brand new blog
Hi friends!
Happy Wednesday. I hope you’re having an amazing day! I’m sorry for the blog down time earlier today, but am so excited to share a new and improved blog look with you.
My amazing web designer Cody and I have been collaborating on a new site for the past year 6 months or so (in addition to getting the post baby bod and advanced launches rocking and rolling) and I’m so pumped that it’s live and ready to go.
(The incredible James Patrick took all of the new photos for the site, and thank you to Michele for doing my makeup.)
What’s new on the blog:
-A sparkly new header 🙂
-Updated fitness pages. Here you’ll find workouts divided by categories, and they’re easier to skim and see what you’re looking for!
–A shop page! This will be updated frequently with some of the things we’re loving. You can also pick up some of the products I created, including Build Up Your Blog and our dance cardio DVD, Soli Beat. It’s now available for digital download for just $19. It’s a super fun, sweaty, 1-hr cardio workout you can do at home.
–An organized Family page. I’ve been wanting to really categorize these posts and make them easier to navigate. Now you can browse posts based on trimester + adventures from life with two kiddos.
-A Snapcode on the right, if you’d like to add me on Snapchat!
I think that’s it! Please click around and let me know what you think, or if you find anything that’s broken/missing.
Thank you so much for being here, and for sticking with the blog over time. It’s fun to see how she’s changed and grown over the past 8 (!) years. You’re the ones who make it such a fun and inspirational place to be, and I truly appreciate you all.
<3 Excited for what 2017 will bring to this little site.
xoxo
Gina
65 Comments
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Hi Gina! I love your blog and have followed for quite some time. To be complete honest (not meant to be mean) the new blog pictures of yourself seem to be incredibly airbrushed/fake looking.
jp doesn’t airbrush; he uses awesome lighting and then brightens up the color. i got similar comments to yours when i posted my last round of new headshots a few years ago (which look pretty much identical to those).
when you post a picture with greasy hair and no makeup, people say you look old and like crap, and when you post a pic with a spray tan and real makeup on, people say you look fake. it’s NBD.
I think you look beautiful Gina! I’ve been reading your blog for awhile, and the new photos just look professional. I think he did an amazing job capturing your beauty. Taking selfies with a cell phone isn’t the same as professional photography 😉
thank you, tammy <3
I think that you and the new blog look fabulous!
This was kind of a rude comment to someone who said she is a longtime reader and loves your blog. I also have read your blog for a VERY long time and she is right. Maybe the makeup was just overdone or done poorly, but your face looks completely different, especially your eyes.
Also, there is a huge middle ground between “greasy hair and no makeup” and these photos — how about all the great ones you post in your workout pictures? You look great in those. I’m disappointed in your response. it was rude & defensive when it did not need to be.
I think it’s ironic you say her response to someone saying her photos look “incredibly fake” was “rude” – it was actually an extraordinarily measured response to a rando on the internet using a comment section to voice something they would likely never say to a friend or colleague in person. Newsflash: just because you say “no offense” or “not to be mean” doesn’t mean it’s not mean! Why do you have to put that nasty energy out there? Gina, I’ve been a longtime reader and have never commented in five years but had to say something here because you look beautiful and your positive outlook is always inspiring. Keep up the amazing work <3
Gina, I think it is amazing you share so much of yourself and your work to the internet world, and I am happy to check in everyday to see what adventures you and your family are up to. I wanted to chime in to say I think you are naturally beautiful and your blog followers are probably just used to seeing that! Thank you for being so open <3
thank you so much lauren. i really appreciate it, and thank you so much for reading
<3 thank you, drew. and thank you for reading for so long and for commenting, too. lots of love to you
I think you look better on 100% of your regular pics. It is just weird looking. But it doesn’t take away the wonderful job you make on Fitnessista!
Hey Gina,
I’ve been thinking about this comment for a month now. I have a group of mamas who are regular readers and followers of the blog. We were all doing the Summer and Winter Shape Ups before we had kids, and as we each had our own babies, we followed your modifications to still work out. We’ve been longtime readers and were all a little taken aback by your reaction to this comment and others like it recently.
You are welcome to ask for responses or not on your blog, but there has been a consistent response to critical comments like this of brushing them off, claiming people might be having “bad days,” or being defensive. I know that over the years as a blogger, you’ve had to develop some coping techniques for haters. However, you have cultivated a feeling on this blog like we are all buddies and here to help each other in our crazy lives. Reacting to someone saying “hey, you don’t look like you” in this way undercuts the approach you are taking and alienates readers. I personally have taken your blog off my blog feed for now until I could reconcile this seemingly incongruent reply to a reader comment.
If you want positive feedback, then ask for what people like. If you ask for blanket “feedback” it will include comments on how your photos don’t look like you. You’re working your tail off to create a community here of loyal readers and this is an issue women deal with daily: how their bodies and images are manipulated to appear more palatable and attractive. If you aren’t doing something like this, great, say your peace and defend your readers’ right to say so. Thanking people who only give you positive feedback counteracts the message that all parts of a life are welcome, including the less than perfect parts.
Just some thoughts. Thanks for reading.
hi victoria,
thank you so much for reading the blog for so long and for your feedback. i genuinely appreciate, and take all constructive comments written here on the blog to heart. i truly want to make this space as helpful, content-driven, and as fun as possible, so whenever readers are kind enough to share their thoughts with me about changes i can implement, i write them down and create action plans.
i honestly didn’t perceive that the comment came from a helpful or kind place based on the content/tone. the author certainly didn’t just say “you don’t look like you” or provide any amplifying information or suggestions that would have made this a useful critique. perhaps i misperceived the nature of the remark based on my experience of dealing with clearly negative comments, and perhaps not. my time is more limited than in the past, and i’d prefer to use my time passing along useful content than dealing with potential negativity. regardless, i appreciate what you had to say, and i’ll take it on board for dealing with similar situations.
thank you again so much for your comment.
I agree with Jackie. The photo doesn’t look inspiring, it makes me feel alienated because I don’t look like that and it doesn’t seem real.
Love the new site – it looks great!
so happy you like it!
Hi Gina! Love the new design so far. I’d love to see an option at the end of each post to go directly to the previous post. Otherwise, I feel like I have to go back to the home page and see what other posts I may not have read and always worry I’m missing something. When I read my fave blogs, I always start with the newest post and like to navigate through to previous posts from each post, if that makes sense. Thanks!
ohhhhh that is excellent feedback; thank you! i’ll email cody to see if he can add that in.
xoxo
Hey Gina! The new design and organization look great. It’s clear that you (and your design team) put quite a bit of time and attention into it. Nice job 🙂
thank you, jen!! yes, cody did an incredible job <3 so happy you like it so far 🙂
Gina, I have been following you for years, almost since you started. I came upon it on accident and never looked back. I love everything about this blog (the new shiny one and the older ones) because of YOU! You are genuine, honest, inspirational and funny! Thank you for always being willing to share those qualities. By the way, I think you get more beautiful everyday!
The new site looks great! I especially appreciate the updates to the fitness tab – so much easier to find a specific workout! I am really focusing on switching up my workout routine this year – and this makes it so much easier! Thanks!
Congratulation on your new blog Gina! it’s absolutely beautiful 🙂
Ok so the one thing I cannot figure out on the new blog layout is how do I read the previous post? I generally check in every few days or 2x a week and read from the most recent and go backwards but I cannot seem to find anyway to read any post other than the most current one? Gina — help!! 🙂
OMGGGG!!! The new site is gorgeous friend!!!!! Love the shop tab!! I love you can buy your products and see your current favorites!!
thank you!!
I love the new look (and all of the new pictures!). Congrats!!
Everything looks amazing, Gina! I love reading your blog and following your adventures!
I LOVE the shop link!!! I always want to go back to something you suggested but can never remember what post it was on!! Please keep that updated with your links! I have already browsed:)
Love the new look!!
New look and new pics are gorgeous. Great job!
Love the font color and look. So fun! I’m excited for the fitness tabs. Thanks for putting so much effort into what we read – I know I read it for free and I’ll never take advantage of that. Appreciate your inspiration!
thank you, india! i really appreciate it <3
Gina the redesign looks fantastic and I love the easy navigation! I second the need for a previous post button, and also I can click and shop your items, but I can only the pin the other favorites you are showing on the Shop page. I would love there to be links to the product descriptions or links back to the post where you first mentioned them. Otherwise (like now) I’ll have to ask where did you find the super cute mug in the kitchen section?
oh great idea! i can see if we can add titles below each item. it’s from sur la table
Thank you, it’s beautiful!
I love the design and the recipe and fitness pages! I think u should put your book under the shop page 😉
ahhhh thank you! i definitely will
Love the new look, Gina — I can tell there was a lot of thought put into the redesign –it looks great! I also enjoyed your recent post on minimalism – when we move again, I definitely need to put that into practice!
thank you so much!
I love the new blog! Also, isn’t taking the opportunity to get your hair and makeup done post-prom/wedding the best?! I welcome professional photos for exactly that reason 🙂
YES. it’s so nice to have someone who knows what they’re doing 🙂
I love the new blog redesign – it looks so fresh and clean. And the fitness page is awesome.
Love your new look. 🙂
thank you! 🙂
EEEEEK! I love it – congrats, sweetie xo
thank you, friend!
Love the new site!! And you look gorgeous. Very very happy for you . Keep up the good work .
thank you! <3
DITTO!!!!
Everything looks great and so professional! Is there a way to search recipes by category (snack, dinner, etc)? Kind of like the fitness page?
ohhh no but that’s an awesome idea
I just joined your blog as a Fitness blogger and I must say you look great an your body looks amazing. It takes lots of dedication to achieve a beautiful body and and stay toned so keep up the great work! 🙂
Love the new blog!!!
So far the links work for me.
By the way you look fabulous!!
In one of your pictures, where did you get those rings? I love them!
thank you!! which rings? the “o” and “p” are from easy and the little hearts are alex and ani
Hey Gina! Love everything about the new blog. Great job! So sad, such negative comments huh- (seems like with some people your damned if u do, and damned if u don’t! ) Positive vibes, thoughts, and prayers for you and your gorgeous family as you embark on this brand new journey! Keep inspiring, girl- u got it going on! ( did not want to be mistaken with another Melissa’s negative comment on here- that’s why I add the C, lol)
thank you, lovely. i appreciate it so much
I absolutely love the new layout and design! The navigation at the top is perfect – so clever and well organized. It’s obvious you put a lot of work into it. The pics are beautiful! Congrats and thank you so much for all you do!
I think headshots will always make people think someone is ‘trying hard’ but that’s the point! We get professional photos done because they’re an opportunity to look your best and they should last for quite a long time given the investment. With that being said, you look great pretty much all the time so brush it off 🙂
Also, on Chrome the left side of the blog has like 0 padding/margin between the edge of the browser and the body text so increasing that I think would add readability.
thank you, friend. haha and yes! you’re supposed to try a little for headshots 😉
good to know! i will ask cody about adding in a margin
Love the facelift, it looks great! One suggestion (although it may just be my preference), I like having the most recent posts at the top that way I can see if I missed any instead of scrolling past the family and recipe categories. Just a thought 🙂
I’m excited for the newly organized fitness category! You look great in your new photos– who cares what people think about your makeup (or lack thereof)?
Hi, the site seems to be defaulting to a wider view that is crammed into the left side and won’t center. So the left side of the page is cut off (like right now, the “l” in leave a comment isn’t displayed). My browser hasn’t done this on any other website so I don’t think it’s me.
Hi Zoe,
Would u mind sending me a screen shot? Fitnessista@gmail.com
That would help a ton- thank you!
Long time reader here- you and your blog are inspiring and refreshing. Don’t listen to the haters! Thank you for all you do for the fitness and health community. Xo