whole30 egg casserole

10 Honest Tips for Surviving Whole30

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*Hi there! Super excited to have a guest post~ here on Ampersand. Just like how I love sharing cool new things with you, I love when people share awesome ideas/tips/events with me! Meet my cousin Bethany–carb enthusiast (ironic for this post) & fan of Ampersand. Y’all can follow her her here on Instagram.

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Bethany is a recent graduate of Liberty University. In her spare time, she loves hanging with her family, reading a good book & going down the shore (#jerseygirl)

Diets are tricky. They change constantly, they’re IMPOSSIBLE to follow and they can be so expensive sometimes. So I was hesitant to try a new diet. I had never had any luck sticking to them in the past. Then I found Whole30. Now don’t get me wrong, Whole30 is NOT a walk in the park, but it turned out to be the best decision I’ve ever made. If you want to learn more about it or try it for yourself, click here. Or pick up a copy of It Starts with Food by Melissa and Dan Hartwig. The gist of the diet is cleaning out your body and resetting your metabolism by cutting out 5 major types of food: Sugar, Legumes, Dairy, Grains, and Alcohol. While it looks hard on the surface, dig a little deeper, and you’ll find a rewarding experience and a healthier you!

Here are some tips from my experience on Whole30 (which turned into the Whole90+ for me!) 

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Summer Style: Boho-Chic Dress

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My sister and I rarely share clothes. It’s not that we can’t share clothes–we’re generally the same size/body shape–we just choose not to because we have radically different styles. While I’m more classic/preppy & could spend my whole paycheck at J. Crew, Krista’s wardrobe is primarily black and comprised of thrift shop items (she’s a crazy good thrifter). Every once in a while I’ll steal something edgier~ from her, but for the most part we stick to our own closets.

While it seems like we’re missing out on a significant sister-benefit of swapping clothes, I love it because it means I can feature totally different outfits here that aren’t like my style at all. I wrote a post a few weeks ago about my summer style (check it out here!), so here’s Krista’s take on a great summer dress for all of you who are into the boho-chic look.

 

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chilled peppermint towels

DIY: How to make Chilled Peppermint Towels

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The past couple of summers, my family and I have gone on vacation to Hilton Head, SC. I could write a whole post about how much I love it down there, but one of the best parts is the resort we stay at, Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa (10/10 recommend). Beyond just being a great hotel in general, they have a small detail that I’ve become lowkey (but also very highkey) obsessed with: chilled peppermint towels.

It’s so simple, but when you come in after a hot run on the beach or afternoon at the pool, the most refreshing thing is a chilled peppermint towel on the back of your neck/face. Because I’m overly so enthusiastic about them, I decided to make them myself & everyone who’s experienced them have agreed that they’re the bomb.

I recently Insta-storied how to make them, but wanted to do a full DIY post about it in case you missed it. I promise your summer won’t be the same.

peppermint towels

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