7 Health & Fitness Favorites for August

I can’t believe where this summer has gone! It’s flown by and as I’m looking towards the last month of the summer, there are a few things that I’ve been enjoying, and look to savor as long as I can!

1. Farmers Markets – of course! Fresh cherries, sugar snap peas, greens, flowers. Farmers Markets are in full swing during the summer months and the perfect place to spend a few hours on the weekend, talk with the growers and producers, support the local economy and find really delicious, healthy foods. We’ve been enjoying the Cherry Creek Farmers Market (Wednesday’s & Saturday’s) and South Pearl Street Market (Sunday’s) in Denver, and stopped by the markets in Glen Arbor (Tuesday’s) and Alden (Thursday’s) while in Michigan.

2. Sometimes it’s difficult to eat healthfully when on vacation. Even when I have a kitchen to prepare meals, it’s not quite the same as when we’re at home. For our trip Up North, I packed a few KIND bars – perfect for travel days – and single serve packets of Vega’s Protein Smoothie. With just 80 calories and 15 grams of plant-based protein, it was an incredibly easy way to make sure I was getting enough protein each day while I gorged myself on cherries and blueberries. And it actually tastes pretty good just mixed with cold water. I’ve become a fan of this product and will be using it in my daily life, as I have a tough time getting enough protein on a regular basis.

3. August = more hot weather running. To stay cool, look cute and keep running when the temperatures are high, I live in my Oiselle Distance and Roga shorts. The Distance are a favorite because of all the pockets – 3 to be exact – while the Roga’s (below) come in a close second because of the light fabric and insanely flattering cut. I have 6 pairs combined so I’m rarely without a clean pair. If you’re wondering, they also work well for kayaking and post-run lake soaks.

4. For me, summer is synonymous with water. While we haven’t yet found many opportunities to get out on the water in Colorado (although they do exist), we certainly took advantage of the opportunity while visiting the cottage. Kayaks provide an easy way to enjoy being on the water and get a bit of an upper body workout in. They’re also great for both lakes and rivers. I highly recommend finding a rental shop while you’re on vacation near any body of water, packing a picnic lunch, slathering on the sunblock and enjoying a beautiful day on the water.

5. As you know, it’s incredibly important to stay properly hydrated and have snacks with you in case the hunger pangs strike throughout the day – whether you’re at work, running errands, running miles or hiking mountains. Like many others, I’m a big fan of Picky Bars. While I admit that I’m not a member of the club, I often pick up bars at our local REI store for hikes, pre-run fuel and to throw in my purse when I know I’m going to be out for a while. If you haven’t tried them yet, I highly recommend them. There’s real substance behind the drool-worthy Instagram feed. I’ll be packing a few of these when I head out to Bend for BirdCamp in a few weeks!

 

6. Woody’s cousin, Liane, and her daughter stayed with us for a night while we were at the cottage. It was great to spend some time with them – we don’t get enough of it – and Liane introduced us to a super-easy, delicious and healthy avocado & corn salad. Just 5 ingredients: avocado, corn, grape tomatoes, fresh cilantro, and some lemon juice. Avocados are a staple in our kitchen so I’m looking forward to making this often!

7. Lastly, I recently found this amazing hair product when visiting the Celestial Seasoning Factory Store in Boulder. One of many reasons why I love living in Colorado is because the low-humidity environment means that I don’t have to deal with unruly hair all summer! Unfortunately though we’ve gone through a rather rainy period and the humidity has spiked. With Alba Botanica’s Hawaiian Anti-Frizz Serum, I work a few pumps into my hair just after I get out of the shower, pull my hair back with a clip to let it it dry a bit, and I’m set! There’s still a little frizz when the humidity is 70%+, but it definitely helps. I love this stuff.

Now it’s your turn! What are some of your health & fitness favorites for August?

(For reference, I was not contacted by any of these brands to write a review, these truly are things I’m loving now.)