My attempts to lead a healthier life started by accident.
I’m a voracious reader and a sucker for pretty websites. One day, I happened to notice my roommate looking at this beautiful page, and after asking for the site address, I discovered the world of Healthy Living Blogs (or HLBs).
I casually looked at blogs while still in school—usually when I was procrastinating on finishing a big paper or studying for a final. It wasn’t until I graduated that I truly came to appreciate the beauty that is a good blog. Once I was done with school in May of 2013, I had a couple of months off before I started my job. That left me with a lot of time on my hands, so I started clicking around the Internet, looking for more reading.
Gradually, as I discovered more and more Healthy Living Blogs, I started picking up and implementing some new ideas. And as I read these posts from women who I started to admire, I realized that I was excited about truly getting healthier. These ladies made eating well and working out sound and look fun, not hard. Healthy living could truly be a lifestyle, not a diet or temporary extreme workout regimen. To me, that was uplifting and inspiring.
I now follow over 30 blogs on my Bloglovin’ feed. I love reading them when I have a few minutes on the train, when I wake up early in the morning or when I can indulge in a lazy Sunday. I’m happier and healthier because of what I’ve picked up from HLBs. Below are a few of my favorites. Check them out to get some great recipes, easy workouts and general excitement for living life to the fullest.
Eat Live Run
This is the blog where my journey started. I’ve been reading Jenna’s blog for close to 4 years now, and it’s been fun to see her life change. When I first started, she was single, running a lot and writing tons of recipes. Now, she’s a new mom, so the content of her blog has shifted a little bit. I don’t read it as often as I used to, but her recipe archive is fantastic. Check out her Crock Pot Lentil Sweet Potato Soup—it’s one of my favorites.
Run to the Finish
Amanda’s blog has done the most to positively change my eating habits. She’s a huge proponent for small changes that are sustainable. Through that approach, I have significantly improved my diet since I started reading her content two years ago. She frequently hosts challenges, and her Clean and Lean Challenge got me excited about eating 7-9 servings of fruits and veggies in a day (it’s possible, I swear!). She doesn’t make fancy recipes; she’s all about easy ways to incorporate more whole foods in your life, so her advice is really what structures my diet. If you’re a runner, she also provides great cross-training and core exercises.
fAnnetastic Food
Anne is a registered dietitian, which means you can trust that her advice and ideas are legitimate. She has such a positive and upbeat voice on her blog, and her recipe index is out of this world. So many easy and healthy ideas. I frequently pin her recipes and I love to randomly click through her archives. She’s a supporter of Intuitive Eating, something that has changed my body image for the better. I look forward to Anne’s blog posts every day, whether she’s posting a recipe, a workout recap or just a fun day in her life.
The Lean Green Bean
Lindsay is another registered dietitian, so you can be sure that everything she makes is backed by research on what is best for our bodies. I don’t read her content everyday, but I love to search for healthy lunch and dinner ideas. She’s also the one who got me hooked on Sunday food prep, which has made eating healthily during the week significantly easier.
Peanut Butter Fingers
Julie’s blog has a huge following and for good reason! She is positive, fun and she makes balanced, healthy living seem doable. She incorporates a good mix of workouts, recipes, crafts, fashion and beauty posts. Her circuit workouts are visually appealing and they really kick your butt. I also love that she’s not at all afraid to indulge in some ice cream. She is the definition of truly living and enjoying a healthy life.
Running with Spoons
Amanda is a funny and interesting lady who produces great content that I’m always excited to read. She’s my go-to for awesome snack ideas, like muffins, bars and healthy treats. She’s a lover of breakfast and chocolate, and every recipe I’ve tried from her blog has been a success. I also love her Thinking Out Loud series on Thursdays.
The Little Honey Bee
Amy has been on quite the fitness and nutrition journey herself and it’s so relatable. She doesn’t post as frequently as she used to, but her posts are now filled with a ton of science-backed information. She incorporates a great balance of fitness in her life, from CrossFit to running to yoga. Her honesty is what keeps me coming back—she knows that healthy living is a journey, and she just seems so genuinely excited about helping others make small changes to feel better.
I highly recommend you start your own account on Bloglovin’ so you can begin experimenting with healthy recipes and workouts on a regular basis. Like I said, these are my favorites, but I guarantee you’ll find more great content out there once you start reading. And if you incorporate one or two small changes from these ladies each week, you’ll find that you are living healthier in a way that is sustainable and fun in no time.
Feature Photo via We Heart It