We were pretty spoiled by getting to live in Hawaii for over two years. It was another place that we knew would be temporary, so we tried to soak up as much as we could around mrC's work schedule.
One of my favorite adventures was when we went to Electric Beach to snorkel and try to spot some of the famous spinner dolphins that like to hang out there.
Kahe Point aka “Electric Beach” is called that because it is located in front of a power plant.
Getting there was super easy on a week day and we timed our arrival perfectly to get a parking spot. Although it is a public beach, it is small and so is the parking lot. I'd say there are maybe 25 spots available.
The first thing we did was check out the water. It looked amazing and not too deep for me - deep water really weirds me out!
We grabbed our gear and made our way over to the small beach and entrance to the water. We saw lots of scuba diver classes preparing to go in the water and spotted the showers & restrooms which was super nice.
Admittedly, I wasn't as graceful as mrC getting in the water with swim fins on, a rocky bottom and waves breaking. Not to mention that some chick thought it would be smart to just stand there, blocking the most obvious path as if she were in Waikiki.
Anyway, once we were in, I was ready to move. It didn't take us long to swim out and start seeing fish playing in the coral.
We made our way toward the exit pipe from the power plant. The water pushed out is very warm, which is what attracts the sea life.
As promised, we saw tons of fish and a green sea turtle up close. In case you didn't know, sea turtles are protected by law and it is illegal to touch them in Hawaii. You should always give them room to do their thing and stay at least 50 feet away.
It was such an awesome day!
Do you like to snorkel? Where is the best place you've been?
We spent a long weekend in Pensacola visiting my stepson who is just starting flight school. We left Quincy with a dog sitter and flew down on Thursday morning. We met up with the girls and SIL Sean (who drove down with the dog) at Grant's house. After meeting some of his roommates, we checked into our condo on Pensacola Beach and then went out for a family dinner to one of Grant's favorite places, The Fish House. I had the grilled shrimp and it was sooo good!
The next day, mrC and I were up early thanks to the one hour time difference, so we went for a morning walk on the beach. He and I have a thing for sunrises!
Then we headed to his old training base, which is Grant's new training base for a little walk down memory lane. It's fun to see and hear about the places where his flying career started. Two F35s were visiting and we got to see them up close. The pilots gave a walk-around presentation of the planes and answered questions. It was mrC's lucky day!!
Before meeting back up with the group, we stopped to grab something to eat. I picked up a watermelon cup from the grocery and a cup of tuna from Subway.
We met up with the rest of the gang at the Naval Aviation Museum. Grant and one his roommates gave us an awesome guided tour. It was by far the best experience I've ever had visiting a museum!
Another group dinner, this time to The Oar House. I ordered grilled shrimp again. So good!
After dinner, the kids went to Grant's to visit the dog (he and his roommates were keeping him there because our condo didn't allow pets). mrC and I caught the sunset on the bay behind our condo. Ok, maybe we have a thing for sunsets, too.
My super smart husband planned the trip so that we would be there for Blue Angels weekend. The kids set up some canopies on the beach early Saturday morning and we walked about a mile to join them after breakfast. Since our condo had a fully stocked kitchen, we had grabbed a few staple items at the grocery the day before: eggs, strawberries and gluten-free toast.
It was perfect weather to hang out on the beach for the air show. Blue skies, sunshine and hot temps!
We stayed in the water until they kicked us out when the Blue Angels were starting. This was my first time seeing the Blue Angels anywhere and it was incredible. I think the location was just the cherry on top.
After a day at the beach in the hot sun, we kept it simple and walked to Peg Leg Pete's for dinner. There was a bit of a wait, but they have a fun bar downstairs with license plates from all over the US lining the walls. For dinner I ordered the yummy Grilled Flounder sandwich!
After dinner, we took in another sunset...this time with the kids.
Sunday morning, we all met up for breakfast in downtown Pensacola. Our first choice was the Ruby Slipper, but there was a 90 minute wait. So we walked to The Garden to Pearl & Horn. The menu was small, but packed with a variety of yummy choices. I went for the Smash Burger and sweet potato waffle fries!
We split up so the kids could go take Ralph for a walk and we headed to Pensacola's first lighthouse. The plan was to walk up the 177 steps to the top to see the beautiful Gulf Coast from above. The spiral steps without a handrail on the inside was too much for me though! So we enjoyed the view from below and walked through the museum.
On our way back to the condo, we stopped at Single Fin Cafe to share an acai bowl. The cafe was located inside Waterboyz, a surf and skateboard shop. It wasn't the best bowl we've ever had, but I loved the decor of the shop.
We had plans to do a sunset sail with mrC's friend, Dr. Bri. He used to take us sailing when we lived on Oahu, but like us he has also relocated back to the mainland...in Pensacola! Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate, so we stayed docked in the marina. We still had a great time hanging out down below until the storms blew over and having the Tip Top crew back together again.
Our departing flight wasn't until afternoon, which gave us time to enjoy a final morning on Pensacola Beach. It was so nice to be able to walk right across the street and see the beautiful white sand and blue water. To top it off, we saw a bunch of dolphins swimming right off shore!
Our long weekend in Pensacola visiting Grant was the best!
The number one reason people come to me to learn the FASTer Way strategies is to lose weight.
The thing is...FASTer Way is a FAT loss program, not a weight loss program.
Ultimately, I spend a lot of time talking with my clients about Progress and what it really looks like. Today I thought I'd share three ways I encourage them to track progress that does not include using a scale.
1. Strength - being able to lift heavier and complete more reps is a sign of gains in strength.
2. Endurance - being able to climb the stairs easier/quicker or keeping up with the kids/grands for longer periods of time is a sign of improvement.
3. How you feel - sleeping better and for longer, having more energy throughout the day, and clothes fitting better are signs of a healthier body.
If you are not seeing progress, do a habit check:
Is your nutrition on point? Plan your meals so that it is.
Are you getting 3-5 workouts per week? Prioritize sleep so you have energy and motivation.
Feeling unmotivated? Get an accountability partner or coach to check-in with and encourage you.
Want to work with me? Check out my 6 week client experience here!
Sometimes I see a recipe and I KNOW that it's going to be a WINNER!
I made two batches of these yummy muffins. The first time I followed the recipe from DC Food Porn exactly using air fryer, and the second time I added 1 serving of protein powder plus a little extra almond milk and oven baked.
All I can say is YUM!! These are perfect for breaking your fast or making ahead of time to take with you as a snack on-the-go.
The holiday and weekend are wrapping up, but let's face it. Summer weekends are just getting started.
With get-togethers in full swing, don’t let your goals drift away.It’s easy to let a treat turn into a whole day of snacking or binging if you're not paying attention. Be mindful of consumption, especially empty calories in drinks, and plan out meals in advance as much as possible! You can still have fun and take steps towards your goals!
TRY THESE SIMPLE BBQ SWAPS:
Choose a lettuce wrap instead of hamburger or hot dog buns
Slather on mustard instead of mayo
Try crispy roasted sweet potatoes instead of potato chips
Satisfy your sweet tooth with summer berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries) instead of cake or ice cream
Bake a healthier treat without refined sugars/grains/dairy instead of a typical cake or cookies
Drink sparkling water with citrus fruit instead of soda
Make a big side salad full of colorful veggies instead of pasta salad
Turn your regular burger into a yummy burger bowl! Ditch the bun, serve over a bed of lettuce, and add all your favorite burger toppings! (This is one of my FASTer Way favorites!)
Healthy weekends don’t have to be all about deprivation, because let’s be honest, that isn’t much of a weekend, right? Here’s the secret. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can find a balance that works for real life...even on summer weekends!
