Hey friends! I have all sorts of random things to share today, so I thought I’d sort it into a “things I’m loving lately” post. I haven’t done one of these in awhile! Feel free to share what you’re loving lately in the comments, too! 🙂
1) This photo.
Seriously, how cute is that?! Ashe definitely likes me a lot, but Matt is “her person” – she LOVES him. I can see why – he’s pretty awesome. 🙂 Between me, Zara, Ashe, my brother’s dog Freyja (they are arriving in 3 weeks – we are adopting her because my brother is off to grad school this fall and then hoping to move overseas later on, too), and in the fall our baby girl, Matt is going to have a LOT of ladies vying for his attention!
2) Dinner dates with best friends.
I went out to dinner with my college girls Kathleen and Sarah last night, and our dinners always make my heart so happy. Sarah was saying when we were heading out that she loves our dinners because they are full of real talk. I agree! There’s nothing like friends that you can really sit down and open up to. <3
We went to a delicious tapas place on 14th street called Estadio. We ordered a million things and shared – the cheese was incredible, as was the seafood! The garlicky shrimp (unpictured) was my fave – I’ve been so into shrimp lately!
3) Movement simply because it feels good.
I talk to my AnneTheRD nutrition clients often about changing their perspectives about exercise, and starting to view it as their “me-time” to de-stress and do something that they enjoy vs. an obligation or something they are doing to change their bodies/burn calories. It really is all about perspective – if you want to make movement a sustainable, enjoyable thing in your life, you have to find a form of movement you love, and a way of doing it that you love, too (aka solo, or with friends, outside vs. inside, classes vs. on your own – whatever)! I think this is why I’m still working out even during pregnancy, since the whole point of exercise for me is to feel good, de-stress, and enjoy the time with friends! Since it wasn’t about calorie burn to begin with, it makes it a no-brainer to continue it now even though I’m pregnant. I’m taking it easier, of course, but it still feels really good to move – it always lifts my spirits and leaves me feeling like the happiest version of myself. 🙂
My friend and fellow intuitive eating dietitian Robyn just wrote a great post about this called “Movement vs. Exercise” that I loved. So true – movement should bring joy into your life, not add stress. And if that’s not the case right now, it’s time to figure out why, and to work to change it into something that’s much more uplifting.
For me, I have a few forms of movement that I really love:
- Outdoor adventures with Matt/friends (hiking, biking, etc.)
- Running with others (solo running isn’t my fave, so I only do it if I am really in the mood to – it’s all about the socializing for me!)
- Boot camp classes (usually with others, so we can chat/use it as a coffee date)
- Yoga classes either solo or with a friend (I can go either way with yoga classes – it’s always fun having company, but I don’t mind going on my own and just zen-ing out, either)
- Walking with a friend or solo while listening to a podcast
What I don’t love? Going to the gym and doing machines, or doing solo workouts/non-classes – all of that feels like “exercise” to me. I also don’t really love working out at home – I like getting out of the house for my workouts. My workout routine is so much more FUN now that it used to be. I always look forward to my workout dates – and if I’m not, I know that it’s time for a rest day. Definitely needed that today – I was really tired this morning and it felt good to sleep in a little!
4) Sandwiches.
I’m normally not a huge sandwich person – I mean, I like sandwiches, but they aren’t usually my #1 go-to or favorite option for lunches. Plus, I used to pack sandwiches for lunch a lot way back in the day when I couldn’t think of anything else to pack, and as a result I got really sick of them for awhile. Nowadays I tend to do grain salad bowls or little tasting plates – I like all the different flavors/options that those provide. But lately (#pregnancy?), I have been craving sandwiches more again! Soft but crunchy toasted bread is the key – yummm. I’m especially loving tuna salad sandwiches, which makes sense since that’s been my favorite ever since I was a kid. 🙂 (p.s. Have you tried my Tuna Salad Recipe? That was one of my first recipes on the blog!)
I’m especially craving tuna melts lately after Kylie mentioned craving them on her blog (she’s also pregnant, and only a couple weeks ahead of me which is fun). Ever since reading that I’ve been thinking about how good a tuna melt would be! DC people – where’s the best tuna melt in the area?! 🙂 (The tuna salad sandwich pictured above was from Glen’s Garden Market, and was awesome, btw.)
Your turn: what are you loving lately? Have a great weekend guys!
