Workout Playlist # 2

I love switching up my music and finding new jams to motivate me during my workouts. Download these ASAP and get out there and kill it! Here are some of my recent faves...and some re-discoveries of old favorites!

Oath- Cher Lloyd

Play Hard- David Guetta ft. Akon

Wings- Little Mix

We Can’t Stop- Miley Cyrus

All of the Above- Maino ft. T-Pain

Pretty Girl Rock – Keri Wilson

Haven’t Had Enough- marianastrench

Hold Yuh- Gyptian ft. Nicki Minaj

And a few latin ones for kicks:

Haste Que Salgo El Sol- Don Omar

Danza Kuduro- Don Omar

Don’t knock em til you try em! Maybe it’s the Spanish student/zumba lover in me, but I find pop latin music to be crazy motiviating!!

~Lauren



Flavors of Denver

My absolute favorite way to explore a new area, vacation or have an adventure is through food. I like to experience life by tasting and sipping my way down the city streets of San Diego. Savoring the flavors of a chi latte on the California shores with my best friend by my side was memorable - because of the flavors and the company.  Naturally, when moving to Denver, I was most excited to try new restaurants and coffee shops. There are so many amazing places in this incredible city that my mind gets overwhelmed and my tastes buds quiver just thinking about it. For those of you that live close to the Denver area- here’s the 4-1-1 on the places I have tried so far. And for those reading from a distance, be jealous, move here and be prepared to be hungry after reading this post. 

Steam: Coffee shop

This super trendy, urban coffee shop on South Pearl St is the perfect balance of simplicity and uniqueness. I loved the airy feel because of all the windows and the garage door that was raised to allow a floor to ceiling opening for the Colorado breezes to come through. My pour over coffee was dark, bold and flavorful. 

Sassafras: Breakfast and Lunch

Located in the Highlands of Denver, this beautiful home turned restaurant serves up the most delicious, decadent Southern Creole breakfasts. It is extremely popular so my sister and I sipped on the complementary coffee outside, bouncing Halle on our laps until we were seated. The staff was friendly, helpful and made the experience memorable. I had Truffle Mushroom grits with peas, goat cheese, and a fried egg sunny side up. It was savory, rich and I finished every last bite. My sister had the fried green tomato Benedict and she raved about the uniqueness of the dish. The coffee was above average, which is huge for this coffee loving girl.

The Populist: Lunch, Dinner, Drinks

 If you’re looking for a cool energy spot The Populist is it. This hipster restaurant located in LoDo has an amazing atmosphere and funky family style seating on their patio. Our server recommended sharing everything you order and getting about 5-6 items between the two of us. This seemed excessive so we stuck with 3 but were not totally satisfied afterwards. The menu was difficult to understand because there were no descriptions of the food, so it’s a great place for the foodie adventurer. The portions were small but the flavor was big. I would recommend the Populist as an appetizer and drink stop on your way to your dinner destination. 

True Food: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 At the moment, this might be my favorite eatery in Denver. It’s healthy, fresh dishes are appealing to me and I have yet to try something that I don’t love! It has clean, retro vibe that goes along with their clean eating menu. This is the Core Four’s favorite restaurant so it made sense that we choose to eat here as one of first meals together all in the same city again. If you’re in the Cherry Creek area looking for the perfect lunch spot, True Food will be sure to deliver a meal that will not disappoint any healthy eating pallet. 

  *(Did you know, it’s been over 2 years since the Core has all lived in the same city?) 

This only scratches the surface of amazing places in Denver. I am excited to keep exploring the city through flavors, food and of coffee. If any of you have recommendations I would love some new suggestions. 

-Er

My Top 5 Current Joys

1) "Love and Affection"- Matt White I love love love love this song. I had it on repeat the entire morning yesterday. I listened to it upwards of 50 times i'm sure and I'm still not sick of it. "love and affection"

2) Orange Theory Fitness with my best. Er and I decided to try a week trial at Orange Theory and I'm officially hooked. Its like a feminine cross-fit. Sorry cross fit people. The workout incorporates treadmill interval training, rowing, and weight training in a series of three blocks. Its the perfect combo of all that I love in a workout, small "group" fitness feel and an intense one hour workout.

3) Yesterday after dinner, Lee and I wanted to bike ride over to our favorite frozen yogurt spot. We checked the weather and headed out thinking we were free of rain until 11:00. We enjoyed a delicious cup of yogurt on the outdoor patio of Nova. After yogurt, we saddled up just as a giant thunderstorm decided to accompany us home. We stopped off under a parking garage to see if it would let up, but after 15 minutes of waiting we realized we were in a giant monsoon and had no choice. We blasted home in water so deep I could barley see my feet. It was just about as romantic as they say dancing in the rain is. It was so fun. Ill risk a bike ride to yogurt in the rain with Lee any day.

4) Brady, the little boy I'm nannying is my co- adventurer. The only way to stay sane watching a 2 year old is to get out and explore. If I had to play with blocks and Thomas trains for 9.5 hours a day I would go insane. We already have quite the routine... Monday: Children's Museum, Tuesday: Little Gym, Wednesday: Story time, Friday: Zoo so I try to adventure with Brady on Thursday's and do something fun and different outside of our weekly routine. The really wonderful thing about Brady is that when you get excited about something, he gets excited about it too.  Last week, I took Brady to an indoor water park. You can see the entire pool area when you walk in the front doors. The second Brady saw what we were going to be doing that morning he squealed with excitement and blasted ahead of me as fast as his little two year old legs could carry him. I love when he can't contain his joy. Those are some of the moments I really love my job.

5) Lately, if I have a terrible sweet tooth I blend up one frozen banana with some dark chocolate almond milk. Just two ingredients and it makes a cold little milk shake post dinner treat.

Its the little things.... have a great week seeking joys along the way!

- Mekenzie

Work Out Wish List

I go through phases where I only buy certain items while out shopping. I go through stages of only tank tops, lots of prints, cooking gadgets, jewelry, and as always, I'm always in the mood to buy new running shoes. Right now I'm on a kick to buy new work out clothes, accessories and gear. It makes me more motivated to exercise when I'm wearing a new outfit and my hair  is wrapped in the cutest new headband. My budget is tight but here’s what’s on my wish list for fitness gear!

LuLu for Life

It’s supportive and adorable- what more could you ask for. Plus, no wish list is complete without some LuLu!

http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clothes-accessories/women-sports-bras/All-Sport-Bra?cc=7218&skuId=3495531&catId=women-sports-bras

Heart Rate Monitor

This item is inspired by our girl Lauren. She got one for her birthday and hasn’t done a work out since without it. I get envious of her when we go on runs together because she can tell how far she's ran, the amount of calories burned and can make sure to keep her heart rate in her target zone. I NEED this. 

This is the one Lauren has, but hers is pink. 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005O9JJVI/ref=s9_simh_bw_p200_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-5&pf_rd_r=6469D0A88523473497D5&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1306311262&pf_rd_i=3407971

Tank Top Trends

It’s all about the tank tops, especially in the summer! I like this simple and affordable Nike tank. The bold, bright lettering is fun and it’s loose fit is my favorite! They have other colors too!

http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/pd/futura-racer-2-tank-top/pid-683321/pgid-656259

Head in the Game

I love head bands. If they get too thick though, they make me super hot almost like I’m wearing a winter beanie while running 6 miles in the summer. Not a fun feeling. This one is stylish, small and unique. And for only $12 it can fit into anyone’s budget. 

http://athleta.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=84140&vid=1&pid=694522272

Bag it up

I thought I was done with LuLu Lemon things on my wish list, but this gym bag is to die for. It’s huge, can hold up to 50 pounds and heck, it’s bright and beautiful! As for LuLu prices, it’s not too shabby either. 

http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clothes-accessories/women-bags/Go-With-The-Flow-Bag?cc=11044&skuId=3494199&catId=women-bags

I love these new fitness items. My budget my not call for all of them but a girl can dream, right! 

XO,

-Er

Sip on Summer

I’m not sure how you all feel, but to me it’s seems like it’s been an extremely hot summer. I cannot walk to my car without a bead of sweat rolling down my forehead. The humidity in Colorado this summer has been worse than I have ever known which turns my hair into a giant lions mane. Whenever it’s this hot, I find myself reaching for a cold beverage and wanting to sip on it all day long. Only problem is that most of the cold frozen treats are loaded with sugar and calories. Starbucks newest Frapacinno, Carmel Ribbon Crunch contains a whopping 580 calories and that’s just for a tall! If you want to stay on track for your fitness goals it’s important to make wise choices while enjoying your favorite summer beverage. Here are some healthy options and some of my favorites!

Cool lime Starbucks Refreshers: 50 Calories. 

This drink is the perfect afternoon pick-me-up and it is super light and refreshing (hints the name!) The fruitiness of the lime mixed with a little mint flavor is the perfect combination. Heck, it even has fresh limes sliced right into it! And with a Starbucks on every corner in America it’s easy to find this healthy treat. 

Iced Coffee: 5 calories (without cream or sweetener) 

It’s simple but I think it’s my favorite thing to guzzle down during the hot summer days. I usually add a little half and half to make it creamy and then take off to my next summer activity with my cold coffee in hand. 

Pomegranate Pick-me-up Smoothie (Jamba Juice): 170 Calories

I actually haven’t tried this one yet but it’s been on my mind all summer. It has 1/3 fewer calories, sugars and carbs than the regular smoothies so it’s one that I am willing to go out of my way to try!

Skinny Pina Colada: Appox. 150 Calories

I haven’t had a chance to make this yet, but it sounds incredible and super summery! The ingredients and directions are simple which is very appealing to me. This could be the perfect summer BBQ drink and you won’t have to worry about the thousands of calories most cocktails have. Careful though, this one might get dangerous- unless you want to be dancing on tables in front of your friends and family you better drink it slow!

Ingredients:

2 oz Barcardi Rock Coconut Rum

5 oz coconut water

2 oz pineapple juice

-Shake well with lots of ice. Garnish with a pineapple. Enjoy!

Vodka Soda with Lots of Lime: Appox. 60 Calories

-This is my all time favorite summer nights drink. It’s extremely refreshing because I add a ton of lime and the soda water gives it the fizziness that everyone enjoys. Not only do you save on calories with this drink but also on pennies. It’s usually one of the cheapest drinks to order at a bar or restaurant. 

There are a million ways to enjoy the summer- one of my favorites just happens to be drinking it through a straw. The flavors and fruitiness of most of these beverages can only be thoroughly enjoyed when it’s toasty outside, so do it now- take your bike for a spin and grab a cool (and healthy!) sip on the way. 

XO,

Er