I absolutely love that my Instagram feed is full of amazing people doing amazing things. I get a lot of inspiration from scrolling through it during the day. Lately I've really been getting into the health/fitness side of Instagram and it's helped me stay on track with my own goals. Whether it's colorful fruit bowls, protein pancakes or workout options, I'm all over it!

I've found some amazing feeds lately and since they inspire me so much, I thought you guys might enjoy finding some new accounts to check out. It's not all just green goodness and squats either, wait until you see these macro friendly desserts...

Courtney Swan / realfoodology 

Photos: realfoodology Instagram

This amazing gal is on a mission to change the world...through food! Her feed is full of delicious and colorful eats that will inspire your healthy side. She's also a nutrition student, so some of her posts are accompanied by facts to help us all understand our food better. They're also incredibly beautiful and make me want to go out and buy green smoothies all day long. If that's not a positive influence, I don't know what is!

Kristina Mathewson / kmathewsonn

Photos: kmathewsonn Instagram

Look at those guns! Kristina is amazing for including her workout routine in her posts, with reps and all. I'm always on the lookout for ways to change up my routine, so I love her for this. She's also a massive fan of protein doughnuts (who isn't?) and other macro-friendly treats. I find her posts super-motivating and she's just a lovely gal!


Michelle / madlymish

Photos: madlymish Instagram

If you're looking for some killer gym-inspiration with moves to match, Michelle is your girl! She posts a lot of videos of exercises that you can incorporate into your own routine. Her captions are always worth a read as well. She gives details on reps, how she's feeling, and awesome advice. If you need meal prep inspo, Michelle will often share what she's eating too! Relatable and lovely, this girl is so worth the follow.


Sarah / eat.and.repeat

Photos: eat.and.repeat Instagram

You may be thinking "How can she eat desserts like that and look so good?" Well, she is one smart cookie! Sarah knows how to create macro-friendly treats that will make your mouth water. She's also amazing for encouraging her followers to never feel guilty about eating your favorite foods. We all need a healthy relationship with nutrition, and this gal will really help you with that. Anyone who is a fan of protein pancakes is a superstar in my books!


Heidi Somers / BuffBunny

Photos: BuffBunny Instagram

How could I not include Heidi in this list? She has become a big inspiration for me and is basically every girl's fitness BFF. She may be a famous model/YouTuber, but Heidi is really down to earth and is always honest about her struggles. She's goofy and also a total gym bad ass. I love the workouts that she shares and her Insta captions are often filled with motivational advice that can pick you up on a rough day. Never under-estimate her blonde locks and hot bod, she is one hard-working gal!


Jordan / thejordyjourney

Photos: thejordyjourney Instagram

This girl does not have the follower count she deserves for having such great content on her Instagram. If you're looking to follow someone who is passionate about health and fitness, then Jordan is perfect. She shares deliciously healthy snack ideas, plus lessons she is learning along her fitness journey. Such a lovely girl that you'll want to cheer for and feel inspired to make a few changes yourself. BTW, that transformation picture is only a year apart!


Natalay / fitnhealthy_

Photos: fitnhealthy_ Instagram

While Natalay loves fitness, you'll mostly find her passion for food on her feed. And it's a good thing too, because she is constantly creating the most amazing food that I want to make immediately. Her colorful snaps come with recipes for you to try out. She makes healthy eating beautiful and easy to create, even in a rush. If you're struggling for food ideas, Natalay is a perfect follow for you.


I hope you guys find as much inspiration as I do with these lovely ladies. I think it's awesome that Instagram is a place for all of us to come together and share our love of health and fitness.

Who are some of your favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration?
Steph x.


You can check out my fitness journey on Instagram here!

My Carry-On Bag

 Hello, everybody!

So, I'm one of these weird people who actually loves to pack. Always have, and I would probably pack for anyone else who didn't want to do it. After spending a month traveling to various cities in America I quickly learned what to bring on flights. Since I recently went on a mid-winter vacation I thought I would share what I took with me. I kept it simple this time, especially since it was a day flight and I would just end up watching movies anyway. Hopefully this helps anyone who might be traveling soon or those who hate thinking about what to pack! 

For my flight to Hawaii I split my carry-on items into two bags:

• Backpack - It is so much easier to carry one of these instead of a heavy shoulder bag. Everything in here is pretty much anything that I didn't want to put in my check-in bag in case it got damaged or lost e.g my camera(s). 

• Tote bag - I put everything in this one that I might need during the flight for easy access. You could just as easily use you handbag, but my laptop wouldn't fit in my backpack so I needed something bigger.

 Backpack

After lugging a ridiculously heavy shoulder bag around America for a month I was determined to take a backpack with me instead for my trip. I bought this one from Kathmandu when it was on sale, and I love it because it has double security with a zip and the buckles so I feel safer. Plus, it's the perfect size to fit everything I need, without being too big and bulky. To keep my camera nice and safe I also bought this camera bag insert from Aliexpress for super-cheap and it fits perfectly.

Tote Bag Items

Notebook/Pens

You never know when an idea will strike you, so I like to keep this close throughout the flight. This is also my "List Journal" so I would be pretty upset and lost if it disappeared with my check-in bag.

Octopus Hair clip

I always like to have my hair up when I travel, although I usually wait until I get onto the plane since it's my lazy Sunday hairstyle. I just have to say how much I love this hair-clip! It's a lot easier than using a hair tie, as you can get all of you hair on top of you head and it won't dig into you as you watch movies or try to sleep.

 Instax Camera 

These are so much fun to take on holiday, but it was definitely not going in my check-in bag in case it got damaged. I just brought it with me for safe keeping and since I won't need it on the flight I kept this in my backpack with my DSLR camera.

Reading Material

It's my own little tradition to buy and bring a new book with me when I travel. Matched has been sitting on my Book Depository wishlist for such a long time, and it's turned out to be a great read so far! If you enjoyed the Delirium series, you'll enjoy this book!
 

Itouch and Headphones

 I know, this is basic survival, right? I always make sure to bring my own headphones on flights with me, since I tend to watch a lot of movies. I like having my Itouch handy in case I need to quickly write something or I feel like listening to my own music. I also ended up editing blog photos on my flight, so it made my time productive too!

In-flight Skin care 

I kept it nice and simple for this flight. My current favorite hand cream by Palmer's, EOS Lip Balm, Lush Ultrabalm, leave-in hair conditioner, and my Neutrogena Naturals Night Cream in a small pottle. I made sure to bring my favorite products that are super-moisturizing and make me feel comfortable during the flight, which is very important. I kept it all in a clear make-up bag that I got at Walmart last year, they make travel so easy!

Just-in-case Essentials 

If you hadn't guessed by now, I'm one of these people who likes to be prepared for anything. This little black bag is usually always with me in a handbag and since my bag can get cluttered with all kinds of stuff it makes things a bit more organized. This bag includes ear plugs, spare headphones, mints, Rescue Pastilles for anxiety, band aids and single glass cleaner wipes. Believe me when I say that there's usually more, but I toned it down for the flight.

Apart from the other necessities like my wallet, passport, and sunglasses, that's about all I brought with me on my flight! Here are a few more flying and packing tips:

• Keep it simple when you pack your bags, but make sure you have things with you to make sure you're comfortable.
• Write out a quick list the week before you leave and keep going back to it as you think of more things you might need, or cross off the things you don't. 
• Always buy water to bring on the plane with you. Depending on how long your flight is, buying a sports drink like Powerade or Gatorade is great for quick hydration. 
• Rolling your clothes instead of folding them really does save you room in your bag.
• Bring a light scarf with you when you fly since planes can get cold, and it can also double as a pillow if you want to try get some sleep. 
• If you want to get your hot meal before everyone else on the flight order the vegetarian option. They're still delicious and worth the envious looks from other passengers. I've usually finished mine before they start serving the standard meals. 

If you have any thoughts or tips on packing/flying leave them in the comments, I'd love to hear from you! Don't forget to leave me your blog link too =)

Until next time x. 

Bloglovin' - MarvelSteph

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A List of Lists: Stay Organized and Rememer Everything

I'll admit it, I'm one of those people who feels the need to keep lists at all times. I even have a list journal with a specific list on each page (I won't mention how many journals I own and write in) However, as someone who considers themselves to be organized this is a very helpful thing!

I'm also incredibly forgetful so lists are often my only hope of remembering both the big and little things.

A while ago I set out on an online search for a list of lists, if you will, to help me stay organized and have a bit of fun with it. While I didn't find that one source with a masterlist, I did manage to find ideas here and there to create my own.

So, to help you stay organized here is a list of lists that I keep in my journal:

Wishlist

 For that ever-annoying "What do you want for your birthday?" question we can't ever think of an answer for. Or rewarding yourself after a challenge of course.

Gift Ideas

Save yourself from getting stuck on what to buy for birthdays. Keep updated year round and take notes when you get home from shopping with a loved one. Remember what they pointed out or said they would love to buy for themselves but won't. 

Got a Minute? 

For small chores we all forget to do, but don't take a lot of time. I skip this page more often than I should

Watch, Read, Listen

Recommendations to explore at a later time. So much music...

Things I Will Do This Year 

Because it's important to make exciting plans. Life's all about making memories, right? Go skiing, spend more time at the beach or make your own ice cream. 

Big Hairy Audacious Goals

A list of your biggest dreams to help keep them in mind. When you write them down on paper they don't seem so scary!

Don't Forget 

Important reminders; just don't forget to check it regularly!

Blog Post Ideas

A pretty important one for me. I always jot ideas down as soon as they hit me so I don't forget and I can look back on them when I get stuck for ideas

Bucket list

Probably the most important list to keep updated. Best feeling ever when you can cross them off!

Great Ideas

I think we've all lost some great ideas over the years, so always right them down. You never know where they might lead!

Apps to Try 

For those online recommendations to try later

Things to Do When You Are Sad

Because we all have those down days and need to be reminded of what makes us happy. It's important to keep this one updated too

Websites

Online shopping is very important to all of us

Sayings to remember 

Little quotes or things people have said that were too lovely to forget

Lessons Learnt

Great to look back on over the year and be reminded of what you've been through

Beauty 

There's always new products to try; great for trips overseas where they don't charge an arm and a leg for lipstick. I love you America!

Things to Google

To satisfy my curiosity on a bored Saturday evening (What is quorn even made of?)

Packing  

I'm lucky enough to be visiting Hawaii very soon and I like to slowly add items so I don't forget anything.

I hope this helps! What lists do you keep? x.

Twitter - @MarvelSteph91

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