30 Things I Learned before 30

Last week, I celebrated my 30th Birthday with my closest family and friends. A lot of people have asked me "how I feel" and to be honest, I feel pretty good. I think 29 was 'harder', but, now that 30 is here - no big deal. I look back on my twenties and have no regrets and am excited for the next decade. With that, I bring you 30 things I've learned in my 30 years... obviously just a snap shot of some of the top learnings that stand out in my head. Some things, I learned when I was very young and some things, took years to learn. I know that this list will grow exponentially over the next 10 years, but, here's what I got now!

I hope you all have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving with family & friends! xo

 

 1. If you feel like you are forgetting something when you walk out the door, you are.

2. "Sleeping on it" is always the best way come up with a solution to a problem.

3. Depriving yourself of certain foods, is a recipe for disaster.

4. Overthinking gets you no where.

5. Hard work does pay off.

6. Party as much as possible in your early twenties - you'll be in your late twenties (and tired) before you know it.

7. If you're unsure - ask yourself to 'do the right thing'.

8. Don't travel on a plane without water, eye drops, a hearty protein bar, a scarf (doubles as pillow/blanket), and anti-bac.

9. Your best friends bring out the best in you, and you, them.

10. Your parents/family will always be there for you and care about you more than you know.

11. Thank you notes are an integral part of life. Write them.

12. If a guy likes you, you will know it. No questions, no wonder, no advice from friends needed.

13. Eating a small dessert every night, will not make you fat.

14. Do something that you love to do, every day.

15. For every 2 new pieces of clothing you buy, donate 1 (or more).

16. Physical clutter is mental clutter.

17. Don't surround yourself with people who have bad attitudes. It might rub off on you.

18. Know that taking a vacation from work, is necessary for your health, and actually, to be better at your job.

19. There is always something to do.

20. Know how to use minimal makeup to make you look and feel beautiful. Trendy makeup is just a coverup and not attractive.

21. Find an exercise you love to do, so that you do it. 

22. Always, always, always pay more than the minimum on your credit cards, ON TIME. It's the easiest way to have a great credit score.

23. Don't ever let anyone rent space in your head for free.

24. Every human you see in a magazine is photoshopped. Relax.

25. Eat real food. Food is not the enemy, fake food is.

26. You can let a bad day bring you down or you can choose to be in a better mood.

27. Be humble and greet people with a smile.

28. Before you make a judgement call on a first impression, realize that person might be going through something extremely difficult. A second chance is worth it.

29. You can learn from younger friends and older friends.

30. Your gut, is always, always, always right. Listen carefully.

Honey Mustard Chicken

Chicken has really been boring the life out of me lately... I find myself eating more shrimp, fish, and other forms of protein. But, at the end of the day, organic chicken is easy and a great source of protein. Last night, I decided to wing it and put together a sauce that I thought might work - and did!

For the chicken, need:

- 1 Tbs or so of Organic Mayo

- 2 Tbs or so of Whole Grain Mustard

- 1 tbs or so of Honey

How?

- Just mix together in a bowl

- Cover the organic chicken tenderloins with the sauce and put on a parchment-lined baking sheet

What about the asparagus, parsnips, & carrots?

Asparagus: Drizzle with extra virgin and season with salt/pepper

Carrots/Parsnips: Toss with extra virgin and season with salt/pepper & rosemary

Put in a 425 degree oven for 15-17 minutes and all of it will be done. 

Side note:  I like the carrots and parsnips a little more crunchy - so I let them stay in for another 5 while I covered the chicken and asparagus on my plate to keep them warm. You could also start cooking them first, but, I didn't have time for that last night.

The sauce came out great! I think it would be even better on wings... makes sense seeing that it IS a honey-mustard sauce.

The entire meal delivers tons of protein, cancer-fighting antioxidants, and lots of vitamins!

Here's the breakdown:
Parsnips: Folate, Potassium, Vitamins C & E
Asparagus: Vitamins K, A, B1 & C, folate and has anti-oxidant & anti-inflammatory properties
Carrots: A, K, & Fiber
Organic Chicken: Protein, B3, B6, Selenium

Happy Tuesday! xo

Lace Up 365 at The Handle Bar, Southie

Last week, New Balance gave me another awesome opportunity to work out with breast cancer survivors, local health & fitness bloggers, and local media representatives (guys, recognize any of these ladies ;)?) 

As mentioned in my last post about the Lace Up 365 event at Barry's Boot Camp Boston, New Balance and the Susan G. Komen foundation are commemorating their 25 year partnership by launching the #LaceUP365 program. Every day, a breast cancer survivor will be featured on their web page allowing YOU to dedicate your workout to a survivor. All you need to do is use the hash tag #LaceUp365 on facebook, twitter, and/or instagram to spread the word that October can last all year long! 

That's it, it's THAT EASY! 

(And, these stories are incredibly inspirational)

It was so fun working out with all of these amazing women at The Handle Bar in Southie. I made some new friends and it put me in the best mood for the rest of the week. The workout was tough, but also, really, really fun! The music that Jess played was high energy... I felt like I was at a club and my bike was the dance floor (I mean, kind of, but pretty close). By the end, we were all covered in sweat and feeling really good!

The survivors at this event are friends. One was diagnosed 5 years ago, the other 4 years ago. One (on the right, bright pink short sleeve shirt) is a competitive runner... she ran a race before every single chemo treatment. Her friend (back right, in the peach shirt with the sleeves rolled up) developed a cream for radiation burns and they started running together around a lake in their town. Driven, strong, motivated women... survivors!

They both rocked this workout!

I can honestly say that the last two weeks have been very special to me for so many reasons. First, to be surrounded by so many inspirational women has been incredibly motivating. Second, to work with new, growing fitness studios and meet their owners, has also been motivating. I love to see that Boston has so many great places to work out - there is really something for everyone.

I hope to see more #LaceUp365 hash tags around the twittersphere in the near future. Have an awesome week, guys! xo

(disclaimer - I was not paid to write this post, but, I was provided with this awesome gear from New Balance (which is honestly so comfortable). All opinions and reviews are my own :)