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November, the official month of gratitude

Before the rush of the holidays, November gives us the perfect reminder to pause, reflect, and give thanks. Here are simple ways to cultivate gratitude this month.   Start the day with thanks and a gratitude list. Before grabbing your phone or diving into the morning rush, take a quiet moment to reflect on 5 things you’re grateful for. It could be your first sip of coffee, a good night’s sleep, warm blankets or your little snuggly pet friend. Share a smile or gesture. Send a quick text, handwritten card, or hold the door open for a stranger. The smallest gestures make a difference in each other's day. Give intentionally. Whether it’s buying a coworker coffee, a homemade treat, or paying for the person behind you in line. Small intentional gestures spread love and happy vibes. Breath in the holiday season! Take time to be present as the holidays are upon us. Play Christmas music early, light holiday scented candles, add twinkle lights to everything! Find joy in slowing down and being present. Connect with old friends. We sometimes take for granted our seasoned relationships. Cherish them by going to lunch, the park, an old library or art show.     Take November by the reins and LIVE IN GRATITUDE! Don’t stop with November. After practicing for November, this will become a daily practice without you thinking about it. Happy Holidays and Happy Thanksgiving! Love always, Anna

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Secret SUMMER Weapon

Why Resistance Bands Are Your Secret SUMMER Weapon for Booty Gains If you’re looking to build a sculpted, lifted, and strong booty — without spending hours in the gym or lifting heavy weights — resistance bands might just be your new best friend. As a yoga sculpt and barre instructor, I incorporate them into nearly every lower-body sequence for one reason: they work. I started out with absolutely no a** and have found my way to a nice and perky derriere. Here’s why these simple loops of stretchy magic are your secret weapon for glute gains — and how to use them to get results. 🔥 1. Target the Glutes More Precisely Most compound movements like squats and lunges work multiple muscles at once — which is great, but not always optimal for growing the booty specifically. Resistance bands help isolate the glute medius, glute max, and glute minimus, so you’re not just “feeling it in your thighs.” You’re firing up the muscle groups that give your booty shape and lift. 🧠 2. Mind-Muscle Connection = Better Results When you use a booty band, you’re forced to slow down, stabilize, and really feel the movement. That’s called mind-muscle connection — and it’s been shown to increase muscle engagement and growth. Translation: your glutes get more out of every single rep. 🧘🏻‍ 3. They’re Joint-Friendly & Low Impact Resistance bands are amazing for my clients who are postpartum, recovering from injury, or just want to avoid high-impact movement. They allow for maximum glute activation with minimal strain on the knees, hips, or lower back — making them safe, effective, and sustainable. ✈️ 4. You Can Use Them Anywhere One of the best parts about resistance bands? You can use them literally anywhere — at home, in the airport, on retreat in Bali, or in a tiny hotel room. They’re light, travel-friendly, and give your booty that perfect burn whether you’ve got 10 minutes or a full workout planned. 🍑 5. They Create Time Under Tension (aka the Glute Growth Sweet Spot) Booty bands don’t let your muscles rest — they create constant resistance that keeps your glutes working through every inch of the movement. This “time under tension” is key to hypertrophy (muscle growth), especially for sculpting a rounder, perkier shape. 🧡 My Favorite Glute Moves with a Resistance Band: Clamshells (toes flexed for deeper glute med) Glute bridges with pulse + abduction Standing banded kickbacks Elevated sumo squat pulses Quadruped fire hydrants & rainbows ✨ Final Thoughts You don’t need to lift heavy or spend hours squatting to sculpt strong, beautiful glutes. Resistance bands offer a smart, accessible way to build booty strength, improve balance and stability, and take your sculpt practice to the next level. If you want to experience the burn yourself, check out my on-demand Glutes & Bands workout — or join me for a live class and feel it in real time.

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Healing Your Gut from the Inside Out: My Personal Viome Journey

Over the years as a yoga teacher, sculpt coach, and wellness guide, I’ve learned that your gut isn’t just about digestion — it’s about energy, mood, inflammation, metabolism, and even mental clarity. And despite eating healthy and moving daily, I still felt off: bloated, low energy, and disconnected from my body’s signals. That’s when I turned to Viome for deeper insight — and it changed everything. Healing Your Gut from the Inside Out: My Personal Viome Journey Over the years as a yoga teacher, sculpt coach, and wellness guide, I’ve learned that your gut isn’t just about digestion — it’s about energy, mood, inflammation, metabolism, and even mental clarity. And despite eating healthy and moving daily, I still felt off: bloated, low energy, and disconnected from my body’s signals. What Is Viome? Viome is an at-home microbiome test that analyzes your gut health and cellular function to create a personalized food and supplement plan. Think of it as a detailed blueprint of what’s happening inside your body — from the balance of bacteria in your gut to how well your cells are functioning. I have no deal with Viome btw... just filling you in on my personal journey. 🌱 My Gut Health Wake-Up Call I took the test because I was experiencing: Bloating and irregular digestion Sensitivity to foods I used to tolerate Sluggish metabolism despite a clean diet Anxiety spikes and poor sleep When I got my Viome results, it was eye-opening. Some of my healthy staples — like chickpeas and almonds — were actually causing inflammation in my body. My gut diversity was low, and key pathways tied to metabolic health were underactive. It wasn’t just about what I was eating — it was about how my gut was (or wasn’t) processing those foods. 💡 The Changes I Made After My Results With Viome’s recommendations, I started shifting my nutrition and habits: ✅ I eliminated inflammatory “healthy” foods (for me: Tuna, tomatoes, chickpeas, eggplant). ✅ I added more prebiotic-rich foods like apples, banana, and arugula. ✅ I focused on gut-loving supplements like magnesium, L-threonate, and amino acids. ✅ I leaned into hydration, fiber, and stress-reducing rituals like breathwork and hot yoga. The result? ✨ Less bloating ✨ Better energy ✨ More regular digestion ✨ A calmer mind + flatter stomach 🔄 Healing Is a Process, Not a Quick Fix One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that healing your gut takes time, curiosity, and compassion. It’s not about perfection — it’s about noticing what your body is trying to tell you and meeting it with support, not shame. Listening to my body on a deeper level has not only improved my digestion but strengthened my connection to myself as a woman, teacher, and guide. 🧘 Movement + Gut Health It’s also no surprise that movement and breathwork play a massive role in digestion. My sculpt yoga classes intentionally work the core, twist the spine, and activate the parasympathetic nervous system — which all support digestion and gut mobility. If you’re dealing with digestive issues or just feel off in your body, I cannot recommend gut testing enough. It gave me clarity, confidence, and a roadmap I could trust. 🌿 Final Note from Me to You If you’re feeling bloated, tired, or just off — it’s not in your head. It could be your gut. You deserve to feel light, radiant, and energized from the inside out. Healing your gut is one of the most powerful ways to reclaim that.

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Anna’s sugar tooth survival guide… sometimes salty.

Mixed with a few of my favorite wellness and self care obsessions that will keep you glowing. Anna's sugar tooth survival guide... sometimes salty. Mixed with a few of my favorite wellness and self care obsessions that will keep you glowing. Dragon fruit smoothie bowl instead of ice cream or cookies Blend 1 packet frozen dragon fruit puree (no sugar added) 2 tablespoons greek yogurt plain (unsweetened) ½ portion vanilla or fruity protein powder ½ cup unsweetened almond milk ¼ cup frozen berries Top with: ¼ banana 2-3 strawberries Two tablespoons Alter Eco cashew butter no sugar added granola *Option to sprinkle a few frozen berries on top to make bowl colder or mix a little ice in the blend Cinnamon & Pear overnight oats instead of pies, strudelles, cake or donuts ½ cup Trader Joe’s quinoa/rolled oats (can sub steel/rolled oats) ¼ pear or apple ¾ - 1 cup unsweetened almond milk ½ - ¾ portion cinnamon protein powder (Quest has a good one) ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon *Stir ingredients then refrigerate for 4 hours. Then enjoy! 150 - 200 calorie and under indulgent secrets: Sweet tooth and you miss childhood cereal? ½ cup Catalina Crunch Cereal (Maple, Blueberry Muffin, Honey Graham are some of my favs) Hankering for something salty? Egglife wraps plain or everything bagel piled with cottage cheese inside Cinnamon Egglife wrap with PB fit (crunchy or smooth peanut butter with a drizzle of monk fruit syrup (which you can get at Whole Foods or Amazon). Cinnamon Egglift wraps with greek yogurt mixed with a little chocolate or strawberry protein powder. Dip or fold in the greek yogurt after mixing and it tastes just like a crepe! Secret to soft and naturally radiant skin on your full body: Fractional coconut oil. Help prevent sugar/glucose spikes: Unfiltered raw apple cider vinegar directly before/after heavier sugar consumption. I also take 1 - 2 tablespoons daily. More to come!  

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