Welcome To Rhonda In Real Life
This is Layla...our little Havanese. She is the queen of the house
and we adore her.
Hello! Thanks for checking out my little corner of the internet where I share my favorite tried and true family recipes, my favorite skincare & wellness tips, and much more!​
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I am a married mom of 2 boys (ahem...I mean men). Still hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that they are both legal adults. I live in San Clemente, California, a special little beach city in south Orange County. Cooking for my family has always made me happy. I feel very lucky and blessed to have been able to stay home, raise my boys, and spend lots of time in the kitchen creating favorite family recipes. I started sharing these recipes on line in 2012 on my food blog, Juicy Bites. All of the best Juicy Bites recipes will now be available here on this site and I will continue to add to the collection whenever a new recipe makes the cut. ​
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Right around the time I turned 50, a lot of my ideas about living a "healthy lifestyle" changed. It was LESS about fitting into my favorite (too tight) jeans, and MORE about gaining strength and stamina for longevity. It was LESS about limiting calories all week so that I could splurge on the weekend, and MORE about eating nutrient dense foods that improve gut health, support heart health, and provide sustained energy with healthy blood sugar levels. It was LESS about fitting in a walk or pilates class when it felt convenient, and MORE of making it a daily priority. It was LESS about my daily glass (or glasses) of wine, and MORE about making choices that help me to get the best sleep and feel good when I wake up in the morning. It was LESS about making sure I had my next botox appointment scheduled, and MORE about making sure my skincare and makeup are clean and free of toxins. It was LESS about what I was putting on my skin to look my best, and MORE about what I was putting in my body to look my best.
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This shift was a slow process and really gained momentum when I realized how important it was for me to take better care of myself if I wanted to feel better now, and 20 or 30 years from now. My body was sending me messages and letting me know that I had to make some changes to my diet and exercise if I wanted to feel better. Having gut/digestion issues which eventually led to a gastritis diagnosis was the biggest trigger for me to make these changes. At first I felt like I was missing out on so many of my favorite things, but little by little, I noticed that I felt better, had more energy, and felt stronger than I did in my 40's.
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I have been known to go down the rabbit hole of research on different foods, supplements, and skincare to feel and look my best. I want others to benefit from all of that work! That is why I am sharing it all here.
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I think making time for yourself, whether it is getting your favorite workout in, making your favorite salad for lunch, or spending time on your skincare routine is so important. Self-care should be a priority, the benefits will speak for themselves.
Self-care is NOT selfish.