ColoRADo!

This past weekend I got to visit my old stomping grounds: Colorado. In the 6 days I was there, I visited 3 (well, technically 4) cities, had countless friend dates and local run-ins, played tourist, saw a show, went on numerous hikes, did tons of mountain yoga, went dancing, and had 2 wildlife sightings! It was hardly a restful trip, but was AMAZING! 

Wednesday: Denver 

After arriving at DIA, I booked it to Cherry Creek to go for a run in the gorgeous neighborhood there before going to my favorite Denver yoga teacher's class: Billy at Pura Vida.

After lunch at True Foods, walking around, and running some errands, my normal Denver day, I posted up in my favorite coffee shop to do a bit of work. Then headed over to Highlands to meet my best friend. We had a rainy walk (stop drop and handstand included) to Linger to enjoy some yummy tapas while overlooking the city. 

Thursday: Denver

I started the morning at a yummy new coffee shop in Jules's neighborhood with a cappuccino and an almond ricotta muffin (gluten free!). It was a good opportunity to catch up on some Instagram work, and play with a baby in the coffee shop! Some city yoga also started the day, and was definitely a highlight throughout it.

I then proceeded to meet Caitlin (yup, my roommate from Portland!) and her friend for brunch at Olive and Finch before heading to the Denver Art Museum. Gotta love playing tourist!

Back to Linger for dinner and then downstairs for yummy ice cream before...

Red Rocks! Even though it rained, it was so awesome being back at this amazing venue, with Caitlin and Rachel, and to see Neil Young no less! A rainbow even appeared...

I did make the dark, rainy drive up the mountain after the show so that I'd wake up in the mountains the next morning! Scary but worth it!

Friday: Breckenridge

I headed into town first thing for two reasons. 1. To see this view, and bust a handstand. Gorgeous, right?! 2. I was starving! I headed to Cuppa Joe's to meet my good friend Emily and for my usual cappuccino and granola. Mmmmm...

Then I hiked up Peak 10 with my best friend Ella. I'd gotten in so late, I hadn't seen her the night before, and then she'd fallen back asleep while waiting for me to wake up, so giving her a big giant hug finally was amazing! The clouds were a little precarious, so we stayed close. But it gave us a chance to hike up what we used to skin up, see the amazing view, and those wildflowers!

After lunch at Soupz On and some chill time, I went in to town for some quality time with the people at Hearthstone, the restaurant where I used to work (omg their reaction when I walked in was awesome!). Ella and Kellyn met me for some happy hour there and Twist. 

Saturday: Breckenridge (and Aspen)

After starting the day with a sweet potato burrito at Joe's with Ella, we set off for an unexpected adventure to Independence Pass. It's a gorgeous drive, and we found hidden pockets of waterfalls, raging rivers, and grottos! We capped it off with watching the boys show off their manhood by swimming in the cold River and lunch in Aspen.  

After dinner with my boss at Hearthstone, which gave me an opportunity to grill the new employees, I headed over to Southridge Seafood to hang with a bunch of friends from work. Such a great reunion! 

Then it was off to dancing with my ladies at Gold Pan! It happened to be a group of girls we new that came up from Denver with Jules for a bachelorette party. So fun! 

Sunday: Breckenridge 

I started the day off with a breakfast (oatmeal latte anyone?) and handstand date with Jen. 

Then it was off to hike Mohawk Lakes with Leslie. Not only did she take me up my favorite hike a different way, take yoga pose pictures all along the way, and get to the third lake (of five, but a first for me!), but we also saw a moose! We stopped to take a picture of a flower and I looked up, and there it was, 20 yards away just snacking. First I've seen in Colorado, and it happens when I'm visiting! It was perfect: blue sky, green (never seen this green in Colorado), wildflowers, snowcapped peaks, alpine lakes, yoga with friends, rare wildlife sighting... Love that hike!

Then off to lunch with Canaan and her Avery at Amazing Grace. So happy I finally got my hands on that baby! Oh, and to see Canaan too! 

They evening was spent with Kellyn. We hung out in her newly-planted garden while I loved on Cutty, headed into town to have dinner at Relish where Jordan joined us and Adam stopped by for a hug, and then had a chill night watching Sons of Anarchy while I caught up on Instagram and again loved Cutty. Serious cloud porn that night too!

Monday: Boulder

After a quick coffee with Kellyn, I set off for Boulder. I met Lindsey for a hike in the Eldorado Canyon. So beautiful! It was cloudy (and a little humid), which made for a unusually sweaty hike, but so gorgeous with all the wildflowers and the Flat Iron mountains. Another wildlife sighting got our adrenaline pumping at the start though. One more step forward and Lindsey would have stepped on a rattlesnake! Excuse me for being a bit girly, but ewww...

Rumbling bellies took us into Lousiville for sandwiches at the new and adorable Moxie Bread Company. Olive oil, greens, manchego, and prosciutto on homemade bread. Yummmm! Then it was off into Boulder to see the house Lindsey and her husband just bought, and to get some time with their 4 and a half year-old son! Man, my little guy has gotten big!

The awesome thing about a small town is getting to see people everywhere. I was told repeatedly, "Welcome home!" Well, it definitely felt like that! Even though I'm loving Portland, I had my thoughts questioning why I left. But of course everything is perfect and wonderful when you're on vacation, right? Breckenridge, you're amazing and I love you! I'll see all of you soon! 

#LJInspired: MadLib Fun!

Fill in this blog prompt mad lib for a chance to win a copy of Lorna Jane’s new book, Inspired! Copy and paste the mad lib below, fill in the blanks with your own answers, and make sure to share your link, tagging @LornaJaneActive @FitApproach and hashtag: #LJInspired #SweatPink in all of your shares!

I believe that the key to a happy life is balance and inspiration [noun]. Balance and inspiration [same noun] inspires me to be the happy, more relaxed, well-traveled, and experienced [adj] person that I am today. I am lucky to have my family [person] and my friends [person] in my life because they inspire me to live life to my fullest and to chase my dreams.

My dream is to one day live abroad again, gaining local status [verb] and even if it takes selling all of my belongings (well, except maybe my yoga pants ;) ) [noun], I know I’ll get there because I’m not afraid to dream big!

While I dream big, I hope to inspire others by sharing my experiences and showing that anyone can live the life they love!

Join me, starting on Monday, July 13th for a fun 5 day #LJInspired Instagram Challenge hosted  by @FitApproach & @LornaJaneActive.

Here are the daily prompts:

• Day 1 (Monday, July 13th): How do you dream big? #sweatpink #LJInspired @FitApproach @lornajaneactive
• Day 2 (Tuesday, July 14th): What’s your fave healthy swap? #LJInspired #SweatPink @FitApproach @LornaJaneActive
• Day 3 (Wednesday, July 15th): Who inspires you? [Tag 2-3 friends!!] #LJInspired #SweatPink @lornajaneactive @fitapproach
• Day 4 (Thursday, July 16th): What does happiness mean to you? #LJInspired #sweatpink @fitapproach @lornajaneactive
• Day 5 (Friday, July 17th): What makes you an #LJInspired girl? #sweatpink @LornaJaneActive @FitApproach

And don’t forget to join us on 7/21 from 5:30-6:30 pm PT for a fun #LJInspired #SweatPink Twitter party for another chance to win prizes & a copy of Inspired: https://www.facebook.com/events/852624931491346/.

I can’t wait to get my copy of Lorna Jane Inspired! Pre-order yours today: http://www.lornajane.com/INSPIRED/Inspired.

This post is sponsored by  Lorna Jane. All opinions are my own.

I'm SO excited for Blogfest!

The countdown for Blogfest continues! There's a lot to be done, for sure, but I'm SO excited! Here are 5 things I'm especially looking forward to!

1. Zumba

The day before the official first day of Blogfest, a level 1 Zumba training is being offered for free! I love dancing, so I'm really intrigued by this. I've only done one Zumba class at a gym, so I'm really excited to experience this fun, high energy, booty-shakin' class with a ton of people!

2. Gabrielle Reece

Gabbrielle Reece will be at Blogfest this year as the keynote speaker! She's such an incredible athlete and advocate for living a healthy life. I'm so excited to see her speak!

3. Fun Run
@sharpendurance and @coachhenness are hosting an all-levels fun run this year on the 16th, day 1. What a great way to meet people and to kick off the long weekend!

4. Work the booth

From what I've seen and heard from last year, the Sweat Pink team has a blast working the booth. We're going to have tons of Sweat Pink product for sale; a ton of enthusiasm for spreading the word on our community, brand, and mission; and, as always, a twitching shutter finger ready to snap the selfies!

5. The community

I'm so excited to meet SO many people at Blogfest! I got to meet a number of the Sweat Pink community at Fitbloggin' in June, so it'll be fun to reconnect with them. I've been in touch with Kelly, one of the Blogfest rainmakers, and have communicated with a lot of the community through working with the Fit Approach social media. It'll be awesome to meet more people in person!

My Top-10 Items Necessary for Blogfest

Who else is stoked for Blogfest! We're in total countdown mode now! I can't believe how quickly the summer is going, and the fact that July 15th will be here before I know it blows my mind! Due to the fact that I'm a crazy list-maker, especially when it comes to travel, and that I'll be in CO the week before the conference, I've already started my packing list for Blogfest. Here are the top 10 things I'm taking!

1. SWEAT PINK TANKS…obvi!

This one is a bit of a given due to the fact that I'm lucky enough to be a part of the Sweat Pink team. I'm taking a huge array of tanks since I'll be decked out the whole weekend, and plan to be sweating while taking fitness classes. (I'm banking on needing to change my clothes at least once a day…I'm a pretty sweaty person.)

2. Sunglasses

We'll be in sunny LA. Sunglasses are definitely a must, especially my Sweat Guru orange shades!

3. Running shoes

I'm planning on being on my feet all day, between working the booth, attending classes, and going on runs around town. My neon Nikes are a must, including the Sweat Pink laces they're accessorized with!

4. Funky pants

I've been officially obsessed with the patterned pants trend for a while now. I'll definitely need multiple pairs, reference previously mention sweatiness. Liquido makes some of my absolute favorite funky leggings, and are lightweight, soft, comfortable, and stretchy.

5. Shorts

For someone who went years without wearing shorts, I've developed a love of shorts again! (Thank you Costa Rican heat and humidity for turning a necessity into a love.) I have quite a few pairs of awesome lululemon shorts, some for running and some for casual wear, all so cute!

6. Backpacks

I was unprepared at Fitbloggin' as I didn't bring a bag with me at all times for the swag you accumulate at these conferences. So not only will I always have my Sweat Pink drawstring backpack with me constantly, but also my awesome new lululemon Run All Day Backpack.

Image from lululemon website

7. Phone chargers

Yup, you read that correctly. I'll not only have one phone charger with me, but TWO! With all the tweeting, gramming, and booking going on at these conferences, my phone's battery gets depleted pretty quickly. I'll have one charger on hand with me all the time while leaving one in the hotel room. I refuse to not be able to capture and share a moment because my phone has died!

8. Birks

My feet will definitely need a breather. Not only are my Birkenstock sandals super comfortable, but they've made a comeback! They might not be fashionable enough for LA, but they're definitely chic by Portland standards.

9. Towel, ShowerPill, and Sweat STR

I'll be bringing my little Manduka hand towel with me for wipe downs during fitness classes (again, I sweat a lot). Luckily ShowerPill and SweatSTR are providers for our Lightening Round swag bags, so hopefully I'll be able to procure some of these awesome athletic wipes and cute scarf towel.

Images from Manduka, ShowerPill, and SweatSTR sites

10. Hoodie

As hot as it is outside, and as sweaty as I get during sessions, it can get cold during the conference with the AC blasting in the rooms. Not only will I always try to have a change of clothes with me so I don't have to stay in sweaty clothes and freeze, but I like to keep a hoodie with me to layer up when it gets chilly. I love my lululemon On The Daily Hoodie; it's SO cozy. We'll also be rocking awesome Sweat Pink hoodies in the booth!

Image from lululemon website

11. BONUS: Sweat Pink Trucker Hat

We just got these beauties in! Can't wait to rock it! Not only are they awesome looking, it'll be awesome to cover up my greasy roots. We are at a fitness conference, right? Hair might be a little sweaty…

Now you know what I'll be decked out in head-to-toe 24/7, find me and come say hi!

Follow me at @lizwilsonyoga on Twitter and Insta!

Puritan's Pride Mad-Lib

This week Puritan’s Pride is offering a prize to EVERYONE* who completes this blog prompt mad lib! Want to get in on the fun (and the prizes?!) Copy and paste the mad lib below, fill in the blanks with your own answers, and make sure to share your link on the #1MillionMinutes page to get rewarded!*

I’m so STOKED [adj] to fuel my #1MillionMinutes goals with Puritan’s Pride! All summer I plan to hike, run, yoga, explore [verb] my way to a healthier, fitter me, and I’ll need help staying hydrated and fueled during all my awesome outdoor [adj] adventures!

I will make sure I stay on track and will rely on  healthy protein powders [noun] to keep me well fueled before, during and after workouts, and my trusty water bottle [noun] to keep me hydrated!

I’m most excited to try Whey protein powder in chocolate (product) and Organic omega hemp and flax granola (product) from Puritan’s Pride because they look yummy, and like they'll keep me fueled and satisfied! (adj).

 One supplement I’ve never tried but am curious about is Tumeric [noun]. I think it might make me extra healthy and strong as it's an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. [adj].

Bring it, #1MillionMinutes! I’m ready to go!

* Prizes available to U.S. and Canada residents. Please make sure your address is updated so we know where to send your prize! 

This post is sponsored by Puritan’s Pride. All opinions are my own. We so appreciate you supporting the brands who support Fit Approach and the #sweatpink community!