SOCIAL MEDIA

Monday, October 28, 2019

Fall Vermont Wedding

Hi All-
Our wedding photos have arrived and I am so excited! I have so many photos to share so I plan on splitting them up into a few posts. The first post I'm going to share is some of the "close up" details of our wedding. I planned all of our decor and such and love how it turned out. It definitely was a bigger undertaking than I had anticipated but it was the exact vibe I wanted. While none of this was inexpensive it was a lot more affordable to do it myself than it would have been to hire someone. If you have any questions about vendors or products used let me know!  

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Closet Office



Hi All & Happy Sunday!
I recently added some new decor pieces to my little room as well as having a custom closet installed. There are a few more things I want to do and decor pieces I want to add but I thought I should just share it. I picked up this beautiful multicolor rug a few weeks ago at Pier One. I previously had a bright white rug but I felt like everything was beginning to look too sterile. I love the texture and color this rug adds to the room. Another item I added to the room was this leather ottoman. It's a fun and functional piece though I usually don't sit on it, I just pile all my clothes on it! I always get a lot of questions about my clothing rack. Kyle and I drove to Canada to go to Ikea to get that rack. It came in a million pieces with of course no directions but I love it and it was under $200! 
Kyle had 3 of our closets in our house done which has been life-changing. Our house was built 50's so the closets aren't great, to say the least. The custom shelving in my closet has created so much storage and I actually enjoy going in there. If you're on the fence about having custom closets installed I say do it! 
If you have any questions about specific pieces let me know! I'm going to link a lot of them below.

Nicholle


Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Fitness Routine


Happy Tuesday!
I had shared over on Instagram a few months ago that I have finally found a fitness routine and meal plan that works for me. I received so many questions about it that I thought it would be easiest to put a post together. Full disclaimer that I am not a fitness guru nor am I a nutritionist, this is just what has worked for me. 

With my wedding having been coming up this September I really wanted to look and feel my best so I started making some changes in May and have had some great results. I was able to tone up as well as shed a few pounds from too many breads and sweets! 

Fitness Routine //
I don't follow any crazy program, I don't have a gym membership and I don't work out for hours on end. The one thing I've learned about working out is that it needs to be sustainable. It's not realistic for me to go to the gym every day, but it is realistic for me to set aside 30-45 minutes at home to workout. 
1 // Cardio 
I start my workouts with 15-20 minutes of cardio on a recumbent bike. Mine is from amazon and cost under $150 with prime. The bike itself has different resistance settings and is perfect for some basic cardio. You don't need anything fancy. While Peleton machines and Nordic track are great they're not necessary for a good workout. 
 2 // Arms
I always do arms after my cardio as my legs are usually a bit sore! I do 2-3 different exercises with simple 8-10 pound weights. My goal is always to tone not to build up muscle. I'm going to link below to videos demonstrating the exercises I do (much easier than trying to explain!) 
These are the main ones I do! Nothing fancy- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rvp2gAZIO8
3 // Abs
Abs are my favorite workout to do! I love using the exercise ball for my ab workout as I feel like it does the best job at keeping me toned. Let me warn you that your abs are going to HURT after doing this!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqdaSQL9dH0
4 // Legs/Butt
Legs have been the hardest thing for me to tone, not entirely sure why. All I can think of is that I have never attempted to gain any leg muscle until now. Like with the abs, I love to use the exercise ball for my leg workouts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtrYVS1c6mI&t=85s
What I Eat // 
My food weaknesses are definitely carbs. I don't crave chocolate or sugary candy. I crave garlic bread, and pasta, and bagels, and toast- YUM! So in full disclosure, I had to stop eating all of those things on the regular.
Breakfast // 
During the workweek, I'm not big on breakfast so I will just have a banana and my coffee (much needed!). On the weekends I like having scrambled eggs with veggies or a yogurt parfait. Around 10:30 is when my students have a snack so I usually have some mixed nuts or one of THESE fig bars, they're so good!
Lunch // 
I'm much more of a snacker than I am a big meal type of person. I purchased one of THESE lunch containers and it has been such a game-changer! What I've loved most about the container is that it helps me with portion control. There are 3 sections in the container. In one section I put veggies ( I love cucumber, carrots and snap peas), in another section, I put a fruit (grapes, orange slices, berries), and in the final section, I put a protein like peppered turkey and cheese and make little rollups. I also bring a container of hummus to dip my veggies in. This lunch combo leaves me feeling full and satisfied since I was able to have a few different things. I really avoid breads and sandwiches at lunch as all it does is leave me feeling bloated.
Dinner // 
It's no secret that I love cooking. Preparing and plating meals is one of my favorite things to do. Kyle & I love Mexican food so 2/3 times a week we have some kind of Mexican dish. I'm not very restrictive when it comes to what I make for dinner. I generally don't make pasta dishes and I don't serve bread/rolls with dinner. We always start with some kind of salad and then a main dish. One of my favorite meals is maple salmon and brussel sprouts, so good! I also do not have dessert. While I love treats I find that it's just not great to eat them before bed. We always eat dinner around 5:30 so we're never eating past 7, it allows time to digest before lying in bed.
Tips// 
* Have healthy snacks! Any cut veggies or fruits are great go-to's. We also always have yogurt in our fridge.
* Limit beer intake! Kyle loves beer but we don't have any during the week. All of those calories and carbs in beer really adds up.
* No fancy Starbucks drinks! You would not believe all the junk in those drinks. Besides it being wildly expensive it's also pretty unhealthy if you're getting anything besides a basic coffee or tea.

Let me know if you have any questions. I hope this was a bit helpful!
Nicholle