Hi friends! Happy Friday! How are you? I hope you’re enjoying the morning so far. Today, I’m off to a barre class and then meeting up with a friend for lunch to talk about some exciting upcoming plans. What are you up this weekend? We’re having friends over for sushi night, and I’m going to start ordering the kids’ uniforms and supplies for back to school. I can’t believe it’s less than a month away and wish it could just be summer forever. I’m definitely enjoying the slower pace. I hope you have a fun and wonderful weekend ahead!

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.

Exciting news:

I finished IHP Level 2! WAHOO! While it took me a long time to finish – I really wanted to learn and absorb as much as possible, and didn’t take the course to simply pass the tests – it was so worth it, and I’m honestly a little sad that it’s over. It was over 100 hours of learning, and I’m so pumped for this new certification and the ability to offer functional labs for my 1:1 clients (and also in the new group coaching program I’m working on creating). If you’re interested in learning more, send me an email at gina@fitnessista.com with the subject COACHING and I can share the different options with you.

If you’re interested in exploring a new career or if you want to take your current fitness or wellness practice to the next level, I can’t say enough great things about IHP. You can check out the details here, and if you use the code FITNESSISTA, you can get up to $250 off levels 1 and 2.

Celebratory dinner at Vivace:

Hi friends! I hope you’re having a wonderful day!

I’ve got a new podcast episode up this morning, and am chatting with Sara Frenza about changing body composition.

137: Top 3 body composition mistakes to avoid with Sara Frenza

Here are some of the things we talk about in this episode:

– Top mistakes we see when it comes to changing body composition

– What body composition means

– Different factors that affect metabolic health

– How to eat more protein

and so.much.more!

Here’s a bit more about Sara and her background:

Sara Frenza is a published fitness model and writer, nutrition and body transformation coach, and the owner of Sara Frenza Fitness and Nutrition. After overcoming her own struggles with chronic dieting and post-pregnancy weight gain, Sara discovered a sustainable approach to losing over 50 lbs. and transforming her body composition. Now, she helps women achieve their dream bodies through her 1:1 coaching program, focusing on the exclusive Restore, Lean out, and Sustain body transformation protocol. With a passion for empowering women, Sara has been published in top fitness magazines and graced the covers twice. Her journey from avoiding mirrors to becoming a fitness model in her 40s serves as an inspiration to women worldwide.

You can connect with Sara on Instagram and on her website. Download a copy of her free recipe ebook here.

More resources from this episode:

Check out this podcast episode about progressive overload training and how it works.

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

I’m sharing 10 high protein snacks that don’t use protein powder. These whole food, protein-packed snacks will keep you satisfied while you’re on the go!

Looking for quick and easy protein snacks that won’t make you choke on a mouthful of powder? 

I hear you! Whether you want to keep your blood sugar stable, boost your weight loss efforts, or simply fuel your body with healthy protein, I’ve got great high-protein snack ideas for you.

I’ll introduce you to a world of delicious options, from crunchy roasted chickpeas to creamy nut butter treats. These protein-packed snacks come with impressive grams of protein per serving, and they’re so delicious that you’ll forget you’re even snacking for health. 

Plus, I’ll throw in a little fun fact: did you know that cucumbers are a surprisingly good source of protein? Who knew?

So grab your cup of joe and let’s snack smart, snack deliciously, and snack our way to happiness and health!

10 High-Protein Snacks Without Protein Powder

While I love a good protein shake, and there are some delicious protein bars on the market, today I want to share some tasty snack ideas that don’t use any fancy protein powders. These ideas and simple recipes are made with whole food ingredients that are packed with protein — naturally!

Whether you need to refuel after a workout or are simply trying to make it from lunch to dinner during a long workday, these protein-packed snacks will help power you through your day.

Roasted Chickpeas

These roasted chickpeas make such a delicious and healthy snack! They’re perfectly seasoned, a bit spicy, and super easy to prepare. They’re perfect for parties, snacking in front of the TV, road trips, and so much more! Get the recipe for roasted chickpeas (pictured above) from Vegan Heaven.

Protein Pancakes

Rise and shine, breakfast lovers! Who says pancakes can’t be part of a healthy, high-protein lifestyle? Enter protein pancakes, the perfect blend of fluffiness and fuel. These breakfast beauties are a delicious way to start your day, packed with essential amino acids to keep you energized for whatever comes your way. 

Whip up a stack of these golden delights, topped with your favorite fruits and a drizzle of maple syrup, and savor every bite. With protein pancakes in your breakfast arsenal, you’ll conquer the day with a full belly and a smile on your face. 

Jerky or Meat Sticks

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Sharing a recap of our time in Rome! We were able to spend four days in Rome in addition to our Mediterranean Disney Cruise. Since these posts are super lengthy, I split the recaps into two posts and will share a Disney cruise post next week!

Where to even begin?! It’s been two and a half weeks since we’ve been back in the states and I’m still missing Italy every.single.day and probably will until we make it back again. We had the most magical time and I’m still over here wishing for a Nutella croissant and espresso.

Since we were last in Rome, I dreamed of the day that we would take our babies to see one of my favorite places in the world. It was so exciting to finally be able to do it! It ended up being perfect timing because they’re the ideal ages for a bit longer travel and lots of exploring.

We ended up doing two red eyes on the way to Italy, which I would not recommend for anyone lol. Our first flight was an overnight from Phoenix to JFK, and no one slept on the way there. We ended up getting a day pass at the TWA hotel at JFK airport so we could nap for five hours before our next flight from JFK to Rome.

The TWA hotel was amazing; I highly recommend it if you have a super long layover at JFK and want to sleep! The rooms were dark, clean, and comfy, they had a cute food court with tons of options, and we all loved the vintage vibe.

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Sharing the best of the best from Amazon Prime Day! 

Hi hi! How are you? I hope you’re having a lovely morning!

Christmas is here in July because Amazon Prime Day is heeeeeere. This is when I usually stock up on things we need around the house, anything I’ve been scoping out, and Christmas gifts! The older I get, the earlier I shop, and it really makes a positive difference in my holiday experience lol. It’s so nice to feel like I’m not scrambling at the last minute.

If you’re shopping Prime Day, I went through and navigated the sale to find the best deals + some of my favorite products and recs. Everything is linked up below! Thank you so much to those of you who shop through my affiliate links; your support means the world to me and I hope you know how much I appreciate it.

Amazon Prime Day picks

Top Favorites

The BEST noise canceling headphones.

Sony A7 camera. I’ve been needing a new camera forever and this is the one I have my eye on. I love that it’s smaller and mirrorless, especially since I’ve been blogging since 2008 and never *really* learned how to use my DSLR.

Revlon One Step hair dryer. I still use this constantly, especially when I straighten my hair. I don’t use it to dry my hair – I’ll use a regular blow dryer and a round brush – and use this as the last step to fully smooth everything out. They also have the Dry Bar version of this tool here.

Your dental hygiene will thank ya. I never thought I could be obsessed with a WaterPik, but here we are.

The famous lip sleeping mask.

This is the vaaccum I use the most often. When our last one died, I got another version of the exact same one because it lasted for many years and does a great job. (My Dyson cordless vacuum died within a couple of years.)

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