It’s March — which is basically nearing Houston’s summer. Even though we’re back to cool days, we have sweaty ones just ahead. We’re thinking about pool and beach time and immediately heading for the gym, snacking on protein bars and low-cal chips or doing juice cleanses. While the rodeo has left town, we’re just gonna fill that excitement void with March Madness and, YUP, the Final Four tournament which is being hosted by the best city in the world: Houston. Feel free to brag about that.

Define Body and Mind. There’s a magical place in Houston (with many convenient locations) that makes working out fun. I know you don’t believe me, but I literally played on a trampoline for 45 minutes the other day (well TBH it was actually SUPER hard: more here). Define has so many classes, and we’re giving away TWO passes to them. Thank us later. Actually, no. Thank us now before you curse us later while icing your sore muscles. Opps. – N

HEB juices. Three 32 oz bottles of juice from HEB cost me about $16, aka like one carafe of mimosa, and significantly less than a fancy, smancy juice cleanse, which are ALL the rage. I did my own juice day with the same results. Wondering what happens in a spontaneous 1-day juice cleanse? This. – A

The People Versus O.J. Simpson. Want to instantly relate to your parents/your boss who has 20 years on you? This show helps with that. My mom and I were talking and I was telling her she has to watch this show (bc it really is SO good) and she goes, “I watched the ACTUAL trial, so not sure I needs an encore.” Then I immediately asked her so many questions: “Do you remember Marcia? Poor thing, right? The glove thing? Remember ‘if it does not fit, you must acquit’?” I was obviously a wee lil one when the trial was happening, but we all know the ending. It’s still super entertaining, and hey, educational. – N

SimplyProtien Bars. These protein packed bars are filled with the good stuff and less of the bad. With reduced calories from sugars and fats, these bars are great to snack on to get over that afternoon slump. I loved grabbing a bite of my favorite the Lemon Coconut bar before I went for a run. It doesn’t weigh you down but gives you plenty of energy to complete a challenging workout. You can find these bars as well as other SimplyProtien snacks like Spicy Chili Chips and kid’s bars at select HEBs in Houston! – A

Favor. We’ve done this before, but Favor is constantly helping you remember really important holidays, like National Pie Day and National Macaron Day. Even better, they give you a little gift: $3 delivery fee (instead of $5). Every little bit helps. If you’ve never tried Favor, you can get your first delivery fee completely waived with out code “ItsNotHou.” Enjoy! – N

Groupon. This coupon and deals site is such an underrated gem on the web. As a savvy online shopper, I’ve used it recently to get a deal on movers and find class specials at local Houston yoga studio, Joy Yoga. What I’ve recently discovered is the Groupon Coupon site, which is pretty much the online shopper’s dream. We’re talking discounts on favorites like Birch Box, 6PM.com, Neiman Marcus, Victoria’s Secret, Sephora, and more. Before I complete a purchase online, I like to search RetailMeNot for potential deals, but now Groupon Coupons is definitely part of my routine! A penny saved is a penny earned, right? PS. Sign up for their Local emails — Houston deals straight to your inbox (they get me every time). -A

Bean Chips. Beanitos sent us a few bags of their brand new, baked Skinny Dippers (lol). I tried them with all the different dips: Spinach dip, queso, pico, guac, hummus and salsa. My favorite pairings were definitely the queso and the pico. Hummus was a little to heavy (beans on beans). Since they are skinny, they are pretty fragile, so keep that in mind and TBT to when I was eating melted monterey jack cheese. It was challenging. But a creamy queso worked fine and again, emphasis on the pico. Fresh and delish. – N

“I Am Malala.” You know I always like to include a book on my favorite things! Malala is an autobiography/memoir by a Pakistani girl who was shot by a member of the Taliban for one reason: She believed girls should be able to go to school just like boys. Guys don’t worry, she has healed and is back on the path to changing the world. But, this happened a few years ago, y’all. It’s not like this was a century ago. The Taliban’s brutality and backwards ways are made clear by Malala’s potent voice and stories. She’s bright, entertaining and engaging. I listened to it on Audible and, even though an actress read the book, I felt like I was listening to Malala tell her story to me personally. I creepily feel like I know her. Such an inspiring person. – N