Kylene, what do you eat to stay healthy and fit?

Hi friends! I get a variation of this question a lot - whether it’s specifically in regards to MY eating, or women wanting to know what healthy eating means in general for THEM….

Maybe YOU have tried 20 different diets, you’re gaining weight, your’e tired, your’e frustrated and you simply can’t seem to move the needle. (Check out my recent post on the fad of “plant based” eating HERE.

I get it! Many of my clients begin this way as well and I’ll give the same answer I give to everyone. #YOUtrition. You can learn exactly what I mean in my podcast episode HERE or my previous blogpost HERE.

While I believe in a unique approach to each individual, here are the overarching guidelines that work for EVERYONE…

Healthy Eating Guidelines That work for Everyone

1) Avoid processed foods.

This includes anything with refined sugars, corn syrup, food coloring, or unnatural ingredients. You can simply ask - was it made by God, or made by a factory? If a factory, skip it. (I do still utilize packaged foods but I choose brands that use high quality ingredients. You can ask the question when reading the ingredient label - could I make this at home if I had the time or inclination? If so it may be an ok product. If it’s packed with words you don’t recognize - skip.)

2) Go gluten free 100%.

It doesn’t matter who you are, what your life history is, or what symptoms you are experiencing, for my clients and myself, this is a non-negotiable. You can learn more about WHY in this Youtube video HERE .

3) Go organic.

Unless a certain type of produce is a “safe” crop known not to be sprayed with pesticides and herbicides, or it has a thick skin that you do not eat, go 100% organic. Pesticides are linked to liver toxicity (which can lead to a whole host of disease but can also show up in weight gain and fatigue), cancer, hormone disruption and more….

You may even be doing your best to eat a “heart healthy” diet by starting the day off with a granola bar or oat based cereal like cheerios….but last year the environmental working group found that ONE serving of these cereals (and who measures just one serving?) goes above the “safe” limit of glyphosate for children. And I would argue there IS not safe exposure.

Microscopic particles have been shown to kill beneficial gut flora. Pesticides kill things. It also kills things in your GUT.

4) Dig deeper and get testing.

This includes food sensitivity testing, gut testing and possibly more. Simply addressing these sources of inflammation and lead to unexpected and EASY weight loss.

I personally live a life where probably 80% of the food I eat is purchased by me and made in my home. The other 20% is conscientiously choosing when out to eat without compromising core values (like being gluten free etc….).

Exercise doesn’t have much to do with it

You may be surprised to learn that as a former personal trainer, exercise is not a component of the plans I create for my clients. Now to be clear, I always encourage movement, walking, and if the client is healthy enough, exercise,. But I never lay out a fitness plan and in most cases I’m actually asking them to calm it down a bit to allow for healing.

And guess what - these clients STILL lose weight.

I’ve had clients drop 10 pounds without effort simply by following their food sensitivity test report.

I’ve had other clients from 10 pounds simply by going gluten free. Before they even GET a test result.

I personally choose to lift HEAVY, but I ONLY work out twice a week. I’m seeing amazing results. So while it would be tempting to double this amount, I listen to my body and even on weeks where we have tried 3 sessions, it doesn’t seem to give my body enough recovery time and I simply don’t feel as strong. This way I have lots of recovery time and I can not only CRUSH it every time, but I can regularly increase my weights.

Dig Deeper

If you do some of the basics and feel like you have “tried everything” but still can’t see results, that’s where a coach like me can come in and help you dig deeper!

Food sensitivity testing is certainly one of the most popular tests I run. However, I choose to run my business in a way where I never offer one test alone because I want my clients to leave with RESULTS. So while yes, many can simply follow a food sensitivity test and see some benefit, OFTEN where there are food sensitivities, there are also other imbalances in the gut so I like to pair it wit ha comprehensive stool test.

This allows me to see how we can REALLY make progress by healing the gut, removing stressors (stressors can be parasites, bacteria, food sensitivities etc….) and adding in needs ( things like minerals or vitamins your body needs).

Think Liver

Where there is weight gain and/or weight loss resistance, there is probably some liver stress, or what you might think of as a sluggish liver. Our bodies are bombarded by stressors daily and our liver does a phenomenal job but it needs two things:

1) A whole host of nutrients to function optimally

2) A break from toxins or else it can get bogged down

So for example, if you are eating a food daily that your body is sensitive too, and wearing perfume that is full of chemicals, experience a lot of mental emotional stress, and have some hormone imbalances, then your liver has a high work load!

Everything we are exposed to must go through the liver to be broken down and made non-toxic. This requires an enormous amount of energy and nutrition. In fact, your liver STORES extra nutrients for a rainy day. But if we aren’t eating a healthy diet, and instead we eat a nutrient POOR and inflammatory diet, in addition to living in the modern world, then we are setting our liver up for failure. Literally.

Fatty liver is something that is difficult to diagnose unless you actually get some imaging done for another reason. Bloodwork alone doesn't necessarily tell you that a fatty liver is developing.

If you experience fatigue regularly, weight loss resistance, pain in your right side, digestive issues, etc… your liver may need some support!

Are YOU ready to invest in YOUR health??

Interested in learning if working together one on one is the right fit for YOU? You can schedule a free functional health assessment call at the link below. This call allows me to understand your goals, your vision for health, what you have tried and determine if I am the right fit to help achieve those goals! If not, no worries, I’ll do my best to point you in the right direction by the end of the call!

Skipping the menopause shot

Hi friends!

Today I made a really hard decision. So hard in fact, I had a solid hour of crying back and forth while I was trying to make the choice.

What was such a big deal? Well, I was trying to decide if I wanted to get the hormone shot that puts me into menopause during chemotherapy. Ultimately, I chose not to and here’s why:

There are 2 main reasons to get the shot in the first place. 1) To potentially have a positive impact on your blood count by not having your cycle during chemotherapy and 2) to maybe offer some protection to your ovaries by shutting them down and therefore assuming they won’t suck up as much chemotherapy thereby protecting their functioning in the future.

That being said, I kept feeling this nagging “no” when I thought about getting the shot.

First, after my horrible experience with egg retrieval, I really wanted to give my body a break. The idea of getting another shot that messes with my hormones in a dramatic way did not resonate well with me.

Secondly, I still haven’t had my period since the fertility stuff. I was pumped full of so many hormones, that my uterine lining got really thick. I know my body, and I know my hormonal history. Before doing anything else manipulative to my hormones, I REALLY really want to shed that lining. The problem is, there is a window of time they really want to give the shot to you before chemo….my window is closing and I haven’t started my period yet.

Thirdly, ABVD doesn’t appear to be super damaging to your ovaries. Different chemotherapies have a lesser or stronger probability of damaging them and it doesn’t sound like ABVD is high risk in that area. Additionally, even if my ovaries ARE damaged I just harvest 21 mature eggs which is an insane amount of options should I choose to use the route later.

Fourthly, the Zoladex shot take a few weeks to sink in ( thus the reason they want that window) but chemotherapy will essentially put me into menopause anyway. After a few cycles the likelihood that I will skip my periods is high and I would rather just let my body do it’s thing and support it the best I can.

Need to relax? Try this delicious Reishi hot chocolate from Foursigmatic.com Simply use code: TINYFITDIVA for 10% off!

And finally, some doctors recommend you wait 6 months after chemotherapy to have babies and some recommend up to FIVE YEARS. When I read that today I realized the likelihood of me wanting to actually get pregnant after this is low and I feel like I’ve really wasted pain and money going through this process. For those of you who are reading this thinking “oh you are so young, you have plenty of time!” technically, that is true. But my hubby is 15 years older than me and it’s a real consideration when I continue delaying the process by potentially YEARS.

I don’t know how I will feel when I’m done with all of this. Maybe I will be relieved that I have some fall back options and be happy that I went through the egg retrieval process. Maybe I will decide to finish the IVF process and have kids after all. Or maybe I will just be so thankful to be healthy again, and feel like I really want to give my body a break, enjoy my life with my family and get back to work…

All I know is this. I felt something in my gut telling me NO so strongly that I called to cancel today. I felt much better afterwards and that’s definitely something I need to hold on to throughout this process- my voice and intuition!

What about you? Have you or a friend chosen to do fertility treatments or lupron/zoladex shots before chemotherapy? Or did you choose to skip it altogether? What was your experience?

Hormone Supporting Coleslaw

say whaaaaaaaaat?!

Hey Hey Diva friends!! What the heck is hormone supporting coleslaw? Am I joking?! No my friends I am NOT and you should get EXCITED because this is one super healthy, super delicious, and (yay!) super EASY recipe....

Let's touch on the benefits of each ingredient first.

*This post contains affiliate links from Amazon*

Cabbage. Estrogen dominance is a very common hormonal imbalance in women. Processed foods that mimic estrogen, chemical exposure and poor detox ability can all contribute to estrogen dominance. Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable and cruciferous veggies have phytochemicals called insoles which help you metabolize your estrogen down the healthiest pathway possible. (more on that when my next podcast drops on July 16!) In addition. green veggies in general are great for supporting your liver and digestion both of which are super important in regulating your hormone balance! 

Coconut Mayo. This is your source of healthy fats. Healthy fats are CRUCIAL for balanced hormones. A low fat, low carb diet is often a precursor for hormone imbalances. Coconut oil provides nutrients needed for hormone production AND it can assist in calming inflammation.

Raisins. Mostly in here for flavor, raisins are a dense source of carbohydrates which (as stated above) are necessary in whole foods form and in healthy proportions to maintain hormone balance. Turns out, they are also a great source of magnesium, iron and boron which studies have shown boost your absorption of magnesium AND beneficially impact your use of estrogen.

Bacon - YES BACON. This is in here because well....it tastes darn good :)

Easy Peasy Coleslaw

Ingredients:

• Cabbage
• Applegate Sunday Bacon
• Organic Raisins
• Chosen Foods Coconut Mayo (or any other clean, healthy fat based mayo like avocado or olive oil)

Directions: 

1. Cut about half the cabbage into shredded pieces
2. Cook the bacon until crisp
3. Mix 2 large spoonfuls of mayo into the cabbage ( I actually melted mine down first to thoroughly coat the cabbage)
4. Crumble the bacon onto the cabbage mix
5. Add approximately 1/2 cup raisins or until it looks visually decent :)
6. Mix well and keep refrigerated!

Sugar Free (almost) Strawberry Parfait

Hey Hey there Diva Friends! 

I recently made this strawberry parfait and not only was it a HIT, it was sugar free! Well....sorta :) There was ZERO refined sugar but a little bit of maple syrup and honey sprinkled throughout. For most that are not on a strict elimination diet this would make a really great treat and get this....it's healthy enough for breakfast if you would really want to do that :P

When I was thinking about what I wanted to make I googled (of course) 4th of July paleo desserts and lots of fun red white and blue treats come up - most of them using strawberries and blueberries for that patriotic look. Lots of parfait options came up which inspired me to make me own....

Enjoy!

Strawberry Tapioca Parfait

Ingredients:

• Against All Grain Shortbread Cookies
• 3 Pints fresh organic strawberries halved
• Honey
• Let's Do Organic Tapioca
• Full Fat Coconut Milk

Directions:

I made the shortbread, tapioca, and strawberry filling the day prior so they could cool completely. Then I assembled everything just before we ate them. I made 8 large parfaits and doubled the tapioca recipe but had leftovers. You may need to adjust amounts based on parfait serving sizes and number of people.

1. Make the shortbread cookies ahead of time. Making them pretty isn't a priority unless you care how the decorate topper ones look. About half of them will be crumbles up so I made 24 balls, flattened them out and baked according to the directions.
2. For the strawberry sauce I took 2 pints and cut them in half. Then I placed them in a saucepan over low-med heat with a few drizzles of honey and let them cook (stirring occasionally) until the broke down into a lumpy jam. You could continue to cook if you wanted a smoother sauce but I liked the lumps. Let cool in the refrigerator.
3. Make the tapioca according to the box except sub out the sugar for honey and let cool completely. 

To assemble:

1. Start with an ice scream scooper of tapioca pudding. Then scoop the strawberry sauce on top making a layer thick enough to see and differentiate on the side. 
2. Loosely chop about 8-12 of the shortbread cookies and layer them on top of the strawberry filling.
3. Spoon a little more tapioca on the cookie sprinkles and then garnish with a few slices of fresh strawberries and 1 full shortbread cookie.

*Kylene is an Amazon affiliate and the links provided are amazon affiliate links.

Flourless Orange Chocolate Scones

Hey Hey Diva friends! It's my birthday so....YOU get a recipe :)

But FIRST!! Are you signed up for my weekly newsletter? If not, you really should be! Recipes, tips, podcast and blog round-ups, first dibs on discounts, and more! Click here to get an email from me every Thursday morning!

When I was a kid, I would start planning my birthday like 4 months in advance...yeah I know I know, overkill....I don't really know where that came from, but I SERIOUSLY love the day.

Fun fact:It's also Flag day (my Mom used to tell me that they put all the flags up for my birthday) ha!

Anywayyyy.....I remember somewhere in my teens it was Oprah's 50th birthday. She was this icon, this rockstar, this super woman who had achieved so many life goals....and I remember her saying that each decade gets better. For whatever reason, that stuck with me. I really didn't like it when people worried about aging, and would dread their birthdays like "oh no! I'm 3 years away from being 30!!" ......I wanted to adopt the Oprah attitude - it's jsut a number, and it can get BETTER with age....

So I did. And it does :) Life DOES get better with age. Here are just a few things for me that have improved each year:
My health
My strength
My attitude
My life purpose
My business....

Now, working as an FDNP it's my job to help you get to the point physically where each year gets better for YOU! To that end, I wanted to give YOU a gift on my birthday!!

In August I'll be launching #HormoneHacker - a 10 week program focused on gut health and supporting your hormones naturally. I created this program because so many of you wanted to go a step further than #GetGutsyWithMe and learn more about your cycles and how your body works AS A WOMAN. 

So before I officially launch the 10 week program (stay tuned for all the awesome details!) I wanted to drop this little gift for you. It's my free guide to hack your PMS. 5 simple but major tips to get you on your way to cramp free month!!

I'd love your feedback, so make sure you hop into my free FB group Stop Dieting and Live Your Life to stay in touch as you begin to implement it!!!

p.s. Find this tool useful? Share this blog with a friend so they can download it too!

Without further ado - my birthday scone recipe:

Flourless Orange Chocolate Scones 

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup cassava flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/2tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• orange zest
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/3 cup enjoy life choc chips

Directions:

1. Mix the wet ingredients
2. Mix the dry ingredients
3. Combine
4. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until slightly golden around the edges. Enjoy!

Note** I've noticed that cassava flour recipes tend to be best warm out of the oven, but we reheated these scones for breakfast and they were just fine! If anyone knows how to make them slightly fluffier I'd love to hear your tips!!!

Pulling back the layers of gut health

Hey hey Diva friends! 

Today I am PUMPED to share some updates with you! Many of you have followed me through my FDN journey with my certification and part of that process was becoming a client myself so I could experience the process and hello....work on my own gut issues!

I recently shared my Journey with H. Pylori and how my testing revealed that i hadn't eradicated it the first time so I needed to go for a second round. While my husband had knocked his out in one fell swoop ( with a shorter protocol while also being less compliant) my gut (as usual) was proving difficult. 

I am happy to announce that since I received my last test in April I am H Pylori free! That was step #1 and NOW, I'm finally getting to the ROOT of my digestive struggles.

Your gut is a really intricate web of little bug good and bad. Normally they live in synergy and the good bacteria keeps the opportunistic bacteria in check. Your stomach acid also plays a major roll in not only breaking down your food, but also keeping nasty pathogens at bay.

When there becomes an imbalance whether from stress, poor diet, antibiotic use, or other (check off all of the above and MORE in my history), this ecosystem of opportunistic bacteria begins to thrive where yeast, fungi, parasites, bacteria, and inflammation all creates the perfect environment for the other to thrive and more of ten than not, when one is found awry, others are to follow....

This is what I discovered in my most recent test. Now that I had been on a protocol for a period of time I was finally able to see what was ACTUALLY underneath. Literally. Pathogens like to create and live in something called a biofilm that protect them. Sort of like a spiderweb of protection for them against your mucosal lining. GROSS!

Anyway, when you go on any sort of pathogen protocol a large part of the process is breaking that home up WHILE targeting the bacteria AND restoring your good bacteria through food and probiotics and gut healing supplements.

But I digress.....now that my insides are exposed so to speak, I could see what was really happening....Below are some snapshots of my test results:

WHEW! Ok let's break this down.

1) I have to major parasites: cryptosporidium and cyclosporine. These nasty bugs are what's called intracellular parasites where they have a life cycle of 7 days and weave in and out of your cells causing damage galore.

2) I have an amoeba called endolimax nana - also not great 

3) Some bacteria dysbiosis (imbalance between the good and bad)

4) Notice in the Phyla Microbiota the ratio is HIGH. The section explains the ratio between gram negative and gram positive bacteria. You'd like it to be under 1. High ratios like mine are typically found in obese subjects or people who have difficulty posting weight which could potentially explain the difficulty I've been having over the past year in losing weight regardless of how clean my diet is.

5) My beta glucaronidase level is high. This is a marker for detoxification and while I could use a supplement to work on that, the supplement can also lower your estrogen. Since I have historically had low hormones and have been working on increasing them this is a marker I will watch as it hopefully goes down through the process.

6) My SigA is very low. This is your first line of defense in your mucosal lining. It's an immune system marker and mine is low ( but not as low as I've seen!). For reference, below 500 is considered a suppressed immune system response. This is something I will work on through my protocol.

7) A random yeast overgrowth - small, but you don't want that to get out of control!

8) Finally, I'd like to draw your attention to the zonulin marker. I love this marker because zonulin essentially tests you if you have a leaky gut or not. Zonulin's roll in the body is to open the tight junctions between the cells in your epithelial cell wall that lines your gut. This can be cause be eating foods like gluten that have been shown to stimulate zonlulin and cause leaky gut, or zonulin can be increased due to infections because it's other roll is shuttling out the bad stuff.

So in my case, we think the zonulin is so high because of the parasites wreaking havoc. The zonulin is trying to help me by flushing out the toxins as fast as it can.

WOAH BOY!!!! That's a lot to work on. But also very encouraging because several things that have  been happening in my body this past year have been SO frustrating when I feel like I'm doing everything RIGHT! This is why it's so important to TEST DON'T GUESS!!!!

I'm on a 60 day parasite protocol followed by a 60 day bacteria protocol ( remember these guys really like to feed off each other!) The protocol will address the parasites, boost my immune system, focus on healing my gut lining, and knock out the extra yeast and bacteria.

In a way, these results make me THANKFUL. I was really getting frustrated with my inability to lose weight, my perfect (literally) diet and my lack of digestion perfection....while SO MUCH has improved for me (energy, sleep, mood, PMS, etc....) I obviously still lave some digging to do.

Many of you may wonder why I don't run to take an antibiotic with results like this! I completely understand that questions and trust me, I've considered the easier, less expensive, and shorter route that that provides. Unfortunately, antibiotics are a large part of why my gut looks like this in the first place. When you use them they not only kill the bad but the good bacteria as well and it's when those good bacteria get low that the opportunistic bacteria latch on. While we can restore health and boost your microbiome we don't know yet if you can ever fully restore your microbiome to it's full glory - meaning - you never ever want to full kill of an entire strain in your body because you don't really know if you can ever get it back!!!

I would also be concerned about taking an antibiotic at this time due to the high level of zonulin which can indicate some inflammation. I don't want to put any fuel on the fire right now so I'm choosing my slow, steady, herbal route complete with nutrition and patience :) 

I hope this blog is helpful! It's funny as a practitioner sharing when you have your own struggles. Part of me wants to act like I have it all together for you but in reality who does that serve? The whole reason I became an FDN is because I was seeking to find the cause of all my health concerns including fatigue, bloating and non-existent hormones! Now I'm finally getting the the root of it all and how crappy would it be not to share the process?

I'll keep ya posted :) Let me know if you have any questions below!

Best Veggie EVAH!

Hey Hey Diva friends!

As I go through my Autoimmune protocol training there is a heavy focus on nutritional approach for management and healing. While it's obviously very specific for autoimmune conditions with lots of science and targeting for treating those diseases, much of the information is generally beneficial for all health too...

So of course, it reinspired me to get more nutrition and more vegetables into our daily meals. Patrick and I then found ourselves at WholeFoods a few weeks ago and I stood in the produce section looking for new vegetables to try in an effort to diversify our nutrient intake as much as possible....this led me to discover an amazing root vegetable called sunchokes.

My friends, if you've already known about these amazing roots WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?! And if you don't....I'm going to share the deliciousness!

Jerusalem artichoke (sunchoke) is a root vegetable related to sunflowers. They are rich in potassium, iron, vitamin C and....flavor.

Join my FREE Facebook group - STOP DIETING AND LIVE YOUR LIFE- for more tips and fun content!  

Similar in appearance to turmeric or ginger, you might think they need to be peeled, but happily, the skin is edible. You can eat them raw or cooked!

Patrick googled how to cook them and since it was SO delicious, we haven't tried eating them any other way yet. The recipe we use is below!

Ingredients:

• As many sunchokes as your grocery has :)
• Olive Oil
• Pan that can go on the stove and in the oven

Directions:

1. Turn the oven on to 375
2. Slice the sunchokes in half
3. Fry them in olive oil for 5 minutes, sliced side down
4. Transfer them from the stove top to the oven for 42 minutes
5. Let them cool and enjoy warm and crispy!

This way of cooking them leaves you with a crispy outside and soft inside. It's similar in taste and texture to potatoes! We haven't tried salting or seasoning them but I'm sure there are many ways to enjoy these simply delicious veggies. 

Have you tried them yet? If so, what's YOUR favorite recipe?

Slices Sunchokes

A batch frying in oil and a batch ready to go in the oven! (You can use one pan if it's big enough)

My favorite "processed" foods

Hey Hey Diva friends! Another week, another Friday!!!!

Recently I was taking to a friend of mine and one of the struggles she had was thinking of things to eat as a snack. When you're making a lifestyle change it can be totally daunting I get it! I've been there - multiple times.

I always like to keep it simple and encourage my clients to go back to the basics. Just eat real food. Did it come from a tree? Or did it come from a factory? You get the picture....

In todays world where we are constantly on the go whether it be trekking 4 kids to different activities or working in our busier than ever world, often we need something fast that we didn't have to make, that still falls within our goals and nourishes us as if we made it at home.

While this is a little more tricky, it's still doable. The TRICK is to read the label every time. If the label has a few ingredients that tell you you could make this item at home then go for it. If the label has 50 ingredients, half you don't recognize, and many -ides, -ates -oses and chemicals.....then skip it.

 My top 5 favorite "processed" foods

 

1. Simple Mills crackers. Simple Mills is an awesome brand that not only makes crackers, but they make cookie mixes, dessert mixes, pancake mixes, and even pre-baked treats as well. The reason I like them is because they try to not only keep the ingredients natural and healthy, but their goals is also to keep the ingredients minimal. That means, excluding spices, you'll normally find only 4-5 ingredient in each treat. And the ingredients are ones you don't have to worry about to boot.

My favorite flavors are Sun Dried Tomato and Natural Sea Salt.

2. Lara Bars

LaraBar brand's motto is "we believe in simplicity". Well, they also believe in flavor and each bar tastes amazing. Like I mentioned earlier, could you easily make your own Lara bar at home?! totally. I've done it, I've shared the recipe on this blog even. But when convenience without compromise is the priority, grab some Lara Bars and keep them in your purse! They now have crunchy seed bars and greens bars so you'll definitely be able to find a favorite, or two, or three :)

3. Rx Bars.

R.X Bars say it right on the label: "No B.S". You'll recognize every ingredient listed and get a nice boost of protein in each one too! I enjoy Chocolate Sea Salt and Maple Sea Salt but there are many others as well! They even have "kids" bars which are just smaller versions.

4. Shakeoogy. Truly one of the most nutrient packed snacks you can take on the go. This Shake is filled with superfoods from around the world, probiotics, digestive enzymes, and yes, some good ole protein too. I prefer the vegan version and my all-time favorite flavor is Vegan Chocolate. Legit tastes like cake - especially if you mix it with unsweetened Vanilla almond milk! Take it on the go, or add some PB or extras to beef it up as a meal!

5. Wild Rice Cakes.

They might be a little messy, but they are a great serving tray for some PB or almond butter! If you don't have an issue with rice or grains (always avoid grains with gluten, or genetically modified grains. Choose organic as much as possible) then wild rice cakes are a nice little treat. Top with PB and raisins, eat them plane, or create a savory snack with hummus and seaweed. I like the Lundberg brand!

Don't forget the fresh food snacks that are easy to take on the go as well like apples, bananas, grapes fresh off the vine, nuts, seeds or chocolate-free trail mix! 

What's your favorite on-the-go snack? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below! 

Taking the plunge and investing in yourself...

Hey Hey Diva friends! Another week has flown by and if you're in Ohio, what a crazy week! 60 degrees - snow - no snow.....is it spring, is it winter?! Who knows : ) 

Today I want to talk about investing in yourself. So often, for whatever reason, we find it hard to spend time, money, or energy on ourself. We come up with excuses like "I can't afford it", or, "I'm too busy"....

I'll give you the DUMBEST example ever: I have a hard time buying underwear. You heard it. Not swimsuits or lingerie, or clothes....UNDERWEAR. Something relatively vital. But I literally wear them until they have a bunch of holes or fall apart basically. How ridiculous IS that? (Don't worry, I recently rectified the situation)

But here is what I have found to be true. While it might be scary, make us nervous, stretch our budget, or be difficult sometimes, investing in ourselves is IMPORTANT. When I use the word invest it can be time, it can be energy, it can be money, or it can be all of those. Normally, things of high value involve all three (think about your kids!) 

So today I have some homework for you - choose one area of your life that you want to improve the most, take a leap, and invest in yourself today. Bite the bullet - take the plunge - change your life.

It's been shown time and time again that if you invest in something you're much more likely to get benefit from it than if it's given to you. Below is a list of ideas to get you started:

I want to improve my:

• Spiritual Life: Purchase a devotional like The Quest from Beth Moore, and get involved with a group of people you trust that are encouraging.
• Family Life: Schedule weekly family nights, invest your time in quality family dinners each night with no electronics. Purchase some games and start the conversation
• Social Life: Join a networking group, say "yes" to your next event invitation
• Health: Join my 8 week Get Gutsy program where you'll learn everything you need to get started!
• Work Life: Start reading some personal development books like "Eat That Frog" and "The Slight Edge" or hire a business coach or mentor.

Most of the things listed above involve time, energy AND money....assign value to the outcome whether it be mental, emotional, physical, or monetary payback afterwards.... then decide if that's right for you. If not, ask around and find something that is!

What have YOU invested in that really scared you but totally paid off? I'd love to hear it in the comments below!

Easy Shepherd's Pie

Hey Hey Diva friends!

MARCH 2nd?! Where did February go? Well, the weather might be crazy warm for February, but it's still winter in my book and everyone needs a good Shepherd's pie in their back pocket.

Due to some food sensitivities ( chicken, cinnamon and cinnamon) I've avoided making it for awhile. But when my husband asked for it recently I decided to make it work! 

We found it thoroughly delish! p.s. I said "easy" because I even incorporate frozen veggies - woohoo!

 Ingredients:

• 1lb grass-fed beef
• 3 heads of cauliflower
• Grass-fed butter
• 1 large yellow onion
• 4 stalks celery
• Frozen peas
• Frozen lima beans
• olive oil
• garlic
• salt
• pepper
• ground cloves
• ground nutmeg
• Bone broth (turkey, beef, chicken)

Directions:

1. Cut up and steam the cauliflower until soft. Set aside.
2. Turn the one to 350 and set aside a 13.x baking dish
3. Meanwhile, heat up a large skillet and pour 1-2 TBS olive oil
4. Chop the onion and place it in the skillet. Cook until it starts to become translucent.
5. Chop 2-4 garlic cloves and celery and add to the onion mix
6. Pour 1/2  a bag of frozen peas and 1/2 a bag of frozen lima beans into the onion mix.
7. Continue stirring and mixing as all the veggies cook through. 
8. Add the spices to taste
9. Add the beef and cook it until browned through.
10. Meanwhile melt 2TBS butter in the microwave
11. Pour 1/2 cup broth into the onion mix and cook just long enough to mix and heat through.
12. Pour the beef mix into the baking dish
13. Add your cauliflower and melted butter to a food processor - blend until smooth. If you need a little more liquid, splash some extra broth into the processor and continue to blend.
14. Spread the cauliflower on top of the beef mix and place it in the oven
15. Cook for 1 hour or until the cauliflower is nicely browned.
16. Enjoy!

Anxiety...what you can do.

Hey Hey Diva friends!!!

I want to share a very personal story with you today. I have struggled with anxiety for YEARS. In fact, it started when I developed OCD in my early teens. I would have to take multiple showers, wash my hands to the point of bleeding and touch nobs with kleenex. It wasn't pretty....

THANKFULLY I have really grown out of that (although you'll still see me with wipes and hand sanitizer when I fly I mean...HELLO)....but periodically the anxiety monster rears it's ugly head in my life and in 2015 I had 2 weeks of crippling anxiety accompanied by insomnia, fear, non stop crying and....well....it was bad. 

Since then I've worked double time on getting healthier, listening to my body and understanding why and how this happens. More importantly, my ears perk up anytime I hear about something that can be connected, exacerbate, help or prevent anxiety. I've learned a lot and now feel like I have the tools I need.

So today I wanted to share a few things that I've noticed affect my anxiety and several things that actually help keep it at bay.

1) Gut Health is KEY

The #1 thing I've noticed is that it directly correlates to my gut health! For example if I eat a food I'm sensitive to I'm more likely to have some mild anxiety the next few days.

WOW. This seems so unrelated right? How can our BRAIN and our GUT be connected? Well, without getting all nerdy on you, many of your neurotransmitters ( you know the things that make you happy, calm and feel good) are regulated in your gut!  If there is inflammation or damage whether from mental, emotional or physical stress (like food sensitivities) that can lead to negative signals being sent and disruptions to the normal balance of the body and brain.

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Essentially, your body says "I'm stressed from these outside factors!" and tells your brain to react accordingly. What's really devastating is that we always think the brain is OUR fault. While there are lots of studies that talk about neuroplasticity and the ability we have to TRAIN our brains to think positively (valid and VERY helpful by the way), if you struggle from chronic anxiety and your thoughts feel as if they aren't your own, that may be due to something going on in your gut. 

Resources for dealing with anxiety, learning how to think more positively etc...

The Mind Connection - book

Battlefield of the Mind - book

So Long Insecurity - book

This could be anything from parasites, bacteria, inflammation, food sensitivities etc....this should be encouraging to you because there is a solution and it doesn't involve you taking anti-depressants the rest of your life (the only thing my Doc could recommend by the way!)

Quick story to drive this point home. A young girl named Alyssa began hallucinating - scary stuff for anyone but especially a child! The medical community wanted to treat her with anti-psychotic drugs for the rest of her life. Luckily her parents took her to Dr. Jess Armine a functional medicine doc who has  done extensive work with neurotransmitters, mood disorders and reversing chronic illness. 

He was able to dig deeper into the root cause of WHY these hallucinations began and found several areas of gut dysbiosis, inflammation and bacterial imbalance in Alyssa. Once stressors like food sensitivities were removed, the bad bugs were killed and her body was supported and rebalanced, Alyssa returned to normal. She grew up avoiding the foods she wasn't sensitive to, became an honor student and never had to be on medication to maintain her health.

THIS is why I became an FDN. I want to help YOU dig deeper into the root cause of your health issues and together we can build your body back up. It knows what it needs to do, we just need to get rid of anything hindering it from getting the job done!

2) Caffeine

While almost everything falls under point #1, you might have great gut health and still be sensitive to caffeine. Some people are fast metabolizers and some are slow. Caffeine has a really long half life which means it stays circulating in your body for many hours after consumed. This is why it's normally encouraged to stick to 1 black cup of coffee before noon.

If you struggle from anxiety however there may be a period of time where you need to eliminate it all together. Caffeine stimulates your adrenal glands which are already working overtime when under stress. The last thing you want to do when your body is pumping out cortisol is to throw an external stimulant onto the fire! 

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If you have struggled for a long time with chronic anxiety I would eliminate it 100% for several months. If you find that you are only sensitive occasionally, then I would check to see if it corresponds with your monthly cycle. You may notice you are more sensitive to caffeine when you're ovulating. 

It's your liver's job to filter out the excess hormones being produced during this part of your cycle and it's also the liver's job to eliminate the caffeine efficiently. If both are happening at the same time you may notice a heightened sensitivity and want to back off the coffee. Personally I have noticed that my energy is elevated from the higher levels of hormones anyway and coffee isn't necessary during that time.

3) Poor Sleep

There are sooooo many benefits to getting a good night of sleep. But it isn't just about the number of hours you spend in bed, it's about the quality of deep sleep you get each night. People do vary on the number of hours that make them feel most rested, but I find that people who deal with chronic stress in their life typically need more sleep than others.

Prioritizing it and making it a non-negotiable is key. Part of the reason sleep is so important is because it's when your body processes information and heals itself. If your brain doesn't have time to process then when you wake up you are less likely to view things in a state of reality. I mean, lets be completely unscientific here - when you are sleepy EVERYTHING seems worse am I right?! :)

Don't feel bad about going to bed early, sleeping in and honestly - if you have chronic stress and lack of sleep I'd encourage you to take a self care weekend where you sleep as much as you possible can for at least 3 days! Let your body reset, rejuvenate and heal.

WHAT CAN I DO NOW?

1) Get Tested

If you think that you may have some food sensitivities or gut imbalance of any kind, find out for sure! My job is to work with you to uncover the hidden stressors in your life that are causing metabolic chaos and breakdown in your body.

Through functional lab testing I'm able to help you discover what's really going on, come up with a personalize protocol just for you and help you return back to health for good! I take a functional whole life approach meaning I don't medicate - I educate. I will work with you on nutrition, stress reduction, appropriate supplementation and more based on your personal test results.

Not sure this is for you? Email me: TheTinyFitDiva@Gmail.com to set up a free 30 minute discovery call where we can talk about what's available and right for you.

2) Eliminate known stressors

This might sound obvious but often we resist making changes we know are good for us. Cut out the processed foods, eliminate carbonation, sodas, and sugary drinks. Cut caffeine for a period of time and give your gut a chance to heal itself! 

I might sound like a hard ass, but this step is non-negotiable if you want to achieve long term health! Your gut is called the second brain but really it's the FIRST. If it's not functioning properly then neither will your actual brain....

I you even have and inkling that a certain food is bothering you, eliminate it for a minimum of 1 month. If you feel better AWESOME! If you can't tell a difference bring it back in and monitor how you feel each time.

3) Intelligent Supplementation

Don't go crazy with supplementation without supervision. However there are a few supplements that are generally safe and helpful. L Theanine, Vitamin C, and a  good probiotic and  are a great place to start with anxiety.

L Theanin is a great tool to take "as needed" when you feel some day-to-day anxiety popping up. Vitamin C has about a million benefits (including helping your liver)  and is extremely difficult to overdose on. A good probiotic helps balance your good gut bacteria - I would recommend rotating brands every few months to get different strains.

I hope this helps!

If you are really ready to get YOUR gut back on track then consider joining my 8 week gut health program Get Gutsy with Me starting January 15th!!! We are going to go in depth with information on healing your gut and you will have access to recipes, shopping lists, tips, and support through the process!

 Each participant will have the option to upgrade their 8 weeks with gut testing and discounted coaching from me which would include a personalized protocol  based on the test results.

 Don't let this go on another year! NOW is the time to take back your health.

Additional resources:

"3 steps to healing your gut" - blog

"Breaking Negative thinking Patterns" - podcast

"12 principles to change your brain and your life" - podcast

"Microbiome Solution" - podcast

The Gut Brain Connection - article

Disclaimer: This is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Do not go off medication without talking to your doctor. Consult with your doctor before making any changes in an existing protocol.

When to push hard and when to take a nap...

Hey hey Diva friends!

The past few years have been a rollercoaster of ups and downs in my fitness journey. Sometimes I wondered if I was doing enough, and sometimes I wondered if I was doing too much. Ultimately, knowing my body and being willing to shake things up has paid off!

Today I wanted to keep it simple and tell you to always:

Listen to your body!

There are so many things that go into deciding whether you will workout today and if you do decide to workout what workout is best? The super intense program you've done all month or is it time for  a break? Below I'm going share 3 ways you can begin to tune into what your body is telling you.

1) Do you feel energized or sleepy during and after a workout?

If you are feeling excessively sleeping during and immediately after a workout it may be a sign that it's too much stress on your body at this time. Symptoms are one of the last things to appear when something is breaking down in the body...when we are under chronic stress and that begins to turn into metabolic chaos ( breakdown in multiple systems) we notice things like fatigue more frequently. The last thing you want to do in those situations is add stress to your body by doing some crossfit, HIIT, or bodybuilding work. Instead, focus on getting quality sleep, and incorporate healing movement like yoga, and long walks. Make sure you are moving as often as possible ( in a gentle way) as that promotes healing throughout the body.

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If on the other hand you leave a workout feeling pumped up an energized then you're doing what's right for you at this time! Push those weights up, run a little faster and see what makes you feel your best!

2) Is your body refusing to budge?

Maybe you've started doing a lot more than you used to but your weight isn't shifting. There are several reasons this may be the case:

a) You're not moving as much as you need to (up those weights, or increase the amount of time you move in a day).

b) You're eating the wrong foods for your body causing stress and inflammation.

(see my blog on #Youtrition here)

c) Your hormones are out of whack causing you to store excess fat.

d) You're under chronic stress and your body thinks it's protecting you by storing the fat.

Some of this is relatively simple to experiment with on your own. Even C you can make great strides in diminishing your stress and increasing your quality of life. However sometimes working with a practitioner to dig a little deeper opens doors and explains things you simply cannot guess on your own. If you suspect a lot of hormone issues and/or gut imbalances of any kind we should talk! (comment below or email me: thetinyfitdiva@gmail.com)

3) What is your cycle telling you? 

This is my most recent fascination. Tracking your cycle and how you feel working out during each phase can be very beneficial! Some weeks you may find that you're consistently a little fatigued and others that you're charged up and ready to go!

Use a tracker like MyFlo that assists you in noticing these patterns. When you identify which weeks you have energy to spare then assist your body by lifting heavier and running faster. On the weeks where you notice you're consistently more fatigued prioritize walking, yoga, and rest!

Ultimately, YOU know your body. If it's giving you signs like headaches, fatigue, regular injury or pain of any kind then it might be time to take a break.

If you notice an increase in strength, energy and vitality then kick it in to high gear and keep doing what you're doing!

Just remember  - it's OK to take a break.

Often you come back stronger when you do!

p.s. if you are struggling to find out why YOU haven't been seeing results and you're READY for a change I'd love to have you in my January 2018 program Get Gutsy With Me! Don't wait, you'll miss the early bird discount available until December 15th!

Not sure you want to jump in? Feel free to set up a 30 minute call with me so I can get to know you and hear your goals and your struggles. Just e-mail me at TheTinyFitDiva@gmail.com or comment below!

#YOUtrition

Hey hey Diva friends!

I was trying to think of a fun way I could refer to my personal food philosophy and YOUtrition is what came to mind. I kinda like it, what do you think?

So what IS #YOUtriton? (that's right, I aded a hashtag....get out there and share this post - I want see #Youtrition everywhere because when you embrace it your life will CHANGE!) :P

Simply put, #YOUtrition is the nutrition that is right for YOU. It's as wonderful, unique, individualized and special as you are. Everyone's genes, life history, mental/physical/emotional stresses are different and so the right combination of foods to fuel your body is just as unique. Just because a food is healthy doesn't mean it's healthy for YOU.

#Youtrition has 2 main steps: 

1) Eliminate the garbage. This covers everyone regardless of genes, environment, lifestyle, age, gender....and is beneficial for any lifestyle.

If the "food" is processed, modified, hybridized, ditch it. If it has chemicals, sugar, or words you don't recognize on the ingredients list, pass it over. Focus on REAL, whole, unprocessed, organic-as-much-as-possible food. 

2) Once you have #1 under control, this is where it gets fun. Personalize your diet to fit YOUR body and YOUR life. For example: How do you feel on low carb? How do you feel on high carb? What about high fat or low fat? How do you feel with squashes or tomatoes? Do you feel energized and awesome or do you get gassy or tired? What about Dairy (raw, organic, pasture raised of course)...do you tolerate it or not?

Just because butternut squash is packed with nutrition and could be an amazing source of carbs for Jim down the street doesn't mean that's the right food for Sandra next door. She may experience a headache, gas or bloating. In that case, put it on the no-fly list and move on.

You have to DISENGAGE to make this fun!

Drop the mentality that because something isn't right for you the world is OVER ha! Trust me, I've been there. I got sad for a minute when I realized I couldn't have cinnamon or mint this year. HELLO holiday EVERYTHING :) But your mentality is super key in making this enjoyable. Take a "can do" attitude and make it an adventure. For everything you CAN'T eat there are tons of new foods, flavors and spices you CAN. Be open to trying new things, experimenting and expanding your palate. 

If you have trouble with your mentality - WORK ON IT. This is not something innate to people. In fact, people are naturally pessimistic, fearful and negative. Positivity, productivity, and discipline take practice and personal growth. Some awesome books you might like to check out are:

Extreme Ownership

The Mind Connection

Eat That Frog

Finding the right #YOUtrition can take some time, but it's rewarding!

Keep it simple. Master step #1 first and you may find that's the only step you need. Your weight, rosacea, mood swings, and bloating may disappear when you get ride of the junk. 

If you have other goals or specific complaints that stick around then move on to step #2! Break it down, keep lists or a journal and give each change you make at least a few days to really determine it's effectiveness if not longer.

During step #2 you might find you need some guidance of WHERE to start. I know that I was surprised to learn of "healthy" things that were not healthy for me (At least not at this time) like yellow squash, and chicken! 

The MRT Leap food sensitivities test helped me a LOT and gave me a strong foundation to build my own #Youtrition from the ground up. I've adjusted and modified since taking the test and it has helped so much. Now I'm helping my clients do the same!

Be your own health advocate and discover whats exactly right for YOUR unique body.

If you're ready to take YOUR health to the next level and you want some FREE recipes, fun, and accountability along the way, join my Facebook group "Stop Dieting and Live Your Life!" I'm running my FREE Holiday Survival Guide event now through December and you can download that here!

If you really want in-depth support, 1:1 attention and guidance on gut health, balancing your micro biome and restoring your heath from the inside out, check out my new 8 week program "Get Gutsy With Me" Launching January 15, 2018!!! You will have access to additional testing including the MRT Leap food sensitivities testing to personalize your experience! 

I'd love to hear YOUR story! Comment below with any thoughts or questions!

Soup your way to a healthier gut!

Hey hey Diva friends! Let's talk about soup and gut health....sounds good right? What is easier than indulging in some delicious soup in this cold weather?

Soup certainly doesn’t sound like any special life changing superfood. It’s soup, you’ve eaten it all your life. Yet soup has massive potential that often gets hidden behind nasty preservatives and less than ideal flavoring agents. The true beauty and nourishment happens with whole food ingredients and high quality homemade bone broth.

This is where the magic happens.

 

A daily soup made from local, seasonal ingredients and high-quality broth is better than any superfood or supplement out there. It’s a wholesome way to nourish your skin, immune system, joints, digestion and gut health. 

Homemade bone broth is rich in natural gelatin which is anti-aging and great for rebuilding  damaged intestinal lining. Making bone broth from scratch is as easy as throwing your leftover chicken carcass in a large pot of water and letting it simmer for 24 hours. This gets all the good stuff out of the bones and into the liquid.

Patrick makes an amazing broth with a few simple ingredients:

• chicken carcass
• onion
• carrots
• celery
• poultry spices ( rosemary/sage/thyme)
• salt

1. Place all ingredients in the crockpot, fill it up with water (purified!) and let it simmer for 24-48 hours. Use this as the broth base for any soup recipe, or simply enjoy a warm cup like coffee. 1-2x/day.

Note* let your broth cool after you have strained it (not TOO long as bacteria will grow quickly) and scoop off the fat layer that settles on top. The more fat the more healthy collagen is in your broth! Keep frozen or in the fridge for up to 5 days. If my broth is in the fridge 5-6 days or longer I simply make sure to boil it again before drinking.

Go to your local farmer’s market and get the freshest seasonal produce you can find. In the summer you may enjoy fresh garlic, beets and carrot in a homemade stock and blending with fresh dill. Served cold on a hot day with a drizzle of plain yogurt, this soup is refreshingly tangy and packed with nutrients.

In the Fall and Winter, soups made with root vegetables and hearty herbs like sage and rosemary are ideal. It’s all about sourcing local, pesticide-free vegetables for the most nutrient dense soups. Nothing you can buy from the store compares to what you can make at home with relatively little effort. 

The flavor base of every good soup should be sauteed onions, garlic and herbs. This is what all those flavor packs are trying to emulate. It doesn’t take long to cut up an onion and throw it in a hot pan with some olive oil, but it makes all the difference.

Add all ingredients to your blender and process until super smooth. Enjoy!!

If you’re seriously interested in getting healthy, restoring your digestion and boosting your energy then check out my new comprehensive program Get Gutsy With Me launching January 15th, 2018! 

In the program you get a ton of delicious satisfying recipes as well as strategies that will help rebuild your intestinal flora.

Not sure you're ready for all that?! Join me on my Facebook page Stop Dieting and Live your Life! where I’ll be sharing more information, tips and recipes to help you live a happier, healthier life. PLUS you'll receive free access to my Holiday Survival Guide along with extra recipes and support to navigate this holiday season with ease :)

Share YOUR favorite soup below!

bye for now!

3 steps to stop the yo-yo cycle TODAY

Hey Hey Diva friends!

So this is a pet peeve of mine and I just REALIZED it's a pet peeve...so idk...does it count as a pet peeve if you haven't had it for longer than a few days?! Anyway ;P

As you know, I'm a personal trainer and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition practitioner helping people achieve success in their gut health, weight, hormones (and more!) through natural, holistic practices...ones that don't include extreme dieting, counting calories, portion control, or old "diet" mentalities....My greatest desire is to give you FREEDOM. Freedom from the scale, freedom from cravings, excess weight, bloat, and up-down up-down weight cycles. 

I especially want to help you navigate the holiday season without THIS as a result:

So here it is...here is my pet peeve: I hate that people gain 20 pounds just because they know if they "diet" a very specific way they can then lose it again. In the body building community it's called bulking and cutting seasons.... But in our world it may simply be yo-yo dieting or, "crash"dieting for specific events or occasions....or even no reason at all except habit.

This tells me two things: 1) The way you normally eat isn't comprised of the right balance for YOU because if it was, you wouldn't pack on the pounds in the first place. Your cravings would diminish, your weight would balance and you would find your perfect homeostasis.  I call this #YOUtrition.

2) You're setting yourself up for health concerns down the road if not ignoring them already. (i.e. metabolic syndrome, diabetes, heart disease, hormone imbalances, intense cravings, fatigue.....) It's never ok to binge on garbage food...no matter the reason or the end goal! Your body doesn't say "oh she's drinking this coke for this reason, so I'm going to shunt this over to muscle because in a few months she's going on a "cutting" program and we want to see abs...". If it's bad for you on Tuesday it's bad for you on Wednesday. Simple as that.

"If you can't maintain your weight then either it's not a healthy weight

in the first place, or you're choosing the wrong foods for your body."

I even see many health coaches sharing posts on social media that they have "fallen off the wagon" and show pictures of how they have gained weight and need to "get back on track". They will share these pictures when they are advertising a new program, health product, or workout while asking you to join them. They are trying to be relatable and may, in all honesty, be struggling right along with you. But to me that just says they haven't figured out how to really maintain a healthy lifestyle in the day to day...

Here's the truth:

"When you find what works for you then your

before and afters stop because you live your after forever." 

Once you Stop Dieting and Live Your Life  sure you might fluctuate here and there - hello water, stress, and periods....but anyone that consistently gains and loses 10+lbs or more needs to go back to the drawing board because clearly something isn't working for them it's working AGAINST them.

So instead of keeping it a pet peeve, I'm going to tell you how to fix it in 3 steps:

1) DITCH grains.

Yep I said it. Ditch em....you may find you can indulge occasionally based on your own body chemistry and personal health on things like rice and quinoa, but for now if you haven't stabilized your weight, your blood sugar, and your energy levels... ditch the grains and don't look back. And no you don't need them for fiber ;D, I'll address that in a future blog!

Try this for 30 days and watch the results pour in. If you don't see results, the toaster pastry will be waiting for you on day 31.

2)  Fill your plate with vegetables.

AT. EVERY. MEAL. Literally. Make a CRAP ton of vegetables over the weekend if you have to. Heat up organic frozen veggies if that's what works. Make recipes that incorporate them into the main dish. Just MAKE IT HAPPEN. (By the way, there's your fiber!)

3) Move your body and move it frequently.

Now don't freak out, I don't mean become a cross-fitter. NO! In fact, for many with chronic health complaints excessive workouts can exacerbate instead of help the situation! When I say move I mean get that blood flowing in a way that encourages healing. If you have been a chronic dieter then chances are you have some metabolic issues, some underlying health complaints, some achy joints, some fatigue etc..... so I encourage you to move in a way that encourages healing.

By that I mean take long, brisk walks. I love that the fitbit motivates so many people to hit 10,000 tips a day! That's the perfect place to start. If you feel good abut it add some restorative yoga to your week as well and work on some deep breathing practices. You can d intensity from there once you feel energized and balanced!

So there you have it!! Ditch the grains, add more veggies, and walk your brains out for the next month and see what happens! 

If you're ready to take YOUR health to the next level and you want some recipes, fun, and accountability along the way, join my Facebook group "Stop Dieting and Live Your Life!" I'm running my FREE Holiday Survival Guide event now through December and you can download that here!

If you really want in-depth support, 1:1 attention and guidance on gut health, balancing your micro biome and restoring your heath from the inside out, check out my new 8 week program "Get Gutsy With Me" Launching January 15, 2018!!!

I'd love to hear YOUR story below! Comment below with any thoughts or questions!

Prioritizing health not perfection...

What is perfection anyway? Does perfection mean you have "shredded" abs? Is it building bulk and gaining muscle? Is it fitting into a certain pair of jeans?

Everyone has their own goals and everyone has their own "If only this happened then I'd be happy" thoughts....in fact, I fell into that dirty trap last night. I am sore ALL OVER from the body Beast workout I just started on Monday and I looked in the mirror and told my husband that if the soreness "get's rid of this" (pinching my self proclaimed trouble area) then I'd be happy.....I caught myself quickly and said "No. that's not true. Your body doesn't make you happy, your attitude makes you happy."

I've been opening up more and more over the past year about my struggles with hormones and adrenal fatigue (more correctly know as Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis dysfunction now). The really short and simplified version is this: Stress in my life has caused stress in my body which results in stress on certain parts of the body that produce and balance hormones. This is also supported by, or hindered by, gut health. I've worked really hard on my gut health ( and continue doing so) while also taking some supplementation to help my body do it's job better.

I've made tremendous progress in the past year and have been really happy that my digestion, my moods, and my energy have all improved. I really like to be busy, get things done, engage with others and feel productive at the end of each day. But sometimes life wears me out and I have to take my own coaching advice and go slow to avoid taking a few steps back with my health. Since I believe many of you may struggle with similar issues I wanted to share some key things that really help your body thrive and deal with stress appropriately.

 3 ways you can prioritize your

health and not perfection:

1) Ditch the processed foods and COMMIT to eating a whole foods diet filled with nutritious veggies, meats, and the right healthy fats and carbs. Forget counting calories, portion control or counting macros...If it's processed skip it - if it's a whole food - enjoy it! If this isn't a step you've fully committed to yet, I would encourage you to start here. Every bite of food = communication to your cells on how to work and function. If you are fueling them with sugar and chemicals then your body responds accordingly. If you fuel it with micronutrients, vitamins, healthy fats etc....then your body begins to thrive, your skin glows, your energy increases, etc etc.... If you need encouragement and help along the way you can always message me or join one of my monthly challenges where I provide meal plans, workouts that are appropriate for you and encouragement. You can find out more HERE. If you're interested in working with me 1:1 check out my nutrition page HERE. I just heard from a client yesterday who I have been working with for only 3 weeks or so and she happily reported that she has seen increased energy, better digestion AND improved sleep in that short amount of time! I couldn't be happier!

2) Be willing to take a day off. Whether you take a day off work to just relax, or you skip a day in your workout routine, listening to your body when it needs a break is CRUCIAL. Don't let your mind play games with you and tell you that 1 day will mess with your progress. You know what will mess with your progress? Pushing yourself when your body is too tired--> this releases your stress hormone cortisol and guess what stores fat? Excess cortisol. Let's keep that baby in check and rest as needed!

3) Speaking of rest, prioritizing quality sleep is paramount. If you are someone who wakes up multiple times a night, has to go to the bathroom at 3am, or just generally wakes up fatigued, you may really want to start thinking about how you can prioritize getting deep quality sleep. Sleep is when your body repairs itself and skimping on that (whether you feel like you need it or not) is not ok! For some awesome tips on getting better rest, visit the king of sleep Shawn Stevenson and his article on getting better zzs HERE!

Basically - don't kill yourself trying to be perfect! Too much exercise, too little sleep, and too much stress can counter all the hard work you put into your workouts and your nutrition. So kick your feet up, get a massage, and prioritize your own health FIRST! Your healthy weight, lean muscles, and increased energy will be a side effect.

I'm passionate about helping YOU achieve optimum health and balance in your life. For more information on my journey to balanced hormones, and/or to get on my waitlist so that I can begin helping you on YOUR journey, sign up for my newsletter HERE. I will be a certified FDN practitioner in a few months and I can't wait to be your health detective and support you on your way to better health!