🚬On July 5 2015, I smoked my last cigarette. I smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 19 years.

🌱All of the weird shit I eat? lentils...bok choy...curry...beets...chia...I didn't know what any of it was or what it tasted like for most of my adult life.

🍫I used binge eat chocolate every afternoon at work. Like 1/2 bag of Hershey's kisses kind of binge, on the regular.

🏃🏻‍♀️It took me years of practicing 3 mile running intervals in my neighborhood, and several 5Ks before ever completing my first 3 miles without stopping to walk.

🤰🏻 We had 4 pregnancies. 2 resulted beautiful babies, and all continue to teach us such valuable lessons.

📲 This week, I had the opportunity to share more about my journey to healing my relationship with food, holistically balancing my hormones, our pregnancies, and more on my dear friend and colleagues podcast, Well Women Radio.

Check out the episode during your commute or upcoming road trip, and then dive into all of the amazing content and interviews Ellie Thomas - Holistic Nutrition Consultant has to offer!!

Tune in by clicking the image below!

🌟PS. Your story? It’s important. Share it!

🌟 PPS. You've got to try this recipe for chocolate chia pudding. It's on the meal plans this week, and too good not to share!

Let’s stay connected! Contact me any time, HERE

Nutrient Dense Diets for Healthy Hormones

I ate a chocolate bunny for lunch on Thursday. And not just a little foil wrapped one. Like a big ass chocolate bunny.

To say there are moments where I'm in full on survival mode as a new mom to two is an understatement.

Y'all know I'm over here preaching self care, but in the midst of 32 ounce bottles of water and veggie filled meals, there are many days without showers, days that I find myself in hitting up the drive thru beer distributor on my way home from school pick up, and days where I look at the clock at three and think "shit, have I eaten anything since breakfast this morning?" ...and days that involve giant chocolate bunnies for lunch.

And ya know what? Even though I have a waysssss to go to reaching my postpartum goals (ie my pants) I'm totally cool with it.

This chapter is just that .. a chapter. It will be over in the blink of an eye and I'll be so thankful I have given myself grace and didn't spend valuable time stressing over it being perfect.

There are 5 really important things I’ve learned that have changed the game:

1. The body CANNOT heal in a stressed state. Stressing about it being perfect — food (or anything for that matter) prevents you from the end goal, whether it be weight loss, increased energy, regularity or even fertility.

2. What you focus on EXPANDS! Want failure, pain and for things to be hard? Easy. Want success, ease and amazingness? Also easy. Focus on what you want.

3. CONSISTENCY is key. 10 consistent steps forward and 2 step back still equals 8 steps toward the goal. Commit to the long game, and release the idea that it needs to be perfect.

4. Talk to yourself like someone you love. That voice in your head? The one that tells you you’re fat, you’re not enough or disgusting? Tell her you don’t have space for that kind of negativity in your life. If you wouldn’t say it to your best friend, don’t say it to yourself.

5. Eat more plants. They’ll make you feel good from the inside, and that’s what radiates outward.. 🍉🌱🍑🥕🍌🥑🍏🥦🍋

Start by incorporating this ah-mazing Thai Peanut Rice bowl, loaded with veggies, packed with flavor and texture and sure to please!!

P.S. ~ Here's a peek at what our members are cooking up this week!

—A breakfast smoothie (trust us, you wont even know you’re eating veggies)

—A Parmesan crisp topped soup

—A plant based spin on a favorite bar food

—A light, hearty dumpling bowl

— And, TACOS!

Also! In this week's video, learn more about silicone bakeware, and an easy, tasty way to make any soup or salad fancy. If you want in, sign up here by this Wednesday (May 1st):

Let's connect! Contact me HERE anytime.