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IN: Wellness, Yoga

Best Yoga Mats to Strengthen Your Practice

April 3, 2020 By Melanie No Comments

One of my most frequently asked questions on Instagram is in regards to which yoga mat I recommend. As someone who owns way too many yoga mats and has practiced on various kinds over the years, I’m excited to share my recommendations! Especially since a yoga mat can make or break your home yoga practice. Seeing as how many of us are turning to yoga now more than ever, my hope is that you’ll find the perfect one to invest in for yourself. 

The top 3 qualities I use to judge yoga mats are: portability, grip, and density. Some mats are super cute but slide all over the place. Others start to fall apart with repeated use. Yet many will stand the test of time and help you get the most out of your practice. 

Here are my current favorites: 

Manduka Pro Mat

This is the pink one you see in the majority of my home practice photos. It’s extra long, very durable (they even offer a life-time warranty), has a solid grip that gets better with more use and is on the denser side. The density adds extra support, which is perfect for all those poses where you’re on your knees or elbows. The only downside is that it is VERY heavy. They do offer a Pro-Lite version if you want to bring it with you to studios but honestly, I prefer having a mat that will never leave my apartment. 

Manduka GRP Mat

This is THE ultimate hot yoga mat! Ditch the yoga towel because this mat literally gets grippier the more you sweat on it. And trust me, it’s not a gimmick! The top layer has no-slip traction while the rubber core is infused with charcoal to absorb sweat and reduce odor. It definitely requires more deep cleanings than your average mat since all that sweat isn’t going anywhere. But I will say if you’re a hot yoga junkie this pricey mat is well worth the investment. 

Jade Yoga Harmony Mat

These very grippy and lightweight mats are made from sustainably sourced rubber trees. I love my Jade Yoga mat and typically take mine to various studios. It offers great traction, making it ideal for sweatier workouts. Although no where near as dense as the Manduka Pro mat, it still offers enough cushion and support for all your yoga poses. Not only is this mat super functional but I also love that the company plants one tree for every mat sold, making it one of the most eco-friendly options out there. 

Lululemon Reversible Mat

Trust when I say I’m not one of those Lululemon snobs who is recommending this solely on the brand name. The reality is, I first practiced on this reversible mat at the Alo Yoga studio in SOHO, NYC and it is a game changer. Lightweight, great cushion support and very grippy despite the ultra smooth top layer. The biggest downsides is that it does have a weird smell to it that takes awhile to get air out and it stains pretty easily from oil or makeup. If the appearance of some stains doesn’t bother you, the support and durability still make this a top contender. 

How To Clean Your Yoga Mats

When it comes to caring for your yoga mat, you’ll want to ensure that you have the right supplies. A simple white dishrag and yoga mat cleaner is perfect for a quick wipe down after each use. You can also make your own DIY cleaner with just a few simple ingredients. For a deeper clean, I just throw mine in the bathtub with a bit of castile soap. Let it soak for 15 min, rinse, and hang to dry. I only do this about once a month or if a particular mat is very gross. 

Some mats are more delicate than others so I would recommend reading the care instructions when you purchase it before deciding how best to clean them. 

I hope you find this helpful as you embark on your yoga journey! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or if there is a particular mat you love. I’m always happy to try new ones. And if you’re in need of more props to help your home yoga practice, I’ve linked some of my favorites HERE.  

Filed Under: Wellness, Yoga

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New Meet Melanie

New Meet Melanie

Hi and welcome to Headstands & Heels! I’m Melanie — a Digital Strategist turned Wellness Entrepreneur, certified yoga instructor (RYT 200), dog mama, and content creator based in NYC. I hope to encourage others to follow their dreams and cultivate a healthy, balanced lifestyle filled with mindfulness and positivity. ๐Ÿ’• Send me a note at: mel@headstandsandheels.com or Read More

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This is your sign to pack yourself a picnic and en
This is your sign to pack yourself a picnic and enjoy some quality time outside! โ˜€๏ธ After a very gloomy and cold winter, Spring always feels like an awakening here in NYC. Not to mention with #EarthDay right around the corner, itโ€™s even more of a reason to enjoy the warm weather, sunshine, and all things that Mother Nature has to offer! ๐Ÿ… ๐Ÿฅ’ ๐ŸŒฟ
 
One of my fav things nature gives us is veggies and Iโ€™m obsessed with how @dirtkitchensnacks has turned them into a yummy snack! Not only are their Air Dried Veggie Crisps super convenient, crunchy, and delicious but theyโ€™re also made from upcycled veggies (surplus or imperfect) that would have otherwise never left the farm! This means less food waste and more veggies for me and you to enjoy. ๐Ÿ‘ 
 
I love supporting brands that are doing awesome things for people and the planet and think you all will love them too! ๐ŸŒŽ ๐Ÿ’•
 
They have 3 different kinds of Veggie Crisps to choose from and you can find them online: grape tomato, blushed bell pepper, and zucchini. ๐Ÿ… ๐Ÿฅ’ Which veggie is your favorite? #DigInWithDKS #Sponsored

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The lights are so bright but they never blind me. ๐Ÿ’ซ #DateNight

2 years after saying โ€œI doโ€ and it feels like
2 years after saying โ€œI doโ€ and it feels like it was just yesterday. โค๏ธ Our first anniversary was spent in lockdown last year {Swipe for a bts} and today Iโ€™m getting vaxxed ๐Ÿ’‰. It feels like weโ€™ve come full circle and Iโ€™m so ready to celebrate with a dinner in the city tonight and a pretty big adventure to come ๐Ÿ˜Š. Love you, @bayphillips.

Give me all the iced coffee and a paintbrush and I
Give me all the iced coffee and a paintbrush and Iโ€™ll be one happy gal ๐ŸŽจ๐Ÿ„๐ŸŒธ. 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
Itโ€™s been a gloomy day in the city and I woke up with an itch to put all my whimsical, colorful dreams on paper. Swipe to see the enchanted forest landscape and the BTS of how it came to life. ๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŒผ 
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Thereโ€™s a beauty that comes with the stillness of painting. For an hour or two the whole world melts away and itโ€™s just me, the paper and my brush. ๐Ÿ–Œ Showing up with no creative expectations has a way of making me feel limitless, and in many ways itโ€™s the most mindful exercise and expressive form of self care I can do. ๐ŸŽจ๐Ÿ’• 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
I hope you jelly beans have found your own quiet, creative moment this weekend. I promise itโ€™s the best way to unplug and reset ๐ŸŒˆ  #selfcaresunday

Iโ€™m gonna file this under cutest healthy cookies
Iโ€™m gonna file this under cutest healthy cookies Iโ€™ve ever made! ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿข๐Ÿ’• These vegan matcha & tahini cookies are fun to create and are guaranteed to make your tastebuds do a lil happy dance! 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
Theyโ€™re a little sweet and nutty with a crispy outside and chewy inside. Bonus: creating the turtle shapes reminded me of playing with playdoh! (Talk about a throwback)
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Iโ€™m going to test out and share several #EarthMonth ๐ŸŒŽ inspired recipes over the next few weeks, so stay tuned! 
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You can find this recipe on @veggiekins blog. ๐Ÿข 10/10 would recommend for cuteness + a healthy treat that makes you smile๐Ÿ˜‹. #HealthyDesserts

๐“๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐Ž๐–๐„๐‘
๐“๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐Ž๐–๐„๐‘ ๐ข๐ง โœจ๐œ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ฒ.โœจ
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
Good things rarely come easy in life and they definitely donโ€™t come quickly. More often than not, it boils down to a very underrated behavior called consistency. 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
So what does that look like? It means: 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
๐Ÿ”ธChoosing to ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ even when youโ€™re not feeling motivated
๐Ÿ”ธ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค over and over even when it doesnโ€™t seem like anything sticks
๐Ÿ”ธ ๐‚๐š๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ž ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ ๐จ๐š๐ฅ๐ฌ even when progress is slower than you would have liked
๐Ÿ”ธ Holding yourself accountable and ๐ญ๐š๐ค๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ฉ๐ฌ one day at a time till you cross the finish line
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
Everyone hypes up motivation but the truth is there will be MANY days where you are unmotivated. Where you find yourself to be tired, frustrated, and impatient with lack of results. 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
But thatโ€™s where the real magic happens friends. When you can show up consistently for yourself โ€” in all aspects of your life, you WILL achieve your goals. ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
๐’๐จ ๐ค๐ž๐ž๐ฉ ๐ ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ . 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
On days when you feel like quitting, remind yourself of your why. Give yourself space to rest and then get back in there and keep trying. ๐Ÿ’ฏ 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
Iโ€™ll leave you with this quote: 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
โœจ โ€œ๐ˆ๐ญโ€™๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ž ๐๐จ ๐จ๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐ข๐ง ๐š๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ž ๐ญ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ก๐š๐ฉ๐ž๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž๐ฌ. ๐ˆ๐ญโ€™๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ž ๐๐จ ๐œ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ.โ€ ~ ๐“๐จ๐ง๐ฒ ๐‘๐จ๐›๐›๐ข๐ง๐ฌโœจ
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
{๐Ÿ“ธ: @mikohafez}

Happy Easter๐ŸŒธ , beautiful humans. He is Risen!
Happy Easter๐ŸŒธ , beautiful humans. He is Risen! โœจ 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
Today Iโ€™m celebrating Godโ€™s eternal love for us and the resurrection of my Savior, Jesus Christ . โœ๏ธ The past 13 months have been full of challenges, discomfort and practicing patience through the unknown. Iโ€™m grateful that through it all, God has brought so much good into our lives and continues to guide us in the direction of his plan. ๐Ÿ’• 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
โœจItโ€™s a comfort to know that after the darkness, there is always light.โœจ
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
Even if you donโ€™t celebrate, I hope youโ€™re having a wonderful weekend filled with love and hope for beautiful things to come. ๐Ÿฅฐ  #HappyEaster { ๐Ÿ“ธ: @winilaophotos}

Lookinโ€™ for a super simple & sweet Easter treat!
Lookinโ€™ for a super simple & sweet Easter treat!? ๐Ÿฃ These 4๏ธโƒฃ ingredient HEALTHY chocolate pb eggs are for you! 
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Iโ€™ve seen these knockoff Reeseโ€™s eggs all over Pinterest and used the recipe by @ambitiouskitchen to make mine. ๐Ÿ’• {SWIPE FOR A CLOSE UP}
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
Recipe:
๐Ÿ”ธ Mix 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter with 1 tbsp maple syrup and 2 tbsp coconut flour 
๐Ÿ”ธ Scoop onto parchment paper and form/flatten into egg shapes 
๐Ÿ”ธ Freeze for 1 hour 
๐Ÿ”ธ Melt dark chocolate in small bowl and dip PB eggs 
๐Ÿ”ธ Freeze for 5 min and top with drizzle of white chocolate and sea salt 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
Store them in the freezer till ready to eat! ๐Ÿ’• Happy Easter Weekend everyone ๐ŸŒธ #MelsMeals #healthydesserts

๐ŸŒฑ Just a little @cocokind chlorophyll face mask
๐ŸŒฑ Just a little @cocokind chlorophyll face mask and chillll Q&A session because there are lots of new friends on here! ๐Ÿ’•
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
Since I canโ€™t believe I hit 30k followers (and 25k on TikTok!?) I thought a little โ€œabout meโ€ and fun fact sharing was in order! ๐Ÿ’•โœจ
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๐€ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ž ๐š๐›๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ž
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
๐Ÿ”ธ Hi lovely humans! My name is Melanie and I created this blog 5 years ago to share my wellness journey and healthy, positive lifestyle + connect with likeminded people such as yourself. ๐Ÿ˜Š
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
๐Ÿ”ธ I currently live in NYC with my husband, @bayphillips, and our two rescue pups @chipandnina 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
๐Ÿ”ธ I graduated with a BS in Marketing and have been working in the social media/digital marketing space for 8 years!! 6 years in corporate marketing for tourism and global beauty brands and 2 as a full time wellness blogger 
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๐Ÿ”ธ I went through a 200 hour yoga teacher training course a few years ago and have been teaching online and at various branded events ever since ๐Ÿ’•. Hoping to teach at a studio once the world is back to normal 
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๐Ÿ”ธ Personality traits in a nutshell: Iโ€™m a Cancer โ™‹๏ธ, ENFJ and Enneagram 2w3 
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๐Ÿ”ธ I am a Christian and my faith is super important to me. I have a whole blog post called โ€œConfessions of a Christian Yogiโ€ if youโ€™d like to read more 
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๐Ÿ”ธ Things I love that youโ€™ll probably see a lot of on here: painting ๐ŸŽจ, reading ๐Ÿ“–, my pups ๐Ÿถ, clean & cruelty-free beauty products๐Ÿ’…๐Ÿป, cute activewear ๐Ÿ‘Ÿ, low impact workouts ๐Ÿง˜๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ, yoga & meditation, food that makes me feel good ๐Ÿฅ‘, matcha ๐Ÿต, colorful home decor ๐Ÿก, self care ๐Ÿ›, and houseplants ๐Ÿชด. 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
I hope you stick around and we can get to know each other!! 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
๐ˆ๐ง ๐Ÿ๐š๐œ๐ญ โ€” ๐ˆโ€™๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐ž๐š๐ซ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐  ๐š๐›๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ!! Where are you from? Whatโ€™s your fav kind of workout? What do you do for fun? Plz share away! ๐Ÿฅฐ #SelfCare 
โ €

Special announcement: Iโ€™m officially a @CaliaByC
Special announcement: Iโ€™m officially a @CaliaByCarrie Brand Ambassador for a 2nd year and I couldnโ€™t be more thrilled to continue sharing their amazing clothes and accessories with you!! ๐ŸŽ‰๐Ÿ’• As a brand, #CALIAByCarrie is all about helping you to โ€œ#ChooseYouโ€and take that extra time for self-care -- which of course is a theme I can 100% get behind, especially this year. ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿป
 
They have some super pretty pieces for Spring, including this matching set in the color Confetti Dot Sea Fog! ๐Ÿฅฐ Iโ€™m obsessed with the high waisted fit, subtle color block and hidden pocket details. ๐Ÿ‘‰๐Ÿผ Swipe to see how it easily goes from a workout to coffee run (or barre to brunch!) and head to my stories to shop the pieces. 
 
Canโ€™t wait to share more!! ๐ŸŽ‰ Would you like to see more styling photos like this series? Let me know! ๐Ÿ’•#CALIAByCarrieUnderwoodPartner #StayThePath

๐ŸŒฑ PINK & GREEN SMOOTHIE ๐ŸŒฑ {Swipe for the rec
๐ŸŒฑ PINK & GREEN SMOOTHIE ๐ŸŒฑ {Swipe for the recipe} 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
This day totally got away from me as Iโ€™ve been playing catch up with work, but I did have a chance to make this super pretty dragonfruit smoothie and wanted to share!! ๐Ÿ’•
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I originally was hoping the colors would layer on top of each other but I added too much liquid ๐Ÿ˜…. Even so, the combined flavors were delicious and sooo tropical, plus those pink swirls and drips were everything! 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
SAVE the recipe and give it a try! ๐Ÿฅฐ #greensmoothie

A very Spring weekend in the city. ๐Ÿš• { Swipe fo
A very Spring weekend in the city. ๐Ÿš• { Swipe for ๐ŸŒธ blooms} My dad and brother flew up to visit so I spent these past few days unplugged and fully present. ๐Ÿฅฐ 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
I didnโ€™t capture all the moments but it was a weekend full of really delicious food, great views ๐ŸŒƒ , lots of games, about 40K steps ๐Ÿ‘Ÿ and somehow an entire season of Survivor. 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
Feeling very happy and ready to take on the week. ๐Ÿ‘๐ŸปWhat is one fun thing you did this weekend? #SpringinNYC


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This is your sign to pack yourself a picnic and en This is your sign to pack yourself a picnic and enjoy some quality time outside! โ˜€๏ธ After a very gloomy and cold winter, Spring always feels like an awakening here in NYC. Not to mention with #EarthDay right around the corner, itโ€™s even more of a reason to enjoy the warm weather, sunshine, and all things that Mother Nature has to offer! ๐Ÿ… ๐Ÿฅ’ ๐ŸŒฟ
 
One of my fav things nature gives us is veggies and Iโ€™m obsessed with how @dirtkitchensnacks has turned them into a yummy snack! Not only are their Air Dried Veggie Crisps super convenient, crunchy, and delicious but theyโ€™re also made from upcycled veggies (surplus or imperfect) that would have otherwise never left the farm! This means less food waste and more veggies for me and you to enjoy. ๐Ÿ‘ 
 
I love supporting brands that are doing awesome things for people and the planet and think you all will love them too! ๐ŸŒŽ ๐Ÿ’•
 
They have 3 different kinds of Veggie Crisps to choose from and you can find them online: grape tomato, blushed bell pepper, and zucchini. ๐Ÿ… ๐Ÿฅ’ Which veggie is your favorite? #DigInWithDKS #Sponsored
The lights are so bright but they never blind me. The lights are so bright but they never blind me. ๐Ÿ’ซ #DateNight
2 years after saying โ€œI doโ€ and it feels like 2 years after saying โ€œI doโ€ and it feels like it was just yesterday. โค๏ธ Our first anniversary was spent in lockdown last year {Swipe for a bts} and today Iโ€™m getting vaxxed ๐Ÿ’‰. It feels like weโ€™ve come full circle and Iโ€™m so ready to celebrate with a dinner in the city tonight and a pretty big adventure to come ๐Ÿ˜Š. Love you, @bayphillips.
Give me all the iced coffee and a paintbrush and I Give me all the iced coffee and a paintbrush and Iโ€™ll be one happy gal ๐ŸŽจ๐Ÿ„๐ŸŒธ. 
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Itโ€™s been a gloomy day in the city and I woke up with an itch to put all my whimsical, colorful dreams on paper. Swipe to see the enchanted forest landscape and the BTS of how it came to life. ๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŒผ 
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Thereโ€™s a beauty that comes with the stillness of painting. For an hour or two the whole world melts away and itโ€™s just me, the paper and my brush. ๐Ÿ–Œ Showing up with no creative expectations has a way of making me feel limitless, and in many ways itโ€™s the most mindful exercise and expressive form of self care I can do. ๐ŸŽจ๐Ÿ’• 
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I hope you jelly beans have found your own quiet, creative moment this weekend. I promise itโ€™s the best way to unplug and reset ๐ŸŒˆ  #selfcaresunday
Iโ€™m gonna file this under cutest healthy cookies Iโ€™m gonna file this under cutest healthy cookies Iโ€™ve ever made! ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿข๐Ÿ’• These vegan matcha & tahini cookies are fun to create and are guaranteed to make your tastebuds do a lil happy dance! 
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Theyโ€™re a little sweet and nutty with a crispy outside and chewy inside. Bonus: creating the turtle shapes reminded me of playing with playdoh! (Talk about a throwback)
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Iโ€™m going to test out and share several #EarthMonth ๐ŸŒŽ inspired recipes over the next few weeks, so stay tuned! 
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You can find this recipe on @veggiekins blog. ๐Ÿข 10/10 would recommend for cuteness + a healthy treat that makes you smile๐Ÿ˜‹. #HealthyDesserts
๐“๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐Ž๐–๐„๐‘ ๐“๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐Ž๐–๐„๐‘ ๐ข๐ง โœจ๐œ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ฒ.โœจ
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Good things rarely come easy in life and they definitely donโ€™t come quickly. More often than not, it boils down to a very underrated behavior called consistency. 
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So what does that look like? It means: 
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๐Ÿ”ธChoosing to ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ even when youโ€™re not feeling motivated
๐Ÿ”ธ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค over and over even when it doesnโ€™t seem like anything sticks
๐Ÿ”ธ ๐‚๐š๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ž ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ ๐จ๐š๐ฅ๐ฌ even when progress is slower than you would have liked
๐Ÿ”ธ Holding yourself accountable and ๐ญ๐š๐ค๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ฉ๐ฌ one day at a time till you cross the finish line
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Everyone hypes up motivation but the truth is there will be MANY days where you are unmotivated. Where you find yourself to be tired, frustrated, and impatient with lack of results. 
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But thatโ€™s where the real magic happens friends. When you can show up consistently for yourself โ€” in all aspects of your life, you WILL achieve your goals. ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป
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๐’๐จ ๐ค๐ž๐ž๐ฉ ๐ ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ . 
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On days when you feel like quitting, remind yourself of your why. Give yourself space to rest and then get back in there and keep trying. ๐Ÿ’ฏ 
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Iโ€™ll leave you with this quote: 
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โœจ โ€œ๐ˆ๐ญโ€™๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ž ๐๐จ ๐จ๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐ข๐ง ๐š๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ž ๐ญ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ก๐š๐ฉ๐ž๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž๐ฌ. ๐ˆ๐ญโ€™๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ž ๐๐จ ๐œ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ.โ€ ~ ๐“๐จ๐ง๐ฒ ๐‘๐จ๐›๐›๐ข๐ง๐ฌโœจ
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{๐Ÿ“ธ: @mikohafez}
Happy Easter๐ŸŒธ , beautiful humans. He is Risen! Happy Easter๐ŸŒธ , beautiful humans. He is Risen! โœจ 
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Today Iโ€™m celebrating Godโ€™s eternal love for us and the resurrection of my Savior, Jesus Christ . โœ๏ธ The past 13 months have been full of challenges, discomfort and practicing patience through the unknown. Iโ€™m grateful that through it all, God has brought so much good into our lives and continues to guide us in the direction of his plan. ๐Ÿ’• 
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โœจItโ€™s a comfort to know that after the darkness, there is always light.โœจ
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Even if you donโ€™t celebrate, I hope youโ€™re having a wonderful weekend filled with love and hope for beautiful things to come. ๐Ÿฅฐ  #HappyEaster { ๐Ÿ“ธ: @winilaophotos}
Lookinโ€™ for a super simple & sweet Easter treat! Lookinโ€™ for a super simple & sweet Easter treat!? ๐Ÿฃ These 4๏ธโƒฃ ingredient HEALTHY chocolate pb eggs are for you! 
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Iโ€™ve seen these knockoff Reeseโ€™s eggs all over Pinterest and used the recipe by @ambitiouskitchen to make mine. ๐Ÿ’• {SWIPE FOR A CLOSE UP}
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Recipe:
๐Ÿ”ธ Mix 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter with 1 tbsp maple syrup and 2 tbsp coconut flour 
๐Ÿ”ธ Scoop onto parchment paper and form/flatten into egg shapes 
๐Ÿ”ธ Freeze for 1 hour 
๐Ÿ”ธ Melt dark chocolate in small bowl and dip PB eggs 
๐Ÿ”ธ Freeze for 5 min and top with drizzle of white chocolate and sea salt 
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Store them in the freezer till ready to eat! ๐Ÿ’• Happy Easter Weekend everyone ๐ŸŒธ #MelsMeals #healthydesserts
๐ŸŒฑ Just a little @cocokind chlorophyll face mask ๐ŸŒฑ Just a little @cocokind chlorophyll face mask and chillll Q&A session because there are lots of new friends on here! ๐Ÿ’•
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Since I canโ€™t believe I hit 30k followers (and 25k on TikTok!?) I thought a little โ€œabout meโ€ and fun fact sharing was in order! ๐Ÿ’•โœจ
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๐€ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ž ๐š๐›๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ž
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๐Ÿ”ธ Hi lovely humans! My name is Melanie and I created this blog 5 years ago to share my wellness journey and healthy, positive lifestyle + connect with likeminded people such as yourself. ๐Ÿ˜Š
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๐Ÿ”ธ I currently live in NYC with my husband, @bayphillips, and our two rescue pups @chipandnina 
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๐Ÿ”ธ I graduated with a BS in Marketing and have been working in the social media/digital marketing space for 8 years!! 6 years in corporate marketing for tourism and global beauty brands and 2 as a full time wellness blogger 
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๐Ÿ”ธ I went through a 200 hour yoga teacher training course a few years ago and have been teaching online and at various branded events ever since ๐Ÿ’•. Hoping to teach at a studio once the world is back to normal 
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๐Ÿ”ธ Personality traits in a nutshell: Iโ€™m a Cancer โ™‹๏ธ, ENFJ and Enneagram 2w3 
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๐Ÿ”ธ I am a Christian and my faith is super important to me. I have a whole blog post called โ€œConfessions of a Christian Yogiโ€ if youโ€™d like to read more 
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๐Ÿ”ธ Things I love that youโ€™ll probably see a lot of on here: painting ๐ŸŽจ, reading ๐Ÿ“–, my pups ๐Ÿถ, clean & cruelty-free beauty products๐Ÿ’…๐Ÿป, cute activewear ๐Ÿ‘Ÿ, low impact workouts ๐Ÿง˜๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ, yoga & meditation, food that makes me feel good ๐Ÿฅ‘, matcha ๐Ÿต, colorful home decor ๐Ÿก, self care ๐Ÿ›, and houseplants ๐Ÿชด. 
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I hope you stick around and we can get to know each other!! 
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๐ˆ๐ง ๐Ÿ๐š๐œ๐ญ โ€” ๐ˆโ€™๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐ž๐š๐ซ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐  ๐š๐›๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ!! Where are you from? Whatโ€™s your fav kind of workout? What do you do for fun? Plz share away! ๐Ÿฅฐ #SelfCare 
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Special announcement: Iโ€™m officially a @CaliaByC Special announcement: Iโ€™m officially a @CaliaByCarrie Brand Ambassador for a 2nd year and I couldnโ€™t be more thrilled to continue sharing their amazing clothes and accessories with you!! ๐ŸŽ‰๐Ÿ’• As a brand, #CALIAByCarrie is all about helping you to โ€œ#ChooseYouโ€and take that extra time for self-care -- which of course is a theme I can 100% get behind, especially this year. ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿป
 
They have some super pretty pieces for Spring, including this matching set in the color Confetti Dot Sea Fog! ๐Ÿฅฐ Iโ€™m obsessed with the high waisted fit, subtle color block and hidden pocket details. ๐Ÿ‘‰๐Ÿผ Swipe to see how it easily goes from a workout to coffee run (or barre to brunch!) and head to my stories to shop the pieces. 
 
Canโ€™t wait to share more!! ๐ŸŽ‰ Would you like to see more styling photos like this series? Let me know! ๐Ÿ’•#CALIAByCarrieUnderwoodPartner #StayThePath
๐ŸŒฑ PINK & GREEN SMOOTHIE ๐ŸŒฑ {Swipe for the rec ๐ŸŒฑ PINK & GREEN SMOOTHIE ๐ŸŒฑ {Swipe for the recipe} 
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This day totally got away from me as Iโ€™ve been playing catch up with work, but I did have a chance to make this super pretty dragonfruit smoothie and wanted to share!! ๐Ÿ’•
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I originally was hoping the colors would layer on top of each other but I added too much liquid ๐Ÿ˜…. Even so, the combined flavors were delicious and sooo tropical, plus those pink swirls and drips were everything! 
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SAVE the recipe and give it a try! ๐Ÿฅฐ #greensmoothie
A very Spring weekend in the city. ๐Ÿš• { Swipe fo A very Spring weekend in the city. ๐Ÿš• { Swipe for ๐ŸŒธ blooms} My dad and brother flew up to visit so I spent these past few days unplugged and fully present. ๐Ÿฅฐ 
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I didnโ€™t capture all the moments but it was a weekend full of really delicious food, great views ๐ŸŒƒ , lots of games, about 40K steps ๐Ÿ‘Ÿ and somehow an entire season of Survivor. 
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Feeling very happy and ready to take on the week. ๐Ÿ‘๐ŸปWhat is one fun thing you did this weekend? #SpringinNYC
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