Nutrition Nut on the Run

10 Years + A Life Update!

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Hi! It’s been a hot minute since I’ve published a post on the ol’ blog. It’s a slow, slightly cool Fall Sunday morning here in Florida, so let’s catch up over a cup of coffee, shall we?

If we were having coffee this morning, I’d tell you that Nutrition Nut on the Run turned 10 years old this month (two weeks ago today exactly). While I’m surely not as active with this space these days, it is wild to think I’ve had this corner of the internet for a decade! I still giggle when I look at the very first post I published November 10, 2009. I shared A LOT early on, but, as life goes, I’ve evolved as my blog did, and haven’t been called to share here like I once did. Ten years though… have any of you been here since the first days!?

If we were having coffee this morning, I’d tell you that while you may know I work with Beautycounter, a B corporation that is transparent about their sourcing/ingredients and advocates for social change while consciously creating personal care products that perform, that is just one piece of the work I do day-to-day.

Earlier this year, I said adios to a temporary, dead-end job in Human Resources to pursue entrepreneurship full-time… and it’s the best decision I’ve made all year! These days, I spend a solid chunk of my time assisting many of the OG (original) healthy living bloggers who inspired me to start this space 10 years ago. It’s been rather incredible to have a dream clientele of badass female-founded brands who continue to inspire me today through their creativity and entrepreneurial skills. My work consists of a lot of behind the scenes responsibilities: client support, content creation, email marketing, inbox management, social media, and graphic design. It’s right up my alley! I think it’s pretty cool how this little blog has afforded me many opportunities throughout the years, and that I’ve been able to create my own small business from the valuable connections I’ve made in this community. Grateful!

If we were having coffee this morning, I’d tell you that we spent the greater part of the past 6 weeks living in (a few) AirBNBs while the floors in our rental house were replaced. First, Koba and I escaped to Colorado for a 10-day “retreat” at my mom’s house while Nick had to travel for work — it was a much needed (and wanted) change of scenery. But unfortunately we couldn’t stay in Colorado forever, so we posted up in a quaint AirBNB for the next few weeks. While I figured living out of a shoe box with a pint-sized kitchen would be headache, it turned out to be quite the opposite. In fact, I enjoyed the boujee South Tampa lifestyle much more than life in the suburbs. Nestled in Old Hyde Park Village, I could walk the 3 blocks to my favorite local coffee shop for iced oat milk matcha lattes and free community yoga classes. Koba and I enjoyed many neighborhood walks admiring the humongous, historic century old homes. Unlike the busy suburb in which we live, people were constantly outside walking their dogs, jogging, playing with their kids at the park. This simple things brought me so much joy.

I realized that sometimes, most times, it does us justice to shake up our environment. Because what at first seemed like it’d be a real pain in the butt turned out to be a blessing in disguise — the gift of feeling C A L M when “home base” was in a season of transition (more on that below).

If we were having coffee this morning, I’d tell you that WE ARE MOVING! And moving soon. Nick got a new position, and so for for anyone who knows military lingo, we are PCS-ing (Permanent Change of Station) to… WASHINGTON (state). Yes, we’re doing another huge cross-country move like before (literally one opposite corner of the U.S. to the other). We don’t have exact dates (despite the move being soon, military moves are typically rather last minute), but we’re planning to spend the first couple of weeks of January traveling from Tampa, FL to Seattle, WA (a.k.a. we’re going to make another epic road trip out of it, just like we did in 2017 from CA -> FL). So, there’s that. I’m stoked to be leaving Florida, but, to be honest, have mixed feelings about moving to Washington. I think I am mainly just apprehensive of everything that comes with a huge move/starting all over again in a new state, but I am trying my best to focus on the fact that we get to live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest (PNW) for a bit, and I am grateful to be back on the West Coast — closer to friends and family.

So, if you could imagine, the Type A planner in me has been consumed by this upcoming move that we just found out about earlier this month (all the while, we’ve been out of our current house until just a few days ago).

That’s it for now, friends! I’d love to connect with you in the comment section below. Also! As I’m not here as often, you can find me on Instagram on the regular — I’d love to connect with you over there, too!

Koba & I on a family hike at Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Colorado // October 2019

Mom & I enjoying a sweet mother-daughter day trip to Telluride, Colorado // October 2019

Our sweet AirBNB named “The Tree House” in Historic Hyde Park, Tampa // November 2019

Evening walk with Koba through Hyde Park Village, Tampa // November 2019

Fired up and excited about my work with Beautycounter // November 2019

 

If you were here when I was posting regularly, what did you enjoy most about Nutrition Nut on the Run?

Seattle area recommendations – I’m all ears!

An Inside Look at My Health Using InsideTracker

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While needle pricks and blood draws can be highly intimating to many people, because of my hospitalization as a kid, I’m rather immune to getting pricked and prodded; so it doesn’t phase me much when I’m due for lab work. In fact, I find it pretty fascinating how much information we can gather from a simple, nearly pain-free test. I spend much of my energy focused on my wellbeing (albeit sometimes too much energy), so I enjoy being able to see how my efforts are playing out internally.

It’s been a solid year since I’ve had any sort of lab work done, so was I was excited to collaborate with InsideTracker to get a comprehensive blood and analysis as a way to check in on my health.

What is InsideTracker?

InsideTracker is a blood testing service that uses science to analyze your results with personal recommendations for nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle. The InsideTracker team is made up of experts in aging, genetics and biometric data, from Harvard, MIT and Tufts. Whether you are an elite athlete, stressed-out professional, or bust parent, InsideTracker optimizes your health by analyzing your blood, lifestyle and nutrition habits to help you achieve your personal goals — whether that’s increasing energy to chase your kids or going after a gold medal.

Curious to learn more about the biomarkers they measure and how it’s different from visiting your doctor? Get all that info and more here.

How does it work?

You simply schedule an appointment at your local lab, print off the lab slip from InsideTracker, and get your blood drawn at the lab. Your results are automatically sent to InsideTracker and are uploaded to your personal dashboard (mine only took a few days). You also answer a set of questions about your lifestyle, such as sleep, activity level and diet, in order to get the best personalized recommendations.

Once your results are uploaded and analyzed, you get an email with a link to your personal dashboard that’s chockfull of information. Even if you aren’t savvy with blood tests, they do a great job breaking it down and making it super easy to digest and comprehend.

My Results

I did the Ultimate Test, which includes 43 biomarkers. InsideTracker breaks your results down by At Risk (out of range), Needs Improvement (in range, but not optimal) and Optimal.

I had 4 At Risk, 8 Needs Improvement, and 31 Optimal.

My 4 At Risk markers were:

  • LDL (“bad” cholesterol)
  • Eosinophils (white blood cells)
  • SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin)
  • TIBC (Total Iron-Binding Capacity)

The 8 that “needs improvement” included: Vitamin D, HDL, TS (transferrin saturation), and magnesium — all on the low end. Again, all of these items are technically in the normal range, but not optimal according to InsideTracker.

When you review your results, you’re given nutrition, supplement, and lifestyle recommendations for each biomarker that is not optimal. They also include an explanation of what each biomarker is/why it’s important, and some even include an informational video clip.

The personalized recommendations are based not only on your results, but from the information you provide about your activity, diet, sleep, stress, etc.

TIBC (red) – At Risk

Vitamin D (yellow) – Needs Improvement

Cortisol (green): Optimal

So, am I changing anything?

After going through my personalized recommendations, I am definitely going to be more diligent with my Vitamin D supplementation (already knew my Vitamin D was low – like most Americans), and I plan to increase my fish/wild salmon intake for not only Vitamin D, but protein as well.

Of my 4 At Risk biomarkers, the only recommendation given was for LDL which was to decrease consumption of coconut oil (a.k.a. saturated fat). I found it interesting that InsideTracker didn’t provide personalized recommendations for the other 3 biomarkers that were out of range.

I honestly didn’t know how to interpret my SHBG and TIBC, but after consulting with my naturopath, these aren’t critical values that need priority attention. And while my TIBC was high and my TS was low (confusing, right?), I do have sufficient iron and am not anemic.

My 116 LDL is out of range (>100), but it’s not a huge concern to neither me nor my doctor. High cholesterol is hereditary in my family and is mostly likely not due to lifestyle. Plus, my total cholesterol is normal.

InsideTracker recommended I switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet, but this doesn’t fit into my current health goals (oppositely, I’m trying to add a bit more meat for protein).

As for the high eosinophils, it’s not an alarming value considering I have a history of higher eosinophils.

How much does it cost?

There are different plans ranging from $49 to $589. You can see all of them here. I did the Ultimate test, complimentary of InsideTracker.

General Thoughts

Overall, I’m impressed with the service. It was super user friendly! Not only is the website with your personal dashboard easy to navigate, but they make the information understandable, even for someone who doesn’t have a background in nutrition.

Downsides?

While you don’t need a doctor to order the blood test/use the service (a huge perk!), I personally think it’s advisable to consult your health care provider before making any major changes — especially in terms of supplementation. You are able to print and/or email your results to your doctor. I chose to send them to my naturopth for a follow up appointment.

Would I do it again and/or recommend it?

Absolutely! You can even schedule to have a follow-up date in your profile so you’ll get a reminder to get your labs re-tested. If getting lab work done ever feels like a chore to you, this service makes the process headache-free. I think the information is highly valuable; however, I wouldn’t suggest replacing it for seeing your doctor.

With my holistic view, this comprehensive test of 43 biomarkers was largely helpful in adding beneficial information to the larger picture of my health, but it wasn’t the full picture. I have an extensive health history, and current chronic GI issues, so the few markers that are out of range are only small pieces of the puzzle. Again, I think this is why it’s important you use this service in conjunction with your health care providers (InsideTracker does encourage follow-ups with your doctor and to use your results as part of your overall medical/health plan).

Thanks, InsideTracker, for the inside look. While I’m happy it was a rather clean bill of health, my gut health is another story for another time…

Use this link to get 15% off any InsideTracker plan!

 

Lab work: fascinating or terrifying?

Do you get routine lab work?

 

 

Disclosure: I received a complimentary test from InsideTracker in exchange for this post. The information provided is my personal health information, and the review and opinions of the service are my own. 

A New Decade

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Today is my birthday, my thirtieth birthday. Wait, what? That is so weird to type.

Hi, I’m Hillary and I’m in my thirties. Nope, even more weird.

I’m finally starting to understand the saying “age is just a number” because honestly, today, in this moment, I still feel as though I’m somewhere in my mid-twenties (these photos were taken a few days after my 25th birthday – time flies!). I’m guessing this has to do with the societal implication that at 30 you feel secure, confident, settled. But even though I’ve crossed the line into this new decade, I still have my moments of feeling unsure, un-settled… undoubtedly so because I decided to shake up the last couple years of my twenties.

It’s wild to think I started this blog when I was twenty years old… 10 years ago! I’ve written in this online space every year in my twenties, chronicling various parts of the second decade of my life. As I reflect on my twenties, these are the moments and milestones that stick out in my mind, contributing to who and where I am today. #THISIS30

My 20s

college: graduated with a B.S. in Nutrition Science

Chico, California: my home + community for 8 of 10 years

this blog: started in my third of year of college, November 10, 2009

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co: grateful and humbled for my first “real job” after college — 6 years of work and growth that were better than I could have ever imagined

certified health coach: continued my education in wellness + early days of exploring entrepreneurship

running + races: a joy and centering pastime that peaked in my early twenties

divorce: navigated the feelings of newly separated parents + eventually said goodbye to my childhood home

anxiety: resurfaced with a bang in my mid-twenties and has continued to teach me the most about myself

Europe: mother-daughter 2-week adventure around France, Italy, Switzerland and Sweden – the trip of a lifetime!

engaged in Washington DC: a significant moment in my life

un-engaged: the most difficult decision I’ve made to date

Kauai: 2 memorable family vacations I’ll never take for granted

military lifestyle: entered my life at age 26, something I never expected nor imagined

cross-country road trip: chose spontaneity over security (a rare choice!), and closed out 2017 with a 3,200-mile, 7-day trip from Chico, CA to Tampa, FL

Florida: home place of residence for 1.5 years — moved out of state for the first time (entirely across the country!) and experienced life outside of my comfort zone

My 20th Birthday // Arcata, CA

29 + 10 months (My Mom’s Birthday) // Tampa, FL

June 19, 2019 | Q&A

What do you do for a living?

entrepreneur

  • work as a Virtual Assistant providing creative support for wellness brands/bloggers
  • work with Beautycounter, a B Corporation with the mission to change the game in the beauty industry through education, transparency, and high-performing safer personal care products

Where do you live?

in an old rental house surrounded by lush trees and greenery where I hear owls and birds sing daily… a gold nugget in this ugly, busy, commercialized suburb of Tampa, Florida

Do you love yourself?

not enough

What is your favorite word?

resilience

Who is your best friend?

Kendra

What makes you smile?

my sweet as can be dog, Koba

Do you think you are strong?

I do, entirely!

How many states and countries have you visited?

states: 24 // countries: 7

What does your ideal Saturday look like?

sip coffee outside with my pup at my feet, get in a sweaty workout at the gym or go for a run, stock up on local produce from the farmer’s market while sipping an iced oat milk matcha latte, hit the trails for an afternoon hike with my crew, then happy hour with my beau or girlfriends… and cap the night with an episode of The Bachelorette in my sweats

What are you looking forward to most in your thirties?

starting a family (hopefully!)

 

So… hello 30, day 1. I’m treating myself to a haircut and pedicure and then will probably go out with Nick this evening. Tomorrow we hop on a plane to California where I’m spending the weekend in Tahoe with three of my girlfriends (take me to the mountains!) followed by a week of visiting family.

To a new decade!

xo Hill

Birthday Blog Posts

29 (2018) This is 29!

28 (2017) 28 Life Lessons

27 (2016) No Post

26 (2015) Birthday Weekend in Lassen National Park

25 (2014) 25-Minute Birthday AMRAP (workout) & Re-celebrating 25

24 (2013) 24 Things I Now Know

23 (2012) Birthday #23

22 (2011) Twenty Two

21 (2010) Ta Ta Twenty & 06.19.89

Friday Favorites // May 2019

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Hi & happy Memorial Day Weekend!

It’s been a while since I just sat down and wrote, on my own blog. With my new Virtual Assistant work, I’ve been spending a lot of time writing and doing work behind the scenes for other blogs (which I love!), but I haven’t given my own space on the Internet much attention at all.

It happened to be be a bit of a slow, relaxing Friday morning over here, so I used that time to make an appearance here. Well, we did wake up early to take Koba to the vet (that precious pup is more high maintenance than her mom!), but otherwise, we don’t have much planned for the long holiday weekend ahead.

Friday Favorites // May 2019

Speaking of weekending, last weekend we made the trek up to East Tennessee (Knoxville area) for my friend’s wedding weekend. We camped at the venue (her in-law’s beautiful 27-acre piece of property) and had an absolutely amazing time. The long and straight 10+ hour drive up Interstate 75 each way was well worth it.

We spent the weekend disconnected from all schedules and screens, enjoying much-needed time in nature. Mosquito bites aside, our first taste of the lush Tennessee countryside was a really good one!

bonfires & beersbee / camping & canoeing / full moons & fireflies / fresh margaritas & fire pit roasted chickens / turtles, toads, tents & (handmade) teepees / muddy dogs & marriage vows

Fitness

I feel like I’m in a bit of a fitness rut or plateau. Since ending my Orangetheory Fitness membership, I’ve resorted to home workouts, which can be totally effective and fun no doubt, but don’t get me as excited about exercise as say going to the gym. Honestly, what I’m enjoying most right now is walking with Koba; but, they have to be timed just so with the weather or else she’ll turn around after a few blocks. Running is rarely appealing these days, which I think, again, is mostly due to the summer climate in the Southeast. Funny, seeing as though my blog is Nutrition Nut on the Run and much of the content on here since 2009 has been about running and training. Things change!

For now, it’s home workouts and walks and a short run (or occasional workout at the base gym) here and there.

Lately, I’ve been getting lot of my workout inspiration from @madeline_moves – check her out!

Food

Now that it is officially hot and humid every.damn.day in Florida, I’ve been craving all the light, fresh foods. It’s also my goal to get back into the kitchen and get out of my cooking rut now that I’m working from home. I have a feeling these falafels and my mom’s tabouli recipe will make an appearance again this summer.

Other favorites: these gluten-free crackers, this green juice, this vegan pesto (ALWAYS in our freezer!).

Fashion & Beauty

Blue Light Blocking Glasses

I got this inexpensive pair of blue light blocking glasses (“influenced” by @katie_levans) from Amazon. Now that I’m working from home and am in front of screens (too) many hours of the day, I figured a cheap pair of kinda fun (kinda dorky) glasses wouldn’t hurt to help prevent digital eye strain.

NOBULL Runners

I have been wearing these sneakers non-stop since I got them for Christmas. Nick told me just recently that I need new shoes because I wear them so much. They are very comfy (perhaps a bit loose around my ankles), and they’ve been my go-to for walks, (infrequent) runs and workouts.

High Neck Sports Bras

I am so glad high-waisted pants and high-neck tops are in because they’re my jam. It’s honestly what I feel best in currently. I recently found a few high-neck sports bras that I love to pair with my high-waisted leggings: the Lululemon Energy Bra Neck Neck and this striped Athleta bra.

Ursa Major Go Easy Daily Shampoo

I’ve been using this shampoo for a few months now and I’ve been really happy with it. In recent years, I’ve struggled with having a happy, healthy scalp; but, this shampoo and doing my best to wash my hair less frequently has been helpful. Ursa Major is a clean brand that Beautycounter supports. Double win!

Beautycounter Glow Shimmer Oil

I didn’t think I would be into this product, as I’m not a glittery person, but my winter white legs adore it! I mix a few drops in my moisturizer and it gives my skin a subtle bronze boost (and hint of shimmer) it so desperately needs. You can use on your face and in your hair, too. No toxic self-tanners needed here!

>> Beautycounter Memorial Day Sale – To celebrate Memorial Day, Beautycounter is offering 2 FREE Countersun products (our reef-friendly 3oz. mineral sunscreen mist + 1 oz. mineral sunscreen lotion, $35 value) with any purchase of $125! The offer is good through Tuesday, May 28.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend/unofficial start to summer!

xx Hill

Any fun Memorial Day Weekend plans?

Do you have any favorite high-neck sports bras? 

Spring Clean Your Skincare Routine

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Beautycounter Spring Sale // 15% OFF SITEWIDE

With it being Spring and all, we tend to use this season to “clean up” our life is some way or another. Often we think about incorporating more fresh foods, increasing our amount of movement outdoors, and purging our closets. But what about our personal care products? It seems to me like this area of our lives is often forgotten. When you actually stop and read the ingredient labels on your products (yep, they have labels like food), you will probably be quite shocked by what’s lurking in your daily go-tos. Due to the lack of regulation in the beauty industry, toxic and potentially harmful chemicals are allowed in your products without a bat of an eye. The words “natural” and “organic” don’t carry much significance when it comes to the safety of personal care products.

So what can you do? Download the EWG’s Healthy Living App or use their Skin Deep Database to research the safety of your cosmetic and personal care products.

This is one of my all-time favorite resources for helping to select products, especially when the ingredient labels are difficult to dissect. You can scan the product directly on your phone and it will rate its safety based on the ingredients. Keep in mind that not all products are listed in the app because companies are not required to disclose their ingredients (really, the lack of regulation in the 62 billion dollar beauty industry is unreal!).

Here are 5 ingredients to watch out for when reading ingredient labels on your skincare products:

1. Parabens

Parabens are a preservatives commonly used to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold. Parabens are endocrine (hormone) disruptors, which may alter important hormone mechanisms in our bodies. Methylparaben, isobutylparaben, propylparaben are the most common in personal care products and are concerning as they have estrogen-mimicking properties that may play a role in triggering certain cancers.

2. Phthalates

Phthalates (pronounced THAL-lates) make plastic more pliable (think shower curtains). In cosmetics, phthalates are used to make fragrances stick to skin, styling products malleable, and nail polish bend and stick to the curve of your nail.

Phthalates are highly suspected endocrine (hormone) disruptors with some reports of fetal birth defects.

Phthalates are not always labeled as they are likely considered by the producing company as an ingredient in their signature fragrance, whose lists are protected as “trade secret.”

3. Fragrance 

“Fragrance” is considered a trade secret, so companies don’t have to disclose what it is. Hundreds of chemicals can hide under the word “fragrance.” It is usually a synthetic concoction that includes phthalates and synthetic musks, which are hormone disruptors, as well as chemicals that are allergens and neurotoxins.

4. Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is used in cosmetic products as a preservative and to prevent bacterial growth. This chemical was deemed as a human carcinogen by The International Agency for Research on Carcinogens and has also been linked to asthma, neurotoxicity, and developmental toxicity.

5. Oxybenzone 

Oxybenzone is a chemical sunscreen agent and ultraviolet light absorber which was added to nearly 65 percent of the non-mineral sunscreens in EWG’s 2018 sunscreen database. Oxybenzone may cause allergic skin reactions and possible hormone disruption. Hawaii just passed a bill banning sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate because studies have shown they have been linked to the bleaching of coral reefs.

All in all, I think it’s just a matter of picking your battles and finding out what changes make sense for you. A whole lifestyle change can be overwhelming, but making little changes one at a time adds up in the long run. For example, switch out your body moisturizer and body wash first (those that you use on your entire body) and then, as your products run out, try a new shampoo, cleanser, moisturizer, etc. Any change you can make is a positive one.

Safer Option: Beautycounter

Beautycounter is committed to a health and safety standard that goes well beyond what is legally required in the United States. Beautycounter excludes more than 1,500 questionable or harmful ingredients. Their high-performing, indulgent products are made mostly from responsibly sourced, plant-based ingredients and are rigorously screened to avoid potentially health disruptive ingredients on The Never List™. This list includes the five ingredients above along with thousands of other ingredients that have been associated with a variety of health disturbances.

Beautycounter Spring Sale // 15% OFF SITEWIDE 

My Spring Must-Haves:

Overnight Resurfacing Peel – a.k.a. the miracle worker! The texture of my skin has improved so much since using this peel 3-4x a week. It’s gentle, but high-performing with 15 botanically-derived acids that both exfoliate and sooth the skin.

Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer – I am obsessed with the sheer, dewy, lightweight coverage of this tinted moisturizer with SPF 20. This is my daily face sunscreen/makeup that also provides moisture and a bit of color.

Satin Powder Blush in Nectar – I have been loving this peachy blush to add a pop of color to my minimalist makeup routine. I plan to wear it all spring and summer with my favorite Luminous Powder Highlighter in Halo.

Spring Clean Your Skincare Routine @beautycounter #switchtosafer #betterbeauty

Click To Tweet

Questions?

If you’re not sure what products would be best for your skin type, fill out this quick questionnaire and I’ll send you an email with personalized recommendations.

Keep in mind that Beautycounter has a 60 day return policy. I have confidence you will love what you get, but if you don’t for any reason, you can return products for a full refund.

Cheers to spring cleaning & safer skincare!

Hillary’s Beautycounter Newsletter: hop onto my email list to learn more about safer skincare, new product launches, and special deals!


 

 

Disclosure: Please keep in mind that I’m not an esthetician. This information is based on my own research, personal experiences and training as a Beautycounter Consultant. 

What I’ve Been Up To | March 2019

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Unless you follow me on Instagram regularly, you might be wondering what the heck I’ve been up to as I haven’t been on the blog all too often. Even if you do hangout with me on IG, you might still be wondering. Well, this year has been off to a full (using this word in favor of “busy) start. Somehow it’s already spring and summer seems like it is around the corner.

Here’s what I’ve been up to…

Planning a California trip to visit family and friends at the end of June.

…including a girls weekend at Lake Tahoe for my 30th birthday! Y’all, being away from my girlfriends has been one of the toughest parts about moving across the country. I already know a weekend won’t be long enough, but I can not wait! It’s been four years since my last trip to Tahoe, and I’m more than ready for mountains, that icy cold, fresh water, and cocktails with my gals.

Hustling at my new Virtual Assistant jobs.

Aside from working in Human Resources part-time, I now have three different Virtual Assistant roles that I’m really excited about. Basically, I get to do all the stuff I love (blogging, baking, food photography, and admin work) for other incredible well-preneuners (wellness + entrepeuners). This is the work I want to be doing, and so I am grateful that my work and my passions have aligned.

Growing my Beautycounter business.

One office job, three VA jobs, and my own Beautycounter business. It’s a full workload, with work bleeding into the weekends, but this work of educating about better beauty lights me up! I am so happy to be able to mentor other women in this business (passion project, side hustle, whatever they want it to be). I’ve truly found my tribe, and it feels incredible. Curious about safer skincare?

Prepping for mama to visit!

My mom is coming to visit next week and I cannot wait. This will be her first time in Florida, so I’m looking forward to showing her a slice of the South. We’ll get to celebrate her birthday (with a mother-daughter pedicure date, of course!) and hopefully spend a bit of time in the sun (fingers crossed the weather is still as pleasant as it has been).

Eating grilled veggie salads on repeat.

I’ll likely be eating some version of this salad all spring and summer — romaine, grilled (or roasted) zucchini + bell peppers, avocado, cucumber, hemp seeds, and a hard boiled egg or two… with kale pesto ranch, oh yes! Grilled chicken or quinoa are good in it, too. And it’s on my list to make homemade hemp ranch dressing, but for now I’ve been mixing Trader Joe’s vegan kale pesto with Brianna’s ranch.

What have you been up to?

Any spring/summer travel plans?

Anxiety & Exercise + This Week’s Workouts

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Hi, good morning, happy Monday!

A week or so ago, I shared about my struggles with anxiety and exercise, particularly fitness trackers, on Instagram. And while I’ve mentioned that anxiety plays a part in my life many times on the blog, I’ve never gotten too deep into the specifics. But earlier this month I rewarded myself, so to speak, with a new Apple Watch for working my butt off in February – putting in the work and crushing goals with my Beautycounter business. And it inspired me to open up a bit… because purchasing a fancy smartwatch was more symbolic to me than job well done.

I’ve worn fitness trackers in the past, but they became a trigger for my anxiety, allowing numbers (i.e. heart rate) to cause unwanted spikes of cortisol. A 1 hour high-intensity workout could turn into a 3 hour panic attack. So, I took a much needed break from tracking, focusing on how my body felt without a number to make feel unsafe in my own body. After a long hiatus (roughly two years) of wearing a fitness tracker, I signed up for an Orangetheory Fitness membership last July. I was unsure how I would do (mentally) with a heart-rate based workout that is all about numbers.

Each class was equally as much of a mental workout as it was physical. This was definitely a big step forward for me. And, in all honesty, having my heart rate displayed on a large screen in bright orange and red was triggering for me some days. Some workouts, I chose not to wear the heart rate monitor because I knew my body was more than capable of crushing the workout at hand, it was my mind that was the obstacle.

So, from the outside, my new watch may appear like a materialistic new toy, but to me it signifies my continued effort to trust my body — to be comfortable in this healthy, vibrant body that always has my back.

It’s been a few weeks now, and I’m throughly enjoying the watch. I’ll admit, I’m not using it to its full functionality yet, but I’ve enjoyed the extra motivation to move a bit more via daily goals and connecting with a handful of friends who also wear an Apple Watch. I’m happy to say it hasn’t been triggering thus far, and if it ever does, well I know what to do!

Weekly Workouts | Week of March 18

Monday – 2 mi. walk

Tuesday – OTF + 1.5 mi. walk/run

Wednesday – 2.5 mi. walk

Thursday – OTF

Friday – rest 

Saturday – OTF + 2 mi. walk

Sunday – rest

I had all the intentions to do some sort of movement on Sunday, but my body told me otherwise. I slept in until 10:45am(!), and if that wasn’t a sign enough, my body was sore and felt wiped out (#pms).

This week is officially my last week at Orangetheory, at least for a bit. While the workouts have been incredibly fun and challenging, I’m taking a break to save up some extra money for summer travel (OTF isn’t cheap!).

Walking (with Koba) has been one of my favorite ways to move lately. Something about the combination of low-impact movement, fresh air, and Vitamin D — it’s been meditative and I crave it!

Do you wear an Apple Watch or fitness tracker?

Have you ever experienced exercise-induced anxiety/panic attacks?

An Honest Look at Being a Beautycounter Consultant

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Hi friends! I hope your week is off to a great start. Mondays are officially one of my favorite days of the week because I get to work – on my side hustles – from home (a.k.a. blog stuff, (new!) virtual assistant work, and Beautycounter). Speaking of Beautycounter… today is a special day: it’s my one year anniversary with Beautycounter! It’s kind of hard to believe it has been 365 days since I said “YES” to building a business with this incredible company (who, might I add, is six years young today!). Yep, we have the same anniversary. 

I figured now would be a better time than ever to chat about my experience and answer some frequently asked questions (FAQs). So, if you’ve been secretly curious about my clean beauty business, or the thought to jump on board yourself has been simmering on the back burner, this is for you!

Beautycounter Business FAQs

What does it cost?
It costs $98 to enroll as a consultant, which includes a personalized website, supportive back office, marketing materials, an extensive training platform called Counter University, two full-sized products… oh, and me as your mentor! It’s honestly an amazing deal for the quality of what you get in return (in other words, it’s less than a $100 investment to start your own business!).

Do I have have to sell a certain amount?
There are no monthly selling minimums. You do have to sell $1,200 in qualifying volume (orders from others + your own purchases) every 6 months. This may sound daunting, but it is extremely doable if you consistently work your business. Plus, if you just wanted to join for the product discount and to share with family and friends, a couple orders a month in addition to your own orders will get you there.

What if I don’t hit the minimums?
Don’t worry! Nothing big, bad, or scary happens. If you don’t hit the minimum in 6 months then you will simply be bumped down to a Band of Beauty Member, Beautycounter’s customer loyalty program which has amazing perks like free shipping and product credit on every order. Plus, you can always re-join!

I am not into sales and have no idea how to do this kind of work.
Then don’t sell, SHARE. Honestly, it’s not much different than sharing a delicious restaurant or kick ass pair of running shoes with a good friend. Beautycounter is an education-first B Corporation, so before all else, you are an Educator, teaching people about the highly unregulated beauty industry, and the need for change. Mix education with your authentic passion and belief in Beautycounter’s mission, and the high-performing products sell themselves.

But selling products is annoying. I don’t want to be one of “those people.”
Direct sales often gets a bad rap. If you decide to become a consultant solely for the money, that will shine through, and it may come across as annoying. If you sign up because you love the products and/or the mission, you’re golden. People love recommendations that are genuine. Don’t you tell your friends when you find the best coffee shop or healthy find at Trader Joe’s? Yes, you do, and they listen because it’s genuine. The perk with Beautycounter is that you make money doing it.

Sounds awesome, but I am so busy. I don’t have time for anything else!
This is the most common obstacle I hear from prospective consultants. You’re thinking “How can I run my own business when I already have a full-time job, family to take care of, little ones, stressful school schedule, or all of the above?” What I’ve found to be true is the busiest women tend to be the most successful consultants since they know how to balance work and prioritize (a.k.a. be efficient and manage their time)… even 1-2 hours a week can help launch a business that will build over time!

It’s amazing how when we truly want something, we can make time for it. Even if it’s starting out with a couple hours spread out throughout the week, when there’s a will, there’s a way. Getting your Beautycounter business off the ground doesn’t require “x” amount of hours each week. That is the beauty of this business – you can make it work for you! The women on my team have an array of backgrounds and responsibilities, from corporate marketing professionals to full-time moms, lawyers, med students, bloggers, and multi-faceted entrepreneurs. Whether it’s an hour or two, or 10, as long as you are consistent, you can fit this into your life and make it work for you.

Isn’t this another MLM (multi level marketing) pyramid scheme?
Watch this short video about Beautycounter’s business model. In short, Beautycounter is not a pyramid scheme – those are illegal. Beautycounter not only sells through independent consultants, but online, and through retail partnerships and shops. As a mentor, I do earn a percentage of sales from those under me, but only a small percentage versus 25-35% of my own sales.

And in reality, this structure doesn’t differ much from corporate America where the CEO and leaders benefit off of their employees. As a mentor, I invest into my team members through support, accountability, and what I’ve learned to be successful. Being a mentor is one of my favorite parts of this job! I see so much similarity between it and health coaching: I love helping women accomplish goals, big and small, grow their businesses, and watch their dreams unfold!

Beautycounter is a highly-rated B Corporation, which is an extremely hard certification to get. Beautycounter is ranked with companies like Athleta, Patagonia, Seventh Generation, and other companies that use business for good. I love that I work for a company who is making a difference in the world.

How is Beautycounter different than other MLMs?
I’ve never been part of another MLM, so I can’t speak from personal experience. However, I can tell you that Beautycounter does not have some of the following requirements that other MLMs have:

  • No auto-ship of products for customers or consultants
  • No monthly minimum purchase for consultants
  • Customers can choose how they want to shop: they can choose their consultant, or if they don’t want to shop through a consultant, they can order directly through corporate or at our retail shops

I will say that while there are other companies who make safer products (yay!), I do not know of any companies that take safety as seriously as Beautycounter. And not only that, the products actually work. Beautycounter is so much more than a cosmetic or skincare company. We make a huge variety of personal care products, and we are at the forefront of advocating for health-protective laws in the beauty industry.

Beautycounter was the #1 Googled beauty brand in 2018, and was named one of the 50 most innovative companies in the world by Fast Company!

I don’t have a blog or use social media much.
Not a problem at all! Most people who work with Beautycounter are not bloggers. There are endless ways to make this business work for you. If social media is your thing, great. But if you prefer one-on-one conversations, or getting together with a small group of friends over brunch, or dropping off products to share with your neighbor, wonderful! I do use social media because I enjoy it, but what I love most about this business are the personal connections. Although Beautycounter is a corporate company, I strive to run my business like a small business, where follow-ups, thank you cards, and personalization is the norm. Social media helps, but it’s not necessary.

How much can I make?
You make 25-35% commision off every order (the percentage increases as the total amount you sell increases). There are also opportunities to earn free or discounted products throughout the year, as well as incentive trips! It’s been amazing to watch my Beautycounter business grow. It’s honestly the best decision I made after leaving my full-time job and moving across the country.

For some, their Beautycounter business earns them some extra fun money for hobbies, and for others it’s allowed them to leave their full-time jobs (and make 2-3x their corporate incomes)!

What are the benefits?
Are we talking personal or professional? I’ve grown personally (more on that below) and met amazing, like-minded, driven women! Not to mention, you get to run a business – whether it’s a side gig/hobby or full-time – it’s possible to make this a lucrative business that’s run how you please. Oh, and you always get 25% off all products. 

So you like being a consultant?
I love it! Investing in the Beautycounter business has been an investment in myself. For the first time (in forever?), I’ve been dreaming big. And I have an amazing mentor and support circle of fellow consultants to cheer me on and help me accomplish my goals. I’ve always known it was possible for your passions and work to collide (and I’ve definitely been passionate about my previous work), but now that I’ve partnered with Beautycounter, there has been much more momentum towards manifesting my dreams. 

An Honest Look at Being a Beautycounter Consultant #beautycounter #becounter
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What don’t you like about being a consultant?
Besides the fact that consultants have to pay for shipping, nothing!

Okay, I want to learn more.
If you want to learn more about being a consultant, you can find additional info on the Beautycounter website. Of course you can always email me (hillaryannparker (at) gmail (dot) com), and I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have. If you do decide to sign up, I would love to be your mentor, so find me when you enroll (Hillary Parker).

Nah, not interested. 
Totally fine!

This sounds pretty cool, but I have reservations.
I did too! Again, if you’re the slightest bit curious, but have reservations, email me. I’d love to chat with you!

If you’ve ever been curious about becoming a Beautycounter consultant, or have been on the fence (or just want a rewarding side gig), now’s an amazing time to join the movement! To celebrate Beautycounter’s 6th anniversary, the enrollment fee has been cut in half!

From now until March 10, it’s $49 to sign up as a consultant when you purchase a starter set of deeply discounted products. If you’re a Band of Beauty member, it’s only $20!

When you enroll, you get the following:

Not pictured:
– Access to your personalized website
– Access to your back office, Behind the Counter
– Extensive training platform, Counter University
– Me as a mentor along with an amazingly supportive group of women who are happy to share their experiences with you!

Pictured below:
– Full size Overnight Resurfacing Peel ($63 value)
– Full size Lip Intense Lipstick ($34 value)
– Large tote bag
– Zippered makeup bag
– Training and marketing materials to get your business going! 

Lastly… my why.

I will not be apologetic for working in direct sales, for partnering with a B Corporation that isn’t solely offering safer products, but is advocating for change. Like my fellow Beautycounter educators, we all have a passion for health and wellness and getting safer products into the hands of everyone. This is a piece of my why… because wellbeing is ingrained in who I am, and it is so much more than what I consume and how much I move my body. Every single Beautycounter consultant stands behind Beautycounter’s mission and is working towards drastic change in the nearly-unregulated beauty industry. But each one of us has a powerful why much deeper than that.

This business is so much more than our safer, high-performing products (that I love to talk about and share with others!). It’s about pushing myself outside of my comfort zone on a daily basis, it’s about continuing to find work that I’m passionate about… that lights me up after a huge life transition (i.e. moving across the country), it’s about having financial freedom, it’s about having freedom to work from anywhere (hey, military life)… it’s about connecting and networking with like-minded, driven women who share in my wellness-based passions, it’s about setting goals and crushing them, it’s about discovering what confidence truly feels like.

Along with furthering the mission of advocating for safer products to get into the hands of everyone, educating others on safer products and introducing people to high-performing products, I’ve become more confident and I LOVE my work!  I want to educate, to share, to see change in the industry (we are!), and help you make steps towards choosing safer products for you and those you LOVE. 

While this work is financially rewarding, it’s so much more than that. I won’t be apologetic or feel awkward to share this opportunity with you because of the mindset we often have surrounding direct sales. I am a part of a company I believe in and I want to share the opportunity with you in case it happens to be the right fit/a major blessing/life-changing for you like it has for me. 

Switching Up My Fitness Regimen (Again) + This Week’s Workouts

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It’s been a while since I’ve shared my weekly workouts (if you’re new here, I used to share them frequently).

Before I moved to Florida (one year ago!), I considered myself a “gym rat.” Making the cross-country move led to a lot of changes, one of them being not joining a gym right away. At the end of July, I bit the bullet and decided to give Orangetheory Fitness a shot. One month in with 15 workouts completed, I wrote my thoughts about it here. I love OTF. I had a lot of fun with it, and it was a change of pace from coming up with my own workouts. But then I got burnt out — mentally (and financially). Boutique fitness gyms are not budget friendly; so, after 6 months of consistent heart-rate based HIIT workouts, I decided to put my membership on hold.

Which brings me back to home workouts — something I am very familiar with. I think it’s going to take me a bit to switch back into the mental game of home workouts + running. I’ve been considering purchasing an at-home based workout program, but can’t make up my mind. There are so many good ones out there — Madeline Moves and the Good Sweat Guide are both catching my eye.

Workouts | Week of February 4

Thoughts overall: I’m glad I got in six days of intentional movement, but I consider several of my workouts “light.” Wednesday, I had killer headache and only managed a sluggish 2 mile jog, but Thursday’s strength workout felt great and left me so very sore. This week’s workouts were a good reminder that workouts don’t need to be long to be effective!

Monday, February 4

Sculpted Superset Workout

+ 100 high knees, 10lb. overhead

(3x)

5 “shoulder rainbows”, 10lb.

5 push-ups

2 mi. dog walk

Tuesday, February 5

shoulder workout

2 mi. dog walk

Wednesday, February 6

2 mi. jog

Thursday, February 7

home workout:

(3x)

5 walkout push-ups

10 goblet squats, 25lb.

15 kettlebell swings, 25lb.

(3x)

5 single arm dumbbell snatch each arm, 25lb.

5 burpees

(3x)

10 deadlift, 75lb.

5 single leg deadlift each leg, 25lb.

10 glute bridges, 25lb.

(3x)

10 reverse lunge + shoulder press, 25lb.

10 reverse lunge + squat, 25lb.

—

50 walking lunges, 50lb.

50 cruches, 15lb. plate overhead

15 deadlifts, 135lb.

Friday, February 8

rest day

Saturday, February 9

Madeline Moves full body workout

2 mi. jog

Sunday, February 10

Dorm Room Dumbbell Workout

 

I often share snippets of my workouts in my Instagram stories, so feel free to follow along for ideas!

Let’s chat!

Have you ever tried an at-home based workout program?

What are you loving about your current fitness regimen? Or are you itching for change?

Florida Life // Year One

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I’m sitting on the couch on the last day of January, reflecting on the past 365 days. I know what you’re probably thinking… wasn’t I supposed to do that last month before 2019 began?

Well, today, February 1, marks one year since I hopped on a plane with a one-way ticket to Florida. So, in my eyes, my “New Year” starts today.

Never in one million years did I think I would reside in Florida… but, at the tailend of 2017, life swiftly directed me east (with an epic, spontaneous cross-country road trip!). Never in one million years did I think the military would be a part of my life either, but it has been a significant aspect of my life since fall of 2015. Oh, Life, you always give us exactly what we need.

After moving across the country – literally from one opposite corner to the other – I shared monthly recaps of this new chapter of “Florida Life”. You can find those here:

Florida Life // Months 7 & 8

Florida Life // 6 Months In

Florida Life // Months 4 & 5

Florida Life // Month 2

Florida Life // Month 1

But the recaps of Month 9, 10, 11, and 12 never made an appearance in due time… so here we are, officially one year later. Transitions are hard. You probably know that. We all go through transitions, all of the time. Some are more significant than others. After much of the newness wore off, I didn’t feel as inspired to share… to be vulnerable, frankly. To share while I was in the thick of my personal transition. And while I’ve been in the Southeast a for a full trip around the sun, I am still navigating through this transition.

If I am being honest, “Florida Life” has been an extremely challenging chapter, for both me and Nick. But, with any chapter, we know this is only temporary and it, too, will come to a close; so, we do our best to keep our chins up and be grateful for the experience… even if it is tough a lot of the time.

I’ll be blunt and say that I do not like living in Florida. If you couldn’t guess, it is drastically different than Northern California. City living isn’t for us (we’re in the busy, traffic-y Tampa Bay area), and that’s okay. One, of the many, things I’ve learned this year is that it is good to learn what you don’t like, and what you don’t want, because it helps to clarify what you do.

Rather than share the highlights of Year 1, I’d rather share thoughts, reflections, and lessons learned. Because, let’s be real, I, too, can be guilty of falling into the trap of using social media (and my blog) as a highlight reel.

Florida Life // Year 1: Thoughts, Reflections & Lessons Learned

1. Despite being 3,000+ miles away from my hometown, family, friends, my Chico community, my safe place(s)… my anxiety has been at a record low.

2. Officially becoming a #dogmom was one of the best things about this year. Koba helped me through the humps and hard days more than she will ever know.

3. Anything with repetition gets a bit easier, time after time. Including driving in horrific traffic on the daily.

4. Living in a sea of box stores, toll roads and bumper to bumper freeways makes me appreciate my rural, humble, Humboldt roots.

5. I am not a huge fan of talking on the phone, but long conversations with my girlfriends are everything to me now.

6. I may have overreacted by hiding in the bathtub with that tornado warning.

7. When you’re navigating through a challenging time, add things to your calendar that bring you joy: trips, self care, date nights. The little things are the big things.

8. Your environment has a huge impact on your overall happiness and wellbeing. If you are able, chose to reside in a place that meshes with your values.

9. This move has instilled in me the confidence to move to new places. But, overall, my confidence has seen better days.

10. Nick and I are polar opposites. There is no way we could have survived this year without each other. #gratefulAF

Florida Life // Year 1 #tampa #florida #lifeinmytwenties

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This past year I got real comfortable being uncomfortable, endured hurricane season and hellishly-humid weather, gave my best attempt at being a dog mom to the sweetest puppy, got a non-wellness related job, started a new business, switched up my exercise routine, tested my strength at Orangetheory, expanded my tribe of like-minded, driven women, avoided any alligator sightings, cherished a culturally-diverse Thanksgiving, improved my military vocabulary, laughed a lot, and became a lot more in tune with who I am at my core, and how I want to cultivate a life I love.

I don’t have a magic eight ball to know when and where we’re headed next, so you can follow along on Instagram as we explore Florida livin’ until the adventure continues!

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