Today we’re going to talk about Deodorant and Chocolate, because those go hand in hand, right??

I have known for awhile that “traditional” deodorant like Secret/Dove/etc is filled with things that are bad for you. 

A few of these reasons :
They contain toxic chemicals.  And your skin can absorb toxins more easily than eating them because they enter the bloodstream without being filtered.  They disrupt your hormones.  They contain aluminum and parabens which is linked to bad stuff.

I just wasn’t ready to switch.  Because I had heard it takes a while to find one that works.  Because I had heard the natural deodorant’s don’t work.  Because to be honest I just wasn’t interested in sweating and smelling gross.

But in an effort to be healthier in more ways, I figured this should be next on the list of things to try.
I know, I know –  basically everything it seems is “bad for you.”

And who knows, my love of fast food french fries is definitely probably worse for me than my Secret Deodorant…. but guess what? I won’t be giving up french fries.  I am, however, willing to try a natural deodorant.  Pick your battles.

SO.  All of you lovely ladies on instagram let me know your favorite deodorants.

and then honorable mentions…..
Vapour Beauty, Nubian Heritage, Primally Pure, American Provenance, and Bali Secrets. 

I went ahead and ordered the 3 Pack Trial Set from Native (the SENSITIVE kind, as suggested by all of you) and have been using it for almost 3 weeks.
(I ordered this sample pack of the classic 3 sensitive scents. )
I wanted to wait a little while before talking about it because they say it can take 2 weeks or more for your body to adjust.

And I can say : I will be sticking with the natural deodorant route!
It definitely has a different consistency and doesn’t “glide” on, but that’s fine.
And the scents are not strong in any way, they are actually barely noticeable, but that is fine too.
I have done a sniff test after my super sweaty spin class and to my knowledge all is good. (Please, if you are at a workout class with me and you notice otherwise, let me know).
But also, I shower immediately after a sweaty workout anyway – so I don’t really care either way!?
And for the record, I do not glow, I SWEAT.

My scalp and face actually sweat more than my underarms, which I have always hated, but perhaps in this case it is doing me a favor.
I did feel like I my underarms sweat a tiny bit more during my workouts than usual, but then again I could just be imagining it? Because I never gave much thought to my armpits before trying this natural deodorant route?
You can use this code they sent for a free mini travel deodorant with purchase. 

Everyone says it can take a while for one to work, and also that you may need to try more than one and experiment to see what works for your body.  So I consider myself lucky that this worked the first time! But it definitely was the one that most of you overwhelmingly said worked for you!
and don’t forget to try sensitive! I’m glad I got that tip because I have sensitive skin to begin with! 

I will say this: I will likely keep my other deodorant for dressy occasions like a wedding or something
because I trust that the clear gel won’t get on my fancy clothes!

OH, and to play both sides, this article states that most of what is said about deodorant and the things that are bad for you are myths…. so whatever.
You do you.
We’re probably more likely to die walking out the door each day than from deodorant of course…. so keep eating those french fries ladies.  Ya only live once!
#Hypocrite and Hashtag I couldn’t care less.  Sorry not sorry.

BUT I was happily surprised to like it and not feel like a smelly beast.  So I consider it a win!

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Freezer Fudge

I wanted to share an easy and healthy dessert or snack with you today.
I have talked about Kelly LeVeque and her book Body Love before on the blog.
I make a version of her Fab 4 Smoothie every morning for breakfast and have completely jumped on the smoothie bandwagon thanks to her.
She does such a great job explaining why having the right protein/fat/fiber/greens combo can shut down your hunger hormones and keep you full for hours, plus tons more, in her book.  I can’t recommend it enough!

Well…. during my 31 Day Challenge of daily workouts (almost done! 2 days to go!) I have unfortunately been baking and eating a fair amount of desserts.  Whoops! I like baking on Sundays…. and it’s been cold and rainy…. so…. ya know.

But I decided it was time to try this Freezer Fudge recipe that I had read about and sounded like a great treat.
It’s basically a healthy fat bomb to satisfy the craving without sending you spiraling into a sugar coma.

I made mine with a little bit of PB2, because let’s be honest, I am obsessed with PB2 and who doesn’t love the taste of peanut butter with their chocolate?!
I ordered the rubber ice cube molds off of Amazon to make it easy to pop them out of the tray!
After taking them out of the mold, I just stored them in a ziplock bag in the freezer, which you will want to do because they melt at room temperature.

I also did a separate post with this recipe right beforehand so it is easier to search for on the site!
You can find all the recipes under the RECIPE tab up top!
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A few meals that have been on heavy rotation lately :
(and to clarify, just during the week. This is not the weekend food at all.)

GG Crackers Pizza’s – this was our happy hour treat Friday before dinner.  Kip has finally come around to them.  The cracker has no taste so you have to doctor them up!
cracker, rao’s pizza sauce, mrs. dash italian seasoning, some cottage cheese, part skim mozarella, parmesan

I order my crackers off of Amazon but you can find them at Whole Foods sometimes too! (for some reason right now it is slim picking for them on Amazon, and the sellers that have them have them at a crazy higher price?!))

Breakfast Smoothie (Fab 4 Smoothie, but I add half a frozen banana so it’s not completely fruit free).
1/2 a frozen Banana, almond milk, scoop of perfect fit vanilla protein, tablespoon of hemp hearts, tablespoon of chia seeds, tablespoon of MCT Oil, 2 tablespoons of PB2, scoop of greens powder, and a handful of spinach

Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Stir Fry – this is such an easy 5 minute meal.  I’ll top it with a Veggie Burger, crushed up GG Crackers, and Siracha

Garbage Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette – I have been loving this Salad Dressing

Let me know any great websites for recipe inspiration
or other health and wellness products you all are enjoying!!