May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it's the perfect time to prioritize your well-being. Honestly, every month is but the cultural reminder is helpful! While many factors contribute to mental health, one often overlooked aspect is diet. The link between what we eat and how we feel is profound, with research consistently showing that our food choices directly impact our mood and cognition. Also, I am not saying that food is the ONLY connection to mental well-being; just that it is a strong one. In this post, we'll explore the connection between mood and food and discuss practical strategies for improving both.
In today's modern world, nutritional deficiencies are common due to factors like food quality and sedentary lifestyles. Essential nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and magnesium play crucial roles in supporting overall...
Did you know that 35% of women admit to skipping meals to lose weight?
Many women fall into the trap of skipping meals to shed pounds. It seems ingrained in diet culture, but ditch the hangry – it's time to make this a relic of the past! Not only is skipping meals ineffective for weight loss, but it can actually hinder your progress in several ways.
Why Skipping Meals Backfires
Metabolic Slowdown: Our bodies are incredibly adaptable. When you deprive them of food, they go into conservation mode, slowing down your metabolism. This means you burn fewer calories even at rest, making weight loss more challenging.
Hunger Pangs and Cravings: Skipping meals can lead to intense hunger pangs and cravings later. This sets you up for overeating, especially when faced with readily available sugary or processed foods that seem oh-so-tempting on an empty stomach. THIS ALSO MAKES US HANGRY.
Muscle Loss, Not Fat Loss: Your body prioritizes readily available energy sources when food is...
Time for a little life math...
It's real, I promise.
The World Health Organization shared we have nearly tripled (holy crap) the obesity rate since 1975, so it's crucial to pinpoint its root causes.
Recently, a research study started to prove what we have known for a bit but has been shut down on a large scale. I've got a few ideas why. Like Biggie Smalls says, "More money, More problems."
This study looks at the role of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in this weight gain epidemic and suggests innovative approaches to combat it.
Barbara E. Corkey, a distinguished scientist at Boston University, dives into the realm of "obesogens," chemical compounds that have infiltrated our environment in the past half-century. Suspected as culprits disrupting the delicate balance of lipid metabolism and normal development within our bodies, these obesogens (sounds like a movie villain to me) generate misleading signals contributing to obesity.
That was scientific, but read it again.
At the core of her...
I can picture it: You have all your ducks in a row. Food journal? Check! Regular workouts? Absolutely! Enough fiber to rival a scarecrow? You're determined to tackle your weight-loss goal head-on. But, despite your valiant efforts, the scale refuses to budge. What gives?
There are subtle saboteurs when it comes to weight loss. I know you're doing ALL the things, but sometimes we forget some really foundational things needed to get rid of those stubborn love handles and bat wings.
You've heard it before – drink more water, lose more weight. Simple, right? Well, not exactly. Sure, H2O helps curb your appetite, but when you're parched, your kidneys call in sick, leaving your liver to pick up the slack. The result? Fat gets stored instead of burned off.
The real kicker can be fiber. Maybe you're piling on the roughage like there was no tomorrow, but without enough water, things down there tend to get, uh, stuck. This...
All the talk online is about what to pack in your kid for lunch when they go back to school...
The best part of waking up shouldn't be coffee in your cup! Remember that catchy commercial toon in '96? If you weren't alive yet, here ya go.
While we are used to our routine of stumbling to the coffee pot, getting ready, and heading out the door with only a travel mug, we are sabotaging our nutrition.
In order to have fuel/energy for your day, blood sugar stability (i.e. less cravings), and the ability to build muscle, you need protein-powered mornings. I love the alliteration and all, but it's true, and I will prove it to you!
1. .8-1g per lb of Body Weight. (you doing the math in your head). Sh*t, that's a lot. Yep. And my guess is you're not getting enough. No need to be a mathematician about it; get an idea of protein amounts so you can estimate better. OH, and remember, my Half Your Plate Guide really simplifies things. If you missed that guide, it's here
2. A 20- 30-Gram Minimum at breakfast...
Let's tap into those skills and spot the difference.
I know you can hear the guitar riff of that song right now. You know I love a vintage hit, so I thought it would be perfect for today's post. I want to talk about walking, I know, big shocker.
Walking is the most natural, accessible, and budget-friendly exercise out there. There are TONS of impressive benefits to surpassing the 8000-step mark.
I know 8000 steps may seem like a big number (I encourage my clients to do 10,000), but it really is attainable! It doesn't need to be a big chunk; actually, little walks throughout the day are BETTER. Just move any way you can throughout the day. Walk while talking on the phone or scrolling social media. Do walking meetings with coworkers or set up a standing desk or treadmill desk for your WFH gig. Even parking further from the store or, yes, taking the stairs...I know, I know...makes a HUGE difference.
Here are some of the benefits:
Walking more than 8000 steps a day gets your...
Raise your hand if you had a Tamagotchi. Remember how you had to care for it, or it would make weird noises, beep and then get sick? Turns out our guts are like those little egg-shaped digital pets. Our tummies need care and attention too. I am not talking about toning and working on the washboard abs; no, I want to focus on what is inside, your gut. Gut health is critical to overall health, and today I want to tell you about one of my FAVORITE products. Now, I blab a lot about how the diet and wellness industry isn't always honest, so before I ever recommend any product, I do my research. I want to let you guys know about Seed Prebiotic/Probiotic. Hands down, this is the best!
Okay, let's be real; we millennials love some science-backed facts. It's not just your regular probiotic; it's a synbiotic that brings prebiotics and probiotics together for the ultimate benefit. The potent strains in Seed were handpicked by scientists (cue...
50% Complete
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.