My goal is to finally get back to a regular fitness routine. I am ready to feel strong, healthy and sexy in this body of mine. While I would be lying if I didn’t say I am also hoping to lose some LBs what I really want is to feel strong and confident and happy with this body of mine right here and right now.
To help myself along I have scoured YouTube for fitness videos that I am going to try this month. Most are beginner and the length range from 5 minutes to 40 minutes which means there is no excuse not to fit at least one workout into my days. To keep things interesting I have included a variety of videos from HIIT to barre3 to yoga to ones focusing on various areas of the body.
So who wants to join me this month in trying out these workout videos? Which video are you most excited to try?
Summer 2018 you’re not what I envisioned and it’s a struggle to mentally process this all.
But I am resilient.
Full moon, Mercury Retrograde and too many weeks of solo parenting.
I am resilient.
If I am being totally honest I went to a new moon circle at the end of June and this was the mantra I received and I didn’t know what it meant for me. I have been sitting with it for the past month and just like that it hit me that this is my mantra for this summer for the last 13 months as I navigate postpartum once again. Becoming a parent to 3 littles, Neil’s new job that has resulted in the most time we have ever spent away from each other In nearly 12 years and add solo parenting has made this a very challenging season of life but I am resilient.
So when I am feeling the weight of things whether it’s parenting solo, working through hormone imbalances, dealing with disappointment that seems to be a trend this summer and having those days where I feel like I’m not enough (be, doing, loving) I have to remind myself that I AM RESILIENT.
I am learning to appreciate this body everyday and at very size. I am learning to appreciate this body that has experienced 3 miscarriages, carried 3 babies to term, birthed 3 amazing beings, has nursed 55 months and counting, has carried my children as bitty babies, wiggly toddlers and heavy big kids. It has hiked hundreds of miles and run races. It has been a variety of sizes, weights, and it has also been hated for so long despite all of the amazing things it has done. So while I am a still working to be happy at every size while still working on feeling stronger and confident in my body I now have these images to hold with me. I mean look how incredible my family is. Look at those sweet faces. Look at us together.
Head on over to The 4th Trimester Body Project to read my full story.
This is one of my favorite spots to sit because it means in a few minutes I will enter a space that is just for me. A space that takes care of my mind and body with the help of my incredible acupuncturist Brooke @vetiveracupuncture. I have been going to acupuncture off and on for 6 years mostly when I was ready to get one of my babies out or to help them flip but over the last 15 months it has been a part of my (semi) regular routine. I have gone for support during my pregnancy with Ingrid to help her flip and to help encourage her to join us Earth side, as part of my early postpartum days to support healing, for the pain and numbness experienced in my shoulder/arm due to breastfeeding and now for support as I work to balance my hormones and gain control over my anxieties.
All I can say is make time for things that support you whether you are a mother or not. I am working at it and each postpartum period I have to re-learn this and put it back into action. Sometimes it happens easily and other times (like currently) it takes time and a constant reminder that it is important. That I am important. That my mental and physical health is important.
If someone hasn’t told you today or you’re not feeling it you should know that you’re important too.
I shared this post over on my Instagram but I thought why not share this here as well. It’s been awhile since I have shared an about me and thought why not?
1 | Superpower: Cooking dinner with hungry children at my feet and sharing tips on on how to balance health and wellness while also being a mama. Oh and because mamahood isn’t easy I like to share the good with struggles.
2 | Can’t Live Without: a notebook and a pen, an eye mask for sleeping and pasta.
3 | Believe In: the positive effects of nature while also struggling to believe in myself.
4 | mama to: three incredible little people who teach me something new everyday.
5 | wife to: a rock climbing, computer nerd and incredible man.
6 | health coach: who feels incredible privilege to support women on their journey to optimal health and wellness.
7 | blogger: with two different blogs that are sometimes hard to balance these days.
8| about to turn 33 years old but absolutely hates celebrating her birthday (I don’t mind getting older though).
9 | thinking about how/where I can make time for more self-care.
10 | grew up on the east coast (Vermont) and while I love PDX I’m always an East Coast girl at heart.
Okay, your turn! Share below or tag me in your post so I can learn 10 things about you!
You may remember back a few months ago when I said I was taking the month off from online shopping. Well spoiler I failed miserably. Like so bad. So tonight after I ordered by case of Ugly seltzer because I apparently just couldn’t help myself (who knows maybe you can’t help yourself either and if that’s the case here is $10 of your first order) I decided that I need to take a break for real this time. Thirty whole days with absolutely no online shopping. Nada.
Also I thought this might be the perfect time to share with you five things you probably don’t need but that I love and use regularly. Because why not fuel your shopping addiction while I try and reduce mine?
I bought this after having Ingrid because when you’re a nursing mama you basically constantly feel thirsty and the bigger the tumbler the better because it means not having to move or wake a sleeping baby. Bonus this thing keeps my water cold for HOURS like so many hours and despite it being 32oz it is small enough on the bottom to fit in a cup holder of my car. Basically this is the magical unicorn of tumblers.
Basically there was this other tahini brand that I used to subscribe and save on Amazon but then it stopped being on Prime so I had to find an alternative. After trying a bunch of different kinds the Instagram Influencers made me buy Soom and I have to say they were right this stuff is amazing. Also this is women owned business and these women are making an amazing product!
These gluten free, non-GMO, vegan, refined sugar free little noshes are my current go to snack. I love the oatmeal raisin flavor and my runner up is the Simply Sunflower. They are little but are super filling and perfect for my active mom lifestyle, plus my kids are into them as well and with the simple ingredients I can’t help but share (even when I don’t want to.) You can find them on Amazon and if you use code: RWT20 you can for 20% off your BuckWHAT! order.
What are three online purchases you have made recently?
Who else is a tahini addict?
Have you tried BuckWHAT! Noshes yet?
This post contains affiliate links. Purchases you make through these links will help fund the work I do here at no extra cost to you. Thank you sincerely for your constant support.
If you had just 48 hours to explore a new city what would you do and see? We recently spent (just over) 48 hours in Bellingham, WA and it’s amazing how much you can get up to in such a short time. From hiking to relaxing at the beach to donuts to coffee to breweries.
Saturday
9am – Smoothies, juice and epic gluten free pancakes at Electric Beet Juice Co. Electric Beet is a little hidden gem that has the most incredible GF Chocolate Pancakes that are topped with a luscious cashew coconut cream; I think these were one of the highlights of our trip. I also highly recommend The Punch Bowl green juice to wash down those delectable pancakes. It was located inside of the Bellingham Public Market sharing a large grocery store with several other local vendors.
10:00am – Grab coffee at Camber. See below for more details.
10:15am – Visit the Bellingham Downtown Farmers Market. Saturdays in April-December from 10am-3pm you can find Bellingham locals at the downtown farmers market picking up local produce and goods. You’ll also find talented performers, mushroom beer and incredible ceramics and other goods.
11:30am – Grab wraps and sandwiches from Leaf and Ladle (to-go). If you don’t find yourself with a pile of food treats from the farmers market head up the hill just above it and you’ll find Leaf and Ladle, a small shop selling soups, sandwiches and salads. I recommend grabbing a Vegan Caesar Wrap to take with you on your next adventure – the beach!
12:30pm – Head to Larrabee State Park for a picnic, hike and beach swim. This spot was recommended to me by Autumn (if you don’t follow her go now). She is local to the area and gave us the the low-down on where we should visit and this was one of the places she suggested. I have to say she couldn’t have recommended a more perfect place. There is hiking, a beautiful beach to swim and relax at and it was so incredibly peaceful.
4:30pm – Happy Hour at Boundary Bay Brewing.If I am being completely honest the beer was just fine but we loved the outdoor back patio/picnic table area. It was so relaxing and if you have little ones like us you will appreciate the play structure that will (hopefully) occupy your child until you finish you beer.
8pm – Dinner at Pepper Sisters. Pepper Sisters is a Southwestern inspired restaurant that has clearly marked vegan options. In a city that doesn’t have the same selection of vegetarian and vegan restaurants as Portland does, this was a nice touch! Neil and I shared the Roasted Potato and Garlic Enchilada and an appetizer special. We both love the enchilada, especially the filling. The kids kept it simple with a mound of guacamole, chips, beans and rice – all of which was also delicious.
If you’re young and/or childless you may find yourself heading out for drinks or other night life but since we are old and have a pack of children we headed to bed at this point.
Sunday
9am – Breakfast at Camber + head across the street to Rocket Donuts for a post hike snack. I fell in love with Camber in Portland at our neighborhood coffee shop and Neil and I have been dying to visit their shop. Little did we know how much we would love it. We came for the coffee and stayed for the avocado toast, cashew cream toast, vegan blueberry muffins and incredible breakfast potatoes. Also yes Rocket Donuts has a vegan selection just make sure to ask when you go in as they are not on display!
10:45am – Hike at Whatcom Falls. A beautiful easy spot to get to that has amazing waterfalls and a great easy hiking path. If you have older children or are without children and are looking for more challenging hikes I have been told that Oyster Dome and Fragrance Lake are both fantastic hikes with incredible views.
1:30pm – Lunch at Big Love Juice. You may be seeing a trend now… We like juice bars and avocado toast. Also while we were surprised at how easily we found plant-based options in Bellingham our variety was still limited. At Big Love Juice I highly recommend the Artichoke Cream Toast and any of their green juices.
3pm – Do a little shopping and/or rest. There are a lot of cute small shops to visit downtown.
5pm – Climbing at VITAL Climbing Gym or a ride on Chuckanut Drive. I will admit I am not much of a climber but Neil is and he visited VITAL while on our trip and really enjoyed it. It’s a smaller gym but a perfect spot to visit if you are itching for a climbing session or just looking for something new to try. If climbing isn’t your thing and you’re up for a bit of time in the car take a ride on Chuckanut Drive. I promise you incredible water views and lush green forest.
7:30pm – Dinner at Aslan Brewpub. We were lucky enough to have grandparents with us on this getaway so we snuck off for dinner and beers at Aslan Brewpub. It was some seriously good food and great beer. I opted for their non-alcoholic beer which was the best non-alcoholic beer I have ever tasted.
9pm – Drinks & Games at Aslan Depot. Once you are done dinner head a few blocks down to Aslan Depot.At this former transit station, you’ll find Aslan’s barrel aging facility as well as several of their barrel aged beers on tap alongside a number of other great craft breweries and an extensive bottle list. Tip: ask the bartender for one of the games behind the bar and add a little fun to your night.
So there you have it 48 fun filled hours in Bellingham!
Tell me have you been to Bellingham? What would are you must do/see/eat/stay?
Healthy Human Insulated Tumbler.
I bought this after having Ingrid because when you’re a nursing mama you basically constantly feel thirsty and the bigger the tumbler the better because it means not having to move or wake a sleeping baby. Bonus this thing keeps my water cold for HOURS like so many hours and despite it being 32oz it is small enough on the bottom to fit in a cup holder of my car. Basically this is the magical unicorn of tumblers.
