After 14 years in New York, Minna Lee recently made the move to sunny Southern California — trading in muggy city summers for an easy-breezy California lifestyle. The full-time content creator and nutrition coach is determined to make this summer one to remember.
Minna, her partner, and their 2-year-old corgi, Benny, recently moved into a new house outside Los Angeles, complete with every former New Yorker’s dream — a backyard. Since the move, she’s spent her time gardening and making the home her own, but with summer here, she’s focused on spending more time outside. “Especially now that we’re in California, I’m really looking forward to taking advantage of all the outdoor activities — hiking, going to the beach, farmers markets, and eating outdoors,” Minna says. She has even started swapping in long hikes, beach walks, and water sports for some of her usual workouts in hopes of making the most out of the sunny SoCal weather.
The other big item on Minna’s summer checklist? Indulging in all of the fresh summer produce. “Of course all my favorite activities revolve around food,” Minna jokes. “My favorite thing to do in the summer with friends is gathering outdoors and hosting a beautiful dinner full of seasonal dishes and drinks.” Now that she has a backyard, Minna says she hopes to get a grill so she can prepare the ultimate fresh summer feast for her friends. “Give me all the tomatoes, summer squash, and berries during the summertime, along with grilled foods (grilled veggies like corn, squash, peppers, onions, and then there is nothing like a good grilled burger, too)!”
Of course, her background in nutrition and wellness means that Minna is always thinking carefully about remaining mindful — even when she is indulging her cravings. “I think the biggest part of summer is mindfully enjoying your summer foods and paying attention to how your body feels. Our bodies tend to tell us when we have overdone things — we tend to feel a little lower energy,” she says.
Some days, Minna might be satisfied with a fresh veggie salad; on others, she might be hungry for a heavier, multicourse restaurant meal, and that’s OK, too. When she’s craving something sweet and creamy, she grabs Naked Orange Vanilla Crème. “I’d love to have one in the middle of a hot summer day, especially after taking my dog for a walk or spending some time outdoors,” Minna says. “Orange Vanilla Crème will forever remind me of growing up with creamsicles and brings that true summer nostalgia.”
That philosophy is particularly helpful during the summer — months that quickly get filled with al fresco dinners, trips to the beach, weekend getaways, and so many other fun plans. “I do my best to take it one day at a time and not overly anticipate what the next thing will be,” Minna says. “That is what helps me stay present. It also helps to stick to some daily rituals and time alone that I know make me feel grounded despite the fast pace of summertime.”
Listening to her body is a key way that Minna finds balance. “Taking care of myself is a dance between honoring my physical and mental needs, while also identifying and working towards things that I know make me feel good in the long run,” she explains. “Taking care of myself is knowing the daily basic needs that make me feel good (good sleep, hydration, eating produce, movement), but also knowing that life isn’t perfect and sometimes you may hit chapters where you may not be able to work out a whole lot, but you’re at least doing a great job on sleep and rest, and vice versa.”
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