Guys, I have enough snacks to last me the rest of summer.

Just kidding, more like the rest of this month. Nevertheless, it is clear that Blend brings swag game to an elite level. This isn’t even all of it.

First of all, there are several people/places to thank for this year’s successful Blend Retreat:

1. Janetha, Lindsay, and Lauren for being the most hardworking, badass, and helpful hosts! You ladies are awesome.
2. The bloggers/blog readers/Instagrammers who attended. You’re inspiring, and you made the retreat a fun time!

   My roommates (all Instagram stars)! Meredith @MeresNuttyKitchen, Amy @Clap4Fit, Aly @RunningHealthy13, Colby @EatClean_LiveStrong

   hiking with Laura from 50 by 25 (she’s run over 100 marathons, it’s guatever)

3. The sponsors for their work and for providing an insane amount of goodies for us.
4. Chautaqua Park and Boulder, CO for providing cozy cabins and beautiful grounds for our retreat.
5. My family for letting me come and then coming with me to Colorado 🙂
6. YOU, because you’re reading this.

Blend was an amazing experience. There were plenty of aspects that I loved:

• Getting to meet other bloggers (duh)
• Being able to talk about health and wellness as much as I wanted

• Doing active things

• The laid-back, no-judgement, supportive atmosphere and community

• Eating good-for-ya and good-to-ya food

  

  

• Learning about health and wellness brands

Clark from the Quest team (his arms are almost as big as my legs, it’s fine)

• Being in the presence of the Colorado mountains

• The perpetual stream of swag

And there were plenty of things I learned:

• Mental and physical investment in health and wellness varies significantly among bloggers in the healthy living blog sphere. Not everyone is equally “into” it as one another, and that’s all good.
• I am so not in tune with the whole working-with-brands thing.
• I’m not one to eat too many protein bars, but a lot of them are tasty!

  first Quest bar ever

• I sometimes forget that not everyone who is a healthy living blogger is recovering from an eating disorder. It made me slightly anxious when people were talking and thinking about healthy food/nutrition facts all the time, but I was inspired by my roommates who know how to eat well and trust their bodies.
• I don’t really want to talk about health and wellness all the time.
• You won’t get to talk to or hang out with everyone at Blend, which is kind of a bummer, but it’s still fun to at least say hi to most people!
• The altitude still gets me, even after being here for a week.

All in all, I am happy I attended Blend this year. It was a fantastic opportunity to be with fantastic people. And now it’s time to go to sleep and head back to reality on the east coast today. I’ll miss you lots, Colorado! xoxo

So tell me:

If you went to Blend, what is one thing you loved and one thing you learned?

Do you like protein bars? Which is your favorite?

Do you want to go to Blend next year? I’m not sure if I would go again, but I definitely recommend going at least once if you’re even a little interested!