Fighting the Dark Days: How to Feel Your Best When the Sun Checks Out Early

Winter arrives quietly and then suddenly everyone is talking about how dark it gets at 4:45 p.m. The days feel shorter, the mornings feel colder and even the most energetic people start moving a little slower, slipping into a cozy but sluggish rhythm. If you feel a little more tired or less motivated, you are not alone.

The good news: You can do something about it. Simple self-care habits can brighten your mood, refresh your energy and keep you grounded through the darker months. Supporting your body and mind with hydration, nutrition and feel good routines helps you show up at your best, even when the sun is not pulling its weight. This guide shares easy, realistic tips and FITAID favorites that help keep your spark alive all season.

Start With Hydration to Boost Your Daily Energy

Hydration is the unsung hero of winter wellness. Many people drink less water when it is cold because they are not overheated or sweating as much, which can leave you feeling tired and foggy. Staying hydrated is key to many bodily processes and your body functions best when electrolytes are within the right range.

FITAID Hydrate is an easy fix for this winter slowdown. The single serve packets dissolve instantly and deliver clean electrolytes that help keep your body balanced. They are perfect to throw in your gym bag, your desk drawer, or your car. Sip one in the morning or mid afternoon when your energy dips and your body will thank you.

Challenge: Try swapping your afternoon pick me up cup of joe for a Hydrate packet for 1 week and see how it impacts your energy levels and sleep.”

Movement Helps You Stay Lifted All Season

When it’s cold and dark, motivation to move can fade quickly. Yet even small amounts of daily movement can help you feel more awake and grounded. It can be simple such as:

A 10 minute stretch session
A walk around the block
A quick bodyweight routine
A light yoga flow
A few minutes of mobility exercises

Consistency looks different throughout the seasons and that is perfectly fine. What matters is doing something each day that keeps your momentum alive.

Fuel Your Body

Good nutrition can make a noticeable difference during the darker months, especially when your routine feels a little off. Winter often brings heavier comfort foods, skipped meals and quick snacks grabbed on the go. So being intentional with what you eat can help you feel more steady and supported.

Building meals around whole foods, colorful produce, quality proteins and nourishing fats keeps your energy more consistent, and small upgrades like prepping a few easy lunches, adding a serving of fruits /veggies or choosing more nutrient-dense snacks can help you feel balanced even when the daylight hours are short.

Supporting Your Sunshine Levels With D3 and K2

One simple way people support themselves during the darker months is by adding a D3+K2 supplement to their routine. These two nutrients work together and are often taken during seasons when natural sunlight is limited. Taking D3+K2 is an easy addition to your morning ritual and pairs well with the other small habits that help you feel steady throughout the winter.

Clean Energy Keeps You Going

Many people reach for extra coffee during the winter month, but excessive coffee intake can leave you feeling jittery, dehydrated or drained later.

FITAID Energy uses clean caffeine from green tea along with vitamins and electrolytes that help support natural energy. It tastes refreshing without the spikes that often come from traditional energy drinks. When the sun is hiding, having a reliable and cleaner energy option can make a big difference in how productive and positive you feel throughout the day.

Magnesium for a Calm and Balanced Evening Routine

Dark days can also make evenings feel heavier or more restless. One way to create a grounding nighttime routine is to take a magnesium supplement. The FITAID Essentials Magnesium capsule seamlessly adds to your wind down ritual for a relaxing transition to sleep.

Just take 2 capsules 30-60 minutes before bedtime. It is the type of nightly ritual that sets you up for success, even if the next morning still looks a little dreary outside.

Consistency Counts

The dark days are real, but they do not have to drag you down. When you stay hydrated, move your body, choose clean energy and implement simple routines, you create your own sources of brightness. FITAID makes that process easier with products you can trust to support your lifestyle. There is nothing we value more than creating products to support your goals, and your overall sense of wellbeing.

7 Holiday Travel Tips for Staying in Routine (When Everything Else Gets Chaotic)

Holiday travel has a special talent for throwing even the most committed routines off track. Your normal schedule disappears, your meals look different, your workouts shift and suddenly you are trying to remember when you last drank actual water. Between airports, car rides, packed schedules and endless family activities, it is easy to feel a little ungrounded. The good news is that staying in routine while traveling is completely doable with a few simple habits and the right essentials on hand.

Set the Tone Before You Leave

The best travel routine starts before you even walk out the door, so pack with intention. Keep wellness essentials in your personal bag or carry on instead of burying them in your suitcase, so you are not scrambling once you arrive. This makes your routine easy to access and a lot harder to forget.

Create a Morning Ritual You Can Repeat Anywhere

A routine does not need to be long or complicated to be effective. Even when traveling, a five minute morning ritual can help you feel centered before the day takes off. Try a simple combo like morning sunlight and doing a few light stretches. This gives you a sense of structure and control, even if the rest of your schedule looks different every day.

Anchor Your Day With Hydration

Hydration is usually the first routine to disappear during holiday travel. Plane cabins are dry, road trips encourage snacking over sipping, and family gatherings often revolve around anything except water. Keeping your hydration steady helps you feel more alert and grounded through long travel days.

Carry a reusable bottle and keep FITAID Hydrate sticks in reach so you can quickly add electrolytes to optimize absorption of the water you do drink. These tiny packets make it easy to stay consistent and feel your best, no matter where your day takes you.

Keep Your Supplement Routine Simple and Packable

One of the easiest ways to stay on track while traveling is to streamline your daily supplements. Creatine stick packets are perfect for on-the-go because they take up almost no space and can be mixed into water, juice or a quick morning smoothie. They help you stick to your fitness and wellness routines even when you’re schedule.

Pair this with your essential vitamins, like Magnesium and D3+k2, so your day feels as familiar as it does at home. Keeping these in a small pouch or pill case makes it effortless to maintain your daily habits without overthinking it.

Move Your Body, Even if It Looks Different

Holiday travel often means limited workout options, but staying active does not require a gym. A short walk, a quick mobility session or bodyweight movements in your room can all help you stay in rhythm. The goal is not perfection. It is consistency. A little bit of movement each day keeps your routine alive and helps your body feel better after long flights, big meals and unpredictable schedules.

Bring Familiar Foods and Snacks

Travel days can disrupt mealtimes, so having a few familiar snacks helps you stay steady. Pack items like fruit, nuts, protein bars or anything you regularly reach for at home. This small choice keeps your energy more consistent and helps you avoid the sudden crash that often hits after airport food or holiday grazing.

Make Your Evenings Calming and Predictable

Quality sleep and a good start to your dat begins with a solid nighttime routine. A warm drink, reading for a few minutes, or taking your vitamins before bed helps your body shift into a calmer state. These small cues can help you sleep better, which makes your entire travel experience smoother. Because nothing sabotages a tavel experience more than being overly tired.

Holiday travel will always have a bit of chaos in it, but your routine does not have to disappear. With hydration, movement, simple supplements and tiny daily rituals, you can stay grounded and feel like yourself no matter where the season takes you.

The Ultimate FITAID Holiday Gift Guide

Wellness Gifts That Actually Wow

The holidays are here, which means it’s officially the season of giving, gifting, and Googling “What do I buy for someone who has everything!?” Don’t worry. We’ve got you.

If your friends, family, gym buddies, coworkers, or “we-said-no-gifts-but-I’m-still-bringing-something” people love staying active, or focusing on their overall wellness, then this guide is your new holiday MVP.

FITAID drinks and supplements are clean, functional, delicious, and genuinely useful gifts (the kind people actually enjoy receiving).

Consider this your all-in-one, stress-free, wellness-forward holiday gift guide.

For the Fitness Lover: FITAID Energy + FITAID Recovery Variety Packs

You know that one friend who lives at the gym? The one whose warm-up looks like your whole workout? They deserve something that supports their lifestyle (they’ve got enough athleisure).

FITAID Energy Variety Pack

Perfect for the friend who loves a little buzz without the crash. FITAID Energy delivers clean caffeine from green tea plus B-complex vitamins and electrolytes to help them feel naturally energized.

Why it’s gift-worthy:

Clean energy with 200mg of natural caffeine from green tea
Great flavors they’ll actually crave
No mystery ingredients

FITAID Recovery Variety Pack

For the person who lifts heavy, runs hard, or is on a first-name basis with their foam roller.

Why they’ll love it:

A better-for-you recovery beverage, completely caffeine free
Delicious flavors that refresh fast
Ingredients chosen with purpose, not hype

For the Busy Parent: FITAID Hydrate Sticks

If anyone deserves a hydration upgrade, it’s the person who hasn’t finished a hot coffee since 2017.

FITAID Hydrate

These hydration sticks are an easy, thoughtful gift that says, “I see you. You need water.”

Why they’re perfect gifts:

Toss into a purse, gym duffle, stroller, or diaper bag
Clean electrolytes and zero sugar, nothing artificial
Hydrates efficiently and tastes delicious

Pair them with a cute reusable bottle and boom… the parental dream duo.

For the Wellness-Obsessed Friend: Magnesium + Creatine

Some friends collect crystals. Others collect spreadsheets about micronutrients. This section is for them.

FITAID Essentials Magnesium

A clean, tasty magnesium supplement designed to support overall wellness and daily balance.

Why they’ll love it:

Easy daily ritual
Perfect for the person who could use some quality sleep
Contained in a bioavailable vegetable capsule

FITAID Creatine (Especially for Women!)

Creatine is having a serious moment, especially in women’s wellness. It makes the perfect “I care about your goals” kind of gift.

Why it’s a holiday winner:

Clean, simple, mix-able, zero sugar
Great for shaker bottles or smoothies
Perfect for the friend leveling up in the new year
Zero sugar, naturally sweetened flavors

For Stockings, Secret Santa and White Elephants: Small, Mighty, and Always Appreciated

These little gems fit perfectly in stockings or small gift bags. Plus, you will be the star at your next favorite things party.

Perfect Stocking Stuffers

FITAID Hydrate Sticks
FITAID Creatine Single Sticks
FITAID branded merch
Wellness bundles (magnesium + creatine combo)

For Yourself (Because You Deserve It)

Let’s be honest, self-gifting is a holiday essential.

Treat Yourself to a Subscription

A subscription ensures you never run out of your favorites, and it’s basically like giving your future self a present every month..

FITAID Bundles

Only you know your perfect flavor line-up. Create your own holiday magic with a FITAID Hydrate or Essentials Supplement Bundle.

Give Gifts That Feel Great

The best gifts are the ones people actually use, and nothing is more universally appreciated than feeling hydrated, energized, supported, and refreshed.

FITAID products make gift-giving easier, healthier, and a whole lot more fun.

Cheers to giving gifts that uplift, support, and bring joy (and maybe some gentle hydration reminders) to everyone on your list.

HindeSight #101: Do you get the winter blues?

Dealing with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

When daylight hours start to decrease and it gets cold and dreary outside, many people may find themselves experiencing symptoms resembling depression during the winter months.

In this episode of The Viva Podcast, Jor-El and Rachel discuss the signs of SAD and the steps you can take to ease symptoms and feel better during the winter time.

Listen now…

What to Know About Seasonal Depression

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD — a type of depression that occurs with the changing of the seasons — can affect up to 10% of people in the United States.

Read about some of the best ways to manage SAD, how long is lasts, and why you or someone you know may be experiencing drastic mood shifts this winter.

Continue Reading…

“Be strong now because things will get better. It might be stormy now, but it can’t rain forever.”

– Anonymous

6 Tips for Overcoming Seasonal Affective Disorder

Even with small changes in your lifestyle, you could help yourself through Seasonal Affective Disorder. This article highlights six tips to help you find the mental relief you need to make it through the dreary winter months.

Read More…

Winter Blues, Fourth Edition: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder by Norman E. Rosenthal, MD

“Picking up this book is the first step toward feeling more energized, productive, and alive–all year long.”

Whether you’re having difficulties staying motivated or feeling down in the dumps now that the weather has changed, there is a high chance you are suffering from seasonal depression. This is a common occurrence for most people, but just because it’s common doesn’t mean it should go untreated or unnoticed. We all need a little bit of encouragement from time to time, but especially when we’re feeling down. In this book by Norman E. Rosenthal, MD, you can hopefully find all of the insight and encouragement you need to get through this season of life and the ones to follow.

Order Now…

FITAID Becomes Official Beverage of Pickleball’s The Dink

Santa Cruz, Calif., March, 14th, 2022 – FITAID has become the Official Sports Recovery Beverage of the premier media outlet for the ever-growing game of Pickleball. Featuring stories, newsletter, tips, gear reviews, highlights, and more, The Dink is where Pickleball enthusiasts stay up to date on all things Pickleball. “The Dink Fam wants one thing: to play more Pickleball. We’re pumped to partner with FITAID to bring our community new ways to improve recovery, optimize performance and of course, ‘go one more,’” says Thomas Shields, the founder of The Dink.

FITAID is a global leader in post-workout nutrition. Founded 10 years ago in Santa Cruz, CA, its parent company LIFEAID crafts a variety of premium performance beverages for functional nutrition. Each ice-cold can of FITAID contains ingredients to help an athlete’s body recover and never contains any artificial sweeteners. FITAID is 45 calories, vegan, non-gmo, gluten free, and contains the electrolytes and vitamins needed to recover, refuel, and hydrate after a pickleball match.

“We recognize how much joy the game of Pickleball has brought to people of all ages and backgrounds. With the inclusion of essential recovery ingredients like BCAA’s, we know that FITAID will allow all Pickleball athletes to recover and get back to the game they love,” says LIFEAID Marketing Manager, Lauren Rivers.

As one of the fastest-growing sports in America, pickleball is a hybrid sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. Pickleball can be played on either a tennis court surface, gymnasium court, or a local cul du sac with painted lines. After a long match of Pickleball, there is only one way to recover, and that is with FITAID.

In celebration of this partnership a limited edition product will be announced on April 1st, 2022.

About LIFEAID Beverage Co.

With a focus on great tasting, wellness enhancing and functionally driven supplement products, LIFEAID Beverage Co. has become a trusted brand among athletes, health-conscience and performance minded consumers. Headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, LIFEAID is home to premium performance products and passionate people. Products include both ready to drink and powdered mix blends including FITAID, FOCUSAID, IMMUNITYAID, DREAMAID and PARTYAID. Visit lifeaidbevco.com to learn more.

HindeSight #25: How To Find Your Business Niche

FitBiz Talk: Cashing in on the ATM

On this episode of FitBiz Talk, discover how LIFEAID co-founder Aaron Hinde found his calling, creating products that help get the sugary crap drinks out of the hands of as many people as possible. Aaron talks about this journey and his recommendation for those looking to enter the market—sky’s the limit when you cash in on the ATM of life with Alignment, Trajectory and Momentum in your life and business. (63:00)

Listen to the full podcast episode here.

How to Find Your Business Niche

Whether you open a business in a unique industry or a saturated market, it is important to differentiate yourself from the competition to win over your audience. Find out how!

Click here to read the full article.

HindeSight | No. 25

LIFEAID Sets eCommerce Black Friday Sales Record

SANTA CRUZ, CALIF. – Hot off the heels of the traditional shopping season kick-off, LIFEAID Beverage Co., LLC. achieved an impressive volume of Direct to Consumer business during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend reaching just shy of $500,000 in direct website e-commerce sales.

The company, known for their niche “clean supplement blends” has seen a meteoric rise over the last year. 2018 is proving to be a potential break-through year for the brand.

For a second year, LIFEAID has secured a top spot on the Forbes list of Fastest Growing Companies and 2017’s list recognized the brand as the 2nd fastest growing in its category. FITAID, the Recovery Blend, which is popular within the CrossFit and OCR communities, recorded an impressive 35% share of the weekend’s sales. Notable portfolio performers included FOCUSAID and brand flagship product LIFEAID; while GOLFERAID, PARTYAID, and TRAVELAID rounded out the strong sales figure.

According to their VP of Sales, Dan Leja, “2018 is going to be a breakout year for the Brand.” Leja goes on to report, “We anticipate in excess of 12,000 traditional retail outlets, including some of the most established national retailers.”

This figure is 4 times what their retail penetration was in 2017. Authorizations include GNC, Kroger, Safeway, with significant reviews pending. At time of release, SPINS data is displaying promising results as they are positioned as a top 5 brand in their category over the last 24 weeks. Additional focus in 2018 will include consistent brand awareness efforts and building off their consumer successes to help bolster and sustain their current trajectory in retail.

About LifeAid Beverage

At LIFEAID, we fuel your passion with our clean and refreshing nutritional blends. Our products are tailored for your active lifestyle – without all the junk. LIFEAID products are available throughout the U.S. in more than 5,000 gyms and retail stores such as Whole Foods and The Vitamin Shoppe. Join us as we show the world there is a better way. For more information, please visit www.lifeaidbevco.com or contact [email protected]

SOURCE: https://www.bevnet.com/news/2017/lifeaid-sets-e-com-black-friday-sales-record

Review from Jason Cappetta Executive Chef/Partner, Dawn of Thyme

Continue to put out this amazing product. I stand behind it for its flavor and authenticity. As a professional chef and coach I can only recommend FitAID and your products as the best of the best. Our company is unique as it services and provides meals to countless crossfitters and beyond. From your sales team to your product developers we thank you all for your commitment to excellence!

Cheers!
Jason Cappetta
Executive Chef/Partner
Dawn of Thyme LLC