New Kicks and Body Loving: Thinking Out Loud #50

Happy Thursday! Once again it seems like this week has been flying by. Life has been hectic since I came home from Northern Michigan and I'm actually on the road again, or the sky again, for a few days. Even though I'm away for a few days I didn't want to miss a TOL post, so let's jump right into this weeks thinking out loud.

1. I've taken to the skies this week for an opportunity I am really excited about. Of course I couldn't travel without snacks because no one wants to be stuck next to me when I'm hangry😳 Normally I don't eat protein bars, but for traveling they are quick, convenient, and they make it through airport security. My go-to protein bars are No Cow Bars by Ds Naturals. They are gluten, dairy, and soy free and don't taste like chalk. Each of the bars are between 160-180 calories and pack 20 grams of protein which help keep me full until I can get some real food. 

2. Speaking of food, I am obsessed with a new restaurant that opened in a nearby town. It's a farm to table type restaurant and aside from the amazing food the interior is GORGEOUS. It's in a historic building that was abandon for years, but they restored the interior and brought a modern twist to it. It's so bright and inviting inside that I could spend hours and hours in there. The entire menu is gluten free (YAY🎉), but my favorite item is a flatbread that has goat cheese, bacon, and caramelized onion. I'm not a pizza person by any stretch, but this is the BOMB. I can demolish the entire thing by myself.

3. Last week my boyfriend and I celebrated one year together. The funny thing is we never really had a day, we knew it was sometime in early August so we decided to randomly pick a day😂 I know, we are probably the only people who have zero clue when their anniversary is, but honestly neither of us really cared. He was super sweet and brought me flowers and even remembered my favorite flowers, hydrangeas and lilies, and even tried to get my third favorite flower which is a plumeria🌸  

4. For my birthday I was given a gift card to get new running shoes. My current running shoes are still in really great condition, but Nike had an awesome sale happening so I snagged a new pair for $80🙌 they normally run $120 so I was pretty happy with the savings and they're in my favorite color. Now I just need to be able to run so I can use them🏃

5. Speaking of running, it's going to be even longer than I hoped before I can run again. Last Friday I finished up my round of physical therapy with no noticeable progress. The therapist and I discussed at length what the next course of action should be and earlier this week I saw my doctor. I got an x-ray done, and a MRI is scheduled for next Monday and I was referred to an orthopedic surgeon to talk about what is the best next step. Surgery is a possibility and at this point I'm open to anything that will stop the pain and allow me to return to running. Prayers would be appreciated for the orthopedic appointment next week💜

6. On a brighter note, I got to take part in a body positivity empowerment photo shoot a few days ago. I got to spend time with a dozen other incredible women discussing all things body love. All of the women were so incredible and I left feeling so empowered. Our bodies are so amazing and capable of so much. Talking to the other women between takes made me realize even more how awesome my body is. My body can run miles and miles at at a time (although not in my injured state), it can lift heavy weights, do fun yoga poses, and it carries me through life. It really does blow my mind how amazing our bodies are. I can't wait to share more from the project with you when it comes out!

7. Of course I had to end with a quote. It's a little different than what I normally share, but I left the body positivity shoot so empowered and feeling really dang proud to be a woman. There's nothing wrong with being strong and fierce, but also embracing a softer more feminine side. Be who you are and never apologize for being your true self🙅

Have an amazing Thursday and a terrific weekend🎉🎉🎉

What is one thing you love about yourself and why?

What is your go-to snack to pack when traveling?