The No-Guilt Guide to Tracking Alcohol

Let’s talk about alcohol and nutrition tracking because this is where a lot of well intentioned people either overthink it…or stop tracking altogether. The truth is, alcohol doesn’t make you “bad,” but it does play by different rules in your body, and understanding those rules is empowering, not restrictive.

Here’s the simple science. When you drink alcohol, your body temporarily presses pause on fat burning so it can clear the alcohol first. It’s not punishment. It’s just your liver doing its job. That’s why alcohol can slow progress if it’s frequent or unaccounted for, but it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it intentionally.

So how do you track it? Think calories first. Alcohol isn’t protein, so it gets logged as carbs, fats, or a mix of both based on the drink.

A quick cheat sheet:
• Carbs provide 4 calories per gram
• Fat provides 9 calories per gram

Let’s say your drink is about 100 calories.
You can log it as:
• 25g carbs (100 ÷ 4)
• OR about 11–12g fat (100 ÷ 9)
• OR split it, especially for cocktails: 12g carbs + 6g fat

Wine, beer, or sugary mixers tend to fit better as carbs. Straight spirits often work better as fats. Cocktails usually land somewhere in between.

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s awareness. When you track alcohol honestly, you remove the guilt spiral and stay in control of your choices. One tracked drink is always better than three ignored ones.

And if alcohol just doesn’t sound good some days, there are great alcohol free options now that still feel festive. Sparkling teas, botanical drinks, or functional beverages can give you the ritual without the disruption.

Bottom line: you don’t need to avoid alcohol forever to make progress. You just need to understand how it fits. When you do, you can enjoy it without wondering why your body feels off the next day.

That’s nutrition confidence. And that’s always the goal.

Holiday Hacks I Swear By (Midlife Edition)

The holidays have a way of sneaking up fast, don’t they? Between travel, gatherings, and one too many peppermint mochas, it’s easy to slip into “survival mode.” But here’s the truth: feeling good this season doesn’t require perfection, it just takes a plan that works for real life.

These are a few of my go-to holiday hacks that help me (and my clients) stay energized, enjoy the season, and feel good without restriction or burnout.

1 | Anchor Your Morning
How you start your day matters, especially when you know the next few weeks are about to be a blur. Starting with a protein-rich breakfast and a few minutes of movement helps regulate blood sugar, stabilize energy, and set the tone for better choices all day. Think eggs and veggies or a quick smoothie before the chaos begins. Your body will thank you.

2 | Pre-Decide Your Plate
Holiday meals can feel like an open invitation to “start over Monday.” Instead of winging it, decide ahead of time how you want to feel after the meal. Then build your plate intentionally: protein first, veggies second, and a side or treat that you’ll enjoy guilt-free. The science is simple -> prioritizing protein helps slow digestion and keeps your blood sugar steady, meaning fewer crashes and more calm after dinner.

3 | Hydrate Before You Celebrate
Dehydration is sneaky. It can look like fatigue, cravings, or even bloating...all things we blame on food. Before a party or big meal, drink a large glass of water with electrolytes if you have them. Proper hydration supports digestion and helps your body process both food and stress better.

4 | Default to a Walk
You don’t need a full workout routine to keep your body moving this season. A 10-minute walk after meals or first thing in the morning can help regulate blood sugar and calm the nervous system. It’s one of my favorite simple stress hacks - bonus points if you bring the dog or catch up with a friend.

The Bottom Line
When life gets busy, your body doesn’t need punishment, it needs rhythm. Once you learn how to fuel your body, move with purpose, and recover well, it becomes much easier to enjoy the season without feeling like you’re “starting over” in January. These are the exact strategies we practice inside the New Client Program, where we combine smart workouts, balanced nutrition, and real-life mindset tools to help you feel strong and in control no matter what the season brings.

Learn more here.

What “Feeling Off” Really Means and How to Fix It

Every so often, I hear the same phrase from women who’ve been “doing all the things”: “I just feel off.” They can’t always pinpoint why, but their body is sending clear signals that it needs a reset.

Here are five of the most common signs and a little of the science behind them.

1 | You wake up tired even after a full night’s sleep.
Quality sleep isn’t just about hours; it’s about hormone balance. When cortisol (your stress hormone) and melatonin (your sleep hormone) lose their rhythm, your body never fully powers down at night or powers up in the morning. Once you learn how to fuel your body and support your natural circadian rhythm through balanced nutrition, hydration, and recovery, mornings start to feel easier and more energized instead of foggy and sluggish.

2 | Afternoon cravings hit hard every single day.
This is often your blood sugar talking. When meals are carb-heavy or low in protein, blood sugar rises and crashes, triggering cravings. Once you understand how to build balanced meals with the right mix of protein, fiber, and healthy fats, your blood sugar levels even out and those 3 p.m. sugar hunts fade away.

3 | Workouts feel like punishment, not progress.
If every workout feels harder than it should, it’s not motivation you’re missing—it’s recovery and proper fueling. When you learn how to train strategically and eat to support your energy, your workouts become effective again instead of draining. That’s where smart strength training and recovery days make all the difference.

4 | You feel puffy or bloated more often than not.
Bloating, water retention, and inflammation can all point to stress or sluggish digestion. Once you learn how to eat whole foods that support gut health and hydration, and how to manage daily stress through movement and rest, that “puffy” feeling starts to settle down.

5 | You’ve lost consistency and can’t get back on track.
Sometimes it’s not about discipline, it’s about depletion. When hormones, sleep, and energy are off, willpower fades. Once you learn how to simplify your nutrition, workouts, and recovery, you can rebuild consistency that actually feels sustainable.

The takeaway
Your body is smart. These signs aren’t random, they’re messages that it needs support, not restriction. Once you learn how to fuel your body the right way, balance your macros, and move with intention, everything starts to shift. Energy improves. Cravings calm. Sleep deepens. You stop feeling like you’re constantly fighting your body and start feeling in sync with it again.

If you’re nodding along to more than one of these, it’s probably time for my 21-Day Reset, starting soon. This three-week coaching experience will help you reconnect to your body, reestablish healthy rhythms, and rebuild energy with whole food nutrition, mindful movement, and stress-smart strategies that work for the Peri-to-Post Wellness season.

Learn more here.

A Boston Weekend to Celebrate Us

Every year for our anniversary, we try to do something new - a little road trip, a city to explore, or an experience we’ve never had before. This year we headed to one of our favorite places, Boston, and it turned out to be the perfect mix of history, food, and fun.

We took the bus from Portsmouth, which was the best decision ever. No traffic stress, no parking hunt, and it dropped us South Station, just a quick Uber ride to the hotel. Everything we wanted to do was walkable, and when our feet finally protested, we called an Uber.

We stayed in Back Bay at the Marriott Copley Square, and thanks to Chris being a “super-duper” member, we got a sweet anniversary upgrade to a suite with a view of the Charles River. 

We started the morning at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and it was even more incredible than I expected. Isabella designed everything herself...every room, every view, and even the fourth floor, which was her private home. When she passed away, she willed that the museum remain exactly as she arranged it and be open to the public, with no labels on the artwork so visitors could simply enjoy it instead of feeling like they were in a stuffy museum. The beautiful palazzo-style courtyard blooms with flowers that change seasonally, so we’ll definitely be back to see it again. We saw incredible pieces like Rembrandt’s Self-Portrait, Ralphael's Portrait of the Tommaso Inghirami, the Pope's Librarian, a stunning painting of Isabella herself, her private chapel still in use for Mass once a year on her birthday April 14, and intricate tapestries. It’s a museum  that completely pulls you in - part history, part art, part wonder.

That afternoon, we headed to Fenway Park for a behind-the-scenes tour. It's amazing how tightly tucked into the city grid this ballpark is. We learned about the Green Monster towering 37' over left field and sat in the exclusive seats on top of it. We sat in some of the original wooded seats in section 32, visited the rooftop garden, and gazed down at the famous red seat marking Ted Williams’ record-breaking home run. We even peeked into the press box and the private Rooters Club. Such a fun tour!

The next morning, we toured the Boston Public Library - the first public library in the U.S. From the marble staircase guarded by the lion sculptures, to the murals and quiet beauty of Bates Hall, it’s absolutely stunning. We spent time enjoying the courtyard before heading back out into the city. 

In between, we wandered around Copley Square, stopped at Trinity Church, and visited the Boston Marathon Memorial on Boylston Street. We also made our way over to the Christian Science Plaza and Reflecting Pool - peaceful, reflective, and so beautiful in person.

Boston’s food scene didn’t disappoint.

• Boston Burger Company (Boylston St) — amazing burgers and sweet potato fries, and I had a berry spritzer that came with Swedish fish at the bottom.

• LUCIE drink + dine (Huntington Ave) — delicious meatball appetizer and pizza, plus top-notch service. We learned it’s actually part of The Colonnade Hotel.

• Brownstone (Dartmouth St) — my favorite! Cider donut holes to start, sourdough French toast for me, corned beef hash for Chris. We sat by the open windows, the service was wonderful, and they even acknowledged our anniversary from our reservation note.

Everywhere we went, the service was incredible — from restaurant servers to Uber drivers to the taxi driver who took us back to South Station for our bus ride home. Boston has some of the friendliest people we’ve met.

We ended our trip just walking around Newbury Street, window shopping and making plans for what we’ll do next time. 

How to Change Your Health in 21 Days

What if I told you it only takes 3 weeks to start feeling like yourself again?

Most women I work with come to me saying the same things:

• “I’ve tried everything but nothing works anymore.”

• “My energy is gone, and I can’t figure out why.”

• “The holidays throw me off every single year.”

I get it. Life is busy. Long programs feel overwhelming. And the thought of committing to one more thing can feel impossible.

But here’s the good news: 21 days is all it takes to start shifting your energy, hormones, and metabolism in the right direction.

Why 21 Days Works

✅ Short enough to stay consistent, even in a busy season.
✅ Long enough to see real changes in how you feel.
✅ The perfect “reset button” if you’ve been stuck, tired, or frustrated.

With the right strategy, you can:

• Eat in a way that works with your hormones (no starving or cutting out foods you love)

• Do short, effective workouts that build strength and burn fat

• Reset your metabolism so you feel energized instead of sluggish

Here’s the Teaser…

This fall, I’m offering something brand new: the FASTer Way 21-Day Reset. It’s designed exactly for women who want a simple, doable plan to feel their best—without waiting until January.

👉 We kick off October 13.

If you’ve been curious about coaching with me, this is your perfect entry point.