Sharing tips on how to balance weight lifting and cardio.

Hi friends! How’s the week going so far? We’ve had a good one over here. Lots of exciting house updates are happening — it’s been fun to see some fresh changes around here.

Today, let’s talk about fitness-y things and how to combine strength training and cardio.

If you’re on a fitness journey, you’ve likely encountered the age-old debate: weight lifting vs. cardio. Each of these exercises has its unique benefits, and combining them can enhance your overall fitness. But how do you strike the right balance between these two essential components of a well-rounded fitness routine? That’s what I’m chatting about today! remember that these are just general tips. Always talk with a doctor before making any fitness changes.

How to Balance Weight Lifting and Cardio

Weight lifting and cardio are like the dynamic duo of fitness. They complement each other, working together to provide you with a holistic approach to health. Weight lifting helps build muscle, while cardio elevates your heart rate, burning calories and improving cardiovascular health.

Recommended Balance

The recommended balance between cardio and strength training can vary based on your fitness goals and personal preferences. However, a general guideline is to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio each week, combined with two or more days of strength training.

Here are some practical tips for striking the right balance:

Benefits of Combining Cardio and Strength Training

Improved General Fitness: Combining both types of exercise enhances your overall fitness. You’ll have the strength and endurance to tackle various activities in your daily life.

Better Sleep: Regular exercise, especially a combination of cardio and strength training, can improve sleep quality, helping you feel more rested and energized.

More Efficient Muscles: Cardio workouts help improve the efficiency of your cardiovascular system, while strength training increases muscle mass and strength. This synergy allows your body to work more effectively.

Reduced Risk of Injury: A balanced workout routine promotes flexibility, strength, and proper muscle engagement, reducing the risk of injuries during workouts and daily activities.

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Sharing my favorite finds from Trader Joe’s! 

Hellooooo! How are ya? I hope you’re enjoying the day so far. I have a couple of meetings this morning and looking forward to a massage later today. I hope you have a lovely day ahead!

For today’s post, I wanted to share my favorite Trader Joe’s finds! I LOVE learning about new Trader Joe’s products — they have so much good stuff. Since 2020, the Pilot had been doing most of the grocery shopping. Since he was “out in the world” more during that one time that shall not be named, it was something we did for safety. He would get most of our groceries at Trader Joe’s, and we would order everything else for pickup from Whole Foods.

Over time as things changed, the grocery routine remained the same. He would get most of the groceries at TJ’s, I would pick up the extra stuff at Whole Foods or Natural Grocers. While I loved the fact that he took this major chore off my plate, I definitely missed browsing Trader Joe’s and finding new fun things. When I finally went back… I went a little wild lol. The guy at checkout was like, “I’m going to grab you a second cart” lol.

For today’s post, I wanted to share some of my all-time faves. Please try to keep in mind that I tried to only include more *fun* stuff on this list. Yes, Everything but the Bagel seasoning is life-changing, and Trader Joe’s has lovely medjool dates, salad greens, flowers, and candles, but I wanted to include products that are exclusive to Trader Joe’s. Please let me know if you have any favorites, especially for fall!

My 15 favorite Trader Joe’s products

1. The gluten-free brownie mix

I’ve tried so many gf brownies mixes over the years and this one is hands down the best. It’s fudgy, soft, super rich, and let’s just ignore the fact that the #1 ingredient is sugar.

2. “Everything but the Elote” chips

These chips are LIFE and there’s nothing that tastes as good as the first chip. They’re extremely savory, a little spicy, and have the perfect Frito-esque shape and crunch. 10/10

3. Chili and Lime Flavored Rolled Tortilla Chips aka TJ’s Takis

We all agree that these taste even better than Taki’s and have way better ingredients. The flavor is much more bold and lime-y, and no red food dye. Wins all a

Sharing a full review of the HigherDOSE red light neck enhancer and if I think it’s worth adding it to your wellness routine. Check it out here and use FITNESSISTA15 for 15% off. 

Hi friends! How are you? I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I missed this past week’s Friday Faves post – Friday ended up being wild – but I have to post the winner of the NOW giveaway! Congrats to Katie M.! I’ll be sending Katie an email this morning to get her prize on the way. Stay tuned for more giveaways this fall, including my annual Favorite Things giveaway 🙂

For today’s post, I wanted to chat a bit about something I’ve been using and loving in my routine lately: the HigherDOSE Red Light Neck Enhancer! You guys know I’m obsessed with my HigherDOSE products, including the PEMF Go Mat, Sauna Blanket, and Red Light Face Mask. I was so pumped to add this to my routine, especially since I’ve been a fan of Red Light Therapy for so long. I use this for skincare, but also for injuries (of course, after seeing a doctor if necessary. When Liv hurt her knee, we did red light therapy everyday using this wand.)

Red Light Therapy is a groundbreaking technology transforming skincare and wellness. The HigherDose Red Light Neck Enhancer takes this innovation to a new level by focusing on the often-neglected neck and chest area. I feel like the neck and chest can tend to show more visible aspects of aging, because it’s easy to forget about treating and protecting this area.

Today, I’m excited to talk about Red Light Therapy, share details about this new HigherDOSE device, and chat about how this can potentially enhance your skincare routine.

HigherDOSE Red Light Neck Enhancer Review

What is Red Light Therapy?

Red Light Therapy, or Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT), uses low-intensity red or near-infrared light to penetrate the skin. This non-invasive treatment offers various potential benefits:

Collagen Boost: It can stimulate collagen production, leading to smoother and firmer skin.

Wrinkle Reduction: By increasing collagen, it can reduce fine lines and

‘Tis the season for all of the comfort food! If you want to enjoy your favorite fall flavors without dairy or eggs, I’ve got you covered. I’ve gathered up 10 delicious vegan recipes for fall.

Hi friends! Anyone else feeling SO EXCITED for fall? Last year, I felt like I was going through the motions, but this year, I actually feel myself really looking forward to the upcoming season. I can’t wait for some fun celebrations with the fam and fall and winter activities.

I also feel like my cooking mojo has come back, so it’s been fun to finally enjoy cooking again and trying new recipes. For today’s post, I wanted to share some vegan recipes we love or new ones that are on our radar. Please shout out any fave fall vegan recipes in the comments below!

10 Vegan Recipes For Fall

1. Pumpkin Pie Protein Bowl

A delicious and healthy high-protein breakfast option that tastes like pumpkin pie! It’s gluten-free, vegan, and an awesome breakfast for busy mornings.

2. Apple Pie Walnut Baked Oatmeal

This apple pie baked oatmeal is gluten-free, vegan, and an incredibly delicious make-ahead breakfast option. This is perfect to make as part of meal prep for busy weekday mornings. Simply reheat and eat.

3. Vegan Eggnog

Anyway, let’s talk about this recipe! It’s a holly jolly holiday beverage, minus some of the ingredients that can make us want to crawl into hibernation. (Don’t worry, there’s still some booze in there if you want it!) For a creamy egg-less eggnog, I used my favorite strategy for awesome texture minus the dairy: soaked cashews, plus a little turmeric for that light golden egg-ish color.

4. Pumpkin Pie Mousse

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Hi friends! How are you? I hope you’re enjoying the morning! New podcast episode is up with a little Q&A. Thank you so much to those of you who submitted questions via Instagram. If you have any topic or guest requests, please send them my way!

141: Ditching the “all or nothing” mindset, Q&A episode

Here are today’s questions:

– How do I improve my all or nothing mindset? I feel like when I’m on the plan, I can stick with it, but once I do something that’s not on the plan, the whole day is ruined.

– How to adjust mindset/nutrition/movement when recovering from surgery?

– Lab ranges that are different in functional medicine

– Kettlebells! How to choose the correct weight? Where to start? Work with a certified kettlebell coach

– Nutrition certification and deep dive of coaching options

1:1 Coaching – email me with the subject COACHING gina@fitnessista.com for an application

Fit Team– phased strength training plans you can do at home, designed to improve strength, performance, and body composition

Vitality– health foundations, functional lab testing, and personalized action plan to get you feeling your absolute best

More resources from this episode:

I love love love the meals from Sakara Life! Use this link and the code XOGINAH for 20% off their meal delivery and clean boutique items. This is something I do once a month as a lil treat to myself and the meals are always showstoppers. You can join their fall reset now!

If any of my fellow health professional friends are looking for another way to help their clients, I highly recommend IHP. You can also use this information to heal yourself and then go one to heal others, which I think is a beautiful mission. You can absolutely join if you don’t currently work in the health or fitness industry; many IHPs don’t begin on this path. They’re friends who are passionate to learn more about health and wellness, and want to share this information with those they love. You can do this as a passion, or start an entirely new career.

You can use my referral link here and the code FITNESSISTA for up to $250 off the Integrative Health Practitioner program. I highly recommend it! Read more