Me 2 You Wellness

The face you make when you realize that fats are a healthy part of your diet! But for real. Who else lived during the ‘fat-free’ era? Late 90’s/early 2000’s were all about fat-free diets. In the height of my eating disorder, I consumed a mere 4g of fat a day and around 600-800 calories. All while exercising like a mad woman. How I managed to sustain this for as long as I did is unbelievable to me now. I wish I could go back and give that girl a shake, or maybe a hug. ...I started my day with a fat free apple sauce cup and then it went as so. Lunch: 2g fat, 100cal granola bar, after school: a pickle (?), then wrestling practice, the gym, and dinner was the same 1g fat bagel with fat free cheese, fat free turkey, lettuce and mustard. Sometimes I’d have a bowl of this one kind of low fat milestone soup I found. The routine of those days over 15 YEARS ago are ingrained in my memory. I was obsessed with calories and fat. Obsessed. Eat an avocado? Never!!! Too fattening! Studies around food and nutrition have come leaps and bounds over the last decade. We now know that ‘healthy fats’ are an essential part of our diet that offer so many benefits. They maintain and protect our cellular membranes, help us absorb other vitamins, help level blood sugars and are key for energy to name a few. Having trouble staying full for long and constantly feel unsatisfied? I challenge you to incorporate more healthy fats! The goal now is to create balanced meals every day healthy fat, protein, complex carb and a vegetable/greens. This could look like: a chicken breast topped with a tahini sauce, quinoa/brown rice, and sautéd chard. I have zero clue how many grams of fat or calories I consume in a day. No idea. I hone in on intuitive eating eating what will nourish my body and make me FEEL good and only eating until I’m comfortably full. It takes time. If you’re not there yet, no judgement from this gal. I’ve been there! But it is my journey through it that confirms that our mindsets can be reframed. We can have a healthy relationship with food and one where it doesn’t consume our life. ++ = @jamalamyaphotography

Who else believed (or maybe still believes) that we must exercise for hours on end to achieve the results we desire? When I first started this new chapter almost a year ago, it took me TIME to rewrite my internal dialogue. I couldn’t understand how just 30min a day was going to yield results. This topic came up again recently in my accountability group and it catapulted me back to my teenage years. ... I’ve been in sport and fitness almost my entire life but as a teenager, I was deep in it. I was in the competitive sport of wrestling with some big goals of going to the olympics. How my journey changed is a story for another day, but during those years I LIVED in the gym and obsessed about not seeing the results I wanted. I struggled with eating disorders, over eating and then trying to over compensate in the gym, etc etc. Long story short, I burnt out. By the end of my senior year, I couldn’t even fathom stepping foot in a gym ever again and formed a serious negative association with exercise. Learning about moderation and consistency has changed my relationship with wellness. I’ve completely reframed my perspective and now know that YES just 30min a day consistently can absolutely yield amazing results AND it can be enjoyable. Who knew!!! Hands up if you’re working reframing some old narratives yourself!

Today is a cool day because this guy turns 65! . So incredibly grateful to celebrate another year around the sun AND his official retirement! This man has worked dang hard, his whole life to provide for us as a family and as of late, for his life. He’s one of the strongest people I know. . If you know him, you love him. He’s got stories for days that will have you laughing, crying and at times questioning his sanity. ... . He’s the best. I’m so lucky to call him Dad. Happy birthday Pop, even though you don’t have ‘The Gram.’ Bet he will think it’s both weird and awesome that a bunch of people he doesn’t even know will be celebrating him on the internet. oh, 2021. You’re a trip. . See more

Look Ma! I’m in my bra! . . . Sports bra that is! But for real. A few months ago, I would never have put myself on a public platform in a sports bra like all of those fitness goddesses I see. It may seem silly, but I thought if I wasn’t a fit model then who was I to do such a thing?!... . Then I decided... forget that! . If I wanna rock my sports bra, then heck... I’m gonna rock it! It’s easy, breezy and enables me to watch my muscles as they go through the movements to make sure I’m doing things properly. . To all the ladies, of all shapes and sizes who wanna rock those bras! I see you. Let’s do this. See more

Going into week 2 like. . . . I was reading the descriptions on my workouts for this week and dang. Girl better get ready!... . What keeps me motivated is the power of showing up for the mamas that have joined my squad and for myself. Showing up and putting in the work is never something we will regret. Never ever! Every time we show up, we win. . How are you showing up for yourself or others this week? See more

I give you, The Buddha Bowl . . . You know the stories about how our grandmothers would make stews by taking whatever they had available and tossing it into a pot? I think of the Buddha bowl as somewhat of a ‘modern day stew.’ You can use whatever you have on hand, even if it’s just a pinch and make a delicious, completely balanced meal. Hot or cold!... . There is no one recipe you need to follow! Complex carb, veggies, greens, proteins, a healthy fat and you’re all set! These are my bread and butter in my home and the best part is, they never get boring because they are never the same! . In this bowl we are looking at: . fried cauliflower and rice mix cherry tomatoes edamame beans spinach papaya smoked salmon avocado roasted chickpeas topped with feta side of beet humus . Need some ideas? You can use quinoa, brown rice, freekeh, farro, or any type of grain as a base. Whatever you have got for veg works! Some great greens to use are kale, chard, collards. Don’t have papaya? Try mango or watermelon or even dried fruit if you’re going for a hot bowl. The options are endless. . Have fun with it make your own Buddha bowl and then tag me so I can see your creation! See more