gadget-head Archives

Lean Lena December 1, 2015

Thermos Connected Hydration Water Bottle Review

Hey guys! It’s Tasty Tuesday!

For my Tasty Tuesday post I’m talking about hydration here today.

Why you might ask? Because water is vitally important for our bodies just as food and to me – there’s no better and tastier drink than water. I’m not into sweet beverages or basically anything else other than water (maybe with a little bit of lemon or lime). With very few exceptions water is what I drink before/during/after my workouts also.

Now, gather round, my gadget heads and technology geeks. 🙂

Filed Under: fitness, fitness review, gadget-head, Gift Ideas, Healthy Living Tips, Link Up, Product Reviews Tagged With: fitness, fitness review, gadget-head, tasty tuesday 5 Comments

Lean Lena October 13, 2015

Ninja Coffee Bar Review – All about the Coffee

Have you ever thought it’d be possible to make a perfect pumpkin spice latte in the comfort of your own home? It is now! Ninja Coffee Bar is a compact coffee maker that fits on your countertop and brings that latte right into your house without you having to change out of your PJ’s and go out.

Filed Under: Food, gadget-head, Link Up, Product Reviews, Tasty Tuesday Tagged With: breakfast, gadget-head, tasty tuesday 7 Comments

Lean Lena May 18, 2015

Polar A300 Giveaway

Hey guys! I’m back!!! With a Polar A300 Giveaway, but let’s start from the beginning. We’ll get to the fun part shortly here.

Filed Under: Ad-Free, Cycling, fitness, fitness review, gadget-head, Gift Ideas, Giveaways, running, spinning, Spinning Instructor, Team Polar, TRX, Weight Lifting, Weight Loss Tagged With: bicycling, cycling, fitness, fitness review, gadget-head, giveaway, Polar Ambassador, rethink your day, running, Team Polar 35 Comments

Lean Lena December 19, 2014

Random Friday Thoughts and Likes

Hey guys! Happy Friday 🙂

It’s been a while since I just posted about 5 random Friday thoughts and things so that’s what I’m doing today – totally random post with totally random things that I like, dislike, hate, love, etc..

Filed Under: Cycling, fitness, Five on Friday, gadget-head, Gift Ideas, spinning, Spinning Instructor, Team Polar, TRX Tagged With: cycling, fitness, gadget-head, running, spinning, spinning instructor 8 Comments

Lean Lena December 3, 2014

Teaching TRX Class – Tips to be Prepared

Hey guys! You know that I’ve recently started teaching TRX ® here at our Y, right?

No, that’s not me in the video 🙂

I’ve just started but I thought I’d share some sort of recap and tips after I’ve taught a few classes.

This post has some tips that I figured out for myself to make my first few classes as easy on me as possible, as I was pretty nervous. Some of my struggles teaching TRX for the first time and how I tried to overcome them.

I hope you find it helpful for teaching TRX for the first time (or not just the first time).

As this post has been written by a true gadget-head, you’ll see a lot of gadgets in it – naturally 🙂 Here we go!

What did I do to get ready for teaching TRX Class for the first time?Continue Reading

Filed Under: fitness, gadget-head, new experiences, TRX, TRX Instructor Tagged With: fitness, gadget-head, new experience, TRX, TRX instructor 13 Comments

Lean Lena July 11, 2014

Five on Friday: Running and Fitness Edition

Hello, hello, my friends!

It’s Friday!

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I’m tired this week! I’m tired OF this week and I want it to be over already. Things are not so bad, no. I’m just tired.

But anyway, guys, it’s Five on Friday time – talking about 5 things I’m loving/hating lately – this time it’s Running and Fitness Edition. Here we go!

{ONE} Lifestyle Accountability Show.

If you follow me on Facebook and Twitter, you probably saw this news already. If not – I’m super excited to share the link to my interview with Adam and Devon Bate for this show.

I met Adam at FitBloggin’ in Savannah this year – he’s a super nice guy and it was great to put a face to a name and chat with Adam in real life.

Anyway, click here to hear what your blogger sounds like 🙂

Thank you, Adam and Devon, for having me on your awesome show!

{TWO} Women’s Tek Gear Active Clothing + Soybu

Love the Tek Gear brand! Relatively inexpensive and SO comfortable!

Got me this outfit before going to FitBloggin’ 14 and I’ve been enjoying working out in it ever since (erm…yeah, I washed it quite a few times).

Tek Gear Performance Capris – $20.99 at Kohl’s

Tek Gear® Striped Racerback Yoga Tank – $17.99 at Kohl’s

Top that with the Soybu headband that Kia gave us at her yoga class at Fitbloggin’ and I got me a perfect outfit!

Sweaty post-run selfie

{THREE} Garmin Forerunner 210

Yeah, I know…I’m just trying to get back into running and I already want an expensive dedicated running device. Well, that’s just the way I am – gadget-head 🙂

Doesn’t mean I’m gonna go buy this $200 watch, but we’re talking things I’m liking, tight? So I like me this watch 🙂

{FOUR} Compression Socks

Yey or Ney?

I need to do some research on that one – as to whether there are actual benefits of wearing them while running or not – there seems to be a lot of different opinions out there. At this point I just love that there are so many fun designs out there! Check it out:

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I’d run in those! I’d even walk around in those 🙂

{FIVE} Google “Running”

Google “Running”. It’s amazing what you find!

Here’s a cool visual on how NOT to run:

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Cool T’s like this one that I need desperately:

Buy here

You’ll find inspirational quotes:

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And inspirational people:

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Yeah…I don’t know what she’s doing 🙂

That’s one of my favorite things this week – google “running”. Then get inspired and go run.

Have a great weekend, guys!

And move – all the time.

Filed Under: fitness, Five on Friday, gadget-head, running Tagged With: fitness, gadget-head, running, yoga 14 Comments

Lean Lena April 18, 2014

Five on Friday: Kitchen Gadgets Hoarding Edition

Hey guys!

Finally everything is right in my world – husband is back from his endless trip to China, kids coming back today, and so is the weekend!

Are you ready for the traditional Five on Friday?

Today we will talk kitchen gadgets. I am a complete hoarder when it comes to kitchen gadgets (anything really – appliances, tools, cookware, cutlery – ANYTHING). You name it, I’ll hoard it 🙂

Anyway. Surprisingly there are still gadgets out there that I don’t own and that is what I am talking about here today – kitchen gadgets I want but don’t have (yet) 🙂

{ONE} Paderno World Cuisine A4982799 Tri-Blade Plastic Spiral Vegetable Slicer

Can you imagine?

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The only thing that’s stopping me from getting one right now is the limited counter space in my kitchen. And I mean really limited.

{TWO} Transparent Toaster – Magimix Vision

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Never ever burn a piece of toast again! I am totally getting this one when our old toaster dies 🙂 Maybe by the time it happens this one won’t cost the ridiculous amount of money 🙂

{THREE} Euro Cuisine YM80 Yogurt Maker

Oh my god! Need I say more? This thing makes yogurt! Yogurt that you actually know what’s going into…. DREAM! And it’s only $25!

{FOUR} Hamilton Beach 25475 Breakfast Sandwich Maker

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I LOVE breakfast sandwiches. The problem is I rarely have time to make myself one in the morning, and I don’t really like the idea of making them in advance, and freezing them to reheat later.

This little thing would be perfect for me! (if only I had counter space for it, too 🙂 )

{FIVE} Traditional Electric Crepe Maker Tristar

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I am pretty good at making crepes.

See?

What I like about this crepe maker though is the lower edges than the regular pan I usually use – nothing gets in the way when you need to flip the crepe.

And that makes 5 kitchen gadgets I’d gladly own 🙂

Do share: What is your dream kitchen gadget?

Have a wonderful weekend, guys!

This post was shared on:

Filed Under: breakfast, dessert, dinner, Five on Friday, gadget-head, Gift Ideas Tagged With: baking, breakfast, dessert, five on friday, gadget-head, good food, healthy breakfast, healthy lunch, lunch 23 Comments

Lean Lena April 11, 2014

Five on Friday: Cycling, Photography, Reads and More

Hey-hey! Happy Friday!

I think that rhymes 🙂 Nope, I didn’t do it on purpose this time!

Anyway, are you guys happy it’s Friday? I am! It’s been a long-long week. Even though hubby has been traveling and kids are gone, too I feel like every day I was hopping from one thing to another with the last thing being hopping into bed. So glad the weekend is coming!

But it is still Friday morning and on Friday I share my 5 recent favorites with you. Here we go 🙂

{ONE} Reads

I’ve ordered a couple more books from Amazon in the past week and just got them in the mail yesterday.

Every Woman’s Guide to Cycling: Everything You Need to Know, From Buying Your First Bike to Winning Your First Race

I’m especially interested in the “buying your first bike” of this one as you know from this post.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Cycling – I have no idea why I bought this one… Probably because you’re supposed to own an idiot’s guide to everything you like 🙂 You know, just in case.

And also to get ready for this:

I can’t wait to start reading all this goodness 🙂 I’ve recently realized that I don’t read enough. Not nearly as much as I used to. Read as in books, where you actually turn the pages 🙂 We’re so overwhelmed by the internet, social media and the constant flow of information that we forgot how to sit down, tune out and just read a book. So, my goal from now on is to read at least one book a month! And you guys get to hold be accountable 🙂

Here’s what my promise to myself looks like for the next 10 months (at most):

{TWO} Indoor Cycling Association Summit

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I found this event through…oh gosh, let me restore the chain of events in my memory here 🙂 I was first introduced to the Indoor Cycling Association by my Spinning® MI Meg McNeely who shared this article by Jennifer Sage (the Association founder) on her FB page.

After I read the article, which I think is great and a must-read for all the cycling instructors out there, I subscribed to the ICA newsletter and that was how I learnt about the summit.

Karma works wonders 🙂

Anyway, this is an online summit and it runs April 3 through 16 with 2 sessions a day, and it is FREE!

24 sessions led by the top professional instructors, cyclists and scientists. FREE. OF. CHARGE.

Even if I don’t get ECE’s for that – uuuhm, yes, please!

I am just loving the sessions so much! Despite the lack of time and the fact that the sessions are only available for 12 hours each day, I work hard to find time to listen to them, because staying current with your education is key for being an awesome instructor. And I really want to be one!

If you are interested, you can still join this wonderful event for FREE right here.

You can also get an all access pass and have all the sessions + bonuses + handouts available for you anytime for 6 months after the summit.

{THREE} Shutter Starz Tabletop Complete Photo Studio Kit w/2 Light Tents & 8 Backgrounds

Well, I am just about to take my food photography to the next level, friends 🙂 I think this is a good investment, which just so happens to be a lot of fun to play with, too 🙂

Here’s what’s in the kit:

2 professional photo tents 32″ and 13″
(8) Colored Internal Sheets for background modeling (White, Red, Blue, and Black)
(2) High output 30 Watt 5500K lights
Includes a tripod adjustable from 13.5″ with extension up to 40″
100% pure white nylon velour fabric and stainless steel spring frame.

It is a food blogger’s dream – hands down!

{FOUR} Magnetic Purse Hooks

I don’t know if you ever heard of such a thing or not, but I got one as a Christmas present from one of my friends in Russia and I am loving it! I have pretty much no room for my purse at work. I tried gluing a purse hook onto the side of my desk but it doesn’t take long for those to break (yep, I am a crazy heavy bag lady alright). Getting the glued part off takes quite a while though.

So. Anyway. I gave up on those hooks and shortly after that I got my magnetic hook for Christmas. Here’s what mine looks like:

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Check out these other awesome creations! So neat!

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This one is my favorite :):

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I think they should have had the text facing the other direction though – for the bar tender to see 🙂

{FIVE} #FFAprilAbs Challenge by FitFluential

I am loving this challenge! Even though it is not easy to remember and find time to plank (I know, I know), I am doing it and haven’t missed a day so far.

I’m up to 1:45 as of today 🙂 Working my way back to my previous record of over 5 minute plank 🙂

Your turn: what are the things you’re loving lately?

Have a great weekend, guys, and stay fit!

Filed Under: Cycling, FitFluential, fitness, Fitness Challenges, Five on Friday, gadget-head, spinning, Spinning Instructor Tagged With: bicycling, books, FitFluential, fitness, five on friday, gadget-head, ICA, new experience, photography, plank, plankaday, spinning, spinning instructor 16 Comments

Lean Lena April 4, 2014

Five on Friday – Shoes, Bling, Bikes and More

Hey guys! It’s Friday! I am so happy about it!

I had a horrid week at work. I really hope you did better than me 🙂

Anyway, it’s time for the traditional Five on Friday post to show you five things I’m loving lately. Here we go!

{ONE} Vibram FiveFingers – Seeya

I just got these in the mail a couple days ago. They are much lighter than the Traksport Sandals I got before and I am absolutely loving them!

I’ve been wearing them to work every day of the week since I got them…Yeah, it is a bit of a dress code violation but really, I don’t have customers visiting me and spend most of the day commuting between the printer and my desk. I don’t think anybody cares about the shoes I wear (if any).

Buy Seeya’s here if I got you interested.

{TWO} Mantra Bands – One Day at a Time

I now have two in my collection, and check out how well they go together!

Looking at them is an inspiration and a reminder that it is a journey, not the destination that matters. And of course I love me some bling, too 🙂

{THREE} Entry Level Road Bikes

The subject of road bikes has been of interest in my house for a long time 🙂 I have never owned a road bike in my life. I have a $50 Walmart “no brander” right now 🙂

So one day I just said I wanted a road bike. It kind of frustrated my husband a little… I quote: “You can’t just say you want a road bike! That’s not enough information! What kind of bike? What brand? Components?…” Anyway, turns out he thought that would be a great surprise gift for me. But since I started bugging him about why he’d gotten so frustrated, he confessed and there will be no surprise (don’t bug your husbands, ladies) So! My wonderful husband started doing some research and stumbled upon this great article here, which is called “Top 5 Entry Level Road Bikes”.

And I am totally drooling over this Schwinn!

Totally looking into buying one on Amazon – women’s version, of course 🙂

{FOUR} FitBloggin’ 2014

Exciting-exciting-exciting!

So here’s the story. Last week my blogging friend Jen over at A Hungry Runner threw a question at me on Facebook:

Are you going to the Fitbloggin’ conference? I want to go so badly!

I was not planning on going. Well, of course I know what FitBloggin’ is and how awesome it would be to go, but I didn’t think me and my blog were quite there yet.

But it is a whole different story when you have a buddy by your side 🙂

Anywho, within 24 hours from that question on Facebook Jen and I had our attendee registrations done and hotel booked.

WE ARE GOING TO FITBLOGGIN’ 2014!!!!

To say that I am excited is a HUGE understatement. I am SO looking forward to meeting the fellow fitness bloggers and learning more about fitness blogging by attending sessions, as well as working out with a bunch of awesome people, exploring the beautiful Savannah, GA and so much more!!!

Jen, you’re the best for throwing that idea out there and taking me along on this adventure with you 🙂

I. CAN’T.WAIT.

{FIVE} Spinning® App

Did you know there was an app for that? 🙂 I didn’t!

Image source and app download link.

Anyway, I have downloaded it and hubby and I went on a quick bike ride on Thursday to try it out.

The app is pretty awesome, my friends. Check out the summary of our ride:

Speed graph

Elevation graph

Map

Ride summary

Loved this app! So easy to set up and use and so much useful information about your ride.

And that’s my Five on Friday, guys! Hope you have a wonderful Friday and weekend!

Do share: do you or have you ever owned a road bike? If yes, what brand and model is it?

Filed Under: blog news, Cycling, events, fitness, fitness events, Five on Friday, gadget-head, new experiences, spinning, Spinning Instructor Tagged With: bicycling, cycling, fitbloggin, fitness, fitness motivation, five on friday, gadget-head, jewelry, new experience, shoes, spinning, spinning instructor, travel 17 Comments

Lean Lena March 14, 2014

Five on Friday – Fitness Geek and a Little More Bling

Hey, guys! Happy Friday!

I hope you had a great week!

Traditionally, Friday post is about five things I am loving lately, want to own, already own and adore, etc. etc. – Five on Friday.

So, here we go.

{ONE} More Swatch Watches

Did I mention I am addicted to them? No? I am addicted to them.

Here is another one from my collection.

There is an interesting story behind this one – I got it in China in 2007, at the Beijing International Airport duty free. I didn’t have enough money with me to get it at that time, so I had to borrow some from my travel companion. 🙂 Ever since – where ever I go wearing this watch – I always get a compliment.

I have never seen one like that anywhere else.

In fact, I was having trouble finding a picture on the internet until I got on Swatch Official Website and used their search function.

So, for those of you who want one, the model name is Swatch Affecting SFK292G.

{TWO} This awesome T

I think I am going to buy it as a present for one of my fellow “inmates” 🙂

Buy on Etsy.

{THREE} Stability Ball – Gold’s Gym

I’ve been eyeing those for a while wanting to get one to exercise at home, and I finally did. I got mine at Walmart. If you ever go out to get one, pay attention to the sizes they come in – the ball diameter you need depends on your height, so read what’s on the box before you grab it – otherwise you will have to go back and deal with the people of Walmart trying to exchange it 🙂

Can also get it on Amazon:

What I like about this particular one is that it comes with an air pump and an exercise chart! This Wednesday I did some ball exercises every commercial break while I watched Criminal Minds on TV 🙂

{FOUR} Yoga Props – Blocks

You guys know that I have a couple of rest days a week… Well, what’s a rest day without some home yoga practice in it, right? 🙂 So. I’ve been getting some props for my yoga practice at home. It is amazing how much you need when you try to “do it at home”!

So, I recently read this article by Christine and it inspired me to order yoga blocks.

If you’re into yoga – check out Christine’s blog. She has a great series of posts titled “Ask a Yogini” where you can ask her any question about your yoga practice!

{FIVE} Homemade Granola

Been addicted to it lately. I made a whole batch last weekend, and I have to tell you – put some yogurt on top and you got a perfect filling snack that will keep you going until lunch! That’s pretty good if you’re trying to limit your snacking.

You can find a recipe for it here.

Do share: what’s your latest favorite finds/likes/addictions?

Have a great weekend, guys, and I will see you on Monday 🙂

Filed Under: Beauty, FitFluential, fitness, Five on Friday, gadget-head, Gift Ideas, Girls Gone Sporty, Sweat Pink Tagged With: bicycling, fitness, fitness review, five on friday, gadget-head, GGS, Girls Gone Sporty Ambassador, new experience, yoga 16 Comments

Lean Lena January 10, 2014

Five on Friday

Hey guys! Happy Friday!

As usual, here is the Five on Friday post – five things, events, adventures, foods, etc.. that I am loving/enjoying lately.

{{ONE}} Trip to get our wedding rings.

I dug this picture out from that trip and it made me feel so good!

We went to Frederick, MD to get our wedding rings and stopped at a Starbucks on the way. We were still unmarried, happy and full of goof like above 🙂 Now – the only thing that’s changed is the “unmarried” part. Yep, still full of goof 🙂

It was a great trip on a beautiful September day that I will always remember with warmth in my heart.

{{TWO}} Healthy Living Blogs Tea Swap

Yeah, I participate in a lot of swaps… But I can’t help myself – it is so much fun and I get to meet new people!

The idea behind this one is so simple and so fun – you get a name and an address of a person and you send them 2-3 teabags of your favorite tea. You then receive tea from somebody else on the swap in return. So – you get to meet 2 people.

Here’s what I got from Mindy at Just A One Girl Revolution

I sent my tea package to Jessica at Fit & Fab Yogi. I haven’t heard back from her, but I hope the tea made it to her and she enjoyed it.

If you are interested in participating, keep an eye on the Healthy Living Blogs website for the new round of the program to start

{{THREE}} Meal Prep

I love it. Simply love it.

I usually get my “cooking bug” all active on the weekends anyway so why not put it to a good use and prep some meals for the coming week? Exactly – no reason why not.

Last week’s salad prep for hubby and me

Things I usually make:

Quinoa
Hardboiled eggs
Sweet potatoes
Beet roots (boiled/steamed)
Chicken breast (baked, grilled, fried)
Wheat berries
Roasted nuts

These are the ingredients to throw together a great salad to take to work for a healthy lunch! And it saves you time on the weeknights when you are tired and oh so tempted to grab some comfort food for lunch or go out.

Seriously, who wouldn’t want this for lunch, right?

{{FOUR}} Single Serve Blender

I got this baby for Christmas from my husband and I am absolutely loving it!

Neither of my family members is a big fan of smoothies, so the single serve is just perfect! It has travel cup, too – so it is super easy to just make one serving, detach the cap and drink on the way to work.

Look what goodness I have made so far:

cherry-banana goodness

If you think that making a smoothie is a rocket science – it really is not. Check out this cheat sheet for making smoothies that I am using, curtsey of Super Skinny Me.

{{FIVE}} Polar Loop

I know I have more gadgets than I can handle already…But this is something to wish for 🙂 Love the way it looks and what it does!

Maybe…maybe if I am a good girl, Santa will bring it for me next year 😉

Check out the features and prices:

Awesome, right?

Now – your turn!

Share your Five on Friday with me.

Filed Under: family events, fitness, Five on Friday, gadget-head, lunch Tagged With: family, fitness, five on friday, gadget-head, good food, healthy lunch, lunch, smoothie Leave a Comment

Lean Lena October 18, 2013

Five on Friday

Hello, my friends! How have you been this week?

Hope you’re doing well on this beautiful day!

Today I am sharing the things I’m loving lately/great things happening in my life/exciting news – Five on Friday.

Ready?

{{ONE}} Our 2nd Wedding Anniversary and Trip to NYC!

I will post the trip recap some time this week. This One of Five is about this awesome guy I met years ago and married 2 years ago – best “YES” I ever said!

He is my best friend, my one and only and I am SO lucky to have such a wonderful man by my side!

{{TWO}} Mantra Bands!

Aren’t they awesome?

My Mantra Band

I found these online and I was obsessed ever since. Head over to the Mantra Band and order your own to help you stay motivated on your fitness or any other journey!

See how it motivated me? 🙂

{{THREE}} My latest kitchen gadget – crock pot!

My new crock pot

Now this is a blessing for a family of 4 where both mom and dad work full time. I’m sure you know, but I just love saying it – throw the ingredients in, turn on, leave for work, come back to a delicious hot meal – that is what a crock pot is and I can’t believe it took me so long to get one.

Look at these wonderful things you can make in a crock pot:

Home made crock pot split pea soup

Home made crock pot chili

if you add too much water to it like I did – you get soup instead of the stew, which is not too bad either

{{FOUR}} My upcoming trip to Russia in November!!!

Super excited about it! I haven’t seen my family and friends for 2 long years!!!!

Got tickets in my pocket – leaving on November 27 and coming back on December 11. 2 weeks with my dearest ones! CAN’T WAIT!

{{FIVE}} Overnight Oats

Gotta love those! Easy and quick breakfast for week days. Just combine oats, almond milk and chia/flax seeds in a jar and refrigerate!

Take out of the fridge in the morning, heat up, add fruit, nuts, etc.. and your healthy breakfast is ready!

Your turn!

Filed Under: breakfast, dinner, events, family events, fitness, gadget-head, new experiences, recipes, travel Tagged With: dinner, family, fitness, five on friday, gadget-head, good food, healthy breakfast, healthy dinner, healthy lunch, recipes, travel Leave a Comment

Lean Lena October 2, 2013

Foods of the Week – What’s on my Plate Wednesday

Hello and happy Wednesday to you, my friends!

Let’s talk healthy (and not so much) food, shall we? I am changing the format of my weekly “What’s on my Plate Wednesday” blog post today – just because I get bored if things don’t change for a while 🙂

Hope you like it!Continue Reading

Filed Under: breakfast, dessert, dinner, fitness, gadget-head, healthy snack ideas, lunch, recipes, Weight Watchers, what's on my plate wednesday, WW Tagged With: dessert, dinner, fitness, gadget-head, healthy breakfast, healthy dinner, healthy lunch, healthy snack ideas, lunch, recipes, salad, weight loss, Weight Watchers, wwbtb Leave a Comment

Lean Lena July 29, 2013

Back to Blogging, Working Out and Eating Better

Hello, my fitness friends!

I am finally back to my blog – after a bad cold, couple days in New York City and celebrating my husband’s birthday.

There is so much to share about the past few days! I just wanted to check in and let you know I am ok, back home safely and will be posting about my trip and hubs’ birthday celebration soon.

For now, I just wanted to share the recipe for the pesto that I promised you in my previous post.Continue Reading