RachMartino

Home Sweet Loft

2020-08-05T13:34:00.002-04:00

A new place to call home, welcome to the loft! Back in March in the early days I decide to quarantine with my boyfriend Leo in Los Angeles. It was a tough decision to leave my beloved New York City but it felt like the best choice with the circumstances at hand. A few weeks into staying in California I got the news that my apartment back in New York had sold. I knew it was a possibility since it had been on the market for a while, but I was unsurprisingly devastated. The beautiful apartment I had called my home for 3 years was no longer mine (and damn was it a GEM!) Trying to find a new place during quarantine without being able to see the apartment was in a word, stressful! One day I stumbled upon a gorgeous, open loft in Williamsburg and fell completely in love with it. After some back and forth with a pushy broker (New York real estate is truly the worst) we finally had a lease! The loft was build back in 1880 and is an open concept 2,000 square foot apartment with stunning exposed brick, super high ceilings with industrial pipes and big oversized windows. The floor plan has two smaller rooms and one huge 20 x 20 space that was previously used as a photo studio that we will also be using as a content studio and rental space. We moved in June 1st and have been hard at work unboxing and working on a layout and decorating. For the design inspiration we want to create a bohmenian artist loft look while still showcasing the gorgeous raw, industrial elements in the space. I've been sharing a ton about out 'loft vision' on my IG stories and you can check out the highlights anytime! We still have a lot of work to do but we're so excited about the new place. See below for a few of my home favorites from decor to shelving to faux plants (because I do not have a green thumb haha)

Weekend at the Venetian Vegas

2019-11-27T22:09:00.000-05:00

I love traveling to places I’ve never really explored so when the famous Venetian Resort LasVegas invited me to stay a few nights, I was sold! I was honestly blown away by the beauty of the hotel with the grand marble entry, real Italian-style gondola rides and so many restaurants and shops. It really was a dream come true! The first day we arrived we were warmly welcomed with champagne and chocolate strawberries - the suite was absolutely gorgeous and spacious with a view over the strip. But we headed straight to the exclusive party for ShopStyle x Venetian Vegas at Mott 32 inside the hotel with special guest Audrina Patridge! I had to get a photo with her, and she was incredibly sweet and gracious. After the cocktail party we had a delicious Italian meal under the painted blue-sky ceiling at Sixth & Mill. We capped off the night with drinking and dancing at the club Electra, all within the Venetian! The next morning, we had brunch at the most adorable French bistro, Bouchon (which is French for ‘cork’), a Thomas Keller restaurant. I had a delicious Croque Madame with fries and a fresh orange juice mimosa. I wish all my mornings started like that! Next, was my favorite experience of the whole trip, a gondola ride! I’ve been dreaming of doing a gondola ride all my life and I was so happy to have la dolce vita right here in the US! I loved the singing gondoliers with their striped shirt and sunny smiles, and we snapped a ton of awesome photos on the boat! Next, we stopped at Black Tap to try their out-of-this-world milkshakes. I got the Birthday Cake milkshake complete with AN ENTIRE SLICE OF BIRTHDAY CAKE on top of the shake. For dinner that evening we enjoyed a taste of South America at Chica. This restaurant was my favorite of the trip. We enjoyed watermelon margaritas, fresh ceviche, lamb, and Peruvian skirt steak. Afterwards we had a chance to see the Venetian’s in-house show, Atomic Saloon, a raucous performance of acrobatics, dancing, and comedy. We were bent over laughing and ooh-ing and ah-ing at the acrobats. Afterwards, it was more drinking and dancing at the Dorsey. With a gracious late check out we said goodbye to Vegas with a send of brunch at Yardbird with a cinnamon roll the side of my head, scrambled eggs and a kale salad. Thank you so much for the team at The Venetian Resort and ShopStyle for an amazing weekend I will never forget. Book your suite today - you won’t regret it!

Loose Waves for Fall

2019-11-08T19:20:00.004-05:00

This post is sponsored by Conair and ShopStyle. All opinions are my own.

99.9% of the time you’ll see me with loose waves. This has been my go-to hairstyle ever since college and I’m always trying out new hair tools to get the look. Recently I was sent the Conair UNBOUND Cordless Wireless Auto-Curler and I was so impressed by the results! First off I LOVE the fact that it’s cordless. I hate cords especially when they get tangled together or even worse wrapped around other hair tools. After it’s charged, the UNBOUND Cordless Auto-Curler has a 60-Minute cord-free runtime –– plenty of time to get every strand. The ceramic coated barrel features 3 heat settings (up to 400 degrees) and 4 timer settings plus multi-directional curl action so you can get the exact look you’re hoping to achieve.

To achieve my signature soft waves, I section my hair then position 1” pieces sections into the barrel. I set the Curler to 230 degrees with the 8 second timer. From there, the device curls the hair with the click of a button and styles it beautifully without even needing to think about which direction I’m curling! Just make sure you have the curl direction set correctly (L for Left, R for Right). For curls that flow away from your face, select the R (right) curl direction when curling the left side of your head and the L (left) curl direction when curling the right side of your head. For a more casual, undone look, select the MIX curl direction which automatically alternates the curl direction.

For even looser waves, I would decrease the temperature and number of seconds and for tighter curls I would increase the temperature and number of seconds. The UNBOUND Cordless Auto Curler has totally changed my hair game and I would recommend it to anyone looking to ditch the cord and get great curls or waves quickly.

the before

the after

Fresh Skin for Fall

2019-11-07T09:28:00.002-05:00

October really has been a crazy month! Between all the Halloween costumes and my best friend Noelle’s wedding preparations, I felt like I really needed to pamper my skin. I have been wanting to try retinol for such a long time but always feared irritations, luckily Olay has come with its new Regenerist Retinol24 range! It has two types of retinol and provides hydration without irritating the skin. My favorite product is the serum which is super potent yet comfortable. Olay retinol is affordable which is a big plus! The face moisturizer is light-weight, not greasy, fragrance free. After 4 weeks of use, I was able to see improvement in fine lines and wrinkles. Olay’s Retinol 24 delivered all these improvements with virtually no irritation! Have you ever tried retinol inyour skincare routine before? Let me know in the comments below! This post is sponsored by OLAY. All opinions are my own.

Noelle's Bachelorette in Bermuda!

2019-10-14T12:59:00.002-04:00

My bestie is getting married! I'm so excited for Noelle's wedding in just a few weeks and today I'm sharing the fabulous memories of her bachelorette party in beautiful Bermuda.

Where we stayed

I actually stayed in Bermuda back in 2015 at the gorgeous Princess Hamilton so when we were throwing out suggestions for Noelle's last hurrah I chimed in with Bermuda! It's only a 90 minute flight direct from New York which is incredible and the beaches are just incredible. The water is so blue. The hotel itself is absolutely gorgeous with a pastel pink facade and beautiful rooms with balconies overlooking the ocean. The hotel has two pools, one is a gorgeous infinity pool with a gorgeous view of the crystal blue Bermuda water. The hotel also has a private beach accessible by jitney with hammocks resting in the water and a full service menu. I highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a luxurious beach getaway!

What we ate

The main restaurant, Marcus' at the Princess Hamilton is exceptional. The world-renowned chef, Marcus Samuelsson, is the mastermind behind the Red Rooster in New York and opened Marcus' a fine dining restaurant in Bermuda located at the Princess Hamilton in 2015. I had the excellent Surf N' Turf, jalapeño cornbread and a sampling of the desserts. Everything was delicious! During our stay we also ordered from the room service menu - the club sandwich was particularly yummy for lunch.

We also ventured into the city and tried Devil's Isle, a restaurant in the heart of Hamilton. It was very good and we really enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere and cocktail menu. I tried the lobster which was delicious.

What we did

We spent the majority of our time in Bermuda at the hotel enjoying the private beach club and the infinity pool. We did check out the local nightlife in the downtown area, about a 5 minute cab ride from the hotel. We liked "The Dog House" and "Cosmopolitan." We danced and had a blast celebrating the bride's last hurrah! On our last night we rented a large boat thanks to the helpful staff at the Princess Hamilton. The boat, called 'The Playpen' was huge and came complete with a slide! We rented the boat for three hours and enjoyed drinks, dancing, swimming and watching the incredible sunset. The boat excursion was definitely the highlight of the trip and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Bermuda!

29 & feeling fine

2019-08-26T16:50:00.000-04:00

{shop this dress, shoes}

I can't believe I'm 29! I've loved living in New York for the last 7 years and I'm so blessed to be where I am now. I decided to list 29 things I've learned in my 29 years of life.

You definitely cannot make everyone happy.
But you can work to make yourself happy. But you have to work to choose that happiness every single day.
Work hard and be nice. It's the best advice.
Focus on the things you love about yourself. Remind yourself of them every single day.
Education is a lifelong process. Don't stop when you finish 'school' keep working to improve yourself.
You do not have to accept advice. You hold the power of your choices.
The only person you have to live with for the rest of your life is you, so prioritize that relationship above all else.
Make time for your friends.
Call your mom and your dad, too.
If it seems too good to be true, look really closely because it might, in fact, be too good to be true.
Trust your gut.
Listen, ask questions and engage with those around you.
If the subway car is empty, someone may have pooped in it. Steer clear.
There’s nothing wrong with saying no.
But don’t be afraid to say yes to things that challenge you
A good book can move you.
Keep your passport up to date.
Pay your taxes on time
Pay your credit card on time every month.
Ask for what you want. Always ask.
Sometimes it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
Never stop exploring who you are, where you live and what you want.
It’s your life, do what you want not what you think you’re ‘supposed to do’ or what others tell you to do.
Put your phone down at dinner.
Let that cry out.
Ask for help.
You’re a boss bitch.
Fake it til you make it, I swear this one is so true.
Say thank you and show gratitude.

Planes, Trains & More Trains

2019-08-21T17:02:00.002-04:00

This post is Sponsored by Kipling and ShopStyle.

I’ve always been an over-packer. Ever since I was a kid going on vacation with my family, I felt like I needed to hoard every last outfit or stuffed animal into my bag before heading out on a trip. But it’s time to lighten the load! This month I’m collaborating with Kipling to showcase travel pieces that hold what I need for life on the go without over-packing. Kipling features fun, lightweight accessories built to make life easier and more vibrant. Living in New York, I am constantly a bag lady – without a car, you quickly learn how to carry everything you need with you for the day’s adventures. A backpack is absolutely the best way to lug everything you need – for me it’s my laptop, DSLR camera, a water bottle, snacks (duh), backup phone battery and a change of clothes. I can fit it all in the Kipling Experience 15” Laptop Backpack. It’s made of high-quality water-resistant nylon with padded, adjustable straps and a laptop sleeve. I also like to have a smaller crossbody bag for all my essentials, keys, phone, wallet, gum, concealer and lipstick. I love the Kipling Kichirou Lunch bag. It’s cute and compact plus insulated with a net lining, so it’s perfect for lunch, snacks or any daily essentials! From traveling by subway or plane or spaceship (ok just kidding), Kipling had perfect lightweight pieces to travel light in style. PS: You can snag 20% off Kipling backpacks now with code BACKPACK20. Shop my favorite Kipling pieces below!

Rainbow Brights in Chicago

2019-08-12T18:28:00.000-04:00

Special thanks to Katie Sturino & Stitch Fix for sponsoring this post! 

I love supporting my fellow blogger boss babes so I was so excited to collaborate with Stitch Fix on their collection with influencer Katie Sturino! Stitch Fix is a completely personalized styling service that pairs you with an expert stylist who curates pieces you’ll love. Stitch Fix’s recent collab with Katie is full of colorful, easy-to-wear and travel-friendly pieces so I packed this fun, bright look for my trip to Chicago! I styled the rainbow striped button down into a tied crop top and paired it with the perfect-for-twirling yellow midi skirt. The 21-item collection is fully size inclusive in sizes XS-3X plus it’s affordably priced with all pieces under $100. Head here to try out Stitch Fix and let your Stylist know you’re interested in my Katie Sturino x Stitch Fix collection.

Paris Photo Diary May 2019

2019-06-04T14:34:00.001-04:00

I love traveling to Paris! Every year I try to go at least twice to my favorite city in the world and this spring I was so lucky to get invited to Paris with XL Airways and JO&JOE. Noelle and I are seasoned travelers and were excited to get the chance not only to fly XL Airways, but we also got a tour of the plane, the cockpit and got to learn more about the inter-workings of an airport and airplane. It was so cool to see exactly what goes on behind the scenes as someone who loves to fly! XL Airways offers flights to and from New York for a great fare so if you're interested in visiting Paris, XL is a great way to go! Once we landed safely in Paris we had the chance to stay at the new JO&JOE "Open House" an affordable place to stay designed for millennials, travelers and locals. They offer both hotel style rooms and shared bedrooms just outside the city center in Gentilly. We loved the terrace and food at JO&JOE - they even have a colorful beer wall where you can pour your own drink! We opted for our favorite - Aperol Spritz and enjoyed the lovely sunshine on the lawn. We also enjoyed the homemade food from quiches to friend and pasta salad. All the food was delicious and we loved the family style presentation. It was the perfect place to call home as we explored the city during the day. See all my Paris looks below! Special thanks to XL Airways and JO&JOE for hosting this trip, à bientôt, Paris!

Festival Hair with Pantene

2019-05-30T11:10:00.001-04:00

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pantene. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve been absolutely loving my shorter hair! I decided to remove my extensions and let my natural hair grow out, so I’ve been taking extra care to keep my hair healthy and hydrated, especially during festival season. I love to try out new, fun hairstyles and accessories during music festivals. I feel like hair is such a fun way to express your style and creativity! I created this fun, festival chic style with some oversized hair clips, messy waves and some hair glitter. Post-festival, I used the new Pantene Pro-V Intense Rescue Shots to undo all the damage from the sun and styling! This is Pantene’s most potent repair product. Being in a single-dose tube, it provides salon-quality treatment to noticeably repair damage and keep hair strong and shiny. It’s also the #1 selling new treatment in the haircare category! You can use these Intense Rescue Shots weekly to replace your normal conditioner. In the shower, apply generously to saturate the hair from root to tip, concentrating the product where the hair is most damaged (for me—the ends!) Leave the product on for a full 30 seconds and rinse for 30 seconds—be sure not to over-rinse for best results. I’ve been using the Pantene Pro-V Intense Rescue Shots for a few weeks now and I love how soft and shiny my hair is, despite all my travel and heat styling! Did you know that Pantene is the official haircare sponsor for Coachella, Stagecoach and Firefly this year? Couldn’t be a better time for festival-goers to try this product! Get your hands on this at-home treatment available at Walgreens.

Lacy Lingerie in Paris

2019-05-22T15:06:00.001-04:00

Special thanks to ShopStyle and Cacique Inimates for sponsoring this post.

I’m back on the road again! This time I’m spending the week in Paris with my best friend Noelle. When it comes to lingerie I always look to Noelle for her opinion and advice. I was introduced to the Cacique Intimates, a brand known for empowering and supporting women of all shapes and sizes. They carry sizes 0-28 in addition to an incredible range of bras. For example, I’m a 32B and Noelle is a 34DDD and we both found incredible lingerie in our size! I chose this cute blue lace set with a balconette style bra and boy short panty. I love their mission to support, flaunt and cater to all women’s gorgeous curves! It was so fun shooting these photos at our gorgeous hotel in Paris overlooking the Arc de Triomphe. I feel tres chic!

If you’re loving any of the styles on Cacique.com use online promo code SHOPCQ6 to get a Cacique Intimates bra for only $29.50! Valid thru 6/16 online only. Not valid with other offers.

Coachella & LA Looks

2019-04-25T11:53:00.002-04:00

Shop my Coachella looks!

{dress & boots}

{bikini top & bikini bottom}

{dress, shoes & hair clip: Lirika Matoshi}

{top, skirt & boots}

{dress & boots}

{bikini top & bottoms}

{bikini top & shorts}

{bikini top, bikini bottom, cover up & shoes: Primark}

{dress & boots}

Spring Beauty Refresh

2019-04-19T23:48:00.005-04:00

It’s finally feeling like springtime here in New York! The trees are blooming, the birds are chirping and it’s time for a wardrobe and beauty routine refresh! I’ve been loving a bright bold lip for spring. This month I’ve partnered with Nordstrom Beauty to share my spring makeup routine. Nordstrom has tons of incredible beauty brands available both in store and online and I personally gravitated to MAC. I have such a strong connection with the brand because their products are some of the first beauty products I ever used. I was always sneaking my mom and sister’s MAC products, many of which have remained my favorite to this day! I’m going to walk you through each product I use. After moisturizing I start with the Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 in C4. This foundation has a great buildable coverage, natural matte finish and over 60 shades to choose from so you’re sure to find your perfect match. I apply with a damp sponge all over the skin. For concealer, I’m using the MAC Pro Longwear Concealer, a liquid full coverage concealer with a matte finish. I’m in the shade NC25 and I apply directly to my undereyes and blend out. To set the makeup I use the MAC Prep + Prime Translucent Finishing Powder all over. For blush I have always loved MAC Fleur Powder Blush, the lovely pink has great color payoff and a delicate gold shimmer. Can’t forget highlighter – I’m obsessed with the MAC Hyper Real Glow Palette in Get Lit. The shades are so gorgeous with excellent pigmentation for super glowy cheeks. Next I move onto the eyes where I keep it super simple with MAC Shroom Eye Shadow (a favorite of my mom and I for over 10 years!) and line my eyes with the Brushstroke Liner in Brushblack. And for the finale and most important part I’m wearing my all-time favorite red/orange lipstick, MAC Lady Danger. I always get asked about the shade any time I’m wearing it and it’s just perfect for spring and summer! Hope you guys enjoyed this makeup look.

Special thanks to Nordstrom and ShopStyle for sponsoring this post. You can shop all my Nordstrom Beauty favorites below.

Palm Springs Poolside

2019-04-18T14:12:00.000-04:00

Greetings from Palm Springs. Noelle and I decided head to Coachella this year and we chose an adorable hotel in Palm Springs. Both Noelle and I are partnering with Aerie as a part of their ‘Love The Swim You’re In’ campaign. As a part of this initiative Aerie will donate $1 (now up to $50,000!) to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) for every 100% unretouched swim photo shared with #AerieREAL @Aerie on social media. It’s incredible to collaborate a brand that focuses on body positivity, inclusivity and real representation. Growing up I was always self-conscious of my smaller chest and always wanted a bigger chest. Now, I’m a very proud member of the itty bitty tity committee! I have gained so much confidence from working harder this year on a healthy lifestyle with my eating and fitness routine. For this campaign I chose this adorable swimsuit top with underwire that lifts and is perfect for a smaller chest. The mixed gingham is so so cute! The bottoms are a lower rise with cute ruffle detailing. Noelle and I also got a few photos together and I am obsessed with how they turned out because every body is a beach body. Don’t forget to upload your beach body with the tags #AerieREAL @Aerie – Aerie will donate $1 (now up to $50,000!) to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) for every 100% unretouched swim photo shared on social media. Shop my favorite Aerie swimsuits below!

Spring Try On

2019-03-31T11:57:00.005-04:00

green polka dot dress & shoes

yellow maxi dress & shoes

yellow tent dress

pink ruffle dress

polka dot top & blue skirt

polka dot top & polka dot blue skirt

nude and yellow dress, Zara

short blue dress

black & white heart dress

white lace midi dress

short pink heart dress

long pink heart dress

baby blue dress

pink crop top & polka dot blue skirt

yellow bikini & braided sandals

red floral maxi dress

blue midi dress

zodiac dress

orange maxi dress

rainbow maxi dress

light pink maxi dress

red floral mini dress

red mini dress

rainbow striped dress

band tee & jeans

yellow bikini

striped sweater & jeans

Sunny Stripes in the Bahamas

2019-03-20T17:08:00.000-04:00

{shop my swimsuit: top & bottom}

Special thanks to Aerie for sponsoring this post.

Who else is so ready for swimsuit season? I’ve never been the biggest fan of winter (though I do love a good snow day) I’m definitely a warm weather kinda gal. I’ve been partnering with Aerie as a part of their ‘Love The Swim You’re In’ campaign. As a part of this initiative Aerie will donate $1 (now up to $50,000!) to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) for every 100% unretouched swim photo shared with #AerieREAL @Aerie on social media. It’s incredible to collaborate a brand that focuses on body positivity, inclusivity and real representation. When I was younger I used to hate my moles and freckles. Both of my parents have them too and I’ve grown to love them so much. I have a sprinkling of freckles and moles on my shoulders and back and now I think of them like constellations! Noelle and I had the best time in the Bahamas wearing our new Aerie swimsuits. The water was the most beautiful shade of blue and warm too! I love this suit – I’m such a fan of bandeau tops, high waisted bottoms and stripes so it really was a match made in heaven. The suit Noelle picked out was so cute as well so be sure to give her some love on her Instagram @noelledowning.

International Women’s Day with Old Navy

2019-03-08T13:51:00.000-05:00

Happy International Women’s Day, babes! This year I’m partnering with Old Navy to celebrate the occasion. They are pionering women and reminding us all that the SKY IS THE LIMIT! They will even be having inspirational messages and quotes about women’s empowerment in skywriting in San Francisco, New York & LA!

I’m obsessed with their IWD collection including this WOMEN shirt with the words ‘wise, hopeful, mighty, authentic & kind.’ My look was inspired by none other than Rosie the Riveter! During WWII many women went into the workforce in factories and shipyards. Her image has become a symbol of Women’s Economic Power in the US. For my look I paired the shirt with thesee adorable high waisted wide legs jeans, yellow slingbacks & a cute scarf in my hair and of course a signature red lip.WE CAN DO IT! How are you spending International Women’s Day? I can’t wait to spend it with a fabulous women who inspired me everyday, my BFF Noelle. We’ll be cruising the sea to the Bahamas enjoying the warm weather.

Special thanks to Old Navy for sponsoring this post & supporting women’s empowerment!

All My Looks from Hawaii

2019-02-28T11:52:00.002-05:00

Noelle and I had the best time in Oahu along with my parents! I had so many questions about my looks from the trip so I listed them all here for y'all! I'll be posting more from the trip soon!

the swimsuits

{swimsuit: Primark, available only in stores}

{swimsuit top, swimsuit bottom}

{swimsuit top, swimwsuit bottom}

{bandeau top, high waisted bottoms}

{swimsuit: Primark, available only in stores}

{swimsuit, sunglasses similar}

{swimsuit top, swimsuit bottom}

the outfits

{'vacay' sweater, cardigan, leggings, shoes, backpack, suitcase}

{dress, shoes, bag}

{sports bra, leggings, shoes}

{dress: forever 21, similar here, here & here, sandals old from J.Crew}

{bodysuit, bag, shorts, shoes}

{sports bra, biker shorts, sunglasses}

{swimsuit top, shorts, shoes}

Pretty in pink in Waikiki

2019-02-21T20:21:00.000-05:00

Greetings from beautiful Hawaii! Noelle and I decided to tag along with my parents to the gorgeous island of Oahu for a few days to soak up the sun. We traveled to Hawaii two years back and LOVED our time there so we couldn’t wait to get off the mainland and to the island. Both Noelle andI are partnering with Aerie as a part of their ‘Love The Swim You’re In’ campaign. As a part of this initiative Aerie will donate $1 (now up to $50,000!) to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) for every 100% unretouched swim photo shared with #AerieREAL @Aerie on social media. It’s incredible to collaborate with a brand that focuses on body positivity, inclusivity and real representation. Growing up I was always self-conscious about my body from my freckles and moles to my bubble but! Over the years, I’ve learned to love my body and truly take care of it from the inside out. I’ve learned the importance and power of self-love and focusing my energy on the incredible things my body can do. I love working out and taking care of my well-being from eating healthier from day to day (but also enjoying foods I love with zero guilt) to running and lifting heavy weights at the gym. Noelle has also taught me so much about body positivity and encouraged me to love myself and love my body. Coincidentally we actually picked the same swimsuit for this campaign! The molded cups and thick straps of the top are incredibly supportive so you can run, dance and swim and the beach (all of which we did while singing songs from our favorite movies). The bottoms are super flattering and high-waisted with a cheeky cut to flaunt that booty! We had to get a photo together so we asked a sweet stranger on the beach to capture a photo together. I love seeing how amazing the swimsuit looks on our very different beach bodies because every body is a beach body. Don’t forget to upload your beach body with the tags #AerieREAL @Aerie and shop my favorite Aerie swimsuits below!

Special thanks to Aerie for sponsoring this post.

Whole30 Second Round Results Before & After FAQs

2019-02-05T14:58:00.001-05:00

{apologies I know my shorts are positioned slightly different in the before/after!}

shop my leggings, my sports bra, the whole30 book!

🇫🇷VERSION EN FRANÇAIS PLUS BAS 💙
I finished my second Whole30! If you’re curious about my first Whole30, check out my blog post from last year here. If you’re not familiar, Whole30 is 30 day dietary program that serves as a kind of ‘reset’ by eliminating foods that are known to cause sensitivities and inflammation for some people. For 30 days the following are non-authorized foods: refined sugar, dairy, bread, pasta, gluten, grains, alcohol and legumes (like beans, soy and chickpeas). So what do you eat? The diet relies heavily on vegetables, meat, eggs, fruits and nuts. Is it hard? Yes.But it’s 100% worth it.

For anyone interested in starting their own Whole30 I highly recommend first purchasing the book called “Whole30: 30-Day Guide to Total Health & Food Freedom" There are a few different Whole30 books on the market but this one is the most comprehensive in my opinion. The book not only outlines the program, the rules and tips for every stage in the process but it also includes tons of recipes. If you simply go with the resources online without the book, you might be more likely to quit because you don’t understand the philosophy of the Whole30 and without the ‘why’ (in addition to all the tips, tricks and recipes) it would just feel like a month of torture for no real reason.

My results

After 30 days I changed my body composition: I lost over 12 inches from my body in especially hard to loose areas including 2 inches from my hips, and inch and quarter from my waist and two inches and a quarter from my bust. So I am successfully down a dress size and feeling fabulous! I lost 2.7% body fat which was my main goal of this Whole30 and lost 8lbs total. In terms of my non-scale victories; I slept better, had more power and energy at the gym, improved skin tone and texture & learned how to cook some delicious meals. Gerry also completed the Whole30 as a vegetarian and lost 19 pounds (omg I know!) and felt better with better digestion and better self control when it comes to eating (his words!) If you’re interested in following Whole30 as a vegetarian check out this article on Whole30’s website. It is a program largely created for omnivores, but Is possible for vegetarians (with or without modifications).

What I changed/improved from my first Whole30

Because this was my second round I wanted to really push myself to try to improve upon my first Whole30. That being said there is no such thing as a perfect Whole30. But I personally wanted to do better. First off, this round I really tried to stick closely to the meal template. The Whole30 meal template outlines how you should structure your 3 square meals (snacking is not recommended during the Whole 30). The template encourages a 1-2 palm size of protein, fill the rest of your plate with veggies, a thumb size amount of fat (oil, ghee, avocado, for example) and occasional a service of fruit. I’ve never been a big vegetable lover. SO BAD I KNOW. Before doing Whole30 I rarely ate vegetable other than salads or the occasional veggie as a side (but mostly just French fries -eek!) During my first Whole30 I did follow the specific rules (no dairy, legumes, sugar, grains, gluten) but I didn’t do great with the meal template. I often ate breakfasts of applesauce, apples and almond butter because I prefer a sweeter breakfast. Not exactly following the meal plan, Rach… So this time I focused on eating vegetables with every meal. It wasn’t easy. I felt like Kevin from the Office when he’s being force fed broccoli LOL. But I photographed almost every single one of my meals and shared them on IG stories to help keep myself accountable. I learned the veggies I liked for the different mealtimes: spinach, kale and avocados in the morning, big yummy salads for lunches and mushrooms, asparagus, carrots & cauliflower for dinner and sweet potatoes all day long! I also tried to greatly reduce my snacking and ‘emergency meals.’ During my first round I found myself often snacking on apples, almonds, almond butter, berries, cashews and dates between meals. Whole30 recommends eating 3 large meals a day with little to no snacking between. This time around I tried to be more conscious of eating larger meals until I was full to reduce snacking. The first round I also relied a bit too heavily on ‘emergency’ meals like RX or Lara Bars. This time I only had one RX bar during the whole round so I was proud to have been more prepped to avoid relying on bars to act as a meal replacement or snack.

How it felt different from my first Whole30

In some ways my second round was easier than my first but in other ways it felt harder! This time I knew exactly what I was getting myself into, what I needed to buy, how I would generally feel day-to-day which made it easier but I didn’t have the same ‘new-ness’ and excitement from the first time. I started the second round right after the Holidays whereas the first round I was in a healthier place overall. Between all the Christmas cookies, wine and bad meals (I think I ate almost an entire Papa John’s pizza myself on New Year’s Eve with a side of ALL THE BOOZE) the second round detox period (usually up to 10 days) was BRUTAL. But having made the improvements listed above, I felt even more successful in this Whole30 compared to my last.

My workouts during the Whole30

Since 2015 I’ve been on a fitness journey, staying very active with lots of different workouts from CrossFit to outdoor cycling to yoga (read more about my fitness journey here). During the Whole30 (both this time and last time) I aimed to really push my physical fitness for optimal results. During the month I worked out 25 days with 5 total rest days. Here’s a breakdown of the workouts I did (some days I did two workouts like yoga + a walk)

-9 CrossFit workouts

-8 Orange Theory classes

-4 outdoor walks

-3 yoga sessions

-3 spin classes

The first week of Whole30 and you definitely have decreased energy as your body detoxes from using sugar and carbohydrates in the form of gluten and grains as its main energy sources. So at the beginning I did more walking and yoga. Then I started to get ‘tiger blood’ Whole30 lingo for increased energy and that ‘feeling great’ moment during the program, and went for it with high intensity interval workouts like CrossFit and Orange Theory. I used to do primarily CrossFit but I’ve come to love going between CrossFit and Orange Theory. I love the badass heavy weight-lifting and super challenging workouts in CrossFit. At Orange Theory I love getting that extra boost of pure cardio with the treadmill combined with rowing with the high-rep low(er) weight strength training. To give my body time to rest between heavy workouts I love yoga, walking & rest days. To keep from getting sore I make sure to stretch after every workout, foam roll and pamper myself with epsom salt baths!

Your FAQs

What is Whole30?

Whole30 is a dietary program designed to “change your life in 30 days.” It’s basically a ‘reset’ or ‘detox’ for your system meant to help curb unhealthy cravings and habits. The purpose it to help really change your relationship with food by cutting any food groups that are known to cause potential imbalances and sensitivities & restore a healthy metabolism. The program rules are quite strict – eliminating all processed sugar, dairy, grains, gluten, legumes & soy, which makes it known for its difficulty. If you are interested in the program I HIGHLY recommend reading the book “Whole30: 30-Day Guide to Total Health & Food Freedom" because the program is about so much more than just the rules. The author really helps explain the ‘why’ behind the whole program, the philosophy and the day to day timeline.

Budgeting $

Whole30 can be expensive, there’s no way around it. Unfortunately healthier foods and high quality lean meats are more expensive than processed foods that are choc full of sugar, high fructose corn syrup and other ingredients that can lead to obesity. And these foods are addictive (part of the reason Whole30 is so challenging). However, I find when I’m doing the Whole30 I actually save money because I don’t eat out frequently at restaurants and don’t drink alcohol at home or out at bars/restaurants. Dining out in New York City can be super expensive so that’s definitely part of it so that might not be the case for everyone. There are some great websites that offer tips for Whole30 on a budget - here’s a few great articles here & here. Be sure to check your grocery for compliant sale items and eat seasonally to reduce grocery bills. There are also low-cost Whole30-approved Wal-Mart meals (I can’t comment on their taste, however because there’s no Wal-Mart in NYC)

The ‘hardest part’

I always get asked about ‘the hardest part of Whole30’ and it makes me think of an infamous quote from tough love Whole30 founder Melissa Hartwig Urban “It is not hard. Don’t you dare tell us this is hard. Quitting heroin is hard. Beating cancer is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard.” She’s a tough cookie that Melissa! For me, the most challenging parts of Whole30 are cooking at home for almost every meal, not drinking alcohol and constant grocery shopping and meal planning. It’s not actually craving the foods you can’t eat for me that’s the most difficult but sometimes feeling like a shut-in that’s chained to the stovetop! But the ‘hardest part’ is different for everyone. For some people it’s the cream and sugar in their coffee or the chocolate cravings. But I’m going to take a page from Melissa’s book - don’t give in to all the excuses - you CAN do this. It’s just 30 days of your life. You are an adult. You are strong. You are capable. I repeated this to myself many times during the month.

How to go out/eat out/socialize

I totally get it - it’s not easy. I’m someone who LOVES to go out, get dinner with friends, go to bars and socialize. But during Whole30 I try to reframe my idea of what it means to ‘socialize’ and I think it’s a good exercise for post-Whole30 life as well! Spending time with friends, family or a significant other could be going for a walk together, getting your nails done, watching a movie together, going to a yoga class or having a game night (I did every single one of those during this round!) During our Whole30 we actually hosted a lot of friends at our place that way we could have Whole30 meals or snacks (with some non-compliant snacks to give our non-Whole30 guest some options). That way we weren’t putting it on others expecting them to cook Whole30 for us! We even hosted a Golden Globes party with ballots and everything! And don’t think you have to stay in the house every night - eat at home then join friends at the movies, for a game night or even bar trivia just have a seltzer with lime or a tea like a granny like I did!

Cravings

Here comes that tough love again. Remember you are an adult. You are in control and yes, you are totally capable. It’s only 30 days. When you feel a craving try to take a short walk (even if it’s just across the office to get more water - stay hydrated), text a friend (a supportive one!) or just take a few long deep breaths, roll your shoulders back and unclench that jaw! A craving has been proved to last only about 3-5 minutes - you got this! Find new ways to channel that energy. Another thing - do not feed cravings with compliant swaps. If you allow yourself to fill a sugar craving with a compliant ‘swap’ i.e I want a snickers bar so I grab a Lara Bar or I need something sweet after dinner so I’ll have berries with almond butter, you’re not actually working to change those habits (because let’s face it we’re not exactly warding off cravings for broccoli and asparagus) try to instead make sure you’re eating enough to be satiated at each meal and work through those cravings without ‘swaps.’

Snacks

That brings me to my next point - snacks! I often get asked what my favorite Whole30 snacks are and in truth, snacks aren’t really recommended on Whole30. This round I tried to really focus on not snacking between meals. That meant my meals were larger for my personal appetite to ward off hunger. In the beginning you’ll be the most hungry read: hangry so it’s okay to have compliant snacks between meals but try to reduce to zero by the end of the month if possible. Also make sure you stay hydrated (sometimes your body is actually thirsty, not hungry) and distinguish hunger from cravings. Try and think of something that’s not your favorite Whole30 food like a hard boiled egg or broccoli. When you feel like you’re going to snack ask yourself am I actually hungry, would I eat broccoli right now and if the answer is no, you’re probably not actually hungry you’re just having a craving.

Meal Prep

Preparation is a big part of the Whole30. Because I do work from home I’m extremely lucky to be able to cook my meals ‘as I go’ without having to meal prep lunches for example. If you do have a full-time job you’ll need to be more strategic about planning ahead. There are TONS of meal prep blogs and resources out there - just google ‘Whole30 meal prep.’ There were some things that I did cook (or buy) in batches to prep myself during the week including sweet potato disks, homemade roast chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken, cauliflower rice, soups (loved this one from the Movement Menu) and frittatas. I made things easier for myself by purchasing a lot of sauces from Primal Kitchen and Tessemae’s like avocado oil mayonnaise, ranch dressing, chipotle mayo, thousand island dressing and BBQ sauce. These dressings are more expensive but made my life easier! There’s also great recipes to DIY them online.

Motivation

So much of going into the Whole30 is about preparation both in the kitchen but also mentally preparing yourself. You have to go into it with the right attitude. Say to yourself, ‘I want to take control of my health, my eating habits and my relationship with food.’ Planning, preparation and persistence are the keys to a successful Whole30. I also recommend finding support - either dong the Whole30 with a friend, family member or partner and find lots of support on the Whole30 Instagram and Facebook group.

Go-to easiest recipes

As I mentioned, I’m also super fortunate to work from home so my experience is probably different than most Whole30 folks. I did not do any official ‘meal prep’ as recommended by the program but instead bought a variety of Whole30 compliant foods with a ton of meats and veggies with some meals in mind. For those who have an office job - I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this tactic. Another thing to remember is COOKING DOES’T HAVE TO BE COMPLICATED. This was something I really had to learn on Whole30. Before I would often get overwhelmed with the idea of making a whole recipe with lots of steps and ingredients. It’s easy to see Pinterest-worthy, super complicated Whole30 meals and get discouraged. DON’T! Generally I ate very similar meals everyday. In the morning I had eggs, sausage or bacon and either spinach, kale or avocado. At lunchtime I usually made a big salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, green apple, strawberries and cashews with a compliant salad dressing (I love ones from Tessamae’s and Primal Kitchen). For dinner, Gerry and I tried to always eat together so he would make lots of veggies that we would share and I’d also cook a cut of meat or fish (usually around beef, salmon, chicken or steak). I almost never made a fancy ‘recipe’ because for me I was just really learning the basics. Before this I really only knew how to make pasta, cereal and sandwiches! Try not to be too hard on yourself and just make simple dishes within the rules & meal template and you’ll be good to go!

Shop my Whole30 Must Haves below!

SEE ALL MY WHOLE30 DOCUMENTED MEALS HERE

🇫🇷VERSION EN FRANÇAIS🇫🇷

J’ai terminé mon deuxième Whole30 ! Si vous voulez en savoir plus sur mon premier round de Whole30, je vous invite à lire l’article que j’y avais consacré l’an dernier en cliquant ici. Si vous ne le savez pas, le Whole30 est un programme alimentaire de 30 jours qui va faire comme une “remise à zéro” en éliminant des aliments qui peuvent causer des intolérances ou des allergies chez certaines personnes. Pendant 30 jours, les aliments suivants sont interdits : le sucre raffiné, les produits laitiers, le pain, les pâtes, le gluten, les céréales, l’alcool et les légumineuses (par exemple les haricots, le soja et les pois-chiches). Mais alors, que mange-t-on ? Le programme se base principalement sur la viande, les œufs, les fruits, les légumes et les noix. Est-ce que c’est dur ? Oui. Mais ça en vaut carrément la peine.

Si vous avez envie de faire le Whole30, je vous recommande avant tout d’acheter le livre La Méthode Whole30 : 30 jours pour retrouver une meilleure santé grâce à une alimentation adaptée. Il y a d’autres livres sur le Whole30 mais celui-ci est le plus complet à mes yeux. Il présente non seulement le programme, les règles et des conseils pour chaque étape du Whole30, mais il regorge également de recettes. Si vous vous aidez des ressources trouvables en ligne sans lire le livre, vous risquez à mon avis d’abandonner plus facilement car vous pouvez ne pas comprendre toute la philosophie du programme, et sans ça (et tous les conseils et recettes du livre), vous pouvez avoir l’impression que c’est juste un mois de torture sans raison.

Mes résultats

Au bout des 30 jours, mon corps a changé [j’ai perdu 30cm sur l’ensemble de mon corps, particulièrement dans des zones « difficiles » telles que mes hanches (-5cm), ma taille (-3,1cm) et mon buste (-5,7cm)]. J’ai perdu une taille de vêtements et je me sens super bien ! J’ai également perdu 2,7% de masse graisseuse, ce qui était mon objectif principal lors de ce Whole30, et j’ai perdu 3,6kg. Au niveau des « non scale victories » (les réussites non liées au pèse-personne) j’ai pu constater que mon sommeil était meilleur, j’avais plus d’énergie au sport, ma peau était plus jolie, et j’ai appris à cuisiner des plats délicieux. Gerry est végétarien et il a également fait le Whole30 pendant le mois de janvier. Il a perdu 8,6kg (fou n’est-ce pas ?), a constaté avoir une meilleure digestion et un plus grand self-contrôle face à la nourriture (c’est ce qu’il m’a dit !). Si vous êtes intéressés par le Whole30 et que vous êtes végétarien, je vous invite à lire cet article ou regarder cette video (de mon assistante, Harmony!). De base, le programme a été créé pour une alimentation omnivore, mais les végétariens peuvent tout à fait le suivre, avec ou sans modifications !

Ce que j’ai changé / amélioré par rapport à mon premier Whole30

Étant donné que c’était mon deuxième round, j’avais vraiment envie de me lancer le défi de faire encore mieux que la première fois. Cela étant dit, le Whole30 parfait n’existe pas. Mais je voulais faire mieux. Tout d’abord lors de ce round, j’ai vraiment essayé de suivre le « modèle de repas » du Whole30. Ce modèle indique comment structurer ses 3 repas de la journée (il n’est pas recommandé de manger des snacks pendant le Whole30). Ce modèle préconise de manger une portion de protéines de la taille de la paume de la main, de remplir le reste de l’assiette avec des légumes, d’ajouter une portion de « bon gras » (beurre clarifié, huile, avocat) de la taille d’un pouce et de temps en temps d’ajouter une portion de fruits. Je n’ai jamais été une grande fan des légumes. C’EST MAL, JE SAIS ! Avant de faire le Whole30, je mangeais rarement des légumes si ce n’est de la salade ou des légumes qui peuvent accompagner un plat (mais le plus souvent, je prenais des frites – oupsi !). Pendant mon premier round, j’ai bien suivi les règles (pas de produits laitiers, légumineuses, sucres, céréales, gluten) mais je n’avais pas respecté le modèle de repas. Pour le petit-déjeuner, je mangeais souvent de la compote de pommes, des pommes et du beurre d’amandes parce que je préfère manger sucré le matin. Ça n’était pas vraiment idéal. Du coup, cette fois, j’ai mis un point d’honneur à manger des légumes à chaque repas. Ça n’a pas été facile. Je me sentais comme Kevin de la série The Office quand on l’oblige à manger des brocolis, haha ! Mais j’ai pris en photo quasiment tous mes repas et je les ai postés en Stories Instagram pour tenir un carnet de comptes si on peut dire ! J’ai appris quels légumes me plaisaient le plus pour chaque repas : épinards, chou kale et avocat au matin, de bonnes salades pour le déjeuner , des champignons, asperges, carottes et chou-fleur pour le soir, et la patate douce toute la journée ! J’ai également essayé de réduire les snacks et les « repas sur le pouce ». Pendant mon premier round, j’ai souvent mangé des pommes, des amandes, du beurre d’amandes, des fruits rouges, des noix de cajou et des dates entre les repas. Le Whole30 recommande de manger 3 « gros » repas par jour et de ne pas ou peu prendre de snacks entre. Cette fois-ci, j’ai essayé de faire attention à manger des repas plus consistants afin de réduire mes snacks. La première fois, j’avais tendance à trop me reposer sur les « en-cas d’urgence » tels que les barres RX ou Lara. Lors de ce deuxième round, je n’ai mangé qu’une barre RX, j’étais donc fière d’avoir été mieux préparée au niveau des repas pour éviter de prendre ce genre de snacks comme remplacement !

En quoi ce deuxième Whole30 a été différent du premier

Dans un sens je dirais que ce deuxième round a été plus facile que le premier, mais en même temps j’ai eu l’impression qu’il a été plus difficile ! Cette fois-ci, je savais à quoi je m’engageais, ce que je devais acheter, comment je me sentirais selon les jours,… ce qui m’a facilité la tâche, mais d’un autre côté je n’avais pas ce sentiment de nouveauté et d’excitation que j’avais pu ressentir la première fois. J’ai aussi décidé de commencer ce round juste après les fêtes de fin d’année, alors que pour le premier round j’étais dans une phase plus « healthy ». Après toutes les sucreries de Noël, le vin et les repas pas sains (je pense avoir mangé la quasi-totalité d’une pizza Papa John’s le soir du nouvel an), la phase de détox (qui peut durer jusqu’à 10 jours) du deuxième tour a été INTENSE. Mais étant donné que j’avais mis en place les améliorations citées ci-dessus, ce Whole30 m’a paru encore plus réussi que le précédent.

Mes séances de sport pendant le Whole30

J’ai commencé mon parcours sportif en 2015, et depuis je suis très active et pratique des sports tels que le CrossFit, le vélo et le yoga (pour en savoir plus sur mon parcours sportif, cliquez ici). Pendant le Whole30, j’ai vraiment essayé de tout donner au niveau sportif pour obtenir les meilleurs résultats. Pendant ce mois, j’ai fait du sport 25 jours et me suis accordé 5 jours de repos. Voici un récapitulatif des séances de sport que j’ai faites (certains jours, j’ai fait deux séances, par exemple yoga et marche).

- 9 séances de CrossFit

- 8 cours de sport chez Orange Theory

- 4 séances de marche en extérieur

- 3 cours de spinning

Lors de la première semaine du Whole30, on a tendance à avoir moins d’énergie étant donné que notre corps se détoxifie des sucres et glucides sur lesquels il se base d’habitude quand on mange du gluten et des céréales. Du coup au début du programme, j’ai plutôt misé sur la marche et le yoga. Ensuite j’ai commencé à avoir le « tiger blood » (le sang du tigre), ce qui dans le langage du Whole30 réfère au regain d’énergie qu’on a après la période de détox initiale. Du coup, je me suis mise aux séances de sport plus intensives telle que le CrossFit et Orange Theory. A la base, je ne faisais que du CrossFit mais je me suis rendu compte que j’aimais vraiment alterner les deux. J’aime les exercices de poids super badass et les défis que me pose le CrossFit, et chez Orange Theory j’adore avoir ce boost de cardio sur le tapis de course associé au rameur et aux exercices (moins intenses) de renforcement musculaire. J’adore le yoga, la marche et les jours de repos pour donner à mon corps le temps de se remettre de ces séances intensives. Et pour éviter les courbatures, je m’étire après chaque séance, j’utilise des rouleaux en mousse pour me masser et je prends des bains avec du sel d’Epsom !

Vos questions

C’est quoi, le Whole30 ?

Le Whole30 est un programme alimentaire qui veut “changer votre vie en 30 jours”. C’est pratiquement une “remise à zéro” ou une “détox” qui a pour but de vous aider à éradiquer les mauvaises habitudes et envies que vous pouvez avoir vis-à-vis de la nourriture. Le but est de vous aider à modifier votre relation à la nourriture en arrêtant de manger certains groupes d’aliments qui sont connus pour causer des déséquilibres et des sensibilités. Le programme va vous aider à retrouver un métabolisme sain. Les règles sont assez strictes : il faut éliminer tous les sucres raffinés, les produits laitiers, les céréales, le gluten, les légumineuses et le soja, ce qui en fait un programme réputé difficile. Si le programme vous intéresse je vous recommande vivement de lire le livre Whole30: 30-Day Guide to Total Health & Food Freedom ici en français car il y a bien plus à apprendre que “juste” les règles. L’auteure explique en détails le “pourquoi” du programme, ainsi que sa philosophie et sa chronologie.

Est-ce que ça coûte cher ?

Je ne vais pas mentir, le Whole30 peut coûter cher. Malheureusement, les aliments sains et les viandes de meilleure qualité coûtent plus cher que les aliments transformés qui sont remplis de sucre, de sirop de maïs et d’autres ingrédients qui peuvent mener à l’obésité. Et ces aliments sont addictifs (c’est notamment pourquoi le Whole30 est si difficile). Cependant, je vois que j’économise plutôt de l’argent quand je fais le Whole30 car je ne mange pas (ou peu) au restaurant et je ne bois pas d’alcool, que ce soit chez moi ou à l’extérieur. Manger dehors à New York peut s’avérer extrêmement cher, donc ça joue dans mon économie pendant ces 30 jours, mais ça peut ne pas être le cas pour tout le monde. De nombreux sites proposent des conseils pour faire le Whole30 en dépensant moin. Vous pouvez aussi traquer les produits soldés et manger selon les saisons pour réduire vos dépenses. Wal-Mart propose également des plats « Whole30-approved » mais je ne les ai jamais goûtés car il n’y a pas de Wal-Mart à New York !

Le plus difficile pendant le Whole30

On me demande souvent ce qui est le plus dur dans le Whole30, et ça me fait penser à une citation de la créatrice du Whole30, Melissa Hartwig Urban, qui est connue pour son amour vache : « Ce n’est pas difficile. N’essayez même pas de dire que c’est difficile. Arrêter l’héroïne est difficile. Vaincre le cancer est difficile. Boire son café noir n’est PAS difficile ». Elle n’est pas commode, cette Melissa ! Pour ma part, le plus difficile dans le Whole30 est de cuisiner quasiment tous les repas, de ne pas boire d’alcool et d’être perpétuellement en train de faire les courses ou de planifier mes repas. Ce n’est pas tant l’envie des aliments interdits que je trouve dure, mais plutôt le fait de me sentir littéralement scotchée à ma cuisinière ! Mais le « plus dur » est différent pour chaque personne. Pour certains ça sera le fait de se passer de crème ou de sucre dans le café, ou les envies de chocolat. Mais pour citer Melissa une nouvelle fois : ne vous servez pas d’excuses – vous POUVEZ y arriver. Ce sont juste 30 jours de votre vie. Vous êtes adulte. Vous êtes fort. Vous en êtes capable. Je me suis répété cette phrase de nombreuses fois pendant tout ce mois !

Comment gérer les sorties et les restos ?

Je comprends tout à fait cette question : j’ADORE moi-même sortir, aller au restaurant avec des amis, aller boire un verre dans un bar et passer du temps dehors tout simplement. Cependant, pendant le Whole30, j’essaie de repenser le concept de « sortie » et je pense que c’est un bon exercice même pour l’après-Whole30 ! Passer du temps avec ses amis, sa famille ou son partenaire ça peut aussi être se promener, aller faire une manucure, regarder un film, aller à un cours de yoga, jouer à des jeux de société… Pendant notre mois de Whole30, nous avons d’ailleurs reçu plusieurs fois des amis à la maison, ce qui nous a permis de manger Whole30 sans nous priver de voir nos amis ! Nous avions des snacks et repas Whole30 pour nous, ainsi que des plats traditionnels afin que nos invités puissent avoir le choix. Ainsi, nous n’obligions pas non plus nos amis à cuisiner Whole30 pour nous ! Nous avons même organisé une soirée pour les Golden Globes, avec des bulletins de vote et tout ! Et il ne faut pas penser qu’on est obligé de rester enfermé chez soi tous les soirs : vous pouvez manger chez vous et puis rejoindre vos amis au cinéma ou au bar et boire une eau pétillante ou un thé comme une petite mamy (et comme je faisais moi !)

Comment gérer les envies ?

Attention, c’est le retour de l’amour vache ! Souvenez-vous que vous êtes un adulte. Vous avez le contrôle et oui, vous en êtes totalement capable. Ce sont seulement 30 jours. Quand vous sentez que vous avez envie de quelque chose d’interdit, allez faire un tour (même si c’est juste le tour du bureau pour aller vous chercher à boire, n’oubliez pas de vous hydrater !), envoyez un texto à un ami (qui vous soutient !) ou prenez simplement de grandes inspirations, détendez vos épaules et votre mâchoire… Il a été prouvé qu’une envie dure seulement 3 à 5 minutes avant de passer – vous pouvez la surmonter ! Trouvez de nouvelles façons de canaliser votre énergie. Un autre point important : essayez de ne pas satisfaire vos envies par des snacks Whole30-approved. Si vous vous autorisez à remplacer une envie de sucré par un en-cas « autorisé », par exemple remplacer un Snickers par une barre Lara, ou manger des fruits avec du beurre d’amandes après le repas car « vous avez besoin de quelque chose de sucré pour terminer le repas », alors vous n’êtes pas en train de vous défaire de votre mauvaise habitude de base. Au lieu de faire cela, essayez plutôt de manger assez à chaque repas pour être rassasié et éviter les remplacements.

Les en-cas

Cela m’amène au point suivant : les en-cas ! On me demande souvent quels sont mes en-cas préférés pendant le Whole30, et pour tout vous dire, il n’est pas recommandé d’en manger pendant ce programme. Lors de ce round, j’ai vraiment essayé de ne pas prendre d’en-cas entre les repas. Cela veut dire que mes repas étaient plus gros que ce que je mange d’habitude, pour contrer la faim. Au début vous allez avoir très faim, donc il n’est pas anormal de prendre des en-cas, mais essayez de réduire leur nombre voire d’arriver à zéro à la fin du mois ! N’oubliez surtout pas de bien vous hydrater (parfois, vous avez simplement soif, et non faim !) et essayez de faire la distinction entre faim et envie. Pensez à un snack qui n’est PAS votre en-cas « spécial Whole30 » préféré : un œuf cuit dur ou du brocoli par exemple, et demandez-vous « ai-je vraiment faim ? Si oui, ai-je envie de manger du brocoli ? » et si la réponse est non, cela veut dire que c’est certainement juste une envie, et pas de la vraie faim.

La préparation / planification des repas

La préparation des repas fait partie intégrante du Whole30. Je travaille de chez moi, j’ai donc la grande chance de pouvoir préparer mes repas au moment M sans devoir les faire à l’avance. Si vous avez un emploi à temps plein vous devrez obligatoirement planifier ! Il existe des tonnes de blogs et de ressources sur le meal prepping sur internet – il vous suffit de taper « Whole30 meal prep » dans Google. J’ai acheté et préparé certaines choses à l’avance pour la semaine, comme des rondelles de patates douces, du poulet rôti fait maison ou acheté tout prêt au magasin, du riz de chou-fleur, des soupes (j’adore celle-ci du Movement Menu) et des frittatas. Je me suis également facilité la tâche en achetant plusieurs sauces des marques Primal Kitchen et Tessamae’s, par exemple de la mayonnaise à l’huile d’avocat, de la sauce ranch, de la mayonnaise chipotle, de la sauce thousand island et de la sauce barbecue. Certes, c’est plus coûteux que de le faire soi-même, mais ça m’a vraiment simplifié la vie ! Il existe également pléthore de recettes sur le Net si vous souhaitez faire vos sauces vous-même !

La motivation

Pendant le Whole30, la préparation en cuisine mais également la préparation mentale joue un grand rôle. Il faut commencer ce programme en ayant le bon état d’esprit. Dites-vous « je veux avoir le contrôle sur ma santé, mes habitudes alimentaires et la relation que j’entretiens avec la nourriture ». La planification, la préparation et la persévérance sont les clés d’un Whole30 réussi. Je vous recommande aussi d’être bien entouré – que ce soit en faisant le Whole30 en même temps qu’un ami, qu’un membre de votre famille, que votre partenaire, ou encore grâce au groupe Facebook ou au compte Instagram du Whole30.

Mes recettes simples préférées

Comme je l’ai dit plus haut, j’ai la chance de travailler depuis la maison, donc mon expérience est sûrement différente de celle de la plupart des gens qui font le Whole30. Je n’ai pas vraiment eu besoin de faire du meal prep, comme le recommande le programme. Par contre, j’ai acheté au fur et à mesure du mois de la nourriture « Whole30-approved », de la viande et des légumes en réfléchissant déjà à quel genre de plats j’allais faire. Je ne recommanderais pas cette tactique aux gens qui ont un job « classique ». Mais il ne faut pas oublier que CUISINER NE DOIT PAS ÊTRE COMPLIQUÉ ! C’est vraiment une leçon que j’ai tirée grâce au Whole30. Avant ça, je me sentais complètement dépassée à l’idée de devoir suivre toute une recette avec plein d’étapes et d’ingrédients. On peut facilement tomber dans le travers de vouloir faire des plats dignes de Pinterest et super compliqués, et se décourager. Ne faites pas ça ! J’ai souvent mangé les mêmes plats pendant ce mois. Le matin, je mangeais des œufs, de la saucisse ou du bacon, et – au choix – des épinards, du chou kale ou de l’avocat. Le midi, je me faisais en général une grosse salade avec un mix de verdure, des tomates, des concombres, des pommes, des fraises et des noix de cajou, le tout accompagné d’une vinaigrette Whole30-approved (j’adore celles de Tessamae’s et Primal Kitchen). Le soir, Gerry et moi essayions toujours de manger ensemble, du coup il préparait une grosse portion de légumes à partager et je me faisais un morceau de viande ou de poisson (en général, du bœuf, du saumon, du poulet ou du steak). Je n’ai quasiment jamais fait de recette « spéciale » car je voulais vraiment apprendre les bases de la cuisine. Avant le Whole30, je ne savais rien faire d’autre que des sandwiches, des pâtes ou des céréales ! Ne soyez pas trop dur envers vous-même et faites des plats simples qui respectent les règles du Whole30 ainsi que son modèle de repas et vous allez cartonner !

POUR VOIR TOUS LES REPAS DE WHOLE30 QUE J'AI PRIS EN PHOTO CLIQUEZ ICI

Tulum, Mexico Looks!

2019-02-03T14:39:00.001-05:00

{travel outfit: zip up, tee shirt (currently out of stock), leggings, shoes. backpack, suitcase}

{at our resort, Azulik Villas: dress}

{at our resort, Azulik Villas: swimsuit}

{casual beach cover up: dress, sunglasses, shoes: madewell}

{on the beach of our resort: bikini, curled hair with this}

{on the beach of our resort: bikini top & bottom, curled hair with this}

{casual look for biking in Tulum town: tee shirt, shorts, bag, sunglasses}

{swimming at the Gran Cenote in Tulum: bikini}

{on the beach at our resort: one piece swimsuit}

{at 'sunset bar' in Tulum Beach: dress, bag, shoes: madewell}

{on the beach in Tulum: dress}

Brooklyn Staycation

2019-01-22T14:44:00.001-05:00

After the holidays the January Blues started to hit me, hard. Chilly weather and short days can get so monotonous in the City. But I was determined to focus my energy on a New Year, even better me by concentrating my energy on positive changes & self love. I was so excited when Noelle suggested we do a friend slumber party/staycation! We booked an AirBnB in Brooklyn with a hot tub to soak & relax our worries away. It was the perfect opportunity to show off our new swimwear favorites from Aerie. I’ve been a fan of Aerie for years and I have especially loved their commitment to body positivity & inclusivity showcasing their models with zero photoshopping or retouching on a variety of real body types & amazing, diverse models. I chose a simple black bandeau top with super flattering high waisted bottoms. This Spring, for the 4th year in a row, Aerie is launching their Love The Swim You’re In campaign. For every 100% unretouched swim photo shared with #AerieREAL @Aerie, Aerie will donate $1 (now up to $50,000!) to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). I’m encouraging my readers to share their beach body because every BODY is a perfect beach body! It’s such a pleasure to collaborate with a brand that values body positivity, inclusivity & positive image and representation for all women. Special thanks to Aerie & ShopStyle for sponsoring this post & stay tuned for more #AerieREAL content from yours truly.

Home is Where the WiFi Connects!

2019-01-04T16:25:00.003-05:00

Gerry and I love our apartment. We love the neighborhood, we love our backyard, and we love the space we have. There’s one thing we definitely haven’t loved for the year and a half we’ve been living in this apartment: the Wi-Fi.

Normally it’s a home’s size that makes Wi-Fi signal weak, but in our case it was the older construction methods used in our building. Our apartment was built about a hundred years ago, so we have had to deal with quite a few areas with little to no Wi-Fi. This was frustrating when trying to stream music in the bedroom or when the Netflix in the living drops out unexpectedly in the middle of an episode of Friends.

This New Year’s, Netgear gave us a gift to help solve our problems. Their 3-in-1 Orbi Voice Tri-band Mesh Wi-Fi System and Smart Speaker with built-in Amazon Alexasystem combines a powerful Wi-Fi router with the Orbi Voice, which is a combination wireless access point and Alexa-powered voice assistant. The router lives in my office where it replaced our old, weaker router. We placed the Orbi Voice in our living room to make sure we could have the best possible Wi-Fi signal in the entertainment hub of our home.

One of my favorite features is the built-in voice assistant, which we use to check the weather and set reminders. Gerry especially loves to use it as remote control our other smart home devices like lights and speakers so we can listen to Spotify or even our record player with just a shout to our girl Alexa!

I’m pretty tech savvy, but Wi-Fi routers are usually a bit too complicated. We were impressed by how easy it was to set up the Orbi Voice. Because the built-in voice assistant is an Amazon Alexa, there was no learning curve; we were able to start using all of its features and skills right out of the box. Plus it’s super cute unlike most routers the design is super sleek so it fits in perfectly with our décor – no need to hide it under a cabinet! It really makes a perfect holiday gift for anyone who’s obsessed with the internet (like your truly!) or a great gift for a parent who doesn’t know a lot about technology but needs a great system that works!

Having a strong Wi-Fi connection in our house has been a wonderful present this kick-off the New Year. To learn more about the Orbi Voice system from Netgear click here.

Special thanks to Netgear for sponsoring this post! Happy New Year!

Festive & Glam Waves for NYE with Hot Tools

2018-12-30T23:20:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays! I’m so excited to share this festive hairstyle tutorial in partnership with Hot Tools I’ve been a huge fan of Hot Tools I’ve been using their products ever since high school. I was so excited when they reached out about their new Black Gold Collection with the Black Gold™ Turbo Ionic® Salon Dryer and the Black Gold™ Revolutionary 1” Flat Iron. I’m going to show y’all how I use these two product to create a gorgeous curls perfect for holiday parties or New Year’s Eve!

I start with damp, air dried hair. Using a towel, I gently pat my hair dry. Once my hair is about 75% dry I use the the Dryer which actually injects a high volume of ions directly into the air stream for faster drying, increased softness and less frizz. You can even adjust the ionic output according to your hair type and humidity conditions! I rough dry my hair until it’s totally dry then move onto curls! First I section my hair off. To curl the hair, I’m using the Black Gold™ Revolutionary 1” Flat Iron. As you guys have probably already seen on my channel I LOVE curling my hair with a flat iron instead of a curling iron. I love that this Flat Iron actually has a cylindrical design making it so easy to create curls or straight style. The iron is designed with titanium and micro-shine ceramic finish for silky, smooth hair. I start with one section and curl the hair away from my face. I clamp the hair with the iron, twist and pull. This creates gorgeous, tight curls that last. The rounded corners of the iron make it easy to pull the hair through. I curl with approximately 3/4” sections always turning away from the face. When you change to the other side of the hair make sure to change hands so you can continue to curl away from the face. This iron had 27 heat settings up to 455 degrees so you can curl quickly with high heat depending on your hair type.

After I’ve curled each section I twist two section in the front of my hair and secure at the back with Bobbi pins. Then to add a festive, fancy touch I use a sparkly hair pin and fasten in the middle of the hair.

That’s the finished look! I hope you guys enjoyed this hair tutorial.

Special thanks to Hot Tools for sponsoring this blog post! Happy Holidays!

My Main Camera Equipment

2018-12-20T19:34:00.004-05:00

{shop my main camera}

{shop my main lens}

{shop the perfect vlog camera}

{shop the perfect video for tutorials}

{shop my favorite tripod}

{shop this cheap & cheerful camera remote}

{shop this mini light cube}

{shop the pancake lens}

{shop my original blogging camera}