Whole 30 {Part 1}

Good Morning beauts!

So you may have heard of this crazy thing called "Whole 30" which is generally thought of as "that thing crazy people do when they want to torture themselves."
While I can partially agree with that, I am proud to say that I have accepted the #whole30 challenge.

What is Whole 30? If you've never heard of this, or don't know much about it, check out their website to learn more! In a nutshell (haha, Whole 30 joke) it's an initial 30 day challenge where you cut certain things out of your diet, not only is this great to detox and heal your body, but it also acts as a "reset" button for your taste buds and can really help change the way you eat and look at food. So what are you cutting out?
-No dairy (of any kind, no yogurt, goat's milk, or sheep's milk)
-No sugar (yes that includes Stevia and honey)
-No grains (quinoa, oats, corn, etc.)
-No beans or legumes (yes that means your beloved peanut butter is off the list)

There are a few other rules, but for more info take a look into the program on their website. This is my first week at Whole 30 and I can already tell a difference in how I'm getting stronger- I'm learning to combat my food cravings and surprisingly I'm starting to love my black coffee with just a little plain and unsweetened coconut milk! I have some great friends who are doing the challenge with me and I highly recommend having that support! If you're looking to set out on your own and try the challenge, the website offers great support.

I'm journaling week 1, and I'll be sharing how it went, along with my survival tips, tricks, and how to prepare! Stay tuned for more, and tell me, have you ever tried the #whole30 challenge? If you're thinking about doing it, don't hesitate and jump right in!

Xx,

LG

Fall Projects: Pinterest Style

Good Afternoon y'all!

I don't know if it is the early release of the #PSL or the cool breezes that have been visiting us, but I am in full Fall mode...the pumpkin candles are out and warm tones are all over my home now. I'm usually one of the "hang onto summer as long as possible" people, but this year I am welcoming the lovely foliage and crisp temps.

I have very few decorations for our home, though my collection is slowly building- after my Grandmother passed I was lucky enough to be able to inherit a lot of her lovely decorations, as well as precious heirlooms that have added a special touch to our abode. Since I'm building my seasonal decor stockpile there are a few craft projects I'd like to try, which is a fun affordable alternative to buying everything. Below are a few Fall projects I'm hoping to tackle in the upcoming weeks (watch, I'll probably finish them right before it's time to put Christmas decorations up, I just know it)

1. Jars, candles, and acorns. Maybe I can add a little glitter for good measure?

2. Buntings and painted pumpkins galore

 

 3. What I like to call "stick candle." If I can create this without burning my hands with hot glue, it will be an ultimate success. I'll keep you posted.

 

In addition, I'd also like to make a few painted signs- I also have some serious pallet projects in mind!  What are a few fall projects you'd like to accomplish this year? 

Xx,

LG

It's good seeing you.

Hey y'all!

First let me apologize for my absence, I could give you a list of reasons why I haven't posted that is a mile long, but ultimately it just boils down to my work and school. I mentioned a few posts ago that I had accepted a full time job! As exciting as it is to finally have a full time position, trying to adjust to that, school, life, and taking care of a puppy has meant that there has been 0 time for blogging. At the end of the day, I typically find myself in Nike shorts, running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get stuff done.

Now that I've adjusted to full time working life, I am making it a conscious effort to post once a week, of not more. (Pace yourself, Laurel, jeez).

With that being said, I'm hoping to be posting about my vacation once I finally make it to Rhode Island- today has been spent waiting at the airport while my husband and I have been rerouted to 3 different airlines and about 10 different flights.

Newport, I can't wait to see your beautiful views and New England charm!

Xx,

LG

Why proper running shoes are important.

Good day ladies!

I hope that everyone is having a great week thus far! I start my new job on Monday so I'm thoroughly enjoying my last few days of part-time work. I have so much down time, what am I going to do when I can't sip my coffee for 30 minutes and take 15 minutes to get out of bed? Grown up problems.

Anyway, today I wanted to share a little bit about my "shoe fitting experience" and how much it has changed my running and fitness routines.

So I used to be anti-running, it was literally the bane of my existence and just thinking about it made me want to throw up...fast forward to today when I couldn't get enough and even pushed myself to go .5 mile further than I had originally planned. Someone made running kool-aid and baby I'm drinking it!

When I wanted to get into running I had to be pretty cautious, I've had 4 surgeries, 2 of them being major reconstructions so I didn't want to injure myself and undo the progress that I've made over the years. I started with light interval running and worked up, when I ran my first mile I was elated! Now that I'm building up even more I found my feet and hips hurting terribly and I didn't feel like it was just because of all that my body has been through, it was my shoes.

After doing some research I learned a little bit more about the different types of shoes and what they have to offer. Minimalist, lightweight, tons of support, gel, air pump, angel fluff. It's enough to make your head spin. At first I thought that I could just fit myself with some shoes and I'd be dandy. Wrong-O!

Source: supination

Every person has different running form, feet, and anatomy when it comes to this and having a proper shoe can help to improve a lot of discomforts that runners face. Turns out, the shoes that I was running in had just about 0 support, and regardless of their cushiony feel, my feet were suffering.

I turned to a great store for runners where an incredibly helpful and knowledgable guy helped me find the perfect pair of sneaks. He fitted my feet, checked them out, saw me walk and do some other rain-dance type of stuff and voila! He picked 3 pairs of shoes for me to try. Turns out the first pair that I put on were right for my feet but I entertained the other two just for comparison. I can't tell you how much these shoes have changed my comfort and performance. Seriously y'all, if you're a runner or fitness gal, get the right shoes for you!

If you're a runner, what are your go-to shoes? I'm loving my trusty pair of Asics!

Xx,

LG

New new and changes.

Gooood morning y'all!

I hope that everyone is getting into the summer swing- any fun vacations planned? I'm dying to go on a beach getaway.

Today I'm sharing some news with you! After interviewing for almost 6 months, I'm taking a full time position with a different company. I currently work part time (and retail) so having a "big girl job" is great for me, and my husband! Is this even remotely close to my dream job? Absolutely not. I just feel blessed to have landed a full time position in this market, and to top it off, I get to work with some of my best friends!

With that being said, I'm currently trying to put together some office appropriate outfits that I can wear with confidence. I don't own much in the way of business or office clothes, so shopping here I come! With the help of Pinterest and my very own J.Crew personal stylist (she's my best friend) I'm looking for simple chic outfits I can mix and match- see some of my inspiration below!

Miranda Kerr is perfect.

Summer perfection!

How do you style your work attire?

Xx,

LG

Detox.

Good morning babes!

Sorry it has been so long since my last post, to say we've been busy in an understatement. I finished up my two Spring classes and immediately started up the summer term, in the midst of that WE GOT A PUPPY!!! If you follow me on instagram, then you've probably seen him, if not, stay tuned for a post with a million pictures of our little (and I do mean little) fur baby.

With summer activities quickly approaching getting toned and fit are definitely on the brain-- after my eating habits during finals week and moving, it's definitely time to detox and boost my body with the nutrients it needs! Now, I'm not talking about the crazy detoxes where you eat a walnut a day and drink bottles of sketchy looking goo that makes your bowels unhappy. That's not something I'm interested in but if you are, more power to ya!

To me, detoxing involves changing my diet around for a few days-a week just to flush out some of the bad stuff that may be lingering. If you've never detoxed before, I suggest easing into a plan that may be a little less restrictive and easier to follow. Try cutting out dairy or wheat, or stick to a vegan diet for 3-5 days, then ease back into your normal diet. In addition to changing what I eat, I also drink a cup or two of warm lemon water each day, and try to drink unsweetened green tea and plenty of water. You'll be surprised at how much your body can change just by doing these things for a few days.

Many of you know that I have a juicer (duh, I'm obsessed with it) so if this is an option for you, doing a juice cleanse might be a good option! Maybe try juicing for 3 days the first time, then see if you can go for a week the second time around. Ultimately when juicing you want to alkalize your body, so stick to more pH neutral foods.

Great food options when cleansing (whether juicing or not) include:

• Beets- these are miracle workers for your gallbladder, they aid in digestion and beets also help clean out some "sludge" that may be lingering in your gallbladder.
• Lemons- though these aren't pH neutral, they do help to detoxify and reduce bloat
• Apples- there's a reason they say "an apple a day keeps the doctor away"
• Ginger- this metabolism booster will help flush out gunk, and it's wonderful for an upset stomach!
• Grapefruit- this fruit will kick your liver into high gear! 

So why not give it a try? Who knows, maybe you'll love it, and after you detox you'll be more likely to stick to a clean eating regime! If you have any questions, or would like an outline of the type of detoxes I do, let me know! Also, I'm not a licensed physician or nutritionist, so consult with your doctor before beginning a detox or cleanse. 

Xx,

LG

That time again...finals.

Good morning y'all!

It's finals week for me and I am exhausted I've never had to juggle school with real life wife stuff, work, and everything else in between, usually my job is just to be a student : )

With that being said, I want to offer some motivation for you beauties, especially for you who are also in the season of taking finals!

Hang in there babes!

Xx,

LG