After I shared how I lost 15 lbs in 2 months (read more here) I had a TUN of questions on my breakfasts and if I could share the recipes. So here we are! I rounded up my 3 favorite easy healthy breakfasts for you babes! I would love to see your creations on Instagram. Remember to tag me!
Y’all notice everything! In January I got serious about losing weight and some of you noticed the changes before I even did. While my weight loss journey is not complete I am going to share how I lost15 lbs in less then 2 months! Sharing my weight loss story, progress pictures, what I ate (some of my favorite recipes), my workout routine, and why I decided to start losing weight (again)!
It is a crazy time with all of the social distancing. Everyone is now working from home and together all the time! To be the best resource for you I have 7 tips to help you stay motivated. These tips will work now and also when everything returns back to normal. And for me that will mean I am still working from home! I also have a blog post on how I get the most out of my day with more tips!
Let’s be honest most of us don’t want to overpay and go to a 9 pm (obvi didn’t get a reservation until last minute) 5 course meal for valentine’s day. Sharing a few unique date night ideas that won’t break the bank! Also if you are last minute like me you still need a gift for your man. I got your covered in time for valentines day! Sharing my gift guide for him and her. In case you missed it I also shared my favorite looks for going out and staying in on vday here.
First let’s start with where is Malta? It is an island off the coast of Italy. My family and I went over Christmas/new years and I wanted to share our favorite things we did, where we stayed, what we ate and most importantly what I wore!
I am normally the type that makes a decision in about 3 seconds… unless it is what to eat for lunch. Now that could take days lol. I recently made the hardest decision of my life to date. Harder then deciding what college to attend….to move to Kalamazoo for a job or to Minneapolis for another. This was one that I actually had to think about!
2019 was a year of growth & learning. Tuning in on my personal brand while still listening to all of you to be the best resource for fashion, beauty, travel and self-help. I started the year out with 40,000 followers and ended with 128,000 to be exact. I can’t believe there are that many of you! I wouldn’t be able to do this job that I love without all of you, so thank you! I rounded up the best of 2019: top sellers, where I traveled and your favorite blog posts.
Month after month my “Why I Stopped Drinking” blog post gets the most views and I get tuns of questions from all of you! So I am doing an updated blog and answering all of your questions on being a sober sally!
Like most 20 somethings, I liked to party. I mean I really really liked to party and when I got to college, it was socially acceptable and kinda cute when I lost my phone or woke up & didn’t know where I was. So that’s how it went black-out or get-out.
I graduated, got my first job in Kalamazoo as a post-market quality engineer…. and still the same, black-out or get-out EVERY weekend. Not so cute anymore. It was starting to impact my relationships. I tried to get in in control, one & done, no hard alcohol, stop drinking at a certain time….nothing worked . It got worse, so much so that I don’t even remember when my boyfriend broke up with me…I know, sad!
That was my first rock bottom and I’m not even counting the time I fell out of an uber at Wawa (7-eleven) & had to take a $700 ambulance to the hospital…right across the street. In February of 2015 I stopped drinking alcohol altogether, but I was still doing the same things. Hanging out with people who over drank, going to bars, and staying up late. I was constantly fielding questions and comments constantly… “Why aren’t you drinking?”, “Oh, can’t you just have one?”, “It’s fine, everyone drinks too much!” I kept telling myself I was fine. But after 9 months in October 2015, once again, it became too much. I realize now I didn’t like living in Kalamazoo & was struggling to find people I could connect or relate to. So, as you can imagine, I turned to drinking again. black-out or get-out all over again.
I started to tell myself that if I moved out of Kalamazoo everything would be fine, and that was why I was drinking so much.
In January of 2017 I moved to Minneapolis…which didn’t solve anything. In fact, it made it worse…more bars, more people to party with. My friend came to visit and again I hit rock bottom. I got so drunk, I lost my phone, left my bag at the bar && the worst of it was I left my friend at the bar. I realized that I didn’t like the person I was when I drank, selfish and irresponsible. Definitely not the qualities of the women I want to become and where I want to go with my career.
In March of 2017 I stopped drinking again && changed who I was hanging out with & where I spent my time. I turned to Bar Method workouts, shopping trips, fun nights out to dinner and now blogging! It definitely has not been easy and I still do get those questions & comments “Why aren’t you drinking?”, “Oh, can’t you just have one?”, “It’s fine, everyone drinks too much!”. I am much stronger now, having my family, friends & Ryan supporting me (even though Ryan works for a liquor distributor & loves his reds && whiskey!).
I have even grown to actually like being sober. So hopefully you aren’t as much of a hot mess as I was but here are some of the reasons why not drinking is awesome:
No Hang Overs!!! This one is seriously the best. I never waste a day from feeling horrible. You feel better in the morning, & can go and get in that early morning work out!
Save $$! Soda water is FREE!!
Less Calories! From just the alcohol itself…but also no more drunk eating!
I’m Smarter! I definitely have noticed I am better at work, things are easier to understand and my brain is clearer!
More Control! I drive almost everywhere now so I can come and leave as I please. I also don’t have to spend $$ on ubers. My friends also appreciate me always being the dd!
Two things that have been super helpful are A. having a drink of choice (soda water + splash of cranberry + a lime) and B. practicing saying “no thank you” and “no thank you I don’t drink”. I seriously practiced that on the phone with my mom! I’m hoping this post can help someone struggling like I was. I am always here to help anyone, answer their questions or just be someone to talk to.
Hey kittens have you met Penelope?! My new Louis Vuitton Montaigne BBbag! Shhhh… don’t tell her but I got her for less in Paris! But Louie never goes on sale, how did I manage this?! Click to see why LVs are discounted in Paris and how much I saved on my baby girl!