At-Home Teeth Whitening for a Coffee Drinker

Disclosure: Smile Brilliant sent me a complimentary whitening kit to use. My before & after photos are not retouched or filtered. As always all thoughts & opinions are my own.

Something that I haven’t really shared with anyone is that I’m self-conscious of my teeth. They are nice and straight after many years and lots of money as a child/teenager with top & bottom palate expanders and then braces (thanks Mom & Dad). However as someone who loves coffee and tea and other staining foods (like beets and red wine!) my teeth are kinda yellowed. This has come more apparent in the age of selfies and posting photos online. Also the increase in coffee consumption with graduate school and studying for my board exam did not help! Who doesn’t want whiter teeth when showing of those big happy smiles? Don’t worry coffee, I still love you.

I was really happy to recently try out Smile Brilliant, an easy custom fitted whitening system. This post is obviously sponsored because Smile Brilliant was nice enough to send me complimentary product, but I also truly did have a good experience. At first I was skeptical about the product, but then I actually saw fellow pal and running blogger Hollie’s results and knew I needed to take advantage of this opportunity to help my smile. 

How does Smile Brilliant compare to other teeth whitening systems?  

Smile Brilliant is a custom whitening treatment for your teeth that you can do at home. Many of the options out there are largely temporary-like the whitening strips I used in high school & college. Unlike strips, charcoal is not ADA-approved and can be abrasive for teeth while also being temporary.  The Smile Brilliant method uses custom molded trays which is similar to the treatment at a dentist but way less expensive. It’s more expensive and a longer process than say whitening strips, but it is better at removing stains more permanently.

3 Tips to Prepare for Running & Racing This Spring

This post was originally published on the Charm City Run blog. Check out their blog for more great posts and explore the Charm City Run website for information on fun upcoming events and training groups 😊

A taste of warmer weather in Maryland the past couple of weeks means runners are getting excited for the spring race season. If you can believe it, the 2018 B3 Distance Series kicks off in a mere 2 weeks with the Under Armour KELLY St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock 5K on March 11. Maybe you are just dusting off your running shoes and getting back to running after a winter break. Maybe you have been training for a few weeks and are gearing up for all the races you signed up for months ago. Below are some tips to prepare you for a strong and healthy season of spring running and racing.

1. RUN WITH OTHERS

When the weather is unpredictable or if you are getting back into the swing of running regularly, it can be difficult to get out the door to run alone. Find a group to run with, make a running date with some friends, or join a training group. Running with others can help you stick to your training plan, and make those longer runs more enjoyable. Charm City Run has great training groups for new runners and seasoned marathoners alike which offer accountability, fun, and everything you need to get to the start line strong. You can also look for free fun runs near you.

2. OPTIMIZE NUTRITION & HYDRATION

Take an Active International Vacation with STRIVE Trips

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by STRIVE Trips who offered me a discount for their programs. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve found that a great way to satisfy your sense of wanderlust is by taking race-cations. I’ve ran some races and planned some trips around the country and Canada in the past few years including the Seawheeze Half Marathon in Vancouver, Ragnar Las Vegas, and the Chicago Marathon (multiple times!).  

Ragnar Las Vegas home stretch!

This year and the next I think it’s time to add some more stamps to my passport and get out of North America. I was excited to recently be connected with this awesome company STRIVE Trips which organizes trips for adults featuring a balance of cultural immersion, active exploration and sightseeing, as well as daily options for athletic training (a.k.a RUNNING!). Don’t worry, if you aren’t a runner you can choose to walk or bike these excursions (or even skip out to spend time as you please).

For 2018, STRIVE Trips is offering two adult programs-one to Kenya and one to Peru. 

Let’s be honest, a mix of running, eating amazing food and travelling to a new country sounds like a perfect vacation to me! It’s pretty much what I do anyways, although a bit more heavy on the food and less so on the running part. Planning an international trip can be intimidating so it’s awesome that STRIVE Trips takes care of all the planning and also provides 24-hour-a-day support on the ground in the country and from the US based staff.