Someone got a facelift
Hi guys! Happy Wednesday <3 Hope your week is going well! It’s all downhill from here. It’s been a great week with my favorite little sidekick, and it also feels good to be back in the swing of teaching after getting subs for the IDEA conference. I taught barre and hot barre last night and was shaking like a leaf!
Thank you so much for those of you who have commented on the blog’s new look. She’s been feeling a little fancy lately and a little shy, hoping you guys like it. It’s been quite a while since we’ve done a revamp around here, and I’ve been waiting until I had some time to set up a draft design outline, organize posts (over 3000!) and find an awesome designer. (My previous designer has another full-time job and a growing family, so he was unable to do another revamp.) After looking around, I was referred to Julie at Deluxe Designs and was so excited with the vision she created for the site. (Just wanted to note that I didn’t get any freebies for my shout out; I paid for my redesign and wanted to spread the word about Julie’s baller design skills)
Some changes around here:
-Previous posts are easier to find. This was a major bummer -even for me, and I know exact keywords to use to locate an old post- because I felt like my posts disappeared into thin air after writing them. Now, everything is organized into categories that stream the posts into lists. Much better!
-Organized workout and recipe pages! The workouts are now organized by category (at the very top of the blog + the right sidebar), and the recipes are easy to search by dish. I do have to go back and re-categorize some (ok, a LOT of) recipe posts, but in the next couple of weeks, that page should be much cleaner. (I tagged posts as “breakfast” or another category even if I didn’t actually post the recipe, so I have to remove quite a few tags. Thanks for hanging in there with me.)
-No more “one post per page” when you’re scrolling back. If you miss some posts, it should be a lot easier to play catch up if you’d like
A look through the blog’s header history as it’s come a long way:
First: I couldn’t find my first header when I searched the Googles. All I’ll say is that it’s a prime example of why it’s sometimes a great idea to outsource things in life. I designed it myself… and that’s all there is to say about that.
Second:
Third:
and the current one you now see above.
I really hope you like to new design and find it easier to navigate! Please click around let me know if you have any constructive feedback, or notice anything that isn’t working. Thank you to those of you who have been reading all of these years, and hi to all of my new reader friends out there <3 Newsletter subscribers, check your emails this afternoon for a little something, too.
xoxo
Gina
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Loving the changes — looking good, fitnessista.com! 😉
The search feature is so awesome! I noticed that it was somewhat difficult before and now it’s super easy! I’ve been referencing your pregnancy posts as I go through my own. Love the redesign- beautiful, functional and somehow, you keep taking it to the next level. Congrats!
Love it. And think its funny that I’ve been reading since the first one (because I remember when you changed to #2)
thank you for reading for so long!
it’s wonderful!!
love the changes!
I love the new look, Gina! I’m in the midst of having my blog re-designed too and am hoping it’ll be ready in about 2 weeks. It’s so fun to see blogs evolve over the years, and yours just keeps getting better! 🙂
thank you, angela! 🙂
It looks amazing!It feels really sleek…and the hanger on the barbell is so stinking cute, and perfect for your personality! Also, you look amazeballs in that pic at the top. Congrats on a great new feel 🙂
wow, thank you so much jenn!
You know I love it!! And I totally agree with Jenn’s comment — you look like a total babe in your header pic. Ow, ow! <3
blushing. thank you friend 🙂 xoxo
I think it looks awesome! Nice changes Gina!
I love the design! You look amazing and the header is fantastic.
thank you, amalia!
Check you out on the Wayback Machine! https://web.archive.org/web/20081208044509/http://www.fitnessista.com/
So cute 🙂 Congrats on the new look!
ahhh it didn’t work for me! i remember though haha
I’m not sure if maybe I looked in the wrong place, but it’d be nice if when you click the specific body part for your workouts, if a list of the posts come up or a list of the workouts instead of taking you to a post and then having to scroll through that. Just a though but I really love the design!
definitely can do that! thank you!
I love the clean header, bigger typeface and overall look and feel. It seems to suit you!
The new blog design looks great! Awesome job!
thank you!
I love the redesign! It’s so clean and you look amazing (as usual) in those pics! Is there any way to get the comments button put back at the bottom of the posts instead of the top? I like to scroll through the comments after reading the posts and it’s more annoying to have to scroll back through the whole post to get to it. As I write it, it sounds minimal but when work internet is time monitored it seems like a bigger issue 🙂
I was going to comment this exact same thing, then decided it was really minor, so I’m glad someone else agrees! The only other comment I have is that when you click to continue onto a whole post, I can’t seem to find that “next post” and “previous post” buttons…those are definitely handy! Overall it looks great 🙂
thank you!
yes, i can definitely ask her to add that 🙂 xoxo
That was going to be my suggestion too! 🙂
looks great gina!!!
I love the new design and really like your new header. Very well done! Also, I can attest that catch-up is now much easier because I was on vacation when the revamp hit and had about a week or so worth of posts to read.
The only thing I would recommend would be to add a “Snacks” tab under the food category. Yesterday I was looking for a bar recipe of sorts and had difficulty finding one (though I found a few uncooked snack options under the “Raw” tab).
Scratch that – “Vegan” tab 😉
thank you so much, carrie!
and yes, i can definitely ask for a snack tab 🙂
Congrats, Gina! The new blog design looks gorgeous!
thank you!! 🙂
Love the new look and LOOOOVE the new layout. Workouts and recipes are so much easier to find! Woo hoo!
Loving the changes! It is definitely easier to navigate. The pictures look fantastic and so does your header! If this is it with still a few minor things to fix, then I cant wait to see it when it’s all ready!
Oh man, that second header is a throwback! I remember when you rolled that one out 🙂 New look and layout is fantastic, and so much more accessible. Good work!
I love how all of the workouts are organized and easier to find. Plus, I was at the gym yesterday and I pulled up your site to find a treadmill workout and I love how much more smart phone friendly your site is now. I just put my phone right up in front of me and followed along right there!!
That’s too bad you couldn’t find your first header. Would have love to see it!! haha I remember the second one though! That’s when I found your blog (and when I think you were still based in Orlando, I think?!?!). The new blog look is great!!!
Hey Gina, i love the new look. But can that top ad right under your header be moved? Its just doesnt flow with the header. It actually draws my attention away from your header and beautiful picture.
The blog “facelift” looks great!! I love how fresh & clean it looks 🙂
I used Julie for my blog redesign two mints ago. She’s the best! Love your new look!
I LOVE the new look of your site!! It’s seriously beautiful.
My only suggestion would be for mobile – maybe have your navigation buttons at the top turn into a navigation bar that you can select and scroll through instead of all the individual buttons. They’re currently making your header look really small in comparison and pushes your post a full scroll down on my iPhone.
I think we use the same theme. My site has one option of a navigation bar at the top while Julie’s PBFingers.com has another.
I just thought I’d point this out because I do marketing full time and mobile responsiveness is one of the things I’ve had absolutely drilled into me.
Oh also, your header doesn’t currently click through back to your home page. I know when I’m at the end of a post but want to go back to the home page I usually click the header. It’s lazy, because I could totally just hit the back button, but I know if I do it I can’t be the only one!
awesome- thank you!
I love the new look! It’s very chic and modern yet warm. 🙂 I’m often trying to find recipes and workout inspiration from the blog so the new searches will definitely help with that. I’ve already found the slow cooker sweet potato chili recipe and will be cooking/devouring/making googley eyes to it this weekend. 😉
thank you friend!! enjoy the chili too 🙂
Love the face lift! Lookin’ good girl!
Hi, Gina,
The new design is great. Is there a section in recipes for your non-food creations like the bath bombs and body wash?
oh i could see if we can add that somewhere!
The new design is gorgeous and you look amazing in your new picture! The color change looks great too. Bummer you couldn’t find your first design–that’d be fun to see. 🙂 I’m currently working on a new logo with a designer and I’m so excited to roll out something professional.
thank you so much! excited to see your new design too 🙂
Love the redesign! I’m curious, do you have a Developer that manages your site for you or do you do that yourself? I know you worked with a designer, but didn’t know if they also did the implementation for you or any sort of maintenance. My blog is in it’s infancy (that’s an understatement), but I really wish I didn’t have to deal with all the tweaking I want to do to it and could just have someone do it for me. Just not sure when to pull the trigger since that involves $$.
How do I get back to your old fashion posts? For example I wanted to look at your Capsule post from a few days ago, but there isn’t a link at the top like you used to have.
Also, I love reading the comments on your blog. The way it is now I have to scroll to the top to click on the comments to see them. It would be nice to have that option at the bottom of the post rather than scrolling back up. Just an idea!
Your blog is such an inspiration!
yes! ryan from wp site care manages my blog for me. he is AMAZING. any time the blog goes down or there’s a prob, he fixes it for me.
as far as the fashion stuff goes, i’m not sure where to put that yet. i don’t think it needs its own page, but will still post fashion stuff time to time because i like it 🙂
and love the idea for an option at the bottom for comments, too
thank you!
Love the clean new design! I second someone’s request for a “snacks” tab. You make me drool with your snack recipes – so yummy!
thank you- i can definitely ask to add that!
The new blog definitely looks great! It’s nice to switch things up once in a while.
The only things I would recommend is in “Recipes” and “Workouts”.
Would you be able to list the recipes under each category? Right now there’s only links to the posts, but does not refer to what the exact recipe is on each post. For example, if I was looking for a breakfast cookie, I wouldn’t know where to find it!
Same with Workouts. If you could put a list of each workout like in the old blog, it would be easier to get around the website.
Otherwise, Fab!
thank you so much!
the page is like that because there are a TON of extra posts that shouldn’t be there. for example, i tagged many posts “breakfast” even if there isn’t a recipe. so, i have to go through and untag a lot of posts and once i do that, it should all make sense!
So for me, your changes make me feel old(I am 32). I wear glasses/contacts but with your near white background and light grey or light pink writing, finding it harder to read your posts.
i’m sorry to hear that! i can see if we can darken up the text a little too. i have horrible eyesight and also wear glasses/contacts (and totally afraid of lasik)
Looks great Gina! Love the facelift. The layout is very clean and the navigation is now even easier to use. Kudos!
thanks girl!
Love it, Gina! The design is so stylish and fun! You look amazing in your header pic! (as usual 🙂 ) Thanks for taking the time to organize all of the posts! So excited to be able to find old recipes and workouts easier!
thank you so much, alexandra!! 🙂
Love the new look and your cute picture in your header! It’s fun to see how our blogs evolve over the years- they definitely grow with us!
definitely! it’s fun to see how the styles change, too
love it! your new header is beautiful. kudos to you and Julie on a job very well done 🙂
thanks, sachi!
Love your new header!
I didn’t really get a chance to see the blog before, but I do love the layout. I am going to try to use some of your tips to organize mine, it feels a bit all over the place right now and I like your concept of how the posts are organized and easy to find. It’s sad to work so hard on a post and then feel like it’s gone forever once it’s gone from the main page!
exactly! it’s definitely worth some extra time to organize everything
Omg I remember your first blog design! This one is really nice…and you look great in your pic. So profesh 🙂
I’ve followed and un-followed lots of blogs over the past 5 or 6 years…and yours is one that I’ve probably been reading the longest. It’s nice to see how far it’s come!
thank you, crystal! wow, that means a lot to me 🙂 i appreciate you being here!! xoxo
I agree with the comments above! It looks great and I’m going to use some of your tips to help organize my new blog! I’m hoping that if I start off right, it will be a lot easier in the future!
it’s SUCH a pain but totally worth it
Love the redesign! Looking fancy with a new coat of paint!
thank you, sue!
Love the new blog design. Thank you for the great posts and all of your tips.
thank you so much for reading!
I LOVE the new look, Gina! So clean and beautiful. Looking forward to browsing through. 🙂
thank you, katie!
So–i just browsed through! Looks great!! It’s professional yet still bubbly and fun! Love it! And that abs photo! Girl–you look so strong and lean!! Your abs seriously look incredible!!
Congrats on the new upgrade!! And I totally want to get PIYO certified too! After following Chalene for a while now and seeing the PIYO workouts she posts on her IG–they look amaze! I’m thinking of ordering the set–but I’ve read the longest workout is like–40 minutes–and some of the others are like 15-20 min.?? I don’t know if it’s worth it! Ideally I wish she’d sell the live workouts like what you described she did at IDEA–but Ito get those I think you have to be certified. Do you still do TURBOFIRE? I started doing some of the EZs again after doing other stuff for a while–and forgot how much I enjoyed them! Hope the rest of your week goes well!!
Hugs,
Yaara
thank you so much, lovely!
i haven’t done turbo fire in forever, but i still love it! i’m not sure if it’s worth the cost for piyo, too, but the workout was AMAZING. i really want to take more live classes and maybe get certified
I adore the new look! It’s fun, fresh, and fabulous! Love it!
It looks amazing!! That is such a great photo of you and I love the little hangar on the barbell, adorable.
But I must say, your first attempt at designing it yourself wasn’t that bad either!! xoxo
Love the design Gina! I also love the way the new workout section is organized, so much easier. Also the family section – I am so enjoying reading through your first trimester posts (anxiously crossing my fingers that my husband and I got lucky this time!). While doing so, they seem to link in order until I get to the ‘Stretch Cream’ (taking notes) and the ‘Belly Rub’ post then it seems to switch to chronological order. Just an FYI!