Hello friends!
Welcome to the first of many monthly sponsor shout out posts! As you all know, I launched a sponsorship option for the blog a couple weeks ago. If you have a blog, small business, or Etsy shop you’d like to promote and grow, please consider advertising on fANNEtastic food! Sponsorship includes display of your ad (three size options are available) on my sidebar for one month as well as links to your blog/business in a monthly sponsor shout out post, shared near the beginning of each month.
If you’re interested, check out my sponsor page for more details!
Without further ado, please welcome my inaugural group of October sponsors. I would love if you visited their blogs/websites to say hello and check them out!
First up – miss Theodora from Losing Weight in the City! Theodora has become a good friend of mine through blogging and I love reading her blog because it’s so REAL. She has lost 50 pounds and run 2 marathons over the past few years and it’s very inspirational to follow her as she maintains her health and fitness. Theodora is as busy as I am right now (she works full time at a very busy job, is training for the Marine Corps Marathon, AND volunteers for a substantial Junior League position) and it’s refreshing to read about someone who’s still making it all work, but not without some effort. If you’re someone who has trouble fitting in exercise due to a busy schedule, Theodora is your girl. She’s written some great posts recently about becoming a morning runner and no longer accepting her own excuses, or yours – check out her “Oh Yes, You Can! (Or Why I Don’t Believe Your Excuses)” post for some inspiration. 
When you’re that busy life isn’t all sunshine and roses and Theodora isn’t afraid to say so – she wrote a post recently about dealing with anxiety entitled “It’s Okay to Ask for Help.” I also really loved her “Lucky to Run” post last month, which is a beautifully written tribute to running inspired by a coworker sidelined by injury.
Next up is Cross-Cultural Solutions! I was really excited when they contacted me about sponsoring because, as you know if you’ve read my “About Me” page, I’m a big proponent of living and working abroad. I spent nearly a year living and teaching English in Prague, Czech Republic back in 2008-2009 right before I went back to school, and it was such an amazing experience. I also studied abroad in Australia during college and lived in Germany and Belgium for a year each with my family when I was little! I think living overseas is something everyone should try at least once – it’s a great way to learn not only about other cultures, but also about yourself.
Cross-Cultural Solutions is the leading organization in the field of international volunteering; they also offer a variety of internship opportunities for college credit. Their volunteers work in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to provide education for children; improve access to basic healthcare; encourage awareness of community needs; break down stigmas and stereotypes; and improve quality of life. Volunteers return home feeling accomplished, enlightened, and inspired to do more in their community, their career, and their life. Click here to learn more about their program options!
Well-Girl is a new blog written by Angel, who shares her adventures in following a healthy and active lifestyle while juggling life with a baby. Angel gave birth to her first child in January and has done a fabulous job of getting her body back after baby – her progress photos are incredible and very inspiring. In addition to daily meals, she also shares recipes – some recent recipes that sounded great are her Tortilla Crusted Mahi Mahi, Spicy 7 Layer Dip, and Fajita Breakfast Burrito! She also shares workouts – I love her printable “Fitness Anywhere” circuits. Check out her blog for more fitness tips and recipes.
I have another great blog for those of you want tips from a busy professional who’s still fitting in exercise (and fun) – Ashley from A Healthy, Happier Bear! Her tagline is “striving for moderation in the city that never sleeps” – and she’s certainly succeeding.
Ashley has an inspiring story – in 2005, she was overweight, depressed, and tired of it. She had never run before – she was the girl who avoided the mile run in elementary and middle school – and she laughed when someone suggested she try running. Flash forward to present day and she has lost nearly 40 pounds and is currently training for her 3rd New York City marathon. Pretty inspiring, huh? I especially love the post she wrote about how she first began running and turned her life around from where she was in 2005. Check out her blog for daily inspiration, marathon training updates, meals and recipes, and travel adventures.
If you love beautiful food blogs but like keeping things healthy and creative, you will LOVE Running to the Kitchen. Gina and I actually went to college together and were in the same sorority, so it’s been fun to reconnect over our love for blogging and food! Her blog is fabulous – not only are the pictures absolutely stunning, but her writing is hilarious, too. I wish she lived in my kitchen and would make me beautiful food and entertain me all day. A few recent recipes of hers that have sounded particularly delicious are her Carrot Raisin “Everything” Muffins, Healthy Peanut Butter Cookie Dip, and Cheesy Edamame Crostini. There’s a lot more where that came from, though, if you check out her blog! Yum!