From Hyrox to the Holidays

Greetings from sunny Florida! ☀️

While the palm trees are swaying where I’m vacationing🌴,things are getting cozy back home in Iowa—and here at Renew, December marks the start of one of our favorite seasons. As we move into the holidays, we’re reminded how important it is to slow down, enjoy family traditions, and nourish both body and mind. 😌

Before diving into all things festive, I wanted to share a personal highlight from this past month: I recently completed my first HYROX competition! For anyone unfamiliar, HYROX is a fitness race that combines running in between functional workout stations—Ski Erg, sled push, sled pull, rowing, burpee broad jumps, farmers carry, sandbag lunges and wall balls. It’s a gritty, full-body challenge designed to test strength, endurance, and mental toughness.🏋️‍♀️🏃‍♀️

Training for HYROX meant months of consistent strength work, cardiovascular endurance training, interval running, and practicing each station until it felt like second nature. There were plenty of early mornings, sweaty sessions, and moments where I wondered what I’d gotten myself into—but crossing that finish line made it all worth it.🙌

The competition itself was electric—the energy, the cheering, the shared determination with everyone on the course. I pushed hard, surpassed my goals, and left feeling stronger, inspired, and incredibly proud of my partner (fellow pelvic floor PT) and myself. If you’ve ever considered a race or fitness challenge, take this as your sign to go for it. You might surprise yourself with what you can do. 💪🔥

Now…onto the holiday magic! ✨

My favorite holiday traditions!

The holidays are all about connection, comfort, and creating memories that warm the heart long after the snow melts. In our family, we love to kick off the season with a few simple traditions that bring us closer together:

🌟 Driving Around to Look at Christmas Lights- One of our favorite things to do is hop in the car, crank up the Christmas music with our hot cocoa, and cruise around town admiring all the lights. It’s relaxing, joyful, and a great way to enjoy "the little things."

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Matching Family Pajamas- There’s nothing quite like slipping into matching festive pajamas to set the holiday mood. I love snapping photos of our matching family and looking back on them for years to come. It might be a little silly—but that’s the point! Laughter and togetherness are some of the best stress relievers (and yes, great for your physical well-being too!).

🎄 Decorating the Christmas Tree- Tree decorating is where creativity comes alive in our house—especially because our son has his very own Christmas tree in his room, just his size. Now, this may have started because I wanted the living room Christmas tree to be specifically decorated to match the hand picked theme for the year... but he loves picking out ornaments and making it uniquely his, so we got him his own to decorate anyway he wants!

After a month full of celebrations and race training, I needed easy, nourishing recipes to stay warm and energized as we get into the hectic-ness of the Holiday season. Check it out here.

✨ Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup (Perfect for a busy December day!) https://www.thecountrycook.net/crock-pot-chicken-tortilla-soup/

Wishing you a joyful December filled with warmth, movement, and holiday cheer. Stay cozy, stay active, and enjoy this special season! 🎄❤️