Sedona is a scenic two-hour drive from North Scottsdale. One of the prettiest towns in Northern Arizona and home to the famous red rock mountains, some named according to the image they conjure up such as Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock.

Visitors to Sedona are sure to leave better than when they arrived, if not on account of it's healing powers from the Vortex it is said to be - a swirling center of energy conducive to healing, meditation and inspiration. If the Vortex doesn't uplift or recharge your spirit, the sheer beauty, clean fresh air, good food and hospitality of the locals will not disappoint. 

Here's how Sedona provided everything two shopaholic, hiking diva, food junkie midlife women could possibly want in 24 hours... minus anything Gucci! 

It seems being married brings on additional symptoms of midlife, in that husbands become less adventurous. Wives on the other hand tend to kick things up a notch during their midlife, am I right?

As was the case this particular Sunday for us three girl friends.  A spur of the moment idea, a day trip to Flagstaff for a hike, a brewery tour and a visit to Camp Verde.  Granted, my first reaction was "What time are you setting off?", and my second reaction, irrespective of the early start time, a resounding "Yes!"

My husband didn't want to get up early and had a ton of work to do, another wanted to stay home and watch the baseball and the third wanted to take his new car for a spin... yawn! Midlife man symptoms, this is why you need girl friends ladies!

I recently wrote a blog (linked HERE) about my menopause journey, which thanks to SottoPelle® was a short story!
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There was a tremendous response from women suffering the effects of menopause, many of whom have not found a solution or are suffering with ineffective solutions. Thank you to all the ladies who contacted me with questions and to share their stories.

Today, I invite you to come along and experience one of my appointments with SottoPelle®. A commitment I have been making every four months for six years without hesitation, because, it enables me to live my best life, no hormone surges, none of the symptoms of menopause, no side effects, just a normal well-balanced human being. Well, hormonally well balanced that is, ha ha!

If you're looking to ramp up your metabolism, torch a bunch of calories, improve your strength, endurance, and define your muscles, then the Tabata fitness routine may just be the answer to your prayers.  Tabata costs nothing and doesn't require you to consume any expensive questionable supplements or concoctions.  It's quick, best done in the privacy of your own home, and in my experience it really works.  

Menopause hit me like a freight train at 50 years old! 

It was as though my body had taken on a whole new set of rules that I wasn’t privy to, except to see and feel the miserable effects that resulted. I wanted me back, the version that ran smoothly like a well-oiled engine, not this one that kept back-firing and faltering daily.

The recent frenzy toward the smartwatch in the western world has reached epidemic proportions. Most adults don about their wrist a watch with a blacked-out face or a rubber tube with seemingly no face. We're walking around as though in a science fiction movie under surveillance by this tracking and communication device. The problem is, the average smartwatch is anything but smart! It lacks style and is far from down to earth, looking somewhat sinister by it's dark secrecy and monitoring of our every waking and sleeping moment!

Never fear, there is a hybrid here! Say hello to the Misfit Path, a smartwatch with more style than a rubber wrist tube can only dream about.

​With summer just around the corner, it’s time to start planning for your vacation—and for many, that means getting that winter body in summer shape. More often than not, our desire to lose weight and tone up before an upcoming vacation becomes a last-minute sprint. But if you start now, you'll increase your odds of success. Here are a few simple tips for converting to a healthier lifestyle.

If you like to exercise first thing in the morning, but don't want to use up your precious time on all the other stuff that follows  - showering, hair, changing clothes, make up etc. then here's how I transition swiftly from a (low impact) workout to going about my daily errands without much ado.  This is really all about bringing yoga pants into the current year!

The following photos were taken at Scottsdale Ranch Park and Tennis Center - a City of Scottsdale Facility

Sunrise Trail is one of my favorite hikes close to where I live in Scottsdale.  The trail itself is quite steep and rugged, but beautiful from start to finish and the scenery is stunning - majestic saguaro cactus, giant boulders, desert foliage, and amazing look out points to enjoy the view over the Phoenix valley.  This particular shoot was done in the late afternoon, so we were fortunate enough to catch the start of sunset.

Lululemon Leggings // Lululemon Sport Bra // Lululemon Tank similar // Ironman Timex Watch // Ray Ban Aviator Sunnies // New Balance Trail Running Shoes

​The blood gets flowing from the get go on this hike so it really is a work out. About a one and a half to two hours round trip if you go all the way up to the top, Sunrise Peak.  My exercise app says I burn more than 700 calories doing this hike, so along with the  enjoyment of the activity it's a no-brainer for me and an extra glass of well deserved wine!

Lululemon gear is my all round sports wear.  The pieces I have cross over from the gym to the trail, from the tennis court to running as well as bicycling and just hanging out!  I love that besides being sport practical they also make you feel and look good.  I've tried a lot of different sport bras over the years, and this Energy Bra is my all time favorite.  It's comfortable, I can get it on and off without being a contortionist and it works for me across all my activities.  If you're better endowed than me, you may want to go for more support like this one. The leggings are another all purpose sport essential.  I love the high waisted style that Lululemon have started doing because they totally stay right where you left them, never have to hitch them up because they feel they're falling down.

So go take a hike - burn up some calories, enjoy the outdoors, get the blood flowing, and enjoy that extra glass of wine - it's all good for you! 

Stay healthy my friends
Love
Karen xox