I'm becoming a life coach!

Oh hi, I’m back!!!

I haven’t blogged in a month and I’ve missed you so much, but the truth is that I needed to take some time off to turn all my focus and energy inward. I’ve been doing a ton of learning, growing, personal development, and comfort-zone busting lately and I’m so so so excited to start talking about what’s been going on behind the scenes in my life EEEEP!

Yes it’s true, I’M OFFICIALLY TRAINING TO BE A LIFE COACH!!

AHHHHH I can't believe I'm officially saying this! It's literally a dream come true for me.

The thought of life coaching has been in the back of my brain for a really long time, but I always blew it off for various reasons. “It’s not legit,” “I can’t do this,” “it’s not a real job,” excuse after excuse, especially since I’ve been trained as a formal scientist and all this feel-y stuff is new for the rational side of my brain.

But for the last 2 years I’ve been on this CRAAAAZY journey of self discovery that all started when I hit the breaking point at my old job, discovered Beachbody coaching, realized that I actually DID have control over my future and my life, and decided to design my own dream job.

Only I had no idea what that "dream job" was going to entail or how it would all pan out, so I’ve basically been on this crazy inner adventure in search of the Real Anna, noticing what made me feel good, investing in SO many e-courses, reconnecting with what I love and what makes me feel most like myself, and hustling my butt off.

THE BACKSTORY

For most of my life I blindly accepted what was drilled into my head in school, the traditional story: succeed at everything, get good grades, find a good steady job, and the harder you work the more money and success you’ll receive. (Also: you have to have a traditional job to be worth something and a valued contributing member of society).

So for the first 24 years of my life I did everything I was told to do. I got good grades. I achieved. I hustled. I set the bar ridiculously high for myself. I got a full ride to a prestigious grad school.

And then I finally launched into the real world and came face to face with the terrifying realization that I still didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life! And the job market sucked. Not a great combo.

I knew I wanted a job that made me feel excited, fulfilled, and would allow me to make a difference in the world, and I wanted to be fairly compensated for the work and talent I brought to the table, but I struggled to align the vision in my head with the reality of the job market, and “settled” for a full time job at a great non-profit that aligned with my interest in environmental science … but I never felt settled on the inside. There was this constant restlessness in my heart, this little voice that wasn’t satisfied because by searching for happiness and fulfillment in external things like trying to find the perfect job, I wasn’t being true to myself.

WHAT IS TRUE FOR ME

I’ve always known what makes me happy (although it took a bit of work to uncover and dig it all back up!)

• Reading

• Learning

• Creating beautiful and useful things

• Writing

• Being outside

• Helping people

• Making a difference

• Being seen and understood for who I am

• Belonging to a community

• (more recently) Eating healthy and working out

I’ve always been a “helper,” it’s been drilled into me since the ripe old age of 2 when my first (of three) younger siblings was born.

From the age of 10 to 18 I wanted to be a pediatrician so I could help kids.

I love mentoring and playing that "big sister" role, even when my advice is unsolicited ;) When I was a senior in high school, I wrote an entire Guide to Surviving Band Camp for the only other girl in the trumpet section.

I’ve always been passionate about making the world a better place, which led me to pursuing multiple advanced degrees in Environmental Science and Geography.

In every job, I’ve always been the person my co-workers trust to share their secret dramas, their relationship problems, their personal issues, and I LOVE hearing about all that “deep stuff” that we keep hidden and buried because we’re afraid people are going to judge us. I love being a sounding board and helping others see through the drama and bullshit to what’s actually going on in a situation.

I love helping people understand they aren’t alone. I LOVE LOVE LOVE watching women discover that they deserve to treat themselves better, and that they have all the confidence and joy they’ve been looking for inside them all along.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE JOURNEY

The incredible thing is that I wouldn’t be at this place without every single prior experience I’ve ever had, and even all my random stepping stone jobs (babysitting, working in a lab, doing field work for The Nature Conservancy, heck even bagging groceries) have taught me something about myself. NOTHING you ever do in life is a waste of time, even if down the road you never end up “using your degree” or building on one specific career path. It’s ok to pivot!

But hands-down the biggest turning point for me was getting involved with Beachbody. I discovered Beachbody coaching at a moment when I needed it the most, a breaking point if you will, when my inner “true Anna” couldn’t take any of the bullshit I was giving her and I was about to crash and burn at my job because it was draining my soul (sounds dramatic but I know you’ve had a soul sucking job before!), and I held onto this new opportunity like a life raft because (1) it aligned with so many of my strengths and passions and also (2) I could see the financial opportunity.

Beachbody coaching has given me a community, coaching experience, financial freedom to chase this new dream without putting pressure on it to support me, and I will ALWAYS keep running my monthly health and fitness accountability groups and growing my team, because we have something really amazing going on and I love sharing the business opportunity with other women just like me.

Beachbody is so much more than a health and fitness company. It’s a movement of second chances, fresh starts, and transformation. It led me back to myself, who I really am beneath two decades of putting on layers to conform to what I thought society expected me to be, and it helped me realize I CAN make a living by being myself.

So in case you’re wondering, my Beachbody biz is not going anywhere except up!

FOLLOW YOUR BLISS

Last spring was when I started to seriously consider the prospect of going one step further and pursuing some sort of life coach training, five or six months after I had quit my job to work my Beachbody business full time.

I’ve found that when you’re following your curiosity down the right path, the universe will throw all sorts of random signs and coincidences in your way, and last winter I was kind of struggling to get my business off the ground, feeling lost and overwhelmed, and started to come across all these blogs of beautiful, creative, passionate women who were doing EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO DO. What did they have in common? They were all life coaches.

Then I scrolled across a random post on Instagram from one of the Tone It Up girls in Chicago I followed, saying that she was moving back home to chase her dream of being a full time life coach and I thought BINGO! I Immediately reached out to ask her more about how she made it happen and to meet up to chat before she moved.

That girl became my own very first life coach. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to invest in a life coach, I mean is it really worth it? I’m pretty good at journaling and reading personal development books, but I knew that I had to do this and it changed my life, blew me wide open, and made me 100% certain I needed to do this too. Yup, investing in a life coach is SO worth it, if you’re ready to make big shifts in your life.

Fast forward another 4-5 months to last fall. I had continued to build my Beachbody team and was finally starting to feel financially stable, and was tooling around on the internet exploring different life coach certification and training programs.

The thing with life coaching is that it’s pretty unregulated, and there’s so many different ways you can seek training or certification. I wanted to make sure I found a training program that was recognized, successful, had high integrity, would give me the tools and knowledge I needed, and also aligned with my heart and vision for my business. I’m done with academia and didn’t want a cold or sterile training course - I wanted one that would allow me to shine and align with my values of authenticity, creativity, and self expression.

TRAINING WITH BEAUTIFUL YOU

God led me straight to the Beautiful You Coaching Academy and it just felt SO good. I stalked some of the BYCA coaches, and really resonated with their messages and approach, so I knew this program would help me become the coach I really wanted to be.

It took me weeks of inner conflict before I pulled the trigger, but last fall I did it, and in February I started my online training!

I’m halfway done right now, and it’s been hands-down the 2nd best decision I have ever made in my life, right after marrying Ben (duh). I'll definitely share more about the program and experience when I'm officially finished, but I can't say enough good things about Julie Parker, her team, the course, my fellow trainees, my gorgeous coaching buddy Aneesa, and everything about it.

I finally feel like I am aligned with my purpose. I don’t even know how to describe it because it’s something you have to feel to understand, but let me put it this way: my anxiety is GONE. I am full of hope, confidence, optimism, and know for certain I’m on the right path.

WHY LIFE COACHING?

What I’ve noticed from spending the last two years working with hundreds of women in my online health and fitness accountability groups (and mentoring a team of over 150 other coaches), is that when women want to learn how to eat healthier, workout, lose weight, and gain confidence and energy, or change any aspect of their life, they’re seeking external solutions for what they think is an external problem (weight or physical health).

But really it goes SO MUCH DEEPER than that.

It’s about the weight, but it’s not about the weight.
It's about the job, but it's not about the job.
It's about the relationship, but not about the relationship.
It's about the binging, but it's not about the binging.

It’s about how we FEEL on the inside, and our relationship with ourselves.

It’s not just about learning how to eat healthy.

It’s about learning how to love yourself for who you are, right now, and believing that YOU ARE WORTH more. Believing deep down in your core that you’re worth investing in yourself through time, money, and energy. Learning it’s not just OK to put yourself first, but it’s NECESSARY in order to be truly happy.

Doing the outer work (exercise, losing weight, eating right) is relatively simple. Just follow the steps. Health and fitness will always be a huge component to my coaching because it IS so important to honor and respect our physical bodies, but the outer work is just one piece of the puzzle.

Doing the inner work to get you to where you actually want to be is freaking HARD, and that’s why it’s so important to have support along the way, someone to guide you and cheer you on and light the path, encourage you when you want to give up, and teach you how to recognize who you were meant to be.

And that’s who I want to be as a life coach!

I want to help women on a deep and profound level, support and guide them through the process of figuring out who they are, and help them create a life and livelihood that lights them UP and allows them to make a massive impact in the world in their own way.

So that’s what I’ve been up to! Stay tuned for so much more as I figure out the direction of my own life and business :)

Does all this make you say OMG YES HELP ME ANNA? (I love you).

In addition to my monthly health and fitness coaching, I’ll be taking on a small number of one-on-one life coaching clients at a special intro rate by early summer and I can’t wait. AH!

If you want to be the first to know, make sure you’re signed up for my newsletter because I’ll make the big announcement there first!

And thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for reading this, supporting me, and being here to follow along my adventures.

xo Anna

Beachbody does not guarantee any level of success or income from the Team Beachbody Coach Opportunity. Each Coach’s income depends on his or her own efforts, diligence, and skill. See our Statement of Independent Coach Earnings located in the Coach Online Office for the most recent information on our Coaches’ actual incomes.

The Statement of Independent Coach Earnings can be found by CLICKING HERE!

The Master's Hammer and Chisel Review

I’m really excited to finally share my official review of The Master’s Hammer and Chisel! 

Here are my official "before and after" pictures, from January 4th (left) to March 6th (right). 

Two weeks ago I finished my last workout of this program (which I’m just going to call Hammer and Chisel from here on because let’s be real, that name is super long and ridic. Actually let’s just make that H&C, yeah?).

Hammer and Chisel is one of Beachbody’s latest at-home fitness programs, an 8 week strength and lifting adventure that’s designed to build strength, power, stability, agility, and performance in your body.

The preview for this program launched way back at the closing celebration of the 2015 Coach Summit in Nashville last July, and let’s just say that putting a cheesy infomercial promo video on a jumbotron while you’re sitting in an NFL football stadium surrounded by the energy of 10,000 other coaches and the trainers Autumn and Sagi in real life makes it SO FREAKING awesome and I pretty much exploded with excitement. #coachlife

I couldn’t wait to finally get my hands on the program when it launched in December because I LOVE strength training and it looked like so much fun!

I officially started the program in January and it actually took me 9 weeks to complete because I took a week break in the middle to go to Jamaica, but I can’t believe it’s over! The time flew by. It's truly unlike any other fitness program out there, scientifically designed to combine the best of strength training, agility, power, endurance, and sculpt your body to be lean AND strong.

WHAT I LOVED

+ What I loved the most about H&C is that it re-defined my relationship with food and my body.

I learned how to eat to fuel my performance instead of eating to be “skinny”, and learned how important it is to eat MORE calories instead of living in a constant mindset of restriction. I was never athletic or into fitness growing up, and I’ve been on a personal journey of developing positive body image and self love for the past several years. Yup, even as a health and fitness coach, I’m most definitely a work in progress!

+ Also, when you commit to starting and finishing a longer program like this, you get the most incredible feeling of accomplishment.

+ I never got bored! This program went by SO fast. I don’t usually have any trouble finishing 60 or even 90 day programs, but by the end I’m completely sick of doing the same workouts every single week. Hammer and Chisel has 12 different workouts, and the calendar mixes them up constantly so you have no idea what’s coming in the week ahead.

+ I loved the workouts! There’s a combination of heavy weights, endurance, cardio/HIIT, balance, agility, and each one is a little different.

WHAT I LEARNED FROM HAMMER & CHISEL

I learned that when you lift weights every day, you won’t just lose weight, but your entire body composition will change.

I learned that when you gain muscle, you boost your metabolism (hello, extra food!) and make your body more resilient to bumps in the road (hello all inclusive vacations!)

I learned that when you gain muscle, your results will be MAINTAINABLE.

Here’s where I’m at 2.5 weeks after completing the program, including one week spent on an all-inclusive Caribbean cruise (on which I definitely consumed my fair share of chips and guac, wine, froyo, and rum punch).

I’ve done programs before that focus on “quick results” and slimming down as fast as possible. Let’s face it. Those types of results are never sustainable, and I’d end up losing my progress and ending right back where I was.

With Hammer and Chisel, I have so much muscle and strength that these results aren’t going anywhere, and I don’t have to feel guilty for “falling off the wagon.”

I consider myself a recovering perfectionist, and with perfectionism comes a type A all-or-nothing mindset. It’s easy for me to convince myself that if I’m not 100% perfect at something, I might as well not even try. This relates to working out and eating too -- in the past, I thought if I couldn’t stick to a plan 100%, I’d automatically fail, and that I had to feel shame and guilt for slipping up and having a “non-approved” treat. I’ve been healing from this mindset for the past two years, basically ever since I became a Beachbody coach and did the 21 Day Fix, but Hammer and Chisel brought me even further on my journey because I KNOW there’s no such thing as perfect.

The workouts are only 30-45 minutes a day, which countered any false belief that you have to do an hour of cardio plus extra “toning” to get results. They’re primarily focused on total body strength and weight lifting routines, but they push you to really challenge yourself.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

-Get some accountability! Whether that's your partner, friend, a coach (oh hi!), or joining a challenge group ... you will NEED someone cheering you on!

-Add stretching! I personally feel like there needed to be more rest days built into the program calendar. You workout six days a week which in itself isn’t too much, but the workouts are ALL intense, total body routines and some weeks I felt a little over-tired or burned out.

-Make sure to fuel yourself properly and listen to your body.

-Shakeology is super important because it will ensure your body is getting all the nutrients it needs! I drink it every day, it’s a non-negotiable for me.

-I also loved adding the Beachbody Performance Line, specifically the Recover protein shake. I had one after the more intense workouts, 4-5 times/week.

-Track your weights on worksheets and challenge yourself to increase your weights every time you do a workout (you repeat each workout at least every 2-3 weeks).

WHAT DO YOU GET WITH THE MASTER'S HAMMER AND CHISEL?

You can purchase different packages depending on your goals. I recommend the Challenge Pack, which is a bundle of Shakeology plus the base program which comes with all 12 workouts, a couple bonus workouts, three different workout calendars, a nutrition guide, and a free trial to Beachbody On Demand so you can stream the workouts online or through an app (that's what I do)!

There's also an expanded "deluxe" kit that comes with some additional bonus workouts I'm probably going to end up purchasing.

WHO IT’S FOR

Due to the intensity of the workouts and compound movements, and the 6 days a week schedule, I'd personally recommend this program for people at an intermediate to advanced fitness level.

If you’re just getting started with working out or learning how to eat healthy, the 21 Day Fix is the best place to start!

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU REALLY NEED??

+ Several sets of dumbbells
Ranging from light (the weight you’d use for shoulder presses) to heavy (the max amount you would squat). I got away with 5lbs up to 25 lbs, but I definitely need heavier weights for the lower body exercises. I have my eye on these adjustable dumbbells!

+ A stable, high quality bench OR an exercise ball
I used a stability ball and it worked just fine. There are modifications shown in all workouts if you don’t have a bench! If you do want to invest in a bench, my friend and teammate Brittany recommends this PowerBlock workout bench. She says it’s a lot more sturdy and safe than cheaper ones at Target.

+ A pull up bar OR resistance band
I do recommend an over the door pull up bar. If that’s not possible, you can wedge a resistance band into a door crack and do lat pull-downs instead of pull ups! There are a lot of pull ups and chin ups in this program though. I placed a step stool under my pull-up bar and assisted myself with my legs...otherwise you can get this awesome stretchy assist band!

+ A good quality mat

+ At least 6x6’ of space

Yup, this is a more high maintenance program in terms of equipment needed -- but it's an investment in YOU and well worth it if you're committed to creating a home gym.

WORKOUT DESCRIPTIONS

One of my favorite things about this program is that there are TWO trainers, Autumn Calabrese and Sagi. Autumn is the “chisel” and Sagi is the “hammer,” and they each have 6 workouts. Autumn’s Chisel workouts tend to be more compound movements, and Sagi’s are geared more towards building muscle (although they both mix it up too). With the 60 day calendar you alternate Hammer and Chisel workouts every other day.

The program also comes with two additional 30 day calendars, one with only the Chisel workouts if you want to, and one with the Hammer workouts if you want to.

I could see myself completing the Chisel calendar later this spring because I loved almost all of the Chisel workouts!

Chisel Balance - A total-body workout creating stabilization, muscular endurance, and core strength.

Iso Strength Chisel - An intense resistance workout using isometric holds and flexibility to increase strength.

Chisel Endurance - Increase muscular endurance and strength in this time-under-tension workout.

Chisel Cardio - The cardiovascular resistance routine will increase heart rate, circulation, and burn an intense amount of calories.

Chisel Agility - A challenging cardio workout that will help you move quickly, improve coordination, and create greater stabilization.

Total Body Chisel - This full-body resistance workout focuses on creating lean muscle and strength.

Hammer Plyometrics - This jump training workout will use your entire body to create force, speed, and power.

Iso Speed Hammer - A tempo training workout that uses speed and isometric holds to create strength and grow muscle.

Total Body Hammer - A hypertrophy workout focused on pyramid-style sets to maximize strength and muscle growth.

Max Hammer Strength - Start with a pre-fatigued muscle, finish with a maximum lift. Increase strength, power, and muscular development.

Hammer Power - This intense powerlifting-inspired workout will increase speed, reactive strength, and power.

Hammer Conditioning - A workout based on compound movements that will improve stability, coordination, and strength.

10 Min Ab Chisel - This core-crusher will transform your midsection, without ever getting on the floor.

10 Min Ab Hammer - Carve definition into your core while strengthening your entire ab complex.

HOW IMPORTANT IS NUTRITION?

Like the calorie breakdowns in 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix EXTREME, the ones in The Master’s Hammer and Chisel Program and Nutrition Guide also include the number of color-coded, portion-control containers your bracket requires each day to meet your goals. If you want to gear your nutrition toward building more muscle (a surplus), or toward shredding fat (a deficit), you can use the Nutrition Plan Quiz to recalculate your calories to help you reach your goals.

Nutrition is EVERYTHING. This program really taught me how to fuel my body and eat for energy, not to be skinny. Because it's a longer program, I wanted to really make it fit into my LIFESTYLE, instead of fitting my lifestyle around my workout/meal plan.

Therefore...

I did try to follow the nutrition plan most days, but I left some space for date night and treats here and there. “Date night” for me entails a glass or two of wine, a salad or healthy dinner, and maybe a piece or two of pizza or bites from Ben’s plate, so nothing too crazy. Let’s be honest, I probably drink about 3-6 glasses of wine a week, and that’s something I’m not going to cut out of my life. Late winter is the easiest season for me to stay on track because there aren’t any major holidays and it’s too cold for my froyo addiction to hit full force. I also make sure to keep junk food OUT of the house or at least out of sight, because if I can see it I’ll want to eat it!

This is what a "treat meal" looks like for me once or twice a week ... brunch, beers, froyo, or date night (NOT all at once, but maybe a couple at once haha).

I’m lucky to work from home and have more control over my kitchen, but if you have office temptations, do your best to stay out of the break room and always have a healthy snack as an alternative.

I’ve also learned that if I give myself wiggle room and cut myself some slack, it’s easier for me to actually listen to my body and eat healthy, because if I know that treats aren’t “off limits,” it’s easier to say no. Restricting yourself is a mind fuck and will trigger mad emotional cravings because we always want what we can’t have, regardless of how it will make us feel physically! If you tell yourself you can have a treat, you’ll empower yourself to say “no thanks” because it doesn’t meet your goals and will make you feel like crap.

Give yourself a choice!

WHAT'S NEXT FOR ME

I've been taking the past couple weeks "off" a designated program and getting back into running now the days are longer, but I'm going to continue working on my strength and intuitive eating goals!

I will say that when you're committing to a program like this, ACCOUNTABILITY IS KEY. So key. I would have given up so many times if it wasn't for my team of coaches who were doing the program together with me, and my Inspire Joy accountability group!

xo Anna

I choose to become an affiliate of products which I believe are truly helpful to my readers and that I use myself, and I may receive a commission on purchases made through the links I provide on this website. I am not a licensed nutritionist, or expert in any healthcare field. I am an Independent Beachbody Coach who is a product of the products I use from Beachbody.

Please see your physician before changing your diet, starting an exercise program, or taking any supplements of any kind.

Life Lately

Oh hiiii! How's it going? Can you believe it's already MARCH? This year is flying by.

February was a whirlwind month for me, and I've been missing blogging a lot so I'm popping in today to update you on what's going on in my life these days!

I'm writing this post during commercial breaks as I binge watch The Bachelor online to catch up on episodes! I had to get up at 4:30 this morning to take my sister to the airport, it is now 3:00pm, and I have literally been here on the couch all day. It's been a super busy month so I am taking advantage of some downtime! This is such a ridiculous show, but I can't stop watching... 

There's currently a layer of snow outside my windows and I'm snuggled with a fuzzy blanket, but there's also a pot of blooming hyacinths sitting next to me that are making our apartment smell like SPRING and I know warmer days are finally on the horizon! Winter is always a struggle for me. My energy dips, my anxiety spikes, and it's just not fun...can you relate? Sometimes I'm ready to pack my bags and move to southern California, but then spring arrives and Chicago wakes up and the energy reminds me why I love this city so much.

On the business front...the end of February marked my second year as a Beachbody coach, and I am supersuper happy I've made it this far! Year Two definitely felt like a sophomore year. You know when you're a freshman, your excitement and energy is at an all time high because you're starting something new, but you don't know what you're doing yet...and then sophomore year hits and you start to realize how much you don't know and just want to be an upperclassman and it's super awkward. Yup that's kind of what it's like to build a business. I can see how far I've come but I can also see how far I still want to go, and I'm learning how to have patience and be at peace with where I'm at.

Not gonna lie, the past few months have been kind of rough for me and I've been battling a lot of self doubt, but in February I officially broke through some major ceilings and am making big things happen for my business and my coaching team! I updated our new coach training program, presented a webinar to my bigger team on attraction marketing, and have been welcoming so many incredible new coaches to Inspire Joy! If you're curious about what I do and want to learn more, check out my team page HERE and don't hesitate to shoot me a message, I love to answer questions about Beachbody coaching!

Something SUPER EXCITING is that I've officially enrolled in a life coach certification program through the Beautiful You Coaching Academy!!! Our six month online course started this month and it's already changing my life. I just feel this really deep and positive shift in energy deep inside of me, like I'm finally locking into alignment with my potential and purpose in life. WAAAAAA. 

I've been paired with a fellow trainee to be my "coaching buddy" and we're practicing doing a full coaching series on each other as we go through the course. Having someone to hold me accountable to my big scary stretch goals is amazing, and I can't WAIT to see where the rest of this year goes.

I'm definitely going to continue hosting monthly health and fitness challenges, but I also want to start going deeper and coaching women one on one to help them break through their inner barriers and discover their full potential. 

These pictures basically sum up my thoughts about February. Trying to bring as much spring as possible (find my spring scarves here!) and also trying to not let winter hold me back.

One of my goals this year is to get out and explore the city a little more. We're going into our fourth year in Chicago and it's easy to take the city for granted when you live here. For Valentine's Day Ben and I braved a snowstorm and visited the Chicago Cultural Center for the first time, then grabbed drinks at one of my favorite bars, Three Dots and a Dash! It's a hidden underground tiki bar with a mid-century South Pacific vibe, perfect little mini-retreat in the middle of winter.

Aaaand then there were the weekends where the sun came out and melted the snow! We also got out to visit my happy place, Nature Boardwalk and the Lincoln Park Zoo. This is my favorite view in Chicago! And being around all the old trees in Lincoln Park makes me so happy. The park has existed since the very beginning of the city so the trees are over 150 years old and make my inner tree-nerd happy.

As much as I like Chicago, it can definitely get draining to be around the hustle and grind, so I took a few days the other week to drive back down to central Illinois to visit my family! All three of my siblings are living at home right now, which might suck for them but is great for me because I can see everyone all at once :)

Just driving out of the city back into the open skies and cornfields feels like an EXHALE. It was great to unplug a little and spend time hanging out with my fam and their crazy schedules.

I went to my littlest sister's jazz band concert, visited Peoria Brewing Company with my dad and brother, and grabbed lunch and froyo with my best friend! 

On the fitness front, February was the month I committed 100% to my lifting program Hammer and Chisel! I am FINALLY ON THE LAST WEEK of this 8 week adventure! I can't wait to write my official review next week and share my before and after pics. I definitely haven't lost weight (and wasn't trying to), but I've gained SO much muscle and feel amazing. You can follow along my day to day journey over on my Instagram!

I also snuck in a couple jogs when the weather was nice, and am looking forward to getting back into running this month.

I was also SO excited about the launch of Shakeology's newest flavor, Cafe Latte in February! It tastes like a frappucino but without caffeine since it's flavored with sustainably sourced coffee fruit, not the bean. This was extra exciting for me because I cut caffeine out of my diet last fall to help me manage my anxiety (it's helped a ton!), and oh my gahhhhh do I miss coffee!

I've been drinking Shakeo daily for two years now and it's a no-matter-what staple for me. Superfoods, probiotics, vitamins, protein, and it just makes me feel goooooood. You can read my review here, and let me know if you want to order some!

Speaking of delicious, I also ate lots of yummy food in February. My book club had a fancy tea at The Guesthouse Hotel and oh myyyyy gosh. Macarons, scones, croissants, cupcakes...we gorged ourselves and the setting was adorable! 

Ben and I love trying out new restaurants, and discovered an amazing Cuban place in our old neighborhood called Cuba 312. It's BYOB and I highly recommend! The restaurant is small and cozy, and the service was amazing. We started with the avocado salad with a delicious chimichurri dressing. I got a chicken dish with rice, beans, and fried plaintains, and Ben got a pork dish that was literally the best pork I've ever had. We'll definitely be going back.

On one of the freakishly warm Saturdays I met up with some girlfriends for brunch at Frasca, another fave restaurant. Their breakfast pizza is to die for, but I chose the breakfast sandwich this time around, also an amazing choice.

February was a month full of growth, adventures, friends, and family. I guess it doesn't really get any better than that :)

Bring it on, March!

xo Anna