Shakespeare in the Park | Montford Park Players

September 17, 2018 By Chanelle 13 Comments

Thank you JaM Cellars for sponsoring this post. Looking for JaM Cabernet and Butter Chardonnay near you? Check out their easy-to-use Store Locator! Just pop in your zip code and the wines will be waiting!

With the last day of summer rapidly approaching—it’s on September 22nd, believe it or not—I made it my mission to check one last thing off my #SummerBucketList. I wanted to see a free play by the Montford Park Players.

The Montford Park Players mostly perform Shakespeare, but when I was looking through their summer schedule, something else jumped out at me: James and the Giant Peach! As a kid, I loved Roald Dahl books, and this was one of my favorites. So it was settled; I’d see James and the Giant Peach.

I took a glance at the website to figure out where to park and whether food and drinks are allowed and was delighted to find that I would indeed be able to bring my favorite creamy-licious JaM Cellars Butter Chardonnay with me. When Friday arrived, I packed up my picnic basket and headed to the Hazel Robinson Amphitheater at Montford Park in North Asheville.

Montford Park Players Tips

Tickets: Not necessary unless you want to reserve a VIP seat for a few dollars. In that case, you can book online.
Parking: Parking is free and there are two lots to choose from, but be sure to arrive early or you’ll have to park on the street.
Seating: Grass bleacher seating. Bring a picnic blanket or folding lawn chair!
Food & drinks: Snacks and beverages (including alcohol) available for purchase, or bring your own.

The Montford Park Players schedule for 2018

I found a place to sit right when I walked into the amphitheater, so I spread out my picnic blanket, opened my bottle of JaM Butter Chardonnay, and perused the playbill as I waited for the show to begin.

If you’re a wine lover and haven’t tried Butter Chardonnay yet, I highly recommend that you do. It’s rich, luscious, and yes, buttery! It gets its melt-in-your-mouth flavor and texture from the winemaking process, during which it’s cold fermented, then aged in a unique blend of oak.

I’m the kind of person who usually chooses red wine, and I loved Butter Chardonnay. It was something a little different than the white wines I’ve tasted in the past, and it perfectly complemented a warm summer night at the theater. You can read lots of other Butter Chardonnay reviews on JaMCellars.com!

As for the show, well, it was great! I enjoyed revisiting an old favorite and since I’d only read the book and seen the movie, it was fun to see the story presented in a new way. Hamlet is the last show of the 2018 season and I think I’ll try to squeeze in to see it—hopefully with another bottle of JaM Cellars wine in tow.

Montford Park Players James and the Giant Peach

Montford Park Players performing James and the Giant Peach, September 2018.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

How to Stick to a Workout Routine

September 5, 2018 By Chanelle 15 Comments

This post was sponsored by adidas. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

These days my workouts serve a few different purposes. I work out to have fun, stay in shape, and maintain good mental health. But even though I know working out is good for me, there are still days when I struggle with motivation. Luckily, I have some tricks up my sleeve that help me get my booty to the gym regularly!

How to Stick to a Workout Routine

Keep your gym bag packed

I have two backpacks: one for the gym and one for work. I keep both of them stocked with everything I need to have a productive work day or workout. That way, I can just grab one of them and go!

I’ve written before about what I keep in my gym bag, but it’s changed a little since then because I don’t compete in bodybuilding competitions anymore. Although I no longer compete, I still train like a bodybuilder! Here’s what I keep in my bag:

Lifting belt to support my core while lifting
Wireless headphones
Weightlifting shoes with a sturdy elevated heel, so I can be prepared when my workout app tells me it’s leg day (more on that app later)
Lifting straps and wrist wraps
Combination lock

Have easy pre-gym snacks available

My available workout time often falls between meals, so I have to eat a little pre-workout snack for a boost of energy. I can’t work out with an empty stomach!

Here are some easy pre-workout snack ideas:

Apple or banana + and peanut butter or a handful of nuts
Oatmeal with berries, nut butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon—takes a little prep time but it’s my favorite pre-workout snack
Avocado toast

Buy workout clothes you enjoy wearing

Couldn’t tell you why, but going to the gym is so much more fun when you have something nice to wear!

I recently picked up two pairs of Adidas joggers—I got one pair in black with white stripes (pictured above) and another pair in gray with neon green stripes. Prior to purchasing these, I’d always wear leggings to the gym. These joggers are perfect for when I don’t want to wear something form-fitting, but still want to look cool.

Try a workout app that does the planning for you

Now that I’m working out for fun and for health and don’t have a specific goal to work toward, I’ve noticed myself slacking a bit with my workouts. I was repeating the same exercises week after week and not challenging myself as much as I could have been, so I decided to suck it up and download a workout app to kick things back into gear.

I’ve been using an app called Fitbod and I LOVE IT. All you have to do to get started is input your height and weight, goals, ideal workout style (I chose bodybuilding), and whether you have access to a full gym or prefer bodyweight exercises.

From there, the app puts together workouts for you complete with sets, reps, and once it learns more about you, even recommended weights! I’ve been having consistently excellent workouts ever since I subscribed.

Join a fitness class for accountability

When I work out by myself, I’m really good at slacking. I recently decided to start taking a weekly crossfit-style class and it keeps me motivated for a few reasons:

There are other people there that notice when I don’t come
It’s at the same place and time every week so I can make sure to be prepared for it
The instructor tells me exactly what to do so I can’t cheat myself
It takes me out of my workout comfort zone

So if you’re the kind of person who needs a bit of external motivation to stick to your goals, joining a workout class might be just what you need.

Keep your favorite supplements stocked

If you find that certain supplements help you with your workouts (or with the after-effects of your workouts), be sure to stay stocked up on them. For example, maybe you need fish oil for your joints or a pre-workout with caffeine to help you get ready for your after-work gym sessions.

My essential workout supplements are protein powder, creatine, and especially BCAAs. I have a love/hate relationship with soreness. I love it because it lets me know I’ve made an effort…but it’s also really annoying to struggle going up or down the stairs because of sore quads or calves. I’m more motivated to get to the gym when my cabinet is stocked with BCAAs because I know they’ll reduce my post-workout soreness a bit.

Figuring out how to stick to a workout routine is different for everyone. What else have you tried?

How I’m Preparing My Mind and Closet for Fall

August 28, 2018 By Chanelle 14 Comments

Complimentary product was provided to me by prAna to facilitate this post. Thanks prAna!

I know I should be sad about summer ending, but I’m not—I’m ready for fall! I’m looking forward to packing my shorts away and wearing all my favorite jeans, sweaters, hoodies, and boots. I’ll be enjoying the transition between seasons with some looks that combine summer staples and fall favorites—check out my comfy look below—as well as making changes to my routine to prevent seasonal affective disorder from kicking my booty this year.

prAna Oberlie hoodie (Weathered Blue) and Transform capri (Black)

Here I’m wearing the prAna Oberlie hoodie with the Transform high waist capri, but I paired the outfit with my favorite sandals for more of a transitional vibe. I ordered my Oberlie hoodie two sizes up for the perfect slouchiness!

prAna Oberlie hoodie

The Oberlie hoodie is extremely soft, made from blend of organic cotton, nylon, and wool, and the Transform capris are bluesign® approved, meaning that they’re produced and dyed without contaminating the environment with harmful chemicals. Shopping with prAna is guilt-free because of their commitment to using sustainable and recycled materials!

prAna Oberlie hoodie and Transform capri

While I’m preparing my closet for fall, I’m working on preparing my mind for fall as well. As much as I love the cool weather, seasonal affective disorder caused by darker mornings and shorter days can make it challenging for me to maintain good mental health.

To combat the fall doldrums, I’m re-implementing some good habits I started last year:

Limiting screen time before bed

I find I waste less time watching YouTube and get better sleep when I charge my phone in another room overnight. Scrolling on the phone is a hard habit to break, but your sleep schedule will thank you for it.

Getting enough sleep!

I used an app called Pacifica to track my habits for several months last year and noticed that I had the best mental health days when I’d gotten plenty of sleep the night before. Time to recommit to getting 8 hours of sleep each night!

Waking up early to meditate or do yoga

Since my phone will be charging in another room, I hope to roll out my yoga mat when I wake up instead of rolling over to grab my phone and check Instagram.

30 minutes of light therapy in the morning

I thought light therapy was a bunch of woowoo until I actually tried it. I’ll be incorporating it back into my morning routine post-haste! All it takes is 30 minutes soon after waking up for a nice energy boost.

Maintaining a fun and varied fitness routine

I’ve become bored with my workouts over the last year or so, so I’ve been changing things up to make fitness more fun. I subscribed to a workout app that plans my workouts for me and joined a challenging functional fitness group class!

Eating looooots of veggies

‘Nough said. Doesn’t everyone feel better when they eat more veggies?

I ordered my Oberlie hoodie two sizes up for a slouchy look.

With a one-two punch of good mental health habits + a closet stocked with spirit-lifting clothes, I think I’m ready to take on fall and winter head first! (But not before plenty more outdoor work/chill sessions in my Oberlie hoodie and Transform capris.)

Are you and your closet ready for fall? If you still need to stock up on comfy and sustainable clothes for fall, use code ESLMF18 when you shop prAna online for 15% off your purchase!

Fueling Up for a Waterfall Hike | Catawba Falls Near Asheville

August 21, 2018 By Chanelle 19 Comments

This post is sponsored by Avitae Caffeinated Water. Thanks Avitae!

When you live in Western North Carolina, ya gotta hike. There are so many beautiful mountain vistas, waterfalls, and swimming holes to see! Since moving here in March, I’ve only just scratched the surface, but I have found a few favorite hikes. My number one outdoors experience so far was hiking Catawba Falls‒it’s a 2.5 mile round trip, not too challenging, and rewards you with a beautiful view and several opportunities to take a quick dip in the cool Catawba River.

As I headed out to hike Catawba Falls the other weekend, I packed up some fresh fruit (cherries, to be exact), roasted cashews, and two bottles of Avitae Caffeinated Sparkling Water‒one for the drive, and one just in case I needed an extra boost during my hike.

Mony “helped” me get ready for my hike

I like Avitae caffeinated water because it gives me the energy boost I need to start my day but with the bonus of healthy hydration. Pretty crucial to stay hydrated when you’re on a hiking trail! And Avitae caffeinated water has zero calories so your caffeine boost is totally guilt-free—a healthier alternative to sugary sodas, teas, energy drinks, or a cup of coffee packed with cream and sugar.

Avitae is made with purified water and natural caffeine derived from green coffee beans and comes in three options: unflavored, flavored, and sparkling! All Avitae options have zero calories and zero sugars, and varying caffeine levels: 45mg (about a half cup of coffee), 90mg (one cup of coffee), or 125mg (1.5 cups of coffee).

The Sparkling Avitae I’ve been enjoying lately has 90mg caffeine per bottle. Perfect to replace my morning coffee!

Another great Mony photobomb

Hiking Catawba Falls

Once you’ve got your caffeine and snack situation in order, it’s easy to get to Catawba Falls whether you’re coming from east or west. You’ll exit I-40 just east of Asheville, then drive a short while to reach the trailhead where there is plenty of free parking. There’s a bathroom available before you get on the trail, but bring your own hand sanitizer!

Parking: Yes
Restroom: Yes
Kid-friendly: Yes
Stroller/wheelchair-friendly: No
Dog-friendly: Yes

I hiked to Catawba Falls alone on a Saturday morning and felt safe because the trail was fairly heavily populated with groups and families. If you’re looking for a more peaceful hiking experience, I’d recommend doing this hike on a weekday.

Feel free to bring dogs on this trail, but only if they like water! Part of the trail requires you to cross the river by walking from rock to rock.

Along the way, there are plenty of places to stop and enjoy the sounds of the gently babbling Catawba River, as well as an interesting old stone structure with cool graffiti inside and some pretty bridges.

Once you reach Catawba Falls, you’ll probably want to hang out there for a while. The falls are beautiful (photos don’t do it justice), there are plenty of rocks to perch on, and there’s an expanse of shallow water to wade in. It would be a nice place to spend 30 minutes to an hour sitting and eating lunch. Just be sure to respect nature and take your trash with you.

After wading around, snapping pics, and people watching for a little while, I headed back down the trail‒all downhill so it goes by quickly. All in all, hiking to Catawba Falls with a boost from Avitae was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon!

Want to try Avitae caffeinated water?

In-store coupon: Look up where Avitae is sold near you, then get your first bottle FREE with in-store coupon (expires 10/31/18). Click here for your free bottle of Avitae!

Online discount code: Would you rather buy Avitae online? Get 30% off your purchase when you use code 30AVITAE2018 at checkout (expires 9/15/18). Click here to shop.

I’d definitely fuel up for a hike with Avitae caffeinated water again! Have you ever tried caffeinated water?

I Went to Cancun for My 30th Birthday

August 8, 2018 By Chanelle 24 Comments

This May, I traveled to Cancun, Mexico all by myself to celebrate my 30th birthday. You probably saw some highlights from the trip on our Instagram Stories if you follow us there. You might be asking: why would I go on such a trip all by myself? Well, it’s because I’m gay and it was a lesbian-only trip! Yep, I went on the Olivia Cancun 2018 vacation and had the time of my life.

If you’re unfamiliar with Olivia, it’s a famous travel company that plans all-inclusive trips and cruises all around the world just for lesbians. In fact, it’s so well-known that you might have seen it mentioned on the L Word.

I was able to go on the weeklong 2018 Olivia Cancun trip in exchange for press coverage and being a featured speaker on health and wellness—the theme of the trip, and totally my wheelhouse.

This year’s Olivia Cancun trip was held at the beautiful Club Med Cancun. Just check out the blue skies and the festive color scheme!

The entire Club Med resort was reserved for Olivia travelers for the entire duration of the trip, giving it a very comfortable vibe.

A strip of white sand beach with cabanas and chairs just for Club Med vacationers was just steps away from our rooms.

Speaking of the rooms, they were lovely. They were decorated in the same vibrant colors as the rest of the resort and included a tiled shower, seating area, and private balcony that overlooked the resort’s lagoon.

Club Med Cancun room

Club Med Cancun room seating area

The view from my room at Club Med Cancun

But even though the accommodations, amenities, and never-ending food and drink were incredible, they weren’t the best parts of my Olivia Cancun trip. These were:

Top 6 Reasons to Go On an Olivia Trip!

1) You’ll be surrounded by women like you.

Having something in common makes it easy to bond with other travelers, even if they’re much older or younger than you. You’re free to be completely yourself, and no one is judging you.

2) Even if you travel alone, you’ll make friends.

Join the Olivia Solos program and enjoy special meals and activities for solo travelers. Also, don’t forget to remind the Olivia staff at check-in if you’re a first-time Olivia traveler. They’ll give you a bracelet that indicates it’s your first trip. I didn’t sign up for Solos in time and I STILL made friends because of my bracelet!

I made a lifelong friend on my trip! Face obscured for privacy.

3) There are plenty of different types of Olivia trips to choose from.

If you’re adventuresome, try a backpacking trip or an Alaskan cruise. If you want to lounge, there are LOTS of all-inclusive beach resort trips every year.

4) There’s entertainment around the clock

You’re welcome to enjoy drink after drink poolside for the duration of your Olivia trip, but if you get a little sunburnt there are plenty of other activities to partake in. Some of my favorites included:

Daily pool games at noon
Live stand-up comedy almost every night!
Dance lessons, yoga classes, and ping pong tournaments
Health and wellness talks during the day (including mine!)
The Newlywed/Oldlywed Game…you’re gonna wanna see this one.

Finding the Balance Between Muscles and Mental Health Chanelle Smith

A little grainy, but here’s me on stage before my talk: Finding the Balance Between Muscles and Mental Health

5) Olivia offers payment plans

The full price of an Olivia trip (or any all-inclusive trip, for that matter) can be a lot to swallow, but if you book ahead and make a down payment of as little as $250, you can pay a little each month until the trip is paid off.

6) You’re going to have fun, trust me.

I didn’t know what to expect going into my trip, but I loved my experience so much that I’m already talking about taking another Olivia trip in the next year or two. And this is coming from an expert hibernator/introvert who took the trip alone.

My Olivia Cancun experience was the perfect balance between relaxation and excitement, and I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to go. Thank you, Olivia, for giving me the opportunity to go on an Olivia trip! Hope to see you again real soon.

For more information about Olivia and to learn about upcoming trips, visit the Olivia website. And if you have any questions about my experience, drop a comment below!

What We’ve Learned from Our Cats (So Far)

July 17, 2018 By Chanelle 6 Comments

If you didn’t already know, our cats are the loves of our lives. (I wrote this post dedicated to my cat Mony when she turned 10 years old, and now she’s 12! I can’t believe it!) Did you know that my mom loved Mony so much that she ended up getting four cats of her own? It’s true. Over the years, Mony and the gang have taught us so many lessons, and we’ll admit that some of them are more poignant than others. But sharing is caring, so today we wanted to share some of our favorite lessons from cats!

1. Home is wherever you make it.

2. It’s about the simple things.

Like naps in the sunshine.

3. If you puke on the carpet, someone else will clean it up.

(Same goes for poop.)

4. Sometimes afternoon naps are warranted.

Encouraged, even.

5. Fight for what you want.

6. The more blankets, the better.

7. The nose knows.

8. How to meditate.

There’s just something peace-bringing about a cat sitting on your chest, hoping you’ll stop moving around for once. If you’re anxious and restless, they’ll leave, so if you want them to stay and cuddle, you have to pay attention to your breath and relax. Other tips for dealing with anxiety in this post.

9. If you cry enough, someone will turn the tap on for you.

10. It’s nice to help others.

11. Always put effort into looking your best.

12. Stay hydrated.

13. Live in the moment.

Which sometimes translates to “eat like there’s no tomorrow”. No judgment here.

14. Sometimes the simplest entertainment is the best.

Like a hair tie. Or a fly.

15. Pay attention.

You never know what you’ll miss when you look and listen closely.

16. Never stop exploring.

17. Unconditional love.

We love our pets SO much! What have your pets taught you?

Mom vs. Daughter Recipe Battle! Who Will Win?

June 22, 2018 By Chanelle 31 Comments

Recently, my mom and I were sent complimentary matching Calphalon Precision Self Sharpening Knife sets. They’re very cool and huge upgrades from what we were both working with before, so naturally we wanted to do them justice when we blogged about them. And for some reason…my first idea was RECIPE BATTLE. So that’s just what we did!

Calphalon Precision 10-Piece Space-Saving Self Sharpening Knife Block Set (buy here)

The Calphalon Precision Self Sharpening Knife Sets we’re using during our battle come with 10 pieces (9 tools plus the base): 4 steak knives, one serrated utility knife, one chef knife, one santoku knife, one paring knife, and a pair of kitchen scissors.

When you remove or replace the three non-serrated knives, they pass through the sharpeners built into the base and get a nice little touch-up. And these puppies really do stay sharp–working with good knives that slice on the first try has been a bit of an adjustment. (If you’d seen our old knives, you’d understand right away.)

So, back to the battle. There were only three simple rules to our mom vs. daughter cooking competition:

Must use your new knife set
Fresh veggies only!
Dish must be served over rice

Our battle was long distance since we live across the state from each other, so you’ll have to judge for yourself as to whose recipe looks tastier! Let’s start with mom’s recipe: Beef and Chicken Fajita Bowls

First, she prepped all the fresh ingredients (and made quick work of it thanks to the self sharpening knife set).

Next she sliced up the beef and chicken strips. These knives would slide through even tough cuts of meat like butter!

Then all the veggies and meat got coated with a healthy dose of seasoning and sauteed together in a nonstick pan.

Once her rice was cooked and tortilla bowls were nice and toasty, she layered everything together until it looked something like this:

Now it’s my turn! I decided to make a Tofu and Veggie Stir-fry with Peanut Sauce.

I chopped broccoli, a bell pepper, and an onion.

Then I toasted and chopped some cashews which I’d use for a final garnish.

I diced my tofu and sauteed it until it was crisp, and then I tossed everything together with my special peanut sauce.

Here’s how it came out. Looks good, eh?

Let’s get a side by side of the finished dishes. Whose dish do you think looks tastier?

We both followed the competition rules to the letter, so the only way to determine the winner would be to have a taste test. Guess we’ll just need to do a rematch when we see each other next…

In the market for a new set of knives? After testing it during this heated battle, we definitely recommend the Calphalon Precision Self Sharpening Knife set. Get yours on the Calphalon website!

I Tried Who Gives a Crap! Low Waste Bathroom Products

June 5, 2018 By Chanelle 16 Comments

Since I’m interested in sustainable living, it follows that a lot of my favorite influencers are too. One influencer that I especially love is Hannah McNeely. She shares lots of delicious, fresh vegan food, ways to reduce waste in daily life, and overall just seems like a positive and fun person to know. It’s through Hannah that I first heard about Who Gives A Crap; my interest was piqued when Hannah said she was trying their toilet paper out because it’s a lower waste alternative to traditional toilet paper. Coincidentally, a few weeks later I had a message in my inbox from no other than Who Gives A Crap, asking me if I’d be interested in trying out their toilet paper. And that’s the backstory of this Who Gives A Crap review.

Guys, Who Gives A Crap isn’t just regular toilet paper. It’s toilet paper for cool people. The paper itself is 100% recycled and comes in all recyclable, brightly colored packaging, and 50% of the company’s profits are donated to their charity partners to help build toilets for the 2.3 billion people living without one.

Who Gives A Crap toilet paper is good for the planet, and it looks good while doing it. Check out the fun patterns on the paper wrapping! They even have festive special edition designs around the holidays.

Each roll is printed with a few important statistics about Who Gives A Crap’s mission and environmental impact.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Who Gives A Crap toilet paper has a simple dotted texture. Nothing frilly or flowery like the generic stuff I’d been buying. I know, I know — in the grand scheme of things, the design of my toilet paper isn’t a big deal, but the simplicity of the Who Gives A Crap paper does appeal to me.

Who Gives A Crap toilet paper is also luxuriously three-ply and the rolls are extra long. It doesn’t fall apart in your hand when you wipe (just sayin’) and because of that I think I’m using less per wipe than I normally would.

But back to the fun stuff — the packaging. As I previously mentioned, the rolls are individually wrapped in paper. Apart from the packing tape, there’s no plastic involved at all in getting it to your house, which is great! I’ve talked before about how paper and glass can be recycled more easily and more often than plastic, so I try to choose non-plastic products whenever I can.

Another low waste bathroom product switch I’ve made lately is to use bar soap wrapped in paper/paperboard instead of bodywash in a plastic bottle. Since I have short, fairly unfussy hair, I’m also thinking about starting to use shampoo bars instead of liquid shampoo when I run out. (Let me know if there’s a shampoo bar you love!)

Anyway, back to the TP. The designs on the wrappers are so bright and cute that leaving extra TP rolls out for guests becomes fun, not embarrassing!

And now, opening my under-sink cabinet is a bit cheerier.

One fun little easter egg feature of Who Gives A Crap is that they include a couple of “emergency rolls“, wrapped in a bright red paper. The paper is printed with a message reminding you to reorder before you run out completely! I tucked the emergency rolls in the back of my cabinet so that they’ll be the last ones I use.

I hope my Who Gives a Crap review was helpful if you’ve been thinking about giving it a try. And if you’re ready to take the plunge, use this link to get $10 your first purchase. If you’re interested in other posts about reducing waste and shopping sustainably, check out these guys:

Click here to get $10 off your first Who Gives a Crap purchase!

I’m Going to Cancun!

May 15, 2018 By Chanelle 10 Comments

The title says it all: ya girl is headed to Mexico! In perfect synchronicity with my recent 30th birthday and one year anniversary of coming out, I’m off to Cancun on an Olivia vacation. And by a stroke of luck, I got hooked up with this new prAna bathing suit from their Spring 2018 line just in time for my trip.

I have a hard time finding bathing suits that fit my criteria, but this one is great. I like the sporty cut of the Merrow top and that the Ikenna bottoms have laces on the sides that allow me to adjust them to fit the junk in my trunk. It’s cute for oceanside lounging, but also practical and won’t require me to constantly adjust it while swimming.

Prana bathing suit Ikenna bottom Merrow top

Merrow top in Blue Graceful, size S. Ikenna bottom in Cargo Green, size S.

I love working with prAna because of their commitment to sustainability. They choose sustainable materials like organic cotton and hemp, treat workers fairly, and use environmentally responsible production methods. That means that even if I hadn’t received my prAna bathing suit for free, I could confidently shop with them and still meet my 2018 goal to shop sustainably all year long.

The Merrow top comes in eight colors and the Ikenna bottom comes in six colors. Also, note the cutest photobomb.

I can’t wait to wear my new suit on the beach in Cancun! If by chance you’ll be on the Olivia Cancun 2018 trip (or know someone who is), I’ll be speaking twice so come see me! I’m giving a talk called Finding Balance between Muscles and Mental Health on Monday afternoon and appearing on a panel hosted by Curve Magazine on Wednesday afternoon and would love to meet you.

My cat is so cute

You can check out my other prAna reviews here: How to Live More Sustainably (Isaline bra and Shala pant) and Yoga Changed My Life (Mika top and Juniper pant).

And if you’d like to cop a prAna bathing suit or some sustainably made clothing of your own, use code TREMS18 to get 15% off your purchase at prAna online! Click here to shop.

Why Are New Shoes So Motivating?

May 10, 2018 By Chanelle 8 Comments

This post was sponsored by Reebok as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

I was talking to my friend recently about finding exercise motivation when you reeeaalllly don’t feel like it. I mentioned that something that always puts a pep in my step is a pair of new sneakers or a fresh workout outfit. She told me she hadn’t upgraded her sneakers in a few years and hadn’t experienced this New Shoes Joy™ before. I awwww’d in sympathy — what else could I do? A few weeks later she went shopping, got a new pair of sneakers, and texted me excitedly to say I was right and that they had motivated her to have a great workout. Yay!

To be honest, I hadn’t experienced New Shoes Joy™ for quite a while either. Because of my sustainability challenge this year, I’m not allowing myself to purchase new clothes or shoes, so I’ve been making do with the (plenty of) pairs I already have. But as a self-professed shoe freak, I was a little sad about it. Enter my new pair of Reebok Trilux. They were sent to me for free for review and fall under the “gift loophole” in my no-new-stuff challenge!

My pair of Reebok Trilux is in the black and gray colorway, and they’re perfect with the athleisure outfits I like to wear while I run errands. The pop of shiny gold in the laces gives them a little je ne sais quoi that my other pairs of casual shoes don’t have.

Although they’re stylish and perfect for casual wear, I couldn’t resist but to also wear them to the gym. They held up great through the walking lunges you see below!

These will be the sneakers I bring with me on my upcoming trip to a resort in Cancun. Why? Because they’re cute enough to wear with casual summer looks AND durable enough for a few gym workouts. I love a multipurpose shoe when I travel because the less space I take up in my luggage with shoes, the better.

Expect to see these bad boys show up in some future posts as I recap my Cancun trip! The trip is a big deal for me for multiple reasons…not the least of which being that it’s a celebration of my recent 30th birthday. Yep, 30.

And if you want to pick up a pair of Reebok Trilux of your very own, you can find them at Academy online or at the Academy store near you. Find your nearest Academy location here!

Can You Be a Bodybuilder without Drugs?

April 17, 2018 By Chanelle 11 Comments

Thank you to the Council For Responsible Nutrition for sponsoring this post. Learn more about how #SARMsCanHarm at crnusa.org!

For someone just starting out in competitive bodybuilding, research is key. If you’re like me, you started looking up the most effective muscle-building workouts, trying to pinpoint the best diets for muscle gains, and learning all about bodybuilders who have achieved success and how they did it.

Most people can agree that the biggest key to making the quickest muscle gains is ample protein intake, but there’s another muscle growth strategy in bodybuilding that many people know about but don’t discuss openly: performance enhancing drugs.

Do bodybuilders need drugs?

Especially as a female bodybuilding competitor in the NPC, it can be tempting to consider taking illegal and unregulated performance enhancing drugs because of the promise of faster gains and better recovery. It’s extremely common in the sport — so much so that achievements made without drugs are often pooh-poohed in disbelief that they could have been done naturally.

But as a woman who achieved pro status in the IFBB without ever using any performance enhancing substances — that includes steroids, hormones, products containing SARMs, the whole lot — let me be the first to tell you that you don’t need them. Natural bodybuilding is totally possible, so don’t risk it.

Chanelle Smith, IFBB Figure. Natural bodybuilding, female bodybuilding

I’ve always been a 100% natural athlete!

While it might take longer for natural athletes to grow, growing slowly over a longer period of time is healthier, more realistic, and easier on your joints. Not to mention it keeps you out of trouble with the law!

So what are SARMs?

SARMs (selective androgen receptor modulators) are purported to work similarly to steroids and may be listed on product label under names like “ostarine” and “andarine”, or not listed at all. They’re unapproved substances with little to no research about how they work and their long-term effects on the body. To avoid them, just keep in mind that labels that sound too good to be true, probably are.

What supplements should I be taking then?

Instead of risking the long-term ill effects that drugs can cause, I choose to use a modest array of natural supplements to improve my athletic performance and help me achieve my muscle building goals. Here are the four essential supplements I’d recommend for people with similar goals to mine:

Protein powder

Protein powder is an easy way to boost your protein intake! I like to have one serving (25-30 grams of protein) after my weightlifting workouts.

Creatine

Creatine is a natural supplement that, in short, helps with recovery and performance. It also increases water retention in the muscles, making your muscles look bigger. I like to take 5 grams mixed into my post-workout protein shakes.

BCAAs

BCAAS, or branched chain amino acids, are my favorite sports supplement. As you probably learned in middle school biology, amino acids are the building blocks of muscle, so taking a BCAA supplement is helpful in repairing muscle. I personally find that my soreness is significantly reduced when I sip on BCAA drinks during my workouts.

ZMA

ZMA is a supplement containing zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6. It’s a recovery supplement you take before bed to help your body repair itself while you sleep. Zinc is great for boosting your immune system — many medicines you take for the common cold are high in zinc — and as a bonus, the magnesium helps you get to sleep more easily.

Happy, healthy, drug free!

Remember, you can achieve your goals without illegal shortcuts! To learn more about the harmful effects of SARMs, visit the Council for Responsible Nutrition website. Be careful out there!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.