Favorite Wears: Cozy Layers

 

  It's Falllllllllll! We've finally turned the corner on cooler weather, and I'm in love. This is my favorite time of the year, and I have to soak it up because here in the midwest, it can go too quickly from hot to frigid temps.
My favorite part about Fall weather is layering. Adding cozy sweater layers makes me so happy, but still having the freedom to keep bare legs is a dream.   This is a perfect outfit for me - a bit of femininity with a skirt, but cozy top for the cooler weather, and comfy sneakers for those on the go days.  This sums up what I could wear everyday if weather allowed.
What is your go-to outfit if you could wear it everyday? Shop this outfit:

Photos by the talented Elizabeth of Elizabeth Ladean Photography.  

She shoots portraits, engagements/weddings and lifestyle sessions all around Kansas City.  

You can follow here on Facebook here and on Instagram here to see more of her work!

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My Whole30 Review

 

  I completed my first round of Whole30 earlier this week. I followed the plan, the foods and the rules for 30 days.  Overall, it was time intensive, at moments challenging and boring, and overall totally doable.  I had thought about doing Whole30 on and off for years, and finally curiosity got the better of me. After a week of reading about it on the Whole30 site and other participants' reviews, and pouring through recipes on blogs and Pinterest, I curated my own meal plan.
I used the week and weekend before I started (started Whole30 on a Sunday) to create my meal plan from the recipes and reviews I found online, and shop for ingredients and tons of produce. I also signed up for and shopped Thrive Market because you can shop for Whole30 specific products and I found a lot of items to be cheaper here than anywhere else, plus I love their own brand of foods.

Despite Thrive Market and Amazon, I made numerous trips to several grocery stores around my home for food throughout the 30 days. At least twice weekly, sometimes a lot more. It was nice to have a shopping buddy (Nora!) - and bonus for Whole Foods mini carts, she loved helping.

The First 10 Days: 
Having a ready made meal plan for day one made me feel confident. Having several meals prepared, snacks divvied out and a pantry & fringe stocked with all the compliant foods, I felt ready.

(I use Stasher bags whenever possible to cut down on how many disposable bags I use)
I felt fatigue, headaches and cravings starting on day 3, but I was still strong, excited and prepped enough to fight it. I kept to my pre-planned menu of Whole30 meals and snacks and practically hid in my room at night to avoid the kitchen. ;)
Following the meal plan I had ready, snacks prepped for me to easily grab, and meals ready to turn to when hungry kept me on track and feeling full.  And naps. I took lots of naps, didn't over extend myself and kept working out (even when I didn't want to, even if it was just walking).
Middle 10 Days:
I read that these are some of the hardest days (Whole30 says days 12-14, but I also heard from others that 15-17 were hardest), so I was mentally prepared for this part of Whole30 to be hard. And it was... but not that hard. I think I had set the expectations that it was going to be a flight, that when it came, it wasn't that bad.
At time point, I had was remaking and turning to meals/snacks that I really liked in the first 10 days, and finding more simpler things to eat... as I was getting really tired of spending so much time in the kitchen.  

{Two favorites: Easy baked shrimp, pre-cut squash noodles & cherry tomatoes & when I really didn't want to cook... a little bit of fruit, Whole30 compliant bacon and Almond butter on celery... with all the drinks.}
Final 10 Days:
At this point, I felt in a rhythm and have found my sweet spot of pre-prepped meals/snacks and easy things to make and turn to instead of spending ALL the time in the kitchen. Don't get me wrong, it still takes a lot of time - more than I was used to spend - to cook, chop, prep, make, bake, and so on.
One easy thing to do on the weekends in order to start the week on the right foot and each day more easily, was pre-made breakfasts. I loved this breakfast casserole which lasted me 9-10 days! And I did some overnight Chia Seed puddings a few times when I wanted something cold.

END RESULT?
Well... I didn't have any life-changing benefits or feel my best self like so many others have. And truth be told, I was disappointed.  I love about 4 lbs, which I guess is something - but for the amount of work and everything that was given up - I was hoping for more. Whole30 also touts their non-scale victories as most important, and I was most hoping for better sleep at night and energy during the day. I am not sleeping any different.
Negative Changes: I have more headaches than I had before, and my digestive system has not been great (and we'll leave it there).
Positive Change: My sugar craving is a lot less (though I still can't wait until I someday have some chocolate again...).
The Whole30 site has a great article of possible reasons "it didn't work."  After reading, I'm thinking my situation could be:
1. I was eating more eggs, nuts and meat than I was used too. In a separate food tolerant test, eggs are a potential flag for me.  
2. I might need more time to start feeling the benefits and for my body to shift.
So, I'm giving it some more time and eliminating eggs from my diet to see if that helps.  I'm also watching how many nuts/nut products (like Larabars and nut butter) I am eating in a day, trying to keep that down a bit more. I will reincorporate a few things, slowly and one at a time as the opportunity/desire hits me, while trying to keep close to Whole30 as long as possible.
Final Recommendations:
Overall, I would totally recommend (if approved by your healthcare provider, of course) trying this. It's a great way to eliminate a lot of things that could be issues (like sugar, dairy, gluten) and really retrain yourself on how you think about food.  And I think it's totally doable for anyone, you just have to think it through a bit. And here are some final tips & tricks that really worked for me.
1. Prep! Spend the few days to a week BEFORE starting Whole30 shopping, ordering and in the kitchen to get ahead.  This is the #1 thing that helped me get into the groove and conquer the first week.
2. Drink lots of water throughout. This had me peeing on overdrive, but it helped me stay busy and keep full.
3. Season it. Whatever you are roasting, use spices and herbs. And meat? Season it, or marinate it. It makes dishes and veggies and whatever taste so much richer and better.
I made my own Taco Seasoning (because the kind I could find at my closest store one night when I was craving taco salad had sugar in it) and I go through about one 'Everything but the Bagel' sesame seasoning blend about weekly! I liberally apply to veggies and potatoes, so good.

4. Have snacks on hand, in your car, at your desk and in your purse (EVERYWHERE). You don't want to be caught off guard hungry with nothing to turn to.  
Here are some snacks that helped me:
Lara Bars  (read ingredients, not all are compliant)   My compliant favs: Cherry Pie, Lemon and Coconut Cream Pie Found best place to buy is on Thrive Market or for some kinds, Amazon
Sliced Veggies (Peppers!) & Guac I got the individual Wholly Guacamole to easily take with me.
Nuts Personal favs: Cashews & Macadamia nuts
Nut butter & Fruit Apples are great to take along, and I got into these individual, to-go almond butter packets to squeeze on my fruit. I also love Cashew butter.
Dried Fruit You have to be careful that whatever you buy is only fruit (no sugar added) and eat in moderation, but this was good for when I was traveling and couldn't bring a ton of fresh fruit. My favorite is this dried mango.
Sweet Potatoes I peel and chop a bunch all at once. I roast what I want for 1-2 days at a time, and with the previously mentioned favorite seasoning in the world, I could eat these allll day long.
Sparkling Water I would take this to social events when others would be drinking wine. Felt better than just plain water!  Several brands you can try: Hint, Spindrift, La Croix
Here are some things mentioned throughout that helped me:

Do you have your own experience? Maybe it didn't go as well? I'd love to hear your tips and recommendations!

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Favorite Wears: White After Labor Day, YES!

 

 
My favorite time to wear white just might be after Labor Day.  And I think wearing all one color with different texture's and elements make this all-white, post-Labor Day look feel chic and unexpected.  Add in some studs, a pop of color or pattern in an accessory and mix up the types of textures to keep in interesting.
*White coffee cup not planned.
Shop this look:

Photos by the talented Elizabeth of Elizabeth Ladean Photography.  

She shoots portraits, engagements/weddings and lifestyle sessions all around Kansas City.  
You can follow here on Facebook here and on Instagram here to see more of her work!

Follow along here: BlogLovin, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

Beauty Must-Haves: My Go-To Face Serums

  I never knew what a face serum really was, or if it really did anything until about a year ago when I had a skin consultation, and learned the benefits.  I was amazed at the punch they pack, and how easy it was to include into your skincare routine. You can even keep using your other beloved products, just add serum(s) to your skin first, right after freshly cleansed. 
The tip I learned when applying my skincare products is the lighter, more watery the product - the sooner it goes on your face. Add thicker, creams later in your line up.  So, after my face is clean, I add my serums - and I use 3 - before my face lotion (at night) or sunscreen/make up (for day).
I love serums overall because of how quickly they are absorbed into the skin.  They penetrate deeper into your skin delivering active ingredients into the skin vs. lotions and creams that stay mostly on top of the skin, keeping the good of your skin in.
Here are my three serums used on the regular:

1. I use Glossier's Super Pure serum to help with breakouts. I apply this first after I've washed my face (it seems the lightest, most watery of the three) - both morning and night, typically when and where I'm more broken out, as to make it last longer. 

This serum has niacinamide and zinc that helps reduce redness, and calm blemishes.  In the month I've been using, I feel like it really is doing just that for my skin!

2. My overall goodness face serum is SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum.  I learned that the number one skin product every one should use first and foremost is vitamin C serum, which helps protect your skin from sun damage and slows signs of aging.
But in an always effort to be most efficient, I learned of Vitamin C serums that go beyond just that, and include the addition of the Ferulic acid and vitamin E, which provides further benefits. The Ferulic acid helps reverse sun damage and signs of aging. When combined alongside vitamin C and E, it can also help the stability and efficiency of those antioxidants.  
Vitamin E helps eliminate scars and permanent marks, but also said to help skin stay soft.  

3. The third serum that is also in my constant rotation is a specialized eye product. The Hydraboost Eye Serum smooths and reduces the appearance of fine lines, circles and puffiness around the eyes.  

The Vitamin B5 and hyaluronic acid help replenish moisture around the eye area while the natural tamarind, aloe and centella asiatica helps repair and soothe, and licorice root extract helps brightens under-eye darkness.

And as added bonus, while not a serum, I'm loving the M-61 Power Cleanse to help with my breakouts.  I use this a few times a week, rotating in with other gentle cleansers. Again - never apply serums on dirty skin!  It's best when they are freshly washed (even still a little damp).

Shop all these products here:

Do you have any favorite serums that you use?

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Favorite Wears: Summer Dresses for Fall

 
  I love making the most out of my clothing. I always feel best about something that can be evolved and worn all year around. This summer dress can be dressed up or down, and layered for fall. I can't wait to try my hand and styling it for the cold of winter (I'm thinking layered over a turtleneck and booties.
This perfect-for-summer bag was a total score off of Amazon. After one of my good friends, Katie,  (who has been on this blog a ton - here, as she is one of my own style inspirations) was rocking it on our recent trip to NYC, I had to pick it up for myself (under $20!).  I love when I see other people I'd admire style something unexpected and makes me think about something I would have never bought on my own. I have since worn this bag a ton to spice up an outfit or have some fun.
What are some of your own versatile pieces that you can wear a ton? Shop this outfit:

 

 Photos by the talented Elizabeth of Elizabeth Ladean Photography.  

She shoots portraits, engagements/weddings and lifestyle sessions all around Kansas City.   You can follow here on Facebook here and on Instagram here to see more of her work!

Follow along here: BlogLovin, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook