Join us for a fun and totally free 2-week fitness event: Spring Shape Up 2023! Details below and you can join here.

Are you ready for a lil fitness motivation and mojo?

Spring Shape Up 2023 is on the way and I’m so pumped to be doing this with you all!!

SSU is one of the best times of the year, and I always look forward to our amazing community, cheering each other on, and sharing some amazing prizes with some lucky participants.

You know you’re in?

Grab your spot here. Totally free and invite any friends or workout buddies to join in!

(If you refer a friend, send me an email to gina@fitnessista.com with their name(s) and each referral is an entry for a $100 Amazon gift card. I’d love your help welcoming some new friends into this fitness community if you’d like to spread the word!)

If you’re new to my Shape Up challenges, you’re in for a treat! I’ve been running this challenge on my blog since the very beginning, and every year it evolves into something different and better than the year before. This is 100% in thanks to all of you: your support and shared motivation with one another, check-ins and awesome comments keep this thing going. You help each other along the ways to your goals, and as your cheerleader from the sidelines, it’s heartwarming and inspiring to see.

Spring Shape Up 2023

So what is Spring Shape Up?

2 weeks of fitness plans, meal ideas and motivation to shake up your routine and get killer results from your efforts. It’s 100% FREE and always will be. Many similar programs are available for a subscription fee or one-time payment on other sites. Not here. Shape Ups are complimentary, and you get the advice and structure from a certified personal trainer, weight loss specialist, and Integrative Health Practitioner all in one spot.

What to expect:

A complete fitness plan + meal ideas for 2 weeks. You will get login access instantly when you sign up. Everything is available on the Kajabi app, and is beautifully organized and ready for you. The workouts and meals will appear on Feb 24 so you’re ready to go! (There are some tips for getting started, a playlist, high protein recipe ebook, and a couple of bonuses already waiting for ya in Kajabi)

We rock and roll Monday, February 27.

How to set yourself up for success:

Gather your supplies.

You’ll need the following to

Hey hey! How are you? Happy Friday! I’m so glad the weekend is here. I’m looking forward to a yoga class with a friend, a mom-daughter date with Liv, Super Bowl fun (not the game, but the snacks and company), and getting caught up around the house. Another something kind of exciting: I’m teaching a strength and conditioning class at the dance studio for the kids this weekend. I’m nervous about it (tough crowd lol), but I’m really looking forward to sharing some tools and strategies that can help support their flexibility and tumbling. I hope it goes well and that they enjoy it!

This past weekend, we had a family staycation in Phoenix for an Air Force awards banquet. I flew from Santa Barbara into Phoenix, did my makeup in the ladies’ room at the airport while I waited for the crew, they swooped me,  and we headed straight to the event. One of our beloved babysitters lives in Phoenix, so she was able to hang out with the girls in our hotel room (they ordered room service and played games) while we were at the ceremony.

2 more years of getting to see this guy in his mess dress uniform so I better live it up. 😉

(My dress is here)

A few friends have asked about the Pilot’s work situation! The Pilot is finishing his Air Force retirement right now and is commander of one of the squadrons. He’s still employed commercially and will head back to the airlines after retirement.

The event was one of the best Air Force events I’ve attended. They had live music and dancing during the ceremony – ballet, modern, and lyrical performances to a variety of music styles. It included the traditional and more somber aspects of formal military events (presentation of the colors, National Anthem, ceremony for fallen soldiers and POWs, in addition to the awards and recognition), and the live performances were such a thoughtful way to make the event even more engaging and enjoyable.

We stayed at the Wigwam Resort, which was where the banquet was held, and the kids were obsessed with it. We definitely need to to back and bring our swimsuits for the water slides! We had breakfast at the hotel before hiking Camelback.

(I had the overnight oats, eggs, and an orange juice, and the Pilot and I split an acai bowl because we both wanted to try it)

The kids said we couldn’t go to Phoenix without hiking Camelback, so of course we had to take them. I love

It’s almost time to kick off my Self Love Week mini challenge on @TeamLSF and to get you in the spirit,  I’m talking about the 5 self care rituals I love. It can be so easy for us to get wrapped up in the hustle of our daily lives that sometimes, we forget to prioritize the most important person we know – ourselves.

With the weekend coming up, I thought it would be the perfect time to share some tips we can all use to shower ourselves with the love we deserve. 

Enjoy a little luxury

Do you have that candle that you save because you just love how it smells and you don’t want to use it all up? Or a fancy bubble bath that sits on your shelf? Girl, this is the time to indulge!

This weekend, pull out all of the stuff you’ve been saving “for a special occasion.” Because I’ll tell you what: every day is a special occasion! 

Those indulgences aren’t doing you any good sitting unused (but they are taking up space). So you might as well make the very most of them! 

Try a “grateful-for-me” meditation

What do you love about your life? You could probably list a handful of things. But I’ve got a challenge for you.

Do a gratitude meditation focused on what you love about yourself. I know, I know. This can feel hard or even a little uncomfortable. But if the thought of it makes you want to squirm, it’s kind of a sign that you should really take this on. 

This weekend, set aside 15 minutes (come on, you can do anything for 15 minutes). Grab a journal. Find a quiet, comfy seat. And make a list of things you love about yourself. If you’re feeling stumped, start with things you know your friends and family would say about you. 

Start a drinkable ritual

Hi hi! I’ve got a new podcast episode up for ya today, sharing some of my favorite productivity hacks!

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

My top tips for productivity and getting more ish done

Why NOT being productive is productive

Why and how you should schedule social media time

My favorite resources for productivity

and so.much.more!

Resources from this episode:

My favorite paper planner

Eat That Frog

Atomic Habits

PEMF Go Mat and Sauna Blanket (use FITNESSISTA15 for a discount!)

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 also do not have to current have a career in fitness in join; 50% of IHPs are not from the wellness or health industry. If it’s your passion and you want to explore more, or potentially start a new career (or side hustle), check it out!

You can use my referral link here and the code FITNESSISTA for up to $250 off the Integrative Health Practitioner program. I finished Level 1 and am working my way through Level 2. I highly recommend it! You can check out my review IHP here!

Thank you so much for listening and for all of your support with the podcast! Please be sure to subscribe, and leave a rating or review if you enjoyed this episode. If you leave a rating, head to this page and you’ll get a little “thank you” gift from me to you. 

The post 125: tips for productivity and getting more ish done appeared first on The Fitnessista.

Sharing a recipe for a DIY hand soak you can use for dry hands this winter.

Hi hi! How are you doing today?? I’m getting in a quick workout and then studying for IHP the rest of the afternoon. I really want to finish Level 2 in the next couple of months. I hope you have a wonderful day ahead! THANK YOU so much for all of the beautiful and heartfelt comments in my last post. You’re all amazing and I loved reading more about your journeys.

For today’s post, I’m sharing a recipe for a DIY hand soak that will give you a little spa experience at home and soothe dry hands. My hands have been SO dry lately. I think it’s because the weather can’t make up its mind – we’re 30 degrees one minute, and then 75 the next – and my hands and skin are feeling the effects of cold weather, using the heater, and extra hand washing.

Dry, chapped hands can be painful and intimidating, and hand soaking is one of the best ways to soothe and moisturize dry hands. It’s also a great way to pamper yourself at home and there are plenty of  DIY hand soaks that you can do. Today, I’m sharing my favorite DIY hand soak that is effective for dry hands, smells beautiful, and contains ingredients you likely have in your fridge and pantry.

DIY Hand Soak For Dry Hands

If you’re feeling dry skin this winter, you don’t have to buy crazy expensive soaks. You can make these yourself if you just understand why hands get dry so you know what will fix them!

What Causes Dry Hands

Dry hands can be caused by so many different factors, including aging, weather, irritating products, taking long, hot showers (with lots of scrubbing), washing dishes (those dang dishes), and exposure to chemicals. To help mitigate the effects of these things, watch out for products that you find irritating on your hands; opt for gentler products. Frequent hand washing and washing dishes can strip our body of its natural oils, so wear gloves when you’re cleaning and exposed to chemicals, and moisturize after washing your hands. If you notice that your hands are showing signs of aging, you can also try using the same serum that you’d use on your face on your hands, and also be sure to add SPF. For a gentler hand sanitizer that kills germs while moisturizing, check out this one. 

This hand lotion is my all-time favorite for every day; it’s a bit on the pricey side but I’ve noticed a huge difference in my skin’s texture.

Moisturizing Hand Soak Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 drops of lavender

Optional: 1/2 cup milk (full-fat goats milk or cow’s milk)

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