Hi friends! Happy Friday! What are you up to this weekend? We’re heading out on a Disney cruise with the crew! I’ll definitely report back with the adventures but we’re going straight from Orlando fun to the cruise ship. This is Disney cruise #5 (our last one is here) and we’re definitely not stopping anytime soon.

I also had an amaaazing time at the Reimagining Health Summit. I’ll have a full recap up next week, but it was so amazing to meet Dr. Cabral and members of the EquiLife team, connect with fellow IHPs, learn from the incredible speakers, and also spend some time with my business bestie Giselle.

(with the Mind Pump guys!)

(blazer is Veronica Beard // skirt is here and bodysuit is here)

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Hi friends! I hope you’re having a wonderful week. I’m headed to Orlando for back-to-back adventures and will be sure to report back! Check out my IG stories for all the fun.

For today’s post, I wanted to chat a bit about headphones.

Here I am with my wired headphones, years after the bluetooth options arrived on the scene.

In college, I had a bluetooth earpiece (along with everyone else who thought they were cool lol) and used it constantly. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was bad for my brain, and decided to eventually stop using it. I’ve always been wary about phones and bluetooth close to my head, but for convenience, I used Bose sport headphones for years. (I loved these things!!) Over time, I’ve learned more about EMFs and decided to make the swap back to wired headphones a couple of years ago.

why I wear wired headphones

The Wired vs. Wireless Debate

Wireless headphones, like Air Pods, have become extremely popular, but wired headphones still have a strong following. I feel like as people have become more health conscious, they’ve gravitated back to wired headphones. Maybe they’re returning back to wired headphones after using wireless, maybe they delight in being old school, or maybe they stick with wired for some of the reasons below.

Better Sound Quality

Wireless headphones tend to produce more consistent audio, without interface or drops.

It also seems like many musicians, sound engineers, and those who value audio quality tend to prefer wired headphones.

No Need to Charge

One of the nicest things about wired headphones is the battery-free convenience. You never have to worry about charging them.

They’re also perfect for long use since you don’t have to take breaks to recharge.

These are also a lower stress option because you don’t have to worry about the headphones dying mid-use, especially during workuots, calls, or long trips..

More Reliable Connection

Wired headphones are also more reliable since you don’t have to worry about signal drops or interference that can occur with Bluetooth. They connect instantly without pairing or connection issues; simply plug them in and you’re good to go.

They’re also compatible with multiple devices and you don’t have to worry about connectivity issues.

Health and EMF Concerns

Wireless headphones emit electromagnetic fields (EMFs), which some people prefer to avoid. The more I learn about EMFs, the more I prefer to minimize exposure as much as possible. I tend to be more sensitive to these things, and it was even worse when I was in the depths of my healing journey.

Wired headphones eliminate the close proximity to Bluetooth signals, which is another peace of mind for EMF exposure. Read more

Sharing some tips on how to read more if that’s one of your goals!

Hi friends! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. What were you up to? We met with friends for sushi, celebrated the Pilot and P’s birthdays with family (we’ll be out of town for their actual birthdays), and had the usual ballet and basketball combo. I also got some time in my sauna blanket – it went from being 105 last weekend to FREEZING this weekend!

For today’s post, I wanted to chat a bit about reading. A couple of years ago, I made a goal to read more often. It’s one of my favorite hobbies, but I wasn’t dedicating much time to reading. I’d read maybe a book each month but was so caught up in work, mom life, and chores that I couldn’t imagine reading more than that. I started making a conscious effort to dedicate more time towards reaching and was able to read 3-5 books per month.

Maybe one day I’ll take reading content photos in mismatched comfies and a weird bun 😉

Lately, I’ve gotten back into my old ways. I’ve been feeling a little stretched thin and overwhelmed in general, and using my *down time* to mindlessly scroll (which isn’t actually relaxing) instead of reading. So, this post is a little reminder for myself, but also for my friends out there who want to read more.

How to read more

Why Reading is Important for Moms

Reading is extremely important for personal growth, relaxation and mental well-being, but the thing is that a lot of us don’t have time, or can’t find the time. Moms in their 30s and 40s can have a particularly hard time reading, especially since so much of the day is dedicated to caring for kiddos, juggling work, chores, and not having very long time blocks for much of anything. I think it’s important to think of reading as a form of self care if it’s something you enjoy. It’s worth carving out the time!

Here are some of my tips and things that I’ve learned:

1. Set Realistic Reading Goals

Set realistic goals, even 10 minutes a day. This can make a huge difference!

Also, start with a smaller goal, like one book per month.

2. Make the Most of Audiobooks

Audiobooks are PERFECT for multitasking. You can listen to audiobooks while doing chores, driving, working out, or going on walks.

I’m a huge fan of Audible and there are also free library apps.

Listening to books while cooking or folding laundry makes these chores a lot more enjoyable, and they’re perfect quality time for reading.

3. Create a Morning or Evening Reading Ritual

Try to set aside 10-15 minutes in the morning or evening to read, as part of a daily routine.

Just like any other habit, cultivating a habit of reading can improve consistency. I’m also a huge fan of habit stacking. Read around the same time each day, like 10 minutes when you wake up, or before you go to bed.

I find that reading before bed has a great calming effect, and definitely prefer this instead of scrolling on social media. The blue light from our

Sharing some of my favorite fashion finds from Abercrombie!

Hi friends! How are ya? I hope you’re having a wonderful week! I have another day stacked full of appointments and calls. I’m hoping I can sneak in a yoga class this afternoon.

For today’s post, I wanted to share some recent Abercrombie finds!! TBH, Abercrombie has been cruuuussshhhiinggg it lately. It’s funny because the other night, we were talking about old jobs and how I used to work at Abercrombie in college. (At one point, I had four jobs: fragrance rep at Dillard’s, Abercrombie, Victoria’s Secret, and teaching dance classes.) He was like, “Whatever happened to Abercrombie?” and I informed him that they made the most strategic move ever: marketing towards moms who used to shop there in high school and college.

They’re really elevated their pieces and give more of a Reformation-ish vibe. Everything I’ve bought from Abercrombie recently has fit well and has exceptional quality for the cost. They have SO much cute items for fall and I wanted to share some of my top picks in today’s post!

Abercrombie Fall Fashion Finds

Tops and sweaters:

This classic off shoulder sweater.

This everyday half-zip.

Love this half-zip for travel.

This supersoft bodysuit.

High-neck tailored vest.

Jeans:

High-rise 90s relaxed jeans.

Trendy jeans that aren’t tooooo wide leg.

High-rise vintage flare jean.

Ankle straight jeans.

Skirts and dresses:

This vegan leather skirt.

The perfect fall/winter LBD.

This mini skort (in tons of colors). Cute with a tee, cardigan, sweater, blazer and tank, so many things.

Looove this one-shoulder knit mini dress.

Collared midi dress with flattering ruching.

This sweater maxi skirt! 

Accessories and shoes:

Mary jane shoes.

Sling-back heels.

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This is a 25-minute barre workout you can do anywhere. All you need is a set of light dumbbells, 2-5 lbs. Check out more of my barre workouts here, barre bootcamp here, and how to combine barre with other workouts. 

Hi friends! I hope you’re having a lovely morning. How is your week going?

The Pilot has been gone since last weekend and is back this morning, so I’m looking forward to having him home. He’s been flying a lot, which is a good thing. When I first wrote this post, we were officially wrapping up our first year of the airline life. I’d always envisioned throwing a giant party, but that ‘Rona had other plans. Instead, we settled for a smaller but still just as enjoyable backyard BBQ with the family.

25-Minute Barre Strength Workout With Dumbbells

I filmed a new workout for you and this one is a classic barre workout with a little twist: we’re using dumbbells the entire time.

Full Body Workout With Dumbbells

This dumbbell workout is a great way to add in an arm component while our legs are on fiiiiiiire and an easy way to add some extra resistance and challenge. Best of all, you can do it right in your living room!

I was huffing and puffing during this workout and I hope you love it, too! It felt like a solid mix of endurance strength and cardio.

Pin it here for a rainy day:

And here’s the full follow-along video!

I’ve been working on posting videos more frequently, so please subscribe to YouTube channel if you’d like an update when I post something new.

Please let me know if you give this one a try. Also, I’d love to hear if you have any workout requests for the summer months!

Have a great day and thanks so much for stopping by the blog.

xoxo

Gina

More barre workouts:

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