My Daily Food Log

I was going to call this "What I Ate Wednesday", but today's my birthday (oot oot!), so you KNOW there will be some indulging happening.  [wink wink]

Sooo I thought it'd be better to share a more "normal" day of eating with you all.  That is, meals that are made with prepped foods and eaten at my usual times.  

I typically eat 4-5 times a day, depending on if I'm working or not.  I wake up at 4:30am on work days, and eat breakfast by 5:30.  So I usually have to have something to tide my over till my lunch break - or things are gonna get UGLY. 

Now, let me preface this by saying a few things: 

1. I do not always track my food intake.  I definitely do when I'm trying to actively build lean muscle ("bulking"), because I want to make sure that I'm keeping my macros high enough to promote those muscle (read BOOTY) gains.  Currently, I am at more of a "maintenance" intake level, but I'm slowly increasing it to get back to muscle-building mode.  I've also found tracking beneficial during stressful times, when I feel those binge tendencies or negative feelings towards food creeping back up.  Keeping a food log keeps me from grabbing food to deal with emotional issues, and it also ensures that I'm eating enough, which has been an issue for me, too.  
2. This is what works for me.  I'm not a doctor, nutritionist, or registered dietician.  I'm not telling you that you have to track your macros, or that you have to eat exactly what I eat.  Do what works for YOUR body, babes!  My goal with this post is to show you how I plan out my day and make my meals fit the current macros I have set for myself.  
3. I still listen to my body.  You'll notice I exceeded my "goal" for this particular day, and this happens maybe a few times a week.  Some days when I train a lot harder (read: leg + booty days), I am STARVING.  So I usually eat a few more carbs and/or have a little more nut butter or avocado.  I don't beat myself up over this, because I'm not mindlessly eating junk food - I'm giving my body the fuel it needs to be able to train properly and keep me strong and healthy.  

[Side note: You'll notice that I almost always measure my food in grams.  This is what I've found to be the most accurate method.  For instance, a serving of Publix rolled oats is 39g.  If I measure out "half a cup" and actually measure them, it might actually be more like 50g.  This may not seem like a lot, but those little differences can add up over the day, which add up over the week, which...oh, you get the point.  Haha.  If you're serious about tracking your food intake, buy yourself a cheap - but reliable - food scale that measures in grams.]

Ok, now that we've gotten THAT out of the way, let's get to the fun part...the FOOD!

• BREAKFAST: My usual bowl of "proats" with berries and PB + a "matcha-collagen latte"

• MID-MORNING SNACK: Plain rice cakes (I'm always in a hurry to scarf something down) + an iced almond milk latte (no sweetener) from the Starbucks downstairs at the hospital) + my Natural Calm magnesium powder (which I always put in my Healthy Human Life water bottle)

• LUNCH: A hodge podge of goods - baked sweet potato fries, low-sodium/all natural deli turkey, veggies, hummus, + some GF pretzels (because I always need a good CRUNCH factor)

• AFTERNOON SNACK: Rice cakes + PB Fit (I'm obsessed with this stuff!).  I didn't workout this day, but if I did, I would've added a simple protein shake (water + Pretty Fit protein) and adjusted my protein from some of the other meals (such as cut out the protein added to my morning oats or reduce the amount of shrimp I have at dinner).

• DINNER: sautéed shrimp + bell peppers, quinoa + rice (mixed), lots of lettuce (for my greens!), salsa, avocado (for healthy fats), + a glass of kombucha (I love drinking this at night to give me calm vibes AND keep my gut health on point)

That's it, you guys!  That doesn't look so complicated, right?  

It's all about PLANNING AHEAD.  (Cause, yes, in case you didn't read my last post, I'm a planner.) I like to roughly plan out what I'm having the night before and then adjust it during the day if I need to (like I mentioned with the afternoon snack).  If I need a few more carbs, add 25-50g of brown rice.  Need more protein?  Add in some extra chicken or another 1/2 scoop of protein into my oats.  Low on fats?  Well, you know what I'm gonna say about that...WHIP OUT THAT NUT BUTTER, BABY!  Just remember to measure things out so that you don't go overboard - which I am TOTALLY likely to do.  (Oops...haha!)

Have questions?  Feel free to email me or leave a comment below.  I love hearing from you guys! Also, if you'd like more help learning about macros (or having yours calculated to help meet your own fitness goals), I offer that as a service, too (under "Train With Me")!  

Blessings,

Sugar Detox Summary

I've done it, you guys.  

I've finished another round of the 7-day Sugar Detox.  [pats self on back]  This definitely wasn't my easiest challenge ever (as you'll see in my day-by-day summary), but it was effective!  I can honestly say I feel I have 100% "detoxed" from sugar - and I couldn't be happier.  

So I'm sure you're all wondering how my week really went.  Let me lay it out for you day by day - the good, the bad, and the just downright miserable parts.  Because, hey - I've always been honest with you guys, so why stop now?  Amiright?!

• Day 1 (Monday): Cravings were minimal, but I was definitely sluggish.  This could be due to the fact that it was Monday though - and my SUPER slow digestive tract.  I was definitely bloated and my stomach just felt heavy.

• Day 2 (Tuesday): I worked that day and was NOT feelin' it that day.  I was moody, exhausted, my workout stunk to high heavens, and wanted to munch on EVERYTHING - salty or sweet.  I didn't care.  I would've thought I was going to start my cycle if I didn't know better (TMI, I know - haha).  I got through the day by grubbing on some plain rice cakes with PB powder (Crazy Richards' Pure PB, not PB Fit since it has a little added sugar) + cinnamon.  And as far as the moodiness goes...I just tried to stay away from people as much as possible.  HA!

• Day 3 (Wednesday): This day was a bit better as far as moodiness and binge tendancies go, but I was definitely still sluggish.  Unfortunately, I tried to compensate with more coffee, which definitely didn't help my digestive tract situation.  Ugh.  I'm not even kidding - all of the extra sugar/fat had really done a number on me.  I tried all sorts of natural remedies, but nothing seemed to be helping.  Oh well, on to day 4!

• Day 4 (Thursday): My cravings had completely resolved, my blemishes on my face were gone, and my mood was on the mend.  However, the OTHER issue was still hanging around.  Meh.  The bloating hadn't gone away yet and I felt like I had a brick in my belly (not fun).  I tried more remedies (extra magnesium, extra probiotics, some senna at night time)...nada.  **This is one of the reasons why you've got to listen to your body - it's telling you loud and clear when it doesn't like something!  Some people can eat 100+ grams of sugar a day and not have any effects, but then others (like myself) can only eat small amount without having allllll these issues.  So just because you see someone eating something on the regular on social media doesn't mean YOUR body will like it.  YOU DO YOU and find out what your body DOES like.  Ok, rant over.  On to the next day!

• Day 5 (Friday): I worked again and it was a DOOZY.  I had a headache most of the day, and was completely drained by the end of the day and didn't have an ounce of energy left to even attempt a workout.  But I listened to my body, ate lots of good, nutrient-dense foods (didn't even crave sugar again - woohoo!), and RESTED once I got home.  My stomach problems weren't any better - AGAIN.

• Day 6 (Saturday):  My energy levels/mood were better throughout the day, and I was even able to get in a good leg/glute workout. WHOOP!  The binge tendencies were still gone, buuuuut still having tummy problems.  

• Day 7 (Sunday): Eureka!  The last day of the challenge!  I was a little sluggish in the beginning of the day, but I knew that was due to the digestive issues and not withdrawing from sugar.  But PRAISE BABY JESUS - the issue FINALLY "resolved"!  I felt like a brand new person.  [cue happy dance and simultaneous jazz hands]

I know, that was quite a lot of potty talk (HAHA!).  But I wanted to be totally honest with you guys, and that's the issue I dealt with the most!  And trust me, your colon is seriously what keeps the rest of your body running well.  If you don't have a clean colon, then it affects everything - your mood, mental clarity, energy levels, nervous system, and skin.  So again, listen to your body, friends!  If you can tell you've overdone it or that your body just doesn't like something (even in small amounts), then DO SOMETHING about it!  

Ok, so in continuing with my full disclosure, here are some before/after pics for you guys.  Now don't get me wrong.  I'm NOT saying there's anything wrong with my body in the first pictures, so please don't think I'm saying that!  I just wanted to show the difference (even if it's subtle to some of you) in my bloating/belly distention compared to now.  

Well, how did YOU do?!  Who finished with me and who is still trucking along?!  I want to hear about your own challenges, so please share!  (You can always email me if you don't wish to share your stories in the comments.)  I hope that at least some of you joined in and feel the same relief I do.  Sugar cravings, BE GONE! 

Have a great week, babes!

Blessings!

How I Got My Period Back

I am 32 years old and (I kid you not) I JUST got my period on my own for the first time a few months ago.  

I know this may seem odd to many of you, but it was just my body's "norm".  Or least I THOUGHT it was.  

When I was 18, my mom took my to the GYN for the first time because I hadn't had a cycle yet.  They put me on low-dose birth control pills (ugh) even though I wasn't sexually active in order to get things going.  It took a little while to regulate things, but they FINALLY became regular around age 21.  

A few years later, after being married for a year, my husband and I started trying to have a baby.  Of course I stopped my birth control and we started the (long) process.  My periods had become irregular a few months before that - likely because I had lost 15-20 pounds thanks to my obsession with low-calorie foods and excessive cardio.  

As I expected, my period never showed during our baby-making wait. I went to my GYN, who started giving me more hormones to help me have a cycle and (hopefully) ovulate.  Nut-uh.  Didn't happen.  I was diagnosed with PCOS and borderline hypothyroidism and started on medication. To make a long story short: 3 years, 3 IUIs, and 2 rounds of IVF later, we welcomed our daughter, Reagan, into the world.  

After my first pregnancy, my period didn't come back on it's own - not that I really expected it to. I had an IUD placed so that I wouldn't have to take any more hormones while we decided if we wanted to have another baby.  When we made the decision to start trying again, I had the IUD removed and had ONE period, likely just "withdrawal bleeding" (which is totally normal).  

After a few months of no cycles, we went to see our fertility doctor again.  After another round of IVF, we got pregnant with our son, Reid.  I had my tubes tied during the c-section, so I didn't have to go on any form of birth control following that pregnancy (whew).  

I breastfed him for almost 9 months.  I sort of expected to MAYBE have a cycle once I stopped, buuuut good ole Aunt Flo never showed.  While most people would think this is a blessing, it's actually a sign for good health for your body to have a normal period.  It means your hormones are balanced, your body is happy, and things are in good working order.  (Also, having a thicker uterine lining can actually increase the risk of reproductive cancer.  Umm, no thanks!)  

Ok, back to what I was saying.  After a couple of months with no cycle, I read about the menstrual benefits of an herb called ashwaganda.

Ashwaganda (AKA "Indian Ginseng") is an herb that is used in traditional Indian medicine for: enhancing memory function, reducing stress, increasing energy levels, and (the reason why I'm taking it) balancing hormones by supporting thyroid function.

While they say the verdict is still out on whether or not it is beneficial for people battling infertility, studies DO show that it may help to regulate cycles by both balancing hormones and reducing stress.  So if cycle regulation is one of the issues you're facing while trying to get pregnant, well then this herb may actually be your friend!

Some people may say that's bologna (cough*myhusband*cough), but I am a firm believer that this is what worked for me!  I can say that because I conducted my own research.  

I started taking 2 capsules of Organic India ashwagandha (geesh, that's a hard word to keep spelling out!) once a day around the second week of October.  On October 28th, I had my first ever period.  [Cue angels singing.]  Granted, it was a doozy.  I mean, I felt like I had the flu for two days beforehand and I had to take a nap both days (sooo not like me).  But then when it started, those flu-like symptoms went away and I had a bonified cycle for about five days. 

I continued taking the capsules every day.  Around the 30 day mark, there was no sign of my period, which confused me.  I thought maybe it wasn't the ashwagandha after all!  I kept taking it and Aunt Flo showed back up - seven weeks on the dot from the first cycle.  

From then on, every seven weeks, my cycle has continued to come.  I guess that's just my body's idea of "regular".  A few weeks ago, I decided to stop taking the capsules about a week before I was due again to see what happens.  I stopped it on March 12th (it was due around March 18th).  I wrote that date down on my calendar and then tried not to think about it again so that stress wouldn't be a factor.  Well, that date came and...nothing.  Nada.  

After it had been long enough to ensure I had truly "missed" that cycle (and NO, I'm not pregnant! Ha!), I began taking the herb again on March 30th.  On April 4th, my period started without any warning.  That's when I knew there was some truth to the theory that ashwagandha really does help balance hormones.  

So, is this herbal supplement really for you?  I honestly can't tell you that.  Yes, I'm a nurse, but I'm not a doctor.  I would definitely discuss it with your GYN or family doctor before making that decision for yourself.  Remember, too, that hormonal imbalances can also be due to a poor diet or something your body is intolerant to (for more about that, check out this post), so I recommend taking a good look at what your diet consists of if you've been dealing with hormonal issues.  Perhaps those issues are something that could be resolved with some diet changes instead of having to take a supplement.  

[Please also keep in mind that while ashwagandha can help set the stage for pregnancy, it should not be taken in large doses during pregnancy.  So if you think you may be pregnant, please stop taking it and talk to your doc.]  

I'd love to hear any comments or questions you may have, so feel free to leave them below or email me (if you want them to remain private)!  I'll be sending positive hormonal vibes y'all's way - haha!

Blessings!

XOXO

*This is in no way a sponsored post.  I just found this organic, all natural brand during my research and honestly really like their product.