Healthy Eating Buzzwords and What You Actually Need to Know

There are so many buzzwords when it comes to healthy eating - clean, organic, non-GMO, etc.- but how do you know what these terms actually mean and if it’s something you should even pay attention to? Today we’re going to dive into what you need to know to make an informed decision for your family. 

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Have you ever found yourself wandering around the grocery store, trying to make healthy choices for your family, only to be confused by all of the labels placed all over the boxes or hanging over the aisle? Well, you aren’t alone. Food makers have started adding tons of different labels to their products - some of them are important and some are just marketing to fit into the latest health trend. So, how do you know which is which? Unfortunately, it’s not as straightforward as any of us wish that it was, but I’m hoping that what I share here with you today will help clear it up a bit. 

3 of the most confusing food labels:   

GMO - it means that this crop has been genetically altered to make it more resistant to environmental factors or pests. Concerns about GMOs are that they can add to overall body toxicity, allergies and sensitivities, and could possibly contribute to cancer risk.                                                                                                                                                   

A lot of packaged foods and ingredients are common GMO crops such as sugar, corn, soybean, canola, and cottonseed oils as well as ingredients commonly used in animal feed (so what your meat is eating). 

Organic - this term has a lot more complexities in what it can mean. There are many different artificial ingredients used in food production that come with concern especially for things like allergies and sensitivities, contributing to cancer risks and DNA damage, as well as an overall negative effect on gut health and detox pathways.

When referring to produce it means that only allowed synthetic chemicals or preservatives have been used (about 25 different ones allowed vs 900 allowed in conventional produce) and that any chemical used went through testing that proved that it wasn’t harmful to human health or the health of the environment, as well as that the farming practices used passed the organic standards set by the USDA. 

When referring to packaged foods it means that the products contain none of the following: artificial dyes, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, artificial preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, partially or hydrogenated oils, BHT/BHA (hormone), GMOs (specifically important with corn, sugar, soy, canola, and cotton), glyphosate sprayed crops, added hormones, antibiotics, glyphosate by-products or GMOs used for animal feed. It also means that if any herbicide/pesticide was used they followed organic standards and rules. 

Natural Flavors - this one is super confusing and seems to be in everything. It could consist of approximately 2500 different ingredients. The FDA has some standards that say it must be derived from an animal or plant, however, that’s a very broad category. It also means that GMOs or chemically treated ingredients can be included as “natural”. 

Other common labels to watch out for: 

Natural - this term is completely unregulated and therefore could mean anything or nothing. 

Zero / Low calorie or Zero / Low sugar - look at that label. In order to make something zero-calorie, it has most likely been stripped of any actual food or nutrients and is full of artificial ingredients instead. This also applies to low / no sugar labels. If they aren’t using sugar, what are they using to sweeten it? Most likely something artificial. 

High in protein - this is a completely subjective term so it could mean anything. It likely refers to a ratio of carbs to protein and means that it’s not super high in carbs compared to protein. A lot of people have different protein intake goals based on health goals, but generally for adults, specifically for women, I recommend shooting for 20-30g of protein per meal - so think about all of the components of that meal and what the total protein would be. That should get you in a generally good place for your overall daily protein intake.

Here are a few of my top tips for navigating these confusing terms:

1. Pay attention to the ingredient list, not just the nutrition facts. A lot of times we think we are making healthy decisions if the item has good protein or low sugar, but that isn’t always true. Do you recognize most of the ingredients as real food? Are there 30 ingredients? Are the first few ingredients one of those common GMO crops? If so, look for a better alternative. 

2. Stick to buying organic produce for the dirty dozen and don’t worry about the other produce items. This frees up money in your grocery budget for buying the organic versions of other foods like meat/dairy as well as those packaged foods that contain the commonly modified crops that we talked about earlier - sugar, corn, soy, canola, and cottonseed oils, as well as any product containing wheat as it is not a GMO crop but it is one of the crops most commonly sprayed with glyphosate. 

3. If you’re buying a product that includes “natural flavors” which most do, make sure it also has an organic label so that you can at least know that a lot of the artificial things that we want to avoid like GMOs, dyes, preservatives, etc. can’t be it. 

There are so many more things that I could share about food labeling with you but I wanted to really focus on the most common ones today. If you’re wanting to hear more about healthy eating and how to make healthy - yet realistic - food choices, check out Episode 70 to learn how I do meal planning or Episode 90 for tips on making healthy eating choices at parties and in social settings. 

I hope that this has helped make food labels a little less confusing and you walk away from this episode feeling more educated and empowered to make food choices for your family. 

If you’re looking for more ideas for healthy meals, I have a few resources that I think you will love. You can download my Healing Foods Guide as well as my recipe ebook “Easy, Healthy Eats” by clicking here.

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Easy Health Tips for a Busy Season

Hi friends! We are right in the middle of one of the busiest seasons of the year with Christmas just a couple of weeks away at this point, and I think it’s safe to say that for most of us, making healthy choices and prioritizing our health goes on the back-burner during this time. It usually becomes something that we just push off until January, right? Then we’ll really “get back on track”! Well, what if I told you that there are ways that you can continue to make decisions that support your health even in the hustle and bustle and it doesn’t require you to miss out on any of the fun? Today I’m sharing a few ideas with you to help you do just that, so let’s get into it! 

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I don’t know about you guys but I am running at full capacity most of the time during this season, so the thought of adding something else is not appealing to me - and I would imagine it probably isn’t to you either. The ideas that I have to share with you today, I’ve adapted from the 1-minute wellness mentality. It started with a book that I read years ago that helped change my perspective on what a healthy lifestyle looks like. It was built on the premise that instead of continually striving for perfection in our health or bodies, we just try to get 1% better every day. By choosing to take just one simple action we can make a positive impact on our health that really adds up over time. While these ideas may not only take “one minute” they are easy to incorporate into a busy day and take minimal effort.  

So here we go. Remember, we’re not trying to do all these things simultaneously. We’re choosing one or two to add to our daily routine. As it becomes a normal part of your life, you can add something else. Little by little adds up to a lot. 

Drink 6-8 oz of warm lemon water as soon as you wake up

Not only does this help rehydrate your body after waking up, it also helps your liver flush out toxins and gives your metabolism a boost!

Eat a balanced meal (carb + protein + fat) before or at least, alongside, your morning coffee

Coffee, while delicious and having some health benefits, raises your blood sugar, so without balancing it out with protein and fat, you’re more likely to experience cortisol/stress hormone issues and a major crash. Over time, this can also contribute to chronic blood sugar dysregulation. 

Switch out your coffee for green tea. 

Green tea has a ton of health benefits! While it still contains caffeine, it’s a bit less than coffee and it also contains many antioxidants and catechins that have been studied to contribute to many positive health outcomes like improved metabolism, increased brain function, decreased risk for heart disease and diabetes, and reduced inflammation. 

Get outside in the morning w/o sunglasses 

Morning light has the highest amounts of red light which help with circadian rhythm and adrenal health; in warmer months or climates, morning and midday sunlight can help with vitamin D absorption too. 

Add a handful of green veggies to every meal (raw or cooked) 

Especially in this season where there are parties every other day and delicious desserts everywhere, it’s easy to go days without eating any vegetables at all. Veggies contain many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that our bodies need as well as fiber that feed our good gut bugs and keep our digestive systems happy. So whatever you’re eating, add some veggies! Add a couple of your favorite options to your next grocery trip and then take 5 min to prep them when you get home so they are ready to go. 

Add protein to every meal or snack 

Most of us struggle to get enough protein throughout the day. This can be even harder during the holidays. Grab some easy protein options - think hard-boiled eggs, beef/turkey sticks, a bone broth protein powder, rotisserie chicken, etc to keep on hand. Then make sure to add one to every meal and snack. 

Give your body a break between meals.

This one can make a huge difference in your gut health and in helping to regulate blood sugar.   Aim for 3-4 hours in between without continually grazing through the day.

Drink a cup of bone broth daily 

Bone broth is full of amino acids that help support digestion and the integrity of our gut lining. This is a big deal and is a major first step in dealing with any gut health issues. This is a great thing to add to your daily routine during the holiday season when most things that we do/eat can be difficult for our guts. 

Take a probiotic daily 

Another great way to support overall gut health and therefore, overall health. This is a big deal for immune system support as well. 

Take a good quality, whole-food multivitamin 

Especially when we’re struggling to get quality nutrients into our diets, but really all of the time, we can benefit from a good quality multivitamin. Our food supply just isn’t what it used to be, unfortunately, and many of us are operating on less than optimal levels of a lot of vitamins and minerals that our bodies need. You can find some of my favorite brands on the favorites page of my Fullscript Dispensary. You can also always find that link in my Instagram bio. 

Take magnesium baths 

Our bodies are constantly exposed to toxins through food, environmental factors, stress, etc., and our livers/kidneys have a BIG job to do in order to filter and flush those toxins out. Magnesium baths are a great way to support your body, especially when you’re more stressed and have more sugar than usual (hello, holiday season). Adding Epsom salts also provides an extra level of liver support and up the relaxation factor. 

Magnesium is also huge immune system support - honestly, just an overall health supporter and most of us are deficient. Transdermal magnesium is a faster and easier way to increase those magnesium levels, so even more of a reason to add this into your routine. Not a bath person? You can also do a foot soak and get the same benefit. 

My favorite transdermal magnesium is from Living the Good Life Naturally. You can order some for yourself by clicking here or at the link in my Instagram bio. Save 10% on your order with the code HF10. 

Set some screen time boundaries

This time of year is overstimulating in and of itself. Even more so when we add in tons of screen time while traveling, waiting in lines, etc. Set a time in your day to unplug and be screen-free. This is especially after sundown to help with getting good sleep, so maybe make this part of your evening routine or start a “no screens at dinner” rule to bring a little more connection and peace to your family time. 

Practice meditating or a breathing exercise

Holidays are stressful sometimes - there’s no way around it. Help your body handle stress by incorporating a calming practice like meditation or square breathing. This is a great one to add in before bedtime or before a meal as stress can interfere with sleep and digestion. 

Gratitude journal in the mornings

We just celebrated Thanksgiving but that doesn’t mean that we stop being grateful, right? Practicing gratitude can help keep us feeling grounded and with a healthy perspective when the to-do list feels really long. 

Stretch for 5 minutes before bed

This can help promote more restful sleep, helps break the scrolling to fall asleep habit, and can help with tight and sore muscles in the mornings. It’s also so easy to do and just a great way to end your day. 

Okay, so those covered a lot of areas  - nutrition, gut health, stress management, and movement. Which one or two of those will you try to incorporate into your daily routine this season? I’m definitely keeping up with my magnesium baths most nights before bed and working on making sure I’m adding in those veggies with each meal. Whichever one you choose, I know that you’ll be glad that you did. 

I can’t believe we’re here at the end of 2022 already! I have one more episode coming out at the end of December to help us get ready for the new year and I’ve also been working on a new resource for you guys that will launch in January, so make sure that you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow me on Instagram, so you don’t miss anything! 

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with your families! Keep moving forward, go love your people well, and I’ll talk to you next time!

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Listener Question Mini-Series: What Are Your Recommendations for Exercise?

Hi friends! Today is the second episode of our summer mini-series where I’m answering your questions and talking about topics that you want to discuss. A few weeks ago I reached out on Instagram and asked what questions you had for me. Y’all had quite a few questions about exercise, so today I’m going to answer those! Let’s get into it! 

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Exercise is something that we all have heard is good for us and know that we would be better off doing, but it’s also something that I often get questions about - specifically how much and what kind of exercise is best.

That’s exactly what a few of you asked and then also a bit more of a specific question - “Are cyclical exercises good for women?”

So let’s talk about basic recommendations first. 

General Exercise Recommendations:

The ACSM, WHO, and AHA- basically all the overseeing medical organizations - recommend at least 150 minutes of structured exercise per week. This definition of exercise is an increase in energy expenditure and elevated heart rate for a sustained amount of time. This can be broken up however best fits your life and schedule. For example - you could choose to do 30 minutes a day, 5 days per week, 20 minutes per day, 7 days per week, or even 1 hour per day, 3 days per week. You can really choose any combination that works for you as long as you are hitting at least 150 minutes per week and up to 300 minutes per week.

It’s also recommended that included in that time, there be at least 2 days of weight-bearing exercise or strength training. This can be done with just body weight or with added weight (i.e. dumbbells, bars, machines, etc.) 

As far as the method of exercise is concerned, that really is up to you and based on what your goals and exercise preferences are. Cyclical exercise can refer to two different things and I’m not sure which one this question is referring to, so I’ll just speak to both. 

Cyclical exercise is a type of interval training where you have a short period of very vigorous and intense exercise, then a rest period where you allow your heart rate to slow back to a resting rate. It’s very similar to HIIT-style workouts, with the difference being a longer recovery period in between exercises. This style of exercise is great for some people and can be very effective for building endurance and increasing heart rate variability, which most health professionals believe leads to better overall health. It isn’t for everyone though and can be too intense for those just starting out or those with certain medical conditions. 

Then there’s also the type of cyclical exercise which is a method where a woman chooses the type or style of exercise that you do based on what phase of the menstrual cycle she is in. Women’s bodies operate on a 28(ish) day cycle where multiple hormone levels fluctuate throughout the cycle. Many believe that women may be more inclined to enjoy certain types of exercise during certain phases of their cycle. For example, engaging in more intense or challenging type workouts during the latter part of the follicular phase, prior to ovulation, then choosing less intense, more restorative type exercises during the luteal phase of the cycle. 

This is a really interesting theory and actually extends far beyond just exercise recommendations. There are theories for syncing your cycle with types of food, productivity at work, creativity, and more. I could probably do an entire episode on that actually, so if that’s something you would like to know more about, let me know. 

As with anything health-related, there are tons of opinions and theories on exercise, but let’s just review the bottom line of what really matters when it comes to exercise. 

Does exercise really matter?

The one thing that everyone agrees on is that exercise improves all areas of our health. Strength training builds bone and muscle mass, which becomes more and more important as we age.  Building muscle burns more calories, which helps with weight loss. Exercise helps move the lymph in our bodies which increases efficiency of our detox pathways (this helps our livers, hormones, cognitive health, and so much more). Exercise improves cardiovascular health and mental health, as well as supports overall mood and decreases feelings of stress. Exercises also decreases chronic inflammation which helps everything in the body function better. I really could go on and on, but the point is that it matters and it’s worth the time and effort. 

How can we make exercise work for us?

So, how do we make it work for us? This is where things typically break down and we struggle to exercise consistently, despite what we know to be true. Here are a few tips that I think are helpful for making exercise work for us.

• Schedule it and put solid yellow lines around it (just like when driving, solid yellow lines means do not pass). 

• Add a friend. You’re much more likely to follow through if your friend is there waiting for you. 

• Choose an exercise that you enjoy! If you hate it, you won’t do it! 

• Don’t start with too much, too fast. If you injure yourself or even just end up super sore for a week, you’re less likely to go back and do it again. Start slow - just get moving! 

• Don’t underestimate the power of a walk! I guarantee you that if you go walk for just 10 minutes you will feel better than you did before. 

Some of my favorite at-home workout resources are Lindsey Bomgren’s online workout program at Nourish, Move, Love, and Robin Long’s online fitness community at Lindeywell. Another great option, especially if you’re struggling with body image or just need some extra encouragement in the area of exercise and health is Jess Connolly’s Good Body Gals online community workouts.

Also, if you have a gym membership, look for group classes (body pump, barre, group yoga, etc.) at your gym! Participating in a class increases the likelihood that you will be consistent by checking off a lot of the tips that I mentioned before. Joining my local body pump class has done wonders in helping me to be more consistent in exercising!

It’s always good to be reminded about the importance of exercise and I hope you’ll implement a few of the tips that I shared here today. If you want more information about exercise I have a few other full-length episodes dedicated to different aspects of exercise - The Benefits of Strength Training for Women with Cassidy Tipton, CPT and well as Exercise as Medicine with Amy Shafer, CPT

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Health Tips for Traveling

Hi friends! It is officially summer vacation season - the kids are on summer break and most of you probably have a trip of some kind coming up. My family just got back from a wonderful week at the beach and we’re looking forward to another trip coming up in about a little later in the summer, so traveling is on our minds around here. Whether you’re traveling for a full week or just a long weekend, I’m going to give you some tips to keep your health a priority without letting it become the main focus of your vacation!

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Summer is finally just around the corner and for many of us, that means it’s time to do some traveling and take a break from our usual routines. Traveling to a new place is one of my favorite things to do but it can also provide some challenges that seem a bit overwhelming, especially if you are working on some health goals or have made some progress in your health journey and are worried that a week of “vacation food” may set you back or somehow lead you “off track”. 

So today I wanted to share a few tips for ways that you can continue to prioritize your health while on vacation, but in a way that doesn't become the main focus of your trip or keeps you from fully enjoying yourself in any way! One of the best things you can do for your health is to give yourself time to rest and just enjoy your life, outside of the stress of your day-to-day, so let’s talk about a few ways you can prepare ahead of time to set yourself up for a vacation that’s good for your whole self - body, mind, and soul. 

Set yourself up for an easier trip by packing well

• Pack balanced snacks for the time in the car. Fun snacks like chips, crackers, etc. that have good ingredients paired with easy protein and fat options like beef jerky sticks or hummus cups. Prep-ahead snacks like energy balls or hard-boiled eggs are great to keep in a cooler and add to more carb-heavy snacks and treats as well. This will keep everyone feeling full and less hangry, which is essential for a long road trip with kids. There is nothing worse than an exhausted, screen-crazed kid in a sugar crash during the last hour of the car ride.

• Prep and take all vitamins, supplements, protein powders, etc. to keep up your regiment while you’re gone. Take digestive enzymes to help your body digest and absorb the foods you don’t normally eat or that may be a little harder on your digestion.

• Take things from home that help you get movement in during a normal week. Include things like a yoga mat or tennis shoes and workout clothes will make it more likely that you catch a beach-yoga class or go for a morning walk. Also, be sure to pack your electrolyte powder and water bottles to make sure that everyone stays hydrated.

Allow yourself to enjoy the trip

• Think about vacation meals ahead of time:

  • If the place that you’re staying allows for it, plan to have some of your meals there. Don’t make it hard on yourself, but rather choose easy and nutritious, whole-food ingredients that you can have stocked in your rental for quick breakfasts, lunch, or snacks. (Money/time hack: get staple stuff before you leave and take it with you as groceries in tourist destinations seem to be more expensive.)

  • Place a grocery order for pick up on your way to your Airbnb or rental (or have it delivered when you get there). It feels so good to have a kitchen full of food without having to spend time actually going into the store when you would rather be having fun with your family. 

• Rest! Make your best effort to leave work at home. Turn off notifications on your phone, set your out-of-office email, and take “fun” reads instead of self-help or educational books. Ensure that you will be able to sleep well by taking sleep support items (sound machines, oils, bath stuff, melatonin if you struggle to sleep away from home). 

• Enjoy yourself and don’t stress! The best thing you can do for your health is to give yourself a break. Don’t worry about whether you're gaining weight or losing progress. Just let yourself enjoy the food, enjoy the slower pace, and be present with your family. The stress that comes with those kinds of thoughts and worries is far more harmful to your body than any meal or dessert that you’re going to have. Your body needs to know that it’s safe in order to thrive and relaxing, enjoying yourself, savoring your food, and having fun with your people are great ways to do that!

Plan for re-entry into reality

• Plan re-entry much like you planned your trip. Clean your house before you leave so that you come home to a nice, peaceful environment. If you have access to a washer/dryer, do your laundry before you come home. Place a pick-up grocery order on your way home to pick up when you get home or the next morning so that you can ease your way back into reality. 

I hope these tips help you to keep your health a priority as you travel this summer and also enjoy every minute of it!

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Prioritizing Your Health as a Mom

Hi friends! This past Sunday was Mother’s Day so in honor of that, this week’s #hfpodcast episode is focused on prioritizing your health as a mom. This can be such a struggle and takes intentional planning and effort that if we’re being honest, oftentimes we don’t feel that we have the energy for. Today I want to encourage and hopefully inspire you to think through some ways that you can support your health and care for your body so that you can continue to love and serve your family well for years to come!

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I reached out to my followers on Instagram and asked them what some of their obstacles were to prioritizing their health as a mom and here are the most common responses that I got:

• Time 

• Hectic schedules

• Exhaustion 

• Lack of motivation 

• Body image struggles 

• Guilt when taking time for yourself

I think all of us moms can relate to pretty much all of that!

The thing we need to remember is that we are all in this together. Most of us who are caretakers in any capacity, moms or not, but especially when you have tiny humans that you are responsible for 24/7 can relate to the struggle of knowing that it’s best for us to take care of ourselves and do things that support our health and figuring out how to actually do it. 

It’s also helpful to remember that this is just a season - not forever. We’re just not going to get to it all every day no matter how organized and planned we are and that’s okay. That doesn’t mean that we don’t try to do things that we know will help us, but we’re going to agree here together to stop beating ourselves up about it when it’s not all done, okay? Deal! 

Here are a few tips and ideas that I hope will encourage and inspire you to take the time and be intentional about caring for your body and supporting your health:

• Spend time with Jesus every day in any way that you can. This will look different in every season, maybe even from day today. The truth is that we just simply cannot care for other people well and pour out of a cup that’s empty. Mothering well requires amounts of patience, wisdom, and care that I just simply do not have without the help of the Holy Spirit. I literally need help with it and I can tangibly feel a difference in my parenting on the days that I don’t prioritize this. 

• Take a little time for yourself. This can be so incredibly difficult to do, but I truly believe that it makes a difference in our mental and emotional health. This may mean asking for help or trying to get up a little earlier before the kids do, or maybe choosing 10 minutes of time to decompress instead of doing the dishes {again}. Get creative - it’s worth it.

• Eat actual meals that are for you (protein+carb+fat, every 3-4 hours, including snacks). The key here is to have a plan but know that it doesn’t have to be elaborate. Stick to the basics and make it work for your season. For ideas or help with this, grab my Foods that Heal Guide and my Easy, Healthy Eats Recipe eBook.

• Try to have food before coffee - I know. 🙈 Here’s the deal - coffee (while amazing) spikes one of our stress hormones- Cortisol - and can make your blood sugar unstable as well as put stress on your adrenals and hormones. Essentially, it can make you have less energy and more irritable. Bad combo for a mom (well, anyone - but you get what I’m saying). So simply adding a small balanced meal or snack before your morning cup of coffee can help to stabilize your blood sugar and support your energy levels and mood.

• Prioritize your sleep. I’m well aware that our kids do not care about our sleep at all. However, a long-term lack of sleep can take such a toll on our health (if you want to hear my personal experience with this, make sure you listen to the whole episode). There is some lack of sleep that comes with parenthood, especially in the newborn days, but I want to encourage you that it’s worth the money, effort, time, whatever you need to do to help your kids to sleep well and independently so that you can too! Also, choose sleep over an extra hour of work or even scrolling. I know that it feels like you’ve earned some numb-out time (and you have) but if it’s a choice between staying up really late to “escape” or get more sleep, the sleep will serve you better every single time. 

• Have a plan for moving your body. This is one of those areas that really has to adapt after having kids but it’s still totally doable. We just need a plan and realistic expectations! Find ways to make it work for your schedule and season of life. You can include the kids by letting them join you in your workout if they’re old enough or let them have a little screen time will you fit in a workout at home. Go for a walk and take them in the stroller or let them ride their bikes or scooter along side you. If your budget allows, joing a gym that provides childcare - this will give you a little alone time and you can fit in a workout - win win! Just be realistic with your expecations of what it will look like. It won’t happen everyday, but if you make it part of your daily plan and shoot for it, you will at least hit it some days. 

• Give yourself some grace. Choose the priorities from this list and don’t try to do everything! Remember, living a healthy lifestyle is really about balance, it’s more like juggling. So choose a couple things that you can focus on and feel good about. Also, learn to let go of some things. Maybe the house isn’t perfectly clean all the time, maybe you have to ask for help, maybe you can’t go to every event you’re invited to. Spend some time thinking through what is most important and what you actually feel called to, and be okay saying no to other things. 

• Don’t give up when you have an off day (or week, even month). It’s not starting over, it’s not getting back on the wagon,  it’s just living your life and tomorrow is a brand new day!

Mama- friends, it’s okay to take care of you too. You will love and serve better if you aren’t trying to pour out without ever taking the time to refill. Think through what you know will help you the most a prioritize a few of these things we’ve talked about today.

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What Weight Loss Is Really About with Camille Martin, RD

Hi friends! I’m excited to share today’s episode with you as I think it’s a topic that many of us can relate to - weight loss. Camille Martin of Love to Lose is our guest on today’s show. She is a registered dietitian and public health writer who has dedicated her career to helping women get off of the dieting merry-go-round and actually set helpful goals for their health. You guys know that I talk about goals and mindset often and it’s something that I think is so important in anyone’s health journey, so I think Camille’s perspective on how those things affect weight loss is going to be helpful for you!

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Topics in this episode…

Weight loss is a common goal for most women, whether it's just a few lbs or a major weight loss goal. You say that in reality, it’s not about the actual weight, right? Can you explain what you mean by that and what you believe it is about instead?

How do mindset and the kind of goals we set affect whether or not we experience progress in our health journey? 

How does this affect women who are dealing with specific health issues? How can they focus on improving their symptoms without becoming obsessed with their health?

What is one practical action step that women can take today that will actually help move them forward with their health goals?

Learn more about Camille Martin of Love to Lose.

"Balancing" A Healthy Lifestyle

Hi friends! Today we are jumping into the topic of “balancing” a healthy lifestyle and how I believe this idea of “balance” is leading a lot of us to burn out and or leaving us feeling stuck. Let’s get into it! 

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I think we’ve gotten too attached to the idea of balance, especially when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle or maintaining healthy habits. So often when I ask people what they’re most frustrated with or what they’re struggling with in regards to their health, I get a lot of responses about frustration with inconsistency with working out or how they’re eating as well as a lot of frustration with not being able to balance it all. The question - “how do I do all of this” comes up a lot. Sometimes a “healthy lifestyle” can feel like a whole lot of boxes to check, which really feels like a whole lot of work! Right? 

I mean, that’s why so many of the fad diets become so popular, even though they often aren’t actually good for your health long-term, but they promise a result without all the work. 

I think we have made the ideal “healthy lifestyle” into something that is actually not realistically attainable. In reality, who can get 8 hours of sleep (2 of those being deep sleep, at the optimal time of night) every night, wake before the sun, drink 32 oz of perfectly filtered, lemon water, eat a nutritious large breakfast with the optimal amounts of carbohydrates, protein, and fat within an hour of waking + 15 different vitamins/supplements; practice complete mindfulness while getting completely ready for the day; spend time outside; space perfectly portioned and balanced meals out all throughout the day the day; stand for 10 minutes every hour; get 10k+ steps; get an hour workout in; be totally present and accessible for your family; feed your kids a beautiful, nutritious dinner; avoid too much caffeine or screen time; keep your home completely clean and laundry caught up; get everyone to bed at the ideal time of evening…. And then turn around and do it all the next day! Oh and did you notice I didn’t even mention anything about actually working a job or having any obligations or responsibilities… 

You hear me say all of this and think it sounds ridiculous - and it does! But how often do we subconsciously hold ourselves to this kind of standard and then feel like we just can’t “balance” it all when we don’t measure up. I have 100% felt this way and tried so hard attain this kind of “balance”. 

So what do we do? If we aren’t looking for balance, what are we looking for? 

I think that living a healthy lifestyle, and maintaining healthy behaviors/habits, looks a lot like a balanced scale and a lot more like juggling. 

Do we want to build a solid foundation for our health? Yes. Do we need to focus on all the different areas of a healthy lifestyle - sleep, stress, exercise, nourishment, relationships… yes - but not all at the same time. And I think that shift in mindset is what makes the difference between someone who is able to settle into participating in healthy behaviors, steadily making progress in their health, and someone who sets a goal, is all “into it” for about two weeks or a month, and then burns out. 

Think of someone who is juggling 5 bowling pins -  is he aware that all 5 are there? Yes. Is he focusing on all 5 of them at the same time? No! Just the ones in his hand at that moment and then his focus shifts as it needs to in order to keep all of the pins in the air. 

It’s just not possible for us to focus on all aspects of our health at the same time. I kind of wish that it were! My personality’s bend toward perfectionism wishes that I could master all of these areas of health and check off every box, but the thing is that I’ve tried it and it just doesn’t work! 

When we allow ourselves to focus on 1-2 areas of our health or 1-2 healthy habits at a time, it prevents us from becoming overwhelmed and burnt out so quickly. Then when we feel confident in one area, we can move onto another. This allows us to actually feel successful and to make real forward progress - it may be slower than we want to go, but it greatly increases the odds of us actually achieving our goals.  

So think about the most pressing or needed change that you need to make for your health. Is it sleep? Is it hydration? Is it eating more plants and veggies? Maybe it’s cutting out processed, chemical-full foods? 

I asked you guys on Instagram earlier in the week to give me an example of just one thing you feel like you need to focus on for your health and I would walk through what this practically looks like in the episode. Several of you said exercising consistently or being more active - something like that.

That’s a great one and super common. So let’s talk through some ideas of what that may look like practically:

• Make an appropriate goal - to move your body 5 days a week (not to work out every single day and lose 10 lbs.). The goal is simply to move your body. 

• Make it work for you:

  • Figure out what activity/exercise you actually enjoy

  • Decide if you do better alone or do you need someone to keep you accountable? Would you enjoy a group activity more than a solo workout? 

  • Brainstorm your usual excuses - time, energy, soreness? What has prevented you from being consistent in the past?

  • Schedule it ,but be flexible. Your week won’t go exactly as planned, so you need to be able to not be completely thrown off. (This may look like planning to walk M,W,F and do Barre or Pilates on T/R but it is 12 degrees outside or it’s raining all week, so you do a quick youtube workout or stick to pilates/barre every day instead.) You have to be able to pivot or you’ll never stick with it.

  • Track your activity with an app or watch to give yourself a little extra accountability. 

Do you see how changing your focus from 5 goals or areas of focus to just this 1 could lead to more successful progress? It’s like a snowball effect. A little change and progress leads to another change, which leads to another, and another. Before you know it, you look back and things look completely different. 

Here’s the thing - consistency and success in one behavior or habit usually crosses over into another. For example, when you’re feeling good about how you’re moving your body, you will likely naturally be more intentional about what you are eating and if you’re hydrated. Or maybe you’ll notice that your sleep starts to naturally improve and you start to pay more attention to the quality of your sleep overall. Success usually breeds success leaving you feeling more confident in how you’re caring for your health. Which is really the goal at the end of the day anyway. 

So I hope that you will try adjusting how you approach living a healthy lifestyle and choose to focus on 1-2 things at a time. I believe it will be a game-changer for you. 

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What's Coming in 2022 + Some Thoughts from the Heart

Hi friends! In today’s episode, I want to give a little of a preview of some things coming in Q1 of 2022, as well as share some things that have been on my heart recently.

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2021 has been a great year in a lot of ways and there have still been some pretty difficult parts, right? It felt like it lasted forever, to me at least! I love new beginnings and thinking about the potential of the future, so the end of the year and coming new year is always an exciting time for me. I’m really looking forward to 2022 both in my personal life and for what’s coming for the Health Forward community. So I wanted to share a just a few things that are coming in Q1 of next year that you can be watching for:

• A new round of HF group coaching is starting in mid-January 2022. This is one of my absolute favorite things to do. It’s the perfect way to get health education and coaching at a lower cost and time commitment - and you get to be part of a community of women with similar goals and struggles as you!

• The Move Forward, Feel Better Course is live on my site again! This is a perfect option for the DIY-er or someone wanting more education about how to support their health but may not have the budget or schedule capacity for personalized health coaching.

• The #hfpodcast will be back again with a new season starting in January but will now feature new episodes every other week. This will allow me to devote more of my attention to working with clients while still providing quality healthy-living education and encouragement for you on the podcast.

I wanted to leave you with a few thoughts today that I’ve just been thinking about for a while. This question of “does it even matter to spend time/energy on my health” just keeps coming up for me, and I’m guessing I’m not the only one. 

Especially for those of us who follow Jesus,  is this something we should even be concerned with? 

I keep being reminded of this idea of Struggle and progress. While there is absolutely no perfection on this side of heaven and we will never be able to outrun the curse (my pastor recently said if Mother Teresa and Jack Lalanne couldn’t escape death, none of us have a chance! It was a super encouraging sermon {jokes - it actually was}), but I don’t think that means that we just decide to not care. I hear a lot of people say “well I’m gonna die of something” as an excuse to treat their bodies really poorly. I know that they are mostly kidding, but in reality, I think that way of thinking subconsciously affects the way that a lot of people see their health. I feel like there can be a huge disconnect between Christians and not caring for their bodies. By no means am I trying to equate some level of holiness with good health or living a healthy lifestyle? You are not more godly because you are fit or a certain size, or because you don’t have __ health problems. The opposite is also true - you aren’t more godly because you disregard the “earthly”, physical, and focus solely on the spiritual. As with most things, there is tension here. So many things in life aren’t either/or but both/and - and I think our mindset when it comes to our health and the caring of our physical bodies falls under this category as well.

Should we be trying to perfect our bodies/find the fountain of youth/become obsessed with how our bodies look or even feel?? No - that’s both very self-centered and pretty pointless, honestly. Are we going to be symptom-free, disease-free, problem-free in this life? No. As a matter of fact, we can pretty much expect the opposite. 

Does that mean that we shouldn’t care about the health of our bodies? Should we abuse the bodies that God gave us with food/drinks/substances that damage them, fill our minds with toxic junk, and just generally ignore our health? No! That’s not stewarding the gift of these bodies that God gave us to experience this life with. I don’t believe that’s what we need to do either.

Will there always be struggle? Yes. Can there also be progress and improvement too? Absolutely yes. 

I really believe this in the depths of my heart. This is what makes my approach to health and what I do different. I am coaching you to know how your body works and to care for it as the gift that it is. Not to lose a certain amount of weight or look a certain way. Not to look or even feel perfect - that isn’t a real possibility anyway.

I often get asked what program I follow and the simple answer is that I don’t. I don’t do “programs'' or sell products. I just teach real-life, sustainable, actionable steps to support the health of your body. If you’re looking for a quick-fix, super easy (also hear me say - likely unsustainable and maybe even unhealthy) way to make changes to your body or your health, then I’m not it. I’m passionate about this stuff because I think it matters and I encounter so many unhelpful theories about health that I want to offer you something different. 

If this is something that resonates with you, check out my course or enroll in this upcoming round of group coaching coming up in January. 

I hope that this episode encouraged you or gave you a different perspective. I’m excited for what’s to come in 2022 and continuing to support you in your health journey.

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How Oral Health is Connected to Overall Health with Melody Frank, RDH

Hi friends! In this episode of the #hfpodcast, my friend and Registered Dental Hygienist - Melody Frank, is sharing how our oral health directly affects the quality of our overall health. She is also sharing tips and recommendations for good dental home-care and periodontal disease prevention.

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Questions Answered in this Episode:

How is oral health connected to the overall health of the rest of the body?

What are some common things that we do that can be damaging to our oral health?

Are there things, besides normal brushing and flossing, that are supportive of our oral health? 

Give us all the deets about oral hygiene - how often should we really brush and floss? What are your tips for people who hate flossing? 

Resources Mentioned In this episode:

Ask the Dentist, Teeth Talk Girl

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My Simple Method for Meal Planning

Hi friends! In today’s episode, we are talking about meal planning. There are many different methods and ways to meal plan, so this is not necessarily a “how-to” or a list of things you “should” do, this is just me sharing how I do things in this current season of life that I am in. I’ve had other podcast episodes about meal planning - tips for meal planning, the importance of it, etc., and even since recording those episodes, things in my life have changed and I don’t do things exactly the way that I did then. That’s just normal and a part of life. Everyone has to learn how to shift how they do things based on the season that they’re in. So today I’m sharing what is currently working for me and I hope that it gives you new inspiration or ideas, as well as give you permission to meal plan in a way that best serves you. 

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A little something you may or may not know about me, depending on how long you’ve been around the podcast, is that I am an Enneagram 9w1. (If you don’t know what that is it’s a personality test that I often reference because I think it’s super helpful.) So, that basically means my mind is a complicated, sometimes contradictory place. So I love all things organizing, order, planning, ideas, and future, but I don’t always love executing said plans, and I’m not very good at motivating myself to carry out a plan that I’m not “feeling” in the moment. I also don’t like chaos or feeling stressed about what we’re having for dinner, regretting an impulse choice, etc. (like I said, it’s complicated). So, as you can imagine, meal planning is extremely important, for me. I have tried many times to go without some kind of meal plan in place for the week and it always turns out badly. I most often end up stressed, and really frustrated with myself for not just taking the time to have a plan in place, get groceries, and get ahead of things rather than feeling like I’m constantly playing catch-up or regretting my choices. You may have a totally different personality and be absolutely fine to just go with the flow and not really need a plan in place, but that is most certainly not me. Also, from my experience working with clients, it seems that most people do better with some kind of plan in place, especially if they’re trying to be intentional about what they are eating.

There isn’t one certain way that is “right” when it comes to planning meals for yourself or your family, and there are tons of different methods that are great! Depending on your personality, the season of life you’re in, and your schedule, you may find some methods more helpful than others. I encourage you to be open to trying new ways of doing things, as well as willing to change methods of meal planning if what you have been doing is no longer serving you. 

For example, I have previously used methods where I meal plan and grocery shop two weeks at a time, or even a month at a time, but in my current season of life, I do not have the mental capacity or time to devote to doing that. Currently, I only plan meals about a week at a time, and instead of using a particular system or journal like I did before, I simply use my notes app on my phone. 

As I said in the title, my current method is super simple: 

• I start by looking at my calendar to see how many meals we will be able to eat at home that week.

• Then, I plan any themes/special things that we have going on. For example, we try to stick to something taco-ish on Tuesdays and we always do pizza Fridays - sometimes out at a restaurant and sometimes at home. 

• Next, I look for inspiration for recipes. I’m not a person who enjoys eating the same things over and over, so I’m often looking for a new recipe, something we haven’t had in a while, or a new spin on something we love. I mostly use Pinterest and a couple of my favorite Instagram accounts (Real Food Dieticians, Shawna from A Little Less Toxic, my own recipe highlights) to choose new recipes. 

• Once I’ve assigned meals to certain days (very loosely), then I add any needed ingredients to my grocery list (which I keep in the same document in my notes app) and add any items that I can to my online grocery order.  

• Currently, I’ve been getting the majority of my groceries through Kroger’s online pick-up or through Thrive Market.  On occasion, if I have time and mental capacity, I’ll go to Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods for meat and specialty type items but that’s pretty rare these days. 

The key here is to do what works for you in the season that you’re in.

I have a couple of free resources that may be helpful for you: The Foods that Heal Guide is a list of my favorite nourishing and nutrient-dense foods to keep your fridge and pantry stocked for easy meal prep; and the Easy, Healthy Eats recipe e-book has a few of my go-to recipes with ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

How Your Life Affects Your Health with Dr. Clayton Bell, MD

Hi friends! In this episode of the #hfpodcast, Integrative Medicine Physician - Dr. Clayton Bell, MD, shares the impact that different aspects of our lives can have on our health. He discusses how the foods we eat, intense seasons of stress, and even unresolved trauma can lead to common health concerns.

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Questions answered in this episode:

• How did you become passionate about integrative medicine?

• Why is what we eat so important? Does it really have that much of an impact on our health?

• With hundreds of types of diets out there, each promising to be the best, how do we know which is the best for us? 

• The phrase “food as medicine” has become popular but is a bit ambiguous. Can we really use food to help our bodies heal? Can you give some examples? 

• What are some common issues with women’s health that you see in your practice and what do we need to be aware of?

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• UT Medical Center TRE Research Study - Jill Maples (jmaples1@utmck.edu/865.305.9367)

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Living Life 'A Little Less Toxic" with Shawna Holman

In this episode, Shawna Holman of A Little Less Toxic shares how making simple changes over time drastically improved her health and why the ingredients that we put on, in, and around our bodies matter so much. She also shares practical ways to start reducing the toxic burden on our bodies without feeling overwhelmed and stressed out.

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Questions answered in this episode…

How did you first learn about the impact of toxins on your health?

Is reducing one’s toxin exposure/burden actually important or just something trendy to market “clean” products? Does using less toxic ingredients really impact our health?

How did you start reducing your toxic-burden? How do you recommend others get started in their own journey?

Learning about toxins can feel overwhelming, what is your encouragement for those who are afraid they can’t live a perfectly “clean” lifestyle?

Resources mentioned in this episode: EWG, Think Dirty - Live Clean App

Follow Shawna in all the places: Instagram, Youtube, alittlelesstoxic.com

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Intermittent Fasting: Helpful or Harmful?

Hi friends! Today we are talking about Intermittent Fasting (IF). It’s been a buzzphrase in the health and wellness industry for a while and there are wildly different perspectives and opinions on it. In this episode, I want to look at exactly what IF is and what are the ways it can be helpful, as well as how it can be harmful and who may not benefit from it.  I’m also going to throw my own opinion into the mix and share why I haven’t adopted this practice for myself. Let’s get into it! 

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What is Intermittent Fasting (IF)?

Intermittent fasting is a term used to describe a certain approach to eating that includes abstaining from food for short periods of time. Time-restricted eating Is the most common method of intermittent fasting. For this type of in a minute fasting you eat during a shortened window of time during the day, which extends the amount of time you’re not eating overnight. This can be anywhere from a 12 hour fast to a 16 - 18 hour fast, and often includes skipping a meal either breakfast or dinner. You can choose to eat three meals while using this method but they will be closer together than usual. 

How it can be helpful:

A quick search on Google or Pinterest will list out multiple health benefits from intermittent fasting. Things such as helping with weight loss, burning fat for energy instead of glucose, lowering insulin levels, improving insulin sensitivity, benefiting cognitive abilities, and supporting the circadian rhythm and leading to better sleep.

Sounds amazing, huh? Well, before you decide to skip breakfast forever, let’s look at some of the ways IF can be harmful. 

How it can be harmful:

While it’s true that some people to do well with intermittent fasting, it’s also true that certain people may not do well with it, particularly women. Fasting, while possibly having short term benefits, can also lead to long-term ramifications. IF leads to higher amounts of cortisol to be produced in the body, which again can be good short term (like as in exercise), but in the long-term can lead to chronic inflammation (just as in exercising too much). This spike in stress hormones can cause the body to feel unsafe. Our bodies thrive and function their best when they feel safe. Food is a signal of safety to our bodies - that’s the way we are wired. So when we go longer amounts of time, or even days, without eating that can signal to our bodies that something is wrong and that we aren’t safe enough to eat. Again, this can lead to chronic inflammation in the long term, which is the exact opposite of what we’re trying to achieve. 

For this reason, IF can have negative effects on women’s hormone health and fertility. When a woman’s body does not feel safe, having a well functioning reproductive system is not a high priority. Some studies have shown that by simply extending the fasting window to 14 to 16 hours, or quickly reducing the amount of food that someone takes in during the day, the body can start to shut down some of the communication between the brain and the reproductive system. 

Also, while some say intermittent fasting can help with insulin resistance and blood sugar issues, the flipside to that is that it can also lead to blood sugar dysregulation in the long term. 

An increase in stress hormones can lower  insulin levels, but also increase blood sugar (glucose) levels. Insulin is the hormone that allows our body to use up glucose or blood sugar, so having an increase in glucose while also having a decrease in insulin can lead to having higher blood sugar levels overall - which again is the opposite of what we are wanting. 

The other issue that can sometimes happen with intermittent fasting is that because you’re eating your meals closer together, in a shorter window of time, this can sometimes lead to not having enough space in between meals for proper digestion and good gut health. 

In a healthy gut, the MMC (migrating motor complex) - sometimes also called the housekeeper of the gut - sweeps through the small intestine, moving any food or waste along into the large intestine for further digestion about every 90 minutes (Think of it as our gut’s clean up crew). The problem Is that any eating or drinking of something that has calories (even a cup of coffee) can interrupt that process. Ideally we would be spacing our meals apart about every 4 hours, but that becomes very difficult to do in an 8-hr or shorter window. 

When this mechanisms can operate as it should, it can create an environment for Dysbiosis, SIBO, and overall poor gut health. 

So as you can see, there are both possible pros and cons to intermittent fasting.

Why I don’t practice IF, personally: 

Personally, I’ve chosen not to practice structured IF. As a woman who has an inflammatory condition- an inflammatory hormonal condition, at that, the risks outweigh the possible benefits for me. I also don’t recommend it to most of my clients, as most are women also dealing with underlying chronic inflammation, gut issues, and hormonal imbalances.

Also, an Interesting note - an ISSA article states that most of the studies done on Intermittent Fasting have been done on men. It states that *“Out of seventy-one studies found in Harvard’s database for intermittent fasting, only thirteen include women at all. Beyond that, absolutely none of the controlled studies focus on the female population in general. There are no controlled studies that allow us to draw intelligent conclusions about how intermittent fasting affects the female population.” 

The article goes on to say that women are less likely to lose weight or experience positive health benefits from IF and seem to experience the best health when they maintain an unchanging flow of nutrient intake throughout the day. 

This is what I recommend to my clients and implement in my own life as well. I think a 12:12 model can work really well for women - a 12 hour eating window and a 12 hour fasting window at night. That pretty much follows our natural circadian rhythm of eating while it’s daylight. I advise my clients to eat a balanced meal that includes carbs/fiber, protein, and fat within an hour of waking - and then ideally eating balanced meals every 4 hours. I also think it’s important to listen to your body and follow your hunger cues. Again, it’s important to make your body feel safe, and restricting food will likely have the opposite effect. 

At the end of the day, remember that food is nourishment and fuel for the body. It’s not something to restrict and/or reward yourself with.

*https://www.issaonline.com/blog/index.cfm/2018/this-hot-diet-trend-is-not-recommended-for-women

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Why We Struggle with Consistency

How often have you heard “consistency is key”? It’s everywhere, right? In a lot of instances, I think this is absolutely true, but I want us to go a little deeper today because consistency is often a pain point for people when it comes to their health. Often when I ask my friends or even my Instagram followers what they are struggling with the most or where they feel like they need the most support, every single time the overwhelming popular response is “consistency”. Consistency in exercising, getting good sleep, eating nutritious food, not eating junk food every night, and on and on it goes. I would venture to guess, you’ve probably had a few of those thoughts yourself and I would say “me too”. I have found myself feeling the same frustration - “ugh! Why can’t I stay consistent in this?!”

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Recently I’ve been doing some work that’s prompted me to dig deeper into the idea of body image and diet culture - and why we so often feel like we are failing in this area of consistency. One thing that has come up for me and that I think may be one of the biggest contributors to this common struggle is a misalignment between our mindset and our goal. 

I know that sounds a little philosophical, but hear me out on this. 

When the goal (our desired result) is to lose weight, get our bodies “summer-ready”, change sizes or “tone up” a certain area, or even to feel “good” or get back to feeling energetic like we did 5 or 10 years ago, etc. - we will get overwhelmed. First of all, those things are not always in our control. We can do all the “right things” - follow all the principles of living a healthy lifestyle and sometimes still not lose a pound, or still not get pregnant, or still have a disorder or disease. So that’s going to feel really frustrating and we’re probably going to give up. We will also often give up because of the massiveness of the goal. It doesn’t seem attainable - it feels so far out of reach, so we often won’t see the value in sticking to whatever plan we had made for ourselves. 

However, when the goal is something attainable, something we can control, something that is directly and immediately affected by our choices, it makes following the plan easier, therefore allowing us to be “consistent” in our behavior. 

Let me put this in a practical context and use this for an example: 

Scenario - It’s 9:45 pm and you can’t stop thinking about the ice cream in the freezer. 
Goal: Be able to fit back into the jeans you wore two summers ago (the pre-covid ones :P)

Your thinking will most likely go something like this: “ugh - this sucks! I bet ____ doesn’t have to worry about not eating ice cream.”, or “meh! Who cares? I’ll never get back in those jeans anyway”, or “I’ve already fallen off the wagon the past few days, what’s one more treat? I’ll do better tomorrow”... and then you either deprive yourself and don’t eat it while inducing shame and judgment on yourself and others; or you do eat the ice cream and immediately feel regret or apathy about the goal you set for yourself. This leads you to the question, “Why can’t I be consistent in what I’m eating?!” Does that sound familiar?

Now contrast that with the same scenario but a different goal:

Scenario - It’s 9:45 pm and you can’t stop thinking about the ice cream in the freezer. 
Goal: To feel good about how you are caring for your body 

Can you already feel the difference? In this scenario, your thinking may go something like this: “hmmm… well, every time I eat that ice cream, my stomach gets so bloated and I feel miserable for hours. I don’t think it’s worth that. What else do we have instead?” , or “I love that ice cream - that sounds so good, but it is going to probably spike my blood sugar pretty high. What can I eat with it to help stabilize my blood sugar?”, or maybe even “Ah yes! I’ve been waiting for the perfect time to try that ice cream and I know it’s made with good ingredients. Let’s go for it!”. So either you choose to eat the ice cream or you don’t, but you make a conscious decision that won’t be followed by guilt or regret. 

The difference is that with the second goal, you are making a decision from a place of loving and caring for your body right now, just as it is, rather than making a decision from a place of shame or apathy while putting a ridiculous amount of pressure and expectation on yourself. 

One of the biggest enemies of consistency is unrealistic expectations. 

There is definitely something to be said about being intentional and scheduling things into your day or week like prioritizing sleep and exercise. There is a practical, logical piece of actually planning things into your calendar or schedule because if you don’t, it probably won’t happen. But again, we are much more likely to make choices that support our wellbeing when we are operating from a goal of caring for our bodies and stewarding them well. 

So I want to challenge you to take a look at your goal or your lack of goal. If you are feeling discontent or wanting to change something about your health, what is your goal? Is it to take good care of your body, to love it well, and to support it in functioning well? If not, consider making it your goal. It will change how you make decisions. It will change how you feel the decisions you make. It will change how you feel about yourself. 

If this idea rubs you the wrong way or you find yourself rolling your eyes a little bit while listening to this, ask yourself why. Dig in a little bit. Does the idea of loving your body, caring for your body, or stewarding your body well seem weird or even wrong to you? Do you feel like your body is subpar or broken or maybe shouldn’t even be considered at all? If so, why? Where did that idea come from? 

If you find yourself feeling this way - let me ask you a few questions that I hope will change your perspective. Do you believe that your body was created by God? The same God that created the sky and the ocean, and the sun and the moon. Do you remember that after He created man and woman - their bodies - He said that it was good? Do you actually think that He could make something that is bad or subpar? If you find yourself thinking that about your body that way or talking about your body that way, isn’t that insulting your Creator? 

Please know that I don’t ask you these questions to put shame on you, if anything I want to help pull shame off of you. Friends, we think that our biggest problem or struggle or obstacle is not being consistent, but in reality, our biggest obstacle is that we have a misalignment between our mindset and our goal. 

When we view our bodies as something to be fixed, or a project that always needs to be improved, or even as just a tool, or really anything other than a good creation of the Father in which we get to experience this life and experience Him, we will not be motivated to be consistent in caring for our bodies. It will feel useless, pointless, we might even find ourselves believing that it’s vain. 

I’m not saying any of this as someone who has conquered this or figured it all out but as someone who is right there with you. I’ve been working through some of these thoughts and feelings myself over the past few weeks. I’ve had to dig deep and ask myself these same questions about what I believe about my body and the One who made it. I can honestly say that realigning my mindset with what God says and focusing on the goal of caring for my body out of a place of love, gratitude, and stewardship, has made a huge difference for me and I believe it will make a difference for you too. 

It’s easy to get caught up in what culture says about health or about what we should look like, eat like, workout like but as believers, as women who follow Jesus, that is not where we find truth and direction for our lives. 

If you feel frustrated with yourself because you don’t feel that you can “stay consistent” or because you lack motivation, ask yourself these questions. Check your mindset and focus on the goal of caring for your body, being kind to and grateful for your body instead of trying to make it into something or make it look a certain way. 

If you feel like you need to do some work around the issue of body image or body shame, or if you would just like to know more about a kingdom mindset about health and body image, I encourage you to check out Jess Connolly’s Good Body Gals community. I have found it incredibly helpful for my own soul as well as helping me think about how I teach and coach other women. You can find all the information about it in her Instagram bio or by searching for the tag #goodbodygals. 

If you feel like you need one-on-one support in this area or in knowing what steps to take, what being kind to your body looks like, what a healthy lifestyle looks like for you, I’d love to help you with that. I offer a free initial consultation where I learn about your specific needs, goals, and current obstacles and together we can come up with a plan to help. You can learn more about that by going to yourhealthforward.com. 

That does it for me today, friends. Thanks for spending some of your day here with me. Keep moving forward, go love your people well and I’ll talk with you next time!

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5 Tips for Managing Endometriosis

Endometriosis is an inflammatory hormonal condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (endometrium) is found in other parts of the body outside of the uterus. This tissue responds to hormonal shifts of the menstrual cycle (just the same as the tissue within the uterus) and as such causes inflammation, pain, and often scar tissue/adhesions. It is estimated that about 200 million women worldwide have endometriosis. It is a complex disorder, and because of the wide variety of symptoms that can be associated with it, it can often take several years and multiple providers to actually receive an endometriosis diagnosis. 

If you want to know more about Endo including the symptoms, what we know (and don’t) about possible causes, and current treatment options, I recorded a podcast all about that last year - it is episode 30. I also have a few other endo-related episodes including more of my personal journey with it, as well as an episode all about acupuncture and helpful it can be for managing endo. 

This leads me to the topic for today - 5 Tips for Managing Endometriosis. Whether you have already received an endo diagnosis or maybe just suspect that you have it, there are some things that you need to know that can help you along your journey. 

Be an advocate for your health 

Unfortunately, it can take multiple years, sometimes even a decade, and multiple doctors and providers to get a receive an Endo diagnosis. Sadly a lot of endo symptoms are often overlooked, downplayed, or even dismissed and labeled as just being tired, overwhelmed, or dramatic. Hopefully, this will not be your experience but know going in that you are going to need to be your own health advocate. Even with the most skilled and compassionate providers, no one knows your body or your symptoms the way that you do. 

Make a list of questions before each appointment and be willing to voice your concerns if you aren’t comfortable with a particular treatment plan. 

Remember that your provider is there to help you but they can’t read your mind - so you have to speak up, and they don’t have the final say about your care. If you feel uncomfortable or dismissed, find another provider. 

When it comes to symptoms, deal with the root cause

There is not yet an agreed-upon root cause of Endo. There are several theories that are being researched but as of now, that is all that they are. What we do know is that women with endometriosis often also have poor gut health, stagnation within both the circulatory and lymphatic systems, and hormonal imbalances as well as chronic inflammation. So while we don’t know what thing/things triggered the condition, we can address these other issues. 

Working on gut health by addressing leaky gut or any gut lining issues, as well as ensuring a good balance of gut flora, can be a great place to start as all other processes and systems of the body are affected by our microbiome. 

Acupuncture can also be a great starting place as it can benefit stagnation, hormone imbalances, and inflammation.  

Create a support system 

A condition like Endometriosis affects your entire life, not just part of it, so you will likely need to address each area with multiple providers. Creating a care team may involve many different types of providers including a surgeon (this will often be someone like a Reproductive Endocrinologist that is specifically trained in excision surgery for Endo), acupuncturist, pelvic health physical therapist, health coach, or a nutritionist trained in hormone health, and often a  mental health professional or licensed therapist. Your care team may have more or fewer providers, but it’s important to remember that this is a complex condition, so it’s good to support yourself in all of these different areas - it doesn’t make you extra. 

In addition, to have different trained providers, it’s also important to surround yourself with friends and family that can support you along your journey. Endometriosis can be a lonely diagnosis because it’s still such a hush-hush topic. Some still think of it as a period problem when in reality it is so much more. When trying to manage a chronic condition of any kind, you will need an outlet. A small group of people that you can share your worries, struggles, and feelings with. 

Design a plan that works for you

Similar to the last tip, you need to create a plan to deal with your specific symptoms that is helpful for you. Although there are many shared symptoms among those with Endo, every case is unique and individualized. No two women are exactly the same - they have different genetic makeups, different environmental factors, different lifestyles. So what may help one person may not be the golden ticket for another. 

Pay attention to the signals (symptoms) that your body is giving you and do some research into what may help that also work with your phase of life, schedule, etc. For example, if you deal with chronic fatigue, waking up at 5 am and working out first thing in the morning may not be a good idea for you, even if it seems to be working just fine for your friend. We can always learn from other people, but be careful when comparing your journey with someone else. 

Be gracious with yourself 

As I mentioned before, apart from divine healing, there is currently no “cure” for Endo. However, that doesn’t mean that there can’t be relief or a reversal of symptoms, maybe even a state of remission, but it’s not something that is “cured” and you never have to think about it again. 

So make sure to set realistic expectations for yourself when making changes to your lifestyle. Remember that healing isn’t linear. This is a common frustration for those with any chronic condition. Healing is a process of ups and downs. Doing really well for a while, having a setback, learning how things affect your body, adjusting, and on and on it goes. Try to remember this when you start to feel frustrated with your body. 

Another common thought that those dealing with chronic pain or a condition can be the feeling that their body is betraying them. I just want to encourage you to really work on your mindset around this. You are not defective. Your body isn’t betraying you. You were fearfully and wonderfully made - just like everyone else. We just live in a fallen world where pain and disease still exist, and your body needs some extra support. Your journey isn’t going to be like someone else’s and that is a good thing! It’s uniquely yours. Be gracious with yourself and find gratitude in the ways that your body serves you every day. 

I hope that this has helped to encourage you. If you know someone who has endometriosis, check on them and see how they’re doing. Send them this podcast - odds are that they probably need some encouragement too! 

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Gratitude Matters

Research has shown that gratitude has a positive effect on many different aspects of our health.  In today's episode, I'm sharing a few ways that gratitude can change our health for the better as well as simple tips for incorporating a gratitude practice into our daily lives. 

The Harvard Medical School defines gratitude as “a thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible. With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives. As a result, gratitude also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals–whether to other people, nature, or a higher power”. When we think of gratitude, we typically think of saying “thank you”, which is obviously important, but gratitude is more than just an action or a trite thing we say. It is an emotion that actually creates a biological response in our bodies. 

Gratitude affects our health in so many positive ways. 

• Eases depression and anxiety (study) (enhances dopamine and serotonin) 

• Improves sleep

• Reduces burn out and stress 

• Helps regulate blood pressure 

• Helps strengthen the immune system 

• Lessens physical aches and pains 

• Helps to break the pattern of toxic thoughts 

• Helps you to be more empathetic 

• Can positively affect relationships

• Helps you to be more likable 

• Builds personal resilience (#2020, right?!)

Regularly expressing gratitude can make you more sensitive and aware of the experience of gratitude in the future. Isn’t it amazing that we have the ability to actually change our brains?! (You can find more about this in episode 47!)

Simple ways to practice gratitude:

• Start a gratitude journal

• Add gratitude to your quiet time routine 

• Write letters of gratitude to friends and family, pastors, teachers, medical staff, etc. 

• Make a gratitude jar or tree

• Pray a Prayer of Gratitude before bed

• Practice saying thank you 

• Be present and aware (put down your phone)

• Create a gratitude ritual with your kids at dinner or before bed

I hope that this has resonated with you and maybe has sparked some ideas for ways that you can practice gratitude in your life. I want to put this to practice now and say that I’m so grateful for you! I so appreciate that you guys listen in, that you support the podcast and share it with your friends, and ultimately that you have allowed me to speak into your lives and support you in your health journey! I truly love what I do and it’s an honor to get to do it!

I want to leave you with this encouragement from God’s word as you go into Thanksgiving and the rest of 2020, whatever it may hold. It’s from 1 Thessalonians 5:18 - “give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Book Review | Get Out of Your Head by Jennie Allen

Hi friends! Today’s episode is a little different than anything I’ve done before - I am reviewing a book that I just recently read with my small group and all of us loved it so much and found it so helpful, so I wanted to share it with you as well. 

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The book is called “Get Out of Your Head - Stop the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts” by Jennie Allen. It’s a book about how God designed our minds to work, how we form thoughts, and how those thoughts can then affect everything in our lives. It talks specifically about negative thought patterns and common triggers that tend to send us down into toxic thought spirals and how we can use truth from God’s word to fight these spirals and disrupt the consequences of our negative patterns of thinking. This book is full of science and scripture which I absolutely love! 

The book is so well laid out. It’s broken down into three parts different parts, so I’m going to share a few things that really stuck out to me from each part. 

In part one Jennie goes into detail about how our thoughts are formed and influenced by our environment or our own past experiences, and how those thoughts then go on to form what we believe and shape how we live. She explains the pattern like this “Our emotions were leading us to thoughts, and those thoughts were dictating our decisions, and our decisions were determining our behaviors, and then the behaviors were shaping our relationships, all of which would take us back to healthy or unhealthy thoughts.” 

In chapter two, she digs further into explaining how a lot of our thoughts can be based on lies we believe about ourselves, which are ultimately rooted in what we believe to be true about God. All of this information is leading the reader to the realization that our thoughts (especially the negative ones - 70%) can create strongholds in our lives that we need to fight back against, but before we can do that we have to learn how to recognize them and stop the spiral.

In the second part of the book, she walks us through exactly how to do that. Side note - I highly recommend getting the study guide to go along with the book. It provides prompts and space to dive deeper into the methods she shares for tearing down strongholds and regaining control of our thoughts. 

The entire process of fighting back hinges on this one truth - that we have a choice. We don’t have to stay stuck in these toxic spirals. We can disrupt them. As Jesus-followers, we have been given all the tools we need to be able to break free. Throughout the entire second part of the book, Jennie walks through common negative emotions and thoughts that we often find ourselves gravitating towards and then provides us with another option - a way to stop the spiral, using truths from God’s word. 

We can fight self-importance with humility

We can fight noise with silence

We can fight cynicism with delight

We can fight isolation with connection

We can fight complacency with intentionality

We can fight victimhood with gratefulness

We can fight anxiety with trust

Then in part three, Jennie wraps up the book reminding us of who Jesus is and as believers, who we are in Him. I just love the reminders that she gives in this section and want to read this part she wrote, specifically what God says about Himself and about you: (from pg 214-216)

I am who I am. (Exodus 3:14)

I am the beginning and the end. I am the first, and I am the last. (Revelation 22:13)

I am light; in Me, there is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)

My hand lay the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth. (Isaiah 48:13)

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. (Jeremiah 1:5)

I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my Name, He may give it to you. (John 15:16)

I am He who blots out your transgressions. I will not remember your sins. (Isaiah 43:25)

To all who receive Me, who believe in My Name, I give the right to become children of God. (John 1:12)

 Do you not know that you are God‘s temple and that God‘s Spirit dwells in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)

My spirit is within you. (Ezekiel 36:27)

I will not leave you. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

I will equip you for every good work I’ve planned. (Hebrews 13:21)

I gave you a spirit not of fear but of power and of love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7)

I will build my church through you, and the gates of hell will not overcome it. (Matthew 16:18)

I will comfort you as you wait. (Isaiah 66:13)

I will remind you this is all real. (John 14:26)

I am on my way. (Revelation 3:11)

My steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 138:8)

In just a little while… I am coming and I will take you to the place where I am.  (Hebrews 10:27; John 14:3)

You will inherit the earth. (Psalm 25:13)

You will be with Me. I will wipe every tear from your eyes, and death will be no more. Behold, I am making all things new. (Revelation 21:3-5)

My kingdom is coming. My Will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)

“God has declared these truths about Himself and about me. All these things are true for you and for anyone who loves and follows Jesus. This is who we are because of Whose we are. We make our choices based on these truths. And our God doesn’t change and always delivers on His promises.”

This book was so helpful for me and I honestly believe that it would be helpful to anyone who reads it. Battling a negative mindset or getting caught up in toxic thought patterns isn’t something that only affects a few people - it affects everyone I know, and consequently, it can affect our entire lives. 

I have often talked about how important it is to take care of our mental and emotional health, but I don’t know that I’ve ever felt the true significance of that like I have this past year. As I’ve seen in my own life and in the lives of my clients, if we aren’t paying attention to and caring for our mental/emotional state, we will not be able to be physically healthy. We just won’t have the motivation, the will, or even the capacity to care about it. I truly believe that caring for our mental health and emotional wellbeing starts here - in understanding that we were created in God’s image, as spiritual beings and there is a war going on for our minds. Our mind and our thoughts are the deepest core of who we are and if we aren’t paying attention and being intentional about caring for that part of us, filling ourselves with truth, actively fighting against these lies that are so tempting to believe and often being pushed at us from every angle, it’s going to affect the rest of our lives, our relationships, our health. 

I really can’t recommend this book enough!  You can find both the book and the study guide at Target or most anywhere books are sold - be sure to grab one for yourself and maybe a friend too!

Exercise As Medicine with Amy Shafer

Hi friends! In today’s episode, I’m joined by my friend, Amy Shafer. Amy is a Certified Personal Trainer, a Cancer Exercise Specialist, the Fitness Manager at UT Medical Center, and the Chair of the Wellness Council for the employees of the medical center. Today, she is sharing her knowledge and expertise around the idea of Exercise as Medicine with practical advice that you can start applying to your health journey today! Listen to the full episode below or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Questions you will find in this episode:

So, I talk a lot about food as medicine and how we can help our bodies heal and function properly through what we eat and how we live. Tell us a little about this idea of “exercise as medicine” and some of the medical benefits of regular exercise as well as the “real life” or lifestyle benefits. 

There are some very common reasons people seem to struggle with consistent exercise - one major one is time and working exercise into an already busy schedule. Can you give us some practical tips on ways to work exercise into our day-to-day lives? 

Another common obstacle or hesitation for exercise right now is this pandemic we are in, which comes with a whole list of fears and concerns about the gym, being around other people, wearing a mask while working out, etc. What are some ways that we can work around or through these concerns?

What are some of the other common obstacles you see for people when it comes to exercising regularly and what advice do you have for them to overcome those obstacles?

Why Throwing Out Your Scale Is a Good Idea

Hi friends! In today’s episode, I wanted to share a quick tip with you that is guaranteed to have a positive effect on your health - throw out your bathroom scale! For real. 

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Okay, maybe you don’t have to throw it away but do get it out of your bathroom. Maybe put in the back of your closet or under your dresser - somewhere where you won’t see it every day. 

This topic has been coming up often in my coaching sessions lately. Almost everyone I’ve talked to recently has been frustrated because they’ve gained a few pounds over the past few months and don’t see it coming back off, and I’m going to tell you some of the same things that I shared with them. 

• These past few months have been strange for everyone. COVID = stress, and when we are stressed our bodies go into “fight or flight mode”. Losing weight is not a priority for your body when it’s stressed - surviving is. Our bodies can’t tell the difference between being stressed about a pandemic and being chased by a wild animal. It just produces stress hormones and acts accordingly, which often leads to our bodies holding onto weight for protection. This will likely resolve once the stress has calmed down or we learn how to manage it and our bodies can return to a more relaxed state. 

• Weighing every day will only frustrate you! Our weight fluctuates for many different reasons throughout the day, week, and month. For example, hormones, salt or water intake, and inflammation can all make our weight shift up or down a bit and that is completely normal. Most of us would never even notice it, but if you are weighing every day, you will likely see that fluctuation and think that it’s due to something you did or didn’t do. 

• Weighing every day will make you focus on the wrong things. It is not emotionally or physically healthy to obsess about our weight or every single thing we eat, but if you find yourself continually worrying about the number on the scale, that is likely what you will do. This can lead to an unhealthy obsession and more stress (read - more weight gain).

Weighing every day will most likely sabotage your weight loss goals.

If you are going to weigh yourself or wanting to use your weight as a measurement for progress, I personally recommend only weighing yourself 1 x per month or at the very most every 2 weeks (When you do weigh yourself, make sure you are weighing at the same time of day, day of the month, wearing the same amount of clothing, etc.)

Ultimately focus on non-scale victories to track success and progress. A few examples are:

• The way your clothes fit

• The way your rings fit

• The condition/growth of your skin, hair, and nails

• Your energy level

• Your mental/emotional state

• Your amount of cravings for sweet/greasy foods

• If you are consistently doing things that help you to feel good

Remember, you could reach your goal weight and still be miserable and not feel good. A number is not the goal. A number doesn’t define health. You get to define that for yourself. You are worth far more than a number. 

Listen to your body. Appreciate your body and the gift of health. Go throw out your scale! 

Prioritizing Your Health as a Teacher with Savannah Pratt

Welcome, friends! In today’s episode, I’m interviewing my good friend Savannah Pratt. Savannah is sharing with us how she has learned to prioritize her health while navigating the challenges that come from her rewarding, yet very demanding and stressful job as an Elementary School Special Education Teacher. She shares tips for how to start making your health a priority as well as encouragement for others with similar demanding work schedules. Listen to the full episode below!

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As a teacher, who is also trying to improve your health, what are some obstacles you often encounter?

Do your coworkers seem to share in those same obstacles? 

What are a few things you have done to overcome or work around these challenges?

Do you feel that prioritizing your health has allowed you to be more focused or more productive in your work? 

What would be your encouragement to anyone listening who is either a teacher or in another stressful, demanding role and wanting to improve their health?