Skimm'bassador Status


The North Face Hat (I've been wearing this non-stop since my SIL & BIL got it for me for Christmas - thanks guys!) | Light Down Jacket (soooo warm - Cole has a matching one! Adorbs.) | Swifty Tech Long Sleeve | Jeans | Hunter Boots


My wildest dreams have come true! I am officially a Skimm'bassador.

What's a Skimm'bassador, you ask? Let me start at the beginning......

theSkimm is a daily email bringing you every bit of important and relevant news information including sports, weather, politics, world peace (or lack there of) and everything in between. It is all delivered in the wittiest of ways - sometimes even with subtle references to Backstreet Boy lyrics or '90s sitcoms.

Basically, theSkimm makes it easier to be smarter. For a twenty-something girl like myself who is juggling a full-time job, renovating a house, selling another, keeping myself fit, volunteering, raising two precious puppies and trying to find the time to enjoy life, date my husband and maintain friendships in between it all, I just don't have time to watch or read the news. I would literally have no clue what was going on in the world if I didn't wake up to theSkimm each weekday morning with all the major highlight's waiting for me in my inbox. Thanks to them, I can even [sometimes] carry on sports conversations with my husband!

Now, as for being Skimm'bassador....it's basically like a club for people who really love theSkimm and have convinced 10 or more other people to start reading it on the daily. You get free swag (like my tote bag in the pictures above), VIP party invites, insider information, discounts, prizes and a whole lot of other fun stuff. For example, I just got a $20 bottle of "winter" rosé for $8......if that's not a win, I don't know what is.

If you want to give theSkimm a try, just follow this link. You will get me one point closer to receiving my next Skimm'bassador swag item! I only have five points to go before I get a Skimm T-shirt. Not to pressure you or anything, but you can always unsubscribe if you don't like it........;) but I seriously doubt that will be the case.

Thanks for reading! It means so much.



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P.S. theSkimm did not pay me to write this post. I just really enjoy reading it, am pumped to be a Skimm'bassador and I love getting free gifts in the mail.

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So, I Did a Juice Cleanse


I've been curious about juice cleanses for a while. So much so that I put it on my 30 before 30 list! I haven't had the best relationship with food recently, and I felt like I wanted a fresh start in 2017, so....I ordered a 3-day cleanse to start the year off!

I did a lot of research, both on the opinions of people who had done cleanses and the companies that sold them. I settled on the 3 Day Classic Cleanse from Jus by Julie.

The 3 Day Classic Cleanse includes 18 juices - six per day. They are numbered one through six and you are supposed to drink them in that order. The main/green juices are the same each day, but the "snack" juices vary. I really appreciated the variety to keep things interesting! My favorite was PB & Jus, which tasted just like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I also thoroughly enjoyed the Chia Berry, which reminded me of Strawberry Lemonade. Matcha Chia aaaaaalmost tasted like a cinnamon latte, if I closed my eyes and tried really hard to pretend!

I went into it thinking the first day would be a breeze (thanks to having a major caloric surplus after the holidays, I thought I'd be too full to care), the second day would be kinda tough and the third day would be the biggest struggle. Boy, was I wrong.


Day 1
I started off strong. I didn't really miss breakfast (I wasn't that hungry to begin with) and made it through my first two or three juices with ease. Then, it hit. I was hungry. I felt light headed. I was exhausted and weak and basically felt like I had the flu. My head was pounding and Excedrin didn't help. The instructions that I received along with my juices said egg whites were allowed, if needed.....so, I had egg whites for dinner - the tastiest egg whites I've ever eaten! They made me feel a little bit better, but I ended up taking a nap because I was so miserable and I went to bed around 8:30, just to end the day. I could barely stomach the last juice and honestly considered quitting on Day 2.

Day 2
I came to the conclusion that my body was in dire need of protein. I eat a pretty high protein diet and all six juices combined didn't have as much protein as one of my regular meals. That being said, I bent the rules and had protein powder + water for breakfast. Technically I was still drinking my meal, and I think it really helped! I also had egg whites again at lunch because I was STARVING. After the egg whites, my hunger subsided for the rest of the day. I did, however, continue to have a pounding headache. I felt good enough to go to the gym, although I only rode the recumbent bike for 35 minutes, which is significantly less work than I normally do. I calculated that I burned almost four of the six juices off......yikes.

Day 3
I started the day with egg whites - since they seemed to have such a positive effect on previous days. I did not battle a headache and was never overly hungry! I had protein powder + water at lunch to keep the momentum going. Again, after lunch, I wasn't very hungry at all. I found that I was forcing myself to drink the last few juices and/or drinking them very, very slowly - whether I was just tired of them or my stomach had shrunk, I don't know! I definitely felt the best on Day 3; I rode the recumbent bike and did some ab work at the gym with ease.


Overall, I'm glad I did the cleanse. I wouldn't necessarily want to do it again, but I think it was the clean start I was looking for. I originally had considered doing Jus by Julie's One Day Cleanse (on Day 1 I really wished I had), but considering how each day got significantly better, I'm glad I went with the 3 Day version. I didn't weigh myself before I started (too afraid of all the cookie weight...) but I definitely feel slimmer and less bloated/"blah" than I did a few days ago. I feel like the cleanse reset my brain and reminded me that food doesn't dictate my life or control my day.

I was, however, slightly disappointed in the texture of the juices. When I buy fresh juice from Trader Joe's or Sprouts, it is often very thick and filling. These juices were watery (sometimes chunky) and did not sit heavy at all. I think having a heavier juice would have made it a lot easier to adjust on Day 1. I also really think the juices should have more added protein - even the juice titled "Raw Green Protein" only had five grams! My quads can't survive on five grams of protein!

By the end of the cleanse, my mouth tasted very acidic which I didn't like...but afterwards, anything I put in to my mouth was bursting with flavor. If you want to gain a new appreciation for chicken breast, rice and broccoli, try doing a juice cleanse! You can try a Jus by Julie cleanse (or any their products, like PB & Jus), for 40% off if you use this link.

Have you ever tried a juice cleanse? Would you ever? I'd love to hear your thoughts! In the mean time, I'll just be over here enjoying chewing real food again.



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twentysixteen

It's time for my annual "year in review" post! I love reading posts from years past - both to remember the year and to see what my resolutions were. I've literally said I was going to sign the wall at the Copper Penny for the last three years. I have yet to do it......[insert monkey covering face emoji]. I did, however, start flossing, so there's that.

2016 has a lot of ups and downs. It was full of travel, adventure and big life changes but there were a lot of mundane days, too, and some not so great things happened along the way. I guess finding the balance between the good and the bad is just a part of life!

Let's choose to remember the good.


















So, without further ado, my 2016 in a nutshell:

I turned 26. I got my first massage. My team podiumed at Fittest in OK. I got my own office. I tested out a different way of healthy eating. I was awarded fastest female rower at Cupid's Revenge. I partied in my panties and raised money to #endNF (you can donate to my Cupid's Undie Run 2017 page here). I checked visiting Magnolia Market off my bucket list. I discovered VooDoo Doughnuts. We FINALLY got a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy! I cleaned up a lot of puppy poo. Said puppy's Instagram account went viral. I said goodbye to my first dog, my Golden, Cassie. I made my Mom Grout's homemade Carrot Cake at Easter. I became a wine drinker. I joined the 200# front squat club. I helped a friend pick out her wedding dress. I drank mimosas while cheering on OKC marathon runners. I started filling in my eyebrows. We took a weekend getaway to Austin [two, actually]. I waited in line for hours at Franklin BBQ. I "climbed" Mount Bonnell. I ate VooDoo Doughnuts again....twice. I paddle boarded and didn't fall in. I was the race director for a 5k/10k for the second year in a row. I designed the logo and menu for The Lobby Lounge.  I went to a Texas Rangers game. I PR'd my sumo dead lift. We celebrated our one year anniversary with a trip to Seattle. I ate my way through Pike Place Market. I met the Fremont Troll. I rode a ferry boat. I explored Snoqualmie Falls. I ate a LOT of oysters. I competed in the Free For All Throwdown. I threw several wedding showers. I attended/was in a multitude of weddings. I tried spin class. I spent an entire paycheck at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. We added a member to the Martin family (Hi, Amy!). I planned a bachelorette party weekend in Dallas. I went to every OSU home football game - I even sat in the suites! I woke up to an Okla. earthquake. I *tried* to learn to contour. I devoured a fried gummy bear. Trader Joe's came to OKC. I became a member of the Puppies Make Me Happy Affiliate Program. I visited my parents new lake house in Northwest Arkansas and hiked the Tanyard Creek Nature Trail. WE BOUGHT A HISTORICAL HOME! I designed all the renovations for said home. I convinced Cole to dress up for Halloween as a family - Han Solo, Princess Leia, Darth Vader and an Ewok. The Cubs won the World Series. Brangelina broke up. I made a 30 before 30 list. We went back to NYC! I watched the leaves change color in Central Park. I ate $90 chicken and $2 pizza. I managed to stay clear of the Trump protests. I saw Aladdin on Broadway. I went ice skating in Bryant Park. I posed outside Carrie's apartment from Sex and the City and Holly Golightly's apartment from Breakfast at Tiffany's. I shopped in SoHo. I got a Louis Vuitton. I stayed in the most beautiful penthouse and ate at an elite restaurant, Le Bernardin. I did a TON of yard work at our new house. I [think I] tore the labrum in my shoulder - pending MRI results. I became a Skimm'bassador. I started seeing an esthetician. I was elected Secretary of the Credit Unions for Kid's committee. Princess Leia died. I spent the holidays with loved ones and ate waaaaay too much. And now, I am excited for what the New Year holds and can't wait to dive in head first.


Coming up in 2017:

  • I most likely will not sign my name on the wall at the Copper Penny, but here's to hoping! 
  • Try a juice cleanse
  • Cross the pond & check off a bunch of European bucket list items
  • Finish renovating and decorating and move in to our new home
  • Throw a dinner party at said home
  • Do a better job at keeping up with Twitter
  • Work on improving my aerobic base....for reals
  • PR my Power Clean - I've been at 180 for far too long - and get better at doing Squat Cleans
  • Start a garden
  • Make it a point to read more for pleasure (maybe 1 book a month!)
  • Break my addiction to snacking
  • Grow Amanda's OK
  • Declutter: my house, my closet, my mind, etc. 
  • Invest in myself and my future more 
  • Love myself
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