Hello!
As you can probably tell from the title of this post, I decided it was time to film a day in my life, vlog style. I personally love watching these types of videos. Seeing other people be productive motivates me so much, and I hope this video does the same for you.
Click below to see the video!
As always, thank you for your support!
Over the past few years, I have taken many classes that emphasize the importance of regular exercise on longevity and happiness. If I didn’t know that exercise was important to my health before, let me tell you, I do now.
I have always lived a relatively active lifestyle, and I started working out when I was in high school. When I workout every day, my mood and energy are elevated, and I am less prone to headaches and illness.
There are so many different programs out there that provide home and gym-based workouts. Over the years, I have tried a lot of these programs. So far, Team Beach Body’s 21-Day Fix has been my favorite.
Team Beach Body (TBB) is a company that offers the ability to simply join and do the provided workouts, or become a “coach”. Coaching allows you to make commission by selling TBB products. I tried my hand at coaching, and it didn’t end up being for me. Regardless, I thought it would be helpful to share my experiences and thoughts, for anyone that is considering becoming a rep.
After a friend recruited me to be apart of Team Beach Body, I experienced my first role of being a fitness “coach”. After getting more involved, I found that the marketing aspect of the role felt less than authentic for me.
Most companies like this one operate on your ability to recruit other people, which sometimes can work great if you have a large social circle, or have built a hefty audience on a social platform already.
Some parts of the company really did stick out to me, such as the “Accountability group” (essentially a group of people that motivate each other to accomplish their fitness goals) and their emphasis towards encouraging women to adapt healthy lifestyles. However, I realized I wasn’t comfortable monetizing my body for the purpose of selling a product. Considering that health and fitness are so important to me, it felt more authentic to share my fitness journey through my own terms and perspective. Even though I didn’t end up sticking with the coach role, I did find the perfect workouts for my lifestyle and body type.
Guys, I have never been stronger. I have never been in better shape.
I just finished the program 21 Day-Fix Extreme. Yes, it was very challenging, but each classes’ short duration ensured that I didn’t burn out too fast. All of the workouts are designed to be done at home (hello, quarantine), and are 30 minutes long. Every single workout program on the TBB app also come with a tailored nutrition guide that helps you eat clean in order to support the hard work your body is doing.
While my body type doesn’t necessarily show my results in a visually dramatic way, my real results are in how I feel, and my strength. Before starting this program I could do (maybe) 1 full push up. Now I can do 11 in a row. For me, that is a huge amount of progress in a short amount of time, compared to the results other workout programs have given me.
I am now in the process of picking my next workout program, which is tough because there are so many to choose from! It’s comforting to know that if I pick one and don’t like it, there are still a ton of other options that I can choose from. Overall, I highly recommend joining TBB for awesome at-home workouts and nutrition plans, especially since gyms are closed and working out from home is a must.
To start this post, I want to share a little about my diet. I grew up a relatively strict vegan (tried my first animal product – an egg – when I was 14). I have always been very lactose-intolerant, but I love goat cheese and it doesn’t upset my stomach at all.
When I was 18, I figured out that I am also gluten-intolerant. I honestly think it’s because so many vegan substitutes are gluten-heavy, so I just over loaded on them when I was a kid.
I eat a diet rich in veggies and carbs. Most of my protein comes from eggs, plants, seeds & nuts, and fish. However, I eat bacon and chicken (and occasionally enjoy it). I just never really developed a taste for meat… instead, a prefer tofu.
There is a growing awareness surrounding food intolerances everywhere right now. Eating the wrong foods for your body can affect your mood and overall wellbeing. I thought it would be helpful to share my favorite gluten and dairy-free products that I use in place of certain ingredients in more traditional cooking.
Comment below if you would be interested in learning how to make some of my favorite recipes. I would be happy to do an entire series of cooking posts in the future!
If you are lactose-intolerant, try Earth Balance. I LOVE this stuff. It’s very flavorful and is the perfect substitute for all of your butter needs. I use it in baking, on toast, even when I cook shrimp scampi! I have never had a problem with it messing up a recipe or not cooking the same as regular butter. Plus, it even comes in tub and stick form.
All of you tofu haters out there, just hear me out. Tofu probably grosses you out because 95% of people don’t know how to cook it. If you’re just going to eat it barley cooked on top of your meal, then of course it’s going to be nasty. Tofu is a great way to get protein if you don’t prefer meat, and I personally love the way it tastes, if it’s cooked properly.
These are by far the best gluten-free noodles I have tried. They aren’t mushy at all, and have a great flavor. My boyfriend is not gluten-free and can barley tell when I use these instead of regular pasta. I suggest that you slightly undercook your pasta because overcooking gluten-free noodles leads to them falling apart (9 minutes on a rolling boil usually does the trick).
LISTEN UP PEOPLE.
New Cascadia bread is BETTER than most glutinous bread. I promise. It’s moist, thick, and has the best flavor of all time. New Cascadia is based out of Portland, Oregon which is where I am originally from. When I moved to Idaho I had to adjust to the sad world of typical gluten-free bread (small, dense, flavorless). But then, New Cascadia made their bread available for mail-order.
I usually order about 10-15 loves at a time to make the shipping worth it. Once my bread arrives I immediately cut it up and store the slices in freezer bags. The bread is delicious and unaffected by freezing, which means that I only have to place an order every three or four months. I cannot live without it.
There are so many brands and types of non-dairy milk on the market, but my favorite is the Silk Almond brand. I have never been able to drink milk, so I honestly don’t know if this milk is like the “real” stuff, but I think it’s the most delicious kind out there.
A lot of people don’t know that soy sauce has gluten in it. Sadly, it does. Tamari is the best gluten-free soy sauce around, in my opinion. I personally can’t tell a difference.
Nutritional Yeast is one of my favorite ingredients to use while cooking. I use it to make dairy-free gravy, “breaded” tofu, thicken dairy-free cream sauces, and as a topping on eggs, or pasta dishes. It’s such a versatile ingredient for vegan cooking, and gives a rich flavor and texture to anything you add it to.
One of my best friends actually introduced me to this yogurt, and let me tell you, it really is SO Delicious (haha punny). It has a great texture and flavor. My favorite is the vanilla, but the other ones are just as good!
It’s no secret that the planet is suffering right now. Being environmentally conscious has always been one of my deepest core values, and I am constantly looking for new ways to live more sustainably.
Over the past few years, I have noticed an eco-friendly “movement” unfolding; companies everywhere are coming up with new innovative ways to make the things we love less harmful to the environment. The best thing about transitioning to a more sustainable lifestyle is that in most cases, you end up saving money too. Human pollution on Earth is largely due to waste; the funny thing about waste is that once you stop wasting stuff, you also stop wasting money! Today I thought I would share 7 easy adjustments you can make to your daily routine to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
Lately I’ve seen more people than ever bringing reusable bags to the grocery store, but we still have a long way to go. You can purchase cute ones, or use any tote bag you have lying around. This is such an easy way to reduce your plastic consumption. It’s easy to forget reusable bags at home or in the car, but keeping them in the passenger seat so you always see them makes a huge difference. There are also brands out there that make tote bags so small that you can keep them in your purse or pocket; Paguro’s Reusable To-Go Kits, or “Crab Bags,” make it very easy to keep your bags with you all the time.
Paguro is a wonderful small business to support, and their kits come with everything you need to make essential transitions towards a more sustainable lifestyle. Their kits come with compact, cute reusable shopping bags (I keep one in my purse at all times), reusable produce bags and a utensil kit. Here’s a little more about Paguro:
Named for one of nature’s top reusers, Paguro (‘hermit crab’ in Italian) was formed by two best friends who wanted to reduce their own plastic use and make it easy for others to do the same. With reusable essentials designed to help you cut back on single-use plastic consumption, each kit is convenient, stylish and practical. With Paguro kits you can feel good about being a ready and responsible consumer and finally be free from the plastic trap!
https://www.pagurokits.com/
I mentioned Face Halo before in my All-Natural Skincare Routine, and I will mention them again here. This is the best invention in the history of beauty! It actually removes makeup better, penetrating deeper into the pores than a traditional makeup wipe. I clean mine with a bar of antibacterial soap to keep it fresh, and put it in the washing machine once a week for a deeper clean. I’ve gifted them to all of my friends, and they love them as well! Makeup wipes are extremely wasteful, and expensive. This is an easy way to save money and reduce your waste simultaneously.
This “hack” is very beneficial to both the environment and your wallet as well. Zip-lock bags can be washed and reused over and over again, yet so many people throw them away after just one use. Of course, it can be really annoying to try and prop washed zip-lock bags open to dry after washing them. However, growing up my parents had this zip-lock bag drying rack that made it really easy to keep them upright and separated while drying. I use one in my own home, and it really is a game changer. Behold, the drying tree! This contraption not only keeps all the bags together, but also speeds up dry time. Win, win, win!
I always thought that recycling was a nation-wide standard until I moved to Idaho. Many of my fellow Portland natives might laugh at me for this one, but you’d be surprised how many places in the United States don’t even encourage recycling for their residents. Where I live, barley anybody has recycling at their home; it’s very uncommon to see anything but the trash out on garbage day (and no, we don’t have a separate recycling day).
Once I looked into getting recycling services at my home, it was very easy and inexpensive to set up. If you’re not sure where to start, but want to set up recycling at your home, do this:
I want to start this section by discussing the the main company I have been purchasing almost all of my household items through for years, Grove Collaborative. They make shopping green easy, as they only sell products that are eco-friendly on their website. In addition to selling products from many sustainable brands, their own brand is also super affordable and aesthetically pleasing (which we all know I’m a sucker for). The last few green ideas I have for you are all products that can be found on the Grove Collaborative website!
Supporting brands that offer natural alternatives to everyday household necessities is a no-brainer hack. However, you’d be surprised how many people I know that don’t shop sustainably because they aren’t sure which brands are good to support, and/or where to find the products they sell. This is another reason why I love Grove Collaborative. Their website has only natural and eco-friendly brands, making it simple to shop green.
This was a Grove Collaborative discovery that is too good not to share. Behold, the European Dishcloth. These things are amazing. All you do is get them damp and then use them just like a paper towel. They last forever and work better than regular paper for cleaning.
I will never go back to buying single-use plastic cleaning products after discovering Grove’s line of glass spray bottles and cleaner concentrates. You can get a set of 3 cleaner concentrates for $8.95 on the Grove Collaborative website, which costs less than two bottles of regular cleaner in single-use plastic bottles.
Dear Eminence,
I love you.
Haha okay no but really… Eminence’s products are a game changer. Yes, they are pricey. In this case though, you really do get what you pay for. Each product lasts forever, and helps your skin look and feels it’s best.
They even have one of those fun skincare quizzes to help you find products that best suit your skin’s needs.
Over the years, my skincare collection has grown… One might even say it has become a bit excessive. However, I do use all of these products, and I love them all equally.
First, a bit about my skin.
I by NO means have perfect skin, and I can’t even say I know exactly what “type” of skin I have because I swear it’s always changing on me. However, my skin is predominantly normal/dry and I tend to breakout from hormone fluctuations and stress (like many women in their 20s). Other than that though, my skin is pretty easy.
I know that a simple skincare routine is “all the rage” right now, and some people will give me s*** for how many different products I use, but this is what works for me:
Something fun I recently discovered is this (very bougie) skincare fridge. I was disappointed to find out that keeping my Eminence masques in the fridge would damage the products. Instead I keep sheet masques, my jade roller, and spot treatment in it. This particular mini fridge can also heat things up, so sometimes I like to clean it out and put a few damp towels in to give myself a facial with.
Comment below if you would enjoy watching a YouTube video going into detail about my skincare routine and how I do an at-home facial/spa night.
This post is intended to be a summary of the Smile Direct Club series I did on my blog a few years ago. Some of you may remember monthly posts, as I tracked my smile-straightening journey. Since starting edenjadegrey.com over from scratch, I wanted to summarize those posts and share my end results with you guys!
Unlike most people, I got “braces” when I was in my 20s.
Thankfully, it wasn’t as awkward as you might be picturing right now…
For the longest time, I searched for a way to straighten my smile without “breaking the bank.”
Ever heard of Invisalign? Yeah. That stuff is anywhere from $3-6,000… We all know how expensive the orthodontist can be, and it was never something I could swing financially.
Smile Direct Club offers invisible aligners for a fraction of the cost. Not only did I save thousands of dollars going through them, but I never had to see an orthodontist. Not. Even. Once! Overall, my experience was fantastic. I finished my treatment on schedule, and I never ran into any major issues along the way.
Click HERE for $100 off of your purchase
The “before” photo was taken when I was a teenager (there are very few photos of me smiling with my teeth from back then because I was pretty self conscious about it). The “after” photo was taken today! I couldn’t be happier with the results – and the photos speak for themselves. I still can’t believe it only took 7 months to complete!
