Sharing the top reader favorites that I’ve recommended here on the blog in 2022! 

Hi hi! How are you? I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We spent the weekend celebrating Liv’s birthday! I’ll share some more pics in Friday Faves but we had an awesome dinner with her friends, saw Annie yesterday with my mom and nana, and the family came over for dinner. I hope you had a lovely weekend, too!

For today’s post, I wanted to share the reader faves from 2022! It’s always fun to look back on my analytics and see what your favorite finds were from the blog. Y’all have good taste, I tell ya. 😉

Here are the top picks from last year!

Top 10 reader purchases of 2022

1. HigherDOSE Sauna Blanket

The best sauna blanket in the land reigns supreme. I got this little beauty a couple of years ago (and upgraded to the newest version), and it’s still something I really look forward to in my routine. Since it’s been colder outside, I find myself craving the warmth and sweat. I always use it 2-3 times per week, and lately it’s been every couple of days. When I use my sauna blanket, it opens up my detox pathways (I sweat WAY more than I do during most workouts), I notice an improvement in my skin, and I sleep like a rock.

I’m so so happy so many of you are enjoying this one, too! If you decided to order one for yourself, use FITNESSISTA15 to get 15% sitewide.

2. Sakara meals

This is another thing that makes my heart happy that you all enjoy it, too! I look forward to these meals EVERY month. They’re a little treat and I gift myself some beautiful eats and some convenience. I book them during my busiest weeks, and it feels like the truest form of self care to eat a nutritious meal I didn’t have to make myself. A lot of friends have ordered Sakara meals just for lunch, as it can be one of the hardest meals to get in during a busy day. Check out all of the amazing options here and use XOGINAH for 20% off!

3. The tee shirt dress

Love this cute and casual Rails dress. It’s perfect with low-top sneakers and a baseball cap.

4. These golden goose sneakers

I was debating on these sneakers before I bought my other recent pairs of GG and they’re the perfect neutral.

5. The best egg chair!

I got this egg chair for our balcony for a steal and so pumped that many of you snagged it up, too.

6. These heeled sandals

These were so inexpensive but the quality is excellent. I hope they’re still in style this spring because I still plan on wearing them.

7. The jeans I wear constantly

This is when I dubiously accepted the fact that skinny jeans are no longer for the cool kids. This was my compromise. They’re still fitted enough to be flattering, but looser on the bottom to be more on trend.

8. This cozy cardigan

I’m wearing this cardigan while I type this blo

Hellooooo. Happy Friday! How are you? I hope you’ve had a wonderful week so far! The kids headed back to school this week and as much I want to say YAY I finally got work done and we’re back in a routine, nope. I missed them like crazy and I hate waking up early, so there ya go.

We did go out with a bang and had a wild card girls’ day on our last day of winter break. I took pieces of paper and wrote options on them for the day and the girls picked randomly from each set. (I saw the idea go around TikTok a while back and thought they’d like it!)

They ended up picking eegee’s for lunch, Round 1 (a huge arcade), Starbucks, Mildred & Dildred (the best local toy store) and a board game (we played Zingo and Old Maid). P told me I was a fun mom. *cry emoji*

This weekend is Liv’s birthday (11! HOW?!), Annie with the family, and getting ready for a lil trip we’re taking next week. I’d love to hear what you have going on this weekend!

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party! This is where I share some of my favorite finds from the week and around the web. I always love to hear about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re loving in the comments section below.

Read, watch, listen:

What’s the most helpful thing a therapist ever told you?

Matilda

We’ve all been waiting anxiously for Matilda’s release on Netflix and while I expected it to be good, I did not expect it to be that good. The music is epic (“Revolting Children” is on repeat and P has memorized 90% of the dance moves), and the storyline is amazing. Expect a tiny bit of crass language and bullying, but it had an overwhelming message of bravery, positivity, and the power of love/kindness.

Wednesday

Liv had been wanting to watch Wednesday since her friends have seen it, so after doing a bit of research (and determined no major adult themes, just scariness), I figured we could watch it together. We both loved it! It was intense,

This podcast episode is sponsored by Nutrisense! I’ve been a huge fan of Nutrisense for over a year and recently wore another CGM during the holidays. If you’d like to join me and get insight to your habits, your body, and make some healthy changes, sign up here. Use this link and the promo code TFP (stands for The Fitnessista Podcast) to get $30 off and 1 month of free dietitian support. 

First podcast episode of the New Year is heeeeere! Today I’m sharing three things you can focus on in 2023 that have nothing to do with exercise or fitness. Share this episode with someone you love, and if it resonates with you, please let me know what you’ll be doing first over on Instagram!

Resources from this episode:

Woman Code 

Taking Charge of Your Fertility

The Rain Barrel Effect

Glucose Revolution

Why We Get Sick

Fertility Awareness Method and Getting Off Birth Control

Seed Cycling

Removing Environmental Toxins

How to eat for your menstrual cycle

Tips for New Years goals and resolutions

Check the quality of your tap water here

Have you been wanting to try Nutrisense? Now is your chance! I’ve been using this tool on and off for a year, after I found out that my fasting glucose was borderline high. It’s enabled me to make simple changes in my routine, and learn more about how my body responds to certain foods, stressors, and habits.

Your blood sugar levels can significantly impact how your body feels and functions, and Nutrisense helps you analyze in real-time how your body responds to  exercise, stress, and sleep.  It’s so empowering to be able to see how your body is responding, and

Sharing the details about an upcoming Dr. Cabral 7-day detox. Sharing the details here and how to join in if you’d like!

Hi friends! How’s the morning going? I LOVED reading about your goals for the upcoming year. Please keep me updated on your progress and if you have any post requests or topics I can cover to support you, please comment or send me an email gina@fitnessista.com.

It’s hard to believe that holiday break is over and the kids are headed back to school this week. While I’m devastated – I enjoyed sleeping in and low-key days a liiiittle too much – it’s going to be nice to get back into a routine. We have a lot of things to look forward to over the next few months, including a Disney cruise, a trip to Disneyland, and a top-secret trip (it’s part of Liv’s birthday surprise).

One of the things I’m also looking forward to this month is another EquiLife 7-day detox. I felt SO GREAT after the last one, and it’s been a few months, so I’m ready for another round. Usually every January, I do some type of reset. Sometimes I cut out sugar and alcohol entirely for the month, other times, I’ll just focus on solid nutrition. It feels amazing to get back in the habit of eating (and craving) vegetables and fresh foods, especially after the joyful avalanche of holiday sweets and cocktails.

Moderation is my jam now, especially since the days of depriving myself are long gone. If I want a sweet treat or something more indulgent, I eat it and enjoy every bite. It’s been a festive couple of months, and I’m feeling a bit sluggish and craving sugar more than usual. Usually by the time New Years rolls around, I’m looking forward to making my way back to more *normal* eating. I love to kickstart it with a little reset and this year, I’m doing this liver-based functional medicine detox.

SO many of you joined me last time, so I wanted to invite you to join in if you’d like to go for another round. The fun starts January 22, so you can order your kit now and you’ll be ready to go!

Read more

The Great Book Review of 2022: Sharing the books I read in 2022 and whether I’d recommend adding them to your collection.

Hi hi! How’s the day going so far? I hope you’re having a wonderful morning! I’m looking forward to a movie with the crew and catching a hot yoga class later today. I’d love to hear what you have going on!

In today’s post, I’m sharing almost all of the books I read last year. (I had a a few audiobooks and a handful of DNF books I didn’t type up because they weren’t memorable or enjoyable.) Reading is one of my very favorite hobbies and I’m so glad I set a goal a couple of years ago to read more often. It’s definitely something I plan on doing in 2023, too!

Here’s a list of almost all of the books I read last year:

The Great Book Review of 2022

The Book of Lost Names

Ok friends, this is it. My #1 book of 2022. It was poignant, intriguing, devoting, heartwarming, and hopeful all at the same time. It’s beautifully-written and an absolute page turner. I finished it in two days! 10/10 recommend, especially if you enjoy historical fiction.

All Things New

I was unsure about adding this to the recap because obviously we don’t all have the same beliefs, and I never want anyone to feel isolated or left out. One of my favorite things about having ya’ll as virtual BFFs is the fact that we have a ton in common, and probably some differences, too. It makes life more enjoyable and exciting to be surrounded by various perspectives and viewpoints.

In the end, I wanted to add it because it’s been a part of my life lately, and I’m sure many of you would enjoy hearing about this rec.

I’ve been going through this Bible study on 2 Corinthians for the past month and a half and have already learned so much from it. As someone who always felt intimidated by reading the Bible, this has been a great introduction to it, especially since I’m able to study and discuss with such a lovely and brilliantly intelligent group of ladies. We meet weekly and chat about what we’ve learned, and the conversations have been so meaningful for me.

If you’ve been wanting to read the Bible, I highly recommend doing a study like this as a way to gain more knowledge and understanding. I feel like I’m actually learning instead of simply reading passages, and this way, I’m more easily able to apply these principles to my life. We’ll finish this study early next month and cap it off with a celebratory lunch before starting our next study.

I’m Glad My Mom Died

What a turn in topics, eh?

TBH, the title of this book kept me from wanting to read it, despite the overwhelming pos