Latest Friday Favorites

Hello, hello … is this thing on?

Happy holiday week, Thanksgiving, Black Friday and alllll the things. I hope you’re doing well out there! It’s been a while since we’ve chatted, and the last post I left you with were updates on what’s next for Life In Leggings. You could definitely say that’s what has taken my focus these days, along with other things that you’ll read about below.

Today’s edition of Friday Favorites includes a catch-up of what’s been going on, a quick chat on healthy fats, a peek into our Turkey Day in NYC and more. Thank you so much for checking in.

I’ve certainly missed you, and it feels good to be back!

Latest Friday Favorites Round-Up

• Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2021

Let’s kick things off with a huge highlight of the week and even season of living here in Brooklyn, in-person “seats” to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!

While I usually turn the parade on to watch on television (in pajamas at home), Scott has been to see it in action four times! He even took Skyler as a baby, and I stayed back with my mom when she was visiting to help prepare a good Thanksgiving Day lunch upon their return. (I usually prefer to stay clear of crowds, especially these days.)

We debated about attending this year, but since last year was cancelled and we really have no idea where we will end up for future Thanksgiving Day celebrations, we decided to mask up and just go for it this year.

We took our time, but made it to the train and on our way by 9 a.m. We got off at the Rockefeller stop and walked a few blocks to squeeze into a spot on the main parade route off of 6th Ave. We were only in place for about five minutes before the balloons were in sight, so it was perfect timing!

Skyler had a blast looking at all of the different balloons and floats, and he said his favorites were Sponge Bob and Chase from Paw Patrol. They were HUGE! I took so many videos that I ended up making a reel to compile the highlights, which you can see here.

Seeing everything up close and personal was really fun, but it was a totally different experience than watching it on television. There was hardly any music, and, as expected, we didn’t get too many performances in front of us as most acts waited until they were in front of the filming area. We weren’t always sure who was who and what was what without spotting the signs.

That said, it was a really fun thing to go do and see, and I think we will do a combination of both in-person and virtual next year by visiting the balloons the day before during the practice run and staying home to view the parade on television during the actual march.

It was something to check off of the NYC Bucket List, and I’m so glad we went!

• getting ready for the holidays in the City

There’s no doubt that now through January is the most magical time of the year to be in New York City. It may be cold and crowded, but it’s worth venturing out to see the light shows, window displays, holiday markets and shows, and ice skating in the parks.

Last year was a bit different for obvious reasons, but typically, the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is absolutely nuts with extra packed streets. We tend to steer clear of the big to-dos if we can during that time as locals.

Instead, we like to take advantage of a quick commute into Manhattan the week after Thanksgiving and here and there to see everything I mentioned above, along with a few other must-see things and events.

The Rockefeller Tree Lighting will be December 1st, so that is the official start to the holiday season here. We snuck in a few photos (as we like to do each year) just in case, but we’ll be sure to revisit when the tree is shining bright. It’s stunning!

• training and coaching updates

Since we last talked about training around here, there have been a few exciting updates that should be mentioned! First, I signed on to co-coach a nutrition coaching bootcamp with my good friend, Giselle. She’s an excellent Macro Coach, and I am looking forward to sharing more information about the program and special offers soon. For now, if you’re looking to learn how to get past simply counting calories and start using macros to hit your goals without restricting foods or cutting out food groups, this might be a good fit for you. More info here!

For now, I’m helping with her membership group and am gearing up to start co-coaching bootcamps, helping with 1-on-1 clients and more. Please message me if this interests you!

Speaking of 1-on-1 clients, I made a return to training clients in-person for the first time since 2016 this week! I know, I can’t believe it had been that long either.

As a quick back story, I got NASM certified as a personal trainer back in 2014 and worked with clients for about two years at a private gym in Metro Detroit, Michigan. Since moving to New York, I switched over to “the other side of the glass” to manage an Orangetheory Fitness for 3.5 years, then transitioned out of that role to go back to blogging and training clients both online and in person again.

It has been a tricky road to navigate during this pandemic, but I’m ready to dive back into training in-person and possibly even teaching group fitness classes again. I feel like there is a lot on my plate right now (I’m also creating my first online course and running my Beautycounter business in my free time!), but only time will tell.

This week was a great reminder of why I acquired the certifications I have and why I absolutely love working in the fitness industry. All great things to report here!

• easy ways to add nuts to your meals (and why you might need to!)

Okay, let’s talk about healthy fats for a minute, because I feel like the term “fat” gets a bad rep, especially around the holidays. Truth is, we need them in our every day diets!

True or false: like calories, all fats are not created equal. *ding ding ding* – that would be true.

While I don’t believe that any food is “off limits” if you really love it, I do practice and coach the idea of eating more of certain foods and less of others, based on nutritional value.⁣

⁣It’s important to include a portion of fats into your meals and snacks every day, and one of my favorite ways of getting those healthier fats is through nuts! Cashews, pistachios, almonds, pecans, Brazil nuts, you name it … I love them.⁣

⁣Here are some easy ways to use nuts in your meals:

• use as a topping in cereal or oatmeal
• mix them into yogurt (or fro-yo!)
• enjoy a handful for an afternoon pick-me-up
• add them to your salads – diced, sliced or whole
• sprinkle them on top of soups
• include them in wraps and smoothies
• make your own trail mix

⁣and more!

My go-to shop for all of my favorite nuts is obviously NOW Foods. If you’re looking to add some bags to your pantry, use the code LIFEINLEGGINGS20 for 20% off your order at nowfoods.com.

Anyone else nuts about nuts? Which ones are your faves?

• clean beauty sale tips and faves

Black Friday sales have officially started, but Beautycounter’s has been live for over a week now and there are some things that you need to know about it. First, enjoy 15% off all products site-wide (outside of regimens and collections) until 11/28.

Also, you can take advantage of free shipping on all orders over $50!

This is the perfect time to grab all of your skincare and makeup favorites at a discount, try a few new things, and check off some of those holiday to-dos by gifting clean to your loved ones this year. Don’t forget that the holiday sets are limited quantity, and this is sale is when inventory starts running low. (A few sets have already sold out!) If you’re eyeing something, don’t let it sell out before you get one for yourself.

Start your holiday shopping HERE.

Not sure where to start? Restock on your regimens (but grab the items separately during the sale to save money!), ask me about the Band of Beauty Membership for killer rewards, and knock out your holiday gifting at these different price points:

• $75 and under
• $50 and under
• $40 and under

If you have never ordered from Beautycounter before, you can use the new-client code CLEANFORALL20 for 20% off instead of the site-wide 15%, but keep in mind that some exclusions do apply.

You can subscribe to my for info like this on the regular, and if you haven’t joined my private clean beauty Facebook group, do so here. I’d love to have you!

Happy Sale Shopping!

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» Total Body Strength Tabata Workout

Tabatas are 4-minute bouts of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) exercises. You follow a :20 work, :10 rest pattern and do the same exercise 8 times in a row before moving on to the next. All you need for this one is a light and medium set of dumbbells, so you can take it almost anywhere!

» 10 Things You Can Do Today To Improve Your Nutrition

Why wait until January 1st? Here are ten simple and key concepts to help you eat smarter and healthier today.

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Okay friends, I think that just about does it for today. I could keep typing, but it’s time to get on with my day with Skyler. We’re hoping for clearer skies to get out to the playground for a play date, and might be choosing Thanksgiving leftovers over Pizza Friday today. Anyone else?

It was so great to check in with you, and thank you again for clicking over to read the latest on Life In Leggings today. Just a reminder, you can keep up with our adventures on Instagram in between the posts here. I now have a personal page as well, and it’s been fun to share different content on both pages. I hope you have a great weekend!

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*Disclaimer: The NOW Foods portion of this post is sponsored, and all opinions remain my own. Also, I am a Beautycounter consultant and love what I do with the company. By using the links provided in this post to order products, you are supporting my business. I truly appreciate you. Always.