The only thing I love more than organizing is health and fitness. This isn’t a new topic if you’ve been around the blog for a while. If you have, you know that Sam is a gym-addict and I go down serious rabbit holes when it comes to different workout routines, meal plans and the mindset around all things health and wellness.

Over the years, I have shared all sorts of meal prep and fitness content on the blog, but I’ve never organized a consistent series. It’s time! This long overdue series will cover a range of topics and be ongoing. One I hope will be at least one blog post per week. And I’ll organize it in a way where you can easily find the posts on the website.

We’re talking everything from fitness routines and schedules … to meal planning and how to prep food … to mindset and how you can make health and fitness a part of your daily lifestyle … vitamins and supplements … the importance of sleep … to the clothing I love (or don’t love), the tools I use, my gym favorites and more. A lot more!

( top | leggings | shoes )

Why am I starting this series now?

For a few reasons!

First of all, there’s no better time than TODAY to make yourself and your health a priority. I work with exhausted, busy families so I see the overwhelm all the time. And I see the confusion on where or how to get started. How to make the time.

Matter of fact, just yesterday I was consulting on a new project and the homeowner asked me if I had content around mindset, meal prepping, fitness, etc. She had a food sealing machine in her pantry that was still in the box. I mentioned that I recently invested in a new one and had plans to begin sharing content around organized meal prepping and how I use my food sealer. It was funny she asked because I had plans to create this series.

But anyway, it turned into a very long conversation…and she asked if I was available to coach her on the “how” behind it all. She shared feelings of overwhelm and was uncertain how to get started or how to make it a part of her lifestyle. They have three older children – 2 living with her. With the activity around the house, it’s been hard to meal prep and not walk all over each other in the kitchen.

I want to share strategies I have used to make fitness and health a part of my daily life. It’s like the air I breathe. It’s something that now just happens everyday because I’ve been doing it for at least 7 years. Consistently.

( top | tank | leggings | shoes )

Another reason is that the organization of your food and meal prepping is SO important in a fitness journey. You may have heard this before but I’m here to proclaim it’s a fact – You can’t outwork a bad diet. While working out is critical, if you aren’t eating well…your results go to sh!t. And fast.

When you don’t have healthy food ready and prepped, and you’re starving, the first thing you grab is what’s most convenient. Often times these “convenient” items are processed – things like crackers or protein bars. Having a real protein source prepped and ready to warm in the microwave, and a bag of spring mix to throw your protein on…easy! But you have to be organized in advance to have it at the ready when hunger hits. And if you’re working out, you will get hungrier…and quickly.

Here’s an example of a meal prep I’ve done – a protein with veggies and rice. Just throw it in the microwave for a minute or so – done!

( glass containers )

I won’t run this down for you right now, I’ll instead be adding this whole topic to an upcoming post in this series…but I’ve changed my strategy on meal prep and it’s been working SO well! I am not in a phase of making the meals the way you see them above. Instead, I’m prepping my proteins and have them ready in the fridge. That way I can eat it on its own, on top of a salad, on top of spaghetti squash or however I choose. But I do use these glass containers and they are a lifesaver!

I have a BIG birthday this month. Seeing that number go up a year and its significance is also a reason why I’m starting this series. As women, we need to weight train. It’s not all about cardio. You will feel stronger and look/be leaner when you have weights in your routine. I’m going to share how I break down my weight training days, how much cardio I do and what cardio it is, and other fitness activities and workouts I fold in each and every week. I don’t only focus on weights and cardio…there’s a lot more I incorporate. And the more you diversify, the more you’re likely to stay on a routine. If it gets typical and mundane, you will lose interest.

Currently, I’m on a new weight training program – you can see my papers here in this photo – it’s heavy weight training and cardio. I have a coach I check in with every other week. Having someone in your corner to tweak, edit and encourage…and someone with knowledge and expertise…it can be an important part of your journey. Not at all necessary or doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. But you do want to make sure you’re doing the right workout for you and the results you desire. We’re going to talk about my coach in this series and I’ll share some of his knowledge I’ve learned. It’s valuable!

We’re going to talk meal prep organization but I’ll also share recipes from time to time AND I really want to teach you about the Sous Vide and how it can change the game! And we’re talking about one of my favorite kitchen tools – my foodsaver machine!

I had a smaller model but recently invested in this upgrade because I use it that much and found having a machine that allowed me to stand up bags was necessary. You can food seal anything you wish – even soups and sauces, fruits and veggies – which means you have LESS food waste. With groceries at an all time high, who wants to throw away items that can be easily prepped and frozen? Not me!

Food like chicken breast can get boring after a while. I started mixing the Sous Vide into my kitchen world and it has changed the game. Completely! This is the one I have, love and use all the time!

Funny, I looked up the link to my machine to share with you and it shows I purchased it on May 23, 2023…so nearly a year ago and I haven’t turned back. It’s one of my very favorite kitchen gadgets and makes proteins taste SO much better!

I’m also going to discuss tools and items I have found invaluable…like the waist wrap you see above. I love this on cardio day and it really does target the mid-section.

Supplements, vitamins, protein powders, pre-workouts, and more…nothing is off limits in this series and I can’t wait to get started! Just because it’s May, and not January 1, doesn’t mean you can’t get started on a fitness journey. In the last several weeks I’ve seen the ramp up of “hot summer bodies” content. Spring isn’t the only time of year to focus on health and fitness. It’s a 365 day thang y’all!

Oh…and we’re going to be talking about meditation, mindset and gaining mental clarity, peace, focus, and more.

WHY IS A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER TALKING ABOUT THIS TOPIC?

I am not a certified trainer or nutritionist. While I will be sharing recipes and information (factual info and research, of course), the big hurdle I see is being organized AND consistent. I’m sharing all of this information from my experience, what has worked for me and true strategies on the organization angle. Whatever it is that you are trying to resolve in your life, whether a new fitness journey or habit changes or an organization project…we need to begin by breaking it down, setting a routine, making a plan, having a clear path ahead and making sure it’s really in line with your desired outcome. Setting yourself up with the right tools.

And to be honest, as I said at the beginning of this post, organization and fitness are my two passions. I’ve been organizing for over a decade and my fitness journey has been at least 7-8 years long at this point. Anything I can share with you on these topics makes me so happy.

Am hoping to inspire you with tips and strategies…and I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

THE DISCLAIMER

Please note that I am not a certified fitness or health professional. The information shared in this blog post is based on my personal experience and research.

Before beginning any new fitness regimen or making significant changes to your diet, it is important to consult with a qualified healthcare or fitness professional to ensure it is safe and appropriate for your individual circumstances.

Back soon with more you guys!

xo,

Sam