TRAVEL: A WEEKEND GUIDE TO AUGUSTA, GA

Zach and I had the pleasure of being invited to Augusta, GAby the Augusta Convention & Visitors Bureau team for a weekend trip a few weeks ago and I Insta-storied the whole thing. Incase you missed it, or are planning a trip there yourself, I figured a blog would be a good choice to reference so you can see what we got in to. If you don’t know, Augusta is a small city about 2.5hrs away from where we live in the suburbs of Atlanta so it was an easy drive to get there, and we brought the dogs along to make it a nice family getaway. I’m going to break up what we did in sections: lodging, activities, and food, but feel free to visit the official Augusta, GA website to see a lot more options!

LODGING:

We stayed at the Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center. This hotel is right in the middle of Downtown on the Savannah River. The staff was nice, the room was very modern and clean - plus, we had a killer view. In addition, the hotel lobby is really nice, it features a coffee shop and restaurant, they have a pool, and they are pet-friendly!

ACTIVITIES:

We did various activities, and changed up our itinerary, because it was raining the day we got there. I’ll categorize everything by indoor and outdoor in case this happens to you as well.

OUTDOOR:

• Stroll along the Riverwalk : we did this at sunrise and took the dogs for a walk since it was literally right outside of our hotel. Plus, it was a gorgeous view.

• Kayaking and Stand Up Paddle Boarding at Betty’s Branch with Outdoor Augusta : this was on our list of things to do but because of the weather we didn’t make it.

• Phinizy Swamp Nature Park : this was about a 15min drive from the hotel and we took the dogs there for a nice walk. You get to see the swamp waters, they have a kids playground, and really easy walking trails.

• The Carolina Georgia Fair : this one is a bit more seasonal since I believe it is only there in October, but we went on a whim and had a good time. Plus, who doesn’t love a good ole funnel cake?

INDOOR:

• Augusta Candle Co - This place was awesome. You smell A TON of scents, write down your favorites, pick out a candle container, and go to the bar area where someone helps you create your own custom scented candle. It takes about 2 hours for the candle to harden so we ate lunch and killed time before we picked them up.

• Fitness classes - again, we didn’t get to go, but it was recommended that I check out Oxygen Fitness Studio. They offer: yoga, pilates, spin, barre, cross-training, and HIIT classes.

• Shopping (sort-of) - to be honest we didn’t really shop, but I got several messages on Instagram saying that I should check out Final Cut. It’s an “Anthropology/Free People Outlet” from what I understand. The place is huge and smells kind of funny, but if you’re into funky furniture and sifting through boxes of clothes - it might be your jam.

FOOD:

• Humanitree House: we got really, really delicious cold-pressed juice and smoothie bowls. It’s all vegan, organic, and local. The place is super eclectic with art everywhere, and they even have a few vendors set up selling items and more food.

• The Southern Salad: another really tasty spot with plenty of healthy options. Zach ordered the Grain Burrito Bowl and I had Toast + Lox. The also have salads, smoothies, more grain bowls, more toast options, snacks, and desserts.

• Sole: This was our dinner spot and I highly recommend sitting outside. They have strings lights, heaters, and you can hear the extremely varied, yet awesome, music choices. This place isn’t very vegan friendly so Zach managed with a veggie roll and edamame, but if you’re into sushi and tapas they have you covered! I ordered a few of the speciality rolls and one of their signature cocktails. The service was also really great!

• New Moon Cafe: This place was an awesome breakfast spot, but they serve lunch as well. They offer vegan, gluten free, and Keto options! They were quite busy when we got there, but the food came out quick. Zach got the avocado toast and espresso, and I got cheese grits, a lox bagel (again, I know), and a vanilla latte.

We only went for a weekend, so if you’ve been to Augusta before and have even more recommendations please leave them in the comments below!

The Power of Limitless Potential

Huge thanks to Athleta for working with me again, sponsoring this post, and empowering me to share my #PowerOfShe story. 

As a child I never considered myself to be much of an athlete. I played organized sports from a young age because my friends did, but it was a social hour more than anything else. I always liked soccer, cheer, and basketball but I didn't really care if I was the best. I thought getting winded meant that it was time to be benched and for someone else to go in. No one ever taught me the concept of pushing through in order to get stronger, or at least it never clicked for me. 

Then came freshman year in high school. We had a week of soccer try-outs to make either the Freshman, JV, or Varsity team. I showed up every day and at least tried my best. At times it sucked, I wanted to skip practice, I hated running for long periods of time, and how I managed multiple "heading drills" still baffles me. My near breaking point was when we had to run with the Varsity girls. The fact that those girls can sprint from the back of the line all the way to the front while singing a song literally almost killed me. But, I stuck it out, and because I showed up and tried, I made the JV team. Man, was I OVER THE MOON that I made JV! That meant I was good enough to skip the Freshman team.. as a Freshman AND I was part of the starting line up! All because I tried rather than shoving myself into the "not good enough" box. I felt SO cool in my warmups on game day and I still have my sweatshirt to this day!

I know that this experience is why I'm so empathetic to new riders at Flywheel and it's why I was all about sharing my journey when I used to race bikes. All I want to do is show people that they CAN. You don't belong in the "not good enough" box. You are capable of the things you want to try, you can achieve more than you give yourself credit for, and you deserve to give yourself the chance. 

If you're interested in any of the incredible soft items that I'm wearing, I have linked them below in order of appearance:
Trophy Seamless Bralette
Stash Pocket Salutation Tight
Exhale Capri
Shala Dress

We got a new mattress and it's kind of a big deal

Disclaimer: OK look, I had finished this post and was talking to Zach and told him that I felt like people are going to look at this post and be like, "ok cool you got a new mattress." I need you to understand just how much we love it when you see the below write-up and photos. 

We got a new mattress and I don't think we have ever loved a product more. I honestly had no clue what to expect with a mattress like this. I have seen bed in a box mattresses all over the internet but had no clue how to choose. Since this one was risk free I said yes when approached about it. We had been sleeping on an old traditional mattress prior and complained constantly about how much it sucked. The idea to upgrade was tossed around quite a bit this year so this Real Sleep by Real Simple mattress opportunity came at a perfect time.

First, let me just remind you that I don't post about things I don't actually love and I certainly don't make entire blog posts about things I don't absolutely love. I am incredibly grateful that Real Simple offered this to me and it has worked out perfectly. When I say we love it, I mean we LOVEEEE IT! 

$50 Amazon Gift Card with any purchase. Use code RSGIFT50 (ends 6.30)

The video above shows Zach using the razor it comes with to release the mattress from the plastic, us laying on it for the first time, and Zach twerking - haha.

Here are a few facts about the Real Sleep by Real Simple mattress from the website and then I'll list my own comments below:

• 10-inch thick medium-firm memory foam mattress.

• Medium-firm

• Controls temperature and maximizes air flow so you never get hot.

• Supports your entire body for a truly restorative rest.

• 100% Organic Cotton Cover; easy to clean.

• 10 Year Warranty.

• 100 Night risk free trial with free shipping and free returns.
  
  What I noticed:

• It's not bouncy so we never disturb each other.

• As soon as we put it down Loki jumped up on it with dirty paws so I was instantly annoyed, but also thankful for the removable cover.

• A king size mattress means more room for the doggos.

• Since we now have a king that gives us so much extra sleeping space we call our respective sides of the bed our "island." My island is "Dog Island" and Zach's island is called "No Girls Allowed" aka stay on your side.

Zach sent me the above text message one night while I was downstairs editing and he had already went upstairs to go to bed. I knew I had to show it so I saved it for this post. 

In conclusion, please ignore how grumpy Loki is. Zach warned me during this little shoot that he had a stink face on the entire time. Also, incase anyone asks, my mom made the blanket and pillows. Lastly, thanks again to Real Sleep by Real Simple for sending this to us!

$50 Amazon Gift Card with any purchase. Use code RSGIFT50 (ends 6.30)

Making good choices while eating out

When it comes to food I’m all about balance. First, I don’t meal prep and I don’t restrict - but I am mindful about what I’m putting in my body. Secondly, my boyfriend is vegan so we only go to places that are upfront and knowledgeable about their ingredients so he knows what he can actually order. You have no idea how many restaurants don’t have a clue what is in their food! For this post I teamed up with On The Border to talk freshness while eating out. 

We had to start with the Guacamole Live because it’s a given for us. If fresh guac is an option, it’s getting in our bellies! I love table side because I can see exactly what’s in it, and always ask to make it a bit spicier. My two “splurges” were the Border Queso and the Prickly Pear Margarita. Side note, if you’re like me and love a fruity girly drink, this is the bev for you. Cheese dip and alcohol are rare for me so I save them for special nights out. We just so happened to be on a double date with our friends so I enjoyed every minute of it! I must admit though, I resisted the urge to order the firecracker stuffed jalapeños and I’m still having major FOMO about them. 

Now on to the main course. I ordered the shrimp fajitas and Zach ordered the portobello and vegetable fajitas. I typically choose fajitas because they have all of the goodies on the side (sour cream, cheese, pico, guac) and I can build each little taco myself. This is also great for Zach because he can leave out the dairy himself. The black beans and rice were served family style so I didn’t feel like I had a massive plate to myself. I am really working on breaking the mentality of not having to eat every single thing on my plate and busting my pants open, so family style really helps. 

We had a great time unwinding from work with drinks and enjoying a delicious meal. If you’re near an On the Border I definitely recommend checking it out, especially if you’re particular about fresh ingredients or you’re with a picky eater. :)

Eating in Palm Springs

This isn't going to be the most elaborate of blog posts, but I wanted my list of places I ate while in Palm Springs to live somewhere I could easily access or point people to it. So, TA-DA, I give you the places I ate while in Palm Springs (with my vegan friend):

Wang's in the Desert
Evzin
Palm Greens Cafe
Chef Tanya's Kitchen
Jus Chillen (for froyo)
Natural Sister's Cafe
El Jefe at The Saguaro Hotel
FARM
Kings Highway at The Ace
Blaze Pizza
Native Foods

The location of this shoot was in Joshua Tree at the Barker Dam
I'm wearing the Blue Life Enchanted one piece from Largo Drive

PB + BERRY SMOOTHIE

I'm extremely excited to say that this is a sponsored recipe written by me on behalf of PB2. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Enjoy!

A smoothie is the easiest way I can jam pack nutrients into a meal as quickly as possible and sneak in vegetables and nutrients while keeping it simple. Today I give you a PB + Berry (and beet) smoothie. Now, before you click off of this because I mentioned beets, trust me when I say it doesn't taste like beets AT ALL, but it does give this baby an amazing hot pink color. In addition, I've teamed up with PB2 to use their powdered peanut butter to add protein and provide a great peanut butter alternative if you're looking for ways to lower your fat and calorie intake without sacrificing taste. All you need are 5 main ingredients to whip this drink up and an option to top it with whatever you want. I found everything I needed at Kroger which continues to add to the easiness of this recipe - woohoo! 

Tip: Feel free to toss in a handful of spinach (you won't taste it) for extra greens or leave out the bee pollen to make it totally vegan!

PB + BERRY SMOOTHIE

Serving size: 1 smoothie

INGREDIENTS (all available at Kroger) :

- 1 tbsp PB2 (it's non-GMO, gluten-free, and made in Georgia)

- 1/4 of a small cooked beet (I purchased mine pre-cooked at Kroger)

- 1 1/2 bananas

- 1 heaping cup of frozen raspberries (use strawberries if you don't like the tartness of raspberries)

- 3/4 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice)

Toppings (optional) :

- bee pollen

- cacao nibs

- shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS:

Blend the PB2, beet, bananas, frozen raspberries, and almond milk until smooth. Pour into a glass. Top with bee pollen, cacao nibs, and shredded coconut. Enjoy immediately.

If you make this smoothie let me know what you think in the comments below! 

2017 IN REVIEW

I must admit two things. First, this post is admittedly more for me to have on record, and secondly it's very late seeing how we are already 18 days in to 2018. To be fair, I started off the year with a stomach bug, got better-ish for a few days and then instantly hit with the flu that took me out for almost a week. If you ask me, 2018 doesn't start until February because that was one rough start. However, I did a survey on IG stories and had an overwhelming response that my audience loves athleisure posts so if reading my recap for 2017 doesn't do it for you, just enjoy this outfit that I got online at Largo Drive from the brand Splits 59. 

I'm wearing this top and these bottoms. 

Here is a list I made on the plane one day. In the future I'd like to keep up with what I do as it happens so I don't have to recall it from memory. I also linked a lot, but not everything.

What I’ve accomplished or moments I want to remember:
Flywheel Social Media Award
Signed with Redbull
Specialized Ambassador
My "standing theme" at Flywheel kicked off as one of the top themes in the nation
Became an aunt!!
Epic Dual ride with Carlee

Where I’ve traveled
NYC in January with Exploring Paths
NYC in the Summer with Exploring Paths
NYC with Flywheel
LA with Redbull for the Fitness Summit
Bonnaroo with Redbull to participate in the Big Freedia "Twerk-Out Workout"
Texas with Redbull for Last Stand
San Jose, California for the Specialized Women's Summit
Pensacola, Florida to see family
Sunset, Florida to run Wings for Life
Snowshoe Mountain to learn how to downhill mountain bike
Stay in ATL with Redbull for Culture Clash

Goals I've completed:
- Participated in my first Warrior Dash
- Longest run to date at Wings For Life
- Only traveling with a carry on - yes, I made a goal to only travel with a carry-on and did it! The only time I had to check a bag was when I brought the kids at Exploring Paths goodies!
- Got my very first mountain bike
- First downhill mtb experience
- December ab challenge - not the biggest success of my life, but it was a decent attempt (lolz)
- In 2016 I found a dog and decided to keep in. He ended up having heartworms so he was crated during recovery. In 2017 when he got better I spent 6 months in training with him. Something I highly recommend doing!

Brands I’ve worked with or who have supported me:
I’m very proud and selective of who I collaborate with. I always want my audience to only be exposed to products that I actually use and brands that I love.

Redbull
Specialized
Flywheel
Michelob ultra x Flywheel
Tarte (technically this was the very end of 2016) but how cool?!
Largo drive
Levi’s
Oakley
Freshly
Cryology
Headspace
Exploring Paths
BoltHouse Farms
Terez and Terez x Star Wars
GoldSheep
HaerFest
Playology
Athleta
Road Runner Sports
Chuice
Arctic Zone
Saris

Published work:
Headspace the dot
Active.com
Redbull.com for Last Stand
Star Wars Life account posted my photo
Popsugar Fitness posted my photo
Athleta posted my photo
Experience Avalon

What I would like to do in 2018:
- Take more photos
- Get my personal trainer certification
- Create more video content
- More audio booksI (I've already started this.) Currently I'm listening to Relentless by Tim Grover

3 REASONS WHY I'M NOT YOUR AVERAGE FITNESS FANATIC

“I DON’T USE FITNESS TRACKERS”

Back when I was training to race outside, my Garmin was LIFE and if I didn't cross post my workout to Strava than I felt like it didn't even happen. I was obsessed with how far I had ridden, how many feet of elevation I had climbed and how many hours I had been in the saddle that week. One day I received a pretty nasty message from someone who had gone through and stalked out my race results, my workouts, etc. They used it as a personal attack to make me feel like I was undeserving of any sponsor I had earned and any recognition I had received. Clearly this person didn't follow my blogs on the Specialized website or actually take the time to read my Instagram posts because my entire journey was about starting from nothing, never claiming to be the best, but rather sharing the ups and downs with other people in hopes that they would get out there and try riding, too! Not too far after that incident I pretty much stopped posting my workouts. I went back and forth deciding if I stopped because I wanted to or if I stopped because someone made me feel bad about it. I didn't want to admit that someone actually got to me. Hate happens allllll of the time and most times you can let it go - sometimes you don't. Regardless of whether or not I stopped because of this person, I will say the silver lining is that when I did stop, I finally found balance in my life. The pressure was gone and I was finally working out for myself, not for the likes on Strava or to appease what I thought I "should" be doing. It's now been around a year and a half and I haven't looked back since. 

“I DON’T COUNT CALORIES OR MACROS”

Listen, I am a definite rare bird in this scenario. Most people will not relate to this, but if you do, know that you aren't alone. I fully appreciate that tracking food intake helps A LOT of people and to be totally honest, I WISH it had that effect on me. Unfortunately, every single time I've ever tried using an app to track my food it has the reverse outcome. Instead of eating better I end up only thinking about food, absolutely obsessing over it, and after awhile I lose my mind and binge eat...bad. By the end of it, I will have eaten WAY worse than if I had just went about my day eating what I wanted. After several tries of monitoring my food I had to accept that it just didn't work for me. I would rather be aware of what I'm putting in my body and try and make good choices rather than flipping a switch and completely losing control of myself. Again, most people I tell this to think I'm nuts, but if you're anything like me - I FEEL YOU. I will say, even though I don't use things like MyFitnessPal anymore, I did learn a lot about what I was eating when I was using it. I still think it's a great tool for a lot of people, just not me. 

“I EAT (admittedly) TOO MUCH JUNK FOOD BUT I’M NOT AFRAID TO TALK ABOUT IT”

Look, I grew up eating terribly. The only spinach I ever grew up eating came from a can and was cooked in a pot with loads of butter and salt. It's amazing I don't weigh at least 100 pounds more than I do and even more amazing I was able to get where I am now. However, sugar is still a massive addiction of mine. It's my HUGE personal battle, but rather than cutting it out 100% (probably not possible) or pretending that I eat salads on the daily, I use it as a means of balance. Now, do I eat 3-4 donuts for breakfast anymore? Absolutely not, but if I want one than I will have one. It took a lot of trial and error to find what works for me and a lot of feeling guilty that I wasn't the perfect health specimen. In the end I finally found that balance was king and my balance will not be the same as your balance. If you can cut sugar out than by all means you go Glen Coco, but for me, I'd rather have one donut than lose complete control of myself and end up eating that donut, plus a pie, plus fried food, plus literally whatever else I can find. IF the day comes where I decide I want to be shredded, I am fully aware that I will need to do some major adjustments, but until that day comes, I'll take my small daily food victories and accept that although I'm not perfect, I know that I've come a LONG way in my eating habits. 

I'd love to hear your journey with food. Did you grow up eating healthy? If not, how do you think that's influenced how you eat now?

Outfit by the amazing Largo Drive. Check out their blog post where I did an interview and talk about my journey in becoming a fitness instructor.
Interested in buying something from them? Use code MAE20 from now until November 11th to get 20% off all regularly priced items.

I'm wearing the Lanston Sport Slit Bra and the Lanston Sport Slit Leggings.