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Jessica Simpson Reportedly Used the Body Reset Diet to Lose 100 Pounds—But What Is It?
When Jessica Simpson took to Instagram to announce that she lost 100 pounds in the six months after giving birth to her daughter Birdie Mae, her followers flocked to the comments section to ask exactly what she did to drop the pounds. In a recent interview, Simpson’s trainer, Harley Pasternak, gave fans the answer they were looking for.
Pasternak told People the 39-year-old former pop star made diet changes based on his book The Body Reset Diet. “It’s three meals and two snacks a day, and each meal has protein, fiber and fat, and snacks are protein and fiber or protein and fat,” he said, explaining the gist of the diet. “It’s about balancing in a way that doesn’t make it painful or too much of a departure from your life before that.”
But, when you dig a little deeper into Pasternak’s Body Reset Diet, what exactly does it entail—and can it really help you lose weight like it helped Simpson? Here’s the lowdown on how it’s structured, and what to be aware of before you give it a try.
RELATED: Jessica Simpson Lost 100 Pounds in 6 Months After Giving Birth—Is That Healthy?
What is the Body Reset Diet?
The diet is broken up into three phases. The first lasts five days, and you’re directed to eat five times a day and consume only smoothies and snacks—specifically three smoothies and two snacks.
The smoothies are made from a combo of a liquid base (dairy or non-dairy milk, or water), protein (from a powder or plain non-fat Greek yogurt), healthy fat (from nuts, seeds, or avocado), and high fiber carbs (from fruit and/or veggies). There are plenty of smoothie recipes in the book.
As for snacks, there are several to pick from, like low-fat popcorn; celery sticks with almond butter, or a pear with sliced turkey. The snacks have guidelines around calorie, fiber, and protein content, which are outlined in the book. All of the snacks should be about 150 calories and contain at least 5 grams each of fiber and protein and less than 10 grams of sugar.
Phase one also involves light exercise—walking only (no boot camp classes or other hard core workouts), at a minimum of 10,000 steps daily.
During phase two, on days six through 10, you drink two smoothies, and eat one solid meal plus two snacks per day. Meals include salads, sandwiches, soups, stir fries, and other simple dishes. Meal prep is encouraged, and recipes are provided. You also add a five minute at-home, no-equipment workout three days a week, in addition to the 10,000 steps.
In phase three, days 11 through 15, smoothies are limited to one per day, plus two meals and two snacks. The workouts also ramp up a bit.
Beyond day 15, the book includes “rest of your life” advice (which sounds similar to the diet Simpson followed). In this advice, Pasternak advocates continuing to eat five times a day—specifically one smoothie, two snacks, and two solid meals—with two “free” splurge meals per week, which may include some alcohol. The 10,000 steps a day is advised seven days a week for life, along with brief resistance training sessions five days a week.
RELATED: What Is the Ayurvedic Diet—and Can It Help You Lose Weight?
Can the Body Reset Diet help you lose weight?
We unfortunately can't say for certain if the Body Reset Diet will help you lose weight. Pasternak doesn't have data on the results, either short term or long term, and it ultimately depends on someone's starting weight, previous diet, age, and other factors. In the long term, you’re encouraged to do many of the things you’ve probably heard about from other weight loss plans, including planning ahead, eating more slowly and mindfully, and sticking to a schedule, all of which is solid weight-loss advice.
The Body Reset Diet isn’t a drastic or fad diet. It encourages making healthy choices and developing lifestyle habits. In a nutshell, it takes many solid eating and exercise recommendations and puts them into a concrete, easy to understand structure. The book is straightforward, the strategy is easy to follow, and the advice is reasonable and actionable long term.
RELATED: The Zero Carb Diet May Be a Simple Way to Lose Weight—But Is It Safe?
What are the downsides of the Body Reset Diet?
The book was first published in 2013, and some of the recommendations seem dated compared to newer nutrition science and trends. For example, artificial sweeteners are allowed, and the plan encourages low-fat and fat-free foods, eggs without the yolk, and some more processed products, like deli turkey, crackers, and pita. Current nutrition thinking is focused on whole rather than processed foods and quality fat over total fat.
And while there are options for vegans, vegetarians, and those who follow a gluten-free or dairy-free diet, they aren’t readily tagged. You’ll have to look through the recipes, and you may need to make substitutions based on the diet you personally follow. For example, if you’re vegan you could make some of chicken broth soups with vegetable broth instead.
The plan also requires calorie counting or tracking. Many of my clients find this to be cumbersome or even stressful. But because the Body Reset Diet involves eating five times a day, it would be important to monitor calories to prevent over-consuming if you decide to follow this plan. In my experience, the more meals, the higher the chances are that you may overdo it on the calories, even just a bit, which can add up to enough of a surplus to stall weight loss.
RELATED: Can the Coffee Diet Really Help With Weight Loss—and Is It Safe?
Should you try the Body Reset Diet?
Nutrition is always evolving, which makes following a book like this from a specific date a challenge. While the structure of this plan, a balanced diet and regularly times meals, holds up, if you decide to try it, go for updated versions of foods within certain categories, like grass-fed if you eat dairy, pasture-raised whole eggs for egg eaters, no artificial sweeteners, and simple, clean ingredient packaged foods. Also, consider ditching the beef, upping seafood if you eat it, and cranking up the number of plant based meals.
Finally, it’s unclear how much weight you might lose in 15 days on this plan—or even how much weight you’ll lose in six months, like Simpson. But one thing is certain: losing weight and keeping it off does require finding a strategy you can really stick with, and one that makes you feel well both physically and emotionally. Whether that’s this exact plan, or your own modification, in the long run, healthy, sane, and sustainable always wins out over fast and furious.
Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, is Health's contributing nutrition editor, a New York Times best-selling author, and a nutrition consultant for the New York Yankees.
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Jessica Simpson Reportedly Used the Body Reset Diet to Lose 100 Pounds—But What Is It?
When Jessica Simpson took to Instagram to announce that she lost 100 pounds in the six months after giving birth to her daughter Birdie Mae, her followers flocked to the comments section to ask exactly what she did to drop the pounds. In a recent interview, Simpson’s trainer, Harley Pasternak, gave fans the answer they were looking for.
Pasternak told People the 39-year-old former pop star made diet changes based on his book The Body Reset Diet. “It’s three meals and two snacks a day, and each meal has protein, fiber and fat, and snacks are protein and fiber or protein and fat,” he said, explaining the gist of the diet. “It’s about balancing in a way that doesn’t make it painful or too much of a departure from your life before that.”
But, when you dig a little deeper into Pasternak’s Body Reset Diet, what exactly does it entail—and can it really help you lose weight like it helped Simpson? Here’s the lowdown on how it’s structured, and what to be aware of before you give it a try.
RELATED: Jessica Simpson Lost 100 Pounds in 6 Months After Giving Birth—Is That Healthy?
What is the Body Reset Diet?
The diet is broken up into three phases. The first lasts five days, and you’re directed to eat five times a day and consume only smoothies and snacks—specifically three smoothies and two snacks.
The smoothies are made from a combo of a liquid base (dairy or non-dairy milk, or water), protein (from a powder or plain non-fat Greek yogurt), healthy fat (from nuts, seeds, or avocado), and high fiber carbs (from fruit and/or veggies). There are plenty of smoothie recipes in the book.
As for snacks, there are several to pick from, like low-fat popcorn; celery sticks with almond butter, or a pear with sliced turkey. The snacks have guidelines around calorie, fiber, and protein content, which are outlined in the book. All of the snacks should be about 150 calories and contain at least 5 grams each of fiber and protein and less than 10 grams of sugar.
Phase one also involves light exercise—walking only (no boot camp classes or other hard core workouts), at a minimum of 10,000 steps daily.
During phase two, on days six through 10, you drink two smoothies, and eat one solid meal plus two snacks per day. Meals include salads, sandwiches, soups, stir fries, and other simple dishes. Meal prep is encouraged, and recipes are provided. You also add a five minute at-home, no-equipment workout three days a week, in addition to the 10,000 steps.
In phase three, days 11 through 15, smoothies are limited to one per day, plus two meals and two snacks. The workouts also ramp up a bit.
Beyond day 15, the book includes “rest of your life” advice (which sounds similar to the diet Simpson followed). In this advice, Pasternak advocates continuing to eat five times a day—specifically one smoothie, two snacks, and two solid meals—with two “free” splurge meals per week, which may include some alcohol. The 10,000 steps a day is advised seven days a week for life, along with brief resistance training sessions five days a week.
RELATED: What Is the Ayurvedic Diet—and Can It Help You Lose Weight?
Can the Body Reset Diet help you lose weight?
We unfortunately can't say for certain if the Body Reset Diet will help you lose weight. Pasternak doesn't have data on the results, either short term or long term, and it ultimately depends on someone's starting weight, previous diet, age, and other factors. In the long term, you’re encouraged to do many of the things you’ve probably heard about from other weight loss plans, including planning ahead, eating more slowly and mindfully, and sticking to a schedule, all of which is solid weight-loss advice.
The Body Reset Diet isn’t a drastic or fad diet. It encourages making healthy choices and developing lifestyle habits. In a nutshell, it takes many solid eating and exercise recommendations and puts them into a concrete, easy to understand structure. The book is straightforward, the strategy is easy to follow, and the advice is reasonable and actionable long term.
RELATED: The Zero Carb Diet May Be a Simple Way to Lose Weight—But Is It Safe?
What are the downsides of the Body Reset Diet?
The book was first published in 2013, and some of the recommendations seem dated compared to newer nutrition science and trends. For example, artificial sweeteners are allowed, and the plan encourages low-fat and fat-free foods, eggs without the yolk, and some more processed products, like deli turkey, crackers, and pita. Current nutrition thinking is focused on whole rather than processed foods and quality fat over total fat.
And while there are options for vegans, vegetarians, and those who follow a gluten-free or dairy-free diet, they aren’t readily tagged. You’ll have to look through the recipes, and you may need to make substitutions based on the diet you personally follow. For example, if you’re vegan you could make some of chicken broth soups with vegetable broth instead.
The plan also requires calorie counting or tracking. Many of my clients find this to be cumbersome or even stressful. But because the Body Reset Diet involves eating five times a day, it would be important to monitor calories to prevent over-consuming if you decide to follow this plan. In my experience, the more meals, the higher the chances are that you may overdo it on the calories, even just a bit, which can add up to enough of a surplus to stall weight loss.
RELATED: Can the Coffee Diet Really Help With Weight Loss—and Is It Safe?
Should you try the Body Reset Diet?
Nutrition is always evolving, which makes following a book like this from a specific date a challenge. While the structure of this plan, a balanced diet and regularly times meals, holds up, if you decide to try it, go for updated versions of foods within certain categories, like grass-fed if you eat dairy, pasture-raised whole eggs for egg eaters, no artificial sweeteners, and simple, clean ingredient packaged foods. Also, consider ditching the beef, upping seafood if you eat it, and cranking up the number of plant based meals.
Finally, it’s unclear how much weight you might lose in 15 days on this plan—or even how much weight you’ll lose in six months, like Simpson. But one thing is certain: losing weight and keeping it off does require finding a strategy you can really stick with, and one that makes you feel well both physically and emotionally. Whether that’s this exact plan, or your own modification, in the long run, healthy, sane, and sustainable always wins out over fast and furious.
Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, is Health's contributing nutrition editor, a New York Times best-selling author, and a nutrition consultant for the New York Yankees.
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Woo Curious: Channeling Self-Love on the Super New Moon
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Friday Faves
Hi friends! Happy Friday! Hope you’re having a lovely morning. It feels like fall here in Tucson and I am here.for.it. The mornings have a hint of coolness to them and it’s perfect weather for hiking and playing outside. I’m looking forward to a walk with P and the puppers this morning. This weekend is the Greek festival in Tucson (OPA!) and we’re heading to Phoenix to check out the new Great Wolf Lodge. I think the girls are going to love it! I’d love to hear what you have going on.
Here are some faves from the week and around the web. I always love hearing about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re lovin’ in the comments.
Adventures from lately:
The Pilot and I attended Roundup for a Cure last weekend, which is a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. We went with a large group of friends and also had the opportunity to connect with some inspiring CF families. It was really incredible to learn about the new treatments that are being offered and I keep praying that these incredible doctors and researchers are able to develop a cure.
The theme was Greatest Showman -esque (like turn-of-the-century carnival) with acrobats, aerial silks, carnival games, people walking around on stilts, and a Tarot card reader. They also had a silent auction and the Pilot and I are notorious for having a couple glasses of wine and going bid crazy. We walked away with 6 prizes lol. It was a great date night, especially since the Pilot was only in town for a couple of days.
A voice lesson! You guys. I was blown away by all of your kind, supportive, and inspiring comments about my choir roadkill post. It was so awesome to read your thoughts and similar experiences. I always feel a bit nervous when I put myself *out there* here on the blog, but you always make me feel thankful I did it. Since I’m trying out for the choir again in a few months, I booked a voice lesson with a local coach. We did tons of warm-ups and scale work, then I got to sing some fun songs, which was a nice break after drilling my Italian aria back into my head along with the classical excepts. I sang Shallow, On My Own (cliché but I’ll always love it) and some old showtunes. It was an hour out of my day that I didn’t need to spend since I had two deadlines due the following day, but it was SO worth it.
Read, watch, listen:
This Is Us. I’ve been impatiently waiting for This Is Us to return all summer. The first episode back didn’t disappoint. No spoilers or anything, but it reminded me of the pilot episode. I was sobbing with chills all over my body, so amazed by how it all came together. It was so good I might have to rewatch it this weekend.
Definitely check out this week’s podcast episode about plastic surgery! This was one of my highest-downloaded episodes yet, and it’s a fun one.
What we can do about climate change.
Fitness:
Don’t forget to sign up for the 7-day reset! The fun starts on Monday and I’ll have all of the info emailed over tonight. You’ll also get daily emails from me, plus access to our closed Facebook group. It’s free and the perfect way to rest healthy habits as we head into the holiday season! Just enter your email info here.
Easy ways to calm pre-race nerves.
What to eat before and after a long run.
Good eats:
The fam came over for dinner on Wednesday night and we basically had a mini Thanksgiving. Madre brought turkey, ham with pineapple, mashed potatoes, gravy, and bread. I made an enormous cheese board (as usual),
Skinnytaste turkey pumpkin chili (one of my fave fall recipes!),
and Kyle brought over the best green goddess salad from August Rhodes. Nani brought pumpkin pie.
It was an epic feast and the kiddos all ran around playing while the adults drank wine and chatted. The only thing missing was the Pilot, but it was a pretty great night.
You need these brownies in your life.
Still loving this chickpea scramble.
Just for kicks:
The Pilot sent this to me and I cried a little laughing.
Happy Friday! Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today. <3
xo
Gina
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On Finding the Right Trainer
Let our trainers explain how to find the right trainer for you.
The post On Finding the Right Trainer appeared first on Under Armour.
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Welcome to My . . . Track
See why the track is where Jo started her health and wellness journey, and faced her fear of failure in the meantime.
The post Welcome to My . . . Track appeared first on Under Armour.
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On Post-Workout Pain
When your muscles are sore, they’re trying to tell you something. It’s about time you start listening to them.
The post On Post-Workout Pain appeared first on Under Armour.
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On Sweating Safely
Working out is great, but if you’re doing it wrong, your chances of injury skyrocket — and your chances of reaching your goals plummet. In order to see success in your fitness journey, it’s important to understand how to sweat safely (paying attention to physical signs, for example) and what could be holding you back (See: going too hard for too long).
The post On Sweating Safely appeared first on Under Armour.
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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.
The post Motivation with Claire Fountain appeared first on Under Armour.
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Paul Threw Out Excuses and Overcame a Lifetime of Health Problems
After a childhood filled with indulgent food and a lack of exercise, Paul accepted the fact that he was meant to be overweight. That is, until the death of his grandmother changed his mentality.
The post Paul Threw Out Excuses and Overcame a Lifetime of Health Problems appeared first on Under Armour.
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Raw brownies (gluten-free, vegan, 5 ingredients)
These raw brownies are the perfect healthy sweet treat or dessert option. They’re gluten-free, vegan, only contain 5 ingredients, and take less than 10 minutes to make. The best part: it’s a healthy brownie recipe with NO beans. I’m 100% on board with that.
I’ve been a bit of a chocolate monster lately. I say lately like it’s a new thing.
I’ve really cleaned up my eats with the ol’ gallbladder issue – lots more produce in my life! – but definitely still like my desserts. Mid-afternoon, I almost always enjoy a little sweet bite with my tea or after lunch. This is the latest fave: raw brownies! Even though I don’t use it as often as I did in the past, that raw vegan culinary school experience tends to come in handy.
All you need: raw walnuts, dates, cacao powder, water, and a little salt. You could get fancy here and add some vanilla and cacao nibs, but truthfully, they don’t need it. It’s like the easiest dessert ever. Just blend, press into a parchment-lined baking dish, pop in the fridge, and there ya go.
Some of the reasons why I like these:
They’re a satisfying sweet treat without a sugar crash.
They’re packed with nutrition. Dates and walnuts make up the base of this recipe. It’s an awesome dose of nutrients, healthy fats, and fiber.
The kiddos love them, too. When I pulled these out of the fridge, they couldn’t wait to try them! They happily ate the brownies while playing in the backyard and then came inside for seconds.
Here’s the quick and easy recipe!
Raw Vegan Brownies with dates and walnuts
Raw vegan brownies with dates and walnuts
Raw vegan brownies with only 5 ingredients! These are a perfect healthy dessert option and are naturally gluten-free and vegan. No added sugar.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: N/A
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 brownies
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup pitted medjool dates (about 16 dates), soaked for at least 20 minutes
1 cup raw walnut pieces (+ more for the top)
1/4 C – 1/2 C cocoa powder (use more for a richer flavor and if you’re using raw cacao powder. If you’re using traditional cocoa powder, use less and add more later if needed)
Good pinch of sea salt
2–4 tablespoons of water
Instructions
Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.
In a food processor, pulse all of the ingredients until you have a smooth dough. Start with less water (2 T) and add more if needed. Taste and add more cocoa powder if you want a richer flavor.
Press the batter into the baking dish and top with additional walnut pieces.
Set in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Cut and serve!
Notes
Feel free to add in cacao nibs or top with shredded coconut! These are also great with goji berries mixed in.
Keywords: raw vegan brownies, brownies with dates and walnuts, gluten-free brownies, no-bake brownies
Please let me know if you give them a try! What’s your favorite quick sweet bite?
xo
Gina
More of my fave healthy desserts:
Double chocolate protein muffin
Chocolate avocado chia pudding
Pssst. Don’t forget to sign up for the 7-day reset! It starts on Monday! Over 2,000 people have signed up already and I’ll have all of the info in your inbox on Friday. Just click and enter your email address here.
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042: all things plastic surgery with Betsy Kleiger
In today’s episode, I’m chatting with my BFF Betsy Kleiger from Flab but Fab all about plastic surgery. We don’t hold anything back, and talk about breast augmentation, lipo, tummy tucks, mommy makeovers, breast explants, and answer your questions from Instagram.
It’s a juicy episode and I hope you love this one!
Here’s what we talk about:
– Why plastic surgery isn’t for everyone
– Our experiences with plastic surgery (mommy makeovers, breast implants, tummy tucks, etc)
– How to find a great surgeon
– Weird things that have happened
– Non-permanent options, like Botox
– Recovery tips
and so. much. more.
A note:
It’s important to be in a good mental space before you get any type of plastic surgery. Know that getting a physical attribution “fixed” isn’t going to fix any insecurities, turmoil, or heal any grief you may be experiencing. I also fully believe that you can be at a place where you love yourself, love your body, but still have some things you’d like to change or fix. They don’t have to be mutually exclusive. We both have a “you do you” attitude when it comes to plastic surgery, so I hope you listen to this one with an open mind.
I’m sharing an episode about plastic surgery because it’s a very popular option for aesthetic and functional purposes. I wanted to share our experiences and also give tips for picking an awesome, safe surgeon and recovering in a safe way. Also, I have to admit that it was super fun to gab with my best friend for a while. 
(You’ll be able to see why we complement each other so well. We’re opposites but in the best way.)
A little bit about Betsy if you haven’t met her yet:
I’m a busy mom of two crazy, adorable boys. I am a mom of an ADHD/ Anxious child, which in itself constantly presents me with unique curve balls! I work hard every day to fight my own anxiety and body acceptance issues, while striving to be the best mom, friend, wife, version as me possible. My intention with my blog is to give you 100% real Betsy, the good the bad, the flab, and the fab. And in turn, you can give yourself 100% realness too. Because, honey, it is OK to be exactly who you are! My mission is to build a safe community for all of us women to live our truth even if it’s not always pretty!
Check out Betsy’s blog here and her Instagram here.
Resources from this episode:
Embrace. This is a GOLD STAR for scar healing and made a huge difference for both of us. You can check out the post I did with them previously here.
My breast explant and abdominoplasty healing timeline and tips.
Get 21 days of Les Mills On Demand for FREE.
Thank you so much for listening and for all of your support with the podcast! Please leave a rating or review if you enjoyed this episode. If you leave a rating, head to this page and you’ll get a little “thank you” gift from me to you.
You can listen and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play.
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For the Love of Your Pelvic Floor, Stop Kegeling so Much
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Diabetes Symptoms in Women (It's Not the Same as Your Male Counterparts)
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‘But Don't You Care About Health?’ and Other Misguided Beliefs About the Anti-Diet Movement
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Lose yourself
Her palms are sweaty,
knees week, arms are heavy.
There’s vomit on her sweater already,
Rao’s spaghetti.
Nope I’m not preparing for any rap battles around here. Just walking into a choir audition.
Yep, you read that correctly: a choir audition.
About a week around, I took my shaky awkward self into a choir audition and bombed the heck out of it.
Choir roadkill. <— that was me.
So, how did all of this happen?
If you’ve been reading the blog for a while (thank you!!) you likely know I used to sing about a thousand years ago. It was a huge part of my life, and I was a musical theatre major before I switched to Finance. I LOVED singing and performing, which is interesting since I’m extremely introverted, and it was something that made my soul extremely happy.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more and more removed from the arts. I stopped playing piano – I literally can’t remember any of the songs that used to drip so effortlessly from my fingers – stopped dancing, and the only singing I do includes rocking out to the Descendents 3 soundtrack, much to Olivia’s horror. I wasn’t looking to add anything to my plate, especially since I’ve been solo parenting so much for the past year, but when I was thinking of something I could do to bring the arts back into my life, a little voice in my head said, “Maybe you should sing again.” I wasn’t thinking of trying out for the local theatre or anything bananas like that, but figured a choir would be a safe bet to get back into it without an enormous time commitment.
A quick Google search told me that there was an audition for a local choir 3 days from that moment.
I don’t know what came over me, but I printed out the excepts, learned the alto parts so that I had them nailed, and brushed off my old aria. I felt like I was ready, even with such short notice. My mom came over and stayed with the girls – it was way past their bedtime so they were crashed – and I drove down to the audition.
Looking back, it was beyond naive of me to think I had a chance without singing much over the past 14 years. My aria was ok, I squawked and squeaked over the high notes in the required excerpts, and completely drowned in the sight-singing portion that I didn’t know existed. With how horribly it went, I felt a very small part of myself come back to life. I kept thinking of Brené Brown — if you haven’t seen her Netflix special, add it to the must-watch list.
In the last 10 minutes of the special, she talks about how sometimes you don’t win by actually winning; you win by just showing up. For some people, the act of putting themselves out there is a huge victory. It takes courage to be vulnerable. You can’t have great rewards without some type of risk involved. From this experience, I got a beautiful lesson to share with the girls: I didn’t get a spot, but I tried. I put myself out there and worked hard, which is the best you can do at some times.
I suffered from what Brené Brown calls a vulnerability hangover for days afterwards. I felt physically sick from the sheer amount of effort it took to walk in the room and sing an aria I haven’t visited for 14 years. But, I did it. And for some odd reason, I’m determined to go back in 3 months and try again. If it doesn’t work after 3 months of practice (instead of 3 days!) then I’ll take it as a sign from the universe that maybe it wasn’t meant to be.
So why am I writing about all of this on a health and fitness blog?
Health is so much more than working out, sleeping well, hydrating, and eating fresh produce. It’s about taking the time to do things in your life that bring you joy, reduce stress, and make your soul feel alive. Maybe it’s an art, a craft, or a hobby. But you can’t have true health in the absence of doing things you genuinely love.
Tell me, friends: what’s something that you love that doesn’t involve anyone else? Something you do just for yourself?
Singing friends: any ideas for a classical alto solo? I feel like after this experience, I need something new.
xo
Gina
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A Diet for Your Joints: Reducing Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms Through Food
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Protein-Packed Snacks Are Everywhere — But Do You Really Need Them?
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5 Gut Health Myths, According To The Gut Health Doctor
7-day reset signup!
Hi friends! Happy Monday! I hope you’re having a lovely day. I’ll be back soon with some adventures from the weekend, plus some other fun posts I have ready to go (a raw brownie recipe + a super random vulnerable post), but in the meantime, I wanted to share the signup for the 7-day reset.
This starts 1 week from today and I’m so excited to share it with you all!
Here’s what the 7-day reset is:
– A chance to reset healthy habits as we head into the holiday season. We set our intentions for the week and really dial into what our body is needing to feel energized and amazing as we begin October and the catapult into the end of the year. With everything we have going on, it can be really easy to let our strategies and habits slide at a time when we need them the most. (For example, I probably meditate the least in December and that’s when I could easily use it the most.)
Here’s what you’ll get:
– A 7-day workout plan with quick video tutorials for each day. This is where I’ll share modification and postpartum options. All workouts can be completed at home using a pair of dumbbells and a killer playlist.
– 7 days of healthy meal ideas. I’ll share some of the staples I’ve been loving lately, which include lots of plant-based and gluten-free options.
– Daily emails from me with your workout tutorial or tip for the day, plus a sprinkle of motivation mojo.
– A Facebook group to stay accountable throughout the week where you can check in, ask questions, and get support from fitness-loving friends all over the world. This is where I’ll do next week’s live workout and also share some of my tips for fueling throughout the day, decreasing sugar intake, and answer any live questions.
– The cost? Free fifty. This is all at no charge and I’m super pumped to work out, connect with ya’ll, and share some of my favorite healthy tips as we head into this crazy amazing season.
Here’s how to sign up:
Simply add your email address to the widget below or this link here! I’ll email you the 7-day workout plan, Facebook group info, and meal ideas this Friday so we’re ready to rock and roll on Monday.
xoxo,
Gina
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Friday Faves
Hi hi! Happy Friday! Hope you’ve had a fantastic week. Ours has been a bit of a whirlwind, so I’m absolutely looking forward to the weekend. I feel like I look forward to the weekend all week just because I know I can stay in pajamas past 8am and enjoy a slow morning with the girls. In the next couple of days, I’m looking forward to attending a CF fundraiser with some friends, celebrating a birthday, and another weekend at the pool. As long as the temps are past 90, we’re livin’ it up. I’d love to hear what you have going on!
(Still riding the zen vibe from last week’s day at Miraval.)
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, and I love hearing about your faves, too. Please shout out something you’re loving in the comments section below!
Fashion + beauty:
These jeans! I’ve worn them so many times already! I love that they’re still neutral, but a little different. DL1961 jeans always fit me really well.
Flawless in Five promo. If you’ve been wanting to try our makeup and swap out current products with safer options, Flawless in Five is the perfect place to start. You get to customize 5 different products (a brow product, a dew skin or tint skin, a lip gloss, blush, concealer pen, and mascara) and you’ll receive our retractable foundation blush for FREE. This really makes a huge difference in blending and I find that I use way less product with the brush. It’s made with super soft cruelty-free bristles.
If you join Band of Beauty ($29), you’ll also get our overnight peel for free. Everyone is obsessed with this peel, and many users report that they notice a visible difference in skin texture and brightness after just 24 hours. It’s seriously that good!
Here’s the full breakdown:
Read, watch, listen, download:
Bark. This week’s podcast episode is all about navigating social media with kids and protecting kids online. It’s an important topic and I recommend checking it out! (Plus, Roo is awesome and we also chat about mom hacks and productivity.) In the episode, we talk about Bark and all of the incredible features it provides. It’s basically an online watchdog that looks over your kids’ email, texts, and online presence (including every social media app imaginable). It alerts the parents of any red flags that suggest bullying, suicidal ideation, sexual content, etc.
Even if your kids aren’t at the age where they have smartphones, please help me spread the word with those you love. If you use the code FITNESSISTA, you’ll get 20% off monthly, which comes out to being about $7 a month (and so.so.worth it). Bark is also available for FREE for schools, so please share the link with your school administrators. Up until this point, they have prevented 16 school shootings. 16. They’ve detected 10 thousand severe self-harm situations.
They’re doing lifesaving work, and I highly recommend checking it out.
How one couple lives separately together. I think this is how the Pilot and I kinda live?
How to step out of the drama triangle and find real peace.
Fitness:
Les Mills 21-day challenge! My friends at Les Mills are currently running a 21-day challenge. You can sign up for your 21 days of workouts for free here, and click here to download your 21-day plan. This has two options, depending on whether you have equipment or not, and is such a great way to change up your fitness routine.
7-day reset is coming on the 30th! If you’d like to join in the fun (workouts, meal ideas, and motivation, delivered to your inbox) make sure you’re subscribed to my newsletter here.
Good eats:
If you haven’t tried these beauties yet, you gotta do it.
This baked eggplant parmesan looks amazing.
Scottsdale friends: Prep & Pastry is open! You can check out Kyle’s Fox News appearance here. He makes an insane duck confit.
Happy Friday, friends!
xo
Gina
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On Nutrition & Fitness Timing
Timing is everything. Our trainers discuss the perfect time for cardio, stretching, weightlifting and fueling your workouts.
The post On Nutrition & Fitness Timing appeared first on Under Armour.
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Morning Workouts
Working out in the morning is a common goal, but there are a few questions to ask yourself before setting that early alarm.
The post Morning Workouts appeared first on Under Armour.
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Let’s Go: Get Lost on a Run
Long run on the weekend? Let’s go. Running coach Mary Johnson believes in working hard, training smarter and surrounding yourself with good people.
The post Let’s Go: Get Lost on a Run appeared first on Under Armour.
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On Modifications for Running
Hate running? You’re not alone… Our trainers propose some alternatives that still get your heart pumping.
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041: Technology, social media, and protecting our kids
Today’s topic on the podcast is an incredibly important one: protecting our kids in this digital age with technology and social media. We’re SO fortunate to have these valuable tools for education and connection, but unfortunately, they can also be the gateway to some pretty disturbing things. It’s a hard topic to discuss, but I’m so thankful for any tools or resources I can have in my back pocket, and so very thankful that Bark exists. We chat a lot about this service in the show – it’s like a silent lil watchdog that looks for keywords that can signal bullying, suicidal thoughts, inappropriate content, etc.
You can sign up here, and if you use the code FITNESSISTA, you’ll get 20% off the app, from now on. If you have kids and they use any type of smartphone, texting, or social media, you need this app.
For today’s episode, my good friend Roo Ciambriello on the show. She’s a talented copyrighter, a mom of three, a well-known public speaker, an activist, and just a brilliant human. She’s hilarious, real, and insightful, and I’m always thrilled for any opportunity to chat with her.
We talk about:
Bark and all of the amazing services it provides
How to navigate technology and social media with your kids
What are some things parents can do to help protect their kiddos in this digital age?
How we can ask our kids’ schools to start implementing Bark
Favorite mom hacks!
Involving the kids in our workout routines
and so.much.more.
Here’s a litte bit about Roo if you haven’t met her yet:
As the Creative Director for Bark, Roo leads a fleet of copywriters and designers dedicated to creating the company’s engaging brand. A mom to three girls, Roo’s goal is continually guiding Bark’s thoughtful messaging and compelling design to help more parents learn about its life-saving technology and navigate parenting in a digital age. Read more about her work with Bark here.
An award-winning copywriter with more than a decade of experience, Roo has spent her career creating brand voices for companies in the CPG/tech space, contributing to national publications, ghostwriting for figures of note, and leading thoughtful discussions around current, culture-centric topics like racism, human trafficking, poverty, and the refugee crisis.
Roo also speaks at various events (SXSW, BlogHer, CMC, Dad 2.0 Summit, Mom 2.0 Summit) and contributes to Adweek, providing commentary on the best and worst of modern advertising and branding. Roo enjoys hiking with her family, eating tapas, and preaching the gospel of fanny packs as both fashion and function.
Connect with Roo on Instagram here.
Resources from this episode:
Sign up for Bark and use the code FITNESSISTA to get 20% off!
If you’re working out at home this summer or traveling, click here to get 21 days FREE of Les Mills On Demand.
Thank you so much for listening and for all of your support with the podcast! Please leave a rating or review if you enjoyed this episode. If you leave a rating, head to this page and you’ll get a little “thank you” gift from me to you.
You can listen and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play.
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One-song workout: “Good As Hell” (Legs and Cardio)
This is a one-song leg and cardio workout to Lizzo’s “Good As Hell.” Get a great workout at home in 3 minutes. For even more fun, combine this workout with the legs one-song workout I posted a couple of weeks ago, and this back and biceps one-song workout.
Hey hey! How’s the morning going? Hope you’re having a lovely day so far. I have a new one-song workout for you! Of course, I had to do a Lizzo song, and this one is my very fave. Language warning: she says “hell” maybe 80 times, just a heads up.
For this workout, we’re doing a combo of legs and cardio intervals to get your heart rate up. At the end of the song, I was sweaty!! The moves switch fairly quickly, so watch the beginning of the video for modifications and low-impact options.
Here’s what the workout looks like:
And here’s the one-song legs and cardio workout video:
(As always, talk with a doctor before making any fitness changes. Honor your body and modify as needed.)
Please let me know if you give this a try and if you have any song requests!
Subscribe to my YouTube channel here. <— a good spot for all of my video workouts in one spot!
xoxo
Gina
Wearing align crops, Fabletics tank, and APL sneakers
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around the weekend
Hi friends! Happy Monday! I hope you had a lovely weekend. This morning, I’m catching a BODYATTACK class and then the rest of the day is filled with appointments. I’m feeling relaxed and ready to crush it after a great weekend. 
P and I started Friday morning with a trip to the car dealership, and then headed to the Children’s Museum with some friends. The kiddos played their little hearts out, and then P and I grabbed lunch at our favorite spot, August Rhodes.
(One of the few places where I know the girls will crush their food. The bread is A DREAM.)
She crashed in the car on the way home, so I was able to catch up on a little bit of work stuff before picking Liv up from school.
The highlight of the day? Seeing this girl!!!
When Jess told me that she and her friend Laura had picked Tucson for their girls’ trip location, I was so pumped. I haven’t seen Jess in almost 3 years, but consider her a part of our extended family. When we both lived in San Diego, we frequently had “family dinner” at our house, caught workout classes together, did double date nights, brainstormed blog and business concepts with each other, and she has there for me during all of the post-Penelope surgery stuff. When I had my hand surgery, my IV was in my arm, and we were waiting for hours for the graft nerves to get there. (<— so weird and very Grey’s Anatomy.) The Pilot had left to take over for P and pick up Liv from school, and my phone died while I was in the hospital room. I was lying there in complete boredom with the IV attached, also feeling a lot of anxiety about everything, and Jess walked in the door! She’s like a real-life angel. We’ve kept up with each other since our San Diego days, but it was so nice to finally see her beautiful face in person and also meet Laura.
We had dinner at Cafe Poca Cosa, which is my #1 recommendation for out-of-town guests. The menu varies each day depending on what’s fresh at the market, and servers walk around holding a giant chalkboard displaying the entree selections. It’s always a mix of different chicken, fish, beef, pork, and the classic tamal, or you can be adventurous and choose the Plato Poca Cosa. In this case, the chef chooses 3 entrees for you, and no two platos will be the same at each table. They serve each entree with forest-sized salads, housemate vinaigrette, rice, beans, and fresh tortillas. Dinner was fantastic, and we got to catch up while feasting and drinking sangria.
Saturday morning, the Pilot had just arrived, so I got to have breakfast with him and the crew before meeting Jess and Laura at Miraval for a spa day. He also got to meet the guinea pigs! They loved him, of course.
The vibe at Miraval is so zen and comforting; it’s easily one of my favorite spots in Tucson. I hopped into a core yoga class, and met up with Jess and Laura afterwards for snacks, exploring, lunch, and lounging by the pool.
(If I could have a buffet with healthy meal options, that would be cool. I also had the best gluten-free brownie and a prickly pear margarita.)
Jess and I also took an abs and glutes class. The class was good, but my favorite part was enjoying the scenery and lounging. (My full review of the day passes at Miraval here!)
I felt a little bit of mom guilt for ditching out to go to Miraval a couple of hours after the Pilot got home. I feel like this particular feeling never really goes away; you want to savor every moment with your kids, but also want to have the ability to take care of yourself and do things that make your soul happy. In the end, I knew that after so much solo parenting over the past year, a spa day with girlfriends would be a wise choice.
I felt so peaceful and happy on the drive home, and while I was enjoying the spa day, the Pilot and the girls got to spend some quality time together. They went to Peter Piper, August Rhodes (yep, P had it two days in a row!), and while P napped, the Pilot and Liv worked on her homework together. When I got home, we all went to Blanco for dinner and to walk around La Encantada. (I had Mexican two nights in a row and not even a little mad about it.)
Sunday was a lazy day. We had breakfast here at home, we went for a swim at the Lodge with friends, and got the grocery/chores/school to-dos crossed off the list.
I hope you had a great weekend, too! Thanks for stopping by the blog today and I’ll see ya in the am with another one-song workout.
xoxo
Gina
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