Blog

Hey friends. Let’s have a nice, calm chat about how you can boost your immune system this time of year. No need for panic, but I’ve had a lot of people asking for information, so I decided to put a resource together that I can just share with anyone who asks. And tip #1 is ironic.

1. Reduce stress. Your immune system is extremely affected by stress. So freaking out about catching coronavirus isn’t going to help. Stay away from triggering news outlets and try to stay focused on what you CAN control, which is how you take care of yourself. Get outside and get some sunshine on your skin, it does WONDERS for your stress level.

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You know the water gallon challenge… where you commit to drinking a gallon of water every day? I don’t know about you, but I’ve been getting ads for “cute” gallon jugs since the new year started.

Before I start telling you why I DON’T recommend this, I want to make one thing clear: everyone is entitled to do what they think is best. The issue I have with the gallon challenge is that it leads people to believe that more water is always better. In that case, why not drink TWO gallons a day, right?!

There are a few things wrong with this way of thinking. And while I DO advocate for hydration, I believe the water gallon challenge isn’t necessary in order to be hydrated.

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Happy National Women’s Day!!!! I have a SPECIAL TREAT for you ladies today. And I really hope you like it. But first.

Do you know what I love about the interwebs? So. much. free. stuff. Most of us (myself included) take advantage of all the recipes, educational blogs, free trials, and other content the Google has to offer. Now that I’m a “content creator”, I have a much greater appreciation for the fact that a real human being would spend their precious time creating something for me, expecting nothing in return. So I now try to support such humans however I can. Obviously paying someone for a product or service is the best way to support them, and I LOVE buying from small biz owners like myself.

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I used to thing breakfast was meant to be sweet. I grew up eating cereal, instant oatmeal, and Eggos.

So when I first started eating eggs for breakfast, it was quite the change! Now, I really only enjoy savory breakfasts for the most part. But if you’re struggling to get on board with that, I feel you.

This recipe is a great starting place, because it has the slight sweetness from the potatoes, but not that hit of sugar that leads to the inevitable crash an hour or so later.

You can also meal prep these on the weekend and have an easy breakfast ready to go!

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I have a feeling I’m going to get some push back on this one. And yet, that’s not going to stop me.

Just the title of the blog may have triggered negative thoughts in your mind, which is totally fair. I’m certainly not an expert on this topic, I just want to share my experience from my own marriage, and encourage you in yours.

I haven’t had the inspiration to write in over a month. But yesterday, something hit me like a ton of bricks and I felt like I HAD to write about it.

Here’s the back story:

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Do you ever get tired and you’re not sure why? Not physically tired, but mentally, you just want to shut down?

That might be decision fatigue, which basically means you’re OVER making decisions, and even the slightest choice that you have to make seems like an unbearable burden. I’m pretty sure we’ve all been there, but here are a few ways it might show up in your (my) life:

-Standing in the grocery store just staring at all the options for WAY longer than necessary.

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Normally there’s a strict “chocolate chip cookie only” policy in the Gray household. I’d never even heard of molasses cookies and definitely wouldn’t have made them if a friend hadn’t requested them. And I’ll be honest, I had low expectations for them. Because when I’m going rogue creating a new recipe, there’s a 65% chance it’s going to be a fail. BUT LET ME TELL YOU. A fail these were not. I made these on two occasions and have had people asking for the recipe ever since. So I’m finally being true to my word and writing the recipe down so I can share it. You’re welcome.

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I’ve got a quick little number for you today. But don’t let its brevity fool you, this will definitely give you a nice little burn! If you’re not yet able to do these movements, we can modify them to suit your current needs! I’ve said it at least 20 times on different blogs, but strength training is SO IMPORTANT for women!! I love this workout because it gives the best of both worlds—strength and cardio training. If you do this workout in under 20 minutes, you’ll definitely be breathing hard.

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This one’s for all the unfortunate souls out there who resort to eating fake burgers. Inspired by my real-life encounter with my first ever turkey burger. Not to be dramatic, but that turkey burger was the worst thing I’ve ever eaten—in comparison to the real thing, that is. I cannot think of ANY SANE REASON someone would eat that hot garbage instead of beef. [Unless you have moral/ethical reasons for not eating meat] The only other possible reason for eating these tasteless phonies is because they’re believed to be “healthier”.

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Now listen, I’m not hating on Instagram. I enjoy it as much as the next person. And I’m DEFINITELY not on a high horse about it. Rather, I’m speaking from a place of sincere humility and desire to change in this aspect of my life. These are just some things I’ve been pondering lately, and would love to start a conversation about it since it has become such a huge part of our lives.

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Do you need a super basic treat to bring to a Halloween party?

I got you, boo.

I brought 3 dozen of these to a pumpkin painting party and they. went. fast.

You can make these mini or full size, with or without chocolate chips. I much prefer the mini choc chip version, but the choice is yours! I made some of each, and they ALL got eaten. So I don’t really think there’s a wrong choice here.

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Being “fit” isn’t a look. It’s a feeling. It’s being able to go for a hike with your friends, play with your kids, and having energy to enjoy life. I’m a very strong believer in the fact that you don’t need to look a certain way to be healthy. But don’t we all want to FEEL healthy? One quick way to improve how you feel is to move your body. And you can move it however you want—walk, run, dance, lift, bike—the options are endless! Sadly, women are so overburdened and short on time, energy, and resources, that it seems impossible to take the time to move their bodies how they’d like to. Not to mention, sometimes going to a gym can be super intimidating!

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Raise your hand if breakfast food is your favorite!

Me: *raises hand*

The best part about breakfast food is that it’s good ANY time of day. We actually ate these for dinner, but who doesn’t love a good breakfast burrito?!

I must confess, the inspiration for this meal is not my own. Michael asked me to make these after having the most incredible burrito from Onefold. If you’re in Denver—get yourself over there ASAP. They use duck fat as their main cooking oil, and let me tell you it’s a game-changer.

So let’s get to the goods.

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When you google “core workout” you’ll find titles such as “IRONCLAD ABS” and “Tighten and Tone!” and “Total Ab Blast”. If that’s what you’re looking for, please go to the Googles.

Today I’m sharing a workout that doesn’t just isolate your abs, because your core is so much more than that! It includes your shoulders, scapula, abdominals, obliques, erectors, glutes, hip flexors, adductors and more! I hate to break it to you, but isolating the abs will not give you a strong core. Try these movements to build your WHOLE core, not just your abs.

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I’ve said it. You’ve said it. We allllllll say it on the regs. “I’m just too busy for ____________ right now.” While I do believe that being busy is real thing, I don’t see it as an excuse to not do something you really want to do. Because if you REALLY wanted something, you wouldn’t be too busy for it. And trust me, I’m not throwing shade at you. Let me use myself as the prime example. For the past month, I haven’t written a single blog, posted on Instagram, or written to my email list once. When my family would ask what I’ve been up to, I’d just respond and say something super dramatic like, “Ohhhh well I’ve just been soooo bizzyyyy working on the house!”

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If you think I’m writing this as an excuse to post pictures of my dog… you’re right.

So let’s get one thing straight right away. Dogs > than humans.

Kota is the best “person” I know. Michael and I honestly don’t deserve her, she’s way too good for us. But I want to share a few lessons she’s taught me, and why I want to be more like her. You can eye roll allllll you want, but if you’re a dog person, you get it!

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If you know how I do, the name of the game is quick ‘n easy. And this meal is no exception.

Asian inspired dishes are my absolute FAVORITE type of meals. And while I won’t pretend this is an authentic Asian dish, it is mighty delicious. So delicious, in fact, that my whole family asked for the recipe to which I responded, “You can have it when I write the blog”. I sort of eyeballed it the first time, so I had to remake it to get more precise measurements.

So here you go, fam.

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Being healthy is soooo in right now. So hip, in fact, that if you DON’T take at least 4 supplements daily, you’re probably not sitting at the cool kids table if you know what I mean. But do we really need them? Are they actually effective? Or are they a big ole waste of your hard earned money? Here are 4 ways to know if your supplements are worth it. Quality. Do you know anything about the sourcing of your supplement? Is it a reputable brand? And just because it’s a big name brand, doesn’t mean it’s a good one. It’s ridiculous, but there are hardly ANY regulations on supplements. Companies can say just about anything they want and put it on the label, true or not. If the quality is poor, your body isn’t going to absorb it anyway. So it’s really important to do your research. More on that later.

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What’s a ladder workout? You gonna learn today!

It’s when you do one or more exercises in an ascending/descending pattern. This lovely ladder has both. At the same time. Get ready to math.

The two movements you have the pleasure of doing today?

1. Burpees (and the crowd goes wild!)

2. Kettlebell swings

   *Don’t have a kettlebell? Do squat jumps instead.

So here’s the pattern. Burpees descending by 2 and KB swings ascending by 2 each time, starting and ending with 20 reps.

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Like anything else you put on your body, skincare is absorbed insanely quickly and goes directly into the bloodstream. Making it very important to know that what you’re putting on yourself is safe. But what separates anti aging from any other skincare? Retinol. The use of this ingredient is very controversial in the beauty world. It’s the active ingredient in almost ALL anti aging products. But should it be so widely used? The reason retinol is so “effective” is because it pushes new cells up to the surface more quickly than they normally would, giving quicker “results”. The problem is, these skin cells aren’t ready to be exposed to sunlight and other environmental factors yet. They’re too young and immature (hello, college Lexie). So sun damage and skin irritation are a big concern.

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