Friday 5: Traveling Fit...5 Ways to Stay on Track

Hi everyone! I'm Kelly. I am one of the Massachusetts reps, and I write A Lovely Life, Indeed. 

Committing to a healthy lifestyle takes planning. You plan what you're going to eat, prep your meals and easy to grab snacks, and you try to arrange your schedule to include some sort of physical activity. 

Staying on plan when you travel can be more of a challenge. When schedules loosen and food options expand, staying on track takes more thought and initiative, but it can be done. 

Here are five ways to stay committed to your fitness goals, even when you're traveling. 

1. Plan. Putting water and your favorite go-to snacks in a cooler will give you the flexibility to make healthy choices. Pack a bag with other snacks and avoid the gas station wasteland. 

2. Pit stop stretch. Stop along the way and stretch. Energize your body and brain during these needed rest stops. Need a circuit? Try this one. 

3 When you arrive at your destination, think about a walking tour or a bike tour of the city. How about a photo stroll? Walk whenever possible and explore excursions that keep you active, at least part of the time. 

4. Shop and cook when you can. This is better for your wallet and your waistline. When you do go out, grilled protein and a veggie is a great choice. Order your salad dressing on the side and dip your fork before you take a bite, instead of pouring it all on top. You can decline the bread basket if you want, and if you're ordering dessert, one dessert split among many can give you the bite of sweet that you want without overdoing it.

5. Enjoy a treat now and then. Don't deprive yourself of your favorite things. Eat a cupcake, and then work off a cupcake. 

Travel and healthy living can go hand in hand. Plan and prep where you can and when you can't, use what you know to make good, healthy choices. And enjoy the treats. 

Happy travels!  

What is your best tip for staying on track with a healthy lifestyle when you're traveling? 

Thank you to Northeast Bloggers Network for letting me guest post. If you're looking for an upbeat blog about love, travel and the good life, visit me at A Lovely Life, Indeed. Have a great weekend!

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Summer Cocktail - Mojito Slush

Even though the official start of summer isn't until another couple of days, it has been hot enough here to bring out the iced cocktails. I've always loved a good mojito so when I came across this recipe I knew I had to try it out. It was such a hit! I think it's the perfect summer cocktail.

Mojito Slush

Original recipe by Jessie Damuck via Martha Stewart Living

Makes 8 cups

In a blender, combine 1/2 cup each sugar and water. Blend until sugar dissolves, 1 minute. Fill with 10 cups crushed ice. Add 1/3 cup lemon juice (from about 3 lemons) and 1/3 cup lime juice (from about 5 limes), 1 cup white rum and 1 cup fresh mint leaves. 

Blend until smooth.

The only little change that I make is I use a white organic raw sugar. Obviously it's not anything "healthier" but I just prefer it to regular granulated sugar. Hey it's a cocktail after all!

The fresh mint smells amazing and gives this cocktail a gorgeous green color. It's just the right combination of sweet with a touch of sour from the lemon and lime juice. So good!

Do you have a favorite summer cocktail recipe?

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Event: Bloggers Beach Day

You're invited to a Blogger's Beach Day meet up!  Come join your fellow bloggers for a fun day of sun, sand, drinks, and laughs as we spend the day at the beach. 

What: Bloggers Beach Day
When: Saturday, July 25th 10-?
Where: Point Pleasant, NJ
RSVP: crazytragicalmostmagic@gmail.com

Hope to see you there!  

Please note this event is not planned or sponsored by the Northeast Bloggers Network, we are just sharing the news!  If you have any questions or to RSVP please contact: crazytragicalmostmagic@gmail.com

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Places to Visit Near Buffalo & Niagara Falls, NY This Summer!

Every year, every season, I set out to make these "to do" lists of things that would make a well-rounded family experience (like THIS, and THIS). Sometimes we do a good job at checking things off, and other times we totally blow it.

I'm okay with not checking off every little thing on every single list, but taking the time to create such detailed lists and then ignoring them in exchange for lying on my patio swing for hours while the boys work buckets of sand into their shoes (and in Jake's case, his diaper), seems like a waste.

I've gotten better at streamlining my lists down to the realistic things. Last year I focused on outdoor activities. This year, I'm focusing more on outings.

We live in the Buffalo, NY area, and we just don't take advantage of all there is to do these days. In the past five years alone, our community has created so many things to see and do! There's a saying around town that goes, "If you haven't seen Buffalo lately, you haven't seen Buffalo."

So just in case you are local to Western New York, or you're thinking of crossing "See Niagara Falls" off your bucket list this Summer and you want to know what else to check out while you're here, I'm sharing my list of what we'll be up to around Buffalo this Summer!



1. Transit Drive-In
2. Letchworth State Park
3. Fantasy Island
4. Beaver Island Beach
5. Putt-Putt (anywhere!)
6. The Buffalo Zoo
7. Camping (lots of choices, we like the KOAs around here)
8. Old Man River/Mississippi Mudds (get the sweet potato fries!)
9. Greg's U-Pick (Strawberries in June, Blueberries in July, Blackberries in August)
10. Buffalo Botanical Gardens
11. Glen Falls
12. Sweet Jenny's
13. Buffalo Naval Park & Canalside
14. Tifft Nature Preserve 
15. Arcade & Attica Railroad
16. Harbor Center
17. Olcott Beach
18. Wehrle Golf Dome
19. Transit Lanes
20. Buffalo Science Museum
21. Hidden Valley Animal Adventure
22. Fort Niagara Park & Old Fort Niagara
23. Darien Lake
24. Niagara Falls Aquarium
25. Canal Fest

We will, of course, visit many playgrounds, our three fav ice cream stops (probably way too many times), and watch 4th of July fireworks nearby. Oh - and don't forget to get your Beef on Weck, Wings, and Watsons sponge candy while you're in town!

If you're local - where are you headed this summer? Anywhere I should add to my list?

-

Jenn is a mom of 3 boys living near Buffalo, NY, and blogs about her life and hobbies on her blog, Rych In Love. 

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Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, NY

If you have any small children, chances are you've been to a zoo in the last handful of years. It's a great outing for little ones, and if you live close to one (as we do), it's a relatively easy way to get out of the house without spending a ton of money. While the kids may be into repetition, and you all may develop a little love for the specific animals in your zoo, sometimes the same old place can get boring!

I have a tip for you!

We were gifted a membership to the Buffalo Zoo for Christmas the past couple of years, and with our membership we get free or reduced admission to tons of other zoos.  If you have a zoo membership to many other locations in the Northeast, they'll offer you the same deal - I highly recommend taking advantage of it! (Also, asking for a zoo membership for Christmas from Grandparents is a great way to avoid getting TOO many toys and also have a way to make great family memories all year!) It was really cool to see a new zoo, and they had lots of animals that our zoo doesn't have. Plus, with it being a new place, it was extra-exciting for the kids to get their grubby hands on everything for the first time. ;)

Almost exactly a year ago, my family and I took a quick trip to Syracuse, NY to take advantage of our zoo discount and to visit my sister and her family. They actually just moved back to the Buffalo area recently, but had been living there for a few years. It worked out perfectly!

So on a Friday evening, we loaded the crew in the van and made our way across the state.

The next morning, we went to the zoo bright & early. We ended up getting my entire family in for only $10 - which was awesome! (See? Pack snacks and drinks, and you've got one heck of a cheap family outing!!)

I was expecting this zoo to be really small and not as nice as the Buffalo Zoo (as I've heard from many that Buffalo is the best zoo in Western & Central NY), but I was pleasantly surprised! They did a lot of recent renovating, and it was really cute there!

The first thing we saw was a big octopus - the kids loved it!

  
We followed the twisting hallways and saw meerkats, lemurs, fish, snakes, and all kinds of monkeys. Their lion den was even visible through a hallway, and we found ourselves separated from a massive male lion by only a sheet of glass! It was so crazy to be that close and see him so well - I don't think I've ever been that close to a lion before!! (Coincidentally, I wasn't able to get a good picture because there was a bad glare due to the glass - oh well!)

  

Some necessary goofy picture posing ;)

We saw lots of birds (big and small), tigers, elephants and farm animals (like pigs, chickens, and ponies) before we got some lunch in the zoo's cafe - which was yummy!


Our "Zoovenirs"...haha ;)
They had a great little gift shop, and since this trip counted as a family vacation, I let them all pick out a small souvenir. I was wearing the baby through our whole trip, and as we walked passed a little display of squirty bath toys in all different animals, he reached out and grabbed a lion! I tried to put it back, and even show him some of the other animals, but he insisted on that little lion! I'd never seen him show a preference for something like that before, so that had to be his little toy! The big boys each picked out a Jeep toy, and I picked out a magnet for our fridge.

I would highly recommend a trip to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo if you're in NY or passing through - it's really nicely done, and the kids really enjoyed it!

-
Jenn is a mom of 3 boys living near Buffalo, NY, and blogs about her life and hobbies on her blog, Rych In Love. 


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Guest Post: Summer Reading List

Today Diana of Sweet Catastrophe is sharing her summer reading list with us!

Tell us: What's on your summer reading list this year?

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Friday Five Hop & 5 Must Have Apps for Summer!

Welcome to the Friday Five!  Each week you are invited to link up your Friday Five post with us below!  Any post of five things are welcome- there is no theme or questions!  

Today's guest Friday Five comes from Ellie who writes the blog Creative Geekery.

Ellie Petrov is a lifestyle technology blogger over at Creative Geekery! She is a mama to two crazy tween boys who keep her mega busy. She loves to spend time with her family, figure out cool things to do with tech, devour good books, and nap.

 

Here in Massachusetts we are enjoying our first full week of school vacation! Crazy, right? I am just feeling grateful that my boys didn't have to celebrate the Fourth of July in school! Now that summer is officially here, we are making the most of it with lots of family time, new experiences and outside time. We are planning to have our best summer ever... with a little help from techy goodness! I have put together a list of my five top picks for must-have summer apps to help you have fun, save money, and stay happy and healthy this summer.

1. Wild Time for when you need a little inspiration to get outside and do something! Decide how much time you have to spend outside (anywhere from 10 minutes to 1/2 a day) and choose from tons of fun and free activities. Or hand the iPhone or iPad to the kiddos and let them pick.

2. iExit Interstate Exit Guide for road trips! Find out what kind of services and restaurants are available at each exit on the highway you are traveling along. This little app also tells you how far it REALLY is off the highway. No more 20 minute detours for the Dunkin Donuts you saw a sign for along the highway.

3. SkyView for star-gazing! Just point your iPhone, iPod or iPad toward the sky and it will tell you what is up there. Stars, planets, satellites and so much more. Huge learning potential!

4. iSunburn to keep you safe in the sun! As the mom and wife to three of the palest folks you will ever meet, sunblock is my best friend. I am a VERY laid-back person but when it comes to sunblock and its reapplication, I do not joke around. This app will give you tons of localized info about your daily UV situation as well as remind you to REAPPLY. As the daughter of a melanoma survivor, I cannot stress to you enough the importance of sunblock. And don’t forget to put it on yourself!

5. Just Drink Water to keep you hydrated! I have a hard enough time staying hydrated in the winter so come summer time I need all the help I can get. This app will help you set hydration goals, keep track of your intake and will even remind you when it is time to grab another glass.

Thanks for sharing these great apps with us Ellie!

And now its your turn!  Do you have a Friday Five post today?  Link up below!  

Happy Fourth of July everyone!  

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Turn Your Whole Summer Into a Vacation!

Today's guest post comes from Diane who writes the blog Sweet Catastrophe.  Diane shares some great ideas for making the most of your summer- by making your whole summer feel like a vacation!

Typically I take vacation in late August/early September. So naturally I want time to rush along till the day I can plant my toes in the sand and hear the sound of the crashing waves. But I've realized I'm only wishing away 3 beautiful months. So this year instead of waiting for vacation to arrive I am going to make vacation come to me. Those special vacation clothes, fancy drinks or poolside books that I would usually save - not happening this year. I am going to enjoy them ALL summer long - who knows, maybe this will be the best Summer yet.

Thanks for sharing these great ideas with us Diane!  What ideas you have for making the most of your summer?

Be sure to check out her original post on her blog here!

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