8 Positive Impacts from Starting My Day at the Gym

In January, I decided to hop back into my steady working out routine. I missed running consistently and with the added 2020 goals of running a half marathon and buying myself a Peleton bike for my 30th birthday, I knew that I needed to get my routine together.

While I started working out 5 days a week, I completely forgot the amazing effects that a consistent workout routine has on you that don’t involve your physical body.

Today I’m sharing the EIGHT positive effects that implementing a consistent workout routine back in my life, has created. Let’s not forget to take a moment to remember that I also work very hard on listening to my body, resting when needed, and not letting guilt creep in when I want to take a day off. I believe that this is the true way to create a sustainable workout routine that you don’t quit.

1. More likely to do my AM skincare routine:

   When I go to the gym at 5:30 in the morning, I usually bring my gym bag and shower there. This means that I have a change of clothes, towel, and toiletries. I am really good at doing my evening skincare routine, but sometimes it’s hard for me to get out of bed and do it before heading out for the day, especially on days where I don’t wear makeup. I find that having my skincare ready to go in my skincare and makeup bag, makes it a step that I don’t ever skip because it’s right there with me.

2. Not late because I have no choice but to plan in the AM:

   When you have to be somewhere in the morning and decide to workout before, you have no choice but to plan accordingly. I pack my gym bag the night before usually and lay out my gym clothes so that I have as little steps to do before I get out the door in the morning as possible. If you know that you have to be somewhere at a certain time, aka nannying for me some days, I am never late because I know that I can’t be. I find on days when I sleep in and don’t go to the gym, I always sneak an extra 5 minutes or more in bed and find myself more likely to be running behind.

3. I feel more energized throughout the day:

   This one is no secret. I absolutely love how energized I feel all day when I get my workout in early. I love the endorphins! Once you get to a regular schedule, you will love it too!

4. I am more productive throughout the day:

   For me, there is no greater productivity booster than starting off at the gym. Going along with that energizing feeling, there is something about crossing off ‘Gym’ in my planner first thing when I get to planning my day. It sets the tone for my day and helps me stay focused on my goals.

5. I make healthier food choices:

   This one is also another common effect of morning workouts. I find that I crave healthier foods and make better choices because I like to eat specific meals after a good workout, i.e. I usually start with a yummy protein shake and that sets the tone for my food choices all day!

6. Eat a breakfast:

   Going along with #5, when I workout I always have a post workout meal. However, if I don’t run or cycle early in the morning, it’s really easy for me to skip breakfast. I’m not very hungry in the mornings and can easily survive off just coffee in the morning. Working out first thing, forces me to eat that post-workout protein dense meal and start my day off the right way.

7. Able to relax better at night because I can instantly get into relaxation mode when I get home from work. i.e. PJ’s:

   This might be my favorite effect from working out in the morning. I love that by the time I am getting work I have already finished my workout and don’t have to think about it in the evening. My evenings are sacred to me and I love being able to relax or do other things in the evening.

8. Start my day off hydrated:

   The last positive effect is really important for everyone! While I am a really good water drinker thanks to my Hydroflask that goes EVERYWHERE with me, I find that I start drinking my water earlier when I work out. I have no choice but to get 40 oz in with my workout, which again, sets the tone for the day. On rest days, it’s easy for me to go straight to coffee and not get to drinking any water until midday.

As you can see, I love working out first thing in the morning because it really sets the tone to have a productive and healthy day. When do you work out? I realize that not everyone is a morning person, but I hope some of these effects can inspire you to move your body more!

Have a great day,

Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty. 

January Schmanuary

I’m sure you’ve all seen the memes joking about how January has felt like it’s lasted a year (I just posted one to my own stories…so I’m with you). I knew at the beginning of the month I wanted to reflect on January when it was over because first off, I’m big on self reflection, but secondly, I was curious to see how it compared to January 2018. So here we go. While these reasons might not apply to you specifically, the purpose of this post is to get you to think and self reflect about your own first month of the year. Self reflection is my greatest tool for making changes in my life and learning how to grow.

This month threw me for a freaking loop. I started it off feeling refreshed from extra time off around the holidays, spending much of it with family and generally feeling ready to tackle the new year. I’m not one to set new years resolutions, but I have always been excited to jump into new goals and get going again.

So I went on my merry way, creating timelines and ideas for Andrea Fontana Beauty, announcing my cookbook, and overall feeling really good about where I was heading. I was blessed enough to welcome a new niece into the world within the first week and things were really looking great! But then the next morning, I slipped on ice and bruised my tailbone terribly by falling down concrete stairs. At that moment the energy changed for the whole month. I thankfully had a mastermind weekend full of inspiration the following weekend, and while I thought this would prevent me from feeling low, it didn’t.

I spent the majority of it feeling frustrated, lazy, and mad at myself. But, if I could pick one way to describe how I felt at the end of January 2018: anxiety. If I could sum up how I felt at the end of January 2019: anxiety.

Anyone else sensing a pattern here besides me? Haha I’ve noticed on social media that this seems to be a common trend for others, so let’s dig in here a little bit. Why do I feel so anxious when I start the year off?

Goals are great, don’t get me wrong, but I struggle with the constant ‘DON’T EVER STOP WORKING’ mentality that you can find among the entrepreneurship community. Que the ‘Beyonce has the same number of hours in a day as you do’ memes. The ideal that there is always something you can be working on is great, but honestly poses a real threat for me because I’m a person who doesn’t know how to shut off sometimes. I can get going, full steam ahead, and forget about how to care for myself and to simply just sit and be.

Overall, I’m a person who enjoys schedules. I like to plan and know where I’m going to be one month, or even 3 months out. A lot of that is because the nature of the wedding industry involves planning so far out in advance, but I can be shaken by large changes to my schedule. Last January and this January both posed the same threats to my anxiety. Two situations, completely out of my control.

I’m hoping tomorrow when the calendar changes from January to February, I’m able to shake off the guilt of losing my entire workout regimen that I had cultivated for months and also not really working much this past week with the polar vortex. I was able to start fresh last February and look at it as a new month, so I’m hoping to see a similar trend this year.

So what have I learned?

My new theme of January is going to be GRACE. Give myself grace with the fact that January just is not, and maybe will never be my month, and THAT IS OK! I will probably not work as much as every other month and that is ok. It will likely include snow days and cancelled plans, and that is ok. I may fall on ice and not be able to visit my gym for a whole month, and that is ok. I might not put out as many blog posts as I wanted to, and that is ok.

Because here’s the thing. It’s going to be ok. Anxiety has this weird ability to trickle down into every category of your life and make you feel like you are a failure. But guess what, you are not. I am not.

I’m personally trying to view my life in a more seasonal way, as opposed to needing every month to look the same all year. I may run more in the summer than in the winter, but that’s just what life is. Seasons of success and seasons of rest. Both can exist at the same time. Sometimes resting is succeeding. Sometimes running too fast is failing you. Regardless, GIVE yourself grace when it comes to goals and do not let yourself think for a second that you are not doing a good enough job.

You are enough and I am here for you if you want to talk about this more.

I hope February is kind to you, regardless of what January looked like.

Andrea

How to Cook More (Part 2)

A little over a year ago, I wrote a post called “How to Cook More” and you guys really loved it. Click here to read that one first and learn the inspiration behind it.

I wanted to write a follow up post because as I’m writing my cookbook, I’m thinking a lot about the topic of how to inspire people to get into their kitchens more. So I’m back with more ways to share with you on how to cook more. As usual, I love when these posts can be the start of a bigger conversation, so be sure to comment below and let me know what really got you into cooking.

Reminder, if you want to get on my cookbook list and be the first to learn all about it, click here.

Start with one-pot recipes.

I often find that the kitchen can be very overwhelming for people and for most of us, the worst part about cooking is all the huge mess we can make. Also the thought of having to manage multiple burners or things in the oven can be stressful. To that I say, start with one-pot meals. Whether it’s an entire cookbook you purchase on one-pot meals, or you search it on Pinterest, getting your feet wet with simple recipes will help you see that you CAN do it. Then once you feel comfortable, you can dive into dishes with a little more complexity and learn new skills.

Clean as you go.

To go off of the last topic, the mess created from cooking a meal can deter you from starting in the first place. So often we create this huge mess and at the end think, '“well that wasn’t worth it'…” and never make the recipe again. Be strict with yourself and anytime you have 3 minutes or so, wash a dish or two that you are no longer using. This way, when the meal is done, all you have to clean is the dishware you ate on and maybe a pot or serving bowl. If you deal with anxiety you may also find cooking less challenging if the environment you are doing it in is tidy and calm.

Start small.

Sometimes when we make goals we are all or nothing. We go all out and eventually get burnt out, so I suggest instead of saying, “I’m going to cook dinner every night this week and no take out'“, challenge yourself to cooking just one or two nights during the week instead. Once you create that habit, you can increase the amount of cooking you do, little by little.

Start by learning how to make your favorite foods.

If learning how to make your favorite foods at home isn’t a source of inspiration, then I don’t know what is! I think we often think that we have to learn how to cook only healthy meals, but if you’re just getting started in the kitchen, learning how to make your favorite foods will help you become confident and really enjoy the experience. I often challenge myself to try tons of recipes for that one meal until I find my favorite.

Invite people over to eat.

Sometimes if we live alone or with our significant other, it can seem like a lot of work to cook for a small amount of people. Invite some friends over and give meaning to the meal you are preparing. Cooking for the people I love is my favorite thing to do and you might find that you really enjoy it too! Maybe vow to yourself that you want to start hosting small dinners for friend’s birthdays or even just because it’s Friday and you made it through another week! Whatever the occasion, sharing the fruits of your labor can be a great source of inspiration for getting in the kitchen to do the work.

If you’re curious what cookbooks I love, click this link and you can see all of my posts relating to cookbooks I have and why I love them (including my Cookbook Gift Guide from December)!

Remember, cooking is a fun way to express your creativity. If you mess up, you can always try again tomorrow!

Have a beautiful day,

Andrea

Refreshed for 2019

I wasn’t going to write anything about the new year because I’m sure by now you’re inundated with information on how to start the new year off on the right foot. However, I’ve taken a little time off this holiday season and it doesn’t seem quite right to jump into 2019 without a little post on what the new year looks like to me.

I only want to give one piece of advice this January as you set your goals and decide what you’d like 2019 to look like for you:

Goals are nothing and completely pointless if you do not know what works best for you.

So do yourself a favor before you start mapping things out. Make a list of the ways you learn best and work the hardest.

For me, I’m extremely visual. I need a hard copy of a planner and separate areas for work, personal goals, financial goals, etc. I need to create goals monthly and look at them every single day. I wholeheartedly believe that I have been successful in my debt journey because every week I update my current debt in my planner and look at it every. single. day.

We all do things differently and that’s ok! While all of these lists and ideas that people are writing for you are helpful, nothing will work if you do not know yourself. So I encourage you this January, to listen to yourself and be realistic. Ease yourself gently into the new year.

Developing the relationship you have with yourself and being honest is the best thing you can do!

I hope you have the best start to 2019. I’ll probably be back at the end of the month with personal updates on how I started the year off, so look for that and remember not to put too much pressure on yourself!

Have a beautiful day,

Andrea

Stressed vs. Busy

This is a topic that I find myself thinking and talking about often. I’m sharing it today in hopes that you will digest it and see if you need to make any changes in your life. Your life can look very different from the outside than it actually is, so I think it will be helpful to read the whole post through and ask yourself if there are any changes you want to make. I find that this is especially important to discuss as the holidays draw closer and the new year will be upon us shortly.

I am personally a very busy person. If you go all the way back to when I was in high school, it is a part of my personality. I played a sport almost every season, was a good student and just overall did better being busy. I don’t enjoy having too much free time on my hands to sit around. I’ve never been much of a TV watcher so Netflix binge-watching has never been my thing either. I like to keep my schedule FULL of things to do, places to visit, work to do, books to read, etc.

Someone once asked me how I do it? They wondered about how stressed I must be because my plate is always full and I’m always doing things. My answer is simply this:

There is a big difference between being stressed and being busy.

Which do you fall under? You do not have to busy to be stressed, but you can be busy and not be stressed.

Are you stressed up to your ears? So much so that you are anxious, don’t sleep well, always feel like you cannot get enough done or finish your TO-DO list? Or are you just doing a lot, but enjoying it and simply are busy?

I LOVE what I do. I spend about 36ish hours nannying a week (BECAUSE I LOVE IT), and I spend about 15 to 20 hours on my business (seeing clients, emailing clients, creating content for my blog and instagram, etc), and during bridal season I’m gone most Saturdays doing bridal makeup. I love what I do and I highly encourage you to look at how you are spending your time. Is it bringing you a sense of accomplishment and are you feeling passionate about how you spend your time? Or are you stressed and hating every minute of it? Sometimes we have to deal with temporary stress on our journeys to being able to focus on our passions, but I want you to think about the next question.

If you find yourself stressed and on the way to burnout, are there any changes you can make to lessen your stress?

We all have stressful seasons of life, but what I’m talking about is the pattern of life you are creating. If there is no end in sight, if you aren’t loving your career, if you CAN make a change, dig deep and do some soul searching.

I didn’t write this post to give you answers. I simply want you to question the route you are headed and know that it is never too late to make a change for yourself. Think about how you truly spend your time and if it’s causing stress, love yourself enough to make the change to bring about happiness, if it is within your means…and guess what? It usually is!

I hope to always continue on the path of keeping myself busy with passion projects that exhilarate me and help others. After working so hard in a stressful environment in previous years, I promise myself that I will always evaluate where I’m headed to keep me busy but less stressed. Will you make that same promise for yourself? I hope so.

Comment below your thoughts on this post and weigh in on the conversation!

Have a beautiful day,

Andrea

Under $20 Gift Guide

It’s the fourth and final day of Gift Guide Week and tonight I’m bring you a gift guide of gifts under $20! It’s a combination of all kinds of random gifts and hopefully it can bring you some ideas if you need a budget-friendly last minute gift. In case you missed the previous three gift guides from earlier in the week you can click below to visit each one!

• The Skincare Nerd’s Gift Guide

• The Makeup Lover’s Gift Guide

• The Cookbook Gift Guide

1. 5 Lbs of Gummy Bears:

   Hear me out. These are the BEST gummy bears I’ve ever had and I can never stop eating these. If you need a funny gift for White Elephant that someone would laugh at but actually enjoy, this would be great! Or if someone you know just loves candy…like me…

2. Scratch Off Bucket Lists:

   You may have seen these with world maps, but they also have ones for Top Movies, Books, etc. If someone you know is a really into something specific like books, this is a great gift that they will be able to use for a long time, and even display if they want!

3. Handheld Milk Frother:

   If the person you are gifting to loves coffee, matcha lattes, chai lattes, etc, a handheld milk frother to allow them to make yummy coffeehouse drinks at home is a great option. I love mine and use it all the time.

4. Expensive Coffee/Tea:

   It’s really nice as coffee and tea drinkers to receive quality coffee or tea that you might not always have the budget for. I’ve linked my friend’s coffee company because it’s the coffee I drink every morning and it’s so delicious! I highly recommend it. My favorite tea (besides organic green) is the Tazo Wild Sweet Orange Tea.

5. Christmas Ornaments:

   I think it’s fun to get really funny ornaments for people. Paper Source has some really great ones this year, like this avocado one. World Market also has a lot of great inexpensive ones in store!

6. Card Wallet:

   Card wallets are a gift that are always nice to get because it’s nice to have a small wallet to carry to the gym, running errands, or when you simply can’t carry a normal sized wallet. Target has many great options including the one I’ve linked above.

7. Camping Hammock:

   I think this gift would be great for someone who likes to spend time outside, even if it’s just in their backyard! This hammock can support a lot of weight and hold two people which is nice! I already know who I’m gifting this to this year!

8. Papermate Inkjoy Gel Pens:

   These are my favorite pens and if the person you are gifting to loves stationary, planners, or just having a great pen to write with in many colors, this gift set is great!

9. Subscription Service:

   Subscription services are nothing new, but I love gifting them because it allows people to see if they like it and continue on if they so choose. My personal favorite is the Book of the Month, subscription which is great for readers! It’s just $14.99 and you get a beautiful hardcover book every month and can choose between a few different options!

10. Plants:

    Plants make a great gift for the holidays, especially if you live in a colder climate. It’s nice to receive a little bit of greenery for inside your house when outside it’s looking a little dull and gray. I haven’t personally ordered from Costa Farms before (the plants I linked above), but I’ve heard great things about them!

11. Silk Eyemask:

    Having a nice silk eyemask is something that would be a great gift, but not everyone would necessarily buy for themselves. I love sleeping with an eyemask because it really feels good to have slight pressure over my eyes and the darkness helps me fall asleep faster. Silk is great and won’t tug on your skin, so this is a classic black mask that anyone would love.

12. High Quality Candle:

    Everyone loves getting a nice, high quality candle, especially women. There’s just something about always having a candle burning that is so cozy. I’ve linked my favorite scent from my favorite candle company (from my home town of Kalamazoo!) above, Kalamazoo Candle Company! I love their scents and supporting small companies!

13. Amazon Gift Card:

    When in doubt, get the gift card to Amazon. I promise no one will ever be sad that they have free money to Amazon.

What did you think of the above gifts?! Do you have any recommendations that are under $20? Comment below if you have some.

I hope you enjoyed Gift Guide Week on Andrea Fontana Beauty! If you liked it be sure to let me know so I can do something similar next year!!

Have a wonderful time picking out the perfect gifts for your loved ones,

Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty.

A Cookbook Gift Guide

Welcome back to gift guide week here at Andrea Fontana Beauty! Just in case you missed my two previous posts here are the links for them; The Skincare Nerd’s Gift Guide & The Makeup Lover’s Gift Guide.

Today we are talking…COOKBOOKS! One of my favorite kinds of books.

If you’ve been following me for awhile you probably know how obsessed I am with them. My collection is past 50 at this point so I thought I’d offer a few suggestions and describe who I think they would be best for.

The Traditional or Brand New Cook

If you have someone on your list who is new to cooking I highly recommend either ‘The Joy of Cooking’ cookbook or ‘The Fannie Farmer Cookbook’. I have both and refer to them often for classics. They would be a great staple for any college student, newlywed or even someone who has found a new love for cooking, because they are filled with basic recipes that everyone needs.

If your gift is for a cook who is unfamiliar in the kitchen, I highly recommend ‘Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking’ because it teaches you so much about what it takes to make a great meal. The Netflix series is also AMAZING and not to go off on a tangent but you should watch it ASAP.

The Gluten Free Cook

I’ve talked a lot about ‘True Roots: A Mindful Kitchen’ a lot, especially on my Instagram. I have made so many of the recipes and they are so amazing. If someone has dietary restrictions like gluten, dairy, or refined sugars, this would make a great gift.

The Fit Cook

I received ‘Bobby Flay Fit’ for Christmas last year and I’ve used it so much, there’s a burn mark on the cover from the coils of my stove. If the person you’re shopping for is into fitness and healthy eating, but doesn’t like sacrificing flavor, this is a great option! The recipes are easy and rely on using a lot of great spices to create clean and delicious meals.

The Pasta-Obsessed Cook

If the person you are shopping for likes pasta or noodles (I mean who doesn’t though…) these are two of my favorite cookbooks that I have actually used quite a bit in the last few years. ‘The Ultimate Pasta and Noodle Cookbook’ has recipes from all types of cuisines, not just Italian. It’s again a great reference book. My other recommendation would be for someone who LOVES Italian pasta and I’ve talked about it before on here. ‘250 True Italian Pasta Dishes’ is great for those who want to learn which types of pastas go with which sauces and how to choose veggies to add in. It has many great combinations and even a section with fast weeknight recipes.

The Beauty Loving Cook

I know I just mentioned this cookbook in my Skincare Gift Guide, but I have to mention it again in case you missed that post. If you are gifting to a lover of makeup, skincare or nutrition, ‘Eat Beautiful’ is an amazing collection of in season recipes to promote healthy skin and beauty.

The Italian Food Cook

Did you really think I wouldn’t include an Italian section. My pick for this year goes to a cookbook my boyfriend got me for my birthday one year because he wanted me to cook from it. ‘The Sopranos Family Cookbook’ is not only full of delicious traditional recipes, but it’s also really fun to look through.

The Cook Who Loves to Give Back

If you have a friend to gift this season that loves to give back, this would be a great option for them. The ‘America The Great Cookbook’ is a collection of signature dishes and family recipes from chefs all over the country. So not only is it a great collection of different types of cuisines, but the proceeds go towards helping ‘No Kid Hungry’ fight childhood hunger.

Now if you have a cookbook addiction like me or you’re shopping on a budget this holiday season, don’t forget that thrifted/used books are a great way to reuse and recycle books! I don’t know what I was doing before I started using Thriftbooks.com to order all of my books from. I have been buying from them from almost a year and have always had great luck with them. The customer service is also great if you have a question. I have found some of my favorite cookbooks for under $5 before! If you click this link, you can save 15% off your first purchase on Thriftbooks.com!

Do you have any favorite cookbooks? Be sure to comment below and let me know which ones you are obsessed with that I need to add to my collection.

Don’t forget to come back here tomorrow for Day 4 and my last day of Gift Guides on Andrea Fontana Beauty,

Have a great day,

Andrea

Books I've Read in 2018 #1

Welcome back! 

I used to share my favorite books in my monthly favorites post, but you guys requested that I save them for a quarterly book post instead. Seeing as one of my goals of 2018 was to read more, I think this is a great idea because I actually have a good sized list of recommendations. I will always include my favorite cookbooks as well, because those are a huge part of my life. #extremecookbookaddict

Each title will be a link to the book for you to purchase to make things easier for you! These links will be amazon associate links that allow you to purchase the book at the same price but support Andrea Fontana Beauty at the same time! (Mega thanks to all who use these links as you keep my wallet ready to support my love for testing new products and recipes). But to the books we go!

"The Heart's Invisible Furies" by John Boyne:  This was the first book I devoured in 2018. I say devoured because I was sucked in from the first 5 pages and barely came up for air until I reached the last of over 500 pages. I was captivated by the story of Cyril Avery and I hope you will be too. I mentioned it a few times in January, but am sharing again because they recently released a more inexpensive paperback copy and I highly recommend you go get it! 

"Better than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives" by Gretchen Rubin:  Gretchen Rubin wrote "The Happiness Project" which I remember being super popular but I never read it. I liked the overall message of this book about the wrong and right ways to develop new habits for yourself, but I don't know if I would follow the specifics. It sometimes felt a little repetitive. Overall, I recommend it if you struggle with creating new habits and would like to gain some perspective on how to be better at it. 

"You are a Badass" by Jen Sincero: I feel like this book was super popular last year and it lived on my 'To Read' list on my phone but never made it further than that. I came across it when I was scanning my dad's home library (we're talking like thousands of books to read...aka heaven), picking out new reads for my trip to Florida in February. I loved this one and see why it was so popular. It was quick and easy to get through (I only deem books this if I can read them in a week) and I found myself needing to take notes because there were so many quotes I needed to remember. I feel like this is one that I will want to have a copy of on hand for future reference.

"Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World" by Michael Hyatt:  I already have a permanent copy coming in the mail of this one because I checked it out from the library and know that I will want this one for future reference. If you are trying to sell a product, business, anything you NEED this one. Especially bloggers! I cannot recommend it enough. A very wise woman who I met when I joined a Women's Entrepreneurship group recommended it and I cannot put it down. It's full of important info from 'How to write your bio' to 'How to Keep Conversations Civil'. I just love it. 

And now for the cookbooks....(TOP 3)

"250 True Italian Pasta Dishes: Easy and Authentic Recipes" by John Colette & Nancy Ryan: If you love pasta you need this one. There's a section on quick 30 minute dishes, recipes for fresh pasta, and more. I use it most when I have a few specific veggies or protein that I need to use up and want to create a quick and delicious pasta dish. I just look up my ingredient in the index and I usually have a few recipes to choose from. It was inspired by one of my favorite Italian restaurants in Chicago called Quartino. 

"Eat Beautiful: Food and Recipes to Nourish Your Skin From Inside Out" by Wendy Rowe: This one was written by one of my favorite makeup artists and highly recommend it for those of you who are into skincare and makeup. I firmly believe in nutrition being a huge part of your skincare routine so this is a must have for me. It's divided into seasons and the beginning of each sections highlights ingredients of the season and how they benefit the skin and body. Wendy eats according to what is in season, so I love this one for those of us who try to do the same! Thank you always to my best friend Emily for gifting me a cookbook last year on my birthday that is so ME!

"Bobby Flay Fit: 200 Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle" by Bobby Flay: I know this one probably doesn't come as a shock, but I'm still cooking from it all the time. I have so many favorite recipes from this one and while it's only a few months old, based on the wear and tear it looks like I've had it for years. If you don't want to sacrifice flavor for health and want to get more into using different types of spices I highly recommend this one.

What have you read so far in 2018? Comment below and let me know! I'm always looking for more book recommendations!

Have a beautiful weekend,

Andrea