Friday Faves (+ hi from Orlando)

Friday Faves (+ hi from Orlando)

  August 06, 2021    Pratik Bandagale

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Hi friends! Happy Friday and helloooo from one of our favorite vacay spots: Orlando! We’ve been here this week meeting up with friends, visiting the parks (we’ve done Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios), enjoying time together, and eating all the delicious food.

Some pics from our trip:

My fave Disney-loving girls

(my shirt // sneakers // the girls’ shirts )

Wearing our ponchos when it rained all day

P’s best friend in the whole world and her mom, who is one of my good friends, met up with us for a couple of days. They moved to Florida a few weeks ago and the girls have been missing their buddies (they’ve been inseparable since they were 2 1/2 years old). We planned a surprise reunion for the two of them and seeing the looks on their faces was the most heartwarming thing ever. It brought tears to my eyes because they were so genuinely thrilled and surprised to see each other.

Lunch at Tusker House in Animal Kingdom. It was our first time dining here and we were really impressed. It’s served family-style, so they put everything on the table and you share. It’s “as much as you care to eat.” Healthy food at Disney used to be scarce, but now there are SO many options. It’s nice to eat a vegetable or two in between the churros and rice crispy treats. 😉

Mac n’ cheese, salad, papadum and bread + dippers, chicken, pork, steam with chimichurri, roasted veggies, shrimp curry, and rice

We also had a fabulous lunch at Be Our Guest, which is always a hit with the kiddos.

Some tips from this trip:

– I always have a snack bag in my backpack for lines and waiting around, usually stashed with bars, jerky, trail mix, a pack of tuna (this is weird but it’s an easy way to add protein to otherwise lame to-go salads), cheesy crackers, gummies, almond butter packs, etc. The kids always get snacky while we’re waiting in line, so it’s nice to have! We also bring our own water bottles and fill them frequently throughout the day.

– Lurk the website for dining reservations late at night, or close to your trip. NOTHING was available when I first planned this trip, but I randomly found Be Our Guest and Tusker House reservations at like 11pm on a Saturday night. It’s also helpful to check from your phone and a desktop – my computer showed me different times than my phone!

– It rains a LOT during the summer in Orlando; almost every day in the afternoon. I brought water shoes for the kiddos, flip flops for myself + ponchos for everyone. (Get the ponchos at Target or Amazon before your trip. They were $2 at Target and $10 each at the park.) This way, we could put our sneakers in our backpacks and put on our water shoes when it started to rain. Soggy sneakers can put a damper on things, so this was super helpful.

– There currently are no fast passes available, so lines are a bit longer. The good news is that Disney is super efficient and the lines went quickly. We never waited as long as the listed times indicated, and also did the “dad pass.” (Tom went in line for some of the longer waits while we did another ride, and then we caught up with him in line.) We were able to ride a ton of rides, and all of our favorites (including Mine Train, the new Mickey Mouse ride at Hollywood Studios, and Flight of Passage.)

More of our Disney tips are in this post!

Our last Disney cruise recap is here

I also hiiiiighly recommend dinner at Cafe Tu Tu Tango (off property). It’s a funky tapas spot with entertainment – usually it’s a bellydancer, flamenco dancer, or Michael Jackson impersonator. The food is incredible and you can order a bunch of options and share everything.

All in all, it’s been such a wonderful trip. Usually by the end of a trip, I’m ready to go home and get back into a routine. Not this time. I’m ready to start a new life here.

A nice treat will be seeing Maisey and the rest of our zoo. 😉 The kids start school next week, so this has been the perfect last hurrah before we’re really back into it.

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party! This is where I share some of my faves from the week and around the web. I love hearing about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re loving in the comments below!

Read, watch, listen:

– This made me LOL thinking about Tom on vacation. (It’s about 90% accurate.)

– Good habit inspiration.

– More reasons to ditch blue light before bed.

– Malibu Rising. This was so well-written and intriguing, I read the entire book on the two flights here. Definitely worth a read.

Fitness + good eats:

– Try this barre wild card workout. So many of my fave moves in this one.

– Coconut grilled chicken and rice.

– How to ferment vegetables.

– 15-minute gentle full-body stretch.

Beauty + fashion:

Last call for Nordstrom Anniversary Sale! It ends on Sunday.

Here are some of my top picks that are still in stock:

Such an awesome deal on my fave leggings in the world. (I’ve tried a lot of leggings in my life lol.)

Ordered this track jacket and LOVE it. The fit is perfect (very flattering cut) and high-quality fabric.

This tank arrived and the fabric is a dream. Ordering another one before the sale ends.

This is when I stock up on my fave everyday thongs.

This is the time of year when I order a few of my favorite bras, too. This one is wire free (praise be) and gives you a nice shape under t-shirts without being too padded or thick. I ordered another navy one and black.

Inexpensive holiday gift ideas, like these slippers, these dainty initial pendants, and this chain bracelet.

Fall/winter printed pajamas.

The BEST shorty pajamas and they have leopard print! I have multiple sets of these and ordered one more. 😉

These faux leather leggings. These have been a staple with low-top sneakers and a sweater for the past couple of years. They’re super flattering and comfortable.

My fave socks in the universe. I like thick workout socks and these are moisture-wicking and perfect for strength training and spin classes.

These bike shorts! Love these for strength training and hot yoga. These are the perfect length, too.

I use this on the girls and myself and it’s the only thing that can tame our wild manes.

This bralette is cute with a v-neck tank. 

Wore these skinny jeans all last year and will definitely be wearing them again this season.

Men:

This casual pullover.

Classic chino shorts.

Great price on these low-top sneakers.

Super soft pima crew neck tee.

Amazing deal on this luggage.

It’s a perfect time to get new sunnies.

Kids:

These Tucker + Tate dresses are adorable and only $20. Got a polka dot one for P and it’s super cute.

These soft and comfy fleece hoodies.* (These arrived already and are the Zella quality I love. I can tell the girls will wear these a lot.)

This animal ear hoodie!

Ugg boots and North Face jackets for the kiddos <— I always order their winter gear from this sale

Happy Friday, friends! What’s something that made you smile this week? Any upcoming trips planned or anything fun you’ve done this summer?

xo

Gina

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Nuuly review (and why I’m on the fence about it)

  August 04, 2021    Pratik Bandagale

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Hi hi from the Happiest Place on Earth. We’re spending time with friends and enjoying all of the rides and Disney treats. 🙂 I hope you’re having a wonderful week, too.

For today’s post, I wanted to share the details on Nuuly. (<— Not sponsored or affiliated with the company; just wanted to share my thoughts.) I FINALLY decided to give it a try after being ad targeted for so long. Since we’re back in the world a bit more and seeing people in real life, I thought it would be a fun way to try something new and give the ol’ wardrobe a refresh. (Does anyone else completely clueless about style lately? It’s like I turned my back to help with virtual learning almost the entire year and turned around and now these horrible wide leg pants are everywhere.)

Here’s the details on Nuuly and what I think so far! (And why I don’t love it as much as I thought I would.)

Nuuly review (and why I’m on the fence about it)

What is Nuuly and how much does it cost?

Nuuly is a subscription service that allows you to choose 6 pieces per month from their virtual closet of tops, sweaters, jeans, tops, skirts, and dresses. They have a lot on the site from many of the brands I love, including for love and lemons, Maeve and other anthropologie brands, Free People, Paige, etc.

You pick your 6 items, they send them to you, you wear them as often as you’d like, and then you return and repeat. They take care of insurance and cleaning (more on that below). The cost is $88 per month + shipping, so I think it ended up being closer to $98. I’ve tried a similar service in the past (Rent the Runway unlimited) but liked that this had more casual everyday options. (I think RTR is better for weddings/events, fancy dinners, and travel.)

Pros:

– The opportunity to try out different brands and styles with a low commitment. Most of the clothes I picked retail for around $100 each, so that part was a *deal*. I like to rotate the things in my closet often, which can get pricey, and I love that this is a green alternative to constantly buying new clothes. (Even from the packaging alone! These are delivered in a reusable bag, which is washed between lenders. No boxes or plastic wrap.) I also have zero probs wearing clothes other people have worn, so there ya go.

– Some really cute options on the site. I love the selection of dresses on the site and am also pumped about all of the cute sweaters for fall. It’s never worth it to buy a ton of sweaters with the AZ heat – we have winter for like 2 months – and this would be a fun way to try out some new options without having to pay full retail.

I liked almost everything that came in my first shipment!

Here’s what I picked:

1. Josette Eyelet Midi Dress 

Maeve by Anthropologie

This was almost worth the shipment alone and I’m considering keeping it. (You have the option to buy anything you want to keep at a slight discount.) It was such high quality, arrived new with tags, and is adorable to dress up or down. I’ve already worn it a few times: to drinks with friends, to a meeting for Liv’s school, and running errands with a high bun and sandals.

2. Eudora Midi Dress

Maeve by Anthropologie

I loved the color and pattern of this dress, but the pockets were a bit weird. They added extra fabric that made my hips look like there were bumps on them. The fabric also wrinkled easily. I only ended up wearing this one once to dinner.

3. Stones Flocked Leopard Tongue Tee

This shirt was adorable with jean shorts or leggings and every time I wore it, I got compliments on it from someone. It’s a little funkier than the things I usually wear and I liked switching it up a bit.

4. Letitia Smocked Blouse Maeve by Anthropologie

This was another one that pushed my comfort zone a bit, as I tend to stick with more solid tops. I ended up loving it and wore it a few times with white jean shorts.

5. Free People Printed Bailey Denim Mini (<— $30 at Off 5th right now!)

I was really excited about this one but it was way too small. Free People typically runs small and my size up wasn’t available, so I stuck with my normal size. I couldn’t breathe in it lol.

6. Morning Glory Tunic Maeve by Anthropologie

I had a couple of probs with this one (more on this below) and in the end, I didn’t end up wearing it. I was just a bit too big and boxy; wasn’t a fan.

Cons:

– Sizing. Sizing is always inconsistent with services like this, so it’s helpful to know how certain brands run. I also definitely recommend lurking the reviews for the items you’re considering. For example, I knew for Maeve items to size down, and to size up for Free People. I sized down for the tongue tee and was glad I did. The reviews will usually give a good idea for how certain items will fit, but it’s still hit or miss.

– Shipment. My shipment took a long time to get to me. Once I clicked “order” it was about 10 days until my Nuuly arrived on the doorstep. I feel like if you have to wait 10 days out of each month for the clothes to actually get to you, you’re not getting the full $88 worth. I’m going to try again this month and see how long it takes!

– Smell. (!!!!!)  GAHHHH. So they dry clean the items and the bag in between each rotation, but the tunic above was stinky when I pulled it out of the bag. The smocked blouse was also a little stinky, but nothing like the tunic. I ended up contacting support to ask them what I should do, and they said I could carefully wash them using the label’s directions. I hand-washed the two items and let them air dry, which helped a ton, but it still was a bummer that it arrived smelling less than fresh lol. So we’ll see how the next shipment goes with that, too.

All in all, I’m on the fence. There are some great benefits of using it and it’s a fun way to swap out my current rotation, but at the same time, I could put $88 per month towards other things I could keep and love. I’m going to try it for another month or so and decide if I want to continue.

Nuuly Promo Code

This post isn’t sponsored or affiliated in any way, but if you decide to try out Nuuly, my referral link gets you $10 off your first month.

Have you tried a monthly subscription service before? What are some of the ones you love?

Our membership that gets the most love is definitely Thrive Market.

xo

Gina

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Is Protein Safe During Pregnancy

Is Protein Safe During Pregnancy

  August 03, 2021    Pratik Bandagale

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is protein safe during pregnancy

Whether you’re a new mom or you feel like you’ve got this whole pregnancy thing down pat, one thing is pretty much always true. You want to be making the healthiest choices possible for your baby.

I think that’s probably why I’ve been getting TONS of questions about whether it’s safe to use our LSF Protein Powder during pregnancy and breastfeeding. 

First things first, talk to your doc

I really wanted to highlight all the things protein can do to support your healthy pregnancy and help with breastfeeding, but all of our bodies are different. And your pregnancy is unique to you, too.

Before you dive into a high-protein diet or start adding our Protein Powder to all of your meals, have a chat with your doctor. Our proteins are Organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free and vegan, but if you have any concerns about if protein is safe during pregnancy, your doctor can help ensure you’re making safe, healthy choices for you and your growing baby. 

Is protein safe during pregnancy?

Health experts say you should be getting quite a bit more protein while you’re pregnant. While doctors generally recommend that women get a minimum of 50-60 grams of protein each day, that amount ticks up pretty significantly once you’re growing a life inside of you. And that makes sense, since protein plays a critical role in your baby’s development, helping them grow the tissue that makes up their bodies (including their brain). They call protein the building blocks of our bodies for good reason.

Because this essential nutrient is extra-important during pregnancy, experts recommend working a lot more of it into your diet throughout your pregnancy. The Mayo Clinic says pregnant women should aim for 71 grams of protein each day, while the American Pregnancy Association goes even higher, recommending 75-100 grams.

And keep in mind, these protein recommendations aren’t necessarily accounting for women who are physically active as well. If you are staying active protein is not only safe during your pregnancy, but more crucial than ever.

Long story short, make protein a priority during pregnancy. If you look at the low end of protein recommendations for non-pregnant women, pregnant women should be seriously getting twice as much. 

Benefits of protein while breastfeeding

Don’t drop your protein intake back down after you give birth. In fact, protein is just as important during breastfeeding (if you decide to and are able to do so) because it does a couple of key things.

First, protein helps your body produce sufficient breast milk. So, yeah, pretty important.

Beyond that, when you’re getting enough protein, you pass it onto your baby. And while they’re growing and developing quickly during infancy, protein gives their little bodies what they need to do that hard work. 

That’s why health experts recommend an extra 25 grams of protein each day for breastfeeding women. 

Good food sources of protein

Once your baby eats on their own, it gets a little harder to make sure they’re eating what they should. You might have a picky eater on your hands.

But when you’re pregnant and breastfeeding, you can make sure your little one is getting a healthy, balanced, nutritious diet pretty easily — by eating one yourself. What you eat gets passed to your baby, setting them up for success as they grow. In fact, if there’s ever a time in your life to really be diligent about sticking to a healthy diet with plenty of what growing bodies need — including protein — it’s right now.

But even when you want to eat right for your baby, it can be hard, especially when you’re tasked with packing in so much extra protein. The good news? Getting extra protein doesn’t have to mean chowing down on a ton of chicken breast. There are a lot of solid protein options that are safe for new moms, including:

• Beans
• Nuts and nut butters
• Eggs
• Fish that’s low in mercury
• L​​ean meat
• Tofu

In other words, you’ve got options. 

But I also know that during pregnancy, you might not always feel like eating. In fact, sometimes, eating might sound downright horrible. It also becomes much harder to find the time to make full-out meals. That’s where smoothies, shakes, and a quick nutrient dense meal comes in handy.

Protein powder when it’s hard to eat

More than half of women will have to deal with morning sickness while pregnant. And if that wasn’t enough, some women even have to continue dealing with nausea as they breastfeed. Your mind and heart want to eat right to support your baby’s health, but your body gets in the way.

That’s where protein powder comes in. When the idea of eating a meal (or even a snack) seems daunting, a quick protein powder drink can help you supplement your diet and keep your protein intake up. 

Blending up some protein powder with water and ice can give you a super simple way to get protein into your body. Or, if you’re feeling up to it, you could try making an anti-nausea smoothie with protein powder in it. Some ingredients that can help to combat nausea include:

• Cucumber
• Ginger (safe for pregnancy in low doses)
• Mint
• Berries
• Citrus

Protein powder can come in handy even when you’re not being plagued with morning sickness or breastfeeding nausea. 

If you’re vegan or vegetarian, it can help you get enough protein while sticking to your dietary preferences. Especially our Love Sweat Fitness Plant Protein! It’s Organic, Vegan, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free and mixes great in smoothies, oats, baked goods, or anything you love!

And if you’re just plain tired — because growing a life and going straight into being a new mom can be hard — protein powder can give you a quick and ultra-easy way to get the nutrients you and your baby need. 

Protein, pregnancy and breastfeeding

Whether you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, you’ve got a full plate. But making sure you’re eating right is one of the best ways to support your baby’s development. It’s also the key to keeping your energy levels up, getting quality sleep (when you can!), and keeping your hormones balanced. And during both pregnancy and breastfeeding, that means getting a lot more protein than you probably did pre-baby.

Know this is your journey! Try different things to find what works for you. Just keep it clean and make sure you’re focused on hitting 70+ grams of protein each day each day.

You’ve got this, mama!

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Beautycounter Think Big Mascara Review

Beautycounter Think Big Mascara Review

  August 03, 2021    Pratik Bandagale

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Hi friends! Happy Tuesday! I’m popping into today to share a review of our new Beautycounter mascara. I didn’t love our previous formula and was SO so happy to hear that they completely revamped it. 

(Wearing our new team shirt! If you’re interested in joining our team, sign up here. We’d love to have you.)

Beautycounter Think Big Mascara: Forget everything you know about clean mascara. We’re about to change the game in the blink of an eye. Overachieve your lash goals with dramatic lift, length, and mega volume (without clumping and flaking). Think Big All-In-One Mascara is boosted with lash-care conditioners for longer, fuller, stronger-looking lashes.

Think Big All-in-One Mascara is a completely new formula, designed to bring the best results from a volumizing and lengthening mascara into one.

One eye with the mascara, one eye without:

(Kindly ignore my caterpillar brows. I haven’t had them done in months, so there ya go.)

Why does clean mascara matter?

Ingredients that can be found in traditional mascaras (carbon black, mineral oils, cyclic silicones, and BHT) may be linked to harmful effects on human health. The eyelids in particular are very thin and prone to irritation so, as always, we were mindful of formulating with safer ingredients.

Think Big All-In-One Mascara is EWG-Verified™.

We test each batch for heavy metals to ensure it meets our strict safety measures. We are highly selective when it comes to pigments; out of the 65 cosmetic colorants allowed in the US, Beautycounter prohibits the vast majority from being used, only using 18 colorants in our color cosmetics.

Beautycounter Think Big Mascara Review

The New Formula:

31% of the plastic used in the packaging is composed of post- consumer recycled resin.

Tripeptide technology features two ingredients to support the appearance of longer, fuller, and stronger lashes. Provitamin B5 nourishes and conditions while biotinyl tripeptide helps support stronger, healthier-looking lashes.

What I Love About It:

• I felt like the previous formula was too thin and didn’t make a huge difference. Also, it irritated my eyes! I have super sensitive eyes and while it initially worked for a bit, my eyes started to become itchy and dry whenever I used our mascara. This one is extremely gentle on the eyes, but still gives the thick and bold look I enjoy.
• Their emphasis on sustainability. BC is always finding ways to be more earth-friendly with their packaging and production strategies, and the plastic in this bottle is made from post-consumer recycled resin.

What Isn’t My Favorite:

• The brush isn’t my fave style. I prefer the round brush with actual bristles and this one is a little more plastic-y. Even so, the product still goes on smoothly and makes a difference. It’s WAY better than our previous mascara.
• Also the packaging made me chuckle. It’s a little *eggplant emoji* lol.

How do you remove Beautycounter mascara?

This formula is simple to remove and works with a variety of Beautycounter cleansers and removers, so that there’s an option regardless of preference.

• Liquid Cleanser: Generously apply warm water to help release the mascara from the lashes, then follow with your favorite gentle cleanser.
• Cleansing Oil or Balm: Apply warm water to the lashes, followed by Countertime Cleansing Oil or Counter+ Lotus Glow Cleansing Balm. Gently press and wipe (never rubbing) to remove the formula from lashes.
• Instant Eye Makeup Remover: Saturate a cotton round with the remover and press the round onto eyelashes, holding for one to two seconds. Once lashes are saturated, gently sweep in both upwards and downwards motions until all the formula has been removed.
• One-Step Makeup Remover Wipes: Apply the wipe to eyes, gently sweeping in upward and downward motions until all mascara is whisked away from lashes. Pro tip: Add a little Instant Eye Makeup Remover to your wipe for an extra cleansing boost.

Bonus: this new mascara is now included in Flawless in Five. If you want to upgrade your makeup to safer options, this is such a great way to do it!! With Flawless in Five, you’ll save 20% on the mascara and everything else that comes with it.

If you’ve never ordered from Beautycounter, use the code CLEANFORALL20 for 20% off! (Certain exclusions and sets are excluded since they’re already discounted.)

Friends: if you’ve tried Beautycounter, what’s your #1 favorite product? What’s on your Beautycounter wish list? Leave a comment below and I’ll surprise a lucky commenter with a couple of my favorite BC products. (Winner will be announced in Friday Faves.)

You may also enjoy:

• 5 Ingredients To Avoid In Your Beauty Products
• Beautycounter Skin Twin Review
• Natural Skincare & Clean Beauty Tips

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July 2021 Reads

  August 02, 2021    Pratik Bandagale

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Hi friends! Happy Monday! How was the weekend? We spent lots of time in the pool (the girls “fell in” on purpose in their pajamas each morning and spent pretty much the rest of each day in the water) and I caught a couple of great weights workouts at the gym.

I also spent some time packing and getting everything together for a lil family trip before school starts. I’m looking forward to spending some time together and enjoying the Happiest Place on Earth. 😉 I’ll definitely report back with the adventures!

In the meantime, I thought I’d share mu book picks for July. It’s still challenging to hit my goal of three books per month – working hard behind the scenes on content, launches, and Fit Team updates – but managed to make it happen. I didn’t end up reading a fitness or wellness-related book this month because there wasn’t anything that piqued my interest, but Game Changers kind of hit the wellness and personal development box at the same time.

July 2021 Reads

Here’s what I read in July:

– Rose Code

I’ve read a couple of Kate Quinn’s novels (The Huntress, The Alice Network) and this was my favorite of the three. The book follows the story of three friends who are recruited to work as cryptographers breaking German military codes during WWII. They’re sworn to extreme secrecy about their job and what it entails, and one friend, Beth, discovers a traitor in their department. I didn’t know anything about Bletchey Park before reading this novel, and have been intrigued by the various roles women played during the second World War. The basis of the story and main characters are based on real people, and if you like historical fiction, I highly recommend it. 9/10 would recommend.

From Amazon:

1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything—beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses—but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of east-end London poverty, works the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.

1947. As the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, three friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter–the key to which lies buried in the long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and left one of them confined to an asylum. A mysterious traitor has emerged from the shadows of their Bletchley Park past, and now Osla, Mab, and Beth must resurrect their old alliance and crack one last code together. But each petal they remove from the rose code brings danger–and their true enemy–closer…

– The Midnight Library

I read this book in two days, which pretty much never happens anymore. I was SUCKED IN and it’s been a long time since I’ve been this engrossed in a story. It explores the idea of second chances and how the tiny actions and decisions we take can completely transform the course of our life.

Here’s the Amazon synopsis: 

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?

In The Midnight Library, Matt Haig’s enchanting blockbuster novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.

This is easily my favorite book I’ve read all year so if you’re looking for something new to completely breeze through, highly, highly recommend. 10/10

– Game Changers

I was really looking forward to listening this one on Audible, particularly because I like Dave Asprey and I enjoy listening to his voice. 🙂 He’s easy to listen to and I usually appreciate his perspective on things. (Some of his philosophies could be considered a little *out there* but I’m a believer in taking what you need and deleting the rest. For example, he uses a small dose of nicotine for longevity and that’s something I’d never choose to do.) I was very bummed to discover that he only reads the intro to each chapter and the rest is narrated by a… narrator guy. I don’t know why but it’s so hard for me to listen to and pay attention to professional narrators. Sooooo I listened to this one on double-speed lol.

The book includes tips from interviews with over 450 experts in various fields, along with “laws” for becoming smarter, faster, and happier. I did get a few great tips from this book, but I liked Super Human even more. I give it a 7/10.

From Amazon:

The bestselling author of Head Strong and The Bulletproof Diet answers the question, “How can I kick more ass at life?” by culling the wisdom of world-class thought leaders, maverick scientists, and disruptive entrepreneurs to provide proven techniques for becoming happier, healthier, and smarter.
When Dave Asprey started his Bulletproof Radio podcast more than five years ago, he sought out influencers in an array of disciplines, from biochemists toiling in unknown laboratories to business leaders changing the world to mediation masters discovering inner peace. His guests were some of the top performing humans in the world, people who had changed their areas of study or even pioneered entirely new fields. Dave wanted to know: What did they have in common? What mattered most to them? What made them so successful—and what made them tick? At the end of each interview, Dave asked the same question: “What are your top three recommendations for people who want to perform better at being human?”

After performing a statistical analysis of the answers, he found that the wisdom gleaned from these highly successful people could be distilled into three main objectives: finding ways to become smarter, faster, and happier. Game Changers is the culmination of Dave’s years-long immersion in these conversations, offering 46 science-backed, high performance “laws” that are a virtual playbook for how to get better at life.

With anecdotes from game changers like Dr. Daniel Amen, Gabby Bernstein, Dr. David Perlmutter, Arianna Huffington, Esther Perel, and Tim Ferris as well as examples from Dave’s own life, Game Changers offers readers practical advice they can put into action to reap immediate rewards. From taming fear and anxiety to making better decisions, establishing high-performance habits, and practicing gratitude and mindfulness, Dave brings together the wisdom of today’s game-changers to help everyone kick more ass at life.

So, tell me, friends: what’s the best book you’ve read so far this year? Any health or wellness books you love that I could add to my list for August?

xo

Gina

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