OTF Transformation Challenge: WEEK SIX

I am not going to lie, week six was a hard week for me. It was my first work trip of the year so it was hard to get the workouts in. I took the Monday 5am class, but had to leave a little early to catch my plane to Vegas. 

While I was in Vegas, I tried to walk everywhere I could, but because I had east coast meetings and late night commitments it was hard to get a full workout in. 
 I tried to eat the best I could and not give in to too much temptation which helped me come back without putting on any weight!

Taking the red eye Thursday night was exhausting, but I pushed myself to go to the noon class on Friday. It was a struggle to get through but only motivated me more to continue my fitness journey. There is no reward if you don't struggle. 
Looking forward to crushing week seven!

Day Trip to Athens, GA

Yesterday we drove up to Athens, GA from Atlanta to celebrate our friends getting married! We decided to go up a little early to have lunch and explore a few of Athens unique spots. 

We stopped at Rasin’ Cane because while you can get their chicken tenders pretty much anywhere in the Midwest, Athens is the only place in the south where I have seen this restaurant. The tea is sweet and the chicken tenders are so delicious! 

Another must is visiting the extremely popular breweries in town. How cool is it that this college town has two majorly successful breweries? We chose to go to Creature Comforts and it did not disappoint. The atmosphere is open and airy, creating the perfect laid back Saturday. They also have special Athena Infusion drinks only available in the flagship spot! 

The fashion and shopping district on College Avenue is also a part of what makes Athens so great! From specialty stores to great vintage collections you can find anything you need. Especially if you are like me and forget to always pack one thing! It never matters how much in advance I plan there is always something that I forget to put in my bag. 

People love this city for a reason and this weekend reminded me why! 

VIVA LAS VEGAS

The town the mob built is always a good time with the never ending entertainment, beautiful hotels and world class food. This trip to Las Vegas, I stayed at the Flamingo, a pride project and eventual downfall Bugsy Siegel one of Las Vegas' most famous mobsters. 

From the moment you step out of your cab and see the Flamingo's neon sign you get the sense of history of the extravagance that made the 'new' Vegas.  Every hotel has a theme and as you can imagine the Flamingo's theme is flamingos. All the neon signs and shops are pink to the max with flamingos and everything flamingo related including a flamingo habitat.  

A fun new part of staying at the Flamingo is the quick access to the Linq Promenade. Fun shops and so many places to eat! Whenever I go out to the west coast, it is a must to go to IN-N-OUT Burger! I can't resist their secret sauce.  I also love to get sushi whenever I am on the road because Jared is not a fan. Right across from IN-N-OUT is JaBurrittos. They have sushi bowls and of course the trendy sushi burrittos. My favorite bowls was the Mission bowl shrimp, spicy tuna, pico de gallo, and few of my other favorite things. Their sake sangria is also a must have especially during happy hour!

OTF Transformation Challenge: WEEK FIVE

Another week of feeling good.

 To be honest there were some days this week when I wanted to cancel my classes and just sleep in. I am so happy I didn't. 

The only person who can impede my progress is me and so far I haven't been a roadblock.

Taking part in this challenge provides the accountability I need to make sure I am being the healthiest me. 

I am officially down five pounds, but more importantly I have more energy and a great supportive community. 

One of the best compliments in this transformation journey is when other's see the results of your hard work! 

Whether it is running or workout classes, I have found a couple of things that help me achieve my best on this journey. 

When I first started running longer distances my old sports bras were not cutting it anymore. I started chaffing under my chest and it was so painful. The first thing I did was research the best sports bras for long distance running. My favorite is the Lululemon Energy Bra. I have two now and  I haven't seriously chaffed when wearing them. 
Another great chaffing preventative is Body Glide for Her. A friend recommended this to me before running my first 10k and I have been using it ever since. If I wear shorts to Orangetheory I always make sure to put this on anywhere I might chaff first. It even comes in handy when we go to an all day event where I am wearing a dress and we are doing a lot of walking. 
Investing in good workout clothes have has also helped motivate me. Some of my favorite brands are Lululemon, Athleta and Zella! I always using buying a new piece of apparel to help me reach my next goal. 
A pair of good running shoes is also essential to my success. I didn't realize this until I started running more, but I had almost worn a hole in my old shoes. I invested in some Asics and it made a huge difference. My knees felt better and I could go further. 
Post-workout is so important to my fitness journey as well. Since I have upped the intensity of my workouts I had added more water and stretching , but I have also been using  African Botanics revitalizing therapy gel post shower. Just a small dab of this vegan therapy gel is all you need to help with muscle soreness. I am also really loving a good soak after the week is over to help with soreness too. I received this jar of Muscle Soak , Himalayan Salt, in my winter FabFitFun box. 

No Small Bites

Have you heard of the Fight For The Bite movement?

My friend Kelsey recently posted a video of her eating an ice cream sandwich. It was little out of the norm and caught my attention right away. As I read deeper into her post, I found out that it is national eating disorder week. Her post was/is intended to raise awareness about eating disorders and how they affect so many people. 

I mentioned how awesome she was for doing this and then she challenged me to do the same.

The world is more connected than ever these days and people are opening up about mental health. I love this! I think we all have been touched or known someone who has struggled with depression, eating disorders, anxiety, suicide, etc. 

The more we open up the conversation about mental the health, I believe the more we can help others. 

So today, I accept Kelsey's challenge and publicly take a bite! 

My relationship with food has always been an interesting one. From overeating to not eating enough, I have struggled to find the balance over the years. As I continue on this journey of health and body positivity, I am still always searching for the balance and listening to what my body needs. 

If you are in need of help or support please reach out to NEDA 

Roswell Living

 Roswell, Georgia holds a special place in my heart. It is where we bought our first house, hosted showers and parties for our friends,and where we have cerebrated big moments like promotions. So I thought I would share a few of our favorite spots! There are too many to count, because the city of Roswell has done such a good job on making this town feel small in a large suburb of Atlanta!

Outdoor: 

Hiking the Roswell Mill. This is an easy hike and pet friendly. A ton of people love to come and hang out by the banks of the small waterfall when the weather is just right. Roswell began as a mill town and you can still see the remnants on the hike!  The covered bridge is perfect for overlooking the mill and a photo op if hiking isn't really your thing! 

Food: 

There is no shortage of food options in Roswell. You can find everything french inspired food at Roux to down home BBQ!  Roswell Provisions provides that local cafe feeling with delicious sweet treats. The inside decor transports you into a little french cafe. Definitely stop in if you are exploring and want a quick pick me up!

While MacMagee's  isn't exclusive to downtown Roswell, it definitely gives you a local feel. This is one of our favorite places to grab a drink before dinner or take friends to listen to the local bands on Friday nights. The food is always good!

There are several BBQ spots in Roswell, but one of our favorites is Spiced Right Rib House. This family owned establishment always has great service and the freshest food. We love to take our family here because there is plenty of seating and great portions!

Local Breweries:

Gate City Brewing was one of Roswell's first breweries and has expanded due to the quality of service and the fun environment they bring to the downtown area. This is a family, dog and people friendly brewery. They also bring in local bands on Friday and Saturday nights. 

If beer isn't always your thing but your friends are really into the craft beer scene. they also have water and sodas for sale. The other great thing about downtown Roswell is that there is an open container policy. As long as you have it in a plastic cup you can walk around with your beverage. 

Newer to the local Roswell craft beer scene is From The Earth Brewing Co. is similar to a Wicked Weed vibe for those of you who have been to Ashville. Great food and an upscale atmosphere. Perfect for a relaxed date night!

OTF Transformation challenge: WEEK FOUR

Stronger, healthier, sleeping better: just a few things that participating in this challenge has done for me. I haven’t lost any more weight, but once again I can feel myself getting in shape.

 I am challenging myself to go faster, use heavier weights, care about the rowing portion. I used to hate rowing. Now I can see how much it does for my abdomen and is helping to sculpt my arms.

Next week is our official midpoint weigh-in. Hopefully this lean muscle I am building will help shred a few more pounds! 

An Annual Girls Trip Is Good For The Soul

My friends and I made a promise our senior year of college that we would always do a girls trip once a year. So far we have stuck to our promise and have made some pretty fun memories. Of course since most of us have gotten married some of these girls trips have been bachelorette parties, but only because we have done multiple in a year.

Last year was one of the first times we didn't have a bachelorette party and actually had to plan and pick a destination!

Austin, TX was our city of choice and it did not disappoint. The city has so much to offer and was surprisingly walkable. We did yoga, a drag queen brunch and of course hit the two bar scenes on Rainy St. and 6th street. 

Brunch at Irene's

Group yoga at Wanderlust

Yummy dinner at this Tokyo inspired spot

I am so thankful for these important relationships and that my girls value our friendship as much as I do. We are a priority in each others lives and it makes all the difference. 

We have already picked our spot for this year...Portland, ME!

If you have any suggestions on what to do, eat, etc. we would love to hear them!

Caring for Skincare

As I get older skincare is becoming more of a priority. I have been using Dermalogica's Barrier Defense Booster and Calm Water Gel post workout and post shower. The results are real y'all! My skin has less whiteheads and the sun damage I have collected over the years is disappearing. I thought I would never get rid of what seemed to be permanent redness. 

Using this product for only about a month I am so happy with the results! My skin looks so much healthier. 

PRE APPLICATION

POST APPLICATION

*I received these products for testing purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Old Friends, New Places

 This weekend we got to explore our good friends new home town of Greenville, Sc! We weren’t quite sure what to expect, but we quickly felll in love. 

With 80,000 residents this city still has that perfect small town feel. So many unique restaurants and a beautiful city walk makes for the perfect weekend getaway.

One of our favorite spots was a local brewery, Birds Fly South Ale Project. This spot not only had great brews, but a fun sister restaurant White Duck Taco Shop! Everyone knows I can’t turn down a good taco! There is not one bad taco in this place and the queso is as good as it gets.

OTF Transformation Challenge: WEEK THREE

Week three of the OrangeTheory Transformation Challenge is done! I can't believe we are almost to the half way point of this program. I have been eating better, drink WAY more water and seeing results! 

Proud to say I am now down a total of four pounds! A big part of OTF is your base pace and I have  bumped mine back up to a 6.0 on the treadmill! This is a huge accomplishment and was one of my goals to hit during this program. 

Like I have mentioned in my previous posts, I can't thank the OTF John's Creek Coaches and Staff enough. They are so motivating and really get to know their members.The experience they create makes you want to workout! 

Today, after attending a Chris Young concert the previous with my mom (so fun!) I was feeling a little groggy. I had pre-booked a 12pm class with my FAVORITE coach, Phillip. He brings the best energy to his classes. If you are struggling to get started with a workout, I would recommend coming to one his classes! 

Coach Phillip also pushes you to be your best. Pushes you to bump up your all out effort, drive more on the rower and not to quit until time is called. 

Working out can be a mental battle sometimes and Phillip is the person who helps you say 'I can give it a little bit more!'

I could go on and on, but mostly just want to thank Coach Phillip and the part he has played in my ongoing fitness journey!

Waffle House Valentine's Date Night

There is one special tradition that Jared and I love on Valetine's day. No, it's not flowers, candy or fancy dinners. 

We LOVE celebrating at Waffle House! 

Starting four years ago we decided to go out to eat at Waffle House instead of doing something fancy. We both don't like over crowded restaurants with long wait times just because it is expected. 

The Waffle House staff and management really go above and beyond to make this a special experience. Each restaurant puts so much effort from the moment you walk in the door. There is red and pink decorations everywhere, a photo opportunity and love songs on the jukebox! The staff is always in the best mood and it keeps us coming back year after year. 

Galentines Celebration & OREO Candy Bar

Happy Galentine's Day!

Celebrating all the positive females in your life is always a happy day! A little chocolate makes it even better! OREO has just released a chocolate candy bar and it is so yummy. I have been picking up these sweet treats for me and my gals! 

You can find these yummy treats at your local Kroger! 

 I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.All thoughts are my own.