10 tips you can use to transform your health

Hi friends! Happy Monday and I hope you’re having a wonderful day. We’re finishing cleaning and organizing our closets (they were an epic mess lol) and enjoying the day with the crew.

For today’s post, I thought I would share some simple but powerful health tips from myself and Mia (a Registered Dietitian). It’s easy to think that changing your health requires a huge overhaul at once, but the beauty is in creating small habits and building from there. If you haven’t read Atomic Habits, I highly recommend it!! It explores the power of habit building and how to use small habits to make huge changes.

Here are some of the things that come to mind that you can use to build on over time. I’d love to hear if there’s anything else you’d add to the list!

10 tips you can use to transform your health

5 tips from Gina, a Precision Nutrition coach, NASM certified Personal Trainer and Women’s Fitness Specialist

1. Meditate

Meditation is one of the most powerful habits I’ve added to my personal health routine. When I meditate, it immediately affects how I feel on a mental level (more calm, patient, less anxious, more present) and it also affects my blood glucose when I’m wearing a CGM. The days that I meditate, I notice that I sleep much better that night and have vivid dreams. If you’re not sure how to start a meditation practice, check out this podcast episode.

2. Hydrate yourself throughout the day.

Even better? Sip on some LMNT electrolytes or another electrolyte you love. Hydration affects so many processes in the body, from digestion, skin tone, immune function, hormones, satiety, etc. I like to aim for at least half my body weight in ounces, and definitely have one serving of electrolytes each day, especially when it’s hot outside or I’ve had a longer or more intense workout.

3. Swap out frequent high-intensity exercise for low-impact or lower intensity options.

If you’re currently doing lots of high impact and high intensity workouts, assess your routine and make sure that you have some lower intensity days and at least 1-2 days completely off each week. After a certain point, you will experience diminishing returns with super intense workouts, usually through hormonal issues (exercise is a stressor for the body and it really comes down to how we recover from exercise!), and potentially overtraining symptoms or overuse injuries. If you’re not sure how to balance your workout plan, join us for Fit Team here! You can try it out for 7 days and see how you like it. June workouts just went live this weekend so you’re ready to rock and roll!

4. Track your protein and fiber intake.

Protein is the building block of our cells and many women aren’t eating enough protein to preserve muscle as we age. If you have goals to build muscle, you also need to make sure you’re eating enough protein! Protein intake suggestions depend on a variety of factors (age, body composition, activity levels, goals, diet, how much protein you’re currently eating, etc.) but a good rule of thumb is to aim for at least one palm-sized serving of protein in each meal.

5. Sauna

The sauna blanket has been a game changer for me! It helps with stress relief, can help to reduce soreness and inflammation in the body, and it feels SO good to sweat.

Here’s what my sauna blanket routine looks like:

• I use it 2-3x a week on non-consecutive days, usually when I’ve had an easier workout or an off day
• I wear a long-sleeved cotton shirt, long joggers or sweats, and two pairs of socks
• Preheat the blanket to level 8, and by the time I’m ready, it’s nice and toasty. I’ll turn it down to level 7 before crawling in
• I’ll put a small washcloth under my booty (otherwise I feel like it gets too hot on my tailbone)I set a timer for 35 minutes (my favorite amount of time because I get nice and sweaty) and use this time to watch a show, meditate with some binaural beats, or study for IHP. (Note: you don’t want to sauna for longer than 45 minutes. I think 20 minutes is a great starting point to get the benefits and usually feel great around 35 minutes)
• After I get out, I use a body brush and immediately hop in the shower. You don’t want everything you sweat out to be reabsorbed by the body. I’ll take a lukewarm to cool shower to rinse off and know I’ll get awesome sleep that night!

You can check out my full review of the HigherDOSE sauna blanket here and use FITNESSISTA15 to get 15% off the sauna blanket, PEMF Go Mat (I use this for meditation every day), red light face mask, and copper body brush.

5 tips from Mia, a Registered Dietitian and professionally-trained chef

6. Get some zzz’s!

A minimum of 7-9 hours of sleep per night is ideal for most adults.

Benefits can include:

– A decrease in cravings

– Mentally alertness and sharpness

– Increased energy

– Better mood and feeling happier

– Smaller waist circumference

– Muscle growth

– Improved cardiovascular health

– Improved immune system function

– Improved blood pressure

– Improved hormones and stress response

Make sure that you set yourself up for sleep success each day and have a solid wind down routine at night.

(PS this pillow mist is one of my favorite things ever!)

7. Go for a walk!

Taking a 30 minute walk first thing in the morning helps to set your circadian rhythm and benefits cardiovascular health. In addition, taking a 15-20 minute leisure walk after meals can help with postprandial glucose response, weight loss and overall metabolic health.

8. Start adrenal cocktails.

The adrenal cocktail can is beneficial, especially for anyone who has extra stress in their life, whether mental, emotional, physical, food, or even intermittent fasting. You can read more about the adrenal cocktail here! The adrenal cocktail helps to replenish the minerals lost when our adrenal glands are taxed and under stress. The adrenal cocktail provides essential vitamins and minerals, specifically potassium, sodium and whole food vitamin C, not ascorbic acid.

What does this look like in whole food form?

½ cup of fresh squeezed orange juice or pineapple juice

½ cup pure coconut water (no additives)

and ¼ tsp Redmond’s real salt. Stir and drink at 10a and 2p daily. Kinda like a little tropical oasis in your day.

9. STOP taking synthetic multi-vitamins and try desiccated beef organs.

Beef organs are rich in B vitamins, protein, copper, Vitamin A, Folate, and Zinc, just to name a few.  They are beneficial for hormonal balance, thyroid, digestion, physical and mental energy and skin. Get a boost from real food that can feel similar to a cup of joe without the cortisol spike.

10. Laugh!

Laughter decreases pain and stress making hormones in the body. Laughter has positive benefits on mental health, the immune system and helps to decrease anxiety.  It secretes endorphins, which can transform your mood.  It is a non-invasive form of therapy that is great for treating stress and depression. Open a book of jokes, read the comics, turn on your favorite movie, or flip through old photos and enjoy a good laugh.

So tell me friends: what habits in your day have made a huge positive impact on your health? What would you add to this list?

xoxo

Gina

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Friday Faves

Hi friends. I hope that you’re hanging in there this week, despite the horrific events that took place. I’ve cried a lot, and hugged our girls a lot, and have been working to educate myself on these important issues and take action as needed. Thankfully our school has already sent a thorough email with directives from the superintendent, even though we’re out of school, and I feel thankful for that. You can join me in donating to the victims here.

In the spirit of keeping this blog the positive space that it is on the internet, I’ll still be sharing Friday Faves below. If you feel like you need to take a break from the internet this weekend to protect your heart and mental health, I hope that you’re able to do that. I also hope that despite the sad news that we’re constantly surrounded by, that you’re still able to find moments of happiness and peace in the weekend ahead. <3

(We’re going to be in the pool the entire time and having the fam over for dinner on Sunday)

Friday Faves

Read, watch, listen:

What rituals do you have each day?

3 things to bring more joy into your life.

Did you watch the final episode of This is Us? How was it?? I watched the penultimate episode this week (and curled into a little ball as I cried my face off) but haven’t watched the series finale. Please lmk how you liked it!

One of my favorite gratitude meditations.

Don’t forget to check out this week’s podcast episode about anxiety here.

Going with the Pilot (and the entire squadron – they rented out the theater – to see Top Gun) tonight. I can’t wait for a theater full of pilots to shed tears at the opening scene and then spend the rest of the movie heckling the screen. Pray for me.

Fashion + beauty:

Face shaving tips for women. I’m still not sure about this whole thing. I tried a couple of times and I’m 99% sure I had a 5 o’clock shadow about an hour later lololol. It felt like my face was spiky when it grew back, too. Is this real? Do you do this?

Memorial Day weekend sale SITEWIDE on HigherDOSE. If you’ve been wanting a sauna blanket, a PEMF Go Mat, or a Red Light Face Mask, now is the chance! Use the code MDW22 at this link. I use my PEMF Go Mat for meditation every single day, the sauna blanket a few times each week (I sleep so well when I use it and it makes my skin glow), and the red light face mask a couple of times each week. They’re also launching their new serum this weekend and I can’t wait to try it. Shop it up here

Rails is 30% off sale styles this weekend!!! Use code MD30. This is my go-to everyday brand and here are some of the things I own and love: this dress, this dress, this dress (wearing it as I type up this post), this dress, this dress, and this top.

Fitness + good eats:

Recipe inspiration here!

Springy blueberry lemon bread. (We have a ton of blueberries right now, so we’re going to make this over the weekend.)

Back in sourdough action! It was my first time using the Ballerina Farm Willa starter and it came out perfectly. The kids have been so pumped to have fresh bread this week.

If you need a new chocolate bar love, let me recommend this one. (I was going to take a pic but I ate it.) I get one at Whole Foods pretty much every time I go. SO good, not too overly sweet, and the almond butter is an awesome touch.

How eating eggs can improve heart health. My fave food on the planet is an egg burrito 🙂

Got my fave Vuori joggers in another color 🙂 #cantstopwontstop. Adjust the sizing depending on how baggy you want them to be. (I swap between a S and XS in workout clothes and the XS are perfect.) Check them out here!

Have a wonderful weekend, friends.

xoxo

Gina

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104: Things that have helped my anxiety

Hi friends. My heart is heavy following this week’s events, and behind the scenes, I am taking action in between praying for those sweet babies and their families.

Today’s podcast episode was a common request in my 100 podcast episodes post, so I thought I’d cover this topic today. It’s also something that I feel has been magnified in some way or another for the past few years, so think it’s a relevant topic for this week.

Today, I’m chatting about my experience with anxiety and some of the things that have helped me over time. PLEASE keep in mind that I’m not a therapist or a doctor. This is not medical advice and I’m just sharing my experience. If you struggle with anxiety or any mental health issues (or if you just want to chat to a trusted third party who can give you advice!) seek out the help of a local certified therapist. I always lurk the reviews online when we first move to a new place. You deserve to feel great; please seek out the help you need to feel better!

 

 

104: Things that have helped my anxiety

As a first-born Type A perfectionist, I’ve had anxiety for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, I had a TV in my room and would fall asleep watching the news sometimes, which is the perfect way to brew some worry and anxiety. There was also some transition in our family, since my parents got divorced when I was in kindergarten, and I’ve just always been a worrier. My anxieties and worries have ranged from very mild, like deadlines, wanting specific details to be perfect, or wondering if someone is mad at me, to much bigger things, like a husband who was abroad fighting in a war (four times!), a baby with severe reflux who had stopped breathing on a couple of occasions, health concerns, and family stuff.

Something that has always helped me, no matter what I was going through: therapy.

I’ve been blessed to see some incredible therapists in my lifetime and think it can be SO helpful to have one in your back pocket, even if you don’t see them super regularly. It can feel a little weird and awkward at first, but I always leave each session feeling lighter, relieved, and like I have a plan.

I wanted to note first that while NOTHING can replace traditional therapy, there are also some strategies that have also helped:

– Exercise! The key is to do this in a way where you can recover easily and you aren’t perpetuating a constant flight or fight response in the body. Think about your personal “stress bucket,” and make sure that exercise isn’t the thing tipping it over. If you’re an anxious person, I would shift focus from intense and high-impact workouts (like bootcamp workouts and CrossFit), to more low-impact options like yoga, barre, walking, Pilates, moderate strength training, or dance.

– Bringing myself to the present moment. What are 3 things I can see? What are 3 things I can hear? What are 3 things I can touch?

– Scheduled worry time each day.

– Meditation. This is also tied to breathing. Shallow breathing can increase our heart rate and lead to increased feelings of anxiety.

– A daily walk, in the sun.

– Unloading all of your worries into a journal each night.

– Paying attention to fueling my body.

– Sleeping at least 8 hours. If you need sleep tips, check out Sleep Smarter.

– Delegating as many things as possible, as a decreased task load and mental to-do list can potentially decrease anxiety. What can you take off your plate so you longer have to think about it? For myself, it’s usually things like extra help with the kids when I have work deadlines, house cleaning, and certain meal prep items. What can you do to make your life easier?

– Scheduling joy into my day. It’s SO easy to get wrapped up into the to-do list, chores, kid stuff, work life, that you get to bedtime and realize you’ve literally been working all day. It helps my anxiety immensely when I take 30 minutes each day to do something I enjoy, like read a book, sit on the patio and chat with the Pilot, play a board game or bake something with the girls, play the ukulele, etc. It seems counterintuitive, but when I have a little *fun* during the day, I’m SO much more productive during my work blocks.

– Focusing on gratitude. Even when things feel extremely hard, there’s always something to be thankful for. When I shift my focus to gratitude, I feel more calm throughout the day. Every day, after I meditate, I write down three things that I’m thankful to have in my life. It takes less than 1 minute, and makes a huge difference in my day.

So tell me, friends: do you experience anxiety? What are some of the things you’ve found to help?

xo

Gina

Resources from this episode:

Join us for Fit Team! You can try it out here for just $7. Sign up now and get June’s workouts (plus the bonus spa recipes for this month) this weekend! If you are looking for a phased workout plan based on results, this is your chance.

I love love love the meals from Sakara Life! Use this link and the code XOGINAH for 20% off their meal delivery and clean boutique items. This is something I do once a month as a lil treat to myself and the meals are always showstoppers.

Get 15% off Organifi with the code FITNESSISTA. I drink the green juice, red juice, gold, and Harmony! (Each day I might have something different, or have two different things. Everything I’ve tried is amazing.)

Thank you so much for listening and for all of your support with the podcast! Please be sure to subscribe, and leave a rating or review if you enjoyed this episode. If you leave a rating, head to this page and you’ll get a little “thank you” gift from me to you.

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Back Pain: Inflammation, Excess Weight, and Underdeveloped Glutes

I KNOW back pain.

L5 S1 Disc Rupture

It started with disc degeneration (FYI most people over 40 have this on some level)

Then there was a full disc rupture (scroll to see.) It was so bad that I had foot drop, and loss of use of my right leg…

There was an urgent surgery (laser endoscopic) and then a second one later.

There was temporary alleviated pain. And then it came back…

“If only you had a strong core” they said… I DID

“If only you understood the body keeps the score- it’s your emotions they said”… I DID

“If only you do PT, stem cell, Chiro, meditate, surgery, massage, spend a fortune on Sarno experts, Acupuncture, I DID THEM ALL

Everything helped… in the moment.. temporarily… but nothing FIXED IT. The disc between L5 S1 was now gone.

And then that one day, my daughter said that to me. I got on a mission to develop my glutes…it started as ego (hey bigger butts are in!) but it taught me so much…

The pain drastically reduced most days. Why? Because when you have underdeveloped glutes your disc take all the weight and pressure! Develop and use your glutes and you take the disc out of the main equation. Lightbulb moment for me!

Developing glutes… The difference in PAIN is NIGHT AND DAY.

I’m not 100% out of pain- I do get flare ups and they are not amazing. But they are not debilitating anymore.We do not talk enough about this…and we should. AND as we age we we lose our butts if we do not focus on them.

If you have back pain and also have tried “everything” my question to you is “how is your butt building going?”At 50 I finally really have them! This pic was taken 2 weeks ago.

What else should you do?

Lose excess fat
Eat anti inflammatory
Get your mind and motivation right to get out of pain

I am doing a LIVE interactive Workshop Series discussing all things PAIN and FAT LOSS! If you would like to join in for FREE CLICK HERE to sign up!

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gluten-free cashew chicken (with a secret ingredient!)

Sharing a recipe for gluten-free cashew chicken that will change your liiiiiife. Not even joking.

Hi hi! How’s it going? I hope you’re having a lovely morning. Today is a day off from the gym (taught dance cardio, barre, and aerobics all in a row and ya girl is spent), so I’m looking forward to reading by the pool with the crew and also getting some content done for an upcoming partner post with NOW Foods (you can use FITNESSISTA for 20% off sitewide! They have SO much amazing stuff). I also have a 1:1 client call and am getting some stuff done around the house.

For today’s post, I have a new quick and easy dinner recipe for you that was a home run: gluten-free cashew chicken.

TBH, I LOVE Chinese takeout. It makes my soul so happy, but I typically end up feeling a little bloated afterwards and kind of blah. Fried food just doesn’t love me back, so I don’t eat it super often.

I was craving cashew chicken, but didn’t have the things I usually like to coat chicken for air frying: out of almond flour, coconut flour, arrowroot, everything.

In the pantry, I saw this bag of pancake mix staring at me, and figured I’d give it a whirl.

This is a game changer, friends.

It has so many great ingredients for coating or breading chicken (you could totally use this for fish, shrimp, or tofu) and very little mixing required. Just season the heck out of it with salt and pepper, make a little egg bath (about 2 eggs with a little water) and you’re good to go.

Heads up with this recipe: you do need an Air Fryer. (It’s $87 right now!)

I fought buying one for at least two years and now that I have one, I’m like how the heck did I live without you for so long?! You can cook so many things in the air fryer, but our favorites are frozen fries (they crisp up beautifully), teriyaki salmon, chicken wings, bacon (the BEST way to cook regular and turkey bacon!) and quick veggie and protein dinners (like chopped chicken sausage, veggies, and potatoes).

I coated some diced chicken with egg and then popped it into a bowl with the pancake mix, and stirred to coat. Next I sprayed the air fryer basket (preheated at 375), added the chicken and cooked for 12-15 minutes, flipping once. I made sure it was done – always use a meat thermometer- and crispy.

While the chicken was cooking, I made the sauce with Tamari, avocado oil, garlic, ginger, honey, hoisin sauce, and rice vinegar. It heated up on the stove, I added the cooked chicken, stirred it to coat, and topped with chopped cashews and scallions. We enjoyed the chicken on top of white rice (cooked in the Instant Pot) and sautéed zucchini.

Leftovers were bomb dot com, too.

It was one of the easiest dinners ever (the whole thing took maybe 20 minutes) and the whole fam LOVED it. I can’t wait to make it again!!

Print

gluten-free cashew chicken (with a secret ingredient!)

Print Recipe

This is a super delicious gluten-free cashew chicken that you can make in the air fryer in about 20 minutes.

• Author: Gina Harney // The Fitnessista

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 eggs plus 1 T water

1 cup Simple Mills pancake mix (I order ours from Thrive Market)

Salt and pepper

For the sauce:

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

1/3 cup avocado oil

2 T Tamari

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1-in piece of ginger, minced

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

To serve:

1/2 cup raw cashews, chopped

Scallions

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and water.

In a separate bowl, add the pancake mix and season well with salt and pepper.

Add the chopped chicken to the egg bowl, and stir to coat well. Scoop out the chicken with a spoon (letting the excess egg fall off in the process) and add to the bowl with the pancake mix. Stir to coat well.

Spray the basket of the air fryer with avocado oil, and add the chicken to the air fryer. It will clump together, but when you flip it in 5 minutes or so, you can use a wooden spoon to break apart the pieces. Air fry for 12- 15 minutes, flipping and adding more oil spray as needed, until temp reaches 165 degrees and it’s crispy and beautiful on the outside.

While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce! In a mixing cup, add all ingredients and whisk until smooth.

When the chicken is finished. Bring the sauce into a large pan to medium heat. Add the chicken to the pan and stir as it heats up, about 3-5 minutes.

Serve on top of rice, with cashews and scallions on top.

Notes

Want to amp up the veggie content? Add chopped bell pepper and celery to the sauce as it cooks, before adding the chicken.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @fitnessista on Instagram

Let me know if you give this one a try. 🙂 What’s your current fave FAST dinner recipe?

Have a great and I’ll see ya soon!
xo

Gina

PS new Fit Team workouts for June go out this weekend! Join us here for $7 and get your whole month of workouts, ready to go.

More healthy dinner ideas:

Healthy homemade hamburger helper

Copycat glow bowl recipe

One pan pasta toss

Mediterranean chicken with cauliflower rice

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pool party! + weekend things

Hey hey! How are you? How was the weekend?

Summer is officially HERE. Bless it. I feel like I have a little space to breathe without the school scramble (homework and all of the driving takes up a lot of the day), so I’m pretty pumped abut it.

Friday was their last day, so we had a pool party luau here at the house for the girls and some of their best friends. The aftermath was amazing – our backyard looked like Vegas. Feathers, pineapples, sparkles, and empty cups everywhere haha.

I got the cutest picnic setup from Wicked Picnic (highly, highly recommend them if you’re in Tucson).

The centerpieces were pineapples wearing sunglasses and this garland from Etsy.

We set up this little Photo Booth with this background, a balloon arch, and some props I found at Dollar Tree and Amazon (funky sunglasses, boas, leis, flower headbands, etc.):

The food spread!! We had chips, homemade salsa, crackers, artichoke dip, pizza, lemon-roasted chicken (I used chicken tenders), Mediterranean chopped salad, brownies, cookies, banana pudding cups, and tequila sangria for the adults. We filled our outside coolers with juice pouches, sparkling waters, and waters.

My friend Ana also brought my newest fave party snack: japones peanuts, tamarindo, and chamoy. You add it all to a cup and it’s everything you could wish for: crunchy, sweet, spicy.

Our babysitter is also a certified lifeguard, so I asked if we could hire her for the afternoon to watch the pool. We will absolutely be having a lifeguard here during bigger summer parties – SO worth it the extra peace of mind.

The kids swam their little hearts out, took pics in the photo booth, snacked, and we had a visit from the Kona Ice shaved ice truck. They were parked in front of our house for an hour, and it was a HIT! Each kid was handed their cup of shaved ice and they could customize their flavors from the dispensers on the side of the truck.

Saturday, the girls swam for hours, I got my nails done, and attempted a huge baking project. I finally made conchas! After enjoying them for my entire life, this was my first time making them by myself. If you’re not familiar, conchas are an egg bread with a soft, sugary topping. They’re a DREAM. They also take about 5 hours to make lol.

Who knows when I’ll do this again, but I have to tell ya, a concha, warm out of the oven…. well, there’s nothing like it. The fam came over to help us test them out, and we had party leftovers, and sangria by the pool.

(Recipe from this cookbook)

Sunday, I taught barre and trained a client, the kiddos swam all day (again), and we met up with my friend Annie for gelato and shopping. She was in town for the weekend and I always love catching up with her.

This morning, I have to teach a class and am spending the afternoon studying for IHP. My goal is to finish level 1 by the end of June.

Hope you have a wonderful morning and I’ll see ya soon. Thank you so much for stopping by the blog today!

xo

Gina

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Friday Faves

Hi hi! Happy Friday!! What’s going on this weekend? Today is the kids’ last day of school and I’m SO READY for it. Bring on the slow summer mornings, pool parties with friends, and summer fun.

 

We’re throwing a little luau for the girls’ school friends today, so I’ll report back with the details (and will definitely share over on IG stories). The menu: mediterranean chopped salad, grilled lemon chicken, pizza, homemade salsa and chips, artichoke dip and crackers, the best tequila sangria for the adults, banana pudding cups, gf brownies with peanut butter frosting, and the shaved ice truck is going to be parked in our front yard. It should be pretty epic 🙂

I’d love to hear what you have going on this weekend!

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party! This is where I share some of my favorite finds from the week and around the web. I always love to hear about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re loving in the comments section below.

(This sweet lil hummingbird built a nest in our honeysuckle plant. The nest is the size of an espresso cup and has two tint, perfect eggs inside.)

Friday Faves

Fashion + beauty:

Friends and family is heeeeeere! Beautycounter only does a sitewide sale a couple of times a year, so if you’ve been looking to try new products or stock up on your faves, this is the chance.

Through May 24th, save up to 25% off your entire order! This is the same discount that I get as a consultant, and you can use it towards the new AHA Mask, sunscreen, All Bright C serum, and all your favorites! The only exclusions are collections, regimens and sets, but this discount makes it better to buy those items individually anyway.

– 15% off all orders

– 20% off all orders over $250 prior to tax and shipping

– 25% off for Band of Beauty Members that spend over $250 prior to tax and shipping

Every order placed using this link during the sale is an entry for a free full-sized product. I’ll pick the lucky winner on May 25th and they will receive a free product of their choice.

Not a member yet? Join HERE for extra freebies and deals all year.

Here are some of my top picks if you’re not sure what to get!

AHA Reflect Effect Mask

Color Intense lipstick

Dew Skin

All Bright C serum

Countertime supreme cream

Overnight Peel

If you need personalized skincare recommendations, send me an email gina@fitnessista.com and I’d love to help.

J. Crew is also having an amazing sale – 25% off full price and 50% off sale. Love this dress, this dress, this dress, this swimsuit, and this top.

Fitness + good eats:

Something I’m thinking about doing in mid to late June: Summer Shape Up! This has been a part of the blog foreverrrrrrr but I haven’t been doing it as consistently over the past couple of years. If you’d like me to bring it back, click this link and add your email address – you’ll get the details first!

Success! Check your email for a free 30-day meal and fitness cheat sheet

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Email Address

For all of my new blog friends (hi!), this is a summer fitness challenge with new workouts, meal ideas, and accountability. It’s a great way keep with your goals over the summer.

 

 

Coconut curry salmon.

Perfect for weeknight meal inspo.

Read, watch, listen:

Really enjoyed this episode of Skinny Confidential.

I relate to this story so much. When the Pilot asked me if I wanted VIP tickets for Michael Buble, I said no because I would be a awkward goober and cringe to myself for eternity. I’m cool just crying in the audience, thx.

I haven’t watched This Is Us in a couple of years and just recently got back into it. (Tip: it’s nice to have it in the background while I work instead of watching it at night before bed because I don’t sleep as well.) WOW. I definitely need to catch up but it’s tearing at all of my heartstrings.

Happy Friday, friends!
xoxo

Gina

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How to eat for your menstrual cycle

Sharing tips on how to eat for your menstrual cycle and how to change up your nutrition throughout the month!

Hi friends! How’s the week going so far? I ended up catching an amaaaazing hot yoga class -it’s been way too long!- and also got a ton of chores done around the house. Today is triple 1:1 appointments and prepping for Total Body Reset. We start on Monday!! Don’t miss out.

For today’s post, I wanted to share a post from Mia all about how to change up your nutrition during your cycle. She asked me if I would be interested in a plan for my personal use, and I knew immediately that it would make an awesome blog topic. I shared a post here about how to change up your workouts during the month, and a podcast here about how productivity changes during your cycle.

Here are tons of tips on how to fuel your body as our hormones change throughout the month!

How to eat for your menstrual cycle

Week 1 Low Estrogen

Choose to eat low-carb during the week of your period.

*Remember, day 1 of your period is the first day of blood flow.

Follicular Phase– On your period, aim to focus on anti-inflammatory foods such as fatty fish like salmon & sardines or take a high quality vitamin E capsule to help balance out inflammation from oils and seeds . Look for iron-rich foods like red/dark meat, legumes and lentils. Try to pair these with vitamin C-filled foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables for maximum absorption and bioavailability. Be sure to include many magnesium rich sources such as dark chocolate, almonds and pumpkin seeds.

Note from Gina: I wore a CGM the week I started my cycle and was SHOCKED to see how high my blood glucose levels were during that 5-day span. I had to eat lower carb to stay within a healthy zone, and felt so much better. I will absolutely be doing this going forward.

During days 1-10:

May see higher than average levels of blood sugar and impaired insulin sensitivity on the first day of your period, so aim to keep carbohydrates lower

Fasting is easier and appropriate during this time.

This may be a time that you finish your last meal of the day by 4pm and not eat until you’re hungry the next day.

Advanced fasting like 24 hour fasts for metabolically-flexible individuals may be used during this time when supervised.

Meals ideas:

– Salmon on salads with pumpkin seeds

– Fish cakes with sautéed kale and bacon

– Steak with broccolini and lemon

– Dark chocolate covered almonds

– Dark chocolate covered pumpkin seeds

– Greek yogurt, berries and almonds

– Eggs, sautéed greens, grapefruit

Week 2 Estrogen Peaks

Add in healthy carbs 

Estrogen spikes just before ovulation towards the middle of the menstrual cycle, around day 14. If you’re working out, keep in mind that this can cause tendons and ligaments to become more loose, which can result in injury. Estrogen crosses the blood-brain barrier and increases levels of serotonin, which can lead to feelings of lethargy and decreased motivation, so if you’re not up for your usual workouts and have a case of the “blahs,” perhaps you consider gentle activities like yoga and long walks. During this phase, progesterone and estrogen are elevated then drop, eventually causing bleeding. Since higher estrogen phase lends to more free fatty acids during activity, women may find that in this phase HIIT can feel challenging, since glycogen stores are more difficult to access and utilize.

During days 11-14:

Eat protein rich foods to help reduce physical and mental inertness

Protein can help repair tissues and speed up muscle recovery and soreness

Collagen powder may help boost muscle recovery and support connective tissues, hair and skin.

You may experience higher spikes in blood sugar during this time as well as some insulin resistance during ovulation

Focus on healthy fats and fiber to help detoxify estrogen (cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, broccoli sprouts, brussels sprouts, etc)

It is best not to fast. If you must fast, maintain 13-15 hours fasting.

Eat balanced macro meals during this time enjoying carbohydrates like potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, rice, and legumes.

Enjoy cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower.

Week 3 Estrogen levels are elevated and progesterone peaks

Luteal Phase– During the luteal phase, hydration is important because of the high hormones.  Despite noticing a decrease in thirst and increase in body temperature, it’s important to stay up on hydration during this time in order to avoid dehydration. Progesterone increases sodium excretion, so be sure to make sure you’re salting your food. During this phase you may notice an increase in bloat, which is due to water moving from the bloodstream into cells, which decreases blood volume.

During days 15 – 20:

Continue consuming healthy carbs

Electrolytes, LMNT, and minerals

Roasted potatoes with salt

Roasted vegetables Chipotle bowls

Mexican food

Week 4- Estrogen drops and progesterone peaks

During days 21-28:

– Not a great time for fasting

– Normal blood sugar levels

– Enjoy carbohydrates

Insulin sensitivity is normalized

Adequate protein is helpful

Progesterone increases your metabolic rate as it’s a “hot hormone”

Appetite might be increased as well

In the 2-3 days before your period, lean into lower carb options, this is when you can experience some higher blood sugar levels. Things like avocados, bacon, red meat, eggs and non starchy vegetables are great to combat the higher blood sugar levels.

Vitamin E is anti-inflammatory and may help with any PMS symptoms as you approach your period.

Adding transdermal magnesium, magnesium glycinate or magnesium flakes in a foot soak or bath can help with PMS symptoms.

So tell me, friends: do you change up your nutrition throughout your cycle? 

If you’re looking for a reset for health and nutrition habits, especially as we head into summer, join us for Total Body Reset! All of the details are here. We’d love to see you in the group, especially if you’re looking for higher energy and happy, balanced hormones. Enrollment closes this weekend and we won’t be doing this again until fall.

xoxo

Gina

More:

Working out during your cycle

Seed cycling

Balancing your blood sugar and making healthy swaps

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The latest Trunk Club

Sharing what I got in my latest Trunk Club shipment, what I plan on keeping, and what’s going back. This post isn’t sponsored, and sadly last week, Trunk Club disabled their referral program. I still highly recommend it, even though I can no longer offer a discount code. 

Hi friends! How’s the day going? I hope you’re having a wonderful morning so far. I’m getting in an upper body workout and spending the rest of the day getting things together for a little pool party luau we’re hosting for the kids and their school friends this week. I can’t believe it’s the last week of school! I’m also trying to batch as much work as possible to get ready for the relaxed summer schedule.

A quick question: it’s been a little while, but I’m thinking about hosting Summer Shape Up again this summer. Is this something you’d be interested in doing? It would be 4 weeks of fitness plans, meal ideas, and giveaways, likely starting in mid June. If you’re in, please let me know!

For today’s post, I’m sharing the latest Trunk Club shipment! They no longer have a referral program, but all of the items are linked below if anything catches your eye.

The latest Trunk Club

Bardot long-sleeve shirtdress

I really wanted to like this dress because I like the understated print and the colors. In the end, I decided to send it back because it’s about to be 4000 degrees here in Tucson (no long sleeves again until November) and it was a lot of fabric.

Ray-Ban sunglasses

I really liked the style of these and the fact that they weren’t too big on my face. I decided to send them back because the arms of the glasses felt really flimsy, like they’d easily break. I feel like I can get cuter sunnies at Nordstrom Rack for a fraction of the cost.

Boden Jersey dress

This is such a perfect black dress because the fit is classic, it has pockets, it’s a stretchy jersey material, and you can easily dress it up or do. It didn’t feel like anything special to me, so I sent it back.

FARM Rio Midi Dress

I was so on the fence about this one! I feel like these dresses are gorgeous and absolutely love this brand. In the end, the print felt like a little too much happening, so I sent it back. If you have any FARM Rio dresses you love, please link away! I also might lurk Poshmark.

AGOLDE Parker shorts with this Madewell tank

(with these sandals <– on sale!)

Shorts are SO tricky for me. I have short, muscular legs, a short torso, and all of the high waist ones look gigantic. The style of these are SO trendy and they fit really well, but were just a bit too big. I might try them again and go down a size. I kept the Madewell tank because you can never have enough classic Madewell tees and tanks.

Rails Sandy Tiered dress

You guys know I love everything Rails, so I had a feeling right away that this was a keeper. I’m going to have a tailored a tiny bit at the waist, but otherwise, it’s perfect. The fabric is light and soft for summer, and I love the print and tiered structure. I can already tell I’ll wear it a lot with sandals, block heels, sneakers and a jean jacket.

So tell me, friends: have you tried Trunk Club or anything similar? Where is your favorite place to shop right now?

xo

Gina

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Is what you are eating helping or hurting you

Are the foods you eat helping  THRIVE? Or are they hurting you?

Just because a food is “approved safe for human consumption” does NOT mean that it is good for you or that it will help you THRIVE. Artificial sweeteners (like sorbitol, sucralose and aspartame),  food colorings , fillers, and hydrogenated oils are all labeled “safe for human consumption” but they do nothing to increase your focus, your energy, your healing or your health.

On the other hand, foods in their most natural state do more than just nourish us. They heal us, they help us prevent things, they improve our focus, our energy and our pain.

Ask ANYONE with an auto immune disorder, ADHD, dealing with hormone changes or with chronic pain who TOOK ON this way of eating and they will share with you how this changed things for them

Why do so many FIGHT to prove that unprocessed junk is “good for us?” Why are we arguing with nature?

Think about this…

What “research” do you really need to see to know that an APPLE is better for you than a snack with 30 ingredients that you can’t define?

I am shocked as of late to learn about accounts and people basically calling out people that talk about “natural food” as being shams. Really? Is this where our world has gone?

There are SO MANY people struggling with pain, illness, unhealthy weight that they want to release. Eating more natural real Whole Foods can help tremendously.

Natural foods are GREAT. Any SNACK or treat you want can easily be made from wholesome ingredients.

If you are struggling with pain, focus, weight, etc… PLEASE try this way of eating on. Just ask yourself, did it once grow and is this something that can help me thrive.

What we consume can help us if we choose wisely.

-Natalie Jill

 

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3 million, nine hundred and ninety seven thousand lbs released

I was totally blown away today to realize that I have helped women release over 2.997 MILLION lbs over the last decade.

3 million, nine hundred and ninety seven thousand lbs released

I say “release” because losing weight implies that we hope to find it again one day.

With that “release?”

• Confidence returns
• Passion returns
• Lives change

Who I am today was not who I always was…

Back in the late summer of 2007 I was in an entirely different space. I was anything BUT a fit person, leader, role model or educator of any sort. I was overweight, going through a divorce, and was a new single mom who was losing my house.

I was depressed to say the least and I believed that I had NO value to add to anyone. I told myself “Natalie, YOU are a failure”

I didn’t think I had ANYTHING to offer the world.

On that day I had a moment on a walk. It was just a moment. I caught one of those windows that had a mirror image reflection. I stopped and looked myself up and down in that reflection (appalled at first) and thought “Natalie, is this ALL there is?” “Is this REALLY’ who you are? “Is this really how we end up?”

I LET MYSELF FEEL THIS.

It was not long after that I made a DECISION that this was NOT who I was going to remain. I made a decision that I was going to create a NEW vision for myself which would be bigger and better reality than my current circumstances…It had to.

I decided this before I truly believed it or knew HOW I would do this.

The journey to helping myself (and then eventually so many others)… began

There is not a nutrition or workout plan or course you could take that will help you unless YOU first have truly DECIDED you are ready to transform.

And YOU are worth deciding for.

If YOU are at a low point with yourself… especially with your body, your health, or your weight… will you take that FIRST STEP and DECIDE you want to step into something better than your current circumstances?

-Natalie Jill

 

PS …Not sure how to take that first step? START HERE 

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Friday Faves

Hi friends! Happy Friday! The weekend is heeeeeere. What do you have going on?? The girls have triple birthday parties (WHEW!), and I’m looking forward to a margarita by the pool, planting some new flowers in the backyard (not the front yard, because javelinas eat them), and a new baking project (details below!). I’d love to hear what you have going on.

Something exciting coming up: another round of Total Body Reset. You can get all of the details here! Price will jump on Sunday night at midnight, so if you know you’re in, and want some extra support and accountability as we head into summer, now is the chance. 🙂 We are also very flexible with payment plans and don’t want price to hinder anyone from joining. If you need an alternate plan, email me: gina@fitnessista.com

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party! This is where I share some of my favorite finds from the week and around the web. I always love to hear about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re loving in the comments section below.

(A beautiful gift from the girls and the Pilot. It was a build-your-own Zen garden from Flower Shop. They picked it up when we were in Scottsdale last weekend. I love it so much, and had a little too much fun putting it together.)

Friday Faves

Fitness + good eats:

Sakara 30-day reset. They sent me a little taste of the 30-day program and I have been LOVING the meals this week. The cookies and cream parfait was just a dream, let me tell ya. All of their meals are plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free, and free or refined sugar. They also taste aaaamazing, are packed with nutrients, and feel like I treat because I didn’t have to try and make these beautiful meals for myself.

Their 30-day reset comes with a guide, their metabolism bars (my fave bars ever), breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and complimentary online Pilates classes. Oh, and the cutest baseball cap.

You can check it out here – such an awesome treat for yourself! My code XOGINAH gets you 20% off sitewide, too!

This chopped Italian salad with basil swirls:

Read, watch, listen:

This version of one of my favorite Broadway songs. UGH so perfect.

Season 2 of Bridgerton is finally finished, and wow. So spicy and amazing – I haven’t consistently watched TV in forever, and feel like I couldn’t blast through these episodes quickly enough. Season 3, hurry up! Ok back to my books now.

Check out this week’s podcast episode with sustainable weight loss tips here!

Day of the Dead cookbook. The Pilot picked this up while we were at Hacienda del Sol for brunch. It’s packed with authentic Mexican recipes and I’m so excited to make some mole sauce from scratch and my first attempt at homemade conchas this weekend. It’s a gorgeous cookbook with beautiful photos, and I can tell it’s going to get a lot of love in our kitchen.

(Pic of 4 generations from Mother’s Day brunch)

5 health books you should read one day.

Going to update this Father’s Day gift guide, but if you’re looking for ideas, I have quite a few in this post.

Fashion + beauty:

New Rails dress. It came in the latest Trunk Club and is super soft. I’ll share a recap of all of the other goods next week.

If you haven’t tried our All Bright C serum yet, I highly recommend it. It changes the tone and texture of my skin and can help with age spots while protecting from further damage. I just ran out and ordered a new bottle.

Happy Friday, friends! What are you looking forward to this weekend?

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today and I’ll see ya soon.

xo

Gina

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