Ever wondered what steps you should take to optimize your nutrition before starting IVF?

Well wonder no more!

Here are 3 steps to preparing for your IVF journey

1.Take the time to optimize your lifestyle with your partner, whoever they may be!

It is important to keep in mind that dietary and lifestyle changes don’t happen overnight. Did you know that it takes approximately 3 whole months for both your eggs and sperm to fully mature? This really highlights why it is so important to spend at least 3 months prior to your first cycle of IVF making any required changes to your diet and lifestyle.

This may include:

• Optimizing your diet (I’ll go into more detail later in this blog post).
• Understanding your cycle. Speak to your fertility specialist or dietitian about your current menstrual cycle and ovulation. There are likely several strategies you can undertake to optimize and balance your cycle.
• Start or maintain a healthy, exercise routine. The current physical activity guidelines for adults state that you should aim to get at least 150-300 minutes of moderately intense exercise each week or 75-150 minutes of vigorous exercise each week for optimal health.
• Take steps to reduce your stress. Studies have repeatedly shown that chronic stress increases the level of inflammation in our body which increases oxidative stress and subsequent damage to the quality of our eggs and sperm. See my previous blog post for tips on how to reduce your stress!

2. Increase your consumption of dietary antioxidants!

One way you can do this is to adopt a Mediterranean-style diet. This pattern of eating has numerous benefits (particularly when it comes to fertility and IVF!).

⁠It has been shown to:⁠

• ⁠Improve both egg and sperm quality⁠
• Increase embryo yields when you are undergoing IVF⁠ treatments
• Optimize fertility outcomes
• Enhance pregnancy outcomes (encourages carrying a healthy baby to full term with no complications)
• Decreases inflammation in the body thus improving both egg and sperm quality and increases the likelihood of conception

So what does a Mediterranean diet look like?

• Consuming plenty of colourful fruits and vegetables⁠ every day. A simple way to achieve this is to aim for at least 3 different colors on your plate at every meal!
• Consuming wholegrains (breads, cereals, rice, quinoa etc.)
• Cooking and using healthy fats like extra-virgin olive oil
• Eating a variety of different nuts and seeds⁠
• Including legumes/beans⁠ in your diet (think of them like a vegetable with protein!)
• Plenty of seafood (with a particular emphasis on oily fish) at least twice each week
• Moderate consumption of dairy foods, eggs, and poultry (chicken, duck, turkey)⁠
• Limiting your consumption of red meat⁠

A Mediterranean style diet will ensure that you get all of the below nutrients that studies have shown are essential for quality eggs and sperm.

• Omega-3 fatty acids
• CoQ10
• Zinc
• Vitamin D
• Selenium
• Folate
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin C
• Lycopene

Studies have also shown that the wholegrains in a Mediterranean-style diet will aid the implantation of your fertilized egg!

3. Get a tailored supplement plan!

There are many ways that nutritional supplements can improve your chances of conceiving during IVF. However, it’s not as simple as taking your average prenatal.

A tailored supplement plan will take into account several factors including your:

• Age
• Medical history
• Reproductive history
• Current oral intake
• Weight and height

This will mean that you are taking supplements that have been individually tailored for your specific needs!

If you would like to learn how to optimize your nutrition before starting IVF, schedule your free 30 minute 1:1 strategy call with me!

References:

1.Mediterranean Diet 101: Meal Plan, Foods List, and Tips (healthline.com)

2. Maternal whole grain intake and outcomes of in vitro fertilization (nih.gov)

5 easy ways to reduce stress while trying to conceive

Embarking on a fertility journey can feel long and overwhelming at times. It is important to have strategies in place to help you cope with stress and anxiety, particularly if you are a Type-A personality that likes everything to be perfect at all times! These 5 tips will help you to reduce your stress while you are trying to conceive.

Try as best as you can to take things back-to-basics, by taking perfectionism off the table. Focusing on the basic pillars of health and wellness, can reduce stress without adding additional overwhelming tasks to your already very long to-do list.

If our stress levels remain high for too long, we can end up with elevated levels of cortisol, a hormone that is made up of the same building blocks as progesterone.

If our body is busy focusing on making cortisol, it places less importance on progesterone production, leading to a reduced supply. This can lead to several negative side-effects, particularly in respect to fertility including:

• Estrogen dominance
• Decreased ability to conceive
• Difficulty with mood stabilization

Progesterone helps us to grow a thick uterine lining which is then shed during menstruation. If we don’t have enough progesterone, then we end up with a lighter period, and a thinner uterine lining to support healthy implantation.

So we can see just how big of an impact stress can have on our ability to conceive!

Try these 5 easy ways to reduce your stress while you are trying to conceive:

1. Ensure you get regular movement

Be sure to move your body daily, even if it is in a very gentle way. Research has shown time and time again, that exercise is incredibly beneficial for stress and our mental health as a whole.⁠ Try activities like yoga, walking, and tai-chi to get your blood flowing.

2. Get enough sleep

Take this time to create a relaxing night time routine to help you unwind and get adequate sleep. Try taking time off devices to read, listening to a podcast, trying a mindfulness exercise or talking to a loved one. Aiming for 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night will help your body to get the rest it needs, without adding additional stress hormones into the mix.

3. Connect with others
⁠

Remind yourself of the supportive community that you have around you on this journey. Reach out to friends, family, support services at your fertility clinic or a counselling service if you need to.⁠ Research has shown that good social supports have a number of protective effects on our health (all of which are beneficial for improving our chances of conceiving) including:

• Decreased blood pressure
• Normal heart rate
• Reduced cortisol levels

4. Keep busy!

⁠Type-A people are prone to overthinking and dwelling on the negative. Staying busy during your fertility journey can help you to stay positive and not focus on the things that we can’t control.

Take up a new hobby, clean out that cupboard, cook a new recipe or plan a day trip to somewhere you haven’t been before! Keep your mind and hands busy as often as you can to help reduce your stress.⁠

⁠
5. Reframe your thoughts⁠
⁠

Reminding yourself of the strength it has taken you to get to this point can be helpful for Type-A personalities. Try to avoid dwelling on negatives and focus on the facts. Spending time in a negative space will only make the process feel harder. Writing down your thoughts and linking them with facts can be a helpful visual and can help you to break negative thought processes.

For example, if you regularly think “I’m not meant to be a mother, this will never happen for me”, counteract this thought with several facts for example:

• I have several caring and motherly instincts and that is clearly seen in how I care for my partner and friends
• This may not happen right now, but that does not mean it will never happen

⁠If you try these tips and are still struggling to find enough support while you are trying to conceive, book your free 30 minute 1:1 strategy call with me to learn how I can support you using functional nutrition, specialty lab testing, and targeted supplements. Can’t wait to speak to you!

⁠
References:

1. Social Support and Resilience to Stress (nih.gov)
2. Why Stress-Baking and Cleaning Make You Less Anxious | WIRED
3. Exercise as Stress Relief (healthline.com)

This past week I asked my Insta-fam what you all were interested to learn more about, and most of you said morning routines! I’m really happy about that, because creating a mindful morning routine has been one of the best healthy hacks I started in 2018. And it’s no surprise that some of the world’s most successful people attribute having a solid morning routine to their success.

Why Morning Routines Are a Powerful Habit to Keep

Having a morning routine is a habit, and the more you do it, the easier or more intuitive it becomes. If you haven’t read my post on how to create and stick to habits, go check it out first and be sure to grab my free habits tracker while you’re there!

Now, morning routines are not just about waking up, brushing your teeth, drinking coffee, and heading out the door. Because let’s face it, most of us do that any way. This is about going deeper, and being intentional with your morning to set yourself up for success for the rest of the day.

Do you ever have a morning where you’ve snoozed one too many times, jump out of bed in a panic, hastily throw on whatever clothes you see first, and then grab a coffee on your way into work? How do you feel after a morning like that? Most likely frazzled, stressed, and not in a place to be creative and think outside the box.

The idea behind having a mindful morning is that you are calm, focused, and ready for your day by the time you arrive to work. Having time in the morning just for you, allows for time to de-stress and prioritize what is most important.

I’ll share with you my current morning routine, which is pretty tight to be honest because I’m doing my clinical internship at the moment, and I have to be at work by 7am. I’ll also show you my morning routine when I was working from home and would start around 8:45-9am.

Current Morning Routine:

5:30am Wake up using my sunrise alarm clock, turn on the electric kettle to heat some hot water for my lemon water and coffee. Brush teeth, splash face with ice cold water.

5:35 am Make my warm lemon water and protein coffee, bring both drinks back to my room and set my Insight timer for 10 minutes of meditation (I keep my phone on airplane mode in the morning to help minimize distractions from social media)

5:45 am Either write down or say out loud three things I’m grateful for. This helps to set my day off with a positive note.

5:50 am 10 minutes of light yoga and stretching to wake my body up more. I like Yoga with Adrienne’s videos on Youtube

6:00 am Get dressed (clothes are laid out from the night before), put some makeup on, and grab my lunch from the fridge (meals prepped from the night before)

6:15 am Head out the door and start my 45 minute commute to work

Now, this current morning routine is less than ideal for me TBH. But, I am still making sure to get in some meditation, movement, and gratitude journaling in first thing in the morning. I am pretty low-maintenance when it comes to work outfits, makeup, and hair so it really does only take me 15 minutes to get dressed and out the door.

If you need more time for this, make sure to be aware of how much time you truly need to get ready. I also wanted to share my morning routine from a couple months ago, because it was my *absolute* ideal.

Past Mindful Morning Routine:

6:00am Wake up, turn on the electric kettle to heat some hot water for my lemon water and protein coffee. Brush teeth, splash face with ice cold water.

6:05 am Make my warm lemon water and walk over to the living room and set my Insight timer for 10 minutes of meditation, lighting a candle or palo santo.

6:15 am Make my protein coffee, get dressed for the gym, and make my bed.

6:30-7:30am Workout at the gym down the street from my house – mix of strength training and cardio.

7:45am Back home, shower, get dressed for the day, and make breakfast (usually a green smoothie)

8:15am Write out my priorities list for the day as well as fill in my gratitude journal.

8:30am Start working from home!

I think both of these morning routines show you that whether you have 30 minutes or 2 hours in the morning, there is precious time to be taken advantage of. Instead of arriving to work flustered and unfocused, you can arrive having already accomplished some major things.

A good morning routine begins the night before. I will do another separate post about nighttime routines, because this will help set you up for success in the morning!

One of the most important things you can do to have a good morning routine without distractions is to keep your phone on airplane mode in the morning. I don’t turn on my phone on until I get in my car for Google Maps. This eliminates the distraction of checking Instagram or emails right in the morning, which immediately pulls your attention and focus away from the present moment.

Tips for Creating a Mindful Morning Routine:

-Set your alarm for even 10 minutes earlier in the morning. If you can’t seem to find time in the morning, start small. Remember, 5 minutes of meditation is better than none.

-Resist the urge to snooze! I’ll be the first to admit that I struggle with the snooze. But I started saying to myself: “you snooze, you lose” and for some reason it gets me out of bed! Try it and let me know if it works for you too!

-Start with one thing at a time. You know the fastest way to fail at this? Try and do everything at once! Seriously, pick ONE thing and stick with it for at least one week before adding on something else. I always recommend starting with meditation. If you need some inspiration, check out this post on my favorite meditation apps.

-Change with the seasons and don’t be afraid to allow your routine to change! Right now, I’m in a season of intense work. I’m doing my clinical internship to become a Registered Dietitian and the hours are insane. That’s okay. I’ve adjusted my routine to still include just a few of my favorite things and when I’m back to a more relaxed work schedule, I’ll likely shift back into morning workouts and having a slower morning.

-Just do it. Seriously. However many excuses you have, just try out one simple thing like writing down 3 things you’re grateful for, or 5 minutes of mindful breathing. Whatever it is, try it out and stick with it for at least 2 weeks before deciding it’s not for you. And of course, report back and let me know how it goes!

So what do you think? Do you have a morning routine you love, or are you going to try one of the things listed here? Let me know in the comments below so I can hear about your beautiful mindful morning routines!

xo,

 

Have you ever found yourself in a funk? Maybe thinking about how everyone else is somehow succeeding – whether it’s at life, career, family, money, body – and you are decidedly, not?

I used to be like this. I would get into downward spirals, sometimes on purpose, and just dig myself deeper and deeper with little light ever coming in. This happened especially when I was younger (being a teenager is tough!) and had very little confidence in myself.

I remember crying in my mom’s bed, telling her how I had no friends (completely untrue) and how I wasn’t smart enough (straight A student), and had no talent (captain of my basketball team and dancer for many years). My mom is amazing, but she would just look so confused, like why are you telling yourself this story?

(more…)

This past week I took five days away from work, away from my family and friends, away from social media to sit in silence and do… nothing. Seriously.

If you’ve ever heard about those weirdos who sit in silence for days at a time meditating somewhere in the forest, well – I became one of those weirdos.

I attended a Jewish Meditation retreat with Or Ha Lev, co-sponsored by Pardes and NYU Center for Spirituality. It was five days of silence, meditation, chanting, and contemplating life. I drove out to Waynesboro, Pennsylvania (which in case you haven’t heard of Waynesboro, PA -there’s next to nothing there), with my yoga mat in tow and embarked on one of the most transformative experiences in my entire life.

Now, I know that last sentence seems like a lot, a bit Eat, Pray, Love of me – but truly, it was. That’s not to say it didn’t come with road bumps, because there were. Plenty of them. Which is why I wanted to take some time to write out the various expectations I had vs. the reality of what happened.

Day One: Utter and Complete Boredom

The first day honestly felt like the longest day of my entire life. May I remind you that I’ve lived in remote villages in Nepal, and I’ve also spent several weeks living in an ashram in the south of India. But no, the first day of silence felt so painstakingly long and BORING, I immediately thought about escaping into the woods.

Every sitting meditation was excruciatingly long and painful, my back ached, I felt really alone and bored, and pretty much just started judging everyone around me.

I thought that if every day was going to be like this, I might as well pack it home, because there would be no way I could survive this particularly cruel type of torture.

My expectations going into this retreat were:

• I would be totally blissed out the entire time floating on a cloud
• I would transcend time and space and just meditate without any distractions
• I would feel soooo good about the fact that I was there
• I would be nourishing my body with the most delicious organic vegan foods

The reality on day one:

• I was super uncomfortable despite having several blankets and cushions and couldn’t sit still
• I was bored and tired, and actually dozed off several times during meditation
• The food was less than stellar, and I had to mindfully endure each bite
• I was so over the teachers, and them telling me to just breathe (I am breathing! I’m alive aren’t I?!) 

Days Two and Three: Things Start to Shift

Something happened on day two: I began to settle in to my surroundings. When the morning bells rung at 5:45am I felt energized, and ready to dive into my first 45 minute sitting meditation at 6:15am.

I started to really focus on my breath, and even begin to feel in my body where thoughts and feelings were coming up. I began to see everyone around me as individuals who were all going through something of their own. When they cried, I cried. When they laughed, I laughed. We were all connected.

I still dozed off during one of my meditations, and I did question why I was there sometimes when I could have been hanging out with my family, and enjoying myself rather than being in my own thoughts and reflecting on every life decision. But hey, I was getting deeper into my meditations and actually started to look forward to them rather than dreading them.

Days Four and Five: Complete Transformation

There were several things that led to a transformation in me and I want to list them out here:

1. We had small group meetings where we were allowed to talk, and share with the teacher what we were struggling with. Being able to hear others around me express their own fears, frustrations, emotions, family drama, relationship hardships, etc. really put me at ease and made me feel like I was not alone in my struggles and thoughts. It was an excellent lesson that we ALL deal with things in our lives, and NO ONE has it all together. And if they tell you they do, they’re lying.

2. They call it a meditation practice for a reason. Just like a sport, or musical instrument – the more you practice, the “better” you get. Now, I’m not going to measure one meditation “better” than another, but I will say that it became easier for me to sit still and focus on my breath and awareness of the present moment. Before coming to this retreat, I was meditating every day – but I was meditating for five minutes. For me, that was what I felt I could reasonably do on a daily basis. On retreat, we would sit for 45 minutes to an hour, several times throughout the day. The more I sat down to meditate, the easier it became to go for longer periods. And with longer meditations, came more insight.

3. Being away from my phone, and being in nature completely healed me. It’s funny, but we don’t tend to notice how much technology impacts our lives. But when you work on a computer all day long, check your phone constantly, and then go home and watch TV – it’s easy to forget what shutting down actually feels like. Not only did I not have cell service, but my entertainment became the trees, sky, and little insects on tree barks. One afternoon I just watched the rain fall for 20 minutes – twenty! I began to notice droplets of water on leaves, small ripples in a lake, mushrooms growing on the side of a log, and the sounds of rushing water. One day, I was walking so slowly (this was part of our meditation practice) that I noticed a tiny ant. And I stopped. I watched it crawl around for a bit and then continued on. The point I’m trying to make is that I was able to truly slow down. And that was incredible.

4. I had the time and space to examine my life deeply. This may be the most scary. For many of us, we continue on our daily habits and routines and don’t question much. I unearthed many things during this retreat, things that I had swept underneath the rug and didn’t want to deal with. On retreat, I was forced to confront these things, and also accept them, and myself, as they are with loving-kindness and self-compassion.

Lessons Learned and Top Meditation Tips

There were so many things I learned on this retreat, but the number one thing I want to share is that everyone needs to start meditating. Whether you do it for five minutes per day, or 45 minutes per day – cultivating a practice of awareness will truly shift your life for the positive.

So if you’re looking to start meditating, I’ll recommend a few things to help you on your own meditation journey:

1. Start with a small actionable step: like meditating for five minutes per day. If you need an app to help with this, here are my favorites.
2. Join community – there are many mindfulness communities, just Google one in your area, and start practicing with others. This is something I’m definitely going to be incorporating more of in 2019 and beyond.
3. If you forget one day, or life gets busy, that’s okay! Just get back on to the horse. As one of my meditation teachers taught: if you forget to brush your teeth one day, will you stop brushing your teeth altogether? No! You’ll just brush the next day.
4. Go on retreat! If you’re able to take a few days off, I highly recommend attending a meditation retreat to deepen your practice.

If you have any questions about mindfulness meditation you can let me know in the comments or reach out via email (hello@wellspringnutrition.co) or on Instagram!

Have you ever meditated? Would you ever attend a meditation retreat?

Hi friends! I’m so excited to share today’s post all about healthy gifts for the holiday season. The holiday season is in full swing, and finding that *perfect* gift for the ones you love is something like a sport. When you know what to get your fitness junkie friend, your aunt who loves yoga, or your bestie who is obsessed with skincare, you kind of feel like you just nailed it.

I’ve divided the post into a few categories to make sure you get exactly what your friends and family actually want – no returns this year. The categories are: the yogi, the clean beauty lover, the wellness mama, the foodie, and the fitness junkie. I either own or have tried many of the items on this list, and know you’re going to absolutely love it! Happy shopping and happy holidays!

note: this post does contain affiliate links

YOGI Holiday Gift Guide

1. We Over Me: Crop top and leggings – I absolutely love this brand, their leggings are very high wasted, the material is super soft, and its great for low-impact activities like gentle yoga, pilates, or even lounging on the weekend.
2. Lululemon Namastay yoga mat – This is a recent purchase of mine and absolutely adore this mat. I’ve gone through several yoga mats, and this is by far the best for hot, sweaty yoga classes. If your yogi friend is into more gentle yoga, I would also recommend the Manduka PRO Yoga and Pilates Mat, Black,71″, or the Jade Harmony Mat – both have great grip and will support your yogi friend during their flows.
3. Yogitoes Towel – This is another great purchase for hot and sweaty yoga. It sticks to your mat and catches all the sweat during an especially hot or difficult class. This print is absolutely gorgeous too, can’t go wrong!
4. Alo Yoga Cropped Hoodie – After a warm yoga class, the last thing you want to do is step out into the cold. Having a cute but warm crop top hoodie makes all the difference.
5. Alo Yoga Airlift Leggings – perfect for any type of yoga, these leggings will stand the test of time. The colors are absolutely beautiful too!
6. Half Moon Meditation Cushion – having a gorgeous and comfortable meditation cushion makes all the difference. This set is definitely on my wishlist as well!

 

FOODIE Holiday Gift Guide

1. Vital Proteins Holiday Sampler Box  – If you’ve been following my Instagram for a while, you know that I absolutely love Vital Proteins. I use their collagen peptides in my smoothies, the coconut creamers in my coffee, and even use their collagen matcha. This holiday sampler is a great stocking stuffer and allows you to try out a handful of their products before committing to a bigger quantity.
2. Spiralizer – Hands down one of the best purchases of 2018. Why spend 3x the price for pre-spiralized veggies at the grocery store when you can do it at home?! I love using this for my zucchini noodles and turkey meatballs. It’s an awesome way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet, and a bargain!
3. Ippodo Matcha – To be honest, I’m not a huge matcha drinker, but when I do I like to go for a high grade matcha with a bright vivid green color. If you have a matcha lover in your life, this would be a great stocking stuffer.
4.  Stasher Bag– These are awesome little silicon ziplock bags – you can steam, microwave or freeze them – great for storing extras, packing away snacks for the road or a long day, or even just to organize your stuff. I bring a couple of these with me when I travel for extra snacks.
5. –Reusable Glass Drinking Straws – Aside from my spiralizer, this is my most beloved kitchen item! These glass straws are so sleek and minimalist, they honestly make me want to drink more water, and bonus points if you keep one in your purse or car to cut down on your plastic use!
6. Vitamix 750 – I would be remiss to not include a Vitamix in my foodie gift guide. This is the ULTIMATE gift. I use my Vitamix every single day and this is no exaggeration. Once you go Vitamix, you never go back.
7. Bushwick Kitchen Bees Knees Spicy Trio – I love these artisanal spicy honeys, a very thoughtful gift that is also practical.

CLEAN BEAUTY HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

This may have been the hardest collection to narrow down! It’s safe to say I’m a little clean beauty obsessed – having worked at Follain, and tried dozens and dozens of products, I’ve narrowed it down to my absolute favorites (not an easy feat!). Rest assured, I’ve done all the hard work for you, and any of these gifts would be incredible!

1. Osea Ocean Mudd Cleanser – for those with oily skin or want a weekly deep clean. My husband uses this product and absolutely loves it.
2. Rose Quartz Gua Sha – I just purchased a gua sha tool for more advanced at-home facials. Check out a full tutorial here.
3. Osea Probiotic Polish – if you’re looking for a deep exfoliation, look no further. This polish will make your skin instantly more radiant. Especially love this during the winter months!
4. Province Apothecary Jade Roller – this one will stand the test of time. I know others jade rollers stop working or get stuck. I love this one because it has a smooth and textured side. Pop it into the fridge or freezer and feel instantly more relaxed. I love using a roller when I’m putting on a sheet mask too to make the most out of it!
5. Tata Harper Daily Essentials – It’s so hard to choose one Tata Harper product, I love this kit because it allows you to try multiple products before taking the step to a bigger investment.
6. Herbivore Coco Rose Scrub – I love the rose scent to this scrub, perfect for all over the body while showering. A sweet gift that is super affordable.
7. Rahua Shampoo and Conditioner – One of the hardest things for me to switch into clean beauty was shampoo and conditioner. This set is absolute perfect and smells INCREDIBLE. You’ll feel like an amazonian rainforest goddess.
8. Osea Hylauronic Acid Serum – Another Osea favorite! I love this affordable serum that locks in moisture. Perfect for your dry-skinned gal pals.
9. May Lindstrom Blue Cocoon – I know this is super expensive, but it would not make it onto the list if I didn’t swear by it! I use this every night, it acts as an under eye serum too (2 in 1!), and is excellent for dry skin and rosacea. I’ve gifted this to friends, my mom, and to myself. I adore May Lindstrom products.
10. Honest Hazel Eye Gels – I picked these up once before a long flight to Israel and cannot turn back. These are great for travel, or for an at-home spa day. Super affordable and a great stocking stuffer!
11. May Lindstrom Jasmine Garden – This facial mist feels extra luxe, and will instantly make you feel refreshed. Another May Lindstrom product I’ve gifted multiple times. A true winner.

FITNESS HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

1. Fabric Non Slip Booty Bands – I absolutely love booty bands, they’ve completely transformed my workouts. I use them for booty workouts, squats, during warm ups, and take them with me when I travel and don’t have access to a gym. Super practical and affordable gift for your gym loving friend. These bands are fabric and non-slip, which is so important.
2. Adidas Ultraboost Sneakers – I bought these sneakers a few months ago and there is no looking back. I love these sneakers for running, weight training, and even weekend errands. They are super cute and super comfortable.
3. Apple Airpods – An absolute essential for the gym and for life. Best investment of 2018.
4. Lululemon Backpack – A gym bag that has a separate compartment for dirty clothes, a place for your backpack, AND it looks extra chic? Heck yes.
5. Class packs – Soul Cycle, Flywheel, CorePower Yoga, – these classes can get pretty expensive. One of my favorite gifts to receive is a 5 or 10 class pack to a studio that I love, but can’t neccessarily afford to go to all the time. CorePower is having a deal right now for the holidays where you can buy a $100 gift card for $80 – score!
6. YUNI Sweat Refresh and Go – I swear by these YUNI shower sheets. If you ever go to a workout class without showers, these sheets are a MUST. All of the Yuni products smell so good, and make you feel refreshed after a tough workout.

I hope you loved this gift guide, and let me know what you end up purchasing on Instagram! Happy holidays friends!