The last two weeks have been hard. Hard in the sense, I can’t get my act together when it comes to healthy, clean eating. I was doing great, down 7lbs and boom, something happened and it has been downhill since then. Well, I have to stop. I need to get back to my good, healthy habits. Not only does it help me lose weight, but more importantly, it makes me feel amazing. I have so much more energy. My running is better. I feel more confident in my clothes and myself. So, I sat down and sketched out what I need to do to reach this goal. I am going to Disney this weekend, and I would by lying if I said I was not allowing myself treats. I make this a lifestyle and not a diet. It needs to fit into my life. With that being, I still like to eat clean 85-90% of the time. In order for me to do that, I HAVE to meal prep. This is a non negotiable. If I don’t meal prep, then what has been happening the last two weeks, will continue to happen. So, off to the grocery store I went and stocked up on some things.
Now, you are probably thinking, I don’t have hours to spend in my kitchen, on a Sunday, prepping all my meals for the week. Well, neither do I, nor do I want to. I have plenty of other things I want to be doing, so here are my hacks to meal prep
- Cook batches of food, like chicken, turkey, pork or lean beef to have during the week as your protein. For example, I cooked a turkey breast in my crock pot for dinner this weekend. There was enough leftover for two meals. This, along with a bagged salad, will be my lunch for the next two days. This week, I plan on making a pork tenderloin in the crockpot. Leftovers will be used for lunch and probably one dinner. The same thing can be done with veggies or a carbohydrate. I will make a batch of butternut squash, roasted broccoli and roasted brussel spouts to have with the pork. Again, there is enough for 2-3 meals.
2. Buy your veggies and fruit already cut up and ready to go. Yes, it is more expensive, but time is money. These make great grab and go snacks. Throw in some dip or hummus and there you have a healthy snack.
3. Have the same breakfast during the week. This way you are only prepping one thing and it is ready to go. I have 2 go-to breakfast ideas I use through the month. My first is non fat Greek yogurt, with a tablespoon of chocolate hummus and a tablespoon of granola. Quick and easy to pack in my lunch bag. My second favorite requires a bit more work. I make egg cups on the weekend and portion them out for each day I will be eating them. I usually eat them for 4 days and then have yogurt on the 5th day during the week. I freeze the remaining egg cups and use within the next couple of weeks.
4. Have other convenient, yet healthy things that don’t take any time at all to cook. For example, frozen turkey burgers, chicken apple sausage, rotisserie chicken, hard boiled eggs, etc. These make great, quick meals. Add a side of frozen veggies and you are good to go.
5. If you eat out during the week, even the healthy options tend to be HUGE. Immediately ask that half of the meal be wrapped up and put in a box. Viola! You now have two meals.
6. Have meals you like and keep them in your rotation. Then it becomes second nature when planning your week ahead.
If addition to these 6 hacks, I thought I would share what my meal planning looked like for this week. This will help give you an idea on how simple, yet effective it can be.
Breakfast- Monday-Thursday: Non Fat Greek Yogurt with hummus and granola.
Lunch- Monday-Wednesday (Leave for Florida Thursday afternoon) Monday & Tuesday will be left over turkey with a bagged salad, Wednesday: left over pork tenderloin with left over veggies and whole wheat couscous.
Dinner- Monday- Flank steak and roasted broccoli. Tuesday- Pork tenderloin and roasted squash. Wednesday- Turkey burger on the grill with brussel sprouts.
I hope these hacks are helpful. I know I need all the help I can get when trying to get back on track. I have a big goal I am trying to reach in terms of my health and fitness and would love for you all to help keep me accountable.
Last Mother’s Day, the 4 of us went out to breakfast and then headed to the Wicked Tulip Farm in Johnston, Rhode Island. It has more than 600,000 tulips and is the largest u-pick tulip farm in New England. It is open late April into the middle of May. Mother’s Day weekend is generally the last weekend to go, but there was still plenty to see. There is an entire section of tulips for show only. It was magnificent. The rest of the farm is for picking. The event sells out each year and it is required you purchase tickets ahead of time, online.
When arriving, you are given instructions on how to pick and a basket to carry our blooms in. The tulips are $1.00 a stem. Pictures are encouraged and you may even have a professional photo shoot. Obviously, this needs to be scheduled ahead of time and if needed, they have a list of recommended photographers you can use. If I had known about this when the kids were little, I would have been all over that. Once you are done picking, there is a self -service wrapping station. Then you are on your way.
I was just reading they offer yoga among the tulips. If we lived closer, I would give it a try. This summer, I want to try sunflower and lavender picking. Great things to add to the summer bucket list.
If you live in the New England area, I would highly recommend visiting the farm. If not, try looking for one near you. It will not disappoint. Happy Spring!
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Welcome to another edition of my Love of the Week. This is where I talk about something I absolutely love. Today’s love… dry shampoo!
I don’t know what I would do without this product. It has to be one of the greatest inventions! I have naturally curly hair that more times than not, I straighten. I also have very thick hair. For me to have to wash, blow it out and then straighten, it can take more than an hour. That is a lot of time and time is never on my side. LOL! However, this could pose a problem for someone who works out six days a week, with at least 4-5 of those days consisting of running. As one can imagine, the sweat does nothing for my hair. Sweat leaves one with greasy, limp hair. So not the case with Not Your Mother’s dry shampoo and Batiste dry shampoo. Each one of these products leaves my hair feeling soft, smelling good, and full of body. I have been asked if there is any build-up of the product in my hair. My honest answer, eventually. If I use it so many days in a row, by the 5th day or so, I feel some. However, by then, I am rewashing my hair. Though I do have a confession, the picture below was taken this morning. This is day 7. I have been putting off washing my hair until after my long run today. I always wash my hair after a ten miler or more. I sweat too much!
As you can see, my hair is not greasy and is still full of body. It doesn’t feel too bad, either. So why don’t you give it a try? I would love to know your thoughts.
Happy Friday!
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Welcome to this week’s Tip Thursday. Today’s tip has to do with hydration. Drinking plenty of water does more than just quench your thirst. The majority of our bodies are made up of water. It has numerous health benefits.
Drinking water
- Flushes the toxins out of our systems.
- It aids with weight loss.
- It makes our skin and hair look and feel better.
- It impacts our performance of physical activities.
- Helps with mental clarity and more.
The amount of water we should drink, varies depending on the person. Everyone, at a minimum, should aim to drink half their body weight in ounces. For example, if someone weighs 120lbs, they should drink 60oz of water. So, what if you don’t like plain water? Here are some tips to jazz up it up.
- Infuse the water with fruit, veggies or herbs. Water with cucumber and mint, is delicious.
- Try herbal tea. As long as the tea is decaffeinated, count it toward your water goal. I am a huge fan of David’s Tea.
- Seltzer Water. This is all I drink (besides coffee and Shakeology). Just make sure it has zero artificial flavors and sodium.
- Add something like Nuun to your water bottle. Nuun comes in yummy flavors and jazzes up plain water. I actually take one tablet of Nunn Immunity in the morning for about a week prior to travel. No one wants to be sick on their vacation.
So there you have it, 4 ways to turn plain water into something you look forward to each day.
As a new blogger, I often wonder how many people I am reaching with my blog. Am I serving the people that do read it, well? I love reading people’s blogs and learning more about them, their families and the stories they share. I want my readers to feel the same about me and my blog. Well, the other day, I received a message that made me smile from ear to ear. Tiffany, from the Irish Monarchy, nominated me for the Mystery Blogger Award.
What is the Mystery Blogger Award?
The award was created by Okoto Enigma, a fellow blogger over at Okoto Enigma’s Blog. According to Okoto, the “Mystery Blogger Award” is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging; and they do it with so much love and passion.
Prior to entering the world of blogging, I was always looking for a good blog and started a great collection of ones I would visit frequently. As a new blogger, I look to these people for advice and inspiration. I find it is such an honor to be recognized and I look to pay it forward. Below is my list of 10 blogs that deserve to recognized for the great content they share each week. My hope is you check them out and follow along in their journeys.
Before we move onto the nominees, as part of the rules, I need to tell you a little bit about me. First, three things you might not know…
- Prior to practicing corporate law, I was a criminal defense attorney, specializing in juvenile law. It was tough, but I did love it.
- In 2010, I was on our local morning news doing a segment on scrapbooking.
- After having my two children, it was discovered I am allergic to all narcotics. I hope I never really need them!
Here are my answers to the questions Tiffany asked me.
Where is one place you would love to visit? My dream trip is to visit Greece and explore the mainland and the islands.
What is one of your favorite books to recommend? Hummm.. this is a tough one. I love to read all kinds of books. I read a lot of fiction and personal development. One of my faves is by Shonda Rhimes, the creator of Grey’s Anatomy and many other shows. It is called the “Year of Yes”. I highly recommend it.
Why do you blog? I enjoy writing and sharing stories. My children are teenagers, one of which is almost in college. The dynamic in my house will soon change and my role as Mom will change. I am trying to discover who I am outside of being their Mom. I believe blogging will help me do that.
Who has been the most inspirational people on in your life & why? My Dad. Not only has he survived lung cancer, but has survived losing the love of his life. He is the glue that has kept us together.
What was your biggest fear as a child? Heights!!!
My Favorite Blog Post. It would have to be the one I wrote about the passing of my Mom . It felt good to write about her and help me deal with the 5th year anniversary of her death.
My Nominees for Mystery Bloggers
Here are 10 blogs that you must check out!
- Miss Adventures in Adulting Like me, she is a boy-mom (yay) and writes about some major life change, travel and Disney.
- Flower Power This is a health and happiness blog with some adventure thrown in.
- Purposeful Mommy A little bit of everything from mommyhood, side hustles and saving money.
- Nan’s Daily Dose of Life Another blog with great tips, family stories, recipes and self improvement.
- Planning Away This a great travel blog. She showcases some wonderful places.
- The MomPreneur Journey This a great blog about travel, being an entrepreneur and budgeting to name a few.
- One Fly Life Another great travel blog with some other life stories added in.
- This Blog is Popular Travel and family, two of my favorite subjects.
- Travels with Bibi Travel blogger that has some stunning photos and content.
- This Family Blog Family and travel related blog
Here are my questions for my nominees:
What was your favorite t.v. show growing up?
If you could be cast in a movie of your choice, what movie would you choose and which character would you want to play?
If you were an ice cream flavor, which would you be and why?
What superpower would you like to have?
What’s your proudest accomplishment?
MYSTERY BLOGGER AWARD RULES
- Put the award logo/image on your blog
- List the rules.
- Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
- Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
- Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
- You have to nominate 10 – 20 people
- Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
- Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)
- Share a link to your best post(s)
Our second to last day of this European adventure takes us to Naples or Napoli, as the Italians say. A few facts about Naples. It is the 3rd largest city in Italy, after Milan and Rome. It is the birthplace of pizza. Mt. Vesuvius is located 6 miles from the city and is still an active volcano. Naples is also home to Pompeii. Pompeii was once a thriving city that was buried under the ash and pumice after the volcano erupted in 79 A.D. From what I understand, there you can visit the volcano and hike up it. However, our adventure took us elsewhere. Today, we visited Sorrento and Capri. Absolutely amazing.
In Sorrento, we arrived at Agriturismo Galatea. It is mainly an agricultural farm, established over four generations. Once at the farm, we were greeted with a snack of Italian meats, bread and olive oil, all of which are made right there. We watched a demonstration on how mozzarella was made. The kids even got to play with it. They loved it!
After the cheese demonstration, we were given aprons and hats. We were brought into another room with a brick oven. Here, made our own personalized pizzas. Let me tell you, once you have this pizza, you will never want a piece of pizza back home again. Americans put so much crap on pizza. Here is it very simple. We used a cup of cup of sauce, a handful of cheese and some pepperoni if you so chose. The pizzas were cooked in brick over and done in 5 mins! It was out of this world.
After a delicious pizza lunch, we had lemon cream puffs and Limoncello. I have never eaten so well on vacation.
After lunch, we had a little bit of time to explore the farm and see what it had to offer. There were all sorts of farm animals, lemon and lime trees, olive trees and more.
Soon it was time to leave our gracious hosts and set off to catch our ferry to Capri. Once we arrived in Capri, we had time for a gelato (of course!) and to shop. Such a gorgeous island. Capri is known for rugged landscape and high end shops. It is also home to the Blue Grotto, a sea cave, where the sunlight passes through and creates this amazing blue reflection. After gelato and shopping (Capri is known for coral as well), we jumped on a private boat and went sailing around the island. We sailed around looking at the coral in the ocean.
As you can see above, those are the Faraglioni rock formations. The one in the middle is the smallest and has an arch. Our boat took us through the arch. Legend has it, couples need to kiss while going through it. Guess what what we all did. 🙂
By far, this was one of my favorite days. It was much more relaxing than some of the others and I conquered a fear of mine, deep water. I jumped into the sea and really enjoyed floating around for a while.
Have you been to Sorrento or Capri? I would love to hear all about it.
For those of you following along, I have been sharing stories of my Mom all month long. It is my way of coping with what was to come… the 5th year anniversary of her death. Today, we gathered as a family, celebrated and remembered her. We usually get together for lunch or dinner, but this year we decided to take a ride to one of her favorite places, the beach!
My Dad, sisters, nephew, my boys and I took a ride down to the West Dennis, MA. As a kid, we use to rent a house there in the summer time. My Dad and sisters still make it part of their summer vacations. Like Mom, we all love the beach. There is something about the ocean that instantly makes us feel better. It is good for the soul. As my boys ran around with a football, I snapped some photos of my nephew and then had a bit of quiet time to reflect. There is so much that has happened over the last 5 years. There have been many milestones. There have been happy times and sad times, all of which have happened without her by our side. One thing is for certain, we as a family have become closer.
These are my people. These are the people that I love fiercely. These are the people, even when we don’t agree or see eye to eye, have my back. If any good came of her death, it was the bond that I have with my family.
Losing a parent is downright awful. Losing a parent in a matter of weeks after learning of a diagnosis was unbearable. I never knew such pain and unless one has gone through it, there is no way one can understand. I am just glad to have made it through another year.
By now, I am sure you all have heard about the college admissions scandal being blasted across the news. Fifty some odd people, including two famous actresses, have been accused of handing out bribes to get their children into college. Well some say, including me, what else is new? This has been going forever. Ever wonder how the majority of children of famous people end up at really good schools? Coincidence? I think not. In any case, I am not writing today to bash wealthy celebrities. I am writing to talk about what the heck are we doing to our kids?
I am a mom of a 17 year old junior in high school. From the time he entered high school, heck even before that, there has been all sorts of talk about what he needs to do because it looks good on college applications. There is pressure for kids to be in honors/AP classes, play a sport every season, volunteer, join a club, get a job and the list goes on and on. The kids put the pressure on themselves, but as parents we seem to do a pretty good job of doing too. Heck, I am guilty of it. The first two years of his high school career was a lot of me telling him what do to. Not just guiding him, but tell him to do A, B & C. I was not letting him figure it out on his own. I was not letting him fall and make his own mistakes. I was doing him a disservice and driving us both crazy in the process! You can read more about what we struggled with here. https://lifeatmyownpace.com/lessons-in-motherhood/
It is no wonder these kids are being diagnosed with anxiety. It is no wonder these kids have such issues problem solving. As parents, we are there every step of the way holding their hand, not letting them fail. If we want to raise self sufficient, productive members of society we need to stop. We need to stop pushing them into doing things they don’t want to do and stop preventing them from failing. It is so much easier said than done. Believe me, I understand. However, in the long run, this is what is best for our kids. I am sure going to try my hardest, are you?
Not every week, but a couple times a month, I will share with you a tip related to productivity, goals, health & fitness, travel or just life in general. We could all use more tips in our life. Today’s tip has to do with working out and scheduling in that time. I am going to share what works for me.
I am a pen to paper girl. I am not a fan of electronic calendars, scheduling apps, etc . There is nothing wrong with them, it is just not my thing. However, this tip can be incorporated into your life, whether you are put it on paper or in your phone. I am often asked how I find the time to workout. I am a full time attorney, raising two busy teenage boys, with a husband, a dog and two cats. I also run this blog as a side hustle and do online health and fitness coaching. I have a full plate. Which is why it is so important for me to schedule my workouts, like I would any other appointment. I don’t just schedule them a week in advance, I schedule them a month out. Take a look.
As you can see above, I schedule out each of my cross-training days and each of my run days. I do take into account everything else on the calendar, but didn’t want to publish my every move, so left it off for today’s purpose. As you can see, I even schedule in my rest days. You will notice, there is not a time associated with each workout. That gets put down on the daily page in my planner. For example, April 2nd is a lifting day. On the page for April 2nd, I will put next to 5:00am- Liift4. Again, you make it like any other appointment on your calendar. By doing so, you are making it a priority and more likely that not, you will not cancel on yourself. Makes sense? So there you go.. your first Tip Thursday. I hope it helps!
This past weekend my sister-in-law Tricia and I went into the Boston Flower Show. This was the first time either one of us had ever been. The show ran from March 13th -17th. A description of the show is below (taken directly from the website).
The Boston Flower & Garden Show is about inspiring, educating and motivating the region’s gardeners. Whether for curb appeal, backyard, kitchen, indoor, rooftop or community gardens, this is where New England’s green lovers go to discover new ideas while having fun with family and friends.
Colorful life-sized gardens and vibrant floral designs incorporate the newest design elements, examples of the popular and healthy food gardening trend ideas for adopting sustainable gardening practices and air-cleansing indoor plants. Included will be small-space gardens, homesteading hobbies, edibles-as-ornamentals and family and pet-friendly spaces for outdoor relaxation and entertaining.
This year’s Show theme is “The Beauty of Balance”, which is a key factor in design decisions, plant and material choices, and in cultivating the right-size garden for our lives and budgets. We explore the harmony we create within our gardens, vases and living spaces.
Though the show is over, you can still obtain information by going to https://bostonflowershow.com/.
Below are some photos I took of some of the displays and beautiful plants. It really put me in the mood for spring and I can’t wait to start my planting.
If you are looking for something to do, I highly recommend this next year. It was a great day out.
