Halloweekend recap

Hi friends! And Happy Halloween to those of you who are celebrating today! TBH, I feel like Halloween has come and gone already, and feeling like I really need to rally tonight lol. Between the Trunk or Treat, class parties, friend parties, we celebrated. The kids have tons of candy and fun memories. We good. But we’re still going to bring it strong tonight. 😉 High fives to all of my mama friends out there pushing through; we’re almost there!

It was a super fun weekend. To kick things off, we celebrated P’s birthday with her friends from school + her cousins! The kids had a half day on Friday, so it was the perfect afternoon for a party at Wild Katz. I love parties like this because the kids can run around, the parents can chill, we sing “Happy Birthday” and eat cake, and done. Minimal cleanup required. 😉

I found this cute banner on Etsy:

ordered cupcake toppers, and picked up green candies from Party City.

For treat bags, I filled them with ninja turtle masks and curly straws, slime, nostalgic candy, and the star of the show was these pizza cookies from Simply Bliss.

(For lunch, we ordered the family-sized pizzas from Mama’s Pizza and they delivered. Just a heads up for my local friends; it made it super easy for a Wild Katz party)

It was the perfect celebration for sweet P. She has the best time hanging out with all of her friends and we were so thankful so many of them came out to celebrate with us.

Friday night, we hung out at home, and Saturday was Trunk or Treat at the dance studio.

Our team’s theme was Pirates of the Caribbean, and I volunteered the Pilot to be our Jack Sparrow. You guys, he WAS Jack Sparrow. He was fully in character for a captive audience the entire time haha. I told him he always has potential for Disneyland if the pilot thing doesn’t work out.

(Also funny story: when P was in preschool, her friend couldn’t understand her when she said her dad was a pilot, and she thought P said her dad was a pirate. She thought Tom was a real pirate for a few months and it was amazing.)

Our team mom is above and beyond, and our set-up came out so well!!

One of the parents made a plank for the kids to walk,

and I put together the Caption Hook ring toss.

We got third place, which I’m calling a huge win because all of the set-ups were seriously so so good!

After Trunk or Treat, we headed straight to the squadron family Halloween party, which was at a friend’s house. The had activities for the kids (movies playing and a jumping castle) and lots of delicious food and craft cocktails. When we first got there, we were all feeling pretty tired, but then no one wanted to leave. 😉

Sunday morning, madre made an epic brunch. No one ever knows what to get the Pilot for his birthday or any holiday, so she said she’d make him a birthday brunch. We all agreed that he should request this for every upcoming birthday because we all loved it. Coffee cake, beans, egg casserole, corned beef hash, potatoes, bagels, the whole spread was a dream.

In the afternoon, the Pilot took the girls to our neighbor’s Halloween party – I caught up on some work stuff at home and was feeling pretty rundown at this point – and we had turkey pumpkin chili and cornbread for dinner.

Now we’re back into the week and into the Halloween fun! I’ll probably catch a midday yoga class for a little zen in the middle of the activities. I hope you have a wonderful day, too!

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today and I’ll see ya tomorrow with my first gift guide of 2022!

xo

Gina

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Friday Faves

Hi hi! Happy Halloweekend! How are you? I hope that your week is going well and that you have a fun and festive weekend ahead. We have Trunk or Treat and a Halloween party at a friend’s house. I’m definitely looking forward to it!

Some adventures from the week:

Double birthday celebrations! It was the Pilot’s bday on Monday and P’s bday was Wednesday. We had family dinners, and P’s bday party with her friends from school is later today.

The kids’ bdays always hit me a little hard emotionally, and for some reason, 7 feels like such a big kid age.

A trip to the pumpkin patch. It’s a fun yearly tradition and we love riding some rides (like the Cornado), petting all of the animals, and enjoying the beautiful weather.

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party! This is where I share some fave 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.

Friday Faves

Fashion + beauty:

Some recent purchases! I got these loafers on sale at Nordstrom and said I’d report back. The quality is incredible – they definitely look more expensive than they were – and did not require any break-in time. No blisters, nada. I think they’re so cute with jeans and dresses!

I also ordered this sweater dress. I think they’re so cute in the fall with boots and very flattering. This one has nice thick fabric – not see-through or flimsy at all- and they have a ton of colors.

New tarte palette. I dropped my favorite everyday palette – eyeshadow and bronzer dusted my entire bathroom floor- and ordered this one as a replacement. It worked in my favor because I got SO many new colors and it’s an awesome mix of everyday and glitzy shades. I have very sensitive eyes and tarte is one of the few brands that doesn’t irritate them. Thank goodness for holiday sets because this palette set was a STEAL for how many shades are included.

HigherDOSE serum! They released a serum a few months ago as the perfect companion to the red light mask. I love using the two together and notice that my skin feels so smooth and bright afterwards. You can use FITNESSISTA15 for 15% off HigherDOSE here.

Read, watch, listen:

New Ina cookbook is heeeeeere! The reviews are less than stellar, but I always have high hopes for the queen. Excited to add some of these recipes into our meal plan for next week.

Where the Crawdads Sing (the movie). I read the book years ago and remember blasting through it (and being totally shocked at the ending!). One night, the Pilot took Liv out on an adventure with friends and I was home with P. She went to bed early, so I decided to treat myself and watch a movie. The movie adaptation of the book was SO well-done. Highly recommend if you loved the book!

THIS VIDEO. Obsessed.

I agree with this 100%. I already work at a computer.. why would I want to live in one?

What are your core values?

40 little things that make a big difference in your day.

Fitness + good eats:

New Fit Team workouts for November are out! If you’d like to join us this month, the link is here. We’re doing Nourish November, and focusing on nutrient-dense and vibrant eats to complement our workout routines. Fit Team helps you build muscle and burn fat, while taking the guesswork out of your fitness plan. Join us here!

Sesame cucumber salad.

Healthy comfort food recipes.

Happy Friday, friends!
xoxo

Gina

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Happy birthday, P

My little *baby* is 7 years old and I can hardly believe it.

Somehow, she went from this gummy thing, with the brightest, happiest smile:

to a full-on *big kid* who can read,

do math homework on her own, and crack everyone up with the jokes she’s created.

She still has the same giant smile and belly laughs.

(Never forget the time she got her face painted like a tiger… and transformed into a tiger)

She’s my adventure buddy, who’s always down for a hike or a walk around the neighborhood. She’ll be the first one to bust out out in dance moves (but don’t you dare put her back in hip hop class), pick up an animal or a lizard, or hop on the couch for a snuggle. She’s also in the front row of the Incredicoaster, help us all.

She’s fiercely determined, and has taught herself how to do a lot on her own. When she learned how to ride her bike without training wheels (she was 4), she insisted on practicing in the garage by herself until she had it. She came into the living room and said she figured it out, and biked around the neighborhood with us.

She loves horses, soccer, hotels, pretending to be a ninja,

and anything she can create or build. She has a brilliant mind, the kindest heart, an awesome sense of humor, and every day I feel blessed to be her mama.

Watching her and Liv together continues to be one of my very favorite things.  

Happy Birthday, P Rose!

Off to celebrate this girl all day but I’ll be back tomorrow with a new podcast episode!

xo

Gina

P’s birth story part 1

P’s birth story part 2

If you’re dealing with severe reflux right now, I’m sending you the biggest hug and holding you in my heart. It felt like it would last forever, and before I knew it, we had the happiest, silliest kid, with memories of the reflux far behind us. You’ll get there, too- hang in there. <3

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Dr. Cabral 7-day detox review + recipes

Sharing my thoughts on the Dr. Stephen Cabral 7-day detox, and sharing the recipes I enjoyed while I was on this Functional Medicine detox. If you’d like to try it out for yourself, you can use my code FITNESSISTA20 for 20% off. 

Hi friends! Happy Monday! How are you? I hope you’re having a lovely day so far. We had a great weekend. I got a ton of work stuff done, we went to the pumpkin patch, and celebrated the Pilot’s bday a day early. His real birthday is today and I’m looking forward to more celebrations this evening with my favorite guy. I also wrapped up the 7-day Dr. Cabral detox with our community last night and feel SO good! I’m excited to share more details about my experience in this post with ya.

In this post, I also wanted to share some of the recipes and meals I enjoyed for my friends out there who are considering doing this functional medicine detox at their own time. It can be helpful to have meal ideas for days 3-7. This post is a beefy one because there’s so much I wanted to include. Grab a mug of coffee or tea and I’d love to chat with ya and share my experience.

Here we go!

Dr. Cabral 7-day detox review + recipes

What is the detox and how does it work?

– It’s a liver-based detox to help reset your body, provide a break from digesting heavy foods, and potentially help your body eliminate toxins that we accumulate from our environment. It includes functional medicine ingredients and Ayurvedic herbs to support phase 1 and 2 liver detoxification.

– It’s nutrition-focused. It includes the POWERHOUSE Daily Nutritional Support powder (which I’ve had in my smoothies for the past couple of months and notice a difference in how I feel when I drink this smoothie), and meal guidelines for the remaining meals. The goal is to NOT have your body depleted of nutrients during the process.

– It can potentially help with weight loss (although that’s not a focus for me), along with anti-aging, and total body wellness. 

– It’s only 7 days! When I first started working with a naturopath (back in the old days! It was like 2010), he had me do a month-long detox that was similar in format (but did not include the Ayurvedic supplements). It’s so much easier to do for 7 days, and I feel like my results were even better from the extra nutritional support. (The first two days are supplements, fruit, and smoothies only, and on day 3, you add in nutrient-dense meals using their meal guideline/template.)

Each detox kit includes the following: 

Daily Nutritional Support: 

This one-stop-shop for vitamins, minerals, protein, electrolytes, and antioxidants is the heart-and-soul of the Dr.Cabral Detox. With 15 grams of vegan protein, Daily Nutritional Support provides your body with much-needed energy and nutrition while your body begins to rid itself of toxins.

FM Detox:

Utilizing the most recent research in Functional Medicine, FM Detox provides the compounds necessary to support both phases of liver detoxification. Essential amino acids, antioxidants, and botanical extracts like milk thistle help the body to capture and move toxins to the liver where they can be metabolized and removed during phase two. Ingredients like dandelion root extract support the production of bile which aids in elimination. As a diuretic, dandelion root increases water supplied to the liver which facilitates toxin elimination in the urine.

AYU Detox:

Incorporating ancient Ayurvedic healing traditions that support optimal detoxification, the AM Detox helps begin the detox process. Various diuretics move water to the liver and increase the solubility of toxins. Triphala, the combination of three plants: Emblica Officinalis, Terminalia bellerica, and Terminalia chebula, have been studied for their roles in gastrointestinal health. When used in conjunction, it is suggested this powerful trio promotes the growth of beneficial gut microbes Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus, while inhibiting the growth of undesirable strains.

(You can read more and explore scientific references here.)

My experience by day:

Day 1:

Day 1 was just shakes and supplements, and I expected to feel run down and tired. I felt amazing. I had a lot of energy and felt clear and focused. I took this day entirely off from the gym and spent extra time meditating and reading in the evening.

Day 2:

I expected hunger to kick in, and it hit pretty hard in the afternoon. I ate a bowl of raspberries and blueberries, and felt much better. I figured if any point during the detox if I needed to skip ahead to Day 3, I’d do it, but didn’t feel like I needed it. I did feel more tired this day, and only took Maisey for our usual walk for activity.

Day 3:

First day of adding back whole foods and food had never tasted so amazing in my life. This is why I LOVE doing occasional resets; it brings me back to my tastebuds and the foods I genuinely enjoy. I made channa masala, which I knew was going to be flavorful, but it was absolutely bursting with spices and citrus. It was incredible. I felt my energy soar in the afternoon, so I did a quick Sculpt Society workout (no cardio, just light weight and bodyweight strength).

Day 4:

I feel like I really hit my groove with the plan and felt myself looking forward to the shakes and each meal. This was another off day from the gym and I just walked Maisey. Lunch was an awesome Mediterranean lentil dish for lunch (recipe below) and we had the best scallops and asparagus for dinner. (Got the scallops from ButcherBox and the girls went crazy for them.)

Days 5-7:

I started to get back into a more *normal* workout routine, but modified quite a bit since I felt weak. I did an F45 class one day, a hot yoga day the following day, and took Sunday as a rest day.

Something I noticed during this detox:

– My Oura scores were the best they’d ever been consecutively. I had multiple triple crown days (usually if I get 3 for the entire week, I’m pumped) in a row!! I slept SO well and had vivid dreams each night.

(5 triple crown days in one week!)

My final thoughts/results:

Physically, I feel like inflammation is absolutely down in my face and wish I would have taken photos to compare. My wedding ring usually fits me snugly and is now loose. Mentally, I feel even more energized, focused, and clear. I feel like I’m back in touch with the way I like to eat, that makes me feel and perform my best. Pre-detox, it was very normal for me to walk past the pantry and grab a cookie from the cookie jar each time. Sugar and treats started to become habits rather than something I truly enjoyed.

Fruit and veggies started to taste bland to me, and I found myself craving more and more sugar. This helped me remember how good it feels to focus on fresh, whole, foods and how good they taste. I will absolutely do this again, and next time, I might go for the 14-day plan. Many of the gals in our group are continuing with the program because they feel so amazing.

Here’s a short video I made with my experience:

 

7-day detox recipes

Detox lunch recipes

Channa Masala

Makes about 5 large servings (save any leftovers for upcoming lunches or freeze)

Ingredients: 

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger

15 oz tomato sauce

8 oz water

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garam masala

2 cans chickpeas, drained

1/2 bag spinach

Cilantro and lemon, for serving

In a large pot, sauté the onion, ginger, and garlic in a little avocado oil until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper, and add all of the spices. Coat with the spices, and then stir in the tomato sauce, water, and chickpeas. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Wilt in the spinach for a minute or two, and then serve with chopped cilantro on top and a squeeze of lemon juice. I enjoyed this on cauliflower rice and it was incredible! etovers were even better.

Mediterranean Lentil Dish

Makes 4 servings (save any leftovers for upcoming lunches or freeze)

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes rehydrated in water (I like to do this because they’re much softer)

16 oz cooked black lentils

8 oz artichoke hearts

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 bag of spinach

Dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon each of thyme and basil

In a large pot, sauté the onion and garlic in a little avocado oil until fragrant. Add the lentils, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, and season well with salt and pepper. Warm through while you make the dressing. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and pour on top. Serve with extra lemon juice.

Hummus and veggie wraps

– I made the hummus with chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper and then served it on romaine boats with avocado, bell pepper, and carrots

Detox dinner ideas

Hot bar! One night P had soccer late and I didn’t have time (or energy) to make anything. We went to hot bar and I grabbed Paleo chicken, cabbage slaw, broccoli, cauliflower, and a scoop of hummus. It was perfect.

Scallops and asparagus (I made risotto for the fam, too): just pan-seared them with salt and pepper, and served with roasted asparagus (garlic powder, avocado oil, and salt and pepper)

Blackened salmon in the air fryer

Makes 4 servings

Here’s the recipe for the salmon:

1/4 teaspoon each: cumin, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, chili lime seasoning from Trader Joe’s (to the fam’s I added 2 tablespoons brown sugar)

Make the blackened seasoning by mixing the above ingredients in a small bowl

Season the salmon well with salt and pepper and preheat the Air Fryer to 400 degrees. Fully coat the salmon with the seasoning and spray the basket of the air fryer with avocado oil. Add the salmon and cook 7-10 minutes until cooked through. Serve with any sides you like! We had this with baked sweet potato and salad with lemon and olive oil

Turkey burgers with avocado and veggie salad: the Pilot made the turkey burgers, and the fam had theirs on buns with waffles fries and salad, and I ate mine on a chopped veggie salad with avocado

Discount code for the Dr. Cabral Detox programs: 

If you’re curious about checking out these programs for yourself, you can use my code FITNESSISTA20 for 20% off. Please let me know if you decide to give this a whirl! Doing this before the holidays helped me reset before a time of extra sugar and events.

Hope you have a wonderful day and I’ll see ya soon!

xo

Gina

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Friday Faves

Hi hi! Happy Friday! How are ya? What’s going on this weekend? I feel like it’s our weekend of calm before the celebration avalanche begins. We have the PIlot’s birthday Monday, P’s birthday Wednesday, her party Friday, Trunk or Treat Saturday, a Halloween party on Sunday, and Monday is Halloween. We also have a promotion for the Pilot the following weekend, so I’m excited to just buckle up and enjoy the season because from now on, it’s wild around here, and I’m.ready.for.it. This weekend we’ll probably just hang out, visit a pumpkin patch, and celebrate the Pilot’s bday with the fam. I’d love to hear what you have going on and what your kids or pets are going to be for Halloween!

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.

Friday Faves

Random/life:

Seeing Six again. Friends, it’s UP THERE with my favorite musicals of all time. I saw it with Madre last week and was blown away, so we took Nani and Liv with us on Sunday night to see it again. (Heads up that some of the content is a bit more adult, so use your discretion. There’s only one song that I’m iffy about for the kids; the adult humor in the other songs just fly over their heads.)

The touring cast was insane… easily the best live vocal performances I’ve seen in a very long time. (Amina Faye was Jane Seymour. Give your ears a treat with her version of “Heart of Stone.”) Definitely check it out if a touring cast is coming near you!

Detox update. I’m officially on Day 5 of the functional medicine detox. It’s been quite a journey, and I’ve loved doing this with a community. (If you decide to do this on your own time, you can use FITNESSISTA20 for 20% off.) Day 1, I felt amazing and super energized. Day 2, I hit a little afternoon slump, and by Day 3, I felt like I was cruising along. The channa masala I made for lunch tasted like a dream. I feel like inflammation in my face is way down, and it’s been a much-needed little reset. I’ll share more details next week, plus all of the recipes I’ve been making! If you have any questions I can answer in my post, please let me know.

These journals for the girls! Julie from My Rainbow Journal asked if she could send some journals to the girls. They both love to write, and the timing was perfection since P just started her own journal a few weeks ago. When they opened the package, they were SO pumped and both started adding stickers, drawing, and answering prompts right away. It’s separated into topics and include so many values we emphasize as a family, including positive mindset, gratitude, and love for yourself and others. I didn’t snap a pic because by the time they were done writing, it was dark, but you can browse all of the amazing journals here.

Read, watch, listen:

What it’s like to parent in Western Australia.

Just because this is so real.

This was lovely.

Fashion + beauty:

Ordered these loafers on sale. I was looking for a pair of flats that would be cute with jeans, and feel like I’ll wear these all fall/winter with jeans and sweaters. Now I just need to find a pair of non-skinny jeans, maybe slightly cropped that I can wear with boots and these loafers? LMK if you have any you love!!

Améline by Phlur is my fave everyday scent, and my full-sized bottle has lasted forever. I decided to switch things up and order Missing Person because it’s so dang popular, and I LOVE it. It’s a little muskier, which is perfect for fall, but still floral and bright. Highly recommend their scents, especially if you’re looking for a safer fragrance option, and loooove their candles.

I dropped my favorite tarte palette and it exploded everywhere. 🙁 This is the replacement on the way; I’ll definitely report back. Perfect combo of glitzy wintery options, plus everyday neutrals.

Fitness + good eats:

HOW CUTE is this video Kath made with spooky dates for Halloween???

My fave Halloween workout 🙂

Assignment for the weekend: make these if you haven’t already!

Happy Friday, friends!

xo

Gina

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10 Spa Cuisine Recipes

Searching for spa cuisine recipes? These fresh recipes, loaded with colorful veggies and lean protein, are busting with flavor and nutrition to help you feel good and glowy sans an expensive trip to the spa. 

Hi friends! I hope you’re enjoying the week so far. Today is day 3 of the Dr. Cabral detox (use FITNESSISTA20 if you want to do this at your own time!), and I’m feeling amazing. It was just the little boost and reset I’ve been craving, and I’ve slept so well the past two nights.

For today’s post, I wanted to talk a bit about spa cuisine, since I’m focusing on extra flavorful and fresh eats the next week. Spa cuisine is typically made up of fresh, local, seasonal, or organic ingredients that are presented in a simple yet colorful way. They tend to focus on quality rather than quantity, and are not only nutrient-dense but are packed with flavors. You’ll often see lots of fresh produce, herbs, and citrus in spa meals. Today, I’m sharing a roundup of spa cuisine recipes that you can easily recreate anytime.

Many of these recipes are also gluten-free and dairy-free. 

10 Spa Cuisine Recipes

1. Winter Spa Salad with Lemon Chicken via Pinch of Yum

Winter Spa Salad with Lemon Chicken! Loaded with chickpeas, spinach, pomegranates, Cara Cara oranges, avocado, shallots, herbs, dressing, and lemon chicken.

2. Thai Cauliflower Rice Salad With Peanut Butter Sauce via The Awesome Green

An exotic and colorful combination, which replaces the rice with the nutrient-loaded cauliflower. The secret of this dish is a delicious ginger-peanut butter sauce.

3. Healthy Chicken Quinoa Beet Bowls with Herb Gremolata via Aberdeen’s Kitchen

Healthy chicken quinoa beet bowls with herb gremolata – Clean eating, healthy living, and a tasty recipe all in one bowl! Tons of protein, nutrients, and even some vitamin C to keep you going, topped with a fresh herb gremolata.

4. Sheet Pan Blackened Salmon Bowl with Potatoes and Avocado Goddess Sauce via Half Baked Harvest

Baby potatoes roasted alongside blackened salmon and served bowl style with steamed brown rice, feta cheese, and the most deliciously addicting avocado goddess sauce. This is quick, easy, extra colorful, super flavorful, and so delicious. The perfect dinner to serve any night of the week. Or? Incorporate this healthy recipe into your weekly meal prep and enjoy for lunches and dinners throughout the week.

5. Easy & Customizable Collard Wraps via Ambitious Kitchen

Learn exactly how to make collard wraps for the perfect easy lunch filled with veggies and protein! In this step-by-step tutorial for making collard wraps, you’ll learn how to prep your collard greens, fill them with delicious ingredients and roll them up well. Fill your homemade collard wraps with one of our delicious suggested recipes!

6. Quinoa Cucumber Salad with Feta, Dill & Mint via The Bojon Gourmet

This perky quinoa cucumber salad gets crunch from cucumber and radish marinated in kicky lemon garlic vinaigrette and a fresh bouquet of dill and mint, all topped with briny feta. An easy, nourishing vegetarian lunch or side dish.

7. Raw Apricot & Ginger Energy Bars via So Vegan

If you’re craving something on the sweeter side, these raw apricot and ginger energy bars are packed with chewy dried apricots, pure maple syrup, and crunchy nuts and seeds. The perfect afternoon pick-me-up!

8. Avocado & Citrus “Ceviche” via Cookie & Kate

This seafood-free citrus “ceviche” with avocado makes a wonderful appetizer, side salad or party dip! This vegan ceviche is delicious, colorful and healthy.

9. Fresh Tofu Salad Rolls with Cashew Dipping Sauce via Minimalist Baker

30-minute tofu salad rolls with fresh veggies, basil, and tofu, served with a savory-sweet cashew sauce. A hearty plant-based entrée or side!

10. Detox Water via Yummy Mummy Kitchen

These detox water drinks with lemon are infused with fruit like cucumber and strawberry for delicious hydration.

You may also enjoy:

• Morning Detox Drink
• Slow Cooker Detox Chicken
• Sakara Life Review

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Flourless Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

Re-sharing this post because it’s a yearly staple for us and I know so many of you love them, too!! These flourless pumpkin chocolate chip bars are SO good and I usually have all of the ingredients for this healthy fall dessert on hand and ready to go.

Let the avalanche of all things pumpkin begin.

I feel like this year, a lot of people are playing it cool when it comes to pumpkin. You know, trying not to act *too* excited about its arrival. (Also it could totally be the fact that many of us are still experiencing true summer weather.) And then, there are people like me who have already enjoyed a PSL (or a few….), and upon seeing the shelf of pumpkin-filled cans at Trader Joe’s, I did the slow-mo run to them, arms wide open, and a creepy smile on my face.

I just can’t help myself.

While the Pilot doesn’t go crazy for pumpkin at all, I gave birth to two pumpkin-obsessed little friends, who share my enthusiasm for this festive gourd.

Flourless Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

This afternoon, I decided to embark on my first pumpkin baking adventure of the season, with chocolate chip pumpkin bars. It was a twist on my beloved flourless blueberry breakfast bake (recipe is in the book!), and uses creamy almond butter and egg as the base. The result: a dense, buttery, perfectly spiced, and sweet healthy pumpkin dessert or snack. It’s also amazing in the morning with some butter and a side of scrambled eggs.

Here’s this healthy pumpkin recipe if you’d like to give it a try!

and a video!

Print

Flourless pumpkin chocolate chip bars

Print Recipe

A festive and delicious dessert or snack option for the fall season! No flour, grains or refined sugar.

• Prep Time: 10
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 8

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup creamy almond butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a 9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or grease with coconut oil.
2. 2. In a large bowl, use a fork to whisk the almond butter until fluffy. Add the egg and mix well.
3. 3. Stir in the pumpkin and remaining ingredients, gently folding in the chocolate chips.
4. 4. Pour into your prepared baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, until slightly golden and set. Allow to cool completely before storing covered in the fridge.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @fitnessista on Instagram

Nutrition stats are here.

xoxo

Gina

Something to talk about: Pumpkin fanatic: yes or not so much?! What’s your favorite fall dessert recipe?

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5 dial movers in my health routine

Hi friends! How’s the morning going? I hope you’re having a great one so far! We’re having the best Fall Break with the kiddos, and am looking forward to a shorter week this week, and getting everything ready for the Pilot and P’s bday celebrations. I’m also starting the Dr. Cabral 7-day detox today with our community. You can still absolutely order a kit and join in on your own time when it arrives (use FITNESSISTA20 for a discount).

For today’s post, I wanted to share some of the changes I’ve made in my routine that have moved the dial towards productivity, improved mood, and sleep. It’s fun to adjust things over time and see what works, and this is what has been working for lately. I’d love to hear if you’re working towards any goals or have made any sleep/routine changes and how they’re going!

5 dial movers in my health routine

1) An updated morning routine

I used to get frustrated hearing about morning routines of successful entrepreneurs because I have small kids, a life, and ain’t got no time for a 2-hour complex morning routine. The kids used to be our alarm clock, but now that they’re older, I still sleep until the alarm goes off. I roll out of bed and am flung directly into the morning chaos until school drop-off, or on the weekends, it’s dance and soccer games. I would hear about elaborate morning meditation, journaling, and exercise routines and just feel annoyed.

Buuuuut, I realized I could shuffle around some of my favorite habits that put me in a positive and productive mindset and make them work for my life. My “morning routine” is a bit delayed now, or split into pieces throughout the day, and makes a huge difference in my stress level and my attitude.

Here are the components I include:

Morning sunlight and grounding

I know that early morning sunlight can help your circadian rhythm and enable your body to produce melatonin at the correct times, so you’re able to go to sleep more easily at night. I’d open the blinds and let sun into the house first thing, but over the past couple of months, I started stepping outside into the sun. It feels SO good and makes me feel instantly awake and like I’m ready to conquer the day.

I have to let Maisey out in the morning anyway, so instead of staying inside curled up with hoodie or blanket, I walk outside with her. I step into the grass, even if it’s wet, remove my glasses (since they are transition and blue light blockers), and look around the yard. It takes maybe three minutes, but sets the tone for the entire day. I get a little bit of sunlight on my body and in my eyes, and also get in a bit of grounding, which can be therapeutic. According to this study, “Grounding appears to improve sleep, normalize the day–night cortisol rhythm, reduce pain, reduce stress, shift the autonomic nervous system from sympathetic toward parasympathetic activation, increase heart rate variability, speed wound healing, and reduce blood viscosity.”

7 minutes of meditation, 10 minute of journaling

Every day, I spend 7 minutes meditation on my PEMF Go Mat (FITNESSISTA15 for 15% off). (If you need meditation strategies, I have a ton here! You can also listen to a guided meditation on YouTube, Calm, or the Peloton app.) 10 minutes sometimes feels like too long, so 7 is the perfect number for me. I listen to binaural beats on Spotify while I meditate. Afterwards, I set my timer for 10 minutes and journal, using this devotional and a goals/gratitude journal. The goals/gratitude journal is quick (5 things I’m grateful for and 10 goals I’m going to accomplish), and I spend a bit more time on the devotional. It’s a great way to check in with my goals (so I’m more likely to take action steps during the day), but also with my personal values and purpose.

Not checking social media until after I’ve finished our morning walk

This has been a tricky one, and I’m not as consistent with it, but I try to avoid checking social media until I’ve finished my morning walk with Maisey. I find that it’s just a distraction, especially when I’m trying to get the kids dressed and breakfast done, so it’s worth it for me to wait. Social media and email is a stressor for me, so when I start my day by checking my phone (usually to alerts and emails I can’t respond to until later), it just adds more to my mental load. It’s better to wait until I can respond and take action, instead of letting it hang over my head.

2) Walking every single day… unless it’s raining 😉

Walking with Maisey is one of the high points for both of us each day! We walk from 30-45 minutes, and I use this time to listen to a podcast or audiobook. She gets fresh air and exercise, and is a calmer, happier gal. It’s been raining a lot here in Tucson lately, so if it’s raining, I’ll still move my body in a gentle way to break up the workday, whether it’s a handful of Zumba songs, a Sculpt Society dance cardio round, or some mobility and stretching.

3) Going to bed earlier

I’ve had to force myself to do this, especially because I’m a night owl and would prefer watching TV and reading as long as possible. Instead, I head to bed around 10 (asleep by 10:30 or 10:45), and I’m definitely not as tired in the morning. It’s an obvious mood booster, I’m able to work harder during my workouts, and I’m more productive when I get to bed earlier.

4) Weekly meet-ups with friends and family

This is #1 for me! If you’re feeling blah, sad, uninspired, like you can’t be productive: make time fo meaningful connections that bring you joy. It can be even harder as we get older and shuffle work + kids/ busy schedules, but it’s so, so worth it. I meet up with at least one friend for coffee/juice or a workout class each week, enjoy weekly bible study, and we have weekend dinners with family and friends.

5) Avoiding alcohol

As I learn more and more about what alcohol does to my body and brain, the less I want to drink it. I still enjoy the taste of wine or a margarita (!) but I don’t crave it like I used to. I’m continuing to cut back, and have been enjoying maybe one drink per week. You can read more about my journey with alcohol here.

So tell me friends: have you made any changes in your routine lately? What’s one of your health goals right now?

xoxo

Gina

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