Health-Fitness Tips,Tricks And How To Tutorials Which Will Help To Live Life Healthy-Wealthy And Enjoyable Forever.
Misty Copeland’s Pasta-Free Zoodles Primavera
Skip carb-laden pasta in favor of this vegetables zoodles dish from pro ballerina Misty Copeland, bursting with nutrients and flavor and only 232 calories.
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Friday Faves
Hi friends! Happy FriYAY. What’s going on this weekend? I’m looking forward to enjoying more of IDEA World, learning from the top instructors in the industry, taking classes, and catching up with blog friends.
I’ll be back with a full recap next week, and I’d love to hear what you’re up to this weekend!
While being back in San Diego is definitely a fave (especially after the moving insanity), here are some more faves and finds from the week.
Fashion + beauty:
I ordered some of the new Lazy Day scrunchies, thinking they’d be cute to wear with gym clothes, and when I took them out of the bag, P said, “Oh I like those! I want those!” So of course, most of them became hers. She wore the yellow one for 3 days straight.
Food + recipes:
New Paleo English muffins. I picked these up at Whole Foods and was pleasantly surprised! I feel like Barely Bread has a weird dry and doughy texture, but these taste a little more like a real English muffin.
Bahama Bucks! We were on a mission to find shaved ice in Tucson – the girls are obsessed – and came across Bahama Bucks. It’s HUGE, they have a drive-thru (WHAT), and they have so many flavors. The best part is that you can add ice cream, condensed milk, sprinkles, Tajin (#tucsonlife) to any of the flavors. I loved the birthday cake, but next time I’m getting mango with Tajin on top.
Pic by Livi:
The only type of pic I can get of the girls lately haha. Little goofers.
Breakfast at Le Buzz. Their avocado toast is life, and of course, we had to share the chocolate croissant.
Fitness:
BollyX. I’ll definitely be recapping all of the fitness fun from IDEA, but I got to take a short BollyX class yesterday and LOVED it. I had the biggest goobery smile on my face he entire time. It’s so high-energy and fun, and it was really cool that they used fused Bollywood with more hip hop style moves. It was a blast and I can’t wait to do it again tomorrow.
(They have a lot of videos on their YouTube channel)
Theracane. I picked this up at the Expo and am so stoked about using it regularly. I have a stress ball on my left shoulder that I’ve had pretty much my entire life. You press the Theracane into any tight areas and hold it until the tension releases. It feels heavenly. Before bed last night, I was sitting in the hotel bed, pushing the Theracane into my back and watching Shameless. Livin’ the dream haha.
Read, watch, listen:
Check out the latest episode of the podcast here! The Pilot and I talk about our family mentality, some of the our strategies to make our relationship stronger, and stress management tips.
You can’t change or fix people, so listen instead.
A $1 birthday gift for kiddos.
Happy weekend, friends!
xoxo
Gina
Congratulations to the winners of the Four Sigmatic giveaway: Amber P. and Katie S.
I have another one going on on Instagram here if you’d like another chance to enter! xo
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What’s New On The Garmin Fenix 5 Plus Range
Celebrating Thousands of Victories … and Counting
Our community members have logged millions of meals, miles and workouts, but what matters most is the impact you all have made with hard work and dedication.
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Beginner Circuit Workout
This is a beginner-friendly circuit workout you can do at home or at the gym. It’s perfect if you’re just getting started in the fitness game or returning to working out after an injury. As always, talk with your doctor before making any fitness changes. Honor your body and modify as needed.
Hey hey from beautiful San Diego! I’m in town for the IDEA conference and so excited to soak up fitness knowledge, take classes, and check out new products from my favorite brands. I’ll be sure to report back with all the details!
In the meantime, how about a workout?
This one is for my beginner friends, or those who may be getting back in the game following an injury. It’s a circuit workout to work your entire body; all you need is a pair of dumbbells.
Some tips:
– As always, make sure you’re cleared by your doctor to resume, start, or change your exercise routine. Honor your body. If something doesn’t work for you, change it so that it feels good!
– Make sure you execute the movements with proper form. I have lots of form cue tips below, but it’s very helpful to meet with a certified personal trainer in real life to ensure your executing the moves properly and safely.
– Adjust your weights as needed. You may need super light weights or no weights, and that’s ok! If you haven’t been strength training consistently, you’ll definitely feel it! Remember that it’s safer to add on weights than to start ridiculously heavy.
Here’s what the workout looks like:
Form cues and tips for this beginner circuit workout:
Warm up with 5-7 minutes of moderate cardio. Complete the following exercises in a huge circuit, moving quickly from one exercise to the next. Rest for 1 minute, then complete the circuit up to 2 more times through. Focus on quality of the exercises. It’s better to move slowly and complete two rounds than to rush through it for three rounds.
Inchworm x 30 seconds: Start from standing and bend down in a forward fold, then walk out into plank position – wrists under your shoulders. Walk your hands back towards your feet and come back to standing. For more of a challenge, move as quickly as possible.
Dumbbell hammer curl x 15: Hold a pair of dumbbells by your sides, palms facing in. Bend your elbows as you lift them to your shoulders and return to start.
Triceps dips x 15: Sit on the floor with your knees bent. Place your hands on the floor behind you and under your shoulders. Lift your butt off the ground (or keep it down for less resistance), then bend your elbows straight back behind you. Make sure you don’t move your hips, just your elbows. Exhale as you straighten your arms.
Wall sit x 30 seconds: Stand against a wall and slide your back down it until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Make sure your knees don’t extend beyond your toes—you may need to walk your feet out a little—and spread your weight evenly throughout your feet. Hold for 30 seconds.
Wall push-ups x 15: Face a wall and place your hands on it at shoulder height, shoulder-width apart. You want to walk your feet out a little further than arms length so you’re at a slight angle. Bend your elbows to lower towards the wall, exhale as your straighten your arms. Keep your core engaged and your body in line.
Reverse lunge with twist x 8 each: Hold a dumbbell with both hands at your chest. and stand with your legs hip width apart. Take a big step back to come into a lunge position. Watch your alignment and make sure your front knee is stacked over your front ankle, and your chest is lifted with a tight core. Twist your body towards the front knee, then straighten back out and step the back leg in to start position. Repeat to the other side.
Spinal balance (alternating) x 1 minute: Come onto hands and knees (hands under your shoulders and knees under your hip bones). Extend one arm and the opposite leg, keeping your hips parallel to the floor. Squeeze your glute to lift your leg and keep your core engaged. Lower down and repeat on the opposite side.
Please let me know if you give it a try! If you’re just getting into the fitness game, I’m cheering for you!!!
My workout OG friends: when you first got started in the fitness game, what did you do? I started with step aerobics and spin classes, then started to strength train.
xo
Gina
Photos: Lindsay Colson
Wearing: Lorna Jane tank // Fabletics tights // Nikes
More total body workouts can be found here.
Psssst. Last chance to order the Blue Apron giveaway!
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Let’s Go: Embrace the Work
Professional athlete Omar Bolden is motivated by those around him and thrives on the challenge of the journey.
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How To Prevent And Treat Back Pain
003: Interview with the Pilot
When I decided I wanted to started a podcast, the Pilot was my very first interview guest! This was my first time podcasting ever, so it’s a little high on the “like” and “for sure” scale. Thankfully I caught it early, and this is still a fun episode with random tidbits and lots of life/marriage tips.
The status of our personal relationships can have a huge impact on our overall health and wellbeing. In this episode, the Pilot and I talk about the strategies we use to keep our relationship strong (yay, nerd dates), how we deal with stress, and answer some reader questions.
In this episode:
-Our *kind of* moving schedule
-How we plan time for workouts
-Tips for maintaining a healthy marriage
-Nerd dates and
-The Pilot’s stress mentality
If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a rating or review! This means more people will be likely to see it. Next week, I’ll have an episode up from Dr. Patrick Flynn to talk about women’s hormones.
xoxo
Check out the rest of the podcast episodes here.
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7 Ways to Stay Healthy (and Sane!) When Planning Your Wedding
There are 103 days left until my wedding, and I can say with certainty that planning a wedding has been one of the most stressful experiences of my life. While of course I couldn't be more excited to marry my fiancé—and dance with our friends and family—yeah, I am 100 percent ready to be DONE with the planning part.
There are a seemingly infinite number of decisions required to pull off a successful wedding: Carrot or coconut cake? Classic or trendy floral arrangements? Buffet or sit-down dinner? I DON'T KNOW—STOP ASKING ME THINGS!
There have been endless appointments with vendors, not to mention conversations with well-meaning family members who want to insert their opinions on everything from favors to who should sit where. Planning a wedding will take a lot out of you—and by the time your wedding date creeps up, it's normal to feel stressed, depleted, and completely overwhelmed.
But it doesn't have to be that way! I asked experts for some strategies to help you avoid wedding planning stress (or at least diminish it) and stay healthy (... or at least somewhat sane) in the months leading up to your big walk down the aisle.
1. Make breakfast a non-negotiable.
Wedding planning can make for some late nights—and if you were up until 2 a.m. trying to figure out seating charts, you might be tempted to skip breakfast the next morning in exchange for a few extra zzzs.
But if you want to avoid wedding stress during the planning process—and have plenty of energy to tackle wedding projects during your free time, like after you wrap up at the office—you need to make breakfast a non-negotiable. "Regardless of what you are working on at midnight, it's important to start your day with breakfast," says Erin M. Shyong, RD, CDE. "Skipping it can derail your energy all day and make that couch look cozier than ever after work."
"Start each day with a healthy, balanced breakfast that includes a protein and a fat, like a banana with peanut butter," Shyong says. "Proteins help to keep you full and when combined with healthy fats can really help to stabilize your blood sugar."
2. Get your sweat on.
When you're exhausted from wedding planning stress, working out might be the last thing you feel like doing. But not only will regular sweat sessions have you looking and feeling your best, they'll also deliver a potent energy boost—and will help you better manage all that wedding stress.
"Get at least four to five 20-30 minute workout sessions in weekly. Consistency is key to achieving results and managing stress," says Jillian Michaels, fitness and health expert, and creator of the My Fitness by Jillian Michaels app.
When it comes to working out, it doesn't matter what you do—as long as you enjoy it enough to do it consistently. "Overall, do what you love, keep your intensity level up by pushing yourself, and do it consistently," Michaels says. (Looking for some workout inspiration? Check out the six-week Wedding Warrior program in Michael's app.)
3. Drink plenty of H20.
The months leading up to your wedding week are a time to celebrate—and often those celebrations include extra-delicious-but-maybe-not-so-good-for-you foods and plenty of booze. While there's nothing wrong with diving into a cheese plate and washing it down with a few glasses of champagne (what's life without?!), too much celebratory food can leave you feeling dehydrated and bloated—which can drag down your energy and make it harder to feel your best during the wedding planning process.
Thankfully, there's a simple solution to counteract some of the side effects you might experience from too many pre-wedding celebrations—and that's H20. "The key is to stay hydrated throughout the day," Shyong says. "Carry a water bottle with you and always follow a glass of wine or beer with a glass of water."
Not only will getting plenty of H20 make you feel better, but it'll also make you look better (hello, clear skin!)—which definitely doesn't hurt when your wedding (and wedding photo shoot) is around the corner.
4. Talk yourself out of feeling overwhelmed.
If there were one word to describe the wedding planning process, "overwhelming" would be a serious contender. But kicking this sensation to the curb could be as simple as talking yourself out of it—in the form of affirmations.
"Affirmations are an effective tool because they sink deep into your subconscious, which is where we really operate our daily lives from," says Jill Faulkner, founder of Stick With It Co., which creates products based around affirmations. By repeating daily affirmations like "I trust the process" or "I am calm," you'll start to operate from a more trusting and calm place—and you'll feel tons better as a result.
If you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed by a particular aspect of wedding planning, you can also create a specific affirmation around this situation. "If there is a particular stressor, like finding a venue, the affirmation might be, 'The right venue that is meant to be ours will be available on our desired date,'" Faulkner says.
Carve out 10 minutes each morning to repeat your daily affirmations. Record them on your phone and play them in the car on your way to wedding appointments. Drill the calm, cool, and collected affirmations into your brain—they're sure to affect how you feel.
5. Keep plenty of healthy snacks on hand.
Between meetings with the venue, tastings, fittings, and the other zillion tasks you need to cross off your list, "busy" can seem like a gross understatement. And on your busiest wedding planning days, when you're zipping from one appointment to another, healthy eating is often the first thing that goes out the window. And as a result of either eating snacks that don't make you feel good—or skipping meals and eating nothing at all—you're more likely to feel cranky and tired.
But all that it takes to stay on track is a bit of preparation. For a quick planning day pick-me-up, stash some nuts in the glove compartment of your car and snack on them throughout the day. "Nuts provide a great blend of fats and proteins and are easy to grab-and-go," Shyong says.
6. Make your relationship a priority…
When it comes to wedding planning, it can be easy to miss the forest for the trees and get so caught up in all the details (place settings, flowers, and cufflinks, oh my!) that you forget about what's really important—your relationship.
"All relationships thrive best when a couple puts healthy and loving energy into it. It's easy for that to be put off to the side, even temporarily, while a wedding is being planned," says Lyn Rowbotham, Ph.D., a life and relationship coach in Malibu, CA.
Not making time for your partner (or making every second of your time together focused on the wedding) can create serious tension in your relationship—and make the process of planning a wedding that much more stressful.
Creating some distance between you and a stressful planning issue can leave room for you and your partner to get closer.
"Some issues that can come up are feelings of disconnect between you, resentments that get built up, emotional and/or physical exhaustion, increasing conflict over things that normally wouldn't be an issue, self-doubts, doubts about your partner, a decrease in intimacy, feeling unsupported by your partner, feeling isolated and misunderstood, poor self-care, and communication breakdowns," Rowbotham says.
To avoid issues like these with your partner, carve out time every day to connect. "Check in with your partner… listen and reflect back what you heard and ask how you can be supportive," Rowbotham says. And no wedding talk allowed!
"Create some distance between you and wedding planning issues. They will still be there to manage later. Creating some distance between you and a stressful planning issue can leave room for you and your partner to get closer."
Remember, the wedding is just one day, but the marriage? That's (hopefully) for life—so make sure you make the time to connect with your partner throughout the wedding planning process.
"Remind yourself that your love and your relationship is the why. It's why there is a wedding, why you want it to be special… for both of you. The how is the planning. The why has to remain the priority or the how doesn't really matter," Rowbotham says.
7. … and make yourself a priority too.
It's important to make the time to take care of your relationship. But it's just as important—if not more so—to make the time to take care of yourself. "If you're not taking care of yourself, then you're going to have a harder time taking care of the things you need to take care of.
More often than not, wedding planning involves quite a few folks, with lots of opinions and visions, and a bride or groom must protect their peace—and their sanity," Faulkner says. "Without self-care, there is room for feelings of chaos. If self-care is not prioritized, what is an exciting and joyous time has the potential to turn into frustration."
Spend a few hours each week doing the things that make you feel calm, centered, and taken care of, whether that's hitting your favorite yoga class, carving out a few hours to read a new (non wedding-related) book, or getting a massage. Rest and recharge. The better you take care of yourself, the better you can take care of everything else in your life—including wedding planning.
I've started implementing these wedding day tips over the past few days, and let me tell you—they work. I'm already feeling like a happier and healthier bride-to-be—and I'm going to carry that with me through the next 103 days, straight until I walk down the aisle.
Deanna deBara is a freelance writer and accidental marathon runner living in Portland, OR. Keep up with her running adventures on Instagram @deannadebara.
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How Long Can You Leave Food Out in the Sun?
Between backyard barbecues and neverending beach days, summer is the prime time for eating alfresco. Nothing beats digging into fresh fruit salad (or biting into a big ol’ burger) with your toes in the sand and the sun on your face. But remember: Your body isn’t the only thing soaking up those golden rays. If your food is left out for too long—especially in the summer heat—it starts to spoil.
Unfortunately, perishable foods hanging out in the great outdoors can become breeding grounds for bad bacteria like E.coli and Salmonella. And nothing turns a perfect beach day into a sh*tty one like a sudden case of food poisoning.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Before you swear off all picnics for the rest of time, there are a few things you should know. Follow these rules of summertime snacking and you'll be OK.
The Golden Two-Hour Rule
As you probably guessed, the exact amount of time you can leave food out of the fridge and in the great outdoors depends on the food in question—and of course, the temperature. But according to the FDA, you should always follow the basic two-hour rule: Don’t leave anything that you would typically refrigerate out for more than two hours at room temperature. If it’s a particularly hot day—anywhere near 90 degrees Fahrenheit—make that just one hour.
Most of the bacteria you don't want to be snacking on flourish in temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees, a thermal window (quite dramatically) dubbed “The Danger Zone.” If left to do its thing, a bacterial population can double in nearly 20 minutes. Not so appetizing.
So if you’re in doubt, avoid food that’s been sitting in the hot sun for an hour or more. (One great way to do this that doesn't require eating very very quickly is bringing a cooler!) Common sense comes into play here too—so if you notice a new scent or a slime, keep that funky food out of your body.
Don't Forget About the Hot Stuff
While we tend to remember that the two-hour rule applies to the food we want to keep cool, it's easy to forget that it's just as important to keep the hot stuff hot. According to dietitian-nutritionist Gina Hassick, MA, RD, cooked hot foods that aren't served right away should be kept at or above 140 degrees. She suggests using warming trays, slow cookers, and chafing dishes to keep your food (literally) safe and warm. Want to make sure your food isn't falling into "The Danger Zone?" Bring a food thermometer to keep temperature tabs on your dishes.
Hassick also notes that improper cooling of hot foods often leads to foodborne illness. "Even though the food has been safely cooked, bacteria can still be reintroduced if given the opportunity." For quicker, more even cooling, Hassick suggests using shallow containers, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, and plastic baggies when storing leftovers.
Meat, Poultry, and Fish
Unless you’re interested in inviting an angry mob of bacteria into your body, don’t leave any of these in the sun for more than an hour—or two if at room temperature. Meat, poultry, and fish are all definitely subject to the two-hour rule—and if we’re talking barbecues, be extra cautious.
Raw meat, including poultry and shellfish, is particularly prone to bacterial growth when left out in "The Danger Zone." Staph, E.Coli, and Campylobacter can multiply rapidly—a surefire way to get food poisoning ASAP. Keep that raw meat cool and out of the sun until it goes on the grill, wash all cutting boards and plates that touched it, and keep it away from other foods that won’t be cooked.
Cheese
According to a recent Wisconsin-based study, some cheeses can safely stay unrefrigerated (at temps 70 degrees or cooler) for about six hours. However, not all cheeses are created equal—it turns out that the rate at which a cheese will start to go bad has to do with its water content. While harder cheeses (like Parmesan, Gouda, and cheddar) can hang for multiple hours, high-moisture cheeses (like ricotta, queso blanco, and mascarpone) will spoil pretty quickly. (Yep, we're back to the two-hour rule.) So if you’re planning a day-long beach picnic? Get that cheddar... or eat your soft cheese with some hustle.
Fresh Produce
Since they're perishable goods, fruits and veggies should also be considered part of the two-hour—one in the sun—rule, according to the FDA. To keep them fresh for longer, don't cut into your fruit until you're ready to chow down. That means fruit salads might not be the best idea for a picnic on a sizzling day.
Fruit Juices
So you’re dying of thirst... but that carton of OJ has been sitting out for a few hours. Is it worth it? According to Tropicana, most of its refrigerated products shouldn’t sit out of the fridge for more than three hours. If you’re outside in the hot sun? More like one.
Wine
Unless you're making mulled wine, hot libations don't sound particularly appetizing. And according to VinePair, there's a reason to keep wine chilled for as long as possible. Heat and sunlight have been known to affect the tannins of wine, so if you've let a bottle sit out or in a roasting car for a day, it might start to become slightly acidic and tangy. Though there's not much research on exactly how long wine can sit in the heat, we'd highly recommend toting around your vino in a cooler.
Salads and Dressings
While leafy greens will wilt after an hour or two, crunchier veggies tend to last a little longer. If you’re looking for a salad that will keep throughout a day-long barbecue, try using crunchy vegetables—like cucumbers, broccoli, tomatoes, and onion—and top with a balsamic vinaigrette. While some dressings will spoil quickly when left out for too long, others with vinegar might hold up a bit better.
According to one study, vinegar and olive oil may have antimicrobial properties that protect against Salmonella and E.Coli. (But olive oil on its own tends to become rancid quickly at high temperatures—so consider tossing in some vinegar!) Again, that doesn’t mean leave your salad in direct sunlight all day long—just know that a dressing with a vinegar base might hold up better than a creamier variety.
The Takeaway
Though there's some science behind how foods fare when exposed to warm air, you don't have to be a microbiologist to stay safe. Use the basic two-hour rule, your gut (and nose!)—and when in doubt, throw it out. Don't want to be wasteful? Pack a cooler and plan to chow down before you fall asleep in the sun.
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After Years of Frustration, I Tried a Menstrual Cup—and I'm Shook
I got my first period in the sixth grade, and like most, I've hated the experience ever since. But unlike most, I had a pretty restrictive routine from middle school into most of my adulthood: My first two days involved turning off all the lights, silencing all sounds, and lying in the fetal position. Part this was because of the pain, but mostly, I just wanted to withdraw from society because of the total frustration and inconvenience that comes with wearing menstrual products.
I've always had a hate/hate relationship with tampons.
They didn't seem to offer me a lot of protection. So many people I know love them, but for me, they've never been practical. For years, I dedicated myself to maxi pads—they gave me the coverage I needed and were cheaper. But the constant rubbing against my skin felt gross, and I wanted to move as little as possible to reduce the sensation.
As anyone who's worn a pad knows, they're extremely limiting. If they have wings, it's like you never have whatever underwear would actually allow them to stay folded. And if they don't, they could spontaneously compress and cause spillage over the sides.
A couple of years ago, after I gave birth, things got worse. Even my old faithful maxi pads started to let me down. I knew I had to make another change—so I started wearing adult diapers. Yes, I know. My friends laughed at me too. But it killed two birds with one stone: I stopped needing to soak my ruined underwear and I didn't have to change as frequently as I did with a pad. However, they're expensive, and it probably comes as no surprise that wearing them kind of sucks.
So my new answer was to test out the menstrual cup.
At first, I was pretty freaking pissed at the concept—at almost $40 upfront, it's not cheap. But I reminded myself that if used correctly, this initial investment is nothing in comparison to the $400-700 average periods cost per year. Another barrier for some people is that inserting your fingers into your vagina can feel invasive or uncomfortable, but personally, it doesn't freak me out at all.
I read a few forums to see what common first-time issues were, and many of them involved a slight amount of leakage due to improper insertion. When my cycle hit that week, I was ready to test out my new gear: I followed the directions on the packaging as well as the forums, and found I had no leaks at all.
It was weird knowing something was there catching everything, but I felt liberated. And that feeling promoted a total change in my routine—I didn't want to stay in my cave of gloom like usual. I went out and took a freaking yoga class. And as I reflected in downward-facing dog, it hit me that I was BENDING OVER ON MY PERIOD. And there was no murder scene!
I lifted my leg without a care in the world. Yes, the pain was still there, but my grumpiness and general sense of yuck, which had caused me to retreat for years, was gone.
My menstrual cup marked a new era for me.
I was done feeling gross during something natural and was finished with letting my period make me its bitch. I'm a free woman, dammit. Watch me forward-fold!
I was also pleased with myself for reducing waste and having a positive environmental impact. We didn't do goddess pose that day, but I didn't need to—I already felt like one. I know it isn't for everyone, but it's my hope that everyone who gets a period will attempt at least one month with a menstruation cup. The environmental impact would be astronomical, but the difference in how you feel about your body's natural functions would be even more noticeable.
This month was a game-changer for me—and I can't wait to see how the next one goes.
A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez is a diversity content specialist who produces materials relating to mental and physical health, sociology, and parenting. Her work can be seen on several national platforms. Check her out on Facebook and Twitter.
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I Love My Weird Boobs
Would you like a curated list of everything I hate about my body? It is not a pretty list, quite literally, and would be pretty comprehensive, beginning with my super-fine hair—which refuses to grow longer than my shoulders—and ending somewhere around my bulbous little left toe that curls almost all the way under my foot and sports a discolored nail that grows into a gnarled claw.
All the time, I'm conscious of keeping my arms straight so I don't reveal how weirdly sharp my elbows are, and sucking in my rounded stomach, even when I'm not in the company of others. Pretty much every part of my body is on the list. If you think I haven't opened my mouth in the mirror and harshly judged my own tongue (too short, weirdly colored), you'd be wrong. But there is one body part that, strangely, I've never worried about: my boobs.
It's not that I think my boobs are perfect. Objectively, I can see that I may not have the ideal rack. It's just that unlike the rest of my weird body parts, which I worry about, curse, and try to change, I actually like my breasts, despite their flaws.
They are a good size: not-too-big, not-too-small B cups that sometimes spill over into C's depending on the brand. Bras are not absolutely necessary, and most of the time, I can get away with a bandeau, my bra of choice. My nipples are a good color for my skin tone, as far as I can tell. But my breasts are far from perfect. They are strangely far apart. (If I'm braless, I can fit my entire palm between the girls.) They droop weirdly, as if they are trying to take shelter in my armpits, and occasionally grow black hairs.
My whole adolescence, I prayed my boobs would never get big, a hope half influenced by Roberta in Now and Then, who tapes herself down to stop her boobs from growing, and half by my high-school hero, Joey Potter of Dawson's Creek, whose barely-there boobs made her sleeveless tops flowy, uncomplicated, and perfect for sitting wistfully on docks.
I just wanted them small, even though according to Victoria Secret ads and magazine covers they were supposed to look better bigger. I like them far apart, even though most of society says "grab a push-up bra and squish those babies together."
But for some reason, I just don't care what society thinks of my boobs.
Normally, I'm a slave to conventional beauty expectations. I want a flat stomach. I want long legs. I shamefully tanned at the tanning salon for years before my hypochondria about having skin cancer outweighed my desire to look like I spent every day of the year at the beach. But for some reason, I just don't care what society thinks of my boobs. I like them they way they are. For once, something on my body looks the way I want it, a way that I specifically think is beautiful, even though it isn't considered perfect.
Lately, I've noticed other women embracing their body parts that aren't conventionally beautiful. I see photos of girls on Instagram without perfectly flat stomachs wearing crop tops, taking ownership of what it means to have a belly you can choose to expose. It's not just that they "don't care" if it looks bad, it's that they like the way they look, even though it's not the standard.
The first time I saw an Instagram photo of a woman who was doing yoga in a sports bra but didn't have a six-pack and a spray tan, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. Folds of her stomach were rolling over the waistband of her pants, but she was just existing, not sucking in, not posing so that her waist looked smaller. It felt, in a way, that that image shouldn't be allowed. Maybe it was because so for so long, it wasn't.
Until recently, we weren't really ever presented with women existing who weren't "perfect": We didn't see it on TV; we didn't see it in magazines; we didn't see it anywhere outside of real life, where strangely, nobody we knew looked like a model but for some reason that fact never really sank in. But then there was Instagram: a platform where anyone could post photos of themselves without having to go through the airbrush-heavy sensors we're used to.
Now, we are able to see beautiful women of all shapes, colors, sizes, and bodies confidently displaying their image. I see girls who show off their stretch marks, their cellulite, women wearing clothes that accentuate the areas of their bodies that ten years ago fashion magazines told them had to be hidden under something A-line. For so long, women have been told there's basically only one way to look beautiful, but I find myself being envious of these women's "imperfect" bodies just as often as I used to be jealous of models' "perfect" bodies—so maybe that's just not true.
So far, for me, it's still just my boobs. Seeing other women show off the body parts they are proud of makes me hopeful I can get rid of that long list of all the things wrong with my body and just display it, but I'm not quite there yet. But if I can love my lopsided knockers, why not my wide hips or my armpit fat? Maybe one day. For now, I'm glad I can enjoy a piece of myself that I like just the way it is. But don't worry... I won't post my boobs on Instagram.
Lucy Huber is a writer, multiple cat owner, and sufferer of Reverse Dawson's Creek Actor Syndrome, which is a disease she made up for when you are 30 but look 15. To see her other work or ask more specific questions about her cats, visit lucyhuber.com.from Greatist RSS http://bit.ly/2Kr8lvK
My Partner and I Have Totally Different Diets—Here's How We Make It Work
When you start dating someone new, it’s easy to agree on everything—at least it was for my husband and me. You like dirty martinis? Me too! You like bagel Sundays? What a coincidence! You put milk in your coffee? Yep, I think it tastes better that way too. When you’re lost in the bliss of newfound love, it’s easy to simply say "yes" to everything.
But after months of drinking a bit too much, eating out a bit too often, and regularly saying "yes" to things we previously saved for cheat days, the indulgence got old. And once the honeymoon period started to wind down, new habits (and preferences) started to reveal themselves.
I vividly remember dropping my first truth bomb. While strolling through the grocery store, we stopped in the refrigerator section to stock up on breakfast staples. My husband reached for the Greek yogurt, and I unleashed. “I don’t like Greek yogurt,” I said.
He was shocked. We’d been eating it every morning for the past year.
“And do you mind if we start buying almond milk?”
I then proceeded to reveal that I also didn’t care for store-bought granola, that I wasn’t that crazy about red meat, and that the coffee beans he loved were too bitter for me.
After that, the honesty floodgates were open. I learned just as many new things about him, and at moments, we felt like strangers—when it came to food.
While my husband could eat chicken every night, I like eating a mostly vegetarian diet. His favorite breakfast is cereal; mine is soft-boiled eggs and sliced avocado. He can drink three cups of coffee a day and sleep like a baby; I function best when I stick to tea. For me, indulgence is dessert; for him, it’s red meat. As a long-distance runner who is naturally lean, his body craves carbohydrates and processes them like a pro. As a yoga- and barre-devotee with a rounder physique, I feel (and look) my best when limiting grains and gluten. In many ways, we’re opposites. Yet we eat most of our meals together.
Here’s how we found a middle ground.
Learn Together
With the abundance of health-related content on the internet, it’s easy to think we know the best way to eat for our body. As someone who works in the wellness industry, I definitely thought I knew—and when it came to food in our relationship, I thought I knew best. But shoving advice down your partner’s throat rarely ever works (trust me, I tried). So instead, we saw a nutritionist together.
Though we saw the same nutritionist, our appointments were separate, which gave us ample opportunity to ask our own questions and learn about our own bodies. I learned that eating too much fat—even healthy fats—disrupts my digestion, that my body prefers cooked vegetables, and that I benefit from more animal protein in my diet.
He learned that he had to eat more to fuel his exercise regimen, that a higher protein breakfast gave him more energy, and that eating grains at night improved both his digestion and sleeping. But the most important takeaway was that because our bodies are different, our needs are different, and that’s OK.
Embrace a Happy Medium
It’s easy to fixate on differences, but one of the keys to our harmonious kitchen is focusing on our similarities. Though we may not see eye-to-eye on ice cream—I can’t live without it; he avoids it entirely—we both love eating healthy and feeling good. And though our list of differences is long, our list of like-minded flavors is longer.
Some of the things on our mutual love list: salmon, tahini, arugula, eggplant, curries, zucchini noodles, lentil soups, sweet potato chili, veggie kabobs (really any kind of kabob), Caesar salad, shakshuka. When we changed the conversation to what we both love, as opposed to what we don’t, we realized it was actually pretty easy to enjoy the same meal together.
We also make a concerted effort to let the other live a little. Because he loves chicken, we cook it at least once a week. Because I love my morning eggs, he’ll eat them with me occasionally—and even cook them (he makes a mean scramble). We give and take and sometimes we simply eat different things or use different toppings. For example, if he’s craving meat and I’m craving veggies, we’ll make a grain salad and use whatever protein or add-ons we fancy. Same same, but different!
Communication Is Key
I’m a firm believer in communication—in and out of the kitchen. In fact, if we’d been more open with each other at the beginning of our relationship, we could’ve been eating in harmony all along (and feeling a lot better too).
While it's the hardest thing to stick to—and do in a thoughtful way—I also think it’s the most important. This means everything from saying "no" ("No, I do not want another drink") to being open about what you need ("I’m not feeling great. Can we cut back on eating out?") to asking for help ("I’m trying to quit sugar. Can we keep dessert out of the house?").
It can also be difficult to figure out how to communicate in the right way. For instance, I can get frustrated when I want to share a pasta dish, and my husband wants fish. While I know he’s making an effort to eat healthier, I want him to be my partner in crime (and I’m not shy about saying so—as he’s not shy about declining, repeatedly).
And I know he feels frustrated when a cheat meal on Friday spirals into a cheat weekend, and we both wake up on Monday feeling like crap—with me being the instigator. Learning how to say "no" and express what you need thoughtfully and without any finger-pointing is hard, but it’s what makes communication work. My husband and I work at this every day.
The Takeaway
First and foremost, it’s OK to like different things! We know a couple where one’s been a vegetarian since age six, and the other is a diehard Paleo fan who eats bacon every morning. They’ve been together for 11 years. Having different tastes and different needs is a-OK. And in all honesty, your differences are what make you such a unique (and wonderful) pairing.
So be honest. The best way to get to a neutral ground is to talk about what you need and to listen to what your partner needs. Odds are, there will still be plenty of things you can eat (and enjoy) together. And you’ll likely be a lot healthier—personally and in your relationship—for it.
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Can Certain Foods Actually Boost Metabolism and Burn Fat?
We’ve all seen the headlines singing the praises of one fat-melting food that will rev up metabolism or somehow magically melt away extra pounds. Sure—it would be nice if there were a silver bullet that transformed our bodies into lean, mean, digestion machines. But unfortunately, most products that claim to be “cleansing” don’t actually cause you to suddenly drop ten pounds.
That’s not to say foods don’t affect your metabolic system at all. For example, hot peppers and green tea have both been shown to boost metabolism, albeit slightly. We dug into the science to understand the nuances behind those dramatic headlines and serve up some truth about food and metabolism.
What is metabolism?
Metabolism refers to any bodily process that uses energy, including digestion, breathing, circulation, controlling body temperature, muscle contraction, and brain and nerve function. The body expends a certain number of calories to perform these functions, which is otherwise known as resting metabolic rate.
There is much debate as to whether your resting metabolic rate is set in stone or can be altered. “In a way, every food will increase metabolism because it needs to be broken down,” says Mascha Davis MPH, RDN, owner of Nomadista Nutrition. “The speed of our metabolism is largely outside of our control and plays only a minor role in weight management,” Davis adds. Still, some research points to the fact that adding muscle mass and eating certain foods can alter metabolism speed—but the results may not be as dramatic as the sensationalized claims we hear all too often.
Green Tea
Many believe that sipping a cup of green tea revs up your metabolism, but that’s only partly true. One meta-analysis found that drinking green tea in conjunction with reducing calories resulted in weight loss. The researchers attribute this positive impact largely to EGCG, a compound in the tea which—when combined with caffeine and on its own—is believed to promote fat oxidation. But one has to wonder if the study participants lost weight primarily because of their green tea intake or more so because they were cutting calories.
Regardless, adding a glass of green tea to your daily routine sounds like a no-brainer, but the amount used in clinical settings tends to be much higher than an average glass. In the aforementioned study, participants received an average of 250 milligrams of green tea, or 3 cups, which helped to burn 100 calories. We’re not knocking an extra hundred calories—but to put that into perspective, that equates to about one measly ounce of cheese.
Hot Peppers
We’ve all heard the rumors that drinking cayenne and lemon water will crank up your metabolism like crazy. That’s probably a little far-fetched, but there is some evidence that capsaicin (the compound found in hot peppers) may boost metabolism. Here’s the caveat—most studies use an alarmingly large amount of cayenne pepper. For that reason, a recent randomized controlled trial looked at the effects of eating a palatable amount of cayenne, about 1 gram or a ½ teaspoon, and its effects on metabolism. The researchers found that this amount typically used in recipes only burns about 10 calories. So go ahead and have 2 more tortilla chips—you deserve it!
Whole Grains
A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at how substituting whole grains for refined grains might affect metabolism, and the results were actually pretty promising. For 8 weeks, the study’s participants ate either 200 grams of whole grains with 40 grams of fiber, or no whole grains with just 20 grams of fiber. In the end, the participants on the whole-grain diet burned an extra 45 calories. Though the difference is small, it’s yet another reason to choose whole grains.
Protein
According to Davis, meals higher in protein or fiber typically take more energy to digest—meaning they might amp up overall energy expenditure. As a matter of fact, about 20-30 percent of the energy from a standard protein meal is used in the digestion process, while fat and carbs only need 5 percent of calories for digestion. That means for every 100 calories of protein you consume, 20 to 30 are burned off in the digestion process. While this sounds exciting, let’s be realistic about what 20 calories really looks like—2 stalks of celery, 1 carrot, or 1 tomato.
Coffee
“Moderate caffeine intake has been shown to temporarily increase an individual's metabolic rate between one to 25 percent,” says Kristen Smith, MS, RD. However, she suggests holding off on the extra-large coffee. “Large intakes of caffeine can result in health consequences such as a rapid heart rate, digestive issues, or insomnia,” Smith says. She also adds that drinking a ton of coffee may displace other much-needed nutrients from your diet, like protein, fat, carbs, vitamins, and minerals. So while that cuppa joe might be a convenient way to wake up all the systems in the a.m., it shouldn’t be the only thing you put into your body.
Coconut Oil
This oil’s claim to fame is that it contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), which are thought to be stored in the body less easily than other types of saturated fat. Unfortunately, research has proven that eating medium-chain triglcyerides instead of long-chain triglycerides doesn’t really make much of a difference when it comes to your waistline.
The Bottom Line
“Unfortunately, no single food is going to magically boost your metabolism,” Smith says, and the research concurs. “The downside of such claims is that people might rely on the ‘fat-burning’ effect of certain food instead of making sustainable dietary changes,” Mascha adds.
Even though green tea or cayenne pepper may help you burn an extra 20-50 calories, neither is likely to make a huge difference in your overall weight. According to the experts, the key to a healthier weight is eating a balanced diet composed of nutrient-dense foods. Yup—good old healthy eating and moderation come out on top yet again.
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Why It’s Normal to Feel Anxiety After a Sudden Loss
When my dad died suddenly a few years ago, I told myself that I was fine. Yes, I was devastated, but I assumed I'd be able to plow through it and keep moving. I was pretty shocked, and my brain hadn't quite grasped the reality of the situation. I figured I could take a day off, grieve my little heart out, and be back to work the following Monday. (Thankfully, both my family and my amazing boss at the time talked me out of that delusional plan.)
When I returned to "normal life" after my dad's funeral, I was pretty convinced I could pick back up where I left off—at least when it came to external things. I was very sad, and I knew I couldn't escape that, but I didn't think it would impact my ability to get through daily obligations. I assumed I could be OK during the workday, saving my grief for my evenings and days off, when I had time to process them.
Unsurprisingly, that's not how it panned out.
In the first few years after losing my dad, some part of my brain was convinced that crisis was hiding around every corner.
My anxiety spread to all areas of my life, but it was the worst when it came to worrying about my loved ones. Because my dad's passing was very sudden, some part of me assumed I'd lose other people in a similarly shocking way if I ever let down my guard.
Each time the phone rang, I assumed it was a family member calling with terrible news. I'd panic whenever a loved one went more than an hour without responding to my messages. My arms would tingle, and my heart would race, and it was like I was back in that initial moment of loss all over again. I'd be unable to think about anything else until I had "proof" that everyone was OK. (As you can imagine, I was super fun to be around during this time.)
Meanwhile, as this trainwreck was unfolding, I'd be sitting at my desk with a smile plastered on my face, staring straight through my computer screen while my brain exploded, pretending I was totally fine.
But as scary as this felt to me at the time, it's not uncommon.
Many people experience anxiety and other unsettling symptoms in the aftermath of an unexpected loss.
"It's common for people to develop anxiety and depression after the sudden loss of a loved one," says Steve Debenedetti-Emanuel, LMFT, a marriage and family therapist at River City Counseling in Sacramento, California. According to Debenedetti-Emanuel, an immediate reaction to loss is often denial or numbness, like I experienced. However, that numbness eventually fades.
"Before long, people will likely move into feelings of anxiety," Debenedetti-Emanuel says. "Quite frankly, I'd be more concerned if someone doesn't develop anxiety—and likely depression, eventually."
I'd be unable to think about anything else until I had 'proof' that everyone was OK.
These feelings can be especially tough to process when a loss is unexpected because the path to acceptance is a longer one. The death of a loved one is always hard, no matter how you lose them. That said, when you're expecting someone's passing for weeks or months in advance due to a long illness, you have some time to start wrapping your head around what's happening.
A sudden death, on the other hand, brings with it a whole extra set of baggage. "The sense of their own mortality, along with an insecurity of wondering how they will go on, dominates the survivor's mind," says Sanam Hafeez, Psy.D., an NYC-based clinical psychologist and faculty member at the Columbia University Teacher's College.
"It launches people into a future mindset, which leads to anxiety," Hafeez says. "Whenever the future dominates someone's thoughts, anxiety usually follows, especially when grieving a sudden death of a loved one."
This can also send your nervous system into a bit of a panic. "A person is put into fight-or-flight 'survival' mode, vacillating between accepting their loved one is gone and the upheaval that sudden loss brings into their world," Hafeez explains.
Usually the real anxiety comes later.
One potential reason that these anxious feelings don't usually surface until a bit later is that the immediate aftermath of a loss can be surprisingly busy. You're distracted by making funeral arrangements, filling out paperwork, and managing other loose ends, which makes it easier to put off the brunt of your grief until a few weeks later when all those tasks are finished.
Around that time, you may start to experience symptoms like tightness in your chest, irregular sleeping patterns, trouble focusing, sudden crying spells, and changes in your appetite. You may also feel a general sense of helplessness or bleakness about the future. (Of course, many of these symptoms can point to other health issues, so it's important to see a doctor and rule out anything else that may be causing it.)
Occasionally, people develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after this type of loss. "If a person learns that a loved one died as the result of an accident or traumatic event, there is the potential for that to develop into PTSD," says Gerard Lawson, Ph.D., president of the American Counseling Association. PTSD is likely to surface a bit further down the line, as opposed to in the immediate aftermath of a loved one's passing. While there's no specific timeline for recovering from such a loss, Lawson suggests talking to a professional "if the symptoms are interfering with your day-to-day functioning, even a few weeks later."
If anxiety is bringing you down while you grieve, there are steps you can take to feel better.
Talking to a therapist and implementing some healthy coping mechanisms can make a big difference—it certainly did for me.
"The first step is to understand there is no right or wrong way to grieve a loss like this," Lawson says. He suggests making sure you're taking care of yourself by getting proper sleep, fueling yourself with healthy food, and channeling stress into outlets like meditation or journaling. Basics like these are often the first things to fall by the wayside when you're feeling down, but they're important.
Lawson also suggests staying close to your support system, even when it's tempting to retreat. "There is often a tendency to withdraw and isolate yourself, and that can make the recovery process very difficult," Lawson says. The key, she explains, is setting boundaries with your loved ones and making it clear what you need from them.
Grief comes in waves, and it can be unpredictable.
"They are looking for you to set the expectations for whether and how much you want to talk about the loss," Lawson says. "Loved ones who want to help will honor those boundaries and talk as much or as little or not at all, if that's what you want." Of course, sometimes your support system simply doesn't get it, no matter how much they love you and want to help. In this case, you may also want to consider joining a support group with people who are experiencing the same thing.
Above all, don't put pressure on yourself to feel a certain way by a certain point. Grief comes in waves, and it can be unpredictable. "The most crucial point to know is that people don't 'get over' the death of a loved one," Debenedetti-Emanuel points out. "Instead, people integrate the loss into their lives." This means creating a "new normal" that honors the person you lost—while still allowing you to move forward.
Things won't be the same as they were before the loss, but you will feel more like yourself again in time. If things feel terrible right now, know that while you'll always miss the person you lost, you'll experience happiness again. "Grief is a process, and we move from the loss being the lens through which we see everything in the world to slowly relocating the loss off to the side," Lawson says. "It will always be there, but it won't always color everything in your life."
Claire Hannum is an NYC-based writer, editor, and traveler.
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Meal prep turkey meatballs (gluten-free)
These meal prep meatballs are the perfect high-protein healthy snack to add into your day. They make an awesome protein boost and can help you hit your protein macros if you’re tracking them. Here’s the quick and customizable recipe.
Hey friends! How are you? I hope you’re having a lovely week so far. Don’t forget to check out this week’s Four Sigmatic giveaway here, and I’ll have a new episode up on the podcast tomorrow morning. 
For today, let’s talk about meal prep, now that I’m finally getting the hang of cooking again after our move.
(they don’t look pretty, but they taste awesome)
One of my LEAST favorite things about meal prep is eating the same things all the time. When I see pictures on Instagram of five Tupperware containers of rice, chicken (or worse: tilapia), and broccoli, I can’t help but gag a little. I’m definitely a creature of habit, but I like to change things up a bit each day. Meal prep for me is more about variety or creating pre-made staples of foods I can mix, match, or completely transform according to how I feel that day.
These little meal prep meatballs have made it easier to add more protein into my diet. I find that when my meals are more balanced (carbs, fat, and protein), I’m much more energized and far less likely to hit an energy slump. The best part about these meatballs is that you can customize the flavors depending on your preferences. You can make a big batch and eat them every day but make them a little different each time.
I personally prefer to keep them a little on the bland side (just salt, pepper, garlic and herbs) so that I can get crazy with sauces and flavors later.
Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy these meal prep meatballs:
-With marinara sauce on a tortilla pizza (I’ll add marinara, fresh basil, goat cheese and olives)
-With Banza chickpea pasta + a favorite sauce (butter sauce, marinara, or even just a huge sprinkle of parm)
-With marsala sauce atop zucchini noodles
-In an egg scramble, topped with Primal Kitchen Ranch, blueberries, and a piece of homemade sourdough
-With BBQ sauce on top of a baked sweet potato with feta on top (it sounds weird, but I promise it’s amazing)
The possibilities are endless!
Here’s the quick and easy recipe if you’d like to give it a try.
- One pound of ground turkey
- 1/2 cup oats (can grind into flour if you don't want oat-y meatballs)
- 1 egg
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Optional: 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon basil, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, splash of Worcestershire sauce
- Wine, broth or water to deglaze the pan
- In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients using your hands.
- Using a melon ball scooper, roll into 16 meatballs.
- In a large saucepan, heat a bit of olive oil and bring up to medium or medium-high heat. Brown until cooked through (I like to use a meat thermometer to make sure), about 7-10 minutes.
- Add a splash of wine to the pan and deglaze (you can also use broth or water). Scrape the bottom of the pan and allow to heat for one more minute.
- Enjoy immediately, or allow to cool completely before freezing.
- Meal prep: freeze these and reheat when you'd like to eat!
What’s your favorite meal prep staple?
Can you eat the same thing every day or no??
xoxo
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What Are Custom Insoles And How Can They Help Runners?
Motivation with Claire Fountain
Claire Fountain, the founder of Trill Yoga, believes the real gifts come when you make the commitment to keep going and keep showing up.
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Javvin’ a fine time
Hey hey, party people! Happy Monday. How was the weekend? I hope you had a great one.
This weekend was perfection. It ended up being like 90% fun and 10% productivity, but after a crazy month, I’ll take it. Friday morning, I met my friend Katie for a spin class at (r)evolve + smoothies at Pure Love Juice.
The class was SO high energy – I have to admit it’s a little shocking to crawl out of bed straight into a nightclub vibe – but it was amazing to get in such a great workout before the day officially began. I came back home, and we hung out here with the fam, shopped a bit, and then grabbed Beyond Bread for lunch. Later that evening, my dad and stepmom came over to stay with the girls while the Pilot and I went out to celebrate Alexus’ birthday at the casino.
Everyone won (!! this never happens) and then we grabbed sushi for dinner. The sashimi plate was insanely fresh and the perfect complement to the appetizers we ordered for the table. Of course, since it was Alexus’ 21st, sake bombs were necessarily involved.
Saturday morning, we woke up early and headed to the Desert Museum with the girls before it got too hot.
We grabbed breakfast on the way and got to spend plenty of time outside enjoying the exhibits before the sun started beating down. They have a new stingray exhibit
(I was also wondering how this was a “desert attraction” but saw a sign that said they’re common in the Gulf of Mexico…)
and we saw JAVELINAS. This was worth the 45-minute drive and admission cost alone. They were snoozing peacefully under a bridge, and I could have watched them snore for at least an hour.
(Javelinas kind of have a bad rap here because they love digging in trash cans, but I’ve always loved them. Just don’t leave your ornately-decorated Halloween pumpkin on the doorstep.)
We saw so many desert animals and wildlife, but the star of the show was the scenery. After being in lush, green Georgia for the past year, the desert landscape looks like a different planet. It’s taking me a while to get used to the mountains, cacti, and dirt. Tucson is a pretty unique and scenic place.
Photo by Livi:
Saturday afternoon, I took an Orangetheory class while the fam came home for nap/rest time, and that’s when poor P came down with a fever. She got shots last week, so we’re thinking/hoping that it’s just a delayed effect from the vaccinations. I stayed home with her that afternoon and evening while the Pilot took Liv to a BBQ at Uncle E’s house. The worst part was P crying when we told her she was staying home, but thankfully she was ok once we snuggled on the couch to watch Toy Story. The good news is that *knock on wood* she’s feeling much better.
Another highlight of the weekend: a nighttime Zeel massage. I haven’t had a massage since before my surgery last summer – it’s been almost a year! – and the Pilot was needing one for his sore back after constant furniture moving and his truck-driving adventure. I booked back-to-back Zeel massages, and it felt like the most luxurious treat ever. (Note: I usually prefer borderline painful deep tissue massages, but after almost a year without one, I rolled with a Swedish.) If you’ve been wanting to try out Zeel, my link will get you $20 off your first one. They bring everything to your house! All you need is 2 sheets. It’s so convenient, especially if you have little ones and/or a busy schedule that makes planning massages a bit of a challenge.
Sunday morning was family brunch, chores at home, church, dinner, and Shameless. Not a bad way to end the weekend.
I hope you had a wonderful weekend, too! See ya in the morning with a weekly meal prep staple.
xo
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Blogiversary giveaway: Four Sigmatic
Hi friends! Happy Sunday! How’s the weekend going? I hope you’ve had a great one. We had a lot of family adventures before poor P came down with a fever yesterday. Liv and the Pilot headed to a family BBQ at Uncle E’s, while P and I snuggled on the couch watching Toy Story at home. Thankfully, she’s doing much better today!
I’m really excited about today’s giveaway, because it’s from a company I use every.single.day: Four Sigmatic.
When I first heard about the mushroom craze, I was a bit skeptical. Mushrooms in my beverages? Thanks but no thanks.
As I continued to learn about the potential benefits of various mushrooms, especially regarding immune system function, anxiety relief, and improved sleep, I decided to give it a whirl. Needless to say, I never went back. Gimme all the mushrooms in my tea and coffee.
I started off with some of Four Stigmatic’s mushroom coffee, and from there, I expanded to their Reishi elixir, the hot cacao mix, and now, the decaf reishi coffee. They all taste amazing and I’m happy to have these incredible products in my daily rotation.
Some of the things I love about Four Sigmatic:
– They use a dual extraction method (water and alcohol extraction) to ensure they’re getting as much of the good stuff as possible
– All mushrooms are sustainably-sourced and tested for safety. From the website:
Currently, our mushroom fruiting bodies of (reishi, lion’s mane, cordyceps, shiitake, maitake, etc), are grown in controlled environments in China on an amazing organic family farm that we have been working with for over 6 years. We choose to source mainly from China, as they have the longest history in mushroom cultivation (dating back to 600 A.D!), and their methods are far superior to anywhere else in the world. China is estimated to provide about 85% of the world’s mushrooms, and almost all of the world’s fruiting bodies! It’s really the only place where you could get organic and dual-extracted mushroom fruiting bodies.
– The numerous possible benefits of the various mushrooms!
Here are some of the top potential benefits of these healing mushrooms:
Reishi: can help support healthy sleep and reduce stress
Lion’s mane: for mental focus and immune system support
Chaga: powerful immune system support
Codyceps: to support energy, endurance, and performance
My very favorite is reishi, which is the one I have pretty much every day. I love the chill vibe that it gives me, especially as an anxious person by nature, and the different mixes are all delicious. The hot cacao mix is probably my fave; I mix it into my smoothies, or enjoy it mixed into warm almond milk at night.
My friends at Four Sigmatic are hooking up 4 readers with a box of their top-selling products. If you’ve been curious about the mushroom world, this is the perfect opportunity to give it a try! If you know you’d like to order (I highly recommend any of the coffees, too!), enter the code FITNESSISTA for 10% off.
2 winners will be chosen from the widget below, and 2 will be chosen from an upcoming Instagram post.
Ready, set, go!
xo
Gina
The post Blogiversary giveaway: Four Sigmatic appeared first on The Fitnessista.
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Active Meditation
Active meditation gives you the opportunity to free your mind, and focus simply on the activity that you are doing.
The post Active Meditation appeared first on Under Armour.
from Under Armour https://undrarmr.co/2yEPjgK
https://undrarmr.co/2MNMGwl
Low-Carb Shepherd’s Pie
Bison meat and cauliflower mash are the healthy secret to this shepherd’s pie.
The post Low-Carb Shepherd’s Pie appeared first on Under Armour.
from Under Armour https://undrarmr.co/2lopl7S
https://undrarmr.co/2yFGRhF
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