I just returned from a 5-day intensive retreat for holistic health entrepreneurs in Santa Monica, CA. I joined 14 beautiful women and 1 awesome man in setting goals, masterminding, developing more super-sweet and laser-focused coaching skills, and digging deeper into our own true health, beauty, and authenticity.

How freaking cool is that? Plus, I will be journeying with this group for the next year as we all develop our passions and missions bigger than we could have ever imagined, all while benefiting you along the way. I love what I do and the people I am blessed to be surrounded by.

Here is a sneak peak photo shoot picture with more to come. You’ll notice in the coming months that the awesome tips, recipes, and insights will keep coming to your inbox… but my focus and brand is shifting slightly. Mum’s the word for now, but get ready, beautiful…

Photo shoot group shot – Day 1 (man, I love these women!)

While I had many hopes for the retreat and expectations of coming away with more knowledge than I knew what to do with, there were a couple pieces I didn’t expect to gain such a great insight into…

I learned more fantastic tips for traveling AND secrets to returning home more toned, bloat-free, and glowing than before you left – all while traveling, not having time for the gym, and on-the-go in meetings, dinners, and photo shoots for 16+ hours each day.

5 insights and tips for travel & on-the-go living

Request a fridge in your hotel room. Most hotel rooms used to always have a fridge and mini-bar with $40 Snickers bars and $10 bottled waters. Nowadays, there is a blank spot in the cabinet or wall for what used to be BUT what you may not know is that the hotel still has mini-fridges on hand, you just have to ask. Sometimes they will charge a fee but often times they will wave it if you let them know it is for health and dietary reasons. Yay! Now, why have a fridge? Because even if you can only get to a convenience store you can stock up on some key pieces to keep you rocking and rolling in your health goals while traveling. Stock up on hummus, guacamole, chopped veggies, fruit (apples, berries, oranges), plain yogurt and kefir (if you eat dairy), avocados, overnight swiss oatmeal, and any leftovers for a snack. Other great items that don’t need refrigeration: brown rice cakes/crackers, kale chips, almonds, mixed nuts, jerky, etc. All of this helps with meals, snacks, and breakfast – plus saves you $$$!

Walk to your lunch or dinner. Find a restaurant near where you are staying and walk, walk, walk. Unless it’s a 10+ minute drive, you’ll get a 10-20 minute walk in to and from the restaurant and find out that you’ll eat less, sleep better, and get a little oxygen along the way. If you’re eating at your hotel room or in the car, go for a short walk before – even just 5 minutes! (This can/should be done at home or at work too).

Surround yourself with beautiful (inside and out) people who have an interest in your health and their own. This was the BIGGEST influence for my glow this trip. As I sat down to every meal, my colleagues (and now beloved friends) ordered healthy dishes, weren’t afraid to graciously ask for modifications to their meal in order to suit their personal needs, and supported others in making positive decisions by making the space safe, accepting, and pleasurable. The conversations were wonderful and the food was simply a by-product of nourishment, not the main focus of pleasure, emotions, and avoidance.

Enjoy yourself and give yourself permission to have pleasure in your life. This one is simple… start by giving yourself permission – that’s it.

Quit eating for the “just-in-case but I’m not really hungry yet” problem. I used to be worried that I would get somewhere and there wouldn’t be food or I would get so hungry I would get cranky – so I did what most magazines tell us to do and ate before even if I wasn’t hungry. This is a big NO-NO. Eating when our body hasn’t signaled hunger is like jamming food into a place where there is no room for food. It creates a traffic jam and is a recipe for digestive problems, weight gain, and energy drain. Instead, bring a couple snacks with you as you travel or are on-the-go. THEN, eat when the hunger pangs arrive. Snacks might be Larabars, almonds, kale chips, brown rice crackers/cakes, almond butter, green smoothies/juices, goat cheese, veggies, fruit, etc.