Sharing the books I read in February and if they’re worth adding to your collection.

Hi hi! How’s the week going? I hope you’re having a good one. We’re back from a dance competition and hit the ground sprinting into the week. The next month is a busy one, but I’m still trying to get in at least 30 minutes of reading each day. I hit 4 books last month (1 DNF…) and wanted to share the details with you! It was a unique mix of selections with impactful, inspirational, educational, and a little fluff for good measure.

Here are the books I read in Feb!

February Book Recap

The Light We Lost

This book examines the impact of our decisions, and living with the “what-ifs” and implications when we don’t follow our heart. I read this one quickly because I couldn’t wait to see what happened; it reminded me of a Colleen Hoover book with more captivating writing 😉 The ending was a little bit of a disappointment and while I enjoyed this one, it wasn’t one of my top faves. I’d say it’s a 7/10.

From Amazon:

Lucy is faced with a life-altering choice. But before she can make her decision, she must start her story—their story—at the very beginning.

Lucy and Gabe meet as seniors at Columbia University on a day that changes both of their lives forever. Together, they decide they want their lives to mean something, to matter. When they meet again a year later, it seems fated—perhaps they’ll find life’s meaning in each other. But then Gabe becomes a photojournalist assigned to the Middle East and Lucy pursues a career in New York. What follows is a thirteen-year journey of dreams, desires, jealousies, betrayals, and, ultimately, of love. Was it fate that brought them together? Is it choice that has kept them away? Their journey takes Lucy and Gabe continents apart, but never out of each other’s hearts.

This devastatingly romantic debut novel about the enduring power of first love, with a shocking, unforgettable ending, is Love Story for a new generation.

Yellow Wife

This book is based on a true story, and follows the life of Pheby, who is born a slave in Virginia and is the daughter of the plantation’s medicine woman… and the master of the plantation. Instead of receiving the freedom that she’s promised when she turns 18, she ends up being sold and forced to leave her home and those she loves behind. She’s transferred to the Devil’s Acre, which was a real jail that housed and tortured hundreds of thousands of slaves, and becomes the mistress of its Jailer. The book is obviously incredibly hard to read. It’s about a tragic and dark time in our history, and a devastating reminder of the atrocities that have occurred in our society.

While it’s a difficult read, it’s an important read. It was w

Sharing a review of Les Mills Pilates on LesMills+. If you’d like to try the platform -the workouts are AMAZING – use my link for 30 days free.

Hi hi! How are you? I hope you’re having a lovely morning so far. I have a couple of conference calls and am looking forward to a hot yoga class. I’d love to hear what you’re up to!

For today’s post, I wanted to share a review of the Les Mills Pilates classes on LesMills+ (formally Les Mills on Demand) because I’ve been loving them lately! It feels SO good to get in a traditional Pilates workout at home, especially since Reformer classes near me are $$$ and I don’t know of any nearby mat classes. I’m sharing my full review in this post and if you want to give it a try, my referral link gets you 30 days freeeee.

Les Mills Mat Pilates Review

Pilates was one of my first workout loves! I would do Mari Winsor DVDs – what a legend – and loved that the movements challenged me in a unique way, targeted core strength, and didn’t get me super sweaty. 😉 (Sometimes it’s nice to go about the rest of the day without needing to shower, or looking like a wet rat.)

I also fell in love with Pilates at our LA Fitness while I was in college; an older gentleman, who was a veteran, would lead us through a mat workout that would have my muscles begging for mercy.

Les Mills Pilates classes contain many of the classic Pilates elements that many of us know and love: the hundred, teasers, side leg series, swan, roll-up, etc. It felt good to do familiar movements, but with the Les Mills incredible cues, instruction, and music that I love so dearly.

Here’s how the class is structured:

1) Warm up, featuring movements like hundred, roll-down, baby swan

2) Hundred strength, including hundred, arm pump, leg circles

3) Abdominal series, with moves like double and single-leg stretch, criss-cross

4) Side leg series

5) Back series with swan, single-leg kick, swimming, back extensions

6) Strength/power with movements like the roll-up, teasers, can-can

7) Cooldown, with stretches like the saw, spine stretch, and forward fold

The mat Pilates classes are all around 35 minutes.

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Hey hey! How are you? I hope you had a wonderful week!

I’m ready for a whirlwind weekend ahead. P has her last soccer game, Liv has a dance competition, and I’m subbing a dance cardio class. I’m also looking forward to studying for IHP and watching a movie with the fam. Have a warm and happy weekend!

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party, but before we get into the fun, I have to tell you about GOAT YOGA.

We were originally supposed to go up to Mt. Lemmon and stay in a cabin with friends, but it snowed like crazy, power was out on Mt. Lemmon, and the roads were closed. Instead, we planned a day of fun together: goat yoga, arcade, boba tea, shopping, and dinner at our house (with fort building. We tried to accommodate all of the kids’ requests!). It all started with goat yoga.

It was at Udall park, and despite the frigid temps on Mt. Lemmon, it was in the 60s and slightly cloudy. We laid out our mats in a fenced-in corral, and before we knew it, a pack of goats, wearing unicorn horns, tutus, and butterfly wings, paraded into the corral.

And at that moment, all of my dreams came true.

We went through a very leisurely yoga practice with lots of stretching, but any time we were in a folded position (child’s pose, tabletop, head to knee, etc.) there’s a 90% chance a goat would jump on your back. It was everything. We were all cracking up, and we had hoof marks and scratches on our backs, and I will never forget it.

You guys know I’m obsessed with goats – I’d have 12 if we didn’t have an HOA – and we all love them. We got our goat fix and will absolutely return. We loved ALL of the goats, but our very favorite was the smallest one named Flower, wearing a flower crown and tutu. I can’t.

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Today I’m excited to have author and celebrity weight-loss coach Charles D’Angelo on the show! Definitely take a listen to this one and let me know about your biggest takeaways on Instagram. <3

Here’s what we talk about: 

– Mindset: how can you cultivate a positive mindset, especially when you feel defeated

– His mindset tips for achieving health and fitness goals

– Resources that he loves and would recommend (books, podcasts, websites, etc)

Here’s more about Charles D’Angelo:

At 16, Charles was 360lbs, bullied, eating lunch alone, and unhappy. Following a health scare, he took his life into his own hands and turned the very thing that he was bullied about into his own empire.  He lost 160lbs, went to college, and created a life for himself. During his own weight loss journey, Charles dug deep, figuring out why he chose to find solace in food and make himself a victim, rather than live life with the hand that he’d been dealt. Learning to take the emotion out of food pushed Charles into a new way of living. 

Connect with Charles on his website and check out his books here.

Resources from this episode:

The weather is cooling down, and I’m still obsessed with my sauna blanket. It feels even BETTER when it’s chilly outside and you can use the code FITNESSISTA15 for 15% off! This is one of my favorite ways to relax and sweat it out. I find that it energizes me, helps with aches and pains, I sleep better on the days I use this, and it makes my skin glow. Link to check it out here. You can also use my discount for the PEMF Go Mat, which I use every day!

Check out Nutrisense here and use the code TFP for $30 off and 1 month of free dietitian support! The dietitian support is invaluable and helps you assess your data, make changes, and run experiments.

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. I’m enjoying a shipment this week; the lavender parfait has been my favorite so far.

Get 15% off Read more

Sharing my tips on how to whiten teeth with baking soda and how to do this at home. As always, talk with your dentist before doing anything to your teeth. As we all know, I am not a dentist and do not work in the dental industry. Just sharing my experience!

Hi friends! How’s the morning going so far? I’m getting ready for a little photoshoot, and also have a podcast interview later today. I hope you have a wonderful day ahead!

For today’s post, I’m doing a little reader’s request and sharing my experience whitening my teeth with baking soda. I often get questions about what I use for my teeth, and my routine is pretty simple. I tend to stay away from conventional whitening products and whitening procedures because they increase my tooth sensitivity and I don’t love the ingredients.

Having a whiter smile can definitely boost your confidence, and standard teeth whitening products can be hard on the budget. Not all of them are effective, they can contain sketchy ingredients, and there are a few household ingredients that can be used to help whiten teeth, including baking soda! I’m dedicating this post to sharing my experience whitening my teeth with baking soda and my favorite dental products. 🙂

How To Make Teeth Whiter With Baking Soda

Baking soda is my #1 favorite way to whiten my teeth. While baking soda can be an effective teeth whitening agent, there are things to consider before using it. I’m going to share a couple of precautions before diving into the actual methods. (And another friendly reminder to talk to your dentist before doing anything with your teeth.)

Is It Safe To Brush Your Teeth With Baking Soda

Yes, in most cases. While it’s safe to use baking soda to whiten teeth, it can be abrasive when used in large quantities. Baking soda, when overused, can corrode the tooth’s surface enamel. You just want to make sure you don’t use it too frequently, leave it on your teeth for too long, or use too much. A little goes a long way!

How To Use Baking Soda To Whiten Teeth

Baking soda paste

This is my go-to method. I start by topping my toothbrush with baking soda and add a little bit of water to make a paste. I add as much as needed to have enough for my entire mouth. I gently place the paste on my teeth and keep it here for about 3 minutes to set. Then, I scrub, using the toothbrush, and rinse. Word to the world: it tastes HORRIBLE. I kind of just curl my lips up and try to avoid tasting it. I do this once a month, but my dental hygienist said it would be fine to do once a week.

Baking soda with toothpaste

You can also mix a little baking soda with your toothpaste, or use a toothpaste that contains baking soda.

Baking soda mouthwash

This can be a cheap and effective alternative to tradition alcohol-based mouthwash. Simply mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 1 cup of warm water, swish, and rinse. (Make sure not to swallow the mixture.)

Baking soda and lemon

This is a common method, but not one that I’ve tried or would recommend. I think that it would be too intense and feel like it’s unnecessary since the baking s