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      The New Workout You Should Try Next Based On Your Zodiac Sign

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      No matter where you are on your fitness journey, it’s pretty easy to get tired of your workout routine. Whether you’re tuning in to the same class a few times a week, running the same trail, or hitting the squat rack, doing the same thing over and over again is enough to make you want to bang your head against the wall—or worse, quit. Instead of hitting that dreaded plateau, we’re looking to the stars to tell us the next workout we should try, and the stars have some pretty good ideas. And to make it easier on you, we put together a list of our favorite Obé Fitness classes for you to try and included the gear you’ll need to crush it. 
      Why Obé, you ask? Our editors have been using Obé Fitness for years because it offers so many classes. Only have time to work out on your lunch break? You’re covered with 10-minute express classes. Love a good yoga flow once a week? 60-minute yoga classes at your service. No matter your fitness goals, there’s an Obé option for you.
      For 50% off your first month and a free 7-day trial, use code TEG50 at checkout!

      Aries are fighters, so we’d expect they’d like a little bit of that in their workouts too. To make this class a little more interesting, it incorporates weightlifting in Obé’s classic Power format, which includes lifting through fast movements to add a little extra cardio. Your heart rate will thank you.

      Goddess is a word Tauruses liken to themselves, and the self-care queens of the Zodiac sure can get down with a light yoga flow. This class will get you in deep stretches that make you feel so good during and after. (Get ready for a good night’s sleep!)

      Geminis don’t have time to spend an hour in the gym. They want a quick, effective sweat they can get in during their lunch break or just before heading out for the day. This HIIT class will have your heart pumping the entire time—you’ll forget how short of a workout it is when you’re sore tomorrow.

      Sculpt is a low-impact workout that really gets your muscles working to tone, tighten, and strengthen without having to lift heavy weights. It works on muscles you didn’t even know you had, which health-conscious Cancers can appreciate. Level up this class with some resistance bands and ankle weights and feel the burn. 

      Leos want to feel strong and capable, so a strength training class is right up their alley. Make sure to invest in a trendy outfit you can sweat in—not only will this make a Leo way more inclined to work out, but they’ll feel even better during the workout if they’re comfortable. 

      An hour-long workout is perfect for a Virgo who plans their calendar well in advance to fit it in. You’ll love how strong you feel doing this class while still getting your heart rate up. Oh, and getting killer abs is just a plus.

      Barre is all about balance, grace, and strength, which you could also say about a Libra. Libras will love how much barre utilizes those little muscles you didn’t even know existed until the next day when you’re sore AF. 

      Scorpios like a workout they can seamlessly add to their life and keep up the routine for a long time to see results, and a pilates class a few times a week is just that. You’ll focus on your core the entire time, and after a few classes, you’ll notice major differences in your strength. 

      Workout routines aren’t exactly a thing for a Sagittarius. They like to do workouts that are challenging, fun, and keep their attention the entire time. This dance cardio class is already a fun way to get your heart rate up, but the addition of wearing heels the entire time is enough to keep a Sag entertained. 

      After a long work week, the last thing a Capricorn looks forward to is a super hard workout. To finally get your moment to veg out, opt for a de-stressing yoga class. You’ll get a workout in and actually feel relaxed afterward rather than energized. Pair this with a sleep-time tea and your latest Netflix binge afterward. 

      Aquarians want to work out in any way that is fun and different, and a trampoline workout is exactly that. Make sure to pop on a good pair of light running shoes and turn on a good playlist. 

      This energizing yoga class is the perfect way to get a Pisces out of bed and ready for their day ahead. Pisces like a workout that feels productive and invigorating, just like a morning yoga flow. Light a good candle and get in the mood to take on your long to-do list. 

      5 Ways to Actually Feel More Toned by Tomorrow
      we’re redefining being “toned” to mean feeling strong and healthy in your body

      This post is sponsored by Obe Fitness, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board. More

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      The Wellness Hacks I Love to Start My Day With

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      My relationship with mornings has not always been chipper. As someone who starts the workday early, my mornings typically looked like rolling out of bed, brushing my teeth, and opening my laptop (#WFHlife, am I right?). But I quickly noticed that even if I was starting work on time (and had my teeth brushed and ready to go, might I add!), I lacked energy and motivation throughout the day. By the time the workday was over, you can bet I went from my desk to the couch and watched Netflix until bedtime. The truth is that your mornings dictate your entire day. What you prioritize in the mornings can snowball into your habits, routines, and choices until bedtime. So I ditched the roll-out-of-bed-and-open-laptop routine and transformed my mornings as a way to transform my life. And guess what? It worked. Here are five of my favorite go-to morning wellness tips that have changed my productivity, energy, and motivation throughout the entire day. 

      1. Using a CBD Roller 

      Scent is a powerful thing. Just like lavender helps you relax before bed, scents like peppermint, jasmine, and lemon can help you feel energized. Or at least that’s what I’ve found after using my Equilibria Energizing Roller religiously for the past six months. With a combination of peppermint, sweet orange, geranium, spearmint, litsea, and full-spectrum CBD, this product will become your go-to for starting your day the right way. I keep my Energizing Roller in my desk drawer and roll it onto my temples and wrists before opening my laptop every morning. The super ingredients help keep me focused, calm, and energized, and having the same ritual first thing every day helps get me in the mindset for productivity. 

      2. Manifest journaling

      We all know and love gratitude journaling for boosting mental health or fostering healthier relationships. I stan some gratitude and personally swear that it is the secret to a happy life, but I like to take my morning journaling one step further. I always start with a list of three things I’m grateful for (which most often includes my dog and coffee), but I also spend some time writing about my best self. Trust me, manifestation is real, people!
      I’ll either reflect on my best self (What are her routines like? How does she work out? What does she eat? How does she spend her evenings?) or reevaluate my goals (What will make me happy? Are my current habits helping me get there? What do I really want in life?). Even spending just five minutes thinking about what I truly want and who I want to be reminds me of my life’s big picture and helps prevent me from getting stuck in everyday stressors and to-do lists. Plus, there’s nothing quite as motivating as being reminded of your dreams (which, as Glennon Doyle says, is the blueprint of our lives, not a fantasy). 

      3. Using skincare as self-care

      I consider myself a skincare queen: I have separate drawers for my serums and moisturizers, always put on essences before eye cream, and never leave the house without (non-toxic) SPF. But my morning skincare routine is more than an effort to clear pores and prevent wrinkles; it’s a moment before I start my busy days to center myself. My six-step skincare routine serves as a reminder to not rush through the day and get straight to work. I turn my skincare routines into ~moments~ by playing a podcast or music, taking time to massage in product, and repeating an affirmation in the mirror. No, my morning skincare is not just another must-do item on the list, it’s a wellness hack. 

      4. Eating a big bowl of fruit

      Ever since changing my mindset to be about adding as many nutrients as possible into my diet, not only did my relationship with food change, but so has my body. Breakfasts for me used to be green smoothies or eggs and avocado toast. While those are both amazing meal options, fruit was never really a part of my life besides the occasional apple crumble or strawberry smoothie. When I learned about how much fiber and antioxidants were in fruit, I found a new zest for kiwis, berries, and papaya, and now I crave a big bowl of fruit first thing every morning. Whether or not my go-to green smoothie or avocado toast is part of breakfast, I always start with whatever fruit I have in my fridge. After I began to eat fruits to start my day, I’ve become more energized and have better digestion.

      5. Getting outside

      Full disclosure, of all my other wellness hacks, this one was more so forced upon me than a chosen lifestyle change. Getting a puppy about a year ago changed my life in a lot of ways. Besides the obvious unconditional love and $$$ on vet visits and dog food, one of those changes is that I’m getting outside more, including first thing in the morning (nature calls!). B.L. (“Before Louie”), I went for days without stepping outside. My energy levels have dramatically improved since getting five minutes of sunlight after I wake up, and I’m no longer groggy in the mornings (and afternoon slumps are a lot fewer after a lunchtime dog walk too). Whether you’re walking your own dog or just walking yourself (or sipping coffee on your balcony–whatever floats your boat), start your day with a little time outdoors, and it just might change your life too. 

      6 Energizing Rituals I Tried to Upgrade My Morning Routine

      This post is sponsored by Equilibria, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board. More

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      Coffee Makes Me Sick—Here’s What I Drink Every Morning Instead

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      When I found out I had endometriosis, I was actually elated because everyone thought my morning stomach issues were from being lactose intolerant. I thought I had gotten away from dietary issues scot-free—I indulged in all the cereal, cheesy omelets, and bagels with cream cheese the world had to offer. Alas, the world had other things in store for me, leading me on a journey to find alternatives to coffee that could bring me the same benefits.
      Endometriosis has a habit of giving you basically every annoying symptom under the sun. But worse of all, drinking even half a Grande coffee from Starbucks will have me spending the afternoon in the bathroom (I was going to say TMI, but you clicked on the story—what did you expect?). No matter what I do, I can’t seem to drink a cup of coffee without feeling the consequences. But I love coffee, and I love the ritual and placebo of coffee most of all. Waking up and having a special drink or bringing it to a meeting makes me feel ready to be productive and get sh*t done.
      So I’ve gotten creative with the coffee alternatives I drink every morning to give me the feeling of making and drinking a cup of coffee without feeling sick.

      1. Matcha
      The second I discovered matcha, my entire world changed. For the first time, I had a drink that gave me a jolt of energy without a crash or a stomachache. It sustains my energy all day, and the ability to make it hot or iced curbs my coffee cravings big time.
      To make my matcha drink, I mix a little bit of powder with boiling water using a handheld frother. I add it to warmed almond milk mixed with a little vanilla syrup, which results in the perfect sweet matcha latte to start my day or as a midday pick-me-up.

      2. 8Greens
      I love 8Greens so much I brought it to the lake with all of my girlfriends to drink it while they had their morning coffee, and I had absolutely no regrets. It’s a super easy way to get that morning ritual I love, and it’s actually delicious thanks to the citrusy taste. Made with real greens like spinach, spirulina, aloe vera, and kale, 8Greens is filled with rich vitamins like C, B6, and B12, meaning it does more than just taste good.
      I drop 8Greens into cold water and watch it fizz, lightly stirring it with a straw. It’s truly the easiest drink you’ll ever make.

      3. Smoothie
      When I want something a little more, I make myself a smoothie. While this takes some more time to make than my other morning beverages, it’s a good way to mix in extra protein, fruits, and veggies and bulk up my breakfast. I like a tropical smoothie with spinach and kale and some added collagen or protein powder.
      The trick to making your smoothie feel like a ritual is treating it the way you would with coffee. Decant it into a pretty cup or jar, add toppings or add-ins for some flavor, and make it beautiful. Don’t suck it down like you have to run to the gym for your pilates class in 10 minutes. Actually allow yourself to enjoy it just as you would a cup of Joe.

      Premier Protein
      100% Whey Protein Powder
      Tip: Once I switched to whey protein instead of a plant-based pea alternative, my digestion improved immensely. Peas are high in FODMAPS, which can be hard to digest, especially for those with IBS.

      4. Golde Supplements
      These Golde supplements are powders you can add into your water that are filled with vitamins and herbs that are good for you, whether you’re looking to destress, boost your skin’s natural glow, or decrease bloating. They come in single-serve packets, so making a cup of this in the morning will take you no time at all. First of all, they taste great; they’re sweet, fruity, and tropical. They also make me actually feel good. When I use the Destress Ade, I get the literal opposite of a midday crash, and the Debloat Ade is great for the days that I go against my body and drink coffee and need a pick-me-up.

      5. Chlorophyll Water
      I’ve been trying chlorophyll water for a few years now. While you might expect it to taste wretched, if you get a good chlorophyll, it’s actually quite tasty. When I drink chlorophyll water, I have so much more energy, and over time, my skin looks clearer too. It blew up on TikTok with major claims like weight loss and acne-free skin, and while I haven’t necessarily noticed a big difference in those aspects, the impact this has on my energy is huge.
      I squeeze a dropper full of chlorophyll into a cup of cold water and stir, and I’m good to go. I’ll warn you that the first couple of times you use this, you’ll likely want to make sure it’s a work-from-home day or you’re near a trusty bathroom (you know what I mean). But my body got used to it pretty quickly, and now I don’t have any bowel-related issues while drinking it at all.

      What to Add to Your Water for Flawless Skin
      delicious AND tasty enough to replace your soda addiction (well, sort of) More

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      The Best Home Workout Equipment You Can Snag on Amazon

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      Even though I love being active, the list of things I would rather do than actually go to the gym is pretty lengthy and even includes deep cleaning every bathroom in my house (my brother’s bathroom not included). It can be a hassle trying to plan your day around finding the time to actually drive to the gym for a workout, and on top of that, you have to pray that it’s not too crowded in the morning before work (and it usually is). Then there’s waiting in line for the stair master when you could’ve been done with your workout 30 minutes ago. And we won’t even get into the uber-macho gym buffs who act like they own the place.
      Instagram has now been my favorite place to find great workouts that only require a few simple equipment pieces. It’s like having the benefits of a personal trainer without having to leave your living room (and without having to use the intimidating machines at the gym). Read on for all of the home workout equipment you need for an effective workout. The best part? They’re all from Amazon. So next time you want a great workout, all you’ll have to do is turn on your favorite workout video, move the coffee table to the side, and grab one of these must-have fitness items.

      Amazon | Fit Simplify
      Resistance Loop Bands
      Resistance bands look harmless but can add a ton of extra intensity to any of your workout moves. The more you stretch the band, the more tension you resist with each move. They’re great for strength training and stretching to create long, lean lines in the body. If you have a smaller apartment and don’t want to keep too much equipment around, these are definitely for you. This pack comes with five levels of resistance, making them ideal for wherever you are in your fitness journey. Try them with glute bridges, donkey kicks, and squats to lateral leg lifts.
      3 color combinations available

      Amazon | URBNFit
      Bosu Ball
      A bosu ball is great for training your core because being on an unstable surface while doing simple exercises requires the rest of the body to be engaged in order to stay balanced. You can just stand on it and do bicep curls and shoulder presses, or you can use it more actively for squats and pushups. No matter what workout you decide to use it for (leg exercises, upper body, or cardio), you’ll be simultaneously getting the ultimate core workout.
      2 colors available

      Amazon Basics
      Dumbbell Weights
      Dumbbells don’t need much explanation: They’re used to gain lean muscle mass in an isolated area with a lighter weight and more repetitions. Though they’re mostly used for biceps, triceps, shoulders, back, and chest, they can also be used to add extra weight while doing squats and glute bridges.

      Amazon | DEGOL
      Aerobic Exercise Jump Ropes
      Jumproping is a great cardio alternative to running that also boosts fat burning and increases muscle engagement. It also brings back some fun into working out (remember how fun it was as a kid?). This jumprope has memory foam handles for ultimate control and comfort.

      Amazon | ProBody Pilates
      Bender Ball
      I started using bender balls in my pilates classes, and I now incorporate them into my everyday workouts for the increased range of motion in core exercises. They allow for a more effective workout than just ordinary crunches. Plus, have you ever tried glute bridges with one of these in between your knees? Instant inner thigh burner.
      8 colors available

      Amazon | Gaiam
      Ankle Weights
      Ankle weights are another great way to add strength training into your workout. Using ankle weights will help tone your legs and glutes by adding resistance to low-impact exercises and intensifying movements. They’re specifically great for lower-body and core workouts. If you only want to purchase one form of weights, get these. You can also hook them around your wrists or hold onto them to double as arm weights.
      2 sizes available

      Amazon Basics
      Foam Roller
      Foam rollers can be used to warm up before your workout or cool down after. They’re great for stretching to relieve muscle pain and soreness. You’ll never forget to stretch after your workout again with one of these (it hurts so good!).
      4 colors available

      Our Favorite Workouts You Can Do at Home More

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      Strength Training vs. Cardio: Which One You Should Really Be Focusing On

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      There’s one question that trainers get more often than any other: “Should I be focusing more on strength training or cardio?” (second to “How long does it take to get abs?”) While some of us love binge-watching old episodes of The Bachelor on the treadmill, others prefer to work on building up our bench press max of five reps. But if dramatic reality TV has taught us anything, it’s that sometimes what we want isn’t exactly what we need. Ultimately, what you should focus on is entirely dependent on your goals, preferences (remember: the best workout is one you’ll actually do!), and the equipment that’s available to you. Since we all have different goals and circumstances, here’s exactly what you should prioritize, based on what you want out of your workouts. 

      1. If you’re training for a marathon (or any kind of race)…
      Simply put, the best way to become a better runner is to run. If you’re training for any kind of race, you’re going to want to put 75 percent of your time and effort into running. However, that doesn’t mean you should just always be on the treadmill. By incorporating speed workouts, tempo runs, and long jogs, you’ll keep the running spark alive and improve your skills for the marathon. Also, switch up between running on the track, along different routes, or at the gym to change up your scenery. The other 25 percent of the time, work on increasing your strength with heavy weights. Runners need strong leg muscles, a strong core, and arms that can swing all day long, so don’t skip out on your squats, deadlifts, planks, and rows (also to prevent injury!).

      2. If you’re trying to change your body composition…
      If you’re interested in increasing your muscle mass and/or changing your body fat, you’re going to need a healthy mix of both cardio and strength training. Changing the way our bodies look takes both cardio and strength training to be our healthiest self. If your goal is to lose fat, cardio affects fat loss, while weight training helps strengthen muscles to burn more calories at rest. If your goal is to feel more toned and gain more muscle mass, weight training will help you get stronger (more on that below), but cardio is also important for muscle circulation and increases oxygen supply so muscles can work harder. Bottom line is that if you’re looking to change your body composition, get a combo of both. Most importantly, remember that rest, nutritious food, and a balanced lifestyle are also necessary for body composition changes, so be sure to incorporate those things too. 

      3. If you want to get stronger…
      It probably goes without saying that if you want to get stronger, you’ve got to head straight to the weight room. Muscles get stronger after they’re damaged from use (training), and then they repair themselves to come back stronger (recovery)—Voldemort style. By using the principle of progressive overload, or periodically increasing the stress on the muscles by using heavier weights, you will see #gainz in both strength (how much you can lift) and hypertrophy (how big your muscles are). Focus on strength training (with some cardio!) and make sure that you’re increasing your resistance by approximately 10 percent every few weeks or when your current weights begin to feel less challenging.

      4. If you want to improve your overall health…
      What’s better than feeling your absolute best? If you’re interested in living a healthy, long life and reducing risk for injuries (or if you’re just tired of the couch-fridge-couch lifestyle most of us have had since 2020), you’ll want a good mix of both strength training and cardio. Strengthening your muscles is important for making daily living easier (like walking up the stairs, carrying groceries, etc.), and cardio will give you the endorphin rush we all know and love. By focusing your efforts 50/50, you’ll improve your health as well as your physical and emotional wellbeing. 

      5. If you like the social aspect of working out…
      As an adult, a workout can be one of the few opportunities to meet new people and make new friends. While friendships have been formed over a love of SoulCycle or Barry’s Bootcamp, this trainer believes that strength training is where the true bonding happens. Picture it: You’re clipped into your bike, breathlessly pedaling as fast as you can to your favorite Rihanna song. It’s too dark and loud to say “hello” to the person a few bikes down (even if you could catch your breath enough to try), and before you know it, you’re going your separate, sweaty ways. Now imagine that you’re at a strength training facility with a handful of other people. As you’re casually chatting about your weekends while doing squats and bicep lifts, you find out that the person in the squat rack next to you was also at that same Rihanna concert on Saturday night. Soon enough, you’re grabbing a smoothie after your workout.

      6. If you’re looking for those feel-good endorphins…
      If you’re going through a particularly stressful time, need a little mood boost, or simply want to develop healthier happiness habits, check out the magic of cardio for yourself and elevate your heart rate too. Whether you prefer to go for a run, take a bike ride, hop into a boutique fitness class, or take a long walk, cardio is the ultimate mood-booster. And while a dance cardio class is a much more upbeat way to achieve the mood-boosting rush, weightlifting can have a similar effect (especially because lower weight and higher rep count can increase your heart rate too), so the most important part is doing the workout that you enjoy most.
      Your goals, equipment, budget, weather, and location are going to dictate what you should be focusing on when it comes to exercise, but no matter what, you’re much more likely to stick with a routine you actually enjoy. I may not learn much about long-term commitment from those Bachelor reruns, but I have learned a lot about it from my LTR with my favorite workouts.

      How to Actually Get the Most out of Your Workout
      according to a fitness trainer More

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      I’m a Vegetarian and My Boyfriend Isn’t. Here’s What I Make in a Week

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      Cooking is my love language. Some people give gifts and some people write love letters, but I cook. Though my boyfriend knows a thing or two about roasting veggies and makes a mean pasta sauce, I like to do the cooking because it’s the way I take care of the people I love. It’s an activity I look forward to all day long, and let’s be honest, I’m just way better than he is (he’s better at doing the dishes, so win-win!). However, every meal I make is vegetarian. I’ve never eaten meat in my life (nope, not once!), so I wouldn’t even know what to do with a chicken breast, and I couldn’t tell you the difference between an oyster and a clam. My boyfriend grew up on chicken wings and steak, so I knew his adjustment to my plant-based lifestyle would not necessarily be seamless. 
      While every relationship is different, having dinner is something we like to do together. Eating together is our special ritual; I like to cook for him, and we hang out in the kitchen to catch up on our days. While many couples prefer to eat separate meals (especially when they have different dietary needs), I’ve found ways to make my cooking style work for both of our preferences, so I recorded my meals through an entire week of dinners from Sunday to Thursday (you best believe Friday is reserved for sushi takeout!). Read on for my tips, tricks, and recipes for cooking dinner as a vegetarian for my meat-loving boyfriend. 

      Sunday: Pasta Night

      My boyfriend and I are both Italian, so pasta is the natural go-to in our house. Seriously, there have been weeks where we have same kind of pasta every single night. It’s a good Sunday meal because it’s easy, simple, and delicious. Plus, whether or not you eat meat, everybody loves pasta, right? For plant-based options, I use quinoa, brown rice, or chickpea pasta, or I’ll make spaghetti squash. As for sauce, I love a homemade pesto or quick marinara, but I’ve also been known to get adventurous by adding avocado or hearts of palm to make a vegan “pasta alfredo” (at this point, my boyfriend has stopped asking what’s in the sauce). Don’t forget a simple side salad!  

      Monday: Korean Savory Pancakes

      The secret to getting your significant other to eat less meat? Get adventurous. Since I love to cook and try new foods, I make sure to experiment with different flavors and learn about different diets I would not otherwise be exposed to. In other words, my boyfriend is never bored. I was inspired by a recipe from Bonberi of bin dae tteok, or savory mung bean pancakes, which is a traditional Korean dish. Due to lack of time, I replaced mung beans with chickpea flour (very untraditional) and put together these delicious and dip-able pancakes in under 20 minutes. Trust me, he’s not missing his steak dinners. 

      Tuesday: Fried Egg Tacos

      Pro tip: If you live with someone who has totally different dietary preferences, taco night is the way to go. They’re easily customizable, and all you have to do is prepare a few different toppings and a couple of different fillers. I’ll fill mine with veggies and beans, but my boyfriend can add any kind of meat to his if he’s craving some extra protein. Another favorite hack is to top quesadillas or tacos with a fried egg for extra flavor and protein. I love using eggs for dinner as a protein we both can eat. 

      Wednesday: Blue Apron Meal for Two

      And now for my best cooking-for-two-different-diets hack: Blue Apron. Let’s be honest, yes, I love cooking, but I don’t always have time to meal plan, grocery shop, and DIY an entire meal from scratch. I think of Blue Apron as an investment in our relationship because we both can get what we want. Sometimes the vegetarian option is so delicious and filling that my boyfriend doesn’t even realize there wasn’t any meat. But when he is craving some chicken, steak, or seafood, Blue Apron offers the ability to have two separate proteins for the same recipe, so I’ll add tofu and he’ll add pork—no separate meal required. 
      Sign up for Blue Apron to get up to 14 free meals!

      Thursday: Asparagus Soup

      Some nights, I cook something that may not be filling enough for my boyfriend, so he’ll plan ahead to make his own meat if he wants something extra. Tonight, I was craving soup (it was a rare occurrence, I swear), so I prepared a thick asparagus soup and topped it off with pumpkin seeds and toasted baguette. Bonus life hack: Throw any soup into the blender, and it’ll immediately taste richer and creamier, even if it’s totally vegan. While that was enough for me, my boyfriend roasted some chicken for himself to eat with the soup. Bottom line is, if you have a meat-loving significant other or your roommate is fully plant-based while you can’t give up bacon, any vegetarian main meal can be turned into a side dish for a meat-lover. 

      Super Simple Vegetarian Trader Joe’s Recipes
      that anyone can make!

      This post contains a sponsored inclusion of Blue Apron, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board. More

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      5 Ways to Actually Feel More Toned by Tomorrow

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      As a holistic health coach, one of the questions (and text messages) I get most often is along the lines of “OMG, I have a wedding/first date/big event this weekend. How can I get more toned ASAP?” While we’re all playing the long game when it comes to our health (hello, healthy habits!), sometimes we want a quick fix for a little boost. Whether it’s an event you want to feel your best for or you just feel like you need a little motivation after sitting on your couch for almost two years straight (’cause same), I’ve compiled my best tips and tricks for feeling more toned by tomorrow. 
      Just so we’re clear, “toned” is not a way you look in the mirror. It doesn’t mean six-pack abs or defined biceps. At The Everygirl, we’re redefining being “toned” to mean feeling strong and healthy in your body. No matter your jeans size or how many pounds you can bench press; you deserve to feel like the strong, toned badass you are, and you deserve to feel it by tomorrow. Read on for instant tips to help you get there. 

      1. Try an at-home sculpt class
      No surprise! The easiest way to feel more toned is to actually make your muscles stronger. And how do you make your muscles stronger? By using resistance to work them. When you’re working your muscles, the tension causes microscopic tears that are then repaired, and that repairing is where the “strengthening” happens. Also, call it the placebo effect or simply the fact that muscles swell after they’re worked, but I swear I feel more toned whenever I’m sore the next day. Try a workout that targets every muscle group and works the whole body.
      We love Obé Fitness because it offers a wide variety of classes intended to sculpt and tone muscles, all from the comfort of your own home. Personally, my go-to is the sculpt classes for full body work with high reps and light weights (I’m always sore afterward!), but if heavier weights are more your jam, check out the other strength or power classes. Oh, and if you don’t have weights at home? No worries. Body resistance is enough to work the muscles too. 
      Use code “TEG50” for 50% off your first month, in addition to the 7 day free trial

      2. Drink a lot of water
      Water seems like the magical cure-all—because it really is. Water not only helps with digestion (AKA less uncomfortable bloat to let those abs pop out), but it also helps muscles feel stronger. “Drinking water is important if you want to build muscle because it’s the primary vessel for carrying the nutrients your muscles need,” recommended Tami Smith, an ACE certified personal trainer. “It also helps prevent your muscles from breaking down by avoiding the shrinking of muscle cells.” Next time you’re tempted to reach for a pre-workout supplement, remember that water is the best possible accompaniment for your strength training. Staying adequately hydrated not only helps you get the most out of your workouts, but it also helps muscles continue to grow. 

      3. Choose your nighttime snack wisely 
      Forget those rules that say you should stop eating two hours before bed or that a midnight snack is bad for you. Bottom line: Eat when you’re hungry (that’s how the body is meant to work), but just be conscious about what you reach for when you start to get those pre-bedtime hunger growls. For example, Heather Hanks, MS CAM, a medical adviser for Medical Solutions, recommended produce and lean protein. “Try fresh, whole foods and vegetables that contain de-bloating and toxin-flushing nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, water, and antioxidants,” she suggested. “Eating lean protein can also provide adequate amounts of amino acids that are needed for muscle synthesis.” To get more specific, try a nighttime snack like bananas when you’re hungry. Bananas are high in potassium, which reduces bloating by helping to flush excess sodium and fluid out of the body.

      4. Stretch before bed
      Stretching is one of the best health hacks, but it’s also one of the most overlooked. “Stretching out your muscles can help lengthen them back out after they’ve been in a contracted state,” Smith explained. “When your muscles are loose (instead of tight), you tend to have a more lean, toned feeling than when they are tight.” To be your healthiest, strongest self, you don’t just need to be working your muscles to strengthen, you need to be stretching them too. Stretching helps the muscles repair, but certain stretches and yoga poses can also be used to help digestion or decrease bloating to feel your most toned. Try to stretch out the muscle group you worked, do some go-to stretches for the entire body (bonus: these stretches might also help ease anxiety), or use a foam roller to get deeper into the muscle. 

      5. Get a good night of sleep
      Sleep is beneficial for recovering energy to work those muscles again tomorrow. Muscle-building hormones are also produced during sleep, which means your muscles are actually able to grow during and because of sleep–AKA the easiest way to feel more toned by tomorrow. According to Sleep.org, the growth hormone (or the hormone responsible for building muscle) is typically produced during deep sleep. “During sleep, the human growth hormones are activated, helping muscles to recover, repair, heal, grow, and rest from the micro tears occurred during the day,” agreed Dasha Einhorn, a Pilates instructor and NASM-certified fitness specialist. As if you needed more reason to shut off season two of Outer Banks and get to bed early tonight (no but really, get to bed!), muscle growth actually happens while you’re getting your beauty sleep, so rest up to help your body feel more toned. 

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      I Ate Only Recipes From This Insta-Famous, Plant-Based Cookbook for One Week—Here’s What Happened

      by

      You should know that I’ve been a major stan of the wellness company Sakara since I first found their website in college (spoiler alert: the branding is good). If you’re not familiar, Sakara is a plant-based meal delivery service, line of products, and lifestyle brand dedicated to making plant-based eating easy and helping people use food as medicine. As a wellness editor and holistic health coach, I have a lot of thoughts about how the wellness industry needs to change, like, yesterday (read: damaging diet culture, chemical-filled foods that pass as “healthy,” and an oversaturated supplement industry). Sakara has been one of the brands that, in my opinion, has always done it right. So when the founders released a cookbook, Eat Clean, Play Dirty, I ordered it as fast as I got my hands on a copy of Breaking Dawn when it came out in 2008 (since then, I’ve switched to #TeamJacob, thank you very much).
      I’m a fan—nay, a worshipper—of a good wellness cookbook. I read them before bed as if they were novels and study them as if they were textbooks. “Extra,” maybe, but I do all the work so you don’t have to. I went through this one in literally three days and loved that while it was recipe-based, the cookbook took a holistic approach, acknowledging that food is only one piece of the cauliflower-based pie. “Lightwork” suggestions were sprinkled throughout the beet burgers and chickpea scrambles, ranging from writing a note with an affirmation to stick on your mirror to turning on your favorite song and practicing being silly. Not only is this the most lovely addition to any cookbook I’ve ever read, but it also made my week way more fun. Read on for what happened when I spent an entire week eating clean and playing dirty (or, you know, cooking only recipes from this Instagram-favorite cookbook). 

      First step: meal prepping
      The first step, of course, was to grocery shop and prep a few basic ingredients for the week. Here were a few things on my grocery list that have most certainly never been on it before: a jar of roasted red peppers, scallions, raw beets, coconut meat, daikon, and kabocha squash. Despite being a bit intimidated by daikon, I successfully completed the grocery list and prepped a few items for the week ahead. The key to eating healthy, whole foods (with less-than-simple recipes) is to prep what you can in advance. I made a few sauces (like a vegan Green Goddess dressing made with avocado) as well as prepped some grains (a couple of the recipes I was making called for rice, but I used quinoa just because I prefer it). I also prepared and roasted beets in parchment paper and washed and dried all the produce. 

      Yes, I did DIY my own sauces
      My first reaction was that many of the meals were actually pretty simple, even if they seemed intimidating, thanks to DIY sauces or sophisticated ingredients. All of my lunch recipes took less than 20 minutes to prepare. I loved that I wasn’t eating basic salads or simple protein and steamed veggies—these foods had flavor. One of my favorite lunches of the week was actually pretty similar (in terms of structure) to a quinoa bowl in my typical weekly lunch rotation. However, the simple addition of roasted and seasoned green beans made a huge difference in flavor (I would’ve normally microwaved green beans or just added raw veggies), but the biggest game-changer was the sauce. 
      Let me go off about the sauces for a second: Whoever said plant-based eating does not have drool-worthy flavor has not tried any of the sauce recipes in Eat Clean, Play Dirty. The Green Goddess that I was so obsessed with was super easy to make; it was basically scallions, avocado, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cilantro, basil, and mint, all blended together in my Nutribullet. It was creamier and tastier than any Caesar dressing or non-vegan Green Goddess sauce I had ever had. Another favorite sauce from the week was a “cheese” sauce, AKA a creamy spread made with roasted red peppers and tahini I made for tacos (see below), but I straight up ate the leftovers with a spoon because it was that good. Lesson learned: Homemaking your own sauces is so much simpler than you think and worth the cleanup or prep. Plus, veggies taste better when they’re blended. 

      “Plant-based” isn’t as scary as it sounds
      Another lesson: Beets are shockingly easy to cook with from scratch and wildly delicious when they’re roasted. If you’re like me and have only really eaten beets in raw form (like a beet salad), know that they are freaking delicious and savory when you roast them in the oven with some olive oil and cumin *chef’s kiss*. Thanks to the helpful insert in the cookbook, I also learned that beets are rich in enzymes that are programmed to seek out damaging toxins and then neutralize and eliminate them (delicious and detoxifying? Yus please!).
      In general, a lot of the recipes or items I was intimated by turned out to be pretty easy to work with. FYI: Plant-based doesn’t have to mean difficult or bland. I cooked most of these meals for my boyfriend (who has never met a buffalo wing he didn’t like), and he didn’t think twice about eating totally plant-based meals because I don’t even think he realized he was. Turns out, when he’s eating flavorful and delicious meals, he doesn’t really question what’s in them. 

      While Eat Clean, Play Dirty is technically a plant-based and vegan cookbook, it definitely doesn’t feel like you’re taking away anything. The book is full of sandwiches, pizzas, pasta, desserts (more on that below), and it all looks so delicious, you forget that it’s leaving out some of your favorite foods, whether it’s chicken, brie cheese, or sourdough bread. A lot of nutrition cookbooks first focus on what not to eat or what to cut out, or they have a limited amount of healthy fats or portion sizes to restrict calories, so I love that Sakara fits so seamlessly with my own personal beliefs of adding as many whole foods to your plate as possible rather than taking away or limiting.

      The goal of eating should be adding in as many nutrients as possible
      The recipes may not be five-ingredients-and-under kind of simple, but I loved getting out all my veggies, grains, and flavors to marvel at how many nutrients I could fit into a meal. For example, the delicious little Rainbow Wraps above contained seven different whole foods in a small little package (and would’ve contained eight if I didn’t forget to buy the strawberries the recipe called for). Maybe our goal with food shouldn’t always be easier or less; maybe the goal should be to nourish our bodies more. 
      Even the desserts were full of nutrients. TBH, I was pretty intimidated by the Sexy Cinnamon Rolls (I did not know what psyllium husk powder was and also could not find coconut palm sugar at the store), so I opted for these Seed Butter cookies that were fairly simple and took me under 10 minutes to assemble. Spoiler alert: If you were wondering if sunflower seed butter was a thing and if it could turn into cookies (as I know you were), it is and it can! If oat flour, seed butter, and honey can turn into delicious, decadent cookies, you can do anything. 

      When all was said and done (and by that I mean the week was over and my fridge was completely empty), I truly felt the most nourished I had in a long time. After being used to the same basic recipes over and over again, my week with Sakara reignited my love for cooking and my passion for wellness—I wasn’t just going through the motions. Every day, I felt excited to cook and even more excited to eat.

      Here’s What I Learned:
      1. We can all be salad girls
      I’m traditionally not the type to eat salads for meals. A side salad or starter, sure, but I never felt satisfied enough and typically crave something warm, a little tastier, or more filling. But after trying a variety of salads with additions like roasted tamari mushrooms or a creamy Green Goddess dressing, consider me an official convert. Basically, if you “don’t like veggies,” you’re not doing veggies right. I lived a lot of my teenage and young adult life thinking I wasn’t going to be one of “those girls” who ate salads for meals, called their diets plant-based, and said no to cheese or pasta (like that’s possible?). But ever since I proudly chowed down french toast sticks and spaghetti marinara (at the same time, yes, it has happened) in the high school cafeteria, I’ve learned that we are all “those girls;” it’s just about finding the foods that not only make us feel good but taste good too. Trust me, you won’t miss nacho fries or Dominos pizza when you’re shocked at how delicious a roasted red pepper “cheese” sauce tastes. 

      2. You can do hard things
      OK, so this is a Glennon Doyle quote that is meant to apply to actual life problems, but I think it can be applied to cooking my way through the Sakara cookbook too. No, many of the recipes were not “simple,” but I quickly learned that they were doable. Even complicated chutneys were a few basic ingredients mixed together in a bowl. Not to brag or anything, but I did DIY a vegan cheese, bake nutseed-based cookies, roast a raw beet, and make my own curry. And guess what? I did it during an extremely busy work week when my dog also happened to have severe diarrhea for about three days (sorry if that was TMI, but I just wanted to paint the picture that I didn’t have all day to twiddle my thumbs while waiting for the oven timer to go off). Bottom line: Dishes you never thought you could make might be more achievable and simple than you think. I can do it, and you can too. 

      3. Romanticize lunches
      Yes, I’m good at eating my veggies and pretty much only cook plant-based meals, but I typically rotate between the same lunches. Read: avocado toast, a quinoa bowl with some basic veggies and coconut aminos, or a salad wrap. Lunch has historically been about convenience and what’s in my fridge. But this week got me to realize how much better I felt when I took time to make my lunches feel special. Blending herbs into a delicious homemade dressing or roasting veggies with fresh spices not only made my lunches taste more delicious, but it also reminded me that every chance I have to eat is a chance to make my life a little more special. I’m big on romanticizing the little moments in life, and this was my reminder to romanticize lunch too. Catch me spending my lunch break DIYing sauces and blending gourmet soups from now on. It’s well worth the time and effort. 

      4. Trying new things is a healthy eating hack
      The biggest lesson I learned after this week is to become more adventurous in the produce I can cook. Roast a beet? Never thought I’d do that in my life. Purchase and cook chard? Astonishing. Rather than sticking to the same grocery list of produce (spinach, berries, avocado, repeat), I feel much more confident in my ability to pick out what’s in season or try a new veggie and figure out a way to make it delicious. Also, that aforementioned basic meal rotation? Consider it a thing of the past. Trying new flavors, foods, and recipes are not only the way to keep cooking interesting but also the most enjoyable way to eat healthy foods that make your body feel good. 

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