My Fitness Journey: Macro Tracking

Happy Friday Everyone! To go along with my #FitnessFriday post, I thought I would share my thoughts and progress on macro tracking. For those that maybe aren't as familiar, Macro Tracking is the process of logging and tracking what macronutrients (i.e. carbs, proteins, fat) as well as micronutrients (i.e. fiber, sugar, sodium, etc) you eat throughout the day. 

You might be wondering is this necessary and why would anyone do it? As for being a necessity, it really just depends on what you respond best to for your own personal fitness journey. For myself, I find that I stay much more consistent with a healthy diet (not actual dieting - just my daily eating) if I aim to achieve a certain calorie + macro balance. It almost becomes a puzzle/game to see what fits into my daily targets. It also is a great way to log if any foods make you not feel so stellar. By logging macros, you can more easily see if a certain meal/snack/etc made you not feel so great later in the day or the next day. It also helps you learn what you eat that makes you feel stellar and like you are ready to take over the world. 

If you've decided that you want to start tracking, your next thought might be where do I even start? I highly recommend speaking with a Dietician or working with a Nutritionist and/or Trainer to figure out the right fit for you. Michelle Spearman (Michelle Spearman Nutrition) is a Dietician based in South Carolina that offers counseling from the comfort of your own home. Sometimes services like this can even be covered by your insurance which is a huge plus! Michelle offers her clients one-on-one counseling to ensure nutrition needs are being met. 

There are also a ton of fitness + nutrition guides out there. These can also be a great option if you are looking for workout recommendations too. You should always consult with your doctor prior to changing anything in your workout + diet routine, though! I am currently doing a program with Memories Over Macros. It does involve a more flexible outline to healthy eating via macro targets + daily workouts 6 days a week. This has been a great option for me during these crazy times. You can also check out my transformation from the first part of the program here.

Lastly, you might wonder what the best way to track is. For me, I prefer the ease of My Fitness Pal. It is web-based with an option app as well. They have a huge database of pre-programmed food. You can also easily add recipes and foods of your own to get the most accurate tracking. Other great options are just jotting it in your notes app or using a fitness journal like this one. Any of these options will ensure you are being more mindful of your food and macro choices. 

I hope this was at least a little helpful to some of you! If you have any questions or callouts, drop a comment below. 

Stay safe & healthy y'all!

-Madi

Earth Day: 3 Little Ways I Try to be Green

Happy Earth Day Everyone! As I have mentioned before, I am trying to be more conscious with my decisions and be a little more eco-friendly. Below are three (easy) ways to try to be a little more earth friendly in your day to day lives. I hope you all are having a WONDERFUL Wednesday & week!

1) Shop second hand - I promise it is worth it!

This jumpsuit is from local fave Detox Resale

I have mentioned time and time again my goal this year of only shopping from second hand OR small businesses. I have held pretty steadfast to this rule - I think total I have purchased maybe 3 or 4 items "new" from a big box type retailers this year. If you are on the hunt for a particular item, I always check out Poshmark (use code madw0lfe for $10 off your first purchase) and Thred Up (this is my referral link if you want to show me some love). A lot of times I can find the exact item or one very similar in no time at all. The great thing on Poshmark is you can even make an offer on an item - real time bartering at its finest. Or if a seller has multiple things you want, you can bundle and save. Thred Up often has great deals for first time shoppers + repeat customers.

Vest that I customized from local Plato's Closet

Another place to check is your local stores. I am a huge fan of Detox Resale in St. Pete. Right now you can also shop their great collection via Instagram Stories. I also score good finds at my local Plato's Closet & Goodwill too. Just always know you can wash an item & get it altered to make it the perfect fit for you.

2) Switch to Reusable Where You Can

I honestly could not tell you the last time I bought a bottle of water. I have been trying to use only my re-fillable bottle for months (if not at least a year) now. My go-to is the 32oz Hydro Flask. It might be pricey, but I love the straw cap + 4 of these a day helps me hit my gallon water intake goal. You don't have to splurge on a bottle though. SO MANY great options are on the market now. I like this one because it is super durable and stays cold when needed.

Other ways to go reusable are grocery bags & ziploc bags. These are items that are so easy to use without thought, but they do still contribute to the plastic issues on this planet. While we have not weened ourselves completely here (it's really hard - I get it), we've tried to make some changes.

Bagpodz are by far our favorite for grocery bags. 5 heavy duty (washable) bags fold up into a case with carabiner to make remembering them a breeze. These hold enough for our typical shopping trips. Stashers are definitely my favorite reusable baggie. They are pricier, but work SO WELL. Other great options are these adorable ones from Full Circle. These are great for leftovers or taking snacks on the go.

3) Recycle As Much As You Can!

We are fortunate that we have mixed recycling pick up at our house once a week. We try to make sure we recycle everything we can. On top of that, I recently discovered TerraCycle. They work with a ton of companies to properly recycle packaging of consumer goods. I found them through Josie Maran Cosmetics (my FAVE moisturizer) and was shocked to see all the brands they work with. I would highly recommend checking them out to see if they are recycling any things you hadn't really though to recycle yet!

I hope that these little tidbits into my going greener journey help or benefit you in some way. If you have any other great tips or resources, leave them in a comment below or send them my way!

Stay safe & healthy y'all!

-Madi

Vegan Hair Care: Redken vs. Garnier Fructis

Hello everyone from Shelter in place week 5 here in Florida. On today's post, I am reviewing two Vegan Hair Care lines that I tested out over the last 6 months. 

Last fall, I dyed my hair and decided to invest in some quality shampoo & conditioner to help make the color last. I had also been working towards finding cleaner beauty products as a total. As I perused my local Ulta, I came across the Redken Nature + Science color extend line. It was a great combo of the protection I needed + the better-for-you ingredients I wanted. 

I used these products until they were gone, but honestly I didn't love them. I never really got the feeling that my hair was clean. My scalp just never got the feeling that it was scrubbed thoroughly if that makes sense? I also felt like my hair got a greasier look to it quicker than before. Below, you can see how my hair looked after using the above with some Rusk Leave In Conditioner and blow drying is with a paddle brush.

Right before I was done with the Redken, I was given Garnier Fructis Nourishing Treat Shampoo & Conditioner by Influenster to try out. This is another mostly Vegan Hair Care line that was recently launched. 

I honestly loved this stuff so much, that I am on my second bottle. For starters, my hair actually felt clean after being washed. It didn't feel like any residue was left over. It also smelt great because of the coconut extracts. Overall, I feel like it left my hair looking healthier and smoother. See below for yourself. I followed shampoo/conditioning with the same Rusk Leave In as above and blow dried with a paddle brush. 

During my working from home, I've continued to use this combo with air drying and am still seeing great results. It also has kept my hair looking grease-free for longer (this is day 2 hair after working out this AM and taking the dogs on a walk in this Florida humidity!). 

I would highly recommend giving the Garnier Fructis line a go if you are looking to make the move to vegan. Are there any other clean or vegan beauty products you love? If so, share them in the comments below!

-Madi