Hi friends! How are you and how’s the week going?

I’m here in San Diego getting ready to celebrate the big 4-2 with our Kleiger fam, but in the meantime, I wanted to share a little gift with youuuu.

If you’ve been following along on Instagram or reading my emails, you’ve probably seen me mention SPARK. I realized I’ve never actually written a blog post about it, so today I’m sharing what it is, how it works, who it’s for, and the birthday gift I’m giving to anyone who joins this month.

Why I created SPARK

Some of you have been here since the early blogging days, so you know my health hasn’t always been smooth sailing. I worked through struggles getting pregnant, then postpartum recovery, and then a few years ago, a cascade of symptoms that had me completely stumped: histamine flares, eye flares that woke me up in the middle of the night, random stress rashes, and soul-crushing fatigue. My hair was falling out in clumps, I cried a lot, and literally felt like a shell of myself.

I went to doctors three days in a row and nobody had answers. I tried steroid drops, antibiotic drops, steroid creams, and pretty much every eye product at Walgreens.

Then my PCP called to tell me I had positive Lupus markers, and that was my breaking point, until I took matters into my own hands.

Functional lab testing changed everything for me. Once I could see what was going on (parasites, gut imbalances, and a nervous system stuck in emergency mode), I had a real plan. Over the next 6-9 months, the flares and rashes went away, my energy came back, and my Lupus markers came back negative. (ANA and dsDNA.) The remained negative for two years, and I remained almost entirely symptom-free (a few fluke flares over the years, but nothing like it was before).

This year, those markers popped back up. Instead of panicking, I went back to the work, and my latest labs just came back negative again. I’m sharing that because healing doesn’t always go in a straight line, and having a plan makes a huge difference when things come back.

After years of coaching and two levels of Integrative Health Practitioner training, I built SPARK to give women the roadmap I wish I’d had.

Who SPARK is for

SPARK is for health-conscious women in their 40s who feel like their body stopped responding to the habits that used to work.

If you’re nodding along to any of these, it might be for you:

You’re exhausted even after a full night of sleep (or you can’t remember the last time you slept through the night)

You’ve gained weight that won’t budge, even though you’re eating well and working out

You feel puffy and inflamed, or you’re suddenly reacting to foods that never bothered you before

Your libido has completely disappeared

You have mystery symptoms like rashes, joint pain, hair loss or brain fog that nobody can explain

Your supplement cabinet is overflowing and you have no idea which ones are actually helping

Your labs came back “normal,” but you know something is off

The woman I work with best is the friend everyone asks for wellness recommendations. She’s the “healthy friend,” and has done her research and she’s tried a lot, and she’s tired of guessing.

How SPARK works

SPARK is a 4-month 1:1 coaching program built around your body, your symptoms, and your lab results.

Here’s what it looks like from start to finish.

1. Apply and book a Clarity Call. You’ll fill out a short application, then we’ll hop on a call to talk through what’s going on and whether SPARK is the right fit. If it isn’t, I’ll tell you. This is an important component because I only work with women who are truly committed to making positive changes are are action-takers.

2. Your intake session. This is a deep dive where I hear your whole story: your health history, your symptoms, your goals, and what you’ve already tried. We’ll also choose your lab testing together and get you set up with food logging so we have real data from day one.

3. Functional lab testing. Your labs are customized to your symptoms, so you won’t get a one-size-fits-all panel. Results usually take about 4-6 weeks.

4. Your lab review and roadmap. This is my favorite part. We go through your results together so you finally understand why you feel the way you do, and you get a personalized 90-day roadmap with exactly what to focus on.

5. Ongoing support. For the rest of the program, you’re not doing this alone. You’ll have twice-weekly office hours, direct messaging with me between sessions, and a weekly check-in every Sunday where you rate your sleep, energy, digestion, mood and libido so we can track your progress.

What’s included:

A 1:1 intake session

Customized functional lab testing

A 1:1 lab review session

Your personalized 90-day roadmap

A 7-day functional medicine detox

Twice-weekly office hours

Direct messaging with me between sessions

Weekly Signal Check progress tracking

Your SPARK toolkit, including a Symptom Checklist, Root Map and Flare Response Plan

Access to Spark Academy, my video library for SPARK clients

What makes SPARK different

You’ve probably tried a lot of things already.

Here’s what I do differently:

We test first. Every recommendation is based on your results, which means no more buying supplements because they worked for someone on Instagram.

It’s built for real life. I’m a mom, too. Your plan has to fit around school drop-offs, work deadlines and soccer practice, or it won’t last.

Movement supports your healing. If hard workouts leave you feeling worse, we’ll build a strategy that matches what your body can handle right now and progress from there.

Your nervous system is part of the plan. One of the biggest lessons from my own healing is that it’s really hard to heal your gut in a stressed-out body. We work on both.

The birthday gift

Ok, here’s the fun part!

To celebrate my birthday, anyone who books a Clarity Call by Sunday, November 15 and joins SPARK gets to choose a gift from me to support their health journey:

A walking pad for easy daily movement at home

An Oura ring to track your sleep and recovery (it syncs with my client portal, so I can see your trends too)

A Lumebox for red light therapy at home

A few details:

Your call just needs to be on the books by November 15. The call itself can happen the following week.

Whether you pay in full or use the payment plan, the gift is yours.

Your gift ships after your intake call.

The timing is a big part of why I wanted to do this now. If you start this month, your labs will be in motion before the holidays, and you’ll head into January with answers and a plan instead of another round of resolutions.

Book your Clarity Call here.

FAQs

Is SPARK virtual?

Yes! All of our sessions happen online, so you can join from anywhere. I work with wellness clients all over the world.

Do I need to stop seeing my doctor?

Not at all. SPARK works alongside your regular care and I ask that any of my suggestions are approved by your PCP.

How much does SPARK cost?

We’ll go over the investment on your Clarity Call. There’s a pay-in-full option and a monthly payment plan.

What if I’ve already done lab work?

Bring it! We’ll look at everything you already have and choose testing that fills in the gaps.

How do I know if it’s right for me?

That’s exactly what the Clarity Call is for. We’ll talk through your symptoms and your goals, and I’ll be honest about whether SPARK is a good fit and if I think I may be able to help.

Thank you so much for being here, whether you’ve been reading since the early days or you just found me.

Helping women feel like themselves again is a pretty great way to celebrate another trip around the sun.

xo,
Gina

The post Introducing SPARK + my birthday gift to you appeared first on The Fitnessista.

I’m missing not one but two wellness conferences this weekend. I was planning on attending either the Reimagining Health Summit or the Eudemonia summit, and the Pilot had a work trip. I’m not super comfortable with both of us being away at the same time at different places, and honestly it was a blessing because there’s been a lot going on lately. Next year.

Blast from the past from RHS:

For now, i’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.

(Friendly reminder that affiliate links are included in Friday Faves! Thank you so much for supporting the blog)

The dogs wanted to show you their haircuts:

I hope you have a lovely fall weekend ahead!

11.6 Friday Faves

Fashion, beauty, random:

I fought with the blog a LOT this week. I finished my first holiday gift guide for 2026 and when I went to post it, I was blocked by a firewall that my previous host had installed. I had to change hosts and it was a whole thing. So in the meantime, I posted the gift guide for tweens on Substack! (Just add your email address and it’s free to read.) The next one, for teens, will be live on Monday.

I got an Alo set and was so excited about it and I ended up looking like Adam Sandler lol. It’s just huge and baggy. I feel like the price has never matched the quality anyway, so back to Vuori for this girl.

Ordered a couple of these eyeshadows and can’t wait to try them.

Also finallyyyyy ordered a pair of these sneakers after wanting them since we went to Japan. I’ll definitely report back.

Read, watch, listen:

Currently on the search for a delightfully fluffy cupcake book for the holiday season. If you have any that you LOVE, please send your recs my way!

Dancing with the Stars is getting so intense! I’ve changed my predictions but still really hope that Ezra wins. I’ve watched this opening number so many times this week.

This is so random but the Pilot and I love the Meowduku game on our phones. It’s like Soduku but with colored tiles and cats. If you download it and want tips, send me a message on Instagram and I’ll help. I’m very passionate about this right now

Fitness, health, and good eats:

Loved this Mindpump episode; lots of great tips here. 

If you’ve been wanting a Lumebox, wait until tomorrow and then snag it up! This is the best price of the entire year and I anticipate that they’ll sell out. I use it for so many different things, but my favorite method is just to prop it up on my desk when I’ve been at the computer for a long time for a little energy boost. Here is the link. You’ll love it.

I to pay for a hydrogen water machine and these tablets do the trick. They give me a little boost of energy, so I love one around lunch time. You just mix with water and drink within 30 minutes. Easy peasy.

Doing my favorite quarterly detox right now and while I’ll definitely be ready for a little sweet bite when it’s over, it’s been surprisingly easy. I’ve always just been one meal ahead, either using frozen protein I’d already cooked, or saving extra veggies or soup for the next meal. If you’re interested in the details, everything is here, plus some sample recipes!

Something very special is coming for new Spark members next week. We have a couple of months left of the year and think about how great it would feel to hit January with your weight loss goals in motion, more energy to be present for those you love, waking up rested, and a REAL plan in place. I’ll share all the details with you here on Wednesday.

Have an amazing weekend and I’ll see ya soon!

xoxo

Gina

The post 11.6 Friday Faves appeared first on The Fitnessista.

I’ve really slacked on Halloween decorating this year – it’s been so busy and the Pilot has been gone – but I did get our ofrenda up for Día de los Muertos.

For now, i’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.

(Friendly reminder that affiliate links are included in Friday Faves! Thank you so much for supporting the blog)

I hope you have a lovely fall weekend ahead!

10.30 Friday Faves

Fashion, beauty, random:

We celebrated two birthdays last weekend! The Pilot’s bday was Saturday, so we spent the afternoon bowling, eating, and playing arcade games at Roadie’s with family and friends. It was the perfect way to celebrate my favorite guy.

(printed out 46 pictures of him for his little bday table)

P’s birthday party was on Sunday! I mentioned before that we switched schools this year – both girls are no longer at private school and we are SO glad – and it’s changed all of our lives in the best way. She’s made the nicest, funniest friends and they have a blast together.

She had her party at Jumping Cholla (a local trampoline park) and it was the perfect way to celebrate her. I can’t believe she’s 11.

This cute oyster cardigan.

(Also I’ve had these loafers for a few years now and they’re still in great shape)

The magic (mostly) nontoxic nail combo! After trying a few different things and doing a bunch of research, I came across Manicurist. Apparently it’s very easy to get off – it takes one minute – so the idea is to combine the Manicurist base coat and polish, but top with Olive & June top coat for the ultimate combo that LASTS but can also be removed easily.

The only slightly nontoxic part is I bought a tiny bottle of chrome from Amazon to use over the top coat (then top with one more layer of top coat) and it looks IDENTICAL to my favorite OPI bubble bath dip + chrome combo (that was around $90 including the tip). Saving soooo much money but also time. I’m so sick of driving 30 minutes and sitting at the nail salon for over an hour. I’m freeeeee.

These satin lace shorts. They felt a little too wild/trendy but the girls told me to go for it and they’re super honest about these thing.

(Just wore them with this Vuori button-up and some old Golden Goose sneakers)

Read, watch, listen:

Roundup of my favorite manifesting books.

The great Christmas plan.

I’ve been watching old Glee episodes while the Pilot has been traveling and it’s been a treat.

Fitness, health, and good eats:

Sculpt Society’s “Everything but the reformer” challenge starts Monday and it’s going to be SO good. You can try it free with my link here!

More reasons to love the Mediterranean diet.

My latest hair routine. 

If you’ve been wanting to try a Jaspr – my favorite air filter now, I like it better than Air Doctor which I loved for a long time! – my link is here.

Have an amazing weekend and I’ll see ya soon!

xoxo

Gina

The first gift guide for 2026 will be live here on Monday! So excited to share this year’s roundup with you!

The post 10.30 Friday Faves appeared first on The Fitnessista.

For now, i’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.

(Friendly reminder that affiliate links are included in Friday Faves! Thank you so much for supporting the blog)

10.16 Friday Faves

Fashion, beauty, random:

Scoping out some things for fall since the weather has magically cooled down!

Here’s what I have my eye on for a capsule-ish wardrobe:

These booties in espresso.

Love this alternative to a jean jacket.

This silk slip dress.

This silk blouse.

This cardigan.

This burgundy V neck.

This Farm Rio cardigan.

These effortless pants.

Still loving these Ruti jeans:

(Splurge-y but fit like a dream and true to size. I’m wearing a 26P)

This month’s Vivrelle pick!

(used an older pic since the one I took yesterday ended up being horrible when I uploaded it, but it’s the same bag. I’ve rented it twice and eventually, it will be mine haha)

My referral code is GINAHARNEYX4I if you want to give it a try. I used to work with them through ShopMy and even though ShopMy is long gone, I’ve kept my subscription since I love it so much.

Read, watch, listen:

Recap of the books I’ve read lately here. Please let me know if you have any I should add to the list!

Finally posted about the great mold saga.

Enjoying all of the girly picks on Netflix lately while the Pilot is on trips. Watched My Oxford Year and looooved it. Things like this will keep me busy until Halloween is over and we can have Christmas movies on every night

Fitness, health, and good eats:

Obsessed with these beauty gummies. I think it’s still too early to tell if they’re doing anything but they taste DELICIOUS

What I’ve been working on behind the scenes for the past few months is finally live and I’m so excited to share it with you. I have a full post coming, but in the meantime, I want to introduce you to SPARK. 

What is it?

A four month wellness mentorship program including functional labs and designed for a very specific woman.

This program is for the “healthy friend” in the group. The one who gets text messages asking her which protein powder to buy, if she likes a workout class, what leggings she loves, and if collagen powder is worth it. She knows and does SO much… yet still doesn’t feel like herself. She’s not sleeping well at night, wakes up exhausted, her cycle has gotten weird, she’s dealing with food reactions she’s never had before. She’s tried so many different things and is kind of worried that this is what life after 40 is like.

I’m here to tell ya that it doesn’t have to be that way.

Sometimes you need someone in the trenches with you, someone who’s BEEN THERE, and can help you create a personalized plan designed for your body and life. That’s what I’m here to do!!

If you’re reading this and thinking, “this sounds like me,” book a clarity call here. I’ll listen to what you’re struggling with, your goals, what you’ve tried, and share if I think SPARK might be a fit. (If I don’t think it’s a fit, I’ll share that, too.)

Have an amazing weekend and I’ll see ya soon!

xoxo

Gina

The post 10.16 Friday Faves appeared first on The Fitnessista.

Hi friends! How are you? I hope you had an amazing weekend. We just got back from the best Disney cruise on the Treasure (full recap coming soon!) and I’m getting back into the swing of school, work, and life. It’s a real struggle not having twice-daily cleanings and food at our disposal at all times lol.

For today’s post, I wanted to share a roundup of the books I’ve read lately and whether they’re worth adding to your collection. I’ve read some great ones over the past month and am always looking for new additions to the TBR stack. If you’re reading anything you love right now, especially historical fiction or fluffy fiction with witty banter, please send your recommendations my way!

Books I’ve read lately

Dolly All the Time

I read this entire book on the cruise, and it was the perfect cupcake of a book. Not too heavy, just the perfect lil sweet bite.

The story follows Dolly, a single mom who works at her family’s fish market and ends up helping the richest man in town do some damage control by pretending to be his girlfriend. It’s very Cinderella meets Pretty Woman, and I.ate.it.up.

I’ve read a couple of books by Annabel Monaghan, and I highly recommend Nora Goes Off Script, too. If you’re looking for a bit of fluff in the absolute best way, read this one. 9/10

From Amazon:

If they start by pretending, can they end with something real?

Dolly Brick has never met a problem she couldn’t solve. Not when her mom left when she was twelve, and not at thirty-nine when she moves with her son back to Whitfield, Rhode Island, for the summer to keep her dad and brother from losing the family home.

So when she comes across Stewart Whitfield—annoyingly handsome scion of the Whitfield family—with a flat tire and at the wrong end of a very public, very humiliating breakup, it’s in her nature to help. But Stewart’s proposed arrangement ends up being more than either of them bargained for, because as public dinners and high-society benefits turn into sunset boat rides and kisses that hit her bloodstream like a ghost pepper, Dolly starts to feel something more than helpful. She’s never relied on anyone besides herself—can she really start now?

Countdown to Riches

The author of The Secret (an OG!) takes you through 21 days of practices designed to help you shift out of a scarcity mindset and create a more abundant relationship with money.

I’m a huge manifestation fan, and I’ve been working through the audio version of this book. I definitely think it’s worth a listen if you enjoy guided practices and meditations, especially the nighttime meditations. I’m not finished with it yet, but I’m really enjoying it so far. Rating so far: 8/10

From Amazon:

Financial struggle is caused by one thing—our thoughts. To have a rich life, you have to use your mind, the very thing that has previously kept money from you. You must free yourself once and for all of a scarcity mindset, which unfortunately plagues the majority of people. When your mind becomes wealthy, YOU become wealthy.

Countdown to Riches reveals simple, proven wealth-attracting practices that are easily incorporated into daily life, and that will rapidly change the financial circumstances of anyone who applies them.

Daughters of the Sun and Moon

I’ve read so many books by Lisa See, and this one absolutely tops the list.

It follows the stories of three Chinese women who arrive in Los Angeles in 1870 for very different reasons. One is the wife of the only Chinese doctor in town, one is a new bride and prized possession of a wealthy older man, and the other is sold by her family and forced into sex work.

Just like all of Lisa See’s novels, this book is gorgeously written with deep character development. It also contains ALL the triggers, just a heads-up, and it’s basically tragedy after tragedy. I don’t recommend it if you’re looking for something light.

If you’re looking for historical fiction with themes of resilience and the power of friendship among women, I highly recommend it. Many aspects of the story are based on real people and events in Los Angeles during that time, including the horrific anti-Chinese massacre of 1871. I had never learned about this part of history, and while it was devastating to read, I’m glad Lisa See brought these women and their stories to life. 9/10

From Amazon:

In 1870, three Chinese women arrive in the small, dusty, and violent pueblo of Los Angeles. Dove, the bound-footed daughter of an imperial scholar, is entrancing and innocent. These characteristics should bring her great rewards, beginning with her arranged marriage to a much older merchant. Petal, the big-footed daughter of peasants, has grown up hungry and with dirt between her toes. In a moment of desperation, Petal’s father sells her to buy money for rice seed, and she is loaded onto a ship to the Gold Mountain—America—where she is once again sold. Moon is married to a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine. She is educated, speaks fluent English, and has been endowed with a face of great beauty, yet her failed footbinding as a child has left her with a limp that lessens her value in the eyes of many.

Each woman has her own desires. Dove wants to love and be loved, Petal desires freedom, and Moon seeks justice. Together they face a larger society that wishes them not one ounce of good will. Anti-Chinese sentiment is strong in Los Angeles, and this eventually leads to the Night of Horrors during which all three women are challenged in ways they could not have imagined. Brought together by hardship and heartbreak, they must use their bravery, endurance, and ability to “eat bitterness” to discover their voices, find freedom, and connect through solace and friendship. Together they are daughters of the sun and moon.

Never Split the Difference

This book is all about negotiation techniques, which can seem like a strange topic at first… until you realize how much of human interaction involves negotiation.

Getting a 10-year-old to go to bed. Making plans with your teenager. Working in sales or customer service. Navigating business decisions or dealing with conflicts of any kind. These skills definitely come in handy.

Chris Voss was a lead FBI hostage negotiator, and he teaches his strategies using examples from his career, including high-stakes hostage and kidnapping negotiations. It’s fascinating, practical, and surprisingly applicable to everyday life. This was a great book, and I can already tell I’ll come back to it again.  9/10

From Amazon:

Life is a series of negotiations, and negotiation is at the heart of collaboration—whether you are a business executive, a salesperson, a parent , a community leader, or a spouse. As a former FBI hostage negotiator, Chris Voss gives you the negotiation skills to be effective in any situation: negotiating a business deal, buying (or selling) a car, negotiating a salary, acquiring a home, renegotiating rent, deliberating with your partner, or communicating with your children. Taking the power of persuasion, tactical empathy, active listening, and intuition to the next level, Never Split the Difference gives you the competitive edge in any difficult conversation or challenging situation. This book is a masterclass in influencing others, no matter the circumstances.

After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Chris Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a hostage negotiator brought him face-to-face with a range of criminals, including bank robbers and terrorists. Reaching the pinnacle of his profession, he became the FBI’s lead international kidnapping negotiator. Never Split the Difference distills the Voss method, revealing the skills that matter most when it comes to achieving your goals in both your professional and personal life.

That’s everything I’ve been reading lately! My recent stack has been a very random mix of rom-com fluff, manifestation, devastating historical fiction, and hostage negotiation. We’re all about balance over here.

What’s the best book you’ve read lately? Please share the goods in the comments! I’m always looking for something new, especially historical fiction or a smart, funny romance that doesn’t make me cringe.

xo

Gina

The post books I’ve read lately appeared first on The Fitnessista.