Recommendations
I’m sharing tools, books, podcasts, and trusted local services I recommend most often. Everything here is something I use personally, have vetted, or would confidently suggest to a client.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
FITNESS & RECOVERY TOOLS
These are tools I recommend as practical additions to support home training, travel, and overall consistency. They can complement different fitness goals, spaces, and budgets. If you have individual questions or specific needs, you can reach out here.
Smart Scale
A smart scale can be a helpful data point when used appropriately. I recommend focusing on long-term trends rather than daily fluctuations, especially alongside consistent training and recovery habits.
Adjustable Bench
A quality adjustable bench should offer both incline and decline options to support a wide range of strength exercises. I prefer benches that use a pin-style back adjustment rather than a lift-and-groove system, as they tend to feel more secure, stable, and easier to adjust during workouts.
Resistance Band Set (Handles + Door Anchor)
A versatile option for home training, travel, warm-ups, and accessory strength work. I like sets with multiple resistance levels and attachments, and the lighter bands can also be used without handles for controlled, rehab-style movements.
Plyo Box
A plyo box is useful for much more than jumping and can support a wide range of lower-body and strength exercises. As a general guideline, box heights around 12–16 inches tend to be more appropriate for beginners, while 18 inches and higher are better suited for more advanced training experience.
Adjustable Dumbbells
Adjustable dumbbells are one of the most versatile tools you can own. They support progressive strength training without taking up much space and work well for a wide range of experience levels.
Loop & Hip Bands
These are two simple band types that serve different purposes. Mini bands are small rubber loops that work especially well around the ankles for a wide variety of lower-body exercises and movement prep. Hip bands are thicker and typically worn above the knees or around the thighs, making them ideal for more targeted glute and outer-thigh activation, warm-ups, and accessory work for hip stability.
Gorilla Mats (Rubber Flooring)
Quality rubber flooring protects your equipment and joints, makes training feel more stable, and reduces noise and vibration at home.
PRx Squat Rack
A squat rack is a larger commitment, but it significantly expands what you can safely do at home. I like wall-mounted options for their space efficiency and long-term durability.
Foam Roller (36’’)
Foam rollers are a simple, effective tool for mobility and recovery, and density plays a big role in how they feel. Softer rollers tend to be more comfortable for beginners, while firmer options provide deeper feedback. I recommend starting with a 36-inch roller for versatility and full-body support.
Massage Balls & Targeted Recovery Tools
These tools are helpful for more targeted muscle and tissue work than a foam roller. They allow you to apply focused pressure to smaller areas like the feet, hips, glutes, upper back, and shoulders, and can be useful before or after training or on rest days. Start with the basic set if you want something simple and portable, or choose the more complete set if you prefer multiple options for different areas of the body.
Compression Boots
Compression boots can be a useful recovery tool when used appropriately. Fit matters more than brand, so choosing the correct size based on your height is important for comfort and effectiveness. I recommend looking for adjustable pressure settings and using them as a complement to training, sleep, and overall recovery habits, not a replacement.
Joint-Friendly Kneeling Pad
This thick foam pad is ideal for kneeling exercises, modified push-ups, planks, and other floor-based strength work when knee comfort is a concern. I recommend the XL size, which provides enough space for both knees and more consistent support. It can also be used intentionally for balance training in select standing exercises, depending on the goal.
SUPPLEMENTS
Exercise, nutrition, hydration, sleep, and stress management always come first. Supplements can support specific needs, but they are not a replacement for foundational habits. The products listed here are ones I personally use and trust for quality and transparency. Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your physician before starting any supplement.
Seeking Health Optimal Multivitamin
We have used this multivitamin for years because of its comprehensive formula and use of bioavailable nutrient forms not always found in typical drugstore options. It can help fill common micronutrient gaps when diet alone may fall short. As with any supplement, it should complement strong foundational habits. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement.
Seeking Health Kids Multivitamin
This is the multivitamin I used for my own son when he was younger. Seeking Health Kids Multivitamin provides essential vitamins and minerals in bioavailable forms, including active B12 and methylfolate, to help fill common nutrient gaps during growth.
It is designed to complement a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. Always consult your child’s healthcare provider before starting any new supplement.
Seeking Health Multivitamin One
A streamlined, once-daily multivitamin providing essential vitamins, minerals, and trace elements in well-absorbed forms, including methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin (B12) and methylfolate with folinic acid. It also includes lutein and vitamin E for antioxidant support.
This formula intentionally excludes vitamin C, magnesium, calcium, and iron, allowing for individualized dosing of those nutrients when needed. Compared to the higher-potency, multi-capsule Optimal Multivitamin, this is a lower-dose, simplified daily option.
Seeking Health Optimal Man
Seeking Health Optimal Man is a comprehensive men’s multivitamin that combines foundational nutrition with targeted support for healthy testosterone levels and balanced estrogen metabolism. In addition to essential vitamins and minerals in active, bioavailable forms, it includes select herbs and DIM, which are not typically found in standard multivitamins.
Unlike basic men’s formulas that focus only on vitamins, or testosterone products that rely solely on herbs, Optimal Man is designed as an all-in-one approach. It is a higher-potency, multi-capsule formula intended to complement a nutrient-dense diet, strength training, quality sleep, and overall healthy lifestyle habits.
SERVICES
These are local services I trust and refer to often. Each provider listed here offers care that complements training and recovery and aligns with how I approach long-term health and movement.
Meridian Mobile Massage Therapy
Debra Smith - LMT (TX 131590)
Debra provides professional, in-home massage with a strong emphasis on comfort, adaptability, and individualized care. Her approach is especially supportive for clients who benefit from treatment in familiar environments, including older adults, individuals with mobility limitations, and those managing pain or high stress. Sessions are tailored using techniques like Swedish, deep tissue, and trigger point therapy to complement training, recovery, and overall well-being without the added stress of travel.
My Corrective Care
Carolyn Taylor - LMT (TX 100770)
Carolyn is a Medical Massage Practitioner. She is also a health, wellness, and life coach. Her work goes beyond traditional massage and focuses on addressing underlying contributors to pain and dysfunction rather than simply managing symptoms. She incorporates a combination of hands-on care, movement-based techniques, and noninvasive modalities to support the body’s natural healing processes. I often recommend her for clients who have persistent pain, complex issues, or who feel like they’ve “tried everything” and need a more comprehensive, whole-body approach.
BOOKS
A big part of coaching is helping people unlearn extreme or outdated advice across the five pillars: exercise, nutrition, hydration, sleep, and stress relief. You can’t learn everything in a few sessions, and social media isn’t a great substitute for real education. These books are a starting point I recommend to keep learning as the research continues to evolve.
The Body: A Guide for Occupants
An engaging, approachable look at how the human body works, its incredible capacity to adapt and heal, and the systems that keep us functioning day to day. This book builds a deeper appreciation for the body as a whole and helps connect movement, health, and longevity with understanding rather than fear.
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
This book offers a simple, grounded framework for thinking about food without getting lost in nutrition trends or fear-based rules. It reinforces a balanced approach that prioritizes food quality, variety, and context over perfection, making nutrition feel more sustainable and realistic.
Becoming a Supple Leopard, 2nd Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance
This book focuses on movement quality, positioning, and mechanics as foundations for strength, performance, and injury prevention. It reinforces the idea that how you move matters just as much as how much you train, and that addressing mobility and control can support long-term, pain-resilient fitness.
The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer: Lessons From the Healthiest Places on Earth
This book explores eating patterns and daily habits from some of the world’s longest-living populations. It reinforces a practical, sustainable approach to nutrition that focuses on whole foods, consistency, and lifestyle context rather than restriction or short-term trends.
The Complete Plant-Based Cookbook: 500 Inspired, Flexible Recipes for Eating Well Without Meat
A practical, approachable resource for incorporating more plant-forward meals without strict rules or extremes. This book focuses on flavor, flexibility, and balanced nutrition, making it useful for anyone looking to expand variety and quality in their diet.
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
Breath makes a compelling case that although we breathe about 25,000 times a day, many of us have lost the ability to breathe well, and it can quietly affect how we feel and function. James Nestor travels through history, science, and modern research to show how small adjustments to the way we inhale and exhale may influence stress, sleep, snoring, and even athletic performance. It’s a fascinating blend of storytelling and physiology that will change how you think about a basic daily habit.
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
A practical look at how sleep impacts health, recovery, and daily performance. This book supports the idea that prioritizing sleep is one of the simplest ways to improve how you feel, move, and function over time.
Dirty Genes
Dr. Ben Lynch explores how lifestyle, nutrition, sleep, and environmental factors influence genetic expression. Rather than viewing genes as fixed destiny, he explains how daily habits can impact how genes function. The book translates complex science into practical steps related to food choices, stress management, detoxification, and sleep, offering a framework for supporting overall health through targeted lifestyle changes.
Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual Therapists and Movement Professionals
This book introduces the concept of myofascial lines and how different parts of the body are connected through movement and tissue. It’s especially useful for understanding why pain, tightness, or limitation in one area can show up elsewhere, and it supports a more integrated, whole-body approach to training, mobility, and recovery.
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
A thoughtful look at how stress and past experiences can influence the body over time. This book reinforces why addressing stress and supporting the nervous system matters for both mental health and physical resilience.