After previously exclaiming how much summer is my jam, the immediate title of this post may raise some eyebrows but hear me out:
I love summer. That much is true, yes. But as a self-proclaimed summer-lover, I dread the feeling you get when August is approaching and the season starts dying down. It's just like the feeling you get once Christmas is over and you have to throw out the tree. So this post is dedicated to all those who are wondering where the heck their summer went. This post is also kind of a follow-up to how I was feeling in my previous post, and how to avoid those feelings described in it.
(Also, side-note, is it true that time flies faster and faster the older you get? Because I can't imagine it moving any faster than it's been moving since I started college.)

1. Go out in the sun. If you only have a minute, just step outside and really allow your body to feel the summer heat. If you have a little longer, go for a walk with a friend or your dog. Sit on the porch. Eat dinner outside if you have the space. Sometimes you don't need an entire beach vacation to feel like it's actually July.
2. Make a list of everything you've accomplished so far. It may just shock you how much you actually managed to fit into the season. Blog about it. Make a scrapbook of memories if that's your thing.
3. Print the pictures you took while on vacation or hanging out with friends and family.
4. Take a little road trip. If you only have a single day left on your calender that isn't completely planned out(heyyyy-oooo!), go somewhere nearby. Visit a nature museum or a lake that has free swimming. Go to a national park in your state.
5. Go out for ice cream one night. Everyone has a little bit of time left in their summer for this one.
6. Take a break from social media. Yeah, you stalking your cousin's vacation pictures from Florida isn't helping you make the most of your summer. If you absolutely can't keep away from the "inspiration," let 3191 Miles Apart be the only blog you check up on. Those ladies know how to do summer: simple, super easy, and carefree.

juice recipes.

To follow up on my previous post about juicing, today I'm sharing some of my go-to recipes which are both delicious and an easy way to incorporate vegetables into juice!

My Go-To Green Juice

2-3 stalks of kale

2 small Granny Smith apples

2 stalks of celery

1/2 cucumber

1/2 inch ginger

chunk of pineapple (I'd say about the size of your palm and about a 1/2 inch think)

finish off with juice of 1/2 of lemon (squeezed by hand not juicer)

For starters, I think everyone immediately thinks of some kind of green concoction when they think of "juicing." The secret to a yummy green juice that doesn't taste like grass is FRUIT. Granny Smith apples are almost always a MUST-HAVE. I don't think I've come across a green juice recipe that didn't include them. I also love adding a little ginger, because it's such a strong flavor which tends to pair nicely with apples. The picture I used is actually a different kind of concoction, which wasn't nearly as yummy. The juice this recipes makes should be a lot lighter and transparent in color. This is it exactly.

My Dad's Sweet Beet Juice
1/2 small beet
thumb size piece of ginger
3/4 cup cranberry juice (we buy 100% juice from store, but use fresh cranberries if you can get them)
1/2 cup pomegranate juice (see previous)
1 grapefruit
3-4 strawberries
Sweetener to taste (honey or real sugar, or nothing at all depending on your preference)

Juicing is also a great way to introduce new, never-before-tried fruits and vegetables into your diet. My family doesn't eat a lot of beets, and when we first started using them in juice they were AWFUL. They have a very strong, powerful flavor, so it took some playing around with to get the juice just right. With the added fruits in this juice, everything works perfectly. This juice is just plain awesome and it tastes as good as it looks.

Each of these recipes make about 2 servings. We tend to throw in softer ingredients first and finish with more solid ones at the end to sort of push everything through the juicer, but it really doesn't matter. For the most part, we just throw in the whole fruit or vegetable. A good rule of thumb is to throw in the part of the produce you actually eat. No peels or pits. We throw in whole apples, but if you're concerned about the strength of your juicer go ahead and core them.

Remember that these recipes are NOT set in stone. With juicing, it's important to play around with how much or little of each ingredient you use according to your taste. Also, don't sweat it if you don't have all ingredients on hand, juicing is also a super easy way to use whatever fresh fruits and veggies you have leftover after cooking, or as an end of the week fridge clear-out.

These recipes are pretty complex, and I found that during a juice cleanse I really enjoyed having simpler juices for easy "snacks" throughout the day. It's easy to over-think it, so don't. Fresh orange or grapefruit juice is a wonderful treat in the morning. Apple juice with blueberries or blackberries is an awesome late night snack to kill a sugar craving.

Juices can be stored for the whole day, but I don't recommend keeping them for any time longer. We keep ours in mason jars, because they have an airtight seal. If you're doing a cleanse, keeping a couple of juices on hand during the day for easy access is a great way to fight hunger and cravings.

juicing 101.

Being a young college girl, I've probably heard of every single diet trend on the planet. However, I never really gave a single one a try until my dad approached me and asked if I would do a juice cleanse with him. I thought, "How L.A.! Count me IN."

Just kidding.

Kinda.

Anyway, trusting my father, who is a certified physical trainer and has always been a health nut, I gave it a shot. Nothing but fresh fruit and veggie juice for 4-7 days.

Why in the world I would do that/Benefits of Juicing:

• For starters, the point of this cleanse is to give your bowels a break by not eating solid foods in order to cleanse the body of toxins. This is exactly what it sounds like.
• Juicing is a super easy way to introduce your body to a diet centered around fruits and veggies. Your system is getting a break from artificial sugars, grains, meat, dairy, etc.
• I hate eating vegetables. Especially cooked vegetables. ESPECIALLY LEAFY GREENS. With juice, it's so easy to sneak in vegetables with fruit and create something that actually tastes really good.
• No cooking or heavy meal prep is necessary.
• Anyone can try anything for less than a week.

Soon I'll be sharing a few of our favorite juice recipes, but first I wanted to introduce juicing in general and share my experience with this type of cleanse.

My dad bought this juicer, and we love it. It's super powerful and super easy to clean.

We also used this website as our main resource, and we both watched this film and found it inspiring, even if it seems a bit dramatic at first. I strongly recommend you watch the film even if you aren't down with the juice thing because it addresses food in general and how important a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is!

During and after the cleanse, I had a huge amount of energy. It's amazing to me the difference in how I feel after drinking a juice vs. eating a meal heavy in meat and carbs.

Even though I'm not a huge believer in any kind of temporary diets, I really loved how introducing juice into my diet has made it so easy for me to get in more nutrient-dense food. I now love replacing meals with a juice or two, especially in the early mornings when I find it hard to stomach a heavy meal.

My dad and I have only tried the cleanse once, and since we're going to the beach next week, this week we're juicing most of our meals. He's actually juicing everything and having just one smoothie a day, while I'm simply replacing at least one meal a day with a juice. I love having a smoothie with a side of fruit when I wake up, drinking a juice with more veggies in it for lunch, and then eating a real meal of solid food for dinner.

how to drink more water.

So I've talked a LOT about this blog and where I want it to go, but only recently did I sit down and actually plan out specific things I want to talk about. I honestly think I've kept this blog strictly personal for so long because I feel so intimidated by the thought of giving advice or offering actual tips and tricks.

So then I thought, you know what? I'll start small and simple. I mean, really simple. And therefore today, I'm welcoming a new feature where I offer bits of inspiration and tips about the things I know best. Starting with tips for drinking more water. It don't get more simple than this, y'all.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm water's #1 fan. I'm one of those lucky people who actually love drinking water. I harp on my friends to drink more water. Even if you think you're getting enough, you probably should be drinking more.

1. Get a giant water bottle and keep it with you at all times.
It doesn't have to be a Camelbak or some kind of fitness water bottle. (Although I have a Camelbak I use to take to the gym and love it.)
I've talked before about my love for The Mason Bar Company. I use their 24 oz. Tumbler with the glass straw and LOVE it. I love drinking from glass because the water tastes so clean and cool.  And 24 oz. is a lot of water, people. I also truly believe that sipping away absentmindedly through a straw helps. I fill this baby up several times a day without giving it a second thought.

2. If you don't have a filter already in your fridge, get one to keep inside.
I've only used Brita filters and have been pleased with them. I use the Space Saver one in my dorm room, and it fits in the DOOR of my mini-fridge. No precious shelf space gets taken up! Fellow college students, you have no excuse.

3. Download the WaterIn App.
I just recently downloaded this app, and I'm obsessed. As a design nerd, I love the super sleek and simple design. It's completely customizable so you can edit how many ounces your glasses are. I straight up entered "24 oz." for my "One Bottle" and BOOM: now when I finish off one of my Mason Bar Tumblers, I just click a button and it adds to my total for the day. It's seriously that easy. And you can customize how many ounces you want to drink a day. A good formula to use is: your body weight x 2/3 = total number of ounces. And then, just add an extra 12 oz per every 30 minutes you work out that day.

4. Infuse your water with fruits and herbs.
My school's cafeteria has mint and cucumber infused water which I drink almost daily. The refreshing taste makes me feel like I'm having a treat instead of drinking regular water like I normally do.
I also love to infuse a lime slice or two in my water, but of course you could always just add classic lemon.
A Beautiful Mess did a post on infused water recipes, and there are a ton on Pinterest.

self-love and 15 ways to shake loneliness.

Without going into anything too much, I'm currently going through a break up. I'm okay, but I've been spending a lot of time alone. However, I truly believe that it doesn't have to be a bad thing. I think loving oneself is so important, so I'm finding ways to treat myself and take care of myself now that I have the time to do so.

Here are a few of my no-fail methods to shake the blahs and enjoy time spent alone:

1. Indulge in a guilty pleasure. (or two. or three. mine are currently Rich Kids of Beverly Hills and hazelnut lattes.)
2. Spend time outside. Walk around a local park or your neighborhood. Get some sun on your face.
3. Curl up with a blanket and a good book.
4. Better yet, take a bubble bath.
5. Spend quiet time alone drinking tea or coffee. Do nothing else. Enjoy the silence. Embrace it.
6. Take a yoga or spin class. Go for a run. Try something new. Sweat a little.
7. Eat fruit. You'll feel better afterward, trust me.
8. Journal. Paint. Make something. Blog. Get what's inside of you out.
9. Call an old friend or a relative. You will always feel better afterward. (also, did you know that talking to your mom on the phone is proven to actually reduce stress? It's true.)
10. Purge your closet. Figure out what your wardrobe is lacking and start saving and shopping.
11. Watch your favorite movie, or an old movie you've never seen but have always been meaning to. A Sunday night spent in bed watching Some Like It Hot is a Sunday night well spent.
12. Gather inspiration. Peruse Pinterest or buy prints to create a gallery wall. Cut up magazines and throw up some pictures and quotes on a bulletin board.
13. Make a new playlist with songs that inspire you.
14. Sleep in on a Saturday morning. Eat breakfast in bed. Take your time getting ready. Put on a face mask. Paint your nails. Do not rush.
15. Wear that lipstick. Wear those shoes. Wear it and own it. Life is short.