My mission is to make ALL women feel like superheroes and teach the world that exercise shouldn't have to suck!

Fit

I know I keep beating this drum, but it's so important to keep up your activity during the holidays. This is the time of year where many people run themselves ragged, totally overbook their schedules, stop exercising, sleep less, eat poorly, and worry about all kinds of things (spending money, getting all the shopping done, navigating family/in-law dynamics, etc.)

All that stress is one reason that colds and flus are more common and hit us harder during the winter months. The antidote? More self-care! And it's not impossible to fit it in. You just have to care about taking care of yourself at least as much as you care about the other priorities on your to-do list.

And if you get serious about your list, and really pressure test it, I bet you can find things that you can ditch or delegate. But there's no way to delegate your exercise or your sleeping schedule. YOU have to get those things done for YOU.

My recommendation for you this holiday season is to do LESS, especially those things that you feel pressure to do but don't actually feel strongly about. I love testing things this way: if it's not a HELL YES!, then it's a no and it's not going on my calendar.

Even though the process of exercise may not feel like a HELL YES, the results of exercise definitely do! I feel less anxious, I sleep better, I handle stress better and roll with the punches more easily, and I feel pride about taking care of myself and investing in my long-term health and longevity.

Consider this your permission to not say yes to everything, to ditch or delegate some of your tasks, and calendar in some YOU time. You are worth it!

---

Food

This cauliflower soup recipe is adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, Mostly Plants: 101 Delicious Flexitarian Recipes from the Pollan Family.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 onion
• 1 head of garlic
• 3 small-medium carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups broth
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1.5 tbsp dried)
• 2 tbsp half and half or heavy cream (optional)
• 1/4 cup raw pepitas
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Use a food processor and chop up the onion, carrots, and celery.
3. Toss the cauliflower florets and chopped vegetables with olive oil. Spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer.
4. Cut the top off of the head of garlic so the tips of the cloves are exposed Drizzle olive oil over the top and then wrap the whole bulb in foil.
5. Roast the vegetables and wrapped garlic in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the cauliflower is golden brown and tender.
6. In a large pot, combine the vegetables with broth and add the thyme. Bring to a simmer and let it cook for 10-15 minutes.
7. While the pot is simmering, unwrap the garlic and carefully squeeze the roasted cloves out of their skins and drop into the soup pot.
8. Remove the thyme sprigs from the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, transfer the mixture to a blender in batches, blend until smooth, and return it to the pot.
9. Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes.
10. Toss the pepitas with about 1 tsp olive oil and season with salt. Toast them in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring often, until they are warm and fragrant.
11. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with pepitas, and serve.

---

Fun

I just read two fabulous books by Jessie Inchauspe; Glucose Revolution and The Glucose Goddess Method.

Jessie is a biochemist who studies how glucose impacts our bodies and general wellbeing. You've probably heard more about insulin in the health industry, but glucose is what actually impacts our insulin reactions. By learning how to influence our glucose-eating behaviors for the better, we can improve our insulin response, which has all manner of positive effects on our health.

This all sounds boring, but she writes like she's talking to a friend and it's so easy to understand AND interesting! I also really love these books because there's nothing diet-y about them. She's got 10 hacks to improve your glucose situation and none of them involve giving up your favorite foods. That's right up my alley!

Speaking of which, I'm opening up my next exclusive Hero Habits nutrition coaching group in January. Days and times are still TBD, but I'm only taking a small number of people, so if you want on that list, click below so I know to send you the details ASAP!

Hero Habits Wait List​

---

Bonus!

My Holiday Survival Guide is here!!! This has ALL of my best tips for feeling amazing all the way through the holidays and into next year. Get your copy below.

Hit reply and tell me which tips resonated with you most. I want to hear your holiday strategies!

I Want The Guide!

---

I love to hear your thoughts! Reply back and tell me if you've tried a recipe, are going to use some of my tips, or anything else. And stay tuned for my next update in the coming weeks.