Top 18 posts of 2018 (+ survey help!)

Hi friends! How are you? I hope you’re having a wonderful day. The girls and I are finishing up our San Diego and Anaheim trip – I’ll have a recap up soon with all of the adventures! – and work-wise, I’ve been spending time planning my editorial calendar for 2019. This year has been a bit of a transitional year for me, and we have some changes headed our way in 2019. I’m really looking forward to having a more solid work schedule, and getting some awesome content produced for you. I’d love to hear about any of your requests for the upcoming year, so if you wouldn’t mind helping me out with a short survey, I’d really appreciate your help! Link to the survey is here and it takes less than 2 minutes.

It’s always been my goal to create a blog that you love to read: one that shares valuable and inspiring content, and also real life as a mom and fitness professional. I’m so thankful for you for reading, whether you’ve been here for the entire 10 years (thank you!) or if this is your first time stopping by (HI!). I feel like I know so many of you and look forward to your comments and interacting with you each day.

0069fitnessistajuly2018 photographybyjacquelynn

 Some of the things I’m considering or already working on for 2019:

– A Home Workout Warrior workout series (probably a 5-video combo with a month fitness plan; dumbbells and bodyweight only)

– The podcast! I’ll be back in January with some incredible guests. It’s been so much fun to explore this new avenue for sharing health-related content with you guys. I feel like I get to chill in my pajamas and chat with inspiring people, so it’s been an awesome addition to the blog. 😉

– More videos! I’ll be sharing more this winter, but we’re going to be staying in Tucson. This means we’ll be here with the fam (YAY) and I’ll also have the opportunity to create more videos with Grant and Katie. I love creating pinnable workouts for you guys (like this one and this one!) but I fee like video is helpful to have too, especially if you prefer to follow along and get form cues. 

– More recipes! I haven’t felt super inspired on the recipe front lately, but feel like it’s been coming back. Some of my top posts here on the blog have been recipes, and I usually love creating and sharing them. I haven’t had a ton of time to create in the kitchen lately, but will be focusing on it again in the new year.

When I plan out my content for the upcoming year, it’s helpful to go back and explore the posts that were the most popular.

Here are my top 18 posts of 2018:

1. PiYo Review Month 1

This continues to be my #1 post, which is hilarious because it’s kind of old and the photos aren’t great. PiYo is an amazing workout if you’re looking for something low impact, but challenging. In the new year, I would love to try out and review a couple of the new Beachbody workouts. 

2. How to combine baby led weaning with purees

This was an unexpectedly controversial post, but it’s what we did with both of our kids. They both loved purees, but they also loved tiny soft bites of real food. These are some of the strategies we used, but it’s worth mentioning again that you should always discuss feeding techniques with your pediatrician and do what works best for your family.

Sous vide

3. Homemade Sous Vide Egg Bites

These are SO good and an inexpensive copycat version of the Starbucks classic. You don’t need a fancypants sous vide to make them.

4. Potty training tips from two nanas

Aka that one time my mom and my nana potty trained Liv in 24 hours.

5. 1 month of baby food, 1 hour, $20 (round 2)

These were some of my favorite posts to create. I LOVED making baby food and had so much fun sharing new tastes and textures with the girls.

6. Morning detox drink

I still drink this on a regular basis, especially in the fall/winter.

Morning detox drink 3

7. Working out with diastasis recti

There isn’t a ton of info about working out with DR out there, so I really wanted to create a space with all of my favorite exercises and tips in one spot. I’m so happy that this one has done well because I feel like it’s important info for new mamas, and a topic I’m truly passionate about.

Hip raises

8. My breast implant removal story

I can’t believe that this was almost 2 years ago. I feel like a different person now, and while yes, I sometimes miss my boobs (like when I wear a swimsuit), I feel a thousand times better with them out. 

9. Chocolate protein oatmeal bake

This is a delicious (and healthy!!) make-ahead breakfast recipe if you haven’t tried it!

Protein baked chocolate oatmeal 4

10. Baked breakfast cookie

This is such a convenient breakfast treat that kiddos love, too.

11. 1 month of baby food, 1 hour, $20

This was one of the many posts that I created for the blog that I spent hours putting together, and LOVED every second. I couldn’t wait to share it with you! I’m so so happy so many mamas out there have found these recipes to be helpful.

12. Review of the Peloton app

I’m a huge fan of all things Peloton – check out my full non-sponsored review of the Peloton bike here!– and used the app for over a year before switching to the bike. Even if you’re not into spin, the treadmill, bootcamp, yoga, and stretching classes make it worth the investment. 

Peloton

13. 30-20-10 workout

Number games make workouts go by much more quickly, and this one is no exception. 

14. The fitness page

This is the collection of all of the workouts I’ve created for you guys. It makes my heart happy to see ya using it! I love sharing free, effective workouts with you all, and this is a page where you can find whatever you’re looking for, whether it’s barre, kettlebell, video workouts, or ab blasts.

15. The best pasta salad ever

If you’re going to a potluck type event, just make this. It’s SO, so insanely good (and if there are leftovers, they’re even better).

16. The about page

Maybe I should update this. heh.

17. Apple Watch vs. Fitbit Alta

It took a while for me to switch over to an Apple Watch from a Fitbit and now I feel like I couldn’t live without it!

Review of apple watch

18. Homemade nibble bars

Another baby food recipe! I wonder if the girls would be cool with being taste testers for some baby/toddler food style blog recipes. At least we all know they’d give very honest feedback.

Is there a particular post that you loved this year? Anything you want to see on the blog in 2019? Please leave a comment below, or hit me up in the survey here!

xo

Gina 

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8 Comments

  1. Nicole Kump on December 11, 2018 at 8:46 am

    Nice wrap-up of your posts! Looking forward to what next year has to offer. More posts about Tucson to make me miss it even more haha!

  2. Janice O'Kane on December 11, 2018 at 9:21 am

    Yay! I’m so happy to read you will be staying in Tucson!! Personally, I love and use the Fitness page a lot. I really enjoy posts featuring the girls, all recipe posts, and really appreciate posts about fitting in healthy meals and exercise while living a very on-the-go life. I’ve been off and on with the podcast but have plans to use my drive time for better purpose in 2019. You’re doing great and am so grateful for your efforts for all of us!

  3. Juliana on December 11, 2018 at 11:58 am

    Have you done a Tucson guide post recently? I don’t remember seeing one, but since you’re staying I’d love to hear your suggestions of places to visit! (Also this is me asking selfishly because I’m planning to visit Tucson in 2019).

  4. Ashley @ A Lady Goes West on December 11, 2018 at 12:05 pm

    It will be awesome for you to stay settled around with your fam in Tuscon, Gina! 🙂 So happy for all the success you have and continue to have with this blog and space! You deserve it!

  5. Tracy on December 11, 2018 at 4:19 pm

    Yay! You get to stay in Tucson! I’m so happy for you and your family 🙂

    Filling out the survey for ya!

  6. Shannon on December 12, 2018 at 10:22 am

    So glad you get to stay in Tucson with your family!

    I love the blog and enjoy the variety of content. I have been loving the podcast, and the regular “life” posts always end up being my favorite!

  7. Jennifer on December 14, 2018 at 11:50 am

    “This was an unexpectedly controversial post, but it’s what we did with both of our kids”

    lol I am part of a vegan baby led weaning group and man anytime someone asks about purees EVERYONE LOOSES IT! It isn’t my favorite group because everyone is so uptight, but then again none of the vegan kids groups aren’t so beggers can’t be choosers? So I wasn’t surprised by this lol. We did BLW because I was too lazy to feed my kid each spoonful ^__~

  8. Stephanie S. on December 19, 2018 at 1:17 pm

    Your hair looks SO pretty in that first picture! I always really, really love your full-length workout videos – can’t wait for even more! I just had a baby last week 🙂 so I’m looking forward to doing your videos once I start working out again – I haven’t been able to do your most recent ones yet, so I’m excited to try those out!

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