Fitness Routine + Go-To Snacks

This summer I'm focusing my fitness routine back to a schedule while supplementing it with more plant based meals along with quick, easy snacks.

My summer fitness routine is somewhat similar to my routine at school, but I've added in workout classes from my favorite local gym. At school I try to workout 5-6 days a week depending on school work load. I switch between arms, legs, full body, and cardio while supplementing with HIIT, body barre, rowing, and Zumba. 

Here's a basic run down of my weekly fitness routine:

Monday: 3 mile walk + Dance Fuzion + Barre

Tuesday: 3 mile walk with sprint intervals + Arms

Wednesday: 3 mile walk + Dance Fuzion

Thursday: 3 mile walk +  Legs

Friday: 3 mile walk + HIIT or Fully Body Workouts 

Saturday: Rest

Sunday: Rest 

It works better for me to rest on the weekend because my parents and I are always on-the-go on the weekends.  I use 8 pounds for my heavy weights and 4 pounds for my light weights. 

During my workouts, I track my steps and activity with my FitBit and use the app CharityMiles so that my miles can go to donating money to a charity of my choice. I personally have my app set to donate to charity:water. 

Go-To Snacks 

During high school my go-to pre(and post)-tennis match snacks were Luna and Clif bars, but I started looking for more options once I got to college. Since I've been in college, I've added three more healthy snack bars to my snack bin. More often than not, I grab a nutrition bar for a quick breakfast on the go.

1. The RXBAR 

What I love about the RXBAR is that the bars don't have any filler. What you see on the wrapper is what you get, and the bars are delicious. With no added sugars, preservatives, dairy, soy, or gluten, it's basically what every one is wanting right now. I'm not dairy or gluten free, but I appreciate the care that goes into these bars to make sure that only healthy products go into the bar. I've been trying to limit the amount of dairy I'm intaking so these bars are right up my alley. My favorite bars are the Chocolate Sea Salt and the Peanut Butter Chocolate.

2. GoMacro

A new addition to my bin. Some of the friends that I've made in CHAARG recommended GoMacro to me after having them at the national leadership retreat. So, I decided I had to try them out. GoMacro is a sustainable living company that makes nutrition bars that are vegan, organic, R.A.W, C.L.E.A.N, kosher, and non-GMO. I was sold on the non-GMO and organic, but I also love that there are no refined sugar either! I know a lot of vegans have talked about having issues finding nutrition bars, but I recommend checking these out. Check out these nutrition bars, here. 

 My local store only had the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, but I visited Fresh Market this weekend and hit the mother load so I stocked up! I'm so excited to try the rest of these flavors.

3. LARABAR

What I like: gluten free and only have 9 ingredients (or less). Honestly I just really love the flavors available. 

Comment what kind of workouts you do and what kind of snacks you eat before or after your workout. 

Kansas City Travel Guide

I just got back from visiting family in the Kansas City area and I thought that I would share some of my favorite places in the area to visit. I only visit my family every now and then, so don't take these suggestions as 'OMG I go here all of the time and you need to check these out', but take them as, I went here while I was in KC and maybe you should check these places out.

Note: I forgot my camera for the trip so all photos are from my phone. Also, I lost a few photos after getting a new phone earlier this week.

coffee

The Roasterie

Located in Kansas City, MO, The Roasterie is a coffee shop that air roasts their coffee beans in house.  The outside of the building is a joyful yellow and has an airplane on top of it. You can even take a tour of the facility. I think the times for tours are 10:00 AM and 12:30 PM. When we got there, we arrived just after 10 AM so we didn't get to join the tour, but that's okay. 

The Roasterie has a coffee bar where you can order all of the normal coffee drinks as well as purchase local baked goods. I honestly had the best latte of my life there. If you ever visit, try a double soy sugar free vanilla latte, I hope that you won't be disappointed. They also have shirts, cups, french presses, drips, and BBQ sauce (is that Kansas City or what??) for purchase as well. 

Also a little outfit post even though I said I wasn't going to post one. I love this top from ASOS and these shorts from J. Crew! 

Food

Dean and DeLuca

Located in Leawood, KS, Dean and DeLuca is an upscale grocery store that has a great sandwich and salad selection as well as a coffee bar. One of my sorority sisters that lives in the area suggested it to my family so we decided to stop in for a quick lunch. 

I got a turkey and brie sandwich that had apricot marmalade on it, and it was honestly to die for. Dean and DeLuca has locations in New York, Kansas, North Carolina, Honolulu, and International. If you ever see one, stop in and grab a bite! 

(Note: I lost my picture for Dean and DeLuca while switching over everything on my phones)

Pig and Finch

Located in Leawood, KS, Pig and Finch has a great happy hour as well as a Sunday brunch and a wide menu. 

I visited Pig and Finch with my family for a quick happy hour stop and had a red sangria. They also offered Pimms, a Manhattan, as well as other delicious drinks. 

Pig and Finch is surrounded by cute boutiques, unique restaurants, and Town Center shopping mall.  

Tours

Steamboat Arabia

If you like history, I would suggest visiting the Steamboat Arabia in downtown Kansas City, MO. The museum depicts what happened surrounding the sinking of the Arabia and thousands of artifacts recovered from the boat in the 80s. 

Boulevard Brewery 

View from the viewing deck. To the left is the smokestack of the original building. 

Even though this tour is of a brewery, you do not have to be 21 to go on it. You just have to be 21 to be able to drink the beer. This was my second time going on a tour of Boulevard, but my first time being 21. The tour takes you through the original building as well as the current building that stores all things related to the brewing of the beers. The tour ends in the tasting room where you, if you're 21,  can choose two beers to taste. I personally recommend the Radler! 

Tasting Room 

Some of the beers available to taste. 

Following the tour, you can visit the beer hall above the tasting room where you can buy beer flights, 5 oz, 11 oz, or 14 oz glasses as well as food. My family purchased a meat and cheese board as well as a veggie plate to go along with our beers. I would definitely recommend grabbing a beer and a bite at Boulevard. 

If you want to go on a tour of Boulevard, make sure to get to there at 10 AM, when the tourism center opens so you can grab your tickets for the daily tours. There are tours all afternoon long. We purchased our tickets and then went to The Roasterie, which was about a block as away, and the Steamboat Arabia, which was about a 10 minute drive before returning for our 1 PM tour. 

Some cute prints on the wall of the beer hall. Can you spot the Evelyn Hensen print?

If you're from Kansas City or have ever visited, please leave some other suggestions below!