Sharing my thoughts and review on Darin Olien’s book Superlife and what I learned.

Hi friends! How’s the morning going? I hope you’re having a great day so far. It’s been *slightly* cooler around here lately. Just to the point where the air feels nice and fresh without being too cold. The mornings have been really lovely.

For today’s post, I wanted to share my review and thoughts on Darin Olien’s book, Superlife. Written in Olien’s engaging conversational style, Superlife is a one-of-a-kind comprehensive look at dieting and nutrition, a timeless and essential guide to maintaining the human body and maximizing its potential.

Superlife Book Review

You may know Darin from a couple of places:

1) he was Zac Efron’s knowledgeable sidekick in Down to Earth (which I pretty much spent mentally debating who was more attractive. In the end, I think it’s a tie.)

photo source

2) he’s one of the creators of Shakeology! This is Beachbody’s protein shake, which is packed with superfoods and nutrients. I drank it religiously and loved it for years, but stopped drinking it when I was pregnant with P and never really got back into it. It tastes amazing.

When I saw that Darin had a book, I instantly downloaded it to my Kindle app. I finally had the chance to dive in and finish it, and wow. While a lot of it was info that I already knew from being in the health and wellness space for a while, I still learned a ton. It also was a gentle nudge to get back to some healthy habits that have fallen off

Healthy Holiday Potluck Ideas

‘Tis the season:

to deck the halls,

spend time with those you love,

don your ugliest Christmas sweater,

(my own Dick van Dyke!)

shop it up

and enjoy festive feasts 🙂

I’m not sure about you, but our schedule is jam-packed until after New Year’s with holiday events! Many of them: bring a side dish or dessert.

Anyone else experiencing a pot-lucking overload?

What to bring?!

I always debate what I should bring to a holiday party. I’d like to make something semi-healthy, since I know I’ll be indulging in the treats and libations at the party, something festive/seasonal, and something that guests will enjoy and remember.

So, as I pick my brain, I thought I’d share a list of my favorite crowd-pleasing healthy potluck recipes and those I have yet to try, but have been scoping out.

Most of these healthy holiday recipes tend to be on the savory side since parties this time of year are heavy on the sweets.

Healthy Vegan Artichoke Dip

I often think about this dip during conversations about the best comfort foods. It’s gluten free and dairy free, and one of our favorite vegan recipes to bring to parties.

Bring it in the slow cooker with tortilla chips or a crudités platter.

My Favorite Fall Salad

My favorite fall salad comes together in just minutes, and it’s loaded with flavorful and nutritious ingredients.

All you to make this crowd pleaser is greens, goat cheese, dried cranberries, candied pecans, and balsamic dressing. If you actually do need to feed a crowd, make a bunch, because it always disappears fast!

Red And Green Quinoa Lentil Salad

Cheezy Quinoa Bake

Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

Greek Layered Dip

Buffalo chicken dip and Tuscan white bean dip (both dairy-free)

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Today I’m talking about my #1 favorite mode of exercise that I recommend to almost everyone: walking. Read on about the benefits, how to start a walking routine, why it’s important to walk every day, and how to change up your routine.

Check out these tips for getting started with a walking routine or making small changes that can lead to better fitness, health and wellness.

Hi! How’s the day treating ya? I’m taking an F45 class with a friend, then I have back-to-back client calls and I’m making tacos for dinner tonight. YUM! Hope you have a lovely day!

For today’s post, let’s talk about what I truly consider to be the *best* form of exercise. Are there other amazing modes? YES. But if everyone (who has no physical limitations or medical conditions that are contraindicated for this) could walk, I think it would have such a positive impact on physical and mental health. Walking is one of my non-negotiable activities every day. Even if it’s a short 10-15 minute stroll around the block, I feel more centered, energized, and sleep better when I’ve gotten in a daily walk. Maisey also loves daily walks and is less destructive when she’s gotten out some energy. 😉

In today’s post, I thought I could share some ideas on how to start a walking routine, some tips, health benefits of walking, and ideas to change up your walking routine if it’s already a consistent part of your life (YAY). I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, too!

How to start or change up your walking routine

Benefits Of Walking:

Meditative Benefits

My therapist told me that walking can similar benefits for the brain as meditation. It’s the repetitive movement of your feet on the pavement that calms the body’s sympathetic system (the “flight or fight” response) and can help with anxiety, depression, and mood. (Of course, if you suffer from anxiety or depression, please seek out the help you need. Walking can be a great complement to traditional therapy, but isn’t a substitute.)

Cardiovascular Benefits

Walking for 30 minutes each day can decrease risk of stroke, heart disease, and diabetes.

It’s extremely functional

I want to be able to walk for as long as possible, and the best way to do this is by walking frequently and training the muscles that support walking. As far as functional everyday movements go, walking is high on the list, and if you don’t use this skill as you age, you can lose it as the muscles atrophy and bone density decreases.

Increased Calorie Burn And Reduced Body Fat

Walking can be used to increase overall calorie burn and reduce body fat. While the actual amount varies from one person to the next, walking at a rapid pace for 30 minutes can help you burn about 150 more calories a day.

Sunlight benefits from walking outdoors

This is a great way to get vitamin D, fresh ai

Sharing tips on how to eat for your menstrual cycle and how to change up your nutrition throughout the month!

Hi friends! How’s the week going so far? Things have been non-stop lately, and today is triple 1:1 appointments and prepping for Total Body Reset. If you haven’t signed up yet, don’t miss out!

For today’s post, I wanted to share a post from Mia all about how to change up your nutrition during your cycle. She asked me if I would be interested in a plan for my personal use, and I knew immediately that it would make an awesome blog topic. I shared a post here about how to change up your workouts during the month, and a podcast here about how productivity changes during your cycle.

Here are tons of tips on how to fuel your body as your hormone levels change throughout the 28 days of your menstrual cycle!

How to eat for your menstrual cycle

Week 1 Low Estrogen

Choose to eat low-carb during the week of your period.

*Remember, day 1 of your period is the first day of blood flow.

Follicular Phase– On follicular phase days, when you’re on your period, aim to focus on anti-inflammatory foods such as fatty fish like salmon and sardines or take a high-quality vitamin E capsule to help balance out inflammation from oils and seeds. More inflammation is common during this phase of the menstrual cycle, as you shed your uterine lining, and anti-inflammatory foods can help significantly. Also, look for iron-rich foods like red/dark meat, legumes and lentils. Try to pair these with vitamin C-filled foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables for maximum absorption and bioavailability. Be sure to include many magnesium-rich sources such as dark chocolate, almonds and pumpkin seeds.

Note from Gina: I wore a CGM the week I started my cycle and was SHOCKED to see how high my blood glucose levels were during that 5-day span. I had to eat lower carb to stay within a healthy zone, and felt so much better. I will absolutely be doing this going forward.

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Sharing a delicious and healthy recipe for Paleo banana bread! This post is updated with new pics and a refresh.

Hi friends! How are you? I hope you had an amazing weekend! We were in Phoenix for a dance competition. P has had basketball games, so the past couple of competitions have just been Liv and myself. It’s been a treat to spend some time together and in the hotel each night, we had takeout picnic and watched multiple episodes of Friends. It was lovely!

It’s back to the swing around here this week, and I wanted to share a delicious and healthy recipe with ya. This is one of my staples and I love it when we have bananas that are on their last leg. I think a lot of us went through a banana bread heyday in 2020, and I kind of overdid it. Now that I’ve stopped making it so frequently, it’s *special* again, and a lovely little treat.

(fave spring dress is here!)

Paleo Banana Bread

With its moist texture, natural sweetness, and nutty flavor, this paleo banana bread is sure to become a staple in your kitchen. Enjoy it for breakfast, as a snack, or dessert, knowing it’s made with wholesome ingredients that nourish your body.

I hope you love the recipe as much as we do!

Leaving an old pic so my Pinterest friends know they’re at the right spot!

When I originally made this, I typed out the recipe on my phone —  it was very on the fly. I thought it would be good but maybe not quite blogworthy. Totally surprised myself with this one, as gluten-free baking can be tough. It’s been a staple all this time!

This grain-free banana bread is extremely moist, decadent and made the