Hi friends! How’s the week going? I hope you’re having a good one so far. The kiddos are back in school but it’s been a week of half days, so it’s felt like a bit of a scramble I’m definitely looking forward to the weekend! If you’re low on any Beautycounter goodies, just wanted to give ya a heads up that we’re having 15% off sitewide right now (a couple of exclusions, like full sets). I highly recommend the All Bright C serum, Overnight Peel, Supreme Cream, Brow Gel, Color Intense Lipstick, and Skin Twin. If you’re new to Beautycounter, you can get 20% off with the code CLEANFORALL20.

For today’s post, I wanted to share a short roundup of some of the changes I’ve made in my own routine over the past few months. I finally feel like I’m coming out of the cloud funk and like I can add back habits that make me feel good. (As I’m sure many of you can relate, I’ve been focusing on the bare minimum over here for quite a while and just doing the survival mode thing.) Whenever you’re making changes, it’s a good strategy to build on slowly and habit stack. (For example, if you know you’re going to watch TV for a little while each night, before you settle in to watch TV, plan out your meals for the next day. Before you know it, this will become a part of the nightly routine.) One habit at a time will keep things from feeling too daunting or overwhelming.

Here are some of the changes I’ve made over the past few months:

1. Lifting heavier weights and following a plan. I’ve been consistent with my fitness routine for years because it’s one thing in my routine that gives me energy and makes me feel awesome. At the same time, I’m a class and workout hopper. I’ll do so many different things within the span of a week. This is great for health and longevity, but if you have specific fitness goals, following a plan is an effective way to go. I’ve switched to solely doing Fit Team workouts, with one “fun” class swapped into the schedule each week (like barre, hot yoga, Les Mills On Demand, Peloton, or if I teach a class, I make it work with the plan).

 

It’s been satisfying to truly challenge myself with weights again.

2. Counting my macros through the Precision Nutrition program. I’ve been back on the macros train since I started my nutrition cert and I LOVE tracking macros this way. It’s an easy tally, no measuring or weighing food, and it feels like a truly sustainable tracking method. It encourages me to enjoy lots of fresh produce, high-quality carbs, and lean protein, plus my energy is stable and I don’t feel hangry at all. I’ll be opining spots for nutrition coaching in the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned for more details! If you’d like to learn more about it and get first dibs, send me an email a gina@fitnessista.com.

3. Cutting WAYYY back on alcohol. In the height of the summer, the Pilot and I quickly got back to our “wine everyday” kinda ways #survivalmode. With my Oura ring, it’s really helped me to learn about the impact alcohol has on my body and how to be more strategic about my intake. (For example, if I have more than one glass late at night, I’ll sleep horribly and wake up feeling like death.) I have alcohol a max of twice a week now, limit it to one glass, drink lots of water along with it, and drink earlier in the night.

4. More veggies throughout the day. There’s a huge difference between saying, “I’m going to eat more veggies throughout the day” and actually doing it. I’m being way more conscious about my non-starchy veggies and leafy greens, and it’s reassuring to know that I’m getting in a ton of nutrient-dense foods. (I think one of the problems with traditional macro counting is that you can essentially eat brown food all day and hit your macros. The PN nutrition method includes non-starchy veggie goals for each day.)

5. Trying new recipes! After feeling sooooo blah about food for a while, it’s been fun to try out new recipes again. This week we’ve had Pinch of Yum Thai Chicken Salad and Fed+Fit blackened salmon bowls. If you have any quick school night dinner recipes, please send them my way!!

So tell me, friends: what are some of the health and nutrition changes you’ve made lately? Any goals you’ve set for the fall season?

xo

Gina