Fitness Backup

  A week ago we hiked the Sedona Airport Vortex Loop & got to enjoy these gorgeous views in the morning before the heat really set in. . I'm going to admit right up front that I'm not fully educated on what a vortex is/isn't. My basic understanding is they are places where the energy and magnetization are different, special and more intense. Some have energy that flows upward, which gives off an uplifting feeling and masculine energy, and others have energy that flows into the earth, which can help with introspection and healing. . Bottom line, we they make for amazing hikes with gorgeous views. . What do you think about vortexes? Do you think the energy of a place can have an impact on people?

 I picked up this Amethyst pendant during our trip to Sedona & am loving wearing it. . According to the shop where I got it, amethyst is the "stone of spiritual protection & purification." It inspires divine love, encourages selflessness and spiritual wisdom, and cleanses the aura. . Sedona is a very spiritual & new age place. While that's not 100% my thing, I appreciate it. For me, all that matters is if it makes you feel good & encourages good habits. If there are benefits beyond that, bonus! I feel great wearing this pendant and that's that. . Whether you believe in the energy of crystals or not, it's damn pretty.

 Back to my workout routine and loving it! Other than hiking, I didn't do any workouts during our week in Sedona. It felt right for my body at that moment, but now it feels great to be getting sweaty & sore again! . Started the week with a Peloton ride, then a lower body strength workout and yoga tonight! I'm also doing a 10 minute core workout as an add-on most nights. . Trying to figure out how to balance Peloton rides, strength training & yoga is a challenge. Right now, my routine is feeling very leg heavy with not enough focus on my upper body. But I'm loving what I'm doing, so maybe that's all that matters?

Getting back to 'clean' eating after a week of vacation eating is rough! This salmon salad is making the transition a little easier by being ridiculously delicious. . We didn't go crazy in Sedona, but it was definitely heavier than my usual. We stopped at Whole Foods on our way into town & stocked up for most of our meals there. Then 3 nights we picked up to-go orders from local restaurants (Mexican, pizza and burgers!!). . My Sedona routine was a basic breakfast (yogurt and/or fruit) with a solid salad for lunch. At Whole Foods we bought salad basics and a huge bag of frozen shrimp to mix in. For dinners when we didn't get take-out from restaurants, we cooked up steaks we brought from home with asparagus, brussels sprouts & roasted red potatoes on the side. . That was a LOT of food every day, even if most of it was healthy & home-cooked. Transitioning back to #intermittentfasting and reducing the volume is hard y'all!

 Spending last week in Sedona, AZ was exactly what my soul needed. This was the view from our front porch and living room. . I'd never been to Sedona before but now already can't wait to go back. There were so many things that we weren't able to do this trip (yoga studios, eating at restaurants, jeep desert tours) but we still had a magical experience. . Lots of people talk about the energy & vortexes in and around Sedona, and while I'm a pretty skeptical person there truly is something special about the place. The views, being surrounded by such beauty constantly… I can't recommend it enough! . Sedona, I love you and can't wait to be back when things are more normal! . I'll be posting more about my week in Sedona later on & sharing some photos on my stories today. We stayed in a gorgeous Airbnb, so message me if you want the link!