The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Grain Brain.

In my initial post about the Grain Brain Challenge, I told you a little about the book and the premise behind Dr. Perlmutter's research and diet plan. Since then, I've been more intentional about working out every day--even on the weekends, and even if it's just a long walk when I don't feel like doing anything. I would definitely say that I ate well before Grain Brain, but I would still fall prey to the occasional Pad Thai or sugar spiral, which would lead to more cravings that you think only carbs can satisfy. Now I am sure to drink enough water, get enough fat every day, and take fish oil and my other vitamins every night. Fish oil is such a miracle. I feel sharper and less anxious for sure. And my skin is so good! That's pretty awesome.

My biggest concern with the book was that at first, I found myself getting a little obsessive--scared of juice, for example. In juicing, we get rid of the fiber that our body uses, so we're almost getting straight sugar. A twelve-ounce glass of orange juice has nine tablespoons of sugar in it--that's the same as a can of Coke! I get that, but it initially freaked me out in a way that didn't feel productive. But the point of Grain Brain is to empower us to make better choices today and tomorrow, not to leave us wringing our hands over yesterday's breakfast. 

The Grain Brain message is extreme, but it's important--and maybe we need to be a little more extreme about the choices we make and the things we feed ourselves. We live in a world where people are ill all the time, and we have so much more control over our health and wellness than we realize. I might still enjoy Pad Thai from time to time--I'm sorry, it's my favorite--but I'm going to be more informed about the things I eat and strive to make even better choices.

There were so many amazing things laid out for me in this book that I really can't recommend it enough. I know how terrible gluten makes me feel, but there are people who could live their entire lives not realizing that their health issues might be directly related to the things they're putting into their body every day. Give it a read, and then give the Grain Brain Challenge a try! I bet you'll be glad you did.

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I just want to take a moment to really thank you, my readers, for supporting me as I continue to work with sponsors. It really means the world to me and I appreciate you all so much for making this possible.

Rob and I had a really nice rainy weekend together, complete with several errands and a Thai lunch date on Saturday. When we have places to be but it's cold and grey out, I love nothing more than a cozy tee and a soft hat with some stretchy black pants or leggings. I added a fun pair of earrings to fancy myself up a bit, and I was ready to go!

I've been saying this every week since the end of October, but I think we might finally be done sending out save-the-dates. I'm headed to Virginia for two weeks on Thursday, so there's plenty to be done around here before I'm actually ready for my trip. Overall, it was a productive weekend. Even if there's still laundry to fold.

Earrings: c/o Loopsway

Tee (similar): H&M

Pants: J.Crew

Hat: Nine West

I've really been enjoying these earrings from my newest sponsor, Loopsway. It's sort of the perfect little shop--it's an online boutique started by a new mom with a love of fashion. Everything is unique and beautiful and less than $20! Definitely worth a look, especially with the holidays coming up. And this week, one reader will win the piece of their choice. Enter below!

   

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post is sponsored by Bing.

Last year around the holidays, my friend Tony and I made a pact to turn 2013 into "The Year of DIY." He threw a bean-themed party with goody bags and a table full of awesome bean dishes and even made the cutest bunting for the dining room wall. I showed up with a round vanilla candle that I surrounded with cinnamon sticks and tied with a white ribbon, and then we didn't make any more crafts for the rest of the year.

This holiday season, I'm determined to make at least one or two gifts for people. I've always have a plethora of jars that has continued to grow over the years (I'm not sure if I'm actually a horder or just very environmentally concious), and I've always been a fan of a good body scrub--so I thought that I'd honor my oath to DIY and give a homemade body scrub recipe or two a try. (And, apparently, do a bit of rhyming.)

Image via Whole Living

I was really excited when Bing asked me to use their new Smart Search to navigate my next online searching experience, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. Have you used it? I was so pleased with how it was not only easy, but helpful.

We passed by the Windows store in the mall the other day and stopped in to do a quick Bing search on one of their new tablets. I simply typed in "DIY body scrub" and was met with a really aesthetically pleasing page of results. A row of photos in the middle of the page were helpful and expanded with a quick hover of my mouse. Bing Smart Search truly does provide a smart summary of results. You get a rich, visual summary of the most relevant information from across the web, and I'm totally going to make that Spicy Sugar Scrub (pictured above) from Whole Living. It looks like it'll be perfect for the holidays.

Have you made any great body scrubs or other homemade bath/beauty products lately?

And what are you waiting for? Give Bing Smart Search a go!

As always, I deeply appreciate your support as I continue to work with sponsors.