Friday Favorites!

It’s Friday, so why not time for some Friday Favorites? I’ve been loving a lot this week, but here’s my top 5 FAVORITES from the week! 

1. Instant Pot. If you follow me on social media/Instagram (@happywholeeats.RD), you’ll know that I’ve been obsessed with my brand new Instant Pot! I’ve made so many dishes and my meal prep has been a breeze! Between hard boiled eggs, shredded salsa chicken, rice, potatoes, sesame orange chicken, and smashed sweet potatoes, I’d say I’ve used that that machine with ease and it’s made clean up the easiest thing ever (just one pot!) SO thankful that my hubby decided to give it to me early so I could begin playing with it instead of waiting till Christmas!

2. Emma’s winter outfit. We were up in Big Bear last weekend and we had Miss Emma bundled up in the cutest little outfit! We couldn’t handle her cuddliness! She was our little teddy bear up in Big Bear!

3. My RD anniversary! On December 2nd, I realized it was my 4-year anniversary of being a registered dietitian! I am so thankful to have found a career that is truly a joy and hobby of mine. I am such a nerd when it comes to food and our health, and to be able to practice this and study it as a job between being a renal dietitian, private practice dietitian, and online wellness coach...it is the best feeling ever! I am so thankful for the opportunities God has given me!

4. Build my Life. We sang this song up in Big Bear and I’ve had it on repeat every since. It gets my heart and mind in the perfect place, on the foundation of Jesus. Listen to it!

5. Shift shop. I’m finishing up my third week of Shift Shop, an at-home workout program, and am LOVING how I feel! These workouts are tough and increase in time each week. Next week is the bonus week, which means 50 minute workouts! Doing them at home has made it so easy to fit these into my morning routine though, and I’m feeling pretty strong and toned if I do say so myself! I’m happy to be getting myself in shape for a new 80 day program I am starting up in January...if you want in on that contact me above! We can support each other throughout the 80 days and make sure we give the program our all!

Post workout selfie with Emma!

That's all for this Friday! I hope you all have a great end to the week and a fabulous beginning to the weekend!

How to keep calm during Christmastime

We've entered into the craziest time of the year, and some of us love it while others dread it. For my husband and I, we LOVE this season. We love Christmas decorations, music, shopping, and the general splendor, hustle, and bustle. But, I DO get overwhelmed with the crowds and sometimes, the introvert in me takes over and I just want to hide in the corner, drink tea, and be away from the stress. No wonder we all get sick during this season too! Our schedules are jam packed and we go from event to event, taking care of everyone else but forgetting about ourselves in the process. 

Instead, let's get mindful this season, keep calm, and really ENJOY the season for what it is! Here are some tips that I have used to make sure I take care of myself while staying calm and enjoying the season! I thought I'd pass them on to you all today...enjoy!

1. Get enough rest. Make sure you are scheduling some down time for yourself and your family amidst the holiday parties and shopping trips! Enjoy some time at home watching Christmas movies, enjoying your tree, and just taking it easy! 

2. Keep moving. Get into a routine of being active every day, whether that's an organized fitness program you are following (these help me stay on track!) or going on regular walks on your lunch break. Moving every day will boost your mood and help stabilize your anxiety, plus it will be much needed alone time during this busy season!

3. Nourish yourself well. Make sure you eat plenty of whole foods and tons of vitamin C rich foods (berries, oranges, vegetables, etc) to boost your immune system. The last thing you need is the stress of being sick before your family get-togethers! Make sure you are eating at least three meals a day, plenty of whole foods, and making your meals as colorful as possible. 

4. Keep a thankfulness journal. Every night as you wind down, write down 3-5 things you are grateful for that happened that day. This will help you be mindful during this season and really focus on gratitude. God has blessed us with so much, so why not take some time every evening to reflect and tell Him "thank you?" And try not to make these generic such as, "I'm thankful for my house or food." I mean those things are great, but how about really reflecting on your day and the specifics of that particular day, such as "I'm thankful that my boss bought us all lunch today" or "I'm thankful my husband washed the dishes after dinner." Not that I'm hinting at anything....ahem Vasken ahem ;) 

5. Be present with those around you. Lastly, make sure that when you are with loved ones, really BE with them. Don't think about your to-do list, how messy your house is, or how many presents you still have to buy. I am so guilty of this, but I'm really trying to be more mindful and in the moment. Be with the ones you love and appreciate your time together while celebrating the birth of our savior, because these moments are truly the only ones that matter! 

So keep calm and get excited, because CHRISTMAS is coming! 

December Goals & Intentions!

Oh HEYYY it's DECEMBER!!! And to kick off my favorite month of the year, we are headed up to Big Bear today for our church youth camp! I'm so excited to get away and find retreat up in the mountains. I've heard there is no service where we are going, which I am actually looking forward to! We can get so caught up in our phones and social media, so I'm excited to take a forced break from it all and focus on being there with our church family, as well as enjoy Emma's first trip to the mountains!

I love setting goals and intentions at the beginning of each month, and December is no different. December isn't a "wash" my friends, our days still matter and even though that brand new year that is so tantalizing with its "fresh start," that doesn't mean we just throw in the towel for the whole month of December and not focus on our self care or what we want to accomplish! I for one have BIG goals, and that includes some for December! How about you?

Here are my goals for the next 31 days...and if you'd like, share yours in the comments below! I love to read and cheer others on in their quest for growth!

1. Continue with my gluten-free/Paleo lifestyle. I have been eating this way for the past month, and I wrote here about how I've been feeling amazing doing it! I want to keep it up throughout the holidays and make sure that I stick to being gluten free 100% (I have a severe sensitivity), and Paleo when I can! I also want to experiment with new recipes, and finally try making bone broth in my new Instant Pot!! Anyone else have good Instant Pot recipes they'd like to share? I'd love to hear!
2. Go on walks with Emma on days we are home. We don't get out enough, and I want both Emma and I to get out in that fresh air and have some California sun on our faces! We need vitamin D, and the fresh air always makes Emma happy and helps her nap better, which makes Mama happy!
3. "Get ready" 3x/week. This may seem silly, but most mornings, I don't take the time to get ready, do my hair or make up, or get dressed in something other than leggings. I want to be more intentional in this area of my life, so I've made it a goal to get ready 3x/week by doing my hair and makeup, and being more intentional about my clothing choices. I always feel better when I do this, so why not do it more often? I'm so good about staying on top of workouts, but my self-care when it comes to appearance gets pushed to the back burner. I think as women, it's so important to feel good and part of what makes ME feel good personally is feeling put together! I'll start off with 3x/week but hopefully, this will become an every day habit!
4. Continue with my workout program in preparation for 80 day obsession. I've been doing Shift Shop and I want to continue one with that until a new program, 80 day obsession, gets released in January! I love being able to workout from home because it's helped me stay so consistent with my fitness as a new mom, because I am still accessible to Emma when she needs me!  I'm excited to continue on with Shift shop and then challenge myself with 80 day obsession once it's released on January 15th! If you'd like to do it with me, let me know! I could use the accountability!
5. Journal 5x/week. I used to be SO good about journaling, praying, and getting my thoughts down on paper. I haven't been consistent with it, and for me personally, I find that I have so much less stress and worry when I take that time in the morning to brain dump my thoughts and release them to God in prayer. Definitely going to try to do this more often in December and onward!
6. Post more recipe videos in my free FB community! I run a free Facebook group called "the Simply Nourished Community," where I share my meal plans and do LIVE cooking demos for my members! I want to post more recipes in this group and share more content that I hope will be beneficial! I've become so passionate about meal prep and experimenting with new and exciting recipes and want to share that with others who want to learn as well. It is completely free to join, so if you'd like to be a part of it, contact me here and I can add you! And let me know which recipes you'd like me to make/healthify!
7. And lastly, my goal is to enter 2018 feeling my best and make it my BEST year. This has been my mantra lately, because I have spent way too many New Years regretting letting myself go and treating my body poorly, being in a negative mindset, vowing to do better, only to fail again. I want to make this season of life the best I can. I want to feel confident in our family pictures and not shy away from taking pictures with our sweet baby on her first Christmas because I feel run down or insecure. So, I want to keep nourishing my body, mind, and soul and enter the new year feeling great! If you want to make 2018 your BEST year as well, I've put together some nutrition consulting packages for you all that will ONLY be available until December 29th! Click here to check them out and sign up to begin working together and finally reach your goals this year!

I've also decided to make these goals the background of my phone so I really remember and get reminded DAILY of the ways I want to grow. How many of you are guilty of setting goals and then losing the paper you wrote them on, or forgetting about them entirely? I'm guilty of that too! So I'm leveling up this month and going to remind myself DAILY of my goals and dreams! 

I hope you all enjoy your first weekend of December, go see some Christmas lights, listen to Christmas music, and feel cozy with your loved ones!

Finding my HAPPY...and how you can too

It's no secret that I am the happiest that I have been in quite some time. Heck, I even changed my Instagram name to happywholeeats.RD because I want everyone to experience the peace, joy, and overall happiness I've felt. I am so thankful to God for this and for His direction and wisdom in this crazy ride called life! I hope this post helps someone out there find their own happy too, and know that I am always here to help!

I don't think people realize how important the foods we eat are, not only to our health but our overall quality of life. This post is about just that. How I've found my happy through the foods I'm eating and choosing, and hopefully, how you can too.

It’s been 1 month since I have gone 100% gluten free. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that my history with eating gluten free has been rocky. And if you just started following along, let me recap you so you are all caught up. It’s storytime, ladies and gentleman!

Back in 2012, I was diagnosed with a severe gluten intolerance after months of bloating, basically looking pregnant, and uncontrollable gas that kept me home most nights instead of out with friends because...embarrassing! Cutting out gluten eased these symptoms almost immediately, and I was grateful to finally find a way of eating that worked and didn't' send me running to the bathroom after each meal like I had done since I was a little girl.

All was fine and well until I started dating my then boyfriend, now hubby, Vasken. I didn’t want to be a high maintenance eater (even though he NEVER made me feel that way and even researched restaurants for gluten free options while planning our dates!) so I decided to slowly start incorporating gluten back into my diet. My stomach issues came back, but I wanted to ignore them, because I had missed all my gluten-containing foods SO much. I lived for bread baskets at restaurants, Panera cookies, and of course, my beloved Wetzel Preztel cinnamon bitz. I kept going back to my gluten free diet when I started feeling sick again, then hated the deprivation and went right back to binging on all of my favorite gluten-containing foods. It was years of this on again, off again routine with me, and I hated the inconsistency and the stomach issues that it was causing. I also wanted to be “free” with my food choices, but now I realized I was wanting this freedom as a way to binge on all of my favorite foods when times got tough, and at the expense of causing severe digestive distress, as well as brain fog, allergy symptoms, dark circles under my eyes, and constant anxiety. This went on for years and years, and the frustration with my health, stomach issues, and binging grew.

During pregnancy, I was also able to eat pretty much whatever I wanted, which I have heard happens with pregnant women and food sensitivities. Your body is so focused on the BABY, so those types of things take a backseat. And once Emma was born, with breastfeeding hunger and the craziness of life with a newborn, I didn’t really worry about what was going into my mouth. But I hated the fact that I had to cut some nursing sessions short because of my urgent need to use the restroom, or that I couldn't console Emma when she woke up because I was yet again, in the bathroom.

On top of that, going back to work was so hard on me, that I basically binged my way through work days on Oreos, crackers, and chips. This added to my stomach issues, stress, anxiety, and my waistline. At the end of October, I found myself 13 lbs heavier from when I had gone back to work back in August.

So, the morning of Emma’s 6 month birthday celebration, 10/29/17, I decided that enough was enough. I decided to start back up on my gluten free diet then and there. I KNEW that I would feel deprived, so I already had a plan of attack: finding the BEST gluten free and paleo recipes (Against all Grain has been my saving grace!) I could find for my favorite treats, so I would never feel deprived again.

And you know what the crazy part is? I saw improvements, not only in my health and weight, but in my anxiety and moods. I’ve been happier, less stressed out, I don’t cry at work anymore, I don’t binge at work anymore, and I have a more even temper (just ask my hubby). Yes, I lost the 13 lbs I gained, but to me, I’ve gained so much more:

• More restful sleep (which is hard with a baby!)
• More energy for my workouts
• Less anxiety/stress
• Less tears going to work
• Clearer skin
• Clearer mind
• A more positive outlook on life as a working mom
• Less urgent trips to the restroom
• Less bloat
• Trying on clothes I would “never” wear and actually feeling GOOD in them
• ...and my jeans fit again!

And yes, not ALL of this may be attributed to cutting out gluten, but I know many people who have experienced similar benefits when they clean up their diet and start avoiding gluten. I know that I like this version of me way more than the anxious, stressed out, and teary one. I am more energetic, I am a happy healthy mama, I am a better wife, and I am enjoying the heck out of the foods I’ve been cooking and baking!

And the truth of the matter is, gluten is an inflammatory agent. So we know that eating less gluten is healthier for us all in general. Check out this post for more of the science on that.

All this to say, I feel the healthiest and happiest I have felt in a good long while. And I want everyone I know to experience this type of joy when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle! The fact that I have been happier has been more motivating for me to stick to it than anything else. And, these cookies have made it easier as well!

My wish is to work with my clients from now on with a more holistic approach, and really dive into which foods may be helping their health (mind, body, and soul), and which foods may be hurting their health. Not everyone will be sensitive to gluten, because we are all different. My aim is to help you INDIVIDUALLY assess your health and create a plan that works best for YOU.

And what better time than now to start? My 2018 packages are a great and affordable way to get the complete package of working 1:1 with me as your own personal dietitian. These packages will only be available until December 29th, so take advantage of them now!

You only have one life to live on this earth. So why not live it as your happiest, energetic, and most vibrant version of yourself? Make 2018 your BEST year and let’s figure out how you can find your own HAPPY when it comes to eating and living well!

Thanksgiving Recap 2017

We celebrated Emma's first thanksgiving last week, and both my husband and I have been overwhelmed with how much we have to be grateful for. Emma is such a beautiful blessing to us from the Lord, and it was a perfect way to enter Thanksgiving week, first with her dedication on the 19th, and then celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday with our families! 

We started off the day with a walk to the park to take Emma's 6 month pictures (even though she's almost 7 months....oh well). We had so much fun with her on the slides and swings! It was a beautiful sunny day in SoCal, but I am more than ready for some winter weather soon!

After our little photo session, we headed home and I made sweet potatoes before we headed out. I used the recipe from the "Celebrations" cookbook from Against All Grain, and they were a hit!

Then, we started to get ready for a pregame turkey at my mother in law's house, before the main event of the day! She makes a delicious turkey roast every year, so we go there early to have a mini-lunch before heading over to my husband's aunt's house for our Turkey dinner. 

Emma got her first bib for her first gobble...it was so cute! I also brought pureed sweet potato for her so she could join in on the Thanksgiving dinner! She is loving sweet potatoes, a banana/pumpkin mix, and mangoes so far! So far, she is not a fan of applesauce, bananas by themselves, or butternut squash. It's been fun to try new foods with her and see her reactions to them! 

Our Thanksgiving meal was delicious! There were a variety of veggies to choose from, which made me so happy! Plus the turkey and the roast were delicious, as were my sweet potatoes if I do say so myself! 

Towards the end of the night, we headed to my grandma's house for dessert. We've been using this system since we got married (I KNOW balancing holidays can be tough!) so we've been having dinner with one side of the family, and dessert with the other, and then alternating the following year. So when we got to my grandma's, I saw that my cousin and his wife had brought me a gluten free Sprinkles cupcake, so I definitely enjoyed that and it was delicious! I'm proud to say I stuck to my gluten free diet 100% and today actually marks 4 weeks that I've been entirely gluten free. I'm planning on a writing a post this week about how I've ben feeling and the changes I've noticed! 

After some time at my grandma's, we headed home since Emma was getting sleepy, and so were we! It was such a special Thanksgiving, and my husband and I are so excited to celebrate Emma's first Christmas season too! I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving with your family and friends, too! 

The Sleepy-Turkey Myth

Thanksgiving Eve is here, and most of us are hustling and bustling getting things ready for our holiday celebrations! We are so excited to be celebrating Emma's first Thanksgiving, Christmas, and basically first-everything this year! We are going to my husband's side of the family for dinner, then driving over to my grandma's house for dessert. We usually alternate dinner and dessert every year between the two families. That way we get double the fun and celebration! Do you have any traditions that you love? I'd love to hear in the comments!

Before we kick off this long weekend, I thought it would be fun to bust a Thanksgiving myth for you all, so you can act super smart and nerdy around the table when this topic comes up tomorrow! We all believe that we get sleepy from the turkey in our Thanksgiving meal....BUT, that is a myth!

We used to believe that the tryptophan in turkey is what caused drowsiness and naps after our Thanksgiving meals. Tryptophan is an amino acid, and a precursor for serotonin, a brain chemical that contributes to good moods, and helps us sleep better. But, the amount of tryptophan in turkey is no more than what is found in other animal products, such as chicken. Nuts and cheese are even found to have MORE tryptophan than turkey does!

So, why do we get extra sleepy after our Thanksgiving meal? The hard truth is that you are probably getting sleepy because you overate. Hey, it happens! Especially on Thanksgiving. But, don't blame the poor little turkey.

Actually, there is a way to make your Thanksgiving meal a healthier one! Turkey is a great protein source, so fill up on that! You can also make some roasted sweet potatoes as a yummy side dish packed with vitamin A and fiber, or bring some greens with you that aren't doused in a "cream of something." I plan on bringing a healthy smoky sweet potato dish and grain-free chocolate chip cookies, so I KNOW that I will have some healthy treats to look forward to! And if you end up overindulging, it's ok. Take that nap, don't beat yourself up, and just know that you can get right back on track the next day!

Thanksgiving is just one day, as is Christmas, New Years, and any other holiday. I think our downfall is that we tend to overindulge every day for 45 days and then wonder why we gained 10 pounds over the holiday season. If we choose our indulgences wisely and mindfully, we can fully enjoy the holiday season, be present with our friends and family, and still honor our body and our health.

I hope you all have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving tomorrow!

Your BEST Year: 2018 Nutrition Packages!

How many times have you made a New Years resolution regarding your health, only to see it wave good bye to you by mid- January? Did you know that according to research, most people quit their resolutions by January 6th. SIX DAYS IN! But let me tell you,  it will definitely take longer than six days to reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, and you are more than worth the investment to do so.

How about making 2018 the year that you achieve your resolutions and prove research wrong? How about you make it past January, February, and dare I say it, even March? How about you keep your healthy habits long enough to make them a LIFESTYLE, so that by 2019, you don't even need to set these same resolutions again, like you do every year?? 

I'm here to help you make 2018 your BEST year yet. Part of living life to the fullest is making sure your instrument to do life with is in tip-top shape. Do you desire to be more active, not be afraid to take pictures, try on clothes with joy, and be a good example of wellness to your kiddos? Our body is our home on this earth, so we should treat them like royalty! We need to fuel them properly, like a luxury car, so that we can live our life to our fullest potential, have vibrant energy, and experience life with joy and fulfillment.

Nutrition plays a huge role in this healthy lifestyle, so I've decided to offer some special Nutrition consulting packages for the new year. These packages will serve as your tool kit so you are armed and ready this year to finally make healthy living part of your routine, and your life. Every body works differently, and functions best eating certain foods and doing certain movements. As a registered dietitian, my goal is to make a custom plan that works best for YOU, your goals, and your body. We will find an eating plan that fits into your life in a way that makes you feel balanced and nourished. We will set goals and an action plan for you, and work TOGETHER to make sure that you achieve these goals. And I will be with you every step of the way as your personal dietitian, motivator, and your biggest fan!

By the end of our time together, I promise that you will feel:

• empowered in your food choices
• knowledgeable about nutrition
• committed to your health lifestyle
• vibrant and energetic all day long
• confident in your food choices and exercise routine

If you want to feel ALL those feels, I've given you two packages to choose from, depending on how long you would like to work together!  I hope you realize how WORTH it you are to invest in yourself and finally make your resolutions a REALITY in 2018.

The 8-week Special:

• 1 initial consultation
• 4 follow up sessions
• 8 weeks of unlimited email support
• 5 meal ideas/recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Cost: $329.00

The 16-week Special:

• 1 initial consultation
• 16 follow up sessions
• 16 weeks of unlimited email support
• 10 meal ideas/recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Cost: $479.00

These special packages will only be around until December 29th, just in time for the new year and your BEST year yet. If you have any questions, please contact me. Or, if you are ready to be a go-getter and commit to your health in 2018, purchase the package of your choice below and I will contact you so we can get started!

These packages are no longer available at these prices. Please click here to learn how you can work with me further!

The Mind, Food, and Mood Connection

It is common knowledge that what we eat affects our body and appearance. If we eat too much of the wrong foods, we tend to gain weight. If we eat more nourishing foods, we tend to lose weight. But what has been more interesting to me is how the food I have been eating lately has been impacting my MENTAL health, not just physical health.

**Now, as a disclaimer, mental health has a WIDE spectrum, and I am not assuming that food can cure any mental health disorders. I am just sharing my experience and how changing what I’ve been eating has been helping my mood and my mental state. But PLEASE seek medical advice and attention if you are struggling with mental health, it is real and it NEEDS to be taken care of.

This post is going to be raw and real, because I’m all about sharing my real life with you guys and not hiding anything. I've learned that vulnerability is a part of healing, and also helps inspire others to make changes and grow as well. It’s been no secret that going back to work after Emma was born was rough on me. I only work three days a week, but those days were filled with panic attacks in the bathroom, crying on my way to work, crying when I picked Emma up from daycare, and LOTS of oreo purchases to “get me through the day.” I thought that I could only make it through the emotional ups and downs of the work day by numbing myself with food. But in reality, it just made it worse.

The anxiety and sadness got out of hand. I would burst into tears during work meetings and have to excuse myself. If I wasn’t eating, I was crying. Food was DEFINITELY my coping mechanism, but it also just seemed to numb the pain for a little while, and then it would return with a vengeance and my moods would spiral down again. The days that I was home with Emma were filled with tears as well because I knew that I would have to leave her the next day. I wasn’t being able to actually ENJOY my baby and the time I had with her. I knew this cycle had to stop.

Being the dietitian and holistic-health proponent that I am, I began doing research on different foods and how they can impact our mind-body connection. One of these foods is gluten. Gluten and I have had a tumultuous relationship over the years. I have a gluten sensitivity and have been told by my doctor over and over again that I need to be on a gluten-free diet. But, I have always told myself that I loveeeeee gluten too much. Such as excuse, you guys. Ready for a science lesson? I hope so!

The thing about gluten is that it stimulates the release of a protein that can actually cause permeability in our gut. Our gastrointestinal (or GI) tract, is considered to be OUTSIDE of our body. It is lined very carefully to protect the INSIDE of our body (anything other than our gut) from receiving undigested food particles, germs, or anything else we ingest. But gluten causes the secretion of a protein called zonulin, which can cause permeability in our gut, allowing particles to pass through and enter our body, where they don’t belong. Food should go straight to our small intestines to get “digested” properly so our body can use the fuel safely. But, with zonulin, the permeability can cause undigested food particles to enter our bloodstream, cause inflammation since these particles are not digested yet, and can also cause symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue, and even depression. This is all new and up and coming research, but it fascinated me and makes sense from what I’ve learned in my seven years of schooling to become a dietitian and get my masters in nutrition. Our gut is considered our “second brain” and impacts how we think and feel SO much, so this finding is super interesting to me and motivated me to cut out gluten  with a  new motive: not only to alleviate my stomach issues and bloating, but also to alleviate the mental ups and downs I had been experiencing.

I have also read the book “Grain Brain” in the past, which I highly suggest for anyone wanting to know more on this topic! The author discusses how not only gluten, but also grains, can impact our mental health and lead to issues such as depression, alzheimer's, and other mental health concerns. Of course, following a certain diet is not going to magically cure these issues, btu they can alleviate symptoms, which is what I experienced.

I started back on my gluten free diet on October 29th, and since then, I’ve been happier and more energetic. Yes I've lost some weight and bloat, and my jeans fit again (YAY!), but I am more amazed by my mental shift. I am just HAPPIER. I have been getting creative in the kitchen and am not missing any of my favorite treats thanks to Danielle Walker and her amazing paleo recipes (check her out here!) My husband has been enjoying our meals and my happy moods more, and we’ve spent LESS on groceries and eating out because we always have food ready and are buying less junk! I have SO much energy for my workouts, for my patients and clients, and for my family, and feel like I am finally living each day to its full potential.

Another change I’ve made is increasing my healthy fat intake. I have always been a fan of eating more fat, but I’ve been incorporating these fats into practically every snack and meal. I'll have grain free baked goods made with coconut flour, almond flour, grass fed butter, and coconut oil, I'll add avocado to my salads and lettuce wrapped burgers, and I am not afraid to eat yolks scrambled in ghee. I've been getting a variety of healthy fats in my diet, which boosts brain function because our brains thrive on healthy fats! 

The BEST cookies I've ever had! I've made countless batches already because my husband and now, our extended family, can't get enough!

Overall, I am enjoying this journey and am embracing this life of mine, being a working mom and a stay at home mom in the same week, which I am learning is SUCH a blessing! I feel so much better and didn’t cry at all at work this week! (WIN!) Of course I still miss my baby girl like crazy, but I focusing on taking care of ME because this way, I can be a better mom for Emma. I am working out daily, drinking my superfoods (which are full of adaptogens, which also impact your brain chemistry! But I'll save that scientific post for another day!), and am eating foods that I know will nourish my body, my soul, AND my mind.

If you want to get involved with eating for your BRAIN health too, I would love to go through the Grain Brain book together in a virtual book club format! Warning, this book is definitely for nerds, so come ready to learn and grow! Contact me above if you want to be part of the book club! We'll start the first week of December!

ALSO, I am planning on doing more cooking demos and recipe videos in my free facebook community that I run, so if you want to join, contact me! I can add you and you can get access to the meals I’ve been planning, as well as get meal prep and planning tips and tricks from yours truly! Meal prep has been my saving grace for sticking to my gluten free diet, so I am passionate about making it a regular part of my life, as well as yours!

Thank you for reading and for supporting me through the ups and downs of this journey. At times, I don't want to share what I am going through, because I feel that my journey has been such a crazy ride. But, I am a real person, and real life is a roller coaster! What may work in one season of life (ie. my vegetarian diet last year), may not work in another season of life, like this one! My goal with this blog and platform is to share my nutrition knowledge based on research but also my own personal experiences too. Because we are all scientific experiments and each body is so unique and different. So keep figuring yourself out, get curious and find what works for you! And if you need some guidance along the way, I am always here to lend an ear! Feel free to contact me with any questions!

Why you should get uncomfortable

Last week, Emma and I drove out to meet my husband for lunch. I have Mondays and Wednesdays off, so we drove to Ontario, took our packed lunches to the food court at Ontario Mills, and ate while everyone else was having yummy smelling food court food. My hubby LOVES Chinese food, and the smell of Panda Express was getting to him. He wanted to get noodles, but also wanted to stay healthy. That morning, he had just sent me the picture above, so I threw it right back at him! I told him to be uncomfortable and do the uncomfortable thing, just like he had told me! I don't know if he appreciated that (I mean, who enjoys getting their own advice thrown back at them?), but it made him pause his thought process and decide not to get the chow mein.

It would have definitely been easier for him to just walk up to Panda Express and get the noodles right? It's comfortable, it's familiar, and it's something he typically would do. But in order for real change to take place and progress to occur, we HAVE to start being comfortable with being uncomfortable.

We hold ourselves back so much in this life, but I am finally calling it quits with playing small. No more wondering what it would be like to be more fearless, more confident, more full of love to give to others, or just MORE. I want to get uncomfortable, because that's the only way I'll grow.

I've been getting up between 4:30 and 5:00 to get my workouts in. I used to think I was a morning person and that's why it was so easy for me. But the more I've worked with clients as a dietitian and health and wellness coach, I've learned that NO one is a morning person. We just DECIDE that it is worth it to get up. It's worth it to get uncomfortable. Because if we are stuck in comfort, we are going to just be stuck forever.

I have a diagnosed gluten allergy and have been telling myself for years that there is no way I can cut out gluten because it's too "uncomfortable." I want to enjoy pita bread and pasta and pizza. That's comfortable to me. But these past two weeks I told myself to finally grow up and honor my body. I've been gluten free since October 29th, and I feel amazing! Sometimes (scratch that, most of the time) it is uncomfortable, but it's always worth it because I know that I am treating my body well and in a way that honors my energy and my health!

And guess what? I'm pretty sure everyone loves junk food. People who want to live a healthy lifestyle don't just magically NOT like junk food. Heck, some of my favorite foods are Oreos, chips and salsa, froyo with ALL the candy toppings, and brownies. I don't eat healthy because it's easy or comfortable, I eat healthy because it makes me feel good and I want to be the best version of myself possible. It is sometimes uncomfortable to choose the healthy foods and to say no to donuts or chow mein. But that uncomfortable feeling is what will make you grow and THRIVE into the amazing person you were created to be. I've found that each good decision just leads to another, and another, and another, and that string of good decisions helps you grow in strength and confidence in order to make MORE good decision. It's an amazing cycle!

So, what can you get uncomfortable about today? Maybe it's waking up 30 minutes earlier to get a workout in. Maybe it's cooking a meal tonight (even if you are tired, even if you "don't" have time, which I'm learning is a myth...but more on that later!), instead of ordering a pizza. Maybe it's reading a book that will make you think and grow instead of slipping into the Netflix vortex (and if you need book suggestions, let me know!) Whatever it is, just know that it WON'T be easy. You aren't going to want to do any of it. It's going to be uncomfortable.

But from that feeling, growth will happen. Your muscles will get flexed and sore, but they will strengthen too. You'll continue seeking out uncomfortable situations that will give you the opportunity to shine and live an amazing life. You were made for more than playing small. You were made by an amazing, creative, loving God, so why not live into that identity?

I'd love to chat with you about ways you can start getting uncomfortable in your life! Contact me here and we can get started setting some uncomfortable goals that will stretch you and bring JOY into your life again. Because the real YOU, the one you were created to be, is possible.

Day in the Life of a Working Mama

I finally feel like I’m getting into a groove as a part time working mom. I am home with Emma on Mondays and Wednesdays and go to work Tuesday, Thursdays, and Fridays. I’m grateful to be home with her twice a week and it feels like Christmas every time I see her after work! I feel like my heart grows by the day because I love her more than I can handle! 

When Emma was sleeping through the night, my mornings would always start with an early morning pumping session. I am still exclusively breastfeeding and even though we started solids last week, she is still not a fan of them (I know eventually she’ll get used to it!) But anyways! Emma has not been sleeping through the night for the past month, so since I’m feeding her throughout the night, most mornings I don’t really “need” to pump when I wake up. So usually I sip on my preworkout while doing my devotional and prayer time, and then I press play on my workout! I love working out at  home because sometimes Emma wakes up midway and needs her momma, so I can just pause and nurse/hold her for a bit, then press play and finish it up! So convenient! 

After my workout, (this week I’m doing A Little Obsessed on my Netflix for workouts...SO SORE), I shower then head downstairs to pack lunches for my husband and I, and get Emma’s daycare bag ready (pumped milk, change of clothes, diapers, etc). I also make sure to eat a little something; this morning I shook up my recover protein shake with some collagen peptides, delicious! I forgot to snap a pic but just imagine chocolate milk goodness that is actually good for you! 

I try to nurse Emma before I head to work, but like I mentioned above, if she’s nursed all night and is sleeping soundly, I go to work and pump there rather than waking her up to eat. It’s also easier on my mommy-heart to sneak out while she’s asleep verses having to watch her sweet face smile at me as I walk away...I tear up just thinking about it! 

If I’m still a little hungry, I’ll make sure to grab second breakfast before I head to work! This morning was two paleo muffins, a chocolate zucchini muffin and a pumpkin muffin! I've been cooking through Danielle Walker's cookbooks from Against All Grain, and so far my husband and I have loved every single recipe!

Once I get to work, I make coffee (duh) and see which patients I need to see or who is due for an assessment. I work as a dietitian at a dialysis unit with patients who have kidney failure. It’s pretty busy each day so I make sure to fit in snacks and occasionally some walks to get outside!  

Morning snacks usually consist of carrots, apples with either peanut butter or almond butter, or a Larabar! I make sure to fuel myself well since I push myself pretty hard in my workouts, plus I'm breastfeeding! So many calories being burned all day long!

Lunches have been so fun to pack in these portioned containers my mom got us from Amazon! This lunch was rosemary garlic chicken (I'll post the recipe soon!), with potatoes and green beans. Super simple and delicious!

If I get hungry in the afternoon, I typically have some nuts, but this week I've also been enjoying another treat from Against All Grain...her Real Deal Chocolate Chip Cookies.  My husband has been raving about these and I've already made two batches in less than a week. He says they taste just like the regular cookies I used to bake, but they are Paleo/gluten free and MUCH healthier! I highly recommend this recipe, you won't be disappointed!

Once I get off work, I "safely" zoom my way over to Emma's daycare to pick her up. I get so excited to see her, and she has been smiling and kicking her feet in excitement when she sees me come into the playroom, which melts my heart! We usually get home and sometimes she'll fall asleep in the car, which gives me time to clean out my pump parts and put my milk away (pumping is a full time job in itself!), but most of the time when we come home, we nurse and snuggle and she falls asleep while I make dinner.

Dinners have been simple this week: we've had grass fed beef meatballs, rosemary garlic chicken, salmon, and turkey burgers. I'll make a salad because we have 6 heads of romaine (thanks Costco) that are going bad by the second, so I've been forcing us to have salad each day so it doesn't' go bad because I HATE wasting food! I haven't snapped pictures of dinner because I've been a little distracted during dinner time trying to get Emma to have some solids with us at the dinner table! Last night she tried zucchini, and I think she liked it a little more than sweet potato. I'm getting a little worried that she hasn't been liking foods much, even though I know she will get used to it! It's funny, because I specialized in infant/toddler nutrition when I worked at WIC, and even though I HAVE the knowledge and have counseled others countless times, I'm still worried when it comes to my own baby!

After dinner, we bathe Emma and get her ready for bed. I've been trying to get her down between 7:30/8pm so I can get a few hours of sleep before the night-waking begins. Yes, I've been getting into bed by 8pm because Emma has been waking up at 10, 11:45, 1, 2:15, 3:45...you name the time, she's been waking up. She's going through a huge developmental leap right now, and with that comes a sleep regression. I've decided to roll with the punches instead of sleep training her and just rely on coffee to get through the day (she hasn't been sensitive to my caffeine intake, thank GOD)! Luckily when she does wake up, she typically nurses and goes right back to sleep, so even though I am getting broken sleep, I don't feel TOO terrible throughout the day!

And that has been a typical day in the life on the days that I work! I was telling my husband earlier this week that I am feeling so much happier than I used to feel. As much as I miss Emma and wish I could be with her every day, I've come to accept the working life, enjoy my days at work with my coworkers and my patients, and relish the moments with Emma even MORE. I have also taken much better care of myself and have chosen foods that have supported my mental health and anxiety (look out for a blog post on this later on this month!) I really feel that God is working on my heart, helping me take care of myself so that I can take care of Emma, and has given me a strength that only HE can give. I am so grateful!

And with that, I hope you all have an excellent day, and thank you for reading and following along on this journey with me! I appreciate all of you so much!