Staying Active During an Injury

Hi, guys!

Many of you have been following my journey of staying active through my hip injury, and, today, I thought I’d dive into a little more detail about what this was like – and how frustrating and draining it can be! I am grateful I was able to keep up with daily exercise routine (when my schedule allowed), but it definitely required a mindshift and different way of approaching my workouts. I hope this post helps some of you in the same situation!

Back in November, after running the South Shore Half Marathon, I messed up my hip. I had trained for weeks and weeks leading up to the race, but the hills on the race course KILLED ME. I was trucking along as happy as can be until the end of mile 10 or so when I started to feel some pain in my hip. I thought it was a little weird, but I’ve had hip problems in the past and it didn’t hurt all that much, so I pushed through. I finished the race without a ton of pain, but, holy hell, the next day it hurt. I figured it was just a minor overuse injury and would get better in no time. I thought if I took a few days off from exercise, I’d be good to go.

Well, after a few days, my hip was still bothering me. I didn’t think it was that bad, but I knew I needed to take it easy. Another couple of days passed without much improvement, and I got sick of waiting for it to get better. I’m definitely someone who craves exercise, and if I don’t sweat at least a few times per week, I’m not myself. I feel anxious, cranky, and just overall blah. I need fitness in my life! Basically, I didn’t want to wait weeks and weeks for my hip to fully heal. I figured if I just took it easy, it would get better.

My hip eventually did get better (thanks to about 8 weeks of physical therapy), but I wanted to share a few thoughts on working out through an injury. I know this “advice” probably isn’t what some health professionals would recommend, but I know that some of you share my same feelings about exercise and agree that’s there’s some sort of middle ground that works for each person. With that, here’s what kept me active with a bum hip for nearly four months.

The #1 thing that helped me workout during an injury was not doing what hurt me. I know… this probably seems like such a ‘duh’ piece of advice, but thinking about some of my first running-related injuries, I just kept running through them. No wonder I didn’t get better! This time, I hung up my running sneakers and found other ways to stay active. I ended up at CrossFit quite a bit more and often modified exercises that would stress out my hip (i.e. high-volume squats, box jumps). I was able to do most workouts, but I really paid attention to what might further aggravate my injury. Maintaining a regular exercise routine, even though I wasn’t running, actually didn’t impact my overall fitness level. Just a couple of weeks ago, I ran a 25-minute 5K, which was less than a minute slower than my PR. Not too shabby for barely running in recent months!

Along the same lines… “cherry picking” my workouts and even making up my own were key to exercising without further injuring my hip. I checked the WOD online the night before CrossFit and then would decide if I could safely complete or modify the workout. If not, I’d create my own workout with hip-friendly movements in mind and do it at the gym or at-home.

And because I’m impatient, there were several times that I pushed too hard, like going to Orangetheory before my hip was fully healed. During the workout, my hip felt fine, but the aftermath was awful. The next day, my hip was SO SORE. Holy cow, I felt like such a dummy. I basically undid all of the healing progress I’d made up until that point. I’m telling you this because being patient is very important to the recovery process. It’s not worth pushing yourself to take a step back.

Going to physical therapy ultimately got me over the hump of recovering from my hip injury. I went for 8 weeks, twice a week to start and then just once a week when things started to improve. We spent a lot of time stretching my tight hip (my diagnosis was iliopsoas tendonitis) and strengthening my core and gluteus medius (aka side butt). My therapist gave me stretches and exercises to perform at home, and I was religious about doing them just about every day. They really made a huge difference in my recovery, and I still do them a couple of times a week.

And, finally, I used a mantra that I picked up from one of my Orangetheory coaches to get me through this time: “It’s your workout, not mine.” At the end of the day, you need to do what’s right for YOU. Sure, I wanted to run inclines on the treadmill or beast-mode WODs to really challenge myself, but I knew for sure that would destroy my hip. It’s all about knowing and listening to your body and appreciating what you are able to do. A minor injury is one thing, but if you’re in great pain or it interferes with your everyday life, it’s not worth it and time to take a break (and see a doctor).

Question of the Day

What are your thoughts on working out through injuries? 

 

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Weekend Link Love – Edition 450

RESEARCH OF THE WEEK

Researchers figured out a way to extract and test ancient human DNA from cave dirt.

Via ghrelin, hunger may promote the growth of new brain cells.

Grandma’s optimal post-workout meal: salmon.

Vegetarianism is a risk factor for gallstone disease.

Human brains in the presence of urban environments can’t relax, even if the humans they’re attached to grew up in cities.

Homo naledi, a primitive hominid with ape-like features, co-existed with anatomically modern humans.

Colder weather promotes faster adaptations in organisms.

Professional male tennis players are more likely to buckle under pressure than female ones.

Stroke and dementia risk go up with diet soda consumption, according to a recent observational paper (which cannot establish causation).

NEW PRIMAL BLUEPRINT PODCASTS

Episode 166: JJ Virgin and Mark Sisson: I chat with JJ, a NY Times bestselling author, celebrity mindset expert, nutrition coach, and fitness trainer about healthy living, gaining strength from tragedy, and the importance of self-care.

Each week, select Mark’s Daily Apple blog posts are prepared as Primal Blueprint Podcasts. Need to catch up on reading, but don’t have the time? Prefer to listen to articles while on the go? Check out the new blog post podcasts below, and subscribe to the Primal Blueprint Podcast here so you never miss an episode.

INTERESTING BLOG POSTS

Babies know best.

People who eat more sodium and potassium than recommended have lower blood pressure.

MEDIA, SCHMEDIA

How gut bacteria orchestrate specific appetite.

A new paper exonerating saturated fat is triggering the usual suspects. 

Noakes: not guilty.

EVERYTHING ELSE

What we know so far about what’s in breastmilk.

A worm that eats plastic.

Edible CRISPR could replace antibiotics.

Artificial wombs are coming.

Maybe Otzi just froze to death.

New translations of ancient engravings at Turkey’s Gobekli Tepe reveal that comets struck the Earth around 11,000 BC and probably triggered a mini-ice age that changed the course of human history.

THINGS I’M UP TO AND INTERESTED IN

A list that makes me wish I had more time to read: The books that changed these 10 adventurers’ lives.

Research I’m having trouble believing: The first humans to reach North America may have been Neanderthals or Denisovans 130,000 years ago.

I can relate: “Only after sixty my true life began.”

News I found interesting: Cremation of obese corpse starts funeral home fire.

I know a few people who could use this: Cartilage-mimicking hydrogel.

RECIPE CORNER

• Beet hummus beats hummus.
• Quick and easy coconut curry sauce that doesn’t taste quick or easy.

TIME CAPSULE

One year ago (Apr 30 – May 6)

• How to Stop Using Food as a Drug – It’s just food.
• Why Grok Didn’t Have to Floss but You Do – Toothpicks just won’t cut it these days.

COMMENT OF THE WEEK

“Awesome ideas…I extend my life by counting my birthdays in dog years!”

– I’ll add that to the next one, Pastor Dave.

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5 Workouts to Try This Week

Hey, hey! Happy Sunday!

I’m kicking off the week with five awesome workouts that I’ve done lately. They’re, for sure, challenging, but a lot of fun, too! Four out of the five are a mix of running and strength movements (some with equipment some without), which, as you probably know, are my favorite way to work out. I really think the combination of running + strength gives you the most bang for your buck! The final workout is a quick tabata that you can do just about anywhere. It’s short and sweet, so even if you’re crunched for time, you can still get moving. I hope you guys enjoy these workouts as much as I did! Happy sweating!

Above workout from Salt Shack CrossFit 

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Clean Eating Apricot Muffin Overnight Oatmeal Recipe

I don’t know about you, but I love a good apricot muffin. I don’t often find them, but when I do, I’ll sometimes splurge and enjoy a small one. I haven’t yet done a recipe for them here, but you can bet it’ll be coming at some point. But until that happens, here’s a simple recipe for overnight oats that will get you pretty close!

If you’ve never heard of overnight oats, they are a marvelously simple way to have breakfast ready and waiting for you first thing in the morning. In fact, I’m doing a series of 5 of them that you can prep all at once! I’ll have a final roundup with a shopping list at the end of the series. So stay tuned for that!

CLICK PLAY TO SEE THIS RECIPE IN ACTION!

 

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY:

NEED JARS TO MAKE YOUR OVERNIGHT OATS IN?

These pint-sized canning jars are perfect for these recipes! Great for single servings for many different foods!

Clean Eating Apricot Muffin Overnight Oatmeal Recipe

 

Author: Tiffany McCauley | The Gracious Pantry.com

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

• ½ cup old fashion oats
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. allspice
• ¼ tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup dried, chopped apricots, no sugar added

Instructions

1. FOR OVERNIGHT OATS:
2. Combine all ingredients in a small, zipper-top baggie and toss in the freezer for up to 6 months.
3. The night before you plan to eat your oats, place them in a jar or covered bowl with 1 cup milk (any kind) and let sit in the fridge overnight. Serve cold or warm up on the stove top or in the microwave.
4. FOR COOKING OATS:
5. Combine all ingredients in a small, zipper-top baggie and toss in the freezer for a future busy morning! When you're ready to cook simply put the contents of the bag into a small pot with a 1 cup of milk (any kind) and cook according to package directions on the oats container.

3.5.3226

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Green Goddess Chicken

Red-Hot Wellness Trend: Infrared Saunas

If you follow celebrities like Busy Philipps on Instagram, then you may have already heard about the latest red-hot wellness trend: infrared saunas. Celebs have been posting sweaty selfies from under crimson colored lights to extol the virtues of sitting in the wood-lined rooms. So we asked health and wellness experts to weigh in on why sitting in an infrared sauna can be good for you, and if a visit is worth your sweat equity.

Infrared saunas use the light from infrared rays to warm your body from the inside out. The small room gets hot, but the heat is moderate enough that you can comfortably stay inside the sauna for up to 45 minutes.

The longer you can last, the more you’ll soak up the sauna’s benefits. According to the Mayo Clinic, people suffering from issues such as congestive heart failure and rheumatoid arthritis have found infrared saunas to be helpful in their treatments. Another study published by the National Center for Biotechnology found that participants who spent fifteen minutes a day for two weeks in an infrared sauna saw an impressive drop in their blood pressure.

The light-filled sauna can also help with everyday issues, too. According to Katie Kaps, the co-founder of Higher Dose, a boutique sauna spa in New York City, clients visit the sauna to detox, relax and burn calories. “You burn up to 600 calories per session,” she says. “It’s like a workout, without working out.” Skin improvement is also another bonus from regular visits to the sauna. “It increases blood flow and boosts collagen, which leaves you with a healthy glow,” Kaps adds. Many of the saunas also feature chromotherapy therapy, where you can choose a hue based on what outcome you’re hoping to achieve during the session. Red, for example, is said to give you energy; yellow is supposed to inspire creativity.

Businesses like Higher Dose are popping up around the country, and at-home saunas are becoming top sellers at places like Home Depot and Amazon. Kaps says popularity is growing because it’s easy to get hooked on the treatment after one visit. “Most people are amazed at how much better they immediately feel,” she says. “You can go in the sauna feeling crabby or stressed and come out feeling like a new person and ready to take on your day!”

If you want to give it a try, here are some other top infrared “hotspots” worth checking out:

Boston: Cabral Wellness Institite [ http://ift.tt/2qpPVhk

Chicago: Allyu Spa

Dallas: Skin Body Soul

Los Angeles: Shape House

Seattle: City Sweats

 

Kevin Aeh is a New York City-based writer and editor. He has written for Time Out New York, Refinery29, New York Magazine’s Vulture blog, Furthermore from Equinox and more.

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Success Story Follow-up: It’s about a Healthy, Real Life!

It’s Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark’s Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. In fact, I have a contest going right now. So if you have a story to share, no matter how big or how small, you’ll be in the running to win a big prize. Read more here.

Back in 2014, I submitted and you published my Primal Blueprint Success Story. Today I’m celebrating 3 years of maintaining my 40 pound fat loss and reversing my Type 2 diabetes. Woohoo!

The power of the real food Primal lifestyle didn’t stop with better weight and glucose, it improved every area of my life. I’ve made new friends in my dance classes, commiserated, learned and taught primal concepts (able to help several people get healthy!) in social media groups, I’ve become more accepting of others and more confident in myself, my body has become its own bad-food-detector that I can trust, I’m physically able to do the outdoor play activities and explorations that hubs and I love, and I’m just happier.

Since statistically, it appears that those of us who lose weight and keep it off are in the minority, I thought your readers might be interested in my process.

Maintaining my weight & blood sugar losses post-success hasn’t been perfectly simple, but it has been a great learning experience. There were a few surprises along the way. I found that I began to regain weight, even eating 90% Primal, and my glucose numbers went up, without a bit of constraint. I also yearned to lose another 5-10 pounds, and get my glucose numbers well under ‘normal’ (they were slightly above).

So, with the help of the good people in my online food & exercise group, The F’nE Club (they’ve been integral to my journey, in terms of support, education, and accountability), who often joined me in ‘challenges’, I experimented with numerous versions of Primal to get to what works best as my life plan. I used myself as a guinea pig and tested ideas for a month at a time.

Here are some of the things I tried, and what I’ve decided on as my life plan:

Me Minus – I wrote about this in my first post. When the scale reached above the top of my range in my daily weigh-in, I’d cut out everything except meats, veggies & good fats. Although effective, this was so restrictive that I began to resent it, and to cheat.

So, I tried…

~ Cutting carbs – I got an app and tracked my carb intake, trying various numbers and combinations, with varying degrees of success.
~ Removing, adding, glucose-testing, combining, increasing &/or limiting certain Primal foods, such as starchy vegetables, chocolate, fruit, nuts, coconut products, red meat, fish, oils, sweeteners, dairy, etc.
~ Fasting, numerous options.
~ Various types and quantities of exercise. I bought an activity bracelet and synched it with a food tracking app for testing (tools I still use daily).

Many of these trials were successful, at least to a certain extent. A few produced no or even negative effects. I took parts and pieces of the best, and finally settled on this lifetime plan:

My ME Forever Plan:

I learned that my maintenance level of carbs is low, about 40/50 per day. But I can earn more carbs with exercise, without gain. I use a formula of 10 extra carbs for every 300 calories burned during workouts. I allow myself to choose any Primal foods within those limits, so I can spend it all on sweet potatoes, if I want. (I don’t, but I *could*. It’s very freeing, so I don’t feel resentment.)

It finally resonated that all sweeteners hurt me (stomach ache, inflammation, & raised glucose), so I quit eating them, even honey and stevia. (Trust me, as a former sugar addict, I had to hurt myself *a lot* to get this through my thick noggin!) Today I only eat the rare Paleo treat (once every few months) made with maple syrup, which doesn’t cause me pain. However I do tolerate a bit of 85% dark chocolate, which in itself is a health food, so I eat one small square daily.

Dairy proved itself to be a problem, gave me cold symptoms. I gave it all up, except raw cheese.

Carrots, tomatoes, onions, most fruits (with the exception of berries), wild rice, white (& to a lesser degree, sweet) potatoes, beets, and stuffing myself with even heathy foods, caused significant glucose rises in my tests, so I eat them sparingly.

Eating 2 meals a day within an 8 hour window is satisfying, convenient, and keeps my weight and blood sugar down. In addition, I fast for 36 hours once a week, broken by only one meal of 500 calories/15-20 carbs. Since becoming fat-adapted, this is not terribly difficult.

Getting on the scale every morning keeps me in line, because it’s very easy to fool myself. If my weight is up, choosing fish or shellfish and veggies will always drop it.

Once a month, I allow myself an unrestricted meal (which sometimes hurts me, but is mentally therapeutic! I’ve learned the hard way not to choose conventional sweets!).

I dance, taking 4 1-hour classes of HIIT Zumba & BollyX workouts per week (which include squats*, lunges, punches, light weights & leaps), during which I find myself singing and smiling like a fool (it’s ok, I’m not alone)! (*I once counted the number of squats we did in our one hour Zumba class, and was shocked that the count was 102!)

In addition hubs & I enjoy 3-4 hours of walking, hiking, swimming or kayak paddling per week, which qualifies as our play! I do push-ups after class twice a week (definitely not my idea of fun, but necessary).

Too much jumping hurts my heel tendons. Easy does it.

Most every morning, I spend 10-15 minutes under the sun in a pretty corner of my backyard, being mindful, grateful and forgiving. That little habit has helped me sleep better (usually 8 hours) and given me the gift of peace of mind.

Every ‘Monday Funday’ is all about eating out, a walk in the park or local trail, a movie, and sweetheart play time with my hubby.

Hubs and I travel often, camping in our little trailer, boating, road trips or the occasional cruise. We explore natural areas on foot or in our yaks wherever we go, and delight in finding Primal food everywhere. This is our bliss.

Remember those extra 5-10 pounds I said I yearned to lose? Yes I did it, and I liked how I looked. But it took near starvation, and that’s not worth it. I was hangry and no fun. So I’ve settled at the 40-pounds-off mark, just barely over the BMI ‘normal’ range for my height. I’m not skinny, but I am happy and healthy.

Getting my blood sugars well under the wire: yes, it can be done, but the carbs must be very low. I’ve settled for the just over the norm (100), most of the time. Still lower than I was 3 years ago, and dramatically less than a decade ago.

As you can see in my journal, back in 2008 both my weight and my fasting glucose were in the high 170’s (and that was on meds!). Today my weight ranges from 138-142, and my glucose (without medication of any kind) is often in double digits.

Sometimes I mess up. That makes me human. I don’t chastise myself anymore, I just dust off the dirt, get right back on the horse, and ride ’em, Primal cowgirl.

It’s not about perfection, it’s about a healthy, real life.

Must say, life is good. My hubby cured his own SIBO gut bacteria health issues with diet, supplements & vagus nerve stimulation (but that’s another story). He and I have each lost 40 pounds and maintained it. My glucose stays under control. We need no meds, and feel great, having more energy and enthusiasm at ages 61 & 66 than we did a decade, maybe even two, before.

We’re big proponents of The Primal Blueprint. We read MDA daily (and I often post your articles to my group or friends). Keep up the great work, Mark, you changed our lives!

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Super Quick, Last-Minute Dinners

In our house we rotate through three levels of dinners depending on our schedules:

1. Classic productions of made-from-scratch food (weekend nights, entertaining, or Blue Apron, etc)
2. Planned quick and easy recipes (favorites like Mexican bowls, Cook Smarts recipes, a quick fish/grain/veg meal, etc)
3. Throw-together meals (cooking for one, use up what’s in the fridge, or no groceries in stock)

I generally plan these based on our schedules, Mazen’s schedule, weekend verses weeknight, and other deciding factors. Well, I guess I don’t plan the throw-togethers too often, but I know they will pop up every now and then!

I made this omelet on one of those “I’m alone and have nothing planned for dinner” and it turned out so great I want to make it again! I used three eggs, chopped smoked salmon, havarti cheese and dill. And I had a few spears of leftover asparagus on the side. Dinner, done and done in 5 minutes.

I’ve been doing a sheet pan of roasted vegetables every week lately, usually while I’m cooking Sunday or Monday night’s dinner (whichever requires the oven!) Then I have veggies to use for lunches or Super Quick Dinners all week long. This week’s was zucchini, two bell peppers, and a package of shiitake mushrooms that were to die for when they were roasted! So buttery-good. I drizzled on olive oil, salt, pepper, and dill and roasted for about 30 minutes.

The veggies went into a wrap for lunch the next day with tuna salad and melted cheese. (Note the Bark Thins on the side for dessert!) And I had them for lunch another day and a picnic dinner on Thursday.

Other Super Quick Dinner staples in my house are: big salads, No Bull Burgers, beans + rice with leftover cheese, pasta salad, and any veggies I can find. I can’t wait until the garden grows enough to do a lettuce and herb salad on nights when I have no veggies left.

I’ve been loving Cindy’s Kitchen dressings from Whole Foods lately. This started when I asked the salad bar team which dressing they used on their kale Caesar so I could make it at home, and they pointed me to the Cindy’s Kitchen Roasted Garlic Caesar. These are super creamy and not low-fat at all, but they are one of the few pre-made dressings I have consistently liked. I have the Caesar and the Chipotle Ranch, but after perusing their website, there are SO many more I want to try! They aren’t cheap though (I think $6.99?) so I’m going to use up the ones I have before trying more. Wish I could sample them all first!

Lastly, Cook Smarts is offering 25% off all plans in honor of its 4th anniversary! If you’ve been wanting to try it, now is the time! When I need a simple, quick and awesome ____ recipe (fill in the blank with crockpot, chili, frittata, etc) Cook Smarts is where I go!

What are your favorite Super Quick, Last-Minute Dinners?

The post Super Quick, Last-Minute Dinners appeared first on Kath Eats Real Food.

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Clean Eating Grain Free Chocolate Pie Crust

So I’ve been doing this grain-free thing for a while now. And with the exception of a few slip ups, it’s been a pretty good experience, albeit a bit strict. And while eating grain free automatically ups your healthy fat intake, I’m finding that I haven’t gained any weight either. So I’m not arguing!

In fact, my cholesterol used to be high on the LDL (bad) and very low on the HDL (good). But since I’ve gone grain/dairy/legume free, those numbers have completely flipped! I have a huge supply of healthy cholesterol and the bad type is down considerably low. Can’t argue with that!

So while I may not continue with being as strict with following a Paleo plan, I can see myself enjoying recipes like the one here for many years to come without guilt and without worry.

Is going grain-free something everyone should do? No. In fact, while I understand the science behind going grain-free, I still stand firm in the fact that every person is different and every person’s body will need something slightly different. So it’s important to figure out what works for your own body and stick with that.

 

TRIP UPDATE:

The hardest part about being in Ireland is learning to drive on the opposite side of the road and the opposite side of the car.

Thankfully, I haven’t had to do it myself, but my mom… God bless her. Thousands of years haven’t destroyed some of the walls built by the Vikings that run along the road here in Ireland, but my mother might just get it done.

I’ve been hanging on to the “oh s#!$ bar” for dear life (thank goodness the car has one!). In fact, the number of near misses we’ve had just in the first three days has been nothing short of a world record. How I’m still alive is beyond me. My mother seems to think it’s perfectly acceptable to ride with only her side of the car in the driving lane. The other half… well, that just scraps along the curbs, the walls, the lovely green grasses…. I’m just waiting to lose the side view mirror. It’s only a matter of time.

But life threatening driving skills aside, there were some beautiful sights between Avoca and Cobh. Here are a few…

Then there are always the endless number of sheep. This particular cutie scared the pants off Mini Chef and I when we walked past his trailer at the gas station. Apparently our presence there was not appreciated. We walked by and the beast grunted at us. Scared us half to death. In turn, our reaction set off the entire trailer of sheep into fits of baa’s and the scattering sounds of paws trying to back away from us as best they could in their confined quarters. Mini Chef and I had a good giggle over that one.

And then there was Cobh…

More on Cobh in my next post…

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY:

This recipe from the Gracious Pantry archives, originally posted 5/8/13.

Clean Eating Grain Free Chocolate Pie Crust

 

Author: Tiffany McCauley | The Gracious Pantry.com

Yield: 1 standard-sized crust

Ingredients

• 12 ounces cashews
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ cup honey or maple syrup

Instructions

1. Blend in a food processor for approximately 3-5 minutes, then press into a pie tin.
2. You can freeze it like this to fill later, or fill and bake immediately. If freezing, be sure to freeze in the pie pan inside of a large ziplock bag or air-tight container.
3. NOTE: Not recommended as a top crust.

3.5.3226

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What I’m Loving Lately 83

Hi, friends! Happy Friday!

I feel like I haven’t written a What I’m Loving Lately post in ages. WHERE does the time go? Ha! Well, since it’s been a few weeks now, I have quite the round-up for you. SO MANY FAVORITES. Seriously, these are things that I am really crazy about right now! Feel free to check ’em out or let me know if you have questions about any of them. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Whey 2 Be Cookie – My gosh, this cookie is amazing… well, ok, it’s amazing for a protein cookie. I’ve tried other brands, and they usually taste pretty artificial, but the Chocolate Chip one from Whey 2 Be is the bomb. It really was like eating dessert!

The Ultimate Book of Vehicles – Qman is LOVING this book lately! It’s actually really cool. Even Mal and I had a fun time playing with it!

It’s basically the ultimate flap-book with all sorts of pop-ups, pull-tabs, rotating wheels, and more!

Check out all of the moving pieces!

And all of the cool stuff you can see inside the various vehicles!

Quinn especially loves the space ship that takes off into space. Guys, this book rules in so many ways! It’s perfect for the kid that love all kinds of vehicles and flap-books!

Our new DTFN video –  It’s awesome and explains how our software works! Definitely check it out if you’re thinking about signing up!

Orangetheory – Ahhhhh, I’m so in love! It’s THE BEST workout. You’re moving the entire time you’re in class, so you really do get the most bang for your buck. The workouts are a combo of running (or walking) on the treadmill + strength (dumbbells, body weight movements, BOSU, TRX) and rowing. The strength part is almost like mini CrossFit AMRAPs. I’m truly obsessed and, now that my hip is feeling better, I want to go ALL THE TIME!

15 Pantry Staples for 15-minute Dinners – Lots of great ideas in this round-up!

Big Little Lies – THIS SHOW. Holy cow. It’s no The OA (I still think that might be my favorite show ever), but, man, it’s up there for sucking you in! Mal and I plowed through this series in about a week. It’s about a bunch of mothers (of first graders), who live in California and have seemly perfect lives, but they eventually unravel into a murder. It’s really good!

Collapsible food container – I shared a photo of this collapsible food container when I was on my way down to NYC last week. I got a few questions about it, so I wanted to share the details here. It’s an awesome little container and it collapses down nice and neat after you’re finished with it. It awesome for travel and even comes with a fork/spoon!

Nutrition in Immune Balance (NiMBAL) – I just heard about this website and just had to share. It’s devoted to using diet to treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and it’s a great resource.

Spring favorites – Now that it’s officially spring in southern Massachusetts, I’m loving all of my new fashion finds!

Top left: Brooks Heritage Vanguard (on sale for $52.99 + free shipping)

Top right: Brooks Ghost Crop (best EVER) + Champion Women’s French Terry Funnel Neck Top (I wear this ALL the time and it costs less than $20)

Lower left: Sanctuary Pilot Bomber Jacket (true to size, 30% off right now) + Ganesh Classic Tank (on sale for $29.99)

Lower right: Sperry Seaside Perfs (they run a little small, so order 1/2 size up)

Question of the Day

What are you loving lately?

What’s up for the weekend?

We have ZERO plans other than friends coming over on Sunday afternoon.

 

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