GUYS!! We are BACCKKKK! We know so many of y’all had been asking us for months if we were going to be coming back, and we are so glad to finally be back, and on a regular schedule. Thank you to all of you who were so devoted. We honestly didn’t even think that many people actually listened, or cared, haha. But, it is SO nice to hear. Seriously makes our day!
In case you miss any of our future episodes of An Extra Dose, you can listen to them under on our main page (adoubledose.com > Lifestyle > Podcasts).
A little about this episode:
On this episode, the Belbel sisters discuss their transition from their corporate jobs to entrepreneurship, what they typically eat for breakfast, and they finish off with their favorites this week.
We would LOOOOVE to hear your feedback. We are just starting out, so any tips or anything you want answered, we are all ears! Also, don’t forget to rate + review us on iTunes.
To listen to the episode, click the PLAY button at the top, or you can search “an extra dose” in iTunes or the podcast app!
Send any questions you wanted answered on An Extra Dose to [email protected] OR comment below on this post.
Well, it took me a few months, but FINALLY sharing all about the proposal! We actually did An Extra Dose podcast episode on it here soon after it happened, but y’all had voted on blog post too (I know some of y’all prefer to read rather than listen), and well, I never got around to it until now. For any of y’all that have recently been engaged or married now, I did not realize how crazy things would get/ how much time flies! It’s crazy!
Our Anniversary Trip
Anyway, backtracking to a February 8— Taylor and I had planned a trip for our four year anniversary back in September the previous year (2020). It had a been a long year, and we wanted to do something fun. We both also love to travel, especially to the beach/warm. I will say, I had a feeling something special might happen because Taylor was the one that initially suggested it. We were on a walk and we were talking about possibly doing a shorter long weekend getaway that fall and then he suggested ‘a romantic longer trip in for our anniversary,’ So, like a typical girl, I was like hmmm, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up, so I just put it in the back of my mind.
That month, we decided on Cabo and we booked our flights and hotel. We decided to stay at The Montage. We both had never stayed there, and funny enough, Taylor has never even been to Cabo! I have been there a ton and LOVE it. I have stayed at a lot of places, but some of them don’t have beach access (you always have the gorgeous ocean view, but sometimes, you aren’t allowed to get in the water or close to it because the waves are too strong. It doesn’t bother me, but Taylor prefers to hang out in the sand by the beach if there’s a choice, The Montage is one of the few places that has a swimmable beach. We also didn’t want to do All Inclusive this trip because we had a lot of places we wanted to go out to eat at (Flora Farms, Acre, Sunset Mona Lisa).
Canceling Our Trip
We had everything planned—even our transportation to and from the airport. Then, a few weeks before we were scheduled to leave, we got the news that the CDC had implemented the rule that you have to show a negative Covid test when you depart Mexico. We vacillated back and forth on what to do as far as keeping our plans or moving it to a different spot. I personally wasn’t worried, but he seemed concerned about getting stuck there. At that point, I just thought he was worried about work etc. Little did I know, there was way more to the story! He had secretly asked his immediate family and my immediate family back in the fall to join us in Cabo for the proposal. He had also asked my parents and sister permission to ask me to marry him— I know, so sweet! Because of this new rule, he felt more comfortable moving it somewhere else. Meanwhile, Taylor and I started looking at places to move our trip. After looking everywhere, we decided on Miami because it was warm and nice out and they had lots of cool spots to eat at. We decided to book The 1 Hotel in South Beach. Poor Taylor, he was probably SO stressed trying to coordinate everything behind the scenes.
Travel Day
We made it to Sunday, February 7th. Taylor and I left Dallas for Florida bright and early. We checked into the hotel, which was BEAUTIFUL! We loved it! When we were at the counter, the reservation was under my name, and when the representative looked up our room, he goes, “oh three rooms under Belbel, correct?” I secretly about died because I was thinking, “OMG are they here??” I mean, Belbel IS NOT a common name haha. Taylor didn’t really react, so again, I just brushed it off. I HATE being disappointed, so I wouldn’t let myself get worked up. Our room wasn’t ready, so we went and ate at Lilikoi, which was SO GOOD! I was in plant based heaven— but they have other options as well! I got the kimchi bowl with bok choy and this really good salad. Taylor got a bowl and a smoothie.
The Night Before
We headed back to the hotel and dropped our stuff off in the room (which was big and stunning). We had some time before dinner, so we walked around and explored and got a juice at Joe and the Juice. We ate at Planta that night, again so yummy! As you can tell, I loved where we stayed and the food we ate! This restaurant is all plant based but so good! Taylor loved what we got too. We shared the vegan nachos and kelp vegan Caeser salad. It literally tasted like the real deal. I got lettuce wraps and Taylor got the pizza and a sushi roll (it had no fish but watermelon and some other things —it was really tasty too). While we were at dinner, he told me the next day we were going to do a sunset cruise (we had actually planned one in Cabo), so I thought it was cute that he planned on here too! He told me we had to be ready at 3 PM, which I thought was a little odd, but again just went along with it.
After we were done eating, he asked if I wanted to go to one of the vegan ice cream places I had found (yes, I look at Yelp, Instagram, and Trip Advisor for restaurants everywhere we go!). He had just said how full he was, and then he said he did want to go get ice cream, haha. Again, I thought it was a little odd, but just went along with it. We Ubered to the ice cream spot. We were eating it outside, when I suddenly needed to use the bathroom..like really use it haha. I told Taylor I needed to go to the bathroom, aka let’s grab the uber to head back and I felt like he was kind of staling. I didn’t know if it was in me head, though. We finally went back to the hotel, took quick picture in the lobby (of course), and then went up to the room.
Proposal Day
The next day, we woke up early because Taylor had booked us massages at another spa. We both wanted to get a good workout in, so we did that first. Side-note: if y’all haven’t been to the gym at The 1 Hotel in Miami, you NEED to go. It is a legit Equinox inside the hotel— I was in heaven! I felt like he was kind of in a hurry and he was on his phone a lot more than he normally is— it really didn’t bother me, so I didn’t say anything. We grabbed breakfast quickly and then took an Uber over to The Standard for our spa treatments. After our relaxing massages, we went back to Lilikoi (I know, we didn’t branch out!). It was close to the spa and we were in a hurry to get back to the hotel to get ready for our ‘sunset cruise’. This is when I really knew something was off— I was of course hungry (as usual) and got a juice and a big salad (their salads are so good and actually decent size). Taylor got this small acai bowl—yall know he’s an entire foot taller than me, and this was our lunch! I said something like, “that’s all you want?” and he said, “oh I’m really not that hungry.”
We got an uber back to our hotel to shower and get ready. I had a pink dress or a white dress I had set aside for Monday night dinner or whatever activity, so I asked him which one I should wear and he said white. I didn’t think much of it because we like taking pictures together at the dinner or whatever, and the white looked better with his outfit. Once Taylor was ready, I could tell he was getting a little antsy, like he wanted to go. Meanwhile, I was over on the bed slowly contemplating what earrings looked better, haha! We make it down to the lobby and we get our Uber to the ‘marina’. I thought it was a little odd it was 40 min away, but I told myself I don’t know Miami super well. About forty minutes later, we get to Deering Estate. When we were pulling up, I was wondering why I didn’t see any water. We get out of the Uber and start heading in. We walk by this ticket counter and the cashier working asked for his name or something.
The Proposal
Then we started walking and I started getting nervous because I could tell this is probably what I was questioning. Taylor asked me if I knew where we were, and I said, “well, it’s definitely not the marina!”. We kept walking down this long path. Then, we went into this house and hew as acting SO weird. He was looking around the windows and random things in the house. Then, he suggested we head outside. We start holding hands and walking on this super beautiful grassy area. The closer we get, I start making out water and something red on the ground. Once we made it all the way down, there is a heart shaped out of rose petals. At that moment, I got the biggest butterflies in my stomach. We put our stuff down (because, of course, I have my purse and a shawl and million other things!), and then we start holding hands looking at each other in the heart.
He started telling me all of these beautiful words (honestly, I was so emotional, I wasn’t processing everything)— like how he wants to grow old with me and all of these super sweet words. Then, he took the box out of his pocket and got down on one knee. I started crying and just couldn’t believe it! It felt SO SURREAL! He showed me the beautiful ring and he had engraved our anniversary of the day we met on the inside—cue the waterworks! It’s so funny because in all the videos of him proposing, I look like I’m inspecting the diamond, when in reality, Im trying to find the date inside! Then, a photographer (Taylor found her—shes’s so sweet!) pops out of nowhere, and started taking pictures of us. They both told me she was there the whole time. When they mentioned that, I saw a woman taking pictures of her son, but I didn’t think anything of it because it’s a public place.
Taylor definitely knows me well enough to hire a photographer! She took some shots of us walking and kissing, etc. The next thing I knew, I see a group of people heading our way. As they got closer, I realized it was my family and Taylor’s! Of course, I immediately start shaking and crying! We all got to hug and share this special moment. It was so nice that everyone was there because we were able to take some group shots. Also, it was so amazing for both our families to meet. They had both heard so much about each other, but it’s always nice meeting in person! They were also such a team setting up the proposal for Taylor.
Once we left Deering Estate, we headed back to the hotel. Taylor’s family joined us and we had drinks and appetizers in the lobby before Dinner. Later that night, we went to Gianni’s, which is the Versace mansion that got turned into a restaurant. It was so gorgeous and a really cool experience. Once we got back to the hotel that night, it was already close to midnight. When we came back we saw that there was chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of champagne. Taylor had asked my mom to set that up for him—I know so sweet! Of course, we HAD to try everything even though it was practically Tuesday already.
I remember posting that night on Instagram. It still felt so surreal and my mind felt like it was spinning. I couldn’t leave y’all hanging though! I went to bed so happy and my heart so full! It was so weird waking up then next day with FIANCE and not a boyfriend.
The Day After
We woke up and worked out and then got breakfast with Alexis and my parents, since they were staying there (I guess my hearing was correct!). Then we hung by the pool until we needed to get ready for the REAL sunset cruise we were going on that night. My mom knew we had arranged one in Cabo, and she was so sweet to surprise us with one in Miami. We LOVED it! Both of our families were on the cruise for two hours together, and we got to see some really cool houses and celeb homes (we even saw P Diddy (or his son, haha). After that, Taylor and I went to Papi’s Steakhouse for dinner (so good btw!).
The next day we hung out and then had dinner at this amazing greek restaurant, Santorini, and Thursday, we got brunch with Taylor’s family at Malibu Farm and then dinner at Rusty Pelican (one of y’all recommended this and it was so good + the view was amazing!). Friday was our last day there and we worked out and hung out by the pool and beach before we headed back. We were so sad to leave the gorgeous weather and hotel and the amazing memories we created there. What made it even harder was that we were expecting *some * snow and ice that weekend. Well… little did we know it would be just a LITTLE more than that! Luckily, everything ended up being okay a few weeks later, but it was quite the experience during it (as it was for a lot of you guys too!).
If you made it all the way down here, you guys are amazing and props to you because this was quite the blog post! I’m glad I finally got something down for you guys. It was such a special time in my life, and I can’t thank you guys enough for following along, supporting me, and making me feel so special! I love you!
I had one of you message me and ask if I could share my tips on how I am navigating dating, and not meeting my person, and also how to deal with feeling like you’re not going to ever meet someone (and the pressure to meet a certain timeline).
Let me start off by saying, I totally get it. I am with you and I feel exactly what you’re feeling. Once I started opening up and sharing with you all, I realized how many of you can relate to exactly what I am going through (or what we all are going through).
Societal Timeline
Growing up, I always imagined myself at this age (almost 30), to be married with at least one child. Well, life never goes as planned, as we know. Life has different plans for me, and I am learning the not-so-easy thing of embracing that and knowing that it is meant to be this way. I have so much to be grateful for and because I have been single for all this time, I have been able to really focus on my career and be selfish.
You all also may know I am an identical twin, and that Samantha is newly engaged. We have hit every milestone in our life together, and are extremely close, making this time even more challenging for me. The natural instinct is to want my own partner to be able to go through these milestones together. As I shared in our podcast, the first few days of the engagement were very tough for me. Everything I had known for the last 29 years was going to change, and I felt like I was going through a “separation” with my twin. I would be okay for a moment, and then would be a mix of anger and sad.
Like everything else, I just needed to get adjusted, and after a few days, I felt like I could *truly* be happy for her and Taylor. It wasn’t that I couldn’t or didn’t want to happy for them, I just was struggling and juggling all of my emotions and trying to wrap my head around what was changing around me.
Dating History
I have currently been single for almost two and a half years. This is probably the longest I have been single, ever. Did I think I would still be single by now? No. I remind myself that I could be in a relationship just to say I am in one, but I am choosing to not be. I am being intentional with who I go on a date with, who I spend time with, who I date.
Before that I had several long-term relationships, all of which I learned A TON from. Everyone says you learn what you want and don’t want from who you date, and I could not agree more with that. You would never know what qualities you didn’t want or actually want if you didn’t put yourself out there. I thought I could live with certain qualities in people, and learned that, nope, can’t live with them, but doesn’t mean someone else will be the same way.
Every time I would go through a breakup, I would meet another guy pretty quickly after I would start looking (when I was ready to date again). However, this has not been the case this time around, and that could be because I am looking for different things.
I started journaling on and off a couple years ago when my mom got me this 5 Minute Diary. Now, it has become part of my evening routine. I usually write a few things I am grateful for, what I did that day, and also something positive that happened that day. I have really enjoyed it mainly to look back at older entries and so what has changed since that entry. Sometimes not much has changed, but I am reminded of how much I have grown mentally and emotionally from even months prior.
Dating Apps
Where do I even start with these apps?! First off, I have had success in meeting guys on here and actually dating them longer term. All of my previous relationships have been from people I have met on a dating app (Hinge and Bumble). I have been on the dating apps on and off for the last almost two years. I have definitely been on a lot of dates and dated some people for a couple months here and there, but ultimately, have not met my person.
Samantha met her fiancé on Bumble back in 2017, right as I was going through a breakup. I have heard SO many success stories from the dating apps, but I have also heard so many bad stories, including my own from these apps.
I really think that they have been around for a while now, and people abuse them. Some people do not them seriously, and are just on there to kill time, play games, lie, get attention, etc. Yes, I have caught people lying (and not just about petty things like height). I have caught three people pretending to be someone else (catfishing), and I legit could have been on that TV show, haha.
With that being said, I do think that there are people on those apps that are serious about finding their person, and using it for the “right” reasons. Unfortunately, I have either not come across them yet, or I wasn’t as attracted to them as I felt that i should be— which is so hard.
I am currently taking a break from the apps because I felt that mentally I *really* needed it. I also now feel like I am not doing “anything” to meet guys since I am off the apps. I could be better about working at coffee shops and going out of my routine more, which is something I am working on,
You all sent me some success stories, and messages about feeling the same as me, which I will share below. I think it helps to read other people’s stories:
Also, some food for thought:
I would by lying to you if I said I have it all under control and I am not “worried” about finding my match, or that I don’t think about dating all of the time because I do. It is easy to feel that way and also to start imagining your life working out and meshing well with someone after just a few dates (of course not saying that publicly 😉 ), only for it to all fall apart and not workout in the end. I have to remind myself that there is a much much better plan for me out there, and nothing that is meant to be will ever pass me by, as hard as that is to hear.
I am SO grateful for your support and you sharing your personal struggles with me because we are all truly in this together. Doesn’t matter what city you’re in, or what age you are, we ALL go through this, and that is so comforting to know.
Ghosting:
I could write a whole book on this. If you are reading this and you have been ghosted once or ten times, I am with YOU. Yes, I have ghosted people in the past, but I have really made it a point to NOT ghost people. First off, it says a lot about you when you do that, and also I think it is only right to let that person know that you don’t see it working out, but you really enjoyed getting to meet them. You don’t need to give any huge explanations or essays, but just ignoring someone’s messages and disappearing, is wrong.
I have done it before, and the main reason I did it was because I felt badly, and didn’t want to make it more awkward, BUT, you are making it worse by just leaving them hanging, making them feel like they messed up. Trust me, just let them know.
Rejection:
Similar to ghosting, rejection can be HARD. Remember though, rejection is redirection. You may have just saved yourself from a bad relationship, or someone who is not ready or meant to be with you. It sucks in the moment, but every time I have been rejected in the past, I was always being redirected to an even better spot.
My Tips
Share your thoughts/experiences
I am very vocal with my thoughts. I talk to my friend sand family all of the time about what I am feeling and going through. I think it really helps to get it out. Cry if you feel like crying. I can’t tell you how many times I have cried in the last few months, weeks, days. If you feel like you can’t talk to your friends or family, a therapist is so helpful, too.
Tell people you’re single
We had a matchmaker on our podcast a few years ago, and she said to tell everyone you’re single, in a non-obnoxious way, of course. Maybe they have single friends or family members that you didn’t know about and can set you up, never know!
Journal your thoughts
I talked about this earlier, but I cannot recommend this enough. It helps SO much and iI find it so therapeutic writing all my thoughts down.
Turn being single into a positive
Being single is not always easy and fun, but there is something to be said about being able to do what YOU want all of the time. No where to be, nobody to balance, nobody to buy gifts for, haha. Not saying that those aren’t worth it, but hey, alone time is nice sometimes!
Say YES
Always take an opportunity to go somewhere new, even if it is out of your comfort zone. It could be where you meet someone new. I am a homebody so getting out, and going somewhere Im invited is not easy, but I never regret it.
Trust your gut
I can’t emphasize this more. Your gut always knows! If you have a bad feeling about someone, or a situation, you are usually right.
Be up front
As I get older, and because of my prior experiences, I am learning to be up front with what I want and am looking for. If I am looking for a serious relationship, I am trying to be upfront with that on the first or second dates, so I don’t waste either of our times.
Slingshot Theory
Have no expectations
This one is a hard one for me because I always have expectation in my head. The best way to be is to have ZERO expectations and then you won’t be disappointed, and can be open-minded.
We have had some requests to share an updated workout routine. You all know we have been into staying active and working out for a long time. Our workout routine has shifted and varied in the last couple years from a lot of cardio and weight training to walks and pilates and lower impact workouts, and now into a mix of both at-home workouts and gym workouts.
We think it is good to have a balance of workouts that are higher intensity, and some that are lower intensity. We do a mix of all types of workouts, and some days yoga or a longer walk outside.
Before we get into workout specifics, we wanted to share about this AMAZING line, Freely, available at Academy. Funny story, we were at Academy a month ago, and our mom picked out this super soft long-sleeve twisted top (see further in post), and had to have it. We ended up loving the brand, too, and are so excited to share their cute pieces with you!
We love that Freely’s line is versatile, so you can wear it to yoga or a workout, and then straight to errands or lunch with friends. Also, their pieces don’t even have to be worn for a workout, they can be for errands, which we love!
Their pieces are all SUPER soft- literally like butter and will have you rubbing and petting yourself while wearing it all day, haha.
We paired it with these super comfy slip on sneakers (have laces, but no tying required!). They also come in a pink color, and are so lightweight! We have size 7 for reference, and they fit true-to-size.
We are wearing the bra with the same leggings we shared above, but it in black in size s. We love how comfy these are, and black goes with everything!
How pretty are the straps in the back?!
On top, we threw over this lightweight tie-dye pullover. We love that this could be worn with jeans or shorts, too! It is so soft and comfy. We have size s on.
Our workout schedules differ a little bit in that Alexis has the gym membership, and Samantha comes once in a while and works out mostly at home. We both love working out at home because it saves time, money, and is just convenient. At home we will ride our Peloton bike, do weight/strength workouts, yoga flows, pilates, and jump on our rebounder.
Gym workout
If we go to the gym, we will usually do cardio on the stairmaster, elliptical, or walk on the treadmill. We usually do 30-35 minutes of cardio, sometimes more, sometimes less. This usually depends if we get caught up on our phones answering a message or email. After that, we will lift weights and separate it by muscle group like legs, biceps and triceps, shoulders, or back.
We usually try to go one one walk a day (shoot for 2 miles).
Rest day
We love staying active, so we usually workout 6 days a week, and have one day where we walk or do a slower-flow yoga.
In partnership with Freely and Academy Sports + Outdoors.
We haven’t done one of these in a LONG time, so we are back sharing what we typically eat at home or when we eat out! Check out our previous posts here
Pre-Breakfast
Upon waking, we drink a ton of water with lemon to rehydrate after we have been sleeping. A lot of people go straight for coffee, but you really should be hydrating first thing before anything else. We love this water bottle because it keeps us motivated to stay on track throughout the day.
We usually take a probiotic in the mornings (away from food), so we usually wait an hour after taking it to drink our celery juice. We love these glass bottles we got to carry and store the juice in.
Sometimes, if we are going to the gym, we will take the juice in a cup and water in a smaller glass water bottle to sip on while at the gym.
After this, we will take all of our supplements before eating.
Breakfast
Now, for our first meal of the day! We usually don’t eat “breakfast” until noon or a little later since we snack kind of late into the night. We like to give our bodies a break. We are creatures of habit, and eat the same kind of foods.
We have it with a banana, or sometimes other fruit like strawberries and papaya.
After the berries, we will have our plant based protein powder with spirulina and almond milk mixed together to form a smoothie-like consistency. We usually add cinnamon and more blueberries on top!
Finally, after all of that, we have 1-2 apples (we love gala!). Thats’s a wrap for breakfast 😉
Lunch
Now, for Lunch! Usually we love a salad with some sort of beans for protein and extra fiber!
This salad we picked up from Eatzi’s in Dallas. It has romaine, mushrooms, onion, carrots, black beans, tomatoes, chickpeas, and broccoli. For dressing, we used this plant based queso dip you can find at Target.
This was a raw zucchini noodle pasta we had in Florida a couple weeks ago that was SO good! Definitely want to recreate!
This salad was from the same spot. It had squash, zucchini noodles, nuts and seeds, and chickpeas.
We love cutting up a grapefruit and putting cinnamon on top. Also love snacking on any kind of fruit like apples, peaches, kiwi, mango, berries, pineapple, and grapes.
For dinner, we always have roasted or steamed vegetables with beans, lentil pasta, or quinoa. Sometimes, we have a salad with it, too. We are talking a HUGE serving bowl amount of vegetables, too!
This forbidden rice is SO good and has so many nutritional benefits.
Always gotta get those greens in! This is broccoli, zucchini, brussels sprouts, and asparagus with cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
Another salad with romaine, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, red onion, radishes, and balsamic vinegar.
Here is how we cook our vegetables if we are sautéing or steaming them. Just place them in pan with water and cover with lid until cooked through! Super easy. You can add avocado oil, too.
We like to top our vegetables with marinara sauce or hot sauce!
We made these sweet potato “flatbreads” with one of our friends that were really good! Here is the recipe.
We had them with a salad and some carrots and hummus.
Another vegetable + marinara combo! So easy and good. We always have beans with it or some sort of carb.
This is another salad and veggie combo with black beans. Can you tell we like to eat the same things when we are in a hurry?
This was from a Mediterranean spot in Dallas we love, Sachet. This is roasted beets, roasted carrots, and roasted okra.
This chickpea salad is SO good. Definitely need to recreate at home!
Our favorite plate, easily! This is a mushroom kabob over hummus and tahini with a stuffed pepper with quinoa.
We love our Mediterranean food. This at a buffet in Dallas. Love all the salads and vegetable options!
Here are our roasted vegetables. We roast them with avocado oil at 475 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
This was a plate we got in Florida at a restaurant. It had a mix of vegetables, quinoa, and potatoes.
After Dinner Snack
We always love to have a snack before bed! Usually we make this chocolate microwave cake and have some fruit and a hot tea with it. This is not the best tasting “cake”, so here is a similar recipe you can try!
We love apples, can you tell? Especially with cinnamon on top!