Every year we hopefully learn a few life lessons - but this past year has been like no other. Being locked down at home while also going through a divorce and homeschooling and trying to find a resemblance of something that used to be me a decade ago, this year has taught me seven lessons that I will never forget: 1. Embrace technology. For someone who has a website, a blog, social media, a subscription platform, and online programs, technology is ever-present in my life... y

Bras have been completely optional since the beginning of the pandemic. Oh, and don't even get me started on jeans. I don't even know where mine are!  I have lowered my standards dramatically for ⁣What kind of snacks are acceptable for Baby Zand. ⁣ ⁣Our home-cooked meals. ⁣ ⁣How Baby Zand’s toys don’t take over the entire house (they do!!!! Even under my pillow I find random things from her.) ⁣ ⁣How many hours are acceptable screen time. ⁣ ⁣And how messy I show up at work c

I am just a dishwasher, standing in front of a dirty pot, asking it to wash itself... So that I can finally get to bed, moisturize my dried-out hands, and get some rest from the endless piles of dishes that seem to magically accumulate themselves all day long. I have always cooked a lot. I have always had a lot of dishes. And yes, I also have an actual dishwasher. But somehow, those piles of dishes have exploded since the beginning of quarantine. There just seems to be no bre

I was three months postpartum and had just moved to the USA. I was new to everything - the lines at the DMV, fresh air (I came from China!), baseball games, and podcasts. Yes, I had heard of podcasts before but there was no way to download any in China. And so one morning while nursing Baby Zand and scrolling through my phone I stumbled upon the podcast app and thought "why not give it a try?" I looked in the health and wellness section since I figured there might be somethin

Do you remember that feeling of complete loneliness and isolation the first weeks after you came home with your newborn? Even though there was another human attached to you 24/7 you felt alone, overwhelmed, under-supported, and over-exhausted. Yup, that is pretty much what 2020 has felt like to me and I am pretty sure you feel the same way. Even though we are all stuck at home with other humans and possibly some furry friends around, we still feel alone and isolated from our

I have decided to launch a little series over on Instagram. Every few days - or whenever I feel like it - I will go live with a dear mommy to talk about the struggles, the successes, and the lessons we are all learning during lockdown. I am hoping these Mommy Diaries will show you that we are all in the same boat and you do not have to feel alone! We will learn from each other and share our ups and downs with honest and open conversations. Make sure you are following me on In

When Baby Zand was born, there was sleep deprivation, there was a constant fear of something happening to her, and there was an endless flow of oxytocin in my body, breaking my heart so wide open and loving like I had never loved before. What I didn’t realize though was that an incredible amount of back pain would come along for the journey, even though I was a fitness professional and knew everything there was to know about posture and training. I found it incredibly depress

“For many mothers - as well as for fathers who bear the brunt of raising a child - parenting can be emotionally, psychologically, financially, and physically draining, yet few of us ever honestly share how exacting, incredibly tough, and emotionally burdensome we find it. So invested are we in being “good” parents that we would be embarrassed to share our feelings with friends and family. Because of our fear of being judged, we tend to hide the degree to which we feel torn as

Today was one of those mommy days I just want to erase from my memory, go to bed, and pull the duvet over my head. On our way to school this morning, we took the windy road through the hills while Baby Zand was happily munching on her late breakfast. Suddenly she says, “mama, my mouth is ouchie”. I turn around just in time to see how she spits up green smoothie all over herself like a demon being exorcised. Green smoothie was all over her white dress, her beige stuffed mouse,

"It's been said that kids don't come with an owner's manual. Actually, they do... in a way. Some real clues to understanding your children are written in their astrological signs. Each zodiac sign is encoded with amazing information to help you understand your child's "automatic settings."" Ok, I know I am making this site weirder by the month. Last month I talked about crystals, and this month it's zodiac signs! I am just keeping it real with you. I have read many parenting

Baby Zand pampering me on Mother's Day :-) I have not felt in love with my blog this year. I feel rushed putting up recipes and exercise videos that I have tweaked for weeks, sometimes months. So often it’s just a quick “I love this so much, give it a try”, but there is no love or a story in my posts anymore. I feel like I am just trying to get posts done between taking puppy Haigo for a walk and picking up Baby Zand, quickly typing everything up so it can go live, and you ca

I am sorry I've been completely gone from the blog and all social media for the last weeks. Baby Zand broke her ankle, which means I have been with her 24/7, carrying her everywhere (my arms are like steel by now :-)). We've been enjoying endless cuddles, reading every book we own, and coming up with time consuming art projects. Two more weeks to go with her cast. It's been wonderful and lovely quality time. BUT I also can't wait to get back out into the real world, and feel

I don't think you can read or listen to someone in the wellness space without hearing that we should all be meditating all the time. I have written about the benefits of calming down our nervous system with the help of meditation before. However, I don't think you will actually try meditation for yourself until you change what you think it means. Meditation doesn't mean you have to sit on a pillow hand made by Tibetan monks with your crystals and your singing bowls. That can

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Today's video is for all your new moms out there. Those first 6 weeks are a whirlwind of nursing, diaper changes, spit up, and surviving on the tiniest chunks of sleep. Add to that the constant nagging feeling that our bodies should have already bounced back to their original shape, and this is a storm of an emotional rollercoaster! The saddest part is that we lose sight of what this time could really be about: bonding with this tiny human being, that relies on you for EVERYT

Today, I want to share my thoughts with you on giving gifts to new moms. I am sure you've been to a baby shower once or twice in your life, and you were overwhelmed with the choices on the baby registry. I know that I always wonder who on earth needs a spatula to apply diaper cream or a wet wipe warmer (no offense if you do!). It is very likely that this baby will have everything he or she could ever need: plenty of clothes to poop into, endless amounts of toys for those few

Dear exhausted mom, I see you. I know you. I am you. I know how hard it is to drag ourselves through the day, giving everything to everyone, just not to ourselves. I know it is overwhelming to think about ourselves and nutrition right now, but if we are not well, we can't raise the future leaders of this world. So I urge you to care for yourself first. Come and join me for a 90 minute workshop to learn all about how your body came to be so depleted, how to restore the huge nu

Post-natal depletion - a word I first came across in Dr Libby's book "Exhausted to Energized". I had finally found a word that perfectly described how I felt 6 months into motherhood. I felt so depleted, an exhaustion I felt deep into my bones. I was constantly sick, had endless bouts of mastitis, and just never felt good. Yes, my baby was doing well, and yes, I enjoyed taking care of her. Yes, sleep was sometimes minimal when Baby Zand woke several times at night. It wasn't

"The First Forty Days is not a medical book about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. There are plenty of those. It will not tell you everything about "what to expect". Instead, it is an invitation to lay the groundwork for a healthy and happy postpartum period." I found this book through coincidence/ divine guidance/ whatever you may call it. I followed a post-natal tag on an Instagram post in my early motherhood days, and stumbled upon Mother Bees and Heng Ou. She has set up