Sharing the books I read in July and whether I’d recommend adding them to your collection. 

Hi friends! Hope your day is treating you well so far. P’s best friend is coming over and I’m taking the crew to the pool, and then we’re meeting up with friends for eegee’s and more swimming this afternoon. I hope you have a wonderful summer day, too!

For today’s post, I’m sharing the books I read in June. I hit my monthly goal of three books, despite being pretty busy with the new Fit Team programming and studying for Precision Nutrition. Reading *fun* books feels like a treat and while I have to make a conscious effort to get in the time, it’s been so worth it. Here’s what I checked off the list in June!

June 2021 Reads

1. WomanCode

From Amazon:

With WomanCode, holistic health coach Alisa Vitti shows women how to maintain health and vitality with a food-based program to rebalance their hormones.

Alisa Vitti found herself suffering through the symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and was able to heal herself through food and lifestyle changes. Relieved and reborn, she made it her mission to empower other women to be able to do the same.

Whether you are suffering from irregular periods, fertility issues, depression, or lack of sex drive, Alisa Vitti says that meds and anti-depressants aren’t the only solutions. Groundbreaking and informative, WomanCode educates women about hormone health in a way that’s relevant and easy to understand. And the five-step protocol can markedly improve health and overall quality of life.

Bestselling author and women’s health expert Christiane Northrup, who has called WomanCode the “Our Bodies, Ourselves” of this generation, provides an insightful foreword.

I think that this is an excellent and thorough introduction to hormone balancing and cycle syncing. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of syncing up our activities, workouts, work to-dos, etc. to align with our cycle. There are times when you feel more outgoing and energetic, and other times when you’re withdrawn and focused. As someone who has been exploring hormone balancing since I went off the Pill about 13 years ago, a lot of this was a helpful review for me. The author gives great ideas on how to structure your diet, workouts, and routine for optimal hormone balance. 8/10 would recommend.

2. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

This book was highly recommended and didn’t disappoint. It follows the story of A.J. Fikry, a grumpy bookstore owner, and how one week completely changes the course of his life. I didn’t want it to end and while it wasn’t insanely deep or suspenseful, it was a joy to read. I would definitely recommend it for a light, summer book. 9/10 would recommend.

From Amazon:

A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his life over–and see everything anew.  

3. One Million Followers

In this book, Brendan Kane shares strategies on how he grew his followers to 1 million within one month.

From Amazon:

More than 60 billion online messages are sent on digital platforms every day, and only a select few succeed in the mad scramble for customer attention.  

This means that the question for anyone who wants to gain mass exposure for their transformative content, business, or brand or connect with audiences around the globe is no longer if they should use social media but how to best take advantage of the numerous different platforms and beat the algorithms.  

How can you make a significant impact in the digital world and stand out among all the noise?  

Digital strategist and “growth hacker” Brendan Kane has the answer and will show you how—in 30 days or less. A wizard of the social media sphere, Kane has built online platforms for A-listers including Taylor Swift and Rihanna. He’s advised brands such as MTV, Skechers, Vice, and IKEA on how to establish and grow their digital audience and engagement. Kane has spent his career discovering the best tools to turn any no-name into a top influencer simply by speaking into a camera or publishing a popular blog—and now he’ll share his secrets to success with you.  

In this revised and expanded edition of One Million Followers, Kane will teach you how to gain an authentic, dedicated, and diverse online following from scratch; create personal, unique, and valuable content that will engage your core audience; and build a multi-media brand through platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.  

I had high hopes for this book. I thought it would give me helpful connect strategies and ideas for growth, especially since my Instagram has plateaued for the past 3 years.

The golden ticket for growth: paid advertising.

While I know this is a helpful strategy and SO many people use it, something about it feels icky to me when it comes to growing my following. It may be something that I explore for launches, I don’t think I’m going to use it to boost followers. The thing is, when it comes to the amount of followers you have, you also want them to be the *right* followers; the people who truly resonate with what you post and stand for. It’s better to have 10 followers that *get it* than 100 followers who have zero interest in your industry and your main topics.

Also, he spends most of his time talking about why paid advertising is important than telling you how to actually do it. Facebook Ads are so dang confusing and I would have loved a step-by-step. (I guess that’s what YouTube is for.)

So tell me, friends: what was the best book you read in June?

Any ideas for a fitness/health-related book for me to read this month?

xo

Gina