3 weeks down, 1 to go!

I've been doing the Arbonne 30 days to healthy living challenge all month which involves shakes and clean eating including Arbonne products, many of which I'd already tried and loved. I've lost pounds and inches while gaining energy and overall better health.

I was worried going into week 3 because it involves an additional step: the 7 day body cleanse. 

I've heard of all sorts of side effects related to cleanses and even started mine a day early so I could try it out at home vs. work for the first two days.

Thankfully, I needn't have worried. It didn't taste bad, I didn't get headaches, I wasn't rushing to the bathroom. I did everything I did in weeks 1 and 2 plus drank this stuff every day. No sweat, really. If the label didn't say "cleanse" I could have easily mistaken it for a lemon flavored fizz stick.

I again prepped a big batch of food to prep for all my lunches: black beans and rice/quinoa with ground turkey, guacamole, and a mixed greens salad. Yum! Prepping has hands down kept me successful with the program.

At the beginning of the program I was sad to part with favorite things like bread and cheese, but I've been surprised to realize how much I love corn. I don't generally eat straight corn, so I didn't think it was an issue, but man do I miss snacking on some popcorn or the crunch of a tortilla chip with guacamole. I can definitely see it being a "cheat" food for me when I move to a maintenance plan!

Results

I lost another inch and 2 pounds this week! I've read countless articles refer to 2 lbs/week being healthy weight loss, so I'm glad to be maintaining that (my big week 1 loss was of course, water weight). I love how my clothes are fitting, and again, how I'm feeling. I'm still stunned that I haven't had a headache in 2 weeks and haven't needed a nap since beginning the program!

Bonus

I don't think I'm an especially unhealthy person; under regular circumstances I walk 5 miles and drink 80 oz of water each day on average. I maintain healthy habits as much as possible but I do enjoy eating actual food: the thought of shakes as a meal repels me, and I think having dessert after a healthy meal shouldn't be forbidden.

Still, it's clear what I've been doing hasn't been enough to impact my weight so I'm trusting a brand I love to help me get on the right track. I'm an enthusiastic consumer of all things Arbonne and was also a consultant with them for 3 years. I've seen what their 30 day challenge has done for many people I know and I hope I can stick to it to see similar results. The program relies on Arbonne products and clean eating to remove toxins from the body. Weight loss tends to be a nice side effect.

I'm not a morning person, so I have to prep a lot to ensure I have everything ready in order to not fall back on other options. You'll notice my meals looked pretty redundant this week, but it's what I knew I needed to stick to the plan. I noticed plenty of fancy dinners from other participants, so there are certainly options, but now that I've got week 1 down, here's what it looked like for me:

Every day begins with digestion plus (probiotics); I decided to keep it by my bed since they are supposed to be the first step of the day and taken before eating. I pop it in a small amount of water and drink immediately.

Breakfast: Vanilla protein shake blended with fiber, greens, 9 oz almond milk, avocado oil, and 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries. It was a little thick for my liking, so tomorrow I will use water in place of almond milk and probably 10-12 oz.

Lunch: I prepped lunches for the week with an organic rotisserie chicken, 1/2 cup organic brown rice (or rice/quinoa blend as pictured), and 1 cup organic veggies - mixed or green beans.

containers

My sweet tooth reared in immediately after lunch and showed no signs of calming down, so I had a rare second fizz to calm things down :)

Snack: 12 raw almonds

Dinner: Chocolate protein shake with greens and almond butter

Snack: Hummus with raw broccoli/carrots, detox tea

Sean has been sick for the past week or so and despite guzzling Airborne to avoid it, I woke up to a throat feeling like razor blades :( After my digestion plus, I started sipping on a hot detox tea to soothe it.

Breakfast: vanilla protein shake with greens, fiber, avocado oil, berries, and less almond milk/more water. I like the consistency much better!

Lunch: Prepped chicken with brown rice and green beans

Snack: green apple with crunchy almond butter

Dinner: Chocolate protein shake with greens and almond butter

Snack: Broccoli and carrots with hummus

Breakfast: vanilla protein shake with greens, fiber, avocado oil, and berries

Snack: Green apple with crunchy almond butter

Lunch: We had a catered post-holiday party at work, but I stuck to a chicken breast and salad with a few strawberry garnishes from the dessert tray for my own dessert (it encouraged me when I noticed a coworker did the same)

Snack: I was really feeling all the cravings and hunger today. I had a pre-made arbonne protein bar and another green apple with crunchy almond butter. I wanted all things crunchy (chips, crackers, etc.) so I'm going to check in with my coach about some options I can keep on hand.

Dinner: Since I had 2 snacks this afternoon, I had my chocolate shake plain with just almond milk.

Breakfast: vanilla protein shake with greens, fiber, avocado oil, and berries

Lunch: Rotisserie chicken with a garlic rice/quinoa blend and mixed steamed veggies

Snack: protein square, veggies and hummus

Dinner: Skipped. I should have had a second shake according to the plan but wasn't hungry until almost bedtime.

Breakfast: vanilla protein shake with greens, fiber, avocado oil, and berries

Lunch: Rotisserie chicken with a garlic rice/quinoa blend and mixed steamed veggies

Snack: Fresh mixed berries

Dinner: Chocolate shake with coconut and almond butter

Snack: boiled egg

Breakfast: vanilla protein shake with greens, fiber, and berries. I realized a little late that I forgot the avo oil. Whoops!

Snack: hard boiled egg. Does that make up for the missing fat in the shake? I've finally realized that I've been looking at fat and protein as the same thing, but the macros on my Fitbit app (I've been tracking everything this week) have given me a clearer picture of what's going on.

Lunch: We had a lot of errands to run so I stopped at Chick Fil A for my guess at a compliant option: grilled nuggets and a side salad (no cheese).

Snack: protein square.

Dinner: Chocolate shake with almond butter, greens, and coconut.

Snack: We had a get together at a neighbor's house so I brought fresh veggies and hummus for all the dieters to munch on throughout the evening.

I slept in and was prepping for my mother in law's birthday dinner, so this was more of a brunch/dinner day.

Brunch: vanilla protein shake with greens, fiber, berries, and I remembered the avocado oil!

Snack: Brown rice cake with almond butter, 1/4 cup blueberries

Dinner: I made compliant crock pot chicken tacos and just had my chicken on top of mixed greens instead of a tortilla with some compliant guac and salsa.

Snack: Her birthday dessert was angel food cake with whipped cream and mixed berries. I just had a cup of the berries.

At this point it was pretty late and I wasn't hungry, so it was another one shake day.

Overall, I drank at least 100 oz of water a day, and to keep to a routine, I had my fizz stick as my second "serving" of water each morning (I drink from a 24 oz. tervis at my desk, so it's easy to keep track). On days like day 2 where my sweet tooth was especially active, I'd go for a second fizz. My sweet tooth is also why I do chocolate shakes in the evenings as I tend to crave sweets the most after noon. I tried to drink one detox tea a day (day 3 was crazy so I missed it), usually in the evening.

I tacked my progress all week via my Fitbit app (logging food, water, weight, and activity) which syncs up to this affordable bluetooth scale to track my weight.  By day 4, my barely buttonable jeans were fitting just fine and I've been feeling great! On day 6,  I was looking at my Fitbit app and noticed another unintended side effect: my resting heart rate is about 10 bpm lower! I always felt it was high, so this was a nice thing to see.

Onto the numbers you're probably wanting to see...

At the end of week 1, I lost 8.4 lbs. and a total of 7 inches! I'm thrilled with how this is going and will likely be signing on to do a second month. Can't wait to see what 30 days will have in store if this is only 7!

I've been getting lots of questions about this and I'm happy to help - let me know!

No holiday party is complete without delicious bites to eat. In anticipation of the season, my Facebook feed has been filled with videos of festive punches and appetizers. One particular appetizer featuring brie has appeared time and time again. Delicious as it is, why should brie get all the cheese love? If you're a cheeseaholic like me, take a good look at the cheese section of your local grocer and get creative! One cheesy appetizer is never enough.

My local Harris Teeter is full of Stella chesses. They are easy to use and have an Italian history of traditional cheesemaking almost as rich as it's flavors. I grabbed some organic shredded parmesean and explored pairings to find the best gourmet bite.


I love how it tastes in these puff pastry bites combined with the sweetness of pear and hint of cinnamon. It's easy to make, easy to eat, and looks super fancy. They're the perfect addition to your party hors d'oeuvre lineup!

Fix #9 came in the mail shortly before my Key West trip and it completely underwhelmed me. While I did do a live unboxing on Instagram, the entire fix was quickly returned before I could even blog about it. The box was so far from what I'd requested (conservative work pieces and brown booties) that I even requested a different stylist for my next fix, which just arrived. Let's see how she did:

This was super soft but there just wasn't anything special about it, and I didn't love the fit around the arms. Returned.

I wanted this dress all. summer. long. It was a bummer to get it in an October fix when I won't be able to wear it until at least April. I hated the thought of paying $80 for this to sit in my closet until spring, so I begrudgingly sent it back.

In pictures, I thought this was the same top I was sent in my last fix, but I was pleasantly surprised. This is super soft and has a front panel that acts as a cami so you don't have to wear a separate one. Kept.

This was super comfortable, but a tad snug in the chest and I thought the elbow patches made it look a tad too casual for my style. Returned.

These were a pleasant surprise. The print was subtle, the fabric was stretchy, durable, and amazing....but $88 for a pair of pants isn't going to happen. Returned.

Thoughts

Were it not for price, I would have kept 3 of the items. That's kind of a bummer. Weather is getting colder so I need pants, and I need them to be affordable. Hopefully I see more affordable options in my next fix. Stay tuned!

What piece is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

I have a tried and (not so) true system for dressing when I know colder seasons are on their way: keep dressing like it's summer. If I don't wear a coat, mother nature will pity me and keep things warm outside. Right?

Once that doesn't work, I move from denial into begrudging acceptance where I finally realize some cold weather clothes are in order. This year, our humid, excessively rainy summer very abruptly gave ways to fall-like temps forcing me to realize it's time to put some cooler weather pieces in my rotation stat.

I've seen plenty of Facebook ads for Dia & Co. but hadn't bit until recently when I saw an ad for first box free (like Stitch Fix, there's a $20 styling fee that is applied to whatever you keep). As a bonus, ebates had a $10 rebate  special, so I was literally paid $10 to try this box!

If you haven't heard of Dia & Co., it's a style subscription for curvier women. You complete a style quiz, pay the styling fee, and 5 pieces of clothing/accessories are sent to you in the mail. Keep what you like, send back what you don't. As you receive shipments and fill out feedback, your assigned stylist should be getting a good idea for your style and sending better options each time!

the box arrived impressively fast. I took their style quiz on a Monday and the box appeared at my desk the same Friday. The quiz was not as thorough as Stitch Fix and didn't have any photo guidance which can be frustrating. I've also tried Nadine west who also had a vague quiz, but at least had a few photos to gauge style. 

I've been able to "cheat" with the other two subscriptions and see what is being sent my way before it arrives, but no such luck with Dia. The website is overall less intuitive, without even an obvious place to check out when you receive your shipment. They email you frequently with  helpful information, but I'd rather have a user friendly website to figure things out myself.

One last petty thought before moving on to the haul: I opened the box and was greeted by a sea of purple. The inside of the box flaps, the invoice and styling note, the sticker on the (thin, easily ripped) tissue paper. All purple. If you know me, that's just...no. Stitch Fix's lovely green will win me over every time.

Here's what they sent:

I took one look at this dress and immediately thought of my colleague who has a similar one. This is cute and easy to wear, but it's not me. More importantly, it's made of a similar fabric as the LulaRoe Cassie skirts. Fine for a skirt, but way too scratchy for a dress. I expect better quality for a $62 dress.

This tank is super soft but that's about all it has going for me. The very subtle pastel in the stripes can't be picked up in the photo, but it gave it a dated vibe I wasn't loving. Also not shown in the picture is all the cleavage this showed off. Lastly, I'm trying to dress for fall and can't even write this off as a transition piece. It screams summer.

This thing was huge. You can tell by the photos just how baggy it is in the arms. It wouldn't have been an office piece by any means, but I definitely considered keeping it for curling up on the couch or outside by a bonfire. It was certainly cozy,  but I just didn't love it enough to fork over $61 for it.

I was so, so excited for these. Pants are hands down the hardest article of clothing to find. They never fit right. I can find jeans with some ease,  but any non denim pants are next to impossible. These are technically jeans so I was sure they'd fit, and the olive color which I love would have been easy to wear to the office. Unfortunately, the fit was a fail, being too skinny in the waist and calf but having that ever so sexy sag in the rear/thigh region. A shame because I'd have kept these in a heartbeat.

I liked the two tone hammered look of this, but this feels like the gazzilionth time a subscription box has sent me a circular accessory and I'm just not into it. Meh.

I kept nothing which is fine, because 1. I didn't lose $20 (I'd have probably bought the sweater to avoid this if I had paid the styling fee) and 2. I honestly felt like these was a decent shot in the dark styling-wise. I don't feel like I gave the stylist that much information, and 2 of the items I would have kept given the right sizing/pricing.

Another petty thought: why does everything have such redundant names? "pendant necklace?" "sleeveless tank top?" I'm surprised they didn't call the first item a "dressy dress."

Of course, styling boxes are supposed to get better with time and feedback, so I've completed the checkout process (after googling how to check out because you literally can't find it on the website), and I will be trying a second box in about a month to see how they do. Stay tuned!

Did you like what I got? Let me know in the comments or sign up for your first Dia & Co. Subscription here
(but first, ebates for an even sweeter deal)!

Sorry guys, I failed. I did a live unboxing of fix #7, but was in a bit of a hurry and sent the other items off quickly without photos. I did keep 3 items: a knit blazer for work, some amazing white shorts that are super stretchy and not see-thru, and a gorgeous ivory tank top. I'm sure they will all be making Instagram appearances.

But, fix 8 has arrived. I loved the white shorts so much, I scheduled an ASAP fix for more of the same so I could enjoy them in what's left of summer. They (somewhat) obliged. So, here's the last of my summer fixes before I start receiving more long pants and layering pieces for fall (I know it seems strange to post at this time, but summer temps in the mid-Atlantic last well into September, and I have two upcoming trips to warmer destinations):

Alexander Jordan, Eldon One Pocket Detail Chambray Shirt, $44

I love chambray and have been begging for it, but this....wasn't quite what i meant. It was comfortable, but the fit was frumpy, the hem messy (intentionally unfinished), and I avoid boob pockets as much as possible. Returned.

Papermoon, Jimena Embroidered Top, $54

This was pretty, but was a sheer, scratchy material that would require layering which is not my thing in summer, and the neck notch was a tad too low to make it work friendly. Returned.

Liverpool, Lester Linen trouser short, $68

I loved these so, so much! The fabric was so light and cool and I love wearing olive green..but I couldn't justify $68 for a pair of shorts. Returned.

Dear John, Lillie Cuffed Denim Short, $58

These don't look as pictured - I guess the cuff isn't permanent like in most pairs? It's a good denim short and the slightly longer inseam is helpful on days when I walk more. Kept.

Dear John, Finnegan Roll Cuff Short, $58

Womp Womp. These are the exact same shorts as a white pair I adored from my last fix. I kept them without trying them on. When I put them on before going out, I realized the fit was way off from the other pair. Thankfully, customer service was incredible and let me return these.

This post is sponsored by Montchevre but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

As the attendant announced that our delayed flight would be further delayed, I texted Aleshea:

"Sorry, but I will be hangry when I land! 4 hours in the airport and 3 more in the air."

"No worries," she replied, "we will get you some food."

Of course, she delivered. I landed in Dallas around 8 PM where she was waiting for our girls' weekend to commence. She drove past all the usual chains before exclaiming "ooh! I didn't know they had one of these over here!", referring to one of the many local street taco joints lining the streets of Dallas.

Tacos had never tasted so good. In Texas, they're all about authenticity. In Maryland, they're all about creativity (either way, your mouth wins!). Take this recipe which pairs an easy crock pot chicken base with fresh mango salsa and a surprising topping: Montchevre goat cheese! The protein, nutrient-rich cheese is made with fresh, high quality goat’s milk collected from local, independent family farms. Pair that with a fresh mango salsa and some chicken on your choice of tortilla, and you've got yourself a healthy, tasty taco!


I picked my Montchevre goat cheese up at Target - super convenient (you can also use the store locator if you aren't blessed with a local Target)! One of you will walk away with $15 to score some for yourself. Enter after the recipe!

Montchevre $15 Target Giveaway

It's been awhile since I've done one of these, but with such a whirlwind of a summer, I just had to stop and share all of the good things going on lately:

I decided last minute to redeem some airline miles to visit my blog bestie, Aleshea in Dallas over Labor Day weekend. She visited Baltimore a few summers ago and I figured it was time to return the favor. Stay tuned for a trip recap!

I adore my historic Baltimore home, but the biggest challenge we face by far here is a lack of storage. We are always looking for ways to better organize our things. When a rep from Brightech asked if I'd be willing to review one of their lamps, I jumped at the chance, choosing their Maxwell USB lamp in white. Not only does it have shelves, it has outlets to charge your electronics! One traditional plug and one USB. 

I chose it with the intention of making it Sean's bedside "table" since he has so many loose books and magazines that I could relocate to the shelves in some baskets, but now that it's assembled (it took us zero time at all!), I'm tempted to give my little work space a makeover and use it there instead. What do you guys think? Leave your vote in the comments!

(psst: aside from floor and table lamps, Brightech also has string lights. Everything is super affordable. I still can't believe our lamp was less than $100!)

At the beginning of the summer, Sean and I decided we didn't want any free time and decided to start fostering dogs. Since June, we've been home to a hound mix, a Great Pyrenees, and two adorable Pyrennes/heeler littermates. It's been equally hectic and rewarding. Can't wait to see who we get to snuggle next!

Today marks my final day as an ambassador for Beth Millner Jewelry. The time flew! If you like the pretty things I've been showing off, you can apply for the same sweet gig until September 21. Good luck!

minimalist wave pendant

I'm not a lover of fall, mainly because it means winter is next, but I do appreciate all the theatre that comes once Labor Day has passed. I'll be enjoying South Pacific at Olney Theatre Center, a full season of touring productions at the Hippodrome, and plenty of other fun local productions including seeing my friend perform in Side Show, a musical I haven't seen before. (psst: I'm not made of money. Goldstar makes many shows accessible to me, and if you haven't tried them yet, this link gets you $7 off your first discounted purchase!)

Red Jacket, National Park Long Sleeve Graphic Tee, $44 

SF Men announced a national parks collection shortly after Sean's first fix, so I put a note in requesting either Yosemite or Harper's Ferry for him. He was happily surprised when he saw this shirt (and you can see how much bigger his smile is in this photo), but this had a pretty slim fit for a tee. At checkout we went to exchange for a size up....and the shirt was completely sold out. Womp womp. Returned.

01ALGO, Rizzo Microstripe Performance Tee, $34

The fabric on this felt amazing, but Sean wasn't a fan of the stripe design. Returned

Bixby Nomad, Odyssey Washed Shirt, $48

Sean isn't a fan of stripes (who knew?) and I'm not a fan of purple, so this one was a double fail. I think in other colors, it would have looked great on him! It was a decent fit. Returned.

Katin, Infinite Tee, $32

Tailor Vintage, Lindsay Knit Short 9", $68

The tee left us both perplexed. It was nice, but I don't think anything in his style profile indicated this was his style (I think it's a nice shirt, it's just not him.) It looked nice with the shorts, but they also had a too-slim fit and Sean isn't a huge fan of olive green. Returned and returned.

The Verdict

So, for the first time ever, we returned the entire fix and lost $20. I'm not gonna lie, it was a huge bummer, especially because he loved the Yosemite tee so much and it wasn't available when we checked out.

Still, as Sean and I went through checkout and gave feedback, he expressed that he still wanted to give it another go....so stay tuned for a fall men's unboxing in October!