Sharing this week’s faves from the week and around the web. 

Hi friends! How are you? I hope you’re having an amazing start to 2024. This was *supposed* to be Friday Faves, and I kept thinking I would finish the post, but we were at Disneyland. Zero work happened while we were there, and it was an absolute blast. Liv requested a Disney trip instead of a birthday party, and I was pumped to oblige. I love throwing parties for the kids, but Disney is a bit easier and more fun 😉

Some pics from the adventures:

Hi friends! I have a new podcast interview live today, and I’m so thrilled to welcome Dr. Bill Rawls to the show. I recently started reading his newest book, and I love his commitment to a balanced, healthy lifestyle, and how he shares natural healing methods with others.

Here’s a bit about what we talk about:

– His experience with Lyme and how he healed

– Berberine. Why is it so hyped up, and what are some of the benefits?

– Herbs for wellbeing

– Adaptogens and how they help with stress

and so.much.more.

148: Berberine and herbs for wellbeing with Dr. Bill Rawls

Here’s more about Dr. Rawls:

For over 30 years, Dr. Bill Rawls has dedicated his life to medicine. When a health crisis in his early forties abruptly changed his quality of life, he came face to face with the limitations of modern medicine and began to explore the vast possibilities of alternative treatments. Restoring his health through holistic and herbal therapies inspired him to share his revelations on the importance of cellular wellness.

Today, he works to bring life and vitality to others as he helps them establish their own paths to wellness through modern herbology. Dr. Rawls has two grown children and lives on the North Carolina coast with his wife and golden retriever. Dr. Rawls serves as Medical Director for Vital Plan, an herbal supplement and wellness company he co-founded with his daughter, Braden.

You can use the code HealthyLife20 to get 20% off at Vital Plan.

Connect with Dr. Rawls on his Instagram, on his website, and check out The Cellular Wellness Solution here.

More resources from this episode:

I love love love the meals from Sakara Life! Use this link and the code XOG

Sharing my tips on how to calculate and track macros to reach your goals. 

Hi friends! How are you? I hope you’re having a lovely morning! We’re at DISNEY 🙂 Liv requested a Disney trip in lieu of a large birthday party, so we happily obliged and are living it up at the happiest place on earth. I hope your new year is off to a great start.

Today, I wanted to talk about macros and macro tracking! This is a tool that I’ve used on an off for years, but haven’t done a full post about it. If you’ve ever wondered about the significance of tracking macros, this beginner’s guide is here to break down the concept and help you navigate the world of balanced nutrition.

(Amazon sweater and skirt)

How to calculate and track macros

What Are Macros?

Macronutrients are the essential nutrients our bodies require in relatively large amounts to function optimally. There are three primary macronutrients:

Proteins: Crucial for muscle repair and growth, proteins are composed of amino acids. Sources include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, and plant-based options like tofu and tempeh.

Carbohydrates: The body’s primary energy source, carbohydrates come in the form of sugars, starches, and fiber. Common sources include fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.

Fats: Essential for hormone production, brain function, and energy storage, healthy fats are found in avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish.

The Role of Macros in Your Diet

Balancing macros is about understanding the role each plays in your overall diet. Proteins support muscle health and aid in satiety. Carbohydrates provide quick energy, and fats offer sustained energy and support various bodily functions. We need all of these macros, and also by including a balance of macros in our nutrition, we can support blood sugar levels, preventing energy dips and crashes.

Why Track Macros?

Tracking macros involves monitoring the amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats you consume daily.

While it may seem meticulous, it can offer several benefits:

Precision in Nutrition: Tracking macros allows you to fine-tune your diet, ensuring you meet your nutritional needs without excess or deficiency.

Customization: Every individual is different. Tracking macros enables you to tailor your nutrition to your specific goals, whether they involve weight loss, muscle gain, or maintenance.

Educational Tool: It provides an educational experience, helping you understand the nutritional composition of various foods and making informed choices. I find that sometimes macro tracking offers MORE flexibility for clients as they implement foods that they used to fear or avoid from years of dieting.

How to Get S

Sharing a review of 2023 and my goals for 2024. 

Since it’s a bright and shiny new year, I always use this opportunity to look back, see what I accomplished, and set my intentions for the upcoming year. If you’re setting your goals for 2024, I’d love to hear them in the comments. Also, if you’re looking for support for January, join our 21-day challenge here!

When I look back on 2023, it’s easy for me to see all of the things I struggled with, and all of the things I set out to do, but didn’t. 2023 was full of some magnificent highs, and some challenging lows. After the 2020-2021 time span, I’ve really learned to lean into and enjoy the good parts, because there are always dips, and try to remember that everything is temporary.

looking back on the year and my goals for 2024

Travel and personal:

Travel was a huge highlight this year. It has been my dream for so long to take the girls to Italy, and we finally did it!! We had an incredible Disney Mediterranean cruise to Italy and Greece, and introduced the girls to my favorite place in the world (Positano). I ate chocolate croissants every.single.day (in addition to so much Italian food and wine), played in the ocean in Mykonos with the girls, and we shopped and explored to our hearts’ content.

Read more

The Great Book Review of 2023: Sharing the books I read in 2023 and whether I’d recommend adding them to your collection.

Hi friends! Happy New Year! I hope that your morning is off to a great start and you enjoyed the festivities. The girls hung out with my mom and nana while the Pilot and I went up to Phoenix to see John Mulaney. I cried from laughter and it was an awesome show.

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 2024, too!

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

The Great Book Review of 2022

XOXO, Cody

If you’re going to read this book, I definitely recommend the Audible version so you can hear it in Cody’s voice! What a treasure of a human. I had high expectations for this one – I expected it to be highly entreating – and it didn’t disappoint. It gives you all of the laughs and warm fuzzies of an XO, Cody Peloton ride, while you get a deep dive into his story and background. It was fascinating to learn about his upbringing, his relationship with his mom, the Dancing with the Stars experience, and how he became such a huge fitness personality. 10/10

Redeeming Love

*All the trigger warnings*

This book was recommend in a Facebook group for faith-based reads, so just a heads up, it’s Christian fiction and is an 1800s era retelling of Gomer and Hosea. While I was reading it, I was thinking that it isn’t too Jesus-y, but then after about a quarter, I was like ok, it definitely is. Just wanted to spread the word if that’s not your cup of tea. I found it to be Jesus-y in the best possible way. This book will stick with me for life, and is an incredible testament of God’s unwavering love, even when we feel our most broken. While it wasn’t the best writing ever, and it dragged a bit before the last 25%, I’m so glad I stuck with it. 10/10 recommend.

Esther: The Fingerprints of God

This was our fall Bible study and I got so much out of this one. As a relatively Bible newbie, it’s been helpful for me to deep dive into different books of the Bible with such a kind, insightful, and wise group of ladies. I learn so much from each session and it fills my cup for the entire week! When I read the book of Esther before our study, I had a hard time understanding everything, and didn’t know the historical context or background. Bible studies give so much context to what you’re reading, and enabled me to fully understand the