April brought some major highs and lows. One minute I was feeling amazing, recording a new pregnancy training with colleagues… and the next, I was completely laid out with a stomach bug from hell. Classic.

That said, I’m feeling good about what’s ahead. I’m ready for May — one last push before school’s out, summer schedules hit, and we head off on vacation (hello, Disney World!). I’m planning to take things a bit slower this summer, soaking up time with the boys and focusing on the clients I already have.

But before we get there, here are a few little things that made April feel lighter, easier, or just a bit more fun.

1. Niman Ranch Pulled Pork

I’ve been buying this pulled pork by Niman Ranch for a while now (I get it at Whole Foods), and we’re obsessed. I used to spend 10+ hours slow-cooking a pork butt in the crock-pot — which isn’t all that labor-intensive, but the whole pulling the meat apart and picking out the fat is annoying AF. This pork tastes exactly the same, maybe even better since I didn’t have to make it myself. We mostly use it for taco filling, but I’ve also eaten it on its own, mixed it into a salad, and used it as the protein in Asian stir-frys. If you can find it at your local store, buy it.

2. The Chestnut Spring Series by Elsie Silver

So, turns out that being laid up for 72 hours with a stomach bug lends itself well to binge-reading a bunch of romance novels — who knew? Elsie Silver has quickly become one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. Her books aren’t doing much to expand my literary knowledge… but I just don’t care. This series is set in small-town Canada where, apparently, there are cowboys. I NEVER thought I’d be into reading about grown men riding bulls in a rodeo, but I guess we all have our kinks. Each book follows a brother in a ranching family as they grapple with life and finally meet their loves. Once again, she nails the third-act breakup — I never want to go back to traditional romance now that I know it can be done this way. If you’ve got a beach vacation coming up, buy all five. I promise you won’t regret it.

3. Salad Kit + My Own Dressing Mix

I love salad kits, y’all. Yes, I could buy all the ingredients on my own… but I really don’t want to. Salad kits are a hack I recommend to all my clients for getting in more veggies. Now, the dressings in those kits? That’s another story. Sometimes I’ll use them, but most of the time I don’t. I just don’t love the ingredients. What I do love are the dressings from brands I trust, like Thrive Market, Siete, SideDish, and Primal Kitchen. One of our favorite combos right now is the Siete Jalapeño Botana sauce mixed with the ranch from Thrive Market. We do that with a “Mexican” salad kit and use it as taco filling (with the pulled pork, of course). I hope you try it!

4. Walking Pad

I’ve been seeing walking pads all over the place, and I finally decided I’d resisted long enough. It’s getting HOT here in Austin, and my 10K steps/day goal is getting harder to hit. I just don’t want to be walking up and down my street at 3PM when it’s 100 degrees out. Our treadmill isn’t set up well for a laptop, so I bought this walking pad to use at my kitchen counter — and I LOVE it. I also grabbed a laptop stand to help with the ergonomics. I can’t wait to take quick 10-minute walk breaks this summer.

5. Fuel for Fire as a Pre-Workout Snack

Most of my workouts happen at 5:30 AM during the week, which means I’m definitely not ready for breakfast before I move. Which isn’t great, because women in particular NEED to fuel at least a little before exercising — otherwise, you’re just inviting more cortisol to the party than necessary. Plus, you need raw materials to actually build the muscle you’re working so hard for.

I try to keep my pre-workout snacks around 100 calories, with about 10 grams of protein and the rest mostly carbs. These Fuel for Fire protein smoothie pouches have been perfect. They’re just enough to give me what I need without filling me up with something big. We keep them on hand for when the need strikes.

---

That’s it for this month’s round-up! Whether it’s a cowboy romance binge, a walking pad break between calls, or the perfect protein pouch at 5:15 AM — these little things have been making life just a bit easier (or more fun), and I’m always here for that.

Have something you’re loving lately? Send me a DM on Instagram — I’m always taking recommendations!