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[trustyourgutblog]

Happy Wednesday! 🐫 ⁣

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Let’s talk perspective, real quick. Looking at this picture, you’d never think that I was in a bad mood. But, it wasn’t the 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 day that I’ve ever had.🌧 ⁣

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My husband and I recently bought a boat ~ our only big purchase since buying a house 2 years ago. As sad as it makes me to say it, it’s been more of a hassle than we could’ve imagined. ⛵️ Three out of the four times that we’ve taken it out on the lake, the motor has died and we’ve either had to paddle it back to the launch or get towed by a kind-hearted stranger.😅⁣

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On the day that this picture was taken, it was super nice out and we were dying to give the boat a try to get it ready for the 4th of July.💥I overslept and we didn’t get to the boat launch until noon ~ on a 90° Sunday in lower Michigan, you have to be there 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 to get a parking spot.☀️ Three lakes and 2 hours of driving around later, we were out of luck on launching our boat and I felt like we wasted the beautiful morning. *Enter my sour mood*⁣

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When we got back to the house, my husband suggested that we get our barn cleaned out and organized since we hadn’t had the chance to since buying the boat. My response was, “Yeah because that’s what I 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 to be doing on such a nice day.”🙄⁣

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But, he was right. 🤷🏼‍♀️ It was something that needed to be done and we were still outside enjoying the beautiful weather. With both of us working on it, we were done in 30 minutes leaving us with plenty of time to take the kayaks out. Hence the picture above.⁣

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Reflecting on this experience (in the middle of my work week and drooling over the beautiful weather from my office window) I’m reminded of how precious my weekends are.💎 If you work full time ~ you get it. ⁣

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Do I really want to spend any second of my precious weekend freedom feeling angry that my day didn’t go 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 as planned? No! 🙅🏼‍♀️ We were still able to enjoy the day 𝐚𝐧𝐝 get a chore done that we’ve been putting off for too long.⁣ When I take an even bigger step back ~ I realize that I was frustrated that we didn’t get to take the boat out and had to settle for kayaks instead?! Excuse me what?! 🙃

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This is something I’d like to continue to work on ~ decreasing the amount of time that it takes me to change my perspective and mood as a result. Reframes, questions, and challenges to your thoughts can be difficult in the moment (especially when you want to stay mad 😂). But, I know that I’m capable of improving and will be a happier, more positive person as a result.✨⁣

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How do you change your perspective when you’re feeling upset/angry/frustrated? 😠 ⁣

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[trustyourgutblog]

As I sit on my deck in the sunshine, listening to the rustle of the wind through the trees and birds chirping, I’m reflecting on the week that’s slowly coming to a close as the last few hours of Sunday wind down.

I’m thinking about what carried me through this week. It was a difficult week for me, professionally. And when you’re a social worker, that difficulty tends to bleed into your personal life. Because what is affecting me in my day job takes an emotional toll and sometimes the lines between professional and personal become blurred. I become so personally invested in the success of my consumers, that when their world turns upside down, I’d have to be an actual robot to act like it’s not impacting me.

So now, I’m reflecting on what has carried me through this difficult week and I keep coming back to one thing ~ movement.

When I was struggling with the chaos of crisis and realized that I was close to working the majority of my day without a break, I paused. I closed my laptop, brought my work phone into the living room with me, and grabbed my weights. I lifted through the anger and pain that I was feeling for my kiddo. As I began to work out, I began to let go of my angry thoughts and move back into my body. 30 minutes later, I was able to put that aside to give the last kids of my day my full attention.

I moved through the rest of my week with phone calls, teletherapy sessions, emails, and meetings. Knowing that the one thing that I could rely on for consistency everyday was that I would get up and move at some point. I’ve noticed that working from home has changed my lifestyle to be much more sedentary, but I’ve made a promise to myself to move intentionally every day, no matter what. Even if that’s just moving around to clean the house.

At the end of the work week, feeling giddy with excitement for the 2 days off that were around the corner, a yoga flow turned into a Fleetwood Mac dance party. When things get too serious, I have to find ways to have fun again. Even while in quarantine. And sometimes that means practicing handstands, jumping around, and acting like a fool while listening to Stevie Nicks in my living room.

This weekend, I rested my body for the most part ~ got a ton of extra sleep and didn’t work out until Sunday (with the exception of a walk). But, even getting out and walking puts me into a different headspace. I can feel my limbs stretch back out after curling up on the couch for a “This Is Us” marathon.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for rest. But, the more I listen to my body, the more I understand that movement is medicine.

When I’m feeling down or lonely, I pop on my headphones and get outside. Feeling the connection with nature around me helps to calm that stir-crazy, isolated feeling in the pit of my stomach. Taking in full, long breaths of the fresh air and noticing all of the new buds that are popping up the trees ~ it’s pure magic. After a long hike, I feel calm and at peace. After a run, I feel so empowered and full of energy.

Movement is something consistent that I can count on throughout my week. In a world of chaos and uncertainty, movement is my constant. It’s my refuge, my solace, and my escape. I can honestly say that working out has never negatively impacted my mood. I’ve never felt more irritable or angrier after a yoga flow or sad and lonely after a run.

While in isolation, I think it’s important that we try to focus on what is helping to carry us through these uncertain times. What are the things that you can count on to improve a difficult day? What serves as your refuge? If you’re feeling hopeless, down, or are just plain in a bad mood, try moving your body. Even if it’s just walking up and down a flight of stairs or walking around your house to pick up clutter. Notice how your mood changes as a result.

Never underestimate the power of moving your body. Happy Monday, friends!

[trustyourgutblog]

Hey all you cool cats and kittens!😽

In my last blog post, I talked about giving yourself time and space to sit with your emotions during this uneasy time. Now that I’ve done that, I feel like there’s an internal battle raging between wanting to honor my body and rest and wanting to be productive with all of this time at home that we’ve been given.

If you’re like me and are working from home, it may not feel as though you have much more time than normal. Sure, I have some extra time in the morning and afternoon when I would normally be in my car commuting to and from work, but I’m still working at least 40 hours a week.

Or maybe you’re a parent who’s completely overwhelmed with being with their children 24/7 and you’re completely bewildered at how people have even 5 minutes to enjoy by themselves.

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m constantly being reminded from podcasts, social media, and others that we should “use this time to be productive,” whether that be picking up a new hobby or working on an unfinished project.

I’d just like to put it out there that it’s okay to use this time to rest. To pause and reflect. To spend time with your children or by yourself.

On the other hand, if you’d like to use this time to pour yourself into a project, learn a language, or start your own business ~ then go for it! I don’t think that there’s a right or wrong way to use your time in quarantine.

What I feel is important is listening to your body and doing what’s right for you. At the beginning of quarantine, I really struggled with the transition from a ton of social interaction to almost no social interaction. Coping with these changes left me feeling tired and worn out, so I was using it to focus on resting and sitting with my emotions.

Now that I’ve gotten into a better routine with my days, I’m beginning to swing to the other end of the spectrum. I’m beginning to consider focusing my extra time on my purpose. Asking myself how I can serve others with this extra time.

I’ve always been drawn to encouraging and inspiring others, so one of the additional projects that I’ve taken on while in quarantine is running an online fitness accountability group. Not only am I enjoying the extra accountability, but it’s been incredible to open up another platform of interacting daily with people who are working to maintain their physical and mental health.

I’ve always been a huge nerd and enjoyed learning, so I’ve been trying to dive into this extra time with reading, podcasts, and training videos. When I’m working, I like to learn more about the developing brain and different treatment modalities to use in therapy. When I’m off the clock, I’ve been more interested in listening to mindset, lifestyle, and business podcasts. Below, I’ve included a link to some free trainings about mental wellness, nutrition, stress resilience, and so many more topics. Feel free to use the link below to nerd out with me! 🤓

When I was a kid, I used to bake with my mom all the time. That’s one of the hobbies that I’ve gotten back into while in quarantine. As a kid, I was pretty carefree about what I ate. As an adult with food intolerances and IBS, it’s been a challenge to find recipes that I enjoy and taste like a treat, but don’t make me feel like garbage. So far, gluten-free banana bread muffins and chocolate PB protein no-bakes have been a hit! It’s fun to create new versions of old recipes that I used to enjoy with cleaner ingredients.

In December, I joined a network marketing company that I haven’t been super consistent with in the last month. But lately, I’ve been pouring much more of my time and energy into sharing information about supplements that benefit your mental and physical health.

I’ve always enjoyed being a therapist because I’ve been drawn to a profession that’s based around the idea of helping others who are in need. At the same time, I’ve always been super passionate about nutrition and physical health, so this company felt like a great fit for me. I’m excited for the opportunity to help more people optimize their physical and mental health.

The more I learn about recessions and periods of economic downturn, the more I understand why network marketing thrives during these times. I’m grateful for a side hustle that I truly believe in and is something that I can continue to work to expand from home.

Now, I’m not saying I’m spending everyday diligently working on every single one of these projects. I’ve definitely binged way too much reality television, neglected my spring cleaning, and gone to bed way too late watching Tik Tok. But, I am working on finding a balance between feeling pressured to be as productive as possible, while listening to what I need to help me feel recharged.

I hope this serves as some validation for some of you who are experiencing a similar internal battle. It’s awesome if you spend your day achieving all of your goals and ticking tasks off of your to-do list. It’s awesome if you spend your day binging Love Is Blind and eating all of the baked goods. You do you, girl (or boy).💁🏼‍♀️

If what you’re doing is making you happy and helping you survive quarantine, then that’s all that matters.

Happy Monday, everyone!

[trustyourgutblog]

Hey, friends ~

I tried writing this blog last week, but was feeling so tired and worn down that my writing was just not coming together. I’m hoping to speak to this feeling today.

It has now been 3 weeks since I’ve been in full quarantine. Meaning that with the exception of seeing a few neighbors while walking outside, my husband is the only person that I’ve physically interacted with. This transition from seeing coworkers, friends, children and families that I work with, etc. daily has been a huge transition for me.

I used to end a long day of therapy feeling like a washcloth that had been wrung out one too many times because of the amount and depth of the social interaction that I was engaging in. Today, I have a similar, worn out feeling, but I’ve moved to the complete opposite end of the spectrum. My craving for physical, social interaction is almost as fierce as a chocolate craving while I’m on my period. TMI? Sorry, but it’s true.

The other day, I was on a Zoom meeting with my coworkers and my husband was home from work because he’s been working a different schedule to accommodate for their new COVID-19 precautions. I had shut myself in the office, but my cat, Phoebe, had been scratching at the door to get in, so I left the door was left ajar. My husband thought that the door being open signaled that I was done with my meeting, so he came into the office to chat with me and ended up making a celebrity appearance in my work meeting. My immediate reaction was to scold him for interrupting, but my coworkers erupted in a chorus of greetings and excitement to see another person’s face.

You guys, this is the level of crazy that isolation is making us. Not even all of my coworkers have met Kyle and they were all but climbing through the screen to make a connection.

Even though I’m trying to focus on some of the good things that have come from slowing down, I think it’s important to recognize the fact that we’re all trying to cope with the effects of this polarization ~ going from interacting with so many people on a daily basis to complete and total isolation.

Nothing about this “pause” in normal life feels restful. I didn’t expect this to feel like a vacation or anything, but I would think that turning in and spending more time at home would make me feel more rejuvenated.

I tend to struggle, emotionally, when I’m not able to identify and verbalize how I’m feeling. Or even write it down. As I’m settling into this new normal, with the help of talking with others and reading articles, I’m starting to realize that this discomfort and feeling of exhaustion that I’m feeling is grief.

I’m grieving the loss of social interaction with my friends and family. The loss of my honeymoon trip planned for mid April. The loss of freedom to jump in my car and go to a spin class at the local studio. The loss of being able to run simple errands like grocery shopping and grabbing coffee on my way to work. The loss of being able to go to the library and pick out a new book.

Don’t get me wrong ~ I’m so grateful for my beautiful safe haven that I am privileged enough to call home. I’m grateful that I have a fridge full of food that is constantly stocked by my husband. I’m grateful for the security of my relationship when I consider women who are in a domestically violent relationship and are not safe with their partner at home.

I’m grieving the loss of structure in my days. If you’re an anxious person, you understand how much relief you can find in structure and routine. I’m doing my best to create structure and a schedule, but it’s just vastly different than the way that I’ve been operating for pretty much my entire life.

And when you come to this realization, I think this validates what we are experiencing right now. It’s okay to feel uncomfortable. It’s okay to feel like you’re grieving. It’s okay to feel lost and helpless. If we don’t identify how we’re feeling, we can’t begin to understand how to cope with it.

Bessel van der Kolk, a psychiatrist who is one of the leading global experts on trauma research, defines trauma as “being unable to do anything to change the situation.” Talk about nailing the hammer on the head. This loss of control has definitely sent me into a spiral more times than I’d like to admit.

This post isn’t going to include tips for coping or “5 ways to make it through quarantine.” I just hope that you receive a message of validation in sitting with your feelings ~ whether it be sadness, hopelessness, grief, helplessness, anger, anxiousness, etc. I sat in my feelings for about a week, struggling to identify them, and now that I’m starting to process and verbalize what I’m experiencing, I do feel a genuine shift in my moods and energy as a result.

Last weekend, my husband and I found out that an acquaintance of ours passed away due to what are believed to be COVID-19 complications. She was our age. This shook us. For days. My husband is a HUGE foodie and couldn’t eat. He started experiencing so much anxiety that he was manifesting symptoms of the virus.

That night, he wasn’t able to fall asleep. He is the type of person who is usually snoring within 30 seconds of laying down. After several conversations of attempting to pry him open, he was finally able to admit that his ultimate fear is that I’ll die. That he’ll bring the virus home from work and I’ll get sick enough to die.

I didn’t know what to say or how to react. I listened and validated his fear. But, there was nothing that I could say to make him feel better. Again, that helplessness was rearing its ugly head. So, I tucked him in under my weighted blanket, asked him to meditate with me, and stroked his hair.

We are coping the best that we can right now and I hope that everyone is doing the same. It’s okay to not have all of the answers and it’s okay to experience this ebb and flow of complete and utter hopelessness and moments of joy and gratitude. What you’re feeling is valid.

All we can do is practice compassion with ourselves and empathize with others. Be kind and hold onto the hope that tomorrow will be better than yesterday. Take good care, friends.

[trustyourgutblog]

Happy Monday, everyone!

I know that I start every post off with this phrase, but even though we’re in the midst of a global pandemic and stuck in quarantine, I’ve found glimmers of light in the darkness. And today, I want to hold them under a microscope. Because the dark and me, we’re on a break.

This light looks like watching my community come together to support one another. Teachers are driving students’ homework to their homes, insurance providers are dropping copays for therapy so that people can continue to be seen even if they aren’t being paid right now, grocery stores are setting aside certain times for those who are elderly and immunocompromised to shop, my local yoga studio is offering FREE live classes. It’s been humbling to witness genuine humanity come together and be a community for one another.

Another glimmer of luminance ~ connection. As much as quarantine is separating us physically, I feel as though it’s also deepening the connection that I have with others. My husband has been doing all of the grocery shopping for us, without complaint, in an effort to keep my level of exposure to others down. My coworkers have volunteered to cover my days to come into the office while I work from home. Even before we were all assigned to work from home, my boss came into my office to hear my concerns about being exposed to coworkers in the office. Her eyes filled with tears as I shakily explained that I can’t afford to go unpaid as I only have a few days of sick time right now. She kindly interrupted to say, “Your job doesn’t matter right now, what matters is you and your health.” I’d never felt this level of support at work because we’d never faced this level of crisis before. It’s like when you experience a traumatic event with another person and you become “trauma-bonded” with them. My coworkers continue to send cute texts telling me that they watered the plant in my office or send a snap chat with stick figures of us all hanging out in the office. You guys, it’s the little stuff. But, what I’m getting at is the fact that they care and they’re here. I’ve had more time to reach out to SO many people with chronic health conditions and offer solutions to manage their symptoms. I’ve FaceTimed and talked to my parents more than I have in weeks because I needed face to face interaction.

Lightness looks like the pause that we have been forced to take. I picture our lives like trains that forge ahead at impossible speeds and our train has screeched to a grinding hault. We’ve had to shut down and take an emergency stop for repairs because without them, the train will never run properly again. I cherish the extra time in my morning routine since I haven’t had to put make-up on or commute to work. I took pause in my weekend cleaning rituals to walk around in my yard to look for morel mushrooms, although it’s too early in the season. The pause that humans are taking has had positive impacts on the environment, globally. Los Angeles’s ever-present haze of smog has lifted, swans and dolphins have reappeared in the canals winding through Italy’s cities because the water is running clear, and air quality in China has dramatically improved since the outbreak. I heard a quote today that said “Maybe the virus was mother nature’s cure.” Mother Nature - 1, Humans - 0.

When we’re in such a dark place it can be hard to hold onto hope that things will become brighter, but think about when you’re trying to fall asleep at night. If you’re like me, you need total darkness to get proper rest and you start to notice that you become fixated on any tiny slivers of light that are filtering into your room. We are in the darkness, friends, and the light is trying to find its way in. As you take on this next week of quarantine, remember to let the light in.

~*Stay healthy, everyone!*~

[trustyourgutblog]

Happy Monday, everyone!

I absolutely hate that I’m writing this post right now. Trust me, I’ve heard enough about the Coronavirus to last a lifetime. But, I know there are fellow immune-compromised folks on here that may benefit from reading this. So, I thought it may be beneficial for me to share how someone with a compromised immune system is *trying* to stay virus free.

I’ve been working with teens who are anxious about getting the Coronavirus. In an attempt to calm their fears, I share that the people who have died from the virus are 60+ years old, have compromised immune systems, or pre-existing conditions.

“You don’t fall into any of those categories,” I reassure them.

“You’ll survive, but you may have to go a few weeks without therapy,” I think to myself. I know, it’s pessimistic. But, my chances of becoming severely ill if I were to contract the virus are high.

I’ve been on an immunosuppressant for 4 years now. It’s hard to gauge how strong my immune system is ~ there’s no lab test or level to prove my immune system’s efficiency.

What I do know is that I’ve been sick with an upper respiratory infection at least 4 times this winter. That’s almost once a month. But, I have been able to fight them off pretty quickly. This is a big change from when I first got diagnosed and would feel very sick for weeks before I was back to normal. So, I’d like to think that my immune system has been getting stronger with supplementation.

Working with kids has definitely impacted my health this year. As much as I encourage parents to keep kids home when they’re sick, there’s always people who come in when they shouldn’t.

I feel like it’s too personal for me to tell people that they’re putting me at risk for an illness because of my autoimmune disorder. But, I definitely consider it when I’m feeling frustrated after I play Jenga with a kid for an hour, only to find out that he has a fever at the end of the session. *eye roll*

I’m trying not to panic about the Coronavirus, but I am taking extra precautions to support my immune system during this time. I’m not afraid that I’ll die or anything, but the consequences of being sick for weeks or potentially a month are what scare me.

I have less than 2 days of sick time racked up at this point, due to all of the URIs that I experienced this winter. So, I would potentially be taking almost a month off of work without pay.

Not to mention all of my families that would go without therapy for a month. Sure, my supervisor would do my best to meet their needs while I’m gone, but our department is already understaffed at this point.

Typing out all of these worries leads me to my first tip on how I’m supporting my immune system:

1. Stress management ~ cortisol, the stress hormone, lowers your immune system’s ability to fight off viruses. In order to manage my stress levels I’ve been maintaining my current workout and yoga routine (s/o to endorphins), adding daily meditation, and mindful breaths throughout the day. It’s easier said than done. I’ve made heroic efforts to manage my anxiety over the last week and I still found myself in a downward spiral this morning. There are lots of things we don’t have control over. Lack of control can create a “snowball effect” of anxiety symptoms and I’m doing my best to focus on what I do have control over. This leads me to the next tip.

2. Focus on what you do have control over ~ follow the precautions (social distancing, hand washing, not touching your face, etc.) and support your immune system where you can. I’m doing this by prioritizing sleep, taking supplements, optimizing my nutrition, and staying hydrated. I take specific supplements to help support my gut microbiome because certain cells of your gut lining secrete antibodies into the gut. About 70% of this gut tissue represents your immune system, therefore, a healthy gut = a healthy immune system. Comment below or DM me if you want more information on the supplements that I take to support my microbiome! I’m also cutting added sugar out of my diet for the next 30 days. Sugar feeds bad bacteria in your gut, so I’m hopeful that cutting it will help support my microbiome as well. My husband asked if I could just stop taking my immunosuppressant medication until all of this blows over. I explained that taking myself off of my immunosuppressant therapy could confuse my body and put me at an even higher risk for contracting the virus.

3. Prioritize connection even while practicing social distancing. In the words of Brené Brown, “Research shows that playing cards once a week or meeting friends every Wednesday night at Starbucks adds as many years to our lives as taking beta blockers or quitting a pack-a-day smoking habit.” I feel as though it’s important to follow the precautions, however, there are ways to find connection within your space. Call your parents, email your grandparents, message your family’s group chat. Whatever medium of communication you choose, check on your people. My dad called me this weekend to express concerns about me flying in April for our honeymoon and my grandma emailed me to check in to see if I was still having to work or not. I’m so grateful that people take time out of their daily lives to check in on me. The fact that they even remember that I have a compromised immune system is heart-warming in and of itself. Reach out to your loved ones to help you deal with the stress of physical isolation. I wish there was more I could do for others, but at this point, my husband is going to have to do all of the grocery shopping by himself so I’m just doing my best to support others over the phone.💕

I hope you found these tips helpful and consider ways that you can support your immune system in the coming weeks. Stay healthy, friends!

[trustyourgutblog]

Now that swimsuit season is just around the corner, I wanted to share a healthy cookie recipe that I made recently that satisfied my sweet tooth and was also packed with protein.

I found this recipe on collegecleaneating’s Instagram and I will definitely be adding it to the recipe book in my kitchen. They turned out so good!

I have a mean sweet tooth and struggle with craving sugar when I don’t have dessert or a sweet snack during the day. Don’t get me wrong, I love fruits and veggies, but chocolate and peanut butter are my literal kryptonite. Luckily, this recipe has both!

In order to make this recipe you’re going to need a food processor and the following ingredients:

• 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup

• 1 cup & 2 Tablespoons natural peanut butter (or any other kind of nut butter)

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)

• chocolate chips to taste (I used dark, but you can use whatever kind you like!)

1) Preheat the oven to 375° F.

2) Put all of the ingredients into the food processor and blend until you have a cookie dough-like consistency.

3) Add chocolate chips to taste and pulse food processor a few times to mix.

4) Scoop and roll dough into small balls and place on baking sheet.

5) Bake for 10-12 minutes and enjoy!

Protips ~ I noticed that the dough was really sticky, so using 2 spoons to scoop the dough out is your best bet! Or, you could grease your hands with coconut oil and then roll it out.

Also, if you struggle with feeling bloated or gassy after eating chickpeas, try shelling them after you rinse them. It’s kind of a pain, but there’s anectodal evidence that this has helped people with digesting them easier!

If you’re someone who struggles with FODMAPs like me, use maple syrup instead of honey! I also made the cookies pretty small (about the size of a golf ball) so that I wouldn’t go over the low FODMAP portion of 1-2 Tablespoons per cookie.

Comment below if you give this recipe a try and let me know if you loved them as much as I did. Enjoy your dessert while getting your protein in! Who says we can’t have our cookie and eat it too?😋

[trustyourgutblog]

Happy Monday, everyone!

With spring just around the corner, I was feeling inspired to write a post dedicated to the change in seasons.

It has been a long, cold winter and I have been eagerly awaiting longer days and more sunshine. I’m looking forward to not being plagued by constant upper respiratory infections and can’t wait to open my windows to let the fresh air in.

I grew up in the Upper Peninsula where spring is not really it’s own season, but merely an extension of a milder version of winter. Now that I’ve relocated, I get so excited to enjoy spring and not dread the mid-April snow storm.

In my experiences as a clinician, February and March seem to be a difficult time for those struggling with mental health issues. The darkness of depression meets the end of a long, isolative winter. Anxiety builds as the body’s energy has been trapped by lack of movement and withdrawal indoors.

To me, spring is a sign of hope. It’s a small glimmer of light that hovers at the end of a dark, cold tunnel. Spring invites warmth, growth, and new energy.

Even though I enjoy winter, I understand why it creates such dismal melancholy. I relish in the opportunity to turn inward and stay home when it’s cold out or go for a solo ski, but when I start to hear the birds chirping and catch the sun out past its curfew ~ I can feel that I’m ready for a change too.

I can feel myself reaching out more to spend time with friends and family. I put away the crock pot and trade it for a salad bowl. I crave smoothies and salads rather than soups and pot roasts. I start to choose yoga on the deck over an indoor HIIT workout.

I know that we don’t rely on nature’s cues as much as we previously have as humans, but I think that there’s value in recognizing the rituals you use to welcome a new season. It helps me to feel grounded and grateful for the cycle of life that I’m experiencing.

How do you typically welcome spring at the end of a long winter? I don’t just mean flipping your calendar to the next month. What rituals do you find comfort in? Do you spring clean your home or your office to welcome a fresh start? Do you pack up your boots and stow them in the basement until they’re ready to be used again? If you haven’t really given this much thought until now ~ how can you start a new tradition of welcoming the change in seasons?

[trustyourgutblog]

Happy Monday everyone!

I was really hesitant to write this post, but then I gained a new perspective thanks to one of my mentors. The fear of judgment from others that has held me back stems from the fact that I’m focusing on myself. And that is not why I started this blog.

I started this blog to focus on others. To help people who are struggling with chronic health conditions. To lift others up and inspire them to want to be healthier, higher versions of themselves. To share my experience because I know what has helped optimize my health and brought me to this place in my journey.

As you saw in one of my previous posts, I recently visited family members that I haven’t seen in months. They helped me to become more aware of the transformation that I’ve made in just a few, short months.

My family made comments like “You’re tiny,” and asked how much weight I’ve lost. But, the thing is, I haven’t lost any weight. According to my doctor, I’ve actually gained a few pounds. The only difference that I’ve made since the last time I had seen them was taking new supplements to heal my gut. And the feedback that I was getting was speaking volumes of the healing that was happening within ~ it was changing my outward appearance.

These comments prompted me to look back at some progress pictures that I had taken along my fitness journey. The picture below was taken in the winter of 2016 when I was officially diagnosed with Crohn’s, IBD, and IBS.

As you can see, I was struggling with a ton of inflammation. I remember experiencing brain fog that made it difficult not only for me to focus in my therapy sessions, but to be effective with my consumers. I was tired all of the time, my hair was falling out, my joints were achy for how young I was, and I was overwhelmed with stress and anxiety.

This is where I began my gut healing journey. My GI doctor prescribed steroids and immunosuppressants to manage the inflammation in my gut, I started to eat healthier, and began working out regularly.

Even with all of those interventions, I still struggled to “feel normal.” I continued to experience chronic fatigue, joint pain, hair loss, diarrhea, constipation, and anxiety.

Each time I saw my GI, I’d tell her the same things. She continued to monitor my labs and didn’t have a conclusive answer as to why I continued to feel this way. She suggested adding vitamin D, but I still wasn’t feeling more energetic. In the picture below, you can see that I started to lose some weight and the inflammation was more controlled, but I still didn’t feel like myself. I remember feeling frustrated that I wasn’t farther along in my fitness journey since I was being so consistent. I began feeling as though I had to accept my reality that this is how I was going to feel forever.

Once I moved and started seeing a new GI, she referred me to a nutritionist (see previous posts for more info!) and a psychologist who specializes in chronic bowel disease. These interventions definitely helped me feel more in control of my food triggers and anxiety, but we still couldn’t find a way to manage the hair loss, chronic fatigue, brain fog, and joint pain.

Fast forward a year or so and I stumbled upon a podcast about health and wellness called Primal Potential. The host was well-educated and passionate and I began to learn more about the gut-brain connection.

The more I learned about how your gut health can impact your moods, energy levels, and overall health, the more I tried to optimize my gut microbiome.

I began drinking kombucha, taking probiotics, and focusing on nutrition. But, I STILL struggled to feel well. I felt frustrated that I couldn’t find a specific supplement that targets the gut-brain connection.

I know that this research is super new, but feeling like garbage for several years was wearing on me. I continued to listen to the podcast and one day the host began sharing about the additional steps that she was taking to optimize her microbiome.

I decided to reach out to her personally. And that’s how I found the supplement line that has truly changed my life.

Within the first month of taking them consistently, I noticed that I had more mental clarity. I felt sharper and more energetic. Making it through an 8 hour day at work didn’t feel like a chore anymore.

After a few months, my hair began to not only stop falling out, but it grew faster and thicker. Before the supplements, my sweet cosmetologist would gently ask, “Are you going through a shedding phase right now?” At my most recent appointment (6 months into taking them regularly) she asked for a recommendation of what I was taking to make my hair grow back so quickly.

I finally feel like I have optimized my health to a level that I thought was not possible after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder. I’m working out at least 5 days a week and waking up earlier than normal to do so. My knees don’t ache, even though I’m doing way more squatting than I was in the past (I used to avoid squatting because it hurt my knees). I have so much more mental clarity that I’m reading and learning more than I have since grad school. My moods are more regulated and even though I still struggle with anxiety, mostly because of my high-stress job, I have more stress resilience than ever. That recent post that I wrote about anxiety was the first time that I’ve struggled with it so much in months.

Below is a picture that I took last week. I know I’m totally putting myself on blast for owning this sports bra for 4 years, but it’s one of my favorites and I can’t bear to part with it! You can see how dramatic the change is from the first picture. This is not to discount the other interventions that have positively impacted my journey, but I can genuinely say that my symptoms have never been as controlled as they are today.

I’m so grateful that we have come so far with gut-brain research and how well I feel today. This has inspired me to share my experience with others, in hopes that they too can find the “missing link” to their chronic health issues.

Feel free to comment below or message to share about your health struggles. I’d love to share more information about what has helped me make such significant improvements in my overall wellness!

[trustyourgutblog]

The One With the Shame

Hi everyone,

I was having a hard time coming up with what to write for the blog post this week. I feel dedicated to posting weekly, but sometimes my creativity is lacking or there hasn’t been an emerging theme throughout the week that I feel is worth writing about.

I’ve recently been listening to Daring Greatly by Brené Brown and it’s about the research that she’s studied around shame. If there’s one theme that’s been emerging this past week, it’s me being aware of how truly painful experiencing shame is.

Brené defines shame as “the fear of disconnection ~ that we’re unlovable and don’t belong.” Ouch. As humans, we are hard-wired for connection. I firmly believe that the lack of connection is what leads to most mental health issues. No wonder shame is so painful.

I find it ironic that within the last few days, I’ve gotten into the deep, meaningful parts of the book while at the same time, have been experiencing some deeply shameful moments of my own.

Shame is uncomfortable. When I first had the idea to write this post about shame, I immediately thought “Nope. I’ll just skip this week’s post and write something next week.”

I think it’s important to recognize when something makes us feel uncomfortable. There’s value in leaning into that discomfort ~ the experience inevitably leads to growth.

I started out the week feeling confident that I would get back to my daily routine and focus on my work and health goals. But, things got busy and I really struggled to keep a balance throughout the week. 

One day, I forgot my entire work bag. I had to work a side gig in the morning, so I was out the door 2 hours earlier than I normally would be. I pulled into the parking lot of my full-time job, opened the door to my backseat (where I normally put my laptop bag), and it was empty. Keep in mind, I can’t even complete documentation aka do my job without my laptop, work cell phone, and planner. I didn’t know what my schedule was for the day without my planner and there was no way that I could drive home and get it because I live 30 minutes away from the office. 

*Enter negative, shame-filled thoughts*

“You’re supposed to be a professional and you can’t even remember to bring your work equipment?” 

“Maybe if you paid more attention to what you’re doing, you wouldn’t have forgotten your bag.”

“This is where the phrase dumb blondes comes from.”

shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame

I tried to play it off. Laughed it off to a coworker. But, I’m not going to lie, it bothered me all day. Feeling incompetent inevitably bled into my work and I could feel that my sessions weren’t as genuine or energizing as they typically are.

The week continued with shame-provoking events. 

I lost my debit card. Shame. I lied straight to my friend’s face because I thought she would be mad if I told her the truth. Shame. All of my bills were due within one pay period and I didn’t have any spending money leftover. Shame. I fell so many times while cross-country skiing. Shame.

All of this shame has been deflating. I truly am doing my best to battle my negative thoughts, but I feel as though I’m learning a powerful lesson about what my consumers must feel when we talk about something that they’re ashamed of.

I’m experiencing serious difficulty examining shame by myself and I’m asking these people to hold theirs under a magnifying glass?! What a daunting task.

This post isn’t going to give you “5 tips on how to deal with shame” or some inspiring, encouraging message. I’m just here to tell you shame sucks and I’m experiencing it too. We all do. And if you had a rough week like me, I hope this helps you to know that you’re not alone.

I’m going to end this post with a powerful excerpt from Daring Greatly.

“If we’re going to find our way out of shame and back to each other, vulnerability is the path and courage is the light. To set down those lists of what we’re supposed to be, is brave. To love ourselves and support each other in the process of becoming real, is perhaps the greatest single act of daring greatly.”

I highly recommend everyone read this book. Everyone feels ashamed and it’s been a humbling experience to learn how to cope with it.

Have a great week :)

[trustyourgutblog]

The One Where I *Try* to Stay Healthy While Traveling

Happy Monday, everyone!

Over the weekend, I went to visit my sister-in-law to help her find a wedding dress and celebrate Christmas with my husband’s family. This was the first time that his whole family was together since July, so we had such a great time with one another.

Even though I enjoyed our time together, my sister-in-law and I found ourselves saying “Well time to get back on track,” by the end of the weekend. We both try to be pretty health-conscious, but the rest of the family isn’t, so we find ourselves making food and drink choices that we wouldn’t normally make.

However, there were times throughout the weekend where we did make healthier choices than the rest of the group and I started to realized that we hadn’t just thrown all of our goals out the window.

Here are 5 tips to help you try to make healthier choices on your next weekend getaway or vacation, so that you don’t feel like your time away took you completely off track.

Preparation ~ it can help keep you on track. Even though I knew that all of my food and activity choices weren’t going to be 100% on point all weekend, I still brought all of my supplements that I would take at home, along with my yoga mat. This helped me to start out most days with my normal, morning routine ~ water, supplements, and stretching. I started my days with pre and probiotics and had digestive enzymes handy in case I ate something that I was intolerant to. This helped me to be in a head space to make more positive choices when it came to eating and drinking throughout the day.

Pack unprocessed snacks for your travel time. I don’t know about you guys, but I like to be more relaxed with my food and drink choices when I’m on vacation. That being said, I like to save the more indulgent choices for when I’m with the family and it’s really going to be worth it. For example, I didn’t waste indulging on stopping at McDonald’s or grabbing something from the gas station during the drive. I packed protein balls for the way there and back and made sure I was hydrated so that I wasn’t mindlessly snacking away. I’d rather indulge on homemade Wisconsin cheese curds (SO WORTH IT) because that’s something that I can’t just get anywhere.

Limit your alcohol intake. Drinking is an activity that every member of my family always participates in whenever we’re together. I enjoy drinking every once in a while, however, I know (by trial and error) the negative impacts that it has on my gut, anxiety, inflammation, and energy levels. For this reason, I decided to choose one night where I would be more relaxed with drinking and limit my drinking all of the other days that we were there. This helped me to avoid a serious case of the Sunday Scaries on our way home because I hadn’t overdone it on alcohol the night before.

Get movement in whenever you can. I’m pretty proud to report that we were able to get in some type movement or activity each day that we were there (with the exception of the first night, since we didn’t arrive until almost 10 pm). The first day I woke up and got a yoga flow in while half of the family was still getting moving in the morning. The second day, we went on a family walk and ended the evening with family headstand workshop. Seeing my mother-in-law attempt a headstand was one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a long time! Before my husband and I took off on the last day, my sister-in-law and I walked up to her gym and smashed out an upper body workout. It was a great way to wrap up the weekend.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be perfect! I never go into a weekend away expecting myself to make the perfect choices for my health. If I did, I wouldn’t be fully present with my family and enjoying our time together. Sure, there were times when I could have made better decisions (i.e. a salad instead of a fried fish taco at a restaurant that we went to), but I enjoyed the shit out of the that fish taco. And then we ended the night with a steak and vegetable dinner, so I don’t think it’s worth feeling guilty or beating myself up over. Now I’m hungry and thinking about fish tacos...

Keep these tips in your back pocket for your next weekend getaway or vacation, so that you can stay on track to your health and fitness goals, while you enjoy your time away from the office!

[trustyourgutblog]

The One With the Anxiety Spiral

Happy Monday everyone! I want to be real with you today. I normally bring positive energy and good vibes to my posts, but today I need to be honest. About 2 weeks ago, my anxiety was spiraling out of control. I was sitting in a work meeting, fighting back tears, and a shallow breath away from having a panic attack. I physically had to get up and walk out of the meeting to keep from breaking down in front of my coworkers. I was doing exactly what I teach kids and teens not to do everyday ~ buzzing through each day, checking tasks off of my list, and ignoring the warning signs that my body was screaming “MAYDAY, MAYDAY! System overload.” I was completely consumed in work, my new side hustle, car problems, finding a new car, working out everyday, keeping the house up, taking care of my animals, and on and on. Sprinkle in some work-related emotional distress and suddenly I was in a full-out spiral. Now that I can reflect on this week, I’m asking myself ~ was it really that sudden? Or was I just so consumed in the hustle and bustle of each day that I wasn’t paying attention and checking in with myself? I think that anxiety and intense emotions feel like they suddenly appear out of thin air when we’re not paying attention. Whether it’s our thoughts or physiological reactions, there’s always a red flag. The decision of choosing to pay attention or not, is up to us. I continuously dismissed every red flag that was being waved in my face. Racing thoughts the morning before work? Better just push through a cardio workout and get to work on time. Body feeling run-down and getting sick again? Better not prioritize rest and keep racing from task to task. Don’t worry about listening to your body and slowing the f*ck down. *eye roll* If you didn’t already guess, this is sarcasm. Not actual advice. I have to admit that upon reflection, I’m kind of embarrassed about how emotional I was at work that day. My boss had to give me a pep talk to make it through the day and several of my coworkers asked the existential “Are you ok?” which inevitably led to the dam busting and the flood gates of tears flowed wide open. I’m writing this embarrassing story in hopes that someone can relate to the notion of losing control of yourself and inevitably, your emotions. Even mental health professionals struggle to take care of their mental health. Here are 5 tips to help you stay regulated and improve your mental well-being. 1. PAY ATTENTION TO RED FLAGS! Just like you stop at a red light in your car, learn to tune into the red lights of your body and mind. If your heart rate and thoughts are racing, tune into that. Ask yourself ~ how am I feeling? What do I need right now? Had I done that the morning before that rough day of work, I would have chosen a slow yoga flow, rather than forcing myself to push through a HIIT workout.

2. This leads me to my next tip ~ check in with yourself daily. Extra points for doing it multiple times a day! As you wait for the elevator, take a deep, mindful breath and focus on taking in air through your nose and all the way to your stomach. Are your shoulders pulled up to your ears in tension? Take in a relaxing breath and ease them back down. Is your jaw clenched? Take the tongue off of the roof of your mouth as you exhale a cleansing breath.

3. Prioritize self-care! After the last few weeks, I intentionally planned an entire weekend of self-care. This included nourishing meals, reading, a spin class, baths, getting my hair done, individual time with my husband, a movie night, etc. Everyone’s self-care looks different. Know what taking care of you looks like and plan small ways to do that everyday!

4. If small steps to manage your mental health aren’t helping, consider adding medication or supplement. This doesn’t have to be prescription! Although, it can be helpful for lots of people. I have struggled with anxiety for most of my life and finally started taking a supplement for it and let me tell you ~ I wish I had tried taking it sooner! Total game-changer! If you want to know what has been helping me manage my anxiety, comment below or message me privately. What works for me may not work for you! Find something that makes a noticeable difference and stick with it!

5. Move your body ~ I know this sounds simple, but it’s so powerful! In the meeting I talked about above, I felt so anxious and trapped. Getting up and walking to the bathroom was such a small, but totally effective way to get me out of my head. When I got back to the meeting, I felt more regulated and had the urge to move even more. I started twisting and stretching my back in my chair and found that even those small movements helped me to release some of the tension that was building into panic. Don’t underestimate the small stuff!

I hope this post helps anyone who’s been struggling with their mental health. If anything, please know that you’re not alone! Like I said, my job is to teach people ways to manage their mental health. And I still have a hard time staying on top of it! But, I welcome the opportunity to use these tips to lead a more balanced, happier life. I’d love to hear if any of these helped you this week. :]

[trustyourgutblog]

The One With the Ab Workout

Happy Monday Everyone!

Since I posted recipes last week, I thought this week might be a good opportunity to talk about workouts.

Ab workouts have always been the bane of my existence. I genuinely like working out, but have always struggled with “finding comfort in discomfort” of a good ol’ ab burn.

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always gained weight in my midsection first. Add digestive issues on top of genetics and my belly continues to be the hardest part of my body for me to lose weight.

I know that the best way for me to get better at training abs is to practice, so I’ve been making an effort to dedicate at least one workout a week to abs. I’m also making more of an effort to activate my abs during all of my workouts throughout the week.

Today, I’m sharing last week’s ab workout that I combined with an hour of shoveling. Shoveling is surprisingly great cardio, so I wasn’t mad that we got about 4 inches of snow dumped on us this weekend.

In this workout, I completed 3 sets of 10 reps of each exercise. This took me about 15 minutes to complete (with rest).

The only equipment you’ll need to complete these workouts is a couple of wash cloths or dishtowels to set your feet on. Sliders will work too if you’ve got them! Trust me, you’ll be feeling like this after you’re done!

1. Ab Kicks

Start in a low squat and plant your right hand and kick your right leg toward the left side of your body while planting your left foot. Next, plant your left hand and kick your left foot towards the right side of your body with your right foot planted to switch sides. It takes some time to get in the rhythm, but once you do, your abs will be on fire!

2. Mountain Climbers

Start in a high plank (hands under shoulders, neutral spine, and butt down like you’re going to do a push-up) and place each of your feet on a separate washcloth/dish towel. Tuck one knee in at a time and aim to reach your opposite elbow ~ complete on both sides for 1 rep!

3. Sliding Pike

Start in a high plank position with each of your feet on your makeshift sliders. Keep your legs straight and tuck your hips toward the ceiling as you bring your feet closer to your shoulders. This shouldn’t be a very big movement, but is pretty difficult to control and will activate your abs quickly!

4. Ab Tucks

Start in a high plank position with each of your feet on the sliders. Bring both knees toward your chest while you tuck them in and return to your high plank ~ these were the toughest exercise for me!

5. Sliding Toe Taps

Start in high plank position with both of your feet on your makeshift sliders. Slide your right leg up your right side, aiming for your elbow until you feel a stretch. Return to high plank and repeat on the left side. That’s one rep!

Let me know if you add these exercises to this week’s workouts and comment below with your favorite ab moves! To see video clips of the exercises, follow me on Instagram ~ @trustyourgutblog !

*DISCLAIMER* after watching the clips, I noticed that my spine is not neutral during many of the exercises. So, do as I say and not as I do ;) In order to keep your spine neutral, be sure to look 3-5 inches in front of your hands

[trustyourgutblog]

The One with the Protein Powder Recipes

Happy Monday everyone!

I don’t know about you guys, but I struggle to get my protein in. Protein is essential if you’re trying to build muscle. It’s an important building block for bones, cartilage, and skin as well.  

I do eat meat, but I just don’t enjoy eating more of it than I need to. I know what some of you are thinking... you can get protein from other things besides animal sources. I find the easiest way for me to do that is to supplement with protein powder. So, I wanted to dedicate this post to some easy, protein powder recipes that you can add to this week’s meal prep.

1. Protein Powder Hot Chocolate

2 scoops of chocolate protein powder of your choice (I personally use Amare’s GBX protein powder)

1 cup of milk of your choice (I typically use almond or oat)

2 drops of peppermint essential oil

Just heat the milk over the stove, throw it in the blender with the protein powder and essential oil and VOILA! You have a tasty, warm treat and sneak some protein in while you’re at it. I know it sounds weird, but trust me ~ it’s delicious!

2. Protein Peanut Butter Energy Balls

1 cup oats (my tummy prefers gluten free, but you can also use old fashioned)

1/2 cup maple syrup (or honey if you don’t struggle with that particular FODMAP)

1/2 cup peanut or almond butter ~ if you’re going the PB route, natural works best

2/3 cup chocolate protein powder ~ if you want to make them extra chocolate-y, you could also add 1/3 cup Cocoa

Mix all of the ingredients together, form them into bite-sized balls, place on a cookie sheet, and chill in the freezer for 1 hour ~ you’ll have a tasty snack to grab on the go for the week!

3. Banana Mocha Smoothie

2 scoops chocolate protein powder

1/2 frozen banana

1 cup cold-brew coffee ~ I like to use my leftover coffee in my french press from the day before if I have some

1 tbsp almond butter

1/4 riced cauliflower ~ gives the smoothie a creamier texture and sneaks some veggies in!

Blend all of the ingredients together and you have a quick, easy breakfast to take on-the-go!

During the month of January, Amare is running a deal where you can get their chocolate protein powder FOR FREE! Message/comment below for details! :) Or just let me know which recipe you tried this week! 

[trustyourgutblog]

The One With the New Year’s Resolutions

Greetings earthlings🖖🏼Happy first Monday of 2020!

In my last post, I wrote about reflecting on the last year. So, I thought it was only fitting that I make this one about setting goals for 2020.

Now, I’m not going to take any credit for creating the journal prompts that helped me gain clarity into what I want to achieve in 2020. All of the credit goes to my favorite podcast ~ Primal Potential.

This podcast is life-changing. Seriously, I’ve been recommending it to anyone that wants to improve their life since I started listening to it a few years ago.

Episode 702 is the episode number that contains all of the phenomenal journaling prompts to help you get your mind right for 2020. Grab a pen and a notebook and give 702 a listen.

I’ve also seen a trend going around with choosing a word to represent 2020. I love this idea! For the last few days I’ve been trying to think of a word that describes the goals that I’ve had in mind for 2020 and last night I found it ~ invigorate.

𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 verb⁣

in•vig•o•rate⁣

𝘛𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘵𝘰⁣

⁣

Episode 702 helped me choose 4 different areas of my life to work on improving ~ health, relationships, finances, & career.⁣

⁣

I want to feel invigorated with my level of fitness and health. I want my consumers and families to feel invigorated and hopeful after a session with me. I want to give energy and strength to support the loved ones around me. I want my life to be invigorated with the level of financial support that I create.⁣

⁣

This mini workshop practice of identifying goals for 2020 helped me to feel so inspired! I’m hopeful that should you choose to try it, you’ll feel as invigorated as I do! See what I did there? ;)

Bonus points for listening to “On a Roll” by Ashley O (aka Miley Cyrus) to get even more excited about crushing your goals in 2020!

[trustyourgutblog]

The One With the New Year’s Reflections

I know that I recently made a post about journaling to help you set some personal goals. With NYE approaching, I think that it’s the perfect time to not only set some new goals, but also to reflect on what you’ve achieved within the last year.

I’m the type of person who’s mind is always preoccupied with checking the next task off of my to-do list. So, before I ring in the New Year, I’m making an effort to sit down and reflect on the goals that I have accomplished in 2019.

I’m making some space to pause, take a breath, and ground myself to celebrate the moments that have made up the last year.

From the most meaningful moments ~ getting married, watching my best friends get married, spending time with family, losing family, traveling, etc. to little victories ~ taking on new responsibilities at work, holding my first headstand, joining a yoga studio, upping my reading game, etc.

Here are some journaling prompts that will help you to remember and celebrate the small and big wins that you have achieved this year before moving on to setting goals for 2020.

Looking back at 2019, what are some of your favorite memories? Some of your most heartfelt moments?

Did you set any goals for 2019? If so, what were you able to accomplish? If not, were you able to take steps toward accomplishing that goal? For example, you set the goal of diversifying your income and have set up a “side hustle,” but have yet to make a profit.

Consider the goals that you weren’t able to accomplish~what got in the way of achieving them?

How has your life changed since 2019? Have you achieved any small, personal victories or lifestyle changes that have improved your life?

Time for the big stuff~in what major ways have your life changed?

Read over your responses and let yourself feel proud of everything that you’ve achieved! Bring that positive energy and vibes into the next decade ~ I hope 2020 brings you even more peace and blessings <3

[trustyourgutblog]

The One With the Cookies

Since the holiday season is upon us, I thought it would be fitting to talk about one of the biggest themes of Christmas time – indulgence. ‘Tis the season of baked goods, chocolate, candy, and peppermint mocha lattes.

I wish I was over exaggerating in admitting that I’ve eaten at least 1 cookie every day for the last week and a half. You know you’ve found a new low in your life when you can relate to a blue, furry Sesame Street character who’s spitting cookie crumbs at everyone.

I’m literally eating a cookie while I type up this post. I am the actual Cookie Monster.

‘Tis the season of giving ourselves more permission to indulge on treats that we wouldn’t eat on a daily, or even weekly basis. I’m all for having a sweet bedtime snack, but the amount of sugar and gluten that I’ve consumed within the last week is not my normal and my body is definitely feeling it.

I wanted to give you guys some tips on how to survive the holidays while not completely losing sight of your health and fitness goals.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the holiday season and am not so aesthetically-driven that I’d deprive myself of enjoying a hot chocolate and some baked goods at a Christmas party. But, there’s a fine line between enjoying a few treats and eating so much garbage that you feel like garbage. Capisce?

Here’s some tips that help me keep my health and fitness goals in mind while still enjoying my favorite holiday treats.

Maintain your usual workout routine! Even though my diet hasn’t been as clean as it normally would be, I’m still remaining consistent with lifting, cardio, and yoga at least 5 days each week. Working out doesn’t give me permission to eat unhealthy, but it does help me to keep sight of my health and fitness goals without throwing everything out the window.

Try to eat as clean as possible outside of the celebrations. For example, we had a White Elephant pizza party at work earlier this week, so I tried to keep the rest of my meals as clean as possible. After my workout in the morning, I had protein oats and fruit for breakfast, I snacked on veggies and hummus in the late afternoon, and for dinner I had salmon and broccoli. Sure, indulged on pizza and cookies in between, but I did my best to get back on track for the rest of my meals.

Keep moderation in mind. I think a lot of people struggle with that “all or nothing thinking” where they’ll say to themselves, “Well, I already ate a piece of pizza today so I might as well forget eating healthy for the rest of the day.” Then, that thinking creeps into your brain the next day when you open the work fridge only to find that there’s leftover pizza from yesterday’s party. The next thing you know you’ve been eating pizza, cookies, or anything you can get your hands on for 2 weeks. Just because it’s the holiday season that doesn’t mean you have to eat like garbage and be sedentary until you set some New Year’s resolutions. Keep your goals in mind, while enjoying some of your favorite treats that you only have once in a while.

Stay hydrated! I am so much more likely to over-indulge when I’m hungry and thirsty. You know those times where you eat and an hour later you’re hungry again? I get that all of the time when I don’t drink enough water. Sometimes, feeling thirsty will feel like hunger at first. So, when you’re headed to your holiday party, bring a bottle of water to help keep you hydrated and decipher between actual hunger and dehydration. Also, it will keep you from indulging on the pop that will be served at the party so that you can just focus on the important stuff (yeah, I’m talking cookies again).

Save your indulgences for those special dishes that you can only get once a year! At a lot of holiday gatherings, there will be candy or chips sitting out before you eat Christmas dinner. Do you really want to fill up on a Reese’s that you could literally buy any day of the year or the chocolate crinkle cookies that you only get on Christmas? (AGAIN WITH THE COOKIES)

If there are healthy options served at the party, start filling your plate with those, then opt for whatever else you’ve been craving. For example, at said White Elephant party, I filled up half of my plate with salad and ate that first, but then enjoyed some pizza and cookies after. At least you’re providing your body with some nutrients and not just filling up on sugar and carbs. I know what you’re thinking. How many times has this bitch talked about cookies in this post? Don’t make me enter another Cookie Monster GIF. I wasn’t kidding when I said that he is me and I am him.

Digestive enzyme supplements can also be key. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring these with me to our most recent Christmas event and I really regretted it. Digestive enzymes really help me with not feeling as bloated when I eat gluten or other foods that I am more sensitive to. Typically, my strategy is to just avoid these foods, but digestive enzymes can help me to better digest foods that I’m more sensitive to when I do want to indulge. If you’re interested in where to get the digestive enzymes that I’m currently taking, comment below or send me a message!

With all of this being said, please enjoy your holiday parties! Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year. As long as you’re not giving a “screw it all” attitude and keeping your health and fitness lifestyle in mind, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying treats that you don’t typically eat.

Treat each day as a new day to make choices that positively impact your health. If you enjoyed one too many cookies at today’s party, tomorrow is a new opportunity to make a better choice! What can you do today to take better care of yourself?

Happy holidays everyone!