July Favorites
It’s that time of the month! (No, not my period) It’s time for me to talk about my monthly favorites! Once again, I love these posts because I get to share my favorite products & the things that I have been LOVING as of late! Some are related to the month, some are related to my current lifestyle, & some are totally random! I’m not gonna talk your ear off before because these tend to be a bit longer posts so let’s go ahead & get into it!
Poppi
I have been drinking Poppi for almost 2 years at this point. I feel like I deserve a sponsorship or something at this point, but I digress. I love their drinks so much I don’t mind recommending them for nothing in return. I legit drink a Poppi every single day, it’s kind of an addiction. I love Poppi especially right now because the summer season calls for a little bevy just about every moment of every day (I don’t make the rules). They also recently dropped a fruit punch flavor which my boyfriend is obsessed with. I’m glad I got the 15-pack of just this flavor from Sam’s Club because damn. He could have that flavor every day.
Anyways, I also love using a Poppi as a mixer for cocktails or mocktails. I have a little Pamos mocktail a few times a week and the only way I drink it is by adding a shot of it to a Poppi. I also love using the watermelon flavor to make a skinny watermelon margarita with a bit of tequila in it. It’s low sugar so you don’t get a terrible hangover & it tastes amazing. My favorite flavors at the moment are their Root Beer, their Fruit Punch flavor, and the watermelon.
2. Branch Basics Cleaner
This is a recent purchase of mine which is why I decided to include it in this month’s favorites. I talked about Branch Basics in my recent post My Top 3 Non-Toxic Switches because I have been on my holistic/sustainable/non-toxic journey the past few months & I feel that this one is a no-brainer. I have slowly been phasing out my other cleaners and I have finally finished my kitchen cleaner which means I am now using my Branch Basics Cleaner! It was super easy to create the spray out of the concentrate + some water & the spray bottles are good quality & kinda cute which is a plus.
Since we are in the process of cleaning & getting ready to move, I have been using this a TON. I am so happy that I don’t feel like I am breathing in toxic brain-cell-killing fumes as I am cleaning our entire apartment. Another side note — I also feel like I am going to get good Karma for setting up the next apartment residents with a toxic-free apartment:)
All jokes aside, I am excited to be able to start our new apartment off with fully non-toxic cleaners so we don’t get any of that harmful junk in our new home’s vicinity. The Branch Basics cleaner works well, gets rid of sticky residue, and basically does exactly what all the other cleaners do without infecting our homes with carcinogens & hormone disruptors.
3. Pamos
I feel like you could have seen this one coming. I have been trying to take a bit of a break from drinking because the summer time just makes everybody want to go out & drink all the damn time. As someone trying not to drink as much, I love having a gardening mocktail instead. Pamos is a THC spirit so it contains 0% alcohol! I normally don’t like having a buzz when I am in social settings but I do love one at home for a chill night in. Like I said earlier, I love mixing a shot of Pamos with a Poppi in a cute little wine glass because I am a believer in romanticizing your life. If I am in a seltzer mood, they also have a few canned seltzer options. My favorite is their ranch water because it isn’t too sweet & its low cal!
I also have to mention the Nowadays THC seltzers because I do like those as a fun alternative every now and then. I tried the Spicy Lime & Citrus flavors & they were both super yummy. I will say, the citrus was my favorite of the two.
4. JBL Bluetooth speaker
Another random one but my speaker has gotten more use the past month or two than it ever has. Like I said above, I like to romanticize my life, and there is no better way to do that than taking a couple of seconds to turn a speaker on, put on a chill playlist, & go about your evening. I love playing some music while my boyfriend and I cook our dinner, eat, and get ready for the next day. It turns a typical Tuesday night into a mini date night or a kitchen dance party (it’s mostly just me dancing).
Speakers are also essential for the pool or beach or any pregame or social activity you’ve got going on. I always pack my speaker when possible because the few times I don’t bring my speaker somewhere, is exactly when I wished I had one. Spice up your routines with playing some of your favorite tunes, I promise it’ll be worth the few seconds it takes to play some.
5. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes have been a staple for my meals this month & let me tell you why. Sweet potatoes are not only rich in vitamins & minerals, they also count as a veggie in my book, despite being a potato. I include sweet potatoes on the side of my dinners as my carb source but they also give me additional nutrients so I’m basically killing two birds with one stone. They are also super easy to cook — I just peel & chop them, coat them in some spices, & then throw them in the oven. They store & reheat easily as well so meal prepping them is a breeze!
There is also something about a sweet potato that feels summery… I know technically they give more of a fall vibe but I think sweet potatoes are a perfect alternative to a regular potato in the summer. They also brighten up a meal & add a more unique flavor to your dish!
6. Baseball Cap
The sun’s out but my face is not. I mentioned the Unseen Sunscreen in my June Favorites post, but this month I am going to talk about the importance of a baseball cap. The sunscreen is a great base layer I put on my face every morning but if I’m going out in the middle of the day, you best believe I’m bringing a baseball cap. While a baseball cap isn’t as protective as a wide-brimmed hat, I’ll take what I can get. I am personally not a wide brimmed hat kinda gal, so a baseball cap will have to do.
In North Carolina, the UV can get up to 11 or 12 in the middle of the day. Even with sunscreen, you are bound to get at least a little bit of sun damage from UV rays that high. The BEST way to preserve your skin & prevent aging is by protecting it from the sun. I pile on my sunscreen & grab a hat so that I am still looking 20 when I’m 50:)
7. Hatch alarm clock
This is one of those products that I’ve had for a while now but I still feel the need to include this in my favorites. I have to wake up early for work & like I said earlier, I love romanticizing my life. Romanticizing my morning routine has been one of the best things I have done for myself.
“Your mornings create your days, your days create your weeks, your weeks create your years, and your years make up your life” - Mimi Bouchard
I want to start my day off on the right foot. My hatch alarm clock is the easiest way to do that. Not only do I not have to wake up to that god-awful iphone alarm, but I get to wake up to birds chirping and a sunrise! This gently wakes me up so I don’t feel jolted awake. By the time the alarm clock is at full brightness, I can just switch on my beside lamp & turn off my alarm clock. This prevents my eyes from feeling like they’re being ripped out of my head from going from complete darkness to the brightest artificial light from lamps or overhead lights .
Another thing I love about my Hatch alarm clock is that it allows me to start my morning routine the night before… Let me explain. Every night before my boyfriend & I go to sleep, we listen to a 5 minute meditation that is built into the Hatch Alarm Clock. I have it set up so all I have to do is hit the “sleepy eye” button and the meditation comes on. Immediately after I am done, it plays whatever noise I have it set to. Right now it’s set to a thunderstorm so I feel all cozy & cuddly while going to sleep. This simple activity right before bed has helped immensely with settling my nervous system & helping me fall asleep.
8. Airplane mode
Okay, another unconventional favorites. This one isn’t a product or a food. This one is completely free & everyone can do in less than 1 second. It’s turning your phone on airplane mode. As of right now, every night I turn my phone on airplane mode. I currently sleep with my phone charging on my nightstand which is right next to my head when I sleep (I want to change this soon). Your phone simply existing & being connected to wifi allows it to emitt electromagnetic frequencies which has been linked to cancer, anxiety, poor sleep quality, reduced bone density, the list goes on. By switching your phone into airplane mode, it can’t connect to the wifi so it reduces these invisible frequencies. I can’t say I notice anything different because I am sleeping, but I have actually grown to love turning it on airplane mode. It somehow helps me disconnect from everything that is stored on my phone — work, social media, emails, distractions, you name it. Even if the whole EMF thing is BS, I’d rather be safe than sorry & sleep with peace of mind.
9. Lemons
Yes, another food. I guess there is something about the summer time makes me focus on the foods I’m eating. Lemons have actually been a favorite for the past 3 months but I felt it is a summery food so I could include it in my July favorites. Lemons have become a staple in my diet. I mainly eat lemons in the morning, and by eating, I just mean consuming. Every morning, as I covered in my Morning Routine post, I drink warm lemon water to kickstart my digestion. This also helps me get more water in first thing in the morning so I’m not just dumping coffee into my stomach. After my lemon water, I have my juice shot (once again, I covered this in my morning routine). My juice shot has many different things in it, but one of the main ingredients is lemon! Lemons are just a great addition to your diet. They have anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and they just make you feel healthier. Like I said earlier, I love starting my day off on the right foot & having some lemons in the morning sets a kind of healthy tone for the day. I do this part of my routine 7 days a week & it helps me stay consistent & mindful throughout the day!
10. Microfiber cloths
Kind of a boring one to end on but as I mentioned earlier, it is moving month! My boyfriend and I are moving out of our 1 bedroom apartment in University City to a 2 bedroom in Plaza Midwood. We are super excited but with that comes lots of packing & cleaning. Microfiber cloths have been a staple in this process because you don’t realize how much dust is in your home until you start taking sh*t down. Having a bunch of these handy has been a life saver for being able to quickly dust something off before packing it which will make the move-in process that much easier.
Thanks for reading & send me your favorites on TikTok, Instagram, or Pinterest @trainwithtorik or email me at trainwithtorik@gmail.com. See you next time!