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Friday Faves
Hi friends! Happy Friday! I hope you’re having a wonderful week so far. This morning, I’m catching a Peloton class and then tackling Liv’s closet. I’d been avoiding it but really need to clear out the pants and winter stuff, especially since we’re in the heat of summer. That will be my project for the day before we head off for Friday night pool night. I hope you have a good one, too!
One of the highlights of this week: picking veggies at Apple Annie’s. We hadn’t been to Apple Annie’s since Liv was a baby — it was SO much fun and the perfect outdoor adventure. We met up with some friends and picked green beans, okra, tomatoes, green chilies, bell peppers, and artichokes!
(Livi’s bracelet has tiny macarons on it)
Lunch was on the patio at La Unica, and was INCREDIBLE. I had an egg scramble with green chilies, rice, and beans. So, so good. This little day trip was such a nice way to break up the week and explore a bit. The girls had a great time… and they’ve been excited to eat more vegetables because they picked them. Always a bonus.
It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party! This is where I share some of my favorite eats, wears, reads, etc. and I love hearing about the things you’re lovin’ too. Please shout out a current fave in the comments section if you’d like to join in the fun!
Fashion + beauty:
These bike shorts. (<- -my referral code is GINAHAR if you decide to order and would like 15% off!) I was very late hopping on the bike short trend for a couple of reasons. 1) They remind me of 3rd grade, which is a time period I’d be perfectly happy deleting from my life and 2) I’m not vertically blessed and I didn’t think they’d be flattering on me. Even so, I decided to give these ones a try because I love the shine on them! Verdict: they’re super cute and more flattering than I thought they’d be. It’s a fun way to switch up the usual lulu shorts without having to wear long leggings.
Wrap hat. I found this gem on Amazon with awesome reviews and love it so far. It’s can be conveniently rolled into my pool bag and I can wear it with my hair up in a high bun. Wins all around.
Read, watch, listen:
This “Good Mom” Billie Eilish parody.
My second book is out! My manuscript was due about 4 weeks into this whole situation, so needless to say, finishing was a huge endeavor. This book is geared more towards beginners with lots of info on how HIIT works, breakdowns of exercises, fun 15-minute workouts, simple healthy meal ideas, and more. Since the beginning, I emphasized the importance of diversity and approachability throughout the pages. Callisto did a beautiful job featuring so many different types of women through the photos and illustrations. If you’re looking for a “back to basics” type book, or would like to gift it to someone that’s just getting started in the fitness world, the link to check it out is here. If you’d like a copy, leave a comment below! I’ll pick 5 lucky winners and ship out some signed books and goodies early next week.
20 new ways to measure success.
Aladdin is coming to Disney+! Liv and I had the treat of seeing it on Broadway and the 10-min + version of “Friend Like Me” is everything.
Fitness + good eats:
Shrimp and rice in a pineapple bowl! We’ve been really trying to switch up our food rotation and this was such a delicious summer meal. I’ve made a version of this here, but for the recent variation, I also seasoned everything with the Trader Joe’s Everything But the Elote seasoning.
Food is exponentially more fun when it’s served in a pineapple bowl.
Cafe Gratitude cookbook. I’m still on a mission to try out new recipes and cooking techniques because I’m so bored with food and was thrilled to see this online. Cafe Gratitude is one of my favorite vegan restaurants ever and this book is filled with gorgeous photos and recipes. It reminds me of the raw food recipes of yore – “Ok, I want pizza 4 days from now so I need to start dehydrating the crust today and soaking the nuts for the sauce I’ll make tomorrow” – and they have many steps. While I don’t think it will be realistic to make these on the daily (especially since a waffle eaten over the sink is fine cuisine right now lol), but I’m going to make one recipe each week as something special to enjoy and have leftovers for lunches or breakfasts.
A good reminder to keep our kiddos moving.
A healthy twist on tuna salad.
Try this week’s yoga and barre combo workout!
Happy Friday, friends!
xo
Gina
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Gardening 101: Everything You Need to Know to Actually See Your Garden Grow
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20 Minute HIIT Workout

Join Under Armour trainer Monica Jones for this 20 minute dumbbell HIIT circuit.
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Signs of Improvement

How do you know if the exercise you are doing is working?
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Exercise for Weight Loss

Which helps me lose weight faster: cardio or lifting weights? How do I balance the two?
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Jackfruit Carnitas Burrito Bowl
Sharing a delicious and healthy vegan lunch idea: jackfruit carnitas burrito bowl! You can make the jackfruit in advance to enjoy in bowls, burritos, or on sandwiches throughout the week.
Hi friends! How’s the day going so far? I hope you’re having a lovely morning. I’m going to get in an upper body workout and I think we may hit up the outdoor shops this afternoon just to get out of the house. The kiddos haven’t been in a store since the beginning of March, so this is a pretty big deal.
Can we just talk about Down to Earth for a second? If you haven’t watched this gem on Netflix yet, I highly recommend it. The show is a docuseries that follows Zac Efron and his friend Darin Olien around the world as they learn about different sustainability practices, cuisine, tips for longevity, and health. It’s absolutely fascinating and I feel like each episode is better than the last! (I’m only on episode 5 right now.) Also, Zac and Darin are very nice to look at. I ordered Darin’s book and can’t wait to dive in when I finally finish City of Girls.
The show has given me a lot of things to ponder and scheme, especially with the current climate and everything going on in the world. It’s inspired me to make positive changes, focus more on sustainability (and save our sad little garden), and also eat more plants! In a recent episode, they were in Costa Rica and hacked into an enormous jackfruit. I’d been thinking about jackfruit ever since and couldn’t wait to make some jackfruit carnitas this weekend.
What is jackfruit?
If you’ve never cooked with jackfruit before, it’s an awesome vegan meat substitute. You can shred it like pulled chicken or pork and flavor it however you’d like. Unlike many other meat substitutes that were created in a lab with a bunch of sketchy ingredients, this one is plain and simple young green jackfruit. It has spiky skin and a sweet flesh, and conveniently, you can find the canned version at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s (or international grocery stores). It’s high in Vitamin C and has a decent amount of fiber. It’s nutrient dense and tastes delicious.
How do you cook jackfruit?
I recommend draining the can – make sure you get the ones in brine and not in the sweet syrup – and shredding with a couple of forks or your hands. From here, you can either sauté it on the stovetop or pop it in the oven on a lined cookie sheet to bake or broil. I prefer savory and aromatic seasonings on jackfruit, like garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, citrus, salsa, or BBQ sauce.
How to make jackfruit carnitas:
I recently used jackfruit carnitas as the star of an incredible lunch bowl. The bowl had romaine, salsa, guacamole, cilantro-lime cauliflower rice, black beans, fajitas veggies, and lime wedges. It was EVERYTHING! To make the jackfruit carnitas, I followed the exact steps in this recipe.
Then, I transferred the jackfruit to a lined cookie sheet (lined with foil and sprayed with avocado oil) and broiled it for 10 minutes to get the crispy BBQ edges on the jackfruit.
Here’s the recipe for this awesome jackfruit carnitas burrito bowl!
Jackfruit Carnitas Burrito Bowl
Jackfruit Carnitas Burrito Bowl

A delicious and savory vegan lunch or dinner option! Make the jackfruit carnitas and enjoy in a burrito bowl, salad, or breakfast scramble. Here’s the recipe for my favorite burrito bowl!
- Author: Gina Harney // The Fitnessista
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the jackfruit:
20 oz jackfruit (brined in water), drained and shredded
1/4 red onion, small diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon orange zest
Juice of 1/2 orange
To serve:
Cooked fajita veggies ( I sauté an onion with bell peppers and garlic, and season with salt, pepper, and oregano)
Cooked grain of choice (I used cauliflower rice with lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, and salt)
Guacamole (homemade or store-bought)
Salsa (homemade or store-bought)
Cooked beans of choice (I used black beans seasoned with garlic powder, cumin, and oregano)
Salad greens (romaine or spinach work well here)
Lime wedges and cilantro
Instructions
Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. In a large pan, sauté the jackfruit ingredients on medium heat for about 7 minutes, until warm and fragrant.
Transfer the jackfruit to the cookie sheet and broil on high for about 10 minutes, until the edges are crispy.
While the jackfruit is broiling, prepare the rest of the burrito bowl. Place the rice, beans, fajita veggies, guacamole, salsa, and salad greens into a bowl and arrange according to your preference.
When the jackfruit carnitas are done, add some to the bowl and top with lime wedges and cilantro.
Notes
Store any leftover jackfruit carnitas covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Keywords: jackfruit carnitas, how to cook jackfruit, easy jackfruit recipes, healthy jackfruit lunch ideas
Have you tried jackfruit before? Any recipes that you love??
Team Zac or Team Darin?
xo
Gina
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What No One Tells You To Look For In A Healthy Diet
Each week, we review feedback from coaching clients and readers of the site and our emails. One of the most common frustrations is figuring out what to eat, specifically knowing what to look for in a healthy diet.
The reason for the struggle is that it’s not clear where to begin to fix the problem. It’s not like eating one food suddenly improves your diet.
In fact, you’re likely already aware of what stands in your way. We hear three common barriers:
- Time (or lack thereof)
- Confusion (not being sure of what to do or believe)
- Motivation
A lack of time is a struggle for everyone. But, trying to make time becomes easier if you can eliminate confusion and increases motivation.
And, despite being different issues, they are both deeply connected.
What Prevents Good Diets From Working
In the book Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard, authors Chip and Dan Heath explain that your lack of clarity undercuts both.
In their book, the Heath Brothers were speaking about business and answering the question, “Why won’t your employees do what you want?”
The answer is “Because they don’t know exactly what that is, or how to do it.”
That’s true for your health, too.
Let’s say you set out to make a big change in your life, such as losing 10, 20, or even 100 pounds. It feels exciting but also overwhelming. After all, you think to yourself, “I need to adjust my diet, exercise, and even my sleep. Where do I start?”
Maybe you decide to start by eating better, but what exactly does that mean?
Or, you say: “I’m going to work out more.” But, in the back of your mind, you wonder, “How much is ‘more’? Will it be enough to make a difference? And do I really have the time for that?”
These are the sorts of questions that can kill your motivation before you even begin. You aren’t sure what to do next, so you do nothing. Or, maybe you take a step or two, but then feel you aren’t getting results. Soon, the entire plan starts falling apart.
When you aren’t confident that a change is going to make a difference, it’s hard to truly commit to that change.
4 Habits That Make Any Diet More Effective
Before you can gain confidence in your plan, it helps to have more clarity in your plan.
The Heath Brothers explain that when you know exactly what changes to make — and you see them make a difference — you want to keep doing them.
That’s essentially the same idea behind habit-based coaching. You take one step, then another, and another.
The changes needed for weight loss start with something that seems simple. Painfully simple. Perhaps, even boring.
If you’re looking to build a healthy diet, it doesn’t start with extreme restrictions, blood tests, or need to measure every ounce of food. It begins with habits that help put you in control of your diet, no matter your food preferences or lifestyle.
This includes time-tested techniques such as:
- Eating slowly
- Chewing more
- Getting enough vegetables and fruit (yes, fruit. Fruits are not evil. Neither are carbs.)
- Sleeping 7-8 hours a night
All those habits are a big part of an effective diet plan, but you rarely hear them discussed.
Eating slowly and chewing more helps ensure that the right signals are sent to your brain to indicate when you’re full.
Fruits and vegetables keep you fuller for longer, are loaded with valuable nutrients, and have been proven to help you eat less of the things you love but know you need to limit (hello brownie sundae).
And, sleep is likely the most-underrated diet secret because lack of sleep does everything from make you hungry to increase your cravings for salty and sweet foods.
All of that knowledge is great, but following those simple habits can feel like a chore. So, how can you “make yourself” do it?
How to Stay Motivated (Even When The Scale Goes Up)
Motivation is tricky because it feels as if it’s just a decision, but it’s actually far more complex. Motivation is actually part-psychology and part-biology, according to Eleanor Simpson, associate professor of clinical neurobiology at Columbia University.
Beneath every choice you make, your brain does a complex cost-benefit analysis. The calculation takes into account your surroundings, your history, and how you are feeling at that very moment.
That math is more likely to come out in your favor if you’re already seeing results. Think about it: when you’re down a pound or two from last week, or you feel a little stronger in your next workout, it’s easier to keep pushing and believe you’re on the right track.
But, what if you’re just getting started, feeling stuck, or you’re not seeing any changes? This is when you lose faith and motivation, and even the best plan falls apart.
That’s when you need to realize two things:
- Remember that weight fluctuation (spikes, dips, and plateaus) are part of the process. Within any given week, if you weigh yourself daily, you’ll see days where your weight goes up. This is normal. It could be a result of how you slept, whether you had more salt or carbs than usual, stress levels, and several other reasons. But, assuming you’re staying on track with your plan, the weekly and monthly trend should be headed down, which is exactly what matters.
- To help you get through those days when you see a spike or you “don’t feel like it,” make sure you’ve connected your goals to a larger mission. Or, you need to remind yourself what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and that it’s time to get things done and make your goals a reality, even if it feels like it’s not going to happen.
How to Stick To Your Diet
If you’re looking for a simple technique to help keep yourself accountable, you might want to borrow a tactic that comes from General Stanley McChrystal, a retired four-star general who once led the U.S.’s Joint Special Operations Command, which oversees units like the Navy SEALs and Army Rangers.
According to motivation writer Eric Barker, McChrystal always tells his soldiers:
- Here’s what I’m asking you to do.
- Here’s why it’s important.
- Here’s why I know you can do it.
- Think about what you’ve done together before.
- Now let’s go and do it.
Now imagine this as a conversation between you and your body. You say:
- I’m asking you to go for a walk three times per week.
- It’s important because we’re trying to shed 20 pounds and walking burns calories.
- I know you can do it because you walk from your parking spot to the office every morning.
- You’ve dedicated hours at a time to those TPS reports at work, so you have the attention span to do this.
- Let’s go and get moving.
Try that for any change you make this year. And if it doesn’t work, try listening to the Rocky theme before you do it.
That may sound ridiculous, but it’s effective. Barker explains that, when all else fails, energetic music can improve your performance. (And it doesn’t have to be Rocky. If you prefer hip hop, R&B or even metal, do your thing.) That’s not his opinion, it’s science.
Interested In A Custom Nutrition Plan?
At Born Fitness, we know every individual is unique. There’s no one-size-fits-all nutrition plan. Our team can develop a plan around your lifestyle to help you reach your goals.
If you’re looking for more personalization and hands-on support, our online coaching program may be right for you. Every client is assigned two coaches — one for nutrition and one for fitness. Find out more here.
READ MORE:
The Beginner’s Guide To Fat Loss
A New Approach To Fat Loss Nutrition
Eating At Night Does Not Make You Fat
The post What No One Tells You To Look For In A Healthy Diet appeared first on Born Fitness.
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Barre and Yoga Combo Workout
This barre and yoga combo workout combines yoga poses with barre strengthening exercises for an awesome at-home total body workout. All you need is a mat.
Hi friends! I’ve got an all-new workout for ya today! This one combines two of my favorite workout loves: barre and yoga. I notice a huge difference in my strength when I implement both of these workouts into my regular routine. Yoga helps immensely with core strength and stability (especially from all of the balance work) and barre helps to strengthen the often neglected muscles in my outer thighs and glutes. Notes: pretty much ALL of us have lazy (weak) bums. Glute strength can help to protect our knees and prevent lower back pain, so it’s important to train your glutes for function and performance in the long haul.
Wearing lululemon tank // Zella leggings
Here’s what the workout looks like:
Barre and Yoga Combo Workout
Form cues and tips:
Downdog to plank to low push-up, to upward-facing down, back to downward facing down: Make sure to keep your elbows close to your body and in line with your torso for the chatarunga (low push-up). If upward-facing down is too much, try cobra or baby cobra instead. Think about creating length in your spine instead of crunching into your low back.
Crescent lunge to Warrior 3: Watch your front knee in your lunge and make sure it’s stacked over your front ankle.
Eagle to half moon: Come into eagle pose with your right arm under and right leg over your left.. Keeping your spine as straight as possible, bend down into an eagle squat and exhale to press up. On the way up, extend your right leg behind you and lower your left arm to the floor under your shoulder. Come up with control to repeat. Complete all reps on one side before switching to the opposite side.
Goddess squat to side leg lift: For this squat variation, you’ll take a SUPER wide stance and turn your toes out. As you sink down, keep your chest lifted and endeavor to get your thighs parallel to the floor. Make sure your knees extend towards your toes but not past your toes. As you rise from your squat, use your glutes and outer thighs to lift your leg out and to the side. Lower down with control. Complete all reps on one side before switching to the opposite side.
Push-up to side plank and leg tap: Knees or toes, with hips in line with your spine and core tight. Keep your elbows close to your body as you lower down, and avoid letting them go above your torso. Exhale to rise. Rotate to a side plank (modify: keep your bottom knee on the ground). From here, either complete hip lifts or extend your top leg and exhale to bring it up and tap with your top hand. Complete all reps on one side before switching to the opposite side.
Single-leg hip raise: Start on your back with legs bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift one leg off the floor, and press your heel towards the ceiling. Squeeze your glutes to lift your hips, keeping your upper back pressing into the floor and hips parallel to the floor. Lower down towards the floor (don’t touch it!) and exhale to rise back up. Continue for 10 reps, then switch legs.
Hip raise with leg lower and lift: Keep your hips high and lift one leg off the floor. Press it up towards the ceiling, and then using your core, lower it down towards the floor. Exhale to lift back up and repeat.
Savasana: Final resting pose! Stay here for at least 3-5 minutes and breathe. You deserve a stretchy reward after all the hard work!
So tell me, friends: what types of workouts are you gravitating towards right now?
xo
Gina
Wearing lululemon tank // Zella leggings
Photos: Kristi Harris
More:
Total body barre workout and video
10 barre workouts you can do at home
Barre Bootcamp 4-week workout plan + videos
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At-Home Cardio

You don’t need a treadmill to do cardio at home. Try this 10 minute session to get your body moving.
Log this workout in the MyFitnessPal app with a single tap.
Interested in more workouts like these? MyFitnessPal teamed up with SWEAT to provide you with an exclusive FREE trial. For more information about this offer, click here.
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Preschool Learning Cart
Hi friends! How are you? I hope your morning is going well so far. I’m looking forward to catching a Les Mills On Demand workout and taking the kiddos to the pool. The usual.
For today’s post, I wanted to chat a bit about school in the fall and our “learning from home” plan. This was an incredibly hard decision, but we unenrolled P from her preschool for the fall semester. We’ve been at this school for years (Liv went there for a little while too!) and love it dearly, but quite a few aspects about the upcoming school year made me uncomfortable for various reasons. In the end, we figured that the best place for her would be at home. We have an awesome babysitter who will be coming more often so I can get work done in the mornings, and she’s also a preschool teacher. She’s awesome at imaginative play and will also help P a bit with preschool skills, like numbers, letters, simple math, fine motor skills, etc.
For now, Liv will be doing online learning, and while it isn’t the ideal situation (distance learning was a struggle in the spring and it’s hard for kids to be engaged or immersed in a screen), I’m excited that we’ll have more flexibility to travel when we’re able, and enjoy more time in the afternoon together. I debated pulling Liv out of school to remove the pressure of the constant worksheets and projects, but we do want to go back eventually and we don’t want her to be behind. :/
We have a solid stash of kids’ art supplies (watercolors, acrylics, coloring books and different crayons and markers, sketch pads, clay, etc.) but I wanted to create a learning station that was just for P. I thought it would be cool to have a cart-type situation that she could easily access and roll around, filled with learning activities that are exciting to her.
Here’s what I put together!
Preschool Learning Cart
At-home preschool supplies
This is the rolling cart I ordered from Amazon, which was really easy to assemble.
The top tray has some writing tools, markers, colored pencils, scissors, glue sticks, and a dry erase marker for the wipe on, wipe off books.
I also included a mix of puzzles and learning activities:
P was PUMPED when I put everything together. She’ll often roll out the cart and ask me to do a worksheet with her or play with the pattern blocks (her favorite). I figured that I can add or swap out different items throughout the fall, depending on what she’s into or any holidays that we can focus around. I’m a little overwhelmed with the whole school situation, and mourning the loss of these childhood experiences for the girls. Kids are resilient but it’s absolutely sad. Fingers crossed that we find a groove over the next few months.
Parent friends: what are your districts doing for the upcoming year? Anyone else doing preschool at home? Please let me know if you have any online resources or activities your kiddo loves!
I also wanted to send a hug to everyone making difficult decisions right now. For us, we haven’t felt like there’s a concrete “right answer.” Everyone says “do what’s best for your family,” but every possible option feels weird and off in some way or another. Thinking of all of my teacher friends, parent friends, administrators and school staff as we navigate these tricky times.
xo
Gina
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Friday Faves
Hi friends! Happy Friday! I hope you’ve had a wonderful week. It’s been pouring here in Tucson the past couple of days and we’ve embraced the monsoon storms with open arms. It’s one of my favorite things about living in the desert. Thank you for the kind comments on our bedroom update! Thanks to Lindsay’s tip, we rotated the rug and I love how it opens everything up a bit more. I’m also thinking of adding some type of plant in the corner where the tower thing is located. Please let me know what type you think would look good (and that is easy to keep alive lol).
It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party! This is where I share some of my favorite finds from the week and around the web. I always love when you share your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re loving in the comments section below.
(P’s princess braid this week! She’s super into dress-up right now and I’m so here for it.)
Fashion + beauty:
– Love these earrings! I got them in a Trunk Club shipment and they’re classic gold hoops with little pearls. I’ve been wearing them with a white button-up and jeans or with casual maxi dresses and hair in a bun.
(I couldn’t find the exact ones online but these are very similar.)
– If you’re breaking out from all of the mask wearing (aka maskne), check out these two products: the Counterstart cococream cleanser and the overnight peel. Quite a few medical professionals have shared that they use a thin layer of our cleansing balm as a barrier when they have to wear masks for extended periods of time. Between the mask and the cheese I ate a couple of times this week, my chin is a hot mess.
– Ordered a couple of new swimsuits since we’ve been swimming every day. I don’t think I’ve bought anything from American Eagle in maybe 15 years (??) but a friend told me they have cute suits and omg they DO. I got this cheetah one-piece and this ruffly top. (Giving AE some props for featuring incredible diversity in their models. So beautiful.)
Fitness + good eats:
Check out my latest post for WebMD with favorite ab exercises.
This 45-minute yoga flow with Ally Maz. I did this practice last weekend and it was PERFECT; the perfect mix of juicy/stretchy and an energizing flow. I feel like I struggle a bit with rushing yoga classes when I teach, so I’m going to continue to take her classes for some ideas on how to slow down and settle into the poses.
YOU GUYYYYYSSSSS. This was the best thing I’ve drank in forever.
I was sitting at my mom’s pool with my feet in the water, watching the girls swim, and my mom walked over and handed me one of these. It was ice cold and SO flavorful and refreshing. When I took a drink, my eyes lit up. I think she got a kick at the pure joy on my face. So a Michelada is a mix of Bloody Mary and beer. It’s savory and bubbly and so dang good. She took the can of the pre-made stuff and added lemon juice, garlic power, and a little Worcestershire sauce. It was a dream come true. I’ve been thinking about it all week!!
Read, watch, listen:
I’ve been listening to Superhuman on Audible and am loving it so far. (Side note: It’s also made me want an Oura ring. Does anyone have one??) If you’re looking for simple tips for longevity, I absolutely recommend checking it out.
What songs do you find comforting?
A beautiful song made even better.
Happy Friday! Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today and I hope you have a lovely weekend.
xo
Gina
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Master Bedroom Update and Reveal (using Havenly)
Note: this post is not sponsored in any way. If you want to check out Havenly for yourself, you can use my referral link to get $50 off a full package and $20 off a mini design package.
Hi friends! I hope you’re having a lovely morning so far. The Pilot is back home from a trip so we’re enjoying having him home for the daily shenanigans and afternoons at the pool.
I’m so excited for this post because I can finally share the bedroom update! We ended up having to wait a bit for our new bed frame to be delivered, but it was worth the wait, because we love it.
Since we’ve been chillin’ here at home, we’ve finally had the time to crank through some house updates that have had a permanent spot on the to-do list. We’ve been back in our house for two years – we had tenants while we were moving around the country – but for a majority of those two years, the Pilot was deployed and then straight into airline training. Things settled down (slightly… you know, minus the whole pandemic thing) so we could finally start working on making some updates. We got new patio furniture and twinkly lights, booked our pool design and building company for later this fall/winter, updated the formal living room, and painted the kitchen cabinets. A few big projects are next: updating the hardware, fans, and light fixtures, new carpet/wood flooring upstairs, and painting the bathroom cabinets. Whew!
For our most recent project, we gave our bedroom a little refresh. While the girls got new bedroom sets and bedding while we were in Valdosta, we’ve had the same basic setup and bedding for years. We bought our bed frame when we first moved to Tucson – when I was pregnant with Liv!- and it was starting to feel a little dated. I reached out to Havenly about doing another design round with them and was so happy that I could work with the same designer (Natalie!) who helped us with the formal living room.
Master Bedroom Update and Reveal
Here’s the final concept that she sent over:
Here’s what the room looked like before:
and here’s what it looks like now.
The navy blue wall was definitely the trickiest part of the whole operation. We used two coats of primer – learned later that with Clare paint you don’t need to use primer. Derp. – and ended up using TWO GALLONS of Clare paint on the wall.
We loved the color but hated the way it dried. Unless you glopped a ton of paint onto the brush, it was streaky or had strange patches. We finished the first gallon on the wall and it had weird streaks and blotches, so we needed another gallon to fix everything. After using Benjamin Moore Advance – which dries beautifully and streak-free – I don’t think I’ll use Clare again for anything else. All in all, we love the color and the way it turned out. It gives a little bit of interest and something different without being too much.
Master product list:
– Bed frame and nightstands from West Elm
(Obsessed with the quality of the bed and nightstands. They’re extremely heavy/sturdy and the marble top on the nightstands is gorgeous.)
– Duvet cover and shams from West Elm
– CB2 decorative pillows (and this one)
– Curtains
– Sheet splurge. These are the same sheets they use on the Disney Cruise Lines and they.are.magic. I already don’t want to get out of bed in the morning and this made it so much more difficult haha.
– Rug
– Light fixture. LOVE this new addition to the room!
All in all, I’m so happy with how it all came together. It feels fresh and more modern, and I love the way the lighter wood pops against the dark wall.
Each time we’ve used Havenly, I’ve been blown away by the designs and how much I love the final result. I’ll likely be using their services for the playroom next. If you want to try it out, you can use my referral link for $50 off a full package and $20 off a mini. I hope you love it as much as I do!
So, tell me friends: if you could update or change anything in your house, what would you do first? Any design projects you’re working on right now?
xo
Gina
*None of the products or services above were sponsored or gifted. Affiliate links are included, which do not affect purchase price, but enable me to earn a small kickback which I use to keep the lil blog running. Thank you for your support!

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Beautycounter Skin Twin Review
Hi friends! How’s the day going so far? I hope you’re having a great one! We’re just hanging out here at home, I’m looking forward to catching a barre class on demand and heading to the pool later. The usual.
For today’s post, I wanted to feature a Beautycounter product that I’m LOVING lately, and this is coming from a person who is super picky about foundation: our newest Skin Twin Featherweight Foundation.
Here’s a little bit about Skin Twin:
Skin Twin is skincare and makeup in one: it’s buildable coverage but also contains hyaluronic acid to plump and smooth skin, plus moisturizing benefits all in a recyclable glass bottle. It gives you coverage, protects your skin, and can improve texture all at the same time. The hyaluronic acid can improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles over time and most users notice immediate results with first-time use. When I first heard about all of this, I was like sign.me.up.
Beautycounter Skin Twin Review
Like I mentioned before, I’m really picky about foundation. I feel like too much of the wrong type is aging, and that I benefit from a “less is more” mentality. I’ve loved the Tarte BB cream for years, but it’s extremely matte, so I’d often mix it with our Dew Skin foundation (on the shinier side). The Skin Twin is like the best of all worlds. It’s moisturizing so it doesn’t dry out my skin and doesn’t add weird creases. It’s buildable if you want more coverage, and isn’t too matte or shiny. I also love that it’s not too oily or greasy. I’m prone to milia under my eyes -little white bumps if things get too oily- and I haven’t had this problem with the Skin Twin. It’s just enough to even out my complexion without feeling like I’m caked in makeup.
Skin Twin Foundation Key Ingredients
Hyaluronic Acid: Known as a moisture magnet, hyaluronic acid delivers supercharged hydration for visibly plump, glowing skin immediately, and with continued use.
Jojoba Esters: Derived from the desert-dwelling jojoba plant, this lightweight, non-greasy emollient helps to moisturize, soothe, and soften skin.
Hydrophobic Pigments: Specially coated and color-true, these pigments provide long-wearing, buildable, second-skin coverage.
How we’re committed to safer and more sustainable products with Skin Twin:
We source safer ingredients: no mineral oils, cyclic silicones, or synthetic film formers–which may be linked to harmful effects to human health.
All products are subject to stringent safety testing. Each batch is tested for heavy metals to ensure it meets our strict safety measures. We’re highly selective when it comes to pigments; out of the 65 cosmetic colorants allowed in the US, Beautycounter prohibits the vast majority–only using 18 colorants in our color cosmetics.
Glass bottles! Moving Skin Twin into a glass bottle will avoid an estimated 235k plastic tubes from entering landfills and waterways in just one year.
Beautycounter Skin Twin Match
One of the most exciting things about Skin Twin is that we offer 18 shades so it’s easy to find a shade to match your skin tone. If you need help, you can use our handy shade finder here. For reference, I use shade Medium 340.
If you need help with any of the products on the site, please send me an email or comment below and I’m happy to help! You can also fill out my skincare survey here for personalized recommendations.
What foundation do you currently use? Have you discovered any new awesome products or brands lately?
xo
Gina
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