Colorado is genuinely one of my favorite places. If I had to pick another state to live in the US, this would be it. I love everything about it–from the views, to the million outdoor activities, to the peacefulness. It seriously is my happy place.

The flight was easy breezy, which is definitely a plus. Southwest always pulls through with the great deals. I was able to book two non-stop flights from Indianapolis–score! The flight was around 2.5 hours–so easy! (P.S. Ask me how to get FREE flights through Southwest)

Okay, let me just say (before I go on gushing about the place we are staying at)…this was my first time using Airbnb. All I have to say is: WOW! Everything was booked through the app and you have direct communication with your host. It couldn’t have been an easier process. I absolutely am obsessed with our place AKA “The Sunshine House”. We are staying just off the beaten path up in the mountains in Boulder. It’s basically the guest house of a beautiful home across the lane. It’s so quaint, cozy, and SUNNY. The name definitely is fitting. We were woken up this morning by the sun peeking through the windows. Take a look at this perfect place….

 

Breakfast was scrumptious. I usually look on Yelp  if I’m traveling to a new area to find food spots. Good reviews can always be trusted. I happen to come across Woodgrain Bagels and it seriously hit the spot. My latte was out of this world! I paired it with the “Brooklyn Classic”–everything bagel, lox, cream cheese, red onion, tomato & capers. SO tasty!

After breakfast, we headed to do to some hiking in Chautauqua Park. It was a bit windy today, but once we got up into the trails, it was perfect. I always forget how much the altitude takes a toll on you. Whew, I felt winded within the first five minutes. No, not even kidding–haha! The views were amazing as you can see. I’m sure we’ll venture back to these trails at least one more time before we leave 🙂

Tomorrow we are headed to Aspen to do some skiing and exploring. I’ve never been, so I’m pretty excited! It’s about a 3-3.5 hour drive from Boulder, and I’m sure it won’t be like a boring drive through the plains of Indiana. Mountain views make any drive better! Off to bed…big day tomorrow.

Peace & Progress.
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Oh, Oh Mexico!
Back in the states enjoying my fresh tan and great memories. Cabo was amazing! This trip was booked in such short notice, which was even more fun. I absolutely love random adventures. HUGE shout out to my bestie, Sizzle AKA Julia (hoo-lee-uh) and her family. This trip wouldn’t have been possible without them!
Here are the deets:
Usually my flights are booked through Skyscanner, but this time I went directly through American Airlines. Flights were significantly cheaper out of O’Hare rather than Indianapolis, so I volunteered my Dad to drive us 🙂 (Thanks, Dad).
Our condo that we stayed in was part of the Westin: Raintree’s Club Regina Los Cabos. Location was in between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas— (25 minutes each way).

Club Regina was beautiful. The views throughout the grounds were amazing, but my personal favorite had to be the breakfast view every morning. It was so peaceful. We also were able to spot humpback whales daily–pretty awesome!

We had planned in advance to visit The One & Only Palmilla before we even arrived in Cabo. It is known as  “the nicest resort in all of Cabo”. Julie and I share the commonality of loving to wine & dine, so we knew that we wanted to do at least one fancy dinner. Agua By Larbi (located at The One & Only) met all of our expectations. From the service, to the food, to the views–AMAZING! If I ever return to Cabo, I will visit again.

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Another favorite part of the trip, was randomly taking a boat tour to see “The Arch”. We had gone into Cabo San Lucas during the day to enjoy some time at Mango Deck. It definitely gives off the spring break vibe, but quite an entertaining spot. They host competitions and entertainment throughout the day. It’s located right on the beach, and it’s a perfect spot to visit during the day. The Arch isn’t quite visible from Mango Deck, so we took a 10 minute boat ride to see it from the other side. We were also able to see tons of sea lions which was awesome, but WOW they were stinky.

Those are just a few highlights and favorite parts of the trip. Sort of a short & sweet post. I’m exhausted from a big Easter weekend with the fam. I’m wrapping up my evening with meal prep for the week and packing my suitcase again–yay. My next trip is this week! I leave for Colorado on Tuesday. I am crazy excited! Partially because I get to see James, but mostly because I absolutely love Colorado–sorry babe 🙂 I can’t wait to share all about it when I return!

Enjoy your week & Happy Easter!

Peace & Progress
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This is for all of you “wing lovers” out there! Let me just say…buffalo wings are one of my favorite treats. However, we all know that they don’t really fit into the clean eating category. So, what do you do? Improvise, be creative!
Tonight’s Dinner: Buffalo Chicken Salad

Ingredients (single serving)
-A few handfuls of baby spinach
-1/4 cup carrots, chopped
-1/4 cup cucumbers, chopped
-2 Tbsp red onion, chopped
-5 grape tomatoes, diced
-1 cup of shredded rotisserie chicken
-2 Tbsp greek yogurt
-2 Tbsp Frank’s buffalo sauce

Directions:
Add spinach to bowl. Chop carrots, cucumbers, red onion, and tomatoes. Add to spinach. Mix rotisserie chicken, greek yogurt, and buffalo sauce in separate bowl. Once mixed, add to salad. Enjoy!

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Rounding up a productive weekend with a yummy dinner…salmon sushi salad. I typically have all of these ingredients in my fridge/pantry so whipping this up was super easy, and I already had the rice pre-made from my meal prep. Recipe is posted below, along with the recipe for “spicy mayo” (because you can’t have sushi without spicy mayo, right?).

Salmon Sushi Salad
1 c. Brown Rice (cook according to package)
1/4 c. Chopped Cucumbers—I use english cucumbers
1/4 c. Peeled Carrots
2 Chopped Green Onions
1/4 Avocado, diced
2 oz. Wild Alaskan Caught Salmon
-Layer bottom of bowl with brown rice, top with the remaining ingredients,  then drizzle spicy mayo on top

Spicy Mayo
1 tsp. Lime Juice
1/2 c. Vegenaise
2 Tbsp. Sriracha
-Mix all ingredients in small bowl, refrigerate extra

In other news….I’ve recently found myself getting burnt out from my workout routine, so I’ve decided to switch it up daily. I find that sticking to one program can be a bit boring for me at times. So, I’d rather still get a workout in and veer off of my program for a few days than get bored and quit completely. I just tell myself that doing anything active is better than couch surfing and binge watching Netflix (but really, haha). Yesterday, I purchased a few things on Amazon. With Prime, I’ve already received two out of the three items—yesss!

Item #1: Ab Toning Wheel
This is purchase is somewhat of an inside joke to myself—AKA I attempted to use this device…and I failed MISERABLY. So, I purchased this because I’m determined to get better. There’s no better place to practice than at home…with no one watching 🙂
Item #2: TriggerPoint GRID Foam Roller
Being a dental hygienist and active gym-goer, I have aches and pains quite frequently (especially my neck and back). This foam roller was actually recommended to me by my chiropractor. I’ve used it multiple times today and I’m not sure how I’ve gone this long without one!

Item #3: Gliding Discs (not yet arrived)
A good friend of mine and I worked out over the weekend and we used these at the gym. I’m still sore, so I instantly knew I had to order them. They’re also fairly inexpensive-huge plus!

I purchased all three items for under $50, and I’m 100% sure I will get my use out of them   — all items are linked! I hope everyone has a great week–get after those goals! I’m off to finish up my meal prep.

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Here’s a quick salad recipe for you that requires little effort but is extremely tasty. It took me about 20 minutes from start to finish!

Spinach Salad with Blackberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
Dressing:
1/2 cup blackberries, mashed
2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp honey
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
pepper to taste
-Mix all ingredients, put in the fridge until ready to use
Fried Goat Cheese Medallions:
8 oz goat cheese, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1/4 c. flour
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. panko breadcrumbs (I used gluten free)
-Dredge the goat cheese rounds through the flour, then beaten egg, then breadcrumbs (3 separate bowls/plates). Fry in grapeseed or olive oil over medium heat until golden brown on each side.
Salad:
Spinach, Blackberries, Avocado, Walnuts, Red Onion
-Assemble all salad ingredients, place goat cheese medallions on top, drizzle over blackberry vinaigrette

Enjoy!
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Another weekend in the books! While mindlessly scrolling through Facebook and Instagram today, I came across quite a few “Sunday Scaries” posts. The old me would’ve agreed that Sundays do, in fact, suck. Everyone knows that Monday means back to work, back to reality. The new me, however, has a whole new take on Sundays.

Why not look at Monday as a FRESH start? A chance to go after your goals if you slacked off the week before. Sunday gives me a chance to refresh and refuel for the week ahead. One key component to my Sunday is meal prepping. I am a firm believer that if you fail to prepare, you better prepare to fail. If I don’t plan my meals out for the week and make my lunches ahead of time, I will definitely fall of track. Eating out and grabbing quick meals is so much easier, right? Having your meals prepped and ready to go eliminates the desire to grab fast food, or eat out.

Before we get to a few of my staple grocery items for meal prep, let me just say: If you have junk food in your house, you will eat it! ELIMINATE your temptations and your new, healthy bod will thank you in the long run 🙂 Also, keep it simple! Meal prepping isn’t rocket science and it certainly doesn’t have to take up a whole Sunday afternoon.

My Top Grocery Staples for Meal Prep:
*P.S. These are just a few of “my” favs, mainly because of they’re quick & easy, but the options are endless. Be creative–pick YOUR favorites. Another idea!–Head over to Pinterest, and you’ll find more meal prep ideas than you could ever imagine.

1.Protein
Chicken (usually my go-to), Lean Ground Beef, Salmon
2. Veggie
Green Beans, Carrots, Bell Peppers, etc.
I find it easiest to pick a few favorites and add them to one sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, your favorite spices, and toss them in the oven for 20 minutes.
3. Carb
Brown Rice, Quinoa
While you’re in the process of baking or sautéing your protein and veggies, let your rice or quinoa cook and simmer on the stove.
4. Snack
Fruit (Cuties, Raspberries, Blueberries, Apples), Hard Boiled Eggs, Almonds, Pumpkin Seeds, Cottage Cheese—TPC is my fav, Peanut Butter
I try to have a morning snack between breakfast and lunch, and another snack between lunch and dinner.

5. Water
Make sure you’re keeping track and reaching your daily water goal (which is half your body weight in ounces). So, if you weigh 100 pounds, you should at least be drinking 50 ounces of water daily. If you’re very active and working out daily, you need even more.

Oh, and one more key ingredient to my meal prep is Shakeology. It’s my everyday breakfast go-to. Ask me how to get your hands on this daily dose of dense nutrition! I seriously cannot go a day without it…and it’s one less meal for me to have to plan for.

Happy Sunday!
Peace & Progress.
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I just wrapped up my third visit to the UK and it was probably my favorite. London is such a beautiful city that has so much to offer. The food is amazing, the people are polite, and their transportation system is top notch. I genuinely cannot say enough great things about England and always look forward to my next visit.

I had quite a short trip this visit. I arrived on Thursday morning and returned Monday evening. I find it quite easy to adjust to the time difference if you plan your flight accordingly. I always try to shoot for flying out in the evening, that way I can sleep on my overnight flight and arrive mid-morning London time. Yes, the flight is lengthy but it goes pretty quick. Watch a couple movies, take a little nap, indulge in the in-flight food & drinks (okay, maybe just the drinks…the food isn’t all that great), and you’re there in no time.

Anyway, let’s get down to the details…AKA food! Just a few of my favorites from this trip.

1. Nando’s
This place is nothing fancy, but I usually find myself here every time I visit. It’s quick, easy, and who doesn’t love chicken. Oh, and did I mention this location is right by Windsor Castle?

2. Dirty Bones

A guy’s heaven. We stopped by this place en route to The Book of Mormon. Drinks were awesome, food was just as good. American comfort food with a fun atmosphere.                                 3. Dishoom
The cutest location ever and it was a new experience for me…my first time trying Indian food. Everything was amazing. The wait for this place is usually extremely long though, so be prepared to have a few drinks beforehand.

4. Baroosh

Located in one of my favorite little towns (Marlow). Baroosh is great for breakfast and dinner. The eggs benedict was quite tasty.

 

 

 

 

5. Sushi Samba

My second visit here. I’ve had the amazing sushi before, but this time we just stopped for drinks. Such a cool, modern atmosphere, and all I have to say is…the VIEWS! Located on the 38th floor, you can easily see Tower Bridge and other well known London sites!

 

 

Accommodations for the Trip: 

The Montcalm at The Brewery. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Tourist

It’s always fun seeing the sites. I can’t get enough of all London has to offer!

 

I’m by no means “a regular” to London, but if you’re looking to visit anytime soon I’d love to chat. I’m awaiting my next trip to Boulder, CO for a long weekend getaway in April. Until then, you can find me attempting to stay on track with my health & fitness goals… and wanderlusting (of course). More posts to come!

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Naturally, as we start another new year, people are enthusiastic and dedicated to their resolutions. Sadly, most of us know that this doesn’t last long—I’m mainly talking about the health and fitness “resolutioners”.

Regular gym-goers are anxiously awaiting for all of the “resolutioners” to clear out towards the end of January, so they finally don’t have to wait for twenty minutes to do their daily cardio routine. Oh, and so they don’t have to watch (and secretly laugh to themselves) those same people look absolutely ridiculous attempting to use machines that they’ve never seen in their lives. No worries though, these same people willl return near spring break to try to get their “spring break bod” in two weeks time (because that’s totally attainable-not).

Now, I’m not discrediting all “resolutioners”—just the fad ones. We all know that working out for two weeks, or even four, isn’t going to get us lifetime results…or do we? Hopefully this isn’t new news to people, but if it isn’t, why does this continue to happen year after year?

We’ve all heard of fad diets. Some of these may include: food combination diets, diets that illogically overemphasize a single food, or eating mostly one food group.

Sorry to burst your bubble people, but more likely than not, those lost pounds that you worked a few weeks to burn off are going to come right back. If you logically think about some of these diet plans, you’ll realize why they don’t work. Cutting out a food group entirely? Our bodies need all of the food groups to function properly—the key point here is PORTIONS.

But, let’s just keep this simple. The reason people fall into the FAD trap, is because they’re looking for a quick fix. However, these aren’t realistic, attainable, or sustainable long term. If you’re truly looking to get healthy, then you need a lifestyle overhaul. This doesn’t include cutting out food groups or spending an hour in the gym everyday. It’s all about whole foods, portions, and staying active.
Being healthy isn’t rocket science, or fad diets. I’m very sure of that. Changing your lifestyle requires a few simple life changes, and the best part is….they have long-term, lasting benefits. Not only from a health standpoint, but an overall wellness aspect too.

So, next question, where do you start? No worries, I’m here to help. Just head over to the contact link and send me an email.

Peace & Progress