Stefanie posted this 20-Question Survey on her blog and it looked fun, so I figured I’d give it a go… enjoy!
  

1) What is one of your favorite ways to spend a Saturday?

This is probably going to sound boring, but I just like to have a relaxing Saturday with warm, sunny weather where I can lay out in the sun with a book, go for a walk, get out on my bike, and unwind after long week!

2) List your top three favorite TV shows.

• Friends
• Gossip Girl
• Gilmore Girls

3) Would you rather be in pictures or take them?

In them!  If it’s worth a picture, it’s worth being part of the experience!

4) Why do you blog?

I love connecting with people who share my passion of a healthy, active lifestyle and sharing my own experiences!  I get so much inspiration from other bloggers, and there are so many wonderful people out there that I’ve connected with.

5) Share five websites that you visit regularly…

• My blog
• Facebook
• Google Reader
• Pinterest (my latest obsession!)
• Yahoo (personal email)

6) If you could have lunch with one person from your Twitter list who would it be?

Easy… this handsome guy!

I’ll take any chance I can get to spend time with him!

7) List a few of your favorite snacks.

• Greek yogurt
• Apples
• Granola

8 ) Do you have a pet? If so, what kind?

I’m petless!

9) Which three material possessions would you struggle to live without?

• My iPhone
• My laptop
• My Keurig (I was quick to warm up to this coffee maker.)

10) What’s your favorite drink? 

Either water or Kombucha.  They’re pretty much all I drink!

11) Do you enjoy cooking?

I actually do!  I’m not a very good cook by any means and I struggle to find the time or motivation to actually get cooking, but I do enjoy it when I get around to doing it.

12) Do you have children?

No… thank god!  I’m honestly not a kid person.  You can quote me on that 20 years from now.

13) What are your favorite hobbies?

• Exercise/Fitness
• Food
• Nutrition
• Reading
• Writing

14) Would you consider yourself to be shy or outgoing?

For the most part, I’m outgoing!  I’ll say and do just about anything… you only live once!  I do tend to get a bit shy when I’m trying to impress someone or by an authority figure since I get careful about what I say, but otherwise I’d consider myself outgoing.

15) If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change?

I know this is probably cliché, but there really isn’t anything I’d change about myself!  If there was, I’d already have done it.  It took me a while to figure out who I was and be happy with myself, but I’m definitely satisfied with the person I’ve become throughout the years.

16) Who is your favorite actor/actress?

This is a tough one for me… I don’t think I really have a favorite, but I like Tom Hanks, Reese Witherspoon, and Jennifer Aniston.

17) What’s the coolest thing you’ve done this week?

Oh boy… started my classes again?  Apparently I’m lacking in the coolness department.

18) Do you live near your family or far from them?

3 hours away… not too far.

19) List three of your talents.

• My memory – I can remember the tiniest details of any event, person, place, etc.  The little things are often the most important to me, so I like to keep them in mind!
• My creativity – This is probably more crafty-ness than creativity, but I’ve always loved crafts and projects that create something beautiful.  I can knit, make jewelry, make homemade cards, press flowers… if Martha Stewart does it, I probably can too.  I’ve gotten out of the habit of making crafts the past few years, but it’s still something I enjoy and am pretty good at!

Yep, I made this!

• Writing – I was in the accelerated English and Writing programs all through middle school and high school and passed out of all my basic Communication courses in college.  More importantly, I enjoy expressing myself with writing!  No, I’m not the type that’s going to write a novel, but I do like to think I have some talent when it comes to writing.

20) What is your greatest attribute?

I think I would have to say it’s how much I care about the people closest to me.  I will literally do almost anything for those I love and always try to put them first.  I’ll admit that I sometimes care too much and forget to think about my own happiness, but it makes me happy when I see those I love happy!  I’m repaid every day when I’m surrounded by those people I care about.

Pick one of these 20 questions to answer for yourself!

Heather

Well, I’m back at it!

Classes officially started on Monday this week, and already I’m bogged down with my fair share of work.  I was sad to see my winter break end, but it also feeds good to have some purpose again and keep busy!

I was pretty concerned heading into this week that this would be tough semester, especially considering I’m confronting Calculus once again.  If you’ve been reading my blog for years, you might remember the Calculus fiasco during my senior year of high school that I vowed to never relive.  Although after two discussion sections and a lecture, I believe there is a slight chance I may outfail the other students pass. 

With the start of classes, I’m back to my usual early, busy mornings.

This morning for breakfast I had a bowl of Nature’s Path Smart Bran topped with organic unsweetened almond milk and an organic banana.

I still think of this cereal as rabbit food (I swear rabbit food looks identical to this), but I actually like it!  The cereal, not rabbit food… thank god.

I was quick to get my Keurig-brewed coffee this morning and tried out this Green Mountain French Vanilla k-cup.

I’m pretty much in love with this flavor.  An added bonus?  My apartment smelled amazing all morning.

After two classes and a lunch break, I headed outside for a 6-mile walk.  Yes, it’s freezing, but I mentally need my time away from the hustle and bustle of downtown to stay sane!

Being my easily entertained, highly observant self, I noticed this adorable heart-shaped indent in the blacktop on my walk.

So cute!

Hope everyone is having a great week so far!

Heather

I recently mentioned that I’ve been experiencing a slight granola obsession… I’ve been eating it at least once a day, and often twice! 

One of the best things about granola is how versatile it is; I can eat it plain (my favorite), as cereal with almond milk, or mixed it with yogurt to name a few.  Granola has so many varieties that it’s tough to get bored with it, and it can be extremely nutritious as long as you read the label before buying.
 

I thought I’d put together a list of my Top 5 Favorite Granolas to date.  I’m sure I’ll find some new ones as I work my way through different brands and varieties, but right now, these are the 5 I’m loving!
 

1. Love Grown Foods Raisin Almond Crunch

First off, Love Grown Foods has some freaking amazing granola!  The ingredients are stellar, and the granola tastes incredible!  Raisin Almond Crunch is definitely my favorite of all the varieties I’ve tried, especially since I’m such a sucker for raisins and almonds.  Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find Love Grown Foods’ products near me yet, but hopefully that will change soon!

  
2. Love Grown Foods Sweet Cranberry Pecan

Yes, Love Grown Foods earns another top 5 spot on my favorites list.  Again, it has near perfect ingredients and an excellent natural taste!  The Raisin Almond Crunch beats this one out, but only because pecans will never beat almonds in my world.

 
3. Nature’s Bakery Cooperative Peanut Butter Granola

This locally made peanut butter granola is simply amazing.  I’m officially addicted!  It has such a natural taste and a clean, organic ingredient list.  I love how there are actual peanut in the granola as well as peanut butter to fully get the peanut taste! 

 
4. Nuts About Granola Plain Jane Peanut Butter Granola

I was recently sent this granola to review, and let me just say that it was one of the best single servings of granola I’ve ever had!  The peanut butter flavor was very obvious in the best possible way, and I loved the crunch of the granola itself.

   
5. Nature’s Path Hemp Plus Granola

I’ve tried quite a few Nature’s Path Granolas, but this is the one that has always stuck with me.  It’s absolutely perfect with almond milk for breakfast since it holds me over for hours!  The ingredients aren’t quite as noteworthy as some other granolas, but it still lives up to my standards. 

What’s your favorite granola?

Heather

With only one more week left of my winter break, I’ve been trying to make the most of it before my schedule gets busy again!  I’ve been hitting up yoga classes, getting in some extra time at the gym, watching movies (Warrior is an incredible movie if you’re looking for a good one to watch), and making plans with friends for next week!  Even so, today was pretty relaxing for me.
  

I woke up at 5:15am and could not fall back asleep for the life of me, so I took that as a sign to get started on my Sunday a bit earlier than expected.

I recently bought this Nature’s Path Vanilla Almond Flax Plus Granola at Target, and poured myself a bowl for breakfast with unsweetened organic almond milk.

I really like this granola!  It’s slightly sweetened without tasting fake and holds me over for hours!

Coffee was next on my to-do list!

I am absolutely obsessed with my new Keurig!  So simple to use, and it really does make great-tasting coffee. 

Given my 5:15am wake-up, I was pretty exhausted even with my coffee consumption.  Hence, a morning nap session on the couch.

I’m allowed be lazy sometimes.

I ended up heading to the gym for 60 minutes on the bike after my nap, so I guess I wasn’t all that lazy this morning!

Despite the blizzard and cold weather we had this week, it was 30*F after lunch, so I took that as my cue to head outside for a 6-mile walk.

It was actually really nice since there wasn’t too much wind, and even I’ll admit that snow can be pretty when it isn’t below freezing.

I don’t have too many plans for my evening besides squeezing in a yoga podcast and teaching late yoga class tonight, but I’ll happily take it!

Do you tend to stick it out for exercise when winter weather hits, or do you head indoors?

Heather

Well, winter has finally decided to make an appearance…

The roads were terrible and everyone was going 10mph on the highways today.  This always seems to happen with the first big blizzard, although in another week everyone will be back to their speeding ways.  
 

My morning actually started out on such a great note though!  I decided to go to a 5:30am yoga class that my friend was teaching, which meant I had to get up at 4:35am.  A little bit crazy considering I’m still on winter break, but totally worth it.  It definitely set the mood for my day!

I’m still trying to figure out how I’m going to get to this studio and take classes once school starts up again, but this 5:30am class is definitely going on my schedule.

I’ve been trying quite a few new food items lately, so I figured I’d share some of them from my last Whole Foods trip in this post…

I haven’t tried these yet, but I can’t wait to!  Whole Foods’ 365 brand has some awesome choices for cereal.

These were a brand new apple for me!  I’d say they taste similar to a gala, but less sour.  I loved them!

Matt recommended this cheese to since I’ve taken a liking to goat cheese lately.  I tried it out on a salad and really liked the subtle extra flavor it had compared to normal goat cheese!

Another one I haven’t tried out yet, but can’t wait to!  I’ve been eating granola every day, so I’m always up for trying out a new one.

The “new” item here is the hummus… I only buy hummus maybe once every 2 months, but I always end up loving it when I do.  I’m definitely a fan of dill, so the extra flavor it added was perfect for me!

I’m heading to Yoga Sculpt class tonight (basically yoga with weights) that my same friend is teaching at the studio I also teach at.  I like the concept of Sculpt classes in how they add an extra bonus of strength training, and my friend always still adds in flows to her sequence, so it ends up being a really well-rounded workout!  Perfect way to end my evening!

What’s something new you’ve tried lately and loved?

Heather

Yesterday afternoon, I met up with my parents who had come down to visit and celebrate a belated Christmas with me.  It was so nice to see them and hang out for a few hours!

As far as I knew, we weren’t doing Christmas presents this year… my parents help out a lot with me being a college student, and I assured them that that was more than enough of a present for me.  So I was pretty surprised when they brought out gifts for me to open.
 

It started out simple…

(I won $2 thank you very much!)
 

Gotta keep my feet warm and cozy.

Softest. Blanket. Ever.

And then I opened my last present…

I’m pretty sure my mom has a candid photo of me having a minor heart attack as I unwrapped this gift. 

I never even mentioned to my mom how awesome I think Keurigs are, so apparently she reads minds – I always had that suspicion about her.
 

My dad and I spent another hour playing around with my new coffee maker and we tried out 2 of the k-cups that came with the Keurig.

I’m pretty sure I didn’t need any more caffeine at 6pm, but Christmas only comes once a year!

I’ll now be spending my morning shopping online for Keurig add-ons and new K-cups varieties… and consuming more coffee than any human should.  It’s the simple things that make me happy.
  

Do you have a Keurig?

Any tips for a new Keurig owner?

Heather

My weekend started out on a great note!  I woke up at 5:30am (ok, that part wasn’t quite so awesome) and headed over to a Hot Power Flow Yoga class taught by one of my best friends.

It was the first time I had been to that particular studio and I had scored an online deal for 2 free weeks of unlimited yoga, but I would have happily paid for the class… it was awesome!

I was surprised by how hot the room got!  With 35 students in a small space at 95*F plus humidifiers and the morning sun shining through the windows, I was drenched by the end of class.  It was a lot of fun though, and a great way to start out the morning.

After class my friend and I grabbed iced coffees at Barriques…

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And then I headed back home to keep going on my weekend!

I was sort of dreading getting up early to practice last night and even this morning, but I felt great afterwards!  Definitely can’t wait to make good use out of the rest of my free 2 weeks, and I actually bought a 10-class pack from Groupon today too!  I really need to get back into the studio more often instead of just doing podcasts at home and hopefully this will push me to do that.

I had bought some organic pomegranates the last time I was shopping, and I decided to cut one open this afternoon for a snack.

I haven’t had a pomegranate in forever and I had forgotten how much I like them!  They’re terribly messy and quite an ordeal to get the seeds out, but it’s worth it in the end.

I also recently tried out some Celestial Seasonings Kombucha Energy Shots that I received to review…

Unfortunately, they didn’t do the trick for me.  I’m not an energy drink person to begin with, so I suppose these would be a decent alternative if I was, but I just couldn’t get over the sour taste and lingering aftertaste.

I have a pretty relaxing afternoon ahead of me and I teach a yoga class later tonight.  My parents are coming to visit tomorrow, so it will be nice to see them! 

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Heather

My 2012 has started out pretty low-key, but I’m very ok with that!  I rang in the New Year on my own comfy couch with the Rockin’ New Year’s Eve as my soundtrack, and spent most of yesterday taking shelter from some insane wintery weather.

This walking path was pure ice… you can imagine how eventful it made my 6-mile walk.  I am happy to report that I didn’t slip once!  If you know me, you’ll be impressed by that fact.

I’ve been finding ways to keep myself entertained during my winter break, and after I heard LMFAO perform live on New Year’s Eve and totally rock their performance, I decided to buy their album.

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Since it was only $6.99 for the deluxe edition, this felt like a steal!

Let’s just say this album has been on repeat since the moment I bought it.  They’re totally unique and I love how catchy every track on the album is!  LMFAO, you have your new biggest fan.

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A couple nights ago I watched the movie “Friends with Benefits.”

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I honestly loved it!  Funny, cute story, really good acting… all the makings of an entertaining film.  I’d definitely recommend it!

I mentioned that I’ve been on a granola kick lately, and I recently tried out another new granola.

This stuff is amazing!  It has natural ingredients and a true peanut butter taste!  I love how it’s made in Madison too.

This morning I rolled out of bed and decided to open up a box of Cinnamon Puffins for breakfast.

I’ve tried the peanut butter and the peanut butter / chocolate puffins before and really liked both, so I figured this one was apt to be just as good! 

I actually wasn’t too impressed by this cereal.  The cinnamon flavor was too sugary and fake for my tastes.  It was overall decent, but not something I’d purchase again.

Today is another pretty relaxing day!  I’m headed to Target and Whole Foods this morning, and am planning on hitting a yoga class taught by one of my friends tonight! 

Have a great Monday everyone!

Heather

2011 brought with it a lot of changes, new adventures, and amazing memories.  Despite any ups and downs of the year, I’ve come to a point where I truly feel happy and satisfied with where I am now and where my life is going! 

I feel like I’ve learned so much over the past year and have experienced so many exciting, wonderful, and happy memories to take with me.  A part of me is a bit sad to see it go, but I know I’m in an amazing place right now and have so much to look forward to in 2012!

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in 2011 it’s that taking chances and trusting your gut will always pay off. 

I think Nike has it right…

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You’ll never know if you don’t try… You’ll never have the chance to succeed if you don’t go for it… you’ll always wonder “what if?” if you aren’t willing to put yourself out there.

Embrace what scares you, because that hint of fear you feel is probably just there to remind you of how much you have to gain from whatever it is that’s scaring you.

I’d like to believe that I’m pretty good at trusting my instinct, facing my fears, and going for what I want in life, but this past year I really learned on countless occasions how much I have to gain from doing so.

I’m not a New Years resolution type of person, and I’m not even much of a goal person, but I do live by my own rules.  
  

My rule for 2012?  Go for it.  Just do it.  Take the chance.  Embrace the fear.  Because, truly, you never know how much you have to gain.

What’s one lesson you learned in 2011 that you can implement in 2012?

Heather

As much as I pride myself on being active and truly loving it, my workout clothing selection is painfully lacking. 

Sure, I have sweatpants, but they are more like lounge pants than workout pants.  Yep, I have Nike and Adidas shorts, but these tend to actually get worn as normal shorts in the summer (no judging).  Yeah, my Old Navy tank tops do the trick, but those really are meant to be worn with street clothes.  I do have sports bras that are a few years old that are fine, but they weren’t chosen with much consideration. 

That brings us to my dilemma… I was in pretty desperate need of workout clothes.
   

I currently own four of the best crops in the world – Lululemon crops.  They are among the few good-quality workout garments I own.  I bought these before I went to my Yoga Teacher Training almost two years ago, and it was probably one of the best purchases I have ever made.  Lululemon never ceases to impress me, so I figured this was where I should start my workout clothing search.

That, and I seriously love the hoodie Matt gave me from there.  It got me thinking.
    

Yesterday afternoon I decided it was time to pay the Lululemon showroom a visit. I haven’t been in there in months and I had some free time (no school for a month and everything, remember?), so I figured I might get lucky and score some deals to start my workout clothing collection.

How did I fare?

Pretty well!
     

First up, I bought a Flow Y Bra IV.

Normally $42, I scored this sports bra on clearance for $29!  It really fit me well and I loved how lightweight and comfortable it was.  I think it will be ideal for hot yoga.  An added bonus?  It fits perfectly under the tank I bought!
   

My second purchase was a Cool Racerback tank.

I LOVED how this fit me!  It was snug, but it had enough room to breath.  The lightweight, soft, stretchy fabric is going to be perfect for yoga or any exercise with a lot of movement!  I will definitely be getting a couple more of these when my bank account allows it.

Yes, this is just a start, but it feels great to have a few good-quality workout clothes added to my closet!  Now I just can’t wait to try them out!

What is your favorite brand of workout clothing?  Any “must-have” recommendations for activewear? 

Heather