Hi hi! How are ya? I’ve got a new solo podcast episode up today, chatting about how to adjust your workouts throughout the month!

You might notice that certain types of exercises and workouts feel differently throughout your cycle. Sometimes HIIT workouts are perfect, and other times, you feel more like yoga or light strength training. Today, I’m diving into how you can make your cycle work for you and optimize your workout routine for results and overall wellbeing.

Here’s what I talk about in today’s episode:

– How to adjust your workouts and nutrition to align with your menstrual cycle

– Why we shouldn’t do the same types of workouts all month long

– How our productivity and social interactions change throughout the month

and so much more.

 142: Optimizing your workouts throughout your menstrual cycle

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! You can check out my review IHP Level 1 here! I just finished IHP2 and will share a review of my experience, too.

I’m still obsessed with my sauna blanket. This is one of my favorite ways to relax and sweat it out. I find tha

Apple cider vinegar, turmeric and other ingredients combine for this morning detox drink that can reduce sugar cravings, provide stable energy and help fight colds and allergies.

What are morning detox drinks?

Why do you drink it?

What are the measurements?

What are the benefits?

This is my favorite morning drink: a hot mix of water, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey, turmeric and cayenne. I’ve been drinking it for years, and while I sometimes get out of the habit of drinking it every morning, I always come back to it. It’s going pretty strong right now. 😉 If I’m having this in the morning, it’s before anything else: coffee, fruit, or random bites while I make the girls’ breakfast.

Morning Detox Drink

Detox Drink Ingredient Benefits

Warm/Hot Water: can help to promote healing of the body, and decrease free radicals when combined with lemon. According to Ayurvedic medicine, we should drink warm or room temperature water instead of cold, as it can help to remove toxins (ama) from the body. Warm water can also promote healthy digestion, alleviate pain, improve blood circulation, and delay premature aging, according to this site.

Apple Cider Vinegar: this one is helpful in reducing infection, as many germs can’t survive in the vinegar. There are many benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar. It may help stabilize blood sugar and lower LDL (the bad kind of cholesterol) blood levels. It can also help to reduce weight and body fat by encouraging a healthy metabolism which could help with weight loss.

Lemon Juice: lemons contain vitamin C and potassium. When you drink lemon juice first thing in the morning, it gives the body a chance to absorb these nutrients and provide an immune system boost. Lemon juice can also help with maintaining a healthy weight, proper digestion and energy levels.

Even a simple glass o

Sharing some tips on HIIT for beginners and how to implement HIIT in your routine!

Hi friends! How’s the day going so far? I hope you’re having the loveliest morning. There’s a hint of fall here (FINALLY) and I’m definitely enjoying the cooler mornings. I’m hoping I can get away for a hike now that it isn’t a thousand degrees outside.

For today’s post, I wanted to share some tips on HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) for beginners and how to implement HIIT in your routine. You guys know I love HIIT (so much that I wrote two books about it), but it’s something that you want to implement strategically, especially if you’re first getting started.

HIIT for Beginners

So what is HIIT?

HIIT, or High-Intensity Interval Training, isn’t just a workout; it’s a methodology. Picture this: short bursts of intense exercises followed by brief recovery periods. It’s like the espresso shot of fitness, delivering a potent blend of cardio and strength training in a time-friendly package. There is a lot of incredible research on HIIT, particularly to how it can affect performance, cardiovascular health, and body composition.

The Pros of HIIT: Where the Magic Happens

Efficiency Over Duration: Bid farewell to marathon gym sessions. HIIT is the master of achieving results in shorter, more intense bursts. HIIT workouts are meant to be short and sweaty. I think a *good* HIIT workout should be a maximum for 25-30 minutes.

Afterburn Effect: Ever wanted your workout to keep working even after you’ve hit the showers? Welcome to the afterburn effect, where calories continue to melt away post-exercise. HIIT increases our EPOC (our oxygen consumption after exercise, as our body works hard to return tissue temperature, heart rate, etc. to pre-workout levels).

No Gym, No Problem: You are the gym equipment. HIIT celebrates minimalism; no fancy gear, just a commitment to your fitness journey. One of the best things about HIIT is that you can do it anywhere!

Adaptable to All Fitness Levels: Whether you’re a fitness newbie or a seasoned pro, HIIT can be tailored to suit your current level. With modifications, HIIT can work for everyone.

Downsides of HIIT

Injury Awareness: The intensity demands respect. Overzealousness might lead to unwanted injuries, so it’s crucial to find your balance. It’s smart to work up to higher intensities and modify along the way.

Rest is Part of the Plan: Rest days are as crucial as workout days. With all workouts, especially inten

Sharing a delicious fall recipe for copycat Panera soup! This is dairy-free and SO delicious with a drizzle of olive oil and some roasted chickpeas on top. 

Hi friends! How’s the morning going so far? I hope you’re enjoying the day! I have a packed day with coaching appointments (YAY!) and excited to take a yoga class this morning. I hope you have a lovely day ahead.

Something that made me chuckle a bit recently: the Pilot said, “Ohhhh, soup season is here”

I was like… soup season is ALWAYS here.

I get what he’s saying. Some people like to enjoy warm and cozy bowls of soup during certain times of the year, like when it’s chillier outside. I’ve never fully understood because you can find me with a piping bowl of soup on a scorching summer day. Soup fan for life, no matter the weather or season.

I feel like soup is the PERFECT meal. It’s an easy way to get in a ton of nutrients, protein, it’s super satisfying, and there’s nothing like some fresh sourdough or cornbread dipped into soup or chili. I have quite a few recipes on the blog but was excited to make a version of Panera’s Autumn Soup. It’s dairy-free, the ingredients are so inexpensive, and it packs a ton of nutrients and fall flavor.

Let me know if you give it a try!

Panera Copycat Autumn Soup (dairy-free)

Ingredients:

Whole butternut squash

3-4 medium peeled, cooked sweet potatoes

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 onion

4 carrots

1 carton of veggie broth

can of coconut milk

nutmeg

cinnamon

salt and pepper

Instructions:

Step 1

Cook the butternut squash. Cut it in half, remove the seeds, and place in the Instant Pot with 2 inches of water, and cook for 12 minutes on manual. Remove the squash, drain the Instant Pot, and set aside to cool slightly.

Step 2

Next, add the broth, onion, carrots, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper to the Instant Pot. Cook for 12 minutes on manual.

Step 3

Do a quick release, and then stir in the butternut squash (if you use a spoon to scoop it out from the skin, it should come out easily), sweet potatoes, and coconut milk. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.

Step 4

Adjust seasonings as needed. Ours needed a bit more salt and cinnamon.

Step 5

Top with a

Hi friends! How are you? I hope you had an amazing weekend! I’m sorry I disappeared on ya for Friday Faves. We got our stair railing replaced (it looks amazing!) but they had to spray the clear coat as the final step. We left the house because I didn’t want everyone to breathe in the fumes. I had Maisey with me all day and we went to juice with a friend, picked up the girls at school, and spent the rest of the afternoon at madre’s house. Thankfully by dinnertime, the smell was gone, and the stair upgrade has made a huge difference in our entryway.

What were you up to this weekend? Any fun fall activities?

Thoughts on a Monday

I’m feeling a little all over the place today, so just thought I’d share some random thoughts on a Monday.

– Fall candle season is officially here!

This is one I picked up recently and it smells like a dream:

– Halloween Decor

We also decorated for Halloween and have this 13-ft Jack Skellington to greet delivery drivers and eventually trick-or-treaters. 😉

– Hot Yoga Class

I took a hot yoga class the other day and was thinking about the Bikram yoga days of yore, which was my original intro to hot yoga. When we lived in Valdosta, I’d occasionally drive two hours with a friend to take Bikram classes in Jacksonville, and loved taking them when we would visit Orlando or Atlanta.

While Bikram the person has a pretty icky backstory – the Netflix documentary is wild, and unfortunately not super surprising – the Bikram yoga method also has me raising my eyebrows two decades later.

It makes me cringe to think that the rooms were CARPETED (hi mold and germ city), and during one of my first classes, I was publicly shamed for drinking water before Eagle pose. Also, an instructor once told me that if I breathed through my mouth during class, it would turn my teeth yellow. And I believed her lol.

–

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