Weekend Sunshine: ENGAGED!

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Hiiiii friendssssss! So, if you've seen any of my social mediums these last couple of days you may have noticed that I had a pretty spectacular weekend. Yes, Rob and I are engaged! Ahhh!

Many of you have asked for the story so I'll give you the readers digest version today. Here it goes!
Rob and I had taken the day off on Friday because I hosted Easter Sunday so we figured that it would be smart to start cleaning and prepping on Friday. Being the organized event planner that I am, I had all kinds of tasks for us that day which included moving around furniture, running errands, cleaning (scrubbing), hitting the gym, and prepping some of the food. Earlier in the day, Rob asked me if I wanted to go for a walk later in the afternoon because the sun was "finally going to come out". Being one that never turns down a walk around Castle Island... I, of course, said it was a great idea. What I didn't know, was what Rob had in store for us that afternoon. What I also didn't prepare for was gloomy weather and a tired back from all of my 'tasks'. 

Oye, poor Rob. Apparently he planned on getting us out the door for the walk around 3/3:30. During this time, I was still organizing my newly arranged living room and finishing up some cleaning. One hour went by, then another.... both of our families knew what was supposed to be happening and apparently were waiting patiently by the phone. 

Rob kept asking me when we could go for a walk... I looked at him like he was crazy for wanting to leave the house before our tasks were complete. Finally, 5:30 rolled around and I begrudgingly went for this walk that he so strangely wanted to go on. When we finally got outside, I didn't think I was dressed warm enough so I went back inside, put on more layers and then FINALLY headed out.

Rob must have been ready to throw in the towel!

So we start walking and I think I stopped complaining? I'm not totally sure but, I did notice that Rob was acting a little funny and was looking around us a lot as we walked over the bridge and closer to the fort. He pointed to the fort and asked if I wanted to take that sidewalk up. Well, you can guess what happened next! Minutes later, he said all the nice things, gave me the most perfect piece of jewelry that I've ever seen in my life, and we were engaged. I've never been happier.

Castle Island has been a special place to me for just about 10 years. I've run that loop probably thousands of times, thinking about my past, present, and future. I've run at sunrise and sunset. I went for my first run there with my best friend Kim before we moved into our old place in 2006. I remember immediately feeling at home there. I've moved in and out of Southie and I've always made my way back, finally buying my place here in 2012. I remember what I thought were my last runs around Castle Island and the first ones when I made my way back to this neighborhood. I remember the first walk that Rob and I went on around the island and every time he's lapped me when we went out for runs separately. I now have the best and most incredible memory to add to that list. Anyone that knows Rob, loves him. He's the best guy and I feel so blessed that I get to marry him.

The End. xo

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Weekly Bites #16

Good evening, good evening, my friends! I'm home early because I'm rocking a REST DAY. Yup, I'm so sore from my last two classes at The Club that pretty much every muscle group in my body hurts. Sore to the touch, actually. Plus, I slept like crap and I'm fighting a cold that wants to make an appearance. I'm sharing these very important details of my life because... for those of you that struggle with this... it's VERY OK to take an unplanned rest day. I'm sure some of you are thinking "um, big deal... you're taking a rest day [insert eye roll]" but, there are also a few of you that struggle with going off-schedule.  I get it, I used to really struggle with taking rest days in general, nevermind unplanned ones. However, the most important thing I've learned about health and fitness in my 32 years is this... LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. I say that phrase all the time, but, when it comes to health... listening to your body trumps everything else. Cravings, tiredness, too much energy, lack of energy, stress, etc. Your body is telling you what it wants... listening is key. I know that resting today, fueling my body, and getting adequate sleep will make me feel 100% better tomorrow during my workout. Plus, rest days are when the magic happens... they are just as important as training days. Muscles repair and grow bigger and stronger during periods of rest, making them an integral part of a training schedule. Got it? Ok great.

Moving on, it's time for "Weekly Bites". I have another solid array of eats to share with you again this week and once again, I'll mark them GA or NGA for those that are interested. Let's get to it!

This was dinner after a big event I had last week. It was late, Rob worked late, and so we went to the freezer for options. It was actually delicious lol. Veggie burger, two fish sticks, and Alexia sweet potato tots. (GA except for ketchup)

I refueled again properly in the morning with a smoothie bowl.  (GA)

Random lunch: Spinach salad with slivered almonds, hemp seed hearts, fig dressing and an ezekiel english muffin with almond butter and cinnamon. That popcorn is the Quinn brand kale popcorn - it's good! (GA)

St. Paddy's day dinner: Open faced roast beef sandwiches on Irish soda bread with sliced sharp cheddar, mustard and micro greens paired with sweet potato and kale chips. (GA)

Oh hey, another smoothie bowl. (GA)

Friday lunch: This "roasted butternut" salad from b.good is SO SO GOOD and surprisingly filling. (GA)

Friday dinner: Salmon prepared the way my mom always made it when I was growing up. We joke that this salmon makes salmon-haters love salmon. (It worked, Rob doesn't like salmon!). Ready? 1 tbs of dijon mustard, 1 tbs of brown sugar, and a dash of cayenne pepper... mix the ingredients and spread on top. Bake on 475 for 12-15 minutes depending on thickness. DELISH. (GA)

Made use of the leftover roast beef and greens on Saturday to make a bit of a cleaner version on a small tortilla. YUM. (GA)

Dinner on Saturday night at Pastoral: This pasta dish was on special... mushroom, guanciale, EGG, carbonara. HEAVEN. Delectable! (NGA)

Dinner yesterday: Organic ground turkey tacos with spinach, avocado, and a sprinkling of cheddar paired with sweet potatoes. (Pretty much GA - the mild taco seasoning doesn't affect my GERD).

That about wraps it up - what were you favorite eats of the week?? xo

Smoothie Bowl Superfood Toppings

If you've been following along on my instagram or snapchat (@funfitflavor) accounts, you know that I have a mild-medium obsession with my daily smoothie bowls. Now that I've found SFH coconut fuel - I feel like my possibilities are endless. These bowls may look like labors of love but actually, they only take about 5 or so minutes to prepare. Yup - that's it! 

The base is always 1 scoop of that sfh protein powder blended with water and frozen fruit (I tend to use mangoes or tropical blends). But, feel free to use whatever you prefer. I do recommend a vanilla or coconut flavor so that the true color of the fruits come out and their flavor is heightened rather than hidden by chocolate. Just my preference though!

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The reason I like smoothie bowls more than regular smoothies is because of these delectable superfood toppings. I like to EAT my food, not drink it. The bowl allows me to get all the nutrients I need and also satisfy that crunch/chew craving. Ya feel me?

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Last week, Mandy asked me what the heck the toppings are that I put on my bowls so I thought it was the perfect excuse for a blog post.

1. The little red guys are goji berries
2. The cream/black things are hemp seeds
3. Almond butter
4. The brown-black things on the right are cacao nibs
5. Plus, shredded coconut and a dried mango for good measure (coconut has healthy chain fatty acids).

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So what are the health benefits of these things, you ask? Well, let me tell you...
1. Goji berries - Vitamin C, Beta-Carotene, Fiber, Very high in antioxidants (So this is great for skin, immune health, and providing antioxidants to demolish free radicals)
2. Hemp Hearts - High in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids plus GLAs, protein, & fiber (these guys rock) (Great for heart and brain health all while keeping you full and satisfied)
3. Almond butter - Vitamin E, Biotin, Fiber, Magnesium and its ability to lower LDL cholesterol (Great for heart health and high in antioxidants which also helps demolish free radicals)
4. Cacao nibs - Magnesium, iron, polyphenols, B vitamins, protein and fiber (I especially like that these are high in magnesium because this mineral is essential in supporting the nervous system, energy production, and the formation of healthy bones and teeth).

See why I love these things so much? Here are a couple of pro-tips . 1) Find a protein powder that you love and that is made with organic or grass-fed whey. Or a vegan powder that is GMO-free. I really like SFH and Vega brands. 2) Measure your toppings - a teaspoon of each goes a long way! 3) Again keep the base to a minimum - Water, 1.5 cups of frozen fruit, and 1 scoop of powder. The flavor is all there - it doesn't need anything else. 4) These superfoods can be pricy so I find that buying them in the bulk section of Whole Foods saves a TON of money.

That about wraps it up - if you have any additional questions on how to make these or for other superfood tips, just leave a comment below. Happy to help, as always!

Have a great weeeeek! xo