Hello there!! It's definitely been a while since I've posted on here. It's funny, when I worked in advertising and I was on my phone and the computer ALL day long, and when I got home, the first thing I wanted to do was work on my blog and continue staring at screens. When I made my career switch into full time fitness, I thought it would fuel me to really work on my blog even MORE, and it actually did just the opposite. I'm truly happy going into work now and satisfied when I leave, and when I get home, I don't even want to look at the computer screen. It's very peaceful, but also kind of lazy? I love keeping up with the blog and I love the connections I've made through it, so I know that I need to strike a balance between my endeavors.  Speaking of blogging connections, I just attended Garden of Life's 2016 Blogger's Summit in West Palm Beach, FL, and it was incredible!! 

Garden of Life Blogger's Summit 2016

Garden of Life is the #1 brand in the natural products industry and I've been using their protein powders for a while now. I like them because it's very clear what you're putting into your body. All of the products are USDA certified organic, verified non-gmo, vegan, kosher, you name it! I'm not vegan, nor do I buy organic food, but I DO like to make sure my supplements and vitamins are totally clean, because there are so many supplements out there today that are not regulated and you just really have no idea if what you read on the label is what you're putting into your body. Besides that, I've been having a lot of digestive issues lately, so I've been trying to experiment with my diet a bit and making sure I get wholesome supplements is important. Anyway, I was able to tour the Garden of Life headquarters, meet with 9 other awesome lady bloggers and learn a whole lot about the products and the company as a whole! It was an incredible experience and I'm so grateful to partner with such an amazing brand. Here's a summary of our experience in photos! 

I love this inforgraphic - only 265 of the 26,000 supplement products on the market are certified organic and Non-GMO project verified. 72 of those 265 are Garden of Life products. Pretty interesting! 

All of the lovely bloggers!! From top left: Cassandra, Kathy, Moreya. Alex and Laura. Bottom left: Sophie, Angela, Karim and myself!

Traveling

This year I'm learning to take advantage of cheap flights and weekend getaways. When I graduated college last May, I literally moved to Philly that same week and started working. This summer I am taking advantage of some much needed time off! West Palm was wonderful, I'm heading home to Ft. Myers later this summer and Michael and I also have a week trip planned to DENVER. A WEEK!! SO stoked. I'm so grateful for the flexibility of my job, yet as a trainer, when I don't work, there's no income. Quickly learning the high importance of budgeting. 

Training

Just an update on my job - I love it. My clients rock and I'm amazed every day at their willingness to reach their goals! Here's a shot from a Thrive Olympics we had amongst all the trainers at different gyms. If theres one thing I've gotten a lot better at by demonstrating multiple times a day, it's push-ups! Do your push-ups, ladies. 

Have a lovely hump day :)

XO - Rach

Any travel plans coming up this summer?

What's up, party people? Is anyone as excited as I am that Thanksgiving is in TWO DAYS!?! I cannot wait. Jumping up and down.

It's been a busy week at work so far trying to get everything done and scheduled so that I can enjoy the holiday and the weekend.

It's getting so chilly up here! On Sunday Michael and I went for a little hike through the Wissahickon Trail. It was so glorious and I'm mad that I haven't done it before. It got me really thinking that it's SO important to get outside and enjoy some nature and vitamin D because there are so many health benefits - mental and physical. Since working full time inside of an office, it really makes me appreciate the fresh air even more so. 

5 Reasons To Get Outside During The Work Day

1. You practice being present and mindful.

Being outside in nature makes you 'naturally' more aware of your surroundings. Even if it's just for 10 minutes, you can't deny that enjoying nature allows you to free your mind a bit. At work each day, I try to make a point to get out of the office for 10-20 minutes and walk around outside WITHOUT checking my email on my phone (sometimes I even fail at this.) A breath of fresh air brings my mind that's usually in a million different places to ease.

2. You'll be more productive.

This goes along with #1, but it's definitely true that after a walk outside, I get back into my office with a more productive mindset. Maybe it's because I am a bit more present and my mind isn't all over the place, but it's actually proven that getting outside lowers symptoms of distractibility. So when you're feeling that adult ADD kicking in, go outside! 

3. Your less likely to be depressed.

Spending hours and hours in front of our computer can lead to bad sleep, worsened eye sight and even depression. Think about it, human beings weren't meant to sit at a desk all day staring at a computer screen or phone screen. Our bodies need to be exposed to the restorative elements of nature on a daily basis. Right now in this moment, what puts a smile on your face? Envisioning walking down a beach on a sunny day or watching YouTube videos in bed?  

4. Your stress levels will lessen. 

You know when that mental fatigue kicks in around 3:30 p.m. and you want to either pull your hair out or fall asleep? It's time to go outside. Getting outside encourages you to move your body, and just a quick 5-15 minute stroll can boost your endorphins and lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone). Cue those happier feelings! Instead of that afternoon pick-me-up coffee, try taking a short walk instead.

5. It improves your immune system. 

Exposure to nature is proven to make you healthier by improving your immune system. Catching some rays helps your skin produce more Vitamin D, which will help your body stay strong to fight of illness. Even if you are sick, getting a breath of fresh air will allow you to escape from the indoors that are crawling with germs. 

The great outdoors are just that. They're GREAT. I challenge you to get outside every single day during your work week for at least 20 minutes if you can to reset, clear your mind and help your health. And if you have a job that allows you to be outside for the majority of the time, you rock. 

Have a wonderful day!! 

XO- Rach

Do you try to get outside during the day?

Have you ever felt mentally fatigued?

What else is a natural stress reliever for you?

Happy Monday, friends! And welcome, November (how did that happen?)  This past weekend was one to remember - I ran my first half marathon! And it wasn't that bad. My mom and her boyfriend also came to visit to cheer me and Chelsey on while we slogged ran. 

Chelsey and I headed to the expo after work on Friday to pick up our packets and a plethora of free stuff including a ton of mini Lara Bars. SCORE! After the expo we headed to Mercato, a fabulous Italian restaurant with homemade pasta. We both had amazing pasta dishes to carb up. No pics because we were too busy savoring :)

Race Day

Saturday morning rolled around and it was time to wake up at 5:30 a.m.! I made myself a bowl of oats with peanut butter, some coffee, and my mom and I made our way down to the race around 7:30 in the freezing cold. Chelsey and I were in coral 31, so we didn't actually start running until about 8:30. However, the sun came up once we started running and it felt great!

The first 8 miles are actually kind of a blur. They went by SO fast, there was a lot of adrenaline and we both felt really great. The first 5 miles were through the city and the remainder was a flat road along the river. Such a great course! 

Around the half way mark, my cousin Sara was working at the medical tent so she ran along with us for about a half mile and snapped some pics:  After mile 9 it became all mental. Everything felt great except my ankles - they were screaming! We just did everything we could to keep our minds off of the suck and finish strong. We finished in 2:26 and our goal was 2:30! And then the next day at the New York City Marathon (26.2 people!) the woman winner finished in 2:24! We may not be the fastest but we were happy to be running and having a blast. 

After chugging a chocolate milk at the finish line, we headed back to the hotel we were staying at for the weekend to shower and get some food. We ended up heading to Reading Terminal Market and stopping by The Original Turkey  for some fresh carved turkey club sandwiches. I inhaled mine in .000345 seconds. After refueling, we headed to the Field House Bar (home of the Philly Gator Club) to watch the Gators dominate the Bulldogs. 

We ended the night with dinner in Chinatown and I was passed out by 9:30. It was an awesome day and weekend. So glad that I could spend time with my family.

After SEVERAL jam-packed weekends, I'm totally looking forward to doing a lot of nothing next weekend :)

P.S. I didn't even end up listening to it, but I will share my half marathon playlist soon. I was really excited for it, but we had more fun chatting during the whole race.

XO -Rach

How was your weekend?

Have you run a half before? If not, would you ever want to?