Every woman (and most men) need a spa day every once and awhile. Whether at home or at an actual spa. Take a day to relax, take a long bath, self care, get a massage, and do things just for yourself to unwind. Saturday was my spa day. I slept 9hrs, got a winter scrub treatment, sat in a heated chair, swam in a heated pool, ate a good meal, sat by a fire pit in a blanket, watched a movie with the fireplace going…it was a day for me. Some self spa days, I just give myself a home facial or do my nails or take a long bath or take a nap or meditate or journal. I make sure I have a few hours just for myself. Spa days are about taking care of your body, mind, and soul. How will you treat yourself sometime soon?  Organize a babysitter or negotiate with your partner to get away? Enjoy the week ahead by planning something soon. Give yourself something to look forward too!

As I go into the holidays this year, I am trying to do a better job of eating healthy during the week and when I can by planning out meals or making smart choices during the week. All so that I can still indulge (in moderation) at the holiday parties and meals on the weekends. My first goal is to eat a hearty salad for lunch each day with lots of protein. And a few days a week, add avocado as my good fat. And I am packing a fruit and a kind bar for my snacks. For dinner, I am using some easy go-to dinners for the week that are super quick to make. Here are a few I have planned. Any recipes you can share back? Message me and I will take any and all recommendations. Easy Crockpot Chicken (from Southern Living Our Best Easy Weeknight Favorites) I usually pair with roasted butternut squash and either roasted asparagus, cauliflower, or brussel sprouts.  For these two sides, you can prep and then put them …

Our body generally adapts to a new exercise program within six to eight weeks, meaning even the most intense or dynamic workout won’t be as challenging, and can get boring.  Which means we are not getting as much out of it. So the challenge is not only finding time to work out but also changing it up. Thankfully there are a literally hundreds of ways to change-up your workout.  You can follow different fitness instructors who can give you different workouts, you can attend different gym classes or studios, you can watch fitness channels on TV or YouTube,  can simply go out for a run and instead of focusing on distance focus on sprints, you can make up a new workout like I just did below, and/or you can switch yoga practice to slow down, speed up, or focus more or less on strength. Picking up a new sport or working in the yard can count too.  Or instead of going for a walk on flat land, walk hills. As much as we are creatures …

My blog is about refueling your mind, soul, and body. And while I talk a lot about mind and soul….I neglect body sometimes. At least when I write. Yet taking care of my physical health is a huge piece of my life. I travel for work and personal and keeping healthy is so important in those times as well as day to day. A few tips for those that are looking for some new ideas! Check out Alexia Clarke on instagram. She shows all sorts of workouts you can do outside or at any gym (including most hotel gyms). I follow her and get new ideas for when I am traveling or even when I am home and just want to change it up. Make some no bake energy bites (recipe below– Thanks Rob for the tip!!). Super easy to make, very healthy, and great for when you are on the go. I eat them when hiking or to get a little energy before a work out. AM workouts. I admit that I am not …

As I finish my last day of Hiketober, I started thinking about resolutions. I thought, why don’t we start our new years resolution to get healthy now. Before the holidays. Before the stress. Before all the fatty food. Why not set a healthy resolution that can stick through the season? Often times people think of September as their new year since it is the nostalgia of going back to school. So as I think about October, I think I’m going to end the month with some healthy resolutions and start the holidays off right. In my mind, right after Halloween starts the holiday season. And this next week, I’m also going to start the healthy season…with a few cheat days in there for good cookies and Thanksgiving eating! I started out this morning by making a healthy version of beef stew in the crockpot. But instead of putting potatoes in, I put zucchini and I used lean organic meat/veggies. And I made a homemade apple cobbler with less butter and sugar. I’m having a dinner …