This past weekend I participated in my very first blogger retreat, BLEND. It started in 2012 and has been ran every year as a healthy living, fitness, and nutrition blogging event… UH, I guess that is how you would describe it!? BLEND meaning blogger+friend, focuses on friendships rather than workshops and training courses.
It is different from a blogger “conference”, since there are no classes about being a better blogger, photography courses or writing workshops. Instead the weekend is filled with great food, workouts, hikes, an expo of health-focused companies and a cocktail hour.
This was a great event to call my first official blogger event. It is low-key, relaxed and everyone was wonderful. I have heard nightmares about other blogger conferences being very clique-y and exclusive. This one wasn’t. I mean we are all doing the same thing, aren’t we? Let’s be supportive!
Not only were the participants a great group of girls, but the sponsors were amazing! I loved making connections and getting to interact with some awesome companies! Bhakti Chai, Goodbelly, Quest Nutrition and so many more.
To start the weekend off, I got to help out quite a bit. Since I am a local girl, I helped with loading up the swag bags, transporting goodies to the venue, and even got to check people in and hand out name tags! (This is Trainer Paige and I greeting the BLEND attendees as they show up!)
My favorite activity of the weekend was the morning yoga session sponsored by Bhakti Chai. Being a cold morning, I was thrilled to sip on some hot chai tea! We were given brand new, gorgeous mats to use (and keep) thanks to Giam! We also had a new BLEND tee shirt and sexy workout leggings from Soybu. (The Killer Caboose leggings are my very favorite SWAG from the retreat!) We were fully equipped for this yoga session! The best thing was that sun came out in perfect timing, it was absolutely serene doing yoga on the great lawn, looking out at Colorado’s Flat Irons.
My favorite meal was the dinner on Friday. It was sponsored by Sizzlefish, 34 Degrees, WANU and the dessert was from Arctic Zero – yay lactose free! Honestly though, all the meals were incredible. Between breakfasts, snacks, cocktail hour and a fantastic dinner that was all included in the weekend – there wasn’t a moment that I was hungry!
Yeah, the breakfasts were impressive too, huh?
We had to eat good for all the workouts we were partaking in! Like this muddy, muddy trail hike!
Of course, I know you want to see my swag bag photo. I mean swag is like a key part of these expos aren’t they? Therefore, you always got to have the obligatory swag photo…
This bag was chocked-full of goodies from dozens of sponsors. And because I am so thrilled with the generosity of these amazing companies, I am going to try and list them all.
Sponsors include: Quest Nutrition, Sizzlefish, Bhakti Chai, 34 Degrees, Arctic Zero, Adora Calcium, General Mills, Soybu, Giam, Purely Elizabeth, Tiny But Mighty Popcorn, Earth Balance, Barbaras Bakery, Baobest, Good Day Chocolate, Meal Enders, Vega, Gnarly Nutrition, WANU Life, Well Coin, Nest Fresh Eggs, The Epic Seed, Balance Bar, KIND, Justin’s, Flap Jacked, Enlighted, Honey Stinger, WB Kitchen, Love Grown Foods, Nature Valley, Hail Merry, Perfect Bar, Madhava, Olomomo, Detour, NuNaturals, NOWFoods, Bob’s Red Mill, Good Bean, Little Secrets, Simply Protein, Goodbelly, and Marley Coffee.
Lastly, I want to shout to the gals that give this retreat their heart and soul each year, Lindsay’s List, Me and the Mountains and Meals and Moves. These three gals are incredible.
If you want to check out more photos from this awesome blogger event, just search #BLEND2015 and you’ll find a collection of photos and updates from the weekend we all spent in Boulder, CO.
Sponsor Discount Codes!
Readers, so many of the amazing sponsors of BLEND retreat are giving you special discount codes to use, for a limited time. Get on it, before these high-value coupon codes expire!
Detour Products Coupon Code – order on www.detourbar.com now through June. blendretreat – 35% off!
Gnarly Coupon Code – order on www.gognarly.com with code Gnarlyblend to get 30% off your first time purchase!
Soybu Coupon Code – order on www.soybu.com with discount code BLEND2015 to save 25% off your purchase!