United States
United States
Hi There! My name is Greta, but most call me Gigi. I’m a certified holistic health coach, health & wellness blogger, and Beautycounter consultant. I have been dedicated to living a healthy lifestyle for several years, after experiencing the powerful effects that holistic nutrition has on the body and mind. I truly believe in natural healing, balance, and life long health from the inside, out.
I started my blog, Gigi Kent Wellness, during my studies with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. It’s a mash up of healthy food, lifestyle, clean beauty, fitness, personal reflection, and my health coaching services. As for my nutrition beliefs, I’m not vegan, and no longer vegetarian, (however I think those are great lifestyles if that works for you!). What works for me in this moment is eating intuitively -- lean animal protein one day, plant-based another. . . it’s up to us to figure out what works and to listen to our bodies!
As kids, we had this mindset of Fall being a negative because it means that fun-in-the-sun summer days were over, and it was time to get focused for back-to-school. Now that we’re older, fall is a time of rejuvenation, routine, and productivity.
So, as fall weather approaches I have a few things that I naturally start to incorporate into my daily routine as a way to stay grounded, balanced, and healthy.
The temperatures begin to cool, and we have to learn to keep ourselves warm within. Nature gives us clues on how to adapt our daily routines. We gravitate towards cooked meals vs. fresh and raw; ground foods, with rich scents, warm deep colors, maybe even some soil remanence.
A daily routine comes natural for me. Following a schedule, having order and tasks motivates me. The key to developing a routine that works for you is: consistency.
Becoming a morning person takes practice, but I assure you, if you can commit to those 6:00 am (or earlier) alarms you are setting yourself up for a super productive day. Challenge yourself to start setting your alarm 10 or 15 minutes earlier than normal, in increments, and simply work from there. You’ll see that your body will start to adjust and ease into its own clockwork.
Sipping on water throughout my morning (and day) essentially wakes up my organs, stimulates elimination, and boosts my metabolism. If you find water boring, try warm water with lemon juice, add in a few drops of citrus essential oils, or you can get real adventurous and add a teaspoon of chia seeds.
You know that scene when Cinderella opens her windows and all the birds and wildlife swarm in? That’s what I like to imagine when I open the blinds and make the bed. It forces in that warm natural light, and gives off the vibe that it’s too late to crawl back into bed!
Fall is a great time of year to get outside. I love running in crisp weather, however, taking a long walk while listening to a podcast is just as enjoyable. But if it’s too chilly, I’ll find a machine at the gym and go from there - as long as I’m being active.
During weekends, we try to spend as much time outside as possible. Whether a hike, apple picking, a walk on the beach, farmers market stroll, bike ride, trail run, etc. If you live with your partner, family or roommates, involve as many people as you can - it’s easier to stick to your strategy of having a healthy and active fall if others are as invested.
In the cooler months, I tend to load up more on supplements - they’re a great way to give a little extra boost to my immune system and mental health. Some examples of these include Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Probiotics and Prebiotics.
You may have noticed that I have fasted through my morning thus far. I see and hear a lot about “Intermittent Fasting” lately, but I remain neutral. I choose to workout fasted because I find that I have enough fuel from the previous night.
I do however, like to try and allow my digestion a 12-hour window of rest. If I stopped eating food the night before around 8pm, then the next morning I like to wait until at least 8am (12 hours) to have my first meal. A great book that dives into the benefits of this, is called Clean by Dr Alejandro Junger.
I focus on warm, nourishing foods in every meal. I’m not a fan of smoothies year-round, personally it’s hard for my body to get warm again and I don’t feel full or satisfied. Instead, I opt for something more grounding like warm oats with berries, eggs with roasted veggies and avocado, sweet potato toast, or a simple cup of bone broth.
After breakfast I brush and floss my teeth, as well as use a tongue scraper (if you haven’t tried one, I highly recommend it). Oral hygiene says a whole lot about your overall health and longevity.
Once I’m done in the bathroom I clean up the kitchen, wash dishes, and tidy up any other part of the apartment that needs it. I work way better in an organized space, my mind can focus on the task at hand instead of obsessing over a stack of dirty dishes.
I’m a huge fan of lists for all things like staying organized, planning, food shopping, workouts - you name it. It’s so satisfying to write something down and be able to go back and cross it out, revealing your accomplishments.
Lists keep me on track. I like to make them daily, but also weekly, so I can make sure I’m setting myself up for success all week. Besides my monthly intentions list, I don’t write a monthly list because, well, life happens and I think working one week at a time is just as ambitious.
Always keep a pile of scrap-paper nearby to jot down ideas and “brain dump” any thoughts you don’t want to forget later!
I make time each day, even if it’s only 10 minutes or during lunch, to work on something joyful. For me, this could be researching writing a blog post, taking photos and editing, recipe testing, reading a book - whatever it is, I just want to make sure I’m giving time to the things I’m passionate about.
Some days there’s just not enough time in the day! If I wasn’t able to finish something from the day before, I often will finish it up during lunch the next day. Having a side hustle, is truly all about time management and knowing how to use your time wisely and effectively.
Have you determined whether you’re a morning or nighttime workout person? Above I discussed cardio ideas, but I’m also someone who believes in changing up your activities. Not everyday do I have the chance to workout twice, but if I do I like to break it up. Morning will often be cardio, while afternoon may be a form of strength training or stretching. Try out HIIT, free weights, plyometrics, yoga, foam rolling - not every workout needs to be “fat burning” or “heart racing”, the goal is to get moving!
I’m a huge advocate for cleaner and safer beauty and have been making the switch with Beautycounter. One of my fave cleansers The Cleansing Balm, is especially great when the air gets dry and cooler. It can also be used as a hydrating face mask: apply and massage onto clean skin, then sleep tight. When you wake up, rinse it off, and voila!
Another product I’m a fan of in the Fall, are face oils! After washing my face, I like to moisturize with my No 1 Brightening Oil, it’s lightweight and leaves my face feeling fresh and replenished.
Include lots of seasonal root veggies and hearty grains. What the earth grows seasonally, is ideally what we should be eating to stay grounded and maintain balance. Fall harvest foods are best such as: sweet potatoes, squashes, beets, carrots, radishes, turnips, arugula, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, and more!
Quinoa, faro, and chickpea pasta are some of our staple “grains”. Using a slow cooker is always a fall kitchen must. I love making quinoa veggie chili, roasted whole chicken, dairy-free quiche with sweet potato crust, roasted veggies with tahini - honestly the list is endless!
When cooking dinner, I’ll also take time to prep lunches. Doing this at night saves time and stress in the morning, plus the kitchen is already dirty!
You’ve heard of Netflix + Chill but my version is a little more. . . cozy. We like to wind down at night watching a couple episodes on Netflix. While we watch, I love sitting with a hot water bottle on my tummy. It’s super comforting after eating dinner and soothes my digestion before bed. Another thing I like to do is make a little night-time tea or latte and sip on that as my dessert. Right now I’m really into molasses lattes! I like making them the bulletproof style, so I’ll add nut milk, collagen, and coconut oil for a more nutrient-dense drink.
I aim for a bedtime before 10:00 pm to ensure I’m getting a full eight hours of sleep each night. I keep a humidifier in the room at night because colder months bring dry air and dry air gives me a sore throat. Nobody wants that! I also sleep with an eye mask on. Getting restful sleep isn’t always achievable, especially if you’re constantly lying awake because of light.
Lastly I apply coconut oil to my feet, massage them, and put socks on right before bed. Just like the air needs hydration during the fall, our bodies do too. Between working out and the change in season cracking feet are not ideal and wearing socks after allows the oil to fully soak in!
I read this quote on Instagram recently that said, “Sometimes you just gotta clean your room, and apply an elaborate skincare routine, and pretend that’s equivalent to getting your life in order”. To end this little piece, I couldn’t agree more!
Fall to me is more than the reintroduction of pumpkin spice lattes and sweaters - it’s about setting yourself up for a motivated Winter. It’s a time to slow down. Did you know It takes about four weeks to form a new habit? We’re all busy, that’s life. What works for me, may not work for you. This is all about commitment, convenience and consistency - throughout your journey to a healthy fall.
Commit to the change you want and try to create habits that work for you and your lifestyle. Consistency is key. If you’re always in a time crunch, do less, but do it often - you have to decide what is realistic, in order to commit. Make yourself a priority because you are worthy!
For more Greta, head over to Gigi Kent Wellness.
Next →
← Previous
Canada