October is just around the corner! You know what that means… PUMPKIN EVERYTHING! Oh, and it's my birthday. I’m gonna be 40☺️ means a special sale will be headed your way next week! Keep your eyes on your inbox 👀

One of the biggest changes I made to my routine over the last year was eating shortly after waking. As someone who sees clients early in the morning I had always waited to eat breakfast until I had a break.

This worked until it didn’t work anymore.

Preparing variations of chia seed pudding to eat first thing in the morning had been a GAME CHANGER for ME where I am in my life right now. Keep reading for my favorite seasonal recipe! (Hint: it involves 🎃.)

Some of my clients wake up hungry and eat, others feel sick if they eat too early. You gotta listen to YOUR BODY and experiment with convenience + amount of food your body does best with right now.

What else has been going on?

Eva and Julia headed back to school TOGETHER!!!

Halfway through the Nutrition Challenge

This time around, the Nutrition Challenge has been a great reminder that nutrition (and the Challenge) isn't about a "diet" or focusing on fat loss. Pretty much EVERYONE is just trying to (re)learn how to prioritize ourselves and focus on making small + realistic steps toward our goals:

There's been a HEAVY emphasis on some of these foundations:

• Water + food before coffee (and food before working out!)
• Eating a balanced breakfast (protein + fat + carb)
• Diversifying our veggies
• Getting more protein (like adding cottage cheese to scrambled eggs!)

🎃 Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding Recipe

Speaking of eating breakfast or fueling for workouts, try this seasonal fave of mine! Looks like dog poo in a cup… tastes delicious. Fiber, protein, fat + carbs and 🎃!

• 1/3 cup chia seeds
• 1 container canned coconut milk
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 2 scoops protein powder
• Mix and divide into 5 mini breakfasts!

🍂 This season of life is all about BALANCE...

... and fellow trainer + health coach Amy Slater GETS IT. We'll be doing an Instagram Live TODAY at 11:30AM to talk about:

• Why a traditional approach to weight loss for busy active moms doesn't work if you're already stressed out and tired
• Why we need to focus on long-term health instead of seeking short-term results
• What does true healing from exhaustion and burnout really look like?

Speaking of friends, I attended my first IRL workshop in Boston with some fellow trainers/coaches and Ian Markow to learn more about the connections between breathing, mobility, and strength training. We all share an appreciation for how the pelvis and ribcage work together!

Fire up your glutes with this hip hinge cue 🔥🍑

I love the hip hinge and I love having a 100 different ways to coach it so that you can feel your glutes fire up and get length through your butt. Here is a great breakdown of the hinge I did for Move Your Body members this last Form Friday:

If you have ever lifted weights without a proper hinge, you may feel that in your lower back. Or maybe you sit at a desk all day or find yourself leaning into one hip. This can help you relieve that tension. You don't need to get on the ground, and no equipment is needed!

Begin in the kickstand position, with your left foot forward and your right toes aligned with your heel. A lot of times people kickstand too long and too wide, so get into a narrow stance.

Focus on the weight in your heel on the left foot and visualize your knee moving forward, aligned with your shoelaces. Keep your weight on the heel but ensure your knee isn't past your toe.

Imagine your hand as a sword and place it in your left pocket. Simultaneously, move your right hand to your left pocket, and your left hand to your left butt cheek.

Inhale deeply while keeping your heel weighted and your knee forward, and as you exhale, press your left butt into your left hand. Feel your big toe, your pinky toe, and your heel pressing into the ground. Do not let your heel come up off the ground!

Keep pushing your butt into your left hand with each breath, and keep lengthening through the crown of your head. GET LONG! Your weight should be entirely on your left leg.

When you push up, focus on pushing through both your big toe mound and pinky toe mound, extending forward and upward.

Watch the video on YouTube →

XOXO
Stacey