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)

Inst

I’ve had so, so many requests for this post. Friends out there were curious about my faith, what deepened my faith, and how it plays a part in my life. You guys know I don’t typically write about these types of topics here on the blog. I never want anyone to feel isolated, and I respect and LOVE the fact that we all have different views and backgrounds. With the overwhelming requests I’ve received, I decided to write a post about about all of this. It’s a vulnerable one and I just wanted to say thank you in advance for being kind to me for sharing my heart, and also to those who choose to leave a comment.

Please keep in mind that this is my story; it doesn’t have to be your story, and if you don’t believe the same things, it’s ok! I have friends who have different beliefs and genuinely feel that it makes life way more exciting and interesting. I’m also friends with people who think that creme brûlée is a real dessert (it’s not), but even though we have different beliefs, we can still love each other. 😉

As many of you guys know, I grew up Catholic. We went to mass each Sunday, prayed the rosary, and the Catholic environment was a large part of my adolescent and young adult life. At the same time, I wasn’t a great Catholic. I tended to daydream during the homily (I still do sometimes), and was really there for the music more than anything. But, I was there.

While I don’t agree with *everything* in the Catholic faith, I agree with a lot of it. Most of all, I love the rich traditions and the comfort of it all. Mass reminds me of a hot yoga class with a set flow; the structure is the same each day, and I know what to expect. Sometimes I give it 100%, sometimes it’s more like 60%, but I’m there.

While I went to mass pretty much my entire life and absolutely believed in God, I never really felt super close to Jesus. He was a man who did miraculous things, but when people talked about having a relationship with Jesus… I didn’t get it. I was like yeah I respect the guy who gave his life for us, but we don’t feel like BFFs, and that’s ok. That’s how it was until a couple of years ago.

For some people who have a sudden draw towards Jesus, it can be after a huge life change or event. For me, it was when the world flipped upside down. We all have our own struggles, and 99% of mine never see the pages of this blog, but I was going through an extremely difficult time. I was here, still trying to work and make an income for our family, the kids were home from school (Liv had SO MANY zoom classes and so.much.damn.homework), I was trying to keep P from bouncing off the walls and injuring herself, and the Pilot was traveling internationally with the airlines during an unpredictable time. Bella passed away, which broke my heart into a million pieces, and a relationship with someone very close changed in a devast

Hello friends!! How are you? I’m back from an incredible mastermind trip to Santa Barbara, in addition to an Air Force event up in Phoenix. I’ll share more pics in Friday Faves but it was a wild weekend and now we’re back, and back into the usual routine. I’d love to hear how you’re doing and what you were up to!

For today’s post, I wanted to share a recap of my January books. I read 5 1/2 books last month (one was a DNF). I was back in a WWII historical fiction blitz, which continues to be one of my favorite genres. There are so many incredible historical fiction novels, but I tend to read a ton and then need a break from the heavy subject matter.

Here’s what I read in Jan!

January 2023 Book Recap

The Winemaker’s Wife

This was my first book of 2023 and I finished it within a few days. As much as I loved Book of Lost Names, I think this one was even more of a page turner. It has parallel storylines, following three main characters in the Champagne region of France in WWII, and present-day Olivia, who is brought to Paris on a mysterious trip with her 99-year-old grandmother. I had no idea how winemakers were involved in the Resistance, and that they would help with transporting information, ammunition, and hiding refugees until they could flee to safety. Some parts of the book were hard to read, as you can imagine, but the ending was so lovely and so well done. I definitely give it a 10/10, especially if you enjoy historical fiction.

From Amazon:

At the dawn of the Second World War, Inès is the young wife of Michel, owner of the House of Chauveau, a small champagne winery nestled among rolling vineyards near Reims, France. Marrying into a storied champagne empire was supposed to be a dream come true, but Inès feels increasingly isolated, purposely left out of the business by her husband; his chef de cave, Theo; and Theo’s wife, Sarah.

But these disappointments pale in comparison to the increasing danger from German forces pouring across the border. At first, it’s merely the Nazi weinführer coming to demand the choicest champagne for Hitler’s cronies, but soon, there are rumors of Jewish townspeople being rounded up and sent east to an unspeakable fate. The war is on their doorstep, and no one in Inès’s life is safe – least of all Sarah, whose father is Jewish, or Michel, who has recklessly begun hiding munitions for the Résistance in the champagne caves. Inès realizes she has to do something to help.

Sarah feels as lost as Inès does, but she doesn’t have much else in common with Michel’s young wife. Inès seems to have it made, not least of all because as a Catholic, she’s “safe.” Sarah, on the other hand, is terrified about the fate of her parents – and about her own future as the Germans begin to rid the Champagne region of Jews. When Sarah