Sharing some of my favorite lunchbox ideas for teens!

Hi friends! How are you? I hope that you’re having a lovely morning so far. I’ve packed this week with podcast interviews and client calls – here we goooooo – because the Pilot is home and can take over homeschool duties.

For today’s post, I wanted to share some lunchbox ideas for teenagers. I make the girls’ lunches every day, and I love putting them together. Liv’s school offers hot lunch, which is takeout from different fast food restaurants, but it’s super expensive (like $20 for Chick-Fil-A) and they don’t even keep the food warm before serving it to the kids. So for quality and cost reasons, I keep making their food here at home.

Last year, I would sometimes open Liv’s lunchbox to wash it, and quite a bit of it would still be sitting in here.

“Why didn’t you eat lunch? Aren’t you hungry at lunchtime?”

“I’m a little hungry but sometimes I don’t really want a bagel or a sandwich… I’d love a meal.”

“A meal? Like what do you mean?”

“Like ramen, or chicken, or salad or something like that.”

This blew my mind. I was still kind of packing her “little kid lunches.” Don’t get me wrong, they still looked good and had lots of tasty and healthy components, but she wanted an actual meal instead of a bagel or PB&J. It was a huge lightbulb moment for me because I’d feel the same way. I don’t like eating the same cold things every day, and for lunch, I often prefer a *meal* instead of a bagel or PB&J.

[And for the friends out there who might be wondering why she didn’t pack her own lunch, she was dancing 10+ hours a week last year across town and had hours of homework each night. It’s also one of those things that I’m happy to do for them – I enjoy it!]

I started asking her for lunch ideas, and taking her to Costco and Whole Foods with me to pick out things that look good to her. Now I make her *meals* for lunch that are still just as fast as making a PB&J or bagel, but they’re more satisfying and enjoyable.

Here are some of the things that are in the rotation:

Packed lunch ideas for teen

Main course:

Pasta salad

This is the best pasta salad in the world and you can make it in advance to enjoy throughout the week.

Chopped salad with homemade dressing

Liv loves a chopped salad and I’ll usually add different types of greens, a protein (like leftover chicken or sliced deli turkey), garbanzo beans, edamame, poshi artichokes or asparagus, grated cheese, olives, veggies, and a homemade dressing.

Jennifer Aniston salad

We all LOVE this salad and it’s so easy to pack for lunch with grilled chicken on top.

Egg bites

These can also be made in advance and frozen. We all love these

Sharing the details on how to join us for our fall detox. We start our prep week next Tuesday, so order your detox kit here! They’re also buy 3, get one free this week, so if you want to stock up for the year, it’s the perfect time. Stack my code FITNESSISTA10 if it’s your first time ordering. 

If you’ve been feeling a little off – tired even after a full night’s sleep, a little puffy, or just craving a fresh start after a YOLO summer – this is your sign to join us for our fall detox! Kickoff starts next Tuesday with a prep week and then we rock and roll on September 8th. [Friendly note: check with a doctor before making any fitness or nutrition changes.]

It’s the perfect way to press reset before the holiday season sneaks up. Think of it as a way to show your body some love: supporting your natural detox pathways, calming inflammation, and finding that steady energy again in a way that’s doable for real life, and not overwhelming. I’m SO ready for a reset after a very fun summer that left me with tight shorts and not feeling my best energy-wise, or mood-wise.

Order your detox kit here.

Fall EquiLife detox

Summer is fun, but let’s be real: late nights, travel, cocktails, and BBQs can leave us feeling sluggish. Fall is the season of routine and fresh starts, so it’s the perfect time to focus on YOU. Imagine heading into the holidays with better sleep, steady energy, and your jeans fitting just a bit better; not because of restriction, but because your body is finally getting what it needs.

Here’s How It Works

We start with Prep Week on September 2, where we’ll set you up for success. The official detox kicks off September 8, and you can choose 7, 14, or 21 days. I’ll be doing 14 days right alongside you, and every Wednesday during the program I’ll be live in our private Facebook group for Q&A and coaching. We’ll also be chatting and posting in the group each day. Our group is usually super fun, supportive, and interactive!

Read more

Hi friends! Happy Friday! What are you up to this weekend? We’re headed to Top Golf with friends, I’m taking the kids to K Pop Demon Hunters sing-a-long, we have an NCL meeting, and a Gaslight show. We definitely packed a lot of fun things into the weekend!

( Mazer getting a little grounding and sunlight. Whenever I get out the Lumebox, she runs over to sit next to me – she loves it. )

A little treat: the Pilot was able to come home in between trips this week. It was such an awesome surprise. His work schedule has been pretty manageable but this past week was a bit of a long one. We were all so happy when he got an unexpected break in the middle.

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.

8.22 Friday Faves

Fashion + beauty + random:

Tuckernuck is having a HUGE sale. I want pretty much everything from their site but I especially love their dresses. This is my favorite shirtdress and it’s only $29 right now.

I’ve been checking this site every day for an Olive Rose #7 restock.

Read, watch, listen:

Definitely check out this week’s Q&A podcast episode here.

We saw Josh Turner last weekend in Phoenix and it was everything. We danced to this song at our wedding

Read more

Hi friends! I have a brand new podcast episode live, and today I’m catching you up in a solo episode that’s part life update, part travel tips, and part parenting reflections.

Here’s what we chat about:

• The 700% growth of the podcast this year and what’s been working behind the scenes

• How I budget and plan for vacations (including my favorite credit card points hacks!)

• Raising daughters with a focus on positive body image and why certain conversations don’t belong at the dinner table

• How creating a nag-free dinner environment has helped our family connect more

• Why I believe “balance” is a myth (and what I focus on instead)

• Tips for traveling with kids while keeping stress low and expectations realistic

• What living in Spain taught me about slowing down and savoring life

• The big “someday” dreams my family is talking about—Spain, Germany, or maybe even homesteading

This is a cozy, chatty episode full of stories, reflections, and practical takeaways for creating more connection, joy, and ease in your family life.

Take a listen and tell me which part resonated most with you!

190: Budgeting, Balance & Big Family Dreams

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For my free Autoimmune Healing ebook, click here.
Detailed show notes here: https://fitnessista.com/podcast

Partners:

This is the credit card I use for lounge access and free hotel stays +

Sharing some of my top remote work tips since I’ve worked at home for so many years now. I know quite a few of you work remote, too, so please share your top producivity tips or hacks in the comments!

Hi friends! I hope that you’re doing well and enjoying the day. I have a podcast interview this morning and we have the usual homeschool/dance/basketball fun today.

Today, I wanted to chat a little bit about working from home and brainstrom some tips with you all.

OG reader friends are familiar with this story, but I started the blog when we were living in Valdosta, GA. I had just started working as a personal trainer and leaving the retail management world, and it ended up growing into something I never could have imagined. I LOVE being able to connect with all of you, and every single day, I’m so thankful for the freedom to work and earn an income from home while being able to be here for the kids.

I know that many friends out there aslo run a business from home, or work remotely. It’s kind of become the “new normal” and I love that it’s an option. Since the pandemic, the way we think about work has completely shifted: home offices replaced cubicles, video chats replaced conference rooms, and coffee shops became the new coworking hubs. And honestly? It comes with a ton of benefits: convenience, flexibility, fewer commutes, and often a better shot at real work life balance.

But here’s the truth: remote work or working from home isn’t always easy. Without the right strategies, it can feel isolating, overwhelming, or even unproductive.

Today, I wanted to share some of my favorite remote work tips that will help you live your best work life, whether you’re at home, an office, or a coffee shop.

Remote Work Tips

I think that understanding what remote work really means is key. It’s not just working in your pajamas or answering phone calls from the couch. It’s about designing systems, routines, and habits that keep you productive, connected, and fulfilled.

These tips for working remotely are meant to help you not just “get by,” but actually succeed, grow, and enjoy your work from home setup. I also wanted to include tips for my friends that work virtually for a company, because working for yourself is a different beast. (If you’d like me to do more behind-the-scenes blog posts, I’d be happy to do that, too!)

What Does Remote Work Mean?

At its core, remote work means performing your job outside of a traditional office. That might mean setting up a home office, working from a coffee shop, or even doing your job while traveling. Unlike conventional jobs, there’s no water cooler chat, no morning commute, and no boss walking past your desk every 20 minutes.

The biggest difference? Freedom and responsibility. You have more say over your working hours, your work space, and your daily rhythm, but you also need discipline and creativity to stay focused.

Remote work isn’t just a perk anymore; it’s a completely new way of structuring both work and life.

How To Make Remote Work Suc