Hi! I recently got a lot of followers out of seemingly nowhere, so just wanted to pop on and say hello. My name is Breeanna, I am from Chicago, and I have been really into fitness and health for the past few years. I use this space to share recipes, photos, and lifestyle content. And I need to get better at updating it! I really planned to right after Christmas, but as I’m sure you’re aware, life has a funny way of getting hectic.
Anyway, I’ll just jump right in and say that though Christmas was definitely different this year, we still made it our own. I made a delicious gluten-free lasagna and gluten-free cheesecakes on Christmas Eve, and Julian and I exchanged gifts while sharing some hard kombucha. Oh, I’m also doing a dry January! I still don’t drink much at all, but I think it’s good to give your body long-term breaks when you can.
I did work during the week of New Year’s Eve, but a bad snowstorm had me working from home Tuesday. I am really glad I did, because there is nothing I hate more than driving in the snow, and apparently people were driving into ditches! We decided to make homemade pizzas for New Year’s Eve (mine was gluten-free, of course!) and we played video games and watched Community. It was fine. I’ve never been a fan of being out on NYE even before the pandemic — I just don’t trust people. Just for fun, I decided to dress up a little, but because we were just staying home, I went dressy on top and comfy on the bottom!
Since NYE, I haven’t been up to much. I decided to go for all of January without alcohol, dairy, or chocolate. It’s not a specific challenge or elimination diet or anything; I just like to give my body a break when I can. And I definitely overdid the chocolate over the holidays! It’s been going well. I do have a sweet tooth sometimes, but a couple times, I’ve made gluten-free carrot cake muffins! They came out really good. My meals have been simple but tasty. I also just got an air fryer, so I am excited to finally try that out! Last week I made some good salads, salmon with root vegetable fries, a one-pan pot of kale, green beans, and mushrooms, and some delicious gluten-free avocado toast with a fried egg on top.
I’ve been keeping up with my workouts. It’s funny, because when I did go to the gym before, I was working out for 1.5 to 2 hours most of the time, but I wasn’t eating the best (even though I liked to think I was). Now, I work out 5 days a week but generally only do about 30 minutes (which I pair with walks) and it feels like I am seeing more muscle tone. It could have more to do with the fact that many of the exercises I do now involve body weight and tend to be core-based.
I go grocery shopping every two weeks, usually at Aldi. I am glad they have lots of great options for the diets I follow. It was great to try so many of the vegan items they had out for “Veganuary.” I often stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables, frozen fruits, bone broth, lean protein, kombucha, gluten-free items, and sparkling water. I’ve also made some not-so-necessary purchases…I love good scents and couldn’t resist Bath and Body Work’s semi-annual sale! My apartment is pretty small, so a good scent usually fills the place, and there’s nothing I like more.
Well, thanks for taking the time to stop by! There is supposed to be another big storm in Chicago on Monday that I am not looking forward to. Plus, it’s supposed to get to below freezing tonight. I plan on spending the weekend inside watching American Horror Story 1984 (I know I’m late on it, but I just finished Night Stalker and I heard Richard Ramirez made an appearance, so I continued on with the theme) and reading a bunch. Talk to you soon (much sooner than I have been!).
Breeanna Living Brilliantly 