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

My Fitness Journey: Strength Challenge Update

Happy #FitnessFriday everyone! As I have been exploring what I want to use this blog for, it occurred to me that it could be a great place to share my fitness journey. I am someone who always strives to be fit or to get in better shape. I swear I am on a constantly evolving journey - my goals and ideals of what I want to see or expect to see are always changing. If you want to follow along with me, keep reading... 

http://memoriesovermacros.com/

So for the last 6 weeks I competed in a Strength Challenge with Memories Over Macros. MoverM is a program founded by Aubrie Bromlow (instagram @aubrieb). The whole mindset is that your macros are a great tool for fitness/weight loss, but they don't have to ruin your life either. Memories should always be cherished (including that cupcake for your birthday) over your Macro counts. It doesn't mean go crazy all the time, but just try to focus on learning how macros can really help you and not prohibit you from living your life.

I have followed Aubrie for a while on instagram and finally decided to pull the trigger on officially doing one of her programs. She does post a TON of great (free) content on instagram if you are looking to spice up your fitness routines....

I had just moved to Florida and figured now would be a great time to really commit to my fitness gains and to better myself (especially since I wear a swimsuit literally every weekend...). The challenge started at the end of February, and it was definitely a physical challenge. To give you a gist of what the program offers, you are paired with a coach (shout out to Gabby Rodriguez @gabsfit15) who checks in with you weekly. During these check ins you upload weekly progress pictures + measurements. Your coach in turn helps adjust your macros to help fuel your fitness goals. On top of this, you are given daily workouts to complete. This challenge really pushed me on getting comfortable with weight lifting (which I haven't been ultra confident in for a while). 

Unfortunately, the gyms did close during this crazy fun challenge... but the team put together some GREAT home workouts to keep us going. They were still killer and helped me get closer to my goals. 

Overall, I was pretty pleased with my results. I am braving it and showing you my side-by-side before and after's below. The biggest thing I learned (besides how wrong I am about carb intake - your body needs them, trust me), is that the scale can literally mean nothing. Would you believe me if I told you there is literally a 3lb weight difference between these before and afters?

I am pretty proud of these results and am excited to start a 6 week Fat Loss program with the same amazing ladies today. Stay tuned for the results of it (just in time for Memorial Day!).

Stay safe & healthy out there y'all!

-Madi

Quaran-Tan: Ocean Potion Ever Glow

Hello to all of you on week 4(?) of quarantine/self-isolation/shelter in place. Even though we are confined to our homes, I find that I love to still keep a subtle glow going - I mean summer is right around the corner (and honestly is already here in Florida).

In this edition of my new series (we're going to call it that anyways), I am reviewing Ocean Potion's Ever Glow daily self tanner. 

This giant bottle is only like $5. I picked mine up at Walmart (linked here), but I am sure you can find it at other basic retailers too. It even appears that they have a new 3-day express lotion - might have to try that one out next time.

As for the actual product, I would rate it a 6/10. The cost is clearly a pro. As far as smell, I would give it a 8/10 on the stink meter. It has a very fake orange smell that is not that appealing. It also lingers for a long time after you use it. It also leaves your skin feeling a bit tacky/sticky for hours after application. The overall color is not too bad - you can see my four day application transformation below. For the price, it's not too bad. However, I think there are faster acting products that aren't too expensive available. I hope to review some of them in the coming weeks!

Stay safe and healthy y'all! 

-Madi

72 Hours in San Diego

Happy Tuesday Everyone! I know (most of us) are at home and not traveling, but now is still a great time to start planning and dreaming of your next trip. In today's post, I am sharing our favorites from our trip to San Diego last fall. My husband & I are BIG fans of a 3 day weekend. It is just the right amount of time to feel like you get a break from work without using up all of your precious PTO. 

We traveled to San Diego last September (about mid month). The weather was GLORIOUS. It was a great escape from the Texas heat. We picked San Diego because neither of us had ever been, it was an easy direct flight from Dallas, and we knew there was tons to do.

We took a 6am flight (we love an early flight - gets you more bang for your time!) and landed in SD around 9am local time. We snagged our rental car (Costco Travel has the best prices on rentals if you haven't used them & are a member).

From their we headed out for a run at a local lake (we were training for a 10k at the time). We chose Miramar Reservoir because it was a 5 mile loop. This was a BEAUTIFUL run and a great trail to go walk as well if you are looking to get a little active on your trip.  We followed up our run with brunch at The Cottage La Jolla and coffee at Better Buzz (which was adorable and totally instagram worthy inside).

We couldn't check into our AirBNB until 3pm, so we figured we should just keep rolling with the outdoor activities. After coffee, we cruised over to Torrey Pines State Preserve. We paid the entrance fee - honestly can't remember how much it was, but it wasn't too bad - and parked. From there we hiked up to the peak and ventured around. The views were pretty stunning from the top. After we hiked back down, we changed into our swimsuits and hit the public beach there until we could head to our place.

Our AirBnb was in La Jolla and was great. I've linked it here. It was a guest house with a full kitchen and great views. I would highly recommend it if you are looking to stay outside of downtown like we were. The picture above was the view from our private patio. 

That night we continued our very outdoorsy day with a kayak tour through the caves in La Jolla. We booked our tour with Everyday California, but there are quite a few companies that do these tours. Our guides were great, though, so I highly recommend them! You got to get up close and personal with some of the seals as well as go into one of the caves lining the coast of La Jolla. The tour was super educational and our guides had great feedback on places to eat and things to do as well. 

For dinner, at the recommendation of our tour guide, we hit up Don Carlos Taco Shop and it did not disappoint. It was down the street from a more trendy/popular taco spot, but it was SO GOOD. We highly enjoyed the more hole-in-the-wall experience here. Would go back to San Diego just for these tacos and burritos honestly. 

The next morning, we got back outside and onto Mission Beach for some surfing. I took a lesson (first timer) while Alex just rented a board. We used Pacific Surf School for my lesson & Alex's rental. The instructors were great and I even got up! We had a blast and the waves were honestly perfect at Mission Beach. 

After surfing, we went back to the AirBNB to clean up a bit then headed north to Encinitas for lunch. This was a cool surf town our instructor told us about. After lunch at Encinitas Fish Shop, we got brave and rented a board and hit the beach. The waves were not as forgiving here, and we took a beating. At least the views were nice - lol. After attempting to surf for a bit, we wandered the streets, grabbed a few beers, and hung out in town. 

  

After our Encinitas adventures, we went back and got ready and hung out for a bit. We then ate at Karl Strauss. The food (some of which is pictured above) was amazing. We were obsesses with the duck fat pretzel bites in particular. It was a lovely dinner with great brews on tap.

After dinner on our last night, we ventured for a sunset walk then hit up Salt & Straw (the best ice cream ever - only on the west coast as of now, but coming to Miami this summer!!!)

The next day, we loaded up our rental car and headed out to brunch. We went to Fig Tree Cafe and enjoyed a really delicious meal. From there we headed out to the famous San Diego Zoo. We had a great time seeing all of the animals - the place is HUGE. 

We ended the trip by grabbing lunch at Hodad's (it was featured on Diners, Dive Ins, and Dives!) and some coffee at Jame's Coffee Co. in Little Italy. We wandered Little Italy for a while - it was a super cute neighborhood with great murals like the one above. From there, we gassed up the car and headed to the airport. 

We really had a packed schedule, but we felt like we got to see and experience so much. We loved all the places we ate and really enjoyed all the tours/activities we did. I hope this inspires you to make San Diego one of your next destinations (once this crazy situation clears up). If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below. 

-Madi-

Makeup & Beauty Organization Favorites

Hey all you cool cats & kittens! I hope you are surviving (maybe or maybe not thriving) your way through quarantine. I know a lot of you are taking this extra time at home to get organized. And if you're not, props to you as well. You keep doing you. 

If you are trying to get organized, I have linked my FAVE makeup & beauty organization items below. If you have any questions, always feel free to reach out. 

Luxe Acrylic Makeup System

Why I love it: This system is SUPER customizable (and on sale right now!). It allows you to build the solution that works best for your collection. 

I am using (from top to bottom, left to right): Large Luxe Acrylic Makeup Organizer Clear, Small Luxe Acrylic Modular Drawer Clear (2 side by side), Medium Luxe Acrylic Modular Drawer Clear (3 total - 1 by the 2 small drawers, and 2 below), and Large Luxe Acrylic Modular Drawer Clear

Bath Bombs/Salt & Bubbles Storage

Why I love it: These canisters are beautiful + functional. They really help to give your bathroom & bath time a spa like feel which is always a plus.

I am using: 3 qt. Montana Jar (Bath Bombs), 2 qt. Montana Jar (Bath Salts), & 25.4 oz. Artisan Glass Canister (Bubble Bath)

Nail Polish Organizer

Why I love it: This nifty organizer allows me to see all of my polishes easily. No more digging through a bin to see what polishes you have on hand. 

This version is slightly different than the one pictured (I've owned it for 5 years!), but looks to be of very similar quality. It was easy to assemble and obviously has held up.

Face Mask Bin

Why I love it: These bins are great for multi-purpose storage anywhere in your house. These are also cute enough to leave out and not hide away. 

I am using: Small Farmhouse Open Bin

Custom Labels (like the ones  featured on the Acrylic & Bath Organizers)

Why I love it: These are custom made by me - so yay for supporting a small business! But I feel like labeling things adds that final touch of special to any organizing project.

These are easy to apply vinyl labels - I can make them for any size project. Let me help put the final touches on your newly organized space.