Sculpt Society Review

Sculpt Society Review

  April 27, 2023    Pratik Bandagale

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Sharing my thoughts on Sculpt Society and if I’d recommend this workout!

Hi friends! How was the weekend? I hope you had a wonderful one. We celebrated Liv’s birthday with friends and also enjoyed a long hike with Maisey. It was the perfect weekend.

For today’s post, I’m excited to share a new-to-me workout format: Sculpt Society! I was ad-targeted for this one forever, and since I always love trying new body workouts and absolutely love dance cardio, I figured I’d give it a whirl. This workout program was founded by Megan Roup (you can check out her Instagram here) and I’ll share a full review below. Heads up that this review isn’t sponsored; I signed up for a 7-day free trial and am going to keep my subscription for a couple of months. I’ve tried a lottttt of fitness apps in my day and am always pumped when I find a winner. 🙂

You can use my referral link to get a 7-day trial plus one month free on the app!

Sculpt Society Review

What Is Sculpt Society?

As I mentioned above, Sculpt Society was created by trainer Megan Roup and is a blend of dance cardio, barre, Pilates, and traditional strength. Megan worked as a professional dancer for the Brooklyn Nets and developed this workout style in 2017. She says, “I wanted to create a program that would help women reach their goals and would still be fun. My mission with The Sculpt Society workout app is to empower women through movement, to stand in their bodies with confidence and strength, and to feel their best self.” (Source)

The Sculpt Society App And Website

On The Sculpt Society app and website, you can find over 400 classes. When you first log into the TSS app, you’ll see an example weekly schedule of classes, a live video schedule, popular videos, and programs you can follow.

The classes are also organized into segments: Gentle + Beginner classes, 30 min sculpt, 30 min dance cardio (my personal fave), 30 min full body, 45-50 minute full body, side body classes, stretch + yoga. There’s also a “Getting Started” section which breaks down common exercises and offers modifications. I’m going to focus on a couple of my fave Sculpt Society workouts below:

30 min Dance Cardio

As I mentioned above, this is my favorite one. The combos are more athletic and on the simple side, easy to follow, but still a lot of fun. This is hard when you’re teaching mixed levels of dance abilities, and I feel like a beginner to advanced dancers would enjoy these combos. The beauty of online dance workouts is that you can pause the video and practice a move until you get it and then resume. Don’t be intimidated if you don’t consider yourself “a dancer!” These classes include a lot of jumping, but you can absolutely modify them for a low-impact workout.

For these classes, you can expect a short warm-up, an athletic dance combo that you build onto, a break for arms and abs segments, and then back to the combo to finish it out.

Quickie workouts: Arms, Abs, and Full Body

The quickie workouts are 15-25 minutes and focus on various muscle groups. These are a nice add-on to other strength or cardio workouts and focus on more barre-style endurance exercises (full-range movements, pulses, and holds). These are also great workouts when you don’t have a ton of time but want to move your body.

Sculpt Workouts

These are around 30 minutes and use light weights along with an optional resistance band. These are also more barre-based movements, with lots of core stabilization, side series, booty work, and ab burners. I feel like this is a smart way to change up traditional strength training, especially if you do a lot more hypertrophy or circuit-based training (10-15 reps, moderate weights). This will challenge you in an entirely different way and I love the added core stability of many of these exercises.

Sculpt Society Prenatal

Are you pregnant and ready to kick those pregnancy pains to the curb and feel strong and energized? Then you need to try the Sculpt Society’s prenatal program! It’s designed just for you, with exercises that build strength, improve flexibility, and reduce discomfort. Our program includes low-impact cardio, strength training, and exercises for your pelvic floor and abs. With better posture, less back pain, and more energy, you’ll be ready for labor and delivery. Come on, join us now, and see for yourself how amazing you can feel!

Sculpt Society Postpartum

The Sculpt Society’s Postpartum Program offers personalized workouts and expert guidance for new moms, all from the comfort of their own homes. With a supportive community and a focus on physical and mental health, our program helps new moms achieve their fitness goals amidst the chaos of motherhood. Sign up now and prioritize your well-being!

What equipment do you need?

You don’t need a ton of equipment for these workouts. I’ve only done a few, but I’ve only seen light hand weights, a resistance band loop, a Pilates ball, and optional ankle weights in the workouts.

Benefits & Results

– You can do Megan’s workout at home in your living room, or while you’re traveling, with minimal equipment.

– I really like Megan and her style of training. The over-the-top peppy fake fitness instructor vibe doesn’t work for me, and I typically find myself going for trainers that seem like nice, normal, people (a huge reason why I love Les Mills workouts so much! They’re motivating without being artificial.). I also find that I work harder when the instructor is talking normally, instead of high-pitched and overexcited lol. Megan has a really lovely vibe, and while she has branded taglines or performs solo dance breaks (hi Peloton), she’s energetic and gives great cueing. (There are other trainers in the app, but I haven’t tried their classes yet.)

– As far as results go, it absolutely depends on how often you do these workouts and how the other foundational habits in life are going (sleep, stress management, nutrition, hydration, etc). I feel like it’s a solid mix of strength, cardio, mobility, core work, and stretching — I’d just be sure to include a couple of rest days each week and at least 1 day of heavier resistance training to fatigue.

Photo source

Sculpt Society Cost

– Sculpt Society offers a free 7-day trial and it took a quick Google search for me to find a discount code for my first month. After that, it will be $19.99 per month. You also get a 24% discount if you choose the annual billing option. My referral link will get you one month free on the app!

So, tell me friends: have you tried Sculpt Society or anything similar? Dance cardio lovers: what’s your favorite type of class?

Any other fitness formats you’d like to see my review?

xoxo

Gina

A couple of my dance cardio workouts you can try!

Dance Cardio Sculpt

Another Dance Cardio Sculpt

More workout reviews:

Peloton App

SWEAT app Fierce program review

Obe Fitness

Best Fitness Apps

Les Mills +

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132: Tongue posture and nasal breathing with Ashley Palin, The Tongue Therapist

132: Tongue posture and nasal breathing with Ashley Palin, The Tongue Therapist

  April 27, 2023    Pratik Bandagale

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Hi friends! How are you?? I have a new podcast episode up today with an important topic: nasal breathing and tongue posture. This is a world that I stumbled upon accidentally a couple of years ago, when I was wondering why tongue posture improves facial posture. I went down a rabbit hole and started to learn about how tongue posture impacts our facial development, why it’s important to breathe through our nose, and how our tongue posture and breathing habits can affect so many systems in the body.

This information is starting to become more well-known, and I’m so thankful for experts like Ashley Palin sharing their knowledge on this subject. I love following her Instagram and have learned a lot from her, so I was thrilled when she said she’d join me on the podcast.

132: Tongue posture and nasal breathing with Ashley Palin, The Tongue Therapist

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

– Mouth breathing! Why should we pay attention to nasal breathing? Why is it important?

– Ideal tongue posture – what does it look like?

– Mouth taping. Should we do it? What about if we have a deviated septum?

– Do you think it’s worth getting deviated septums, tongue ties, and lip ties corrected as adults?

– How do we model good tongue posture for our kids and do you think it’s worth seeking out help when they’re young?

and so.much.more.

Here’s a bit more about Ashley:

Ashley is a registered dental hygienist who, after discovering her own issues with mouth breathing and oral-ties, pivoted to become a myofunctional therapist and help others with the same issues. She’s done additional trainings through The Buteyko Clinic, MyoMethod, Tongue-Tied Academy and more. She helps people to breathe, sleep, and feel better by correcting their oral function, tongue posture, and breathing habits.

You can follow her on Instagram here and check out her website here (she also takes 1:1 virtual clients if you’re looking for help!).

 

More resources from this episode:

I’m still obsessed with my sauna blanket – right now they’re having a Mother’s Day promo and you can use FITNESSISTA20 for 20% off! This is one of my favorite ways to relax and sweat it out. I find that it energizes me, helps with aches and pains, I sleep better on the days I use this, and it makes my skin glow. Link to check it out here. You can also use my discount for the PEMF Go Mat, which I use every day, and the red light face mask, which is a staple in my weekly skincare routine.

I’ve been loving Athletic Greens! This link gets you 5 free travel packs and a year’s supply of Vitamin D3/K2.

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 finished Level 1 and am working my way through Level 2. I highly recommend it! You can check out my review IHP here!

Get 15% off Organifi with the code FITNESSISTA. I drink the green juice, red juice, gold, and Harmony! (Each day I might have something different, or have two different things. Everything I’ve tried is amazing.)

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. 

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The best mom swimsuits: my top picks

  April 26, 2023    Pratik Bandagale

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Sharing my favorite mom swimsuits that are flattering, not too skimpy, and functional!

Hi friends! How’s the week going? I hope you’re having a great one so far! For today’s post, I have summer on the brain. I’m SO ready for slow mornings, no homework (praise be), and days in the pool.

THANK GOODNESS FOR THE POOL.  I often hear people complain about the Tucson heat – it really is like an oven outside – but the truth is, Tucson is reverse hibernation. We have good outdoor weather in the winter, and stay indoors or swim during the summer. In the summer, you can find us in the water or in the AC.

I was pondering mom swimsuits and how difficult they are to find. When I find one I love, it’s a huge deal.

What makes an awesome mom swimsuit? A winner of a mom swimsuit needs to be comfortable and flattering, but also has to rank high on the functional front. It has to keep everything LOCKED DOWN. For example, I want to be able to play freely with the kiddos without flashing my goodies. A good mom swimsuit keeps everything covered, even while you’re building sand castles, running in the waves, chasing the kiddos as “mama shark,” or tossing them into the air.

For this post, I thought I’d share some of the best ones I’ve found! These are a mix of ones I already own (notated with ***) or have found online with stellar reviews. If you have any mom swimsuits you love, please spread the word in the comments section!! I usually find the best swimsuits at Nordstrom, Everything But Water and Anthropologie. Target also has an incredible selection at reasonable price points.

The best mom swimsuits: my top picks

One-pieces:

***Becca Aurora Crochet. I have this one in black – I bought it a few years ago – and get compliments every time I wear it. I love that the detail makes it look a little bit sexy without being too much. It’s a classic and I wear it year after year.

J Crew ruched swimsuit.  SO many gorgeous colors and it has flattering.

3. This square-neck suit. This one has excellent reviews and the fiery red color is a fun way to switch things up from the classic black suit.

**Anything from Summersalt. I have four suits from them and this is one of my favorite ones! I also love the fit of this one (size up one size for all Summersalt suits).

This suit has a trendy cut-out and comes in four gorgeous colors.

Love this gorgeous print and v-neck (on sale right now, too).

Another cute square-neck suit with a floral print.

**This scallop one-shoulder one piece. I just ordered this one because I love the bright color and Target swimsuit prices are A+.

** Vuori has swimwear now! LOVE this one-piece and just added it to my cart.

Bikinis:

This sporty bikini with high waist bottoms and UPF 50+.

This super cute colorblock option with a high waist.

Obsessed with this suit that was designed for active lifestyles.

Maaji suits always fit well and last, and this set has enough booty coverage.

***These are my go-to bikini bottoms that I’ll mix and match with different tops.

Coverups:

This incredible embroidered cover-up

***Floral print buttoned coverup. I wear this one constantly with jean shorts.

***Button-up shirt coverup. This is one of my faves and the price point is awesome. I’d recommend sizing up — mine shrank in the wash.

This effortless shirtdress coverup.

Obsessed with this crochet coverup.

Swimsuit tip: For bold and bright colors, I always soak these in the sink in cold water and vinegar for about 20 minutes before washing. I wash the brights together on gentle and let them air dry. The colors stay vibrant this way!

So, tell me: where do you buy your swimsuits? What’s the current favorite? Please feel free to link away in the comments!

xo

Gina

This post isn’t sponsored but affiliate links are included above. These links don’t impact purchase price and enable me to earn a small kickback, which I use to keep this lil blog running. Thank you so much for your support!

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my relationship with fitness lately

my relationship with fitness lately

  April 24, 2023    Pratik Bandagale

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Hi friends! How are you? I hope you had an amazing weekend! Once again, Liv’s team crushed their competition; they took 1st, 2nd, and 5th overall for their categories! It was so much fun to watch them shine and enjoy a little Phoenix staycation. We’ll be back in a couple of weeks for the next one.

For today’s post, I thought I’d pop in and share a little bit about how my personal relationship with fitness has changed and my mindset around it.

When I first got into the fitness world, I was omgsoexcited about trying and doing all the things. I loved teaching all of the classes, taking as many classes as possible, trying new exercises and strategies in the weights room, and was absolutely in the honeymoon phase of fitness. This *phase* actually lasted for many years, hence the name of my blog and why fitness has become more than a hobby and the baseline for my entire career.

Currently, I don’t feel very Fitnessista-ish 😉 It’s become more of a box that I check… and that’s ok.

I don’t look forward to strength training on my own the same way that I used to, so I haven’t been lifting consistently on my own for quite a few months. I walked into the gym yesterday to teach a class, and the weight room felt so foreign to me, when it used to be a daily staple in my life.

Instead of using a lack of excitement as my reason to quit strength training entirely, I’ve done some other things that have helped me to stay consistent.

Right now, it involves taking classes (F45, hot yoga, barre, Sculpt Society), working with an amazing local personal trainer, and I enjoy encouraging others through Fit Team and with my one and one clients.

I’ve realized over time that health and wellbeing is so much more than what you do in the gym each day. Yes, it’s absolutely important to move your body consistently, but I’ve been emphasizing the other 23 hours in the day more than what I do for my workout. I just make sure to get in a walk each day, usually with Maisey, get daily steps in on my walking pad and doing chores, and strength train 3-4 times per week (whether it’s through training or taking classes).

When we lose the honeymoon phase of anything, it’s when we really need to lean into our dedication and commitment, instead of depending on excitement and motivation. Goals can impact our attitudes about certain things, and I don’t really have any fitness-related goals right now.

I’m not looking to get incredibly strong or lean. No PRs or races or distance goals in my near future. While these things used to be exciting and motivating for me, I don’t think they would be right now. Just typing the word PR makes me feel stressed lol. I just want to be healthy with tons of energy, have full function and mobility, and for my clothes to continue to fit well.

Here are some of the other things I’ve been working on:

– Stress management. This is a huge one because stress can impact so many factors in the body, can negatively impact your sleep, mood, immune system function, hormones, digestion, and performance/recovery. It can be SO hard to minimize stress – especially when you have a lot going on – but for me, it looks like time in the sauna blanket 3-4 times each week, daily chilling on my PEMF Go Mat (if you’re going to order; wait until Thursday!) with binaural beats and my prayer journal, and weekly time with friends.

– Blood sugar balance. Using Nutrisense every few months or so has been a game changer for me. (You can read more about my experience here!) I’ve been able to make some simple changes in my routine that have improved my numbers significantly. I’m going to add another sensor later this week — after hot yoga because I found out the hard way that my CGM basically falls off afterwards.

– Continuing to minimize alcohol. I’ve taken my alcohol intake way down and sleep and feel SO much better without it being a key player in my life. I had my first cocktail last night after three weeks without alcohol, and didn’t even realize I hadn’t had wine in so long.

– Sleeping. A lot. Why is sleep the best ever?! I love staying up late because it’s quiet and it could be my chance to read longer or get more work done, but I’ve been forcing myself to wind down and turn lights out by 10:15 or 10:30 and my energy levels are the best they’ve ever been.

– Eating enough to fuel my body. I never thought this would be difficult because I love food so much, but when I get busy, I tend to skip meals and some variety of chips instead (potato or chocolate). Each night, I quickly brainstorm what I’m going to have for lunch, and even if it’s something super quick and easy (and already prepared for convenience sake), I’m gonna go for it. Our freezer is stocked with Daily Harvest bowls and smoothies, which are some of my favorite lunch options.

So tell me, friends: what’s your relationship with fitness like right now?

What health goals are you currently setting for yourself?

xo

Gina

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Dr. Cabral 7-day detox review + recipes

Dr. Cabral 7-day detox review + recipes

  April 21, 2023    Pratik Bandagale

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 Sharing my thoughts on the Dr. Stephen Cabral 7-day detox, and sharing the recipes I enjoyed while I was on this Functional Medicine detox. If you’d like to try it out for yourself, you can use my code FITNESSISTA20 for 20% off. 

Hi friends! Happy Monday! How are you? I hope you’re having a lovely day so far. We had a great weekend. I got a ton of work stuff done, we went to the pumpkin patch and celebrated the Pilot’s bday a day early. His actual birthday is today and I’m looking forward to more celebrations this evening with my favorite guy. I also wrapped up the 7-day Dr. Cabral detox with our community last night and feel SO good! I’m excited to share more details about my experience in this post with ya.

In this post, I also wanted to share some of the recipes and meals I enjoyed for my friends out there who are considering doing this functional medicine detox on their own time. It can be helpful to have meal ideas for days 3-7. This post is a beefy one because there’s so much I wanted to include. Grab a mug of coffee or tea and I’d love to chat with ya and share my experience.

Here we go!

Dr. Cabral 7-day detox review + recipes

What is the detox and how does it work?

– It’s a liver-based detox to help reset your body, provide a break from digesting heavy foods, and potentially help your body eliminate toxins that we accumulate from our environment. It includes functional medicine ingredients and Ayurvedic herbs to support phase 1 and 2 liver detoxification.

– It’s nutrition-focused. It includes the POWERHOUSE Daily Nutritional Support powder (which I’ve had in my smoothies for the past couple of months and notice a difference in how I feel when I drink this smoothie), and meal guidelines for the remaining meals. The goal is to NOT have your body depleted of nutrients during the process.

– It can potentially help with weight loss (although that’s not a focus for me), along with anti-aging, and total body wellness. 

– It’s only 7 days! When I first started working with a naturopath (back in the old days! It was like 2010), he had me do a month-long detox that was similar in format (but did not include the Ayurvedic supplements). It’s so much easier to do for 7 days, and I feel like my results were even better from the extra nutritional support. (The first two days are supplements, fruit, and smoothies only, and on day 3, you add in nutrient-dense meals using their meal guideline/template.)

Each detox kit includes the following: 

Daily Nutritional Support: 

This one-stop shop for vitamins, minerals, protein, electrolytes, and antioxidants is the heart and soul of Dr.Cabral Detox. With 15 grams of vegan protein, Daily Nutritional Support provides your body with much-needed energy and nutrition while your body begins to rid itself of toxins.

FM Detox:

Utilizing the most recent research in Functional Medicine, FM Detox provides the compounds necessary to support both phases of liver detoxification. Essential amino acids, antioxidants, and botanical extracts like milk thistle help the body to capture and move toxins to the liver where they can be metabolized and removed during phase two. Ingredients like dandelion root extract support the production of bile which aids in elimination. As a diuretic, dandelion root increases the water supplied to the liver which facilitates toxin elimination in the urine.

AYU Detox:

Incorporating ancient Ayurvedic healing traditions that support optimal detoxification, the AM Detox helps begin the detox process. Various diuretics move water to the liver and increase the solubility of toxins. Triphala, the combination of three plants: Emblica Officinalis, Terminalia bellerica, and Terminalia chebula, have been studied for their roles in gastrointestinal health. When used in conjunction, it is suggested this powerful trio promotes the growth of beneficial gut microbes Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus, while inhibiting the growth of undesirable strains.

(You can read more and explore scientific references here.)

My experience by day:

Day 1:

Day 1 was just shakes and supplements, and I expected to feel run down and tired. I felt amazing. I had a lot of energy and felt clear and focused. So, I took this day entirely off from the gym and spent extra time meditating and reading in the evening.

Day 2:

I expected hunger to kick in, and it hit pretty hard in the afternoon. I ate a bowl of raspberries and blueberries and felt much better. And, I figured if I needed to skip ahead to Day 3 at any point during the detox, I could do it. But, I didn’t feel like I needed it. I did feel more tired this day, and only took Maisey for our usual walk for activity.

Day 3:

The first day of adding back whole foods and food had never tasted so amazing in my life. This is why I LOVE doing occasional resets; it brings me back to my tastebuds and the foods I genuinely enjoy. I made channa masala, which I knew was going to be flavorful, but it was bursting with spices and citrus. It was incredible. I felt my energy soar in the afternoon, so I did a quick Sculpt Society workout (no cardio, just lightweight and bodyweight strength).

Day 4:

I feel like I hit my groove with meal planning and felt myself looking forward to the shakes and each meal. This was another off day from the gym and I just walked Maisey. Lunch was an awesome Mediterranean lentil dish for lunch (recipe below) and we had the best scallops and asparagus for dinner. (Got the scallops from ButcherBox and the girls went crazy for them.)

Days 5-7:

I started to get back into a more *normal* workout routine but modified it quite a bit since I felt weak. I did an F45 class one day, a hot yoga day the following day, and took Sunday as a rest day.

Something I noticed during this detox:

– My Oura scores were the best they’d ever been consecutive. I had multiple triple crown days (usually if I get 3 for the entire week, I’m pumped) in a row!! I slept SO well and had vivid dreams each night.

(5 triple crown days in one week!)

My final thoughts/results:

Physically, I feel like inflammation is down in my face, and wish I would have taken photos to compare. My wedding ring usually fits me snugly and is now loose. Mentally, I feel even more energized, focused, and clear. I feel like I’m back in touch with the way I like to eat, which makes me feel and perform my best. Pre-detox, it was very normal for me to walk past the pantry and grab a cookie from the cookie jar each time. Sugar and treats started to become habits rather than something I truly enjoyed.

Fruit and veggies started to taste bland to me, and I found myself craving more and more sugar. This helped me remember how good it feels to focus on fresh, whole, foods and how they taste pretty good. I will absolutely do this again, and next time, I might go for the 14-day plan. Many of the gals in our group are continuing with the program because they feel so amazing.

Here’s a short video I made with my experience:

 

7-day detox recipes

Detox lunch recipes

Channa Masala

Makes about 5 large servings (save any leftovers for upcoming lunches or freeze)

Ingredients: 

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger

15 oz tomato sauce

8 oz water

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garam masala

2 cans chickpeas, drained

1/2 bag spinach

Cilantro and lemon, for serving

In a large pot, sauté the onion, ginger, and garlic in a bit of avocado oil until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper, and add all of the spices. Coat with the spices, and then stir in the tomato sauce, water, and chickpeas. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Wilt in the spinach for a minute or two, and then serve with chopped cilantro on top and a squeeze of lemon juice. I enjoyed this on cauliflower rice and it was incredible! The leftovers were even better.

Mediterranean Lentil Dish

Makes 4 servings (save any leftovers for upcoming lunches or freeze)

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes rehydrated in water (I like to do this because they’re much softer)

16 oz cooked black lentils

8 oz artichoke hearts

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 bag of spinach

Dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon each of thyme and basil

In a large pot, sauté the onion and garlic in a bit of avocado oil until fragrant. Add the lentils, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, and season well with salt and pepper. Warm through while you make the dressing. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and pour on top. Serve with extra lemon juice.

Hummus and veggie wraps

– I made the hummus with chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and then served it on romaine boats with avocado, bell pepper, and carrots

Detox dinner ideas

Hot bar! One night P had soccer late and I didn’t have time (or energy) to make anything. We went to a hot bar and I grabbed Paleo chicken, cabbage slaw, broccoli, cauliflower, and a scoop of hummus. It was perfect.

Scallops and asparagus (I made risotto for the fam, too): just pan-seared them with salt and pepper, and served with roasted asparagus (garlic powder, avocado oil, and salt and pepper)

Blackened salmon in the air fryer

Makes 4 servings

Here’s the recipe for the salmon:

1/4 teaspoon each: cumin, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, chili lime seasoning from Trader Joe’s (to the fam’s I added 2 tablespoons brown sugar)

Make the blackened seasoning by mixing the above ingredients in a small bowl

Season the salmon well with salt and pepper and preheat the Air Fryer to 400 degrees. Fully coat the salmon with the seasoning and spray the basket of the air fryer with avocado oil. Add the salmon and cook for 7-10 minutes until cooked through. Serve with any sides you like! We had this with baked sweet potato and salad with lemon and olive oil

Turkey burgers with avocado and veggie salad: the Pilot made the turkey burgers, and the fam had theirs on buns with waffles fries, and salad, and I ate mine on a chopped veggie salad with avocado

Dr. Cabral Detox Side Effects

Days 1-2 of this 21-day detox are pretty rough—you’ll feel sluggish and exhausted—but after that, it gets easier. I was cranky and tired, and my stomach was upset (but that could have been because I had to wait until day 4 to eat). But then something happened: I started losing weight!

You may experience some of the same side effects during the first two days of your detox plan. Other side effects can include jitters (or “brain fog”), headaches, bloating, and cramps. If you’re feeling any of these symptoms, don’t worry! It’s a normal part of the detox process and will go away once your body gets used to being cleansed.

Discount code for the Dr. Cabral Detox programs: 

If you’re curious about checking out these programs for yourself, you can use my code FITNESSISTA20 for 20% off. Please let me know if you decide to give this a whirl! Doing this before the holidays helped me reset before a time of extra sugar and events.

Hope you have a wonderful day and I’ll see ya soon!

xo

Gina

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10 frequently-asked fitness questions and their answers

  April 18, 2023    Pratik Bandagale

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Do you have a question about fitness? Sharing a post with some of the questions I commonly receive about fitness with their answers. Please keep in mind that while I’m a certified personal trainer, women’s fitness specialist, Integrative Health Practitioner, and P1 Nutrition Coach, I’m not a doctor or Registered Dietitian. If you have specific health considerations, please reach out to a local health professional for guidance. 

Hi friends! Hope you’re having a wonderful day. For today’s post, I wanted to re-share this updated post with some frequently-asked fitness questions and their answers. These are the types of questions I receive from clients all of the time, and many of these questions I also had myself when I was first getting started in the fitness world.

If you have any burning fitness questions, please leave them in the comments below!

You can also check out my follow-up to this post here. 

10 frequently-asked fitness questions and their answers

1. How much cardio should I be doing?

The answer to many of the questions on this list, including this one, is “it depends.” I know. It’s frustrating to hear that answer, but I’ll break down WHY and hopefully this will help you determine the best method for your unique body.

With cardio, the amount you’re doing depends on a lot of different factors: your current activity level, your goals, and how hard you’re working. If you’re currently sedentary, general recommendations of around 150 minutes of moderate cardio each week (about 30 minutes most days of the day), would be way too much. In that case, you’d start with shorter rounds: 10-15 minutes each day of easy cardio (like walking) and build on from there.

If your goal is strength and lean muscle gains, you don’t want to do too much cardio. No daily long jogs if you want to build muscle, because after a certain point, your body will begin to use protein (aka muscle) as fuel. Many strength training exercises, especially circuit training, can count as cardio if it elevates your heart rate and sustains it. Circuit training also burns more calories during the workout. Many workouts can hit the strength and cardio box in one session and remember that intensity and purpose > duration.

If you are consistently doing high intensity cardio workouts (like HIIT or sprints), you will need less overall cardio time because you’re working harder. Check out this post on how much cardio you should be doing, and how to modify it for your intensity and fitness level.

2. How often should I rest?

Rest is such a huge piece of the fitness puzzle and it’s easy to forget that the magic happens when we REST. This is when the body is able to restore its levels, rebuild muscle, and gather energy and fuel for the next session. If you’re constantly working yourself into the ground, there’s a point where you’ll hit diminishing returns. Too much exercise can lead to overtraining, which can potentially cause elevated resting heart rate, injury, poor sleep, low energy levels, depression/anxiety, agitation, decrease in performance, and extreme soreness/pain.

The amount of rest you need will also depend on your current routine, how quickly you recover, your fueling strategies, and the intensity of your workouts. If you’re working out at intense levels a few times each week, you may need more rest time to recover in between sessions. If your workouts are lower-intensity, you could possibly work out every day without the effects of overtraining. Make sure you have at least 1-2 days of full rest each week to allow the body to repair and prevent overtraining.

3. Should I stretch before my workouts?

Research is mixed on this, so if you don’t want to stretch, you can skip it! Static stretching before a workout has actually been shown to DECREASE speed and performance. If you’re going to stretch before a workout, use this chance to move your body through full range of motion exercises to prepare for the workout you’re about to do. Your warmup moves should mimic the “meat” of your workout and include dynamic stretching. Static stretching (holding for 15-25 seconds per stretch) is a better choice AFTER your workout. You can foam roll either before or after your workout.

4. How much weight should I be lifting when I strength train?

When you choose a weight for strength training, pick a weight that’s “heavy for you.” For example, 5 lbs may be heavy for one person, while 50 lbs is heavy for someone else. This will depend on your current strength and fitness level.

You should be able to complete all reps in a set with good form, and have to push yourself to finish the last 1-2 reps of each set. If you could easily breeze through 15-20 reps of an exercise at your current weight, it’s a good sign to bump it up a little. On the other hand, if you’re struggling to complete all reps and compromising form, decrease the amount of weight or resistance you’re using.

5. How To Lose Weight And Tone Up Fast?

When I get this question, friends are often referring to building muscle to get that “toned” and defined look, and possibly losing a bit of body fat so the muscle is revealed. You can absolutely burn fat and build muscle at the same time, but it takes conscious nutrition and training. You’ll ideally want to be in a little bit of a calorie deficit, weight training with challenging weights, and eating sufficient protein. (I typically recommend 1g of protein per pound of goal body weight, depending on goals and preferred eating style. For example, I’ll recommend less protein for a vegan friend.)

Nutrient timing can also play a part in this, once nutrition foundations are set (protein and produce throughout the day, adequate hydration, eating slowly and mindfully, eating to your needs).

To lose body fat, consume a majority of carb-dense foods before and after exercise. Outside of the 3-hour window following exercise, you can shift your focus to mostly protein, veggies, and healthy fats (25% of each following meal using carb-dense foods).

Here is a handy infographic with some nutrition guidelines, based on body type:

Source

For your workouts, add in new stressors (like a barbell instead of dumbbells, unilateral exercises, heavier resistance, band loops) and follow a plan based on periodization strategies. You need a plan? I gotchu, boo.

6. What should I do about muscle soreness?

Contrary to common belief, sore muscles do not mean that you had a *good workout* and you shouldn’t aim to be seriously sore after each session. I find that when clients are super sore, it hinders their activity level for the rest of the day and days following the workout.  For this reason, we take it easy on the first session because no matter what we do, it’s different and new, which means they’ll be a tiny bit sore.

What’s the benefit of pushing yourself super hard so you can’t move the rest of the week? If your muscles are incredbily sore, focus on adequate water and protein intake, stretch your muscles (dynamic and static stretching feels great), a bath with epsom salts, and magnesium oil. Easy cardio and moving the legs can help to reduce soreness. Also, if you have a sauna blanket or access to a sauna, this is an incredible recovery tool for sore muscles and inflammation. Make sure you’re designating 1-2 days as a recovery day during the week, too.

7. How do I get started?

As always, talk with a doctor before making any fitness changes. The best way to start a fitness program is consistent walking and establishing a cardio baseline. Aim for 5-15 minutes most days of the week. Once you’re able to hit this consistently for a few weeks, add in 5 minutes until you can reach the 150 minutes of moderate cardio guidelines. (30 minutes, 5 days per week) From here, I recommend meeting with a certified personal trainer to determine a personalized strength plan you can follow 1-2 days per week. (One upper, one lower, or two total body circuits) From here, you’ll be able to progress into different strength training styles and methods depending on your goals, but I love starting with walking!

8. What’s the best diet for my fitness goals?

This depends on so many things: medical history, preferred eating style, activity level, metabolism, medications, specific goals (do you want to lose weight? Build muscle? Maintain?), how many meals you like to eat each day, so.many.things. This is why one-size-fits-all nutrition programs are a huge red flag. I recommend focusing on the foundations first: eating enough vegetables and leafy greens, protein intake, hydration, eating slowly and mindfully, and eating to your needs. If you need help with nutrition foundations, you can apply for 1:1 coaching. Make sure you’re on my newsletter here so you get details on new programs first!

9. How often should I work out?

This depends on intensity and your goals. If your goal is general movement, your ideal amount of workout days will be different than someone who is training for a grueling athletic event. You could train 2-7 times per week, depending on intensity. Make sure to vary intensity in your workout plan each week so you have a mix of challenging, easy, and moderate intensity levels. Always include 1-2 days of full rest. Need help creating a workout plan? Here’s a post I did allllll about this.

10. Should I work out my abs every day?

Nope! Back in the day, I thought if you wanted a six-pack you needed to work out your abs every day. Our abdominals are like any other muscle group: they need rest to recover and repair. Also, SO many exercises that are not considered “ab exercises” work your core, like squats, deadlifts, push-ups, hip raises, balance work, etc. If you put your mind to muscle and focus on breathing during your exercises, you may be surprised to see how much this works your core and can improve definition and strength. I don’t think you need to do core work more than 2-3 times max per week.

Whew! High fives to all of my friends out there who made it through this entire post. 🙂 It was a beefy one, but I love talking about this stuff and answering your questions.

Do you have any burning fitness questions?

What are some of your tips for friends out there who are just getting started?

xo

Gina

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2023 Mother’s Day Gift Guide

2023 Mother’s Day Gift Guide

  April 17, 2023    Pratik Bandagale

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Sharing some gift ideas for all of the ladies in your life! Moms, grandmas, nanas, friends, mom figures, new moms, whoever you want to shower with something special this Mother’s Day. I also wanted to recognize here that I know Mother’s Day can be hard and sad for various reasons; please know I’m holding you in my heart. 

Hi friends! How was the weekend? I hope you had a wonderful one. Things are looking up over here on the conjunctivitis front. Thanks to some steroid drops from the eye doc, I don’t look like a demon anymore. I’ve never seen anything like this in my life, but will be so glad to have it behind me. We hung out at home this week – the Pilot ended up getting sick, too – but I hope that you enjoyed the weekend and had some fun!

For today’s post, I wanted to share some Mother’s Day gift ideas. I’m not requesting a lot gift-wise this year – let’s be real, I’ve been online shopping a little toooooo much since I’ve been cooped at home lol – but am absolutely looking forward to celebrating all of the women in our family we love so much.

I thought I’d share some ideas if you’re shopping, and I’d love to hear your gift guide picks, too!

Flowers and plants:

Venus et fluer flowers. I get ad-targeted for these on Facebook ALL THE TIME and they’re SO GORGEOUS. The roses last an entire year!

Heart shaped succulent planter. Love succulents, and since they’re so hardy, it doesn’t matter so much if you have a black thumb.

This customizable concrete planter with a little air plant.

 

Personalized + jewelry:

Handwriting bracelet. This one is designed based on your own handwriting.

These Maya Brenner necklaces are SO gorgeous. (Ok, I do want this.)

Stackable name rings. I have some initial rings for Liv and P, and they’re my favorite jewelry. It’s such a dainty and sweet gift idea.

Baby bird necklace.

Initial pendant necklace. 

“Mama” script ring.

This gorgeous mothers and daughters print.

A stretch bracelet with a boost of motivation.

Clothes + beauty:

Classic Tory Burch tote. The color is a surprising neutral. This is another great tote that can double as a diaper bag or beach bag.

These pajamas or these pajamas (she’s releasing new ones this week)! My two faves ever.

Fruit babies bestsellers.

Low-top classic white sneakers. 

These pearl hoops. I have a similar pair and they give a little big of a statement while remaining classic.

ANYTHING from Vuori! I’m obsessed with their performance joggers and jumpsuits. They have a full Mother’s Day gift guide here if you need more ideas!

A comfy and luxe robe. I have a very similar one and it’s a lighter fabric for spring/summer.

Pure silk pillowcase.

Miller sandals with a little extra support. Love it!

The best sleep mask. This is a staple in my life (I even travel with it), and I sleep better and more soundly when I use it.

A Drybar blow-dryer brush.

Our All Bright C serum or Overnight Resurfacing Peel (20% off sitewide right now for new clients! Use CLEANFORALL20)

Home + entertaining:

A round marble cheese board.

The CUTEST Le Creuset dish.

A gift box from my fave spot for local goodies: Creative Kind! They make the most beautiful custom boxes.

The softest and coziest blanket. 

These lovely lotus bowls.

Under $30:

A funny candle.

A cheeky dishtowel. “I like big bundts” is my #1.

Motherhood is a walk in the park. Jurassic Park.

For the fitness-loving mamas:

A new yoga mat (<— I’ve had this one for 10+ years and it still looks and works great) or mat towel.

The best leggings or some bike shorts.

Everyday sneakers in a fun new color.

This Fitbit! I can’t even handle the link bracelet band. This is so sleek and pretty!

Class pack to her favorite fitness studio.

The famous sauna blanket (or get it for yourself!). Check it out here and use the code FITNESSISTA15 for 15% off. I use mine 3-4 times each week and it improves my skin texture, helps me get deep sleep, and feels amazing.

Experience gifts:

A spa day, massage, facial, or pedicure.

Plan a movie and dinner night with just the two of you.

Offer to wrangle her kiddos for a few hours while she does whatever she’d like. She can use the time to workout, meet up with a friend, walk around Target alone, or stare at the wall in silence. 😉

Sakara meals. These are such a gift, especially if she’s postpartum. Give her the gift of healthy, vibrant food she didn’t have to make. You can use XOGINAH for 20% off.

Host a wine-tasting picnic. Invite her on an afternoon picnic with an awesome cheese board + some of your favorite wines.

And at the end of the day, I nice card really makes all the difference in the world. A little “I see you, and you’re crushing it” can go such a long way. <3

So, tell me friends: any gift ideas on your personal list or that you’ve found this year? Please shout it out in the comments! Fellow mama friends, what do you want for Mother’s Day this year? If a get a homemade card from the girls and a nap, I’ll be stoked.

xo

Gina

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Sakara Life Review and Is It Worth It?

  April 13, 2023    Pratik Bandagale

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Sakara Life is a meal delivery service with chef-designed recipes, organic ingredients, and plant-based meals. Here is my honest Sakara Life review and if it’s worth it. Does Sakara Life deliver tasty, healthy meals? Or is it another diet scam? Are the meals tasty?

This post is not sponsored, but you can use the code XOGINAH for 20% off meals and clean boutique products!

For today’s post, I wanted to share my review of Sakara Life now that I’ve had the chance to try it! TBH, I lurked Sakara for yearrrrssss. I debated trying their meal delivery and every time I went to order, I got sticker shock and x’ed it out. I just couldn’t justify the cost, especially when I know how to make many of these things myself. However, life is a little different right now. Things have been so crazy with juggling my workload while somehow teaching Liv and managing her school assignments and online classes, all of the regular household to-dos, and keeping P entertained and from injuring herself. It’s a circus around here, as I’m sure many of you can relate.

I’ve been eating a lot of chocolate chips out of the bag. I’ve had a lot more wine and a lot fewer veggies. (Thank goodness for Daily Harvest because they’ve been the most convenient method for me to scarf down a daytime meal lately.) I tried to do more meal prepping for a bit but on the days I got busy and didn’t have time to cook or prep anything, I felt discouraged.

I decided to treat myself to convenience and some healthy, delicious eats, so I figured I’d give Sakara Life a try after all this time!

And you guys, I looooooved it. I’m so excited to share my thoughts below. (Heads up that this isn’t sponsored and my box wasn’t gifted; I just finally decided to go for it.)

Sakara Life Review and Is it worth it?

What is Sakara Life?

Sakara Life is a plant-based organic meal delivery service, founded by Danielle Duboise and Whitney Tingle. The meals and products are based on cutting-edge nutrition, all ingredients are sourced from trusted suppliers and organic farms and are chef-crafted from maximum deliciousness. They believe in the 9 pillars of nutrition: no calorie counting, plant protein, eat your water (optimal hydration from foods), greens, good fats, eat the rainbow, nutrient density, sulfur-rich vegetables, and body intelligence. You can choose to get a single week of meals (2-day, 3-day, or 5-day) or a subscription.

All recipes are also gluten-free, in addition to being vegan. They’re packed with antioxidants, super fresh, and taste delicious. You can browse the meal programs on their site, and they also have a lifestyle shop, which includes various supplements, metabolism powder, bars, tonics, teas, and snacks to purchase. You’ll have access to over 40 different meal delivery services that are available through their marketplace and nutrition programs.

How Are Sakara Life’s Meals Delivered?

When I received the box, I was pleasantly surprised by the packaging. It didn’t seem excessive and everything in the package was recyclable. They also gave me a couple of bonus goodies to try, including a detox bar (cashew-based bar with spirulina and plant-based protein), detox tea (a decaf rose tea), and “beauty chocolates” <— little chocolate pyramids. There was also a piece of Palo Santo to burn while I set my intentions. (The founders are from Sedona, AZ, which is one of my favorite places in the world and the hippie vibe is right up my alley.)

I couldn’t wait to try it out, and the shipment perfectly arrived on a weekend while the Pilot was working. Instead of scrambling for lunch, I could make the girls their usual staples (egg and cheese sandwich for Liv, turkey, and cheese for P, with veggies and hummus, and fruit), and my lunch was waiting for me.

I was instantly impressed by the quality of the food, the flavor profiles, and the serving sizes.

Here’s what I enjoyed in my shipment:

A pumpkin parfait with granola, coconut yoga, raspberries, and cranberries

A giant salad with quinoa, beans, tons of veggies, and a cashew-based creamy dressing

A banana protein bread with macerated berries

and a kimchi and soba noodle salad bowl with a delicious Asian-style sauce

Pros:

– The menu options and focus on clean ingredients. I loved everything on the menu! I feel like it was different than the things I usually make and was a great nudge to get more whole-food options, like veggies, leafy greens, and salads during the day. The weekly menus constantly change.

– No dairy, gluten, soy, or animal-based products in any of their meals. I feel like this is a dream for vegan friends or those who try to avoid dairy and gluten, like myself. Their dairy-free recipes also focus on gut health, with a mix of probiotics and probiotics in their meals.

– The food quality. Everything is organic and fresh, and they also use superfood-rich ingredients I don’t always have on hand, like rhodiola, or spirulina.

– Commitment to sustainability and mission. Everything in the shipment was recyclable, including the ice packs.

– New recipe inspiration! Even though I won’t be doing this weekly, I’ll absolutely use what I ate as meal inspiration. I already made two pumpkin parfaits to enjoy this week for breakfast, inspired by my Sakara meal.

Here’s what I did:

– Put a few raspberries in the bottom of each jar and top with a serving of vanilla Cocoyo yogurt

– Made a pumpkin protein puree with about 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1/2 scoop of Turvani protein powder, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, a splash of vanilla, a pinch of sea salt, and enough almond milk to thin it out

– Added the pumpkin puree to the top of each parfait and topped with Paleo granola and a few dried cranberries

Cons:

– It’s a lot of salads, which could be a pro or a con. I LOVE salads for lunch but don’t always make the time to steam or chop ingredients. Having it in a bowl ready to go felt like such an amazing treat. I also feel like this was way better than most restaurant salads in Tucson.

– Some of the breakfast options are very small. I LOVE the little muffins and little cakes but usually need to pair the breakfasts with some type of protein, like scrambled eggs or some chicken sausage.

– The “detox” and “beauty chocolate” type verbiage. These health buzzwords feel a little cringe-y sometimes (like this protein bar is helping me detox? Really??), but I get that it is part of their brand. It didn’t bother me too much but I could see how some might be turned off by some of the product names.

Calories In Sakara Meals

Are you a calorie counter?

Ever wonder how many calories are in a Sakara meal?

It’s honestly a great question, but one that doesn’t have an easy answer. Why? Because it depends on your needs, your goals, and even your lifestyle. It also depends on the size of the meal you’re eating, because we know that some people like to snack between meals and others like to eat big breakfasts and small lunches. You can alter your program however you want to eat for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners

Sakara’s signature nutrition program is all about eating healthy foods. With nutrient-dense fresh ingredients and a registered dietitian on staff, Sakara meals are sure to help you feel your best. But if I had to give you an answer? I’d say that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to calories. Their nutrition programs are designed for each individual who walks through our doors—and since no two people are alike, no two nutrition programs will be alike either.

Is Sakara Life Worth It?

Sakara Life is pricey. I would compare the cost per serving to a healthy takeout meal in NYC. They use high-quality organic ingredients and superfoods, and I’m sure the packaging adds a significant amount to the base cost. We spend a large portion of our income on travel each year, which is something that we haven’t been doing nearly as much. (Usually, I would have taken the kids to Disney at least twice since this all happened.) We also haven’t been going on weekly date nights – I think we’ve gone on two in the last 8 months – or live theatre, which is another expense that we enjoy as a regular part of our budget.

Fitness-wise, I’m not spending nearly as much. My Orangetheory membership is frozen, I haven’t been to the gym since early March, and I’m not indulging in weekly Pure Barre classes or frequent hot yoga. A lot of our expenses are down, so for now, it’s been worth the cost to me. I’ve been so sick of cooking that whenever I receive a meal, it feels like a true gift. When I received this shipment, it felt like such a special treat to enjoy nourishing foods that I didn’t have to make. 🙂 While I won’t be getting it weekly or anything like that, I can absolutely see myself doing this as a little treat or something to look forward to.

Sakara Life Deals

The quality of the food is incredible and as a non-vegan who’s a huge fan of plant-based diet foods, I really enjoyed my first shipment. It’s quickly become my favorite meal delivery program. If you’d like to try it out, use the code XOGINAH for 20% off here!

So tell me, friends: have you tried a meal delivery service that you love? What’s something you’ve done to make things a bit more convenient for yourself lately?

xo

Gina

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