Travel Bucket List for 2015

2014 was likely the most travel-filled year of my life, and my hope is that 2015 will top it by a long shot. Some of these trips are already in the works, while others are things of my daydreams. This list is likely to get longer by the day, but here's a beginning draft.

DISNEY WORLD
Oddly enough, when I was young I never desired to visit Disney World. Now that I'm in my twenties I can't think of anything that sounds more fun. So, my ultimate travel buddy Christie and I are headed there in just a few months time! Harry Potter World, we're comin' for ya!

CAMPING 
This one is more of a plan than a bucket list item, because my family camps every Summer. We have two camping trips within Oregon planned for August. Even though these trips are close to home, and places I've already been, I look forward to them so much because I get some quality time with my family away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

MEXICAN BAJA CRUISE
Cruising is 100% my favorite way to vacation. Living on a beautiful ship, surrounded by nothing but ocean, with access to any food I want 24/7? Dream come true. My family and I have taken a few cruises around Mexico in the past, and we're planning another one come Spring.

REDWOODS, CA
I can't think of anything better than wandering through The Redwoods with my best friend. The park is only a six hour drive from my home, and we have been planning an epic road trip for a while now. The sooner the better!

LEAVENWORTH, WA
Leavenworth is an absolutely ideal Winter destination in my opinion. It is a quaint city modeled after a Bavarian village. I had no idea that a place so adorable was only four hours from me. With the way the weather is looking these days, I might have to wait until next Winter to visit when the snow is falling, but it's definitely on my 2015 list.

ANTELOPE CANYON, AZ
Have you guys seen photos of this place? I finally made it to the Grand Canyon last year, and now I have another Arizona destination on my bucket list. Good thing I love that dry heat. ;)

LAS VEGAS
I've been to Vegas twice before, once for my 21st birthday, and once for funsies. I adore it. I don't need much more than sunshine and swimming pools to enjoy a vacation, everything else Vegas has to offer it just bonus for me. In October my grandma turns 80 and my brother's girlfriend turns 21, so we might even be hitting Vegas twice in one month. We'll see!

ALASKA
(I can't type Alaska without hearing Sandra Bullock's voice say Alaskaaa.) Alaska is on my ultimate bucket list. I'm hoping to get my two adventure partners Amy and Marissa to take a Summertime trip with me! Give me all of the mountains and wildlife!

EUROPE
If you know me even a little bit, you know that Europe is my dream. I've been reading about and planning a European getaway for quite some time now. The list of places I want to see within Europe is too long to type, but I'd love to make it to even one of them at some point this year.

SOUTH AFRICA
This is one of those daydream trips. I don't know how I would even begin to make this one happen, or who would be willing to take the billion hour flight with me, but going on safari in South Africa is seriously what my dreams are made of.

NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA, BALI
While we're talking about dream trips, this is kind of the ultimate trifecta for me. I'm dying to see all three of these places, and since they're relatively close to one another (and very far away from me), I'd love to do it in one huge extended trip.

That's it for now! Hopefully I'll be checking some off and adding more very soon.

6 of the Most Unexpected Health Changes I've Made

1. Ditch the scale
When I first started my fitness journey, the scale seemed like a decent way to check my progress. However, it eventually became more than that. I was weighing myself daily, and finding myself upset with any fluctuation that wasn't in my favor. The reality is the weighing yourself daily isn't productive or worthwhile. Body weight can fluctuate anywhere from 2-5 pounds in the course of a day. Not to mention an increase in weight doesn't mean an increase in fat. If you gain muscle, you will weigh more. The number on the scale is a representation of your body's relationship with gravity, nothing more.

2. No more dairy milk
A few years ago I would have called you crazy if you said someday I would stop drinking milk. I used to live for the stuff. I thought it was a nutritional powerhouse, and it is, if you're a calf. Truthfully cows milk isn't meant for human consumption, and certainly not now that it's laced with hormones and steroids. I've replaced all dairy milk with almond milk. I feel like I'm doing the right thing for my body, and also for the poor cows who never agreed to supply us humans with food that should be reserved for their young.

3. Less meat
I've never been a huge fan of red meat, and the more I research, the more I realize my heart is probably grateful for that. We hear a lot about the protein in meat, and how beneficial that is for us. But again, today's meat isn't what it should be. Mass produced meat is made from animals that are pumped full of growth hormones and fed pesticide filled corn. If you're the kind of person who needs meat with every meal, consider buying organic, grass fed, free range, etc etc. Not only is it more healthy for the animals you're eating, and the environment, but also for your heart, and your waistline.

4. Alternative coffee creamers
Today's coffee creamers; holy chemicals, Batman. Let me just list a few of the main ingredients in your common store bought "creamer"; Corn syrup solids, hydrogenated oil, sugar, dipotassium phosphate, and added color. In case you were curious, dipotassium phosphate is a buffering agent used to control acidity, and an industrial fertilizer that controls fungal diseases. Hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oil is code for trans fat. Trans fats are created in a lab, by mixing a normal fat molecule with metal. Corn syrup solids are sugar, an added ingredient in addition to...sugar. Basically, typical coffee creamers are not actually creamer at all, and are no good for you. Almond milk can be a good alternative. Adding some cinnamon and vanilla extract can sweeten it up a bit. Even actual cream with sugar is a safer bet.

5. Reading food labels
Don't count on captions like "fat-free" or "all natural" to help you make your grocery shopping decisions. Be an educated shopper and read your food labels if you're unsure of what you're eating. The less processed foods you eat the better, but if you are in the boxed food aisle, pay attention to the ingredients. If there are a bunch of things you can't pronounce, or a super long list, it's generally not going to be something that's beneficial to you. Take control of your health by knowing what you're putting in your body.

6. Glass over plastic
I've spent pretty much my entire life putting my leftovers in a plastic container, microwaving them in said container, and then eating them from it as well. I also have countless plastic water bottles, so imagine my delight when it was made clear that plastics aren't great for us. Especially not when you're microwaving your food in them. Plastic leeches chemicals into our food and water, yes even when it's BPA free. Now I'm a huge fan of Pyrex glass storage containers, and glass or stainless steel water bottles. If you don't want to get rid of your tupperware, at least considering throwing your food on a plate before heating it up.