My Favorite Online Resources for Transitioning to a Healthy Lifestyle

by Christina | Sep 27, 2017 | Wellness

When transitioning into a healthier lifestyle, slow and steady wins the race. It can be really overwhelming to find new products, replace your old ones, get used to a new way of doing things, and sort through all of the “health information” on the Internet. There are a lot of products out there that are marketed as “healthy alternatives,” but how do you know what you can really trust? This is something I’ve discussed on many recent Actually Adultish podcast episodes, like the episode with Mark Ritz and my most recent one with Courtney Swan. Unfortunately, many companies can label their products “all natural” or “organic,” but that doesn’t necessarily tell you the whole story. I can’t tell you how many clients, friends, and family members have started eating certain foods or using certain products that were labeled healthy, clean, or nontoxic, only to later discover that it was just a marketing scheme. Beyond the trouble with faulty labeling, how do you know which products are actually good? As in, do they even taste good? Do they work, or is it all just hype?

Beyond finding trustworthy sources of information, it’s always easier to make lifestyle shifts when you can do so while saving time and money. We’re all busy nowadays, so having things delivered to our doors makes life a lot easier. Plus, you can get incredible deals online if you know where to look. A lot of people turn to unhealthy foods out of convenience, but healthy food and nontoxic products can be just as convenient as their alternatives. While some healthy products are expensive, there are ways to cut down on prices and buy in bulk so that you’re stocked up on healthy food and nontoxic personal items, and you can save money while doing it.

I’ve been very excited recently because quite a few family members and family friends have reached out to me asking for help with transitioning to a healthier diet and overall lifestyle. When it comes to my family and friends, I’ve learned not to push them. When I first got really interested in health and wellness a few years ago, I made the mistake of trying to force my lifestyle changes onto other people. I was just so excited about everything! When I saw my life completely transform through a healthier diet and using nontoxic products, I wanted others to experience the benefits as well. I quickly realized that trying to force people to change their habits only made them get defensive, and it actually turned them off from trying a healthier way of living. So I backed off. When it comes to my personal life, I never give advice unless asked to do so point-blank. I’ve learned that the best tactic is just to lead by example. People need to do things in their own time, when they’re ready. Trust in that.

Now that many people in my life are ready to make some changes, I’m more than happy to help them with the transition! I’ve found myself sending out a very similar email to many of my family members recently, and it contains a list of my go-to resources for healthy food, nontoxic products, and overall health information. This list also contains many of the same things that I recommend to my clients, so I figured it would be helpful for many of my blog readers, as well! These are my top online resources that I personally use to find and buy products that fit in with my healthy lifestyle!

1. Thrive Market – Thrive Market is my go-to website for buying kitchen staples, and they also sell a ton of personal care items as well. I mainly use Thrive to stock my pantry, though. If you’re curious about what I buy, check out my post on my pantry staples! Thrive is sort of like an online healthy Costco. You buy a yearly membership, and then you get access to all of the discounted products. Products on Thrive are generally much cheaper than buying the same brands at the store, so I stock up online and save a ton of money each year. When you purchase a Thrive Market membership, you also sponsor a free membership for a low-income family, which helps make healthy living accessible to so many more people.
   Your order gets delivered straight to your door, which saves a lot of time on grocery shopping! Thrive carries so many of my favorite healthy food brands, and you can also filter out your search results based on your dietary preferences. For example, I usually check the Paleo and Gluten-free sections for new products. Besides food items, they also sell home products, pet items, things for babies and kids, and personal care products. If you use this link, you can get 25% off and free shipping on your first order!
2. Ritzfit – This is something I discovered recently, and I talk about it in depth on my podcast episode with the founder, Mark Ritz. You can buy either a monthly or yearly membership to Ritzfit, and that membership gives you access to incredible weekly deals on delicious, healthy food products. Each week, a different healthy product is featured, and you get to learn about the product and the company behind it.
   What makes Ritzfit better than places like Thrive Market or Whole Foods is that it filters out the good from the bad. Every product featured on Ritzfit has been analyzed by a team of “ingredient experts” with very high standards when it comes to what makes a product actually healthy. (By “very high standards,” I mean, as high as my own.) They take the guesswork out of things for you. Like I mentioned, there are so many products marketed as healthy items that actually contain harmful ingredients. There are also many healthy products that just don’t taste good or perform well. The Ritzfit team checks ingredients, the manufacturing process, and the taste/performance beforehand, so you can absolutely trust the products featured.
   You’ll get a huge discount each week on whatever product is featured (much more than you would ever get buying the product from any other vendor), so the membership is well worth the price. I also love Ritzfit because the site features companies that have a hard time getting publicity. A lot of these brands have incredible products but don’t have the budget to get enough marketing on social media, to get onto sites like Thrive Market, or to even get into stores like Whole Foods. They’re small companies that deserve love and attention, and I have been very impressed with how many new products I’ve found through Ritzfit that I now love. I never would have discovered these brands without Ritzfit. Instead of going into a grocery store and not knowing what to choose, this makes the process much easier. I also love suggesting this to family, friends, and clients over other sites because I know that any product recommended by Ritzfit is one that I would endorse as well. I can’t say the same about every product on Thrive or every product in Whole Foods. If you see a product you like, I recommend buying it in bulk! You can get a yearly membership for $75 at bit.ly/ritzfitATL if you use the code “LOVELY” at checkout! There’s also a 90-day money back guarantee on memberships, so you really don’t have anything to lose.
3. Primal Kitchen – Everyone knows how obsessed I am with Primal Kitchen. I always point this brand out specifically because they sell so many of my pantry staples that I truly could not live without. Their salad dressings, avocado oil mayo, and avocado oil are things I always keep in my kitchen, and they’re always the first specific products I recommend to others when I’m asked about healthy food replacements. The ingredients are amazing, and they are incredibly delicious. Swapping out your salad dressings, mayo, and cooking oil is a no-brainer, especially when they taste better than the unhealthy versions! You can use the code “WELLNESS” for 10% off all Primal Kitchen Products!
4. Kasandrinos Olive Oil – Along those lines, I always tell people to swap over to Kasandrinos Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Most olive oils from the store are cut with unhealthy oils, and I know that olive oil is a staple in most people’s kitchens. You could easily be unknowingly consuming a processed vegetable oil on a regular basis, thinking it’s olive oil, which could cause major longterm health problems. Just because it’s labeled 100% pure olive oil, doesn’t mean it is. I buy all of my olive oil in bulk from Kasandrinos because it’s very high quality, it’s completely pure, and it tastes amazing. They even sell little travel size bottles! I’m pretty sure everyone has olive oil in their pantry, so this is definitely one of the top swaps to make. You can use the code “WELLNESS” at checkout for 10% off!
5. Vital Proteins – I also recommend Vital Proteins to pretty much everyone, whether that be for their collagen, bone broth, gelatin, or other supplements. Collagen is amazing for gut health, muscle support, joint pain, and hair/skin/nail health. Check out my post on collagen if you want to read more about all of the benefits! I use their collagen in place of protein powder, and I also love to use the bone broth as a healing base for soups. I’ve personally seen collagen transform my own health, and I know so many others who have experienced the same. Besides, who doesn’t want better skin and gut health?!
6. Daily Harvest Smoothies – Daily Harvest smoothies are a great option for people who have busy mornings and need a quick breakfast on the go. They also have soups, chia parfaits, and sundaes as well. You just go online, pick your flavors, and they’re delivered to your door. The smoothies are cups filled with frozen ingredients, so you just keep them in the freezer. When you want one, all you have to do is add liquid, blend, and you’re all set with a smoothie to go! This is a lifesaver for people who feel like they never have time to cook, and I always keep a few of these in my freezer as backup in case I run out of food. You can use the code “addictedtolovely” to get 3 free smoothies with your first order!
7. GrubMarket and Milk and Eggs – I love to get groceries delivered straight to my door when I feel like I have a million things to do. I know that grocery delivery can make healthy eating a lot easier on a lot of other people, too. In my area, I use GrubMarket and Milk and Eggs because they deliver local produce instead of just regular produce from the store. It’s like getting the farmer’s market delivered to your doorstep. Milk and Eggs is great if you’re in the L.A. area, and GrubMarket delivers throughout California. If you live somewhere else, search to see if there is another grocery delivery service in your area that connects with local farmers. The prices on GrubMarket and Milk and Eggs are much cheaper than at the store, you get high quality meat and produce, and it saves me a ton of time on grocery shopping! I literally order my groceries the night before in my pajamas! (For Milk and Eggs, you can use the code “WELLNESS” at checkout for 20% off your first order. For GrubMarket, you can use the code “LOVELY” for 20% off your first FarmBox!)
8. doTERRA – doTERRA essential oils have become a huge part of my life and have totally transformed my health. Not only do I love to diffuse them, but I use them as perfume, in cooking, to help with digestion, in cleaning products, and much much more. They have so many uses, and I feel like they should be a staple in everyone’s home. I love doTERRA because the oils are of the highest quality, and I also love that doTERRA offers so many other nontoxic household products – laundry detergent, hand soap, dish soap, cleaning supplies, skincare, haircare, and supplements. I also make my own “vitamins” with their veggie caps. Products like On Guard, Breathe, and DigestZen have now replaced my old over-the-counter remedies for colds, flus, indigestion, stomach pains, muscle pains, and more. If you’re interested in learning more about doTERRA or want to become part of the Loyalty Rewards Program, definitely let me know! I’m happy to chat, give suggestions, and help you incorporate essential oils into your life! People are always amazed at how many products they can replace with essential oils, and it makes a huge impact on your overall health when you replace household items with nontoxic alternatives!
9. Beautycounter – When it comes to personal care products, I always turn to Beautycounter. The products are nontoxic, of the highest quality and standards, and actually work. 95% of my makeup, skincare, haircare, and body care products are from Beautycounter. I have a post about some of my favorite Beautycounter products here, although it does need an update with all of the recent new launches! What you put on your skin gets absorbed into your skin, and what is absorbed into your skin enters your bloodstream. It is so important to use safer personal care products for overall longterm health, because many people don’t realize that their toxic skincare products could be causing health issues like asthma, infertility, cancer, skin irritation, digestive issues, and more. Toxic products can have a seriously negative impact on our hormones, so it’s important to reduce your exposure as much as possible.
   I recommend joining as a Band of Beauty Member because you’ll get free shipping, free products, and exclusive deals throughout the year. You also get money back with each purchase, so you can use that credit on future products! Everything is delivered straight to your door, so you don’t have to deal with going to a store. I’ve saved so much money on personal care products since switching to Beautycounter, and I love that these products work better than my old ones. They also have a baby line and kids’ line, as well! (Definitely get the sunscreen, too.) If you need help with color matching, picking products, or want to become a Consultant, feel free to email me!
10. Credo Beauty – If you’re looking for other clean beauty products, check out Credo Beauty. They have stores in San Francisco and L.A., but you can order from online anywhere! I know a lot of people want to switch to non-toxic personal care items but don’t know what brands even are nontoxic, so checking out products that Credo carries is a great start. However, I do have to warn you that I don’t support the use of every product they carry, because I have my own set of standards when it comes to the ingredients I allow on my body. That’s why I generally stick to Beautycounter products, which never contain ingredients on their “Never List.” That being said, Credo is a great store to check out for a wider variety of products, and it’s the perfect way to start getting into nontoxic beauty.
11. EWG – I always check the EWG Skin Deep database to see if a product is nontoxic or not. EWG rates different products on a scale from 1-10 depending on their ingredients. When the rating is closer to 1, the ingredients are safe. If it’s a 10, then it’s very toxic. EWG doesn’t rate every product in existence, but it’s better than nothing! I try to stick to products that are a 1 or a 2 on this scale.

Navigating the “health world” and transitioning to an overall healthier lifestyle can be very overwhelming, but these are the top resources that helped me get there! Hopefully you found at least one helpful resource on this list. Remember, any change you make is an improvement, and every swap makes a big difference!