Sharing different types of meditation strategies and how to implement them into your routine!

Hiii! How are you? I hope you’re enjoying the morning! The Pilot is off work today (wahoo!) so I’m going to see if I can convince him to join me for F45 cardio day and then we’re going to grab coffee, breakfast, and maybe enjoy multiple consecutive sentences of adult conversation. What a treat!

For today’s post, I wanted to chat a bit about meditation and the different types of strategies. Meditation is something that’s been on and off in my life, but I’ve been pretty consistent for the past year. It makes a huge difference in my day. I feel centered, calm, and it’s one of my favorite daily rituals. I plug in my PEMF Go Mat (use FITNESSISTA15 for a discount), do 10 minutes of an eye mask while I meditate, and then I pray and journal. If I have extra time, I stay on the Go Mat a little longer and work on NYT Spelling Bee.

There are so many different meditation strategies out there, and it can be a little overwhelming, especially if you’re a beginner.

For today’s post, I wanted to break down some of the most common methods of meditation and how to use them in your routine.

*A friendly reminder that it’s helpful to have a designated meditation space that isn’t your bed! You don’t want to associate this space with anything else.Also, make sure that it’s free of work and clutter; you don’t want laundry and to-do lists to stare at you in the face as you’re trying to relax.

For more meditation tips, check out this post.

Meditation strategies

Guided meditations

If you’re new to meditation or find it challenging to focus, guided meditations can be an invaluable aid. These pre-recorded sessions are led by experienced practitioners who gently guide your thoughts and breath, helping you find your center. Choose from a myriad of meditation apps or online resources offering guided sessions tailored to various goals, from stress relief to improved focus. Some of my favorite include the Peloton app, Calm, and Headspace.

Breathwork

Breathwork is the heart and soul of meditation, weaving a profound connection between your mind and body. Practice deep belly breathing to calm your nervous system and bring your attention inward. Pay attention to each inhale and exhale, allowing your breath to be your anchor in the present moment. I like to do box breathing (in for 8, hold for 8, out for 8), or the 6-7-8 method (in 6, hold 7, out for 8). Next-level: think of a word on the inhale and another word you want to feel on the exhale, or think of something you’re grateful for on each exhale.

Mind

You need just three ingredients to make this homemade peach sauce. The deliciousness begins with ripe, juicy, peaches. When the peaches grow fragrant and soften, that’s the signal that it is time to start making our favorite peach recipes.

Peach Sauce

Gather your peaches, add a sprinkling of sugar and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and you’ll have everything you need to make this mouthwatering peach sauce.

Soon, you’ll be pouring it over ice cream, stirring it into yogurt and oatmeal, topping pancakes and waffles, spooning it over English muffins, making Bostock with it, and trying to resist eating it by the spoonful. (Not that I know anything about that.)

Peach jams, syrups, and sauces capture the essence of summer in every spoonful. There’s nothing better than opening a jar filled with summer peach flavor in the middle of winter

This perfectly sweetened and wonderfully spiced Homemade Peach Jam has been a staple in our home for about 15 years. And while we’re talking about jam, have you tasted Habanero Peach Jam? There is really nothing else like it. The balance of sweet and spice is unforgettable.

Sweet Slow Cooker Bourbon Peaches

Sharing some tips with natural remedies for PMS. Please keep in mind that this is for informational purposes and is not medical advice. If you struggle with PMS, please reach out to your health care provider for tips for your unique situation.

Hi hi! How are you? I hope you’re enjoying the morning so far! I’m taking Liv to a yoga class while P sees a movie with a friend, and we’re going to spend the rest of the day in the pool. 😉

For today’s post, I wanted to chat about some natural remedies for PMS! PMS used to be a horrible part of my life – it was a huge reason why I was put on birth control when I was 13- and was something that I struggled with for a long time. I regret taking birth control for so long as it just plopped a Band-Aid on a deeper issue. SO many women experience PMS symptoms, but thankfully, there are some things you can do that might be able to help.

Natural remedies for PMS

A friendly reminder here that this post is not medical advice. If you struggle with PMS, please make an appointment with your health care provider to see if they can suggest tips. If they simply suggest birth control, find another provider that will help you determine the root cause.

PMS symptoms can often occur when there is estrogen dominance. Keep in mind that this isn’t a root cause, but can give some insight into habits and foundations that can be improved.

What is estrogen dominance?

Estrogen dominance is a hormonal imbalance that occurs when the level of estrogen in the body outweighs the level of progesterone. Estrogen and progesterone are two key female sex hormones that work together to regulate various aspects of a woman’s reproductive and overall health. When there is an excess of estrogen compared to progesterone, it can lead to an array of symptoms and health issues.

Estrogen dominance can arise due to various factors, including environmental toxins, stress, poor diet, hormonal birth control, and obesity.

When estrogen levels are higher than they should be, it can disrupt the delicate hormonal balance, causing a range of symptoms such as:

– Irregular menstrual cycles

– Heavy or prolonged periods

– Breast tenderness

– Mood swings and irritability

– Weight gain, especially around the hips and thighs

– Fatigue and low energy

– Water retention and bloating

– Headaches

– Decreased sex drive

Estrogen dominance can have broader implications on overall health as well. It may increase the risk of certain hormone-related conditions like fibroids, endometriosis, and breast cancer. Additionally, it can affect bone health, thyroid function, and immune system regulation.

Addressing estrogen dominance involves identifying and addressing the underlying factors contributing to the imbalance. Lifestyle changes, such as adopting a balanced diet, managing stress, engaging in re

Sharing the books I read in July and if I’d recommend adding them to your collection!

Hi friends! Happy Monday! How was the weekend? I hope you had a great one! We swam and enjoyed dinner with friends, and also headed to Apple Annie’s to pick some fruit and veggies. It was SUPER hot, but we got a lot of amazing produce and followed it up with Mexican food. I can’t believe the kids start school this week!

For today’s post, let’s chat about books! I read three fantastic books this past month and thought I’d share the goods with ya.

July book recap

Here are July’s books:

Yours Truly

This was my introduction to Abby Jimenez and turns out I looooove her. I can definitely see why she’s so hyped up! This book had everything I enjoy in a summer read: a bit of romance, witty banter, and protagonists that are likable and don’t make horrible decisions the entire time.

I want to express my gratitude for the thoughtful approach taken in addressing mental health topics, including past trauma and anxiety. The content was handled with sensitivity, which I genuinely appreciated. While it wasn’t overwhelmingly heavy, it’s essential to recognize that it might be triggering for those who have dealt with these issues in the past. Personally, some parts relating to anxiety felt incredibly relatable, almost too real, as they perfectly described the emotions I used to experience when anxiety was a significant struggle for me.

From Amazon:

Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin’-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass” scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter.

And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,” and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doc

Roasted Garlic Tomato Basil Orzo

Easy orzo pasta with roasted garlic and tomatoes and fresh basil is just what I crave on a hot summer night. In the summer, I’m all about the quick and easy meals that are light and refreshing.

When Cade and I first started the blog I was whisked off on a fun little business trip where we got to try small servings of an entire menu. During the tasting a roasted garlic pasta was served to us with huge whole garlic cloves that were heavily fragrant.

I carefully ate around them only to notice my seat mate was enjoying the entire dish, full cloves of garlic and all. “Do people really eat garlic?” I thought. I mean, I knew it went in dishes but to be an actual component felt odd.

I sliced a chunk off of a clove, swirled and twisted my noodles up around it and the fork and I’ve been sold ever since. The sweetness of the garlic comes out in the roasting time and no, it doesn’t remove the smell off your breath, but it’s worth it!!

Ingredients in this Orzo Recipe

This orzo recipe may give you garlic breath, but we are going to add a few more flavor to it! Here is what you will need:

• Cherry Tomatoes: black cherry, piccolo or Vittoria varieties are our favorites
• Olive Oil: for roasting the tomatoes and cooking the garlic
• Salt and Pepper: for seasoning the roasted tomatoes and for seasoning the whole dish
• Garlic: flavor, flavor, flavor
• Butter: helps pan roast the orzo and adds loads of flavor
• Orzo: sauteing the pasta beforehand adds a delicious nutty flavor
• Lemon Juice: fresh is best
• White Wine: we use cooking wine, but feel free to use whatever brand you want
• Chicken Stock: could easily swap this out for vegetable broth to make this dish vegetarian
• Water: helps cook the orzo
• Basil Leaves: I highly suggest using fresh basil only.
• Parmesan Cheese: freshly grated parm on top is the best
• Red Pepper Flakes: adds heat, add as much as you want!
• Pine Nuts: adds texture and flavor

The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make Roasted Garlic Tomato Basil Orzo

This recipe comes together so easily and most of the time is spent waiting for the tomatoes to roast and the orzo to cook. Here are the basic steps:

1. Roast the tomatoes.
2. Pan roast the garlic and then the orzo.
3. Let the orzo simmer in all the flavors.
4. Add the liquids to cook the pasta.
5. Season to taste and top with the pine nuts, basil and parmesan.

All the details can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post. You can also save or print the recipe from there.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

We have so many recipes that use garlic, tomatoes and basil. It is a classic combination of simple flavors that you can just never go wrong wi