See ya, 2013 + some fun news
2013, you were pretty good to us <3
It was the year I became more confident with my identity and abilities as a mama, continued to figure out our groove, and had an amazing time getting to know Livi as her personality continued to evolve and become more apparent. She has changed the most this year. I’m always excited to see what she’ll do and what she’ll learn while enjoying the moments spent playing, snuggling and exploring together. Over the past year, she transformed from a baby to little kid. I still can’t believe that she’ll be two next week. Time really does fly when you’re having fun… it seems like it was just yesterday that I was writing this post.
We took some wonderful trips in 2013, including some blog traveling adventures:
and we took our bucket list trip to Italy (Rome and Positano), which was dreamier and more magical than I’d ever imagined. (I still would love to live there!)
In our family,
my cousin Ashley got married (and Livi was a flower girl for the first time),
my cousin Kate became pregnant with baby #2,
and we lost my great-grandmother, who lived a long, beautiful life… but my heart is still hurting.
It was another challenging year for the Pilot and myself, as we tried to figure out a “plan” for our unstable military future, in addition to juggling parenthood, careers, and our relationship. We knew that our time here in Tucson was limited, and had to make the difficult decision of whether he should get out of active duty and join the reserves, or take our chances and see what card we’d be dealt as far as PCS assignments go. We were extremely lucky with our assignment to San Diego! It could have been anything, and we’re fortunate that we’ll be driving distance from family.
(And I will finally get to hug a seal.)
In 2013, I also had some fun professional accomplishments:
–Co-created and produced Soli Beat with Sasha
-Signed my first book contract
Say what?!
The entire story is a long one (and one that I’d love to write a post about, so please let me know if you have any questions!), but here’s the nutshell version:
I started sending out a new book proposal -I think it was my sixth?- last winter, and as usual, we had no bites. Then, out of the blue, I got an email from an editor in NYC asking if I’d like to write a book. I wrote back and told her I’d just sent out a proposal and put her in contact with my agent. My agent sent the editor my proposal, and she came back and said she wasn’t crazy about it. Instead of quitting on me then and there, she gave me valuable guidance to rewrite the proposal with concepts I was passionate about, and encouraged me to use my true voice. She said something like, “I read your blog, and this proposal isn’t you. I need to hear the voice I hear when I’m reading your blog. Add in some more spunk.”
In the entire proposal process, I’d lost quite a bit of my voice by trying to formalize my writing style; in the past I’d been told that I “use to much slang” and need to “tighten things up.” This time, I finally felt like there was freedom to write whatever and however I wanted, so I rewrote the entire proposal (which was about 60 pages), sent it back, and crossed my fingers (not really expecting anything to happen). She wrote back and said she loved it (!), presented it to her publishing house, the concept passed, and she sent the contract over a month later.
It still feels like a dream and like I’m going to jinx myself by writing about it, which is a huge reason why I waited to blog about this. (I had another concept that a publisher was interested in two summers ago and, at the last minute, the deal fell through and I was pretty devastated. I stopped working on proposals for quite a few months after that.)
Also, I’m my hugest critic, and I put a lot of pressure on myself to produce quality content for you guys. I was planning on blogging about the book when I turned in my manuscript -it’s due in March- since I already feel a lot of pressure to finish it, and do it well… and realized that I needed to tell you now so I can implement the things you’d like to see.
Some details:
-The release date is January 2015
-It consists of quick workouts (less than 30 minutes) and meals that can be prepped in advance to enjoy throughout the week. The theme of the book is HIIT training, and it utilizes the same efficient concepts in fitness and diet. I share all of the details regarding how I practice the HIIT lifestyle in my own life -tracking my food, tools, and strategies I use- and includes complete nutrition plans (which will be approved by Anne) and complete fitness plans for fat loss and strength gains. All of the fitness routines are research-based for the best results, and all of the meals are quick, clean and delicious. I’ve been busy testing recipes and workouts! We have a focus group that will starting the plan next week… I can’t wait to see their accomplishments!
I’ve worked extremely hard on the manuscript -115 pages in! Woop woop- and really want it to be amazing. Please let me know if there’s anything you’ve been missing or wanting from a fitness book.
This is something I’ve wanted to create and share for a few years, and I’m still absolutely stunned that it’s coming to fruition. It wouldn’t be possible without all of your wonderful support and for encouraging me to improve and work hard over the past five years. I’m so very thankful to all of you <3
Lots to look forward to in the new year:
Moving and getting settled into our new home
New teaching position (I’ve applied at a couple of places in San Diego and would love to focus on barre)
Lots of trips around California and to visit the fam
It’s going to be a bit of a transition year for us, but I’m excited to see what 2014 brings 🙂
What are you looking forward to in the new year? What was your favorite part of 2013??
Don’t forget to start pinning your goals for 2014! #inspirationboard @fitnessista
xoxo
Gina
327 Comments
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Congrats girl!! You deserve it! Let me know when I can pre-order. 😉
thank you so much! 🙂
Congrats!! I had my suspicions when you left your job to finish up “a project” 😉
thank you, friend! yeah, there was no way i could do all of the things i was doing and somehow crank out a book on top of it. xo
i cannot wait to get your book, wish it was this january!!!!
thank you so much! me too… except i’m glad that i have a little more time to finish it 🙂
xoxo
VERY COOL! congrats, girl, and here’s to a wonderful 2014!
thank you!! 🙂
have a lovely new year, too!
Congrats, Gina! What an awesome accomplishment. You are truly an inspiration, you work so hard and love your family so much and it comes through in everything you do. Can’t wait to see the book!
your comment made the onion-cutting ninja sneak into the room.
thank you, friend <3
xo
Ditto on the interest in pre-ordering! I would LOVE that!
awesome, thank you!!! i’ll definitely write about it when the option is available.
xoxo
Congratulations!!! That is incredible!! As a fellow writer, I can only imagine how thrilled you must be. Now Liv will get to brag to her friends when she starts school that her mama write books! 🙂
Can’t wait to read once it’s out…and if you need any more folks for focus groups in the meantime, I’m your girl!! xo
thank you so much, dominique! xoxo
Yay!! I’m sooo excited! Please tell me that now you can share your dehydrated macaroon recipe!! I know it’s been under lock and key since you were waiting for a book deal. I bought a dehydrator and it sits! Help!! You are awesome!
Ps- I’d love any and all macaroon flavors to be included in the book! I’ve made the red velvet. I’d love more!
it’s already in there- just like i promised 🙂
i can definitely include a few of my favorite variations, too!
xoxo
Congrats!!! You are such an awesome inspiration & I cannot wait to read your book! I hope someday I can be a great blogger as you are.
thank you so much, megan <3
xoxo
oh gosh, what a great thing to cap off 2013–congrats!
i give you huge kudos to the military lifestyle. my long-term boyfriend and I just ended a great relationship because all the uncertainties in our relationship and it destroys me. You rock!
i’m so sorry to hear about that. it’s extremely challenging, and even though you know *kind of* what you’re in for, it doesn’t make it any easier. sending lots of love to you.
xo
So happy for you!! That’s amazing…. 🙂
thank you! xo
Congrats! I am so proud of you! You are so deserving of this opportunity and I can’t wait to read it!
thank you, racheal! xoxo
Wow, Gina, that is so, so, so awesome. I know you’ve been wanting to write a book for years now, and it’s finally happening! It must feel surreal. Happy for ya 🙂
it’s funny that when you don’t expect things to happen, they finally do.
thank you, friend!! <3
I’m so excited for you! I’m sooo happy that the publisher wanted to hear YOUR voice, and have it be in your writing style along with your spunk! that’s what your fans want from you! and I love the concept of the book! 2015 is a LONG ways away!
thank you, erin! <3
it does feel a long ways away, but will probably be here before we know it!
Aaah, that’s awesome! Congrats! I kinda suspected that’s what you were up to. 🙂 next question is–where do you find the time for all this?!
thank you, laura!
since i’m not teaching, my mom and nana still come over for a few hours on wednesday and thursday in the morning so i can write. nap time and early morning are also when i get a lot of work done!
I am so excited for you! I have been reading your blog for years and love your workouts. I cannot wait to buy it! Happy (almost) New Year!
thank you, jessica! happy new year to you too 🙂
xo
That’s amazing! The one thing that I always find missing from a fitness book are weight loss meal options for vegetarians!
thank you!!
there’s a vegetarian option, gluten-free vegetarian option, vegan option and gf vegan option 🙂
Yay! Can’t wait! Congratulations!!!!
completely vegan total meal plan option?! not just a few recipes? sounds too good to be true!
yep! there are two: vegan and gf vegan 🙂
That is so fabulous! I cannot wait to buy it. I am a very rare commenter but your blog is my absolute favorite…you have such an approachable, down to earth voice that makes fitness and clean eating achievable for anyone.ast year’s Winter Shape Up came at the perfect time for me when I was drowning in depression after losing someone I loved dearly. I’ve also loved seeing you grow as a mom and it’s encouraged me as someone who was always on the fence about having kids.
The one thing I would love to see would be vegetarian options for the eats. As someone who doesn’t eat meat or fish that is always the biggest hole for me in fitness books and blogs. It’s tough to get good clean lean proteins in and still have some variety. I’ve really appreciated how many veggie recipes you’ve incorporated into your blog.
Lastly, as the proud new owners of a dehydrator (Merry Christmas to us!) any new dehydrator recipes would be great 🙂 I already made your barbecue zucchini chips and they were terrific!
thank you so much, jen <3 i'm so happy hear you enjoyed last year's WSU. sending lots of love to you and hope the rest of the year has been better.
there are quite a few veggie options in the book, since i like to eat plant-based sometimes and know many readers are veggies. there's a vegetarian option, gf vegetarian, vegan and gf vegan. 🙂
thank you so much for reading and for your kindness and support <3
xoxo
Such amazing news, congratulations! I’m always suggesting HIIT training to students and others, but never felt I had a great resource to point them too. I’m sure I’ll be recommending your book a LOT when it comes out, and using it myself of course 🙂
thank you so much, kim!!
xoxo
Congratulations! I can’t wait to read your book when it comes out 🙂
As for suggestions, it may be fun to do a little section on kiddos – recipes for homemade baby food and toddler/kid-friendly food, as well as getting in workouts and activity ideas when you have kids. I don’t currently have any kids, but I know when I do, I know I will be scouring your blog for all of your tips! It would be fun to have some of the recipes in the book though, too!
i love that idea! i’ll definitely throw in some tips that have helped me with working out with a kiddo. i’m really hoping that if i can write a second book, it can be about fit pregnancy, baby food, toddler recipes, etc.
Congratulations! That is SUCH exciting news and you are so very deserving of all of your successes! Even though I’ve never met you – you are truly an inspiration to me 🙂
thank you, alexandra. hope you and your family have a happy new year!
Your book will be added to my collection! You rock!
thank you so much!
Eeek yay that’s so exciting, Gina! Congrats! Can’t wait to order it 🙂
Thank you for sharing your year with us! Wishing you all the best for 2014- big things ahead!
congrats on the book! can’t wait to get it when it comes out 🙂
Congrats Gina! This is such exciting news! You are by far my favorite blogger to read and I think it’s because you are so real. I appreciate all your hard work and dedication to your blog. I love following your workouts and getting recipe ideas from you, all while seeing pictures of your cute family. I can’t wait for you to have another baby 😉
Congrats again! I’m SOOO excited for you! Can’t wait to read your book, yay!
I can remember when I first started following your Blog a very long time ago, time has flown & you are still the wonderful, honest person you are now that you were then, so it is no surprise that big success is headed your way. (YaY!) You are just a down to earth girl that many of us can identify, understand & relate to. God Bless & Good Luck with all that 2014 brings!
Well, I know what I’ll be getting all of my friends NEXT Christmas–a pre-order of your book! Congratulations, Gina!
CONGRATULATION GIRLS! That is super exciting news for you and all of us! Can’t wait to get a copy in 2015!
Yahoo! Congrats! I can’t wait to see it and buy it and love it!
Oh my gosh, congratulations! I think your book will be fantastic, especially being allowed to write it like you want to. I love reading your blog because of the way you speak, write . . . whatever! Each post comes off like a conversation with a friend, just your normal every day kind of talking, with lots of great info.
Can’t wait to get a copy of your book!
So excited for you! And put the word out on when to pre-order 🙂
Looks like it’s going to be a great book!
Fantastic news! Congratulations. Looking forward to continued updates on the progress!
What a year it’s been for you! I wish you nothing but the best for 2014. Happy new year!
So exciting! Congratulations! I would LOVE to see a well written book for the normal person! I feel like everything I read is ‘how to get a celebrity’s body’ or ‘how to lose 50 pounds fast’ and none of them actually cite real studies! I’m a scientist so it bugs me to not see the proof behind what they are saying but I’m a normal person too who just wants to lose weight for good – but not fast and furiously (and unhealthily). 🙂
Booyah! Can we preorder now?? 😉 Congrats! Of all the blogs I read, yours is truly the one I go to for food and fitness advice, so this book is definitely going to be on my shelf!
CONGRATULATIONS, that is awesome, I look forward to getting my hands on it, and I would love to know if there would be an opportunity to pre-order it! YAY! 2014 will be awesome!
Oh my! Congrats!! You deserve it, can’t wait to read it!
Congrats!! I will be pre-ordering this book for sure! I would love to see vegan options for the recipes and recipes that include ingredients that are easy to find or common substitutions for harder-to-find ingredients. I don’t have access to a Whole Foods or Trader Joes and I find that limits me somewhat in the recipes I can follow.
Congratulations!!! What exciting news! 🙂 I can’t wait to preorder!
You are awesome! Congrats Gina! Can’t wait to read it!
Congrats to you! What exciting news!! That’s awesome and I look forward to reading it. 🙂 I am looking forward to taking the first steps towards a career change. And my favorite part of 2013 was watching my little man start walking and talking. I like reading your blog to see what’s in store for me and the fun that is to come! (my little guy is 18 months)
Happy new year to you and your family!
Congratulations! How exciting! 🙂 Will the book feature your fitness journey as well as your family?
fitness journey: yes, family: not so much. there won’t be any pictures of liv or tom, but some stories and family-friendly meal ideas and planning
I’m big on meal prep Sundays for success, so I love the make ahead focus. Congrats!!
thank you!!
Congratulations on the book, I really look forward to reading it! I would love to read more about your own history and struggles with body image, food, and exercising, and how you’ve integrated changes you made over time to present day.
thank you! i will definitely add in some more background stuff 🙂
xoxo
Oh my goodness this is so, so exciting! I am so happy for you and I can not wait to order the book! Congratulations! And I can’t wait to hear all about 2014. What a big year!!! 🙂
:)! thank you, haley! xoxo
Congrats Gina! As a long time reader and fan of your workouts and meals – I can’t wait for your book!
thank you, kaylin! xoxo
Congrats on the book!! I can’t wait to read it!! So nice to see your many accomplishments from 2013 .. I truly enjoy reading your blog every day and I recommend it to all my friends. Have a great New Year’s!!
thank you, mari! hope your 2014 is an amazing one
xo
Congratulations! I look forward to buying the book.
thank you, sara! have a happy new year 🙂
Big BIG congrats to you lady!!! SO proud of you!!
thank you, erin!! xoxo!
Awesome update! Congrats on the book.
I can’t believe Livi will be two but it wasn’t long after my stepdaughter had our granddaughter. She’ll be two in Jan. So stinking cute and smart. It’s fun to watch them grow up huh?
Best to you in 2014.
thank you, angie! happy new year!
Oh.my.gosh. Soooo very excited for you!!!!!!!! I started reading in ’10, and so many things I’ve learned from your blog have changed my life for the better! I know your book is going to rock. Cannot wait for all the HIIT workouts and meal plans. As a young mom of three, efficiency, results, and basically the best of the best workouts and meal plans handed to you is a dream come true :), and honestly, the only realistic way I can get anything done fitness and healthy eating-wise.
As for suggestions, I know you’re going to crush the workout and meal plan part, so I know that part won’t be lacking, obvs 😉 I absolutely adore your Friday Faves and fashion posts, so maybe the inclusion of your favorite tips, tricks, favorite products to make a healthy lifestyle fun and fashionable are totally welcome.
Congratulations again!!!
thank you so much, bonnie! three kiddos! you are amazing 🙂
thank you for reading and for the great tip. i’ll be sure to include some of my faves!!
xoxo