Health & Wealth Lifestyle LLC

08/27/2026

Why I Quit Doing CrossFit-Style Workouts 🏋️‍♀️

For about five years, my training consisted almost exclusively of HIIT workouts with heavy weights. I trained four to five days a week, and sometimes twice a day. I got stronger. I built muscle. I had great muscle tone and, honestly, I loved feeling strong. 💪

BUT

I was constantly dealing with minor injuries. I was working through pain more often than I probably should have. 🚩

As I turn 40 this year, my definition of being “fit” has changed. 🔄

High-intensity training and heavy lifting absolutely have a place. They can be incredibly effective for building strength, muscle, cardiovascular fitness and athletic performance. But they are not necessarily the best approach for the majority of people whose primary goal is simply to live a long, healthy and capable life. ❤️

The science actually supports a much more approachable approach. 📚

The World Health Organization recommends that adults get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, along with muscle-strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups at least two days per week. That does not mean you need to max out your lifts, destroy yourself in a workout or constantly chase heavier weights. ✅

And here is a statistic that really caught my attention. 👀

In 2023, only about 30% of U.S. adults met both the aerobic and muscle-strengthening guidelines. 📊

That tells me we have a much bigger problem than whether someone is lifting heavy enough. 🤷‍♀️

We need to help people build bodies that can actually support the lives they want to live. 🌱

So I changed my approach. 🔄

I now strength train two to three times a week with moderate weights. I focus on moving well, working all the major muscle groups and building strength without constantly trying to lift heavier than I did the week before. 🏋️‍♀️

I walk.
I pay attention to nutrition.
And I give my body time to recover.

My body started healing from the injuries I had been carrying. My workouts became more enjoyable. I stopped feeling like every workout had to prove something. 🙌

You do not have to constantly push harder. 🚫

You do not have to feel guilty for taking a rest day. 🛌

You do not have to believe that if you aren’t completely exhausted at the end of your workout, you didn’t do enough. 🌿

Sometimes doing what you can, when you can, and calling it a win is exactly what you need. 🏆

To some people who have known me and my drive for fitness over the years, this version of me might look “soft.” 🤷‍♀️

I see it differently.
I call it growing older and wiser.

So if you’re trying to figure out what your fitness journey should look like, ask yourself what you’re actually training for. 🎯

Do you want to be functionally fit enough to keep up with your kids or grandkids? 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Do you want to maintain your strength, mobility and independence as you age? 💪

Or are you actually training to compete at an elite or Olympic level? 🥇

Those are very different goals, and they should require very different training strategies. 💡

Build strength.
Build mobility.
Build endurance.
Recover.
Fuel your body.

And most importantly, build a body that allows you to keep doing the things you love for as many years as possible. ❤️

That’s functional fitness to me. 🌟

And these days, that’s the kind of strong I want to be. 💪✨

08/17/2026

A New School Year Is a Blank Canvas 🎨

As a mom, I’ve learned that getting my kiddo ready for a new school year isn’t just about school supplies, schedules, and new shoes. It’s also about helping him feel mentally and emotionally prepared for everything the year may bring: the good, the hard, and the completely unpredictable.

I like to think of a new school year as a blank canvas.
My now 5th grader is the artist. 🎨

I don’t want to paint the picture for him or tell him what his year should look like. Instead, in the weeks leading up to school, I like to ask questions that encourage him to think for himself, reflect, problem solve, and decide what kind of year he wants to create.
Some of the questions we talk about are:
🎨 What did you like about how last school year ended?
🎨 What did you do that helped you accomplish something you were proud of?
🎨 How could you use those same strategies this year?
🎨 Was there something about last year you didn’t like or wouldn’t want to repeat? What could you do differently?
🎨 What kinds of friendships did you enjoy last year, and what made those relationships feel good?
🎨 What excites you about meeting a new teacher and new classmates?
🎨 Your classroom structure is changing this year. You’ll be moving between classes and having different teachers. How do you feel about that change?
🎨 If you could fast forward to the end of the school year, what would you hope you could say you overcame, learned, or accomplished?
🎨 Is there an area in the classroom where you’d like to grow, improve, or challenge yourself?

We also talk about something I think is incredibly important: how we treat other people.
What does bullying actually look like? How can you tell the difference between something that hurts someone and something that encourages them? What does it mean to be a good friend or a kind classmate?
And if he ever experiences bullying or sees someone else being bullied, what can he do? When should he speak up? When is it time to involve a trusted adult?
I want him to know that asking for help is never a weakness. I also want him to understand that he has a role in helping create a classroom where other kids feel safe, respected, and included.
Because the goal isn’t to convince our kids that every school day will be perfect.

It won’t be.

There will be hard days, mistakes, changing friendships, frustrations, unexpected challenges, and moments when things don’t go the way they imagined.
And that’s okay.
A blank canvas doesn’t promise a perfect painting. It simply gives us the opportunity to create something new.
As parents, maybe our job isn’t to paint the picture for our kids.
Maybe it’s to give them the tools, confidence, emotional awareness, and space to pick up the brush themselves.

Here’s to a new school year full of learning, growing, friendships, challenges, resilience, and maybe even a few beautiful surprises along the way. 💙🎨
What questions are you asking your kids as they head into a new school year?

08/11/2026

How to avoid a future picky eater!

Introducing new foods (even if you have to “hide them”) is truly a key 🔑 to success when it comes to helping your toddler develop a mature palate! 😋

Your toddler may like a new food or toss it on the floor. 🤪 But keep trying it in front of them and keep reintroducing it! It’s important for them to taste new foods daily if possible.

Today’s smoothie includes:
Avocado
Whole milk - grass fed
Scoop of kid-friendly/tummy friendly protein powder (from my wellness store)
Berries
Banana
And a touch of peanut butter

🤤 Annnnd his little face says it all! 👏
*pinky up*

08/10/2026

🧐 Do you really need a full-time COO? Or do you need COO-level leadership?

This is a question I think more growing businesses should be asking.
A full-time COO can be an incredible asset, but not every company needs 40+ hours a week of executive-level operational leadership.
That’s where a Fractional COO can make a lot of sense.

A Fractional COO brings experience, strategy, structure, accountability, and operational expertise to the business—without the cost and commitment of adding another full-time executive.

So, what are the benefits?
💰 Less expensive
You're investing in the leadership capacity you actually need rather than taking on the full salary, benefits, payroll, and overhead of a full-time executive.
📞 Less communication—but better communication
This might sound strange, but a good Fractional COO shouldn't require daily communication.
Ideally, the COO meets with the CEO and CFO weekly to review priorities, what's changed, what's working, what's not, and what needs to happen next.
The goal is to create clarity—not more meetings.

🧠 Experienced leadership without the full-time commitment

A strong Fractional COO can bring years of experience in:
• Strategy and operations
• Process improvement
• CRM and systems
• Marketing strategy
• Employee onboarding
• KPI development
• Team structure and accountability
• Project implementation
• Workflow optimization
• Change management
• Customer retention
• SOPs and documentation
• Technology and automation
• Cross-functional communication

And perhaps most importantly, they know how to turn strategy into ex*****on.
But what about the downside?
The obvious one is that a Fractional COO isn't physically present every day.
They aren't walking through the office every morning or available for an impromptu conversation at every turn.
But that doesn't mean they can't have a significant personal impact on the organization.
They can still participate in team-building activities, leadership meetings, onboarding, strategic planning, virtual team calls, and important company initiatives.
The difference is that their involvement is intentional rather than constant.
And that's actually the point.
A Fractional COO shouldn't be there to manage everyone's day-to-day work.
They should be there to empower the people who are already responsible for it.

What might that look like?
For the right company, approximately 15 hours per week on a monthly retainer can provide meaningful operational leadership.
A weekly CEO/CFO touchpoint might cover:
➡️ What's happening?
➡️ What's changed?
➡️ What's most important right now?
➡️ Who owns it?
➡️ What does the team need?
➡️ What roadblocks need to be removed?
➡️ Does the ex*****on strategy still make sense?

From there, the Fractional COO helps department heads and team members stay aligned, equipped, and accountable.
They're not another layer of management.
They're a strategic operating partner.
The goal is to help the company stay focused on both retention and growth—protecting what is already working while building what comes next.

Ultimately, you're not paying for someone's time.
You're investing in experience, clarity, strategy, and ex*****on.
And for many growing companies, that may be exactly what they need.
Would your business benefit more from a full-time COO—or experienced fractional leadership?
I'd love to hear what others think. 👇

08/01/2026

Post 3️⃣

The Follow-Up That Actually Made the Difference 😉

Someone once told me, “I thought the meeting went great… and then I never heard back.”

That’s a frustrating place to be—and it happens more often than people realize.

We walked through what happened after the meeting.
There was no real follow-up.
No recap.
No next step.
Just silence.

Here’s the thing—the follow-up is where everything either comes together… or quietly falls apart.

💡 A thoughtful follow-up doesn’t need to be complicated, but it should be intentional.
A quick thank you. 🙏🏻

A few specific takeaways from the conversation.
A reminder of where you saw opportunity to help.
And if there’s a next step, make it clear.

What’s happening next, when, and what they can expect.
It shows professionalism and it shows you were paying attention.
And most importantly it builds trust. 💪🏼

From there, the next conversation becomes much easier. Not because you pushed harder, but because you showed up better. At the end of the day, strong sales aren’t about pressure.

They’re about adding value, being consistent, and making it easy for someone to move forward when it makes sense.

07/17/2026

📣 Post 2: The Meeting That Almost Turned Into a Pitch

Not long ago, I sat in on a conversation where someone had a great opportunity in front of them.
The meeting started strong—good energy, good connection.
And then… it shifted.
They moved from asking questions to talking.
From listening to explaining.
From understanding to pitching.
You could feel it. The other person pulled back.
Afterward, we talked about it, and the takeaway was simple:
💡 The best first meetings don’t feel like presentations. 🎯

They feel like real conversations. 👋
When you approach it with curiosity instead of pressure, everything changes.
Ask better questions.
Listen a little longer.
Pay attention to what actually matters to them.
Because the goal isn’t to convince someone to work with you.
It’s to understand if there’s a real fit—and where you can provide value.
A strong conversation leaves someone feeling heard, informed, and comfortable…
not sold.
And sometimes, that’s exactly what leads to the next step. 🥳

07/04/2026

06/18/2026

🌡️ Parents: Do Your Kids Know the Signs of Dehydration?

Just yesterday I was washing dishes inside when my son who had beeen cycling with his buddies outside came stumbling in crying saying, “I’m overheated, Mom!” I immediately grabbed a packet of SUSTAIN electrolytes from my wellness store, added to water, grabbed ice packs, a banana and applesauce and made him eat and drink while sitting under ice. Once he finished I carried him to a cold shower to get his body temperature down. He was STEAMING 🥵 HOT. It was in the mid 90’s yesterday and the humidity why high as well.

‼️He played too long outside and knew it. He just recognized the signs too late. ‼️

With summer temperatures climbing, dehydration can happen faster than many parents realize—especially in active kids who are running, playing sports, swimming, or simply spending long hours outdoors.

Here’s what’s happening inside the body:

💧 The human body is approximately 60% water, and children are even more vulnerable to fluid loss because they have a higher surface-area-to-body-mass ratio than adults.

☀️ When temperatures rise, the body works overtime to stay cool through sweating. As sweat leaves the body, it takes water and essential electrolytes (like sodium and potassium) with it.

Without adequate replacement, dehydration can lead to:
▪️ Fatigue and low energy
▪️ Headaches
▪️ Dizziness
▪️ Muscle cramps
▪️ Difficulty concentrating
▪️ Increased heart rate
▪️ Heat exhaustion in more severe cases

One of the most important things we can do as parents is teach our kids to recognize the signs for themselves.

Ask them:
✔️ Is your mouth dry?
✔️ Do you feel dizzy when you stand up?
✔️ Do you have a headache?
✔️ Are you unusually tired?
✔️ When was the last time you drank water?
✔️ What color is your urine? (Pale yellow is the goal.)

How to replenish quickly:
💦 Water is the first line of defense.
🥤 For prolonged outdoor activity, sports, or excessive sweating, include fluids that contain electrolytes.
🧂 A small pinch of coarse pink salt added to water can help provide sodium, one of the key electrolytes lost through sweat, and may support hydration when paired with adequate fluids.
🍉 Water-rich foods like watermelon, strawberries, oranges, cucumbers, and celery can also help restore hydration.

A good rule of thumb: If your child says they’re thirsty, they’re already beginning to dehydrate. Encourage hydration breaks before they feel thirsty.

As parents, coaches, and caregivers, we can help kids build lifelong awareness of what their bodies are telling them—and empower them to recognize when it’s time to hydrate before dehydration becomes a problem.

What are your favorite tricks for keeping kids hydrated during the summer months?

05/04/2026

💪🏼 The Power of a thoughtful Sales Process 💡

Post 1: It Started With a Message That Didn’t Land…

I was talking with someone recently about why their leads weren’t going anywhere.
They said, “I don’t get it… I’m reaching out, telling them everything we offer, and I’m getting no response.”
That right there was the issue.
The first message wasn’t starting a conversation—it was trying to close one.

We talked through a simple shift:
Instead of leading with everything, lead with just enough.
A quick introduction. A glimpse of what you do.
Something that makes the other person think, “This could be worth a conversation.”
That’s it.

🎯 The goal of the initial contact isn’t to sell. 🙅🏼‍♀️
It’s to create interest and open the door. 🚪
Because when someone feels like they’re being sold to right away, they shut down.

But when they feel curious, they lean in. 😊
Sometimes the smallest adjustment in how you show up first makes the biggest difference in what happens next.

04/30/2026

🙏🏻 POSITIVE EXPERIENCE 🙏🏻

Recently I’ve shared some of my experiences navigating misleading job titles and unclear “remote” opportunities. Today, I want to share a positive experience—because how situations are handled matters just as much as how they begin.

When I was five months postpartum, I was searching for a remote opportunity that would allow me to stay home with my newborn while continuing to grow in my marketing career. I was especially drawn to joining a local agency. I was looking to collaborate with a team, stay sharp in my field, and continuing to support local businesses.

I went through two interviews with a marketing agency, genuinely connected with the team, and was excited to accept the role.

Shortly after starting, it became clear there was a misalignment around expectations—specifically around how “remote” the role truly was. While I anticipated some in-office time for onboarding, the ongoing expectations required more in-person presence than I had understood.

At the same time, I was navigating an unexpected challenge at home with my baby, who had previously taken a bottle with ease, suddenly refused it and needed me to nurse during the day. As many working parents know, these moments require flexibility that can’t always be planned.

To their credit, the team responded with professionalism and care. After an open and honest conversation, they worked quickly to propose an adjusted schedule to better accommodate my situation. Even going as far as restructuring the role to require only two in-office days.

I was incredibly grateful for their willingness to meet me halfway.

However, after thoughtful consideration, I realized that even with those adjustments, the timing wasn’t right for my family. I made the difficult decision to step away from the opportunity.

What stood out most was how the agency handled the situation:

* They listened
* They communicated clearly
* They showed flexibility
* They parted ways with respect and encouragement

There was no deception—just a need for clearer alignment earlier in the process.

The takeaway:
Clarity in job expectations—especially around “remote” roles—is critical on both sides. But equally important is how organizations respond when misalignment surfaces.

This team handled it with integrity, and that left a lasting impression.

To business owners: clarity and flexibility go a long way.
To job seekers: ask deeper questions and advocate for what you need.

Grateful for the experience and the professionalism shown throughout.