Hi friends! How are you?? I hope you’re having a lovely morning. I have a lot of content to record today – Healing Code re-launches on Monday! – and am going to catch an upper body workout and the massage chair at the gym.

Today, I’m sharing the first of my Japan posts!

Here are our Japan and Korea recap posts so far:

Seoul recap, what we did and what we ate

Tokyo recap and why I love Japan (this post)

Kyoto itinerary and tips for travel to Japan

What we ate in Japan (and gf picks)

My Korean Head Spa experience

Tokyo recap and why I love Japan

I’ve been avoiding writing this post because the reality is that I have Japression.

Usually I feel a little down after coming home from a trip, but this is next level. It normally hits me hard that I can no longer walk outside all day (it’s way too hot here and Tucson is definitely not walkable), explore new places, spend uninterrupted time with the fam, eat incredible food, and shop all the livelong day. Instead, I’m back to chores, feeding everyone, and cleaning up after feeding everyone lol.

This trip feels different because Japan was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. The culture, the way of life, the deep respect, kindness, care, and professionalism, the clean streets, the cleanest food, the scenery… it honestly felt like another planet.

One of the biggest things I noticed was the level of pride people take in everything they do. It didn’t matter if it was a restaurant server, Uber driver, hotel receptionist, convenience store employee, or someone helping us at the train station. Everyone seemed committed to doing their absolute best, and it was inspiring to see. People were kind and welcoming, everything felt incredibly safe, and I felt the best I’ve felt in a really long time while we were there.

I also noticed how healthy and well-groomed everyone seemed. You don’t really see people wandering around in pajamas screaming at each other lol. There’s just this underlying sense of respect for yourself and for the people around you.

What surprised me most was how calm my nervous system felt the entire time. Even though you’re surrounded by bright lights, huge buildings, and tons of people, it never feels chaotic. Everything is so organized and orderly that your body actually feels like it can relax. I didn’t realize how much I needed that feeling until I experienced it. Since we’ve been home, I’ve been trying really hard to bring pieces of that feeling back with me.

I mentioned this in my Seoul recap, but Japan and Korea honestly weren’t my first choice for a vacation. I knew it would be fun, but I felt overwhelmed by the planning and wasn’t sure if they’d be places I’d ever want to visit again. Now I feel so naive because I had no idea how special these countries are. I already can’t wait to go back.

People keep asking if I preferred Korea or Japan, and I can’t choose because they’re so different while also complementing each other perfectly. If you ever have the opportunity to visit that part of the world, do both. I promise you’ll understand the second you experience it for yourself.

And if you do both, I highly recommend starting in Seoul and then heading to Tokyo. It was the perfect combo.

Here are some of the highlights of our trip:

We stayed in two areas of Ginza.

The first part of our trip was near the Tsukiji Outer Market, where the streets are lined with food stalls, seafood vendors, and the best sushi of your life. (The famous tuna auctions have moved to Toyosu Market, but Tsukiji is still absolutely worth visiting for the food scene!!)

After our Kyoto trip, we stayed in Ginza proper, which was a lovely location filled with luxury stores (including the multi-story Tiffany flagship), restaurants, department stores, and endless shopping.

We booked the KOKO Hotel for both stays (same hotel brand, two different locations) using our Amex Platinum benefits. I preferred the location of the Tsukiji property because it felt a little quieter and more local, but the actual hotel and amenities were nicer at the Ginza location. (We stayed at one location for a few days before our short trip to Kyoto and the other one afterwards.)

One thing I loved about Ginza is that it felt incredibly clean, safe, and easy to navigate. We could walk almost everywhere and just took an Uber when needed.

Tokyo DisneySea

I always say we’re not “Disney people,” even though we go to the parks constantly and are about to go on Disney Cruise #8. We just don’t have Disney decor in our house, but I think we check all of the other boxes.

Of course we wanted to visit a Disney property while we were in Tokyo. They have two options: Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. We chose DisneySea because it has unique rides and lands that don’t exist in the U.S., and it’s generally considered the better park for older kids and adults.

(the kids approve all of the photos I post and Liv asked me to put a heart on her face for this one)

The rides were incredible.

The animatronics, special effects, projection mapping, storytelling, and ride technology far exceeded my expectations. Peter Pan is one of my favorite rides and the Tokyo version completely blew the U.S. version out of the water. It’s longer, more immersive (3D), beautifully done, and genuinely feels like you’re flying.

We also loved Journey to the Center of the Earth, Rapunzel was gorgeous (the lantern scene was everything), and Sinbad ended up being one of our surprise favorites. It’s kind of like It’s a Small World, but with a banger theme song and some impressive animatronics (like the green giant!).

The food was also so much fun.

We completely fell in love with muscat-flavored everything while we were in Japan, and these frozen muscat desserts were a HUGE hit. I had two throughout the day and P had three.

They also have unique popcorn flavors everywhere. When we visited, the options included milk chocolate, soy sauce and butter, scallop and garlic (which was DELICIOUS),

caramel, and salted popcorn. Each stand has different flavors, so people literally collect popcorn buckets and walk around trying them all.

It’s also worth mentioning that everything was dramatically less expensive than the U.S. parks. A giant chicken leg was around 800 yen (about $5 USD), compared to $15 – 20 at home.

Our park tickets and even the paid ride reservations were a fraction of what we’d normally spend in the States. I tell ya, that’s worth the flight right there.

The only downside is that many of the ride reservation options (called DPA in the app) sell out quickly. I was able to purchase a few, but all of the free reservation options were gone shortly after we entered the park. Frozen and Indiana Jones were also closed during our visit, which was a bummer.

The park closed at 9 p.m. the night we visited, and many food locations stopped serving around 7-8 p.m., so I definitely recommend prioritizing rides early and planning dinner before things begin shutting down.

teamLab Borderless

This was an absolute must-do.

Tokyo has a few different teamLab experiences, and we chose Borderless. It’s an interactive digital art museum where the exhibits are constantly changing. You can walk through a room, come back 15 minutes later, and it looks completely different.

We spent hours wandering through the exhibits, drawing sea creatures that came to life on giant screens,

(the Pilot did this amazing turtle!)

getting lost in the light installations, and taking so many photos and videos.

It’s one of those experiences that’s hard to explain until you see it yourself.

I definitely recommend this if you’re traveling with kids, but the adults were just as entertained.

I’ve also heard amazing things about teamLab Planets if you’re trying to choose a location to visit!

Multiple 7-Eleven and Lawson stops

7-Eleven lives up to the TikTok and Instagram hype.

Every morning I grabbed something from the famous drink case. C1000 was my favorite and I miss it so much.

We also stocked up on muscat treats, smoothies, onigiri, and so many tasty snacks. It became our breakfast stop, snack stop, and post-dinner dessert stop.

It’s funny because there are exactly zero things I want to eat at 7-Eleven in the U.S., but there were dozens of things I looked forward to eating at convenience stores (konbini) in Japan.

They have fruit sandwiches, egg sandwiches, onigiri, coffees, sparkling drinks, smoothies, and desserts that are super delicious and also inexpensive. The smoothies were the best!! The container is just frozen fruit and after you pay, you scan the bar code on the machine, put the cup inside, and it adds liquid and blends it on the spot. Like I said, Korea and Japan are living in the future.

Riding the bullet train to Kyoto

I’d heard that if you’re already in Tokyo, it’s worth taking the train to Kyoto or Osaka to experience a different side of Japan.

I didn’t want to travel all the way across the world and miss it, so we added Kyoto to our itinerary and I’m so glad we did.

Kyoto deserves and is getting an entire blog post of its own because it was truly magical.

We rode the Green Car (the equivalent of first class) on the way there, which was lovely and comfortable. On the way back we rode regular reserved seats, and TBH, it wasn’t a huge difference (and the regular reserved seats were about $120 less for the four of us).

The trains are clean, quiet, efficient, and ridiculously punctual. Watching the countryside fly by while eating snacks from the station was a unique memory that I loved… I’d never really been on a train before (besides Polar Express!) and it was such a cool experience. Way less hassle than flying and felt just as quick!

Vintage luxury shopping

If you love designer bags, watches, jewelry, or accessories, Tokyo is heaven.

There are vintage luxury stores everywhere, and many of the pieces are in great condition and look brand new.

If you’re in the market for a Louis Vuitton bag, Gucci, Chanel, Rolex, or other luxury pieces, I would absolutely shop in Japan before buying elsewhere.

Also, bring your passport whenever you’re shopping because many stores offer instant tax-free purchases for tourists so you don’t have to deal with it at the airport.

Shibuya Crossing

We had to visit the famous Shibuya Crossing.

Pictures don’t really do it justice because it’s less about the crossing itself and more about the energy of the entire area. There are giant video screens, endless shopping, restaurants, lights, music, and thousands of people moving through the intersection in every direction.

It’s incredibly busy, but still feels orderly. People wait patiently, cross when they’re supposed to, and nobody is bumping or pushing into each other.

Outside the station is the famous Hachikō statue, honoring the loyal dog who continued waiting for his owner at the station every day, even after his owner passed away. It’s one of Japan’s most beloved stories, and seeing the statue in person felt surprisingly emotional.

We took photos, wandered the surrounding streets, did some shopping, and just soaked it all in. It’s touristy for a reason, and we loved it. If it’s your first trip to Tokyo, I think it’s one of those places you have to experience at least once!

Turns out that this post did not help my Japression at all, but I have a few more to go. I’ll be sharing all of the amazing food we ate (including GF options), a Kyoto recap and tips for traveling to Japan, and am happy to answer any questions, too!!

(dress from RTR and my beloved Vejas <– go-to travel walking shoes)

So, tell me, friends: what’s on your vacation dream list? Anything fun planned that’s coming up??

xo

Gina

The post Tokyo recap and why I love Japan appeared first on The Fitnessista.

I cannot believe we’re already halfway through the year. Summer is actually the PERFECT time to pause and check in on your health goals before the fall chaos starts making its way back in.

If you started the year wanting to feel better, have more energy, balance your hormones, lose weight, improve digestion, support your immune system, sleep better, or finally get answers… but life happened… you are absolutely not alone.

This is exactly why I decided to host a freeeeeee live health planning class this Thursday at 10am PST / 1pm EST.

You can save your spot here.

This isn’t going to be one of those generic wellness webinars where you leave with a bunch of vague motivation and no actual plan. I want this to feel practical, strategic, personalized, and actionable.

We’re going to cover:

The biggest mistakes I see women making when they’re trying to “get healthy”

Why so many wellness routines fail after a few weeks

The exact areas I would focus on first if I were trying to improve energy, hormones, inflammation, gut health, or body composition

Simple ways to create a realistic plan that actually works with your real life

How to stop spinning your wheels and start collecting data that helps you move forward

My favorite wellness habits and non-negotiables right now

And the best part: a live Q&A because we’ll get to troubleshoot your specific questions together.

PLUS everyone who attends live will receive TWO extra entries into our massive wellness giveaway. Skincare, wellness favorites, beauty products, supplements, a walking pad, and more. It’s over $700 worth of goodies and I’m still adding things to the pile lol

But here’s the part I’m REALLY excited about…

Live attendees will also get first access to the updated Healing Code program before I share it publicly.

I completely revamped the program to make it more accessible, supportive, and customizable depending on where you are in your health journey right now.

There will be:

10 spots available for Healing Code access

and 5 VIP spots available

And once those spots are gone, they’re gone.

If you’ve been wanting support with things like:

Hormone imbalance

Weight loss resistance

Inflammation

Gut issues

Autoimmune symptoms

Brain fog

Fatigue

High stress and burnout

Functional lab testing

Creating a sustainable wellness plan

…this is going to be the best opportunity to learn more and see if it’s a fit for you.

I know how overwhelming the wellness world can feel sometimes. There’s so much noise, so many conflicting opinions, and so many people trying to sell quick fixes. My goal with this class is to simplify things, help you focus on what actually matters, and give you a clear path forward.

I would LOVE to see you there.

Save your spot here before registration fills up:

Health planning class

Can’t wait to hang out with you guys on Thursday!

xo

Gina

The post Free Mid-Year Health Planning Class (+ giveaway bonus + first access to Healing Code) appeared first on The Fitnessista.

Hellooooooo. Anyone else feel like Father’s Day is sneaking up on us this year? This past year has flown by in a second and an eternity at the same time. I wanted to share some gift ideas if you’re shopping this week. If you have any awesome gift ideas, please shout them out in the comments!

2026 Father’s Day Gift Guide

For the fit dad:

If he loves to golf, check out this lulu polo and these shorts. The Pilot wears these polos and shorts almost every time he’s not in uniform.

A foot massager (and then you can *borrow* it)

An insulated golf bag.

New Bose Free Wireless headphones.

The perfect crosstraining tee.

New cross training sneaks.

A massage gift card at his favorite spot.

A foam roller.

A HigherDOSE sauna blanket! If your guy is into fitness, this is an amazing recovery tool. (HigherDOSE review here) Use FITNESSISTA15 for 15% off.

An Oura ring. I love this thing SO much for detailed sleep tracking and that it tests my readiness levels based on the previous day’s activity, body temp, sleep quality, etc. If your guy likes to geek out on fitness stats, this would be a great gift.

For the chef:

An Ooni pizza oven. I totally want one of these for the backyard

Flavored wood chips for the BBQ.

A Trager! The Pilot got one for Father’s Day a few years ago and we use it constantly. I actually have a whole chicken cooking in there while I edit this post!

A bluetooth speaker to listen to while he’s outside grilling.

Whiskey sampler.

An air fryer for healthy yet still delicious, twist on traditional fried foods. We got this one and I’m obsessed.

A wooden wine caddy.

For the sports fanatic:

A man crate.

Golf ball whiskey chillers.

Baseball park map glasses.

Tickets to a game that he’d love to see.

Dunk waterproof shoes.

Golf club covers.

For the beer or whiskey lover:

Growler for craft beer.

Craft beer tasting kit.

A shirt from his favorite brewery.

Personalized whiskey set.

Clothes, gear, and random:

A car wash membership. This is a practical gift that is always appreciated.

A smart bird feeder.

A weed torch. The Pilot LOVES this thing.

A book full of dad knowledge.

Lip balm for him.

For the handy man.

Vuori pants that you can dress up or down.

New Dopp kit.

The best comfy joggers.

Tickets to a concert or to see his favorite comedian.

Low-top sneakers. 

Love this Father’s Day portrait.

Nap robe. Everyone needs a nap robe, really.

New sunnies. Love these Ray-Bans.

Lounge pants.

These SKIMS lounge pants also look amazing.

A beautiful take on a family “tree.”

A tire inflator.

A new watch. 

A funny shirt just for the occasion. I got this one for the Pilot for a Disney shirt year’s ago and it’s been a huge hit. This is another one of his faves and he always gets compliments at Lowe’s lol.

I’m totally getting this for my dad.

A huge collection of dad jokes.

I got my dad this custom bobblehead a couple of years ago for Christmas and he LOVED it. If it’s too late to order for Father’s Day, I highly recommend this for a birthday or Christmas.

What do you usually do for Father’s Day? Any amazing gift ideas to share?

xo

Gina

The post 2026 Father’s Day Gift Guide appeared first on The Fitnessista.

We are FINALLY over the jet lag and just enjoying time as a fam this weekend. I’m fully back to work and client appointments, went to the gym a couple of times, subbed a barre class, and am getting things ready for some fun things on the way. I’m re-launching my Healing Code program soon!!! You’ll be getting personalized wellness guidance, including custom workouts, macros, foundational support, and the option to add functional labs so you can finally feel amazing in your skin, sleep better, and have energy and vitality… stay tuned. All the details coming June 22!

Friendly reminder that our health planning class is next week! Save your spot here

Enter this wellness giveaway with lots of good stuff heeeeere

Check out my Seoul recap and head spa experience here

We have a few plans with friends and we’re also seeing the Michael Jackson movie later today. I’d love to hear what you’re up to!

(Lola wanted me to tell you that she figured out her new treat puzzle in about 90 seconds and then promptly got sick from eating too many treats too quickly.)

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves roundup! This is where I share some of my favorite finds from the week and around the web. I always love hearing about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re loving in the comments section below.

6.12 Friday Faves

Fashion, beauty, random:

Ordered more of the best skin tint. I usually use OneSkin tinted SPF first and layer this on top. It gives light, dewy coverage that’s perfect for summer.

New from Vivrelle! I *almost* bought this bag at a vintage store in Tokyo, didn’t do it, regretted it, and then was so happy to see that Vivrelle had it!! I love the opportunity to borrow luxury handbags each month and if you have any travel or events coming up, or just want to treat yourself, I highly recommend it. Use GINAHARNEY for your first month free here. So many of you have signed up for this using my link (thank you!!!) and I hope you’re loving it as much as I do.

Loving this eye cream. It’s inexpensive and instantly wakes up my eyes.

Got this set from Amazon while I was waiting for my Quince goodies to get here. Sized down to an XS and have worn it a ton of times.

Read, watch, listen:

What’s on your resume of special skills?

Started Broken Country and understand the hype.

Loved this podcast episode with Derek Hough.

Fitness, health, and good eats:

Onigiri as often as possible. While this will never be as good as the 7-11 ones we had daily in Japan, I’m getting pretty close. I’ve mastered the tuna mayo mixture (the key is to use the soy ginger flavored tuna from Fish Wife and lots of Kewpie mayo, then mash the tuna really really well) but I can’t quite get the rice. I bought good sushi rice at the Asian market but it’s missing a tiny hit of something. The rice wasn’t necessarily vinegar-y, salt-y, or sweet… but still had a little bit of something that I’m missing. It tasted like plain rice, but better. If you have any tips please lmk!!!

Thank you so much for stopping by the blog today! Have an amazing weekend and I’ll see ya soon!

xoxo

Gina

The post 6.12 Friday Faves appeared first on The Fitnessista.

Hi friends! How are you? I hope that you’re having an amazing morning so far!

A little update for you: I’m hosting a free health planning workshop next week. We’re halfway through the year, so it’s the perfect time to think about your wellness goals for 2026, how they’re going, and what you can do to finish the year feeling your absolute best. I’d love to arm you with some strategies and a custom plan!

Click the link here to sign up and claim your spot. 

Now, let’s chat about giveaway things!

I’d love to share some of my favorite wellness goodies with a lucky winner as a way of saying thank you for being here and supporting the blog after all of this time. The blog is now 18 years old…a full adult

Here are the goodies that are up for grabs:

– Skincare and cosmetics:

Pixi goodies 

Remedy Vitamin C serum

Elemis goodies

Primally Pure goodies 

Soshe lip products

The Good Patch eye patches

Nopalera body scrub

Saltyface tanning drops and makeup bag

– A Canopy rose humidifer (I have one in every bedroom and it makes such a huge difference for my eyes and skin)

– A walking pad

– EquiLife goodies: Cell Boost and Daily Nutritional Support

– My FAVE CBD gummies

About $700 worth of good stuff, plus whatever else I decide to add into the mix

Here’s how to enter:

– Leave a comment below with something you’re looking forward to this summer

Bonus entries:

– Attend our live health planning class next week – all attendees will get two extra extras

– Place any order on the EquiLife site. It’s our 100-day challenge right now and I’m so grateful for all of your support. Thanks to all of you, I’ve received a comped trips to the conference and a special group VIP dinner with Dr. Cabral himself I was #7 the past two years, and am trying to be in the top 5 this year! If you place an order between now and September, please send me an email gina@fitnessista.com.

I’ll have a few giveaways running during this blitz so make sure to let me know so you’re included in all of them. You can also stack my discount code FITNESSISTA10!

This giveaway will end and the winner will be announced and on IG stories on Friday, June 19th.

Can’t wait to see so many of you in our live health planning class next week!

xo

Gina

The post mid-year check-in class (and a wellness giveaway!) appeared first on The Fitnessista.