Hi hi! How are ya? I’ve got a new solo podcast episode up today, chatting about how to adjust your workouts throughout the month!

You might notice that certain types of exercises and workouts feel differently throughout your cycle. Sometimes HIIT workouts are perfect, and other times, you feel more like yoga or light strength training. Today, I’m diving into how you can make your cycle work for you and optimize your workout routine for results and overall wellbeing.

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

– How to adjust your workouts and nutrition to align with your menstrual cycle

– Why we shouldn’t do the same types of workouts all month long

– How our productivity and social interactions change throughout the month

and so much more.

 142: Optimizing your workouts throughout your menstrual cycle

More resources from this episode:

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. You can join their fall reset now!

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! You can check out my review IHP Level 1 here! I just finished IHP2 and will share a review of my experience, too.

I’m still obsessed with my sauna blanket. This is one of my favorite ways to relax and sweat it out. I find tha

Apple cider vinegar, turmeric and other ingredients combine for this morning detox drink that can reduce sugar cravings, provide stable energy and help fight colds and allergies.

What are morning detox drinks?

Why do you drink it?

What are the measurements?

What are the benefits?

This is my favorite morning drink: a hot mix of water, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey, turmeric and cayenne. I’ve been drinking it for years, and while I sometimes get out of the habit of drinking it every morning, I always come back to it. It’s going pretty strong right now. 😉 If I’m having this in the morning, it’s before anything else: coffee, fruit, or random bites while I make the girls’ breakfast.

Morning Detox Drink

Detox Drink Ingredient Benefits

Warm/Hot Water: can help to promote healing of the body, and decrease free radicals when combined with lemon. According to Ayurvedic medicine, we should drink warm or room temperature water instead of cold, as it can help to remove toxins (ama) from the body. Warm water can also promote healthy digestion, alleviate pain, improve blood circulation, and delay premature aging, according to this site.

Apple Cider Vinegar: this one is helpful in reducing infection, as many germs can’t survive in the vinegar. There are many benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar. It may help stabilize blood sugar and lower LDL (the bad kind of cholesterol) blood levels. It can also help to reduce weight and body fat by encouraging a healthy metabolism which could help with weight loss.

Lemon Juice: lemons contain vitamin C and potassium. When you drink lemon juice first thing in the morning, it gives the body a chance to absorb these nutrients and provide an immune system boost. Lemon juice can also help with maintaining a healthy weight, proper digestion and energy levels.

Even a simple glass o

Sharing some tips on HIIT for beginners and how to implement HIIT in your routine!

Hi friends! How’s the day going so far? I hope you’re having the loveliest morning. There’s a hint of fall here (FINALLY) and I’m definitely enjoying the cooler mornings. I’m hoping I can get away for a hike now that it isn’t a thousand degrees outside.

For today’s post, I wanted to share some tips on HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) for beginners and how to implement HIIT in your routine. You guys know I love HIIT (so much that I wrote two books about it), but it’s something that you want to implement strategically, especially if you’re first getting started.

HIIT for Beginners

So what is HIIT?

HIIT, or High-Intensity Interval Training, isn’t just a workout; it’s a methodology. Picture this: short bursts of intense exercises followed by brief recovery periods. It’s like the espresso shot of fitness, delivering a potent blend of cardio and strength training in a time-friendly package. There is a lot of incredible research on HIIT, particularly to how it can affect performance, cardiovascular health, and body composition.

The Pros of HIIT: Where the Magic Happens

Efficiency Over Duration: Bid farewell to marathon gym sessions. HIIT is the master of achieving results in shorter, more intense bursts. HIIT workouts are meant to be short and sweaty. I think a *good* HIIT workout should be a maximum for 25-30 minutes.

Afterburn Effect: Ever wanted your workout to keep working even after you’ve hit the showers? Welcome to the afterburn effect, where calories continue to melt away post-exercise. HIIT increases our EPOC (our oxygen consumption after exercise, as our body works hard to return tissue temperature, heart rate, etc. to pre-workout levels).

No Gym, No Problem: You are the gym equipment. HIIT celebrates minimalism; no fancy gear, just a commitment to your fitness journey. One of the best things about HIIT is that you can do it anywhere!

Adaptable to All Fitness Levels: Whether you’re a fitness newbie or a seasoned pro, HIIT can be tailored to suit your current level. With modifications, HIIT can work for everyone.

Downsides of HIIT

Injury Awareness: The intensity demands respect. Overzealousness might lead to unwanted injuries, so it’s crucial to find your balance. It’s smart to work up to higher intensities and modify along the way.

Rest is Part of the Plan: Rest days are as crucial as workout days. With all workouts, especially inten

This homemade shrimp ramen is a quick and satisfying twist on the classic Japanese dish. With simple ingredients and minimal prep, this easy recipe offers a flavorful shortcut to a delicious bowl of noodles, succulent shrimp, and aromatic broth. Perfect for busy days when you crave a comforting meal without the fuss.

Shrimp Ramen

It’s been a great week for cookbook reviews over here. My friend Gina’s newest cookbook, Skinnytaste Simple: Easy Healthy Recipes with 7 Ingredients or Fewer, arrived this past weekend and almost immediately I sat down to flip through it. I have at least a dozen recipes bookmarked already and I can hardly wait to try them all.

This Shortcut Shrimp Ramen was a must-make as soon as I spied it in the book. I had shrimp in the freezer, mushrooms in the fridge, and ramen noodles in the pantry.

Easy Homemade Ramen

The simple flavors in this recipe work well together. The result is a mild-flavored broth, not at all salty (like those ramen packets tend to be) and it can easily be kicked up with soy sauce or your favorite hot sauce.

We added generous amounts of gochujang sauce and all voted this meal a complete win. Much like the first time we made Egg Drop Soup a dozen years or more ago, homemade ramen was an instant hit. This is going to be a staple around here now.

Shrimp Ramen Noodles

You’ll need just a few ingredients to make this recipe:

• shrimp
• olive oil
• fresh ginger and garlic
• chicken stock
• mushrooms

Grilled Avocado Tacos Recipe

This easy avocado tacos recipe is made with creamy grilled avocados, a little bit of queso fresco, pickled onions and a tangy lime crema. You’re going to love them!

Grilled Avocado tacos, an absolute must this summer! They may not look like much, but trust me before you know it you’ll be shoveling your 5th taco in your mouth.

Recommended Equipment

• Wusthof Knives
• Tongs
• Pastry Brush

Before You Begin…

I like to make the crema before I start doing anything with the avocados or the grill. The flavors meld together if you let it set for a few minutes so the flavor is more bold and fabulous. Our favorite brand of crema is Cacique!

How This Recipe Came to Be

I once had a roommate who made avocado tacos. At first appearance it seemed almost too easy to me, but then she let me try one. And try it I did, over and over, and over again. They were delicious, light, easy and surprisingly flavorful. And then I got married, moved out and totally forgot about them for a few years.

And then enters my darling friend, Lisa. Lisa is a vegetarian and although I’m all about the meat I find myself frustrated for her when people or restaurants don’t have options for vegetarians. I actually think there is no excuse for a restaurant to not have at least a couple of vegetarian options unless it’s something like a place that specializes in just meat, like J Dawgs.

I’m constantly trying my hand at vegetarian recipes ever since meeting Lisa, kind of like this Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, and then one day I remembered the avocado tacos. I’m not saying that these are the most over the top, crazy delicious dinner recipe you could make, but they really are super delicious, and perfect for both vegetarian and meat eaters at get-togethers or BBQ’s.

In fact, we eat them all the time, and if it’s lunch and we don’t want to heat up the grill we just cook the tortillas and skip grilling the avocados. It’s still delicious, I promise. And because Lisa started this new search in us, we’ve actually found that we prefer to not eat meat every single night. Our bodies seem to respond better to meat sparingly. Go figure. But I will say, meat and protein in the form of meat is still essential for us. And Lisa doesn’t mind.

Ingredients for Grilled Avocado Tacos

For the Tacos

• Corn Tortillas: We have become obsessed with this Vista Hermosa brand of corn tortillas. They have such great flavor and hold up well.
• Avocado: You want a ripe but firm avocado that can hold up to the grilling.
• Salt and Pepper: Adds flavor to the avocado as i