I hope everyone is well and staying healthy in our new norm. Summer is usually a time when we are all planning vacations near and far. This summer is a bit different and if there is going to be a get-away; be sure it will be near. Usually, this time of year I would be planning an August trip to Europe or some other far away destination.
Most importantly, I want to start off by saying I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy! All of us are taking on new social normals in order to protect eachother and ourselves from the invisible COVID-19 enemy. Our social and professional interactions have completely changed. We’ve become experts at virtual meetings and cocktails. We’ve adjusted to centering all of our activity around our individual homes. It’s been a time of slowing down, more time and conversation with our loved ones and adjusting to a new way of life. I truly believe it’s been a mentally challenging time for all of us. However, our primary focus is to stay healthy and keep those around us healthy.
I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy! These are certainly unprecedented times we are living in today. It’s so easy to lose track of time and the importance of taking care of ourselves both mentally and physically at times like these.
The winter months can cause many of us to get into a bit of a funk. It’s cold outside, it gets dark sooooo very early and all you want to do is cuddle up in front of the television and wait for spring. The last thing you may feel like doing is going to the gym or taking that bootcamp class to be yelled out for 45 minutes. I admit it, I am guilty of getting into this funk as well.
There are so many diets out there that it can be overly daunting to know what is the best for you and what is the difference between all of them. There’s Keto, Paleo, Plant Based, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole30, Intermittent Fasting, and the list goes on. To be honest, I’m a true believer we each know our body the best and how it reacts to the foods we choose.
I had a bit of a scare in June, but all is A-OK! But I definitely learned a lesson. I went for my annual physical and I had slightly elevated blood pressure. It has been slightly elevated for the last three years, but not high enough to warrant medication.
Everyone has a “Happy Place” I like to think. A place you go to that simply makes you smile and takes you away from your day to day. A place that makes you smile as soon as you get there and one that you are so sad to leave. My “Happy Place’ is St. Barths, formally known as Saint Barthelemy, a French speaking Caribbean island.
Marrakech was my next stop after my fantastic trip to Portugal. It did not disappoint. We arrived in Marrakech in the afternoon and staying at a riad (L’Hotel Marrakech) within the ancient walled medina.
Portugal was always on my travel list, but for some reason I just never focused on it until now. I spent ten days in September visiting Lisbon, Cascais and driving down the southern coast of Portugal spending time in the Algarve (Lagos) and Comporta. Portugal surpassed my expectations!
When thinking of vacations, many of us think of relaxing on a beach, foreign city excursions or going away to far off exotic locations. A couple of years ago we decided to mix it up and went to Kenya to a wellness and fitness retreat called Wildfitness for seven days. This was the first time I ever experienced a truly "active" vacation.
