cheese, peppers, pineapple, Canadian bacon, and was only 165 calories a slice! Salad and pizza was the perfect Sunday dinner.

Kyle and I walked to Coco & The Director so I could grab an Americano. I needed to work and stay up a little later, but I was already falling asleep!

I was proud of myself because I was going strong on the “no cream” thing.

I am looking forward to the next couple of months! I have a lot of trips planned, my half marathon, and hello, Hawaii!

Questions for you!

1. How was your weekend?
2. How do you stay hydrated for 1 hr+ long workouts?
3. What will April bring you?

I cooked the kale and brussels sprouts on the stovetop with cooking spray, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. For the eggs, I scrambled five egg whites together. I also had a cup of nonfat Greek yogurt while cooking! 
It’s day five of the fitness challenge, and I’m feeling the pain today. After this post, I’m heading out on my walk. I loved today’s circuit because it wasn’t high impact. It was relaxing, and I followed it up with a nice stretch. The circuit workout only took about 25 minutes.

Workouts that you can do in your living room are the best. You don’t have to waste time driving anywhere, and it’s hard to make excuses not to do them.

After my circuit, I took a bubble bath with muscle pain relieving bath salts.
Now that I have my coffee, it’s time to talk all about my week.

I didn’t have an easy week. I tried to do as many fun things as possible, but I was so stressed out. Both dogs were sick, which made me sick. But no worries, they are both doing much better! I’m praying for a relaxing and stress-free week. Going in and out of vet offices is no fun. 
Last week, I was on a lettuce wrap kick for lunches. They are quick, low carb, and high protein. This one had Applegate turkey slices, Applegate bacon, gouda, yellow mustard, and iceberg lettuce.

I had a long run planned on Tuesday because I had a crummy run week with the dogs being sick.

I dread the neighborhood run because of the hills, but I know I need to run them more because of my upcoming half marathon. The route is going to be hilly, and I want to be ready. My goal for the half is to finish. I don’t care about my time, and I don’t care if my miles end up being 11-minute ones. I just want to be able to say I ran the entire 13.1 miles. For me, having the endurance is more important than being fast.
I ended up being very proud of this run. It felt so good, and it reassured me that I could do this. I have to thank my running partner, Meighan, for inspiring me with a long “YOU CAN DO IT” text message. I had so much stress built up from the week, so I think that is what pushed me during this run. Exercise is such a great outlet, and it’s much cheaper than therapy
My mom and I took the pups for a small walk when I got back. My mom came over to watch movies with me Tuesday night, and she kept an eye on the pups while I was out on my run.

I made a protein shake for dinner. It had 2 scoops vanilla protein powder, 1 frozen banana, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, and 1/2 cup water. I also had Greek yogurt and a peanut butter waffle later in the night because I was so hungry. 
Post-run bath with my muscle pain relieving bath salts.
My mom and I went out for a long walk after coffee on Wednesday morning, and then I made us some protein shakes for breakfast.  She’s obsessed with my protein shakes and always asks me to make them. 

After my mom had taken off, I started working on the new fitness challenge! My lunch was pretty much a protein plate. It had scrambled eggs and ground turkey.
Sleepy boys!  Poor Grumples was NOT feeling well.

I found a new iced coffee to try at the grocery store while I was picking up healthy eats for the challenge. It was good, but not as strong as I usually like my coffee.

For dinner, I made roasted brussels sprouts, carrots, and ground turkey. They were seasoned with sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and olive oil.

I headed out to run errands on Friday. It looked like fall outside.

I decided to pick up some flowers and pots for my garden! I wasn’t going to plant anything until Saturday because it was going to drop down to 32 degrees on Friday night.

After running errands, I had a late breakfast. I used some of the leftover ground turkey in my omelet with sweet potatoes and spinach.

I had coffee and fresh fruit on the side.
I met up with Becca at the gym, and we did day one and day two of the challenge’s circuits. 
I picked up Chopt for dinner. My salad had chickpea falafel, grilled chicken, cucumber, tricolor quinoa, kale, arugula, romaine, and goat cheese.
Kyle came over on Friday night so we could watch Dateline It’s our favorite thing to do on Friday nights. 
Saturday morning cuddles.

These are the Vogue cups I found at last week’s estate sale! I’m obsessed. I was supposed to go to some estate sales over the weekend, but I wanted to stick around with Grumples since he was still sick.

My shake had blueberries, banana, almond milk, ice, spinach, and vanilla protein powder.

I decided to plant all of the flowers while Kyle was at the gym.

I will most likely become a crazy flower lady by the end of the summer.

I need to make my wreath, add the new glass door, and paint the porch next, but I am so happy with the progress I’ve made. I think it looks so much better

After working outside for a bit, I made lunch and got ready for my long run with Meighan.

I had some leftover protein shake from breakfast and leftover Chopt.

We decided to drive all the way to Waxhaw for our run. We wanted a new scenery and hills. We didn’t really WANT hills, but we needed them.

I was so so so so proud of our run. I had a cramp at mile four but pushed through it, and eventually, it went away. This route was so hilly, and it was exactly what we needed for training. I don’t think this will be the last time we run in Waxhaw. We ran the back country roads, and it was lined with gorgeous old southern homes. I was too focused on the beauty of it all to pay too much attention to the difficulty of the course. 
And you can’t go to Waxhaw without stopping at the creamery. Meighan and I split coffee ice cream on the way home!
I picked up peanut butter cup for Kyle and a couple flavors for my parents.
Kyle and I made a Blue Apron, an awesome meal kit delivery service, on Saturday night. IT WAS SO GOOD, but I’ll post that Thursday with all of our other Blue Apron meals.

Sunday morning breakfast: Gluten-free blueberry waffle with peanut butter, Applegate bacon, and scrambled eggs!

Becca and I went to get coffee on Sunday morning at Amelie’s French Bakery in Rock Hill. It had been so long since we’ve had coffee there.

I had the latte with an extra shot of espresso

Later in the day, we grabbed lunch at Zoe’s kitchen. I had their tossed Greek salad.

And then we did some shopping

When I got back from hanging out with Becca, Kyle and I went for a walk around uptown. I was feeling so stress-free because Grumples was feeling better We made another Blue Apron, and then watched the O.J. Simpson documentary.
I ended the night with popcorn and puppy cuddles!

Kyle’s mom sent me this quote for half marathon inspiration this morning, and I had to share it with you all!

Questions for you?

1. What is one of your favorite outdoor activities?
2. Do you have any weekend adventures coming up?
3. ARE YOU WATCHING THE BACHELOR?

This challenge isn’t going to be easy, and that is why it’s called a “challenge.” If you are looking for an easier or more flexible plan, check out some of my previous fitness challenges! As you may know, I’m running my first half marathon in 59 days. I’m feeling more ready and excited than I’ve ever felt, and most of those feelings are because of the pep talks from my readers. This challenge has a mixture of my running schedule + circuits. If you’re not a runner, IT’S OK! You can still kick butt at this challenge. If you’re wanting to start running, this is a great opportunity for you to get started. If you need some running motivation or don’t know where to start, check out my running post!

Just remember, this challenge was created for my activity level in mind, so if it’s too much, just make some changes! Walk instead of run, cut the circuits in half, add in some rest days, and customize it for your activity level! & Don’t forget to get the OK from your doctor before doing anything too strenuous.

Why do you want to do a challenge?
I want to do this challenge to stay motivated. Summer is just around the corner, my race is in 59 days, and I want to be the strongest I can be. I want to stay on track with clean eats, and get myself to feeling confident. I have that winter cloud over my head right now, and it’s time to let it go!

How do you plan on staying motivated?
I love to keep track of my workouts, my meals, and thoughts along the way. I post them on the blog and social media. I also love following others who are doing challenges for inspiration. Sometimes I get on Instagram and I’m instantly inspired by seeing someone else’s progress. My friends love fitness (thank goodness) so they will hold me acountable and do some of the workouts with me. Someone should invent a workout buddy app!

Goals for this challenge?
I don’t want to skip any days at all. I also want to stop buying so many snacks. My freezer is filled with Minion fruit snacks, and I feel like a ten-year-old with some of my choices. Must stop it! I want to drink more water, more green tea, and snack on fruit and vegetables. 

My Week One Grocery List:
*you can make dairy free, nut free, gluten free, or any kinds of substitutions. This is just what I will be buying and eating.*

WEEKLY LIST: Bananas, Apples, Avocado, Head of Lettuce, Bell Peppers, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Spinach, Kale, Mixed Green Lettuce, Green Beans, Whole Grain Bread (I use Udis) Grapefruit, Strawberries, Pineapple, Lemon Blueberries, Cheerios, Bacon (Turkey or pork), Greek Yogurt (I use Dannon Greek Light & Fit), Goat Cheese, 98 % Fat Free Ground Turkey, Brown Rice, Carrots, Hummus, Turkey (Applegate), Chicken, Cottage Cheese, Dark Chocolate Chips, Eggs, Light Balsamic Dressing, Walnuts, Vanilla Protein Powder, Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk, Coffee, Tea.

**This is what I will be eating. Make sure to consult with a doctor or nutritionist before making any drastic diet changes** This is just a meal plan you can use as a base to build with. Add more or fewer calories, more or fewer carbs, or anything you wish.
8 AM Breakfast: 2 Slices Bacon, 1 Slice Toast + 1 Tbsp Peanut Butter, 2 Eggs (add any veggies you want), 1 Serving Fruit (Coffee or Tea)
11 AM Snack: 1/2 Cup Cheerios + 1 Serving Greek Yogurt
1 PM Lunch: 1 Cup Baby Carrots, 1/2 Cup Cucumbers, 2 Tablespoons Hummus, 1/2 Cup Cottage Cheese + Lettuce Wrap (1 serving Applegate Turkey Slices, 1 Slice Bacon, Yellow Mustard, Tomatoes, Bell Peppers)
3 PM Snack: Protein Shake: 2 Scoops Vanilla Protein Powder, 1/2 Frozen Banana, 1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk, 1 Cup Water, Blended!
6 PM Dinner: Grilled Chicken Salad: 6 Ounces Grilled Chicken, Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, Spinach, 2 Hard Boiled Egg Whites, Avocado With Light Balsamic Dressing.
7 PM Dessert: Tbsp Dark Chocolate chips + 1 Tbsp Chopped Walnuts
NUTRITION: 1500 Calories, 130g Carbs, 50g Fat, 127g Protein, 20g Fiber, 47g Sugar
8 AM Breakfast: Blueberry Banana Egg Pancakes (recipe here) + 1 Serving Greek Yogurt (Coffee or Tea)
11 AM Snack: 1 Serving Almonds + 1/2 Cup Cottage Cheese
1 PM Lunch: 6 Ounces Grilled Chicken, 1 Slice Bacon, Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Goat Cheese Wrapped in Lettuce + 1/2 Grapefruit
3 PM Snack: Protein Shake: 2 Scoops Vanilla Protein Powder, 1/2 Frozen Banana, 1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk, 1 Cup Water, Blended!
6 PM Dinner: 4 Ounces Ground Turkey, 1 Cup Green Beans (or other cooked green veggies), + 1/2 Cup Brown Rice or Quinoa
7 PM Dessert: Tbsp Dark Chocolate chips + 1 Tbsp Chopped Walnuts
NUTRITION: 1400 Calories, 160g Carbs, 35g Fat, 128g Protein, 18g Fiber, 43g Sugar
8AM Breakfast: Vegetable 2-egg omelet, 1/2 Grapefruit, 1 Slice Toast + 1 TBSP Peanut Butter
11 AM Snack: 1 Cup Blueberries + 1 Serving Greek Yogurt
1 PM Lunch: Ground Turkey over a Vegetable + Goat Cheese Salad
3 PM Snack: Protein Shake: 2 Scoops Vanilla Protein Powder, 1/2 Frozen Banana, 1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk, 1 Cup Water, Blended!
6 PM Dinner: Grilled Chicken, 1/2 Cup Brown Rice or Quinoa, & 2 Cups Cooked Green Vegetables.
7 PM Dessert: Tbsp Dark Chocolate chips + 1 Tbsp Chopped Walnuts
NUTRITION: 1500 Calories, 140g Carbs, 38g Fat, 131g Protein, 16g Fiber, 48g Sugar

**When I’m trying to eat clean, I like to keep my meals easy and realistic. I also like them to be repetitive because it saves money. I buy what I need, what I plan on eating, and quick fixes. I will most likely eat the same meals six days in a row. I like to give myself one free day. My free days will consist of healthy eats, just not planned ones. I also like to drink lemon tea throughout the day. These are meals you can food prep on Sunday, pack for work, or wherever you plan on going**Don’t forget to change up the workouts to FIT your fitness level. You don’t want to overdo it! If you have any questions, leave them in the comments! If you are unsure about some of the workouts, googling movements helps a lot. There are a lot of tutorials on youtube.

You will notice a lot of miles in the workouts. There is nothing better than going out for long walks or runs, especially this time of year. This month’s goal is high mileage. If you have a tracker, try to walk throughout the day. Get up as much as possible. Walk early in the morning, late in the evenings, or whenever you can find the time.

I also wanted to make a workout plan that you could do anywhere! All you need is a jump rope, dumbbells (everyone should own a pair) yoga mat, and shoes! If you want some cheap workout equipment, check out TJMAXX!

Please follow along on the fitness page for motivation! Tag me in your workouts and eats! If you need to, print this workout and post it on your fridge!

I hope this plan can help dig you out of your rut, inspire you to challenge yourself, but if not, I hope you enjoyed the read

Questions for you!

1. Are you IN or Out?
2. What are your Spring Fitness goals?
3. What is the hardest part about sticking to a plan, and how can you change that?

I was struggling yesterday with allergies. Spring is about here, and my eyes are already watering, the headaches are creeping in, and my throat is scratchy. I tried my hardest to fight through it last night but defeated at 8 pm. I passed out and slept like a log all the way through the night. I was wide awake at 6 am, made coffee, walked the pups, checked emails, and headed out for a run! I feel like a whole new person today. 
I alway stay out at my parent’s house once a week. I love that the dogs can go crazy in the backyard and it’s nice to have dinner with them. Another good thing is that my mom always makes me breakfast in the morning. You’re never too old for mom’s breakfast! She made me a vegetable omelet with a side of fresh fruit. Food is just better when it comes from mom.

Leo helped me eat some of the cantaloupe while checking emails

My goal was to run for one hour. I didn’t want to worry about the pace or mileage. Running longer rather than faster helps build endurance(for me). I kept thinking about the half marathon everytime I felt like stopping. I keep getting in my head, and I need to stop. I have thoughts like “what if my shoulder starts bugging me again?”, “what if I make a fool of myself?” and what if I am so slow?” The worried thoughts keep piling up. I realized that those thoughts would become real if I don’t start thinking positive and telling myself that I got this. I can run ten miles without stopping, so what is so scary about running 13.1? I think the scary part is that I still get tired at mile six, still have awful 5k’s now and then, and sometimes my shoulder tightens up so bad that I think it’s falling off. Those are just fears that I can turn into motivation to keep pushing forward.  I know I can do this. My time was actually pretty good! I plan on running 9-10 minute miles during the half. 
I love running out at my parent’s house because the dogs cheer me on from the backyard! They run along the fence with me every time I pass by. 
When I got back, I chugged three glasses of water and a large protein shake! It felt nice to relax on the porch before showering off all the sweat.

My personal cheerleaders.

My protein shake had a cup of unsweetened almond milk, a cup of water, one-half of a large frozen banana, and one heaping spoon protein powder (30 grams.)
I have a couple of new posts lined up that I think you’ll love. They’ve been taking up all of my time, so I wanted to make sure to post a recap post before they go live!

My last recap post left off on last Thursday, so lets start there! 
I headed out for a run in my neighborhood on Thursday afternoon. It was extremely sunny, and I didn’t bring sunglasses. It was 4 pm, and I had way too little fuel in my body. I had an awful run. The uphill route gave me tight shoulder aches, a migraine, and I was winded. I had to stop before mile five. Usually, I’m weird and want my miles to end on a solid mile, but I just couldn’t go anymore. This horrible run fed my anxiety about the half. What happens if this happens during the race? I found myself questioning it all again. Bad.

Lesson learned: wear sunglasses, eat more before the afternoon, drink more water, get more sleep.

Thursday was an early night for me. I heated up some leftover food, watched Revenge Body, walked the dogs and headed to bed by 10 pm.
Friday was a running rest day. I made myself a yummy breakfast and decided to do a back porch circuit workout. I made bacon, a five egg-white omelet, and had a tangerine on the side. The sweet and sour taste of the tangerine is delicious after taking a bite of the salty bacon.
I loved the circuit I did in the backyard and wrote it down as I went. This workout can be completed in under thirty minutes, and it’s super effective. You don’t need a gym or any special equipment to complete it.

The Back Porch Circuit:
35 Sit-ups (10 left, 15 center,10 right)
25 Dumbbell Bench Presses (5-10lb weights)
^ X 2
10 Squats
5 Push-Ups
^ X3
30 Left Side Leg Lifts/30 Right Side Leg Lifts
50 Front Arm Circles/50 Back Arm Circles (do not take a break between sets)
30 Left Front Leg Lifts/30 Right Front Leg Lifts
35 Sit-ups (10 left, 15 center,10 right)
10 Jumping Jacks
10 Burpees
Repeat Circuit 2X!
I let Grumples come outside to cool down with me afterwards.

Kyle got me hooked on the Isopure Amino Supplement after my workouts to help with recovery! This supplement is only fifteen calories, and it tastes so good!

After working out, I was in the baking mood. I decided to play around with some gluten free recipes. I created this delicious gluten free blueberry oat breakfast cake, and it was to die for! The recipe can be found here!
Fridays are my days for power-cleaning, and it gets intense.

I’m not sure what comes over me, but I get the urge to clean everything. I blast music and get to work. I start by vacuuming all the rugs and then remove them from the floor. I like to throw them on the staircase, so I have room to work. I vacuum the couch, the throw pillows, and place the throw blankets into the washing machine. I scrub the counter tops, clean the stainless steel appliances, scrub the bathrooms, clean the cabinets, dust items, wipe down the end tables, and Windex the mirrors and windows. After all of that is done, I sweep up the hardwood floors. I make sure to do the hardwoods last because things from the counters usually end up on the floor after wipedowns. Once the hardwood floors are clean, I use my mop and scrub them. When they dry, I place the rugs back, throw the clean pillows and blankets back onto the couch, light the candles and head upstairs for round two.

I start by adding new sheets, and pillow covers to the bed, vacuuming the carpets, Windexing the mirrors and windows, and then scrubbing down the bathroom. I don’t touch the guest bedroom or the office because they are not completed, or used right now. I plan on making those rooms my spring and summer projects. The upstairs is a quick fix.

When finished, I relax with my coffee and get back to working.

For lunch on Friday, I made a delicious salad. It had kale, brussels sprouts, pepitas, craisins, parmesan crisps, ground turkey, goat cheese, and lemon poppyseed dressing. YUM!
It was beautiful on Friday, so the pups and I sat in my backyard while the evening sun went down. Once the sun goes down, we go inside because, you know, woods and killers and stuff. Backyard, bye! 
A couple weeks ago, I bought Amy’s organic gluten free black bean enchiladas. Kyle and I decided to heat them up for dinner and try them out. They weren’t too bad! It actually inspired me to make enchiladas for Saturday night’s dinner.
My dad sent me the cutest photo of my mom on Friday night. I surprised my parents by sending them a Blue Apron! Blue Apron is an awesome meal kit delivery service. I wanted them to enjoy the delicious meals all weekend long!  My parents have always been a fan of Blue Apron, so they appreciated the surprise.

Friday was a sad day. We finished our favorite show on Netflix, and watching shows haven’t been the same since. We popped popcorn and watched the final episode. I loved how they ended it, just upset that they ended up. We have been trying some new shows, but it’s always hard finding something without comparing it to your favorite.

We ended up playing it safe, watching a couple of Dateline episodes. Those rarely fail us.

Like the old people that we are, we were both in bed by 10 pm.
I felt great on Saturday morning. I went to bed early, woke up early, had coffee, made breakfast, and got ready for a long walk with Becca.
I made scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, banana slices, and blueberries. 
Before Kyle headed to the gym, and I went off to the Riverwalk, we walked the pups around the neighborhood. 
The weather was beautiful on Saturday. It’s hard to believe it’s February. It was overcast, but 72 degrees.

The Riverwalk is on my Charlotte List (almost done by the way), and it will always be my favorite trail.

I cannot wait for this summer. Becca, Meighan and I are going to buy rafting tubes and float down the river! We see people do it all the time and we are going to give it a try. You better believe I’ll be bringing my waterproof camera.

I love seeing all of the flowers bloom in the Carolinas! Hello, spring!

We had completed seven miles before the rain hit. We lucked out for sure! I decided to stop at the grocery store on the way home to pick up ingredients for gluten free enchiladas.
My parents stopped by Saturday afternoon. My dad helped me paint the accent wall. I loved the blue, but I have softer accent pieces, so it didn’t match. I like it a lot better now that it’s a softer color.
I made enchiladas for all of us. They turned out fantastic. I cannot wait to blog this recipe on Saturday morning! Kyle was obsessed, and they are so much healthier than the last enchiladas I made!

Sunday morning snuggles.

We headed uptown to Kyle’s place. I had been looking forward to Sunday all week! Kyle headed to the gym, meal prepped for the week and hung out with the pups all day.

I met up with Becca and headed to the coffee shop. It was kind of sad that we were going to spend a 78-degree day inside, but we had big plans.

We bought coffee, tons of water, snacks, and got to work!
Tomorrow I will be posting “How to Build a Blog in One Day,” and I think you guys will love it! I get questions regarding the blog every day, and I’m finally happy I wrote something. Not only did I write it all out, but we built Becca a blog and added step by step photos!

Snacks were necessary.

We finally finished later in the evening and were super happy with the end product. We headed to Whole Foods and Dean & Deluca to grab food for dinner.
I had avocado quinoa salad over kale Caesar salad with grilled chicken on top. It tasted as good as it looks.

Kyle and I hung out with the pups on the patio for a while and enjoyed the warm Sunday weather.
On Monday afternoon, Meighan picked me up from my house, and we headed over to the Riverwalk to run three miles.  
We did our three miles in 27 minutes and then walked two and a half miles back.

We walked the dogs around the neighborhood when we got back.

I made a salad for dinner before the Bachelor started. It had brussels sprouts, kale, chicken, gluten free croutons, Caesar dressing, parmesan and sunflower seeds.

My salad didn’t have enough protein, so I made a protein shake during the Bachelor. It had almond milk and chocolate casein protein powder.  
I made Grumples a giant bed, and he loved it! He looked like one of the pillows.

So don’t be mad at me BUT…I kind of like Corine now. I think Vanessa is too good for Nick, and Raven doesn’t seem compatible. She needs a good country man, but Corine and Nick seem perfect. What did you guys think of the hometown dates?

I had coffee and a bowl of “Cheerioats” for breakfast. I like to mix my chocolate Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, and gluten free oats together with almond milk. It sounds weird, but tastes so good!  
I headed over to my parent’s house yesterday afternoon and ended up baking these delicious almond honey coconut cookies! They’re so healthy. I can’t wait to share this recipe soon! I have so many to post.
We decide to make hibachi on the grill outside for dinner! This hibachi had bell peppers, onions, zucchini, radishes, summer squash, carrots, kale, eggs, and chicken.
The hibachi was so flavorful that it didn’t need any seasoning or sauces!

As you already know, I was out like a lightbulb at 8 pm! 
Poor Leo is getting fixed tomorrow, so please keep him in your prayers! I know this type of surgery happens a thousand times a day, but Grumples had big complications during his procedure, and it was frightening. Please pray for little Leo and I’ll let you know how it goes!

Questions for you?

1. Were you afraid before your first half?
2. What has been the highlight of your week?
3. What’s for dinner?

I hope your week is going well. I spent all day yesterday writing a “Charlotte Guide” and I cannot wait to post it once it’s done (I shared a little preview on snapchat this morning @taralynnmcnitt.) I think it’s my favorite post yet because it’s filled with all of my favorite spots. I’m constantly getting questions about Charlotte and I find myself being so repetitive with comments. I’m hoping this new post will be helpful if you’re planning a trip to Charlotte, or if you live here and want to try something new!

I had to put a hold on my Charlotte post becuase it’s time to catch you all up with a weekly recap! 
When I got home yesterday morning, I made coffee and a cup of cheerios with almond milk. I glued myself to the blog for hours. I got up around noon and walked Grumples two miles and then walked Leo one mile.

I food prepped later in the evening. I made a big batch of my green beans, ground turkey, sautéed zucchini, sautéed radishes and carrot/cauliflower rice.

The green beans were cooked in olive oil, sea salt, honey, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.

I broiled the carrots in the oven at 400 degrees. I added about 1/4 of cup of water to the bottom of the pan and topped the carrots with garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and sea salt.

I cook the radishes in olive oil, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. The zucchini was cooked up the same way.

I bought a bag of carrot & cauliflower rice at Trader Joes. I steamed it in the microwave.

The 98% Fat Free ground turkey was cooked up on the stove with cooking spray. I usually keep it plain.

After dinner, I walked the pups again, watched a movie, and got back to blogging about Charlotte! 
Before I get to blogging about my week, I want to start with Valentine’s day! I was so exacted to see Kyle later in the evening because I spent weeks making his gift. 
I also picked up some yummy French Macarons at Dean & Deluca! My parents came over for coffee and I set them out for my dad. The purple one is Lavender, the pink one is almond, and the blue and white one is white chocolate.
 After walking the dogs, my mom and I laced up for our run!
We have been so blessed this winter with gorgeous weather! It was 62 degrees and perfect for a run at the Riverwalk.

I am so proud of my mom. She kept up with me for the first five miles and then she let me finish the last three miles on my own at a faster pace. She’s 54 and crushing it! 
The first five miles were 9:50, 9:29, 10:01, 10:03, 9:57 and my last three solo miles were 9:39, 9:01, 8:52, 9:01! 
We ended our run with a good stretch session. 
I love how beautiful the water looked. 
For lunch, I had a kale & brussels sprout salad with a lemon poppy seed dressing, ground turkey, and hard boiled egg whites + one yolk.

I spent weeks making a 75 page book for Kyle! It had all of our photos and adventures together from the year. I love that Kyle appreciates things like this. It made me so happy to see the smile on his face while he read the book. 
We ended up making smoothies and watching “The Killing” for the rest of the evening. We have about ten more episodes before it’s over…forever

I had the perfect Valentine’s day because it was spent with my favorite Valentine in the entire world.

Time to take this recap post all the way back to last Tuesday

I like to spend mornings at my parents house when I have a project to work on because I feel bad for the dogs. I love that they can run around in the backyard while I work.

I love that my mom always makes me breakfast. It doesn’t matter if I’m hungry or not, she insists on it. She made me an omelet, bacon and fresh fruit.

Later in the afternoon, I had hot tea with my honey spoons! Kyle’s mom sent me them for my birthday and they are so good in tea. 
Leo was in desperate need of a bath, so I gave him a good scrub down. It was the most adorable thing when Grumples cuddled up next to him to keep him warm.

For dinner I made an omelet, turkey sausage, and sautéed radishes.  
My Stitch Fix came and I tried all of my items on Wednesday. This was the first time I didn’t like anything, but the cool thing is that I can send it all back in the bag they provide for no charge at all. I sent a note to the stylist on what I want and some photos they can look at for style help.

I made a protein shake before heading to the gym. This had half a frozen banana, almond milk, spinach, and one scoop of protein powder. I had an intense workout written up for Becca and I. 
The first time we tried this workout, we couldn’t get through it. The next time we attempted this workout, we got through it in under and hour and + some! I highly recommend trying this circuit if you want a good burn and sweat. It took me three days to get the feeling back into my legs. 
I picked up dinner at Chipotle on the way home from the gym. My bowl had lettuce, half chicken, half steak, fajita vegetables, hot salsa and a little bit of guacamole. 
I wasn’t the only exhausted one…
I finally got the curtains changed in my living room! It took me so long to find ones that I liked. 
Kyle and I celebrated Valentine’s Day together on Friday Night. He took me to the Halcyon Restaurant at the Mint Museum. The Halcyon creates their dishes with flavors from the earth. They get their ingredients from artisinal farms, dairies and wineries in the Carolinas. 
We started with a charcuterie board and a glass of wine. We want to recreate this board this weekend! It was so delicious and I never thought cherries in sauce would pair perfectly with smoked salmon. We had gouda, smoked salmon, raisins, prosciutto, pancetta, mortadella, apple butter, pear slices, cherries in sauce, honey, fennel, flatbread, and ciabatta. You get to create your own board from a huge list of options. 
I ordered the cast iron salad. It had brussels, onions, walnuts, sweet potato chips, goat cheese, and pomegranate vinaigrette. 
Kyle bought us front row tickets to go see Into the Woods, The Musical! It was so good and the entire cast was super talented. They all played instruments throughout the show. We really enjoyed it.

We left the show around 10:30 and headed to Amelies for a late night Valentine’s day treat. 
My hair looks so blonde when it’s down and so brunette when it’s pulled back! I feel like I have two hair identities.  
Le Sombre Chai 
 We picked out little Valentine’s Day treats. The French Macarons are my favorite.

I woke up early on Saturday morning to make breakfast and get ready for my run with Meighan. I made scrambled eggs, bacon, and a blueberry protein pancake. 
We passed the cutest little foster dogs on the way to our trail 
 
 I felt so bad, but I had to stop at mile three. My legs were so sore from the circuit I did earlier in the week and I had one of the worst migraines I’ve ever had. Overall, it was one of the worst runs I have ever had. I guess it’s the reality of running and you can’t always be in control.

The good thing is that it was 75 degrees, so we walked three miles back. We covered over eight miles, but most of them were walked and it was my fault. I really needed water, sunglasses, and Tylenol!

All the blossoms were out, so it was a pretty run
I took a tylenol and had an afternoon snack. I had apple slices, peanut butter and dark chocolate chips.   
I felt better later in the afternoon, so I met with Becca for coffee at Lady M Cakes. We love this little spot for chatting! The coffee is so good and the tables are adorable.

Cappuccino + 1 extra shot of espresso with skim milk.



We chatted for a couple hours (yes that much to talk about) and then made a trip to Whole Foods so I could pick up some ingredients for dinner. My best friends and I are pretty talented in the word babbling department and there is never a silent moment.

I asked Kyle what he was in the mood for and he said “fajitas.” They are so easy to make, so I agreed! I’ll post that recipe up soon. It’s a game changer when you cook them up in a cast iron pan.

Becca and I headed to the gym on Sunday morning for a 30 minute arm workout. I didn’t write this one down because it was random, but amazing! Meighan gave me all of her circuit workout cards, so I’m going to share those with you guys soon! They are great for at home workouts.
 
After our workout, we stopped to get coffee at Dean & Deluca!

I got a nonfat cappuccino with an extra shot of espresso and cinnamon on top! I actually like lattes after my workouts because they have protein.

We decided to head out for a long walk and enjoy the gorgeous weather!
   Queen’s road is one of our favorite places to walk. The greenways can get a little crowded in the spring!

We were so hungry (literally running on coffee) so we went to Zoe’s kitchen for lunch. I ordered a Greek Salad! It came with lettuce, grilled chicken, bell pepper, onions, tomato, cucumber, pepperoncini, and a olive oil & vinegar dressing. 
No leftovers.

Kyle and I decided to take the pups for a walk. I wanted to spend every second outside before locking myself in for the night to work.

Little Leo was loving the park!

We totally cracked into the gluten free donuts we found at Whole Foods and HOLY COW!!!!!!! THEY WERE SO GOOD! I saw the cinnamon sugar version of these at the grocery store yesterday and I didn’t dare by them because I knew they’d be amazing too.
After cracking into the donuts, I made coffee and sat down to blog about my new LG Watch Sport!   
They are just too cute.
I had black bean and tortilla crusted tilapia and a caesar salad with gluten free croutons for dinner.

I made a protein blueberry pancake for breakfast on Monday morning!
 
I was pretty nervous on Monday morning. Grumples had a vet visit because he had a large lump on his leg and it has been there for a couple weeks. I finally decided to get it checked out because it wasn’t going down at all. The vet took some samples from the bump and fatty tissue came out, so he identified it as a lipoma, which is just a fatty tumor under the skin. He won’t have to get it removed unless it grows large, but hopefully it doesn’t grow at all. Leo was giving Grumples kisses all morning and it was the cutest thing. If you want to follow them on Instagram, @mrgrumples is their handle!

For dinner, I had a kale and brussels sprout salad with lemon poppy seed dressing, gluten free croutons, ground turkey, pepitas, craisins, shredded coconut, and hard boiled eggs!

And that has been my week so far! I’m about to lace up and head out for a run! I hope to finish  more of the Charlotte post tonight and it’ll be live Monday!

Questions for you!?

1. Have you ever had a really bad running experience?
2. What did you do for Valentine’s Day?
3. Do you have any questions about Charlotte?