Here’s what’s been going on in the ah.mi world lately:

• Buying: Do you wear deodorant to sleep? This Balangy deodorant created by Miami-based founder, , is incredible. I’m on my second order because I love it so much. It’s a functional overnight cleanse for the underarm, pairing Castor Oil and Magnesium. Guys can use it too.
  
  From their site:

  One nightly ritual, and most women stop thinking about odor by the end of week one. Tested for over a year and a half before it was ever sold. Our founder no longer wears deodorant during the day at all. She uses it at night, and that is it. And it is clean enough that her almost ten year old daughter uses it.

  

• Getting ready for: Our next ah.mi quarterly challenge for our paid subscribers is kicking off Monday, September 14. This one is inspired by the popular 75 Hard concept, but with an ah.mi twist. We’re calling it 30 hard by ah.mi. Only paid subscribers get access to our quarterly challenges. This challenge will include weekly guest speakers, accountability chat, and the motivation we all need to actually stick with it. If you’re not already a paid subscriber, tap below to upgrade and join us. 💚
  

  Upgrade Now

  

• Listening to: Jen Garner was recently on Emma Grede’s podcast where she talks about supporting herself post-divorce, her failed business ideas, and the Once Upon a Farm IPO (she is Co-Founder and the single largest individual shareholder valued at $55-$64 million). Jen shared her “really quiet and icy” mood when she gets angry, which was refreshing to hear because she always seems so happy. 😊 Listen here.

• Making: The U.S. Open is underway in NYC. I’ve always wanted to try the caviar chicken nuggets, but on CBS Mornings chef David Burke shared this Chicken, Peach, & Pistachio Salad that looked amazing. You can watch the segment here.

  Recipe below for easy screenshotting:

Have a great weekend!

Make sure to upgrade to paid if you want to join our 30 Hard by ah.mi starting Monday, September 14. Link here to upgrade to join us. 💚

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All products featured on ah.mi emails are independently recommended by our community or the ah.mi team. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting us!

Whether you’re down to go all in or you just need a little accountability to get your eating habits back on track and start moving consistently… let’s do it together. If you’re not already a paid subscriber, tap below to upgrade your subscription to join us.

Subscribe now

It’s easy to neglect the basics, and we forget what a huge difference the basics make in how we feel and the progress we see.

Our ah.mi mantra is: greens, water, move, repeat. That’s what this 30-day challenge stems from.

“30 Hard” by ah.mi:

Inspired by the popular "75 hard" challenge, we've created the ah.mi version to feel a little more doable, but still challenging and impactful!

Daily for 30 days ~

• GREENS. Eat at least one form of greens. Limit sweets, processed junk, and alcohol.

• WATER. Drink 90oz of water.

• MOVE. Move your body for 45 minutes (any movement counts, even a long walk!).

• MIND. Read 10 pages or meditate for 10 minutes.

Each week, paid subscribers can join a quick live accountability session with us to check in, share, and reset for the week ahead. A special guest expert will lead us in discussing one of our main focuses each week: nutrition, movement, and mindset!

We’ll be sending out a special tracker so you can check off your boxes each day, and we’ll also be checking in throughout the entire 30 days on our ah.mi chat.

If you want to join us, make sure you’re a paid subscriber by tapping below (takes 2 seconds!).

Subscribe now

We're all in this together... we've got this. ✨

P.S. Make sure you tap below to download the Substack App and join us in our ah.mi chat to stay connected. 👇

The information in this guide is provided for general educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment by a qualified medical professional. Any questions you may have concerning the diagnosis or treatment of a medical condition should be directed to your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider. ah.mi health, co. does not provide medical or dietary advice specific to any individual’s situation. The statements made have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Let’s get into it…

Volume 17: Spill The Tea with Jennifer Cook

is one of my favorite Substack mom friends. She’s witty, wellness-y, stylish, and doesn’t take herself too seriously.

Jennifer is the writer of Mom Friend, the Substack about motherhood, style, and all the messy stuff in between. She’s a buyer by day, teaches yoga twice a week, and a Brooklyn mom who started writing to work through the overwhelm of new motherhood.

She's up at 5am, keeps a water tally on her notebook, and swears by what she calls “the Stupid F*cking Stroll.” We love her take on wellness!

Let’s spill it with 7 questions…

1. I loved your "Wellness Week" post! You mentioned the importance of daily exercise for sanity and vanity :). Regarding sanity, how does exercise impact your mental health, or conversely, how does not exercising affect it?

Thank you! It's hard to put into words, but I’ll try. Without it, I’m anxious and easily overwhelmed. It’s something that can help me work through thoughts and clear my head, and when I don’t get regular exercise I can be super irritable! On those weeks when I don’t get as much exercise in, it’s noticeable how groggy and lethargic I feel, too. But I also consider just walking around the city and playing with my kid a form of exercise as well.

Though I love a good hard workout, what I really mean here is consistent movement and a dedication to simply moving my body each and every day.

2. #1 in your Wellness Top 10 is "Water, Water, Water." What are your top tips for staying hydrated throughout the day? Go-to water bottle?

It took me much too long to realize how much better I feel when I am hydrated, though I will admit that it’s easier said than done. Most of my weekly hydration occurs during the work day, if I’m being honest. I keep a giant Hydroflask on my desk - it’s easy to remember to drink water when it’s staring you in the face and you’re just sitting in front of Excel all day, you know? I try to drink three a day and keep little tallys on my notebook - it’s a small thing that keeps me on track and really taps into my competitive side, but for something good! I am also a firm believer in carrying a water bottle everywhere on the weekends. I usually have this one on me at all times.

3. You are a buyer by day, writer of Mom Friend on Substack, and also teach yoga twice a week. Do you have a strict daily schedule or are you fitting everything in when you can?

I don’t have a strict daily schedule, but I do have a pretty strict Monday through Friday schedule. As regular mom friend readers know, I am an evangelist for early mornings, so no matter what, I wake up around 5 am. I can’t help myself. I try to get about two hours before my kid wakes up that I can spend writing, thinking, doing admin stuff, and basically just getting my shit together before the rest of the day comes into full swing.

Monday and Tuesday I teach yoga before work, so my husband is on toddler duty. I am at the office Tues - Fri, so those days are pretty structured. Monday I work from home, so I usually have a little more room to play and will often use that day to take any necessary coffee meetings, clean, catch up on laundry, meal prep, etc. It’s a nice way to ease into the week. Workouts have to happen in the morning or they don’t happen at all, and on the weekends, it’s a free for all. Unstructured time is important, too!

4. Lets talk SFS - what you refer to as "Stupid Fu*king Strolls." Living in Brooklyn, I feel like this comes easily given so much is walkable, but do you have any tips for those of us in the suburbs to get in the habit of SFS throughout the day?

The SFS really started during Covid, when it felt like the only thing we could do out of the house. Every couple of hours throughout the day my then boyfriend, now husband, and I would just take a little SFS around the block as our break from screens and to get a little fresh air.

Agreed that it is easier in a walkable city like Brooklyn, but the main objective of a SFS is just to get out of the house and see the sky. Maybe it’s a lap around your yard, maybe it’s just walking up and down the driveway, maybe you have a little .1 mile loop in your suburb. It doesn’t have to be much!! I recommend setting an alarm, having a pair of comfy shoes ready at the door (they don’t even have to be sneakers!), and just get out. Bonus points for leaving your phone inside.

5. Your newsletter feels like the friend who you leave lunch with a gold mine of recommendations. If we opened your Notes app right now, what's one recommendation you can't stop giving everyone?

The only recommendation I give everyone all the time is to wake up early and give yourself time before the kiddos rise. Not everyone takes that advice, though, which I get. Otherwise, I’ve been recommending everyone read Lost Lambs and The Compound, listen to Diabolical Lies (the podcast), watch the Alexi Navalny doc (I know it’s old-ish but it’s a must watch!!), and bake this “cheese” cake. I realize that’s more than one but I can’t help myself!

6. What's something about motherhood that you wish women talked about more?

How non-linear it all is. There isn’t necessarily a point where you’re just done with sleep regressions, just as there isn’t a point at which you get your ambition back or feel like yourself again or gain confidence in what you’re doing and everything then continues on upward. It’s all a rollercoaster, and I thought - perhaps naively - that it would be a bit more steady.

It’s the ups and downs that consistently throw me for loops, though, and a warning would have been nice!! In general, however, I do think we need to keep talking openly about our mental health challenges (if any), our identity shifts, and how we are navigating the daily ins and outs of life. Even just an open conversation amongst moms about how to delegate household tasks or what we do when we feel overwhelmed is so helpful and makes one feel less alone!!

7. Current recipe on constant rotation in your house?

I recently discovered this tuna and caper pasta from New York Times Cooking (gift link) and it’s so good and easy and you probably already have most of what it calls for in your pantry. I use macaroni instead of long noodles though, so that there’s a chance my daughter might eat it.

Read more from ah.mi

Summer is flying by, and somehow in Florida we are back to school and settling into our new routine. Hope everyone else is YOLOing during their final weeks of summer. ✌️

Here’s what’s been going on in my world lately:

• I’m making: this Napa Chicken Salad on repeat. The key is the slow cooker chicken (just set it and forget it). It makes the chicken so tender and shreddable. This is one of those easy meals I can make ahead and happily have for lunch, snacks, and dinner all week long.

• I’m reading: Verity by Colleen Hoover. I’m part of what we lovingly call the Motley Crew Movie Club (“MCMC” ) ~ a movie club focused on books that become movies. There are no rules, no meetings, anyone is welcome, and technically you don’t even have to read the book (although most of us do!). We grab cocktails and go see the movie together. The Verity movie comes out on October 2 starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett. Reviews from our group so far: “such a freaking good book,” “insane book,” and my personal favorite: “It feels like child’s play compared to some of the sick sh*t I read. Maybe I need to see a therapist.” 😂

  The official trailer just came out and looks WILD. Watch the Verity trailer, and if you want to join us in reading before it comes out, the link to the book is here. I’d love to hear more of your thoughts on the book; leave us a comment below!

• I’m wearing: Electric Blue by Vuori. 💙 Vuori is partnering with ah.mi for our IRL Summer Social for ah.mi readers this month. We’ll be raffling off a gift card for our paid subscribers! They also invited me to shop at their Boca store for an outfit. I went with their gorgeous new Electric Blue, plus this white windbreaker that has already made it into heavy rotation. If you’re in South Florida next week, join us! We’re doing an oceanside walk followed by rooftop sunset cocktails & bites. If you’re around, RSVP here.

  • **If you’re not in FL and still want to enter the raffle for the Vuori gift card, paid subscribers can comment “ah.mi summer raffle” here on Substack by August 19th, and we’ll add your name to the hat!

• I’m getting ready for: our next ah.mi quarterly challenge, kicking off Monday, September 14. This one is inspired by the popular 75 Hard concept, but with an ah.mi twist. Challenging enough that you’ll feel a difference, realistic enough that it can actually fit into your life. We’re calling it 30 hard by ah.mi. Scroll down for details. Paid subscribers get access to all of our quarterly challenges throughout the year. Link here to upgrade to join us. 💚

Have a great weekend!

a small favor :) if you enjoyed this e-mail, a 💚 or a comment below helps more people see this post and helps us spread the word about ah.mi.

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If you aren’t already a paid subscriber, please consider supporting ah.mi by upgrading below. ah.mi is SO close to bestseller status & every single paid subscriber helps us get there. 🙏 (Currently 17 paid subscribers away!)

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Coming up ~ join us for “30 hard by ah.mi”

Mark your calendar: September 14 – October 14, 2026

Inspired by the popular “75 hard” challenge, we’re excited to launch our next group wellness challenge: 30 hard by ah.mi!

Paid subscribers can join us for a 30-day ah.mi version of this reset designed to help you build healthy habits and feel noticeable changes that actually last.

We’ve created our own version to feel a little more doable, but still challenging and impactful!

Daily for 30 days:

• 🥗 GREENS. Eat at least one form of greens. Limit sweets, processed junk, and alcohol.

• 💧WATER. Drink 90oz of water.

• 👟 MOVE. Move your body for 45 minutes (any movement counts, even a long walk!).

• 📖 MIND. Read 10 pages or meditate for 10 minutes.

🔁 REPEAT.

Each week, we’ll gather for one quick live accountability session with the ah.mi community to check in, share, and reset for the week ahead. We’ll also welcome a special guest expert each week to lead us in discussing one of our main focuses: nutrition, movement, and mindset!

The only rule: If you miss a day, don’t quit. Just pick it back up the next day. 💚

Paid subscribers get full access to the challenge, weekly lives, guest experts + community accountability.

Let’s see what 30 days can do. ✨ Link here to upgrade to paid and join us!

Catch up on more of the latest from ah.mi here:

*You can shop all our recs on our ah.mi store here.

All products featured on ah.mi emails are independently recommended by our community or the ah.mi team. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting us!

Separately, I have also mastered the best Napa-style chicken salad in an attempt to recreate it from a local spot that has the most delicious chicken salad (Bagels with Deli in Boca). It has shredded chicken breast tossed with grapes, celery, and toasted sliced almonds, all coated in a creamy, sweet-and-tangy dressing made with honey, lemon, and fresh herbs.

Below you’ll find both recipes…

But first, I need to share this video from 2020 in the early ah.mi days when I had Liz do an Instagram Live with me. It’s one of my favorite videos from the ah.mi archives. Narrating is our friend Kristina, who came to watch the show live. 😆 😂

Let’s get into the recipes…

Liz’s Chicken Meatballs

Her text to me:

“Here is my world famous dinner every kid in the house loves ~ the trick is using ground chicken, they actually prefer the taste and it’s more juicy than turkey. And the best is the ground chicken is like $7 so I always buy a pack at Publix so I’m prepared.”

What to Get

• 2 packs ground chicken

• Italian breadcrumbs

• Shredded Parmesan (+ extra for topping)

• 2 eggs

• Salt & pepper

• 2 large jars marinara (Rao’s or Greenwise)

• 1 large can diced tomatoes

• Angel hair pasta

  
  What to Do

1. Mix chicken, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, eggs, salt & pepper. Roll into meatballs.

2. Brown in olive oil (2–3 min per side).

3. Bring marinara + diced tomatoes to a boil. Add meatballs and simmer 20 min.

4. Cook angel hair (5 min).

5. Mix with sauce and a little pasta if desired.

6. Serve noodles with sauce, top with meatballs and Parmesan.

Rach’s Napa Chicken Salad

What to Get

• 3–4 cups shredded cooked chicken*

• 3–4 celery stalks, finely diced

• 3–4 green onions, chopped

• ¼ cup red onion, finely diced

• ½ cup red grapes, halved

• 2–3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

• ½ cup sliced almonds

• ½ cup mayonnaise (Graza Mayo is a favorite)

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon honey

• Juice of ½ lemon

• Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Optional for serving

• Trader Joe’s Hot & Sweet Jalapeños

• Celery sticks

• Crackers, croissants, sourdough, or lettuce cups

*For the Chicken

Place 3–4 chicken breasts in a crock pot. Season generously with salt and pepper, then pour in enough chicken broth to completely cover the chicken. Cook on low for 7 hours, then shred using two forks. You can also use Rotisserie chicken, but I prefer the taste of the slow cooker chicken :).

What to Do

1. Toast the almonds.

   • Preheat the oven to 350°F.

   • Spread the sliced almonds on a baking sheet and bake for 5–8 minutes, stirring once, until lightly golden. Let cool.

2. Soften the green onions.

   • Chop the green onions and soak them in a bowl of cold water for 10–15 minutes. Drain well before adding to the salad. This mellows their sharp bite while keeping them fresh and crisp.

3. Make the dressing.

   • In a small bowl, whisk together:

     • ½ cup mayonnaise

     • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

     • 1 tablespoon honey

     • Juice of ½ lemon

     • Salt and pepper to taste

4. Combine the salad.

   • In a large bowl, add:

     • Shredded chicken

     • Celery

     • Drained chopped green onions

     • Red onion

     • Grapes

     • Fresh dill

     • Toasted almonds

5. Mix it together.

   • Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.

6. Chill.

   • Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors come together.

7. Serve.

   • Enjoy with celery sticks, on toasted sourdough, croissants, crackers, or in lettuce cups. For an extra kick, top with Trader Joe’s Hot & Sweet Jalapeños and drizzle with some hot sauce. 👌

Rach’s Tips: Toasting the almonds adds incredible flavor, soaking the green onions keeps them fresh without being overpowering, and the TJ’s Hot & Sweet Jalapeños are our favorite finishing touch. Keep it in the fridge all week for easy lunches, dinners, and snacking!

Let us know in the comments if you plan to try either of these, or have any other favs you think are worthy of an ah.mi feature!

Leave a comment

Lets get into it…

🍵 PRODUCT REC: Salomon Sneakers

A few months ago, I was thinking about getting a pair of slip-on sneakers for easy on-and-off because I’m constantly rotating between walking outside and sitting at the computer. The only brand I knew was Skechers, so I asked the ah.mi group chat, but the response was I “absolutely cannot wear Skechers.” 😂

While reading my daily celeb gossip, I saw these slip-on-looking sneakers that Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, Jennifer Lawrence, etc. were all wearing.

My doctor friend (who could care less about fashion and knows zero brand names) even sent a pic of her wearing them at the hospital! She said she had heard about them over a year ago.

Enter: Salomon. Salomon is a French company that has been making high-performance trail running, hiking, and ski gear since 1947! The XT-6, their most recognizable sneaker today, wasn’t designed for fashion… it was launched for ultra-distance trail runners.

Shopbop has a bunch of colors and styles here.

🍵 A GOOD LISTEN: From Group Texts to a Substack Bestseller

Yesterday I joined the wonderful for a live conversation about building ah.mi, from a simple group text with friends to a wellness company that’s now so close to becoming a Substack Bestseller.

We talked about what worked (and what didn’t), why I took a chance on Substack, how I fit ah.mi into a full life, and the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the past seven years of building. If you’re creating on Substack (or building anything from scratch), I hope you’ll find something helpful in our conversation. 💚

Leave a comment

🍵 A GOOD READ: Theo of Golden

I listened to Oprah’s podcast with Allen Levi and was intrigued to read his book, Theo of Golden.

The book wasn't launched with a massive marketing campaign or a well-known author. Instead, it spread through book clubs and friends recommending it to each other.

The author, Allen Levi, had previously been a lawyer, judge, and singer-songwriter, and published the novel himself with help from his niece.

I’m just starting it, but if you have read it and have thoughts would love to know in the comments!

Leave a comment

Hope you have an amazing summer weekend!

a small favor :) if you got some value out of this e-mail, a 💚 or a comment below helps more people see this post and helps us spread the word about ah.mi. :)

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Catch up on the latest from ah.mi here:

*You can shop all our recs on our ah.mi store here.

All products featured on ah.mi emails are independently recommended by our community or the ah.mi team. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting us!

I wanted to share three easy WFH lunches I’ve got on repeat.

For me, lunch is usually on the go, between calls, and ideally something that I can put together in 5 min or less. If not, I default to snacking all day or grabbing something while I’m out.

Here are my latest hits ~ all some of my favorite foods: Protein Nachos, Turkey Sando, and Buffalo Chicken. 😋

Let me know if you try any of them! :)

🌮 Ole Tortilla Protein Nachos

What to Get

• 1 Ole Xtreme Wellness High Fiber Wrap

• Refried beans

• Sliced Grilled Chicken Breast (or rotisserie chicken)

• Shredded Cheese

• Salsa

• Guacamole (I use TJ’s guac made with Greek yogurt)

What to Do

1. Spread a layer of refried beans over one high-fiber tortilla wrap.

2. Top with shredded cheese and sliced chicken.

3. Cook on the stovetop, covered, over medium-high heat for 5–10 minutes, until the tortilla is crispy and the cheese has melted.

4. Transfer to a plate and top with salsa, guacamole, and any other toppings you want!

🥪 Lundberg Thins Turkey Sliders

What to Get

• Lundberg Thin Rice Cakes

• Sliced turkey breast

• Sliced Swiss cheese (or your favorite)

• Dijon mustard

• Sliced banana peppers

• Sliced jalapeños

What to Do

1. Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard on each rice cake.

2. Top with sliced turkey and a slice of Swiss cheese.

3. Add banana peppers and jalapeños. Enjoy!

🍗 Shredded Buffalo Chicken

What to Get

• Cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works great)

• Lundberg Thin Rice Cakes

• Celery, diced

• Mayo

• Primal Kitchen Buffalo Sauce

• Sliced jalapeños

What to Do

1. Add shredded chicken to a bowl.

2. Mix in diced celery, mayo, and buffalo sauce until well combined. Adjust the mayo and buffalo sauce to your taste.

3. Spoon the buffalo chicken mixture onto rice cakes or pair with celery, top with sliced jalapeños, and enjoy!

Meal Prep Tip:

Shred a rotisserie chicken at the beginning of the week (people love the Costco one!) and keep it in the fridge.

If you aren’t into rotisserie chicken (I get it), put 3-4 chicken breasts in the crock pot on low for eight hours with salt, pepper, and some chicken broth. After you set it and forget it, you’ll be able to easily shred the chicken and have it for meals, bowls, etc. all week long!

This is the Our Place Dream Cooker I’ve had for years.

a small favor :) if you got some value out of this e-mail, a 💚 or a comment below helps more people see this post and helps us spread the word about ah.mi. :)

Leave a comment

Catch up on the latest from ah.mi here:

*You can shop all our recs on our ah.mi store here.

All products featured on ah.mi emails are independently recommended by our community or the ah.mi team. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting us!

Let’s get into it…

Volume 16: Spill The Tea with Nila Do Simon

first caught my attention when she casually mentioned that she loves flag football. I quickly learned from a mutual connection that this wasn’t just a fun hobby for Nila, but she absolutely dominates on a coed flag football team, and I immediately thought, I need to know more.

To top it off… I found out she’s written for Vogue, The New York Times, ELLE, and Condé Nast Traveler and literally gets paid to travel the world and write about it.

From football, her favorite wellness resort, and her wellness cure in human form, Nila brings humor and heart to everything she does.

💚 Let’s spill it with 7 questions…

1. When it comes to wellness, what trend do you secretly love, and which one do you think is completely overrated?

I swear by foam rolling. It’s one of those hurts-so-good acts for my muscles and fascia. As for overrated trends, I never got into the hype of vitamins and supplements, especially the highly priced, over-commercialized ones. Don’t get me wrong, I think there’s a solid science and benefit behind them, but I think overemphasizing the importance of them takes away from the beauty of nutritious foods and can inadvertently create a nutritional gap in daily dietary intake if relied upon too much.

2. What is something you do for your mental health that costs $0?

I find that when my mental health takes a dive, it’s usually because my joy quotient is down. So, I counteract that by doing activities that increase my joy. Calling my childhood friend Grace (everyone should have a Grace in their lives!), reading a few lines from the funniest novel ever written (Catch-22 by Joseph Heller), or practicing my yoga inversions (you should see how happy I get after holding a tuck position for, like, 3 nanoseconds!) are my go-tos these days.

3. Let’s talk wellness retreats. They’re exploding in popularity right now alongside wellness-focused travel. Are there any hotels, spas, or destinations currently at the top of your list for people looking for a true reset?

The Carillon Miami Wellness Resort has a circuit of touchless therapies that I cannot endorse enough. Think futuristic equipment like a Somadome meditation pod, salt float bath, VibroAcoustic bed, and Halo Therapy. Admittedly, I’m not very learned in energy chakras and therapies that involve sound, color and vibrations, but after doing a series of high-tech yet old-school therapies, I was sold. I felt limitless afterward.

4. How do you personally reset after a long week of traveling? Is there a wellness routine you always return to no matter where you’ve been?

I’m still fine-tuning my recovery after traveling, but I’ve found that if I prioritize sleep both during my travel and when back home, there is usually a greater chance of resetting and resettling. Last month I got back from a weeklong trip to Iceland (amazing place to experience nature, by the way!), and I made sure to rest on the airplane, on the trip, and especially after.

5. Women’s flag football has become such a huge part of your life, and the sport is exploding in popularity right now. Where did your love for the game begin, and what does your “Touchdown Maker” tagline represent to you both on and off the field?

A little context: I am pretty much my dad’s third son. Whenever my other brothers needed someone to practice throwing the ball with or catching, I was their de facto practice mate. My dad encouraged it. Slowly, that turned into a true appreciation of the complexity of the game of football and absolute joy in playing the sport. As for my tagline “Touchdown Maker,” I love the duality of its placement — both in sport and in my career — as someone who can finish off a sports play (or editorial story) and see the ball over the goal line (or writing deadline).

6. Flag football takes serious endurance and recovery so how are you fueling yourself before a big game, and what’s your go-to meal or snack afterward to recover and recharge?

I keep it simple: whole wheat toast with organic peanut butter for protein. Crunchy peanut butter when I’m feeling wild, ha. If I’m playing in a daylong or multi-day tournament, I make sure to pack extra peanut butter sandwiches and chilled bananas. And hydration with electrolytes is key. I’ve played in multi-game tournaments in extremely high heat and sunny conditions, and have so much PTSD from the agony of heat-related headaches.

7. You’ve written for major publications like Vogue, Condé Nast Traveler, and The New York Times, and now you’ve launched your own Substack, Second Servings. What finally made this feel like the right moment to create a space that’s fully your own? What can readers expect?

I found that I had a lot more to say than what was published. I also wanted to spend more time with my subjects and share additional parts of their stories, including their challenges and how they overcame them. As for why now? I not sure how much more people wanted to hear from me, and honestly, I’m still not sure — but I guess I’m a little less focused on that now, and more on the joy of telling people’s stories.

Nila is a reminder that you don't have to fit into one box. She can travel to exclusive resorts, write for some of the biggest publications in the world, and then spend her weekends dominating on the flag football field, and I absolutely love that.

Show Nila some love and support by subscribing to her recently launched newsletter, Second Servings.

~ a small favor :) if you got some value out of this e-mail, a 💚 or a comment below helps more people see this post and helps us spread the word about ah.mi.

Read more from ah.mi

Summer is in full force, and if you feel like your healthy eating habits have fallen way off track, just know you’re not alone :). Below you’ll find a few recs that will help get you back in that healthy eating mindset, even if it’s baby steps.

Remember to keep it simple and always come back to our ah.mi mantra: Greens. Water. Move. Repeat.

🍵 A GOOD READ: The 30 Day Clean-Eating Game Plan

This was one of our all-time most popular emails because Maggie Dohler, personal trainer, nutritionist, and mom of three, breaks down healthy eating in a way that feels doable. Her “Maggie Math” is a favorite for getting a clear picture of your goals and what a healthy week of eating should look like for you. It includes:

• Where to start

• An exact plan for 30 days

• How to find your maintenance BMR (basal metabolic rate), your TDEE (total daily expenditure)

• How to calculate your calorie deficit

• How to calculate your macros to hit your goals

• + More!

“I love how 'real life' Maggie made everything- such great examples and super easy to understand. No nonsense!! Keep it coming!”

🍵 A GOOD LISTEN: Change Your Body at Any Age: The Diet & Exercise Plan for a Longer Life

My friend Christina sent me this Mel Robbin’s podcast epidsode with Dr. Rhonda Patrick and said it’s “very ah.mi.”

During the episode, they go into the kitchen and make the smoothie Dr. Patrick drinks daily.

Dr. Patrick explains that her daily smoothie is inspired by longevity. While many people assume genetics is the most important factor, Patrick says 80% of how long and how well we live depends on our overall lifestyle choices. For her, drinking a daily smoothie packed with important nutrients helps support that dietary foundation.

Her daily longevity smoothie:

• 3 cups kale

• 2.5 cups frozen blueberries

• 1/2 avocado

• 1 scoop whey protein powder

• 1 gram beta-glucan powder (WTH is this?! She explains it’s prebiotic fiber that feeds the bacteria in your gut. She says studies show it can lower cholesterol, and also studies show it can decrease the amount of forever chemicals that last in your body from 2-5 years). If anyone has a good brand for this, let me know!

• Water, to mix

Most importantly, she explains why she doesn’t include a banana in her daily smoothie. After you listen, leave a comment below and let us know what you think or any new info you learned.

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🍵 RECIPE: Copycat True Food Kitchen Chopped Salad

When I discover something easy to make that’s actually good, it instantly becomes part of my regular rotation.

Every time I go to True Food Kitchen, I get the same thing - the Chopped Salad w/ Grilled Chicken. I’ve researched it and recreated it at home. It’s just as tasty and so easy to make! A recipe to 100% add to your rotation this summer. Get the recipe here:

Also, check out this super easy app perfect for any hosting you are doing this summer. It’s a great one to bring to a gathering!

Hope you have an amazing summer weekend! Go Argentina 🇦🇷, including this for my little guy, Penn ;).

a small favor :) if you got some value out of this e-mail, a 💚 or a comment below helps more people see this post and helps us spread the word about ah.mi. :)

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Catch up on the latest from ah.mi here:

*You can shop all our recs on our ah.mi store here.

All products featured on ah.mi emails are independently recommended by our community or the ah.mi team. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting us!

Let’s get into it…

Volume 15: Spill The Tea with Jordan Baum

This week’s Spill The Tea is an extra special one because I’m introducing you to one of the people behind ah.mi: our very own Jordan. 💚

Jordan has been helping me build ah.mi for over four years now (!), and she’s truly my right-hand gal. While her official title is Fractional CMO, what she does for ah.mi goes far beyond anything a job title could capture.

She’s been my biggest cheerleader, sounding board, strategist, and friend through every high, low, pivot, and “what are we even doing?” moment that comes with building something from scratch. Honestly, I’m not sure ah.mi would be here today without her constant pep talks and unwavering belief that we are building something people truly need.

She also keeps me grounded. Jordan is the first to tell me when I’m putting too much mish-mosh random sh*t out into the ah.mi world (my guilty habit 😂), and she’s equally quick to tell me when something is just a little too cringe... even for her incredibly high tolerance for marketing cringey-ness.

I’m forever grateful for her, and I can’t wait for you all to get to know the incredible person who’s helped shape so much of what ah.mi is today.

Let’s spill it with 7 questions…

1. You left the corporate world and have had your own marketing agency for years now. We hear a lot online about the good stuff and the freedom, but what’s the least glamorous part nobody posts or really talks about?

Yes! I left my “9-5” marketing job in 2019 and have been full-time focused on JBaum Creative ever since. One not-so-glamorous thing I battled with in the first couple of years was comparison to other agencies and CMOs. I felt like maybe potential clients wouldn’t take me as seriously or see me as legitimate if I didn’t play along with the constant “self-promotion on social media” game.

I always felt so resistant to it; comparison felt like a toxic motivator and I was already getting (and keeping) clients without playing that game. So, I proceeded to fly under the radar and have found success quietly.

Just because a marketing agency has a gorgeous and consistent web presence doesn’t mean they’re good or profitable (many aren’t!). Providing quality > quantity service and building long-term, trusting relationships with growing brands has allowed my business to grow YoY in a way that feels aligned for me.

2. Tell us about your Friday rides, and at what point did protecting your Fridays become a non-negotiable?

When I first started my business, I said yes to everything – every opportunity, every meeting request, every “can you do this?” It was needed for growth in the beginning, but the burnout roller coaster was real and not sustainable.

In the past few years, I’ve doubled down on saying no and working when I feel in flow state. Prioritizing my efficiency and effort when my brain is most inspired has allowed me to create more boundaries with my time, so I choose to protect my Fridays. No one really wants to take meetings on Fridays, do they??

I grew up riding horses competitively and living on a small horse farm. Committing to riding and caring for horses will simultaneously exhaust and recharge your soul unlike anything else. After a hiatus from riding, I knew I needed it back in my life… so I found a local barn and I’ve been riding every single Friday for the past year or so. Everything else in my brain goes quiet for those couple of hours and I enter the weekend feeling more fulfilled (which leads to more rest, fewer Sunday Scaries, and a more positive re-entry into the next week).

3. You've worked with ah.mi since September 2021, which is basically a lifetime in startup years. How has being part of ah.mi impacted you personally over the last 4.5+ years?

First of all, developing long-term relationships with clients (who turn into close friends) is the absolute biggest blessing. ah.mi feels like a part of me! It’s impacted me in such a broad span of ways: consistency in eating better and moving my body, simplification (because it really can be as simple as the ah.mi mantra: “Greens. Water. Move. Repeat.”), networking with like-minded women and friendships that I likely wouldn’t have made otherwise; and it just feels good to be part of a community whose mission is essentially to feel your best and not over-complicate wellness.

4. Eloping in French Polynesia is #wellness. What made you realize you wanted the wedding to be about just the two of you?

I never really pictured myself having a big wedding. I loved enjoying my family and friends' weddings, but seeing all of the stress, outrageous expenses, and chaos first-hand confirmed that the pros did not outweigh the cons for me. We wanted zero stress or anxiety, and we also wanted such a monumental life event to feel like “us.”

Kevin and I have done a lot of cool trips and we’re very outdoorsy/adventurous, but we wanted our ceremony and honeymoon to top all of that… so we traveled 26 hours with a wedding dress and suit to Tahiti and Mo’orea to swim with humpback whales, hike some crazy mountains, eat incredible food, and stay in a romantic overwater bungalow. It was the perfect mix of rugged adventure and boujee luxury. No regrets!!

5. How did it feel waking up on your wedding day knowing there was no audience, no production, just you two?

It felt better than I could’ve even imagined. Our travel agent had the resort set up a private breakfast on the beach for us. Then we went to the gym together. Then I kicked Kevin out of our room so I could have my hair and makeup done. I had local flowers delivered and convinced an incredible adventure photographer to capture it all for us. We had a Polynesian wedding ceremony on the beach and then our photog whisked us away to the iconic Mount Rotui during sunset for photos. I felt so blissfully happy and at peace the entire day. Ok I’m not crying… you’re crying??

6. What about the wellness industry currently turns you off/gives you the ick?

Greenwashed packaging and branding. As someone who considers themselves to be an ethical marketer, this kills me. Convincing consumers to buy products that they think are healthy for them or their families when they’re actually full of sh*t is gross. Also, one-size-fits-all supplement recommendations by influencers are a big ick for me.

7. Tell us your current feel-good routine. How are you moving your body, what are you eating, etc.

Protecting my peace is my biggest feel-good flex. I feel my best when I exercise first thing in the morning. Even just a 20-minute walk outside will give me a huge boost for the rest of the day. The motivation has been lacking lately… but my ideal movement routine is 3x/week strength training, 1x/week yoga, 1x/week riding horses, and daily walks. I love to cook and eat super clean when I’m home. A typical day of eats: eggwhite/avocado/cottage cheese breakfast tacos, a protein smoothie w/ fruit, some kind of big salad or leftovers for lunch, and maybe a tofu curry for dinner. Plus my daily non-negotiable chocolate dessert or ice cream for the soul.

As you can probably tell from her answers, Jordan is simply the best. 💚

Whether it’s her Friday rides, YOLO elopement, or building a business that fits into her life (instead of building a life around her business), she always has this special way of reminding people what really matters.

I’d love to hear your biggest takeaway from our chat ~ drop it in the comments below! And if you’re inspired to be a little more like Jordan, I’m fully supporting the movement... #LiveLikeJordan

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Read more Spill The Tea interview by ah.mi

Today’s edition is brought to you by our friends at LTA Interiors. LTA Interiors is a premier luxury interior design firm creating timeless, thoughtfully curated homes throughout Florida, New York, and beyond. From full-scale renovations to custom new builds to furnishings and décor, LTA designs beautiful spaces that reflect each client’s unique lifestyle. Learn more at ltainteriors.com.

When I was ready to renovate my house, I knew the vision I wanted, but I needed a team to help bring it to life. LTA helped make it happen with a full renovation that exceeded my expectations.

Today I’m excited to give you all a little tour and share some of my favorite things.

Welcome to my home, AD ah.mi!

A little backstory: For years, I’d walk past this house and think, one day. It had this timeless, Father of the Bride charm that completely stole my heart. Two years ago, that little daydream became our reality, and we’ve spent the last two years renovating it into a Spanish modern home that still feels true to its history. ✨

🍵 Kitchen Things

Jordan came over and shot a Kitchen tour 🎥 with my kitchen holy grails:

→ Koala Eco Essentials

For the past year, Koala Eco has been my go-to for kitchen counter cleaner, hand soap, and lotion. Koala Eco makes safe, powerful, plant-based products. Koala Eco’s formulations blend the potency of plant-derived ingredients with the uplifting benefits of Australian essential oils so they smell 👌. Use code AHMI20 for 20% off your first order. Link here to shop.

Kendall Jenner is also a fan :). Koala Eco was spotted in her bathroom during AD’s home tour.

→ My Ride-or-Die Kitchen Essentials

A few things I use all the time:

• Our Place Wonder Oven Toaster & Air Fryer ~ it comes in a bunch of pretty colors, including a new Lavender. I love it because it does the job and is small enough to fit inside a cabinet. Currently on sale ~ $50 off!

• Our Place Dream Cooker Crock Pot ~ Set it and forget it! The easiest weeknight dinner hack. I’m working on a few tried-and-true crock pot recipes to share with you guys. On sale for $44 off!

• Graza Olive Oil ~ you can also find it at Costco ✨

• Dash Rapid Egg Cooker ~ I’ve had this little thing for 5+ years and use it at least once a week. Makes my HBEs 🥚 without having to boil water.

• Fancy Coffee Maker ~ Alexa (the “A” in LTA) turned me onto this Starbucks-style coffee maker. Glenn got it for me for Mother’s Day and it now makes our fancy weekend coffee. I love it! For M-F, we use our tried-and-true Ninja Coffee Maker, currently on sale for $99.

🍵 Movie Night

Movie night is big in our house, mainly because the kids (and me) want bowls of popcorn with some candy sprinkled in.

→ Popsmith Popcorn Maker

I’ve had my eye on this popcorn maker instead of my normal microwave bag. I’ve heard it tastes way better, done in 4 minutes, and it’s one of Oprah’s Favorite Things. Let me know in the comments if you have one or something similar!

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→ Comfy Couch Blankets

Nothing better than a fresh cozy couch blanket. I think we have 10+ scattered around our house. My two favorites:

Lola Blankets: These are pricey but have gone viral for a reason (Bethenny Frankel always talks about them). Pro tip: Never buy at full price; they always have discount codes here (including 35% off your first order).

Barefoot Dreams: Anything Barefoot Dreams is heavenly, and half the price of Lola. I have a bunch of these.

To me, a home is meant to be lived in.

As much as I love beautiful spaces and pretty things, I love what happens inside them even more.

Friends piled around the kitchen island. Muddy kids running in and out. (Glenn 🧹). Country music playing. Bottles of wine open and tequila spilled all over our bar (sorry, LTA 😬).

Because at the end of the day, the most beautiful part of a home isn’t the design; it’s the memories made inside. LTA knew this about us going into our renovation, so they designed the house to be beautiful but functional, & that’s what made me love the outcome even more. 🫶

Thank you for coming by!

I always love to know what you guys think. Let us know in the comments. 💚

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Catch up on the latest from ah.mi here:

*You can shop all our recs on our ah.mi store here.

All products featured on ah.mi emails are independently recommended by our community or the ah.mi team. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting us!

Every time I go to True Food Kitchen, I get the same thing - the Chopped Salad w/ Grilled Chicken and dressing on the side. I’m telling you this salad is 🔥.

Let us know in the comments if you have any copycat recipes from restaurants you’ve perfected.

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I’ve recreated this recipe at home several times and it tastes just as good as the real thing! Perfect for an easy solo dinner or to make a big batch for your next summer gathering.

A few adjustments I make: dried cranberries instead of raisins, and I skip jicama bc the apple provides enough crunch for me, and I usually always have an apple.

The key is to keep a stash of the dry ingredients always in your pantry, so at the store, you’re just getting fresh greens (romaine + kale) + apple + protein of choice. The Trader Joe’s 10-minute Farro is a MUST. Grab a few bags on your next TJs run.

You can also absolutely substitute ingredients. The manchego cheese is delicious, but I’ve subbed for havarti cheese and it’s just as good. Don’t have Marcona almonds? Sliced almonds work too!

I’ve topped with both grilled chicken and sliced filets, both are excellent. You could do salmon too.

Screenshot the ah.mi recipe card below (I added measurement, but I usually just eyeball everything depending on how many people I’m making it for):

Let us know if you try it. Tag us on IG @ahmi.health or Substack Notes if you make it!

Paid subscribers can find more of this in our ah.mi chat :)

I have 1,000 notes of different Paris recs I collected before my trip and it can be really overwhelming to try to fit it all in. I wanted our guide to be short, sweet, and full of the best. I also included pics for most so you can get the vibe.

Below are my top Paris food and drink spots: breakfast, lunch, dinner, a stop along the way for the best croissant, the perfect hotel bar for cocktails & live music, & the most insane homemade gelato.

Also included are some random Paris recs: RBJ-approved hair salon for a Paris blow-out, our travel planner, an amazing private tour guide, and the boat cruise company that curated an incredible birthday lunch cruise celebration down the Seine.

Let’s get into it…

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Let’s get into it…

Volume 14: Spill The Tea with Kylee Lessard Hayden

We are so excited to feature ! She’s a tech marketer by day and a founder & author by night. She runs Women + AI, an IRL-first community for non-technical women and writes Blue Sky Mind, a positive psychology blog she’s kept for over a decade. She’s based in San Francisco with her husband and is obsessed with the intersection of tech, communication, women, and wellbeing. In her free time, she can often be found fostering kittens, reading in the sun, and dancing.

Let’s spill it with 7 questions…

1. What’s one wellness task you've heard people fully automate with AI?

Planning meals for the week and ordering groceries isn’t the sexiest wellness-related task, but potentially one of the most important when we think about the role nourishment plays in our sense of vitality.

It was one of the first things I sought to automate as I learned more about AI and the various ways to use it; instead of spending an hour every Saturday sorting through cookbooks and manually adding every ingredient to my Instacart, I have a ChatGPT project pre-loaded with all of my husband and I’s food goals and preferences that does the sorting and planning for me, plus an Instacart plugin that adds ingredients to my cart in one click.

In about 20 minutes flat, I have a full menu tailored to my wellness goals (typically seasonal, local, weather & cycle-conscious) and the groceries are ordered. You can read about my method here.

2. What’s an AI health hack you personally use every day that people would be surprised by?

My “Health Coach” project in ChatGPT is probably my most daily use case right now. Essentially, I made a “digital twin” of my functional medicine doctor, so that I could have a first line of defense for my myriad health questions, rather than having to constantly email my doctor or set up a virtual check-in.

To replicate my doctor in a project, I pulled the extensive bio page info of my functional medicine doctor & put it in the instructions of a ChatGPT project, and then uploaded 20+ of my medical files and notes I’d collected over the years, including things like biomarkers, OAT test results, bloodwork, and notes from convos with my doctor. I now have an ultra-personalized, always-on free Dr. Wardwell in my pocket :)

3. What’s a small AI tweak that’s made a big difference in your energy or focus?

When I think of energy & focus, I think about mental load. It’s something women tend to bear the lion’s share of in society, especially in the household. There’s a big opportunity with AI to help carry cognitive load, especially through automations that outsource the remembering of recurrent tasks.

One small example: I automate little things like reminders & thought starters for my weekly Substack chat prompts. I’m still on my learning journey when it comes to AI automations, but it’s a part of the AI movement that many women find really compelling. I believe automation for helping manage the mental load is a use case that’s been under-built for, because men have typically controlled the resources and funding for building new tech, and they do not feel the pain of mental load like women do.

4. Where do you see AI changing everyday health habits in the next 1–2 years?

AI is so good at synthesizing data & finding trends/patterns, and I’m really excited for this next era of personalized wellness that I believe will come from this ability.

Almost everyone you know has a wearable, but it takes some serious time and analysis right now to extract meaningful insight and recommendations from all the data they capture. I think we’re headed for a world where wearables send data to an AI doctor who is constantly monitoring for meaningful changes–good or bad–& dialoging with you on the results in real time, bringing us to a place of personalized, preventative medicine and health optimization. As a borderline biohacker type, this gets me really excited for the future.

5. What is something you do for your mental health that costs zero dollars?

Meditate. Though I do pay for the Open or Waking Up app, I also make a ritual out of going to the SF Zen Center every Saturday at 9:25am for their morning sit. It’s free, open to the public, and incredibly grounding to enter such a sacred space and just be still for 30 full minutes of the week.

I find myself listening to birds chirp outside and “smiling with my collarbones” as Tara Brock often recommends, a full body experience of joy that is so necessary as a counter balance to my increasing tech & AI usage.

6. A wellness trend you don't buy into?

You will never find me doing a juice cleanse. A bunch of sugar hitting my system w/ nothing to buffer it? No thanks.

Also, cold plunges and fasting. Both sound so miserable to me, but I believe there’s enough science to show that these protocols have primarily been studied against & proven to help men. Women’s health science is so deeply underfunded and studied…unless this changes & these are definitively good for women, I am opting out.

Instead, I bank hard on good sleep, nourishing food, consistent movement, stress management and balance for the indulgences in life. Unsexy, but what most of the hard science boils down to.

One wellness trend I DO finally buy into, after years of skepticism, is personalized, targeted supplement stacks to fix acute issues. I work with my functional medicine to get the right tests and build the right protocols; I think AI can help with this, but I’ve had incredible experiences healing multi-year ailments working with my human doctor directly.

7. A current non-negotiable in your daily routine?

After two years on WHOOP and a spate of immune challenges in the last decade, I’m quite militant about my sleep routine. I have a Hatch, which is programmed for 5 minutes of stretching, 3 minutes of dedicated snuggle time with my husband (lol), 12 minutes of journaling, 20 minutes of reading, and 5 minutes of meditating w/ a red light before we’re off into white noise land.

I try to hit it at 9:30 most nights, so I’m lights out by 10:30 latest. I even travel with an extensive sleep kit, including a travel white noise machine, melatonin, over the counter sleep aids, an eye mask, silicon ear plugs, Beam Dream powder, herbal teas, and more here. I’m a shell of a human without at least 7 good hours, and showing up as my best self day after day is a huge part of how I define a healthy happy & well life for myself.

Thanks for participating, Kylee!

Read more ah.mi Spill The Tea interviews:

First, a special hello 👋 to all the new subscribers here. You’re joining our wellness club of 2,266 people.

ah.mi is SO close to becoming a Substack Bestseller (we have to get to 100 paid subscribers on Substack, most of our 2,266 subscribers are free).

Bestseller status helps us create momentum so that more people and brands discover ah.mi and, in turn, we can continue to offer better and more impactful partnerships, discounts, events, and beyond! All while championing the message that wellness doesn’t have to be complicated, and inspiring values around feeling good without taking it all too seriously.

Now, let’s get into the wellness “cheat codes” you’re here for….

Something we believe deep in our bones at ah.mi: getting healthier is not about optimizing every single second of your day. It is about taking the friction out of the choices you already want to make. Sometimes, the thing that actually moves the needle is not a whole new routine; it is one small tweak that makes the healthy choice the easy choice.

So, below you’ll find the little wellness things I swear by. Some are tiny mindset shifts, some are practical things you can buy or do today, but all of them are the kind of “cheat codes” that make life feel a little lighter once they become second nature.

#1 ~ Lock in on real food (but make it easy)

Ordering in, going out, and anything that isn’t homemade just isn’t going to be as healthy as making it yourself.

I have my rotations that I’m constantly eating ~ ground beef bowls, grilled chicken bowls (can be made with rotisserie chicken), turkey & cheese “sliders” on Lundberg thin rice cakes (pic below ~ you can get them at Publix or most grocery stores).

The Cheat Code: Get a few lunches and dinners in your rotation where zero thinking is involved and always keep the ingredients stocked. On weekends, I try to eat breakfast and lunch at home as much as possible because when out and about, it’s so easy to default to grabbing something fast.

#2 ~ LJM’s One-Touch Rule

My sis-in-law, Lauren, told me she learned the “one-touch rule” during her days working in finance in NYC. As a busy mom of four, it’s still ingrained in her brain, and let me tell you… she gets sh*t done.

*Disclaimer on taking advice from LJM: She’s very homely looking, has zero fun, and only runs about five miles a day.

Evidence below 🎥:

The Cheat Code: Once you’ve touched a task that takes 2 minutes or less, you must completely finish it before you begin something else.

So whether you have to RSVP to a birthday party or click to start an Amazon return, you actually DO IT, then and there, without saving it for later or getting distracted by something else.

I am the queen of being a task rabbit 🐰 and getting things done when it comes to work things, but on the personal front, I am horrible with getting things to the finish line.

I try to remember the one-touch rule as much as possible because carrying a huge mental load of little tasks is not #wellness.

#3 ~ Workout before Work

No matter what, I have learned during the week that I need to get my workout in before the day starts; otherwise, it rarely happens later in the day. I was on a kick for a while of working out super early in the morning, but now it happens later around 8:30/9 with the goal to be done by 9:30 am.

The Cheat Code: identify the time and place that you’re most likely to stay consistent with movement and lock it in, no matter what.

I don’t try to make in-person classes in this chapter of my life. We put together a simple gym setup in my garage (pic below) so there’s no commute necessary. My favorite weights are from Target here. I recently upgraded to 20-pounders. 💪

I’m currently deep in ah.mi’s Summer of Strength Challenge and committed to doing five Fit With Coco virtual classes per week.

Paid ah.mi subscribers get an exclusive code to try out Fit With Coco workouts and can join in on our Sunday check-ins on ah.mi chat on Substack.

I’ve been keeping a video diary of my Summer of Strength Six-week Transformation ~ watch my June update here.

#4 ~ 1 Before 1

A registered dietitian once told me about “1 Before 1,” and it stuck with me.

The Cheat Code: Fill up your water bottle first thing in the morning and have the goal to finish it by 1 pm. Doing this makes sure you start the day hydrated and helps meet your water goals by front-loading some of your intake :).

My sister, Liz, got me this Brumate water bottle (currently on sale!) for Mother’s Day. It fits in the car cup holder and keeps water ice-cold all day.

Glenn and I like this Transparent Labs electrolyte mix in raspberry lemonade flavor. I put a small scoop in my first water bottle of the day.

#5 ~ Walk & Talk (& After Meals)

The Cheat Code: Phone call? Scrolling? Just ate? Go for a walk.

I am the queen of Walk & Talks 👑 and try to take as many calls as I can per day while walking. To make it a habit ~ whenever I get on a call, I stand up and start walking, even if I’m just walking around inside. I also try to go on quick 10-15 minute walks after meals.

I’ve listened to celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak on several podcasts preaching about the importance of walking throughout the day. Harley tells his clients to get 10,000–12,000 steps per day and emphasizes that the movement you do outside the gym is often more important than the workout itself.

He said to Self Magazine:

“It’s the movement you produce outside the gym that reduces the amount of time you need to spend in the gym.”

Research shows that even a 10-minute walk after meals can help stabilize blood sugar, support digestion, and boost energy.

And of course, I have to save the best for last. The OG ah.mi mantra:

Greens. Water. Move. Repeat.

🥬 💦 👟 🔁

None of these are groundbreaking. That’s kind of the point.

The best wellness cheat codes are usually the simplest ones. Eating more meals at home. Finishing the little tasks. Moving your body before the day gets away from you. Drinking your water. Taking a walk.

Not flashy. Not viral. But they work.

If you keep coming back to the basics often enough, feeling good starts to become a lot less complicated.

What did I miss? If you have a cheat code to #wellness you swear by, tap below and tell us below in the comments!

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It’s about prioritizing the healthy choices that keep you strong and able to do the things you have always dreamed of doing. My mom (and OG ah.mi subscriber), Trudy, is a huge advocate of this.

She’s always loved to travel, so when she heard about Oceania's Around the World Cruise, she was in without a second thought. Now, three months in, she’s sharing a behind-the-scenes update and the little wellness tips that are keeping her going.

First of all… omgahhh - imagine living on a cruise ship for four months?! And yes, for some, I realize this might be your worst nightmare (Glenn 🧑‍🌾).

*Make sure to read until the end for her final thoughts, including how much weight gain she’s experienced after 3 months of all-you-can-eat living 😆…

Some details to set the stage:

• Trudy’s Oceania cruise left in March and returns in July. Four months cruising around the world!

• Oceania is known for smaller luxury ships (around 1,200 guests)

• You may have seen ads or commercials with chef and TV personality Giada De Laurentiis. She is probably the most recognizable celebrity associated with Oceania today.

• The brand has built its identity around food guided by legendary French chef Jacques Pépin, who helped create the culinary philosophy that Oceania markets as "The Finest Cuisine at Sea.”

• For those wondering, Oceania's Around the World cruises are definitely in the "bucket-list luxury travel" category, but they're actually less expensive than many ultra-luxury competitors.

  ---

Trudy’s 3-month check-in:

Day 92, about 40 of those were at sea. This is how she’s currently living:

1. She meditates every morning on her balcony.

2. She met some gals, and they enjoy the ship’s cocktails together.

3. Every day she tries to make it to the gym or a workout class. Plus, she walks 10 times around the deck (= 1 mile).

4. She keeps it healthy-ish while also living it up. Here’s a pic of her healthy lunch from Acquamar Kitchen on the ship (Oceania's wellness-focused restaurant).

5. Sunday Brunch is not to be missed.

6. Her favorite is the SPA! 🧖‍♀️

7. Sometimes she goes to a show in the evening, but she says her bedtime on board is typically 9:15 pm :).

Trudy’s Final Thoughts:

“Let’s be real…I’ve gained 10 pounds! To sum it up…trip of a lifetime, but I’m so glad I have my big, crazy family to come home to. One more thing… painting & aerobics have been my anchors & a way to meet people.”

The biggest takeaway from my mom’s update?

Whether you’re spending your summer cruising around the world or enjoying the view from your comfy couch, what matters is feeling good enough to do the things you love.

Because that’s living.

“You just gotta keep livin’ man, L-I-V-I-N.” - Matthew McConaughey, Dazed and Confused

All of us are counting down the days until Mom/Granny’s return to the mainland!

I’m bringing it back this summer because it’s so good. It takes about 5 minutes to put together and you can grab all the ingredients at Trader Joe’s (or any local grocery store). Whether you’re hosting or attending, it’s the perfect, show-stopping addition to any app spread.

ah.mi recipe card to screenshot below:

Let us know if you try it, and tell us “your thing” in the comments!

Paid subscribers can find more of this in our ah.mi chat :)

Let’s get into it…

Volume 13: Spill The Tea with Caroline Dell

Meet super connector, Caroline Dell. She’s the Co-Founder and CEO of Goodword, a tech and networking platform that consolidates every contact you've ever made into one place and saves the context you'd otherwise forget.

Caroline was employee number five at Chief, helping the network for women executives on its journey to 20,000 members while pivoting through the pandemic. Now that she is deep in building her own start-up, she is transparent on the highs and lows of building and what it takes to stay in the game both mentally and physically.

Let’s spill it with 7 questions…

1. How do you personally define "feeling good" in this season of your life?

Feeling good right now means having enough clarity to make the best possible decisions I can. Being a founder is a constant exercise in making calls with incomplete, imperfect information — that’s just the job. Some days the boulder feels heavy. Other days there’s this momentum, this spark, where things are just rocking and rolling. Clarity is what lets me keep moving, whatever kind of day it is.

2. In a world that feels increasingly digital, what does real connection actually look like to you?

I was at the Human Attention Summit recently and Esther Perel said something that stopped me cold: loneliness is a lack of depth, not a lack of people. That’s it. That’s the whole thing. Real connection isn’t about how many people you know or how often you’re in touch. It’s about whether there’s actually something real underneath. Depth. Presence. The kind of conversation where you leave having said something true.

3. When building relationships, what's a subtle sign that someone is good for your energy?

My coach talks about how we all have a battery — and some days yours is just completely dead. The best relationships are a jolt. You come in running on empty and leave with something restored. That's my signal. It's not about how fun someone is or how impressive; it's whether spending time with them actually charges you back up. Those people are rare. I protect them fiercely.

4. What is something you do for your mental health that costs zero dollars?

Two things. I citibike to work every day — rain, snow, sleet, ice. My office is under two miles from my apartment in Brooklyn and the bike is just the fastest way to get there. For a founder, speed is everything, and there’s something about moving through the city at that pace that clears my head before the day even starts.

And then there’s Lily — my three-year-old shelter mutt, part Australian Shepherd, part Chow-Chow. I empathize deeply with parents because being a dog mom is no joke. But walking her forces me outside, off my phone, and into the world. She has absolutely no interest in my to-do list.

5. What does rest look like to you right now?

Tea, and Shabbat. I’ve started observing Shabbat with my husband and it’s been quietly transformative — one day a week where the whole point is to just be. No forcing momentum, no optimizing. I’ve had to learn that the best ideas don’t come from the frantic days anyway. Rest isn’t the opposite of building. It’s what makes the building possible.

6. A wellness trend you don't buy into?

The 5am cult. I am not an early bird, I will never be an early bird, and I avoid flights before 9am at all costs. The idea that waking up before sunrise is somehow the secret to success feels like a very specific kind of propaganda. Some of us do our best thinking at 10pm. We’re fine.

7. A current non-negotiable in your daily routine?

Reading fiction every night. Not business books. Not self-help. An actual novel — anything from a New York Times bestseller to a full-on beach read. In a world that constantly tells founders what to optimize and consume and learn, choosing to just disappear into a human story every night feels almost radical. It’s how I fully switch off. Non-negotiable.

Thanks, Caroline!

P.S. We’re getting strong together this summer, and there’s still time to join us!

Every year, we do some variation of a “Summer of Strength” challenge together as an ah.mi community. This year, we’ve partnered with Fit with Coco to do her 6-week Summer Shred and ah.mi paid subscribers get access to our exclusive discount ($42 in savings — more than our subscription costs!). The challenge runs until July 5. Join us by becoming a paid subscriber and access our private ah.mi chat for alllll the accountability!

Subscribe now

Learn more here:

We’re switching it up a little bit this week in honor of Father’s Day being right around the corner! My husband Glenn knows every wellness-type thing wayyy before I do, so I decided to do an ah.mi rapid-fire-style Q&A with him for a little ah.mi/wellness/for the guys crossover.

Plus, I’m sharing some recent things he’s purchased that would make great gifts for any special person in your life.

🍵 Rapid Fire w/ Glenn 🧑‍🌾 💪

In honor of Father’s Day this month, we asked “Mr. ah.men” himself, my husband Glenn, some rapid fire wellness questions. Forward this e-mail to that special guy in your life who’s wellness-curious.

What do you eat for breakfast every day?

Greek yogurt, fruit, almond butter, honey. Sometimes I add protein powder.

What snacks do you keep at the office?

I don’t really snack. If anything, some cheese. Mostly have full meals or a protein shake/bar (these Transparent Lab protein bars).

If you order lunch, what are you ordering?

For lunch (non-hockey days) I’ll have grilled chicken or steak with rice and veggies. Hockey days I lean more towards carbs because I burn so much from playing: sub from Jersey Mike’s, breakfast for lunch (eggs, toast, bacon), chicken and pasta.

How many days a week do you go to the gym or play hockey? What is the new workout app you are trying?

Gym 3-4 days, hockey 1-2 days, home gym/run outside any days not playing hockey or gym. The app I’m trying is Athlean-X.

What is the one (or two or three) thing(s) you have told Rachel for years when it comes to wellness that she still refuses to listen to?

MANY THINGS I TRY AND TELL RACHEL

1. more weight lifting

2. creatine

3. go harder when working out

4. no days off

5. form when using weights

6. starbursts don’t count as fruit

🍵 ah.mi’s Father’s Day Shop

A few of Glenn’s favorite things are below and in our full Father’s Day Shop here.

• SonicPower Portable Cordless Car Vacuum: The joy on Glenn’s face when he found out our friends and neighbors are the founders of SonicPower cleaning products...😆. We have several of their cordless vacuums all over the house and they are perfect for use in the car too! Paulina is also a very active ah.mi subscriber and chimes in on #ahmichat :).

• Oakley Polarized Sunglasses

• 3-In-1 Charging Station for Phone, Watch, AirPods.

🍵 Summer of Strength

We’re getting strong together this summer, and there’s still time to join us!

Every year, we do some variation of a “Summer of Strength” challenge together as an ah.mi community. This year, we’ve partnered with Fit with Coco to do her 6-week Summer Shred and ah.mi paid subscribers get access to our exclusive discount ($42 in savings — more than our subscription costs!). The challenge runs until July 5.

Join us by becoming a paid subscriber and access our private ah.mi chat for alllll the accountability!

Join us here!

Be sure to join ah.mi chat on Substack for the exclusive 3-month discount code for the Fit with Coco app and for the motivation to actually stick with it…

*You can shop all recs on our ah.mi store here.

P.S. - If you ever have questions or feedback just respond to us here! We’ll always reply back.

All products featured on ah.mi e-mails are independently recommended by our community or the ah.mi team. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting us!